The Ormulum / with the notes and glossary of R.M. White ; edited by Robert Holt.

SECUNDUM JOHANNEM XVIII.

Miserunt Judei ab Jersolimis Sacerdotes & Levitas ad Johannem.

Forrþi þatt Sannt Johaness word Sprang wide & side o lande, Forr þatt he wass u¯¯tnumenn mann I laress & i dedess, Line 10260 & forr þatt he bigann himm sellf, Þær þær he wass i wesste, To fullhtnenn baldeliȝ þe follc Þatt nass næfrær bigunnenn; Hiss word sprang inntill Ȝerrsalæm Line 10265 & inntill all þatt ende, & all þatt follc toc niþ wiþþ himm Þatt læredd wass o boke, Off þatt he toc swa baldeliȝ To spellenn & to fullhtnenn, Line 10270

Line 10270 Alls iff he wære Drihhtin Crist Þatt tanne cumenn wære. & teȝȝ þa tokenn sanderrmenn Off preostess & off dæcness & senndenn u¯¯t off Ȝerrsalæm Line 10275 Till himm inntill þe wesste, Forr þatt teȝȝ sholldenn fraȝȝnenn himm, & asskenn whatt he wære. & swa þeȝȝ didenn, & he þeȝȝm Ȝaff sware onnȝæn, & seȝȝde; Line 10280 Namm I nohht Godess Sune, Crist, Þatt cumenn amm to manne. & teȝȝ onnȝæn till himm; arrt tu Helyas efft o life? & he till hemm; naȝȝ, namm I nohht Line 10285 Helyas efft o life. & ȝe¯¯ teȝȝ seȝȝdenn þuss till himm; Seȝȝ uss, arrt tu profete? & he þa seȝȝde þuss till hemm; Naȝȝ, namm I nohht profete. Line 10290 . . . . . & tatt teȝȝ seȝȝdenn to Johan; Seȝȝ uss, arrt tu profete, Þatt seȝȝdenn þeȝȝ, alls iff þeȝȝ þuss Wiþþ openn spæche seȝȝdenn; Seȝȝ us ȝiff þatt iss þatt tu arrt Line 10295 Helysew þe profete, Þatt upp off dæþe risenn arrt To wirrkenn miccle tacness?

Hemm þuhhte þatt he mihhte ben Helysew þe profete. Line 10300 . . . . . [col 261] . . . . .word off þatt mann þennkeþþ· Þe Goddspellwrihhte Sannt Johan Onn hiss Goddspelless lare Uss kiþeþþ off þa sanderrmenn, Whatt kinness menn þeȝȝ wærenn. Line 10305 He seȝȝþ uss þatt teȝȝ wærenn off Farisewisshe leode, Forr þatt he wille don uss wel To seon & tunnderrstanndenn, Þatt nohht ne comm þatt laþe flocc Line 10310 Till Sannt Johan forr gode, Acc forrþi þatt teȝȝ haffdenn niþ Wiþþ himm & wiþþ hiss lare, & wolldenn unnderrtakenn himm Off summwhatt, ȝiff þeȝȝ mihhtenn; Line 10315 Acc himm wass lihht to lokenn himm Fra þeȝȝre laþe wiless. & teȝȝ þa seȝȝdenn till Johan; Whi fullhtnesst tu þiss leode, Ȝiff þatt iss þatt tu narrt nohht Crist, Line 10320 Ne Helyas, ne profete? & Sannt Johan þa seȝȝde þuss; Icc fullhtne i waterr ane. Þeȝȝ wisstenn wel þatt Jesu Crist, To manne cumenn shollde, Line 10325

Line 10325 & tatt he shollde fullhtnenn menn Þurrh hise Leorningcnihhtess, & forrþi wenndenn þeȝȝ full wel Off Sannt Johan Bapptisste, Þatt he wisslike wære Crist, Line 10330 Forr þatt he stod to fullhtnenn. & ec þeȝȝ wisstenn full wel off Helyas þe profete, & ec full wel off Helyseow, Þatt eȝȝþerr inn hiss time Line 10335 Þurrh Drihhtin ȝede upp o þe flumm Alls itt onn eorþe wære, & all comm oferr driȝȝefo¯¯t All alls itt waterr nære. & ec þeȝȝ wisstenn witerrliȝ Line 10340 Þurrh þeȝȝre bokess lare Þatt fulluhht wass, ȝa þurrh þe flumm, Ȝa þurrh hemm baþe tacnedd; & forrþi wenndenn þeȝȝ full wel, Þatt owwþerr off þa tweȝȝenn Line 10345 Off dæþe wære risenn upp To spellenn & to fullhtnenn. & Sannt Johan hemm dide wel To seon & tunnderrstanndenn, Þatt he nass næfr an off þa þreo, Line 10350 [col 262] Forr nollde he nawihht leȝhenn. Þatt Sannt Johan hemm seȝȝde þuss, Icc fullhtne i waterr ane,

Þatt wass alls iff he seȝȝde þuss Wiþþ all full openn spæche, Line 10355 I fullhtne menn biforenn to Nohht bu¯¯tt i waterr ane, Forr min fulluhht ne maȝȝ hemm nohht Clennsenn off þeȝȝre sinness, Acc wel itt maȝȝ hemm brinngenn onn Line 10360 To rihhtenn þeȝȝre dede, To ȝarrkenn hemm onnȝæness Crist Þatt nu shall cumenn newenn, To fullhtnenn hemm þurrh Haliȝ Gast To clennsenn hemm off sinness. Line 10365 & tatt tatt Cristess þeww Johan Þær seȝȝde to þatt genge, To þa Judisskenn sanderrmenn, Þatt tær wass hemm bitwenenn An swillc, whamm þeȝȝ ne cnewenn nohht, Line 10370 Þatt shollde himm newenn awwnenn, To fullhtnenn follc þurrh Haliȝ Gast To clennsenn hemm off sinness, Þatt seȝȝde he wiss off Jesu Crist Þatt stod tær hemm bitwenenn; Line 10375 Forr he comm offte till Johan œr þann he fullhtnedd wære, & Sannt Johan cnew himm full wel, & tatt iss wel to trowwenn; Forr wel biforr þatt Sannt Johan Line 10380 Wass borenn off hiss moderr, Cnew he full wel þe Laferrd Crist I Sannte Marȝess wambe.

[col 263] & tatt tatt Cristess þeww Johan Þær seȝȝde to þe leode, Line 10385 Þatt he ne wass nohht god inoh Cristess shoþwang tunnbindenn; Þatt wass alls iff he seȝȝde þuss Wiþþ opennlike spæche, Namm I nohht wurrþi þatt I beo Line 10390 Haldenn forr Crist onn eorþe, Ne nohht ne draȝhe icc upponn me To beon bridgume nemmnedd Off Cristess brid, off Cristess hird, Off all þatt hallȝhe genge Line 10395 Þatt rihht shall lefenn uppo Crist & hise laȝhess haldenn. Ne draȝhe I þatt nohht upponn me Þatt icc þeȝȝm muȝhe lesenn Off hellepine, & ȝifenn hemm Line 10400 To winnenn heoffness blisse; Forr þatt ne maȝȝ nan shaffte don Wiþþutenn Goddcunndnesse. O þálde laȝheboc wass sett, All þurrh Drihhtiness wille, Line 10405 Þatt, ȝiff þatt tu ne kepptesst nohht To tăkenn ne to weddenn Þatt wifmann þatt te rihht bilammp To tăkenn & to weddenn, Þa shollde an oþerr cumenn forþ Line 10410 Off all þatt illke maȝȝþe,

& shollde unnbindenn þin shoþwang, Swa summ þe boc himm tahhte, & shollde tăkenn þa till himm Þatt wifmann all wiþþ lefe. Line 10415 & forrþi seȝȝde Sannt Johan, Swa summ ȝe littlær herrdenn, Þatt he ne wass nohht god inoh Cristess shoþwang tunnbindenn, Forrþi þatt he ne mihhte nohht, Line 10420 Swa summ icc hafe shæwedd, Bridgume beon off Cristess brid, To lesenn hire off helle. & tiss mann unnderrstanndenn maȝȝ Ȝe¯¯t onn an oþerr wise, Line 10425 Þatt Johan nass nohht god inoh Cristess shoþwang tunnbindenn, Forrþi þatt he ne mihhte nohht All þwerrt u¯¯t unnderrstanndenn, Hu Godess word & Godess witt Line 10430 & Godess aȝhenn kinde [col 264] Toc inn an clene maȝȝdennmann Dæþshildiȝnessess kinde, Swa þatt he warrþ soþ mann, acc all Þwerrt u¯¯t wiþþutenn sinne. Line 10435 & tiss dæþshildiȝ mann þatt Crist Toc i þe laffdiȝ Marȝe Wass uss full wel, ȝa þurrh þe sho, Ȝa þurrh þe þwang bitacnedd;

& tatt forrþi þatt eȝȝþerr iss Line 10440 Þe fell off dæde deoress. & tatt tatt Cristess þeww Johan Þær seȝȝde to þe leode, Þatt ure Laferrd Jesu Crist Þe leode shollde fullhtnenn Line 10445 Þurrh Haliȝ Gast & ec þurrh fir, To clennsenn hemm off sinness, Þatt seȝȝde he forr to don uss wel To seon & tunnderrstanndenn, Þatt tatt iss all þurrh Haliȝ Gast Line 10450 Þatt fulluhht clennseþþ sinness. & Haliȝ Gast iss haliȝ fir, Þatt bærneþþ i þatt herrte Þatt iss þurrh ȝife off Haliȝ Gast Wiþþ soþfast lufe filledd. Line 10455 Þiss fir maȝȝ ec bitacnenn uss Þatt piness annxumnesse Þatt hallȝhe weress þolenn her All gilltelæs onn eorþe, Þatt clennseþþ hemm all þwerrt u¯¯t wel Line 10460 Off alle þeȝȝre sinness, Forrþi þatt teȝȝ forr lufe off Godd Gladdlike þolenn pine. & ȝe¯¯ we muȝhenn, þurrh þatt fir Þatt Sannt Johan Bapptisste Line 10465 Spacc offe to þa sanderrmenn, All full wel unnderrstanndenn Þatt fir þatt iss inn oþerr lif To clennsenn menness sawless.

Forr hére uss clennseþþ Haliȝ Gast Line 10470 Þurrh fulluhht & þurrh trowwþe, [col 265] & tær þatt fir, ȝiff þatt we rihht Her endenn unnderr shriffte; & baþe comm uss Jesu Crist To clennsenn here & tære, Line 10475 Forr þatt he wollde ȝifenn uss To brukenn eche blisse. & tatt tatt Cristess þeww Johan Þær seȝȝde to þe leode, Þatt ure Laferrd Jesu Crist Line 10480 Þatt time þatt he come Himm shollde brinngenn inn hiss hannd Hiss winndell forr to winndwenn, & forr to clennsenn himm hiss corn, & fra þe chaff to shædenn, Line 10485 & sammnenn all þe clene corn & don itt inn hiss berrne, & werrpenn all þe chaff anan, Inntill þe fír to bærnenn, Inntill þatt fír þatt bærnenn shall Line 10490 A butenn ende unncwennkedd; Þatt seȝȝde he forr to don uss wel To seon & tunnderrstanndenn, Þatt Jesu Crist o Domess daȝȝ Shall shædenn & todælenn Line 10495 Þurrh heofennlike skill & shæd All follc o tweȝȝenn daless,

& brinngenn all þatt hallȝhe flocc Þatt wel himm hafeþþ cwemedd Upp inntill heoffne, & ȝifenn hemm Line 10500 A butenn ende blisse, & werrpenn all þatt laþe flocc Þatt deoffless hafeþþ follȝhedd Inntill þe fír off hellepitt, All affterr þeȝȝre wrihhte, Line 10505 To beon wiþþutenn ende þær, To bærnenn & to wallenn, Wiþþ deofless dun inn hellegrund Forr þeȝȝre fule si˘ness. & tiss mann unnderrstanndenn maȝȝ Line 10510 Ȝe¯¯t onn an oþerr wise, Þatt ure Laferrd Jesu Crist Winndweþþ hiss corn & clennseþþ, & shædeþþ aȝȝ þe chaff þær fra Whil þatt tiss weorelld lassteþþ, Line 10515 I þa þatt hafenn name off Crist & uppo Criste lefenn, & offte i þa þatt lifenn her, & offte i þa þatt swelltenn. I þa þatt lifenn winndweþþ Crist Line 10520 & clennseþþ hére hiss whæte, Aȝȝ whannse preostess mannsenn her & shædenn þa fra Criste Þatt opennlike onnȝæness Crist All þeȝȝre þannkess wiþþrenn. Line 10525 I þa þatt swelltenn winndweþþ Crist & clennseþþ hére hiss whæte,

Aȝȝ whane itt cumeþþ to, þatt he Till hellepine demeþþ Þatt mann þatt unnderr Crisstenndom, Line 10530 & unnderr læfe o Criste, Wel cwemmde deofell wiþþ hiss lif & wiþþ hiss lifess ende, Þatt aȝȝ wass lihht all allse chaff, To follȝhenn alle sinness. Line 10535 & ta þatt ure Laferrd Crist Þurrh preost, & þurrh himm sellfenn, Þuss shædeþþ fra þatt hallȝhe flocc Þatt hise laȝhess haldeþþ, Þeȝȝ alle sinndenn þurrh þe chaff Line 10540 Full opennliȝ bitacnedd; Forr all allswa summ corn & chaff Uppspringenn off an rote, All swa þatt flocc off crisstnedd follc Þatt þurrh þe chaff iss tacnedd Line 10545 Iss crisstnedd all þurrh an fulluhht, & þurrh an læfe o Criste, Wiþþ þa þatt follȝhenn Jesu Crist & hise laȝhess haldenn. Þe winndell iss i Cristess hannd, Line 10550 Þatt iss i Cristess walde, Forr himm iss all þe Dom bitahht To demenn cwike & dæde; Þe Faderr, & te Frofre Gast Himm hafenn sett to demenn, Line 10555 & he shall demenn att te Dom All mannkinn cwike & dæde,

Þurrh hiss goddcunnde skill & shæd Þatt hiss winndell bitacneþþ· [col 266] Þe fir off helle iss endeless, Line 10560 & aȝȝ occ aȝȝ unncwennkedd, Swa þatt itt muȝhe lasstenn a, To bærnenn & to pinenn A butenn ende all wiþþ rihht dom All deofle follc onn hæfedd, Line 10565 & forþ wiþþ hemm ec all þatt flocc, Wiþþ bodiȝ & wiþþ sawle, Þatt cwemmde deofell i þiss lif Wiþþ lif & ec wiþþ ende; Forr rihht iss þatt hemm lasste wa Line 10570 Aȝȝ whil þatt itt maȝȝ lasstenn, Onnȝæn þatt tatt teȝȝ ifell lif Aȝȝ leddenn whil þeȝȝ mihhtenn.

Þe Goddspellwrihhte Sannt Johan O þiss Goddspell uss kiþeþþ, Line 10575 Þatt ta Judisskenn sanderrmenn Till Cristess bidell comenn U¯¯t ferr inntill an tun þatt wass Beþania ȝehatenn; & tatt wass o ȝonnd hallf þe flumm Line 10580 Þær he wass þa to fullhtnenn; & witt tu wel þatt tatt wass don Forr mikell þing to tacnenn.

Twa tuness wærenn i þatt land, Þatt witt tu wel to soþe, Line 10585 & eȝȝþerr off þa tweȝȝenn wass Beþania ȝehatenn. Þatt an wass o ȝonnd hallf þe flumm & o þiss hallf þatt oþerr, & þurrh þe name off eȝȝþerr tun Line 10590 Iss herrsummnesse tacnedd. & þurrh þe flumm iss opennliȝ Cristess fulluhht bitacnedd, Forrþi þatt Crist wass fullhtnedd tær Þurrh Sannt Johan Baptisste. Line 10595 & alle þa þatt heldenn rihht Till Drihhtin herrsummnesse Biforenn þatt te Laferrd Crist Wass fullhtnedd here onn eorþe, Þeȝȝ alle samenn wærenn uss, Line 10600 Þatt seȝȝþ þe boc, bitacnedd Þurrh þatt Beþania þatt wass Biȝonndenn flumm i wesste. & alle þa þatt haldenn rihht Till Drihhtin herrsummnesse Line 10605 Nu siþþenn þatt te Laferrd Crist Wass fullhtnedd her onn eorþe, Þeȝȝ alle samenn sinndenn uss I Crisstenndom bitacnedd Þurrh þatt Beþania þatt wass Line 10610 O þiss hallf neh þe temmple. O ȝonnd hallf flod wass Sannt Johan Bapptisste forr to fullhtnenn,

Acc hiss fulluhht ne mihhte nohht Clennsenn þe follc off sinness; Line 10615 & tærþurrh wass bitacnedd wel Þatt all follc wass unnclennsedd Off þatt missdede þatt wass don Þurrh Adam & þurrh Eve, Anan till þatt te Laferrd Crist Line 10620 Wass naȝȝledd upp o rode, To leosenn mannkinn þurrh hiss dæþ U¯¯t off þe deofless walde. & i þatt oþerr tun þatt wass Beþania ȝehatenn, Line 10625 & wass bi þiss hallf flumm Jorrdan Neh Ȝerrsalæmess chesstre, I þatt Beþania ras upp An mann þurrh Crist off dæþe Þatt wass ȝehatenn Lazaruss; Line 10630 Forr þatt itt shollde tacnenn, Þatt fulluhht unnderr Crisstenndom & þurrh þe rihhte læfe Nu reȝȝseþþ menn off sawless dæþ, & clennseþþ hemm off sinne, Line 10635 To þeowwtenn ure Laferrd Crist Þurrh soþfasst herrsummnesse, Forr swa to winnenn hellpe att himm, To cumenn þurrh hiss are [col 267] Till Ȝerrsalæm inn heoffness ærd, Line 10640 Till eche griþess sihhþe. & Godd Allmahhtiȝ ȝife uss witt, & lusst, & mahht, & wille,

To þeowwtenn ure Laferrd Crist Wiþþ soþfasst herrsummnesse, Line 10645 Swa þatt we motenn heoffness griþþ A - butenn ende brukenn.

Amæn.

Notes

• Col. 257—260 wanting.