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

English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500

++At Seuorde   séte þeynes monye.                             [f. 262r
  fele Biscopes.   and feole. bok iléred.
  Eorles prute.   knyhtes egleche.
  þar wes þe eorl Alu{ri}ch.
  of þare lawe swiþe wis.                                              5
  And ek Ealured   englene hurde.
  Englene durlyng{;}
  on englene londe he wes kyng.
  Heom he bi{}gon lére.
  so ye mawe i{}hure.                                                 10
  hw hi. heore lif   lede scholden.
  Alured. he wes in englene lond.
  and king. wel swiþe strong.
  He wes king. and he wes clerek.
  wel he luuede godes werk.                                           15
  He wes wis on his word.   and war. on his werke.
  he wes þe wysuste mo{n}{;}
  þat wes englelonde on.


ii

  +Þ+vs queþ Alured   englene frouer.
  wolde ye mi leode.   lusten éure lou{er}de.                         20
  he óu wolde wyssye.   wisliche þinges.
  hw ye myhte worldes.   wrþsipes welde.
  and ek eure saule.   somnen to criste.
  wyse were þe wordes.   þe seyde þe king Alured. |
  +M+ildeliche ich Munye.   myne leoue freond.                  [f. 262v
  poure and riche.   leode myne                                       26
  þat ye alle a{}drede.   vre dryhten crist.
  luuyen hine and lykyen.   for he is lou{er}d of lyf.
  He is one. god{;}   ouer alle godnesse.
  He is one gleaw.   ou{er} alle glednesse.                           30
  He is one. blisse.   ou{er} alle blissen.
  He is one monne.   Mildest mayster.
  He is one. folkes   fader. and frouer.
  He is one. rihtwis.   and so riche king.
  þat him ne schal beo wone.   nouht of his wille.                    35
  {þe} hine her on worlde.   wrþie þencheþ.

    [Linenote:
    36. _þe_] _wc_ MS.]


iii

  +Þ+vs queþ alured.   englene urouer.
  Ne may non ryhtwis king.   vnder criste seoluen.
  Bute if he beo   in boke ilered.
  And he. his wyttes   swiþe wel kunne.                               40
  And he cunne lettres.   lokie him{}seolf one.
  hw he schule his lond   laweliche holde.


iv

  Þus queþ Alured.
  +Þ+e eorl and þe eþelyng.
  ibureþ vnder gódne. king.                                           45
  þat lond to leden.
  myd lawelyche deden.
  And þe clerek and þe knyht.
  he schulle démen euelyche riht.
  þe poure. and þe ryche.                                             50
  démen ilyche.
  Hwych{}so þe mon soweþ{;}
  al swuch he schal mowe.
  And eu{er}uyches monnes dom.   to his owere dure churreþ.

    [Linenote:
    52. After _mon_, erasure of two letters.]


v

  [Þus queþ Alured.]
  þan knyhte bi{}houeþ.   kenliche on to fóne.                        55
  for{}to werie þat lond.   wiþ hunger and wiþ herivnge.
  þat þe chireche habbe gryþ.
  And þe cheorl beo in fryþ.
  his sedes to sowen.
  his medes to mowen.                                                 60
  And his plouh beo i{}dryue.
  to vre alre bihoue.
  þis is þes knyhtes lawe.
  loke he þat hit wel fare.


vi

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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

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