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
Edhalden oðres hure ou{er} his rihte t{er}me nis hit strong
reaflac hwa{}se ȝelden hit mei þe is {15} under ȝisceunge? Ȝef
me ȝemeð wurse ei þing ileanet · oðer bitaht to witene · þen he
wene þe ah hit · nis hit oðer triccherie · oðer ȝemeles of
slawðe? alswa is dusi heast oðer folliche ipliht trowðe · longe
beon unbischpet · falsliche gan to schrift · oðer to longe
abiden · ne teache p{ate}r no{ste}r godchild ne Credo · þeos ⁊
alle þulliche beoð ilead to {20} slawðe · þ̵ is þe feorðe moder
of þe seoue sunnen. Þe dronc drunch oðer ei þing dude · hwer
þurh na child ne schulde beon on hire istreonet · oðer þ̵
istreonede schulde forwurðen · nis þis strong monslaht of
galnesse awakenet? Alle sunnen sunderliche bi hare nomeliche
nomen ne mahte namon rikenin · ah i þeo þe ich habbe {25}
iseid{;} alle oþre beoð bilokene. Ant nis ich wene namon þe ne
mei understonden him of his sunne nomeliche under sum of þe ilke
imeane þe beoð her iwritene.
at{}halden oþeres hure ouer his richte terme · nis hit strong
reflac. þat is under gissunge{;} gif me gemed wurse ai þing
[p. 128] ilened · oþer bitahted te witene þen {15} he wene þat
hit ah · nis oþer tricherie · oþer gemeles of slauþe. Alswa is
dusi hest · oþer folliche iplicht trouþe Longe beon un{}bischbed
· falsliche gan to schrifte · oþer to longe abiden · Ne teachen
god{}child p{ate}r n{oste}r · Ne Credo · þeos ⁊ alle þulliche ·
beod ilad to slauþe · þat is þe feorþe moder of þe seoue sunnen
· þeo dronc druch {20} oþer ai þing dude hwer þurh na child ne
shulde beon on hire istreoned · oþer þat istreonede shulde
for{}wurþen{;} Nis þis strong monslaht of galnasse awakened{;}
Alle sunnen sunderliche bi hare nomeliche nome ne mahte na{}mon
rikenen. Ah iþeo þat ich habbe iseid{;} alle oþere beod
bilokene. An nis ich wene namon þat ne mai {25} under{}stonden
him of his sunnen nomeliche wnder su{m}me of þe ilke þat
imene{;} þe beod þer i writene.
[Linenote:
16. _tricherie_] over _c_, contraction mark for _er_.]
Of þeose seoue beastes ⁊ of hare streones i wildernesse of
anlich lif · is iseid herto · þe alle þe forfearinde fondið to
fordonne. Þe liun of prude sleað alle þe prude · {30} alle þe
beoð hehe ⁊ ou{er}hohe iheortet. Þe attri neddre · þe ontfule ⁊
te luðere iþonket. Wreaðfule{;} þe vnicorne. Alswa of þe oþre o
rawe. to godd ha beoð isleine · ah [f. 57r] ha libbeð to þe
feond · ⁊ beoð alle in his hond. ⁊ seruið him in his curt euch
of þe meoster þe him to falleð. {35}
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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