XXV. [AN BISPEL. [Cott. Vesp. A. 22. folio 56b] ]

[H]it ȝelamp þat an rice king wes. strang and mihti. his land gélest wide and side. his folc was swiðe ærfeð-telle. his under-þéoden ȝéwér on his cyne ríce wuneden. Þa be-fel hit swa þat him a þance beféll to underȝeíte wá an alle his cyne rice him were frend oðer fend. hold oðer fá. and he nam him tó rede þat heom wolde ȝearceon anæ grate laðienge. and þider ȝeclepíen all his underþeód. þat hi bi éne féce to his curt [berie] come sceolde and sette ænne déȝie. þat hi alle be þe látst to þa deȝie. þer were. Ac þis ȝesceod he hadde isétt bi-tweone frend and fend. þat þan hi come mistlice to beríe. ȝef he frend wére. me hine sceolde derewrlice forð clepien. and do hine wasse. and ȝíefe him hís formemete. þat him to lang ne þuhte to abiden of fe*. [read oð se.] laford to þe none inn come. Gief he fend wére. me sceolden ánon eter*. [= et þer.] gat ȝemete mid gode repples and stiarne swépen. and stiarne híne besíé. and binde him hand and fétt. and do hine into þiester|nesse. and þer abide of*. [? of=oð.] all his ȝeferen were ȝegadered. þat hi alle clone. símle belócen were. Þa sende se king his ærndraches of fif ceðen to alle his underþeoden. to ȝelaðie þis folc. hwet bute ícome súm cófer sum láter sum frend sum fend. and was idon bí ham al swá ær cweðe þat isett was. Þa hit þer to com. þat se hlaford into þar halle come. mid his díerewurd ȝeferede. mid ærlen and aldren. mid cnihten mid þeínen. þa cweð se hlafor[d] to his. Æér þanne we mid ure frienden toðe mete gó. scepie*. [? scewie.] we þes uncoðe mæn ur ȝefó. þa hi to-for him cóme. þa wénte he hin to Page  233 ham and þus cweð. Unwraste man wat lacede ȝéu an alle míre rice þat ȝíe hatrede and widerwardnesse aȝénes me ȝe win sceolde. and to mine fá ȝebugon. Swá ibrúce ic mine rice ne scule ȝíe mine mete ibite. ac scule þa þe hit mid mire lufe ȝearnede. Þa þis was iségd. þa were cofe abruden into þesternesse. þe hi sturfe hungre. and se hlaford nam hit him to is frenden and et and dranc and macede hine wel bliðe mid his and þer hi hadden brad and win. and vii. sandon. ¶ [N]u gode menn understandeð þis bispel. Þes king is ure hlaford almihti god þe is king ofer alle kingen. and hlaford ofer alle hlaforden. S[t]rang he his and michti. for he ȝesceop alle þing of nahte. and na þing ne máȝi áȝenes his wille. ne him wiðstande. for þan him seigd se wítíȝe. Qui celorum contines tronos et cetera. þat is. hlaford of mihte þe alste hefenen þrimsettles. and tó neowelnesse þe under eorðe is be-locést. in. pon*. [? uppon.]. þe dunan þu awiðhst eorðe belucst*. [in. pon þe dunan eorðe belucst seems to be an inter|polation of the scribe.] mid þina hand; he is íwiss mihti for þan þe non mihte nis buton fram him. His land is all þes middenard. for he alle ȝesceop. and all dihte wið-ute swince. He us is. king. and sceppend. and fader. and hlaford. King for he mid rihtwisnesse diht man and engel god and euel. sceppende. for he us machede lichame and sawle ableow. feder for he us fett and scred. and forðteh al se is cyldren. hlaford for þan þe is ȝéie and drednesse is ofer hus. and [vel as] áh to bienne. He is hure fader. he lenð us his eorðe tó tolie. he corn to sawe. his eorðe us werpð corn and westm. níatt. and dierchin. his loht leóem and lif. his wáter. drench and fiscynn. his fér manifeald þenínge. his sónne. mone. sterren. rien. dáw. wind. wude. unitald fultume al þat we habbeð of þése feder we habbeð. of*. [MS. os.] wam we alle and us sielþe habbeð. Múȝe we ahct clepeien hine moder wene we. ȝíe muȝe we. hwat deð si moder hire bearn. formes hi hit cheteð and blissið be þe lichte. and seþe hi dieð under hire árme [Cott. Vesp. A. 22. folio 57a] oðer his hafed heleð to don him slepe. and reste. Þis deð all ȝíure drihte. he blisseð hus mid dȝéies*. [sic.] licht. h[e] sweueð hus mid þiestre nicht. Gíet for an oðre þing god ȝescop þa niht. He wat wel þat maníȝe men bieð sa ful of ȝéscung. mihti efre ísí. Ná ȝewóld ham selfe. to bigeten wrldlic échte. þer for. god hafd ȝescepe ham reste. Page  235 súme wile hares unþances. ȝeíet he cweð a wunder worder to þar sawle bi þa witíe ysaiam. Numquid potest mulier obliuisci in|fantem suum ut non misereatur filii uteri sui. þat is la líef maȝíe wiman forȝeten his oge cild. þat hi ne milsi. hire bárn of hire ogen innoð. and ȝief hi forȝiet þah hwéðer nell íc forȝete þe cweð drihten. be þam · þe he fader is and lafórd he him selþ cwed be þe witíe. Si ego pater ubi est honor meus. si dominus ubi est timor meus. þat is. gif ic fader ham. wer his mi manscipe. ȝif ic. hlaford wer hís*. [MS. hss.] mine aȝéíe? þer fore. G. m. ure king. we oȝeð wrhmint. hur sceappend al þat we bieð. ure fader soðe lufe. ur hlaford drednesse. And þis is séo king þe wile wíte an alle his under|þeode wá hine lufeð and hwa hine hateð. hwá him is frend oðer fend. And þer for he hað ȝelaðed alle fol[c]. to ane dȝeíe. þat is domes dȝeíe. þat hi alle þer beon be þe latst. hwé seden ærst þat þes ærndraces wer isent of fif cheðen. swa ibeoð. þas fif cheðen beoð fif lágan. for þan þe god is þurh þesen ȝecnówé. Si forme lage þat is si ȝécénde láge. þe god sett formest an þes mannes heorte. þat is þat non man ne don oðere. buton þat þe he wolde þat me ded him. Wið-ute þeser láge nis man þe ȝescod habbe. Ærndraces of þisser lage wer*. [MS. þer.] abel. Seth. enoc. Nóe. and swíce gode man. Seðe þes middenard was ȝestaþeled fram þa forme man to þa latst þe wrð ét þes wrldes ende. nas tid ne týme ne ne wrð. þat god ne send gode mænn his folc forte ȝelaðie to his rice. Ac si láge sóne adilígde. þurh unwreaste leahtrum and manifald sénne. Þer efter arerde god þas lage þurh moysen þe heretoche of his folce þe he þa ȝecás. and wráte his him self in stanene wax bredene. and si ȝeleste sume wíle. and þer of were larþawes and ȝelaðieres Moises and aaron. and samuel. and fele oðre. Swa láge*. [or lange.] þat si alswa swið abreað. and adiliȝede. þurh unhersam|nesse. wat hit com to þa time þe god sende þe halíe witíȝe. and hi þa arérdon mid hare wríte þurh þes halíe gastes gífe þa god lage. and rihtleceden þat folc swase hi mihten. and bodeden ures hlafordes to-cýme ses helendes ihesu cristes. þe sceolde his aȝén wille. þurh his gastes ȝífe in ure heorte wríte. and don ús mid his mihte þat stef creft ne mihte. and an þesser láȝe of þe witȝin. wer laðieres móche. Eft bine. fece and þes lare and lage swiðe Page  237 acolede þurh manifead fénne*. [read sénne.]. and hur and hur þurh false gódes þe ælc þiode ham selfe mácede. sume of golde. súm of silure. of treowe. of stane. and awente godes lof and wrhminte fram þe sceappende to þare ȝesceafte. swa þat þa ure halende wes accenned of þam unwemmede mede sante Marie. al se middennard was mid senne begripe. and al folc ȝede in to þes diefles muðe. buton wel feáwe of wam his lefe moder wes istriened. he þa arerd alle godnisse. and sette his halíe láge. and þat þe móre his. ȝiaf miht and strencþe þurl*. [? þurh.] þe gief of his gaste his hesne to fulforðie. þat non oðre laȝe ne mihte. and understandeð hwu. Þri ampres were an mancyn ær his to-cyme. Ure acenneng wes ful. un*. [? ur.] lif unwreast. ur deað grislic. he com and brochte þri þin[g] þer aȝén. he wes acénde of þe clene mede. þe efer þurh lefede mede. his lif was halíȝe. his deað ful of milce. his clene acennende clénséde ure fule acennende. his hali lif rihtlecede ure unwreaste lif. his admoded deað ofer com. and fordede ure soríȝe and ȝelice deað. þís ís [Cott. Vesp. A. 22. folio 57b] si fierðe láge. An þisser were ærndraces and ȝelaðieres þa apostles and þe leorninchihtes. þer efter ures helendes upstíȝe to heuene. þa apostles and hare íunglenges þe[r] efter come halíe men and þe hafedmen þe nu beoð in halíe cyrce. and wrðeð of*. [? oð.] domes déȝe. þurh þes hali gastes ȝífe. and al swa ure helende ham leórde. maníȝe þing ehten þa folce to freme. and þis is si fifte lage. An þisser beoð bedeles and laðieres to berie archebiscopes. and biscopes. prestes. and hare ȝegeng. Ac þah we fif næmmíe. alle hit on godes wille. and élc of ham ȝestrenð and fulfellþ oðre. Of þeses fif ceþen and of hare bedeles we habbeð ȝéu ȝéséd. Of þe folce we siggeð þat hit cumþ fastlice. fram middenardes anginn alse fele alse deade beoð alse fele beoð to berie ícóme. wat frend. wat fá. and elce deȝíe þícce þringeð. Ac ȝief ȝé habbeð under|stande þat we ȝíu er séde. eter gate me his scýft. and þer me hi to ȝesceodeð. Si gate þat is elces mannes endedeíe. þat he stepð ut of þese life into þan oðre*. [MS. ddðre.]. Ac we sede ȝehw. þat ȝief he frend were me sceolde ȝief him his mórȝe mete þat he þe bet mihte abide þane more mete. Swa hit is here. þat se gode man þe godes lufe hað ȝefolged to is ende cumþ. witetlice wið-ut míantruce þer cumeð þe hali engles him tó. and ȝéf hað ahte uniwasse oðer hit Page  239 wrð ȝewasse iþer pine of þe deaðe þe he her þáleð. oðer efter mid eðelice lette. and þan lat me þa sawle to merchestowe. þat his se morȝemete si blisse þe he hað an þar sawle. þat wite ȝe wel. nan halege nað his fulle blisse er he underfó adomes deíe his licame. þat wrð se fulle mete. þan se mann mid sawle and mid licame underfangð sicernesse of écer blisse. And wat belimpð hit ȝief he fend his þe to þare gate cumþ? God þurh his mucele milce ne letes us nefer fandie. Ac naþeles ȝief he fend his an unwreast mann þer beoð anú ȝerédie. þe weregede gastes þe hine uniredlice underfangeð min stiarne swupen. Alse fele unþeawes alse hade upe him and sennenn. al swa fendes he þer ȝemet. hīne to underfó. and to don hīne into þiesternesse. oft a domes dȝéi alle godes fend simle fram his ȝesecðe abroden bienn. and hi to hare lean ham þe lange scel ȝeleste. Þus hit hað íbí and ís. and wrð oft domesdei. Ac þanne hit þer to cumþ þat se hlaford á þe mucele deíe. cumþ forté ísí and frend and fend. þann cumþ all his underþiede him to-fore. þer he sit mid his derewrþe ȝefered mid niȝen anglene had. mid þer unwēmmed meide his moder. mid his apostlen. mid þa hágefaderen. and þo halíȝe wítien. mid martiren. mi[d] hali confessoren mid halie meiden. mid al þan þe þer midenarde for his lufe werpeð abéc. and lagelice her him þenið. wic ȝeíe. wic drednesse wurð þer. þan þat fer to for him abernð þat middernad*. [sic.]. þan si eorðe alle cwáced þan þe sterren falleð. si sunne and se mone aþestreð for godes brictnesse. þe wlcne to gað. and si hali rode tacne mid þe spere and mid þe neiles þurh angles beoð forð ibrocht. þanne þe angles cwaciað. and tó richtwíse ham adredeð. wat sceol se senfulle don. þe isecgð þer his richtwise deme. þe non ne maíe bechece. non beswice. he his him selþ witnisse and deme. Wat sceol se wrecce don. þe bufon iséȝð his hlaford þe he ȝegremed áfeð. under him helle muð open. abuuten him all folc. him selfe bi sandlice senne beswapen. þer ne mái non frend oðre helpe. ælc had innóh to donne an him selfe. Þan seied ham god þe gelty mannen ȝe seneȝeden. an ȝeur écenesse. and ȝe scule [Cott. Vesp. A. 22. folio 58a] birne an mire écenisse. Ȝe seneȝden alse lange alse ȝé lefede and ȝe scule birne alse longe as íc lefie. Witeð into éce fer. þe is ȝæarced mine fó and his Page  241 ȝegen[g] Son hi wrðeð abroden of his ȝesecþe. And þan sone*. [MS. fone.] geð se hlaford mid his frenden to his mete. þat his to is esten. þe seið an þan hali write Delicie méé sunt esse cum filiis homi|num. þat is. Mine esten beoð wunian mid mannen bearnen. Ac we[habbeð ȝe-] sed ȝíu litl her þat hi sceolden abben god brad and uin. and vii. sonden. hi sculen habe þat brad þe seið iþe godspel. Ego sum panis uiuus qui de celo descendit. Þet is. Ic ám cwuce bread þe astah fram hefene. seȝð ure helende. Se þe of þese brad ett. ne sterfeð he nefer. Þis bread was ímaced of ane hwete corne. al swa se he cweð ȝeðe godspelle. Nisi granum frumenti. et cetera. þis corn was ȝesawen þurh þes ængles muð into ðes meidenes ære Marie. in þare burh of nazareth. þis corn cóm*. [MS. cón.] ferst inne bethleem. þat cweð us of breade. hit wex and bleówu. in iudea. hit rípede in ierusalem. Iudas and þat leoðre folc hit répén. and deden hit an þar rode alswa alse betwenen melstanent. Sede hit was idon into þer berien. alswa into hófne. þanen hit was ibroht up into heofene to þes hahes hlafordes borde. þer hit fet. and engles. and mancinn in écenisse. and þis is hare bread. hwer scule we win finden? Al swa se he cweð. Ego sum uitis uera. et cetera.