Or I shall do hat thou set though thou ook upon, I ased by enI am none man; and and if thou asure, and the isle." nt to his f made a orrow to her come agon. so t dread She fol turned at had -k into And nable But kiss the ape, and 7 8 and thei ben fulle devoute and righte trewe on1 mannes mete. And a 3 journeys long fro that See, ben gret Mountaynes; out of the whiche gothe 17 out a gret Flood,18 that comethe out of Paradys; and it is fulle of precious Stones, withouten ony drope of Water; and it rennethe 19 thorghe the Desert, on that 20 1 o1 syde, so that it makethe the See gravely; and it berethe 17 in-to that See, and there it endethe. And that Flome 18 rennethe also 3 dayes in the Woke," and bryngethe with him grete Stones and the Roches 22 also therewith, and that gret plentee. And anon as thei ben entred in-to the gravely See, thei ben 23 seyn no more, but lost for evere more. And in tho 3 dayes that that Ryvere rennethe no man dar 24 entren in-to it: but in the other dayes men dar entren wel ynow.25 Also beyonde that Flome,18 more upward to the Desertes, is a gret Pleyn alle gravelly betwene the Mountaynes; and in that Playn every day at the Sonne risynge begynnen to growe smale Trees; and thei growen til mydday, berynge Frute; but no man dar taken of that Frute, for it is a thing of Fayrye.26 And aftre mydday thei discrecen 27 and entren ayen 28 in-to the Erthe; so that at the goynge doun of the Sonne thei apperen no more; and so thei don every day: and that is a gret marvaylle. 14 devout and very true one to another. And they do not practice any tricks, or. frauds, or deceits. And he hath under him seventytwo provinces; and in every province is a king. And these kings have kings under them; and all are tributaries to Prester John. And he hath in his lordships many great marvels. For in his country is the sea that men call the Gravelly Sea, that is all gravel and sand, without any drop of water; and it ebbeth and floweth in great waves, as other seas do; and it is never still nor in peace in any season. And no man may pass that sea by ship or by any kind of craft: and therefore may no man know what land is beyond that sea. And albeit that it have no water, yet men find therein and on the banks very good fish of different kinds and shapes from those that men find in any other sea; and they are all very good to eat and delicious for man's food. And three days' distance from that sea are great mountains; out of which flows a great river, that comes from Paradise; and it is full of precious stones, without any drop of water; and it runs through the desert, on the one side, so that it makes the sea gravelly; and it flows into the sea and ends there. And this river runs three days in the week, and brings with it great stones and rocks also, and that in great abundance. And as soon as they have entered into the Gravelly Sea, they are seen no more but are lost forever. And during the three days that the river runs, no man dares enter into it: but during the other days one may enter well enough. Also beyond that river, further upward towards the deserts, is a great plain of gravel between the mountains; and in that plain, every day at the rising of the sun, there begin to grow small trees; and they grow till midday, bearing fruit; but no man dares take any of that fruit, for it is a thing of faërie. And after midday they decrease and enter again into the earth; so that at the setting of the sun they appear no more; and so they do every day and that is a great marvel. 17 15 device 16 find one 2 set not by (= do not practice) 3 frauds 'tricks 23 goes, flows rocks seen decrease 28 again 22 21 week the magic 5 deceits 6 have 7 call 12 kind of 8 gravelly 9 20 sand 27 11 JOHN WICLIF (D. 1384) THE GOSPEL OF MATHEW (FIRST VERSION) 12 9 Jhesus forsothe,' seynge 2 cumpanyes, wente up in-to an hill; and when he hadde sete," his disciplis camen nighe to hym. And he, openynge his mouthe, taughte to hem, sayinge, "Blessid be the pore in spirit, for the kingdam in hevenes is heren.4 Blessid be mylde men, for thei shuln 5 welde the eerthe. Blessid be thei that mournen, for thei shuln 5 be comfortid. Blessid be thei that hungren and thristen right wisnesse, for thei shuln ben fulfillid. Blessid be mercyful men, for thei shuln gete mercye. Blessid be thei that ben & of clene herte, for thei shuln see God. Blessid be pesible men, for thei shuln be clepid the sonys of God. Blessid be thei that suffren persecucioun for rightwisnesse, for the kyngdam of hevenes is herun. Yee shulen 5 be blessid, when men shulen curse you, and shulen pursue you, and shulen say al yvel 10 ayeins you leezing, for me. Joye 13 yee with-yn-forth,14 and glade yee with-out-forth, for youre meede 15 is plentevouse 16 in hevenes; forsothe so thei han 17 pursued and 18 prophetis that weren before you. Yce ben salt of the erthe; that yif 19 the salt shal vanyshe awey, wherynne shal it be saltid? To no thing it is worth over,20 no 21 bot 22 that it be sent out, and defoulid of men. Ye ben light of the world; a citee putt on an hill may nat be hid; nether men tendyn 23 a lanterne, and putten it undir a busshel, but on a candilstike, that it yeve light to alle that ben in the hous. So shyyne youre light before men, that thei see youre good werkis, and glorifie youre Fadir that is in hevens. Nyle 26 ye gesse, or deme,27 that Y came to undo, or distruye, the lawe, or the prophetis; I came not to undo the lawe, but to fulfille. Forsothe 28 I say to you trewthe, til heven and erthe passe, oon i, that is leste 30 lettre, or titil, shal nat passe fro the lawe, til alle thingis be don. Therfore he that undoth, or breketh, oon of these leste 30 maundementis,31 and techith thus men, shal be clepid 32 the leste in the rewme 33 of hevenes; 3 sat theirs 5 shall 6 rule 7 12 24 25 8 8 THE GOSPEL OF MATHEU CAP. V 17 And Jhesus, seynge 2 the puple, wente up into an hil; and whanne he was set, hise disciplis camen to hym. And he openyde his mouth, and taughte hem, and seide, "Blessed ben pore men in spirit, for the kyngdom of hevenes is herne. Blessid ben mylde men, for thei schulen 5 welde the erthe. Blessid ben thei that mornen, for thei schulen be coumfortid. Blessid ben thei that hungren and thristen right wisnesse, for thei schulen be fulfillid. Blessid ben merciful men, for thei schulen gete merci. Blessid ben thei that ben of clene herte, for thei schulen se God. Blessid ben pesible men, for thei schulen be clepid Goddis children. Blessid ben thei that suffren persecusioun for rightfulnesse, for the kingdam of hevenes is herne.* Ye schulen be blessid, whanne men schulen curse you, and schulen pursue you, and shulen seie al yvel 10 11 avens you liynge, for me. Joie 13 ye, and be ye glad, for youre meede 15 is plentevouse 16 in hevenes; for so thei han pursued also profetis that weren bifor you. Ye ben salt of the erthe; that if the salt vanysche awey, whereynne schal it be saltid? To no thing it is worth overe, 20 no 21 but 22 that it be cast out, and be defoulid of men. Ye ben light of the world; a citee set on an hil may not be hid; ne me teendith 23 not a lanterne, and puttith it undur a busschel, but on a candilstike, that it yyve light to alle that ben in the hous. So schyne youre light befor men, that thei se youre goode werkis, and glorifie youre Fadir that is in hevenes. Nil 26 ye deme,27 that Y cam to undo the lawe, or the profetis; Y cam not to undo the lawe, but to fulfille. Forsothe Y seie to you, til hevene and erthe passe, o 29 lettir or o 29 titel shal not passe fro the lawe, til alle thingis be doon. Therfor he that brekith oon of these leeste 30 maundementis,31 and techith thus men, schal be clepid 32 the leste in the rewme 33 of hevenes: but he that doith, and techith, schal be clepid greet in the kyngdom of hevenes. And Y seie 22 but light 24 give 25 Subj. of command 26 do not, literally, wish not (Lat. nolite) 27 think 28 inwardly verily one 30 least 31 commandments 32 called kingdom 1 indeed 2 seeing righteousness are 9 called 10 evil 11 against rejoice 13 lying 14 with-yn-forth 15 reward 16 plenteous 17 have 18 also 19 if 20 besides 29 8 6 3 13 5 forsothe, this that doth, and techith, shal And 20 14 6 Be to you, that but your rightfulnesse be more plentevouse than of scribis and of Farisees, ye schulen not entre into the kyngdom of hevenes. Ye han herd that it was seid to elde men, Thou schalt not slee; and he that sleeth, schal be gilti to doom. But Y seie to you, that ech man that is wrooth to his brothir, schal be gilti to doom; and he that seith to his brother, Fy! schal be gilti to the counseil; but he that seith, Fool, schal be gilti to the fier of helle. Therfor if thou offrist thi yifte at the auter, and ther thou bithenkist, that thi brothir hath sum-what ayens thee, leeve there thi yifte bifor the auter, and go first to be recounselid to thi brothir, and thanne thou schalt come, and schalt offre thi yifte. thou consentynge to thin adversarie soone, while thou art in the weie with hym, lest peraventure thin adversarie take" thee to the domesman,12 and the domesman take thee to the mynystre,13 and thou be sent in-to prisoun. Treuli Y scie to thee, thou shalt not go out fro thennus, til thou yelde 14 the last ferthing. Ye han herd that it was seid to elde men, Thou schalt do no letcherie. But Y seie to you, that every man that seeth a womman for to coveite hir, hath now do letcherie bi hir in his herte. That if thi right iye sclaundre 16 thee, pulle hym out, and caste fro thee; for it spedith 17 to thee, that oon 18 of thi membris perische, than that al thi bodi go in-to helle. And if thi right hond sclaundre thee, kitte 19 hym aweye, and caste fro thee; for it spedith to thee that oon 18 of thi membris perische, than that al thi bodi go in-to helle. And it hath be seyd, Who-evere leeveth his wiif, yyve he to hir a libel of forsakyng. But Y scie to you, that every man that leeveth his wiif, outtakun cause of fornycacioun, makith hir to do letcherie, and he that weddith the forsakun wiif, doith avowtrye. Eftsoone ye han herd, that it was seid to elde men, Thou schalt not forswere, but thou schalt yelde thin othis to the Lord. But Y seie to you, that ye swere not for ony thing; nethir bi hevene, for it is the trone of God; nether bi the erthe, for it is the stole of his feet; nether bi Jerusalem, for it is the citee of a greet kynge; nether thou shalt not swere bi thin heed, for thou maist not make oon heere white ne blacke; 4 6 but be youre word, yhe, yhe; Nay, nay; and that that is more than these, is of yvel. Ye han herd that it hath be seid, Iye for iye, and tothe for tothe. But Y seie to you, that ye ayenstonde3 not an yvel man; but if ony smyte thee in the right cheke, schewe to him also the tothir; and to hym that wole stryve with thee in doom,5 and take awey thi coote, leeve thou to him also thi mantil; and whoever constreyneth thee a thousynde pacis, go thou with hym othir tweyne. Yyve thou to hym that axith of thee, and turne not awey fro hym that wole borewe of thee. Ye han herd that it was seid, Thou shalt love thi neighbore, and hate thin enemye. But Y seie to you, love ye youre enemyes, do wel to hem that hatiden you, and preye ye for hem that pursuen, and sclaundren you; that ye be the sones of your Fadir that is in hevenes, that makith his sunne to rise upon goode and yvele men, and reyneth on just men and unjuste. For if ye loven hem that loven you, what mede " schulen ye han? whether pupplicans doon not this? And if ye greten youre britheren oonli, what schulen ye do more? ne doon not hethene men this? Therfore be ye parfit, as youre hevenli Fadir is parût." swere on al manere; neither by hevene, for it is the trone of God; nether by the erthe, for it is the stole of his feet; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the citee of a greet kyng; neither thou shalt swere by thin heved,' for thou maist not make oon heer whyt or blak; but be youre word yea, yea; Nay, nay; forsothe that that is more than this, is of yvel. Yee han herde that it is said, Eiye 2 for eiye,2 toth for toth. But Y say to you, to nat ayeinstonde yvel; but yif any shal smyte thee in the right cheeke, yeve to hym and the tother; and to hym that wole stryve with thee in dome," and take awey thi coote, leeve thou to hym and thin over-clothe; and whoevere constrayneth thee a thousand pacis, go thou with hym other tweyne. Forsothe yif 6 to hym that axith of thee, and turne thou nat awey fro hym that wol borwe of thee. Yee han herd that it is said, Thou shalt love thin neighbore, and hate thin enmy. But Y say to you, love yee youre enmyes, do yee wel to hem that haten you, and preye yee for men pursuynge, and falsly chalengynge 10 you; that yee be the sonys of youre Fadir that is in hevenes, that makith his sune to springe up upon good and yvel men, and rayneth upon juste men and unjuste men. For yif ye loven hem that loven you, what meed " shul 12 yee have? whether and puplicans don nat this thing? And yif yee greten, or saluten, youre bretheren oonly, what more over 13 shul yee 14 don nat don? whether and paynymmys this thing? Therfore be yee parfit,15 as and youre hevenly Fadir is partit. Take yee hede, lest ye don your right wisnesse before men, that yee be seen of hem, ellis 15 ye shule nat han meed at youre Fadir that is in hevenes. Therfore when thou dost almesse." nyle is thou synge byfore thee in a trumpe, as ypocritis don in synagogis and streetis, that thei ben maad worshipful of men; forsothe Y saye to you, thei han resceyved her 19 meede. But thee doynge almesse, knowe nat the left hond what thi right hond doth, that thi almes be in hidlis," and thi Fadir that seeth in hidlis, shal yelde to thee." 21 3 18 1 head eye resist also a lawsuit give 10 accusing 11 reward * borrow them hate ye [It will be observed that the Second Version agrees with the Authorized Version in the division into chapters, while the First Version contains a few verses usually assigned to Chapter VI.] |