---/ I CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY r Cornell University Library Z115E .S62 + Twelve facsimiles of old English manuscr 3 1924 029 492 612 olin Overs DATE DUE m^^ 5EP-4^^ Jyln A i^ CAVLORO PRINTED INU.5.*. TWELVE FACSIMILES OF Old English Manuscripts WITH TRANSCRIPTIONS AND AN INTRODUCTION REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, Litt.D. LL.D. Edin., M.A. Oxon. ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE You read the book ? . . . . O ay, it is but twenty pages long, But every square of text an awful charm. Writ in a language that has long gone by. Tennyson : Idylls of the King AT THE CLARENDON PRESS M DCCC XCII /IB tr A. M-07fC J ^ UNiVERS'IY \ LIBRARY A ©Xforb PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS BY HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY Llll II TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PAGE § I. Prefatory remarks. § 2. Chronology. § 3. Forms of the Letters. § 4. Use of Capitals. § 5. Word-division. § 6. Abbreviations. § 7. Modes of Correction. § 8. Errors. § 9. Accents. § 10. Ligatures. § n- Punctuation. § 12. Glosses. § 13. Conclusion . 5-12 PLATES AND TRANSCRIPTIONS I. MS. Hatton 20. King Alfred's Translation of Gregory's ' Pastoral Care ' . . 14 II. MS. Junius II. The Anglo-Saxon Version of Exodus, in alliterative verse . . 16 III. IMS. Laud 636. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Peterborough MS.) . . . 18 IV. MS. Junius i. The Ormulum . . ... . . . 20 V. MS. Laud 471. Old Kentish Sermons ......... 22 VI. MS. I Arch. I. 29, in Jesus College, Oxford. A Moral Ode ..... 24 VII. MS. Laud. Misc. 108. Havelok the Dane .... .26 VIII. MS. Douce 370. Wycliffe's Bible (earlier version) 28 IX. MS. Laud. Misc. 5S1. Piers the Plowman (B-text, or second version) . . 30 X. MS. Fairfax 16. Chaucer's Legend of Good \^'omen .... .32 XI. MS. AsHMOLE 44. The Wars of Alexander . ... . . 34 XII. JNIS Rawlixson Poet. 163. Chaucer's Balade to Rosemounde . . . 36 ^^ Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029492612 INTRODUCTION § r. The series of facsimiles included in the present volume is designed to put the student of Old English in a better position for understanding the subject. No text can be thoroughly understood without some knowledge of palaeography, because it is often desirable to test an editor's faithfulness and competency. In no other way can we tell whether, in a difficult passage, a proposed conjectural emendation is entitled to consideration. There are many small points of scholarship that can only be acquired by a study of the original MSS. themselves ; and, for those who have not the opportunity for such study, the best substitute is to become familiar with the old forms of writing by the help of such facsimiles as are here collected. In the course of the following remarks, I assume th^t the meanings of the words employed are known, or that they can be discovered by use of the usual books of reference, such as Bosworth and Toller's Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, Stratmann's Middle-English Dictionary, and the Concise Middle-English Dictionary by Mayhew and Skeat ; all published by the Clarendon Press. In most cases, the usual editions have their own glossaries. Such is the case with Earle's edition of the Chronicle, the edition of the Ormulum by White (1852) and by Holt (1878), and most of the other works referred to in the heading to each of the transcriptions. The extracts numbered V, VI, and VII, have been specially chosen as being all of them extant in Morris's Specimens of English, Part I. I shall therefore assume that the sounds of the symbols and the meanings of the words are understood or can be made out, and I confine the following remarks solely to the consideration of the forms of the letters and the modes of writing adopted by the scribes. § 2. Chronology. The plates are arranged in the chronological order of the handwriting, irrespective of the date of composition. Hence Chaucer's Balade to Rosemounde comes last, as being in a late MS., though it may have been composed earlier than the Romance of Alexander. The dates are, in each case, indicated. We may allot Plate I to the 9th century; Plate II, to the loth ; III and IV, to the I2th; V, VI, and VII, to the 13th; VIII and IX, to the 14th; and X, XI, and XII, to the 15th. The last is probably but little older than the date (1477) of the introduction of printing into England. 6 INTRODUCTION. § 3. Forms of the letters. There are two distinct kinds of hand-writing in Old English MSS. The first, often called Anglo-Saxon (A. S.), is really of a Celtic type, and was borrowed from the Britons, who, in their turn, borrowed it from the Romans, though not without imposing upon it some peculiarities of their own. Roughly speaking, this hand appears in Plates I-IV. The second type is Anglo-French (A. F.), being a hand-writing brought in by French scribes, and due to a French modification of the Latin alphabet. This appears in Plate V, and in all MSS. of later date. Observe that both are modifications of the same alphabet, i. e. of Latin. The latter adopted some letters from the former, as will appear. Leading differences between the two types are easily perceived. The A. S. cb disappears in A. F. The A. S. g has a zed-like form, but the A. F. g is closed at the top, as in modern type. The A. S. g was, however, adopted in A. F. as an additional symbol, being used (initially) for the sound of y, and (medially or finally) for the sound of the guttural also written gh ; it is usually denoted, in editions, by 5,' though y or gh may be substituted for it, if thought to be more convenient. For examples, see the 'closed' A. F. g in gode, v. a 1 1; ^ede ( = yede), in ix. 31 ; mype (=myghte), ix. 33. So also ni^ (=nigh), viii. a 10; but it is proper to remark that the symbol 5, when final, occasionally means z. Note the hard g in godess, iv. a 9, as distinct from that in la^hess, the following word. Again, the A. S. / is peculiar, coming below the line, and having a split at the top, as in ofer, ii. 2 ; the A. F. /was at first wholly above the line, as in for, v. a 2; yet in Plate IV, we observe that the / (though like the A. F. form) comes below the line still. In late MSS., it is much prolonged, as in after, ix. i ; &c. Other characteristic letters are r, s, and zv. The A. S. r 'is unmistakeable, re- sembling that still used in printing Irish ; see gretan, i. % ; ofer, ii. a ; Turolde, iii. i ; forr, iv. a i. In A. F. writing it disappears, and two new forms take its place; Observe the difference between the r in Stor (v. « i) and wer- (in the same line). The former of these is common in final positions, especially after ; see for, v. a 2,1 ; werefore, V. 6 14; bore, v. b 17. In late MSS., both forms often go below the line; see piercs, ix. 2 ; namore, ix. 5 ; here, xi. i. The symbol s varies considerably, assuming four distinct forms. The true A. S. s is like A. S. /, only without the middle stroke ; compare the j in biscep (i. 2) with the / in -wcerferS, the preceding word. This .y disappeared early ; it only occurs in i, ii, and iii. There was also a long 'f;' see the exaggerated specimen in 'ftondan,' i. 15. This persisted throughout, but in late MSS. it commonly has no small tag or 'tick' to the left of it ; see ' ferve,' x. 3. A third s is the familiar twisted .y (s) seen in modern type; it first appears in iv ; see shcewenn, iv. a \o. It sometimes assumes a very loose form ; see is, viii. a 25, as compared with hous, two lines above. But this is not all ; there is a fourth form in late MSS., much resembling the Greek - Other contracted words are w*=w2t/?, xi. 11, 18; (^=(\uoA, ix. 4. The latter is even written q (with a bar), xi. 3. In xpes { = christ&s), iii. 4, the x=Gk. x, the p — Gk. p, so that xp = chr; we have only to supply ist to complete the word. In ihu { — \es\x), v. b 16, the « = mod. E. J, the h=Gk. H = E. e\ we have only to supply s. Many books ignorantly render this Gk. H by mod. E. A. Numbers written in roman characters usually have a dot both before and after them; hence .ix. = 9 (A. S. nigon, iti^on), iii. 31. Latin words are very much contracted; in v. b 29-33, we find: — Quod nobis /restare ^ignetur /er (cS-c). Dominica, secunda post octabas . . . Sermo etiang&Mca.. In printing Latin words, it is usual to use italics; hence the letters in roman type are the ones which have to be supplied. Cf. ambulau&xo, ix. 3 ; non, ix. 3 ; ^uoniaw ix. 3 ; meciim., ix. 3 ; cum, ix. 26 ; &^c., ix. 26. In iii. 6, we find ' \ox\ ' = l^on^ ; not uncommon in A. S. M, N. A stroke over a vowel signifies m or n (the latter is very common). Cf. INTRODUCTION. 9 mecum, ix. 3; non, ix. 3. Hence na=:na^, iii. 4; hi = hiw, iii. 7; teple = tewzple, viii. « 45. Also ad = awd, v. « 11, ma=ma«, v. ^ 14. Examples are numerous, and easily found by consulting the transcriptions. In late MSS., the stroke, when occurring over on, practically means u ; thus pardoii = pardown, ix. 35. The explanation is, that n is miswritten for u ; hence pardoii = pardou = pardou;2 ; cf. secoude = secou;?de, viii. (title). This led to the addition of an idle (useless or unmeaning) bar or curl over final m or «, as in whiloriil, x. 19 ; J^ain, xi. i ; gooii, x. 14. R. R is often omitted, and its nearest vowel written above the line. Hence a roughly written a, above the line, means ra ; as in tr^ytour, vii. b 16. In this case the a is badly made ; it is often much more distinct. Similarly, an upward curl (as ^) loosely written for the 'backward' e, means either er, or re ; in the latter case, chiefly after a /. See \er, viii. a 6 ; m^'cyes, viii. a 38 ; gou^mo?^^, xi. 17 ; v^^tuse, xi. 9 ; ma.ner, xi. 4; neu^r, xii. 17. A cross-stroke is used instead of the curl in herte, xii. 10 (cf herte, viii. a ly) ; and in ser, xi. 15. Examples of pre occur in preyen, viii. a 13; prayers, viii. a 2,6, 40; pr^stis, viii. a 34, 45; pr^ysedew, viii. l> 9 ; pr^ysen, viii. d 23 ; preche, ix. 22,. In xi. l6, Alex^r really means Alexander. Very rarely, re occurs after letters other than / ; as in greyfede, vii. d 30. A small undotted i above the line means ri ; as in cnstess, iv. a y ; crist, viii. « 37- A curl, of a form which arose from a roughly written v (for u), signifies itr ; as in t?^rned, viii. a 10; {ou7^me, xi. 10; gou^mo^r, xi. 17; ^our, xii. 4, 11, 33. But in the last of these instances, the curl has been turned into a fairly good r. The use of the e-curl (^) for re, after ^, came from the fact that there was already a Latin mode of writing per. It was done by drawing a horizontal stroke through the tail of the /. See p^rlement, x. 6. This symbol also meant par ; so that this word may also be read parlement. Cf. paralipomenon, viii. (title). A similar stroke through the tail of p, but made to curl round, denoted pro. See prijphete, ix. 8 ; proprc, ix. ^6. S. A final curl, like -p, signifies es in Southern, and is in Northern MSS. See jeldwj xi. 3 ; sktis, xi. 15 ; fandw, xi. a8. The last of these is cramped and in- distinct. A final curl, very like 9, signifies us; as in ajein?^, viii. a 20 ; jiingus, viii. b 37. Final e. Many final letters, in some MSS., have tags or tails which are frequently meaningless, but sometimes mean final e. This is a difficult point. There is one clear case in trouag^, xi. 8. In the same MS., a curl after r sometimes denotes final e ; see her^, xi. i ; ]?ar^, xi. 5 (doubtful). Cf. gerner^, ix. 17. Note also ati:=alk, xi. 16; witt=will^, xi. 28. Some Northern MSS. have ell=ellw (else). Other con- tractions are 'Ph. = ¥hiliJ>, xi. 12; d'd = dauid, viii. a ^8. Another mark of contraction (not here used) is n. for com or con, in such words as comfort, conseil. § 7. Modes of Correction. Letters that have been accidentally omitted lo INTRODUCTION. may be inserted above the line. In geworuld cundra {=ge woruld-cundrd), in i. 5, the d is inserted, and three dots are placed below, to mark the place of insertion. In i. II, the word doit is supplied, its place being marked by a comma below it. So gold, iii. ao. Cf. wel, vii. a 35 ; Vncloped, vii. a a8. In Plate IV, a large number of doubled letters are supplied above the line ; the first word stands for forr. In iv. a 17, a syllable has been blotted out; it is supphed at the side, with a guide-line to shew the place. In v. a 11, pet is supplied above the line, with two commas beneath it ; see also v. b a. In xii. 31, be is supplied, and in xii. %%, ain is supplied ; both are above the line, with the usual modern angular mark beneath them. In order to expunge or expunct, i.e. to delete a letter, it was usual to write a dot below it; hence the term. In ii. 10, forgeaf is corrected io forge f, by a dot both below and above the a. In v. a 27, ileke is corrected to ilke by a dot above the e ; yet ileke occurs again, v. b 33, 33. The MS. of Piers Plowman (PI. IX) is corrected with minute care, and seems to be an autograph of the author. Observe the large light cross in the margin opposite line 8, marking a correction ; a letter has been carefully erased after payji. In vii. a 34, the word pe is expuncted ; in vii. b 10, ig is altered to i. Large initial letters were often added afterwards by an illuminator, in gold or colours. The original scribe often wrote a small letter in the margin to guide him. See ]?, s, \ in the margin of vi. The last is an error for p ( = w) ; and the illuminator was misled accordingly. See also \ in the margin of vii. « 18. § 8. Errors. Scribes are sometimes careless ; but usually less so than editors say they are. After all, errors remain. I note the following. Havelok (PI. VII) seems to have been written out by a scribe whose native language was Anglo-French, and who found the English sounds difficult to render. He writes wat for what, vii. a 4. The final ht or ght was a difficulty ; for maht, he has mayth, vii. a: 10, and Mait, vii. b 13; for brottght, he has brouih, vii. a 1 8 ; for nought, nouth, vii. « 1 7 ; for poughte, poucte, vii. b 15 ; for light, lith, vii. a 33. For with, he has wit, vii. b 34, 35 ; for seyth, seyt, a 16. The Eng. final t seemed to him to be aspirated ; hence he writes woth for wot, vii. a 33 ; Goddoth for Goddot {God wot), vii. aw. His h was weak ; hence epen for hepen, vii. (5 14. Downright blunders are these. He omits r in Perwith, vii. a 8, 9, and in denemark, a 'i,^ ; also pe before keuel, a 6. In b 35, he omits and geet (and goats) after swin. In vii. 3 11, he puts a stroke over u in galues; this probably means that he wished he had written ^a/ze/^j ; ci. galwe-tre, vii. ^19. In vi. 34, Ms is an error for Wis. In viii. b 38, 39, yrael should be ysrael, as in viii. b 4. In xii. 8, Thoght should be Thogh, as in xii. 16, 34. In xii. 11, semy is an error for semly (omissions are common). In xii. 31, the be is inserted in the wrong place ; read refreyde be. But the most remarkable error is that of fynall for small in xii. 11; this clearly arose from misreading 'fmall,' with long s, as finall, i. e. from confusing f with /, and m with in ; after which y was written for i, because it was usual to employ j)/ for i before n. In ii. i?>,feonda is accidentally repeated. A common source of error is to write down a letter too soon. The imperfect h (after it), in xi. 33, anticipates the h in his. INTRODUCTION. ii § 9. Accents. In A. S. MSS., the sloping stroke or accent usually denotes vowel-length ; but it is often omitted in early MSS., because readers did not require, in general, to be told what was the right pronunciation. Examples : boc, i. i ; ut, i. 8; we, ii. i; domas, ii. 3; raed, ii. 6; ece, ii. 9; faraeones, ii. 12; gyrd-wi'te, ii. la; maga, ii. 14; J?^, ii. 17; cneo-maga (riot cneo-maga), ii. 17; &c. But it is sometimes added over a short i, for distinctness; thus onwist = onwist, ii. 14; cf. into, V. a 3, to distinguish it from mto ; i, v. a 14. Sometimes the accent denotes, not vowel-length, but emphasis. This is the case in onge mynd ( = 6n gemynd), i. 3 ; of laedene 6n englise, i. 16 ; uprodor ( = up-r6dor, with emphasis on up), ii. ai. Vowel- length is marked by a doubled accent mf6t, iv. b 13. § 10. Ligatures. In late MSS., when a compound symbol, as ih, ch, gh, denoted a single simple sound, some scribes grew into the habit of writing a bar though the h, or above (or through) both of the letters. This explains the bars in such words as hath, x. 13, 17 ; ryght, x. ao ; fyeth, dooth, wyth, x. 36 ; Therwyth, xii. 5 ; thogh, xii. 9; Makyth, xii. la ; whych, xii. 19. § II. Punctuation. Many MSS. are not punctuated at all. In Plate I, dots serve for commas ; a kind of inverted semicolon (.•') serves for a longer pause ; and an ordinary semicolon (;) serves for a full stop, as in 1. 13, and is followed by a capital letter beginning a new sentence. In PL III, a dot serves for a stop of any length. In PL V, we find both the dot and inverted semicolon, with rather indefinite values. We find the same in PL VIII, with the addition of a somewhat curiously shaped comma, as in « 6 (after pee), a 7 (after not\ &c. The same plate contains slanting strokes, used for similar purposes ; the stroke after offrynges, a 43, is, practically, a comma, whilst that after lord, b 30, serves for a full stop. Stops are also used for metrical purposes. Thus, in PL II, each dot denotes (usually) the conclusion of half a verse ; but they are occasionally omitted. There should be one after iniht (1. 9), and after worhte (1. ai). In PL IV, every complete verse properly ends with a dot, as after leode (1. i), lakess (1. 3) ; the half-verse being marked off with the inverted semicolon. This would seem to be the rule ; but the scribe constantly loses his place, uses consecutive dots, and then reverses the process. However, the stops are here, in the first instance, metrical rather than logical. At the end of a paragraph, as in iv. a 16, we find the semicolon and the stop together, followed by a paragraph-mark, now usually printed 1[. A smaller paragraph-mark occurs just above, in iv. a lo. The new paragraph in 1. 16 begins with a larger capital than usual In Plate VI, every verse ends with a dot, and so does every half-verse except the first; there should be one after wes in 1. i. In PI. IX, the dot marks the end of the half-verse, or the metrical pause ; but is omitted after south (1. 39). In the last line, it was wrongly placed after prest, but has been erased ; it should come after it. Observe also, in this Plate, the regular use of the paragraph- mark, at the beginning of every section ; and the use of straight lines to surround all phrases written in Latin. In PI. X, the medial pause is marked by a slanting stroke in most cases ; see the transcription. 12 INTRODUCTION. § 12. Glosses. In PI. I, we find numerous glosses, in later hands, mostly in Latin. They are of two distinct dates. Thus the gloss sapientes in 1. 4 is, probably, of the 13th century or even earlier, but the gloss iubet in 1. % is of the i6th or 17th century. They are easily distinguished. In viii. a 40, we find fiir in the margin, with reference to yyV in the text. In x. 3 and x. 19, the scribe has added no\.a, i.e. 'note this,' in the margin. § 13. The above remarks include the principal points which it concerns the student to learn ; and he who learns them makes a good beginning. The easiest page is perhaps PL IX ; after this, VI and V will not give much difficulty. Plates V-XII should be studied first ; and when the Anglo-French hand is mastered, Plates II and III may be attacked, to be followed by I and IV. But some will find I and II easier than VII, VIII, or XI. It is extraordinary how soon many MSS., that at the first glance look undecipherable, become familiar. I well remember my first introduction to MSS. I began on a crabbed Scottish MS. of the 15th century, of unusual difficulty. The first page cost me several hours of hard work, with Mr. Bradshaw's frequent assistance. In a week, I found it as legible as modern print. With each new MS., one always has to learn its alphabet ; when this is once done, it can be read with rapidity, just like a printed book, because the scribes always wrote uniformly, or nearly so. This is more than can be said of modern handwriting, which is often shamelessly indistinct. Oxford is rich in Old English MSS. ; hence it has been found convenient to choose all the examples but one from MSS. in the Bodleian Library. The twelfth (PI. VI) is from the library of Jesus College. The librarians are here thanked for their kind assistance. It is necessary to add that, owing to the unusual size of the MSS., Plates I and IV do not shew a complete page. Plate I shews the upper half, and Plate IV the lower. Jan. a, 1893. FACSIMILES AND TRANSCRIPTIONS ('4) (—1 On < w w CO < CO a 3 o c 3 u O bJO rt p w s ^ H T" >^ CO 5 - ^ ^ i W en u o -^ ^ o ^e id ^ ^ -^ te n! ^ >P « f^ 1) U (U bi) > O H < U pq hfl .y O >. o a u "u bfl c •tu ■a c o ■& c o ft! T3 C o o ^ g fti ni c 5<= O "* *^ -a fti ni -a ba ^ :s c fti ^=" in (U 1- o o -a CIS +j ^ O ^ -O 0! S U 0) ba V .2 ^ B S I . 43 o Q S "J arts 3 en S Q 3 §j .2 ^ 'So oj 3 '^ 43 JJ S ^1 3 =2 'Xi « ^ C 1) o bxi .2 i^ ba rt 3 S 3 ^ ^ 3 o -^ to 3 •" p 2 ^ S ^ U u 3 "! nj 'Jj bJ) "S bo.S •- 3 3 bo rt 01 2 ^ 43 3 ■^ 3 .2 ^ 3 ? § ^ ^ "Job u '-' 43 " m C 3 fti 3 C & 43 CO en (U s .- _ o « bfl T3 «s 3 43 43 u 42 43 biO C 1) 3 VO (U 3 43 " rt rt ' T3 T3 3 ■§ 5 1. is t-i o -S rt ^ -^i, >^. — .--^ „ 0) .3 -^^ 2_g42*o .i; 3 - > ■=* ri * .<3 m' >^3 d ;:,• '1o r-g.2 ; O " ; .^' 3 • —^ m ■^ >o 3 00 .^ 3 —' . .2 43 '-' •5s8 g no ■; "SI 'S so ^ •^ Q <- "^ 05 ^ 5S -c .^^ .a 't^ »4 V *v Q e:^ SO (L> t^ C3 43 <-i •^ 2; « •^ ^ 'O (U v.. ^i, bo « ~ ^•- «^ . 3 TD a 5 •^,— - o T3 ■ — g --; C u CLc OJ (U ^ P 3 M *i ^ ^ ri S ^o^ .s so >; O ■? --^ 53 ^ -S « ^ boO a ■§ 3 o ^ ""' "^ ^-^'^ 3 io -^ -3 Tai " 4^ s &P bo ^ os^ S .a .s (i6) PLATE II [MS. Junius 11. Late loth century. Paraphrase of Exodus ; lines 1-29. See Caedmon's Paraphrase, ed. Thorpe, p. 177; Grein, Bibliothek der angelsachsischen Poesie, vol. i, p. 76.] xlii. HW^T Wfi FEOR AND NEAH • gefrigen haba'S • ofer middan geard • moyses domas • wraeclico word riht • wera cneorissum • in up rodor • 5 eadigra gehwam ' sefter bealu si'Se • bote lifes • lifigendra gehwam ■ langsumne raid • hsele^u?^ secgan • gehyre se^e wille ■ j^one on westenne • werode drihten • so'Sfest cyning • mid his sylfes miht gewyr'Sode • arid him wundra fela • ece alwalda ■ 10 in aeht forgeaf • he wses leof gode • leoda aldor • horse and hre^er gleaw • herges wisa ■ freom foic" toga • faraones cyn • godes andsaca • gyrd wite band • J^aer him gesealde • sigora waldend • mod gum mago rsswum • his maga feorh • onwist e^ 15 les • abrahames sunum • Heah waes yat hand lean • and him hold frea • gesealde waepna geweald * wi^ . wra'Sra gryre • ofer com mid \y campe • cneo ma- ga fela • feonda feonda^ folc riht • Da waes for ma si's • \(Bt hine weroda god • wordum nsegde • Jjaer 20 he him gesasgde • BO'S wundra fela • hu ]?as woruld worhte witig drihten • eor'San ymb hwyrft ■ and up rodor • gesette sige rice • and his sylfes naman • \ •Sone yldo beam ■ aer ne cuSon • frod f^dera 24 cyn ■ ]?eah hie fela wiston i ' feonda is (wrongly) repeated. Xcfgcu Trofiojcmei' cyn-gyiy^ anbycuzix^ 5y|ib ^tce- ir£tn^• Vcep^him ^y^clJbt^yt^fpjCi.yaXiy£nty' nwty 5«m rnogo ^jLsyyutrt liiy ma^a -jzi^vlr on^iyf e^ I^. cLbnaliam^ jutiutn Tl&li^«|' ^ llan^ X^:in- 7liirn Vtd -pi^ ra-diL&e'-pt^nas^M&- ^'ri^ (i8) PLATE III [MS. Laud 636 (formerly E. 80). About a. d. 1 1 2 1 . Anglo-Saxon Chronicle ; history of the year 1070. Ed. Earle, p. 207. Part of the context is supphed in italics^ [M herdon scecgan pet se cyng heafde gifen pet abbot rice an Frencisce} abbot Turolde wses gehaten ■ and \et he wses fwi'Se ftyrne man • De. AbbaU and waes cumen ]?a in to ftanforde mid ealle hife frencisce menn • \z. wasf J^sere an cyrce weard yware waes gehaten • xiz.m \z. be nihte call \&l he mihte • l^et wseron christ&s bee and 5 msessahakeles and cantelcapaf and reafes and fwilce Htles hwat • fwa hwat fwa he mihte ' and ferde fona ser daeg to Jjon^ abbot turolde and fegde hi^ ]iet he fohte hif gri-Se • a^td cydde h\m hu ^a. utlages fceolden cumen to burh • \iet he dyde eall be Jjaere munece^ rsede • pa fona on morgen comen ealle ]?a utlaga 10 mid fela fcipe and woldon into ^am mynftre • and ]>a. munecaf wiiS ftoden yet hi na mihton in cumen • pa. Isegdon hi fyr on • and for bsrndon ealle fa munece husef and eall ]>a tun bu- ton ane huse • fa comen hi ]?urh fyre in aet bolhi^e gea- ^ te • and fa munecas comen heo^ to geanef • beaden heo;;« gri'S 15 ac hi na rohten na ]?ing • geodon into fe mynftre • clum-^ ben upp to fe halge rode • namen ]7a J^e kynehelm of ure drihtnes* heafod eall of smeate golde • namen )?a ]?et fot- fpure fe waes undernas'Sen his fote • fet waes eall of read golde • clumben upp to fe ftepel • brohton dune fet haecce 20 fe ]?aer waes behid • hit waes eall of gold ^ and of feolfre • hi namen )7aere twa gildene fcrines and Ax. seolferne • and hi namen fiftene mycele roden • ge of golde ge of feolfre • hi namen J'aere fwa mycele gold a7id feolfre and fwa manega gerfumas on fceat and on fcrud and on bokef fwa nan man ne maei o^er 25 taellen • faegdon fet hi hit dyden for ^es mynftres holdfcipe • fy8-Son geden heom to fcipe • ferdon heom to elig betaehtan ]7aer ]7a ealla )?a gaerfume j^a denefcae menn w^ndon fet hi fceoldon ofer cumen • ]ja frencisca men ]7a to drefodon ealle J^a munekes • beleaf J^aer nan butan an munec he 30 waef gehaten leofwine lange • he l^i feoc in )>a fecrs man [in.] ' n aiove the line. ^ In margin {faded), Bolh for BolhicSe). ' In margin, a hand pointing. * t above the line. ° gold above the line. Ill (xa^Uftiwtfc|iiic:»^ httuunexv xKSmt(es^(m^Uilmshy^X°1IL^ (20) PLATE IV [MS. Junius 1, About a.d. 1200. The Ormulum ; part of columns 33 and 34 [incomplete); lines 1155-1 173, and 1213-1230. See Specimens of English, Part I. ; ed. Morris, pp. 45-48. Parts of the context supplied in italics?^ [&= tcer he badd forr alle pa patt onn himm shollden lefenn Forr bisscopp &= forr unnderrpreost & ec] forr ^ laewedd leode . & mare waff hiff bede wurr)? .•' pann alle fiejjre lakeff . To le- fenn . & to clennfenn menn .•' 5 Off alle kinne gillte . & tohh fwa J>ehh waff l^esjre lac . Bi- forenn crifteff come.-' Drihh- tin full cweme inn alle ]?a . patt godeff lajheff heldenn . 10 1[ & nu ice wile shsewenn juw Wi)>]7 min drihhtineff hell- pe . All hu 3e mujhenn lakenn godd .■' Gastlike i gode ]?ae- weff. WiJ?!? all ]iatt iudewisshe IS lac' patt 3UW heruppe iff fhaewedd ; . IT 3iff ]>att tu foll- jhefft foj? meoclejjc^ . & fo]? unnfhajjijneffe .J pa lakefft tu drihhtin wi]?]? fhep. 20 Gaftlike^ i ]7ine J'zeweff.-' ^ Second r above the line ; so also in Ihe case of many ^ 33 (^' (• '^ol. 33) prefixed in late hand. \ . . . & hafefft get tohh pu be gung • Ellder-'\ ne manneff late.-' & ha- jherrlike ledefft te . & dafftelike . & fajBre .■' Sz: ummbe|7ennkefft ajj occ a33 . 5 Hu \m mihht drihhtin cwemenn . & lufenn himm . & dredenn \ximm . & hife la3heff hal- denn .■' Wi]?]? oxe lakefft tu drihhtin . Gaftlike 10 i )?ine J'aeweff.-' Swa \att itt ma35 wel hellpenn J^e. To winnenn godeff are . Forr oxe ga]? o clofenn fdt .-' & shaede]?]? hife clawweff. 15 purrh whatt he tacne];]? fkill . & fhaid . & witt i gode J'aeweff. & oxe gannge]?]? ha3heli3 .J & aldelike la- 19 te}jj7 . & ^i{&\y bifne . off . J7«/^ * \te birrp all haghelike & faggre, &c.] doubled letters. ^ 16350 is in the margin. * 34 (2'. e. col. 34) added in late hand. IV im:!'^ (23) PLATE V [MS. Laud 471. Before a.d. 1250. Old Kentish Sermons; Sermon on the Epiphany. Leaf 129, back. See An Old Eng. Miscellany, ed. Morris, p. 28 ; Specimens of English, Part I., ed. Morris, p. 143.] Jjet Stor fignefied gode wer- kes . for afe fe fmech of J>e fto- re wanne hit if i do into ]>e ueree and goth upward to 5 ]>o heuene and to gode ward Swo amuntet fi gode biddin- ge to gode of ]>o herte of ]>o gode crifteneraa/?ne . Swo we mowe figge J>et ftor^ fignefieth 10 lj>e herte . and fe fmech luue of gode . Li ^ J?et Mirre J^at if biter .■' and be po biterneffe defendet ]>et Cors pet if mide i fmered . Tpet no werm nel comme i hende .•' fig- 15 nefiet \>o gode werkes J^et is biter to ]>o yemerneffe of ure flefce . Si Mirre fignefiet uaf- tinge . for ]>o luue of gode wa- kie . go ine pehimage . uifiti 20 ]7e poure . and to fike . and to do alle J)e gode pet me may do for godef luue . po ilke j^ingef fo bieth bitere to po wrichede fleffce . Ac al fo si mirre loket 35 )?et bodi ]7et no werm ne may }»er i hende come .•' fo uf defendet ]70 ileke finges fram fenne . and fram pe amoneftemewt of J70 dieule J^et ha ne may 30 uf mifdo . Lordingef nu ye habbet i herd ]70 fignefiawce of Jjo offringes ]?et maden {^0 J^rie kingef of hejjeneffe to gode . hye habbet to gode i offred of ^ yure felure . and of yure erjjli- che godef. Ne ne offreth him 5 nacht onlepiliche to day . ac alle {jo dales i J?o yere goftliche . Gold . and Stor . and Mirre . afe hie habbe i told . Gold .•' fore Gode belaue . Stor .•' for holy 10 urifun . Mirre . for gode wer- kes . pet bieth ]7o offringes . J'et ure louerd be feketh aueri- chedaye J»o criftenema^ne . and werefore fe ckriitenma.7z yef haf 15 dej'.-' offeruet ]?o blifce of he- uene . And iesu crift Jiet for uf wolde an erj^e bi bore . a«d anured of ]70 Jrie kingef of painime.-' he yeuuf hif grace 20 of ]?o holi goft in ure hertef wer bi we moue hatie J»o ileke Jjingef )7et he hatedh . and lete J>o ileke Jiingef ]?at he for biet . and luuie }70 ilek 25 ]7inkes }iat he luued . and do }>o ilek J?ingef J^at he hoot . ine him fo bileue and bidde a«d ferui . J7et we mowe habbe J?o blifce of heueriche. Quod 30 uobif p. d. per . *Domimca. fecunda post octabzs, epiphanie . Sevmo eu2.n . ^ Nuptie f3.cte funi in chana ^ MS. ftors, with s erased. " \Afor Bi ; and Jjet above the line. = MS. /I oi 1 1 i offred; this marks transposition. * Rubric beginning a new sermon. " Latin text begins. V W 4t02 U^rwd^ igt)tcvo^cv<^ ^td ftw aCe tc ftnedb of ]>eftd ucrtt ftnb^ii) tifi\vftr6 ro ^\v^o flmunxcrftjjole Tjiltoti^ ^ jgtto^olc of Jio^herteof j>o tnoxve ftgc j'er ftoi ^ntfiBcli j>c1)ciTe-anbf6 fmecb luur of ijD^.^^ time "|»ar if tjixmSi) "bepoXiitcmcflclefentec )»er *oi6 Jfcr tf milr t Gncu* j» cr Tbutnp J>o j^cmcmctTp of ttir flefit.** •Jim %ncficr iiaf tmfff>fettyoTMaieofgotr v»ft allr j»ejgote j'crtneinftjC' to ftc !'■ " =ln&^ X)im^ TO j'osvncljrtr flcflcp. Jlc tflfo 31 mirrelokcr ^ crtjobi Verno Vwrm m mfl^ j«otTebe1>m0C0 ^mn (ermr* f mibfmm^rfttfetoneOeniiRr of 3>o ofl^ngve^mfttm j)oj»nclatijeto ;gtrtr.TwetjaWwrto yiivt mavt- arib of c?)e5t>hcCt^ptjeot ;allej>ol)ei« ij'Ojiiccesoftfc^ie.^^ . irdlG«anb*TD2'ftnb«9i»Tr.afV Vj* ttwfim««»tnt^.fo2jgobirwei*'' -i, 1ve9.1>erT>taJj ]>o oflFringcsT' , , ^rrttrrtoueebbetyfe^ ftum ' c3>ft)>c](»o cnOtnmimie.atib VC'Cwrfoie fc t^ificma vcfbdf ^i^rof femer )>ot>ljfic ofTie ' ucne. 5lnb tTiu cnfi- J>er6or ufV'f'oTlrftn ct^'^bilozefad attmeb ofj^ol^nelktnstCe^ ^ol)ott jfoft'itimjpljpnsf \V>ci*bi>»etnoucljmie j|»o't tleke I'xn^cfJ'nrliplmTcW). ftnMcTT )»o iTcfaJ' infltf J»(rr licfra btPT- anb uuMT )>o tleb j>inl;ed1>ar'()e1uueb •atib'to l»o iWfc f»mgner^aDFl)eli<0Pmr ^tnn Cobiimr Anbbtbtp ob ferm. ]»«r W* e m over babbe jbo t»litfr of l)cufn(}>c.«$ itobif ^ .T5 .» . ii m (cSrt ixjft- orhlb' cum1;ftmc-^monuir 3Q 1 (24) PLATE VI [MS. in Jesus College, Oxford; I Arch. I. 29. About a.d. 1250. A Moral Ode. See An Old Eng. Miscellany, ed. Morris, p. 37 ; Speci- mens of English, Part I., ed. Morris, p. 194.J Tractatus quidam in anglico. TCh am eldre ]7an ich wef a winter and ek on lore ' Ich welde more J^an ich dude • my wyt auhte beo more • • Wei longe ich habbe child ibeo " a werke and eke on dede • pah ich beo of wynter old • to yong ich am on rede • 5 Vnned^ lif ich habbe ilad • and yet me JiinkJ? ich lede • Hwenne ich me bi]7enche • ful sore ich me a drede • jMeft al ]7et ich habbe idon • is idelneffe and chilce • Wei late ich habbe me bi Jjouht • bute god do me mylce • Veole idel word ich habbe ifpeke • feo)7]7e ich speke cu)7e • 10 And feole yonge deden ido • J^at me of jjinche]? nuj^e • Al to lome ich habbe a gult • on werke and on worde ■ Al to muchel ich habbe i spend • to Intel i leyd an horde • Jjeft al ]7at me likede er • nv hit me mys lyke]? • pe muchel folewe)? his wil • him feolue he bi swike]? ■ 15 Men let y\ fol luft ouer go • and eft hit \& like); • Ich myhte habbe bet i do • heuede ich eny felhjje • Nv ich wolde and i ne may • for elde • ne for vnhelh]je " Elde if me bi ftolen on • er J^an ich hit wifte • Ne may ich bi feo me bi fore • for smoke ne for myfte • 20 Erewe we beo]> • to donne god • vuel al to Jjrifte • More eye ftonde]? mon of mon • ]7an him to cryfte • \ Jl'e wel ne do]> hwile he may • hit schal him fore reowe • Hwenne alle men • repen schule • ]?at heo ear seowe • Dod^ to gode ]7at ye Muwen ■ \e. hwile ye beoJ> a lyue • 25 Ne lipne no mon to muchel • to childe • ne to wyue • pe him feolue for yet • for wiue • o\e.t for childe • He fchal cumen on vuele ftude • bute god him beo Milde • s oende vch fum god bi voren him • ]7e hwile he may to heouene • Betere if on almes bi uoren • ]7ane beo)> after seouene • 30 Ne beo \& leouere Jian \\. feolf • J>i mey ne \\ mowe • Sot if \3X if ojjer mannef freond • more Jian his owe • Ne lipne no wif to hire were • ne were to his wyue • Beo vor him feolue vych mon • J?e hwile he beo]? a lyue • \ pis" is ydX him feolue bi|?enk}> • \^ hwile he mot libbe • ^ Error for VnnetS. ^ Error for DoS. ' Error for Wis. VI Xsl; Am ctisiv^ |;dii idj ^ t)CO of ^iP^tircf (It^-TO jiK>tig-i4> ^« <*" "tcV, ^d Imctrf? lja(;6c-iMebtj»ou^r. 6imf^> io iite uwlva: SrnoUr ihk o^19^^i:^cn !?»• I'llt- tiic of (^tiicljc^ ttuj?\!'. ztlcolowtetclj ^a6&eagttfemi^ci"k^t4«iboii ^c^d^ 4 1 CO wiid[7cl ict) !>dt6e i6p«ibT0 lucd I l(^d flw ^«At; ' p c tutr^ct foTccj' ^t5 iV'il- 1) tin fcolue h^t t»t 6\ttRe^, tvj oil Icr j't fol lufr otici' 0C' dub cfr hvci^^ liRc^. ttV td; ^oWv^tb lite ma^. fta \jle«^.tic^ fee Vi-d^tfOij^^ jFlec- if «1<^ 6tftol«tt oti. Cf|»AM icf? Ijtr NS^tfte, ^c mA>> tc^ Difco me btfcue fiu ^mokc tie Ua mj;fhf. ^vc^xt co)A.td iwtute 8:ob, Vu«( At CO h'tftc-. . #^r^ ."?^ "**'" of itto«'Httr7im to «ij>fh^, 1) ob CO 0OJ>2^pdr;^U(j7 t^ elipiti^ tiOMioti CO tttuc^cf' W dfiliit. tte CO ^j>uei !> ef^mffcoCueftaj^cc^sJvuu-e'ol^^* fet <^t(ict JF; e tct)dl cttitieii ott Vucle ttu^ b uccgob Tj uti tco aj tldiz f ^4ctiWdi fum gob tuVoaeit f^mt J;cib^^^tt<^f»<^i" A;i? ro];couc«e7 BccciAMf oil A(nic0 btitcttCti-|>Atte ucc]^ dfojt* 6eo« tiej^i uio\W. " ■^ortf J»drtf oj/ci* iMAwiCf ft'coiib inazeJ'Au Tjt# oS^e-. ij[elipu»ac; B_co VoJ^uM fcolaey^dl) iiiQiij^^f?^)!^!!^!)^ bcoj'^lrwc '^ ^16 le- i>ar bitW^lwekJ/wlij' •J'e little hS "^o^^l*^^. ;'ue, ^ (a6) PLATE VII [MS. Laud Misc. 108. Before a. d. 1300. Havelok the Dane. Leaf 207, back; lines 632-721. Ed. Skeat (Early Eng. Text Society), p. 20; Specimens of English, Part I., ed. Morris, p. 232.] p o was haueloc ablij^e knaue H e fat him up and crauede bred A nd feide ich am ney ded H wat for hunger wat for bondes 5 p at |7u leideft on min hondes A nd for keuel at ]>e lafte p at in mi mouth was }>rift fafte Y waf ]>e with fo harde prangled p at i was ps with ney ftrangled 10 W el if me j'at lj>u mayth hete G oddoth quath leue y fhal ]>e fete B red an chefe butere and milk P aftees and flaunef al with fuilk S hole we fone Ipe wel fede 15 L ouerd in Jjif mikel nede S oth it is ]?at men feyt and fuereth p er god wile helpe;2 nouth ne dereth ]> P a;me fho hauede brouth lj>e mete Haueloc anon biga« to ete 20 G rundlike and was ful blijje C ou}»e he nouth hif hunger Mi];e A lof he het y woth and more F or him hungrede fwij:'e fore p re dayes ]?er biforn i wene 25 E t he no mete J»at waf wel fene H wan he hauede eten and waf fed G rim dede makew a ful fayr bed Y ndo)>ed him and dede him per i«ne A nd feyde fiep fone with michel w'mne 30 S lep wel fafte and dred pe nouth F ro forwe to ioie art ]>u brouth S one fo it was lith of day G rim it under tok ]>e wey T o ]?e wicke pe traitour godard 35 p at was denemak a ftiward A nd feyde louerd don ich haue p at f ou me bede of ]>e knaue H e is drenched i« pe flod A boute;2 his hals an anker god 40 H e is witer like ded E teth he neuremore bred H e lip drenched in pe fe Y if me gold oj^er fe p at y mowe riche be 45 A nd with jji chartre make fre //. io i F or )?u ful wel bi hetet me p a«ne ilaft fpak with pe G odard ftod and lokede on him p oruth like with eyne grim 5 A nd feyde wiltu ben erl G o hom fwijje fule drit cherl G o hej^en and be euere more p ral and cherl als J»ou er wore S hal haue non o]?er mede 10 F or litel ig ^ do pe lede ' a T o ]?e galues fo god me rede F or ]70u hauef don a wicke dede p ou Mait ftonde;^ her to longe B ute l^ou (wipe ej^en gonge 5 /"~^ rim l^oucte to late Jiat he ran vJFro ]7at traytour pa wicke man A nd ]70ucte wat fhal me to rede W ite he him onliue he wile bejie H eye hangen on galwe tre 20 B etere us if of londe to fle A nd berwen boj^en ure liuef A nd mine childre;^ and mine wiuef G rim folde fone al his corn S hep wit wolle neth wit horn 25 H ors and fwin wit herd p e geef pe he?mef of J^e yerd Al he folde )7at outh douthe p at he eure felle moucte A nd al he to pe peni drou 30 H ife fhip he grepede wel inow H e dede it tere an ful wel pike p at it ne doutede fond ne krike p er inne dide a ful god maft S tronge kablef and ful faft 35 O res gode an ful god feyl p er i«ne wantede nouth a nayl p at eu^re he fholde ]?er inne do H wan he hauedet greyj^ed so H auelok pe yunge he dede ]?eri«ne 40 H im and hif wif hife fonef Jrinne A nd hife two doutref ]?at faire wore A nd fone dede he leyn in an ore A nd drou him to pe heye fe p ere he mith alper beft fie 45 F ro londe woren he bote a mile VII 1 lo6^t;eryt»^ftM^»Mttr \J^ tiimithr^tltijic^atidmtttetbtttef f iio<^eti>ioiedtrytti»4>M# %" oyei^t^;r)!^ttimrurdo2mb y eruitWfiiiisdrniitii^atu^ i tt>bUitttt»ofinmscviira]tictti!tar (28) PLATE VIII [MS. Douce 370. Before a.d. 1400. Wycliffe's Bible (earlier version); 2 Chron. vi. 34-vii. 9. Ed. Forshall and Madden; 4 vols, quarto; Oxford, 1850: vol. ii, p. 399-] pe fecouwde paralipomenon \thei schuln honouren thee a^einus the weye in the\ whiche is \& cytee J^at \o\i. haft chofe;« and ]?e houf J^at I haue bylde to y\ name ]?at \oVi here fro heue« J^e pray- ers of hem and \& befechywge .•' and 6 \o\i. do ve;«iau?«ce / jif forfo]7e )7ei fy?«ne« 5 dou«, and J?e glorie of ];e lord vpo?? to Jjce, and forfo];e 'f'^r is noman J^e hous : and fallynge dou« bow- ]7at {ynne]> not, and ]?ou were wro]? ed into J^e erj> vpon pe pame^t to hem and takift hem to fe ewmyes paued wi]? ftoon : honourde;? and and caytijf pei leede« hem in to a ferre pr^yfede% pe lord for he is good ••' for 10 lond or certis ]?at is ni? .•' and Utrned in lo in to J^e world pe mercy of hy?^ / e of ye lord ■ for Ipl ]>at ]>e magefte of pe lord : hadde fulfilde the temple of pe lord / bot and alle pe fonis of yfrael fawe« fijr goyng al ]?eir herte in pe lond to J^e wh- iche ]7ei weren ladde caytijf.-' done penauwce and preyen pee in pe lond of J>eir caytijfte .■' feyinge / we han 15 fy^ned wickidly we han wroujt vnri5twifely we han done • and were/2 torned to J^ee in al ]?eir h^?'te and in al ]}eir foule itt pe lond of Jjeir caytyfte to pe whiche ]7ei hen lad : 30 ]7ei fchuln honoured J^ee ajeinwj pe weie of peir lond Jiat pou haft jeue;^ to }>eir fadirs • and of pe cytee )>at pou haft chofen and of J^e hous pat I haue bilde to jji name.-' |?at ]7ou 25 heere fro heue??, J'at is fro j^i faft dwellynge place pe prayers of hem, and do dome and forjyue to J>i pu- ple .■' ]7of fy^ful / pou ert forfo]?e my god • I bifeche |7in eejen hen opened 30 and J^in eeris hen takynge heed to pe orifou% )7at is don in J^is place / nowe pa.nne lord god arijs in to ]7i reft • pou and pe ark of J^i ftreng]? / Jii prrftis lord god be;? cloj^ed hel]?.-' Zi and ]?in halowes glaaden pe\ in goodes / lord god ne turne pou a- wey pe face of )ji crift.-' haue my«de of pe m^rcyes of AauiA J^i feruauwt / And wha«ne falamon hadde ful- 40 filde heeldynge out prayers .-' fijr ^ came dou« fro heue« and deuoured pe brent facrifices and pe flayn offrynges / and pe magefte of kyng ioxiope and al pe puple offrede;? flayn offryngis beforn pe lord / T[ cz.'giiVulum. vijtum ■ Kyng fa]amo;2 pa.nne flowj hooftif of oxen two and twen- ty J>oufand of wej^ers an hu;zdr- ep and twenty ]?oufand / and pe kyng bilde up J^e hous of god and al pe puple / pe preftis forfoj^e 20 ftoode^ in J^eir offices ajtd pe leuy- tes in orgnys of dytees of pe lord, pe whiche kyng dauid maad to preykn pe lord • for in to world pe mercy of hym .•' fyngynge pe 25 ympnes of dazud bi ]?eir hondis / bot pe prrftis fu/?gyn in tru;«pis be- forne hem ' and al pe puple of yrael ftood / and falamon halow- ed pe myddil of pe porche beforn 30 pe temple of pe lord / Forfo|7e he hadde ofifrede ]?er brent fa- crifices and talwes of peyfible }»ingis for pe brafen auter pat he hadde maad.-" myjte not fuf- 35 teynew |7e brent facrifices and facrifices and talwes of peyfible pingtcs / psiftne Salamon made fo- lempnyte in ])at tyme - feue« days and al yrael wij? hym a- 40 fulgrete chirche, fro pe entre of emath vnto pe ftreme of e- gipt / and pe ey3tj>e day he maad acollect, for J>i )?at he ha- lowed pe auter feuew dais - and pe lord fulfilde pe hous ■ and pe 45 preftis myjtew not goon into pe te;;zple 45 hadde halowede pe fole;«pny- \_te seuen days?\ ^ In the marein, fiir. VIII r "1 ^tt«tttm««vrftecW#yi ded day ■ ]?e deuel shal haue Jji sowle 1 A nd pieres for pure tene • pulled it atweyne A nd seyde/sz ambulau&xo in medio vmbre mortis- non timebo mala giioma.m tu mecum es. 1[ I shal ceffen of my sowyng o;noA pieres " and swynk noujt so harde 5 N e about my bely ioye • so bifi be namore Of preyers^ and of penaunce • my plow shal ben her after ^ mdr above the Une. A nd wepen whan I shulde slepe • ]70ugh whete bred me faille H p e p;'(?phete his payn ete • in penaunce and in sorwe B y \2X 'l^e sauter seith • so dede other manye 10 p at loueth god lelly * his lyflode is ful efy Ftierunt michi lacrime mee ' panes die ac node 1 A nd but if Luke lye * he lei-eth vs bi foules W e shulde noujt be to bify • aboute J^e worldes bliffe N e solliciti sitis • he seyth in \t. gospel 15 And sheweth vs bi enfamples • vs selue to wiffe p e foules on \& felde • who fynt hem mete at wynter H aue Jiei no gerner^ • to go to .•' but god fynt hem alle If W hat <\uo6l \t preft to perkyn • peter as me J^inketh p ow art lettred a litel ■ who lerned \& on boke 20 Tl A bftinence J^e abbeffe (\uoA pieres • myn abc • me taujte A nd confcience come afterward • and kenned me moche more ^ W ere Jjow a preft pieres 0^06. he • Jjow mijte pr^che where Jjow sholdeft A s deuynour in deuynyte • with dixit injipiens to \\ teme T[ L ewed lorel <\uoA pieres • litel lokeftow on }>e bible 25 On salomones sawes • selden Jjow biholdeft E cce^ derifores et iurgia cum eis ne crescant &^tetera ^ Error for £;«. T[ p e preft and perkyn • appofeden eyther other A nd I ]7orw here wordes a woke ■ and waited aboute A nd seighe J^e sonne in \c south sitte ]?at tyme 30 M etelees and monelees • on Maluerne hulles M ufyng on fiis meteles • and my waye ich jede M any tymes ]?is meteles • hath maked me to ftudye O f Jiat I seigh slepyng • if it so be my^te A nd alfo for peres J^e plowman • ful penfyf in herte 35 A nd which a pardouw peres hadde • alle ^e peple to conforte A nd how \e preft impugned it with two pr^pre wordes IX c^ , n5> C!g<^ctt cSBattJ cji^i^'iP :^ Pcgy *4t^ (Vftb^ tg fi*^^ S^ c ^<:(t pw:^ 'J^,'^ " ^4C6 mt^tiP j^^^ ^ cfayycs&j^o^^SBSBi^ (cl nS^somu>vty<£is'tx^p^ '^ . -- "'I (21 tv^a^fb^p^«8^€gniatt»fitrfCMpp^mO<^tJD (3*) PLATE X [MS. Fairfax 16. Before a.d. 1450. Chaucer's Legend of Good Women. Leaf 88, back ; lines 402-440.] THe Al be hit / that he kan nat wel endite Yet hath he made / lewde folke delyte no^a To ferve yow / in preyfinge of your name He made the book / that hight the hous of Fame 5 And eke the deeth / of Blaunche the Ducheffe And the p«rlement of foules / as I geffe And al the love / of Palamon and Arcite Of Thebes / thogh the ftorye ys knoweii lyte And many an ympne / for your halydayes 10 That highten balades / roundels / virelayes And for to fpeke / of other holyneffe He hath in proce / tranflated Boece And maade the lyfe alfo / of feynt Cecile He made alfo / goon ys a grete while 15 Origenes / vpon the Maudeleyne Hym oughte now / to have the leffe peyne He hath maade many alay / and many a thinge Now as ye be a god / and eke a kynge no/a I your Alcefte / whilom quene of Trace 20 Y afke yow this maii / ryght of your grace That ye him never hurte / in al his lyve And he fhal fweren to yow / and that blyve He fhal neuer more / agilten in this wyfe But fhal maken / as ye wol deuyfe 25 Of wo;^men trewe / in lovyng al hire lyfe Wherfo ye wol / of mayden or of wyfe And forthreii yow / as muche as he mysfeyde Or in the Rofe / or elles in Crefeyde The god of love / anfwerede hire anoofi 30 Madame quod he / it is fo long agoofi That I yow knewe / so charitable and trewe That neuer yit / fyn that the worlde was newe To me / ne founde y better noon than yee If that ye wolde / fave my degree 35 I may ne wol nat / werne your requefte Al lyeth in yow / dooth wyth hym / as yow lifte I al foryeve / withouten lenger fpace X 'tni iMUi^e!^ ej^3Sf>of Ca^tttrj^A^ an^i^MOW), to ^S^-t^ fir/pt^j^ ^ Sc CBji^ fxA^uX tiWttt a^Qtt^ ^\ t^1vrf<^ (If (^af%\ci^tvd>l^/ in ^W»i^ ^^^ t^ T^i^^Aw Avttt^^'w^ e^^l^ V (34) PLATE XI [MS. Ashmole 44. About a. d. 1450. The Wars of Alexander ; in alliter- ative verse. Leaf 51; 11. 2950-2979. See Wars of Alexander, ed. Skeat (Early Eng. Text Society) ; p. 1 74.] Bot sen J^is vfe is her^ vnhonoz/rable her^ I ]>a,vh leue Braidis Tj>a\m furth wz't/^outen bade ]>e butlers ]>a\m jeldw now sothely quod J'aii ilk a segge softly to gedir^ ]?is maner at he melis of is menskefutt & noble 5 Jian was jjar^ ane proude pere a prince at ]>e table Anepo ]>at on Alexander att way be haldis l^an mynes him anes in Meffedone he had pe man sene quen he was fent to his fyre to feche'^ ]>a\re trouag^ i>>-seche? His v^rtufe & his vyfage his voife he remenbris TO His {oztrrae & his fetuor^ his fygour^ a vyfis He ftudis & he ftuynes he ftemes witk in Is J^is nojt Vhilip son ]>e firs J^e fedar^ of grece V^itk ]>at he slejly vp sojt & his sete leuys Droje him euyn to fer Dary |7ar^ he on defe bydis j.s Said surely &r jjis sandifman pat sittw jow be forne Is Alexander him awen self or all myn ame faillis Sone yis gouernotir of grece is of |iis gaude war^ He torkans w«t/^ & vndir^tuke he touched of him selfe Herd a nyngkiling of his name & naytw him to ryfe 20 Bufkis hiM vp at a braide & fra Tj>e burde ryfys He tas a torche fra a tulke pat by pe table ftandis Felly fangis it t ^ in his fift & to his fole wyndis ■' imperfect h. Fyndis him fair^ him before J^ar^ he him fefte hade Rajt him radly pe reyne & on his rige worthis 25 ^ith pat he brochis his blonke pat pe blode fames Sparis out spacly as sparke out of gledes Be pe li3t at he led laches he pe way And fandw faft to pe flijt witk a fers wift pe pepitt of pe palais quen ]?ai his paffe saje 30 Rufches vp in a res rynnes in to chambres XI ^ t,a Sbtw-yS*^trto h^^f^ ^ P^t^y^x^a^a^- ^- r% ^-H

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