[375]MS. goð.
MS. goð.
[376]wroð?
wroð?
[377]MS. wurð.
MS. wurð.
[378]ledde?
ledde?
[379]quile?
quile?
4004
4004
4008
4008
4012
4012
4016
4016
4020
4020
4024
4024
4028
4028
4032
4032
4036
4036
[380]MS. dat.
MS. dat.
[381]MS. haued.
MS. haued.
[382]quede?
quede?
[383]MS. dor.
MS. dor.
4040
4040
4044
4044
4048
4048
4052
4052
4056
4056
4060
4060
4064
4064
4068
4068
4072
4072
[384]gere?
gere?
[385]MS. cumen.
MS. cumen.
[386]MS. helped.
MS. helped.
4076
4076
4080
4080
4084
4084
4088
4088
4092
4092
4096
4096
4100
4100
4104
4104
4108
4108
[387]MS. oder.
MS. oder.
[388]MS. ðagen.
MS. ðagen.
[389]MS. dor.
MS. dor.
[390]MS. ðeden.
MS. ðeden.
4112
4112
4116
4116
4120
4120
4124
4124
4128
4128
4132
4132
4136
4136
4140
4140
[391]MS. haued.
MS. haued.
[392]MS. beð beð agt.
MS. beð beð agt.
[393]MS. goð.
MS. goð.
4144
4144
4148
4148
4152
4152
4156
4156
4160
4160
[394]? leue.
? leue.
[395]MS. cunen.
MS. cunen.
P. 1. ll.1-2
Man og to luuen ðat rimes ren,ðe Wisseð wel ðe logede men.
Man og to luuen ðat rimes ren,
ðe Wisseð wel ðe logede men.
og, another form ofagh, =ow= ought.ren=run=rune, song, story.
"Nalde ha nanerunesNe nane luuerunesleornen ne lustnen."—(St. Kath. 108.)
"Nalde ha nanerunes
Ne nane luuerunes
leornen ne lustnen."—(St. Kath. 108.)
logede= lay. It is not necessarily unlearned, ignorant, etc., for O.E. writers frequently use the term in contradistinction to clergy. See Ayenbite, p. 197. "Vor all manere of volk studieþ in avarice, and (both) great and smale, kinges, prelates, clerkes, anlewedeand religious."—(Ayenbite, p. 34.)
"And bathe klerk andlauedmanEnglis understand kan,That was born in Ingeland."—(Met. Hom. p. 4.)
"And bathe klerk andlauedman
Englis understand kan,
That was born in Ingeland."—(Met. Hom. p. 4.)
3loken, to take care of oneself, to direct one's course of life, keep from sin. See Ayenbite of Inwyt, pp. 1, 197, 199, 201.
"Ac alneway hit is nyed to leawede menthat hi hamlokivram þise zenne (avarice)."—Ayenbite, p. 31.
"Ac alneway hit is nyed to leawede men
that hi hamlokivram þise zenne (avarice)."—Ayenbite, p. 31.
10ðundis evidently an error forgund= yond, yonder, over. Cp. gu for ðu, ll.365,366.
"&þeondþat lond he heom to-draf (B. & ouer al þat lond he drof heom)."—(Laȝ. i. 68.)
"&þeondþat lond he heom to-draf (B. & ouer al þat lond he drof heom)."—(Laȝ. i. 68.)
12earuermor=eauermor= evermore.14soðe-sagen=soðe-sage=sooth-saw= sooth-saying, true saying.
15-16
Cristene men ogen ben so fagen,so fueles arn quan he it sen dagen.Christian men ought to be as fain (glad)As fowls (birds) are when they see it dawn.
Cristene men ogen ben so fagen,
so fueles arn quan he it sen dagen.
Christian men ought to be as fain (glad)
As fowls (birds) are when they see it dawn.
17telled=telleð= telleth.20devil-dwale= devil-deceiver, devil-heretic = arch-deceiver, arch-heretic. See l.67. Cf.maȝȝstredwale= master heretic = arch-heretic, in the following passage:—
"Off all þis laþe læredd follcÞat we nu mælenn ummbeWassmaȝȝstredwale, an defless þeww,Þat Arrius was nemmnedd."Of all this loathsome learned folkThat we now talk aboutWas an arch-heretic, a devil's serfThat Arius was named.—(Orm. i. p. 258, l. 7454.)
"Off all þis laþe læredd follc
Þat we nu mælenn ummbe
Wassmaȝȝstredwale, an defless þeww,
Þat Arrius was nemmnedd."
Of all this loathsome learned folk
That we now talk about
Was an arch-heretic, a devil's serf
That Arius was named.
—(Orm. i. p. 258, l. 7454.)
23
til god srid him in manliched,till god shrouded (clothed) himself in manhood.srid=sridde.
til god srid him in manliched,
till god shrouded (clothed) himself in manhood.
srid=sridde.
24bote and red, salvation and counsel.25And unspered al ðe fendes sped= undid all the fiend's successful work (luck).26halp= Old and Middle Eng.holp= helped, assisted.
P. 2. l.27Biddi, an error forbidde?
31-34
ðu giue me seli timinge,To thaunen ðis wer[l]des biginninge,ðe, leuerd god, to wurðinge,Queðer so hic rede or singe!Give Thou me a propitious opportunityTo show (declare) this world's beginning,Thee, Lord God, for honour,Whether-so-ever I read or sing!
ðu giue me seli timinge,
To thaunen ðis wer[l]des biginninge,
ðe, leuerd god, to wurðinge,
Queðer so hic rede or singe!
Give Thou me a propitious opportunity
To show (declare) this world's beginning,
Thee, Lord God, for honour,
Whether-so-ever I read or sing!
thaunen=taunen, show, exhibit.
"Ful wel he [Crist]taunedehis luue to man,Wan he ðurg holi spel him wan."—Bestiary (O.E. Miscell. p. 24, l. 767.)
"Ful wel he [Crist]taunedehis luue to man,
Wan he ðurg holi spel him wan."
—Bestiary (O.E. Miscell. p. 24, l. 767.)
The word is very uncommon in O.E. writers. Cp. O.Du.tônen, to show. See ll.1022,2034.wurðinge= for worship, honour.wurðingeis a noun, not a participle or gerund. See l.133.38Ear ðanne= ere that.
41
ðo bad god wurðen stund and stede,When God bad exist time and space.
ðo bad god wurðen stund and stede,
When God bad exist time and space.
43ðrosingseems to be an error forðrosimorðrosem= fog, mist, chaos. Cf.waspenein l.1440, p. 41, where the correct form iswasteme.aðrusemen, to suffocate, occurs in Ancren Riwle, p. 40.
wíte þoliaðhátne heaðo-welmhelle to-middesbrand & bráde lígasswilce eác þa biteran récas,þrosmand þystro,torment they sufferburning heat intenseamidst hell,fire, and broad flames;so also the bitter reekssmoke and darkness.(Caedmon, p. 21, 18.)
wíte þoliað
hátne heaðo-welm
helle to-middes
brand & bráde lígas
swilce eác þa biteran récas,
þrosmand þystro,
torment they suffer
burning heat intense
amidst hell,
fire, and broad flames;
so also the bitter reeks
smoke and darkness.
(Caedmon, p. 21, 18.)
45ðu wislike mune= do thou wisely bear in mind.47hin=hine= him.48or, another form ofar, = ere, before.49-56 The meaning of these lines may be expressed as follows:—"And of them two [God the Father and God the Son] that dearly love, who wield all here and above,proceedsthat holy love, that wise will [the Holy Ghost], that wieldeth all things with right and skill [reason]. Might bad with word light exist; also that might [the Holy Ghost] wieldethholy consolation, for there are three persons and one counsel, one might, and one godhead."54Hali froure= holy comfort, an allusion to the office of Holy Ghost as the comforter.
"Hire uoster moder wes an þefrouredehire."
"Hire uoster moder wes an þefrouredehire."
= Her foster mother was one who comforted her.—(St. Marherete, p. 8.)58o sunde[r] sad=on sunder shad, i. e. a-sunder shed = divided apart, separated. It still exists inwater-shed, Ger.wasser-scheide. Cf. l. 116. See Hampole's Pricke of Conscience, p. 271, l. 32. Cp. "theschedyngeof tonges." (Trevisa's Translation of Higden's Polychron., p. 251.) "The longages & tonges wereischad& to-schift."—Ib. p. 251.
P. 3. l.63ðis walkenes turn= this welkin's course. See l.79.64quuad=biquuad= bequeathed, ordained. See l.117.
69
And euerilc wunder, and euerilc wo.And every evil and every woe.
And euerilc wunder, and euerilc wo.
And every evil and every woe.
Wunder= misfortune, evil. S.Saxonwundre, mischief, hurt.
"hare lust leadeð ham to wurchen towundre."= their lust leadeth them to work to mischief.—(St. Marh. p. 14.)
"hare lust leadeð ham to wurchen towundre."
= their lust leadeth them to work to mischief.—(St. Marh. p. 14.)
(See Sir Gawaine and the Green Knyght. Ed. Morris, l. 16.)
71-72 Our ancestors had some strange chronological theories. In the Cursor Mundi we read that Adam was made atundern-tide, atmid-dayEve was drawn from his side, and atnoonthey both ate the apple, and were thus only threetidesin bliss.[396]
73
ðis ik(ilk?)wort in ebrisse wen.
ðis ik(ilk?)wort in ebrisse wen.
This same word is in Hebrew opinion (tradition). The true form iswene, "a wene" = in supposition. See Laȝ. l. 18752; Orm. l. 4326; Owl and Nightingale, l. 237.
77a-gon=agen= again.78a-gon= gone. It is our wordago. Grammarians, therefore, altogether err in making theainago= the prefixal elementge(y) as in yclept.agonandago= the A.Saxonagán=af-gán, gone by, past. We have abundant examples in O.E. writers of the verbagon(ago) = to go. The past participle isagonorago, in conformity to the rule that the past participles of verbs with this prefix donottake the initialy.81o france moal; in French speech;moal=mel= speech. S.Saxonmælenn, to speak. See Orm. vol. i. l. 99, 253.molalso signifies tribute. See O.E. Hom. 2 S. p. 179; O.E. Miscell. p. 151, l. 161.87tellen= reckon.88or=ar= first.
P. 4. l.102
It hiled[= hileð]al ðis werldes drof.= It surrounds (encloses) all this world's drove (assemblage).
It hiled[= hileð]al ðis werldes drof.
= It surrounds (encloses) all this world's drove (assemblage).
drof= A.S.dráf, company.
105
Til domes-dai ne sal it troken.Till doomsday it shall not fail.
Til domes-dai ne sal it troken.
Till doomsday it shall not fail.
troken= S.Saxontruken, O.E.trokie.
"Ah for nauer nare teonenNulle we þetrukien."But never for no injuryWill we fail thee.—(Laȝ. i. p. 186.)
"Ah for nauer nare teonen
Nulle we þetrukien."
But never for no injury
Will we fail thee.
—(Laȝ. i. p. 186.)
"Ah nauest þu neuere nenne mon.. . . . . .Þe cunne wærc makien.Þe nauere nulletrukien."But thou hast never no [any] man. . . . . .Who can make a work,That never will fail.
"Ah nauest þu neuere nenne mon.
. . . . . .
Þe cunne wærc makien.
Þe nauere nulletrukien."
But thou hast never no [any] man
. . . . . .
Who can make a work,
That never will fail.
The later copy reads "þat neuere nolletrokie." See St. Kath. 1814.
107suuen=shoven, i. e. thrust, prest, driven.
111oo= O.E.aa=ai= ever.
119birðheltre, fruit tree, frombirðel, fruitbearing. Adjectives in-el,-ol, are not uncommon in O.E. See O.E. Hom. 2 S. p. 131.
Cp. "ðare bwys bowys all forbyrtht."Their boughs bend all for fruit.—(Wyntown, i. p. 14.)
Cp. "ðare bwys bowys all forbyrtht."
Their boughs bend all for fruit.—(Wyntown, i. p. 14.)
124-5fodme. When we find, as on p. 2, l.43,ðrosingforðrosim,we must not be surprised at learning thatfodmeis an error forfodinge, production; A.S.fadung, dispensation, order, production, fromfadian,gefadian, to dispose, order, produce. "Hwæt is se Sunu? He is þæs Fæder Wisdom, and his Word, and his Miht, þurh þone se Fæder gesceop ealle þing andgefadode."—(Ælfric—"De Fide Catholica"—Thorpe's Analecta, p. 65.) "An Scyppend is ealra þinga, gesewenlicra and ungesewenlicra; and we sceolon on hine gelyfan, forþon þe hé is soð God and ána Aelmihtig, seðe næfre ne ongann ne anginn næfde, ac hé sylf is anginn, and hé eallum gesceaftum anginn and ordfruman forgeaf, þaet hí beon mihton, and þæt hí hæfdon agen gecynd, swa swa hit þære godcundlicanfadungegelicode."—(Ibid, p. 63.)
125quuemeðen=quemeden, pleased. See l.86.
P. 5. l.133
walknes wurðinge, and erdes [erðes?] frame.welkin's glory and earth's advantage.
walknes wurðinge, and erdes [erðes?] frame.
welkin's glory and earth's advantage.
frame= advantage, gain, profit. See Handlyng Synne, ll. 5, 4249.
"Twifold forbisne in ðis der [the fox]Toframewe mugen finden her."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 14, l. 425.)
"Twifold forbisne in ðis der [the fox]
Toframewe mugen finden her."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 14, l. 425.)
"Summwhatt icc habbe shæwedd ȝuwtill ȝure sawle nede,ȝiff þat ȝe willenn follȝenn itt& ȝuw tillframeturrnenn."—(Orm. vol. i. p. 31.)
"Summwhatt icc habbe shæwedd ȝuw
till ȝure sawle nede,
ȝiff þat ȝe willenn follȝenn itt
& ȝuw tillframeturrnenn."—(Orm. vol. i. p. 31.)
"Manne frame= men's advantage."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 2, l. 39.)
"Manne frame= men's advantage."—(O.E. Miscell. p. 2, l. 39.)
"Jhesu, do me that for thi nameMe liketh to dreȝe pyne ant shameThat is thy (the?) soule note antframe,Ant make myn herte milde ant tame."—(Lyric Poetry, p. 71.)
"Jhesu, do me that for thi name
Me liketh to dreȝe pyne ant shame
That is thy (the?) soule note antframe,
Ant make myn herte milde ant tame."—(Lyric Poetry, p. 71.)
134
He knowned (= knoweð) one ilc sterre name.He alone knoweth each star's name.
He knowned (= knoweð) one ilc sterre name.
He alone knoweth each star's name.
135He settes= He set (placed)them. Cf. l.156, wherewroutis= wroughtthem. The pronounisores= them. See Prefaces to Ayenbite of Inwyt, O.E. Hom. 1st and 2nd SS.136ðis walkne went= this welkin's course. See l.63.141bi mannes tale= by man's reckoning.143egest=hegest= highest.ðe sunnes brigt= the sun's brightness.145moneð met, measure of a month. Cp. O.E.metwand.148Reke-fille(see l.3136) =reke-filleð(cp. O.E.winter-fylleð= October. See Menologium, p. 62, ed. Fox), April (the vapoury or watery month).
155
wel wurðe his migt lefful ay.Well worth his might ever holy!
wel wurðe his migt lefful ay.
Well worth his might ever holy!
Cf. "wo worththe day!" etc.lefful= O.E.geleáfful, faithful, holy. O.E. Miscell. p. 23, l. 713.160eruerilc=eauerilc= every.162his flotes migt= his floating (swimming) power. Cp. "a flote,"a float, Rob. of Brunne, p. 169, l. 13.163ðen= to prosper, be successful. Cf. the O.E. phrase, "so mot Ithe."164tuderande= propagating, fruitful.