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DOMINICA PRIMA IN ADUENTUM DOMINI.
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THE FIRST SUNDAY IN THE LORD'S ADVENT.
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Þyses dæges þenung, and ðyssere tide mærð sprecað embe Godes to-cyme.
Þeos tíd oð midne winter is gecweden, Aduentus
Domini, þæt is Drihtnes to-cyme. His
to-cyme is his menniscnys. He com to us ðaða he genam ure gecynd to his
Ælmihtigan Godcundnysse, to ði þæt hé us fram deofles anwealde
alysde.
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The service of this day, and the celebration of this tide speak
concerning God's advent. This tide until midwinter is called Adventus Domini, that is The Lord's
Coming. His advent is his humanity. He came to us when he took our
nature to his Almighty Godhead, to the end that he might redeem us from
the power of the devil.
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Nu stent se gewuna on Godes gelaðunge, þæt ealle Godes ðeowan on
cyrclicum ðenungum, ægðer ge on halgum rædingum ge on gedremum lofsangum,
ðæra witegena gyddunga singallice on þyssere tide reccað. Þa witegan,
þurh Godes Gast, witegodon Cristes to-cyme ðurh menniscnysse, and be ðam
manega bec setton, ða ðe we nu oferrædað æt Godes ðeowdome ætforan his
gebyrd-tide, him to wurðmynte, þæt he ús swa mildheortlice geneosian
wolde. Crist com on ðam timan to mancynne gesewenlice, ac he bið æfre
ungesewenlice mid his gecorenum þeowum, swa swa he sylf behét, þus
cweðende, "Efne ic beo mid eow eallum dagum, oð þissere worulde
gefyllednysse." Mid ðisum wordum he geswutelode þæt æfre beoð, oð
middangeardes geendunge, him gecorene menn, ðe þæs wyrðe beoð þæt hí
Godes wununge mid him habban moton.
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The custom now stands in God's church, that all God's servants in the
church-services, both in holy readings and in harmonious hymns,
constantly at this tide recite the songs of the prophets. The prophets,
through the Spirit of God, prophesied Christ's advent through humanity,
and of that composed many books, which we now read over at God's service
before his birth-tide, to his honour, for that he would so mercifully
visit us. Christ came at that time to mankind visibly, but he is ever
invisibly with his chosen servants, as he himself promised, thus saying,
"Lo I will be with you on all days until the consummation of this world."
By these words he manifested that there will ever be, until the ending of
the world, men chosen to him, who will be worthy that with him they may
have habitation with God.
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Þa halgan witegan witegodon ægðer ge ðone ærran to-cyme on ðære
acennednysse, and eac ðone æftran æt ðam micclum dome. We eac, Godes
ðeowas, getrymmað urne geleafan mid þyssere tide þenungum, forðan ðe we
on urum lofsangum geandettað ure alysednysse þurh his ærran to-cyme, and
we ús sylfe mániað þæt we on his æftran to-cyme gearwe beon, þæt we moton
fram ðam dome him folgian to ðam ecan lífe, swa swa hé us behét. Be
ðyssere tide mærsunge spræc se apostol Paulus on ðyssere pistol-rædinge
to Romaniscum leodum, and eac to eallum geleaffullum mannum, þus
mánigende, "Mine gebroðra, wite ge þæt nu is tima ús of slæpe to
arisenne: ure hǽl is gehendre þonne we gelyfdon. Seo niht gewát,
and se dæg genealæhte. Uton awurpan ðeostra weorc, and beon ymbscrydde
mid leohtes wæpnum, swa þæt we on dæge arwurðlice faron; na on oferætum
and druncennyssum, na on forliger-beddum and unclænnyssum, na on geflite
and ándan; ac beoð ymbscrydde þurh Drihten Hælend Crist."
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The holy prophets prophesied both the first advent at the birth, and
also the latter at the great doom. We also, God's servants, confirm our
faith with the services of this tide, because we in our hymns confess our
redemption through his first advent, and we admonish ourselves to be
ready on his latter advent, that we may from that doom follow him to
everlasting life, as he has promised us. Of the celebration of this tide
the apostle Paul, in this epistle to the Roman people, and also to all
believing men, spake, thus admonishing, "My brothers, know ye that it is
now time for us to arise from sleep: our salvation is nearer than we
believed. The night is departed, and the day has approached. Let us cast
away works of darkness, and be invested with weapons of light, so that we
by day may go honestly; not in gluttony and drunkenness, not in
adulteries and uncleannesses, not in strife and envy; but be invested by
the Lord Jesus Christ."
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Se apostol ús awrehte þæt we of slæpe ure asolcennysse and
ungeleaffulnysse æt sumon sæle arison, swa swa ge on ðyssere andwerdan
rǽdinge gehyrdon. "Mine gebroðra, wite ge þæt nu is tima ús of
slæpe to arisenne." Witodlice ne gedafenað ús þæt we symle hnesce beon on
urum geleafan, swa swa ðas merwan cild, ac we sceolon onettan to
fulfremedre geðincðe, þurh gehealdsumnysse Godes beboda. We sceolon
asceacan ðone sleacan slǽp us fram, and deofles weorc
forlǽtan, and gán on leohte, þæt is, on godum weorcum. Gefyrn scean
leoht ingehydes geond eorðan ymbhwyrft, and forwel menige scinað on
soðfæstnysse wege, þa ðe farað ðurh godspellic siðfæt to ðæs ecan lifes
gefean. Efne nu "ure hæl is gehendre þonne we gelyfdon." Þurh ðeonde
ingehyd and gódne willan, anum gehwilcum is hæl gehendre ðonne him wære
ðaða hé æt fruman gelyfde, and forði hé sceal symle geðeon on
dæghwomlicere gecnyrdnysse, swa swa se sealm-scóp cwæð be Godes
gecorenum, "Þa halgan farað fram mihte to mihte."
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The apostle has excited us to arise at some time from the sleep of our
sluggishness and disbelief, as ye in this present lesson have heard. "My
brothers, know ye that it is now time for us to arise from sleep." Verily
it befits us not to be always delicate in our faith, as a tender child,
but we should hasten to perfect excellence through the observance of
God's commandments. We should shake sluggish sleep from us, and forsake
the devil's works, and go in the light, that is, in good works. Of old
the light of knowledge shone over the circumference of earth, and very
many shine in the way of truth, who go through the evangelic path to the
joy of everlasting life. Lo now "our salvation is nearer than we
believed." Through increasing knowledge and good will, salvation is
nearer to every one than it was to him when he at first believed, and
therefore he should ever increase in daily diligence, as the psalmist
said of God's chosen, "The holy go from virtue to virtue."
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Eac is gehwilcum men his endenexta dæg near and near; and se
gemænelica dóm dæghwomlice genealæhð, on ðam underfehð anra gehwilc be
ðam ðe hé geearnode on lichaman, swa gód swa yfel. Uton forði ælc yfel
forfleon, and gód be ure mihte gefremman, þy-lǽs ðe we ðonne willon
ðonne we ne magon, and we ðonne fyrstes biddon ðonne us se deað to
forðsiðe geneadað. "Seo niht gewát, and se dæg genealæhte." Hér asette se
apostol niht for ðære ealdan nytennysse, ðe rixode geond ealne
middangeard ǽr Cristes to-cyme; ac he toscoc ða dwollican
nytennysse ðurh onlihtinge his andwerdnysse, swa swa se beorhta dæg
todræfð þa dimlican þeostru ðære sweartan nihte. Deofol is eac niht
gecweden, and Crist dæg, seðe us mildheortlice fram deofles ðeostrum
alysde, and us forgeaf leoht ingehydes and soðfæstnysse. "Uton awurpan
þeostra weorc, and beon ymbscrydde mid leohtes wæpnum, swa þæt we on dæge
arwurðlice faron." Uton awurpan ðurh andetnysse and behreowsunge þa
forðgewitenan yfelu, and uton heonon-forð stranglice wiðstandan deofles
tihtingum, swa swa se ylca apostol on oðre stowe his underðeoddan mánode,
"Wiðstandað þam deofle, and he flihð fram eow; genealæcað Gode, and he
genealæhð to eow." Leohtes wæpna synd rihtwisnysse weorc and
soðfæstnysse. Mid ðam wæpnum we sceolon beon ymbscrydde, swa þæt we on
dæge arwurðlice faron. Swa swa dæges leoht forwyrnð gehwilcne to
gefremmenne þæt þæt seo niht geðafað, swa eac soðfæstnysse ingehyd, þæt
is, geðoht ures Drihtnes willan, ús ne geðafað mándæda to
gefremmenne.
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Also to every man is his last day nearer and nearer; and the common
doom approaches daily, at which every one will receive according to what
he has merited in body, whether good or evil. Let us then flee from every
evil, and do good according to our power, lest we be willing when we
cannot, and pray for time when death compels us to depart. "The night is
departed, and the day has approached." Here the apostle has placed night
for the old ignorance, which reigned through all the world before
Christ's advent; but he scattered the erroneous ignorance by the
illumination of his presence, as the bright day drives away
the dim darkness of the swart night. The devil is also called night, and
Christ day, who has mercifully released us from the devil's darkness, and
given us the light of knowledge and truth. "Let us cast away works of
darkness, and be invested with weapons of light, so that we by day may go
honestly." Let us by confession and repentance cast away the forthgone
evils, and let us henceforth strongly withstand the instigations of the
devil, as the same apostle in another place exhorted his followers,
"Withstand the devil, and he will flee from you; draw near unto God, and
he will draw near unto you." The weapons of light are works of
righteousness and truth. With those weapons we should be invested, so
that we by day may go honestly. As the light of day forbids everyone to
perpetrate that which the night allows, so also the knowledge of truth,
that is, the thought of our Lord's will, allows us not to perpetrate
deeds of wickedness.
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Symle we beoð fram Gode gesewene, ægðer ge wiðutan ge wiðinnan; þi
sceal eac gehwá seðe fordémed beon nele eallunga warnian þæt hé Godes
beboda ne forgǽge, na on oferǽtum and druncennyssum. We
sceolon habban gastlice gereordunge, swa swa se ylca apostol ðisum wordum
tæhte, "Þonne ge eow to gereorde gaderiað, hæbbe eower gehwilc halwende
láre on muðe, and sealm-boc on handa." Druncennys is cwylmbære ðing, and
galnysse antimber. Salomon cwæð, "Ne bið nán ðing digle þær ðær
druncennys rixað." On oðre stowe beweop se ylca apostol ungemetegodra
manna líf, ðus cweðende, "Heora wámb is heora God, and heora ende is
forwyrd, and heora wuldor on gescyndnysse." Na on forliger-beddum and on
unclænnyssum, ac beo arwyrðe sinscipe betwux gelyfedum mannum, swa þæt
furðon nán forliger ne unclænnyss ne sy genemned on Godes gelaðunge; na
on geflite and ándan. Crist cwæð be gesibsumum mannum, þæt hi sind Godes
bearn gécigede, and witodlice ða geflitfullan sind deofles lyma. Se yfela
secð symle ceaste, and wælhreaw engel bið asend togeanes him.
Anda is derigendlic leahter, and æfre bið se niðfulla wunigende on
gedrefednysse, forðan ðe se ánda ablent his mód, and ælcere gastlicere
blisse benæmð. Þurh ándan bepæhte se deofol þone frumsceapenan mann, and
se niðfulla is þæra deofla dælnimend. Seo soðe sibb afligð ungeðwærnysse,
and ðæs modes digelnysse onliht, and witodlice se ánda gemenigfylt
yrsunge.
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We are ever seen by God, both without and within; therefore should
everyone who wills not to be condemned especially take care that he
transgress not God's commandments, either by gluttony or drunkenness. We
should have ghostly refection, as the same apostle taught in these words,
"When ye gather yourselves to refection, let each of you have salutary
lore in mouth, and psalm-book in hand." Drunkenness is a death-bearing
thing, and the material of libidinousness. Solomon said, "Nothing is
secret where drunkenness reigns." In another place the same apostle
bewailed the life of intemperate men, thus saying, "Their belly is their
God, and their end is perdition, and their glory in pollution." Not in
adulteries and uncleannesses, but let there be honourable union between
believing persons, so that at least no adultery nor uncleanness be named
in God's church; not in strife and envy. Christ said of peaceful men,
that they are called children of God; and verily the strifeful are limbs
of the devil. The evil ever seeks contention, and a cruel angel will be
sent against him. Envy is a pernicious vice, and ever will the envious be
continuing in affliction, because envy blinds his mind and deprives it of
every ghostly bliss. Through envy the devil deceived the first-created
man, and the envious is a participator with the devils. True peace drives
away discord, and enlightens the darkness of the mind, and envy certainly
multiplies anger.
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Se apostol beleac þisne pistol mid þisum wordum, "Ac beoð ymbscrydde
ðurh Drihten Hælend Crist." Ealle ða ðe on Criste beoð gefullode, hí beoð
mid Criste ymbscrydde, gif hi ðone cristendom mid rihtwisnysse weorcum
geglengað. Ðas gewædu awrát se ylca apostol swutellicor on oðre stowe,
ðus cweðende, "Ymbscrydað eow, swa swa Godes gecorenan, mid
mildheortnysse and mid welwillendnysse, mid eadmodnysse, mid
gemetfæstnysse, mid geðylde, and habbað eow, toforan eallum ðingum, ða
soðan lufe, seoðe is bénd ealra fulfremednyssa; and Cristes sib blissige
on eowrum heortum, on ðære ge sind gecígede on anum lichaman. Beoð
þancfulle, and Godes word wunige betwux eow genihtsumlice, on eallum
wisdome tæcende and tihtende eow betwynan, on sealmsangum and gastlicum
lófsangum, singende mid gife Godes on eowrum heortum. Swa hwæt swa ge doð
on worde oððe on weorce, doð symle on Drihtnes naman, þancigende ðam
Ælmihtigan Fæder ðurh his Bearn, þe mid him symle on ánnysse þæs Halgan
Gastes wunað."
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The apostle closed this epistle with these words, "But be invested by
the Lord Jesus Christ." All those who are baptized in Christ are invested
with Christ, if they adorn their christianity with works of
righteousness. Of these weeds the same apostle wrote more plainly in
another place, thus saying, "Clothe yourselves, as God's chosen, with
mercy and with benevolence, with humility, with moderation, with
patience, and have, before all things, true love, which is the bond of
all perfections; and let Christ's peace rejoice in your hearts, in which
ye are called in one body. Be thankful, and let God's word dwell among
you abundantly, in all wisdom teaching and stimulating among yourselves,
in psalms and ghostly hymns, singing with God's grace in your hearts.
Whatsoever ye do in word or in work, do it ever in the name of the Lord,
thanking the Almighty Father through his Son, who with him ever
continueth in unity of the Holy Ghost."
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Uton forði us gearcian mid þisum foresædum reafum, be ðæs apostoles
mynegunge, þæt we to ðære wundorlican gebyrd-tide ures Drihtnes mid
freolslicere ðenunge becumon, þam sy wuldor and lóf á on ecnysse.
Amen.
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Let us then prepare ourselves with these before-said garments,
according to the apostle's admonition, that we may come to the wonderful
birth-tide of our Lord with solemn service, to whom be glory and praise
ever to eternity. Amen.
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DOMINICA II. IN ADUENTUM DOMINI.
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THE SECOND SUNDAY IN THE LORD'S ADVENT.
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Erunt signa in sole et luna et stellis: et reliqua.
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Erunt signa in sole et luna et stellis: et reliqua.
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Se Godspellere Lucas awrát on ðisum dægðerlican godspelle, þæt ure
Drihten wæs sprecende þisum wordum to his leorning-cnihtum, be ðam tácnum
ðe ǽr þyssere worulde geendunge gelimpað. Drihten cwæð, "Tácna
gewurðað on sunnan, and on mónan, and on steorrum, and on eorðan bið
þeoda ofðryccednyss:" et reliqua.
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The Evangelist Luke wrote in this day's gospel, that our Lord was
speaking in these words to his disciples, concerning the signs which will
happen before the ending of this world. The Lord said, "There shall be
signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and on earth there
shall be affliction of nations," etc.
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Se halga Gregorius us trahtnode þyses godspelles digelnysse þus
undergynnende: Drihten ure Alysend ús gewilnað gearwe gemetan, and forþi
cydde ða yfelnyssa ðe folgiað þam ealdigendan middangearde, þæt hé us
fram his lufe gestilde. He geswutelode hú fela ðrowunga forestæppað
þyssere worulde geendunge, gif we God on smyltnysse ondrædan nellað, þæt
we huru his genealæcendan dóm, mid mislicum swinglum afǽrede,
ondrædon. Her wiðufan on þyssere rǽdinge cwæð se Hælend, "Ðeod
arist ongean ðeode, and rice ongean rice, and micele eorðstyrunga beoð
gehwær, and cwealm, and hunger." And syððan betwux ðam þus cwæð, "Tácna
beoð on sunnan, and on mónan, and on steorrum, and on eorðan ðeoda
ofðriccednys, for gemencgednysse sǽlicra yða and sweges."
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The holy Gregory has expounded for us the obscurity of this gospel,
thus beginning: The Lord our Redeemer is desirous to find us ready, and
therefore chid the evils which follow the senescent world, that he might
wean us from its love. He manifested how many sufferings will precede the
ending of this world, if we will not dread God in serenity, that at
least, terrified with many tribulations, we may dread his approaching
doom. Here above in this lesson Jesus said, "Nation shall arise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes shall be
everywhere, and pestilence, and hunger." And afterwards among them thus
said, "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars, and on earth affliction of nations, for the mingling of the
sea-waves and sound."
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Sume ðas tácna we gesawon gefremmede, sume we ondrædað us towearde.
Witodlice on ðisum niwum dagum arison ðeoda ongean ðeoda, and heora
ofðriccednyss on eorðan gelámp swiðor þonne we on ealdum bocum rædað. Oft
eorðstyrung gehwǽr fela burhga ofhreas, swa swa gelámp on Tyberies
dæge þæs caseres, þæt ðreottyne byrig ðurh eorðstyrunge afeollon. Mid
cwealme and mid hungre we sind gelome geswencte, ac we nateshwon gyta
swutele tácna on sunnan, and on mónan, and on steorrum ne gesáwon. We
rædað on tungelcræfte þæt seo sunne bið hwiltidum þurh ðæs monelican
trendles underscyte aðystrod, and eac se fulla móna færlice fagettað,
þonne he ðæs sunlican leohtes bedæled bið ðurh ðære eorðan
sceadwunge. Sind eac sume steorran leoht-beamede, færlice arísende, and
hrædlice gewítende, and hí symle sum ðing níwes mid heora upspringe
gebícniað: ac ne mænde Drihten ðas tácna on ðære godspellican witegunge,
ac ða egefullan tácna þe ðam micclan dæge forestæppað. Matheus se
Godspellere awrát swutelicor þas tácna, þus cweðende, "Þærrihte æfter
ðære micclan gedrefednysse, bið seo sunne aðystrod, and se móna ne sylð
nán leoht, and steorran feallað of heofonum, and heofonan mihta beoð
astyrode, and ðonne bið æteowed Cristes róde-tácn on heofonum, and ealle
eorðlice mægða heofiað." Ðære sǽ gemengednyssa, and dæra yða sweg
ungewunelice gyt ne asprungon, ac ðonne fela ðæra foresædra tácna
gefyllede sind, nis nán twynung þæt þa feawa ðe þær to lafe sind
witodlice gefyllede beón.
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Some of these signs we have seen accomplished, some we fear are to
come. Verily in these new days nations have arisen against nations, and
their affliction on earth has happened greater than we in old books read.
Oft an earthquake in divers places has overthrown many cities, as it
happened in the days of the emperor Tiberius, that thirteen cities fell
through an earthquake. With pestilence and with hunger we are frequently
afflicted, but we have not yet seen manifest signs in the sun, and in the
moon, and in the stars. We read in astronomy, that the sun is sometimes
darkened by the intervention of the lunar orb, and also the full moon
suddenly becomes dusky, when it is deprived of the solar light by the
shadow of the earth. There are also some stars beamed with light,
suddenly rising, and quickly departing, and they by their uprise ever
indicate something new: but the Lord meant not these signs in the
evangelical prophecy, but the awful signs which will precede the great
day. Matthew the Evangelist wrote more plainly of these signs, thus
saying, "Straightways after the great tribulation, the sun shall be
darkened, and the moon shall give no light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be agitated, and then shall appear
the sign of Christ's cross in the heavens, and all earthly powers shall
mourn." The minglings of the sea, and the sound of the waves have not yet
unusually happened, but when many of the before-said signs have been
fulfilled, there is no doubt that the few which are remaining will also
be fulfilled.
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Mine gebroðra, þas ðing sind awritene þæt ure mód þurh wærscipe wacole
beon, þæt hi ðurh orsorhnysse ne asleacion, ne ðurh nytennysse geadlion;
ac þæt symle se óga hí gebysgige, and seo embhydignys on gódum weorcum
getrymme. Drihten cwæð, "Menn forseariað for ógan and andbidunge ðæra
ðinga þe becumað ofer ealne middangeard. Witodlice heofonan mihta beoð
astyrode." Heofonan mihta sind englas and heah-englas, þrymsetl,
ealdorscipas, hlafordscipas and anwealdu. Þas engla werod beoð æteowde
gesewenlice urum gesihðum on to-cyme ðæs strecan Déman, þæt hí stiðlice
æt ús ofgan þæt þæt se ungesewenlica Scyppend emlice forberð. Þonne we
geseoð mannes Bearn cumende on wolcnum, mid micelre mihte and
mægenðrymme. Drihten gecígde hine sylfne mannes Bearn gelomlicor ðonne
Godes Bearn, for eadmodnysse þære underfangenan menniscnysse, þæt hé us
mynegige mid þam gecynde þe he for ús underfeng. He is soðlice mannes
Bearn, and ne manna Bearn, and nis nán oðer anes mannes bearn buton Crist
ána. He bið on mihte and on mægenðrymme geswutelod þam ðe hine on
eadmodnysse wunigende gehyran noldon, þæt hí ðonne gefredon his mihte swa
miccle stiðlicor, swa micclum swa hí nu heora swuran to his geðylde
nellað gebigan. Þas word sind gecwedene be ðam wiðercorenum, ac her
fyliað þa word ðe ða gecorenan frefriað. Se Hælend cwæð, "Þonne ðas
wundra ongynnað, ahebbað þonne eowre heafda and behealdað, forðan ðe
eower alysednyss genealæhð." Swilce hé swutellice his gecorenan mánode,
'Þonne middangeardes wita gelomlæcað, þonne se óga ðæs micclan domes bið
æteowod, ahebbað þonne eowre heafda, þæt is, gladiað on eowrum mode,
forði ðonne þes middangeard bið geendod, þe ge ne lufodon; þonne bið
gehende seo alysednyss ðe ge sohton.' On halgum gewrite bið gelomlice
heafod gesett for þæs mannes mode, forðan ðe þæt heafod gewissað þam
oðrum limum, swa swa þæt mód gediht ða geðohtas. We ahebbað ure heafda
þonne we ure mód arærað to gefean þæs heofonlican eðles. Þa ðe God
lufiað, hí sind gemánode þæt hí gladion on middangeardes geendunge,
forðan þonne he gewít, ðe hí ne lufodon, ðonne witodlice hí gemetað þone
ðe hí lufodon.
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My brothers, these things are written that our minds may be vigilant
through heedfulness, that through security they slacken not, nor through
ignorance become void; but that terror ever occupy, and attention to good
works confirm them. The Lord said, "Men shall wither for terror and for
awaiting the things which shall come over all the world: for the powers
of heaven shall be agitated." The powers of heaven are angels and
archangels, thrones, principalities, lordships and powers. These hosts of
angels will appear visible to our sights at the advent of the severe
Judge, that they may sternly exact from us that which the invisible
Creator patiently forbears. Then we shall see the Son of man coming in
clouds, with great might and majesty. The Lord called himself the Son of
man oftener than the Son of God, from the humility of his assumed
humanity, that he may admonish us with the nature which he for us
received. He is truly Son of man, and not Son of men, and there is no
other son of one man but Christ alone. He will be manifested in might and
in majesty to those who would not obey him while existing in humility,
that they then may feel his might by so much the more severely as they
now will not bow their necks to his patience. These words are said of the
reprobates, but here follow the words which comfort the chosen. Jesus
said, "When these wonders begin, then lift up your heads and behold, for
your redemption approacheth." As if he had manifestly exhorted his
chosen, 'When the torments of the world shall thicken, when the dread of
the great doom shall appear, raise then your heads, that is, be glad in
your minds, for then this world shall be ended, which ye loved not; then
shall be at hand the redemption which ye sought.' In holy writ
head is very frequently put for the mind of man, because the head
directs the other members, as the mind devises the thoughts. We lift up
our heads when we raise our minds to the joys of the heavenly country.
Those whom God loves are exhorted to be glad for the ending of the world,
for when that passes away, which they loved not, then certainly they will
find that which they loved.
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Ne gewurðe hit la, þæt ænig geleafful, seðe gewilnað God to geseonne,
þæt hé heofige for middangeardes hryrum; hit is soðlice awriten, "Swa hwá
swa wile beon freond þyssere worulde, he bið Godes feond geteald."
Witodlice se ðe ne blissað on nealæcunge middangeardes geendunge, se
geswutelað þæt he his freond wæs, and bið þonne oferstæled þæt he Godes
feond is. Ac gewíte þises middangeardes freondscipe fram geleaffulra
manna heortan, and gewíte fram ðam ðe þæt oðer líf gelyfað toweard, and
hit ðurh weorc lufiað. Þa sceolon heofian for middangeardes
toworpennysse, þa ðe heora heortan wyrtruman on his lufe aplantodon, þa
ðe þæt towearde líf ne secað, ne his furðon ne gelyfað: we soðlice, ðe
þæs heofonlican eðles gefean eallunga oncneowon, sceolon anmodlice to ðam
ónettan. Us is to gewiscenne þæt we hrædlice to ðam faron, and þurh ðone
scyrtran weg becumon, forðan ðe ðes middangeard is mid menigfealdum
unrótnyssum geðread, and mid ðwyrnyssum geangsumod.
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O let it not be, that any believer, who desires to see God, mourn for
the fall of the world; for it is written, "Whosoever will be a friend of
this world, will be accounted a foe of God." But he who rejoices not at
the approach of the ending of the world, manifests that he was its
friend, and will then be convicted that he is God's foe. But let
friendship for this world depart from the hearts of believing men, and
depart from them who believe the other life to come, and really love it.
They should mourn for the destruction of the world who have planted the
root of their heart in its love, who seek not the life to come, nor even
believe in it: but we, who full well know the joys of the heavenly
country, should unanimously hasten to it. It is for us to wish that we
may go to it quickly, and arrive by the shorter way, for this world is
afflicted with manifold tribulations, and with crosses tormented.
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Hwæt is ðis deadlice líf buton weg? Understandað nu hwilc sy on weges
geswince to ateorigenne, and ðeah nelle þone weg geendigan. Drihten cwæð,
"Behealdað þæs fíctreowa and ealle oðre treowa, þonne hí spryttað, ðonne
wite ge þæt hit sumorlæhð. Swa eac ge magon witan, ðonne ge ðas foresædan
tácna geseoð, þæt Godes rice genealæhð." Soðlice mid þisum wordum is
geswutelod þæt ðises middangeardes wæstm is hryre. To ðam hé wext þæt he
fealle; to ðy he sprytt þæt hé mid cwyldum fornyme swa hwæt swa hé ær
sprytte. Þes middangeard is ðam ealdigendan menn gelíc: on iugoðe bið se
lichama þeonde on strangum breoste, on fullum limum and halum; witodlice
on ealdlicum gearum bið þæs mannes wæstm gebíged, his swura aslacod, his
neb gerifod, and his lima ealle gewæhte; his breost bið mid sicetungum
geðread, and betwux wordum his orðung ateorað; þeah ðe him adl ón ne
sitte, þeah forwel oft his hæl him bið adl. Swa is ðisum middangearde: æt
fruman hé wæs ðeonde swylce on geogoðháde, he wæs on lichamlicere hælðe
growende, and on spéda genihtsumnysse fætt, langsum on life, stille on
langsumere sibbe; ac hé is nu mid ylde ofsett, swylce mid gelomlæcendum
héfigtymnyssum to deaðe geðread.
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What is this deathlike life but a way? Understand now what it is to
faint through the toil of the way, and yet not to desire the way to end.
The Lord said, "Behold these figtrees and all other trees, when they
sprout, then ye know that summer is near. So likewise ye may know, when
ye see these before-said signs, that God's kingdom draweth near." Verily
by these words it is manifested that the fruit of this world is falling.
It grows that it may fall; it sprouts that it may destroy with diseases
whatsoever it had before sprouted. This world is like to a senescent man:
in youth the body is thriving with strong breast, with full and hale
limbs; but in senile years the man's stature is bowed, his neck
slackened, his face wrinkled, and his limbs all afflicted; his breast is
tormented with sighs, and between his words his breath fails; though
disease sit not on him, yet too often his health is a disease to him. So
it is with this world: at first it was thriving as in youth, it was
growing in bodily health, and fat in abundance of good things, long in
life, still in long peace; but now it is with age oppressed, as it were
with frequent tribulations afflicted to death.
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Mine gebroðra, ne lufige ge þisne middangeard þe ge geseoð þæt lange
wunian ne mæg. Be ðisum cwæð se apostol, "Ne lufige ge middangeard, ne ða
ðing ðe him on wuniað, forðan swa hwá swa middangeard lufað, næfð hé
Godes lufe on him."
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My brothers, love not this world which ye see cannot long exist. Of
this the apostle said, "Love not the world, nor anything that dwelleth on
it, for whosoever loveth the world, hath not love of God in him."
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Wel is Godes rice sumerlicere tide wiðmeten, forði ðonne gewitað þa
genipu ure dreorignysse, and lifes dagas ðurh beorhtnysse þære ecan
sunnan scinað.
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Well is the kingdom of God compared with the summer season, for then
the clouds of our dreariness pass away, and the days of life shine
through the brightness of the eternal sun.
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Ealle ðas foresædan ðing sind mid micelre gewissunge getrymde þurh
ðisne æfterfyligendan cwyde, "Soð ic eow secge, Ne gewít ðeos mægð, oðþæt
ealle ðas ðing gewurðað." Þas word spræc Drihten to Iudeiscre mægðe, and
heora cynn ne gewít þurh ateorunge, ærðan ðe þes
middangeard geendað. Be ðisum andgite cwæð se apostol Paulus, þæt
"Drihten sylf astihð of heofonum on stemne þæs heah-engles, and mid Godes
byman, and ða deadan ærest arisað; syððan we ðe lybbað, and on lichaman
beoð gemette beoð gelæhte forð mid þam oðrum on wolcnum togeanes Criste,
and we swa symle syððan mid Gode beoð. Frefriað eów mid þisum wordum."
Eac on ðisum andgite geðwærlæhð se Godspellere Matheus, þisum wordum,
"Drihten asent his englas mid byman and micelre stemne, and hí gaderiað
his gecorenan fram feower windum, of eallum eorðlicum gemærum oð ða
heálican heofonan."
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All these before-said things are with great certainty confirmed by
this following sentence, "Verily I say unto you, This tribe shall not
pass away, until all these things shall take place." These words the Lord
spake to the Jewish tribe, and their kin will not pass away
through decay, before this world ends. Of this sentence the apostle Paul
said, that "the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with the voice of
the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead will first
arise; afterwards, we who live, and shall be found in the body, will be
caught forth with the others in clouds towards Christ, and so we shall
ever after be with God. Comfort yourselves with these words." Also in
this sentence the Evangelist Matthew agrees, in these words, "The Lord
will send his angels with trumpet and loud voice, and they shall gather
his chosen from the four winds, from all earthly boundaries to the high
heavens."
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Se apostol cwæð, "We ðe lybbað." Ne mænde he hine sylfne mid þam
worde, ac ða ðe on life þurhwuniað oþ geendunge þyssere worulde. Mid þam
is eac geswutelod, þæt mancynn mid ealle ne ateorað ær ðære geendunge, ac
hí habbað hwæðere sceortne deað, þa ðe þonne on life gemette beoð; forðan
ðe heofonlic fyr ofergæð ealne middangeard mid anum bryne, and ða deadan
arisað of heora byrgenum mid ðam fyre, and ða lybbendan beoð acwealde
þurh ðæs fyres hætan, and ðærrihte eft ge-edcucode to ecum ðingum. Ne
derað þæt fyr nán ðing þam rihtwisum, ðe ǽr fram synnum geclænsode
wæron; ac swa hwá swa ungeclænsod bið, he gefret þæs fyres ǽðm; and
we ðonne ealle to ðam dóme becumað. Ne bið se dóm on nánum eorðlicum
felda gedémed, ac bið swa swa se apostol her wiðufan on þyssere
rǽdinge cwæð, þæt we beoð gegripene on wolcnum togeanes Criste,
geond þas lyft; and þær bið seo twæming rihtwisra manna and arleasra. Þa
rihtwisan nahwar syððan ne wuniað buton mid Gode on heofonan rice, and ða
arleasan nahwar buton mid deofle on helle suslum.
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The apostle said, "We who live." He did not mean himself by those
words, but those who continue in life until the ending of this world. By
that it is likewise manifested, that mankind will not wholly perish
before the ending, but that they will, nevertheless, have a short death
who shall then be found in life; for heavenly fire will pass over all the
world with one burning, and the dead will arise from their graves with
that fire, and the living will be slain by the fire's heat, and
straightways after requickened to eternity. The fire will in no wise
injure the righteous who had before been cleansed from sins; but
whosoever is uncleansed shall eat the fire's breath; and we shall then
all come to the doom. The doom will be deemed on no earthly field, but
will be as the apostle here above in this lesson said, that we shall be
seized up in clouds towards Christ, through the air; and there will be
the separation of righteous and impious men. The righteous will
afterwards dwell nowhere but with God in the kingdom of heaven, and the
impious nowhere but with the devil in hell-torments.
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Se Hælend beleac þis godspel mid þisum wordum: "Heofen and eorðe
gewítað, and mine word næfre ne gewítað." Ne awendað heofon and eorðe to
nahte, ac hi beoð awende of ðam hiwe ðe hí nu on wuniað to beteran hiwe,
swa swa Iohannes se Godspellere cwæð, "Þonne bið
niwe heofon and niwe eorðe." Ne beoð witodlice oðre gesceapene, ac ðas
beoð ge-edniwode. Heofon and eorðe gewítað, and ðeah ðurhwuniað, forðan
ðe hí beoð fram ðam hiwe ðe hí nu habbað þurh fyr geclænsode, and
swa-ðeah symle on heora gecynde standað. Þonne bið seo sunne be
seofonfealdum beorhtre þonne heo nu sy, and se móna hæfð þære sunnan
leoht.
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Jesus concluded this gospel with these words: "Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but my words shall never pass away." Heaven and earth will not
turn to naught, but they will be changed from the form in which they now
exist to a better form, as John the Evangelist said,
"Then there shall be a new heaven and a new earth." There will not indeed
be others created, but these will be renewed. Heaven and earth will pass
away, but will, nevertheless, continue, for they will be cleansed by fire
from the form which they now have, and will yet stand ever in their own
nature. Then will the sun be sevenfold brighter than it now is, and the
moon will have the light of the sun.
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Dauid soðlice be Cristes to-cyme þisum wordum witegode: "God cymð
swutellice, and hé ne suwað. Fyr byrnð on his gesihðe, and on his
ymbhwyrfte bið swiðlic storm." Se storm aðwyhð swa hwæt swa þæt fyr
forswælð. Be ðam dæge cwæð se witega Sofonias, "Se miccla Godes dæg is
swiðe gehende, and ðearle swyft: biter bið þæs dæges stemn: þær bið se
stránga gedrefed. Se dæg is yrres dæg, and gedrefednysse dæg and
angsumnysse, yrmðe dæg and wánunge, þeostra dæg and dimnysse, byman dæg
and cyrmes."
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David verily prophesied of Christ's advent in these words: "God shall
come manifestly, and he will not keep silence. Fire shall burn in his
sight, and round about him shall be a mighty storm." The storm will wash
whatsoever the fire burns. Of that day the prophet Zephaniah said, "The
great day of God is very near at hand, and exceedingly swift: bitter
shall be the voice of that day: there shall the strong be afflicted. That
day is a day of wrath, and a day of affliction and anxiety, a day of
misery and wail, a day of darkness and dimness, a day of the trumpet and
of outcry."
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Mine gebroðra, settað þises dæges gemynd ætforan eowrum eagum, and swa
hwæt swa bið nu héfigtyme geðuht, eal hit bið on his wiðmetennysse
geliðegod. Gerihtlæcað eower líf, and awendað eowre ðeawas, witniað mid
wope eowre yfelan dæda, wiðstandað deofles costnungum; bugað fram yfele,
and doð gód, and ge beoð swa micclum orsorgran on to-cyme þæs ecan Déman,
swa micclum swa ge nu his strecnysse mid ege forhrádiað. Se witega cwæð,
þæt se miccla Godes dæg is swiðe gehende, and þearle swyft. Þeah ðe gyt
wære oðer þusend geara to ðam dæge, nære hit langsum; forðan swa hwæt swa
geendað, þæt bið sceort and hræd, and bið swilce hit næfre ne gewurde,
þonne hit geendod bið. Hwæt þeah hit langsum wære to ðam dæge, swa hit
nis, þeah ne bið ure tíma langsum, and on úre geendunge us bið gedémed,
hwæðer we on reste oþþe on wite ðone gemǽnelican dóm anbidian
sceolon. Uton forði brucan þæs fyrstes ðe us God forgeaf, and geearnian
þæt ece líf mid him seðe leofað and rixað in ealra worulda woruld.
Amen.
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My brothers, set the remembrance of this day before your eyes, and
whatsoever now appears to be trouble, it shall all be mitigated on
comparison with it. Correct your lives, and change your conduct, punish
your evil deeds with weeping, withstand the temptations of the devil;
eschew evil and do good, and ye will be by so much the more secure at the
advent of the eternal Judge, as ye now with terror anticipate his
severity. The prophet said, that the great day of God is very near at
hand and very swift. Though there were yet another thousand years to that
day, it would not be long; for whatsoever ends is short and quick, and
will be as it had never been, when it is ended. But though it were long
to that day, as it is not, yet will our time not be long, and at our
ending it will be adjudged to us, whether we in rest or in torment shall
await the common doom. Let us, therefore, profit by the time which God
has given us, and merit the everlasting life with him who liveth and
reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
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Page [2], l. 5 from bot. undergann—here a finite verb seems wanting.
—[2], l. 3 f. b. geendung þyssere worulde. It was an universal belief at the time throughout Europe, that the world was to end in the year 1000: M. Michelet has collected the principal passages to be found in the old writers relative to this superstition. Concil. Trosl. a. 909 (Mansi, xviii. p. 266): "Dum jam jamque adventus imminet illius in majestate terribili, ubi omnes cum gregibus suis venient pastores in conspectum Pastoris æterni," etc.—Trithemii Chron. a. 960: "Diem jamjam imminere dicebat (Bernhardus, eremita Thuringiæ) extremum, et mundum in brevi consummandum."—Abb. Floriac. a. 990 (Gallandius, xiv. 141): "De fine mundi coram populo sermonem in ecclesia Parisiorum audivi, quod statim finito mille annorum numero Antichristus adveniret, et non longo post tempore universale judicium succederet."—Will. Godelli Chron. ap. Scriptt. Fr. x. 262: "A.D. MX, in multis locis per orbem tali rumore audito, timor et mœror corda plurimorum occupavit, et suspicati sunt multi finem sæculi adesse."—Rad. Glaber, l. iv. ibid. 49: "Æstimabatur enim ordo temporum et elementorum præterita ab initio moderans sæcula in chaos decidisse perpetuum, atque humani generis interitum." Hist. de France, t. ii. p. 300, note, ed. Bruxelles.
—[6], l. 8. heofenas. Sic MS. for heofenes or heofenan.
—[8], l. ult. awecð. MS. Reg. has awyhtð, and after anre handa adds and ealle eorðan he belicð on his handa.
—[10], l. 11 f. b. norð-dæle. So Cædmon, p. 3, l. 8.
þa he worde cwæð,
. . . . .
þæt he on norð-dæle
hám and heah-setl
heofena rices
agan wolde.
In fact the whole beginning of the work ascribed to Cædmon appears to be a metrical paraphrase of this homily. Andweald is corrupt orthography for anweald.
—[26], l. 13 f. b. for geferena, MS. Reg. has þegena.
—[28], l. 2 f. b. After acenned wæs, MS. Reg. adds, seðe æfre buton anginne of þam Ælmihtigan Fæder acenned wæs.
—[42], l. 12. Nis nan ... Hælend Crist. These words seem an interpolation, or incidental remark of Ælfric; they are therefore inclosed as a parenthesis in the translation.
—[58], l. 9. mægðhad should correctly have been rendered virginity.
—[84], l. 9 f. b. This passage concerning Rachel is not clear: it may possibly refer to some rabbinic tradition about her children.
—[98], l. 8 f. b. on þissere stowe, in this place. The place where Ælfric composed the homily, probably Cerne abbey (Cernel).
—[100], l. 10 f. b. nellað heora þing wanian. This passage is obscure, and the translation purely conjectural. Monday was accounted an unlucky day by the old Germans. See Grimm, D. M. p. 662, and on superstitions connected with the moon, ib. p. 407.
—[108], l. 13. This passage is evidently the original of the lines in the Codex Exoniensis, p. 69, 30 sq., and contribute to strengthen the opinion that Cynewulf was the author of that work, as well as of the Vercelli poetry. To him Ælfric dedicated his Life of S. Æthelwold.
—[174], l. 9. On praying to saints for their intercession, see also Theodori Lib. Pœniten. xlviii. 1, 2. in 'Ancient Laws and Institutes of England.'
—[190], l. 13 f. b. we his gelyfað. The construction with the genitive is worthy of notice: in another place we have, we ðe gelyfað Cristes æristes.
—[242], l. 16. alefed. This word is probably akin to læpeo (T. Roffens. læweo) in the Laws of Eadward and Guthrum, x. (Anc. LL. and Inst.), which in the old Latin version is rendered, membris disfactus.
—[244]. Rubric. "The Litania Major is St. Mark's day, and the Litania Minor is for the Rogation time, or the three days preceding the feast of the Ascension, by the Anglo-Saxons called Gang-days. The service both on St. Mark's day, and on the three Rogation days before the Ascension is the same, and from the present homily it seems, that on the Rogation days the Litany in the time of Ælfric was called Major, as it is also in the Canons of Charlemagne, and in some very old MSS. of the Liturgy; though by the Council of Clovesho, A.D. 747, the service used on St. Mark's day was called 'Litania Major,' leaning for the use of the term on the authority of Rome. The distinction is still strictly observed, the Litania Major signifying St. Mark's day, the other the Rogation week."—R.
—[244], l. 16. Uigenna, Vienne in the former province of Dauphiné.
—[246], l. 6 f. b. haligdom may here probably signify the host.
—[294], l. 13. Lucas se Godspellere. See Homily p. 314, where the book of The Acts of the Apostles is ascribed to St. Luke.
—[298], l. 5 f. b. twegen englas, etc. See Cod. Exon. p. 28.
—[322], l. 15 f. b. See Cod. Exon. p. 295.
—[338], l. 8 f. b. þonne. In Matt. xviii. 12. and Luke xv. 4. hu ne.
—[436]. Hom. de Assumptione, etc. Here some leaves have been cut out of the MS.; the part wanting, reaching to p. 446, l. 3, is supplied from MS. Reg. It is also supplied (apparently by the hand of Wheelocke) in the MS. itself, but in a text far too corrupt for use.
—[448], l. 4. For nalæs, MS. Reg. reads here, ne læs, which is followed in the version; but the entire passage is still far from clear.
—[524], l. 9 f. b. Here a leaf has been cut out; the part wanting, reaching to p. 530, l. 11, is supplied from MS. Reg.
—[534], l. 9. "This passage refers to a ceremony once in very general usage. It was the custom to spread out a sheet of sackcloth on the floor, and on this to sprinkle ashes in the shape of a cross. Just as the dying person was in the last agony, he was taken out of bed, and stretched on the sackcloth and ashes; it being deemed more becoming, that sinful man should yield up his soul thus, than on a soft bed, when his divine Redeemer died on the hard wood of the cross."—R.
This usage was not obsolete about twenty-five years since.
—[566], l. 5. nywerenan (MS. Bodl. niwernan). In the Bodley MS. this word (which I do not recollect to have seen elsewhere) is glossed by tenero.
—[586], l. 6 f. b. An account of the passion of St. Andrew wholly different from that contained in this homily, is that on which the poem entitled The Legend of St. Andrew is founded, for the details of which the reader is referred to the preface of Mr. Kemble's edition of The Poetry of the Codex Vercellensis. In a very mutilated manuscript of Anglo-Saxon homilies at Blickling Hall, for the loan of which the Society is indebted to the kindness of the Dowager Lady Suffield, there is a fragment of a homily which, it seems highly probable, was the immediate original of the Vercelli poem.
—[598], l. 8 f. b. ætwindan. The meaning of this word here I do not understand: can it be an error for hit windan?
—[608], l. 9. undergynnende. I am not aware of the occurrence of this word elsewhere. In Ælfric's Preface to the Heptateuch (Analecta A.-S. p. 25) we find underbeginnenne in the sense of to understand.
END OF VOL. I.