Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/244

Hatton MS.] GREGORY'S PASTORAL. 035 healdað, oððæt hie afeallað on opene scylde, [swæ swæ Cain dyde. Ne gefiolle he nó ón swæ opene scylde] ðæt he his broður ofsloge, gif he ær ne geæfstgode ðætte his brodur lac wæron ðancweorðlicor onfongne ðonne his. Be ðam is awriten ðæt Dr[y]hten besawe to Abele & to his lacum, & nolde to Caine ne to his lacum. Đa wearð Cain suið(e) hrædlice irre, & hnipode ofdune, & se anda ða ðe he hæfde to his breðer, forðæmðe his lac wæron onfangne & his næron, se anda wearð to sæde tæs broðurslæges, forðæm him eglde ðæt he wæs betra ðonne he, & ðohte, sua he eft gedyde, ðæt he hine ofsloge, wurde siððan to ðæm ðe hit meahte. Forðæm is to secganne ðæm æfstegum (ðætte, ðonne ðonne hie bioð innan fretene mid ðære adle, ðæt hie forleosað) sua hwæt oðres godes sua on him ongieten bið. Be ðæm is awriten ðætte ðis flæsclice lif sie æfesð, & he sie ðære flæsclican heortan hælo, & ðeah ða bán for him forrotigen. Hwæt getacnað ðonne ðæt flæsc buton unfæsð weorc & hnesce, & hwæt ða bán buton stronglice geworht weorc? Oft ðeah gebyre ðætte sume, ða ðe welwillende beoð on monegum weorcum, unfæste beoð ongietene, & sume beoð beforan monna eagum gesewen suelce he fæsðlicu [& stranglecu] weorc wyrce, & ðeah, ðeah he swa do beforan monnum, for ðam andan oðerra monna godena weorca, he bið aswunden oninnan him selfum. Forðy is wel gecueden ðætte ðæt flæsclice lif sie ðære heortan hælo, forðæm se ðe gehielt his unsceadfulnesse & his godan willan, ðeah (h)e hwæt tiederlices oððe yfelra weorca utan doo, he mæg ðæt æt sumum cierre betan. Ac ðæt is suiðe ryhte gecueden 25 be ðæm banun ðæt hie forrotigen for ðæm æfste, forðæm for ðæs

which is the salvation of the carnal heart, although it makes the bones decay. What signifies the flesh but infirm and weak works, and what the bones but strongly wrought works? It often however happens that some, who are benevolent in many works, are considered infirm, and some in the eyes of men have the reputation of working firm and strong works ; and yet, though they do so before men, for rivalry of other men's good works, they waste away internally. Therefore it is well said that carnal life is the heart's salvation, because he who pre- serves his innocence and good will, although he do weak or evil actions externally, he can amend it at some other time. But it is very rightly said that the bones decay through envy, because good works perish through the sin of envy, although in the eyes of men they seem