[Headnote: Þus Queþ Alured]
++At Seuorde séte þeynes monye. [f. 262r
fele Biscopes. and feole. bok iléred.
Eorles prute. knyhtes egleche.
þar wes þe eorl Alu{ri}ch.
of þare lawe swiþe wis. 5
And ek Ealured englene hurde.
Englene durlyng{;}
on englene londe he wes kyng.
Heom he bi{}gon lére.
so ye mawe i{}hure. 10
hw hi. heore lif lede scholden.
Alured. he wes in englene lond.
and king. wel swiþe strong.
He wes king. and he wes clerek.
wel he luuede godes werk. 15
He wes wis on his word. and war. on his werke.
he wes þe wysuste mo{n}{;}
þat wes englelonde on.
ii
+Þ+vs queþ Alured englene frouer.
wolde ye mi leode. lusten éure lou{er}de. 20
he óu wolde wyssye. wisliche þinges.
hw ye myhte worldes. wrþsipes welde.
and ek eure saule. somnen to criste.
wyse were þe wordes. þe seyde þe king Alured. |
+M+ildeliche ich Munye. myne leoue freond. [f. 262v
poure and riche. leode myne 26
þat ye alle a{}drede. vre dryhten crist.
luuyen hine and lykyen. for he is lou{er}d of lyf.
He is one. god{;} ouer alle godnesse.
He is one gleaw. ou{er} alle glednesse. 30
He is one. blisse. ou{er} alle blissen.
He is one monne. Mildest mayster.
He is one. folkes fader. and frouer.
He is one. rihtwis. and so riche king.
þat him ne schal beo wone. nouht of his wille. 35
{þe} hine her on worlde. wrþie þencheþ.
[Linenote:
36. _þe_] _wc_ MS.]
iii
+Þ+vs queþ alured. englene urouer.
Ne may non ryhtwis king. vnder criste seoluen.
Bute if he beo in boke ilered.
And he. his wyttes swiþe wel kunne. 40
And he cunne lettres. lokie him{}seolf one.
hw he schule his lond laweliche holde.
iv
Þus queþ Alured.
+Þ+e eorl and þe eþelyng.
ibureþ vnder gódne. king. 45
þat lond to leden.
myd lawelyche deden.
And þe clerek and þe knyht.
he schulle démen euelyche riht.
þe poure. and þe ryche. 50
démen ilyche.
Hwych{}so þe mon soweþ{;}
al swuch he schal mowe.
And eu{er}uyches monnes dom. to his owere dure churreþ.
[Linenote:
52. After _mon_, erasure of two letters.]
v
[Þus queþ Alured.]
þan knyhte bi{}houeþ. kenliche on to fóne. 55
for{}to werie þat lond. wiþ hunger and wiþ herivnge.
þat þe chireche habbe gryþ.
And þe cheorl beo in fryþ.
his sedes to sowen.
his medes to mowen. 60
And his plouh beo i{}dryue.
to vre alre bihoue.
þis is þes knyhtes lawe.
loke he þat hit wel fare.
vi
+Þ+vs queþ Alured. 65
þe mon. þe on his youhþe. yeorne leorneþ.
wit and wisdom. and i{}writen reden{;}
he may beon on elde. wenliche lorþeu.
And þe þat nule one youhþe yeorne leorny.
wit and wysdom. and iwriten rede. 70
þat him schal on elde. sore rewe.
þenne cumeþ elde.
and vnhelþe.
þenne beoþ his wéne
ful wroþe isene. 75
Boþe heo beoþ bi{}swike. and eke hi beoþ a{}swunde.
vii
þus queþ Alured.
Wyþ{}vte wysdome is weole wel vnwurþ.
for þey o mon ahte. huntseuenti Acres.
and he hi hadde isowen. alle myd reade golde. 80
And [þ/] | gold greowe. so gres doþ on eorþe. [f. 263r
nere he for his weole. neuer þe furþer.
Bute he him of frumþe. freond iwrche.
for. hwat is gold. bute ston.
bute if hit haueþ wismon. 85
[Linenote:
85. After _wismon_, _ut_ deleted.]
viii
þus queþ Alu{re}d.
+N+e scolde neuer yongmon howyen to swiþe.
þeih him his wyse wel ne lykie.
Ne þeih he ne welde. al þat he wolde.
for god may. yeue god after vuele. 90
weole after wowe. þenne he wule.
wel is him þat hit ischapen is.
[Linenote:
91. _þenne he wule_ after _yeue_ in l. 90.]
ix
þus seyþ Alured.
+S+trong hit is to reowe.
a{}yeyn þe séé þat floweþ. 95
so it is to swynke.
a{}yeyn vnylimpe.
þe mon. þe on his youhþe.
swo swinkeþ.
and worldes weole her iwinþ. 100
þat he may on elde.
idelnesse holde.
And ek myd his worldes weole.
god iqueme er he quele.
youþe and al þat he haueþ i{}drowe. 105
is þenne wel bi{}towe.
[Linenote:
105. _youþe_ in darker ink in a space too large for it;
similarly _doweþes_, l. 118; _wlonk_, l. 124; _vouh_, l. 129;
_Mayþenes_, l. 130.]
x
þus queþ Alured.
+M+onymon weneþ þat he wene ne{}þarf.
longes lyues. ac him lyeþ þe wrench.
for þanne his lyues alre best luuede. 110
þenne he schal léten{;} lyf his owe.
for nys no wrt uexynde a wude. ne a velde.
þat euer mvwe þas feye furþ vp{}holde.
Not no mon þene tyme.
hwanne he schal. heonne turne. 115
Ne nomon þene ende.
hwenne he schal heonne wende.
Dryhten hit one wot. doweþes lou{er}d.
hwanne [we] vre lif leten schule.
xi
þus queþ Alured. 120
+Y+f þu seoluer and gold.
ye{t}st and weldest in þis world.
Neu{er} vpen eorþe.
to wlonk. þu ny wrþe.
Ayhte nys non ildre istreon{;} 125
ac hit is godes lone.
hwanne hit is his wille. þar{}of we schulle wende.
And vre owe lyf. myd alle for{}leten.
þanne schulle vre ifon. to vre vouh. gripen.
welden vre Mayþenes. and leten vs by{}hinde. 130
[Linenote:
122. _yetst_] _yefst_ MS.]
xii
þus queþ Alured.
+N+e{}ilef þu nouht to fele. uppe þe séé þat floweþ.
If þu hafst madmes monye and inowe.
gold and seoluer. hit schal gnyde to nouht.
to duste hit schal dryuen. Dryhten schal | libben euere. [f. 263v
Monymon for his gold. haueþ godes vrre. 136
And for his seoluer. hym{}seolue for{}yemeþ.
for{}yeteþ and for{}leseþ.
Betere him by{}come iboren þat he nére.
xiii
þus queþ Alured.
+L+vsteþ ye me leode. 140
ower is þe neode.
And ich eu wille lére. wit and wisdom.
þat alle þing ou{er}{}goþ.
syker he may sitte. þe hyne haueþ to i{}vere.
For þeyh his eyhte him a{}go. 145
his wit ne a{}goþ hym neu{er}{}mo.
for ne may he for{}vare.
þe hyne haueþ to vere.
þe wile his owe lyf. ileste mote.
[Linenote:
149. After _þe_, _þ_ erased.]
xiv
þus queþ Alured. 150
+I+f þu hauest seorewe.
ne seye þu hit nouht þan arewe.
seye hit þine sadelbowe. and ryd þe singinde forþ.
þenne wile wene. þet þine wise ne con{;}
þat þe þine wise wel lyke. 155
serewe if þu hauest. and þe erewe hit wot{;}
by{}fore. he þe meneþ{;}
by{}hynde he þe teleþ.
þu hit myht segge swyhc mo{n}.
þat þe ful wel on. 160
wyþ{}vte echere ore.
he on þe Muchele more.
By{}hud hit on þire heorte{;}
þat þe eft ne smeorte.
Ne let þu hyne wite. 165
al þat þin heorte by{}wite.
xv
þus queþ Alured.
+N+e schal tu neuere þi wif. by hire wlyte cheose.
for neu{er} nóne þinge. þat heo to þe bryngeþ.
Ac leorne hire custe. heo cuþeþ hi wel sone. 170
For mony mon for ayhte. vuele iauhteþ.
And ofte mon of fayre. frakele icheoseþ.
wo is him þat vuel wif.
bryngeþ to his cotlyf.
So him is alyue{;} 175
þat vuele ywyueþ.
For he schal vppen eorþe.
dreori i{}wurþe.
Monymo{n} singeþ.
þat wif hom bryngeþ. 180
wiste he hwat he brouhte.
wepen he myhte.
xvi
þus queþ Alured.
+N+e wurþ þu neuer so wod. ne so wyn{}drunke.
þat éuere segge þine wife. alle þine wille. 185
For if þu iseye þe bi{}vore. þine ivo alle.
And þu hi myd worde iwreþþed heuedest.
Ne scholde heo hit lete. for þing lyuyinde.
þat heo ne scholde þe forþ vp{}breyde. of þine baleu{}syþes.
wymmon is word. woþ. [&] haueþ tunge to swift. 190
þeyh heo wel wolde.
ne{}may heo. hi no{}wiht welde.
xvii
þus queþ Alfred. |
+I+delschipe and ou{er}{}prute. [f. 264r
þat lereþ yong wif vuele þewes. 195
And ofte þat wolde.
do. þat heo ne scholde.
þene vnþev lihte.
leten heo myhte.
If heo ofte a swóte for{}swunke were. 200
þeyh hit is vuel to buwe.
þat beo nule treowe.
For ofte Museþ þe kat. aft{er} hire moder.
þe mon þat let wymmon his mayster iwurþe.
Ne schal he neu{er} beon ihurd. 205
his wordes lou{er}d.
Ac heo hine schal steorne
to{}trayen. and to{}teóne.
And selde wurþ he blyþe and gled.
þe mon þat is his wiues qued. 210
Mony appel is bryht wiþ{}vte. and Bitter wiþ{}inne.
So is mony wymmon. on hyre fader bure.
Schene vnder schete. and þeyh heo is schendful.
So is mony gedelyng. godlyche on horse.
and is þeyh lutel wurþ. 215
wlonk bi þe glede.
and [´v]uel at þare neode.
xviii
þus queþ. Al{ured}.
[+N+]Eure þu bi þine lyue.
þe word of þine wyue. 220
to swiþe þu. ne aréde.
If heo beo i{}wreþþed
myd worde. oþer myd dede.
wymmo{n} wepeþ for mod.
oftere þan for eny god. 225
And ofte lude [&] stille.
for to vor{}drye hire wille.
Heo wepeþ oþer{}hwile.
for to do þe gyle.
Salomon hit haueþ i{}sed. 230
þat wymmon can wel vuelne red.
þe hire red foleweþ.
heo bryngeþ hine to seorewe.
for hit seyþ in þe loþ.
as scumes for{}teoþ. 235
hit is i{}furn i{}seyd.
[þ/] cold red is quene red.
hu he is vnlede.
þat foleweþ hire rede.
Ich hit ne segge nouht for þan. 240
þat god þing. ys god wymmon.
þe mon þe hi may i{}cheose. and i{}couere over oþre.
[Linenotes:
219. _Eure_ MS. || 224. _mod_] first stroke of _m_ erased.]
xix
þus queþ Alured.
+M+onymon weneþ þat he weny ne þarf.
Freond þat he habbe. þar me him vayre bi{}hat. 245
Seyþ him vayre bi{}vore. and frakele bi{}hynde.
so me may þane loþe lengust lede.
Ne ilef þu neu{er} þane mon.
þat is of feole speche{n}.
Ne alle þe þinge. 250
þat þu i{}herest singe{n}.
Mony mon haueþ swikelne muþ.
milde and monne for{}cuþ.
Nele he þe cuþe. hwenne he þe wule bi{}kache.
xx
þus queþ Alured. 255
+Þ+vrh sawe mon is wis. And þurh hiselþe. glev.
þurh lesinge mon is loþ. and þurh luþre wrenches.
And | vnwurþ. [f. 264v
And þurh hokede honde. þat he bereþ.
him seolue he for{}vareþ. 260
From lesynge þu þe wune.
And alle vnþewes þu þe bi{}schune.
so myht þu on þeode.
leof beon in alle leode.
And luue þyne nexte. he is at þe neode gód. 265
At chepynge. and at chyreche.
freond þu þe iwurche.
wyþ pou{er}e and wiþ riche.
wiþ alle monne ilyche.
þanne myht þu sikerliche. sely sytte. 270
And ek faren ouer lond le
hwider so beoþ þi wille.
[Linenote:
256. _his elþe. mon is glev_ MS.]
xxi
þus queþ Alured.
+A+lle world{}ayhte
schulle bi{}cumen to nouhte. 275
And vyches cunnes madmes. to mixe schulen i{}Multen.
And vre owe lif. lutel hwile ileste.
for þeyh o mon. wolde al þe worlde.
And al þe wunne. þe þar{}inne wunyeþ.
Ne myhte he þar{}myde his lif. none hwile holde. 280
Ac al he schal for{}leten. on a litel stunde.
And schal vre blisse{;} to balewe us iwurþe.
Bute if we wurcheþ. wyllen cristes.
Nu biþenche we þanne vs sulue.
vre lif to leden. so crist vs gynneþ lere. 285
þanne mawe we wenen. þat he wule vs wrþie.
for so seyde salomon. þe wise.
þe mon þat her wel deþ.
he cumeþ þar he lyen foþ.
on his lyues ende. 290
he hit schal a{}vynde.
xxii
þus queþ Alured.
+N+e gabbe þu ne schotte.
ne chid þu wyþ none sotte.
ne myd manyes cunnes tales. 295
ne chid þu wiþ nenne dwales.
Ne neu{er} þu ne bigynne.
to telle þine tyþinges.
At nones fremannes borde.
ne haue þu to vale worde. 300
Mid fewe word{e}. wismon
fele bi{}luken wel con.
And sottes bolt is sone iscohte.
for{}þi ich holde hine for dote.
þat sayþ al his wille. 305
þanne he scholde beon stille.
For ofte tunge brekeþ bon{;}
þeyh heo seolf nabbe non.
xxiii
þus queþ Alured.
+W+is child is fader blisse. 310
Jf hit so bi{}tydeþ þat þu bern ibidest.
þe hwile hit is lutel. ler him mon{}þewes.
þanne hit is | wexynde{;} hit schal wende þar{}to. [f. 265r
þe betere hit schal iwurþe
euer buuen eorþe. 315
Ac if þu him lest welde. werende on worlde.
lude and stille.
his owene wille.
hwanne cumeþ ealde.
ne myht þu hyne awelde. 320
þanne deþ hit sone.
þat þe biþ vnyqueme.
Ofer{}howeþ þin ibod.
and makeþ þe ofte sory{}mod.
Bet{er}e þe were. 325
iboren þat he nere.
for betere is child vnbore. þane vnbuhsum.
þe mon þe spareþ yeorde. and yonge child{e}.
and let hit arixlye. þat he hit areche ne may.
þat him schal on ealde{;} sore reowe. Am{en}. 330
Expl{iciunt} dicta Regis Aluredi.