[ V. A PARABLE]
“Cotton Vespasian A 22, British Museum. It is composite; a second MS., 224 × 153 mm. in two columns, begins at f. 54 with the pieces printed in OEH i. 217-45. It is written in a small and crabbed hand unlike that of a professed scribe. The use of the contraction marks is unsystematic and the readings are sometimes uncertain.”
Rex Suos Iudicans
11. se] fe MS.
18. sum ... fend added on margin. Printed as shown in text, without leading space.
20. dierewurð] dierewurd MS.
⁊ aldren over an erasure.
21. þeínen over an erasure.
22. scewie] scepie MS.
28. wiðinne] hit hī MS.
29. ⁊ þer ... sandon added lengthwise on margin. [H] it ȝelamp þ̵ an rice king wes. strang ⁊ mihti. his `land´ gélest wide ⁊ side. his folc was `swiðe´ ærfeðtelle. his under þéoden ȝéwer on his cyne rice wuneden. Þa be fel hit swa þ̵ him a þance beféll · to under ȝeíte wá an alle his cyne rice him were frend oðer fend. hold oðer fá. ⁊ he nam him tó rede þ̵ heom wolde 5 ȝearceon anæ grate laðienge. ⁊ þider ȝeclepíen all his underþéod. þ̵ hi bi éne féce to his curt `berie´ come sceolde ⁊ sette ænne déȝie. þ̵ hi alle be þe látst to þa deȝ`i´e. þer were. Ac þis ȝesceod he hadde isétt bi tweone frend ⁊ fend. þ̵ þan hi come mistlice to bérie. ȝef he frend wére. me hine sceolde derewrlice forð clepien. ⁊ do hine wasse. 10 ⁊ ȝiéfe him hís formemete. þ̵ him to lang ne þuhte to abiden of se laford to þe none inn come. Gief he fend wére. me sceolden ánon eter gat ȝemete mid gode repples ⁊ stiarne swépen. ⁊ stiarne híne besíé. ⁊ binde him hand ⁊ fétt. ⁊ do hine in to þiesternesse. ⁊ þer abide of all his ȝeferen were ȝegadered. þ̵ hi alle clone. símle 15 belócen were. Þa sende se king his ærndraches of fif ceðen to alle his under þeoden. to ȝelaðie þis folc. hwet bute ícome súm cófer sum láter`sum frend sum fend´. ⁊ was idon bí ham al swá ær cweðe [we] þ̵ isett was. Þa hit þer to com. þ̵ se hlaford in to þar halle come. mid his dierewurð ȝeferede. mid ǽrlen ⁊ aldren. mid cn`i´hten 20 mid þeínen. þa cweð se hlafor to his. Æér þann we mid ure frienden toðe mete gó. scewie we þes uncoðe mæn ur ȝefó. þa hi to for him cóme. þa wénte he hin to ham ⁊ þus cweð. Un [f. 56 v2] wraste man wat lacede ȝéu an alle míre rice þat ȝíe hatrede ⁊ widerwardnesse aȝénes me ȝe win[ne] sceolde. ⁊ to mine `fá´ ȝebugon. Swá ibrúce ic mine 25 rice ne scule ȝíe mine mete ibite. ac scule þa þe hit mid mire lufe ȝearnede. Þa þis was iségd. þa were cofe abruden into þesternesse. þe hi sturfe hungre. ⁊ se hlaford nam wiðinne to is frenden ⁊ et ⁊ dranc ⁊ macede hine wel bliðe mid his `⁊ þer hi hadden brad ⁊ win. ⁊ vii. sandon´. 30
35. of mihte added on margin.
36. halst] MS. alste.
37. awiðhst] the last six letters on margin. At beginning of following line hst eorðe belucst mid.
38. þan] MS. þ̵ = þat.
44. his] he MS.
48. sielfe] sielþe MS.
50. chereð] cheteð MS. ¶[N]u gode menn understandeð þis bispel. Þes king is ure hlaford almihti god þe is king ofer alle kingen. ⁊ hlaford ofer alle hlafordé. S[t]rang he his ⁊ michti. for he ȝesceop alle þing of nahte. ⁊ na þing ne máȝi áȝenes his wille. ne him wiðstande. for þan him séigd se wítíȝe. Qui celorum contines tronos ⁊ c. þ̵ is. hlaford `of mihte´ 35 þe halst hefenen þrimsettles. ⁊ tó neowelnes`se´ þe under eorðe is be locést. ·iii· prou. þe dunan þu a`wiðhst´ mid þina hand; he is íwiss mihti for þan þe non mihté nis buton fram him. His land is all þes middenard. for he alle ȝesceop. ⁊ all dihte wið ute swince. He us is · king · ⁊ sceppend. ⁊ fader. ⁊ hlaford. King for he mid rihtwisnesse 40 diht `man ⁊ engel god ⁊ euel´. sceppende. for he us machede lichame ⁊ sawle ableow. feder for he us fett ⁊ scred. ⁊ forðteh alse is cyldren. hlaford forþan þe is ȝéie ⁊ drednesse is ofer hus. ⁊ `þas´ áh to bienne. He is hure fader. he lenð us his eorðe tó tolie. his corn to sawe. his eorðe us werpð corn ⁊ westm. níatt. ⁊ dierchin. his loht leóem ⁊ lif. 45 his wáter · drench ⁊ fiscẏnn. his fér manifeald þenínge. his sónne. mone. sterren. rien. dáw. wind. wude. `unitald fultume´ al þ̵ we habbeð of þése feder we habbeð. of wam we alle ⁊ us sielfe habbeð. Múȝe we ahct clepeien hine moder wene we. ȝíe muȝe we. hwat deð si moder hire bearn. formes[t] hi hit chereð ⁊ blissið be þe lichte. ⁊ 50 seþe hi dieð under hire árme [f. 57 r1] oðer hi`s´ hafed heleð to don him slepe. ⁊ reste. Þis deð all ȝíure drihte. he blisseð hus mid dȝéies licht. h[e] sweueð hus mid þiestre nicht. Gíet for an oðre þing god ȝescop þa niht. He wat wel þ̵ maníȝe men bieð sa ful of ȝéscung. mihti efre ísí. Ná ȝewóld ham selfe. to bigeten wrldlic échte. þer for 55 56. hafð] hafd MS.
57. word] worder MS.
61. self cweð] selþ cwed MS.
71. þesen] þ corr. out of p. god hafð ȝescepe ham reste. súme `wile´ hare`s´ unþances. ȝeíet he cweð a wunder word to þar sawle bi þa witíe ysaiam. Numquid potest mulier obliuisci infantem suum ut non misereatur filio uteri sui. þ̵ is la líef maȝíe wiman forȝeten his oge cild. þ̵ hi ne milsi. hire bárn of hire ogen innoð. ⁊ ȝief hi for ȝiet þah hwéðer nell íc 60 for ȝete þe cweð drihte. be þam þe he fader is ⁊ lafórd he him self cweð be þe witíe. Si ego pater ubi est honor meus. si dominus ubi est tim`or´ meus. þ̵ is. gif ic fader ham. wer his mi manscipe. ȝif ic. hlaford wer hís mine aȝéíe? þer fore. G. m. ure king. we oȝeð wr`h´mint. hur sceappend al þat we bieð. ure fader soðe lufe. ur h`l´aford 65 drednesse. ⁊ þis is séo king þe wile wíte an alle his underþeode wá hine lufeð ⁊ hwa hine hateð. hwá him is frend oðer fend. ⁊ þer for he hað ȝelaðed alle fol[c]. to ane dȝéíe. þ̵ is dome`s´ dȝeíe. þ̵ hi alle þer beon be þe latst. hwé seden ærst þ̵ þes ærndraces wer isent of fif cheðen. swa ibeoð. þas fif cheðen beoð fif lágan. for þan þe god is 70 þurh þesen ȝecnówé. Si forme lage þ̵ is si ȝécénde lage. þe god sett formest an þes mannes heorte. þ̵ is þat non man ne don oðere. buton þ̵ þe he wolde þ̵ me ded[e] him. ⁊ don his nixtan al þ̵ he wolde þ̵ me ded[e]him. Wið ute þeser láge ni`s´ man þe ȝescod habbe. Ærndraces of þisser lage wer abel. Seth. enoc. Nóe. ⁊ swíce gode 75 man. Seðe þes middenard was ȝestaþeled fram þa forme man to þa latst þe wrð ét þes [f. 57 r2] wrldes ende. nas tid ne týme ne ne wrð. þ̵ god ne send gode mænn his folc forte ȝelaðie to his rice. Ac si láge sóne adiligde. þurh unwreaste leahtrum ⁊ manifald sénne. Þer efter arerde god þas lage þurh moẏsen þe heretoche of his 80 folce þe he þa ȝecás. ⁊ wráte his him self in stanene wax br`e´dene. ⁊ si ȝeleste sume wíle. ⁊ þer of were larþawes ⁊ ȝelaðieres Moises ⁊ aaron. ⁊ samuel. ⁊ fele oðre. Swa lange þ̵ si alswa swið[e] abreað. ⁊ adiliȝede. þurh unhersamnesse. wat hit com to þa time þe god sende þe halie witíge. ⁊ hi þa arérdon mid hare wríte þurh þes halíe gastes 85 gífe `þa´ god lage. ⁊ rihtleceden þ̵ folc swa se hi mihten. ⁊ bodeden ure`s´ hlafordes to cýme ses helendes ihesu cristes. þe sceolde his aȝén wille. þurh his gastes ȝífe in ure heorte wríte. ⁊ don ús mid his mihte þ̵ stef creft ne 89. ne corr. out of na.
90. manifeald sénne] manifead fénne MS.
98. þurh] þurl MS.
100. ur] un MS. mihte. ⁊ an þesser láȝe of þe witȝin. wer laðieres móche. Eft bine fece ⁊ þes lare ⁊ lage swiðe acolede þurh manifea[l]d 90 sénne. ⁊ hur ⁊ hur þurh false gódes þe ælc þiode ham selfe macéde. sume of golde. súm of silure. of treowe. of stane. ⁊ awente godes lof ⁊ wrhminte fram þe sceappende to þare ȝesceafte. swa þ̵ þa ure halende wes accenned of þam unwemmede mede sante Marie. al se middennard was mid senne begripe. ⁊ al fol`c´ ȝede in to þe`s´ diefles muðe. buton 95 wel feáwe of wam his lefe moder wes istriened. he þa arerd alle godnisse. ⁊ sette his halíe láge. ⁊ þat þe móre his. ȝiaf miht ⁊ strencþe þurh þe gief of his gaste his hesne to fulforðie. þ̵ non oðre laȝe ne mihte. ⁊ understandeð hwu. Þri ampres were an mancyn ær his to cyme. Ure acenneng wes ful. ur lif unwreast. ur deað grislic. he 100 com ⁊ brochte þri þin[g] þer aȝén. he wes acénde of þe clene mede. þe efer þurh lefede mede. hi`s´ lif was haliȝe. his deað ful of milce. his clene acennende clénséde ure fule acennende. his hali lif rihtlecede ure unwreaste lif. his admoded deað ofer com. ⁊ fordede ure soriȝe ⁊ ȝelice deað. þís is [f. 57 v1] si fierðe láge. An þisser were ærndraces ⁊ 105 ȝelaðieres þa apostles ⁊ þe leorninch[n]ihtes. þer efter ures helendes upstíȝe to heuene. þa apostles ⁊ hare íunglenges þe[r] efter come halíe men ⁊ þe hafedmen þe nu beoð in halíe cyrce. ⁊ wrðeð of domes déȝe. þurh þes hali gastes ȝífe. ⁊ al swa ure helende ham leórde. maníȝe þing [t]ehten þa folce to freme. ⁊ þis is si fifte lage. An þisser beoð bedeles 110 ⁊ laðieres to berie archebiscopes. ⁊ biscopes. prestes. ⁊ hare ȝegeng. Ac þah we fif næmmíe. 112. hi] hit MS.
118. þan] þ̵ MS.
oðre] ooðre MS.
121. þan] þ̵ MS.
witerlice] witetlice MS.
124. þan] þ̵ MS. alle hi [beoð an] on godes wille. ⁊ élc of ham ȝestrenð ⁊ fulfellþ oðre. Of þeses fif ceþen ⁊ of hare bedeles we habbeð ȝéu ȝéséd. Of þe folce we siggeð þ̵ hit cumþ fastlice. fram middenardes anginn alse fele alse deade beoð alse fele beoð to berie ícóme. wat frend. 115 wat fá. ⁊ elce déȝíe þícce þringeð. Ac ȝief ȝé habbeð understande þ̵ we ȝíu er séde. eter gate me his scýft. ⁊ þer me hi to ȝesceodeð. Si gate þ̵ is elces mannes endedeíe. þan he stepð ut of þese life into þan oðre. Ac we sede ȝehw. þ̵ ȝief he frend were me sceolde ȝief him his mórȝe mete þ̵ he þe bet mihte abide þann more mete. Swa hit is here. 120 þan se gode man þe godes lufe hað ȝéfolged to is ende cumþ. witerlice wið ut uúantruce þer cumeð þe hali engles him tó. ⁊ ȝéf hað ahte uniwasse oðer hit wrð ȝewasse iþer pine of þe deaðe þe he her þáleð. oðer efter mid eðelice lette. ⁊ þan lat me þa sawle to merchestowe. þ̵ his se morȝemete si blisse þe he hað an þar sawle. þat wite ȝe wel. 125 nan halege nað his fulle blisse er he under fó adomes deíe his licame. þ̵ wrð se fulle mete. þan se mann mid sawle ⁊ mid licame under-fangð sicernesse of écer blisse. ⁊ wat belimpð hit ȝief he fend his `þe´ to þare gate cumþ? God þurh his [f. 57 v2] mucele milce ne letes us nefer fandie. Ac naþeles ȝief he fend his an unwreast mann þer beoð 130 anú ȝeréd`i´e. þe weregede gastes þe hine uniredlice underfangeð 131. mid] min MS.
140. þo corr. out of to | hali ȝewitien MS.
143. þan] þ̵ MS. middenard] middernad MS. þan] þ̵ MS.
144. cwaceð] cwaced MS.
149. self] selþ MS. mid stiarne swupen. Alse fele unþeawes alse hade upe him ⁊ sennenn. al swa fendes he þer ȝemet. hīne to underfó. ⁊ to don hīne into þiesternesse. oft a domes dȝéi alle godes fend simle fram his ȝesecðe abroden bienn ⁊ hi[n] to hare lean ham þe lange scel ȝeleste. Þus hit hað íbí ⁊ 135 is. ⁊ wrð oft domesdei. Ac þann hit þer to cumþ þ̵ se hlaford á þe mucele deíe. cumþ forté ísí ⁊ frend ⁊ fend. þann cumþ all his underþiede him to fore. þer he sit mid his derewrþe ȝefered mid niȝen anglene had. mid þer unwēmmed meide his moder. mid his apostlen. mid þa hágefaderen. ⁊ þo halíȝe wítien. mid martiren. mi[d] hali 140 confessoren mid halie meiden. mid al þan þe þer midenarde for his lufe werpeð abéc. ⁊ lagelice her him þenið. wic ȝeíe. wic drednesse wurð þer. þan þat fer to for him abernð þ̵ middenard. þan si eorðe alle cwaceð þan þe sterren falleð. si sunne ⁊ se mone aþestreð for godes brictnesse. þe wlcne to gað. and si hali rode tacne mid þe 145 spere ⁊ mid þe neiles þurh angles beoð forð ibrocht. þann þe angles cwaciað. ⁊ tó richtwíse ham adredeð. wat sceol se senfulle don. þe isecgð þer his richtwise deme. þe non ne maíe bechece. non beswice. he his him self witnisse ⁊ deme. Wat sceol se wrecce don. þe bufon iséȝð his hlaford þe he ȝegremed áfeð. under him helle muð open. 150 abuuten him all folc. him selfe bi s`c´a[n]dlice senne beswapen. þer ne mái non frend oðre helpe. ælc had innóh to donne an him selfe. 153. seieð] seied MS.
160. gṛod MS.
162. þe] q̣þe MS.
167. cóm] cón MS.
170. Seðe] sede MS. Þan seieð ham god þe geltẏ mannen ȝe seneȝeden. an ȝeur écenesse. ⁊ ȝe scule [f. 58 r1] birne an mire écenisse. Ȝe seneȝden alse lange alse ȝé lefede ⁊ ȝe scule birne alse longe as íc lefie. Witeð into éce fer. þe is 155 `ȝ´æarced mine fó ⁊ his ȝegen. Son[e] hi wrðeð abroden of his ȝesecþe. ⁊ þan sone geð se hlaford mid his frenden to his mete. þ̵ his to is esten. þe seið an þan hali write Delicie méé sunt esse cum filiis hominum. þat is. Mine esten beoð wunian mid mannen bearnen. Ac we sed[en] ȝíu litl her þ̵ hi sceolden abben god brad ⁊ uin. ⁊ vii 160 sonden. hi sculen habe þ̵ brad þe seið iþe godspel. Ego sum panis uiuus qui de celo descendi. Þet is. Ic ám cwuce bread þe astah fram hefene. seȝð ure helende. Se þe of þese brad ett. ne sterfeð he nefer. Þis bread was ímaced of ane `h´wete corne. al swa se he cweð ȝeðe godspelle. Nisi granum frumenti. ⁊ c. þis corn was ȝesawen 165 þurh þes ængles muð into ðes meidenes ære Marie. in þare burh of nazareth. þis corn cóm fer`s´t inne bethléem. þ̵ cweð us of breade. hit wex ⁊ bleówu. in iudea. hit rípede in ierusalem. Judas ⁊ þat leoðre folc hit répén. ⁊ deden hit an þar rode alswa alse be twenen melstanent. Seðe hit was idon into þer berient alswa into hófne. þanen 170 hit was ibroht up into heofene to þes hahes hlafordes borde. þer hit fet. ⁊ engles. ⁊ mancinn in écenisse. ⁊ þis is hare b`r´ead. hwer scule we win finden? Al swa se he cweð. Ego sum uitis uera. ⁊ c.
[ VI. THE PROVERBS OF ALFRED]
“Jesus College, Oxford, E 29, formerly Arch. i. 29 (J).... written not long after 1276 (Anglia xxx, 222).... Our piece is written continuously as prose, each stanza forming a paragraph, but iv and v are in one without l. 54, which is here supplied, while l. 43 is written at the end of the preceding paragraph and similarly the lines beginning viii-xvii, xix-xxiii. The scribe was evidently struggling with an original which he could not always read; see [footnote to l. 105].
“.... the copy of the [Poema Morale] in the same MS. has undergone a drastic revision which sets it apart among the versions of that poem, and the version of the [Owl and Nightingale] has suffered, though not to the same extent. On the other hand MS. T was copied by a man who was incapable of remodelling it; though a ruin, it often preserves in details the original.”
Incipiunt documenta Regis Aluredi.
Þus Queþ Alured