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

Panther

Natura pantere.

Panter is an wilde der, Is non fairere on werlde her; he is blac so bro of qual, mið wite spottes sapen al, Line 736 wit and trendled als a wel, and itt bicumeð him swiðe wel. wor so he wuneð ðis panter, he fedeð him al mid oðer der, Line 740 of ðo ðe he wile he nimeð ðe cul and fet him wel til he is ful. In his hole siðen stille ðre dages he slepen wille, Line 744

Line 744 ðan after ðe ðridde dai he riseð and remeð lude so he mai, ut of his ðrote cumeð a smel mid his rem forð oueral, Line 748 ðat ouer-cumeð haliweie wið swetnesse, ic [MS it.] gu seie, and al ðat eure smelleð swete, be it drie be it wete. Line 752 For ðe swetnesse off his onde, wor so he walkeð o londe, wor so he walked, er wor so he wuneð, Ilk der ðe him hereð to him cumeð, Line 756 and folegeð him up one ðe wold, for ðe swetnesse ðe ic gu haue told. ðe dragunes one ne stiren nout wiles te panter remeð ogt, Line 760 oc daren stille in here pit, als so he weren of dede offrigt.

Significacio.

CRist is tokned ðurg ðis der, wos kinde we hauen told gu her; Line 764 for he is faier ouer alle men, so euen sterre ouer erðe fen; ful wel he taunede his luue to man, wan he ðurg holi spel him wan, Line 768 and longe he lai her in an hole, wel him dat he it wulde ðolen; ðre daies slep he al on on, ðanne he ded was in blod and bon, Line 772 vp he ros and rémede i-wis [MS in wif.] os helle pine, of heuene blis, and steg to heuene uvemest, [MS vueneft] ðer wuneð wið [folio 10b] fader and holi gast. Line 776 Amonges men a swete [s]mel

he let her of his holi spel, wor-ðurg we mugen folgen him in-to his godcundne se fin. Line 780 and ðat wirm ure wiðerwine, wor so of godes word is dine, ne dar he stiren, ne noman deren, ðer [? ðe.] wile he lage and luue beren. Line 784