Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (20) (2 053 words)

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1B2.4.2.C

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2

SERMO LUPI AD ANGLOS QUANDO DANI MAXIME PERSECUTI SUNT
3EOS, QUOD FUIT ANNO MILLESIMO .XIIII. AB INCARNATIONE DOMINI
4NOSTRI IESU CRISTI

    
5Leofan men, gecnawað þæt soð is: ðeos worold is on ofste,
6& hit nealæcð þam ende, & þy hit is on worolde
7aa swa leng swa wyrse; & swa hit sceal nyde for folces
8synnan ær Antecristes tocyme yfelian swyþe,
9& huru hit wyrð þænne egeslic & grimlic wide on
10worolde.
11Understandað eac georne þæt deofol þas þeode nu fela
12geara dwelode to swyþe, & þæt lytle getreowþa
13wæran mid mannum, þeah hy wel spæcan, & unrihta to fela
14ricsode on lande.
15And næs a fela manna þe smeade ymbe þa bote swa georne swa
16man scolde, ac dæghwamlice man ihte yfel
17æfter oðrum & unriht rærde & unlaga manege ealles to wide
18gynd ealle þas þeode.
19And we eac forþam habbað fela byrsta & bysmara gebiden, &
20gif we ænige bote gebidan scylan, þonne mote
21we þæs to Gode earnian bet þonne we ær þysan dydan.
22Forþam mid miclan earnungan we geearnedan þa yrmða þe us
23onsittað, & mid swyþe micelan earnungan we
24þa

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25bote motan æt Gode geræcan gif hit sceal heonanforð
26godiende weorðan.
27La hwæt, we witan ful georne þæt to miclan bryce sceal
28micel bot nyde, & to miclan bryne wæter unlytel,
29gif man þæt fyr sceal to ahte acwencan.
30And micel is nydþearf manna gehwilcum þæt he Godes lage
31gyme heonanforð georne & Godes gerihta mid
32rihte gelæste.
33On hæþenum þeodum ne dear man forhealdan lytel ne micel
34þæs þe gelagod is to gedwolgoda weorðunge,
35& we forhealdað æghwær Godes gerihta ealles to gelome.
36And ne dear man gewanian on hæþenum þeodum inne ne ute
37ænig þæra þinga þe gedwolgodan broht bið & to
38lacum betæht bið, & we habbað Godes hus inne & ute clæne
39berypte.
40And Godes þeowas syndan mæþe & munde gewelhwær bedælde; &
41gedwolgoda þenan ne dear man misbeodan on
42ænige wisan mid hæþenum leodum, swa swa man Godes þeowum
43nu deð to wide þær cristene scoldan Godes
44lage healdan & Godes þeowas griðian.
45Ac soð is þæt ic secge, þearf is þære bote, forþam
46Godes gerihta wandean to lange innan þysse þeode
47on æghwylcan ende, & folclaga wyrsedan ealles to swyþe, &
48halignessa syndan to griðlease wide, & Godes
49hus syndan to clæne berypte ealdra gerihta & innan
50bestrypte ælcra gerisena, & wydewan syndan
51fornydde on unriht to ceorle, & to mænege foryrmde & gehynede
52swyþe, & earme men syndan sare beswicene
53& hreowlice besyrwde & ut of þysan earde wide gesealde,
54swyþe unforworhte, fremdum to gewealde,

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55& cradolcild geþeowede þurh wælhreowe unlaga for lytelre
56þyfþe wide gynd þas þeode, & freoriht fornumene
57& þrælriht genyrwde & ælmesriht gewanode.
58&, hrædest is to cweþenne, Godes laga laðe & lara
59forsawene.
60And þæs we habbað ealle þurh Godes yrre bysmor gelome,
61gecnawe se ðe cunne; & se byrst wyrð gemæne,
62þeh man swa ne wene, eallre þysse þeode, butan God beorge.
63Forþam hit is on us eallum swutol & gesene þæt we ær
64þysan oftor bræcan þonne we bettan, & þy is þysse
65þeode fela onsæge.
66Ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wæs here & hunger,
67bryne & blodgyte, on gewelhwylcan ende oft
68& gelome.
69And us stalu & cwalu, stric & steorfa, orfcwealm & uncoþu,
70hol & hete & rypera reaflac derede swyþe
71þearle; & us ungylda swyþe gedrehtan, & us unwedera foroft
72weoldan unwæstma.
73forþam on þysan earde wæs, swa hit þincan mæg, nu fela
74geara unriht fela & tealte getrywða æghwær mid mannum.
75Ne bearh nu foroft gesib gesibban þe ma þe fremdan, ne
76fæder his bearne, ne hwilum bearn his agenum
77fæder, ne broþor oþrum; ne ure ænig his lif ne fadode swa
78swa he scolde, ne gehadode regollice, ne
79læwede lahlice.
80Ac worhtan lust us to lage ealles to gelome, & naþor ne
81heoldan ne lare ne lage Godes ne manna swa
82swa we scoldan.
83ne ænig wið oþerne getrywlice þohte swa rihte swa he
84scolde, ac mæst ælc swicode & oþrum derede wordes
85& dæde, & huru unrihtlice mæst ælc oþerne æftan
86heaweþ sceandlican onscytan, do mare gif he mæge.

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87Forþam her syn on lande ungetrywþa micle for Gode & for
88worolde, & eac her syn on earde on mistlice
89wisan hlafordswican manege.
90And ealra mæst hlafordswice se bið on worolde þæt man his
91hlafordes saule beswice; & ful micel hlafordswice
92eac bið on worolde þæt man his hlaford of life
93forræde oððon of lande lifiendne drife; & ægþer
94is geworden on þysan earde.
95Eadweard man forrædde & syððan acwealde & æfter þam
96forbærnde.
97And godsibbas & godbearn to fela man forspilde wide gynd þas
98þeode toeacan oðran ealles to manegan
99þe man unscyldgige forfor ealles to wide.
100And ealles to manege halige stowa wide forwurdan þurh þæt
101þe man sume men ær þam gelogode swa man na
102ne scolde, gif man on Godes griðe mæþe witan wolde; &
103cristenes folces to fela man gesealde ut of
104þysan earde nu ealle hwile.
105And eal þæt is Gode lað, gelyfe se þe wille.
106And scandlic is to specenne þæt geworden is to wide &
107egeslic is to witanne þæt oft doð to manege þe
108dreogað þa yrmþe, þæt sceotað togædere & ane cwenan
109gemænum ceape bicgað gemæne, & wið þa ane fylþe
110adreogað, an after anum & ælc æfter oðrum, hundum
111gelicost þe for fylþe ne scrifað, & syððan wið
112weorðe syllað of lande feondum to gewealde Godes gesceafte
113& his agenne ceap þe he deore gebohte.
114Eac we witan georne hwær seo yrmð gewearð þæt fæder
115gesealde bearn wið weorþe & bearn his modor, &
116broþor sealde

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117oþerne fremdum to gewealde; & eal þæt syndan
118micle & egeslice dæda, understande se þe
119wille.
120And git hit is mare & eac mænigfealdre þæt dereð þysse
121þeode.
122Mænige synd forsworene & swyþe forlogene, & wed synd
123tobrocene oft & gelome, & þæt is gesyne on þysse
124þeode þæt us Godes yrre hetelice onsit, gecnawe se þe
125cunne.
126And la, hu mæg mare scamu þurh Godes yrre mannum gelimpan
127þonne us deð gelome for agenum gewyrhtum?
128ðeah þræla hwylc hlaforde ætleape & of cristendome to
129wicinge weorþe, & hit æfter þam eft geweorþe
130þæt wæpengewrixl weorðe gemæne þegene & þræle, gif
131þræl þæne þegen fullice afylle, licge ægylde ealre
132his mægðe.
133& gif se þegen þæne þræl þe he ær ahte fullice afylle,
134gylde þegengylde.
135Ful earhlice laga & scandlice nydgyld þurh Godes yrre us syn
136gemæne, understande se þe cunne, & fela
137ungelimpa gelimpð þysse þeode oft & gelome.
138Ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wæs here & hete on
139gewelhwilcan ende oft & gelome, & Engle nu
140lange eal sigelease & to swyþe geyrgde þurh Godes yrre, &
141flotmen swa strange þurh Godes þafunge þæt
142oft on gefeohte an feseð tyne & hwilum læs, hwilum ma,
143eal for urum synnum.
144And oft tyne oððe twelfe, ælc æfter oþrum, scendað to
145bysmore þæs þegenes cwenan & hwilum his dohtor
146oððe nydmagan þær he on locað þe læt hine sylfne
147rancne & ricne & genoh godne ær þæt gewurde.
148And oft þræl þæne þegen þe ær wæs his hlaford cnyt
149swyþe fæste & wyrcð him to þræle þurh Godes yrre.
150Wala þære yrmðe & wala þære woroldscame þe nu habbað
151Engle eal þurh Godes yrre.
152Oft twegen sæmen oððe þry hwilum drifað þa drafe
153cristenra manna fram sæ to sæ

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154ut þurh þas þeode gewelede togædere, us eallum to
155woroldscame, gif we on eornost ænige cuþon ariht
156understandan.
157Ac ealne þæne bysmor þe we oft þoliað we gyldað mid
158weorðscipe þam þe us scendað.
159we him gyldað singallice, & hy us hynað dæghwamlice.
160Hy hergiað & hy bærnað, rypaþ & reafiað & to scipe
161lædað; & la, hwæt is ænig oðer on eallum þam gelimpum
162butan Godes yrre ofer þas þeode, swutol & gesæne?
163Nis eac nan wundor þeah us mislimpe, forþam we witan ful
164georne þæt nu fela geara men na ne rohtan
165foroft hwæt hy worhtan wordes oððe dæde, ac wearð þes
166þeodscipe, swa hit þincan mæg, swyþe forsyngod
167þurh mænigfealde synna & þurh fela misdæda: þurh
168morðdæda & þurh mandæda, þurh gitsunga & þurh gifernessa,
169þurh stala & þurh strudunga, þurh mannsylena &
170þurh hæþene unsida, þurh swicdomas & þurh
171searacræftas, þurh lahbrycas & þurh æwswicas, þurh
172mægræsas & þurh manslyhtas, þurh hadbrycas & þurh
173æwbrycas, þurh siblegeru & þurh mistlice forligru.
174And eac syndan wide, swa we ær cwædan, þurh aðbricas &
175þurh wedbrycas & þurh mistlice leasunga forloren
176& forlogen ma þonne scolde, & freolsbricas &
177fæstenbrycas wide geworhte oft & gelome.
178And eac her syn on earde apostatan abroþene & cyrichatan
179hetole & leodhatan grimme ealles to manege,
180& oferhogan wide godcundra rihtlaga & cristenra þeawa, &
181hocorwyrde dysige æghwær on þeode oftost
182on þa þing þe Godes bodan beodaþ & swyþost on þa þing
183þe æfre to Godes lage gebyriað mid rihte.
184And þy is nu geworden wide & side to ful yfelan gewunan,
185þæt menn swyþor scamað nu for goddædan þonne
186for misdædan;

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187forþam to oft man mid hocere goddæda
188hyrweð & godfyrhte lehtreð ealles to swyþe, &
189swyþost man tæleð & mid olle gegreteð ealles to gelome
190þa þe riht lufiað & Godes ege habbað be ænigum dæle.
191And þurh þæt þe man swa deð þæt man eal hyrweð þæt
192man scolde heregian & to forð laðet þæt man scolde
193lufian, þurh þæt man gebringeð ealles to manege on
194yfelan geþance & on undæde, swa þæt hy ne scamað
195na þeah hy syngian swyðe & wið God sylfne forwyrcan hy
196mid ealle, ac for idelan onscytan hy scamað
197þæt hy betan heora misdæda, swa swa bec tæcan, gelice
198þam dwæsan þe for heora prytan lewe nellað
199beorgan ær hy na ne magan, þeah hy eal willan.
200Her syndan þurh synleawa, swa hit þincan mæg, sare gelewede
201to manege on earde.
202Her syndan mannslagan & mægslagan & mæsserbanan &
203mynsterhatan; & her syndan mansworan & morþorwyrhtan;
204& her syndan myltestran & bearnmyrðran & fule forlegene
205horingas manege; & her syndan wiccan & wælcyrian.
206& her syndan ryperas & reaferas & woroldstruderas &, hrædest
207is to cweþenne, mana & misdæda ungerim
208ealra.
209And þæs us ne scamað na, ac þæs us scamað swyþe þæt
210we bote aginnan

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211swa swa bec tæcan, & þæt is gesyne on þysse earman
212forsyngodon þeode.
213Eala, micel magan manege gyt heretoeacanhertoeacanTORONTO CORPUS: heretoeacan eaþe beþencan þæs
214þe an man ne mehte on hrædinge asmeagan,
215hu earmlice hit gefaren is nu ealle hwile wide gynd þas
216þeode.
217And smeage huru georne gehwa hine sylfne & þæs na ne latige
218ealles to lange.
219Ac la, on Godes naman utan don swa us neod is, beorgan us
220sylfum swa we geornost magan þe læs we ætgædere
221ealle forweorðan.
222An þeodwita wæs on Brytta tidum Gildas hatte.
223Se awrat be heora misdædum hu hy mid heora synnum swa
224oferlice swyþe God gegræmedan þæt he let æt nyhstan
225Engla here heora eard gewinnan & Brytta dugeþe fordon
226mid ealle.
227And þæt wæs geworden þæs þe he sæde, þurh ricra
228reaflac & þurh gitsunge wohgestreona, ðurh leode unlaga
229& þurh wohdomas, ðurh biscopa asolcennesse & þurh
230lyðre yrhðe Godes bydela þe soþes geswugedan
231ealles to gelome & clumedan mid ceaflum þær hy scoldan
232clypian.
233þurh fulne eac folces gælsan & þurh oferfylla &
234mænigfealde synna heora eard hy forworhtan & selfe
235hy forwurdan.
236Ac utan don swa us þearf is, warnian us be swilcan; & soþ is
237þæt ic secge, wyrsan dæda we witan mid
238Englum þonne we mid Bryttan ahwar

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239gehyrdan.
240And þy us is þearf micel þæt we us beþencan & wið God
241sylfne þingian georne.
242And utan don swa us þearf is, gebugan to rihte & be suman
243dæle unriht forlætan & betan swyþe georne
244þæt we ær bræcan.
245And utan God lufian & Godes lagum fylgean, & gelæstan swyþe
246georne þæt þæt we behetan þa we fulluht
247underfengan, oððon þa þe æt fulluhte ure forespecan
248wæran.
249And utan word & weorc rihtlice fadian & ure ingeþanc
250clænsian georne & að & wed wærlice healdan & sume
251getrywða habban us betweonan butan uncræftan.
252And utan gelome understandan þone miclan dom þe we ealle to
253sculon, & beorgan us georne wið þone weallendan
254bryne hellewites, & geearnian us þa mærða & þa
255myrhða þe God hæfð gegearwod þam þe his willan
256on worolde gewyrcað.
257God ure helpe, amen.