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

XXV. A lutel soth Sermun. [Cotton MS. Caligula A ix, leaf 248, back.]

Herknied alle gode men And stille sitteþ adun. And ich eou wule tellen a lutel sermun. [MS. sermum.] Line 4 Wel we witen alle. þag ich eou noȝt ne telle; Hu adam vre vorme fader. adun vel in-to helle. Line 8 Schomeliche he uor-les þe blisse þat he hedde. To ȝiuernesse and prude. none neode he nedde. Line 12 He nom þen appel of þe tre. þat him for-bode was. So reusful dede idon neuer non nas. Line 16 He made him in-to helle falle. And efter him his children alle. Þer he was fort ure drihte. Hine bohte mid his mihte. Line 20 He hine alesede mid his blode. Þat he sc[h]edde [The h written above the line in a later hand.] up-on þe rode. To deþe he ȝef him for us alle. Þo we weren so stronge at-falle Line 24 Alle bac-biteres. wendet to helle. Robberes. and reueres. and þe monquelle. Line 28 Lechurs. and horlinges. þider sculen wende.

And þer heo sculen wunien. euere buten ende. Line 32 Alle þeos false chepmen. þe feond heom wule habbe. Bachares. and brueres. for alle men heo gabbe. Line 36 Loȝe heo holdet hore galun. mid berme heo hine fulleþ. And euer of þe purse. þat seluer heo tulleþ. Line 40 Boþe heo makeþ feble. heore bred. and heore ale. Habben heo þat seluer; ne tellet heo neuer tale. Line 44 Godemen for godes luue. bileueþ suche sunne. For atten ende hit bi-nimeþ heueriche wunne. Line 48 Alle prestes wifes. ich wot heo beoþ for-lore. Þes persones ich wene; ne beoþ heo noȝt for-bore. [folio 249] Line 52 Ne þeos prude ȝungemen. þat luuieþ malekin. And þeos prude maidenes. þat luuieþ Ianekin. Line 56 At chirche. and at cheping. hwanne heo to-gadere come. Heo runeþ to-gaderes. and spekeþ of derne luue. Line 60 Hwenne heo to chirche comeþ. to þe haliday. Eueruch wile his leof iseon. þer ȝef [MS. ȝeþ] he may. Line 64 Heo bi-holdeþ wadekin. mid swiþe gled eye.

Atom his hire pater noster. biloken in hire teye. Line 68 Masses and matines. ne kepeþ heo nouht. . . . . . . . . . . Line 72 Robin wule Gilot. leden to þen ale. And sitten þer to-gederes. and tellen heore tale. Line 76 He mai quiten hire ale. and soþen do þat gome. An eue to go mid him. ne þu[n]chet hire no schome. Line 80 Hire sire and hire dame. þreteþ hire to bete. Nule heo for-go Robin. for al heore þrete. Line 84 Euer heo wile hire schere. ne com hire nomon neh. Fort þat hire wombe. up arise an heh. Line 88 Godemen for godes luue. bi-leueþ eoure sunne. For aten ende hit bi-nimeþ. heueriche wunne. Line 92 Bidde we seinte marie. for hire milde mode. For þe teres þat heo wep. for hire sone blode. Line 96 Al so wis so he god his. for hire erndinge. To þe blisse of heuene. he us alle bringe. Line 100

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XXV. A lutel soth Sermun. [Jesus Coll. MS. 29, leaf 258.]

Herkneþ alle gode men and stylle sitteþ a-dun. And ich ou wile tellen a lutel soþ sermun. Line 4 Wel we wuten alle. þey ich ou nouht ne telle. Hw Adam vre vorme fader. a-dun feol in-to helle. Line 8 Schomeliche he forles. þe blisse þat he hedde. To yuernesse and prude. none neode he nedde. Line 12 He nom þan appel of þe treo. þat him forbode was. So reuþful dede idon. neuer non nas. Line 16 He made him in-to helle falle. And after him his children alle. Þer he wes fort vre drihte. Hyne bouhte myd his myhte. Line 20 He hine alesede myd his blode. Þat he schedde vp-on þe rode. To deþe he yef him for vs alle. Þo we weren so strong at-falle. Line 24 Alle bakbytares. heo wendeþ to helle. Robbares. and reuares. and þe Monquelle. Line 28 Lechurs. and horlyngs. þider schulleþ wende.

And þer heo schulle wunye. euer buten ende. Line 32 Alle þeos false chapmen. þe feond heom wule habbe. Bakares and breowares. for alle men heo gabbe. Line 36 Lowe heo holdeþ heore galun. Mid beorme heo hine fulleþ. And euer of þe purse. þat seoluer heo tulleþ. Line 40 Boþe heo makeþ feble. heore bred and heore ale. Habbe heo þat seoluer. ne telleþ heo neuer tale. Line 44 Gode men for godes luue. bileueþ sucche sunne. For at þen ende hit bi-nymeþ. heueriche wunne. Line 48 Alle preostes wives. ich wot heo beoþ for-lore. Þes persones ich wene. ne beoþ heo nouht for-bore. Line 52 Ne þeos prude yongemen. þat luuyeþ Malekyn. And þeos prude maydenes. [folio 258b] þat luuyeþ ianekyn. Line 56 At chireche and at chepyng. hwanne heo to-gadere cóme. Heo runeþ to-gaderes. and spekeþ of derne luue. Line 60 Hwenne heo to chirche cumeþ. to þon holy daye. Euervych wile his leof i-seo. þer yef he may. Line 64 Heo biholdeþ watekin. Mid swiþe gled eye.

At hom is hire pater noster. biloken in hire teye. Line 68 Masses and Matynes. ne kepeþ heo nouht. For wilekyn and watekyn. beoþ in hire þouht. Line 72 Robyn wule Gilothe. leden to þan ale. And sitten þer to-gederes. and tellen heore tale. Line 76 He may quyten hire ale. and seoþþe don þat gome. An eue to go myd him. ne þincheþ hire no schome. Line 80 Hire syre and hire dame. þreteþ hire to béte. Nule heo fur-go Robyn. for al heore þréte. Line 84 Euer heo wule hire skere. ne com hire no mon neyh. Forte þat hire wombe. vp aryse an heyh. Line 88 Godemen for godes luue. bi-leueþ óure sunne. For at þon ende hit bi-nymeþ. heoueryche wunne. Line 92 Bidde we seynte Marie. for hire Milde mode. For þe theres þat heo weop. for hire sune blode. Line 96 Al so wis. so he god is. for hire erendynge. To þe blysse of heouene. he vs alle brynge. Amen. Line 100