ENGLISH PROSE EARLY MIDDLE ENGLISH 26 36 21 19 25 Tha" the king Stephne to Englalande com,1 tha "macod " he his gadering 28 æt Oxeneford; and thar he nam 29 the biscop Roger of Sereberi 30 and Alexander biscop of Lincol and te31 Canceler Roger his neves,32 and dide 33 ælle in prisun til hiiafen 34 up here 35 castles. Tha 24 the suikes undergæton " that he milde man was and softe and god 20 and na 1o justise 19 38 ne dide, tha diden hi' alle wunder.39 Hi hadden him 40 manred" maked 27 and athes 42 suoren, ac 15 hi nan 19 treuthe ne heolden.“ Alle he' wæron 15 forsworen and here 35 treothes forloren;" for ævric 47 rice 48 man his castles makede," and agænes 50 him heolden,51 and fylden " the land ful of castles. Hi suencten 53 suythe" the uurecce 55 men of the land mid 50 castel weorces.57 Tha 24 the castles uuaren15 43 52 men. 1 1 7 8 14 maked, tha fylden hi mid deovles and yvele ' Tha namen 3 hi tha men the hi wenden that ani god hefden, bathe' be 10 nihtes and be dæies, carlmen " and wimmen, and diden 12 heom 13 in prisun efter " gold and sylver, and pined" heom untellendlice 16 pining,17 for ne uuæren18 nævre19 nan martyrs swa20 pined alse" hi wæron. Me" henged 23 up bi the fet 24 and smoked heom mid ful 25 smoke. henged bi the thumbes, other 20 bi the hefed,27 and hengen 28 bryniges 29 on her 30 fet. Me dide 12 cnotted strenges 31 abuton 32 here 30 hæved 27 and uurythen 33 to 34 that it gæde 35 to the hærnes.36 Hi dyden heom in quarterne thar 38 nadres 3 and snakes and pades 40 inne, and drapen " heom swa. 43 20 Me 37 wæron 45 I ne can ne I ne mai 12 tellen alle the wunder 13 ne alle the pines" that hi diden wrecce men on 18 this land; and that lastede tha .xix. wintre 47 wile 48 Stephne was king, and ævre it was uuerse 50 and uuerse. 49 FROM AN OLD ENGLISH HOMILY (BEFORE 1200) (Unknown Author) Missus est Jeremias in puteum et stetit ibi usque ad os, etc. (See Jeremiah 38: 6-13) 55 Leofemen," we vindeth 52 in Halie Boc 53 thet Jeremie the prophete stod in ane" pütte 5 and thet 50 in the venne 57 up to his muthe; 58 and 1 then 2 evil 3 seized 4 those who weened, thought property had both 10 by 11 men 12 put 13 them 14 after (i.e. to obtain) 15 tortured 16 unspeakable 19 never 20 SO torture were as one (i.e., they 23 hanged 24 feet 25 foul 26 or 27 head 17 indefinite) 28 hung 32 about 7 18 21 22 29 corselets (as weights) 30 their 31 cords 33 twisted 37 prison 42 years kept 49 fortified 46 in 48 powerful 63 oppressed every 52 filled 55 wretched 86 with 57 works 47 may 34 till 38 where 35 went, penetrated 39 adders 40 toads 44 tortures 45 wretched 43 evils 49 ever 48 while 50 worse 51 beloved the 55 pit 68 mouth 53 holy book 66 that (emphatic) 57 fen, mire tha he hefede ther ane hwile istonde,* 10 7 11 9 7 tha bicom his licome swithe feble, and me nom rapes and caste in to him for to draghen" hine 13 ut of thisse pütte. Ah 14 his licome wes se 15 swithe 8 feble thet he ne mihte noht 16 itholie 17 the herdnesse 18 of the rapes. Tha' sende me clathes 19 ut of thes 20 kinges huse for to bi-winden " the rapes, thet his licome, the 22 feble wes, ne sceolde 23 noht 16 wursien."4 Leofemen,25 theos 26 ilke 27 weord 28 the 22 ic 20 habbe 30 her i-seid 3 habbeth muchele 32 bi-tacnunge, 3 and god 34 ha 35 beoth 36 to heren and muchele betere to et-halden.37 58 54 44 39 nan 33 22 Bi Jeremie the prophete we aghen 8 to understonden ülcne mon sünfulle 40 the lith in hevie sünne and thurh sothe " scrift 42 his sünbendes 43 nüle slakien." Funiculi amaritudines penetencie significant. The rapes the " weren i-cast to him bi-tacneth 46 the herdnesse of scrifte 42; for nis 47 48 of us se 15 strong the 4 hefde idon 50 thre hefed" sünnen thet his licome nere 52 swithe feble er 53 he hefde i-dreghen thet 55 scrift the ther-to bilimpeth. Thas kinges hus bi-tacneth Hali Chirche. Tha clathes thet weren i-sende ut of thes kinges huse for to binden the rapes mid 57 59 ureisuns 60 bi-tacnet 58 the halie the me singeth in halie chirche and the halie sacramens the me 62 sacreth 63 in 64 a-lesnesse 65 of alla sünfulle. Leofemen, nu ye habbeth i-herd of this pütte the bi-tacninge the ic habbe embe "7 i-speken 68 and the bi-tacninge of the prophete and thet the rapes bi-tacneth, and hwat "9 tha clathes bi-tacneth the " the rapes weren mide57 bi-wunden. I-hereth 70 nuthe" whülche 72 61 61 62 thinges wunieth 73 in thisse pütte. Ther 76 wunieth fower" cünnes 75 würmes 70 inne,77 thet for-doth 78 nuthe " al theos midelard." Ther Crabbe is an manere of fissce 10 in there 11 sea. This fis 10 is of swülc 12 cünde 13 thet ever 14 he mare strengtheth him to swimminde mid 10 the watere, se 17 he mare swimmeth abac.18 And the alde crabbe seide to the yunge, 19" Hwi ne swimmest thu forthward in there 11 sea alse 14 other fisses doth?" And heo 20 seide, "Leofe " moder, swim thu foren 22 me and tech me hu 23 ic scal " swimmen forthward." And heo 20 bigon to swimmen forthward mid the streme, and swam hire 25 therayen. Thas 27 faghe neddre3 bi-tacneth this faghe folc 28 the 20 wuneth in thisse weorlde, [etc.] On alre-erest, hwon 32 schulen ye parlures thürle, iwiteth 37 et ower 34 meiden " hwo hit 40 beo "thet is icumen," vor 13 swüch “ hit mei 5 beon 46 thet ye schulen 47 aschunien 48 ou; and hwon ye alles 50 moten vorth, 52 creoiseth 53 ful yeorne 54 our muth,55 earen, and eien, and te 57 breoste eke; and goth forth mid Godes drede to preoste." 59 On erest 60 siggeth confiteor," and ther-efter benedicite.03 Thet 64 he ouh to siggen, hercneth his wordes, and sitteth al stille, thet,67 hwon 32 he parteth vrom ou," 68 thet he ne cunne 69 ower god ne ower üvel " nouther; ne he ne cunne ou nouther 72 blamen ne preisen. Sum 73 is so 1in (to be taken with Ther) 2 spotted ♦ bear 16 not 17 endure 18 hardness 19 cloths 20 the (gen. s.) 21 wind about 22 which 23 should 24 grow worse, suffer 25 beloved 28 words 29 I 30 have 26 these are 13 nature 19 young 14 as 20 she 24 shall 25 her (reflexive) 20 against 28 folk 29 that 30 The Nuns' Rule your 32 when 33 shall [go] 34 36 window 87 know, learn 88 from 44 such 45 may 31 first of all 31 said, spoken 38 parlor's 39 maid 40 it 41 is 42 come 43 for 46 be 47 shall, ought to 48 shun, avoid 49 you (reflexive, not to be translated) 50 by all means necessarily 51 must [go] 32 much 33 meaning, significance 34 good 35 they 36 each 40 sinful 1 true 42 confes43 sin-bonds 44 will not 45 loosen 60 done ere, 56 belongs 48 signify 47 there is not 48 none 49 that 51 head, chief 52 were not, would not become 53 before 54 endured, performed 55 the 67 with 58 signifies 59 holy 60 orisons, prayers that 62 one, they (indefinite) 64 for 65 re68 spoken 69 what 70 hear 73 dwell 74 four 75 kinds 77 in (to be taken with Ther) 78 destroy 72 what sort of dwelling 6 zealously (Imper.) 53 or 82 forth, i.e. out of your cross, i.e. bless with the sign of the cross mouth eyes 59 the priest 56 60 first 7 the, i.e. your 58 go 61 say (Imperative, 62 the formula as are some of the other verbs in -eth) of confession 63 a canticle or hymn: "Bless ye the Lord!" 64 what 65 ought 06 say 67 that, in order you 69 know 70 good 71 evil 72 neither 78 one that 68 4 7 8 wel ilered 'other' sewis-iworded, thet heo wolde thet he wüste hit; the sit 10 and speketh touward him, and yelt " him word 12 word, and bicumeth meister,13 the ayein schulde beon ancre; and leareth 1 him thet is icumen 15 to leren 18 hire: 17 wolde 18 bi hire tale sone 19 beon mit 20 te wise icüd 21 and icnowen.22 Icnowen heo is wel, vor 4 23 thurh thet ilke 24 thet heo weneth 25 to beon 28 wis Vor iholden," he understont 28 thet heo is sot.29 heo hunteth efter pris,30 and keccheth lastunge.31 Vor et 32 te 33 laste, hwon 34 he is iwend 3 a-wei, "Theos 36 ancre," ," he wüle 37 siggen,38 "is of muchele speche." Eve heold ine paraïs longe tale" mid 20 te neddre,42 and tolde hire 17 al thet lescun 43 thet God hire hefde "ilered 45 and Adam of then 33 epple; and so the veond 40 thurh hire word understod an-on-riht 7 hire wocnesse, and ivond "9 wei touward hire of hire vorlorenesse.50 Ure "1 Lefdi,52 Seinte Marie, düde 53 al 54 an other wise: ne tolde heo then 33 engle none tale, auh 56 askede him thing 55 59 39 74 35 40 Ure 1 Lefdi, and Vor-thi s 63 ancre, 68 39 scheortliche " thet heo ne kuthe.58 Ye, mine leove süstren, voleweth nout 1 the kakele 62 Eve. hwat-se heo beo,65 alse 6 muchel ase heo ever con 67 and mei, holde hire 8 stille: nabbe "9 heo nout henne 70 künde." The hen, hwon heo haveth 72 ileid, ne con 67 buten 56 kakelen.73 And hwat biyit " heo ther-of? Kumeth the coue" anon-riht" and reveth " hire hire eiren,78 and fret al thet of hwat 80 heo schulde vorthbringen hire cwike 1 briddes; 82 and riht also 83 the lüthere coue, deovel, berth a-wei vrom the kakelinde 87 ancren and vorswoluweth 88 al thet god" thet heo istreoned " habbeth,"1 thet schulden ase" briddes beren 93 ham up tou 33 1 taught 81 86 94 priest 7 should know i.e. the 11 yields 10 teach 21 recognized 25 thinks, expects 26 be foolish 30 praise 1 blame 35 turned 36 this 87 will 33 the 34 when 40 paradise 41 talk 44 had 45 taught 39 much 43 lesson once 48 weakness 52 Lady 53 did all, 42 adder, ser46 fiend 47 at 49 found 50 perdition 51 Our entirely 5 angel 56 but 57 briefly 60 follow 61 not 62 chattering 64 what-so, i.e. whosoever 58 knew 89 dear 63 therefore be 66 as 65 be, may 68 herself 09 have not (hortative 72 hath 73 cackle 77 takes from 67 can Subj.) 70 hen's 71 nature tains 76 cometh 76 chough 79 eats 80 which 81 live, living 86 the devil 86 bears 89 good 90 produced 84 wicked lows up them 82 74 ob 78 eggs young birds 87 cackling 88 swal 91 has 02 as ward heovene, yif hit nere icakeled. The wrecche peoddare more noise he maketh to yeien his sope then a riche mercer al his deorewurthe ware. To summe gostliche monne • thet 10 beoth trusti uppen, ase ye muwen beon of lüt,12 god 13 is thet ye asken red" and salve,15 thet he teche ou toyeines 16 fondunges," and ine schrifte 18 scheaweth 19 him, yif he wüle iheren,20 ower 21 greste 22 and ower lodlükeste sünnen,24 24 vor-thi-thet him areowe ou; 25 and thurh the bireounesse 20 crie Crist inwardliche " merci vor ou, and habbe 28 ou ine münde 20 and in his bonen.30 Sed multi veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ovium; intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces. "Auh 31 witeth 32 ou, and beoth 33 iwarre," "34 he seith, ure 35 Loverd, "vor monie cumeth to ou ischrud 37 mid lombes fleose,38 and beoth 39 wode 40 wulves." Worldliche men ileveth " lüt; " religiuse yet lesse. Ne wilnie 43 ye nout to muchel hore "4 kuthlechunge. Eve withute drede spec" mit te neddre. Ure 35 Lefdi 47 was ofdred 48 of Gabrieles speche. Ure deorewurthe Lefdi, Seinte Marie, thet ouh 10 to alle wümmen beon vorbisne,50 was of so lüte speche thet nouhware "1 ine Holi Write ne ivinde 52 we thet heo spec" bute vor 5 sithen; 54 auh 31 for 55 the seldspeche " hire wordes weren hevie," and hefden 58 muche mihte. Hire vorme 50 wordes thet we redeth of weren tho 60 heo onswerede then engle Gabriel, and theo weren so mihtie thet mid tetthet 4 heo seide, Ecce ancilla Domini; fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, et tisse 65 worde Godes sune and soth God bicom *7 mon; and the Loverd, thet al the world ne mühte ❝ nout bivon,"9 bitünde him" withinnen the meidenes" wombe Marie. Hire othre 73 wordes weren thoa 60 heo 75 and 83 SO 65 93 bear 40 wild 44 their 49 ought 54 times 58 had 64 which at this 66 true 67 became 68 might 69 encompass 70 enclosed 71 himself 72 maiden's 73 second greeted 75 kinswoman 76 thinkest thou 77 manifested 6 wordes? Hwat,' thet a child bigon vor to pleien 2 toyeines ham thet was Sein Johan in his moder wombe! The thridde time thet heo spec," thet was et te neoces, and ther, thurh hire bone,' was water iwend to wine. The veorthe time was thoa heo hefde 10 imist " hire sune," and eft 13 hine 14 ivond.15 And hu muchel wunder voluwede 16 theos wordes! Thet God almihti beih 17 him 18 to one monne,20 to one smithe, and to ane wümmone," and foluwude 16 ham,* ase hore,2 hwüder-so 24 heo 25 ever wolden.20 Nimeth 27 nu 28 her yeme,30 and leorneth yeorne 31 her-bi hu 32 seldcene 33 speche haveth muche strencthe. 19 29 19 22 19 23 Ye, mine leove 34 süstren,35 ne schulen 36 habben37 no best,38 bute kat one. Ancre 40 thet haveth eihte" thüncheth 2 bet 43 husewif," ase Marthe was, then ancre; 45 ne none-weis ne mei heo" beon " Marie mid grithfulnesse 48 of heorte. Vor theonne 10 mot 50 heo thenchen 51 of the kues 52 foddre, and of heordemonne 53 huire," oluhnen 55 thene 5 heiward," warien 58 60 hwon 59 me pünt hire, and yelden," thauh,63 66 the hermes.64 Wat Crist, this is lodlich thing hwon 50 60 maketh mone me 67 in tune 68 of ancre 69 eihte." 63 Thauh, yif 70 eni mot 50 nede habben "ku, loke " thet heo 46 none monne ne eilie, 73 ne ne hermie; 74 ne thet hire thouht ne beo 75 nout ther-on ivestned." Ancre ne ouh" nout to habben" no thing thet drawe78 utward hire heorte. None cheffare 70 ne drive ye. Ancre thet is cheapild, 80 heo cheapeth hire soule the chepmon 82 of helle. Ne wite ye nout in oure huse of other monnes thinges, ne eihte," ne clothes; ne nout ne undervo9 ye the chirche vestimenz, ne thene 2 play 6 81 83 87 1 behold * against, at the sound of them spoke marriage 7 prayer, request 8 turned when 10 had 11 missed 12 son 13 again 14 him 15 found 16 followed 17 bowed, humbled 18 himself 20 man 21 woman 22 as Henr', bur31 godes fultume king on Engleneloande, Lhoauerd on Yrloand', Duk on Norm', on Aquitain', and eorl on Aniow, Send 15 igretinge 16 to alle hise holde," ilærde 18 and ileawede on Huntendon'schir'. þæt 20 witen 21 322 wel alle, þat we willen and vnnen 23 26 25 rædesmen þæt bæt alle, ober be moare dæl 29 of heom 30 þæt beob 31 ichosen þur3 vs and burg þæt 27 loandes 32 folk on vre kuneriche, 33 habbep 34 idon 35 and schullen 36 don 37 in be wornesse 38 of gode 39 and on vre treowbe 40 for be freme" of be loande burg be besigte 42 of þan 27 to-foreniseide 43 redesmen,20 beo stedefæst and ilestinde " in alle binge a 45 buten 46 ænde.47 And we hoaten 18 alle vre treowe, in 12 be treowbe 40 þæt heo0 us ozen, bæt heo stedefæstliche healden and sweren to healden and to werien 53 27 isetnesses bo þæt beon 1 imakede and beon to makien 55 burg þan to-foren-iseide rædesmen oper 5 burg þe moare 28 dæl 20 of heom,30 alswo 50 alse 57 hit 58 is biforen iseid.59 And þæt æhc 60 ober 1 helpe þæt for to done 37 bi þan 27 ilche ** ope agenes alle men Rigt for to done 37 and to foangen.65 And noan ne nime" of loande ne 68 of este wherburg þis besigte muze 70 beon ilet ober iwersed 72 on onie wise. And gif 74 oni 75 76 oper' onie cumen her-on genes, we willen and hoaten 18 þæt alle vre treowe 49 heom healden deadliche ifoan.78 And for þæt we willen þæt bis beo stedefæst and lestinde," we sended " gew 80 bis writ 19 a 23 theirs 24 whitherso now 29 here 34 dear 35 sisters property 46 she 51 think 66 the 16 greeting 17 faithful 19 unlearned 22 ye 23 grant 24 what 25 our 26 counselors 27 the 28 greater 29 part 80 them 37 do 36 shall 40 10 loyalty 58 curse 69 when 25 they 26 would 27 take (Imperative) 30 heed 31 well 32 how 33 rare 36 shall 37 have 38 beast 39 only 43 rather 44 housewife 48 peacefulness seems 42 47 be 52 cow's 63 herdsmen's 67 heyward, bailiff 61 impounds 65 knows 62 66 hateful 60 one 64 damages 63 nevertheless pay 67 complaint 68 town, farm 71 have 72 look 76 fastened 77 ought 79 bargain 80 bargainer 81 sells 73 disturb 78 may draw 82 tradesman 83 keep, take care of 84 85 house 86 receive 87 the your 31 are 32 land's 33 kingdom 34 have 35 done 68 just 63 oath command) 72 injured 73 57 68 nor any 80 as 58 it 59 said 60 each 61 the other 62 same towards 65 receive 6 none 67 take (subj. of 69 property 70 may 71 hindered 77 here 74 if 75 any one 76 any (pl.) against, i.e. against this proclamation 78 foes 79 send you 13 33 26 12 25 wyse The lufe of Jhesu Criste es ful dere 10 tresure, ful delytabyl " joy, and ful syker 12 to trayst man on. For-thi," he wil not gyf it to folys," that kan noght hald 10 it and kepe it tenderly; bot" til 18 thaim he gese 19 it the whilk 20 nowther " for wele ne for wa 22 wil lat 23 it passe fra tham, bot are " thai wil dye or thai wolde wrath Jhesu Criste. And na man dose 27 precyous lycor in a stynkand vessell, bot in a clene. Als 28 Criste dose 27 noght his lufe in a foule hert in syn and bownden in vile lust of flesche, bot in a hert that es fayre and clene in vertues. Noght-for-thi," a fowle vessel may be made sa clene that a ful dere thyng savely 30 31 be done may tharin.32 And Jhesu Criste oft-sythes purges many synfull mans sawle and makes it abyl 35 thurgh his grace to receyve the delitabel " swetnes of hys luf, and to be his wonnyng-stede" in halynes; and ay 38 the clennar it waxes, the mare joy and solace of heven Criste settes thar-in. Forthi," at the fyrst tyme when a man es turned to God, he may not fele " that swete lycor til he have bene wele used in Goddes servys and his hert be purged thorow 42 prayers and penance and gode thoghtes in God. that es slaw in Goddes servyce may noght be byrnand" in lufe, bot-if he do al his myght and travell nyght and day to fulfill Goddes will. And when that blyssed lufe es in a mans hert, it will not suffer hym be ydel," bot ay it stirres hym to do som gode that myght be lykand " til God, as in praying, or in wirkyng 48 1 signed ⚫ eighteenth 43 hold 7 fortieth 40 39 37 41 For he safe-keeping ourselves the crowning is 10 precious 14 therefore 18 fools 21 neither 18 to sooner 13 trust 10 gives 20 which 20 no synne. Wharfore, that thou may lufe hym trewly, understand that his lufe es proved in thre thynges; in thynkyng, in spekyng, in wirkyng. Chaunge thi thoght fra the worlde, and kast it haly on hym, and he sall norysche the. Chaunge thi mowth fra unnayte and warldes 1o speche, and speke of hym, and he sall comforth 12 the. Chaunge thi hend 13 fra the warkes of vanitese, and lyft tham 15 in his name, and wyrke anly 10 for hys lufe, and he sall" receyve the. Do thus, and than lufes 17 thou trewly and 18 gase in the way of perfitenes. Delyte the sain hym that thi hert receyve nowther 20 worldes joy ne worldes sorow, and drede no anguys ne noy 22 that may befalle bodyly on the or on any of thi frendes; bot betake 23 all in-til Goddes will and thank hym ay of all hys sandes, swa" that thou may have rest and savowre in hys lufe. For if thi hert owther 25 be ledde with worldes drede or worldes solace, thou ert 26 full fer 2 fra the swetnes of Cristes lufe. . . . Wasche thi thoght clene wyth lufe-teres 28 and brennand 29 yernyng, that he fynd na 31 thyng fowle in the, for his joy es that thou be fayre and lufsom 32 in his eghen.33 Fayrehede 4 of thi sawle, that he covaytes, es that thou be chaste and meke, mylde and sufferand, never irk 35 to do his wille, ay hatand all wykkednes. In al that thou dose, thynk ay to com to the syght of his fairehede,3 34 and sett al thine entent thar-in, that thou may com thar-til 38 at thine endyng; for that aght" to be the ende of al oure traveyle, that we evermare, whils we lyve here, desyre that syght, in all oure hert, and 28 SO 21 anguish 27 puts 30 safely 31 32 therein 33 oft-times put 38 able a dwelling-place 37 holiness 88 ever 40 feel 41 service 42 through 44 burning 45 unless 46 labor 47 idle 43 slow 48 pleasing 30 37 ⚫ casting 10 world's, 20 neither shall 12 comfort 13 hands 14 works 15 them 17 lovest 18 goest dispensations 29 burning 33 eyes 22 19 SO annoy, injury 23 commit 24 sendings, 26 art 27 far 28 love-tears 28 either 30 yearning, desire 34 fairness 85 weary 89 ought 37 intent |