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
Sume ðer habbeð lesse murhðe. ⁊ sume habbeð mare.
æfter ðan þe dude her. efter ðan þ̵ he swanc sare.
[N]e sceal ðer beon ne bried ne wín. ne oðer cunnes éste.
god ane sceal beo eche líf. ⁊ blisse. ⁊ éche reste. 360
[N]é sceal ðer beo fah ne græi. ne kuning ne `er´míne.
ne aquierne. ne martres cheole. ne beuer né sabelíne.
[N]e sceal ðer beo sciet ne scrud. ne woruld wele nane.
eal þe murhðe þe me us bi{}hat. al hít sceal beo god ane.
[N]e mei na murhðe. beo swa muchel. se is godes sihte. 365
[H]e ís soð sunne ⁊ briht. ⁊ dei ábuten nihte.
Sume þar habbeð lasse blisse ⁊ sume þar habbeð more
Elch after þat he dude her after þane þe swanc sore
Ne sal þar ben bread ne win ne oðer kennes este
God one sal ben ache lif ⁊ blisse ⁊ ache reste.
Ne sal þar ben foh ne grai ne cunin ne ermine 365
Ne aquerne ne metheschele ne beuer ne sabeline.
Ne sal þar ben naðer scat ne srud ne wereldes wele none.
Al þe blisse þe me us bihat al hit sal ben god one
Ne mai no blisse ben alse muchel se is godes sihte.
He is soð sunne ⁊ briht ⁊ dai a{}bute nihte. 370
[H]e is ælches godes ful. nis hi{m} na wið{}uten.
na god nis him wane þe wunieð hi{m} abuten.
Þer is wéle ábute gane. ⁊ reste abuten swinche.
þe mei ⁊ nele ðider cume. sare hit hi{m} sceal óf ðinche. 370
He is aches godes ful nis him no wiht uten.
Nones godes hem nis wane þe wunieð him abuten.
Þar is wele a{}buten wane ⁊ reste a{}buten swunche.
Þe muȝen ⁊ nelleð þider cume hit hem mai of{}þunche.
(EGERTON MS., FIRST COPY.)
Þer is blisse a{}buten treȝe. ⁊ lif a{}buten deaþe [f. 12v
þe eure scullen wunien þer. bliþe muwen ben eþe
Þer is ȝeoȝeðe bute ulde. ⁊ hele a{}buten vn{}helðe
nis þer so`re´we ne sor. ne neure nan vn{}sealþe
Þer me scal drihte sulf i{}seon. swa he is mid iwisse 375
he one mai ⁊ scal al beo. engle ⁊ manne blisse
And ðeh ne beod heore eȝe naht. alle iliche brihte
ði nabbed hi nouht iliche. alle of godes lihte
On þisse `liue´ hi neren nout. alle of one mihte
ne þer ne scullen hi habben god. alle bi one ȝihte 380
Þo scullen more of him seon. þe luuede him her more
⁊ more icnawen ⁊ iwiten. his mihte ⁊ his ore
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