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
Sculde hi{m} éch man ðe hwile hé muȝe óf ðas helle píne.
⁊ werni ech hís freond þer wið swa ich habbe mine. 300
Þá ðe sculden heo{m} ne cunne. ich heo{m} wulle teche.
ich kan beon ȝief ich sceal. lichame ⁊ sawle leche.
Léte wé þ̵ god for{}but. ealle manne cunne.
⁊ do wé þ̵ hé us hét. ⁊ sculde wé us wið sunne.
Luuie we god mid ure heorte. ⁊ mid al ure mihte. 305
⁊ ure émcristen eal us sulf. swa us lerde drihte.
Eal þ̵ me rǽt ⁊ eal þ̵ me singð. bi{}fore godes borde.
eal hít hanget ⁊ bi{}halt. bi ðisse twam worde.
{E}alle godes laȝe he fulð. ðe níwe ⁊ ða ealde.
þe ðe ðas twá luue háfð. ⁊ wel hí wule healde. 310
Ac hí beoð wunder earueð{}healde. swá ófte gulteð ealle.
Fór hít ís strang to stande lange. ⁊ líht ís to fealle.
[A]ac drihte crist hé ȝíue us strengðe. stande þ̵ wé mote.
⁊ óf ealle ure gultes `unne´ us cume to bote.
[Linenotes:
308. _eal_] _Eeal_ MS. || 309. _Ealle_] _alle_ MS. ||
_níwe_] _n_ corr. out of _r_.]
Silde him elch man þe hwile he mai wið þos helle pine.
⁊ warnie his frend þar wið swo ich habbe ido mine.
Þo þe silde hem ne cunnen ich hem wille tache 305
[I]ch can ben aiðer ȝief isal lichame ⁊ sowle lache. |
Late we þat god forbet alle mankenne [f. 7r
⁊ do we þat he us hat ⁊ silde we us wid senne.
Luue we god mid ure herte ⁊ mid al ure mihte
⁊ ure emcristen alse us self swo us tached drihte. 310
Al þat me radeð ⁊ singed bifore godes borde
Al hit hangeð ⁊ halt bi þese twam worde
Alle godes laȝes hie fulleð þe newe ⁊ þe ealde
Þe þe þos two luues halt ⁊ wile hes wel healde.
Ac hie bieð wel arefeð{}heald swo ofte we gulteð alle 315
For hit is strong te stonde longe ⁊ liht hit is to falle.
Ac drihte c{ri}st ȝeue us strengðe stonde þat we moten
⁊ of alle ure gultes ȝieue us cume bote.
[Linenotes:
307. After _þat_, _w_ erased. || 313. _godel_ MS. ||
315. _gulteð_] _t_ over _ḍ_ MS.]
++Wé wilnieð éfter woruld wéle. ðe lange ne mei leste. 315
⁊ leggeð eal ure iswinch. ón ðinȝe unste`de´ feste. |
Swunche wé for godes luue. healf þ̵ wé doð for æhte. [f. 70r
ne béo wé naht swá óf bicherd. ne sa uuele bi{}kehte.
Ȝif wé serueden gode swa wé doð ermínges.
mare wé hedden en héuene. ðenne eorles hér ⁊ kinges. 320
Né muȝen hí werien heo{m} wið chele. wið þurste ne wið hunger.
ne wið ulde. ne wið deaðe. þe uldre ne ðe ȝeonger.
Ac ðer nis hunger ne ðurst. ne dieð. ne unhelðe ne elde.
of þisse riche wé ðencheð ófte. ⁊ of þere to selde.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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