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

THE SERPENT.

Natura serpentis. j ^a.

AN wirm is o werlde, Line 120 wel man it knoweð, Neddre is te name: ðus he him neweð, ðanne he is forbroken and forbroiden, Line 124 and in his elde al forwurden. Fasteð til his fel him slakeð, ten daies fulle, ðat he is lene and mainles Line 128 and iuele mai gangen; he crepeð cripelande forð, his craft he ðus kiðeð, Sekeð a ston ðat a ðirl is on, Line 132 Narwe, buten he nedeð him, Nimeð vnneðes ðurg, for his fel he ðer leteð; his fles forð crepeð, Line 136 walkeð to ðe water-ward, wile ðanne drinken. Oc he speweð or al ðe uenim ðat in his brest is bred Line 140 sro his birde time, drinkeð siðen inog, and tus he him neweð.

ij ^a.

Ðanne ðe neddre is of his hid naked, Line 144 and bare of his brest atter, If he naked man se ne wile he him nogt neggen, oc he fleð fro him Line 148 als he fro fir sulde. If he cloðed man se, cof he waxeð, For up he rigteð him Line 152

Line 152 redi to deren, to deren er to ded maken, if he it muge forðen. wat if ðe man war wurðe, Line 156 and weren him cunne, figteð wið ðis wirm and f[a]reð on him figtande; ðis neddre siðen he nede sal, Line 160 makeð seld of his bodi, and sildeð his heued; litel him is of hise limes, bute he lif holde. Line 164

[Significacio.]

Knov cristene man wat tu crist higtest Atte kirke dure, ðar ðu cristned were: Line 168 ðu higtes to leuen on him, and hise lages luuien, to helden wit herte ðe bodes of holi k[i]rke. Line 172 If ðu hauest is broken, Al ðu forbreðes, forwurðes and forgelues, Eche lif to wolden, Line 176 Elded art fro eche blis, So ðis wirm o werld is; Newe ðe fordi so ðe neddre doð; Line 180 It is te ned. Feste ðe of stedefastnesse, and ful of ðewes; and help ðe poure [folio 5b] men Line 184 ðe gangen abuten. Ne deme ðe nog[t] wurdi,

ðat tu dure loken up to ðe heueneward; Line 188 Oc walke wið ðe erðe mildelike among men; no mod ðu ne cune, mod ne mannes vncost; Line 192 oc swic of sineginge; and bote bid tu ðe ai, boðe bi nigt and bi dai, ðat tu milce mote hauen Line 196 of ðine misdedes. ðis lif bitokneð ðe sti ðat te neddre gangeð bi, and tis is ðe ðirl of ðe ston Line 200 ðat tu salt ðurg gon. Let ðin filðe fro ðe, so ðe wirm his fel doð; Go ðu ðan to godes hus Line 204 ðe godspel to heren, ðat is soule drink, sinnes quenching. Oc or sei ðu in scrifte Line 208 to ðe prest sinnes tine, feg ðe ðus of ði brest filde, and feste ðe forðward fast at tin herte, Line 212 ðat tu firmest higtes. ðus art tu ging and newe; forðward be ðu trewe. Nedeð ðe ðe deuel nogt, Line 216 for he ne mai ðe deren nogt; oc he fleð fro ðe so neddre fro de nakede. On ðe cloðede ðe neddre is cof, Line 220 and te deuel cliuer on sinnes; Ai ðe sinfule

bisetten he wile, and wið al mankin Line 224 he haueð nið and win; wat if he leue haue of ure heuen louerd for to deren us, Line 228 So he ure eldere or dede; do we ðe bodi in ðe bale, and bergen ðe soule, ðat is ure heued geuelic, Line 232 helde we it wurðlic.