University of Virginia Library

Ich am nu elder þan ich was a wintre and a lore.
Ich wealde more þan idude mi wit oh to be more
To longe ich habbe child iben a worde and a dade.
Þeih ibie a winter eald to jung ich am on rade.
Vnnet lif ich habbe ilad. and ȝiet me þincheð ilade.
Þan ibiðenche me þar on wel sore ime adrade.
Mast al ich habbe idon is idelnesse and chilce.
Wel late ich habbe me biþoht bute me god do milce.
Fele idel word ich habbe ispeken seðen ich speken cuðe.
And fele ȝeunge dade idon þe me ofðinkeð nuðe.
Alto lome ich habbe igult a werke and a worde.
Alto muchel ic habbe ispend to litel ileid on horde.
Mast al þat me likede ar nu hit me mislicað.
Þe muchel folȝeð his iwil him selfen he biswicað.
Ich mihte habben bet idon. hadde ich þo iselðe.
Nu ich wolde ac ine mai for elde and for unhalðe
Elde me is bistolen on ar ich hit iwiste.
Ne mai ich isien bifore me for smeche ne for miste
Arȝe we beð to don god to juel al to þriste
More eie stondeð man of man þan him do of criste.
Þe wel ne deð þe hwile he mai wel ofte hit sal him rewen.
Þan alle men sulle ripen þat hie ar sewen.
Do al to gode þat he muȝe ech þe hwile he beð aliue.
Nu lipne noman to muchel to childe ne to wiue.
Þe þe him selfe forȝeit for wiue oðer for childe
He sal cumen on euel stede bute him god be milde.
Sende god biforen him man þe hwile he mai to heuene.
For betre is on almesse biforen þan ben after seuene.
Ne bie þe leuere þan þe self ne þi mæi ne þi mowe
Sot is þe is oðer mannes frend betere þan his owen.
Ne hopie wif to hire were ne were to his wiue
Be for him self afric man þe hwile he beð aliue.
Wis þe him selue biðencheð þe hwile he mót libben
For sone willeð him forȝiete þe fremde and þe sibbe
Þe wel ne doð þe hwile he mai ne sal he þan he wolde.
For mani mannes sore iswinc habbeð ofte unholde.
Ne solde noman don a furst ne laten wel to done
For mani man bihoteð wel þat hi forȝieteð sone.
Þe man þe wile siker ben to habben godes blisse.
Do wel him self þe hwile he mai þanne haueð hes mid iwisse.
Þe riche men weneð siker ben þurch wallen and thurh dichen.
He deð his aihte an siker stede þe hit sent to heueriche.
For þarf he ben of-drad of fure ne of þieue.
Þar ne mai hit him binime þe loðe ne þe lieue.
Þar ne þarf he habben care of here ne of ȝielde.
Þider we sendeð and ec bereð to litel and to selde.
Þider we solden drawen and don wel ofte and ilome.
For þar ne sal me us naht binime mid wrongwise dome.
Þider we solde ȝierne drawen wolde ȝie me ileuen.
For ne mai hit us binime no king ne no sy{e}rreue.
Al þat beste þat we habbeð her þider we solde sende.
For þar we mihte finden eft. and habben abuten ende.
Se þe her doð ani god forto haben godes ore
Al he hit sal eft finde þar and hundredfealde more.
Se þe aihte wile holde wel þe hwile hes muȝe wealden.
Ȝieue hes for godes luue þanne doð hes wel ihealden.
For ure swinch and ure tilðe is ofte wuned to swinde
Ac al þat we ȝieueð for godes luue al we hit sulen eft finden.
Ne sal þar non euel ben unboht ne god unforȝolden.
Euel we doð al to muchel and god lasse þan we solden.
Se þe mast doð nu to gode and se last to lothe.
Eiðer to litel and to muchel hem sal þunche boðe.
Þar me sal ure werkes weiȝen bifore þan heuen kinge
And ȝieuen us ure werkes lean after ure erninge.
Africh man mid þat he haueð mai bugge heueriche
Þe þe more haueð and þe þe lasse boðe iliche.
Alse on mid his peni se oðer mid his punde.
Þis is þet wunderlukeste ware þat ani man funde.
And se þe more ne mai don mid his gode iþanke.
Alse wel se þe þe haued goldes fele manke.
And ofte god can more þanc þan þe him ȝieueð lasse.
Al his werkes and his weies is milce and rihtwi[s]nesse.
Litel lóc is gode lef þe cumeð of gode wille.
And eðlate muchel ȝieue þan his herte is ille.
Heuene and erðe he ouer sihð his eien beð ful brihte.
Nis him no þing forholen swo muchel is his mihte
Ne bie hit no swo derne idon ne on swo þuster nihte.
He wot hwat þencheð and hwat doð alle quike wihte
Nis louerd swilch is crist ne king swilch ure drihte.
Boðe ȝiemeð þe his bien bi daie and bi nihte.
Heuene and erðe and al þat is biloken is in his honden
He doð al þat his wille is awatere and alonde
He makeð þe fisses in þe sa þe fueles on þe lofte.
He wit and wealdeð alle þing and he sop alle safte.
He is ord abuten ord and ende abuten ende.
He is one afre on eche stede wende þar þu wende.
He is buuen us and bineðen biforen and bihinde
Þe godes wille doð aihware he maiȝ him finde
Elche rune he hereð and he wot alle dade
He þurh sihð elches mannes þanc wi hwat sal us to rade.
We þe brekeð godes has and gulteð swo ilome
Hwat sulle we seggen oðer don ate muchele dome
We þe luueden unriht and euel lif ladden.
Hwat sulle we seggen oðer don þar ængles beð ofdradde.
Hwat sulle we beren us biforen mid hwan sulle we iqueme
We þe nafre god ne duden þan heuenliche deme.
Þar sulle ben deflen swo fele þat willeð us forwreien.
Nabbeð hie no þing forȝieten of þat hie her iseien.
Al þat hie iseien her hie willeð cuðen þare
Bute we haben hit ibet þe hwile we here waren.
Al hie habbeð on here write þat we misduden here.
Þeih we hes ne niseien hie waren ure iferen.
Hwat sullen horlinges don þes wichen and þe forsworene
Wi swo fele beð icleped swo fewe beð icorene
Wi hwi waren hie biȝiete to hwan waren hie iborene.
Þe sulle ben to deaðe idemd and afremo forlorene
Elch man sal þar biclepien himselfen and ec demen.
Hic oȝen werc and his þanc to witnesse he sal temen.
Ne mai him noman alse wel demen ne alse rihte
For non ne cnoweð hine alse wel buten one drihte.
Man wot him self best his werkes and his wille.
Se þe last wot he seið ofte mast se þit al wot is stille
Nis no witnesse alse muchel se mannes oȝen hierte
Hwo se seið þat hie beð hol him self wot his smierte.
Elch man sal him selfen demen to deaðe oðer to liue.
Þe witnesse of his oȝen werc to oðer þan hine sal driue.
Al þat afri man haueð idon seðen he cam to manne
Swo he hit iseie abóc iwrite he sal hit þenche þanne
Ac drihte ne demeð noman after his biginninge
Ac al his lif sal ben teald after his endinge
Ȝief þe endinge is god al hit is god. and euel ȝief euel is þe ende.
God ȝieue þat ure ende be god and ȝieue þat he us lende.
Se man þe nafre nele don god ne nafre god lif lade.
Are deað and dom cumeð to his dure he maiȝ him sore adrade.
Þat he ne muȝe þanne bidden ore for þat itit ilome
For þi he [is] wis þe bit and biȝiet and bet bifore dome
Þanne þe deað is ate dure wel late he biddeð ore
Wel late he lateð euel werc þan he hit ne mai don no more.
Senne lat þe and þu nah him þan þu hit ne miht do no more:
For-þi he is sot þe swo abit to habben godes ore.
Þeih hweðere we hit leueð wel for drihte self hit sade.
Elche time sal þe man of-þunche his misdade
Oðer raðer oðer later milce he sal imete.
Ac þe þe her naueð ibet muchel he haued to bete
Mani man seið hwo reche pine þe sal habben ende
Ne bidde ich not bet bie ich alesed a domesdai of bende.
Litel wot he hwat is pine and litel he cnoweð
Hwilch hit is þar sowle wunieð hwu biter wind þar bloweð.
Hadde he ben þar on oðer two bare tiden.
Nolde he for almidden eard þe þridde þar abiden.
Þat habbeð isaid þe come þanne þit wiste mid iwisse.
Wo wurðe soreȝe seue ȝier for seue nihte blisse.
And ure blisse þe ende haueð for ende-lease pine
Betere is wori water þan atter imengd mid wine.
Swines brade is wel swete swo is of wilde diere.
Ac al to diere he hit abuið þe ȝiefð þar-fore his swiere.
Ful wombe mai lithliche speken of hunger and of fasten
Swo mai of pine þe not hwat is pine þe sal ilasten.
Hadde [he] fonded sume stunde he wolde seggen oðer
Eðlate him ware wif and child suster and fader and broðer.
Al he wolde oðerluker don and oðerluker þenche
Þan he biðohte an helle fur þat nowiht ne mai quenche
Afre he wolde her in wo and in wane wunien
Wið þan he mihte helle fur biflen and bisunien.
Eðlate him ware al wele and erðeliche blisse
For to þe muchele blisse cume þis murie mid iwisse.

Ich wulle nu cumen eft to þe dome ich eow ar of sade.
On þe daie and on þe dome us helpe crist and rade.
Þar we muȝen ben sore offerd and harde us ofdrade.
Þar elch sal al isien him biforen his word and ec his dade.
Al sal þar ben þanne cuð þat men luȝen her and halen.
Al sal þar ben þanne unwrien þat men her hudden and stalen.
We sullen alre manne lif icnowen alse ure oȝen
Þar sullen efninges ben to þe heie and to þe loȝe.
Ne sal þeih no man samie þiar ne þarf he him adrade.
Ȝief him her ofþincheð his gult and bet his misdade.
For hem ne sameð ne ne grameð þe sulle ben iboreȝe
Ac þoðre habbeð same and grame and oðer fele soreȝe.
Þe dom þal ben sone idon ne last hit nowiht longe
Ne sal him noman mene þar of strencðe ne of wronge
Þo sulle habben hardne dom þe here waren hardde
Þo þe euel hielden wreche men and euel laȝe arerde.
Elch after þat he haueð idon sal þar ben þanne idemd
Bliðe mai he þanne ben þe god haueð wel iquemd.
Alle þo þe sprunge beð of adam and of eue
Alle hie sulle þider cume for soðe we hit ileued.
Þo þe habbeð wel idon after here mihte
To heueriche hie sulle fare forð mid ure drihte.
Þo þe deueles werkes habeð idon and þarinne beð ifunde
Hie sulle fare forð mid hem into helle grunde.
Þar hie sulle wunien abuten ore and ende.
Brecð nafre eft crist helle dure for lesen hem of bende
Nis no sellich þeih hem be wo and þeih hem be uneaðe
Ne sal nafre eft crist þolien deað for lesen hem of deaðe.
Ænes drihten helle brac his frend he ut brohte
Him self he þolede deað for hem wel diere he hes bohte.
Nolde hit moȝe don for mai ne suster [for] broðer
Nolde sune don for fader ne no man for oðer.
Vre alre louerd for his þralles ipined he was arode
Ure bendes he unbond and bohte us mid his blode.
We ȝieueð uneaðe for his luue a steche of ure breade
Ne þenche we naht þar þat sal deme þe quica and þe deade.
Muchel luue he us kedde wolde we hit understonde.
Þat ure elderne misduden we habeð euel an honde.
Deað cam in þis middenærd þurh ealde deueles onde
And senne and soreȝe and iswinch awatere and [a] londe.
Vre foremes faderes gult we abugeð alle
Al his ofsprung after him in harem is biualle
Þurst and hunger. chele and hete and alle unhalðe
Þurh deað cam in þis middeneard and oðer unisalðe.
Nare noman elles dead ne sic ne [non] unsele
Ac mihte libbe afremo ablisse and an hale.
Litel lac is gode lief þe cumeð of gode wille
And eðlate muchel ȝieue þan his herte is ille
Litel hit þuncheð maniman ac muchel was þe senne
For hwan alle þolieð deað þe comen of here kenne
Here senne and ec ure oȝen us muȝe sore ofþunche
For senne we libeð alle her in soreȝe and in swunche.
Seðen god nam swo mukel wrache for one misdede
We þe swo ofte misdoð we muȝen us eaðe ofdrade.
Adam and al his ofspreng for one bare senne.
Was fele hundred wintre an helle a pine and unwenne.
Þo þe ladeð here lif mid unrihte and mid wronge
Bute hit godes milce do hie sulle wunie þar longe.
Godes wisdom is wel muchel and alsse is his mihte
Ac nis his mihte nowiht lasse ac biðer ilke wihte.
More he one maiȝ forȝieue þan alle folc gulte cunne
Self deuel mihte habben milce ȝief he hit bigunne.
Þeþe godes milche secð iwis he mai hes finden
Ac helle king is ore-leas wið þo þe he mai binden.
Se deð his wille mast he sal habbe werest mede
His bað sal be wallinde pich his bed barnende glede.
Werse he doð his gode wines þan his fiendes
God silde alle godes friend wið swo euele friende.
Nafre an helle ine cam ne cumen ich þar ne reche
Þeih ich aches woreldes wele þare mihte feche.
Þeih ich wille seggen eow þat wise men us saden
And [a] boc hit is write þat me hit mai rade.
Ic wille seggen hit þo þe hit hem self nesten
And warnin hem wið here unfreme ȝief hie me willeð hlesten.
Vnderstondeð nu to meward eadi men and arme
Ich wille tellen eow of helle pine and warnin eow wið harme.
An helle hunger and þurst euel two iferen.
Þos pine þolieð þo þe ware meteniðinges here.
Þar is woning and wop after ache strate
Hie fareð fram hate [to] chele fram chele to hate.
[Þ]an hie beð in þe hate chele hem þuncheð blisse
[Þ]an hie cumeð eft to chele of hate hie habbeð misse.
[E]iðer doð hem wo inoh nabbeð [hie] none lisse.
[N]iten hweðer hem doð wers to nafre none wisse.
[H]ie walkeð afre and secheð reste ac hie hes ne muȝen imeten.
[F]or þi þe hie nolde þe hwile hie mihten here senne beten.
[H]ie secheð reste þar non nis ac hie hies ne muȝen ifinden.
[A]c walkeð weri up and dun se water doð mid winde
[Þ]at beð þo þe waren her an þanc unstedefaste.
[And] þo þe gode biheten aihte and hit him ilaste.
[And] þo þe god werc bigunnen and ful endin hit nolden.
[N]u waren her and nu þar and nesten hwat he wolden
[Þ]ar is pich þat afre walleð þar sulle wunien inne
[Þ]o þe ladeð here lif on werre and an unwinne.
[Þ]ar is fur þis hundredfeald hatere þan be ure.
[N]e mai hit quenche salt water ne auene stream ne sture.
[Þ]is is þat fur þat afre barneð [hit] ne mai no wiht quenche.
[Þ]ar inne beð þe was to lef wreche men to swenche.
Þo þe swikele men and ful of euele wrenchen.
And þo þe mihten euel don and lief hit was to þenchen.
Þe luueden rauing and stale hordom and dru[n]ken
And an defles werkes bliðeliche swunken.
Þo þe waren swo lease men þat mes ne mihte leuen
Medȝierne domes men and wrongwise reuen.
Þo þe oðer mannes wif was lief her oȝen eðlate
And þo þe sunegeden muchel on dru[n]ken and on ate.
Þe wreche men binomen here aihte and leide his on horde.
Þe litel lete of godes bode and of godes worde.
And þe his oȝen nolde ȝieue þar he iseih þe niede
Ne nolde ihere godes men þan he sat at his biede.
Þo þe was oðer mannes þing leuere þan hit solde
And waren al to gradi of siluer and of golde.
Þo þe untrewnesse deden þan þe he solden ben holde.
And leten al þat hie solden don and deden þat hie wolden.
Þo þe waren ȝietceres of þis wereldes aihte
And dude al þat þe loðe gost hem tihte to and taihte.
And al þo þe[n] ani wise deuel iquemde
Þo beð mid hem in helle fordon and demde.
Bute þo þe ofðuhte sore [her] here misdade
And Gunne here gultes bete and betere lif lade.
Þar beð naddren and snaken eueten and fruden
Þe tereð and freteð þo euele swiken þe niðfule and þe prude
Nafre sunne þar ne sineð ne mone ne storre.
Þar is muchel godes hete and muchel godes oerre.
Afre þar is euel smech þiesternesse and eie
Nis þar nafre oder liht þan þe swarte leie.
Þar ligeð ateliche fiend in stronge raketeie
Þat beð þo þe waren mid god angles swiðe heie.
Þat beð ateliche fiend and Eiseliche wihten
Þo sulle þe wreche sowle isien þe sinegeden þurh sihte
Þar is þe loðe sathanas and belzebub se ealde
Eaðe he muȝen ben sore ofdrad þe sullen hes bihealde.
Ne mai non herte hit þenche ne tunge hit ne mai telle
Hwu muchele pine ne hwu fele senden in helle
Of þo pine þe þar bieð nelle ich eow naht lie
Nis hit bute gamen and glie of þat man mai here drie.
And ȝiet ne doð hem naht alse wo in þe loðe bende
Swo þat he witen þat here pine sal nafre habben ende
Þar beð þe haðene men þe waren laȝe-lease
Þe [hem] nes naht of godes bode ne of godes hease.
Euele cristene men hie beð here iferen
Þo þe here cristendom euele hielden here.
And ȝiet he beð awerse stede aniðer helle grunde
Ne sullen [hie] nafre cumen út for peni ne for punde.
Ne mai hem noðer helpe þar ibede ne almesse
For naht solden bidde þar ore ne forȝieuenesse.
Silde him elch man þe hwile he mai wið þos helle pine.
[And] warnie his frend þar wið swo ich habbe ido mine.
Þo þe silde hem ne cunnen ich hem wille tache
[I]ch can ben aiðer ȝief isal lichame and sowle lache.
Late we þat god forbet alle mankenne
And do we þat he us hat and silde we us wid senne.
Luue we god mid ure herte and mid al ure mihte
And ure emcristen alse us self swo us tached drihte.
Al þat me radeð and singed bifore godes borde
Al hit hangeð and halt bi þese twam worde
Alle godes laȝes hie fulleð þe newe and þe ealde
Þe þe þos two luues halt and wile hes wel healde.
Ac hie bieð wel arefeð-heald swo ofte we gulteð alle
For hit is strong te stonde longe and liht hit is to falle.
Ac drihte crist ȝeue us strengðe stonde þat we moten
And of alle ure gultes ȝieue us cume bote.
We wilnieð after wereldes wele þe longe ne mai ilaste
And legeð mast al ure swinc on þing unstedefaste.
Swunke [we] for godes luue half þat we doð for eihte.
Nare we naht swo ofte bicherd ne swo euele bikeihte
Ȝief we serueden god half þat we doð for erminges
We mihten habben more an heuene þa[n] ȝierles and kinges
Ne muȝe we werien naðer ne wið þurst ne wið hunger
Ne wid elde ne wið elde ne wið deað þe elder ne þe ȝeunger
Ac þar nis hunger ne þurst. deað ne unhalðe ne elde.
Of þesse riche we þencheð to ofte of þare alto selde.
We solden biþenchen us wel ofte and ilome
Hwat we beð to hwan we sullen and of hwan we come.
Hwu litle hwile we bieð her hwu longe elles hware
Hwat we muȝen habben her and hwat we findeð þare.
Ȝief [we] waren wise men þus we solden þenchen
Bute we wurðen us iwar þis wereld us wile drenchen
Mast alle men hit ȝieueð drinken of on euele senche.
He sal him cunnen silde wel ȝief hit him nele screnche
Mid al mihtin godes luue úte we us biwerien
[W]ið þesses wreches woreldes luue þat hit ne muȝe us derien
Mid almesse. mid fasten and mid ibeden werie we us wid senne.
Mid þo wapne þe god haued ȝieue alle man kenne.
[L]ate we þe brode strate and þane weg bene
[Þ]e lat þe nieðe dal to helle of manne me mai wene.
Go we þane narewe pað and þene wei grene
[Þ]ar forð fareð wel litel folc and eche is fair and isene
[Þ]e brode strate is ure wil þe is loð te læte
[Þ]o þe folȝeð here iwil hie fareð bi þare strate.
Hie muȝen lihtliche cumen mid þare niðer helde
[Þ]urh one godelease wude to one bare felde
[Þ]a narewe pað is godes has. þar forð fareþ wel feawe
[Þ]at beð þo þe hem sildeð ȝierne wið achen unðeawe.
[Þ]os goð uneaðe aȝien þe cliue and aȝien þe heie hulle
[Þ]os leten al here iwil for godes luue to fulle.
Go we alle þane wei for he us wile bringe
Mid þo feawe faire men bifore þe heuen kinge
[Þ]ar is alre blisse mast mid angles songe.
[Þ]e is a þusend wintre þar ne þuncheð hit him naht longe.
Þe last haueð blisse he haueð sswo muchel þat he ne bit no more
Þe þat blisse forgoð hit sal him rewen sore.
Ne mai non euel ne non wane ben in godes riche
Þeih þar ben wuniinges fele elch oðer uniliche
Sume þar habbeð lasse and sume þar habbeð more
Elch after þat he dude her after þane þe [he] swanc sore
Ne sal þar ben bread ne win ne oðer kennes este
God one sal ben ache lif and blisse and ache reste.
Ne sal þar ben foh ne grai ne cunin ne ermine
Ne aquerne ne metheschele ne beuer ne sabeline.
Ne sal þer 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 and briht and dai abute nihte.
He is aches godes ful nis him no wiht uten
Nones godes hem nis wane þe wunieð him abuten.
Þar is wele abuten wane and reste abuten swunche.
Þe muȝen and nelleð þider cume hit hem mai ofþunche.
Þar is blisse abuten treiȝe and life abuten deaðe
Þo þe afre sulle wunie þar bliðe hie muȝe ben eaðe.
Þar is ȝieuð abuten elde and hale abuten unhalðe
Nis þar sareȝe ne sor non ne nafre unisalðe.
Þar me drihte self isien swo se is mid iwisse
He one mai and sal al ben angles and manne blisse.
And þeih ne bed here eien naht alle iliche brihte
Hi nabbeð naht iliche muchel alle of godes lihte
On þesse liue he naren naht alle of ore mihte
Ne þar ne sullen habben god alle bi one wihte.
Þo sullen more of him isien þe luueden hine more
And more icnowen and ec witen his mihte and his ore
On him hie sulle finden al þat man mai to hleste
On him he sullen ec isien al þat hie ar nesten.
[C]rist sal one bien inoȝh alle his derlinges.
[Þ]e one is muche more and betere þan alle oðer þinges.
[I]noh he haueð þe hine haueð þe alle þing wealdeð
Of him to isiene nis non sæd swo fair he is to bihelden
God is swo mere and swo muchel in his godcunnesse
[Þ]at al þat elles was and is is fele werse and lasse.
[N]e mai hit nafre noman oðer seggen mid iwisse
[H]wu muchele murihðe habbeð þo þe beð in godes blisse
[T]o þare blisse us bringe god þe rixleð abuten ende.
[Þ]ane he ure sowle unbint of lichamliche bende
[C]rist ȝieue us laden her swilch lif and habben her swilch ende.
[Þ]at we moten þider cumen þane we henne wende.