THE

DEPARTING SOUL'S

ADDRESS TO THE BODY

A FRAGMENT OF

A SEMI-SAXON POEM,

DISCOVERED AMONG THE ARCHIVES OF WORCESTER CATHEDRAL,

BY SIR THOMAS PHILLIPPS, BART.

WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION,

BY

S. W. SINGER.

LONDON: PRINTED BY LUKE JAMES HANSARD & CO.

M.DCCC.XLV.



[Transcriber's note: The Middle_English character yogh is transcribed as [gh]. Other letters or words in brackets are as in original.]



The student of our early literature and language is indebted to the zeal of Sir Thomas Phillipps, for the discovery of the following interesting Fragment, which appears to have formed part of a volume that contained AElfric's Grammar and Glossary, probably of the Twelfth Century. The fragments were discovered among the archives of Worcester Cathedral; and in 1836 Sir Thomas Phillipps printed the whole of them in folio. I know not whether the form or the typographical arrangement has been the cause of the neglect of this publication; but it has escaped both Mr. Wright and Mr. Thorpe. The former, in his interesting edition of "The Latin Poems of Walter de Mapes," where he has given the literary history of this legend with extracts, has not even referred to our fragment; nor has Mr. Thorpe adverted to it in his publication of the "Codex Exoniensis," which contains an Anglo-Saxon poem of the same kind, with which it is interesting to compare this later version of the legend. There is a portion of another semi-Saxon poem, entitled "The Grave," printed in Mr. Conybeare's "Illustrations," and by Mr. Thorpe in his "Analecta Anglo-Saxonica," which appears to be by the same hand, or at any rate of the same school and age. Indeed some of the lines and thoughts are identical with passages of the following poem. Mr. Thorpe has justly called "The Grave" a singularly impressive and almost appalling fragment; expressions equally characteristic of that with which the reader is here presented.

This impressive character, coupled with the interest which the fragment possesses, as a specimen of the moral poetry of our ancestors, and as throwing light upon the transition of our language from Saxon to English, has been the motive for producing it in a more legible form than that in which it first appeared.

In one of the smaller poems (No. V.), printed by Mr. Wright with the Owl and the Nightingale, from the Cottonian MS. Calig. A. ix. "The sorie sowle maketh hire mone," in language not dissimilar to that used in the following fragment; and the dreary imagery of the house appointed for all living, and the punishment which awaits a wicked life at its close, are painted in an equally fearful manner.

Mr. Thorpe points to an Anglo-Saxon prose Homily as the original of the poem on the same theme in the Exeter MS., which is repeated, with some variation, in the Vercelli Codex. In a rude and simple age this dramatic way of awakening the sinner to a sense of his perilous state, was perhaps the most effective that could have been chosen, and it was naturally a favorite with the moral and religious teachers for some centuries. M. Karajan, in a very pleasing little publication (Fruelingsgabe fuer freunde Alterer Literatur, Wien 1839) has printed the "Visio Philiberti," a Latin poem in dialogue on this subject, with two old German versions; and the notes contain some interesting information relating to similar compositions; but Mr. Wright's volume, before referred to, contains ample illustrations of the legend in all languages.

The fragment here given, it will be seen, is very defective. An attempt has been made to supply words which were wanting, from the mutilation of the MS. leaves; but what is engrafted on the original is scrupulously distinguished by the Italic character. A version has also been added, the imperfections of which those who are acquainted with the difficulties of such renderings will best know how to excuse.

The language of this poem seems to have a striking resemblance to that of one of the MSS. of La[gh]amon, and we may hope, when the lovers of our early lore shall be favoured with the long and anxiously expected edition of that work by Sir Frederick Madden, that much light will be thrown upon the history of the transitions of our language.

For what has been already done by Conybeare, Price, Kemble, Thorpe, Madden, Stevenson, Wright, Way and others, the present writer is most grateful; but he would wish to see the same spirit and enthusiasm, the same unwearied zeal displayed in the elucidation of the noble remains of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, and of the interesting stores of our early literature and language, which has been so long a distinguishing feature of Germany, whose example has of late years lighted up a similar patriotic flame in France and Belgium.

Mickleham, August 20, 1844.



THE

DEPARTING SOUL'S ADDRESS TO THE BODY.

* * * * en earde. * * * * and alle theo isceaefestan. * * * * the him to * * * * * * * and mid muchele wisdome. and with much wisdom thonne mon he idihte. 5 then man he framed, and him on ileide. bestowed on him lif and soule. life and soul, softliche he heo isomne. tenderly he united them; ac thaer bith sor idol. but there is a sad portion that bodeth that bearn. 10 which awaits that child. thonne hit iboren bith. When it is born; hit woaneth and maenet theo weowe. it waileth, and bemoans the woe, and thene seoruhfule sith. and the sorrowful time, and that sori idol. and that sad lot, that soule schal hire licame. 15 that shall the soul from her body sorliche idaelen. sadly separate. Forthon hit cumeth weopinde. Therefore it cometh weeping, and woniende iwiteth. and wailing departeth, thonne Death mid his pricke. when Death, with his dart, pineth thene licame. 20 pineth the body. He walketh and wendeth. He walketh and goeth, and woneth his sithes. and bewails his destiny; he saeith on his bedde. he saith, on his bed, wo me that ic libbe. Wo me! that I live; that aeffre min lif dawes. 25 that ever my life thus longe me ilesteth. so long endureth. for heui is his greoning. For heavy is his groaning, and seohrful is his woaning. and sorrowful his wailing. and all reowliche his sith. and all rueful his lot, mid seorwe biwunden. 30 with sorrow encompassed. him deaueth tha aeren. His ears deafen, him dimmeth tha ei[gh]en. his eyes become dim, him scerpeth the neose. his nose sharpens, him scrincketh tha lippen. his lips shrink, him scorteth the tunge. 35 his tongue shorteneth him truketh his iwit. his sense faileth, him teoreth his miht. his strength wasteth, him coldeth his heorte. his heart chilleth, him leggeth the ban stille. his bones lie still; thonne bith that soule hus. 40 then is that soul-house seoruhliche bereaved. wofully bereaved of also muchele wunne. of as much delight the ther inne wunede as therein dwelled. thus bith thaes bearnes. Thus are these children mid pinunge ifulled. 45 filled with torment; theo moder greoneth. The mother groaneth, and that bearn woaneth. and the child waileth; so bith theo heardtid. so is that hard hap mid balewen imenged. with torment mingled. So bith eft the feorthsith. 50 So is oft the departure, sorhliche to daeled miserably apportioned, mid seoruwen al bewunden. with sorrow all surrounded, thonne the licame and the sowle. when the body and the soul soriliche to daeleth. sorrowfully separate. thonne bith that wraecche lif. 55 Then is that wretched life iended al mid sori sith. ended all with sad departure; thonne bith the bodige. then is the body iflut to then flore. banished to the floor; he bith eastward istreiht. he is stretcht eastward; he bith sone stif. 60 he is soon stiff; he heardeth also clei. he hardens like clay; hit is him ikunde. it is of kin to him. mon hine met mit on [gh]erde. They measure him with a yard, and tha molde seoththen. and that dust, thenceforth, ne mot he of thaere molde. 65 may not of the earth habben namore. have any more thonne that rihte imet. than that right measured rihtliche taecheth. rightly teacheth. Thonne lith the clei clot. Then lies the clay clod cold on then flore. 70 cold on the floor, and him sone from fleoth. and soon from him flee theo he aer freome dude. those he before help did; nulleth heo mid honden. nor will they, with their hands, his heafod riht wenden. lay his head straight; heom thuncheth that hore honden. they think that their hands swuthe beoth ifuled. 76 are much defiled gif heo hondleth the daede. if they handle the dead. Seoththen his dea[gh]es beoth igon. After his days are gone, sone cumeth that wrecche wif. soon cometh the wretched wife, forhoweth thene earfeth sith. 80 lamenteth the woeful time, forbindeth thaes daedan muth. binds up the mouth of the dead, and his dimme ei[gh]en. and closes his dim eyes. * * * ie thet riche[A] wif. * * * that wretched wife forhoweth thene earueth sith. lamenteth the woeful time; for ufel is that wrecche lufe. 85 for evil is that wretched love thonne theo unblisse cumath. when adversity cometh. Thonne besihth theo soule. Then saith the soul sorliche to then lichame. sadly to the body, * * * * * * * * * * hwi noldest bethenchen thu me. 90 why wouldst thou not think of me theo hwule thet ic wunede inne the. while that I dwelt in thee, for thu were leas and luti[gh]. for thou wert false and deceitful, and unriht lufedest. and iniquity didst love; godnesse and riht. goodness and justice aefre thu onscunedest. 95 ever thou didst shun. hwar is nu the modinesse. Where is now the pride swo muchel the thu lufedaest. thou so much didst love? hwar beoth nu theo pundes. Where are now the pounds thurh * * * newes igaedered. by * * * gathered? heo weren monifolde. 100 they were manifold, bi markes itolde. counted by marks. hwar beoth nu theo goldfaeten. Where are now the vessels of gold theo the guldene. that thou idolized, comen to thine honden. as they came to thy hands? thin blisse is nu al igon. 105 Thy bliss is now all gone; min seoruwe is fornon. my sorrow is near. hwar beoth nu thin waede. Where are now thy clothes the thu wel lufedest. that thou well didst love? hwar beoth the. Where are they seten sori ofer the. 110 that sate sorry over thee, beden swuthe [gh]eorne. praying right earnestly that the come bote. that help might come to thee? heom thuthte alto longe. They thought it all too long that thu were on live. that thou wert alive, for heo weren graedie. 115 for they were greedy to gripen thin aeihte. to gripe thy property. nu heo hi daelith heom imang. Now they divide it among them, heo doth the withuten. they do without thee, ac nu heo beoth fuse. eke now they are prompt to bringen the ut of huse. 120 to bring thee out of house; bergen the ut aet thire dure. bearing thee out at the door. Of weolen thu art bedaeled. Of wealth thou art deprived. Hwui noldest thu bethenchen me. Why wouldst thou not think of me theo hwile ic was innen the. while I was within thee? ac scendest me mid sunne. 125 but blemished me with sin. forthi ic seoruhful eam. Therefore I sorrowful am; weile that ic souhte. alas! that I sought so seoruhfulne buc. such a miserable body. noldest thu lokien lufe. Nor wouldst thou observe love with ilaerede men. 130 with learned men, [gh]iven ham of thine gode. give them part of thy wealth that heo the fore beden. that they might pray for thee, heo mihten mid salm songe. that they might with psalm sung thine sunne acwenchen. thy sin extinguish, mid * * * reinesse. 135 with * * * thine misdeden forebiddan. pray for thy misdeeds; heo mihten offrian loc. that they might offer gifts leofliche for the. acceptable for thee, swuth deor thurthe lac. through the most dear sacrifice licame Cristes. 140 of Christ's body; thurh thaere thu waere. by which thou were alesed from helle wite. redeemed from pains of hell; and mid his reade blode. and with his red blood, that he [gh]eat on rode. that he shed on the cross, the thu weren ifreoed. 145 by which thou wert freed to farene into heouene. to enter into heaven. ac thu fenge to theowdome. But thou took to thraldom thurh thaes deofles lore. through the devil's lore. Bi the hit is iseid. Concerning thee it is said and soth hit is on boken. 150 in books, and true it is: Qui custodiat divitias. Qui custodiat divitias, Servus est divitiis. Servus est divitiis. Thu were theow. Thou wert slave thines weolan. to thy wealth, noldest thu nouht. 155 nor wouldst thou ought thaerof daelen. thereof distribute for Drihtenes willaen. for God's pleasure; ac aefre thu graediliche, but thou ever greedily gaederdest the more. didst gather the more. lutherliche eart thu forloren. 160 Miserably art thou separated from al that thu lufedest. from all that thou lovedst, and ic scal wraecche soule. and I, wretched soul, shall ece we nu driaen. now suffer everlasting woe. eart thu nu loth and unwurth. Thou art now loathsome and contemptible alle thine freonden. 165 to all thy friends. nu ham thuncheth alto long. Now they think it all too long that thu ham neih list. that thou liest nigh them, aer thu beo ibrouht. ere thou be brought thaer thu begrafen scalt. where thou shalt be buried on deope saethe. 170 in a deep pit, on durelease huse. in a doorless house, thaer wurmes waeldeth. where worms possess alle that wurthest was. all that was most honoured fuweles quale holde. of the foul dead carcase, the thu icwemedest aer. 175 that thou formerly delightedst mid alre kunde swetnesse. with all kind of sweetness, theo thu swuthe lufedest. that thou much didst love. theo swetnesse is nu al agon. The sweetness is now all gone, that bittere the bith fornon. the bitter is thee near, that bittere ilaesteth aeffre. 180 that bitter lasteth ever, that swete ne cumeth the naeffre. that sweet cometh to thee never. * * * * * * * * * * thuncheth that thu hire bileiben. thinketh that thou here remain. [gh]et saeith theo sowle. Yet saith the soul soriliche to then licame. 185 sadly to the body: sae ne thearft thu on stirope. see, thou canst not on stirrup stonden mid fotan. stand with thy feet, on nenne goldfohne bowe. on no gold-glittering saddle; for thu scalt faren alto howe. for thou shalt journey all to woe, and thu scalt nu ruglunge. 190 and thou shalt now backwards ridaen to thaere eorthe. ride to the earth; ut sceot aet thaere dure. shut out at the door, ne thearft thu naeffre on[gh]ean. nor canst thou ever again cumaen reowliche riden. come fiercely riding. nu alle beraefed. 195 Now all bereaved, ac thene eorthliche weole. eke the earthly wealth, the thu iwold ohtest. that thou possessed power over. nu mon maei seggen bi the. Now they may say of thee, thes mon is iwiten. this man is departed, nu her weila. 200 Alas! now here, and his weolaen beoth her belaefed. and his wealth is here left behind. nolde he nefre thaer of don. he would never do therewith his drihtenes wille. his Lord's will. ac aefre thu gaederest. But ever thou didst gather gaersumen thine feonde. 205 riches of thine enemies. nulleth heo nimen gete. Yet will they not take hwo hit bi[gh]ete. who procured it? nafst thu bute welawei. nor hast thou but well away! that thu weole heuedest. that thou hadst wealth. al is reowliche thin sith. 210 All ruefull is thy lot, efter thin wrecche lif. after thy wicked life. theo men beoth the blithre. Those men are the blither the arisen aer with the. that formerly jangled with thee, that thin muth is betuned. that thy mouth is closed, the theo teone ut lettest. 215 with which thou reproach uttered, the he heom sore grulde. which sorely provoked them; thet ham gros the a[gh]an. that they raged against thee; daeth hine haveth bituned. death hath closed it, and thene teone aleid. and the anger taken away. Soth is iseid. 220 Truly it is said on then salme bec. in the Psalm book, Os tuum habundavit malitia, os tuum habundavit malitia, was on thine muthe. wickedness ripe luthernesse ripe. was in thy mouth. noldest thu on thine huse. 225 Thou wouldst not in thy house herborwen theo wrecchen. shelter the poor, ne mihten heo under thine roue. nor might they under thy roof none reste finden. find any rest; noldest thu naefre helpen. nor wouldst thou ever help tham orlease wrecchen. 230 the unhappy wretches; ac thu sete on thine benche. but thou sate on thy bench, underleid mid thine bolstre. underlaid with thy bolster, thu wurpe cneow ofer cneow. thou threw knee over knee, ne icneowe thu the sulfen. nor knew thou thyself that thu scoldest mid wurmen. 235 that thou shouldst with worms husien in eorthan. dwell in the earth. nu thu hauest neowe hus. Now thou hast a new house, inne bethrungen. a crowded dwelling; lowe beoth the helewewes. low is the covering, unhei[gh]e beoth the sidwowes. 240 unhigh the sidewalls, thin rof liith on thin breoste ful thy roof lieth on thy breast full nei. nigh. colde is the ibedded. Cold art thou embedded, clothes bidcled. beclad in clothes nulleth thine hinen. thy hinds would refuse. clothes the sen * * * 245 Clothes the sen * * * for heom thuncheth alto lut. for they think all too little that thu heom bilefdest. that thou didst leave them; that thu hefdest on horde. that thou hadst in hoard theo hit wulleth heldan. they will it keep. thus is iwitan thin weole. 250 Thus is departed thy wealth, wendest thet hit thin were. thou thoughtest that it thine were. thus reowliche nu thin sith. Thus ruefull now thy lot, efter thin wrecche lif. after thy wretched life. the sculen nu waxen. Now wormes shall grow wurmes besiden. 255 beside thee, thene hungrie feond. the hungry enemy theo the freten wulleth. that will devour thee, heo wulleth the frecliche freten. they will thee greedily devour; for heo thin flaesc liketh. for they like thy flesh, heo wulleth freten thin fule hold. they will devour thy foul carcase, theo hwule heo hit findeth. 261 as long as they find it; thonne hit al bith agon. when it is all gone heo wulleth gnawen thin bon. they will gnaw thy bone; theo orlease wurmes. those vile worms, heo windeth on thin armes. 265 they wind on thy arms, heo breketh thine breoste. they break up thy breast, and borieth the ofer al. and perforate thee all over; heo reoweth in and ut. they rove in and out, thet hord is hore open. that hoard is open to them, and so heo wulleth waden. 270 and so they will wade wide in thi wombe. wide in thy stomach; todelen thine thermes. parting thy entrails theo the deore weren. that were dear to thee. lifre and thine lihte. Thy liver and thy lights lodliche torenden. 275 loathfully rending, and so scal formelten. and so shall waste away mawe and thin milte. thy maw and thy melt, and so scal win * * * and so shall win * * * * * * * * * * * * * wurmes of thine flaesc. 280 worms of thy flesh, thu scalt fostren thine feond. thou shalt nourish thine enemy thet thu beo al ifreten until thou art all devoured; thu scalt nu herborwen. thou shalt now harbour unhol wihte. hateful creatures, noldest thu aer gode men. 285 (heretofore thou wouldst not, good men, for lufe gode sellan. for love, give of thy goods;) heo wulleth wurchen hore hord. they will work their hoard on thine heaued ponne. in thy skull. moton heo bileafen. Should they leave thine lippen unfreten. 290 thy lips undevoured, ac thu scalt grisliche grennien. eke thou shalt grin horribly, that hwo so hit isei[gh]e. that whosoever sees it he mihte beon offered. he might be frightened; Reowliche bith so thin sith. so rueful is thy lot, efter thin wercche lif. 295 after thy wicked life. nu me wule swopen thine flor. Now men will sweep thy floor, and thet flet clensien. and cleanse the dwelling; for hit is heom lothre. for it is the loather to them the thu theron lei[gh]e. that thou liest thereon. heo wulleth mid holiwatere. 300 They will, with holy water, beworpen ec theo paedas. sprinkle eke the vestments, blecsien ham [gh]eorne. cleansing them carefully to burewen ham with the. to bury them with thee; beren ut thin bed strau. bear out thy bed-straw brennen hit mid fure. 305 to burn it with fire. thus thu ert nu ilufed. Thus thou art now beloved seoththen thu me forlure. since thou lost me. al hit is reowliche thin sith. All rueful is thy lot, efter thin wrecche lif. after thy wicked life. [gh]et saeith the soule. 310 Yet saith the soul soriliche to hire licame. sadly to the body, noldest thu la erming. Alas! miserable, wouldst thou not her o to wunienne. here for ever dwell? nes hit the no wiht icunde. it was no whit known to thee that thu icoren me hefdest. 315 that thou hadst chosen me; nes hit icunde the. it was not known to thee more then thine cunne biuoren the. more than to thy kin before thee, ne heold is thin aei[gh]e opene. nor was thine eye held open theo hwule ic the inne was. while I was within thee. hwi noldest thu lefen. 320 Why wouldst thou not believe, tha thu hi isei[gh]e. though thou saw it, hu thin fordferen. how thy forefathers ferden biforen the. went before thee. nu heo wunieth on eorthe. Now they dwell in the earth, wurmes ham habbeth todaeled. 325 worms have shared them, isceorf hore sorhfulle bones. gnawed their miserable bones the theo sunne wrohten. with which they wrought sin. tha [gh]et seith theo soule. Again saith the soul, soriliche to hire lichame. sorrowfully to the body, aefre thu were luther. 330 thou wert ever wicked theo hwile thu lif haefdest. whilst thou hadst life, thu were leas and luti. thou wert false and deceitful, and unriht lufedest. and loved injustice and luthere deden. and wicked deeds, deredest cristene men. 335 and injured Christian men and mid worde and mid werke. with word and with work, so thu wurst mihte. as thou worst might. ic was from Gode clene. I was sent to thee to the isend. innocent from God, ac thu hauest unc fordon. 340 but thou hast undone us, mid thine luthere deden. with thy wicked deeds. aefre thu were gredi. Ever thou wert greedy, and mid gromen the onfulled. and filled thyself with fierceness, unneathe ic on the. I hardly in thee eni wununge hauede. 345 had any dwelling, for hearde nithe. for hard covetousness, and ofer mete fulle. and foul gluttony; for thin wombe was thin god. for thy belly was thy god, and thin wulder thu iscend. 349 and thou spoiled thy glory. forloren thu havest theo ece blisse. Lost thou hast everlasting bliss, binumen thu havest the paradis. thou hast deprived thee of Paradise. binumen the is that holi lond. Taken from thee is that holy land; then deofle thu bist isold on hond. thou art given into the devil's hand, for noldest thu nefre habben inouh. for thou wouldst never have enough, buten thu hefdest unifouh. 355 unless thou hadst repletion. Nu is that swete al agon. Now is the sweet all gone, thet bittere the bith fornon. the bitter is near thee, that bittere ilest the efre. that bitter lasteth thee ever, thet gode ne cumeth the nefre. that good cometh to thee never. thus ageth nu thin sith. 360 Thus goeth now thy lot, aefter thin wrecce lif. after thy wicked life. thu wendest that thin ende. Thou thoughtest that thine end nefre ne cuman scolde. should never come. to long * * * lede death the. Too long * * * death thee, that he nolde nimen the. 365 that he would not take thee, for efre thu arerdest sake. for thou ever raised up strife and unseihte * * * and discord, * * * and ic was with innen the. and I was within thee biclused swuthe fule. most foully enclosed; thu were wedlowe. 370 thou wert faithless and mon sware. and perjured, and * * * hund inouh. and * * * enough; for thu were mid sunne. for thou wert with sin ifulled al with inne. filled all within, for the deofle lored the all. 375 for the devil taught thee all, ord fulneih thine heorte. chief full nigh thy heart. efre thu woldest fullen. Ever thou wouldst fulfil, al that was his wille. all that was his will. * * * * * * * * * * * * * thu nefre th. 380 * * * * * drihtenes * * * * * * * * * * * iwold ahte. * * * * * The [gh]et seith theo soule. Again, saith the soul, soriliche to hire licame. sadly to the body, clene bith the eorthe. 385 the earth is pure aer thu to hire to cume. e'er thou come to it, ac thu heo afulest. but thou defilest it mid thin fule holde. with thy foul carcase; thet is that fulnesse. only that foulness is afursed from monnen. 390 removed from men; nu thu bist bihuded. now thou art hidden on alre horde fulest. in foulest hoard, on deope seathe. in a deep pit, on durelease huse. in a doorless house. thu scalt rotien. 395 Thou shalt rot and brostnian. and corrupt; thine bon beoth bedaeled. thy bones will be separated from thaere waede. from the clothing the heo weren to iwunede. in which they were inhabited; breketh lith from lithe. 400 limb breaks from limb; liggeth the bon stil. the bones lie still, tha ure drihten eft. until our Lord again of deathe heo araereth. from death raiseth them, so he alle men deth. as he doth all men, thonne domes daie cumeth. 405 when doomsday cometh. thonne scalt thu erming. Then shalt thou, miserable! up arisen. up arise, imeten thine morth deden. thy deadly sins measured, theo the murie weren. that were so pleasant to thee; seoruhful and sorimod. 410 sorrowful and melancholy, so thin lif wrouhte. the crimes of thy life. nu beoth thine earen fordutte. Now are thine ears closed, non dreame ihereth. no pleasant sounds they hear; theo leorneden theo listen. they learned, they listened tha luthere weren. 415 to those that were wicked. [mid] wowe domes. With unjust judgments, and gultes feole. and many trespasses, thu othre beraefedest. thou others bereaved rihtes istreones. of rightful wealth, thurh thaes deofles lore, 420 through the devil's lore, theo the likede wel. that thou liked well. the deofle tuhte his hearpe. The devil touched his harp, and tuhte the to him. and enticed thee to him; thu iherdest thene dream. thou heardest the harmony; he was drihtene fulloth. 425 it was hateful to the Lord. he swefede the. He lulled thee mid then sweize. with the sound; swote thu sleptest. sweetly thou sleptest longe on thine bedde. long in thy bed; nis the to chirche. 430 nor art thou at church, ne mostes thu iheren. nor canst thou hear theo holie draemes. those holy sounds, theo bellen rungen. the bells tolling, that siker becnunge waes. that a sure beckoning was; ne holie lore. 435 nor holy lore the unker helpe waere. that should be our help. ac efre he tuhte the. But ever he enticed thee, andnu beo the iwold ahte. and now thou art in his power; ac nu beoth fordutte. eke now are closed thine dream thurles. 440 thy doors of sound, ne ihereth heo ne more. nor hear they more non herunge of the. any praise of thee, aer theo bemen blowen. until the trumpets blow the unc becnien scullen. which shall summon us from deathes dimnesse. 445 from death's dimness to drihtenes dome. to the Lord's doom. thonne thu scalt iheren. Then thou shalt hear thene lauerde dom. the Lord doom, the thu on thisse life. that thou in this life lutherliche of eodest. 450 wickedly walked. Thet et seith the sowle. Again saith the soul soriliche to hire licame. sadly to the body, nu thu bist afursed. now thou art separated from alle thine freonden. from all thy friends; nu is thin muth forscutted. 455 now is thy mouth prevented, for death hine haueth fordutted. for death has closed it; ne bith he ne mare undon. nor will it be ever opened aer cume thaes hei[gh]e kinges dom. before the high King's doom. thonne hit bith isene. Then it will be seen, thet on Psalme seith. 460 as the Psalm sayeth, Reddituri sunt de factis propriis Reddituri sunt de factis propriis rationem. rationem. thonne sculen theo weile. Then shall those servants seggen hore deden. tell their deeds, wisliche thurh wisdome. truly through wisdom, for drihten hit wot. 465 for the Lord knoweth them; thonne heo onfoth hore dom. then they receive their doom of drihtenes muthe. from the Lord's mouth, also hit is awriten. as it is written; of drihtenes muthe. from the Lord's mouth: Ite maledicti in ignem eternum. 470 Ite maledicti in ignem eternum. thonne sculen wit sithien. Then shall we depart to alre seoruwe mest. into uttermost sorrow, faren mid feondes. go with fiends in thet eche fur. in that everlasting fire, beornen aefre. 475 to burn for ever; ende nis ther nefre. end is there never. Et quia bona egerunt ibunt in vitam Et quia bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam. eternam. thonne gon theo goden. Then go the good, mid Gode sithian. departing with God, echeliche wunien. 480 to dwell everlastingly in alre wuldre. in ever-during glory. * * * * * * * * * * * * * me suke to the. * * * * * Osmeum aperui, et attraxi ipsum. Osmeum aperui, et attraxi ipsum. thu * * * et drowe me to the. thou * * * drew me to thee, walawa! and wa is me. 486 well away! and woe is me! that ic efre com to the. that I ever came to thee; for noldest thu mid thine muthe. for thou wouldst not with thy mouth bimaenen thine neode. bewail thy infirmities; ac aefre di[gh]elliche. 490 but ever darkly thu woldest ham bidernan. thou wouldst hide them; noldest thu ham siggen. nor wouldst thou confess them; biforen none preosten. before any priest, ther alle men secheth ham ore. where all men seek pardon, bimaeneth hore misdeden. 495 bewail their misdeeds, and seoththen miltsunge foth. and afterwards obtain mercy; thurh sothne scrift. through true shrift sithieth to Criste. depart to Christ; seggeth hore sunnen. confess their sins and hor soules helpith. 500 and help their souls, thurh sothe bireousunge. through true repentance. theo soule reste onfoth. the soul acquires rest; ac ne the scalt nefre resten. but thou shalt never rest, thurh thine bireousunge. through thy repentance. ac altogaedere ic am forloren. 505 Eke I am altogether lost thurh thine luthere deden. through thy wicked deeds; noldest thu mid muthe. thou wouldst not with thy mouth bidden me none miltsunge. pray for mercy to me; nu thu ert adumbed. now thou art bedumbed, and death haueth the kei[gh]e. 510 and death has caught thee; mid clutes thu ert forligden. thou art laid out with rags, and loth alle freonden. and loath to all thy friends, efre ma eft. for ever and ever on to lokienne. to look on. thus is reouliche thin sith. 515 Thus rueful is thy lot, efter thine wrecche lif. after thy wicked life; for thu were beset. for thou wert beset thicke mid sunne. thick with sin, and alle theo weren prickiende. and they all were pricking so wiles on ile. 520 like quills on porcupine; he bith thicke mid wiles. he is thick set with quills; ne prikieth heom no wiht. they prick him not, for al bith that softe. for the soft part is all iwend to him sulfen. turned to himself, that ne mawen his wiles. 525 that his quills cannot prikien him sore. prick him sore, for al bith that scearpe. for the points are all him iwend fromward. turned him fromward. So thu weren mid sunne. Thus thou wert with sin iset alle with inne. 530 beset all within; theo sunfule pikes. those sinful pikes prikieth me fulsore. prick me full sore, ac thu al that softe was. but thou all that was soft iwend to the sulven. turned to thyself, and efre thet scerpe. 535 and ever the sharp scored me touardes. scored me towards, heo weren iwend. they were turned so me wurst was. as was worst for me, ich was mid thine prickunge. I was with the pricking ipined fulsore. 540 pained ful sore: ac nu me wulleth prikien. but now will prick me theo pikes inne helle. those pikes in hell; pinion me ful sore. punish me full sore for thine sunne. for thy sin. Ic was on heihnes isceapen. 545 On high was I created, and soule ihoten. and named soul. Ic was the seofothe isceaft. I was the seventh creation, So theo bec seggeth. as the book says, the the Almihti God. that Almighty God mildeliche iwrouhte. 550 mercifully wrought. wisliche mid worde. Truly by his word so hit al iwearth. thus it all came to pass: heouene and eorthe. heaven and earth, luft and engles. air and angels, wind and watere. 555 wind and water, thaes monnes soule. the soul of man, this beoth theo seouene. these are the seven the ic aer foreseide. that I before mentioned. this was makede. These were made thaes Almihties faeder. 560 by the Almighty Father; of thissen andweorke. of this substance alle thing he iwrouhte. all things he wrought; and thus hit is iwriten. and thus it is written on holie wisdome. in holy wisdom, Fiat et facta sunt omnia. 565 Fiat et facta sunt omnia. He seide iwurthe. He said, let be, and alle thing iworthen. and all things were; thus mid one worde. thus with one word al hit was iwurthen. was all created; he iscop thonne thene sune. 570 he made then the sun, alle isceafte wisliche. all truly created thurh wisdome. by his wisdom, and efre he hit wiseth. and he guides it ever, Imaginem et similitudinem. Imaginem et similitudinem. and ic deorewurthe. 575 And I, in the dear drihtenes onlicnesse. Lord's likeness. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * of God. * * * of God, and ic the imaene. and me between, mid lothre lufe. 580 with pure love, and ic thin wale iwearth. and I thy bliss decreed; hu so thu noldest. how so thou wouldst not; weila thine fule iwill. alas! thy foul will wo haveth hit me idon. hath wrought my woe. Thu fule mathe maete. 585 Thou foul food for worms, hwi hauest thu me biswiken. why hast thou deceived me? For thine fule sunne. For thy wicked sin ic scal nu in helle. I shall now in hell drei[gh]en ther wrecche sith. suffer there a wretched time, all for thine fule lif. 590 all for thy wicked life; [gh]et ic wulle the aetwinne. yet I will flee thee and thine wea sithes. and thy dreary fate. Nu ic scal soriliche. Now I shall sorrowfully sithien from the. depart from thee; nu beoth thine teth atru. 595 thy teeth are now poisonous; thin tunge is ascorted. thy tongue is shortened, theo the facen was. which was so deceitful and then feonde icweme. and pleasing to the fiend. Mid wowe dreames. With unjust judgments, and mid gultes feole. 600 and with many trespasses, thu othre birefedest. thou bereaved others rihtes istreones. of their rightful wealth, gaederest to * * * ime. gatheredest * * * ac hit is nu all igon. but it is now all gone thurh thaes deofles lore. 605 through the devil's lore, the the licode wel. that thou liked so well. Nu lith thin bodige stille. Now lieth thy body still on ful colde denne. in full cold den; nafest thu gaersume themo. nor hast thou the treasure the heo was spekinde. 610 of which she spake; for heo was faken biforen. for she was deceitful before, and atterne bihinden. and envenomed after; heo demde feole domes. she pronounced many judgments the drihten was lothe. that were hateful to the Lord. Iseid hit is on psalme. 615 It is said in the Psalm, and ful sothe hit is bihire. and full true it is of her: Lingua tua concinnabat dolos. Lingua tua concinnabat dolos. Heo [gh]eothede fakenliche. She poured out deceitfully, and then feonde icwemde. and pleased the fiend; heo heou mid hearde worde. 620 she hewed with hard words, and icwemde tha wrecches. and delighted the wretches. scearpe heo was and kene. Sharp she was and keen, and cwemde then deofle. and pleased the devil mid alle then sunne. with all the sin that efre was his wille. 625 that ever was his will. A wurthe hire wa. Wo be to her! that heo spekinde was so. that she spake so; heo haueth unc domned. she has damned us to deoppere helle. to deeper hell. Nis hit non sellic. 630 Is it not wonderful, thauh ic segge of boken. though I read in books, thauh ic thonne that sothe repie. though I then the truth gathered, for ic was ilered. for I was taught of mine leoue faeder. by my dear father feire on frumthe. 635 beautifully in the beginning, aer ic fordferde. before I departed, ic was Godes douhter. I was God's daughter, ac thu amerdest that foster. but thou didst hinder that fostering. ic sceolde lif holden. I might life have held, me sellethe he wolde. 640 that he would have given me. Sone thu were lifleas. Soon thou wert lifeless, seoththen ic the forleas. sithence I left thee. Ic was thin imake. I was thy wife, so so bec seggeth. as the book says: Uxor tua sicut vitis habundans. 645 Uxor tua sicut vitis habundans. Ic was the biwedded. I was wedded to thee wurthliche * * * e. honourably, et then fontstone. at the fount stone, that thu haucst ifuled. that thou hast defiled mid thine fule othes. 650 with thy foul oaths. Thu hafest thin fulluht forloren. Thou hast forfeited thy baptism behinden and biuoren. here and hereafter. Feire thu were imerked. Fair thou wert marked, heie on thine heafde. high on thy head, mid then holie ele. 655 with the holy oil Thu hauest kine merke. Thou hadst the mark of royalty; thu scoldest beon on heouene. thou mightst have been in heaven, heih * * * under Gode. high * * * under God, [gh]if thu hit ne forlure. if thou hadst not forfeited it thuruh thaes deofles lore. 660 through the devil's lore. Thine godfaederes ihaten. Thy godfathers promised, aer heo the forleten. before they relinquished thee, that thu me scoldest holden. that thou shouldst keep me thuruh holie lufe Cristes. in Christ's holy love and drightene lawe. 665 and the law of God, ledene me to Criste. and lead me to Christ. Thu withsoke thene deofel. Thou renounced the devil, efter drihtenes cwithe. (after the Lord's word,) his modes and his wraenches. his moods, and his deceits, and his wieles thaerto. 670 and his wiles thereto. Seoththen thu hine lufedest. Afterwards thou lovedst him, and forwinne drihten. and rebelled against the Lord, for thu lufedest theo lawen. for thou lovedst the traitors the drihten weren lothe. that were hateful to God; unker team forloren. 675 our progeny lost the wit scolden teman. that we should bring forth; so ic was the betaeiht. as I was given to thee that wit scolden teman. that we might propagate. Thu hauest beon bearne faeder. Thou hast been father of children, and ic hore moder. 680 and I their mother; wit scolden fostrien bearn. we should foster our progeny, and bring ham to Criste. and bring them to Christ. Thet beoth theos bearn. These are the children so so bec maeneth. that the book mentions: Filii tui sicut novell * * * Filii tui sicut novell * * *

Cetera desunt.

[Footnote A: Wrecche?]

LONDON: PRINTED BY LUKE JAMES HANSARD & CO.

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No 5

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