Ormulum dedication

in a normalised Early Middle English (East Midland dialect c 1200)

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Nu_, bro_ther Walter, bro_ther mi_n

After the fleasces ki_nde;

and bro_ther mi_n in Cristendo_m

Thurh fulluht and thurh tre_wthe;

and bro_ther mi_n in Godes hu_s, 5

ye_t on the thridde wi_se,

Thurh that wit hafen taken ba_

A_n regel`bo_k to_ folgen,

Under canonikes ha_d and li_f,

Swa_ som Sanct Agustin sette; 10

Ic hafe do_n swa_ som thu_ bad,

and forthed the_ thi_n wille,

Ic hafe wend in`til Englisc

God`spelles halge la_re,

After that little wit that me_ 15

Mi_n Drihten hafeth leaned.

Thu_ thohtest that it mihte wel

Til micel frame turnen,

yif Englisc folk, for lufe of Cri_st,

It wolde yerne lernen, 20

and folgen it, and fillen it

With thoht, with word, with de_de.

and forthi_ yerndest thu_ that ic

This werk the_ scolde wircen;

and ic it hafe forthed the_, 25

Ak al thurh Cri_stes helpe;

and unk birth ba_the thanken Cri_st

That it is broht til ende.

Ic hafe samened on this bo_k

Tha_ God`spelles ne_h alle, 30

That sinden on the messe`bo_k

In al the year at messe.

and ay after the God`spel standeth

That that the God`spel meaneth,

That man birth spellen to_ the folk 35

Of theyre sa_wele ne_de;

and ye_'t thear taken ma_re i`no_h

Thu_ scalt thear`one fi_nden,

Of that that Cri_stes halge the_d

Birth tre_wen wel and folgen. 40

Ic hafe sett he_r on this bo_k

Ama_ng God`spelles wordes,

Al thurh me_ selfe, maniy word

The rime swa_ to_ fillen;

Ak thu_ scalt fi_nden that mi_n word, 45

Eay`hwear thear it is e_ked,

May helpen tha_ that readen it

To_ se_n and t'under`standen

Al thes the betere, hu_ theym birth

The God`spel under`standen; 50

and forthi_ tre_we ic that the_ birth

Wel tholen mi_ne wordes,

Eay`hwear thear thu_ scalt fi_nden hem

Ama_ng God`spelles wordes.

For hwa_ se mo_t to_ leawed folk 55

La_r`spel of God`spel tellen,

He_ mo_t wel e_ken maniy word

Ama_ng God`spelles wordes.

and ic ne mihte noht mi_n fers

Ay with God`spelles wordes 60

Wel fillen al, and al forthi_

Scolde ic wel ofte ne_de

Ama_ng God`spelles wordes do_n

Mi_n word, mi_n fers to_ fillen.

and the_ be`teace ic of this bo_k, 65

He_h wi_ke als it _se_meth,

Al to_ thurh`se_cen ealc a_n fers,

and to_ thurh`lo_ken ofte,

That upon al this bo_k ne be_

Na_n word yean Cri_stes la_re, 70

Na_n word that swi_the wel ne be_

To_ tre_wen and to_ folgen.

Wit sculen treden under`fo_t

and al thwert u_t for`werpen

The do_m of al that la_the flock, 75

That is thurh ni_th for`blended,

That tealeth that to_ lofen is,

Thurh ni_th`ful mo_diy`nesse.

They sculen leaten heatheliy

Of unker swink, le_f bro_ther; 80

and al they sculen taken it

On un`nit and on i_del;

Ak noht thurh skil, ak al thurh ni_th,

and al thurh theyre sinne.

and unk birth bidden God that he_ 85

For`yefe hem here sinne;

and unk birth ba_the lofen God

Of that it was be`gunnen,

and thanken God that it is broht

Til ende, thurh his helpe; 90

For it may helpen alle tha_

That bli_theli_ce it he_ren,

and lufen it, and folgen it

With thoht, with word, with de_de.

and hwa_ se willen scal this bo_k 95

Eft o_ther si_the wri_ten,

Him bidde ic that he_'t wri_te riht,

Swa_ som this bo_k him teaceth,

Al thwert u_t after that it is

Upon this firste bisene, 100

With al swilc rime als he_r is sett,

With al se fele wordes;

and that he_ lo_ke wel that he_

A_n bo_k`staf wri_te twiyes,

Eay`hwear thear it upon this bo_k 105

Is writen on that wi_se.

Lo_ke he_ wel that he_'t wri_te swa_,

For he_ ne may noht elles

On Englisc wri_ten riht the word,

That wite he_ wel to_ so_the. 110

and yif man wile witen hwi_

Ic hafe do_n this de_de,

Hwi_ ic til Englisc hafe wend

God`spelles halge la_re;

Ic hafe it do_n forthi_ that al 115

Cristen`e folkes berhles

Is la_ng upon that a_n, that they

God`spelles halge la_re

With fulle mahte folge riht

Thurh thoht, thurh word, thurh de_de. 120

For al that eafere on erthe is ne_d

Cristen`e folk to_ folgen

In tre_wthe, in de_de, al teaceth hem

God`spelles halge la_re.

and forthi_ hwa_ se lerneth it 125

and folgeth it with de_de,

He_ scal on ende wurthiy be_n

Thurh God to_ werthen borgen.

and thear`fore hafe ic turned it

In`til Englisce spe_ce, 130

For that I_ wolde bli_theli_ce

That al Englisce le_de

With eare scolde lisnen it,

With herte scolde it tre_wen,

With tunge scolde spellen it, 135

With de_de scolde it folgen,

To_ winnen under Cristen`do_m

At God so_th sa_wele berhles.

and yif they willen he_ren it,

and folgen it with de_de, 140

Ic hafe hem holpen under Cri_st

To_ winnen theyre berhles.

and I_ scal hafen for mi_n swink

Go_d lean at God on ende,

yif that I_, for the lufe of God 145

and for the me_de of hefene,

Hem hafe it intil Englisc wend

For theyre sa_wele ne_de.

and yif they al for`werpen it,

It turneth hem til sinne, 150

and I_ scal hafen adeled me_

The La_ferd Cri_stes a_re,

Thurh that ic hafe hem wroht this bo_k

To_ theyre sa_wele ne_de,

Thoh that they al for`werpen it 155

Thurh theyre mo_diy`nesse.

God`spel on Englisc nemned is

Go_d word, and go_d ti_thende,

Go_d earende, forthi_ that it was

Thurh halge God`spel`wrihtes 160

Al wroht and writen upon bo_k

Of Cri_stes firste co_me,

Of hu_ so_th God was wurthen man

For al man`kinne ne_de,

and of that man`kin thurh his death 165

Was le_sed u_t of helle,

and of that he_ wissli_ce ra_s

The thridde day of deathe,

and of that he_ wissli_ce sta_h

Tha_ sithen up til hefene, 170

and of that he_ scal cumen eft

To_ de_men alle the_de,

and for to_ ye_lden i`hwilc man

After his a_gen de_de.

Of al this go_d us bringeth word 175

and earende and go_d ti_thende

God`spel, and forthi_ may it wel

Go_d earende be_n i`ha_ten.

For man may upon God`spel`bo_k

Go_dnesses fi_nden sefene 180

That u_re La_ferd Iesu Cri_st

Us hafeth do_n on erthe,

Thurh that he_ com to_ manne, and thurh

That he_ warth man on erthe.

For a_n go_dnesse us hafeth do_n 185

The La_ferd Cri_st on erthe,

Thurh that he_ com to_ werthen man

For al man`kinne ne_de.

Other go_dnesse us hafeth do_n

The La_ferd Cri_st on erthe, 190

Thurh that he_ was in flum Jordan

Fulhtned for u_re ne_de;

For that he_ wolde us water`kin

Til u_re fulluht halgen,

Thurh that he_ wolde be_n him self 195

On erthe in water fulhtned.

The thridde go_d us hafeth do_n

The La_ferd Cri_st on erthe,

Thurh that he_ yaf his a_gen li_f

With al his fulle wille, 200

To_ tholen death o ro_de`tre_

Sakleas withu_ten wrihte,

To_ le_sen man`kin thurh his death

U_t of the de_feles wa_lde.

The fe_rthe go_d us hafeth do_n 205

The La_ferd Cri_st on erthe,

Thurh that his halge sa_wele sta_h

Fra_ ro_de du_n til helle,

To_ taken u_t of helle wa_

Tha_ go_de sa_weles alle, 210

That hafden cwe_med him in this li_f

Thurh so_th un`scathiy`nesse.

The fi_fte go_d us hafeth do_n

The La_ferd Cri_st on erthe,

Thurh that he_ ra_s for u_re go_d 215

The thridde day of deathe,

and le_t the posteles se_n him wel

In his mennisce ki_nde;

For that he_ wolde fastnen swa_

So_th tre_wthe in theyre bre_stes 220

Of that he_, wiss to_ fulle so_th,

Was risen up of deathe,

and in that ilke fleasc that was

For us on ro_de nayled;

For that he_ wolde fastnen wel 225

This tre_wthe in theyre bre_stes,

He_ le_t the posteles se_n him wel

Wel ofte si_the on erthe,

Withinnen dayes fower`tiy

Fra_ that he_ ra_s of deathe, 230

The sex`te go_d us hafeth do_n

The La_ferd Cri_st on erthe,

Thurh that he_ sta_h for u_re go_d

Up intil hefenes blisse,

and sende sithen Ha_liy Ga_st 235

Til hise Lerning`cnihtes,

To_ fro_fren and to_ be_lden hem

To_ standen yean the de_fel,

To_ yefen hem go_d with i`no_h

Of al his halge la_re, 240

To_ yefen hem go_d lust, go_d maht,

To_ tholen alle wa_wen,

Al for the lufe of God, and noht

For erthlic lof to_ winnen.

The sefenthe go_d us scal ye_ do_n 245

The La_ferd Cri_st on ende,

Thurh that he_ scal on Do_mes day

Us yefen hefenes blisse,

yif that we_ sculen wurthiy be_n

To_ fi_nden Godes a_re. 250

Thus hafeth u_re La_ferd Crist

Us do_n go_dnesses sefene,

Thurh that that he_ to_ ma_nne com,

To_ werthen man on erthe.

and on that halge bo_k that is 255

Apocalypsis nemned

Us wra_t the postel Sanct Iohan,

Thurh Ha_liy Ga_stes la_re,

That he_ sah up in hefene a_n bo_k

Be`sett with sefene inseyeles, 260

and sperred swa_ swi_the wel that it

Ne mihte na_n wiht openen,

Withu_ten Godes halge Lamb

That he_ sah e_k in hefene.

and thurh tha_ sefene inseyeles was 265

Riht swi_the wel be`ta_kened

That sefen`fa_ld go_d`la_k that Cri_st

Us dide thurh his co_me;

and that na_n wiht ne mihte noht

Openen tha_ sefene inseyeles, 270

Withu_ten Godes Lamb, that com,

For that it scolde ta_kenen

That na_n wiht, na_n engel, na_n man,

Ne na_nes kinnes scafte,

Ne mihte thurh him selfe tha_ 275

Sefene go_dnesses sceawen

On man`kin, swa_ that it man`kin

Of helle mihte le_sen,

Ne yefen man`kin lust, ne maht,

To_ winnen hefenes blisse. 280

and al al swa_ se Godes Lamb,

All thurh his a_gen mahte,

Lihtli_ce mihte and wel i`no_h

Tha_ sefene inseyeles openen,

Al swa_ the La_ferd Iesu Cri_st, 285

Al thurh his a_gen mahte,

With Fader and with Ha_liy Ga_st

A_n God and al a_n ki_nde,

Al swa_ riht he_ lihtli_ce i`no_h

and wel with alle mihte 290

On man`kin thurh him selfe tha_

Sefene go_dnesses sceawen,

Swa_ that he_ man`kin wel i`no_h

Of helle mihte le_sen,

and yefen man`kin lufe and lust, 295

and maht and wit and wille,

To_ standen in to_ cwe_men God,

To_ winnen hefenes blisse.

and for that ha_liy God`spel`bo_k

Al this go_dnesse us sceaweth, 300

This sefen`fa_ld god`la_k that Crist

Us dide thurh his a_re,

Forthi_ birth al Cristen`e folk

God`spelles la_re folgen.

and thear`fore hafe ic turned it 305

Intil Englisce spe_che,

For that I_ wolde bli_theli_ce

That al Englisce le_de

With eare scolde lisnen it,

With herte scolde it tre_wen, 310

With tunge scolde spellen it,

With de_de scolde it folgen,

To_ winnen under Cristendo_m

At Cri_st so_th sa_wele berhles.

and God Al`mahtiy yefe us maht 315

and lust and wit and wille,

To_ folgen this Englisce bo_k

That al is ha_liy la_re,

Swa_ that we_ mo_ten wurthiy be_n

To_ bru_ken hefenes blisse. 320

Amen. Amen. Amen;

Ic that this englisc hafe sett.

Englisce men to la_re;

Ic was thear thear i_ cristened was.

Ormin bi_ name nemned.

and ic ormin full inwardli_ce. 325

With mu_th. and e_k with herte.

He_r bidde tha_ cristen`e men.

That he_ren other readen.

This bo_k; hem bidde ic he_r that they.

For me_ this bede bidden. 330

That bro_ther that this englisc writ.

Alr' earest wra_t. and wrohte;

That bro_ther for his swink to_ lean;

So_th blisse mo_te fi_nden. Amen.

Tha_ God`spelles alle that ic 335

He_r on this bo_k may fi_nden,

Hem alle wille ic nemnen he_r

Bi_ theyre firste wordes.

and tale wille ic setten to_,

To_ do_n yow t'under`standen, 340

Hu_ fele sinden on this bo_k

God`spelles under alle.