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
Bute þo þe ofðuhte sore here misdade 275
⁊ Gunne here gultes bete ⁊ betere lif lade.
Þar beð naddren ⁊ snaken. eueten ⁊ fruden
Þe tereð ⁊ freteð þo euele swiken þe niðfule ⁊ þe prude
Nafre sunne þar ne sineð ne mone ne storre.
Þar is muchel godes hete ⁊ muchel godes oerre. | 280
Afre þar is euel smech þiesternesse ⁊ eie [f. 6v
Nis þar nafre oder liht þan þe swarte leie.
Þar ligeð ateliche fiend in stronge raketeie
Þat beð þo þe waren mid god angles swiðe heie.
Þat beð ateliche fiend ⁊ Eiseliche wihten 285
Þo sulle þe wreche sowle isien þe sinegeden þurh sihte
Þar is se loðe sathanas ⁊ belzebub se ealde
Eaðe he muȝen ben sore ofdrad þe sullen hes bihealde.
[Linenote:
277. _fruden_] _d_ corr. out of _ct_ MS.]
Ne mei nan heorte hit iðenche. ne tunge ne can telle. 285
hu muchel píne na hu uele sunden ínne helle.
Wið þa pine ðe þer beoð. nelle ich eow naht leoȝen.
nis hit bute gamen ⁊ gléo. eal þ̵ man mei hér dreoȝen.
End ȝut ne deð heo{m} naht sa wá. ín ða laðe bende. |
þ̵ hí witeð þ̵ heore píne sceal neure habbe ende. [f. 69v 290
Þar beoð þa heðene men. þé wǽre laȝe{}liese.
þe nes naht óf godes bi{}bode. ne óf godes hése.
[U]uele cristene men. hí beoð heore ifere.
þa ðe heore cristen{}dom. uuele heo`l´de hére.
[Ȝ]ut hí beoð á wurse stede. on ðeré helle grunde. 295
ne sculen hí neure cume{n} út. for marke ne for punde.
[N]e mei heo{m} naðer helpen þer. íbede ne elmesse.
for nis naðer inne helle. áre ne for{}ȝiuenesse.
[Linenote:
290. After _habbe_, _l_ erased.]
Nemai non herte hit þenche ne tunge hit ne mai telle
Hwu muchele pine ne hwu fele senden in helle 290
Of þo pine þe þar bieð nelle ich eow naht lie
Nis hit bute gamen ⁊ glie of þat man mai here drie.
⁊ ȝiet ne doð hem naht alse wo in þe loðe bende
Swo þat he witen þat here pine sal nafre habben ende
Þar beð þe haðene men þe waren laȝe{}lease. 295
Þe nes naht of godes bode ne of godes hease.
Euele cristene men hie beð here iferen
Þo þe here cristendom euele hielden here.
⁊ ȝiet he beð awerse stede aniðer helle grunde
Ne sullen nafre cumen út for peni ne for punde. 300
Ne mai hem noðer helpe þar ibede ne almesse
For naht solden bidde þar ore ne forȝieuenesse.
[Linenote:
292. _mai_ corr. out of _marg_ MS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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