"But crist of þ't man seyth wites [_i.e._ reproaches] Þat in sarmoun not delytes. For many folis heren a sarmoun Wiþ outen ony deuocioun; Þ't is in Englisch loue-longing, Þ't auhte of mannes herte spring Toward þ'e blisse þ't lastiþ ay, And not toward þ'e worldis play. But sum men sitten at sarmoun Þ't wer better ben atte toun; On worldis wele þink þei so mekil Þ't is deceyuabil fals and fekil, Þat sarmoun sauoureth hem nouht So is hir herte menyng (?) in þouht. And sum other seli gomes Þ't for to her sarmoun comes, And goddis word so litil kepiþ Þ't at þ'e preching manye slepiþ: At goddis word þei ben sleping And at þ'e tauerne hous waking: At lyche-wake [_i.e._ corpse-watching] and sinful plawes, Þei ben waking til þ'e day dawes, But whan þei come sarmoun to her Þei ben so heuy and so swer, Þ't hir heuedis þei may not hold vp But hongen it in þ'e fendis cup." 3. Yet with regard to one class of questions, the tongue of the preacher was restrained. After touching the subject of confession and the frailty of some confessors, he adds in a significant way: "Of þis mater coude I sey mar, But God wod þ't I ne dar, For beter is skilful pes to holde Þan in speche ben to bolde." 4. The following extract will not fail to interest the student of prophecy:-- "Get wone ful many iewis thore, [_i.e._ in captivity] And so schul þei don euer more, Til ageyn domes day, Þan schul þei þens out-stray, And ouer al þer þei go Cristen folk schul þei slo; And þei schul receyue antecrist And wene þ't he be ihū crist; And sone after comiþ domes day, As we in prophecye her say." 5. The last passage I shall cite is a curious exposition of the First Commandment (p. 455.):-- "Þ'e first heste is þis: Þu schalt worschipen Þi lord god & him alone seruyn. In þ't heste is forboden to don any sacrifice to mawmettis or worschipe to fals goddis. In þ't heste also is forboden al maner wicchecraftis, enchauntementis, wiþ seruys and markis and al manere experimentis, coniuraciouns, as men wone to do and maken for thynges i-stolen, in bacynes, in swerdis and in certeyn names wreten and enclosed, holi water and holi candel and oþere manye maneris whiche ben nought good to neuene. In þ't heste also is forboden al maner iogelyng and for to tellyn of þing þ't is to comen, be sterres and planets, or be metell, or be destene, or be schynynge of þ'e pawme of mannes hond or eny oþere maneris. For þei aproperen to man þing þ't oneliche falleþ to god, to witen of þinges þ't arn to come," &c. C. H. St. Catharine's Hall, Cambridge. A FUNERAL IN HAMBURGH.