Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/205

196 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. þe him ofergesette bioð to swiðe & to ðristelice ne eahtigen, ðeah hie ryhte spræce hæbben hiera yfel on him to tælonne; ðylæs hie for þære ryhtlæcinge weorðen upahafene, & on ofermetto gewieten. Ac hie sint swiðe georne to manianne ðæt hie for hiera unðeawum hie ne forsion, ne no ðy swiður wið hie ne ðristlæcen. Ac gif hie hwæt swæ healicra yfla on him ongieten ðæt hie hit niede sprecan scielen, ðonne don hie ðæt swiðe diegelice betweohx him, & ðeah for Godes ege under ðæm gioke his hlaforddomes ðurhwunigen & hiene for Godes ege weorðigen, swæ mon hlaford sceal. Ac gif we nu onginnað reccean ongemong ðisum ymbe Dauides dæda sume, ðonne magon we ðis spell ðy openlicor gereccean. Hit gelomp æt sumum cirre ðæt he wæs gehyd on anum eorðscræfe mid his monnum. Þa Saul hiene wolde secean uppe on ðæm munte, ða for he forð bie ðæm scræfe ðe he oninnan wæs, & he his ðær no ne wende. Đa gewearð hiene ðæt he gecierde inn to ðæm scræfe, & wolde him ðær gan to feltune. Đa wæs ðærinne se ilca Dauid mid his monnum, þe lange ær his ehtnesse earfoðlice ðolode. Đa clipodon his ðegnas him to, & hiene bædon, & geornlice lærdon ðæt he hiene ofsloge. Ac he him sona ondwyrde, & him swiðe stiernlice stierde, & cwæð ðæt hit no gedafenlic nære ðæt hie slogen Gode gehalgodne kyning, & aras ðeah up, & bestæl hiene to him, & forcearf his mentles ænne læppan to tacne ðæt he his geweald ahte. Hwæt tacnað us ðonne Saul buton yfle hlafordas? Oððe hwæt Dauid buton gode ðeawas? Swæ swæ Saul elles ne meahte his wambe geclæsnian buton he to feltune eode, swæ eac ne magon ða yfelan hlafordas, ðonne hie underfoð yfle geðohtas

not to discuss the faults of their superiors too much or too boldly, even though they have good cause to blame their faults, lest for their criticisms they be elated and fall into pride. But they are to be warned very earnestly not to despise them for their faults, nor become more presumptuous towards them on that account. But if they see any fault in them so serious that they are obliged to mention it, let them do it very secretly among themselves, and yet for the fear of God continue under the yoke of their rule, and reverence them for the fear of God, as one is bound to reverence one's lord. But if, in the meanwhile, we begin to narrate some of David's deeds, we shall make the argument clearer. It happened once that he was hid in a cave with his men. Saul, wishing to seek him up in the hills, passed by