Ormulum admonition to kings & lords
in a normalised Early Middle English (East Midland dialect c 1200)
view original textMathew the god`spel`wrihte sayth
On this god`spelles la_re,
That that un`feale Herode king
Was gram and grill'd and bolgen.
Forthriht so_ne se him awned was
Of that Calde_isce genge,
That cumen was in til his land,
A_n ne_w' king for to_ se_cen;
To_ lu_ten him, to_ la_ken him.
To_ bu_gen him on cnewes.
and we_n is that he_ was for`dread
and sorhful in his herte,
For that he_ we_nde that that folk
Up on him cumen weare.
With strengthe for to_ netheren him,
To_ wansen him his ri_ce.
and wel it mihte be_n that he_
Was gram and grill'd and bolgen.
Al for then a_nes, for that he_
Swa_ wolde do_n his le_de.
To_ be_n al thes the ma_re of`dread
Of him and of his eye.
For yif the ri_ce man is wra_th,
and grim and to_r to_ cwe_men,
His le_de that is under him
Him dreadeth thes the ma_re.
and thoh swa_ theah ne til the folk,
Ne til the la_ferd nowther,
Nis that noht thwert u_t go_d i`no_h.
Til theyre sa_wele berhles,
That he_ be_ grim and age`ful
and wra_th and to_r to_ cwe_men.
For he_ may be_n swa_ grime man,
That he_ be_th la_th to_ his le_de.
and that is eayther for him and hem
Un`ha_l`sum to_ the sa_wele.
and forthi_ birth him standen in,
To_ do_n with word and de_de,
That hise le_de lufen him
and bletsen him with herte.
For that is for him and e_k his folk,
Go_d helpe to_ the sa_wele.
and thoh swa_ theah is ne_d that he_
Dreading and age sette,
On alle tha_ that lufen toth
and wo_h and un`sahtnesse.
To_ do_n hem folgen lage and grith,
Al theyre eabeare un`thankes,
Yif that they theyre thankes grith,
Ne ke_pen noht to_ folgen.
For micele betre is to_ the man
With li_f and e_k with sa_wele,
To_ do_n alle his un`thankes go_d
Than ifel hise thankes.