Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terra mortuum fuerit, ipsum solum manet (Joh. 12, 24-26).
But greine of whete in eorþe dye,
hit schal not newe. þis is to seie:
Whon grein of whete is cast to grounde,
But ȝif hit die, hit schal not newe.
Vre furste greyne wiþ deuȝ was bounde, [ 5]
ffeole greynes þerof grewe,
Spires stoden vp In a stounde
And bar blosmes briht of hewe;
ffeole greynes growen rounde
Of o greyne þat we sewe. [ 10]
whon greyn in grounde biginneþ falle,
But ȝif hit die, hit schal not sprede,
þe londus folk forte fede—
In Johan gospel þus I rede,
þe apostles witen alle. [ 15]
Whon greyne of whete is cast in grounde, [16 l. in grounde is sowe.]
hit liggeþ lowe vndur þe londe;
þerof springeþ spires I-nowe
Aȝein þe sonne vndur þe sonde,
wiþ bitter blastes hit is I-blowe, [ 20]
To wagge wiþ wynd hit wol not wonde;
And aftur is ropen and leid ful lowe,
Boistesliche bounden in a bonde,
And þenne in cartes cast,
þen hit is brouht hom til a Berne, [ 25]
hard I-þrosschen in an hurne;
ffair bred, as ȝe schul lerne,
þerof comeþ atte last.
þenne is hit winewed wiþ þe wynde,
In Mesures meten and grounden to mele, [ 30]
ffeire I-kneden, as ȝe may se [31 se st. fynde?]
Bake Bred and feden fele.
þis whete-corn I haue in muynde
þat furst stod on a luytel stele.
Nou wol I preue bi wei of kuynde [ 35]
þat o greyne won al vr wele,
whon greyne on grounde was sowe
In Marie lond, þat Mylde croft;
þer-in com crist feire and soft
Out of heuene, þe heiȝe loft, [ 40]
And greuh in grounde ful lowe.
Whon greyne of whete in grounde was cast,
Quikliche hit quiked in a Qweene.
here hit liuede, for vs hit fast
ffourti dawes, as clerkes sene; [ 45]
In eorþe hit dyed atte last,
And queyntely hit quiked aȝen—
þat made þe fend sore agast;
Nou greyne is brouht in bred to ben.
Bote for vre greyne gon dye, [ 50]
Schulde neuere Mayden ne wyf
Ones haue ete þe bred of lyf,
But euere ha liued in þe fendes strif,
fforsoþe, as I ow seye.