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

DEDICATION.

NU, broþerr Wallterr, broþerr min Affterr þe flæshess kinde; & broþerr min i Crisstenndom Þurrh fulluhht & þurrh trowwþe; & broþerr min i Godess hus, Line 5 Ȝe¯¯t o þe þride wise, Þurrh þatt witt hafenn takenn ba An reȝhellboc to follȝhenn, Unnderr kanunnkess had & lif, Swa summ Sannt Awwstin sette; Line 10 Icc hafe don swa summ þu badd, & forþedd te þin wille, Icc hafe wennd inntill Ennglissh Goddspelless hallȝhe láre, Affterr þatt little witt þatt me Line 15 Min Drihhtin hafeþþ lenedd. Þu þohhtesst tatt itt mihhte wel Till mikell frame turrnenn, Ȝiff Ennglissh follc, forr lufe off Crist, Itt wollde ȝerne lernenn, Line 20 & follȝhenn itt, & fillenn itt Wiþþ þohht, wiþþ word, wiþþ dede.

& forrþi ȝerrndesst tu þatt icc Þiss werrc þe shollde wirrkenn; & icc itt hafe forþedd te, Line 25 Acc all þurrh Cristess hellpe; & unnc birrþ baþe þannkenn Crist Þatt itt iss brohht till ende. Icc hafe sammnedd o þiss boc Þa Goddspelless neh alle, Line 30 Þatt sinndenn o þe messeboc Inn all þe ȝer att messe. & aȝȝ affterr þe Goddspell stannt Þatt tatt te Goddspell meneþþ, Þatt mann birrþ spellenn to þe follc Line 35 Off þeȝȝre sawle nede; & ȝe¯¯t tær tekenn mare inoh Þu shallt tæronne findenn, Off þatt tatt Cristess hallȝhe þed Birrþ trowwenn wel & follȝhenn. Line 40 Icc hafe sett her o þiss boc Amang Goddspelless wordess, All þurrh me sellfenn, maniȝ word Þe ríme swa to fillenn; Acc þu shallt findenn þatt min word, Line 45 Eȝȝwhær þær itt iss ekedd, Maȝȝ hellpenn þa þatt redenn itt To sen & tunnderrstanndenn All þess te bettre, hu þeȝȝm birrþ Þe Goddspell unnderrstanndenn; Line 50 & forrþi trowwe icc þatt te birrþ Wel þolenn mine wordess,

Eȝȝwhær þær þu shallt findenn hemm Amang Goddspelless wordess. Forr whase mo¯¯t to læwedd follc Line 55 Larspell off Goddspell tellenn, He mo¯¯t wel ekenn maniȝ word Amang Goddspelless wordess. & icc ne mihhte nohht min ferrs Aȝȝ wiþþ Goddspelless wordess Line 60 Wel fillenn all, & all forrþi Shollde icc wel offte nede Amang Goddspelless wordess don Min word, min ferrs to fillenn. & te bitæche icc off þiss boc, Line 65 Heh wikenn alls itt semeþþ, All to þurrhsekenn illc an ferrs, & to þurrhlokenn offte, Þatt upponn all þiss boc ne be Nan word ȝæn Cristess lare, Line 70 Nan word tatt swiþe wel ne be To trowwenn & to follȝhenn. Witt shulenn tredenn unnderrfo¯¯t & all þwerrt u¯¯t forrwerrpenn Þe dom off all þatt laþe flocc, Line 75 Þatt iss þurrh niþ forrblendedd, Þatt tæleþþ þatt to lofenn iss, Þurrh niþfull modiȝnesse. Þeȝȝ shulenn læ¯tenn hæþeliȝ Off unnkerr swinnc, lef broþerr; Line 80 & all þeȝȝ shulenn takenn itt Onn unnitt & onn idell;

Acc nohht þurrh skill, acc all þurrh niþ, & all þurrh þeȝȝre sinne. & unnc birrþ biddenn Godd tatt he Line 85 Forrȝife hemm hĕre sinne; & unnc birrþ baþe lofenn Godd Off þatt itt wass bigunnenn, & þannkenn Godd tatt itt iss brohht Till ende, þurrh hiss hellpe; Line 90 Forr itt maȝȝ hellpenn alle þa Þatt bliþelike itt herenn, & lufenn itt, & follȝhenn itt Wiþþ þohht, wiþþ word, wiþþ dede. & whase wilenn shall þiss boc Line 95 Efft oþerr siþe writenn, Himm bidde icc þatt het¯¯ wríte rihht, Swa summ þiss boc himm tæcheþþ, All þwerrt u¯¯t affterr þatt itt iss Uppo þiss firrste bisne, Line 100 Wiþþ all swillc ríme alls her iss sett, Wiþþ all se fele wordess; & tatt he loke wel þatt he An bocstaff wríte twiȝȝess, Eȝȝwhær þær itt uppo þiss boc Line 105 Iss wri˘tenn o þatt wise. Loke he well þatt het¯¯ write swa, Forr he ne maȝȝ nohht elless Onn Ennglissh wríttenn rihht te word, Þatt wite he wel to soþe. Line 110 & ȝiff mann wile wi˘tenn whi Icc hafe don þiss dede,

Whi icc till Ennglissh hafe wennd Goddspelless hallȝhe lare; Icc hafe itt don forrþi þatt all Line 115 Crisstene follkess berrhless Iss lang uppo þatt an, þatt teȝȝ Goddspelless hallȝhe lare Wiþþ fulle mahhte follȝhe rihht Þurrh þohht, þurrh word, þurrh dede. Line 120 Forr all þatt æfre onn erþe iss ned Crisstene follc to follȝhenn I trowwþe, i dede, all tæcheþþ hemm Goddspelless hallȝhe lare. & forrþi whase lerneþþ itt Line 125 & follȝheþþ itt wiþþ dede, He shall onn ende wurrþi ben Þurrh Godd to wurrþenn borrȝhenn. & tærfore hafe icc turrnedd itt Inntill Ennglisshe spæche, Line 130 Forr þatt I wollde bliþeliȝ Þatt all Ennglisshe lede Wiþþ ære shollde lisstenn itt, Wiþþ herrte shollde itt trowwenn, Wiþþ tunge shollde spellenn itt, Line 135 Wiþþ dede shollde itt follȝhenn, To winnenn unnderr Crisstenndom Att Godd soþ sawle berrhless. & ȝiff þeȝȝ wilenn herenn itt, & follȝhenn itt wiþþ dede, Line 140 Icc hafe hemm hollpenn unnderr Crist To winnenn þeȝȝre berrhless.

& I shall hafenn forr min swinnc God læn att Godd onn ende, Ȝiff þatt I, forr þe lufe off Godd Line 145 & forr þe mede off heffne, Hemm hafe itt inntill Ennglissh wennd Forr þeȝȝre sawle nede. & ȝiff þeȝȝ all forrwerrpenn itt, Itt turrneþþ hemm till sinne, Line 150 & I shall hafenn addledd me Þe Laferrd Cristess are, Þurrh þatt icc hafe hemm wrohht tiss boc To þeȝȝre sawle nede, Þohh þatt teȝȝ all forrwerrpenn itt Line 155 Þurrh þeȝȝre modiȝnesse.

Goddspell onn Ennglissh nemmnedd iss God word, & god tiþennde, God errnde, forrþi þatt itt wass Þurrh hallȝhe Goddspellwrihhtess Line 160 All wrohht & wri˘tenn uppo boc Off Cristess firste come, Off hu soþ Godd wass wurrþenn mann Forr all mannkinne nede, & off þatt mannkinn þurrh hiss dæþ Line 165 Wass lesedd u¯¯t off helle, & off þatt he wisslike ras Þe þridde daȝȝ off dæþe, & off þatt he wisslike stah Þa siþþenn upp till heffne, Line 170

Line 170 & off þatt he shall cumenn efft To demenn alle þede, & forr to ȝeldenn iwhillc mann Affterr hiss aȝhenn dede. Off all þiss god uss brinngeþþ word Line 175 & errnde & god tiþennde Goddspell, & forrþi maȝȝ itt wel God errnde ben ȝehatenn. Forr mann maȝȝ uppo Goddspellboc Godnessess findenn seffne Line 180 Þatt ure Laferrd Jesu Crist Uss hafeþþ don onn erþe, Þurrh þatt he comm to manne, & þurrh Þatt he warrþ mann onn erþe.

Forr an godnesse uss hafeþþ don Line 185 Þe Laferrd Crist onn erþe, Þurrh þatt he comm to wurrþenn mann Forr all mannkinne nede. Oþerr godnesse uss hafeþþ don Þe Laferrd Crist onn erþe, Line 190 Þurrh þatt he wass i flumm Jorrdan Fullhtnedd forr ure nede; Forr þatt he wollde uss waterrkinn Till ure fulluhht hallȝhenn, Þurrh þatt he wollde ben himm sellf Line 195 Onn erþe i waterr fullhtnedd. Þe þridde god uss hafeþþ don Þe Laferrd Crist onn erþe,

Þurrh þatt he ȝaff hiss aȝhenn lif Wiþþ all hiss fulle wille, Line 200 To þolenn dæþþ o rodetre Sacclæs wiþþutenn wrihhte, To lesenn mannkinn þurrh his dæþ U¯¯t off þe defless walde. Þe ferþe god uss hafeþþ don Line 205 Þe Laferrd Crist onn erþe, Þurrh þatt hiss hallȝhe sawle stah Fra rode dun till helle, To tăkenn u¯¯t off helle wa Þa gode sawless alle, Line 210 Þatt haffdenn cwemmd himm i þiss lif Þurrh soþ unnshaþiȝnesse. Þe fifte god uss hafeþþ don Þe Laferrd Crist onn erþe, Þurrh þatt he ras forr ure god Line 215 Þe þridde daȝȝ off dæþe, & le¯¯t te posstless sen himm wel Inn hiss mennisske kinde; Forr þatt he wollde fesstnenn swa Soþ trowwþe i þeȝȝre brestess Line 220 Off þatt he, wiss to fulle soþ, Wass risenn upp off dæþe, & i þatt illke flæsh þatt wass Forr uss o rode naȝȝledd; Forr þatt he wollde fesstnenn wel Line 225 Þiss trowwþe i þeȝȝre brestess, He le¯¯t te posstless sen himm wel Well offte siþe onn erþe,

Wiþþinnenn daȝȝess fowwerrtiȝ Fra þatt he ras off dæþe, Line 230 Þe sexte god uss hafeþþ don Þe Laferrd Crist onn erþe, Þurrh þatt he stah forr ure god Upp inntill heffness blisse, & sennde siþþenn Haliȝ Gast Line 235 Till hise Lerninngcnihhtess, To frofrenn & to beldenn hemm To stanndenn ȝæn þe defell, To gifenn hemm god witt inoh Off all hiss hallȝhe lare, Line 240 To gifenn hemm god lusst, god mahht, To þolenn alle wawenn, All forr þe lufe off Godd, & nohht Forr erþliȝ loff to winnenn. Þe seffnde god uss shall ȝe¯¯ don Line 245 Þe Laferrd Crist onn ende, Þurrh þatt he shall o Domess daȝȝ Uss gifenn heffness blisse, Ȝiff þatt we shulenn wurrþi ben To findenn Godess are. Line 250

Þuss hafeþþ ure Laferrd Crist Uss don godnessess seffne, Þurrh þatt tatt he to manne comm, To wurrþenn mann onn erþe. & o þatt hallȝhe boc þatt iss Line 255 Apokalypsis nemmnedd

Uss wra¯¯t te posstell Sannt Johan, Þurrh Haliȝ Gastess lare, Þatt he sahh upp inn heffne an boc Bisett wiþþ seffne innseȝȝless, Line 260 & sperrd swa swiþe wel þatt itt Ne mihhte nan wihht oppnenn, Wiþþutenn Godess hallȝhe Lamb Þatt he sahh ec inn heffne. & þurrh þa seffne innseȝȝless wass Line 265 Rihht swiÞe wel bitacnedd Þatt sefennfald godleȝȝc þatt Crist Uss dide þurrh hiss come; & tatt nan wihht ne mihhte nohht Oppnenn þa seffne innseȝȝless, Line 270 Wiþþutenn Godess Lamb, þatt comm, Forr þatt itt shollde tacnenn Þatt nan wihht, nan enngell, nan mann, Ne naness kinness shaffte, Ne mihhte þurrh himm sellfenn þa Line 275 Seffne godnessess shæwenn O mannkinn, swa þatt itt mannkinn Off helle mihhte lesenn, Ne gifenn mannkinn lusst, ne mahht, To winnenn heffness blisse. Line 280

& all all swa se Godess Lamb, All þurrh hiss aȝhenn mahhte, Lihhtlike mihhte & wel inoh Þa seffne innseȝȝless oppnenn,

All swa þe Laferrd Jesu Crist, Line 285 All þurrh his aȝhenn mahhte, Wiþþ Faderr & wiþþ Haliȝ Gast An Godd & all an kinde, All swa rihht he lihhtlike inoh & wel wiþþ alle mihhte Line 290 O mannkinn þurrh himm sellfenn þa Seffne godnessess shæwenn, Swa þatt he mannkinn wel inoh Off helle mihhte lesenn, & gifenn mannkinn lufe & lusst, Line 295 & mahht & witt & wille, To stanndenn inn to cwemenn Godd, To wi˘nenn heffness blisse. & forr þatt haliȝ Goddspellboc All þiss godnesse uss shæweþþ, Line 300 Þiss sefennfald godleȝȝc þatt Crist Uss dide þurrh hiss are, Forrþi birrþ all Crisstene follc Goddspelless lare follȝhenn. & tærfore hafe icc turrnedd itt Line 305 Inntill Ennglisshe spæche, Forr þatt I wollde bliþeliȝ Þatt all Ennglisshe lede Wiþþ ære shollde lisstenn itt, Wiþþ herrte shollde itt trowwenn, Line 310 Wiþþ tunge shollde spellenn itt, Wiþþ dede shollde itt follȝhenn, To winnenn unnderr Crisstenndom Att Crist soþ sawle berrhless.

& Godd Allmahhtiȝ ȝife uss mahht Line 315 & lusst & witt & wille, To follȝhenn þiss Ennglisshe boc Þatt all iss haliȝ lare, Swa þatt we motenn wurrþi ben To brukenn heffness blisse. Line 320

Am[æn]. Am[æn]. Am[æn];·

Icc þatt tiss Ennglissh hafe sett Ennglisshe menn to lare, Icc wass þær þær I crisstnedd wass Orrmin bi name nemmnedd. & icc Orrmin full innwarrdliȝ Line 325 Wiþþ muþ & ec wiþþ herrte Her bidde þa Crisstene menn, Þatt herenn oþerr rédenn Þiss boc, hemm bidde icc her þatt teȝȝ Forr me þiss bede biddenn, Line 330 Þatt broþerr þatt tiss Ennglissh writt Allræresst wra¯¯t & wrohhte, Þatt broþerr forr hiss swinnc to læn Soþ blisse móte findenn.

Am[æn].

Þa Goddspelless alle þatt icc Line 335 Her o þiss boc maȝȝ findenn, Hemm alle wile icc nemmnenn her Bi þeȝȝre firrste wordess. & tăle wile icc settenn to, To don ȝuw tunnderrstanndenn, Line 340 Hu féle sinndenn o þiss boc Goddspelless unnderr alle.