14
CUSTOMS OF BRAHMANS.
For haddest þou fenked þe fon · þat in þi[1] flech dwellen,
340None mihte þe nnow · nye wiþ-oute.
Thou fightest against outward foes, But þou fihtest wiþ þi fon · þat faren þe biside,
& hem þat in þi[2] bodi ben · ay berest wiþ þe.
343 But if we ony enimis · wiþ-inne vs aspie,
we slay the foes within us. We nolle sclepe in no scloweþe · til we hem sclain haue;
Þer-for we al ouurcomen · þat arn vs wiþ-inne,
We ne haue fere of no fon · þat faren wiþ-oute,
Ne we agayn hem to[3] · nol no gome procre,
348Ne of no haþel vndur heuene · any help seche;
We fear no one, and desire to conquer none. We ne doute none douhtie · ne no dede sterne,
Ne we no wilne no win · of watur no of londe.
Wiþ trene bowus we ben · on þe body keuered,
352 We eat fruit and drink milk & vs findeþ þe frut · fode at oure nede.
Of mylk haue we miche whon · amongus our peple,
Þat we no wante no wite · of wordliche fode.
340None mihte þe nnow · nye wiþ-oute.
Thou fightest against outward foes, But þou fihtest wiþ þi fon · þat faren þe biside,
& hem þat in þi[2] bodi ben · ay berest wiþ þe.
343 But if we ony enimis · wiþ-inne vs aspie,
we slay the foes within us. We nolle sclepe in no scloweþe · til we hem sclain haue;
Þer-for we al ouurcomen · þat arn vs wiþ-inne,
We ne haue fere of no fon · þat faren wiþ-oute,
Ne we agayn hem to[3] · nol no gome procre,
348Ne of no haþel vndur heuene · any help seche;
We fear no one, and desire to conquer none. We ne doute none douhtie · ne no dede sterne,
Ne we no wilne no win · of watur no of londe.
Wiþ trene bowus we ben · on þe body keuered,
352 We eat fruit and drink milk & vs findeþ þe frut · fode at oure nede.
Of mylk haue we miche whon · amongus our peple,
Þat we no wante no wite · of wordliche fode.
How dindimus enditid to alixandre of here leuy[n]g.
[A picture. III.]
[A picture. III.]
We drink of the river 'Thabeus.' Whan we ludus in þis land · liste to drinke,
356We turnen tid to flod · thabeus is called.
Þer-of we taken a tast · what time þat is nedeþ,
And herie þe heie god · with tounge.
What so we worchen in þis worlde · or waken or slepe,
360Or in erþeliche ese · eten oþur drinke,
We do all for the sake of God. For his sake þat it sente · soþli we worchin,
To sustaine his seruantis · as him-silf likus.
We hopen haue þe lif · þat come schal her-aftur,
356We turnen tid to flod · thabeus is called.
Þer-of we taken a tast · what time þat is nedeþ,
And herie þe heie god · with tounge.
What so we worchen in þis worlde · or waken or slepe,
360Or in erþeliche ese · eten oþur drinke,
We do all for the sake of God. For his sake þat it sente · soþli we worchin,
To sustaine his seruantis · as him-silf likus.
We hopen haue þe lif · þat come schal her-aftur,
impugnatur. Tu autem, imperator, cum exterioribus pugnas, vt quidem nunc porcos demones nutrias et conserues. Securi semper viuimus; in mari in terra, nullum adiutorium postulamus. Corpora nostra frondibus arborum, quarum fructibus vescimur, sunt operata. Aquam tebaliani fluminis semper bibimus et gustamus. Unum dolum deum altissimum colimus, sibique assidque laudes predicamus. Uitam venturi seculi concupiscimus. Rem aliquam que vtilitati non
