Hatton MS.] GREGORY'S PASTORAL. 107
ðæm hirde, forðæmðe Dryhten hit eall swiðe smealice geðencð, & h[i]m forgiefð ðæt he sua micle ieðelicor bið gefriðod from his agnum costungum sua he mildheortlicor bið gesuenced mid oðerra monna costungum.
XVII. Hu se reccere sceal bion ðæm weldondum monnum for eaðmodnesse gefera & wið ðara yfelena unðeawas stræc for ryhtwislicum andan.
Se ealdormonn sceal lætan hine selfne gelicne his hieremonnum : he sceal bion hira gefera for eaðmodnesse ðara ðea[h] te wel dón; he sceal bion wið Xara agyltendra undeawas úpahæfen for tæm andan his ryhtwisnes(se), & tætte he on næn[eg]um Eingum hine beteran ne do tæm godum ; & Seah Sonne he ongiete ta scylda Sara Sweortiemena, Eonne gečence he tone caldordom his onwealdes ; & eft ongean Ea godan & da wellibbendan forsio he his ealdordom suæ suite Eæt he on 15 allum fingum ta te hin underdiedde sien læte him gelice, & ne wene he nanes Singes hine selfne beteran ; & eft wir &a widerweardan ne ondræde he tæt he bego[n]ge his ryhtwisnesse, suæ suæ ic geman tæt ic io sæde on tære bec de Morales Iob hatte. Ic cuæ tæt æglwelc monn wäre gelice odrum acenned, ac sio ungelicnes hira geearnunga 20 hie tiehð sume behindan sume, & hira scylda hi tær gehabbad. Hwæt Yonne ta ungelicnesse te of hira undeawum for cymes, se godcunda dom gedencổ Eæt(t)e ealle men gelice beon ne magon, ac wile tæt simle se oder beo aræred from Sæm odrum. Fortæm ealle Sa Se fore oðrum bieon sculon ne sculon hi na sua suite ne sua oft gedencean let him consider the authority of his office; and again, with those who lead a good life, let him think so lightly of his authority as to place his subjects on an equality with himself, nor deem himself in any respect their superior; and, again, with the perverse, let him not fear to practise his righteousness, as I remember once saying in the book entitled “Morales.” I said that all men are born alike, but some are kept behind others by the difference in their merits, and their sins keep them there. The divine judgment is mindful of the difference caused by their moral defects, and that all men cannot be equal, and always wishes them to be raised one above another. Therefore all those who are to be above others must not think too much or too often of their authority, but of how like they naturally are to other
