University of Virginia Library

Þreo Maners þer beo þen
Of Contemplaciun vs to ken:
Þe furste of hem þat þer is,
In Creatures hit is, i-wis;
Þat oþur in holy writ, we fynde;
Þe þridde in god and in his kynde.

Contemplaciun is, siker ȝe beo,
Þe goodnesse of god for to seo.
Bi his Creatures may þou seo þan
Þreo þinges ben In god and Man;
Þis þreo ben, vs to redresse:
Miht, wit, and gret goodnesse. . .
Wit to god þat is sone,
Goodnes to god holigost in wone.
Þorwh his miht, þat wel was torned,
Alle þinges þei ben formed;
Þorwh his wit, so wel demeyned,
Alle þinges wysliche he ordeyned;
Þorwh his goodnesse, not denyed,
Alle þeose þinges he multiplyed.
His pouwer maistou seo þe laft
Þorwh her gretnesse and here schaft;
His wit also wiþ-outen distaunce
Þorwh heore bounte and ordynaunce;
His godnesse may we seo ful newe
Bi heore Multiplicaciun and vertuwe.
Heore gretnesse may we seo
Wiþ foure propurtes þat þer beo,
Þat is folliche for to say
Þorwh heore heiȝnesse and depnesse ay,
Þe oþur two ben of strengþe
Þat is þorwh heore brede and lenge.
His wit maistou seo ful breme,
Ȝif þou þerof take good ȝeme,
Þer as he haþ ȝiue sum creature þore
Beoyng wiþ-outen eny more,
Þat is as muche forte say
As stones þat ben in world al day. . . .

He haþ ȝiue to oþur þynge
Lyf, beoynge, and fleoynge,
And al þise ben bi his hestes
To þat þing þat men callen bestes.

To oþur haþ he ȝiuen also
Lyf, beoynge, and fleoinge bo,
And also more þing of Renoun:
He haþ to hem I-ȝiue resoun;
Þis þing is I-ȝiuen þen
Boþe to Aungel and to men.
Stones noþing may þei feele,
Ne grases, and ȝit lyue þei wele;
Bestes lyuen and feleþ þe;
Mon lyueþ and waxeþ as doþ þe tre,
And as a Best feeleþ, he doþ,
And resun as Angel haþ he soþ.
Þenk þou on þat dignite
To creature of Mon is ȝiue so fre,
Hou þat his ȝift wiþ honoures
Sormounteþ alle oþur Creatoures.
Þerfore seiþ Austyn þus fol riht:
“I nolde ben Aungel, þeiȝ I miht,
Heore stat wolde I forsake þan
ffor þat stude was purueyed for man.”