Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts — John Shaqi
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
þus queþ Alured.
+W+is child is fader blisse. 310
Jf hit so bi{}tydeþ þat þu bern ibidest.
þe hwile hit is lutel. ler him mon{}þewes.
þanne hit is | wexynde{;} hit schal wende þar{}to. [f. 265r
þe betere hit schal iwurþe
euer buuen eorþe. 315
Ac if þu him lest welde. werende on worlde.
lude and stille.
his owene wille.
hwanne cumeþ ealde.
ne myht þu hyne awelde. 320
þanne deþ hit sone.
þat þe biþ vnyqueme.
Ofer{}howeþ þin ibod.
and makeþ þe ofte sory{}mod.
Bet{er}e þe were. 325
iboren þat he nere.
for betere is child vnbore. þane vnbuhsum.
þe mon þe spareþ yeorde. and yonge child{e}.
and let hit arixlye. þat he hit areche ne may.
þat him schal on ealde{;} sore reowe. Am{en}. 330
Expl{iciunt} dicta Regis Aluredi.
VII. MEMENTO MORI
[[MS description from Notes volume:
“As for no. vi.”]]
+M+on may longe lyues wene. [f. 252v
Ac ofte him lyeþ þe wrench.
feyr weder turneþ ofte in to reyne.
⁊ wunderliche makeþ his blench.
þar{}vore mon. þu þe by{}þench. 5
Al schal falwy þi grene.
waylaway. nys king ne quene.
þat ne schal drynke of deþes drench.
Mon er þu falle of þi bench.
þyne sunne þu aquench. 10
+N+is non so strong. ne sterk. ne kene.
þat may ago deþes wyþer blench.|
Yung and olde. briht and schene. [f. 253r
Alle he ryueþ on o streng.
Fox and ferlych is his wrench. 15
Ne may no mon þar{}to{}yeynes.
way{}laway þreting ne bene.
Mede. liste. ne leches drench.
Mon let sunne and lustes þine.
wel þu do ⁊ wel þu þench. 20
Do bi salomones rede.
Mon. ⁊ þenne þu schalt wel do.
Do as he þe tauhte and seyde.
þat þin endinge þe bringeþ to.
þenne ne schaltu neu{er} mys{}do. 25
Ac sore þu myht þe adrede.
way{}laway such weneþ to lede.
Long lif. and blysse vnder{}fo.
Ac deþ luteþ in his scho.
Hym stilliche. to for{}do. 30
+M+on hwi nultu þe bi{}knowe.
Mon hwi nultu þe bi{}seo.
of fule fulþe þu art isowe.
wurmes fode. þu schalt beo.
her nauestu blisse dayes þre. 35
Ac þi lif al þu last in wowe.
weylawey deþ þe schal a{}dun þrowe.
þer þu wenest heyust to steo.
In deþ schal þi lyf endi.
And in wop al þi gleo. 40
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