The poems of William of Shoreham: ab. 1320 vicar of Chart-Sutton. / re-edited from the unique manuscript in the British Museum by M. Konrath.

I. De septem sacramentis. De psalmo, [folio 150a] Exercitatus sum et defecit spiritus.

SOnderliche his man astoned Line 1 In his owene mende, Wanne he not^e neuer wannes he comþe, Ne wider he schel wende; Line 4 And more, [In the MS. the 'bob' of every stanza is written in the margin to the right of the first line, a curved line running down from the rime-word of the 'bob' to the corresponding one of the last line.] Þet al his lyf his here imengde Wiþe sorwe and eke wiþe sore. Line 7

¶ And wanne he deiþe, ne mey me wite Line 8 Woder he comeþ to wisse; Bote as a stock þer liþe þet body, Wiþe-þoute alle manere blisse. Line 11 Wat þenkeste? [þenkeste [: lengeste], phonetically þengste [: lengste].] And hondred winter ȝef a leueþe, [And hondred for An h.] Þat his lyf mid þe lengeste. Line 14

¶ Onneþe creft eny þat stat, [Wright page 2] Line 15 Ac some crefteþ þat halue; And for siknesse lechecreft, And for þe goute sealue Line 18 Me makeþe; For wanne man drawiþ in-to oldeward, Wel ofte his bones akeþ. Line 21

Line 21

¶ And be a man neuer so sprind, Line 22 Ȝef he schel libbe to elde, Be him wel siker, þer-to he schel, And his deþes dette ȝelde; [In deþes, y is written over the first e in a later hand.] Line 25 To gile Ȝet meni ȝong man weneþ longe leue, And leueþ wel litle wyle. Line 28

¶ Þos we beþ al awey-ward, Line 29 Þat scholde her byleue; And ȝet me seiþ ydemyd we beþe In Adam and ine Eue Line 32 Te helle : [helle, MS. telle.] Waȝt hope his here of sauuement [sauuement, above it soule sauacioun, written with pencil by a later hand.] [folio 150b] Now time his for to telle. Line 35

¶ Me seiþe þe riȝte woneȝyng Line 36 Ine heuene hyt his to manne; Ac heuene his heiȝe, and we beþ heuy, Howe scholde we þider þanne? Line 39 Bi leddre. Howe mey þat be? wo dar þer-oppe steiȝe, For douȝte of fotes bleddre? Line 42

¶ Man, þy laddre nys nauȝt of wode [þy, read þys?] [Wright page 3] Line 43 Þat may to heuene leste; Ac on þer his, þat iakob iseiȝe Þer he sleppe inne hys reste. Line 46 Now schewe þis: Þis ilke laddre is charite, Þe stales gode þeawis. Line 49

¶ Her-on ihesus stawe vppe bi-fore, Line 50 Al for to teche ous styȝe; [styȝe, MS. steyȝe.]

Nowe hyȝe, man, and folwe wel, [folwe, MS. ffolwe, with a faint ȝ over the w.] A-doun þat þou ne syȝe Line 53 By-weyled; For yf þou nelt nauȝt climme þos, Of heuene þou hest yfayled. Line 56

¶ And þat man louye god and man, [þat, read þaȝ?] Line 57 Ase charite hyt hoteþ; Þat he so wel yþeawed be, [þat, read þaȝ?] Þat alle men hit noteþe: Line 60 Wat þanne? Ȝet senne-les ne may he nauȝt be, Ac a deyþe, and he not wanne. Line 63

¶ Of brokele kende his þat he deiþe, Line 64 For hy ne moȝe nauȝt dury; And aldey he to senne falleþ, Her ne moȝe nauȝt pury [moȝe, oȝ on erasure.] Line 67 Of serewnessche. [w over en; see note.] Ȝet hope þou wel, man, for al þis, [folio 151a] Þat goȝde lyf wole þe wessche. [The ȝ in goȝde small and indistinct.] Line 70

¶ For deþe ne fall nauȝt into wanhope, [MS. into.] [Wright page 4] Line 71 For god him self for þe deide; Þe þridde day he aros aȝeyn Of þe þrouȝ þer men hine leyde, Line 74 Ine tokene Þat, man, þi body arise schel Of deiþe, nan more to blokne. Line 77

¶ Þe bible seyþe þat mannys blod [blod, MS. blodis.] Line 78 Hys ryȝt þer saule giste; [þer on erasure.]

And water wasscheþ þe felthe a-wey, Þer me wesscheþ by liste Line 81 Þe on-sounde: To wesschen ous cryst schedde his blod And water out of hys wonde. Line 84

¶ Here-of spronge þe sacremens Line 85 Of holy chyrche digne; And his to segge sacrement Of holy þynge signe. Line 88 For gode, Hou myȝte fayrer signe be Þane of þe water and blode? Line 91

¶ Man, þorwe þat blod þi soule his bouȝt Line 92 Fram þe fendes powere; And þorwe þat water iwessche þart Of þyne sennes here. Line 95 Nou loke, Ȝoure Cristendom his tokene þrof [ȝoure, ur in a smaller handwriting, evidently a later addition to what looks more like ȝa than ȝo.] Of criste þat we toke. Line 98

¶ For, ȝef þou uangest þane cristendom, [Wright page 5] Line 99 And for þan bi-lef[s]t clene, Þou schelt be marked to þet stede [stede, in a later hand on erasure.] To wichen heuen his ymene; Line 102 To soþe, Wanne þe bisschop bisschopeþ þe, [folio 151b] Tokene of marke he set to þe. [MS. tooþe, second o inserted by a later hand.] Line 105

¶ Ac cristendom hys sacrement Line 106 Of so grete powere, Þat hit þorwe wasscheþ þane man Of senne alle manere; [MS. in alle manere, in later addition, above the line.] Line 109 And glorie

Hit scheppeþ, ȝef man deyþe, And schilt fram purgatorie. Line 112

¶ And—for we beþ of nonn power Line 113 To weryen ous fram schame— Þer der no fend acombry ous, Crist is mid ous to-same(s); Line 116 And neade: Tokene þer-of his goddes bodi At cherche ine forme of brede. Line 119

¶ And ȝet,—for man his so brotel Line 120 Ine his owene kende— Þaȝ he torni to senne aȝen Þorwe fondyng of þe feende, Line 123 By chaunce Þat he may come to stat a-ȝeyn Þorwe bare repentaunce. Line 126

¶ Her-of we habbeþ tokene gode, [Wright page 6] Line 127 Wanne we fangeþ penaunce For sennes þat we habbeþ idon, To pynes allegaunce Ine fere; [MS. first pynes, s nearly gone.] Line 130 For þer we scholde hit vnder-go, Bote we pinede hit here. [Bote, MS. Sote.] Line 133

¶ Þat man ne falle ine wanhope Line 134 A-last wiþ-oute bote, [bote, te on erasure.] Al þat he heþ iseneged her Wiþ honden and wiþ foȝte, Line 137 Wyþ þoute, Mouþe, nase, and earen, and wiþ siȝt, [earen, MS. eyȝen; see note.] [folio 152a] Eliinge brengeþ hit to nouȝte. Line 140

Line 140

¶ Ȝet some heþe suche deuocioun, Line 141 Þat hym þingþe he his al ydel For to libbe commun lif, Bote ȝef he hedde a brydel; [Bote, MS. Dote.] Line 144 Wet þinge Of harder stat god graunteþ, Wel tokne þrowȝ his ordini[n]ge. [See note.] Line 147

¶ Ȝet, þaȝ man mowe nauȝt lecherie [þaȝ, MS. þat.] Line 148 Forbere to donne ine dede, Ȝet ne schal he nauȝt be for-lore, For god ȝefþe hym to rede [MS. hi (underdotted) after god.] Line 151 Spousynge; Tokene þrof his þe wedding At cherche, and biterewþing. [MS. bitere wying, which may mean bitrewying. For the parasitic e, cp. scherewen ( = schrewen), Sh. p. 143, l. 380; cleregye, Ay. 81; chereche, KS. 31.] Line 154

¶ Cristendom, and bisschoppying, [Wright page 7] Line 155 Penauns, and eke spousinge, Godes body ine forme of bred, Ordre, and Aneliinge, Line 158 Þes seuene Heþ holicherche sacremens, Þat beþ tokenen of heuene. Line 161

¶ God wescht, and markeþ, and forȝefþ, [and forȝefþ begins next line in MS.] Line 162 And ioyneþ men an wyues, And freuereþ þorwe his body man, And grace sent, and lyues. Line 165 Ȝe, wanne? Wanne we takeþ þe sacremens, Þar we seþ hit þanne. [seþ on erasure.] Line 168

Line 168

¶ Þaȝ we ne mowe hyt nauȝt ise, [þaȝ, MS. þat.] Line 169 Ne forþe ine bodie iurede, [iurede, MS. inrede.] We seþe hit wel ine oure fey, And fredeþ hit at nede Line 172 Wel eȝaþe: God þorwe miracles keþeþ hit [folio 152b] A lyue and eke a deþe. Line 175

¶ And bote he þorwe hys sacremens Line 176 Ous þos bi-redde, Ne scholde we of his grace wite Wanne we hit toke and hedde [hedde, MS. hadde.] Line 179 To wisse; Þer-fore, he þat bi-lefeþ hit nauȝt Riȝt wyt neþ of blisse. [MS. Riȝt wyt neþ he of none blisse, he and none written by a later hand above the line, the former between neþ and of, the latter after blisse, with a mark before it, and a corresponding one before blisse, to indicate the place of insertion.] Line 182

¶ Al hit beþ cherche sacremens [MS. beþ in cherche þese sacremens, in and þese in a later hand above the line; þese is written in the margin after sacremens, but marked for insertion before it.] [Wright page 8] Line 183 Þet tokeneþ holi þynges, As hali water, and haly bred, Liȝt, and belryngynges [s in belryngynges added by a later hand.] Line 186 To leste; And of alle oþer sacremens Þes seuene beþ þe greste. Line 189

(1) [D]E baptismo. [[in margin]]

CRistendom his þat sacrement Line 190 Þat men her ferst fongeþ; [MS. ous to.] Hit openeþ to ous þe heuene blisse, Þat many man after longeþ Line 193 Wel sore;

For who þat entreþ þer He his sauff euere more. Line 196

¶ Nou ferst ich wille telle ȝou Line 197 Wet may be þe materie Wer-inne cristning may be mad, Þat bringeþ ous so merie Line 200 To honoure: Hiȝt moȝt be do ine kende water, And non oþer licour[e]. Line 203

¶ Þer-fore ine wine me ne may, Line 204 Inne siþere, ne inne pereye, Ne ine þing þat neuere water nes Þorȝ cristning man reneye; [MS. may in a later hand above the line, between man and reneye.] Line 207 Ne inne ale, For, þie hiȝt were water ferst, [folio 153a] Of water neþ hit tale. Line 210

¶ Ne mede, ne forþe no oþer licour [Wright page 9] Line 211 Þat chaungeþ wateres kende, Ne longeþ nauȝt to cristendom, Þaȝt some foles hit wende [þaȝt, originally þat, as it seems, ȝ inserted by a later hand.] Line 214 For wete; For suich is kendeliche hot, Þaȝt þer no feer hit ne hete. [hete (from hætan), MS. hente.] Line 217

¶ Ac water is kendeliche cheld, Line 218 Þaȝ hit be warmd of fere; [þaȝ corrected from þat.—d in warmd in a later hand.] Þer-fore me mey cristni þer-inne, In whaut time falþe a ȝere Line 221 Of yse; So mey me nauȝt in ewe ardaunt, Þat neþ no wateris wyse. Line 224

Line 224

¶ Al-so me may inne sealte se Line 225 Cristny wel mitte beste, And eke inne oþere sealte watere, Bote me in to moche kes(ch)te Line 228 Of sealte; For ȝef þat water his kende lest, Þat cristning stant te tealte. Line 231

¶ Ac ȝyf þer were ymengd licour Line 232 Oþer wid kende wetere, [wetere, MS. watere.] Ich woȝt wel, þrinne to cristnye Hit nere nefur þe betere, Line 235 Ac wonde; For bote þat water his kende haue, Þat cristnynge may nauȝt stonde. Line 238

¶ In water ich wel þe cristny her, [Wright page 10] Line 239 As gode him self hyt diȝte; For mide to wessche nis noþynge Þat man comeþ to so liȝte; Line 242 In londe Nis non þat habben hit ne may: [folio 153b] Þat habbe hit wile, founde. [founde = fonde.] Line 245

¶ Þis beþe þe wordes of cristnyng Line 246 Bi þyse englissche costes:— "Ich cristni þe ine þe uader name, And sone, and holy gostes;" Line 249 And more, "Amen!" Wane hit his ised þer-toe, Confermeþ þet to-fore. [MS. þet (þer) to-fore, þer added in the margin above fore, a caret being put between þet and to.] Line 252

¶ Þe wordes scholle be ised Line 253 Wiþe-oute wane and eche;

And onderstand, hi moȝe bi sed [moȝe, MS. more.] In alle manere speche Line 256 Ine lede, Þat euerich man hi sigge moȝe, [moȝe, MS. more.] And cristny for nede. Line 259

¶ Ac ȝif man scholde icristnid be Line 260 Þat neþ none deaþes signe, Þe pope for te cristny hyne So nere nauȝt te digne Line 263 Þe leste; Þer-fore hi beþ in cherche brouȝt To cristny of þe preste. Line 266

¶ Ac he þat ȝif so large water [he, h in a later hand on erasure.—ȝif, read ȝifþ? or ȝef? cf. l. 270.] [Wright page 11] Line 267 Þe fend fram ous te reaue, In nede for to cristny men Ȝef alle men ileaue Line 270 At felle; Olepi mot hym ine þe water, [MS. Olepi (me) mot hym (depe) ine þe water, me and depe added above the line; see note.] And eke þe wordes telle. Line 273

¶ And wanne hi cristneþ ine þe founȝt, Line 274 Þe prestes so þries depeþ, [MS. Þe so prestes, with marks of transposition. The e in þe seems to have been altered from original i, the stroke over it being still visible. The original reading may possibly have been þise prestes.—depeþ, MS. duppeþ.] In þe honur of þe trinite, Ac gode ȝeme kepeþ Line 277 Þe ned On time a cloþe þat water ikest, [folio 154a] Ac ope þe heuede te bede. [278-280. See note.] Line 280

¶ Ac water ikest an oþer leme [leme (limb), MS. lone (or loue).] Line 281 Cristneþ þe man alyue,

Ac hit his sikerest in þe heeued, Þer beþ þe wittes fyue. Line 284 Wel, broþer, [b and þ in broþer on erasure, in a later hand.] Ne non ne may icristned be Ar he his boren of moder. [he, MS. ȝe.] Line 287

¶ Ȝet gret peryl hy vndergoþe Line 288 Þat cristneþ twyes enne, Oþer to ȝeue asent þer-to, [Oþer, MS. Orer.—to ȝeue, read ȝeueþ?] Oþer for loue of kenne Line 291 For-hedeþ Wanne child ariȝt cristnyng heþ, And þat oþer nauȝt for-bedeþ. Line 294

¶ Bote hi þis conne, hit his peril [Bote, MS. Dote.] [Wright page 12] Line 295 To þise medewyues; For ofte children scheawiþ quike, Ibore to schorte lyues, Line 298 And deyeþ: Bote hi ariȝt icristned be, Fram heuene euere hi weyeþ. Line 301

¶ Ac ȝif þat child icristned his, Line 302 Ac me fot at me hit weneþ, [me looks like ine, the tail of the ȝ in ȝif of the preceding line stand|ing directly over the first stroke of the m. In the space between fot and at there is in the MS. a sign resembling a rider, with a small bar at the top of it (…), and over it something like an … or ȝ, all half blotted.] Þise habbeþ forme þer-of A latin þat ham genieþ [nota] Line 305 To depe; And ich schel seggen hit an englisch, Nou þer-of neme ȝe kepe. Line 308

¶ Þe prest takeþ þat ilke child Line 309 In his honden by-thuixte,

And seiþ: "ich ne cristni þei nauȝt, [nota] Ȝef þou ert icristned;" Line 312 Eft sone:— "Ac ȝyf þou nart, ich cristni þe;" [Over nart there is another nart (for naȝt?) written in a later hand with pale ink, and after it a caret in red ink.] [folio 154b] And deþ þat his to donne. [deþ, e erased after the þ.] Line 315

¶ Ac ȝet þer beþ cristnynges mo, Line 316 Ac no man ne may diȝtti; For hi beþ godes grace self, Men of gode wil to riȝti [MS. Men of gode (ine) wil to riȝti, ine written by a later hand in the margin, a little above riȝti.] Line 319 And, wynne, Wanne hi wolde icristned be, And moȝe mid none ginne. [moȝe, MS. more.] Line 322

¶ Þat on his cleped cristning of blode, [Wright page 13] Line 323 Wanne suche bledeþ for criste; Þat oþer of þe holy gost, Þat moȝe mid none liste Line 326 Be icristned, And deyeþ so: wanne hi beþ deede, Ine heuene hi beþ igistned. Line 329

¶ Þe children atte cherche dore Line 330 So beþ yprimisined; And þat hi beeþe eke atte fount Mid oylle and creyme alyned Line 333 Al faylleþ; Hiȝt worþeþ cristnyng, and þat child [A later hand has added worcheþ in the margin of the MS.—and þat child begins the following line in MS.] Þer-to hit auailleþ. Line 336

(2) [D]E confirmatione. [[in margin]]

COnfermyng his a sacrement, Line 337 And oþer þat we foungeþ; [foungeþ. The author probably wrote fongeþ [: strongeþ].] And wanne a man hit onderuangeþ, Ine saule hit hine strangeþ, Line 340 Wel liȝtte; For wanne a man yma[r]ked his, Þe stronger he his to fyȝte. [stronger, r written over o.] Line 343

¶ And be þou siker þat mannes lyf Line 344 Is riȝt a kniȝt-hod ine londe; And so seyþe iob, þe holy man. [seyþe, y above the line.] Now mote we þanne stonde [mote, MS. wote.] Line 347 To fiȝte : Þe feend, þat flesch, and eke þe wordle, [folio 155a] Ageins ous beþ idiȝte. Line 350

¶ Þe feend wiþ prede acombreþ ous, [Wright page 14] Line 351 Wiþ wreþe, and wiþ enuie; Þat fleisch wiþ sleuþe and glotonie, And eke wiþ lecherie, [nota] Line 354 Þoun-wyse; [MS. þoū wysc.] Þe wordle, wiþ here falȝse scheawinge, Schent ous wiþ coueytise. Line 357

¶ Ac he þat ine saule is strang, [is above the line.] Line 358 Þat he wiþ-stent hi alle, And hardeliche hert oþre men, A-doun þat hi ne falle, Line 361 Ac stonde,

So his ihert þorȝ conferming, [In the margin, after conferming, is written in a later hand of gode.] Þat for deþe nele nauȝt wonde. [Þat for on erasure. Over the first e in deþe there is a half-blotted letter resembling a.] Line 364

¶ Nou ich mot of þis sacrement Line 365 Ȝou telle þe materie, Þat makeþ man so hardiliche To stonde, and so merie [and, MS. an; but the stroke may as well be disregarded.] Line 368 Ine goste, Þat he ne may nauȝt yweid be Wiþ blanding ne wiþ boste. Line 371

¶ Hit his þe oyle and baume ymeng Line 372 Iblessed, and wi(le), lestne: [In the MS. there is a flourish attached to the final d of and, which seems to permit the reading and ȝe wile lestne. But the e in wile is apparently a later addition; see note.] For oyle smereþ þane champion, Þat me [ne] schel him festne, [The MS. has—Þat me (ne) schel (on) him (euel) festne, the words in parentheses being written in a later hand above the line.] Line 375 Ne presse; And baume his riche and tokened looz [looz, MS. loeȝ.] Of þare holy prowesse. Line 378

¶ A prince longeþ for te do [Wright page 15] Line 379 Þe gode kniȝtes dobbynge; And so a prince of godes ost Schel do þe confermynge, Line 382 Nonn loȝer; [MS. Non; the writing nonn occurs p. 5, l. 113.] Þer-fore hit mot a bisschopp be, [folio 155b] Nis non þer-to y oȝer. [y oȝer, see note.] Line 385

¶ Þat me wasche men ouer þe fant Line 386 After confirmement,

Nis nauȝt do bote for þat honour Of þilke sacrement Line 389 Soe here; Þer-fore me wescht and kerfþ þane clout, And berneþ him in þe fere. [fere, MS. fure.] Line 392

¶ Þe bisschop þese wordes seþ— Line 393 And beþ wordes of selþe:— "Ich signi þe wiþ signe of croys, And wiþ þe creme of hel[þ]e Line 396 Confermi." Ine þe foreheued þe crouche a set, Felþe of fendes to bermi. [bermi, b on erasure; see note.] Line 399

¶ Ine þe foreheued he croucheþ hine, [croucheþ, MS. croutheþ.] Line 400 Þat him ne schamie boute [MS. hine be aschamed, hine altered from him; be in a later hand on erasure, as well as the a and final d in aschamed.] (Bote) for to bi-knowe cristes name [Omission of Bote suggested by Varnhagen; see note.] Wiþ-oute alle manere doute; Line 403 And binne [binne, MS. wiþ ginne, in a later hand; see note.] Þorwe creymie anoynt strange he bi-comþe His sauuement to winne. Line 406

¶ Ac hou his hit, þer beþe so fele [Wright page 16] Line 407 Confermed of mankenne, And þer so feawe stondeþ styf [styf, y on erasure.] To fytte aȝenis senne Line 410 Maligne? For hi ne fongeþ nouȝt þat þing, [þing, e seems erased at the end.] Bote þe bare signe. Line 413

¶ Þe signe his of þis sacrement Line 414 Mid creyme þe markynge;

Ac þing þat þer bi-tokned his, Strengþe his þat god schel bringg Line 417 Amonge; Wiþ-oute god fey and god wil [folio 156a] Mey non þis þing foenge. [MS. ounder foenge, oūder written in a later hand above the line. The original reading may possibly have been auonge.] Line 420

¶ Ac nou þat wil þat is to gode Line 421 His al iset bi-hinde; And þi bileaue of ihesu crist His nou al weuerinde: Line 424 Vndigne Þer-fore ne habbeþ nauȝt þat þing, [nauȝt begins next line in MS. The adopted reading proposed by Kölbing.] Bote þe bare signe. Line 427

¶ Ac þare children take þat þing [þare, read þaȝ, or þaȝ þat?] Line 428 In hare childhod so p(o)ure, Hit leseþ wanne hi comeþ to wit [Hit, MS. hy Hit, hy written in the margin by a later hand.] Þourȝ hare misauenture Line 431 Of senne: Anon þe foend fondeþ hy so, And he ne spareþ nenne. [nenne, MS. nanne.] Line 434

¶ Þat deþ þat hi nastondeþ nouȝt, [Wright page 17] Line 435 Ac ech oþren aschrencheþ; Ac ȝet, hy mowe ȝet stonde bet, [ȝet, MS. ȝif; see note. For Ac we ought probably to write And.] Wanne hi ham bet bi-þencheþ [bi-þencheþ, MS. bi þenkeþ.] Line 438 To leue, And do ham to deuocioun, Ȝef god ham strengþe ȝiue. [ȝeue, MS. ȝiue.] Line 441

¶ And þanne gode, þat his so god, Line 442 Anon hi stronge makeþ,

As hi habbeþ deuocioun, And hie god fey takeþ, Line 445 Reuersed; And al his þorȝ þat sacrement, Þeiȝe hit ne be nauȝt rehersed. Line 448

¶ For wanne me takeþ þis sacrement, [me, MS. we.] Line 449 His soule prente takeþ; And þat hi nefermo for-lest, Nauȝt hi þat god for-sakeþ, Line 452 Ac healdeþ [MS. ac hine healdeþ, hine in a later hand above the line. ac seems originally to have been þat, the initial þ and part of the cross-stroke of the final t having been erased. See note.] Ine stat þat sacrement ine man, [folio 156b] Wanne he ine gode byaldeþ. [he, MS. ȝe.] Line 455

¶ And as þys ylke sacrement Line 456 Heþ þyng and toke hijs signe, [Heþ, MS. Her.—toke, read eke?] So habbeþ þe oþere sacremens Syxȝe þat beþe so digne: Line 459 Crystnynge Her signe, droppinge in þe water, [Her, read Heþ?—droppinge, read depinge?] And þyng hijs for-ȝeuynge. [for-ȝeuynge, MS. for-ȝemynge.] Line 462

¶ Þys ylke sygne, and eke þys þyng, [Wright page 18] Line 463 In oure child-hode we hyt toke; [hyt, MS. ȝyt.] Ac after-ward we lore þat þyng, Þo we to senne toke Line 466 By wylle. Amend[e] we, þe prente lefþ Ine oure saule wel stille. Line 469

¶ Hym selue no man hebbe schel Line 470 To þe bischoppynge;

Ine tokne of feblesce of hijs goste [feblesce, MS. febleste.] An oþer schel him brynge Line 473 And lefte, Ase he ne miȝte nauȝt hym self To confermynge crefte. Line 476

¶ Ac her ich segge aperteliche, Line 477 Þys men and eke þis wyues, Þat hi ne hebbe hare oȝe child By hare quicke lyues, Line 480 And rede; For ȝef hy doþe, man and hys wyf Þer draweþ god-sibrede. Line 483

¶ Of seue sacremens þre Line 484 Prente ine herte makeþ; Þat beþ cristnyng, and confermyng, And ordre þat men takeþ Line 487 Wel bliþe; Þat hijs, for no man hy ne takeþ [MS. þat (hy) hijs (ne take) for no man hy ne takeþ, hy ne takeþ having been crossed out, and the words in parentheses added by a later hand over the line.] [folio 157a] Bote onelepy syþe. Line 490

(3) [D]E sacramento Altaris. [[in margin]]

NOu hyȝt by-ualþ to telle ȝou— [Wright page 19] Line 491 And so ich moȝt wel nede— Of godes flesch and eke hys blode At cherche ine forme of brede Line 494 And wyne; Þat freuereþ ous in oure exil, [þat, t above the line.] And lyþeþ oure pyne. Line 497

¶ Hȝe bliþe myȝten hy be Line 498 Þat folwede cryst in londe,

Þat myȝte hyne eche day yse, Hijs swete loue to fonde Line 501 Ine keþþe! [keþþe altered from keþe.] So mowe we be, for ous neþ he [neþ, MS. ner.] Hy-faylled neuer seþþe. [Hy-faylled = yfaylled.] Line 504

¶ For þo hijs tyme was ycome Line 505 No leng to dwelle here, Þat wete brede and honde he toke, [and honde = an honde.] Þer he set atte sopere, Line 508 And seyde: "Takeþ and eteþ, þys hijs my body"; Of soþe he ham aueyde. Line 511

¶ For-wy hyȝt moste nedes be Line 512 Al soþe þat he sede; [seþe, with indistinct e; read soþe? or seþe þat = since?] Þat alle þyng his ase he seiþ Þy resoun wole þe rede. [þy, MS. þys, the s being written over the line in a later hand.] Line 515 Lo dede: [Lo, distinctly so in MS. (Wr. To).] He seyde to al þe worlde, "be," And al was ase he sede. Line 518

¶ Nammore maystrye nys hiȝt to hym [Wright page 20] Line 519 To be ine bredes lyche, Þane hym was ine þe liche of man, To keþen ous hijs ryche; Line 522 Þet makeþ Þat hy beþ alle mis-by-leued Þat oþer þrof for-sakeþ. [folio 157b] Line 525

¶ Þe fend hym-self him maky mey Line 526 Wel dyuerse liknynges,

Of best, of men, and of wymmen, [nota] And mani oþer þynges, Line 529 To nusy: Wel bet may god to oure prou Dyuerse formes vsy. Line 532

¶ Þo þat þe bred ytourned was Line 533 In to hys body selue, [selue, MS. sylue.] He toke þe coppe wiþ þe wyne and water, [Kölbing omits þe before wyne. I rather suspect that the words and water are a later addition. See note.] And seide eft to þe twelue [nota] Line 536 Yuere: "Takeþ and drynkeþ euerech on Of þis chalice here. Line 539

¶ Þys hys þe chalis of my blode, [þe chalis (Kölbing), MS. my chalis. Kölbing also proposes to read in (for of) my blode, with reference to Luke xxii. 20.] Line 540 Of testament newe, [newe, MS. nywe.] Þat schal be schad for manye men"; And—ase we seyȝeþ gode and trewe [nota] Line 543 And kende— "And doþ ȝe þos, wanne ȝe hyt doþe, [543-545. See note.] Doþ hyt in mine mende." [mine, MS. ȝoure. ȝour is written in a later hand on erasure, only the final e is original. Another youre, written with pencil, is faintly discernible in the margin to the left.] Line 546

¶ Þo þat he sede: "doþ ȝe þos," [Wright page 21] Line 547 Þe heyȝe kyng of heuene, He ȝaf ham power to don hyt, And forþ power to ȝeuene [forþ, þ in a different hand.] Line 550 Wel werþe, Þaȝ he ne toke iudas out, [þaȝ, MS. þat.] Þe worste man on erþe. Line 553

Line 553

¶ And nou þat power hys yȝiue [nou and hys on erasure, the former very indistinct.] Line 554 Fram bysschoppe to preste, And so schel al so longe be, Ase cristyndom schel leste; Line 557 Ymete, [folio 158a] Seþþe crist four ous an orþe come, [Seþþe, þþ on erasure.] He nolde ous nauȝt for-lete. Line 560

¶ Þaȝ he were inne hys manhode [þaȝ, ȝ altered from some other letter, probably t.] Line 561 Amanges ous to flotie, Ȝet nere he nauȝt þanne ous so neȝ, Ase nou we mowe hym notye Line 564 In vode: [vode, MS. gode, g altered from original v.] We honorieþ hyne al iholliche Ine flesch and eke ine blode. [blode, a letter (probably u) erased between o and d.] Line 567

¶ Wat may amounti þat he wyle Line 568 So by-come oure fode? Chaungeþ he auȝt, ase oþere mete, [auȝt, MS. nauȝt, n over a in a later hand.—mete, MS. mote.] In-to oure flesch and blode Line 571 By kende? Nay, ac he chaungeþ ous in hym, To maky ous gode and hende. Line 574

¶ And ase gode þer his hole mete, [Wright page 22] [MS. hole men mete, men written above the line in a later hand. The original reading of the MS. seems to have been holen, and in l. 576 siken; the final n is erased, but some faint traces of it are still discernible in sike. For a possible emendation of the corrupt passage see note.] Line 575 And sike hyt by-swikeþ, So his þe mete dampnacion To hem þat senne likeþ Line 578 To holde; [holde [: solde] = Kt. healde [: sealde].] So he hyt tok and his lore, Iudas, þat ihesus solde. [holde [: solde] = Kt. healde [: sealde].] Line 581

Line 581

¶ Þer-fore ich segge a godes half Line 582 To alle cristyne folke Þat, wanne hy scholle yhouseled be, Þat hy ne be a-bolke Line 585 In prede; Let ounde and wreþe and coueytyng, Sleuþe and lestes on-lede. Line 588

¶ Nys none of wymman beter ibore Line 589 To seint Iohan þe baptyste; And ȝet he quakede wel arȝ Þo he touchede crist Line 592 Ine þe flomme: Þanne auȝte we wel aryȝt to be [auȝte, ȝ above the line.] [folio 158b] To fange hym on-tromme. Line 595

¶ Þer-fore, ȝef þat ȝe fredeþ ȝou Line 596 Þat ȝe ne be nauȝt digne [ȝe, MS. he.—d in digne on erasure, apparently altered from s.] For te be housled wyþ þys body Ine þissre holy signe, [þissre, MS. þisþre.] Line 599 Wyþ-draweþ; For, wo þat hyȝt takeþ ondygneliche, Hys iugement he gnaȝeþ. Line 602

¶ May somman segge:—hou schal me so [Wright page 23] Line 603 Fram þer houslyng dwelle? Wanne god self aperteliche Seiþ ous in þe gospelle— Line 606 Wel mende:— [MS. Wel to mende, to above the line in a later hand.] "Who þat eteþ my flesch and drynkeþ my blod Heþ lyf wiþ-oute ende." Line 609

¶ Þaȝ þou [ne] take hyȝt wyþ þe mouþe, [þaȝ, MS. þat.] Line 610 Ne myd teþ þer-on ne werche,

Þou takest hyt, man, ȝef þat þou art A lyme of holy cherche, Line 613 To blysse, Wanne eny prest his messe syngeþ : Ilief hyt myd ywysse. Line 616

¶ For on hys godes flesch to nemme Line 617 Ase mouþe þe mete takeþ, An-oþer ase þe mete yȝete [nota] In-to þe membres takeþ; Line 620 Ac here, Crist hys þat heued, þe prest þe mouþe, Þe lymes þat folke i-vere. [i-vere, v in a later hand.] Line 623

¶ And ase þe bred to-gadere comþe Line 624 Of menye greynys to bake, And ase þe wyne to-gadere flouþe [nota] Of manye grapes ytake, [grapes, MS. greyns.] Line 627 Ilyke, Cryst and hijs membrys, men, [folio 159a] O body beþe ine mystyke. Line 630

¶ Wet hys mystyke ne mey non wete [wete on erasure. After nō there is a half-blotted letter resembling b.] [Wright page 24] Line 631 Be no þynge a-founde, [afounde = afonde, OE. āfondian.] Bote wanne þer hys o þyng yked, An oþer to onder-stonde Line 634 Þer-inne; Hy þat aredeþ þyse redeles Wercheþ by þilke gynne. [þilke altered from þuke.] Line 637

¶ So wane þat body hym hys ked Line 638 Of swete ihesu cryst[e], Me may wel onder-stonde þer By þulke selue lyste Line 641 An oþer :

Cryst and eke alle holy men O body, my leue broþer. [MS. beþ O body, beþ written in the margin in a later hand.] Line 644

¶ Þer-fore god heþ þis sacrement [god, MS. guod, u over o.—heþ, MS. beþ.] Line 645 Ymad of suiche þynges Þat myȝte of manye mak on, As cryst and hys derlynges Line 648 Imonge; Þenne scholde hy at one be In loue þat scholde hyt fonge. Line 651

¶ Nou onderstand : þe signe her, Line 652 Fourme hys of wyne and brede; Doble hys þat þyng, ryȝt cristes body, [Doble MS. (Wr. Noble).] And body of quike and dede. Line 655 Ac broþer, Ȝet ryȝte body þaȝ hyt be þyng, [Read—þet þyng, ryȝt body þaȝ hyt be? See note.] Hyȝt hys signe of þat oþer. Line 658

¶ Vor ase þe ryȝte bodyes lemes [Wright page 25] Line 659 Habbeþ dyuerse wyke, So habbeþ ryȝt membrys eke Of þe body ine mystyke : Line 662 Þat weldeþ Hys honden, men beþ þat wel doþ, [Colon after honden in MS.] [folio 159b] Þe fet, þat wel op-heldeþ. Line 665

¶ Alle takeþ þat ryȝt body Line 666 Þyse men at hare houslyng, Ac some to prou, and some to lere, Ine wyl of seneȝynge Line 669 To derye; Ac one gode aryȝt hyt nomeþ, Þat body ine hys mysterye. Line 672

Line 672

¶ Ac þaȝ we be tokned þer Line 673 Ine oure sauueoure, Ne lef þou nauȝt þe[t] we be þer, Ne forþe nauȝt of oure Line 676 Þat were; Þaȝ þer be tokned þynges two, Þer nys bote o þyng þere; Line 679

¶ And þat hys swete ihesu cryst Line 680 Ine flesche and eke ine bloude, Þat þolede pyne and passyoun, And diaþ opone þe roude, [opone, MS. opene.] Line 683 Wel soure; Ne lef non oþer, crysteman, For safour ne coloure. Line 686

¶ For þat colour, ne þat sauour, [Wright page 26] Line 687 Ne beþ nauȝt þer inne cryste, Þaȝ he þer-inne schewe hym By hys myȝte-folle lyste, Line 690 So couþe; Ne myȝte elles bet be seȝe, [myȝte = myȝte he.] Ne beter yured inne mouþe. [yured. Over the u there is in the MS. a faint sign, which might be read as ȝ.] Line 693

¶ For ȝef he schewed hym in flesch, [ȝef, f in a later hand on erasure.] Line 694 Oþer ine blody þynge, Hydous hyȝt were to þe syȝte, And to þe tast wlatynge [tast, MS. cast.] Line 697 And pyne Þanne hys hyt betere in fourme of brede, [folio 160a] And eke in forme of wyne. Line 700

¶ For bred strengeþ þe herte of man, Line 701 And wyn hys herte gledeþ;

And strengþe longeþ þe body, [longeþ þe body, read longeþ to þ. b.?] And blice þe saule vedeþ: [vedeþ or sedeþ, with a round s, is the reading of the MS., certainly not fedeþ as printed by Wright.] Line 704 And nede Þer-fore hys double sacrement, Of wyne, and eke of brede. Line 707

¶ For he ybout heþ oure body, [ybout, b altered from some other letter; after it a faint stroke, which cannot, however, be read as r.] Line 708 In-to os he let hys sinke; And uor þe saule ine þe blod, Hys blod he let os drynke. Line 711 Nou woste [The final e's in woste and goste very indistinct.] Wy þer hys double sacrement: For note of body and goste. [The final e's in woste and goste very indistinct.] Line 714

¶ Ac wen nauȝt þat cryst be to-schift, [Wright page 27] Line 715 Þaȝ he scheweþ ine boþe; To wene hys body wyþ-oute blod, By þa weye ne goþe Line 718 To þryfte; For þer he hys, he hys al yhol, [A dot is put in MS. after the first hys.] Ne mey me hym to-schifte. [me, MS. ine.] Line 721

¶ Þeȝ þer te-breke aȝt ine þe mouþ, Line 722 Oþer ine þyne honden, Hyt nas nauȝt he þat hys to-broke; Ensample þou myȝt fonden: Line 725 To-slyfte A[l þy] myrour þou myȝt fol wel, [After A three letters erased, but traces of them are still visible; the first letter was probably l, the last certainly y. By the side of A, in the margin of the line, is written in, and in the margin of the following line þi selue se, all in a later hand and in smaller characters. See note.] Bote nauȝt þe ymage schifte. [schifte, MS. schefte.] Line 728

Line 728

¶ By þyse ensample þou myȝt yse Line 729 He hys ine ech autere [MS. echautere.] Y-hol; þe prest hys messe syngeþ, [The MS. has a colon after Y-hol.] Þeȝ he ne be nauȝt yhere, Line 732 Ac wykke, Ase þer beþ foles suiche fele, [suiche, u altered to w in a later hand.] [folio 160b] Ysawe al to þykke. Line 735

¶ Ac þaȝ þe prest hys messe do Line 736 Inne dedleche senne corse, Þet sacrement, man, be þou syker, For hym nys na þe worse; [na þe, MS. nase.] Line 739 For loke, Þe sacrement nys na þe wors, Þaȝ þat Iudas hyt toke. Line 742

¶ Ac þaȝ hyt be neuer þe wors, [Wright page 28] Line 743 Þat sacrement an honde, Þe bone þat swych prest þer byȝt [byȝt = byt.] No stel ne schel hym stonde, Line 746 Ac derye; For he despyseþ ihesu cryst, Wanne he hym scholde herye. Line 749

¶ Ac ȝyf þou wylt tak hyt to prou [tak hyt for take hyt.] Line 750 For þe and þyne freende, Ryȝt repentaunt and ryȝt deuout Take hys deaþ in þy meende; Line 753 Naut lyȝt[e]: [lyȝt[e] = lyte.] Þe more þou þenkest so on hys deaþ, Þe more hys þy meryte. Line 756

¶ Manne, wanne þyt takest, ase oþer mete [þyt = þe (for þou) hyt.] Line 757 In-to þy wombe hyȝt sedlyþ;

Ac ne defiþ nauȝt, ase þy mete Wyþ þyne flesch medlyþ, Line 760 Ac keuereþ Al oþer wyse, and so þy body And þy saule hyȝt freuereþ. Line 763

¶ Nabyd hyȝt nauȝt, ase oþer mete, Line 764 Hys tyme of defyynge, And ryȝt anon hyȝt freuereþ In þare oundervanginge; [ounderv. or onnderv., but the n-stroke seems to be erased.] Line 767 Destresse Of syke men, þaȝ hy hyt keste op, [folio 161a] Ne helpþ hyt nauȝt þe lesse. [lesse, MS. lasse.] Line 770

¶ For yf þe syke man hys gode [Wright page 29] Line 771 In þe leue of holy cherche, Þeȝ he hyȝt cast op, hyt bylefþ Sauuacion to werche Line 774 Ryȝt þere; For al at ones he mey be [MS. he mey be god, god above the line in a later hand, evidently meant to gloss he, to which it is referred by the mark //.] Þer and elles-were. Line 777

¶ He soffreþ wel to be kest op, Line 778 And ȝet to be honoured; Ac he soffreþ (noȝt) to be to-trede, [(noȝt) above the line in a later hand. See note.] And of bestes deuoured: Line 781 And neade, Ase he by-leue assayþ in flesch, He assayþ ine forme of brede. Line 784

¶ Þat body hyȝt nys (naȝt) þat þer comþe op, [(naȝt) above the line in a later hand.—nys, n on erasure, probably altered from original h. See note.] Line 785 Ȝef þat a man hyȝt keste;

For al so longe hyt hys þat body, Ase forme of brede schel leste; Line 788 Ine manne, Ȝet þaȝ þe fourme of brede to-go, Þat body by-lefþ ȝet þanne. [ȝet, Wr. hȝet, but the h is underdotted in MS.] Line 791

¶ And ȝyf he passeþ nauȝt fram ous, Line 792 Wanne wey aryȝtt hym healdeþ, [wey = we; three letters erased between aryȝtt and hym.] Wat ned hys for to take hym efte, [Wat, MS. þat; the e in ned looks very much like o.] Þer wyle he ous so wealdeþ? Line 795 For mende Of hys deþe and hys passyon, Ase he het atte hys ende. [het, MS. heþ hit; þ in heþ on erasure, hit above the line in a later hand.] Line 798

¶ Of pure wete hyt mot be, [Wright page 30] Line 799 And eke of pure wyne, Þet schel be to þys sacrement Ryȝt of þe grape of wyne Line 802 I-lete; For iesus seyþ þe vygne he hys, [folio 161b] And eke þe greyn of wete. Line 805

¶ And ȝef mannes deuocioun slakeþ, Line 806 Wanne he by-healdeþ— For hyt þinkþ bote oþer bred An heaȝ þat þe prest healdeþ— Line 809 By-þenche hym Of þe uertue þat þer hys, Þat non errour adrenche hym; [Some letter (n?) erased before the initial a in adrenche.] Line 812

¶ And tak en-saumple of þat he kneuþ, Line 813 Þe preciouse stone: Þaȝ he lygge amang oþere ylyche, Me honoureþ hym alone; Line 816 So swete

Mid al þy wyl þer uertue hys, God self ine sacrement (ymete). [The MS. has a dot after sacrement; ymete is a later addition. See note.] Line 819

¶ Na more ne greueþ hyt ihesus Line 820 Þane sonne itrede in felþe; Þaȝ eny best deuoured hyt, Oþer eny oþer onselþe, Line 823 Ech screade Ȝet al so longe hys godes body, Ase lest þe fourme of breade. Line 826

¶ And al so longe hyt hys blod, [Wright page 31] Line 827 Ase lest þe forme of wyne; Nauȝt of fynegre kende chald, Ne offe water droppyng of wyne, [MS. waterdroppymg or -droppying.] Line 830 Ac trye: So lyte water schel be me[n]gd, Þat wyne habbe þe maystrye. Line 833

¶ For water self nys nauȝt þat blod, Line 834 Ac hyt hys an-ylyke To þe folke þat torneþ al to cryst [To þe folke, MS. Ine folke.] Ine þe body of mystyke. Line 837 Nou, broþer, I-lef al þys ine gode fey, For may no þyng be soþer. Line 840

(4) [D]E penitencia. [folio 162]

WAne man after hys crystendom [Wane, MS. Ane, with what seems to be a small runic w before it, intended for the rubricator.] Line 841 Heþ auȝt ido wyþ wronge, Penaunce hyt hys, a sacrement Þat men scholde fonge, [men scholde, MS. scholde men, with the mark // before and after scholde.] Line 844 And mote.

Penaunce heþ maneres þre, Þorȝ sorȝe, schryfte, and edbote. Line 847

¶ Þy sorwe for þyne senne, man, Line 848 Mot be ine gode wylle, Þat hy ne be nauȝt ine wanhope, Þat made Iudas to spylle; Line 851 Ac crye Mercy to swete ihesu cryst, Mid wyl to lete folye. Line 854

¶ And ȝet þy wylle mot be so gret, [Wright page 32] Line 855 And ine so gode faye, Þat þou wenst þou noldest seneȝi eft, Þer-fore þeȝ þou scholdest deye Line 858 Ine wytte; For ȝef þou woldest for deaþ hyt do, Þy sorȝe hys al to lyte. Line 861

¶ Þeȝ sorȝe hele man a-non Line 862 Of velþ of sennes slyme, Ȝet þanne were hyt nauȝt inouȝ Þe for [t]e sorwy on tyme, [for te = for to.] Line 865 Ac euere, Ase longe ase, man, þy lyf ylest, Elles senne may keuere. Line 868

¶ For so, man, senne greueþ in þe, [greueþ, grows; cp. kneuþ, p. 29, l. 813; fleuþ, p. 97, l. 343. It is difficult to decide whether the MS. has greueþ or groueþ, and in l. 871 grewen or growen.] Line 869 And eke in alle þyne, Ase wed schel growen ouer þe corn, [Ase, MS. þat.] Wyþ-oute medicyne Line 872 Of sorȝe. Nou her-on þenche, man, day and nyȝt, [folio 164b] An euen and a morwe. Line 875

Line 875

¶ Þench, þourȝ þy senne þou hest ilore Line 876 Þy blys of heuene ryche, [þy, read þe?] And hest iwreþed þane kyng [hest, MS. heþ.] Þat non hys yliche; [Read—þat non hys hys (or hym) yliche?] Line 879 And here Þou hest of-serued dygnelyche Þe pyne of helle vere. Line 882

¶ Draȝ into mende þet hydous siȝt [hydous, the final s altered from some other letter, probably r.—siȝt added by a later hand.] [Wright page 33] Line 883 Of deade men a bere, Þat nadde neuer deade ibe, Ȝef senne of adam nere; Line 886 Bye drytte, [drytte, MS. drytteȝ.] Ȝet þou aȝtest habbe more hydour Of þyne oȝene vn-ryȝte. Line 889

¶ Myd sucher sorȝe schryfte, man, [schryfte = schryf þe.] Line 890 Wel stylle, and no þyng loude; For repentaunce ondeþ þe hel, And schreft hyt mot out-croude [croude, suggested by Stratmann; MS. treude.] Line 893 Al clene: For ȝef aȝt lefþ þat croude myȝt, [croude, suggested by Stratmann; MS. treude.] God so þou schelt ywenne. [MS. guod (or goud), u written over o; in the margin uo in a later hand.] Line 896

¶ Ne non ne may hym schryue aryȝt, Line 897 Bote ȝef he hym by-þoȝte Of sennes þat he heþ ydo, [heþ, MS. beþ.] And hys lyf al þorȝ-soȝte Line 900 To kenne;

Ac manie desper to þe prest [manie, i-stroke wanting in MS.—desper (Wr. dosper), the first e looking very much like o.] Al one by seȝe of senne. [MS. Al hou (underdotted) one. See note.] Line 903

¶ And vnderstand þat al ihol Line 904 Mot be þy schryfte, broþer; Naȝt þar-of a kantel to a prest, And a kantel to an-oþer; Line 907 And þanne Tele, ȝef þou myȝt by-þenche þe, [folio 163a] Wet, hou, and wer, And wanne. [Dots in MS. after Wet, hou, and wer.] Line 910

¶ And ȝef þou wylt, man, þorȝ þy schryft [Wright page 34] Line 911 Lat þy senne al a-drouȝe, Ne wynd þou naut þy senne ine selke, Ac telle out al þat rouȝe [Ac, MS. At.] Line 914 Tys laȝe; [Tys = To hys.] Ȝef þou wenst deie, and nast no prest, [deie, the initial d not quite distinct, resembling s.] Schryf þe to anoþer felawe. Line 917

¶ Ac þat ne schalt þou neuere do, Line 918 Bote þe wantrokye of lyue; And ȝef þou comste to lyue aȝen, Eft þrof þou most þe scryue Line 921 To preste, Þat heþ power to assoyly þe, Þorȝ power of þe greste. Line 924

¶ Þaȝ man on tyme ihealde be [þaȝ, MS. ȝaȝ.] Line 925 To schryue hym a ȝere, To schryue hym wanne he seneȝed heþ, Wel syker þyng hyt were, [syker, read sykerer?] Line 928 And mete, Wald ȝef he sodeynlyche deiþ, [nota [later]] And wald he hyt for-ȝete. Line 931

Line 931

¶ For wanne man sodeynleche deiþ, Line 932 Hys þoȝt þe sorȝe troubleþ; [troubleþ, MS. tumbleþ.] And senne ony-schryue wanne he uor-ȝet, Hys senne þer-be doubleþ [þer-be = þer-by.] Line 935 To nusy; For mytter senne þat he dede Þe sleuþe hine wyle acusy. Line 938

¶ Man, schryf þe, and wonde none schame, [Wright page 35] Line 939 For-wy hyt hys to donne; A lytel schame hys betere her, Þane ouer-moche eft-sone Line 942 To crefte By-uore god a domesday, [folio 163b] Amang al godes schefte. Line 945

¶ For þaȝ man moȝe isauued be Line 946 Þorȝ bare repentaunce, Wanne he ne may to schryfte come, Ȝef hym valleþ þat chaunce Line 949 So holde, Ȝet ne may he nauȝt y-sauued be, Be he hym schriue wolde. [Be, read Bote ( = but)? Cf. however Zupitza's note to l. 7853 of the Romance of Guy of Warw., 15th cent. version.] Line 952

¶ Þer-fore þy schryfte, man, schel be Line 953 Wyþ-oute stoneynge, Myd herte loȝ, and, ȝef þou myȝt, Myd þyn eȝene wepynge; [nota [later]] Line 956 In treuþe, Þet þer be non ypocrysye, Bote repentaunce and reuþe. Line 959

¶ And ȝyf þat þou to schryfte comst [comst, MS. comff.] Line 960 Ine þyse manere to fa[y]re,

Þe schryft-uader þat uarþ aryȝt Schal be wel de-bonayre Line 963 And loȝe; He schel wystlyche þy senne hele, Bet þane he wolde hys owe. Line 966

¶ Ȝef he þe schel anoye aȝt, [Wright page 36] Line 967 Hyt wyle of-þenche hym sore; And oþer-wyl anoye he mot, Wanne he scheweþ þe lore Line 970 Of helþe, Ase mot þe leche ine uoule sores, Wanne he royneþ þe felþe. Line 973

¶ Þer-fore ȝe mote þolyen hyt Line 974 Wyþ-oute alle manere tole, And do þer-by ententyflyche, Ȝyf ȝe wolleþ be hole Line 977 To liue; And to a betere be leaue goþ, [folio 164a] Ȝef ȝoure prest can nauȝt schryue. Line 980

¶ Te [þe] mo prestes þat þart ischryue [Te [þe] = To [þe].] Line 981 Myd alle y-hole schryfte, Þe clenner þert a-ȝens god, And of þe more þryfte; Line 984 Nauȝt nyce, Ȝef hyt ne be nauȝt to þy prest Malice ne preiudice. Line 987

¶ Wanne man hys repentaunt ischriue, Line 988 He scholde don ed-bote; And þe ferste hys, þat he by-fle Chypeans, of sennes rote; [Chypeans, or Chypeaus, is the reading of the MS., which is evidently corrupt. So is also by-flek in l. 993. For a possible emendation of the whole passage, see note.] Line 991 Ase quances,

He þat by-flek wel lecherye Bi-ulekþ foule continaunce. Line 994

¶ Edbote hys dede after god conseyl [Wright page 37] Line 995 Of gosslich medicine, [gosslich, MS. gofflich = gostlich.] Wanne senne sor y-clensed hys, To þolye a lytel pyne Line 998 Þet frete, Þat he ne be þer-uore iwrete [iwrete for iurete, ifrete.] In purgatoryes hete. Line 1001

¶ Þre maner peyne man a-fangeþ [a-fangeþ, a dotted out in MS.] Line 1002 For hys senne nede; Bene hys þat on, þat oþer fastyng, [Bene, MS. Senne.—þat oþer, MS. þ ^t oþer] Þe þrydde hys almesdede; Line 1005 Ac woste, Bene hys and edbote yset [Bene, MS. Sene.—and, read ase?] For senne do ine goste. Line 1008

¶ For senne in flesch Line 1009 vestyng heþ þe flesch loþe; [heþ might be read beþ in MS.; see note.] Ac elmesdede senne bet Of gost and flesche boþe; Line 1012 For þencheþ Þet almesdede senne quenkeþ, [folio 164b] Ase water þat fer a-quencheþ. Line 1015

¶ To byddyng contemplacion [In MS. there are dots after byddyng, contempl., wryte, predic. and won.] Line 1016 Longeþ rede and wryte, [In MS. there are dots after byddyng, contempl., wryte, predic. and won.] To here predicacioun won, [In MS. there are dots after byddyng, contempl., wryte, predic. and won.] Lore, and herte smyte, Line 1019 And werche [werche, MS. wreche.]

Dedes to ȝyue deuocioun To men ine holy cherche. Line 1022

¶ Knewelyng, trauayl, baruot go, [Wright page 38] Line 1023 Wolle-ward and wakynge, [Wolle, o very much like e in MS.] Discipline and lyte mete, Þes longeþ to vestynge; Line 1026 And here, Pelgrymage and beddyng hard, Flesch fram lykynge te arere. Line 1029

¶ Ȝeue, and lene, and conseil, Line 1030 Cloþyng, herberȝ, and fede, [Dots in MS. after Cloþyng and syke.] Vysyty syke and prysones, [Dots in MS. after Cloþyng and syke.] And helpe pouere at nede, [nota [later]] Line 1033 Muknesse For to uor-ȝeuene trespas, Tak dedes of elmesse. Line 1036

¶ And seue ȝer þou scholdest, man, Line 1037 O dea[d]lyche senne pyny; [pyny, MS. peyny.] Þer-uore al þat þe prest þe hat [hat, MS. hast.] To done schalt þou nauȝt fyny, [fyny in a later hand. Immediately after fyny, there follow in the MS. the concluding lines of the next stanza—For ȝyf þou to lyte peyne hest, and so on. The wanting portion of this, and the beginning of the following stanza are written at the bottom of the next page, and are marked with an .a. and bb. Corresponding letters after fyny show where the lines are to be inserted.] Line 1040 Ac more, For onneaþe hys þer eny prest [onneaþe, MS. onmeaþe (for onnicaþe?).] Þat peyne set so sore. Line 1043

¶ For hy habbeþ uisyk of men, [foot folio 165] Line 1044 Hy more sette þe lesse; [more, read moȝe? or mote?]

And betere hys forte apeched be [for, MS. ffor.—te on erasure.] Of more forȝefnesse Line 1047 Þane wreche; For ȝyf þou to lyte peyne hest, [foot folio 164b] Purgatorye hyt schal eche. Line 1050

¶ And ȝet þer hys anoþer cas [Wright page 39] Line 1051 Þat prestes ȝyuet so lyte Penaunce: þaȝ me telle ham Ryȝt moche of sennes wyte, Line 1054 Ine mone, Me mot ham legge lytel on, [folio 165a] Oþer hy nolde do none. Line 1057

¶ Beter hys þat hy a lyte do [Beter, MS. Seter.] Line 1058 Her ine obedience, And foluelle þat remenaunt Ine purgatoryes tense Line 1061 Eft-sone; Nys nauȝt god to uor-lete a man Þat eny-þing hys wyl bone. [eny-þing, MS. eny ying.—wyl bone? See note.] Line 1064

¶ Þe bydde ich, broþer, be nauȝt loþ [loþ, þ on erasure.] Line 1065 To do penaunce here; For ȝet þer hys here som reles, So nys nauȝt ine þe uere Line 1068 Areyned, Ne þorȝ þe ryȝt-uolnesse of god Nys no sen onipeynid. [onipeynid, ouipeynid MS.] Line 1071

¶ Man, wane þou seneȝyst, þre þou dest, Line 1072 Þou wreþest god almyȝty, To holy cherche on-bouxam þart, Makest þy selue on-ryȝty: Line 1075 Þos mote [MS. þos ȝe mote, ȝe in a later hand above the line.]

Make þy pes wyþ alle þre Sorwe, schryfte, and edbote. Line 1078

¶ Man[y] takeþ þys sacrement, [Wright page 40] Line 1079 And geþ a-wey on-digne, For he ne schryfþ nauȝt of þet þyng, Bote of þe bare signe Line 1082 To wynne. Þe signe hys þat hys boute ydo, [folio 165b] Þat þynge hys grace bynne. Line 1085

¶ Two þynges her-wyþ-ynne beþ, Line 1086 For-ȝefþe, and repentynge; Ac repentaunce hys signe also Of sennys for-ȝeuyng: [for-ȝeuyng, MS. forheuyng.] Line 1089 Certayne, For so may man repenti hym, Þat þer uolȝeþ no peyne. Line 1092

¶ Þat was iked wel inne þe þef Line 1093 Ope caluaryes felde, Þo he escusede ihesu cryst, And hym gelty gan ȝelde Line 1096 Mid sourwe; He deide and come to paradys, Na-bod he nauȝt fort a morwe. Line 1099

(I. 5) [D]E uncione extrema. [[in margin]]

SAcrement of an-Eliing Line 1100 Nou her ich wolle telle, Þat man uangeþ wane he ne wenþ No lenge he myȝte dwelle Line 1103 A lyue; Þe bodyes euel þat libbe mey, [libbe mey, MS. libbe ne mey, ne in a later hand above the line.] And sone, hit mey to-dryue. Line 1106

Line 1106

¶ Many for de-faute deiþe [Wright page 41] Line 1107 Of þer anelyynge; And ȝyf hys saule after hys deþe Soffrey harde pynynge [Soffrey, read Soffreþ, or Soffry (subjunct.).] Line 1110 In fere, So scholde hy nauȝt, hedde he ihed Ryȝt elyynge here. Line 1113

¶ For seint iames, in hys bok, Line 1114 Wysseþ wyd gode mende Þat, ȝyf eny by-falþe ryȝt syke, Þe prest he scholde of-sende Line 1117 To hys ende; [ende, read ynne?] And he schel elye hym wyþ ele, [folio 166a] Hys sauement to wynne. Line 1120

¶ Seynt iame seyþe þat orysoun Line 1121 Of þer holy by-leue Of hijs siknesse helþe wynþe, Þat no fend schal reue Line 1124 Þe helþe; And ȝef þat he ine sennys be, For-ȝeue hys him þat felþe. Line 1127

¶ Þys his, broþer, and gret confort Line 1128 For for-ȝetene sennes, [A later hand has written fer over for in for-ȝetene.—sennes, MS. synnes.] Þat oure foman aredy haueþ [foman, fo above the line in a later hand.] Aȝeynys þat we goþ hennes, Line 1131 Ta-tuite; Ac ȝef we aryȝt anelede beþ, Hyȝt gayneþ ham wel lyte. [lyte, MS. lytel.] Line 1134

¶ Ac þanne hys man aryȝt aneled, [Wright page 42] Line 1135 Wanne he myd wyl hyt takeþ,

Myd by-leue of deuocioun, And repentaunce makeþ Line 1138 So digne; And ȝyf he hyt oþere wyse fangeþ, Ne takeþ ha bote þe syngne. Line 1141

¶ For þe sygne of þys sacrement Line 1142 Þe elyyng ys boute; Þat þyngge hys alleggaunce of euel, To lyf ȝef he schel loute; [In the margin, by the side of To lyf, is written in a later hand oþer diaþ, to be inserted after lyf, as indicated by the usual marks of insertion.] Line 1145 And hennes Þaȝ he wende, þat þyng is eke Alleggaunce of hys sennes. Line 1148

¶ And ȝet me schal anelye a man, Line 1149 Þaȝ þat he lese hys speche; [þaȝ, MS. þar.] For wet he þencheþ in hys mod Ne may ous no man teche; Line 1152 Ac stronge He mot habbe deuocioun, [folio 166b] Þet schel a-ryȝt hyt fonge. Line 1155

¶ Þer-fore þis children eleþ me nauȝt, Line 1156 Ne forþe none wode, [MS. Ne none (expuncted).] For hy ne conne mende haue Of þilke holy gode; Line 1159 Ac fonge Þe wode mey þat sacrement, Wane reles comeþ amonge. Line 1162

¶ A prest mot do þys sacrement, [Wright page 43] Line 1163 For-why hyȝt hys wel werþe; [werþe, MS. worþe.] And þat seyde seynt Iames wel, Þer-wyle he ȝede an erþe; Line 1166 ȝe hit hedde

Þo ich a lite her a-boue Þes holye wordes redde. Line 1169

¶ Þe matyre of þis sacrement [matyre, y written on original e.] Line 1170 Hys ryȝt þe oylle allone; And wanne þe bisschop blesseþ hyt, Baume ne me[n]gþ he none [MS. Baume þer wiþ ne, þer wiþ being written over the line in a later hand.] Line 1173 Þer-inne; For baume tokneþ lyues loos, Oyle, mercy to wynne. Line 1176

¶ For wanne man deiþ, he let his lyf Line 1177 Þer þe god los by-houeþ; Ac senne, ȝef he farþe aryȝt, To bi-reusy he proueþ; Line 1180 To oure lorde Mercy he cryþ, and biddeþ hym Mercy and misericorde. Line 1183

¶ Þe wordes þat þer beþ ised, Line 1184 Hyt beþ wordes of sealþe, For hy biddeþ þe sike man Of alle his sennes helþe; [MS. healþe, the a being dotted out.] Line 1187 In mende Þer-to me an-eleþ þe wyttes fyȝf, [folio 167a] And feȝet, and breste, and lenden. Line 1190

¶ And for þe lecherye syȝt [Wright page 44] Line 1191 In lenden of þe manne, And, ase þe bok ous seyþ, hy sit Inne nauele of þe wymman[e]: Line 1194 To hele, Me schel þe mannes lenden anelye, Þe nauele of þe femele. Line 1197

Line 1197

¶ Þys beþ þe wordes wane me aneleþ:— Line 1198 "By þisse an-eliinge, And be hijs milse, for-ȝyue þe god [nota [later]] Al þine senneȝynge Line 1201 Mid eyen"; And so he seyþ be al hys lymes Þat scholle þe oyle dreȝen. Line 1204

¶ Caracter, þet is prente ycliped, Line 1205 Nys non of eliinge, Ne furþ of penaunce ne þe mo, [furþ on erasure in a later hand.—ne added over the line by a later scribe.] Nof housel, nof spousynge, Line 1208 In þede; For man ofter þane ones takeþ Þe sacremens for nede. Line 1211

(I. 6) [D]E ordinibus ecclesiasticis. [[in margin]]

NOu her we mote, ine þis sarmon, Line 1212 Of ordre maky saȝe, Þet was by-tokned suiþe wel [þet, MS. þer.] Wylom by þe ealde lawe Line 1215 To agynne, Þo me made godes hous, And ministres þer-inne. Line 1218

¶ God ches folk specialliche [Wright page 45] Line 1219 Hys holy folk amonge; Þat was þe kenred of leuy, Offyce for to fonge Line 1222 Ase broþeren, For to seruy ine godes house [folio 167b] By-fore alle þe noþeren. Line 1225

Line 1225

¶ To segge hys 'leuy' an englysch, Line 1226 'Fram þe noþeren ytake'; So beþ of ordre itake men, Ase wyte fram þe blake Line 1229 Of lyue : Gode ȝeue al yordrede men Wolde aryȝt her-of schryue. Line 1232

¶ Ase þer beþ of þe holy gost Line 1233 Ȝeftes ryȝt folle seuene, So þer beþ ordres folle seuene, Þat made cryst of heuene Line 1236 An erþe, And hedde hys ek ine hys monheþ, To keþen hy wel werþe. [MS. : þt wer' To ke þen hy : wel werþe. The words þt wer' are written in the margin in a later hand. They are to be inserted after hy, as the scribe has intimated by putting a colon before þt, and a corresponding one after hy. The space between ke and þen is a little wider than that between To and ke.] Line 1239

¶ Þe ferste hys 'doreward' ycleped, Line 1240 Þe secunde 'redynge,' Þe þrydde hys icleped 'coniurement' Aȝenys þe foule þynge Line 1243 to werie þe; [The original reading of the MS. was þe greste, which is really the bob-verse of the next stanza, erroneously anticipated by the scribe. A later revisor struck it out, or found it already struck out, and wrote above it what I read to werie þe. Mr. Wright has printed wersiexe; but this is an error, evidently owing to the fact that the protracted upward stroke of the long s of greste happens to come in between the letters r and i in werie, while the oblique tag attached to the top of the long s crosses the þ of þe. For the true reading see note.] Þe ferþe 'acolyt' hys to segge y-wys, Tapres to bere wel worþe. Line 1246

¶ Þe ordre fifte ycleped hys [Wright page 46] Line 1247 Þe ordre of 'sudeakne,'

And hys þe syxte al-so ycleped Þe holy ordre of 'dekene'; Line 1250 (And) þe greste [Omit And (see preceding footnote). The bob-verse left out here by the original scribe has been supplemented by the later revisor.] Þe seuen[d]e hys, and hys yclyped Þe holy ordre of 'prest[e].' Line 1253

¶ Ine þe elde lawe synagoge ferst [ff. See note.] Line 1254 God let the ordres werche, And þat was sched of þat hys lyȝt Nou wroȝt ine holy cherche; [wroȝt, MS. wryt; Zupitza worȝt.] Line 1257 Iuere Ich schel telle hou hyt was þer, [folio 168a] And hou hyt hys now here. Line 1260

(I. 6. i) [D]E hostiariis. [[in margin]]

INe þe ealde lawe dore-ward Line 1261 Lokede dore and gate, Þat þer ne scholde on-clene þyng Ryȝt non entry þer-ate, Line 1264 Wel couþe: So doþ þes dore-wardes ek Ine holy cherche nouþe. Line 1267

¶ And ȝef eny oþer hyt doþ, Line 1268 Nys hyt ordre, ac ileaue [Dot in MS. after ordre.] To helpe, wane þer nede iualþ; [helpe, MS. helþe.] Ac me ne schal nauȝt reaue Line 1271 Þe office, Wyþ-oute leue to don hyt : Ne be no man so nice. Line 1274

¶ Þe bisschop, wanne he ordreþ þes, [Wright page 47] [MS. þes clerekes (clerekes added in margin by a later scribe).] Line 1275 Takþ hym þe cherche keyȝe,

And seyþ :—"takeþ and doþ fol wel, [doþ, MS. doþeþ.] Ase, wane ȝe scholle deye, Line 1278 Scholde ȝelde Acounte of þet hys þer-onder clos :" Hardyst þet, wo-so hyt felde. [Hardyst, read Hard ys.] Line 1281

¶ Ine þe temple swete ihesus Line 1282 Þyse ordre tok at ones, Þo þat he makede a baleys, And bet out for þe nones, Line 1285 Ymene, Þo þat bouȝte and sealde ine godes hous, Þat hys a hous of bene. Line 1288

(I. 6. ii) [D]E lectoribus [[in margin]]

NOu ich habbe of þe ferste yteld, Line 1289 Þat oþer wyl ich trye. Ine þe alde laȝe þe redere Rede þe prophessye, Line 1292 By wokke; So schulle þe rederes now [folio 168b] Hyrede, and conne on-lowke. [Hy, MS. By.] Line 1295

¶ Þer-fore, ere hy þys ordre haue, Line 1296 Me schel hy wel assaye, Of þat hy redeþ þat hy wel Ham conne aueye; [Ham, MS. Ram.] Line 1299 For-bede Oþe-ren to reden schal me noȝt, Ac soffry hyt for nede. Line 1302

¶ Þyse ordre swete ihesu cryst [Wright page 48] Line 1303 Kedde wel þat he hadde, [Read hedde, redde.]

Þo he toke ysaies bok Ine þe synagoge, and radde [Read hedde, redde.] Line 1306 Wet welle. [See note.] Wet he þer redde, þou myȝt se Ine seynt lukes god-spelle. Line 1309

¶ Þe bysschop, wenne he ordreþ þes, Line 1310 Þe redyng bok hym takeþ, And seyþ :—"tak and by-come redere Of word þat of god smakeþ; Line 1313 And blice Schelt habbe ase god prechour, Ȝef þou wolt do þyne offyce." [do over the line in a later hand.] Line 1316

(I. 6. iii) [D]E exorcistis. [[in margin]]

ÞE þrydde ordre [hys] coniurement, Line 1317 And was ine þe ealde laȝe To dryue out deuelyn out of men Fram god þat were draȝe Line 1320 Alyue; Þanne he mot habbe a clene gost, Þat schal þe on-clene out-dryue. Line 1323

¶ Þe bisschop, wane he ordreþ þes, Line 1324 Takþ ham bok of Cristnynge, [Takþ, MS. Take.] Oþer of oþer coniuremens Aȝeyns þe foule þynge, Line 1327 And seggeþ :— [seggeþ [: biggeþ], see note.] "Takeþ power to legge hand [folio 169a] Ouer ham þat fendes op biggeþ." [seggeþ [: biggeþ], see note.] Line 1330

¶ Þyse ordre, swete ihesu cryst [Wright page 49] Line 1331 kedde Wel þat he hedde, [kedde in MS. at the end of the preceding line, with a dot before it and another one after it.]

Þo he drof deuelen out of men Þat hym wel sore dredde. Line 1334 Þe apryse Ine þe elde laȝe hyt ferst by-gan [laȝe, MS. leȝe, added over the line.] Kyng salomon, þe wyse. Line 1337

(I. 6. iv) [D]E accolitis. [[in margin]]

ÞE Ordre ferþe, accolyt hys, Line 1338 To bere tapres alyȝte, [alyȝte is Varnhagen's emendation of the MS. reading aboute, to which a later hand has added wiȝt riȝt.] Wanne me schel rede þe gospel, Oþer offry oure dryte, [MS. offry to oure dryte ( = dryȝte), to added over the line.] Line 1341 To þenche Þat þet lyȝt by-tokneþ þat lyȝt Þet noþyng may quenche. Line 1344

¶ And wanne þat he yordred hys, Line 1345 Þe bisschop schel hym teche Hou he schel lokke cherche lyȝt, And wyne and water areche Line 1348 To synge; [synge, see note.] In tokne, taper and crowet To hand me schal hym brynge. Line 1351

¶ Þet þys ordre hedde ihesus Line 1352 We habbeþ wel a-founde, By þet he seyde :—"ich [a]m þat lyȝt Of alle þer wordle rounde Line 1355 A-boute; Wo-so lokeþ, ne geþ he nauȝt derk, [so added over the line.—ne altered from me, the first stroke having been erased.] Ac lyȝt ine lyues route." Line 1358

Line 1358

¶ Ine þe elde temple tokne was [Wright page 50] Line 1359 Of þe ordre of acolytes, Þo certeyne men lyȝte þat lyȝt, Ase þe laȝe ȝef þe rytes Line 1362 So brode; Of weche lyȝt hys ywryte [folio 169b] Ine þe boke of exode. Line 1365

(I. 6. v.) [D]E subdiaconis. [[in margin]]

ÞE ordre fifte, sudeakne hys, Line 1366 Þat chastete en-ioy[n]eþ; [enioyneþ [: aloyneþ, MS. aolyneþ] suggested by Zupitza.] For sudeakne bereþ þe chalys To þe auter and aloyneþ, [enioyneþ [: aloyneþ, MS. aolyneþ] suggested by Zupitza.] Line 1369 Ande weldeþ Al bare, and eke þe corperaus Onder þe deakne uealdeþ. Line 1372

¶ Ine þe alde lawe y-hote hyt hys, Line 1373 Þat hy ham scholde clensy Þat bere þat uessel of god, [bere, MS. þere, þ in a different hand, altered from some other letter.] And myd water bensy : Line 1376 By ryȝtte, Clenne schel he in herte be Þat schal þe chalys diȝte. Line 1379

¶ And wanne þat he yordred hys, Line 1380 He takeþ þe chalys bare, And he auangeþ a crowet eke, And a towaylle nare Line 1383 Iuere; For he schel honden helde weter Þat serueþ to þe autere. Line 1386

Line 1386

¶ Þo hym wyþ a schete ihesus [In the margin of the MS., above ihesus, a later hand has written touwayle, to be inserted before schete, but evidently meant to replace or gloss it.] [Wright page 51] Line 1387 After soper bygerte, And water in ta bacyn [The verb is wanting here; perhaps, we may supply keste. in ta = in to a.] Myd a wel mylde herte, Line 1390 And wesschte Al hys apostlene ueet, Þos ordre forþe he lesschte. Line 1393

(I. 6. vi.) [D]E diaconis. [[in margin]]

NOu of þe sixte telle ich schel, Line 1394 Þat hys þe ordre of deakne, Þet hys of more perfeccioun Þane hys ordre of sudeakne; Line 1397 He bryngeþ To honde þet þe prest schel haue, [haue written twice in MS., the second crossed out.] [folio 170a] Wanne he þe masse singeþ. Line 1400

¶ Ine þe ealde lawe beren hy Line 1401 Þe hoche of holy crefte, And nou þe stole a-fongeþ hy Ope here scholder lefte, Line 1404 To agynne, And so for þane trauaylle her Þe ryȝt half for to wynne. Line 1407

¶ And at ordres auangeþ hy Line 1408 Þe bok of þe godspelle, For þan, to rede þe gospel, And sarmoun for to telle, Line 1411 Ta-wak [Ta-wak for Ta-waky = to awaky.] Hy þet slepeþ ine senne slep, Amendement to maky. Line 1414

Line 1414

¶ Þyse ordre swete ihesu cryst [Wright page 52] Line 1415 Ine hys trauayle kedde, Þo he prechinde þet folk To ryȝtte weye ledde; Line 1418 Þe þridde [þridde, MS. þredde.] Was, þo he wakede hym self Þe apostles for to bydde. Line 1421

(I. 6. vii.) [D]E presbiteris.

ÞE seuende ordre hys of þe prest, Line 1422 An hys icleped þe ealde, Bote nauȝt of ȝeres, ac of wyt, Ase holy wryt ous tealde; Line 1425 For ȝeres Ne makeþ so nauȝt þane prest ald, Ac sadnesse of maneres. Line 1428

¶ And wanne he y-ordred hys, Line 1429 Hym falþ an holy gyse : Hys honden beþ anoynte boþe Þorȝ-out a crowche wyse, [crowche: in the MS. there is a stroke discernible between the letters c and r, which led Mr. Wright to print cirowche.] Line 1432 Ta-fonge Þer-inne godes oȝen flesch, [folio 170b] Þat fode is to þe stronge. Line 1435

¶ He takþ þe helye inne of eyþer half [helye inne, see note.] Line 1436 Yioyned atte breste, Þet no god hap ne heȝi hyne, Ne non harm hyne don deste Line 1439 In mode, Ac þenche on hym þat þolede deaþ For ous op-one þe roude. Line 1442

Line 1442

¶ He takþ þe chalys wyþ þe wyne, [Wright page 53] Line 1443 And brede of þe pateyne; He heþ power to sacry hyt, And þet þrof hys þer seyne [See note.] Line 1446 Wel trewe. Inne þe elde lawe þe ordre agan, Ine tokne of þyssere newe. Line 1449

¶ Cryst kedde þat he hys a prest Line 1450 Ryȝt in double manere : Þat on, þo he sacrede hys body, [sacrede, MS. sacreded.] Þer he set atte sopere; Line 1453 Þet oþer, Þo he an rode offrede hys body [an rode, MS. ā ro de, u erased between o and d.] For ous, my leue broþer. Line 1456

[D]E prima tonsura. [[in margin]]

TO þys ordre crounebet [Read To þyse ordres?—crounebet, read crounement? See note.] Line 1457 Ys an apparyllyng, [apparyllyng, MS. apparyblyng.] Þat hys in holy cherche y-cleped wel Þe furste scherynge [1459-1460. Read þat hys in holy cherche wel Ycleped þe f. sch.?] Line 1460 Of clerke; Clerke hys to segge an englysch, 'Eyr of godes werke.' [werke, MS. worke.] Line 1463

¶ Ac godes werk an erþe was Line 1464 Þe puple for to teche; And also þourȝ hys holy deþe Of sennes he was leche : Line 1467 Þes werkes Men takeþ after ihesu cryst, [folio 171a] Wanne hy by-comeþ clerkes. Line 1470

Line 1470

¶ And ȝyf hy douþ wel hare deuer [Wright page 54] Line 1471 Ine þysse heritage, Ne may hem falle after þys lyf Non oun-worþ desparage; Line 1474 To wysse, Ryȝt ymarissched schelle hy be In heuene-ryche blysse. Line 1477

¶ Þe croune of clerke y-opened hys, Line 1478 Tokneþ þe wyl to heuene, Þet habbe mot þat entri schel Into eny of þe seuene; Line 1481 And sedder Tokneþ, ase he ine ordre aryst, Þet hys þe croune breddour. [1482-84. See note.] Line 1484

¶ Þer drof bischop hys dignete Line 1485 To maky þulke seuene; And hyt by-tokneþ þane bisschop In þe bisschopriche of heuene Line 1488 So werthe, [MS. wrethe.] Was vicary þe pope hys [MS. Was and hys þe pope vicary,—and added over the line by a later hand; after hys, po is dotted out.] I-maked here an erþe. Line 1491

¶ Þyse ordres to þys sacrement [þyse, MS. þyþe; for this and the following lines see note.] Line 1492 By ryȝte longi scholle, And þat mo be þat gode beþ, Þes makeþ al þat folle Line 1495 Be astente; Þer-fore ich abbe ondo ȝou þos [þos, read þys?] For þyse sacrement[e]. Line 1498

Line 1498

¶ And nou ich wolle ondo þys eft [Wright page 55] Line 1499 By þe wey of mystyke; For crystene man hys godes hous: Hye mote habbe wyke [Hye, see note.] Line 1502 Þer-inne, Nou lestlich schel ich on-louke þys, [lestlich altered from lett ich, which is still quite distinct in MS.—ich (written i^c) after schel added over the line. See note.] Ase god wyle grace ȝyue. [folio 171b] Line 1505

¶ Þet ine-wyt hys þe dore-ward, Line 1506 Þe doren wyttes fyue; He schel loky wel bysylyche, Þat no lykynge in dryue Line 1509 Þat stencheþ; [stencheþ, MS. stenkeþ.] Þet inwyt hys þe reddere eke Þat holy lore þencheþ. Line 1512

¶ Þet inne-wyt dryfþ þe fend a-wey Line 1513 Myd meende of crystes pyne; Þet inwyt lyȝt þer saule lyȝt Myd þeawes gode and fyne; Line 1516 To hele, Þet inwyt wescht þe felþe awey, And greydeþ þe fessele. Line 1519

¶ Þet inwyt redeþ þat gospel, Line 1520 Wane hyt hereþ crystes lore; [hereþ, MS. herereþ.] And ȝet þer-to hys charge hyt berþ Of left half swyþe sore, Line 1523 To abyde After þys lyf þe heuene blys, And krefte þe ryȝt[e] syde. Line 1526

¶ Þat inwyt hys þe masse prest, [Wright page 56] Line 1527 Þat ine þe herte slakeþ

Þane auter of deuocioun, Wane man hys bene makeþ; [bene, first e resembling o in MS.] Line 1530 No lesse Nys hyt, wane man stedeuast by-lefþ, Sacrement of þe messe. Line 1533

¶ On inwyt mey al þys wel do, Line 1534 And ine þe manne werche, [Between manne and werche, to added over the line by a later hand; the r in werche on erasure.] Ase on may al þys ordres haue Ryt wel in holy cherche; Line 1537 Ase here, Ȝef her nys suiche mynystre non, [folio 172a] Þys temple stent iuere. [iuere ( = i[n] fēre), MS. euere.] Line 1540

¶ Þer-fore ech man þat crystene hys, Line 1541 Hys wyttes loky fyue, And þenche op-an þe lore of god, And fendes fram hym dryue, Line 1544 And lyȝte Myd gode þewes al hys lyf, And þer-to do hys myȝte; [do, d altered from t.] Line 1547

¶ And wessche and greydy hys fessel, Line 1548 And do trewlyche hys charge, [do altered from to.] And make offrynge of hys beden, [make, MS. maked.] Myd wil do elmesse large: [wil do, MS. wel to.] Line 1551 Þys wyke By þys ȝe iseoþ how ech mey do Ine manere of mystyke. Line 1554

¶ Þe signe hys of þys sacrement [Wright page 57] Line 1555 Þe bisschopes blessynge,

Forþ myd þe admynystracioun Þat he deþ atte ord[r]ynge; Line 1558 And grace Of wyt and of auctoryte Þet þyng hys ine þe place. Line 1561

(I. 7) [D]E matrimonio. [[in margin]]

HEr longeþ nou to þys sarmon Line 1562 Of spousyng for to werche, Þet hys þe tokne of þe ioynyng of Gode and holy cherche; [of in MS. at the end of the preceding line.] Line 1565 And woste, Ryȝt holy cherche ycleped hys Þat holy folk ine goste. Line 1568

¶ And ase þer mot atter spousyng Line 1569 Be ryȝt a-sent of boþe, Of man and of þer wymman ek, Yn loue and nauȝt y loþe, Line 1572 I-lyche By-tuixe god and holy folk [folio 172b] Loue hys wel trye and ryche. Line 1575

¶ Þanne aȝte men here wyues loue, Line 1576 Ase god doþ holy cherche; And wyues nauȝt aȝens men Non on-wrestnesse werche, Line 1579 Ac þo-lye, And nauȝt onwrest op-sechen hy, [onwrest, e hardly to be distinguished from o. — sechen, MS. sechem.] Ne tounge of hefede holye. Line 1582

¶ Ine wlessche ioyneþ man and wyf, [Wright page 58] Line 1583 Children to multeplye;

And god haþ taken oure flesch Of þe mayde marye; Line 1586 Wel ferren Þerof springeþ þet holye stren [springeþ, the r added above the i.] I-lykned to þe sterren. Line 1589

¶ Wel fayr þanne hys þys sacrement, Line 1590 And marye was by-gonne Þo hyt by-gan ine paradys, Are adam were y-wonne Line 1593 To senne; Ac þo changede to uylenye [þo, altered to so.] Þat stat of man-kenne. Line 1596

¶ For ȝef he hedde ihealde hym, [he written above the line (in a later hand?).] Line 1597 Ase god hym hedde y-maked, [y-maked, y added above the line by a later hand.] He hedde y-brout forþe hys bearm-team Wyþ-oute senne ismaked. Line 1600 Wet þanne? Ȝet holy stren by-tokned hys By strenyng of þe mane. Line 1603

¶ Hyt was god self þat spousyng ferst [Dots in MS. before and after ferst.] Line 1604 In paradys[e] sette; Þe fend hyt was þat schente hyt al Myd gyle and hys abette, Line 1607 Wrancheuel: Spousoþ scheawyþ wet god þer dede; [folio 173a] Hordom, wat dede þe deuel. [Hordom, MS. Hourdom, but the u seems to have been crossed out.] Line 1610

¶ For wanne man draȝþ to hordom, [Wright page 59] Line 1611 He let hys ryȝt[e] spouse; [He crossed out in MS., and the abbreviation for and written in the margin.]

So dede adam ine paradys Hys ryȝt[e] lord of house, Line 1614 Of heuene: Þe gode forhorede þe fend Wyþ hys blaundynge steuene. Line 1617

¶ Þat deþ þat god menteyneþ wel [wel in MS. at the beginning of the following line.] Line 1618 Ryȝt spousyng her an erþe, And euer mo schel go to schame Hordom, and þet hys werþe; [werþe, MS. worþe.] Line 1621 I-lome Ȝhet some weneþ ligge in spoushoþ, And liþe ine hordome. Line 1624

¶ Þer-fore ich wylle telle ȝou Line 1625 Þe lore of ryȝt spousynge, Þat ȝe ne take horedom, [ȝe, MS. he.] Wanne takeþ weddynge. [Read—Wanne ȝe t. w.?] [notabile] Line 1628 Nou lestneþ Þe lore al of þe laȝe y-wryte Þat holy cherche festneþ. Line 1631

¶ Ase to god, hyt were y-now Line 1632 Þat bare assent oof boþe, Wyþ-oute speche and by-treuþynge, And alle manere oþe.— Line 1635 And speche? Þer mote be speche, of hare assent Holy cherche to teche. Line 1638

¶ And ȝef þe man oþer þat wyf [Wright page 60] Line 1639 By cheaunce doumbe were, Ȝef [me] may wyten hare assent By soum oþer abere, Line 1642 And deaue,

Hy mowe be wedded wel ȝeng [folio 173b] By holy cherche leue. Line 1645

¶ Two manere speches beþ iwoned Line 1646 Þer two men for to nomene, [þer two, read Þer-to?] Þat one of þyng þat hys nou, Þat oþer of te comene, Line 1649 Wel couþe: "Her ich þe take" wordes beþ Of þyng þat hijs nouþe. Line 1652

¶ And ȝef me seyþe :—"ich wille þe haue, Line 1653 And þer-to treuþe plyȝte," He spekeþ of þyng þat his to come, Þat scholde be myd ryȝte Line 1656 Of treuþe; Ac þat ferste ne faylleþ nauȝt, Þat oþer may for sleuþe. Line 1659

¶ And ȝyf an oþer treuþeþ seþe [Between treuþeþ and seþe there is a blank in MS.; þe in seþe is written in a later hand.] Line 1660 Wyþ word of þat hys nouþe, Þe ferste dede halte beþ, Ne be hy nase couþe, Line 1663 As none, [1662-64. See note.] Bote ȝef þer folȝede þat treuþyng A ferst flesch ymone. [flesch ymone, read flesches ymone, or fleschlich ymone; but cp. also p. 62, l. 1747.] Line 1666

¶ For þet compleþ þet spoushod [Wright page 61] Line 1667 After þe by-treuþyng, Þat hyt ne may [nauȝt] be ondon Wyþ none wyþ-seggynge, Line 1670 By ryȝte; And þaȝ hyt were her ondo, [þaȝ, MS. þat.] Hyȝt halt wyþ oure dryȝte. Line 1673

Line 1673

¶ And her may treuþyng be ondo Line 1674 Þorwe fal[s]nesse of partye, And for de-faute of witnessyng, Wyþ wrang and trycherye; Line 1677 I-lome Me weddeþ suyche, and liggeþ so [folio 174a] For þan ine hordome. [Between þan and ine the space of two or three letters left empty in MS.] Line 1680

¶ Ne hyȝt ne may no man ondo Line 1681 By lawe none kennes, And so by-leueþ euer-mo [by-leueþ, read by-lefþ hyt?] Fort oþer wendeþ hennes: Line 1684 Þon-wyse So bryngeþ hem in suche peryl, Þat hy ne mowe aryse. Line 1687

¶ Ac ȝef eny hys ine þe cas, Line 1688 Redich þat he be chaste; And ȝyf hys make mone craueþ, Ine leyser oþer in haste, Line 1691 Lykynde, He moȝt hyȝt do wyþ sorye mod And—skyle wert—wepynge. Line 1694

¶ Ȝyt he mot gret penaunce do [Wright page 62] Line 1695 Þe dayes of hys lyue, And ȝet þe more, ȝef [he] haþ maked An hore of hys wyf[e], [The spelling wyfe [: lyue] occurs, p. 67, l. 1899.] Line 1698 Þat ere Ȝef þat he hedde y-wedded hy, A goud wymman hyt were. Line 1701

¶ For suche laȝe is þat manye beþ, [beþ, read be?] Line 1702 Men oþer wymmen of elde,

Þar suche contraȝt y-maked hys, Þat moȝe ryȝt proue ȝelde, [moȝe, MS. more.] Line 1705 And scholle; And ȝet of no lees þane of tuo Nys proue to þe folle. Line 1708

¶ And ȝyf ryȝt contract ys ymaked Line 1709 Wyȝþ-oute wytnessynge, Ȝef hy by-knoweþ openlyche By-fore men of trewynge, Line 1712 Te take To-gidere y-hoten scholle hy be, [folio 174b] Þaȝ oþer eft for-sake. [þaȝ, ȝ altered, it seems, from t.] Line 1715

¶ Þat hys, bote hy wedded be Line 1716 To oþren er hy hyȝt by-knewe; [by-knewe, MS. byknowe.] For þaȝ hy by-knowe hyt, [þaȝ, MS. þar.] Ne hys nauȝt y-helde trewe Line 1719 By lawe; For ȝef hy were, hyt scholde be Þese spousebrechene sawe. Line 1722

¶ Of ham þat scholde ywedded be [MS. Of þat (crossed out) ham þ^t.] [Wright page 63] Line 1723 Her þe age þou myȝt lerne: Þet knaue child for-tene ȝer [notabile] Schel habbe, ane tuel þe þerne. [ane = and; tuel = tuelf; same form, p. 129, l. 70.] Line 1726 Spousynge At seue ȝer me maky may, Ac none ryȝt weddynge. Line 1729

¶ For þeȝ hy were by assent Line 1730 Ryȝt opelyche ywedded, And, ase þyse childre ofte beþ, To-gadere ryȝt y-bedded, Line 1733 By ryȝte,

Bote ȝef hy ȝyue ine tyme assent, Departed be y myȝte. [y = hy.] Line 1736

¶ And þe tyme is, wane aþer can [aþer = ayþer; see note to p. 34, l. 961.] Line 1737 Oþer fleschlyche yknowe; For wanne hy habbeþ þet ydo, Ne mowe hi be to-þrowe. Line 1740 In saȝe Hy beþ icliped puberes, [puberes, MS. pukeres.] Þat hys a word of lawe. Line 1743

¶ Ne no treuþyng stonde ne schel Line 1744 Wyþ strenþe ymaked ine mone, Bote þer folȝy by assent Ryȝt flesch y-mone [flesch, read fleschlich? cf. p. 59, l. 1666.] Line 1747 Ine dede; For þet foluelleþ þat spoushoþ, [folio 175a] As ich before sede. [y erased between e and d in sede.] Line 1750

¶ And ȝyf hy boþe by assent [Wright page 64] Line 1751 Þe þrydde treuþe leyde, Her eyþer oþer for to haue, Oþer word to asenti seyde, Line 1754 Oþe[r] swore, Ȝef hy soffreþ hym mone of flesch, Hys wyf and nauȝt hys hore. [Hys = Hy is.] Line 1757

¶ And ȝef þer hys condicioun Line 1758 Yset atter treuþynge, Ȝef hyt hys goud wyþ-oute qued, Hyt letteþ þe weddynge Line 1761 On-healde, Bote ȝef þer ulesches ymone be Folȝynde, ase ich ear tealde. Line 1764

Line 1764

¶ And hit is wykked condicioun, [t in hit possibly altered from original s; is added over the line by a later hand.] Line 1765 Couenaunt of schreawed-hede; [schreawed-hede, MS. schrewead hede.] Ase ȝef he seyþ:—"ich wille þe haue Ȝef þou deist suche a dede Line 1768 Of queade;" Þaȝ þet couenant be nauȝt y-do, Hy scholle hem weddy nede. Line 1771

¶ Bote þat quead be aȝeins spoushoþ, [spoushoþ, MS. spouþhoþ.] Line 1772 Ase ich schel here teche: And ȝef man seyþ:—"ich wolle þe haue Ȝyf þou wilt be spousbreche, Line 1775 Oþer wealde [wealde, the e added over the a.] For te destruwen oure stren," Þat treuþyng darf nauȝt healde. [d in darf written on erasure in a later hand.] Line 1778

¶ Sudeakne mey be ywedded nauȝt, [Wright page 65] Line 1779 Monek, muneche, ne no frere, Ne no man of religion, Profes ȝef þat he were Line 1782 To leste: Of chaste[te] professioun [folio 175b] Hys solempne by-heste. Line 1785

¶ Ac ȝef man of religion Line 1786 Be hys ryt fre wille Ouer tyme of professioun [professioun, read probacioun; see note.] Heldeþ hym þrynne stylle, Line 1789 Relessed Schel hym nauȝt be religioun, Þaȝ he be nauȝt professed. Line 1792

Line 1792

¶ Ac ȝef þer were ryȝt treuþyng Line 1793 Þat may nauȝt be relessed, Ere hye in-to suche ordre came, And here hi be professed, Line 1796 To soþe, Hy scholde aȝen to þe spousyng, And lete al þat to noþe. [to noþe added by a later hand.] Line 1799

¶ Hye þat þe man for-leyen heþe Line 1800 Vnder hys ryȝt[e] wyf[e], Oþer ȝyf hy hosebonde heþ Ine þet spousbreche alyue, Line 1803 Bi dome, [Bi, MS. Si.] Ȝet hi myȝte be wedded eft, Ȝef hy sengle by-come. Line 1806

¶ Bote ȝef hy by-treuþede hem [Wright page 66] Line 1807 Wyþ worde of nouþe itake, [nouþe, u written over o in a later hand.] Oþer bote hy by-speke his deþe In hare senuolle sake, Line 1810 To slaȝe; For þanne scholde hy weddi nouȝt, By none ryȝt[e] lawe. Line 1813

¶ Meseles mowe y-wedded be, [MS. mowe þa, the latter underdotted.] Line 1814 Ȝef hi asenti wylle, An, þaȝ oþer bicome mesel, To-gadere healde hem stylle; Line 1817 To nomene, Bote þe treuþinge bare be [treuþinge, MS. treuþege, the second e on erasure; ge added by a later hand.] [folio 176a] Wyþ wordes of to comene. [to on erasure in a later hand.] Line 1820

¶ For ȝef þet hy by-treuþed be Line 1821 Wiþ worde of nou ytake,

Oþer wyd wordes of to come, Wiþ dede of flesches sake, Line 1824 Þer, broþer, Scel be renoueled þet a-gonne hijs, [re in renoueled (which may as well be read uoueled) above the line in a later hand. I suppose the original reading to have been uolueld.] And ayþer folȝy oþer. Line 1827

¶ Bote þe syke in-to a spytel hous Line 1828 Entry, þer beþ museles, Þanne der þe hole nauȝt Þer-ine folwy hijs meles, Line 1831 Ne hijs gyfte; [1831-2. See note.] Falþe ham nauȝt in such compaigni To-gadere be anyȝt. Line 1834

¶ And ine þe weddynge ne gaynet nouȝt [Wright page 67] Line 1835 Þaȝ þon þe oþer by-swyke, Wanne þon weneþ þe oþer be hol, [þon, MS. þem.] And wedded þane syke, Line 1838 Ne-tinde : Ne beþ no þynges bote two Þat oundoþ þe weddyng : [oundoþ, MS. -deþ.] Line 1841

¶ Þat on hys, wanne he weddeþ þe þral, Line 1842 And weneþ þe frye take; Þat oþer, wanne he weddeþ one oþer Þane hys ryȝte make, Line 1845 By-gyled : Þe lawe of god ne senteþ nouȝt Þat man be so by-wyled. Line 1848

¶ And ȝyf þet one weddeþ þe þral, [MS. ȝyf one (underdotted) þet one.] Line 1849 And weneþ þe frye weddy; And ȝyf a spyet þat soþe þrof, And wondeþ nauȝt to beddy Line 1852 Ine mone,

Ȝef he by wyl serueþ þat flesch, [folio 176b] Ryȝt partyng worthe hym none. Line 1855

¶ And ȝyf þy wyf hebbeþ a child, Line 1856 Wane þou he hest for-leye, [he=hy, accus. fem.] Ne myȝt [þou] nauȝt weddy þat childe [nota [later]] Eft, þaȝ þat þy wyf deye, Line 1859 By lawe; [By, MS. Sy.] Ne forþe þe moder þet hyt beer, Ne woldest þou nase y-faȝe. Line 1862

¶ And ȝyf þou hebbest so a child, [Wright page 68] Line 1863 Þe lawe y-wryte hyt sede, Þy wyf, þat his þyn oȝe flesch, Draȝeþ eke þe godesybred[e], Line 1866 Y-mete, Þat hy ne may weddy þat child, [.n. = nota: this and the others are later.] [.n.] Ne fade[r] þet hyt biȝete. Line 1869

¶ Þet ilke þat y-crystned hys Line 1870 Ne may weddy by laȝe Him þat hym crystneþ, ne hys child, Ne wolde nase uaȝe, [wolde = wolde he.] Line 1873 Ac lete, And eke hem þat hym hebbeþ so, [nota [later]] And alle hare biȝete. Line 1876

¶ And forþe, fader and moder [MS. for þe.] Line 1877 Þat hyne fleschlyche forþ wyseþ Gostlyche for hym by-sebbe beþ To ham þat hine baptiȝeþ; Line 1880 And heuen Þer-fore, þaȝ hy ham wedded eft, [.n.] Ne myt[e hy] so by-leuen. Line 1883

¶ And ase þe gossybrede draȝþ Line 1884 Ryȝt to ous after crystnynge,

So gossibrede draȝeþ ek Ryȝt after confermynge Line 1887 By lawe, Þat so ne moȝe hy weddy nauȝt, [folio 177a] Ne wolde hy nase y-uaȝe. Line 1890

¶ More godsibrede nys þer nauȝt [Wright page 69] Line 1891 Þane hys y-meneȝed here, Godfader wedded godsones child Fol wel, my leue fere; [.n.] Line 1894 No senne Neþ man and wyf þat weddeþ ham, Godfader þeȝ he habbe enne. [he = hy.] Line 1897

¶ And ȝyf a man hebbeþ þy child, Line 1898 And nauȝt bye þyne wyfe, Þy wyf may weddy þane man Wel after þyne lyue, [.n.] Line 1901 And libbe; And in þat cas þou myȝt weddy To þyne wyfes gossibbe. Line 1904

¶ And [þaȝ] þat lawe for-bede nauȝt [for-bede, MS. for-bode.] Line 1905 Þat man and wyf ymene Toe-hebbe a child, ȝet scholdy nauȝt [scholdy = scholde hy.] Honestete so ȝwene, Line 1908 Ne wette Schrewede tonge for te speke, For sclaunder me schal lette. Line 1911

¶ Þe sibbe mowe to-gadere nauȝt Line 1912 Þe foerþe grees wyþ-inne; Ne me ne scholde telle þe stok, [scholde, MS. scholle.] Ac after hym by-ginne [Ac, MS. þat.—by-ginne, MS. bygenne; see note.] Line 1915 To telle;

And ȝef oþer þe fifte of-takeþ, [fifte, MS. fixte.] To-gare moȝe hy dwelle. [To-gare = to-gadere.—moȝe, MS. more:] Line 1918

¶ Ȝef þou myd word of þet hys novþe [of, MS. if.—vþe in novþe in a later hand.] [Wright page 70] Line 1919 Aryȝt bi-treuþest one— Oþer þaȝ þet [þou] bi-treuþy hy nauȝt— And hast flesches mone, Line 1922 By lawe Alle here sybbe affinite [folio 177b] To þe for þan schel drawe. Line 1925

¶ And þet ine þe selue degre Line 1926 Þat hy beþ here by-sybbe; And ȝef þou weddest eny of ham. In inceste scholle ȝe lybbe [nota bene [later]] Line 1929 An erþe, Ȝef hy ysibbe ine degres Ryȝt wyþ-inne þe ferþe. Line 1932

¶ And so drawyþ hy affinite Line 1933 Wyþ alle þyne sibbe, [Wyþ, MS. Wyl.] Ase þou of hire sibben draȝst For þan, þaȝ hy ne libbe; Line 1936 Wat deþ hyȝt? [deþ, MS. doþ.] Hyt deþ þe Inonynge ine flesch, [Inonynge, probably altered from noþynge; but see note.] Þeȝ non ne wyte ne se hyȝt. [.n.] Line 1939

¶ And holy cherche y-hote heþ, Line 1940 Me schal maky þe cryes At cherche oppe holy dayȝes þre By-fore þe poeple þryes, Line 1943 To assaye, To sech contrait ȝef me mey Of destorber a-uaye. [Of, MS. Ef.] Line 1946

Line 1946

¶ For, erþe þe banes [be] y-gred, [erþe = O.E. æ¯r þan.] [Wright page 71] Line 1947 He þat þe treuþe makeþ Farþ ase he þat great work by-gunþ, And þanne conseil takeþ, Line 1950 And teyleþ; [y in teyleþ hardly distinguishable from þ.] Ac mani man þat so by-gunþ [.n.] Wyþ grete harme fayleþ. Line 1953

¶ And þaȝ þe weddyng were maked Line 1954 Ase hyt mytte by lawe, Ȝet hyt myȝte eft be ondo, And eft al-so to-drawe. Line 1957 Wet wyse? Ȝef þer ne mey noþere kendelyche [þer ne over the line in a later hand; noþere altered from neuere. The original reading was probably—ȝef me mey neuere kendelyche, etc.] [folio 178a] Do þe flesches seruyse. Line 1960

¶ Þet hys, ȝef þat ere þe weddynge Line 1961 Folle þat ylke lette, Þat oþer were so ilet, To do þe flesches dette [.n.] Line 1964 By kende; For ȝef þat lettyng velle seþe, Ne scholde hy nouȝt to-wende. Line 1967

¶ And þaȝ þet on bi-wichched be Line 1968 Þanne hy to-gadere come, Þat hy ne myȝte don ryȝt nauȝt, Ne a-sayde [hy] nase lome, [.n.] Line 1971 And wolde: Ȝet þre ȝier hy abyde scholde, To-do ere hi be scholde. Line 1974

¶ And þaȝ þat seruyse be foul, [Wright page 72] Line 1975 Ȝet hyt hys tokne of gode;

For hyȝt by-tokneþ þe takyng Of oure flesch and blode [nota [later]] Line 1978 Ine cryst[e]: No stren may non encressy [Read No stren ne may encressy nou?] Wyþ-oute flesches loste. [.n.] Line 1981

¶ And dette hyȝt hys in spousod, Line 1982 Wanne þe oþer hyȝt wolde; [wolde, MS. welde.] For ȝyf hyt þoþer nolde do, [hyt þoþer, MS. þyt oþer.] Destrayned be he scholde [.n.] Line 1985 By rytte To do hyt, ȝyf þat he may: Þe lawe heþ seche myȝte. [seche (such), MS. þehe.] Line 1988

¶ And þaȝ man habbe bysemer Line 1989 Of seche manere destresse, Be hem wel syker, hyt hys ydo For wel grete godnesse Line 1992 Of lyue; For elles nolde þe laȝe nauȝt [þe added over the line by a later hand.] [folio 178b] Of suche þynge schryue. Line 1995

¶ In spoushod beþ godnesse þre, Line 1996 Treuþe, streny[n]g, and signe. [A dot before strenyg and after it in MS.] Treuþe hys, þat þer no gile be Þourwe spousebreche maligne; Line 1999 Ac, broþer, Þat on may spousbreche by-come [.n.] For de-faute of þet oþer. Line 2002

¶ Þat oþer godnesse hys strenyng, [Wright page 73] Line 2003 Þer me may children wene; Ac ȝyf þat on þoþren warneþ hys flesch, [Dot before and after flesch.] Ne myȝt[e] hy naut strene: [.n.] Line 2006 On-nette

Þo scholde þat godnesse be [þo, MS. sþo (evidently meant for so), the s added by a later hand.] By-twene ham in lette. [in lette, MS. inlette.] Line 2009

¶ Þe þrydde godnesse hys sacrament, Line 2010 Þat hijs þe holy signe Of the ioynyng of god self And holye cherche digne, [.n.] Line 2013 Þat avayleþ; [avayleþ: the original reading seems to have been fayleþ, which was corrected by a later hand to abayleþ, or, as I should read it, avayleþ. The metre requires vayleþ.] And ȝyf [þon] þoþren warnþ hys flesch, Þat sacrement hem fayleþ. Line 2016

¶ By þyse þre hy moȝe ise Line 2017 Wanne hy ine flesche seneȝeþ, Wanne hy wyþ-oute þyse þre Wyþ fleschlich mone me[n]geþ: [.n.] Line 2020 hare oþer, [MS. hare oþer oþer, the first oþer above the line in a later hand.] Þe more hy hyt doþ, þe wors hi beþ, [hy hyt, MS. þyt; cf. 2024.] And god al-so þe loþer. Line 2023

¶ Ase ȝef hy hyȝt myȝte wel a-come Line 2024 To letten oþer wyle, And lesse do hyt þane hy doþ, Wyþ-oute oþeres peryl[e], [.n.] Line 2027 Ac blondeþ, And—nys nō ned—wyþ foule handlyng [nō above the line.] [folio 179a] Oþer oþer afondeþ. Line 2030

¶ Ne hy ne wondeþ messeday, [Wright page 74] Line 2031 Ne none holy tyde, Ne holy stede, wyþ-oute peryl Þaȝ hy myȝte abyde; [.n.] Line 2034 Spy, felþe! Þer hy myȝte hyt do kendelyche, On-kende hys hare onselthe. Line 2037

Line 2037

¶ Hyt nys nauȝt aȝens sacrement Line 2038 Of god and holy cherche, Þay hy nolde by goud purpos [þay = þaȝ.—d in goud and r (above the line) in purpos in a later hand.] Ine hare flesche werche, [werche, MS. worche.] Line 2041 By-feld; So ferde marye and ioseph, [.n.] By assent þat clene hem held. Line 2044

¶ For þey hye wolde [by assent] [þey = þaȝ. The line is too short. I have added by assent (cp. ll. 2044, 2053), which yields the two wanting stress syllables.] Line 2045 In flesch by-leue clene, Ȝet aȝeyns treuþe nere hyt nouȝt, Ne forþe aȝeyns strene. Line 2048 Hou scholde hyȝt Aȝe gode purpos of strene [be], [.n.] Bote oþer of ham wolde hyȝt? Line 2051

¶ Ne hyȝt nys aȝeyns sacrement Line 2052 By assent þaȝ hy be clene In spoushoþ, ȝef hy louieþ hem, [louieþ, MS. leuies.] And wel libbeþ imene; [.n.] Line 2055 Wytnesse Cryst and þys holy saulen eke, Al louieþ hem ine clannesse. [louieþ, the u altered to w by a later hand.] Line 2058

¶ And ȝyf boþe beþ of god wylle, [Wright page 75] Line 2059 And of assent at emne, To take to religion [.n.] And makye a vou solempne, [a between makye and vou inserted by a later hand.] Line 2062 Hy mytte In chastyte for euere mo [folio 179b] Seruy oure drytte. Line 2065

Line 2065

¶ And ȝef þat eyþer oþer may Line 2066 Kendelyche serue, Ne moȝen hy aȝeins wyl to-go, Er þane oþer schal sterue; [.n.] Line 2069 No sauue, [No sauue, read To saue?] Bote ȝef þat on for-houred be, He may de-partyng haue. Line 2072

¶ And ȝef hy so departed be, Line 2073 Chastite he mote take, So longe ase þoþres lyf ylest Þat whas hys ryȝt[e] make; [whas = was.] [.n.] Line 2076 Nyst gabbe, Ȝef he oþer þane hy for-lyþ, Aȝen a schel hys habbe. Line 2079

¶ Þaȝ hy mysdede, ȝet, and he wyle, Line 2080 Eft aȝeyn he may craue, Þaȝ þer such a departyng be, And hijs wyf aȝeyn haue, Line 2083 And scholde; Þaȝ hy wyþ-seyde hyt openlyche, [.n.] And aȝeyn come nolde. Line 2086

¶ Ac vnder-stond for þet hordom [Wright page 76] Line 2087 Þat makeþ þes to stryue, Þat eche hordom ne parteþ nauȝt Þe man al fram hys wyf[e]. [man, MS. mani or mam.] [.n.] Line 2090 Nou lestne : Ȝef þe oþer oþren so by-swykeþ, No moȝe hy nouȝt onuestne. Line 2093

¶ Ne þaȝ a wyf by-gyled be Line 2094 Of an oþer by wrake, And weneþ wel to for-leye be [.n.] Of hyre ryȝtte make; Line 2097 Ȝet more,

Þaȝ hy be strengþe be for-leye, [be, MS. ben.] [folio 180a] Takþ he nauȝt houre lore. [he = hy.] Line 2100

¶ Ne ȝef þon þoþer profreþ [profreþ, MS. proofreþ? for profereþ?] Line 2101 Wyþ any oþer to beddy; Ne ȝef þon wenþ þis oþres deþ, [Ne crossed out; the abbreviation for and written in the margin; e written over the o in þon; wenþ altered to welniþ (the l inserted, the i written over the line): all by a later hand.] And he anoþer weddy: [weddy (subj.), MS. weddeþ.] Line 2104 Þaȝ come Þe make aȝen, ne schelde hy be [.n.] To-do for hordome. Line 2107

¶ Ac ȝet, nou ounderstand for ham [ȝet, MS. het.] Line 2108 Þat gooþ a pylgrymage: On wēddeþ, þoþer abyde schel [After On a letter erased; e over the o in þoþer, þer (er abbreviated) on erasure in a later hand. See note.] Wet oþer passeþ age [.n.] Line 2111 By kende, Oþer wat þat þer be of hys deaþ Ryȝt god and certayn mende. Line 2114

¶ And ȝyf [þe] man halt ase hys wyf [Wright page 77] Line 2115 After þe gelt hys spouse, Þaȝ he by hyre ne ligge nouȝt, [notabile [later]] Oþer halt hys ine hys house, Line 2118 In tome, Ne schal hy nauȝt de-parted be Fram hym for hordome. Line 2121

¶ Þe signe hys of þe sacrement Line 2122 Þe treuþynge wel couþe, [wel on erasure.] Oþer couþe signe of þet asent, [couþe, MS. cōþey.] Wyþ worde [of] þat hijs nouþe; [.n.] Line 2125 And dygne

Þynges þer beþ her mo þan on, Onder þys ylke signe. Line 2128

¶ Þet o þyng hys þet hol assent Line 2129 By-tuixte man an wyf[e], Wat byndi[n]g hys of þe spousehoþ, [byndig for the most part on erasure, in a different hand.] [.n.] To helde to ende of lyf[e]; Line 2132 And, broþer, Þys ilke þyng a signe hys eke [Dot after þyng.] [folio 180b] Of þyng to-forin an-oþer. [to fo in a later hand on erasure, only rin original, but the last stroke of the n half erased, and after it an erasure of one or two letters. Was the original reading perhaps þer-inne?] Line 2135

¶ And þat þyng hys, as ich seyde her, Line 2136 Þo ich her-an gan werche, [werche, MS. worche.] Þe holy ioynyng of godself [.n.] And of al holy cherche; Line 2139 In tome Of spou[s]hoþ þys aueyement [aueye . ., second e over line.] Loukeþ ȝou for hordome. [ȝou written in the margin.—for, read fram?] Line 2142

ÞO seynt Iohan in þe apokalips [Wright page 78] Line 2143 Seȝ priuetes of heuene, [priuetes, MS. pruietes, the i-stroke put in the wrong place.] He seȝ a bok was fast ischet Wyþ strong[e] lokes seuene; Line 2146 A wonder! Ne myȝte hy no man ondo [myȝte, MS. myȝty (i. e. myȝte hy), hy written in the margin, in another hand.] Aboue in heuene and onder. Line 2149

¶ And þo þat seint iohan y-seȝ þat, Line 2150 Wel sore he gan to wepe; Þo seyde an angel:—"wep þou nouȝt, Ac take wel gode kepe: [.n.] Line 2153 Þys sygne

Þat holy lambe þat slaȝen hys To ondo hyt hys wel dygne." Line 2156

¶ Þys ylke bok þe mistyk ys Line 2157 Of þese sacrementis, Þat were ischet fram alle men, Wat god hymself out sent hys Line 2160 To tounne; For, be þou syker, hy were in god, [.n.] Er þan þe wordle by-gounne. Line 2163

¶ For ase he wyste wel [ynoȝ] [wel [ynoȝ], cf. p. 150, l. 586.] Line 2164 We scholde be by-gyled, So euer wyste he þat þe feend Scholde aȝen be by-wyled Line 2167 Þorȝ cryste; Ac he hyt hadde wel priue [folio 181a] For saternases lyste; Line 2170

¶ Al what os com þet ilke lambe, [Wright page 79] Line 2171 Ihesus, þat was y-slawe, Þat onne-schette þe queynte loken Þat spek of þe alde lawe, [.n.] Line 2174 And seuene So kedde out þyse sacremens, By-neþe and boue in heuene. Line 2177

¶ Þe ferste loke onleke ihesus, Line 2178 Ase he wel coude and myȝte, Þo nychodemus to hym come [notabile [later]] At one tyme by nyȝte, [.n.] Line 2181 To lerny, And he ondede hym cristendom: No leng he nolde hyt derny. Line 2184

¶ Þat lok [he] on-leak of confermyng Line 2185 Þer hijs apostles leye

Slepynde, þo þat he ham bed [he above the line in a later hand.] Aryse for to preye Line 2188 Amonge, Þat hy ne uolle into fondyng, [.n.] Ac þat hye weren stronge. Line 2191

¶ Þe þrydde loke on-leke ihesus Line 2192 Þer he set atte sopere, Þo he sacrede hys flesch and blod, Ase ich ȝou seyde hyt here, [here = ere.] Line 2195 So holde, In fourme of bred and eke of wyn, [.n.] Þat we hyt notye scholde. Line 2198

¶ And þo peter in ore nyȝt [ore, O.E. ā(n)re, MS. oȝe.] [Wright page 80] Line 2199 Þryes hedde hyne for-sake, And he by-held hyne þer a set, Ryȝt atte hys pynyng stake, Line 2202 Nem kepe, Þer he on-leke penaunce loke, [folio 181b] Þo peter gan to wepe. [MS. vor to, vor over the line in a later hand.] Line 2205

¶ Þe fyfte, þat hys Elyynge, [fyfte, MS. fyȝte.] Line 2206 Cryst on-leke to oure wayne, Þo hand and fet and al hys lymes [fet or fot in MS.?] I-persed were ine payne [.n.] Line 2209 One-helede, [One-helede, unhealed; the O looks almost like E in MS.] For al þe sennes of oure lemes : Anon so be we anelede. Line 2212

¶ Þe syxte on-leke swete ihesus, Line 2213 Of ordre noþyng orne, Þo he a-ueng for oure loue Þe croune of scharpe þornes; [notabile [later]] Line 2216 Wel wyde

Ondede þe lok of ryȝt spousyng Þe wounde onder hys syde. Line 2219

¶ For ase wymman com of þe ryb Line 2220 Of þe mannes ryȝt syde, So holyche[rche], spouse of god, Sprang of þane wonden wyde; [nota [later]] Line 2223 Nou leste Hou þat was hed conseyl ine god Sprounge hijs out at hys brest[e]. Line 2226

¶ Nou, lord, þat coudest maky open [Wright page 81] Line 2227 Þet no man coude ounschette, And canste wel schetten þet hy[s] open, [MS. þet hy be open, be over the line in a later hand.] Þat none oþer can dette, [can dette, MS. man derte.] [.n.] Line 2230 To hopye So graunte ous þyne sacremens, Þat non errour ne (ous) a-scapye; [MS. ous above the line in a later hand. See note.] Line 2233

¶ And þat we hys mote aredy haue, Line 2234 Lord, her at oure nede, Þat no deueȝl ne a-combry ous, Lord, þou hyȝt ham for-bede [.n.] Line 2237 Amonge; And for þe tokene þat we neme, [folio 182a] Lat ouse þy dole fonge. AMEN. [holy written in the margin by a later hand, and marked for inser|tion before dole.] Line 2240

Oretis pro anima domini Willelmi de Schor|ham, quondam vicarii de chart, iuxta Ledes. Qui composuit istam compila|tionem de septem sacramentis.