“ A. ix. "The sorie sowle maketh hire mone," in language not dissimilar to that used in the following fragment; and the dreary imagery of the house appointed for all living, and the punishment which awaits a wicked life at its close, are painted in an equally fearful manner.
Mr. Thorpe points to an Anglo-Saxon prose Homily as the original of the poem on the same theme in the Exeter MS., which is repeated, with some variation, in the Vercelli Codex. ”

“ Now are thine ears closed, non dreame ihereth. no pleasant sounds they hear; theo leorneden theo listen. they learned, they listened tha luthere weren. 415 to those that were wicked. [mid] wowe domes. With unjust judgments, and gultes feole. and many trespasses, thu othre beræfedest. thou others bereaved rihtes istreones. of rightful wealth, thurh thæs deofles lore, 420 through the devil's lore, theo the likede wel. that thou liked well. the deofle tuhte his hearpe. The devil touched his harp, and tuhte the to him. and enticed thee to him; thu iherdest thene dream. thou heardest the harmony ”

“ After his days are gone, sone cumeth that wrecche wif. soon cometh the wretched wife, forhoweth thene earfeth sith. 80 lamenteth the woeful time, forbindeth thæs dædan muth. binds up the mouth of the dead, and his dimme eiȝen. and closes his dim eyes. * * * ie thet riche [A] wif. * * * that wretched wife forhoweth thene earueth sith. lamenteth the woeful time; for ufel is that wrecche lufe. 85 for evil is that wretched love thonne theo unblisse cumath. when adversity cometh. ”

“ Now thou hast a new house, inne bethrungen. a crowded dwelling; lowe beoth the helewewes. low is the covering, unheiȝe beoth the sidwowes. 240 unhigh the sidewalls, thin rof liith on thin breoste ful nei. thy roof lieth on thy breast full nigh. colde is the ibedded. Cold art thou embedded, clothes bidcled. beclad in clothes nulleth thine hinen. thy hinds would refuse. clothes the sen * * * 245 Clothes the sen * * * for heom thuncheth alto lut. for they think all too little [Pg 8] that thu heom bilefdest. that thou didst leave them ”

“ Soth is iseid. 220 Truly it is said on then salme bec. in the Psalm book, Os tuum habundavit malitia, os tuum habundavit malitia, was on thine muthe. wickedness ripe luthernesse ripe. was in thy mouth. noldest thu on thine huse. 225 Thou wouldst not in thy house herborwen theo wrecchen. shelter the poor, ne mihten heo under thine roue. nor might they under thy roof none reste finden. find any rest; noldest thu næfre helpen. nor wouldst thou ever help tham orlease wrecchen. 230 the unhappy wretches; ac thu sete on thine benche. but thou sate on thy bench, underleid mid thine bolstre. ”

“ Thy liver and thy lights lodliche torenden. 275 loathfully rending, and so scal formelten. and so shall waste away mawe and thin milte. thy maw and thy melt, and so scal win * * * and so shall win * * * * * * * * * * * * * wurmes of thine flæsc. 280 worms of thy flesh, thu scalt fostren thine feond. thou shalt nourish thine enemy thet thu beo al ifreten until thou art all devoured; thu scalt nu herborwen. thou shalt now harbour [Pg 9] unhol wihte. hateful creatures, noldest thu ær gode men. 285 (heretofore thou wouldst not, good men, for lufe gode sellan. for love, give of thy goods;) ”

“ Nor wouldst thou observe love with ilærede men. 130 with learned men, ȝiven ham of thine gode. give them part of thy wealth that heo the fore beden. that they might pray for thee, heo mihten mid salm songe. that they might with psalm sung thine sunne acwenchen. thy sin extinguish, mid * * * reinesse. 135 with * * * [Pg 5] thine misdeden forebiddan. pray for thy misdeeds; heo mihten offrian loc. that they might offer gifts leofliche for the. acceptable for thee, swuth deor thurthe lac. through the most dear sacrifice licame Cristes. ”