An Old English miscellany containing a bestiary, Kentish sermons, Proverbs of Alfred, religious poems of the thirteenth century,

XXIII. Death. [Cotton MS. Caligula A ix, leaf 247.]

Ihereð of one þinge. þat ȝe ohen of þenche. Ȝe þat werieð riche schrud. and sitteð on oure benche. Line 4 Þah me kneoli ou bi-uore. and mid win schenche. From þe dreorie deað. ne mai nomon at-blenche. Line 8

Ȝe þat sittet i-schrud wið skarlet and wið palle. Wel soþe tiþinge Ich ou wile telle. [folio 247b] Line 12 Þe feond þencheð iwis. þe sawle forto cwelle. Ase we hit findeþ iwriten. in þe goddspelle. Line 16

Ah of one þinge. we schule nime gome. Þat we weren poure. þa we hider come. Line 20 We hit hereð iwis. swiþe ofte and i-lome. Þe sawle and þe licome. selde heo beoþ isome. Line 24

Line 24

Hwenne þat child bid iboren. and on eorþe i-falle. Nolde ich ȝeuen enne peni. for his weden alle. Line 28 Ah seoððen moni mon. biȝet bores and halle. For-hwi þe wrecche sawle schal in-to pine ualle. Line 32

Þenche we on þe laste dai. þat we schule heonne fare. Vt of þisse worlde. wið pine and wið kare. Line 36 Al so we hider comen. naked and bare. And of [MS. of.] ure sunnen. ȝeuen ondsweare. Line 40

Nabbe no mon so muchel. al hit wolle agon. His lond and his hus and his hom. Line 44 Þe sorie soule. makeþ hire mon; Iwis ne mai at-blenche ure neauer non. Line 48

Þenne þe latemest dai. deþ haueð ibrouhit. Bi-nimeð ure speche. ure siht and ure þoht. Line 52 And in euche lime deþ us hafð þurh-soht. Þenne beoð ure blisse. al iturnd to noht. Line 56

Line 56

Ne miȝte no tunge tellen. þat euer wes iboren. Þe stronge pine of helle. þah he hedde isworen. Line 60 Er þe sawle and þe bodi a two beon to-drehen. [Read to-droren.] Bute crist þat lesede his folc. þat þer wes for-loren. Line 64

Anon so þe sawle. bið ifaren ut. Me nimeð þe licome. and preoneð in a clut. Line 68 Þat wes so modi and so strong. and so swiþe prud. And wes iwoned to werien. moni a feir schrud. Line 72

Nu lið þe clei-clot. al so þe ston. And his freondes striueð. to gripen his i-won. Line 76 Þe sorie sowle makeð hire mon. Of alle hire erure freond. nu nafð heo non. Line 80

Þenne saið þe sawle. wið sorie chere. Awai þu wrecche fole bali, nu þu list on bere. Line 84 Ich schal habben for þe fendes to ifere. Awai þat þu euere. to monne ischape were. Line 88

Line 88

Ne schaltu neauer sitten. on bolstre ne on benche. Ne neuer in none halle. þer me uin schencheð. Line 92 For þine fule sunnen. and for þin uni-wrenche. Hi schal wrecche sawle to ateliche stenche. Line 96

Hwer beoð alle þine frond. þat faire þe bihete. And feire þe igretten. bi weies and bi strete. Line 100 Nu heo wolleð wrecche. alle þe for-lete. Nolden he hore-stonkes non nu þe imete. Line 104

Hwer beoð þine dihsches. midd þine swete sonde. Hwer beoþ þine nappes. þat þe glideþ to honde. Line 108 Hwer is þi bred and þin ale. þi tunne and þine stonde. Nu þu schalt in þe putte. wunie wid þe wonde. Line 112

Of me þu heuedest miȝte. to don al þine wille. Euer þu were abuten. us bo for to spille. [folio 248] Line 116 Nu þu schalt wrecche liggen ful stille. And ich schal þine gultes. abuggen ful ille. Line 120

Line 120

Hwi noldest þu mid crist. maken us isahte. Masse leten singe of þat he þe bi-tahte. Line 124 Euer þu were abuten to echen þin ahte. For-þi we beoð an ende boþe bi-pahte. Line 128

Yelde [The initial letter may be Y, Þ, or W, which are all of one shape in this MS. There is a dot over the y and w to dis|tinguish them from þ, but it is not used with the large initial letters.] wole me for þe masse lete singe. Oþer in holi chirche. don ei offringe. Line 132 Me wule for þin ahte make striuinge. And pute þe wið-uten. of alle þine þinge. Line 136

Li awariede bali þat neauer þu ne arise. Hwenne ich þenche þe uppon; ful sore me mai agrise. Line 140 For ich schal bernen in fur. and chiuerin in ise. And euer beon in pinen a feole kunne wise. Line 144

Nu schal þin halle. Mid spade beon iwroȝt. And þu schald þerinne. wrecche beon ibroȝt. Line 148 Nu schulen þine weden. Alle beon isoȝt. Me wule swopen þin hus and ut mid þe swoft. Line 152

Line 152

Þi bur is sone ibuld. þat þu schald wunien inne. Þe rof þe firste. schal ligge oþine chinne. Line 156 Nu þe sculen wormes. wunien wið-inne. Ne mai me heom vt driuen: wið nones kunnes ginne. Line 160

Nu is afered of þe. þi mei and þi mowe. Alle heo wereð þe weden. þat er weren þin owe. Line 164 And þu schald nu in eorþe. liggen ful lohe. Wai hwi noldestu er. of þisse beon icnowe. [MS. iouowe.] Line 168

Nu schal for-rotien þine teð and þi tunge. Þi mahe and þi milte. þi liure and þi lunge. Line 172 And þi þrote-bolle þat þu mide sunge. And þu schal in þe putte faste beon iþrunge. Line 176

Hwer beoð þine weines þat þe leoue were. Of alle þine riche weden nu þu ard al skere. Line 180 Beo þu in þe putte wormes ifere. Hit bið sone of þe al so þu neauer nere. Line 184

Line 184

Al þat ich hatede hit þuȝte þe ful god. Þat makede þe qued þat þat þe bi-stod. Line 188 Heuedest þu þi wille. þu were al wod. And ich am wrecche sawle ful sori-mod. Line 192

Nu þu schald bileuen, and icht [So in MS.] mot fare nede. For alle þine gultes fongon ischal mede. Line 196 Þat is hunger and chelc and furberninge glede. And so me wule sathanas ful ateliche brede. Line 200

ICh am sori inoh. bi dai and bi niht. Ischal to þeostre stude. þer neauer ne kumeð liht. Line 204 Þat [Read þar.] ischal i-mete moni a ful wiht. Ne schal ich neauer i-seo crist þat is so briht. Line 208

IN ful a bitter bað baþien ich schal naked. Of pisch and of bruneston wallinde is imaked. Line 212 Þer is sathanas þe cwed redi wið his rake. And swo he me wule for-swolehen þe fur-berninde drake. Line 216

Line 216

Þah al þat fur in þis world to-gedere were ibroht. Aȝeines þare hete nere hit al noht. Line 220 Wo is him aliue þat þer-inne is ibroht. Awai þas ilke pine. þu hauest me bi-soht. Line 224

Hwo isehe þene cwed, [folio 248b] hu lodlich he beo. Hornes on his heaued. hornes on his cneo. Line 228 Nis no þing aliue þat so ateliche beo. Wo is heom ine helle; þet hine schule i-seo. Line 232

He ȝeoneþ mid his muþe and stareþ mid his eȝe. Of his neose-þurles cumeð þe rede leie. Line 236 Þat fur springeþ him vt. of eueruche Breye. He moste deie for care. hwase hine iseȝe. Line 240

Also beoð his eȝe-puttes ase a bruþen led. Þat fur springeþ him of wunderliche red. Line 244 Ne mai no tunge telle hu lodlich is þe cwed. Hwase lokede him on for care he miȝte beo dead. Line 248

Line 248

Holde we us clene ut of hordom. Masse leten singen, and almes-dede don. Line 252 And wið hali chirche maken us i-som; Þenne [MS. Wenne] mohe we cwemen crist at þe dom. Line 256

Þe king þat al þis world scheop þurh his holi miȝte. Bi-wite vre sawle from þan fule wiȝte. Line 260 And lete us hatie þat woh and luuie þat riȝte. And bringe ure sawle to heoueriche liȝte. AMEN. Line 264

XXIII. Death. [Jesus Coll. MS. 29, leaf 255, back.]

Ihereþ of one þinge. þat ye owen of þenche. Ye þat weryeþ þat riche schrud. and sytteþ on eure benche. Line 4 Þah me kneoly ou by-uore. and myd wyn schenche. From þe dreorye deþ. ne may no mon at-blenche. Line 8

Ye þat sytteþ i-schrud. myd skarlet and myd palle. Wel soþe tyþinge. ich ou wile telle. Line 12 Þe feond þencheþ iwis. þe saule for to quelle. As we hit fyndeþ iwryten. in þe god-spelle. Line 16

Ah of one þinge. we schulle nymen gome. Þat we weren poure. þo we hider come. Line 20 We hit ihereþ iwis. [folio 256] swiþe ofte and ilóme. Þe saule and þe lycome. selde heo beoþ isome. Line 24

Line 24

Hwenne þat chyld biþ iboren. and on eorþe ifalle. Nolde ich yeuen enne peny. for his weden alle. Line 28 Ah seoþþen mony mon by-yet bures and halle. For-þi [þe] wrecche saule schal in-to pyne falle. Line 32

Þenche we on þe laste day. þat we schulle heonne fare. Vt of þisse worlde. wiþ pyne and wiþ kare. Line 36 Al so we hider comen. naked and bare. And of vre sunnen yeuen onsware. Line 40

Nabbe no mon so muchel. al hit wile á-gon. His lond and his ayhte. his hus. and his hom. Line 44 Þe sorye saule. makeþ hire mon. Iwis ne may at-blenche vre neuer nón. Line 48

Þenne þe latemeste day. deþ haueþ ibrouht. Bi-nymeþ vre speche. vre syhte. and þouht. Line 52 And in vyche lyme. deþ vs haueþ þureh-souht. Þenne beoþ vre blisse. al i-turnd to nouht. Line 56

Line 56

Ne myhte no tunge telle. þat euer wes ibore. Þe stronge pyne of helle. þauh he hedde iswore. Line 60 Er þe saule and þet body a two beon to-drore. Bute crist þat lesede his folk. þat þer wes for-loren. Line 64

Anón so þe saule. biþ i-faren vt. Me nymeþ þe lycome. and preoneþ in a clut. Line 68 Þat wes so mody and so strong. and so swyþe prud. And wes iwuned to weryen. mony a veyr schrud. Line 72

Nv liþ þe cley-clot. al so þe ston. And his freondes stryueþ. to gripen his iwon. Line 76 Þe sorie saule. makeþ hyre mon. Of alle hire erore freond. nv naueþ heo non. Line 80

Þenne seyþ þe saule. wiþ sorie chere. Away þu wrecche fole baly. nv þu lyst on bere. Line 84 Ich schal habbe for þe. [folio 256b] feondes to i-vere. Away þat þu eure. to monne ischape were. Line 88

Line 88

Ne schaltu neuer sytten. on bolstre ne on benche. Ne neuer in none halle. þar me wyn schenche. Line 92 For þine fule sunnen. and for þin vnywrenche. Hy schal þi wrecche saule. to atelyche stenche. Line 96

Hwer beoþ alle þine freond. þat fayre þe bi-hehte. And feyre þe igretten. bi weyes and bi strete. Line 100 Nv heo wulleþ wrecche. alle þe forlete. Nolden heo non herestonkes. nv þe imete. Line 104

Hwer beoþ þine disches. myd þine swete sonde. Hwer beoþ þine nappes. þat þe glyde to honde. Line 108 Hwer is þi bred and þin ale. þi tunne and þi stonde. Nu þu schalt in þe putte. wunye myd þe wonde. Line 112

Ofte þu heuedest Mihte. to don al þine wille. Euer þu were abuten. vs bo uor to spille. Line 116 Nv þu schalt wrecche. liggen ful stylle. And ich schal þine gultes. abuggen ful ille. Line 120

Line 120

Hwi noldestu myd criste. maken vs isauhte. Massen lete synge. of þat he þe bitauhte. Line 124 Euer þu were abuten. to echen þin ayhte. For-þi we beoþ an ende. boþe bi-pauhte. Line 128

Selde wule me for þe. masse lete singe. Oþer in holy chireche. don ey offringe. Line 132 Me wule for þin ayhte. maken stryuynge. And pute þe wiþ-vten. of alle þine þinge. Line 136

Ly awariede bodi. þat neuer þu naryse. Hwenne ich þenche [þe] vp-on. ful sore me may agryse. Line 140 For ich schal bernen in fur. and chyueren in yse. And euer beon in pynen. a feole kunne wise. Line 144

Nv schal þin halle. myd spade beon i-wrouht. And þu schalt þer-inne. wrecche beon ibrouht. Line 148 Nu schulle þine weden. [folio 257] alle beon isouht. Me wule swopen þin hus. and vt myd þe swofte. Line 152

Line 152

Þi bur is sone ibuld. þat þu schalt wunyen inne. Þe rof and þe virste. schal ligge on þine chynne. Line 156 Nu þe schulle wurmes wunyen wiþ-inne. Ne may me heom vt dryuen. myd nones kunnes gynne. Line 160

Nv is aferd of þe. þi mey and þi mowe. Alle heo wereþ þe weden. þat er weren þin owe. Line 164 And þu schalt nv in eorþe. liggen ful lowe. Way hwi noldestu her. of þisse beon iknowe. Line 168

Nv schal for-rotyen. þine teþ and þi tunge. Þi Mawe and þi Milte. þi lyure. and þi lunge. Line 172 And þi þrotebolle. þat þu Mide sunge. And þu schalt in þe putte. vaste beon iþrunge. Line 176

Hwer beoþ þine þeynes. þat þe leoue were. Of alle þine riche weden. nv þu art al skere. Line 180 Beo þu in þe putte. wrmes ifére. Hit biþ sone of þe. al so þu neuer nere. Line 184

Line 184

Al þat ich hatede. hit þuhte þe ful god. Þat makede þe qued. þat þe bi-stod. Line 188 Heuedestu þi wille. þu were al wod. And ich am wrecche saule. ful sori-mod. Line 192

Nv þu schalt by-leuen. and ich mot fare nede. For alle þine gultes. fongen i schal mede. Line 196 Þat is hunger and chele and fur-bernynde glede. And so me wule sathanas. ful atelyche brede. Line 200

Ich am sori i-nouh. bi day and bi nyht Ich schal to þestre stude. þer neuer ne cumeþ liht. Line 204 Þer ich schal imete mony o ful wiht. Ne schal ich neuer i-seo. crist þat is so bryht. Line 208

IN a bytter baþ. ich schal baþe naked. Of pych and of brunston. wallynde is i-maked. Line 212 Þer is sathanas þe qued. [folio 257b] redi wyþ his rake. And so me wile for-swolewe þe furbernynde drake. Line 216

Line 216

Þah al þat fur in þis world. to-gedere were ibrouht. Ayeynes þare hete. nere hit al nouht. Line 220 Wo is hym alyue. þat þer-inne is ibrouht. Away. þeos ilke pyne. þu hauest me by-souht. Line 224

Hwo iseye þene qued. hw lodlich heo beo. Hornes on his heued. hornes. on his kneo. Line 228 Nis no þing alyue. þat so atelich beo. Wo is heom in helle. þat hine schulleþ i-seo. Line 232

He yoneþ myd his muþe. and stareþ myd his eye. Of his neosturles cumeþ. þe rede leye. Line 236 Þat fur springeþ him vt. of euervyche breye. He moste deye for kare. hwo so hine iseye. Line 240

Al so beoþ his eye-puttes as a [colput dup ant gret]. [In a later hand.] Þat fur springeþ him of. wunderliche red. Line 244 Ne may no tunge telle. hw lodlich is þe qued. Hwo so lokede him on. for kare he Mihte beo ded. Line 248

Line 248

Holde we vs clene. vt of hordom. Masses leten singe. and almes-dede don. Line 252 And wiþ holy chireche. maken vs i-som. Þenne muwe we quemen. crist at þe dom. Line 256

Þe kyng þat al þis world scop. þurh his holy Mihte. Biwite vre saule. from þan vuele wihte. Line 260 And lete vs hatye þat wouh. and luuye þat ryhte. And bringe vre saule. to heoueriche lyhte. Amen. Line 264