1B2.2.8

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2

HER ONGYNÐ BE CRISTENDOME.

3    Leofan men, eallum cristenum mannum is mycel þearf þæt hy
4heora cristendomes gescad witan, & þæt hy
5heora cristendom rihtlice healdan.
6Be Cristes agenum naman syn cristene genamode, forðam Crist
7is cristenra heafod, & ealle cristene men
8syndon to Cristes limum getealde, gyf hy heora cristendom
9gehealdað mid rihte.
10Lytel fremað þeah cristen nama butan cristenum dædum, ac se
11bið rihtlice cristen þe Cristes larum &
12his lagum folgað ealswa se apostol cwæð: Qui se dicit in
13Cristum credere debet ambulare sicut et
14ipse ambulauit .
15Se þe secge þæt he on Crist gelyfe, fare se þæs rihtweges
16þe Crist sylf ferde.
17And ðeah hwa cweðe þæt he on Crist rihtlice gelyfe & nele
18his larum ne his lagum folgian, he lihð him
19sylfum; & Crist sylf eac on his godspelle swytollice þus
20spæc: Si diligitis me, mandata mea seruate .
21Gyf ge me lufian, he cwæð, folgiað minum larum, forðam se
22me ne lufiað na þe nele minum larum

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23rihtlice fyligean.
24Nu age we þearfe þe cristene syndon þæt we georne his
25larum & his lagum fyligean.
26Leofan men, hit gewearð on geardagum þæt God sylf spæc
27hludre stefne of Synai Munte to Moyse þam heretogan
28& to Israhela folce & ðus cwæþ be him sylfum & be
29his agenum lagum: Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus,
30et reliqua .
31Ic eom ðin Drihten, he cwæð, þe gelædde þe ut of
32Egyptum.
33Ne weorða þu fremde godas.
34Ne þu þines Drihtnes naman ne namie on idel.
35Wite þæt ðu þæne restedæg freolsige georne.
36Weorða geornlice fæder & modor.
37Ne beo ðu ænig manslaga.
38Ne afyl þe mid forligere.
39Ne sceaþa ðu.
40Ne leoh þu.
41Ne gyrn ðu oðres mannes wifes, ne æniges þinges þe oðer
42man age ne gyrn þu on unriht.
43ðas tyn beboda God sylf gedihte & awrat & Moyse befæste; &
44Crist on his godspelle eft hy geswutelode,
45& he georne eac lærde þæt manna gehwilc oðrum beode
46þæt þæt he wille þæt man him beode.
47ðæt is rihtlic lagu, & se bið gesælig se þe hy
48gehealdeð.
49þas beboda & fela hertoeacan we sculon healdan, be þam þe
50us Cristes bec gelomlice lærað, gif we Gode
51willaþ rihtlice hyran, swa swa us þearf is, & eal þæt
52gelæstan þæt þæt we behetan þa we fulluht
53underfengan oððon þa þe æt fontbæþe ure forespecan
54wæran.
55Eala, leofan men, us is swyðe mycel þearf þæt we ofer
56ealle oðre þing God huru lufian & his larum &
57lagum geornlice

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58fyligean & his halgan cyrican syngallice weorðian.
59Ealle we habbað ænne heofonlicne fæder & ane gastlice
60modor, seo is ecclesia genamod, þæt is Godes
61cyrice, & ða we sculan æfre lufian & weorðian & næfre
62hyre derian wordes ne weorces, ac griðian hy
63symle & healdan unwemme & a butan glemme.
64La hwæt, fremað cyrichatan cristendom on unnyt, forðam ælc
65þæra bið Godes feond þe bið Godes cyrcena
66feond, & ðe Godes cyrcena riht wanað oððe wyrdeð.
67And egeslice spæc Gregorius be ðam þa ða he þus cwæð:
68si quis ecclesiam Dei denudauerit uel sanctimonia
69uiolauerit, anathema sit; ad quod respondentes omnes
70dixerunt, amen .
71Se ðe Godes cyrican, he cwæð, rype oððe reafige oððe
72halignessa grið scyrde oððe wyrde, a he forwyrðe;
73& Romana witan him andwyrdan sona & anmodlice cwædon,
74amen , ealle; þæt bið on Englisc, swa hit geweorðe.
75Eala, rihte gedafenað cristenum mannum þæt hi Crist sylfne
76geefenlæcan georne, þæs ðe hy don magon,
77& Cristes cyrican weorðian & werian & swa don eac georne swa
78se halga gast lærð þæt we don sculon.
79ðæt is, þæt gehwa georne unriht forlæte & inwerdre
80heortan hwyrfe to rihte for Gode & for worulde.
81La, hu mæg man eaðost gehwyrfan fram yfele & fram unrihte,

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82butan þæt man deofol georne forbuge & his
83undæda ealle oferhogie & wið his unlara geornlice scylde &
84wið þa deoflican eahta leahtras dæges
85& nihtes warnie symle?
86ðæt is gitsung & gifernes, galnes & weamodnys, unrotnys &
87asolcennys, gylpgeornys & ofermodignys.
88Of ðyson eahta deofles cræftan ealle unþeawas up aspringað
89& syðþan tobrædað ealles to wide.
90ðonne syndon eahta healice mægnu þurh Godes mihte mannum
91gescyfte: ðæt is rumheortnys & syfernys, clænnes
92& modþwærnes, glædnes & anrædnys, sybgeornes &
93eadmodnes.
94Mid þysan mægenan we us sculon werian & ðurh Godes fultum
95deofol oferwinnan & his unþeawan fæste wiðstandan.
96Leofan men, ure Drihten spæc to Moyse hwilum & be ðære
97gitsunge þus cwæð: Non concupiscas ullam rem
98proximi tui .
99Ne gyrn ðu on unriht, he cwæð, æniges þinges þe oðer
100man age, & se apostol cwæð: radix omnium malorum
101est cupiditas .
102Gitsung is wyrtruma, he cwæð, æghwylces yfeles.
103Leofan men, doð swa ic lære, scyldað wið þa gitsunge
104æfre swyðe georne & warniað eac symle wið gyfernesse
105georne.
106ðurh gifernesse Adam

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107forlet ærest paradisum.
108And eac ic lære georne manna gehwylcne þæt ænig ne afyle
109mid fulan forligere æfre hine sylfne.
110Ne ænig ne healde yrre on his heortan ealles to lange.
111Ne ænig ðurh worldhoge forsorgie to swyðe, ac hihte on his
112Drihten.
113Ne æfre ænig man idelnesse lufige ealles to gelome.
114Ne æfre ænig man unnyt lof & idel gylp lufige to swyðe.
115Ne æfre ænig man ofermetta lufie, ac æfre hy ascunie.
116And scylde man eac wið mansliht æfre swyðe georne, &
117scylde man wið galnysse & wið æwbryce georne;
118& wið ælc woh gestreon beorge man georne, ac stryne mid
119rihte.
120Unrihte gemeta & woge gewihta aweorpe man georne, & æfre
121ænig man oðrum ne swicie ealles to swyðe.
122Ne ænig man oðerne to nearwe ne hæfte ne on unriht ne
123geþeowige.
124Ne ænig man þurh reaflac oðerne ne rype.
125Ne ænig man oðerne on unriht ne fordeme.
126Ne ænig man oðerne ne tyrie ne ne tyne ealles to swyðe.
127Ne ænig man hine sylfne mid mane ne forswerie.
128Ne on leasre gewitnesse ænig man ne stande.
129Ne ænig man ne

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130gewunie þæt he huxlice onhisce, ne ðurh
131hyrwnesse God ne gegremie.
132Ne ænig man to hlagol sy ne færinga to fægen ne eft ne beo
133to ormod.
134Ne ænig man oþerne bæftan ne tæle ne hyrwe to swyðe.
135Ne ænig man andan ne healde on his heortan ealles to fæste.
136Ne ænig man oðerne ne hatie to swyðe.
137Ne ænig man ne gewunie þæt he mid yfelum wordum to wyriende
138weorðe.
139Ne ænig man ne sy to sacfull ne ealles to geflitgeorn.
140Ne ænig man ne lufige druncen to swyðe ne fule oferfylle.
141Ne ænig man myrtenes æfre ne abite ne blodes ne abyrige.
142Ne ænig man wiccecræft æfre begange.
143Ne ænig man idola weorðie æfre.
144Ne ænig man gemanan wið amansode hæbbe.
145Sunnandæges weorðunge nænig man forgyme.
146ælc man his teoðunga gelæste mid rihte.
147Freolsa & fæstena healde man georne.
148ðæt man Gode behate ne aleoge man æfre.
149Ne ænig man mid unandettan heafodleahtrum husles ne abyrige,
150ac andette & bete ær he husel ðicge.
151Eac ic lære georne manna gehwilcne þæt he his synna
152andette gelome & mid dædbote

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153clænsie hine sylfne
154& bletsunge æt biscope & mildsunge gyrne.
155forðam, understande se ðe wille, eal hit mæg to ðearfe,
156ealswa þæt godspel cwæð: Penitentiam agite;
157adpropinquabit uobis regnum celorum .
158Doð dædbote eowra synna & eow sona wyrð heofona rices duru
159raðe untyned.
160Leofan man, on eornost ic lære, cyrrað from yfele & fram
161unrihte & doð to gode a swa leng swa mare.
162Gymað georne Godes lage & healdað hy fæste & gelome on
163gearfæce gearwiað eow to husle.
164Eala, leofan men, ne latiað na, ne latiað, ac ofstlice
165efstað & to Gode wendað.
166And se ðe wære gitsiende oðra manna þinga & æhta, weorðe
167of his agenan rihte begytenan ælmesgyfa georne.
168Se þe wære gifre, weorðe se syfre; & se ðe wære galsere
169on fulan forligere, weorðe se clænsere his
170agenre sawle.
171Se þe wære weamod, weorðe se geþyldmod.
172Se ðe wære hohmod, weorðe se glædmod.
173Se ðe wære idelgeorn,

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174weorðe se notgeorn.
175Se ðe wære lofgeorn for idelan weorðscype, weorðe se
176carfull hu he swyþast mæge gecweman his Drihtne.
177Se ðe wære ofermod, weorðe se eadmod.
178Se ðe wære scaðiende, weorðe se tiligende on rihtlicre
179tilðe.
180Se ðe wære slapol, weorðe se ful wacor, & se ðe wære full
181slaw, weorðe se unslaw to cyrican gelome
182for agenre þearfe.
183Se ðe wære leassagol, weorðe se soðsagol.
184Se ðe wære bæcslitol, weorðe se wærsagol.
185Se ðe wære stuntwyrde, weorðe se wiswyrde.
186And se ðe on unriht abysgode hine sylfne, se on halgum
187gebedum abysgie hine symle.
188And se ðe wære ungeleafful rihtes geleafan, weorðe se
189geleafful godcundes rihtes.
190ðus man sceal ælc unriht mid rihte gebetan & unweod aweodian
191& god sæd aræran.
192Nu la, leofan men, gelyfað huru georne & anrædlice
193beþencað þæt annes & ðrynnes on godcundnesse an
194is; ðæt is fæder & sunu & frofergast.
195Ealle þa ðry naman befehð an godcund miht & is untodæled
196an ece God, wealdend & wyrhta ealra gesceafta.
197Se is to lufianne & to weorðianne ofer ealle oðre ðing.
198And riht is þæt ælc cristen man eac oðerne lufie & healde
199mid rihte, & þæt ænig oðrum ne beode butan þæt he wylle

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200þæt man him beode.
201Ne ænig ne syrwe ne oðrum ne swicie, ac healde ælc oðerne
202mid rihtre getrywðe.
203Ic lære eac georne manna gehwylcne þæt he Godes ege hæbbe
204æfre on gemynde & Godes hus symle weorðie
205& werie & sece gelome him sylfum to þearfe.
206Sibbe & some lufie man georne & ælc fracodlic facn æfre
207aweorpe & æghwylcne hæðenscype wordes & weorces
208forhogie man æfre.
209Godcundre lare folgie man georne & inweardre heortan clypie
210man to Criste oft & gelome, & cyrican gegrete
211mid leohte & lacum swa man oftost mæge.
212Rihte teoðunga gelæste man glædlice, & Godes sacerdan
213hlyste man georne & hy for Godes ege lufige &
214weorðie, ut Dominus dicit: Qui uos audit, et reliqua .
215ælmesgedal dæle man gelome, Mete þam ofhingredum, drenc
216þam ofðyrstum, hushleow gefarenum, wæfels þam
217nacedum, frofer þam dreorigan, neosunge þam seocan, &
218byrgenne þam deadan.
219Wydewan & steopcild werie man & nerie, & ðearfena gehwylcum
220helpe man georne.
221Domas & dihtas rihte man geornlice, þæt

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222leod & lagu trumlice
223stande.
224Beo manna gehwylc hold & getrywe his worldhlaforde æfre mid
225rihte, & beo hlaforda gehwylc milde his
226mannum & hy næfre ne swence on unriht to swyðe.
227Beo manna gehwylc milde on mode & miltsie for Godes ege, þær
228he derian mæge.
229Godfæder his godbearn lufie & lære & unrihtes styre.
230Pater noster & credan mymerian þa yldran & tæcan heora
231gingran mid rihtan geleafan.
232On manna gehwylces mode & muðe soðsagu stande.
233On heortan & on weorcan clænnes gelufie; on geðance & on
234þeawan syfernes gelicie.
235Eac ic lære georne manna gehwylcne þæt he his luste to
236swyðe ne fulgange, ac mid forhæfednesse oft
237& gelome wylde hine sylfne him sylfum to ðearfe.
238And doð swa ic lære, hyran þa gingran georne heora yldran,
239& lufian & læran þa yldran heora gingran;
240& ða þe lifes weg lædan cunnan gebringan on rihtwege þa
241ðe ær dweledan.
242And styre man þam stuntum, & hlyste man þam wisan, &
243afæstnie man symle georne on heortan godcunde
244þearfe, & ealne modes hiht on God sylfne besette man fæste.
245Ondræde man domdæg & for helle agrise, & ecre reste earnie
246man georne, & æghwylce dæge a manna

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247gehwylc forhtige for synnum & æfre him gehende endedæges
248wene.
249Eala, hwæt se bið on worulde wis & gesælig þe ðis eal
250geðenceð oft & gelome & ðe Godes beboda geornlice
251gymeð MS: SUPERSCRIPT e ABOVE y & on Godes mildheortnesse
252fullice gehyhteð, & se ðe soðe lufe to Gode & to mannum
253gehealdeð mid rihte, & mid rihtre dædbote clænsað hine
254sylfne & ærran gewyrhta georne begeomerað.
255Forðam God sylfa behet synfullum mannum þæt he wolde
256miltsian, gyf hi woldon earnian.
257Ealswa se witega sang & sæde þa ða he ðus cwæð:
258Querite Dominum dum inueniri potest, et reliqua.
259Item propheta dicit: In quacumque die peccator conuersus
260fuerit, et reliqua .
261Et Dominus in euangelio dicit: Gaudium est angelis Dei
262super, et reliqua .
263Eala, leofan men, utan nu efstan & ealle ure lifwegas
264geornlice rihtan, & ne latian na to lange ne
265ealles to swyðe, þe læs þe we forweorðan þonne we læst
266wenan.
267Ac utan us sylfe mid godan geþance on worde & on weorce
268wenian to rihte & geearnian þa myrhðe mid Godes
269fylste þe ðam is gegearwod þe Gode wel gehyrað & his
270lage healdað þa hwyle þe hy libbað.
271A sy ecum Gode lof & wyrðmynt in ealra woruld æfre butan
272ende, amen.