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| II. |
 | The South English Legendary |  |
Þreo soulen beoþ in echman ac noȝt alle iliche gode
As ich sede ȝou er of þre[o] bollen ȝif ȝe it vnderstode
In þe neþemoste bolle þat þe liuere deþ of springe
Þer comeþ to a maner soule atte biginnynge
As it were a maner lif þat sent norissinge
To þe lymes al aboute and bringþ hom in wuxinge
As ich sede ȝou er of þre[o] bollen ȝif ȝe it vnderstode
In þe neþemoste bolle þat þe liuere deþ of springe
Þer comeþ to a maner soule atte biginnynge
As it were a maner lif þat sent norissinge
To þe lymes al aboute and bringþ hom in wuxinge
So þat a mannes norissinge and þe wexinge also
Of þulke ferste soule comþ and of þe liuere þerto
Þulke maner soule is in eche wexinge þinge
In treon and in erbes ek hi ne miȝte noȝt elles springe
Þoru uertu of þulke soule wanne it is þerto ibroȝt
Þat mannes limes iformed beoþ þat þer ne failleþ noȝt
Of þulke ferste soule comþ and of þe liuere þerto
Þulke maner soule is in eche wexinge þinge
In treon and in erbes ek hi ne miȝte noȝt elles springe
Þoru uertu of þulke soule wanne it is þerto ibroȝt
Þat mannes limes iformed beoþ þat þer ne failleþ noȝt
Þanne comþ þere in þe heorte þat þe oþer bolle was
A soule þat bringþ þat lif on þat neuer er nas
Þanne is þat child quic anon ac strengþe naþ hit noȝt
Elles forto wawi him ar it forþor be[o] ibroȝt
A soule þat bringþ þat lif on þat neuer er nas
Þanne is þat child quic anon ac strengþe naþ hit noȝt
427
Of þulke soule haþ ech man þat he may wawe and gon
Iuelynge & al is lif and is vif wittes echon
Þulke soule haþ ech þing þat yuel may oþer go
Best and foul and eke viss worm & oþer mo
Þeos soule þat bringþ þat lif is atte heorte gronde
Þer uore wo so is þare ismite he deieþ in a stonde
Iuelynge & al is lif and is vif wittes echon
Þulke soule haþ ech þing þat yuel may oþer go
Best and foul and eke viss worm & oþer mo
Þeos soule þat bringþ þat lif is atte heorte gronde
Þer uore wo so is þare ismite he deieþ in a stonde
Þeos soule comþ of mannes cunde and þe oþer biuore also
Þere uore wanne a man deieþ hi deieþ boþe to
Þere uore wanne a man deieþ hi deieþ boþe to
Ȝute þer is þe þridde soule þat hore maister is
For wan a child haþ al is limes and ech lime quik iwis
In þe ende of þe ueorþe monþe þat it was biȝite
Oþer sone þer afterward as it is iwrite
Þe kunde þat oure Louerd made and porueide also
Þo he hadde ferst man ymad and in parais ido
To menge þe kunde of heuene to mannes kunde her
Anne soule of witte and of liue þat is angles poer
Comeþ fram þe kunde of angles and in þis forme aliȝt
And mengeþ wiþ is wrecche vleiss as oure Louerd it haþ idiȝt
And makeþ þe kunde þat nas her bote as a best vnneþe
Þe kunde of angles wiþ him bere forte he come to deþe
For wan a child haþ al is limes and ech lime quik iwis
In þe ende of þe ueorþe monþe þat it was biȝite
Oþer sone þer afterward as it is iwrite
Þe kunde þat oure Louerd made and porueide also
Þo he hadde ferst man ymad and in parais ido
To menge þe kunde of heuene to mannes kunde her
Anne soule of witte and of liue þat is angles poer
Comeþ fram þe kunde of angles and in þis forme aliȝt
And mengeþ wiþ is wrecche vleiss as oure Louerd it haþ idiȝt
And makeþ þe kunde þat nas her bote as a best vnneþe
Þe kunde of angles wiþ him bere forte he come to deþe
Þulke soule nymeþ is in and bilefþ iwis
In þe childes brain anhei þat þe hexte lime is
Þulke soule euere ilast and ne deiþ neuere mo
Ac went wanne a man ssel deie to ioie oþer to wo
Al þat man haþ biuore a best oþer more reson can
Al he it haþ of þulke soule ware þoru he is man
In þe childes brain anhei þat þe hexte lime is
Þulke soule euere ilast and ne deiþ neuere mo
Ac went wanne a man ssel deie to ioie oþer to wo
Al þat man haþ biuore a best oþer more reson can
Al he it haþ of þulke soule ware þoru he is man
And wanne man went out of þis liue þulke soule iwis
Biginþ to parti fram þe body þe wile he aliue is
And wend as he haþ ofserued to ioie oþer to pine
Þe soulen þat hure ueren were beoþ sone atte fine
Biginþ to parti fram þe body þe wile he aliue is
And wend as he haþ ofserued to ioie oþer to pine
Þe soulen þat hure ueren were beoþ sone atte fine
Þulke þat halt a mannes lif þat stikeþ in þe herte
Wanne he ssel wiþ þe body deie þat in strang angwise deþ smerte
Ȝif he vnderȝet is felawe to ioie fram him wende
Þerfore he makeþ signe of ioie & deþ as þe hende
And wanne he deiþ mid þe body fair chere he makþ & softe
And in wuch point þat bodi bileueþ as me may ise[o] ofte
Þe eiȝen iclosed fair inou þe mouþ of faire chere
Ech lime also uair istreiȝt in god point as he were
428
Ȝif he vnderȝet is felawe to ioie fram him wende
Þerfore he makeþ signe of ioie & deþ as þe hende
And wanne he deiþ mid þe body fair chere he makþ & softe
And in wuch point þat bodi bileueþ as me may ise[o] ofte
Þe eiȝen iclosed fair inou þe mouþ of faire chere
Ech lime also uair istreiȝt in god point as he were
Þe þridde soule ȝute also þat deieþ atte nende
Þat norissinge to al þat body and to þe lymes deþ sende
He deþ ek signe in þe bodi ȝif is felawe geþ to gode
And bileueþ þe body in fair hiu wiþ oþer rode of blode
Þus soule deieþ in a man wanne þe hete is al ido
Þe erore wanne he leueþ is breþ & wawinge also
Wanne hi seoþ hore felawe to torment ibroȝt
Luþer semlant hi makieþ as it nelikede hom noȝt
Þat norissinge to al þat body and to þe lymes deþ sende
He deþ ek signe in þe bodi ȝif is felawe geþ to gode
And bileueþ þe body in fair hiu wiþ oþer rode of blode
Þus soule deieþ in a man wanne þe hete is al ido
Þe erore wanne he leueþ is breþ & wawinge also
Wanne hi seoþ hore felawe to torment ibroȝt
Luþer semlant hi makieþ as it nelikede hom noȝt
And bileueþ þat bodi in foul hiwe þe eiȝene staringe
And þe mouþ of foul semlant and ofte grennynge
Suche signis þat grisliche beoþ þat me may ofte ise
Beoþ signe þat þe wrecche soule in þe luþer weie be
Nou God þat us soule ȝaf us lete hure here so rede
Þat sein Michel is mot auonge & biuore him lede
And þe mouþ of foul semlant and ofte grennynge
Suche signis þat grisliche beoþ þat me may ofte ise
Beoþ signe þat þe wrecche soule in þe luþer weie be
Nou God þat us soule ȝaf us lete hure here so rede
Þat sein Michel is mot auonge & biuore him lede
| The South English Legendary | |