Page:Alexander and Dindimus (Skeat 1878).djvu/67

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THEY SACRIFICE TO DEVILS.
23
Bremliche y-brouht forþ · & bred of þat modur
Ye are bu earth-born Þat is stable to stonde · & stonus engendreþ,
588And þe erþe is called · þat euery man helpeþ.
Whan god demeþ ȝou deie · ȝour daies to tine,
Ye build fine tombs. Grauus of gret prys · ȝe grayþe ȝou tille—
& but hit fair be & fin · folie ȝe holden—
592To legge in your licam · þat lodlich[1] is founde.
& so ȝour bodies ȝe buren · þat bettur riht hadde
In rouh erþe to be reke · to roten hure bonus.
And by þe dedeus that men don · to þe dede bodies,
596Ludus keneþ hue hem louen · to hure liuus ende.
We, for love of God, We, for loue of þe lord · þat we leuen inne,
kill no beasts, None bestus i-boren · balfullu kille,
Ne no tidi a-tir · in templus a-araie,
600nor carve idols. No figure of fin gold · fourme þer-inne,
Wher-fore þe heie heuene god · heren us scholde,
Whan any burn to him bad · [h]is bone graunte.[2]
But ȝe,[3] folliche folk · ȝour fals godus alle
604Ye worship your gods, Wil-fully worschipen · wiþ wordliche godus,
For þei scholde hasteli ȝou here · & ȝou help kiþe,
Whan ȝe greden ȝour grace · to graunte ȝour wille,
and sacrifice to devils Whan ȝe for sake of ȝoure sinne · sacrifice maken,
608& quellen any quik best · to queme þe deuelus.
Ȝe ne vndurstonde nouht þat stounde · þe storie of þis wordus
God hears not man because of sacrifices. Þat god hereþ no gome · but for his goode dedus,
& for no bestene blod · þat any burn quelleþ
612Noþin of kide, noþur of calf · noþur of kild oxe.


tue dominatur. Quia si bene consideramus, illa mater te genuit que lapides et arbores procreauit. Tu ornas sepulcra tua et in vasa gemmea puluerem tui corporis collocas et recondis. Quid peius esse potest quam ossa que terra recipere debet, non sinis ipsam terram de corpore recipere alimentum? Nos autem in honore deorum pecudes non occidimus, templa non construimus vbi statuas aureas vel argenteas erigamus. Tu solem legem habeas vt de omnibus bonis tuis immolationem facias vt exaudiant preces tuas. Nonne intelligis quod deus non precio nec sanguine vitulorum nec arietis aut hirci, sed

  1. MS. 'bodilech'
  2. MS. 'graunde'; see l. 764.
  3. MS. 'so'