Vices and Virtues : a Soul's Confession of its Sins with Reason's Description of the Virtues : a middle-english dialogue of about 1200 A.D. Part I Text and Translation / edited by F. Holthausen

Of rade.

HIER after cumð an oðer godes ȝiue, ðe is icleped consilium, þat is, ræd. Herof seide Salomon: Omnia fac cum consilio, et postea non penitebis, 'Do alle þing after rade, ðer after hit ne scal þe ofþenchen.' Maniȝe gode þinges ðu hafst iherd and ilierned; nim ðar after rad, naht at wise manne one, and þe bie baðe wis and ec goddfrihti, and ifonded of religiun. Hwilch lif ðu betst muȝe laden, ðat auþ to benne michel after ðan ðe ðu hafst michel misdon, oðer litel; and ðanne mot me lokin ðin ikinde, and ðinne lichame^s hæle oðer unhale. Forðan, ȝif ðu undernimst swilch ðat tu for unhale ne miht iforðin, ðat ðu godd haddest behaten, hit is ðe [page 44] michel [hit is te repeated on page 44; between te and michel a little stroke (like i) above the line.] hauht. Eftsones bie warr, ȝif ðu behatst god michel god te donn, and heih lif te healden: ðat lasse gode lif ðe ðu arrer hafdest, ne miht tu naht eft healden, and bien ȝeboreȝen [The second ȝ corr. from c.] . Hier of seið ðat hali godspell: Qui mittit manum sụam ad aratrum, et respicit retro, non est aptus regno dei, 'Se ðe doð his hand to ðere sull of godspelle, and Cristes ȝoc wile beren, and forlat al ðe woreld, and loceð abach, wændinde to ðe woreld he, nis naht wurðe heuene riche.' Ðis is ȝesæd bi ða manne ðe forlat al ðe woreld, and folȝeð godes stiefne, ðe ðus seið: Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et honorati estis, et cetera, 'Cumeð to me,' he seið, 'alle ðe swinkeð mid euele werkes, and ȝeheueȝed bieð mid manikennes sennes, and ic eu wile ȝiue reste to ȝeuer saule, and ic wile lihten ȝeuer berðene, ȝif ȝe mine rad hlesten willeð. Bereð min ȝoc uppe ȝeu, of hersumnesse, þe is softe, and min berðen is liht, of mine bebodes to healden. Mid mine fultume alle ðing ȝe muȝen; wið-uten me, nanþing.' For ðessere swete clepienge cumeð baðe gode and euele, and lateð all ðe woreld, and nimeð Cristes marc uppen hem, of soðe religiun, hwilche kennes swa hit

bie. Ðe hali gast [a letter erased.] hem warneð, and seið: 'Godd ðe ȝeu haueð icleped ut of ðare lease woreld in to gode liue, he ne nett ȝeu naht ðer to, ac seið: Si uis perfectus esse, 'Ȝif ðu wilt,' he seið, 'bien ðurhut god mann, ðanne forlat ðu ðe woreld; and ȝif [ȝis [sic]] ðu [page 45] nelt naht, þu miht wuniȝen on ðare woreld, and ec bien ȝeboreȝen, ȝif ðu ðinne cristendom wel hal^dst.' Ac ȝif ðu ne miht ðe naht wel berȝen, oðer ðu wilt, for Cristes luue, more þoliȝen, and betere lif laden: lhist, ðerof ic ðe wile warnin. Fili, accedens ad seruitudinem dei, et cetera [Salamon written against this at side.] , 'Lieue sune,' he seið, 'þanne ðu cumst to godes huse him to ðenin, bie wel war, and ȝarke ðine saule aȝen maniȝes kennes fandinges, and stand mid michel dradnesse, forðan ðu scalt bien ȝefonded on ða hali liue al swo is þe pott ðe is idon on ðe barnende ofne. Gif he ðar inne bersteð and brekð, he is forloren and sone ut-ȝeworpen; ȝif he belæfð hal and ȝesund, ðe pottere hine deð ðar to ðe he iscapen was.' Ðe apostele seið ðat godd ne wile naht þoliȝen of none his icorene more te fondin ðanne he muȝe þolien. Ac ðo ðe bersteð wið-inne here wunienge for here modinesse, hwarof here herte is swa full swa is bladdre of winde, hie bieð ut-iworpen ðurh dieules lare, naht for hem seluen ane, ac for oðre ec awei te affleien. Ðanne fareð hie eft to ðare woreld, and bieð forcuðere ðanne hie arrer wæren. Hie forwerpeð here ræd and here claðes, and nemeeð [Between neme and eð a slit in the vellum.] hem to ðare woreld and bieð apostate Criste, forsakene, naht mid wordes, ac mid werkes, ðe werse is, ȝif hit mai. Munec mai ut-faren mid ileaue in to hermitorie, oðer in to onnesse te wunien, ȝif he godd hafð to iwitnesse ðat he mid hlutter herte hit doð, for bett to donne. We findeð on ȝewrite þat eremite ne owh on wilderne te wu- [page 46] nien, bute he arst bie ȝefanded ðurh regule and ðurh maistre in ðan gastliche ofne ðe we ær embe spaken. Ancer is swiðe gastlich lif. Ðeremovedaddse twa lif, hermite and ansæte lif, ðe we nu clepeð anker, hie wæren hwile ferr fram mannen wuniende, and wæren swiðe iluuede and iheiȝed ðurh ða hali faderes ðe ðar inne wuneden and hit orliche hielden. Swa me mai ȝiet sume finden — iþanked [iþandked [sic]] bie godd! — ðe swiðe gastlich lif lædet after ðare woreld ðe nu is. Al

swa me mai, mang alles kennes liues menn, sume gode and sume euele finden. He it wot, ðe all wot. Ȝif ðu wilt on ðare woreld beleauen, and wif and childre hauen, and land teliȝen and weriȝen, ðu scalt hauen ðas te more iswink. Ac ȝif ðu hauest godne radȝiue, ðu miht ðar wel libben, and ec at gode god lean ofearniȝen. Alle ðo þing ðe ðu hauest te donne, do it mit ræde; and ðe rad bie swulch, ðat tu noht ne do aȝenes ðe holi write. Hierof us warneð Crist, and ðus seið: Dum es cum aduersario tuo in uia, et cetera, 'Ðarhwile ðe ðu art mid þine wiðerwine on ða weiȝe, bie him teiþinde ðat ðe he wile hauen idon, læste he ðe nime and betæche ðe ðe crauiere, and he seððen betache ðe ðe pineres and ðe cwelleres!' Ðis godspell folȝe, ȝif ðu wille. Godes word, godes ræd is ðin unwine, forðat hit ne seið noht al ðat tu woldest. Ac ȝif ðu wilt lesten godd, þu scalt bien ðe hali write buhsum, ðo litle hwile ðe ðu art mid him her on ðese weiȝe, on ðese scorte liue; and wite ðu te soðe, bute ðu him bie hier teiðinde hwat swa hit ðe ratt [page 47] to donne: ðanne ðu cumst on ða hei^gere [g red above i.] weiȝe, ðanne ðu art itwamd fram ðine lichame, hit te wile betachen ðe crauiere deueleexpand_less, ðe ðe wile crauen of elchere senne, and betellen riht after godes awene worde, ðat tu aust him to folȝin to helle, forðan ðe ðu art godd unhersum al swa he. Forði hlest nv hwat godd ðe ratt: Diuicie si affluant, nolite cor apponere, 'Worldes eihte, ȝif hie is swiðe rixinde to ðeward, ne do ðu naht ðine herte ðerto, ac do hes to me. Ðe richeise ðe scal trukien, ic ne truke ðe naure. Hwi is te ðin huexpand_lesscche trewer ðanne ich? Ne sente ic ðe seggen bi ða write of goddspelle ðat tu scoldest makie ðin hord up in heuenriche [c corr. from another letter.] , and naht upen ierðe? Hwi ne wilt tu me bien buhsum?' Hlest ȝiet furðer Cristes rad, hwat he seið on ða hali godspelle: Cum facis prandium aut cenam, Nolite noli uocare amicos tuos, et cetera, 'Ðanne ðu wilt makien gestninge,' seið Crist, 'ne clepe ðu naht ðine friend, ne ðine breðren ðarto, ne ðine kenesmen, ne ðine neihibures. Gif æni of ðesen ðe muȝen forȝielden ðine gestninge, ðane ne clepe ðu hes naht. Ac clepe ðo wrecches and to unmihti, þe blinde, ðe dumbe, ðe deaue, ðe halte, ðe ne muȝen naht hit te forȝielden; ðanne art tu isæli: hit te scal bien forȝolden

in resurrectione iustorum, ðat is, ðanne ðe rih^twise sculen arisen, and tu amang [amanȝ [sic]] hem, on godes swiðre.' Gif ðu naht herof ne dest, ne mai ðe deuel betellen wel ðat tu art gode unhersum. Hwa doð þis? Hwa halt þis? Whi seggeð men ðat me ne mai naht wel bien ȝeboreȝen on ðare woreld? Hwi ne wilt tu folȝin godes rad and his lore? Þis is iwis on of ðe hali mihtes ðe godd scift mang his ȝecorene, ðat he ȝifð [page 48] hem god ræd þurh ðe haliȝe writes, ðe he sent hem seggen hu hie muȝen his wille werchen, and swa bien ȝeboreȝen. Hlest and folȝih se ðe wile! Omnipetenti te, tribue [Ewangelista at side, over a red lu or lif.] , 'Ælche manne ðe ðe bitt ðu aust to ȝiuen, ȝif ðu hafst ðat te he ne haueð, swa ðu woldest ðat he dede ðe, ȝif ðu ne hafdest.' Forðan he seið: 'Ȝif ðu ȝifst ðo manne ðe gaf ðe, oðer ðe wost ðat wile ȝiuen ðe, whilch lean aust ðu te hauen of godd? Ne don swa ðe senfulle men ðe of gode noht ne cunnen? Gif ðu luuest ðo ilche ðe ðe luuiȝeð: ne don swa ðe werste menn of ðe woreld? Ne don swa ðe heðene? Ac luue þine unwines for ðe luue of godd; ðarof ðu scalt hauen michel lean of godd; and lat him wreke ðe is riht deme ouer ðe liuiende and ouer ðe deade. Ȝif nedfull mann wile borȝin at te of ðin eihte, lean him, bleðeliche, al swa ðin emcristen, wiðuten elchere mede, and ðu scalt hauen ðe mede of god.' Gif ðu him lanst ani þing of ðinen, and tu nimst aȝean more ðanne ðu him lændest: iwis ðu art aȝeane^s godes bebode, and his wraððe of-earnest, bute ðu hit ibⁱete. Forðan after ðe hali writes, ealch miede is iteld for gauele; and þe gaueleres ne cumen neure into heueriche; for ðan, ðeih hie dælden all ðat hie mid gauele biȝeten [biȝetenð [sic]] habbeð and mid unrihtwisnesse, hit nis naht gode icweme, ðe is rihtwis. Ða riche menn ðe laneð here eithe uppe chierches and uppe ða chirch-landes, oðer uppe tu- [page 49] nes, oðe uppe oðre þinges þe rentes ȝiueð, and healden hes lenger ðanne hie hauen al swa michel swa hie ðar uppe lænden, fullȝewiss hie bieð idemd for gouleres; and al swulch lean hie sculen ðarof habben alse gaueleres, ðat is, helle pine, bute hie hit biete [an erasure above te.] . And ðe bote nis nan oðer bute ȝielden ðat hie habben mid unrihte inomen, and mid scrifte. Her of sæde ðe profiete: Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo, aut quis, et cetera, psalmistaexpand_less 'Hlauerd,' he sæde, 'hwa

mai wunen mid ðe on ðine huseexpand_less, oðer hwa mai him resten upe ðin haliȝe munte of heuene riche [riche^s [sic]] ?' Ðe hali gast him andswerede, after oðre þinges, and sæde: Qui iurat proximo suo, et cetera, 'Se ðe swereð soð his nexte, þat is, his emcristenn, and him naht ne beswikð mid none chiepinge ne mid nan oðre ðinge; and se ðe ne ȝifð naht his eihte te goule, and se ðe ne nimð none mede of ða innocentes, ðat bien uneilinde menn ðe none manne euel ne willeð: ðese muȝen wuniȝen on godes telde, and uppen [the stroke above e is red.] his munte hem resten.' And ða ðe mede nemeð, hie ne sculen ðar neure cumen, ȝif hie bien ðar mide ȝenomene. Nu bien sume oðre ðat healden hem seluen wise and ȝeape, and befasteð here paneȝes ðe haðene menn, for to habben of hem biȝeate; and sume, hi læneð here emcristen te halue biȝeate, ðe fareð ðar mide be londe and be watere on michele hahte on liue and on saule, and mid michele swinke: and hie sitteð at ham and ne hauen ðarof non ȝeswink, bute on here ðohtes and on here spaches. Ðis ȝesieð and ȝehiereð hadede and leeavede; and for ðare euele ȝewune ne ðin^cð hit hem no misdade, ac bieð ihealden for wi- [page 50] se menn and for ȝeape. Of swilche sade godd ðurh ðe profiete:Ve, qui sapientes estis in oculis uestris, et coram uobis meðt ipsis prudentes! prophetaexpand_less 'Wa ȝeu ðe healdeð ȝeu seluen for wise, and to-foren ȝeu seluen bieð ȝeape! Ȝie beswikeð mi folk mid ȝeure euele forbisne, and mid ȝeure scarpe witt. Ȝie cunnen ȝeu bewerien mid ȝeuere manifelde spaches; ȝerihtwisið ðane forȝelte for medes, and ðe rih^twisnesse of ðe rihtwise manne ȝe him benemeð.' For ðan he is ihealde nu for sott, bute he michel eihte beȝete; and þo ðe michel eihte biȝeteð mid ȝeure michele eihte, hem ȝie rihtwisið, and seggeð þat he bien auhte men and gode menn. He seið ȝiet forðer, ðe profiete: Ve, qui dicitis bonum malum, et malum bonum prophetaexpand_less, 'Wa ȝeu ðe seggeð ðat it is god te biȝeten michel eihte, ðe ne mai bien biȝeten wið-uten [a letter erased behind ē.] unrihtwisnesse!' For-ði hie is icleped of godes muðe Mammona iniquitatis. Wa ȝeu ðe seggeð ðat he is unsali ðat none wordles eihte ne hafð, ðe mid nane unrihte none ne wile biȝeten, and ða ðat he hadde mid maniȝe unrihtes biȝeten

he haueð forlorenexpand_less, and ðat ðoleð mid ðolemodnesse, and gode þankeð. An oðer stede he seið, godd: Ve qui ridetis, quia plorabitis, Ewangelistaexpand_less 'Wa ȝeu ðe nu leiheð for ðeremovedaddse wordles lease blisse, and for ȝeure michele wele ðe ȝe nu hauen! Wa ȝeu ðe beplaitið ȝeuer emcristen, and wændeð ðat rihte te wrexpand_lessohȝe, and ðat wohȝe te rihte, and ðe nimeð mede for ȝeuer swikele spache^s, ðe spekeð an aiðer half, swilche ȝie here beire friend wære.' Ȝif ðu wilt on ðare world wuniȝen, and ðurh ðese godes wordes war bien and ðane eadie Iob folȝin, ðe was god worldmann: ðu miht mid godes fultume ðe seluen berȝen.