A fourteenth century English Biblical version, edited by Anna C. Paues ...

[verse 1] And [C ^m 3^m in an early hand in the margin, S. And also P.] [also] ben wymmen sogetis to hire housbondes, þat þilke þat byleueþ noȝt to þe word ben y-wonne wiþ-outen [S folio 15] [P folio 17] [verse 2] word by wymmennes conuersacioun; byholdynge a chaste [verse 3] conuersacioun in drede [drede followed by as (expunged), S.] , þouȝ þer were noȝt wiþouten-forþ arayynge of þe heres of hure hed, ne enuyronynge [serklynge P. In S serklenge is written in the margin, 1st corrector's hand.] aboute of gold, oþer an-oþer cloþinge, ne apparayl of cloþes. [verse 4] Bote þat þe man of þe herte þat is y-hud be wiþ-outen corrupcioun, of a softe spiryt in reste, þat is ryche in þe syȝt of God. [verse 5] For so sumtyme holy wymmen, hopynge in God, arayed hem|selfe, [verse 6] beynge sogettes to hure housbondes: as Sara was buxom to Abraham, clepynge hym hure lord: whos douȝtren ȝe beþ, wel doynge and dredynge non affray. [verse 7] Men also duellen to-gydere with wymmen, & aftur hure cunynge departynge to hem worschupe, as to a wommanlyche vessel þat is more febel þan ȝe beþ, as to hem þat beþ heyres wiþ ȝow of þe grace of lyf; þat ȝoure preyeres ne ben noȝt ylet. [verse 8] & be ȝe in feiþ euerychone of on soule, suffrynge togydere,

[verse 9] louyeris of breþerhed, mercyful, noȝt wroþ [roþ on erasure, S.] , & humel [humel om. with meke written in margin, P.] : noȝt ȝeldynge yfel for yfel, ne cursynge for cursynge: bote bles|synge aȝeynward; for in þat ȝe beþ y-cleped, þat ȝe owen þe blessynge of herytage. [verse 10] For who þat wole loue lyf, & y-sen goode dayes, chaste [wiþholde in a later hand, P.] he his tunge from yfel, & his lippis þat [verse 11] þei speken no gyle: & bowe he a-wey from yfel, & do he good; & seche he pes & swe pes. [verse 12] For þe yȝen of God [P folio 17b] beþ on riȝtful men, & his erys to here preyeres; bote þe sterne semblaunt of God is on hem þat doþ yfel. [verse 13] And who is it [om. P.] þat may noye ȝow, ȝef ȝe beþ goode foleweres? [verse 14] & ȝef ȝe suffreþ eny þing for riȝtfulnesse, þanne ȝe schuleþ ben blessed. Bote ne [S folio 15b] drede ȝe noȝt þe drede of hem, þat ȝe be noȝt [verse 15] afrayed; bote halewe ȝe oure Lord Crist in ȝoure hertys; & be ȝe redy euermore to ȝeuen a resoun to euerich man þat [verse 16] axeþ ȝow of þe feiþ & of þe hope þat is in ȝow; & haue a good conscyence in softnesse & in drede, þat þilke þat bakbyteþ ȝow ben confounded, þat chalangeþ ȝoure good conuersacyoun in Crist. [verse 17] For it is beter, ȝif it be Goddis wille, þat ȝe suffren doynge wel þan doynge yuel. [verse 18] For Crist haþ ones y-dyed for oure synnes, he þat is riȝtful for us vnriȝtful, þat he wolde offren us to God; y-slawen in flesch [verse 19] & y-mad lyfynge in spiryt; in þe whuche spiryt he com & [verse 20] preched to hem þat weren in prisoun, þat weren vnbyleuynge sumtime, when þei abyden þe pacyence of God in þe dayes of Noe, when þe schyp was y-mad, in þe whuche schip a fewe, as eiȝte soules, weren y-saued by water. [verse 21] & nouþ [nou P. þ on erasure, S.] in þe same manere baptysme makeþ men saf, noȝt þe doynge a-wey of þe fylþe of þe flesch, bote þe axynge of a good conscyence in God, by þe arysynge from deþ to [P folio 18] lyfe [of] oure Lord Iesu [verse 22] Crist, þat is in þe [om. P.] riȝtsyde of God, swolewynge deþ, þat ȝe weren y-mad heyres of an eferlastynge lyf; & he is gon to hefne, & haþ y-mad sogettis to hym aungeles and po|testates and vertutes [vertues P.] .