Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/113

10+ GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. wæren, mid ðæm tearum ðara gebeda [aðwegen]. Forðæm eac wæs ðæt þe beforan ðæm temple stod uren ceac onuppan twelf ærenum oxum, ðætte þa men þe into ðæm temple gán woldon meahton hiera honda ðwean on þæm mere. Se ceac [eac] wæs suæ micel ðæt he oferhelede ða oxan ealle, butan þa heafdu totodun ut. Hwæt getacniað [tacnigað] ðonne pa twelf oxan buton þa twelf apostolas, & siððan ealle ða endebyrdnessa ðara biscopa þe ðæræfter fylgeað? Bi ðæm wæs gecweden on ðære æ : Ne forbinde ge no ðæm ðerscendum oxum ðone muð. Đone cwide Paulus gereahte eft to biscepum ðara openlican weore we gesioð, ac we nyton hwelc hiera ingeðonc bið beforan ðæm ðearlwissan deman onðæem diglan edleanum. Đa ðeah ðonne hie niðerastigað to aðweanne hiera nihstena scylda, ðonne hie him ondettað, hie [him added] bioð onlicost swelce hie beren ðone ceac beforan ðære ciricean duru [dura], swæ swæ ða oxan dydon beforan ðæm temple ; ðætte swæ hwelc swæ inweard higige to gangenne on ða duru ðæs ecean lifes, he ðonne ondette ælce costunge þe him on becume ðæm mode his scriftes beforan ðæm temple; ond swæ swæ ðara manna handa & fett wæron aðwægene on ðære ealdan æ on ðæm ceace beforan ðæm temple, swæ ðonne nu we aðwean ures modes handa & ure weorc mid ðære ondetnesse. Oft eac gebyreð ðonne se scrift ongit ðæs costunga þe he him ondetteð ðæt he eac self bið mid ðæm ilcum gecostod. Hwæt ðæt water on ðæm ceace wæs gedrefed, ðonne ðær micel folc hiera fett & honda an ðwogon. Swæ bið ðæs sacerdes mod ðonne ðær bið micel folc on aðwægen hiera scylda ðurh his lare. Đonne he uderfehð ðæt fenn ðara ðweandra, him ðyncð swelce he forleose þa smyltnesse his clænnesse. Ac nis ðæt

before confession, washed in the tears of their prayers. Therefore also there stood before the temple a brazen basin, supported by twelve brazen oxen, that those who wished to enter the temple might wash their hands in the sea. The basin was big enough to cover the oxen entirely, except the projecting heads. What signify the twelve oxen but the twelve apostles and the whole succession of bishops which come after them? Of which was spoken in the law : “ Bind not the mouth of the thirsting oxen.” This saying Paul applied again to those bishops whose public works we see, while we know not what their thoughts are before the severe Judge with his hidden requital. When they descend to wash the sins of their neighbours, when they confess, they