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
+Nute hi hweþer hem deþ {w}urs+ mid neure nane wisse.
hi walkeð eure ⁊ secheð reste | ac `ho´ ne muȝen imeten. [f. 64v
for{}þi þe ho nolden þe hwile þ̵ ho mihten here sunne beten.
ho secheð reste þer nis nan. for{}þi ne muȝen hi es finden.
Ac walkeð weri up ⁊ dun{;} se wat{er} deþ mid winde. 240
þo boð þa þe weren her a þanke unstedefeste.
⁊ þa þe gode biheten heste ⁊ nolden hit ileste.
þa þe god werc bigunnen ⁊ ful enden hit nolden.
[Linenotes:
236. _wurs_] _þurs_ MS. || 237. _mọuȝen_ MS.]
[N]iten hweðer hem doð wers to nafre none wisse. 240
[H]ie walkeð afre ⁊ secheð reste ac hie hes ne muȝen imeten.
[F]or{}þi þe hie nolde þe hwile hie mihten here senne beten.
[H]ie sec`h´eð reste þar non nis ac hie hies ne muȝen ifinden.
[A]c walkeð weri up ⁊ dun se water doð mid winde
[Þ]at beð þo þe waren her an þanc unstedefaste 245
[⁊] þo þe gode biheten aihte ⁊ hit him ilaste.
[⁊] þo þe god werc bigunnen ⁊ ful endin hit nolden.
+Nu witen her.+ ⁊ nuðe þer. ⁊ nusten hwat hi wolden.
þer is bernunde pich hore saule to baþien inne. 245
þa þe ledden here lif in werre ⁊ in winne.
þer is fur þ̵ is undret fald hattre. þene bo ure.
Ne mei q{ue}nchen salt weter ne uersc of þe burne.
þis is þ̵ fur þ̵ efre bernd ne mei nawiht hit que{n}chen{;}
Þer inne boð þa þe was to lof wreche men to swenchen. 250
þa þe weren swikelemen ⁊ ful of uuel wrenchen.
þa þe mihten uuel don. þe þe lef hit wes to þenchen.
Þe luueden tening ⁊ stale. hordom ⁊ drunken.
⁊ a doules werche bliþeliche swunken.
[N]u waren her ⁊ nu þar ⁊ nesten hwat he wolden
[Þ]ar is pich þat afre walleð þar sulle wunien inne
[Þ]o þe ladeð here lif on werre ⁊ an unwinne. 250
[Þ]ar is fur þis hundredfeald hatere þan be ure.
[N]e mai hit quenche salt water ne auene stream ne sture.
[Þ]is is þat fur þat afre barneð
ne mai no wiht [hit] quenche.
[Þ]ar{}inne beð þe was to lef wreche men to swenche. |
Þo þe [waren] swikele men ⁊ ful of euele wrenchen. [f. 6r
⁊ þo þe mihten euel don ⁊ lief hit was to þenchen. 256
Þe luueden rauing ⁊ stale hordom ⁊ druken
⁊ an defles werkes bliðeliche swunken.
[Linenotes:
248. _ṃesten_ MS. || 250. After _⁊_, _h_ erased MS. ||
258. _bliðeliche_] second _i_ corr. out of _l_.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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