Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/86

Hatton MS.] wén ðæt hio ða oðre wiers besmite gif hio hire anhrinð. Forðæm wæs ðurh ðone witgan gecueden: Dooð eow clæne, ge ðe berað Godes fátu. Ða ðonne berað Godes fatu, ða ðe oðerra monna saula underfooð to lædanne on ða treowa hira agenra gearnunga to ðæm innemestan halignessum. Gebencen hie ðonne betwuh him selfum hu suiðe hie sculon beon geclænsode ða ðe berað on hira greadum ða á libbendan fátu to ðæm ecean temple on hira agenne borg. Forðy wæs ðurh ða halgan stemne beboden ðætte on Arones breostum sceolde beon awriten sio racu ðas domes on ðæm hrægle ðe mon hæt rationale, & mid noslum gebunden, forðæm ðætte sio oferflownes ðara geðohta ne meahte ofsittan ðas sacerdes heortan, ac hio sciolde beon gebunden mid ðære ilcan ráce, ðætte he ne ðohte nawuht ungesceadwislices ne unnetlices. Forðæm he bið gesett to bisene oðrum monnum, simle he sceal ætiewan on his lifes gestæððignesse hu micle gesceadwisnesse he bere on his breostum. On ðæm selfan hrægle, ðe he ón his breostum weg, wæs eac awriten ða naman ðara twelf heahfædera. Donne birð se sacerd suiðe untællice awriten ðara fædra naman on his breostum, ðonne he singallice geðencð hiera lifes bisene. Ðonne stæpð se sacerd suiðe tælleaslice on ðone weg, ðonne he ða bisene ðara forðgefarenra federa geornlice & unablinnendlice sceawað, & on ðæt suæð ðara haligra singallice winnað to spyriganne, & unaliefde geðohtas ófðrycð, ðylæs he ófer ðone ðerscold his endebyrdnesse stæppe. Suiðe ryhte ðæt hrægl is gehaten, ðæt se sacerd beran sceolde ðæs domes racu, forðam se sacerd scolde & git sceal simle smealice geðencean ðæt he cunne god & yfel tosceadan, ond siððan geornlice geðence hu he gehwelcne læran scyle & hwonne, & hwæt him gecopust sie, & nowuht him selfum syn-

he is set as an example for other men, he must always show in the consistency of his life how much prudence he cherishes in his heart. On the same robe which he wore on his breast were also written the names of the twelve patriarchs. The priest bears the names of the fathers written very blamelessly on his breast when he is ever mindful of the example of their life. The priest advances very blamelessly on the path by zealously and incessantly contemplating the example of the departed Fathers, and ever striving to follow in the tracks of the saints, and suppressing unlawful thoughts lest he cross the threshold of his authority. Very rightly the priest's robe is called the account of judgment, because the priest was