Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terra (Joh. 12, 24-26).
Jhesu to his disciplus tolde
wordus gode forte holde,
þus he seide hem biforn:
"But ȝif þat a whete-Corn
ffalle in to þe eorþe lowe [ 5]
And breke and dye, soþ to knowe,
Elles, I sey wiþ-outen lesynge,
No fruit may hit forþ bringe;
ffor, ȝif he dwelle hol al-on,
ffruit bringeþ he forþ non; [ 10]
And ȝif he wel clouen beo,
Muche fruit bringeþ forþ he.
hose loueþ in world here
his owne wille þat is him nere,
he leoseþ þing of more prys— [ 15]
þen is he noþing wys;
And hose wole his wille hate
In þis world, þat is so mate,
To euerlastyng lyf ceete (!)
þenne he doþ his soule kepe. [ 20]
hose wole wel serue me to,
he schal me folewe þen so,
And wherso-euere þat am I,
Schal my seruaunt beo, sikerli.
And hose to me serueþ al, [ 25]
honouren him my fadur schal,
þe whuche fader is ful euene
Abouen in þe hiȝe heuene."
þis is þe strengþe of vre gospel,
As mon in Englisch tonge may tel. [ 30]
Crist here him-self calde
A whete-Corn, to eorþe þat falde:
he clef also and was ded,
þorwh þe Jewes falsed;
ffruit he multipliȝed also, [ 35]
þe feiþ, and cristen pepul þo;
And he fette, soþ to telle,
Muche fruit out of helle.
Whi he calde him-self a corn
In þis gospel here-biforn? [ 40]
he fedeþ Angeles in heuene briht,
And men in eorþe wiþ his miht,
And also alle maner of Best
he fedeþ at his owne request.
he is þat corn, soþ to sey, [ 45]
þat hunger from soules doþ awey,
And bodyes susteneþ in vch a plas,
And struyȝeþ hertes bi his gras. [48 l. strengþeþ.]
whon þis corn wiþ deþ was souht,
Not only fruit to vs he brouht, [ 50]
But al þe world he dude folfille
wiþ gostly corn, as was his wille.
þerfore þis blessed corn heere
seide to hem on þis maneere,
'he þat wole his wille heer loue [ 55]
Schal hit leose in heuene aboue,
And he þat wole his wille her hate
And hold hit euere at louh state,
he schal fynde þe lyf hende
Euer-lastyng wiþ-outen ende': [ 60]
vr lordus biddyng heere hit was
Of his passiun to suwe þe tras.
þeos wordus þat ȝe herd han,
On twey maners þei ben tan:
þe toþur maner is of þeose, [ 65]
hose loueþ he schal leose.
þis is follich forte say:
Ȝif þou louest, leose þou may,
But ȝif þou wolt loue holde
to crist þat for þe diȝe wolde. [ 70]
Drede þe not þenne baldelye
ffor his loue for to dyȝe;
But beo þou nouȝt aboute ryf
To loue þi wille in eorþli lyf,
Leste þou þerfore þi wille leose [ 75]
Euer-lastyng lyf for to chese.
þerfore hit folweþ forþur-more,
As þis gospel seiþ byfore:
he þat hateþ bi good skil
þat is cald his owne wil, [ 80]
And also his bodi likyng,
he takeþ his soule to good kepyng,
To þat lyf for to wende
þat euer schal laste wiþ - outen ende.
þis goode Thomas, as we fynde [ 85]
And as þis day makeþ mynde,