a) aus Ms. Laud 108, fol. 190.
SLeiȝe men and egleche,: and of redes wise and bolde,
Lustniez nouþe to mi speche,: wise and vnwise, ȝongue and olde:
No þing ich eov nelle rede ne teche: of none wichche ne of none scolde,
Bote of a lif þat may beo leche: to sunfule men of herte colde.
Ich nelle eov noþer rede ne rime: of kyng ne of eorl, of knyȝht ne of swein,
Line 5
Ake of a womman ichchulle ov telle: þat was sunful and forlein:
A swyþe fol wumman heo bicam,: and þoruȝ godes grace heo was ibrouȝht aȝeyn,
And nouþe heo is to Crist icome,: þe fayre Marie Maudeleyn.
Of hire ichulle ȝeou telle nouþe: al hou and ȝware heo was ibore,
Ȝif ȝe to me wullez iheore: and habben of god þonk þare fore.
Line 10
Þis word Marie so is briȝh(t)nesse: and bitokne þe steorre of þe se, [Ms. briȝhnesse. bitokne st. bitokneth.]
And soruwe also and biturnesse,: ase þe bok tellez me;
For ȝwane a man fielez in is heorte: þat he hauez muche misdo,
And him þare fore biguynnez to smeorte,: þat is to him bitur and wo,
He mournez and he sikez ofte:: Þis ilke Marie fierde also,
Line 15
Þat þing þat was hire leof and softe: was sethþe hire fulle fo.
In þe Castel of Magdale: þis faire wumman was ibore:
Heo was icleoped in propre name: þe Maudeleyne riȝht þarefore.
To speken of hire ich am wel fous,: and it likez me ful murie. [fous, 189, 457 vouse, = ready.]
Ire fader was hoten Sire Titus,: and hire moder Dame Euchirie, [Ms. Ire st. hire.]
Line 20
Hire broþur was cleoped Lazarus,: and Martha was hire soster:
Heo was debonere and pitiuous: and heo was a seli foster.
Heore fader and heore moder boþe: comen of riche kunne,
Of bolde kyngus and of quienes,: men of muchele wunne: [wunne winne = wealth.]
Of castles and of tounes,: of londes and of þeodes,
Line 25
Of halles and of boures,: of palefreiȝes and of stedes;
Large huy weren of heore metes: to heom þat hadden neode,
To men goinde and eke sittinde,: þat heore bonene wolden heom beode.
Wyse men and sleyȝe: oueral huy weren itolde.
Þo þat huy scholden deiȝe,: and so huy weren iholde:
Line 30
Heore londes and heore leodes: huy delden alle a-þreo,
