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

APPENDIX II. The xi Pains of Hell. [Douce MS. 302, fol. 17, col. 1.]

Incipit narracio quo michel duxit paulum ad infer|num: Interogandum est quis primus rogauit vt anime haberent requiem In infernum, i.e. paulus apostolus et michael archangelus: Dies dominicus est dies electus.

I.

¶ Þe sononday is godis oun chosyn day, Þe wyche angelis in heuen þai worchipyn þore. Gret sorow and dole here ȝe may, Hou mychael and poule þay went in fere Line 4 To se what payns in hel were þer, And þer þay se a sorouful syȝt; Herkyns to me now moy [u altered to y?] ȝe here What payns to synful mon be dyȝt. Line 8 Be-cause men nel not beleue, Þer-fore hit was godis oune wyl Þat mekel schuld led poule to hel To se þe payns, þe gret parel, Line 12 Þe soþ him-selue he myȝt hit preue.

II.

¶ To-fore hel ȝatis furst þai se þen Mone an orebil brenyng tre, Hengyng ful of women and men, Line 16 Þat was a sorouful syȝt to se; Sum be þe hed, sum be þe tungus treuly, Sum be þe fyt, sum be þe hond, Sum be þe membirs of here body, Line 20 Þat þai han sunnyd with-in herthe leuand. Þe angel to poule he sayd þon:— "Þese greuyn god ful greuously With al þe lymys of here body, Line 24 In lechery, slouþ, and glotoné, And dyed in det and dedlé syn."

III.

¶ With-yn þe ȝatis, wen þay were passid, A meruelis fournes þer þai se, Line 28 Mone a synful soule were þer-in cast; .iiij. flamys o foyre stod on alye, Of dyuers colours wonderfully; About þat fournes .vij. sorous þer were, Line 32 Gret snow, gret yse, gret cold greslé, Gret eddyrs, gret stenche, gret leyte, gret foyre. Þen þe angel sayd to poule treuly:— "Þese were proud men, raueners echon, Line 36 Extorcioners, monslers, robbid mone one; Satisfaccion in erþ þai wold do non, And deseredyn treu ayrs vnryȝtfully:

IV.

¶ Here þai schal haue here payns þer-fore Line 40 Fore al þe synns þai han don cursidly. Sum wepin, sum waylin, sum gron ful sore, Sum broudun, sum brennen, dissyryn to dye. Hou dredful is hel here may ȝe se, Line 44

Line 44 In þe wyche is heuenes with-out gladnes, In þe wyche is sorou of hert contenualy, In þe wych of wepyng is gret plenteuesnes: In þe wyche þer is a brenyng wel, Line 48 A. þosand tymys an our about doþ ren, Vche day an angel fore smytis him þen, A þousand soulis þer-in þai bren." "Alas," sayd poule, "here is gret deel!" Line 52

V.

¶ Affter poule se an orebbil flood, In þe wyche moné deuelis bestis were in fuyre; As feschis in þe se about þai ȝod, Deuowreng soulis as hit chep were; Line 56 A brygge was ouer þat gret water, Þat soulis passud ouer after here meryt. Moné an euyl moncion was þer ordent [folio 17b] As crist in þe gospel reherse het ["Lygate faceculus ad comburandum similis cum similibus"] Line 60 "Bynd bundels to-geder to be I-brent. Bynd spousebrekers with awouters, And ranegates with raueners, And cursid leuers with here cumpers, Line 64 And cast ham in þe fuyre with-out end."

VI.

¶ Þer poule moné soulis he se Þat were dround in þat watere; Sum stod vp to þe kne, Line 68 And sum to þe armes a lytil laȝghere, And sum to þe lippis moche deppere, And sum to þe brouys oche day were paynd. Þen poule sykud and wept with gret doloure, Line 72 And at þe angel anon he fraynd "What soulis ben þese bene drownyd here."

"Þo þat stodyn vp to þe kne Bakbidit here neȝtbore fore enuy, Line 76 And sklaundird hem in erþ ful falseley, Þat loston here goodis hir lyues y-fere;

VII.

¶ And þo þat stodin vp to þe armes Weron spouse-brekers and leuyd in lechory; Line 80 And þo þat stod vp to þe leppis Be þe seruys of god þai set noȝt by, And did no reuerens to cristis body, In hole cherche were euer changilyng Line 84 And sayd here prayers vndeuoutly, And let oþer men of mas hereng, Herefore þai haue passyng payn; And þo þat stod vp to þe elbow Line 88 At here neȝtbors harmes þay low, Ȝif þai ferd wel her hertis hit slow, And of here losse were glad and fayne.

VIII.

¶ Holé cherche is a house of prayere, Line 92 Þe ȝat of heuen crist doþ hit calle, To worchip þer-in our saueour; What-euer þou askis þer haue þou schal, Ȝif þat ȝe bene in chareté alle, Line 96 And serue ȝour god in loue and dred, No myschif on þem hit schal falle, In al ȝour werkis wel schul ȝe spede. A synful mon here-of haue mynd Line 100 In holé cherche noþyng þou say, Bot with hole prayers to god ȝe pray; He grawnt ȝoue grace, boþ nyȝt and day, Him to serue þat al ȝou send." Line 104

Line 104

IX.

¶ Þen poule wept and sayd, in good soþnes, "Wo is him to þese payns ben ordent." Þen he se a plase of gret darknes, In þe wyche men and wemen wern in gret turment, Þat etyn here tongis hereto rent. Line 109 Þen þe angel sayd to poule treuly— "Þese were makers of moné with cursid entent, With wrong mokerers false mesurs and vsere, Line 112 Þer-fore wo þai etin here tung, Fore þai foreswere ham wettanly, On cristis passion haue no peté To part with þe pore þat were nede, Line 116 Bot holdun hit fast þai geten with wrong."

X.

¶ Þen after poule a plase he se, In þe wyche were moné damselse blake, I-cloþid in blak al cresly, [? grisly] Line 120 In pych and brymston, fuyre and smoke; Aboute here nekis were nedirs and snake, Fore wickid angelus repreuyd hem þer, With horns of fyre here heedus to schake, Line 124 And went about hom with hedus bere, And saydon to hom with carful cry, "Cnow ȝe now þe sun of god, Þat aȝayn boȝt þe word Line 128 Þat ȝe han greuyd in dede and word, And slayn his creatours, ȝour childer distrye?"

XI.

¶ Þen poule he askid "what ben þese." Þe angel onswerd without tareyng, Line 132 "Hyle [? Holé] god þese con displese,

And kept hem not chast to here wedyng, And slowyn here childer in burþ-beryng, And cast ham to houndis in preué place, Line 136 In watirs, in pittis, about drounyng, And neuer wold shryue hem of þat trespase, Fore dred of sklawnder and penans doyng; So þe fynd he con hem blynd, Line 140 With disperacion hem schame and schend, Lest here mysdedis þai wold amend And broȝt hem ta euyl endyng."

XII.

¶ Þen after poule he se moche more Line 144 Men and wemen on kamels rydyng, Moch froyt þer was here face be-fore, To ete þer-of was here lykyng, Þai myȝt not hit touche fore no þyng. Line 148 Þen þe angel to poule con say— "Þese brekyn þe tymys of here fastyng, And wold not fast þe good fryday Þat crist sofyrd deþ apon, Line 152 Bot wastin here goodis in glotone, Fore fleschelé lust of here body; Fore þai wold not parte with þe pore nedy Þai schil haue hongir and þrust were-euer þai gon."

XIII.

¶ Þen after poule in plase he se, A sorouful syȝt, a hore hold mon, Be-twene iiij fyndis in turmentré, And gryd and wept with ful gret mon. Line 160 Þen poule he askid þe angel anon What maner of mon hit myȝt be. [folio 18] Þe angel answerd him ful sone— "A neclygent mon fore-soþ was he Line 164 And kept not obedyans he was bound to,

Ne leuyd not chast in his bodé, In word, in dede, in þoȝt treuly, Bot couetis prude, euer out of charyté; Line 168 To al payne ent domysday he schal go."

XIV.

¶ Þen poule he weppid with heue chere. Þe angel sayd, "why wepis þou soo? Þou sest not þe gret payn þat beþ here, Line 172 come on, with me now þou schal goo." he lad him to þe blak pit þo, With vij. selys was selid treuly; Þer-in was care, sorow, and wo, Line 176 Stenche and al maner turmentry. "Stonde vttir poule," quod þe angel þen. Anon he vnselid þe pit þore, With a stynche gurd out arore, Line 180 Al þe payne hit passid be-fore; Hit wold haue slayn al crystin men.

XV.

¶ Þen poule he askid þe angel in hye, "What pepul in þis pit ben don?" Line 184 "Þese beleuid not in vergyn mary, Ne treuly in cristis carnacione; Þai beþ vncristynd euerechon, And neuer resayuyd cristis body; Line 188 Al-þo in-to þat pet þay gon, Of hem schal neuer be memory On him in heuen, to-fore godis son, Fore hit is godis wil specialy, Line 192 Of eretekis schal be no memoré, Ne false cristin men, renegatis þat dyed curstly, Of hom is no redempcion."

XVI.

¶ Þen after poule forsoþ he se Line 196 In a wonderful depe plase, As fro þe erþ to heuen on hy, Vche soule on oþer couchid þer was, For fader and moder þai had dispisid alas! Line 200 Orebil wormys devouryd hem þere. Þen poul he herd a dolful noyse, As layte or þonder þat hit were; Þen was he ware of a soule anon, Line 204 Be-twen .iiij. fendes borne he was; He rored and cryd alas! alas! Þat euer his bodé con forth passe With-out schrift housil contricion! Line 208

XVII.

¶ Þe angelis of god aȝayns him criud "Alas wrechid soule what hast þou done?" In erþ þe fyndis þem verefyd, Dispisid godis laus euerechon, Line 212 To-fore him þai red his dedis anon, And cast him in-to derkens deppist of alle. Quod angel to poule "be-leue vche mon As ȝe do in erthe so haue ȝe schal; Line 216 He haþ fre choys to do good or elle, Fore vche good dede rewardid schal be In erþ, or ellis on euen on hei, And vche cursid dede ponyschid truly Line 220 In erþ, in purgatore, or ellis in hel,

XVIII.

¶ For þis schal be here ponyschyng:— Pride, couetyse, wrat[h], enuy, Þese be þe brondis in hel brenyng, Line 224 Lechore, slouþ, and glotery; Þen disparacion of godis mercy,

Of al þe payns in hel hit is most, Fore þai soȝt no grace ne no mercy, Line 228 Bot synnud aȝayns þe hole gost; Þat sin schal neuer fore-ȝeuen be, To god hit is most hye trespace To mys-trost his mercy and grace; Line 232 So ded þat traytur, false iudas, And dampned him-self perpetualy."

XIX.

¶ Anon poule a ioyful syȝt gon se, A ryȝtful soule angelis beryng, Line 236 Þat oure was rauyschid sro his body, Vp taward heuen þai con him bryng. Þen poule herd a voyse, a heuenlé þyng, A þousand angelis to-geder holy, Line 240 Þat said and song in his heryng:— "Be glad blesful soule perpetualy, Fore þe wil of þi god þou hast edon." Þai beryn hym vp be-fore oure lord. Line 244 Þen mychael let him to gret cumford, In ioy and blis to haue reward, Laudes deo þai song vcheon.

XX.

¶ Þen sayd poule, with gret gladnes, Line 248 "Wele is ham to euen may go!" Þe angel answerd in good soþnes:— "Þai schul haue wele, without wo, No tong con tel, ne hert þynke þer-to; Line 252 Þe lest ioy þat is in paradyse In heuen bene a þousand vnderde mo; Was neuer clerke couþ ham deuyse Þe lest ioy to mon god haþ ordend, Line 256 Fore þo ioys schul neuer sese, Bot euer enduyre and euer encres,

And euer leue in rest and pese, Þat ioy and blis schal neuer haue ende." Line 260

XXI.

¶ Þen al þe sorouful soulus in hel, Þat were þer-in turmentyng, Þai crydyn "holé archangel Mechael Haue mercy on vs in payne bydyng; Line 264 And þou poul, belouyd with heuen kyng, To þat lord for vs þou pray!" Þen sayd þe angel loke with sore wepyng, "Prays with poule, ȝif þat ȝe may Line 268 Gete ȝou grace of one merce." [folio 18b] When he had sayd þis word anon, Þay wept and cryd out euerechon:— "A þe sun of dauid in heuen trone, Line 272 Haue merce on vs fore þi gret peté!"

XXII.

¶ A voyse fro heuen answerd aȝayn— "What good dedes haue ȝe nov done, Ȝe did me to deþ with passion and payn; Line 276 Hwy aske ȝe me now remyssioun? I was crucifid on cros fore ȝou al-on, With spere and nayles y sched my blood, Of aysel and gal ȝe ȝeuen me drenkyn, Line 280 When I was on-þerst hongyng on þe rode; And I put my-self to þe deþ fore ȝow, Þat ȝe schul euer haue leuyd with me; Bot ȝe were proud, couetyse, ful of enuy, Line 284 And wold do no good dede, bot cursid treuly, And false lyers in ȝour lyue as wel ȝe cnow."

XXIII.

¶ Þen sore wepyng poul knelid adowne, And al þe angelis in heuen þer, Line 288

Line 288 And prayd hyle to godis oune sun Fore þe soulis in hel sum ryst haue þer. Oure lorde he made hem þis honswere,— "Þroȝ þe besechyng of myn angelis alle, Line 292 And of poule myn apostil, leue and dere, Þis special grace graunt ham I schal, Fro setter-day at non, y say treuly, And al þe fest of þe sununday Line 296 In-to þe fyrst our of monday, In reuerens þat ȝe here-fore ham pray, Þai schal haue rou and rest perpetualy."

XXIV.

¶ Þen al þe soulis in hel, with one steuen, Line 300 Þai cryd and sayd with gret gladnes— "Þe sun of god, on hi in heuen, We bles þi grace and þi goodnes, Þat þou woldist, of þi worþines, Line 304 Graunt vs þi grace and þi mercy Oure gret payns fore-to reles, Vche sunday perpetualy; Here-fore we þonk þe lord of al, Line 308 Wo-so-euer wil halou þis sununday Wele and worch it ful, as I ȝoue say, With angelis of god in heuen fore ay, Ioy and blis þer haue ȝe schal." Line 312

XXV.

¶ Þen poule askid þe angel anon— "Houe moné payns in hel þer be?" Þe angel answerd him ful sone— "iiij. Ml. a .C. and fourté, Line 316 And hunder men þaȝ þer were truly Fro þe bekyny[n]g of wor[l]d ['1' added in a later hand.] ay spekyng, And vche a .C. tungis had soþly

Þai myȝt not tel þe payns in hel duryng, Line 320 Fore þai may not be noumbyrd treuly." Here-fore dere breder þat beþ present, Þat heren þese payns, þese gret turment, Torne ȝou to god omnipotent Line 324 Þat we mow reyng with him in heuen perpetualy.

XXVI.

¶ Alas! þat euer one cristyn mon Wil not haue þat mater in mynd! What schame, and chenchip, confucion Line 328 Þai schal haue þat seruen þe fynd, Þat here mysdedis þai nyl not mend, And fore-sake here synnus and be sory, And sen al day what chamful end Line 332 Þay haue þat leuyn here vnryȝtwysly; To god þis is a he trespas, Þat neuer on be oþer ware wil be, And wraþ here god wetyngly Line 336 Þat dyud fore hom on rod tre, Þai bene acursid syrs in thys case;

XXVII.

¶ Fore hel is not ordend fore ryȝtwyse mon, Bot fore hom þat seruen þe fynd, Line 340 No more þan is a preson of lyme and stone Bot fore hom þe lawis offend. Cursid dedis makis men al day eschend, And þeffys ['þeuys' originally.] on galous on hye to hyng. Line 344 Þer ryȝtwys men þai han good end, Þat seruyn here god in here leuyng. y pray ȝou seris trest wele hereto, Fore he þat leuys here ryȝtwysly, Line 348 On what deþ euer he dey, His soule neuer paynd schal be, Ne neuer after wit of wo:

XXVIII.

¶ Meruel ȝe not of þis makyng, Line 352 y me excuse, hit is not I. Þus [MS. þ^s.] mychael lad powle, be goddis bedyng, To se in hel þe turmentré, Fore I couþ neuer bot hy foly; Line 356 God haþ me chastyst fore my leuyng, I þonke my god my grace treuly Of his gracious vesityng; Be-ware serys, I ȝou pray, Line 360 And ȝour mysdedis loke ȝe amend Be-tyme, lest ȝe be chamyd and schend, fore al is good þat haþ good end Þus counsels ȝoue þe blynd audlay. [John Audelay, the blind poet.] Line 364