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

SECUNDUM JOHANNEM XXVI.

Sic Deus dilexit mundum, et filium suum unigenitum daret.

Þurrh þatt te Laferrd seȝȝde þuss Till Nicodem wiþþ worde, Swa lufede þe Laferrd Godd Line 17495 Þe werelld, tatt he sennde Hiss aȝhenn Sune Allmahhtiȝ Godd To wurrþenn mann onn erþe, To lesenn mannkinn þurrh hiss dæþ U¯¯t off þe deffless walde, Line 17500 Þatt whase trowwenn shall onn himm Wel muȝhe wurrþenn borrȝhenn, Þærþurrh he dide Nicodem To sen & tunnderrstanndenn, Þatt he wass Godd himm sellf, off Godd, Line 17505 & Godess Sune ankennedd, & wurrþenn mann o moderr hallf Þurrh soþfasst herrsummnesse,

Þurrh — þatt hiss Faderr haffde himm sennd & gifenn himm to manne, Line 17510 To þolenn dæþ o rodetre Forr all mannkinne nede, All þurrh þatt lufe & þurrh þatt lusst Þatt teȝȝ till mannkinn haffdenn Forþ wiþþ þatt Hallȝhe Frofre Gast, Line 17515 Þatt cumeþþ off hemm baþe, All þurrh þatt lufe & þurrh þatt lusst Þatt teȝȝ till mannkinn haffdenn, To lesenn menn off defless band & u¯¯t off helle pine, Line 17520 Þatt whase trowwenn shollde o Crist Wel shollde wurrþenn borrȝhenn. Whi seȝȝde Crist till Nicodem, Þatt Drihhtin Godd off héffne Swa lufede þiss middellærd, Line 17525 Þiss werelld, tatt he sennde Hiss aȝhenn Sune Allmahhtiȝ Godd, To þolenn dæþ o rode, Alls iff he shollde lesenn u¯¯t Þe middellærd off helle? Line 17530 Þurrh whatt wass heffness whel forrgarrt To dreȝhenn helle pine? & lifft, & land, & waterrflod, Hu wærenn þeȝȝ forrwrohhte To dreȝhenn wa wiþþ mikell rihht Line 17535 Inn helle wiþþ þe defell? Off þise fowwre shaffte iss all Þiss middell werelld timmbredd,

Off heffness whel, & off þe lifft, Off waterr, & off erþe; Line 17540 & i þa fowwre shafftess niss Nowwþerr, — ne lif ne sawle, Þatt mihhte gilltenn aniȝ gillt & addlenn helle pine.

Nu birrþ uss wi˘tenn þatt uss iss Line 17545 Her þurrh þe werelld tacnedd [col 385] Summ shaffte, þatt wass all forrwrohht To dreȝhenn helle pine. Þe werelld iss uss here sett To tacnenn mannkinn ane. Line 17550 & forr þatt manness bodiȝ iss Off all þe werelld feȝedd, Off heffness fir, & off þe lifft, Off waterr, & off erþe; & forr þatt manness sawle iss her Line 17555 Wel þurrh þe werelld tacnedd, Forr baþe fallenn inntill an Affterr Grickisshe spæche, Forr werelld iss nemmnedd Cossmós, Swa summ þe Grickess kiþenn, Line 17560 Forr þatt itt iss wurrþlike shridd Wiþþ sunne & mone & sterrness, Onn heffness whel all ummbetrin, Þurrh Godd tatt swillc itt wrohhte;

& ec itt iss wurrþlike shridd, Line 17565 Þatt wasst tu wel to soþe, O lifft, o land, o waterrflod, Wiþþ fele kinne shaffte, & sawle iss ec wurrþlike shridd Þurrh Godd inn hire kinde, Line 17570 Wiþþ unndæþshildiȝnesse, & ec Wiþþ witt, & wille, & minde, & forrþi nemmneþþ Drihhtin Godd Þe sawle hiss onnlicnesse, Forr þatt teȝȝ baþe, sawle & Godd Line 17575 Sinndenn wiþþutenn ende, & hafenn minde, & wille, & witt, Acc nohht onn ane wise, Forr Godd itt hafeþþ aȝȝ inn himm, & æfre & æfre itt haffde, Line 17580 & sawle onnfoþ att Godess hand All hire duhhtiȝnesse, Þær þær he shapeþþ sawle off nohht, All alls himm sellfenn likeþþ; & forrþi shall þe werelld her Line 17585 Bitacnenn mannkinn ane, Forr baþe fallenn inntill an, Swa summ icc habbe shæwedd. Forr eȝȝþerr iss wurrþlike shridd Acc nohht onn ane wise, Line 17590 & tohh iss þeȝȝre baþre shrud Þurrh Cossmós wel bitacnedd. & forrþi mahht tu nemmnenn mann Affterr Grikkishe spæche

Mycrocossmós, þatt nemmnedd iss Line 17595 Affterr Ennglisshe spæche Þe little werelld, all forrþi Forr þatt te manness sawle Iss shridd þurrh Godd wurrþlike & wel Wiþþ god & wurrþfull kinde, Line 17600 All all swa summ þiss werelld iss Wel shridd wiþþ scone shafftess. & ec þe werelld tacnenn maȝȝ Mannkinn all þess te bettre Þatt manness bodiȝ feȝedd iss Line 17605 & wrohht off fowwre shafftess, Off heffness fir, & off þe lifft, Off waterr, & off erþe. & forrþi shall þe werelld her Bitacnenn mannkinn ane Line 17610 Þatt Godess word wass sennd þurrh Godd To lesenn u¯¯t off helle. & off þe manness Sune, & ec Off Godess Sune, off baþe Her seȝȝde Crist till Nicodem Line 17615 All an i þise wordess, Þatt whase trowwenn shall onn himm Wel muȝhe wurrþenn borrȝhenn. & tatt wass seȝȝd alls iff he þuss Wiþþ openn spæche seȝȝde, Line 17620 To þann comm icc off heffne dun To wurrþenn mann onn erþe, Þatt whase trowwenn shall onn me, & mine laȝhess haldenn,

Wel muȝhe ben wurrþi wiþþ me Line 17625 To brukenn eche blisse. Þiss seȝȝde Crist till Nicodem To don himm tunnderrstanndenn, Þatt he wass baþe Godd & mann, [col 386] An had, tatt shollde lesenn Line 17630 Mannkinn off helle, & ȝifenn menn To winnenn heffness blisse.

& tatt te Laferrd seȝȝde þær Till Nicodem wiþþ worde, Þatt Drihhtin Godd ne sennde nohht Line 17635 Hiss Sune forr to demenn Þiss werelld, acc to lesenn itt U¯¯t off þe defless walde, Þatt seȝȝde he forr to don himm swa To sen & tunnderrstanndenn, Line 17640 Þatt he wass sennd to wurrþenn mann To lesenn menn off helle, Þurrh lufe off himm sellfenn, & ec Þurrh off hiss Faderr baþe, & off þatt Hallȝhe Frofre Gast Line 17645 Þatt cumeþþ off hemm baþe, Þurrh þatt he nass nohht cumenn þa To demenn alle þede, Acc forr to berrȝhenn æddmodliȝ Þe werelld þurrh hiss are. Line 17650

Line 17650 & tatt he þær till Nicodem Ȝe¯¯t spacc þuss off himm sellfenn, & whase lefeþþ upponn himm Þatt mann iss all unndemedd, Þatt wass alls iff he seȝȝde þuss Line 17655 Till himm wiþþ openn spæche, Þatt mann þatt trowwenn shall onn me & mine laȝhess haldenn, Þatt illke mann ne beþ nohht demmd To dreȝhenn helle pine. Line 17660 & tatt he þær till Nicodem Ȝe¯¯t spacc þuss off himm sellfenn, & whase nile nohht onn himm Wiþþ fulle trowwþe lefenn, Þatt mann iss nuȝȝu demmd þurrh Godd Line 17665 To dreȝhenn helle pine, Þatt wass alls iff he seȝȝde þuss Till himm wiþþ openn spæche, Þatt mann þatt nohht ne shall onn me Wiþþ fulle trowwþe lefenn, Line 17670 Acc shall þurrh modiȝnesse & niþ Forrwerrpenn all min lare, Þatt mann iss nuȝȝu demmd þurrh me, To dreȝhenn helle pine, Forr, þurrh þatt tatt icc amm soþ Godd, Line 17675 I maȝȝ full æþe cnawenn All whillke shulenn cwemenn me & addlenn heffness blisse, & whillke shulenn me forrsen & addlenn helle pine, Line 17680

Line 17680 Off all þatt follc þatt fra þiss daȝȝ Till Domess daȝȝ shall wurrþenn, Forr all þatt follc þatt æfre wass & all þatt ȝe¯¯t shall wurrþenn, All iss itt nuȝȝu demmd, & sett Line 17685 O boc, & tald, & rimedd, Þurrh Godd, & all he seþ nuȝȝu Whatt illc an mann shall findenn, Whatt mede illc an shall unnderrfon Att Godd forr hise dedess. Line 17690 Forr Drihhtin hu þe dom shall gan All wa¯¯t & æfre wisste, Forr Godess eȝhe & Godess witt All seþ, all wat, all cnaweþþ, Ȝa þatt tatt wass, ȝa þatt tatt iss, Line 17695 Ȝa þatt tatt ȝe¯¯t shall wurrþenn; [col 387] & ȝiff þu borrȝhenn best, tatt beþ All þurrh Drihhtiness are, & þurrh þatt tu þæraffterr swannc Wel wiþþ Drihhtiness hellpe. Line 17700 & ȝiff þu borrȝhenn nohht ne best, Þatt beþ all þurrh þi sinne, & þurrh rihht dom þu best ta demmd To dreȝhenn helle pine, All affterr þatt tin addlinng iss Line 17705 Na lasse, ne na mare. & tatt he þær till Nicodem Ȝe¯¯t spacc þuss off himm sellfenn,

& he, þatt nohht ne shall onn himm Trowwenn, iss nuȝȝu demedd, Line 17710 Forrþi þatt he ne trowweþþ nohht, Swa summ himm birrde trowwenn, Uppo þatt name þatt iss sett O Godess Sune onn erþe, Onn himm þatt iss off Drihhtin Godd Line 17715 Ankennedd Sune strenedd, Þatt wass alls iff he seȝȝde þuss Till himm wiþþ openn spæche, Whatt mann se shall forrwerrpenn all To lefenn & to trowwenn, Line 17720 Þatt icc amm þurrh mi Faderr sennd & sett Hælennde onn erþe, & whase shall, þurrh hete & niþ & þurrh hiss modiȝnesse, Mi name þwerrt u¯¯t all forrsen Line 17725 Þatt nemmnedd iss Hælennde, Þatt name þatt shall hælenn all Þatt æfre shall ben hæledd, Þatt name þatt shall berrȝhenn all Þatt æfre shall ben borrȝhenn Line 17730 Þurrh me, þatt amm off Drihhtin Godd Ankennedd Sune strenedd, Þatt amm swa strenedd, tatt icc amm All an i Goddcunndnesse Wiþþ Faderr & wiþþ Haliȝ Gast Line 17735 Wiþþutenn ord & ende, Þatt cumenn amm to chesenn me Well fĕle breþre onn erþe,

Þatt shulenn ȝerne stanndenn inn To don mi Faderr wille, Line 17740 Swa þatt he shall hemm alle imæn Haldenn forr hise chilldre, & ȝifenn hemm to ben wiþþ me Arrfname off heffness riche, Þatt amm ankennedd Sune off himm Line 17745 All an wiþþ himm i kinde, Whatt mann se shall forrwerrpenn þiss To lefenn & to trowwenn, Þatt mann iss nuȝȝu demmd & sett To dreȝhenn helle pine, Line 17750 Bu¯¯t iff he muȝhe cumenn forþ, œr þann he ȝife hiss ende, To lefenn þatt icc amm soþ Godd & soþ Hælennde onn erþe. & tatt he þær till Nicodem Line 17755 Ȝe¯¯t spacc þuss off himm sellfenn, Þatt iss þe dom, þatt lihht & lem Iss cumenn upponn erþe, & menn ne lufenn nohht te lihht Acc lufenn þessterrnesse, Line 17760 Forrþi þatt teȝȝre dede iss all Unngod & all unnclene, Þatt wass alls iff he seȝȝde þuss [col 388] Till himm wiþþ oþre wordess, All þatt tatt aniȝ mann shall ben Line 17765 Demmd inntill helle pine,

All þatt shall ben, forr þatt he shall Forrhoȝhenn & forrwerrpenn To cumenn till þe Crisstenndom & till þe rihhte læfe, Line 17770 To cnawenn & to follȝhenn me & upponn me to lefenn, Þatt amm soþ lihht off soþ & rihht, & off þe rihhte læfe. & forrþi shulen alle þa Line 17775 Þatt sinndenn menn ȝehatenn, Forr þatt teȝȝ follȝhenn þeȝȝre flæsh Inn alle fule lusstess, & all forrwerrpenn & forrsen To don þe sawless wille, Line 17780 & hatenn all þatt Godd iss lef & lufenn alle unnþæwess, & lin i depe sinness aȝȝ O fele kinne wise, Þatt sinndenn opennlike inoh Line 17785 Þurrh þessterrnesse tacnedd, Forrþi þatt sinness draȝhenn aȝȝ Till helless þessterrnesse, & frawarrd heffness lihht & lem Þa sawless þatt hemm follȝhenn, Line 17790 All swa summ he þatt ifell doþ Aȝȝ fleþ fra daȝȝess leme, Forr himm iss laþ þatt mann himm se Inn hise fule dedess, Forrþi shall all þatt laþe flocc Line 17795 Ben demmd till helle pine,

Forrþi þatt teȝȝre lif iss all Bisett wiþþ þessterrnesse, Inn all þatt ifell þatt mann doþ Þurrh hæþenndom & dwilde. Line 17800

Biforenn þatt te Laferrd Crist Wass cumenn her to manne, Wass all þiss middell werelld full Off sinness þessterrnesse, Forrþi þatt Crist, þe werrldess lihht, Line 17805 Nass nohht ȝe¯¯t cumenn þanne Forr to bigripenn all mannkinn Off hæþenndom & dwilde, & forr to shæwenn whatt wass god & whatt wass ifell dede, Line 17810 & hu mann mihhte cwemenn Godd & addlenn heffness blisse, & stanndenn ȝæn þe laþe gast, & all forrbuȝhenn helle. & affterr þatt te Laferrd Crist Line 17815 Wass cumenn her to manne, Þæraffterr wass þiss middellærd Off heffness leme filledd, Þurrh þatt te Laferrd Crist himm sellf [col 389] & hise Lerninngcnihhtess Line 17820 All whatt wass rihht, & whatt wass woh, Till alle þede kiddenn,

& hu mann mihhte cwemenn Godd & addlenn heffness blisse. & fele þede modiliȝ Line 17825 Wiþþstodenn, & wiþþseȝȝdenn, & all forrwurrpenn heffness lihht & hefennlike lare, Forrþi þatt hemm wass lef to ben I þeȝȝre þessterrnesse, Line 17830 To follȝhenn þeȝȝre flæshess lust Inn alle kinne sinne, & forr þatt hemm wass laþ þatt lihht Þatt hemm bigrap off sinne. & sume þede tokenn wel Line 17835 Wiþþ hefennlike lare, & turrndenn till þe Crisstenndom & till þe rihhte læfe, Þatt iss þatt soþe lihht & lem Þatt ledeþþ menn till heffne, Line 17840 & tokenn till full innwarrdliȝ Þurrh shriffte & þurrh dædbote To wreȝhenn all here aȝhenn woh, To wrekenn onn hemm sellfenn, Þatt teȝȝ swa lannge inn hæþenndom Line 17845 Soþ Drihhtin haffdenn wraþþedd, Annd swa þeȝȝ comenn till þe lihht, Till all þe rihhte læfe Off ure Laferrd Jesu Crist, Þatt Soþfasstnesse iss nemmnedd, Line 17850 Forr all þatt æfre iss soþ & rihht & god & Drihhtin cweme,

& berrhless till hiss handewerrc, All - comm off Cristess are. & swa þeȝȝ comenn till þe lihht, Line 17855 To shæwenn & to kiþenn Þatt teȝȝre dede ȝede rihht, All affterr Cristess bisne, Forr alle samenn didenn an Crist sellf & teȝȝ hemm sellfenn, Line 17860 Crist hemm bigrap off þeȝȝre woh Þurrh rihhtwisnessess lare, & teȝȝ bigri˘penn þeȝȝre woh Þurrh shriffte & þurrh dædbote, Swa þatt teȝȝ alle didenn an Line 17865 Crist sellf & teȝȝ hemm sellfenn. & swa þurrh þatt wass sene inoh Þatt teȝȝre gode dede Wass all i Godd, & all þurrh Godd, & þurrh hiss hellpe forþedd, Line 17870 & swa wass filledd ta þurrh hemm I þeȝȝre gode dede Þatt tatt te Laferrd seȝȝde þuss Till Nicodem wiþþ worde; & whase follȝheþþ soþ & rihht Line 17875 Inn alle gode dedess, He cumeþþ gladdliȝ to þe lihht, To shæwenn þatt hiss dede Iss all i Godd, & all þurrh Godd, & þurrh hiss hellpe forþedd. Line 17880 & Godd Allmahhtiȝ gife uss her, To cwemenn Crist o life

Wiþþ clene þohht, wiþþ clene word, Wiþþ clene þæw & dede, Swa þatt we motenn wurrþi ben Line 17885 To winnenn Cristess are.

Amæn;·

[col 390] Affterr þe Pasche messedaȝȝ, For sone anan þe Laverrd Inntill þe land off Galile Line 17890 Wiþþ hise Lerninngcnihhtess, & whær o lande summ he comm He wrohhte miccle tacness, & talde spell amang þe follc Off þeȝȝre sawle nede, Line 17895 & off þatt miccle sellþe & sel, Þatt enngleþed inn heffne Wiþþ Godd, all þurrh þe ȝife off Godd, A butenn ende brukenn. & all hiss lare & all hiss lif Line 17900 & all hiss hallȝhe dede Droh till þatt an, to turrnenn follc Inntill þe rihhte weȝȝe, Till fulluhht, & till Crisstenndom, & till þe rihhte læfe. Line 17905