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
More he one maiȝ forȝieue þan alle folc gulte cunne
Self deuel mihte habben milce ȝief he hit bigunne.
Þeþe godes milche secð iwis he mai hes finden
Ac helle king is ore{}leas wið þo þe he mai binden. 220
Se deð his wille mast he sal habbe werest mede
His bað sal be wallinde pich his bed barnende glede.
[Linenotes:
213. After _lif_, an erasure, on which _mid_. || 214. _do_
corr. out of _to_. || 215. _mulchel_ MS. || After _⁊_, an
erasure.]
+Wurst he deð his gode frond{;}+ þenne his fulle fond{;}
God scilde alle godes frond. a wih swilche freonde. 220
Neure in helle hi com. ne þer ne come reche.
þach ich elches worldes wele. þer me mahte feche
þ̵ his wulle seggen on þat wise men us seiden.
⁊ aboken hit writen þer [me] mei hit reden.
Ich hit wille seggen þan þe hit hom solf nusten. 225
warni hom wið hore unfrome. ȝif ho me wulleð lusten.
vnd{er}stondeð nu to me edi men ⁊ arme.
Ich wulle tellen of helle pin{;} ⁊ wernin ow wið herme.
In helle his hunger ⁊ þurst{;} twa uuele iuere.
þas þolieð þa [þe] weren maket niþinges here. 230
[Linenote:
229. _ịṣ his_ MS.]
Werse he doð his gode wines þan his fiendes
God silde alle godes friend wið swo euele friende.
Nafre an helle ine cam ne cumen ich þar ne reche 225
Þeih ich aches woreldes wele þare mihte feche.
Þeih ich wille seggen eow þat wise men us saden
⁊ [a] boc hit is write þar me hit mai rade. |
Ic wille seggen hit þo þe hit hem self nesten [f. 5v
⁊ warnin hem wið here unfreme ȝief hie me willeð hlesten. 230
Vnderstondeð nu to meward eadimen ⁊ arme
Ich wille tellen eow of helle pine ⁊ warnin eow wið harme.
An helle hunger ⁊ þurst euel two iferen.
Þos pine þolieð þo þe ware meteniðinges here.
[Linenotes:
225. Before _reche_, _þ_ erased MS. || 230. After _here_,
an erasure of one letter MS.]
+Þer is waning ⁊ wow.+ eft{er} eche streche.
ho fareð from hete to hete. ⁊ hech to frure þe wreche.
þenne hi bið in þere hete{;} þe chele him þunchet blisse.
þenne hi cumeð eft to þe chele{;} of hete hi habbeð misse.
hi hem deð wa inoch nabbeð hi nane blisse. 235
Þar is woning ⁊ wop after ache strate 235
Hie fareð fram hate [to] chele fra{m} chele to hate.
[Þ]an hie beð in þe hate chele hem þuncheð blisse
[Þ]an hie cumeð eft to chele of hate hie habbeð misse.
[E]iðer doð `hem´ wo inoh nabbeð none lisse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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