Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/129

120 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. sio Soðfæestnes, ðæt is Crist, ðurh hiene selfne cwæð, ða he us spon to ðæm hiehstan geearnungum, he cwæð: Wiete ge ðætte ðeoda kyningas beoð ðæs folces waldendas, & ða þe ðone onwald begað hie beoð hlafurdas gehatene; ne sie hit ðonne no swæ betweoxn eow, ac swæ hwelc swæ wille betweoxn eow fyrmest beon, se sceal bion eower ðegn, & swæ hwelc swæ wille betweoxn eow mæst beon, sie se eower ðeow. Swæ swæ monnes sunu, cwæð Crist be him selfum, ne com he no to ðæm on eordan ðæt him mon ðenade, ac ðæt he wolde ðenian. For ðissum ilcan is eac gesæd on ðæm godspelle hwelc wite sceolde ðrowian se upahafena ðegn æfter ðæm anfangenan rice; he cwæð ðonne: Se yfela ðeow cwið on his mode : Hit bið long hwonne se hlaford cume ; ic mæg slean & ierman mine heafudgemæccean. Itt him ðonne & drincð mid ðæm druncen willum monnum, & læt his hlafordes gebod to giemeliste. Đonne cymð his hlaford on ðæm dæge þe he ne wenð, & on ða tiid ðæt he hiene ær nat; hæfð hine ðonne siððan for ænne licettere. & swiðe ryhte deð for ðære licettunge þe he licet[te] ðæt he wolde habban ða ðenunga ðeawas & ðeodscipe to læronne ; & ða he ðæt hæfde, þa wolde he hit habban him to agnum anwalde, & dyde him ðæt riceter to sioda & to gewunan. And swæðeah oft agyltað ða ealdormenn efnswiðe on ðæm þe he bid to eaðmod ðæm yflum [yflan] monnum, & læt hiene him to gelicne, & licet wið hie ma geferrædenne ðonne ealdordome. Swiðe ryhte se bið geteald to ðæm licetterum se þe on lareowes onlicnesse ða ðenunga ðæs ealdordomes gecirð to hlafoðddome, & gemacað ðæt his ege & his onwald wyrð to gewunan & to

Truth, that is Christ, himself said, when he incited us to the highest virtues : “Know that kings of nations are rulers of the people, and they who exercise authority are called lords; let it not be so among you, but whoever among you desires to be first, shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be greatest among you, shall be your slave.” “ As the Son of Man," said Christ of himself, “did not come on earth to be served but to serve." Hence we are also told in the gospel what punishment the proud servant would suffer after obtaining power; he said then : « The wicked slave says in his heart : "My master is long of coming ; I can beat and abuse my com- panions.' So he eats and drinks with drunkards, and neglects his lord's commands. And his lord comes on the day he expects not