5

Seint aþelwolde was þat tyme · bissop of Wyncestre
And seint oswolde þe gode man · bissop of wircestre
Þis two bissopis ⁊ seint donston · were al at one rede
And egar þe gode kyng · to do þis gode dede
Þis þre bissops wende aboute · þoru al engelonde
And eche luþer person caste out · hom ne miȝte non at stonde
Hor chirchen ⁊ hor oþer gode · clanliche hom by nome
And by sette it on godemen · þoru þe popes gr^ant of Rome
{//} Eiȝte ⁊ forty abbeis of monekes · ⁊ of nonne
Of þe tresor hy rerde in engelonde of persons so y wonne
And so it was wel bet by set · þan it was er on ssrewe
For þere gode maistres beþ · som godnesse wolleþ ssewe
Gode were þis þre bissops · þa^t at one tyme were þo
Þe betere is engelonde for hom · ⁊ worþ euere mo
Oure lord ȝaf a nerþe · sein donston feire gr^ace
Þat at one tyme · as he was in a prⁱue place
His fader ⁊ is moder eke · in þe Ioye of heuene an hey
After þat hy dede were · aperteliche he sey
Wel grete loue oure lorde him kudde · wan he hym ssowede þere
So muche of is prⁱuete · þe wile he alyue were
{//} As he lay anoþer tyme · in is reste aniȝt
He y sey þe Ioye of heuene · ⁊ þe place þer Inne wel briȝt
Angeles he hurde al so synge · amurye song þer Inne
Þat me singeþ ȝut in holi chirche · wan me doþ þe masse by gynne
Kyrielyson xpe leyson · was þat murie song
Þis holyman þa^t þis y hurde · ne þoȝte hym noþing long
Wel aȝte he to heuene come · at is ende day
Wan he þe wile he was alyue · so muche of heuene y say
{//} Harpe he louede swiþe wel · of harpe he couþe y nou
A day he sat in is solas · ⁊ alay þer on drou
Þe harpe heng vp by þe wowe · þo it was time to ete
Þo it was ȝare þerto y broȝt · he sate don to is mete
Of heuene he gan to þenche sone · of Ioye þa^t was þere
Of þe Ioyful blis þa^t was þere · among seyntis þa^t þer were
He sat as he were ynome · so muche þeron he þoȝte
His harpe þa^t heng by þe wowe · of wan he lite roȝte
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