Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/318

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Hatton MS.]
GREGORY'S PASTORAL.
309

leohtlicu weorc & leaslicu & wrænnes, & ðæm swiðe fæstendan oft folgað ungeðyld, & hwilum eac ofermetta. Gif ðam gifran ungemetlicu spræc ne eglde, ðonne ne burne se weliga ðe suiður on ðære tungan ðe on oðrum limum, se ðe on ðæm godspelle gesæd is ðætte ælce dæge symblede, ðæt wæs se se ðe cwæð: Fæder Habraham, miltsa me, & onsend Ladzarus, ðætte he gewæte his ytemestan finger on wættre, & mid ðæm gecele mine tungan, forðæm ic eom cwielmed on ðys liege. Mid ðy worde was getacnod ðætte ða ðe ælce dæg symblað, on ðone tungan suiður syngiað ðonne on (o)ðrum limum, forðæm[ðe] he wæs eall biernende, & ðeah ða tunga suiðust mænde, & him ðære kelnesse bæd. Ond eft ðæm gifrum suiðe hrædlice him willað fylgan leohtlicu weorc & unnyt. Đæt trymeð sio halige æ, ðær hio cuæð: Đæt folc sæt, æt, & dranc, & siððan aryson, & eodon him plegean. Sua oft se oferæt wierð gehwierfed to fierenluste, forðæm ðonne sio womb bið full & aðened, ðonne bid aweaht se anga ðære wrænnesse. Forðæm wæs gecueden to ðæm lytegan feonde, ðe ðæs ærestan monnes mod ontynde on ðæs æples gewilnunge, & hit ða gewearp mid synne grine, to ðæm wæs gecueden mid ðære godcundan

ness are apt to follow gluttony, and impatience, sometimes also pride, often follow abstinence. If the greedy were not afflicted with loquacity, the rich man would not have burned more in the tongue than in his other members, of whom it is said in the Gospel that he feasted daily, and who it was that said : “Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus, that he may wet the tip of his finger in water, and cool with it my tongue, because I am tormented in this flame." With this speech signified, that they who feast daily, sin more in the tongue than other members, because he was burning all over, and yet specially mentioned his tongue, and asked to have it cooled. And, again, frivolous and unprofitable works very soon follow gluttony. Which the holy law confirms, saying: "The people sat, ate, and drank, and then arose, and went to play." So gluttony often becomes lasciviousness, becanse, when the belly is full and distended, the goad of lust is excited. Therefore it was said with the divine voice to the cunning foe, who inflamed the mind of the first man with the desire of the