Ne ffrench ne þis oþer spechen [
Son deu, e sa redempcinn.En romanz comenz ma rei|sonPor ceus ki ne sevent mieNe lettrure ne clergie.] Þat me mihte in world sechen, To herie god, vre derworþe drihte; Ac [MS. As; om. in H.] vche mon ouȝte wiþ al his mihte Lof [MS. Loft] song syngen to god ȝerne Wiþ such speche as he con lerne; No Monnes Mouþ ne be I-dut Ne his ledene I-hud Line 32 To seruen [H. herien] his god, þat him wrouȝte And maade al þe world of nouȝte.
ON Englisch I-chul mi resun schowen,
ffor him þat con not I-knowen
Line 36
Nouþer ffrench ne Latyn.
On Englisch I-chulle tellen him
Wherfore [H. For why] þe world was [H. was furst] I-wrouht,
Þer-aftur how he was bi-tauht
Line 40
Adam vre ffader, to ben his,
Wiþ al þe merþe of paradys,
To wonen and welden to such ende,
Til þat he scholde to heuene wende;
Line 44
And hou sone he hit for-les;
And seþþen, hou hit for-bouht wes
[vv. 47-82 wanting in the Fr. poem, but taken from its Latin title or index.] Þorw þe heiȝe kynges sone,
Þat here on eorþe wolde come
ffor his Sustren þat were to-boren,
And for a prison þat was for-loren, [vv. 49 & 50 to be transp.?]
And hou he made, as ȝe schul heeren,
Þat heo I-custe and sauht weren;
Line 52
And to wȝuche a Castel he alihte
Þo he wolde here for vs fihte—
Þat þe Marie bodi wes,
Þer [MS. þat, H. Therin; cf. v. 666.] he alihte and his in ches.
And tellen we schulen of Ysay, [Is. 9, 6.]
Þat vs tolde trewely
"A Child þer is iboren to vs
And a Sone I-ȝiuen vs,
Line 60
Whos nome schal I-nempned beon
Wonderful, as me may I-seon,
And God, mihtful, and right wys, [Lat. consiliarius]
Of þe world þat [to] [om.; Lat. Pater futuri secull.] comen is
