GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS.
fiftegum moncessa. Ond ic bibiode on Godes noman þæt nan mon ðone æstel from þære bec ne doe, ne þa boc from þæm mynstre : uncuð hu longe þær swæ gelærede biscopas sien, swæ swæ nu Gode ðonc well hwær sindon; forðy ic wolde ðætte hie ealneg æt ðære stowe wæren, buton se biscep hie mid him habban wille oððe hio hwær to læne sie, oððe hwa oðre biwrite.
Đis ærendgewrit Agustinus ofer saltne sæ suðan brohte iegbuendum, swæ hit ær foreadihtode dryhtnes cempa Rome papa. Ryhtspell monig Gregorius gleawmod gindwod ðurh sefan snyttro, searoðonca hord. Forðon he moncynnes mæst gestrynde rodra wearde, Romwara betest, monna modwelegost, mærðum gefrægost. Siððan min on Englisc Ælfred kyning awende worda gehwelc, & me his writerum sende suð & norð; heht him swelcra ma brengan be ðære bysene, þæt he his biscepum sendan meahte, forðæm hie his sume ðorfton, ða þe Lædenspræce læsðe cuðon :-
I. Đætte unlærede ne dyrren underfón lareowdom.
II. Ne eft þa gelæredan, þe swæ nyllað libban swæ hie on bocum leornodon, ðæt hie ne sceoldon underfon þa are ðæs lareowdomes.
III. Be þære byrðenne þæs reccenddomes, & hu he scile eall earfeðo forseon, & hu forht he sceal beon for ælcre orsorgnesse.
a copy to every bishopric in my kingdom; and on each there is a clasp worth fifty mancus. And I command in God's name that no man take the clasp from the book or the book from the minster : it is uncertain how long there may be such learned bishops as now, thanks be to God, there are nearly everywhere; therefore I wish them always to remain in their place, unless the bishop wish to take them with him, or they be lent out anywhere, or any one make a copy from them. This message Augustine over the salt sea brought from the south to the islanders, as the Lord's champion had formerly decreed it, the poþe of Rome. The wise Gregorius was versed in many true doctrines through the wisdom of his mind, his hoard of cunning thoughts.
