Page:The Sources of Standard English.djvu/106

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The Old and Middle English.
77


Mani þusen hi drapen mid hungær. I ne canne i ne
         thousands
mai tellen alle þe wundes. ne alle þe þines þat hi diden
wrecce men on þis land, and þat lastede þa XIX. wintre
wile Stephne was king. and ævre it was uuerse and
                                                                               worse
uuerse. . . .
1154. — On þis gær wærd þe king Steph. ded. and be-­
                                          was
byried þer his wif and his sune wæron bebyried æt
Fauresfeld. þæt minstre hi makeden. Þa þe king was
ded. ða was þe eorl beionde sæ. and ne durste nan man
don oþer bute god. for þe micel eie of him.
                                                             awe
The year 1135. Micel þing sculde cumm.
Æuric man sone rævede. .
Wua sua bare his byrthen. .

THE CONTRAST TO THE EAST MIDLAND.

(About 1160.)[1]

Ure feder þet in heouene is,
þet is al soð ful iwis.
wee moten to þeos weordes iseon.
þet to liue and to saule gode beon.
þet weo beon swa his sunes iborene.
þet he beo feder and we him icorene.
þet we don alle his ibeden.
and his wille for to reden.
Loke weo us wið him misdon
þurh beelzebubes swikedom

  1. Old English Homilies, First Series (Early English Text Society), p. 55.