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[The Tale of the Bear which kept the Hermit's Sheep, and how it was slain by envious Monks.]
Þer were twey men of holy wyl
Þat leuyd to-gedyr, with-outen yl,
A-lonë yn an ermytage,
And, as meke as bryd yn kage;
Þe toon, men calle Eutycyus,
Þe touþer hyght Florentyus.
A gode clerk was þe toon,
he turned to þe feyþ many on.
Eutycyus was þe clerk
Þat taght þe folk of goddys werk.
Florens was nat so moche yn lore,
Yn preyours he was euermore.
Þat leuyd to-gedyr, with-outen yl,
A-lonë yn an ermytage,
And, as meke as bryd yn kage;
Þe toon, men calle Eutycyus,
Þe touþer hyght Florentyus.
A gode clerk was þe toon,
he turned to þe feyþ many on.
Eutycyus was þe clerk
Þat taght þe folk of goddys werk.
Florens was nat so moche yn lore,
Yn preyours he was euermore.
þer besyde was an abbey,
And yn here tyme þe abbot gan deye;
whan þys ychë abbot was dede,
Alle þe munkës toke hem to rede,
And chese hem syre Eutycyus
To be abbot of here hous.
On alle manere fyl so here lot,
Eutycyus þey made here abbot.
And yn here tyme þe abbot gan deye;
whan þys ychë abbot was dede,
Alle þe munkës toke hem to rede,
And chese hem syre Eutycyus
To be abbot of here hous.
On alle manere fyl so here lot,
Eutycyus þey made here abbot.
Aftyr Eutycyus, Florens gan dwelle
And woned a-lonë yn hys celle.
Florens madë gretë mone
For þat he shuld dwel alone;
And had grete sorowe, and was drery,
As many be þat lese gode cumpany.
On a day, he bad hys orysun,
And was yn grete afflyccyon,
And preyd God he wulde hym ȝeue
Sum gode cumforte with-al to leue.
Þus preyd Florens yn hys bede
Þat Gode shuld sende hym sum felaurede.
And woned a-lonë yn hys celle.
Florens madë gretë mone
For þat he shuld dwel alone;
And had grete sorowe, and was drery,
As many be þat lese gode cumpany.
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And was yn grete afflyccyon,
And preyd God he wulde hym ȝeue
Sum gode cumforte with-al to leue.
Þus preyd Florens yn hys bede
Þat Gode shuld sende hym sum felaurede.
whan he ros vp of his orysown,
he ȝede yn hys celle vp and down,
And opened hys ȝate, and loked oute,
And sagh a berë wylde and stoute.
Þys ychë bere come to þe gate
To Florens þat stode yn þe ȝate;
But when þe bere come at hym nere,
Þe bere to hym loutede, and made feyre chere,—
Feyre chere as a bere myght make,—
And was so meke þat he myȝt hym take.
þys ychë Florens hym beþoght
þat God hadde herd þat he besoght,
And þanked hym of hys swete grace,
þat he hym sent hadde swyche solace.
For a myracle, ȝe may hyt vndyrstande,
þat a wyldë bere was tame to hande.
he ȝede yn hys celle vp and down,
And opened hys ȝate, and loked oute,
And sagh a berë wylde and stoute.
Þys ychë bere come to þe gate
To Florens þat stode yn þe ȝate;
But when þe bere come at hym nere,
Þe bere to hym loutede, and made feyre chere,—
Feyre chere as a bere myght make,—
And was so meke þat he myȝt hym take.
þys ychë Florens hym beþoght
þat God hadde herd þat he besoght,
And þanked hym of hys swete grace,
þat he hym sent hadde swyche solace.
For a myracle, ȝe may hyt vndyrstande,
þat a wyldë bere was tame to hande.
Þys godë man hadde syxë shepe,
And noun hyrde hem for to kepe;
He badde þe bere þat he shulde go
And dryue hys shepë to and fro,
And kepe hem weyl þat noun hem dere,
“And þou shalt be my godë bere.”
Þe bere hym louted with semblant glad,
For to do as Florens hym badde;
To þe bere, he seyde hys auys,
“Euery day whan y ete twyys,
Come þou home at hygh vndurne,
And no lenger yn þe felde soiurne;
And euery day, when y faste,
Come at þe noun, home, at þe laste.”
So dyd þe bere, euery day,
One oure passed hym neuer away
Þat he ne come home, þe yche cele,
And boþe tymeus he knew hem wele.
And noun hyrde hem for to kepe;
He badde þe bere þat he shulde go
And dryue hys shepë to and fro,
And kepe hem weyl þat noun hem dere,
“And þou shalt be my godë bere.”
Þe bere hym louted with semblant glad,
For to do as Florens hym badde;
To þe bere, he seyde hys auys,
“Euery day whan y ete twyys,
Come þou home at hygh vndurne,
And no lenger yn þe felde soiurne;
And euery day, when y faste,
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So dyd þe bere, euery day,
One oure passed hym neuer away
Þat he ne come home, þe yche cele,
And boþe tymeus he knew hem wele.
Þys Florens hadde cumforte and game
At hys bere, þat hyt was so tame,
And loued hyt moche with-oute fayle
For þe myracle and þe grete meruayle:
For soþë so hym byrde,
For he was a merueylus hyrde.
A bere þurgh kynde shulde etë shepe;
And here as an hyrde he ȝafe to hem kepe.
At hys bere, þat hyt was so tame,
And loued hyt moche with-oute fayle
For þe myracle and þe grete meruayle:
For soþë so hym byrde,
For he was a merueylus hyrde.
A bere þurgh kynde shulde etë shepe;
And here as an hyrde he ȝafe to hem kepe.
Þyt yche merueyle myȝt nat be hyd,
But yn alle þe cuntre hyt was weyl kyde
Þat Florens had a tamë bere,
And was an hyrdë, shepe to were.
But yn alle þe cuntre hyt was weyl kyde
Þat Florens had a tamë bere,
And was an hyrdë, shepe to were.
Þe abbot þat hyghte Eutycyus
Had foure dyscyplys ful enuyus,
Þat alle day of þys berë spakk
with grete enuye, gretely to lakk;
And seyd, alle fourë hem betwene
wyþ grete enuyë, scorne, and tene,
“More merueyl doþe Florencyus
Þan doþe oure mayster Eutycyus.”
Þey seydë “hyt shal nat so go;”
And made forward, þat bere to slo.
As þey seyd, þey dyd þat woghte;
Þe whychë dede ful soure þey boghte.
Had foure dyscyplys ful enuyus,
Þat alle day of þys berë spakk
with grete enuye, gretely to lakk;
And seyd, alle fourë hem betwene
wyþ grete enuyë, scorne, and tene,
“More merueyl doþe Florencyus
Þan doþe oure mayster Eutycyus.”
Þey seydë “hyt shal nat so go;”
And made forward, þat bere to slo.
As þey seyd, þey dyd þat woghte;
Þe whychë dede ful soure þey boghte.
At þe tyme, þe bere, o day come noghte;
Florens had þer-of grete þoghte;
He ros and ȝede yn-to þe felde,
And aftyr hys berë faste behelde.
At þe laste, hys bere he fonde,
Besyde hys shepe, slayn on a londe.
Asswyþë hym self gan to rede
who hadde do þat ychë dede;
Ȝyt pleyned he more þe myschaunce
Þat þer shulde falle on hem veniaunce,
Þan he pleyned hys ownë dere
Þat þey had slayn his godë bere.
Noþeles he pleyned wundyrly sore
Þat hys solas shulde be no more.
Florens had þer-of grete þoghte;
He ros and ȝede yn-to þe felde,
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At þe laste, hys bere he fonde,
Besyde hys shepe, slayn on a londe.
Asswyþë hym self gan to rede
who hadde do þat ychë dede;
Ȝyt pleyned he more þe myschaunce
Þat þer shulde falle on hem veniaunce,
Þan he pleyned hys ownë dere
Þat þey had slayn his godë bere.
Noþeles he pleyned wundyrly sore
Þat hys solas shulde be no more.
Eutycyus þe abbot, his felawe,
herd sey hys bere was do adawe;
And come to hym on hys dysport,
To makë Florens gode cumfort.
Florens seyd Eutycyus vn-to,
“Yn God truly y tryst so,
Þat veniaunce shal on hem take
Yn þys lyfë for my sake.
Of Ihesu Cryst þey hade no drede,
To sle þat hylpe me yn my nede,
Felunlyche, as for enuye,
And he ded no man folye;
He was me sent, þurgh Goddys grace,
To be myn helpe and my solace;
Þat God wuldë hym me ȝeue,
why wuld þey nat suffre hym lyue?
God almyȝty shal do hys wyl
wyþ hem, and mo, þat do so yl.”
herd sey hys bere was do adawe;
And come to hym on hys dysport,
To makë Florens gode cumfort.
Florens seyd Eutycyus vn-to,
“Yn God truly y tryst so,
Þat veniaunce shal on hem take
Yn þys lyfë for my sake.
Of Ihesu Cryst þey hade no drede,
To sle þat hylpe me yn my nede,
Felunlyche, as for enuye,
And he ded no man folye;
He was me sent, þurgh Goddys grace,
To be myn helpe and my solace;
Þat God wuldë hym me ȝeue,
why wuld þey nat suffre hym lyue?
God almyȝty shal do hys wyl
wyþ hem, and mo, þat do so yl.”
As he seyde, so gan hyt falle;
Gode toke veniaunce on hem alle;
Meseles þey waxë þan to pyne,
Here lemes roted before here yne;
Aboue þe erþe þey were stynkyng,
Þat to þe beres deþ were consentyng.
Gode toke veniaunce on hem alle;
Meseles þey waxë þan to pyne,
Here lemes roted before here yne;
Aboue þe erþe þey were stynkyng,
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Þarfore þe pope seynt Gregory
Tellyþ þys talë, resun why,
Þat enuye ys a cursed synne,
Any man to falle þer-ynne.
Tellyþ þys talë, resun why,
Þat enuye ys a cursed synne,
Any man to falle þer-ynne.
Moche are they wurþy to suffre shame,
Þat for enuye brynge a man yn blame,
Or make hym lese hys wurldly aght,
Or frendys also to be vnsaght.
who-so þat doþ, he may hym drede,
No þyng but peyne shal be hys mede.
Þat for enuye brynge a man yn blame,
Or make hym lese hys wurldly aght,
Or frendys also to be vnsaght.
who-so þat doþ, he may hym drede,
No þyng but peyne shal be hys mede.
Syn þys wurldë fryst bygan,
Enuye haþ be euer yn man;
Lucyfer had fyrst enuye,
Þat man was made to state so hye;
Yn paradys he made hym falle,
And seþen of hys ofspryng alle;
So that enuye haþ reyned ay
Yn alle mankynde vnto þys day;
And, Englys men namëly
Are þurgh kynde of hertë hy:
A forbyseyn ys toldë þys,
Seyd on Frenshe men and on Englys,
‘Þat Frenshe men synne yn lecherye,
And Englys men yn enuye.’
lecherye ys flesshly synne;
Enuye cumþ of þe soule wyþ-ynne;
lechery ys þe lesse, we fynde,
And enuye ys þe more vnkynde;
For y se noun yn hys lyue
Þat of enuye kan hym shryue;
Þogh euery day a man hyt haunte,
Ȝyt wyl no man be hyt a-graunte.
Telle to any þat he haþ enuye,
He seyþ aȝen “hyt ys a lye.”
how mow þéy þan shryue þat synne,
Þat seyn þey haue no gylt þerynne?
we Englys men þeron shulde þynke,
Þat enuyë vs nat blynk.
Enuye haþ be euer yn man;
Lucyfer had fyrst enuye,
Þat man was made to state so hye;
Yn paradys he made hym falle,
And seþen of hys ofspryng alle;
So that enuye haþ reyned ay
Yn alle mankynde vnto þys day;
And, Englys men namëly
Are þurgh kynde of hertë hy:
A forbyseyn ys toldë þys,
Seyd on Frenshe men and on Englys,
‘Þat Frenshe men synne yn lecherye,
And Englys men yn enuye.’
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Enuye cumþ of þe soule wyþ-ynne;
lechery ys þe lesse, we fynde,
And enuye ys þe more vnkynde;
For y se noun yn hys lyue
Þat of enuye kan hym shryue;
Þogh euery day a man hyt haunte,
Ȝyt wyl no man be hyt a-graunte.
Telle to any þat he haþ enuye,
He seyþ aȝen “hyt ys a lye.”
how mow þéy þan shryue þat synne,
Þat seyn þey haue no gylt þerynne?
we Englys men þeron shulde þynke,
Þat enuyë vs nat blynk.
Bakbytyng cumþ also of enuye;
y haue ȝow tolde of þat folye;
lykenes of hem men mowe bere,
A nedder and a bakbytere;
Þe nedder makeþ þe semblant mylde,
And yn hys tayle ys venym wylde;
Þe bakbytere faryþ ryȝt so:
wyþ mylde semblant he spekth þe to,
And yn hys tayle he beryþ venym;
Behynde þy bak, he spekyþ wurdys grym.
y haue ȝow tolde of þat folye;
lykenes of hem men mowe bere,
A nedder and a bakbytere;
Þe nedder makeþ þe semblant mylde,
And yn hys tayle ys venym wylde;
Þe bakbytere faryþ ryȝt so:
wyþ mylde semblant he spekth þe to,
And yn hys tayle he beryþ venym;
Behynde þy bak, he spekyþ wurdys grym.
Þe wys kyng Salamon
Seyþ þese wurdys to men echon:—
“hys lyppes,” he seyþ, “he shal make swete,
wyþ feyrë wurdys he shal þe grete,
But yn hys hertë he shal þynke
For to do þe a wykked blynke.”
So ded þe traytur, fals Iudas,
Þat dampned ys wyþ Satanas,
whan þys Iudas, foule felun,
weytede Ihesu with tresun.
Fyrst he grete hym and gan lagh,
And syþen he kest hym þat alle men sagh,
And yn hys herte was tresun bolde,
For to þe Iewës he had hym solde.
‘Treytur! recorde what þou hast herde
Seyde and sunge yn al þe werlde.’
Vndyr heuene ne ys so moche tresun
As yn feyre wurd of hert felun.
Þarfor, treytur, y tolde þe er,
Þy wonyng ys wyþ Lucyfer.
Seyþ þese wurdys to men echon:—
“hys lyppes,” he seyþ, “he shal make swete,
wyþ feyrë wurdys he shal þe grete,
But yn hys hertë he shal þynke
For to do þe a wykked blynke.”
So ded þe traytur, fals Iudas,
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whan þys Iudas, foule felun,
weytede Ihesu with tresun.
Fyrst he grete hym and gan lagh,
And syþen he kest hym þat alle men sagh,
And yn hys herte was tresun bolde,
For to þe Iewës he had hym solde.
‘Treytur! recorde what þou hast herde
Seyde and sunge yn al þe werlde.’
Vndyr heuene ne ys so moche tresun
As yn feyre wurd of hert felun.
Þarfor, treytur, y tolde þe er,
Þy wonyng ys wyþ Lucyfer.
Þyr may no man so yware be,—
For fors, ne wysdom, ne pouste,
For byhest, ne for rychesse,
Ne powere, ne hardynesse,
For lynage, ne for onour,
For felawshepe, ne for socour,
Ne for breþerhede, ne for spousayle,—
Þat treytorhede ne wyl hym asayle;
Ne for sweryng, ne for awe,
Þat a treytur ne haþ yn þys sum sawe.
For fors, ne wysdom, ne pouste,
For byhest, ne for rychesse,
Ne powere, ne hardynesse,
For lynage, ne for onour,
For felawshepe, ne for socour,
Ne for breþerhede, ne for spousayle,—
Þat treytorhede ne wyl hym asayle;
Ne for sweryng, ne for awe,
Þat a treytur ne haþ yn þys sum sawe.
who was wyser þan Salamon?
who was feyrer þan Absolon?
who was rycher yn euery þyng
Þan Alaxandre þe ryche kyng?
who was swetter þan Ionatas,
Or better clerk þan Vyrgyle was?
Alle þese coude hem neuer were
From treytur ne fro bakbytere.
who was feyrer þan Absolon?
who was rycher yn euery þyng
Þan Alaxandre þe ryche kyng?
who was swetter þan Ionatas,
Or better clerk þan Vyrgyle was?
Alle þese coude hem neuer were
From treytur ne fro bakbytere.
Of a treytur, þys ys þe resun smerte,
with feyrë wurdys, and felun herte;
Bakbytere, he haþ a lak,
He ys a treytur behynd þy bak;
Þe toon ys treytur yn þy present,
Þe toþer ys whan þou arte went.
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Bakbytere, he haþ a lak,
He ys a treytur behynd þy bak;
Þe toon ys treytur yn þy present,
Þe toþer ys whan þou arte went.
A lyer may be on of þyse,
For he haþ of boþe a queyntyse,
Behynde þy bak, and eke before,
lesyng oueralle ys bore,
Yn þese þre men ys al tresun;
Þarfor hyt ys preued with resun
Þat þesë men, allë þre,
Mowe neuer lyghtly saued be.
Þe apostle seyþ þat God hem hatys,
Ande ouer al ouþer wyþ hem wlatys.
Þarefore ȝyf any swyche men wore,
hyt behoueþ betyme repente hem sore;
And leue hyt whyl þey hauë space,
For þan y hope þey may fynde grace.
God ȝeue vs grace enuye to fle!
And alle treyturs, euyl mote þey þe!
For he haþ of boþe a queyntyse,
Behynde þy bak, and eke before,
lesyng oueralle ys bore,
Yn þese þre men ys al tresun;
Þarfor hyt ys preued with resun
Þat þesë men, allë þre,
Mowe neuer lyghtly saued be.
Þe apostle seyþ þat God hem hatys,
Ande ouer al ouþer wyþ hem wlatys.
Þarefore ȝyf any swyche men wore,
hyt behoueþ betyme repente hem sore;
And leue hyt whyl þey hauë space,
For þan y hope þey may fynde grace.
God ȝeue vs grace enuye to fle!
And alle treyturs, euyl mote þey þe!
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