Menn dha leofostan, eower geleafa bidh the trumra, gif ge gehyradh be Godes
halgum, h['u] hi thaet heofonlice rice geearnodon; and ge magon dhe
cudhlicor to him clypian, gif heora lifes drohtnunga eow thurh l['a]reowa
bodunge cudhe beodh.
Thes halga wer Clemens, the we on dhisum andweardan {558} freols-daege
wurdhiadh, waes thaes eadigan Petres apostoles leorning-cniht. Tha waes he
dheonde on gastlicere l['a]re and gecneordnysse to dhan swidhe, thaet se
apostol Petrus hine geceas to papan Romaniscre dheode aefter his daege, and
['ae]r his dhrowunge hine to papan geh['a]dode, and on his biscop-setle
gesette, to dhi thaet he dhaera cristenra manna gymene haefde. H['e]
geh['a]dode twegen biscopas ['ae]r dhan, Linum et Cletum, ac h['e] ne sette
na h['i] on his setle, swa swa h['e] dyde thisne halgan wer, the we to-daeg
wurdhiadh. Hwaet dha, Clemens aefter Petres dhrowunge gedheah on
faegernysse g['o]ddra dheawa, swa thaet he gecweme waes Iudeiscum, and
haedhenum, and cristenum samod. Tham haedhenum leodum he gelicode, fordhan
dhe he mid hospe heora godas ne gebysmrode, ac mid b['o]clicum gesceade him
geswutelode hwaet h['i] waeron, and hwaer acennede tha dhe h['i] him to
godum wurdhodon, and heora drohtnunge and geendunge mid swutelum sedhungum
gewissode; and cwaedh, thaet h['i] sylfe eadhelice mihton to Godes
miltsunge becuman, gif h['i] fram heora dwollicum biggengum eallunga
gecyrdon. Iudeiscre dheode hylde he begeat, fordhan the he sodhlice
gesedhde thaet heora fordhfaederas Godes frynd gec['i]gede waeron, and him
God halige ['ae] sette to heora lifes rihtinge; and cwaedh, thaet h['i]
fyrmeste on Godes gecorennysse waeron, gif h['i] mid geleafan his bebodum
gehyrsumodon. Fram cristenum he waes swidhost gelufod, fordhan dhe he
gehwilce eardas namcudhlice on gemynde haefde, and tha wanspedigan
cristenan dhaera earda ne gedhafode thaet h['i] openre waedlunge
underdheodde wurdon, ac mid daeghwomlicere bodunge h['e] gem['a]node tha
rican and tha spedigan, thaet hi dhaera cristenra waedlunge mid heora
spedum gefrefrodon, the-laes dhe h['i] dhurh haedhenra manna gifa besmitene
wurdon.
And Dionisius, Godes cydhere, sedhe thurh Paules Apostoles l['a]re and
t['a]cna to Cristes geleafan mid haligre drohtnunge gecyrde, gewende on
dham timan fram Greclande to dham halgan papan Clementem, Petres
aeftergencgan, and he hine mid micclum wurdhmynte underfeng, and for
arwurdhnysse {560} his halgan lifes him cudhlice tol['e]t, and mid lufe
geheold. Eft aefter fyrste cwaedh se eadiga Clemens to dham halgan were
Dionisium, "Si dhe forgyfen miht to gebindenne and to alysenne, swa swa me
is; and thu far to dhaera Francena rice, and boda him godspel and heofonan
rices wuldor." Dionisius tha weardh his haesum gehyrsum, and mid geferum
ferde to Franclande, cristendom bodigende mid micclum wundrum to dhan
swidhe thaet tha redhan haedhenan, swa hradhe swa hi hine gesawon, odhdhe
h['i] feallende his f['e]t gesohton, him and Gode gehyrsumigende, odhdhe
gif heora hwylc dhwyrode, thonne weardh se mid swa micelre fyrhte fornumen,
thaet h['e] dhaerrihte his andweardnysse forfleah. Weardh dha geb['i]ged
eal Francena rice to Godes geleafan, thurh bodunge and wundra thaes eadigan
weres Dionisii; and h['e] eac sume his geferan to Ispanian gesende, thaet
hi dham leodscipe lifes word gecyddon.
Hwaet dha, Clemens Romana papa weardh gewreht to dham casere Traianum, for
dham micclan cristendome the he gehwaer on his rice araerde. Tha sende se
casere Traianus gewritu ongean, thaet se halga papa Clemens to haedhengylde
gebugan sceolde, odhdhe hine mann asende ofer s['ae] on wraecsidh to sumum
westene, on tham the cristene menn for geleafan fordemde wraecsidhedon.
Thaes caseres h['ae]s weardh tha fordhgencge, and swa micele gife
foresceawode se Aelmihtiga God Clemente, thaet se haedhena dema his sidh
mid wope bemaende, thus cwedhende, "Se God the dhu wurdhast gefrefrige dhe,
and fultumige on dhinum wraecsidhe." And het dha hine to scipe l['ae]dan,
and ealle his neoda foresceawian, the h['e] to bigwiste habban mihte.
Weardh dha thaet scip gefylled mid cristenum mannum, the thone halgan papan
forl['ae]tan noldon.
Thadha h['e] to dham westene becom, tha gemette he dhaer m['a] thonne twa
dhusend cristenra manna, the mid langsumere genydherunge to
marmst['a]n-gedelfe gesette waeron, the his tocymes micclum faegnodon, mid
anre stemne cwedhende, "Efne her is ure hyrde, efne her is se frefrigend
ures geswinces {562} and weorces." Thadha h['e] mid tihtendlicum wordum
heora gew['ae]htan m['o]d getrymde and gefrefrode, dha geaxode h['e] thaet
h['i] daeghwomlice ofer six mila him waeter on heora exlum gefetton. Dha
cwaedh se eadiga biscop, "Uton biddan mid faestum geleafan Drihten Haelend,
thaet h['e] us his andetterum dha aeddran his wyllspringes gehendor
geopenige, thaet we on his wel-daedum blission." Thadha dhis gebed gefylled
waes, tha beheold se biscop on aelce healfe, and geseah dha on tha swidhran
healfe an hw['i]t lamb standan, the b['i]cnode mid his swydhran f['e]t,
swilce hit tha waeter-aeddran geswutelian wolde. Dha undergeat Clemens
thaes lambes geb['i]cnunge, and cwaedh, "Geopeniadh thas eordhan on
thyssere stowe thaer dhaer thaet lamb to-geb['i]cnode." His geferan dha his
haese gefyldon, and thaerrihte aet dham forman gedelfe swegde ['u]t ormaete
wyllspring, and mid micclum streame fordh-yrnende waes. Hwaet h['i] ealle
dha micclum blissodon, and Gode dhancodon heora geswinces lisse. Tha waes
se cwyde gefylled, the h['i] on dhaes biscopes to-cyme gecwaedon, "Efne her
is ure hyrde, efne her is se frefrigend ures geswinces."
Dhis wundor dha asprang geond tha gehendan scira, and h['i] ealle thone
halgan biscop mid arwurdhnysse geneosodon, biddende thaet h['e] h['i] mid
his l['a]re getrymde. He dha hi ealle to Godes geleafan geb['i]gde, and
binnan feawum dagum thaer fif hund manna gefullode; and wurdon dha fela
cyrcan gehwaer araerede, and deofolgild toworpene; swa thaet binnan anes
geares fyrste naes gemet haedhengild geond hund-teontig mila neawiste.
Tha gel['a]mp hit thaet sume dha haedhenan wurdon mid ['a]ndan getyrigde,
and heora aerende to dham casere asendon, and him cyddon thaet his folc
eall endemes astyred waere, and eallunga fram his biggencgum gecyrred,
thurh Clementem dhaera cristenra biscop. Tha weardh se haethena casere
Traianus mycclum astyred, and asende aenne waelhreowne heretogan, his nama
waes Aufidianus, se mid mislicum witum fela cristenra manna acwealde, thaet
he thone halgan biscop mid tham geleaffullan {564} folce adylegian sceolde.
Se arleasa cwellere dha, Aufidianus, dhadha he ne mihte mid n['a]num
theowracan dha cristenan geegsian, fordhan dhe hi ealle samod blissigende
to martyrdome onetton, tha forl['e]t he thaet folc, and dhone biscop aenne
to tham haedhengylde genydde; ac dhadha he geseah thaet h['e] nateshwon
hine geb['i]gan ne mihte, tha cwaedh he to his underdheoddum, "Laedadh hine
to middere s['ae], and getigadh aenne ancran to his swuran, and ascufadh
hine ['u]t on middan thaere dypan." Hit weardh tha ged['o]n be h['ae]se
thaes waelhreowan cwelleres, and micel menigu thaera cristenra st['o]d on
thaere s['ae]-strande, wepende and biddende thone Aelmihtigan, the s['ae]
and eordhan gesceop, thaet h['i] moston his halige l['i]c mid heora
dhenungum behwurfan.
Tha cwaedon his twegen leorning-cnihtas, Febus and Cornelius, "Eala ge
gebrodhra, uton anmodlice biddan urne Drihten, thaet h['e] us geswutelige
dha arwurdhfullan andweardnysse his halgan cydheres." Hwaet dha, seo
s['ae], dhurh Godes h['ae]se, ['u]tflowende, him gerymde threora mila dries
faereldes, swa thaet tha cristenan bealdlice inn-eodon, and gemetton niwe
dhruh of marmanst['a]ne on cyrcan wison gesceapene, and thaes halgan
cydheres l['i]c dhaer-binnan dhurh engla dhenunge gelogod, and thone ancran
widh his sidan licgende. Tha weardh him geswutelod thaet he aet Gode
ab['ae]de, thaet on aelces geares ymbryne, ymbe his dhrowung-t['i]de, seo
s['ae] seofan dagas dr['i]gne grund tham folce gegearcige, thaet h['i]
binnan dham fyrste his halgan lichaman gesecan magon. Thaet belimpdh to
lofe and herunge ures Haelendes, sedhe his halgan cydhere dha arwurdhan
byrgene gegearcode. Tha dhurh dhis t['a]cn wurdon ealle tha ungeleaffullan
cristene, swa thaet nateshw['o]n naes gem['e]t on dham earde nadhor ne
haedhen ne Iudeisc dhe naere geb['i]ged to cristenum geleafan. Sodhlice aet
thaere halgan thr['y]h sind getidhode heofonlice lacnunga adlium lichaman,
thurh dhingunge dhaes halgan cydheres. Swa hw['a] swa on his freols-tide
untrum his byrgene gesehdh, he gewent blissigende and gesundful ongean.
Thaer beodh blinde onlihte, and deofolseoce gewittige, and gehwilce {566}
gedrehte thaer beodh geblissode; and ealle geleaffulle his weldaeda
brucadh, and mid wurthmynte Godes gerynu dhaer beodh gefyllede.
Hit gel['a]mp dha on sumum geare on his freols-tide, thaet sum w['i]f mid
hire nywerenan cylde betwux odhrum mannum thone halgan wer geneosode. Tha
geendodum dagum thaere freols-tide com seo s['ae] faerlice swegende, and
thaet folc swidhlice aweg efste, and thaet w['i]f dhurh dha faerlican
styrunge ne gymde hire cildes ['ae]rdhan the heo to l['a]nde becom. Heo dha
s['a]rig tha twelf monadh adreah, and eft embe dhaes geares ymbryne, on
thaere ylcan freols-tide, for-arn dham folce, and genealaehte to thaere
byrgene mid wope, thus biddende, "Thu Drihten Haelend, the dhaere wydewan
ancennedan sunu to life araerdest, beseoh me to miltse, thaet ic, dhurh
dhingunge thines halgan the her gerest, beo dhaes tidhe the ic geornlice
bidde." Tha mid thyssere bene beseah heo to dhaere stowe dhaer heo thaet
cild ['ae]r forl['e]t, and gemette hit swa slapende swa heo hit ['ae]r
gelede. Heo dha mid micelre blisse hit awrehte, and wepende cossode. Tha
befr['a]n heo thaet cild, betwux dham cossum, h['u] hit macode on eallum
dham fyrste thaes geares ymbrynes? Thaet cild thaere meder geandwyrde,
"Modor min, nyste ic h['u] dhyses geares ymryne geendode, fordhan dhe ic
softum slaepe me gereste, swa swa dhu me forlete, odh thaet thu eft me nu
awrehtest." Thaet geleaffulle folc dha micclum blissigende, herode and
bletsode thone Aelmihtigan Haelend, sedhe his halgan mid t['a]cnum and
wundrum gewurdhadh, and swa heora geearnunga geswuteladh.
Oft hw['o]nlice gelyfede menn smeagadh mid heora stuntan gesceade, hw['i]
se Aelmihtiga God aefre gedhafian wolde thaet tha haedhenan his halgan mid
gehwilcum tintregum acwellan moston; ac we wylladh nu eow gereccan sume
geswutelunge of dhaere ealdan ['ae], and eac of dhaere niwan, h['u]
mihtiglice se Wealdenda Drihten his halgan widh haedhenne here, oththe
waelhreowe ehteras gelome ahredde, and heora widherwinnan bysmorlice
gescynde.
{568} Hit gel['a]mp on dham feowerteodhan geare Ezech['i]an cynedomes,
Iudeisces cyninges, thaet Sennacherib, Syria cyning, manega leoda mid
micclum craefte to his anwealde geb['i]gde, and swa wolde eac thone
gelyfedan cyning Ezech['i]am, and asende his heretogan Rapsacen to thaere
byrig Hierusalem mid micclum dhrymme, and mid aerend-gewritum thaes
Aelmihtigan Godes mihte gehyrwde, thus cwedhende to dham ymbsettan folce,
"Ne bep['ae]ce Ezech['i]as eow mid leasum hopan, thaet God eow widh me
ahredde. Ic gewyllde and oferw['a]nn fela dheoda, and heora godas ne mihton
h['i] gescyldan widh minne dhrymm. Hwaet is se god the mage dhas burh widh
minne here bewerian?" Hwaet dha, se cyning Ezech['i]as awearp his purpuran
reaf, and dyde haeran to his lice, and baer dha gewritu into Godes temple,
and astrehtum limum hine gebaed, thus cwedhende, "Drihten, weroda God, thu
dhe gesitst ofer engla dhrymm, thu eart ana God ealra dheoda; thu
geworhtest heofonas, and eordhan, and ealle gesceafta. Ahyld dhin eare and
gehyr, geopena dhine eagan and geseoh dhas w['o]rd, the Sennacherib asende
to hospe and to t['a]le dhe and thinum folce. Sodhlice h['e] towende tha
haedhenan godas, and h['i] forbaernde, fordhan dhe h['i] naeron godas, ac
waeron manna hand-geweorc, treowene and staenene, and he h['i] fordhi
tobrytte. Alys us nu, Drihten, fram his gebeote and mihte, thaet ealle
dheoda tocnawon thaet thu ['a]na eart Aelmihtig God."
Ezech['i]as eac asende his witan mid h['ae]ran gescrydde to dham witegan
Isaiam, thus cwedhende, "Ahefe dhine gebedu for Israhela dheode, thaet se
Aelmihtiga God gehyre tha talu dhe Syria cyning asende to hospe and to
edwite his micclan maegendhrymme." Tha andwyrde se witega Isaias tham
bodum, "Secgadh eowrum hlaforde, thaet h['e] unforht sy. God Aelmihtig
cwydh, Ne ascytt Sennacherib fl['a]n into dhaere byrig Hierusalem, ne mid
his scylde h['i] ne gewylt; ac ic geslea aenne wridhan on his nosu, and
aenne bridel on his weleras, and ic hine gel['ae]de ongean to his leode,
and ic do thaet he fyldh under swurdes ecge on his agenum edhele; and ic
dha burh gescylde {570} for me and for minum dheowan Dauid." Tha on dhaere
nihte ferde Godes engel, and ofsloh dhaes Syrian cyninges here ['a]n hund
thusend manna, and fif and hund-eahtatig thusenda. Thaes on merigen ar['a]s
Sennacherib, and geseah dha deadan l['i]c, and gecyrde mid micelre sceame
ongean to thaere byrig Niniu['e]. Hit gel['a]mp dha thaet he hine gebaed to
his deofolgylde, and his twegen suna hine mid swurde acwealdon, swa swa se
witega thurh Godes Gast gewitegode.
Eft sidhdhan Nabochodonossor, se Chaldeisca cyning, het gebindan handum and
fotum tha dhry gelyfedan cnihtas, Annanias, Azarias, Missael, and into
['a]num byrnendum ofne awurpan; forthan dhe h['i] noldon h['i] gebiddan to
his deofolgilde. Ac se Aelmihtiga God, the h['i] anraedlice on belyfdon,
asende his engel into dham ofne mid tham cnihtum, and he dha tosceoc thone
l['i]g of dham ofne, swa thaet thaet fyr ne mihte him derigan, ac sloh
['u]t of dham ofne nigan and feowertig faethma, and forswaelde tha
cwelleras the thaet fyr onaeldon. Tha sceawode se cyning thaera dhreora
cnihta feax and lichaman, thus cwedhende, "Sy gebletsod eower God, sedhe
asende his engel, and swa mihtelice his dheowan of tham byrnendan ofne
alysde."
Eac sydhdhan, on Cyres dagum cyninges, wrehton dha Babiloniscan thone
witegan Daniel, fordhan dhe he towearp heora deofolgyld, and cwaedon
anmodlice to dham foresaedan cyninge Cyrum, "Betaec us Daniel, dhe urne god
B['e]l towearp, and thone dracan acwealde, the we on belyfdon. Gif dhu hine
forstenst, we fordylegiadh the and dhinne hyred." Tha geseah se cyning
thaet h['i] anmode waeron, and neadunga thone witegan him to handum asceaf.
Hi dha hine awurpon into anum seadhe, on tham waeron seofan leon, tham mann
sealde daeghwomlice twa hrydheru and twa sc['e]p, ac him waes dha oftogen
aelces fodan six dagas, thaet h['i] dhone Godes mann abitan sceoldon.
On thaere tide waes sum odher witega on Iudea-lande, his nama waes Abacuc,
se baer his ryfterum mete to aecere. Tha com him to Godes engel, and
cwaedh, "Abacuc, baer dhone {572} mete to Babilone, and syle Daniele, sedhe
sitt on dhaera leona seadhe." Abacuc andwyrde tham engle, "La leof, ne
geseah ic naefre dha burh, ne ic dhone seadh n['a]t." Tha se engel gelaehte
hine be dham fexe, and hine baer to Babilone, and hine sette bufan dham
seadhe. Dha clypode se Abacuc, "Thu Godes dheowa, Daniel, nim dhas lac dhe
the God sende." Daniel cwaedh, "Min Drihten Haelend, sy dhe lof and
wurdhmynt thaet thu me gemundest." And he dha dhaere sande breac. Witodlice
Godes engel thaerrihte mid swyftum flihte gebrohte dhone disc-dhen, Abacuc,
thaer he hine ['ae]r genam. Se cyning dha Cyrus on dham seofodhan daege
eode dreorig to dhaera leona seadhe, and innbeseah, and efne dha Daniel
sittende waes gesundful on middan tham leonum. Tha clypode se cyning mid
micelre stemne, "Maere is se God the Daniel on belyfdh." And he dha mid
tham worde hine ateah of dham scraefe, and het inn-awurpan dha the hine
['ae]r ford['o]n woldon. Thaes cyninges haes weardh hraedlice gefremmed,
and thaes witegan ehteras wurdon asceofene betwux dha leon, and hi
dhaerrihte mid graedigum ceaflum h['i] ealle totaeron. Tha cwaedh se
cyning, "Forhtion and ondraedon ealle eordhbuende Danieles God, fordhan dhe
he is Alysend and Haelend, wyrcende t['a]cna and wundra on heofonan and on
eordhan."
On dhaere Niwan Gecydhnysse, aefter Cristes dhrowunge, and his aeriste and
upstige to heofonum, wurdon dha Iudeiscan mid ['a]ndan afyllede ongean his
apostolas, and gebrohton h['i] on cwearterne. On dhaere ylcan nihte Godes
engel undyde tha locu dhaes cwearternes, and h['i] ['u]t-alaedde, thus
cwedhende, "Gadh to dham temple, and bodiadh tham folce lifes word." And
h['i] swa dydon. Hwaet dha Iudeiscan thaes on merien dheahtodon embe dhaera
apostola forwyrd, and sendon to dham cwearterne, thaet h['i] man gefette.
Tha cwelleras dha geopenodon thaet cweartern, and naenne ne gemetton. H['i]
dha cyddon heora ealdrum, "Thaet cweartern we fundon faeste beclysed, and
dha weardas widhutan standende, ac we ne gemetton naenne widhinnan."
{574} Eft sidhdhan Herodes, Iudea cyning, sette dhone apostol Petrum on
cwearterne mid twam racenteagum gebundenne, and weardas widhinnan and
widhutan gesette: ac on dhaere nihte the se arleasa cyning hine on merigen
acwellan wolde, com Godes engel scinende of heofonum, and gelaedde hine
['u]t dhurh dha isenan gatu; and st['o]d eft on merigen thaet cweartern
faeste belocen.
Domicianus, se haedhena casere, het awurpan thone godspellere Iohannem on
weallendne ele, ac he, thurh Godes gescyldnysse, swa gesundfull ['u]t eode
swa he inn aworpen waes. Tham ylcan Iohanne sealde sum haedhengylda attor
drincan, ac h['e], aefter dham drence, ansund and ['u]ngederod dhurhwunode.
Paulus se apostol awr['a]t be him sylfum, and cwaedh, thaet h['e] aenne
daeg and ane niht on s['ae]-grunde adruge. Eft, aet sumum saele hine
gelaehte ['a]n naeddre be dham fingre, ac he ascoc h['i] into byrnendum
fyre, and he dhaes aettres n['a]n dhing ne gefredde.
Ne maeg n['a]n eordhlic mann mid gewritum cydhan, ne mid tungan gereccan
h['u] oft se Aelmihtiga Wealdend his gecorenan fram mislicum frecednyssum
ahredde, to lofe and to wurdhmynte his maegenthrymnysse. Ac he gedhafadh
forwel oft thaet dha arleasan his halgan dhearle geswencadh, hwilon mid
hefigtymre ehtnysse, hwilon mid slege, thaet seo redhe ehtnyss becume dham
rihtwisan to ecere reste, and dham cwellerum to ecum wite. Se sealm-scop
cwaedh, "Fela sind thaera rihtwisra gedreccednyssa, ac Drihten fram eallum
dhysum h['i] alyst." On tw['a] wisan alyst God his gecorenan, openlice and
digellice. Openlice h['i] beodh alysede, thonne h['i] on manna gesihdhe
beodh ahredde, swa swa we nu eow rehton. Digellice h['i] beodh alysede,
thonne h['i] dhurh martyrdom becumadh to heofonlicum gedhincdhum. Gif h['i]
for sodhum geleafan odhdhe for rihtwisnysse throwiadh, h['i] beodh thonne
martyras. Gif hi dhonne unscyldige gecwylmede beodh, heora unscaedhdhignyss
h['i] gel['ae]t to Godes halgena geferraedene; fordhan the unscaedhdhignyss
aefre orsorh wunadh. Gif hw['a] dhonne for synnum ehtnysse dholadh, and
hine sylfne oncnaewdh, {576} swa thaet he Godes mildheortnysse inweardlice
bidde, thonne forscyt thaet hwilwendlice wite dha ecan genidherunge. For
m['a]ndaedum waeron tha twegen sceadhan gewitnode dhe mid Criste hangodon,
ac heora odher mid micclum geleafan gebaed hine to Criste, thus cwedhende,
"Drihten, gedhenc m['i]n thonne dhu to thinum rice becymst." Crist him
andwyrde, "Sodh ic the secge, nu to-daeg thu bist mid me on neorxna-wanges
myrhdhe." Unwilles we magon forleosan dha hwilwendlican g['o]d, ac we ne
forleosadh naefre unwilles dha ecan g['o]d. Theah se redha reafere ['u]s
aet aehtum bereafige, odhdhe feores benaeme, h['e] ne maeg us aetbredan
urne geleafan ne thaet ece l['i]f, gif we us sylfe mid agenum willan ne
forpaeradh. Se sodha Drihten us ahredde fram eallum frecednyssum, and to
dham ecan life gel['ae]de, sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen.