Select English works of John Wyclif. Vol. 3. Miscellaneous works / edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

I. SUPER CANTICA SACRA.

[Bishop Bale's catalogue is the only authority for ascribing this Com∣mentary on the Canticles to Wyclif. But in the same catalogue the well∣known Commentary on the Psalms, beginning 'Grete haboundaunce of gostly comfort,' is ascribed to Wyclif, whereas it has been shown with abundant evidence by the editors of the Wycliffite versions of the Bible (Preface, p. iv) to be the work of Richard Rolle, commonly called Ham∣pole. Now, in most (perhaps in all) of the copies of the Commentary on the Psalms—which we will call Hampole's Psalter—the Commentary on the Canticles follows without a break, and, so to speak, as a matter of course, in such a manner as to give rise to a strong presumption that Ham∣pole was the author of both. But against this presumption had to be set the undoubted fact that the Commentary on the Canticles bears in several places decisive marks of a Lollard or Puritanical cast of sentiment, which no one acquainted with Hampole's genuine writings, and with his life and character, so far as known, could possibly father upon him. It was mani∣festly the fact of the occurrence of these Lollard passages which induced Bale, and many others since his time, to attribute the Commentary to Wyclif. Out of these difficulties, some introductory verses prefixed to a copy of the Psalter and Canticles, contained in a MS. of about the middle of the fifteenth century (Laud, 286), seem to afford the means of extrica∣tion. This MS. stops short at the seventh canticle, the Magnificat, omit∣ting those five, the commentary on which in Bod. 288 and other MSS. contains most of the Lollard passages before mentioned. The writer of the introductory lines, after saying that this is the same Psalter as that which lies chained at Richard's own place of burial, in the nunnery at Hampole, thus proceeds:—

'Copyed has þis Sauter ben of yvel men of Lollardry, And aftirward hit has bene sene ympyd in wiþ eresy. They seyden þen to leude foles, þat it shuld be all enter A blessyd boke of hur scoles, of Richard Hampole þe Sauter. Thus ho þei seyd to make þem leve on her scole thoro sotilte, To bring hem in, so hem to greve, ageyn þe feyth in grete fole; And sclaundrid foule þis holy man wiþ her wykkid waryed wyles;' &c.

The Lollards then, it seems, had been grafting heresy, that is, their peculiar opinions, into the Psalter (in which general expression it seems certain that the Canticles are included) of Richard Hampole, and then circulating it as, in its entirety, 'a blessed book of their schools.' From these words it may clearly be inferred that the copy to which these lines are prefixed, and in which the handwriting is the same throughout, was the genuine work of Hampole, free from all Lollard interpolations. What difference this makes in the Psalter itself, I am not prepared to say with certainty; but the form which it wears in Bod. 288 (a MS. containing all the passages of advanced Lollardism in the Canticles) appears, from a tolerably close examination, to present scarcely anything that could be decidedly pronounced to come from a Lollard pen. But in the Commentary on the Canticles, the difference caused by presenting them in the form exhibited in the copy of this ardent versifier, as compared with that which they bear in Bod. 288, is very great. The former copy, containing only seven canticles, has not a single word which might not have been written by Hampole. The latter, containing twelve canticles, has in it, especially in the commentary on the Benedictus, passages which only Wyclif or one of his disciples could have composed. The conclusion which I arrive at therefore is, that in this Commentary on the Canticles, we have, down to the end of the seventh canticle, a genuine work of Richard Hampole, retouched in certain MSS. by a Lollard hand, but that the five remaining canticles are a later addition, made either by Wyclif himself, or by his school. Some confirmation of this view may be found in the fact that the valuable New College MS. (No. 95) of which, nearly, if not absolutely, all the remaining contents are of Wyclif's compo∣sition, gives just these five later canticles, and none of the seven earlier ones.

The text is based on Bod. 288 (T in this edition). The scribe seems to have been imperfectly acquainted with Latin, and has made frequent blunders in quoting the Latin originals; these I have corrected either from other MSS. or from the Vulgate. Other MSS. of the whole or of a portion of the Canticles are the following; of the whole, Laud 448, University College, Oxford, 56 (although in this MS. the commentary on the last six canticles is wanting, as if the scribe had been afraid to reproduce it); Magdalen College, Oxford, 52; of Nos. 1-7, Laud 286; of Nos. 8-12, New College, Oxford, 95; of Nos. 11, 12, Laud 174; of No. 12, Douce 258.

'In the Old Testament Canticles there is no agreement with either Wyc∣liffite version; in the Benedictus and Nunc Dimittis the agreement is very close with the earlier version.'—Shirley's Catalogue, p. 37.

These twelve canticles (or rather these eleven canticles and one creed, the so-called Symbolum Athanasii) are found intermixed among the Psalms, as they are appointed to be read on the different days of the week in the Psalter of the Roman Breviary (ed. Lyons, 1546). Thus a commentator, who besides commenting on the Psalms, should have explained these canticles, would have given a commentary on the entire contents of the Psalter in his Breviary, with the exception of the Symbolum Apostolorum.]

[THE THANKSGIVING OF ISRAEL.]

[ISAIAH, ch. xii.]

Confitedor tibi, Domine, quia iratus es michi; con∣versus est furor tuus, et consolatus es me: I schall schryve to þee, Lord, for þou art wraþþed to me; turnyd is þi breeþ, and þou cumfortidist me.

Þat is, to þe heriyng of þee I schall schryve my synnes; and þat I schal do, for þei displesen þee, and maken þee wraþþid to me synnynge, and I may not preie þee, but if I fordo my synne. Þerfor verry schrift is levynge of synne, þat turneþ þi breeþ fro me; but þou turnyst eendelees peyne which I have disserved lyvyng, into schort penaunce of a soruful herte, absteynynge fro synne. And in þat, Lord, þou cumfortist me, þat þis sentence in dyverse stidis of þi lawe is approvyd, not in newe writynge and newe confirmacioun, for noþing is, to trowe sooþ, left out of þe sentence of þi lawe. Þis cumfort bowiþ into myn herte, knowynge of feelinge of þi love, delyverynge my conscience of alle byndinge errours. Ffor

Ecce, Deus salvator meus, fiducialiter agam et non timebo: Loo, God is my saveour, tristfulli I schal worche, and I schal not dreeden.

Alle men, biholden; Lo, Jesus Crist is my saveour, clensinge me of synne, and delyverynge me of turment. Now he me saveþ turnyd to him, whom he bifore blyndide turnyd to þe world. Þerfor tristfully I schal worche, dredynge no man, seiynge boldly þat he schal come to deeme, ȝeldynge to ech man aftir his deede. Þe deedis of tirauntis and of ipocritis, hiȝed in þis world, ensaumplinge wickidenes, schulen be lowid þoru peyne eendelees, whanne trewe meke men schulen have coroun of joie; and I schal not dreede to seyn it, þouȝ I be

dispisid þoru soggestioun of my false briþeren for my soþ∣fastnes. Whi?

Quia fortitudo mea et laus mea [Vulg. laus mea Dominus.] , et factus est mihi in salutem: For my strenkþe and myn heriing oure Lord, and maad he is to me in helþe.

My strenkþe of whom I am stalworþe is Crist, for of mysilf I am ful week; and myn heriing is heriinge in Jesus, for I seke in wil, word, and werk not myn heriing but Cristis; and he is maad to me double heelþe, aȝein Adam þat brouȝte me in seekenes of deeþ, and aȝein hem þat in blindenes of malice pursuen me for my sooþsawe [clause om. in U.] . But ȝe þat wolen folowe þe fforme of þis conversacioun,

Haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus salvatoris, et dicetis in illa die, Confitemini domino et invocate nomen ejus: Ȝe schulen drawe watirs in joie of þe wellis of þe saveour, and ȝe schulen seie in þat day, schryveþ to þe Lord and incleþiþ his name.

Ȝe schulen drawe þoru charite and mekenes watir of devo∣cioun of hevenly desiris in joie, ȝeldinge servise to God of þe wellis, þat is, of þe plenteuouse graciouse ȝiftis of Jesus Crist; and ȝe schulen sey to oþere in þat day,—þat is, whanne ȝe drinken of so cleer wellis of Cristis lawe þat purgiþ alle þe vicis, and leven þe mody watirs of mannys lawe troublid wiþ coveitise and lustis,—Schryveþ to oure Lord ȝoure synnes, for he oonli ȝeveþ pardoun, and so inwardly inclepiþ his name, þat is, lyveþ so þat ȝoure liif schewe þe heriing of Jesus; and þat may not be but ȝe þoru charite inclepen his name to ȝou, makynge ȝou þoru mekenes his woniynge stide. If þou do þus,

Notas facite in populis adinvenciones ejus, mementote quia excelsum est nomen ejus: Makiþ knowen in þe folk þe fyndingis of him; biþenkiþ [So in U; unbiþinkiþ, T.] for his name is hiȝ.

Here he monestiþ ech man to lyve wel, and prestis to make knowe opinly Cristis meedful werkis. Makiþ knowen, þat is, prechiþ among þe folk, what?—fre soþfastnes, þat þei moun knowe his incarnacioun, þoru þe which he found oure heelpe. And telliþ to hem alle fablis left, þat he is not founden but in

meke and wilful charyte ful worching; and beþinkiþ, þat is, holdiþ him evere in mynde, or in þinkinge, or in spekinge, or in worchinge, þat ȝe no tyme be founden out of his heriynge; for he failiþ no tyme, here in helpinge, ne in hevene of meedynge. And, for his hiȝ name Jesus is above alle names, holdiþ þat in ȝore þouȝt, for it is of greet virtu in a clene soule; fot þoru þe virtu þerof is ech soule clensid of vicious filþe. And if clensid it kepiþ cleene, bowynge þereinne abundantly grace of parfiȝt knowynge of virtues, no devel ne yvel man may noien þat soule, þouȝ þe body suffre peyne in which it restiþ peesibly. It is of so greet virtu þat blynde men coveyten to bere it on hem, but þe help of Jesus is not wiþ hem, to meede hem in hevene, þat beren it not in clennes of lyvynge, ne it failiþ not hem þat lyven wel, þouȝ þei herden nevere speke þerof. Ȝe þat moun heere and seke to knowe Goddis wille, tristiþ in heringe of it in ȝoure hertis, not in schewinge þerof in ȝoure cloþinge, for it suffriþ not þe love þerof fallen into pride ne covetise aȝens Goddis honour, as Lucifer and Adam diden.

Cantate domino quia magnifice egit, Anunciate hec in universa terra: Syngiþ to oure Lord for worschipfully he dide, schewiþ þat in al þe erþe.

Ȝe loviers of þe name of Jesus, syngiþ to oure Lord in con∣templacioun, for þere is delitable cumfort. Þerfore is it riȝt clepid contemplacioun, for þe soule [corrected; T has oule; U om. the clause.] of a good man or womman in þis liif haþ no cumfort but þereinne. Þerfor þerwiþ wel worchinge honouriþ Jesus Crist, for worschipfully he dide þe heelþe of mankynde, diynge þerfore, savynge synful wrecchis þat wolen leve synne. What þing is more bifore God þan to ȝelde good aȝen yvel? þerfore schewiþ þat worschipful þing among alle men. But þou namely,

Exulta et lauda, habitatio Syon, quia magnus in medio tui Sanctus Israel: Be glad and merie, þe wonyng of Syon, for greet in myddis of þee þe holy of Israel.

Þou lovier of Crist þat wonyest in Syon, þat is, in holy Chirche and contemplacioun of God, for þou art maad þe wonying of Crist, be glad, þat is, schewe þee wel cheerid in þi soule, worch∣inge

gode werkis, and herye God, þat haþ do so to þee þat þou hast wille to love him and noon oþer. Þerfore greet he is in þee þoru love and virtu, he þat is halowe of Israel, þat is, Crist halowynge þee in his love, þat is verri Israel in truþe, hope, and charite, seeynge þere þoru God.

[PRECATIO EZECHIAE.]

[ISAIAH xxxviii. 10.]

Ego dixi; In dimidio dierum meorum vadam ad por∣tas inferi: I seyde, in half of my daies, I schal [go] to þe ȝatis of helle.

Ezechie þe king, aftir his siiknes, grauntynge of liif xv ȝeer over, herieþ God, and seiþ, I seide in myn herte, dispeiringe of liif, fro I hadde herd þe vois of deeþ of þe profetis mouþ, In half of my dayes, þat is, in unperfiȝtnes [So in U; T om. in.] of werkis not fulfillid, þe dayes in whiche I schulde have lyved, I schal go to þe ȝatis of helle; þat is, I þus unperfiȝt, diynge, schal passe to helle, for þidir ȝeden alle men bifore þe comynge of Jesus Crist. And þerfore,

Quesivi residuum annorum meorum. Dixi, non videbo domum Domini ['Dominum Deum' in the Vulgate.] in terra viventium: I souȝte þe levyng of my ȝeeris; I seide, I schal not se þe Lord in þe lond of lyvynge.

I souȝte, preiinge to God, þat I myȝte eende þe levynge of myn ȝeeris, þat is, þat I myȝt bringe my liif to perfiȝtnes and fulnes of daies. For I seide in mysilf, if I now die wiþouten child, I schal not se God-man in hevene; as who seie, I cam nevere þere. For he wiste þat God hadde hiȝt, þat Crist, Goddis Sone, schulde be borun of his kynde, and þat myȝt not han be, speciali, if Ezechie hadde died and left no seed aboven erþe. Ffor I seide,

Non aspiciam hominem ultra, et habitatorem quietis: I schal not seen man overe, and wonier of reste.

Þat is, if I die now, I schal not seen him þat is God and man borun of my kynde, over, þat is, aftir þat I be deed; and so I schal not seen wonyer of reste, þat is, I schal not seen cum∣panyes of chosun men wonyinge in eendelees reste, ne wone wiþ hem where is delitable reste. Ffor lo,

Generacio mea ablata est, et convoluta est a me quasi tabernaculum pastorum: My generacioun is raft, and togidere lappid is fro me, as tabernacle of heerdis.

My generacioun, þat is, successioun of children, is so holly moved fro me as a tabernacle of heerdis, þat in schort while [is] lappid togidere, and remewede [So in U; T has is not seen remount.] is not seen. And þerwiþ,

Precisa est velud a texente vita mea; dum adhuc ordirer, succidit me: Bifore schoren is as þe wevyng my liif; whilis I was in wevynge he kit me doun.

My liif is schoren awey, ȝouþeheed bifore er I come to eelde, as of þe wevynge þat scheriþ doun þe web, er it be fully woven. And ȝit while I bigan to lyven he scheriþ me doun wiþ sikil of deeþ, for no sunner bigynne we to lyven þan we bigynnen to dien.

De mane usque ad vesperam finies me. Sperabam usque ad mane, quasi leo sic contrivit omnia ossa mea: Fro morn to even þou schalt eende me. I hopide to þe morn, as lioun so I brak alle my boones.

Iȝe [he, U.] spekiþ in a maner of a man þat liiþ in a strayt fevere, þat fro þe morn to even abidiþ, aftir passing of þe yvel or of þe deeþ. I hopide to þe morn, þat is, al nyȝt, to be releeved or to dien. As lyoun þat noþing spariþ, so God in my siiknes brak alle my boones, þat is, wastide al myn strenkþe.

De mane usque ad vesperam finies me. Sicut pullus yrundinis sic clamabo, meditabor sicut columba: Fro morown to even þou schalt eende me. As a bird of a swalowe, so I schal crie, I schal þinke as a dowve.

Þou schalt eende me, þat is, I abide myn eende fro morn to even. Þat he rehersiþ þis twies, he schewiþ þe greetnes of his

yvel, and þe worchinge, as þe maner of siik men is whanne þei felen riȝt hard, and witen not what þei moun best seyn. As bird of swalowe þat gredily askiþ mete, so in siike, woundid in sorowe, and in noye of siiknes, schal I crie to God my leche, þat I now fynde his hoolsum medicyn; and I schal þinke as a douve, þat is, mekely, wiþouten galle of grucching, ire, and wickid wille, stilly usynge sorowynge for my synne, cum∣fortynge me in hope of God wiþ devout song of meditacioun, not wiþ song of vanite. And in þis cry and þinkinge,

Attenuati sunt oculi mei, suspicientes in excelso ['excelsum' in the Vulgate.] : Thynnyd ben myn iȝen, uplokynge in hiȝ.

Myn iȝen ben þinned, þat is, my þouȝt and myn entent ben purgid of vile lustis, and foule willis, and veine þouȝtis, and maad sotil and semely in þe love of Jesus Crist; and so þei ben uplokinge in heiȝte to þe joie of hevene, not pressid doun in love of þis world.

Domine vim patior; responde pro me quid dicam; aut quid respondebit mihi cum ipse fecerim: Lord, force I suffre, answere for me what schal I seyn, or what schal I [he, U.] answere to me whanne I have do.

Lord, I suffre force, þat is, violence of siiknes and disesis above my myȝt; [þat is [These words are redundant.] ] answere for me, þat is, be boru of myn amendement; for my wille is, if þou wilt suffre, to amenden þat I have errid. It is greet perel to synnen, but myche more to be founde in ligginge where God is borowe; þerfore ech Cristen man þat þoru synne brekiþ his truþe dis∣pisiþ þe boruheed of Crist, þat witnessiþ ech trewe mannys truþe. But what schal I sey to God whanne I suffre riȝtwiisli þis peyne? or what schal God answere to me whanne I have synnyd grevousli in his siȝt, and he but as riȝtwiis venger of synne puneschiþ it riȝtwiisli? For he is makir of my kynde, as a sliȝ werkman, knowynge betere how his hondi-werk is defoulid þan I, þouȝ I were keper þerof. For whanne I hadde defoulid it, I coude not, ne noon oþir, amenden it wiþouten him; and I knewe þat I have ofte defoulid his werk wilfully, and he

as ofte haþ recounsilid it; but now me schameþ wiþ mysilf, knowinge him for hiȝest Lord, and me for moost vile wrecche. How schulde I dore þinke to meve him þus ofte to amende my wilful defaute? As who seie, þe best is in al angwische to take Goddis sooude mekely, and preien him of mercy, þat dide as it was his wille. And þerewiþ,

Recogitabo tibi omnes annos meos in amaritudine anime mee: I schal þinke aȝein to þe alle my ȝeris, in bittir∣nesse of my soule.

I schal þinke to þee, þat is, for þe heriyng of þee I schal bringe to my mynde alle my ȝeeris, þat is, al my liif þat is passid, in which I knowe me coupable; and þat in bittirnes of my soule, þat is, bittirnes of sorowe be in my soule for my synnes, and so I schal þoru þi mercy waische me clene of alle filþis, lovynge þi name wiþouten eende, more qwemynge þee wiþ heriinge þan evere I displeside þee in synnynge.

Domine, si sic vivitur, et in talibus vita spiritus mei, corripies me, et vivificabis me. Ecce in pace amaritudo mea amarissima: Lord, if man so lyve and in sich þe liif of my spirit, þou schalt chastise me, and þou schalt qwikene me. Lo, in pees my bittirnes bitterist.

Lord, if man so lyve, as who seie, it is a general rule þat man so lyve, þat is, þoru verri penaunce,—and in siche, þat is, hatrede of synne and in love of riȝtwisnes, is þe liif of my spirit,—ellis it is deed,—þerfore þou schalt chastise me here as þou doost þi sones, þat I peresche not wiþ sones of þis world wiþouten eende. And chastisynge þou schalt quykene me, þat is, þou schalt ȝeve to me perfiȝt heelþe. For lo, in pees, þat is, in verri pacience, is my bittirnes, þat is, my siiknes; and tribulacioun þat þou sendist, of me is suffrid pacientli and in pees wiþoute grucchinge, þouȝ it be seen bitteriste while oþere men ben in welþe.

Tu autem eruisti animam meam ut non periret, pro∣jecisti post tergum tuum omnia peccata mea: But þou delyveridist my soule þat it pereschide not, þou kestidest bihynde þi bak alle my synnes.

Þou ordeynedest me to þi love, and into þin heriyng; delyvere my soule of deeþ of synne, þat it peresche not wiþ þe soulis of

wickide men, which þou neiþer delyverist fro synne ne fro helle. Þou castidest bihynde þi bak to forȝeting alle my synnes, þat þou se hem not to ponesche, for whom þou hast poneischid sufficientli here, þou wolt not ponesche eft wiþoute newe forfetynge.

Quia non infernus confitebitur tibi, neque mors lau∣dabit te; non expectabunt qui descendunt in lacum veritatem tuam: For helle schal not schryve to þee, ne deeþ schal not herie þee; and þo þat liȝten in þe lake wole not abide þi soþfastnes.

Helle,—þat is, he or sche þat is sett in þe derk ground of synnes; for siche schulen not schryve to þee; for þe devel byndiþ his herte and his mouþ, þat he telle not his synne to þee wiþ wille to amende it. Ne deeþ, þat is, he þat is deed in dispeir, schal not love þee, for no fair heriyng is in þe mouþ of þe synful man. And þo þat liȝten in þe lake of dampnacioun schulen not abide þi soþfastnes, þat is, þei han noon hope to be delyverid þoru Jesus Crist, bier of mankynde. But,

Vivens, vivens, ipse confitebitur tibi, sicut et ego hodie; pater notam faciet filiis veritatem tuam [corrected; T has suam; U om.] : Lyvynge, lyvynge, he schal schryve to þee, as and I in þis day; fadir schal make knowen to sones þi soþfastnes.

Lyvynge in body and lyvynge in grace, he schal schryve to þee, lovynge þi name, as I þis day, þat is, in þis present liif, schal herie þee. For ech good fadir bodili and goostli lyvynge in dreede of God, aftir þe foorme of trewe matrimonye, or after þe office of trewe presthood, schal make knowen to hise sones þoru trewe teching þi soþfastnes, þat is, verri soþfastnesse of truþe in þe loore of Cristin mannys religioun. For wiþ wrong is he clepid fadir of whos fruyt God is not heried.

Domine, salvum me fac, et psalmos nostros cantabi∣mus cunctis diebus vite nostre in domo Domini Dei nostri: Lord, make me saaf, and oure salmes schulen we synge alle þe dayes of oure liif in þe hous of oure Lord God.

Lord, make me saaf of þe devels foundingys, and of alle oþere yvelis wiþinne and wiþoute, and we schulen synge oure salmes,

þat is, we schulen make solempne þin heriingis wiþ herte, mouþ, and hond, alle þe dayes of oure liif, þat is, contynuely while we ben in goostly liif, and in charyte in Goddis hous, þat is in holy chirche; of dwellinge out þerof, þouȝt of herte, ne salm of mouþ, ne werk of hondis, is not qweemeful to Jesus Crist.

[THE SONG OF HANNAH.]

[1 SAM. ii. 1-10.]

Exultavit cor meum in Domino, et exaltatum est cornu meum in Deo meo: Myn herte gladide in oure Lord, and myn horn ys hiȝed in my God.

Helcana þat was fadir of Samuel hadde two wyves, Ffen∣nenne [Phenenna, in Vulg.] and Anne. By Ffenenne, þat first woxe in berynge of children, is bitokenyd þe synagoge of þe Jewis; by Anne, þat was first bareyn, and siþin bigan to be more multiplied þan þe toþir, is bitokenyd þe Chirche of Cristen men. Wherfore Anna brest forþ in heriynge of God, and made þis Salm, enditinge it þe Holy Goost, stirynge us to þe heriinge of oure God þat haþ take us fro þe errours of heþen men. At þe bigynnyng of her song sche schewiþ þat in God is her deliit, and seiþ, as in figure of us, Myn herte gladide in my Lord, in þe fruit of good werk and of meedful meditacioun, þat was sory for my bareynheed; and hiȝed is myn horn, þat is, my goostli strenkþe, in þe which I putt awey my scoorners, hoping in my God, not in mysilf, ne in vanyte of þis world.

Dilatatum est os [corrected from Vulg. T has cor.] meum super inimicos meos, quia letata sum in salutari tuo: Largid is my mouþ upon myn enemyes, for I joiede in þin heelþe.

Þat is, wilfully and wiþ gladnes I openede my mouþ in þe heriinge of God, above my foos, þat is, moore þan þei þat schameden me and dispisiden me bifore; and þat for I joiede

not in pompe and in vanyte of vein joie, but in þin heelþe, þat is, in Jesus, þat me haþ hiȝed in vertu.

Non est sanctus ut est Dominus, neque enim est alius extra te, et non est fortis sicut Deus noster: Noon is holy as oure Lord, for noon oþer is out of þee, and noon is stalworþe as is oure God.

Noon is hooly, þat is, fre of synne, as is oure Lord Jesus Crist, for noon oþir is þat is holy out of þee, for in þee and þoru þee is ech man hooly. And noon is stalworþe to vengen yvele deedis as oure God is, þat ȝeldiþ to ech man aftir his yvel wille. Þerfore þe [ȝe, U.] scorners and þe [om. U.] dispisers of meke pore men, and honourers [So in U; honouris, T.] of riche men,

Nolite multiplicare loqui sublimia gloriantes: Williþ not multiþlien to speke hiȝe þingis gloriynge.

Williþ no moore ȝeve to ȝoure tunge leve to speke proudli, for þat ȝe ben hiȝed of þis world, for þat myȝt is but schame and sorowe to ȝou, if ȝe coveiten hem, joiynge in richessis þoru pride in ȝoure delicis and leccherye. And if ȝe biþouȝten ȝou wel, ȝe schulden have more sorowe þan joie, for ȝe ȝeten noon oþir hevene, but if ȝe dispende hem at Goddis wille.

Recedant vetera de ore vestro, quia Deus scienciarum Dominus est, et ipsi preparantur cogitaciones: Olde þingis departiþ fro ȝoure mouþ, for God of sciencis is Lord; to him ben redied þouȝtis.

Olde þingis ben lesyngis, false oþis, cursingis, sclaundringis, backbityngis, and grucchingis aȝens Goddis wille and his sooude, whiche schewen þat ȝe dwellen in ȝoure oold liif; but if ȝee wolen plese God, departe þo fro ȝoure mouþ þat ȝe use hem no more, but newe speche in newe liif; for God of sciencis þat al woot and al may is Lord, streitly deemynge ȝoure oolde errours, and to him ben þouȝtis redyed, for he knowiþ wel al þat ȝe þinken, and whereinne ȝoure deliit is moost. Fyve þingis ben founden in a man,—þouȝt, affeccioun, entent, werk, and speche. Þe þouȝt schulde be devout and hooly, þe affeccioun cleene, þe entent riȝt, þe werk riȝtwiis, and þe speche atempre.

Arcus fortium superatus est et infirmi accincti sunt robore: Þe bowe of þe stalworþe is overcomun, and þe siike ben gird wiþ strenkþe.

Þe bowe of þe staleworþe is þe trist of riche men and cove∣touse, þat þei beenden to wynne to þe honour and lordschip of þis world, and þat is overcomun, for Crist haþ dampnyd it, and schal breken it, and casten it into þe fier of helle. And siike men, þat is, meke men and feble in her owne iȝen, wiþoute presumpcioun and pride, ben gird wiþ strenkþe, þat is, wiþ goostli virtu; þei ben maad stable and lastinge in good þouȝt, to fiȝte aȝenis her goostli enemyes wiþ devoute preiers, and aȝein her bodily enemyes wiþ meke suffraunce; for alle gode men han manye foos, while þei ben in þis liif.

Repleti prius, pro panibus se locaverunt, et famelici saturati sunt: Firste fillide for looves þei leyden hem, and þe hungry ben fillid.

Who þat first werun fillid in erþeli lustis and bolueden in looves, þat is, for fode of soule, þei leyden hem, þat is, þei ȝeven hem mekely to resseyve þe loore of hevene; and so þe hungry, þat is, desirynge riȝtwisnes and þe word of liif, ben fillid in swetnes or eendelees joie. And so longe schal þis goostli breed laste,

Donec sterilis peperit plurimos, et que multos habebat filios infirmata est: Til þe bareyn have boren manye, and siche þat hadde many sones be maad siik.

Til þe bareyn, þat is, þe Chirche of Cristen men þat first was bareyn of truþe and good werk, have borun manye sones goostli to Crist, and þe synagoge, þat hadde manye fleschly sones, was maad syke [So in U; T has liik.] , þat is, it is knowen þat it brouȝt no man to perfeccioun, and now bringiþ no man to salvacioun.

Dominus mortificat et vivificat, deducit ad inferos et reducit: Þe Lord sleeþ and he qwikeneþ, he lediþ to helle, and he bringiþ aȝein.

Oure Lord sleeþ hem þat loven þis liif outragiousli, and qwikeneþ hem þat forsaken þis world and dispisen þis liif for þe liif eendelees. He lediþ to helle, þat is, he settiþ drede of helle in synful men, and so he bringiþ hem aȝein to hope of liif.

Dominus pauperem facit et ditat [corrected from Vulg.; dicat, T.] , humiliat et sub∣levat: Oure Lord makiþ pore and he makiþ riche, he mekiþ and he upliftiþ.

Oure Lord mercifully makiþ a pore man riche of eendelees goodis, revynge his herte fro covetise and erþeli love; for he made him not riche þoru riȝtwiisnes, but if he firste made him pore in herte þoru mersy. He mekiþ þe proude to peyne of devels, and upliftiþ þe meke to joie of aungelis.

Suscitans de pulvere [corrected from Vulg.; pulverem, T.] egenum, et de stercore erigens pauperem: Reisynge þe nedy out of dust, and out of fenne riȝtinge þe pore.

Reisinge wiþinne þoru grace out of dust, þat is, fro yvel liif þat is stirid wiþ ech wynd of temptacioun, þe nedy, þat is, him þat knowiþ his goostli nede, and þerfor is he evere askynge of God þat he be stable in his love and not movable as dust; and out of þe fenne, þat is, of corrupcioun of bodi, riȝtynge þe pore þat dispisiþ þe falsheed of þis world, makinge him þoru grace þe holy lovere of Jesus Crist.

Ut sedeat cum principibus, et solium gloriae teneat: Þat he sitte wiþ princis, and holde þe soler of glorie.

Þat is, þat he be wiþ meede and reste of þe apostlis, and in þe day of doom holde þe trone and þe pouste of deemynge.

Domini enim sunt cardines terrae, et posuit super eos orbem: For þe lordis ben þe haccis [herres, U.] of þe erþe, and he sette on hem þe world.

Þe herris of erþe ben þe perfiȝt men of holy Chirche in truþe and charite, þoru whiche oþere men ben brouȝt to stablenes and fastnyng; and he sette on hem þe world, þat is, hem he sette þe ground of his Chirche, as wyde as it is þoru þe world.

Pedes sanctorum suorum servabit [corrected from Vulg.; servabunt, T.] ; impii et in tenebris conticescent [corrected from Vulg.; conticissent, T.] , quia non in fortitudine sua roborabitur vir: Þe feet of hise seyntis he schal kepe, and þe wickid in derknes schulen be stille, for not in his stalworþnes schal a man be strengþid.

Þe feet, þat is, þe gode affecciouns and þe devoute desiris, of

hise seyntis, þat is, of hem whiche he halowiþ and holdiþ cleene, he schal kepe fro fallyng, for on þo feet þei goon to God. And wickide men wiþouten pite of her owne soule, in derkenes of ignoraunce and yvele deedis, schulen be stille, þat þei heve not God to queeme [love not God, U.] , ne schryve her synnes verrily. For not in his stalworþnes is a man strengþid, þat is, holy men han no presumpcioun of her owne virtu ne of strengþe, as proude men han, which strenkþe is chesoun of her dampnacioun.

Dominum formidabunt adversarii ejus; et super ipsos in coelis tonabit: Þe adversaries of oure Lord schulen drede him, and above hem in hevene he schal þundir.

Goddis enemyes ben alle þat doon aȝein riȝtwiisnes, or þat loven falsheed. And if þei wolen not now dreede wiþ her wille, þei schulen be maad to drede him aȝein her wille, whanne he schal deeme; þanne he schal orribly þundir above hem his dreede, seiinge to hem, Go, ȝe wariede wiȝtis, into fier wiþouten eende, þat is greiþid to þe devel and hise angels.

Dominus judicabit fines terre, et dabit imperium regi suo, et sublimabit cornu Cristi sui: Oure Lord schal deeme þe eendis of þe erþe, and he schal ȝeve empire to his kyng, and he schal hiȝ þe horn of his Crist.

Oure Lord schal deeme þe eendis of erþe, not þe bigyn∣nyngis ne þe mydward; for ech man schal be deemyd of God, sich as he is founden in þe eende of his liif. And þanne he schal ȝeve empire, þat is, alle chosun men þat lyveden in hise com∣aundementis, to his kyng, þat is, to Crist, þat is his sone king. And he schal hiȝen þe horn of his Crist, þoru þe which he blew away al þe myȝt of his enemy.

[THE SONG OF MOSES AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.]

[Ex. xv. 1-19.]

Cantemus Domino, gloriose enim magnificatus est; equum et ascensorem [corrected from Vulg.; assensorem, T.] dejecit in mare: Synge we to oure Lord, for gloriousli he is worschipid; þe hors and þe stier he caste doun into þe see.

We þat ben lad out of Egypt, þat is, out of þe derknes of vicis and out of þe affliccioun of erþeli bisynes, synge we to oure Lord, þat is, herie we him, þankinge him wiþ al þe devocioun of oure herte, for gloriousli he is worschipid in sich delyveraunce, þat deeþ is distried in glorios victorie. Þe hors, þat is, alle dampnable wrecchis þat now beren hem ful proude, and þe stier, þat is, þe devel, whom alle yvele membris [men, U.] beren [From U; om. T.] , he caste doun into þe see, þat is, into þe pit of helle. Þis schal be fulfillid in þe day of doom; þerfore we, þoru grace de∣lyverid, synge we to God and seie,

Fortitudo mea et laus mea dominus, et factus est mihi in salutem: My strengþe and myn heriynge þe Lord, and maad he is to me into heelþe.

Þoru him we ben stalworþe to stonde, þoru him we schulen be heried, whanne oure enemyes þat ben now heried schulen be dispisid; and he is maad to us into heelþe eendelees, and her stiȝer to hem to eendelees dampnacioun.

Iste Deus meus, et glorificabo eum, Deus patris mei, et exaltabo eum: He is my God and I schal glorifien him, God of my fadirs, and I schal hiȝen him.

He, þis Jesus Crist, ȝever of grace, is my God; and þerfore I schal glorifien him. Þat is, I schal seke his joie and heriyng,

not myn, for he is God of my fadir, patriarkis and apostlis, and I schal hiȝen him þat his name be honourid þoru me.

Dominus quasi vir pugnator, omnipotens nomen ejus; currus Pharaonis et exercitum ejus projecit in mare: Þe Lord as a man fiȝter, almiȝti his name; þe cartis of Farao and his oost he caste into þe see.

Oure Lord is fiȝtir, for he betiþ out þe devel fro þe hertis of hise servauntis; Almyȝti is his name, for noþing may aȝen∣stonde him. And þat is wel seene, for þe cartis of Farao, þat is, þe boostful pride of þe devel, and his oost, þat is, alle unriȝtwise men þat serven to him as hise trewe knyȝtis, for þei han levere to dien in pryde and in malice þan to lyve in meke∣nes and charite, hem he caste into þe see, þat is, alle siche on domesday schal Crist caste wiþ þe devel, fadir of alle þe children of pride, into þe bittir peyne of helle wiþouten eende.

Electi principes ejus submersi sunt in mari rubro. Abyssi operuerunt eos; descenderunt in profundum quasi lapis: Hise chosone princis ben drenchid in þe Reed see. Depnessis hiliden hem; þei liȝtiden into þe depnes as a stoon.

Þe chosone princis of Sathan ben þe gloriouse princis and prelatis, wiþ oþere lustful riche men of þe world, þat setten al her love and her likyng in erþeli welþe; þese schulen be drenchid in þe Reed see of eendelees fier, for here þei ben drenchid in þe blak see of synne. Depnesses of helle schal hile hem, þat þei se no more of her vanyte; þei liȝtiden into þe ground of turmentis, as a stoon cast into þe ground comeþ nevere aȝein.

Dextera tua, Domine, magnificata est in fortitudine; dextera percussit inimicum; et in multitudine glorie tue deposuisti omnes adversarios tuos: Þi riȝt hond, Lord, is worschipid in strengþe; þi riȝt hond smoot þe enemy; and in mychilnes of þi glorie þou didist doun alle myn adversaries.

Þat is,—Lord, þi Sone schewide strenkþe aȝein þe devel, and refte him his myȝt; and for þe heriyng of þi myche joie þou didist doun alle yvele spiritis and vicis of her oold seete, þat þei hadden no power in my soule.

Misisti iram [So in U; T has terram.] tuam que devoravit eos sicut stipulam;

in spiritu furoris tui congregate sunt aque: Þou sentist þi wraþþe þat eet hem as stoble. In spirit of þi breeþ gaderid ben watris.

Þou sentist þi wraþþe, þat is, þou didist veniaunce on hem, þe which eet hem as fier waastiþ stoble; hard veniaunce is in fier. In spirit of þi breeþ, þat is, þy spirit wraþþide, gaderid ben watirs of al turment to synful men.

Stetit unda fluens; congregati sunt abyssy in medio maris: Þe flowynge watir stood; gaderid ben depnessis in myddis of þe see.

Þe flowynge watir stood, þat is, þe peyne of proude bolnyd maliciouse dampnyd men and wommen lastiþ wiþouten eende. Gaderid ben depnessis of alle sorowis in myddis of þe see, þat is, in þe foulist pitt of helle, þat þei ben poneschid þere eende∣lees, þat ben depe here in malice and wickidnes. But first,—

Dixit inimicus, Persequar et comprehendam, dividam spolia, implebitur anima mea: Þe enemy seyde, I schal folowe, and I schal take, and schal departe spoilis, my soule schal be fulfillid.

Þe enemy þe devel seide, I schal folowe wiþ yvel eggyng Cristen men þat turnen out of Egypt and hasten into þe lond of hevene, and I schal pursue hem wiþ snaris of dyverse temp∣taciouns and manyfoold errours and fantums. I schal departe spoilis, þat is, whanne þei ben wiþdrawe fro clennes and charite, I schal putt hem in dyverse vicis and crueltees, and so my wille schal be fulfillid in hem. For þe devel coveitiþ no moore but to han me out of charite, for þanne ben þei lost fro grace if þei dwellen in pride and malice. And if þei stonden aȝein me,—

Evaginabo gladium meum, interficiet eos manus mea: I schal drawe out my swerd, and hem schal myn hond sle.

I schal outdrawe, þat is, apeertly I schal schewe bifore her iȝen my swerd, þat is, venemouse lustis and likingis of deedly synnes, and þoru þo my myȝt schal sle hem goostli. Manye he sleeþ but not alle, and al his malice schal þe wickider ben.

Flavit spiritus tuus, et operuit eos mare, submersi sunt quasi plumbum in aquis vehementibus: Þi spirit blew, and þe see hilide hem; drenchid þei ben as leed in grete watris.

Thi Spirit blew, þat is, veniaunce passynge of þi wille fel on hem; þe see hilide hem, þat is, þe devel wiþ alle þat he haþ disseyved schulen be swolowid of helle, þat þei angre not aftir gode men. Drenchid þei ben hevy as leed, for birþun [birþen, U.] of synnes, in grete watris, þat is, in grete turmentis þat nevere moun be goon.

Quis similis tui in fortibus, Domine? quis similis tui magnificus in sanctitate, terribilis atque laudabilis, et faciens mirabilia? Who is þee liik in stalworþnes, Lord? who is þee liik, worschipful in holynes, feerdful and preisable and doinge wondris?

Who is liik to oure Lord? as who sey, noon; for he dooþ al þat he wole, and noþing is doon wiþouten his suffring and his wille. Þerfore is he worschipful in largete of ȝiftis of grace to holy men, feerdful in veniaunce of yvele men, and to herien in delyveringe of riȝtwise men, and doynge wondris in hiȝinge of meke men and pore, and in doun-castinge of proude men.

Extendisti manum tuam, et devoravit eos terra. Dux fuisti in misericordia tua populo tuo, quem redemisti: Þou strecchidist þin hond, and þe erþe devouride hem. Leder þou were in þi mercy to þi folk þat þou bouȝtist.

Thow schewidist þi myȝt to þe veniaunce of hem þat weren eten here wiþ erþeli covetise, sleinge hem sodeinly, and put∣tinge hem into helle; but in þi mersi þou leddist to hevene alle meke folk, dispisers of synne, for þei ben þin heritage bouȝt wiþ þi blood.

Et portasti eum in fortitudine tua, ad habitaculum sanctum tuum: And þou beere him in þi strenkþe to þin holy woniyng.

Þat is, in þi virtu and þi goodnes þou berist þi loviers fro þe malicious bisynes of þis world to þi wonying in eendelees joie.

Ascendunt populi et irati sunt; dolores optinuerunt habitatores Philistiim: Þe folk stieden and weren wraþþid; sorowis weeldiden þe wonyers of Filisteis.

Gode men dispisen þis liif and haasten to hevene; þanne fendis and yvele men comen and casten before hem manye

noyes to letten hem; and if þei moun not overcomen hem, þei waxen wroþe, and þoru her wraþþe and indignaciouns, þe whiche þei han aȝein riȝtwise men, þei ben endurid in her unskilful errour til eendelees deeþ weelde hem. And so þei ben liik to þe wonyers of Filistiym, þat ben fallynge þoru drinke, for þei ben drunke þoru malice and pride, þat þei han no witt to amende hem, but liggen as drunken men in erþeli lustis.

Tunc conturbati sunt principes Edom, robustos Moab obtinuit tremor, obriguerunt omnes habitatores Cha∣naan: Þanne ben troublid þe princis of Edom, tremblynge weel∣dynge þe stalworþe of Moab, alle þe wonyers of Chanain waxen starke.

Þe princis of Edom ben erþeli kyngis, þat of pride and tirauntrie þristen mennys blood wiþ injuries; þese schulen be troublid whanne Crist deemeþ, þouȝ þei ben now holden ful glorios. Þe stalworþe of Moab ben alle þe proude princis [proude men, U; rest of sentence om.] , prelatis, and prestis of þis world, þat maken hem stronge in getynge of richessis þat Crist and hise forbeden to hem. Boost∣ynge of her power schulen tremble, for her dampnacioun may not be aȝein-clepid, for stinkinge of her ypocrisie. Wonyers of Chanaan ben chaunsable men and unstable in good purpos, knowen defautis and amenden hem not, but for love of covetise, or for drede of noies, ofte tymes assenten or letten to sey þe soþe. But manye of þese schulen be movyd þoru truþe and charyte, and so þei schulen waxe starke for drede, havynge sorowe in her hertis for lackinge of socour to helpe in Goddis cause, for enemyes schulen multiplie, and fewe doren holde þe truþe. But, for þou failist not in dayes of angwisch to þi loviers,

Irruat super eos formido et pavor in magnitudine brachii tui: Falle on hem dreede and qwaking in þe greetheed of þin arm.

That is, make þin enemyes in drede of þi doom so afeerd for þee, þat þei have no myȝt to distrouble þi servauntis in her weye.

Fiant immobiles quasi lapis, donec pertranseat popu∣lus tuus, Domine, donec pertranseat populus tuus iste

quem possedisti: Maad be þei unstable as a stoon, til þat þi folk passe, Lord, til þi folk passe, þis is þe which þou hast weldid.

Þat is, yvele men be holden in hardnes of obstynacioun, til þat þe folk þat þou hast chosun be groundid in stedefast bileeve, for þanne þei ben passid þe dreede of þis liif.

Introduces eos, et plantabis eos in monte hereditatis tue, firmissimo habitaculo quod operatus es, Domine: Þou shalt lede hem into þe lond, and þou schalt sette hem in þe hil of þin heritage, and in þi fastist wonyng, þe which þou wrouȝtist, Lord.

Þat is, þou schalt out-lede hem þat ben out-cast and deed for þi love into þe lond of lyvynge, and setten hem an hiȝ in heven, þat is fast wonyng wiþoute angir or envye, þe which þou wrouȝtist to hem, þat þei moun be in endelees rest. And þat is,

Sanctuarium tuum, Domine, quod firmaverunt manus tue. Dominus regnabit [corrected from Vulg.; regnavit, T.] in seculum et ultra: Þi seyn∣tuarie, Lord, þe whiche þin hondis fastneden. Oure Lord schal regne wiþouten eende and over.

In þat seyntuarie oure Lord schal be kyng, þat is, in all savyd men wiþouten eende; and over, he seiþ, for he is bifore al þing, and over al þing,—bifore al þing as maker, bifore al þat is maad,—and over al þat is or schal be, for of him þei ben alle, and wiþouten him moun þei not be.

Ingressus est enim eques Pharao cum curribus et equitibus in mare, et reduxit super eos Dominus aquas maris: Pharao and hors wiþ charis and horsemen entriden into þe see, and oure Lord brouȝte on hem þe watirs of þe see.

Þat is, þe devel sittinge in yvele men is entrid into þis world to tempten and to angren wiþ alle hise lymes gode men; but oure Lord bringiþ on him and alle hise þe peynes of helle.

Filii autem Israeli ambulaverunt per siccum in medio ejus: But þe sones of Israel ȝeden bi drie, in myddis of it.

Þat is, trewe Cristen men, folowynge Crist, passen þoru þe world to hevene by þe drie wey of meke chastite and charyte, wiþoute watris of fleschli lustis.

[THE PRAYER OF HABAKKUK.]

[HAB. iii. 2-19.]

Domine, audivi audicionem tuam, et timui: Lord, I herde þin heeryng, and I dredde.

Lord, þoru þe pryvyte of þin incarnacioun I knew þee verri God, havynge mersy of þin hondywerk, and I dredde; þat is, þouȝ al my soule were glad, I helde me unworþi to heere sich an heerynge.

Domine, opus tuum, in medio annorum vivifica illud: Lord, þi werk, in myddis of ȝeeris, qwikene it.

Lord, þis woundirful natyvyte of þe Mayden is þi werk, not werk of mannys kynde; in myddis of ȝeeris, þat is, in fulnes of tyme, qwikene it, þat is, sende þi Sone to qwikene us.

In medio annorum notum facies. Cum iratus fueris, misericordiae recordaberis: In myddis of ȝeeris þou schalt make knowen. Whanne þou were wrappid, of merci þou schalt biþinke.

In þe laste eelde þat now is, þat is clepid myddis of ȝeeris, for it is in fulnes of tyme and of grace in which Crist is maad knowen to alle þat wolen come to him, for now is þe tyme in which he þouȝte to do mersy.

Deus ab Austro veniet, et sanctus de monte Pharon: God schal come of þe Souþ, and þe holy of þe hil of Faron.

Þat is, Jesus Crist shal come þoru truþe and love bi þe myȝt of his Fadir and þe heete of þe Holy Goost, and knowynge of his lawe.

Operuit celos gloria ejus, et laudis ejus plena est terra: His glorie keveride hevenes; and of his heriing ful is þe erþe.

Þat is, truþe and love þoru þe which he is glorified hilide þe apostlis and oþere holy men as honorable cloþing, and so he is heried þoru al holy Chirche, of hem þat weren þis cloþing, and of noon oþir, þouȝ þat he be in holy Chirche [U om. of hem—Chirche.] .

Splendor ejus ut lux erit, cornua in manibus ejus: Þe schynyng of him schal be as liȝt, hornys in hise hondis.

Þat is, þe verri knowyng in his lawe makiþ alle men þat holden it briȝt and schinynge in his love, for it suffriþ not þe knower to erre. He knowiþ it verrili þat fulfilliþ it, not þat rediþ it or telliþ it, for so doon ipocritis, enemyes þerof; and hornys in hise hondis, þat is, hise hondis weren strecchid and nailid in two corners of þe cros. Bischopis mytrid wiþ two hornys figuren þat þei schulden þoru good ensaumple putte þe folk fro vicis to virtues, but now þoru pride and covetise þei ben principal ensaumpleris of turnynge fro virtues to vicis; for þe which distruccioun Crist dyede on þe cros. Ffor,

Ibi abscondita est fortitudo ejus. Ante faciem ejus ibit mors: Þere is hiȝid his strengþe. Bifore his face deeþ schal go.

There, þat is, in mekenes of þe cros, was hid in manheed þe strenkþe of his Godheed; and þere deeþ wolde have fled his prescence, but it myȝte not; for he diynge overtook deeþ and slouȝ it, as he seiþ, Deeþ, I schal be þi deeþ, and helle, I schal be þi bityng. He þat bitiþ a þing, he takiþ a part þerof in his mouþ and anoþir part he leveþ wiþoute; so dide Crist wiþ [Hos. xiii. 14.] helle. Alle gode men he took wiþ him, and develis and yvele men he lefte þere.

Egredietur dyabolus ante pedes ejus. Stetit et mensus est terram: Þe devel schal goon out bifore hise feet. He stood, and he mat [mette, U.] þe erþe.

Ffor at þe comynge of Jesus Crist þe devel ȝede out of manye bodies and soulis, and þanne Crist stood and mat þe erþe, þat is, chosun men he took as his owne, and ȝaf hem grace and joie aftir þe mesure of his ȝevyng.

Aspexit et dissolvit gentes, et contriti sunt montes seculi: He bihelde and he looside folkis, alto broken ben hillis of þis world.

He bihelde wiþ iȝen of mersy, and he looside folkis of boondis of synne; and þanne þe hillis, þat is, proudist men þat bolneden in erþeli hiȝnes, ben alto broken, þat is, þei weren þoru Cristis loore maad ful meke.

Incurvati sunt colles mundi ab itineribus eternitatis ejus: Incrokid ben þe hillis of þe world fro þe weies of his eendeleesheed.

Þat is, lasse proude men crokiden hem to þe bowynge to Cristis comaundementis; and ȝit fro þat þei knewen hise weyes, bi þe whiche he clepiþ to eendelees joie.

Pro iniquitate vidi tentoria Ethiopie; turbabuntur pelles terre Madian: For wickidnes I say þe tentis of Ethiopie; troublid schulen be þe skynnes of þe lond of Madyan.

Þe tentis of Ethiopie ben alle þat serven to þe devel, for þei ben blake and foule of synne; þe skynnes of Madyan ben alle þat dreeden not þe riȝtwise doom of God, and al þese þe pro∣fete say be troublid in peyne and turmentis for her wickidnes. But,

Numquid [So in U and Vulg.; T has nunquam.] in fluminibus iratus es, Domine? et in flu∣minibus furor tuus? vel in mari indignatio tua? Wheþir, Lord, in flodis þou art wrappid, or in flodis þi breeþ, or in þe see þin indignacioun?

Þat is, wheþir þou schalt suffre alle to peresche, and al þis world to falle in veniaunce. As who seþ, Nay, ffor þou art now he,—

Qui ascendis [So in U and Vulg.; assendis, T.] super equos tuos, et quadrige tue salvatio: That stiest on þin horsis, and þi charis salvacioun.

Þat is, þou sittist in þe apostlis, and in alle holy techers þoru þe world, to werren aȝein þe devel; þi charis,—propirly þat ben þin evangelistis, for þei ben salvacioun [So in U; savacioun, T.] of men þat ben saaf þoru þe holy evangelie.

Suscitans suscitabis arcum tuum, juramenta tribubus que locutus es: Reisinge þou schalt reise þi bowe, ooþis to kynredis whiche þou speke.

Þat is, þou reisinge holy writt in þe knowynge of þin apostilis schalt reise it in alle her meke folowers to worche þereafter, þat lay slepinge while men undirstoden it not, for þe oolde lawe was mysty til it was qwikenyd þoru þe Spirit of Crist, and so þou schalt fulfille þe ooþis þat þou madist to þe kynredis of Israele.

Fluvios scindes terre; viderunt te [aque [Not in Vulg.] ], et doluerunt montes; gurges [corrected from Vulg.; gurgies, T.] aquarum transiit: Streemys þou schalt schere to þe erþe, hillis seien and sorowden; þe dam of watres passide.

Þese streemys ben holy loore fadris, þe whiche Crist departiþ to dyverse stidis, þat men þoru hem moun take weetynge of hevenly deew to her drie hertis. Þese saien hillis, þat is, proude men reisid above oþere for richessis and pride, and þei sorowiden for her synnes, resseyvynge holsum medicyns of her hevenly lechis. And so þe dam of watris, þat is, þe abundaunce of goostly loore, passiþ wondirfulli þoru þis fals world fro lovier to lovier of Crist. Ffor,

Dedit abyssus vocem suam, altitudo manus suas leva∣vit [cor∣rected from Vulg.; levabit, T.] : Depnessis ȝaf his nois, hiȝnessis liftide hise hondis.

Þat is, þo þat weren in þe ground of yvelis ȝeven her vois of aȝein-seiing to soþefastnes, as oure prelatis wiþ her obedienseers and her lyvyng dispisen þe mekenes and þe povert of Crist; and þe hiȝnes of þe world reisid power to distrie trewe Cristen men, adversaries to hem. And nevere-þe-lattir [neþeles, U.] ,

Sol et luna steterunt in habitaculo suo; in luce sagit∣tarum tuarum ibunt, in splendore fulgurantis hastae [corrected from Vulg.; hauste, T.] tue: Þe sunne and þe moone stoden in her wonyng; in liȝt of þin arrowis þei schulen go, in schynynge of þi liȝtnyng or gliteringe spere.

The sunne, Crist, and þe moone, oonheed of holy Chirche, stoden; þat is, lastingly þis oonheed, ground of al goodnes, stondiþ in riȝtwise men, for þei schulen go þoru liȝt of þin arrowis, þat, is, of þi þurlinge wordis, þoru londis and stondis, woundinge mennys hertis wiþ þe love of þi lawe; and in schynnynge of miraclis of parfiȝt lyvynge þei schulen make men afeerd as leiȝtynge dooþ, to dwelle in her synne.

In fremitu conculcabis terram, et in furore tuo obstu∣pefacies gentes: In gnastynge þou schalt trede þe erþe, in þi wraþþe þou schalt stonye folkis.

In gnastynge, þat is, drede of þi riȝtwise doom, þou schalt

meke þe hertis of manye proude men and covetouse; and in þi wraþþe, that is, in manaassinge of eendelees fier, þou schalt make maliciouse men stonyed for wo þat is comynge to hem.

Egressus es in salutem populi tui, in salutem cum Christo tuo: Þou art goon out in heelþe of þi folk, in heelþe wiþ þi Crist.

Þat is, þou schewidist þee, and ȝit schalt to þe eende of þe world, þoru trewe preching and lyvynge þereafter, to þe helþe of trewe Cristen men dwellinge in hele, wiþ þi Crist Jesus oure Lord, ensaumpler of al trewe preching and lyvynge.

Percussisti caput [corrected from Vulg.; capud, T.] de domo impii, denudasti funda∣mentum ejus usque ad collum: Þou smyte þe heed of þe hous of þe wickid, þou nakidist þe foundement of him to þe necke.

Þe devel, þat is heed of alle þe sones of pride, þou smyte out of þe hertis of many wickide men in hour of þi deeþ; and so it is to trowe þat þou schalt smyte þe heed of pride regnynge in hiȝe princis and prelatis, þe whiche blenden þe peple bi pryve ipocrisie, and so þi loviers schulen be stablid in þi trewe trouþe of þi lawe, aftir þe knowinge of þis ipocrisye. And þou nakidist him to þe necke, þat is, þou reftist him al þe lappinge of pride and ipocrisie whereinne he hadde trecherousli hankid þi chosun, and so þe devel and his proude lymes han lost her power in trewe Cristen men, and ben left but nakide heedis of hem, þat schulen regne above hem in helle. For God wole þat he þat eggiþ a man to yvel have double penaunce of him þat dooþ yvel.

Maledixisti sceptris [corrected from Vulg.; ceptris, capita, T.] ejus, capiti [corrected from Vulg.; ceptris, capita, T.] bellatorum ejus, venientibus ut turbo ad dispergendum me: Þou cursidist to hise ceptris, to þe heed of hise fiȝters, comynge as whirlewynd to scatere me.

Þe kyngis ȝerde and þe bischopis staf bitokenen her regalte and her dignyte, by þe whiche þei schulen mayntenen and rulen hemsilf and her sogetis in resoun and Goddis lawe; and if þei be turnyd [corrected; turyd, T.] lastynge into tirauntrie and ipocrisie þoru pride and covetise, God schal dampne hem as wickide men in whiche þe devel haþ myȝt, regnynge in hem for her synne. And also

þou cursidist þe heedis of hise fiȝters, for noon of þese hiȝe princis or prelatis doon her deedis aloone by hemsilf, wiþouten assent of counceilers; þerfore he cursiþ her wickide coun∣ceileers, as hedis and capteyns of her bateils, fiȝtinge aȝens Jesus Crist in levynge of hise comaundementis, in lyvynge, in lustis and likyngis. For alle þese ben helpers to þe devel þat comeþ wiþ manye temptaciouns to waiste gode men as dust bifore wynd. But,

Exultatio eorum sicut ejus qui devorat pauperem in abscondito: Þe gladnes of hem, as of hym þat devouriþ þe pore in hidlis [hiddil, U.]

Þat is, al her joie is brouȝt to nouȝt, as of him þat spoiliþ a pore man, whanne he hadde ben riche and is not, and so he is disseyved; so schulen þese tirauntis of pride fallen in her owne turn, whanne þei pursuen þe meke þat doren not keveren þe soþe.

Viam fecisti in mari equis tuis, in luto aquarum mul∣tarum: Weye þou madist in þe see to þin hors, and in þe leir of many watris.

Þat is, in vile and clam coveitise of men, turnynge hem par∣fiȝtli to þee, lovynge þee oonli for þi silf, and noon oþir creature but for þe and in þee.

Audivi, et conturbatus est venter meus, a voce con∣tremuerunt labia mea: I herde, and my wombe is troublid, fro þe vois irembliden my lipps.

I herde, þat is, I undirstood þoru þe Holy Goost what an∣guische gode men schulen suffre in þe eende of þis world, and my wombe, þat is, my freelte, is stirid fro dreede, for þe vois of þat heeryng; my lippis trembliden, þat is, I qwook for dreede of þe synne of my mouþ filid in speche, and wonyinge among folk þat haþ foule lippis, foulid wiþ vein speche and unnayt; as who seie, I dreede to telle holy wordis wiþ my foule mouþ, fillid wiþ unhoneste wordis. But I, trustynge to Goddis mersy, forsakinge and levynge my synne, aftir scharp sorowe sorowide þerfore, wantinge ablenes of men and covenable tyme; and I clenside my mouþ spekynge Goddis wordis, þat bifore was filid þoru unfructuouse jangelingis.

Ingrediatur putredo in ossibus meis, et subter me scateat: Rotynge go in my bones, and undir me springe.

Þat is, my flesch rote to my boones, and undir me springe rotynge ful of wormes; þis befalle me heer, þat I may fle þe worse.

Et ut requiescam in die tribulacionis, et ascendam ad populum accinctum nostrum: Þat I reste in day of tribu∣lacioun, and þat I stie til oure fold gird.

Þat I reste wiþ halowis in day of moost angwisch, þat is, in þe day of doom, and þanne stie to þe cumpany of folk gird, þat was so gird in þe love of Crist þat þei fouȝten aȝen alle yvele stiryngis stalworþli for þe love of Crist. Þe profete assentiþ not to þe love of ony creature þat coveitiþ þat he rote above erþe, or he suffre peyne in þe toþir world. And siþen he þat was so holy, for drede of peyne aftir þis liif, and for greet desier to be wiþ his love, Crist, coveitide here to rote quyk if God wolde suffre it, what schulen we, þat hoten grete avowis to voiden angus and siiknessis of þis liif?

Ficus enim non florebit, et non erit germen in vineis: For þe fige-tre schal florischen not, and burioun schal not be in þe vigners.

Þat is, greet part of Cristen men þat seemede to be swete in devocioun schal no flour schewe of virtu. For þe rote of charite, þat is, þe kepinge of Cristis comaundementis, þat was wont to make men drunken in goostli joie, schal faile in hem for her double synne, doon of hemsilf and suffrid in her neiȝ∣bore; and so þei schulen be drie and to noþing able but to brenne in helle.

Mencietur opus olive, et arva non afferent cibum: Þe werk of þe olyve schal lien, and feeldis schulen not bringe forþ mete.

Þat is, hiȝe kyngis and prestis schulen faile fro mersy, op∣pressynge her sogetis by her statutis, and her feyned sensuris, more for her displesing þan for brekinge of Goddis biddyngis; and so þei lien to God, for þei doon not as þei hiȝten. And feeldis, þat ben her sogetis, myche for defaute of pilinge, schulen faile to ȝeve goostli fruyt to paie wiþ God; for how schulde þat lond bere good fruyt þat nediþ boþe tilinge and

dungynge and haþ neiþer? Here moun sovereyns drede þe synne of her sogetis, leste it be arettid to her defaute. But schulen sogetis ben excusid of her synne, for þei have noon good informacioun of her curatis? Nay whi? for þei han resoun to lede hem wiþal, in love of God principalli, and to do nouȝt to her neiȝbore þat þei wolden were not do to hem. And faile þei not of þis double charite, and Crist schal not faile to ȝeve hem double ȝift, to norischen wiþ her bodies and save þerwiþ her soulis.

Abscindetur [corrected from Vulg.; abcidetur, precepibus, T.] de ovili pecus, et non erit armentum in praesepibus [corrected from Vulg.; abcidetur, precepibus, T.] : Awey schal be smyten beest of þe foold, and neet schal not be in þe cribbis.

Beest he clepiþ ech yvel Cristen man, lyvynge as beestis, unresonable in lustis and likyngis; alle siche schulen be smyten awey as dede lymes out of þe fold of holy Chirche. And neet, þat is, goostli travelours, schulen not be in cribbis, þat is, in þe degrees of riȝt liif; for neer-hond alle at regard schulen falle in to errour, and þe moost perel of alle schal be, þat þe greet multitude of yvele men schulen grevousli pursue þe fewe loviers of Crist.

Ego autem in Domino gaudebo, et exultabo in Deo Jesu meo: But I in oure Lord schal joien, and I schal be glad in God my Jesus.

Þis is þe sawe of chosun men, þat lasten stably in Goddis love; as who seye, þei þat han here joie in erþe schulen perische þerewiþ, but I schal joien in my Lord Jesus þoru swetnes of his love; and I schal be glad in God my Jesus, þat is, my saveour, not in þe fals world þat is leser of alle þat it loven.

Deus meus fortitudo mea, et ponet pedes meos quasi cervorum [corrected from Vulg.; servorum, T.] : God Lord my strenkþe, and he schal sette my feete as of hertis.

Yvele mennes fete are sette [So in U; T has yvele men ben sett.] as of weike [wayke, U.] assis, þat ben fastnyd as in myddis of depe leir; so yvele mens affecciouns ben yvele, for þei ben evere tackid wiþ sum love þat drawiþ hem fro Goddis love. But holy mennys affecciouns ben as of hertis, þat liȝtly lepen over all lettingis, and casten out fro her

hertis al vile glat [glet, U.] þat stoppiþ her breeþ. Ellis myȝten þei nevere verrili loven Jesus Crist.

Et super excelsa mea deducet me victor in psalmis canentem: Aboven myn hiȝe my victor schal lede me, in psalmes syngynge.

Crist, þat is verri victor of deeþ and of þe devel, schal lede me syngynge to his heriinge, in salmes, þat is, gode werkis, and goostly devocioun above myn hiȝ, þat is, above al bodily þing þat semeþ hiȝ to fleschli men. He schal lede wiþoute dreede in þis liif, to hiȝ contemplacioun of God.

[THE SONG OF MOSES.]

[DEUT. xxxii. 1-43.]

Audite, celi, que loquar, audiat terra verba oris mei: Hevenes, heere ȝe þat I schal speke, þe erþe heere þe wordis of my mouþ.

That is, ȝe men þat han ȝoure conversacioun in hevene, and ȝe þat ben in actif liif, undirstondiþ þat I schal seie; beriþ witnes þat I holde not stille þe wickidnes of my folk.

Concrescat ut pluvia doctrina mea, fluat ut ros elo∣quium meum: My loore growe in reyn, as deew renne my word.

That is, my loore make þe heerers of it to bere goostli fruyt multiplied in þe reyn of hevene, and my wordis renne in mennys hertis as deew of grace, þat may coole hem in temptaciouns fro heet eof vicis.

Quasi ymber super herbam, et quasi stille super gra∣mina. Quia nomen Domini invocabo: As reyn of gras, and as dropis of buriownyngis, for þe name of oure Lord I schal inclepe.

My loore be to ȝou as reyn in gras, þat is, make it to be greene in þe buriownyngis of virtues; and seemynge it is þat I be herd, for I schal inclepe God into myn herte, heriinge him overe alle þingis, in herte and mouþ and werk, not oonli honoure him wiþ my lippis, as riche men and fleischely doon. Þerfore,

Date magnificenciam deo nostro. Dei perfecta sunt opera, et omnes vie ejus judicia: Ȝeveþ worschip to oure God. For of God ben parfiȝt werkis, and alle þe weies of him doomes.

That is, al þat he doiþ he doiþ wiþ doom, wheþir he take us or he forsake us; he þat wole not erre leede him in alle þingis, in trewe doom of discrecioun, kepinge him fro foly deemynge.

Deus fidelis et absque ulla iniquitate, justus et rectus. Peccaverunt ei, et non filii eius in sordibus: God is trewe and wiþouten ony wickidnes riȝtwise; and riȝt þei synneden to him, and not hise sones in filþis.

God is trewe in his heetynge, and he noieþ to no man riȝtwiis in ȝeeldinge and in vengynge. Firste synneden to him oure former fadris, and siþen yvele sones in filþe of synne; as who seye, not oonli oure former fadris synneden to him, but no sone of her ospring is, þat ne he is taken in filþe of synne.

Generacio prava atque perversa. Haeccine [corrected from Vulg.; eccine, T.] reddis domino, popule stulte et insipiens? Generatioun schrewid and weyward. Wheþir þou ȝeldist to oure Lord yvel for good?

As who seye, is þat covenably doon, þe servaunt to do to his Lord? þerfore se, pore fool, what wrecchidnes þou art in and unwiis, þat wolt not wyte to how greet turment þou goest for þi wilful foly.

Numquid non ipse est pater tuus qui possedit te, fecit, et creavit te? Wheþir he is not þi fadir þat weeldiþ þe, and made, and wrouȝte þee?

As who seie, him þou schuldest love as þi fadir þat made þee man and ordeynede þee to his heritage, if þou þisilf wilt.

Memento dierum antiquorum, cogita generationes singulas: Biþinke of oolde dayes, þinke alle generaciouns.

How þat he delyverede his folk of dyverse perels, and how he echide encreessingli hise servauntis among yvele men, not lesynge hem. If þou wolt wyte þat þis is sooþ,

Interroga patrem tuum, et annunciabit tibi; majores

tuos, et dicent tibi: Aske þi fadir and he schal schewe to þee, þi sovereyns, and þei shulen sey to þee.

What is al þat þou hastnede to cunne? Aske of þi prelat or of þi prest, for þei ben bounde to teche þee; and if þei failen in þis loore, wiþ wrong þei occupien heerdis office, for in þat is knowen a trewe heerde fro an hiyrid hyne, þat he leede hise scheep in hole pasturis and plentenous.

Quando dividebat Altissimus gentes, quando sepa∣ravit filios Adam: Whanne þe hiȝeste departide folkis, whanne he twynnede þe sones of Adam.

Þis departyng was whanne men bigunnen to wone in alle parties of erþe.

Constituit terminos populorum juxta numerum filio∣rum Israel: He sette þe termys of þe folk bisyde þe noumbre of þe sones of Israel.

That is, folk schulen be dwellinge in þis world til þe noumbre of Goddis sones be fulfild, þat is, til God have as manye as he haþ ordeyned to be saaf.

Pars autem Domini populus ejus, Jacob funiculus hereditatis ejus: But þe part of oure Lord his folk, Jacob streng of his heritage.

As who seye, myche folk of þe world is, but Jacob oonli, þat is, wrastler aȝein vicis, is marke of his heritage, þat is, þis marke recchiþ no firþir þan in siche; alle oþere ben out of termys. Þerfore if þou wolt be of Goddis part, loke bisily ransakinge al þi liif, if ony vice regne in þee bi wille or by custum, and wrastle þere-aȝein til þou have þe maistry, and sette þanne in his stide a virtu contrarie to it, strenger þan it was, and laste in good worching, and hope to be of Goddis part.

Invenit eum in terra deserta, in loco horroris et vaste solitudinis: He foond him in lond deseert, in stide of uglynes and of waste wildirnesse.

Þat is, him þat he hadde lost he foond erringe in þe wrec∣chidnes of þis liif, and þe which is uggynge for drede and wo, and wast wildirnes for defaute of good teching, not of God, but of sleuþi prestis; for þoru her pride and covetise al þe world is markid in synne and bareyn of gode werkis.

Circumduxit eum, et docuit, et custodivit quasi pu∣pillam

occuli sui: He aboute ledde him, and he leride him, and he kepte as þe appil of his iȝe.

Lo, what kyndenes Crist schewiþ to his lovier! He ledde him aboute fro yvele mennys liif, þe nexte wey to hevene, and he tauȝte him in what degre or staat þat he ordeynede hym þanne, how he schulde love him, kepinge him in alle anoies, as tendirly as a man in derke wody placis kepiþ hise iȝen fro hirtynge, for of þat þing ben men moost tendir [A beautiful comment on the text.] .

Et sicut aquila provocans ad volandum pullos suos et super eos volitans: As þe eerne [beron, U.] clepynge hise briddis to fleen and above hem fleinge.

Expandit alas suas, et assumpsit eos, atque portavit in humeris suis: He spredde hise wyngis and he took hem, and bare hem in hise schuldris.

The eerne, clepinge his briddis to þe siȝt of þe sunne, whanne he seeþ þat þei waxen wery fleinge, he holdiþ hem up wiþ hise wyngis; so Jesus Crist sprediþ two wyngis of charite, upberynge us in oure werynes, and ledynge us to virtues. And þoru his myȝt he raveschiþ oure hertis to hevene, þat we moun goostli se sunne þat nevere schal have settinge, where-þoru we ben cumfortid to suffre mekely for his love alle tribulaciouns.

Dominus solus [corrected from U and Vulg.; soleus, T.] dux ejus fuit, et non erat cum eo Deus alienus: Oure Lord oonly was his leder, and oþer God was not wiþ him.

Ffor he þat haþ him to help oonli, nediþ noon oþir, for he is hilyng fro al yvel.

Constituit eum super excelsam terram, ut comederet fructus agrorum: He sette him on hiȝ lond þat he ete þe fruytis of feeldis.

Þat is, Crist settiþ his lover in holy Chirche in mekenes, to have deliit in abundaunce of goostli fruyt and holy, not in gredy gaderinge of money, but in heelþe of mennis soulis.

Ut sugeret [cor∣rected from Vulg.; suggeret, T, U.] mel de petra, oleumque de saxo duris∣simo: Þat he schulde souke hony of þe stoon, and oile of þe hardist rooche.

Hony of þe stoon he soukiþ, þat occupieþ him ententifly in þe lawe of Crist, for it is swetter þan hony to him þat loveþ Crist. And he schal [not] [om. in T; passage om. in U.] erre in treue bileeve. Oyle of þe hardist roche is þe anoyntynge of þe Holy Goost sent fro Crist glorified, and maad so hard in love þat he þat resseyveþ it may suffre in þis liif noon harmful peyne. Þis hony and oile schulden prestis resseyve, and fynde, if þei traveiliden truly in Cristis vyneȝeerd, in so greet plente þat þe swete odour þerof schulde flawme mennys hertis þat comowneden wiþ hem.

Butirum de armento et lac de ovibus, cum adype agnorum et arietum filiorum Basan: Buttir of neet and mylk of scheep, wiþ grees of fatnes of lombis and of weþeris of þe sones of Basan.

Buttir of neet is þe stable loore of þe ensaumplis of patri∣arkis, mylk of scheep is loore þat falliþ to hem þat bigynnen to do wel. Grees of lombis and of weþeris is þe brennyng desier þat holy techers wiþ her folowers han to hevene. Þe sones of Basan ben lovers of þis world þe which ofte-siþe han lordschip overe gode men here to her owne dampnacioun, for þe mysuse þerof, lyvynge aftir þe flesch, not after þe spirit.

Et hircos cum medulla tritici, et sanguinem uve bibe∣rent meracissimum: And geet wiþ marwȝ of wheete, and þat þei drink schirist blood of grape.

Geet ben þo þat enfoormen us wiþ ensaumple of penaunce, discreetly norischinge oure hors as he may journeyen. In þese us owiþ to have deliit wiþ marowȝ of whete, þat is, wiþ þe body of Crist, for he is þe grape whos flesch and blood trewe Cristen men in þe sacrament of þe auter in þe foorme of breed and wiin worþili resseyven, þoru trewe bileeve her savacioun, and yvele men and unclene her dampnacioun.

Incrassatus est dilectus et recalcitravit; incrassatus, impinguatus, dilatatus: Encortif is þe loved, and kest up; he encortif, fattid, and enlargid.

Þat is, þe folk þat God lovede, ȝevynge plente of goodis, haþ cast up at God, dispisinge hise maundementis, multipliynge hem in richessis. Manye siche dispisers ben now of Crist, but

noon so myche as ben þo þat schulden ben hise next folowers, for þo schulden be in ensaumple of alle oþere above hem and bineþe hem, to dispisen þis world þat blyndiþ þe men in covetise of multipliinge of richessis. Ffor ech sich,

Dereliquit [corrected from U and Vulg.; dereliquid, T.] Deum factorem suum, et recessit a Deo salutari suo: He forsook God his makir, and he departide fro God his heelþe.

Ffor ese and welþe drawiþ men oftsiþe to synne, and makiþ hem to forȝete God and turne to þe devel.

Provocaverunt eum in diis alienis, et in abhomina∣cionibus suis ad iracundiam concitaverunt [corrected from Vulg.; conscit., T.] : Þei stiryden bin in oþere goddis, and in her wlatingis þei moveden him to wraþþe.

Þat þing ech creature makiþ his god, what þing he loveþ moost in his herte; þe wlatingis ben glotenye and leccherie wiþ covetise and pride, which God hatiþ. And here moun men seen how prelatis hiȝe and lowe loven moore her owne ex∣cellence þan Cristis worschip, and so þei worschipen false goddis, and ben unable þerþoru to ȝeve or to take ony sacra∣ment [This sentence, which has a truly Wycliffite ring, with many other passages in this part of the Commentary, is omitted in the Magd. Coll. MS.] . Whi?—

Immolaverunt demoniis et non Deo, diis quos igno∣rabant: Þei offriden to develis not to God; to goddis whiche þei knewen not.

That is, þese Cristis enemyes qwemen not to God in her lyv∣ynge, for þei ben avoutreris of alle vicis, in levynge of verri God and worschipinge develes, of whiche þei hadden nevere good.

Novi recentesque venerunt dii, quos non coluerunt patres eorum: Newe and freische goddis camen, þe whiche her fadris worschipiden not.

Þat is, dyverse goddis leeden to dyverse errours, her wor∣schipis. For þe devel haþ in alle siche unstable men and women comoun entre, to entise hem to leve þe truþe of verri

God, and folowen þe lustis of þe world, lovynge moore vicis þan virtues, and so þei serven mawmetis, þe whiche trewe Cristen men bifore hem usiden not.

Deum qui te genuit dereliquisti, oblitus es Domini [corrected from Vulg.; Deum, T.] creatoris tui: God þat þee gat þou hast forsaken, þou hast forȝete God þi creatour.

We ben borun goostli of God; him alle forsaken þat as∣senten to ony deedli synne; and so ech body forȝetiþ him while þer þouȝt is bounden to love ony creature unordynatli.

Vidit Dominus, et ad iracundiam concitatus [corrected from Vulg.; con∣tiocatus, tuam, T.] est, quia provocaverunt eum filii sui et filie: Þe Lord say, into wraþþe he is stirid, for him moveden his sones and douȝters.

God, þat al woot, seeþ þe wickidenes of men, þerfore he is stirid to veniaunce. Lo, what comeþ þerof!

Et ait, Abscondam faciem meam [corrected from Vulg.; con∣tiocatus, tuam, T.] ab eis, et consider∣abo novissima eorum: And he seide, I schal huyde my face fro hem, and I schal biholde þe laste of hem.

Noþing is moore pyne þan for to þarve þe siȝt of God and his good wille; and þouȝ yvele men be in myche ese here and welþe, God biholdiþ what wo schal falle hem in her eendyng.

Generatio enim perversa est et infideles filii: For it is a schrewid generacioun and untrewe sones.

Untrewe fadris geten often tymes untrewe sones, for whanne a child is norischid among vicis, how schulde he be unfilid? Fadris and modris ben cause if þe child be vicious, for while it is ȝong, it cannot but love and drede not upon resoun; but of kynde it loveþ to ben fed and clad, and it drediþ þe ȝerde of scourynge. Who schal be excusid if þe child mysfare? As who sey, no fadir ne modir; þouȝ þat it myskarie whanne it comeþ to age, þe childheed þei moun save. And þus yvele trees bringen forþ yvel fruyt. For neþer þe toon ne þat oþir, þat is, neiþer eldris ne her children, ben trewe to God. Whi? for þei holden not þat þei hiȝten in her baptem, but unkyndely,—

Ipsi me provocaverunt in eo qui non erat Deus, et irritaverunt in vanitatibus suis: Þei me stiriden in him þat was no God, and moveden in her vanytees.

That is, þei wraþþiden me, lovynge þe þing as God þat was not God, and havynge moore deliit in her vanytees þan in my servise, for al þat is loved wiþoute God is vanyte. But what schal I do? gaderen togidere þe wickidnes of fadris and modris and of her children.

Et ego provocabo eos in eo qui non est populus, et in gente stulta irritabo illos: And I schal stire hem in him þat is not peple, and in fole [supplied from U, which has in gens fole.] folk I schal stire hem.

As who seye, siþin I have doon for hem al þat þei moun aske bi resoun, and þei forȝeten to þanke me in lovynge me and heriynge me as her God, I schal forȝete hem as þei werun no folk; but as þei ben movynge to do her owne lustful wil con∣trarie to my biddyng, so I schal al biþinke to ponesche hem wiþ eendelees peyne, contrarie to her heelþe. For alle proude men and dispitouse God schal so lowe bringe þoru his riȝtwise veniaunce, þat þei schulen not ben worþi to be likenyd to hem þat seemeden here foolis, and weren holde nouȝt for Goddis sake. In þat maner þei schulden be stirid to envy and hatrede, þat her synne stiriþ God to veniaunce.

Ignis succensus est in furore meo; et ardebit usque ad inferni novissima: Fier is kyndelid in my wraþþe, and it schal brenne to þe laste of helle.

That is, Goddis veniaunce bigynneþ here in wickide men and women, þat lyven in lustis and likingis, and wolen not amende hem ne hers, and it schal turmente hem wiþouten eende in helle.

Devorabitque terram cum germine suo, et moncium fundamenta comburet [corrected from Vulg.; conb., T.] : And it schal devoure þe erþe wiþ his buriownyng, and þe groundis of helles he schal brenne.

Þat is, þe veniaunce of God, þat is eendelees peyne of helle, schal devoure wickide fadris and modris wiþ her ospring, for it schal swolowe alle loviers of erþeli þingis, wiþ al her fairheed, and þe hope of proud folk it schal waaste. Ffor,—

Congregabo super illos mala, et sagittas meas com∣plebo in eis: I schal gadere on hem yvelis, and myn arowis I schal fulfille in hem.

That is, alle kyndis of turmentis schulen comen on hem, þe whiche ben yvele and noiouse to hem þat suffren, but þei ben riȝtwise in Goddis doom; and myn arowis, þat ben scharpe and soore bitinge peynes, I schal fulfille in hem, þat is, þei schulen come to þes peynes and be fulfild of hem.

Consumentur fame, et devorabunt eos aves morsu amarissimo: Þei schulen be distried wiþ hungir, and devoure hem schulen foulis in bitynge alþer bitteriste.

Þat is, wickide men in þis world dien in soule for hungir of Goddis word, and so feendis eeten hem þoru venemous tempta∣ciouns, in þe whiche þei fallen sodeynli, and taken þereinne þat is to hem ful bittir bityng.

Dentes bestiarum mittam in eos, cum furore trahen∣tium super terram atque serpencium: Teeþ of beestis I schal sende into hem, wiþ woodnes of drawynge and serpentis aboven erþe.

Þat is, yvele men schulen suffre gnawyng of ugly devels, þe whiche crueli reeven her soulis fro God, scateringe hem fro virtues into dyverse vicis, wiþ woodnes of yvele men þat drawen and entisen to fleschli werkis. As neddris þei schulen be sliȝtli brouȝt into temptacioun of devels, but þei schulen in peyne venge hem as wode men, so þat yvel come on ech syde to wickide men.

Foris vastabit eos gladius, et intus pavor, juvenem simul ac virginem, lactentem [corrected from Vulg.; lactantem, T.] cum homine sene: Wiþ∣outen schal waaste hem swerd, and wiþinne drede, þe ȝonge man and mayden togidere, þe soukyng wiþ þe oold man.

Þat is, þe swerd of helle fier schal be her peyne in bodi and soule, for þei schal have þe worm of yvel conscience bitinge and etinge hem wiþouten eende; þat swerd schal waaste a ȝonge man, þat is, ech þat is bareyn of gode werkis. Ȝonge man and mayden he settiþ togidere in peyne of helle, for þei usen myche to be togidere in þis lif in synne. Soukynge ben þei þat ben so blyndid in lustis and bisynes of þis fals world, þat þei han no witt to do Goddis wille lyvynge in virtues. Eldir man is he þat eeldiþ in synne þoru yvel custum, weenynge

his liif glorios þat is vicious. Þerfore dreediþ God, and loveþ him, amendinge ȝoure lyves; for ȝe moun wyte bi þis sentence þat God closiþ not fro helle fier neþer man ne womman, ȝong ne oold, þat wilfully synneþ and amendiþ it not here. For of al maner of men greet part gooþ to helle.

Et dixi, Ubinam sunt? cessare faciam ex hominibus memoriam eorum: And I seide, Where ben þei? I schal make to ceessen ffro men þe mynde of hem.

I schal in my loviers þat haten synne seyn, Where be þei alle bicomen þat florischiden in þis world in vicis, and where is al her jolite and welþe? Al is awey and þei in peyne; and now I schal do so, þat her mynde schal nevere be among riȝtwise men.

Sed propter iram inimicorum distuli, ne forte super∣birent hostes eorum: But for þe ire of enemyes I delayede, leste whanne enemyes pryded [So in U; preieden, T.] .

Et dicerent, Manus nostra excelsa et non Dominus fecit hec omnia: And þei seiden, Oure hond is hiȝ, and not God dide alle þese þingis.

God wole not as soone as men han synned do veniaunce, but he dilaieþ it til serteyn tyme, þat þo to whiche þei han doon harm waxen not proude, and seyn, For oure meryt, and for þei weren contrarie to us, God distrieþ hem; and so þei seyn þat God dide not alle, for hem þinken þat her myȝt halp.

Gens absque consilio est et sine prudencia. Utinam saperent et intelligerent ac novissima providerent: Folk is wiþoute counceil and wiþoute prudence. Wolde God þei saveriden and undirstoden and purveieden for þe laste.

The folk of alle unriȝtwise men is wiþoute counceil of heelþe of soule, and wiþoute prudence to fle synne; but God wolde þei hadden ony savour in Goddis love, and undirstoden þe wille of Jesus Crist to doon it; þanne schulden þei purveie her laste, þat þei myȝten dye sikirly, and ben holden wiþouten drede what schal falle at þe laste eende.

Quomodo prosequebatur unus mille, et duo fugarent

decem milia: How oon pursuede a þousinde, and two gart [The use of this word proves that the writer was an inhabitant of the north of England. U reads chasid.] fle ten þousinde?

How þis myȝte be he schewiþ, and seiþ,—

Nonne ideo quia Deus suus vendidit eos, et Dominus conclusit illos? Wheþir not þerfore her God soolde hem, and þe Lord hem loukide [closed, U.] ?

As who seye, þerfore þei ben overcomun to her harme, for God alienede hem fro him for synne of hem, and loukide hem in þe myȝt of her enemyes.

Non enim est Deus noster ut dii eorum, et inimici nostri sunt judices: For whi? oure God is not as þe god is of hem, and oure enemyes ben domesmen.

Oure God is not as her god is, for þei han deliit in wickid∣nes, and oure God leveþ no synne unponeschid, and oure enemyes ben doomesmen, þat is, þei moun bere witnes of þat þing, þat oure God dampneþ and poneschiþ yvele deedis, for oftsiþis he smytiþ yvele men in þis world.

De vinea Sodomorum vinea eorum, et de suburbanis Gomore: Þe vyner of Sodomo þe vyne of hem, and of þe suburbis of Gomorre.

Sodom is as myche to seye as dombe, and Gomorre is scharp, as who seye, oure hiȝe prelatis, if þoru hem manye oþere ben dombe to serve God in þe foorme of his servise, and þei ben scharp in vicis.

Uva eorum uva fellis, et botrus amarissimus: Þe grape of hem þe grape of galle, and flower bitterist.

Her fruyt is turnyd into pride and covetise and ipocrisie, þe whiche ben bask or bittir synnes in Goddis knowyng; and þe flower þat is in hem is bittereste, for her fleschli love and covetise of erþe [So in U; fleschli and love of erþeli covetise, T.] is to hem eendelees sorowe. But men seyn þei moun have goodis and love hem not, and sooþ it is; but whanne men seen þat office þat men ben holden to do to God is lettid for þe occupacioun of worldli goodis, þo godis ben overmyche loved, whereof wole come eendelees sorowe.

Fel draconum vinum eorum, et venenum aspidum in∣sanabile: Galle of dragouns, þe wiin of hem, and venym of snakis incurable.

Galle of dragouns is þe fel tresoun of bacbiters, þe which tresoun þei drinke wiþ deliit as wiin, and birlen it to oþere men. For he þat bacbitiþ his neiȝbore, in þat þat in him is techiþ him to whom he telliþ his bacbiting to do so of oþere. And venym of snakis, þat is, lastinge malis, is her drynke incurable; for þei wolen not be amendid of her malicious ire, taken of her owne hiȝnes; and if men snybbe hem, or chastise hem bi resoun, her malice waxiþ, and þei ben worse þan þei weren bifore. For he þat is defectif, and heeriþ his trespas, and wole not amende it, is liik to be endurid in his synne, as þe cruel Jewis weren þat stoppiden her eeris whanne Seint Stevene disputide wiþ hem þe truþe of riȝt bileve.

Nonne hec condita sunt apud me, et signata in thesau∣ris meis? Wheþir þes ben not hid anemptis me, and selid in my tresours?

Þat is, alle þes yvelis ben holden in Goddis mynde, and kepte as undir seel, for to be put forþ in þe doom to schewe þe riȝt∣wisenes of Crist in dampnynge of wickide men. And in þe same tresours ben hid virtues of gode men, to schewe þat dai to þe riȝtwiisnes of her corownyng, þat þei schulen take bi Goddis riȝtwiis doom. Þanne schulen gode men be maad riche of Goddis tresore in eendelees joie, and yvele men schulen be ful pore in eendelees peyne.

Mea est ulcio, et ego retribuam eis in tempore, ut labatur eorum pes [corrected from Vulg.; pees eos, T.] : Myn is þe veniaunce, and I schal ȝelde hem in tyme, þat her foot slide.

Þat is, to [So in U; om. T.] me, seiþ God, falliþ þe veniaunce of synful men, not to man woniynge in erþe, for it is not semely o broþer venge him on anoþir, and unsemelynes schulde not be in Cristis Chirche in þe ȝeeris of grace, siþin it was forboden of God in þe ȝeeris of veniaunce. For I schal ȝelde hem aftir her yvel wille in tyme of doom, þouȝ I abyde a while. Be þou not to haasty, for ech day is day of grace, and I am not qweemyd in veniaunce;

þerfore þou makist me þin enemye whanne þou sekist veni∣aunce of ony þing but oonli of synne. Þat veniaunce sekiþ no bodili harm, if synne wiþouten þat may be amendid. And siþin I am God, þat no þing mai leve unponeschid, suffre yvele men lyven til I do her foot slippen, þat is, til I make al her pride and her vanyte to fallen, þat beriþ hem to helle. For it schal breke sodeinli and turne to nouȝt, ffor,—

Juxta est dies perdicionis, et adesse festinant tempora: Bisyde is þe day of perdicioun, and to hem haasten þe tymes.

Biside, þat is, neer is þe day in which alle yvele men schulen be lost fro þe cumpany of halowis, and tyme [tymes, U.] of ȝeldynge to yvele and gode haastiþ to ben [hasten to be, U.] and comeþ faste. And þanne—,

Judicabit Dominus populum suum, et in servis suis miserebitur: Oure Lord schal deeme his folk, and in servauntis he schal have mercy.

Þat is, Crist schal departe hise lovers fro þe lovers of þis world, and in hise servauntis he schal ben seen merciful, here and in þe day of doom, and in alle oþere riȝtwise venger of al wickidnes.

Videbit quod infirmata sit manus, clausi quoque defecerunt, residuique consumpti sunt: He schal se þat þe hond be maad siik, and þe closide failide, and þe laste ben distried.

He schal se, þat is, he schal make to seen, þat alle þat [So in U; þe, T.] yvele men doon is not sufficient to her salvacioun; for preier, almes∣deede, and penaunce of him þat liiþ in synne, and wole not amende him for Cristis love, is abhominable offryng in Goddis siȝt. For þe closid in pouste of þe devel failide for peynes; for alle þat ben left, þat is, forsaken of God, schulen be distried in eendelees deeþ.

Et dicent, Ubi sunt dii eorum, in quibus habebant fiduciam? And þei schulen seye, Where ben her goddis, in þe whiche þei hadden trist?

Gode men þat schulen seen þe peynful peynes of yvele men, schulen seien, Where ben now alle her vanytees of worldly bisynes and lustis, þe which þei loveden moore þan God, for

þei setten her joie and her trist in hem, as þei schulden nevere have failid hem; havynge greet indignacioun to hem, þat for her soule hele reprehendiden her over bisy worldli lyvynge; seiinge, how schulde þe world oþere weies be mayntenyd? But he is folily blyndid þat maynteneþ his enemy to his owne harm. Þe world and oure owne flesch ben enemyes to us, þe whiche moun not be mayntenyd over þe tyme þat God haþ sett. Þerfore foolis and idiotis, þat leften þe unfructuous bisynes of þis liif for Goddis love, schulen scorne wise myȝti men of þis world, þat setten her trust and her joie in þat þing þat myȝte not bifore God helpe hem.

De quorum victimis comedebant adipes [corrected from Vulg.; adbipes, T.] , et bibebant vinum libaminum? Of þe offringis of þe whiche þei eeten grecis, þei drunken þe wiin of offringis.

Here þe prophete dampneþ covetise and likerousnes of prestis, for it is more abhominable in hem þan in oþere, siþen þei schulden be mooste fleers þerof in ensaumple to oþere; seiinge, of þat þing þat was offrid to her unclennes, þei hadden deliit in greet abundaunce of gaderynge, and in lustful lyvynge, dispendynge it to preisyng of þe world, þat was offrid to hem to lyve upon, and to departe among þe pore and nedy peple. And so þei ben drunken in lustis and likyngis of erþeli goodis, forȝetinge þe povert of Jesus Crist. Þerfore on domesday, þat wrecchidnes þat ȝe tristen on moore þan on God,—

Surgant et opitulentur nobis, et in necessitate nos protegant: Rise þei and helpe ȝou, and in nede hile ȝou.

Þis is but scoornyng þat gode men schulen have of wrecchis þat forȝeten Crist for þe failinge world; as who seie, Ȝoure goodis þat helden ȝou in honour in erþe, rise þei now and come þei to helpe ȝou, if þei may. And siþin þei moun do nouȝt but skaþe, for þat schal be peynful schame to yvele men, to knowen and to have rehersid þe þing þat made hem to lese þe blis of Crist, þerfore, ȝe þat ben ȝit on lyve,—

Videte quod ego sim [corrected from Vulg.; sum, T.] solus, et non sit alius Deus preter me: Seeþ þat I am oonli, and þat oþir God is noon but I.

That is, ȝe þat wolen be wiþoute schame on domesday, wytiþ þat God is oonli to tristen in, and he þat kepiþ not hise bid∣dingis, triste not in him to his heelþe. Þerfore loveþ him as he lovede ȝou, denynge for his love to triste in ony creature; for al þing þat ȝe loven wiþoute him lettiþ ȝou of his love and dis∣seyveþ ȝou. Ffor,—

Ego occidam, et ego vivere faciam; percuciam, et ego sanabo; et non est qui de manu mea possit eruere: I schal sleen and I schal make to lyve; I schal smyte, and I schal hele; and noon is þat may delyvere of myn hond.

Whi? for I am auctour of liif and deeþ, hem þat I love I schal smyte, chastisinge hem as a good fadir owiþ to doon his wel-loved sone. For it is not semely þat curteis Crist have an untauȝt child; þerfore I schal make my children holde perfiȝtly biddingis in þis liif, qwikenynge hem wiþ my grace, to lyve in mekenes vertuously, and I schal sle her enemyes whanne best tyme is. And if ony temptacioun or anoie hirte hem, if þei triste to me I schal hele hem. Þerfore stondiþ bi me in love, þat I stonde wiþ ȝou in needful tyme of help, for noon is þat may delyvere himsilf or oþere of myn hond. For alle creaturis ben undir my myȝt, and to me falliþ þe deemynge of alle.

Levabo ad celum manum meam, et dicam, Vivo ego in eternum: I schal lifte to hevenes myn hond, and I schal seyn, I lyve wiþouten eende.

Þat is, I [from U; om. T.] schal schewe me Lord Almyȝti aboven al þing, and I schal seyn apertly, I lyve wiþouten eende. It is oure alþir∣ooþ, and a vow to fulfille þis Lordis bidding.

Si acuero ut fulgur gladium meum, arripuerint judi∣cium manus mee: If I schal scharpe as leiȝtnyng my swerd, and myn hondis schulen take doom.

Þat is, I schal make qwaken for dreede alle wickide men of erþe, whanne I have redyed my swerd of poneschinge, comynge sodeinli as leytnynge; þanne myn hond, þat is, my myȝt, schal schewe þe laste dreedful doom: ffor þanne,—

Reddam ulcionem hostibus meis, et his [corrected from Vulg.; hiis, T.] qui oderunt me retribuam: I schal ȝelde veniaunce to myn enemyes, and to hem þat hatiden me I schal ȝelde.

I schal ȝelde veniaunce of eendelees peyne to my foos; þat is, to alle þat I foond contrarious to me, clad out of þe clooþ of charite, not holdinge my comaundementis. And to hem þat hatiden me, puttinge out of her hertis me for love of oþir þing, I schal ȝelde woniynge in peynes eendelees wiþ orrible develis in helle. And þanne,—

Inebriabo sagittas meas sanguine, et gladius meus devorabit carnes: I schal drunken myn arowis in blood, and my swerd schal devoure flesch.

Myn arowis, þat is, my scharpe manasynge wordis, I schal drunken, þat is, I schal fulfille in blood of dede dampnyd men; and my swerd, þat is, my veniaunce, schal hastily smyte alle þat lyveden fleisheli, and dieden so, into helle, to be devourid of feendis. And ȝit myn arowis I schal drunken,—

De cruore occisorum et de captivitate nudati inimi∣corum capitis: Of þe blood of slayn and of caitifte and þe nakid heed of enemyes.

Verrili ben þei slayn þat ben deede fro þe joie of God wiþ∣outen eende, and of þe caitifte of helle, of þe nakidheed fro al solace of hevene or of erþe, of enemyes dampnyd. Nakidheed he seiþ at þe liknyng of taken prisoners in conqueringe, þe whiche weren wont to be shaven þe heed and so soold.

Laudate gentes populum ejus, quia sanguinem ser∣vorum suorum ulciscetur: Herie, ȝe heþene, þe folk of him, for þe blood of hise servauntis he schal venge.

Ȝee synful men, þouȝ al ȝe wolen not folowe Cristis folk in virtu and goodnes, at þe laste holdiþ alle worþi heriyng þat loven him in worchinge of vertues, and angriþ hem not in word ne deede. For if ȝe do, God wole vengen it; ffor,—

Et vindictam retribuet in hostes eorum, et propicius erit terre populi sui: And veniaunce he schal ȝeelden into her enemyes, and mersiful he schal be to þe lond of his folk.

Þe lond of his folk in þis liif is holy Chirche, in þe which his folk wonen in truþe and in charite. Alle oþere wonen in þe lond of þe develis folk, to whom God schal be riȝtwiis in veniaunce and poneschinge.

[MAGNIFICAT.]

[LUKE i.]

Magnificat anima mea Dominum: My soule worschipe þe Lord.

Oure Lady Seynt Marye, aftir þe greetinge of Gabriel, and þe conseyvynge of Goddis sone, oure Lord Jesus Crist, verri God and verri man, and aftir þe blessing of Elizabet þat clepide her modir of hir Lord, sche roos not in hiȝnes of þouȝt for vein glorie ne in bolnynge of pride, dispisinge þerfore oþere, but in swetnes of herte and ful devout mekenes, þankinge God of al his goodnes, seiinge,—My soule, fillid of his grace, worschipiþ, þat is, herieþ perfiȝtli þe Lord of hevene and erþe, þat me þis grace haþ doon. As who seie, I holde not mysilf greet, but God I herie of alle hise ȝiftis in al myn herte. Þat soule wor∣schipiþ God perfiȝtli, þe whiche wickide þouȝtis greeven not, unclene deliit filiþ not, uncovenable berynge hiȝeþ not, ne vein speche envenemeþ not; but in alle vertues, of kynde and of grace, it stondiþ in lastynge love and stable mekenes.

Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo: And my spirit joiede in God myn heelþe.

Not oonli þis blessid maide and modir herieþ God enteerli, but also sche seiþ þat hir [So in U; his, T.] gladnes and hir joie was in mynde of God, in love and likynge of whom al hir love sche sette. Sche joiede not in hirsilf, ne in vanyte of þis liif, as oure founyd maidens don now, þat joien more in synful vanytees of þis world, þe whiche hem lusten to love, þan in God her saveour, þat corowneþ alle trewe virgyns in hevene. But þouȝ devoute soulis of holy men and wommen worþili worschipen God, and wondirfulli ben joiyinge in Jesus, þis blessid mayden and modir, oure Lady Seynt Marye, bifore alle oþere in privilegie of moost brennynge love sche heriede God, and in singuler joie sche was glad in Crist. Þe songis of heriinge ben swettist in hir mouþ, and þe nootis of love ben þe delitablist in þe melody þat

sche [So in U; siche, T.] schewiþ. Þat spirit now joieþ in God, þe which is verrili kyndelid wiþ þe fier of þe Holy Goost, to þe which, for my∣chilnes of Cristis love, no passing þing paieþ, but al fleshli lust and erþeli covetise loþiþ and is viile to it. For al þe joie and cumfort of it is in Crist, of whom it hopiþ liif and heele eendelees.

Quia respexit humilitatem ancille sue, ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generaciones: For he lokide þe mekenes of his hondmayden; lo, for whi of þat blisful me schulen seyn alle generaciouns.

Wrecchid wommen of þis world loven synful creaturis whom hem luste, and worschipen hem, and han vein joie in hem þat schulen passe as schadowe aftir settinge of þe sunne; but oure Ladi Marye sette al her love and joie in God, offringe hersilf holly to Goddis love; and þat for he lokide wiþ bliþe iȝen of grace þe mekenes of hir þat was ful of alle gode þewis, and buxumer to his bidding þan ony hond-mayde in erþe may be to hir Lord. Lo, for whi of þat, þat is, of hir mekenes, for þat lokinge of God to me, as he were take in my love at a siȝt, þerfore blisful me þei schulen seyn, alle generaciouns of trewe Cristen men in þis world. And þat is worþi,—

Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus: For he haþ do to me grete þingis þat miȝti is, and his name holy.

Grete þingis he dide to hir in quantite of grace, grettere in mynystration of þe aungel, grettist, þoru wondir of Goddis vertu in wombe he made parfiȝt hir halowyng. In vertu he ȝaf to hir clenness of liif, in vow first offringe of hir maydenheed, and in alle þes þat moost seemeþ deppist mekenes. Þus he dide to me þat is myȝti, and whos name is holy halowynge me; and alle þat hooly ben, in his goodnes ben holy, not in hir meryt.

Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timenti∣bus eum: And þe mercy of him fro kinredis into kynredis to þo þat dreeden him.

His mersy, delyveringe fro synne and sorowe, is fro þe

kynrede of holy men into þe kynredis of synful men, for þere∣þoru oonli ben synful men maad riȝtwiis; but þe mersy of God is oonli to þo þat dreden him, for wiþoute þe drede of God may no man be maad riȝtwiis.

Fecit potenciam in brachio, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui: He dyde myȝt in his arm, he scateride þe proude fro þe þouȝt of his herte.

God dide, þat is, he schewide þat myȝt is in his vertu, whanne he sette þe help of hise loviers in his Sone, doinge vertu or myȝt in his arm to defenden him and hise fro alle her enemyes. And so he scateride, þat is, so he departide þe proude, þat is, þo þat seken þe weye of hiȝnes aboven oþere, fro þe þouȝt of her herte, þat þei myȝten not do in deede þe wickidnessis þat þei coveitiden, in conseyvynge of her yvel wille.

Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles: He putte doun þe myȝti of seete, and he hiȝede þe meke.

Þe myȝti he clepiþ þo þat joien in her myȝt, usinge it wrong∣fulli in wickidnes; þese he dide doun of seete of dignyte and honour. For kyng Salmon putt doun viciouse bischopis and proude, and sette in her stide meke men and vertuouse. For it falliþ to erþeli princis tao mende þe defautis of Cristis Chirche; þerfor þei beren þe swerd of correccioun þat þeir [The sentence suddenly breaks off in T, and is unfortunately absent altogether from the Magdalen MS.] . And he hiȝede to þe seete of angels felowschip þe meke, þat is, þo þat holden noþing lower þan hemsilf, and putten hem mekely to be defoulid of alle; knowynge hem ville as erþe, and grucchen aȝein noon angwisch of þis liif, but ben fayn to suffre alle þingis for Cristis love. And þerfore þei ben worþi to ben hiȝed for þat greet mekenes, þat þei ben not stirid to wraþþe for her owne cause, þouȝ men sey hem yvel or do hem yvel.

Esurientes implevit bonis, et divites dimisit inanes: Þe hungrynge he fillide wiþ goodis, and þe riche he lefte empty.

Þe hungrynge Oure Lady clepiþ hem þat greetli coveiten riȝtwisnes, wisdom of God, grace and cumfort of þe Holy Goost, þat evere stiriþ her desier to coveiten moore and moore, and contynuen þerinne; for siche good fulfilliþ of goostli goodis, profitable, delitable, and honest. Þe first, þat is, riȝt∣wiisnes,

helpiþ to meryt; þe secunde, þat is, wisdom of God, drawiþ þe ȝernyng fro erþe to hevene; þe þridde, þat is, þe cumfort in þe Holy Goost, makiþ a man parfiȝt in vertuouse werkis. Þes goodis han swete savour to þe soule. Þre maner of hungry men þere ben, þe whiche God filliþ not but wiþ peyne; as þo þat desiren þe pompe and þe pride of þis liif, and covetise of riches, and harmynge of her neiȝbore. Þe first hungir is of bittirnes, þe toþir of avarice, þe þridde of bacbitinge. Þese men, wiþ alle oþere þat ben wickid, þouȝ þei han greet welþe and ese in þis liif, and ypocritis þat leeten [loken, U.] as þei weren riche of goostli goodis, criynge her holynes in outwarde tokenys, he lefte empty of grace and joie, þouȝ þei ben ful of favour of folk, and vile lustis priveli, and manye apertly; but in þe day of doom þei schulen fynde nouȝt but peyne.

Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordie sue: He resseyvede Israel his child, he þouȝte of his mercy;

Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in secula: As he spak to oure fadris, to Abra∣ham and to his seed into worldis.

Þus schal þe lettre be joyned; he ressyvede Israel his child for mekenes and clennes, and he spak to oure fadris, and þat he dide bi þouȝt of his mercy, þe which he hiȝte to doon to Abraham and to his seed, þat is, to alle hise folowers in truþe and riȝtwisnes while þe world stondiþ. He resseyvede [The Magd. MS. ends imperfect at this point.] Israel in kynde, in grace, in defendinge, in governynge. Þoru takinge of kynde he riȝtid us out of deeþ, and out of ire of God; þoru takinge of grace he drouȝ us out of synne; þoru takinge of grace in defence, he delyveriþ us þat oure enemy have no myȝt ne maistry of us; þoru takinge in governynge, he lediþ us out of perels of þis wey; þoru takinge of blisfulheed, he bringiþ us out of al wrecchidnes of synne and sorowe, and settiþ us yn þe joye of hevene.

Amen.

[TE DEUM LAUDAMUS.]

Te Deum laudamus, te Dominum et confitemur: We herien þee God, we knowlechen þee Lord.

It is comounly seid þat þis song was maad of Austin and Ambrose [In the ancient offices of the English Church, according to Mr. Palmer (Origines Liturgicae, I. 228), this hymn is named indifferently the 'Psalm Te Deum,' or the 'Song of Ambrose and Augustine.' No higher authority for the legend mentioned in the text is known, than that of a spurious chronicle, ascribed to Dacius, a successor of St. Ambrose, but really written five centuries later. The rudiments of a large portion of the hymn may be traced, as has been shown by Archdeacon Freeman in his ex∣cellent work, Principles of Divine Service, in Oriental liturgies. But in its actual form, a preponderance of testimony seems to trace it back to Gaul; the earliest author named for it is Hilary of Poitiers (circa 354). If so it would be not one of the least precious gifts to Christianity from the glorious church of Gaul, well and fittingly called 'the eldest daughter of the Church.'] , whanne Austin was convertid. But þis we may suppose byneþe þe bileeve; but howevere it be herof, þis song is devout. First Crist is God, and siþ he is Lord, for he is not Lord but if he have a servaunt.

Te eternum patrem, omnis terra veneratur: Al þe erþe worschipiþ þee, everlastinge fadir.

Here we seyen by partis þe heriyng of God; and first how alle men in erþe worschipen God þe Fadir, siþ al þe Trynyte is fadir to men, for it made man of nouȝt, and þerfore it is fadir. And so al þe Trinyte is fadir to man, but þe first persoone is Fadir to his Sone.

Tibi omnes angeli, tibi celi, et universe potestates. Tibi cherubyn et seraphyn incessabili voce procla∣mant:

Alle angels and hevenes, and alle powers in þis world, cherubyn and seraphin, crien bi vois and unstyntinge to þee.

Al if erþeli men be first in oure knowinge, ȝit hevene and sitesyns þerof ben first in her kynde, and specialy angels of þe two firste ordris, for þei ben schynynge wiþ kunnynge, and brennynge wiþ charite. And alle creaturis seyn to God þat he

made hem, for þis is kyndeli seiing, þat kynde techiþ Goddis creaturis; but angels crien afer bi spiritual vois, and þei may not ceese herof, siþ þei ben needly blessid.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth; Pleni sunt celi et terra majestatis glorie tue:

Þis is þe first song seid to þe Trynyte, and þerfore is þis word, holy, seid þries, and it bitokeneþ stablenes in God in bigynnynge of hise werkis, in kepinge, and eendynge. And as God is myche and glorious wiþoute mesure, and in ech part of þis world, so it is soþli seid þat he filliþ boþe heven and erþe; and al if he have in himsilf glorie of his magiste, in as myche as he is God, naþelees he schewiþ it out in mesure, noumbre, and weiȝt, as him falliþ for to do.

Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus: Te prophetarum laudabilis numerus: Te martirum candidatus laudat exercitus: Þese þre cumpanyes of þe two testamentis herien þee God; and first, Þe glorious cumpany of Cristis apostlis, siþ, þe worschipful noumbre of prophetis; and siþ, þe oost of martirs maad whiȝt in her blood.

Siþ Crist is heed of holy Chirche, and hise apostlis sueden him next, manye supposen þat þei ben in hevene bifore oþere. And, for fadris of þe oolde lawe weren grounde [corrected; U has gronde, T groundid.] of men of þe newe lawe, bi resonable ben þei putt bitwixe, and next hem suen martirs of þe newe lawe.

Te, per orbem terrarum, sancta confitetur ecclesia: Holy Chirche knowlechiþ þee God, þoru-out al þe world.

And as þe Trinyte is heried, so holy Chirche haþ þre partis. Þe hiȝeste ben angels of hevene, þe secunde, seintis slepinge in purgatorie, þe þridde is folk þat schulen be saved, here fiȝtinge in erþe. Of þese and noone oþere is holy Chirche maad. And þis schulde be bridil in us, to booste not þat we ben of holy Chirche. And so, for mysterie of þe Trinyte, ben confessours and virgyns taken in þe þridde part.

Patrem immense majestatis [So in U; magestatis, T.] : Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium: Sanctum quoque paraclitum Spiritum. Þis Chirche þat þus is scaterid in þe brode world,

knowlechiþ þe fadir of majeste wiþouten eende, and knowlechiþ þe secunde persone, þi oonli worþi verri sone; and it knowlechiþ þe þridde tyme, þe Holi Goost cumfortour; and alle þes þre persoones ben o God in his kynde. And, as clerkis seyn, magiste acoordiþ to þe Fadir, for he is in sum maner first of alle þre persoones; wisdom acordiþ to þe Sone, siþ he is wis∣dom of þe Fadir, and made and bouȝte mankynde; þe Holy Goost is cumfortor, for he makiþ a parfiȝt eende of brennynge charite in alle þe seyntis þat he wolde have, boþe here and in heven, in sorowe and in joie.

Tu rex glorie Criste: Tu patris sempiternus es Filius: Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem non horruisti virginis uterum: Tu devicto mortis aculeo aperuisti credentibus regna celorum: Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria patris: Judex crederis esse venturus: Þou, Crist, art Kyng of glorie, and hast take mannys kynde; Þou art everlastynge sone of þe fadir. Þou, to take mankynde for to de∣lyvere it, hidousist not þe virgyns wombe to be closid in it. Þou, for þou overcamest þe scharpenes of deeþ, openedist to men þat bileeveden in þee þe kyngdoms of hevenes. Þou, aftir þin assen∣cioun, sittist on Goddis riȝt side. And siþ þou art God bi þi hiȝer kynde, and best man bi þi oþir kynde, þou art bileeved to come for to juge at þe laste day.

And in þes articlis of bileeve is myche fair clergie, but we schulden not bileeve of þe Fadir of hevene þat he haþ a riȝt side, or partis, as a man haþ, but þat þe manheed of Crist is blisful in hevene, and next his Godheed in glorie among alle creaturis.

Te ergo quesumus, famulis tuis subveni, quos precioso sanguine redemisti: Eterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria munerari: Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati [corrected from U; hereditatis, T.] tuae. Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in eternum. By þese two kyndis in Crist ben we hardy to preie him, and þerfore we preien þee, helpe þou þi servauntis, whiche þou hast bouȝt wiþ þi precious blood. Do þis grace wiþ þi seintis, þat þei be rewardid in blis wiþ ever∣lastinge

glorie. Lord, make þi peple saaf, and blesse to þin eritage; and governe hem here, and hiȝe hem into þe blis wiþouten eende.

Cristen men schulden take þe wordis of Goddis lawe, as Ambrose and Austin and oþere bifore us han do, and drede not to graunte þat Crist was deed, and lesse þan his fadir, and herwiþ was God. But heretikis seyn here þat auctor of Goddis lawe was rude in his logiik, and ofte spak fals, and so þei wolen neþir holde hym ne sue him. But sey we booldly to þes eretikis, þat þei cannot amende þis auctor, ne reprove noone of hise wordis bi her newe logyk, and but if þei holden þis auctor þei schulen not be saved.

Per singulos dies benedicimus te: Et laudamus nomen tuum in seculum et in seculum seculi. We ben maad to serve God, and in þat have blis, and herfore we syngen to God and seien, þat we blessen him bi ech daies þat we lyven in þe world, and we herien his name bi lastynge of þis world and of þe toþir boþe.

Whanne oure soule was maad, þanne God made a newe world, and by al þis world we schulden herie God, on o maner þe while we lyven here, and on anoþir aftir. As þere ben two lastingis þat God ȝeveþ to þis world, oon is wiþout-forþ, þat men clepen tyme, anoþir is wiþinne, betere þan þis tyme, and þis is clepid often tymes world of world.

Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire: Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri: Fiat miseri∣cordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravi∣mus in te: In te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in eternum. Here we preien to oure God by hope þat we han gaderid in hym, and seyn, Lord, vouchesaaf to kepe us þis day wiþouten synne. Lord, have mersy on us. Lord, be þi mersy maad upon us, as we han hopid in þee. Lord, I have hopid in þee, be I not schent wiþoute eende.

In þese foure versis ben manye faire truþis. In þe firste vers we preien God to kepe us fro greet synne þat nevere schal have eende; and ech day we han nede to preie herfore; and so Crist techiþ us to sey in oure Pater noster þat, and God delyvere us fro þis yvel. Þus we han nede ech day to preie þis; but, as seint Joon seiþ, if we seyn þat we han no synne, we disseyven

us silf, and truþe is not in us. But as longe as we dwellen here, we asken Goddis mersi for oure mischevous bodi, but moost for oure soule; but in þe toþir world þis myscheef gooþ awey. And, for ech man schulde wyte þat he haþ ful hope in God, þerfore in þe þridde word we preie to God of his mersy as we hopen in him, and moore may we not axe. In þe fourþe word we turnen us in o persoone, of þe Chirche, and seien in persoone of þis Chirche, þat we han hope in þis Lord, and for þis hope we axen to be not schent wiþouten eende. For as Crist techiþ us to axe generali, so þese seyntis casten to close þer preier in charite, and to aske þis eende in þe name of holy Chirche. And þis is eende of oure asking þat mai falle in þis world. For þis yvel and þis scheending is moost of alle oþere, and so þis is a grete grace to wante þis scheendyng wiþouten eende; for þanne we schal not come to helle, but algatis go to heven. And no peyne is yvel but þis, or to regarde of þis, as no joie is good but blis, or ellis wey to blis. Þis witt schulde men undirstonde of þis holy song, and leve worldli chauntynge þat here is usid wickidly, for it distractiþ often tymes fro joie of þe toþir world. And it is hard þat it profite evene as myche to mennys soule as it likiþ to mennis eeris; and certis ellis it profitiþ not, for, as Austin knowlechiþ, he synneþ grevousli whanne evere þe song likiþ him more þan dooþ þe witt of þe song [S. Aug. Confessiones, Lib. X. cap. 33.] .

[BENEDICTUS.]

[LUKE i. 68.]

Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, quia visitavit et fecit redempcionem plebis sue. Þis psalm is of moore auctorite þan þe song bifore, for it is bileeve of þe gospel, as Seint Luk telliþ; and Zacharie, Baptistis fadir, seide first þis salme aftir þat he was dombe, as Gabriel toolde him. And as myracle was bifore in dombnes and ȝevynge of speche, so in seyinge of þis salm was more myracle, whanne God liȝted þis profete and teelde him hid truþis. Þis profete bigynneþ þus, and seiþ to holy Chirche,—Blessid be þe Lord God of Israel, for he haþ visited and maad biggyng of his peple.

It is seid comounli þat þere ben þre salmes, maad of Marie and of Symeon and of þis Zacharie, and þei ben ordeyned of þe Chirche to be songun in tymes accordynge to þese persones, and witt after whiche þei weren seid. Þis salme is songen in þe Chirche at þe eende of mateyns, for Joon Baptist was lan∣tirne bifore þe sunne, to make redy to take þe liȝt of þis sunne, as þis salm is sungun bifore þe sunne rising. Þis profete knew in spirit þe grace þat [So in U; T has of þat.] God hadde maad here, and þerfore he biginneþ at þe heriyng of God, and clepiþ him first, Lord of alle men of þe world. He clepiþ aftir, God of Israel, for God in o sense is seer of al þing; and Israel is as myche as, men þat seen God [St. Jerome (De Nominibus Hebraicis) says, 'Israel, est videre Deum, sive vir aut mens videns Deum.'] , and bitokeneþ Jacob wiþ men þat camen of him; and it is takun comounli for seyntis in hevene. And first þei feelen his lordschip [So in U; lord, T.] and aftirward his godheed. Þis God visitide his peple bi myraclis of þe oolde lawe, but now late in birþe schewide in Seynt Joon Baptist; and soone aftir God haþ maad biynge aȝein of mankynde; for whanne Crist was maad man, þis priis was ȝovun of God, and whanne Cristis suffringe suede aftir, þis priis was in tellynge. And here he schewide him a profete in seiynge þis as passid, for profetis han þis maner, for certeynte of her witt, to seie her wordis as passid al if þei ben to come.

Et erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo David pueri sui: And God haþ rerid þe horn of heelþe to us, in þe hous of Daviþ his child.

Oft tymes an horn bitokeneþ bi manye propirtees a power schewid to þe peple. And for Crist cam of Daviþ þat was Goddis child, þis horn was arerid in Daviþis hous; and Crist was King of pees, as Daviþ was a meke king; and oþer liif of Daviþ figuride Jesus Crist.

Sicut locutus est per os sanctorum, qui a seculo sunt, prophetarum ejus: As God haþ spoken bi þe mouþ of seintis, whiche ben fro þe world, Goddis owne prophetis.

Þis biinge of mankynde by Goddis owne sone was ofte pro∣fecied

fro bigynnyng of þe world, and also þese profetis weren drawen fro þe world, and alle þei spaken wiþ o mouþ bi o spirit þat whistlide in hem.

Salutem ex inimicis nostris, et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos: Heelþe of oure enemyes, and of þe hond of alle þes þat han hatid us.

Ffor þis haþ God spoken bi profetis bifore seid, how we schulden have heelþe boþe of men and fendis, and be delyverid of þe hond of alle þo þat hatiden us.

Ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris, et memorari testamenti sui sancti: God haþ bihiȝt [From U; om. T.] bi his profetis bifore, to do mersy wiþ oure fadris, and have mynde of his holy testament.

God hadde hiȝt to Abraham in þe oold lawe, þat he schulde multiplien his seed as sterris of hevene, and as gravel of þe see; and many oþere þingis God bihiȝte to Abraham and oþere holy fadirs, þing þat þei hadden not fulfillid here in erþe. And þus bileve techiþ us þat þis was seid in figure of goodis þat þei schulden have in þe toþer world, as þe erþe þat Abraham slepte inne, þat God ȝaf to him and to his seed, figuride hem hevene, þat is clepid in Goddis lawe þe lond of men lyvynge. And so it is of oþere goodis þat weren bihiȝt oure fadirs, for God teelde but litil of erþeli riches, for boþe it felde to þis Lord and to his trewe children to ȝeve hevenli goodis and reste in hevene.

Jusjurandum quod juravit ad Abraham patrem nos∣trum, daturum se nobis. Whanne Abraham schulde have offrid Isaac, his owne sone of his wiif, he hadde a greet ooþ to God, þat he swoor to him þat he schulde ȝeve him to us, for to bigge mannys kynde.

Þe story is knowen how God temptide Abraham, and baad him rise and take his owne sone wiþ him þat he loveþ, Isaac, and offre him on an hil. And Abraham dide þus as God baad him do, and herfore God bihiȝte him þat he schulde ȝeve himsilf for þe worschip of God and savynge of mankynde. And her∣fore was Crist borun, as Isaie telliþ.

Ut sine timore, de manu inimicorum nostrorum libe∣rati,

serviamus illi in sanctitate et justicia coram ipso omnibus diebus nostris. Þe eende whi þat God bouȝte us so costly and so kyndeli was þis,—þat we wiþoute drede, de∣lyverid oute of þe hond of oure enemyes, serve to God in holynes and riȝtwisnes, in whiche we schulden lyve to-fore him in alle oure dayes.

And here may we seen how unkynde we ben, siþ God dide þis kyndenes for þis eende to mankynde, and it were so profit∣able and honest to man, and ȝit man leveþ it, and gooþ a wrong wey, for drede of þe world or love of his flesch, and so bicomeþ servaunt to hem fro whom God haþ delyverid him. And so man forsakiþ God, and takiþ him to þe fend.

Et tu, puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis; preeibis enim ante faciem Domini, parare vias ejus, ad dandam scienciam salutis plebi ejus in remissionem peccatorum eorum. Here þe prophete turneþ his speche to his sone, and seiþ þese soþe wordis unto Joon Baptist: Þou, child, schalt be clepid þe profete of alþer-hiȝest; and þerfore þou schalt go bifore þe face of þe Lord, for to make redy þe weies of him, and for to ȝeve kunnyng of heelþe unto his peple in forȝifnes of her synnes.

And al þis was schewid in þe liif of Joon Baptist, for he forsook þe world and chastiside his flesch, and wente not to scoole to bigile his neiȝbore, but helde þe staat of innocense in deseert placis. And oure relegiouse [All that follows down to the end of the Canticle, so far as it relates to the friars, has been erased in the Magdalen MS, though not so effectually but that the writing remains partially visible.] þat seien þei suen him, gaderen hem in coventis, and lyven contrarye liif; for in þe stide of innocence þei han chosun flockis; instide of deseert placis þei han chosun citees; instide of greet penaunce aftir þe staat of innocence þei han chosen lustful liif for to feede her flesch. And where þei schulden forsake craftily bildyngis, þei chesen housis and cloistris to huyde þer richessis. And þus þei maken a wey to þe prince of þis world, and fiȝten, and maken redy his wey to resseyven hise servauntis; and þere as þis prince is contrarye to Crist, so þese religious ben contrarie to Baptist; and ȝit þei feynen falsli sumwhat of Crist and sumwhat of Baptist to disseyve þe peple. But as in conjurisouns ben teeld manye goddis names, to disseyve þe peple and robbe of her

goodis, so in þes ordris ben feyned manye holynessis for a fals eende, to disseyve þe peple and to souke her blood for feynyng of her heelþe.

Per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri, in quibus visi∣tavit nos, oriens ex alto, Illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent, ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis. Here we preien þis child þat is ȝeven to us, and is boþe God and man, and so ful of witt and grace, by þe inward power of mercy þat he haþ, and cam from hiȝ heven to visyte his folk, þat he sende liȝt to us þat sitten in derknessis and in schadowe of deeþ, for to dresse oure feet into þe wey of pees.

Here we preien not, as freris, neiþer of Crist ne Baptist, to lyve worldli liif and likinge to oure flesch, ne go to þe wey of werre to fiȝte wiþ oure enemyes, ne to spoile þe peple, and gadere her goodis to oure castels, ne bi þe craft of lesyngis to plese to þe world; but to lyve evere contrarie liif, as dide Crist and Baptist. For bi wandringe of siche weies men may wel se whos children siche ben, and to whom þei maken redy. For king of alle þe children of pride, þat is Anticrist, leediþ siche cloisteris, and techiþ hem siche cautelis. And herfore seyn sum men, as Lyncolne and oþere, þat þei ben dede careynes cropen of her sepulcre, wlappid in cloþis of deel [In the parallel passage at p. 230, the word is written 'deul,' i.e. mourning. U has dole.] , and dryven of þe devel for to drecche men [See the opening of the tract 'Lincolniensis,' infra, p. 230.] . And þus þei ben baggid wiþ signes of ipocrysie, þat it were lasse harme to men of Cristis scoole to dele wiþ a legioun of feendis of helle þan wiþ a litil covent of siche qwike devels. For sum men þei robben, and sum men þei maken wode; and bi þer feyned ipocrisie and cautelis of þe fend þei bigilen mo men þan doon oþere feendis. Lord delyvere his folk for siche perels of fals freris, for if þis laste be pressid out, þe sevene bifore ben liȝtir. And ceertis þese religiouse þus bounden to þe fend passen wickide wommen, whos tracis þei folowen, for liknes of holy men disseyveþ myche folk.

[NUNC DIMITTIS.]

[LUKE ii. 29.]

Þis is þe þridde salm songun of prestis aȝein þei goon to þer bed, late upon nyȝtis; and figureþ desier þat Cristen men schulden have in hour of her deeþ. For profiȝt of Cristis Chirche, þe gospel telliþ þer was an oold man, þat was clepid Symeon, and hadde answere of God þat he schulde not se deeþ bifore he say Crist. And whanne Crist cam into þe temple, he took him in his armes, and songe joifully þis song to God,—

Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum ver∣bum tuum in pace; quia viderunt occuli mei salutare tuum [corrected from U and Vulg.; meum, T.] ; quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum; lumen ad revelacionem gentium, et gloriam plebis tue Israel: Lord, þou levest now þi servaunt in pees aftir þi word þat þou hast seid bifore, for now I am riip to dye; for myn iȝen han seen þin owne sone Crist þat is þine owne heelþe to men, þat þou hast maad redy to sette bifore þe face of alle folk þat schal be saved. Þe which heelþe is, liȝt to þe schewing of heþene men, and also to glorie of þi folk of Israel.

Þis oold man was cumfortid in soule bi bileeve, for he trowide þat hevene schulde soone aftir be openyd, and Crist wiþ hise membris schulde entre into hevene; and þerfore he coveitide þanne to be deed, and in haaste to be wiþ Crist, for þat he hopide truly, siþ he hadde answere of God þat was eernes [ernest, U.] herto. And þus ben manye men moved, þat wolde þat Cristis Chirche were sumwhat amendid after Cristis ordenaunce, þat þei schulden not dye bifore þat þis come, þat Crist were schewid sumwhat in his Temple, and bifore þat he were borun as a pore ȝong child. And if þis venym of dowynge were sumwhat aslakid, þanne were þei riipe to dye to Crist; for þei hopen þat Crist is liȝt here unto schewe to hem his wille, as his lawe techiþ, and so he schal be glorie to hem in hevene, Amen.

Þe song of oure Lady in which sche loveþ God is sungen at

even-song, þat is oure first hour, for sche was byginnyng of heelþe of mannys kynde. And þes þre salmes ben of even autorite, siþin þei ben alle þre þe feiþ of þe gospel.

[THE SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN.]

[DAN. iii. 57-88 [In the Vulgate version.] .]

Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino; laudate et superexaltate eum in secula.

Þis salme was maad aftir a myracle þat God dide in tyme of Nabugodnosor, whanne he savede þre Jewis for stablenes of her bileeve fro þe brennyng furneis, þat was hat [hete, U; hat, Q.] to brenne hem. Þese þre persoonys ben of double name, by dyverse langagis; þei ben clepid Ananyas, Aȝarias, and Myȝael; and þei ben clepid on oþer maner, Sydrak, Mysaac, and Abedenago. Þis song heeriþ [heriþ, FF, U; heyes, Q. The original word must have been 'herieþ.'] God, and spekiþ to alle hise creaturis, and biddiþ hem love God, siþin alle ben maad for þis eende. And þus þe first vers biddiþ,—ȝe alle werkis of þe Lord, blesse ȝe to þe Lord, herie ȝe and overe-hiȝe ȝe him in al tyme.

Þes ben þre wordis in þis vers þat schulden be þus undir∣stonden. Siþ ech creature seiþ kyndely þat God made it of nouȝt, ech creature schulde by kinde blesse God; and so if it do wel, servynge God as it schulde, þanne it seiþ wel to God, and grauntiþ þat God is blessid over al þing. And þis wel seiinge, þat is wel servynge, is blessing þat God spekiþ of here; and þus alle þingis blessen God, but oonli yvele men and feendis. Þe secunde word of þis vers seiþ þat þingis blessen to þe Lord, and þis word, Lord, by himsilf, is taken for God, Lord of Lordis. Þe þridde tyme we schulden undirstonde, þat by maner of Greek speche, þat þing overhiȝiþ anoþer þing þat seiþ it passiþ alle oþere creaturis; and so overhiȝinge, propirly, is lovynge proprid to God. And þus þese þre þingis, blesse, and loove, and overhiȝe, bitokenen þe Trynyte, and þei ben oon in substaunce, þat is, heriinge, apperinge [appropryd, Q.] to God.

Benedicite angeli Domini Domino: Benedicite celi Domino: Ȝe angels of þe Lord blesse to þe Lord; ȝe hevenes blesse to þe Lord.

Þis vers bigynneþ þe ordir of blessinge þat creaturis schulden blesse to God. But þere ben two maner of creaturis, spiritual and bodily. Þe beste creature of God is good angel, þat is namyd generali here. And þus þese angels han a maner to blesse God bi witt and wille. And among bodily creaturis hevenes generali ben þe best.

Benedicite aque omnes, quae super celos sunt, Domino: Benedicite omnes virtutes Domini Domino: Ȝe watris alle, þat ben above hevenes, blesse ȝe to þe Lord; ȝe alle vertues of þe Lord blesse to þe Lord.

Here þinken men þat bi þese watris whiche ben above hevenes ben undirstonden alle partis of hevenes, above sunne, planetis, and sterris. For þes þre partis, for þe liȝt, ben clepid hevenes comounly, and þese oþere partis of hevene þat ben cleer as watir ben clepid watris above hevenes, for in hem ben þese þre partis picchid. And it is licly to trewe men þat þes watris ben of þe same kynde þat ben þes watris bineþe þe moone, but þei dyversen in propirtees; for watris þat ben above þe moone ben stable and cleer and everlastinge; but watris þat ben bineþe þe moone, remuynge, freele, and partable. And so watris þat ben above moun wel be preised, for þei ben sotil, but watris byneþe may be dyvyded, for þei ben boþe hevy and groos; and dy∣versyte of siche qualitees stondiþ in substaunce of o kynde. And vertues þat ben in hevenes ben powers þerof to rule þis erþe, as ech part þat is in hevene haþ vertu to move erþeli þingis.

Benedicite sol et luna Domino: Benedicite stelle celi Domino: Þe sunne and þe moone blesse ȝe to þe Lord; þe starris of hevene blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

Þe sunne and þe moone ben passinge liȝtis, and after hem ben þe sterris, and summe of hem ben clepid planetis, as fyve, wiþ þe sunne and moone; þe whiche men of astronomye clepen sevene planetis of hevene, and stonden in þis ordir: Saturnus is þe hiȝeste planete, siþ Jubiter, and siþ Mars. But þe sunne is as a kyng, and stondiþ in þe myddil of alle planetis, and haþ

þes þre above him, and oþere þre byneþe him; þe whiche ben clepid of filosofris, Venus, Mercurius, and þe moone is lowiste planete, and takiþ liȝt, wiþ oþere, of þe sunne. And alle þese sevene ben erraunt sterris, for chaungeable movynge þat þei han, for þei ben sumtyme joyned togidere, and sumtyme oon aȝein anoþer. And þis [So in Q and FF; T and U read þese.] falliþ for þese alle for propir movynge in her whelis, but above Saturnus ben sterris þat ben alle in o wheel, and þes ben evere iliche fer, and maken o figure in her wheel.

Benedicite ymber et ros Domino: Benedicite omnes spiritus Dei Domino: Reyn and deew blesse ȝe to þe Lord; alle wyndis of God bless ȝe to þe Lord.

Here þes þre children of Jewis nemen creaturis byneþe þe moone, but þei nemen not þes foure speris bi þe ordir þat filoso∣fris doon. Þei seyn þat undir þe moone is a spere of sotil fier, and in þat is a spere of þe eir, and in eiþer spere of þe watir, and in þe myddil of þe world and lowiste [lowest, Q, U; lowers, FF.] , spere of þe erþe. Þis resoun moved [So in U; movyd, Q, FF; moveden, T.] þes clerkes to putte a sotil spere of fier; þei seyn þe gros fier among us is boþe hoot and drie and liȝt, movynge upward; and al þis þing it dooþ bi kynde; and þus a cleene fier in his kynde mut be moore liȝt hoot and drie. And alle þe speris ben brokely [brokel, U; brokeli, FF.] , but so ben speris above þe moone. Clerkis seyn þat reyn comeþ þus; þe planetis, and algatis þe sunne, drawen up of þe watir and of oþere moist placis a sotil body fer into þe eir; and in þe myddil of þe eir is it kyndely cooldid a-nyȝtis, for þis matir is kyndely coold, and þere wantiþ heete of fier and liȝt, and þus coold makiþ þis moist matir renne togidere in smale dropis, and þus þei geten hevynes, and come doun in foorme of rein. But sumtyme þese planetis of hevene, aȝein þe tyme þat þe sunne gooþ doun, liften up a sutil matir but a litil space fro þe erþe; and fro þe tyme þe sunne be hid, þe coold of þe nyȝt engrosiþ þis matir, and so it comeþ doun anoon in moore sutil foorme þan reyn. Þere lien manye wyndis here; as summe wyndis ben in beestis, and summe ben closid wiþinne þe erþe, and summe blowen frely

bitwene þe erþe and sterris of hevene; and þis wynd is clepid here, spirit of God, for dyversyte of oþere. Þis wynd is in his kynde eir medlid wiþ watir þat comeþ of þe erþe. And planetis, wiþ sterris of hevene, and hurtlinge of cloudis moven þis wynd now to o place, now to anoþer, after þe chaungyng of þe mover.

Benedicite ignis et estus Domino: Benedicite frigus et estas Domino: Fier and swiinge blesse ȝe to þe Lord; coold and somer blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

It is knowen by bileeve how al þis world profitiþ to man þe while he serveþ in grace to God, and ellis it fiȝtiþ aȝens man. Þus comeþ fier þat we usen; and þe brennynge þerof heetiþ men in coold tyme, and helpiþ to diȝte her mete and drinke. And þus coold in his tyme dooþ cumfort to mannys body, and heete of somer bringiþ forþ fruyt, þat man schulde not lyve but if þis were.

Benedicite rores et pruina Domino: Benedicite gelu et frigus Domino: Dewis and hoor frost blesse ȝe to þe Lord; frost and coold blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

Summe ben dewis þat moisten þe erþe til forþ [til forþe daies, U; til forth dayes, Q; til fro þe dayes, FF.] dayes [The expression 'til forth dayes' seems to mean, till far on in the day, 'dayes' being in the genitive case.] in hoot tyme; and whanne þe coold haþ froȝen þis matir, þanne it is clepid hoor frost. Frost is moore, and lastiþ lengir; and coold is comoun to manye þingis. And as þese tempren mannis body, so þei tempren erþe and fruyt.

Benedicite glacies et nives Domino: Benedicite noctes et dies Domino: Yise and snow blesse ȝe to þe Lord; nyȝtis and dayes blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

No dreede yis helpiþ manye men to passe overe watirs to manye cuntrees. Snow helpiþ to tempre þe erþe; for a good snow is worþ a dungyng, for it holdiþ heete wiþinne þe erþe, þat it crepe not out bi smale holis; and so it qwikeneþ þe roote of growinge þingis wiþinne þe erþe. It is knowen þing to clerkis, þat snow is gendrid hiȝ in þe eir, whanne watry matir mych in quantite to regard of þe substaunce is froȝen and so falliþ doun,

and haþ whiȝtnes for cleer and stable matir. And siþin [So in FF; siche, T, U; for, Q.] men mai not evere traveile, God haþ ordeyned nyȝt and day, nyȝt for to reste, and day for to traveile; and no drede eir in þese tymes temperiþ þe erþe and qualitees. And alle þes þingis techen men boþe of virtues, and of vicis, and of hevene, and of helle, to desire þat oon and drede þe toþir.

Benedicite lumen et tenebrae Domino; Benedicite fulgur et nubes Domino: Liȝt and derknes blesse ȝe to þe Lord; leytis [leytes, U; leyte, FF.] and cloudis blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

Liȝt cumfortiþ mannis siȝt, and qwemeþ bodies here in erþe, and makiþ hem þinke on verri liȝt, þat is God þe first liif. Derknessis doon good to siȝt, and tempren mennys wittis, to take her reste, and figuren derknes of synne, and þereaftir derknessis of helle. And derknes is Goddis creature, siþ God haþ ordeyned it among oþere; and so not ech creature is sub∣staunce þat may dwelle by himsilf. Clerkis knowen þat cloudis hurtlyn and bringen forþ fier of þer partis; as whanne þei breken bi violence þat werun fast togidere bifore, þanne þei maken a greet noise, which noise men clepen þe þundir. And, for siȝt is swiftir þan heeryng, as liȝt comeþ sonner [So in U; sunner, Q, FF; sanner, T.] þan eir trembliþ, þerfore men seen liȝtnynge bifore and aftir þei heeren þe þundir of cloudis. And al þis serveþ Cristen men to mysti comownynge of Cristis lawe.

Benedicat terra Domino, laudet et superexaltet eum in secula: Blesse þe erþe to þe Lord, herie and overhiȝe it him for evere.

Þe erþe serveþ wel to God whanne it holdiþ þe myddil of þe world, and gaderiþ plenteuously liȝt of hevene, and bringiþ forþ fruyt as God biddiþ. And for þis cause haþ God ordeyned erþe to be þicke and stable, to turne aȝein þe liȝt of hevene, and feede fruyt þat growiþ þereinne. And for stablenes of þe erþe, þat schal laste after doomesday, and blesse God above tyme, seyen [So in U and Q; seyn, FF; siþin, T.] þese childrin þat þe erþe blesse [blessiþ, U; blissiþ, FF; blesse, Q.] God.

Benedicite montes et colles Domino: Benedicite uni∣versa germinancia in terra Domino: Ȝe hillis boþe moore

and lasse, blesse to þe Lord; alle þat burionen in erþe blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

It is knowen þing þat hillis holden stoones and metal-oor, and bryngen forþ manye eerbis þat woldin not so wel growe in valeis. And, for cause þat þes [So in U; of þingis, T.] þingis schal have no stide at doomesday, þerfore seiþ Goddis lawe, þat hillis and valeis schulen be playned, and erþe schal take a round figure, and hevene and erþe and watir schulen reste.

Benedicite fontes Domino: Benedicite maria et flu∣mina Domino: Wellis blesse ȝe to þe Lord; sees and floodis blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

Men fynden opinly what good doon wellis to mannys kynde, for manye tymes men schulden wante drinke, ne were þe servise þat þei take of wellis. And comounly in hoot somer wellis ben coolde, and hoot in wyntir. It is knowen þingis to clerkis þat in poris [poores, U.] depe undir þe erþe is watris gendrid and rennynge and springynge up at a place, so myche þat in manye placis where no watir seemeþ to be, men moun so depe hole þe erþe, þat good watir and plenteuous wole springe. And for þis watir renneþ in somer up cold erþe, whanne poris ben opin, þerfore watir comounly is moore coold in somer tyme. In wyntir, whanne it is frost, þe poris of þe erþe ben closid; and heete in þe erþe of somer bifore is lettid to come out by smale holis. Þerfore þe watir þat comeþ bi siche pooris haþ heete in wyntir, and smoke comeþ out and welliþ. For sich a cause eten men betere in coold tyme þan þei doon in hoot tyme, whanne heete is scaterid wiþoute-forþ. Sees in dyverse cuntrees han dyverse propirtees; as oure sees of Yngelond flowiþ twies in þe day and in þe nyȝt, for þe moone þat moveþ þes watris lokiþ so til oure Brytayn see, þat what bi riȝt liȝt and reflectid, in nyȝt and day, it moveþ it twies. Summe oþere sees flowen nevere, and summe but oones flowen in a moneþe, and aftir þat heven lokiþ upon hem, þei han dyverse propirtees. Sees gendren manye fischis to substaunce of mankynde, so þat, bi manye mennis cast, þere ben mo and moore fischis in þe see þan ben beestis upon londe, for þe space and matir is moore.

And þerfor seiþ Daviþ in þe salme, þat men þat weenden to þe [Ps. cvii. 23.] see, þei seen þere þe wondir werkis þat God haþ maad in þis world; for no man suffisiþ in þis liif to telle fully þe kynde of fyschis. And þe see conseyveþ wiþ fischis manye oþere pre∣sciouse þingis, as ben salt and margaritis, and many oþere presciouse stoonys. Clerkis seyn þe see is salt, for þe. kynde salt is þus gendrid; whanne gravel is hatt wiþ þe sunne, and sokid longe wiþ þe watir, it takiþ kyndeli a savour þat men clepen saltnes. And herfore in summe londis han men salt for gravel. And siþ þe see ebbiþ and flowiþ fro þe souþ into þe norþ, it is needful þat salt be medlid wiþ manye sees, and not al oonli wiþ sees, but wiþ watris where þe see flowiþ. And here may men se causes þat ben axid in þis matir. It is axid comounli whi floodis in lond ben not salt; and here men seien comounly þat floodis and wellis ben salt whanne ful cause of saltnes is founde in þes wellis, but þe see is comounly salt, for it takiþ moore þe liȝt of hevene; for it is moore, and neer hevene, and moore disposid to take liȝt; but bankis and manye oþere causis letten flodis to take þus liȝt. Also, gravel of þe souþ see is neer þe sunne, and moore hoot, and þis is medlid wiþ oþere sees, and makiþ hem salt bi rubbinge; so þat ful cause of saltnes makiþ fulnes of salt. And herebi may men se whi salt is boþe whiȝt and cleer; for salt, for greet part þerof, is of þe kynde of watir, and watir, whanne it turneþ to sadnes, mut be cleer by kynde. And sich watir, medlid wiþ erþe, mut nede be whiȝt in þe same kynde. But ȝit men axen comounly, whi salt is dissolved þus, but cristal and oþere stoones ben not loosid as oþir salt. Here seien clerkis þat dyverse bodies ben maad sad in dyverse degrees, and summe bodies may be dissolved and summe not, as manye stoones. And of þe firste clerkis ȝeven a rule, þat þo bodies þat ben hardid by coolde ben loosid by hoot, and hardid by hoot ben loosid by coold. As iys and leed ben hardid bi coold, and þei ben neischid [neschid, U.] aȝein by hoot. But, for salt is hardid bi hoot and drie, þerfore it is kyndely neischid bi body of contrary qualite, as ben bodies coold and moist. And þus salt is hoot bi kynde, and haþ hise virtues by þis ground.

Benedicite cete et omnia qui movent in aqua Domino: Benedicite omnes volucres celi Domino: Whallis and alle þingis moved in watris, blesse ȝe to þe Lord. Alle foulis of hevene blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

It is comounly seid þat a whal is þe moost fisch in þe see; and so by þis greet fisch ben undirstonden alle oþere fischis, boþe schel fische and scalid fisch, or of what kynde þat evere þei ben. Alle þei turnen to mannis help, and doon þe office þat God haþ ordeyned. And þus as beestis upon þe lond drawen in erþe to tempre her body, so fischis in þe flood drawen in watir to tempre hem. But as beestis ben sotiler þan ben fischis in her schap, so þei ben moore venemouse, moore anoyouse unto man; and þus fischis ben neer to elementis, and more religious for to ete, þan ben foulis or beestis of erþe, for þei ben neer mannys kynde. And ȝit þe first book of holy writt, þat men clepen Genesis, seiþ þat boþe fischis and foulis comen of substaunce of þe watir. And ȝit God schewiþ his craft to putt hem so fer a twynne, for þis lord can ordeyne of alle þingis as him likiþ. But watir is neer hevene in kynde þan is erþe, of which ben beestis; and þus boþe fisches and foulis kepen sum propirte of watir.

Benedicite omnes bestie et pecora Domino: Benedicite filii hominum Domino: Alle kynde of beestis and wandringe beestis blesse ȝe to þe Lord; and mennys sones blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

Here may we wyte þat þes beestis weren werkis of þe sixte day; and man was maad on þe same day, and of slyme of þe erþe, as fischis and foulis weren boþe maad of God. On þe fifþe day beestis ben moore general þan beestis þat goon on her feet; siþ wormes and addris ben beestis, but þei helpen not to mannis werk, but oþere beestis, þat drawen in þe plouȝ, and helpen to bere men, as hors. And it is needful to teche men to blesse to God bi gode werkis, as þese beestis taken lore of men, and serven to hem to mannis worschip.

Benedicat Israel Domino: laudet et superexaltet eum in secula: Þe folk of Israel blesse ȝe to þe Lord; herie it and overhiȝe him for evere.

Men ben holden to serve God by double servise here in erþe. Summe ben laboreris, as beestis þat þis song haþ spoken of;

and summe ben moore witti, as angels, and þese schulen serve God moore hiȝly. And for þis servise stondiþ moore in spirit, þerfore it lastiþ aftir doomesday. And Israel, þat is, man seinge God [See note at p. 57.] is not taken oonli for Jacob, but for al his kynde þat comeþ of him, and algatis for his goostli kynde.

Benedicite sacerdotes Domini Domino: Benedicite servi Domini Domino: Prestis of þe Lord, blesse ȝe to þe Lord; servauntis of þe Lord, blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

Among alle folk þat serven God as doon þe children of Israel, preestis schulden moost serve him, and teche oþere men to serve him. Þei shulden large Goddis servauntis, boþe in hem and in oþere men.

Benedicite spiritus et anime justorum Domino: Bene∣dicite sancti et humiles corde Domino: Spiritis and soulis of just men blesse ȝe to þe Lord; Holy and meke men of herte blesse ȝe to þe Lord.

In þis vers may ȝe se how no men but just men serven God meedfully, for to wynne þe blis of hevene. We moun se more in þese wordis how just men han two lyves; contemplatif and actif; and in boþe þes þei shulden serve God. We may se furþir how þes men þat God haþ ordeyned to blis ben here holy and confermyd, and meke algatis of herte.

Benedicite Anania, Azaria, Misael Domino; laudate et superexaltate eum in secula: Ananye, Azarie, Mysael, blesse ȝe to þe Lord; herie ȝe and overhiȝe ȝe him for evermore.

Siþin gode deedis, in Goddis myraclis, oblischen men moore to serve God, þese þre children schulden specialy serve God for hise ȝiftis. God sente his angel to hem and ledde hem saaf in þe furneys, and made þe erþe coold and good, and brente þe Caldeys wiþoute. What man schulde blesse God but þese þre þat weren þus holpen?

Benedicamus patrem et filium cum sancto spiritu; laudemus et superexaltemus eum in secula: Þe fadir and þe sone and þe holy goost herie we, and overhiȝe we him wiþouten eende.

Þis vers han Cristen men doon to, over þat it is in Danyelis

book, to teche þat þei shulden herie God as þese þre children of Israel; and specialy þese Cristen men þat have þus grace of God þat þei qwenchen þe flawme of synnes, as þese þre children bi myracle of God qwenchiden þe flawme of firis. For þis brennyng wiþ synne of soule is moore perelous þan þe toþir, and þerfore men schulden moore herie God for savyng fro þis brennyng. And oure Chirche haþ wittily specified first þe Trynyte, and aftir by a syngular name toold þe oonheed of God.

Benedictus es Domine in firmamento celi; laudabilis et gloriosus et excelsus in secula: Blessid artow Lord in þe firmament of hevene; and worþi to be heryed and glorious and overhiȝed for evermore.

Þis vers makiþ a knott to þis song of þes children, where we maken an opin schrift þat God is passingli blessid. Not þat God haþ nede to be blessid of us, for God is blessid in himsilf as myche as ony þing may be, and oure word and oure blessing may not alarge þis blessing of God; but by þis meke con∣fessioun and joie of Goddis blessing we hopen þat God wole blesse us, boþe here and in hevene.

[QUICUNQUE VULT: COMMONLY CALLED THE ATHANASIAN CREED.]

Quicunque vult salvus esse ante omnia opus est ut teneat Catholicam fidem. It is seid comounli þat þere ben þre credis. Þe first is Apostlis, þat men knowen comounly. Þat oþere is crede of þe Chirche þat declariþ þe former crede. Þis þridde crede is of þe Trynyte, þe whiche is sungun as a salme, and was made in Greek speche of oon þat is clepid Athanasie, and was aftir turnyd to Latyn, and sum deel amendid, and ordeyned to be seid at þe first hour [

With reference to the statement in the text, the following summary of the account given of this creed in the learned work of Dr. Harold Browne, Bishop of Ely (Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles), may be not out of place.

Ecclesiastical writers, down to and including Baronius, assigned the creed to Athanasius without hesita∣tion. His authorship was first dis∣puted by Vossius and Ussher in the middle of the seventeenth century. The Frenchman, Qusnel, writing in 1675, gave it to Vigilius Thap∣sensis, an African bishop of the latter end of the fifth century; and to this hypothesis Cave, Pagi, Bing∣ham, and others assented. In 1693, a French divine, named Antelmi, made out a case of considerable strength in favour of assigning its composition to St. Vincent of Lerins. Lastly, Waterland, writing a few years later, strongly and most ably advocated the claim of Hilary, bishop of Arles in 429, to be con∣sidered the author.

Direct external testimony to the authorship there is none. But a variety of indications point, (as we saw was the case also with the Te Deum,) to the Church of Gaul as the source of its composition. The internal testimony, afforded by the peculiar cast of doctrine, and by significant omissions no less than significant statements, is said to fix the date at a period before the spread of Nestorianism, and after the appearance of St. Augustine's works on the Trinity, i.e. between 416 and 431. But if composed at that particular period, and com∣posed in Gaul, it is not likely to have had any other author than one of two men, Hilary of Arles, and St. Vincent of Lerins;—and Water∣land argues very ingeniously for the former.

] . Þis Salme

telliþ myche of þe Trynyte, and it is no nede ech man here to know it, siþ a man may be saved if þat he bileeve in God, and hope þat God wole teche him aftirward þat is needful. And so, as men seyn comounly, men bileeven in two maners. Summe bileeven expresly þat þer is but o God; and summe bileeven confusely, howevere God wole þat þei trowen; and if þei lyven on oþer syde riȝtly, as God wole þat þei lyven, þei ben in good wey aftir to come to blis. For our crede schulde be medelid wiþ love and bileeve, so þat bileeve tauȝte oure witt how good þat oure God is, and siþ þe Holy Goost tauȝte how we schulden love oure God. And herfore seiþ þis [So in U and Q; T has þe first salm.] salm, whiche is lesse þan gospel, þat, Whosoevere wole be saaf, it is needful bifore alle oþere þingis þat he hoolde þe comoun bileeve, for þerbi is man saved. And it seemeþ not inowȝ men to sey bi word þat þei trowe fulli as hooly Chirche trowiþ; for þus seyn Paynyms and manye out of þe bileeve; siþ men seien comounli þat all han sich bileeve. And so love and good liif ben needful to riȝt bileeve. And God forbede þat men bileeven þat ech man þat schal be saaf mut trowe expresly ech word þat here is seid; for feue or noone ben in þat staat, or Grekis or Lateyns. And ȝit to us falliþ, Englisch to telle þat litil þat we bileeven; for bileve is of truþe, þat is bifore oure langagis;

and, as we seyn, God ȝeveþ bileeve boþe to children and to men, alif þei ben not of power to lerne bileeve of her briþeren.

Quam nisi quisque integram inviolatamque serva∣verit, absque dubio in eternum peribit: Þis comyn feiþ is of þis kynde, þat but if ech man kepe it hool and unfilid, wiþ∣oute doute he schal perische wiþouten eende.

Þere ben summe þat trowen to oon article, and of anoþer article þei trowen þat it is fals, as Jewis and Paynyms trowen to o bileeve, and trowen not to anoþir, and þerfore þei failen in hool bileeve. And it is al oon a man to have noon [So in U; none, Q; on, T.] armes [armys, U.] , and to be woundid to þe deeþ on oon hoole of hise armes. And here may we se how bileeve is taken here for truþe þat men bileeven, groundid in God. And on two oþere maners men taken bileeve. Sum tyme bileeve is clepid a qualite, by which a man is namyd a trewe man in God, and þis bileeve is a maner of a trewe soule. On þe þridde maner is bileeve take for a þouȝt þat a man haþ in deede of þe first bileeve. And þus bileeve is liȝtist to falle fro a man. But we schulen undir∣stonde, þat manye men neden not to have opin knowleche of alle pointis of bileeve, but þei moten nedis bileeve þat þer is o God, and love him and serve him wiþoute synne dampnable. And þus men trowen generaly al þat is to bileeve, and failen in no poynt, as doon untrewe men. Oþere þat have moore witt of God, schulden trowe moore; and algatis ech man schulde kepe him fro fals bileeve, þat he trowe not contrarye to oure feiþ.

Fides autem Catholica hec est, ut unum Deum in trinitate, et trinitatem in unitate veneremur: Þis is comoun bileeve, þat ech man schulde trowe, þat we worschip o God in trynyte of persoones, þe which God is trinyte in oonheed of godheed; þat is to seie, we schal trowe þat þere is but o God, þe which God is þre persones, and þes þre persoones ben þe same God.

Neque confundentes [So Q, U; con∣fundantes, T.] personas, neque substantiam separantes. And þus schal we trowe, neþer medlynge þese þre persoones, ne departinge þe substance, of God in þese persoones.

Þat is to seie, we schal not trowe þat þe Fadir mai be þe Sone, ne þe Sone þe Holy Goost, ne þe Holy Goost þe Fadir; but þes ben þre persoones, þat noon is anoþir, ne part of anoþir; and alle þese þre persoones, and ech bi himsilf, be þe same substaunce, and so þe same God.

Alia est enim persona patris, alia filii, alia spiritus sancti; sed patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti una est divinitas, equalis gloria, coeterna majestas [So Q, U; magestas, T.] : Þere is oþir persoone of þe fadir, and oþir of þe sone, and anoþir of þe holy goost; but of þes þree persoones is o godheed, and evene glorie, and comyn magiste wiþouten eende.

We schal trowe þat þe Fadir is þis persoone of þe Fadir; and so þes oþere two persoones ben persoone of þe Sone and per∣soone of þe Holy Goost. So, alle if þese persoones ben oþere, and ech is oþir fro þe toþir, naþelees noon of hem is oþere fro þe toþir in kynde, siþ þere is o kynde comoun to hem alle. And so is o Godheed comoun to hem alle, siþ ech of þese and alle þes ben þe same God. And bi þe same skil alle þes ben even in glorie, and magiste of hem alle is lastinge wiþ∣outen eende, for þis glorie and magiste is not but þis Godheed. And so if men seiden þat þis same glorie and magiste were of þree persoones, þei seiden soþli and not contrarie herto. But glorie and magiste seyn sum tyme relacioun, whiche clerkis seyn ben dyverse in resoun.

Qualis pater, talis filius, talis spiritus sanctus: Whiche is þe fadir, sich is þe sone, and sich is þe holy goost.

In þis holy Trinyte is noon sich qualite as is in creaturis; but on sum maner mut we speke, to telle þis maner of God, which maner is not oþir þan God; for tungis failen in tellinge of God for þe excellence of him. And so it is toold aftirward, what is þis qualite of God, in which þes þre persoones ben ech evene to oþir.

Increatus pater, increatus filius, increatus spiritus sanctus: Unmaad is þe fadir, unmaad is þe sone, and unmaad is þe holy goost.

For alle þes þre persoones ben þe same God, which is wiþ∣oute

bigynnyng and also wiþouten eende; and so noon of þese þre persoones may be maad of nouȝt.

Immensus pater, immensus filius, immensus spiritus sanctus: Þe fadir is wiþoute mesure myche, and eke þe sone, wiþ þe holy goost.

For þer is a comyn greetnes of alle þes þre persoones, and it seiþ no quantite, ne streechinge of Goddis partis. For þis holy Trinitye is wiþouten ony part, but at ech part of þis world is þe holy Trinyte, and if þis world were more, þere were þe Trinyte, for God may not faile to be in place, ne to þing þat he haþ maad. But if þere were a voide place wiþouten hevene wiþoute mesure, God were everywhere in þis place; but þer is no sich voide place.

Eternus pater, eternus filius, eternus spiritus sanctus: Þe fadir is wiþoute bigynnyng, and also wiþoute eending, and so ben þe toþir two persones.

And so al þis Trynyte, siþ ech of þese is þe same God, þat may not be mesurid ne maad.

Et tamen non tres eterni, sed unus eternus; sicut non tres increati, nec tres immensi, sed unus increatus et unus immensus: And naþelees, if God be sich, þere ben not þre Goddis siche; for þere is but o God, of what kyn maner þat he be; and so þere ben not þre unmaad, ne þre þus grete, ne þre wiþouten eende; but alle þes þre persoones ben o God, þat is sich.

But here may men betere sey in Latein þe sotilte of þis matere, for articlis wiþ case, gendre, and noumbre helpen here for to speke. For alle þese þre persoones of God ben þus myche wiþoute eende; but þei ben not þre Goddis þat han siche quali∣tees, but þei ben þre persoones þat han sich propirtees.

Similiter omnipotens pater, omnipotens filius, omni∣potens spiritus sanctus; et tamen non tres omnipotentes, sed unus omnipotens: Also almyȝti is þe fadir, almyȝti is þe sone, almyȝti is þe holy goost; and naþelees not þre Goddis ben almyȝti, but o God is almyȝti.

We schal bileeve of oure God þat he is a sovereyn spirit, o kynde and o substaunce, o God and o beinge; and he is wiþout part, and fulli sich as we han seid; and þis God haþ

power to knowe himsilf, and to willen himsilf. Þis power is þe first persoone, þis wisdom is þe secunde persoone, and þis wille is þe þridde persoone; and alle þes þre ben o God. And so þes names, þat moten nedis acoorde to al þe Trinyte, ben seid singularly of oure God wiþouten part. And ȝit þes þre persoones of God ben Almyȝti, and alle God, siþ ech of hem is Almyȝti, but þe same Almyȝti God. And clerkis seyn þat God is Almyȝti, for if he wil þat ouȝt be doon, he dooþ it in his tyme, and þis may noþing do but God, for angels wolen þat þei ben made, but ȝit þei mai not make hemsilf. But alle þese persoones ben o kynde, þat is þus myȝti as we han seid. And þus seiþ þis crede aftir,—

Ita Deus pater, Deus filius, Deus spiritus sanctus; et tamen non tres dii, sed unus est Deus. Ita Dominus pater, Dominus filius, Dominus spiritus sanctus; et tamen non tres domini, sed unus est Dominus: So þe fadir is God, þe sone is God, þe holy goost is þe same God; and naþeless þer ben not þre goddis, but o God is alle þese þre. And so þe fadir is Lord, þe sone is Lord, and þe holy goost is Lord; and ȝit þere ben not þre lordis, but o Lord is ech of þese.

And þis roten resoun of men þat foolis maken wiþouten witt, is not worþi to be teeld for þe lewidnes þerof; if þis God be þis Fadir, and þe same God be his Sone, þanne is þis Fadir þis Sone, for o God is þei boþe. Þese foolis moten lerne filosofye, and how manye þingis may be a comoun þing.

Quia sicut singillatim unamquamque personam Deum ac Dominum confiteri Cristiana veritate compellimur, ita tres deos aut dominos dicere Catholica religione prohibemur. And to þis witt spekiþ þe crede, þat we ben nedid bi Cristen trouþe to graunte þat ech of þese þre persoones is ful God and ful Lord, and he þe same þat ech oone is; and ȝit we ben forfendid of God to sey þat þere ben þre goddis, or þat þese þre persoones ben þre lordis, bi general religioun. For o God and o Lord is comowne to þese þre persoones.

Pater a nullo est factus, nec creatus, nec genitus. Wiþ þis sentence þat is seid, is ordir bitwixe þese persoones. But þe Fadir is maad of noon, ne maad of nouȝt, ne bigeten; siþ þe Fadir is þe first persoone, þat may have no principle of his being.

Filius a patre solo est; nec factus, nec creatus, sed genitus: Þe sone is of þe oon fadir, not maad, ne maad of nouȝt, but borun.

And here clerkis mooten wake her wittis, and undirstonde two birþis. Þe first is not makynge of þing, but cause þerof wiþouten eende; as, if þe sunne were nevere maad, as errour of clerkis haþ seid ofte, ȝit þe sunne wolde cause his liȝt eiþer wiþinne or wiþoute. So þe first persoone of God bringiþ forþ þe secunde persoone as God, for power to knowe himsilf knowiþ himsilf fulli. And þis þing was wiþoute bigynnyng, and it may have noon eende aftir. And þis birþe or beringe is þe first þat may be, and of þis comeþ bodili bigetinge, whanne o kynde bringiþ forþ anoþir.

Spiritus sanctus a patre et filio; non factus, nec crea∣tus, nec genitus, sed procedens. And here moten men wake wel, to knowe how þis þridde persoone comeþ al oonli of þe firste, and we seyn þis Holy Goost comeþ boþe of þe Fadir and of þe Sone. For þis Fadir and þis Sone ben o principle of þis þridde persoone; and herfore we seien in þis crede þat þe Holy Goost comeþ of þe Fadir and of þe Sone, not maad, ne maad of nouȝt, ne bigeten, but comynge forþ. For as we teelden of double birþe, so þere ben two comyngis forþ; þis comynge forþ þat we tellen here is wiþoute bigynnyng and eending, but it is a bringinge [So in U; brynggyng, Q; bring, T.] forþ wilful of two persoones. And þus þei may not be o fadir, ne þis þridde persoone her sone; but bileeve techiþ us, þat as God knowiþ himsilf, for he may knowe him∣self, so for þese two þingis God restiþ in his owne wille, siþ God haþ good wille to himsilf, bi þis power and þis knowing. But undirstonde we not þes persoones as þre bodies, or þre substaunces, but as o symple substaunce þat is comoun to hem alle.

Unus ergo pater, non tres; unus filius, non tres filii; unus spiritus sanctus, non tres spiritus sancti. And herfore we moten nedis confesse, þat þere is o fadir, not þre fadirs, o sone, not þre sones, oon holy goost, not þre holy goostis.

And þus þer ben but þre persoones wiþinne in þe Godheed, al if manye ben wiþoute.

Et in hac trinitate nichil prius aut posterius, nichil majus aut minus; sed tote tres persone coeterne sibi sunt et coequales: And in þis trinyte is nouȝt bifore ne aftir, moore ne lesse, but alle þre persoones ben evene wiþoute bigynnyng and eende, and evene in power and in godheed.

Here moten men knowen, for heretikis, how þere ben two furþerhedis and two hyndirhedis also, þat men speken of in þis matir. For þe first furþerheed is forþerhed [From Q; om. T, U.] of comynge forþ, and þe toþer forþerheed is furþerheed of kynde. And in þis trinyte is þe firste furþerheed þat here is spoken, siþ o per∣sone comeþ of anoþir, and þere is ordir in þese persoones. Þe secunde furþerheed is not here, siþ o kynde is also þese þre, and þe same godheed; and þe same godheed is togydere Fadir and Sone and þe Holy Goost. And God wolde þat we Lateins amendide Grekis, suynge þe Sone, as we have amendid hem in þis point, addynge þe Sone to þe Fadir, and seyn sooþ þat þei ben o principle, bringynge forþ þe Holy Goost. But we failen to Goddis Sone in suynge þe manheed of him.

Ita ut per omnia, sicut jam supra dictum est, et [So in Q; ut, T, U.] unitas in trinitate, et trinitas in unitate veneranda sit. Qui vult ergo salvus esse, ita de trinitate senciat: And so we gaderen hem, as it is bifore seid, þat boþe oonheed in godheed, and trinyte in persoones, and trinyte in þis oonheed, be to be wor∣schiped overe oþere þingis. And whosoevere wole be saaf, þus feele he of þe trinyte.

If he feele not þus expresly, loke þat he feele þus in comoun.

Sed necessarium est ad eternam salutem, ut incar∣nacionem quoque Domini nostri Jesu Cristi fideliter credat: Bisyde þe godheed of þes þre persoones, is needful to knowe þe manheed of þis secunde persoone, and so trowe it truli.

For Crist is giaunt [So in U; gyaunt, Q; T has graunt.] of two substauncis, of godheed and of manheed, and bigynnyng of oure bileeve, of oure helþe, and oure blis; for hadde not Crist þus be man, we schulen nevere þus han be saved. And in Crist, boþe God and man, is heelþe

of mannys kynde. And it is hard to bileeve þe Trinyte, but it is moore hard to manye to bileeve two kyndis in o persone; for riȝt as in þe Trinyte þre persoones ben in o kynde, so in þe incarnacioun two kyndis ben o persone. And herfore techiþ oure bileeve,—

Est ergo fides recta ut credamus et confiteamur, quia Dominus noster Jesus Cristus Dei filius, Deus et homo est. Deus est, ex substantia patris ante secula genitus; et homo est ex substantia matris in seculo natus. Per∣fectus Deus, perfectus homo, ex anima rationali et humana carne subsistens: Þerfore it is riȝt bileeve þat we bileeve and knowleche, þat oure Lord Jesus Crist, Goddis sone, is boþe God and man. He is God of his fadris substaunce, borne spiritualy bifore þe world, and he is man of his modirs substaunce, born and maad man in þe world.

And so he is parfiȝt God, as he was bifore þe world, and he is parfiȝt man, maad of a resonable soule and of mannis flesch. And so he is bicomen oure broþir, not maad of godheed and of flesche, wiþoute mannis soule in þis fleisch, ne of godheed and of his soule wiþouten verri body of man; but Crist haþ verri bodi and soule as oþere briþren þat he haþ, of þe same kynde þat þei ben, al if he myȝte not synne as þei.

Equalis patri secundum divinitatem, minor patre se∣cundum humanitatem. Here moten men lerne, for heretikis, how þei schulen speke in þis matir. For as trynauntis [truantes, U.] bigilen foolis in matir of þe Trinyte, so þei bigilen oþere trynauntis [truantes, U.] in þe incarnacioun of Jesus Crist. And herfore bileeve techiþ us what we schulden trowe of Crist, and how we schulden graunte of him þat falliþ to his clene manheed, and also to his clene godheed; siþ Crist is boþe þes two togidere, and so, evene to þe fadir bi his godheed, and lesse þan þe fadir bi his manheed.

And siþ Crist is þes two kyndis bi myracle and dyvers resoun, graunte we boþe þese of him, as we graunten of þes two kyndis. And siþ Crist is boþe God and man, graunte we þat he is evere wiþ þe Fadir, and þerewiþ lesse þan þe Fadir, for his godheed and his manheed is sich, and þese two ben not contraries.

Crist is evene wiþ þe Fadir, and Crist is lesse þan þe Fadir, *siþ Crist is boþe þees kyndes; but ȝif Crist were evene wiþ þe Fadir, and þerwiþ lesse þan þe Fadir,* [The words between asterisks are supplied from U: they are found also in Q, but om. in T.] bi þe same kynde of Crist, þanne two contraries folowiden him. And þus grauntiþ Crist in þe gospel, wiþoute cloutinge of oþere wordis, þat þe Fadir is moore þan he, and al þat þe Fadir haþ is his. And if we graunten to þis witt þat Crist is not evene wiþ þe Fadir, for his manheed is not evene, þis is not contrarie to þe toþer; as, sum man renneþ, sum man renneþ not.

Qui licet Deus sit et homo, non duo tamen, sed unus est Cristus: But if Crist be God and man, and so two kyndis, and boþe of hem, haþelees Crist is not two persoones, but oon,

Þat is boþe God and man, and þis persoone is godheed, and þerto it is manheed. And so schal we graunte of Crist wiþouten drede, bi þese two kyndis, boþe þat þat falliþ to his godheed, and þerwiþ þat falliþ to his manheed.

Unus autem, non conversione divinitatis in carnem, sed assumpcione humanitatis in Deum: Crist is o persoone, not by turnynge of Godheed into flesch, but bi takynge of manheed into godheed.

For Crist took manheed þat he bifore was not, and lefte not godheed þat he was evere. And ȝit godheed may not be man∣heed, alȝif þei ben o persoone.

Unus autem [Unus omnino, Q.] , non confusione substantiae, sed unitate persone: And þus, Crist is algatis oon, not by confusioun of his substaunce, but bi oonheed of his persoone, þat is þoþe þes two substaunces.

And so Crist bigan to be þis, but he bigan not to be per∣soone, as Crist was not twies persoone, ne [So U and Q; not, T.] twies man by his deeþ. And so þe godheed of Crist is not medlid wiþ his man∣heed, ne neþer of þese kyndis turneþ into oþir, but þese kindis ben hool in Crist.

Nam sicut anima racionalis et caro unus est homo, ita Deus et homo unus est Cristus: For whi? as a resonable soule and flesch is boþe o man, so in Crist boþe God and man is o persoone in Crist.

And so þis soule, þat is, þis man, is no part but al þis man, and þus soþli a man is spirit, and schal lyve aftir þat he is deed.

Qui passus est pro salute nostra, descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis.

And þus we graunten to enemyes þat Crist suffride for oure heelþe, wente doun into helle, and on þe þridde day roos fro deeþ. First he suffride bi his flesch, and wente to helle by his soule, and roos boþe bi his Godhede and bi his manheed þat he quikenede. But Crist left nevere to be þis spirit, al if he left oonys to be flesch. And þus he haþ power to put his liif, and to take it aȝein.

Ascendit ad celos; sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omni∣potentis; inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos: And þus Crist stiede to hevenes, sittiþ on þe riȝt side of þe fadir almyȝti, and fro þens he is to come to deeme qwike men and dede.

Crist stiede bi his manheed, þat was moved bi his godheed, and passide manye hevenes, and restiþ evermoore in glorie, and at þe day of doom schal come to juge boþe qwike and dede, þe whiche han served him truly, and doon unkindeli aȝens him.

Ad cujus adventum omnes homines resurgere habent cum corporibus suis, et reddituri sunt de factis propriis rationem: To þis comyng at þe laste day schal al maner men arise, and ȝeve resoun to Crist of her owne dedis here.

Et qui bona egerunt, ibunt in vitam eternam; qui vero mala, in ignem eternum: And þes men þat han do goodis schulen go to liif wiþouten eende, and þes men þat han doon yvelis schulen go to fier wiþouten eende.

And we speken here of good and yvel, by hem þat dyen here in þese.

Hec est fides catholica, quam, nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque crediderit, salvus esse non poterit: Þis is general bileeve, þe which but if ech man trowe truly and stidefastly, he may not herewiþ be saaf.

And al if þis crede accorde unto prestis, naþelees þe hiȝer prelatis, as [popes cardinalis] [The words have been erased in Bodl. 288, but I have supplied them from U and Q.] and bishopis, schulden moore specialy cunne þis crede, and teche it to men undir hem.

Amen.