The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XV.

[verse 1] And pupplicans and synful men weren neiȝynge to him, to here hym. [verse 2] And the Farisees and scribis grutchiden, seiynge, For this [he this I.] resseyueth synful men, and etith with hem. [verse 3] And he spak to hem [verse 4] this parable, and seide, What man of ȝou that hath an hundrith scheep, and if he hath lost oon of hem, whethir he leeueth not nynti and nyne in desert, and goith to it that perischide, til he fynde it? [verse 5] And whanne he hath foundun it, he ioieth, and leyith [puttith b.] it on hise schuldris; [verse 6] and he cometh hoom, and clepith togidir hise freendis and neiȝboris, and seith to hem, Be ȝe glad with me, for Y haue founde my scheep, that hadde [hath EPX. Om. QU.] perischid. [verse 7] And Y seie to ȝou, so ioye schal be in

heuene on o synful man doynge pen|aunce, more than on nynti and nyne iuste, that han no nede to penaunce. [verse 8] Or what womman hauynge ten besauntis, and if sche hath lost oo besaunt, whether sche teendith not a lanterne, and turneth vpsodoun the hows, and sekith diligentli, til that [Om. Ec pr. m. e pr. m.] sche fynde it? [verse 9] And whanne sche hath foundun, sche clepith togidir freendis and neiȝboris, and seith, Be ȝe glad with me, for Y haue founde the besaunt, that Y hadde lost. [verse 10] So Y seie to ȝou, ioye schal be bifor aungels [the aungels Ek.] of God on o synful man doynge penaunce. [verse 11] And [verse 12] he seide, A man hadde twei sones; and [Om. AIKc pr. m. eg.] the ȝonger of hem seide to the fadir, Fadir, ȝyue me the porcioun of catel, that fallith to me. And he departide to hem [him S pr. m.] the catel. [verse 13] And not aftir many daies, whanne alle thingis weren gederid togider, the ȝonger sone wente forth in pilgrymage in to a fer cuntre; and there he wastide hise [alle hise k pr. m.] goodis in lyuynge lecherously. [verse 14] And aftir that he hadde endid alle thingis, a strong hungre was maad in that cuntre, and he bigan to haue nede. [verse 15] And he wente, and drouȝ hym to oon of the citeseyns of that cuntre. And he sente hym in to his toun, to fede swyn. [verse 16] And he coueitide to fille his wombe of the coddis that the [Om. Ig.] hoggis eeten, and no man ȝaf hym [to hym EMK sec. m. PQRSUXghikβ.] . [verse 17] And he turnede aȝen to [in to EIKMPQRSUXbceghi.] hym silf, and seide, Hou many hirid men in [ben in k pr. m.] my fadir [fadris CEIKMPRSUXbceghikαβ.] hous han plente of looues; and Y perische here thorouȝ hungir. [verse 18] Y schal rise vp, and go to my fadir, and Y schal seie to hym, Fadir, Y haue synned

in to heuene, and bifor thee; and now Y [verse 19] am not worthi to be clepid thi sone, make me as oon of thin hirid men. [verse 20] And he roos vp [Om. X.] , and cam to his fadir. And whanne he was ȝit afer, his fadir saiȝ hym, and was stirrid bi mercy. And he ran, and fel on his necke, and kisside hym. [verse 21] And the sone seide to hym, Fadir, Y haue synned in to heuene, and bifor thee; and now Y am not worthi to be clepid thi sone. [verse 22] And the fadir seide to hise seruauntis, Swithe brynge ȝe forth the firste stoole, and clothe ȝe hym, and [verse 23] ȝyue ȝe a ryng in his hoond, and schoon on hise feet; and brynge ȝe a fat calf, and sle ȝe, and ete we, and make we feeste. [verse 24] For this my sone was deed, and hath lyued aȝen; he perischid, and is [he is Ig.] foundun. And alle men bigunnen to ete. [verse 25] But his eldere sone was in the feeld; and whanne he cam, and neiȝede to the hous, he herde a symfonye and a croude. [verse 26] And he clepide oon of the ser|uauntis, and axide, what these thingis weren. [verse 27] And he seide to hym, Thi bro|ther is comun, and thi fadir slewe a fat calf, for he resseyuede hym saaf. [verse 28] And he was wrooth, and wolde not come in. Therfor his fadir wente [ȝede CEIKMPQRSUXbcghikαβ.] out, and bigan to preye hym. [verse 29] And he answerde to his fadir, and seide, Lo! so many ȝeeris Y serue thee, and Y neuer brak thi co|maundement; and thou neuer ȝaf to [Om. k pr. m.] me a kidde, that Y with my freendis schulde haue ete. [verse 30] But aftir that this thi sone, that hath deuourid his substaunce with horis, cam, thou hast slayn to hym a fat calf. [verse 31] And he seide to hym, Sone, thou

art euer more with me, and alle my thingis ben thine. [verse 32] But it bihofte [bihoueth g.] for [to C et plures.] to make feeste [a feeste Ee.] , and to haue ioye; for this thi brother was deed, and lyuede [lyueth g.] aȝen; he perischide, and is foundun.