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
Senne lat þe ⁊ þu nah hi{m} þan þu hit ne miht do no more{;}
For{}þi he is sot þe swo abit to habben godes ore. 130
Þeih hweðere we hit leueð wel for drihte self hit sade.
Elche time sal þe man of{}þunche his misdade
Oðer raðer oðer later milce he sal imete.
Ac þe þe her naueð ibet muchel he haued to bete
[Linenote:
133. After _imete_, _acþ_ erased.]
+Monimon seit hwa rechð of pine þe scal habben þende+.
Ne bidde ich na bet bo alesed a domes dei of bende.
lutel he wat wet is pine. ⁊ lutel he hit scaweð 135
hwice hete is þer þa saule wuneð hu biter wind þer blaweð.
hefde he bon þer enne dei oðer twa bare tide{;}
nolde he for al middenerd þe þerdde þer abiden.
þet habbeð iseid þ[e] comen þonen þa hit wisten mid iwissen.
wa wurð sorȝe seueȝer. for souenihte blisse. 140
Maniman seið hwo reche pine þe sal habben ende 135
Ne bidde ich no bet bie ich alesed a domesdai of bende.
Litel wot he `h´wat is pine ⁊ litel he cnoweð
Hwilch hit is þar sowle wunieð hwu biter wind þar bloweð.
Hadde he ben þar on oðer two bare tiden.
Nolde he for al midden{}eard þe þridde þar abiden. 140
Þat habbed isaid þe come þanne þit wiste mid iwisse.
Wo wurðe soreȝe seue ȝier for seue nihte blisse.
[Linenotes:
137. _ḥis_ MS. || After _cnoweð_, erasure of _hwil_. ||
140. After _Nolde_ erasure of two letters. || _almidden_ MS.]
+In hure blisse þe | þe ende haueð.+ for endelese pine. [f. 62v
betere is wori water drunch{;} þen atter meind mid wine.
Swines brede is swiðe swete. swa is of wilde dore.
alto dore he is abuh{;} þe ȝefð þer fore his swore.
Ful wombe mei lihtliche speken of hunger. ⁊ of festen{;} 145
swa mei of pine þe ne cnauð þe scal a ilesten.
Hefð he ifonded su{m}me stunde{;} he wolde al seggen oðer.
Et lete him were wif. child. suster. feder ⁊ broðer.
[Linenote:
144. _abuh_] _abuṭẹh_ MS.]
⁊ ure blisse þe ende haueð for ende{}lease pine
Betere is wori water þan atter imengd mid wine.
Swines brade is wel swete swo is of wilde diere. 145
Ac al to diere he hit abuið þe ȝiefð þar{}fore his swiere.
Ful wombe mai lihtliche speken of hunger ⁊ of fasten
Swo mai of pine þe not hwat is pine þe sal ilasten. |
Hadde fonded sume stunde he wolde seggen oðer [f. 4r
Eðlate him ware wif ⁊ child suster ⁊ fader ⁊ broðer. 150
+Al he walde ⁊ oðerluker don ⁊ oðerluker þenche{n}+
Wenne he bi{}þohte on helle fur þe nawiht ne mei quenchen. 150
Eure he walde her inne wawe ⁊ ine wene wunien{;}
Wið þ̵ þe mihte helle pine bi{}flien ⁊ bi{}sunien
Et lete him were al world wele ⁊ orðliche blisse.
for to þ̵ muchele blisse cumen is murþe mid iwisse.
[Linenote:
152. Before _þe_, _me_ deleted.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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