Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts

English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500
++Al is man so is tis ern.
    wulde ge nu listen.
  Old in hise sinnes dern.                                            75
    or he bicumeð cristen.
  ⁊ tus he neweð hi{m} ðis man.
    ða{n}ne he nimeð to kirke.
  Or he it biðenken can.
    hise egen weren mirke.                                            80
  Forsaket ðore satanas.
    ⁊ ilk sinful dede.
  Takeð hi{m} to ih{es}u crist.
    for he sal ben his mede.
  Leueð on ure loue[r]d crist.                                        85
    ⁊ lereð prestes lore.
  Of hise egen wereð ðe mist.
    wiles he dreccheð ðore.
  His hope is al to godeward.
    ⁊ of his luue he lereð.                                           90
  ðat is te sunne sikerlike.
    ðus his sigte he beteð.
  Naked falleð in ðe funt{}fat.
    ⁊ cumeð ut al newe.
  buten alitel wat is tat.                                            95
    his muð is get untrewe.
  His muð is get wel unkuð.
    wið pat{er} n{oste}r ⁊ crede.
  Fare he norð. er fare he suð.
    leren he sal his nede.                                           100
  bidden bone to gode.
    ⁊ tus his muð rigten.
  tilen him so ðe sowles fode |
    ðurg {grace} off ure drigtin.                                 [f. 5r

    [Linenotes:
    74. _listlen_ MS. || 77. _hī_ corr. out of _hu_. || _ðis man
    ðanne he_ on an erasure. || 80. This line in fainter brown
    ink. || 83, 84. _Takeð ... he_ on an erasure. || 87. _hise_]
    _i_ corr. out of _p_. || 89, 90. _is hope is ... luue_ on an
    erasure: l. 90 originally began _ha after luue a_.]


+Natura Serpe{n}tis. j^a.+                                           105

  An wirm is o werlde . wel man it knoweð.
  Neddre is te name . ðus he him neweð.
  ðanne he is forbroken ⁊ forbroiden . ⁊ in his elde al forwurden.
  Fasteð til his fel him slakeð . ten daies fulle.
  ðat he is lene ⁊ mainles   ⁊ iuele mai gangen.                     110
  he c{re}peð cripelande forð . his craft he ðus kiðeð.
  Sekeð a ston ðat a ðirl is on.
  Narwe buten he nedeð him . Nimeð vnneðes ðurg.
  for his fel he ðer leteð . his fles forð crepeð.
  walkeð to ðe wat{er} ward . wile ðanne drinken.                    115
  Oc he speweð or al ðe uenim.
  ðat i{n} his brest is bred . fro his birde time.
  drinkeð siðen inog . ⁊ tus he him neweð.

    [Linenote:
    105. On an erasure.]


+ij^a.+

  ++Ðanne ðe neddre is of his hid naked.                             120
  ⁊ bare of his brest atter.
  If he naked man se . ne wile he him nogt neggen.
  Oc he fleð fro him . als he fro fir sulde.
  If he cloðed man se cof he waxeð.
  For up he rigteð him redi to deren.                                125
  to deren er to ded maken if he it muge forðen.
  wat if ðe man war wurðe . ⁊ weren him cunne.
  figteð wið ðis wirm . ⁊ f[a]reð on him figtande.
  ðis neddre siðen he nede sal.
  makeð seld of his bodi . ⁊ sildeð his heued.                       130
  litel hi{m} is of hise limes . bute he lif holde.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts

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