Recumbentibus undecem discipulis.—MARK xvi. [14.]
ÞIS gospel telliþ in what form Crist toke his leve at his apostlis. Mark seiþ, þat enleven apostlis restiden after þat þei hadden eten, and Jesus apperide unto hem, and reproveden untreuþe of hem, and hardnes of þer herte, for þei trowiden not to hem þat sawen þat he was risen from deþ. And Crist seide to hem, Go ȝe into al þe world, and preche ȝe þe gospel unto alle maner of men. He þat shal trowe and be baptisid shal be saaf; and certis he þat shal not trowe shal be dampned. And þes signes shulen folowen hem þat shulen bileve in my name: Þei shulen caste out fendis, þei shulen speke wiþ newe tungis, þei shulen take awei addris, and ȝif þei drynken ony dedeli þing, it shal not noie hem; þei shulen putte þer hondis on syke men, and þes seke men shulen fare wel. And soþeli þe Lord Jesus, fro he hadde spoke þus wiþ hem, he was taken in to hevene and sittiþ on Goddis riȝt side. And þei wenten her weie, and prechiden everywhere, and þe Lord wrouȝte wiþ hem, and confermede her wordis wiþ þes signes suing.
Here men shulden note þes wordis, for ech of hem beriþ greet witt; first, how Crist toke leve at his disciplis fro þe tyme þat þei hadden eeten. He ȝaf þe sacrament to hem after þer mete comunli, and Crist spak wiþ hem comunli after þat þei hadden sumwhat eten. And no drede to Cristene men þat ne Crist dide þus for certeyn cause. O cause was herfore, þat men shulden eten in good mesure, þat þer wittis weren more sharp, and þei more able to serve God. And Crist wiste þat men shulden ordeyne reversingeli to Cristis dede, and herfore he ordeynede þus, to telle þat þe contrarie is leveful. And þis shulden þes men note þat proven þat þe ost is not breed; for
