Orm's Ormulum, written soon after the Brut, is a paraphrase of the gospel lessons for the year, somewhat after the manner of Cædmon's Paraphrase, but without any of Cædmon's poetic fire and originality.

(5) Miscellaneous literature,the Ancren Riwle, our best piece of early English prose; Orm's Ormulum; Cursor Mundi, with its suggestive parallel to the Miracle plays; and ballads, like King Horn and the Robin Hood songs, which were the only poetry of the common people.

A monk named Orm wrote in the Midland dialect a metrical paraphrase of those parts of the Gospels used in the church on each service day throughout the year.

" This book is named Ormulum For that Orm it wrote.

Orm generally doubled the consonant after a short vowel, and insisted that any one who copied his work should be careful to do the same.

Orm used even fewer French words than Layamon.

A translation of the inscription reads: 'Orm, the son of Gamal, bought St. Gregory's Minster when it was all broken and fallen, and he caused it to be made anew from the ground, for Christ and St. Gregory, in the days of King Edward and in the days of Earl Tosti, and Hawarth wrought me and Brand the prior (priest or priests).'

'I am thirsty' [IRISH: Ta Tart Orm], that was one of our Lord's seven words on the Cross, where he was dry.

st=orm ~of | h=ail c~omes R=ush~ing | ~am=ain d=own.

Lord Orm? OLIVE. Yesyes.

Even so; Lord Orm Ah!

And in that hour the world went as it would; Dogs brought forth cats, and poison grew in grapes, And Orm was born.... REDFEATHER.

Not even my Lord Orm.

[Enter LORD ORM.

LORD ORM [picks up the flagon].

LORD ORM [violently].

With a bout at foils? LORD ORM.

Have you sunk Lower than anger? LORD ORM.

Are you alive? LORD ORM.

And if I struck you dead, You would turn to daisies! LORD ORM.

Lord Orm, You asked the Lady Olive (I can speak As to a toad to you, my lord)you asked Olive to be your paramour: and she LORD ORM.

LORD ORM.

A good romance: the charactersLord Orm.

LORD ORM [screams].

LORD ORM [staggers back laughing].