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

Hart

Natura cerui.

Ðe hert haueð kindes two, and forbisnes oc al so; Line 308 ðus it is on boke set, ðat man clepeð fisiologet. He drageð ðe neddre of de ston ðurg his nese up on-on, Line 312 of ðe stoc er of ðe ston, for it wile ðerunder gon; and sweleð it wel swiðe, ðerof him brinneð siðen Line 316 of ðat attrie ðing, wiðinnen he [folio 6b] haueð brenning: he lepeð ðanne wið mikel list, of swet water he haueð ðrist; Line 320 he drinkeð water gredilike til he is ful wel sikerlike, Ne haueð ðat uenim non migt to deren him siðen non wigt. Line 324

Line 324 oc he werpeð er hise hornes in wude er in ðornes, and gingid him ðus ðis wilde der, So ge hauen nu lered her. Line 328

Significacio prima.

Alle we atter dragen off ure eldere, ðe broken drigtinnes word ðurg ðe neddre; ðer-ðurg haueð mankin boðen nið and win, Line 332 golsipe [MS kolsipe.] and giscing, giuernesse and wissing, pride and ouerwene; swilc atter i-mene. Line 336 Ofte we brennen in mod, and wurðen so we weren wod; ðanne we ðus brennen bihoueð us to rennen Line 340 to cristes quike welle, ðat we ne gon to helle; drinken his wissing, it quenchet ilc siniging; Line 344 forwerpen pride euril[c] del, so hert doð hise hornes; gingen us tus to godeward, and gemen us siðen forðward. Line 348

Natura ij ^a.

Ðe hertes hauen anoðer kinde, ðat us og alle to ben minde. Alle he arn off one mode; For if he fer fecchen fode, Line 352 and he ouer water ten, wile non at nede oðer flen; Oc on swimmeð bi-forn, and alle ðe oðre folegen, Line 356

Line 356 weðer so he swimmeð er he wadeð: Is non at nede ðat oðer lateð, Oc leigeð his skinbon on oðres lendbon. Line 360 gef him ðat biforn teð Bilimpes for to tirgen, Alle ðe oðre cumen mide, and helpen him for to her[t]ien, Line 364 beren him of ðat water grund up to ðe lond al heil and sund, and forðen here nede: ðis wune he hauen hem bi-twen, Line 368 ðog he an hundred to-giddre ben.

Significacio [MS signisicacio.] ij ^a.

Ðe hertes costes we ogen to munen, Ne og ur non oðer to sunen, oc eurilc luuen oðer, Line 372 also he were his broder, wurðen stedefast his [folio 7a] wine, ligten him of his birdene, helpen him at his nede; Line 376 god giueð ðer-fore mede: we sulen hauen heuenriche, gef we bitwixen [MS ben twixen.] us ben briche: ðus is ure louerdes lage, Line 380 luuelike to fillen, her-of haue we mikel ned, ðat we ðar-wið ne dillen.