Iohannes se Godspellere, Cristes dyrling, weardh on dhysum daege to
heofenan rices myrhdhe, thurh Godes neosunge, genumen. He waes Cristes
moddrian sunu, and he hine lufode synderlice; na swa micclum for dhaere
maeglican sibbe swa for dhaere claennysse his ansundan maegdhhades. He waes
on maegdhh['a]de Gode gecoren, and h['e] on ecnysse on ungewemmedum
maegdhhade thurhwunode. Hit is geraed on gewyrdelicum racum thaet h['e]
wolde w['i]fian, and Cr['i]st weardh to his gyftum geladhod. Tha gel['a]mp
hit thaet aet dham gyftum w['i]n weardh ateorod. Se Haelend dha het tha
dhenig-men afyllan six staenene fatu mid hluttrum waetere, and he mid his
bletsunge thaet waeter to aedhelum wine awende. This is thaet forme t['a]cn
dhe h['e] on his menniscnysse openlice geworhte. Tha weardh Iohannes swa
onbryrd thurh thaet t['a]cn, thaet h['e] dhaerrihte his bryde on maegdhhade
forl['e]t, and symle sydhdhan Drihtne folgode, and weardh dha him
inweardlice gelufod, fordhan dhe he hine aetbraed tham flaesclicum lustum.
Witodlice dhisum leofan leorning-cnihte befaeste se Haelend his modor,
thatha h['e] on rode hengene mancynn alysde; thaet his claene l['i]f dhaes
claenan maedenes Marian gymde, and heo dha on hyre swyster suna dhenungum
wunode.
Eft on fyrste, aefter Cristes upstige to heofonum, rixode sum waelhreow
casere on Romana r['i]ce, aefter Nerone, se waes Domicianus gehaten,
cristenra manna ehtere: se het afyllan ane cyfe mid weallendum ele, and
thone maeran godspellere thaeron het bescufan; ac he, dhurh Godes
gescyldnysse, ungewemmed of dham hatum baedhe eode. Eft dhadha se waelreowa
ne mihte dhaes eadigan apostoles bodunge alecgan, tha asende he hine on
wraecsidh to anum igeodhe the is Padhmas gec['i]ged, thaet he dhaer thurh
hungres scearpnysse acwaele. Ac se Aelmihtiga Haelend ne forl['e]t to
gymeleaste his gelufedan apostol, ac {60} geswutelode him on dham
wraecsidhe tha toweardan onwrigenysse, be dhaere h['e] awrat dha b['o]c dhe
is gehaten APOCALIPSIS: and se waelhreowa Domicianus on dham ylcan geare
weardh acweald aet his witena handum; and h['i] ealle anmodlice raeddon
thaet ealle his gesetnyssa aydlode waeron. Tha weardh Nerua, swidhe arfaest
man, to casere gecoren. Be his gedhafunge gecyrde se apostol ongean mid
micclum wurdhmynte, sedhe mid hospe to wraecsidhe asend waes. Him urnon
ongean weras and wif faegnigende, and cwedhende, "Gebletsod is se dhe com
on Godes naman."
Mid tham dhe se apostol Iohannes stop into dhaere byrig Ephesum, tha baer
man him togeanes anre wydewan l['i]c to byrigenne; hire nama waes Drusiana.
Heo waes swidhe gelyfed and aelmesgeorn, and tha dhearfan, dhe heo mid
cystigum mode eallunga afedde, dreorige mid w['o]pe dham l['i]ce folgodon.
Dha het se apostol dha baere settan, and cwaedh, "Min Drihten, Haelend
Crist! Araere dhe, Drusiana; aris, and gecyrr ham, and gearca ['u]s
gereordunge on thinum huse." Drusiana tha ar['a]s swilce of slaepe awreht,
and, carfull be dhaes apostoles haese, ham gewende.
On dham odhrum daege eode se apostol be dhaere straet, tha ofseah he hwaer
sum udhwita laedde twegen gebrodhru, the haefdon behwyrfed eall heora
yldrena gestreon on deorwurdhum gymstanum, and woldon dha tocwysan on
ealles thaes folces gesihdhe, to waefersyne, swylce to forsewennysse
woruldlicra aehta. Hit waes gewunelic on dham timan thaet dha dhe woldon
woruld-wisdom gecneordlice leornian, thaet h['i] behwyrfdon heora are on
gymstanum, and dha tobraecon; odhdhe on sumum gyldenum wecge, and dhone on
s['ae] awurpan; thilaes dhe seo smeaung thaera aehta h['i] aet thaere lare
hremde. Tha clypode se apostol dhone udhwitan Graton him to, and cwaedh,
"Dyslic bidh thaet hwa woruldlice speda forhogige for manna h['e]runge, and
beo on Godes dome genidherod. Ydel bidh se laecedom the ne maeg dhone
untruman gehaelan; swa bidh eac ydel seo l['a]r dhe ne gehaeldh dhaere
sawle leahtras and undheawas. {62} Sodhlice min lareow Crist sumne cniht
dhe gewilnode thaes ecan lifes thysum wordum laerde, Thaet he sceolde ealle
his welan beceapian, and thaet wurdh dhearfum daelan, gif h['e] wolde
fulfremed beon, and he sydhdhan haefde his goldhord on heofenum, and dhaer
to-eacan thaet ece l['i]f." Graton dha se udhwita him andwyrde, "Thas
gymstanas synd tocwysede for ydelum gylpe, ac gif dhin l['a]reow is sodh
God, gefeg dhas bricas to ansundnysse, thaet heora wurdh maege thearfum
fremian." Iohannes tha gegaderode dhaera gymstana bricas, and beseah to
heofonum, thus cwedhende, "Drihten Haelend, nis dhe nan dhing earfodhe; thu
ge-edstadhelodest dhisne tobrocenan middangeard on thinum geleaffullum,
thurh t['a]cen thaere halgan rode; ge-edstadhela nu thas deorwurdhan
gymstanas, dhurh dhinra engla handa, thaet dhas nytenan menn thine mihta
oncn['a]won, and on the gelyfon." Hwaet, dha faerlice wurdon dha gymstanas
swa ansunde, thaet furdhon nan t['a]cen thaere aerran tocwysednysse naes
gesewen. Tha se udhwita Graton samod mid tham cnihtum feoll to Iohannes
fotum, gelyfende on God. Se apostol hine fullode mid eallum his hirede, and
h['e] ongann Godes geleafan openlice bodian. Tha twegen gebrodhra, Atticus
and Eugenius, sealdon heora gymstanas, and ealle heora aehta daeldon
w['ae]dlum, and filigdon tham apostole, and micel menigu geleaffulra him
eac to gedheodde.
Tha becom se apostol aet sumum saele to thaere byrig Pergamum, thaer dha
foresaedan cnihtas i['u] aer eardodon, and gesawon heora dheowan mid
godewebbe gefreatewode, and on woruldlicum wuldre scinende. Dha wurdon
h['i] mid deofles flan thurhscotene, and dreorige on mode, thaet h['i]
waedligende on ['a]num waclicum waefelse ferdon, and heora dheowan on
woruldlicum wuldre scinende waeron. Tha undergeat se apostol dhas deoflican
facn, and cwaedh, "Ic geseo thaet eower m['o]d is awend, and eower
andwlita, fordhan dhe ge eowre speda thearfum daeldon, and mines Drihtnes
lare fyligdon: gadh nu fordhi to wuda, and heawadh incre byrdhene gyrda,
and gebringadh to me." H['i] dydon be his haese, and h['e] on Godes {64}
naman dha grenan gyrda gebletsode, and h['i] wurdon to readum golde awende.
Eft cwaedh se apostol Iohannes, "Gadh to dhaere s['ae]-strande, and feccadh
me papolstanas." H['i] dydon swa; and Iohannes tha on Godes maegendhrymme
h['i] gebletsode, and h['i] wurdon gehwyrfede to deorwurdhum gymmum. Tha
cwaedh se apostol, "Gadh to smidhdhan, and fandiadh thises goldes and
dhissera gymstana." H['i] dha eodon, and eft comon, thus cwedhende, "Ealle
dhas goldsmidhas secgadh thaet h['i] naefre aer swa claene gold, ne swa
read ne gesawon: eac dhas gym-wyrhtan secgadh thaet hi naefre swa
deorwurdhe gymstanas ne gemetton." Tha cwaedh se apostol him to, "Nimadh
this gold, and dhas gymstanas, and faradh, and bicgadh eow land-['a]re;
fordhan the ge forluron dha heofenlican speda. Bicgadh eow paellene
cyrtlas, thaet ge to lytelre hwile scinon swa swa r['o]se, thaet ge
hraedlice forweornion. Beodh blowende and welige hwilwendlice, thaet ge
ecelice waedlion. Hwaet la, ne maeg se Aelmihtiga Wealdend thurhteon thaet
h['e] do his dheowan rice for worulde, genihtsume on welan, and
unwidhmetenlice scinan? Ac he sette gec['a]mp geleaffullum sawlum, thaet hi
gelyfon to geagenne tha ecan welan, dha dhe for his naman tha hwilwendan
speda forh['o]giadh. Ge gehaeldon untruman on thaes Haelendes naman, ge
afligdon deoflu, ge forgeafon blindum gesihdhe, and gehwilce uncodhe
gehaeldon: efne nu is dheos gifu eow aetbroden, and ge sind earmingas
gewordene, ge dhe waeron maere and strange. Swa micel ege stod deoflum fram
eow, thaet h['i] be eowere haese tha ofsettan deofolseocan forleton; nu ge
ondraedadh eow deoflu. Tha heofenlican aehta sind us eallum gemaene. Nacode
we waeron acennede, and nacode we gewitadh. Thaere sunnan beorhtnys, and
thaes monan leoht, and ealra tungla sind gemaene tham rican and dham
heanan. R['e]n-scuras, and cyrcan duru, fulluht, and synna forgyfenys,
huselgang, and Godes neosung, sind eallum gemaene, earmum and eadigum: ac
se ungesaeliga gytsere wile mare habban thonne him genihtsumadh, thonne he
furdhon orsorh ne bricdh his genihtsumnysse. Se gytsere haefdh aenne
lichaman, and {66} menigfealde scr['u]d; he haefdh ane wambe, and thusend
manna bigleofan: witodlice thaet he for gytsunge ['u]ncyste nanum odhrum
syllan ne maeg, thaet he hordadh, and nat hwam; swa swa se witega cwaedh,
'On ['i]del bidh aelc man gedrefed, sedhe hordadh, and nat hwam he hit
gegaderadh.' Witodlice ne bidh he thaera aehta hlaford, thonne he hi daelan
ne maeg; ac he bidh thaera aehta dheowa, thonne he him eallunga theowadh;
and thaer to-eacan him weaxadh untrumnyssa on his lichaman, thaet h['e] ne
maeg ['ae]tes odhdhe w['ae]tes brucan. H['e] caradh daeges and nihtes thaet
his feoh gehealden sy; h['e] gymdh graedelice his teolunge, his gafoles,
his gebytlu; he berypdh tha w['a]nnspedigan, he fulg['ae]dh his lustum and
his plegan; thonne faerlice gewitt he of dhissere worulde, nacod and
forscyldigod, synna ana mid him ferigende; fordhan the he sceal ['e]ce
w['i]te dhrowian."
Efne dhadha se apostol thas lare sprecende waes, dha baer sum wuduwe hire
suna lic to bebyrgenne, se haefde gewifod thritigum nihtum ['ae]r. Seo
dreorige modor tha samod mid tham licmannum rarigende h['i] astrehte aet
thaes halgan apostoles fotum, biddende thaet he hire sunu on Godes naman
araerde, swa swa he dyde tha wydewan Drusianam. Iohannes dha ofhreow thaere
meder and dhaera licmanna dreorignysse, and astrehte his lichaman to
eordhan on langsumum gebede, and dha aet nextan ar['a]s, and eft
up-ahafenum handum langlice baed. Thadha he dhus dhriwa ged['o]n haefde,
dha het he unwindan thaes cnihtes l['i]c, and cwaedh, "Eala dhu cniht, dhe
thurh dhines flaesces lust hraedlice dhine sawle forlure; eala thu cniht,
thu ne cudhest dhinne Scyppend; thu ne cudhest manna Haelend; thu ne
cudhest dhone sodhan freond; and fordhi thu beurne on thone wyrstan feond.
Nu ic ageat mine tearas, and for dhinre nytennysse geornlice baed, thaet
thu of deadhe arise, and thisum twam gebrodhrum, Attico and Eugenio, cydhe
h['u] micel wuldor h['i] forluron, and hwilc wite h['i] geearnodon." Mid
dham tha ar['a]s se cniht Stacteus, and feoll to Iohannes fotum, and begann
to dhreagenne tha gebrodhru the miswende w['ae]ron, thus cwedhende, "Ic
geseah tha englas, the eower gymdon, dreorige {68} wepan, and dha
awyrigedan sceoccan blissigende on eowerum forwyrde. Eow waes heofenan rice
gearo, and scinende gebytlu mid wistum afyllede, and mid ecum leohte: tha
ge forluron thurh unwaerscipe, and ge begeaton eow dheosterfulle wununga
mid dracum afyllede, and mid brastligendum ligum, mid unasecgendlicum witum
afyllede, and mid andhraecum stencum; on dham ne ablindh granung and
thoterung daeges oththe nihtes: biddadh fordhi mid inweardre heortan dhysne
Godes apostol, eowerne lareow, thaet he eow fram dham ecum forwyrde araere,
swa swa he me fram deadhe araerde; and he eowre saula, the nu synd
adylegode of thaere liflican b['e]c, gelaede eft to Godes gife and
miltsunge."
Se cniht tha Stacteus, dhe of deadhe ar['a]s, samod mid tham gebrodhrum,
astrehte hine to Iohannes f['o]tswadhum, and thaet folc fordh mid ealle,
anmodlice biddende thaet he him to Gode gethingode. Se apostol tha bebead
dham twam gebrodhrum thaet hi dhritig daga be hreowsunge daedbetende Gode
geoffrodon, and on faece geornlice baedon, thaet dha gyldenan gyrda eft to
than aerran gecynde awendon, and tha gymstanas to heora wacnysse. Aefter
dhritigra daga faece, thatha h['i] ne mihton mid heora benum thaet gold and
tha gymstanas to heora gecynde awendan, dha comon hi mid wope to tham
apostole, thus cwedhende, "Symle dhu taehtest mildheortnysse, and thaet man
odhrum miltsode; and gif man odhrum miltsadh, hu micele swidhor wile God
miltsian and arian mannum his hand-geweorce! Thaet thaet we mid gitsigendum
eagum agylton, thaet we nu mid wependum eagum bereowsiadh." Dha andwyrde se
apostol, "Beradh dha gyrda to wuda, and tha stanas to s['ae]-strande: hi
synd gecyrrede to heora gecynde." Thadha hi this gedon haefdon, dha
underfengon hi eft Godes gife, swa thaet hi adraefdon deoflu, and blinde,
and untrume gehaeldon, and fela tacna on Drihtnes naman gefremedon, swa swa
hi aer dydon.
Se apostol tha gebigde to Gode ealne thone eard Asiam, se is geteald to
healfan daele middan-eardes; and awrat dha {70} feordhan Cristes b['o]c,
seo hrepadh swydhost ymbe Cristes godcundnysse. Dha odhre thry
godspelleras, Matheus, Marcus, Lucas, awriton aeror be Cristes
menniscnysse. Tha asprungon gedwolmenn on Godes geladhunge, and cwaedon
thaet Crist naere aer he acenned waes of Marian. Tha baedon ealle tha
leod-bisceopas dhone halgan apostol thaet he tha feordhan b['o]c gesette,
and thaera gedwolmanna dyrstignesse adwaescte. Iohannes tha bead dhreora
daga faesten gemaenelice; and he aefter dham faestene weardh swa miclum mid
Godes gaste afylled, thaet he ealle Godes englas, and ealle gesceafta, mid
heahlicum mode oferst['a]h, and mid dhysum wordum tha godspellican
gesetnysse ongan, "In principio erat uerbum, et uerbum erat apud Deum, et
Deus erat uerbum, et reliqua:" thaet is on Englisc, "On frymdhe waes word,
and thaet word waes mid Gode, and thaet word waes God; this waes on frymdhe
mid Gode; ealle dhing sind thurh hine geworhte, and nis nan thing buton him
gesceapen." And swa fordh on ealre thaere godspellican gesetnysse, he cydde
fela be Cristes godcundnysse, hu he ecelice butan angynne of his Faeder
acenned is, and mid him rixadh on annysse thaes Halgan Gastes, ['a] butan
ende. Feawa he awrat be his menniscnysse, fordhan the tha dhry odhre
godspelleras genihtsumlice be tham heora bec setton.
Hit gelamp aet sumum saele thaet tha deofolgyldan the tha g['y]t
ungeleaffulle w['ae]ron, gecwaedon thaet hi woldon thone apostol to heora
haedhenscipe geneadian. Tha cwaedh se apostol to dham haedhengyldum, "Gadh
ealle endemes to Godes cyrcan, and clypiadh ealle to eowerum godum, thaet
seo cyrce afealle dhurh heora mihte; dhonne buge ic to eowerum
haedhenscipe. Gif dhonne eower godes miht tha halgan cyrcan towurpan ne
maeg, ic towurpe eower tempel thurh dhaes Aelmihtigan Godes mihte, and ic
tocwyse eower deofolgyld; and bidh thonne rihtlic gedhuht thaet ge geswycon
eoweres gedwyldes, and gelyfon on dhone sodhan God, sedhe ana is
Aelmihtig." Tha haedhengyldan dhisum cwyde gedhwaerlaehton, and Iohannes
mid geswaesum wordum thaet folc tihte, thaet h['i] ufor eodon fram tham
deofles {72} temple; and mid beorhtre stemne aetforan him eallum clypode,
"On Godes naman ahreose this tempel, mid eallum tham deofolgyldum the him
on eardiadh, thaet theos menigu tocnawe thaet dhis haedhengyld deofles
biggeng is." Hwaet dha faerlice ahreas thaet tempel grundlunga, mid eallum
his anlicnyssum to duste awende. On dham ylcan daege wurdon gebigede twelf
dhusend haedhenra manna to Cristes geleafan, and mid fulluhte gehalgode.
Tha sceorede dha gyt se yldesta haedhengylda mid mycelre thwyrnysse, and
cwaedh thaet he nolde gelyfan buton Iohannes attor drunce, and thurh Godes
mihte dhone cwelmbaeran drenc oferswidhde. Tha cwaedh se apostol, "Theah
thu me attor sylle, thurh Godes naman hit me ne deradh." Dha cwaedh se
haedhengylda Aristodemus, "Thu scealt aerest odherne geseon drincan, and
dhaerrihte cwelan, thaet huru dhin heorte swa forhtige for dham deadbaerum
drence." Iohannes him andwyrde, "Gif dhu on God gelyfan wylt, ic unforhtmod
dhaes drences onf['o]." Tha getengde se Aristodemus to dham heahgerefan,
and gen['a]m on his cwearterne twegen dheofas, and sealde him dhone
unlybban aetforan eallum dham folce, on Iohannes gesihdhe; and hi
dhaerrihte aefter tham drence gewiton. Sydhdhan se haedhengylda eac sealde
dhone attorbaeran drenc tham apostole, and h['e] mid rodetacne his mudh,
and ealne his lichaman gew['ae]pnode, and dhone unlybban on Godes naman
halsode, and sidhdhan mid gebildum mode hine ealne gedranc. Aristodemus dha
and thaet folc beheoldon thone apostol dhreo t['i]da daeges, and gesawon
hine habban glaedne andwlitan, buton bl['a]cunge and forhtunge; and hi
ealle clypodon, "An sodh God is, sedhe Iohannes wurdhadh." Tha cwaedh se
haedhengylda to dham apostole, "Gyt me tweonadh; ac gif dhu dhas deadan
sceadhan, on dhines Godes naman araerst, thonne bidh min heorte geclaensod
fram aelcere twynunge." Dha cwaedh Iohannes, "Aristodeme, nim mine tunecan,
and lege bufon dhaera deadra manna lic, and cwedh, 'Thaes Haelendes Cristes
apostol me asende to eow, thaet ge on his naman of deadhe arison, and aelc
man oncn['a]we thaet {74} deadh and l['i]f dheowiadh minum Haelende.'" He
dha be dhaes apostoles haese baer his tunecan, and alede uppon dham tw['a]m
deadum; and h['i] dhaerrihte ansunde arison. Thadha se haedhengylda thaet
geseah, dha astrehte he hine to Iohannes fotum, and sydhdhan ferde to dham
heahgerefan, and him dha wundra mid hluddre stemne cydde. H['i] dha begen
thone apostol gesohton, his miltsunge biddende. Tha bead se apostol him
seofon nihta faesten, and hi sidhdhan gefullode; and hi aefter dham
fulluhte towurpon eall heora deofolgyld, and mid heora maga fultume, and
mid eallum craefte araerdon Gode maere cyrcan on dhaes apostoles
wurdhmynte.
Thadha se apostol waes nigon and hund-nigontig geara, tha aeteowode him
Drihten Crist mid tham odhrum apostolum, the h['e] of dhisum life genumen
haefde, and cwaedh, "Iohannes, cum to me; tima is thaet thu mid dhinum
gebrodhrum wistfullige on minum gebeorscipe." Iohannes tha ar['a]s, and
eode widh thaes Haelendes; ac he him to cwaedh, "Nu on sunnan-daeg, mines
aeristes daege, thu cymst to me:" and aefter dham worde Drihten gewende to
heofenum. Se apostol micclum blissode on dham beh['a]te, and on tham
sunnan-uhtan aerwacol to dhaere cyrcan com, and tham folce, fram hancrede
odh undern, Godes gerihta laerde, and him maessan gesang, and cwaedh thaet
se Haelend hine on dham daege to heofonum geladhod haefde. Het dha delfan
his byrgene widh thaet weofod, and thaet greot ut-awegan. And h['e] eode
cucu and gesund into his byrgene, and astrehtum handum to Gode clypode,
"Drihten Crist, ic thancige dhe thaet thu me geladhodest to thinum wistum:
thu w['a]st thaet ic mid ealre heortan the gewilnode. Oft ic dhe baed thaet
ic moste to dhe faran, ac dhu cwaede thaet ic anbidode, thaet ic dhe mare
folc gestrynde. Thu heolde minne lichaman widh aelce besmittennysse, and
thu simle mine sawle onlihtest, and me nahwar ne forlete. Thu settest on
minum mudhe thinre sodhfaestnysse word, and ic awrat dha lare dhe ic of
dhinum mudhe gehyrde, and dha wundra dhe ic dhe wyrcan geseah. Nu ic dhe
betaece, Drihten! thine bearn, dha dhe thin geladhung, maeden and {76}
moder, thurh waeter and thone Halgan Gast, dhe gestrynde. Onfoh me to minum
gebrodhrum mid dham dhe dhu come, and me geladhodest. Geopena ongean me
lifes geat, thaet dhaera dheostra ealdras me ne gemeton. Thu eart Crist,
dhaes lifigendan Godes Sunu, thu the be dhines Faeder haese middangeard
gehaeldest, and us dhone Halgan Gast asendest. The we heriadh, and
thanciadh thinra menigfealdra goda geond ungeendode worulde. Amen."
Aefter dhysum gebede aeteowode heofenlic leoht bufon dham apostole, binnon
dhaere byrgene, ane tid swa beorhte scinende, thaet nanes mannes gesihdh
thaes leohtes leoman sceawian ne mihte; and he mid tham leohte his gast
ageaf tham Drihtne the hine to his rice geladhode. He gew['a]t swa freoh
fram deadhes sarnysse, of dhisum andweardan life, swa swa he waes aelfremed
fram lichamlicere gewemmednysse. Sodhlice sydhdhan waes his byrgen gemet
mid mannan afylled. Manna waes gehaten se heofenlica mete, the feowertig
geara afedde Israhela folc on westene. Nu waes se bigleofa gemett on
Iohannes byrgene, and nan dhing elles; and se mete is weaxende on hire odh
dhisne andweardan daeg. Thaer beodh fela tacna aeteowode, and untrume
gehaelde, and fram eallum frecednyssum alysede, thurh dhaes apostoles
dhingunge. Thaes him getidhadh Drihten Crist, tham is wuldor and wurdhmynt
mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste, ['a] butan ende. Amen.
{59} DECEMBER XXVII.