XIII. VICES AND VIRTUESManuscript:Stowe 34, British Museum: of the early part of the thirteenth century; written on vellum, 223 × 160 mm., by three scribes, with numerous corrections by at least three other hands. It belonged once to William Fleetwood, Recorder of London, and to Thomas Astley. See Catalogue of the Stowe MSS., and Catalogue of an Exhibition of the Stowe MSS., no. 240.Facsimile:PalæographicalSociety; Second Series, plate 92.Edition:Holthausen, F., Part i. Text and Translation. E. E. T. S., O. S. 89.Literature:Schmidt, G. Ueber die Sprache und Heimat der ‘Vices and Virtues.’ Leipzig, 1899; Philippsen, M. Die Deklination in den ‘Vices and Virtues.’ Kieler Diss. Erlangen, 1911; Heuser, W., Anglia, xvii. 88.Phonology:Oralaandabefore nasals isa, wascen 82, swanc 4;abefore lengthening groups wavers betweena(9 times) ando(5), lande 16, londe 8, understanden 34, understonden 138.æis regularlya, after 42, cwað 94, was 3; wrecche 60, 116 comes fromwrecca.eis generallye, but umlautebefore nasal isa(representingæ, Bülbring, § 171) in namden 117, inamde 120, sant 127, sante 84, wante 88; before lengthening groupse, lengðe 45, butaas above in andin 122, andeden 123, wand 93, andæin wænden 46, strænges 28;a,æfor umlautebefore nasals is characteristic of the South-Eastern area (Morsbach, § 108);iforein ðingþ 41 is due to confusion ofþencanandþyncan; hwilliche 112 descends fromhwilc.iisi, bidde 52, finde 83; cherche 9 iscyrice, ferst 91, ðessere 22 (3) come from forms withy.oiso, dropes 12, borde 15; ðane 3 is LWS.ðane.uisu, cumeð 26, swunken 146, grundwall 53, but beswonken 136, forðer 45 (late North.forþor).yise, euele 26, kennes 13, þelliche 36;mycelis muchele 4 (3), beside michele 21 (8); þincþ 47, 63, þingþ 70 representþyncþ.The representation ofāwavers betweenaando, the former predominating, lare 20 (3), lore 57 (3), swa 5, swo 12, wat 136, wot 137; before two consonants, annesse 115, onnesse 148, tacneð 79, tocneð 130.ǣ1is regularlya, ani 35 (5), sade 75 (8); before two consonants, alche 139, aure 125 (3), butæin ær 4, 47, bræde 44, mæst 29, næure 31, tæche 54,eain sea 22; ilke 130 descends fromylc.ǣ2is alsoa, dade 92, 98, rad 19, 42, ware 129; before two consonants, blastes 27, latst 48, butæin ræd 44, wære 60, andein leten 56, nahwer 83.ēise, bene 95, feden 116, before two consonants, dest 36, misferde 125, butiein hie 36, hier 144, and more frequently in other places, bienes VV 65/3, diest id. 41/2;oin doð 33, 42 is from the plural.īisi, liue 8, wisdome 32, but bleðeliche 66 beside bliðeliche 63.ōiso, don 123, godnesse 91.ūisu, trukede 120, dust 70.ȳisein screden 116,iein inȝied 80, 91 (ingehȳd),iin litle 12, litel 42, 91, little 136.eabeforer+ cons. isa, harm VV 29/10; before lengthening groupsa, harde 31, warnin 27 (4), warð 87, but middeneard 6; thei-umlaut ise, wernde 83.eabeforel+ cons. is alsoa, all 6 (14), grundwall 53, halt40(heald), scalt 38, buteasurvives in ealde 128, healden 57 (4), before a lengthening group; thei-umlaut ise, eldest 118.eobeforer+ cons. ise, berȝen 140, berȝin 138, ferr 45, herte 34, 82, butiein hierte 31, 98, liernin64, 138,ain harkeð 66 (*heorcian);eosurvives in weorc VV 95/3 &c.; thei-umlaut isie, hierdes 1, but worð 133.eobeforel+ cons. is seen in seluen 20.eo,u-umlaut ofe, isein heuene 24, heuneriches 140; afterw,oin woreld 2 (5).eo,u- andå-umlaut ofi, ise, icleped 58, leðebeiȝe 15, seððen 5, the datives ðese 60, 143, 144, ðesen 119, 120, ðese 53, 140;heorais here 15, 30, and hire 14: niðer 30 is without umlaut.eaafter palatals isa, scal 79:ieaftergisi, ȝif 90, 101, ȝiuen 40, ȝiue 74,ein beȝete 125, forȝete 60,ei(for ie) in forȝeit 149.ȝefis ȝif 32, gif 102.eoafterscisu, scule 8, sculen 1, 74, but scolde 129.eomis am 59,heom, hem 112.ēaisea, breade 100, dead 87, forleas 7, teares 73 (8), but bred 77, ec 2: aȝean 93 isongēan: thei-umlaut hase, ȝemeleastes 13, hersum 15, hersumnesse 115 (2), iherde 95 (5), netene 130, but unbiliefde 33.ēois mostlyie, bien 12 &c., dier 129, dieuliche 11, lief 3, ouerȝiede 6, ðies 79, 91, butein be 39, betwen 112, deules 26, lef 88, twene 139;eois rare, beon VV 121/10. Thei-umlaut ise, fiftene 95, inede 74, steren 9, andie, niede 92 (4), niedfulle 74, stieren 1, stierde 5. Palatalēaaftergis seen in ȝear 95, biȝeates 14 (begēat, Napier, OE. Glosses 2698); afterscin scadwisnesse 121.ȝīetis ȝiet 90, 95.a+gisaȝ, laȝe 128, 131,forðdraȝen97.æ+gisai, faire 11, mai 34, sai 94 (sæge), tail 129, but daiȝ 77.e+gisei, aweiward 48, seið 17 (segeð), but iseȝen 119 (gesegen).o+gis seen in ibroiden 28;o+htin þohtes 25, 30.u+gisuȝ, muȝe 97, muge 125.ā+g,hare seen in wauȝe 89, auh 17;ǣ1+htin betaht 7;ǣ2+gin ȝeseiȝe 124;ē+gin wreiȝede 83;ī+gin stieð 24;ō+gin bowes 44,ō+htin besouhte 84, ȝeþouht 46, þouhten 77;ea+hin iseih 94;ie+htin miht 98, mihte 5 &c., mihtes 46, niht 77;eo+htin riht 146;ēa+hin þeih 105;īe+htin ieiht 96;ā+win saule 10 (6), sawle 80: naht 12, 87, 126 isnāht. nielnesse 30 representsneowolnes.ēa+wgiveseaw, feawe 40, sceawin 25 (3), unðeawes 55;ēo+w,ew, ȝew 20, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, newe 131,īe+w,ew, trewe 39.awithout stress is levelled toein andswereð 51, middeneard 6;otoein forðer 45, niðer 30, sikere 12, sikerliker 98, sikerest 113, te 28, 42;utoein leðebeiȝe 15.eis lost in eule 81, heuneriches 140, o in nielnesse 30,eis added in ofte 60.onis a 149.Forwthe rune is used.llis simplified in dieuliche 11.nis doubled in þennken 49: for almihtin 143, see79/17 note. Initialfisf, ferr 45,fbetween vowels or vowel and liquid isu, euele 26, aure 125, otherwisef, unbeliefde 33.dis doubled in godd 7, goddspell 118, lost in finst 40;ddis simplified in amidewarde 70; ford,tappears in halt 40. Initialþbecomestaftertin tin 40, tu 37, 47, 87; forþ,dis written in seid 21, 67,speked 73, tobrekd 35, wid 71.sis represented byscin bledscin 147:scis regularlysc[š], iscop 52, scal 79, sceawin 25, scipes 14, scolde 129, scule 8, wascen 82. The stopcis writtenkbeforee,i, lokin 1, munekes 38 and before another consonant, forsakþ 20, tobrekð 32, but tobrecþ 36,cin other positions, cumen 113, exceptionallychin ilche 52 (ilca), arche 5, 9 (if not French),gin ðingþ 41 (4):icis ic and ich.čisch, alche 139, beseche 58, ilich 69, iswinch 48, michel 122 &c., tæche 54, þelliche 36, þench 89, þenchinde 59, but exceptionallykin beseke 106, beseken 97, ilke 130 (ylcconfused withilca):ččiscch, wacchen 114, wrecche 60, 116.cgisgg, segge 99, 109;cs,x, rixin, rixið 110;cw,cw, becweð 86, cwað 94, cwide 86. Palatalgisȝ, initially, biȝeates 14, ȝemeleastes 13, but Gif 102 (with capital letter); medially, maniȝe 4 (4), heriȝen 147 (3), wuniȝeð 15, 18, muȝe 97, VV 3/18, 73/17 &c., but muge 125. The prefixge-is often retained, ȝewriten 23, ȝeþanc 57, ȝeswinkes 145, beside iþanke 66, iswinch 48, andȝis added in ȝew 20, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, ouerȝiede 6. For the stop,gis used initially, grundwall 53, agunnen 123, ȝegunnen 53, but iȝunnen 47, medially, bringen 8, but the palatal symbol is used for the spirant afterl,r, berȝin 138 &c., folȝin 44 (3), foriswelȝen 39:myr(i)gþis represented by merhðe 25, merchþe 140.gis lost in heuiliche 48. Forh,ȝis written in þurȝwunie 131, ðurȝwuneð 133;his added in Hvte 143, lost in þurwuneð 128, inȝied 80, 91 (inȝehied VV 141/1): initialhlis preserved in hlesteð 17 (3), but lhesten 50, lesten 44.Accidence:Strong declension ofmasc.andneut.nouns.Sing. g.-es, priestes 43, kennes 13, scipes 14:d.-e, hlauerde 143, netene 130, but daiȝ 151 (comp. OE.on dæg), hlauerd 52, ræd 44, sal 111 (OE.æt sumum sǣle,on sumne sǣl) are without inflection.Pl. n. a.of masculines,-es, hierdes 1, bowes 44, but wintre 4 (wintru); neuters aren.dier 129,a.ȝear 95, þing 137, bede 114 (gebēdu):pl. g.ðinge 71;d.-es, blastes 27, biȝeates 14, ȝeswinkes 145, wordes 66. Of thefem.nouns of the strong declension, forbisne 66, mihte 126, niede 151, sawle 51 (3), scadwisnesse 121 have added e in thes. n.and bene 95, mihte 106, niede 92, 150 in thes. a.Gen.-e, herte 34:d.-e, bræde 44, cherche 9, but sea 22, woreld 2 (4).Pl. g.saule 13;d.ȝemeleastes 13, mihtes 46 (5);a.dade 92, 98, mihtes 69. Nouns of the weak declension ares. d.hope 28, ileaue 28;a.lichame 10;pl. n.dropes 12;d.wisen 117;a.wacchen 114. The minor declensions are represented by manns. n.33, manness. g.145, mannes. d.33, stieresmanne 15, mans. a.127, stieresmann 3, manne 124, stieresmennpl. n.8, mannenpl. d.38, stieresmannen 18, 21, stieresman[nen] 23; moders. n.109; faderespl. n.109, 111.Remnants of the strong declension of adjectives in the sing. are haliȝesg. m.145, fasted. m., rihte 28, dieuliched. f.11, mannliche 10, michele 21, 96, faired. neut.11. The weak declension in the sing. has-ethroughout, unwaren. m.41, unwise 33, eulen. f.81, gode 80, lieue 136, mucheled. m.5, wilde 6, bitered. f.22, ealde 128, soðe 29, &c., godea. m.3, 35, michelea. f.25, littlea. neut.136; exceptions are hali 64, 117, 124, muchel 48. Thepl.strong and weak has-ein all cases, sikeren.12, halied.140, euelea.26, but halin.108, 111, hersum 15, halid.46, 53 are uninflected; comparatives and superlatives are gladderes. n. f.98, eldes[t]pl. d., wisest 118,ānis an. m.91, on 118, anf.66, 126, onea. f.106,nān, nonn. f.71,neut.103, noned. m.10, 11,f.72,neut.32, 134. Adjectives used as nouns are godes. d. neut.72, 134, arsts. a. neut.71, betste 89, god 38, 40, lasse 43, litel 42, godepl. d.150.The personal pronouns are ic 45 (8), ich 46 (8), me, we, us, þu, (ðat) tu 37, 58, (scalt) tu 87, ðe, ȝew 20. The pronoun of the third person iss. n.hem.4, 7, ?hie 45, hief.108, 109, he 110, hitneut.29;d.himm.7, hiref.110;a.hiem.36,f.5, his 127;pl. n.hie 2;d.hem 56;a.hes 50, 54, 56. Reflexives are me seluen 19, hempl. d.112: possessives, min 57, 79, minepl.76, 79, þin 98, ðines. d. f.57, 90, 91,s. a. m.95,s. a. f.95, tins. a. neut.40, þi 96, ure 23, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, his 82, is 93, hire 81, herepl.30, hire 14. The definite article iss. n.ðem.17,f.79, 80, se 81, þatneut.80, 117;d.ðanm.33, 52, ðe 5 (6), ðo 69, ðaref.29 (8), ðe 9, 31, ða 147, ðeneut.64, ðo 100;a.ðanem.3, 53, ðanne 127, ðef.25, 39, ða 4, 9, þatneut.89, ðeinstr.98:pl. n.ða 8, ðe 1;d.ðan 74, ða 21 (3), ðe 46 (4);a.ðe 26, ðo 31. The article is used as pronoun antecedent to relatives, se ðe, he who 19, 65, ðo ðe, those who 1, 2: ðat is demonstrative 17, 33, 64, 80, 102, 121. The compound demonstrative iss. n.þiesf.91, 79 (withneut.bedd);d.ðesem.60, 144, ðesseref.22, 71, 131, ðeseneut.143;a.ðesef.58, 124, þisneut.20, 136:pl. n.þese 73;d.ðesen 119, 120, þese 38, 53, 140;a.ðese 103. The relatives are ðe 1, ðat 37, 60, what, se ðe 148, who; ðe 4 means with which. Interrogatives are hwams. d. f.71, hwat 17, 36, hwilliche 112:ilcais ilches. d. m.52,þyllic, þellichepl. d.36. Indefinites are se ðe 125, whoso; se . . . he 132; hwat hwat 134, whatever, me 113, man 104, 110; feawepl.40; sums. n.113, sumes. d. m.111,pl. a.97; oþress. g. neut.77, oðers. d. f.61, oðrepl. d.108; ilkes. n. m.130, alches. d. m.139; auriches. d. neut.130; ani 35 &c.; maniȝess. g. m.145,neut.12, manies 117, maniȝepl. n.12, manie 119, maniȝepl. d.55,pl. a.4, 119; alls. a. m.6,f.39, als. a. neut.37, allepl. n.14, 129, alrepl. g.71, allepl. d.14 (7),pl. a.137.Infinitives of the second weak conjugation, except watrien 79, end in-in, andin 122, folȝin 44 (3), rixin 110, all others in-en,-ien, berȝen 140,beseken 97, herien 143, except berȝin 138, herborȝin 115. Thedat. inf.is not inflected; to laten, to libben 88, to speken, to þennken 49 are virtually nominatives. Presents ares.1. beseche 58, habbe 56; 2. hauest 53, lokest 47, syncopated are dalst 37, finst 40, hafst 37, latst 48; 3. answereð 51, haueð 45, rixeð 148, tocneð 130, rixið 110, and twelve others, but syncopated forms predominate, hafð 35, sant 127, and nineteen others;pl.1. fareð 21, habbeð 119 (3), speked 73, finde we 83; 3. cumeð 26, stieð 24, wuniȝeð 15, 18, exceptionally folgið 3, seggeð 109, stikð 30;subjunctive s.2. beseke 106, forðbringe 54, heriȝe 149, sette 59, tæche 54, þanke 150; 3. beȝete 125, þurȝwunie 131;pl.1. bledscin, heriȝen 147, hvte we 143, segge we 99, speken 71, þankin 147; 3. forliesen 9, lokien 14, tobreken 27:imperative s.2. becweð 86, sai 94, wand 93; halt 40 for hald;pl.2. hlesteð 17. Past of Strong Verbs: Ia.s.3. cwað 94, iseih 94;pl.1. ȝeseiȝe we 124: Ic.s.3. swanc 4, warð 87, worð 133;pl.3. agunnen 123, swunken 146: III.s.3. forleas 7: IV.s.3. iscop 52: V.s.3. hatte 106, 126. Participles present: Ia. spekinde 112; past: Ia. iseȝen 119: Ic. agunnen 133, ȝegunnen 53, iȝunnen 47, beswonken 136, ȝeborȝen 119, iborȝen 133, ibroiden 28: II. ȝeswiken 57, ȝewriten 23: V. ihoten 29, 128. Past of Weak Verbs:s.1. hadde 46, 47; 3. besouhte 84, ȝeherde 93, hadde 7, sade 75 &c.;pl.3. andeden 123, namden 117. Participles present: liuiende 16, þenchinde 59, wuniende 60; past: betaht 7, ȝeluued 90, icleped 58, ihafd 56, ieiht 96 (geīecan), unbiliefdeadj. s. d.33. Minor Groups: watpr. s.136, wot 137, witenpr. pl.41, wite 2.pr. imp.73; auhpr. s.17; scal 1.pr. s.79, scalt 2.pr. s.38 (3), sculenpr. pl.1, 74, scule 8, scoldept. s.129; miht 2.pr. s.98, 139, maipr. s.34 (3), muȝe 2.pr. s. subj.97, mugepr. s. subj.125, mihtept. s.5 (3), mihtenpt. pl.13 (3), mihtin 122; bieninf.72, 87, am 1.pr. s.59, ispr. s.23, nis 103, bieðpr. pl.2 (4), bienpr. pl. subj.12, 15, 105, be 2.imp. s.39, waspt. s.3, warenpt. pl.77, wærept. s. subj.60, ware 129; wile 1.pr. s.46 (3), wilt 2.pr. s.63 (3), wile 37 (subj.form), wilepr. s.31 (4), willeðpr. pl.16, wile 40 (for willen,subj.form), woldest 2.pt. s.49, woldept. s.82, woldenpt. pl.39; doninf.123, dest 2.pr. s.36, doðpr. s.33, dedept. s.42, dedenpt. pl.121, idonpp.45, 90, don 134.Dialect:Here, as in the Trinity College manuscript of the Poema Morale, a scribe of the northern border of the South-Eastern area has turned a composition in the dialect of the Middle or Western South into his own, with occasional retention of Southern forms. After a considerable interval his version was copied with little alteration by the three scribes of the Stowe manuscript, for the differences between the sections are mainly graphic and only in a minor degree dialectal. As a consequence, the language of VV is older than that current at the time when thecopy was made; in some respects older than that of MS. T of the PM., as in its representation ofā,ā+g,ā+w. Occasional lapses into OE. forms at the beginning of the manuscript, such as acwellaninf.VV 9/19, daȝas 27/22 (which would have been in OE.dagum), have been thought to point to an OE. original, but they are more probably due to a scribe acquainted with the older native literature.Vocabulary:Scandinavian are hahte 21, skele 121, sckelewisnesse 107; an OE. borrowing is stieresmann 3: French are carite 29, cariteð 58, hert 35, prophete 75, richeise 88, (stan) roches 31, seruise 130, and probably arche 5: offrin 129 is a pre-Conquest Latin borrowing.Introduction:The book is imperfect at the beginning, but probably little has been lost. It opens in the middle of a confession by a sinful soul of a formidable array of sins, to which Reason (‘Scadwisnesse,’ 90/62, ‘Ratio,’ 92/135) replies by a series of discourses on the virtues which will help the soul against its vices. The first extract, written by the first scribe, is part of this. The second piece, written by the third hand, concludes the book.The writer speaks of his work as a compilation from many authors (93/144). The framework of it may have been suggested by S. Isidore’s Synonyma de Lamentatione Animae Peccatricis, wherein Homo and Ratio hold similar alternate discourse (Opera vi. 472), but nothing else. The author appears to have been acquainted with the writings of Hugh of St. Victor (d.1140); he may have borrowed from him (Opera i. 69) the idea of the contest between Mercy and Truth (VV 113), but the influence of the older English literature dominates his style, vocabulary, and mode of thought.1.hierdes, pastors: comp. ‘þe selue herdes beð þe lorþewes of holi chiriche,’ OEH ii. 39/12; ‘se cyning ⁊ se biscop sceoldan beon Cristenra folca hyrdas,’ BH 45/25.lokin, to take care of, preserve: comp. 4/20; ‘ðe sceaweres ðe lokeden ðe hali burh,’ VV 103/13, 121/11; generally withacc., but ‘to lokin of mine wrecche lichame,’ VV 17/3.⁊= and, 89/28.2.ute, in the cloister.3.noe: a type of Christ; the Ark is the Church, a common idea, Ælf. Hom. Cath., ii. 60; OEH ii. 43/4; AR 142/12, but especially beloved of Hugh of St. Victor, ‘Noe significat Christum sive quemlibet praelatum qui in quantum potest facit arcam, id est, aedificat Ecclesiam,’ i. 226.4.þe, with which: see46/292 note.5.mihte . . . ȝemaked, was able to complete: the last word is more adjective than participle and its syntax is primitive, comp. ‘hie alle on þoneCyning wærun feohtende oþ þæt hie hine ofslægenne hæfdon,’ AS. Chron. 755A.D.8.to liue ⁊ to londe: a zeugma,bringenhas its ordinary meaning withto londe, butbringen to liuemeans, preserve alive, without any sense of motion; comp. ‘To lyue God him wolde bringe,’ Gregorius, 269; similarly ‘to liue go,’ escape death, KH 97, where see note for other uses of the same kind. Note the variant in 88/16.10.For none winde, because of any wind.11.on, in: comp. 90/66, 93/147; ‘forsakene on godes awene muðe,’ VV 3/2; ‘wakien on godes seruise,’ id. 3/27, and often in this text. See 83/15 note.13.kennes: see81/80 note.15.leðebeiȝe, pliant, ready to obey: OE.leoþu-bīege, supple-jointed; the figurative use is noteworthy: comp. ‘leðebeih ⁊ hersum gode,’ VV 109/3: ‘Soð was leðebei,’ id. 113/26.16.liuiende lande, land of the living: glossed ‘terra uiuentium,’ VV 41/11.18. ‘Qui vos audit, me audit: et qui vos spernit, me spernit,’ S. Luke x. 16.20.fullȝewiss: see 32/40.21.hahte, danger: OWScand. hǣtta; see Björkman, 99.22.hoc mare magnum: Ps. ciii. 25.bitere: probably from ‘Porro iuxta allegoriam, mare sive stagnum quod cum suis transire desiderat [Dominus], tenebrosus amarusque seculi praesentis accipitur aestus,’ Bede, ed. Giles, xi. 70 (comment on S. Luke viii. 22).23.Ascendunt&c.: Ps. cvi. 26.26.deules blastes: comp. ‘Al so al holi chirche, þet is schip icleoped, schal ancren . . . so holde þet tes deofles puffes, þet beoð temptaciuns, hit ne ouerworþe,’ AR 142/12: ‘flante vento diabolicarum suggestionum,’ Hugh of S. Victor, ii. 483.28.strænges, strands. The expressions ‘rihte ileaue,’ ‘soðe luue’ are of common occurrence; comp. 113/49, 189/435; OEH ii. 47/25, 103/28; Orm 46/1407, and for the latter, Ælf. Lives, i. 354/247. But ‘faste hope’ is unusual; comp. VV 15/27, 39/1. Forhope te, see 178/89.31.nexin, soften: OE.hnexian: beside the ordinary neschen, OE.hnescian. This text has ‘nexxin,’ 145/33, ‘nexce herte,’ 63/26: these forms do not apparently occur anywhere else.32.watere of wisdome: suggested by ‘Sitierunt, et invocaverunt te (sapientiam), et data est illis aqua de petra altissima, et requies sitis de lapide duro,’ Wisdom xi. 4. Comp. ‘flowinde wettres of wittie wordes,’ SK 687.ðar . . . to: see 1/3.33.unbiliefde, unbelieving, as though not possessed of belief: OE.gelīefed, believing, a believer. With 33-44, comp. OEH ii. 29/33-36.35. The unwise man, if he have any generous purpose, makes shipwreck (on the stone-rock of the unbeliever), because the latter collides with his good will and wrecks it by using such words as these. The figure of the ship and the rock is continued in this sentence; the change of subject in ‘he hert’ is not uncommon.37.spelleres, talkers, preachers. Forhadede, see 4/20.38. Holthausen puts a comma after mannen, makingWile ðusubjunctive, if thou wilt, which was no doubt the intention of the author.39.be trewe mann: equivalent to our, Be a man!42.te gode: comp. 30/21.45.Hie&c. Charity has led me into talking about it at greater length than I had intended. Comp. ‘Ich hadde iþoht ðat ic naht ne scolde writen bute of ðese haliȝe mihtes . . . ðanne am ic iladd ut oðerhwile, ær ic hit ouht wite, to oðer þinge,’ VV 53/15.47.lokest aweiward, avertest thy face: comp. ‘a-weiward his heued heold;[&] nolde hit ihere,’ L, MS. O 8878.48.heuiliche latst, appearest to be wearied; in common phrase, look bored.51.me to helpe, for my help: comp. 85/107; 176/24 note.53.grundwall, foundation: comp. ‘Ne mai no mann leiȝen oðer grundwall’ (= fundamentum), VV 93/30.54.forðbringe, bring forward, utter; perhaps here, build up on the foundation already laid.58.halwende, sanctifying, purifying: OE.hālgian, comp. 130/78.59.for ðan&c., because I am very pensive as long as I dwell in this wretched body: comp. ‘Ðarhwile ðe ðu art,’ VV 75/9, translating ‘Dum es.’ This archaic use of the particle þe is characteristic of the writer: so ‘ðar ðe,’ 91/109, VV 69/25;‘ðarofðe,’ id. 69/26; ‘ðar toðe,’id. 73/15; ‘ðo ðe,’ id. 49/15;ðat, what, in l. 60 is elsewhere ‘þat ðe,’ VV 65/16:Ðas þein l. 63 is for Ðas.61. Comp. ‘for ðan ȝif hit ne helpð one, hit helpð an oðer,’ VV 53/18.63.Ðas þe, according to that, according to what you say, so then: adverbial use descended from OE.þæs,gen. sing. neut.of the articlese, with þe annexed, as sometimes in OE.; so too in ‘Harke nu ðe formeste forbysne ðe he mankenn sceawede ðas þe we cunnen understonden,’ VV 49/12, where the meaning is, so far as we can understand. Otherwise þas þe, þes þe is regularly associated in ME. with a comparative adverb, as ‘ðu scalt hauen ðas te more iswink,’ VV 75/4.65.Qui&c.: S. John viii. 47.66.on iþanke: comp. 12/4.67. ‘Qui enim sine humilitate virtutes congregat, in ventum pulverem portat,’ S. Greg. Op. i. 1461. Alcuin quotes with substitution of ‘bona opera agit’ for ‘virtutes congregat,’ Op. ii. 132.72.wið healden, restrained; which gives an inadequate sense: omit wið, which is due to the preceding wið, the meaning then is, without which (humility) no other virtue can be possessed to any advantage or use. Comp. ‘for ðan hie (humility) is þe swa swiðe nedfull ðat tu ne miht none oðre mihte habben ne healden . . . bute þu ðese habbe,’ VV 53/21. wiðhealden has the meaning, keep company with, associate with, in ‘he is to luuiȝen ⁊ to wiðhealden,’ VV 101/5, 101/10.73.Wite ðu to soðe, know thou for a truth; a favourite expression of the writer, but with te, not to, as at VV 41/32, 55/23, 59/11, 69/28, ‘wite ðu te fulle soðe,’ 65/22: comp. the variants at 70/158, 76/7, 142/73, 143/75, 91, and, ‘wite ȝe hit to wisse,’ SJ 27/16.ðe . . . spekeð: comp. 81/77.74.inede, needy persons: comp. the ME. verbs ineden, neden; OE.genīedan.75.Fuerunt&c.: Ps. xli. 4.77.Of—teares, of tears of another kind; so 91/101.78.Lacrimis&c.: Ps. vi. 7.79. Comp. ‘Sit animae beatae culcitra conscientiae suae puritas: sit cervical aut capitale tranquillitas: coopertorium securitas: et in hoc strato delectabiliter dormiat et feliciter requiescat,’ Hugh of St. Victor, iii. 236.82.þar of ðe, whereof, of what: comp. ‘Ðar is ðin herte ðarof ðe ðu mæst þenkst,’ VV 69/26.85.Dispone&c.: Isa. xxxviii. 1. Omit ⁊ beforetu.86.cwide, legacy.88.lað: comp. 189/412:richeiseis accusative.89.dede þat betste, took the best course.90.for—idon, exerted myself cheerfully for love of thee.91.god inȝied: referring to Hezekiah’s words, ‘Memento quaeso quomodo ambulaverim coram te in veritate et in corde perfecto.’93.hamward, on his way home; ‘antequam egrederetur Isaias mediam partem atrii, factus est sermo Domini ad eum, dicens: Revertere,’ 4 Kings xx. 4.Comp.‘þa ða he hamwerd wæs,’ Ælf. Lives, i. 318/181, ii. 150/110; ‘eoten wæs ut-weard,’ Beowulf, 761; ‘þiderward,’ 83/18; ‘þa wes it cud ouer al þe burh þet þe helind wes þiderward,’ OEH i. 3/15; ‘is towerd on worulde,’ Ælf. Lives, ii. 170/28. These expressions are elliptical; farende or the like is to be understood.94.Vidi&c.: Isa. xxxviii. 5.lacrimam tuam: so Codex Amiatinus. The Vulgate has ‘lacrymas tuas’.97.muȝe forðdraȝen, art able to produce from thy store; L. depromere.99.forð mid: see 1/19.Ciba&c.: Ps. lxxix. 6 (adapted).104.alswa alswa . . . alswa, even as . . . even so.107.sckelewisnesse, skillwiseness, discretion: OWScand. skilvíss.108.beheue: comp. 74/225, 127/346: a favourite word of this writer, see VV 99/25, 107/28, 109/8: comp. ‘Geþyld is micel mægen · and mannum nyd-behefe,’ Ælf. Lives, ii. 166/142; ‘hemseluen to unbihefe,’ OEH ii. 121/24.109.moder: ‘Haec dico ut discretionem, quae omnium virtutum et mater et nutrix est, detegam,’ Ælredi Regula; ‘imetnesse is alre mihta moder,’ OEH i. 101/24; ‘Witerlice meteȝung is alræ mæȝene moder,’ Twelfth Cent. Hom. 90/29.110.rixinis a mistake due to the preceding rixið: the text, as it stands, must mean, who wills to rule and follow her. hlesten is the word associated with folȝin in VV, comp. ‘for ðan ðe hie nolden godes lare hlesten ne folȝin,’ 61/16, ‘Hlest ⁊ folȝih se ðe wile,’ 77/9.111.vitas patrum: see pp. 551, 2, ed. Roswey, Antwerp, 1628.sume sal, at a time when a number of the hermits of the Thebaid came to visit S. Antony, ‘perfectionis inquisitione et collationis gratia.’112.on—cumen: ‘quaenam virtus . . . certe ad Deum recto tramite firmoque gressu perduceret.’115.annesse: ‘remotiorem vitam et eremi secreta.’ Comp. ‘Munec mai ut-faren mid ileaue in to hermitorie, oðer in to onnesse te wunien,’ VV 73/24. The same word means unity at 93/148.116.to lokinis syntactically on a level withherborȝin, but has to, because it is separated from ðurh: comp. ‘Hit bieð sume þat non imeðe ne cunnen of hem seluen to feden,’ VV 139/23.117.on manieskennes wisen: see 81/80 and 132/9.118.on: S. Antony.Ðurh&c. Holthausen translates, ‘Through all these we have seen and heard a great many saved, and many by all these named virtues perished, becausediscretiofailed them,’ which gives an unsatisfactory sense for the second clause and involves a forced meaning for ‘of’ as equivalent to ðurh (for which the only near parallels in VV are 97/19, 103/3), and a meaning in which it would hardly be used immediately after ‘manie’; ‘inamde’ (elsewhere ‘forenammde,’ VV 15/29) is superfluous. The original is, ‘Omnia quidem haec quae dixistis, necessaria sunt et utilia sitientibus Deum: sed his principalem tribuere gratiam nequaquam nos innumerabiles multorum fratrum casus et experimenta permittunt.Nam saepe vidimus fratres has observationes tenentes repentino casu deceptos, eo quod in bono quod coeperant discretionem minime tenuerunt.’ The English appears to be corrupt: mihten belongs to the former ðesen; the second alle is repeated from the first; under the superfluous inamde lurks the equivalent for repentino casu, which would hardly be overlooked by the translator; perhaps in a munde, in a handwhile, in a moment. The sense would then be, We have seen and heard of very many persons protected (comp. VV 73/7) by all these virtues, and (we have seen) many of these lapse in a moment, because discretion failed them. This meaning of mund is not in the dictionaries, and the evidence for it is slight, but comp. Varnhagen’s note on ‘boten a mounde’ in Anglia, iii. 283. More usual, but less appropriate, would be, in a niede.125.mugeis subjunctive after se ðe, indefinite, whosoever, as is wile in ‘Weriȝe se ðe wile,’ VV 89/33, but se ðe, he who, is followed by the indicative, ‘se ðe luueð,’ VV 41/7 (= qui diligit), ‘se ðe swereð,’ id. 79/3 (= qui iurat). There seems to be no distinction in meaning between ‘Bie war, ȝif ðu wilt,’ VV 59/2, and ‘Bie war, ȝif ðu wile,’ id. 61/8, but the forms of this verb are confused, see 89/37. Note also the indicative after ‘hwat hwat,’ 92/134.126.to laten, to be passed over without mention, to be omitted.127.ðe—to sant, to whom God sends it.128. This is from S. Gregory, ‘Quia nimirum virtus boni operis perseverantia est; et voce Veritatis dicitur: Qui autem perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit. Et praecepto legis cauda hostiae in sacrificio iubetur offerri. In cauda quippe finis est corporis; et ille bene immolat qui sacrificium boni operis usque ad finem debitae perducit actionis,’ In Evang. Homiliae, ii. 25, § 1. Similarly S. Isidore, v. 427; Alanus, 78. See Lev. iii. 9.129.alle dier, a subject without a verb; the construction is altered.132. S. Matt. x. 22, xxiv. 13.136.beswonken, worked at; like L. elaborare, with acc. as in OE.he it wat&c.: a favourite expression of the author, as VV 21/3, 95/26; ‘He it wot ðe all wot,’ id. 75/2.137.wissin . . . warnin: so ‘wissedest ⁊ warnedest,’ VV 21/27.139.twene, doubt: OE.twȳn.143.Hvte we, let us: comp. 175/422; ‘Wuten we fare,’ VV 23/22.147.on, in: see 83/15.149.ne heriȝe: see25/241 note.151.ofte ⁊ ȝelome: see 32/47.153.implet: a variant, without authority, for imple.Facsimile:Palæographical Societyanomalous æ unchangedeabeforer... halt 40 (heald)40,ēaisea...ȝīetis ȝiet 90, 95.text unchanged: apparent error forgīeta+gisaȝ, laȝe 128, 131, forðdraȝen 97forðdragen59. ... ‘ðarof ðe,’ id. 69/26open quote missing‘ðar to ðe,’ id. 73/15close quote missing93. ... Comp. ‘þa ða he hamwerd wæs,’Comp,
Manuscript:Stowe 34, British Museum: of the early part of the thirteenth century; written on vellum, 223 × 160 mm., by three scribes, with numerous corrections by at least three other hands. It belonged once to William Fleetwood, Recorder of London, and to Thomas Astley. See Catalogue of the Stowe MSS., and Catalogue of an Exhibition of the Stowe MSS., no. 240.Facsimile:PalæographicalSociety; Second Series, plate 92.Edition:Holthausen, F., Part i. Text and Translation. E. E. T. S., O. S. 89.Literature:Schmidt, G. Ueber die Sprache und Heimat der ‘Vices and Virtues.’ Leipzig, 1899; Philippsen, M. Die Deklination in den ‘Vices and Virtues.’ Kieler Diss. Erlangen, 1911; Heuser, W., Anglia, xvii. 88.Phonology:Oralaandabefore nasals isa, wascen 82, swanc 4;abefore lengthening groups wavers betweena(9 times) ando(5), lande 16, londe 8, understanden 34, understonden 138.æis regularlya, after 42, cwað 94, was 3; wrecche 60, 116 comes fromwrecca.eis generallye, but umlautebefore nasal isa(representingæ, Bülbring, § 171) in namden 117, inamde 120, sant 127, sante 84, wante 88; before lengthening groupse, lengðe 45, butaas above in andin 122, andeden 123, wand 93, andæin wænden 46, strænges 28;a,æfor umlautebefore nasals is characteristic of the South-Eastern area (Morsbach, § 108);iforein ðingþ 41 is due to confusion ofþencanandþyncan; hwilliche 112 descends fromhwilc.iisi, bidde 52, finde 83; cherche 9 iscyrice, ferst 91, ðessere 22 (3) come from forms withy.oiso, dropes 12, borde 15; ðane 3 is LWS.ðane.uisu, cumeð 26, swunken 146, grundwall 53, but beswonken 136, forðer 45 (late North.forþor).yise, euele 26, kennes 13, þelliche 36;mycelis muchele 4 (3), beside michele 21 (8); þincþ 47, 63, þingþ 70 representþyncþ.The representation ofāwavers betweenaando, the former predominating, lare 20 (3), lore 57 (3), swa 5, swo 12, wat 136, wot 137; before two consonants, annesse 115, onnesse 148, tacneð 79, tocneð 130.ǣ1is regularlya, ani 35 (5), sade 75 (8); before two consonants, alche 139, aure 125 (3), butæin ær 4, 47, bræde 44, mæst 29, næure 31, tæche 54,eain sea 22; ilke 130 descends fromylc.ǣ2is alsoa, dade 92, 98, rad 19, 42, ware 129; before two consonants, blastes 27, latst 48, butæin ræd 44, wære 60, andein leten 56, nahwer 83.ēise, bene 95, feden 116, before two consonants, dest 36, misferde 125, butiein hie 36, hier 144, and more frequently in other places, bienes VV 65/3, diest id. 41/2;oin doð 33, 42 is from the plural.īisi, liue 8, wisdome 32, but bleðeliche 66 beside bliðeliche 63.ōiso, don 123, godnesse 91.ūisu, trukede 120, dust 70.ȳisein screden 116,iein inȝied 80, 91 (ingehȳd),iin litle 12, litel 42, 91, little 136.eabeforer+ cons. isa, harm VV 29/10; before lengthening groupsa, harde 31, warnin 27 (4), warð 87, but middeneard 6; thei-umlaut ise, wernde 83.eabeforel+ cons. is alsoa, all 6 (14), grundwall 53, halt40(heald), scalt 38, buteasurvives in ealde 128, healden 57 (4), before a lengthening group; thei-umlaut ise, eldest 118.eobeforer+ cons. ise, berȝen 140, berȝin 138, ferr 45, herte 34, 82, butiein hierte 31, 98, liernin64, 138,ain harkeð 66 (*heorcian);eosurvives in weorc VV 95/3 &c.; thei-umlaut isie, hierdes 1, but worð 133.eobeforel+ cons. is seen in seluen 20.eo,u-umlaut ofe, isein heuene 24, heuneriches 140; afterw,oin woreld 2 (5).eo,u- andå-umlaut ofi, ise, icleped 58, leðebeiȝe 15, seððen 5, the datives ðese 60, 143, 144, ðesen 119, 120, ðese 53, 140;heorais here 15, 30, and hire 14: niðer 30 is without umlaut.eaafter palatals isa, scal 79:ieaftergisi, ȝif 90, 101, ȝiuen 40, ȝiue 74,ein beȝete 125, forȝete 60,ei(for ie) in forȝeit 149.ȝefis ȝif 32, gif 102.eoafterscisu, scule 8, sculen 1, 74, but scolde 129.eomis am 59,heom, hem 112.ēaisea, breade 100, dead 87, forleas 7, teares 73 (8), but bred 77, ec 2: aȝean 93 isongēan: thei-umlaut hase, ȝemeleastes 13, hersum 15, hersumnesse 115 (2), iherde 95 (5), netene 130, but unbiliefde 33.ēois mostlyie, bien 12 &c., dier 129, dieuliche 11, lief 3, ouerȝiede 6, ðies 79, 91, butein be 39, betwen 112, deules 26, lef 88, twene 139;eois rare, beon VV 121/10. Thei-umlaut ise, fiftene 95, inede 74, steren 9, andie, niede 92 (4), niedfulle 74, stieren 1, stierde 5. Palatalēaaftergis seen in ȝear 95, biȝeates 14 (begēat, Napier, OE. Glosses 2698); afterscin scadwisnesse 121.ȝīetis ȝiet 90, 95.a+gisaȝ, laȝe 128, 131,forðdraȝen97.æ+gisai, faire 11, mai 34, sai 94 (sæge), tail 129, but daiȝ 77.e+gisei, aweiward 48, seið 17 (segeð), but iseȝen 119 (gesegen).o+gis seen in ibroiden 28;o+htin þohtes 25, 30.u+gisuȝ, muȝe 97, muge 125.ā+g,hare seen in wauȝe 89, auh 17;ǣ1+htin betaht 7;ǣ2+gin ȝeseiȝe 124;ē+gin wreiȝede 83;ī+gin stieð 24;ō+gin bowes 44,ō+htin besouhte 84, ȝeþouht 46, þouhten 77;ea+hin iseih 94;ie+htin miht 98, mihte 5 &c., mihtes 46, niht 77;eo+htin riht 146;ēa+hin þeih 105;īe+htin ieiht 96;ā+win saule 10 (6), sawle 80: naht 12, 87, 126 isnāht. nielnesse 30 representsneowolnes.ēa+wgiveseaw, feawe 40, sceawin 25 (3), unðeawes 55;ēo+w,ew, ȝew 20, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, newe 131,īe+w,ew, trewe 39.awithout stress is levelled toein andswereð 51, middeneard 6;otoein forðer 45, niðer 30, sikere 12, sikerliker 98, sikerest 113, te 28, 42;utoein leðebeiȝe 15.eis lost in eule 81, heuneriches 140, o in nielnesse 30,eis added in ofte 60.onis a 149.Forwthe rune is used.llis simplified in dieuliche 11.nis doubled in þennken 49: for almihtin 143, see79/17 note. Initialfisf, ferr 45,fbetween vowels or vowel and liquid isu, euele 26, aure 125, otherwisef, unbeliefde 33.dis doubled in godd 7, goddspell 118, lost in finst 40;ddis simplified in amidewarde 70; ford,tappears in halt 40. Initialþbecomestaftertin tin 40, tu 37, 47, 87; forþ,dis written in seid 21, 67,speked 73, tobrekd 35, wid 71.sis represented byscin bledscin 147:scis regularlysc[š], iscop 52, scal 79, sceawin 25, scipes 14, scolde 129, scule 8, wascen 82. The stopcis writtenkbeforee,i, lokin 1, munekes 38 and before another consonant, forsakþ 20, tobrekð 32, but tobrecþ 36,cin other positions, cumen 113, exceptionallychin ilche 52 (ilca), arche 5, 9 (if not French),gin ðingþ 41 (4):icis ic and ich.čisch, alche 139, beseche 58, ilich 69, iswinch 48, michel 122 &c., tæche 54, þelliche 36, þench 89, þenchinde 59, but exceptionallykin beseke 106, beseken 97, ilke 130 (ylcconfused withilca):ččiscch, wacchen 114, wrecche 60, 116.cgisgg, segge 99, 109;cs,x, rixin, rixið 110;cw,cw, becweð 86, cwað 94, cwide 86. Palatalgisȝ, initially, biȝeates 14, ȝemeleastes 13, but Gif 102 (with capital letter); medially, maniȝe 4 (4), heriȝen 147 (3), wuniȝeð 15, 18, muȝe 97, VV 3/18, 73/17 &c., but muge 125. The prefixge-is often retained, ȝewriten 23, ȝeþanc 57, ȝeswinkes 145, beside iþanke 66, iswinch 48, andȝis added in ȝew 20, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, ouerȝiede 6. For the stop,gis used initially, grundwall 53, agunnen 123, ȝegunnen 53, but iȝunnen 47, medially, bringen 8, but the palatal symbol is used for the spirant afterl,r, berȝin 138 &c., folȝin 44 (3), foriswelȝen 39:myr(i)gþis represented by merhðe 25, merchþe 140.gis lost in heuiliche 48. Forh,ȝis written in þurȝwunie 131, ðurȝwuneð 133;his added in Hvte 143, lost in þurwuneð 128, inȝied 80, 91 (inȝehied VV 141/1): initialhlis preserved in hlesteð 17 (3), but lhesten 50, lesten 44.Accidence:Strong declension ofmasc.andneut.nouns.Sing. g.-es, priestes 43, kennes 13, scipes 14:d.-e, hlauerde 143, netene 130, but daiȝ 151 (comp. OE.on dæg), hlauerd 52, ræd 44, sal 111 (OE.æt sumum sǣle,on sumne sǣl) are without inflection.Pl. n. a.of masculines,-es, hierdes 1, bowes 44, but wintre 4 (wintru); neuters aren.dier 129,a.ȝear 95, þing 137, bede 114 (gebēdu):pl. g.ðinge 71;d.-es, blastes 27, biȝeates 14, ȝeswinkes 145, wordes 66. Of thefem.nouns of the strong declension, forbisne 66, mihte 126, niede 151, sawle 51 (3), scadwisnesse 121 have added e in thes. n.and bene 95, mihte 106, niede 92, 150 in thes. a.Gen.-e, herte 34:d.-e, bræde 44, cherche 9, but sea 22, woreld 2 (4).Pl. g.saule 13;d.ȝemeleastes 13, mihtes 46 (5);a.dade 92, 98, mihtes 69. Nouns of the weak declension ares. d.hope 28, ileaue 28;a.lichame 10;pl. n.dropes 12;d.wisen 117;a.wacchen 114. The minor declensions are represented by manns. n.33, manness. g.145, mannes. d.33, stieresmanne 15, mans. a.127, stieresmann 3, manne 124, stieresmennpl. n.8, mannenpl. d.38, stieresmannen 18, 21, stieresman[nen] 23; moders. n.109; faderespl. n.109, 111.Remnants of the strong declension of adjectives in the sing. are haliȝesg. m.145, fasted. m., rihte 28, dieuliched. f.11, mannliche 10, michele 21, 96, faired. neut.11. The weak declension in the sing. has-ethroughout, unwaren. m.41, unwise 33, eulen. f.81, gode 80, lieue 136, mucheled. m.5, wilde 6, bitered. f.22, ealde 128, soðe 29, &c., godea. m.3, 35, michelea. f.25, littlea. neut.136; exceptions are hali 64, 117, 124, muchel 48. Thepl.strong and weak has-ein all cases, sikeren.12, halied.140, euelea.26, but halin.108, 111, hersum 15, halid.46, 53 are uninflected; comparatives and superlatives are gladderes. n. f.98, eldes[t]pl. d., wisest 118,ānis an. m.91, on 118, anf.66, 126, onea. f.106,nān, nonn. f.71,neut.103, noned. m.10, 11,f.72,neut.32, 134. Adjectives used as nouns are godes. d. neut.72, 134, arsts. a. neut.71, betste 89, god 38, 40, lasse 43, litel 42, godepl. d.150.The personal pronouns are ic 45 (8), ich 46 (8), me, we, us, þu, (ðat) tu 37, 58, (scalt) tu 87, ðe, ȝew 20. The pronoun of the third person iss. n.hem.4, 7, ?hie 45, hief.108, 109, he 110, hitneut.29;d.himm.7, hiref.110;a.hiem.36,f.5, his 127;pl. n.hie 2;d.hem 56;a.hes 50, 54, 56. Reflexives are me seluen 19, hempl. d.112: possessives, min 57, 79, minepl.76, 79, þin 98, ðines. d. f.57, 90, 91,s. a. m.95,s. a. f.95, tins. a. neut.40, þi 96, ure 23, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, his 82, is 93, hire 81, herepl.30, hire 14. The definite article iss. n.ðem.17,f.79, 80, se 81, þatneut.80, 117;d.ðanm.33, 52, ðe 5 (6), ðo 69, ðaref.29 (8), ðe 9, 31, ða 147, ðeneut.64, ðo 100;a.ðanem.3, 53, ðanne 127, ðef.25, 39, ða 4, 9, þatneut.89, ðeinstr.98:pl. n.ða 8, ðe 1;d.ðan 74, ða 21 (3), ðe 46 (4);a.ðe 26, ðo 31. The article is used as pronoun antecedent to relatives, se ðe, he who 19, 65, ðo ðe, those who 1, 2: ðat is demonstrative 17, 33, 64, 80, 102, 121. The compound demonstrative iss. n.þiesf.91, 79 (withneut.bedd);d.ðesem.60, 144, ðesseref.22, 71, 131, ðeseneut.143;a.ðesef.58, 124, þisneut.20, 136:pl. n.þese 73;d.ðesen 119, 120, þese 38, 53, 140;a.ðese 103. The relatives are ðe 1, ðat 37, 60, what, se ðe 148, who; ðe 4 means with which. Interrogatives are hwams. d. f.71, hwat 17, 36, hwilliche 112:ilcais ilches. d. m.52,þyllic, þellichepl. d.36. Indefinites are se ðe 125, whoso; se . . . he 132; hwat hwat 134, whatever, me 113, man 104, 110; feawepl.40; sums. n.113, sumes. d. m.111,pl. a.97; oþress. g. neut.77, oðers. d. f.61, oðrepl. d.108; ilkes. n. m.130, alches. d. m.139; auriches. d. neut.130; ani 35 &c.; maniȝess. g. m.145,neut.12, manies 117, maniȝepl. n.12, manie 119, maniȝepl. d.55,pl. a.4, 119; alls. a. m.6,f.39, als. a. neut.37, allepl. n.14, 129, alrepl. g.71, allepl. d.14 (7),pl. a.137.Infinitives of the second weak conjugation, except watrien 79, end in-in, andin 122, folȝin 44 (3), rixin 110, all others in-en,-ien, berȝen 140,beseken 97, herien 143, except berȝin 138, herborȝin 115. Thedat. inf.is not inflected; to laten, to libben 88, to speken, to þennken 49 are virtually nominatives. Presents ares.1. beseche 58, habbe 56; 2. hauest 53, lokest 47, syncopated are dalst 37, finst 40, hafst 37, latst 48; 3. answereð 51, haueð 45, rixeð 148, tocneð 130, rixið 110, and twelve others, but syncopated forms predominate, hafð 35, sant 127, and nineteen others;pl.1. fareð 21, habbeð 119 (3), speked 73, finde we 83; 3. cumeð 26, stieð 24, wuniȝeð 15, 18, exceptionally folgið 3, seggeð 109, stikð 30;subjunctive s.2. beseke 106, forðbringe 54, heriȝe 149, sette 59, tæche 54, þanke 150; 3. beȝete 125, þurȝwunie 131;pl.1. bledscin, heriȝen 147, hvte we 143, segge we 99, speken 71, þankin 147; 3. forliesen 9, lokien 14, tobreken 27:imperative s.2. becweð 86, sai 94, wand 93; halt 40 for hald;pl.2. hlesteð 17. Past of Strong Verbs: Ia.s.3. cwað 94, iseih 94;pl.1. ȝeseiȝe we 124: Ic.s.3. swanc 4, warð 87, worð 133;pl.3. agunnen 123, swunken 146: III.s.3. forleas 7: IV.s.3. iscop 52: V.s.3. hatte 106, 126. Participles present: Ia. spekinde 112; past: Ia. iseȝen 119: Ic. agunnen 133, ȝegunnen 53, iȝunnen 47, beswonken 136, ȝeborȝen 119, iborȝen 133, ibroiden 28: II. ȝeswiken 57, ȝewriten 23: V. ihoten 29, 128. Past of Weak Verbs:s.1. hadde 46, 47; 3. besouhte 84, ȝeherde 93, hadde 7, sade 75 &c.;pl.3. andeden 123, namden 117. Participles present: liuiende 16, þenchinde 59, wuniende 60; past: betaht 7, ȝeluued 90, icleped 58, ihafd 56, ieiht 96 (geīecan), unbiliefdeadj. s. d.33. Minor Groups: watpr. s.136, wot 137, witenpr. pl.41, wite 2.pr. imp.73; auhpr. s.17; scal 1.pr. s.79, scalt 2.pr. s.38 (3), sculenpr. pl.1, 74, scule 8, scoldept. s.129; miht 2.pr. s.98, 139, maipr. s.34 (3), muȝe 2.pr. s. subj.97, mugepr. s. subj.125, mihtept. s.5 (3), mihtenpt. pl.13 (3), mihtin 122; bieninf.72, 87, am 1.pr. s.59, ispr. s.23, nis 103, bieðpr. pl.2 (4), bienpr. pl. subj.12, 15, 105, be 2.imp. s.39, waspt. s.3, warenpt. pl.77, wærept. s. subj.60, ware 129; wile 1.pr. s.46 (3), wilt 2.pr. s.63 (3), wile 37 (subj.form), wilepr. s.31 (4), willeðpr. pl.16, wile 40 (for willen,subj.form), woldest 2.pt. s.49, woldept. s.82, woldenpt. pl.39; doninf.123, dest 2.pr. s.36, doðpr. s.33, dedept. s.42, dedenpt. pl.121, idonpp.45, 90, don 134.Dialect:Here, as in the Trinity College manuscript of the Poema Morale, a scribe of the northern border of the South-Eastern area has turned a composition in the dialect of the Middle or Western South into his own, with occasional retention of Southern forms. After a considerable interval his version was copied with little alteration by the three scribes of the Stowe manuscript, for the differences between the sections are mainly graphic and only in a minor degree dialectal. As a consequence, the language of VV is older than that current at the time when thecopy was made; in some respects older than that of MS. T of the PM., as in its representation ofā,ā+g,ā+w. Occasional lapses into OE. forms at the beginning of the manuscript, such as acwellaninf.VV 9/19, daȝas 27/22 (which would have been in OE.dagum), have been thought to point to an OE. original, but they are more probably due to a scribe acquainted with the older native literature.Vocabulary:Scandinavian are hahte 21, skele 121, sckelewisnesse 107; an OE. borrowing is stieresmann 3: French are carite 29, cariteð 58, hert 35, prophete 75, richeise 88, (stan) roches 31, seruise 130, and probably arche 5: offrin 129 is a pre-Conquest Latin borrowing.Introduction:The book is imperfect at the beginning, but probably little has been lost. It opens in the middle of a confession by a sinful soul of a formidable array of sins, to which Reason (‘Scadwisnesse,’ 90/62, ‘Ratio,’ 92/135) replies by a series of discourses on the virtues which will help the soul against its vices. The first extract, written by the first scribe, is part of this. The second piece, written by the third hand, concludes the book.The writer speaks of his work as a compilation from many authors (93/144). The framework of it may have been suggested by S. Isidore’s Synonyma de Lamentatione Animae Peccatricis, wherein Homo and Ratio hold similar alternate discourse (Opera vi. 472), but nothing else. The author appears to have been acquainted with the writings of Hugh of St. Victor (d.1140); he may have borrowed from him (Opera i. 69) the idea of the contest between Mercy and Truth (VV 113), but the influence of the older English literature dominates his style, vocabulary, and mode of thought.
Manuscript:Stowe 34, British Museum: of the early part of the thirteenth century; written on vellum, 223 × 160 mm., by three scribes, with numerous corrections by at least three other hands. It belonged once to William Fleetwood, Recorder of London, and to Thomas Astley. See Catalogue of the Stowe MSS., and Catalogue of an Exhibition of the Stowe MSS., no. 240.
Facsimile:PalæographicalSociety; Second Series, plate 92.
Edition:Holthausen, F., Part i. Text and Translation. E. E. T. S., O. S. 89.
Literature:Schmidt, G. Ueber die Sprache und Heimat der ‘Vices and Virtues.’ Leipzig, 1899; Philippsen, M. Die Deklination in den ‘Vices and Virtues.’ Kieler Diss. Erlangen, 1911; Heuser, W., Anglia, xvii. 88.
Phonology:Oralaandabefore nasals isa, wascen 82, swanc 4;abefore lengthening groups wavers betweena(9 times) ando(5), lande 16, londe 8, understanden 34, understonden 138.æis regularlya, after 42, cwað 94, was 3; wrecche 60, 116 comes fromwrecca.eis generallye, but umlautebefore nasal isa(representingæ, Bülbring, § 171) in namden 117, inamde 120, sant 127, sante 84, wante 88; before lengthening groupse, lengðe 45, butaas above in andin 122, andeden 123, wand 93, andæin wænden 46, strænges 28;a,æfor umlautebefore nasals is characteristic of the South-Eastern area (Morsbach, § 108);iforein ðingþ 41 is due to confusion ofþencanandþyncan; hwilliche 112 descends fromhwilc.iisi, bidde 52, finde 83; cherche 9 iscyrice, ferst 91, ðessere 22 (3) come from forms withy.oiso, dropes 12, borde 15; ðane 3 is LWS.ðane.uisu, cumeð 26, swunken 146, grundwall 53, but beswonken 136, forðer 45 (late North.forþor).yise, euele 26, kennes 13, þelliche 36;mycelis muchele 4 (3), beside michele 21 (8); þincþ 47, 63, þingþ 70 representþyncþ.
The representation ofāwavers betweenaando, the former predominating, lare 20 (3), lore 57 (3), swa 5, swo 12, wat 136, wot 137; before two consonants, annesse 115, onnesse 148, tacneð 79, tocneð 130.ǣ1is regularlya, ani 35 (5), sade 75 (8); before two consonants, alche 139, aure 125 (3), butæin ær 4, 47, bræde 44, mæst 29, næure 31, tæche 54,eain sea 22; ilke 130 descends fromylc.ǣ2is alsoa, dade 92, 98, rad 19, 42, ware 129; before two consonants, blastes 27, latst 48, butæin ræd 44, wære 60, andein leten 56, nahwer 83.ēise, bene 95, feden 116, before two consonants, dest 36, misferde 125, butiein hie 36, hier 144, and more frequently in other places, bienes VV 65/3, diest id. 41/2;oin doð 33, 42 is from the plural.īisi, liue 8, wisdome 32, but bleðeliche 66 beside bliðeliche 63.ōiso, don 123, godnesse 91.ūisu, trukede 120, dust 70.ȳisein screden 116,iein inȝied 80, 91 (ingehȳd),iin litle 12, litel 42, 91, little 136.
eabeforer+ cons. isa, harm VV 29/10; before lengthening groupsa, harde 31, warnin 27 (4), warð 87, but middeneard 6; thei-umlaut ise, wernde 83.eabeforel+ cons. is alsoa, all 6 (14), grundwall 53, halt40(heald), scalt 38, buteasurvives in ealde 128, healden 57 (4), before a lengthening group; thei-umlaut ise, eldest 118.eobeforer+ cons. ise, berȝen 140, berȝin 138, ferr 45, herte 34, 82, butiein hierte 31, 98, liernin64, 138,ain harkeð 66 (*heorcian);eosurvives in weorc VV 95/3 &c.; thei-umlaut isie, hierdes 1, but worð 133.eobeforel+ cons. is seen in seluen 20.eo,u-umlaut ofe, isein heuene 24, heuneriches 140; afterw,oin woreld 2 (5).eo,u- andå-umlaut ofi, ise, icleped 58, leðebeiȝe 15, seððen 5, the datives ðese 60, 143, 144, ðesen 119, 120, ðese 53, 140;heorais here 15, 30, and hire 14: niðer 30 is without umlaut.eaafter palatals isa, scal 79:ieaftergisi, ȝif 90, 101, ȝiuen 40, ȝiue 74,ein beȝete 125, forȝete 60,ei(for ie) in forȝeit 149.ȝefis ȝif 32, gif 102.eoafterscisu, scule 8, sculen 1, 74, but scolde 129.eomis am 59,heom, hem 112.
ēaisea, breade 100, dead 87, forleas 7, teares 73 (8), but bred 77, ec 2: aȝean 93 isongēan: thei-umlaut hase, ȝemeleastes 13, hersum 15, hersumnesse 115 (2), iherde 95 (5), netene 130, but unbiliefde 33.ēois mostlyie, bien 12 &c., dier 129, dieuliche 11, lief 3, ouerȝiede 6, ðies 79, 91, butein be 39, betwen 112, deules 26, lef 88, twene 139;eois rare, beon VV 121/10. Thei-umlaut ise, fiftene 95, inede 74, steren 9, andie, niede 92 (4), niedfulle 74, stieren 1, stierde 5. Palatalēaaftergis seen in ȝear 95, biȝeates 14 (begēat, Napier, OE. Glosses 2698); afterscin scadwisnesse 121.ȝīetis ȝiet 90, 95.
a+gisaȝ, laȝe 128, 131,forðdraȝen97.æ+gisai, faire 11, mai 34, sai 94 (sæge), tail 129, but daiȝ 77.e+gisei, aweiward 48, seið 17 (segeð), but iseȝen 119 (gesegen).o+gis seen in ibroiden 28;o+htin þohtes 25, 30.u+gisuȝ, muȝe 97, muge 125.ā+g,hare seen in wauȝe 89, auh 17;ǣ1+htin betaht 7;ǣ2+gin ȝeseiȝe 124;ē+gin wreiȝede 83;ī+gin stieð 24;ō+gin bowes 44,ō+htin besouhte 84, ȝeþouht 46, þouhten 77;ea+hin iseih 94;ie+htin miht 98, mihte 5 &c., mihtes 46, niht 77;eo+htin riht 146;ēa+hin þeih 105;īe+htin ieiht 96;ā+win saule 10 (6), sawle 80: naht 12, 87, 126 isnāht. nielnesse 30 representsneowolnes.ēa+wgiveseaw, feawe 40, sceawin 25 (3), unðeawes 55;ēo+w,ew, ȝew 20, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, newe 131,īe+w,ew, trewe 39.
awithout stress is levelled toein andswereð 51, middeneard 6;otoein forðer 45, niðer 30, sikere 12, sikerliker 98, sikerest 113, te 28, 42;utoein leðebeiȝe 15.eis lost in eule 81, heuneriches 140, o in nielnesse 30,eis added in ofte 60.onis a 149.
Forwthe rune is used.llis simplified in dieuliche 11.nis doubled in þennken 49: for almihtin 143, see79/17 note. Initialfisf, ferr 45,fbetween vowels or vowel and liquid isu, euele 26, aure 125, otherwisef, unbeliefde 33.dis doubled in godd 7, goddspell 118, lost in finst 40;ddis simplified in amidewarde 70; ford,tappears in halt 40. Initialþbecomestaftertin tin 40, tu 37, 47, 87; forþ,dis written in seid 21, 67,speked 73, tobrekd 35, wid 71.sis represented byscin bledscin 147:scis regularlysc[š], iscop 52, scal 79, sceawin 25, scipes 14, scolde 129, scule 8, wascen 82. The stopcis writtenkbeforee,i, lokin 1, munekes 38 and before another consonant, forsakþ 20, tobrekð 32, but tobrecþ 36,cin other positions, cumen 113, exceptionallychin ilche 52 (ilca), arche 5, 9 (if not French),gin ðingþ 41 (4):icis ic and ich.čisch, alche 139, beseche 58, ilich 69, iswinch 48, michel 122 &c., tæche 54, þelliche 36, þench 89, þenchinde 59, but exceptionallykin beseke 106, beseken 97, ilke 130 (ylcconfused withilca):ččiscch, wacchen 114, wrecche 60, 116.cgisgg, segge 99, 109;cs,x, rixin, rixið 110;cw,cw, becweð 86, cwað 94, cwide 86. Palatalgisȝ, initially, biȝeates 14, ȝemeleastes 13, but Gif 102 (with capital letter); medially, maniȝe 4 (4), heriȝen 147 (3), wuniȝeð 15, 18, muȝe 97, VV 3/18, 73/17 &c., but muge 125. The prefixge-is often retained, ȝewriten 23, ȝeþanc 57, ȝeswinkes 145, beside iþanke 66, iswinch 48, andȝis added in ȝew 20, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, ouerȝiede 6. For the stop,gis used initially, grundwall 53, agunnen 123, ȝegunnen 53, but iȝunnen 47, medially, bringen 8, but the palatal symbol is used for the spirant afterl,r, berȝin 138 &c., folȝin 44 (3), foriswelȝen 39:myr(i)gþis represented by merhðe 25, merchþe 140.gis lost in heuiliche 48. Forh,ȝis written in þurȝwunie 131, ðurȝwuneð 133;his added in Hvte 143, lost in þurwuneð 128, inȝied 80, 91 (inȝehied VV 141/1): initialhlis preserved in hlesteð 17 (3), but lhesten 50, lesten 44.
Accidence:Strong declension ofmasc.andneut.nouns.Sing. g.-es, priestes 43, kennes 13, scipes 14:d.-e, hlauerde 143, netene 130, but daiȝ 151 (comp. OE.on dæg), hlauerd 52, ræd 44, sal 111 (OE.æt sumum sǣle,on sumne sǣl) are without inflection.Pl. n. a.of masculines,-es, hierdes 1, bowes 44, but wintre 4 (wintru); neuters aren.dier 129,a.ȝear 95, þing 137, bede 114 (gebēdu):pl. g.ðinge 71;d.-es, blastes 27, biȝeates 14, ȝeswinkes 145, wordes 66. Of thefem.nouns of the strong declension, forbisne 66, mihte 126, niede 151, sawle 51 (3), scadwisnesse 121 have added e in thes. n.and bene 95, mihte 106, niede 92, 150 in thes. a.Gen.-e, herte 34:d.-e, bræde 44, cherche 9, but sea 22, woreld 2 (4).Pl. g.saule 13;d.ȝemeleastes 13, mihtes 46 (5);a.dade 92, 98, mihtes 69. Nouns of the weak declension ares. d.hope 28, ileaue 28;a.lichame 10;pl. n.dropes 12;d.wisen 117;a.wacchen 114. The minor declensions are represented by manns. n.33, manness. g.145, mannes. d.33, stieresmanne 15, mans. a.127, stieresmann 3, manne 124, stieresmennpl. n.8, mannenpl. d.38, stieresmannen 18, 21, stieresman[nen] 23; moders. n.109; faderespl. n.109, 111.
Remnants of the strong declension of adjectives in the sing. are haliȝesg. m.145, fasted. m., rihte 28, dieuliched. f.11, mannliche 10, michele 21, 96, faired. neut.11. The weak declension in the sing. has-ethroughout, unwaren. m.41, unwise 33, eulen. f.81, gode 80, lieue 136, mucheled. m.5, wilde 6, bitered. f.22, ealde 128, soðe 29, &c., godea. m.3, 35, michelea. f.25, littlea. neut.136; exceptions are hali 64, 117, 124, muchel 48. Thepl.strong and weak has-ein all cases, sikeren.12, halied.140, euelea.26, but halin.108, 111, hersum 15, halid.46, 53 are uninflected; comparatives and superlatives are gladderes. n. f.98, eldes[t]pl. d., wisest 118,ānis an. m.91, on 118, anf.66, 126, onea. f.106,nān, nonn. f.71,neut.103, noned. m.10, 11,f.72,neut.32, 134. Adjectives used as nouns are godes. d. neut.72, 134, arsts. a. neut.71, betste 89, god 38, 40, lasse 43, litel 42, godepl. d.150.
The personal pronouns are ic 45 (8), ich 46 (8), me, we, us, þu, (ðat) tu 37, 58, (scalt) tu 87, ðe, ȝew 20. The pronoun of the third person iss. n.hem.4, 7, ?hie 45, hief.108, 109, he 110, hitneut.29;d.himm.7, hiref.110;a.hiem.36,f.5, his 127;pl. n.hie 2;d.hem 56;a.hes 50, 54, 56. Reflexives are me seluen 19, hempl. d.112: possessives, min 57, 79, minepl.76, 79, þin 98, ðines. d. f.57, 90, 91,s. a. m.95,s. a. f.95, tins. a. neut.40, þi 96, ure 23, ȝewer 19, ȝewere 20, his 82, is 93, hire 81, herepl.30, hire 14. The definite article iss. n.ðem.17,f.79, 80, se 81, þatneut.80, 117;d.ðanm.33, 52, ðe 5 (6), ðo 69, ðaref.29 (8), ðe 9, 31, ða 147, ðeneut.64, ðo 100;a.ðanem.3, 53, ðanne 127, ðef.25, 39, ða 4, 9, þatneut.89, ðeinstr.98:pl. n.ða 8, ðe 1;d.ðan 74, ða 21 (3), ðe 46 (4);a.ðe 26, ðo 31. The article is used as pronoun antecedent to relatives, se ðe, he who 19, 65, ðo ðe, those who 1, 2: ðat is demonstrative 17, 33, 64, 80, 102, 121. The compound demonstrative iss. n.þiesf.91, 79 (withneut.bedd);d.ðesem.60, 144, ðesseref.22, 71, 131, ðeseneut.143;a.ðesef.58, 124, þisneut.20, 136:pl. n.þese 73;d.ðesen 119, 120, þese 38, 53, 140;a.ðese 103. The relatives are ðe 1, ðat 37, 60, what, se ðe 148, who; ðe 4 means with which. Interrogatives are hwams. d. f.71, hwat 17, 36, hwilliche 112:ilcais ilches. d. m.52,þyllic, þellichepl. d.36. Indefinites are se ðe 125, whoso; se . . . he 132; hwat hwat 134, whatever, me 113, man 104, 110; feawepl.40; sums. n.113, sumes. d. m.111,pl. a.97; oþress. g. neut.77, oðers. d. f.61, oðrepl. d.108; ilkes. n. m.130, alches. d. m.139; auriches. d. neut.130; ani 35 &c.; maniȝess. g. m.145,neut.12, manies 117, maniȝepl. n.12, manie 119, maniȝepl. d.55,pl. a.4, 119; alls. a. m.6,f.39, als. a. neut.37, allepl. n.14, 129, alrepl. g.71, allepl. d.14 (7),pl. a.137.
Infinitives of the second weak conjugation, except watrien 79, end in-in, andin 122, folȝin 44 (3), rixin 110, all others in-en,-ien, berȝen 140,beseken 97, herien 143, except berȝin 138, herborȝin 115. Thedat. inf.is not inflected; to laten, to libben 88, to speken, to þennken 49 are virtually nominatives. Presents ares.1. beseche 58, habbe 56; 2. hauest 53, lokest 47, syncopated are dalst 37, finst 40, hafst 37, latst 48; 3. answereð 51, haueð 45, rixeð 148, tocneð 130, rixið 110, and twelve others, but syncopated forms predominate, hafð 35, sant 127, and nineteen others;pl.1. fareð 21, habbeð 119 (3), speked 73, finde we 83; 3. cumeð 26, stieð 24, wuniȝeð 15, 18, exceptionally folgið 3, seggeð 109, stikð 30;subjunctive s.2. beseke 106, forðbringe 54, heriȝe 149, sette 59, tæche 54, þanke 150; 3. beȝete 125, þurȝwunie 131;pl.1. bledscin, heriȝen 147, hvte we 143, segge we 99, speken 71, þankin 147; 3. forliesen 9, lokien 14, tobreken 27:imperative s.2. becweð 86, sai 94, wand 93; halt 40 for hald;pl.2. hlesteð 17. Past of Strong Verbs: Ia.s.3. cwað 94, iseih 94;pl.1. ȝeseiȝe we 124: Ic.s.3. swanc 4, warð 87, worð 133;pl.3. agunnen 123, swunken 146: III.s.3. forleas 7: IV.s.3. iscop 52: V.s.3. hatte 106, 126. Participles present: Ia. spekinde 112; past: Ia. iseȝen 119: Ic. agunnen 133, ȝegunnen 53, iȝunnen 47, beswonken 136, ȝeborȝen 119, iborȝen 133, ibroiden 28: II. ȝeswiken 57, ȝewriten 23: V. ihoten 29, 128. Past of Weak Verbs:s.1. hadde 46, 47; 3. besouhte 84, ȝeherde 93, hadde 7, sade 75 &c.;pl.3. andeden 123, namden 117. Participles present: liuiende 16, þenchinde 59, wuniende 60; past: betaht 7, ȝeluued 90, icleped 58, ihafd 56, ieiht 96 (geīecan), unbiliefdeadj. s. d.33. Minor Groups: watpr. s.136, wot 137, witenpr. pl.41, wite 2.pr. imp.73; auhpr. s.17; scal 1.pr. s.79, scalt 2.pr. s.38 (3), sculenpr. pl.1, 74, scule 8, scoldept. s.129; miht 2.pr. s.98, 139, maipr. s.34 (3), muȝe 2.pr. s. subj.97, mugepr. s. subj.125, mihtept. s.5 (3), mihtenpt. pl.13 (3), mihtin 122; bieninf.72, 87, am 1.pr. s.59, ispr. s.23, nis 103, bieðpr. pl.2 (4), bienpr. pl. subj.12, 15, 105, be 2.imp. s.39, waspt. s.3, warenpt. pl.77, wærept. s. subj.60, ware 129; wile 1.pr. s.46 (3), wilt 2.pr. s.63 (3), wile 37 (subj.form), wilepr. s.31 (4), willeðpr. pl.16, wile 40 (for willen,subj.form), woldest 2.pt. s.49, woldept. s.82, woldenpt. pl.39; doninf.123, dest 2.pr. s.36, doðpr. s.33, dedept. s.42, dedenpt. pl.121, idonpp.45, 90, don 134.
Dialect:Here, as in the Trinity College manuscript of the Poema Morale, a scribe of the northern border of the South-Eastern area has turned a composition in the dialect of the Middle or Western South into his own, with occasional retention of Southern forms. After a considerable interval his version was copied with little alteration by the three scribes of the Stowe manuscript, for the differences between the sections are mainly graphic and only in a minor degree dialectal. As a consequence, the language of VV is older than that current at the time when thecopy was made; in some respects older than that of MS. T of the PM., as in its representation ofā,ā+g,ā+w. Occasional lapses into OE. forms at the beginning of the manuscript, such as acwellaninf.VV 9/19, daȝas 27/22 (which would have been in OE.dagum), have been thought to point to an OE. original, but they are more probably due to a scribe acquainted with the older native literature.
Vocabulary:Scandinavian are hahte 21, skele 121, sckelewisnesse 107; an OE. borrowing is stieresmann 3: French are carite 29, cariteð 58, hert 35, prophete 75, richeise 88, (stan) roches 31, seruise 130, and probably arche 5: offrin 129 is a pre-Conquest Latin borrowing.
Introduction:The book is imperfect at the beginning, but probably little has been lost. It opens in the middle of a confession by a sinful soul of a formidable array of sins, to which Reason (‘Scadwisnesse,’ 90/62, ‘Ratio,’ 92/135) replies by a series of discourses on the virtues which will help the soul against its vices. The first extract, written by the first scribe, is part of this. The second piece, written by the third hand, concludes the book.
The writer speaks of his work as a compilation from many authors (93/144). The framework of it may have been suggested by S. Isidore’s Synonyma de Lamentatione Animae Peccatricis, wherein Homo and Ratio hold similar alternate discourse (Opera vi. 472), but nothing else. The author appears to have been acquainted with the writings of Hugh of St. Victor (d.1140); he may have borrowed from him (Opera i. 69) the idea of the contest between Mercy and Truth (VV 113), but the influence of the older English literature dominates his style, vocabulary, and mode of thought.
1.hierdes, pastors: comp. ‘þe selue herdes beð þe lorþewes of holi chiriche,’ OEH ii. 39/12; ‘se cyning ⁊ se biscop sceoldan beon Cristenra folca hyrdas,’ BH 45/25.lokin, to take care of, preserve: comp. 4/20; ‘ðe sceaweres ðe lokeden ðe hali burh,’ VV 103/13, 121/11; generally withacc., but ‘to lokin of mine wrecche lichame,’ VV 17/3.⁊= and, 89/28.
2.ute, in the cloister.
3.noe: a type of Christ; the Ark is the Church, a common idea, Ælf. Hom. Cath., ii. 60; OEH ii. 43/4; AR 142/12, but especially beloved of Hugh of St. Victor, ‘Noe significat Christum sive quemlibet praelatum qui in quantum potest facit arcam, id est, aedificat Ecclesiam,’ i. 226.
4.þe, with which: see46/292 note.
5.mihte . . . ȝemaked, was able to complete: the last word is more adjective than participle and its syntax is primitive, comp. ‘hie alle on þoneCyning wærun feohtende oþ þæt hie hine ofslægenne hæfdon,’ AS. Chron. 755A.D.
8.to liue ⁊ to londe: a zeugma,bringenhas its ordinary meaning withto londe, butbringen to liuemeans, preserve alive, without any sense of motion; comp. ‘To lyue God him wolde bringe,’ Gregorius, 269; similarly ‘to liue go,’ escape death, KH 97, where see note for other uses of the same kind. Note the variant in 88/16.
10.For none winde, because of any wind.
11.on, in: comp. 90/66, 93/147; ‘forsakene on godes awene muðe,’ VV 3/2; ‘wakien on godes seruise,’ id. 3/27, and often in this text. See 83/15 note.
13.kennes: see81/80 note.
15.leðebeiȝe, pliant, ready to obey: OE.leoþu-bīege, supple-jointed; the figurative use is noteworthy: comp. ‘leðebeih ⁊ hersum gode,’ VV 109/3: ‘Soð was leðebei,’ id. 113/26.
16.liuiende lande, land of the living: glossed ‘terra uiuentium,’ VV 41/11.
18. ‘Qui vos audit, me audit: et qui vos spernit, me spernit,’ S. Luke x. 16.
20.fullȝewiss: see 32/40.
21.hahte, danger: OWScand. hǣtta; see Björkman, 99.
22.hoc mare magnum: Ps. ciii. 25.bitere: probably from ‘Porro iuxta allegoriam, mare sive stagnum quod cum suis transire desiderat [Dominus], tenebrosus amarusque seculi praesentis accipitur aestus,’ Bede, ed. Giles, xi. 70 (comment on S. Luke viii. 22).
23.Ascendunt&c.: Ps. cvi. 26.
26.deules blastes: comp. ‘Al so al holi chirche, þet is schip icleoped, schal ancren . . . so holde þet tes deofles puffes, þet beoð temptaciuns, hit ne ouerworþe,’ AR 142/12: ‘flante vento diabolicarum suggestionum,’ Hugh of S. Victor, ii. 483.
28.strænges, strands. The expressions ‘rihte ileaue,’ ‘soðe luue’ are of common occurrence; comp. 113/49, 189/435; OEH ii. 47/25, 103/28; Orm 46/1407, and for the latter, Ælf. Lives, i. 354/247. But ‘faste hope’ is unusual; comp. VV 15/27, 39/1. Forhope te, see 178/89.
31.nexin, soften: OE.hnexian: beside the ordinary neschen, OE.hnescian. This text has ‘nexxin,’ 145/33, ‘nexce herte,’ 63/26: these forms do not apparently occur anywhere else.
32.watere of wisdome: suggested by ‘Sitierunt, et invocaverunt te (sapientiam), et data est illis aqua de petra altissima, et requies sitis de lapide duro,’ Wisdom xi. 4. Comp. ‘flowinde wettres of wittie wordes,’ SK 687.ðar . . . to: see 1/3.
33.unbiliefde, unbelieving, as though not possessed of belief: OE.gelīefed, believing, a believer. With 33-44, comp. OEH ii. 29/33-36.
35. The unwise man, if he have any generous purpose, makes shipwreck (on the stone-rock of the unbeliever), because the latter collides with his good will and wrecks it by using such words as these. The figure of the ship and the rock is continued in this sentence; the change of subject in ‘he hert’ is not uncommon.
37.spelleres, talkers, preachers. Forhadede, see 4/20.
38. Holthausen puts a comma after mannen, makingWile ðusubjunctive, if thou wilt, which was no doubt the intention of the author.
39.be trewe mann: equivalent to our, Be a man!
42.te gode: comp. 30/21.
45.Hie&c. Charity has led me into talking about it at greater length than I had intended. Comp. ‘Ich hadde iþoht ðat ic naht ne scolde writen bute of ðese haliȝe mihtes . . . ðanne am ic iladd ut oðerhwile, ær ic hit ouht wite, to oðer þinge,’ VV 53/15.
47.lokest aweiward, avertest thy face: comp. ‘a-weiward his heued heold;[&] nolde hit ihere,’ L, MS. O 8878.
48.heuiliche latst, appearest to be wearied; in common phrase, look bored.
51.me to helpe, for my help: comp. 85/107; 176/24 note.
53.grundwall, foundation: comp. ‘Ne mai no mann leiȝen oðer grundwall’ (= fundamentum), VV 93/30.
54.forðbringe, bring forward, utter; perhaps here, build up on the foundation already laid.
58.halwende, sanctifying, purifying: OE.hālgian, comp. 130/78.
59.for ðan&c., because I am very pensive as long as I dwell in this wretched body: comp. ‘Ðarhwile ðe ðu art,’ VV 75/9, translating ‘Dum es.’ This archaic use of the particle þe is characteristic of the writer: so ‘ðar ðe,’ 91/109, VV 69/25;‘ðarofðe,’ id. 69/26; ‘ðar toðe,’id. 73/15; ‘ðo ðe,’ id. 49/15;ðat, what, in l. 60 is elsewhere ‘þat ðe,’ VV 65/16:Ðas þein l. 63 is for Ðas.
61. Comp. ‘for ðan ȝif hit ne helpð one, hit helpð an oðer,’ VV 53/18.
63.Ðas þe, according to that, according to what you say, so then: adverbial use descended from OE.þæs,gen. sing. neut.of the articlese, with þe annexed, as sometimes in OE.; so too in ‘Harke nu ðe formeste forbysne ðe he mankenn sceawede ðas þe we cunnen understonden,’ VV 49/12, where the meaning is, so far as we can understand. Otherwise þas þe, þes þe is regularly associated in ME. with a comparative adverb, as ‘ðu scalt hauen ðas te more iswink,’ VV 75/4.
65.Qui&c.: S. John viii. 47.
66.on iþanke: comp. 12/4.
67. ‘Qui enim sine humilitate virtutes congregat, in ventum pulverem portat,’ S. Greg. Op. i. 1461. Alcuin quotes with substitution of ‘bona opera agit’ for ‘virtutes congregat,’ Op. ii. 132.
72.wið healden, restrained; which gives an inadequate sense: omit wið, which is due to the preceding wið, the meaning then is, without which (humility) no other virtue can be possessed to any advantage or use. Comp. ‘for ðan hie (humility) is þe swa swiðe nedfull ðat tu ne miht none oðre mihte habben ne healden . . . bute þu ðese habbe,’ VV 53/21. wiðhealden has the meaning, keep company with, associate with, in ‘he is to luuiȝen ⁊ to wiðhealden,’ VV 101/5, 101/10.
73.Wite ðu to soðe, know thou for a truth; a favourite expression of the writer, but with te, not to, as at VV 41/32, 55/23, 59/11, 69/28, ‘wite ðu te fulle soðe,’ 65/22: comp. the variants at 70/158, 76/7, 142/73, 143/75, 91, and, ‘wite ȝe hit to wisse,’ SJ 27/16.ðe . . . spekeð: comp. 81/77.
74.inede, needy persons: comp. the ME. verbs ineden, neden; OE.genīedan.
75.Fuerunt&c.: Ps. xli. 4.
77.Of—teares, of tears of another kind; so 91/101.
78.Lacrimis&c.: Ps. vi. 7.
79. Comp. ‘Sit animae beatae culcitra conscientiae suae puritas: sit cervical aut capitale tranquillitas: coopertorium securitas: et in hoc strato delectabiliter dormiat et feliciter requiescat,’ Hugh of St. Victor, iii. 236.
82.þar of ðe, whereof, of what: comp. ‘Ðar is ðin herte ðarof ðe ðu mæst þenkst,’ VV 69/26.
85.Dispone&c.: Isa. xxxviii. 1. Omit ⁊ beforetu.
86.cwide, legacy.
88.lað: comp. 189/412:richeiseis accusative.
89.dede þat betste, took the best course.
90.for—idon, exerted myself cheerfully for love of thee.
91.god inȝied: referring to Hezekiah’s words, ‘Memento quaeso quomodo ambulaverim coram te in veritate et in corde perfecto.’
93.hamward, on his way home; ‘antequam egrederetur Isaias mediam partem atrii, factus est sermo Domini ad eum, dicens: Revertere,’ 4 Kings xx. 4.Comp.‘þa ða he hamwerd wæs,’ Ælf. Lives, i. 318/181, ii. 150/110; ‘eoten wæs ut-weard,’ Beowulf, 761; ‘þiderward,’ 83/18; ‘þa wes it cud ouer al þe burh þet þe helind wes þiderward,’ OEH i. 3/15; ‘is towerd on worulde,’ Ælf. Lives, ii. 170/28. These expressions are elliptical; farende or the like is to be understood.
94.Vidi&c.: Isa. xxxviii. 5.lacrimam tuam: so Codex Amiatinus. The Vulgate has ‘lacrymas tuas’.
97.muȝe forðdraȝen, art able to produce from thy store; L. depromere.
99.forð mid: see 1/19.Ciba&c.: Ps. lxxix. 6 (adapted).
104.alswa alswa . . . alswa, even as . . . even so.
107.sckelewisnesse, skillwiseness, discretion: OWScand. skilvíss.
108.beheue: comp. 74/225, 127/346: a favourite word of this writer, see VV 99/25, 107/28, 109/8: comp. ‘Geþyld is micel mægen · and mannum nyd-behefe,’ Ælf. Lives, ii. 166/142; ‘hemseluen to unbihefe,’ OEH ii. 121/24.
109.moder: ‘Haec dico ut discretionem, quae omnium virtutum et mater et nutrix est, detegam,’ Ælredi Regula; ‘imetnesse is alre mihta moder,’ OEH i. 101/24; ‘Witerlice meteȝung is alræ mæȝene moder,’ Twelfth Cent. Hom. 90/29.
110.rixinis a mistake due to the preceding rixið: the text, as it stands, must mean, who wills to rule and follow her. hlesten is the word associated with folȝin in VV, comp. ‘for ðan ðe hie nolden godes lare hlesten ne folȝin,’ 61/16, ‘Hlest ⁊ folȝih se ðe wile,’ 77/9.
111.vitas patrum: see pp. 551, 2, ed. Roswey, Antwerp, 1628.sume sal, at a time when a number of the hermits of the Thebaid came to visit S. Antony, ‘perfectionis inquisitione et collationis gratia.’
112.on—cumen: ‘quaenam virtus . . . certe ad Deum recto tramite firmoque gressu perduceret.’
115.annesse: ‘remotiorem vitam et eremi secreta.’ Comp. ‘Munec mai ut-faren mid ileaue in to hermitorie, oðer in to onnesse te wunien,’ VV 73/24. The same word means unity at 93/148.
116.to lokinis syntactically on a level withherborȝin, but has to, because it is separated from ðurh: comp. ‘Hit bieð sume þat non imeðe ne cunnen of hem seluen to feden,’ VV 139/23.
117.on manieskennes wisen: see 81/80 and 132/9.
118.on: S. Antony.Ðurh&c. Holthausen translates, ‘Through all these we have seen and heard a great many saved, and many by all these named virtues perished, becausediscretiofailed them,’ which gives an unsatisfactory sense for the second clause and involves a forced meaning for ‘of’ as equivalent to ðurh (for which the only near parallels in VV are 97/19, 103/3), and a meaning in which it would hardly be used immediately after ‘manie’; ‘inamde’ (elsewhere ‘forenammde,’ VV 15/29) is superfluous. The original is, ‘Omnia quidem haec quae dixistis, necessaria sunt et utilia sitientibus Deum: sed his principalem tribuere gratiam nequaquam nos innumerabiles multorum fratrum casus et experimenta permittunt.Nam saepe vidimus fratres has observationes tenentes repentino casu deceptos, eo quod in bono quod coeperant discretionem minime tenuerunt.’ The English appears to be corrupt: mihten belongs to the former ðesen; the second alle is repeated from the first; under the superfluous inamde lurks the equivalent for repentino casu, which would hardly be overlooked by the translator; perhaps in a munde, in a handwhile, in a moment. The sense would then be, We have seen and heard of very many persons protected (comp. VV 73/7) by all these virtues, and (we have seen) many of these lapse in a moment, because discretion failed them. This meaning of mund is not in the dictionaries, and the evidence for it is slight, but comp. Varnhagen’s note on ‘boten a mounde’ in Anglia, iii. 283. More usual, but less appropriate, would be, in a niede.
125.mugeis subjunctive after se ðe, indefinite, whosoever, as is wile in ‘Weriȝe se ðe wile,’ VV 89/33, but se ðe, he who, is followed by the indicative, ‘se ðe luueð,’ VV 41/7 (= qui diligit), ‘se ðe swereð,’ id. 79/3 (= qui iurat). There seems to be no distinction in meaning between ‘Bie war, ȝif ðu wilt,’ VV 59/2, and ‘Bie war, ȝif ðu wile,’ id. 61/8, but the forms of this verb are confused, see 89/37. Note also the indicative after ‘hwat hwat,’ 92/134.
126.to laten, to be passed over without mention, to be omitted.
127.ðe—to sant, to whom God sends it.
128. This is from S. Gregory, ‘Quia nimirum virtus boni operis perseverantia est; et voce Veritatis dicitur: Qui autem perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit. Et praecepto legis cauda hostiae in sacrificio iubetur offerri. In cauda quippe finis est corporis; et ille bene immolat qui sacrificium boni operis usque ad finem debitae perducit actionis,’ In Evang. Homiliae, ii. 25, § 1. Similarly S. Isidore, v. 427; Alanus, 78. See Lev. iii. 9.
129.alle dier, a subject without a verb; the construction is altered.
132. S. Matt. x. 22, xxiv. 13.
136.beswonken, worked at; like L. elaborare, with acc. as in OE.he it wat&c.: a favourite expression of the author, as VV 21/3, 95/26; ‘He it wot ðe all wot,’ id. 75/2.
137.wissin . . . warnin: so ‘wissedest ⁊ warnedest,’ VV 21/27.
139.twene, doubt: OE.twȳn.
143.Hvte we, let us: comp. 175/422; ‘Wuten we fare,’ VV 23/22.
147.on, in: see 83/15.
149.ne heriȝe: see25/241 note.
151.ofte ⁊ ȝelome: see 32/47.
153.implet: a variant, without authority, for imple.
Facsimile:Palæographical Societyanomalous æ unchangedeabeforer... halt 40 (heald)40,ēaisea...ȝīetis ȝiet 90, 95.text unchanged: apparent error forgīeta+gisaȝ, laȝe 128, 131, forðdraȝen 97forðdragen59. ... ‘ðarof ðe,’ id. 69/26open quote missing‘ðar to ðe,’ id. 73/15close quote missing93. ... Comp. ‘þa ða he hamwerd wæs,’Comp,
Facsimile:Palæographical Societyanomalous æ unchanged
eabeforer... halt 40 (heald)40,
ēaisea...ȝīetis ȝiet 90, 95.text unchanged: apparent error forgīet
a+gisaȝ, laȝe 128, 131, forðdraȝen 97forðdragen
59. ... ‘ðarof ðe,’ id. 69/26open quote missing
‘ðar to ðe,’ id. 73/15close quote missing
93. ... Comp. ‘þa ða he hamwerd wæs,’Comp,