Skeat, Walter William
Twelve facsimiles of old
English
TWELVE FACSIMILES
OF
OLD ENGLISH MANUSCRIPTS
WITH TRANSCRIPTIONS AND AN INTRODUCTION
BY THE
REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, Lrrr.D.
LL.D. EDIN., M.A. OXON.
ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
You read the book ? . . . .
O ay, it is but twenty pages long,
But . . . every square of text an awful charm,
Writ in a language that has long gone by.
TENNYSON : Idylls of the King
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
MDCCCXCII
Ojrfotft
PR1XTED AT THE CLARENDON PRFSS
V MVAACK MAHr. miXTNM To TM I NIVERSITY
z
/5
NT0 IN ENQUNO.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PAGE
i. Prefatory remarks. 2. Chronology. 3. Forms of the Letters. 4. Use of
Capitals. 5. Word-division. 6. Abbreviations. 7. Modes of Correction. 8. Errors.
9. Accents. 10. Ligatures. n. Punctuation. 12. Glosses. 13. Conclusion . 5-12
PLATES AND TRANSCRIPTIONS
I.
MS. HATTON 20. King Alfred's Translation of Gregory's 'Pastoral Care' . . . 14
II.
MS. JUNIUS ii. The Anglo-Saxon Version of Exodus, in alliterative verse . . . 16
III.
MS. LAUD 636. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Peterborough MS.) . . . . 18
IV.
MS. JUNIUS i. The Ormulum . 20
V.
MS. LAUD 471. Old Kentish Sermons . . 22
VI.
MS. I ARCH. I. 29, in Jesus College, Oxford. A Moral Ode 24
VII.
MS. LAUD. Misc. 108. Havelok the Dane .... ... 26
VIII.
MS. DOUCE 370. Wycliffe's Bible (earlier version) 28
IX.
MS. LAUD. MJSC. 581. Piers the Plowman (B-text, or second version) . . 30
X.
MS. FAIRFAX 1 6. Chaucer's Legend of Good Women 32
XL
MS. ASHMOLE 44. The Wars of Alexander . 34
XII.
MS RAWLINSON POET. 163. Chaucer's Balade to Rosemounde 36
INTRODUCTION
T. THE series of facsimiles included in the present volume is designed to
put the student of Old English in a better position for understanding the subject.
No text can be thoroughly understood without some knowledge of palaeography,
because it is often desirable to test an editor's faithfulness and competency. In no
other way can we tell whether, in a difficult passage, a proposed conjectural
emendation is entitled to consideration. There are many small points of scholarship
that can only be acquired by a study of the original MSS. themselves ; and, for
those who have not the opportunity for such study, the best substitute is to become
familiar with the old forms of writing by the help of such facsimiles as are here
collected.
In the course of the following remarks, I assume that the meanings of the
words employed are known, or that they can be discovered by use of the usual
books of reference, such as Bosworth and Toller's Anglo-Saxon Dictionary,
Stratmann's Middle-English Dictionary, and the Concise Middle-English Dictionary
by Mayhew and Skeat ; all published by the Clarendon Press.
In most cases, the usual editions have their own glossaries. Such is the case
with Earle's edition of the Chronicle, the edition of the Ormulum by White (1852)
and by Holt (1878), and most of the other works referred to in the heading to
each of the transcriptions. The extracts numbered V, VI, and VII, have been
specially chosen as being all of them extant in Morris's Specimens of English,
Part I. I shall therefore assume that the sounds of the symbols and the meanings
of the words are understood or can be made out, and I confine the following
remarks solely to the consideration of the forms of the letters and the modes
of writing adopted by the scribes.
2. CHRONOLOGY. The plates are arranged in the chronological order of the
handwriting, irrespective of the date of composition. Hence Chaucer's Balade to
Rosemounde comes last, as being in a late MS., though it may have been composed
earlier than the Romance of Alexander. The dates are, in each case, indicated.
We may allot Plate I to the 9th century; Plate II, to the loth ; III and IV, to
the iath; V, VI, and VII, to the 1301; VIII and IX, to the i4th ; and X, XI,
and XII, to the I5th. The last is probably but little older than the date (1477)
of the introduction of printing into England.
6 INTRODUCTION.
3. FORMS OF THE LETTERS. There are two distinct kinds of hand-writing in
Old English MSS. The first, often called Anglo-Saxon (A. S.), is really of a Celtic
type, and was borrowed from the Britons, who, in their turn, borrowed it from the
Romans, though not without imposing upon it some peculiarities of their own. Roughly
speaking, this hand appears in Plates I-IV. The second type is Anglo-French (A. F.),
being a hand-writing brought in by French scribes, and due to a French modification
of the Latin alphabet. This appears in Plate V, and in all MSS. of later date.
Observe that both are modifications of the same alphabet, i. e. of Latin. The latter
adopted some letters from the former, as will appear.
Leading differences between the two types are easily perceived. The A. S. a
disappears in A. F. The A. S. g has a zed-like form, but the A. F. g is closed at
the top, as in modern type. The A. S. g was, however, adopted in A. F. as an
additional symbol, being used (initially) for the sound of y, and (medially or finally)
for the sound of the guttural also written gh ; it is usually denoted, in editions, by 3,
though y or gh may be substituted for it, if thought to be more convenient. For
examples, see the 'closed' A. F. g in gode, v. a r 1 ; $ede ( = yede), in ix. 31 ; my$te
(=myghte), ix. 33. So also #25 (=nigh), viii. a 10 ; but it is proper to remark
that the symbol 5, when final, occasionally means z. Note the hard g in godess, iv.
a 9, as distinct from that in lawless, the following word.
Again, the A. S. f is peculiar, coming below the line, and having a split at the
top, as in ofer, ii. 2 ; the A. F. /was at first wholly above the line, as in for, v. a 2 ;
yet in Plate IV, we observe that the / (though like the A. F. form) comes below the
line still. In late MSS., it is much prolonged, as in after, ix. i ; &c.
Other characteristic letters are r, s, and w. The A. S. r is unmistakeable, re-
sembling that still used in printing Irish ; see gretan, i. 2 ; ofer, ii. 2 ; Turolde, iii. i ;
forr, iv. a i. In A. F. writing it disappears, and two new forms take its place; observe
the difference between the r in Star (v. a i) and wer- (in the same line). The former
of these is common in final positions, especially after o ; see for, v. a 21 ; wer ef ore,
v. b 14; bore, v. b 17. In late MSS., both forms often go below the line; see
piercs, ix. 2 ; namore, ix. 5 ; here, xi. i.
The symbol s varies considerably, assuming four distinct forms. The true
A.S. s is like A. S. f, only without the middle stroke; compare the s in biscep
(i. 2) with the / in warferti, the preceding word. This s disappeared early ; it only
occurs in i, ii, and iii.
There was also a long 'f;' see the exaggerated specimen in 'ftondan,' i. 15.
This persisted throughout, but in late MSS. it commonly has no small tag or 'tick'
to the left of it ; see ' ferve,' x. 3. A third s is the familiar twisted s (s) seen in
modern type; it first appears in iv ; see shcewenn, iv. a 10. It sometimes assumes
a very loose form ; see is, viii. a 25, as compared with hous, two lines above. But
this is not all; there is a fourth form in late MSS., much resembling the Greek a- ;
see sauter, ix. 9, and the remarkable examples in metis, xi. 4, ancs, xi. 7, &c. All three
1 By ' v. a i ' is meant Plate V, column i, line i. The symbol b denotes column 2.
IXTRODUCTIUX. 7
A I . forms were in use at once; sec cfssen, s&wyng, and pi f res, all in the same line,
ix. 4.
Most marked of ;ill is the difference between the A.S. w, and the A. F. w (or
double ?'); sec wwv///;//, i. i,word t ii. 3, yware, iii. ; iv. a 8, on the one hand,
and a 3, on the other. The A. S. w occurs (a very few times) in Havelok,
about A.I). 1300, but is never found after that date.
In A. S., we have two forms of ///, viz. J> and 5. The latter disappeared at the
close of the I3th century, but the former persisted till the i5th, though even in the
1 4th century it was difficult to distinguish it from y. Hence many blunders have
\ in printed texts. The student should trace this for himself. Note also ///, as
in sfit/i, ix. 9 ; and even <///, as in hatedlt, v. b 22. In the later MSS. several letter-*
loops ; sec the b in bcly, ix. 5 ; the d in day, ix. i ; the / in shal> ix. 6.
The looped v, as in vse, xi. i, is sometimes very like a b, and editors have been
known to confuse them. Dire confusion has often resulted from the likeness of // to u.
Thus wounde in xii. 7 might be ivonude, as far as the writing is concerned ; and so in
many other places.
Very often a c resembles a /, and editors have confused them. The / in with,
ix. 23, is not very different from c, and the resemblance is sometimes still closer.
There is a kind of that is written backwards, common in the ijth century; see
the e in ]*c and hauc, ix. i. If ill written, it may be mistaken for o. Other pecu-
liarities may be observed. It is well, perhaps, to repeat that the mistakes of editors
mostly arise from confusing // and n (this is common), c and / (not uncommon),^ and /
(also common) ; and sometimes e and o, or b and v. Four consecutive downstrokes
may mean ;///, /;//, //#, or tin ; for the slanting stroke that answers the purpose of
the modern * dot,' for distinguishing i, is sometimes absent.
4. Usi; OF CAPITALS. In early MSS., capitals arc scarce. It is quite common
to find them absent from the beginning of proper names. Thus, in ix. 2, 4, 20, 22,
pieres (Piers) has no capital ; and many other examples may be found.
On the other hand, capitals are sometimes found in the place of small letters.
This is particularly the case with initial a and r. See A/, As, At, An, xii. I, 2, 6, 7 ;
Ruby, Renell, xii. 4, 6. Compare Pyk for pyk, xii. 17, with tristam for Tristam, xii. 20.
Again, compare /// for /;/ (perhaps written as being more distinct), i. 4. with angel
for Angel in the same line. The habit of beginning lines of verse with a capital
letter appears early, viz. in the Ormulum, Plate IV. It is worth notice that the
capital / frequently resembles ff, which accounts for such a ridiculous spelling as
ffrench, &c., in modern names. Sec I-'orsot/ic, viii. b 30. In ix. 12, Luke begins with
a capital L, denoted by a curl on the left.
5. WORD-DIVISION. In early MSS., there is a tendency to run words together.
The Ormulum (PI. IV) is so closely written that some modern hand has inserted
short perpendicular strokes above the lines to separate the words, as in a ly ///
drihhtiiiwiffsklp* In Plate I, observe how the symbol for and is joined on to
freondlice and to ic in 1. 3 ; at the end of the same, the preposition OH is joined to
g INTRODUCTION.
the ge of gemynd. In the same, the conjunction ge is joined to godc.undra (1. 4), to
wornld (1. .5), to mid (1. 9), and to jw (1. 10). I follow these peculiarities in the
transcriptions, which accordingly require some 'editing' to make them readable as
'texts.' Observe noman for no man, viii. a 6, and the like.
On the other hand, it is usual, in A. S. texts, to sunder the component parts of
compound words; and it is very convenient to represent this, in printing 'texts,' by
the use of a hyphen. Thus angel cynn (=Angelcynn) may be printed Angel-cynn,
i. 4. So also ge woriild-ctmdra, i. 5 ; ge-saliglica, i. 5 ; hyr-sumedon, \. 7 ; on-weald,
i. 8; Innan-bordes, i. 8 ; ge-hioldon, i. 8 ; diowot-domas, i. n ; utan-bordes, i. 12 ; under-
stondan, i. 15 ; cerend-gewrit, i. 16. So also i-herd, v. a 31 ; wer-bi, v. b zi ; for-biet,
v. b 24. Words are often cut in half at the end of a line ; see hif-lice, i. 2, 3 ; on
ge-mynd, i. 3,4; angel-cynn, i. 5; scol-don, i. 1 1 ; eng-lisc, i. 15; folc-toga, ii. n ;
mod-gum, ii. 13; *-/, ii. 14. The inconvenience of this led to the use of a hyphen
at the end of a line ; we already find one in cnfomd-ga, ii. 17; and see the ends of lines
12, 13, 15, 17 in PI. III.
6. ABBREVIATIONS. Methods for abbreviating words by the use of curls, &c.
to denote omitted letters, are very common in Latin MSS., and some of these methods
were introduced into English, especially in the later MSS. The following are so
common that they should be learnt. The transcripts are here of great service, as the
letters denoted by ' marks for contraction ' are printed in italics.
A hook, like }, originally =Lat. et\ hence = E. and\ denoted in the transcripts
by and or &; see i. 3, &c. In later MSS., a kind of t (for et] is used with a bar
across it and above it ; see viii. a 10, 41 ; and cf. ' &c.' in ix. 26. A debased form
occurs in xi. 4.
= )-#/, or \et, or \at (all = mod. E. that] ; see \cet, ii. 15 ; \et, iii. i, written ' J?et ' in
iii. 4 : \att, iv. b 19. Also written J?*, viii. b i ; also, with )? like y, resembling y*, xi.
6. Cf. |> e , written like y e , xi. 7. Also J? u = J?0u, viii. a 3, 33.
Other contracted words are w*=w/t^, xi. n, 18; q*=quod, ix. 4. The latter
is even written q (with a bar), xi. 3.
In xpcs ( = c/instcs), iii. 4, the ;tr=Gk. x , the / = Gk. />, so that xp=chr ; we have
only to supply ist to complete the word.
In ihu ( = imi), v. b 16, the *'=mod. E. J, the /i = Gk. H = E. e\ we have only
to supply s. Many books ignorantly render this Gk. H by mod. E. h.
NUMBERS written in roman characters usually have a dot both before and after
them: hence .ix. = 9 (A. S. nigon, 1115011), iii. 21.
LATIN WORDS are very much contracted; in v. b 29-32, we find: Quod twbis
/rcstare r/ignetur /er (Srv.). Z>omi;//ca secunda post octabzs . . . Sermo euangelica,.
In printing Latin words, it is usual to use italics; hence the letters in roman type
are the ones which have to be supplied. Cf. ambulautw, ix. 3 ; non, ix. 3 ; ^uonia^,
W/V//MI, ix. 3 ; rwm, ix. 26 ; &-<:., ix. 26.
In iii. 6, we find ' j>oii ' = ]>one ; not uncommon in A. S.
M, N. A stroke over a vowel signifies m or n (the latter is very common). Cf.
INTRODUCTWX 9
ix. 3; twn, ix. 3. Hence na = naw, Hi. 4; hl = hiw, iii. 7; teple=te*fple. viii.
'/ 4 ;,. Also ad = a//d, v. <i n, ma = maw, v. 14. Examples are numerous, and easily
found by consulting the transcriptions.
In late MSS., the stroke, when occurring over on, practically means u ; thus
pardon = pardoi/n, ix. 3.5. The explanation is, that n is miswrittcn for u ; hence
pardon = pardou = pardou* ; cf. secoude = sccouwdc, viii. (title). This led to the
addition of an idle (useless or unmeaning) bar or curl over final m or *, as in
whilom, x. 19; ]>am, xi. I; goon, x. 14.
K. R is often omitted, and its nearest vowel written above the line. Hence a
roughly written a, above the line, means ra ; as in traytour, vii. b 16. In this case
the a is badly made; it is often much more distinct.
Similarly, an upward curl (as 9 ) loosely written for the ' backward ' e, means cither
er, or re ; in the latter case, chiefly after a p. See \>er, viii. a 6 ; mircyes, viii. a jX ;
goumiowr, xi. 17 ; v^rtuse, xi. 9 ; manrr, xi. 4 ; neurr, xii. 17. A cross-stroke is used
instead of the curl in h^rte, xii. 10 (cf. herte, viii. a 17) ; and in ser, xi. 15. Examples
of pre occur in pr^yen, viii. a 13; prayers, viii. a 26, 40; pr^stis, viii. a 34, 45;
pr*ysede, viii. b 9; pfrysen, viii. b 23; prrche, ix. 22. In xi. 16, Alex/r really
means Alexander. Very rarely, re occurs after letters other than p ; as in gr^yfede,
vii. b 30.
A small undotted i above the line means ri ; as in cristess, iv. a 7 ; crist, viii.
<* 37-
A curl, of a form which arose from a roughly written v (for w), signifies ur ; as
in turned, viii. a 10 ; fowrme, xi. 10 ; gouernour, xi. 17; 3o//r, xii. 4, n, 23. But in
the last of these instances, the curl has been turned into a fairly good r.
The use of the e-curl ( 5 ) for re, after/, came from the fact that there was already
a Latin mode of writing per. It was done by drawing a horizontal stroke through the
tail of the /. See p^rlement, x. 6. This symbol also meant par ; so that this word
may also be read parlement. Cf. p^ralipomenon, viii. (title). A similar stroke through
the tail of p, but made to curl round, denoted pro. See pr^phete, ix. 8 ; propre, ix. 36.
S. A final curl, like -R, signifies es in Southern, and is in Northern MSS. See
jeld/V, xi. 2 ; sitter, xi. 15 ; fand;>, xi. 28. The last of these is cramped and in-
distinct.
A final curl, very like 9, signifies us ; as in ajeinwj, viii. a 20 ; fiwgwj, viii. b 37.
FINAL E. Many final letters, in some MSS., have tags or tails which are frequently
meaningless, but sometimes mean final e. This is a difficult point. There is one
clear case in trouag^, xi. 8. In the same MS., a curl after r sometimes denotes final
c\ see herr, xi. i; )>are, xi. 5 (doubtful). Cf. gernerr, ix. 17. Note also att=alk,
xi. 16; witt=wilk, xi. 28. Some Northern MSS. have ett=ellw (else). Other con-
tractions are Ph = Phi'/#, xi. 12; d'd = d/d, viii. a 38.
Another mark of contraction (not here used) is n. for com or con, in such words
as comfort, ^wzseil.
7. MODES OK COKRKCTION. Letters that have been accidentally omitted
io INTRODUCTION.
may be inserted above the line. In geworuld cundra (=ge woruld-cundra), in i. 5,
the d is inserted, and three dots are placed below, to mark the place of insertion.
In i. u, the word don is supplied, its place being marked by a comma below it.
So gold, Hi. 20. Cf. wel, vil a 25; Vncloped, vii. a 28. In Plate IV, a large
number of doubled letters are supplied above the line ; the first word stands for
forr. In iv. a 17, a syllable has been blotted out; it is supplied at the side, with a
guide-line to shew the place. In v. a 11, Jtet is supplied above the line, with two
commas beneath it; see also v. b 2. In xii. 21, be is supplied, and in xii. 22, am is
supplied ; both are above the line, with the usual modern angular mark beneath them.
In order to expunge or exptinct, i.e. to delete a letter, it was usual to write a
dot below it; hence the term. In ii. io,forgeaf\s corrected to forgef, by a dot both
below and above the a. In v. a 27, ileke is corrected to like by a dot above the e ;
yet ileke occurs again, v. b 22, 23,^' The MS. of Piers Plowman (PL IX) is corrected
with minute care, and seems to be an autograph of the author. Observe the large
light cross in the margin opposite line 8, marking a correction ; a letter has been
carefully erased after payn. In vii. a 34, the word fie is expuncted ; in vii. b io, ig
is altered to i. Large initial letters were often added afterwards by an illuminator,
in gold or colours. The original scribe often wrote a small letter in the margin
to guide him. See )?, s, j> in the margin of vi. The last is an error for p ( = w) ; and
the illuminator was misled accordingly. See also J? in the margin of vii. a 18.
H. ERRORS. Scribes are sometimes careless ; but usually less so than editors
say they arc. After all, errors remain. I note the following. Havelok (PL VII)
seems to have been written out by a scribe whose native language was Anglo-French,
and who found the English sounds difficult to render. He writes wat for what, vii. a 4.
The final ht or ght was a difficulty ; for maht, he has mayth, vii. a io, and Mait, vii. b
13 ; for brought, he has brouth, vii. a 18 ; for nought, nouth, vii. a 17 ; for poughte,poucte,
vii. b 15 ; for light, lith, vii. a 32. For with, he has wit, vii. b 24, 25 ; for seyth, seyt, a 16.
The Eng. final / seemed to him to be aspirated; hence he writes woth for
wot, vii. a 22 ; Goddoth for Goddot (God wot), vii. a n. His h was weak ; hence efen
for //</<//, vii. b 14. Downright blunders are these. He omits r in fierwith, vii. a 8, 9,
and in denemark, a 35 ; also J* before keuel, a 6. In b 25, he omits and geet (and
goats) after swin. In vii. b u, he puts a stroke over u in galues\ this probably
means that he wished he had written galwes ; d.galwe-tre, vii. b 19.
In vi. 34, Hs is an error for Wis. In viii. b 28, 39, yrael should be ysrael, as in
i. b 4. In xii. 8, Thoght should be Thogh, as in xii. 16, 24. In xii. 11, semy is
an error for sernly (omissions are common). In xii. 21, the be is inserted in the
rong place; read rcfreyde be. But the most remarkable error is that of fynall for
. XI J this clearly arose from misreading 'fmall,' with long j, as finall,
.e. from confusing f with /, and m with in-, after which y was written for * because
t was usual to employ .y for * before n. In ii. i^feonda is accidentally repeated
A common source of error is to write down a letter too soon. The imperfect h
(after it), in xi. 22, anticipates the // in his.
INTRODUCTION. 1 1
9. ACCENTS. In A. S. MSS., the sloping stroke or accent usually denotes
vowel-length ; but it is often omitted in early MSS., because readers did not require,
in general, to be told what was the right pronunciation. Examples : hoc, i. i ; lit,
i. 8; we*, ii. i ; d6mas, ii. 3; rid, ii. 6; ece, ii. 9; faraeones, ii. ia; gyrd-wfte, ii.
12; maga, ii. 14; J>, ii. 17; cn<k>-maga (not cnco-mdga), ii. 17 ; &c. But it is
sometimes added over a short i, for distinctness; thus onwfst = onwist, ii. 14; cf.
into, v. a 3, to distinguish it from mto; f, v. a 14. Sometimes the accent denotes,
not vowel-length, but emphasis. This is the case in 6nge mynd ( = 6n gcmynd), i
of laedene 6n englise, i. 16; uprodor ( = up-rodor, with emphasis on /), ii. 21. Vowel-
length is marked by a doubled accent in /if/, iv. 13.
10. LIGATURES. In late MSS., when a compound symbol, as tk, ch t gh,
denoted a single simple sound, some scribes grew into the habit of writing a bar
though the //, or above (or through) both of the letters. This explains the bars in
such words as hath, x. 12, 17 ; ryght, x. 20 ; fyetA, dooth, wyth, x. 36 ; Therwyth, xii. ', ;
thogh, xii. 9; Makyth, xii. 12 ; whych, xii. 19.
n. PUNCTUATION. Many MSS. are not punctuated at all. In Plate I, dots
serve for commas ; a kind of inverted semicolon (f) serves for a longer pause ; and
an ordinary semicolon (;) serves for a full stop, as in 1. 13, and is followed by a
capital letter beginning a new sentence. In PI. Ill, a dot serves for a stop of any
length. In PI. V, we find both the dot and inverted semicolon, with rather indefinite
values. We find the same in PI. VIII, with the addition of a somewhat curiously
shaped comma, as in a 6 (after J*ee) t a 7 (after not), &c. The same plate contains
slanting strokes, used for similar purposes ; the stroke after offryngcs, a 43, is, practically,
a comma, whilst that after lord, b 30, serves for a full stop.
Stops are also used for metrical purposes. Thus, in PI. II, each dot denotes
(usually) the conclusion of half a verse ; but they are occasionally omitted. There
should be one after mi/it (1. 9), and after worhte (1. 21). In PI. IV, every complete
verse properly ends with a dot, as after Icodc (1. i), lakcss (1. 3) ; the half" verse being
marked off with the inverted semicolon. This would seem to be the rule ; but the
scribe constantly loses his place, uses consecutive dots, and then reverses the process.
However, the stops are here, in the first instance, metrical rather than logical. At
the end of a paragraph, as in iv. a 16, we find the semicolon and the stop together,
followed by a paragraph-mark, now usually printed 1. A smaller paragraph-mark
occurs just above, in iv. a 10. The new paragraph in 1. 16 begins with a larger
capital than usual. In Plate VI, every verse ends with a dot, and so does every
/ta!/-verse except the first; there should be one after wes in 1. i. In PI. IX, the
dot marks the end of the half-verse, or the metrical pause ; but is omitted after south
(1. 29). In the last line, it was wrongly placed after prcst t but has been erased ; it
% should come after it. Observe also, in this Plate, the regular use of the paragraph-
mark, at the beginning of every section ; and the use of straight lines to surround all
phrases written in Latin. In PI. X, the medial pause is marked by a slanting stroke
in most cases ; see the transcription.
12
INTRODUCTION.
12. GLOSSES. In PI. I, we find numerous glosses, in later hands, mostly in
Latin. They are of two distinct dates. Thus the gloss sapientes in I. 4 is, probably,
of the 1 3th century or even earlier, but the gloss iubet in 1. 2 is of the i6th or i;th
century. They are easily distinguished. In viii. a 40, we find fiir in the margin, with
reference to fy'r in the text. In x. 3 and x. 19, the scribe has added nota, i.e. 'note
this,' in the margin.
13. The above remarks include the principal points which it concerns the
student to learn ; and he who learns them makes a good beginning. The easiest
page is perhaps PI. IX ; after this, VI and V will not give much difficulty. Plates
V-XII should be studied first ; and when the Anglo-French hand is mastered, Plates
II and III may be attacked, to be followed by I and IV. But some will find I and
II easier than VII, VIII, or XL It is extraordinary how soon many MSS., that
at the first glance look undecipherable, become familiar. I well remember my first
introduction to MSS. I began on a crabbed Scottish MS. of the i5th century, of
unusual difficulty. The first page cost me several hours of hard work, with Mr.
Bradshaw's frequent assistance. In a week, I found it as legible as modern print.
With each new MS., one always has to learn its alphabet ; when this is once done, it
can be read with rapidity, just like a printed book, because the scribes always wrote
uniformly, or nearly so. This is more than can be said of modern handwriting, which
is often shamelessly indistinct.
Oxford is rich in Old English MSS. ; hence it has been found convenient to
choose all the examples but one from MSS. in the Bodleian Library. The twelfth
(PI. VI) is from the library of Jesus College. The librarians are here thanked for
their kind assistance.
It is necessary to add that, owing to the unusual size of the MSS., Plates I
and IV do not shew a complete page. Plate I shews the upper half, and Plate IV
the lower.
Jan. 2, 1892.
FACSIMILES AND TRANSCRIPTIONS
(-4)
3
^4
H s:
O <
CU
s
8
<M UJ
I
w
&
co
<
U
U
<
tf
<
o
o
I
.2
.1
"O
d
O 3
\o o
*t
O fcJO
<L>
II
C>g
&fll
*S 45
&.SI
S =5.
gl-
O <u
<S go -
b
8 J
!
m^
g .a
O to W
tiO o
ii
11
S ^
^
- s
^ ^
c3 en
HI
^5 *-= ^ W
| | $ I
3
U
U
OT rt
. .<u
5
s ^
<u ^ 3 d
^ C -8
!, 8 $
^ d 3 .
g* ^s
c -I ? *
S^.s1
T- d d <u
^
.
-s . -
IJ
H
M
^
|
s'S's a
5rtg.-.y ^ir^Ks v-V 53j j
\O VA. p ^"xfct',lr,F ^ fe'*35 ?r
= l ^fU ?^ g ^j ^ig gsff-J-jJ
g^-f^J.^I Ijr Ic- i" M'
PLATE II
[MS. Junius 11. Late loth century. PARAPHRASE OF EXODUS; lines 1-29.
See Qudmon's Paraphrase, ed. Thorpe, p. 177; Grein, Bibliothek der
angelsachsischen Poesie, vol. i, p. 76.]
*lii.
HW^ET W FEOR AND NEAH
gefrigen haba? * ofer middan geard
moyses domas * wraeclico word
riht ' wera cneorissum in up rodor
5 cadigra gehwam aefter bealu srSe bote lifes
lifigendra gehwam langsumne rsed haeleSuw
secgan gehyre se?e wille * J>one on westenne
wcrode drihten soSfaest cyning * mid his sylfes
miht gewyrSode and him wundra fela. ece alwalda
io in aeht forgeaf he waes leof gode leoda aldor
horse and hrcSer gleaw herges wisa freom folc
toga fara6nes cyn godes andsaca gyrd wfte
band * )>aer him gesealde sigora waldend mod
gum mago reswum his maga feorh onwfst e$
15 Ics abrahames sunum Heah waes \cet hand lean
and him hold frea gesealde waepna geweald wi$
wraSra gryre ofer com mid \y campe cne*o ma-
ga fela feonda feonda 1 folc riht Da waes for
ma si? \cet hine weroda god wordum nxgde ' ]>aer
20 he him gcsxgde so? wundra fela hu )>as woruld
worhtc witig drihten eorSan ymb hwyrft and up
rodor ' gesettc sigc rfcc and his sylfes naman
?one yldo beam asr ne cuSon frod fasdera
M cyn | cah hie fela wiston .
1 feonda M (wrongly) repeated
Jl
y
cetrct>
|MlU--
b|dbl4r^n^prrr cyrj' i
M^ot^ ^fiim luifu^fut i
tn crlrr p^v S&V-"
|'a-|i liim jq-it
7lii
riT
- htiili
i^
ma
^ ^fufrr^
i-
l.un
I
nainan-
Lit-
PLATE III
[MS. Laud 636 (formerly E. 80). About A. D. 1 1 2 1 . ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE ;
history of the year 1070. Ed. Earle, p. 207. Part of the context is
supplied in italics^]
[/it herdon sacgan fet se cyng heafde gifen }et abbot rice an Frencisce\
abbot Turolde waes gehaten and \et he waes fwifte ftyrne man De Abbale
and waes cumen fa in to ftanforde mid ealle hife frencisce
menn fa waef f aere an cyrce weard yware waes gehaten
naiw fa be nihte call fet he mihte fet waeron christes bee and
5 maessahakeles and cantelcapaf and reafes and fwilce litles hwat
fwa hwat fwa he mihte * and ferde fona aer daeg to fon^ abbot
turolde and faegde him \et he fohte hif gri$e and cydde him hu fa
. ullages fceolden cumen to burh * \et he dyde call be f aere
munece 1 raede fa fona on morgen comen ealle fa utlaga .
10 mid fela fcipe and woldon in to fa;;z mynftre and fa munecaf
wi$ ftoden \et hi na mihton in cumen fa laegdon hi fyr
on and for baerndon ealle fa munece husef and call fa tun bu-
ton ane huse fa comen hi f urh fyre in aet bolhrSe gea- 2
tc and fa munecas comen heow to geanef * beaden heo; griS
15 ac hi na rohten na fing geodon into fe mynftre clum- 3
ben upp to fe halge rode namen fa fe kynehelm of ure
drihtncs 4 heafod call of smeate golde namen fa fet fot-
fpurc fe waes under naeften his fote \et waes call of read
golde clumben upp to fe ftepel brohton dune \et haecce
io fc f aer w.-cs behid hit waes call of gold 5 and of feolfre hi namen
) .1 re twa gildene fcrines and .ix. scolferne and hi namen
fiftcnc mycele roden ge of golde ge of feolfre hi namen
J'Jirrc fwa mycele gold and feolfre and fwa manega gerfumas
on fceat and on fcrud and on bokef fwa nan man ne msei o$er
lien faegdon \et hi hit dyden for es mynftres holdfcipe
fyfi^on geden hcow to fcipe fcrclon heom to elig betaehtan
faer fa ealla fa gserfume fa denefcae menn waendon \et hi
fceoldon ofer cumen fa frencisca men fa todrefodon
ealle fa munekcs beleaf faer nan butan an munec he
30 w;ef gehaten Icofwine lange he laji feoc in fa fecrae man
w
2 In margin (faded], Bolh for BolhitJe).
3 /// margin, a hand Dinting. t above the line. gold above the line.
Ill
tnetm J* f*f|nqie an cyficr ymft^ y^afir jntf sefxam.
|cr jvrfuni itptf btc
tm
i
urtajrf (ccolJ^n ctimeti ID lni|iJ> . ^Itf ^f call te fjw
tntiecc furbe |a fcma en ma^iyni annni call r |HL urftfpi
A feU fctpf *j potion tnto jiitnyn^qtt *j |HI tntmfcaf
tid tntltnm tti cutnen- \* \<ttfan fn fyn
nm ane fnift- fvi anncn hi jm^ili ^y|ie tn or lo(Ii A<
te f |>rt mtitieoaf coraen (xo to jwnrf bw^n Iw 5^11
ac fntia jiofrtni tia juriy.T^oikni ttiTo^tnyrj(r|ir cluw
km ttppn>^tKdl5C^uAc-tiamni|>a {HT Icyne/ifltri of tqur
(jnifte^e yar|* un^qt titticn fnf fxxe-
tjo&e' clutnlien ti|>|> n> |nr firpel* Gju4tnmwtieji' ferret
|te |\r|i ikff bcliii* fitr |vtf mil of ;j op faJ^u: . fit namm
a pl^ciie (cjitnef 7* tr'ftotfqinr ^ fit tmmen
mycelc fiobcti -5? of sufoc 5? of fief ppr -
cni (oar fan (qitA *| cm (mU % i IJM tian tnati e men
S^oti jt^cn h5tDfcijK'prf/5cti
(ceot W opqi oitnm ja fjtctia|\4i tnai
ejle (utiituielocf ^telmf {artt tian (main <ui t ntincc fie
i e Luijt- be itft we tti |ia (cqucnum
(20)
PLATE IV
[MS. Junius 1. About A.D. 1200. THE ORMULUM ; part of columns 33 and
34 (incomplete); lines 1155-1 173, and 1213-1230. See Specimens of
English, Part 1. ; ed. Morris, pp. 45~48. Parts of the context supplied
in italics^
[<Sr tar he badd forr alle Jja
jiatt onn himm shollden lefenn
Forr bisscopp fir* forr unnderrpreost & ec\
forr 1 laewedd leode . & mare
waff hiff bede wurrj? / pann
alle J>e33re lakeff . To le-
fcnn . & to clennfenn menn . J
5 Off alle kinne gillte . & tohh
fwa fehh waff )>e33re lac . Bi-
forenn crifteff come . J Drihh-
tin full cweme inn alle J?a .
patt godeff lajheff heldenn .
10 If & nu ice wile shaewenn 3uw
Wi)>J> min drihhtineff hell-
pe. All hu 3e mujhenn lakenn
godd . J Gastlike i gode j?ae-
weff. WiJ>}> all \att iudewisshe
15 lac/ patt 3uw heruppe iff
fhzcwedd ; . f 3iff \att tu foll-
;hcfft fo}> meoclc33c 2 . & fo)>
unnfha)>i3ncffe / pa lakefft
tu drihhtin wij>jj fhep.
ao Gaftlikc 3 i J>ine )?ae\vcff. J
1 Second r above the line ; so also in the case of many
* 33 (' ' c l- 33) prefixed in Lite hand.
[ . . . 6- hafefft get tohh J>u
be gung ' Ellder-}
ne manneff late. J & ha-
3herrlike ledefft te . &
dafftelike . & fa^Bre .-> &
ummbej?ennkefft a33 occ a33 .
5 Hu J?u mihht drihhtin
cwemenn . & lufenn himm . &
dredenn himm.SL hife Ia3heff hal-
denn . J Wi]?]? oxe lakefft
tu drihhtin . Gaftlike
10 i J>ine faeweff.- 1 Swa \att itt
ma33 wel hellpenn ]?e. To
winnenn godeff are . Forr
oxe gaj? o clofenn fdt . J &
sha^dej?]? hife clawweff.
15 purrh whatt he tacneJ^J?
fkill . & fhaed . & witt i gode
]?seweff. & oxe ganngeJ^J?
ha3heli3. J & aldelike la-
19 te|>J? . & 3ife|?]? bifne . off . \att*
\te birr}> all liaghelike & faggre, &c.]
doubled letters. 2 16330 is in the margin.
4 34 (/. e. col. 34) added in late hand.
IV
(22)
PLATE V
[MS. Laud 471. Before A.D. 1250. OLD KENTISH SERMONS; Sermon on the
Epiphany. Leaf 129, back. See An Old Eng. Miscellany, ed. Morris,
p. 28 ; Specimens of English, Part I., ed. Morris, p. 143.]
fet Stor fignefied gode wer-
kes . for afe fe fmech of fe fto-
re wanne hit if i do into f e
ueree and goth upward to
5 fo heuene and to gode ward
Swo amuntet fi gode biddin-
ge to gode of fo herte of fo
gode criftenemawne . Swo we
mowe figge fet ftor 1 fignefieth
10 fe herte . and fe fmech luue of
gode. Li 2 fet Mirre fat if biter y
be )>o biterneffe defendet fet
Cors \>et if mide i fmered . fet
no wcrm nel cow/me i hende . J fig-
15 nefiet fo gode werkes fet is
biter to fo yemerneffe of ure
flcfce. Si Mirre fignefiet uaf-
tinge . for fo luue of gode wa-
kie . go ine pelrimage . uifiti
to fe pourc . and to fike . and to do
alle )>e gode fet me may do for
godef luue . fo ilke fingef fo
bieth bitere to fo wrichede
fleffce . Ac al fo si mirre loket
25 fet bodi fet no werm ne may
f er i hende come . J fo uf defewdet
fo ilcke finges fram fenne .
and fram fc amonefteme;/t
of fo dieule fet ha nc may
30 uf mifdo . Lordingef nu ye
habbet i herd fo fignefiawce
of fo offringes fet maden
fo f rie kingef of hefeneffe to
gode . hye habbet to gode i offred of 3
yure felure . and of yure erfli-
che godef. Ne ne offreth him
5 nacht onlepiliche to day . ac
alle fo daies i fo yere goftliche .
Gold . and Stor . and Mirre . afe
hie habbe i told . Gold . J fore
Gode belaue . Stor . J for holy
10 urifun . Mirre . for gode wer-
and kes . pet bieth f o offringes .
fet ure louerd be feketh aueri-
chedaye fo criftenema;me . and
werefore fe chritt&nman yef haf
15 def . J offeruet fo blifce of he-
uene . And iesu crift fet for
uf wolde an erfe bi bore . and
anured of f o frie kingef of
painime.-' he yeuuf hif grace
20 of fo holi goft in ure hertef
wer bi we moue hatie f o
ileke fingef fet he hatedh .
and lete fo ileke fingef fat
he for biet . and luuie fo ilek
25 f inkes fat he luued . and do
f o ilek fingef fat he hoot . ine
him fo bileue and bidde a;/d
ferui . fet we mowe habbe
f o blifce of heueriche . Quod
30 uobif p. d. /er. 4 /?omi;ca fecunda post
octabas epiphanie . Sermo euan .
6 N up tie facte funt in chana
1 MS. ftors, with s erased. * L\/or Bi ; and fet above the line.
1 of // i offred ; this marks transposition. * Rubric beginning a new sermon.
6 Latin text begins.
Ve
Tud-fbiafcfc fmcdi of f rite
n>
}o>icurnf mrt> TO girt* \\m
-*\v-o flmimtwfi gt>?v biobtit
n> gtrtr of Jolf mr of |o
r (rf unr anb of
rf ir gofrf. l^rnr offnrHi Hit^
1 1 ?
anbfc fmnfiluiu of
li lh arc
f 016 J'tr tf rnftr i fhiorb
Vt.Vfe0\mtiTirl
f irolb.
urtftm Aiinr foi
.yfrl>icrf) ^>o o
IT nir toucrb bf fdbc) (turn
of inr
: of fmi rr |ot>li(ir of hr
time, i n ^ i! i u mfi- (HT- for
iif \*oUr ftn ftj>f bi
to fo
tf fo
\n fifi b irnr ro
. jlc rtl fo i nniTflolur
if ctnUr
of ^K>hoti gnthin iitrbrmf
he fbi l>irr
t>ci- 1 1 1 enflr ami c: fo uflrfffrr
^oildke'jnngwfrmn Crmir-
mib fmm >e*omnftmwc-
of f^ fettle )rlm ur mft^
. 1-wbmgff nu K
!> ilrt:
Vm to bi
Cmit
nb bibfir b
f m o\\ r 1 1 1 br
1
A
pnr ftr firr in dmna
(24)
PLATE VI
[MS. in Jesus College, Oxford; I Arch. I. 29. About A.D. 1250. A
MORAL ODE. See An Old Eng. Miscellany, ed. Morris, p. 37 ; Speci-
mens of English, Part I., ed. Morris, p. 194.]
Tractatus quidam in anglico.
Ch am eldre fan ich wef a winter and ek on lore
Ich welde more fan ich dude my wyt auhte beo more
Wei longe ich habbe child ibeo * a werke and eke on dede
pah ich beo of wynter old to yong ich am on rede
5 Vnned 1 lif ich habbe ilad and yet me fink)? ich lede
Hwenne ich me bifenche ful sore ich me a drede
Meft al fet ich habbe idon is idelneffe and chilce
Wei late ich habbe me bi fouht bute god do me mylce
Veole idel word ich habbe ifpeke feoff e ich speke cufe
10 And feole yonge deden ido * fat me of finchef nufe
Al to lome ich habbe a gult on werke and on worde *
Al to muchel ich habbe i spend * to lutel i leyd an horde *
Beft al fat me likede er nv hit me mys lykef
pe muchel folewef his wil him feolue he bi swikef *
\? Mon let fi fol luft ouer go * and eft hit fe like}?
Ich myhte habbe bet i do heuede ich eny felhfe
Nv ich wolde and i ne may for elde * ne for vnhelhfe
Elde if me bi ftolen on er fan ich hit wifte *
Ne may ich bi feo me bi fore for smoke ne for myfte
ao Erewe we beof to donne god vuel al to frifte
More eye ftondef mon of mon * fan him to cryfte *
f J?e wel ne dof hwile he may hit schal him fore reowe
Hwenne alle men repen schule fat heo ear seowe
Dod 2 to gode fat ye Muwen fe hwile ye beof a lyue
25 Nc lipne no mon to muchel to childe ne to wyue
pe him feolue for yet * for wiue * ofer for childe
He fchal cumen on vuele ftude bute god him beo Milde
s Ocnde vch fum god bi voren him f e hwile he may to heouene
Hctere if on almes bi uoren fane beof after seouene
30 Ne beo fe leouere fan fi feolf fi mey ne f i mowe
Sot if fat if ofer mannef freond more fan his owe
Nc lipne no wif to hire were ne were to his wyue
vor him feolue vych mon fe hwile he beof a lyue
f Pis 3 is fat him feolue bifenkf fe hwile he mot libbe
1 Error for VnnetS. 2 Error for Dot*. 3 Error for Wis.
VI
c
ol&tv >du icfy^cfrt^inctrArtbvltoitlaj*.
din on r,
Irf tcl; b<U>tetW^t1tib>crnic|'iiik| trfi T
id; mel't^fucfje.fuf tfmc trl) 11 ic <l^iv\ .
e iMu^ffe rtu^ cbilrc:
ttljr.r'tnv a^^ to mo laptop
tCpokc, fcoj^c icb ^pcfi*' n
tJb- J'Armc of |MucI)V('
al jdrtiieltke&?ei* nV btr tnc
c miirt/ci ftjlc^cj? fete v^tZ b (cohcc he (M
rtj oil Icr ^i fol lufrotivt- gp 4ub cfr Ijir JV ltke(r.
J cfj tit^dc
t to- tcuc^ id? cur fell
v tc6 ^VoU^nitb me in4^. fm cite' tie fe
DifcoutettfcaefcutJtuoketu 1 to
ue T>\Vue( dice br
of men -I'diilum a)
V
ts\n\-
Dob
co tmicorcite'tte tv ^j-i
euweti on
f *euWcii fuin 0T3& InVoofttt luttt
feccctvifoii ditties Inucttcti lduc tocfc dftct* 6coc
drtfo^ct* twfttinef fi*eon6 -inaicj'dti \n+
(26)
alt. to i.
PLATE VII
[MS Laud Misc. 108. Before A. D. 1300. HAVELOK THE DANE. Leaf 207,
back- lines 632-721. Ed. Skeat (Early Eng. Text Society), p. 20;
Specimens of English, Part I., ed. Morris, p. 232.]
p o was haueloc abltye knaue
H e fat him up and crauede bred
A nd feide ich am ney ded
H wat for hunger wat for bondes
5 p at jm leideft on min hondes
A nd for keuel at j>e lafte
p at in mi mouth was Jmft fafte
Y waf j>e with fo harde prangled
p at i was )>e with ney ftrangled
10 Wei if me J>at Jm mayth hete
G oddoth quath leue y fhal \e fete
H red an chefe butere and milk
I' aftees and flaunef al with fuilk
S hole we fone J?e wel fede
15 L'ouerd in }>if mikel nede
S oth it is ]>at men feyt and fuereth
p cr god wile helpew nouth ne dereth
J> P a//nc fho hauede brouth j> e mete
Haueloc anon bigaw to etc
30 G rundlike and was ful blij?e
C ouj>e he nouth hif hunger MiJ>e
A lof he het y woth and more
F or him hungrede fwipe fore
p re dayes fer biforn i wene
1 . t he no mete j>at waf wel fene
H wan he hauede eten and waf fed
G rim dede make;/ a ful fayr bed
V nclo|>ed him and dede \\\m j?er i;/ne
F or ]>u ful wel bi hetet me
p anne ilaft fpak with J?e
G odard ftod and lokede on him
p oruth like with eyne grim
A nd feyde wiltu ben erl
G o horn fwij?e fule drit cherl
G o hefen and be euere more
p ral and cherl als fou er wore
S hal haue non ofer mede
F or litel ig l do fe lede
T o f e galues fo god me rede
F or fou hauef don a wicke dede
p ou Mait ftonde^ her to longe
B ute f ou fwife efen gonge
Grim foucte to late fat he ran
:
Fro fat traytour fa wicke man
A nd foucte wat fhal me to rede
W ite he him onliue he wile bef e
H eye hangen on galwe tre
20 B etere us if of londe to fle
A nd berwen bofen ure liuef
A nd mine children and mine wiuef
G rim folde fone al his corn
S hep wit wolle neth wit horn
25 H ors and fwin wit berd
p e geef f e he;mef of f e yerd
A 1 he folde fat outh douthe
p at he cure felle moucte
A nd fcyde flep fone with michel wi;/ne A nd al he to }?e peni drou
30 S lep wel' fafte and dred J?e nouth
F ro forwe to ioie art )m brouth
S one fo it was lith of day
G rim it under tok j>e wey
T o j?e wicke j?e traitour godard
35 P at was denemak a ftiward
A nd fcyde loucrd don ich haue
p at )>ou me bcde of |>e knaue
H e is drenched \n ]>c flod
A boute* his hals an anker god
40 H e is witcr like dcd
1 th he neurcmore bred
lij> drenched in ]>c fc
me gold ofer fe
y mowe riche be
45 A nd with |>i chartre make fre
30 H ife fhip he gre]?ede wel inow
H e dede it tere an ful wel pike
p at it ne doutede fond ne krike
p er inne dide a ful god maft
S tronge kablef and ful faft
35 O res gode an ful god feyl
p er ine wantede nouth a nayl
p at euere he fholde j?er inne do
H wan he hauedet grey]?ed so
H auelok J?e yunge he dede j?eri;/ne
40 H im and hif wif hife fonef J?rinne
A nd hife two doutref J?at faire wore
A nd fone dede he leyn in an ore
A nd drou him to ]>e heye fe
p ere he mith al)?er beft fle
45 F ro londe wore?? he bote a mile
c frtrlnm up anl mmcfr to*
1 tt&(ctItidMtiuucyfr>
f
>
Y aTmmim4xrtbu>e*)*nfrfcrtc
Y ariUm5>viUnlmcytaiii^Ub
r
I
ftftrre rttii fUmatf
We ifec flmc yciM ttiv
cnrtrlsnoutbbiflj
1 U>fDctjryibaT3
ozlnw IntugtcfcAtttVCtfcC
rk
r nmmuilcttoUyvu^c^
V dri^wJfetiftuiiibaihUKiti)
i tn>tc<*toun^i!tniuthtuie
Y aryouturlcJtofVrTuimit
}flrtUCUfl?Cv ^ V^ fl^v *
tnat Mtf Wte outtnUcrgw
A tt^ttJrt^Vnd^mcuuihcftt
f
V
f
oltmi CunVc ftArtetr Acrt
f
< a
A nDmm^^nU^cand
^ Utn tout (one allndcrui
JP
v
Y
y
y
V
1
1
Y
(28)
PLATE VIII
[MS. Douce 370. Before A.D. 1403. WYCLIFFE'S BIBLE (earlier version);
2 Chron. vi. 34~vii. 9. Ed. Forshall and Madden ; 4 vols. quarto ;
Oxford, 1850: vol. ii, p. 399-]
pe fecouwde p^ralipomenon
[tlui schuln honouren thet ayinus the weye in the]
whiche is J>e cytee J>at Jwu haft chofew of j>e lord for ]?i \a\. fe magefte
and \>e houf fat I haue bylde to of fe lord : hadde fulfilde the
J>i name f>at \>ou here fro heue J?e prey- temple of j?e lord / hot and alle J>e
ers of hem and )>e befechy wge .' and fonis of yfrael fawe fijr goyng
5 Jvu do \ e;/iau;/ce / }if forfofe fei fy;/ne;/ 5 dou, and J>e glorie of j'e lord vpora
to J>ee, and forfofe \er is noman fe hous : and fallynge dou^ bow-
fat fywncf not, and fou were wrof ed into fe erf vpon J?e pame^t
to hem and takift hem to fe ewmyes paued wif ftoon : honourderc and
and caytijf fei leedew hem into a ferre preyfeden fe lord for he is good/ for
10 lond or certis fat is nij . J and twrned \n ro in to f e world f e mercy of hym / e
al )>cir herte in \>e lond to J?e wh- kyng forfofe and al ]>e puple
iche }?ei were;/ ladde caytijf . J done offrede^ flayn offryngis beforn
penauwcc and pr^yen J>ee in |?e lond f e lord / ^f ^apituluw vijtum '
of |>cir caytijftc.-' feyinge / we han T^ Y n S falamow )?a;me flow^
15 fywned wickidly we han wroujt J 5 XV hooftif of oxen two and twen-
vnrUtwifely we. han done and ty )?oufand of wef>ers an huwdr-
were// torned to J>ee in al |>eir h^rte ej? and twenty J?oufand / and ]?e
and \n al J>eir foule \n fe lond of peir kyng bilde up ]?e hous of god and
caytyfte to j-c whiche J>ei be;/ lad : al ]?e puple / J?e preftis forfo)?e
[CM' fchuln honourew J>ee a.}einus fe ao ftoode in J?eir offices and )?e leuy-
weie of }>cir lond J>at \o\\ haft 5eue tes in orgnys of dytees of J?e lord,
to }>cir fadirs and of J>c cytee )>e whiche kyng dauid maad to
jat \>ou haft chofen and of J?e hous ]>at pr^yfen f>e lord * for in to world )>e
I haue bilde to )>i name i J?at |?ou mercy of hym . J fyngynge ]?e
hcere fro heue/i, fat is fro Y\ faft *5 ympnes of dauid bi J?eir hondis /
dwcllynge place j>e prayers of hem, bot fe preftis fu;/gyn in tru;;/pis be-
and do dome and for3yue to )?i pu- forne hem and al j?e puple of
pic t |>of fy//ful / \>ou crt forfo|>e my yrael ftood / and falamon halow-
god I bifcche }>in ecjcn be;/ opened ed J?e myddil of ]?e porche beforn
id )>in ccris be;/ takynge heed to 3 J'e temple of J?e lord / Forfo^e
orifoti;/ pat is don in )>is place / he hadde offrede J?er brent fa-
npwc |?anc lord god arijs \n to crifices and talwes of peyfible
^i reft l><m and J-c ark of \\ ftreng)> / )>ingis for -J?e brafen auter \a\.
|-i pn-ftis lord god be// cloj'cd hel]' . J he hadde maad. J my^te not fuf-
1 |'in haloucs glaadcn )?ci in 35 teync;/ |>e brent facrifices and
goodes / lord god nc turne )>ou a- facrifices and talwes of peyfible
wey }>c face of )>i crift/ haue my;/dc \\n%us / )?a;/ne Salamon made fo-
of \K mrrcyes of d<?w/d fi fcruaut / lempnyte in )>at tyme fcuc;/
And uh a ;/nc falamon hadde ful- days and al yrael wi|) hym a-
40 fildc hccldyngc out prrycrs y fijr T 40 fulgrete chirche, fro )?e entre
came dou;/ fro hcuew and deuoured of emath vnto }e ftreme of e-
nd j?c flax n gipt / and )>e eyjtfe day he
offrv ..ml j'c magefte of maad acollect, for Y\ j;at he ha-
jc lord fulfilde }>c hous and |>e lowed )>e auter feue;/ dais and
4? pr/ftla m\Ue// not goon into )>e tewple 45 hadde halowede J?e fole;pny-
\te seucn daysl\
1 /// the margin, fiir.
VIII
r
intumc*' of 59 tn f ot he*
ti dri ftp mfwt
VClCtTtOl'if^A^Cltyn $U*
C^TT*C*ftttJvC^Ctc<* m*A
VlfcantlfUfc yCty"***"^
vntO i*C /h^cuic Of C
(30)
PLATE IX
[MS. Laud Misc. 581. About A.D. 1400. PIERS THE PLOWMAN; B-text
(i.e. second version) ; Leaf 32 ; Passus vii., 11. 1 15-147-]
pat after fi ded day )?e deuel shal haue J>i sowle
I A nd pieres for pure tene pulled it atweyne
A nd seyde/si ambulauero in media vmbre mortis' non timebo mala guomam tu mecum es.
I 1 shal ceflen of my sowyng quod pieres * and swynk noujt so harde
5 N e about my bely ioye so bifi be namore
Of preyers 1 and of penaunce my plow shal ben her after ' *w r abm the tine.
A nd wepen whan I shulde slepe fough whete bred me faille
IT p e pr^phete his payn ete in penaunce and in sorwe
By fat J?e sauter seith so dede other manye
10 pat loueth god lelly his lyflode is ful efy
Fuerunt michi lacrime mee ' panes die ac nocte
1 A nd but if Luke lye he lereth vs bi foules
We shulde noujt be to bify aboute J?e worldes bliffe
N e solliciti sitis he seyth in J?e gospel
i= A nd sheweth vs bi enfamples vs selue to wiffe
pe foules on |>e felde who fynt hem mete at wynter
H aue fei no gernerc to go to . J but god fynt hem alle
If W hat quod J?e preft to perkyn peter as me finketh
pow art lettred a litel who lerned fe on boke
ao ^1 A bftinence J?e abbeffe quod pieres myn abc * me tau^te
A nd confcience come afterward and kenned me moche more
tWere fow a preft pieres quod he ]?ow mi^te pra:he where j>ow sholdeft
A s deuynour in deuynyte with dixit infipiens to jn teme
H L ewed lorel quod pieres litel lokeftow on Je bible
a.; On salomones sawes selden J?ow biholdeft
E cce 2 derifores et iurgia cum eis ne ere scant &^:etera 2 Error for Eke.
H p e preft and perkyn appofeden eyther other
A nd I j>orw here worses a woke and waited aboute
A nd seighe J?e sonne in J?e south sitte J?at tyme
30 M etelees and monelees on Maluerne hulles
M ufyng on j?is meteles and my waye ich ^ede
M any tymes j?is meteles hath maked me to ftudye
O f fat I seigh slepyng if it so be my^te
A nd alfo for peres f e plowman ful penfyf in herte
nd which a pardouw peres hadde alle J?e peple to conforte
A nd how j?e preft impugned it with two pr^pre wordes
IX
jj
I
/fl ' J*L
1 JWccffcn of mr *UHV-
i ^"!5? 1:
n ru^cUT^ /f ^tttf^flrtfe Tit ttK&t
ifluflar ^
<T]> V'^IHTV (>i*pftyti ,
J ^ )' )'Hr )'^ c rrtuT,
liir mufti
-
ftp tr gi|V H^oi i
O*P jvr
ou y& fvf A* > ^ i
no vpiq~n>goti>.- Out ^,
'
) ov H drvr
M C k 6(^U<WCP |Sf> fl 6(x!) > [> '\x^ Pi
il n# ohijtictiaP cotn^
(i SS v'/r> poVVn prc/f pi rtr^cOo
:* C\'nri^i^ iti^irrtijT 1 '
V
,-,\t AH
-
tit?
pf> sS^urti ,ncar p.Hr tym^
CQ^-IV
tnlB&r
if if ju60r
(CX nt?fl(|bft^P/<^;^pft>C^Mirtri- pit
>t' iift^p'HfT^isr
l "
PLATE X
[MS. Fairfax 16. Before A.D. 1450. CHAUCER'S LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN.
Leaf 88, back ; lines 402-440.]
THe
Al be hit / that he kan nat wel endite
Yet hath he made / lewde folke delyte
no/a To ferve yow / in preyfinge of your name
He made the book / that hight the hous of Fame
5 And eke the deeth / of Blaunche the Ducheffe
And the parlement of foules / as I geffe
And al the love / of Palamon and Arcite
Of Thebes / thogh the ftorye ys knowen lyte
And many an ympne / for your halydayes
10 That highten balades / roundels / virelayes
And for to fpeke / of other holyneffe
He hath in proce / tranflated Boece
And maade the lyfe alfo / of feynt Cecile
He made alfo / goon ys a grete while
15 Origenes / vpon the Maudeleyne
Hym oughte now / to have the leffe peyne
He hath maade many alay / and many a thinge
Now as ye be a god / and eke a kynge
no /n I your Alcefte / whilom quene of Trace
20 Y afke yow this man / ryght of your grace
That ye him never hurte / in al his lyve
And he fhal fwerefi to yow / and that blyve
He fhal neuer more / agilten in this wyfe
But fhal maken / as ye wol deuyfe
25 Of wowmen trewe / in lovyng al hire lyfe
Wherfo ye wol / of mayden or of wyfe
And forthren yow / as muche as he mysfeyde
Or in the Rofe / or elles in Crefeyde
The god of love / anfwerede hire anooii
30 Madame quod he / it is fo long agoofi
That I yow knewe / so charitable and trewe
That neuer yit / fyn that the worlde was newe
To me / ne founde y better noon than yee
If that ye wolde / fave my degree
35 I may ne wol nat / werne your requefte
Al lyeth in yow / dooth wyth hym / as yow lifte
I al foryeve / withouten lenger fpace
4 T -T iifft^T &' \ *
X^b f&W r^'mV^* '
pfHA tr fi^ ^2T^
34)
PLATE XI
[MS. Ashmole 44. About A. D. 1450. THE WARS OF ALEXANDER ; in alliter-
ative verse. Leaf 51 ; 11. 2950-2979. See Wars of Alexander, ed. Skeat
arly Eng. Text Society); p. 174-]
Bot sen )>is vfc is here vnhono//rable hen? I parh Icuc
Hraidis )>ai;// furth wit//outen bade J)e butlers ]>a\m jeld/.v
now sothely quod J>an ilk a segge softly to gedire
J'is manv at he melis of is menskefutt & noble
i |>an was ]>are ane proude pere a prince at j>e table
Anepo ]>ot on Alexander att way be haldis
j'an myncs hiwi anes in Meffedone he had j>e man seiu
quen he was fent to his fyre to feche 1 fain* trouag* >>
His wrtufe & his vyfage his voife he remenbris
10 His foi/rme & his fetuorc his fygouri a vyfis
He ftudis & he ftuynes he ftemes wit// in
Is j'is nojt Ph//*/> son ]>e firs J?e fedare of grece
Wit// j'tft he slejly vp so^t & his sete Icuys
Dro3c him cuyn to fer Dary far^ he on defe bydis
15 Said surely fer \>is sandifman \a\. sitti'j 3ow be forne
I Alcxfl////iT him awen self or att myn ame faillis
Sone J>is gourrno;/r of grece is of Jris gaude wan-
He torkans wit// & vndirrtuke he touched of hiw selfc
Herd a nyngkiling of his name & nayt/j him to ryfe
jo Bufkis hi;;/ vp at a braide & fra J?e burde ryfys
He tas a torchc fra a tulke )>t by J>e table ftandis
Felly fangis it r 2 in his fift & to his fole wyndis //,.
1'ytulis him fair^ him before ]>air lie him fcfte hade
him radly )>c reyne & oil his rige worthis
\VitA fflt he brochis his blonke ]>at ]>e blode fames
Sparis out spacly as sparke out of glcdcs
Be )>e lijt at he led laches he ]>e way
And fandw faft to J?e flijt wi'tA a fcrs \\itt
pe pepitt of )>c palais qucn )>ai his paffe saje
30 Rufches vp in a res rynnes in to chambres
XI
s- f>... -tm
^ r -*..
.a. It \> f^.
fS -*- - * f
. rt
,
.
'ct^r ^
(^t 'Kt'^ft ^ tfl^tm.,- >
vV t* 6o,-4,; ^C/?(.
K^.aji.' *tn o>- i> T, ., , .-taMtt 1 ,.
A*/ ft C^^>. > p;
4 p^> f H^ ej... ^i/t,
^jaxr< Ztttf-4**% Jfe I
A*w^ }f~~*l
[MS. Rawlinson Foot. 163.
PLATE XII
Late 1 5th century. CHAUCER'S BALADE TO
ROSEMOUNDE.]
Ma dame ye ben of Al beaute fhryne
As fer As cercled is the mapamonde
For As the Cristaft glorious ye fhyne
And lyke Ruby ben your chekys rounde
5 Therwyth ye ben fo mery And fo ioconde
That At A Reueft whan that I fe you dance
It is An oynement vnto my wounde
Thoght l ye to me ne do no daliance
For thogh I wepe of teres ful A tyne
10 Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde
Your ferny 2 voys That ye fo fynatt 3 out twyne
Makyth my thoght in ioy And blys habounde
So curtayfly I go wyth loue bounde
That to my felf I fey in my penaunce
15 Suffyfeth me to loue you Rosemounde
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce
Nas neuer Pyk walvved in galauntyne
As I in loue Am walwed And I wounde
For whych ful ofte I of my felf deuyne
That I Am trew 4 triftam the fecounde
My loue may not be 5 refreyde nor AfTounde
I Brenne Ay in an 6 Amoroufe plefaunce
Do what you lyft I wyl your thral be found e
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliance
tregentil
chaucer
Scribbled upwards on the right: odgod ol olord
for Thogh. 2 for semly.
3 for small. * for trewe.
6 above tJie line.
above the line ; read refreyd be.
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKE
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
Skeat, Walte^ William
Twelve facsimiles of ol
English
