1A NUMBER OF LEXICAL ITEMS SPELT AS TWO WORDS IN
2THE EDITION ARE SPELT AS ONE WORD IN THE VERSION BELOW,
3E.G. ibue (ED. i bue)E.G. ibye (ED. i bye); apierede (ED. a pierede)
4

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5

SERMO JN DIE EPIPHANIE.

6
7    Cum natus esset ihesus in betleem iude in diebus
8herodis regis ecce magi ab oriente uenerunt ierosolimam
9dicentes. Vbi est qui natus est rex iudeorum.
10We redeth i þo holi godespelle of te dai ase ure louerd godalmichti
11ibore was of ure lauedi seinte Marie i þe cite of bethleem. þet si
12sterre was seauinge of his beringe. swo apierede te þo þrie kinges of
13heþenesse. tojanes þo sunne risindde. And al swo hi biknewe
14his beringe bi þo sterre. swo hi nomen conseil betuene
15hem þet hi wolden gon for to hyne anuri. and þet hi wolden offri
16him gold and stor and Mirre. And al swo hi hedden aparailed here
17offrendes swo kam si sterre þet yede to for hem in to iuresalem. Þere
18hi speken to herodes and hym askede. wer was se king of gyus þet
19was ibore. And herodes iherde þet o king was ibore þet solde bi

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20king of geus. swo was michel anud. and alle hise men. for þet he was
21ofdred for to liese his king riche of ierusalem. Þo dede he somoni
22alle þo wyse clerekes þet kuþe þe laghe and hem askede wer crist
23solde bien ibore. Hi answerden þet ine ierusalem. for hit was swo
24iseid and behote hwilem bi þo profetes. And al swo herodes iherde
25þis. swo spac te þo þrie kinges. and hem seide. Goþ ha seide into
26bethleem and sechez þet child. and wanne ye hit habbeth hifunde swo
27anuret hit. and efter þet cometh to me. and hic wille go and anuri
28hit. Þet ne seide he nocht herodes for þet he hit wolde
29onuri; ac for þet he hit wolde slon. yef he hit michte finde. Þo
30kinges hem wenten and hi seghen þo sterre þet yede bifore hem.
31al wat hi kam over þo huse. war ure louerd was. and al swo hi hedden
32ifonden ure louerd; swo hin anurede. and him offrede hire offrendes.
33Gold. and. stor. and Mirre. Þo nicht efter þet aperede an ongel of
34heuene in here slepe ine metinge and hem seide and het. þet hi ne
35solde ayen wende be herodes. ac be an oþer weye wende into hire
36londes. Lordinges and leuedis þis is si glorius miracle. and si
37glorius seywinge of ure lordes beringe. þet us telþ þet holi godespel of
38te day. and ye muee wel understonde be þo speche of þe godspelle
39þet me sal to dai mor makie offrinke þan an oþren dai. and þer of us
40yeft ensample þo þrie kinges of heþenesse. þet comen fram verrene
41londes ure louerd to seche. and him makie offrinke. And
42be þet hi offrede gold. þet is cuuenable yeftte to kinge; seawede þet
43he was sothfast kink. and be þet hi offrede Stor. þet me offrede wylem
44be þo ialde laghe to here godes sacrefise; seawede þe he was verray
45prest. And be þet hi offrede Mirre. þet is biter þing. signefieth þet hi
46hedde beliaue þet he was diadlich. þet diath solde suffri for manken.
47Nu ihiereth wet signefieth þet Gold. þet Stor. þet Mirre. And offre
48we Gostliche to ure lorde. þet i offrede flesliche. Þet Gold þet is
49bricht and glareth ine þo brichtnesse of þo sunne. signefieth þe gode
50beleaue. þet is bricht ine þe gode cristenemannes herte. Si gode
51beleaue licht and is bricht ine þo herte of þo gode Manne ase gold.
52Offre we þanne god almichti god gold. Beleue we stedefastliche.
53þet he is fader and sune. and holy gost. is onlepi god. Wo so hath
54beleaue ine gode swo offreth him god gold þet Stor
55signefied gode werkes. for ase se smech of þe store wanne hit is ido

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56into þe ueree and goth upward to þo heuene and to gode ward Swo
57amuntet si gode biddinge to gode of þo herte of þo gode cristenemanne.
58Swo we mowe sigge þet stor signefieth þe herte. and se smech luue of
59gode. Bi þet Mirre þat is biter. and be þo biternesse defendet þet
60Cors þet is mide ismered. þet no werm nel comme ihende; signefiet
61þo gode werkes þet is biter to þo yemernesse of ure flesce. Si Mirre
62signefiet uastinge. for þo luue of gode wakie. go ine pelrimage. uisiti þe
63poure. and to sike. and to do alle þe gode þet me may do for godes luue.
64þo ilke þinges so bieth bitere to þo wrichede flessce. Ac al so si mirre
65loket þet bodi þet no werm ne may þer ihende come; so us defendet
66þo ileke þinges fram senne. and fram þe amonestement of þo dieule
67þet ha ne may us misdo. Lordinges nu ye habbet iherd þo signefiance
68of þo offringes þet maden þo þrie kinges of
69heþenesse to gode. hye habbet to gode ioffred of yure selure. and of
70yure erþliche godes. Ne ne offreth him nacht onlepiliche to day. ac
71alle þo daies i þo yere gostliche. Gold. and Stor. and Mirre. ase hic.
72habbe itold. Gold; fore Gode belaue. Stor; for holy urisun.
73Mirre. for gode werkes. þet bieth þo offringes. þet ure louerd besekeþ
74auerichedaye þo cristenemanne. and werefore se xpistenman yef has
75deþ; of seruet þo blisce of heuene. And ihesu crist þet for us wolde
76an erþe bi bore. and anured of þo þrie kinges of painime; he yeue
77us his grace of þo holi gost in ure hertes wer bi we moue hatie þo ileke
78þinges þet he hatedh. and lete þo ileke þinges þat he forbiet. and
79luuie þo ilek þinkes þat he luued. and do þo ilek þinges þat he hoot.
80ine him so bileue and bidde and serui. þet we mowe habbe þo blisce
81of heueriche. Quod uobis prestare dignetur per.
82
83

DOMINICA SECUNDA POST OCTAVAM EPIPHANIE. SERMO EUAN.

84
85    Nuptie facte sunt in chana galilee. & erat mater
86ihesu ibi. Vocatus est autem ihesus ad nuptias &
87discipuli eius. Þet holi godspel of to day us telþ. þet a bredale
88was imaked ine þo londe of ierusalem. in ane cite þat was icleped
89Cane in þa time þat godes sune yede in erþe flesliche. ac To þa bredale

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90was ure leuedi seinte Marie. and ure louerd ihesus crist and hise
91deciples. so iuel auenture þet wyn failede. at þise bredale. þo seide
92ure leuedi seinte Marie. to here sune. hi ne habbet no wyn. And ure
93louerd answerde and sede to hire. Wat belongeth hit to me oþer to
94þe wyman. Nu ne dorste hi namore sigge. ure lauedi. Hac hye spac
95to þo Serganz þet seruede of þo wyne. and hem seyde. al þet he hot
96yu do; so doþ. And ure louerd clepede þe serganz and seyde to
97hem. ffol vellet ha seyde. þos ydres. þet is to sigge þos Croos. oþer
98þos faten of watere. for þer were. vi. ydres of stone. þet ware iclepede
99baþieres wer þo gius hem wesse for clenesse. and for religiun. Ase
100þe custome was ine þo time. þo serganz. uuluelden þo faten
101of watere and hasteliche was iwent into wyne. bie þo wille of ure
102louerde. þo seide ure lord. to þo serganz. Moveth togidere and
103bereth to Architriclin. þat was se þet ferst was iserued. And al so
104hedde idrunke of þise wyne þet ure louerd hedde imaked of þe
105watere; ha niste nocht þe miracle. ac þo serganz wel hit wiste. þet
106hedde þet water ibrocht. þo seide Architriclin to þo bredgume.
107Oþer men seyde he doþ forþ þet beste wyn þet hi habbeþ ferst at
108here bredale. and þu hest ido þe contrarie þet þu hest ihialde þet
109beste wyn wath nu; Þis was þe commencement of þo miracles of ure
110loruerde þet he made flesliche in erþe. and þo beleuede on him; his
111deciples. Ine sigge nacht þet hi ne hedden þer before ine him
112beliaue; ac fore þe miracle þet hi seghe; was here beliaue þe more
113istrengþed. Nu ye habbeþ iherd þe Miracle. nu ihereþ þe signefiance.
114Þet water bitockned se euele xpisteneman. for
115al so þet water is natureliche schald and a kelþ alle þo þet hit drinkeþ;
116so is se euele xpisteman chald of þo luue of Gode. for þo euele
117werkes þet hi doþ. Ase so is Lecherie. spusbreche. Roberie.
118Manslechter. husberners. bakbiteres. and alle oþre euele deden.
119þurch wyche þinkes man ofserueth þet fer of helle. Ase godes oghe
120mudh hit seid. and alle þo signefied þet water; þet þurch yemere
121werkes. oþer þurch yemer iwil liesed þo blisce of heuene. þet wyn þat
122is naturelliche hot ine him selue; and anhet alle þo þet hit drinked;
123betokned alle þo þet bied anheet of þe luue of ure lorde. Nu

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124lordinges ure lord god almichti. þat hwylem in one stede. and ine
125one time flesliche makede of watere wyn; yet habbeþ manitime
126maked of watere wyn; gostliche. wanne þurch his grace maked of
127þo euele manne good man. of þe orgeilus umble. of þe lechur chaste.
128of þe niþinge large. and of alle oþre folies; so ha maket of
129þo watere wyn. þis his si signefiance of þe miracle. Nu loke euerich
130man toward him seluen. yef he is win; þet is to siggen yef he is
131anheet of þo luue of gode. oþer yef he is water. þet is yef þu art chold
132of godes luue. yef þu art euel man; besech ure lorde þet he do ine þe
133his uertu. þet ha þe wende of euele into gode. and þet he do þe do
134swiche werkes þet þu mote habbe þo blisce of heuene. Quod uobis.
135prestare dignetur.
136
137

DOMINICA TERCIA POST OCTAVAM EPIPHANIE.

138
139    Cvm descendisset ihesus de monte. secute sunt eum
140turbe multe. Et ecce leprosus ueniens adorabat eum
141dicens. Domine si uis; potes me mundare. Þet holi
142godspel of to dai us telþ. þet ure lord ihesus crist. ase he hedde iyue
143þo newe laghe. in one montayne. and hedde imaked þet formeste
144sarmun þet euerte made in erþe; suo him folgede michel folk. Swo
145kam a leprus. a sikman and onurede him and seyde. Lord.
146lord ha seide yef þu wilt; þu me micht wel makie hool of mine lepre.
147of mine euele. And ure lord him seide and spredde his hond. and
148tok his lepre; hic wille seide ure lord þet þu bi clensed. and al so
149raþe he was iwarisd of his maladie. Nu lordinges þis is þe miracle
150þet þet godspel of te dai us telþ. ac great is þe tokningge. Se leprus
151signefiez þo senuule men. si lepre þo sennen. þet scab bitokned þo
152litle sennen. si lepre betokned þo grete sennen þet biedh diadliche.
153Ase so is lecherie. spusbreche. Gauelinge. Roberie. þefte. Glutunie.
154drunkenesse. and alle þo sennen þurch wiche me liest þo luue of gode
155almichti and of alle his haleghen. þurch Scab nis nacht man and
156wyman deseiurd fram mannes felarede. Ne for þo litle sennen. þet
157noman hine ne mai loki. nis noon deseurd pardurableliche fram
158gode; ne fram holi chereche. for lepre is man deseurd of þo compainie

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159of gode and of alle his angles. þat is to sigge for diadliche
160senne. Nu ye habbet iherd þe miracle and wet hit
161betokned. Nu loke we yef we bieþ clene of þise lepre. þat is to
162siggen of diadliche senne. Se leprus liest þe felarede of oþer men;
163for se þynteen et sterft inne diadliche senne; so forliest þe compainie of
164gode. And yef ye bieþ clene; lokeþ þet ye ne falle nocht. þet ye ne
165bie deseuerd fram þe felarede of gode almichti. þurch none euele
166werkes þurch none euele iwil. And yef ye bieþ leprus þurch diadliche
167senne. greded gode Merci; þet þo leprus yaf helþe ine bodie; þet
168he us yeue gostliche helþe. in ure saule. Comeþ to srifte forleted
169yure sennen and þer of bieþ asoiled. þanne sollie habbe þo helþe of
170heuene. þat is lif withuten ende. Quod uobis. prestare
171dignetur. per.
172
173

DOMINICA QUARTA POST OCTAVAM EPIPHANIE.

174
175    Ascendente ihesu in nauiculam. secuti sunt eum discipuli
176eius. Et ecce motus factus est magnus in mari. Ita
177ut nauicula operiretur fluctibus. Erat autem illis; uentus
178contrarius. We redeth i þe holi godspelle of to dai
179þat ure lord ihesu crist yede one time in to ane ssipe and ise deciples
180mid him in to þe see. And so hi were in þo ssipe so aros a great
181tempeste. of winde. And ure lord was ileid him don to slepe. ine þo
182ssipe. er þane þis tempeste aroos. Hise deciples hedde gret drede of
183þise tempeste. so awakede hine. and seiden to him. lord saue us; for
184we perisset. And ha wiste wel þet hi ne hadde nocht gode beleaue
185ine him; þo seide to hem. wat dret yw folk of litle beliaue. Þo aros
186up ure lord and tok þane wynd and to see; and al so raþe hit was
187stille. And al se þo men þet weren in þo ssipe hedde iseghe þo
188miracle so awondrede hem michel. Þis is si vaire miracle þet þet
189godspel of te day us telþ. Þere fore sal hure beliaue bie þe betere
190astrengþed. Ine swiche lorde þet siche miracle mai do and doþ wanne
191he wile. Ac hit is us nyede þet se þet sucurede hem ine þa peril; þet
192us sucuri ine ure niedes. Þet we clepie to him þet ha us
193helpe. and he hit wille do bleþeliche. yef we him bisecheth merci mid
194good iwille al so him seluen seith bi þe holi writes. Salus populi
195ego sum. & cetera. Hic am ha seiþ helere of þe folke. wanne

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196hi to me clepiedh ine hire sorghen. and ine hire niedes hic hi sucuri
197and beneme hem al here euel with ute ende. Grede we to him
198merci sikerliche. yef se deuel us wille acumbri þurch senne. Þurch
199prede oþer þurch anvie. oþer þurh wreþhe. oþer þurch oþer manere of
200diadliche senne grede we to him Merci. and sigge we him lord sauue
201us þet we ne perissi. and þet he us deliuri of alle eueles. and þet ha
202yef us swiche werkes to done in þise wordle; þet þo saulen of us
203mote bien isauued a domes dai. and gon to þo blisce of heuene.
204Quod ipse prestare dignetur.
205
206

DOMINICA IN SEXAGESIMA. SERMO.

207
208    Simile est regnum celorum homini patrifamilias. qui
209exijt primo mane conducere operarios in uineam
210suam.
211
212    Hure lord godalmichti to us spekeþ ine þo holi
213godespelle of te day. and us seaweth one
214forbisne. þet yef we uilleth don his seruise. þet we sollen habbe
215þo mede wel griat ine heuene. For so seyth ure lord ine þo godspelle
216of to dai. þet on goodman was. þat ferst uut yede bi þe Moreghen
217for to here werkmen in to his winyarde. for ane peny of forewerde.
218and al so he hedde imad þise forewerde; so ha sente hi into his wynyarde.
219so ha dede at undren and at midday al so. þo þat hit was
220ayen þan euen; so ha kam into þe Marcatte. so he fond werkmen
221þet were idel. þo seyde he to hem. Wee bie ye idel; and hie answerden;
222and seyde. lord; for we ne fonden te dai þat us herde. Goþ
223nu ha seide se godeman into mine wynyarde; and hic þat richt is;
224yu sal yeue. þos yede into þise wynyarde. mid þo oþre. þo þet hi wel
225euen. þo seide þe lord to his sergant. Clepe þo werkmen and yeld
226hem here trauail. and agyn to hem þat comen last. and go al to þo
227ferste. yef eueriche of hem ane peny. Se sergant dede
228þes lordes commandement. so paide þo werkmen and yaf euerich ane
229peny. And so hi seghen þo þet bi þe Morghen waren icomen. þet
230hi þet waren last icume. Hedden here euerich ane peny; Þo wenden
231hi more habbe; þo gruchchede hi amenges hem. and seyden. þos
232laste on ure habbeþ itravailed. and þu his makest velaghes to us. þet
233habbeth al deai ibye ine þine wynyarde. and habbetþ iþoled þe berdene

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234of þo pine. and of þo hete of al þo daie. þo ansuerede se gode man
235to on of hem. Frend ha seide i ne do þe noon unricht. Wat for
236þingketh þat hic do min iwil; and al so ure lord hedde itold þise
237forbisne; so he seide efter ward. so sulle þo uerste bie last; and þo
238laste ferst. Fele bieþ iclepede; ac feaue bieþ icornee. Nu ihereþ
239þe signefiance. þes godeman; betockneþ godalmichti ure lord. Se
240winyard betockneþ. þe seruise of ure lorde. þe werkmen. betockneþ
241alle þo þet doþ cristes seruise. þo tides of þo daie; betokneþ
242þe time of þis world. Bie þe Morghen iherde ure lord werkmen
243in to his winyarde. þo ha sente þe patriarches. ate begininge of þis
244wordl. ine is seruise. þet þurch gode beleauee him seruede. and seden
245his techinge to alle þo þet hi hedden hit to siggen. Also at undren.
246and at midday. iherede he werkmen into is winyarde. þo ha sente be
247þo time þet Moyses was and aaron. and i þe time of his prophetes
248dede he mani god man in to his seruise; þet þurch griate luue to him
249helden. and deden his seruise. To yenes þan euen; godalmichti
250ihierde werkmen in to his winyarde. þo þat he alast of þis wordle
251naam fles and blod ine þe Maidene seinte Marie. and seauede ine þis
252world. þo fond he Men. þet al day hedden ibe idel. Werefore he
253fond þet heþen folk þet be þo time þet was igo; hedden. ibe ut of
254godes beliaue. and of his luue. and of his seruise. Hi ne hedden
255nocht ibe idel for to done þo deueles werkes. Ac þere fore
256seith þet godspel þet hedden ibe idel; þo þet hi nedden bileued ane
257god almichti. ne him louie ne him serui. For al þat is ine þis wordle.
258þet man is. bote yef ha luuie godalmichti. and him serui; al hit him
259may þenche forlore and idelnesse. þo a resunede ure lord þe paens
260be ise apostles. vre fore hi hedden ibe so longe idel. þo þet hi ne
261hedden ibe in his seruise; þo ansuerden þe paens; þet non ne
262hedden iherd hij. þet is to sigge þet hi ne hedden neuer te iheed
263prophete ne apostle ne prechur. þet hem seaude ne hem tachte hu
264i solden ine gode beleue ne him serui. Goþ a seide ure lord inte mine
265winyarde. þet is inte mine beleaue. and hic yw sal yeue yure peni þet
266is heueriche blisce. þo heþen men yeden be þa daghen into cristes
267seruise; and we þet of hem bieþ icume. and habbeþ cristendom

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268underfonge; bieþ ientred into cristes seruise þere fore we sollen
269habbe ure peni þet is þe blisce of heuene. al so wel ase
270þo þet comen bi þe Morghen. for al so we hopieþ for te habbe heueriche
271blisce; ase þo patriarches and þo prophetes. and þo apostles and
272þo gode men þet hwilem ine þis world godalmichti serueden. So as
273we habeþ iseid of diuers wordles. þet god almichti dede werkmen
274into his winyarde; so we mowe sigge of þo elde of eueriche men.
275For godalmichti deþ werkmen into his winyarde bi þe Morghen.
276Wanne ha clepeþ of swiche þer bieþ into his seruise ine here childhede.
277Wanne hi of þis world wendeþ. beswo þet hi ne be ine no
278diadlich senne. At undren ha sent men in to his winyarde. þet a
279turneþ into his seruise. of age of man. At Middai wanne þo dai is
280alþer hotestd betokned þo men of .xxx^ti. wyntre. oþer of furti. for þe
281nature of Man is of greater strengþe and of greater hete ine þo age.
282Se euen bitockneþ. elde of Man. þet is se ende of þe liue. Vre lord
283deþ werkmen in to his winyarde agenes þo euen; Wanne
284fele ine here elde wendeþ ut of here senne in to cristes seruise. As so
285solle hi habbe þo blisce of heuene; ase þo þet ferst comen into þe
286winyyarde. Nocht for þan for þise griate bunte þet ure iord yefþ ne
287solde no man targi for to wende to godalmichti ne him to serui. for al
288so seid þet holi writ þet non ne wot þane dai of his diaþe. for Man
289mai longe liues wene and ofte him legheþ se wrench. Nu gode men
290ye habbeþ iherd þet godspel and þe forbisne. Nu lokeþ yef ye bieþ
291with inne þo winyarde. þet is þet yef ye bieþ ine godes seruise yef ye
292bieþ with ute diadliche senne yef ye hatied þat he hateþ. yef ye luuieþ
293þet he luueþ. and doþ þet he hot. and but ye do; ye bieþ hut of his
294winyarde. þe is ut of his seruise. and ye doþ þet ure lord hoot. so ye
295ofserueþ þane peni. þet is heueriche blisce. ye ofserueþ þet good þet
296noon herte ne may iþenche ne noon yare ihere ne tunge telle.
297þo blisce þet god halt alle þo þet hine luuieþ. þider lord
298granti us to cumene. Quod ipse prestare dignetur. per.