Chapter 13

¶ Þatt {g}odd all{}mahhti[gh] wurrþenn wass. [Gh]un{g} child i{nn} ure ki{n}de. [&] wrecche child. off wrecche kinn{;} ðatt doþ uss tunnderrstanndenn. Þatt uss birrþ mikell lufenn crist. [&] lofenn hi{mm} [&] wurrþenn. 110 Off þatt he wollde hi{mm} sellfenn swa{;} Forr ure lufe la[gh]henn. [&] off þatt he warrþ wrecche mann{;} Forr uss to makenn riche. Wiþþ enn{g}less upp inn heoffness ærd{;} Wiþþ{}utenn ende i blisse. Annd þurrh [þ/] tatt tær awwnedd wass. An here off {g}odess enn{g}less. Þatt time [þ/] te laferrd crist. Wass borenn her to manne{;} 115 Þurrh [þ/] wass uss don þær full wel. To sen. [&] tunnderrstanndenn. Þatt enn{g}less stanndenn a[gh][gh] occ a[gh][gh]. To lofenn {g}odd [&] wurrþenn. ¶ [&] þurrh [þ/] illke wass uss ec. [f. 35v¹ Don full wel tunnderrstanndenn. Þatt uss birrþ lofenn drihhtin a[gh][gh]{;} Wiþþ innwarrd herrtess tunge. [&] þannkenn hi{mm} [þ/] miccle {g}od{;} Þatt he doþ uss onn erþe. 120 ¶ [&] þurrh [þ/] illke wass uss ec. Don full wel tunnderrstanndenn. Þatt crist all enn{g}le þede ki{n}{g}. Wass borenn her to manne. Alls iff he [gh]æn þe laþe {g}ast. Wiþþ h[)e]re wollde fihhtenn. To winnenn adam. [&] hiss kinn{;} [~V]t off þe defless walde. [&] settenn enn{g}less oferr he{mm}{;} To [gh]emenn he{mm} [&] {g}ætenn. 125 [&] forr to shildenn hemm onn{}[gh]æn{;} ðe deofless laþe wiless.

[Linenote: 124. _walde_] After _l_, _l_ erased.]

¶ Annd {g}odess enn{g}less wærenn þa{;} Well swiþe glade wurrþenn. Off ðatt tatt {g}odd wass wurrþenn mann. Forr [þ/] te[gh][gh] wisstenn alle. Þatt te[gh][gh]re {g}en{g}e shollde ben{;} Wiþþ {g}ode sawless ekedd. [&] wurrþedd ec. [&] all forrþi{;} Þe[gh][gh] wærenn swiþe bliþe. 130 [&] all forr þi þe[gh][gh] sun{g}enn þa. ðiss san{g} wiþþ mikell blisse. Si drihhtin upp inn heffness ærd{;} Wurrþshipe. [&] loff. [&] wullderr. [&] upp{}onn erþe {g}riþþ. [&] friþþ{;} Þurrh {g}odess mildherrtnesse. Till iwhillc mann [þ/] habbenn shall{;} {g}od herte [&] `a[gh][gh]´ {g}od wille.

[Linenote: 134. _a[gh][gh]_ added in margin and _god_ corrected out of _gode_, so too in ll. 147, 154.]

¶ Þiss sun{g}enn þe[gh][gh]. forr{}þi [þ/] te[gh][gh]. Full wel þær unnderrstodenn. 135 Þatt te[gh][gh]re {g}en{g}e shollde ben{;} Þurrh hall[gh]he sawles. ekedd. Þurrh whatt biforenn drihhtin {g}odd· [Gh]iff [þ/] itt waxenn mihhte. Wurrþshipe [&] wullderr shollde ben{;} Swa su{mm} itt waxenn wære. [&] ec forr þatt te[gh][gh] wisstenn wel. Þatt {g}odd co{mm} her to manne. Forr [þ/] he wollde {g}riþþ [&] friþþ. [&] soþ sahhtnesse settenn. 140 Bitwenenn drihhtin heffness king{;} [&] mannkinn her onn erþe. Þatt mann kinn shollde mu[gh]henn wel{;} Vpp cumenn i{nn} till heffne. Þatt heffness here mihhte swa{;} Þurrh hall[gh]he sawless waxenn. Þurrh whatt bi{}forenn drihhtin {g}odd{;} Wurrþshipe waxenn shollde. [Gh]iff [þ/] himm mihhte waxenn ohht{;} [&] wurrþenn bettre [&] mare. 145 ¶ Þatt {g}riþþ wass sett till alle þa. Swa su{mm} þe {g}oddspell kiþeþþ. Þatt sholl | denn wurrþenn {g}ode{}menn{;} [&] habbenn `a[gh][gh]´ {g}od{}wille. [f. 35v² Till þa [þ/] sholldenn unnderrfon{;} Wiþþ blisse cristess come. [&] nohht till þa [þ/] sholldenn hi{mm}{;} Forrho[gh]henn [&] forrwerrpenn. Forr niss nohht {g}odess {g}riþþ wiþþ þa{;} [Þ/] wiþþrenn {g}odd onn{}[gh]æness. 150 Acc helle wawenn iss till þa{;} All afft{err} þe[gh][gh]re wrihhte. ¶ [&] her mann unnderrstanndenn ma[gh][gh]{;} Whillc mann iss drihhtin cweme. Þatt illke mann iss drihhtin lef{;} [Þ/] hafeþþ {g}ode wille. Forr wha{}se itt iss þatt illke mann Þatt hafeþþ `a[gh][gh]´ {g}od wille Þatt illke mann ne sinn[gh]heþþ nohht. Ne {g}illteþþ hise þannkess. 155 Ne towarrd {g}odd· ne towarrd mann{;} [Gh]iff [þ/] he ma[gh][gh] hi{mm} lokenn. [&] [gh]iff [þ/] iss [þ/] he missdoþ. Onn ani[gh] kinne wise{;} Itt reweþþ hi{mm}. [&] sone anan{;} He sta{nn}t itt inn to betenn.

¶ Þatt {g}odess e{nn}{g}ell co{mm} o nahht. Wiþþ heffness lihht onn erþe{;} Þatt tacneþþ [þ/] tiss middellærd. Wass full off þessterrnesse. 160 Þurrh illkess kinness hæþenndom. Inn iwhillc unnclænnesse{;} Þatt time [þ/] te laferrd crist. Wass borenn her to manne. To [gh]ifenn heffness lihht. [&] lem{;} [Þ/] follc [þ/] shollde hi{mm} cwemenn.

[Linenote: 159. _enngell comm o nahht_ over an erasure.]

¶ [&] tatt tatt enn{g}ell nohht ne co{mm}. Till kin{g}ess ne till erless. Ne till [þ/] laþe riche flocc. Þatt foll[gh]heþþ modi[gh]nesse{;} 165 Þatt doþ uss tunnderrstanndenn wel{;} [Þ/] drihhtin {g}odd forrwerrpeþþ. All modi[gh]le[gh][gh]c. [&] {g}reditle[gh][gh]c : [&] irre. [&] gluterrnesse. [&] all [þ/] foll[gh]heþþ horedom. [&] swikedom onn erþe. Þatt mann ma[gh][gh] findenn allre mast. I þa [þ/] sinndenn riche. þatt {g}odess enn{g}ell awwnedd wass. In aness weress hewe{;} 170 Þatt wass forr{}þi [þ/] enn{g}ell ma[gh][gh]. Wiþþ hiss drihhtiness wille. Hi{mm} awwnenn alls he wære a mann. I manness limess alle. I bodi[gh]. [þ/] he doþ hi{mm} inn{;} Off hefennlike kinde. ¶ `[&] {g}odd wiþþ enn{g}less gife uss. á. To brukenn heffness blisse.´ Am{æn}.

[Linenotes: 170. _þatt_] between _þ_ and _a_ an erasure. || 174. Added lengthwise on the margin.]

XVI. SAWLES WARDE

[[MS description from Notes volume:

"i. Bodleian 34, Oxford (B); on vellum, 165 × 120 mm.; written in one hand throughout about 1210 A.D.... It has lost two leaves after f. 80, which is very faint and defective. Entries in fourteenth-century hands connect it with Ledbury, Godstow, and Magna Coworne (Much Cowarne) in Herefordshire. The text is printed from this manuscript up to its end at 127/4.

"The writing is sometimes difficult to decipher; the letters are often crowded and hesitating, a, e, o are sometimes hard to distinguish. Doubts are permissible in the following cases, hwen _or_ hwon 118/24, ihaten _or_ ihoten 37, hondon _or_ honden 51; in sent 55, the last letter wavers between t and d; in [gh]emelese 56, [gh] appears to have been corrected out of g; after mei 60, there is a half-formed c; under the second o of preoouin 72, there is what looks like a casual pen mark, not a dot of erasure; in seoueuald 287, d is corrected out of t, or the reverse.

"ii. Royal 17 A 27, British Museum (R); on vellum, 160 × 117 mm.; early thirteenth century. Has all the pieces in B except Hali Meidenhad, with the addition of an incomplete copy of the Oreisun of Seinte Marie (printed in OEH i., p. 305). This manuscript supplies the end here from 127/4.

"iii. Cotton Titus D 18, British Museum (T). See [IX, Ancrene Wisse]."]]

[Headnote: Si Sciret Paterfamilias]

+her bigineð{;} sawles warde.+ [f. 72r

_++Si sciret paterfamilias q{ua} hora fur uent{ur}us e{ss}et{;} vigilaret utiq{ue} [&] no{n} sineret p{er}fodi domu{m} sua{m}._ +U+re lau{er}d i þe godspel teacheð us þurh abisne. hu we ahen wearliche to biwiten us seoluen wið þe unwiht of helle. [&] wið his wernches. {5} [gh]ef þes lau{er}d wiste he seið. hwenne [&] hwuch time. þe þeof walde cume to his hus{;} he walde wakien. ne nalde he nawt þolien þe þeof forte breoken hire. +Þ+is hus þe ure lau{er}ð spekeð of{;} is seolf þe mon inwið þe monnes wit. I þis hus. is þe huse lau{er}d. ant te fulitohe wif{;} mei beon wil ihaten. [þ/] ga þe hus eft{er} hire{;} ha diht hit al to wundre. {10} bute wit ase lau{er}d chasti hire þe bet{er}e. [&] bi{}neome hire muchel of [þ/] ha walde. ant tah walde al hire hird folhin hire ouer al{;} gef wit ne forbude ham. for alle hit beoð untohene. [&] rechelese hinen{;} bute [gh]ef he ham rihte. Ant hwucche beoð þeos hinen{;} Su{m}me beoð wið{}vten. [&] su{m}me wið in{}nen. þeo wið{}vten beoð.

þe monnes fif {15} wittes. Sihðe. [&] heru{n}ge. smechunge. [&] smeallunge. [&] euch limes felunge. þeos beoð hinen vnder wit. as under huse lau{er}d. [&] hwer se he is [gh]emeles{;} nis hare nan þe ne feareð ofte untoheliche. [&] gulteð ilome. oðer ifol semblant{;} oder in vuel dede. In wið beoð his hinen. in se moni mislich þonc to cwemen wel þe husewif{;} a[gh]ein godes {20} wille. [&] swerieð somet reaðliche. [þ/] eft{er} hire hit schal [f. 72v] gan. þah we hit ne here nawt{;} we mahen `iþþlen´ hare nurhð. [&] hare untohe bere. a þet hit cume forð. [&] ba wið eie. [&] wið luue tuhte ham þe bet{er}e. Ne bið neau{er} his hus for þeos hinen wel iwist. for hwen [þ/] he slepe. oðer ohwider from hame. [þ/] is hwen mon for[gh]et his wit. {25} [&] let ham i{}wurðen. ah ne bihoueð hit nawt. [þ/] tis hus beo irobbet. for þer is inne þe tre[sor] [þ/] godd [gh]ef him seolf fore. [þ/] is monnes sawle. forte breoke þis hus eft{er} þis tresor. [þ/] godd bohte mid his deað. [&] lette lif o rode{;} is moni þeof a{}buten ba bi dei [&] bi niht. vnseheliche gasttes wið alle unwreaste þeawes. [&] a{}[gh]ein euch god þeaw. þe biwiteð {30} iþis hus godes deore castel . vnder wittes wissunge [þ/] is huse lau{er}d. is eau{er} hire unþeaw forte sechen in[gh]ong{e} abute þe wahes to a{}murðrin hire þrinne. [þ/] heaued þrof is þe feont. þe meistreð ham alle a[gh]eines him [&] his keis. þe husebonde [þ/] is wit. warneð his hus þ{us}. vre lau{er}d haueð ileanett him froure of his dehtren. [þ/] beoð to {35} vnderstonden þe fowr heaued þeawes. þe earste is warschipe icleopet. ant te oþer is ihaten gasteli`c´h strengðe. [&] te þridde is meað. rihtwisnesse þe feorðe.

[Linenotes: 17. _hwer_] _r_ over _[t.]_. || 37. After _gastelich_, _e_ erased.]

+W+it þe husbonde godes cunestable cleopeð warschipe [f. 73r] forð. [&] makid hire durewart. þe warliche loki hwam ha leote in [&] ut. [&] of feor bihalde alle þe cuminde. hwuch beo wurðe {40} in[gh]ong{e} to habben{;} oðer beon bisteke{n} þrute. Strengðe stont nest hire. [þ/] [gh]ef ei wule in{;} warschipes vn{}þonkes. warni strengðe fore. [þ/] is hire suster{;} [&] heo hit ut warpe. þe þridde sust{er} [þ/] is meað. hire he makeð meistre ou{er} his willesfule hirð [þ/] we ear of speken. [þ/] ha leare ham mete . [þ/] me meosure hat. þe middel of twa uueles . for {45} [þ/] is þeaw in euch stude [&] tuht forte halden. [&] hateð ham alle [þ/] nan of ham a[gh]ein hire{;} nohwer wid vnmeoð{;} ne ga ou{er} mete. þe feorðe suster rihtwisnesse. sit on hest as deme . [&] beateð þeo þe a[gh]ulteð. [&] cruneð þeo þe wel doð. [&] demeð euchan his dom eft{er} his rihte. for dret of hire nimeð his hirð euch eft{er} [þ/] he is warde to witene . þe {50} ehnen hare. þe muð his. þe earen hare. þe hondon hare. [&] euch alswa of þe oþre wit [þ/] onont him ne schal nan un{}þeaw cumen iN.

++As þis is ido þus. [&] is al stille þrinne{;} warschipe [þ/] áá is waker is offearet lest sum for{}truste him. [&] feole o{}slepe. [&] for[gh]eme his warde. [&] sent ham. in a sonde. [þ/] ha wel cnaweð. of feorren icumen. forte {55} offearen þeo þe beoð [f. 73v] ou{er} hardi. [&] þeo þe [gh]emelese beoð{;} halden ham wakere. he is underuon in. [&] swiðe bihalden of ha{m} alle. for lonc he is. [&] leane. [&] his leor deaðlich. [&] blac [&] elheowet. [&] euch her þunc`h´eð [þ/] stont in his heaued up{;} warschipe hat hi{m} tellen biuoren. hwet he beo [&] hweonene he co{m}me [&] hwet he þer seche. Ne mei {60} ich he seið. nohwer speoken. bute ich habbe god lust{;} lustnið me þenne. fearlac ich hatte. ant am deaðes sonde. [&] deaðes munegunge. [&] am icumen biuore hire to warnin ow of hire cume. warschipe [þ/] best con bisetten hire wordes. [&] ec hire werkes{;} spekeð for ham alle. [&] freineð hweonene he cume. [&] hwuch hird ha leade. fearlac {65} hire ontswereð. Ich nat nawt þe time{;} for ha ne seide hit me nawt. ah eau{er} lokið hwenne. for hire wune is to cumen bi stale ferliche [&] unmundlunge hwen me least weneð. of hire hird [þ/] tu easkest.

[Linenote: 58. Before _leane_, _feier_ erased.]

Ich þe ondswerie. ha lihteð hwer se ha eau{er} kimeð wið a þusent deoflen. [&] euch an bereð a gret boc al of sunnen iwriten wið swarte smeale {70} leattres. [&] an unrude raketehe gled{}read of fure. forte binden [&] to drahen in to in{}warde helle. hwuch se he mei preoouin þurh his boc [þ/] is on euch sunne enbre[f. 74r]uet. [þ/] he wið wil. oðer wið word. oðer wið werc. wrahtte in al his lif siðe. bute [þ/] he haueð i{}bet earþon wið soð schrift. [&] wið deadbote. ant warschipe hire easkeð. Hweonene {75} cumest tu fearlac deaðes munegunge. Ich cume he seið of helle. Of helle ha seið warschipe. [&] hauest tu isehen helle? [Gh]e seið fearlac wit{er}liche. ofte [&] ilome. Nu seið þenne warschipe. forþi trowðe treoweliche tele us hwuch is helle. [&] hwet tu hauest isehen þrin. ant ich he seið fearlac omi trowðe bluðeliche. nawt tah eft{er} [þ/] hit is. for [þ/] ne mei na {80} tunge `tellen´. ah eft{er} [þ/] ich mei [&] con{;} þer towart ich chulle readien.

[Linenote: 73. _enbreue[d.]t_ MS.]

++Helle is [wid] wið{}ute met. [&] deop wið{}ute grunde. ful of brune uneuenlich . for ne mei nan eorðlich fur euenin þer towart. ful of stench unþolelich. for ne mahte in eorðe na cwic þing{e} hit þolien. ful of sorhe untalelich. for ne mei na muð for wrecchedom {85} ne for wa{;} rikenin hit ne tellen. Se þicke is þrinne þe þost{er}nesse{;} [þ/] me hire mei grapin. for [þ/] fur. ne [gh]eueð na liht. ah blent ham þe ehnen. þe þer beoð wið a smorðrinde smeke smeche forcuðest. [&] tah i[þ/] ilke swarte þeost{er}nesse swarte þinges ha iseoð as deoflen [þ/] ham meallið [&] derueð áá [&] dreccheð wið alles cunnes pinen. [&] iteilede {90} draken g{ri}`s´liche ase deoflen þe forswolheð ham ihal. [&] speoweð ham [f. 74v] eft ut biuoren [&] bihinden. oðer hwile torendeð ham [&] to{}cheoweð ham euch greot. ant heo eft iwurðeð hal. to a swuch bale bute bote as ha ear weren. ant ful wel ha i{}seoð ham to grisle [&] to grure. [&] to echen hare pine. þe laðe helle wurmes. tadden [&] froggen. {95} þe freoteð ham ut te ehnen. [&] te nease g{ri}stles. ant snikeð in. [&] ut neddren. [&] eauraskes. nawt ilich þeose her{;} ah hundret siðe g{ri}sluker et muð. [&] et earen. ed ehne{n}. [&] ed neauele. ant ed te breoste holke as meaðen iforrotet flesch eau{er}[gh]ete þickest. þer is remu{n}ge iþe brune. [&] toðes hechelunge iþe snawi weattres. ferliche ha flutteð from þe {100} heate{;} in{}to þe chele.

Ne neau{er} nuten ha of þeos twa{;} hweðer ham þuncheð wurse. for eiðer is unþolelich. ant iþis ferliche mong{e} þe leat{er}e þurh þe earre derueð þe mare. [þ/] fur ham forbearneð al to colen calde. [þ/] pich ha{m} forwalleð aðet ha beon for{}mealte. [&] eft acwikieð anan to drehen al [þ/] ilke{;} ant muchedeale wurse á wið{}uten {105} ende. Ant tis ilke unhope is ham meast pine. [þ/] nan naueð neau{er} mare hope of nan a{}couerunge. Ah aren sikere of euch uuel to þurh{}leasten iwa from world in to worlde áá on echnesse. Euch aþrusmeð oðer. [&] euch is oðres pine. Ant euchan heateð oðer. [&] him seoluen as [f. 75r] þe blake deouel. [&] eau{er} se ha i þis world luueden {110} ha{m} mare{;} se ha þer heatieð ham swiðere. [&] eiðer curseð oðer. [&] fret of þe oðres earen. [&] te nease alswa.

Ich habbe bigunne to tellen of þing [þ/] ich ne mahte nawt bringe to eni ende. þah ich hefde a þusent tungen of stele [&] talde aðet ha were{n} alle forwerede. Ah þencheð nu her þurh hwuch þe measte pine beo{;} for þe leaste pine is {115} se heard [þ/] hefde a mon i{}slein ba mi feader. [&] mi moder ant al þe ende of mi cun. [&] i{}do me seoluen al þe scheome [&] te hearm [þ/] cwic mon mahte þolien. [&] ich isehe þes mon i þe ilke leaste pine. [þ/] ich iseh in helle{;} Ich walde [gh]ef hit mahte beon. þolien a þusent deaðes to a{}rudden him ut þrof. swa is þe sihðe g{ri}slich [&] reowðful to bihalden. {120} for þah neau{er} nere nan oðer pine bute to i{}seon eau{er} þe unseli gastes. [&] hare g{ri}sliche schape. biseon on hare g{ri}mfule. [&] grurefule nebbes. [&] heren hare rarunge. [&] hu ha wið hokeres edwiteð [&] up breideð euchan his sunnen. þis schenðlac [&] te grure of ham were unimete pine{;} [&] hure þolien [&] a{}beoren hare unirude duntes wið {125} mealles istelet. [&] wið hare eawles gled{}reade hare dustlunges. as þah hit were a pilche{}clut euchan towart oðer imisliche pinen.

O helle deaðes hus. wununge of wanunge. of grure ant of granunge. heatel [f. 75v] ham. [&] heard wan. of alle wontreaðes. buri of bale. [&] bold of eau{er} euch bitternesse . þu laðest lont of alle. þu dorc stude ifullet {130} of alle dreorinesses. Ich cwakie of g{ri}sle [&] of grure. [&] euch ban schekeð me. [&] euch her me rueð up of þi munegunge. for nis þer na steuene bi{t}uhhe þe fordemde bute wu{m}me. [&] wa is me. [&] wa beo þe. [&] wa beo þe. wa ha [gh]eieð. [&] wa ha habbeð ne of al [þ/] eau{er} wa is{;} ne schal ha{m} neau{er} wontin. þe swuch wununge of earneð. for ei hwilinde {135} blisse her o þisse worlde{;} wel were him [gh]ef [þ/] he neau{er} ibore nere. bi þis [gh]e mahen sumdel witen hwuch is helle. for i{}wis ich habbe þrin isehen a þusent siðe wurse. [&] from þeonne kimeð deað wið a þusent deoflen hiderwart as ich seide. ant ich com þ{us} q{uo}ð fearlac forte warnin ow fore{;} [&] tellen ow þeos tidinges. {140}

[Linenote: 133. _bicuhhe_ MS.]

++Nv lau{er}d godd q{uo}ð warschipe wardi us [&] werie. [&] rihte us [&] reade hwet us beo to donne. ant we beon þe warre [&] wakere to witen us on euch half under godes wengen. [gh]ef we wel werieð [&] witeð ure hus [&] godes deore tresor [þ/] he haueð bitaht us{;} cume deað hwen he wule. Ne þurue we nowðer beon `of´dred for hire. ne {145} for helle. for ure deað bið deore godd [&] i{n}{}[gh]ong in to heouene. of þeos fikelinde world{;} ne of hire false blisse : ne neome we neau{er} [gh]eme. for al [þ/] is on eorðe. nis bute as a schadewe{;} for al wurðeð [f. 76r] to noht bute [þ/] deore tresor godes deorewurðe feh [þ/] is us bitaht to witene. Ich habbe þeruore sar care for ich iseo seið warschipe hu þe {150} unwhiht wið his ferd ase liun iburst. [gh]eað abuten ure hus sechinde [gh]eornliche hu he hit forswolhe. [&] tis ich mei seið warschipe warnin ow of his lað [&] for his wrenches. ah ich ne mei nawt a[gh]eines his strengðe.

[Linenotes: 142. _donne_] the second _n_ corr. out of _t_. || 145. _of_ over _[a.]_ MS.]

[[Linenote 142 was printed out of sequence, after 159.]]

++Do nu q{uo}ð strengðe. warschipe suster [þ/] te limpet to þe [&] warne us of his wiheles. for of al his strengðe ne drede {155} we nawiht. for nis his strengðe noht wurð bute hwer{}se he ifindeð eðeliche. [&] wake unwarnede of treowe bileaue. þe apostle seið. Etstont. þen feont. [&] he flið anan riht. schulde we þenne fleon him? [gh]e nis godd ure scheld. [&] alle beoð ure wepnen of his deore g{ra}ce. ant godd is on ure half. [&] stont bi us ifehte. [gh]ef he schute {160} towart me wið weole [&] wunne of þe world. wið este of flesches lustes. of þulliche nesche wepnen ich mahte carien summes weis. ah ne mei me na þing heardes offearen. ne nowcin. ne na wone falsi min heorte ne wursi mi bileaue towart him [þ/] [gh]eueð me alle mine strengðen.

[Linenote: 159. _[gh]enis_ MS.]

++For ba me ah. q{uo}ð meað. ant for heart of nowcin. [&] for wone of {165} wunne dreden. [&] carien. for moni for to muchel heard of wa [þ/] he d`r´eheð. for[gh]et ure lau{er}d. ant ma þah for nesche ant for flesches licunge for [f. 76v] [gh]emeð ham ofte. bituhhen heard [&] nesche. bituhhe wa of þis world ant to muche wunne. bituhhe muchel [&] lutel is in euch worldlich þing þe middel wei [gh]uldene. [gh]ef we hire haldeð {170} þenne gawe sikerliche ne þerf us nowðer for deað ne for deouel dreden. hwet{}se beo of heardes ne drede ich nawiht nesches for ne mei·na wunne. ne na flesches licunge ne licomlich este bringe me ou{er} þe midel of mesure. [&] of mete.

[Linenotes: 166. _ca[r.]ien_ MS. || 170. _we_] _we[i.]_ MS.]

++Rihtwissnesse spekeð nu. Mi sust{er} ha seið warschipe þe haueð {175} wit. [&] schad bituhhe god. [&] uuel. [&] wat hwet is in euch þing{e} to cheosen [&] to schunien{;} readeð us [&] leareð forte [gh]eme lutel alle fallinde þing. [&] witen warliche þeo þe schulen á lesten. [&] seið as ha soð seið [þ/] þurh unweotenesse ne mei ha nawt sunegin. [&] tah nis nawt siker of þe unwihtes strengde as þeo þe halt hire wac {180} þah ha beo muche wurð. [&] ure alre ehnen demeð hire unmihti onont hire seoluen to etstonden wið his. t{ur}nes [&] deð ase þe wise. Mi sust{er} strengðe is swiðe bald. [&] seið [þ/] nawiht heardes ne mei hire offearen. ah þah ha ne trust nawt on hire ahne wepnen{;} ah deð o goðes g{ra}ce [&] [þ/] ich demi riht [&] wisdom to donne. Mi {185} þridde sust{er}. meað spekeð of þe middel sti. bituhhe riht [&] luft [þ/] lut cunnen halden. [f. 77r] [&] seið inesche ha is bald. [&] heard mei hire offearen. [&] for{}þi ne [gh]elpeð ha of na sikernesse ant deð as þe wise.

Mi meoster is to do riht forte demen ant ich deme me seolf [þ/] ich þurh me ne do hit nawt{;} for al [þ/] god is of godd [þ/] we her {190} habbeð. Nu is riht þenne [þ/] we demen us seolf eau{er} unmihtie to werien [&] to witen us oðer ei god to halden wið ute godes helpe. Þe rihtwise godd wule [þ/] we demen us seolf eðeliche [&] lahe. Ne beo we neau{er} swucche{;} for þenne demeð he us muche wurð [&] gode ant halt for his dehtren. for þah mi forme sust{er} war beo of euch uuel{;} {195} ant min oðer strong beo to [gh]eines euch nowcin{;} ant mi þridde meaðul in alles cunnes estes{;} [&] ich do riht [&] deme. bute we wið al þis milde beon [&] meoke{;} [&] halden us wake. godd mei mid rihte fordemen us of al þis þurh ure prude. ant for{}þi is riht dom þet we al ure god þonkin him ane. +W+jit þe husebonde godes cunestable hereð {200} alle hare sahen [&] þonkeð god [gh]eorne wið swiðe glead heorte of se riche lane as beoð þeos sustren his fowr dehtren [þ/] he haueð ileanet him on helpe forte wite wel [&] werien his castel. [&] godes deorewurðe feh. [þ/] is biloke þrinne.

++Þe willesfule husewif halt hire al stille. ant al [þ/] hird [þ/] ha wes {205} i wunet to dreaien eft{er} hire{;} turneð [f. 77v] ham treowliliche to wit hare lau{er}d. [&] to þeos fowr sustren. +V+mben ane stunde spekeð eft warschipe. [&] seið ich iseo a sonde cumen swide gledd icheret. feier [&] freolich [&] leofliche aturnet. let him in seið wit [gh]ef godd wule he bringeð us gleade tidinges. ant [þ/] us were muche {210} neod. for fearlac deaðes sonde haueð wið his{;} offearet us swiðe mid alle. warschipe let him in. [&] he gret wit þen lau{er}d. [&] al [þ/] hird seoðen. wið lahhinde chere. ant ha [gh]eldeð him his gretunge. [&] beoð alle ilihtet [&] igleadet ham þu{n}cheð of his on{}sihðe. for al [þ/] hus schineð. [&] schimmeð of his leome. he easkeð ham [gh]ef ham biluueð to {215} heren him ane hwile. [gh]e q{uo}ð ha rihtwisnesse. wel us biluueð hit. [&] wel is riht [þ/] we þe liðeliche lustnin.