38

wel ilered1 other se wis-iworded, thet heo wolde thet he wüste hit; the sit 10 and speketh touward him, and yelt" him word ayein 12 word, and bicumeth meister, 13 the schulde beon ancre; and leareth 14 him thet is icumen 15 to leren 16 hire: 17 wolde 18 bi hire tale sone 19 beon mit 20 te wise icüd 21 and icnowen." Icnowen heo is wel, vor 23 thurh thet ilke thet heo weneth 25 to beon 26 wis iholden," he understont 28 thet heo is sot.20 Vor 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, "is of muchele 39 speche." Eve heold ine paraïs 40 longe tale " mid 2o te neddre," and tolde hire 17 al thet lescun 43 thet God hire hefde 44 ilered 45 and Adam of then 33 epple; and so the veond 48 thurh hire word understod an-on-riht" hire wocnesse, and ivond 49 wei touward hire of hire vorlorenesse.50 Ure Lefdi, 52 Seinte Marie, düde 53 al 54 an other wise: ne tolde heo then 33 engle 55 none tale, auh 5 askede him thing scheortliche " thet heo ne kuthe.58 Ye, mine leove 5 süstren, voleweth 60 Ure 51 Lefdi, and nout 61 the kakele 62 Eve. Vor-thi 63 ancre, hwat-se heo beo, 65 alse 66 muchel 39 ase heo ever con " and mei, holde hire 68 stille: nabbe 69 heo nout henne 70 künde." The hen, hwon heo haveth 72 ileid, ne con buten 56 kakelen. 73 And hwat biyit 14 heo ther-of? Kumeth the coue 76 anon-riht" and reveth " hire hire eiren, 78 and fret al thet of hwat 80 heo schulde vorthbringen hire cwike 81 briddes; 82 and riht also 83 the lüthere coue, deovel, 5 berth 86 a-wei vrom the kakelinde 87 ancren and vorswoluweth 88 al thet 33 god 89 thet heo istreoned oo habbeth, thet schulden ase" briddes beren 93 ham 94 up tou

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ward heovene, yif hit nere1 icakeled. The wrecche peoddare more noise he maketh to yeien his sope 4 then ' a riche mercer al his deorewurthe ware. To summe gostliche 8 monne thet ye beoth trusti uppen, ase 10 ye muwen " beon of lüt,12 god 13 is thet ye asken red 14 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 23 sünnen, vor-thi-thet him areowe ou; 25 and thurh the bireounesse 20 crie Crist inwardliche" merci vor ou, and habbe 28 ou ine münde 29 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 Loverd, "vor monie 3 cumeth to ou ischrud 37 mid lombes fleose, 38 and beoth 3 wode 40 wulves." Worldliche men ileveth 41 lüt; 2 religiuse yet lesse. Ne wilnie 43 ye nout to muchel hore " kuthlechunge.45 Eve withute drede spec 46 mit te neddre. Ure 35 Lefdi 47 was ofdred 48 of Gabrieles speche.

50

35

Ure deorewurthe Lefdi, Seinte Marie, thet ouh 4 to alle wümmen beon vorbisne, was of so lüte 2 speche thet nouhware 51 ine Holi Write ne ivinde 52 we thet heo spec " bute vor 53 sithen; 54 auh 31 for 55 the seldspeche 5" hire wordes weren hevie," and hefden 58 muche mihte. Hire vorme 59 wordes thet we redeth of weren tho 60 heo onswerede then engle Gabriel, and theo2 weren so mihtie thet mid tet 63 thet heo seide, Ecce ancilla Domini; fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, et tisse 65 worde Godes sune and soth God bicom 67 mon; and the Loverd, thet al the world ne mühte 68 nout bivon, bitünde him" withinnen the meidenes 2 wombe Marie. Hire othre 73 wordes weren thoao heo com and grette 4 Elizabeth hire mowe; 75 and hwat mihte, wenest-tu, was icüd " ine theos 62 wordes? Hwat,1 thet a child bigon vor to pleien 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 8 to wine. The veorthe time was thoa heo hefde imist 11 hire sune, 12 and eft 13 hine 14 ivond.15 And hu muchel wunder voluwede.18 theos wordes! Thet God almihti beih 17 him 18 to one 19 monne, 20 to one 19 smithe, and to ane wümmone," and foluwude 10 ham, ase 22 hore, 23 hwüder-so 24 heo 25 ever wolden. 26 Nimeth 27 nu 28 her 29 yeme, ,30 and leorneth yeorne 31 her-bi hu seldcene 33 speche haveth muche strencthe.

NUNS MAY KEEP NO BEAST BUT A CAT

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Ye, mine leove 34 süstren, 35 ne schulen 36 habben37 no best, 38 bute kat one. 39 Ancre 40 thet haveth eihte " thüncheth "bet 43 husewif, ase Marthe was, then ancre; 40 ne none-weis 45 ne mei heo " beon 4" Marie mid grithfulnesse 48 of heorte. Vor theonne 4o mot 50 heo thenchen 51 of the kues 52 foddre, and of heordemonne 53 huire," oluhnen " thene 50 heiward, 57 warien 58 hwon 5 me 60 pünt 1 hire, and yelden, 2 thauh, 63 the hermes. 64 Wat 65 Crist, this is lodlich thing hwon 5" me 60 maketh mone 7 in tune 68 of ancre 69 eihte." Thauh, yif 70 eni mot 50 nede habben 71 ku, loke 2 thet heo 46 none monne ne eilie, ne ne hermie; 74 ne thet hire thouht ne beo 75 nout ther-on ivestned. 76 Ancre ne ouh" nout to habben" no thing thet drawe78 utward hire heorte. None cheffare 79 ne drive ye. Ancre thet is cheapild,80 heo cheapeth 81 hire soule the chepmon 82 of helle. Ne wite 83 ye nout in oure 84 huse 85 of other monnes thinges, ne eihte, ne clothes; ne nout ne undervo ye the chirche vestimenz, ne thene 87

1 behold 2 play 3 against, at the sound of * them spoke marriage 7 prayer, request & turned when 10 had 11 missed 12 son 13 again 14 him 18 found 16 followed 17 bowed, humbled 18 himself 19 a 20 man 21 woman 22 as 28 theirs 24 whitherso 25 they 26 would 27 take (Imperative) 28 now 29 here 30 heed 31 well 32 how 33 rare 34 dear 85 sisters 36 shall 37 have 88 beast 89 only 40 a nun 41 property 43 rather 44 housewife 45 no-ways 46 she 48 peacefulness 49 then 50 must 81 think 88 flatter 86 the 89 when 60 one

42

caliz,1 bute-yif strencthe hit makie, other muchel eie; vor of swüche witunge® is ikumen muchel üvel 10 ofte-sithen.11

ENGLISH PROCLAMATION OF HENRY III (1258)

23

Henr', burz 12 godes fultume 13 king on 14 Engleneloande, Lhoauerd on Yrloand', Duk on Norm', on Aquitain', and eorl on Aniow, Send 15 igretinge 16 to alle hise holde,11 ilærde 18 and ileawede 19 on Huntendon'schir'. bæt 20 witen 21 ze 22 wel alle, bæt we willen and vnnen bæt bæt 24 vre 25 rædesmen 26 alle, ober be 27 moare 28 dæl 29 of heom 30 bæt beob 31 ichosen burz 12 vs and burz bæt 27 loandes 32 folk on vre kuneriche, 33 habbeb 34 idon 35 and schullen 36 don 37 in be worbnesse 38 of gode 39 and on vre treowbe 40 for be freme 1 of be loande burz be besizte 42 of ban 27 to-foreniseide 43 redesmen, 28 beo stedefæst and ilestinde 4 in alle binge a 45 buten 46 ænde.47 And we hoaten 18 alle vre treowe, 49 in 12 be treowbe 40 bæt heos us ozen, bæt heo stedefæstliche healden 52 and sweren to healden and to werien 53 bo 27 isetnesses 54 bæt beon 31 imakede and beon to makien 55 burz 12 ban 27 to-foren-iseide 43 rædesmen obers burz be moare 28 dæl 29 of heom, 30 alswo 58 alse 57 hit 58 is biforen iseid. 59 And bæt æhc 60 ober1 helpe bæt for to done 37 bi ban 2" ilche 62 obe 63 azenes alle men Rizt for to done 37 and to foangen.65 And noan ne nime 67 of loande ne 68 of este 69 wherburg bis besigte 42 muze 70 beon ilet 71 ober iwersed 72 on onie 73 wise. And zif 74 oni 75 ober onie 76 cumen her-onzenes," we willen and hoaten 18 bæt alle vre treowe 49 heom healden deadliche ifoan.78 And for bæt we willen bæt bis beo stedefæst and lestinde, we sended 79 zew bis writ

1 chalice * make, cause • come 10 evil

24 what

25 our 29 part 80 them 35 done 36 shall

2 unless

Бог • fear 11 oft-times

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80

3 strength, necessity 7 such

8 guarding 13 aid 14 in

18 learned

22 ye

23 grant

12 by 15 sends 16 greeting 17 faithful 19 unlearned 20 that 21 know 26 counselors 27 the 28 greater 31 are 32 land's 33 kingdom 34 have 37 do 38 honor 39 God 40 loyalty 41 benefit 42 provision 43 aforesaid 4 lasting 45 ever 40 without 47 end 48 command 49 loyal 50 they 81 owe 52 hold 53 defend 54 laws 55 to make, to be made 58 just 87 as 88 it 50 said 60 each the other 62 same 63 oath 64 towards receive 66 none 67 take (subj. of command) 68 nor 69 property may 71 hindered

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72 injured 73 any 74 if 75 any one 76 any (pl.) 77 here against, i.e. against this proclamation 78 foes 79 send you

80

open, iseined wib vre seel to halden amanges zew ine hord. Witnesse vs-seluen æt Lunden' bane Eztetenbe day on be Monbe of Octobr' In be Two and fowertizbe zeare of vre cruninge.

RICHARD ROLLE (1290?-1349)

FROM EPISTLE III

THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE TO GOD

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25

The lufe of Jhesu Criste es ful dere 10 tresure, ful delytabyl11 joy, and ful syker 12 to trayst 13 man on. For-thi," he wil not gyf it to folys, that kan noght hald 16 it and kepe it tenderly; bot 11 til 18 thaim he gese 1 it the whilk 20 nowther 2 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 26 wyse man dose 27 precyous lycor in a stynkand vessell, bot in a clene. Als 28 Criste dose 2" 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 may be done 31 tharin. 32 And Jhesu Criste oft-sythes 33 purges many synfull mans sawle 34 and makes it abyl 35 thurgh his grace to receyve the delitabel 11 swetnes of hys luf, and to be his wonnyng-stede 36 in halynes; 37 and ay 38 the clennar it waxes, the mare 30 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 10 that swete lycor til he have bene wele used in Goddes servys 41 and his hert be purged thorow 42 prayers and penance and gode thoghtes in God. For he that es slaw 43 in Goddes servyce may noght be byrnand " in lufe, bot-if 45 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 48 til God, as in praying, or in wirkyng

profitabel thynges, or in spekyng of Cristes passyon; and principally in thoght, that the mynde of Jhesu Criste passe noght fra his thoght. For if thou lufe hym trewly, thou wil glad the in hym and noght in other thyng; and thou wil thynk on hym, kastand * away al other thoghtes. Bot if thou be fals, and take other than hym, and delyte the in erthly thyng agaynes his wille, wit thou wele he will forsake the as thou hase done hyme, and dampne the for thi synne.

21

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 10 speche, and speke of hym, and he sall" comforth 12 the. Chaunge thi hend 13 fra the warkes 14 of vanitese, and lyft tham 15 in his name, and wyrke anly 16 for hys lufe, and he sall 11 receyve the. Do thus, and than lufes 17 thou trewly and gase 18 in the way of perfitenes. Delyte the sa 19 in 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, swa1 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 fer2" fra the swetnes of Cristes lufe. Wasche thi thoght clene wyth lufe-teres 28 and brennand 2 yernyng, that he fynd na 31 thyng fowle in the, for his joy es that thou be fayre and lufsom " in his eghen. 33 Fayrehede 34 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, and sett al thine entent 37 thar-in, that thou may com thar-til 38 at thine endyng; for that aght 3 to be the ende of al oure traveyle, that we evermare, whils we lyve here, desyre that syght, in all oure hert, and

30 ...

that we thynk ay lang thar-till.1 Als sa festen in thi hert the mynd of his passyon and of his woundes: grete delyte and swetnes sal thou fele if thou halde thi thoght in mynde * of the pyne that Cryst sufferd for the. I wate na thyng that swa1 inwardly sal take thi hert to covayte Goddes lufe and to desyre the joy of heven and to despyse the vanitees of this worlde, as stedfast thynkyng of the myscheves and grevous woundes and of the dede of Jhesu Criste. It wil rayse thi thoght aboven erthly lykyng, and make thi hert brennand 10 in Cristes lufe, and purches in thi sawle delitabelte" and savoure of heven.

Bot per-aunter 12 thou will say: "I may noght despyse the worlde, I may not fynd it in my hert to pyne my body, and me behoves 13 lufe my fleschly frendes and take ese when it comes." If thou be temped 14 with swilk 15 thoghtes, I pray the that thou umbethynk 16 the, fra the begynnyng of this worlde, whare 18 the worldes lovers er 19 now, and whare the lovers er of God. Certes thai war 20 men and wymen as we er, and ete and drank and logh; 21 and the wreches that lofed 22 this worlde toke ese til 23 thair body and lyved as tham lyst,24 in likyng of thair wikked will, and led thair dayes in lust and delyces; 25 and in a poynt 26 thai fel intil hell. Now may thou see that thai

wer

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35

20 foles and fowle glotons, that in a few yeres 27 wasted endles joy that was ordand 28 for tham if thai walde 2o have done penance for thair synnes. Thou sese 30 that al the ryches of this world and delytes vanys away and commes til noght. Sothely, 32 swa dose 33 al the lofers 4 thar of; for nathyng may stande stabely on a fals gronde. Thair bodys er gyn til wormes in erth, and thair sawles til the devels of hell. Bot all that forsoke the pompe and the vanite of this lyfe and stode stalworthly 36 agaynes all temptacions and ended in the lufe of God, thai ar now in joy and hase the erytage 38 of heven, thar to won 39 with-owten end, restando in the delyces" of Goddes syght.

...

SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE? (D. 1371)

THE VOIAGE AND TRAVAILE OF SIR JOHN MAUNDEVILE, КТ.

FROM CHAP. IV

4

And from Ephesim Men gon' throghe many Iles in the See, unto the Cytee of Paterane, where Seynt Nicholas was born, and so to Martha, where he was chosen to ben Bisschoppe; and there growethe right gode Wyn and strong; and that Men callen Wyn of Martha. And from thens gon Men to the Ile of Crete, that the Emperour yaf * somtyme to Janeweys. And thanne passen Men thorghe the Isles of Colos and of Lango; of the whiche Iles Ypocras was Lord offe. And some Men seyn," that in the Ile of Lango is yit the Doughtre of Ypocras, in forme and lykeness of a gret Dragoun, that is a hundred Fadme of lengthe, as Men seyn: For I have not seen hire. And thei of the Isles callen hire, Lady of the Lond. And sche lyethe in an olde castelle, in a Cave, and schewethe " twyes or thryes in the Yeer. And sche dothe none harm to no Man, but-yif 12 Men don hire harm. And sche was thus chaunged and transformed, from a fair Damysele, in-to lyknesse of a Dragoun, be 13 a Goddesse, that was clept 14 Deane. 15 And Men seyn, that sche schalle so endure in that forme of a Dragoun, unto the tyme that a Knyghte come, that is so hardy, that dar come to hire and kiss hire on the Mouthe: And then schalle sche turne ayen 16 to hire owne Kynde," and ben a Woman ayen: But aftre that sche schalle not liven longe. And it is not long siththen, that a Knyghte of the Rodes, that was hardy and doughty in Armes, seyde that he wolde kyssen hire. And whan he was upon his Coursere, and wente to the Castelle, and entred into the Cave, the Dragoun lifte up hire Hed ayenst 19 him. And whan the Knyghte saw hire in that Forme so hidous and so horrible, he fleyghe 20 awey. And the Dragoun bare 21 the Knyghte upon a Roche," mawgre his Hede; 23 and from that Roche, sche caste him in-to the See: and so was lost bothe Hors and Man. And also a yonge24 Man, that wiste 25 not of the Dragoun,

6

1 go be thence 4 gave formerly, once upon a time the Genoese 7 say 8 yet 9 fathom 10 land 11 appears 12 unless 13 by 14 called 15 Diana 16 again, back 17 nature 18 since 19 against 20 fled 21 bore 22 rock 23 despite his head (=despite all he could do) 26 knew

7

wente out of a Schipp, and wente thorghe the Ile, til that he come to the Castelle, and cam in to the Cave; and wente so longe, til that he fond a Chambre, and there he saughe1 a Damysele, that kembed hire Hede, and lokede in a Myrour; and sche hadde meche Tresoure abouten hire: and he trowed, that sche hadde ben a comoun Woman, that dwelled there to receyve Men to Folye. And he abode, tille the Damysele saughe the Schadewe of him in the Myrour. And sche turned hire toward him, and asked hym, what he wolde. And he seyde, he wolde ben hire Limman or Paramour. And sche asked him, yif that he were a Knyghte. And he seyde, nay. And than sche seyde, that he myghte not ben hire Lemman:5 But sche bad him gon ayen1 unto his Felowes, and make him Knyghte, and come ayen upon the Morwe, and sche scholde come out of the Cave before him; and thanne come and kysse hire on the mowthe, and have no Drede; "for I schalle do the no maner harm, alle be it that thou see me in Lyknesse of a Dragoun. For thoughe thou see me hidouse and horrible to loken onne, I do the to wytene, that it is made be Enchauntement. For withouten doute, I am non other than thou seest now, a Woman; and therfore drede the noughte. And yif thou kysse me, thou schalt have alle this Tresoure, and be my Lord, and Lord also of alle that Ile." And he departed fro hire and wente to his Felowes to Schippe, and leet 10 make him Knyghte, and cam ayen upon the Morwe, for to kysse this Damysele. And whan he saughe hire comen" out of the Cave, in forme of a Dragoun, so hidouse and so horrible, he hadde so grete drede, that he fleyghe 12 ayen to the Schippe; and sche folewed him. And whan sche saughe, that he turned not ayen, sche began to crye, as a thing that hadde meche 3 Sorwe: and thanne sche turned ayen, in-to hire Cave; and anon the Knyghte dyede. And siththen 13 hidrewards, myghte no Knyghte se hire, but that he dyede anon. But whan a Knyghte comethe, that is so hardy to kisse hire, he schalle not dye; but he schalle turne the Damysele in-to hire righte Forme and kyndely 15 Schapp, and he schal be Lord of alle the Contreyes and Iles aboveseyd.

14

FROM CHAP. XVII

Also yee have herd me seye that Jerusalem is in the myddes1 of the World; and that may men preven and schewen there be a Spere that is pighte in-to the Erthe, upon the hour of mydday, whan it is Equenoxium, that schewethe no schadwe on no syde. And that it scholde ben in the myddes1 of the World, David wytnessethe it in the Psautre, where he seythe, Deus operatus est salute[m] in medio Terre. Thanne thei that parten fro the parties of the West for to go toward Jerusalem, als many jorneyes as thei gon upward for to go thidre, in als many jorneyes may thei gon fro Jerusalem, unto other Confynes of the Superficialtie of the Erthe beyonde. And whan men gon beyonde tho journeyes toward Ynde and to the foreyn Yles, alle is envyronynge the roundnesse of the Erthe and of the See, undre oure Contrees on this half. And therfore hathe it befallen many tymes of 010 thing that I have herd cownted whan I was yong: how a worthi man departed somtyme from oure Contrees for to go serche the World. And so he passed Ynde and the Yles beyonde Ynde, where ben mo 12 than 5000 Yles; and so longe he wente be 13 See and Lond and so enviround the World be many seysons, that he fond an Yle where he herde speke his owne Langage, callynge on Oxen in the Plowghe, suche Wordes as men speken to Bestes in his owne Contree; whereof he hadde gret Mervayle, 14 for he knewe not how it myghte be. But I seye, that he had gon so longe be Londe and be See that he had envyround alle the Erthe, that he was comen ayen 15 envirounynge, that is to seye, goynge aboute, unto his owne Marches, 16 yif he wolde have passed forthe til he had founden his Contree and his owne knouleche.1" But he turned ayen from thens, from whens he was come fro; and so he loste moche peynefulle labour, as him-self seyde a gret while aftre that he was comen hom. For it befelle aftre, that he wente in to Norweye; and there Tempest of the See toke him; and he arryved in an Yle; and whan he was in that Yle, he knew wel that it was the Yle where he had herd speke his owne Langage before and the callynge of the Oxen at the Plowghe; and that was possible thinge. But how it semethe to symple