4

{Dunstan}
¶ Þat was þat oure louird crist . fram heuene þat liȝte sende .
And þat volke þat stode aboute . þer of hore tapris . tende .
Oute of þulke holi child þat in hire wombe was þere .
Alle engelonde sscholde ben yliȝt . bet þan it euere were .
¶ Þis child was ybore nyen hundride ⁊ viue ⁊ twenti riȝte
aftir þat oure swete louird in is modir was aliȝte .
And þe verste ȝer of þe crouninge . þe kinge aþelston .
Is modir het kinedride · is vadir herston .
¶ Þo þis childe was an erþe ybore · is frendis nome þer to hede ·
Hij let it do to Glastingeburie · to norsschi ⁊ to fede .
To teche him eke is bileue · is pater noster ⁊ is crede .
Þe child wax ⁊ wel yþei . as it moste neode .
¶Lute ȝeme he nom to þen wordle . to alle gode he droȝ .
Eche man þa^t hurde of him speke hadde ioye ynoȝ .
¶ Þo he was of mannis wit . to is vncle he gan go .
Þe erchebisschop of cantelburie · seint aeldelme þa^t was þo .
Þat made wiþ him ioye ynoȝ · ⁊ euere lenge þe more .
Þo heyser is godnesse · ⁊ is wyse lore .
¶ Vor deinte he hadde of him · þa^t he let him sone bringe ·
Biuore þe prⁱnce of engelonde · aþelston þe kinge ·
¶ Þe kinge him made ioye ynoȝ · ⁊ grantide alle is bone ·
Of wat þinge he wolde him bidde · ȝuf it were to done ·
¶ Þo bad he him an abbeie þer he was vorþ ybroȝt ·
In þe toun of Glastingeburie þat he ne wordne him noȝt ·
¶ Þe kinge gr^antide is bone anon · ⁊ aftir him also ·
Edmud is broþir þat was kinge · in is power ydo ·
To glastingeburie he wende anon · þe godeman Seint Dunston ·
Beie þe kinges him ȝeue leue edmunde ⁊ aþelston ·
¶ Of þe hous of Glastingeburie · agret ordeinour he was ·
And made moche of hore gode reule · þa^t amonge hom er nas ·
At þe hous was verst by gunne · our hundred ȝer byuore ·
And eke þre ⁊ vifti ȝer · ar Seint dunston · were ibore ·
¶ Vor þere was ordre of monkis · ar seint patrⁱc come ·
And ar Seint austin to engelonde · broȝte cristindom ·
⁊ ar seint patrⁱc deide vour hundred ȝer · ⁊ two ⁊ vifti ȝer
And aftir þat oure swete leuedi · oure louird anerþe ber ·
¶ Ac monkis þere nere verste · bote as in hudinge echon ·
And as men drowe to wildirnesse · vor drede of godis fon ·
Seint dunston ⁊ seint aþelwold · as oure louird by say ·
Y ordeinid were to prestis · boþe in one dai ·