Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/41

GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS. geendode ; forðæm gif he on ðæm wel deð, he hæfð ðæs god lean, gif he yfle deð, læsse wite he ðrowað on helle, gif he ana ðæder cymð, ðonne he dó, gif he oðerne mid him ðæder bringð.

III. Be ðære byrðenne ðæs reccendomes, & hu he scile eall earfeðo forseon, & hu forht he sceal bion for ælcre orsorgnesse.

Forðæm we ðis feaum wordum sædon, þe we woldon gecyðan hu micel sio byrðen bið tæs larcowdomes, ðylæs ænig hine underfón durre ðara þe his unwierðe sie, ðylæs hi ðurh ða wilnunga ðære worldare underfó ðone ladteowdom ðæs forlores. Swiðe medomlice Iacobus se apostol his stirde, þa he cwæð: Broður ne beo eower to fela lareowa. Forðæm se wealhstod self Godes & monna, ðæt is Crist, fleah eorðrice [eorþlic rice] to underfónne. Se se þe ealne ðone wisdom ðæra uferrena gasta oferstigð & ær worlde ricsode on hefonum, hit is awriten on ðæm godspelle, Iudeas comon & woldon hine don nidenga to kyninge. Đa se hælend þæt ongeat, þa beeirde he hi & gehydde hine. Hwa meahte ieð monnum rædan butan scylde, ðonne se ðe hi gescop? Ne fleah he ðy rice ðy his ænig mon bet wirðe wære, ac he wolde us ða bisene astellan [asællan] þæt we his to swiðe ne gidsodon ; & eac wolde for us ðrowian. He nolde bion kyning, & his agnum willum [willan] he com to rode gealgan. Đa weorðmynde kynehades he fleah, & þæt wite ðæs fracoðlicostan deaðes he geceas, forðæm þætte we, þe his limo sindon, leornodon æt him þæt we flugen ða oliccunga ðisses middangeardes ; & eac ðæt þæt

were better for him to end his life in a humbler station and in earthly works; for if he do well in them he will have a good reward for it, if he do ill he will suffer less torment in hell if he arrive there alone, than if he bring another with him. III. Of the burden of rule, and how he is to despise all toils, and how afraid he must be of every luxury. We have said thus much in few words, because we wished to show how great is the burden of teaching, lest any one dare undertake it who is unworthy of it, lest he through desire of worldly honour undertake the guidance of perdition. Very justly the apostle James forbade it when he said, “ Brothers, let there not be too many masters among