v> vy i FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D, BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Di»iakM SCC Section ^£5^ ENGLISH METRICAL HOMILIES FAC- SIMILE of MS. (Fol.l, cvl.Lj //# .«*7. /»£/. / Jhrttild van* mmnia^ti&ff {fat* ef ut uetV dlrman^fe nglifh Sietrical Homilies FROM MANUSCRIPTS OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY WITH An Introduction and Notes JOHN SMALL, M. A. Librarian, Univerfity, Edinburgh ©Btniurgi) WILLIAM PATERSON, 74 PRINCES STREET M.DCCC.LXII. Printed by NeilL &' Company, Edinburgh. Introduction. F the ancient Englifh devotional MSS. which have efcaped the ravages of time, perhaps not the leaff interefting is a Collection of Metrical Homilies or Paraphrafes on thofe por- tions of the Gofpels which were read at the ufual fervices of the Church. This Collection is remarkable in many refpects, more efpecially from its containing numerous legends of faints and illuftrative tales, which mufl have rendered it a very popular book in the Middle Ages. At the fame time thefe legends in all probability marked it out as an object of mutilation or deft ruction at the period of the Reformation, when fo many memorials of the former religion were deftroyed by the zeal of the reformers — a zeal which was efpecially directed againft books ufed in the fervice of the Church, or in the private devotions of the people. Fortunately, however, there are preferved in the Manufcript Col- lections of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the Britifh Mufeum, and the Lambeth Library, London, complete copies of this feries of Homilies, which, though verfified, afford a graphic view of the ftyle of popular preaching at the end of the thirteenth and the be- ginning of the fourteenth centuries. Introduction. A rubric at the end of one of thefe MSS. preferved in the Univerfity of Cambridge, fupplies the title of the Collection, which is — " liomtntcalta <£banc$elta et fHtracuIa balto bona it notabtlta in Etngua Shicjltcana." The object of the Collection appears to have been to afford a metrical fervice for the Sundays and FefHvals from Advent onwards throughout the year. Each fermon is appropriately illuflrated by a fcriptural narrative, a legend from the lives of the faints, or a popular tale analogous to the ancient French fabliaux, to render it more attractive to the common people, for whofe benefit the Collection was compofed. The various MSS. which exift in England are carefully defcribed in the printed catalogues of the collections where they are preferved, and the following is a lift of five copies to be found in the libraries above mentioned, none of which are earlier than the middle of the fourteenth century : — Cambridge Univerfity MS., . . D d I. I.1 GgV. 31/ Afhmolean MS., Oxford, Cottonian MS., London, Lambeth MS., No. 42 J Tiberius, E. VII.* No. 260.5 The prefent volume is printed from an ancient MS. preferved in the Library of the Royal College of Phyficians at Edinburgh. This MS. contains various fragments of ancient Englifh devotional poetry, toge- ther with that portion of the Collection of Sermons which extends from the firft Sunday in Advent to the end of the fervice for the Purification. 1 Catalogue of Camb. MSS., vol. i., page 1. 2 Do. do., vol. iii., page 199. I Catalogue of Afhmolean MSS., by Mr Black, page 63. 4 Catalogue of the MSS. in the Cottonian Library, 1802, page 40. 5 Catalogue of Lambeth MSS., No. 260. Introduction. Hi The fermons are defective, however, in many places ; but the portions wanting are fupplied in the prefent volume by extracts from the Cam- bridge MS. Gg V. 31., and the Ammolean MS. No. 42. Although the portion of this Collection of Sermons now printed forms but a part of the whole, it pofTeiTes fome points of philological intereft, while the age of the original MS. — being apparently of the early part of the fourteenth century — tends to mow that it is probably of a much older date than any of thofe preferved in the Englifh libraries. With regard to the authorfhip of this interefting Collection, nothing can with any certainty be affirmed. The learned compilers of the Catalogue of Manufcripts belonging to the Univerfity of Cambridge, when defcribing the volume marked D d I. I , which contains probably the oldeft copy of this MS. in England, ftate the time at which it was written as fubfequent to the year 1345. This period is inferred from certain references to perfons and dates occurring in various poetical treatifes contained in the volume, the whole of which is uniformly written throughout. They alio conclude that from thefe refer- ences, and from peculiarities in the language, the authormip may be attributed to the famous Hermit Richard Rolle, of Hampole, near Doncafter, who died in 1348, although it has not been included in the lift of works certainly known to be his. This conclufion principally refts on the many allufions in the ill-uftra- tive legends to incidents in hermit life, and the occurrence of the fol- lowing lines, which form the concluding portion of a poem, " De Compailione Beate Marie Virginis," included in the volume D d I. I , and in the fame handwriting as the Metrical Sermons : — " This ryme mad an hermyte And dide it wryten in parchemyn Barfoot he wente in gray habyte He werid no cloth pat was of lyne pus on Englifch he dide it wryte iv Introduction. He feyth he drow it of ]>e Latyn His mede lord ihu him quyte And feynt bernard clerk of deuyn." As the Edinburgh MS., however, appears to be much older than the Cambridge MS. D d I. I , and the other MSS. preferved in the Englifh libraries, it is probable that the original was compofed anterior to the time when Hampole flourifhed. This probability is ftrengthened by the circumftance that the various copies now extant differ very much in length, and in the order in which the fermons are arranged. It is therefore not unlikely that the collection was the work of feveral monkifh verifiers ; and this view feems borne out by the ftyle of the compofition, and the frequency with which poems on facred fub- jecls, in a fimilar kind of verfe, occur in early Englifh literature. Although the authorfhip of this interefting Collection of Sermons is a matter of uncertainty, ftill there can be little doubt that it was com- pofed in the North of England at a very early period, when the Anglo- Saxon was being transformed into Englifh, and when the ufe of the Anglo-Norman French was not uncommon amongft the educated clafTes of the people. As is ftated in the Prologue, the defign of the author was to make the fervices of religion intelligible to the unlearned : — " For al men can noht I wis Underftand Latin and Frankis." It is well known that for a long time after the Norman Conqueft, which introduced Anglo-Norman French as the court language of England, the common people continued to fpeak Anglo-Saxon, till, about the time of the thirteenth century, the intercourfe between the various clafTes of fociety becoming more general, an intermixture of the two languages began to take place. In a philological point of view, the MS. now printed is very remark- able. The language in which it is written is of the moft homely Introduction. kind. All difficult expreflions, and expeditions liable to be misunder- ftood, are ftudioufly avoided, while the words employed are nearly all derived from the Anglo-Saxon, or rather that modification of it known as Dano-Saxon, and comparatively few occur of Anglo-Norman origin. In this refpect thefe fermons, like the poem of " Piers Plowman," intended for popular ufe, afford a remarkable contrail to the writings of Chaucer, who, being efTentially a Court poet, employed a much larger proportion of Anglo-Norman words in his poetry. Their greateif philological value, however, confifts in their mowing that the fame broad dialect was common at an early period to Scotland and the North of England. This dialect was derived from a colony of Saxons, who, coming from Slefwick, in the South of Denmark, in a.d. 547, eftablifhed themfelves in Northumberland, and in various parts of Scotland between the Tweed and the Forth. In this extenfive diftrict, far removed from the influence of the Anglo-Norman, which prevailed after the Norman Conqueft amongft the inhabitants of the Southern parts of England, this Dano-Saxon or Eaft- Anglian dialect long flourifhed and refilled the propenflty to change which more or lefs affects all living languages. This dialect was long fuccefsfully cultivated, and in it nearly all the English metrical romances of mediaeval times were written ; while, as Sir Walter Scott has juftly remarked, the fame flow of romantic and poetical tradition has diftinguiflied thefe diftricts almoft down to the prefent time. On comparing the language in which thefe Homilies are written, with that of the ancient poems known to have been compofed by Scottifh authors, both may be confidered as being of one and the fame dialect ; and whilft the Homilies prefent feveral peculiarities fhowing a Northumbrian origin, they tend ftill further to prove the Dano-Saxon origin of the literary language of Scotland — a fubject on which much interefling difcuflion has taken place in recent times. It can hardly be fuppofed that this collection of fermons was written with the view of its being ufed as a fervice book of the Church, yet vi Introduction. the Rubric inferted after the Latin poem on the " Signa ante Judicium," page 27, feems to imply that the Sermons were intended to be read to the people. This Latin poem (which is wanting in the other MSS.) is' ordered to be omitted by the preacher, " quando legit Anglicum coram laycis." The fermons may, however, have been intended to be read to the people after the regular fervices of the Church were concluded ; and the fingular tales or " narrations," which indicate the rude fim- plicity of the age, feem to have been introduced more effectually to fix the attention of the audience. It is well known that the moft celebrated popular preachers in mediaeval times mowed a tendency to excite laughter in its turn as well as other emotions. As illuftrative of the familiar ftyle of the Sermons contained in the prefent volume, and of the fingular " narrations " with which they are accompanied, the following outline may be given of the one for the third Sunday after the Octave of Epiphany. The leiTon is from St Matthew's Gofpel, viii. 23, being the narrative of the miraculous ftiHing of the tempeft on the Sea of Galilee, which is explained and illuft rated as follows : — The holy Church is reprefented as a fhip floating upon a fea flowing with fin and wickednefs. Chrift is fuppofed to be fpiritually afleep when he permits good men to become the prey of the evil-difpofed. The world is compared to a fea wherein — and where- — " gret flfches etes the fmale," — " Riche men of this werd etes That pouer wit thair trauail getes, For wit pouer men fares the king Riht als the quale fares wit the elringe." The wrongs which the weak fuffer at the hands of the powerful are compared to a ftorm of the fea, in which Chrifl is in the fhip afleep. The prayers of the fufFerers afking affiftance awaken Chrift, who grants Introduction. vii all their reafonable wiffies. The fait water of the fea betokens the defire of riches; for, as fait water, when drunk, caufes increafed thirit, fo the richer a man becomes the greater defire he has for wealth. As water drowns the body, fo v/ealth drowns the foul in a fpiritual fenfe, and after it is drowned it becomes the prey of " wattri wormes." This is exemplified by the following tale of a Ufurer : — A great city on the Continent was under the fpiritual care of a holy bifhop called Piers. A knight lived in his neighbourhood who had gained great wealth by ufury. Although his defire of wealth was great, the knight had ftill fome religious feeling left, and in a penitent ftate went to the holy bifhop to get abfolution for his fins. The bifhop afked him if he were willing to do the penance he was prepared to lay on him. On his avnfwering affirmatively, the bifhop, to his fur- prife, inftead of a fevere penance, only required of him to grant the requeft of a beggar whom he fhould meet on his return homewards. The knight fubfequently encountered a beggar, who faluted him and folicited his charity. The knight afked him the extent of his demand, when the beggar ventured to fpecify a quarter of wheat. This requeft was agreed to by the knight, who ordered his fervants to meafure out the grain from his ftores. The poor beggar, however, had no bag or veffel in which he might put this unexpected quantity of grain, and requefted the knight to give him fome means of carrying away the wheat apparently fo munificently offered to him. The knight, whole ufurious feelings fuddenly returned, propofed to the beggar to leave the grain, and in place of it take the fum of five millings. The beggar, having no other refource, agreed to this propofal, took the money, and went his way, while the knight ordered his fervants to put the grain back into a cheft. Three days afterwards the knight opened this cheft, when, to his furprife, inftead of grain — " Snakes and nederes thar he fand, And gret blac tades gangand, viii Introduction. And arfkes and other wormes felle That I can noht on Inglis telle." Thefe ferpents endeavoured to attack the knight, who, in his alarm, rufhed to the bifhop and told him what had happened. The bifhop, on hearing the cafe, informed the knight that, in order to fulfil the will of God and obtain entrance into heaven, the only way left was to take no account of himfelf, but to throw himfelf naked amongft thefe reptiles. The knight naturally felt fome hefitation in complying with this dreadful injunction ; but the bifhop affured him that his pain would be fhort, and that although his flefh would be eaten by the ferpents, his foul would pafs into everlafting happinefs. The knight, after re- queuing the bifhop to pray for his foul, did as he was commanded, and threw himfelf naked amongft the reptiles, which fpeedily ate him up, leaving nothing but his bones. Thefe the bifhop, with his clergy, came fhortly afterwards to demand from the family of the knight, when he was led to the cheft, threw the reptiles into the fire, and drew forth the bones of the wretched knight as white as fnow. They were afterwards placed in a fhrine in an abbey, where they were . regarded as holy relics, and many miracles were done by them. An account of the happy ftate of the foul of this ufurer, thus fnatched from the power of Satan by fo fearful a penance, concludes the fingular homily. The Homily for the next Sunday in Epiphany is illuftrated by the following charac"teriftic " narration," to which a fide-note in the Cam- bridge MS. G g V. 31, fupplies the following title : — " flofo tf)e IBeuttt became a $f)£$ttum to tempt tf)e f&onfesl." A hermit of great fanctity is reprefented as fitting at the entrance of his cell, when he obferves a fiend approach in the difguife of a doctor, carrying a number of boxes and bottles of medicine, on his back — Introduction. ix " And boyftes on himlel he bare And ampolies als leche ware." The hermit penetrating this difguife of Satan, accofts him, and aiks whither he is going. The fiend informs him that he is on his way to an abbey in the neighbourhood, as too long time had elapfed fince he had laft paid a vifit to the monks. The hermit then afks what he means to do with his boxes and medicine bottles, when the fiend informs him that his defign is to adminifter as medicine, drugs which fhould caufe the recipients to think of fin. Firft of all he propofes to try them with gluttony, next with envy, pride, hatred, and fo on. The hermit re- quefts the fiend to call on his return and report his progrefs, and then allows him to go on his way. He then prays to God to counteract Satan's plans. The fiend makes but little progrefs in his defigns againft the monks, and on his return informs the hermit that he had " fped ful ille," that he had made no new converts, and that of all the monks only one, called Teocift, acted in accordance with his commands. This information is not loll: upon the hermit. He immediately lets out for the abbey, and inquires for Teocift, of the monks who run to greet him on his arrival. He is conducted to Teocift's cell, and, after mutual falutations, afks him whether he is ever troubled with unholy thoughts. Teocift replies in the negative, as he is unwilling to let the truth be known. The hermit affects to believe him, and adds that although he himfelf was an old man, he felt great difficulty in keeping himfelf from improper defires, and expreffes his wonder that a brother fo young as Teocift fhould be wholly free from the irregular inclinations incident to youth. Teocift, thrown off his guard by this apparently ingenuous confeffion of the hermit, now admits that he had fometimes yielded to the tempta- tions of the fiend. The hermit having thus afcertained the truth, exhorts his weak brother, and impreffes upon him the neceflity of firm refiftance to the temptations of Satan. Having thus accomplifhed the Introduction. object of his vifit, the hermit returns to his dwelling in the wildernefs, and foon after obferves the fiend again on his way to the abbey. He watches for his return, and then ironically afks what fuccefs had attended his fecond vifit. The fiend anfwers in great wrath, and laments the time he has loft in his vifits, for in no way can he get the better of any of the monks — " For likes nan of tham my play Bot alle thar kache me away." And he now finds even Teocift withdrawn from his influence, and turned into his ftrongeft opponent. The tale ends by the hermit praifmg God for defeating the defigns of the fiend, who is fo much chagrined at his want of fuccefs that he vows never to repeat his vifits to lb holy an eftablifhment. The Homilies, from the Purification, where this volume ends, to the twenty-third or twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity, the ufual limit of the MSS., are alfo illuftrated by feveral interefting tales-, and it is to be hoped that the remaining portion of this ancient Collection of fermons may at fome future period be publifhed from the Engliih Manufcripts. In conclufion, the Editor of the prefent volume has to exprefs his obligations to the following gentlemen, who have afforded many valu- able fuggeftions and corrections when the meets were palling through the prefs : — David Laing, Efq., Librarian to the Society of Writers to the Signet ; the Rev. Mr Power, Librarian to the Univerfity of Cam- bridge ; James Richardson, Efq., Advocate ; and Mr James Gor- don, whofe fkill in deciphering ancient MSS. has been of the greateft fervice on the prefent occafion. Edinburgh, 6th March 1862. DESCRIPTION OF THE EDINBURGH MANUSCRIPT. This ancient volume was bequeathed to the library of the Royal College of Phyficians, in 1 74 1, by Dr John Drummond, one of the Fellows, who filled the Prefident's chair of the College between the years 1722 and 1 7 26. The volume may be defcribed as follows : — A thin quarto, on vellum of fifty leaves, clofely written in double columns, each of about forty-five lines. It contains the fragments of three different books, the handwriting of each being different, but attributable to the later part of the thirteenth, or the early part of the fourteenth century. The firft and third parts of the volume contain various poems which are alio to be found in the MS. known as the " Curfor Mundi," copies of which are preferved in the Britifh Mufeum and other libraries. Thefe poems may be thus defcribed : — § I. A poem on the " Signa ante Judicium," or the fifteen figns, which, in the belief of ancient times, were fuppofed to precede the day of judgment, and which are verfified from fbme treatife afcribed to St Jerome, but not to be found in the printed editions of his works. ' This poem begins fol. la: — " Ik vnderftand al in mi thoht, That es na man fa wis that may Tel quen fal be the laft day, Bot he that al hauis for to yeme, Al es in his wil for to deme That laft day that al fal end, He gif us lauerd wit him to lend/ Two verfions of thefe fifteen figns will be found at pp. 25-28 of the prefent volume, one in Englifh, and another in Latin, both of which, xii DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. though fhorter, are of the fame nature as the one now defcribed. The eleventh fign is fo curious, that it is here extracted : — xi. "The fignes of the dai elleft, It nes na foil that it be left, Sar thai fal do for to grife, Wind on ik a lid fal rife Sa faft gain other fal tai blaw, That es na thing that it may fchaw The erthe fal tai do to rift, And up out of the lied to lift. The deueles out fal be fordreuin, Of that erthe that fal be reuin ; Ber thair bodis in that air, That fiht it fal be ful unfair. Than fal the raynbow decend In hew of gall it fal be kend, And wit the windes it fal mel, Drif them doun in to the hel, And dunt the deueles thider in, In thair bal al for to brin, And fal taim bidd to hald thaim thar Abon erthe to come no mar. The term es comen, haf ye fal The incom to be in your bal, Than fal tai bigin to cri and calle, Lauerd fader ! God of all." This verfion of the " Signa" ends, fol. 2- b, with the following note — " Hie vocantur omnes ad Judicium." § 2. A poem on the events which are to happen on the day of judgment, defcribing the manner in which the bodies of dead creatures (hall appear before the Judge of all. It begins fol. 2 b : — "Than fal be herd the blait of bem, The demfter fal com to dem, That al thing of ftandes awe, In quatkin forme I fal you fc[a]we. We trow, and al aw for to trow, Bot it be Sarezin or Jow, DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. xiii That efter his refurreccioun, The hei dai of th[e] aifencioun, Com Ihu til his frendes fwete, That fet war to thair met at ette." The author then mows that although the body may have been utterly deftroyed in this world, it mall appear on the day of the refurrecl:ion in a ftate fimilar to that in which it exifted before death ; and in illus- tration of his ftatement, he gives the following charac~teriltic " Exem- plum," fol. 3 b, coL 2 : — " A faumpil fa] I fchaw thar hie That I fand of Saint Gregorie, Thar he was in a lied fum quar, A crafti clerk, and wis of lar, And alkid him an queftioun, Of an wolf, and a liun, And of the thrid that was a man, Quar of the tal he thus bigan : A man welk thoru a wod his wai, Thar ner the itrete a wolf him lay ; This wolfe it was wnmifur of met, Al this mannis lies he ete j Alle fwithe he fwa hauid don, A hungir lion mett he fon, [Fol. 4 a, col. i.] Vp and doun his prai fecand, Quen he na nother belt ne fand, This wolf he felled, and ette him alle, Ne left he nather gret ne fmalle. The lion efter deyed in hii, Dede thar gan his caroin lie, And thar was rotin al to noht. Quar fal now this man be foht, For ne mai trow on nankin wis, That this man mai to lif up ris, Sin nan es, als i wen, that kan Tuine that erthe that com of man, Fra erthe that is bred of belt. Saint Gregor gaf anfwer honeft, And of that man that was in were, The fothe he fchawid him al cler, xiv DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. And prouid him wit quik reiun, That at this reiiirrecciun, Wit al his lims hal and fere, Sal com bifor the demefter. For thou his bodi war al brint. And blawen al the pouder tint, Yet mai God gader it al agayn And newin it at his wille again." This poem ends fol. io a, col. 2 : — " Al that this bok, or heris, or redis, Leuedi, thaim help in al thair nedis. Amen." § 3. A poem on the Lamentation of the Virgin — a common fubject of early Englifh poetry. It begins fol. 10 a, col. 2 : — " Spel yet I wald, fpek if I cuthe, War ani mirthis in mi muthe, For mikel haf to mot ; Bot that in hertis wo hord es reft, Nedwais ut bihouis it breft, Of bal to brew mm bot. Sco that es bet of all bale, Of hir trewlik es al mi tale, Hir murning for to minne. For that foru tha[t] fco feye, Hir fwet fon on rod dreye, All thoru his auen kine." This poem ends fol. 14 a, col. 2 : — "In Criftis worfip for to mink, And euer opon his thraues think, That fua did you to murne. Prai that lefdi ben ur lend, That we mai find hir fon frend, To tore quen we sal turne. Amen." § 4. A poem, which is a metrical verfion of the " Miraculum de Conceptione Beatae Mariae," as inferted by Gabriel Gerberon in the Benedictine edition of the works of St Anfelm.1 This legend, the 1 Opera; studio D. Gabrielis Gerberon, p. 507. DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. xv authorihip of which is generally attributed to St Anfelm, is fuppofed, from internal evidence, to be fpurious, and is contrary to the views of Anfelm himfelf, as enunciated in other paiTages of his works known to be genuine. This poetical verfion is, however, a bold and vigorous piece of compofition, and poiIeHes fome points of hiftorical intereft. It defcribes the embafTy of Helis, or Elfinus, an abbot of Ramfay, who is reprefented as having been fent by William the Conqueror to Den- mark, fhortly after the battle of Haftings. The object of his million was to appeafe Suein, king of Denmark, who had made preparations for a defcent upon England to revenge the death of his nephew king Harold. A verfion of this poem has been printed by Sir Henry Ellis in his introduction to " Domefday Book,"1 from the Cottonian MS., Vefp. A. III. The poem begins in the Edinburgh MS. fol. 14 a, col. 2, and ends fol. 15 b, col. 2 : — " Liftnis mi god men wit yor lef, Wei lathe me war you for to gref, That you mi talking thoht to ton, For me think neraar enoh, That 1 mai of hir louing red, That bet us al ut of ur ned. A] mi lif unto min end, Thoh I moht in hir louing fpend, Al that I cuthe, or think, or lai, It war noht half an our of dai, And this tar na man nik wit nai, Sa brad of hir blis es the wai, Thoh mannis wit be neuer fa ftraite, Sco mai wel bring it into nait, For thoh mi wit war neuer la wild, Quen I ma mining of that mild, Quat blis fco bred ogain ur bale, That I n[e] fal rind willing of wale, 1 Vol. i. p. 99. xvi DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. That gifes me lull of hir to rede, For he is aliped that fco wil fpede. Tald es in this bok biforn, Hu that fcho was getin and born, Bot mi lauerdinges, if ye bid, Quat tim and term that it bitid, That fcho was getin, that bird of blis, I fal mon wit out in mis, The felt of hir conceptioun, [Fol. 14 b, Thar of ye fai her the refun coL '"J Qui that hali kirk and hu, Bi yer tharof dos feruis nu, That it did noht in aid dais, Herkens hu the ftori fais. A king was hiht William Baitard, That werraid Ingeland ful hard, Sa ftalword man he was of hand, That wit his force he wan the land ; Selcuthe kenli cuthe he fiht, He iloh the king that Harald hiht, That born was of the Danis blod, For qui the land he him witftod, Than bar Willam the sengnorie Of Ingeland and Normundie. The King of Danemarche onan, Herd that Harald king was llan ; Of witte almalt. ut wald he wend, For luf [to] him that was his frend. Schippis did he diht him yar, Intil Ingeland to far, Apon the Normanz for to fiht, That wan the land wit outin riht ; For he iuar bi the king of heuin That Harald llahtir fuld he heuin. To king William bodword was brohc Of this tithing that him for thoht ; He fchonid far tha[t] wer fuld ris, And warnift him on mani wis. He gadert fauders her and tar, To Itrenth his cartels he[r] and tar, A Is he that conquerur was god, DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. xvii And for to werrai underftod. His coniail bad him for to fand The king of Danmark wit fand, For to fpek about fum pais Bituixin him and tha Danais. This ilke tim that ike of fai, Was an Abbot in Ramifay, The nam of him men cald Elis, [Col. 2.] Selcutheli hend he was and wis, And wel a gret refun fchaw he cuthe, Wit outen ani mer in muthe. This Abbot of this erand ber Was c[h]ofin to be melfager, Unto Danmark to fare, Als man was led wit mikel lar Wit trefori his fchip was diht Of. prefand mani riche gift, Of liluir and golde to giftes bede, Mar than es miller for to rede, The flnge of pes alfwa to bring, Tuix William and that other king ; And of tha fcippis for to fpir, Quen that tai ah til for to ftir, Helis to fcipping he him did ; The bir it blew als he wald bid ; He paft that fe that was wel brad ; His prefand to the king he mad ; His prefand was welcum, and he Als bringand wont es for to be : Til erlis and baruns of that rick Than gaf ^ fer kin giftis rik : Tha that he hauid na giftis til, Wit fpeche he hauid al thair wil ; Sa wel in fpeche than cuthe he fpel, That al that oft he did to duel. Quen his nedis war al done, Thai diht him his fchipping lone ; Thair fail thai fet up of thair fchippe ; Sir Helis and his felaufchippe, His giftes gaf he noht in vaine, Bot faire prefandis [thai] fent ogaine. xviii DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. Forthe thai flotin on that flod, For al to wil thair bir thaim ftod, That at the laft moht thai noht fe Bot heuin abute thaim and the ie ; The weder als in fomer fmethe, Son bigan be rug and rethe, That ilke waw til other it weft, [Fol. 15 a, And bremli to tha bargis beft. col. 1.] The lift it blakind al to niht, On ilka fid than flakid thair fiht, The fe for rethnes wex al red, To rewthe was turnid al thair red. The wind ras gainis taim unride, The fe thaim failid on ilka fide, Thaim blew on mani bremli blalt, Quen malt it raf, and cordis braft ; Strangli ftraite than war thai ftad, The marineres war felcutlie rad, Sua rad ne war thai neuer ar, For thaim war neuer in perlir ar, Ful wantlum war thai than of red, Bot drerili thai dred thair ded. Quen thai hauid ftriuen ai quil thai moht. Again that ftorm al was for noht, Thai let it wander vp and dun, Thair fchip ai redi for to drunn ; Thai wander waful on that nod, Cried and wep als tai war wod, Thai fari lokid ai fua forfwonkin, Quen fchip luld quilum be or funkin. On Jheiu Crilt thai cri and cal, And on Mari that helpis al. Leuedi, thai fai, that es fa mild, Prai for us to tlii met child, Al mon we druen fa, wailewai, Leuedi nu hr lp, for wel thu mai. Thai wrang thair hend and wep ful far, Als men war carkid al wit car ; Apon thair breftes fait thai beft, And al in God thaimfelf bileft. But fco that euer is bot of bale, DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. xix Til al that hop in hir hauis hal, Hir focur fon to thaim fco fent, That in filk murning on hir ment. Dun bi that ichip an angel liht, In felcuthe clething fchen of liht : This angel to tha quakand kid, Col. 2. J And thus to thaim his erand did. Helis, he laid, lift up thi cher, Cum fpec ner wit this meflager. Al tha that in that farcoft ferd Ware med quen thai him fau and herd. The angel thus he tald his talle, Helis, he faid, if [thou] wil halle, Cum of this ichip to land and fer, Thu fal nu hiht and vow me her, That tu fal don als I the fai, Til alle the kirkes that tu mai, Quen thu comis intil Ingeland, For to do thaim at underftand For to haluin this ilke dai, Wit al the worfip that thai mai, In hali kirk ringand bi yer, Als getin was ur leuedi der. For getin bituix man and womman Was fco, that wem hauid neuer nan ; Getin was fco to be born, For to lethe al that war forlorn. This es the dai that fco was getin, Lok neuer mar it be forgetin, Qu halus it wit outen fail, Bathe lif and fawel it fal taim wail. Do vou, Elis, and hald thi vow, It fal te turn til mikel pru. To that angel than fpak Hellie, Sai me ligne, he faid, quarbie Ik and al mi monkes mai, And al criften men halu that dai. To knaw, he faid, it war ful ethe, The ahtand dai of a monethe That man clepis in the yer, December in the calender ; xx DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. That es the dai that Ik of men, Quen getin was that Leued fchen. Sai me, faid Helis, quatkin wis Of hir that we fal mak feruis, Sin thar es proper nan I knaw. [Fol. 15 b, Gladli, fir, I fal you fchaw ; col. 1.] The feruis of her birthe thu tak, Thar of thu fal thi feruis mak . Of a word that thar in es red To fette another word in fted , Ai quar ye fai Natiuite, This word Conceptioun fai ye ; For change thar es nan mar Of al the feruis that es tar. Of this borword blithe was Helli, And thankid Crift and ur Leuedi ; Gladli k he hiht, and wit god vville That comandment al for to fille. Quen the abbot hauid his vow mad. Out of thar fiht the angel glad ; Als fuithe na langer duell, The lem gan liht, the ftorm it fell Ful fair it com that fe to fiht ; And thai bigan thair takil diht. Thair wil to wind fair thai fand, Til thai com intil Ingeland ; Wit al thair farnet and thair fer, Thai com to land bathe hale and fer. Helis bigan this comandment Son for to fchaw til his couent. Al this chance that him bitid, Al comunlik he it undid, To worfip hir conception, That of ur pliht us gat pardon. This feft fra than the folk forthe held, Thar of ilkan til other teld. This ilke abbot at Ramfai, Afetnes fet in his abbai, Thar in this feruis for to fland, Ai quilis that abbai be laftand ; And fua man dos in ftedis fel, DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. xxi Sa all al do that es hir lei, This ftori thar wit for to fai, Euer quen wil hald this dai. Mai na man feruin hir in lede, [Col. 2.] That fco ne than yeldis thaim thair med : Sco don us her to feme hir fua, That we be wit hir euer and a. Amen." § 5. The metrical lermons now printed, extending from fol. 16 to fol. 36, form the feconxl part of the volume. § 6. Various metrical fragments of narrations of events in the lives of the Apoftles, and the Virgin Mary, dilfinguifhed by many philologi- cal peculiarities, form the third and concluding part of the MS. They begin on fol. 37 a, col. I : — " In heuin on heie than fale I lcawe, And fignis dune on erthe lawe ; He tald thaim mani takins fere, That es na nede alle rekiii here. Mi brethir, he faide, ful wel mai I Of the prophete giu telle Daui, He wifte that Gode til him hauid (born, That ane fuld of his fede be borne, To lite in fetlis that was his ; Bot he that fa£ on ferrum this, Of his uprife he faide, in helle Na fuld nogt Crift be lefte to duel, Na neuer of rote his fleis haue fi^te ; Bot raifid es he with ftrenth of dri^te ; Fra dede to liue nu rifin es he, And thar of witnes al ar we." The following lines occur at fol. 43 b, col. 2, which are particularly valuable, as mowing that the language of the North of England was, at the time when they were written, almoif unintelligible to the inhabitants of the Southern part of the kingdom : — " Womman lal perile of na barne, Na nan wit miftim he for fame, xxii DESCRIPTION OF THE MS. Na fal unto na dedlie pligte, That tai it here outher day or nijte . And mare thar of I fai ye giete, Qu hertlic heris or redis itte, Of ure Leuedi and Saint Johan Thair benicun thaim bes nogte wan And Saint Edmund of Puntenei, Daiis of perdun thaim giuis xxd; In a writte this ilke I fande, Him felue it wrogte Ic underftande In other Inglis was it drawin, And turnid Ic haue it til ur awin Language of the Northin lede, That can na nother Inglis rede." The MS. ends abruptly, fol. 50 b, col. 2 : — " Bote we finde in Daniel Fourti daiis he fal taim grate. That fallin arne oute of thair . . . Thurj foluinge of that fals prophete That thai mai thaim penance . . . Quen that penance til ende es . . . Prologue ADER and fun and haligaft, That anfald God es ay ftedfaft. Worthi driht in trinite, A God a miht in perfons iii, With outen end and biginning, Rihtwis Lauerd and mihti king, That mad of riht noht alle thing, And geres the erthe froit forth bring, Wit outen the nan froit mai fpring, For al es loken in thi welding. Thou ert Lauerd that worthi driht e, That al ophaldes wiht thi mihte, Thou that al craftes kanne, Of erth and lam thou made manne, And gaf him gafl of fchilwifnes That thou mad efter thi liknes, Prolog us, Thou filde this gafhe fa full of witte, Sa quaynt and craft i mad thou itte, That al befles er red for man, Sa mani wyle and wrenk he can. Forthi fuld man in thi feruis Defpend his witte and his quaintis, For thu gaf man ikil and infiht, And heuenis blis thou hauis him hiht, To kouenand that he ferue the riht, And fe and knau thi mikel miht, On the bird be his maft thouht, That fes quat thou for him has wroht, And fra quat bale thou him broht, Quen thou fra helle on rode him boht. An unkind man es he, That turnes alle his thoht fra the, And wel bird ever ilk man, Lof God after that he kan, Lered men wit rihtwis lare, And laued folk wit rihtwis fare, Prefles wit matines and wit meffe, And laued men wiht rihtwifnes, Clerk wit lar of Godes worde, For he haues in him Godes horde Of wifdom and of gafllic lare, That he ne an noht for to fpare, Prolog us, Bot fcheu it forthe til laued menne, And thaim the wai til heuin kenne. For [all than] fal we yeld acount, Quat that wifdom mai amount, That God hauis giuen us for to fpend, In god oys til our Hues end. Forthi fuld ilke precheour fchau, The god that Godd hauis gert him knau, For qua fa hides Godes gift, God mai chalange him of thift. In al thing es he nouht lele. That Godes gift fra man wil fele, Forthi the litel that I kanne, Wil I fchau til ilke manne, Yf I kan mar god than he, For than lif Ic in charite, For Godes wifdom that es kid, And na thing worthe quen it is hid, Forthi wil I of my pouert, Schau fum thing that Ik haf in hert, On Ingelis tong that alle may Underftand quat I wil fay, For laued men hauis mar miller, Godes word for to her, Than klerkes that thair mirour lokes, And fees hou thai fal lif on bokes, Prolog us, And bathe klerk and laued man, Englis underfland kan, That was born in Ingeland, And lang haues ben thar in wonand, Bot al men can noht, I wis, Underfland Latin and Frankis, Forthi me think almous it iffe, To wirke fum god thing on InglifTe, That mai ken lered and laued bathe, Hou thai mai yem thaim fra fchathe, And ftithe fland igain the fend, And til the blis of heuen wend, Mi fpeche haf I mint to drawe, Of Crifles dedes and his fau, On him mai I befl found mi werke, And of his dedes tac mi merke, That maked al this werd of noht, And der mankind on rode boht, The faur godfpellers us fchawes, Crifles dedes and his fawes, Al faur a talle thay telle, Bot feer faues er in thair fpelle, And of thair fpel in kirk at meffe, Er lefzouns red bathe mar and lefle, For at euer ilke meffe we rede Of Crifles wordes and his dede, Prolog us, Forthi tha godfpells that always Er red in kirc on fundays, Opon Inglis wil Ic undo, Yef God wil gif me grace tharto, For namlic on the funnenday, Comes lawed men thair bede to fay To the kirc, an for to lere Gaftlic lare that thar thai here, For als gret miller haf thay, To wit quat the godfpel wil fay Als lered men, for bathe er bouht Wit Crifles blod, and fal be broht Til heuenis blis ful menfkelie, Yef thai lef her rihtwiilie, For wil Ic on Inglis fchau, And ger our laued brether knawe, Quat alle tha godfpelles faies, That falles tille the funnendayes, That thai mai her and hald in hert Thinge that thaim til God mai ert, And forthi at our biginninge, Pray we God of heuin kinge, That he help us for to bringe This ilk werk to god endinge, And gif me grace fua make This werk for laued mannes fake, Prolog us, That I mai haf for my mede, Heuenrik blis quen I am dede, And our werk be worfchipe To God, and to the fend fcendfchipe And joy til halwe and till angel, And creften folk til fauel hel, That it be fua fays inwardlye, Pater nofler Ave Marie . Pat. nr. et cet. Explicit prologtts ♦ Uncipit ratio quart preens opus in tipiat tromumam primam &&foentus Domim\ R the fulthe of tim was comen, Satenas al folk aued nomen, For mankind in prifoun he held, Wiht outen help wit outen belde, Ai til God in trinite Of mankind hafd fa gret pite, That he fend his fon for to take Fleys and blod for mannes fake, For wit outen fleis and blode, Moht Crifh noht by apon the rode Mankind, that in fleis and felle, Was demed to the pin of helle, Forthi hafd God of man mercye, That was bigiled thoru envie Of Satenas that wiht lefmge Gabbid Adam and his offpringe, Dom. i. Advent. Domini. And gert mankind ga tille helle, Thar he fuld euer mar duelle, Yef it ne hauid ben Godd almihti, That fend his fon thorn his merci, To yeld for mankind raunceoun, And leife us al of prifoun, Goddes fun and Goddes fande, Com to les mankind of bande, And was born of mayden Marye, Mankind on rode for to bie, And forthi Crifh com us to, Our aller nedes for to do, A monethe bifor his birthe, Hali kirk wit menfke and mirht, Welcomes him euer ilke a yer, And thankes God on fair maner, For Crifles com and Goddes fande, That lefed us of the fendes bande, And forthi at that bluTful tyme, Quen hali kirk welcumes hime, Wil I bigin to mak my fpelle, And of his com fum thing telle, For Crifles to com mad endinge, Of al our foru and our murning. Dom. u Advent. Domini, Explicit tsttttr pvecttsetw %lVQ\xtntntum ♦ Mtipit (Bu&nQe Iturn tjuztiem JBominict QecunWm ffl&xtuttt. Wctum ^Buangelu $\)t$u Crfett filtt 23et, Stcut Scrtptum est in l^ana ijkopljeta. (iBcce mttto angelum meum ante factem tuam qui preparafctt btam tuant ante te . Woy clamanttS in fceSevto parate btam Itamim, rectal SemttaS faette eju£. dFutt StoljanneS in tteSerto . et cetera. Sayn Mark byginnes his godfpel Wit wordes that I wil you tel, And tas witnes of Yfaye, That fpekes of Crift in prophecye. This Yfaye than fpekes ful euen, In the fader nam of heuin, Til Crift of fayn Johan the Baptifte, That bodword broht of him that Crift ; I fend, he fays, my meffager Bifor thi face thi word to ber, That fal graithe bifor the the way, Wit word that he of the wil fay. Thir wordes fays God almihty, Thoru the prophet Malachye, And als than fpekis Yfaie, Of fayn Jon ful openlye, io Dom. i. Advent. Domini, Thai fcheu bathe an wit fere letter, Forthi bers us trow thaim the better. Thai tald how fayn Jon the Baptift Suld graithe the gates bifor Grille, For fayn Jon was in wildernes, And baptized folk in forgifnes Of fin, and kend thaim the way Tilward that blis that lafles ay, For mikel folk of a contre That our godfpelles kalles Jude, And of Jerufalemes cite, Com of fain Jon baptized to be, Thai fchraf thaim of thair fines clen, And fayn Jon baptized thaim biden. In ftrang penance his lif he ledde, Wit camel hare was he cledde, Wod hony and froit he ete, And taht the folk thair fine to bete, And faid a ftither gom than I, Efter me fal com in hy, That es fa menfcful and mihty, That I me felf es noht worthi To les the thuanges of his fchon, Sa mikel god thoru him bes don ; For I in water baptiz you, Bot apon him aw ye to trow, Dom. i. Advent. Domini. n For he fal wit the haligafte Baptiz you and your finnes wade. This es the ftrenthe of our godfpel, That man wit Englis tung mai telle. In this godfpel als think me, Tua thinges mai we gaflli fe. The firfl es worfip and louing Of Jhefu Crifles to coming, For it falles to a mihty king, That melTager word of him bring. Ar he com til his biging, Als fain Jon broht of Crifl tithing , Of quaim Yfay the prophet Bers witnes wit wordes met, And fain Mark fettes his witnes, In our godfpel als wel worthe es. The tother thinge that we may fe, In our godfpel als think me, Than es the gret derworthines Of precheours that bers witnes Of his to com and mas it couthe, Wit word that comes of thair mouthe, For thai er Crifles menagers, Til al that thair fermoun heres. Thay telle the folk on quat maner, That mankind was to Godd fa der, 12 Dom. i. Advent. Domini, That he fend his fon us to, Our aller nedes for to do. That was our Lauerd Crifb Jems, That was fend to dey for us, Forthi bird we in his cuming, Welcum him als worthi king, For in hali bok find we, Of Criftes to cuminge [poyntys] thre. The firfl was quen he com to tak Fleis and blod for mannes fak, He lyhted doun ful mekeli Into the maiden wamb of Mary, And fchop him bodi of hir fleyfe, And dubbed him wit our liknes, And welk in werld als fmful man, Bot finles was he al an ; Wit our licnes bigiled he The fend that his manned moht fe, But pride made the fend fa blind, That his godhed moht he noht find. He wend that Crift war noht bot man, And thoru his godhed was he tan. Criftes godhed the fend tok, Als fifce es tan wit bait and hoc ; For his godhed in fleis was felid Als hok in bait, quare thoru he telid Dom. u Advent. Domini, The fend, that telid our fadir Adam, And broht mankind in mikel blam ; Hauid Satenas wifl witerlye That Crifle hauid ben Godd almihtye, For al this werld hauid he noht gert, The Jowes fling him to the hert, Bot for he fau him noht bot man, Godhed in him wend he war nan, Forthi he fanded ithenlye, To harl him in til his balye, He wend wel wit him to fare, Als he hauid don with other are, For quen Crifl fuelt apon the tre, His fawel gern fpied he, Yef he moht fe or find thar inne, Any filth or fpotte of fmne, And for he fand thar in riht nan, Als fifce wit hok was he tan. The fendes miht that was ful flithe, That he was won bifor to kithe, Was alle taken in Crifles hand, That him in hel fa harde band, That neuer mar fal he wend Out of hel, bot ay thar lend, And Crifl reft him than mani man, That he fra Crifl bifor had tan. 14 Dom. i. Advent. Domini, For fon, quen Crift on rod was flain, He herid hel als mihti thain, And broht thaim al that war his, Mihtfullik in till his blis, His godhed and his fauel famen, Broht thaim al fra pin to gamen, Thus com ur Lauerd Crift us to To bring us al fra, til reft and ro ; Forthi beres man that efe mad hale, And blisfully bette of his bale, Welcom Crift that com to bring Us til his blis als mihti king. Nou fe ye qui and for quas fake, Crift com til us our kind to take. His firft com was bodilye, Bot an other eft gaftilye, That es quen Crift gifes us wille, His comandmenz to fulfille, For fon, quen we haf wil to do Al that the precheour fays us to, And feles our hert in charite, For fothe ful iiker mai we be, That Crift es comen in til our hertes Gaftli that us til godnes ertes, Of us felf haf we noht bot fin, Bot quen Crift wirkes us wit in, Dom. i. Advent. Domini, Than at the firft biginne we, God creften men for to be, That mai ye fe aperteli, Wit mani enfampel witerly, Namly bi Mari Maudelayn, That lang hauid in fin lain, Qiien Crift com gaftly til hir hert, Ris of her fmne fon he hir gert, For fon, quen fcho hauid hir tanne To Crift, fcho wex a god womman, Of hir wil Ik aperteli telle, Yef ye will lift and lithe mi fpel. flotantoa Werldes welthe gert Marie wede, Quil fcho was yong in hir fairhede. Scho gaf hir hert til fmful play, And keft hir maidenhed away. For rifli gers werldes win Thir fair wimmen fal in fin, Scho lived hir lif in licherye, Ai til Crift haued of hir mercie, He com til her gaftilye, And gert hir leue al hir folie, Scho umthot hir quat fcho hauid tint, And igain fin gan fcho ftint, Hir rewed of hir felf ful fare, And hauid for hir fin ilik kare Dom. /'. Advent. Domini, That nan that hers fpek of Marie, Thar haf wanhop of Godes mercie, For do man neuer fa mikel fin, And he wil his fin blin, Godd of heuin es ai redi, For to haf of him mercie, That was fen in the Maudelayn, That bird mak finful man ful fain. Sain Louk the god godfpeller, Telles us on quat maner, That this ilc finful Marye, Gat forgifnes and mercie. He fais that in that ilk toun, Woned a man that hiht Symoun, Thar Mary woned that tim that icho Hafd will penanz for to do, This ilk Simonde was a mefel, Bot Crifb hafd gifen him his hel, He hafd inoh quar of to lif, And almous to the pouer to gif. Fell auntour that he prayd Crifl To eet wit him at his biwifl, And Crifl that feknes fra him kefl, Com and eet wit him als geft, And fon, quen Mari herd telle, That Crifl fuld to the meet thar duelle, Dom. i. Advent. Domini. 17 Scho com thar Crift him feluen fette, And fiia far than gun fcho grede, That wit teres fcho wes his fete, That fcho of hir eyen lete, Scho wiped his feet wit her hare, And luffed thaim wit fuetli fuare, And blotned thaim wit fmerfles fuete, That al feled fuetnes that thar fete, Scho hauid boht this ointment, To fmer hir auen bodi gent, To mak met fmelland hir bodye, Quil fcho haunted hir folye. This Symond, of quaym I fpak are, Biheld this womman lufli fare, And thoht that yef Crifl war prophet, Him bird wit qua handeles his fet, Als qua fay, him bird wit that fcho War noht worthi this dede to do, For fin mas hir unworthi, To nehe him that fud be hali. And als Symond thoht this, Crifl wift quat he [thoht] I wis, And faid, Symond tak yem to me, Ik haf fum thing to fpek wit the, Simond anfuered and faid him tille, Sai on maifter, quat es thi wille. 18 Dom. i. Advent. Domini, And Crifh fette him enfampel than, And faid it was a riche man, This riche man hauid dettours fele, And fum war fals and fum war lele, A man haht him fifty penis, Another an honderet or the prise, And nauther hauid penis for to yeld, And he kid [thaim] curt ay fi and beld, And forgaf thaim thair dette bathe, Wit out en fhez wit outen fchathe, Quether of thir tua lufd him mar, x\nd Symond anfuerd Crifl fui yar, And faid, he quaym he mar forgafe, Wit riht mar lufe fudd til him hafe ; And Crifl faid, you hauid demid riht, For thus fars dette of finful pliht ; I com hider in als uncouthe man, Water to min fet bedd thou nan, And this womman hauis wafced mi fet, Wit fait teres that fcho gret, And her heuid hauis fcho mad al bare, And wiped min fet wit hir hare ; You khTed me noht fin I com ine, To kis min fet can fcho noht blin ; Forthi es hir forgiuen hir fin, For mikel luf that fcho kidd her in, Dom. i. Advent. Domini* The les that man luues me, The les fm mai him forgiuen be, Bot for hir luf es til me lele, I forgif hir fmnes ful fele, Ga, he faid, womman in pes, For al thi fmnes forgiuen es. This tal haf I tald you, To fcheu on quat maner and hou, That quen Crifl cumes intil our hertes, To lef our fm he us ertes, And geres us afk him forgiuen es, Of al our fmnes mar and les. His firft to com was bodili C)uen he was born of our Lefdi, For than he com in fles and bane For to hel fmful man ; His other com es gaftilye, Til our hert, quen we lef folye, For of us felf haf we bot fin, Of him comes al our welth and win, For quen he cumes gaftlic us to, Than haf we wil us god to do. Nou haf ye herd twifald to com, The thred fal be on day of dom, ()uen we fal ris thoru blafl of bem And Crifl fal cum al folc to dem. 20 Dom. i. Advent. Domini, Til god men fal he be quern, And to the wik ful grifli fern, Igain thaim fal he be fa brem, That of his land he fal thaim flem, Of this to com tel I noht nou, For Crifl him feluen telles hou He fal cum than, and wit quat miht, In our godfpel to dai fefniht, And qua fa wil that godfpel her, Than mai ye fe on quat maner Crifl fal cum to dem us alle, For igain him may we noht calle, Forthi red I we al pray That he be til us quern that day, And bring us til his mikel blis, That til nhtwis men graithed es. Amen fay we al famen, Thar bes joy and endles gam en. Amen. Wominica iu %ltibentM JSomtni seomfcttm iLtitam* 29trtt StfjeSuS fcferipulte Sute, (£rtmt Stgna in Sole, et lima, et StelltS, tt tit terris, preSSura gentium pre nmfustone SomtuS maris et flttctuttm. &reScenttbuS ijommftud pre ttmore et ejv peetattone true Superuement umttcralo odri . et cetera. s 0fggL i ODAY fain Louk telles us In our godfpel, that Jefus Spac of thing that es to com, And namelic of the dai of dom. Takning he faid fal be don Bathe in the fon, and in the mon, And in the ft ernes al bid en, And folc fal thol wandreth and ten, For folc fal duin for din of fe, And for baret that than fal be, Ouer al this werd bes rednes, Wandreth, and uglines, For mihti gaffes of the heuin Sal be afrayed of that fleuin, 22 Dom. ii. Advent. Domini, Than fal Crift cum that men may fe In maiflri and in gret poufte. Quen this bigines for to be, Lokes up and ye may fe That your biing and your pris Ful ner cumen tilward you es. Him felf our biing he calde, For he boht us quen he was falde. Quen Crift hauid faid this grimli fau, An enfampel gan he fchau, And faid, quen ye fe lefes fpring, And thir tres froit forthe bring, Than wat we wel that fomer es ner. Als may ye wit on that maner, Quen ye fe thir takeninges in land, That Crift es ful ner cumand. For heuin and erthe fal pas thar, Bot my word paffes neuer mar ; Als qua fai, thing that I you telle, Ne mai na miht fordo ne felle, Quen this werld that I mad of noht Sal be gane and til end broht, Than fal mi word be fothe fail, For mi kinric fal euer laft. This es the ftrenthe of our godfpel, Als man wit Inglis tung may tel. Dom. it. Adve?it. Domini. i 23 The maifler on this godfpel preches, And fais that Crift thar in us teches For to forfak this werdes winne, Ful of wrechedhed and fmne, For Crift fais us hou it fal end, And warnes us ful fair als frend, He telles us takeninges fnelle Thar he biginnes his godfpelle, And fais kinric fal rohly rise Igain kinric, and ger men grise, For bale fal ger thir bernes blede, And mak in land hunger and nede. This bale fal bald baret breu, And fel mikel of this werdes gleu. Slic wordes faid Crift of thir wers That folc in werd ful derf deres, For quatkin wer fal fal in land, Til pouer folk es it fareft fchouand, . That felis wel nou hali kirk That bers of baret be ful irk ; For it and pouer men hauis bathe Of wer and wandreht al the fchathe, This baret pinnes pouer pride Als thai wel wat that walkes wide, Bot werdes haht and hey tures Getes thir cite men fra ftures, 24 Dom. ii. Advent. Domini, Forthi riche men hauis ay, I wis, Inohe of met and drinc and blis, Bot pouer tholes the baret, That hauis defaut of clathe and met, And forthi warnes Jefus bathe Riche and pouer of thair fchathe, Thar he fchaues in our godfpelle Takeninges that bird our pride felle. He fais takeninges fal be don Bathe in the fone and in the mon, The fun fal turn intil mirknes, Als fais Joel, that bers witnes Of Crifl that thir takeninges us fchaues In our godfpelle wit grifli fawes : For mon, he fais, fal turned be In til blod, that folk fal fe, Quen fun and mon fal thufgat turn, Than fal the finful far fcurn, For than may thai wit witerly, That Crifl fal com to dem in hi, Bot god men fal na thing dred, For than fal thai be feker of med In that blisful land that thay Sal euer lif in gamen and play ; And Crifl in our godfpel for thy Confortes us ful mildeli, Dom. ii. Advent. Domini, And bides us lok til grouand tres For quen men leues on thaim fees, Men wat that ful ner es fomer comand, And riht fua mai we underftand Quen we le thir takenis cume, That nerhand es the dai of dom. Bot for Crifh fpekes of takeninge That tithand of this dom fal bringe, Forthi es god that I you telle Sum thing of thir takeninges fnelle : Sain Jerom telles that fiften Ferli takeninges fal be fen Bifor the day of dom, and fal Ilkan of thaim on fer dai fal. The flrft dai fal al the fe Boln and ris and heyer be Than ani fel of al the land, And als a felle up fal it ftand, The heyt thar of fal paife the felles Bi fexti fot, als Jerom telles, And als mikel the tother day Sal it iattel and wit away, And be lauer than it nou efle, For water fal it haf wel leife. The thride dai merfuine and quail e And other gret fifes alle 26 Dom. ii. Advent. Domini, Sal yel, and mak fa reuful ber That foru fal it be to her. The ferthe day freis water and fe Sal bren als fir and glouand be. The fift day fal grefes and tres Suet blodi deu that grifli bes. The fexte day fal doun falle Werdes werks bathe tours and halle. The feuend day fal ftanes gret Togider fmit and bremly bete. And al the erthe the achtande day Sal ftir and quae and al folc flay. The neynd day the fels alle Be mad al euin wit erthe falle. The tend day fal folc up crep, Als wod men of pittes dep. The elleft day fal banes rife And ftand on graues thar men nou lies. The tuelft day fal flernes falle. The thretend day fal quek men dey alle, Wit other ded men to rife, And com wit thaim to gret afife. The faurtend day at a fchift Sal bathe brin bathe erthe and lift. The fifetende day thai bathe Sal be mad newe and fair ful rathe, Dom. ii. Advent. Domini. 27 And al ded men fal rife, And cum bifor Crift our iuftife. mntre F*rsus ts$ tjuztsem &iQni&. Signis ter quinis fe prodet ad ultima finis Mundani motus Domino foli modo notus. In figno primo furget mare flans quafi murus Erigat in proprios poft pauca finus rediturus, Atque quater denis cubitis tranfcendere montes Cernetur, paucique fluent in flumina fontes. Oculet in figno fie fe maris unda fecundo, Ut vix afpectum capiat : diuerfa profundo Monftra fuper fluctus poft hec ubi nata patebunt, Rugitufque fui celos horrore mouebunt. Quarto cum fluuiis ardebunt equoris unde, Fontibus ut latices effundant non erit unde. Rorem fanguineum quinto deducet ab [herbis] Horror et arbor ibus lacrimis perfufus acerbis. Hinc turres et tecta cadent, que diruet edes Sexta dies, omnis que folo ruet ardua fedes. Augebit lapidum conflictus in orbe timorem, Terribilemque dabit collifio feua fragorem. Concuciet terrain poft hec motus generalis, Omnia conturbans, horrendus, et exitialis. Omnibus equatis in piano terra jacebit, Strata fuperficies nichil afperitatis habebit. 28 Dom. ii. Advent. Domini. Hinc velud amentes exibunt ante latentes In latebris homines et fari nulla ualentes. Sicca fuper tumbis pod: hec furgencia ftabunt. Cafns ftellarum fignans difcrimine finem Nefciet ulterius clarum deducere finem. Corpore uiuentes fimul abfque mora morientur, Ut pariter clangente tuba cun&i repetentur. Optimus inde flatus celum terramque nouabit, Luce fub eterna, quern nulla dies uariabit, Conuocet ut cun&os cum buccina protinus urgens Iudicis ante pedes ueniet plebs tota refurgens. H0ti Fergus omittmtuv a Uctove quantro legit ^nglicum coram lagcts* Than fal Crift dem als king ful wis, And ger the fmful fare grife, Sa grifli fal he to thaim be, That thaim war leuer that thai moht fle Fra that dom that he fal dem Than al this werd, fa bes he brem Tille thaim that fmful cumes thar, And forthi fal thai gret far, And fay alias that we war born, Schamlic haf we us felf forlorn. Than falle thair wike dedes alle, Stand and igaines thaim kalle, And with thair takening ber witnes Dom. ii. Advent. Domini. 29 Of thair fin and thair wiknes. Of mikel foru fal thai telle, For Satenas wit feres felle, To bind thaim he fal be ful fnelle, And bremli draw thaim till helle, Thar thai fai euermare duelle, And wafullic in pines welle, And endeles of foru telle. This bes thair dom that her in fin Ligges, and wil thair fin noht blin, Bot wald thai think on domes dai Thaim bird lef thair plihtful play. Alias alias quat fal thai lay Bifor him that miht ful may. Quen al the men that was and efle Sal fe thair fines mare and leffe, And al the angeles of the heuin, And ma fendes than man mai nefen. Igain fawe may thar nan be, Of thing that alle men may fe. Of this openlic fchauing Hauis Godd fchawed many taking, Of a taking that I haf herd telle, That falles wel til our godfpelle. fiaivacto. A blak munk of an abbaye Was enfermer of all I herd fay, Dom. ii. Advent. Domini. He was halden an hali man Imange his felaus euerilkan, An cloyfler monk loued him ful wel, And was til him ful fpeciel, For riuelic togider drawes Faithe lufreden god felawes. Fel auntour that this enfermer Was fek, and he that was til him der Com to mak him glad and blithe, And his lufredene til him to kithe, He alked him hou he him felid, And he his flat alle til him telld, And faid ful hard fel I me, To dede I drawe als ye mai fe. His felau was for him fary, And praied him ful gern forthie, That yef Godd did of him his wille, That he fuld fcheu his flat him tille. This feke monk hiht to com him to, Yef he moht get lef thar to : I fal, he faid, yef I may, Com to the my flat to fay. Quen this was fayd, he deyed fon, And his felau afked his bon, And prayed Godd for his mercye, That he fuld fchew him openly, Dom. ii. Advent. Domini. Other wakand or flepand, Of his felaw flate fum tithand, And als he lay apon a niht, His felaw com wit lemes liht, And tald him bathe of heuin and helle, And he prayed he mid him telle His flate, and he faid wel far I Thoru the help of our Lefdi, War fcho ne hafd ben, I hauid gan To won in helle wit Satan. His felau thoht herof ferly, And aiked him quarfor and qui, And fayd, we wend alle wel that thou Haued ben an hali man til nou : Hou fal it far of us kaytefes, That in fin and foli lyes, Quen thou that led fa hali life, Was demed tille hell for to drife. Quen this was faid, the ded anfuerd And tald his felaw hou he ferd, And faid fon quen I gaf the gafte, Till my dom was I led in hafle, And als I flod my dom to her Bifor Jefus, wit dreri cher, Of fendes herd Ic mani upbrayd, And a boc was bifor me layd, 32 Dom. it. Advent. Domini, That was the reuel of fain Benet, That Ic hiht to hald and get. This reul thai gert me rapli rede, And als I red, far gan I drede, For ouerlop moht I mac nan, Bot of the claufes euerilkan, Yald Ic account hou I thaim held, And my confciens gan me meld, It fchawed thar ful openlye That I led mi lif wrangwiflie, For in the reul es mani pas, That than igain me caflen was, Quar thoru almaft haued I thare Ben demid til helle for to fare. Bot for I lufed wel our Lefdye Quil I lifd, Ic hafd forthie Ful god help thar thoru hir mercy, For fcho bifoht Crift inwardlie That I moht in purgatorie Clens mi fin and mi folye. Forthi hop I to far ful welle, For mi foru fal fon kele ; Forthi my frend I prai the, That thou ger felaus prai for me. Quen this was faid, awai he went, And his felawe ful mikel him ment, Dom. ii. Advent. Domini. 33 And efter this fiht mani a dai Gert he for his fawell prai. This tal haf I tald you, To fchew on quat maner and hou We fal be denied, and yeld acount Quat our finnes mai amount, For al fal com to rounge, I wis, Thar, that her miftakin iffe Bi the left idel thoht, For thar forgifnes bes riht noht. Than fal we bye the fines dere Of quilke we er noht fchriuen here, Yef we be her of fines fchriuen, Thar hauis Godd us thaim forgiuen, Forthi birdd us our fin her bete, Wit fchrift of mouthe and wonges wete. For fchrift of mouthe es medecine That fchildes man fra helle pin, For if we fchrif us clen of finne Wit penanz, ded we fal haf winne, And mai be fiker on domes dai, To wind intil that blifful plai, Thar Crift fal euer mar be king. For his merci he thider us bring. Amen. mominicz iiu &&b*nttt0 Domini swuttiruro Matymxtt* Cum autifesct StojamuS tn butculte opera Crtett, mitten* tiuoS tic fcteripults' Sute, att tilt ; Cu t£ qui benturuS c£, an altum cypectamuS. <£t reSponfcniS JSIjcSuS, fctjrit tlttS : <£unttS renunciate 3tofjamu que autltetfe tt uttJt^ttsi. Cm ufotnt, clauTri ambulant . tt cetera. AYN Mathew the wangelifle Sais that fain Jon the Baptifte Was in prifoun, and herd telle Of Crifles dedes and his fpelle, And fend of his decipils twa, And bad thaim thai fuld ga To wit at Crifl, quither it war he That fuld cum mannes bote to be, Or we, he faid, an other Crifl fal bide, That fel miht the fendes pride. Sain Jon decipels yed and faid Thair erand that on thaim was laid, Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini. 3s And quen Crifl thair aiking herd, Ful mildely he thaim anfuerd, And bad thaim tille thair maifler fchaw His dedis that thai herd and fawe. A Is qua fai, dedes bers wittenes Of me, that I fothefaft Godd es, I gif the blind, he faid, thair fiht, I ger the halt men ga riht, I mac unhale men al hale, And def men I bet of bale, I rais men fra ded to life, And poiier men mas me ful rife, And ful bliced, he faid, es he That es noht fclaunderd in me. Als qua fai, Jowes hauis eftand nithe At me for the ferlikes that I kithe, Forthi er thai fclaundered in me, Quen thai miht of mi goddhed fe, And forthi bliz Ic him wit graze That folues noht the Jewes traze. Slic wordes til thaim fpak Crifl That com fra fayn Jon the Baptifl, And quen thai hafd herd Crifl fawe, Hamward til fain Jon gan thai drawe, And als thai til fain Jon ward yode, Crifl fpac tille thaim that bi him flode, 36 Dont. Hi. Advent. Domini, For thai hauid ben fain Jon to fe In wildernes, for thar woned he, Bifor that Herodis the feloun Did fain Jon in his prifoun. Forthi afked Crift mare and leffe, Quat thing thai foht in wildernes. Quat thing, he faid, yed ye Intil wildernes to fe, Wend ye of fain Jon for to finde A red that waiues wit the wind. Als qua fay, he es nan of tha That waifes for welthe or for wa, For werdes welthe and wa es winde, That makis werdes men ful blinde, For welthe to pride our hert draus, And wa geres us thol hard traues, Bitwix thir tua we held als reed, In wa we murne, in welthe we wede, Bot fain Jon igain bathe ftode, For nouther of thaim chaunged his mod ; Forthi afked Crift quether man him foht Als he war man of fliker thoht, And thus alkid Crift quether men yede To fe a wind waiuande rede, Quen thai yed fain Jon to fe, That ftithe ftod als ftalworth tre, Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini. $7 Als qua fai, wen ye that he Es als tuifald of hert als ye, Nai, for he es fa ftedfafle That na wind mai him fra me cafte. Slic wordes als I you telle Sais Crifr. to dai in our godfpelle Of fain Jon, that ftithe Mode Igain fanding of werdes flode, For he no was noht lie in dede Til thaim that heldes als the rede. For mani man mai bifend be Unto the rede, als thine me, That es at fay, thir glotherers That in thair an hand fir beres, In the tother water ber thai, Als lawed men er won to fay. Thai kindel baret wit bacbiting, And flokenes it wit thair glothering, Thai heeld in tuin, als dos the red, Wit fair fpeche and wit falshed, Thai ger thair riche men mifdo, For al thair thing thai fpek thaim to ; For quethir fa rjiai do wel or ille, Thai hald wit thaim in al thair wille. Mirthe and med and werdes belde Gers thaim til falfhed helde. 38 Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini, Bot fua did noht fain Jon, I wis, That fnibbed Herod quen he did miffe, And faid it was igain the lawe His brother wif fleyflic to knawe. He helded noht, bot (tithe flod, And for fothefawe fched his blod. In fled of tal, I wille you telle Hou it of his flahter felle. J^ota. The king Herode wit mikel unriht Raeft his brother his wif that hiht Herodias, and fain Jon herde Wit quatkin fin Herodes ferd, And fnibbed him of his finne, And bad him that he fuld it blinne. Quar thoru Herodes als feloun Did fain Jon in his prifoun. Herodias als wikke womman Wald that fain Jon hauid ben flan. He mired hir flefly liking, Forthi fcho wald to ded him bring, Bot chefoun till him fand fcho nan, For Herodes that him hafd tan, Sau that he was an hali man, And thoht ful lathe to be his ban, For of fain Jon flod him awe, And finned les for his fawe, Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini. 39 And herd his word wit god wille, And did mikel that he faid him tille. Herodes mad a feft, and cald Princes thar to and bernes bald, And als he wit his gefles feete, And mad him glad, and drank and eet, Bifor him com a fair yong lafce, That Herodias dohter was, And tumbeled fa wel for alle, That thar was gedered in that halle, That al war payed of hir play, And Herodes til hir gan fay, Quat fa thou wil, thou afk me, For freli fal I graunt the. He fwar his athe that he fuld fille Alle hir aiking and hir wille. Thoh thou he faid afk haluen dele Mi kingerik, I grant it wele. This mai ran tille hir moder fwithe, And bad hir that fcho fuld hir lithe Quat the king hir hauid bed, And alkid hir moder quat fcho red. Hir moder was fain quen fcho this herd, And fone hir dohter fcho anfuerd, And faid, loc that you afk noht Bot that fain Jones hefd be broht 40 Dorn. Hi. Advent. Domini, In a difce fone bifor the, For this thing wald I gladli fe. This maiden child ran to the king, And faid, fir, this es min afking, Yef thou wil that mi wil be don, Thou grant me min afking fon, And gif me in a difce weued Sain Jon the Baptifl heued. Ful ille payed was the king Quen he herd this afking, Him thoht fcham igain to kalle That he hauid hiht bifor thaim alle, And for he hauid fworn his athe, To wrech that laze thoht him lathe, Forthi he fend his queller foune And bad hir wille fuld be don. His queller did als he him bad, And mad this maiden child ful glad, For he broht hir als fcho hauid faid, Sain Jones heuid in a difce laid. Thus was this mai fain Jones ban, That was for riht and fothefaw flan, But thurt him noht haf tint his heued, Yef he als red wald haf weuid. Yef he hauid noht fnibbed the king, Bot loued his dedes wit glothering, Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini. 41 Than moht he haf gan quit away, And lifd in werdes welth and play. Bot he did wel better than, I whTe, For nou es he in well mar blhTe, And Herod and Herodias Er bathe in hel wit Satenas. Nou haf ye herd hou fain Jon ftod For fothefaftnes, and ched his blod. Forthi in our godfpel fais Crift Til the folc, of fain Jon the Baptift, Wend ye of fain Jon for to find A red that waiues wit the wind, Nay, but fwa ftedfaft es he, That na thing gers him tuifald be, For he fal ftand in fothefaftnes, And thol ded for rihtwifnes. An other afking, als auntour felle, Afked Crift in our godfpelle, Til thaim that ftod him about, And of fain Jon hauid dout, Quat yed ye, he faid, to fe In wildernes, ye tel me, A man robed in wlank wede, Als qua fai, nai, ne in fairhede, For al men wift that knew fain Jon, That he hauid camel har him upon, 42 Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini, Forthi afked Crift, quethir thai yed To fe fain Jon in wlanke wede, Als qua fai, es he nan of tha That er cled in gren and gra. Crifh fpac of thaim that gas in gren, To fcheu the folc quat he wald men. In kinges houfes, he faid, won thai That er cled in gren and grai, Als qua fai, about kinges es Wei mar pride than in wildernes. Her mai ye fe that Jhefu Crift Loues fain Jon the Baptifle. For he in pouer wed was cled, And in pouert his lif he led, And her bi wil Crift us lere, To forfak proud clething her. The god clerk fain Gregorie Schewes us aperteli, Yef fin no war in wlanke wede, Haued noht Crift loued fain Jon in lede For the clething of pouert : For thoh prid be al in the hert, Riche clething noht forthi Schroudes fua man bodi, That rifli geres it man think mar Of his bodi, that it wel far, Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini. 43 Than he of his fawel dos, Sua thine him of his wed gret ros, Quil he fandes his fleis to fede, And mac it fayr wit wlanc wede. His fairnes witout he fchawes To fern better than his felaues. For elles forze wald he nan mak Quether his clething war quit or blac, Bot for he wil be heier calde Than othere, and for better talde, Forthi he fchroudes his bodi And lates of pouer men hetheli ; The liking of his wlanc wede Gers him tin his fawel mede. Forthi loues Crifl in our godfpel Pouer wed [our prid to fell], And aikes ef the folc yed To fe fain Jon in wlanc wede. Als qua fai, bifen fal ye take This werdes welthe for to forfak, For werdes welthe and prid and play Endes al wit ten and tray. In our godfpel yet aikis Crifl Of fain Jon the Baptifle, For thris the folc aikid he, Ckiat thing they yed for to fe 44 Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini, In wildernes, and at the laft He cald fain Jon prophet fothefaft, And faid to thaim, I fai you yet, Yed ye to bihald the prophet, Of fain Jon in wilderneife, Ya, wit ye wel that mar he effe Than prophetes war in his tim, For prophetes fpac mikel of him, Thoru quaim God hit he fuld fend His angel, mannes lif to mend. I fend, he faid, my meifager Bifor mi face mi word to berre. This fais the fader of heuin to Criil Of fain Jon the Baptift, That bifor Crift graythed the way Als fais our godfpel of today. Nou haf I graytheli you tald Hou fain Jon the Baptift es cald Jefus Crifl meifager, For he was fend his word to ber, And I to dai fourtenniht tald Hou fain Jon bodword broht bald. He was ryt Crifles meifager, For he broht word that he was ner. And als was he mar than a prophet Quen he fcheued that he bihet. Dom. Hi. Advent. Domini. 45 It falles to prophet for to fai The thing that efter falle may, Bot fain Jon faid and fcheued bathe, For that he hit, he fcheued rathe. Quen Crifl com to flum Jordan Als other men did mani an, Of fain Jon to be baptift, Than faid fain Jon Jefu Crifl Til al that folc wit fwetli fwar That thar habout him gederid war, This es that lamb that I you hiht, That dos away this werdes pliht, Godes lamb mai ye fe her, Of him fpac Ic als meftager. Bot her mai fum man thine ferly, Als fais the clerk fain Gregorie, That fin fain Jon the Baptift Knew fa wel that Jefu Crifl, Quarfor fend he fithen him tille, To wit quether he fuld fulfille Thing that was faid in prophecie Of him that mankind fuld bie. Firfl fain Jon faid that Crifl was he, That al mankind bot fuld be, And fithen he fpired quether he war cumen To felle the fend that man hauid nomen. 46 Dom. //'/. Advent. Domini* Ful fchilfiiii and wit refoun Mai men alt this queftioun. The god man fain Gregorie Undos this word dohtilye, And fais that fain Jon ful wel will That he of quaim he fpac was Grift, That tok kind of maiden Mari, Bot he no will noht witerlye, Quether he mid mankind bye, And heri helle als king mihtye, And forthi fend fain Jon him to, To wit quether he war com to do Thing that moht bring man fra helle, Thar him bihoued euer dwelle. Tille he war comen that haued mihte To fuhille that the prophetes hauid hiht, That es at fay, to mak the fin For fin, and bring thaim of pin To blis that may haf na ending. Our Lauerd Jefus thider us bring. Amen. Dominica iiiu in &&fc*nttt Domini smmtrom So&amtem, fljfemmt Sfutiet ab SteniStilpmfe ^acertfott^ ct fUuttaS atl Stafjanncm ut inter vo gar ent turn : €u quttf es*. (£t cout'cs's'us' est, tt non ncgatttt : tt cout'cs's'us' est : (&uta non sum ego Cn'Stus". <£t tutcrrogauetuut cum. ct cetera. ODAY fais Jon the god godfpellere In our godfpel, als ye mai her. That Jowes thair meffager fend Tille Jon the Baptift, for thai wend That he hauid ben Criit, for he Baptized al that baptized wald be. Thir meffagers fain Jon fand, And faid til fain Jon thair erand. Bot nrfl quat he was, afkid thai, And he igain to thaim gan fai, Crifl that ye fek am I noht, And thus he fchewed quat thai thoht, For thai wend wel that he hauid ben Crifl, that baptized folc biden. 48 Dom. Hit. Advent. Domini, Thai afked yef he war Elye, Or man that couthe of prophecye. And he anfuerd and faid nay, Bot quat he was, he gan thaim fay : Ic am, he faid, a criand fteuin, I bid you mac the gates euin To Crift, als faid faint Yfaye, For Criftes meffager es I. Thir meffagers was Pharifenes, That fundered men on Englys menes. Thai war fundered of comoun lif, And wit fain Jon gan thai to ftrife, And faid, fine thou ert noht Elye, No Crift, no prophet, fai us quye Baptizes thou tha folc biden, And makis thaim of finne clen. And fain Jon anfuerid thanne, I mai noht baptize bot als manne, For goddhed haf I in me nan, Bot Goddis fun manhed hauis tan, And you wit water baptiz I, He fal baptiz you gaftily, Imang you wonand he iffe, Bot ye no knaw him noht, I wiffe, He es Crift that bifor me Was Godd, and es, and ai fal be. Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini. 49 He es fa god and derworthi, That I mefelf es noht worthi Bifor him for to fit on knes, The binding of his fcho to les. Betani was cald that land Thar fain Jon was than baptizand, Quen thir Jowes til him yed, To fpir of him and of his dede. This es the ftrenketh of our godfpelle, Als man wit Englis tung kan telle. In this godfpelle mai we wel knawe Gret meknes in fain Jones fawe, For thar men wend that he war Crift, He wald that thai the fothe wift, And granted fon that he was noht The Lauerd that thai thar foht< Her may ye alle enfampel tak, Ongart and rofing to forfak, For mani man him better mas Than he es in ilke place, And geres men wen that he be Mar worthe than other thre : He rofes him of his cumly kinde, He wenes his mak mai na man find7 He wald be haldin derworthi Thoru hendelaic and curtaify, 5° Dom. Hit. Advent. Domini His wordes mas him man ful hend, Wit lefing ferues he the fend, That fal him rewli rif at eend, [Bot he amende hym ore he wende]. Thus did noht fain Jon the Baptift, For he faid that he was noht Crift. Crifles nam wad he noht tak, No better than he was him mak. Haf we forthi in word meknes, Als fain Jon hauid in wildernes, Mak we us better noht than we er, For Godd no mai we nangat der. In our godfpelle wille we fe yete, Qui fain Jon him prophet nitte, And faid, prophet nan am I, Als qua fai, I openly Ken you till him of quaim I fpek, That falle the fendes bandes brek, Bot fua did neuer prophet are, Forthi bird you trou me the mare, For Ic am feluen in wildernes To graithe the gat of rihtwifnes. Als qua fai, Crifl cries in me, And biddes al folc rihtwis be, For rihtwis gates graithes he That loues Godd in Trinite, Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini. 51 Bathe in thoht and word and dede, For this gat ledis man to mede, And in this gate mai thai wel fpede That wille thair lif in lewte led, That es at fay, if man till nehbor do, That he wald he did him to, This es the gat that fain Jon kend, Sinful mannes lif to mend. This es the gat of rihtwifnes, That ledes man til joi and pes, Yef we hald us in this gate Ful redi fal we haf inlate In to that blis that laftes ay, For thider ledes Godes way. Gern prayed Dauy the prophet, That God fuld wiffe him to that ftret, And faid Lauerd thou fcheu me The wai that ledes man to the. Forthi I red we hald this gate, Ai til we cum til heuin yate. This gat biddes fain Jon us grathe Wit ded, and lef the waies laythe That ledes man til pin of hel, Als Crifl us fchawes in our godfpel. Thar he fids, brad es that gat that ledes Til hel, wit fin and wik dedis, Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini, This gat es ftany and thornye Wit couaitys, and glotounye, Wit prid, and nithe, and licherye, And mani foles gas thar bye, And forthi I red wel that we leete This gat, and tak the hey flrete That ledis god men [full euen] Wit penanz to the blis of heuin. Bot Satenas our wai will charre, Forthi bihoues us be waire That we ga bi na wrange flies, For Satenas ful gern us fpies. For ef this thef mai us met Out of this forfayd hey ftret, He bes ful redi, als outlawe, To harl us in to wod fchawe, And mak us bathe nakid and nais, Als fain Gregorie us fays, Ilk dai mak we a iorne Till heuin, ef we god men be, Bot in our gat lis Satenas Wit his felawes, als thef in pas, And fpies ful gern ef we flraye, And haldes noht the riht way. That es at fai, ef we lef Riht liuelad, he mai us ref Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini. 53 Meknes, faithe, and chaflite, Buxumnes, and charite, And yef he haf of us poufle, He wil ref us al our lewte, And led us in that werid waye, That ledis til waharmes aye. Of this wai riht nou I fpake, Forthi I red we it forfak, And hald we us in rihtwifnes, That riht gat till ward heuin es. Bot for I faid that Satenas Waites us als thef in pas, I wille you tel of a pilgrim, Hou Satenas bigiled him. flavraeto. It was a man als Ic herd fay, That til fain Jamis hit the way, And that day that he fuld wend, He mad a feft til al his frend, Fel auntour that he was fa gladde, That Satenas mad him ful madde, And gert him dedeli finne Wit a womman, that was thar inne. Quen he hauid his fin don, Apon his wai he went him fon, And he that gert him falle in blam, Met him in liknes of fain Jam, 54 Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini, And afkid him quider he wald wende, Bot he wift noht it was the fende, And faid, I mac mi vaiage, Til fain Jam in pilgrimage. The fend anfuerd and faid fone, No wat thou noht quat thou hauis done In licheri igaines me, Ic es fain Jam that fpekis wit the, Thou ert unworthie me to feke, Thi vayage es noht worthe a leke : Wend thou thi fin fra me to hide, C)uen thou it did, I was bifide, Thi vayage mai noht pai me, Bot ef thou do that I bid the. This man wend that he fain Jam ware, And faid, Lauerd Ic am al yare For to be boxom you to, And do al that ye fai me to. Ga fwithe, he faid, and geld the, That I thi repentanze mai fe, And fcher thi throt in tua riht fon, For hauis thou mi wille don, And quen thou hauis thi feluen flan, Til heuin falle I ger the be tane. This pilgrim wend to pai fain Jam, And did himfeluin mikel fcham, Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini. 55 And he fchar al awai ful rathe, His members and his penndanz bathe, And fithen he fchar his throt in tua, And fon quen he hafede don fua, Satanas was ful redie, And tok that fawel gredilye, And mad ful gret joi of his prai, And til ward helle he tok the wai. Sain Peter and fain Jam him mette, And baithe thai gan his wai to lette, And fain Jam faid to the fend, Quider wil to wit mi pilgrim wend. And he anfuerd and faid til helle, Thar he fal for his fmnes duel, For he was his awen ban, Forthi in him part haf ye nan, Wit riht and refoun he es mine, To wend wit me til helle pine. Than anfuerd fain Jam for his man, And faid, thou lies traytour Satan, Thou wat wel thef, thou hauis the woh, For in mi nam himfelf he floh, He wend wel that thou hauid ben I, Quen thou gert him do his folye, In deed was he til me bowxom, And forthi fal he wit me com. 56 Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini. The fend faid, that mai noht be, Wit riht and law mai thou fe That he es min thoru jogement, For quen he on his vayage went, He filed his fawel dedelye Wit the filth of licherie, And fithen wit his awen knife He fet him feluin of his life, Wy, fai me Jam, on quatkin whTe Moht he mar dey in mi feruife, Loc quether I wit riht and lawe, May him wit me til helle drawe. Sain Jam anfuerd and faid him to, Wrang no wille I nan the do, Bot yef we wil the fothe treye, Gon we til dom of our Leuedye, And als fcho demes fal it be, For that es riht als think me. And fain Peter his felawe Said, this think me riht and lawe, Mari, he faid, es god iuftife, Scho wil do wrang on nan wyfe. Quen thai com bifor ur Leuedye, Scho demid fon wit hir mercye, At that fawel til the bodye Suld turn, and penance do worthi, Dom. iiiu Advent. Domini. si And faid, this fawel, als it nou iffe, Mai nangat cum til heuin blis, Ar it be clenfed in bodye Of fin, wit penance worthi, Forthi for jugement gif I, That it turn til the bodye, And clens it wit penance wort hi, And yem it fithen fra mefchanz. The fend for this dom was farie, And ille payed that our Leuedye Hauid reft him wit riht jogement That man that he wit gil had fchent, Quen this fawel was cumen igain To the bodi, this man was fain, And monc in Cluny he him yald, And tis tal til his abbot tald, Hou he was fchent thoru gilri, And faued thoru our Leuedi. Georard he hiht, and fra that tim That Satenas hafd gabbid him, Hali man he was and god, And feruid Godd wit miht and mod, Bot thar his throt was fcorn wit knif, A red merk was al his lif, And thar his members was bifore, Hauid he noht fithen bot a bore. H 58 Dom. iiiu Advent. Domini. Bi this tal har may we fe, That wis and wair bihoues us be, That Satenas ne ger us rayk Fra rihtwifnes, to fmful laik, For yef he find us out of ftret, He bindes us baith hand and fete, That es at fay, ef he us find In dedeli fin, he may us bind Wit wik will, and ger us wend Fra fin to fin, and fua us fchend. For als he gert this pilgrim ga Fra fin to fin, and himfelf fla, Sua gers he man ga gaflilye, Fra glotouny to licherye, Fra lychery to couaytye, And fua to prid and enuy, And at the lafl in his prifoun He dos him, als thef in prifoun, Quen he gers him in wanhop falle, For wanhop his prifoun I calle, For qua fa cumes anes thar inne, Thar of may he noht lihtli winne, For qua deyes in that prifoun, His fawel es broht til a donjoun, Thar it wit outen end fal lend, Wit al faas, wit outen frend, Dom. iiii. Advent. Domini. 59 For it bes felaw wit the fend, That fnellik fal it fcham and fchend, And quen this werd bes broht til end, Than fal the bodi thider wend, Wit that fari fawel to lend, Thar wormes fal it rewli rend, Thar fal it bi that fari fmne, That it no wald noht hir blinne, That foru mai na tung telle, That it fal drey wit fendes felle. Hald we us forthi in flret, That Satenas may us noht met, That es at fay, in rihtwifnes, Quarof fain Jon in wildernes Spac, and bad us graythe that way That ledis man til gamen and play. Our Lauerd in this wai us lede Til heuin, and yeld us thar our med. Amen. &ir mtssam in &octe llatalis HBomini gitunirom iLucam* (Byiit itittwm a CeSare &ucrus'to ut tuScriberctur uniucrs'us' orfite. $?ec fccScripttcj prima facta est a pres'tlOc £>j)rie Cgrino. ct cetera. &tr missam in Jftane aenut&um SLucanu rPas'tores' locjuefcantur atJ inuicem. Crans'camus' uSque 33ctf)= Item, ct fcifceamus' i)oc berbum cjuott factum est, cjuott fecit Sominus' ct ostencjit nobis. <£t uencrunt fes'tinantes", ct inuene* runt fHariam, ct Stos'ep. ct cetera. A and wanderet walkes wide, That com of couaitis and prid, Torn couaitis and prid, bigan ' Vlan to haf mayftri of man. That waffe firft fen in him that hiht Nembrot, that was fa bald and wiht, That in his tim maiftri he wan Of al the men that lifd than, The bibel telles us openlye Of Nembrot and his maiftri, Hou the folc that was wit him Bigan to mak a tour that tim, In Nativitate Domini. 61 That fuld reche to the lifte, Bot Godd that fkilfulli kan fkift, Mad them alle ferely fpekand, That nan moht other underftand, And gert them lef thair wilgern werk, Bot of thair not yet flandes merk, In Babilony the tour yet ftandes, That that folk mad wit thair handes. Of that tour nou fpek I, For lauerdhed and for maiftri, That Nembrot hauid firft of man, Bifor quaim werdes king was nan. For he, thoru prid and couaitife, Gert folc firft bowe til his feruife, Of him men gan enfampel tak. King and thain in land to mak, For efter him com kinges fele, That gan this werld imang thaim dele, And he that hauid maft miht, Feld the waiker king in fiht, Bot at the laft, wan Rom the prhTe, And toe of al this werld feruhTe. For alle kinges yald trouage Till Rom, and feruis and homage. In Rom was, als fel auntour, A wonder myhti emperour, 62 In Nativitate Domini. That hiht Cefar and Auguftus, Als our bibel telles us, And in his tim ger he telle, Als fais fayn Louc in our godfpelle, Of all this werd the cuntres, And of cuntres the cites, And al the men that war wonand Bathe in borwis and apon land, Sua that ilk man of eld Suld cum til his boru, and gif yeld For himfelf and for his menye, And graunt that he fuld buxum be, Efter his miht in al thing, Til Cefar, that of Rom was king ; And ouer al this werd, thoru and thoru, Com men and wymmen til thair boru, To do the king comandement, For qua fa did noht, he war fchent. And than was Jofep Mari fpoufe, For he hauid broht hir than til houfe, And forthi led he hir him with Til Bedhelem imang his kith, To yeld thar that to thaim felle, Als faid to day our firft godfpelle. And for Mari wit child waffe, He ledd hir wit him on an affe, In Nativitate Domini. 63 And an ox, as we find in fpelle, Broht Jofep wit him for to felle. Bot ar thai war to toun comen, War innes al bifor thaim nomen, Sua that thar was na herberie To Jofep and his fpoufe Marie, Bot a pendize [that] was wawles, Als oft in borwis tounes es. And thar Jofep a crithe wroht Til befles that he wit him broht, And als he mad a pouer bedd Til Mary, that he wit him ledd, For than com tim Mari mild Suld be deliuerd of hir child. And fon quen fcho deliuerd waife, Scho laid hir fon bifor [hyr] affe, [And by fore that ox bathe, So thay knew hym fore Gode full rathe. For in propheci was it fayd, That he fulde before thaim be layde. Fore Abakuk and Yfay Spak tharof apeyrtly ; And hyrdes that woke that ilke nyght About thair befles, faght a lyght Of heuen come lightand thaim aboute, And of this lyght thai had a grete doute, 64 In Nativitate Domini. And an aungell byfyde thaime ftode, And gladded fone thair fory mode, And bad thai fulde haue na radnes. Forethi, he fayd, I comen es To bryng you bodword of that blys, That fall glad all this werld, I wys, For Crifl, God fonne, ryght nowe Ys borne in Bethleem unto jowe, That ^e be fyker of this hehtynge, I gyf you this to takenynge, That se fall fynd a chylde thar bonnden In a creke, wit cloutes wonnden. When this [was] fayd, aungelles fele Louid God wit this aungele, And [faide], blys and yoi in heuen be To worthy Gode in trinite, And als in erthe to man be pees, That in ryght trewthe and gude lyf es. Aftyr this brygnes and this leme, Thare herdes come to Bethleem, And fand in chyldebede our Lauedy, And als fo Jofeph ftandand hyr by, And the chylde in ftrethe layde, Ryght als the aungele thaim had fayd, And by that takyn knew thai ryght, That that was Crifte that lang was hyght, In Nativitate Domini. 65 Before that tyme, in many prophecy, And thai loued God full gerne forthi, For blys that thar in was layd. And Mari toke yeme what thai fayd, And held in hert thair wordes all, And thoght well what of Crifle fuld fall. Now haue 3e herd whare Crifle was borne, That boght us all when we war lorne. Full wele burd us of hys byrth Be glade, and make bath yoi and myrth, And loue God, that hym us fende, And wit penaunce oure lyue to amend. For in his burght now may we lere Meknes, that mas man tyll him dere, For Crifle wit fwylke mekenes ferde, That mare meknes was neuer harde, Forethi bird us enfampell take Of hys meknes, and pryd forsake, When we thynk inwerdly how he, That es fa heght in Trinite, Was fa meke that he wald take Flefche and blode for mannes fake, And fythen be borne thus purely O the pouer mayden Mary, Noght in caflyll, ne in tour, Ne in hall, ne in boure, 66 In Nativitate Domini. Bot in a pouer penti?, I wys, That lytill was of worldes blys. That Lord that fyttes heght in tronne, And fchope bath flerne, fone, and mone, And heuen, and hell, and erth, and fee, And makes frute and flour of tre, And all this worlde made of noght, And man aftyr hys lyknes wroght, Wham all that lyues, loues and loutes, For mannes fake was layde in cloutes. Whar hard man euer of fwylk meknes, Me thynk that he unfely es, That lyues in pryde and enuy here, And wyll of Crifte na meknes lere. A pryde and enuy wa ye be, Fore garn burd us that athe fle, When we thynk how thai fall far, That wyll noght lete at Crifles lare, Ne folow hys trafce in meknes, That es grunde of all gudnes. Fore thurght meknes es Mary, Of heuen and erth, qwene and lady, And Satanas thurght pride he fell Oute of heuen doune into hell. In heuen was he aungell fayreste, And fythen in hell, fend laythefte. In Nativitate Domini. 6j O pryde comes all his unfell, That neuer may flake ne kell. Fore all wa that in this werlde es, Come of pryde and of unbuxumnes ; For gyf Adams pryd ne war, He had bene qwyt of forow and kar, Bot for he jernede for to be Als wys als Gode, forthi was he Thurght pryde, maked full unwys, And nemed oute of paradyfe. God flemed noght hym allane, Bot thurght hys pryde, us euerilkane. Fore had he bene in ryght meknes, He had haldyn buxumnes, And done als his lorde hym bade, And endles in ioy bene ftede, Noght he allane, bot hys offprynge Suld ay haue lyued wyht out en ende, If he had bene buxume hym to, That taght hym all how he fuld do. Bot fore he troued mar hys wyfe Then God, that gaf hyme lym and lyfe, And brak Goddes commaundment, Forthi was all hys offprynge fchent, And oute of paradyfe flemede, And to pyne of hell demede. * 68 In Nativitate Domini. Forthi come Goddes fone to menne, The way of mekenes thaim to kenne, And in hys burght meknes he us kende, And in hys lyfe, and in hys ende ; And forthi es gude that we be meke, And our lorde Crifte in meknes feke. Fore it es na thyng that fwa fchendes, Na dofe fa mekyll fchame to fendes, Als dofe meknes, whar wit Crifte boght Mankynde fra hell, when he thus wroght. That may we by that takenyng fe, That gars fendes fra us flee, That es the takenynge of the rode, Whar on Crifte schede hys blode. He fchewed the mafte meknes thar, That euer he fchewed fythen, or ar, And for the Fende was ay and es Proude, may he tholl bot na meknes, And forthi when men the takyne mas Of the cros, then flees Satanas. For na thyng es, als I fayd are, That woundes Satanas sa fare, Als dos the takenying of meknes, Fore agayne the fende mail it es. Jlarracfo. That may se be faint Martyn fee, , For in his lyue thus writen find we, In Nativitate Domini. 69 That als he was in orifoune, Then come the Fende als kyng wit croune, Cled in pall and in rych wede, And fayd, Martyne, I will the lede To heuen, that befe thi befle bewyfte, For wyt sou well that I am Crifte, That may thou by my fayrnes fe, Forthi will I that thou loute me. And fant Martyn thurght grace it wyfte, That he was noght Jhefu Crifl, And fayd to hym wyt mylde chere, Wyll I noght fe my lord here, Bot in that blys, thare he ay es. And for this worde of meknes, The Fend went away als reke, And fled hym for hys anfwar meke. And of faint Anton fynd we, That fwa meke and myld was he, That thurght meknes, many tyme Flayed he fendes fell fra hyme. And als he was hys ane in ftede, He faw how all the erth was fprede, Wyt pantre bandes, and gylders blake, That Satanas had layd to take Mans faull, als a fouler Tas foules wyt gylder and panter. yo In Nativitate Domini. Than fayd Antone, this gude ermyte, Lorde, what thyng fall paffe qwyte, And be noght in this fnarres tane, And God anfwerde, meknes allane. Anothyr ermyte hyght Makary, To wham the fende had grete enuy, And on a day the fend hym mete, Fore fayne he wald his fawes lette, And fayd, thou dos me grete dyfpyte, For wyt na fyne [may] I the fmyte, And the pennance noght forthi I fee the do, all that do I. Thou fades mekyll, and I fafle ay, For I ete nouthyr nyght na day, Thow wakys mekyll, and fwa I do, For I hafe neuer ryfle ne ro, Bot wyt a thyng pas thou me, Sa that I may noght do at the. And what es that, fayd Makary. Of thi meknes, he fayd, fpeke I, For wit meknes thou paffes me, That fchendes me, when I it fe. For fwa meke was Makary, That of hys meknes was ferly. In ermytage lange wonnd he, On felles, byfyde a gret cyte. In Nativitate Domini. 71 Out of the cyte was he flede, And als a ermytte fwylke lyue he lede, That hys meknes and hys gude lyue Was fone in the cyte full ryue. Anothyr ermyte come hym tyll, And ferued hym at all hys wyll. Fell auntour, that this Makary Come unto the cyte full rywely, To fell thar hys handwerke, And fa fell auntour, that a clerke Spak wit a burgas doghter fwa, That fynfull play laykyd thai twa. When fcho wit chylde perfayd was, Fadir alkyd and modyr this cafe, Wha had done wit hyr foly, And fcho anfwerede, a ermyte Makary. Full wrath wer all hyr frendes than Wyt Makary, that hali man. Thai gart take- hym and do hym fchame, Als he had fpylte this wommane fame. Aboute the merket thai hym lede, And dange hym that hys body blede, And gart hym fynd borghes than, To fede and clethe this wyk wommane. The tother ermyte that ferued hym Was byfyde that ilke tyme, 72 In Nativitate Domini. And thoght gret fchame of this chaunce, And grete for hys maifler penaunce. Makary prayd hym that he Suld in that cas his borow be, And he become hys borow thar, Full wa was hym for hys myffar. To hymfelfe fayd Makary, A wyfe has thou, and forthi Behoues the werk fafter and mar, Baith nyght and day, than thou dyd ar, Els may thou noght wit thi dede Thi felfe and thi lemman fede. Bathe nyght wroght Makary and day, And fent this woman a pert ay, That he myght wit hys werke gete, And thar wytall fcho boght hyr mete. This womane yode wit chylde full lange, And tholed paynes fely ftrang, For myght fcho haue na delyueraunce, Ar fcho had talde thurght whatkyne chaunce Scho confaywed, and thurgh whame, And qwyt fante Makary of hys blame. When hyr frendys herd of this, Thame thoght that thai had done of mys, When thai bette Sainte Makary, Forthi thai wald cry hym mercy, In Nativitate Domini. 73 And fainte Makary hard fay At thai wald come, and flede away. For he was rad to tyne mekenes Wit louely worde and dereworthynes. For loufe word and worldes blys Gers men tyne meknes, I wys, Forthi flede Crifte man louynge, When the Jewes wald make hym kynge ; Fore worldes wandretht and pouerte Haldes meknes in many mans herte, And worldes welth mas man full made, Forthi Makary away it flede. Thir thre tales haue I you talde, To ger you in your hertes halde, That ay the halyar that a man es, The mar lufes he meknes ; For Crift us kend, als I fayd ar, Meknes in all hys pouer far, For in his burght meknes he kende, And in hys Hue, and at hys laft ende. Forthi I rede that we fafte pray, That Crifte lede us here be the way Off meknes, unto that blys That to meke men graythede es. Amen. Dominica infra #ctabam Natibitatis Somini jmuntrum Uttcam, <£rant $oSepf) et fHarta mater 3tf)e$u mtranteg Stiper l)te que tttcebantur. et cetera. HYSE Jewes made ilka jer Seuen feftes on thair maner. But theder come both song and olde, That war for Jewes in Jewery tolde, In to the temple for to her Goddes feruyfe on thair maner, And for to make thair ofFerand thar, Efter that thair efTe war. And fell auntour, when Crifle was chylde, That both Jofeph and Mary mild, Come to the temple omang thair kyth, And toke yong Jhefu tham wyth. And both Jofeph and Mary Thoght of Jhefu gret ferly, Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 75 For ferlyes herd thai of hym tell, A Is fayd faynt Luke in oure godfpell. And in the temple fand thai than Seynt Symeon, the olde mane, That had the haly gafte hym ynne, And wyfl what Crift fuld thole for fynne. He blyfTed Jofeph and Mary, And [childe] Jhefu that ftod hym by, And fpake of Crift, [and faide that he Was fett to many a man to be] Bath in ryfyng and in fallyng, And in takyng of gayn feying, Als who fay, gode men fall ryfe, When this chyld fall be juftyfe On domefday, when wyk men fall In to the pitt of hell fall, Bot good men fall ryse and wende In to the blys wit owten ende. But thar he fpak of taknyng [Was ment] of Criftes up ryfyng, That was taknyng of gayne fawe, For Jewes wald noght hys ryfyng knaw, It made tham fory and unfayn, And tharfor fpak thay thare agayne. And forthi fayd fant Symeon Of Crift, when he layd hand hym on, y6 Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis* This chylde, he fayd, ys fett in taken That bes agayn fayd and forfaken. And to our Lady als fpekes he, And fayd, fo forowefull fall thou be, That fwerd of forowe fall thorowe flyng Thi fowle, for dol and murnyng. So dyd hyr hert for forowe thorugh dang, When fcho on rode high hyr fon hang ; And then was fene what Jewes thoght, When thai thoght bryng hym to noght. And als faynt Symeon fpak thus To Mary, of hyr fon Jhefus, So com thar gangand ane old wyf, That was a wydow of haly lyf, And thorowg prophecy fcho wyfl Full many thynges fuld fall of Crifl, And to the folk fcho tald that tyme Thynges that fuld fall of hym, How he was fent mans bote to be, And by man kynde on rode tre. When Mary and Jofeph had done That fell to lawe, thai gode home fone, And wel wex Jhefu thair childe For grace and wyfdom hym fullfylde. This es the firelight of our gofpell, Als man on Englyfch tounge may tell. Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. yy But a worde fayd faynt Symeone, That ys on fere manere undone, Ther he fayd, Jhefu our Lord Kyng Was fent in fallyng and ryfyng. On a manere, the wordes may Full well betaken domefday, When gode men, als I fayd are, Sail ryfe and to blys fare, And wykked folk fall fall doun Into hell, that foule dongoun. Bot men may fe another thyng, In this fallyng and this ryfyng, For the Jewes fell fra all gude, When thai flow Crift on the rode,] [And hethen men fra fynne ras, That before was Crifte faafe. For thai rafe gafteli with Crifte Fra fynne, when that thai ware baptifte. And wha fwa euere es Criflis lyme, Him awe to rife gafteli with hyme. For when we of oure fynnes us fchryue, We rife gaflely fra dede to lyue, Fra dede of fynne to life of grace, That geres us fie the fendes trace, And we may fee reeulye, That fom men fallis in foly, yS Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. And rifis of fynne fo wightlye, That bettir man es he in hye, Than euer gitt before was he, That be this tale we maye wele fe. & Cate. Ane erfbiffchope be^onde the fe, Was wonande in a faire cite. A hali man and gude he wafe, Bot firfl he fell, and fithene he rafe. The Fende at him had grete enuye, And gert him fall in lyccherye Apon a full felcouthe manere, Als je may be this tale here. A nonnery was in that contree, Fyue myle fra the biffchope fee, And in this ilk forfaide nonnrye Was wonand nonnes full manye, That ferued God and oure Ladye, And kepid thaim wele fra uilanye. And aunter fell, that to that howfe Come maydens Jhefu Crifte to fpoufe. Thir maydens ware fent thaire uayles to take Of that biffchope, of whaim I fpake. This biffchope, als the manere es, Reuefle him to fynge his meffe. Thir maydens come bifore the autere, And toke thaire uayles on gude manere. Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 79 And this biffchope his eye uppe keft To ane of thaim that was fayreft, And fone on hir his lufe was fefl Swa harde, that he might haue na reft, For Sathanas did his maiftrie, And fandid him with lyccherye. Swa nere his hert hir lufe gon lye, That right him thoght that he mid dye, Bot he had of hir his will, And might with hir his luft fullfill. Here maye je fe on whatkin wyfe The Fend men fandes with his qwayntife, For serne he lokis on ilka fyde To gere us tyne heuens pride. Him think full lathe men come thare in, Forthi geres he men fall in fynne. Thir nonnes when that thai halowid ware, Thai toke thaire leue hame to fare Full faire to thaire nonnrye, Bot this bhfchope lent farye. So was he fondid inwardelie With brinnand luft of liccherie, That might he nouther ete ne drink, Ne haue night reft, ne flepe no wynk. For luft him thoght his hert wald breft, And he umthoght him what was beft, 8o Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis, How he might this ilk nonne fange To flake his luff that was fo ftrange. Than lettirs fent he hafteli, Unto the abbeys of that nonnrye, And bad fcho fuld come fwithe him to, The nedes of hir houfe to do. When this abbeys thir tithandes herd, To the buTchope full fone fcho ferd, And fone when fcho was comen thare, The biffchop fchewid her all his care. So mikil forowe, he faide, I drye That for lufe all mofte I dye. Bot if thou helpe me in this cafe, I may faye for euer allafe. Helpe of me than fall thou tyne, Bot if thou helpe me of this pyne. I haue halden thi hous to right, And helpid the with all mi might, Now may thou me my trauaile jelde, If thou will to my langynge helde. I pray the, graunte me my will, And ger that nonne come me until), That I had here siftirdaye, For allgate bufe me with hir playe, Or elles forfothe, as I the faye, Dede mon I be or the thridde daye. Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 81 To do the gude I haue mynte, And if thou ne do, thou hafe it tynt, And if thou helpe me in this nede, Full wele fall I qwite the thi mede, For now may I wele fe and fynde, If thou to me will be kynde. I praie the, iwithe graunte me my bone, And ger that nonne come to me fone. And neuened the nonne be hir name, For he lettid for na fchame. When this abbes thir wordes herd, Scho was forwondird and afFerde, For wende fcho neuer mare to here The bifchope fpeke of fwilk matere, And fcho umthoght hir als fone, What gude the biffchope had hir done, And to hir hous, and hir couent, For bathe he had hir giuen and lent. And sitt fcho thoght hir fothermare That he hir gert be abbeys thare, And forthi thoght hir lathe In any thinge, to make him wrathe, And hir had leuar Goddes wrethe, Than for to haue hir bhTchopes lethe. Forthi fcho grauntid him his bone, And went hame to hir nonnry fone, 82 Dorn. infra Oct. Nativitatis. And priuely this nonne fcho callde, And talde hir what the bifTchope walde, And faide, bot if fcho did his will, That nonnerie walde he ftrothe and fp ill. This ilk jonge nonne was unmightie To ftand agayne this foule folye, And faide full (with, my dere ladie, To do soure will, I am redye. This nonne to the bifTchope fore, And of hir felf fcho made a hore. Alias, that fcho ne had halden the trifle That fcho made with Jefu Crifte. For fothe I faie, and fcho had fene How faire hir felf was, and how fchene, When that fcho was may den clene, Had fcho noght fynned als I wene. Alias, that fcho noght undirftude How Crifte, that boght hir on the rude, Had tane hir als his leeue fpoufe, And broght hir to his awne howfe. Methink fcho chaungid wricchidlye, When fcho left Crifte hir leue luttbye, And toke hir to a fynfull man, For to be his lemmane. A Lorde, forowfull had fcho bene, If fcho hir awne ftate had fene, Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 83 How faire gafteli fcho was and bright, Whiles hir maydenhede was hir tight. Lathe had hir bene to do that fynne, For any werldes gode to wynne. Bot for fcho was als wommane waike, Scho heldid fone to fynfull layke, That made hir to God full lathe, In bodie, and in faule bathe. For thare fcho tynt hir maydenhede, And thare with all that blifffull mede, That maydens fall haue in that bliffe, Thare Crifte thaire lemman fall thaim kiffe. And all that will this tale here, Gode enfaumpil may thai lere, Unfikir of thaim felf to be, If thai will underftand and fe, How wyfe man this bifTchope waife, And fithen to foly gon he palfe,] Sa ftithelic igain him ras The fend, that him feld in place. Full ille bers us lah and kinc, Quen apon this bifchop we think, For he, that thef that gert him falle, Es about to fla us alle. Bot finful man gers him oft fchurne, And caflis him wit his awen turne, 84 Doni. infra Oct. Nativitatis. Quen [he] him fchrifes of his fin, And kepes no mar falle thar inne. Lauerd, mikel es thi mercie, For ay Lauerd, es thou redye For to forgif us our folye, Als oft als we for mercie the crye ; Be our fin neuer fa ugli, Thou forgifes us fa freli, That al men mai think ferlye Of thi pete, and thi mercye. For thar na man fal in wanhop, That thinkes wel on this bifchop, For this bifchop, of quaim I telle, Sa dep in filth of fmne he felle, That he was worthe to brinne in helle. And thar euermar to duelle, Yef it no hafd ben thi mercye, That gert him ris of fin in hy, And forthi fuld alle men lof the, And bowfom to thi wille be. For thou, that geris the dumbe fpek, Thoru fchrift, thou gert this bifchop brek The fendes band, and his maiftri, Wel birs us blis the derworthelye. Kep I na langer her to duelle, Bot forthi our tal will I telle, Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 85 How this bifchop, wit penanz ras Out of his fin, thoru Goddes grace. Quen this bifchop this fin hafd don, Our Lauerd fend him grace ful fon, And gert him think wel of his ftate, And fon bigan he for to grate, And faid, alias, that I was borne, Schamlic haf I me forlorne, Bifchop I am, and fuld wel lif, And god enfampil til other gif, And haf fwa my fawel fchente, That I war worthe for to be brente, Alias, thate euer was I clerc, Qui tok I on me Goddes were, Forfothe Ic am wel mar to blame, And for to thol wel mar fchame, Thanne er thir fimpel lawed menne, Thaim I fuld bathe lere and kenne, And now am I wel wer than thaye, Ic haf plaied a forful playe, For Ic haf broken Goddes houfe, And reft Ic haf Jefus his fpoufe, Alias, alias, that I was born, For al folc mai drife me to fchorn, How fal I fare on domes daye, Quen I falle be flemid awaye 86 Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis* Fra Goddes faz, til pin of helle, Wit outen end tharinne to dwelle. Quen he him thoht of helle pin, And quat thai thol that er tharir., And of that joy that he hafd time, To 11a him felf he hafd minte, Sa forful was this erzbifchop, That almaft fel he in wanhop, Bot Goddes graz was fon redye, And wald noht thol him mifcarye, Bot conforted him wit fwetly fware, And lethed his foru and his kare. And gert him ful fon haf god hop. That the leftes blodes drop Of that ilc derworthi blode, That Jefus fched apon the rode, Was of wel mar derworthines, Than alle men fin of wikednes. And fon he gan to kalle and krye At the yates of mercye. He gert graithe him a priue fled, Thar he moht lif wit water and brede. A pouer hous was fon purvaide, And pouer atir tharin was layde, And thar woned this bifchop lange, In foru of hert and penanz flrange. Dom. infra Oct, Nativitatis. 87 Quen parofchenis com him to, Mani nedes wit him to do, He gert his ferganz til thaim laie, That he in Godes bandes laie. For he fended the ferganz That thai fuld tel man his penanz. This erzebifchop lifd thare, In flrang penanz, and foru, and kare. Wit hayr ful hard his bodi he cledde, Wit bred and water was he fedde, He wroht that bodi wa inohe, That him to filth of fin drohe. He yald it that it gert him do, Wit pin, and reft it reft and ro. His foul fleis drohn him to fin, Forthi he mad it pouer and thin. The lawed folc was iuel payed, And for thair bifchop gern prayed, For thai wend alle that he fek ware, And for him was thair hert ful fare. Erles, knihtes, and baronnes, Preftes, vikers, and parfonnes Toht of thair bifchop gret ferli, And pleined thaim, and aikid qui, That thai moht noht thair bifchop fe. And wel thai wend that ded war he. 88 Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis* Sum mananced his durs to brek, Bot yef thai moht wit him fpek. Than wald his chamberlain thaim flille, And fair he graunted thaim thair wille, He bad thaim in the palays duelle, And faid he fuld his lauerd telle, Alle thair langing and thair wille, [And ger the byfchop come thaim tylle]. This chamberlain to chamber yode, And faid his lauerd, wit fari mode, Alle quat the folc faid him to, Bot yef thai moht cum him to. And quen the bifchop herd this, Ful forful was his hert, I wis, He chanded fon his ouri wed, And forth into the halle he yed. The folc faw wel his pouer ftate, And far for him gan thai grate, For wel thai thoht that he was fek, For pal and clungen was his chek, His ikin was klungen to the bane, For fleifche apon him was thar nane. Quen folc wit him thair fille hauid fpokin, Igain in chamber was he lokin, His frendes faw wel bi his faz, That he hafd mifler of folaz, Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 89 And gert him wel eet and drinc, And lef his utrageous fwinc ; Bot ai he thoht apon his fume, That flang his hert ful far wit inne. And quen the laued fok wel herd, That thair bifchop better ferd, Ful fain thai war, and com riht ion Til him, and aikid him a bon ; That he fuld on hey fed day, Sing them a meffe, gern prayed thai. The bifchop fon him umthoht, That fmg the mes moht he noht, Ar he was fcrifen of his fmne, That bate his hert fa far within. Bot noht forthi, him v/as ful lathe To wain thaim, or mac thaim wrathe. He hiht the folk thair melfe to fmg, And thai war fain of his hihting. Bathe aid and yong, and mar and leffe, Com for to her the bifchop melfe, Apon a hey fell day, For it to her ful fain war thai. Quen the bifchop to fmg was graithed, And riche atir on auter laid, He flod flille, and bigan to preche, Als man that cuthe the folc teche. M 90 Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis* He preched on fa fair maner, That it was joi for to her, And quen his fermoun ended was, The folc wit mikel joi up ras, And thankid Jefus in that plaz, That gaf thair bifchop Hi graz. Bot he gert thaim fit doun igain, And faid, you bird be unfain Of me, that fulde be your bifchop, For Ic es werr man than ye hop. Ye wen ful wel nou euerilkan, That I be a ful hali man, And I fay you, forfothe, that ye Foullic deceuid er of me. For me felf haf I fwa fchent, That I war worthe for to be brent, For Ic am a kaitif lechour, And ille man, and Goddes traytour. Bifor him al the folc he kald, And tille thaim alle his fin he tald. Quen he hauid faid his finful ded, He keft of him that riche wed, That es at fai, his veftement, And thoru the folc barfot he went. This folc bigan to grat and cry, And bad him turn igain in hey. Dom. infra Oct, Nativitatis. 91 Thai faid, our Lauerd es ful redi To haf of the ful god mercy. We wil, thai faid, apon us take Al thi fin, and al thi wrak. Forthi fader, we praye the, Thou turne igain, and bifchop be. Bot moht thair praier noht auail, For wald he noht trow thair confail, Bot did him forthe, als he wair wode, Wit foru, and fit, and dreri mode. Awai he ran, and far he gret, And wit a womman fon he met, That bar a child in hir arm, In fwethel cloutes Hand warm. This child was noht an half yer aid, And fpac, thohquethir, wordes bald Til the bifchop, and afkid qui He was fa forful and fary. The child fpac thoru the haligafle, And bad him turne igain in hafle. Ga fwithe, he faid, and fing thi meffe, For al thi fin forgiuen effe. This child fpac graytheli wit mouthe, Bot thoru kind, fpec it ne kouthe. Bot thoru mirakel fpac he thare, And bad the bifchop lef his kare, 92 Dom. infra Oct. Nativitatis. And turn igain, als Ic haf faid, Thar it in noriz arm was laid. This bifchop flekerid in his thoht, For graitheli no wifl he noht, Hougat this yong child fpac him tille, Quethir with god gad, or wit ille. Forthi wald he noht turne igain, No to the childes norz be bain, And did him forthe als he war madde, For riht repentanz mad him radde. And an angel bi wai he mette, In mannes fourm, that him grette, And faid, Godd fendes me to the, And biddes the bald and fiker be, That al thi fin forgiuen iffe, And biddes the turn and fing thi meffe. The bifchop for, als he war medde, And the angel to kirc him ledde, And did his veflement him on, And gert him fing his meffe riht fon. The bifchop wel fang his meffe than, And fithen bicom a hali man, That bathe lered, and lawed faid, That this aunt our was for him laid, To ger him better be manne, And ftither (land igain Satane. Dont. infra Oct. Nativitatis. 93 And bi this tale, mai we fe alle, That God tholes god men to falle, For he wil that they Hither rife, And be cunnand in his feruife. Als oft als man in fin falles, Als oft Crifl fra fin him calles, And biddes him turn, wit fwetli fware, Fra finne, and fall tharin no mare. And forthi that Crifl on flic wis Bathe lates us falle, and gers us ris, Symeon in our godfpel faid, That Crifl to mani man was laid, In falling and in rifing bathe, For Crifl lates falle and rife bathe, Als we mai bi this bifchop fe, For firfl he felle, and fithen ras he. Prai we till God of heuin forthi, That he haf of us mercye And yef we fal in any fchathe, He gif us graz to rife rathe, And cum wit him to that bliffe, Thar nou this bifchop wit him ifle. Amen. En Epip^mm momitti smtntrttm Mzfytum. Cum natuS eSSet Sfes'uS in 33etf)Ieem Sititrc, in fciebuS ^erotn's recrjs : <&ttz magi an orient* uenerunt $ero£olnman, tstctnte^; W)i est qui natuS est rer 3futteorum. TOfimuS enim St* Ham eius in oriente. et cetera. HE tuelft dai fra Crifles birthe Bides criflen men mak joy and mirthe, For Matheu fcheues in our godfpelle, Quat menfk til Crift als this dai felle. He telles us, hou kinges thre, Com to Jerufalems cyte, And faid, the king of Jowes quar es he, That nou es born, him feke we. We faw a ftern in our contre, We com wit giftes for to fe, And for to worfchip him als king, That fchewed us fly takening. The king Herod herd this tithand, And was tharfor ful ille likand. In Epiphania Domini. 95 And alle folk of that cyte, Toht ferli of thir kinges thre. The king Herodes cald in hie The Jowes that knew the prophecye, And fperid in quat time, and quat cyte, That Goddes fun fuld born be. And thai anfuerd and faid, that he Suld be born in that cyte, That Bedleem was cald in lede, And namcouthe boru in that thede. Thai fchewed the king openlye, That fpac of this thing witerlye. Herodes gert calle thir thre kinges, And prayed thaim on alle thinges, That thai fuld gern fpire efter Crift, And fend him word quar was his gift ; For I wille, he faid, tille him come, And worfchip him als worthi gome. And he fpired efter that flerne, Quar for thai foht him fa gerne. Quen he riht tim tharof wift, He bad thaim gern fpir efter Crift, And faid, loc ye wit me to fay Quar ye him find, for than I may Com fon, and fallen him to bete, And him als king wit worfchip gret. 96 In Epiphania Domini. This faid Herodes in vaidye, For at Crifl hauid he gret enuye. For he was rad that Crifl fuld cum, And put him out of his kingdom. Forthi wald he wit quar he ware, And him to 11a was he fill yare. That was wel fen, quen he gert fla Seuin fchor thoufand childer and ma, To fand Crifles walk to felle, For imang thaim he wald him quelle. But igain Godd, that es fa wife, Mai noht awail mannes quaintile. Quen Herod hauid faid quat he wald, Tille thir thre kinges, that war cald, On wai thai went, and fon thai fawe The flern, that thaim the gat gan fchawe, Ai til it com euenlye Thar Crifl was abowen, and Marye. Thai war ful fain quen thai it fawe, And tille that houfe gan thai drawer Thar Crifl fatte on his moder kne, Redi to kep thair giftes thre. Thir kinges com in menfkelie, And knelid bifor Crifl in hie, And menfkid him wit giftes thre. Als anfald Godd in Trinite. In Epiphania Domini. 97 The firft gifte was gold, that iffe Richeft of alle metal, I wiffe, And bitakenis that Crifl was king, For king hafs riueli gold in bing. The tother gift that thai gaf Crifl, Was rekelis, for wel thai wide, That rekelis bifend his goddhede, Als now fliewes hali kirk indede, For rekeles rekes upward euin, And menfkis him that wonis in heuin. The thrid gift thai him tok, Was a fmerlis, als fais the boc, That bitter es, and mir is cald, And mai the man fra roting hald Quen he es ded, forthi es fene That thai his dede bi [myrr] waid mene. Thai faw wel, him bihoued dreye Pyn of bodi, and fithen deye. Forthi wit mirr thai fchewed thanne, That him bihoued dey als manne. For al bihoues us paife that pafe, For dede bathe riche and pouer tafe. Quen thir ilc thre rihtwis kinges Hafd ofred to Crifl thir thre thinges, A fleuin in flep gaf thaim warning, That thai fuld lef Herod the king, N 98 In Epiphania Domini. And turn ham bi another way In to thair land, and fua did thai. This es the godfpel of todai, Als man on Englis telle mai. Her on fpekes fayn Gregorie, And fais the Jowes war unfeli, That faw foil fel takeninges Of Crifles birth, and hou thir kinges Thar fchewed thaim fa openlye Thing that thai faw in prophecy, And bar witnes that Crifl war cumen, And hafd man kind opon him numen. And fithen, for al that boc moht fai, Igain Crifl faid the Jowes ai. The prophecyes knew thai welle, Til thair awen mikel unfele ; For thai wald nangat trou that fau, No Jems for thair Lauerd knawe. Hefen and erthe, and fun and fe, Bar witnes that cumen was he, That fuld mannes fhate amend, For heuin and flerne in witnes lend, That he was cumen that broht us liht Into this warld, and makid briht The trowthe, that ar was mirk als niht, For thoru Crift, trow we nou riht. In Epiphania Domini. 99 The erthe bar als ful graith witnes Igain the Jowes wrangwifnes, For it fchewed with graithe takening, That Crift was Godd of all thing. For writen es in hali boc, That quen Crifl deyed the erthe quoc ; The funne bar witnes, for it knew That Crifl was Godd, quen it witdrew The bemis, and was mirk als niht, C)uen Crifl deyed for mannes pliht ; The fe kneu als Crifl goddhede, And was hard quen he tharon yed ; And mani ertheli other thing Schewed that Crifl was Godd and King ; For roches raf als dos the clay, And quic ras rafes that dede laye, That tim that Crifl was on rode flain, And yet war Jowes him igain ; For wald thai noht thair lefmg lette, And faid that Crifl was fals prophete. For na takening that thai moht fe, Wald thai trow that Crifl, Godd moht be. Bot haythen folc gan goddhed fchaw In Crifl, that Jowes wald noht knaw. For als this dai com kinges thre, And bar witnes that born was he, iod In Epiphania Domini. Of quaim the prophecies was fpokin, Bot thai wift noht quare he was lokin ; The fled quare he was born thai foht, For of his birth douted thai noht. Thir cumly kinges, als we finde, War cumen of Balaames kind, That lang bifor in prophecye, Spac of this ftern apertelye, And of Criftes birth bathe, Quar for the king Balac was wrath. Lang war to telle of that ftorie That Balaam fpac in prophecie. Balam kind was won to wac, And wait this ftern of quaim he fpac, For thoru his prophecy thai wift, That it fuld bring tithand of Crift. Forthi was Balaam kind won To wak, for ilk man bad his fon, Quen he war ded, to wak riht gern, And faand yef thai moht fe the ftern. And mani hondret winters yed, Quil Balaam kin fulfild this ded ; For faderes to thair fun kend To wak ai to thair liues end. And on this maner, war thir kinges Gret clerkes thoru niht wakinges, In Epiphania Domini. 101 For thai couthe mikel of that clergi That clerkes kalles aftronomi, That fpekes of ftern, and fun, and mon, And fchewes thing that ferr es don. Bot of that ftern wille I you telle Quarof to dai fpekis our godfpelle. Sain Jon wit the gilden mouthe Sais us that this ftern was felcouthe, For it no ftud noht up on hey, Bot tille thir kinges Ian it fley, On feld thar thai woe on yol niht, And tharin fau thai felcouthe fiht, A fair child in this ftern thai fau, That Criftes birth til thaim gan fchau, And bad thaim fek imang the Jowes, A child in quaim es alle uertues. For fain war thai of thir tithandes, And for feir in to Jowes landes, To fek quar Jefus was duelland, And thoru this ftern thai him fand. Nou haf ye herd hou thir thre kinges Ofred tille Jefus thre thinges, And thohquether war thai haythen men ; For bi thair ded wil Crift us ken, For to menik him gaftelye Wit giftes, als thai did bodilye. io2 In Epiphania Domini, For if we in charite lif, God gaftly gold to Godd we gif. For gold bitakenis charite, For na mettal mai better be Than gold, for na thing better iffe, Than charite til mar and leffe. For if we haf riht charite, Til thaim that er mar than we, Tille thaim er we fa lele and holde, That our feruis es to thaim golde. For yef we do that thai bid us In god, than folu we Jems, That tille his fader was bowfom, Quen he intil this werld wald com, And tholed dede on rode tre, To gif enfampel of charite. For charite fchewed he than Bathe tille his fader and til man. Til Godd his fader fchewed he Riht boufomnes, and charite Til mankind, that he lufd fua, That for man tholid al that wa. Forthi bihoues us ilkan Haf riht luf til our ouer man, And quat god fa he biddes us do, Boufom we au to be him to. In Epiphania Domini. 103 For Crift.es bidding we forfac, Yef we prelate bidding noht tac, Als himfelf bers god witnes, Thar he fpekis of boufomnes, For fin him feluen moht noht com Til heuin, but yef he war bowfom, Hou wil we com thar he now es, Bot yef we lif in boufomnes, Ful lang es euer, lang es euer, Bot yef we hon, com we thar neuer. Our Lauerd Crift len us the graz, To folu in bowfomnes thi traz ; For charyte tharin we fchau That we til our prelates au. And noht allan til thaim au we To haf riht luf and charite, Bot bathe tille brother and felau, For thaim we au to til and drau Wit god enfampil til godnes, And fnibbe thaim for unbowfomnes, And yef thai of our help haf nede, We aw to help thaim with our dede, And yef thai do miffe igain us, Forgif we thaim als did Jems, For he hafd charite inoh, Quen he forgaf him that him floh, 104 In Epiphania Domini, And afked thaim forgifnes, To fcheu us quat charite es. For als he did, bihoues us do, For elles cum we noht him to. That es at fai, bot we forgif Leth, and wreth, quil we her lif, We mai noht com thar now es he, For thider ledes charite. Yef we than in charite lif, God gaftli gold tille Crift we gif. For charite in boc es cald Gaftly gold, als I you tald. Nou haf ye herd wel apertie, Quat gold bitakenes gaftilye, For gold was the firft thing That kinges gaf til Crift our king. The tother gift, als I ar faid, Er rekeles that on fir er laid, And gifs fmek that fmelles wele, And fer men mai the fmek fele ; And fua dos creften man praier, That es to Crift ful lef and der, Yef it be laid opon the fire, It flakes Goddes wrec and ire. This fir calle I charite, That brinnand in us au to be. In Epiphania Domini. 105 It clenfes man of finful luft, Als fire clenfes iren of raft. Opon this fir au we to lai Gaftli recles, that es at fai, God praier, that ful fuet fmelles, And Goddes wreth fwages and felles, And geres him grant man his bon, Haf he neuer fli fin don. The thred gift, als I you tald, Was mirre, that mannes fles mai hald Abowen erthe fra roting, And es of penanz graith takening. Bot mirre bites, als I faid are, And penanz bites man ful fare, Bot ai the farer that it bites, The clener of fin the man it quites. This filth cal I roting of fin, That geres the fawel rot wit in. This mirr haldes us fra roting, That es, fra luft and fra liking. Nou haf ye herd of gold gaftelye, And als of rekeles apertelie, And als of mirr, the thrid thing, Quarof man mas gafteli offering. Do we forthi, als did thir kinges, And menfk we Crift wit thir thre thinges. 106 In Epiphania Domini, Bot folu we firfl the ftern, that ledes God men til mirthful medes. This flern cal I Godes worde, That precheour bringes out of horde, That kennes man the riht wai Until that joi that laft.es ai. Our Lauerd Jefus Crifl us rede To do penanz, and thider us lede. Amen. PI Bominica infra Octmata ISptpJwme, swuntrum ZLucnm. Cum factum tsteet $ty£u& amxorum rtt., Stecenttentflma pa= renttbuS ejuss m ^eru^alcm, Secundum amSiututimem tiiti feStt, consummate c^ue Utetu^, cum veUirent, rcmans'tt puer 3ty&u$ tit SUruSalem, tt non cognoucrunt parental, tt cctcva. HE Jowes woned in fer contre, And a cuntre hit Galile, And burwis tounes war tharinne, Thar Jowes wodes with welth and winne. And Mari ledd hir lif with methe, In a toun that hiht Nazarethe, For thar als hoswif held fcho houfe, Wit Jofep, hir lele fpoufe, And wit our Lauerd Crift hir fon. Bot quen tim com, that thai war won In to Jerufalem to fare, For to mac.thair offerand thare, Thider thai yod imang thair kithe, And led child Jefus thaim withe, 108 Dom. infra Oct. Epiph* Quen he waffe tuelf yer aid, Als we find in our godfpel tald. Sain Loc fais in our godfpelle, That quen thai hauid don that felle Til Moyfes lauh, ham gan thai ga, And child Jefus willed them fra. Quen thai him miffed, thai him foht Imang thair kith, and fand him noht. And forthi Jofep, and Mari War for him forful and fari. Thai turned in to the cite, And foht ful gern quar he moht be, And in the tempil fand thai Child Jefus, on the thrid dai, Imang maifleres of the Jowes law, That thoht ferlic of Criftes faw. For al thoht thaim of him felcouthe, For wifdom that com of his mouthe. And til hir fun faid onr Leuedy, Sun, qui haues tou mad us fari, lc and thi fader haues the foht Karful, bot we no fand the noht. And Crift anfuerd and faid, quye Haf ye foht me fa ithenly, "Wift ye noht me bihoued in deedes Be bifi in mi fader nedes. Dom. infra Oct. Epiph. 109 And thai wift neuer quat he ment, Bot til his word Mari toe tent, And Crifl ham wit his frendes went Til Nazaret, quarof I ment, And underlout til thaim was he, Als god child au til elderes be. And bath til Godd and man he thraf Wit witte and graz, that Godd him gaf. This es the ftrenthe of our godfpelle, Als man on Ingelis tung may telle. On this godfpel fcheues fain Bede Criftes godhed, and his manhede. His refoun and his wife thewes, That he was Godd, ful graitheli fchewes. For wife men, als are faid I, Of his wifdom thot gret ferlye ; And bi his meknes mai man fe, That man in felle and flefche was he. For he that alle wifdom couthe, Herd wifdom mekli of thair mouthe, That lefle god couthe than he, Forthi bird yong men mek be. For Crifl was of tuelf winter elde, Quen al wifdom was in his weld, And thohquether herd he mekeli Wifdom of thaim that fat him bi. no Dom. infra Oct. Epiph. Forthi bird yong men prid forfake, And of child Jefus bifen take ; For mekeli fuld thai wifdom here, Ar thai fuld other men lere. Bot nou er yong man fa bald, That thai wil lere bathe yong and aid, For ar thai kann thaim feluen ken, Wil thai wifdom lere other men, Fair eld fchew thai in thair youthe, Wit modi wordes of thair mouthe, At Crifles lar wil thai noht lete, That fat mekeli at maiflers fete, And herd mekeli, als I faid are, Al thair wifdom, that thai fpac thare. Crifl afkid wifdom firfl at wife, Ar he wald fai thaim his auife, And fua kend he us firfl to her, And fithen other men to lere. Bot thar Jofep, and Mari fand Crifl imang wife men fitand, Thar mai we graithe enfampel take, Unwife felawfchip to forfake, And hald us imang wife men, That kan us wifdom lere and ken. For riueli fe we him that drawes Til recolage of ille felawes, Dom. infra Oct. Epiph. m Falle als fol in fele folies, Be he neuer fa quaint and wife. For he mai nangat be lot lefe Of thair fin, and thair wiknefe. For qua fa nehe wit hend or flefes Hate molten pic, on thaim it cleuis : Pik that cleues quen it is tan, Bifens deling wit wik man, For his fin clefes on god men, And mas thaim fouler thanne the Fen : And forthi red I that man drawe Til hali man, and god felawe, That mai amend him of his fake, And chafli him, ef he miftake. Als did fain Jon the godfpeller, That for efter a fol ful fer, And did awai his dedes dim, And mad an hali man of him. For thoru il felawes was he Mad als ille man als he moht be. Bot fain Jon turned him fra fin, And gert him hali lif begin, Forthi es god that I you telle, Hou it of that man liuelad felle, For bi him we mai bifen betac Ille felawfchip for to forfak. ii2 Dom. infra Oct. Epipb* flarrario. Quen hali kirc bigan newli, Sain Jon was fifel, and bifi, In ordaining of priefles, and clerkes, And in cafting kirc werkes. And mani bifchopes ordainte he, Abowen the lawed folc to be. And als he com a kirc to fe, A felcouthe fair child thar faw he, Bot noht forthi, that ilke childe Was fa unthewed and fa wilde, That alle the fchathe that he moht do, He did quen he bigan to thro. And fain Jon hafd gret pite, That flic a child fuld dampned be. Sayn Jon bitaht this ilke childe, Til a bifchop to mak him mild, And faid, bifchop, I comand the, That this trefor wel yemed be ; Yem this child, for I biteche Him to the, als til god leche ; Lat thou noht this child mifcarye, For yef he do, til the tac I. This bifchop tok this child him to, And baptized it, and gert him do The thing that fel til creflendom. Bot ille felawes til him com, Dom. infra Oct. Epiph, And droh him firfl til dronkennes, And iithen til lufl of his fleys, And fithen til thift and robberie, And mad his maifler ful farie, For that bifchop kal Ic his maifler, Til quaim fain Jon thot him to faifter. For ille felawes hafd Hi maiftri To tille this yong man to foli, That the bifchop moht noht him halde, Bot leet him gang quar he walde. Thir theues war of him ful fain, For til thair wille wex he ful bain. Sa {tithe and fhalward man wex he, That thai gert him thair maifler be, And lang he welc wit his felawes, And reft lele men in wode fchawes. And fain Jon com another time, And afked his maifler efter hime, And faid, quar es mi trefore, Thou ger him fwithe com me bifor. This bifchop flod als he war fchent, For he wifl noht quat fain Jon ment. He wend he afked filuer or gold, Or ueflement of riche fold. And forthi til fain Jon faid he, I wat neuer quat ye afk me. H4 Dom. infra Oct. Epiph. And fain Jon faid, quare es he, That child that I bitaht to the. Quen this bifchop his afking herd, He gret ful fare, and thus anfuerd, Alias, that Ic him euer fau, For he es bycomen an outelau. And fain Jon gret, and faid him tille, Alias, qui yemed thou him fa ille. Til him hauis thou ille yemer ben, For that es on him nou wel fen. An hors, he faid, ye fadel me, For I wille fehe him quar he be. And fain Jon fore thar he was, And fand him fitand in a pas. And quen his felawes fain Jon faw, Til him gan thai alle drawe, Bot thair maifter knew his face, And fled ful fwithe out of that place. Sa mikel fcham of him, him thoht, That loc on fain Jon moht he noht, Bot fled fra him ful fail runnande, And fain Jon folued faft calland, And faid, lef fun, I prai the, Thou cum igain, and fpec wit me. Qui flees thou thi fader qui, Al thi fmne on me tak I. Dom. infra Oct. Epiph. 115 And at the laft, this outlaw flode, And loked doun wit dreri mode, And fain Jon fel him fon to fete, And far bifor him gan he grete. And faid, fon, at mi lare thou lete, God forgifnes I the bihete, Thi finnes tak I al on me, And I fal prai Godd for the, And fikerlic I her the hyte God forgifnes of al thi plihte. This man fel to fain Jones fete, And far bigan he for to gret, And faid, I grant wel mi foly, Of me fader thou haf mercye. He foloued fain Jon to the kirc, And hiht him al his wille to were, And was fa god man fra that time, That al the folc hafd joy of hime. Her mai ye fe a tal that fchewes, That mikel fchathe dos il felawes, For il felawes oft drawes God men til iuel plawes. Forthi es god we draw thaim tille, That gaftly wirkes Goddes wille, For Crifl in our godfpel us fchawes Enfampel to drau to god felawes. n6 Dom. infra Oct. Epip/i, For our godfpel fais quar and quen, Crift was funden imang wis men, And noht imang fol felawes, That tilles man til plihtful plawes. To tel you yet haf I thoht, Of tha thre dayes that Crift was foht, For gladli wald I it war fen, Quat thir thre dayes wald men. I tald hou Jofep and Marye Soht Crift thre daies ythenlye. The firft dai that thai foht him, Bitakes that ilke aid tim, That was fra Adam, to that law That Godd wald to Moyfes fchaw, In a felle, that than was kald Sinay, als in boc es tald. For patriarkes in that tim Soht Crift, bot thai no fand noht him. The tother dai quen Crift was foht, Bitakens tim quen lau inbroht Knawing of fin, that es at fai, Quen lau did unknawing awai. For thoru wifting of Goddes law, Biganne man fin for to knaw : Bifor was thar na pain laid, On thaim that mis did, or mis faid, Dom. infra Oct. Epiph. 117 Bot fon quen law til Moyfes com, It fchewed ilke man his dom. This tim lafted fra Moyfes Til Crift, that kend us rihtwifnes. And in this tim, was Crift foht Wit prophetis gern, bot fand thai noht. Bot on the thrid dai was he Funden, for nou him find we. This tim es nou, and laftes ay, Fra Criftes birth to domesday. Quen this tim bigan, was Crift funden Liggand, in pouer cloutes bunden. This thrid tim bisend iffe Bi that thrid dai, I wifle, That Jofep and Mari mild Fand in the tempel Crift thair child. Yet mai we other thinges fe Riht gaftli, bi thir dayes thre, That Crift was foht, and on the thrid Was he funden, thar he was hid. Reuthe of hert for plihtful plai, Es bifned bi the firft dai. And bi the tother, open fchrift, That geres man his hert uplift. And worthi penanz bi the thrid, That geres man for Godd be red. n8 Dom. infra Oct. Epiph, Yef we feke Jefus wit thir thre, In his tempil him find fal we. His tempil cal Ic heuin ryke, That mai til tempil be mad like, For tempil is mikel, lang, and wide, And mikel thing man mai thar hide. And fua fal be in heuen blis God criflen fawles, I wiffe, Fra Satenas, and al his miht, That her was won with him to fiht. In that tempil es Jefus king, For his merci he thider us bring. Amen. IBominica pxitttK post <3ctabam Epipf>mie> j^uptte facte Sunt m Cana lattice, ft erat mater $ty$u ibi. WLotatxi* e£t Siljcs'uS et fcferipult tuts' atj mtpttaS. <£t fcenricute tttno tJictt mater StfjtSu att ettm ; utnum non Jjabent. et cetera. AIN Jon telles us a talle In our godfpel, of a bridale That was maked in a cyte, That hiht Cana Galile. And our Lefdi Mari was thare, And Crifl wit his decipeles yare War thider cald, and als thai feet, Wine wanted thar thai ete. And Mari til Crifl mad her mane, And faid, fun, win haf thai nane. And Crifl anfuerd and faid thanne, Quat es til me and the, wommane. Als qua fai, qui afkes thou me Mirakel, that I toe noht of the. 120 Dom. i. post Oct. Epiph, Of the toe I noht bot manhed, That mai fcheu na mirakel in dede, For yef I fal help in this nede, Itt bihoues com of mi goddhede, And noht of brukel blod and bane, That I toe of the, wommane. Wit dett mai thou noht aik me, Bot manhed that I toe of the. Mi tim, he faid, com noht yete, Als qua fai, bale fal I bete Wit mirakel, that I fal fchaw, And mikel folc fra vantrauth draw. Bot min dedes noht forthi Bes noht fchewed fa haflili, Quen tim cumes mi miht to fchaw, Than fal thou, and ma men it knaw. And feruanz war at this bridale, That birled win in cupp and fchal. And Mary bad that thai fuld do Al that Jefus faid thaim to. Sex feteles of flan war thar flanand, Als than was cumand in the land, And Crift bad thaim thir feteles fille Wit water, and thai did fon his wille, And filled thaim of water ilkan, And Jefus blifced thaim on an, Dom. i. post Oct. Epiph. 121 And bad thaim dib thair cuppes alle, And ber tille bern befl in halle. Thai did Crift comandement, And bar the wine riht thar he ment. This wine tafled that bern balde, And til him the bridgom he cald, And faid, ilc man that makes fefle, Gifes firfl for the the win ftrangeft, And fithen quen men dronken ere, Than birles he thaim wit waikere ; For think me ferli that thou, Held ai thi beft win til nou. This was the firft mihti dede, Quar wit Crifl fchewed his godhed, And euer fra that ilke time, His decipeles troued in hime. This es the flrenthe of our godfpelle, Als man on Inglis tong mai telle. On this godfpel fpekis fain Bede, And lofes Criftes mihti dede ; And ef Crifl paied no ware Of matirmoyne, hafed he noht thar Cumen to fchew thar his goddhede, For god lif mai fpoufed men lede. This fpoufmg gafleli fchewes us, That hali kirc was til Jefus CL i22 Dom. u post Oct. Epiph. Spoufed als wif in our Lefdi bodi, Of quaim drift toe fleys us to bi. For mannes fawel efs Criftes fpoufe That he fal bring til heuin his houfe. For herof fpac God til Adame, Quen he him made of erthe and lam, And faid, fader and moder fal man forfake, And til his fpoufed wif him tac. Sua did Crifl that this werld forfoc, And til mannes fawel him toe. He left Jofep and Mari bathe, And deyed to les our fawel of fcathe. Than bird our fawel lef other thing, And luf Crifl hir fpous and hir king. Hir aid fader bird hir lefe, And on hir lemman clep and wete. Hir aid fader cal I Adam, That broht hir into balful blam. Hir bird lef, yef fcho war wis, Dedes that reft us paradis, Als prid and unbowfomnes And couaitis that als ill es. Thir thre reft Adam paradis, Als fais fain Gregori the wis, Als nethir mar man find mai In Lenten on the firft fundai : Dom. i. post Oct. Epiph. 123 Thar mai man Adam dedes find, That flemid him, and al his kind. Hir ftefFader cal I the Fend, For igain hir es he unhende • For bathe niht and dai he fandes For to bring hir in til his bandes. And ef our fawel forfac him, That es again hir fell and grim, Hir bihoues forfac alfua, Hir ftepmoder that dos hir wa. Hir ftepmoder es fleys liking, That til hir ftepfader wil hir bring. This fader and this moder bathe, Er ay about to do hir fchathe. Forthi es god that fcho thaim lefe, And on hir lemman clep and wefe, And fai, Jems, mi fa I fle, And til the, lemman, tac I me. And ef fcho gern opon him crye, And luf hir lemman inwardelye, Hir lufli lat es win gaftlye, That Jefus drinkes ful gladlye. Bot ef fcho gif of him na tale, Than wantes wine at hir bridale, For al hir lof and hir fuetnes, In gafteli water turned es, 124 Dom. i. post Oct. Epiph* That es at fai, til werldes play, That als water wites awai. Bot Crift wit graz cumes her ine, And turnes this water till wine. For into wine Crift water turnes, Quen finful man for fin murnes, For yef he haf hop of merci, And lofes Jems inwardlye, Ic hop that his luf and his fwetnes God gafteli win in boc cald es. This turning was bitakend thar, Thar Crift turned, als I faid are, Water into win wit his miht, For water bifenes fin and pliht. That was wel fen quen fain Thomas Of Canterburi born was ; His moder dremid that fcho fawe, Quen fain Thomas was in hir maw, Al the mikel water of Temis Rin in the bofem of hir kernes : Sho tald hir drem til a god man, And he undid it fone on an, And faid, a child es the witin, In quaim many il man fal fin, For baret fal he thol and wa Of finful caitifes and thra : Dom. i. post Oct. Epiph. 125 This water flowed gaflili, Wit eft and nythe and felonny, C)uen fain Thomas fchedd his blod, For his luf that boht him on the rod. Ye fe hou fin and wikkenes Bi water gafleli bifen es ; Forthi ef water be us ine, Our Lauerd turn it into wine. Gafleli wyn cal I charite, Our Lauerd lens us graz that we Mai haf it in ur tid and time, For this es wine that paies him. Lat we this god wyn in us fink, And birl we him tharof to drinc ; For god win til Crifl birl we, Ai quil we lif in charite. Our Lauerd len us that we mai Drinc wit him wyn that lafles ai. Amen. BominicsL ii. post Octabam <&pi$l>anie> swtm&um tfftat&ettm* Cum fces'cendfes'et StyeSus" Mt monte, Sccttte sunt mm turbe multe ; ct tcct leprosus" uniteus" atforabat cum, ^teens' : Semitic, St utS, poteS mc muntjarc : ct evtenttcnS manum tettgtt cum. ct cetera. AYN Matheu fais in our godfpelle, That Crift com dunward of a felle, And folc ful fel folued him, And a lazer that ilk tim, Com and alked Crift his hele, Bifor tha fern of folc fa fele. And Crift on him his hand he laid, And mildelie til him he faid, I wil mac the of leper clene, And fone was na wem on him fene : And Crift bad him that he fuld hele, And fai noht qua gaf him his hele, Bot loc, he faid, that thou the fchaw Unto the preft of Moyfes law, Dom. iu post Oct. Epiph. 127 And mac offerand that ber witnes Of thin heling, als bad Moyfes. And Crifl went til Chapharnaume, And met thar wit a mihti gume, That maifler was of knihtes fele, And praied Crift, that he fuld hele His fergant of parlefye. And Crifl faid, I fal cum in hie Thi feke fergant for to hele. And he anfuerd als man ful lele And faid, Ic am unworthi gom, That thou in til min hous fuld com, Bot witt thi word thou bid him be Al hale, and fon al hale bes he. For Ic am man under poufle, And Ic haf knihtes under me, And I comand an gang, and he Gas, and another cum to me, And fuithe comes he me to, And dos al that I bid him do. Als qua fai, I trou wel that thou Es almihty and worthi nou, Yef thou an lepi word wil fay, Thi word mi fergant hele maye. Quen this man haued faid his wille, And fchewed that Crift. moht it fille, 128 Dom. it. post Oct. Epiph, Of his trouthe thoht Crift ferlie, And faid til thaim that ftod him bie, Til you, he faid, forfothe I faye, That Ic haf walked mani waie Imang Jowes, bot fand I nan Sa mikel trouthe als in this man : Als qua fai, thoh he payen be, He hauis mare trouth in me, Than Jowes that me for Godd luld knau, Als thai find writen in the lau. Forthi fchaued Crift thar, hou Jowes That wald noht trow on his uertues, Suld ga for thar wantrauth til pine ; And payns that trowed him ine, Thoru trouth of hali kirc fuld wende, Until the blis witouten ende. And faid, mikel folc fra bi wefle, And fra bi eft, fal com and reft Wit Abraham and Yfaic, And with Jacob, that thaim fal tac Into thair felawfchip in heuin, Quen Satenas fal Jowes quenen In ouer mirkenes, thar fare greting Sal euer be, with teth gnaifting. This es the ftrenthe of Criftes faw, That our godfpel today wil fchaw. Dom. ii. post Oct. Epipb. 129 Bot noht forthi Crift granted fone, Until this comli gom his bon, And faid thi praier haf I done, And thar the her na langer hone , And his fergant that cumbered was Wit parlefi, al hal he rafe. Thus endes our godfpel to daie, Als man on Ingelis telle maye. The maifler fais on this godfpelle, That for Crift com doun of this felle, This forfaid leprous was made hale, And blifffulli bet of his bale ; Bot ef Crift hafd noht comen doune, Hafd he noht hafd his benifoune. And herbi wille the maifter mene, That mankind hafd noht ben mad clen Of fin, bot Crift haued comen doun Fra heuen, to gif for man ranzoun. For man quaim finne mad unhale, Hafd noht ben bette of his bale, Bot yef Crift haued til him comen, And his feknes opon him nomen, And clenfed him of leper of finne, That alle mankind was fallen in. For riht als leper mas bodi Ugli, and lathe, and unherly, 130 Dom. ii. post Oct. Epiph< Sua mas the filth of licheri, The fawel ful lath, gaflelye, And the bolning of priue pride Es leper, that na man mai hide. And eft and nythe and felounye Mai be cald leper gaftilie, And couaitis of fymounye, That was wel fen on Gyfeye ; For Gyezi and al his kind, Als we in boc of Kinges find, Was unhale thoru fymonye, That mikel fpilles nou clergye. For it es fin quar wit man bies Wit werdes catel prelacyes ; And thing that Goddes gift fuld be, For werldes welthe felle we, Ai quen we do gaftly dede For gift, mar than for Goddes mede ; Als did unthriuand Giezye, That wex unhale thoru his gilrye. fiarracto. The boc of Kinges telles us, Hou the prophet Helifeus Of leper heled an hethen man, That mihti was, and hiht Naaman , Bot gift of him wald he nan take, For him thoht it war fin and fake, Dom. it. post Oct. Epiph. 131 To fel the gift that Godd him gafe. Bot he hafd an unfeli knafe, That wald gladli katel haue, For couaitis til fin him draue , For he ran efter Naaman, Quen he was fra his maiiler gan, And faid, mi maiiler fendes me To tac him curtain of the, For frendes er cumen him to, And fum god bihoues him thaim do. And Naman gaf him robes tua, And fair wan of filuer als fua, And in his hous he hid ful rathe, The filuer and the robes bathe. Bot his maifter, thoru prophecye, WifL al his dede and his gilrye. And Gyezi, als noht ne ware, Com til hhTe maiiler hous ful yare, And his maiiler aiked him fon, Quethen comes thou, quat hauis thou don : And he faid, fir, I yod nouther quare. And his maiiler anfuerd him yare, And faid, I faw ful wel thi thift, Of Naaman. hauis thou tan gift, Forthi that Godd Naaman helid Toe thou gift, and fithen it helid, 132 Dom. ii. post Oct. Epiph. Fonhi thou, and thi fones ilk ane, Sal be miihale als was Naamane. And riht als Hclyfeus hiht, Sua fel him for his awen pliht ; For Giezi, and his offpring, Was unhale for this miflaking. Toru this refoun es fymonye Cald leper in hali boc gafllye, And this leper, and other ma Com Crifl in our fawel to fla. Mankind of Adam leper haued fmitte, Ai til Crifl com and heled it, Riht als he held bodilye, This forfaid unhal man in hye, Quen he com dounward of the felle, Als this dai telles our godfpelle. Sua helid he gaflli mankinne That was unhal wit filth of finne, Quen he com doun fra heuen hey, To hele man, and for him dey. Bot quen Crift com doun of this felle, Als to dai telles our godfpelle, Folc loued him, als I faid, ful fele ; Bot fum loued him for fawel hele, Sum his mirakel for to fe, And fum for luf and charite ; Dom. ii. post Oct. Epiph. *33 And he that loues in rihtwifnes, Crifles foluer gaftlic he es ; Bot foles fele loues the Fend, Chien thai fra fin to fin wende, Fra glotonie to licherie, Fra couaitis to tricherie, This es the Fende wai, that ledes Til Satenafes brinnand gledes. Bot he that Hues in charite, Crifb himfeluen folues he ; And yef we folu Jefu Crift, He ledes us til his biwift, Thar we fal lif in gamen and plai, Wit out en ten, wit outen trai. Our Lauerd Jefu Crifl us fpede , To do penanz, and thider us lede. Amen. Bominica Hi. post Octabata eptpjani^ secundum iftatj^uro* ^tecmticntf $l)t$u in nabtculam genttt stmt turn fctsctpult mis' ; tt ttct motus" magnus" factus" est m mart tta ttt nabuttla opmrmtr fluctmus'. tt cetera. A IN Matheu the wangelifte Telles us todai, hou Crift Schipped into the fe a time, And his decipelis al wit him. And quen thair fchip com on dep, Jefu feluen fel on flep, And gret temped: bigan to rife, That gert the fchipmen far grife. Thai wakned Crift, and faid yare, Help us Lauerd, for we fofare. And Crift, als mihti Godd, anfuerd And faid, foles qui er ye fered ; Als qua fai, Godd es in this fchip That mai wel faue this felaufchip. Dom. iii. post Oct. Epiph. 135 And Crifl comanded wind and fe To lethe, and fair weder be. And fa fair weder was in hie, That al his felaues thoht ferlie, And faid, quatkin man mai this be, Til him bues bathe winde and fe. This es the flrenthe of our godfpelle Als man on Ingelis tong mai telle. Al hali kirc, als thine me, Mai bi this fchippe takened be, That Crifl rad in and his felawes, Imang dintes of gret quawes. For fchip fletes on the node, And hali kirc wit codes gode, Fletes abouen this werldes fe, Flouand wit fin and caitifte ; God creften men er hali kirc, That Goddes wil wille gladli were. This fchip ful gret wawes kepes, And Crifl tharin gafleli flepes, Quen he tholes god men and lele, Wit wic men and fals dele, That betes thaim wit dede and word Als fe bare betes on fchip bord. For wit enfampel, mai we fe That al this werld es bot a fe, 136 Dom. Hi. post Oct. Epiph, That bremli bares on banc wit bale, And gret fifches etes the fmale. For riche men of this werd etes, That pouer wit thair trauail getes. For wit pouer men fares the king, Riht als the quale fars wit the elringe, And riht als flurioun etes merling, And lobbekeling etes fperling, Sua flroies mare men the lefle, Wit wa and werldes wrangwifnes, And fchathe that lefle tholes of mare Smites als florm of fe ful fare. And forthi that Crift tholes this, Ite fembeles that he flepand is ; Bot thai that thol thir ftrange ftowres, Thai waken Crift and aikes focoures Wit orifoun, that es prayer, That wakenes Crift, and gers him her Al thair wandreth and thair wrake, And wit his miht he geres it flake. For rihtwis criften man praier Es til Jefus fa lef and dere, That quat fa euer we aik tharin, And we be out of dedeli fin, Our Lauerd granntes it us fon, Yef fawel hel be in our bon. Dom. Hi. post Oct. Epiph. 137 For yef we prai God that he Grant that igain our fawel be, Us au to thine na ferlye Thoh Godd it warnes ouertlye. For bi enfampel mai we fe That praier mai unfchilful be ; Als ef thou prai Godd that he Apon thi fais venge the, Thi praier es igain his wille, Forthi wil he it noht fulfille ; Or yef thou- prai efter catele, That es igain thi fawel hele ; Or efter werdes menfc and miht, That geres foles fal in pliht ; Or ef thou praye him that he leche Thi fandinges, and thi wandrethe, That dos in to the fawel gode, Yef thou it thol wit milde mode ; Wit refoun mai thou Godd noht wite, Yef he the file aikinges nite, For yef he graunt the thi fchathe, Thou war noht lef til him, bot lathe. Forthi es godd that we him praye Thing that our fawel hele mai ; For ar we bigin our prayer, Wat he quarof we haf mifler. 138 Dom. Hi. post Oct. Epiph, Bot for our godfpel fpekes of fe, Chiarbi this werld mai bifend be, Forthi wil I fchaw other thinges, That er apert bifeninges, Bituixe this wlanc werld and fe, This werldes welth to do fle. Bi falte water of the fe, Ful gratheli mai bifend be This werldes welth, auht, and catel, That werdes men lufes ful wel , For falte water geres men threft, And werdes catel geres men breft. The mar thou drinkes of the fe, The mare and mar threftes ye ; And ai the richer that man effe, The mar him langes efter riches. And in fe dronkenes folc ful fele, And fua dos in werdes catele ; For water drunkenes the bodie, And catel the fawel gailelie ; For catel drawes man til helle, Thar wattri wormes er ful felle, And of thir wormes wil I telle A tal, yef ye wil her mi fpelle. iiavvacto. An hali man biyond fe, Was bifchop of a gret cite ; Dom. Hi. post Oct. Epiph. 139 God man he was, and Pers he hiht, And thar bifyd woned a kniht, That thoru kind was bond and thralle, Bot knihthed gat he wit catelle. This catel gat he wit okering, And led al his lif in corfmg , For he haunted bathe dai and niht His okering, fine he was kniht, Als fail as he did bifore, And thanvit gat he gret trefore. Bot Crift that boht us der wit pine, Wald noht this mannes fawel tine, Bot gaf him graz himfelf to knaw, And his fin to the bifchop fchaw. Quen he him fchraf at this bifchop, This bifchop bad him haf god hop, And alked him, yef he walde tac Riht penanz, for his fmful fac. Ful gladli wil I tac, he faid, The penanz that bes on me laid ; And the bifchop faid, thou fal mete A beggar gangand by the ftrete, And quat als euer he alkes the, Gif him, this fal thi penanz be. And ful wel paid was this kniht, For him thoht his penanz ful liht. 140 Dom. Hi. post Oct. Epiph. And als he for hamward, he mette A beggar that him cumly grette, And faid, lef fir, par charite, Wit fum almous thou help me. This kniht aiked quat he wald haf ; Lauerd, he faid, fum quet I craue. Hou mikel, he faid, afkes thou me ; A quarter lauerd, par charite. This kniht granted him his bone, And gert met him his com fone. This pouer man was will of wan, For poc no fek no hauid he nan, Quarin he moht this quete do ; And forthi this kniht faid him to, This quete, I rede thou felle me, For ful pouer me thine the. The pouer faid, layth thine me To felle Goddes charite, Bot len me fum fetel tharto, Quarin I mai thin almous do. And he anfuered and faid, nai, For al that this beggar moht iai, And faid, this thou felle me, For fetil wil I nan len the. The beggar moht na better do, Bot faid this corn igain him to, JDom. Hi. post Oct. Epiph. 141 And toe thar for fif fchilling, And went him forthe on his begging. Quen this corn to the kniht was fald, He did it in an arc to hald, And opened this arc the thrid daye, And fand tharin, felcouthe to faye, Snakes and nederes thar he fand, And gret blac tades gangand, And arikes and other wormes felle, That I kan noht on Inglis telle. Thai lep upward til his vifage, And gert him almaft fal in rage. Sa was he for thir wormes ferde, Bot noht forthi that arc he fperide, And to the bifchope in a ras He ran, and tald him his cas. The bifchop fau that Godd wald t-ak Of this man fin wrethful wrac. And faid, yef thou wil folfille Wit worthi penanz, Goddes wille, And clens wit penanz riht worthi, Al thi finnes and thi foli, I red that thou felf the falle Nakid, imang tha wormes alle, No gif thou of the felf na tale, Bot bring thi fawel out of bale. 142 Dom. Hi. post Oct. Epip/i, Thoh tha wormes thi caroin gnawe, Thi pynes laftes bot a thrawe ; And than fal thi (awe! wende To lif of blis, witouten ende. This okerer was felli radde, To do that this bifchop him badde, Bot of mercy haft he god hop, And gern he prayd the bifchop. And faid, lef fader, I prai the, That thou prai inwardli for me, That God gif me his graz to fang One my bodi, this penanz ftrang. The bifchop hiht this man lelye, To prai for him riht inwardlve. This man went ham thoh he war rad, And did als his bifchop him badde ; For imang al thir wormes fnelle, Als nakid als he was born he felle. Thir wormes ete that wrethe manne, And left nathing of him bot ban. The bifchop went in to that toun, Wit clerkes in proceiTioun, And come into this knihtes wanes. And foht ful gern his hali banes ; And til this forfaid arc he yod, And opened it wit joiful mod, Dom. Hi. post Oct, Epiph. 143 And riped imang tha wormes lathe, Bot nan of thaim moht do him fchathe, And forthe he gan tha banes draw. And thai war als quite als fnaw. Chien al tha banes out tan ware, Tha wormes gert he brin ful yare, And bar thir bannes menikelye, And fertered thaim at a nunrye ; Thar Godd fchewes mirakelle and miht, And gifes blind men thar fiht, And croked men thar geres he ga, And leches feke men of wa, And fchewes wel wit fair ferlikes, That thas banes er god relikes. This tal haf I nou tald here, To ger you fe on quat maner, That the mar catel that man haues, 1 7 The mar and mare his hert craues ; And namlic thir okerers, That er curfed for thair aferes ; Bot yef thai her thair lif amend, Thai wend til wormes witouten end, That fal thaim reuli rif and rend In helle pine witouten end. That wifl this bifchop witerlye, And forthi did he quaintelye, 144 Dotn. iiu post Oct. Epiph* Quen he gert wormes ete this man, To yem his fawel fra Satan. For wormes fuld his fawel haf rended, Quar fa euer it fuld haf lended, Yef he no hauid wel ben fcriuen, And his caroin til wormes giuen. Bot for his fleis was pined here, His lawel es now til Godd ful dere, Thar it wones in plai and gamen, Godd bring us thider alle famen. Amen. mominica. iiii* post ^ctabam lEpipftame, gecuntrum ffi&tytum. iitjitt $e£u$ Ut£5cipult£J £ut£ ; Simile est recnuim celorum Ijomtnt qui Semmautt bonum Semen in agro Suo . Cum autem ttormtrent fyommeS, uemt tmmicug etuS et Super Semtnautt. et cetera. IL his decipeles faid Jefus, Als Sain Matheu her telles us, Heuen es lie til an huiband, That feu god fed apon his land, And quen al folc on Hep ware, Than com his fa, and feu riht thare Darnel, that es an iuel wede, Riht al imang this hofband fede : And quen this fede quarof I mene, Was hey abouen the erthe fene, Than was thar darnel fen imang, That thoht this hofband hine ful ftrang. Thir hyne faid til this hofband, Seu thou noht god fed on thi land, 146 Dom. iiii. post Oct. Epiph< Quethen com darnel that es fen Imang thi corn nou albiden. This hofband anfuerd thaim fone And faid, mi fa this ded haues done. Thai aiked him yef he wald thaye Suld draw it op and do it awaye. And he anfuerd and faid naye, For fuagat fpil mi corn ye maye, Yef ye draw up the darnel fmalle, Ye mai draw up the corn witalle, Bot lates it til heruefl flande, And I fal fay til men fcherande, Gaderes the darnel firft in bande, . And brennes it opon the land, And fcheres fithen the corn rathe, And bringes it unto my lathe. This es the ftrenthe of our godfpelle, Als man on Ingelis tung mai telle. We mai wel gailli underflande, Godd almihti bi this hofbande, For Godd fchawes in mennes hertes His graz, that thaim til godnes ertes ; For Goddes graz es gaftly fede, That beres froyt of rihtwis dede, And other fede our Lauerd fawes, That creflen men til god lif drawes, Dom. Hit. post Oct. Epiph. 147 Quen he fendes his meffageres, That es at fai, thir farmouneres, That clenfes man of gaftli wede, And fchawes in him Goddes fede ; For quen thai fnib us of mifdedes, Than clenfes thai us of gaftli wedes ; And quen thai fcheu us heuenes mede, Than fau thai in us Goddes fede. This es the fede that gaftli fpringes, And froyt of god werkes forthe bringes ; For it bringes forth charite, And boufomnes, and chaftite, And riht penanz, wit almous dedes, That into the blis of heuen ledes. Bot Satenas es Criftes fa, And waites ay to do us wa. He fawes imang Goddes fede In mannes hert darnel and wede. That geres men oft and mani fithe, In dedes wic coftes kithe, For fede of darnel geres men wed, And fwa dos that unfeli wede, That Satan faues in our hertes, For us to wekkednes it ertes ; Of this waful fede fpringes wrethe, And prid, and nithe, and brother lethe, 148 Dom. iiiu post Oct. Epipb, And couaitys, and tricherie, And glotounye, and licherye. flarrario. And of this fede that Satan fawes, A god tal fain Jerom us fchawes, Of an ermyt, an hali man, That woned in wafti bi him an ; And als he in his celle fate, He faw a fend ga bi the gate, And boyftes on himfele he bare, And ampolies, als leche ware : And thar bifide was an abbaye, And thiderward he toe the waye. That hali man that faw this fende, Afked him quider he wald wende. Til yon abbaye, he faid, I gang, For thethen haf I ben to lang. And this ermyt thoht gret ferlye Of thir boyftes, and afked qui He bar on him tha boyftes alle. With thaim, he faid, houfel I falle Al the brother of yon abbaye, For wit thaim wille I fand to playe, And qua fa a medicin forfake, Another fal I ger him take ; Yef he wil noht of glotounye, I fal him houfel wit enuye, Dom. Hit. post Oct. Epiph. 149 Or with fum other fpecerye, Of prid and nith and felonnye, Or wit fum other lufli drinc, That may ger him of fin thine. This ermet leet that fend ga, And bad him com igain riht fwa, And prayed Godd help in that nede, And lett that fend in al his dede. This fend in til that abbay yede, And faand yef he moht oht fpede. ()uen he haued don al that he moht, And fau that his dede litel doht, And com igain bi this ermite, Wit waful cher and foru and fite, This ermit afked him fol fon, Hou hauis thou fped, hou hauis thou don. And he faid, Ic haf fped ful ille, For nan of thaim wille do mi wille, [Thar] wald nan of thaim mi lare lifte, Bot an that hatte Teocift, For I find him redi to do Mi wil, ay quen I com him to. Quen this was faid, he went away, And this ermit yod to the abbay. The monkes com al him igaine, For of his com thai was ful fayne. i5° Dom. iiii. post Oct. Epiph, He aiked efter Teocift, And thai kend him til his biwift ; For ilkan woned in fere celle, Als it than til thair order felle. Wit Teocifl this ermit mette, And aither other comly grette. This ermyt aiked yef he war oht Fanded wit fleis liking in thoht, And he anmered and faid, nave, For him thoht lathe the foth to faye. And this ermyt anfuerd him thanne, And faid, Ic am a wel aid mane, And thohquethir noht a day til ende, Mai I mi fleis fra fanding fende ; Hou mar thou than be in thi youthe Wit fleyfly fanding fa uncouthe. Thufgat fpac this ermyt him tille, To ger him fchaw his thohtes ille ; And Teocifl aiked mercye, And faid, lef fader fua am I Sua hard fandede witt licher}'e, That my fleys may I noht chailye. This ermyt kend him than hou he Suld (tithe igain Satanas be ; And quen this monc was broht in ftate, This ermyt toe hamward the gate, Dom. iiiu post Oct. Epip/i. 151 And ion tharefter eft he (awe The Fend tihvard that abbay draw ; And fone efter com he igain, And this ermyt bigan to frain At Satenas, hou he hafd fpedde, And he aniuered als he war medde, And faid, alias and wailewaye That euer I com at yon abb aye. For in na chafrar may I winne, Of tha lurdanes that won tharinne, For likes nan of thaim my play, Bot alle thar kache me away. In thaim part may I haf nan, For al the craftes that I kan, For Teocifl that me was left, Es nou ful fchamli fra me reft ; To me was he won to be bain, Nou es he ftitheit. me igain, Forthi I fe that me no chare, Til ward yon abbay founde mare. This ermit lofad Godde almihtye, That mad the Fendes craft emptve. This tal ful openly us fchawes Quat fed of helle the Fend lawes. Pray we forthi that Godd us reede, And child us fra the Fendes feede, 152 Dom. Hit. post Oct. Epiph, That he no haf miht us to tele With gaftly dranc and wit darnele. For fed that Satan in man fawes, Thair fleys til lufl and liking drawes. Our Lauerd fchild us fra that fede, And len us fa our lif to lede, That we may gaflii froyt forthe bring, On domefday bifor our king, That wic men fra god fal fchille, And cal the god men him tille, And fend the wik to tac thair hire, For thair froit tille helle fire ; Bot god men fal Crifl than lede, Til hefenes blis to tak thar mede. Our Lauerd Jefus thider us bring, Amen, amen, we alle fmg. Ame?t. Jin \5\xxificationem KeKte {&axie, Getunbum &ucam< SosJtquam tmplctt Sunt tries* purcracioms" {Bmt Secundum legem ^Hopsi), tolerant (Hum in Jerusalem, ut £ts'tevent turn Somtno, s'tcut scrtptum est in lege Somtut : (Quia, onwe mas'* cultnum afcapcvteus* imiluam, sanctum 33ommo. et cetera. N hali boc find we That this dai hafes names thre ; The firfl es cald Maries clenfing, The tother es cald Criftes meeting, The thrid es cald Candelmeffe day, Als lawed folc it calles ay. Candel that we to kirc bring Bitakenes Jefu Crift our king ; For Crift was offered als to daye, Als I you fal nou fon faye. And riht als ilke man mai fe In brinnand candel thinges thre, That es at fay, wax, wee, and liht, Sua es in Crift goddhed and miht, 154 In Purif. Beate Marie. And tharto fawel and bodie, That er bifened apertelye Bi candel, quar in we mai fe Wax, wee, liht, that er thinges thre. For riht als candel haues liht, Sua haued Crift in him Goddes miht ; For liht bitakenis his goddhede, Als we ful oft in bokes rede ; Rob wee that in wax loken efle, Criftes fawel bitaken efle, That was loken and hidde in fleys, For fleys es brokel als wax, and neys. We ber to dai thoru this refoun, Our candel in proceflioune, And bi this refoun es wel fene That this nam Candelmes wil mene. The other nam als ar faid I, Es cald clenfmg of our Lefdye, And thohquethir hafd fcho na mifler To be clenfed on flic maner, Bot for fcho wald forfille the lawe, And mekenes in hir dedes fchawe, Forthi com fcho this dai to do For hir clenfmg that felle tharto. For it was comanded in the law That wif fra kirc hir fold witdraw, In Purif. Beate Marie. 155 The faurty dayes al bidene, Sua lang was fcho halden unclen, Efter that fcho deliuered ware Of knaf child, and thanne fill yare Quen faurty dawes wer broht til ende, Than fold fcho to the temp el wende Wit hir child, and hir hofbande, To mak thar for this child offerande j And yef thaie riht riche men ware, Thai fuld offer a lamb riht thare, Yef thai war pouer, than fuld thay Offer opon this clenfing day Tua turteles, or tua douf briddes, Als Godd in Moyfes law biddes ; And for Crifh com noht for to fpille The aide lawe, bot it fulfille, Forthi com his moder to day, To do that fel to Jowes lay, And thoru refoun of this thing, Es this dai cald Maryes clenfing. Nou haf we herd quar for and qui This feft hatte clenfing of Mary. The firft nam es Candelmeffe, The tother Maryes clenfing effe, The thred Crifles meting es cald, Als our godfpel to dai us tald. 156 In Purif. Beate Marie. It fais hou Crifl als this [day] mette Wit tua men, that him comly grette, The tan was man, the tother wif, Bot bathe thai ledde ful hali lif : For he was prefl in Jowes laye, And fcho lele widow many daye ; And Simeon hiht the carmanne, And the womman was cald dam Anne, Scho wift thoru gaft of prophecye, That Godd fuld fend his fon in hye, Mankind nede for to do, And Criftes com lang habad fcho ; And als to day mett fcho wit Crift, And fpac of him thing that fcho wift, Hou he fuld man on rod bye, For fcho wift that thoru prophecye. And Symeon the preft alfua, Toe Jefus in his armis tua, And faid, Lauerd, nou mai I deye, For I fe the wit fleyfly eye ; I fe that I ber in my hande Goddes awen fon and his fand, That ftithe igain the Fend fal ftand, And les mankind out of his band. Sain Symeon flic wordes faid, uen Crift was in his armes layd, In Pur if. Beate Marie. 157 For wel lang thar bifor he wift, That him bihoued fe Jefu Crift ; The hali gad haued warned him That he fuld dey noht ar that tim, That he hauid wit his eyen fen This blized barn of quaim I men. Forthi he faid, quen I him feye, Lauerd in pes nou mai I dey, For thou haues don that thou me hiht, And fchued the felf to mi fiht, I fe that thou mankind haues tan, And for mankind bicomen man. Nou fe ye that thoru refoun That Crift mett witt fain Symeoun, And withe dam Anne of quaim I tald, This dai es Criftes meting cald ; For in the tempel bathe mett thaye, With Crift and Marye als this daye. Nou hop I that ye al fe Hou this feft hauis names thre. The firft nam es CandelmefTe, The tother Maryes clenfmg effe, The thred nam als Ic haf talde, Es Criftes meting gratheli cald, In tempele firft offered was he, And fithen on the rod tre. 158 In Pur if. Beate Marie, And ilke day in preftes hand, May we fe Crift be mad offer and. Thus was Crifl offered for our hele, Forthi bird us be til him lele, Of us felf bird us offerand mak, Quen we for his luf faft and wak, For than pin we our bodye, With torfir and with martyrye. We offer us feluen til Jems, That offered him feluen for us ; For offered for us al was he, Quen he for us deyed on tre. Yet wil I you on Englis faye, Quat was offered for Crifl to daye. We find that Jofep and Marye War bathe pouer, and forthie Offered thai for Crifl: Mari fon Slic thing als pouer men war won. Tua turteles, als I haf you tald, Or tua douf briddes yef thai wald ; And I wil tel you forthie, Quat thir foules menes gaftelye, In thir tua fules may we fe Bathe mildenes and charite ; For douf a ful mec fuel es, And bitakenes riht mildenes. In Purif. Beate Marie. 159 And bi the turtel douf may we Ful riht underftand charite ; For yef the turtel tin hir mak, Neuer mar wil fcho other thac ; Forthi bi hir mai byfend be Riht clen lif and charite. Fand we forthi ma for to lif, That we mai Godd god offerand gif, Of chaflite and mildnes, That in thir foules bifend es. We offer turtel douf gaftlye, Quen [we] feyht igain licherye,' And quen we hald our hert fra wreth, And haftiwes, and brother wreth, And loues our brether inwardlye, We offer doufes gaflilye. We may als by thir fouls tuinne, Underftand forue for our finne ; For bathe thir foules haues crowding Infted of fang, and ftille murning, And bitakenes that fmful man, That fchilwifnes and infyt can, Suld of thir fules bifenes take, To murne for his fin and fake. For better es that man her murne, Than for his fin til helle turne. 160 In Purif. Beate Marie. Nou underftand ye I wene Quat the fefl of to daye wil mene. jgarrario. A tal of this fefl haf I herd, Hougat it of a widou ferd, That lufd our Lefdi fa welle, That fcho gert mac hir a chapele ; And ilke day deuotely, Herd fcho meffe of our Lefdye. Fel auntour that hir prefl was gan His erand, and melle haued fcho nan, And com this CandelmefTe fefte, And fcho wald haf als wif honefle Hir meffe, and for fcho moht get nan, Scho was a ful forful womman. In hir chapele fcho mad prayer, And fel on flep bifor the auter, And als fcho lay on flep, hir thoht That fcho in til a kyrc was broht, And faw com gret compaynye Of fair maidenes wit a lefedye, And al thai fette on raw ful rathe, And aid men and yong bathe Com efter thaim. and fette thaim bye, And a clerc broht cerges in heye, And euerilkan gaf he an, And an toe this flepand womman ; In Pur if. Be ate Marie. 161 An tua clerkes fcho faw comande In furplices wit ferges berande, And efter thaim reuefhed rathe, Com fuddeken and deken bathe, And Crifl him feluen com thar neft, Reuefted als a meffe preft. Thai yod til auter gainli graythede, And priue prayer thair thai fayde, And clerkes fon bigan the meffe, Als coftom in hali kirk effe ; And quen thai com til thair offerande, This leuedy yed with ferge in hande, And ofered firft als comly quene, And efter hir other bidene. This wif fatte ay ftille, als hir thoht, For offer hir candel wald fcho noht. The preft abade bifor the auter, Bot fcho no wald noht cum him ner. And word til hir fend our Leuedy, And faid that fcho did vilanye To ger the preft bide hir fa lang, And bad fcho fuld ris and gang, And offer hir ferge als other had don. And fcho anfuerd and faid fon, Wei moht the preft his meffe for the fmg, My candel wil I noht him bring, 162 In Pur if. Beate Marie. Bot ga and fay til my Lefdye, That Godd hauis fend me, hald wil I. And igain yod this meffager, And tald his Leuedy hir anfwer. His Leuedi bad him fuithe ga, And tac the ferge with fleece hir fra, Yef fcho wald noht with god it yeld. Bot quen he com, faft fcho it held, For al that he moht prai and fay, Feitheli fcho hir candel held aye, And he raht til hir at the lafle And droh the ferge, and fcho held faft. This candel brae bituix thaim tua, And fcho ftec of hir flep riht fua, And fand a tronchoun redy broken, And faft in bathe hir hendes loken. Hir thoht thar of ful gret ferlye, And thanked Godd and our Lefdye, That wald fuile priuete hir fchawe, And ger men it with taken knaw. For graithe takening was that tronchoun, Of hir ferlic avifion. This tronchoun for relic fcho held Al hir lif, with worfchip and beld, And it dos yet, als find we tald, Ful fair mirakeles mani fald. In Pur if. Beate Marie. 16 j Bi this fchort tal, als thine me, Mai we our Lefdyes confort fe, That wald profe this wifes wille, And hir langing wit joy fulfille, And noht allan in heuen rike, Bot her in erthe with fair ferlic ; For fair ferlic was this tronchoun, That fcho gatte wit deuotyoun. Yet wil we fpec of our Lefdye, That bar that barn of hir bodye, That was offered als him feluen wald On thrinne wis, als Ic haf tald. Of his offering to day fpec we, For als to day offered was he In tempel, and fithen on rode, Thar he for our fak fched his blode ; And on the thred wife es he Offered at meffe, als we mai fe. Forthi me thine that god it es, To fpek fum thing of hir godnes, That bar of hir bodi that brith, That broht mankind til menlk and mirht. Mary mild and maiden clene, Es Goddes moder of quaim I mene, And bathe of heuen and erthe quen, And helpes finful men biden ; 164 In Pur if. Beate Marie. Bot namlic helpes fcho tha, That turnes noht thair lof hir fra, Bot menfkes hir on al thair wiffe And er fyfel in hir feruyfe. Bot fcho es moder of mercye, And til fmful men ay redye. Scho fayles neuer mar in nede, That mai we fe bi many dede That fcho dos oft for fmful man, That haues igain hir fon miftan. For do man neuer fa gret fmne, And he haf wil his fmne to blin, And alk hir holp riht inwardlye, He may be fiker of mercye. That mai ye fe bi a lefdy, That was abbes of a nunrye ; Harraoo, Bot als fcho for apon a day About nedes of hir abbay, In cloutes bi the gate fcho fande A yong mayden child fuelande. Scho haued pyte of this funding, And gert it til hir nunry bring, And gert it be ful gaynli gette, And fithen til boc fcho it fett, And mad hir nunne in that nunrye, And lufed hir ful inwardlye ; In Purif. Beate Marie. 165 For fcho lufed als god womman Hir dohteris gailely euerilkan, And fa wel order lufed fcho, That na miffe moht hir dohteris do, That fcho no chaflid thaim in hye, And gert thaim lef thair folie. And god wimmen lufed hir forthie, And foles hated hir dedelye. And at hir haued the Fend envoye, And fanded hir ful ithenlye, Bot niht and day he was byfye To kindel luft in hir bodye, And at the laft in licherye He gert hir fal ful wrethelye. For hir fpenfe knew hir fleyfleye, And hir wamb wex gret in hye, Bot fair fcho bar hir noht forthye, Als wimmen can that dos folye. Scho umthoht hir niht and daye, Chi aim fcho moht bed hir confayl fay ; And hir thoht wele that befl moht fcho Hir dern dede til hir undo, Quaim fcho hafd [fra] funding fedde, And fair in nunne wede [hyr] cledde j For fcho was halden til hir mafl, To be til hir lele and ftedefafL 166 In Purif. Beate Marie. Scho tald this nunne ful priuelye, And faid til hir, dohter mercy e, Ic haf a derne priuete, To fchew bytuixe me and the, Bot dede war me leuer to be, Than thou of my dede melded me, For yef thou thar of me melde, Ic haf tinte werdes menfc and belde. This nune anfuerd and faid, leuedye, For al this werld gold wald I Do thing that war igaines the ; Forthi, lefedy, thou telle me Wit outen dout thi priuete, For than mai thou prof my leute ; Schew baldely thi wil to me, For fiker mai thou of me be. This abbes trowed wele hir fawe, And hir finne fcho gan hir fchaw, And faid, lef dohter, me es wa, For gret with child riht now I ga. This nunne anfuerd and faid, lefdye, Be thou for this thing noht farye, For wel I fal thi confayl hele, And do wit the als dohter lele, For quen the childe es born, fal I Do it of daw fa priuely, In Purif. Beate Marie. 167 That na wiht fal the fqueling here, And delf it fithen in our herbere. This abbes trowed hir fill wele, And wend that fcho war treu als (tele. Bot qua fa lefes fra hinging Thef, or bringes up funding, Of nauther getes he menfc ne mede, No focour quen he hauis nede. For that was fen fill openlye In this funding, that hir leuedye Wreyed til the bifchop fone, And tald him al quat fcho hauid don. And qua was wrathe bot that bifchop, For of this abbes haued he hop, That fcho haued ben a god womman, And forthoht that fcho hauid miftan. Hir dohteres herd of hir folye, And fum war gladd and fum farye ; For fole wimmen war fill fain That thai haued chefoun hir igain, And wit thair letteres prayed thaye, [That the byfchop fuld fette a daye To proue thair abbas of hyr play, That fcho myght noght agayn fay. The day was fette, the tyme come neght That this abbas fuld paynes dreght, 168 In Purif. Beate Marie, And be delyuer of hir chylde, Scho made hyr mane to Mary myld. That nyght in hyr fchapelle fcho woke, That wyfes fuld on the morne hyr loke ; For the byfchoppe agaynes the morne Somonde the wyfes hym beforne, That him fuld all the foth fay, Wehedyr this abbas war wyfe ore may ; And forthi was this abbas ferde, When fcho this forowfull tydans herd. Scho gret full far on owre Lady, And alked hyr helpe and mercy. When fcho was wery of hyr prayer, Scho fell on flepe before the auter, And to hyr come fonne our Lady, And fnybed hyr fonne of hyr foly, And on hyr wambe fcho layd hyr hande, And this abbas was all flepand Delyuer of a fayr knawe chylde, That fonne was gude man and mylde. Our Lady tuk this chylde all warme, And layd it in a aungell arm, And bad hym ber this chyld ryght tyte Opon hyr halfe to a armyte, That woned fra thine myles feuen, And the chylde name gan fcho neuen , In Pur if. Beate Marie. 169 And fayd, byd hym the childe baptize, And bryng it up as gud nurys. When this was fayd, fcho wyte away, And this abbas woke thar to day, And on hyr bar kneys fcho hyr fette, And fwetly our Lady fcho grete , And fayd, Lady, I thanke it the, Fore well has thou delyuered me. And in that chapell all that nyght Scho loued our Lady to day lyght. The byfchoppe come wit his clergy Opon the morne to that nunry, To gyfe ryght lawfull jugement Of this abbas that was fa fchent ; Bot he gart wyfes noght forethi, Luke aldyr fryfhe hyr body, And gart them fwer that thai fuld fay Whethyr thai fand hyr wyfe or may ; And when thai had hyr body fenne, Scho femed than mayden clene, And than the byfchoppe was ful tene To thas nonnes all bydene, On that nune that talde hym this tale, And bad fcho fulde be brynde in bale, Als wyked womane that wykedly Had lyed fa opon hyr lauedy. 170 In Pur if. Beate Marie, This abbas had of hyr grete pyte, That fcho for hyr fuld dampned be, And talde the byfchoppe full pryuely The fothe, all how that our Lauedy Deluyerd hyr and made hyr qwyte, And fent hyr fonne to a ermyte, To nurryfch it, and to fette it to lar. The byfchoppe fwethly ryght thar Affoyld hyre, and then loued mar, And euer he thanked Mary, That unto fynfull es ay redy. To this ermyte he fent hys fande, And thar hyr chylde in credyll fande ; And when it was of feuen Sere, The bifchope made it gude fcholere ; And when this byfchoppe was dede, This clerke was bifchoppe in hys flede. Be this tale may we gaftely fe, That no man in dyfpayr thar be, That na fynfull fchamed thar be, Haue thai done neuer fwilke foly, If they wyll call on oure Lauedy. Forethi if we in fynne fall, I rede that opone hyr we call, That fcho purchayiTe gras us fone to ryfe, And fythen to duelle in hyr feruyffe, In Purij. Beate Marie. 7i Ewyr mar to our lyues ende, And fyker may we be to wende, Unto that court thare fcho es qwene, Thider fcho bryng us all bydenne.] Amen. Notes. [Cott. MS., Cottonian MS., Vefp. A. IIL ; C. MS., Cambridge MS., G. 9 V. 31 5 AJh. MS., Aihmolean MS., No. 42 ; AS., Anglo- Saxon ; AN., Anglo-Norman ; Dan., Danifh ; N. or ON, Norle, or Old Norle ; PL D., Plat-Dutch ; Scot., Old Scottifh.] Page xii., line 17, mel — mingle •, line 19, dunt — the Cott. MS. reads dump ; line 20, bal — fire. Page xiii., line 1 8, ivelk — pr. of walk, AS. weallian — to go ; line 19, strete, a road ; line 20, wnmifur — the Cott. MS. reads unmejjur, infati- able-, line 35, Tuine — to separate; line 38, tuere — doubt, uncertainty. Page xiv., line l6,for mikel haj 'to mot — for I have much to lay ; line 17, bat that in hertis wo hord es reft — the Cott. MS. reads, hot that in Mr hordes fejl; line 1 8, nedwais — of necelTity ; line 1 9, bal — evil; line 37, suink — labour; line 33, tore — the Cott. MS. reads tare. Page xv., line 19, toh — the Cott. MS. reads togh ; line 2 1, lotting — praifing ; line 22, bet — to help, or make better ; line 27, nik wit nai — to deny ; line 32, ^uen I ma mining of that mild — when I make mention of that gentle one. Page xvi., line 7, bird — a maiden, a term of endearment j line 25, 74 NOTES. onan — anon ; line 29, yar — readily, AS. gearo ; line 34, heuin — avenged, Dan. hevne, ON. hefna ; line 36, forthoht — forefaw, or fufpedted ; line 37 , fchonid ; the Cott. MS. reads fcwid him; line 39, fauders — foldiers . Page xvii., line %,fand — perfon lent, meffenger ; line 8, Elis — the Cott. MS. reads Elfis ; line 9, felcutheli hend — uncommonly courteous ; line II, mer — miflake, blunder; line 15, Als man or ftewardfhip, occurs in the C. MS. in reference to the parable of the unjuft fteward ; line 12, other are — others before ; the C. MS. reads iuit ontentar — with foreigners. Page 1 4, line 8, ro — peace, N. ro ; line 10, bette — made better. Page 15, line 12, lithe — hear, Dan. lyde ; line 1 3, ivede — to go mad, AS. wedan ; line 1 7, rifly — frequently, the C. MS. reads ryuely ; line 25, reived — AS. hreowan, to repent. Page 16, line 2, ivanhop — despair, want of hope ; line 4, Win — ceafe ; mefel — a leper. Page 17, line 2, grede — AS. graedan, to cry out ; line 3, tues — warned ; line 4, eyen — pi. of eye , line 7, blotned — from blote, to dry, hence the well known word " bloater," a herring dried in fmoke j fmerjles — AS. fmerels, ointment ; line 10, finer — to anoint, AS. fme- rian , gent — gentle; line 20, nehe — to approach; line 23, yem — AS. heed. Page 18, line 3, file — many, AS. feala ; line 10, fez — the C. MS. reads ftryue. Page 19, line 20, win — -joy, AS. wyn ; line 25, blaf of bem — blaft of trumpet ; bem, from AS. beme ; line 26, dem — -judge. Page 20, line I, quern — agreeable, AS. cweman ; line 2, ivik — wicked ; line <\,flem — AS. flyman, to banifh ; line lj,famen — together. Page 21, line 8, ivandreth — ON. vandraedi, forrow ; ten — AS. teona, harm ; line 9, duin — AS. dwinan, to pine, or wafte away ; line 10, baret — trouble, N. baratta ; line II, iverd — world ; rednes — or radnes, terror, AS. hreS ; line 12, uglines — fear, difmay ; line l^feuin — AS. flefen, noife. NOTES. 177 Page 22, line 2, ma'iftri — fuperiority ; poufle — AN. power ; line 5, biing — redemption ; line 20, Ne mat na miht fordo fie felle — no power may deftroy or fubvert. Page 23, line 24, kinric — kingdom ; line 10, gr'ife — frighten, AS. a-gryfan , line 13, brett — brew; line 1 4, gleu — mirth, glee ; line 1 5, ivers — wars ; line 16, derf- — N. diarfr, ffrongly; deres — injures, AS. derian 5 line 20, That bers of baret be fid irk — the C. MS. reads, That aght of baret befulyrk; line 25, haht — or aght, pofTeffions ; line 26, Jlures — ftrife, N. ftyr. Page 24, line 1 7, thufgat — or thus-gates, AS., in this manner ; line l8,fcurti — the C. MS. reads fchume. Page 25, line II, Sain Jerom tel/es, &c. — Several verfions of thefe fifteen figns which were fuppofed to precede the day of Judgment will be found, along with an interefting note, in the " Chefter My^enes," edited for the Shakefpeare Society by Thomas Wright, Efq. (vol. ii., pp. 147 and 219). No copy of the original is to be found, however, in the Benedictine edition of Jerome's works, although nearly all the verfions refer to Jerome as having found them in fbme Hebrew MS. In the part of the " Curfor Mundi" contained in the MS. from which this volume is printed, and alluded to in the Introduction, the following lines occur : — " Als Jeromme, that well man trowis, Telles he fand in the bok of Juwis." The verfion of Jerome will therefore probably be found in fome of his writings deemed fpurious by the editors of his works, and confe- quently omitted in the printed editions. It is interefting here to remark, that the famous Scottifh poet, Sir David Lyndfay, feems to have been familiar with this treatife of Jerome, and in his " Monarchic, or ane dialog betwix Experience and ane Courteour," written about the year 1550, he gives an account of thefe fifteen figns in Scottifh verfe. The following extracts (Chalmers' ed., 178 NOTES. vol. iii., pp. 131 and 136) fhow the fimilarity between the verfion of Lyndfay and that given in the text : — And mony toknis dois appeir, As efter fchortlye thow fall heir, How that San6t Jerome doith indyte, That he hes red, in Hebrew wryte, Of fyftene fignis, in fpeciall, Afore that jugement generall : Off fum of thame I tak na cure, Quhilk I fynd nocht, in the Scripture. Ane part of thame, thocht I declare, Firft, will I, to the Scripture, fare. Chrift fayis, afore that day of dome, Thare fal be fignis in fonne, and mone, The fonne fall hyde his bemis bricht, Sa that the mone fall geve na licht, Sterris, be mennis jugement, Sail fall furth of the firmament : ■# * * * The horribyll foundis of the fey, The pepill fall perturbe, and fley ; 1 Jerome fayis, it fall ryfe on hicht, Abone montanis to mennis licht, Bot it fall nocht fpred over the land, Bot lyke ane wall evin ftraucht upftand ; Syne fattill doun agane fa law, That na man fall the watter knaw , Greit quahlis fall rummeis, rout, and rair,2 Quhofe found redound fall in the air : All fifche, and monflouris, marvellous, Sail cry, with foundis odious, That men, fall widder on the eird,3 And weping, wary fall their weird,4 With lowde allace ! and wellaway ! That ever thay baid5 to fe that day, And fpeciallye thofe, that dwelland be, Apone the coftis of the fee : 1 Frighten. 2 Tofs, bellow, and roar. 3 Wither on the earth ! 4 Shall curfe their deftiny. 5 Staid. NOTES. 179 Richt fa, as Sand Jerome concludis, Sail be {ene ferleis,1 in the fludis, The fey, with moving marvellous, Sail byrn, with flammis furious 5 Richt fa fall byrn fontane, and nude, All herbe, and tre, fall fweit lyke blude, Fowlis fall fall furth of the air, Wylde beiftis to the plane repair. And in thair maner mak greit mone, Gowland with mony griilye grone.2 The bodeis of deid creaturis Appeir fall on thair fepulturis j Than fall baith men, wemen, and bairnis, Cum crepand furth of how3 cavernis, Quliare thay for dreid wer hid afore, With fich, and fob, and hartis fore ; Wandring about, as thay war wode,4 Erfamifchit, for fait of fude ; None may mak utheris comforting, Bot, dule for dule, and lamenting Quhat may thay do bot weip, and wonder, Quhen thay fe roches fchaik, in fchounder, Throw trimlyng of the eirth, and quaiking : Of forrow, than, fal be na ilaiking,5 Quha that bene levand, in thofe day is, May tell of terribill atirayis : Thair riches, rentis, nor trelTour, That tyme, fall do tliame fmall plefour ; Bot, quhen fie wonderis dois appeir, Men may be fure, the day drawis neir : That jufte men pas fall to the glore, Injufte to pane for ever more. line 16, boln — AS. fwell ; line I7,je/ — or felle, a hill; line 25, mer- juifie atid qualle — dolphin or porpoile, and whale. Page 26, line 1, ber — AS. noile ; line 22, qfife — judgment ; line 23, at afchift — the C. MS. reads at a fight ; line 26, rathe — fpeedily. 1 Wonders. 2 Howling with many a terrible groan. 3 Hollow. 4 PPode ; mad ; as in Wiclif and Chaucer. 5 Slaiking ,• quenching. 8o NOTES. Page 27, line 1 6 [herbis] — the MS. reads iftis — which feems a mil- take -, line 17, que diruet edes — probably quia would be a better reading. Page 28, line 3, Jlabunt — after this word a line feems neceflary to complete both the fenfe and the rhyme. The Rev. Mr Power has iuggelted the following line as fuitable for the purpofe : — " Olla iterumque fills ie carnibus ailbciabunt." line ij,leuer — rather. Page 29, line 3, feres — companions, AS. fera ; felle — cruel, AS. fell, line 7, in pines ivelle — rage in pain ; welfe, AS. weallan, to boil or rage , ligges- — lies, AS. liggan ; line 1 8, nefen — ON. nefna, to name ; line 25, A blak munk, Sec. — This fingular fpiritualiftic tale feems to have been one of the popular ftories current in England at an early period. Roger ofWendover inferts in his Chronicle (a.d. 1 07 2) a tale of a fimilar character, and ftates that the circumftances occurred at Nantes about that time. It will be found in Dr Giles* Tranflation (Bonn's ed. vol. i. p. 339) under the heading "Digreflion concerning the two Confederate Priefts ;" line 27, mfermer — probably the Infirmarius of the Abbey, the C. MS. reads, was in afarmory. Page 30, line 6, lujreden — AS. luf-raeden, love, good will; line 7, aimtour — perchance ; line 24, bon — ON. bon, prayer. Page 31, line 4, /ernes — AS. leoma, bright •, line \\,jerly — wonder , line 18, drif- — AS. drifan, to drive. Page 32, line I, reuel — rule ; fain Benet — St Benedi£t , line 3, rapli — AS. fpeedily ; line 5, ouerlop — the C. MS. reads overlepe ; line 8, meld — to betray, AS. meldian, Dan. melde ; line 22, kele — AS. celan, to grow cold ; line 26, ment — pr. of mene, to remember. Page 33, line 7, rounge — AN. to gnaw ; line 1 6, ivonges tuete — wet cheeks ; wonge, AS. wang, the cheek. Page 34, line 8, bote — remedy, AS. bot. Page 35, line 12, mas me fid rife — the C. MS. reads, mak my name r\f; line 1 4, fclaunderd — AN. fclaunder, flander ; line 15, ejtand nithe NOTES. 181 — this expreffion occurs at p. 1 2 5, line 2, and again at p. 130, line 5 ; heftand, in Scot., fignLfies abiding, lafting ; nithe — hatred, AS. nig •, the C. MS. reads, the Jnves has me nyght. Page 36, line 16, traues — the C. MS. reads thrawes, AS. Srea, punifhment ; line 17, held — incline or bend, AS. healdan, hyldan ; line 18, ivede — to go mad ; line 22, filler — AS. fliccerian, to flutter ; the C. MS. reads fiykil. Page 37, line 8, funding — temptation; line II, b'ifend — AS. byih, a pattern or fimilitude ; line 1 3, glotherers — deceivers, Scot, gludder, to cajole ; the C. MS. reads gluteres. Page 38, line 2, f nibbed — rebuked; mifje — wickedly-, line 1 9, mired — AS. myrran, to obftruct, hinder; line 21, chefonn — AN. achaiibn, caufe. Page 39, line II, payed — plealed ; line 17, dele — AS. mare ; line 26, hefd — or heued, the head. Page 40, line 7, weued — part, of weve, to cat off; line 14, wreck — AS. wracu, revenge, ipite ; line 1 5, queller — an executioner, AS. cwellan, to kill ; the C. MS. reads fquier ; line 23, thurt — need ; line 24, weuid — from weve, to move, fame as wave, wag ; line 26, loued — praifed. Page 41, line 23, wlank — AS. fair, proud ; line l^fairhede — beauty. Page 43, line 2, ros — praife ; line 7, elles — elfe ; forze — regard ; line 12, lates — AS. laetan, to think, regard; hetheli — contemptuoully, ON. haSung ; tray — vexation, AS. tregian, to trouble. Page 44, line 6,ya — yes ; line 9, hit — for hiht, promifed ; line 22, mar than a prophet — the MS. reads mar and prophet ; line 26, bihet — promifed. Page 45, line $,flum — AN. a river. Page 48, line lo,fundered — feparate. Page 49, line 18, ongart — Scot, ogart, arrogance ; line 24, mak — companion, equal ; line 26, hendelaic — politenefs ; hend — polite. Page 50, line 3, renvli — AS. hreow, cruel ; the C. MS. reads reufully; line 7, for wad — read wald ; line 12, der — to dare ; line 14, nitte — AS. nitan, to be ignorant, ON. neita, nita, to deny. 1 82 NOTES. Page 51, line 4, lewte — AN. loyalty ; line 23, laythe — loathlbme. Page 52, line 5, leete — to leave ; line 9, charre — to flop, or turn back , the C. MS. reads Jkar; line 26, livelad — the C. MS. reads lyfyng. Page 53, line 2, Buxumnes — AS. bocfum, obedient ; line 5, iverid — curfed, AS. werigan, to curfe ; line 6, waharmes aye — the C. MS. reads, war forow es ay; line 1 5, It was a man, &c. — This lingular tale is an Englifh verfion of one of the French Fabliaux of the 1 2th and 13th centuries, which, as the French language was at that time com- mon in England, were freely current in the literature of both nations. M. Le Grand, in 1 78 1, published abridgements of thefe Fabliaux in 4 vols. 8vo, and the 4th vol. of that work contains fuch of them as were of a religious nature, or as he terms them, " Contes devots." In that vol. (p. 14) an account of the original of the tale now printed will be found, entitled " Du Pelerin qui s'origenifa pour Tamour de S. Jacques." The pilgrim is there defcribed as " un riche bourgeois de Bourgogne," who propofed to fet out on a pilgrimage to the fhrine of St James (of Compoftella) in Galicia. Le Grand ftates that he had feen a MS., with miniatures, in which the facrifice of the pilgrim was rep re- lented in a manner * tres pittorefque."' Page 55, lette — AS. lettan, to hinder ; line 12, wil to — wilt thou ; line 21, woh — AS. woh, wrong, blame. Page 57, line 8, yem — to protect ; line 1 5, mouc in Cluny — the C. M.S. reads monc in cloyjier ; line 24, a red merk — the C. MS. reads a rede rande merke. Page 58, line 3, rayk — to ramble or deviate; line 4, laik — AS. play. Page 59, line 2,/neI/ik — quickly 5 line 5, lend — to dwell. Page 60, line 1, Va — the C. MS. reads wa and wandreth ; line 6, wiht — courageous. Page 61, line 2yJkift — AS. fciftan, to ordain ; line ^ferely — differ- ently-, line 5, wilgern — the C. MS. reads wy/d, in C. MS. Dd.I. I. wilful : line 6, not — or note, bufinefs, employment ; line 23, trouage — in C. MS. trewage. NOTES. 183 Page 62, line 8, borivis — boroughs ; line II, menye — AN. a houfe- hold. Page 63, line 5, herberie — the C. MS. reads harbargerie, a lodging ; line 7, pendize — a med ; nvaivles — the C. MS. reads ivagh/es, without walls j line 9, crithe — the C. MS. reads crybe ; line 1 7, And by fore , &c. — This paflage, to page 77, line 1 4, is fupplied from the C. MS., Gg.V. 31. Page 64, line 3, radnes — fear ; line 2%,JIrethe — AS. ftraete, a couch, or bed. Page 66, line 3, tronne — AN. a throne ; line 9, hides — AS. lutan, to bow, or make obeilance ; line 12, unfely — unhappy ; line 16, athe — each. Page 69, line 5, beivxfte — or, biwift, place of refort ; line 20 , flayed — frightened ; line 53, pantre — AN. a net or fnare ; gylders — fnares. Page 70, line 5, Makary — St Macarius the Egyptian. This incident in his life will be found related in the Bollandift " Acta Sanctorum," torn. I, p. 1007. Page 71, line 23, borghes — AS. fecurities. Pages 72, line 4, boroiu — fecurity ; line l8,fe/y — uncommonly. Page 74, line 8, ejfe — the Afh. MS. reads ees. Page 75, line 9, and faide that he — the C. MS. reads that flod him by, merely repeating the previous line, the words fupplied are from the Am. MS. ; line 20, ivas ment — the C. MS. reads ivhos myght. Page 77, And hethen men, &c. — This pafTage to page 83, line 18, is wanting in the C. MS. Gg. V. 31. It is fupplied by an extract from the Afh. MS. No. 42. Page 80, line 24, For allgate bufe me — for by all means it behoves me. Page 81, line 24, lethe — enmity, AS. la$. Page 82, line 4, frothe — to deftroy, AS. ftrudan ; fpill — to fpoil, AS. fpillan ; line 22, leue — dear, AS. leaf; luttbye — or loteby, a lover. Page 84, line 2, kepes — to take care, AS. cepan ; line 26, for forthi — rezdforth. Page 86, line 12, lethed — comforted. 1 84 NOTES. Page 87, line 24, pleined — the C. MS. reads plened, complained. Page 88, line 8, fupplied from C. MS. ; line 15, chanded — changed ; ouri — dirty, untidy ; the C. MS. reads owen. Page 89, line 2, fwinc — labour; line 16, wain — probably from AS. winnan, to ftrive with ; the C. MS. reads warne, to deny or refufe. Page 91, line 4, wrak — evil, AS. wraec ; line 10, ft — or, fite, fhame ; line 13, bar a child — the C. MS. reads, a fotikand chyld ; line 24, thoru hind — by nature. Page 95, line 10, namcouthe — known by name, well known, AS. nam-cu3; thede — AS. peod, a country, line 16, gift — a lodging; line 25, for bete — read fete. Page 96, line I, in vaidye — the C. MS. reads ful coutly. Page 97, line 6, rekelis — A. S. recyls, incenfe ; line 25, a Jhuin — the C. MS. reads a fern. Page 99, line i$,roches — rocks; line 1 6, rafes — dead bodies, AS. hraew, Dut. rif, a corpfe. Page 10 1, line 10, Ian — for land ; line 1 1, yol niht — Yule, or Chrift- mas eve; line I$,forfeir — went far. Page 102, line 9, holde — faithful, kind. Page 103, line IO, hon — AS. hynan, PL D. honen, to humble; line 18, til — or, tille, to entice. Page 107, line 4, ivodes — the C. MS. reads duelled; line 5, methe — refpett, AS. maeS. Page 108, line 5, lauh — law, Scot, lauch ; line 6, willed — ftrayed, Scot, to go wyll, to go aftray. Page 109, line i^underlout — obedient; line 1 5, thewes — manners, moral qualities. Page Iio, line 5, for man — read men; line 10, modi — high minded ; line 26, recolage — AN. wantonnefs. Page III, line 5, fefes — fleeves, the C. MS. reads gloues ; line 6, hate — hot. NOTES. 185 Page 112, line I, ^uen halt kirk, &c. — This tale is a verfion of the well known account given by Clemens Alexandrinus (Quis dives ialvetur, c. 42) as a veritable hiftorical tradition, of the Apoftle John, when vifiting the Chriftians in Ephefus, reclaiming a young man from vicious courfes, and making him a worthy member of the Chriftian community. See Neander's Hiftory of the Planting of Chriftianity (Bonn's ed., p. 411); line 29JifeI — occupied, Dan. fyflel, ON. fyfla, occupation, labour; line 10, unthewed — ill-mannered; line 12, thro — ON. throaz, to grow or increafe ; line 10, biteche — AS. betecan, to entruft to. Page 113, line l69fchaives — thickets. Page 115, line 22 9plaives — AS. pleoh, danger. Page 117, line 26, That geres man for Godd be red — the C. MS. reads, That gars man for good be kydd. Page 118, line 3, ryke — AS. a kingdom. Page 120, line 5, brukel — brittle; hence frail, weak, delicate; the C. MS. reads brufell ; line 12, vantrauth — unbelief, line 18, birled — AS. birelian, byrlian, to pour ; fchal — or fkalle, a drinking cup or goblet ; line 21, feteles' — AS. faetels, veffels ; the C. MS. reads, fex flane potes ; line 22, cumand — the C. MS. reads coflome. Page 121, line I, dib — dip ; line 22, matirmoyne — the C. MS. reads matrimon. Page 123, line 21, lot — the C. MS. reads voice. Page 124, line 20, kernes — a loofe fort of garment for women, in French, chemiie. Page 125, line 2, eft and nithe and felonny — the C. MS. reads ivhyth gret etiuy and felony. Page 126, line 6, jern — a crowd, or company, AS. faru ; line 10, ivem — blemiih ; line 1 1, hele — AS. helan, to conceal; the C. MS. reads file. Page 127, line 23, lepi — or anlepi, fingle, AS., an-lepig. Page 128, line 7, pay en — AN., a pagan; line 22, quenen — AS. 1 86 NOTES. cwanian, PI. D., kwynen, to mourn, to languish; the C. MS. reads tor- ment ; line 2 3 , in otter mirkenes — the C. MS. reads in ntekyll mirhiefs. Page 129, line 26, unherly — mean, Teut. unherrlich. Page 130, line 19, unthriuand — unfortunate, the C. IMS. reads unthrewand. Page 131, line 126, helid — concealed. Page 133, line 8, gledes — burning coals, AS., gled. Page 135, line II, rad — the C. MS. reads raid; line 1 4, cofies — in C. MS. gofies ; line 24, bare — in C. MS. that. Page 136, line 6, quale — in C. MS. walk, a whale-, elringe — in C. ISIS, btrynge; line 8, lobbekeling — a kind of fifh ; line 12, fiorm — in C. MS ftreme. Page 137, line 4, warnes — refufes ; line II, catele — goods, property, line 19, luite — or wyte, AS. to reproach. Page 138, line 5, wianc — A.S. proud; the C. MS. reads ivankyll ; line 6, to do fie — in C. MS. togeder you fie. Page 139, line I, Pers — in C. MS. Peres ; line 5, okering — ufury, in C. MS. occurvng ; line 6, eorfing — the C. MS. reads eurfying. Page 140, line II, will of wan — at a lois for a place of fecuritv. Page 141, line 7, nederes — adders ; line 9, arjkes — water newts ; line 14, that are he fperid — he fhut the chefl ; the C. MS. reads he ajhed a fiver -de ; line 2 5, tale — reckoning, to give no tale, to make no account of. Page 142, line 7, for haft — read hafd ; the C. MS. reads hafd he na hope; line 23, wanes — dwelling. Page 143, line 8,fertered — enihrined, AN. fertre, a fhrine. Page 145, line 3, hujband — AS. a farmer ; line 12, hine — farm labourers. Page 146, line 16, lathe — a barn. Page 147, line l(),fithe, times, AS. fi(5, time, occafion. Page 148, line 3, And of this fede — the original of this curious tale is not to be found in Jerome's works. A ftory fomewhat fimilar is related in the Life of St Godric, publifhed by the Surtees Society NOTES. 187 (p. 248). Line 6, nvajli — in C. MS. ivyldernes ; line 9, boyfles — AN. boxes; line 10, ampolies — AN. fmall bottles, in Latin, ampullae-, the C. MS. reads verres ; line 20, houfel — in C. MS. houfyll. Page 149, line 1 2, doht — AS. dugan, to avail or profit-, line 20 hatte — pr. of hight, called. Page 151, line I, eft — again ; line /\,frain — AS. fregnan, to inquire; line 9, chaff ar — bargaining, AS. ceapian ; line 10, lurdanes — AN. clowns, iluggards ; line 12, kache — drive; in C. MS. chajfe; line 1 9, for chare, probably read thare; line 20, founde — AS. to go towards. Page 152, line I, tele — deceive; line 9, fchille — AS. fcelan, to feparate. Page 1 54, line 9, Rob — probably for rovy AS. reov, cloth ; the C. MS. reads Bot ; line 12, broke/ — in C. MS. bryfell ; fee note to p. 1 20, 1. 5 ; neys— in C. MS. nefch, foft. Page 155, line 1 8, lay — AS. religious obfervance. Page 1 56, line 12, habad — in C. MS. abayd ; line 26, for uen read Page 158, line 8, torfir — hardfhip, Scot, torfeir, torfer ; martyrye — AN. torture ; line 25, douf- — in C. MS. dowe — a dove. Page 159, line 12 for feyght, read feyght. Page 160, line 24, cerges — tapers. Page 161, line 3, reuefted — clothed. Page 162, line 6, fleece — in C. MS. ftrenkth ; line II, raht—AS. raecan, to extend; line 14, fee — in C. MS. Jteked, AS. ftigan, to get up ; line 2 2 , avifion — a virion. Page 164, line 4, fyfel — in C. MS. bujfy, fee note to p. 1 12, 1. 2 ; line 15, That mai ye Je, &c. The original of this tale appears among the ancient French Fabliaux, and an account of it will be found in Le Grand's "Contes Devots" (p. 18), under the title "De l'Abbes qui devient enceinte;" line 20,fueland — in C. MS. fpreuland. Page 165, line I$,fpenfe — in C. MS. fpenfar, a butler ; line 22, dern — fecret, AS. i88 NOTES. Page 1 66, Page 167, Wreyed — beti byfchop, &c. C. MS., Gg. Page 169, allether Jirfi. line 26, daiv — a day, AS. daeg. line 2, herbere — a garden; in C.MS, arbar ; line II, •ayed; line 16, forthoht — fufpefred ; line 22, That the This line, to the end of the text, is printed from the V. 31 \ line 26, dreght — AS. dreogan, to fufFer. line 16, aldyr fryjie — firfl of all; the Ash. MS. reads FINIS. a " i Dn/iled hj Neill & Company, Edinburgh. 416 English Metrical Homilies from Manuscripts of the fourteenth Century, with an Introduc- tion and Notes by John Small, with facsimile illustrations, 4to, cloth gilt, 1862