170 GREGORY'S PASTORAL. [Cotton MSS.
beran on ðæm, & læt hie stician ðæron; ne tio hie mon næfre of. Hwæt mæg ðonne elles sio earc tacnian buton ða halgan cyricean, on ðære sculon hangian a fiower hringas on ðæm feower hyrnum, ðæt sint ða feower hyrnan ðisses middangeardes, binnan ðæm is tobrædd Godes folc, ðæt is utan begyrd mid ðæm feower godspellum? Đa sahlas ðonne, þe mon ða earce bi beran sceal, sticiað ealne weg in on ðæm hringum ða earce mid to beronne, ða biog geworht of ðæm treowe sethim, ðæt næfre ne rotað. Swæ sindon to secenne stronge & unaðrotene lareowas & ðurhwunigende on þære lare haligra boca, ða simle sceolon bion bodigende ymbe ða anmodnesse ðære halgan gesomnunge, swæ swæ ða anbestungnan sahlas ða earce berað. Đæt is ðonne ðæt mon ða earce bere on ðæm sahlum, ðæt ða godan lareowas ða halgan gesomnunge beoð lærende þa niewan & þa ungeleafullan mod mid hiera lare gelade to ryhtum geleafan. Đa sahlas is beboden ðæt sceoldon bion mid golde befangne. Đæt is, ðonne þa lareowas mid wordum oðre men lærað, ðæt hie eac selfe on hiera agnum weorcum beorhte scienen. Be ðæm sahlum is swiðe gesceadlice gecweden ðæt hie sculon simle stician on ðæm hringum, & næfre ne moton him beon ofatogene, forðæm is micel niedðearf ðætte ða þe beoð gesette to ðære ðegnunga ðæs lareowdomes ðæt hie næfre ne gewieten from ðære geornfulnesse ðære rædinge & leornunge haligra gewrita. Forðæm is eac gecweden ðætte simle ða ofergyldan sahlas sceoldon stician on ðæm gyldnum hringum, ðylæs hiene ænig wuht gælde ungearewes, ðonne mon ða earce beran sceolde. Đæt is ðonne ðonne ðara lareowa hieremen hwæthwugu gastlices to him seceað, &
carry it by, and let them remain there; let no man ever draw them out." What signifies the ark but the holy Church, on which are to hang the four rings at the four corners, that is, the four corners of this world, within which is spread God's people, which is surrounded outside by the four Gospels ? The poles, with which the ark was to be carried, remained always inside the rings, to carry the ark with, and were made of the tree sethim, which never rots. So strong and vigorous teachers are to be sought, steadfast in the instruction of the holy books, who are always to proclaim the unanimity of the holy assembly, as the inserted poles bear the ark. The ark is carried by the poles when good teachers instruct the congregation, and lead the young and
