 | An Old English miscellany containing A Bestiary, Kentish Sermons, Proverbs of Alfred, religious poems of the thirteenth century, from manuscripts in the British Museum, Bodleian Library, Jesus College Library, etc |  |
102
XV. The Proverbs of Alfred.
Incipiunt documenta Regis Aluredi.
1.
At Seuordeséte þeynes monye.
fele Biscopes.
and feole bok-iléred.
Eorles prute.
knyhtes egleche.
þar wes þe eorl Alurich.
of þare lawe swiþe wis.
And ek Ealured
englene hurde.
Englene durlyng
on englene londe he wes kyng.
Heom he bi-gon lére.
so ye mawe i-hure.
hw hi. heore lif
lede scholden.
Alured. he wes in englene lond.
and king. wel swiþe strong.
He wes king. and he wes clerek.
wel he luuede godes werk.
He wes wis on his word.
and war. on his werke.
he wes þe wysuste mon
þat wes engle-londe on.
104
2.
Þvs queþ Aluredenglene frouer.
wolde ye mi leode
lusten éure louerde.
he óu wolde wyssye.
wisliche þinges.
hw ye myhte worldes.
wrþsipes welde.
and ek eure saule.
somnen to criste.
wyse were þe wordes.
þe seyde þe king Alured.
Mildeliche ich Munye.
myne leoue freond.
poure and riche.
leode myne
þat ye alle a-drede.
vre dryhten crist.
luuyen hine and lykyen.
for he is louerd of lyf.
He is one. god
ouer alle godnesse.
He is one gleaw.
ouer alle glednesse.
He is one. blisse.
ouer alle blissen.
He is one monne.
Mildest mayster.
He is one. folkes fader.
and frouer.
He is one. rihtwis.
and so riche king.
þat him ne schal beo wone.
nouht of his wille.
106
wrþie þencheþ.
3.
Þvs queþ alured.englene urouer.
Ne may non ryhtwis king.
vnder criste seoluen.
Bute if he beo
in boke ilered.
And he. his wyttes
swiþe wel kunne.
And he cunne lettres.
lokie him seolf one.
hw he schule his lond
laweliche holde.
4.
Þus queþ Alured.Þe eorl and þe eþelyng.
ibureþ vnder gódne king.
þat lond to leden.
myd lawelyche deden.
And þe clerek and þe knyht.
he schulle démen euelyche riht.
þe poure. and þe ryche.
démen ilyche.
Hwych so þe mon soweþ
al swuch he schal mowe.
And eueruyches monnes dom.
to his owere dure churreþ.
5.
þan knyhte bi-houeþ.kenliche on to fóne.
for to werie þat lond.
108
þat þe chireche habbe gryþ.
And þe cheorl beo in fryþ.
his sedes to sowen.
his medes to mowen.
And his plouh beo i-dryue.
to vre alre bihoue.
þis is þes knyhtes lawe.
loke he þat hit wel fare.
6.
Þvs queþ Alured.þe mon. þe on his youhþe.
yeorne leorneþ.
wit and wisdom.
And iwriten reden
he may beon on elde.
wenliche lorþeu.
And þe þat nule one youhþe
yeorne leorny.
wit and wysdom.
and iwriten rede.
þat him schal on elde.
sore rewe.
þenne cumeþ elde.
and vnhelþe.
þenne beoþ his wéne
ful wroþe isene.
Boþe heo beoþ bi-swike.
and eke hi beoþ a-swunde.
7.
þus queþ Alured.Wyþ-vte wysdome
is weole wel vnwurþ.
110
huntseuenti Acres.
and he hi hadde isowen.
alle myd reade golde.
And þat gold greowe.
so gres doþ on eorþe.
nere he for his weole.
neuer þe furþer.
Bute he him of frumþe.
freond iwrche.
for. hwat is gold. bute ston.
bute if hit haueþ wismon.
8.
þus queþ Alured.Ne scolde neuer yongmon
howyen to swiþe.
þeih him his wyse
wel ne lykie.
Ne þeih he ne welde.
al þat he wolde.
for god may. yeue þenne he wule.
god after vuele.
weole after wowe.
wel is him þat hit ischapen is.
9.
þus seyþ Alured.Strong hit is to reowe.
a-yeyn þe séé þat floweþ.
so hit is to swynke.
a-yeyn vnylimpe.
þe mon. þe on his youhþe.
swo swinkeþ.
and worldes weole her iwinþ.
þat he may on elde.
112
And ek myd his worldes weole.
god iqueme er he quele.
youþe and al þat he haueþ idrowe.
is þenne wel bi-towe.
[OMITTED]
10.
þus queþ Alured.Monymon weneþ
þat he wene ne þarf.
longes lyues.
ac him lyeþ þe wrench.
for þanne his lyues
alre best luuede.
þenne he schal léten
lyf his owe.
for nys no wrt uexynde
a wude. ne a velde.
þat euer mvwe þas feye
furþ vp-holde.
Not no mon þene tyme.
hwanne he schal. heonne turne.
Ne nomon þene ende.
hwenne he schal heonne wende.
Dryhten hit one wot.
doweþes louerd.
hwanne vre lif
leten schule.
11.
þus queþ Alured.Yf þu seoluer and gold.
yefst and weldest in þis world.
Neuer vpen eorþe.
to wlonk. þu ny-wrþe.
114
ac hit is godes lone.
hwanne hit is his wille.
þar-of we schulle wende.
And vre owe lyf.
myd alle for-leten.
þanne schulle vre ifon.
to vre vouh. gripen.
welden vre Mayþenes.
and leten vs by-hinde.
12.
þus queþ Alured.Ne ilef þu nouht to fele.
uppe þe séé þat floweþ.
If þu hafst madmes
monye and inowe.
gold and seoluer.
hit schal gnyde to nouht.
to duste hit schal dryuen.
Dryhten schal libben euere.
Monymon for his gold.
haueþ godes vrre.
And for his seoluer.
hym seolue for-yemeþ.
for-yeteþ and forleseþ.
Betere him by-come
iboren þat he nére.
13.
þus queþ Alured.Lvsteþ ye me leode.
ower is þe neode.
And ich eu wille lére.
wit and wisdom.
þat alle þing ouer-goþ.
116
þe hyne haueþ to i-vere.
For þeyh his eyhte him a-go.
his wit ne agoþ hym neuer-mo.
for ne may he for-vare
þe hyne haueþ to vere.
þe wile his owe lyf.
ileste mote.
[OMITTED]
14.
þus queþ Alured.If þu hauest seorewe.
ne seye þu hit nouht þan arewe.
seye hit þine sadelbowe.
and ryd þe singinde forþ.
þenne wile wene.
þet þine wise ne con
þat þe þine wise wel lyke.
serewe if þu hauest.
and þe erewe hit wot
by-fore. he þe meneþ
by-hynde he þe teleþ.
þu hit myht segge swyhe mon.
þat þe ful wel on.
wyþ-vte echere ore.
he on þe Muchele more.
By-hud hit on þire heorte
þat þe eft ne smeorte.
Ne let þu hyne wite.
al þat þin heorte by-wite.
[OMITTED]
15.
þus queþ Alured.Ne schal-tu neuere þi wif.
118
for neuer nóne þinge.
þat heo to þe bryngeþ.
Ac leorne hire custe.
heo cuþeþ hi wel sone.
For mony mon for ayhte.
vuele i-auhteþ.
And ofte mon of fayre.
frakele icheoseþ.
wo is him þat vuel wif.
bryngeþ to his cotlyf.
so him is alyue
þat vuele ywyueþ.
For he schal vppen eorþe.
dreori i-wurþe.
Monymon singeþ.
þat wif hom bryngeþ.
wiste he hwat he brouhte.
wepen he myhte.
16.
þus queþ Alured.Ne wurþ neuer so wod.
ne so wyn-drunke.
þat éuere segge þine wife.
alle þine wille.
For if þu iseye þe bi-vore.
þine i-vo alle.
And þu hi myd worde
iwreþþed heuedest.
Ne scholde heo hit lete.
for þing lyuyinde.
þat heo ne scholde þe forþ vp-breyde.
of þine baleu-syþes.
wymmon is word.-woþ.
and haueþ tunge to swift.
120
ne may heo. hi nowiht welde.
17.
þus queþ Alfred.Ipelschipe and ouer-prute.
þat lereþ yong wif vuele þewes.
And ofte þat wolde.
do. þat heo ne scholde.
þene vnþev lihte.
leten heo myhte.
If heo ofte a swóte
for swunke were.
þeyh hit is vuel to buwe.
þat beo nule treowe.
For ofte Museþ þe kat.
after hire moder.
þe mon þat let wymmon
his mayster iwurþe.
Ne schal he neuer beon ihurd.
his wordes louerd.
Ac heo hine schal steorne
to-trayen. and to-teóne.
And selde wurþ he blyþe and gled.
þe mon þat is his wiues qued.
Mony appel is bryht wiþ-vte.
and Bitter wiþ-inne.
So is mony wymmon.
on hyre fader bure.
Schene vnder schete.
and þeyh heo is schendful.
So is mony gedelyng.
godlyche on horse.
and is þeyh lutel wurþ.
wlonk bi þe glede.
and vuel at þare neode.
122
18.
þus queþ. Alured.[N]eure þu bi þine lyue.
þe word of þine wyue.
to swiþe þu ne aréde.
If heo beo i-wreþþed
myd worde. oþer myd dede.
wymmon wepeþ for mod.
oftere þan for eny god.
And ofte lude and stille.
for to vordrye hire wille.
Heo wepeþ oþer-hwile.
for to do þe gyle.
Salomon hit haueþ i-sed.
þat wymmon can wel vuelne red.
þe hire red foleweþ.
heo bryngeþ hine to seorewe.
for hit seyþ in þe loþ.
as scumes forteoþ.
hit is ifurn iseyd.
þat cold red is quene red.
hu he is vnlede.
þat foleweþ hire rede.
Ich hit ne segge nouht for þan.
þat god þing ys god wymmon.
þe mon þe hi may icheose.
and icouere over oþre.
19.
þus queþ Alured.Monymon weneþ
þat he weny ne þarf.
Freond þat he habbe.
þar me him vayre bi-hat.
seyþ him vayre bi-vore.
and frakele bi-hynde.
124
lengust lede.
Ne ilef þu neuer þane mon.
þat is of feole speche.
Ne alle þe þinge.
þat þu iherest singe.
Mony mon haueþ swikelne muþ.
milde and monne for-cuþ.
Nele he þe cuþe.
hwenne he þe wule bi-kache.
20.
þus queþ Alured.Þvrh sawe mon is wis.
And þurh his elþe. mon is glev.
þurh lesinge mon is loþ.
and þurh luþre wrenches. And vnwurþ.
And þurh hokede honde. þat he bereþ.
him seolue he for-vareþ.
From lesynge þu þe wune.
And alle vnþewes þu þe bi-schune.
so myht þu on þeode.
leof beon in alle leode.
And luue þyne nexte.
he is at þe neode gód.
At chepynge. and at chyreche.
freond þu þe iwurche.
wyþ pouere and wiþ riche.
wiþ alle monne ilyche.
þanne myht þu sikerliche.
sely sytte.
And ek faren ouer lond le
hwider so beoþ þi wille.
21.
þus queþ Alured.Alle world-ayhte
126
And vyches cunnes madmes.
to mixe schulen i-Multen.
And vre owe lif.
lutel hwile ileste.
for þeyh o mon.
wolde al þe worlde.
And al þe wunne.
þe þar-inne wunyeþ.
Ne myhte he þar-myde his lif.
none hwile holde.
Ac al he schal for-leten.
on a litel stunde.
And schal vre blisse;
to balewe us iwurþe.
Bute if we wurcheþ.
wyllen cristes.
Nu biþenche we þanne vs sulue.
vre lif to leden.
so crist vs gynneþ lere.
þanne mawe we wenen.
þat he wule vs wrþie.
for so seyde salomon. þe wise.
þe mon þat her wel deþ.
he cumeþ þar he lyen foþ.
on his lyues ende.
he hit schal a-vynde.
22.
þus queþ Alured.Ne gabbe þu ne schotte.
ne chid þu wyþ none sotte.
ne myd manyes cunnes tales.
ne chid þu wiþ nenne dwales.
Ne neuer þu ne bi-gynne.
to telle þine tyþinges.
128
ne haue þu to vale worde.
Mid fewe worde. wismon
fele biluken wel con.
And sottes bolt is sone i-scohte.
for-þi ich holde hine for dote.
þat sayþ al his wille.
þanne he scholde beon stille.
For ofte tunge brekeþ bon
þeyh heo seolf nabbe non.
23.
þus queþ Alured.Wis child is fader blisse.
If hit so bi-tydeþ
þat þu bern ibidest.
þe hwile hit is lutel.
ler him mon-þewes.
þanne hit is wexynde
hit schal wende þar-to.
þe betere hit schal iwurþe
euer buuen eorþe.
Ac if þu him lest welde.
werende on worlde.
lude and stille.
his owene wille.
hwanne cumeþ ealde.
ne myht þu hyne awelde.
þanne deþ hit sone.
þat þe biþ vnyqueme.
Ofer-howeþ þin ibod.
and makeþ þe ofte sory-mod.
Betere þe were.
iboren þat he nere.
for betere is child vnbore.
þane vnbuhsum.
130
and yonge childe.
and let hit arixlye.
þat he hit areche ne may.
þat him schal on ealde
sore reowe. Amen.
Expliciunt dicta Regis Aluredi.
| An Old English miscellany containing A Bestiary, Kentish Sermons, Proverbs of Alfred, religious poems of the thirteenth century, from manuscripts in the British Museum, Bodleian Library, Jesus College Library, etc | |