fol. 189r Incipiunt documenta regis Alvredi.

AtSevorde sete theynes monye, Fele biscopes, and feole bok-ilered, Eorles prute, knyhtes egleche. Thar wes the Eorl Alvrich,line5 Of thare lawe swithe wis, And ek Ealvred, Englene hurde, Englene durlyng — On Englene londe he wes kyng. Heom he bigon lere,line10 So ye mawe ihure, Hw hi heore lif lede scholden. Alvred he wes in Englene lond And king wel swithe strong. He wes king and he wes clerek.line15 Wel he luvede Godes werk. He wes wis on his word, and war on his werke. He wes the wysuste mon That wes Englelonde on.

Thus queth Alvred, Englene frouer:line20 “Wolde ye, mi leode, lusten eure louerde; He ou wolde wyssye wisliche thinges: Hw ye myhte worldes wrthsipes welde, And ek eure saule somnen to Criste.” Wyse were the wordes the seyde the King Alvred.

fol. 189v “Mildeliche ich munye, myne leove freond,line26 Poure and riche, leode myne, That ye alle adrede ure Dryhten Crist. Luvyen hine and lykyen, for he is Louerd of Lyf; He is one god over alle godnesse;line30 He is one gleaw over alle glednesse; He is one blisse over alle blissen; He is one monne, mildest mayster; He is one folkes fader, and frouer; He is one rihtwis, and so riche kingline35 That him ne schal beo wone nouht of his wille, The hine her on worlde wrthie thencheth.”

Thus queth Alvred, Englene vrouer: “Ne may non ryhtwis king underCriste seolven Bute if he beo in boke ilered,line40 And he his wyttes swithe wel kunne, And he cunne lettres lokie himseolf one Hw he schule his lond laweliche holde.” Thus queth Alvred.

“The eorl and the ethelyngline45 Ibureth, under godne king, That lond to leden Myd lawelyche deden. And the clerek and the knyht He schulle demen evelyche riht,line50 The poure and the ryche Demen ilyche. Hwych so the mon soweth, Al swuch he schal mowe; And everuyches monnes dom to his owere dure churreth.line55 Than knyhte bihoveth kenliche on to fone For to werie that lond with hunger and with heriunge, That the Chireche habbe gryth, And the cheorl beo in fryth His sedes to sowen,line60 His medes to mowen, And his plouh beo idryve. To ure alre bihove This is thes knyhtes lawe. Loke he that hit wel fare.”

Thus queth Alvred:line65 “The mon the on his youhthe yeorne leorneth Wit and wisdom, and iwriten reden, He may beon on elde wenliche lortheu; And the that nule one youhthe yeorne leorny Wit and wysdom, and iwriten rede,line70 That him schal on elde sore rewe. Thenne cumeth elde, And unhelthe, Thenne beoth his wene Ful wrothe isene;line75 Bothe heo beoth biswike and eke hi beoth aswunde.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Wythute wysdome, is weole wel unwurth, For they o mon ahte huntseventi acres, And he hi hadde isowen alle myd reade golde,fol. 190r And that gold greowe so gres doth on eorthe,line81 Nere he, for his weole, never the further Bute he him, of frumthe, freond iwrche, For hwat is gold bute ston Bute if hit haveth wis mon?”line85 Thus queth Alvred.

“Ne scolde never yong mon howyen to swithe, Theih him his wyse wel ne lykie, Ne theih he ne welde al that he wolde, For God may yeve, thenne he wule,line90 God after uvele, weole after wowe. Wel is him that hit ischapen is.” Thus seyth Alvred.

“Strong hit is to reowe ayeyn the see that floweth, So hit is to swynke ayeyn unylimpe.line95 The mon the on his youhthe swo swinketh And worldes weole her iwinth, That he may on elde idelnesse holde, And ek myd his worldes weole God iqueme er he quele,line100 Youthe and al that he haveth idrowe Is thenne wel bitowe.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Mony mon weneth that he wene ne tharf, Longes lyves, ac him lyeth the wrench;line105 For thanne his lyves alre best luvede, Thenne he schal leten lyf his owe. For nys no wrt vexynde a wude ne a velde That ever muwe thas feye furth upholde. Not no mon thene tyme hwanne he schal heonne turne.line110 Ne no mon thene ende hwenne he schal heonne wende. Dryhten hit one wot, dowethes Louerd, Hwanne ure lif leten schule.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Yf thu seolver and gold yefst and weldest in this world,line115 Never upen eorthe to wlonk thu nywrthe. Ayhte nys non ildre istreon ac hit is Godes lone; Hwanne hit is his wille, tharof we schulle wende, And ure owe lyf myd alle forleten. Thanne schulle ure ifon to ure vouh gripen,line120 Welden ure maythenes, and leten us byhinde.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Ne ilef thu nouht to fele uppe the see that floweth. If thu hafst madmes, monye and inowe, Gold and seolver, hit schal gnyde to nouht;fol. 190v To duste hit schal dryven; Dryhten schal libben evere.line126 Mony mon, for his gold, haveth Godes urre, And for his seolver, hymseolve Foryemeth, foryeteth, and forleseth. Betere him bycome iboren that he nere.”line130 Thus queth Alvred.

“Lusteth ye, me leode, Ower is the neode, And ich eu will lere wit and wisdom, that alle thing overgoth. Syker he may sitte the hyne haveth to ivere;line135 For theyh his eyhte him ago, His wit ne agoth hym nevermo, For ne may he forvare The hyne haveth to vere The wile his owe lyf ileste mote.”line140 Thus queth Alvred.

“If thu havest seorewe, Ne seye thu hit nouht than arewe. Seye hit thine sadelbowe, and ryd the singinde forth. Thenne wile wene, thet thine wise ne con, that the thine wise wel lyke.line145 Serewe if thu havest and the erewe hit wot, Byfore he the meneth, Byhynde he the teleth. Thu hit myht segge swyhc mon That the ful wel on —line150 Wythute echere ore, He on the muchele more. Byhud hit on thire heorte That the eft ne smeorte; Ne let thu hyne witeline155 Al that thin heorte bywite.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Ne schaltu nevere thi wif by hire wlyte cheose, For never none thinge that heo to the bryngeth; Ac leorne hire custe — heo cutheth hi wel sone.line160 For mony mon, for ayhte, uvele iauhteth, And ofte mon, of fayre, frakele icheoseth. Wo is him that uvel wif Bryngeth to his cotlyf. So him is alyve,line165 That uvele ywyveth For he schal uppen eorthe Dreori iwurthe. Mony mon singeth That wif hom bryngeth;line170 Wiste he hwat he brouhte, Wepen he myhte.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Ne wurth thu never so wod ne so wyn-drunke That evere segge thine wife alle thine wille,line175 For if thu iseye the bivore thine ivo alle, And thu hi myd worde iwreththed hevedest, Ne scholde heo hit lete for thing lyvyinde, That heo ne scholde the forth upbreyde of thine baleusythes. Wymmon is word-woth and haveth tunge to swift;line180 Theyh heo wel wolde, ne may heo hi nowiht welde.” Thus queth Alfred.

fol. 191r “Idelschipe and overprute that lereth yong wif uvele thewes, And ofte that wolde Do that heo ne scholde.line185 Thene untheu lihte Leten heo myhte If heo ofte aswote, Forswunke were, Theyh hit is uvel to buweline190 That beo nule treowe, For ofte museth the kat after hire moder. The mon that let wymmon his mayster iwurthe Ne schal he never beon ihurd His wordes louerd;line195 Ac, heo hine schal steorne totrayen and toteone. And selde wurth he blythe and gled The mon that is his wives qued. Mony appel is bryht withute and bitter withinne; So is mony wymmon on hyre fader bureline200 Schene under schete, and theyh heo is schendful; So is mony gedelyng godlyche on horse, And is theyh lutel wurth — Wlonk bi the glede And uvel at thare neode.”line205 Thus queth Alvred.

“Nevre thu bi thine lyve The word of thine wyve To swithe thu ne arede If heo beo iwreththedline210 Myd worde other myd dede. Wymmon wepeth for mod Oftere than for eny god, And ofte lude and stille For to vordrye hire wille;line215 Heo wepeth otherhwile For to do the gyle. Salomon hit haveth ised: ‘That wymmon can wel uvelne red.’ The hire red foleweth,line220 Heo bryngeth hine to seorewe, For hit seyth in the loth As ‘cuenes forteoth.’ Hit is ifurn iseyd That ‘cold red is quene red.’line225 Hu he is unlede That foleweth hire rede. Ich hit ne segge nouht, forthan, That god thing ys god wymmon, The mon the hi may icheose and icovere over othre.”line230 Thus queth Alvred.

“Mony mon weneth that he weny ne tharf: Freond that he habbe thar me him vayre bihat, Seyth him vayre bivore, and frakele bihynde; So me may thane lothe lengust lede.line235 Ne ilef thu never thane mon That is of feole speche, Ne alle the thinge That thu iherest singe. Mony mon haveth swikelne muth,line240 Milde and monne forcuth; Nele he the cuthe hwenne he the wule bikache.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Thurh sawe, mon is wis, And, thurh hiselthe, mon is gleu.line245 Thurh lesinge, mon is loth,fol. 191v And thurh luthre, wrenches and unwurth; And thurh hokede honde that he bereth, Himseolve he forvareth. From lesynge thu the wune,line250 And alle unthewes thu the bischune, So myht thu on theode Leof beon in alle leode. And luve thyne nexte — he is at the neode god. At chepynge and at chyreche,line255 Freond thu the iwurche Wyth pouere and with riche, With alle monne ilyche. Thanne myht thu sikerliche sely sytte, And ek faren over londe hwider so beoth thi wille.”line260 Thus queth Alvred.

“Alle world-ayhte Schulle bicumen to nouhte, And uyches cunnes madmes to mixe schulen imulten; And ure owe lif lutel hwile ileste,line265 For theyh o mon wolde al the worlde And al the wunne the tharinne wunyeth, Ne myhte he, tharmyde, his lif none hwile holde, Ac al he schal forleten on a litel stunde; And schal ure blisse to balewe us iwurtheline270 Bute if we wurcheth wyllen Cristes. Nu bithenche we, thanne, us sulve, Ure lif to leden so Crist us gynneth lere; Thanne mawe we wenen that he wule us wrthie. For so seyde Salomon the wise:line275 ‘The mon that her wel deth He cumeth thar he lyen foth On his lyves ende, He hit schal avynde.’” Thus queth Alvred.

line280 “Ne gabbe thu ne schotte Ne chid thu wyth none sotte, Ne myd manyes cunnes tales Ne chid thu with nenne dwales. Ne never thu ne bigynneline285 To telle thine tythinges At nones fremannes borde, Ne have thu to vale worde. Mid fewe worde wis mon Fele biluken wel con,line290 And sottes bolt is sone iscohte. Forthi ich holde hine for dote That sayth al his wille Thanne he scholde beon stille, For ofte tunge breketh bonline295 Theyh heo seolf nabbe non.” Thus queth Alvred.

“Wis child is Fader blisse. If hit so bitydeth that thu bern ibidest,line300 The hwile hit is lutel, ler him mon thewes;fol. 192r Thanne hit is wexynde, hit schal wende tharto: The betere hit schal iwurthe Ever buven eorthe. Ac if thu him lest welde wexende on worlde,line305 Lude and stille His owene wille. Hwanne cumeth ealde, Ne myht thu hyne awelde. Thanne deth hit soneline310 That the bith unyqueme; Oferhoweth thin ibod, And maketh the ofte sory-mod. Betere the were Iboren that he nere,line315 For betere is child unbore thane unbuhsum. The mon the spareth yeorde and yonge childe, And let hit arixlye, that he hit areche ne may, That him schal, on ealde, sore reowe.” Amen.

Expliciunt dicta regis Alvredi.

fol. 189r Here begin the proverbs of King Alfred.

At Shefford sat many thanes, Many bishops, and many book-learned, Proud earls, brave knights. There was Earl Alfrich,line5 So wise in their law, And also Alfred, shepherd of the English, Beloved by the English — Of the land of the English he was king. He taught them,line10 As you may hear, How their lives they ought to lead. Alfred was in the land of the English A very powerful king. He was king and he was scholar.line15 Well did he love God’s work. He was wise in word, and careful in work. He was the wisest man In England.

Thus says Alfred, comforter of the English:line20 “Be willing, my people, to listen to your lord; He wishes to teach you wise things: How you might worldly honor possess, And also your soul join to Christ.” Wise were the words then said by King Alfred.

fol. 189v “Mildly do I admonish, my dear friends,line26 Poor and rich, my people, That all of you should fear our Lord Christ. Love and please him, for he is Lord of Life; He is the one good over all goodness;line30 He is the one joy over all joyfulness; He is the one bliss over all blissfulness; He is the one man, mildest master; He is the one father of folk, and source of comfort; He is the one justice, and so powerful a kingline35 That he shall lack nothing of what he desires, Who here in this world intends to honor him.”

Thus says Alfred, comforter of the English: “There can be no just king under Christ himself Unless he be learned in books,line40 And able to use his intelligence, And can read letters to examine on his own How his land he should maintain lawfully.” Thus says Alfred.

“The earl and the noble athelingline45 Are obliged, under a good king, To lead the land With lawful deed. And they must fairly judge The clerk and the knight,line50 Judge even-handedly The poor and the rich. What a man sows, So must he reap; And every man’s judgment returns to his own door.line55 The knight is obliged to bravely undertake To defend the land from hunger and invasion, So the Church has protection, And the peasant in the field May sow his seeds,line60 Mow his meadows, And drive his plow. We all ought to know This is the knight’s duty. He must see that it goes well.”

Thus says Alfred:line65 “He who in his youth eagerly learns Wit and wisdom, and reads what’s written, In old age he may be an excellent teacher; And he who in youth refuses to eagerly learn Wit and wisdom, and read what’s written,line70 In old age he shall sorely regret it. When old age comes, And ill health, Then is his opinion Seen to be perverse;line75 It is both deluded and also feeble.” Thus says Alfred.

“Without wisdom, wealth is worthless, For even if a man possessed seventy acres, And had sown them all with red gold,fol. 190r And that gold grew as grass does on earth,line81 He’d never, for all his wealth, advance any further Unless he, from the beginning, gains friends for himself, For what is gold but stone Unless it’s owned by a wise man?”line85 Thus says Alfred.

“A young man should never be overly distressed, Even if his situation isn’t to his liking, And he doesn’t control all he’d like to, For God may give him, when he will,line90 Good after bad, happiness after grief. Well is he who for that is destined.” Thus says Alfred.

“It’s as difficult to row against the flowing sea, As to strive against misfortune.line95 The man who in his youth strives so And worldly wealth wins here, So that in old age he may gain leisure, And also with his worldly wealth Pleases God before he dies,line100 Then youth and all he’s earned Are well applied.” Thus says Alfred.

“Many a man expects what he may not expect, Long length of life, but he’ll be deceived;line105 For when his life is most cherished, Then shall he lose his own life. For there’s no herb growing in wood or in field That can ever sustain what’s fated to die. None knows the time when he’ll turn from here.line110 None knows the destination when he’ll go hence. Only God knows, Lord of hosts, When our life will end.” Thus says Alfred.

“If silver and gold you give and wield in this world,line115 Don’t ever on earth become overly proud. Property’s not gained from parents but a loan from God; When it’s his will, we’ll turn away from it, And our own life entirely lose. Then our enemies will seize our treasures,line120 Control our valuables, and leave us behind.” Thus says Alfred.

“Don’t trust too much in the sea that flows. If you have treasures, abundant and plentiful, Gold and silver, it’ll crumble to nothing;fol. 190v To dust it’ll be reduced; the Lord will live forever.line126 Many a man, for his gold, receives God’s wrath, And for his silver, himself Neglects, forgets, and loses. It’d be better for him had he never been born.”line130 Thus says Alfred.

“Listen, my people, You are in need, And I’ll teach you wit and wisdom, beyond all things. Securely sits he who has it for company; For though his property leave him,line135 His wit may never go from him, For he cannot perish Who has it for company As long as his own life may last.”line140 Thus says Alfred.

“If you have sorrow, Never tell it to a scoundrel. Tell it to your saddlebow, and ride forth singing. Then he’ll think, ignorant of your state, that you’re happy.line145 If you have sorrow and the scoundel knows it, To your face he’ll comfort you, Behind your back he’ll mock you. You may have told it to such a man As wishes you very well —line150 Without any mercy, He’d wish you even more. Hide it in your heart So that you’re not hurt again; Never let him knowline155 What your heart guards.” Thus says Alfred.

“You must never choose your wife for her beauty, No matter what she brings to you; Learn instead her character — she’ll reveal it right away.line160 For many a man, for wealth, makes a bad bargain, And often a man, for beauty, chooses what’s worthless. Woeful is he who brings A bad wife to his dwelling. While he’s alive,line165 The one badly wived Shall everywhere Become miserable. Many a man sings Who brings home a wife;line170 If he knew what he brought, He’d surely weep.” Thus says Alfred.

“Don’t ever be so crazy or so drunk on wine That you ever tell your wife all your secrets,line175 For even if you saw before you all your enemies, And with your words have enraged them, She’d not neglect, for any living creature, To upbraid you openly for your mistakes. Woman is word-mad and has a very quick tongue;line180 Even if she wanted to, she can’t control it at all.” Thus says Alfred.

fol. 191r “Indolence and excessive pride teach a young wife bad habits. And make her often want To do what she shouldn’t.line185 She might readily Avoid bad habits If she had to sweat often, Worn out by work, Though it’s hard to bendline190 What won’t be straight, For often a cat learns to mouse from her mother. The man who allows a woman to be his master Will never be listened to As lord of his words;line195 Instead, she’ll severely torment and harass him. Seldom is a man happy and glad Who is his wife’s enemy. Many an apple’s shiny without and bitter within; So is many a woman in her father’s houseline200 Beautiful under sheet, and yet she’s shameless; So is many a soldier handsome on a horse, And yet worth little — Brave by the hearth And useless when needed.”line205 Thus says Alfred.

“Don’t ever in your life Heed too hastily The advice of your wife If she’s been angeredline210 By word or by deed. A woman weeps for wrath More often than for good, And under all circumstances To advance her own will;line215 She weeps at other times In order to deceive you. Solomon has said it: ‘Woman is prone to give bad advice.’ Whoever follows her advice,line220 She’ll bring him to sorrow, For it’s said everywhere That ‘women deceive.’ It’s long been said That ‘cold counsel is woman’s counsel.’line225 How miserable is he Who follows her counsel. I don’t deny at all, however, That a good woman is a good thing, For one who may choose and win her above others.”line230 Thus says Alfred.

“Many a man thinks what he oughtn’t think: That he has a friend when someone makes fair promises, Says fair things to his face, but evil behind his back; Thus may someone loath the one he’s accompanied longest.line235 Don’t believe any man Who’s of varying speech, Nor all of the things You hear being sung. Many a man has a deceptive mouth,line240 A gentle yet wicked man; He’ll not let you know when he plans to trick you.” Thus says Alfred.

“By proverb, man is wise, And, by piety, man is good.line245 By lying, man is loathsome,fol. 191v And by evil, worthless and false; And by having hooked hands, He ruins himself. Lose the habit of lying,line250 And shun all your vices, So that everywhere you may Be beloved by all people. And love your neighbor — he’s helpful in time of need. At market and at church,line255 Acquire friends for yourself Among poor and rich, With all men equally. You will certainly then be happily situated, And also travel over land wherever you want.”line260 Thus says Alfred.

“All worldly wealth Will come to nothing, And each kind of treasure will dwindle to filth; And our own life lasts a little while,line265 For even if a man wanted the whole world And all the joys dwelling therein, His life he may not, therewith, keep for a while, But he must lose all in a brief moment; And so will our bliss lead us to tormentline270 Unless we perform Christ’s will. Now let’s resolve, then, on our own, To lead our life as Christ taught us; Then may we hope that he will reward us. For so said Solomon the wise:line275 ‘The man who does well here Comes where he’ll be received At his life’s end, As he shall find out.’” Thus says Alfred.

line280 “Don’t scoff or yell Or quarrel with a fool, Or with all sorts of claims Argue with dimwits. You shouldn’t ever beginline285 To disclose your news At any franklin’s table, Nor have too many words. With few words the wise man Can express a great deal,line290 And a fool’s arrow is soon shot. So I hold him a dolt Who tells all his private thoughts When he ought to be quiet, For often does a tongue break a boneline295 Though itself has none.” Thus says Alfred.

“Wise child is Father’s bliss. If it should happen that you have a child,line300 While it is small, teach him good habits;fol. 192r Then as it grows, it shall carry on that way: The better it shall become Of any seen on earth. But if you fail to control him as he grows in the world,line305 In all circumstances He’ll do as he pleases. When old age advances, You’ll be unable to manage him. Then soon it will doline310 What displeases you; He disdains your command, And often causes you grief. It’d have been better for you Had he not been born,line315 For better is an unborn child than a disobedient one. The man who spares the rod and the young child, And allows it to have its own way, and he cannot control it, That one will, in old age, sorely regret it.” Amen.

Here end the sayings of King Alfred.