1B1.9.1

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2Ic ælfric wolde þas lytlan boc awendan to engliscum
3gereorde of ðam stæfcræfte, þe is gehaten GRAMMATICA ,
4syððan ic ða twa bec awende on hundeahtatigum
5spellum, forðan ðe stæfcræft is seo cæg, ðe
6ðæra boca andgit unlicð; and ic þohte, þæt ðeos boc
7mihte fremian iungum cildum to anginne þæs cræftes,
8oððæt hi to maran andgyte becumon.
9Ælcum men gebyrað, þe ænigne godne cræft hæfð, þæt he
10ðone do nytne oðrum mannum and befæste þæt pund,
11þe him god befæste, sumum oðrum men, þæt godes feoh
12ne ætlicge and he beo lyðre þeowa gehaten and
13beo gebunden and geworpen into ðeostrum, swaswa þæt
14halige godspel segð.
15iungum mannum gedafenað, þæt hi leornion sumne wisdom and
16ðam ealdum

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17gedafenað, þæt hi tæcon sum gerad
18heora iunglingum, forðan ðe ðurh lare byð se geleafa
19gehealden.
20and ælc man, ðe wisdom lufað, byð gesælig, and, se ðe
21naðor nele ne leornian ne tæcan, gif he mæg,
22þonne acolað his andgyt fram ðære halgan lare, and he
23gewit swa lytlum and lytlum fram gode.
24hwanon sceolon cuman wise lareowas on godes folce, buton hi on
25iugoðe leornion?
26and hu mæg se geleafa beon forðgenge, gif seo lar and ða
27lareowas ateoriað?
28is nu for ði godes þeowum and mynstermannum georne to
29warnigenne, þæt seo halige lar on urum dagum
30ne acolige oððe ateorige, swaswa hit wæs gedon on
31Angelcynne nu for anum feawum gearum, swa þæt nan
32englisc preost ne cuðe dihtan oððe asmeagean anne pistol
33on leden, oðþæt Dunstan arcebisceop and Aðelwold
34bisceop eft þa lare on munuclifum arærdon.
35ne cweðe ic na for ði, þæt ðeos boc mæge micclum to lare
36fremian, ac heo byð swa ðeah sum angyn to
37ægðrum gereorde, gif heo hwam licað.
38Ic bidde nu on godes naman, gyf hwa ðas boc awritan wylle,
39þæt he hi gerihte wel be ðære bysne; forðan
40ðe ic nah geweald, þeah hi hwa to woge gebringe þurh
41lease writeras, and hit bið ðonne his pleoh, na min.
42micel yfel deð se unwritere, gyf he nele his woh gerihtan.