Ðu bæde me Thou for oft engliscera gewritena. hast oft entreated me for And English Scripture, and ic þe ne getiðode ealles swa I gave it thee not so soon, timlice ær ðam þe þu mid but thou first with weorcum þæs gewilnodest æt me deeds hast importuned me thereto; þa ða þu me bæde for Godes lufon at what time thou didst so earnestly georne [-þ] ic þe æt ham æt þinum pray me for God’s love that I should huse gespræce. And pu ða swiðe speak to thee at thy house at home, mændest þa þa ic mid þe wæs and when I was with thee great [-þ] þu mine gewrita begitan ne moan thou madest that thou couldst mihtest. Nu wille ic [-þ] þu hæbbe get none of my writings. Now will huru þis litle nu ðe wisdom I that thou have at least this little, gelicað. And pu hine habban wilt sith knowledge is so acceptable unto [-þ] þu ealles ne beo minra boca thee: and thou wilt have it rather bedæled. God luvað pa godan weorce than be altogether without my and he wyle big habban æt us. books. God loveth good deeds and will have them at our hands [of us]. ÆLFRIC, _Introduction to the Old Testament_ 3. What appears to you to be the reasons why in Old English poetry appears before prose? 4. Mention some of the effects of translation upon both the poetry and the prose of the Old English. 5. “Old English prose is much nearer modern English prose than Old English poetry is to modern English poetry.” Discuss this statement. CHAPTER II THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (1050–1350)