Chapter 2

Þa `þe´ king S{tephne} to englal{ande} co{m} þa macod he his gadering æt Oxeneford. [&] þar he na{m} þe b{iscop} Roger of Sereb{er}i [&] Alex{ander} b{iscop} of lincol [&] te canceler Rog{er} hise neues. [&] dide ælle in p{ri}sun. til hi iafen up here castles. Þa the suikes under{}gæton ð he milde man was [&] softe [&] god. [&] na iustise ne dide. þa dide`n´ hi alle {45} wunder. Hi hadden hi{m} manred maked [&] athes suoren. ac hi nan treuthe ne heolden. alle he wæron for{}sworen and here treothes for{}loren. for æuric riceman his castles makede [&] agænes hi{m} heolden. [&] fylden þe land ful of castles. Hi suencten suyðe þe uureccemen of þe land mid castel weorces. þa þe castles uuaren {50} maked þa fylden hi mid deoules [&] yuelemen. Þa namen hi þa men þe hi wenden ð ani god hefde`n´. bathe be nihtes. [&] be dæies. carlmen [&] wi{m}men. [&] diden heo{m} `in p{ri}sun´ eft{er} gold [&] syluer. [&] pined heo{m}; untellendlice pining. for ne uuæren næure nan martyrs swa pined alse hi wæron. Me henged up bi the fet [&] smoked heo{m} · mid {55} ful smoke. Me henged bi the þu{m}bes other bi the hefed. [&] hengen bryniges on `her´ fet. Me dide cnotted strenges abuton here [f. 89v] hæued. [&] uurythen to ð it gæde to þe `h´ærnes. Hi diden heo{m} in quarterne þar nadres [&] snakes [&] pades wæron inne. [&] drapen heo{m} swa. Sume hi diden in crucethus ð is in an c[e,]ste þat was scort [&] nareu. [&] {60} un{}dep. [&] dide scærpe stanes þer{}inne. [&] þrengde þe man þær{}inne. ð hi{m} bræcon alle þe limes. In mani of þe castles wæron lof [&] gri{m}. ð wæron rachenteges ð twa oþer thre men hadden onoh to bæron onne. þat was sua maced. ð is fæstned to an beom. [&] diden an scærp iren abuton þa mannes throte [&] his hals. ð he `ne´ myhte nowiderwardes. {65} ne sitten ne lien ne slepen. oc bæron al ð iren. Mani þusen hi drapen mid hungær. J ne can ne i ne mai tellen alle þe wunder ne alle þe pines ð hi diden wreccemen on þis land. [&] ð lastede þa ·xix· wintre wile Stephne was king [&] æure it was uuerse [&] uuerse. Hi læiden gæildes o`n´ the tunes æure u{m}wile [&] clepeden it tenserie. þa {70} þe uureccemen ne hadden na{n} more to gyuen. þa ræueden hi [&] brendon alle the tunes. ð wel þu myhtes faren al a dæis fare sculdest thu neure finden man in tune sittende. ne land tiled. Þa was corn dære. [&] flec [&] cæse [&] butere. for nan ne wæs o þe land. Wrecce men sturuen of hungær. sume ieden on ælmes þe waren su{m} wile {75} ricemen. sume flugen ut of lande. Wes næure gæt mare wre`c´ce{}hed on land. ne næure hethen men werse ne diden þan hi diden. For ouer{}sithon ne for{}baren `hi´ nouther circe ne cyrce{}iærd. oc nam{en} al þe god ð þar{}inne was. [&] brenden sythen þe cyrce [&] alte gædere. Ne hi ne forbaren b{iscopes} land ne abb{otes} ne preostes. ac ræueden {80} munekes [&] clerekes. [&] æuricman other þe ouer myhte. Gif twa men oþer ·iii· coman ridend to an tun. al þe tunscipe flugæn for heo{m}. wenden ð hi wæron ræueres. Þe biscopes [&] leredmen heo{m} cursede æure. oc was heo{m} naht þar{}of. for hi uueron al forcursæd [&] for{}suoren [&] for{}loren. War sæ me tilede. þe erthe ne bar nan corn. for þe land {85} was al fordon. mid suilce dædes. [&] hi sæden openlice ð xpist slep. [&] his halechen. Suilc [&] mare þanne we cunnen sæin. we þolenden xix· wintre for ure sinnes. [f. 90r] On al þis yuele time heold Martin abbot his abbotrice ·xx· wint{re} [&] half gær [&] viii· dæis. mid micel suinc. [&] fand þe munekes [&] te gestes al þat heo{m} be{}houed [&] heold mycel {90} carited in the hus. [&] þoþwethere wrohte on þe circe [&] sette þar{}to landes [&] rentes. [&] goded it suythe. [&] læt it refen [&] brohte heo{m} into þe neuuæ mynst{re} on S' PETRES mæsse dæi mid micel wurtscipe. ð was · anno ab incarn{atione} d{omini} · M·c·xl. a co{m}bustio{n}e loci ·xxiii· [&] he for `to´ Rome. [&] þær wæs wæl under{}fangen fra{m} þe pape {95} Eugenie. [&] be{}gæt thare p{ri}uilegies. an of alle þe landes of þabbotrice. [&] an oþer of þe landes þe lien to þe circewican. [&] gif he leng moste liuen alse he mint to don of þe horderwycan. And he be{}gæt in landes þat ricemen hefden mid strengthe. Of Will{el}m malduit þe heold Rogingha{m} þæ castel. he wan Cotingha{m} [&] Estun. [&] Of hugo of {100} Walt{e}uile he uuan hyrtlingb{eri} · [&] Stanewig. [&] lx · sol. of Aldewingle `ælc gær´. And he makede manie munek{es} [&] plantede winiærd. [&] makede mani weorkes. [&] wende þe tun betere þan it ær waes. [&] waes god munec [&] god man. [&] forþi hi{m} luueden god [&] gode men. {105}

[Linenotes: 41. _Þa_] no paragraph in MS. || 46. After _maked_ erasure of two letters. || 56. After _þumbes_, _[&]_ deleted. || 81. _þe ouer_] _þeouer_ MS. || 97. After _moste_, _alse_ erased. || 99. _strengthe_ corrected out of _strengthre_.]

Nu we willen sægen su{m}del wat belamp on Steph{nes} kinges time. On his time þe iudeus of Noruuic bohton an xpisten cild be{}foren estren [&] pineden hi{m} alle þe ilce pining ð ure drihten was pined. [&] on langfridæi hi{m} on rode hengen for ure drihtines luue. [&] sythen byrieden hi{m}. wenden ð it sculde ben for{}holen. oc ure dryhtin {110} atywede ð he was hali m{arty}r. [&] to munekes hi{m} namen. [&] bebyried hi{m} heglice in þe minst{re}. [&] he maket þur[h] ure drihtin wunderlice [&] manifældlice miracles. [&] hatte he S' Willelm.

[Sidenote: M·C·XXXVI`II´.]

++On þis gær co{m} dauid king of Scotl{and} mid ormete færd to þis land. wolde winnan þis land. {115} [&] hi{m} co{m} togænes Will{el}m eorl of Albamar þe þe king adde beteht euorwic [&] to other æuez men mid fæumen [&] fuhten wid heo{m}. [&] fle{m}den þe king æt te Standard. [&] sloghen suithe micel of his genge. [f. 90v]

[Sidenote: M·C·XL.]

++On þis gær wolde þe king Steph{ne} tæcen Rodb{er}t eorl {120} of gloucestre þe kinges sune · Henries. ac he ne myhte for he wart it war. Þer{}eft{er} in þe lengten þestrede þe sunne [&] te dæi. abuton non tid dæies. þa men eten. ð me lihtede candles to æten bi. [&] þat was ·xiii· k{alend}. Ap{ri}l'. wæron men suythe of wundred. Þer{}eft{er} fordfeorde Will{elm} ærceb{iscop} of cantwarb{eri}. {125} [&] te king makede Teodbald ærceb{iscop} þe was abbot in the bec. Þer eft{er} wæx suythe micel uuerre be{}tuyx þe king [&] Randolf eorl of cæstre noht for{}þi ð he ne iaf hi{m} al ð he cuthe axen hi{m}. alse he dide alle othre. oc æfre þe mare he iaf heo{m}. þe wærse hi wæron hi{m}. Þe eorl heold lincol agænes þe king. [&] be{}na{m} hi{m} al ð he {130} ahte to hauen. [&] te king for þider [&] besætte hi{m} [&] his brother Will{el}m de R[om]are in þe castel. [&] te æorl stæl ut [&] ferde eft{er} Rodb{er}t eorl of gloucestre. [&] brohte hi{m} þider mid micel ferd. [&] fuhten suythe on Candel masse dæi agenes heore lauerd. [&] namen hi{m} for his men [h]i{m} suyken [&] flugæn. [&] læd hi{m} to Bristowe [&] {135} diden þar in p{ri}sun [&] [fe]teres. þa was al englel{and} styred mar þan ær wæs. [&] al yuel wæ[s i]n lande. Þer{}eft{er} co{m} þe king{es} doht{er} henries þe hefde ben emp{er}i[ce] i[n A]lamanie. [&] nu wæs cuntesse in Angou. [&] co{m} to lundene [&] te lundenissce folc hire wolde tæcen. [&] scæ fleh [&] forles þar mic[el.] Þer eft{er} þe biscop of Wincestre henri {140} þe king{es} brother Steph{nes} spac wid Rodb{er}t eorl [&] wyd þe{m}p{er}ice [&] suor heo{m} athas ð he neure ma mid te king his brother wolde halden. [&] cursede alle þe men þe mid h[i{m}] heoldon. [&] sæde heo{m} ð he uuolde ííuen heo{m} up Wincestre. [&] dide heo{m} cumen þider. Þa hi þær inne wæren. þa co{m} þe king{es} cuen [mid al]hire strengthe. {145} [&] besæt heo{m}. ð þer wæs inne micel hungær. Þa hi ne leng ne muhten þolen þa stali hi ut [&] flugen. [&] hi wurthen war wid{}uten [&] folecheden heo{m}. [&] namen Rodb{er}t eorl of glouc{estre}. [&] ledden hi{m} to Rouecestre. [&] diden hi{m} þare in p{ri}sun. [&] te emp{er}ice fleh in{}to an minstre. [f. 91r] Þa feorden þe wisemen betwyx þe kinges {150} freond [&] te eorles freond [&] sahtlede sua ð me sculde leten ut þe king of p{ri}sun for þe eorl. [&] te eorl for þe king. [&] sua diden. Sithen þereft{er} sa`t´hleden þe king [&] Randolf eorl at Stanford. [&] athes suoren [&] treuthes fæston ð her nouþer sculde be{}suiken other. [&] it ne for{}stod naht. for þe king hi{m} sithen na{m} in ha{m}tun. þurhc wicci {155} ræd. [&] dide hi{m} in p{ri}sun. [&] ef{}sones he let hi{m} ut þurhc wærse red. to ð forewarde ð he suor on halido{m} [&] gysles fand. þat he alle his castles sculde íiuen up. Sume he iaf up [&] sume ne iaf he noht. [&] dide þanne wærse þanne he hær sculde. Þa was engleland suythe to{}deled. sume helden mid te king. [&] sume mid þe{m}p{er}ice. for þa þe {160} king was in p{ri}sun þa wenden þe eorles [&] te ricemen þat he neure mare sculde cum{en} ut. [&] sæh`t´leden wyd þe{m}p{er}ice. [&] brohten hire into Oxenford. [&] iauen hire þe burch. Þa þe king was ute þa herde ð sægen. [&] toc his feord [&] besæt hire in þe tur. [&] me læt hire dun on niht of þe tur mid rapes. [&] stal ut. [&] scæ fleh [&] iæde on fote to {165} Walingford. Þær eft{er} scæ ferde ouer sæ. [&] hi of normandi wenden alle fra þe king. to þe eorl of Angæu. sume here þankes [&] sume here unþankes. for he be{}sæt heo{m} til hi aiauen up here castles. [&] hi nan helpe ne hæfden of þe k{inge}. Þa ferde Eustace þe king{es} sune to france [&] na{m} þe king{es} suster of france to wife. wende to bigæton {170} normandi þær þurh. oc he spedde litel. [&] be gode rihte for he was an yuel man. for ware se he [com he] dide mare yuel þanne god. he reuede þe landes [&] læide mic[ele gilde]s on. He brohte his wif to engle{}land. [&] dide hire in þe caste[l of Can]teb{eri}. God wi{m}man scæ wæs. oc scæ hedde litel blisse mid hi{m}. [&] xpist ne wolde ð he sculde {175} lange rixan. [&] wærd ded [&] his moder beien. [&] te eorl of Angæu wærd ded. [&] his sune henri toc to þe rice. [&] te Cuen of france to{}dælde fra þe king. [&] scæ co{m} to þe iunge eorl henri. [&] he toc hire to wiue. [&] al [f. 91v] peitou mid hire. Þa ferde he mid micel færd into engle[la]nd. [&] wan castles. [&] te king ferde agenes hi{m} mid {180} micel mare ferd. [&] þoþwæthere fuhtten hi noht. oc ferden þe ærceb{iscop} [&] te wise me`n´ betwux heo{m}. [&] makede ð sahte ð te king sculde ben lauerd [&] king wile he liuede. [&] æft{er} his dæi ware henri king. [&] he held`e´ hi{m} for fader [&] he hi{m} for sune. [&] sib [&] sæhte sculde ben betwyx heo{m}. [&] on al engleland. Þis [&] te othre foruuardes {185} þet hi makeden. suoren to halden þe king [&] te eorl [&] te b{iscopes} & te eorles [&] ricemen alle. Þa was þe eorl under{}fangen æt Wincestre [&] æt lundene mid micel wurtscipe. [&] alle diden hi{m} manred. [&] suoren þe pais to halden. [&] hit ward sone suythe god pais. sua ð neure was here. Þa was þe k{ing} strengere þanne he æuert her was. [&] te eorl {190} ferde ouer sæ. [&] al folc hi{m} luuede for he dide god iustise [&] makede pais. {192}

[Linenotes: 135-45. MS. rubbed here. || 172. MS. mutilated here.]

[Sidenote: M·C·LIIII.]

++On þis gær wærd þe king Steph{ne} ded [&] bebyried þer his wif `[&] his sune´ wæron bebyried æt fauresfeld. þæt minst{re} hi makeden. Þa þe king was ded. þa was þe eorl {195} beionde sæ. [&] ne durste nan man don oþer bute god for þe micel eie of hi{m}. þa he to engleland co{m}. þa was he underfangen mid micel wurtscipe. and to king bletcæd in lundene on þe sunnen dæi be{}foren midwint{er} dæi. [&] held þær micel curt.

Þat ilce dæi þat Mart{in} abb{ot} of burch sculde þider faren. þa {200} sæclede he [&] ward ded ·iiii· Ñ. iañ. [&] te munek{es} innen dæis cusen oþer of heo{m} sælf. Will{el}m de Walt{e}uile is gehaten. god clerc [&] god man. [&] wæl luued of þe k{inge} [&] of alle godemen. and o[n cyric]en byrie{den} þabb{ot} hehlice [&] sone þe cosan ab{bot} ferde [&] te muneces [mid him to] oxenforde to þe k{ing} [[&] he] iaf hi{m} þat abb{ot}rice. [&] he {205} ferde hi{m} son[e to linc]ol [&] was þ[ær bletcæd to] abbot ær he ham come. [&] [sithen] was under fangen [mid mic]el [wurtscipe at] burch. mid [mice]l p{ro}cessiun. [&] sua he was alsua at Ramesæie. [&] at Torn{ey}. [&] at . . n [&] Spall{ding} [&] at {S. l.} bares. [&] . . . [&] [he nu is] abbot. [&] fa[ire] haued begunnon. xp[ist] him un[ne gode endinge]. {210}

[Linenotes: 203. MS. mutilated and defaced from this place onward. || 204. _byrie^d_ in MS.]

IV. CHARTER OF HENRY THE SECOND

[[MS description from Notes volume:

"Harleian Charter III B. 49, British Museum.... The document is in a French record hand, and the writer was evidently little versed in the insular script. He uses both þ and th, [wynn] and w."]]

++H' [þ]urh godes [gh]efu ænglelandes king gret ealle mine bissceopas [&] ealle mine eorlas [&] ealle mine scirereuan [&] ealle mine þeinas frencisce [&] englisce · on þan sciran þe teobalt erceb{isceop} [&] se hiret æt xp{ist}es chyrchen on Cantuarabir[gh] habbad land inne freondlice [&] ic keþe eow [þ/] ic hebbe heom geunnon [þ/] hi beon ælc þare lande wurþa {5} þe hi eafdon en Edwardes kinges de[gh]e · [&] on Willelmes kinges mines furþur ealdefader · [&] on Henrices kinges mines ealdefader · [&] saca [&] Socne · on strande [&] on Streame. On wudan · [&] on feldan · tolles [&] theames · grithbriches · [&] hamsocne · [&] forstalles · [&] i{n}fangenesthiafes · [&] fleamene frimtha · ofer heore agene men · binna{n} Burgan [&] butan · {10} swa ful [&] swa ford swa mine agene Wicneres hit sechan scolden · [&] ofer swa fele þeinas swa ich heom to{}leten habban. And ic nelle [þ/] eni{}man enig{}þing þer{}on theo · butan hi [&] heara wicneras · þe hi hit bitechan · willað · ne frencisce ne englisce · for þan þi{n}gan þe ich habbe criste þas gerichtan forgifan minre Saule to ech{er}e alisendnesse [&] ic {15} nelle geþauian [þ/] enig{}man þis abrece bi minan fullen frenscipan. God geau gehealde.

[Linenotes: 1. MS kurh || IV. 4. _Cantuarabir[gh]_] last letter _[gh]_ or _g_; the one has been corrected out of the other: so too in _de[gh]e_, l. 6. || 14. _þingan_] _þimgan_ MS.]

V. A PARABLE

[[MS description from Notes volume:

"Cotton Vespasian A 22, British Museum. It is composite; a second MS., 224 × 153 mm. in two columns, begins at f. 54 with the pieces printed in OEH i. 217-45. It is written in a small and crabbed hand unlike that of a professed scribe. The use of the contraction marks is unsystematic and the readings are sometimes uncertain."]]

REX SUOS IUDICANS

[[The section from _¶[N]u gode menn_ to end was printed as a single paragraph. It has been broken up for this e-text.]]

[f. 56v¹] [++H]it [gh]elamp [þ/] an rice king wes. strang [&] mihti. his `land´ gélest wide [&] side. his folc was `swiðe´ ærfeðtelle. his under{}þéoden [gh]éwer on his cyne{}rice wuneden. Þa be{}fel hit swa [þ/] hi{m} a þance beféll · to under{}[gh]eíte wá an alle his cyne{}rice hi{m} were frend oðer fend. hold oðer fá. [&] he nam hi{m} tó rede [þ/] heo{m} wolde {5} [gh]earceon anæ grate laðienge. [&] þider [gh]eclepíen all his underþéod. [þ/] hi bi éne féce to his curt `berie´ come sceolde [&] sette ænne dé[gh]ie. [þ/] hi alle be þe látst to þa d{e}[gh]`i´e. þer were. Ac þis [gh]esceod he hadde isétt bi{}tweone frend [&] fend. [þ/] þan hi come mistlice to bérie. [gh]ef he frend wére. me hine sceolde derewrlice forð{}clepien. [&] do hine wasse. {10} [&] [gh]iéfe hi{m} hís formemete. [þ/] hi{m} to la{n}g ne þuhte to abiden of {s}e laford to þe none inn come. Gief he fend wére. me sceolden ánon eter gat [gh]emete mid gode repples [&] stiarne swépen. [&] stiarne híne besíé. [&] binde hi{m} hand [&] fétt. [&] do hine in{}to þiest{er}nesse. [&] þer abide of all his [gh]eferen were [gh]egadered. [þ/] hi alle clone. símle {15} belócen were. Þa sende se king his ærndraches of fif ceðen to alle his under{}þeoden. to [gh]elaðie þis folc. hwet bute ícome súm cófer su{m} láter`su{m} frend su{m} fend´. [&] was idon bí ha{m} al swá ær cweðe [we] [þ/] isett was. Þa hit þer to co{m}. [þ/] se hlaford in{}to þar halle come. mid his dierewur{ð} [gh]eferede. mid [´æ]rlen [&] aldren. mid cn`i´hten {20} mid þeínen. þa cweð se hlafor to his. Æér þan{n} we mid ure frienden toðe mete gó. sce{w}ie we þes uncoðe mæn ur [gh]efó. þa hi to for hi{m} cóme. þa wénte he hin to ha{m} [&] þus cweð. Un [f. 56v²] wraste man wat lacede [gh]éu an alle míre rice þat [gh]íe hatrede [&] wid{er}wardnesse a[gh]énes me [gh]e win[ne] sceolde. [&] to mine `fá´ [gh]ebugon. Swá ibrúce ic mine {25} rice ne scule [gh]íe mine mete ibite. ac scule þa þe hit mid mire lufe [gh]earnede. Þa þis was iségd. þa were cofe abruden into þest{er}nesse. þe hi sturfe hungre. [&] se hlaford nam {w}iði{nne} to is frenden [&] et [&] dranc [&] macede hine wel bliðe mid his `[&] þer hi hadden brad [&] win. [&] vii. sandon´. {30}

[Linenotes: V. 11. _se_] _fe_ MS. || 18. _sum ... fend_ added on margin. || 20. _dierewurð_] _dierewurd_ MS. || _[&] aldren_ over an erasure. || 21. _þeínen_ over an erasure. || 22. _scewie_] _scepie_ MS. || 28. _wiðinne_] _hit h[-i]_ MS. || 29. _[&] þer ... sandon_ added lengthwise on margin.]

[[_"sum ... fend" printed as shown in text, without leading space_]]

¶[N]u gode menn understandeð þis bispel. Þes king is ure hlaford almihti god þe is king ofer alle kingen. [&] hlaford ofer alle hlafordé. S[t]rang he his [&] michti. for he [gh]esceop alle þing of nahte. [&] na þing ne má[gh]i á[gh]enes his wille. ne hi{m} wiðstande. for{}þan hi{m} séigd se wítí[gh]e. _Qui celor{um} {con}tines t{ro}nos_ [&] c. [þ/] is. hlaford `of mihte´ {35} þe {h}alst hefenen þri{m}settles. [&] tó neowelnes`se´ þe und{er} eorðe is be{}locést. ·iii· p{r}ou. þe dunan þu a`wiðhst´ mid þina hand; he is íwiss mihti for{}þ{an} þe non mihté nis buto{n} fra{m} him. His land is all þes middenard. for he alle [gh]esceop. [&] all dihte wið ute swince. He us is · king · [&] sceppend. [&] fader. [&] hlaford. King for he mid rihtwisnesse {40} diht `man [&] engel god [&] euel´. sceppende. for he us machede lichame [&] sawle ableow. feder for he us fett [&] scred. [&] forðteh alse is cyldren. hlaford forþa{n} þe is [gh]éie [&] drednesse is ofer hus. [&] `þas´ áh to bie{n}ne. He is hure fad{er}. he lenð us his eorðe tó tolie. h{is} corn to sawe. his eorðe us werpð corn [&] westm. níatt. [&] dierchin. his loht leóem [&] lif. {45} his wát{er} · drench [&] fisc[.y]nn. his fér manifeald þenínge. his sónne. mone. sterren. rien. dáw. wind. wude. `unitald fultume´ al [þ/] we habbeð of þése feder we habbeð. of wa{m} we alle [&] us siel{f}e habbeð. Mú[gh]e we ahct clepeien hine mod{er} wene we. [gh]íe mu[gh]e we. hwat deð si moder hire bearn. formes[t] hi hit che{r}eð [&] blissið be þe lichte. [&] {50} seþe hi dieð und{er} hire árme [f. 57r¹] oðer hi`s´ hafed heleð to don hi{m} slepe. [&] reste.

[Linenotes: 35. _of mihte_ added on margin. || 36. _halst_] MS. _alste_. || 37. _awiðhst_] the last six letters on margin. At beginning of following line _hst eorðe belucst mid_. || 38. _þan_] MS. _[þ/] = þat_. || 44. _his_] _he_ MS. || 48. _sielfe_] _sielþe_ MS. || 50. _chereð_] _cheteð_ MS.]

Þis deð all [gh]íure drihte. he blisseð hus mid d[gh]éies licht. h[e] sweueð hus mid þiestre nicht. Gíet for an oðre þing god [gh]escop þa niht. He wat wel [þ/] maní[gh]e men bieð sa ful of [gh]éscung. mihti efre ísí. Ná [gh]ewóld ha{m} selfe. to bigeten wrldlic échte. þer{}for {55} god haf{ð} [gh]escepe ha{m} reste. súme `wile´ hare`s´ u{n}þances. [gh]eíet he cweð a wunder word to þar sawle bi þa witíe ysaia{m}. _Nu{m}q{ui}d pot{est} mulier obliuisci infante{m} s{uum} u{t} n{on} m{isereatur} fi{lio} u{teri} s{ui}._ [þ/] is la líef ma[gh]íe wima{n} for[gh]ete{n} his oge cild. [þ/] hi ne milsi. hire bárn of hire ogen innoð. [&] [gh]ief hi for{}[gh]iet þah{}hwéðer nell íc {60} for{}[gh]ete þe cweð drihte. be þa{m} þe he fad{er} is [&] lafórd he hi{m} sel{f} cwe{ð} be þe witíe. _Si ego p{ate}r u{bi} {est} honor m{eus}. si d{ominus} u{bi} {est} ti{m}`or´ m{eu}s._ [þ/] is. gif ic fader ha{m}. wer his mi ma{n}scipe. [gh]if ic. hlaford wer hís mine a[gh]éíe? þer{}fore. G. m. ure king. we o[gh]eð wr`h´mint. hur sceappend al þat we bieð. ure fader soðe lufe. ur h`l´aford {65} drednesse. [&] þis is séo king þe wile wíte an alle his und{er}þeode wá hine lufeð [&] hwa hine hateð. hwá hi{m} is frend oðer fend. [&] þer{}for he hað [gh]elaðed alle fol[c]. to ane d[gh]éíe. [þ/] is dome`s´ d[gh]eíe. [þ/] hi alle þer beon be þe latst. hwé seden ærst [þ/] þes ærndraces wer isent of fif cheðen. swa ibeoð. þas fif cheðen beoð fif lágan. for{}þan þe god is {70} þurh þesen [gh]ecnówé.

[Linenotes: 56. _hafð_] _hafd_ MS. || 57. _word_] _worder_ MS. || 61. _self cweð_] _selþ cwed_ MS. || 71. _þesen_] _þ_ corr. out of _p_.]

Si forme lage [þ/] is si [gh]écénde lage. þe god sett formest an þes ma{n}nes heorte. [þ/] is þat non man ne don oðere. buton [þ/] þe he wolde [þ/] me ded[e] hi{m}. [&] don his nixta{n} al [þ/] he wolde [þ/] me ded[e]hi{m}. Wið{}ute þeser láge ni`s´ man þe [gh]escod habbe. Ærndraces of þisser lage wer abel. Seth. enoc. Nóe. [&] swíce gode {75} man. Seðe þes mid{de}nard was [gh]estaþeled fra{m} þa forme man to þa latst þe wrð ét þes [f. 57r²] wrldes ende. nas tid ne týme ne ne wrð. [þ/] god ne send gode mænn his folc forte [gh]elaðie to his rice. Ac si láge sóne adiligde. þurh unwreaste leahtru{m} [&] manifald sénne. Þer{}efter arerde god þas lage þurh mo[.y]se{n} þe heretoche of his {80} folce þe he þa [gh]ecás. [&] wráte his hi{m} self in stanene wax{}br`e´dene. [&] si [gh]eleste sume wíle. [&] þer{}of were larþawes [&] [gh]elaðieres Moises [&] aaro{n}. [&] samuel. [&] fele oðre. Swa la{n}ge [þ/] si alswa swið[e] abreað. [&] adili[gh]ede. þurh unhersa{m}nesse. wat hit co{m} to þa time þe god sende þe halie witíge. [&] hi þa arérdon mid hare wríte þurh þes halíe gastes {85} gífe `þa´ god lage. [&] rihtleceden [þ/] folc swa se hi mihte{n}. [&] bodeden ure`s´ hlafordes to{}cýme ses helendes ih{es}u c{ri}stes. þe sceolde his a[gh]én wille. þurh his gastes [gh]ífe in ure heorte wríte. [&] don ús mid his mihte [þ/] stef{}creft ne mihte. [&] an þesser lá[gh]e of þe wit[gh]in. wer laðieres móche.

[Linenote: 89. _ne_ corr. out of _na_.]

Eft bine fece [&] þes lare [&] lage swiðe acolede þurh manifea[l]d {90} {s}énne. [&] hur [&] hur þurh false gódes þe ælc þiode ha{m} selfe macéde. sume of golde. súm of silure. of treowe. of stane. [&] awente godes lof [&] wrhminte fra{m} þe sceappende to þare [gh]esceafte. swa [þ/] þa ure halende wes accenned of þa{m} unwe{m}mede mede sante Marie. al se midde{n}nard was mid senne begripe. [&] al fol`c´ [gh]ede i{n}{}to þe`s´ diefles muðe. buto{n} {95} wel feáwe of wa{m} his lefe moder wes istriened. he þa arerd alle godnisse. [&] sette his halíe láge. [&] þat þe móre his. [gh]iaf miht [&] stre{n}cþe þur{h} þe gief of his gaste his hesne to fulforðie. [þ/] non oðre la[gh]e ne mihte. [&] understandeð hwu. Þri ampres were an mancyn ær his to cyme. Ure acenneng wes ful. u{r} lif unwreast. ur deað grislic. he {100} co{m} [&] brochte þri þi{n}[g] þ{er} a[gh]én. he wes acénde of þe clene mede. þe efer þurh lefede mede. hi`s´ lif was hali[gh]e. his deað ful of milce. his clene acennende clé{n}séde ure fule acenne{n}de. his hali lif rihtlecede ure unwreaste lif. his admoded deað ofer{}co{m}. [&] fordede ure sori[gh]e [&] [gh]elice deað. þís is [f. 57v¹] si fierðe láge.

[Linenotes: 90. _manifeald sénne_] _manifead fénne_ MS. || 98. _þurh_] _þurl_ MS. || 100. _ur_] _un_ MS.]