Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
General
Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500
Ase þe custome [f. 130r²] was ine þo time. þo serga{n}z
uuluelden þo faten of watere and hasteliche was i{}went into
wyne. bie þo wille of ure louerde. þo seide ure lord. to þo
serganz. Moveth to{}gid{er}e and {95} bereth to Architriclin.
þat was se þet ferst was i{}serued. And al{}so hedde i{}drunke
of þise wyne þet ure louerd hedde i{}maked of þe watere{;} ha
niste nocht þe miracle. ac þo serganz wel hit wiste. þet hedde
þet water i{}brocht. þo seide Archit{ri}clin to þo bredgume.
Oþer men seyde he doþ forþ þet beste wyn þet hi habbeþ ferst
at {100} here bredale. and þu hest ido þe cont{ra}rie þ`e´t þu
hest i{}hialde þet beste wyn wath nu{;} Þis was þe
co{m}me{n}ceme{n}t of þo miracles of ure loruerde þet he made
flesliche in erþe. and `þo´ beleuede on him{;} his deciples. Ine
sigge nacht þet hi ne hedden þer before ine him beliaue{;} ac
fore `þe´ miracle þet hi seghe{;} was here beliaue þe more {105}
i{}stre{n}gþed.
Nu ye habbeþ i{}herd þe Miracle. nu i{}hereþ þe signefiance. Þet
water bi{}tockned se euele xpistenema{n}. [f. 130v¹] for al{}so
þet wat{er} is natureliche schald and a kelþ alle þo þet hit
drinkeþ{;} so is se euele xpisteman chald of þo luue of Gode.
for þo euele werkes þet hi doþ. Ase so is Lecherie. spusbreche.
Roberie. {110} Manslechte{r}. husberners. bakbiteres. and alle
oþre euele deden. þurch wyche þinkes man of serueth þet fer of
helle. Ase godes oghe mudh hit seid. and alle þo signefied þet
wat{er}{;} þet þurch yem{er}e werkes. oþer þurch yemer i{}wil
liesed þo blisce of heuene. þet wyn þat is naturel{}liche hot
ine him selue{;} and an{}het alle þo þet hit drinked{;} {115}
be{}tokned alle þo þet bied an{}héét of þe luue of ure lorde.
[Linenote:
111. _Manslechtes_ MS.]
Nu lordinges ure lord god almichti. þat hwylem in one stede. and
ine one time flesliche makede of wat{er}e wyn{;} yet ha{bb}eþ
manitime maked of watere wyn{;} gostliche. wanne þurch his grace
maked of þo euele manne good man. of þe orgeilus umble. of þe
lechur chaste. {120} of þe niþinge [f. 130v²] large. and of alle
oþre folies{;} so ha maket of þo wat{er}e wyn. þis his si
signefiance of þe miracle. Nu loke euerich man toward
him{}seluen. yef he is win{;} þet is to siggen yef he is
an{}heet of þo luue of gode. oþer yef he is wat{er}. þet is yef
þu art chold of godes luue. yef þu art euel man{;} besech ure
lorde þet he do ine þe {125} his uertu. þet ha þe wende of euele
into gode. and þet he do þe do swiche werkes þet þu mote habbe
þo blisce of heuene. _Q{uo}d u{o}b{is}. pr{est}are dig{netur}._
[Linenotes:
118. _hadeþ_ MS. || 123. _he he is win_ MS.]
+Dominica tercia post oct{avam} ep{iphanie}.+
_++Cvm descendiss{et} ih{esus} de monte. secute su{n}t eum {130}
turbe multe. Et ecce leprosus ueniens adorabat eu{m} dicens.
D{omi}ne si uis{;} potes me mu{n}dare._
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