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1

III.

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3

DOMINICA PRIMA IN QUADRAGESIMA.

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5    In leinten time uwilc mon gað to scrifte; þer beoð summe
6þe mare herm is þe gað al swa ic nuþe eow tellen wulle.
7He seið mið þa muðe þet nis naut in his heorte. ic wulle gan
8to scrifte for scome alswa doð oðer men. Ȝif ic forlete þe
9preost me walde eskien on ester dei hwa me scriue er he me
10ȝefe husul and ec for monne weordes ðinge. he ne gad naut to
11scrifte al swa doð oðer men. Ah al swa he doð swa þe swica
12þe bi-swikeð hine seolfe on-ende and bið al swa is an eppel
13iheoweð. he bið wið-uten feire and frakel wið-innen. Awah
14þet he efre wulle þristelechen oðer bi-þenchen mid his fule
15heorte þe heo wulle underfon swa heȝ þing and swa hali swa
16is cristes licome in his sunfulle buke. and weneð þet hit wulle

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17him helpen; Neisoðliche nawiht ah þenne þe preost hit deð in
18his muþe. þenne cumeð drihtenes engel and binimeð þa halinesse
19mid him toward heouene riche. þet þer bilefð in his muðe.
20ah ȝif eni mon hit muste isean. he mahte iseon ane berninde
21glede þet hine al for-bernað þurut to cole. Leofemen ȝif þu
22ert swiðe for-gult wið þine eorðliche lauerd he þe wule forbeode
23of his eȝane on siht. and ec þu ne derst cumen bi-foren
24him fore þine gulte. Hu der þe wrecche mon underfon drihtenes
25fleis and his blod in his licome. hu derst þu mon þer on-ȝein
26underfon drihtenes fleis and his blod in þine licome imong
27þan unwreste sunne and ec imong þan deofle þe wuneð in him.
28Mare hit him deð to herme þenne to gode for hit hine tið
29to þan bittre deðe to helle mare þenne to þan eche liue. Swa
30longe þe deofle wunað swa inne þe sunfulle men a þet he hine
31haueð al ifonded to his wille þurhut. and þe deofel þet to soþe
32þe rixat in-nan him þet he nulle nefre forleten his sunne. He
33þen-cheð þe deofel. þesne mon ic habbe itaken to mine aȝene
34bihofþe. Ma monna ic scolde biȝeten swa bi hulche monna
35seið drihten in his spelle. þa he þus cweꝥ Cum inmundus spiritus
36exierit ab homine ambulat per uias inaquosas querens requiem
37& non inuenit þe unclene gast þe geð him of þan sunfulle mon
38and geð him of þan stude to stude. and secheð reste hwer he
39mei wunian. ah he ne mei in nane gode men. forðon ȝif he
40bið wel iscrifen and godfurht ne þe deofel mey nefre cumen
41in-ne him for his gode werkes. þenne cweð he eft. Reuertar
42in domum meam unde exiui. Nu ic mot in þet ilke hus þet ic
43er wes. and þenne ferað he and nimeð him .vii. deofle þe beoð
44muchele wurse þenne he. heo fereð swa ic er cweð. and wuniað
45in him a mare and swa dreieð his erme saule in eche pine
46to helle grunde. Erðon he nefde bute enne deofel. nu he haueð
47sefene. Nu þah he walde þa ufele sunne for-leten; Ne mei he
48for þan deoflan. Ah wulche men ilimpeð swa ic habbe er
49icweðen; witicrist þet beoð þa men þe gað to scrifte mare
50for worldes scome þenne for heore sunne to beten; and to
51reusien. for hwet wule mon et scrifte bute he wulle for letenforletenEdition: for leten
52his misdede. and beten. Soðliche ȝif þu wreiest þe seolfen to

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53þine scrifte; ne mei þe deofel þe wreienson þan oðre liue. for
54þe mon þe heleð his sunne aðisse liue ne siht he nefre almihtin
55drihten. ne nawiht of his blisse. Hu maht þu iseon þine
56sceadewe in worie watere; Hwet is scrift bute forlete þene
57deofel. and þine sunne. and bi-rewsien and beten and wepen.
58and habben in his þonke þe he nule nefre mare eft ȝe don þeo
59sunnen; þe he geð to scrifte fore and cumen to þan preoste
60and werian hine seolfe. and cweðen in his þonke þar hi bið.
61Awah; þet ic hit efre dude mid mine wrechede licome þas sunnen.
62for godes luue beteð ower sunnen þa wile ȝe beoð heren on þisse
63scorte liue. and iþencheð hu lutte hwile ȝe beoð here. Mid
64soðe þus seið þe boc. Rubberes. and þa reueres. and þa þeoues.
65and þa morðslaȝa. and ȝitteres. and þa eawbrekeres. and þa
66liȝeres and þa wohdemeres and þa iuguleres. and þa oðer sottes
67alle heo habbeð an þonc fulneh. hwet seggeð heo. we moten
68idreȝan ure wil þe hwile þe we beoð ȝunge. and eft þenne we
69beoð eldre bete we hit þenne weilawei wrecche. þus cweð þe
70boc. Soðliche al swa eða þu mihtest neoman þine aȝen wepne
71and smiten of þin aȝen heaueð. and gan eft to þin aȝene liche.
72hu mahtest þu gan to þine aȝene liche ȝif þin hefet were offe;
73Nefre. Alswa nauest þu nefre milce of heofenlic drihten; ȝif þu
74eart inumen in þon ilke þonke. on enelpi luttele hwile mon mei
75underfon ane wunde on his licome; þet ne mei beon longe
76hwile hal. And oðer hwile hit is on wane of his hele. þa lutle
77hwile þu ha dest ha þe þuncheð fulgod. and ful swete. and eft
78wite crist heo is ful biter to betene, and oðer hwile hit itit þet
79þu heo nefre ne ibettest on þisse liue. hwet weneð þas ruperes
80and þas reueres þet nemeð oðres monnes eahte mid wohe. þet
81crist heom wulle milcien þah heo habbeð inumen and heom
82bi-ȝeten freondscipe et þon monnen; þet heo a-gult habbeð;
83nei. hwet þencheð heo þus ic wulle bi-ȝeten mid wohe. þa
84hwile ic mei. and seoðan ic wulle gan to scrifte. and forleten
85and festen þer fore. he haueð þes deofles costes. þet a festeð and
86a deð uuel. þus ha þencheð þet heo wulleð biȝeten; and nawiht
87aȝefen ah soðliche al he hit mot aȝefen ȝif he hit haueð. and
88ȝif he hit naueð aȝefe swa muchel swa he mei and forȝeuenesse

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89weorne bidde et þan ouereake þis him wule þunche swiðe
90strong and swiðe scondful þet he scal al a-ȝeuen and seodðan
91bisechen milce et þan ilke monne þe he haueð er istolen oðer
92oðer-weis wa idon. Bluðeliche þe mon wile gan to scrifte and
93segge þe preoste þet he haueð ireaueð and istolen. and bluðeliche
94he wule herkien. þet þe preost him leið on; ah þenne þe preost
95hine hat aȝefen þa ehte þon monne þet hit er ahte. þet he nulle
96iheren his þonkes. ah he wile seggen. and foxliche smeþien mid
97worde. Nabbe ic nawiht þer-of ic hit habbe al ispened þus seið
98þenne þe preost þer onȝein. God mon nim þu nuðe of þin aȝen
99ehte and do þer onȝein. hit mei ilimpen þet he wile seggen þah
100ic hefde al þet ic efre biȝet ne mahtic ȝelden swa muchel swa
101ic habbe idon to herme. witecrist he mot aȝeuen al swa muchel
102swa he mei. forðon moni mon hit walde him forȝeuen half oðer
103þridde lot þenne he iseȝe þet he ne mahte na mare ȝe-forðian.
104Hit mei ilimpen þet he wile seggen þam preoste. Lauerð nat ic
105hwer heo beoð þeo men þe ic þene herm to dude. Summe beoð
106deade and summe on oðre stude. ne ic cume to heom nawiht.
107Soðliche þus cweþeð þe boc he mot ham isecham. ȝif he wat
108to soðe þet heo beoð liues. and þene preost he mot isechen þe
109hine acursede. þet he hine iblecie onȝein þet he hine acursede.
110and ȝif he nat to soþe þet heo beoð liues þa men ne þe preost;
111cume þenne to þer ilke chirche þer er nom þa ehte. and do
112efter þes preostes rede þe he þer uindeð. þe preost him wile
113haten þet he nime þa ilke ehte oðer his wurð. and dele hit
114wrecche monne oðer to brugge oðer to chirche weorke oðer
115on sume stude þer hit beoð wel bitoȝen for cristes luue. and
116for þene mon þet hit er ahte. and þaȝet nime bote to criste. þe
117ilke þet is iseli; þis he wule don. and he his uniseli ȝif him
118is lað to donne þis forðon þe he scal aȝein ȝeuen awiht. þus þe
119uniselie þencheð þes preost wile habben min ehte mid wohe.
120and ne don me nan oðer bote buten a ic scal festen, and þa
121ȝet hit were wel god moste ic alunges festen swa þet ic mine
122oðre goð al ne fors-spende. Bi þam men þe þus þencheð. þus
123seið þe boc. he wule festen, and eaten. ȝif he mei et ane mele
124swa muchel swa et twam. Soðliche ne con crist him nenne

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125þonc. Ne þenche ȝe herto. Gif þu me dest woh and wit beon
126anes lauerdes men; ic hit mene to mine lauerde alre erest þu
127me scalt don riht. and seodðan þe lauerde. witicrist muchele
128strengere dom is of godalmihtine. Gif þu wilt habben forȝefenesse
129of þire misdede to drihten alre erest þu most habben
130mine freonseipe ȝif þu wið me agultes. and seodðan þu most
131biȝeten milce et þine drihtene. Tobreoke anes eorðliches monnes
132heste; he wile wreðe wið þe. hunfald mare þu scoldest halden
133cristes biheste for þon he is alra kinge king þe mon þe leie .xii.
134moneð in ane prisune nalde he ȝefen al þet he efre mahte
135biȝeten wið þet he moste .xii. beo ðer ut of. and þah þu leie in
136ane prisune oðer hwile þu hefdest clað to werien. and to etene
137and to drinken. ȝe soðliche on cristes prisune nis nan of þis
sere; þissere;
Edition has line divisionþet is in helle. ah a þer is waning and graming. and
138toþen grisbating. hunger and þurst. and chele. and feonda
139bitinga. and neddre slittinga. wa is him þet he efre wes iboren
140on þis liue þe þer scal wunian. For godes luue gað to scriffte of
141alla eower sunne. for þah ȝe gan of sunne ower sunne to bote.
142and ȝe nulleð forleten hordomes. and ȝifernesse and druncnesse.
143ne halt nawiht þat scrift. and þis beot þa twa sunne þe men
144fulieð alra swiðest. and weneð þet hit ne beo na sunne bute
145ha habbe scrift. he is forloren in to helle. Gif eani mon bið
146inumen in þere sunne. Soðliche þus seið þe boc. hwet seið þe
147dusie to ufele hele wes ic iboren ȝif ic ne mot habben on þisse
148weorlde ȝeuenesse. ah swa me helpe drihten. þe ilke mon þe
149wule fulien alle his sunne lustes. Non intrabit in regnum celorum.
150þet is ne kimeð he nefre inne heoueneriche. and eft þe
151oðer witege seið. Nemo potest gaudere cum seculo. & in eternum
152regnare cum Christo. þet is to understondene. Ne mei nan
153mon habben al his wil. and blissien him mid þisse wordle and
154ec wunian a wið crist on heofene. þah þu liuedest of adames
155frumðe þet come þes dei and þu ahtest al weorld iwald. and
156alre welene mest. þenne þu scalt of þisse liue nalde hit þe
157þinchen na mare bute al swa þu ene unpriȝedest mid þine eȝen
158forðon nis nawiht þeos weorld al heo aȝeð on ane alpi þraȝe
159þerihtes he ne bið wei hwi beo we uule on þisse wrecche

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160world. Sodðliche heo us truket þenne we lest weneð. wei þet
161eni mon scal wið oðerne misdon for þisse worldes ȝifsunge.
162Soðliche al heo a-gað. and þa wrecche saule hit scal abuggen.
163Ga to þine feder burinesse oðer þer eni of þine cunne lið in. and
164esca hine hwet he habbe biȝeten mid his wohe domas. and mid
165his reuunge. mid his licome lustes. mid his oðre sunne. hwile
166he wes her on þisse liue. Soðliche he walde seggen ȝif he mihte
167speken. wa is me þet ic efre dude swa muchele sunne. and heo
168ne ȝe bette. for swilche pine ic habbe þet me were leofere þenne
169al world þah hit were min most ic habben an alpi þraȝe summe
170lisse and summe leðe. and ec mostic underfon minne licome and
171beon on worlde a mare ic walde fein pinian and sitten on forste
172and on snawe up et mine chinne. and þa ȝet hit walð me þunchen
173þet softeste beþ. and þet wunsemeste þet ic efre ibad moste ic
174beon of þisse earme liue. and þaȝet þu maht understonden þenne
175þu stondest et his burienesse þet he wes prud and wlonc. swa
176þu ert nu. and þu forwurðest. eca swa he is nu al to nohte; and
177þu nast neure hwenne; Leof wes he on liue and lað is he
178nuðe. and þa wrecche saule forloren; for-þi leofemen understondet.
179eouseluen þa hwile ȝe mahten. Nis þas weorld nawiht
180ȝe hit iseoð eow seluen. Ne beo he nefre swa riche forð he
181scal þenne is dei cumeð. for-þi gað bluðeliche to bote of eower
182sunne þa hwile ȝe maȝen. Vfel is þet mon aldeþ and his daȝes.
183him at-gað and nehlecheð his ende dei and nule him biþenchen
184þet his sunnen waxað. þat is þere saule deð; forðon heo ne
185mei abeoren alla þa sunne þe þe mon uppon hire deð. þenne heo
186wulle ut of þon licome. Soðliche þus seið þa boc þet moni
187þusent monne mahte libben fele ȝere mare þenne he do; ȝif he
188were riht-wis and god-furht leoue men þenne ȝe gad to scrifte
189ne forlete ȝe for nane scame þet ȝe ne seggen þam preoste alle
190eower sunne ne beo heo nefre swa ethelic. for nis nan sunne þet
191he ne con oðer he heo wat ðurh. þet he heo dude him seolf oðer
192he heo hafð i-escad oðer hafð ifunden on boke. Nis nan sunne
193þet nis iwriten on boke. for-þi betere eow is þet eow sceamie biforen
194þam preoste ane; þenne on domes-dei biforen criste. and
195bi-foren al heuene wara. and bi-foren al eorðe wara. and biforen

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196al helle wara. and þa hweþere þine saule feren scal in to
197eche pine. Leofe men ne mei þe preost forȝefen nane men
198his sunne ne his aȝene ah he is iset bi-twihan god almihtin.
199and þe for þe wissine hu þu scalt et god seolf habben þine
200sunne forȝeuene. and he hauefð þa ilke mahte of Sancte
201petre to bindene. and to unbindene. and of ure biscope þe
202is on sancte petres stude forðon he ne mei beon on ewilche
203stude for-þi beoð þa preostes under heom. Gif þu sunegest;
204he þe scal reden on godes halfe hu þu scalt habben cristes freondscipe;
205Soðliche ne þerft þu bidden namare. Ne mei nan mon
206seggen hu lihtliche þu maht habben godes milce. gif þu sunegest;
207forlet hit a mare. and þet mid rihte scrifte. and bete a. alswa ic
208er cweð. þah þu ga to bote and for-heole summe þine sunna.
209nis þet nawiht to þine bi-heofðe. Ne reccheð crist nane
210leasunge. ne him nis na neoð. oðer þu most hersumian crist.
211oðer þam deofle. Godemen uwileuwilc mon scal beon twiȝen awesseenawesscen
212of his sunne enes et þam fulhtbeda. for er þonne þet child beo
213ifulȝeð hit is þes deofles. oðer siðe þu scalt beon iwessen et
214soð scrifte; þenne þu forletest þine sunne. Soðliche ȝif þu wult
215habben bone to drihten; þu most beon on ward þine sunnen for
216þus cweð þa boc. peccatores deus non audit. Sunfulles monnes
217bone nulle god almihtin iheren bute he wulle forleten þa sunne
218and gan to bote leofemen þah ȝe sunegien and gan to bote ne
219lipnie ȝe no al to eower festene ȝif ȝe maȝen eni oðer god don.
220Nis nan mon þet ne mei mare don þene festen. Gif he ne mei
221don elmesse of claðe ne of mete al swa mei an riche mon; do
222summe of þisse þinge þe ic wulle nu cweþen. Alra erest þu
223scalt gan to scrifte and forleten þurhut þine misdede and festen
224swa þet þin licome beo þe lenre þet is fest for ðines drihtenes
225luue. þe mon þe þus fest crist him ȝeueð swilcne mete þet him
226nefre eft ne hungreð. þet oðer is do þine elmesse of þon þet þu
227maht iforðien. Messen for alle cristine saule. Wrecche men
228sceos and claðes. and mete. and dringen. and wermþe. and
229herburȝe. and to seke gan. and þa deden helpen to buriene and
230helpen heom mid þon þe þu maȝe. for þa boc seið. Sicut aqua
231extinguit ignem; ita & elemosina extinguit peccatum. Al swa

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232þet water acwencheð þet fur. swa þa elmesse acwencheð þa sunne
233þat þridde is þet þu scalt bi-wepen þine sunne bi-eften monnen
234and ȝeoten þine teres swiðe sariliche for þon drihten cweð on
235þan god-spelle. Beati qui nunc fletis quoniam ridebitis. þet is
236eadi beoð þa ilke þe nu wepeð for heore sunne for heo sceolen
237beon igledeð bi-foren drihten þat forðe is þet þu scalt wakien
238for þines drihtenes luue. forðon þe boc cweð. Non sit uobis
239uanum surgere ante lucem. quia promisit dominus coronam
240uigilantibus. Ne beo eow noht lað to arisene er dei. for
241drihten bi-hat þon wakiende ane crune þet scal beon seofesiðe
242brihtre þene þa sunne fifte is þet þu scalt forȝeuen þon monne þe
243wið þe agultet. and swa se þu forȝeuest þam monne þe wið þe
244agulteð; swa þin drihten forȝeueð þe þine misdede. and swa þu
245hine biddest deihwamliche þenne þu seist. Dimitte nobis debita
246nostra sicut & nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Laueð feder
247forȝef us alle ure gultes swa we forȝeueð þan monne þe us to
248agulteð. her is ane reowlic bone to biddene bute we inwarliche
249imilcien and forȝeuen þan monne þe us wreðeð and sceandet.
250þet seste is þat þu scalt sahtnien. þa þe beoð unisahte mid alle
251þine mahte. þenne bureȝest þu here saule. and ec þine aȝene
252from þan ufele deaðe þet is from helle pine. þet seofeðe is
253cherite. heo fulled alle þa oðre þing and endeð. witicrist þe mon
254þe ne luueð cherite ne cumeð he nefre in godes riche. Nu ȝe
255maȝen iheren hwet is riht cherite. þet uwilc mon ah to habben
256þet is þet þu luuie þine drihten ofer þin wif. and ofer child and
257ofer alle eorðliche þing and him þonkien alles þinges. and
258seoðdan beoden uwilc mon swa þu waldest þet me þe bude. þis
259is riht cherite. Soðliche þus cweð þe boc. þet þis scal beren
260eower saule to heuene riche. Nu leofe men habbe ȝe iherd
261hwet ic habbe iseaid hwet ȝe sculen don ȝif ȝe hit maȝen iforðian.
262Nis nan mon swa riche. ne swa wrecche þet he ne mei sum þing
263iforðian of þan þe ic heou habbe iseid. þe deð his elmesse of
264þinge mid wohe biȝeten; ne con him crist na mare þong þene
265þah he sloȝe þin child and bere þe his heaued to lake. for-þi
266godemen forleteð eower sunne and gad to rihte scrifte and leteð
267eower stale and eower reaflac. for nis þer nan feng on. and

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268eft þe boc seið. Ne scule ȝe neure god don unforgolden. Ne ec
269ne scule ȝe nefre ufel don þet ȝe hit ne sculen mid uuele bitter
270abuggen. Forði leofe breoðre haldeð broþerreddene eow bitwenen.
271and earnie ȝe eow nu on þisse sceorte liue þet we
272bicumen moten to þere upplican riche and þere wunian mid þe
273feder and mid þe sune and mid þe halie gast abuten ende.
274Amen.