...^ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GlhT OF Coolidge Otis Chapman , PhD . Cornell, 1927 URIS. A LITERARY MIDDLE ENGLISH READER EDITED BY ALBERT STANBURROUGH COOK PROFESSOR OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN YALE UNIVERSITY GINN AND COMPANY BOSTON • NEW YORK ■ CHICAGO ■ LONDON ATLANTA • DALLAS .■ COLUMBUS • SAN FRANCISCO DRISIIRRARY COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY ALBERT STANBURROUGH COOK ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 3»9.HJ gCfte gtlienitum greg« GINN AND COMPANY- PRO- PRIETORS ■ BOSTON - U.S.A. TO MY WIFE ELIZABETH MERRILL COOK WHOSE INSPIRATION AND HELP HAVE MADE THIS BOOK POSSIBLE EB Cornell University VB Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924059417901 PREFACE Only two questions need to be satisfactorily answered in order to insure for Middle English literature a much larger place in college courses than it has hitherto occupied. These two questions are : Is the literature of this period worth reading? and, Can it be read without a learned apparatus so formidable as to constitute a serious deterrent ? The first question I have endeavored to answer in the Introduction ; and to the second my affirmative reply is indicated in the whole method I have followed. This book, then, has been framed, not in the interest of grammar, or of dialectical study, or of lexicography, but of literary enjoyment and profit. It has been made somewhat copious, that those who desire only easier selections may be able to avoid the harder, that it may be possible to examine certain species and ignore others, and yet that the more comprehensive student shall have before him a fairly full conspectus of the literature as a whole. If I have not failed in my attempt, the texts included ought not to be much harder to read than if they were Elizabethan, and those who read them will be acquainting themselves with an earlier and no less important age. Authorities vary with respect to the limits of the Middle English period, the variation as to the beginning being between iioo and 1 200, and as to the end between 1400 and 1500. Some scholars, such as Sweet, call the language between 1100 and 1200 Transition Old English, and that between 1400 and 1500 Transition Middle English. In this book Middle English is assumed to cover iioo- 1500. In two instances, works only to be found in manuscripts of later date than 1500 are assigned, on what seem to the editor sufficient grounds, to the fifteenth century. The classification here observed is according to literary species, and not according to dialect or chronology. The species of litera- ture are, however, not so clearly delimited in Middle English as in VI PREFACE some other tongues, notably in Greek, so that the classification of certain pieces must be regarded as only approximative. No separate vocabulary has been provided, and no separate body of notes. On each page the reader will find, it is hoped, what is es- sential for a sufficient understanding of that page ; if this has entailed a certain amount of repetition, or what to some minds may seem ex- cess, in the defining of words, it must be borne in mind that he who is able to read while running is not obliged to pause. The general introduction has been made brief. The prefatory notes to the various selections are longer or shorter, according to circumstances. The list of helpful books will enable the student to extend his inquiries in a variety of directions. The editor has used his own judgment with respect to punctuation and capitalization, has normalized i and'y, u and v, capitalized the first personal pronoun, and substituted "Jesu' for the ordinary ' Jhesu' — which is due to a misapprehension. In the constitution of certain texts he has emended somewhat freely, but has always endeavored to supply the means of restoring the manuscript readings or the text of an earlier editor ; where there is reason to suppose that the latter faithfully represents the manuscript, it has been referred to in the footnotes as ' MS.' An effort has been made to give due credit in each specific case of indebtedness ; if there has been any failure in this respect, it is involuntary. If this book succeeds in making the Middle Ages seem more attractive, more clearly related to modern times, or more profoundly suggestive, the editor will be satisfied. To him Middle English literature helps to make England, not less real, but more visionary, in the sense of Kipling's lines : She is not any common Earth, Water or wood or air, But Merlin's Isle of Gramarye, I • Where you and I wIlTfare. SCHOLASTIKA, TYROL CONTENTS INTRODUCTION »AGE I. The Literature xiii II. The Language xviii III. Some Useful Books for the Study of Middle English xxvi ROMANCES / Malory, Morte Darthur i Lancelot and Elaine 2 Tristram and Isolde : The Love-Drink 7 The Quest of the Holy Grail : The Vow 8 ^KiNG Horn ii / Havelok the Dane 17 y GOWER, CONFESSIO Amantis 34 ApoUonius of Tyre .... 35 ^son's Restoration to Youth 45 ^ Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 53 .Thomas of Erceldoune 70 -^Amis and Amiloun 81 ^ Sir Orfeo 88 Chaucer, Sir Thopas 108 TALES - Chaucer, Prioress' Tale : The Little Choir-Boy . . . . 117 — The Imprisoned Wife (Inclusa) 125 ^ Dame Sirith ... 141 ■^ Robin Hood and the Monk 158 .^ King Robert of Sicily 167 ~^ Chaucer, Clerk's Tale : The Story of Griselda ....173 ^ The Fox and the Wolf 188 •Chaucer, Nun's Priest's Tale: The Cock and the Fox . . 198 vii vm CONTENTS CHRONICLES PAGE Layamon, Brut 219 -^ Layamon's Account of Himself 219 ^The Prophecy of Diana 220 y The Building of London . . 223 /" The Division of Lear's Kingdom .225 Caesar's Battle with the Britons . . 229 Cymbeline and the Birth of Christ 233 ^ The Old English Chronicle : The Reign of Stephen (A.D. 1137) • 23s Barbour, The Bruce 237 Sir James Douglas 238 The Winning of Roxburgh Castle 240 The Battle of Bannockburn (A.D. 1314) 244 STORIES OF TRAVEL Sir JoHiir Mandeville . . . . 248 - The Rebirth of the Phcenix . 248 I The Paradise of the Old Man of the Mountain 250 i:Jhe Fountain of Youth 252 St. Thomas and Indian Idolatry ... 253 The Sultan of Egypt 255 _^^ The Earth is Round . . 256 • The Terrestrial Paradise -259 Sir John's Modesty 260 A Pilgrimage to Compostella 261 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES RoLLE, The Form of Perfect Living . 265 The Love of God 266 The Active and the Contemplative Life 267 CONTENTS IX PAGE The Ancren Riwle 269 • Anchoresses not to look out upon the World 270 The Beauty of Silence 272 The Happiness of Anchoresses is like that of the Birds of Heaven 273 The Kingly Wooer . . 274 The Anchoress' Cat, her Clothing and Occupations .... 275 The Anchoress' Health 277 A Treatise against Miracle-Plays 278 n Mirk, Instructions for Parish Priests 287 The Character of a Priest 287 Behavior in Church , . 288 The Creed ... 289 The Vanities of the Flesh 290 Sins of Carelessness .... . 291 The Pronouncing of Excommunication . 291 Form of Excommunication (I) 292 Form of Excommunication (H) 292 The Rule of St. Benedict 293 The Hours for Meals ... 294 Daily Occupations 295 Lenten Observance 296 The Entertainment of Guests 297 The Nun's Clothing 298 The Porter 300 Robert Mannyng of Brunne, Handling Sin . .... 300 The Proper Way of keeping Holy Days . 301 The Evil of Tournaments ... . . . ... 303 Bishop Grosseteste of Lincoln 305 Quiet in Church and Churchyard during the Time of Service 306 The Tale of the Miner 307 The Book of the Knight of La Tour-Landry 309 ' Prologue 309 The Story of the Magpie 311 The Story of the Obedient Wife 312 How St. Bernard's Sister was led away from Vanities . . . 313 Gesta Romanorum: The Magic Image 314 X CONTENTS PAGE The Bestiary 316 The Whale (Turtle) 316 The Panther 319 The Owl and the Nightingale 321 Piers the Plowman 334 Prologue 335 Meed the Maiden 339 Gluttony ... 345 Sloth the Parson 348 Piers the Plowman 350 Piers the Plowman's Creed 352 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS / Song against the Friars 361 y^ On the Minorite Friars .... 364 ^ The Reply of Friar Daw Topias 366 ^^ The Land of Cokaygne 367 The Gossips' Feast 372 Stans Puer ad Mensam 377 Charm for the Toothache 379 Preface to a Treatise on Medicine 379 A Medieval Will 381 The Libel of English Policy 382 The Guild of St. Leonard .... 387 TRANSLATIONS Chaucer, The Romance of the Rose 389 The Joys of Spring 390 The River and the Garden 392 The Picture of Old Age 393 Chaucer's Translation of Boethius 394 The Former Age 397 CONTENTS - xi PAGE Wycliffite Tkanslations of the Bible 398 Job 41. 20-28; 42.4-25 ... 398 John 17. 1-6 400 Revelation 14 400 Versions of Psalm 51. 1-3 402 LYRICS 'Cuckoo Song 406 Spring 407 When the Nightingale sings 408 Alisqn 410 Chaucer, Bird-Song 411 Blow, Northern Wind 412. Longing 414 Now would I Fain 416 Chaucer, Merciless Beauty 417 Debate of the Cleric and the Maiden 418 V_Chaucer, Ballade 420 Minot, Edward the Third's First Invasion of France . . 421 The Death of Edward III 425 Chaucer, Complaint to his Empty Purse 428 I HAVE A Gentle Cock 429 Bachelor's Song 430 Chaucer, Truth 431 Ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt? 432 Thomas of Hales, Love-Song 433 Earth upon Earth 436 FiLius Regis Mortuus est 438 Quia Amore langueo 439 He bare him up 440 aThe Pearl 441 jGoDRic's Hymns 453 Hymn to the Virgin 454 Hymn of Burgwine, Godric's Sister 454 Hymn to St. Nicholas 455 I SIGH when I sing 455 ( / xii CONTENTS A Song to the Virgin 4S7 Stand well, Mother, under Rood 459 As I RODE 462 When Christ was born of Mary Free 464 / At Christmas, Maid Mary . .... 465 ''' I SING of a Maiden . .... 466 LuLLAY, MY Child 466 The Shepherd upon a Hill he sat . . 468 ^ Judas . . .... 470 ^ St. Stephen and Herod 472 '• Chaucer, Invocation to Venus 474 Chaucer, Invocation to the Trinity 47S PLAYS The Cleric and the Maiden 476 The Chester Noah's Flood . . 481 The Brome Play of Abraham and Isaac . 497 The York Nativity Play . 518 . The Second Towneley Shepherds' Play (Secunda Pastorum) 524 INTRODUCTION I. THE LITERATURE Mediaeval European literature — at least if we except technical works and prose chronicles or histories — is characterized, in contrast with the ancient classics, by a certain expansiveness, resulting at times in an approach to garrulity. The author is not bent upon treating the matter in hand with the utmost economy, in order with the fewest possible strokes to achieve the finest proportions, the utmost simplicity, the most telling effect. The mediasval writer is more apt to be loose and desultory. At times he does not hesitate to be long-winded in description, discursive in the development of epi- sodic reflection, tedious in the analysis of sentiment, or didactic in the enforcement of a moral. In all too few instances has he a sure sense of art — avoiding superfluity and digressions, and making straight for his goal. He employs repetition — for instance, in the refrain, or in the recurrent lines of the roundel ; and, for the sake of rhyme, or to fill out a line, he will introduce conventional, almost mean- ingless, tags. Vernacular writing in the Middle Ages was primarily addressed to the laity — to people who had not received the training of the schools, and who therefore were unaccustomed to strict sequences of thought, or to the measure and sobriety of perfect art. This may be clearly seen by the way in which translations are expanded — always excepting prose versions of the Bible and of some theological trea- tises. Chaucer,^ in translating Boethius, uses three times as many words as the Latin verse, and more than twice as many as the Latin prose. The 38 words of Psalm 51. 1-3^ in the Vulgate are con- verted by a late Middle English paraphrast into 194. Such transla- tions, being less compact than the originals, made fewer demands 1 See pp. 394-5. ^ See pp. 402 ff. XIV INTRODUCTION upon the reader; he found them easier to follow, though his wits may have gone wandering before he reached the end. Such absence of restraint may, according to circumstances, affect readers of to-day variously. Some things mediseval we may all find tedious, some things puerile ; some things, on the other hand, simple, direct, and sweet — childlike, rather than childish. But take the pseudo-Mandeville,^ for instance; is it easy to dismiss him with an. epithet to which we should all assent ? Is his book incredibly stupid — as much of it is certainly incredible — ^or is it always amusing? As easy to answer this, perhaps, as another question — is the com- piler naively credulous, or is he an astute romancer ? Perhaps neither the one nor the other, or rather both. Searching criticism reveals that some of his information rests on good authorities, and is true ; other things are truth magnified and embellished by a purple mist; and still others are ancient poetry or fiction regarded as contemporary fact. His book is rambling, incoherent, uninstructive, if you will; but to some minds it is charming. Piers Plowman leads us nowhither ; but on the road we drop in at a tavern, and the low life of England under the senile Edward or the adolescent Richard is as plain before us as that of Holland in a picture by Teniers or Jan Steen, so that we look and listen in spite of ourselves. All this is Gothic, both in the sense that we recognize, and in that which appealed to our ancestors of the eighteenth century. It lacks restraint ; it is flamboyant ; it sins by excess ; it seems to emphasize the detail, and neglect the ensemble; its gargoyles grin, no less than its saints aspire ; it comprehends legend, poetry, and record of fact — but who shall say where legend ends and fact begins ? On the other hand, it is rich, and varied, and alive ; not all the forms are noble or beautiful, but most are interesting ; and there is often a science of structure when least suspected, though sometimes instinc- tive, sometimes empirical, and sometimes insufficient, like that which left the tower of Beauvais a heap of ruined stones. And as Gothic borrowed something from Byzantine art, so there are Oriental elements in mediaeval literature — not only such as are derived from the Bible and the primitive liturgies, but those that 1 See pp. 248 ff. THE LITERATURE xv came in with pilgrim, merchant, and Crusader, visible more especially in tale and romance. The Gothic cathedrals of the consummated Middle Ages suc- ceeded, and in some sense grew out of, the earlier Romanesque, with its obvious, if somewhat oppressive, structure and solidity. The Romanesque church embodies the classic principles illustrated by the Roman arch and the Roman basilica, just as Augustine and Bede continue the Roman literary tradition. The latter have more moderation, more severity, than a Bonaventura or a Richard RoUe. The cathedral is more florid, more airy, more gorgeous with flam- ing color than the Romanesque church ; but it is more crumbling, and tends more swiftly to decadence and overthrow. The simpler Gothic runs apace into the Flamboyant, and lo, before one can realize it, it has slid into the earlier Renaissance. So it is with literature ; so it is with society. Beauty flowers for a moment out of strength ; but pass by a few days later, and the blossom is faded, the glory departed. Thus far, however, we have been disregarding certain works which appear even in the high mediaeval period, but which differ notably from those that we have been attempting to characterize. They are works of measure and sobriety, like those of classic antiq- uity, rigorously planned ; in them every line is structural, and you must read every line in order to be impressed by the magnitude, the logic, or the splendor of the whole. Of these the supreme type is the Divine Comedy. True, the Divine Comedy has been compared to a cathedral, not without reason ; but the Gothic cathedral was never finished ; many accretions to its original design might have fallen out otherwise; it did not represent a basic style, out of which others might in due course proceed ; it was not, in the same sense as the Romanesque, grounded, massive, eternal. In all these respects Dante's poem might be compared to the earlier form. No one has been able to suggest an essential improvement in it; in itself, and through its outgrowths, it dominates all later European poetry of the chivalrous or ' romantic ' temper. The lineaments of Beatrice swim before every ardent Christian lover, and Stephen Phillips can still write of Paolo and Francesca. XVI INTRODUCTION Why has Dante this power and this permanence? Partly because he was Dante — that is, a genius ; but also because, by his own avowal, he placed himself under the tutelage of Virgil, and hence of Homer. In a measure, the same thing is true of Boccaccio. His long- winded romances have not endured; but the Decameron, written with classic restraint and finish, has not only survived, but is still a model of prose. If we meet with comparatively little of this sort m Middle Enghsh, it is because the Renaissance began to exert its power much earlier in Italy than in England, or even in France. But if we may expect few well-rounded wholes in Middle English literature, we must recognize that the poetic faculty, released from the strenuous and incessant task of watching over the complete organism at every step, is the more free to abandon itself at any moment to the full tide of occasional sentiment — comic, pathetic, tender, or wistful. A piece otherwise marred by imperfections may thus have lovely or poignant bits, so irresistible as to suffuse a glow over the composition as a whole, and blind our eyes to the faults which readily disclose themselves to reflection. And since, speaking broadly, the demands that we may make upon Middle English liter- ature are restricted by considerations of form, it is with peculiar satis- faction that we now and then come upon a complete piece, as in Chaucer at his best, that endures the most searching trials, and yields unalloyed pleasure at every reperusal. But such encounters in Chaucer cause a deeper regret that so large a part of his writing is frag- mentary, that his assignment of the several Canterbury tales to the personages of the pilgrimage is not always convincing, and that his greatest work, when viewed in the light of his own avowed plan, remains a torso. To begin, and never to end, or to end only by stopping when fatigue or caprice dictates ; to project what can never be compassed, or what is amorphous in its very conception ; to reveal beauty only ,in glimpses, anon to be swallowed in convention or dulness — this it is to belong to the typical Middle Age, oppressed and glorified by its sense of the infinite, and seeing visions of starry brightness projected against a background of violence and fraud, of triumphant injustice THE LITERATURE xvii and unbearable oppression. The Crusades, the Hundred Years' War, typify in the world of action some of the literary and architec- tural phenomena that we have been attempting to describe — doomed to be abortive from their very nature, uninspired in many, perhaps most, of their particulars, but illumined by flashes of heroism and of generous sentiment, too fine to be steadily realized in the even course of a workaday world. In this respect the classic ideal, both of life and art, is more compassable, because more modest. Horace accom- plishes what he- undertakes more evenly, more uniformly, than Chau- cer — yet shall I hesitate to say that some of us prefer Chaucer ? Whatever we may deny to our Middle English authors, in certain respects they are unrivaled. The wistfulness of regret for vanished glories, the sympathy with an outcast and bereaved wife, the mirthful interest in the mimic manhood of the barnyard, the joyous partici- pation in the young life of the Maytime, the swift change by which the clowns and thieves of a Yorkshire moorside are transported to the Judean plains and the presence of the Divine Child in his sweet and touching innocence — these things have a perennial savor, a persistent appeal, even as the sorrows of Lear, the maiden grace of Miranda, the humors of Falstaff, or the piteous pleadings of Desdemona. II. THE LANGUAGE LETTERS The letters are the same as in modern English (but see below), with the addition of j (g), ]? (}>), and V (D). ^ (from an old manuscript-form of g) is used for modern English ^^ (often before t) and for y (at the beginning or end of a syllable). J> ithorti) and 3 {eth, as in weather) represent th, and are used interchangeably with th and each other. / is represented in the manuscripts by i, and z* by u ; so that, strictly speaking, j and v should be subtracted from the total number of letters. Y is very frequently used for i, and the two are virtually interchangeable as vowels. PRONUNCIATION There are two possible ways of pronouncing Middle English — one for quick understanding, the other for beauty. According to the first, one reads the text like so much modern English, at the same time converting the words, wherever possible, into their modern Eng- lish forms. This answers sufficiently well in the case of prose, or of poetry written without much regard to metrical principles ; but it should always be regarded as a makeshift, and, in the strict sense, as unscholarly. Perhaps the aptest apology for it would be found in our reading Shakespeare as modem English, in spite of the fact that to Shakespeare himself our modem pronunciation would, to a large degree, have seemed unintelligible or barbarous. The second mode of pronunciation, essential to the just rendering of artistic verse, takes account of two things — strict metre, and the quite different values of certain letters, especially the vowels, from those of modern English. By attending to these, much Middle English poetry may be made beautiful to the ear which otherwise THE LANGUAGE xix would sound commonplace or uncouth ; and this result is quite worth the trouble involved. The recognition of metrical technique in Middle English depends chiefly upon the pronunciation of final -e (besides -es, etc., in un- stressed positions). As a rule, final -e is always to be regarded as forming a separate syllable ; but before vowels, the commonest words beginning with h, and occasionally elsewhere, it is silent. The sim- plest rule is this : In verse, always pronounce final -e (-es, etc.) where it will conduce to the melody of the line, but suppress it in the comparatively rare instances where it does not. Such -e's are always to be pronounced like the -a in era or vista. The -e of -ed, -el, -en, -er is also to be suppressed when metre so requires. Besides the final unstressed -e, there is also a stressed -e — often represented by -y in modem English ; thus, cite (i.e. cit6), city. Vowels Short vowels are pronounced about as in modem English, but a nearly as ah (never like a in hat^ ; o always rounded (produced with rounded lips ; about like aw, but shorter), and never pronounced like a in modern ah\ u as in pull, not as in dull. From the normal o is to be distinguished an o which is equivalent to u, and originally was u ; it can be known by its always corresponding to the modern English o or u pronounced as u in smi : e.g. Middle English sonne, sone, love, etc. (OK sunne, sunu, lufu, etc.), modern English sun, son, love, etc. Long vowels are never pronounced as in modern English, but as in the European pronunciation of Latin, or approximately as in Italian, French, or German, thus : a as xa father o close as in blow . e (ee) close as in they o open as in broad e (ee) open as in there u as in rule i as in pique Close and open e can only be discriminated by the student of Old English ; close o is oo in modem English, open o being o, oa, etc. The double vowels, ee and oo, merely indicate long e and o, and are never to be pronounced as in modem English. XX INTRODUCTION Diphthongs The diphthongs ei and ui are to be pronounced like the first ele- ment followed by the second, and with the first element stressed. The remaining diphthongs are thus pronounced: ai as in aisle au (aw) as in house (Ger. Haus) eu (ew) as vafew iu (iw) as in few oi as in ioil ou (ow) as in ioor, when now pronounced as in oui, cow ou (ow) as + « (nearly as o), in all cases but the preceding Consonants c pronounced as k or j, under the same circumstances as in modern English ; ci not = sh, but = si (modern Eng. see) ch as in modern English, except before t, when it was pronounced like the ch in Ger. ich after e, i, or y, and like ch in Ger. auch after the other vowels g as in gold, except occasionally as in gem ; ght like cht (see above) 5 initial = j ; st like cht h final sometimes like the ch of cht : sih, purh ht like cht kn never like «, but = k + n s like z between vowels, as in modern English 3Ch like sh si not = sh, but = modern Eng. see p, 8 like Ih (both sounds) in modern English tu not = chu : na-tu-re Double consonants before a vowel are always pronounced twice : renne = ren + ne ; thridde = thrid + de THE LANGUAGE xxi INFLECTION Nouns The genitive singular and the plural regularly end in -(e)s (occa- sionally -is, -us ; -(e)z) ; the dative in -e, or without ending. To such irregular plurals (identical with the singular) as occur in the Modem English sheep, swine, etc., add hors. Certain original feminines like lady, halle, sonne, sometimes retain the nominative form in the geni- tive singular ; to these add the nouns of relationship, fader, brother, moder, etc., which, however, sometimes have -s. A few nouns of the Old English weak declension end in -n in the plural, like been, bees ; yen, eyes (modem poetic eyne) ; schoon, shoes (modem poetic shoon), and are occasionally followed by others which more normally would end in -s (see, for example, Layamon). Adjectives The plural and the dative singular of adjectives ending in a con- sonant are often formed by the addition of -e. When the adjective is preceded by the definite article, a demonstrative, or a possessive, -e is sometimes appended : the grete honour ; his white baner. Pronouns The only forms which are not fairly self-explanatory are those of the feminine personal pronoun. The typical paradigm follows : Sing. N. li(e)o ; s(c)ho, s(c)he ^■|hir(e), liur(e), her(e) A. hi(e), hir(e), hur(e), her(e) Plur. N. Ii(i)e ; thei, thai G. her(e), h(e)or(e) ; their(e) ■ i-he(o)in, hi(o)m; the(i)in, tha(i)n The plurals of the personal pronouns of all genders are identical with those of the feminine. The genitive and dative singular of hit, it, are the same as those of the masculine : his, him. xxu INTRODUCTION Of the second person, ye is nominative ; you, yow, dative and accusative. Tho and thoe(e) are independent demonstratives, each meaning those. Verbs The normal endings of the verb (disregarding the subjunctive) are : Ind. Pres. Sing, i . -e 2. -est 3. -eth Plur. -e(n) Weak Verbs Strong Verbs Ind. Pret. Sing. i. 3. -{e)de, -te — 2. -(e)dest, -test -e, — Plur. -(e)de(n), -te(n) -e(n) Imper. Sing, -e, — Plur. -e, -eth, — Infin. -e(n), — ; occasionally, -in, -yn Pres. Part, -ing(e) ; -inde (-ende, -and) Past Part. - s barge 12 steered * toward thee 9 samite, rich silk is ere, before MALORY, MORTE DARTHUR 5 the kynge called Sire Kay, and shewed hit hym. ' Sir,' said Sir Kay, ' wete you wel there is some newe tydynges.' ' Goo thyder,' sayd the kynge to Sir Kay, ' and take with yow Sire Brandyles and Agravayne, and brynge me redy word what is there.' Thenne these four knyghtes departed, and came to the barget, and wente in ; and there they fond 5 the fayrest corps lyenge in a ryche bedde, and a poure man sittyng in the bargets ende, and no word wold he speke. Soo these foure knyghtes retorned unto the kyng ageyne, and told hym what they fond. ' That fayr corps wylle I see,' sayd the kynge. And soo thenne the kyng took the quene by the hand, and went thydder. Thenne the 10 kynge made the barget to be holden fast ; and thenne the kyng and pe quene entred, with certayn knyjtes wyth them. And there he sawe the fayrest woman lye in a ryche bedde, coverd unto her myddel with many ryche clothes, and alle was of clothe of gold, and she lay as though she had smyled. Thenne the quene aspyed a letter in her 15 ryght hand, and told it to the kynge. Thenne the kynge took it, and sayd : " Now am I sure this letter wille telle what she was, and why she is come hydder.' Soo thenne the kynge and the quene wente oute of the barget, and soo commaunded a certayne ^ wayte upon the barget. And soo whan the kynge was come within his chamber, he 20 called many knyghtes aboute hym, and saide that he wold wete openly what was wryten within. that letter. Thenne the kynge brake it, and made a clerke ^ to rede hit ; and this was the entente ° of the letter : " Moost noble knyghte. Sir Launcelot, now hath dethe made us two at debate for your love; I was your lover, that men called the fayre 25 mayden of Astolat ; therfor unto alle ladyes I make my mone ; yet praye for my soule, and beiy me atte leest, and offre ye my masse- peny.* This is my last request. And a clene mayden I dyed, I take God to wytnes. Pray for my soule, Sir Launcelot, as thou art pierles." This was alle the substance in the tetter. And whan it was redde, the 30 kyng, the quene, and alle the knyghtes wepte for pyte of the doleful complayntes. Thenne was Sire Launcelot sente for. And whan he was come, Kynge Arthur made the letter to be redde to hym ; and whanne Sire Launcelot herd hit word by word, he sayd : " My lord ^ certain person (or persons) & meaning, substance ^ peerless 3 learned man, scholar (Lat. clericus) * funeral dues 6 ROMANCES Arthur, wete ye wel I am lyghte hevy' of the dethe of this fair damoysel. God knoweth I was never causer of her dethe; by my wyllynge, and that wille I reporte me'' to her own broder; here he is, Sir Lavayne. I wille not saye nay,' sayd Syre Launcelot, ' but that 5 she was bothe fayre and good, and moche I was beholden unto her ; but she loved me out of mesure.' ' Ye myght have shewed her,' sayd the quene, ' somme bounte and gentilnes, that myghte have preserved her lyf.' ' Madame,' sayd Sir Launcelot, ~ she wold none other wayes be ansuerd, but that she wold be my wyf , outher ° els my peramour, lo and of these two I wold not graunte her ; but I proferd her, for her good love that she shewed me, a thousand pound yerly to her and to her heyres, and to* wedde ony manere knyghte^ that she coude fynde best to love in her herte. For, madame,' said Sir Launcelot, ' I love not to be constrayned to love ; for love muste^ryse of the herte ,. an d 15 not_bjLno_constrayiite.' 'That is trouth,' sayd the kynge, and many knyghtes ; 'love is free in_hymselfe, and jieverjviUe be bourudei^^ where he.. isJb,oainden_he loosethjhymself.' Thenne sayd the kynge unto Sire Launcelot : ' Hit wyl be your worshyp "" that ye oversee ' that she be entered ' worshypfuUy.' ' Sire,' sayd Sire Launcelot, ' that 20 ihalle be done as I can best devyse.' And soo many knyghtes yede ° thyder to behold that fayr mayden. And soo upon the mome she was entered rychely, and Sir Launcelot offryd her masse-peny, and all the knystes of the Table Round that were there at that tyme offryd with Syr Launcelot. And thenne the povre man wente ageyne with 25 the barget. Thenne the quene sente for Syr Launcelot, and prayd hym of mercy ,^° for why " that she had ben wrothe with hym causeles. ' This is not the fyrste tyme,' said Sir Launcelot, ' that ye have ben displeasyd with me causeles ; but, madame, ever I must suffre yow, but what sorowe I endure I take no force.' ^^ 1 sorrowful 6 to your credit 10 besought his pardon 2 refer (by way of appeal) 7 provide 11 because 8 or 8 interred ^2 1 do not mind * that she might " went s of knight (for an explanation see NED, s.v. iin, 6.b) MALORY, MORTE DARTHUR 7 TRISTRAM AND ISOLDE: THE LOVE-DRINK Book 8, chaps. 23, 24. Based upon the O.F. thirteenth-century romance of Tristan, " which has been printed oftener than any other romance ' ; see Sommer 3. 9, 286. Thenne Kynge Anguysshe and Syre Tristram toke theire leve, ande sailed into Irland with grete noblesse ^ and joye. Soo whanne they were in Irland, the kynge lete ''■ make it knowen ' thoroute alle the land, how and in what manere Syre Trystram had done for hym. Thenne the quene and alle that there were made the moost of hym 5 that they myghte. But the joye that La Beale Isoud made of Syr Tristram there myghte no tonge telle, for of alle men erthely she loved hym moost. Thenne, upon a daye, Kynge Anguysshe asked Syr Tristram why he asked not his bone,* for whatsomever he had promysed hym he 10 shold have hit withoute fayle. " Syre,' sayd Sire Trystram, ' now is hit tyme ; this is alle that I wylle desyre, that ye wylle gyve me La Beale Isoud youre doughter, not for myself, but for myn unkel Kynge Marke, that shalle have her to wyf, for soo have I promysed hym.' ' Alias,' said the kynge, ' I had lever * than alle the land that I have ye wold wedde her youreself.' ' Syre, and I dyd, than I were shamed for ever in this world, and fals of my promyse. Therefore,' said Sire Trystram, ' I praye you hold your promyse that ye promysed me, for this is my desyre, that ye wylle gyve me La Beale Isoud to goo with me into Cornewaile, for to be wedded to Kynge Marke, myn unkel.' 20 ' As for that,' sayd Kynge Anguysshe, ' ye shalle have her with you, to doo with her what it please you, that is for to saye yf that ye lyst * to wedde her yourself, that is me levest ' ; and yf ye wille gyve her unto Kynge Marke, youre unkel, that is in youre choyse.' Soo to make short conclusion, La Beale Isoud was made redy to 25 goo with Syre Trystram, and Dame Bragwayne wente with her for her chyef gentylwoman, with many other. Thenne the quene, Isouds moder, gaf to her and Dame Bragwayne, her doughters gentilwoman, 1 pomp ^ boon 6 wish 2 let 5 rather ^ most pleasing s caused it to be made known 8 . -■ ^ ROMANCES and unto Governaile, a drynke, and charged them that what day Kynge Marke shold wedde, that same daye they shold gyve hyni that HrynEe, soo that Kynge Marke shold drynke to La Beale Isoud ; ' and thenne,' said the quene, ' I undertake eyther shalle love other the dayes of 5 their lyf.' Soo this drynke was yeven unto Dame Bragwayne and unto Governaile. And thenne anone Syre Trystram tooke the see and La Beale Isoud ; and whan they were in theire caban, hit happed soo that they were thursty, and they sawe a lytyl flacke[t] ^ of gold stande by them, and hit semed by the coloure and the taste that it 10 was noble wyn. Thenne Sire Trystram toke the flacke[t] in his hand, and sayd : ' Madame Isoud, here is the best drynke that ever ye drank, that Dame Bragwayne youre mayden, and Govemayle my servaunt, have kepte for themself.' Thenne they lough and made good chere, and eyther dranke to other frely, and they thoughte never drynke 1 5 that ever they dranke to other was soo swete nor soo good. But by that° theyr drynke was in their bodyes, they loved eyther other so wel that never theyr love departed, for wele neyther" for wo. And thus it happed the love fyrste betwixe Sire Tristram and La Beale Isoud, the whiche love never departed the dayes of their lyf. THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL: THE VOW Book 13, chaps. 6-7. This comes from La Queste del Saint Graal (edited by Furnivall for the Roxburghe Club, London, 1864) ; see Sommer 3. 206, 209, 210. With the second and third paragraphs of this extract may be compared Tennyson, Holy Grail 182 ff., 314 ff. 20 ' Now,' sayd the kyng, " I am sure at this quest of the Sancgreal shalle alle ye of the Table Rounde departe, and never shalle I see yow ageyne hole togyders ; therfor I wille see yow alle hole togyders in the medowe of Camelot, to juste and to torneye, that after your dethe men maye speke of hit, that suche good knyghtes were holy * togyders 25 suche a day.' As unto that counceyll, and at the kynges request, they accorded alle, and toke on their harneis ^ that longed ° unto justynge. ^ flask 3 nor fi armor 2 by the time * wholly 6 belonged MALORY, MORTE DARTHUR 9 But alle this mevynge ' of the kyng was for this entent, for to see Galahalt preved,'' for the kynge demed' he shold not lyghtly* come ageyne unto the courte after his departynge. So were they assembled in the medowe, bothe more and lasse.^ Thenne Syr Galahalt, by the prayer of the kynge and the quene, dyd upon hym a noble jesseraunce, s and also he dyd on ^ hys helme, but shelde wold he take none for no prayer of the kyng. And thenne ^rGawayne and other knyghtes praid hym to take a spere. Ryghte soo he dyd ; and the quene was in a toure with alle her ladyes for to behold that tumement. Thenne Sir Galahalt dressid hym' in myddes' of the medowe, and began to lo breke speres merveyllously, that all men had wonder of hym, for he there surmounted ° alle other knyjtes, for within a whyle he had de- fouled"" many good knyghtes of the Table Round sauf" tweyne, that was Syr Launcelot and Sire Percyvale. Thenne the kyng, at the queues request, made hym to alyghte and 15 to unlace his helme, that the quene my5t see hym in the vysage. Whanne she beheld hym, she sayd : " Sothely,^^ I dar wel say that Sir Launcelot begat hym, for never two men resembled more in lykenes, therfor it nys no merveyle though- he be of grete prowesse.' So a lady that stode by the quene said : ' Madame, for Goddes sake, 20 oughte he of ryghte to be so good a knyghte ? ' ' Ye,^' forsothe,' said the quene, ' for he is of alle partyes " come of the best knyghtes of the world, and of the hyhest lygnage ^° ; for Sir Launcelot is come but of the eighth degre from oure Lord Jesu Cryst, and Syre Galahalt is of the nynthe degree from oure Lord Jesu Cryst; therfor I dar saye 25 they be the grettest gentilmen of the world.' And thenne the kynge 1 suggestion (moving) 6 put on ; cf. undo u save, except 2 proved, tried ^ made ready 12 jn truth 3 supposed 8 the midst 13 yea * readily 9 surpassed 1^ in all respects 5 less 1" trodden down, overthrown ^ lineage 5. jesseraunce: more cOTiect\y, jazeran/, a word of Saracenic origin (found in the name Algiers), occurring in OF. in the Chanson de Roland; it signifies (NED.) : ' A light coat of armor, composed of splints or small plates of metal riveted to each other, or to a lining of some stout material.' Scott (Quentin Durward) calls it a " flexible shirt of linked mail.' 24. Cryst : ' the first true gentleman that ever breathed ' (Dekker). The sentence, from " for Sir Launcelot ' to " world,' is original with Malory. lO ROMANCES and al estates* wente home unto Camelot, and soo wente to evensonge to the grete mynster. And soo after upon that to souper, and every : knyjt sette in his owne place as they were toforehand. Thenne anone ; they herd crakynge and cryenge of thonder, that hem thought the "5 place shold alle todryve.'' In the myddes of this blast entred a sonne- beaume more clerer by seven tymes than ever they sawe daye, and al they virere alyghted of the grace of the Holy Ghoost. Thenne beganne every knyghte to behold other, and eyther sawe other by theire semynge fayrer than ever they sawe afore. Not for thenne' there was no knyght 10 myghte speke one word a grete whyle, and soo they loked every man [o]n other, as they had ben dome.* Thenne ther entred into the halle the Holy Graile, coverd with whyte samyte, but ther was none myghte see hit, nor who bare hit. And there was al the halle f ulfylled ^ with good odoures, and every knyjt had suche metes and drynkes as he 15 best loved in this world. And whan the Holy Grayle had be* borne thurgh the haUe, thenne the holy vessel departed sodenly, that they wyste not where hit becam.' Thenne had they alle brethe to speke. And thenne the kynge y elded ' thankynges to God of his good grace that he had sente them. ' Certes,' said the kynge, " we oughte to 20 thanke oure Lord Jesu gretely, for that he hath shewed us this daye, atte reverence of this hyhe feest of Pentecost.' " Now,' said Sir Gawayn, ' we have ben served this daye of what metes and drynkes we thoughte on, but one thynge begyled us — we myght not see the Holy Grayle, it was soo precyously coverd ; wherfor I wil make here avowe " that 25 to-morne,*" withoute lenger*' abydyng,*^ I shall laboure in the quest of the Sancgreal, that I shalle hold me oute a twelvemoneth and a day, or more yf nede be, and never shalle I retorne ageyne unto the courte tyl I have sene hit more openly than hit hath ben sene here ; and yf I may not spede,*' I shall retorne ageyne, as he that maye not 30 be ageynst the wil of our Lord Jesu Cryste.' Whan they of the Table Round herde Syr Gawayne saye so, they arose up the most party,^* and maade suche avowes as Sire Gawayne had made. i ranks, degrees 6 been 11 longer 2 burst asunder 7 went 12 delay 3 nevertheless 8 gave 18 succeed 4 dumb 9 vow 1^ most part, greater number s filled 10 to-morrow KING HORN II Anone as Kynge Arthur herd this, he was gretely dyspleasyd, for he wyste wel they myghte not ageynesaye ' they re avowes. "Alias 1 ' said Kynge Arthur unto Sir Gawayn, ' ye have nyghe slayne me with the avowe and promesse that ye have made. For thurgh yow ye have beraf te '' me the fayrest felauship and the truest of knyghthode that ever were sene togyders in ony realme of the world. For whanne they departe from hens, I am sure they alle shalle never mete more in thys world, for they shalle dye many in the quest. And soo it forthynketh ° me a lytel, for I have loved them as wel as my lyf.' KING HORN F The romance probably antedates izjg.; the Cambridge manuscript (1530 Unes), here followed, may be dated about 13 10. The best edition is by Joseph Hall (Oxford, 1901). The story is of a prince, who, set adrift by conquering Saracens, lands in Westernesse, is loved by the king's daughter of that country, is banished when his love is discovered, returns in time to save her from another marriage, wins her for himself, and finally becomes king of his native land. According to Hall (pp. liii-lvi) : " King Horn is essentially English, a plain impersonal tale, picturing a simple state of society, and full of primitive touches centuries older than its language, written in a metre which is a natural development of Old English- prosody. . . . [The] poem, as we have it, is a story of the Danish raids on the south coast of England. It is, in the main, Teutonic in spirit and details : the names of the persons and places are mostly Teutonic, or assimilated to Teutonic forms. . . . Rimenhild and Aylmar, and his court on the banks of the Dorsetshire Stour, are English additions to the original story, and the real Westernesse is Ireland. Then all the localities and surround- ings are Celtic. Murry ... is king of Suddene, the country Of the Southern Damnonii, that is, of Cornwall. . . . The banished Horn finds shelter at the court of an Irish king ; with Irish troops, and accompanied by an Irish page, he recovers his father's kingdom. His rival is a Breton prince, Modi, king of Renns. These indications point to the conclusion that the story is originally a British tradition, arising out of some temporary success in which the Cornish, aided by the Irish, checked the westward progress of the English invader. It was annexed by some English poet, and recast to suit the similar position of his countrymen resisting the attacks of the Danes. Finally, it emerged at a much later date in the shape of the extant versions, under the impulse of the rising spirit of the English people recovering from the Norman Conquest, which found its peculiar literary expression in a whole cycle of outlaw and exile stories in verse and prose. 1 retract, break 2 bereft, deprived (with two accusatives) 8 grieves 12 ROMANCES " The literary interest of King Horn may be characterized in few words. It is probably the earliest of the English romances, but as a specimen of the purely narrative sort it has great merit. In swift succession of brief and incisive speeches it tells a simple story effectively, without distraction of elab- orate description or reflective comment. But the characters are very simply conceived, the female element is slight, and lovemaking is quite subordinate to fighting. Although picturesque and even poetic situations, such as Horn's farewell to his boat, are not wanting, the language is bald and unimaginative. A certain epic simplicity and energetic directness of expression, to which the short verse lends itself, are the main merits of its style.' Our extract runs from line 445 to line 586. The earlier course of the story is as follows : Saracens kill King Murry of Suddene, and set adrift the young prince, Horn, and his companions. The latter are carried over the water to Westernesse, where King Aylmar receives them kindly, and bids the steward Athelbrus teach Horn the arts of harping and song, and train him to serve the wine and carve at table. Horn is soon loved by all the court, but especially by the king's daughter, Rymenhild. She bids the steward bring him to her cham- ber, but Athelbrus, in dread of the king's anger, brings instead Horn's com- panion, Athulf. To Athulf she gives her love, supposing him to be Horn, but Athulf finally explains the mistake, and she upbraids the steward. Athelbrus again promises to bring Horn, and this time really does so. Rymenhild de- clares her love to Horn, and offers to marry him. He gently declines, on the ground that he is unworthy by birth for the honor, whereupon she swoons. Horn is moved by her grief, and suggests that marriage might be possible if he were a knight. Rymenhild, fat swete fing, Wakede of hire swogning.^ ' Horn,' qua})^ heo,' ' wel* sone* JJat schal beon ° idone ' : JJu schalt beo ° dubbed knijt Are " come seve ^'' nigt. Have her " fis cuppe, And ])is ryng feruppe '^^ To Aylbrus fe ^' stuard, And se ^* he holde foreward.^^ 1 swoon 6 be 11 here 2 quoth, said 7 done (O'E.gedan) 12 thereupon, in addition 8 she 8 be 18 MS. & * very : MS. vel 9 before 14 see (that) 5 soon 10 seven 1* keep his promise 7. Have : the Harleian and Laud MSS. have here a word for ' take.' KING HORN 13 Seie '■ Ihc him biseche Wip lov.eliche ^ speche JJat he adun " falle Bifore f e king in halle, And bidde f e king arijte * 5 Dubbe fe to knijte. Wif selver and wip golde Hit wur)) " him wel ijolde.' Crist him lene ' spede ' JJin erende' to bede.' ^° 10 Horn tok his leve, For hit was ne5 " eve. Afelbrus he sogte, And gaf ^^ him fat " he brojte, And tolde him f ul jare " i S Hu ^^ he hadde ifare/^ And sede ^^ him his nede, And bihet " him his mede.^' Apelbrus also swife ™ Wente to halle blive.^^ 20 ' Kyng,' he sede, ' fu leste ^^ A tale mid ]>e beste ; J>u schalt here crune ^ To-moreje ^ in fis tune ^^ ; To-moreje is fi feste ^ ; 25 f)er2' bihovep 28 geste.'^ Hit nere '° nojt forloren '^ For to knisti''^ ChiW Horn, 1 say Ji^ gave ^^ crown 2 loving, affectionate 18 that which, what 24 OE. to morgen 3 down 1* readily, quickly 25 town * as is right 15 how 2G feast 6 shall be 16 fared {O^.gefaren) 27 for this •* requited l'' said, told 28 is fitting "^ grant is promised 29 entertainment, conspicuous act 8 success 19 reward 8" would not be 8 mission 20 as fast as possible 81 lost, thrown away, without value 10 make known {O'E^^'iodan) 21 in haste 32 knight 11 nearly 22 Usteri 38 aspirant to knighthood 14 ROMANCES 25 3° JJine armes for to welde '■ ; God'' kni5t he schal jelde." JJe king sede sone : ' J>at is wel idone — Horn me wel iquemef ^ ; God knijt him bisemef.^ He schal have mi dubbing, And afterward [be] mi derling ; And alle his feren ° twelf He schal knijten himself : Alle he schal hem ' knijte Bifore me fis nijte.' Til pe lijt of day sprang Ailmar him f ugte * lang. Ipe day bigan to springe ; Horn com ' bivore fe kinge Mid his twelf yfere ^° — Sume hi ^^ were lufere.'^ Horn he dubbede to knijte, Wi)7 swerd and spures brijte. He sette him on a stede ^° whit ; J>er nas no knijt hym ilik.^* He smot him a litel wijt/^ And bed '^ him beon a god knijt. Apulf fel a " knes par *' Bivore fe king Aylmar. ' King,' he sede, ' so kene," Grante me a bene ^ : Nu '^^ is knijt Sire Horn J>at in Suddenne'''' was iboren^*; 1 wield 2 good, valorous 8 turn out, become * pleases 6 he seems 6 companions {O^.gefiran) 1 them 8 it seemed to Ailmar 9 came i« See 1. 9 11 some of them (some they) 12 wicked 18 steed " like (OE. geRc) 15 a little bit, gently 16 bade "on 18 there 19 brave 20 boon, request 21 now 22 See Intr., p. II 28 born (OE. gehoren) KING HORN IS Lord he is of londe Over us fat bi him stonde ' ; JJin armes he haf and scheld,^ To fi5te wi]> upon pe f eld ; Let him us alle kniste, 5 For fat is ure ' rijte.' Aylmar sede sone ywis * : ' Do nu fat fi wille is.' Horn adun lijte,'' And makede " hem alle knijtes. 10 Murie ' was f e feste, Al of faire gestes ; Ac Rymenhild nas nojt f er, And fat hire f U5te ' seve " ^er}" After Horn heo ^^ sente, 1 5 And he to bure '^^ wente. Nolde he nojt go one ^' — Afulf was his mone.^* Rymenhild on flora stod (Homes come ^' hire f u^te god), 20 And sede : ' Welcome, Sire Horn, And Afulf kni^t f e biforn. Knijt, nu is fi time For to sitte bi me ; Do nu fat fu er ^'^ of spake : 25 To f i wif f u me take ; Ef " f u art trewe of dedes, Do nu ase f u sedes ^^ ; Nu f u hast wille fine, Unbind '^ me of my pine.' "' 30 Island 7 merry, joyous K companion (OE. gemdna) 2 shield « s.eemed to her 15 coming 8 our 9 seven 16 before * certainly, indeed 1" years "if 6 alighted, descended from 11 she 18 saidest horseback 12 bower, lady's chamber 19 set free 6 made 13 alone 20 torment i6 ROMANCES IS 25 " Rymenhild,' qua|j he, ' beo stille Ihc wulle ^ don al ]>i wille. Also ^ hit mot ' bitide,* Mid spere I schal ' furst ride, And mi knijthod prove, Ar * Ihc fe ginne ' to woje.' We bef ^ knijtes gonge, Of o ■"' dai al isprunge," And of ure mestere '^ So " is f e manere ^* : WiJ) sume opere knijte Wei for his lemman ^^ fijte, Or '^ he eni ^' wif take ; Forfi ^' me stondef ^' fe more rape.''" To-day, so Crist me blesse, Ihc wulle do pruesse '^ For fi luve in ]?e felde. Mid spere and mid schelde ; If Ihc come to l3rve,^'' Ihc schal pe take to wyve.' ^^ ' Knijt,' qua)) heo, ' trewe, Ihc wene ^* Ihc mai fe leve ^^ ; Tak nu her fis gold ring, God him is f>e dubbing ^^ ; J>er is upon fe ringe Igrave '^ " Rymenhild fe jonge.^' " JJer nis non betere anonder''^ sunne, JJat eni man of telle cunne ^^ ; iwill, 2 even so 8 must 4 befall 6 am bound to 6 before ^ begin 8 woo 9 are ^^ one, the same 11 having taken origin (OE. gesprungeri) ^ profession 18 thus 1* custom 16 lady-love 18 before ir any 18 wherefore 19 there exists for me 20 haste 21 deeds of valor 22 return alive 28 wife 24 think 25 believe, trust 26 ornamentation 2^ engraved 28 Read singe (?) 29 under 8" may be able HAVELOK THE DANE i/ For my luve fu hit were, And on fi finger ]>u hit ' here. J>e stones beep ^ of suche grace ° JJat fu ne schalt in none place Of none duntes * beon ofdrad,^ S Ne ° on bataille beon amad,' Ef ])u loke feran,^ And fenke upon fi lemman. And Sire Afulf, fi broper, He schal have anofer. lo Horn, Ihc fe biseche Wif loveliche speche, Crist jeve' god endinge,^" pe ajen ^^ to bringe.' ]7e knijt hire gan ^'' kesse, 15 And heo him to blesse. Leve at ^° hire he nam,^* And into halle cam. HAVELOK THE DANE t3 Composed before 1300 ; the unique manuscript (3001 lines) is in the Bod- leian Library at OxforaTand may be dated about 1310. The English poem is probably a translation of a lost French one. The best recent editions are those by Holthausen (London, 1901) and Skeat (Oxford, 1915). The story is of an exiled prince of Denmark, who becomes a servant at the English court, marries the princess of that country, and finally succeeds to the thrones of both Denmark and England. ' The historical source of the name and fame, and perhaps of the story of Havelok, has been traced to the life of Olaf Sitricson [see Z>ict. Nat. Biogl\, a Danish prince, who, about the middle of the tenth century, reigned for a few years in Northumbria. . . . One of the strongest motives underlying the devel- opment of the Havelok legend may well have been political or national, namely, the desire of the Danes to prove their right to sovereignty in England ' (Billings, pp. 18, 20). 1 MS. him 6 nor 11 back again 2 are ' crazed, bewildered (OE. gemSdd) 12 began 8 power, virtue 8 upon it 18 of 4 blows 9 grant " took 5 afraid M MS. emdinge 1 8 ROMANCES The ancient town-seal of Great Grimsby, in Lincolnshire, embodies a mani- fest allusion to our story. The seal is described at length by J. Hopkin, as quoted in Skeat's edition (pp. liv-lvi), from which the following extract is taken : ' On the right hand of Gryme stands Yii^protigi Haveloc (" Habloc "), whom, during one of his mercantile excursions soon after his arrival in Lincoln- shire, Gryme had the good fortune to save from imminent danger of ship- wreck, and who proved to be the son of Gunter, King of Denmark, and who was therefore conveyed to the British court, where he subsequently received in marriage Goldburgh, the daughter of the British sovereign. Above Gryme is represented a hand, being emblematical of the hand of Providence by which Haveloc was preserved, and near the hand is the star which marks the point where the inscription begins and ends. Haveloc made such a favorable repre- sentation of his preserver at the British and Danish courts that he procured for him many honors and privileges. From the British monarch Gryme, who had already realized an abundance of wealth, received a charter, and was made the chief governor of Grimsby ; and the Danish sovereign granted to the town an immunity (which is still possessed by the burgesses of Grimsby) from all tolls at the port of Elsineur. Gryme afterwards lived in Grimsby like a petty prince in his hereditary dominions. Above Haveloc is represented a crown, and in his right'hand is a battle-axe, the favorite weapon of the Northmen, and in his [left] hand is a ring which he is presenting to the British princess Goldburgh (" Goldebvrgh "), who stands on the left side of Gryme, and whose right hand is held towards the ring. Over her head is a regal diadem, and in her left hand is a sceptre. Sir F. Madden states that it is certain that this seal is at least as old as the time of Edward I (and therefore contemporaneous with the MS.), as the legend is written in a character which after the year 1300 fell into disuse, and was succeeded by the black letter, or Gothic' The mention of Elsinore (Elsineur) suggests the name of Hamlet; for the connection between his story and that of Havelok, see the introduction to Israel GoUancz's Hamlet in Iceland (London, 1898). Our extract embraces lines 862-1281. The earlier part of the story runs as follows : A good king of England, Athelijcold, under whom the realm had been serenely peaceful and happy, lay at the point of death, with only an infant daughter, Goldborough, to succeed him. He called to him his lords and thanes, and bade them tell him to whom he might most safely entrust the kingdom until such time as his daughter could bear rule. They all declared that Earl Godrich was the man ; and to him the child and the regency of the country were accordingly committed. But love of power made this man false ; when Goldborough was twenty years old, he imprisoned her in a strong castle, and himself continued to rule. Meanwhile, a similar story had been enacted in Denmark. Its king, Birka- be^, had before his death entrusted his young son and two small daughters to a supposedly faithful vassal, Godard. The latter with his own hands killed two of the children, and ordered a fisherman. Grim, to drown the boy Havelok by the light of the moon. Grim carried Havelok home in a sack ; but when he HAVELOK THE DANE 19 rose at midnight to drown the child, a bright and shining light streamed forth from the sack, and both Grim and his wife recognized this as a sign of royal blood in the boy. They fell on their knees before him, and promised faithful allegiance. Soon after. Grim decided to flee from the country, and embarked in a boat with his wife, five children, and Havelok. Winds drove him to the coast of England, where he landed at the mouth of the Humber, and dwelt in a spot called, after him, Grimsby. Twelve years later, Havelok, now a well-grown youth, left the family of Grim to seek his fortune ; and at this point our selec- tion begins. In the manuscript, th is frequently found for ht and for t ; in such cases the change has been made without notice. To Lincolne barfot he yede.^ Hwan ^ he kam }'e[r], he was ful vi^il/ Ne havede * he no frend to gangen ^ til ' ; Two dayes fer fastinde ' he yede, f>at non ' for his werk wolde ' him f ede ; J>e fridde ^° day he herde calle : ' Bermen,^^ bermen, hider ^^ forth alle I ' [Povre ^^ fat on fote yede] " Sprongen '"' forth so '^ sparke of ^' glede.^* Havelok shof ^' dun ^° [wel] ^^ nyne or ten Riht^' amideward "» fe fen,^ And stirte ^= forth to f e kok,^" [JJer ^^ the erles mete he tok] " JJat he bouhte ^* at fe brigge ; JJe bermen let he alle ligge,^' And bar ^° fe mete to f e castel, And gat ^^ him fere a ferfing ^^ wastel.*' iwent (OE. ; sode) IS poor people 25 started, leaped 2 when " Supplied by Skeat 26 cook 3 uncertain what to do 15 sprang 27 where 4 had 16 as 28 bought 5 go 17 from ; MS. on 29 lie 6 to 18 burning coal 80 bore ^ fasting 19 shoved, pushed 81 got » no one 20 down 82 farthing » was willing 21 full 88 cake 1» third 22 right 11 porters 28 in the midst of 12 hither 2at he herde ' bermen ' calle ; AUe made he hem " dun falle f>at in his_gate ^^ yeden ^' and stode,^* Wei sixtene laddes gode. Als^^ he lep" pe kok [un-]til," He shof hem alle upon an hyl ^* ; Astirte ■'' til him with his rippe,'"' And bigan pe fish to kippe.^^ He bar up wel a cartelode Of segges,*"^ laxes,^' of playces ^ brode,^^ Of grete laumprees,''' and of ales ^' ; Sparede he neyper tos ne heles Til pat he to pe castel cam, ]?at men fro him his birpene ^' nam.^^ p>an men haveden *° holpen '^ him doun With pe birpene of his croun,'^ ]7e kok [bi] stod, and on him lowj^ And pou[h]te him stalworpe man ynow,** And seyde : ' Wiltu '^ ben wit[h] me ? 1 second 18 went 25 broad 2 kept watch for ; MS. kepte he " stood 26 lampreys Salso 15 as 27 eels ^ very eagerly 16 leaped 28 burden , 6 MS. say 17 unto 29 took ' lying (to lie) 18 heap 80 had 7 MS. herles 19 leaped 81 helped 8 MS. comwalie 20 fish-basket 82 crown, head 9 called 21 take up quickly 88 laughed M quickly 22 cuttlefish 8* enough 11 them 23 salmon 85 wilt thou 12 way 24 plaice HAVELOK THE DANE 21 Gladlike ^ wile Ich f eden fe ; Wei is set ^ f e mete ]>u etes,° And fe hire fat J)u getes.' ' Goddot * 1 ' quoth he, ' leve ^ sire, Bidde ^ Ich you non ofer hire ; 5 But yevej) ' me inow to ete, Fir ' and water Y wile you fete," }>e fir blowe, an[d] ful wele maken ; Stickes kan Ich breken and kraken,^" And kindlen [ek] ^^ ful wel a fyr, 10 And maken it to brennen ^^ shir '" ; Ful wel kan Ich eleven " shides,^' Eles toturven ^° of here " hides ; Ful wel kan Ich dishes swilen,'* And don al fat ye evere wilen." ' 15 Quoth fe kok : ' Wile I no more ; Go ]»u ^ yunder, and sit pore,"^ And Y shal yeve f e ful fair bred. And make fe broys "^ in fe led."* Sit now doun and et ^ ful yeme ; 20 Dapeit hwo ^ pe mete werne '^ I ' Havelok sette him dun anon ^ Also "' stille als ^' a ston, Til he havede ful wel eten ; Jjo ^ havede Havelok fayre geten.°° 2:5 Hwan he havede eten indw. He kam to fe welle, water updrow. And filde J'e[r], a michel *^ so *" ; 1 gladly 12 bum 28 caldron, kettle 2 bestowed 18 brightly 24 eat 8 eatest 14 cleave 25 a curse upon him who 4 God wot 1 MS.soddot 16 thin pieces of wood 26 denies Sdear 16 strip (NED. s.v. iirve) 27 straightway 6 ask, pray " their 28 as, • 'give 18 wash 29 then afire 19 wish 80 done well 9 fetch 2» thou 81 large lO crack 21 there 82 tub 11 also 22 brewis, broth 22 ROMANCES Bad he non ageyn ^ him go ; Bitwen ^ hjs hondes he bar it in, A[l] him one," to fe kichin. Bad he non him water to fete, S Ne ^ fro b[r]igge to here fe mete. He bar pe turves,' he bar fe star,' JJe wode fro the brigge he bar ; Al that evere shulde ' he nytte,' Al he drow,** and al he kitte ■"' ; lo Wolde he nevere haven rest, More fan he v^rere ^^ a best.^^ Of alle men was he mest ^' meke, Lauhwinde " ay, and blife of speke " ; Evere he was glad and bli)»e, 1 5 His sorwe " he coufe ^' f ul wel mife.^' It ne was '' non so litel knave,^° For to leyken,''^ ne for to plawe,^^ J>at he ne wo[l]de with him pleye ^ ; JJe children that y[e]den in fe weie 20 Of him he ^ deden ^' al he[r] wille, And with him leykeden here ^° fille. Him loveden alle, stille and bolde, Knictes, children, yunge and olde '' ; Alle him loveden fat him sowen,^' 2$ Bofen heye ^ men and lowe. Of him ful wide ]>e word sprong, Hu"" he was mike[l],'^ hu"" he was strong, Hu fayr man God him havede maked,''' 1 opposite 12 beast 28 play 2 MS. but bitwen is most 24 they 8 alone 1^ laughing 25 did * nor 16 speech 26 their » turf, peat is sorrow 2r MS. holde * a kind of sedge or reed i^ could 28 saw 7 MS. shulden 18 conceal 29 high 8 require for use 1' there was 80 how ; MS. hw 9 drew 20 lad, boy ai tall l« cut ; MS. citte 21 frolic 82 made 11 if he were (subj.) 22 sport HAVELOK THE DANE 2$ But-on fat ^ he was almest naked : For he ne havede nouht to shride ^ But a kouel ' ful unride,* pat [was] ful ^ and swife wicke," Was it nouht worth a fir-sticke. pe cok bigan of him to rewe,' And bouhte * him elopes, al span-newe " ; He bouhte ' him bofe hosen and shon, And sone dide him don es on.^" Hwan he was cloj^ed, [h]osed, and shod. Was non so fayr under God, fat evere yete in er]>e were,^^ Non J>at evere moder ^^ here ^^ ; It " was nevere man fat yemede '* In kineriche,^^ fat so wel semede '' King or cayser for to be ; JJan ^' he was shrid,^^ so semede '"' he ; For fanne ^* he " weren alle samen "^ At Lincolne, at fe gamen,^* And fe erles men woren ^* al[le] fore,^ J>an was Havelok bi fe shuldren ^^ more ^ fan fe meste ^' fat f er kam ; In armes him no man [ne] nam fat he doune sone ne caste ; Havelok stod over hem als a mast. Als he was heie, so ^' he was strong,"" He was bof e stark *^ and long "^ ; In Engelond [was] non hise per ^° IS 25 1 except in one respect, that 12 mother 28 games ' to clothe himself IS bore 24 were ^ garment M there 25 there ^ rough 16 governed 26 shoulders 5 foul 16 kingdom; MS. kinneriche 27 taller 6 mean 17 was fit 28 tallest T have pity 18 when 29 MS. al 8 bought 19 clothed a» MS. "long 9 quite new 20 seemed 81 Sturdy lo made him put them on 21 they 82 MS. strong 11 was 22 together 8« peer, equal ?4 ROMANCES :H -^5 Of strengfe fat evere kam him ner.^ Als he was strong, so was he softe ^ ; f»ey * a man him misdede * of te, Nevere more he him misseyde,^ Ne hond on him with yvele leyde. Of bodi was he mayden dene ; Nevere yete in garth," ne in grene, Wit[h] hire ' ne wolde [he] leyke ne lye. No more fan it were a strie." In fat time al Engelond ' J>erl ^° Godrich havede in his hond, And he gart " komen into fe tun ^^ Mani erl and mani barun ; And alle [men] fat lives " were In Eng[e]lond, fanne wer fere, J7at fey haveden after sent To ben f er at f e parlement. With hem com mani champioun," Mani wiht ^^ ladde,^° blac, and brown ; An[d] fel " it so fat yunge men, Wei abouten nine or ten, Bigunnen fere " for to layke : JJider komen bof e stronge and wayke " ; JJider komen lesse and more, ]7at in f e borw ^^ fanne weren fore '^ ; Chaumpiouns,'''' and starke laddes, Bondemen,^' with here ^* gaddes,^' Als he ^^ comen fro f e plow ; }>ere was sembling '" inow ! I near i» the earl 19 weak ' mild, gentle 11 made, had 20 borough 8 though 12 town 21 there < injured IS alive 22 MS. chaunpioun! 5 reproached, spoke ill of ; MS. misdede 14 MS. chambioun 28 husbandmen 6 garden, enclosure ; MS. game 16 stout I 2* their 7 her (a woman) 16 lad 25 goads * old hag 17 happened .26 they . ;,;,,.,n J!.MS.,Hengelond 18 MS. t.e 27 assemblingi-. HAVELOK THE DANE 25 For it ' ne was non horse-knave,^ JJou ' pei sholden in honde have,^ JJat he ne kam fider, }>e leyk ^ to se : Biforn here fet f anne lay a tre, And putten * with a mikel ston JJe Starke laddes, ful god won.' JJe ston was mikel, and ek * gret, And al so hevi so a net' ; Grundstalw[u]r}ie ^° man he sholde ^' be J>at mouhte ^^ liften it to his kne ; Was far neyfer clerc ne prest ^^ pat mihte ^'' liften it to his brest : ]7erwit[h] " putten the chaumpiouns " J>at f ider comen with f e barouns. Hwoso mihte putten fore Biforn anofer an inch or more. Wore ^* he yung, wore he old,^'^ He was for a kempe ^' told.^' Also"" ]'e[i] stoden, an[d] ofte stareden,^' J>e chaumpiouns,^^ and ek the ladden "^ ; And he ^' maden mikel strout ^* Abouten fe alf erbeste ^^ b[o]ut,^'' Havelok stod,""and lokede fertil ^'' ; And of puttingge he was ful wil,'' For nevere yete ne saw he or ™ Putten the stone, or '^ Jjanne for. Hise mayster bad him gon perto, JS 35 1 there '■' groom 8 MS. )jo * Though they {for he) should have [work] in hand 6 game 6 put ; MS. pulten 7 in considerable numbers (won = plenty) 8 also 8 young ox 10 extremely stalwart 11 had need to 12 could 18 priest 14 with this 15 MS. chaunpiouns 16 were 17 MS. hold 18 knight, champion 19 counted 21 stared 22 lads 28 they 24 contention 25 best of all 26 bout, throw 27 thereto 28 inexperienced 29 before 5. ston : for the history of the game, see note in Skeat's edition. 26 ROMANCES IS 3° Als he coufe ' ))erwith do. Ipo hise mayster it him bad, He was of him sore adrad ; ]7erto he stirte ^ sone anon, And kipte ' up fat hevi ston, ]7at he sholde put[t]en wife ; He putte, at ]>e firste sipe,* Over* alle fat fer wore, Twel[ve] fote,* and sumdel '' more. JJe chaumpiouns * fat [fat] put sowen,' Shuldreden he ilc of er,^' and lowen ^^ ; Wolden he no more to putting gange. But seyde : ' We dwellen her to ^^ longe I ' JJis selkouth ^' mihte nouht ben hyd : Ful sone it was ful loude kid ^* Of Havelok, hu ^^ he warp ^^ f e ston Over f e laddes everilkon " ; Hu ■'* he was f ayr, hu ^^ he was long, Hu ^'^ he was wiht,^' hu ^^ he was strong ; J>orhut " England yede f e speke,^" Hu ^° he was strong, and ek [ful] make ; In the castel, up in fe halle, JJe knihtes speken f erof alle, So that Godrich it herde wel. J>e[i] speken of Havelok, everi del,^'^ Hu '^ he was strong man and hey, Hu ^° he was strong, and ek [ful] sley ^^ ; And f ouhte '^ Godrich : ' f>oru ^* f is knave Shal Ich Engelond al have, And mi sone after me ; 1 could 9 saw 1^ every one 2 leaped 1" one another 18 courageous 3 snatched ^1 laughed 19 throughout ; MS. Jjoruth 4 time 12 too 20 speech ; MS. speche 5 beyond 18 wonder 21 on every side (?) 6 feet 1* made known 22 skilful ; MS. fri " somewhat 16 MS. hw 23 MS. >outhte 8 MS. chaunpiouns 16 threw 24 through HAVELOK THE DANE 27 For so I wile fat it be. King ^ Af elwald me dide ^ swere Upon al f e messe-gere ' JJat Y shu[l]de his doubter yive * JJe bexte ^ [man] fat mibte live, f>e beste, f e fairest, f e strangest " ok ; J>at gart ' he me sweren on f e bok. Hwere mihte I finden ani so hey So Havelok is, or so sley ? J>ou[h] Y souhte hef en ' into Ynde," j So fayr, so strong, ne mihte Y finde. ' Havelok is fat ilke " knave ' pai shal Goldeborw have.' }>is f ouhte [he] with trechery, Wit[h] traysoun, and with felony ; For he wende ^^ fat Havelok wore " Sum cherles sone, and no more ; Ne shulde he haven of Engellond Onlepi ^' forw ^* in his bond With hire fat was ferof [fe] eyr,^* Jjat bof e was god and swif e fair. He wende fat Havelok wer a f ral," ]7erforu" he wende haven al In Engelond, fat hire riht was ; He werse was ^* fan Sathanas fat Jesu Crist in erf e shop ^° ; Hanged worfe ^^ he on an hok 1 After Goldebo[r]w sone he sende, JJat was bofe fayr and hende,^^ And dide hire to Lincolne bringe ^^ ; >S 25 30 1 MS. the king 9 India I'' for this reason, by this means 2 caused 10 very 18 MS. was werse 3 utensils of the mass 11 supposed 19 shaped, created * MS. yeve 12 was 20 may he be ' highest, tallest 13 a single 21 gentle, courteous 6 strongest 14 furrow 22 and had her brought to Lincoln 'made 16 heir ' hence 16 slave 28 ROMANCES Belles dede he ageyn hire ^ ringen, And joie he made hire swife mikel, But nef eles ^ he was f ul swikel." He seyde fat he sholde hire yive * S JJe fayrest man that mihte live. She answerede and seyde anon, Bi [Jesu] Crist and bi Seint John,^ JJat hire sholde no man wedde, Ne no man bringen hire to ^ bedde, lo But' he were king or kinges eyr, Were he nevere man so fayr. Godrich fe erl was swife wroth JJat she swor swilk * an oth, And seyde : ' Hwef er ' fou wilt be 1 5 Quen and levedi '" over me ? JJou shalt haven a gadeling " Ne shalt fou haven non ofer king ; JJe shal spusen ^^ mi cokes knave ; Shalt '' fou non of er loverd ^* have. 20 Daf eit fat " f e of er ^^ yive * Everemore hwil I live 1 To-mo[r]we sholen " ye ''■' ben weddet, And, maugre fin," togidere beddet.' Goldeborw gret,^" and was hire ille ^ ; 25 She wolde ben ded, bi hire wille. On f e morwen, hwan day was sprungen. And daybelle ^^ at [f e] kirke ^' rungen, After Havelok sente fat Judas, J>at werse was f anne Sathanas, 1 at her approach 9 MS. hwor 17 shall 2 nevertheless 1" lady 18 MS. ye sholen 8 deceitful u vagabond, low fellow 1' in spite of thee 4 MS. yeve 12 marry 20 wept 5 MS. lohan 13 MS. ne shalt 21 it was ill for her 6 MS. to hire " lord 22 matin-bell 7 unless 15 a curse upon him who 23 church • such 16 another HAVELOK THE DANE 29 And seyde : ' Mayster, wiltu '■ wif ^ ? ' " Nay,' quoth Havelok, ' bi my lif ! Hwat sholde Ich with wive * do ? I ne may hire fede, ne elope, ne she. [HJwider sholde Ich wimman ^ bringe ? I ne have none kin[n]es ^ finge. I ne have hus,' Y ne have cote, I ne ' have stikke, Y ne have sprote,* I ne have neyfer bred ne sowel,' Ne cloth, but of an old whit " couel.^^ J'is ^^ cloJ)es, ])at Ich onne have, Aren fe kokes, and Ich his knave.' Godrich stirt ^' up, and on him dong " [With dintes ^ swife hard and strong],"^' And seyde : " But " fou hire take JJat Y wole yeven pe to make,^* I shal hangen fe ful heye. Or Y shal f risten " ut pin eie.^" ' Havelok was one,^^ and was adrad,^ And grauntede him al pat he bad. J>o ^ sende he after hire sone,^ pe f ayrest w)?mman under mone ^^ ; And seyde til hire, [faJs] ^^ and slike,'^^ JJat wicke pral, pat foule sv«ke ^ : " But pu pis man understonde,'" I shal flemen '^ pe of *" londe ; • Or pou shal[t] to pe galwes " renne,'^ IS 1 wilt thou ; MS. wilte 12 these 28 then 2 take a wife 13 started 2* soon 3 MS. wif " struck 25 the moon 4 a woman 15 blows 26 smooth *> of no kind 16 Supplied by Skeat 21 traitor 6 MS. hws 1* unless 28 receive 7 MS. ne i 1* mate, wife 29 banish ^ sprout, twig IS thrust 30 from 9 relish eaten with bread 2» MS. heie 81 gallows 1» MS. hold with 21 alone 82 run U garment 22 MS. odrat 30 ROMANCES 'S 25 And ]>er fou shalt in a fir brenne.' * Sho ^ was adrad, for he so frette,' And durste * nouht f e spusing ^ lette ' ; But fey ' hire likede ' swif e ille, [Sho] fouhte it was Godes wille : God, fat makes to growen fe kom, Formede hire wimman to be bom. Hwan he havede him don,° for drede, ]7at he sholde hire spusen and fede, And pat she sholde til him holde, JJer weren penies ^^ ficke tolde,''^ Mikel plente upon fe bok : He^'' ys^^ hire yaf, and she [e]s** tok. He ^^ weren spused f ayre and wel : pe messe he dede,^^ [and] everidel " JJat fel '' to spusing, a " god cle[r]k,'''' J>e Erchebishop ut of ^^ Yerk, pat kam to fe parlement, Als God him havede fider sent. Hwan he ^^ togydere in Godes lawe Weren,^' fat ^ f olc ^ f ul wel it sawe. He ne wisten ^^ hwat he mouhten,''' Ne he ne wisten [h]wat hem douhte ^' — ]7er to dwellen, or f enne ^ to gonge. 'per ne wolden he dwellen longe ; For he wisten, and ful wel sawe, Godrich '" hem hatede, fe devel him awe " 1 And yf he dwelleden f er ouht °^ — ibum 2 she 8 threatened 4 dared 6 marriage 6 hinder ^ though 8 it pleased her 9 caused ; MS. don him 1" pennies 11 counted in great number 12 Godrich 18 them " them ; MS. as 16 they 16 performed ; MS. deden 1' everything 18 pertained 19 MS. and 20 clergyman 21 out of, from 22 they 28 Transposed from preceding line (weren togydere) 24 MS. M Jie 25 people 26 knew ^' could do 28 availed them 29 thence 80 MS. ))at Godrich 81 own, possess ; MS. hawe 82 any space of time HAVELOK THE DANE 31 J>at fel Havelok f ul wel on pouht — Men sholde don his leman shame, Or elles bringen in wicke ^ blame ; J>at were him levere^ to ben ded. Forfi * he "* token anof er red,^ S f>at fei sholden Jienne fle ° Til ' Grim, and til ' hise sones ]>re ; J)er wenden 'he * al])erbeste " to spede,*" Hem ^^ for to clofe, and for to fede. pe lond he * token under fote,^^ lo Ne wisten he * non ofer bote,^^ . And helden ay the rihte sti ^* Til he * komen to Grimesby. J>anne ^ he * komen fere, fanne was Grim ded. Of him ne haveden he ^ no red ; iS But hise children alle fyve AUe weren yet on live ^° ; JJat " ful fayre ayen ^' hem neme," Hwan he * wisten fat he ^ keme,™ And maden joie swif e mikel ; 20 Ne weren he* nevere ayen hem fikel.^' On knes ful fayre he * hem setten. And Havelok swife fayre gretten,^^ And seyden : ' Welkome, loverd '"' dere. And welkome be fi fayre fere "1 25 Blessed be fat ilke frawe ^° ]7at fou hire toke in Godes lawe ! Wel is us ^^ we sen fe on lyve, JJou mihte ^" us bofe selle and yive ^' ; 1 wicked 11 themselves 21 fickle 2 liefer, rather 8 therefore < they 6 counsel, help 12 they walked 13 remedy 14 road -5 when 22 greeted 28 lord 24 companion, wife 25 time, moment 6 flee 16 in life — alive 26 to us ; MS. hus I- to 8 thought » best of all i?who 18 towards W went 2" might 28 MS. yeve l« prosper 20 were coming 32 ROMANCES JJou mayt us bof e yive ^ and selle, With-Jiat ^ f ou wilt here dwelle. We haven, loverd, alia gode,' Hors,* and net,^ and ship on flode,' S Gold, and silver, and michel auhte,' J»at Grim ure fader us bitauhte ' ; Gold, and silver, and ofer f e " Bad he us bitaken ^^ fe. We haven shep, we haven swin, 10 Bileve^' her, loverd, and al be fin ! J'o[u] shalt ben loverd, f>ou shalt ben syre,** And we sholen serven fe and hire ; And ure ^' sistres sholen do Al that evere biddes sho ** ; IS He^* sholen hire clofes^^ washen and wringen, And to ^^ hondes water bringen ; He ^^ sholen bedden '■' hire and fe, For levedi wile we fat she be.' Hwan he ^ pis joie haveden maked, 20 Sithen ^' stikes broken and kraked, And fe fir brouht on brenne,^" Ne was fer spared gos "^ ne henne, Ne fe ende,^'' ne pe drake. Mete he ^* deden plente make ; *" 2S Ne wantede fere no god mete ; Wyn and ale deden he ^^ fete,'^ And maden ^ hem glade and blife, Wesseyl ledden ^^ he fele sif e.'" 1 MS. yeve n remain 21 goose 2 provided that 12 seignior, master 22 duck ; MS. hende 8 property, goods 1^ our ; MS. hure 2S they had plenty of meats * horses " she prepared ' cattle 15 they 24 they caused to be brought 6 sea 16 MS. cloven 26 MS. made ' possessions ; MS. auchte 17 for 26 they led wassails (drank 8 delivered, committed; MS. bitawchte 18 put to bed healths) 9 property 19 afterwards 27 many times 10 deliver, commit 20 to burning HAVELOK THE DANE 33 On J)e niht, as Goldeborw lay, Sory and sorwful was she ay, For she wende she were biswike,^ 'paX she were ^ yeven ' unkyndelike.* O niht ^ saw she ferinne a liht,° S A swife fayr, a swife bryht, Al so briht, al so shir ' So' it were a blase " of fir. She lokede no[r]J), and ek south, And saw it comen ut of his mouth, lo }>at lay bi hire in fe bed — No ferlike ■"' fou[h] she were adred 1 }>ouhte she : ' [H]wat may this bimene " ? He beth '^ heyman ^^ yet, als Y wene ** ; He beth heyman er he be^" ded.' 15 On hise shuldre, of gold red She saw a swife noble croiz,'^' Of an angel she herde a voyz *° : ' Goldeborw, lat pi sorwe be," For Havelok, fat havef spuset pe, 20 Is ^* kinges sone and kinges eyr " ; pat bikenneth ^^ fat croiz so fayr. It bikenneth more — fat he shal Denemark haven, and Englond al ; He shal ben king, strong and stark, 25 Of Engelond and Denemark ; J>at shal[t] fu wit[h] fin eyne sen. And fo[u] shalt quen and levedi ben.' f>anne ^ she havede herd the stevene ^^ Of f e angel ut of hevene, 3° 1 cheated, deceived 9 blaze 1' put aside thy sorrow 2 MS. share {for she were) i» wonder 18 MS. he * given 11 mean 19 heir * beneath her rank 12 is ai betokens 5 in the night 18 nobleman 21 when 6 light 1* think 22 voice ' shining 15 cross 8 as if 16 voice 34 ROMANCES She was so fele sifes ^ blithe JJat she ne mihte hire ioie mythe ^ - But Havelok sone anon she kiste ; And he slep, and nouht ne wiste ' Hwat fat aungel havede seyd. GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS John Gower — 'moral Gower,' as Chaucer called him — was born about 1330, and died between August 15 and October 24, 1408. He was of a Kentish family, a layman, and a man of some wealth. For the most part, he probably resided in London, and was personally known to Richard II. While living in Southwark, he married one Agnes Groundolf on January 25, 1397/8, and perhaps had been married before. He lies buried in St. Saviour's, Southwark, formerly called St. Mary Overey. The effigy of the poet, beneath a three- arched canopy, exhibits his head resting upon three volumes, bearing the names of his three principal works — Speculum Meditantis, Vox Clamantis, and Confessio Amantis. Of these the first, now known as the Mirour de POmme (Speculum Hominis) has only recently been discovered. This is in French, the Vox Clamantis in Latin, and the Confessio Amantis in English. The French work was the earliest, the Latin work was produced about 1382, while the English work assumed its final form in 1393. The Confessio Amantis contains more than 33,000 lines, surpassing the Mirour de POmme by above 4000 lines. Besides these three, Gower wrote several minor works. The whole has been critically edited in four volumes bv G. C. Macaulay ( Ovf^ rH , TSf^ rj-^i^fvT) In the French and the Latin poems, Gower's tendency is markedly didactic. In the English poem his general theme is love, which he illustrates by a series of 1 1 2 stories. Lowell said, in his essay on Chaucer : ' Gower has positively raised tedious- ness to the precision of a science.' A fairer judgment is that by Ker (English Literature, Mediaval, pp. 225-226) : " Gower should always be remembered along with Chaucer ; he is what Chaucer might have been without genius and without his Italian reading, but with his critical tact, and much of his skill in verse and diction. The Confessio Amantis is monotonous, but it is not dull. Much of it at a time is wearisome, but as it is composed of a number of separate stories, it can be read in bits, and ought to be so read. Taken one at a time, the clear bright little passages come out with a meaning and a charm that may be lost when the book is read too perseveringly.' The Apollonius of Tyre, the first of our extracts, was first written in Greek (probably third century), and afterwards translated into Latin. Gower para- phrased the Latin, and the Shakespearean (?) Pericles is, in turn, based upon 1 so many times, so veiy 2 conceal 8 knew GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 35 Gower. For further particulars concerning Apollonius, see my First Book in Old English, -pp. \(n,-\(il. , fJ The jEson story is derived from Ovid's Metamorphoses (7. 162-293), i^i^oas W'l of the original being expanded to 2;^o.. A portion of this Ovidian passage {Met. 7. 197 ff.), extremely condensed by Gower, reappears in Shakespeare's Tempest 5.1.33-50. APOLLONIUS OF TYRE 8. 597-911 Of Tharsiens ^ his leve anon He ^ tok, and is to schipe gon. His cours he nam " with sail updrawe,* Where as ' Fortune doth " the lawe. And scheweth, as I schal reherse, How sche ' was to this lord diverse," The which ° upon the see sche ferketh." The wynd aros, the weder derketh,'^ It blew and made such tempeste Non ancher mai the schip areste, . Which hath tobroken al his gere '^'^ ; The schipmen stode in such a feere, Was non that myhte himself bestere,^' Bot evere awaite upon the lere,^* Whan that thei scholde drenche ^^ at ones. Ther was ynowh withinne wones ^° Of wepinge and of sorghe " tho ^* ; This yonge king makth mqchel wo So for to se the schip travaile " : Bot al that myhte him noght availe ; The mast tobrak,'^'' the sell torof " ; The schip upon the wawes drof , 15 1 the people of Tarsus 2 Apollonius 8 took 4 drawn up 5 wherever 6 makes, lays down ' Fortune 8 contrary 9 Apollonius 10 conducts u grows dark 12 tackle IS bestir 1* destruction, shipwreck (OE. fyre) 15 drown 16 reach 17 sorrow 18 then 19 labor 20 snapped ^il was rent 36 ROMANCES IS 25 3° Til that thei sihe ^ a londes cooste. Tho made avou '' the leste and moste, Be so * thei myhten come alonde ' ; Bot he which hath the see on honde, Neptunus, wolde noght acorde, Bot altobroke ° cable and corde ; Er thei to londe myhte aproche, The schip toclef ^ upon a roche, And al goth doun into the depe. Bot He that alle thing mai kepe Unto this lord was merciable, And broghte him sauf upon a table/ Which to the lond him hath upbore ; The remenant was al forlore,* Whereof he made mochel mone.' Thus was this yonge lord him one," Al naked in a povere plit ^^ ; His colour, which whilom ^^ was whyt, Was thanne of ^' water fade ^^ and pale, And ek he was so sore ■'^ acale ^^ That he wiste '" of himself no bote *' : It halp ^' him nothing for to mote ^ To gete ayein that he hath lore.^^ Bot sche which hath his deth forbore,^^ Fortune, thogh sche wol noght yelpe,^ Al sodeinly hath sent him helpe, Whanne hirn thoghte alle grace aweie : Ther cam a fisshere in the weie. And sih ^* a man ther naked stonde ; And whan that he hath understonde 1 saw 9 moan 2 promise 10 alone 8 on condition that " plight < to land 12 aforetime 6 broke asunder la by reason of 6 clove asunder, split 14 pale 7 plank IS very Host 16 acold, cold 17 knew 18 remedy 19 helped 20 wish (unique in this sense) 21 lost 22 withheld 28 boast 24 saw GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 37 The cause, he hath of him gret routhe/ And, onliche " of his povere trouthe,* Of suche clothes as he hadde With gret pite this lord he cladde. And he him thonketh as he scholde, 5 And seith him that it schal be yolde,* If evere he gete his stat ^ ayein, And preide that he wolde him sein " If nyh were eny toun for him. He seide : " Yee,' Pentapolim, 10 Wher bothe king and queene duellen.' Whanne he this tale herde tellen, He gladeth him,' and gan beseche That he the weie him wolde teche ' ; And he him taghte ; and forth he wente, i s And preide God with good entente '° To sende him joie after his sorwe. It was noght passed yit mid-morwe,^* Whan thiderward his weie he nam,^'' Wher sone ^' upon the non " he cam. 20 He eet such as he myhte gete. And forth anon, whan he hadde ate, He goth to se the toun aboute. And cam ther as ^° he fond a route Of yonge lusti men withalle ; 25 And as it scholde tho befalle. That day was set of such assise " That thei schol de, in the londes guise," As he herde of the poeple seie. Here ^* comun game thanne pleie ; 30 And crid ■'^ was that thei scholden come ^ ruth, pity 8 himself 1^ where 2 only 9 point out, show lii manner; MS. assisse 8 loyalty i» intent 17 fashion * repaid 11 mid-morning 18 their 5 state, dignity 12 took i» cried 6 say 18 soon 'yea " noon 38 ROMANCES 'S 25 30 1 games 2 one and all 3 active 4 nimble 5 feat 6 same 'i required Unto the gamen * alle and some " Of hem that ben delivere ° and wyhte,* To do such maistrie ^ as thei myhte. Thai made hem naked as thei scholde, For so that ilke * game wolde,' As it was tho custume and us * ; Amonges hem was no refus.^ The flour of al the toun was there, And of the court also ther were ; And that was in a large place Riht evene ^^ afore the kinges face, Which Artestrathes ^^ thanne hihte." The pley was pleid riht in his sihte, And who most worthi was of dede Receive he scholde a certein mede,^' And in the cite here a pris.^* Appolinus, which, war ^^ and wys, Of every game couthe ^^ an ende,^' He thoghte assaie,^' hou so it wende,^' And fell among hem into game ; And there he wan him such a name. So as the king himself acompteth,^ That he alle othre men surmonteth. And bar the pris above hem alle. The king bad that into his halle At souper-time he schal be broght ; And he cam thanne, and lefte ^' it noght, Withoute compaignie, alone. Was non so semlich ^^ of persona, Of visage and of limes °° bothe. 9 refusal 10 directly 11 Arcestrates 12 was called 18 reward 1* prize 15 wary 18 knew V an ende = pretty thoroughly 18 to try 19 might turn out 20 deems 21 neglected 22 seemly 28 Hmbs GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 39 If that he hadde what to clothe '■ ; At souper-time, natheles, The king amiddes al the pres ' Let ^ clepe * him up among hem alle, And bad his mareschall ^ of halle To setten him in such degre ° That he upon him myhte se. The king was sone set and served, And he, which hath his pris deserved After the kinges oghne ' word, Was mad beginngJ-a middeUsord,' That bothe king and queene him sihe.^" He sat and caste aboute his yhe, And sih the lordes in astat,^^ And with himself wax ^^ in debat, Thenkende ^' what he hadde lore " ; And such a sorwe he tok therfore, That he sat evere stille and thoghte. As he which of no mete ^^ roghte.^" The king behield his hevynesse,'' And, of his grete gentillesse. His doghter, which was fair and good. And ate ^' bord before him stod, As it was thilke ^^ time usage,'^" He bad to gon on his message, And fonde "^ for to make him glad. And sche dede as hire fader bad, And goth to him the softe pas,^^ And axeth whenne ^ and what he was. And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve. 15 P"'- K 25 30 1 wear •table 17 sadness 2 press, crowd M might see IS at the Shade u state 19 that ■1 to call 12 grew 20 custom 6 marshal IS thinking 21 attempt 6 station w lost 22 pace "■ own 16 food •2S whence » to hegin, sit at the head of 16 took account, recked 24 abandon 40 ROMANCES 15 25 30 A' He seith : ' Madame, be * your leve, Mi name is bote ^ Appolinus ; And of mi ricbesse it is thus — Upon the see I have it lore. The contre wber as I was bore, Wher that my lend is and mi rente,' I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente ; The worschipe ' of this worldes aghte,* Unto the god ther I betagbte.' ' And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke, The teres runne be ' his cbeeke. The king, which therof tok good kepe,* Hath gret pite to sen him wepe. And for his doghter sende ayein, And preide hir faire, and gan to sein ° That sche no lengere wolde drecchej" Bot that sche wolde anon forth feccbe Hire harpe, and don al that sche can To glade with ^^ that sory man. And sche, to don hir fader ^^ heste,^' Hir harpe fette," and, in the feste," Upon a chaier which thei fette Hirself next to this man sche sette ; With harpe bothe, and ek with mouthe, To him sche dede al that sche couthe To make bim chiere ^* — and evere he siketh ^' ; A.nd sche bim axeth hou bim hketb.^' ' Madame, certes ■'^ wel,' be seide, ' Bot, if ye the mesure pleide Which, if you list, I schal you liere,^° It were a glad thing for to biere.' Iby 8 heed 16 feast 2 called 9 say 16 entertainment 8 income 10 delay If sighs * honor 11 with which to gladden 18 it pleases him i> goods 12 father's 19 certainly 6 committed IS command 20 teach 7 along, down " fetched GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 41 ' Ha, lieve sire/ ' tho ''■ quod sche, ' Now tak the harpe, and let me se Of what mesure that ye mene.' Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene. Forth with * the lordes alle arewe,* 5 That he som merthe wolde schewe ; He takth the harpe, and in his wise He tempreth,* and of such assise ° Singende he harpeth forth withal. That as a vols celestial 10 Hem thoghte ' it souneth in here ere. As thogh that he an angel were. Thei gladen of his melodic ; Bot, most of all the compainie, The kinges doghter, which it herde, 15 And thoghte ek * hou that he ansuerde, Whan that he was of ° hire opposed,^" Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed That he is of gret gentilesse. Hise dedes ben therof witnesse, 20 Forth with the wisdom of his lore ; It nedeth noght to seche '' more — He myhte noght have such manere, Of gentil blod bot-if ^"^ he were. Whanne he hath harped al his fille, ' 25" The kinges heste to fulfille, r Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe, I - , Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe, j J- ' J>- Thei risen and gon out of halle. The king his chamberlein let calle, 30 And bad that he be alle weie ^' A chambre for this man pourveie,'* 1 dear sir 6 in sucli manner U seek 2 then ^ it seemed to them 12 unless 3 together with 8 elce, also 13 without fail 4 successively (in a row) ^ by 1^ purvey, provide 6 tunes 1" questioned 42 ROMANCES 1.5 25 3° Which nyh his oghne chambre be.' ' It schal be do,^ mi lord,' quod he. Appolinus, of whom I mene,' Tho tok his leve of king and queene, And of the worthi maide also, Which preide unto hir fader tho That sche myhte of that yonge man Of tho ' sciences whiche he c^n ° His lore ^ have ; and in this wise The king hir granteth his aprise,' So that himself therto assente. Thus was acorded, er thei wente, That he, with al that evere he may, This yonge faire freisshe may * Of that he couthe scholde enforme ; And, full assented in this forme, Thei token leve as for that nyht. And, whanne it was amorwe ' lyht. Unto this yonge man of Tyr Of clothes and of good atir, With gold and selver to despende,"^" This worthi yonge lady sende ; And thus sche made him wel at ese ; And he, with al that he can plese. Hire serveth wel and faire '^ ayein. He tawhte hir til sche was certein Of harpe, of citole,-"' and of rote,'' With many a tun " and many a note Upon musique, upon mesure ; And of hire harpe the temprure '^ He tawhte hire ek, as he wel couthe. 1 should be 2 done 8 make mention * those ' knows 6 teaching ^ instruction 8 damsel 9 in the morning 10 spend 11 fairly 12 dulcimer 13 violin 1* tune 15 tuning GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 43 Bot, as men sein that frele ^ is youthe, With leisir ^ and continuance This mayde fell upon a chance, That Love hath mad him " a querela * Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele, That malgre ' wher ° sche wole ' or noght, Sche mot ' with al hire hertes thoght To Love and to his lawe obeie ; And that sche schal ful sore abeie,' For sche wot ^° nevere what it is, Bot evere among ^* sche fieleth '^ this. Thenkende upon this man of Tyr, Hire herte is hot as eny fyr. And otherwhile it is acale ; Now is sche red, nou is sche pale, Riht after the condicion Of hire ymaginacion ; Bot evere among hire thoghtes alle, Sche thoghte, what so mai befalle. Or " that sche lawhe," or that sche wepe, Sche wolde hire goode name kepe, For feere of wommanysshe ^^ schame. Bot, what in ernest and in game, Sche stant ^° for love in such a plit " That sche hath lost al appetit Of mete, of drinke, of nyhtes reste, As sche that not ^' what is the beste. Bot, for to thenken al hir fille, Sche hield ^° hire ofte times stille Withinne hir chambre, and goth noght oute ; IS 25 30 1 frail 8 must 15 womanly 2 leisure 9 atone for 16 stands 3 for himself 10 knows If plight 4 attack ^1 in the course (of things) 18 knows not 5 in spite of 12 feels 19 held 6 whether IS whether 'will " laugh 44 ROMANCES The king was of hire lif in doute, Which wiste nothing what it mente. Bot fell a time, as he out wente To walke, of princes sones thre S Ther come and f elle to his kne ; And ech of hem in sondri wise Besoghte and profreth his servise, So that he myhte his doghter have. The king, which wolde his honour save, 10 Seith sche is siek,^ and of that speche Tho ^ was no time to 'beseche ; Bot ech of hem do make ° a bille * He bad, and wiyte his oghne wille. His name, his fader, and his good ^ ; 15 And whan sche wiste hou that it stod, And hadde here ° billes oversein,' Thei scholden have ansuere ayein. Of this conseil thei weren glad. And writen as the king hem bad ; 20 And every man his oghne bok Into the kinges hond betok,' And he it to his dowhter sende, And preide hir for to make an ende And wryte ayein hire oghne hond, 25 Riht ° as sche in hire herte fond. The billes weren wel received ; Bot sche hath alle here loves weyved,^" And thoghte tho was time and space To put hire in hir fader '^ grace, 30 And wrot ayein, and thus sche saide : ' The schame which is in a maide With speche dar noght ben unloke,^^ ^ sick 5 property ^ just 2 then 6 their 10 put aside, rejected 8 cause to make, have made ^ looked over u father's * memorandum 8 delivered 12 unlocked GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 45 Bot in writinge it mai be spoke ; So wiyte I to you, fader, thus : Bot-if I have Appolinus, Of al this world, what so betyde, I wol non other man abide ; And cartes if I of him faile, I wot riht wel, withoute faile, Ye schull for me be dowhterles.' This lettre cam, and ther was press Tof ore ^ the king, ther as ^ he stod ; And whan that he it understod. He yaf ' hem ansuer by and by * ; Bot that was do ' so prively That non of othres conseil wiste. Thei toke her leve, and wher hem liste ° Thei wente forth upon here weie. IS ISDN'S RESTORATION TO YOUTH 1 before 2 where a gave ^ directly 5 done s- 3945-4174 Jason, which sih his fader old. Upon Medea made him ' bold Of art magique, which sche couthe,* And preith hire that his fader ' youthe Sche wolde make ayeinward ^° newe ; And sche, that was toward him trewe, Behihte '^ him that sche wolde it do. Whan that sche time sawh therto. Bot what sche dede in that matiere ^^ It is a wonder thing to hiere ; Bot yit, for the novellerie,^' I thenke tellen a partie.'^ 6 it was pleasing to them ' himself 8 knew 9 father's 10 again 25 11 promised 12 matter 18 novelty M part 46 ROMANCES Thus it befell upon a nyht, Whan ther was noght hot sterreliht, Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste,^ That no wyht hot hirself it wiste, S And that was ate ^ mydnyht-tyde. The world was stille on every side ; With open hed and fot al bare, Hir her ' tosprad,* sche gan to fare ; Upon hir clothes gert ^ sche was. 10 Al specheles,^ and on the gras, Sche glod ' forth as an addre doth — Non otherwise sche ne goth — - Til sche cam to the f reisshe fled ; And there a while sche with' stod. 15 Thries sche tomed hire aboute, And thries ek sche gan doun loute, And in the flod sche wette hir her ; And thries on the water ther Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge " onde,''^" 20 And tho sche tok hir speche on honde. Ferst sche began to clepe " and calle Upward unto the sterres alle ; To wynd, to air, to see, to lond, Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond 25 To Echates ^ — and gan to crie — Whiche is goddesse of sorcerie. Sche seide : " Helpeth ^ at this nede, And, as ye maden me to spede ■'* Whan Jason cam the flees to seche, 30 So help me nou, I you beseche.' With that sche loketh, and was war Doun fro the sky ther cam a char,^* 1 pleased 6 'L&t.per mttta silentia nociis 12 Hecate- 2 at the t glided 18 help s hair 8 by, near 1^ succeed * spread abroad (Lat. nudos humerls 9 troubled, agonizing 15 chariot infusa capillos) 10 breath fi girt (Lat. vestes induia recinctas) 11 cry GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 47 The which dragouns aboute drowe ^ ; And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe, And up sche styh,^ and faire and wel Sche drof ° forth bothe char and whel * Above in th' air among the skyes. 5 The lond of Crete and tho ^ parties " Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye,' And there, upon the hulles ' hyhe Of Othrin and Olimpe also, And ek of othre hulles mo,' 10 Sche fond ^° and gadreth herbes suote ^^ ; Sche pulleth up som be the rote, And manye with a knyf sche scherth,'^ And alle into hir char sche berth. Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought, 15 The flodes ther f oryat sche nought " — Eridian and Amphrisos, Peneie and ek Spercheidos ; To hem sche wente, and ther sche nom " Bothe of the water and the fom, 20 The sond, and ek the smale stones — Whiche as sche ches ^^ out for the nones " ; And of the Rede See a part That was behovelich " to hire art 1 drew ' hie, hasten is not 2 ascended 8 hills 14 took 3 drove 8 more 15 chose 4 wheel w found 16 nonce 5 those 11 sweet i' needful 6 parts 12 shears 6. Crete : this reposes upon a corrupt reading of the Latin ; read perhaps ' Thrace.' 9. Othrin : Othrys ; Medea flies in a circuit about Thessaly. 17. Eridian : not the Eridanus (Po), but the Apidanus, one of the tributaries of the Peneus, which flows through the vale of Tempe. . — Amphrisos : a small river flowing northeast into the modern Gulf of Volos. 18. Spercheidos : the Spercheius is south of the preceding. 23. Rede See : Macaulay suggests that Gower read ' rubrum ' for the ' refluum ' of Ovid's line 267. 48 ROMANCES Sche tok ; and, after that, aboute Sche soughte sondri sedes oute In feldes, and in many greves ^ ; And ek a part sche tok of leves ; 5 Bot thing which mihte hire most availe Sche fond in Crete ^ and in Thessaile. In daies and in nyhtes nyne. With gret travaile and with gret pyne " Sche was pourveid * of every piece, lo And tometh homward into Grece. Before the gates of Eson Hir char sche let awai to gon, And tok out f erst that was therinne ; For tho sche thoghte to beginne 15 Such thing as semeth impossible, And made hirselven invisible, As sche that was with air enclosed. And mihte of no man be desclosed. Sche tok up turves of the lond, 20 Withoute helpe of mannes bond, Al heled ^ with the grene gras. Of which an alter mad ther was Unto Echates the goddesse \^-*^^\ \ Of art magigue and Jhe maistresse, 25 And eft another to Juvente,^ As sche which dede hir hole ' entente. Tho tok sche fieldwode " and verveyne — Of herbes ben noght betre tueine — Of which anon, withoute let,' 30 These alters ben aboute set. Tuo sondri puttes " faste ^^ by Sche made, and with that hastely 1 groves 6 Youth (Hebe) ^ hindrance ; we still say with' 2 See note on 1, 6, p. 47 ^ whole out let or hindrance 8 MS. peyne ^ woodland-growth ; Lat. 1° pits « provided silva agresiiy literally H near 6 covered translated GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 49 A wether which was blak sche slouh,^ And out therof the blod sche drouh, And dede into the pettes ^ tuo ; Warm melk sche putte also therto, With hony meynd ' ; and in such wise S Sche gan to make hir sacrifice, And cride and preide forth withal To Pluto the god infernal, And to the queene Proserpine. And so sche soghte out al the line lo Of hem that longen * to that craft — Behinde was no name laft — And preide hem ° alle, as sche wel couthe, To grante Eson his ferste youthe. This olde Eson broght forth was tho ; 15 Awei sche bad alle othre " go Upon peril that mihte falle ; And with that word thei wenten alle, And leften there hem tuo alone. And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone,^ 20 And made signes many on. And seide hir wordes therupon ; So that, with spellinge of hir charmes, Sche tok Eson in bothe hire armes. And made him for to slepe faste, 25 And him upon hire herbes caste. The blake wether tho sche tok, And hiewh " the fleissh, as doth a cok ; On either alter part sche leide, And, with the charmes that sche seide, 30 A fyr doun fro the sky alyhte. And made it for to brenne lyhte. 1 slew 8 mingled 5 them ^ gape 2 pits * belong 8 others * hewed 20. The next fifty lines are for the most part original (Macaulay). so ROMANCES Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne, Anon sche gan to sterte and renne ^ The fyri aulters al aboute. Ther was no beste '' which goth oute 5 More wylde than sche semeth ther : Aboute hir schuldres hyng ' hir her, As thogh sche were oute of hir mynde, And torned in another kynde.* Tho lay ther certein wode cleft, 10 Of which the pieces nou and eft* Sche made hem in the pettes wete,* And put hem in the fyri hete, And tok the brond with al the blase, And thries sche began to rase' IS Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte ; And eft with water, which sche kepte, Sche made a cercle aboute him thries, And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes ; Ful many another thing sche dede, 20 Which is noght writen in this stede.* Bot tho sche ran so up and doun, Sche made many a wonder ^ soun,^° Somtime lich ^^ unto the cock, Somtime unto the laverock,^^ 25 Somtime kacleth as a hen, Somtime spekth as don the men ; And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth,'" In sondri wise hir forme changeth. Sche semeth faie," and no worhman ; 30 For, with the craftes that sche can, Sche was, as who seith,^* a goddesse ; And what hir liste, more or lesse, 1 run 6 wet 11 like 2 beast ' race 12 lark 3 hung 8 place 18 grows strange * turned to another nature 9 wonderful M fay, fairy 5 again i" sound 15 as one might say GOWER, CONFESSIO AMANTIS 51 Sche dede/ in bokes as we finde, That passeth over mannes kinde.^ Bot who that wole * of wondres hiere : — What thing sche wroghte in this matiere, To make an ende of that sche gan — Such merveile herde nevere man. Apointed in the newe mone, Whan it was time for to done, Sche sette a caldron on the fyr, In which was al the hole atir * Wheron the medicine stod — Of jus/ of water, and of blod — And let it buile ° in such a plit,' Til that sche sawh the spume ' whyt ; And tho sche caste in rynde and rote,' And sed and flour " that was for bote,^' With many an herbe and many a ston, Wherof sche hath ther many on. And ek Cimpheius the serpent To hire hath alle his scales lent ; Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin. And sche to builen caste hem in ; A part ek of the horned oule. The which men hiere on nyhtes houle ; And of a raven, which was told ^^ Of nyne hundred wynter old, Sche tok the bed with al the bile " ; And as the medicine it wile. 15 2S idid 2 surpasses human nature s will ^ preparation 6 juice 6 boil 7 manner 8 foam 8 rind and root 10 flower 11 remedy 12 reckoned 18 bill 20. Here the Latin has nee defuit illie Squamea Cinyphii tenuis membrana chelydri (Met. 7. 271-2), which King translates : ' skin membranous Of Afric's tortoise caught by Cinyps' banks'; Gower quite misunderstands. — Cf. Shake- speare's ' fillet of a fenny snake ' {Macb. 4. i. 12). 52 ROMANCES Sche tok therafter the bouele Of the seewolf ,^ and for the hele ^ Of Eson, with a thousand mo Of thinges that sche hadde tho, S In that caldroun togedre, as bly^fe," Sche putte, and tok thanne of olyve A drie branche hem with to stere,* The which anon gan floure ^ and bare. And waxe al freissh and grene ayein. lo Whan sche this vertu hadde sein,° Sche let the leste drope of alle Upon the bare flor doun falle ; Anon ther sprong up flour and gras Where as the drope falle was, 15 And wox anon al medwe-grene,' So that it mihte wel be sene. Medea thanne knew and wiste Hir medicine is for to triste,* And goth to Eson ther he lay, 20 And tok a swerd was of assay,' With which a wounde upon his side Sche made, that therout mai slyde The blod withinne, which was old Arid sek '" and trouble " and fieble and cold. 25 And tho sche tok unto his us ^'^ Of herbes al the beste jus. And poured it into his wounde ; That made his veynes fuUe and sounde. And tho sche made his wounde clos, 30 And tok his hand, and up he ros ; 1 shark ; Ovid means the werwolf s flower 9 proof, tried qualities 2 recovery 6 seen 10 sick s as quickly (as possible) 7 meadow-green 11 turbid * to stir them with 8 trust 12 use 8. ' And lo ! the sere wood in the caldron's heat Grew sudden green, and clad itself with leaves Afresh, and heavy drooped with berried fruit ' (Ovid, tr. King). SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 53 And tho sche yaf him drink a drauhte, Of which his youthe * ayein tie cauhte,* His hed, his herte, and his visage Lich unto twenty wynter age. Hise hore ' heres * were away ; And lich unto the freisshe Mali, Whan passed ben the colde schoures, ' Riht so recovereth he his floures. SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (about 1380) has been called by Gaston Paris the jewel of English mediaeval literature (Hist. Liit. de la France 30. 73), and by Schofield (Eng. Lit. from the Conquest to Chaucer, p. 21 5) ' incomparably the best of the English romances, and one of the finest in any language.' Of the unknown author Schofield adds : ' Next to Chaucer his contemporary, he is perhaps the greatest of our mediaeval poets.' The romance has been edited by Madden (Syr Gawayne), 1839, and by Morris (E.E.T.S. No. 4), 1864 (revised by Gollancz, 1897). For general accounts of the author and his work, see Camb. Hist. Eng, Lit. i. 357-373 (Gollancz), and Osgood's edition of The Pearl, pp. xi, xlvii-lix. A good prose translation is that by K. G. T. Webster (Boston, 1916), and there is a humorous adaptation of the poem in modern verse by Charlton M. Lewis (Gawayne and the Green Knight: a Fairy Tale), Boston, 1903. The story is probably from a French or Anglo-Norman source ; for analogues, see Madden's edition, pp. 305-7 ; M. C. Thomas, Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight (Zurich, 1883), PP- 34-68; Gaston Paris, as above, 30. 75-7; Weston, pp. 88-102 ; Kittredge, A Study of Gawain and the Green Knight (Cambridge, 1916). The incident of the beheading is found in the Fled Bricrend (translated in Irish Texts Soc, Vol. 2), an Irish tale at least as early as 1100, in which the hero Cuchulinn undergoes the test (Gaston Paris, p. 77 ; Weston, pp. 92 ff.). It is an interesting fact that Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick (1382-1439), a reputed descendant of the legendary Guy of Warwick, and 'a brave and chivalrous warrior in an age of chivalry,' entered the lists at Guines, near Calais, in the character of ' the grene knyght ' on Jan. 6 (Twelfth Day) of either 1416 or 1417, and unhorsed a French knight, an exploit which he equaled on the two following days (Kittredge, Harvard Notes 5. 94-95). A recent article, dealing with the connection between this poem and the Order of the Garter, by Isaac Jackson, will be found in Anglia 37. 393-423 ; this author 1 youth 8 hoar ' showers ' caught ^ hairs, hair 54 ROMANCES believes the date to be 1362. Chambers sees in the Green Knight a form of the fertilization-spirit (The Mediaval Stage 1. 117, 185-186). The language of our author presents peculiar difficulties, as does that of the whole school of alliterative poets which flourished during the second half of the fourteenth and the early years of the fifteenth centuries. Of this school GoUancz (p. 373) considers that he may well have been the master. The poem is long, and full of incident and description. Its story runs thus : While Arthur's court is feasting at Camelot on New Year's Day, a knight, all in green, and riding a green charger, rides into the hall. He challenges any knight present to give him a stroke with his battle-axe, on the understand- ing that it is to be rendered back to him a year later. All shrink back but Arthur's nephew, Gawain, who smites off the knight's head, whereupon the latter rides away with the head in his hand. Toward the end of the year, Gawain sets out to find the knight, whom he eventually encounters. After various temptations, he endures the return-blow — which, however, inflicts but a slight wound — and later goes back to Arthur's court. (For more extended analyses, see J. L. Weston, Legend of Sir Gawain, pp. 86-88 ; Schofield, pp. 215-217 ; Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. i. 364-365 : Morris' ed., pp. viii-xxi.) Morris has thus summarized the part of the poem which precedes our first extract : " Arthur, the greatest of Britain's kings, holds the Christmas festival at Camelot, surrounded by the celebrated knights of the Round Table, . . . and ladies the loveliest that ever had life. This noble company celebrate the New Year by a religious service, by the bestowal of gifts, and the most joyous mirth. Lords and ladies take their seats at the table — Queen Guenever, the grey- eyed, gaily dressed, sits at the dais. . . . Arthur, in mood as joyful as a child, . . . declares that he will not eat nor sit long at the table until some adventurous thing has occurred to mark the return of the New Year. ' The first course [is] announced with cracking of trumpets, with the noise of nakers and noble pipes.' Our extracts are lines 130-249, 2212-2478. The final (for s) at the end of words is frequently represented in the MS. by 5 ; here it is uniformly printed as z. Now wyl I of hor ^ servise say yov*r no more, I I For uch ''■ wyje ' may wel wite * no wont ^at J)er were ; Anoper noyse ful newe nejed ° bilive,' "* ]7at fe lude ' myjt haf leve liflode ' to cach.^" For unefe ^^ watz ^^ fe noyce ^° not a whyle " sesed/' And fe fyrst cource in fe court kyndely ^^ served, 1 their 7 on a sudden 1^ noise (with which the first course 2 each 8 people was announced) s man 9 food " but just •4 know i»take 15 ceased ^ want 11 scarcely 16 duly 6 drew nigh 12 was SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 55 per hales ^ in at ])e halle-dor an aghlich ^ mayster,* On * ]ie most ^ on fe molde ' on mesure hyghe ; Fro J)e swyre ' to J)e swange ° so sware " and so fik, And his lyndes ^'' and his lymes so longe and so grete, Half etayn ^^ in erde ^^ I hope ■" fat he were. Bot mon most I algate " mynn " hym to bene, And ))at fe myriest ^° in his muckel " fat my5t ride ; For of bak and of brest al ^^ were his bodi sturne,'' Bot ^'' his wombe ^' and his wast were worthily smale, And alle his fetures "^ foljande,''' in forme fat he hade, Ful clene "* ; For wonder of his hue ^ men hade, Set in his semblaunt '^ sene "' ; He ferde =' as ^ freke "" were fade," And overal ^'^ enker-grene.'' IS Ande al grayf ed °^ in grene f is gome °° and his wedes,°° A strayt " cote '" ful strest,®" fat stek on *" his sides, A mere *^ mantile abof, mensked *^ withinne/ With pelure ^' pured " apert " f e pane *° ful dene,*' With blyfe** blaunner"' ful bryjt, and his hod^" bofe, J^at watz lajt ^^ fro his lokkez, and layde on his schulderes ; Heme ^^ wel-haled/^ hose of fat same grene. 1 rushes 2 terrible siord » one fi largest 8 mold, earth 5* neck 8 loins " 9 square 10 loins 11 giant (OE. eoien) 12 earth 18 believe 1< nevertheless ~is think ; ■ . i6-iaostagrceable-(?)1;f'^'-'^' 1' bigness 1* though 'iv»^ 19 Stalwart 20 yet 31 belly ■ 22 parts of his body 28 accordingly 24 fine 25 MS. hwe 26 appearance 27^ plain, manifest 26 acted 29Uke so man 81 vigorous 82 all over 88 dark (inlqr) green. 84 arrayed ''85 man 86 apparel 8' tight-fitting 40 clung to 41 beautiful (OE. rn^e) 42 adorned 48 fur 44 shorn close, so as to show only one color 45 evidently 46 cloth ^J" fair 48 eay . 49^hitenfur 50 hood * 51 caught 52 border 58 trimmed (?) ^ '\^-\,.^J~VS ^ 56 ROMANCES IS }7at spenet ' on his sparlyr,^ and clene spures under, Of bryjt golde upon silk hordes ' harred ful ryche,* And scholes ° under schankes," fere fe schalk ' rides ; And alle his vesture verayly watz clene verdure,* Bof e fe barres of his belt and ofer blyfe stones, JJat were richely ray led ° in his aray clene, Aboutte hymself and his sadel, upon silk werkez.^" JJat were to tor ^^ for to telle of tryfles fe halue,'''' f>at were enbrauded ^ abof wyth bryddes and flyges," With gay gaudi ^^ grene,^' fe golde ay in myddes. J>e pendauntes of his payttrure,^' fe proude cropure,^' His molaynes," and alle fe metail anamayld '"' was penne ; J>e steropes fat he stod on stayned of pe same. And his arsounz ^^ al after, and his afel ^^ sturtes,^' ]7at ever glemered ^ and glent '^ al of grene stones. J>e fole ^^ pat he ferkkes ^' on, fyn ^' of pat ilke,^ Sertayn^; A grene hors gret and pikke, A stede ful stif to strayne,^^ In brawden "^ brydel quik,*° To pe gome he watz ful gayn.^* Wei gay watz pis gome gered ^^ in grene. And pe here of his hed of his hors swete '° ; Fayre fannand "^ fax "* umbef oldes "' his schulderes ; A much " herd as a busk *^ over his brest henges. 1 fastened 15 yellowish 29 same (color) 2 calf IS MS. of grene 80 certainly 8 edges 1' poitrel, horse's breastplate 31 curb < richly 18 crupper 82 embroidered =■(«•':■'...(---- '• ^'' ' 19 bits 88 lively J 6 legs 20 enameled 84 obedient J J^- 85 arrayed Jjf ^ man 8 pure green 21 saddle-bows 22 noble 1 , . , 9 disposed 23 stimips-p) .- '.y '' 87 waving 1" works 24 gleamed ' ,-■ ' 88 hair 11 too tedious 25 sparkled 89 falls about 12 half 26 foal, steed 40 great 13 embroidered 27 pushes forward « bush " flies 28 fine, choice SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 57 JJat wyth his hijlich '■ here, fat of his hed reches, Watz evesed " al umbetorne,' abof his elbowes, J>at half his armes f erunder were halched * in fe wyse Of a kyngez capados,^ fat closes ^ his swyre. pe mane of fat mayn ' hors much to hit lyke, Wei cresped * and cemmed ° wyth knottes f ul mony, Folden in wyth fildore '" aboute f e fayre grene, Ay a ^' herle ^^ of f e here, anof er of golde ; pe tayl and his toppyng ^' twynnen " of a sute,*^ And bounden bof e wyth a bande of a bryjt grene. Dubbed *° wyth ful dere stonez, as f e dok lasted," Syfen" frawen" wythafwong^ a fwarle^' knot alofte, f>er mony bellez ful bryjt of brende ^^ golde rungen. Such a fole upon folde,^'' ne freke fat hym rydes, Watz never sene in fat sale ^* wyth sygt er fat tyme,. Withyse^^ He loked as layt ^ so lygt,''' So sayd al fat hym syje,"' Hit semed as no mon myjt Under his dynttez ^ dryje.'" IS Whef er '^ hade he no helme ne hawb[e]rgh nauf er,''' Ne no pysan,'' ne no plate fat pented '* to armes, Ne no schafte,'^ ne no schelde, to schune '" ne to smyte, Bot in his on *' honde he hade a holyn bobbe,'* J>at is grattest ^ in grene when grevez *" ar bare, 25 ^ splendid 15 kind 28 saw ^ clipped W adorned 29 strokes 3 around 1' as far as the dock (fleshy 30 endure ^ enlaced (with the hair) part) extended 81 yet 5 hood 18 beyond that point 82 neither 6 encloses 19 twisted 88 gorget 7 great 20 thong f; • r<: 84 pertained 8 crisped 2i-tieht-(f)- A/'- -^-'^ 35 spear 3 combed 22 burnished 86 protsct ; MS. schwne 1" gold thread 28 earth 3? one "one 2(1 hall 88 holly-branch 12 filament, hair 25 eye 39 most pronounced W crest (mane) 26 lightning io groves " matched 2T bright 58 ROMANCES IS And an ax in his ofer, a hoge ^ and unmete,^ A spetos ° sparfe * to expoun in spelle quoso myjt ^ ; f»e hede of an elnjerde,' fe large lenkfe ' hade, pe grayn ' al of grene stele and of golde hewen, f»e bit' burnyst bryjt, with a brod egge,^" As wel schapen to schere ^^ as scharp rasores ; pe stele ^^ of a stif staf fe sturne ^^ hit ■'* bigrypte,^' J>at watz wounden ^* wyth ym to fe wandez ^' ende, And al bigraven ^' with grene, in gracious " werkes ™ ; A lace ''^ lapped aboute, fat louked ^^ at fe hede, And so after ^' fe halme ^* halched "^ ful ofte, Wyth tryed ^° tasselez ferto ^' tacched ^' innoghe ^' On °° botounz ^^ of fe brygt grene brayden '^ ful ryche. JJis hafel ^' heldez hym in,'^ and fe halle entres, Drivande to fe heje dece,^^ dut '° he no wofe,^' Haylsed'^ he never one, hot hege he overloked.^' " ]7e fyrst word fat he warp *" : ' Wher is,' he sayd, ' JJe govemour of f is gyng *^ ? Gladly I wolde Se pat segg *^ in syjt, and with hymself speke Raysoun.' Xo knyjtez he kest *' his yje. And reled ^* h)mri up and doun. He stemmed,** and con *° studie Quo *' wait ** fer most renoun. ihuge 2 immense s cruel ^ sparth, battle-axe 6 whoever might try to make it clear in speech 6 ell (long) >■ length 8 blade 9 cutting end 10 edge 11 shear 12 handle 18 firmly 1* it (the axe-head) 15 gripped, clasped 18 MS. waunden 17 wand's, handle's 18 engraved 19 charming 20 devices 21 cord 22 had a fastening 23 along 2* haulm, stalk (i.e. handle) 25 caught 26 choice 27 to the cord 28 attached 29 sufficiently ; MS. innoghee so by means of 81 buttons 82 braided (i.e. the buttons) 88 noble 84 takes his way 86 dais 86 feared 87 injury 38 saluted 39 looked (loftily) 40 flung 41 company 42 man 48 cast 44 strode 45 halted 46 began 47 who 48 bore SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 59 Ther watz lokyng on lenf e,^ fe lude ^ to beholde, For uch mon had mervayle quat hit mene myjt, f'at a hafel and a horse myjt such a hue lach,° As growe grene * as f>e gres — and grener hit semed, JJen ' grene aumayl ° on golde lowande ' bryjter. 5 Al studied fat fer stod, and stalked hym nerre,' Wyth al pe wonder of ' fe worlde, what he Worch ^° schulde. For fele ^^ sellyez ^^ had fay sen, bot such never are,^' Forfi " for fantoum and fayryje ^^ f e folk f er hit demed ; JJerfore to answare watz arje '^ mony af el ^' freke,^' 10 And al stouned " at his Steven,"" and ston-stil seten "^ In a swoghe ^^ sylence furj f e sale ^' riche, As al were slypped upon ^ slepe — so slaked ^ hor ^ lotez "' — Inhyje"^; I deme hit not"' al for doute,'" 15 Bot sum '' for cortaysye — Bot let '" hym '^ fat al schulde loute " Cast ^^ unto fat wyje.^' When the time of the return visit approaches (see introductory note), Gawain sets out, and on Christmas Eve reaches a castle, where he is hospit- ably received by its lord and lady. Here he learns that the Green Chapel, his destination, is only two miles distant, and accordingly accepts an invitation to stay till New Year's morning. During the host's hunting-expeditions, his wife makes love to Gawain, but is unsuccessful in her endeavors ; the kisses she bestows upon him are by him passed on to the host at nightfall. However, Gawain does accept from the lady a green girdle, which is to render him secure from every danger. On his resort to the Green Chapel, he hears the sound as of a blade sharpened on a grindstone. 1 for a long time 14 wherefore 26 their 2 man 16 enchantment 27 features (or looks ; possibly 3 obtain 16 timid voices) ^ as to grow as green " noble 28 haste 5 than 18 knight 29 was not 6 enamel 19 were astonished 80 fear 7 shining 20 voice 81 but that some were silent 8 nearer 21 sat 82 but that they let 9in 22 impotent, dead 83 Arthur 10 do 28 hall 84 reverence 11 many 21 as if all had slipped (slid) 85 make advances (?) li! wonders into sleep 36 champion 13 before 26 relaxed {or subdued) 6o ROMANCES 15 Thenne f e knyjt con calle ful hyje ^ : ' Who sti5tlez '^ in fis sted,' me Steven ^ to holde ? For now is gode Gawayn goande ' ryjt here ; If any wyje * ojt ' wyl, wynne ' hider fast, Ofer ^ now ofer ^° never, his nedez ^^ to spede.^^ ' ' Abyde,' quoth on on fe bonke, aboven over his hede, ' And fou schal haf al in hast fat I f e hyp. " ones.^* ' ^et he ^^ rusched on ^^ fat rurde " rapely ^* a f rowe," And wyth ^ quettyng ^^ awharf,^^ er ^' he wolde lyjt ^* ; And syfen ^' he kfeverez ''^ bi a cragge, and comez of ^'' a hole, Whyrlande out of a:wro,^' viryth a felle^ weppen, A Denez '" ax nwe '^ dyjt,''' fe dynt with [t]o jelde '* With a borelych "* bytte," bende *" by fe halme, Fyled in a fylor," fowre fote large '" — Hit watz no lasse — bi fat lace fat lemed ^^ ful bryjt. And f e gome in f e grene, gered as fyrst — Bofe f e lyre *° and f e leggez, lokkez and berde — Save fat fayre on his fote *^ he f oundez *^ on f e erf e, Sette f e stele *" to the stone,** and stalked bysyde. When he wan to *^ f e watter, f er he wade nolde. He hypped ** over on hys ax, and orpedly *' strydez, Bremly *' brof e,*° on a bent,'" fat brode watz aboute, On snawe.'^ 1 loudly 2 dwells 3 place 4 word, promise 5 walking t* man ' anything 8 let him win (speed) 9 either "or n needs 12 obtain 18 promised 1* once 16 the Green Knight 16 rushed back to 17 din (made by the grinding) 18 forthwith 19 (for) a time 20 to 21 whetting 22 turned aside 28 before 2* approach 25 afterwards 26 makes his way 27 out of 28 nook 29 cruel 3« Danish 81 newly ' 82 made ready 35 bestow 8^ stout 35 edge 36 bent 87 filing instrument 88 broad 89 gleamed 40 face «' (instead of on horseback) 42 walks 43 pole 44 (on which he walked) 45 reached 46 leaped 47 boldly 48 vehemently 49 impetuous 5* open field 51 snow SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT Syr Gawayn ]>e kny^t con mete, He ne lutte ^ hym nofyng lowe ; ]7at ofer sayde : " Now, syr swete. Of Steven ^ mon ' may fe trowe.* ' ^ 6i ' Gawayn,' quoth fat grene gome, ' God ]>e mot loke ° 1 Iwysse ^ pou art welcom, wyje, to my place, And fou hatz tymed ]>i travayl ' as true mon schulde ; And fou knowez ]?e covenauntez kest ' uus bytwene : At fis tyme twelmonyth fou toke fat ' fe failed," And I schulde at fis nwe jere ^eply ^^ fe quyte.^^ And we ar in f is valay, verayly oure one,-'' Here ar no renkes " us to rydde," rele ^^ as uus likez ; Haf fy '' py helme of '* py hede, and haf here ]>y pay ; Busk " no more debate pen I pe bede ^ penne. When pou wypped ^' of my hede at a wap one.^^ ' 'Nay, bi God,' quoth Gawayn, 'pat^^ me gost^ lante,^^ I schal gruch ''° pe no grwe,^' for grem ^' pat fallez ; Bot styjtel '^ pe upon on strok, and I schal stonde stylle. And warp '" pe no wernyng,'' to worch as pe lykez, No whare.' He lened with pe nek, and lutte, And schewed pat schyre al bare. And lette '^ as "' he nojt dutte," For drede he wolde not dare."" 15 1 bowed W men, knights 26 grudge 2 promise 15 part, separate 2!' particle, bit (NED. grue) 3 one 16 rush about 28 harm * believe 17 therefore (possibly ; but 29 resolve, settle 5 keep, preserve perhaps delete) 8» utter 6 surely 18 from off 81 protest ' journey 19 make ready 82 acted, behaved s cast, made 2» offered 83 as though 9 what 21 didst strike 84 doubted M fell 22 one blow only 86 that he would not shrink 11 straightway 28 who 12 requite 2^ spirit, soul 18 by ourselves 25 gave, has given 62 ROMANCES 25 Then fe gome in fe grene grayfed hym swyfe, Gederez up hys grymme tole,^ Gawayn to smyte ; With alle fe bur ^ in his body he ber hit on lof te,* Munt * as mastyly as ' marre hym he wolde ; Hade hit dryven adoun as dreg * as he aded,' ]7er hade ' ben ded of his dynt fat ' dojty watz ever. Bot Gawayn on pat giserne ^^ glyf te ^^ hym bysyde, As hit com glydande adoun, on glode ^^ hym to schende " And schranke a lytel with fe schulderes, for fe scharp yme. ]7at ofer schalk ^* wyth a schunt " fe schene " wythhaldez, And |)enne repreved he fe prynce with mony prowde wordez : ' J>ou art not Gawayn,' quoth f e gome, ' fat is so goud " halden, JJat never arjed ^' for no here,^° by hylle ne be vale. And now fou fies for ferde,^" er fou fele harmez '"■ ; Such cowardise of fat knyjt cowf e '^ I never here. Nawfer fyked ^' I ne flaje,''* freke, quen fou myntest,^* Ne kest ^° no kavelacoun ^ in kyngez hous Arthor,^' My hede fiaj ^° to my fote, and jet flag I never ; And fou, er any harme hent,^° arjez in hert, Wherfore f e better burne me burde ^'^ be called ]7erfore.' Quoth Gawayn : " I schunt '^ onez, And so wyl I no more ; Bot faj " my hede f alle on fe stonez, I con not hit restore.'* 1 tool, weapon 2 force 8 aloft < threatened 14 man 16 slant 16 bright (blade) 1^ brave ^ 27 objection 28 genitive case 29 flew 80 seized 5 as if 18 trembled 81 I ought to 6 Straight 7 aimed 8 would have 9 he who 19 host 20 fear 21 before thou art much hurt M could 82 dodged 38 though 84 (as the Green Knight did) 10 axe 28 flinched 11 looked 24 fled 12 its passage (?) 13 destroy 26 didst aim 26 raised SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 63 Bot busk,' bume,^ bi pi fayth, and bryng me to pe poynt, Dele to me my destine, and do hit out of honde. For I schal stonde pe a strok, and start' no more, Til Jjyn ax have me hitte — haf here my trawpe.' ' Haf at pe penne,' quoth pat oper, and heves hit alofte. And way tez * as wropely as he wode were ; He m37ntez ' at hym majtyly,' bot not pe mon lyvez,' Withhelde heterly * h[i]s honde, er hit hurt myjt. Gawayn graypely ' hit bydez, and glent '" with no membre, Bot stode stylle as pe ston, oper '^ a stubbe auper," J>at rapeled '^ is in roche " grounde, with rotez a hundreth. f>en muryly efte con '^ he mele,'' pe mon in pe grene : ' So now pou hatz pi hert hoUe,'' hitte me bihov[e]s ; Halde pe now pe hyge ^' hode '' pat Arpur pe rap.,'"' And kepe ^^ py kanel '^ at pis kest,^' jif hit ^ kever ^ may.' Gawayn f ul gryndelly ^ with greme '" penne sayde, ' Wy presch on, pou pro ^' mon, pou pretez to longe, I hope^' pat pi hert arje'" wyth pyn awen selven.' " Forsope,' quoth pat oper freke,'^ ' so felly '^ pou spekez, I wyl no lenger on lyte ^' lette '* pin emde ** Ri5te no we.' JJenne tas '^ he hym strype " to stryke, And f rounses '' hope lyppe and browe. No mervayle paj hym '" myslyke, JJat hoped of no rescowe.*" 15 25 1 make ready 2 man 3 flinch * attends 6 aims 6 lustily ^ gashes 8 with a jerk "duly 10 shrank "or 12 either 18 twisted 1* rocky 16 did 16 speak 17 whole 18 high 19 hood 20 gave (reached) 21 guard 22 neck 23 blow 24 the hood 25 cover (the neck) 26 roughly 29 suspect 39 grows cowardly 81 man 82 rudely 38 tarrying 34 delay 35 business 36 takes 37 stride (firm position on his feet) 88 wrinkles 39 Gawain 27 anger 28 fierce 64 ROMANCES He lyftes lyjtly his lome,^ and let hit doun fayre,^ With fe barbe of fe bitte ' bi f e bare nek ; ]7a5 he homered * heterly,' hurt hym no more, Bot snyrt ° hym on fat on syde, fat severed fe hyde ; 5 JJe scharp ' schrank ' to f e flesche furj f e schyre ° grece," J>at fa schene ^^ blod over his schulderes schot to fe erf e ; And quen fe burne sez f e blode blenk ^"^ on f e snawe, He sprit ^' forth spenne-fote/* more fen a spere lenfe, Hent •'^ heterly ^ his helme, and on his hed cast, 10 Schot ^^ with his schulderez his fayre schelde under, Braydez" out a bryjt sworde, and bremely^* he spekez; Never syn fat he watz burne borne of his moder, Watz he never in f is worlde wyje ^'^ half so blyf e '"' : ' Blynne,^^ burne, of f y bur,^^ bede ^ me no mo ; 15 I haf a stroke in fis sted withoute stryf hent,^ And if f ow rechez ^ me any mo, I redyly schal quyte,''^ And gelde jederly ^'' ajayn, and f erto ge tryst,^* And foo =" ; Bot on stroke here me fallez,'" 20 pe covenaunt schap "^ rygt soo, [Sikered] '^ in Arfurez hallez, And ferfore hende now hoo '' ! ' "^ The haf el '^ heldet '^ hym fro, and on his ax rested, Sette f e schaft upon schore,'^ and to f e scharp lened, And loked to f e leude *' fat on f e launde "' jede. How fat dogty dredles dervely '^ f er stondez. 25 i weapon 11 swift-foot (?) ^ promptly " full 16 grasped 28 make up your mind 3 blade 16 slipped 29 (?) ' smote 1' draws 80 is due 5 swiftly IS boldly 31 directed 6 wounded (?) 19 man 32 ratified ' axe 20 glad as stop 8 pierced 21 stop 84 knight 9 bright 22 onslaught 3« turned away 1" grease (fleshy part of the neck) 28 attempt 36 earth 11 bright . 24 accepted 87 man 12 shine 25 dealest (handest me out) 38 plain 13 started 26 requite, retaliate ^ 39 bravely SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 65 Armed f ul ajlez ^ ; in hert hit hym lykez. JJenn he melez muryly, wyth a much Steven,^ And wyth a r[a]ykande ' rurde * he to fe rank ' sayde : ' Bolde burne,* on fis bent ' be not so gryndel ' ; No mon here unmanerly fe mysboden ' habbe, 5 Ne kyd," hot as covenaunde,^^ at kyngez kort '^ schaped ^' ; I hyjt " fe a strok, and pou hit hatz ; halde f e wel payed ; I relece \>e of f e remnaunt, of ryjtes alle ofer ; ^if I deliver ^^ had bene, a boffet, paraunter, I coufe wro))eloker ^^ haf waret,^' [and] to fe haf wrojt anger. 10 Fyrst I mansed ^^ ]>e muryly, with a mynt '* one,^° And rove ^^ f e wyth no rof ,^^ sore ^^ with ry5t I fe profered, For fe f orwarde pat we f est ^ in fe fyrst nyjt, And pou trystyly fe trawfe and trwiy me haldezj Al fe gayne fow me gef, as god mon schulde ; 15 J>at of er munt ^' for fe mome, mon,^^ I fe profered, JJou kyssedes my clere ^' wyf, f e cossez "* me rajtez,"* For bojje two here "" I fe bede bot two bare myntes, Boute scape '^ ; Trwe mon °^ trwe restore, ' 20 JJenne par mon '" drede no wape ^' ; At pe prid pou fayled pore," And perfor pat tappe *° ta pe.^" For hit is my wede *' pat pou werez, pat ilke woven girdel, Myn owen wyf hit pe weved, I wot wel forsope ; 25 Now know I wel py cosses, and py costes °* als,*' 1 fearless 14 promised 27 fair 2 great voice 15 nimble 28 kisses 8 rushing, loud 16 more fiercely 29 gavest 4 sound 1^ dealt so both of these two 5 knight 18 menaced 81 without injury 6 man 1^ aimed blow 82 must ' field 20 only 8S danger, injury 8 fierce, angry 21 cleaved 84 there 3 offered wrong 22 cut, blow 85 stroke 1" treated 2S wound 86 take to thyself 11 agreed upon 24 pledged 87 garment 12 court 25 aimed blow ^ 88 qualities 18 arranged ^ man S9 also 66 ROMANCES 15 25 And fe wowyng of my wyf , I wrojt it myselven ; I sende ^ hir to asay " f e, and, sothly me fynkkez, On ' fe f autlest * freke pat ever on f ote jede ° ; As perle bi ' J>e quite ' pese ° is of prys more, So is Gawayn, in god fayth, bi of er gay knyjtez. Bot here yow lakked a lyttel, syr, and lewte ' yow wonted," Bot fat watz for no wylyde ^^ werke, ne wowyng nauf er, Bot for je lufud your lyf, — - f e lasse I yow blame.' JJat of er stif ^^ mon in study stod a gret whyle ; So agreved for greme ^* he gryed " withinne, AUe f e blode of his brest blende ^* in his face, J>at al he schrank for schome, fat ^° f e schalk talked. J^e forme ^' worde upon folde ** fat f e freke meled : " Corsed wotth ^' cowarddyse and covetyse bof e 1 In yow is vylany and yyse, fat vertue disstryez.' JJenne he kajt to ^^ f e knot, and f e kest ^' lawsez,^'^ Brayde '^^ brof ely ^ f e belt to f e bume selven : ' IjO ! f er f e falssyng,''^ foule mot hit falle ! ^ For care ^' of f y knokke, cowardyse me tajt To acorde nfe with covetyse, my kynde ''^ to forsake, f'at is larges ^ and lewte, fat longez to "" kny5tez. Now am I f awty,^^ and f alee, and f erde '^ haf been ever ; Of trecherye and untrawf e bof e bityde '' sorje ^ And care ! I biknowe yow,*^ knyjt, here stylle, Al f awty is my fare "^ ; 1 sent 2 try, tempt 8 one ^ the most faultless 5 went (OE. eade) 6 compared with ^ white B peas 9 loyalty i» lacked 11 wily, intriguing 12 brave 18 vexation, anger 14 was agitated 15 blent, mingled 16 while ir first 18 earth .19 be 2» seized hold of 21 twist 22 looses 28 threw 24 angrily M falsity 26 may foul befall it 27 fear 28 nature 29 generosity 8« befits 81 faulty 82 afeared 88 come 84 sorrow 85 confess to you 86 conduct SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 6-J Letez me overtake •* your wylle, And efte ^ I schal beware.' Thenn loje ° fat ofer leude, and luflyly * sayde, " I halde hit hardily ° hole,' f e harme fat I hade ; JJou art confessed so clene, beknowen of fy mysses,' And hatz fe penaunce apert,' of fe poynt of myn egge," I halde fe polysed ^' of fat plyjt,^'' and pured ^" as dene, As " fou hadez never forfeted ^^ syfen fou watz fyrst borne. And I gif fe, syr, fe gurdel fat is golde hemmed ; For hit is grene as my goune, syr Gawayn, ^e maye J>enk upon f is ilke f repe,^^ f er " f ou forth f ryngez ^' Among prynces of prys, and " f is a pure token Of f e chaunce "^ of f e grene chapel, at ^'^ chevalrous knyjtez ; And je schal in f is nwe jer ajayn ''■'^ to my wonez,^' And we schyn ^* revel f e remnaunt of f is ryche fest, Ful bene.' ^ f»er laf ed "' hym fast "' f e lorde, And sayde : ' With my wyf , I wene, We schal yow wel acorde,''' f>at watz your enmy kene.' /■ 15 ' Nay, forsof e/ quoth fe segge,^ and sesed ^** hys helme, And hatz hit of *^ hendely,^^ and fe hafel ** fonkkez : ' I haf sojomed sadly, sele ** yow bytyde, And He jelde ^^ hit 50W gare,^® fat ^arkkez ^"^ al menskes *^ 1 1 understand 2 afterwards s laughed ^ courteously 5 assuredly 6 cured 7 with avowal made of thy sins 8 openly, manifestly 9 from 10 (edge of) axe 11 absolved . 12 offense 18 purged 14 as if 15 sinned 16 reproof, rebuke I'', when 18 dost crowd, press 19 and keep 20 adventure 21 on the part of 22 come again 28 dwelling 24 shall 25 genially 26 invited 27 urgently 2s bring into friendly relations 29 knight 30 seized ^loff 82 courteously S3 warrior 84 blessing, prosperity 85 may he reward you for it 86 soon 87 bestows 88 honors 68 ROMANCES IS And comaundez '■ me to fat cortays, your comlych " fere,' Bofe fat on and fat ofer, myn honoured ladyez, J>at f us hor knyst wyth hor kest * han koyntly * bigyled. Bot hit is no ferly," faj a fole madde,' And fur^ wyles of wymmen be wonen to sorse ; For so watz Adam in erde " with one bygyled, And Salamon with fele sere,° and Samson eftsonez,^" Dalyda " dalt ^^ hym hys wyrde/' and Davyth ferafter Watz blended ^* with Barsabe,^^ fat much bale ^^ f oled." Now f ese were wrathed ^* wyth her wyles, hit were a wynne ^' huge To luf hom wel, and leve ^ hem not — a leude fat couf e ^' — For f es wer forne ^'' f e freest ^ fat foljed alle f e sele, Exellently of alle fyse of er ^* under hevenryche J>at mused ^ ; And alle fay were biwyled,^^ With wymmen fat fay used ^^ ; paj I be now bigyled, Me fink me burde'^' be excused.' 25 " Bot your gordel,' quoth Gawayn — ' God yow forjelde *' ! — ■ J>at wyl I welde '" wyth good wylle, not for f e wynne *' golde, Ne f e saynt,''' ne f e sylk, ne f e syde "' pendaundes,"* For wele,** ne for worchyp, ne for fe wlonk '° werkkez, Bot in syngne of my surf et *' I schal se hit of te ; When I ride in renoun, remorde ^ to myselven J>e faut and f e fayntyse " of f e flesche crabbed,*" 1 commend 15 Bathsheba 29 requite 2 comely 16 grief 80 keep in possession 8 mate 17 suffered 81 goodly (f) ■1 stratagem 18 vexed 82 samite !> cunningly 19 joy 88 long •* wonder 2" believe 84 pendants 7 grew mad 21 were a man but able 35 good fortune 8 on earth 22 of old 86 beautiful 9 many different ones 28 noblest 87 fault, sin 10 moreover, likewise 2* beyond (excelling) all others 88 1 shall blame 11 Delilah 25 indulged their fancies (?) 89 faintness,' weakness 12 dealt 26 beguiled *> perverse (?) 18 fate, doom 27 dealt with " mingled, wedded 28 it is fitting for me SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 69 How tender ^ hit is to entyse ^ teches ' of f ylpe * ; And fus, quen ° pryde schal me pryk, for prowes of armes, J>e loke to ' pis luf ' lace schal lepe " my hert. Bot on '' I wolde yow pray, displeses " yow never ; Syn ■'^ je be lorde of the jonder londe, f er I haf lent ^^ inne Wyth yow wyth worschyp — pe Wyje ^' hit yow jelde fat uphaldez pe heven, and on hyj ^* sittez ! — ■ How norne ^ %e yowre ryjt nome, and penne no more ? ' ' J'at schal I telle pe trwly,' quoth pat oper penne, ' Bemlak de Hautdesert I hat ^^ in pis londe, JJurj my5t of Morgne la Faye (pat in my hous lenges) " And koyntyse ^' of clergye ^° bi craftes wel lerned, O J>e m aystres of Merlyn mony hatz ^'' taken ; ^'l For ho hatz dalt drwry ^'^ ful dere sum tyme With pat conable ^^ klerk pat knowes alle your knyjtez At hame ; Morgne pe goddes, JJerfore hit is hir name ; Weldez ^' non so hyse hawtesse,^ J>at ho ne con make ful tame.^ Ho wayned ^ me upon pis wyse to your wynne "' halle, For to assay pe surquidre,^* 5if hit soth were, J'at rennes ^' of pe grete renoun of pe Rounde Table ; Ho wayned me, pis wonder, your wyttez to reve,*° For to haf greved Gaynour,'* and gart hir to dyge,*^ With gopnyng '° of pat ilke gomen,** pat gostlych speked. With his hede in his honde, bifore pe hy^e table. 1 frail, weak 2 acquire, catch s spots, stains, blemishes * foulness, sin 5 when 6 at 7 dear, precious 8 soften " one thing ID if it displease 11 since 12 dwelt 18 Being " high 15 say 16 am called 17 dwells 18 (her) cunning 19 learning " a> MS. ho 21 carried on amours 22 competent 28 possesses 24 dignity, power 15 25 submissive 26 sent 27 goodly (?) 28 pride 29 runs, is told 86 take away 81 Guinevere 82 die 88 fear 84 laughing-stock 70 ROMANCES J>at is ho fat is at home, \>e auncian ' lady ; Ho is even fyn aunt, Arfurez half suster, J>e duches dojter of Tyntagelle,^ fat dare ' Uter * after Hade Arfur upon,^ fat af el ^ is nowf e.' 5 JJerfore I ef e ' f e, hafel, to com to fyn aunt, Make myry in my hous, my meny f e levies, And I wol ' f e as wel, wyje, bi my f aythe, As any gome under God, for fy grete traufe.' And he nikked hyra naye,-"* he nolde bi no wayes. 10 J)ay acolen ^"^ and kyssen, [bikennen] ayfer ofer^^ To f e Prynce of Paradise, and parten ryjt fere. On coolde " ; Gawayn on blonk " ful bene, To f e kyngez burs '^ buskez ^^ bolde, r5 And f e knyjt in f e enker ^^ grene, Whiderwarde so. ever he wolde. THOMAS OF ERCELDOUNE There was a Thomas Rimor (Rymour) of Erceldoune (modern Earlston) in the thirteenth century, a Scotchman who obtained in the following century the reputation of a prophet. He cannot, however, have been the author of our romance, which must have been composed after 1401, and is assigned by the JVisw English Dictionary to about 1425. The romance consists of three cantos, of which the first is devoted to the fairy tale here following, and the second and third to prophecies, or what purport to be such. Child thought that the prophecies were by an inferior hand, but Murray believes the whole romance to have been the work of a single poet. Curiously enough, the story is told partly in the first person, and partly in the third. A ballad, founded on the romance (see Murray's edition, pp. lii, liii), is No. 37 of Child's collection, of which the first stanza runs in one version : True Thomas lay car yond grassy bank. And he beheld a ladle gay, A ladle that was brisk and bold, Come riding oer the femie brae. 1 ancient 6 noble 12 commend each the othei 2 the daughter of the Duch- 1 now 18 in the open (?) ess of Tintagel s ask, bid " steed (Jit. white steed) » noble Swish 16 fortress < Uther 10 refused him 16 hastens 6 by 11 embrace 1' dark (inky) green THOMAS OF ERCELDOUNE /I Thomas still retains his power over the imaginations of men. Professor Dixon, of the University of Glasgow, has written a little play, called Thomas the Rhymer (Glasgow, 191 1), and Kipling's Last Rhyme of True Thomas (1893) is one of his most spirited poems. The scene of the poem is best described by Sir James Murray (pp. 1, li of his edition) : ' Eildon Tree, referred to in the Romance, and connected tradi- tionally with Thomas's prophecies, stood on the declivity of the eastern of the three Eildon Hills. ... Its site is believed to be indicated by the Eildon Stone, " a rugged boulder of whinstone " standing on the edge of the road from Melrose to St Boswell's, about a mile south-east from the former town, and on the ridge of a spur of the hill. " The view from this point," says a correspon- dent, " is unsurpassed ; on the north you have the vale of Leader almost up to Earlston, and Cowdenknowes with its " Black Hill ' rising abruptly from the bed of the stream ; while downward to Tweed the undulating expanse of woody bank is so beautiful, that in the time of the ' bonny broom,' I am often tempted to bend my steps to the spot, and ' lie and watch the sight,' from a spot once ' underneath the Eildon Tree.' In the close vicinity is the ' Bogle Burn,' a stream which rises on the slope of the Eastern Eildon, and flows down a deep glen into the Tweed a little to the north of Newtown St Boswell's." . . . About half a mile to the west of the Eildon Stone, and on the slope of the same hill, we find the " Huntlee bankis " of the old romance. The spot lies a httle above the North British Railway, at the point where it is crossed by the road to St Boswell's already referred to, about a quarter of a mile after leaving Melrose Station. The field next the road and railway at this point (No. 2405 on the Ordnance Map) is called Monks' Meadow ; and higher up the hill above this are two fields (Nos. 2548 and 2408) which have preserved the name of Huntlie Brae.' The ordnance map in question is that of the Parish of Melrose (May, 1861), Sheet VIII. 5. The road leaves the market-place, and leads to Oakendean House ; it touches a corner of 2405 just after it crosses the railway and strikes a little southeast. No. 2408 is directly south of 2405, about 120 yards from the road, by way of a row of trees. No. 2548 is directly south of 2408, and about 150 yards further. Directly east of 2548 is Corse Rig (2410), with a plantation of trees. Sir Walter Scott's enthusiasm for the story is best shown by a passage or two from Basil Hall's journal for Dec. 30, 1824, as quoted in Lockhart's hfe of Scott : ' This morning Major Stisted, my brother, and I, accompanied Sir Walter Scott on a walk over his grounds, a distance of five or six miles. . . . Occasionally he repeated snatches of songs, sometimes a whole ballad, and at other times he planted his staff in the ground and related some tale to us, which, though not in verse, came like a stream of poetry from his lips. Thus, about the middle of our walk, we had first to cross, and then to wind down the banks of the Huntly Bum, the scene of old Thomas the Rhymer's interview with the Queen of the Fairies. Before entering this little glen, he detained us on the heath above till he had related the whole of that romantic story, so that 72 ROMANCES by the time we descended the path, our imaginations were so worked upon by the wild nature of the fiction, and still more by the animation of the narrator, that we felt ourselves treading upon classical ground ; and though the day was cold, the path muddy and scarcely passable, owing to the late floods, and the trees all bare, yet I do not remember ever to have seen any place so interest- ing as the skill of this mighty magician had rendered this narrow ravine, which in any other company would have seemed quite insignificant. ... In the evening, . . . Sir Walter also read us, with the utmost delight, . . . the famous poem on Thomas the Rhymer's adventure with the Queen of the Fairies j but I am at a loss to say which was the most interesting, or even I will say poeti- cal — his conversational account of it to us to-day on the very spot, Huntly Burn, or the highly characteristic ballad which he read to us in the evening.' On Scott's transfer of his supposititious " Rhymer's Glen ' to the Abbotsford estate, see Murray's edition, p. lii. The complete romance exists in four manuscripts, of which the oldest and best, the Thornton MS. of Lincoln Cathedral, dates from 1430-1440. All were admirably edited by Dr. Murray in 1875 for the Early English Text Society (No. 61). Another edition, with a reconstructed text, is that by Professor Brandl (Berlin, 1880), with copious variants. The present text reposes upon the Thornton manuscript, as printed by Murray, but the spelling has been somewhat normalized, and an attempt has been made to eliminate certain manifest errors ; this, therefore, is a restored text, and can not be depended upon for the exact manuscript readings. The editions of Murray and Brandl can be relied upon for detailed information upon all matters of interest. Als I me ' went fis endres " day, Full fast in mynd makand my mone, In a mery mornyng of May, By Huntlee bankes myself allone, I herd ]>e jay and ]>e f rostell " ; The mavys ' menyde hir * in hir song ; pe wodewale " beryde ' als ° a bell, That all \>e wode abowt me rong. Allone in longyng als I lay, Undyrnethe a semely tree, Saw I whare a lady gay Came ridand over a lufly lee.' 1 by myself " bemoaned herself 7 rang out 2 other c wood-lark (Murray) ; according to 8 as, like 8 throstle others, the yaffle, or green wood- 9 lea, meadow * song-thrush pecker THOMAS OF ERCELDOUNE 73 If I solde sytt to Domesday, With my tonge to wrobbe and wrye,' Certanely pat lady gay Never bese scho discryved ^ for mee. Hir palfray was a dappill-gray — 5 Swylk one ne sagh ° I never none. Als dose fe sonne on someres day, J>at faire lady hirself scho schone. Hir selle * it was of roell bone ° — Semely was fat syght to see ! — r 10 Stefly sett with precyous stone, ,-_ And compast all with crapotee," With stones of Oryent, grete plente. Hir hare abowt hir hede it hang. Scho rade over fat lufly lee ; 15 A ' whyl scho blew, anofer scho sang. Hir garthes " of nobyll sylk fay were. The bukylls were of berel " stone ; Hir steraps were of crystal clere, And all with perel ^'' over bygone." 20 Hir payetrel ^^ was of irale " fyne ; Hir cropour was of orphare ^* ; Hir brydill was of golde fyne — One aythir syde hang '^ bellys three. 1 The meaning of these two ^ toadstone (cf. Shakespeare, 12 horse's breastplate verbs is very doubtful A.V.L, 2. 1. 1^) ^* (?) 2 shall she be described 7 one 1^ orphrey, rich embroid- 8 saw 8 girths ery (esp. of gold) * saddle 9 beryl 15 hung fi ivory (see NED, s.v. ruel- 1" pearl bone) 11 covered 74 ROMANCES 15 25 Scho led thre grewehundis ^ in a lesse,* And seven raches ' by hir ron ; Scho bare an horn abowt hir halse,* And undir hir belt full many a flon.* Thomas lay and saw fat syght, Undirnethe ane semely tree. He sayd : " ^on " es Mary, most of myght, ]?at bare fat Child fat dyede for mee. ' Bot-if ' I speke rwith gon lady bryght , I hope ' myn herte will bryst ° in three ; Now sail I go with all my myght, Hir for to mete at Eldoun tree.' Thomas rathely ^^ up he rase. And ran over fat mountayn hye ; Gyff ^^ it be als f e story says, He hir mette at Eldon tree. He knelyde down appon his knee, Undirnethe fat grenwode spray : ' Lufly lady, rewe ^^ on me, Qwene of heven, als ^' f ou wel may ! ' Than spake fat lady milde of thoght : ' Thomas, late swylke wordes be 1 Qwene of heven ne am I noght. For I tuke ^^ never so hegh degre ; Bote I am of anof er countree, If '° I be payreld '* most of pryse." I ryde af tyr this wylde fee " ; My raches rynnys at my devyse." ' 1 greyhounds 6 yon 2 leash 7 unless 3 hunting-dogs (hounds that follow by 8 believe the scent, as the greyhound does 9 burst by sight ; so Murray) 10 quickly « neck 11 if S arrow 12 have pity 18 as 1* took 15 even though 16 appareled 1^ price 18 game, animals 1' command, will THOMAS OF ERCELDOUNE 75 ' If fou be pareld most of pryse, And rydis here in thy foly, Of lufe, lady, als fou erte wyse,^ JJou gyffe me leve to lye the by ! ' Scho sayde : " JJou man, fat ware foly. 5 I praye fe, Thomas, late me bee ; For I saye fe full sekirly,^ J>at synn wolde fordoo ' all my beaute.' ' Lufly lady, rewe on mee, And I will evermore with the duelle ; 10 Here my trouth I plyght to the, Whethir fou will in heven or helle.' 'Man of molde, fou will me merre,* Bot git fou sail haf e all thy will ; Bot trowe fou wele, fou chevys ^ fe werre,* 15 For alle my beaute fou will spyll.' Down fan lyghte fat lady bryght, Undimethe fat grenewode spray ; And, als f e story tellis full ryght. Seven S)fthis ' by hir he lay. 20 Scho sayd : ' Man, the lykes thy play ; What byrd ' in boure ' may dele " with the .' Thou merrys me all f is longe day ; I pray the, Thomas, late me bee I ' Thomas stod up in fat stede,^^ 25 And he byheld fat lady gay : Hir hare it hang all over hir hede, Hir eghne semede out, fat were so gray. 1 wise (Murray says that wise and pryse e papejoyes ° fast abowt gan ^ flye. And throstylls sang — wolde haf e no rest. He pressede to pull frute with his hand, Als man ' for fude * pat was nere faynt. 10 Scho sayd : ' Thomas, pou late pam stand, Or ells pe fend e the will atteynt. If pou it plokk, sothely to say, Thi saule gose to pe fyr of helle ; It commes never owte or " Domesday, 1 5 Bot per in payne ay for to duelle. Thomas, sothely I the hyght" : Come lygg thyn hede down on my knee, And pou sail se pe fayrest syght ]7at ever saw man of thi contree.' 20 He did in hye ^^ als scho hym badde : Appon hir knee his hede he layd. For hir to paye ^^ he was full glade ; And pan pat lady to him sayd : ' Seese pou now jon faire way, 25 pat lygges over 5on hegh mountayn ? ^onees pe wa ye to heven for ay, I . When synfull sawles are passede per payn. 1 garden, orchard 5 parrots ^ ere a damson 6 did 1» bid 8 grape ' a man ii haste i dwelling 8 food 12 please 78 ROMANCES Seese fou now gon ofer way, J>at lygges lawe ' bynethe jon ryse ' ? ^^o n es Tpe wa y, fe sothe to say, ^ . Unto fe joye of Paradyse. S Seese fou jitt jon thirde way, JJat ligges undir jon grene playn ? 3fifl£-es Jejicay, with tene " and tray ■• ^ , Whare synf uU saulis suffirris fair payn. Bot seese fou now gone ferthe way, '° J>at lygges over jon depe delle ? uj^ ^one„es_]J&-way — so waylaway 1 — Unto fe birnand fyr of helle. Seese fou jitt gone faire castell, Ipat standis over jon heghe hill ? '5 Of towne and towre it beris fe bell'; In erthe es none lyke fertill. Forsothe, Thomas, gone es myn awen And fe kynges ° of this countree ; Bot me ware lever ' be hanged and drawen, 20 Or " pat he wyste f ou laye by me. When }>ou commes to gone castell gay, I pray pe curtase man to bee ; And whatso any man to pe say, Luke pou answere none bot mee. 25 My lorde es servede at ylk ' a messe ^° With thritty knyghtis faire and free ; I saU say, syttand at the desse," I tuke thi speche bygonde the see.' llow 4 affliction 7 I had rather 10 course ^ spray 5 excels 8 ere " dais 8 grief 6 king's 9 each THOMAS OF ERCELDOUNE 79 Thomas still als stane he stude, And byheld fat lady gay ; Scho was agajm als ^ f aire and gude, And also ^ lyche on hir palf ray ; Hir grewehundis fiUide ^ with dere blode, S Hir raches couplede, by my fay " ; Scho blew hir horn with mayn * and mode,*" And to fe castell scho tuke fe way. Into fe hall sothely scho went ; Thomas foloued at hir hand. i° Than ladyes come, both faire and gent,* With curtasye to hir kneland. Harpe and fethill ' both fay fand, J>e getem,* and also fe sawtrye,' Lute and rybybe " bothe gangand, 15 And all manere of mynstralsye. J>e moste mervelle pat Thomas thoghte When pat he stode appon f e flore — Fefty hertis in were broghte, ]7at were bothe grete and store.^^ 20 Raches lay la pand in pe blode ; Cokes come with dryssyng-knyfe '^ ; Thay bryttened " pe dere als " pey were wode ^^ ; Revell amanges pam was full ryfe. Knyghtis dawnsede by three and three ; 25 There was revell, gamen, and playe ; Lufly ladyes faire and free Satt and sang in riche araye. 1 as 6 well bred li mighty 2 (were) filled ^ fiddle 12 dressing-knife 8 faith 8 gittern (a kind of guitar) is cut up ^ might ^ psaltery (a kind of zither) 14 as if 5 spirit 1" rebeck (a three-stringed fiddle) 16 mad 8o ROMANCES Thomas duellide in that solace More ^ fan I 50W saye, parde,'* Till on a day — so haf e I grace ! — My lufly lady sayd to mee : 5 ' Buske " the, Thomas, ])e buse * agayn, For here }>ou may no lengar be ; Hye * the f aste with myght and mayn ; I sail the bryng till Eld one tree.' Thomas sayd fan with hevy chere : 10 ' Lufly lady, now late me bee, For certaynly I hafe bene here Noght bot ]>e space of dayes three.' ' Forsothe, Thomas, als I fe tell, JJou hase bene here thre sere and more, 1 5 And langer here fou may noght duell ; The skyll ' I sail fe tell wharefore : To-morne of helle fe foule fende Amang this folk will feche his fee ; And fou art mekill ' man and hende ' — 20 I trow full wele he wil chese ' the. For all fe gold fat ever may bee Fro hethyn ^^ unto f e worldis ende, J>ou bese " never betrayed for mee ; pereiore with me I rede ^^ thou wende.' 25 Scho broght hym agayn to Eldone tree, Undimethe fat grenewode spray. — In Huntlee bankes es mery to bee, Whare fowles synges both nyght and day. 1 longer 6 haste 9 choose 2 in truth (Fr. par Dieu) 6 reason l» hence a prepare 7 large, robust 11 Shalt be 4 behooves (to return) 8 courtly 12 advise AMIS AND AMILOUN 8 1 AMIS AND AMILOUN Amis and Amiloun (late thirteenth century) is ultimately derived from a Greek or Oriental source. The story represents the mediasval notion of an ideaLfrieixdship, capable of attaining suprejn.e heights cf_ devotion. Amiloun risks his life to save the honor of Amis by maintaining his friend's perjured word in a trial by combat, and afterwards suffers for his generosity by becom- ing a leper. As an outcast and beggar, with only one young page as com- panion, he is at length recognized by Amis, and lovingly cared for and comforted. When an angel declares to Amis in a dream that only by means of the blood of his two children can Amiloun be cured, he meets even this demand upon his friendship and gratitude. Then a miracle takes place. Each friend has done what the other's need called for, and their sins are now fully atoned for by self-sacrifice. The two slaughtered children are found alive, happily playing together, and the story ends in cheer. There are versions in Old French, Latin, Old Norse, and Celtic. The English romance is closely related to an Anglo-Norman poem printed by Kblbing, who has elaborately edited the English text (Altenglische Bibliothek, Vol. 2, Heilbronn, 1884), closely following the Auchinleck manuscript. The language is Northeast Midland. For a good outline, see Ten Brink, Early Eng. Lit., pp. 250-2. Our extract covers lines 2245-2424. J>an pou^t fe douk,' wifouten lesing,'' For to slen ° his childer so jing * It were a dedli sinne ; And fan foujt he, bi heven ^ King, His brofer out of sorwe bring,' For pat nold he noujt blinne.' So it bifel on Cristes ni^t, Swiche time as Jesu, ful of mijt, Was bom to save mankinne,' To chirche to wende, al fat f er wes,' JJai dijten ^° hem, wifouten les/^ Wif joie and worldes winne.'^ 'duke 6 to bring 10 prepared 2 deception 1 to that end would he not cease 11 to tell the truth 8 slay (his endeavors) 12 delight 4 young 8 MS. -kunne 5 heaven's 9 who were there 82 ROMANCES ^;- -:^- ]7an ^ fai were redi for to fare,^ •J»e douke bad al fat f er ware, To chirche fai schuld wende, Litel and michel, lasse and mare,' J>at non bileft * in chaumber are,* As ]»ai wald " ben his frende ' ; And seyd he wald himselve ])at nijt Kepe * his broker, fat gentil knijt, JJat was so god and kende.' JJan was fer non fat durst say nay : To chirche f ai went in her ^^ way, At horn bileft f e " hende.^" IS ]7e douke wel ^' fast gan aspie " \>e kays of f e noricerie,*^ Erf an ^^ f ai schuld gon ; And priveliche ^' he cast his ei^e,^' And aparceived ful witterlye ^^ Where fat fai hadde hem don.^" And when fai were to chirche went,^ JJan Sir Amis, verramept,^^ Was bileft al on.''' He tok a candel fair and brijt, And to f e kays he went ful rijt, And tok hem oway ichon.''* 25 Alon himself, wif outen mo,''* Into f e chaumber he gan to go, p»er fat his childer were, 1 when 10 their 19 clearly 2 go 11 MS. J.0 2» put them 8 greater 12 they left the noble one 21 gone 4 left 18 very 22 truly 5 should be ; MS. J-are w began to look for 23 alone 6 would 15 nursery 24 each one ^ friends 16 before 25 more, others 8 watch over 1' secretly 9 kind 18 eye AMIS AND AMILOUN 83 And biheld hem bofe to,' Hou fair fai lay togider fo, And slepe bofe yf ere ^ ; J^an seyd himselve : ' Bi Seyn Jon, It were gret rewepe* jou to slon, JJat God haf bougt so dere ! ' His kniif he had drawen fat tide * ; For sorwe he sleynt ^ oway biside, And wepe wif reweful * chere.' JJan he hadde wopen ' fer he stode, Anon he turned ojain his mode,' And sayd wifouten delay : ' Mi broker was so kinde and gode, Wif grimly '" wounde he schad '^ his blod For mi love opon a day ; Whi schuld Y pan mi childer spare. To bring mi broper out of care ? O, certes,'" ' he sayd, ' nay ! To help mi broper now at pis nede, God graunt me per to wele '' to spede,'* And Mari, pat best may " ! ' 15 1 both two, both 2 together 8 pity * time ' slunk 6 pitiful 7 countenance 8 wept No lenger stint ^' he no stode," Bot hent '* his kniif wip dreri mode, And tok his children po ; For he nold noujt spille her " blode, Over a bacine ^ fair and gode Her '^ protes he schar ^' atuo.^^ 9 changed his mind again 10 fearful 11 shed 12 truly 18 well-being 14 advance 15 can (help) 16 forbore 25 cz^ 1? nor stood still 18 seized 19 their 2» basin (OF. bacin) 21 shore, cut 22 in two, asunder 84 ROMANCES 15 25 30 And when he hadde hem bofe slain, He laid hem in her bed ogain, — No wonder fei ^ him wer ^ wo ! — And hilde " hem, fat no wijt * schuld se ; As no man hadde at ^ hem be,° Out of chaumber he gan go. And when he was out of chaumber gon, \>e dore he steked ' stille anon As fast as it was biforn ; ]7e kays he hidde under a ston. And foujt fai schuld wene * ichon JJat fai hadde ben forlorn.' To his brofer he went him fan, And seyd to fat careful " man, Swiche time as God was born : " Ich have f e broujt mi childer '^ blod ; Ich hope it schal do fe gode. As ]>e angel seyd biforn.' ' Brofer,' Sir Amiloun gan to say, ' Hastow ^'^ slayn fine children tuay ■■' ? Alias, whi de[de]stow " so ? ' He wepe and seyd : ' Waileway I Ich had lever " til Domesday " Have lived in care and wo ! ' JJan seyd Sir Amis : ' Be now stille ; Jesu, when it is his wille, May sende me childer mo.^' For me '* of blis f ou art al bare " ; Ywis, mi liif wil Y noujt spare To help f e now f erfro.'" ' 1 though, ii 8 suppose 15 rather 2 were 9 lost 16 Doomsday 8 concealed l» full of care, sad 17 more 4 nobody 11 children's 18 on my account "with 12 hast thou 19 deprived of 6 been IS two 2» out of thy condition 7 fastened " didst thou AMIS AND AMILOUN 85 He tok fat blode, fat was so brijt, And alied ^ pat gentil knijt, J'at er '■' was hende " in hale * ; And seffen ^ in a bed him dist," And wreije ' him wel warm, aplijt,* Wif clof es riche and fale.° ' Brofer,' he seyd, ' ly now stille, And falle on slepe f urch Godes wille, As fe angel told in tale ^° ; And Ich hope wele, wifouten lesing, Jesu, fat is heven King, Schal bote " f e of f i bale.^^ ' Sir Amis lete ^' him ly ^* alon. And into his chapel he went anon. In gest ^* as je may here ; And for his childer fat he hadde slon To God of heven he made his mon,^° And preyd wif rewely " chere [He] schuld save him fram schame fat day. And Mari, his moder, fat best may, f>at was him leve ^' and dere. And Jesu Crist, in fat stede,^^ Ful wele he herd fat knijtes bede,'"' And graunt '^ him his praiere. 15 A morwe,^^ as tite ^ as it was day, J>e levedi com horn, al wif play,^* Wif knistes ten and five. 25 1 anointed 2 formerly 2 courteous 4 hall 5 afterwards s arranged ^ covered ^ in truth- 9 many It* his message 11 cure 12 suffering 18 left 1< to lie, lying 15 the story 16 moan 17 piteous 18 dear, precious 19 in that situation 2" prayer 21 granted 22 on the morrow 28 soon 2* in merry mood 86 ROMANCES fai soujt fe kays )>er ' fai lay ; JJai founde hem nou5t — pai were oway ; Wei wo was hem o live." ]7e douk bad al fat fer wes S J'ai schuld hold hem stille in pes,'' And stint * of her strive " ; And seyd he hadde fe keys nome " ; Schuld no man in fe chaumber come Bot himself and his wive.' 10 Anon he tok his levedi ])an, And seyd to hir : " Leve leman, Be blif e and glad of mode ; For, bi him fat fis warld wan,* Bofe mi childer Ich have slan,' 1 5 J'at were so hende ^° and gode ; For me foujt in mi sweven ^^ J'at an angel com fram heven, And seyd me, furch her blode '^ Mi brofer schuld passe out of his wo ; 20 JJerfore Y slouj hem bofe to. To hele fat frely fode." ' JJan was fe levedi ferly wo," And seije '° hir lord was al so ; Sche comfort " him ful jare." 25 ' O lef " liif,' sche seyd fo, ' God may sende ous ^^ childer mo, Of hem have fou no care ; igif it ware at min hert rote,"" For to bring fi brofer bote "^ 30 My lyf Y wold not spare. 1 where 8 won 15 gaw 2 woeful, indeed, were they in life 9 slain 16 comforted 8 peace 10 gentle 17 readily, soon * cease u dream 18 dear 5 effort 12 by means of their blood 19 us 6 taken 18 noble man 20 j„y heart's root 7 wife 14 exceedingly sorrowful 21 remedy AMIS AND AMILOUN 87 For no man shal oure children see, To-morow shal fey beryed be Rijt as fey faire ^ ded ware.' Al fus fe lady faire and bryjt Comfort hur lord with al hur myjt, As je mow ^ understonde ; And seth * fey went bof f ul ryjt To Sir Amylion, fat gentyl kny5t, JJat ere * was free * to fonde.° And whan Sir Amylion wakyd foo, Al his fowlehed ' was agoo,* J>urch grace of Goddes sonde ' ; And fan was he as feire a man As ever he was jet or fan " Sef he was born in londe. J>an were fey al blif : Her ^^ joy couf no man kyth/^ And f onked God fat day. And fan, as je mow listen and lyth,^' To a chamber fey went swyf ," JJere f e children lay ; And, without wemme ^ and wound, Al hool '° and sound f e children found, And layen togeder and play. For joye fey wept fere fey stood, And f onked God with myld mood ; Her care was al away. IS 25 1 naturally '^ must ' afterwards * formerly, before 5 noble ^ to make trial of ; in trial 7 disease 8 gone 9 messenger 10 formerly or then 11 their 12 declare 18 hearken 14 quickly 16 blemish 1' whole 88 ROMANCES SIR ORFEO Sir Orfeo (about 1320) is a classical fable metamorphosed into a fairy tal(s, told in the manner of a Breton lay. Orpheus, like the banished Duke in As You Like It, resorts to the fields and woods for a season, after Eurydice is borne away ; but she is restored to him, he regains his kingdom, and they live long afterwards. Ker says of the lay (English Literature : Medieval, p. 1 27 ; see also Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. i. 328) : " One may refer to it as a standard, to show what can be done in the mediaeval art of narrative, with the simplest elements and smallest amount of decoration. It is minstrel poetry, popular poetry — the point is clear when King Orfeo excuses himself to the King of Faerie by the rules of his profession as a minstrel ; that was intended to produce a smile, and applause perhaps, among the audience. But though a minstrel's poem, it is far from rude, and it is quite free from the ordinary faults of ram- bling and prosing, such as Chaucer ridiculed in his Geste of Sir Thopas. It is all in good compass, and coherent ; nothing in it is meaningless or ill-placed.' A ballad on the theme is No. 19 of Child's collection. Our text follows Zielke's print (Breslau, 1880) of the Auchinleck manuscript (with lines 1-24, 33-46 supplied from I-Iarl. MS. 3810), but the punctuation has been freely altered. Occasional variations from Zielke's readings are noted. We redyn ' ofte and fynde ywryte,^ As clerkes don us to wyte,' JJe layes fat ben of harpyng Ben yfounde *• of frely [ferly ?] fing.' Sum ben of wele, and sum of wo, And sum of joy and merpe also, Sum of trechery, and sum of gyle, And sum of happes " fat fallen by whyle ' ; Sum of bourdys,' and sum of rybaudry, And sum fer ben of fe feyrye.' Off alle fing fat men may se, Moost o love " forsof e fey be. In Brytain f is ^^ layes arne ^'^ ywryte, Furst yfounde and forfe ygete,*' 1 read =^ written B make us to know 4 composed 6 of noble matters 6 events ' happen at times ** mirth, jests » magic, enchantment w MS. lowe " these 12 are i8 conceived SIR ORFEO 89 Of aventures fat fillen * by dayes,'' Wherof Brytouns made her layes. When fey myght owher * heryn Of aventures fat f er weryn, pey toke her harpy s wif game* 5 Maden layes, and ^af it * name. Of aventures fat han befalle Y can sum telle, but nought alle.' Herken, lordyngs fat ben trewe, And Y wol 50U telle of sir Orphewe. 10 Orfeo was a king, In his time an hei^e lording, A stalworf man and hardi bo,' Large,' curteys he was also. His fader was comen of King Pluto, 15 And his moder of Kingjuno, JJat sum time were as godes yhold. For aventours fat fai dede and told. Orpheo most of ony f ing Lovede f e gle of harpyng ; 20 Syker " was every gode harpour ^^ Of faym to have moche honour. Hymself loved for to harpe, And layde fereon his wittes scharpe.^^ He lernyd so, fer nofing was 25 A better harper in no plas. In fe world was never man bom f>at ever Orpheo sat bifom. And ^^ he my5t of his harpyng her. He schulde finke fat he wer 30 In one of fe joys of Paradys, Suche joy and melody in his harpyng is. 1 fell fi them 9 sure 2 once on a time ^ MS. all w MS. harpoure " anywhere ' both n and gave his keen mind to the matter * joy, delight * generous ^ if 9° ROMANCES f>is king sojumd in Traciens,^ JJat was a cite of noble defens ; He hadde wif him a quen of priis,' JJat was ycleped Dame Heurodis — 5 JJe fairest levedi, for fe nones,' 'pat mijt gon on bodi and bones, Ful of love and of godenisse, Ac * no man may telle hir f airnise. Bif el so in Tpe comessing * of May, 10 When miri and hot is fe day, Oway bef winter-schours, And everi feld is ful of flours. And blosme breme ^ on everi bouj Overal ' wexef ' miri anouj,' IS J)is ich " quen, Dame Heurodis, Tok to ■'^ maidens of priis. And went in an undrentide ^^ To play bi an orchard-side, To se ]>e floures sprede and spring, 2o And to here fe foules '' sing. ]7ai sett hem doun al fre Under a fair ympe-tre,^* And wel sone pis fair quene Fel on slepe '^ opon fe grene. 25 Tpe maidens durst hir nougt awake, Bot lete hir ligge ^^ and rest take ; So sche slepe til aftemone, J>at under[n]tide was al ydone. Ac so sone as sche gan awake, 3° Sche crid and lof li here ^^ gan make : Sche froted ^' hir honden and hir fet, 1 Thrace (Hi. Thracians) 7 everywhere 18 birds ^ renown 8 grow " grafted tree s at that time 9 enough 15 asleep 4 but 10 same 16 lie l> beginning 11 two !'■ unpleasing behavior 6 bright 12 morning 18 rubbed, wrung SIR ORFEO 91 And crached ^ hir visage, it bled wete ; Hir riche robe sche ^ al torett," And was ravysed ^ out of hir witt. f>e two ^ maidens hir biside No durst wif hir no leng " abide, 5 Bot purn ' to ])e palays ful rijt, And told hope squier and knijt ]7at her quen awede " wold, And bad hem go and hir athold.° Knijtes urn,' and levedis also, 10 Damisels sexti and mo ; In fe orchard to fe quen bye ^° come, And her up in her ^^ armes nome,^^ And broujt hir to bed atte ^' last. And held hir fere fine " fast. 1 5 Ac ever sche held ^^ in o ^^ cri, And wold up and owy.^' When Orfeo herd fat tiding. Never him nas ■" wers for ^' nojring ; He come up wij? knistes tene^" 20 To chaumber rijt bifor fe quene, And biheld, and seyd wif grete pite : ' O lef liif, what is te," JJat ever jete hast ben so stille. And now gredest ^^ wonder schille ^ ? 25 JJi bodi, fat was so white ycore,** Wif) fine nailes is al totore.^^ Alas ! f i rode,^^ fat was so red. Is as wan as fou were ded, ■^ scratched 10 they 19 because of 2 MS. hye 11 their 20 ten 8 rent apart 12 took 21 what is ill with thee 4 ravished ; MS. reneyd 18 at the 22 dost cry 5 MS. too livery 23 wondrous shriU(y) 6 longer 15 continued 24 choicely ^ ran 16 one 25 rent 8 go mad 1' away 26 complexion 9 restrain 18 it was not ^ 92 ROMANCES And also fine fingres smale Be)) al blodi and al pale 1 Alias, fi lovesum eysen to '■ Loke)) so ^ man doj) on his f o 1 S A, dame, Ich biseche merci I Lete ben ° al fis reweful cri, And tel me what f e is * and hou, And what fing may fe help now.' f>o lay sche stille atte last, 10 And gan to wepe swife fast, And seyd Jrns f e king to : ' Alias, mi lord, sir Orfeo ! Seffen we first togider were. Ones * wrofi * never we nere ' ; 15 Bot ever Ich have yloved fe As mi liif, and so pou me. Ac now we mot delen ato ' ; Do ]>i best, for y mot' go.' ' Alias,' quap he, ' forlorn Ich am 1 20 Whider wiltow go, and to wham ? Whider ))ou gost, Ichil ^° wip fe, And whider Y go, pou schalt wip me.' ' Nay, nay, sir, pat noujt nis ^^ ; , Ichil pe telle al hou it is : 25 I. h^ As Ich lay pis undertide, V(' < |>^ ' And slepe under our orchard-side, ^y-^ [ J-'^ > J>er come to me to ^ fair knijtes, Wele y-armed ^^ al to ri^tes, And bad me comen on ^' heijing,^* 30 And speke wip her ^ lord pe king. And Ich answerd at *^ wordes bold. .^' itwo ^ were not 18 MS. an 2 as 8 separate (part in two) " in haste 8 put aside, cease 9 must 16 their 4 what ails thee 10 I will 16 with 6 once 13 that is in no way possible 6 angry 12 armed SIR ORFEO Y durst nougt, no Y nold.^ JJai priked ^ ojain, as j^ai mijt drive ' ; JJo kom her king also blive,* WiJ> an hundred knijtes and mo, And damisels an hundred also, Al on snowe-white stedes ; As white as milke were her wedes/ Y no seise never 5ete bifore So fair creatours ycore.' J>e king hadde a croun on hed ; It nas of silver, no of gold red, Ac ' it was of a precious ston ; As bri^t as fe sonne it schon. And as son as he to me cam, Wold Ich, nold Ich,' he me nam,° And made me wif him ride Open a palfray bi his side, And broujt me to his palays, Wele atird ^'' in ich ways,^^ And schewed me castels and tours. Rivers, forestes, frip '^ wi)) flours, And his riche stedes ^' ichon ; And se)7])en me broujt ojain hom Into our owhen " orchard ; And said to me f>us afterward : " Loke, dame, to-morwe fatow ^ be Rigt here under fis ympe-tre, And fan fou schalt wip ous ^° go. And live wif ous evermo ; And ^if fou makest ous ylet," Whar ^' fou be, fou worst yfet," 93 )b jtrJ^ rjM CA^ IS 'V--' )r ^ {"A 25 30 1 nor would I 8 whether I was willing or not 1* own 2 rode hard (would I, would I not) " that thou 8 hasten 9 took 16 us * very quickly 10 adorned 17 delay 6 their garments 11 in all ways 18 wherever 6 chosen out 12 glade 19 Shalt be fetched ?but IS places 94 ROMANCES «S 25 30 And totore fine limes al, J>at nofing help f e no schal ; And ])ei ^ pou best ^ so totorn, ^ete J)ou worst ' wif ous ybom.* " ' When king Orfeo herd fis cas,* ' Owe * 1 ' quaf he, ' alias, alias 1 Lever me were to lete ' mi liif , JJan fus to lese ' fe quen mi wiif ! ' He asked conseyl at ' ich man, Ac no man him help no can. Amorwe ^'' fe undertide is come, And Orfeo haf his armes ynome," And wele ten hundred kni^tes wif him, Ich y-armed stout and grim ; And wip ]>e quen wenten he ^^ Ri^t unto fat ympe-tre. JJai made scheltrom " in icha side," And sayd fai wold fere abide. And dye fer everichon, Er f e quen schuld from hem gon. Ac jete amiddes hem f ul ri^t ^^ JJe quen was oway ytwijt,^* Wif f airi ^^ f orf ynome ; Men wist never wher sche was bicome.'" po was fer criing, wepe, and wo ; J>e king into his chaumber is go,^' And oft swoned opon fe ston, And made swiche diol ^^ and swiche mon JJat neije his liif was yspent — ]7er was no amendement. He cleped togider his baroims, 1 though 8 lose 15 from amidst them 2 be 9 from " snatched ; MS. ytvight 8 Shalt be M on the morrow 1' by witchcraft, magic * carried away 11 taken 18 what was become of her 5 situation 12 they 19 gone 6 woe 13 band, troop 20 dole r give up 1* each side SIR ORFEO 95 Eris, lordes of renouns ^ ; And when fai al yeomen were, ' Lordinges,' he said, ' bifore 50U here Ich ordainy min hei^e-steward To wite ^ mi kingdom afterward ; S In mi stede ben he schal, To kepe mi londes over al. For, now Ichave mi quen ylore,' f»e fairest levedi fat ever was bore, Never eft Y nil * no woman se ; 10 Into wildemes Ichil te,^ And live fer evermore Wip wilde bestes in holtes ^ hore.' And when 5e understond fat Y be spent,' Make jou fan a parlement, 15 And chese jou a newe king ; Now do]) 5our best wif al mi fing.' ' J>o was f er wepeing in fe halle. And grete cri among hem alle ; Unnef e ^° mijt old or gong 20 For wepeing speke a word wif tong. JJai kneled adoun al yfere. And praid him, jif his wille were, f>at he no schuld fram hem go ; ' Do way,' quaf he, ' it schal be so.' 25 Al his kingdom he forsoke, ^ <\ Bot agclavjn" on him he ^^ toke — O^ ^^ He ne hadde kirtel no hode, Schert, [ne] non ofer gode. BotJusJiarg_hejtok, algate,^' 30 j And dede him barf ot out atte gate ; I No man most " wip him go. 1 renown ^ forests 11 pilgrim's mantle 2 rule ^ gray (from lichens or bareness) 12 MS. te 8 lost * dead 13 notwithstanding * will not ^ property 1* was allowed 6 joumey l" scarcely, with difficulty 96 ROMANCES 25 30 Oway I what fer was wepe and wo, When he fat hadde ben king wif croun, Went so poverlich out of toun ! J>urch wode and over hef Into pe wildernes he gef ; Nofing he fint fat him is ays/ Bot ever he livef in gret malais.'' He pat hadde y wed ' ]>e fowe ' and griis,° And on bed pe purper biis,° Now on hard hepe he lip, Wip leves and gresse he him wrip.' He pat hadde had castels and tours, River, forest, frip wip flours. Now, pei ' it comenci to snewe " and frese, JJis king mote make his bed in mesa '" ; He pat had yhad knistes of priis Bifor him kneland, and levedis, Now Sep he noping pat him likep,^' Bot wilde wormes hi him strikep ^' ; He pat had yhad plente Of mete and drink, of ich deynte, Now may he al day digge and wrote,*' Er he finde his fille of rote." In somer he livep bi '* wild frut And berren '■^ bot gode lut " ; In winter may he noping finde Bot rote, grases, and pe rinde." Al his bodi was oway dwine *' For missays,^" and al tochine.''* Lord 1 who may telle pe sore '^ 1 ease 2 distress, discomfort 8 worn * variegated fur s gray fur 6 fine linen (Lat. byssus) 7 covers 8 thougli 9 snow 1" moss 11 pleaseth ^ slip, crawl 18 grub 1< roots 15 on 16 berries 17 very few (good little) ; MS. lite 18 bark 1' shrunk; MS. dvine 20 discomfort 21 chapped 22 pain SIR ORFEO JJis king sufferd ten jere and more ? | His here of his herd, blac and rowe,' To his girdelstede was growe ; His harp, whereon was al his gle, He hidde in an holwe tre ; And, when fe weder was clere and brist, He toke his harp to him wel ri5t, And harped at his owhen wille ; Into alle }>e wode pe soun gan schille,^ J>at alle fe wilde bestes fat J»er bef For joie abouten him fai tej),° And alle fe foules pat fer were Come and aete on ich a brere,* To here his harping afin,^ So miche melody was f erin ; And when he his harping lete ° wold, No best bi him abide nold. He mijt se him bisides Oft in hot undertides JJe king o fairi,' wif his rout, Com to hunt him al about, Wif dun,* [with] cri and bloweing,' And houndes also wifi him berking ; Ac no best pai no noma," No never he nist ^^ whider fai bicome. And ofer while he mijt him se As a gret ost bi him te ^^ — Wele atourned ^^ ten hundred knijtes, Ich y-armed to his rijtes," Of contenaunce stout and fers, WiJ) mani desplaid baners, 97 ,^ lo^^^^ M^f 15 25 30 1 rough 6 stop 11 knew not 2 did shrill J fairyland 12 come 8 draw 8 din IS appointed, fitted out * briar 9 blowing of horns 14 properly « perfectly; MS. afine l» did they take 98 ROMANCES And ich his swerd ydrawe hold,^ Ac never he nist whider f ai wold. And ofer while he seije of er ping : Knijtes and levedis com daunceing, 5 In queynt atire, gisely,^ [With] queynt[e] ' pas and soft[e]ly ; Tabours and trumpes * jede hem bi, And al maner menstraci. And on a day he seise him biside 10 La'' Sexti levedis on hors ride, J .,, i"^ Gen til and jolif ^ as brid on ris ^ — Q iH " Noujt o man amonges hem f er nis ; And ich a faucoun on hond«bere,' And riden on haukin[g] bi o rivere. 1 5 Of game fai founde wel gode haunt ' — ■ Maulardes,' hayroun/" and cormeraunt. \>e foules of fe water arisef, J>e f aucouns hem wele devisef ^^ : Ich faucoun his pray slouj. 20 J>at seise Orfeo, and louj.^'* ' Parfay,^' ' quaf he, ' per is fair game, J>ider Ichil, bi Godes name ! Ich was ywon ^* swiche werk to se ' ; He aros, and pider gan te. 25 To a levedi he was ycome, Biheld, and hap wele undemome,^^ And Sep bi al ping pat it is His owhen quen, Dam Heurodis. ^em ^^ he biheld hir, and sche him eke, 30 Ac noiper to oper a word no speke. For messais pat sche on him seije, 1 held 6 spray, twig 12 laughed 2 handsomely ^ inf. after sei^e, line 9 18 by (my) faith 8 dainty " resort " wont, accustomed < drums 'and trumpets ; MS. » mallards (wild ducks) '6 perceived trimpes l" heron 16 eagerly, gladly 5 merry H make their plans well SIR ORFEO 99 JJat had ben so riche and so heise/ JJe teres fel out of her eije. JJe ofier levedis fis yseije, And maked hir oway to ride — c Sche most wif> him no lenger abide. S " Alias,' quaf he, ' now me is wo 1 Whi nil ^ dep now me slo ? Alias, wreche,' fat Y no mijt Dye now after fis sijt 1 Alias I to * long last mi liif, lo When Y no dar noujt wif mi wiif, No hye ' to me, o word speke. Alias ! whi nil min hert breke ? Parfay,' quaf he, ' tide wat bitide," Whider so his' levedis ride, 15 f>e selve ° way Ichil streche " ; <3 v' Of liif no defi me tio reche.'" ' P #. ^ His ^clasain^he dede" on, als he^^ spac,^° ^^ And henge his harp opon his bac. And had wel gode wil to gon — 20 He no spard noiper stub no ston. ^. } ,. ^ ^ v\J\y<> In_at a roche pe leuedis ridej?, /'-.''"^ / .tv^t-N And he after, and nougt abide]?. When he was in pe roche ygo Wele pre mile oper " mo, 25 He com into a fair cuntray, As brijt so ^* Sonne on somers day, Smope and plain and al grene — Hille no dale was per non ysene. Amidde pe lond a castel he s[e]i5e, 30 Riche and real ■'^ and wonder heije. 1 high, lofty ? these '8 spoke '^ will not 8 same "or 8 miserable that I am 9 go 15 as ■•too 10 I care not 16 royal 6 nor she 11 put 6 happen what may happen /■ 12 MS. al so A^> \' ft i \ t\'i> lOO ROMANCES Al fe utmast wal Was clere and schine ^ as cristal ■, An hundred tours fer were about, Degiselich ^ and bataild stout ; 5 J»e butras com out of fe diche,' Of rede gold y-arched * riche ; ]7e bonsour ^ was anourned ^ al Of ich maner divers animal ; Wif in far wer wide wones,' 10 Al of precious stones ; JJe werst piler on to biholde ' Was al of burnist gold. Al pat lond was ever li^t : For when it schuld be ferk ^ and nijt, 15 J>e riche stones ligt gonne,^" As brijt as doj) at none fe sonne. No man may telle, no fenche in foujt, JJe riche werk fat ))er was wroujt ; Bi al Jiing him fink " fat it is 20 f'e proude court of Paradis. Ill fis castel pe levedis ali2t ; He wold in after, jif he mist : Orf eo knokkef atte gate ; JJe porter was redi perate, 25 And asked what he wold have ydo. ' Parfay,' quaf he, ' Ich am a minstrel, lo 1 To solas f i lord wif mi gle, ^if his suete wille be.' JJe porter undede f e gate anon, 30 And late him into fe castal gon. JJan he gan bihold about al, And seije ful ^^ liggeand ^' wifin fe wal 1 bright, beautiful 6 adorned ; MS. avowed n it would seem to him 2 elaborately ornamented ' apartments 12 fuH many 8 moat 8 to look on ; in appearance 18 lying * arched 9 dark 5 arch ID began to shine SIR ORFEO lOl Of folk fat were fider ybroujt, And f oujt dede, and nere noujt. Sum stode wifouten hade/ And sum non armes nade,'' And sum furch pe bodi hadde wounde, And sum lay wode,^ ybounde, And sum, armed, on hors sete. And sum astrangled as fai ete. And sum were in water adreynt,* And sum wip fire al f orschreynt ° ; Wives fer lay on childbedde. Sum ded, and sum awedde " ; ^ And wonder fele ]>er lay bisides, r Rigtas \ia.\ slep e h er ' underti des ; '^d\e was fus in fis warld ynome, 15 Wif f airi ' fider ycome. J'er he seije his owhen wiif, Dame Heurodis, his lef ' liif, Slepe under an ympe-tre : Bi her clofes he knewe fat it was he.^° 20 And when he hadde bihold fis ^^ mervails alle. He went into fe kinges halle ; }>an seige he fer a semly ■'^ sijt — A tabernacle blisseful and brijt, JJerin her ' maister king sete, 25 And her quen fair and swete. Her ' crounes, her ' clones schine so brijt, JJat unnefe ^' bihold he hem migt. When he hadde biholden al fat f ing. He kneled adoun bifor f e king. 30 ihead 6 out of their minds 11 these 2 had not ^ their 12 comely 3 mad 8 enchantment 18 with difficulty * drowned 9 dear; MS. liif (see 91 23) ' parched 10 she 3ff. Cf. the enumeration in Chaucer, Knight's Tale 1137 ff. I02 ROMANCES ' O lord,' he seyd, ' jif it ]>i wille were, Mi menstraci fou schust ^ yhere.' ]>e king answerd : ' What man artow, JJat art hider yeomen now ? 5 Ich, no non Jjat is wif me, No sent never after ]>e ; Sepfen fat Ich here regni gan, Y no fond so folehardi man f»at hider to ous durst wende, 10 Bot fat Ichim wold ofsende.^ ' ' Lord,' qua]) he, ' trowe" ful wel, Y nam bot * a pover menstrel ; And, sir, it is fe maner of ous To seche ^ mani a lordes hous ; 15 J>ei we nou^t welcom no be, ^ete we mot " proferi forf> our gle.'' ' Bifore pe king he sat adoun, And tok his harp so miri of soun. And tempre)) ' his harp, as he wele can. 20 And blisseful notes he fer gan, JJat al fat in fe palays were Com to him for to here, And liggef * adoun to " his fete — Hem fenkej) ^' his melody so swete. 25 Ipe king herknef and sitt ful stille, To here his gle he haf gode wille ; Gode bourde ''^ he hadde of his gle, J>e riche quen also hadde he."* When he hadde stint " his harping, 30 J>an seyd to him f e king : ' Menstrel, me likef wele fi gle ; Now aske of me what it be, 1 Shalt 6 must needs 5* send for 7 song, music 3 believe 8 tunes ■> am only »lie 6 seek 10 at 11 to them seems ^2 amusement, enjoyment 18 she 14 ceased SIR ORFEO 103 Largelich ' Ichil ^ pe pay. Now speke, and tow mijt asay.* ' ' Sir,' he seyd, " Ich biseche pe JJatow woldest jive me pat ich * levedi, brigt on ble,^ 5 ]7at slepef under pe )mipe-tre.' ' Nay,' quaf fe king, ' fat noujt nere ° 1 A sori couple of jou it were. For pou art lene, rowe,' and blac. And sche is lovesum, witf outen lac * ; 10 A loplich* ping it were, forpi,^" To sen hir in pi compayni.' ' O sir,' he seyd, " gen til king, igete were it a wele fouler ping To here a lesing ^^ of ^^ pi moupe ; 15 So, sir, as je seyd noupe,^' What I wold aski, have Y schold ; And nedes pou most pi word hold." ' JJe king seyd : ' Seppen it is so. Take hir bi pe hond, and go ; 20 Of hir Ichil patow^'' be blipe.' He knelyd adoun, and ponked him swipe ; His wiif he tok bi pe hond. And dede ^'^ him swipe out of pat lond, And went him out of pat pede " ; 25 Rijt as he come, pe way he jede. So long he hap pe way ynome, To Traciens he is ycome, JJat was his owhen cite ; Ac no man knewe pat it was he. 30 No forper pan pe tounes ende 1 generously ? rough i« now 2 I will 8 lack, fault " keep 8 if thou canst make trial 9 loathsome, dreadful 15 that thou < same l» therefore 18 went of hue 11 lie 1' people were not possible 12 from IQ4 ROMANCES For knoweleche ^ [he] ne durst wende ; Bot wip a begger ybilt ^ ful narwe. JJer he tok his herbarwe " To * him and to his owhen wiif 5 As a minstrel of pover liif, And asked tidings of fat lond, And who ]ie kingdom held in hond. ]7e pover begger in his cote ° Told him everich a grot ° — lo How her quen was stole owy, Ten jer gon,' wi}> ° fairy ; And hou her' king in exile jede, Bot no ^° man nist in wiche ])ede ; And hou ]>e steward fe lond gan hold ; IS And ofer mani finges him told. Amorwe ojain none tide,'"^ He maked his wiif fer abide ; J>e beggers elopes he borwed ^^ anon, And heng his harp his rigge ^' opon, 20 And went him into fat cite, JJat men mijt him bihold and se. Erls and barouns bold, Buriays '* and levedis him gan bihold. ' Lo,' fai seyd, ' swiche a man 1 25 How long fe here hongef him opan 1 Lo, hou his herd hongep to his kne I He is yclongen ^^ also a tre ! ' And as he 5ede in fe strete, Wif his steward he gan mete, 30 And loude he sett on him a crie : ' Sir steward,' he seyd, ' merci 1 Ich am an harpour of hepenisse ^° ; 1 for fear of being recognized 'ago 18 back 2 lodged 8 by " burgesses, citizens 8 shelter 9 their 15 shrunk, withered 4 for l« MS. so 16 from heathendom cot 11 towards noon 6 every little bit, every detail 12 borrowed ; MS. borved SIR ORFEO los Help me now in fis destresse ! ' pe steward seyd : ' Com wif me home ^ ; Of fat Ichave, fou schalt have some. Everich gode harpour is welcom me to, For mi lordes love, Sir Orfeo.' 5 In ]>e castel fa steward sat atte mete, And many lording was bi him sete ; JJer were trompour[s] and tabourers, Harpours fele, and crouders.^ Miche melody fei maked alle ; 10 And Orfeo sat stille in fe halle. And herknef . When f ei ben al stille, He toke his harp and tempred schille ' ; JJe blissefulest notes he harped fere JJat ever ani man yherd wip ere ; 15 Ich man liked wele his gle. j^e steward biheld and gan yse. And knewe fe harp also * blive.^ f) f jj-v^''^ s \ ~ , ,//> ' Menstrel,' he seyd, " so mot pou frive,' '•^ l (r '''''' ' Where hadestow fis harp, and hou ? (J-"']/*' 26 Y pray fat fou me telle now.' ' Lord,' qua)) he, ' in uncouf e ' fede, JJurch a wildernes as Y gede, JJer Y founde, in a dale, Wif ' lyouns a man to torn smale, 25 And wolves him frete ° wif tef so scharp. Bi him Y fond fis ich[a] " harp ; ^ Wele ten jere it is ygo.' '" 'i- ' O,' quaf fe steward, " now me is wo ! JJat was mi lord. Sir Orfeo. 30 Alias, wreche, what schal Y do, JJat have swiche a lord ylore ? Away," fat Ich was ybore ! " 1-.' ;!." - 1 MS; come ^ MS. als 8 by . 2 players on the crowd, an early 6 instantly 9 devoured Celtic form of the violin <* mayst thou prosper lo same- ^ - 8 shrilly ' strange 11 woe x-^^^ lo6 ROMANCES JJat him was so hard grace ' yjarked,'' And so vile def ymarked ' ! ' Adoun he fel aswon to grounde. His barouns him toke up in fat stounde,* 5 And tellef him hou it gep — It is no hot * of manes dep. King Orfeo knewe wele bipan His steward was a trewe man ; And loved him, as he aujt to do, 10 And stont up and se)^ ^ pus : ' Lo, Steward, herkne now pis ping : ^if Ich were Orfeo pe king. And hadde ysuffred ful jore ' In wildernisse miche sore ; 15 And hadde ywon mi quen owy Out of pe lond of fairy ; And hadde ybrougt pe levedi hende " Rijt here to pe tounes ende. And wip a begger her in ynome ; 20 ' And were miself hider ycome Poverlich to pe, pus stille, For to asay pi gode wille ; And ich founde pe pus trewe, ]7ou no schust it never rewe ° : 25 Sikerlich," for love or ay,'^ J>ou schust be king after mi day. ^if ^'^ pou of mi dep hadest ben blipe, f>ou schust ben voided ■'* also swipe.'* ' J'o al po '* pat perein sete 30 J»at it was King Orfeo underjete,'* And pe steward him wele knewe. 1 such misfortune ' for a long time past 18 shouldst have been put out 2 appointed 8 gentle, gracious " in all haste » decreed 8 repent 15 then all those * time 10 truly 16 understood, perceived Shelp 11 or fear 6 MS. seyt 12 MS. and jif SIR ORFEO 107 Over and over pe bord ^ he Jrewe, And f el adoun to his fet ; So dede everich lord fat per sete ; And al fai seyd at o criing : ' ^e bep our lord, sir, and our king I ' S Glad pai were of his live.^ To chaumber pai ladde him also ' blive,* And baped him, and schaved his herd. And tired ^ him as a king apert ^ ; And seppen' wip gret processioun 10 JJai brougt pe quen into pat toun, Wip al maner menstraci. Lord, per was grete melody ! For joie pai wepe wip her eige, JJat hem so sounde* yeomen seije. 15 Now king Orfeo newe coround is. And his quen Dame Heurodis, And lived long afterward ; And seppen was king pe steward. Harpours in Bretaine afterpan 20 Herd hou pis mervaile bigan, And made ' a lay of gode likeing, And nempned it after pe king ; JJat lay ' Orfeo ' is yhote " — Gode is pe lay, swete is pe note. 25 pus com Sir Orfeo out of his care ; God graunt ous alle wele to fare. 1 table 5 attired 9 MS. made hereof 2 life 6 evident in his looks ic called 8 MS. als ^ afterwards ^ as quickly as possible ^ well in body I08 ROMANCES CHAUCER, SIR THOPAS Sir Thopas is well characterized by Ker (English Literature: Medieval, pp. 129-31): 'Chaucer's burlesque is easily misunderstood. It is criticism, and it is ridicule ; it shows up the true character of the common minstrelsy — the rambling narrative, the conventional stopgaps, the complacent childish vanity of the popular artist who has his audience in front of him, and knows all the easy tricks by which he can hold their attention. . . . Chaucer has made a good thing out of the rhyme doggerel, and expresses the pleasant old- fashioned quality of the minstrels' romances, as well as their absurdities. His parody touches on the want of plan and method and meaning in the popular rhymes of chivalry ; it is also intended as criticism of their verse. That verse ... is technically called rime couie or " tail-rhyme." ... It very readily becomes monotonous and flat. . . . But it is a form of stanza which may be so used as to escape the besetting faults ; the fact that it has survived through all the changes of literary fashion, and has been used by poets in all the different centuries, is something to the credit of the minstrels, as against the rude common-sense criticism of the Host of the Tabard when he stopped the Rime of Sir Thopas.' Skeat also is tempted to break a lance in behalf of the poem (Chaucer, Works 3. 424) : " I cannot quite resist the suspicion that Chaucer may himself, in his youth, have tried his hand at such romance-writing in all seri- ousness, but lived to have a good-humored laugh even in some degree at his own expense ; and he seems as if endeavoring to make his readers feel that they could wish there was somewhat more of it.' For the parodies in detail, see Bennewitz' dissertation (Halle, 1879) ; Kolb- ing's article in Englische Studien, Vol. 1 1 ; and Skeat'S notes. Our text in general follows Skeat. For Chaucer in general, see Root, The Poetry of Chaucer (Boston, 1922), Legouis, Geoffrey Chaucer {London, igi^), or }usseT2Lnd, Lit. /list. Eng. People I. 267-343. To the investigator, Miss Hammond's Chaucer: a Bibliographical Manual (New York, 1908) is indispensable. Listeth, lordes, in good entent,^ And I wol telle verrayment ^ Of mirthe and of solas ° ; Al of a knyght was fair and gent * In bataille and in tourneyment — His name was Sir Thopas. 1 with good will » diversion 2 verily 4 refined, noble CHAUCER, SIR THOPAS 109 Yborn he was in fer contree, In Flaundres, al biyonde the see, At Popering,"^ in the place " ; His fader was a man ful free,' And lord he was of that contree, As it was Goddes grace. Sir Thopas wex * a doghty * swayn ; Whyt was his face as payndemayn,^ His lippes rede as rose ; His rode ' was " lyk scarlet in grayn,' And I yow telle in good certayn. He hadde a semely nose. His heer, his herd was lyk saffroun,'-'' That to his girdel raughte ^"^ adoun, His shoon ^^ of Cordewane ^' ; Of Brugges ^* were his hosen " broun ; His robe was of ciclatoun '* That coste many a jane.^' He coude hunte at wilde deer. And ryde an banking for riveer,^' With grey goshauk on honde ; Therto he was a good archeer ; Of wrastling was ther noon his peer, Ther " any ram ''^ shal stonde. Ful many a mayde, bright in bour,^^ They moome for him, paramour,^^ Whan hem were bet ^' to slepe ; IS 25 1 a small town in the dis- trict of Calais, south- west of Ostend '■^ manor-house, chief house of a town or village 8 noble 4 grew to be s valiant 6 very fine white bread I' complexion (GE. mdu) 8 MS is 9 dyed with cochineal ; of a fast color 10 yellow 11 reached 12 shoes 15 Cordovan leather 1* Bruges, in Belgium 16 tight-fitting trousers, cov- ering the feet 16 costly material, often em- broidered with gold 1' small coin of Genoa, re- ferred to in England as halfpence 1? towards the river 19 where 2" A ram was, the usual prize at a wrestling-match 21 bower ..,,-.. 22 longingly 1 28 it were better for them, . no ROMANCES But he was chast and no Icohour,' And sweet as is the brcmble-llour ' That bereth the rede hepe." IS 25 And so bifel upon a day, Forsothe, as I yow telle may, Sir Thopas wolde out ryde ; He worth upon * his stcdc t;r;iy. And in his honde a launccgay," A long swerd by his syde. He priketh " thurgh a fair forest, Therinne is many a wilde best, Ye, bothe bukke and h;uc ; And, as he priketh north and est, I telle it yow, him ' hadde almost Bitid " a sory care." Ther springen herbes grete and smale, The lycorys" and cetewale," And many a clowe-gilofre ^^ ; And notemuge ^° to put in ale. Whether it be moyste or stale, Or for to leye in cofre.''' The briddes ^° singe, it is no nay," The sparhauk " and the papejay," That joye it was to here ; The thrustlecok '" made cck his lay, The wodedowve ''" upon the spray She sang ful loude and clcre. 1 unchaste man, debauchee 2 flower of the bramble (dog-rose) 8 hip (fruit of the dog-rose) < got upon 6 a kind of lance, probably rather short 9 rides hard ? to him ' happened " a grievous misfortune 1" licorice 11 zrrlnary (used in medicine .IS a stimulant) 12 clove 1" nutmeg l< a box I» birclH 1" il cannot be denied I' spiLriow-hawk 1" parrot 1" male thrush 3» wood-dove CHAUCER, SIR THOPAS III Sir Thopas fil in ' love-longinge Al whan he herde the thrustel singe, And priked as he were wood " ; His faire stede in his prikinge So swatte ' that men mighte him wringe ; S His sydes were al blood. Sir Thopas eek so wery was. For prikinge on the sof te gras — So fiers* was his corage — That doun he leyde him in that pks, lo To make his stede som solas. And yaf him good forage. ' O Seinte Marie, ben'cite^ ! What eyleth this love at me,' To binde ' me so sore ? iS Me dremed ' al this night, pardee,' An elf-queen shal my lemman be. And slepe under my gore.^" An elf-queen wol I love, jfwis,^' For in this world no womman is 20 Worthy to be my make,^'' In toune ^' ; AUe othere wommen I forsake, And to an elf-queen I me take. By dale and eek by doune " I ' 25 Into his sadel he clamb anoon. And priketh over style '* and stoon. An elf -queen for t' espye, 1 fell into ' enthral W in the town, in the district *■* as if he were mad 8 j dreamed (a mere verse-tag) s sweat ^ F, par Dieu 14 down, hill * fierce 1" garment 15 stile 5 benedicUe,Vxs,% ye (the Lord) n certainly, truly 5 with respect to me 12 mate :I.I2 ROMANCES Til he so longe had riden and goon That he fond, in a privee woon,^ The contree of Fairye So wilde ; S For in that contree was ther noon That to him dorste ryde or goon,'' Neither wyf ne childe. Til that ther cam a greet geaunt,' (His name was Sir Olifaunt *), lo A perilous man of dede. He seyde : " Child,^ by Termagaunt,^ But-if ' thou prike out of myn haunt, Anon I slee ° thy stede With mace. 15 Heer is the queen of Fayerye, With harpe and pype and simphonye,' Dwelling in this place.' The childe seyde : ' Also mote I thee,^' To-morwe wol I mete thee, 20 Whan I have myn armoure ; And yet I hoge, par ma fay ^^ That thou shalt with this launcegay Abyen it f ul soure ^^ ; Thy mawe ^' 25 Shal I percen, if I may, Er it be fully pr)mie of day,''* For heer thou shalt be slawe.'^ ' Sir Thopas drow abak ^^ ful faste ; This geaunt at him stones caste 3D Out of a fel '' staf-slinge '' ; 1 secret retreat 6 a Saracen idol ^3 maw,«tomach 2 This line is supplied from 7 unless 1* prime = 6-9 a;m. ; fully an inferior MS. a will slay prime = 9 A.M. 8 giant * 9 a kind of tabor 15 slain * Elephant 10 as I may thrive 16 drew back 6 title of a young squire or H by my faith 1' deadly ' ' knight 12 pay for it bitterly w sling fastened to a sticfe, CHAUCER, SIR THOPAS But faire escapeth Child Thopas, And al it was thurgh Goddes gras,^ And thurgh his fair beringe. Yet listeth, lordes, to my tale Merier than the nightingale, For now I wol yow roune ^ How Sir Thopas, with sydes smale, Priking over hil and dale, Is come agayn to toune. His merie men comanded he To make him bothe game " and glee, For nedes moste he fighte With a geaunt with hevedes * three, For paramour" and jolitee" Of oon ' that shoon ' ful brighte. ' Do ' come,' he seyde, ' my min[i]strales And gestours,^" for to tellen tales Anon, in '^ myn arminge ; Of romances that been royales. Of popes and of cardinales. And eek of love-lykinge.' They fette him first the swete wyn, •And mede '^^ eek in a maselyn," And royal spicerye ^* Of gingebreed ^^ that was ful iyn, And lycorys, and eek com}^!,^" With sugre that is so trye.^' 113 15 25 1 grace, favor ' one IS maple bowl 2 relate (Jra^. whisper) 8 shone 1* mixture of spices 8 sport 9 cause to 16 preserved ginger 4 heads i» story-tellers 16 cumin ■ 5 love 11 during 17 choice 6 amusement 12 mead 5. Merier . . . nightingale : borrowed by Chaucer from Sir Bev,is of Hampton. 1 14 ROMANCES He dide ^ next his whyte lere ^ Of clooth of lake " fyn and clere A breech * and eek a sherte ; And next his sherte an aketoun,^ 5 And over that an habergeoun," For ' percinge of his herte ; And over that a fyn hauberk " Was al ywroght of Jewes werk, Ful strong it was of plate ^ ; 10 And over that his cote-armour,^" As whyt as is a lily-flour, In which he wol debate.^' His sheeld was al of gold so reed. And therin was a bores heed, 1 5 A charbocle ^^ bisyde ; And there he swoor, on ale and breed, How that ' The geaunt shal be deed, Bityde what bityde " ! ' His jambeux " were of quirboilly,^^ 20 His swerdes shethe of yvory. His helm of laton ^'' bright ; His sadel was of rewel-boon " ; His brydel as the sonne shoon, Or as the mone light. 25 His spere was of fyn ciprees,^' That bodeth werre, and nothing " pees, The heed ful sharpe ygrounde ; 1 put on 9 breastplate on the front of ^5 boiled leather, dried very " flesh the hauberk (f) hard (F. cuir bouillt) ^ linen 10 a surcoat, not of metal 1* latten (metal compounded * pair of breeches u combat chiefly of copper and zinc) 5 short, sleeveless tunic 12 carbuncle 17 walrus-ivory 6 coat of mail 18 happen what may happen 18 cypress-wood (as associated ' as protection against n leg-pieces with death) 8 hauberk, coat of mail » by no means CHAUCER, SIR THOPAS II 5 His stede was al dappel-gray, It gooth an ambel ^ in the way, Ful sof tely and rounde ^ In londe. Lo, lordes myne, heer is a fit ' I If ye wol any more of it, To telle it wol I fonde.* II Now hold your mouth, par charitee^ Bothe knight and lady free. And herkneth to my spelle * ; lo Of bataille and of chivalry, And of ladyes love-drun,'," Anon I wol yow telle. Men speke of romances of piys,' — Of Horn Child and of Ypotys, 15 Of Bevis and Sir Gy, Of Sir Libeux and Pleyndamour ; But Sir Thopas, he bereth the flour Of royal chivalry. 1 at an ambling pace * endeavor '' courtship s with an easy motion 5 for charity * renown = a division of a song or poem 6 story 15. The romance of Horn appears in two forms, King Horn (see p. 11) and Horn Childe. Chaucer probably refers to Horn Childe. The romance of Sir Ypolis has not much in common with the others mentioned here ; in it the Emperor Adrian interrogates the child Ypotis as to matters of God's law. 16. Sir Bn'is of Hampton and .S» Guy of War^oick are two of the longest and dullest of mediaeval romances. 17. Sir Libeux : a romance entitled Lybeaus Disconus ( The Fair Citinoam). — Pleyndamour : no romance of this name is known ; the original must have been in French. ii6 ROMANCES His gode stede al he bistrood, And forth upon his wey he glood ^ As sparkle out of the bronde ^ ; Upon his crest he bar a tour,' 5 And therin stiked * a hly-flour ; God shilde his cors * fro shonde ^ ! And for he was a knight auntrous,' He nolde " slepen in non hous, But liggen ° in his hode ^° ; lo His brighte helm was his wonger/' And by him baiteth '^ his dextrer '^ Of ^* herbes fyne and gode. Himself drank water of the wel, As did the knight Sir Percivel, IS So worthy under wede,^^ Til on a day 1 glided 6 shame, disgrace n pillow (cf. wan£:, cheek) " burning wood, brand ' adventurous 12 feeds 8 tower 8 would not 18 courser i fixed 9 lie " on 5 body 1" hood 16 well-looking in his armor 23. A reference to the romance, Sir Perceval of GalUs. TALES CHAUCER, PRIORESS' TALE: THE LITTLE CHOIR-BOY See the general references on Chaucer at the close of the introductory note to Sir Thopas, p. io8. Prologue O Lord our lord, thy name how merveillous "^ Is in this large worlde ysprad ^ (quod she) ; For noght only thy laude precious ^^ Parfoumed is by men of dignitee, i~ But by the mouth of children thy bountee i~ Parfoumed ^ is, for on the brest soukinge ' /^ Som tyme shewen they thyn heryinge.* Wherfor in laude, as I best can or may, i rv ^ Of thee, and of the whyte lily-flour J ^IXM- Which that thee bar,' and is a mayde alway, To telle a storie I wol do my labour ; Not that I may encresen hir honour ; For she hirself is honour, and the rote Of bountee, next hir Sone, and soules bote." O moder mayde I O mayde moder free ! 15 O bush unbrent,' brenninge in Moyses sighte. That ravisedest * doun fro the deitee, Thurgh thyn humblesse, the Goost ' that in th' alighte. Of whos vertu, whan he thyn herte lighte, 1 spread abroad ^ praise 7 unbumt (Exod. 3, 2) ^ perfected(cf.Ps.8.2,Vulg.; Matt.2i. 16) 6 bore 8 didst draw ' sucking 8 healing, salvation ^ Spirit (Matt. 1. 18) 4. men of dignitee : such as monks or clergy in choirs. 117 tP Ii8 TALES Conceived was the Fadres Sapience,* Help me to telle it in thy reverence I Lady ! thy bountee, thy magnificence, Thy vertu, and thy grete humilitee S Ther may no tonge expresse in no science ; For somtyme, lady, er men praye to thee, Thou goost biforn,'* of thy benignitee. And getest us the light, thurgh thy preyere, To gyden us unto thy Sone so dere. lo My conning is so wayk, o blisful quene. For to declare thy grete worthinesse. That I ne may the weighte nat sustene. But as a child of twelf monthe old, or lesse, That can unnethes * any word expresse, I s Right so fare I ; and therf or I yow preye, Gydeth my song that I shal of yow seye. The Tale Ther was in Asie, in a greet citee, Amonges Cristen folk, a Jewerye,* Sustened by a lord of that contree 20 For foule usure and lucre of vilanye, Hateful to Crist and to his companye ; And thurgh the strete men mighte ryde or wende, For it was free, and open at either ende. A litel scole of Cristen folk ther stood 25 Doun at the ferther ende, in which ther were Children an heep,* yeomen of Cristen blood, That lemed in that scole yeer by yere Swich maner doctrine " as men used there. This is to seyn, to singen and to rede, 30 As smale children doon in hir childhede. 1 Cf. I Cor. 1. 24 = with difficulty 5 number 2 dost anticipate * ghetto, Jews' quarter * kind of learning CHAUCER, THE PRIORESS' TALE 119 Among thise children was a widwes sone, A litel clergeon,^ seven yeer of age, That day by day to scole was his wone,^ And eek also, wheras ' he saugh th' image Of Cristes moder, hadde he in usage, S As him was taught, to knele adoun and seye His Ave Marie, as he goth by the weye. Thus hath this widwe hir litel sone ytaught Our blisful lady, Cristes moder dere. To worshipe ay, and he forgat it naught, 10 For sely * child wol alday ° sone lere ° ; But ay, whan I remembre on this matere, Seint Nicholas stant ever in my presence. For he so yong to Crist did reverence. This litel child, his litel book leminge, 15 As he sat in the scole at his prymer,' He Alma Redemptoris herde singe. As children lemed hir antiphoner ' ; And, as he dorste, he drough him ner' and ner. And herkned ay the wordes and the note,^" 20 Til he the firste vers coude " al by rote. Noght wiste he what this Latin was to seye. For he so yong and tendre was of age ; But on a day his felaw gan he preye T'expounden him this song in his langage, 25 Or telle him why this song was in usage ; J choir-boy 5 always 8 anthem-book 2 custom 6 leam ; the line is a proverb 9 nearer 3 where 7 small prayer-book, from which i* tune < good children were taught to read n laiew 17. The eleventh-century hymn 'Alma Redemptoris mater, quae pervia coeli,' one of four antiphons addressed to the Virgin. It is used from the first Sunday in Advent to the Feast of the Purification (February 2). It has been translated by Cardinal Newman and others. 120 TALES This preyde he him to construe and declare Ful ofte tyme upon his knowes ^ bare. His felaw, which that elder was than he, Answerde him thus : ' This song, I have herd seye, S Was maked of our blisful lady free, Hir to salue,^ and eek hir for to preye To been our help and socour whan we deye. I can no more expounde in this matere ; I lerne song, I can" but smal grammere.' 10 ' And is this song maked in reverence Of Cristes moder ? ' seyde this innocent ; ' Now certes, I wol do my diligence To conne * it al, er Cristemasse is went ; Though that I for my prymer shal be shent," 1 5 And shal be beten thryes in an houre, I wol it conne, our lady to honoure.' His felaw taughte him homward prively. Fro day to day, til he coude it by rote. And than he song it wel and boldely 20 Fro word to word, acording with the note ; Twyes a day it passed thurgh his throte — To scoleward ° and homward whan he wente ; On Cristes moder set was his entente.' As I have seyd, thurghout the Jewerye 25 This litel child, as he cam to and fro, Ful merily than wolde he singe, and crye O alma Redemptoris evermo.' The swetnes hath his herte perced so Of Cristes moder, that, to hir to preye, 30 He can nat stinte ' of singing by the weye. 1 knees < learn 7 thought, mind 'greet disgraced ) kngw ' towards school > cease s evermore CHAUCER, THE PRIORESS' TALE 121 Our firste fo, the serpent Sathanas, That hath in Jewes herte his waspes nest, Up swal,'' and seide : ' O Hebraik peple, alias I Is this to yow a thing that is honest,^ That swich a boy shal walken as him lest ' S In your despyt, and singe of swich sentence,* Which is agayn your lawes ^ reverence ? ' Fro thennes forth the Jewes ban " conspyred This innocent out of this world to chace ; An homicyde therto ban they hyred, 10 That in an aley ' hadde a privee place ; And as the child gan forby for to pace. This cursed Jew bim hente " and heeld him f aste. And kitte ° his throte, and in a pit him caste. I seye that in a wardrobe'"' they him threwe 15 Wheras these Jewes purgen hir entraille. O cursed folk of Herodes al newe,^^ What may your yvel entente yow availle ? Mordre wol out, certein, it wol nat faille ; And namely ther " tb' onour of God shal sprede, 20 The blood out cryeth on your cursed dede. ' O. martir, souded to ^' virginitee ! Now maystou singen, f olwing ever in oon ^* The wbyte Lamb celestial,' quod she, ' Of which the grete evangelist, Seint John, 25 In Pathmos wroot, which seith that they that gooH Bifom this Lamb, and singe a song al newe, That never, flesbly,'^ wommen they ne knewe.' 1 swelled 8 have u made up o{ new Herods 2 honorable '' alley 32 especially where 8 it pleases 8 seized 18 confirmed in ^ to such purport » cut M without ceasing ; of. Rev. 14. 4 5 due to your law l" outhouse 15 carnally 122 TALES This povre widwe awaiteth al that night After hir litel child, but he cam noght ; For which, as sone as it was dayes light, With face pale of ^ drede and bisy thoght, S She hath at scole and elleswher him soght, Til finally she gan so f er espye " That he last seyn was in the Jewerye. With modres ' pitee in hir brest enclosed, She gooth, as she were half out of hir minde, lo To every place wher she hath supposed By lyklihede hir litel child to finde ; And ever on Cristes moder meke and kinde She cryde, and atte laste thus she wroghte — Among the cursed Jewes she him soghte. 15 She frayneth* and she preyeth pitously To every Jew that dwelte in thilke* place, To telle hir if hir child wente oght forby.* They seyde, ' Nay ' ; but Jesu, of his grace, Yaf ' in hir thought, inwith ' a litel space, 20 That in that place after hir sone she cryde Wher he was casten in a pit bisyde. O grete God, that parfournest thy laude By mouth of innocents, lo heer " thy might 1 This gemme of chastitee, this emeraude, 25 And eek of martirdom the ruby bright, Ther ^^ he with throte ycorven ^^ lay upright. He Alma Redemptoris gan to singe So loude that al the place gan to ringe. The Cristen folk, that thurgh the strete wente, 30 In coomen, for to wondre upon this thing. 1 from 6 that 9 here 2 find out 6 had chanced to go by M where 8 mother's fgave 11 cut, slashed 4 asks questions * within CHAUCER, THE PRIORESS' TALE 123 And hastily they for the provost ' sente ; He cam anon, withouten tarying, And herieth " Crist that is of heven King, And eek his moder, honour of mankinde ; And, after that, the Jewes leet he binde.' 5 This child with pitous lamentacioun Uptaken was, singing his song alway ; And with honour of greet processioun They carien him unto the nexte ■" abbay. His moder swowning by the here lay ; 10 Unnethe might the peple that was there This newe Rachel ^ bringe fro his bere. With torment and with shamful deth echon " This provost dooth ' thise Jewes for to sterve ° That of this mordre wiste, and that anon ; 15 He nolde no swich cursednesse ' observe.'" Yvel shal have, that )rvel wol deserve ; Therfor with wilde hors '' he dide hem drawe,'^ And after that he heng hem '' by the lawe. Upon his bere ay l)fth " this innocent 20 Bifom the chief auter,'* whyl masse laste. And after that, the abbot with his covent '^ Han sped hem for to burien him f ul faste ; And whan they holy water on him caste, Yet spak this child, whan spreynd " was holy water, 25 And song : O alma Redemptoris mater ! This abbot, which that was an holy man — As monkes been, or elles oghten be — i chief magistrate '^ praises 3 he caused to be bound ' causes 8 die « wickedness 13 them " lies IS altar < nearest 6 Cf. Matt. i!. iS 8 each one 10 favor 11 horses W had them drawn 18 monks of the convent 1' sprinkled 124 TALES This yonge child to conjure he bigan, And seyde : " O dere child, I halse ^ thee, In vertu of the holy Trinitee, Tel me what is thy cause for to singe, 5 Sith that thy throte is cut, to my seminge ^ ? ' ' My throte is cut unto my nekke-boon,' Seyde this child, ' and, as by wey of kinde,' I sholde have deyed, ye, longe tyme agoon ; But Jesu Crtst, as ye in bokes finde, 10 WU that his glorie laste and be in minde ; And, for the worship of his moder dere, Yet may I singe O alma loude and clere. This welle of mercy, Cristes moder swete, I lovede alwey, as after my corminge * ; 1 5 And whan that I my lyf sholde ^ f orlete. To me she cam, and bad me for to singe This antem ° verraily in my deyinge. As ye han herd ; and, whan that I had songe. Me thoughte she leyde a greyn upon my tonge. 20 Wherfor I singe, and singe I moot ' certeyn In honour of that blisful mayden free. Til fro my tonge of taken is the greyn ; And afterward thus seyde she to me : " My litel child, now wol I fecche thee 25 Whan that the greyn is fro thy tonge ytake ; Be nat agast,' I wol thee nat forsake." ' This holy monk — this abbot, him mene I — His tonge outcaughte, and took awey the greyn, And he yaf up the goost ful softely. 1 implore * within the Umits of my knowledgfe ' must 2 as it appears to me 5 ought to have 8 afraid 8 nature 6 anthem THE IMPRISONED WIFE 125 And whan this abbot had this wonder seyn, His salte teres trikled doun as reyn, And gruf ' he fil al plat ^ upon the grounde, And stille he lay as he had been ybounde. The covent eek lay on the pavement 5 Weping, and herien Cristes moder dere ; And after that they ryse, and forth ben went, And toke awey this martir fro his here, And in a tombe of marbul-stones clere Endosen they his litel body swete ; 10 Ther ' he is now, God leve * us for to mete. O yonge Hugh of Lincoln,' slayn also With ° cursed Jewes, as it is notable — For it nis but a litel whyle ago — Preye eek for us, we sinful folk unstable, 15 That, of his mercy, God so merciable On us his grete mercy multiplye. For reverence of his moder Marye. THE IMPRISONED WIFE Tie Seven Sages of Some, from which this story is taken, is the European counterpart of the Oriental Book of Sindibdd, ultimately, according to general scholarly belief, of Indian origin. The Book of Sindibad exists in a number of versions (Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Persian, etc.), and the European Seven Sages in many more, the latter being found in one or more forms in almost every language of Europe. As late as 1892 a Lithuanian version was printed at Plymouth, Pennsylvania. How the Oriental outline of the story was carried westward is a matter of conjecture. Since only four of the fifteen tales in the European collection are similar to those in any Eastern versions, it has been supposed that the trans- mission was probably oral, and a crusader returning from the Holy Land has been suggested as the possible transmitter. In any case, the most important element borrowed from the East is the frame or general plan of a series of tales told by seven wise men in defending a young prince against the accusations 1 face downward, groveling 8 where 6 Cf. Skeat's note 2 flat * grant 6 by 126 TALES of the queen, his stepmother, and the tales told by the queen in reply. Like the frames of The Arabian Nights, of Boccaccio's Decameron, of Chaucer's Canter- bury Tales, and of more modern groups, down to Longfellow's Tales of a Wayside Inn, this serves not only as a device by which to unite a number of tales, but also to account in some measure for the general character of the tales themselves. The following selection is from the Cottonian manuscript of the Middle English version (British Museum Cotton Galba E. 9). This manuscript (appar- ently copied from a lost earlier one) has been dated as of the first third of the fifteenth century. For a full discussion of dates and other details, and The Seven Sages of Rome in general, see the edition by Killis Campbell (Ginn, 1907), from which our text (including lines 3236-3726 of the poem), with certain emendations and changes of punctuation, is taken. Among the most interesting analogues and variants of our Inchisa-siory (which is not one of those found in the Oriental versions) are Plautus, Miles Gloriosus (cf. Act 2) ; Boiardo, Orlando Innamorato 1.22; The Tliousand and One Nights, ed. Habicht, 11. 1 40 ; Campbell, Popular Tales of the West Highlands I. 281. In fe kingdom of Hungary Wond ^ a nobil knyght why lorn, A rightwis man and whise of dome.^ He dremyd fus opon a nyght, 5 f>at he lufed a lady bryght, Bot he ne wist in what contra J>at f e lady myght funden be. Him thoght he knew hir wele bi kinde, And wele he hopid he sold hir finde. 10 J>at same time dremyd fat ladi bright, And thoght fat sho sold luf a knight ; Bot sho wist noght of what land, Ne in whate stede * he was dweland,* Ne his name knew sho nathing ; 15 J'arfore made sho grete murnyng. Opon fe mom, fe stori sayse, J>e knight toke horses and hemays," And went to seke fat lady bright ]7at him dremyd of fat nyght. 20 JJat jomay unto him was hard, 1 dwelt 8 place 6 armor 2 judgment * dwelling THE IMPRISONED WIFE 127 For he wist noght whederward JJat he sold tak f e redy way ; JJarfore he drowped ^ night and day. So he traveld monethes thre, And no signe of hyr kowth he se ; Bot wele in hert he hoped ay J»at he sold hir se sum day. So fer fe knyght his way had nomen ]7at into Hungeri es he cumen. Jjare he findes a faire castele Bi ^e se-syde, wroght ful wele ; Jiarin stode a towre ful hee ; Fairer saw he never with ee. An erl wond in fat castele }>at aght ^ fe lordship ilka dele. With him he had a worthly wife, JJe fairest lady fat had lyfe. J>e erl was jeluse of fat lady ; He sperid ' hir in fe toure forf i * ; Sho might noght out by day ne night, To speke with swier * ne with knight. In fat land was were ^ ful Strang, Of kinges and lordes, fat lasted lang. JJare come ridand fat nobil knight, "pat so had soght f e lady bright ; He luked up unto f e toure, And saw f e lady, white so ' flowre, Lig ' in a window barred with stele, fan in his hert he wist ful wele JJat f is lady was fe same f>at he had so dremyd of at hame. He luked up unto f e toure. And merily sang he of amowre.' 15 25 30 ^ drooped * for that reason, therefore 7 as ■■! owned, possessed 5 squire She 8 bolted, locked 6 war 9 love 128 TALES And when sho herd him so bigyn, Unnethes might fat ladi blyn ^ ]7at sho ne had cald him hir unto ; Bot for hir lord sho durst noght do. 5 He sat biside under a tre, At fe ches,^ a knyght and he. pis knyght percayved ]>e erl fare. Unto fe lady he mened * na mare ; Bot til * J)e erl he rides ful right, 10 And of his palfray down he lyght. On his kne sone he him set, And fe erl ful faire he gret ; " Sir Erl,' he said, ' I am a knight, Out of my cuntre cumen for fight ; IS JJeder ogayn dar I noght gane. For a knight fare have I slane; ]7arfore, sir, if fi willes be, J>us am I cumen to dwel with fe. My f amen er ful steren * and stout ; 20 JJai have destroyed my landes obout.' pe erl said : ' So mot I fe, Right so fares my famen with me ; So fat I have no socoure Bot f is castel and f is toure. 25 JJarfore, sir, fou ert welkum here ; Of swilk a man have I mystere ° ; And if fou wil me help trewly, I sal fe gif grete mede forthy.' ' ^is, sir,' he sayd, ' at my power, 30 Ay whils I my armes here.' With fe erl fus dwels fe knight, Al for luf of fe lady bryght. JJar was na knight fat bare shelde JJat might so wele his wapen welde ; 1 restrain herself 8 made moan 6 stem 2 chess ^ to 6 need THE IMPRISONED WIFE 129 Thorgh strenkith of hand and Godes grace He overcome al fe erles fase.^ JJe erl him lufed and honord fan Mare fan any ofer man ; He made hym steward of al his land, 5 And bad fe men bow til hys hand. Sone efter fat, opon a day, f>e knyght allane went him to play. Under f e toure whare f e lady was ; J>are he made him grete solace. 10 f>e lady in a wyndow lay, And saw fe knyght allane him play ; A letter sone sho kest hym tyll, Wharby he might wit " al hir will. J>e knight toke up fe parchemyne, 15 And red f e Franche ful fayre and fyne ; And alsone als he red it had. Was he never in hert so glad ; By fat letter fe knight wele kend J>at his travayl was cumen till end. 20 Ful sare him langed to hyr at * ga, Prevely, withowten ma ; And wele he saw fat, by na gyn,* Allane to hir myght he noght wyn ' ; par was bot a dur and a way, 25 And farof bare f e erl f e kay. So on a day, with mylde worde, J>e knyght spekes unto hys lord. And said : ' Sir, of fi gude grace, I pray fe to gif me a place 30 Bif ore f is towre, fat I may big ° A litel place in for to lig. And fat I mai my wonyng have At myne ese if je vowchesave.' 1 foes 2 to 5 succeed in going 2 know * device 6 build I30 TALES IS 25 30 1 caused 2 also 8 what sort of J>e erl answerd him ful sone ; ' Sir, fi wil sal al be done ; Big fe a hows at ]>i lykyng.' f»e knight him thanked of fat thing. f>e knight gat masons many ane, And gert ^ fam hew ful f aire f restane ; A nobil hows fare gert he make Ful sone for fe lady sake. When it was wroght als it sold be, Bath of stane and als ^ of tre, JJan thoght he ever by whatkyn " gin J>at he moght to f e lady win. Biside fare, in anofer town. Was fare cumen a new masown JJat soght had f ra fer cuntre ; Sotiler man might none be. pe knyght unto fat mason sent ; His messangers wigh[t]ly * war ^ went. J'ai broght him to f e knyght in hy ; He hailsed " him ful curtaysly. pe knyght said : ' Mai I traist on f e, For to tel my prevete J>at I have aghteld ' for to do ? ' JJe mason sware grete athes him to f>at he sold [do] whatsom he wolde, And never tel man on fis molde.^ He said : ' In fis toure, I tel f e, Wons a lady fat lufes me. And I luf hir wele at my might ; Bot I may, nowfer day ne night, Til hir win ne with hir speke ; JJarfore a hole behoves f e breke In fis towre ful prevely, J>at no man wit bot f ou and I ; ■* speedily s were 6 saluted ' purposed 8 earth THE IMPRISONED WIFE 131 JJat I may cum in prevete Unto fe lady and sho to me.' ' Sertes, sir,' said ]>e mason sone, ' Als fou has said, it sal be done.' Hastily he takes hys tole,'' 5 And in fe toure he made a hole, pat ]>e knight might cum fe ladi untill, Night and day, at faire owyn will. When pe lady wist of fis, Hir.thoght hir hert was ful of blis. 10 J'e knight quit '' wele ]>e servise Of fe mason for his quayntyse * : He slogh him sone, fat ilk[e] day, For f ered * fat he sold oght say. And efterward, ful sone onane," 15 Into f e toure fe knight gan gane ; Thurgh ]>e hole gan he pas. Til he come whare ]>e lady was. Bitwene fam was grete joy and blis ; In armes ful curtaysly fai kys. 20 Wele sho wist it was fat knyght Jjat sho had dremyd of anyght. Sho said : ' Sir, fou art welkum here.' He said : ' Gramercy," lady dere.' To hir he talde of his dremeing, 25 And sho him talde of fe same thing ; And when f ai wist it was sertayn, Ayther of ofer was ful fayn. Sho lete him wirk fare al his will ; And sefen he said f e lady untyll : 30 ' Dame, I dar no lenger byde, For herein may f ou me noght hide. And farfore, dame, have now goday ; I sal cum ogayn when I may.' 1 tool 8 cunning, skill 5 at once 2 repaid ^ fear 6 many thanic^ 132 TALES J>e lady, at faire departyng,' Gaf f e knight a gude gold ring, And said i ' Sir, I pray to f e, When fou sese J)is, thinke on me.' 5 At^ fe lady ]>e ryng he tase, And graythly " til ]>e hole he gase ; JJe ring he put his fynger on. And doun ogayn he hied him sone Thurgh fe hole was made of stane : 10 A meri man )?e knight was ane.- pe knyght went unto fe hall. Unto fe erl and his menge * all ; JJe erl gert him sit ful nere. And to hym made he meri chare. 15 Als fai spak of divers thing, Ipe erl saw his whives ring Opon ]>e knyghtes fynger bare ; He had wonder how it was fare. He wist wele far was none slike,* 20 Ne pat none might be made so like ; And ever he thinkes in hert styll How ani man might come her till. Styl he held al in his thoght ; Unto pe knyght he sayd right noght, 25 Bot up he rase bilyve onane ; Unto his whife he thoght to gane, For to wit whare hir ring was. ]>e knight perza)fved al pe case ; He hies als fast als he may 30 Tite ° until hys preve way. Ipe erl hies to pe lady fre, Bot pe knyght come lang or ' he ; Unto pe lady pe ring he cast, 1 parting, separation ^ retinue ' before 2 from ^ such 8 quickly " quickly THE IMPRISONED WIFE 133 And doun ogayn he hies him fast. J>e lady has fe ring up hent ; Sho wist ful wele fan how it went ; Sho did it in hir purs in horde,^ And sone farefter come hir lorde, 5 And with gude chere he gan hir glade, And asked hyr what chere sho made. Sho said sho myght have no solace, So was sho presond in fat place Fra fe sight of alkins ^ men : lo " How may I any kumforth ken ? ' ' Dame,' said fe erl ful sone, ' For grete derenes es yt done, And for I wil nane change fi thoght.' J>e lady said : ' Sir, thinkes it noght ; 1 5 f'ar es no knight in no cuntre J>at might change my luf fra f e ; And sen 5e wil fat it be f us. At jowre lyking habide me bus,' For of er cumf orth kepe * I nane 20 Bot of God and of jow allane.' JJe erl thoght jit on of er thing. ' Dame,' he said, ' whare es fi ring J>at I f e gaf of gold ful fyne ? Lat me se it, leman myne.' 25 J>e lady answerd hym unto : ' Sir, what sal je farwith do ? Wene je fat it be oway For * I were it noght ilk day ? Nai, sir, dredes 50W never a dele, 30 For I sal jeme ? it wonder wele.' ' Dame,' he sayd, " for luf of me, A sight f arof fat I might se ; And, sertes, I ask it for none iU.' ^ hoard ^ it behooves me to abide 5 because 2 of every kind • care for 6 care for 134 TALES Sho said : 'Sir, gladly at jowre will.' Out of hir purs fe ring sho toke ; pe lord gan graythly on hir loke. ' Lo ! sir,' sho said, ' here is my ring.' 5 y>e erl had mervail of fis thing, J>at it was [so] like, by syght, f>e ring fat he saw of his knight ; Bot wele he hopid ^ and weterly ^ JJat nane might win to f e lady, 10 Ne fat hir ring was noght hir fra, Bot fat fai had bene like, fai twa. He was wele solast of fat sight. And fare he dwelled al fat night ; ]7e lady bi hirself oft smyled, 15 And thoght fat he was wele bigild. Opon fe morn fe knyght up rase. And to f e kirk graythly he gase, Goddes werkes fare for to wirk. Sef en com f e erl unto f e kyrk ; 20 A mes * ful sone fan gert he sing, In honowre of oure Hevyn-kyng. ]>e erl sent fan hastily Ef ter f e knyght of Hungery ; JJe knyght come sone f e erl untill. 25 Tpe erl said : ' Sir, if [fat] fou wiU, J'ou sal wend to wod with me. At* hunt, and solace for to se.' f>e knyght answerd wordes hende ° : ' Sir, to wod may I noght wende, 30 For me es cumen new tif and * ]7at makes me ful wele lykand,' Fra my cuntre withowten lese ' — ■ JJat my frendes haves made mi pese 1 thought * to T pleased 2 surely 6 courteous 8 deception 8 mass 6 tidings . THE IMPRISONED WIFE 135 For pat knight pat I have slayn ; And of )rir ' tipandes am I fayn. And, sir, pir ^ tipandes es me broght Bi my leman, pat has me soght Heder out of myne awin cuntre. 5 JJarfore, sir, if gowre wil be, Jjis day I pray jow with me ete, And se my leman at pe mete. And for to make cumforth hir till.' f>e e'rl said : ' Gladly I will lo Do al pe comforth pat I can Bath to pe and pi leman ; Whenso pou will, send efter me. And smertly ' sal I cum to pe.' ]7an went pe erl to his solace, 15 Unto pe wed to mak his chace; And pe knight went sone onane. And ordand * mete and drink gud wane.^ His hows he dight ^ on gude aray ; And smertly pan he toke pe way 20 Unto pe lady faire and bright. And gert pat sho war gayly dyght In gold garmentes, richely wroght, And talde hir al how he has thoght f'at ilk day sho and hir lord 25 Sold bath togeder et ' of a bord. And how hir lord sold understand JJat sho war cumen out of fer land. Down he broght hir til his hows Hamely," als sho war his spows ; 30 Bot hir garmentes war al new, ]7at no man in pat cuntre knew. Opon hir fingers gert he done 1 these ^ ordered ^ eat 2 MS. Jjis 5 quantity « familiarly 8 quickly ; MS. smeretly ^ fitted out 136 TALES Gold ringes f ul many one ; Hir hed was gayly dubed ^ and dyght With gerlands al of gold ful bright ; So out of kenyng ^ he hir broght S JJat hir lord fan knew hir noght. Fra hunting come fe erl in hi ' ; JJe knyght him keped ^ ful curtaisly, And til his hows he led him fan For to ett with his leman. 10 Redy was ordaynd and dyght Mete and drink for mani a knight. Unto f e bord fe erl es set, And his whif , with him to et. JJe knight said : ' JJis es my leman ; 15 Makes hir comforth if %e can.' \>e erl bad sho sold be blith, And he biheld hir mony a syth ^ ; And wonder in his hert had he How fat it so myght be 20 f>at any lady in fis life Might be so like his owin wyfe. JJe lady praied him blith to be, And ett gladly, par charite. f>e erl bad hir also be glad, ?S And loked on hir als he war mad ; Bot he thoght fe towre was so Strang f>at fare myght no man do him wrang, Ne fat his whif might noght cum doun ; JJarfore trowed he no tresowne. 30 He thoght : " Oft sythes bif alles slike,° J>at mani wemen er of er like, Als was f e ring of gold fyne Ipat I wend wele had bene myne.' 1 decorated s haste 6 time 2 recognition 4 received 6 happen such things THE IMPRISONED WIFE 137 }>us J)e eri left all his care ; Of pis mater he thinkes no mare. ]7an said fe knight on pis manere Unto f e erl : " Sir, mase ^ gude chere.' JJe erl said : ' Sir, I fe pray, S J>e sertan soth fat fou me say Whefin " es fis f aire lady JJat fou has set at met me by ? ' f>e knight said : ' Sir, bi my lewte,' Sho es cumen fra myne awyn cuntre ; 10 She es my leman fat has me soght. And new tithandes sho haves me broght : Mi pese es made for evermare For fe knight fat I slogh fare, So fat I may wend hardily 15 Hame ogayn my pese to cri ; And f arfore wil I with hir wende, For to speke with ilka frende.' " Sir, sekerly,' said fe erl fan, ' Me think f ou has a fayre leman.' 20 Whan f ai had etyn and dronken inoghe, f>ai toke up mete, and clathes drogh.* When fc erl liked to gane. He toke leve at ' f e knyghtes leman ; And hastily when he was went, 25 JJe knight and f e lady gent Sone did of ° f e riche aray JJat f ai had done on ' fat day ; Hir awyn robe sone did f ai on, And dighted hir als sho was won.' 30 And fan sho toke f e preve sty ° Into fe toure f ul hastily ; 1 make ' cleared the table ' put on 2 whence ** of 8 accustomed 8 loyalty ^ took off 8 ascent 138 TALES ]>e knight gan playnly with hir pas Until sho in hir chamber was. And unnethes was );e knyght went out When f e erl was gane obowt ^ ; 5 Unto ]>e toure he takes pe way Als hastily als ever he may ; pare he findes his lady, Keped him ful curtaysely. fan was fe erl in hert ful glad 10 When he wist fat he hir had. Him thoght jit ^ sho was like fully To f e lady fat sat him by. ]7are fe erl dwelled al nyght, And laiked ' him with his lady bright. 1 S J'at night ]>a[ wroght what faire wils ware ; And on pat wise * f ai met na mare. Herkens now, how it bifell : On pis maner stode pat castell, J'at pe se ran fast byside ; 20 Many gode shippes gan pare bide. Whils pe erl of grete honowre Lay with pe lady in pe towre, JJe knight ordand a ship of sail, And gert bere peder gude vetaille ^ ; 25 Al his gode ^ peder gert he bere, Gold and silver and oper gere. On pe mom pe erl forth gase, And left his lady in pat place. Until pe kirk pan went he sone 30 And herd his mes als he was wone ; And when he to pe kirk was gane, Ipe knyght went to pe towre onane. And down he broght pe fayre lady 1 had started to go ^ sported 5 provisions 2 yet, nevertheless * in that manner 6 property THE IMPRISONED WIFE 139 Into his hows ful prevely. And of ^ fai toke pe clathes sone J>at f e lady had hir on ; J>ai dight hir in fe garmentes gay J>at sho had on fat oper day ; 5 With gerlandes and with gleterand ^ thing Was sho made out of knawyng. When al was done als it sold be, Unto fe erl, his lord, went he. ' Sir,' he sayd, " I wald fe pray 10 Of a ded fis ilk day : J>at fou wil gif me with fi hand My leman, or ' I pas f i lond, pat I mai wed hir to my whife ; For with hir wil I lede my lyfe.' 15 He sayd he thoght to wed hir fan ]7at had byfore ben his leman, For luf of God and als for drede. And for he sold fe better spede. ]7e erl said : ' ]7at es gude scill,'* 20 And als fou sais, syr, do I will.' Sone f e erl cals knightes twa. And bad fam sone fat fai sold ga And feche fe lady unto ]>e kirk. JJai war redy his wil to wirk ; 25 To kirk fai led fat faire lady. A preste was revist ^ hastily. y>c erl come with meri chere, Omang al fat folk in fere.^ His owin lady he toke bylive 30 And gaf f e knyght until his wive ; Ipe prest fam weddes swith sone. And als tite als f e mes was done. 1 off " ere 6 hurried thither 2 ghttcring ^ reason 6 in company, togethe I40 TALES )7an was fare made grete menestrelsy ; And fe knight and his lady Went fam forth with grete solas To J)e ship whare his godes in was. 5 J>e erl went with fam fartill ; ]7e knight went yn with ful gude will. pe lady stode still on fe sand ; ]>e erl toke hir by f e hand, And bad f e knyght sold hir take, Id Evermare to be his make. J>are \>e knyght toke fe lady. And said to pe erl : ' Sir, gramercy Of ^ fis and of ^ al ofer grace.' J>us of pe erl hys leve he tase ; 15 J>e wind blew, fai went paire way. ])\is lost fe erl his whife for ay ; He gaf hir fus fe knyght to wed ; J?arfore ful sari life he led. When pe knight was went with fe lady, 20 J>e erl wendes hame hastily ; Until fe toure fe way he tase. To tel his lady how it was, And how he had his knyght cunvayd ^ ; He trowed noght how he was bitraid. 25 Until his toure fus wendes he right, For to speke with his lady bright. Into fe chamber^ gan he ga, And loked obout, bath to and fra ; He saw no syght of his lady ; 30 J)arfore sone he wex sary. Of hir cowth he nothing here ; JJan he wepid with sari chere. Unto himself he gan him mene * ]7at al was soth als he had sene. 1 for ^ accompanied 3 MS. chameber * lament i DAME SIRITH 141 ]7an wist he it was his lady J^at at ])e mete was set him by. To wax wise fan he bigan ; JJarfore blamed him moni a man. DAME SIRITH Dame Sirith is preserved in Digby MS. 86, which has been assigned to a date between 1272 and 1283, but by some as late as 1300. With respect to the introduction of such fabliaux into England, Jusserand says (Lit. Hist. Eng. People 1.225): '"Merry England" became acquainted with every form of French mirth ; she imitated French chansons, and gave a place in her literature to French fabliaux. Nothing could be less congenial to the Anglo-Saxon race than the spirit of the fabliaux. This spirit, however, was acclimatized in England ; and, like several other products of the French mind, was grafted on the original stock. The tree thus bore fruit which would never have ripened ^s it did, without the Conquest. Such are the works of T, 1 , CJiaucfir, of Swiftjerhaps, and of Sterne. The most comic ana rtsgui stories, those same stories meant to raise a laiigh which we have seen old women tell at parlor windows, in order to cheer recluse anchoresses, were put into English verse, from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. Thus we find under an English form such stories as the tale of " La Chienne qui pleure " [Dame Sirith\,^ etc. With respect to Dame Sirith, Ker says (English Literature : Medieval, p. 172): 'This is far above the ordinary level of such things; it is a shame- ful practical joke, but there is more in it than this ; the character of Dame Sirith, in her machinations to help the distressed lover of his neighbour's wife, is such as belongs to comedy and to satire, not to the ordinary vulgar " merry tale." ' The germ of the story has been traced back to India, where a belief in metempsychosis is prevalent, and thence passes on to the Persian (Book of Sindibad)^^e. Arabic (see Clouston's Book of Sindibad, pp. 162 ff.) and the Hebrew (Mischle Sindbad, tr. Cassel, pp. 268 ff.). About iioo it is found in the Disciplina Clericalis of Petrus Alphonsus, a converted Spanish Jew, with which compare Gesta Romanorum, chap. 28 (of the Latin). The English version here printed bears a rather close resemblance to that in the Greek Syntipas (ed. Eberhard, Fabulce Romanenses Greece ConscripttB, Leipzig, 1879). For other versions, and the transmission of the story in general, see Matzner, Altenglische Sprachproben I. 103-5; Eisner, Untersuchungen zu dem Mittel- englischen Fabliau ' Dame Siriz,' Berlin, 1877 ; M ^ji\siA,_ Middle English Hu morous Tale s_in Verse (Boston, 1913), pp. xxi-xxxvii, 83—5. This tale has many points of resemblancT'with a fragmentary interlude printed below (pp. 477-80). It has been conjectured that both have a common 142 TALES source in an interlude now lost (see Heuser, in Anglia, Vol. 30, and McKnight, pp. xxxviii-ix). The name of the old woman is sometimes found in the manuscript as Siriz (147 25, 148 4, 157 6, 8) and sometimes as Sirih (150 7, 151 28, 153 1), but the rhymes show that the latter is undoubtedly correct (151 28 ; cf. 148 4) ; wih is similarly written wiz (148 5). Ci cotnence le fablel et la cointise de Dame Siriz As I com bi an waie, , Hof ^ on ich herde saie, Ful modi ^ men and proud ; Wis he wes of lore, And gouflich ' under gore,^ And clofed in fair sroud.'' To lovien he bigon On * wedded wimmon — J>erof he hevede wrong ; His herte hire ' wes alon, pat reste nevede * he non, JJe love wes so strong. 15 Wei jerne ' he him bijjoute " Hou he hire gete moute,^^ In ani cunnes ^^ wise.^° J>at befel on an day ]7e loverd wend away Hon his marchaundise.^* He wente him to fen inne ]7er^^ hoe^° wonede inne, JJat wes riche won " ; lof 2 haughty 8 goodly 4 raiment 5 apparel 6a . T to her 8 had not 9 intently 10 considered 11 might 12 kind -!« way " trafficking 16 where 16 she 17 dwelling DAME SIRITH And com into fen halle, \)er hoe wes srud ^ wif palle,^ And f us he bigon : [ IVt/ekin] ' God almijtten be herinne I ' [Jfargeri] ' Welcome, so ich ever bide winne ' I ' Quod fis wif . " His hit * fi wille, com and site, And wat is fi wille let me wite, Mi leve lif. Bi houre Loverd, hevene King, If I mai don ani fing J>at fe is lef, pou mijtt finden me ful fre ; 5*01 blefeli will I don for fe, Wiphouten gref.' [ IVilekin] ' Dame, God fe f orselde * I Bote on fat * fou me nout bimelde,' Ne make ]>e wrop, Min hemde ^ will I to ]>e bede " ; Bote wraffen ^'' fe for ani dede ^' Were me lo)).' [^Marg-eri] ' Nai, iwis, Wilekin ! For no])ing fat ever is min, J^au '^ fou hit jirne," Houncurteis " ne will I be ; Ne con ^'^ I nout on " vilte," Ne nout I nelle leme. 143 15 25 1 clothed on condition that 12 though 2 rich cloth 'betray 18 desire 8 expect (eternal) happiness ; 8 errand 14 discourteous MS. wenne 9 make known 16 know 4 if it is 1" anger 16 of 5 repay 11 in any way 17 churlishness 144 TALES f>ou mai[5]t saien al fine wille, And I shal herknen and sitten stiUe, JJat ' |)0U have told. And if fat fou me tellest skil,^ I shal don after fi wil — JJat be fou bold." And fau fou sale me ani same,* Ne shal I fe nouijt blame For fi sawe.° ' [ IVikkin] ' Nou Ich have wonne leve,° ^if fat I fe ' shulde greve, Hit were hounlawe.' IS Certes, dame, fou seist as hende," And I shal setten spel ^'' on ende, And tellen fe al — Wat Ich wolde, and wi Ich com ; Ne con Ich saien non falsdom, Ne non I ne shal. Ich habbe iloved fe moni jer, )7au Ich nabbe nout ben her Mi love to schowe. Wile ]>i loverd is in toune, Ne mai no mon wif fe holden roune " Wi)) no fewe.^'' 25 ^urstendai " Ich herde saie, As Ich v^ende bi fe waie, Of oure sire " ; Itill 2 what is reasonable 8 confident, certain 4 shame 5 speech ^ gained permission 7 MS. me 8 wrong 9 a courteous one 10 discourse 1' secret talk is-propriety 18 yesterday W lord, good man DAME SIRITH MS Me ^ tolde me pat he was gon To fe feire of Botolfston^ In Lincolneschire. And for Ich weste " fat he wes * houte, JJarfore Ich am I igon aboute 5 To speken wif fe. Him bur|) ' to liken wel his lif, ' JJat mistte welde * secc ' a wif ' In privite. Dame, if hit is J)i wille, lo Bof dernelike' and stille Ich wille fe love.' [Marg-eri] ' pat wold I don for non }'in[g], Bi houre Loverd, hevene King, JJat ous is bove ^^ ! 15 Ich habe mi loverd fat is mi spouse, JJat maiden broute me to house Mid menske ^^ inou ^^ ; He lovep me and Ich him wel, Oure love is also trewe as stel, 20 Wiphouten wou.^' JJau he be from hom on his hernde, \ , i^?- Ich were ounseli," if Ich lemede To ben on ■'^ hore. f'at ne shal nevere be, -S Ipat I shal don selk falsete. On bedde ne on flore ; 1 one, they 6 possess 11 honor 2 Boston (St. Botolph's town) ' such 12 enow, enough 2 knew 8 MS. vif 18 wrong 4 MS. ves » secretly " wicked fi behooveth 1° above 15 a 146 TALES Never more his lifwile,' Thau he were on hondred mile Bisende Rome, For no fing ne shuld I take 5 Mon on er|)e ta ben mi make,^ Ar' his hom-come.' [ rfV/cX'///] ' Dame, dame, torn* ])i mod' ; y>i curteisi was ever god, And jet shal be ; 10 For ))e Loverd l)at ous have)) wrout. Amend )'i mod, and torn ])i |)Out, And rew ^ on me.' [Afarg-eri'] ' We,' we I [hjoldest ))0u me a fol ? So Ich ever mote biden ^ol,' 15 Jiou art ounwis. Mi l)0ut ne shalt ))0u never ^ wende ; Mi loverd is curteis mon and hende. And mon of pris ; And Ich am wif bo])e god and trewe ; 20 Trewer womon mai ^° no mon cnowe ]7en Ich am. J>ilke time shal ^^ never bitide ]?at mon, for wouing ne ])oru prude,'^ Shal do me scham.' 25 [ JVikiin] ' Swete levmon,'* merci ! Same ne vilani Ne bede I ])e non ; 1 lifetime 2 mate 8 ere * change fi mind have compassion ^ alas 8 Yule, Christmas 9 MS. newer 10 MS. ne mai 11 MS. ne shal 12 pride 18 MS. lenmon, or leumon (?) DAME SIRITH I47 Bote deme love I fe bede, As mon fat wolde of love spede, And fi[n]de won.^ ' [Mizr^en] ' So bide Ich evere mete oper drinke, Her fou lesest al fi swinke.'' ^ JJou migt gon horn, leve brofer, For [ne] wille Ich ]>e love, ne non ofer Bote mi wedde houssebonde ; To tellen hit f e ne wille Ich vifonde.' ' [ Wilekin] " Certes, dame, fat me forfinkef * ; 10 An[d] wo is fe mon J'a[t] muchel swinkef, And at ]>e laste lesef his sped ! To maken menis * his * him ned ; Bi ' me I sale [hit] ful iwis, J>at love ])e — love pat I shal mis. 1 5 An[d], dame, have nou godne dai ! And filke Loverd pat al welde * mai Leve ' pat pi pout so toume J>at Ich^° for pe no leng^^ ne moume.' Drerimod '^ he wente awai, 20 And poute hope nijt and dai Hire al for to wende. A f rend him radde '* for to fare — And leven al his muchele kare — To Dame Sirip " pe hende. 2 5 J>ider he wente him anon, So suipe ^^ so he mistte gon. No mon he ni matte. 1 joy 6 is u longer ^ toil 7 about 12 sad in heart 8 hesitate, fear e wield is counseled * I am sorry for that 9 grant 14 MS. Siriz i» MS. Ihc 15 quickly ' moans 148 TALES Ful he wes of tene ^ and treie ^ ; Mid wordes milde and eke sleie * Faire he hire grette. [ Wilekin] ' God pe iblessi, Dame Siri|) * ! 5 Ich am icom to speken fe with,*^ For ful muchele nede ; And ° Ich mai have help of fe, f»ou shalt have, fat pou shalt se, Ful riche mede.' lo [Sirith'\ " Welcomen art pou, leve sone ; And if Ich mai of er cone ' In eni wise for fe do, I shal strengf en me f erto ; Forfi,' leve sone, tel fou me 15 Wat fou woldest I dude for fe.' [ Wilekin'] ' Bote, leve nelde,' ful evele I fare ; I lede mi lif wif tene and kare ; Wif muchel hounsele ^'' ich lede mi lif, And fat is for on suete wif 20 fat heijtte Margeri. Ich have iloved hire moni dai, And of hire love hoe seiz me nai ; Hider Ich com forfi. Bote-if ■'^ hoe wende hire mod, 25 For serewe ^^ mon ^^ Ich wakese " wod, Of er miselve quelle.'^ Ich hevede if out miself to slo ^* ; Forfen " radde ^* a frend me go, To f e, mi sereue telle. 1 vexation 2 grief 8 shrewd 4 MS. Siriz 5 MS. wiz 6 if ' or know how to (can) 8 therefore 9 old lady w misfortune 11 unless 12 sorrow 18 must 14 grow, wax 16 destroy 16 slay 1' therefore 18 advised DAME SIRITH 149 He saide me, wiphouten faille pat fou me coufest helpe and vaile,* And bringen me of wo, J>oru fine crafftes and fine dedes ; And Ich wile jeve fe riche mede[s], 5 Wif fat'^ hit be so.' [SiritAI ' Benedicite be herinne ' ! Her havest f ou, sone, mikel sinne.* Loverd, for his suete name,* Lete f e f erf ore haven no shame " ! lo J>ou servest affter Godes grame,' Wen f ou seist on me silk ' blame ; For Ich am old and sek and lame ; Seknesse havef maked me ful tame. Blesse fe, blesse fe, leve knave,^ 15 Leste f ou mesaventer have For f is lesing '° fat is founden ^' Oppon me, fat am harde ibo[u]nden 1 Ich am on holi wimon. On wicchecrafft nout I ne con, 20 Bojp wif gode men[s] almesdede like dai mi lif I fede, And bidde mi Pater Noster and mi Crede, "pat Goed hem helpe at hore ^^ nede pat helpen me mi lif to lede, 25 And leve fat hem mote wel spede. His lif and his soule worf e ishend '' JJat f e to me f is hernde havef send ; ^ avail, assist < sin ; MS. senne 9 boy 2 provided that 5 MS. nome lo lie 8 blessing be herein = God 6 MS. shome 11 invented save us (an exclamation ' anger ; MS. grome ^ their of surprise) 8 such is disgraced 7. Fliigel (Matzke Mem. Vol., p. 95) prefers " Benedicite I be herinne ! ' understanding ' God ' as the subject of (opt. or imp.) ' be.' 9. Note the six rhyming lines, like the six below (21-26). 1 50 TALES And leve me to ben iwreken ' On him J)is shome me have)) speken.' [ Wilekin] " Leve nelde, bilef ^ al fis ; Me ))inke]) ]'a[t] ))0u art onwis. 5 ]7e mon |)at me to pe taute,* He weste pat ]'0u hous * coufest saute.° Help, Dame Sirip, if pou maut,° To make me wif pe sueting saut, And Ich wille geve ]'e gift ful stark ' : 10 Moni a pound and moni a marke, Warme pilche ' and warme shon, Wip pat min hernde be wel don. Of muchel godlec ° mijt pou selpe,'" If hit be so pat pou me helpe.' 15 [Sirit/i] ' Li5 me nout, Wilekin, bi pi leute." Is hit pin hernest '^ pou tekest ^° me ? Lovest pou wel Dame Margeri ? ' [ Wilekin] ' ^e, nelde, witerli,^* Ich hire love 1 Hit mot me spi^ " 20 Bote ich gete hire to mi wille.' [^Sirith'] " Wat, god Wilekin, me rewep pi scape '° ; Houre Loverd sende pe help rape '' I Weste Hie hit mistte ben forholen," Me wolde punche wel solen " 25 J^i wille for to fellen."" Make me siker wip word on honde 1 avenged 8 fur garments li" destroy, ruin 2 leave 9 goodness, benefit 16 harm 8 directed ^^ boast 1^ soon (early) 'us H loyalty 18 concealed 5 reconcile, bring to terms 12 earnest 19 proper (solemn) canst 18 teachest 20 MS. fuUen ' strong, large 1^ truly, certainly DAME SIRITH Ijl JJat fou wolt helen,^ and I wile fonde ^ If Ich mai hire tellen. For al fe world ne wold I nout pat Ich were to chapitre ' ibrout For none selke * werkes. 5 Mi jugement were sone igiven — To ben wi)) shome somer-driven ^ Wif ° prestes and with clarkes.' [ Wilekin\ ' Iwis, nelde, ne wold I pat fou hevedest vilani lo Ne shame, for mi goed. Her I fe mi troufe plijtte, Ich shal helen bi ^ mi mijtte, Bi pe holi roed ! ' [Sirit/i\ 'Welcome, Wilekin, hiderwardl 15 Her havest imaked a foreward * ]7at pe mai ful wel like. J»ou maigt ° blesse pilke si)),^" For f ou rriai^t make pe ful blip ; Dar ^^ pou namore sike.^'' 20 To goderhele " ever come pou hider, For sone will I gange pider. And maken hire hounderstonde. I shal kenne " hire sulke a lore }>at hoe shal lovien pe mikel more 25 J>en ani mon in londe.' [ JVilehn] ' Al so hav I Godes grip,^^ Wel havest pou said. Dame Sirip, And goderhele shal ben pin. 1 conceal (it) 8 by 12 sigh 2 try "^ according to 18 for good fortune 8 ecclesiastical court 8 agreement 1* make known, teach 4 such ■ - 9 mayst is peace 5 sumpter-driven (slung i"* this opportunity - . on a pack-animal) ? H needest (= ^ar, from OE. J>ear/) 152 TALES ■5 25 Have her twenti shiling : JJis Ich 5eve fe to meding,^ To buggen^ fe sep" and swin.' [Siriihl ' So Ich evere brouke * hous ofer flet,° Neren never penes * beter biset JJen fies shulen ben. For I shal don a juperti,' And a f erli ' maistri ' ; JJat fou shalt ful wel sen. — \To her dog\ Pepir ^'' nou shalt fou ete,^^ JJis mustart shal ben fi mete, And gar ^^ fin eien to renne " ; I shal make a lesing Of fin heie-renning, Ich wot wel wer and wenne.' [ Wilekin\ ' Wat 1 nou const f ou no god ? Me finkef fat fou art wod. Revest f o f e welpe " mustard ? ' \SiritK\ ' Be stffle, boinard " ! I shal mit ^° f is ilke gin " Gar hire love to ben al fin. Ne shal ich never have reste ne ro '^ Til ich have told hou fou shalt do. Abid me her til min hom-come.' [ Wilekin\ ' .^us," bi f e somer blome,^° Hef en °^ null I ben binomen,^^ , Til fou be ajein comen.' 1 reward 2 buy 8 sheep ■* enjoy 5 hall {lit. floor) ^ pence 7 venture 8 wondrous 9 trick 30 MS. pepis 11 MS. eten 12 make 18 run ; MS. rene 14 whelp 16 fool 16 with 17 contrivance 18 quiet 19 yes 20 bloom 21 hence 23 taken away DAME SIRITH IS3 Dame Sirif bigon to go As a wrecche fat is wo, JJat ^ hoe come hire to fen inne * J>er fis gode wif wes inne. Ipo hoe to f e dore com, 5 Swife reuliche ' hoe bigon : [SirifA] ' Loverd,' hoe seif, ' wo is holde * wives, fat in poverte ledef ay [hore] ^ lives ; Not ' no mon so muchel of pine As poure wif fat fallep in ansine ' ; 10 pat mai ilke mon bi me wite, For mai I nouf er gange ne site ; Ded wold I ben ful fain. Hounger and furst me havep nei slain ; Ich ne mai mine limes onwold,* 15 For mikel hounger and furst and cold. Warto liveth selke a wrecche ? Wi nul ' Goed mi soule f ecche ? ' [Margeri] ' Seli " wif, God fe hounbinde " 1 To dai wUle I fe mete finde, 20 For love of Goed. Ich have reupe of fi wo. For evele iclof ed I se fe go. And evele ishoed ; Com herin, Ich wile fe fede.' 25 [Sirifh'] ' Goed almistten do f e mede, And J>e Loverd fat wes on rode idon," And faste fourti daus ^' to non," And hevene and erfe havef to welde. As f ilke Loverd f e forselde.-'^ ' 30 * uuLii 6 knows not ii unbind, pardon 2 dwelling ^ want 12 destroyed 3 piteously * control 18 days 4 old 9 will not 14 noon 5 See 149 ^ i" good 13 requite 1 until 1 54 TALES [Margeri] ' Have her fles ^ and eke bred, And make pe glad, hit is mi red ^ ; And have her fe coppe wip pe drinke ; Goed do pe mede for pi swinke.' 5 f>enne spac pat holde wif — Crist awarie * hire lif ! — [Siritk] ' Alas 1 alas 1 pat ever I live ! Al pe sunne Ich wolde forgive f>e mon pat smite of * min heved 1 10 Ich wolde mi lif me w^ere bireved I ' [Margeri] ' Seli wif, what eillep pe ? ' [Srttk] ' Bote epe ^ mai I sori be : Ich hevede a douter feir and fre,° Feiror ne mi5tte no mon se. IS Hoe hevede a curteis hossebonde, Freour ' mon mistte no mon fonde.* Mi douter lovede him al to wel ; Forpi' mak I sori del.^" Oppon a dai he was out wend, 20 And parporu ^^ wes mi douter shend. He hede on ernde out of toune ; And com a modi '^ clarc wip croune,'' To mi douter his love beed. And hoe nolde nout folewe his red. 25 He ne mijtte his wille have. For no ping he mijtte crave ; JJenne bigon pe clerc to wiche,^* And shop ^' mi douter til a biche. pis is mi douter pat Ich of speke ; 1 flesh, meat 6 noble 11 by this means, thereby ^ advice ' nobler 12 proud 8 curse 8 search out 13 tonsure 4 off 9 on this account " use witchcraft 5 easily M lament 15 transformed (shaped) DAME SIRITH For del of hire min herte breke. Loke hou hire heien greten,' On hire cheken fe teres meten.^ Forfi, dame, were hit no wonder, f>au min herte burste assunder. A[nd] wose ever is gong houssewif , Ha ^ love]) f ul luitel hire lif , And'' eni clerc of love hire bede, Bote^ hoe grante, and lete him spede.' [Mizr^ert] ' A, Loverd Crist ! wat mai [I] f enne do ? }>is enderdai ° com a clarc me to, And bed ' me love on his manere, And Ich him nolde nout ihere. Ich trouue he woUe me forsape.' Hou troustu,^ nelde, Ich moue ascape ? ' [SirM] ' God almijtten be fin help J>at fou ne be noufer bicche ne welp 1 Leva dame, if eni clerc Bedef fe ))at love-were, Ich rede pat pou grante his bone,^° And bicom his lefmon sone. And if pat pou so ne dost, A worse red pou ounderfost.^^ ' \Margeri~\ ' Loverd Crist, pat me is wo, JJat pe clarc me hede ^^ fro Ar he me hevede biwonne I Me were levere pen ani f e ^' That he hevede enes '^ leien bi me. And efftsones ^ bigunne. ISS IS 25 1 shed tears 6 the other day 11 receivest, takest 2 meet ' offered 12 went 8 she 8 transform 13 property M£ 9 thinkest thou, believest thou " once 6 unless 10 request (boon) 15 again 8. of : the verb takes the genitive of the thing besought in OE. I S6 TALES Evermore, nelde, ich wille be fin, WiJ) fat ^ fou f eche me Willekin, J>e clarc of wam I telle ; Giftes will I geve fe S JJat Jjou maijt ever fe betere be, Bi Codes houne belle 1 ' [SirifJi] ' Sofliche, mi swete dame, And if I mai wifhoute blame. Fain Ich wille ffonde ; lo And if Ich mai wif him mete Bi eni wei ofer bi strete, Nout ne will I wonde.^ Have god dai, dame ! forf will I go.' [Margeri] ' AUegate '" loke fat f ou do so 15 As Ich fe bad ; Bote fat fou me Wilekin bringe, Ne mai [I] never lawe * ne singe, Ne be glad.' [Sirifk] ' Iwis, dame, if I mai, 20 Ich wille bringen him jet to-dai, Bi mine mijtte.' Hoe wente hire to hire inne. Her hoe founde Wilekinne, Bi houre Drijtte ° ! 25 [SirifA] ' Swete Wilekin, be fou nout dred, , For of fin her[n]de Ich have wel sped. Swife com for[f] fider wif me, For hoe havef send affter f e ; i provided that 8 Jn every way, by all means 6 our Lord 2 hesitate ^ laugh 6 belle: sacring bell, used in the mass; see Seven Sages (Percy Soc. i6), 1. 2285 : ' By Goddis belle.' DAME SIRITH IS7 Iwis nou maigt f ou ben above, For fou havest grantise' of hire love.' [ Wilekiti] ' God fe forjelde, lave nelde, JJat hevene and er|)e havef to welde ! ' J^is modi mon bigon to gon 5 Wijj Sirif^ to his levemon In filke stounde.' Dame SiriJ) ^ bigon to telle, And swor bi Godes ouene belle, Hoe hevede him founde. lo [Sirit/i] ' Dame, so have ich Wilekin sout. For nou have Ich him ibrout.' \Margen^^ ' Welcome, Wilekin, swete fing, JJou art welcomore fen fe king. Wilekin fe swete, 15 Mi love I fe bihete. To don al fine wille. Turnd Ich have mi fout. For I ne wolde nout f>at fou fe shuldest spille.' 20 [ Wilekin] ' Dame, so Ich evere bide noen,* And Ich am redi and iboen * To don al fat fou sale. Nelde, par ma fai ! * J>ou most gange avi^ai, 25 Wile Ich and hoe shulen plaie.' . . .' 1 grant ^ noon 7 One stanza omitted 2 MS. Siriz ^ ready, prepared » moment 6 by my faith 158 TALES [Sirith'] ' And wose is onwis, And for non pris Ne con geten his levemon, I shal, for mi mede, Garen him to spede, For ful wel I con.' ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK This poem, though unmistakably a ballad, tells a story, and is therefore here classed as a tale, though perhaps it has nearly equal claim to be called a romance. It is one of the few ballads of whose early date we are assured, the manuscript being of about 1450. TtjsJ Vn. Tin nf r.hilH';; p; reat collectio n (^^Qj [-ioi) ; see also Sargent and Kittredge's edition in one volume, pp. 282-6. Tomit stanzas 30-8, 53-66, both inclusive, and the end, stanzas 83-90. There is an unfortunate break after the first two lines of stanza 30, due to the loss of a sheet of the manuscript. What Gummere says of ballads in general (Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. ^.i,"]^; the whole chapter should be read) is true of this in particular : ' They give a hint of primitive and unspoiled poetic sensation. . They can tell a good tale. They are fresh with the open air; wind and sunshine play through them.' For myself, I may add that the two opening stanzas of this ballad seem to me of peculiar loveliness. In somer, when fe shawes ' be sheyne,^ And leves be large and long, Hit is full mery in feyre foreste 10 To here fe foulys song ; To se fe dere draw to pe dale, And leve pe hilles hee, And shadow hem in pe leves grene, Under the grenewode tre. 15 Hit befel on Whitsontide, Erlyjnj. May_ mornyngi The son up feyre can ^ sh)Tie, And the briddis meiy can syng. 1 thickets, groves 2 beautiful 8 did ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK IS9 ' This is a mery mornyng,' seid Litull John, ' Be hym pat dyed on tre ; A more mery man fen I am one Lyves not in Cristiante.^ Pluk up ]>i hert, my dere mayster,' 5 Litull John can sey, ' Arid th)mk hit is a full f ayre tyme In a mornyng of May.' ' ^e," on thyng greves me,' seid Robyn, ' And does my hert mych woo ; 10 J'at I may not no solem day To mas nor matyns goo. Hit is a fourtnet and more,' seid he, ' Syn I my Savyour ' see ; To-day wil I to Notyngham,' seid Robyn, 15 ' With J)e myght of mylde Marye.' Than spake Moche,* f e mylner ' sun — Ever more wel hym betyde ! ' Take twelve of fi wyght * jemen,' Well weppynd, be pi side. 20 Such on wolde fiselfe slon, JJat twelve dar not abyde.' ' ' Of all my mery men,' seid Robyn, ' Be my feith I wil non have. But Litull John shall beyre my bow, 25 Til fat me list to drawe.' 1 Christendom 2 yea 8 consecrated wafer or host 4 Much ' yeomen 5 miller's 8 withstand 6 sturdy i6o TALES ' f>ou shall beyre J)in own,' seid LituU Jo[h]n, ' Maister, and I wyl beyre myne, And we well shete a peny,^ ' seid Litull Jo[h]n, " Under pe grenewode lyne.^ ' S ' I wil not shete a peny,' seyd Robyn Hode, ' In feith, Litull John, with the, But ever for on as ' fou shetis,' seide Robyn, ' In feith I holde fe thre.' Thus shet pei forth, pese jemen too, lo Bothe at buske * and brome,^ Til Litull John wan of his maister Five shillings to ^ hose and shone. A ferly ' strife f el fern betwene, As they went bi the wey ; IS Litull John seid he had won five shillings. And Robyn Hode seid schortly, ' Nay.' With pat Robyn Hode lyed » Litul Jo[h]n, And smote hym with his hande ; Litul Jo[h]n waxed wroth ferwith, 20 And pulled out his bright bronde. ' Were pou not my maister,' seid Litull John, " f>ou shuldis by ° hit ful sore ; Get pe a man wher pou w[ilt], For pou getis me no more.' 25 J»en Robyn goes to Notyngham, Hymselfe mornyng ^^ allone. And Litull John to mery Scherwode — The pathes he knew ilkone. 1 shoot for a penny 2 lime, linden 3 that 5 broom 6 for ' fierce 9 pay for M mourning 4 bush 8 gave the lie to ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK i6i Whan Robyn came to Notyngham, Sertenly withouten layn,' He prayed to God and myld Mary To bryng hym out save ^ agayn. He gos into Seynt Mary chirch, 5 And kneled down before the rode ' ; AUe J)at ever were fe church within Beheld wel Robyn Hode. Beside hym stod a gret-hedid munke, I pray to God woo he be I lo Fful sone he knew gode Robyn, As sone as he hym se. Out at fe durre he ran, Fful sone and anon ; AUe ]>e 5atis of Notyngham 15 He made to be sparred everychon. ' Rise up,' he seid, ' fou prowde schereff, Buske * pe and make fe bowne ' ; I have spyed pe kynggis felon, Fforsothe he is in pis town. I have spyed pe false felon. As he stondis at his masse ; Hit is long of " pe,' seide pe munke, ' And ' ever he fro us passe. JJis traytur name is Robyn Hode, 25 Under pe grenewode lynde ° ; He robbyt me onys of a hundred pound. Hit shalle never out of my mynde.' 1 lying < prepare ' it i safe ^ ready 8 linden 8 cross ^ through, by means of 1 62 TALES Up pen fose pis prowde shereff, And radly ^ made hym jare ^ ; Many was pe moder son To pe kyirk with hym can fare. 5 In at pe durres pei throly " thrast,* With staves f ul gode wone * ; ' Alas, alas ! ' seid Robyn Hode, ' Now mysse I LituU John.' But Robyn toke out a too-hond sworde, lo pat hangit down be his kne ; J»er as pe schereff and his men stode thyckust, Thepurwarde wolde he. Thryes thorowout pern he ran pen, Forsope, as I yow sey, 'S And woundyt mony a moder son. And twelve he slew pat day. His sworde upon pe schireff hed Sertanly he brake in too ; ' pe smyth pat pe made,' seid Robyn, 20 ' I pray God " wyrke hym woo ! Ffor now am I weppynlesse,' seid Robyn, ' Alasse ! agayn my wylle ; But-if I may fle pese tray tors fro, I wot pei wil rne kyll.' There is a break in the manuscript two Hnes after this point, but it is evident from what follows that Robin Hood's men in some way learn of his capture. All of them are utterly distracted by this news save Little John, who feels sure that " our Lady ' will care for her servant. He himself will see to the monk. 1 quickly 8 stoutly 5 number 2 ready ' ^ thrust « MS. to God ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK 163 Litul John stode at a wyndow in fe mornyng, And lokid forf at a stage ; He was war wher fe munke came ridying, And with hym a litul page. ' Be my feith,' seid Litul John to Moch, 5 ' I can ]>e tel tithyngus ' gode ; I se wher f e munke cumys rydyng, I know hym be his wyde hode.' They went into the way, fese jemen bofe, As curtes men and hende ; 10 J>ei spyrred ^ tithyngus at ]>e munke, As they hade bene his frende. Ffro whens come je ? ' seid LituU Jo[h]n, ' Tel us tithyngus, I yow pray, Off a false owtlay, [callid Robyn Hode,] 15 Was takyn jisterday. He robbyt me and my felowes bofe Of twenti marke in sertayn " ; If f)at false owtlay be takyn, Fforsofe we wolde be fayn.' 20 ' So did he me,' seid fe munke, ' Of a hundred pound and more ; I layde furst hande hym apon, ^e may thonke me perfore.' ' I pray God thanke you,' seid LituU John, 25 'And we wil when we may ; ': We wil go with you, with your leve, And bryng yow on your way. '■ tidings 2 asked 8 MS. ^ertes 1 64 TALES Ffor Robyn Hode base many a wilde felow, I tell you in certayn ^ ; If fei wist je rode pis way, In feith je shulde be slayn.' 5 As fei went talking be fe way, The munke and LituU John, John toke f>e munkis horse be pe hade, Fful sone and anon. John ''■ toke pe munkis horse be f e had, lo Fforsope, as I yow say ; So did Much, pe litull page, Ffor ^ he shulde not scape away. Be pa golett * of pe hode John pulled pe munke down ; IS John was nothyng of hym agast — • He late hym falla on his crown. Litull John was so[re] agrevyd, And drew owt his swerde in hye ' ; This munke saw ha shulde be ded, 20 Lowd ' mercy ! ' can ' he ciye. * He was my maistar,' said Litull John, " JJat pou hasa browjt in bale ' ; Shalle pou never cum at our kyng, Ffor to telle hym tale.' 25 John smote of pa munkis had. No longer wolda ha dwell ' ; So did Moch pe litull page, Ffor ferd ' lest he wolde tell. . . . 1 MS. certen * throat f trouble " MS. Johne 6 haste 8 deiay s that 6 did 9 fear ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK 165 Little John and Much then carry to the king the letters taken from the monk's body, conveying the tidings of Robin's capture. The king rejoices at this news, gives the men twenty pounds as a reward, and makes them yeomen of the crown. He then bids Little John bear his privy seal to the sheriff of Nottingham, commanding that Robin Hood be brought to him, alive and uninjured. The scheref made John gode chere, And gaf hym wyne of the best ; At nygt fei went to her bedde, And every man to his rest. When fe scheref was on slepe,* 5 Dronken of wyne and ale, Litul John and Moch, forsofe, Toke f>e way unto fe jale. Litul John callid up fe jayler. And bade hym rise anon ; 10 He seyd Robyn Hode had brok)m prison, And out of hit was gon. The porter rose anon, sertan, As sone as he herd John calle ; Litul John was redy with a swerd, 15 And bare hym to pe walle. ' Now wil I be porter,' seid Litul John, ' And take f e keyes in honde ' ; He toke fe way to Robyn Hode, And sone he hym unbonde. 20 He gaf hym a gode swerd in his hond, His hed with for to kepe,^ And ther as fe walle was lowyst Anon down can fei lepe. 1 asleep ^ to defend his head with 1 66 TALES Be fat pe cok began to crow, The day began to spryng, The scheref fond fe jaylier ded, The comyn bell made he ryng. 5 He made a crye thoroout al ]>e tow[n], Wheder he be goman or knave JJat cowfe bryng hym Robyn Hode, His warison ^ he shuld have. ' Ffor I dar never,' said fe scheref, 10 ' Cum before oure kyng ; Ffor if I do, I wot serten Fforsofe he wil me heng.' The scheref made to sake Notyngham, Bothe be strete and stye,^ 1 5 And Robyn was in rnery Scherwode, As li^t as lef on lynde. Then bespake gode Litull John, To Robyn Hode can he say : ' I have done fe a gode turne for an evyll, 20 Quyte ]>e ' whan fou may. ' I have done f e a gode turne,' seid Litull John, ' Fforsothe, as I yow say ; I have brou5t J)e under grenewode lyne ; Ffarewel, and "have gode day.' 25 ' Nay, be my trouth,' seid Robyn Hode, ' So shall hit neuer be ; I make ]>e maister,' seid Robyn Hode, ' Off alle my men and me.' i reward 2 lane » make return KING ROBERT OF SICILY 167 ' Nay, be my trouth,' seid LituU John, ' So shalle hit never be ; But lat me be a felow,^ ' seid LituU John, ' No noder kepe I be.^ ' Thus John gate Robyn Hod[e] out of prison, Sertan withoutyn layn ' ; Whan his men saw hym hoi and sounde, Fforsothe they were full fayne. They filled in wyne, and made hem glad, Under fe levys smale, And gate ^ pastes of venyson, f>at gode was with ale. Eight stanzas remain. Word of the escape is carried to the king, who declares that, though Little John has beguiled both the sheriff and himself, he has been true to Robin Hood. KING ROBERT OF SICILY This is the poem from which Longfellow drew the Sicilian's tale, in the first series of his Tales of a Wayside Inn. Leigh Hunt related the story in prose in his Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla (1848) ; a play was founded on it in the reign of Henry VII, and acted at Chester in 1529 (Ward, Hist. Eng. Dram. Lit. 1.93-4; Collier, Hist. Eng. Dram. Poetry, London, 1831, 1. 113-5; 2.128, 415; Hazlitt, Rem. Early Pop. Poetry, London, 1864, 1.264-88); and Rudolf Schmidt drew from it his drama, Den Forvandlede tConge, which appeared in 1876, and was several times played at Copenhagen. Closely allied to our Middle English poem is Jean de Conde's (fl. 1310-1340) Li Dis dou Magnificat {Dits et Contes de Baudouin de Condi et de son Fits, Jean de Conde, ed. Scheler, Brussels, 1866, 2. 355-70, 455 ff.). The former, however, has been influenced by the romance of Robert the Devil (cf . Varnhagen, Longfellmv's __ Tales of a Wayside Inn, Ber lin, 1884, pp. 43-7), from which the king's name, Robert, may come, together with certain traits of his life as fool ; Robert the Devil, like the king, reaches Rome on Maundy Thursday. The tale appears in numerous versions, European and Asiatic. One set of the European versions derives from the story of Tovinian in the Gesta Roma- nax um.^ Much earlier is the Jewish legend, which occurs in four versions (Jeru- salem and Babylonian Talmuds, Kabbala, etc.), one of which connects the story I comrade 2 no other I care to be s dissembling 4 ate i68 TALES with Jer. 9. 23, instead of with the Magnificat. On the Hebrew are founded an Arabic and a Turkish version, and the former, in turn, may have been influ- enced by the Hindoo belief in metempsychosis (see Vamhagen, op. cit., and his Ein Indisches Marchen auf seiner Wanderung, BerHn, 1882). Our text (lines 90-199, 383-416) is taken from Horstmann, Sammlung Altenglischer Legenden (Heilbronn, 1878). The -poem must be earlier than 1370, the approximate date of the Vernon manuscript. The first part of the poem may be summarized as follows : King Robert of Sicily was brother to Pope Urban and Emperor Valmond (not historical), and was proud to think that he had no equal. On Midsummer Night (June 24) he went to vespers, and heard a verse of the Magnificat — Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles — which he made a clerk translate to him, and then scoffed at it. In church he fell asleep, and when vespers were over was left there alone, his place with the court being taken by an angel who assumed his appearance. At length the king wakes, cries out for his men, and is roughly accosted by the sexton, who, finally, thinking him to be mad, opens the church-door. J>e kyng bigan to renne out faste ; As a man })at was wod At his paleys-jate he stod, And het fe porter gadelyng,* 5 And bad him come in hijyng,^ Anon f e gates up ^ to do. J>e porter seide : ' Ho ' clepef ^ so ? ' He answered rigt anon : ' pou schalt witen,' ar I gon : 10 JJi lord I am, fou schalt knowe ; In prison pou schalt ligge ' lowe, And ben honged and todrawe * As a traytur, bi pe lawe ; J^ou schalt wel wite I am kyng. I S Opene fe gates, gadelyng ! ' ]7e porter seide : ' So mot ° I ]>e,'° pe kyng is mid his meyne '^ ; Wel I wot, wifoute doute, J>e kyng nis nougt ^^ now wifoute.' 1 knave 2 haste 3 open ^ who 5 cajleth 6 know Mie 8 drawn ' may w thrive, prosper 11 court liinot KING ROBERT OF SICILY 169 JJe porter com into halle, Bifore Tpe newe kyng a ^ knes gan f alle, And seide : ' J^er is atte ^ gate A nyce ' fol, ycome late ; He seif he is lord and kyng, S And cleped me foule gadelyng. Lord, what wile ge fat I do — Lete him in, or lete him go ? ' }>e angel seide in haste : " Do him come in swil^e * f aste ; 10 For mi fol I wile him make, Forte ^ he pe name of kyng forsake.' JJe porter com to f e gate. And him called in — to late : He smot fe porter whan he com in, 15 JJat blod brast out of moup and chin. JJe porter jeld ^ him his travayle — Him smot ajen, wipouten fayle, pat nese and moup brast a ' blod. JJanne he ' semed almost wod. 20 pe porter and his men in haste Kyng Roberd in a podel ' caste, Unsemely made his bodi pan, JJat he nas lik non oper man. And broujt him bifore pe newe kyng, 25 And seide : " Lord, pis gadelyng Me hap smite wipoute desert ; He seip he is cure kyng apert " ; J>is harlot ^^ ougte for his sawe '^^ Ben yhonged and todrawe, 30 For he seip non oper word Bote pat he is hope kyng and lord.' 1 on S until 9 puddle 2 at the 6 requited lo clearly 3 silly ^ with 11 rascal * full 8 King Robert 12 saying iy6 TALES IS 25 30 1 afraid 2 expiate 8 wrongfully * avenge 5 tarry JJe angel seide to Kyng Roberd : ' ]7ou art a fol, fat art nou5t ferd ^ Mi men to do such vileynye ; J^i gult fou most nede abye.'' What art pou ? ' seide \ie. angel. Qua]) Roberd : ' ]7ou schalt wite wel : I am kyng, and kyng wil be ; WiJ) wronge ' fou hast mi dignite. JJe Pope of Rome is mi brofer, And |)e Emperour min of er ; J>ei wil me wreke,* forsof to telle, I wot fei nille noujt longe dwelle.^ ' ' JJou art mi fol,' seide fe angel ; ' f>ou schalt be schore " everichdel ' Lich a fol, a fol to be — Wher is now fi dignite ? JJi counseyler schal ben an ape. And o * clofyng jou " worf ^'' yschape ^^ I schal him clofen as fi brof er. Of o clofyng — hit nis non of er ; He schal be fin owne fere^' — Sum wit of him fou mijt lere. Houndes, howso hit falle,^' Schulen ete wif f e in halle ; JJou schalt eten on f e ground ; Jjin assayour ^* schal ben an hound, To assaye f i mete bifore f e — Wher is now f i dignite ? ' He het a barbur him bifore, JJat as a fol he schulde be schore Al around lich a frere,^^ An hondebrede bove eifer ere, 6 shorn 7 in every respect 8 one, the same 9 for you both JO shall be ■u made 12 partner isbefall " taster 16 friar KING ROBERT OF SICILY 1 71 And on his croune make a crois. He gan crie and make nois : He swor fei schulde alle abye ]?at him dude such vileynye, And ever he seide he was lord ; S And eche man scorned him for fat word, And eche man seide he was wod — J'at proved wel he coufe no good. For he wende in none wise pat God almijti coupe devise lo Him to bringe to lower stat ; Wip o draujt'' he was chekmat. Wip houndes everich nist he lay, And ofte he cried welaway ]?at he ever was ybore, iS For he was a man forlore. J>er nas in court grom ne page JJat of pe kyng ne made rage,^ For no man ne mijte him knowe : He was defigured in a prowe.' 20 So lowe er pat was never kyng ; Alias, her was a delf ul * ping — J'at him * scholde, for his pride, Such hap among his men bitide 1 Hunger and purst he hadde grete,^ 25 For he ne moste ' no mete ete. Bote houndes eten of his disch. The story continues thus : The new king gave Sicily an angelic govern- ment for more than three years — almost four, it would seem. At length — in April it was — he received a letter from Valmond, inviting him to Rome for Maundy Thursday. Thither the king went, and in his train the fool, the latter in a garment decorated with fox-tails, the angel in white samite set with pearls, and on a white steed. The deposed Robert appeals to his brothers in 1 move 4 doleful ^ might, was allowed 2 sport 5 MS. he 8 trice 6 great 172 TALES vain, and thereupon thinks of Nebuchadnezzar and Holofernes, and how their pride was brought low. With this he pours out his heart in prayer : ' Lord, on thy fool have thou pity ! ' At the end of five weeks the king returns to Sicily. JJe angel com to Cisyle, He and his men, in a while ; Whan he com into halle, pe fol he bad forf calle. 5 He seide : ' Fol, artow kyng ? ' ' Nay, sire,' quaf he, ' wifoute lesyng.'* ' What artow ? ' seide ]>e angel. ' Sire, a fol, pat wot I wel, And more pan fol, gif hit may be : 10 Kep " I non ofer dignite.' JJe angel into chaumbre went ; After J>e fol anon he sent ; He bad his men out of chaumbre gon ; JJer lefte ' no mo but he alon, IS And pe fol fat stod him hi. To him he seide : ' JJou hast merci. ]?enk pou were lowe pult,* And al was for pin owne gult : A fol pou were to hevene Kyng, 20 J'erfore pou art an underlyng. God hap forgive pi mysdede ; Ever herafter pou him drede 1 I am an angel of renoun, Sent to kepe pi regioun. 25 More joye me schal falle In hevene among mi feren " alle In an oure of a day JJan in erpe, I pe say. In an hundred pousend jer, 30 JJeij al pe world fer and ner 1 falsehood 3 remained 6 companions 2 hold « placed CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE 173 Were min at mi likyng. I am an angel, fou art kyng.' He went in twynklyng of an eje. No more of him per nas seje.^ X.'- CHAUCER, CLERK'S TALE: THE STORY OF GRISELDA See the general references on Chaucer at the close of the introductory note to Sir Thopas, p. 108. T Ther is at the west syde of Itaille, ^ 5 Doun at the rote of Vesulus ^ the colde, - A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille, Wher many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde, ' That founded were in tyme of fadres olde, / And many another delitable sighte ; / 1° And Saluces ' this noble contree highte. A markis whylom lord was of that londe, As were his worthy eldres him bifore ; And obeisant and redy to his honde Were alle his liges,* bothe lasse and more. 15 Thus in delyt he liveth, and hath don yore,' Biloved and drad, thurgh favour of fortune, Bothe of his lordes and of his commune.^ Therwith he was, to speke as of linage. The gentilleste yborn of Lumbardye, 20 A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age. And ful of honour and of curteisye ; Discreet ynogh his contree for to gye ' — Save in somme thinges that he was to blame — And Walter was this yonge lordes name. 25 Lines 22-105 ^"^^ here omitted. Walter's subjects urge him to marry, and he promises, conditionally, to do so. The next selection includes lines 106-19. 1 seen 4 vassals 7 guide, rule 2 Monte Viso 5 for a long time 8 Saluzzo, southwest of Turin 6 common people, commons 174 TALES ' Lat me alone in chesinge of my wyf , That charge upon my bak I wol endure ; But I yow preye, and charge upon your lyf, That what wyf that I take, ye me assure 5 To worshipe hir, whyl that hir lyf may dure, In word and werk, bothe here and everywhere, As she an emperoures doghter were. And forthermore, this shal ye swere, that ye Agayn ^ my choys shul neither grucche ^ ne stryve j 10 For sith I shal forgoon my libertee At your requeste, as ever moot I thryve, Ther as myn herte is set, ther wol I wyve ; And but ye wole assente in swich manere, I prey yow, speketh namore of this matere.' Lines 1 20-40 are here omitted. Walter names the wedding-day, and orders the wedding-feast. The next selection includes lines 141-343. I s Noght f er fro thilke paleys honurable, Ther as this markis shoop " his manage, Ther stood a throp,* of site delitable,' In which that povre folk of that village Hadden hir bestes and hir herbergage, " 20 And of hir labour took hir sustenance, After that th'erthe yaf hem habundance. Amonges thise povre folk ther dwelte a man Which that was holden povrest of hem alle (But hye God som tyme senden can 25 His grace into a litel oxes stalle) ; Janicula men of that throp him calle. A doghter hadde he, fair ynogh to sighte. And Grisildis this yonge mayden highte. 1 against 3 prepared for, planned 6 delightful 3 murmur, grumble ^ thorp, small village * lodging CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE 1 75 But for to speke of vertuous beautee, Than was she oon the faireste under sonne ; For povreliche yfostred up was she, No likerous ^ lust was thurgh hir herte yronne ; yc Wel ofter of the welle th a n of th e tonne ^ 5 She drank, and, for she wolde vertu plese, She knew wel labour, but non ydel ese. But thogh this mayde tendre were of age, Yet in the brest of hir virginitee Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage ^ ; 10 And in greet reverence and charitee Hir olde povre fader fostred she ; A fewe sheep, spinning, on feeld she kepte. She wolde noght been ydel til she slepte. And whan she hoomward cam, she wolde bringe 15 Wortes * or othere herbes, tymes ofte, The whiche she shredde and seeth " for hir livinge. And made hir bed ful harde, and nothing softe ; And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf onlofte ° With everich obeisaunce and diligence 20 That child may doon to fadres reverence. Upon Grisilde, this povre creature, Ful ofte sythe this markis sette his ye, As he on hunting rood paraventure ' ; And whan it fil that he mighte hir espye, 25 He noght with wantoun loking of folye A His yen caste on hir, but in sad w yse Upon hir chere ' he wolde him ofte avyse,' Commending in his herte hir wommanhede. And eek hir vertu, passing any wight ^ 30 Of so yong age, as wel in chere as dede. 1 wanton * herbs '! by chance 2 tun, cask s boiled 8 face, countenance 8 serious disposition ^ aloft (kept aloft = sustained) s take thought i;6 TALES For thogh the peple have no greet insight In vertu, he considered ful right Hir bountee, and disposed ^ that he wolde Wedde hir only, if ever he wedde sholde. 5 The day of wedding cam, but no wight can Telle what womman that it sholde be ; For which merveille wondred many a man,— And seyden, whan they were in privetee : ' Wol nat our lord yet leve his vanitee ? 10 Wol he nat wedde ? alias, alias the whyle ! Why wol he thus himself and us bigyle ? ' But natheles this markis hath don make '^ Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure, Broches and ringes, for Grisildis sake, 15 And of hir clothing took he the mesure By a mayde, lyk to hir [as of '] stature. And eek of othere ornamentes alle That unto swich a wedding sholde falle. The tyme of undern * of the same day 20 Approcheth, that this wedding sholde be ; And al the paleys put was in array, Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree ; Houses of office " stuffed with plentee, Ther maystow seen, of deynteyous ° vitaille,' 25 That may be founde as fer as last* Itaille. This royal markis, richely arrayed, Lordes and ladyes in his companye, The whiche unto the feste were yprayed, And of his retenue the bachelrye,' 30 With many a soun of sondry melodye, 1 planned ' about 9 a.m. ' food 2 had made ^ servants' offices 8 farthest (part of) 3 in respect to 6 dainty 9 company of young men CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE. 177 Unto the village, of the which I tolde, In this array the righte wey han holde. Grisilde of this, God woot, ful innocent That for hir shapen was al this array. To fecchen water at a welle is went, 5 And Cometh hoom as sone as ever she may ; For wel she hadde herd seyd that thilke day The markis sholde wedde, and, if she mighte, She wolde fayn han seyn som of that sighte. She thoghte : " I wol with othere maydens stonde lo That been my felawes, in our dore, and see The markisesse, and therfor wol I fonde ' To doon at hoom, as sone as it may be, The labour which that longeth unto me ; And than I may at leyser hir biholde, 1 5 If she this wey unto the castel holde.' And as she wolde over hir threshfold goon. The markis cam and gan hir for to calle ; And she set doun hir water-pot anoon Bisyde the threshfold, in an oxes stalle, 20 And doun upon hir knees she gan to falle, And with sad contenance kneleth stille, Til she had herd what was the lordes wille. This thoghtful markis spak unto this mayde Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere : 25 ' Wher is your fader, Grisildis ? ' he sayde. And she with reverence, in humble chere, Answerde : ' Lord, he is al redy here.' And in she gooth withouten lenger lette, And to the markis she hir fader fette. 3° 1 try, endeavor 178 TALES He by the hond than took this olde man, And seyde thus, whan he him hadde asyde : " Janicula, I neither may ne can Lenger the plesance of myn herte hyde ; 5 If that thou vouchesauf, whatso bityde. Thy doghter wol I take, er that I wende,'^ As for my wyf, unto hir lyves ende. Thou lovest me, I woot it wel, certeyn, And art my feithful lige man ybore ; 10 And al that lyketh^ me, I dar wel seyn It lyketh thee, and specially therfore Tel me that poynt that I have seyd bifore — If that thou wolt unto that purpos drawe To take me as for thy sone-in-lawe ? ' 1 5 This sodeyn cas " this man astoned so That reed he wex, abayst,* and al quaking He stood ; unnethes seyde he wordes mo, But only thus : ' Lord,' quod he, ' my willing Is as ye wole, ne ayeines your lyking 2o I wol nothing ; ye be my lord so dere ; Right as yow lust govemeth ° this matere.' ' Yet wol I,' quod this markis softely, ' That in thy chambre I and thou and she Have a coUacion,* and wostow why ? 25 For I wol axe if it hir wille be To be my wyf, and reule hir after me ; And al this shal be doon in thy presence — ■ I wol noght speke out of thyn audience.' And in the chambre whyl they were aboute 30 Hir tretis,' which as ye shal after here. The peple cam unto the hous withoute, 1 go ^ abashed, disconcerted 7 treaties, agreements 2 pleaseth 6 arrange (imp. plur.) 8 happening ^ conference CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE 1/9 And wondred hem in how honest ^ manere And tentifly ^ she kepte hir fader dere. But outerly ' Grisildis wondre mighte, For never erst ne saugh she swich a sighte. No wonder is thogh that she were astoned 5 To seen so greet a gest come in that place ; She never was to swiche gestes woned,* For which she loked with ful pale face. But shortly forth this tale for to chace, Thise am the wordes that the markis sayde lo To this benigne verray feithful mayde. ' Grisilde,' he seyde, ' ye shul wel understonde It lyketh to your fader and to me That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde, As I suppose ye wol that it so be. 1 5 But thise demandes axe I first,' quod he, ' That, sith it shal be doon in hastif wyse, Wol ye assente, or elles yow avyse ° ? I seye this, be ye redy with good herte To al my lust, and that I frely may, 20 As me best thinketh, do yow " laughe or smerte, And never ye to grucche it, night ne day ? And eek whan I sey " ye," ne ' sey nat " nay," Neither by word ne frowning contenance ; Swer this, and here I swere our alliance.' 25 Wondring upon this word, quaking for drede, She seyde : ' Lord, undigne " and unworthy Am I to thilke honour that ye me bede,' But as ye wol yourself, right so wol I ; And hear I swere that never willingly 30 1 creditable, decent * accustomed 7 So MS. read^ ye (?) 2 attentively, carefully 5 consider the matter (= refuse) 8 undeserving 8 utterly ^ cause you to 9 offer i8o TALES In werk ne thoght I nil yow disobeye, For to be ' deed, though me were looth to deye.' ' This is ynogh, Grisilde myn ! ' quod he. And forth he gooth with a ful sobre chere 5 Out at the dore, and after that cam she, And to the peple he seyde in this manere : ' This is my wyf,' quod he, ' that standeth here. Honoureth hir and loveth hir, I preye, Whoso me loveth ; ther is namore to seye.' lo And for that nothing of hir olde gere ^ She sholde bringe into his hous, he bad That wommen sholde dispoilen hir right there ; Of which thise ladyes were nat right glad To handle hir clothes wherin she was clad. 1 5 But natheles this mayde, bright of hewe, Fro foot to heed they clothed han al newe. Hir heres han they kembd, that lay untressed Ful rudely, and with hir " fingres smale A corone on hir heed they han ydressed,* 20 And sette hir ful of nowches ^ grete and smale : Of hir array what sholde I make a tale .'' Unnethe ° the peple hir knew for hir faimesse, Whan she translated was in swich richesse. This markis hath hir spoused with a ring 25 Broght for the same cause, and than hir sette Upon an hors, snow-whyt and wel ambling, And to his paleys, er he lenger lette,' With joyful peple that hir ladde and mette, Conveyed hir, and thus the day they spende 30 In revel, til the sonne gan descende. 1 even if I were to be * placed, arranged ' delayed 2 apparel fi jewels 8 their 6 scarcely, with difficulty CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE l8l And shortly forth this tale for to chace, I seye that to this newe markisesse God hath swich favour sent hir, of his grace, That it ne semed nat by lyklinesse That she was born and fed in rudenesse, S As in a cote or in an oxe-stalle. But norished in an emperoures halle. •'— Lines 344-441 are here omitted. A daughter is born to Griselda. Soon after, in order to try her patience, Walter tells her that his subjects grumble about her low birth, and announces that the child must be taken from her. The next selection embraces lines 442-518. Whan she had herd al this, she noght ameved,^ Neither in word, or chere, or countenaunce ; For, as it semed, she was nat agreved. 10 She seyde : ' Lord, al lyth in your plesaunce ; My child and I with hertly obeisaunce ^ Ben youres al, and ye mowe save or spille " Your owene thing ^ ; werketh after your wille. Thar may nothing — God so my soule save I — 15 Lyken to yow that may displese me ; Ne I desyre nothing for to have, Ne drede for to lese, save only ye ; This wil is in myn herte, and ay shal be. No lengthe of tyme or deeth may this deface, 20 Ne daaunge my corage" to another place.' • Glad was this markis of hir answering. But yet he feyned as he were nat so ; Al drery was his chere and his loking, Whan that he sholde out of the chambre go. 25 Sone after this, a furlong wey or two, He prively hath told al his entente Unto a man, and to his wyf him sente. 1 changed 8 destroy 5 mind, disposition 2 hearty obedience ^ possession l82 _ : TALES A maner ^ sergeant ^ was this privee man, The which that feithful ofte he founden hadde In thinges grate, and eek swich folk wel can* Don execucioun on thinges badde. S The lord knew wel that he him loved and dradde ; And whan this sergeant wiste his lordes wille. Into the chambre he stalked him ful stille. ' Madame,' he seyde, ' ye mote foryeve it me, Thogh I do thing to which I am constreyned ; 10 Ye ben so wys that ful wel knowe ye That lordes hestes mowe nat been yfeyned * ; They mowe wel ben biwailled or compleyned, But men mot nede unto her ^ lust obeye, And so wol I ; ther is namore to seye. 1 5 This child I am comanded for to take ' ; And spak namore, but out the child he hente ° Despitously, and gan a chere ' make As though he wolde han slayn it er he wente. Grisildis mot al suffren and consente ; 20 And as a lamb she sitteth meke and stille, And leet this cruel sergeant doon his wille. Suspecious was the diffame ' of this man. Suspect his face, suspect his word also ; Suspect the tyme in which he this bigan. 25 Alias ! hir doghter that she lovede so, She wende he wolde han slawen it right the. But natheless she neither weep ne syked,° Consenting hir to that the markis lyked. But atte laste speken she bigan, 30 And mekely she to the sergeant preyde, So as he was a worthy gentil man, 1 sort of ^ evaded 7 behavior % officer 5 their 8 i\\ report 8 know how to 8 seized 9 sighed CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE 183 That she moste ^ kisse hir child er that it deyde ; And in her barm " this litel child she leyde With ful sad face, and gan the child to kisse, And lulled it, and after gan it blisse.^ And thus she seyde in hir benigne voys : 5 ' Farweel, my child ; I shal thee never see ; But, sith I thee have marked with the croys. Of thilke Fader blessed mote thou be That for us deyde upon a croys of tree 1 Thy soule, litel child, I him bitake,* 10 For this night shaltow dyen for my sake.' I trowe that to a norice " in this cas It had ben hard this rewthe for to se ; Wei mighte a mooder than han cryed ' Alias 1 ' But nathelees so sad stedfast was she, 1 5 That she endured all adversitee, And to the sergeant mekely she sayde : ' Have heer aga3ni your litel yonge mayde. Goth now,' quod she, ' and dooth my lordes heste, But o thing wol I preye yow of your grace, 20 That, but ° my lord forbad yow, atte leste Burieth this litel body in som place. That bestes ne no briddes it torace.' ' But he no word wol to that purpos seye. But took the chUd, and wente upon his weye. 25 Lines 519-756 are here omitted. The child is taken in safety to Boulogne to Walter's sister, the countess. After four years a boy is born, and, to try Griselda's patience yet further, this child, too, is taken from her, and similarly disposed of. As a last test, Walter tells her that she herself must leave [him, and return to her father's cottage, for his people demand that he take a high- born wife. The next selection embraces lines 757-805. 1 might i commit ' tear to pieces 2 lap & nurse 8 bless 6 unless 1 84 TALES And she answerde agayn in pacience : ' My lord,' quod she, ' I woot, and wiste alway, How that bitwixen your magnificence And my poverte no wight [ne] can ne may S Maken comparison ; it is no nay. I heeld ^ me never digne in no manere To be your wyf, no, ne your chamberere.^ And in this hous, ther ye me lady made — The heighe God take I for my witnesse, 10 And also wisly he my soule glade " • — ■ I never heeld me lady ne maistresse, But humble servant to your worthinesse, And ever shal, whyl that my lyf may dure, Aboven every worldly creature. 15 That ye so longe of your benignitee Han holden me in honour and nobleye, Whereas I was noght worthy for to be. That thonke I God and yow, to whom I preye Foryelde * it yow ; there is namore to seye. 20 Unto my fader gladly wol I wende, And with him dwelle unto my lyves ende. Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal, Til I be deed, my lyf ther wol I lede, A widwe clene, in body, herte, and al. 25 For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede, And am your trewe wyf, it is no drede, God shilde ^ swich a lordes wyf to take Another man to housbonde or to make. And of your newe wyf, God of his grace 30 So graunte yow wele and prosperitee I For I wol gladly yelden hir my place, 1 MS. ne heeld 8 comfort o forbid 2 chambermaid 4 to requite CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE 185 In which that I was blisf ul wont to be ; For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,' quod she, ' That whylom weren al myn hertes reste, That I shal goon, I wol gon whan yow leste. But ther as ye me profre swich dowaire 5 As I first broghte, it is wel in my minde It were my wrecched clothes, nothing faire, The which to me were hard now for to finde. gode God 1 how gentil and how kinde Ye semed by your speche and your visage 1° The day that maked was our mariage ! But sooth is seyd, algate ^ I finde it trewe — For in effect it preved is on me — Love is noght old as whan that it is newe. But certes, lord, for noon adversitee, 1 5 To dyen in the cas,^ it shal nat be That ever in word or werk I shal repente That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.' Lines 806-994 are here omitted. Griselda returns to her father's home, with but a single garment, and Walter's prospective marriage is announced. Soon he summons Griselda to prepare his house for the bride's coming, and she meekly obeys. When the bride and her brother appear, Griselda praises the maiden's beauty, and begs Walter to deal with her gently and kindly. The next selection embraces lines 995-1071. " This is ynogh, Grisilde m)m,' quod he, " Be now namore agast ne yvel apayed ' ; 20 1 have thy feith and thy benignitee. As wel as ever womman was, assayed. In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed. Now knowe I, dere wyf, thy stedfastnesse ' — And hir in armes took, and gan hir kesse. 25 1 at any rate ^ though death were the result 8 jn pleased 1 86 TALES And she for wonder took of it no keep ^ ; She herde nat what thing he to hir seyde ; She ferde ^ as she had stert out of a sleep, Til she out of hir masednesse abreyde.'* 5 ' Grisilde,' quod he, ' by God that for us deyde, Thou art my wyf, ne noon other I have, Ne never hadde, as God my soule save ! This is thy doghter which thou hast supposed To be my wyf ; that other feithf uUy 10 Shal be myn heir, as I have ay purposed ; Thou bare him in thy body trewely. At Boloigne have I kept hem ^ prively ; Tak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye That thou hast lorn non of thy children tweye. 15 And folk that otherweyes^ han seyd of me, I warne hem wel that I have doon this dede For no malice ne for no crueltee, But for t' assaye in thee thy wommanhede. And nat to sleen my children — God forbede ! — 20 But for to kepe hem prively and stille, Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille.' Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth For pitous joye, and after hir swowninge She bothe hir yonge children unto hir calleth, 25 And in hir armes, pitously wepinge, Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissinge Ful lyk a mooder, with hir salte teres She batheth bothe hir '^ visage and hir heres. O, which a pitous thing it was to see 30 Hir swowning, and hir humble voys to here ! ' Graunt mercy,' lord I that thanke I yow,' quod she, 1 notice ^ them ' best thanks 2 behaved 5 otherwise 8 awoke 6 their CHAUCER, THE CLERK'S TALE 187 ' That ye han saved me my children dere ! Now rekke I never to ben deed right" here ; Sith I stonde in your love and in your grace, No f ors of ^ deeth, ne whan my spirit pace ! O tendre, o dere, o yonge children myne. Your woful mooder wende'' stedfastly That cruel houndes or som foul vermyne Hadde eten yow ; but God, of his mercy, And your benigne fader tendrely Hath doon yow kept " ' ; and in that same stqjinde ' Al sodeynly she swapte ^ adoun to grounde. And in her swough ^ so sadly holdeth she Hir children two, whan she gan hem t' embrace. That with greet sleighte ' and greet difficultee The children from hir arm they gonne arace.* O many a teer on many a pitous face Doun ran, of hem that stoden hir bisyde ; Unnethe" abouten hir mighte they abyde. Walter hir gladeth,^" and hir sorwe slaketh " ; She ryseth up, abaysed,^" from hir traunce. And every wight hir joye and feste maketh. Til she hath caught agayn hir contenaunce. Walter hir dooth so feithfuUy plesaunce That it was deyntee^' for to seen the chere Bitwixe hem two, now they ben met yfere." Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say,*' Han taken hir, and into chambre goon, And strepen hir out of hir rude array ; IS 25 1 no matter for 6 swoon 3 believed 7 dexterity 8 caased you to be saved 8 tear away * moment 9 scarcely 6 fell IK cheers 11 assuages 12 amazed 18 delightful 1^ together 15 saw 1 88 TALES And in a cloth of gold that brighte shoon, With a coroune of many a riche stoon Upon hir heed, they into halle hir broghte, And ther she was honoured as hir oghte. Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende, For every man and womman dooth his might This day in murthe and revel to dispende, Til on the welkne ^ shoon the sterres light. For more solempne in every mannes sight . This feste was, and gretter of costage,'^ Than was the revel of hir mariage. THE FOX AND THE WOLF The Fox and the Wolf is found in the same manuscript as Dame Sirith, and may therefore be assigned to the same date. It is a humorous beast-tale, a species of which this is the only English representative before the time of Chaucer. A version is to be found in Harris' Uncle Remus Stories, under the title, ' Old Mr. Rabbit, he 's a Good Fisherman.' For the bibliography of the subject, see McKnight, Middle English Humorous Tales in Verse (D. C. Heath & Co., 1913). Of the Roman de Renard, to which our poem is related, Jusserand says (I. 152) : ' Superb manuscripts were illustrated for the libraries of the nobles; the incidents of this epic were represented in tapestry, sculptured on church stalls, painted on the margins of English missals. At the Renaissance, Caxton, with his Westminster presses, printed a Renard in prose.' The dialect is Southern — vox for /ox, etc. ; and v is sometimes represented by w. The misplacement of A, now a mark of Cockney speech, is frequent. A vox gon out of ])e wode go, Afingret ° so fat him wes wo ; He nes nevere in none wise Afingret erour * half so swif e.* He ne hoeld ° noufer wey ne strete, 1 welkin, heaven ' ahungered 6 much 2 expense * before 6 held, kept to THE FOX AND THE WOLF 189 For him wes lo); men to mete ; Him were levere meten one hen p>en half an oundred ' wimmen. He strok ^ swif e ' overal,'' » So fat ° he of sei ' ane wal ; S Wifinne fe walle wes on' hous. The wox wes f ider " swipe wous,' For he pouhte ^^ his hounger aquenche,'' Oper mid mete, oper mid drenche.'^ Abouten he biheld wel jerne ^' ; 10 JJo eroust ^* bigon pe vox to erne ■'* Al fort ^* he come to one walle ; And som perof wes afalle, And wes pe wal overal tobroke," And on jat " per wes iloke." 15 At pe furmeste ^'' bruche ^^ pat he fond, He lep in, and over he wond.^^ ]>o he wes inne, smere ^ he lou,^* And perof he hadde gome ^ inou ; For he com in wipouten leve 20 Bopen of haiward ^^ and of reve." On hous per wes — pe dore wes ope — Hennen weren perinne icrope ^' — Five, pat makep anne flok — And mid hem sat on kok. 25 Ipe kok him wes flowen on hey, And two hennen him seten ney. ' Wox,' quod pe kok, ' wat dest pou pare ? i a hundred u to appease 21 breach, opening '■^ went, passed (OE. sirican) 12 MS. drunche 22 went, wriggled (OE. windan) 8 soon 18 eagerly 28 scornfully 4 everywhere 14 then first 24 laughed 5 until IS run 25 sport 6 observed 16 until 26 hedge-ward (one who pro- ' a 1' broken to pieces tected the crops within en- 8 (to go) thither 18 gate closed fields) 9 ready {O'E.fus) 19 locked 27 reeve (farm-overseer) l« thought; MS. tohute 20 first 'i^ crept (OK. creof an) 19° TALES Go horn, Crist J?e jeve kare I Houre ^ hennen fou dest ofte shome." ' " Be stiUe, Ich bote,' a Godes nome I ' Quap f e wou fle adoun, and com me ner. I nabbe * don her nout bote goed, I have leten fine hennen blod ; Hy weren seke ounder fe ribe, pat hy ne mijtte non lengour libe * 10 Bote " here heddre ' were itake * ; "pat I do for almes sake. Ich have hem letten eddre ' blod, And ])e, Chauntecler, hit wolde don goed. J>ou havest fat ilke ounder fe splen," 15 JJou nestes ^° nevere daies ten ; For fine lif-dayes bef al ago. Bote fou bi mine rede ^^ do ; I do fe lete blod ounder f e brest, Ofer sone axe after fe prest.' 20 ' Go wei,' quod f e kok, ' wo f e bigo ^^ ! JJou havest don oure kunne '' wo. ' Go mid " fan fat fou havest noufe *^ ; Acoursed be fou of Godes mouf e 1 For were I adoun, bi Godes nome, 25 Ich mijte ben siker of ofre shome. Ac weste ■'^ hit houre cellerer " JJat fou were icomen her. He wolde sone after f e jonge. Mid pikes, and stones, and staves stronge ; 30 AUe fine bones he wolde tobreke ; JJene we weren wel awreke.'" ' 1 our J" vein (OE. Sdre) 18 kind, race 2 shame, dishonor 8 opened (?) w with 8 bid 9 spleen 15 now 4 have not If dost build a nest 16 if (our cellarer) knew 6 live 11 counsel 1^ cellarer 6 unless 12 take possession of 18 avenged THE FOX AND THE WOLF 191 He ' wes stille, ne spak namore, Ac he werf ^ af urst wel sore ; J>e furst him dede more wo JJen hevede raper ' his hounger do. Overal he ede * and souhte ; * On aventure his witt * him brouhte ' To one putte ' — wes water inne — JJat wes imaked mid grete ginne." Tuo boketes per he founde : pat oper ^^ wende to ]>e gi-ounde, ]7at wen ^^ me shulde )>at on opwinde, pat oper wolde adoun winde. He ne hounderstod nout of fe ginne ; He nom ^^ pat boket, and lep perinne, For he hopede inou to drinke. J>is boket beginnep to sinke ; To late pe vox wes bipout,^' po he wes in pe ginne ibrout. Inou he gon him bipenche, Ac hit ne halp mid none wrenche ^^ ; Adoun he moste, he wes perinne ; Ikaut he wes mid swikele ^^ ginne. Hit mijte han iben wel his wille To lete pat boket hongi stille. Wat " mid serewe " and mid drede Al his purst him overhede.^' Al pus he com to pe grounde, And water inou per he founde. f>o he fond water, jerne he dronk ; Him poute pat water pere stonk, For hit wes tojeines his wille. 15 25 30 1 the fox 2 became 8 earlier, before ' went (OE. eade) 6 MS. sohute 6 MS. wiit 7 MS. brohute 8 pit, well 9 clever contrivance 10 second 11 when 12 took 18 had bethought himself 14 trick 15 deceiving 16 what 1^ sorrow 18 passed away (OE. o/ereode) 192 TALES ' Wo worfe,' qua)> fe vox, " lust and wille, JJat ne can ■^ mef " to his mete ! ^ef ich nevede to muchel i-ete, ]7is ilke shome nedd ' I nouf e, 5 Nedde lust iben of mine moufe. Him is wo in euche londe, JJat is fef mid his honde. Ich am ikaut mid swikele ginne, Oyer souih devel me broute herinne. 10 I was woned* to ben wiis, Ac nou of me idon hit hiis.^ ' ]7e vox wep, and reuliche ' bigan. Iper com a wolf gon after fan Out of fe depe wode blive/ 1 5 For he wes afingret swif e. Nofing he ne founde in al fe nijte, Wermide * his honger aquenche mijtte. He com to f e putte, fene vox iherde ; He him kneu wel bi his rerde,' 20 For hit wes his neijebore, And his gossip, of ^° children bore. Adoun bi fe putte he sat. Quod fe wolf : ' Wat may ben fat JJat Ich in fe putte ihere ? 25 Hertou " Cristine, oper mi fere *" ? Say me sof , ne gabbe ^" f ou me nout, Wo " havej) f e in fe putte ibrout ? ' J>e vox hine ikneu wel for his kxm. And ]>o eroust kom wiit to him ; 30 For he foute mid soumme ginne Himself houpbringe,''^ fene wolf ferinne. 1 knows " sadly 11 art thou 2 moderation ' quickly 12 companion 3 should not have had 8 wherewith 18 jest, lie 4 accustomed, wont ^ speech 14 who 6 is (and now it is all up with me) l** from the time they were 15 to bring up THE FOX AND THE WOLF 193 Quod fe vox : ' Wo is nou fere ? Ich wene hit is Sigrim fat Ich here.' ' f>at is so]),' fe wolf sede ; ' Ac wat art fou, so God fe rede ? ' ' A ! ' quod fe vox, ' Ich wille fe telle ; S On alpi ^ word Ich lie nelle.^ Ich am Reneuard, ]>i frend. And gif Ich pine come ' hevede iwend,* Ich hedde so ibede * for fe, JJat pou sholdest comen to me.' 10 ' Mid pe ? ' quod pe wolf. ' War to ? Wat shulde Ich ine fe putte do ? ' Quod fe vox : ' JJou art ounwiis, Her is ])e blisse of paradiis ; Her Ich mai evere wel fare, 15 Wif outen pine,° wipouten kare ; Her is mete, her is drinke. Her is blisse wipouten swinke ' ; Her nis hounger never mo, Ne non oper kunnes ' wo ; 20 Of alle gode her is inou.' Mid pilke wordes pe wolf ° lou. 'Art pou ded, so God pe rede, Oper of pe worlde ? ' pe wolf sede. Quod pe wolf : ' Wenne storve ^^ pou, 25 And wat dest pou pere nou ? Ne bep nout jet pre dales ago, ]7at pou and pi wif also, And pine children, smale and grete, Alle togedere mid me hete.^^ ' 30 ' J>at is sop,' quod pe vox, ' Gode ponk, nou hit is pus, JJat Ihc am to Criste vend '^ ; 1 single (OE. anttfig) 5 prayed 9 MS. volf ^ will not 6 pain, trouble 10 diedst s coming 1 labor Hate 4 thought of 8 of no other kind 12 = wend 194 TALES IS 3° 1 knows not 2 why (what) 8 where ^ filth, foulness 5 many kinds Not ' hit non of mine frend. I nolde, for al fe worldes goed, Ben ine fe worlde, per Ich hem fond ; Wat " shuld Ich ine fe worlde go, JJer ^ nis bote kare and wo, And livie in fulpe * and in sunne ? Ac her hep joies fele cunne ° ; Her bej) bofe shep and get.* ' JJe wolf havep hounger swipe gret, For he nedde jare ' i-ete ; And po he herde speken of mete, He wolde blepeliche ' ben pare. " A ! ' quod pe wolf, ' gode ifere,^ Moni goed mel pou havest me binome ^° ; Let me adoun to pe kome. And al Ich wole pe forjeve.' ' ^e,' quod pe vox, ' were pou isrive,'^ And sunnen hevedest al forsake, And to klene lif itake, Ich wolde so bidde for pe ]7at pou sholdest comen to me.' " To wom shuld Ich,' pe wolfe seide, Ben iknowe of ^^ mine misdede .-' Her nis noping alive JJat me koupe her nou srive. JJou havest ben ofte min ifere, Woltou nou mi srift ■'* ihere, And al mi liif I shal pe telle ? ' ' Nay,' quod pe vox, ' I nelle.' ' Neltou " 1 ' quod pe wolf ; ' pin ore " 1 Ich am afingret swipe sore ; Ich wot to-nigt ich worpe ded 6 goats 7 for a long time 8 gladly 9 friend, companion {0'E,,gefera) 1*1 taken away from 11 shriven 12 confess 18 shrift, confession 14 wilt thou not 15 (grant) thy grace, favor (OE. ar) THE FOX AND THE WOLF 195 Bote fou do me somne reed. For Cristas love, be mi prest' f>e wolf bey ^ adoun his brest, And gon to siken " harde and stronge. ' Woltou,' quod J)e vox, ' srift ounderfonge,' s Tel ))ine sunnen on and on,* J>at fer bileve " never on.' ' Sone,' quod fe wolf, ' wel ifaie ° ; Ich habbe ben qued ' al mi lifdaie ; Ich habbe widewene ' kors,' 10 JJerfore ich fare ]>e wors. A fousent shep ich habbe abiten, And mo, jef hy weren iwriten, Ac hit me offinkef ^° sore. Maister, shal I tellen more ? ' 15 ' ^e,' quod fe vox, " al fou most sugge,^' Oper elleswer Jjou most abugge.'^ ' ' Gossip,' quod ]>e wolf, ' forjef hit me, Ich habbe ofte sehid qued bi '* fe. Men seide fat fou on fine live 20 Misferdest ^* mid mine wive ; Ich fe aperseivede one stounde, And in bedde togedere ou ^° founde ; Ich wes ofte ou ful ney. And in bedde togedere ou sey.^° 25 Ich wende, also ofre dof, JJat " Ich iseie were sof, And ferfore fou were me lof ; Gode gossip, ne be fou nouht ^' wrof .' " Wolf,' quod fe vox him fo, 30 " Al fat f ou havest her bif ore ido, 1 bowed J- evil 13 said evil of 2 groan 8 of widows 1^ went astray, sinned 8 receive 9 curse 15 you * one by one 10 repents (it repents me = : I repent) i« saw ; MS. ley * remain "say 1' what 6 gladly, fain ; MS. I fare 12 make atonement IS MS. nohut 196 TALES In f ouht,^ in speche, and in dede, In euche of CTes kunnes ^ quede, Ich fe forseve at fisse nede.' ' Crist fie forselde ! ' fe wolf seide. 5 ' Nou Ich am in dene live, Ne recche Ich of childe ne of wive. Ac sei me wat I shal do, And ou° Ich may comen fe to.' ' Do ? ' quod fe vox. " Ich wille pe lere.^ 10 Isiist pou a boket hongi fere ? f'ere is a bruche of hevene blisse.^ Lep ferinne, mid iwisse. And ])ou shalt comen to me sone.' Quod the wolf, ' JJat is lijt to done.' 1 5 He lep in, and way * sumdel ' — JJat weste ' f e vox ful wel. J>e wolf gon sinke, pe vox arise ; 'po gon fe wolf sore agrise.^ po he com amidde fe putte, 20 JJe wolfe f ene vox opward '" mette. ' Gossip,' quod fe wolf, ' wat nou ? Wat havest fou imunt " ? weder wolt fou ? ' ' Weder Ich wille ? ' fe vox sede. ' Ich wille oup, so God me rede I 25 And nou go doun wif fi meeV^ ]7i bijete '* worf> wel smal ; Ac Ich am ferof glad and blife, J>at fou art nomen " in clene live. JJi soule-cnul ^^ Ich wille do ringe, 30 And masse for fine soule singe.' ]7e wrecche binefe nofing ne vind Bote cold water, and hounger him bind ; 1 MS. Jjohut 6 weighed n meant, intended 2 of every other kind 7 somewhat ^ toward thy meal 8 how 8 knew is getting, spoil * teach 9 to be alarmed 14 taken 6 opening into (chance at) heaven's joy i** on his way up ^ soul-knell THE FOX AND THE WOLF 197 To colde gistninge ^ he wes ibede '' ; Vroggen ' have]) his dou iknede.* J>e wolf in fe putte stod, Afingret so fat he ves wod.° Inou he cursede fat fider him broute ; s pe vox ferof luitel route.* JJe put him wes fe house ney, JJer freren woneden swife sley.' JJo fat hit com to f e time JJat hoe shulden arisen ine, 10 For to suggen here houssong,' O frere fere wes among, Of here slep hem shulde awecche, Wen hoe ° shulden f idere recche." Heseide: 'Arisef on and on, 15 And komef to houssong hevereuch on.' JJis ilke frere heyte '^ Ailmer ; He wes hoere maister curtiler.^" He wes hof f urst swif e stronge ; Rigt amidward here houssonge, 20 Alhone ^' to f e putte he hede," For he wende bete ^^ his nede. He com to f e putte, and drou. And f e wolf wes hevi inou. JJe frere mid al his maine ^* tey " 25 So longe fat ^' he f ene wolf isey I For he sei fene wolf f er sitte, He gradde ^' : 'pe devel is in f e putte 1 ' To f e putte hy gounnen gon, AUe mid pikes, and staves, and ston, 30 Euch mon mid fat he hedde ; 1 feast 8 matins (OE. uhtsong) 15 remedy, satisfy 2 invited 9 they 16 strength (OE. nuBgm ; cf. s frogs ; MS. wroggen 10 go modem " might and main ') ^ dough kneaded 11 was named " pulled, tugged 5 mad, crazed 12 gardener 18 until 6 recked la alone IS cried out ' shrewd "went igS TALES Wo wes him fat wepne nedde.' Hy comen to fe putte, fene wolf opdrowe ^ ; f)o hede fe wreche fomen inowe, JJat weren egre him to slete " Mid grete houndes, and to bete. Wei and wrof a he wes iswonge * ; Mid staves and speres he wes istounge.* JJe wox bicharde ^ him, mid iwisse, For he ne fond nones kunnes blisse, Ne hof ' duntes ° f orjevenesse. CHAUCER, NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE: THE COCK AND THE FOX See the general references on Chaucer at the close of the introductory note to Sir Thofas, p. io8. A povre widwe, somdel stape ° in age. Was whylom •"' dwelling in a narwe cotage, Bisyde a grove, stonding in a dale. This widwe, of which I telle yow my tale, IS Sin thilke day that she was last a wyf. In pacience ladde a ful simple lyf, For litel was hir catel ^^ and hir rente ^"^ ; By housbondrye ^" of such as God hir sente. She found " hirself , and eek hir doghtren two. 20 Three large sowes hadde she, and na mo," Three kyn,^" and eek a sheep that highte Malle. Ful sooty was hir hour," and eek hir halle. In which she eet ful many a sclendre meel. Of poynaunt sauce hir neded ^* never a deel *' ; 1 had not 2 drew up 8 tear 4 beaten 5 pierced 6 deceived 7 of 8 blows 9 advanced 1" once on a time 11 property 12 income IS economy w supported 15 no more 1« cows 17 inner room, bedchamber 18 was necessary for her 19 not a bit CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 199 No deyntee morsel passed thurgh hir throte ; Hir dyete was accordant ^ to hir cote '■' — Replecciqun ne made hir never syk ; Attempree ^ dyete was al hir phisyk, And exercyse, and hertes suffisaunce.* S The goute lette ^ hir nothing * for to daunce, N' apoplexye shente ' nat hir heed ; No wyn ne drank she, neither whyt ne reed ; Hir bord ' was served most with whyt and blak. Milk and broun breed, in which she fond no lak, 10 Seynd ^ bacoun, and somtyme an ey ^° or tweye, For she was as it were a maner ^' deye.^^ A yerd she hadde, enclosed al aboute With stikkes, and a drye dich withoute. In which she hadde a cok, hight^* Chauntecleer. 15 In al the land of crowing nas " his peer ; His vois was merier than the mery orgon On messe-dayes that in the chirche gon ; Wei sikerer ^^ was his crowing in his logge '* Than is a clokke, or an abbey -orlogge.^' 20 By nature knew he ech ascencioun Of equinoxial ^' in thilke toun ; For whan degrees iiftene were ascended,^' Thanne crew he, that it mighte nat ben amended. His comb was redder than the fyn coral, 25 And batailed,^" as it were a castel-wal ; His bile ^^ was blak, and as the jeet ^^ it shoon ; Lyk asur were his legges and his toon ^^ ; 1 in consonance with 8 table 16 lodge 2 gown 9 singed, broiled i? clock 8 moderate, temperate 10 egg 18 the equinoctial circle ^ a contented heart (heart's n kind of 19 when one hour was past satisfaction) i^ dairywoman 20 indented like a battlement *> prevented 13 called 21 bill 6 not at all l* there was not 22 jet ' injured 1^ more trustworthy 23 toes 17. orgen : used here, as customarily at that time, in the plural. 200 TALES His nayles whytter than the lilie-flour, And lyk the burned ^ gold was his colour. This gentil cok hadde in his governaunce Sevene hennes, for to doon al his plesaunce, S Whiche were his sustres and his paramours, And wonder lyk to him, as of ^ colours ; Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte Was cleped faire Damoysele Pertelote. Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire," 10 And compaignable,* and bar hirself so faire, Sin thilke day that she was seven night old, That trewely she hath the herte in hold ^ Of Chauntecleer, loken in every lith ° ; He loved hir so, that wel was him therwith. 15 But such a joye was it to here hem singe. Whan that the brighte sonne gan to springe. In swete accord, ' My lief is faren in londe.' For thilke tyme, as I have understonde, Bestes and briddes coude speke and singe. 20 And so bifel that, in a daweninge,' As Chauntecleer among his wyves alle Sat on his perche, that was in the halle. And next him sat this faire Pertelote, This Chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte, 25 As man that in his dreem is drecched ' sore. And whan that Pertelote thus herde him rore She was agast, and seyde : ' O herte dere. What eyleth yow, to grone in this manere ? Ye been a verray sleper, fy 1 for shame ! ' 30 And he answerde and seyde thus : ' Madame, I pray yow that ye take it nat agrief ' ; 1 burnished * companionable ^ dawn 2 as regards 6 in her possession ^ troubled 8 well-mannered ^ locked in every limb ^ amiss 17. My . . . londe : this is the first line of an old song, printed by Skeat in the Athenceum for October 24, 1896. CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 201 By God, me mette ^ I was in swich raeschief Right now, that yet myn herte is sore afright. Now God,' quod he, ' my swevene ''■ recche ' aright, And keep my body out of foul prisoun I Me mette how that I romed up and doun S Withinne our yerde, wheras ^ I saugh a beste, Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areste * Upon my body, and wolde han had me deed. His, colour was bitwixe yelwe and reed ; And tipped was his tail, and bothe his eres, 10 With blak, unlyk the remenant of his heres , His snowte smal, with glowinge eyen tweye. Yet of his look for fere almost I deye ; This caused me my groning, doutelees.' ' Avoy ° ! ' quod she, " fy on yow, hertelees ! 15 Alias ! ' quod she, ' for, by that God above. Now han ye lost myn herte and al my love ; I can nat love a coward, by my feith ! For certes, what so any womman seith, We alle desyren, if it mighte be, 20 To han housbondes hardy, wyse, and free,'' And secree,' and no nigard, ne no fool, Ne him that is agast of every tool,' Ne noon avauntour," by that God above ! How dorste ye seyn for shame — unto your love — 25 That any thing mighte make yow aferd ? Have ye no mannes herte, and han a herd ? Alias I and conne ye been agast of swevenis ? Nothing, God wot, but vanitee in sweven is : Swevenes engendren of ^' replecciouns,^" 30 And ofte of fume,'^ and of complecciouns," 1 I dreamed 8 fie (OF. avoi) 12 surfeits 2 dream ^ generous 18 noxious vapor rising from 8 bring to a good issue (lit, 8 trustworthy stomach to brain interpret) 9 instrument, weapon 1^ the combination of the * where 1° boaster four humors of the body ' arrest 1^ are produced by in certain proportions 202 TALES Whan humours been to habundant in a wight. Certes this dreem, which ye han met ^ to-night, Cometh of the grete superfluitee Of youre rede colera^ pardee, 5 Which causeth folk to dreden in here dremes Of arwes,^ and of fyr with rede lemes,* Of grete bestes, that they wol hem byte, Of contek,^ and of whelpes ^ grete and lyte ' ; Right as the humour of malencolye 10 Causeth ful many a man, in sleep, to crye. For fere of blake beres, or boles ' blake. Or elles blake develes wole hem take. Of othere humours coude I telle also, That werken many a man in sleep ful wo ; 15 But I wol passe as lightly as I can. Lo Catoun," which that was so wys a man, Seyde he nat thus, Ne do no fors of ^^ dremes ? Now, sire,' quod she, ' whan we flee fro the hemes. For Goddes love, as tak " som laxatyf ; 20 Up '^ peril of my soule and of my lyf , I counseille yow the beste — I wol nat lye — That bothe of colere and of malencolye Ye purge yow ; and, for ^° ye shul nat tarie, Though in this toun is noon apotecarie, 25 I shal myself to herbes techen ^* yow. That shul ben for your hele ^^ and for your prow ^^ ; And in our yerd tho herbes shal I finde. The whiche han of hir propretee, by kinde," To purgen yow binethe, and eek above. 30 Forget not this, for Goddes owene love ! Ye been ful colerik of compleccioun ; 1 dreamed 7 small 12 on 2 one of the four so-called humors 8 bulls 18 in order that 3 arrows 9 Dionysii Catonis Disticha 14 direct 4 flames de Moribiis ad Filium 15 healing 5 strife, contest 1" pay no heed to 16 profit 6 dogs 11 pray take 17 nature CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 203 Ware ' the sonne in his ascencioun Ne fynde yow nat repleet of humours hote ; And if it do, I dar wel leye a grote,^ That ye shul have a fevere terciane " Or an agu, that may be youre bane. 5 A day or two ye shul have digestyves Of wormes, er ye take your laxatyves, Of lauriol,* centaure,^ and fumetere,' Or elles of ellebor ' that groweth there. Of catapuce ^ or of gaytres beryis,' 10 Of erbe yve," growing in our yerd, ther mery is ; Pekke hem up right as they growe, and ete hem in. Be mery, housbond, for your fader ^' kin ! Dredeth no dreem ; I can say yow namore.' " Madame,' quod he, ' graunt mercy ^^ of your lore 1 15 But nathelees, as touching daun '* Catoun, That hath of wisdom such a greet renoun. Though that he bad no dremes for to drede, By God, men may in olde bokes rede Of many a man, more of auctoritee 20 Than ever Catoun was, so mote I thee,^* That al the revers '° seyn of his sentence,^' And han wel founden by experience That dremes ben significaciouns As wel of joye as tribulaciouns 25 That folk enduren in this lyf present. Ther nedeth make of this noon argument ; The verray preve " sheweth it in dede. Oon of the gretteste auctours '^ that men rede Seith thus, that whylom two felawes wente 30 On pilgrimage, in a ful good entente ; 1 beware lest 8 lesser spurge (caper spurge) ^ lord, sir (Lat. domimis) 2 groat 9 dogwood berries (some- " so may I prosper » tertian times those of other i^ opposite * spurge-laurel similar shrubs) 16 opinion 5 centaury 10 herb ivy (ground pine ?) 1^ proof 6 fumitory n father's 18 Cicero, in his De Divina- ' hellebore 1* great thanks (gramercy) tione 204 TALES And happed so, thay come into a toun Wheras ther was swich congregacioun ^ Of peple, and ^ eek so strait ' of herbergage,* That they ne founde as muche as o * cotage 5 In which they bothe mighte ylogged * be. Wherfor thay mosten, of necessitee, As for that night, departen ' compaignye ; And ech of hem goth to his hostelrye. And took his logging as it wolde falle.' 10 That oon of hem was logged in a stalle, Fer in a yard, with oxen of the plough ; That other man was logged wel ynough, As was his aventure,' or his fortune. That us governeth alle as in commune.'" 15 And so bifel that, longe er it were day. This man mette in his bed, ther as'' he lay, How that his felawe gan upon him calle. And seyde : " Alias ! for in an oxes stalle This night I shal be mordred ther I lye. 20 Now help me, dere brother, er I dye ; In alle haste com to me," he sayde. This man out of his sleep for fere abrayda '^ ; But whan that he was wakned of his sleep, He turned him, and took of this no keep '* ; 25 Him thoughte ■" his dreem nas but a vanitee.'^ Thus twyes in his sleping dremed he ; And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe Cam, as him thoughte, and seide : " I am now slawe '° ; Bihold my blody woundes, depe and wyde ! 30 Arys up erly in the morwe-tyde," And at the west gate of the toun," quod he, 1 concourse, gathering ? part '8 notice, heed 2 supply which was 8 happen ^^ it seemed to him that 8 scanty 9 chance ^'° delusion 4 lodgings 10 general 16 slain " one 11 where 1^ morning 6 lodged 15 started up CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 205 '" A carte ful of dong ^ ther shallow see, In which my body is hid ful prively ; Do '' thilke carte aresten ' boldely. My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn ; " And tolde him every poynt how he was slayn, 5 With a ful pitous face, pale of hewe. And truste wel, his dreem he fond ful trewe ; For on the morwe, as sone as it was day, To his felawes in * he took the way ; And whan that he cam to this oxes stalle, 10 After his felawe he bigan to calle. The hostiler ° answerde him anon. And seyde : " Sire, your felawe is agon ; As sone as day he wente out of the toun." This man gan fallen in suspecioun, ij Remembring on his dremes that he mette. And forth he goth, no lenger wolde he lette,° Unto the west gate of the toun, and fond A dong-carte, as it were to donge ' lond. That was anrayed in the same wyse 20 As ye han herd the dede man devyse ' ; And with an hardy herte he gan to crye Vengeaunce and justice of ' this felonye : " My felawe mordred is this same night, And in this carte he lyth^" gapinge upright^^ 25 I crye out on the ministres," quod he, " That sholden kepe ^^ and reulen ^' this citee ; Harrow " ! alias ! her lyth my felawe slayn ! " What sholde I more unto this tale sayn ? The peple outsterte,^^ and caste the cart to grounde, 30 And in the middel of the dong they founde 1 dung 6 delay 11 on his back 2 cause '! cover with manure ^ watch over 3 to be stopped 8 relate i^rule 4 inn 9 for " a cry of distress 6 innkeeper 10 lieth 15 started out 2o6 TALES The dede man, that mordred was al newe.* O blisful God, that art so just and trewe ! Lo, how that thou biwreyest ^ mordre alway I Mordre wol out — that see we day by day. S Mordre is so wlatsom' and abhominable To God, that is so just and resonable. That he ne wol nat suff re it heled * be ; Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or three, Mordre wol out — this 's my conclusioun. lo And right anoon, ministres of that toun Han hent ^ the carter, and so sore him pyned,' And eek the hostiler so sore engyned,' That thay biknewe ' hir wikkednesse anoon. And were anhanged by the nekke-boon. 15 Here may men seen that dremes been to drede. And certes, in the same book I rede, Right in the nexte chapitre after this — I gabbe " nat, so have I joye or blis — Two men that wolde han passed over see, 20 For certeyn cause, into a fer contree, If that the wind ne hadde been contrarie, That made hem in a citee for to tarie, That stood ful mery upon an haven-syde. But on a day, agayn " the eventyde, 25 The wind gan chaunge, and blew right as hem leste.^^ Jolif ^^ and glad they wente unto hir reste. And casten ^* hem ful erly for to saille ; But to that 00 " man fil ^' a greet mervaille. That oon of hem, in sleping as he lay, 30 Him mette a wonder dreem, agayn ^'' the day : Him thoughte ^° a man stood by his beddes syde, 1 recently 6 tortured 12 in good spirits 2 dost hiafce manifest, bring to 'racked w proposed light 8 confessed 14 one 8 heinous 9 lie 15 befell 4 concealed ^^ towards 16 it seemed to him 6 seized n was agreeable to them CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 207 And him comaunded that he sholde abyde, And seyde him thus : " If thou to-morwe wende, Thou shalt be dreynt ^ ; my tale is at an ende." He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette, And preyde him his viage "^ for to lette ' ; s As for that day, he preyde him to abyde. His felawe, that lay by his beddes syde, Gan for to laughe, and scorned him ful faste. " No dreem," quod he, " may so myn herte agaste, That I wol lette for to do my thinges.* 10 I sette not a straw by thy dreminges, For swevenes been but vanitees and japes ^ : Men dreme alday ^ of owles or of apes, And eke of many a mase ' therwithal ; Men dreme of thing that never was ne shal.' 1 5 But sith I see that thou wolt heer abyde. And thus forsleuthen " wilfully thy tyde,^" God wot it reweth me ^^ ; and have good day." And thus he took his leve, and wente his way. But er that he hadde halfe his cours yseyled, 20 Noot I ^^ nat why, ne what mischaunce it eyled,^^ But casuelly " the shippes botme ^' rente,'^ And ship and man under the water wente, In sighte of othere shippes it byside. That with hem seyled at the same tyde. 25 And therfor, faire Pertelote so dere. By swiche ensamples olde maistow lere,^' That no man sholde been to recchelees ^' Of dremes, for I sey thee, doutelees. That many a dreem ful sore is for to drede. 30 Lo, in the lyf of Seint Kenelm I rede — ^ drowned 2 journey 8 abandon, give up 4 business affairs 6 jests, tricks 6 continually " bewildering situation 8 shall be 9 waste in sloth 10 time 11 1 am sorry 12 I know not IS (there) ailed 14 by accident 15 bottom 16 split 1^ mayst thou learn 18 heedless 2o8 TALES That was Kenulphus ^ sone, the noble king Of Mercenrike " — how Kenelm mette a thing ; A lyte ' er he was mordred, on a day, His mordre in his avisioun * he say.^ 5 His norice * him expouned ' every del ° His sweven, and bad him for to kepe ° him wel For " traisoun ; but he nas but seven yeer old, And therfore litel tale hath he told '' Of any dreem, so holy was his herte. lo By God, I hadde lever than my sherte That ye had rad his legende, as have I. Dame Pertelote, I sey yow trewely, Macrobeus, that writ th' avisioun In Affrike of the worthy Cipioun, IS Affermeth dremes, and seith that they been Warning of thinges that men after ^^ seen. And forthermore, I pray yow loketh wel In the Olde Testament, of ^' Daniel, If he held dremes any vanitee. 20 Reed eek of Joseph, and ther shul ye see Wher " dremes ben somtyme — I sey nat alia — Warning of thinges that shul after falle. Loke of Egipt the king, Daun Pharao, His bakere and his boteler also, 25 Wher " they ne felte noon effect '* in dremes. Whoso wol seken actes of sondry remes,^° May rede of dremes many a wonder thing. Lo Cresus, which that was of Lyde ^' king, Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree. 1 Kenulf (died 8 ■9) 7 explained 18 as to 2 Mercia 8 bit !■• whether 8 little 8 guard 15 reality 4 vision IK against 11 realms 5 saw 11 account hath he made ^r Lydia 6 nurse 12 afterwards 13. avisioun : the Somnium Scipionis of Cicero, with a commentary by Macrobius. 29. For this dream, cf. the Monk's Tale. CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 209 Which signified he sholde anhanged be ? Lo hear Andromacha, Ectores ' wyf , TJhat^day that Ector sholde lese his lyf, She dremed on the same night bifom How that the lyf of Ector sholde be lorn,* 5 If thilke day he wente into bataille. She warned him, but it mighte nat availle ; He wente for to fighte nathelees. But he was slayn anoon of Achilles. But thilke tale is al to long to telle, 10 And eek it is ny ^ day, I may nat dwelle.* Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun. That I shal han of this avisioun Adversitee ; and I seye, forthermore, That I ne telle" of laxatyves no store, 15 For they ben venimous,° I woot it wel ; I hem defye, I love hem never a del.' Now let us speke of mirthe, and stinte " al this ;- Madame Pertelote, so have I blis. Of o thing God hath sent me large grace ; 20 For whan I see the beautee of your face, Ye ben so scarlet-reed about your yen,' It maketh al my drede for to dyen ; For, also siker '^ as In prindpio}^ Mulier est hominis confusio ; 25 Madame, the sentence -"^ of this Latin is: " Womman is mannes joye and al his blis." For whan I f ele anight " your sof te syde, . . ." I am so ful of joye and of solas That I defye bothe sweven and dreem.' 30 And with that word he fley doun fro the beem, 1 Hector's 6 poisonous 11 John 1. 1 2 lost 1 never a whit 12 meaning s nearly 8 cease IS by night » continue 9 eyes M Two lines omitted 6 set 10 sure J.. In Dares Phrygius, not in Homer. 2IO TALES For it was day, and eek his hennes alle ; And with a chuk ' he gan hem for to calle, For he had founde a corn, lay ''■ in the yerd ; « Royal he was, he was namore aferd. . . .' 5 He loketh as it were a grim leoun ; And on his toos he rometh up and doun. Him deyned ^ not to sette his foot to grounde. He chukketh whan he hath a corn yfounde, And to him rennen thanne his wyves alle. 10 Thus royal, as a prince is in his halle, V \ Leve I this Chauntecleer in his pasture ; X. And after wol I telle his aventure. X."' )- Whan that the month in which the world bigan, That highte March, whan God first maked man, 15 Was complet, and [yjpassed were also. Sin March was goon,^ [wel] thritty dayes and two, Bifel that Chauntecleer, in al his pryde. His seven wyves walking by his syde. Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne, 20 That in the signe of Taurus hadde yronne " Twenty degrees and oon, and somwhat more ; And knew by kynde,' and by noon other lore,* That it was pryme,' and crew with blisful stevene." " The Sonne,' he sayde, ' is clomben up on hevene 25 Fourty degrees and oon, and more, ywis. Madame Pertelote, my worldes blis, Herkneth thise ^^ blisful briddes how they singe, And see the fresshe floures how they springe ; Ful is myn herte of revel and solas.' 30 But sodeinly him fil a sorweful cas,-'^ i cluck 5 MS. bigan (for was goon) 9 about 9 A.M. 2 that lay ® run, progressed 10 voice, sound * Two lines omitted ^ nature n these ^ he'deigned 8 teaching 12 misfortune 14. maked : this was a mediaeval idea. 16. This would make the date May 3. CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 211 For ever the latter ende of joye is wo. God woot that worldly joye is sone ago ^ ; And if a rethor'' coude faire endyte,' He in a cronique ^ saufly ° mighte it wryte, As for a sovereyn notabilitee.° e Now every wys man, lat him herkne me ; This storie is also trewe, I undertake, As is the book of Launcelot de Lake, That wommen holde in ful gret reverence. Now wol I tome agayn to my sentence.' . lo A coif ox,' ful of sly iniquitee, That in the grove hadde woned ' yeres three. By ^^ heigh imaginacioun forncast,^' The same night thurghout the hegges ^^ brast *° Into the yerd, ther Chauntecleer the faire 15 Was wont, and eek his wyves, to repaire ; And in a bed of wortes " stille he lay, Til it was passed undem ^^ of the day, Wayting his tyme on Chauntecleer to falle, As gladly ^° doon thise*' homicydes alle, 20 That in awayt ^° liggen " to mordre men. O false mordrer, lurking in thy den ! O newe Scariot,^ newe Genilon ^' 1 False dissimilour,^^ O Greek Smon, That broghtest Troye al outrely ^^ to sorwe ! 2$ O Chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe. That thou into that yerd flough ^* fro the hemes f Thou were ful wel ywamed by thy dremes That thilke day was perilous to thee, ipast 8 dwelt 18 waiting 2 skilled writer 10 as a result of 19 lie 8 compose n premeditated 20 I scarlet 4 chronicle 12 hedges * 21 Ganelon, who betrayed 6 safely 18 burst Roland 6 supremely notable fact " herbs 22 dissembler 7 subject 15 about II A.M. 28 utterly 8 brant fox (having a large inter- 18 generally 24 flew mixture of black in its fur) 17 these 212 TALES But what that ^ God forwoot ^ mot nedes be, After " the opinioun of certeyn clerkis ; Witnesse on him that any perfit clerk is That in scole is gret altercacioun 5 In this matere, and greet disputisoun, And hath ben of an hundred thousand men. But I ne can not bulte it to the bren,* As can the holy doctour Augustyn, Or Boece,° or the bishop Bradwardyn," 10 Whether that Goddes worthy forwiting' Streyneth * me nedely ' for to doon a thing (Nedely clepe I simple necessitee) ; Or elles, if free choys be graunted me To do that same thing, or do it noght, 1 5 Though God forwoot it er that it was wroght ; Or if his witing streyneth nevere a del But by necessitee condicionel. I wol not ban to do of swich matere ; My tale is of a cok, as ye may here, 2o That took his counseil of his wyf , with sorwe, To walken in the yerd upon that morwe That he had met ^^ the dreem that I yow tolde. Wommennes counseils been ful ofte colde ^' : Wommannes counseil broghte us first to wo, 25 And made Adam fro Paradys to go, Ther as '^ he was ful mery, and wel at ese. But for ^^ I noot " to whom it mighte displese, If I counseil of wommen wolde blame. Passe over, for I seyde it in my game.^^ 30 Rede auctours wher they trete of swich matere, 1 that which 6 Archbishop of Canterbury in the four- 1° dreamed 2 forelcnows teenth century, and a divinity pro- ^1 disastrous 8 according to fessor and chancellor of Oxford 12 where 4 bolt it to the bran, sift 7 foreknowledge ^ since it thoroughly 8 compels, constrains 14 know not 5 Boethius ^ necessarily 15 fun, sport 17. Conditional necessity, according to Boethius, implies knowledge ; if one knows that a man is walking, then he is, necessarily, walking. CHAUCER, THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE 213 And what thay seyn of wommen ye may here. Thise ^ been ^ the cokkes wordes, and nat myne ; I can ' noon harm of no womman divyne. Faire in the sond,* to bathe hir merily, Lyth ^ Pertelote, and alle hir sustres by, 5 Agayn ^ the sonne ; and Chauntecleer so free Song merier than the mermayde in the see — For Phisiologus seith sikerly How that they singen wel and merily. And so bifel that, as he caste his ye, 10 Among the wortes, on a boterfiye. He was war ' of this fox that lay f ul lowe. Nothing ne liste him ' thanne for to crowe, But cryde anon, ' Cok, cok,' and up he sterte, As man that was affrayed in his herte ; 15 For naturelly a beest desyreth flee Fro his contrarie,^ if he may it see. Though he never erst '" had seyn it with his ye. This Chauntecleer, whan he gan him espye, He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon 20 Seyde : " Gentil sire, alias ! wher wol ye gon ? Be ye affrayed of me that am your freend ? Now certes, I were worse than a feend,^^ If I to yow wolde '^ harm or vileinye. I am nat come your counseil for t' espye ; 25 But trewely, the cause of my cominge Was only for to herkne how that ye singe, For trewely ye have as mery a stevene ^' As eny aungel hath that is in hevene ; Therwith ye han in musik more felinge 30 Than hadde Boece," or any that can singe. 1 these 6 exposed to 11 fiend, devil 2 are 'aware 12 wished 8 know 8 it pleased him not at all 18 voice vvJ_, Of the two manuscripts, the second may be a half century or so later than the first. Our extracts are taken from the first, as given in the standard edition, Madden's (3 vols., London, 1847), with the latter's short lines printed as long ones (but Madden's numbering is retained). For further information, see the preface to Madden's edition ; the Diet. Nat. Biog. ; Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. I. 260-4; Monroe, ybKr. Eng. and Germ. Phil. 7. 139-41 (bibliography). LAYAMON'S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF Lines i-io (Madden i. i) An preost * wes on leoden,^ Layamon wes ihoten ' ; He wes LeovenaSes sone — liSe ^ him beo Drihten ° I He wonede ° at Ernlege, at asSelen ' are/ chirechen,' Uppen Sevarne stape ^° — sel ^^ far him fuhte ^^ — On fast ^' Radestone ; fer he bock radde." 1 priest 6 the Lord a church 13 hard by 2 among the people « lived 10 bank M read 3 named ^ noble 11 good, pleasant < merciful 3a 12 seemed 219 220 CHRONICLES THE PROPHECY OF DIANA Lines 1097-1252 (Madden i. 47-53)- Cf. Geoffrey of Monmouth, Book I, chap. II, and Milton's translation of it in his History of Britain. Brutus nom ^ Ignogen, and into scipe laedde. Heo ^ rihten ^ heora rapes, heo rasrden * heora mastes, Heo wunden up seiles ; wind stod * an willen.* Sixtene siSe ' tuenti scipen tuhten ' from havene, S And feower scipen greate f>e weren grundladene ' Mid fat beste wepnen fa Brutus havede. Heo fusden ^^ from stronde ut of Griclonde '^'^ ; Heo wenden ut i wide sse ; pa wilde ^'^ wur^en itemede.''^ Tweije dawes and tua niht inne sse weren ; 10 JJen oSer^* dai heo comen liSen^^ on seven to londe. Logice ^^ hatte *' fat eitlond ^* ; leode ^' nere far nane — Ne wapmen '"' ne wifmen — buten '^ westije ''■'^ pasSes.^' Utlajen ^* hefden irasved ^^ fat lond, and alle fa leoden of slajen ''* ; And swa hit wes al west,^' and wnnen ^' biraeved, I s Ah "^ swa monie far waren wilde deor '" fat wnder '^ heom f uhte ^^ ; And fa Troinisce men tuhten to fon deoren, And duden of fan wilden al heora iwilla." To fan scipen waglden.'* Heo funden i fon eitlonde ane burh^ swiSe stronge; 20 Tohselde '" weoren f e walles, weste weren hallen. Temple heo funden far ane, imaked of marmestaene, Muchel and maere '' ; f e wrse '' hit hafde to welden.'' 1 took 2 they 8 put in order 4 raised 6 MS. ston was favorable 7 times 8 departed 9 deeply laden W hastened 11 Greece 12 wild (men) 1' tamed 1^ next 16 voyaging 16 Leogecia; position unknown 17 hight 18 eyotland (island) 19 people 20 men 21 only 22 desert 28 MS. psedes 24 outlaws 25 devastated 26 slain 2' waste 28 (of) habitations 29 but 86 animals 81 wonder 82 seemed 88 will 84 carried 86 city 86 tottering 87 glorious 88 devil 89 rule LAYAMON, BRUT 221 ]7erinne was an onlicnesse ^ a ^ wifmonnes liche ' ; Feier hit wes and swiSe heih * ; an * are * haeitnesse ' nome, Diana wes ihaten * ; fe deovel heo luvede. Heo dude wndercraftes " ; fe scucke ^^ hire fulste." Heo wes quen of alle wodes fe weoxen ^^ on eoii5en ; A ^ f on hefSene lawen me " heold heo for hehne ^^ godd. To hire weoren iwoned ^' pa wndercref tie men ; Of pa pingen ^' pa weren to kumen heo heom wolde cuSen ^' Mid tacnen ^^ and mid swefnen,™ ponne heo weren on slaepe. JJe wile peo on pan eitlonde wes folc woniende,^^ Heo wurSeden ^'^ pat anlicnes ; pe scucke hit ^ onfeng.^ Brutus hit herde siggen''* purh his saemonnen J)e aer ^° weoren on pan londe, and pa lawen wusten. Brutus nam twelf witijen,^ pe weren his wiseste men, And enne preost of his lawen, pa weren on pan heSen dawen "' (Gerion hehte pe preost ; he was an hirede ^ haeh) ; He ferde ^ to pere stowe '^ par Diane inne stod. Brutus ferde into pere temple, and pa twelfe mid him, And lette al his folc bilaeven ^^ perute.^ Ana scale ^ he bear an honde, al of reade golde ; Mile wes i pere scale, and win sume dale ^^ ; pa mile wses of are wite hinde, pe Brutus sceat mid his honde. He makede bi pon weofede ** a swiSe " wunsum " fur ; Ni^en si6en "^ he bieode *° pat weofed, for his neode.*^ He clepede *" to pere levedi *^ ■ — • heo wes him on heorten leof " ; IS 25 i image 2in 3 form 4 majestic 6 by «a !■ heathen religion's (?) 8 called 9 sorceries M fiend u aided 12 grew 18 by 1* one, they 15 high 16 accustomed to resort 17 MS. kingen 18 tell ^ signs 20 visions 21 dwelling 22 worshiped 23 (the worship ?) 2* received 25 say 26 formerly 27 prophets 28 days 25 among the people ^T proceeded 31 place 82 remain 88 outside 34 dish 85 part 36 altar 3* most 38 winsome 39 times ** circled about ^ need 42 cried 43 lady «dear 222 CHRONICLES Mid milden his worden he jirnde ^ hire mihten. Ofte he custe '^ fat weofed mid wnsume lates ° ; He halde * fa mile in fat fur mid milden his worden : " Leafdi Diana, leove Diana, heje Diana, help me to neode. 5 Wise ^ mi and witere,^ furh fine witful ' craft, Whuder Ich maei liSan,' and ledan mine leoden To ana wnsume londe, f er ' ich mihte wunien.-"' And jif Ich fat lond mai bijeten,-'^ and mi folc hit furhgengen,^'' Makian Ich wile on fine nome maeren ^^ ane stowe, 10 And Ich fe wuUe huren '* mid wrhscipe hsejan.^^ ' JJus spec Brutus. SeoiSSen ^^ he nam f e hude " fa waes of fare hinde ; Biforen fan wefede he heo spradde, swlc ^' he leie on bedde ; He cnelede far ufenan,^' and seoS^en he adun lasi ; 1 5 Swa he gon slomnen,^" and f ersef ter to slepen. ]7a fuhte him on his swefne, far he on slepe Isei, JJat his lavedi Diana hine leofiiche ^'^ biheolde Mid Wnsume leahtren^^; wel heo him bihihte,^^ And hendiliche ^* hire hond on his heved leide, 20 And fus him to seide, f er he on slepe lai : ' Bijende ^^ France, i fet west, f u scalt finden a wunsum lond ; J>at lond is biurnan ^' mid f sere sae ; f aron _f ugcalt wrf an_ ^ sael. '° ]7ar is fujel, far is fisc ; fer wuniaS feire deor ; J>ar is wode, far is water ; far is wilderne ^ muchel. 25 f'et lond is swife wunsum ; weallen '" fer beo'6 feire ; WuniaS in f on londe eotanes °' swiSe stronge. Albion hatte fat lond, ah leode ne beo6 far nane. JJerto f u scalt teman,'^ and ane neowe Troye far makian ; 1 besought 12 overrun 28 promised 2 kissed 18 noble 24 courteously 8 looks 14 adore 25 beyond 4 poured 15 high 26 surrounded 6 guide 16 afterward 27 become 6 instruct 17 hide 28 prosperous ■ MS. wihtful 18 as if 29 wilderness s journey 19 upon 80 wells, springs 9 where 20 drowse 81 giants ; MS. eotantes 1" dwell 21 lovingly 82 repair 11 obtain 22 laughter LAYAMON, BRUT 223 per seal of fine cunne ^ kinebeam ^ arisen, And seal fin maere ^ kun wselden * fas ^ londes, ^eond ^ fa weorld beon ihsejed ^ ; and f u beo hasl and isund.^ ' THE BUILDING OF LONDON Lines 1985-2060 (Madden 1.84-7). Cf. Geoffrey i. 17. 224 5-10 may be compared with the ultimate original in Geoffrey of Monmouth, with Robert of Gloucester's version of the latter, with Wace's expansion, and with Robert of Brunne's rendering of Wace : Geoffrey of Monmouth 1. 16: ' Amoeno tamen situ locorum et piscosorum fluminum copia, neraoribusque prseelecta.' Robert of Gloucester, Chronicle (ca. 1300) 484-7 : po Brut and is men )?us come verst to londe, Hii wende aboute wide inou, ]?e contreies vor to fonde ; Gret plente hii founde of fiis, as hii wende bi l^e weie, Of wodes and of rivers, as is in )>e contreie. Wace, Brut 1 245-1 250: Brutus esgarda les montaignes, Vit les values, vit les plaignes, Les marines et les boscages, Et les ^ves et les rivages ; Vit les cans et les praaries ; Vit les tferes bien gaagnies. Robert (Manning) of Brunne (1338) 1889-1894: Brutus byhel[d] ))e mountaynes, And avised hym o J^e playnes ; Biheld J?e wodes, watres, and ffen, Where esyest wony[n]g were for men ; Als watres ronnen wel, he byheld, And mede wij? j^e eryed feld. Brutaine hefde Briitus, and Cornwaile Corineus. Brutus nom alle his freond, f e ** comen in his ferde ^^ ; Neh him he heom lasnde,^^ for heo him leofe weoren. Corineus him cleopede to alle his icorene ^^ ; AUe he heom lasnde f er heom wes aire ^^ leofest. 1 kin 6 throughout ^ placed 2 royal progeny ^ exalted 12 chosen ones 8 illustrious 8 sound 18 of all 4 rule (w. gen.) ^ that 6 MS. jjus W army 224 CHRONICLES Weox ^ ]>et folk and wel if aih,^ for selc hefde his iwillen ° ; Inne lut * jeren firste * wes fat folc swa muchel ]7at fer nas nan ende of folke swife hende. Brutus hine bifohte,^ and fis folc biheold ; 5 Biheold he fa muntes, f eire and muchele ; Biheold he fa medewan fat weoren swiSe masre ; ' ^ Biheold he fa wateres and fa wilde deor ; Biheold he fa fisches ; biheold he fa fujeles ; Biheold he fa leswa ' and f ene leofliche ' wode ; 10 Biheold he f ene wode hu he bleou ° ; biheold he fat corn hu hit greu ; Al he iseih on leoden fat him leof was on heorten. J»a bifohte he on Troyjen," fer his cun teone " f oleden,^^ And he liSde ^° jeond f is lond, and scsewede ^* fa ^^ leoden. He funde wunsum ana stude ^^ uppen ane watere ; 1 5 JJaer he gon araeren ■" riche ane burhe,^' Mid bguren and mid hallen, mid hseje stanwalle[n]. JJa fe burh wes imaked, fa wes he swiSe maere.^' ]7a burh wes switSe wel idon, and he hire sette name on ; He gef hire ^ tirf ulne ^^ name — Troye f e Newe, 2o To munien "^ his ikunde ^^ whone ^* he icomen weore. SeoSSen® fa leodene longe ferafter Leiden adun f ene ^° noma, and Trinovant heo " nemneden. Binnen ^' f eola ^ wintre hit iwet^ '" seoSSen '^ pat arass of Brutus kunne — - fat wes an heh king — 25 Lud wes ihaten."^ J»as burh he luvede swiSe ; pe king i fere burh wonede switJe feola wintre. He lette heo Lude clepian jond his leodfolke, Hehte " heo nemnen Kaerlud, aefter f one kinge. Igrew 12 suffered 28 lineage 2 throve IS journeyed ; MS. lidtSe 24 from which 8 will (what he desired) 1^ viewed 25 subsequently ; MS. sotfSen 4 a few 15 MS. >ea 26 that 6 time 16 spot 2- it 6 bethought 17 erect 28 within r pastures 18 city 29 many 8 lovely 19 glorious ; MS. mare 8" befell 9 blew 2« MS. hire to hire 81 MS. seod'Sen M Troy 21 glorious 82 named "evil 22 commemorate 33 commanded LAYAMON, BRUT 225 SeoSSen ' com oper tir ^ and neowe tidinde, J>at men heo clepeden Lundin over al fas leode. Seo6Sen comen Englisce men, and cleopeden heo Lundene ; SetStSen " comen fa Frensca — fa mid f ehte * heo biwonnen ^ — Mid heora leodSeawe," and Lundres heo hehten.' THE DIVISION OF LEAR'S KINGDOM Lines 2902-3110 (Madden i. 123-32). Cf. Geoffrey 2. 11 Bladud hafde enne sune — Leir wes ihaten ; Efter his fader ° daie he heold f is drihliche ° lond Somed " an " his live ^^ sixti winter. He malcede ane riche burh f urh radfuUe " his crafte," And he heo lette nemnen efter himseolvan ; 10 Kaer Leir hehte f e burh — leof heo wes fan kinge — f>a we an ure leodquide ^^ Leirchestre ^° clepiaS. geare,^' a fan olde " dawen," heo wes swiSe aSel ^^ burh ; And seoSSen f er seh ^ toward swiSe muchel seorwe, JJat heo wes al forfaren^^ furh fere leodene vsel.^' 15 Sixti winter hefde Leir fis lond al to welden. }>e king hefde free dohtren bi his drihliche quen ; Nef de he nenne sune — ferf ore he war6 sari — His manscipe "* to halden, buten "* fa freo dohtren. }>a aeldeste dohter haihte Gomoille, fa otSer Ragau, fa fridde 20 Cordoille — Heo wes fa jungeste suster, a ^° wliten °' aire vairest ; Heo wes hire fader al swa leof swa his ajene lif. J»a aeldede ^ f e king, and wakede ^' an atSelan "'' ; 1 MS. seodSen n in 21 came 2 glory 15 lifetime 22 destroyed s MS. sadden is prudent 2a slaughter * battle " skill 24 dignity, lordship " won 15 language 25 only 6 national customs 16 Leicester 26 jn f called (it) if formerly 27 beauty 8 father's IS MS. holde 28 grew old 9 noble 19 days 29 became weak 1" together 2o noble so power 226 CHRONICLES 15 25 And he hine bifohte wet he don mahte Of ^ his kineriche ^ aef ter his deie. He seide to himsulven fat fat uvel ° wes : ' Ic wile mine riche todon * alien ^ minen dohtren, And jeven hem mine kinefeode,* and twemen ' mine[n] beamen,' Ac asrst Ic wille f ondien ' whulche '" beo mi beste f reond, And heo seal habbe fat beste del of mine drihlichen lon[d].' JJus fe king fohte, and fersefter he worhte. He clepede Gornoille, his " godfulle ^^ dohter, Ut of hire bure to hire fader deore ; And f us ^^ spac f e aide king, f er he on asSelen " seat : ' Sei me, Gornoille, soSere " worden : SwiSe dure ^^ f eo eart me ; hu leof sem Ich f e ? Hu mochel worf " levest " f u me to walden kineriche ? ' Gornoille was swiSe wasr ^' — swa beoS wifmen wel ihwser ^° — And seide ane lesinge heore ^^ fsedere f on king : " Leof e faeder dure, swa bide ^^ Ich Godes are ^^ — Swa helpe me ApoUin, for min ilaefe ^ is al on him — f>at levere '■'^ f eo ^ agrt me sene ^' fane f is world al clane ^' ; And jet ^ Ic f e wile speken wit '" : f eou sert leovere f ene mi lif ; And f is Ich sucge "^ f e to soSe '^ ; f u miht *' me wel ileve.^* ' Leir f e king ilefde his dohter '^ lasisinge, And fas aensware gef — fat wses f e olde king : " Ich f e, Gornoille, suge,"* leove' dohter dure, God " seal beon f i meda '* for f ira gretinge. Ic earn, for mire aeldde,"' sw[i]fe unbalded,^" 1 with 16 with true 29 yet more 2 kingdom 16 dear 80 with 3 evil " MS. wors '81 say 4 divide 18 (?) ; MS. leste 82 MS. seo«e 5 MS. & alien 19 wary, cunning 83 mayst ; MS. mith 6 kingdom 20 everywhere 8* believe !■ apportion 21 to her 85 daughter's ; MS. dostei: 8 Children 22 hope for 86 say ; MS. seuge 9 test 23 mercy 87 good M MS. whulchere 24 belief 88 reward 11 MS. hes 25 dearer 89 old age 12 goodly; MS. gu«- 26 thou « enfeebled 18 MS. >eus 2? alone " state 1 28 entire LAYAMON, BRUT 227 And fou me lovest ^ sw[i]pe mare fan is on live. Ich wille mi drihliche ^ lond a f reo ' al todalen * ; J>in is pat beste deal ; fu asrt mi dohter deore, And scalt habben to laverd min aire beste fain ^ JJeo Ich mai vinden in mine kinnelonde.* ' S ^fter spac fe olde kinge wit his [of er] ' dohter : ' Leove dohter Regau, wset seist tu ' me to rseide ^ ? Seie fu bifore mire dujden'" heo^^ dure Ich am fe an herten.' 'pa answaerde [Regau] mid rastfulle ■'^ worden : ' Al fat is on live nis nig ^* swa dure 10 Swa me is fin an lime,^* fort5e^^ min ahjene'^" lif.' Ah heo ne seide nafing soS,^' no more fenne hire suste[r] ; AUe hire lesinge hire vader ilefede. ]7a answarede f e king — his ^* dojter him icwemde " : ' ]7ea f ridde del of mine londe Ich bitake ^'' f e an honde ; 1 5 ]7u scalt nime ^^ loverd ^^ f er fe is aire leowost' JJa jet nolde "" f e leodking ^ his sotscipe ^ bilaeven ^* ; He hehte '" cumen him biforen his dohter (3ordoille. Heo was aire jungest, of soSe gserwitelesv* And f e king heo lovede more f anna ba tueie ^^ f e oSre. 20 Cordoille iharde fa lasinga fa hire sustren seiden f on kinge ; Nom '"' hire leaffulne *^ huie "^ fat heo lijen *' nolden — Hire fader hao wolde suge sotS,'^ were him lef,*^ were him laS.'* y>eo que6 f e alda king — ■ unrasd ^' him f ulada °* : ' Iheren Ich wile of fe, Cordoille — 25 Swa fe helpa Appolin — hu deore fe beo lif min.' pa answarede Cordoille, lude *' and no wiht stille. 1 MS. levoste 14 limb 27 commanded 2 MS. dirh- 16 before (?) 28 most gifted 8 in three ; MS. J>roe 16 own 29 both (both two) ^ divide' . 17 true ; MS. sdS 80 made up 5 thane iSMS.hiis ' 81 faithful- 6 realm 19 pleased 82 mind (OE. hy^e) 7 second 20 deliver 38 lie 8 thou 21 take ' 84 MS. seoS 9 as opinion 22 husbUid 85 agreeable M men ; MS. dugden 23 would not 86 disagreeable 11 how asking 87 unwisdom ; MS. unratS 12 prudent 2S folly : MS. soth- 88 followed 18 nigh 26 abandon 89 loudly 228 CHRONICLES IS 2S Mid gomene ^ and mid lehtre to hire fader lave : ' ]7eo art me leof al so ^ mi fseder, and Ich fe al so fi dohter ; Ich habbe to f e soffaste ' love, for * we buofi swife isibbe * ; And — swa Ich ibide " are — Ich wille ]>e suge mare : Al swa muchel fu bist worf ' swa f u weldende ° asrt, And al swa muchel swa f u havest men fe wUef " luvien, For sone he '" biS ilajed/' pe mon pe lutel ah.^^ ' J>us seide fe maeiden Cordoille, and seotStSen set sw[i]))e stille. pa. iwartSe ^' pe king wragS " for he nes noht ^^ iquemed,'" And wende on [h]is ponke " pat '■^ hit weren for unSeawe ^' JJat he hire weore swa unwourt5 pat heo hine nolde iwuriSi ^'' Swa hire twa sustren, pe ba somed ^^ Isesinge speken. JJe king Leir iwerSe "^ swa blac swlch ^ hit a blac clo6 weoren, IwaerS his hude ^* and his heowe,"' for he was supe ^^ ihasrmed ^' ; Mid paere wraet5t5e he wes isweved,^' pat ^' he feol iswowen.'" Late '^ peo he up fusde ^^ — pat mseiden wes af eared ; J>a hit alles up brae — hit wes uvel ^ pat he spac : ' Hser[c]ne,** Cordoille, Ich pe telle wile ^ mine wille : Of mine dohtren pu were me durest ; nu pu esert me alre^° las6es[t]." Ne scalt pu nasver halden dale of mine lande. Ah mine[n] dohtren Ich wile delen mine riche,"' And pu scalt worSen wrsechen,'' and wonien in wansitSe,*" For navere Ich ne wende *^ pat pu me woldes pus scanden *^ ; ]7arfore pu scalt beon dsed,^' Ich wene ; flij ■" ut of min esehsene." JJine sustren sculen habben mi kinelond ; and pis me is iqueme." 1 mirth (game) 1' thought as evil •-: as 18 MS. Jiaht 84 hearken s true ; MS. soh- 19 undutifulness 86 will •1 because 20 honor 86 of all ; MS. arle 6 related 21 both together 8" most hateful 6 expect 22 grew 88 realm 7 worth 28 as if 89 exile ; MS. warchen 8 ruling ; MS. velden 24 skin 40 misery 9 MS. wllet 26 hue 41 supposed 10 MS. heo 26 much 42 shame 11 brought low ; MS. ilage'S 27 grieved 48 dead 12 possesses 28 stupefied 44 fly 18 became 29 so that 40 sight 1* wroth ; MS. wseriS 80 in a swoon 46 agreeable 16 MS, \,eo noht 81 after a time 16 gratified 82 started LAYAMON, BRUT J>e Due of Cornwaile seal habbe Gornoille, And fe Scottene king Regau fat scone,' And Ic hem jeve al fa winne '■' fe leh asm waldinge * over.' And al fe aide king dude * swa he hafvede * idemed." Of[t] wes fen' maeidene wa/ and naevre wors fenne fa' ; Wa '" hire wes on mode " for hire fader wrasfe.'^ Heo wende '° into hire boure, far heo ofte saette sare," For heo nolde lijen hire '* fader '^ leove. 229 CESAR'S BATTLE WITH THE BRITONS £P"^ Lines 7472-7662 (Madden i. 319-27). Cf. Geoffrey 4.3, 4 He " cleopede on his cnihtes : " .^arewieS '^ eow to fihte, For nu is mid ferde " icumen Cassibellaunus.' 10 Heo liSede ^ togadere mid heore speren longe, Mid axen, mid sweorden, mid scserpe speres orde ^' ; Hardliche ^'^ heo heowen ^ ; hselmes far goUen ^ ; Feon[d]liche ^ heo feohten ; hafdes ^^ f er feoUen. And Cesar f e keisere wes unimete ^ kene ^^ : 15 His longe sweord he adroh,^ and moni mon f ermide '" asloh '^ ; He swonc ^^ i f on fehte fat al he lavede '' a sweote.'* He sloh fa ^ him neh *" weoren — alle buten " iferen '* ; He dude f er muchelne " wundre ; he sloh f er an hundred Of ahtere *" monnen, f e feond *' mid his mseche.*^ 20 f>at iseh Androgeus, and cleopede his fader Nennius, ifair 15 to her 29 drew 2 possessions 3 ruler (?) 16 MS. fadder ir Cffisar 30 therewith 81 MS. aslo'S ■idid. Shad 6 decided 18 prepare 19 army 20 came 82 labored 83 dripped 84 sweat ■> to the 21 point 85 those that 8 woe 9 then 22 stoutly 28 hewed 36 near 37 without 1» MS. J>a n heart 12 wrath; MS. waerjje 24 resounded 26 fiercely 26 heads «8 companions (help) 39 a great « valiant 13 MS. vende 1* sorrowful 2' beyond measure 28 brave 41 enemy 42 sword 230 CHRONICLES And beiene ^ fa eorles bujen ^ heom togaderes, Mid switSe muchele folke ; togaederen stoden faste. Isejen ' heo Julius Cesar /aehten al swa a wilde bar, And heo him to fusden ^ mid ladliche ^ fehte, S And monie of heore feonden heo fselden to fon grunde. pa iseh Nennius wser" faeht Cesar Julius, And he him to rasde ' mid rashasm * his sweorde ; Uppen fene helm he hine smat fat fet sweord in bat. Selkut5 ' hit Jmhte ^^ moni cnihte lo J)at he durste cumen him nseh, for fan fa fe keisere^^ wes swa haeh.^ Julius Cesar ne queS nan word, ah he braeid ^* ut his sweord. And Nennium he smat fa uppen fene helm swa pat fe helm tohaelde,^* and fat hasfde ^^ bledde ; Ah he ne blakede ^* no, for he wes cniht wel idon.^' And Julius noht ne na breeS,^^ ah his brond ^^ he up ahaef,''" And Nennius hsef up his sceld, scilde '"■ hine sulve. Julius adun smat,^^ and fat sweord a ^ Sane scelde bat '* ; Julius hit wraste,^^ and fat sweord stike[de] "* feste ; Julius fat sweord heold, and Nennius fene sceld, o And fus heo hit longe bitu5en,^' ne mihte he fat sweord ut drajen.^' f>at isash Androgeus hu verden ^ Cesar and Nennius, And he '" hem to fusde, Nennius ^ to fulste.'" pa isaeh Cesar tiSend ^' fat him wes saer ; He forlette ^* fene brand — ■ fa nefde he noht on his bond — And he fa feondliche '^ turnde to flaeme.'^'' Nennius wende i fane felde, and he turnde his scelde, Droh ut fene brande. pa wes fe eorl swife bald : 15 25 iboth 2 turned 14 gave way 15 head 25 wrenched 26 stuck s saw * hurried 18 paled 1^ trained 27 tugged at 28 draw 5 hostile 18 paused for breath (?) ; but the text is 29 fared where J" rushed e fierce probably corrupt. (The later MS. has : mid >e seolve bref.) 19 sword 30 MS. heo 31 MS. monie 82 assistance 9 strange 10 MS. ).u«te 20 lifted 21 shielded 83 occurrence 34 let go 11 emperor 12 awe-inspiring 18 drew 22 smote 28 in 24 bit ■^ 85 as a foeman 88 flight LAYAMON, BRUT 231 Monie Romanisce men mid f on sweorde he leide adun ; He wes moni ^ monnes bone,'' and moni anne ' he dude scome. Al fat he mid fan sweorde smat, ferriht * hit ^ iwat " ; Al fat he fermid ' atran,* weore hit flses," weore hit ban, JJurh f eos sweordes wunde heo fuUen to pon grunde. AUe dsei wes fat fiht,^" a ^^ fet com fe festere ^^ niht. Julius fe kaisere mid alle fan Romanisce here Dalden ^^ from fan fihte al bi f ustere nihte ; To haerberje ^* heo wenden uppen fare sse stronde ; Heo bilefden ^'^ biasften ^* twenti hundred cnihten J>eo leien under scelden, islsejen jeond fon felden. Cesar iwende to his bedde ; his men weoren ofdredde.^' Hine '* biwakeden ^° in fere nihte f ritti hundred cnihten, Mid helmen and mid burnen,^" and mid stelene sweorden. Julius Cesar he wes jep ^^ and swuSe iwser ^^ ; He isEeh his muchele lure,^^ and of mare ^* he hsefde kare ; He aras to fan midnihte, and bannede ^^ his cnihtes. And seide heom fat heo wolden faren and fleon of fissen londe, Faren into Flandre, and beo[n] fer wuniende A ^^ fat he iseje ^' his time fat heo ''' mihten seft cumen liSen.^' Heo ferden forf '" rihte to scipe al bi nihte ; Heo hasfden swiSe fair weder, and wenden into Flandre. A marsen, fa hit dasi wes, f e king mid his dujeSe *^ ^arekede ^^ his ferde, and wende to fan fihte. Ipo '^ was Romanisce folc ivaren ^* from here londe,^ f>at "^ ne funden heo n&ver enne *' of Cesares monnen. 15 25 1 MS. moniennes 14 shelter, harborage 27 should see ; MS. ii 2 slayer 16 left 28 MS. he 8 a one 16 behind 29 sailing 4 straightway 17 dismayed so MS. forh 5 it (= they) IS him ; MS. inne 81 knighthood 6 died 19 wakened 82 made ready ' therewith 20 cuirasses 88 MS. J.eo 8 reached, touched 21 astute 84 passed 9 flesh 22 wary 85 MS. sonde 10 MS. fehti 23 loss 88 SO that 11 till 24 more, further ; MS. masre 87 one 12 dark 25 summoned 18 departed 26 until 232 CHRONICLES J>a weoren Bruttes bliSe ^ an heore mode ; Muchel wes fa blisse fat heo makeden mid iwisse,^ And ° sone ferasfter sseri heo wurden.* And Cassibellaune fe king iwarS sasri furh alle ping,^ For Nennius his broCer ne mihte finden bote " Of his haefved-wunde fe Julius smat mid honde, Ne f urh nenne la;checrsefte ' ne mihte he lif habben. Nes fer nan o^er rasd * buten Nennius iwarS dasd,^ And Nennius was ilaeid '" at fon noriSjsete i Lundene. pe king naem enne marmestan, and lette hine mid golde bigon,^^ Mid golde and mid gimme ^^ ; his broker he leide perinne ; Mid richedome ^° pa Bruttes Nennium biburden.^* Nu pu miht^^ iheren selkutS^* word : pe king nom pat ilke^' sweorde pat Nennius his broker biwan of Julius Cesare, And Iseide hit bi his broSer, pah ^' hit his bone ^° weore. Wass pe stelene brond swiSe brad and swiSe long ; J>eron weoren igraven feole cunne '° bocstaven '^ ; A ^^ Sere hilte wes igraven JJat pa sweord wes icleoped ^' inne Rome Croda Mors " — Swa pat sweord hashte, for hit havede muchele mahte.^^ JJermide pe keisere prsetede ^^ seiches londes here ^' ; For nas naevere pe ilke bem ''■^ pe avere iboren weore, JJat of pen ilke sweorde enne ^^ swipe *" hefde, JJat °^ he of his likame ^'^ lette aenne drope blod, J>at he nes sone dsed, neore he noht ^* swa dohti. Julius mid his ferde laei inne Flandre ; • J>a word com to France hou ^* he ivaren hasfde, 1 joyful 2 with certainty, in trath 8 but 4 MS. wurSen 5 in every way 6 cure ^ medical skill 8 remedy 9 MS. dae« ™ laid n adorn 12 precious stone (s) 18 splendor " buried 15 mayst 16 strange 1^ very 18 though ; MS. >at 18 slayer 20 kinds 21 letters (cf . Ger. Buchsiaben) 22 on ; MS. k 28 called 24 Saffron Death 25 might 26 menaced 27 army 28 man 29a 80 blow 81 SO that 82 body 88 never 84 MS. heou LAYAMON, BRUT 233 And hu he wses mid his fserde iflaemde ^ of fissen earde.^ ]3a ' weoren fa Frensce men ferfore swife vaeine,* For toward Julius heo hsefden grome,* and forpi weoren fsein of his scome/ CYMBELINE AND THE BIRTH OF CHRIST Lines 9064-9185 (Madden 1. 386-91). Cf. Geoffrey 4. 11 On Kinbelines dasie, ]>e king wes inne Bruttene, Coni a f issen middelaerde ' anes maidenes Sune ; 5 Iboren wes in BeSleem of bezste * aire burden.' He is ihaten Jesu Crist furh pene Halie Gost, Aire worulde Wunne," Walden[d] " englenne.^^ Faeder he is on hevenen, Frovre ^^ moncunnes '* ; Sune he is on eorSen of sele ^* f on maeidene ; 10 And f ene Halie Gost haldeS ^^ mid himseolven. Ipene Gast he wel dale6 ^' to fan fe him beoS leove, Al swa he dude Peture, fe wes a wrseche ^° fiscsere, Ipe makede hine an mancunne hehst '' of aire manne. Kinbelin, Bruttene king, wes god mon furh alle f ing ; i s And he luvede ^° here twa and twenti jere. An his dseie her luvede a mon inne fisse leoden — Feorliche ^^ fing fuleden ^^ him — he wes ihaten Teilesin ^' ; Heo heolden "^ hine for witie "^ f urh his witfulne ^^ crasfte, And al heo hit ilaefden ^' fat Teilesin heom seide. 20 He seide heom seolkuS ^* inoh, and al heo hit funden so6 ; He seide heom aslche gere waet heom to cumen weore. J>e king him sende aefter wise twalf cnihtes, Bad ^ hine comen him '" to — fat he nan oiSer '^ scolde ^^ don ; 1 put to flight 12 of angels 28 Taliesin 2 country 18 comfort 24 held ; MS. heolten 3 MS. (lat 14 of mankind 25 prophet ■* fain, glad 16 blissful 26 wise 5 grudge 16 he holdeth 27 believed 6 shame 1^ imparts 28 marvel 7 world 18 forlorn 29 bade; MS.ba« 8 the best 19 highest 8» Cymbeline 9 women 20 lived 81 other thing Mjoy 21 wondrous 82 should ; MS. seolden " lord 22 followed 234 CHRONICLES And heo hine bro[h]ten sone biforen fen folkekinge. Anan swa ' fe king hine imette, faeire he hine igrette : ' Swa me helpen min hefde and mi chin, wulcume aert fu, Teilesin, And leovere me is fine isunden ^ fenne a f usend punden.' 5 J>a andswerede Teilesin, and fus seide to Kinbelin : ' Swa ich mote gode ipeon,' al * fu hit ^ saelt ^ wel biteon.' * f>a wes glad Kinbelin, and fus seide to Teilesin : ' Her beoS to fisse londe icumen seolcuSe leodronen,' And fromward ° feon '^° londe of Jerusalem ; iwurden ^^ heo beoS in BeSleem. 10 JJer is iboren an luttel child inne fere leoden.-'^ Muchele is and stor ^^ fe eije " ; tacnen ■'^ fer beo6 on sterren. An monen, and on seonnen ^° ; eie ■" is on moncunnen. J>is is widen ^' icuS ^' and fa writen ^° me beoS to icume, And Ic wolde iwiten aet ^^ f e — f u sert mi wine ^' deore — IS To whan^' fis tocne wule ten,^* to wulche finge temen,^^ For herfore'^^ is alches londes folc tedliche ^ afered.' ]7a answerede Teilesin, and fus seide to Kinbelin : ' Hit wes jare ^' iqueSen ^ — ^ f a quides '" beoS nu sotSe — J7at scolden beon a child iboren, of alle folke icoren,^^ 20 And fat scolde beon ihaten Hselend,*^ and helpen his freondes, Alesen '* his leofve wines of IseSe ^* heore bendes,^ Of '' helle bringen Adam, Noe, and Abraham, Sadoc and Samiel, and Symeon fene aide, Josep an[d] Benjamin, and alle his broSeres mid him, 25 Johel and Eliseon, Asor and Naason, Ysaac and his broSer, and moni enne '' oSer, 1 the moment that 14 alarm, misgiving 27 sore 2 health, welfare 8 well thrive 16 signs 16 sun 28 long ago 29 announced * everything 6 refers to al 1-7 fear 18 widely 8** assertions 81 choicest « Shalt 19 known 82 Saviour, Jesus ^ accomplish 8 secret tidings 20 writings 21 know from 83 deliver 84 hateful 9 from ; MS. -wartS 22 friend 35 bonds 10 the 28 which 86 from 11 come to pass ; MS. iwurt5en 24 tend 87 a one 12 country 13 mighty, overwhelming 25 lead 26 on account of this THE OLD ENGLISH CHRONICLE 235 Moni hundred ]msend fe ifud ^ beo6 to hellen ; And for swulchere '^ neode he is icumen to fere feoden.' ' JJeos word seide Teilesin, and alia heo weoren soSe. ]7a pan ^ kinge weoren ^ icudde fas quides fa weoren soSe, ]7a weoren fa tiSinde cutSe jeond his kineriche ; Bruttes herof semden,^ and noht hit ne for^eten. Kinbelin wes god king, and griSful ' furh alle f ing,' And fa Romleoden ° swiSe hine luveden ; And jif f e king wolde '" wiS ^^ heom wiSerhalden,^'^ He mihte '* sethalden ^* heore feoh ^' f e Julius her ^^ fagtte " ; Ah agvere mare ^^ hi " his live he hit heom leofliche ™ jeaf. Seot5Se " him comen f se ti^inde of Crist, Codes childe, Ne leovede ^^ f e king mare buten ten gere : Seo^tSen f e king bilaefden ^ his lif ; inne Eowverwike ^* he get liS.^ THE OLD ENGLISH CHRONICLE: THE REIGN OF STEPHEN (A.D. 1137) The Old English Chronicle is of priceless value for the early history of England. Toward the end the language passes over into an early form of Middle English. Modern historians have often drawn upon this passage in characterizing the reign of Stephen. Our text is from Two Saxon Chronicles Parallel, ed. Plummer and Earle, pp. 263-5, with contractions expanded. ]7a-fe^^ King Stephne to Englalande com, fa macod he his gader- 15 ing^' set Oxeneford, and far he nam fe biscop Roger of Sereberi,^' and Alexander, Biscop of Lincol, and te Canceler Roger, hise neves, ^ and dide selle in prisun til hi iafen ^^ up here castles, fa the suikes ^ 1 consigned 12 rebel; MS. -heolden 28 departed 2 such 18 might have ; MS. mitSte 24 York 8 peoples " withhold . 25 lies 4 to the 16 tribute 26 when 5 MS. wes 16 from here 2^ assembly 6 took note !!■ fetched 28 Salisbury ' peaceable 18 MS. msere 29 nephews 8 in all ways 19 during 30 gave 9 Romans 21 submissively, loyally 81 traitors 1" had wished 21 after U against 22 lived 236 CHRONICLES undergseton ^ t5at he milde man was and softe and god, and na jus- tise ne dide, fa diden hi alle wunder. Hi hadden him manred " maked and athes suoren, ac " hi nan treuthe ne heolden ; alle hi * wseron for- sworen and here treothes forloren, for asvric^ rice man his castles 5 makede and agaenes him heolden, and fylden fe land ful of castles. Hi swuncten " suytSe \ie wrecce men of fe land mid castelweorces.' ]7a fe castles waren maked, fa fylden hi [hi] mid deovles and yvele men. JJa namen hi fa men f e hi wenden t5at ani god ' hefden, bathe be nihtes and be dseies, carlmen ' and wimmen, and diden heom in prisun, 10 efter ^'' gold and sylver, and pined " heom untellendlice ^^ pining. For ne waeren naevre nan martyrs swa pined alse hi waeron ; me ^' henged up bi the fet and smoked heom mid ful ■'^ smoke ; me henged bi the f umbes other bi the hefed,^^ and hengen bryniges ^* on her fet ; me dide cnotted strenges abuton here haeved, and wrythen ^' to Sat it 1 5 gsede " to fe hsernes.-^' Hi dyden heom in quarterne,'"' far nadres ^' and snakes and pades ''^ wasron inne, and drapen ^ heom swa. Sume hi diden in crucethus,^* 15at is in an cseste ^^ fat was scort and nareu and undep, and dide scserpe stanes ferinne, and frengde^* fe man fserinne Bat him braecon alle fe limes. In mani of f e castles wseron 20 lof " and grin,'" Sat waeron rachenteges ''^ Sat twa of er thre men had- den onoh to baeron onne '" ; fat was sua maced, Sat is faestned to an beom,'^ and diden an scaerp iren abuton f e '^ mannes throte and his hals,*' Sat he ne myhte nowiderwardes,'* ne sitten ne lien ne slepen, oc baeron al Sat iren. Mani fusen[d] hi drapen mid hungasr. 25 I ne can ne I ne mai tellen alle fe wunder, ne alle fe pines, Sat hi diden wrecce men on f is land ; and Sat lastede fa xix wintre wile Stephne was king, and asvre it was werse and werse. Hi lasiden 1 understood, perceived 13 they 25 chest 2 homage " foul 28 pressed, jammed Shut 16 head 2? device (?) * MS. he 16 coats of mail 28 contrivance 5 every 1' twisted 29 chains, fetters 6 oppressed 18 till it went Wone r the making of castles 19 brain 31 beam, rafter 1 property 2» prison 32 MS. J>a 9 men 21 adders 88 neck 10 in pursuit of 22 toads 34 (go) in no direction ii tortured 23 killed 12 unspeakable 21 torture-box BARBOUR, THE BRUCE 237 gaeldes' on the tunes aevre um wile,^ and clepeden it tenserie.' f»a ]>e wrecce men ne hadden nan more to gyven, fa raeveden* hi and brendon ° alle the tunes, Sat," wel ' fu myhtes faren all a daeis fare,' sculdest thu nevre finden man in tune sittende ne land tiled.' J^a was corn dsere,^° and flesc^' and csese^" and butere, for nan ne 5 wses o pe land. Wrecce men sturven ^' of hungaer ; sume ieden ^* on selmes fe waren sum wile '^ rice men ; sume flugen ^° ut of lande. Wes nasvre gset mare wreccehed ^' on land, ne nasvre hethen men werse ne diden fan hi diden ; for ower ^* sithon ^° ne forbaren ^ hi nouther cifce ^^ ne cyrceiaerd,^'' oc namen al fe god ?5at f arinne was, 10 and brenden sythen fe cyrce, and al tegasdere. Ne hi ne forbaren biscopes land, ne abbotes, ne preostes, ac rasveden munekes and clerekes, and aevric man other "' fe ower ^* myhte. Gif twa men ofer iii a coman ridend to an tun, al fe tunscipe flugsen for heom ; wenden 8at hi wasron rseveres.^ JJe biscopes and lered men heom cursede'"' 15 asvre, oc was heom naht farof, for hi weron al forcurssed and for- suoren and forloren. Warsae ^' me tilede, fe erthe ne bar nan com, for fe land was al fordon mid suilce daedes, and hi sseden openlice tSat Crist slep and his halechen.^' Suilc and mare fanne we cunnen saein, we foleden ^ xix wintre for ure sinnes. 20 BARBOUR, THE BRUCE The Bruce was composed in 1375 by a northern contemporary of Chaucer, John Barbour (1320 (?)-i395), who was for thirty-eight years archdeacon of Aberdeen. Of Barbour's life comparatively little is known, but we learn that he received permits from the king to study at Oxford and in France, and was granted various pensions. Besides the Bruce, he wrote a poem called The Brut, and a genealogy of the Stuart family, both of which are lost. 1 tributes ; MS. gseildes 1" dear, expensive 21 church 2 from time to time n MS. flee "2 churchyard 8 name given to a tax exacted 12 cheese 23 each man his neighbor from vassals in return for 13 died, perished 24 anywhere ; MS. ouer protection i* went, lived 25 robbers 4 plundered 16 at one time 26 excommunicated 5 burned 1^ fled 27 wheresoever 6 so that 1^ wretchedness 28 saints 7 though 18 everywhere; MS. ouer 29 endured; MS. Jjolenden 8 journey 1^ afteiwards 9 tilled 20 abstained from 238 CHRONICLES The Bruce is called by its author a romance, though it has often been dealt with and criticized as history. " We are hardly to regard it in the light of an exact history, but rather as a succession of episodes telling us various stories about the great perils and adventures of the heroes, the chief of whom are Robert Bruce, his brother Edward, Sir James Douglas, and Sir Thomas Randolph, afterwards Earl of Murray' (Skeat), the period covered being 1286-1332. The poem is divided into twenty books, and is written in the dialect of southern Scotland. While certain parts of it are undeniably tedious, it is of real interest for its national spirit, and has been influential upon so late a fellow-countryman of Barbour's as Sir Walter Scott. Barbour's unique posi- tion is that ' of being the father both of vernacular Scottish poetry and Scottish history' (Diet. Nat. Biog.). Our text is taken from that of Skeat, as edited for the Scottish Text Society (Edinburgh, 1894), with the omission of square brackets, Substitution ois iox ss (representing a single sound), and writing of » as n, etc. Skeat's text is based on the Edinburgh manuscript, written in 1489, collated with the Cambridge MS. G. 23, and with several early editions. Our selections include lines 353-406 of Book I, 352-452 of Book 10, and 18-49, 139-66, and 272-323 of Book 13. It is to be noted that v and w are frequently interchanged. SIR JAMES DOUGLAS To Sanct Andrews he come in hy,* Quhar ^ the byschop full curtasly Resavyt him, and gert ' him wer His knyvys,* f orouch ^ him to scher " ; And cled him rycht honorabilly, And gert ordayn quhar he suld ly. A weile ' gret quhile thar duellyt he ; All men lufyt him for his bounte, For he wes off full ^r effer,' Wys, curtais, and deboner ; Larg' and luff and als wes he, And our " all thing luffyt lawte." Leaute to luff '^ is gretumly ^' : Throuch leaute liffis men lychtwisly ; 1 haste » carve at table 11 loyalty 2 where 1 very (well) 12 to be loved « made 8 behavior 18 greatly ^ knives, daggers 9 generous fi before 10 over, above BARBOUR, THE BRUCE 239 With a wertu ' of leaute A man may geit sufficyand be ; And but " leawte may nane haiff price,' Quhethir he be wycht ' or he be wys ; For quhar it fail^eys, na wertu May be off * price, na off valu, To mak a man sa gud that he May symply gud man callyt be. He wes in all his dedis lele ° ; For him dedeynjeit ' nocht to dele With trechery, na with falset.* His hart on hey honour wes set ; And hym contenyt ' on sic ^^ maner That all him luffyt that war him ner. Bot he wes nocht sa fayr that we Suld spek gretly off his beaute : In wysage wes he sumdeill gray, And had blak bar, as Ic hard say ; Bot off lymmys he wes weill maid. With banys ^^ gret and schuldrys braid. His body wes weyll maid and lenye,^^ As thai that saw hym said to me. Quhen he wes blyth, he wes lufly, And meyk and sweyt in cumpany ; Bot quha in battaill mycht him se, All othir contenance had he. And in spek ^' wlispyt ^* he sum deill, Bot that sat ^^ him rycht wondre weill. Till I** gud Ector of Troy mycht he In mony thingis liknyt be.. Ector had blak bar as he had. 15 25 30 1 virtue 2 without 8 praise 4 vigorous 6 of 6 leal, loyaj 7 deigned 8 falsehood 9 he demeaned himself l» such 11 bones 12 lean, thin 18 speech " lisped 15 became "to 240 CHRONICLES And stark ^ lymmys, and rycht weill maid ; And wlispyt alsua as did he, And wes fullfillyt ^ of leawte, And wes curtais, and wys, and w'ycht.' Bot off manheid and mekill mycht, Till Ector dar I nane comper Off all that evir in warldys vver. The quheth)T * in his tyme sa vvrocht he, That he suld gretly lovjt be. THE WINNING OF ROXBURGH CASTLE 25 This tym that the gud erll Thomas Assegit,^ as the lettir ' sais, Edinburgh, James of Douglas Set all his vit for till purchas ' How Roxburgh, throu subtilite Or ony craft, mycht wonnyn be ; Till he gert Sym of the Ledows — A crafty man and a curious — • Of hempyn rapis ' ledderis ma,' With treyn ^° steppis bundin swa. That vald '^ brek apon na kyn wis.^" A cruk " thai maid, at thair deuis," Of irn,^^ that wes styth ^^ and square ; That, fra ^' it ane kymaill ^' ware. And the leddir tharf ra stratiy " Strekit,^ it suld stand sekirly.^^ This lord of Douglas than, alsoyn ^ As this devisit wes and done, 1 strong 2 filled full s brave * nevertheless 5 besieged 6 written account ' devise, contrive ^ ropes 9 make 10 wooden 11 would 13 in no way IS large hook 14 according to their plan 15 iron 16 strong I'' from the time that, when 18 against a battlement 19 tightly 20 stretched 21 securely 22 as soon BARBOUR, THE BRUCE 241 Gaderit gud men in prevate ^ ; Thre score I trow at ^ thai mycht be. And on the f asteryn evyn " rycht. In the begynnyng of the nycht, Till the castell thai tuk the \ay. 5 With blak froggis ' all helit* thai The armouris at thai on thame had. Thai com ner by thar but abaid,* And send haly thair hors " thame f ra, And on range ' in ane rod' can '" ga" 10 On handis and feit, quhen thai war neir, Richt as thai ky ^- and oxin weir, That war unbondyn left therout. It wes richt merk,^* forouten " dout ; The quhethir^* ane, on the wall that lay, 15 Besyde him till his feir '^ can say : ' This man thinkis to mak gude chere ' — And nemmyt " ane husband ^* tharby neir — ' That has left all his ox)me out.' The tothir said, ' It is na dout ; 20 He sail mak mene this nycht, thouch thai " Be with * the Douglas led avay.' Thai wende the Douglas and his men Had beyn oxyne, for thai geid ^ then On handis and feit, ay ane and ane. 25 The Dowglas rycht gud tent ^'- has tane ^ Till all thar speke,-^ bot alsso3fn^ thai Held, carpand,* inward on thar wa}". The Douglas men tharof wes blith, 1 secrecy 9 along a path (road) 18 hu^jandman, feimer 2 that 10 did (gan) 19 (the cattle) 8 eve of the fast, Shrove u go ^ by Tuesday 12 cows 21 went (OE. eoafe) * frocks 13 daik 22 attention 5 covered, concealed 1* without 23 paid (taken) 6 without delay 15 nevertheless ^ speech ' sent all their hoises away 16 companion(OK^«/?ra) 25 very soon ' in single file 1? named 26 talking 242 CHRONICLES And till the wall thai sped thame swith ^ ; And soyn has up thair ledderis set, That maid a clap,^ quhen the cleket ' Wes festnyt fast in the kyrnell. 5 That herd ane of the vachis * wele, And buskit ^ thiddirward but baid " ; Bot Ledous, that the leddyr maid, Sped ' hym to clym first to the wall ; Bot, or he wes up gottin all, 10 He at ' that vard ' had in keping. Met him rycht at the upcummyng ; And, for ^° he thoucht to dyng ^^ hym doune, He maid na noys, na cry, na sowne, Bot schot ^^ till him deliverly.'"* 15 And he that wes in juperdy Till de,^* a lans ^^ till him he maid. And gat him be the nek but baid, And stekit ^° him upward vith ane knyff, Quhill in his hand he left the liff." 20 And quhen he ded sa saw him ly. Upon the wall he went in hy. And doune the body kest thame till, And said : ' All gangis ^^ as we will ; Speid " 50W upward deliverly.' 25 And thai did swa in full gret hy. Bot, or thai wan ™ up, thar com ane, And saw Ledows stand him allane, And knew he wes nocht of thar men. In hy he ruschit till hym then, 3° And hym assaljeit sturdely ; Bot he hym slew deliverly ; ^ quickly 2 noise 8 that 3 watch 15 leap, dash 16 stabbed 3 clicket, holdfast M because 17 life 4 watches, guards 5 hastened n throw 12 shot, dashed 18 goes 19 hasten 6 without delay ' hastened ^2 nimbly 14 to die 20 succeeded in getting BARBOUR, THE BRUCE 243 For he wes armyt and wes vycht. The tothir nakyt ^ wes, I hicht,'' And had nocht for till stynt no strak.' Sic melle * tharup * can he mak, Quhill Douglas and his menjhe "all 5 War wonnyn up apon the wall. Than in the tour thai vent in hy. The folk that tym wes halely ' Into * the hall at thair dansyng, Synging, and othir wayis playing, 10 As apon fastryn evyn is The custom, to mak joy and blis. To folk that ar into savite ' ; Swa trowit thai that tym to be. Bot, or thai wist, rycht in the hall 15 Douglas and his men cummyn var all, And cryit on hicht ^^ : ' Douglas I Douglas ! ' And thai, that ma ^^ war than he was. Herd 'Dowglas ! ' cryit rycht hydwisly,-'^ Thai war abasit ^^ for the cry, 20 And schupe '* richt na defens to ma.^^ And thai but '^ pite can thame sla. Till thai had gottyn the ovir " hand. 1 unarmed "^ all of them is dismayed 2 assure you 8 jn 14 attempted 8 to oppose a blow (stop, a stroke) 9 in safety 15 make ^ such combat lo aloud 16 without 5 up there u more l?" upper 6 host 12 horribly 244 ■ CHRONICLES THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN (A.D. 1314) The closing incident of this selection may be compared with Scott's adapta- tion of it in The Lord of the Isles 6. 31-2. The story of the campaign, with a survey of the related events and conditions, has been told by W. M. Mackenzie, The Battle of Bannockbum : A Study in Mediteval Warfare (Glasgow, 1913). The battale thair so felloune ^ was, And sua richt gret spilling of blud, That on the erd the flus ''■ it stud. The Scottis men so weill thame b^r, 5 And sua gret slauchtir maid thai thar, And fra so feill * the livis revit,* That all the feild wes bludy levit.^ That tym thir thre battalis " wer All syde be syde fechtand ' weill neir, 10 Thar mycht man her " richt mony dynt, And vapnys ' apon armour stynt,^" And se tummyll ^^ knychtis and stedis, With mony rich and ryoU '^ wedis ^' Defoulit roydly ^* under feit. 1 5 Sum held on lof t,^^ sum tynt ^° the suet.''' A long quhill thus fechtand thai wer. That men no noyis na cry mycht her ; Men herd nocht ellis bot granys ^' and dyntis, That slew " fire, as men dois ^° on fl)Titis ; 20 Sa ^' faucht thai ilkane egirly That thai maid nouthir noyis no cry, Bot dang '"'■ on othir at thar mycht, With wapnys that war burnyst brycht. The arrowis als so thik thai flaw 1 cruel 9 weapons 17 life-blood (sweat) 2 pool 1" clash, smite 18 groans 8 many 11 tumble, fall 19 struck ^ took away 12 royal 20 do 5 left 18 garments 21 so 6 these three battalions " rudely 22 struck 7 being fought 16 aloft Shear 16 lost BARBOUR, THE BRUCE 24 s That thai mycht say weill, at ^ thaim saw, That thai ane hydwis schour " can ma ; For quhar thai fell, I wndirta," Thai left eftir thame taknyng,* That sail neid, as I trow, lechyng.' The Ynglis archeris schot so fast That, mycht thar schot haf had last,* It had beyne hard to Scottis men. . . . For quhen the Scottis ynkirly ' Saw thair fais sa sturdely Stand into ' battale thame agane, With all thar mycht and all thar mayne Thai layd on, as men out of wit ; For quhar thai with full strak ' mycht hit, Thair mycht no armyng '" stynt thar strak ; Thai tofruschit ^^ thame thai mycht ourtak,'" And with axis sic duschis '* gaff That thai helmys and hedis claff. And thair fais richt hardely Met thame, and dang " on douchtely " With wapnys that war stith ^' of steill. Thar wes the battell strikyn " weill ; So gret dynnyng ther wes of dyntis, As wapnys apon armor styntis. And of speris so gret bristing,'' With sic thrawing ^' and sic thristing,^" Sic gymyng,^^ granyng,''' and so gret A noyis, as thai can othir bet,'° And cryit ensenseis ^* on everilk syd, Gifand and takand woundis wyd, IS 25 30 ithat 2 shower 3 assert < token 5 healing 6 lasted ' in particular, for their part " stroke 1** armor 11 crushed ^ overtake IS severe blows 1* struck 15 valiantly 1" strong 1^ engaged 18 breaking, bursting 19 throwing 20 thrusting 21 grinning 22 groaning 28 beat 2* war-cries 246 CHRONICLES That it wes hydwiss for till her All four the battelis,'' wicht that wer, Fechtand intill a front haly.^ Almychty God ! full douchtely 5 Schir Edward the Brys and his men Amang thair fais ' contenyt thame * then. . For all the Scottis men that war thar, Quhen thai saw thame ^ eschew the ficht, Dang on thame swa with all thar mycht 10 That thai scalit " in tropellis ' ser,* And till discumfitur war ner ; And sum of thame fled all planly.' Bot thai that wicht war and hardy, That schame letit " till ta " the flicht, 1 5 At gret myschef mantenyt ^^ the ficht, And stithly in the stour ^* can stand. And quhen the king of Ingland Saw his men ile in syndry " place. And saw his fais rout,^^ that was 20 Worthyn ^* so wicht and so hardy, That all his folk war halely ^' Swa stonayit ^* that thai had no mycht To stynt ^' thair fais in the ficht, He was abasit "" so gretumly ^' 25 That he and all his cumpany, Fif hundreth armyt weill at rycht, Intill a frusche ^^ all tuk the flycht, And till the castell held ther way. And jeit, as I herd sum men say, 30 That of Wallanch Schir Amer,^ 1 battalions 9 openly 17 entirely 2 abreast, all in one rank (?) m prevented 18 astonished, dismayed s foes 11 from taking 1^ stop, check 4 demeaned themselves 12 maintained 20 cast down, discouraged 6 the English i* combat, battle 21 greatly, extremely u dispersed 1* sundry 22 rush, sudden breaking of ranks f small companies 1^ host 23 Sir Aymer de Valence 8 separate 1^ become BARBOUR, THE BRUCE 247 Quhen he the feld saw vencust ^ ner, By the renje ^ led avay the king, Agane his will, fra the fichting. And quhen Schir Gelis de Argente ' Saw the king thus, and his menje, Schape thame* to fle so spedely. He com richt to the kyng in hy. And said : ' Schir, sen that it is swa That ge thusgat ^ ^our gat ° will ga, Haffis ' gud day ! for agane ' will I ; ^heit fled I nevir sekirly ; And I cheis heir to byde and de, Than till lif heir and schamfully fle.' His brydill than but mair abaid ' He turnyt, and agane he raid, And on Schir Eduard the Brysis ^° rout That wes so sturdy and so stout, As dreid of na kyn thing ^^ had he, He prikit,^" cryand ' Argente ! ' And thai with speris swa him met. And swa feill speris on hym set, That he and hors war chargit ^* swa That bath doune to the erd can ga ; And in that place than slayne wes he. Of his ded wes rycht gret pite ; He wes the thrid best knycht, perfay, That men wist liffand in his day ; He did mony a fair journe.^^ ^ vanquished t> way n no sort of thing ^ rein ^ have 12 rode hard 3 Giles de Argentine 8 (turn) back again ^ pressed hard * prepare themselves ^ without more delay 1* day's fighting 5 thus 10 Bruce's 26. thrid : the other tviro named by Lord Hailes (Ann. Scot. 2. 48) are the Emperor Henry of Luxembourg and Robert Bruce. STORIES OF TRAVEL SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE The work which passes under the name of Sir John Mandeville was probably the production of a certain Jean de Bourgogne, called the Bearded, who died at Liege on November 17, 1372. According to the chronicle composed by Jean d'Outremeuse (1338-1399), this Jean de Bourgogne styled himself in his will Jean de Mandeville, and revealed on his deathbed to the chronicler that, having had the misfortune to kill an earl in his own country, England, he had bound him- self to traverse three parts of the world. His tomb was to be seen at Li^ge till 1 798, with an inscription which ran (Diet. Nat. Biog. 36. 26) : " Hie jacet vir nobi- lis Dom. Joannes de Mandeville, alias dictus ad Barbara, Miles, Dorainus de Campdi, natus de Anglia, medicinae professor, devotissimus orator, et bonorum suorum largissimus pauperibus erogator, qui, toto quasi orbe lustrato, Leodii diem vitae suae clausit extremum, A.D. MCCCLXXII, mensis Nov. die XVH.' Whatever traveling Mandeville (or Bourgogne) may have done, almost his whole work is a tissue of borrowings and adaptations from such writings as William of Boldensele's Itinerary (published 1336), Odoric of Pordenone's Itinerary (1330), Hetoun the Armenian's History of the Orient (1307), the so-called Epistle of Prester John, etc. The work was first written in French, and afterwards translated into English, Latin, and a variety of other languages. Dr. Warner says (Diet. Nat. Biog. 36. 28) : " Avowedly written for the un- learned, and combining interest of matter and a quaint simplicity of style, the book hit the popular taste. . . . No mediaeval work was more widely diffused in the vernacular.' Some three hundre d manuscripts are said to be in existence. There are three English versions, of which twoTBoth contained in manuscripts of 1410-1420, are superior to the other. One of these (in Cotton MS. Titus 6. 16) is the text generally found in print ; the other, in Northern dialect (in Egerton MS. 1982), was published by G. F. Warner in 1889, with an excellent introduc- tion and notes, and is that from which our extracts are taken. For fuller accounts see Encyc. Brit, and Diet. Nat. Biog. s.v. ; Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. 2. 90-100. THE REBIRTH OF THE PHCENIX Text, p. 25. In order to show the relation of the English translation to the original, a passage of the French text printed by Dr. Warner is here repro- duced ; but it must be understood that this undoubtedly differs from the precise text on which the present English version is based : En Egipte est la cite de Eliopole, cest a dire la cite de solail. En celle y ad une temple fait reonde, a la guise de temple de Jerusalem. Luy preistres de ceo temple ad 248 SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 249 par escript la date del oysel qad a noun Fenix, qi nest qe un soul en monde, et se vient la arder sur laulter de ceo temple au chief de v^ ans, qar tant vit il. Ly preistres appa- raille et met sur eel aulter espices, et soufre vif, et autres choses qi legerement enflau- ment, si qe ly oisel se vient ardoir tot en cendres. Et le primer iour apres lem troeve as cendres un verm ; et le secund iour lem trove loisel tot parfait ; et le tiercz iour il sen vole. Et ensi ni ad totdys qe un oisel soul de celle nature ; et vrayment ceo est grant miracle de Dieu. Et puet homme comparer eel oisel a Dieu, en ceo qe ni ad Dieu forsqe un soul, et en ceo qe nostre Seignur resuscita le tiercz iour. Cest oisel veit homme souent voler en celles parties. Et nest gairs pluis grant dun aigle ; et il ad un crest sur la teste pluis grant qe un pauon, et ad col tout iaune de la colour dun oriel bien lusant, et le dos de yndCj et les aeles de purpre colour, et la cowe reget de travers de iaune et de rouge. Et est tres belle a veoir au solail, qar il tresluyt mult noblement. In Egipte also es a citee fat es called Eliople,^ fat es als mykill at say^ as fe citee of fe sonne. In fis citee es a temple, round in fe maner of f e temple of Jerusalem. J>e preste of fe temple has writen in a buke f e date of a f ewle ' fat men calles Fenix ; and f er es bot ane in all f e werld. And fis fewle liffes fyve hundreth jere ; and at 5 fe fyve hundreth jere* end he commes to fe forsaid temple, and apon fe awter he brynnes himself all to powder. And fe preste of f e temple, fat knawes by his buke fe tyme of his commyng, makes f e awter redy, and lays f erapon diverse spiceries ° and sulphure vive,° and stikkes of fe junipre tree, and ofer thinges fat will sone brynne. 10 And fan the fewle commes, and lightes apon fe awter, and fannez with his wenges ay till f e forsaid thinges be sett on fire ; and fare he brynnes himself all till asches. On f e morue ' f ai fynd in f e asches as it ware a worme ; on f e secund day fat worme es turned till a fewle perfitely fourmed; and on fe thridd day it flies fra fat place to fe 15 place whare it was wont to dwell. And so fer es nevermare bot ane. JJis like fewle betakens oure Lord Jesu Criste, in als mykill as fer es bot a * Godd, fat rase on f e thridd day fra deed to lyfe. JJis for- said fewle es ofttymes sene ayrand ^ aboute, when f e weder es faire and clere ; and f ai say fare fat when f ai see fat fewle sore in f e aer, 20 f ai sail afterward hafe gude seres and miry, for f ai say it es a fewle of heven. And fis fewle es na mare fan ane egle of body. He has on his heved a creste as a pacok, bot it es mykill mare fan f e creste 1 Heliopolis, a short distance ^ year's ^ morrow from Cairo s spicy substances 8 one 2 as much as to say 6 sulphur vivum, horse ^ moving in the air s bird brimstone 2 so STORIES OF TRAVEL of a pacok. His nekke es jalow, and his back es ynde ' colour ; his wenges er reed, and his taile es barred overthwert ^ with grene and galowe and reed. And in f e sonne he semes wonder faire, for fir " er fe colours fat er fairest schewand.* THE PARADISE OF THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN Text, pp. 137-8. Almost any encyclopasdia, and the larger dictionaries under the word ' Assassin,' will give some information on the matter of this section. The Assassins were so called because they were intoxicated with hashish (see the " maner of drinke' below). Mandeville draws from Odoric (Yule, Cathay 1. 153-5) °r Marco Polo (Book i, chap. 22); see Yule's notes to both. The ' old man,' or sheikh, derived his title from the mountainous region south of the Caspian which was under his sway. In particular, he had a moun- tain castle at Alamut in the Elburz range, some ninety miles northwest of Teheran, and just south of a line joining Teheran and Rasht. The rise of this power may be assigned to 1090, or thereabouts, and the destruction of the castles where the sheikhs held sway to about 1256. 5 Besyde fe ile of Pentoxore, f e whilk es Prestre Johnez, es anofer ile bathe lang and brade, f e whilk es called Mulstorak ^ ; and it es under«Jie lordschepe of Prestre John. In fis ile es grete plentee of all maner of gudes and ricchess. And in fat land was sum tyme a riche man fat was called Catolonabes, and he was a grete man and a won- 10 der wyly. And he had a faire castell and a Strang, standand apon a hill, and he gert * make aboute it Strang wallez and hie. And within fase wallez he gert make a faire gardyn, and plant ferin all maner of treez berand diverse fruytz. He gert plant ferin also all maner of erbez of gude smell, and fat bare faire floures. JJare ware also in fat 15 gardyne many faire welles, and besyde faim ware many faire halles and chaumbres, paynted with gold and azure wele and curiousely with diverse storys, and with diverse maners of briddes, fe whilk semed, as fai sang and turned by engyne," as fai had bene all quikke." He putte also in fat gardyne all maner of fewles fat he myght get, and 20 all maner of bestez fat he myght fynd, to make a man solace and dis- porte. And he putte also into fat gardyne faire damysellz within fe 1 blue (indigo) 4 showing (i.e. to look upon) 6 caused to 2 crosswise ^ Melazgerd, in Armenia, north 'i mechanism 8 these of Lake Van 8 alive SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 251 elde ' of XV jere, f e fairest fat he mygt fynd, and knafe " childre of fe same elde ; and fai ware all cledd in clathes of gold. And fase, he said, ware aungelles. Also he gert make in fe forsaid gardyn three faire welles of precious stanes, closed aboute with jasper and cristall, wele bunden with gold and ofer precious stanes. And he gert make 5 cundytes' under f>e erthe, so fat, when he wald, ane of fir* wellez ran of wyne, anofer of mylke, anofer of bony, thurgh fir forsaid cundytes. And fis place called he Paradys. And, when any jung bachelere of fe cuntree come to him, he ledd him into fis Paradys and schewed him all fise forsaid thingez. And he had diverse myn- lo stralles prively in hye toure fat fai myght nojt be sene, playand on diverse instrumentez of music. And he said fat fai ware Goddes aungelles, and fat fat was Paradys fat Godd graunted to fase fat he lufes, sayand on fis wyse : Dabo vobis terram fluentem lac et mel^ fat es to say, "I sail giffe to 50W land flowande mylke and bony.' 15 And fan fis ryche man gafe to fise men a maner of drinke, of whilke fai ware drunken alssone ^ ; and fan fai ware mare blinded fan fai ware before, and wend fai had bene in full blisse. And he said fam fat, if fai wald putte f aim in juperdy of deed ' for his sake, when fai ware deed fai schuld com into his Paradys, and fai schuld ever- 20 mare be of f e elde of f e forsaid damyselles, and fai schuld evermare dwell with fam, and have lyking * and dalyaunce of fam, and ever- mare be maydens, and after a certayne" tyme he schuld putte fam in a fairer Paradys, whare fai schuld see Godd in his majestee, and in his blisse and joy. And fan fai graunted at° do all fat he wald 25 bidd fam do. And fan he bad fam ga to swilk a place, and sla^" swilke a lorde or man of f e cuntree, whilk was his enmy, and fat fai schuld hafe na drede, for, if fai ware deed, fai schuld be putte into fat Paradys. And f us gert he sla many lordes of f e cuntree ; and also many of fise men ware slaen, in hope to hafe fis Paradys fat he 30 hight ^^ fam. And f us he venged him on his enmys thurgh fis des- sayte.^^ And when lordes and riche men of fe cuntree persayved fis malice and wyle of him, fis Catolonabes, fai gadred fam togyder and 1 age 6 cf. Lev. 20. 24 s to 3 boy 6 at once 1* slay 8 conduits ^ death 11 promised ^ these 8 pleasure 12 deceit 252 STORIES OF TRAVEL assailed f is castell, and slew Catolonabes, and destruyd all his ricchess and faire thinges fat ware in his Paradys, and kest doune his castell ; and 5it er pe welles fare, and sum other thinges, hot na ricchess. It es nojt lang sen it was destruyd. THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Text, p. 84. Mandeville is here indebted to the so-called Letter of Prestef John, extant before 1177. The Latin runs (Zarncke, Der Priester Johannes, in Abh. Phil.-Hist. Classe der KonigL-SiUhs. Ges. der Wiss., Vol. 7, Leipzig, 1879, pp. 912-3): 'Quod nemus situm est ad radicem mentis Olimpi, unde fons perspicuus oritur, omnium in se specierum saporem retinens. Variatur autem sapor per singulas horas diei et noctis, et progreditur itinere dierum trium non longe a Paradyso, unde Adam fuit expulsus. Si quis de fonte illo ter jejunus gustaverit, nullam ex ilia die infirmitatem patietur, semperque erit quasi in astate XXX duorum annorum, quamdiu vixerit.' The European notions of the Fountain of Youth all go back to this, according to E. W. Hopkins (' The Fountain of Youth,' vnjour. Am. Or. Soc. 26 (1905). 32 ff.). 5 At f e heved of fis ilk forest es pe citee of Polombe ; and besyde fat citee es a mountayne wharoff fe citee takez fe name, for men callez f e mountayne Polombe. And at f e fote of f is mountayne es a well, noble and faire ; and f e water f eroff has a swete savour and reflaire,^ as it ware of diverse maner of spicery. And ilke houre of fe 10 day fe water chaungez diversely his savour and his smell. And wha so drinkes fastand thryes of fat well, he sail be hale of what maner of malady fat he hase. And f orf i *" f a ° fat wonnez * nere fat well drynkez f eroff f e ofter, and f erfore fai hafe nevermare sekeness, bot evermare fai seme Jung. I, John Maundevill, sawe fis well, and 1 5 drank f eroff thrys and all my f elawes, and evermare sen fat tyme I f ele me f e better and f e haler, and suppose ^ for to do till f e tyme fat Godd of his grace will make me to passe oute of fis dedly lyf. Sum men callez fat well Fons Juventtitis, fat es for to say, fe well of jowthe- hede ^ ; for fai fat drinkez f eroff semez allway jung. And fai say fis 1 odor s those 5 MS, supposez 2 therefore ^ dwell » youth 5. Polombe : Quilon, or Quillon, not far from Cape Comorin, the southern- most point of India, on the west coast (Yule, Cathay 12.71). SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 253 well commez fra Paradys terrestre,' for it es so vertuous. Thurgh- oute all fis cuntree ]>er growes ]>e best gynger pat es ower whare ^ ; and marchaunds commez fider fra ferre cuntreez for to bye it. ST. THOMAS AND INDIAN IDOLATRY Text, pp. 86-7. From Odoric, chaps. 18, 19 (Yule, Cathay \. 80-83). Fra fis land men gase by many diverse placez to a cuntree fat es called Mabaron ' ; and it es fra fe forsaid land x day-journeez. And s it es a grete rewme * and a large, and many gude citeez and tounes ferin. In fat land of Mabaron liez Sayne Thomas fe apostle, and his body all hale, in a faire toumbe in fe citee of Calamy * ; for pare was he martird and graven. ° Bot afterwardes fe Assirienes tuke his body, and bare it to a citee in Mesopotamy pat es called Edisse.' Bot eft- 10 sones ° it was translated agayne to pe foresaid citee, and layd in pe forsaid toumbe ; and his arme with his hand pat he putt in oure Lordes syde after his resurreccioun, when he said. Noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis^ lyez withouten in a vessell. And by that hand men of pat cuntree giffez paire jugementz, to wit wha has rijt. For if any 15 stryf be betwene twa parties, and ayther party affermez pat he has rijt in his cause, pan pai ger write in a scrowe ^^ pe rijt of ayther party, and puttez pase billes in pe hand of Sayne ^^ Thomas ; and als fast '^ pe hand castez oute pe bille pat contenez pe fals cause, and pe toper it haldez still. And perfore men commez ofttymes oute of ferre cuntreez 20 pider, for to declare a rijtwys cause betwene party and party, pe whilk es in doute. J^e kirke whare Sayne Thomas lyes es mykUl and faire, and full of ymagery of paire mawmets '' ; and pase ymagez er ilk ane of pe stature of twa men at pe leste. Bot pare es ane pat passez all oper of stature ; and pat es richely and 25 really " enoumed " with gold and precious stanes all aboute, and sittez 1 earthly 6 st Thomas, a few miles u saint 2 anywhere where (redun- south of Madras 12 as fast as might be, very dant phrase) *» buried fast 8 the Coromandel coast of ' Edessa, or Urfa, in Syria J3 false gods,idols {lit. Ma- southem India (Yule, * afterwards homets) Cathay i..io) * John 20. 27 !■• royally < realm l" scroll 16 adorned 2 54 STORIES OF TRAVEL in a chaier nobelly arraied. And he has aboute his nekk as it ware brade gyrdils ^ of silke, wele hemayst ^ with gold and preciouse stanes. To fat ymage men commez fra ferre in pilgrimage with grete devo- cioun, als comounly als Cristen men commez to Sayne James.' And 5 sum of fam, for }>e grete devocioun ])ai hafe to fat mawmet, ay as pai ga, er lukand douneward to fe erthe, and will nojt luke aboute fam, for fai schuld see nathing fat schuld lette faire devocioun. ]7are commez sum also fider in pilgrimage fat beres scharpe knyfes in f aire ' handes, with whilk, ay as fai ga by f e way, f ai wound f amself in fe 10 legges and fe armes, and in ofer placez of faire body, fat fe blude rynnez doune fra fer woundes in grete fuysoun.* And fis fai do for lufe of fat ydole, and saise fat he es full blissed fat will dye for fe lufe of his mawmet. And sum of fam bringez with fam faire childer, and slaez f aim and makes sacrifice of fam to faire mawmet ; and fai 15 take fe blude of faire childer, and sprenklez it apon fe ymage. Sum, also, fra ^ fai passe oute of fer housez til fai comme before faire maw- met, at ilke a thridd passe knelis doune apon fe erthe with grete de- vocioun. And fai bring with fam incense and ofer thinges swete smelland, for to turify " fat ymage, as we do here to Goddes body. 20 And fare es before fat ymage, as it ware, a poonde ' or a vyver,' full of water ; and into fat pilgrimes castez gold and silver and precious stanes withouten noumer, insteed of offerand. And forfi fe mynis- ters fat kepez fat ilk mawmet, when fai hafe mister ° of any monee for reparailyng of faire kirk, or for any ofer thing fat fallez to fat 25 ilke mawmet, fai ga to fat ilke poonde, and takez oute feroff als , mykill as fam nedez. And je schall understand fat, when grete festez commez of fat mawmet, as f e dedicacioun of f e kirk or f e tronyng " Df fat mawmet, all f e cuntree assemblez f ider ; and fai sett fis maw- met with grete wirschepe in a chariot, wele arraid with clathez of gold 30 and of silke, and ledez him with grete sollempnitee aboute f e citee. And before fe chariot gase first in processioun all fe maydens of fe cuntree, twa and twa togyder ; and fan all f e pilgrymmes fat commez fider fra ferre cuntreez, of whilke sum for fe grete devocioun fai 1 a broad girdle 5 from the time when "need 2 ornamented 6 incense W throning 3 Saint James of Compostella ^ pond 4 abundance, profusion 8 aquarium (vivarium) SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 255 hafe tO' fat mawmet fallez doune before pe chariot, and latez it gang over fam. And so er sum of fam slayne, sum faire armes and sum f aire schankes broken ; and pai trowe pat, pe mare payne pai suffer here for lufe of paire mawmet, pe mare joy in pe toper werld sail pai hafe, and pe nerre paire godd sail pai be. And sikerly pai suffer so 5 mykill payne and martirdom apon paire bodys for pe lufe of pat like mawmet, pat unnethes ' will any Cristen man suffer half so mykill, ne pe tende " parte, for pe lufe of oure Lorde Jesu Criste, THE SULTAN OF EGYPT Text, pp. 20-1 pe sowdan^ has three wyfes, of pe whilke ane sail be a Cristen womman, and pe oper twa Sarezenes. And ane of pir wyfes sail dwell 10 in Jerusalem, anoper at Damasc, and pe thridd at Ascalon.* And, ay when him list, he gase to visit pam, and umqwhyle * ledes pam aboute with him. Noght forpi " he has lemmanes, als many as him list have ; for, when he comes till any citee or toune, he gers bring before him all pe nobilest and pe fairest maydens of pe cuntree nere aboute, and 15 he gers pam be keped honestly and wirschipfully. And, when he will hafe any of pam, he gers paim all be broght before him, and wha so es maste lykand till him, he sendes till hir or takes pe ryng off his fynger, and castez till hir. And pan sail scho be tane,' and waschen and bawmed ' and wirschipfully cledd, and after souper be broght till 20 his chaumbre. And pus he duse ay when he will. Before pe sowdan sail na straunger com pat he ne sail be cledd in clathe of gold or tars " or in chamelet,^" a maner of clething whilk pe Sarzenes usez. And als sone as he has sight of pe sowdan, be it at wyndow or elleswhare, him behoves knele doune and kisse pe erthe ; for swilk es pe maner 25 pare to do reverence to pe sowdan, when any man will speke with him. And when any straungers commes till him in message ^^ oute of ferre landes, his men sail stand aboute him with drawen swerdes in handes, and per handes up on loft,^^ to stryke pam doune, if pai speke 1 scarcely, with difficulty 5 from time to time ^ a rich Oriental stuff 2 tenth ** none the less ^^ damasked silk ^ sultan ^ taken H on an embassy ^ West of Jerusalem, on the coast 8 anointed 12 aloft 256 STORIES OF TRAVEL any thing fat displesez f e sowdan. JJare sail na straunger com before him for to ask him any thing fat ne his asked sail be graunted him, if it be resounable and no^t agayne faire lawe. And rijt so duse all ofer princez and lordes in fat cuntree ; for fai say fat na man suld 5 com before a prince fat he ne schuld passe gladder away fan he come fiderward. THE EARTH IS ROUND Text, pp. 90-2 And 5e schall understand fat in fis land, and in many ofer fare- aboute, men may nojt see f e steme ^ fat es called Polus Articus, whilk standes even north and stirrez never, by whilk schippemen er 10 ledd, for it es no5t sene in fe south. Bot fer es anofer steme, whilke es called antartic, and fat es even agayne " f e tof er sterne ; and by fat Sterne er schippemen ledd fare, as schippemen er ledd here by Folus Articus. And, ri5t as fat sterne may nogt be sene here, on f e same wyse fis sterne may nojt be sene fare. And fareby may men 15 see wele fat fe werld es all rounde; for parties' of fe firmament whilk may be sene in sum cuntree may nojt be sene in anofer. And fat may men prove fus. For, if a man myght fynd redy schipping and gude company, and ferto had his hele,* and wald ga to see fe werld, he myght ga all aboute fe werld, bathe aboven and benethe. 20 And fat prufe I fus, after ° fat I hafe sene. For I hafe bene in Braban," and sene by f e astrolaby ' fat f e pole artyc es fare liii de- greez hegh, and in Almayne " towardes Boem ' it has Iviii degrez, and forfermare'" toward fe north it has Ixii degrez of height and sum mynutes. All fis I persayved by fe astrolaby. And je schall under- 25 stand fat in fe south, even ynentes^' fis sterne, es fe sterne fat es called pole antartic. f>ise twa sternes stirrez never mare ; and aboute faim movez fe firmament, as a qwhele^^ duse aboute ane axeltree. And so f e lyne fat es betwene f ise twa stemez departez " all f e firma- ment in twa partes, ayther ylike mykill." Afterwardes I went toward istar 2 exacdy opposite to 8 parts 4 health 6 Brabant "* astrolabe 8 Germany 9 Bohemia 11 exactly opposite 12 wheel 18 separates " much alike 5 according to M further SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 257 fe south, and I fand fat in Liby ^ seez men first fe steme antartyke ; and, as I went ferrer, I fand fat in hie Liby it hase in height xviii de- greez and sum mynutes, of whilke mynutes Ix makez a degre. And so, passand by land and by see toward fe cuntree fat I spakk off are,''' and ofer landes and iles fat er begond, I fand fat fis steme 5 antartik had in height xxxiii degreez. And, if I had had cumpany and schipping fat wald hafe gane ferrer, I trow forsothe fat we schuld hafe sene all fe roundeness of fe firmament, fat es to say bathe fe emisperies,^ fe uppermare and fe nedermare.* For, as I sayd jow before, halfe f e firmament es betwene fise twa sternes ; fe whilk I 10 hafe sene. . . . And f erfore I say sikerly fat a man myght go all f e werld aboute, bathe aboven and bynethe, and comma agayne to his awen cuntree, so fat he had his hele, g^de schipping, and gude com- pany, as I said before. And all way he schuld fynd men, landes, and iles and citeez and townes, as er in fir cuntrees. For je wate wele 15 fat f ase men fat dwellez even under fe pole antartyk er fote agayne fote to fase fat dwellez even under fe pole artyke, als wele as we and fase men fat dwellez agaynes us er fote agayne fote ; and rijt so it es of ofer parties of f e werld. For ilke a party of f e erthe and of fe see hase his contrary of thinges, whilk er even' agaynes him. 20 And 5e schall understand fat, as I conjecture, f e land of Prestre John, Emperour of Inde, es even under us. For, if a man schall ga fra Scotland or Ingland unto Jerusalem, he sail ga all way upward. For oure land es f e lawest " party of f e west, and f e land of Prestre John es in f e lawest party of f e este. And f ai hafe day when we hafe nyght, 25 and nyght when we hafe day. And, als mykill as a man ascendes upward oute of oure cuntreez to Jerusalem, als mykill schall he go dounward to f e land of Prestre John ; and f e cause es for f e erthe and fe see er rounde. For it es fe comoun worde fat Jerusalem es in myddes of f e erthe ; and fat may wele be proved f us. For, and a 30 man fare take a spere and sett it even in f e erthe at midday, when f e day and f e nyght er bathe ylyke lang, it makez na schadowe till na party.' And David also beres witnes f eroff, fare he saise : Deus autem 1 Libya < nether ' direction 2 before 5 just, exactly 8 hemispheres 8 lowest 258 STORIES OF TRAVEL rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem in medio terre} fat es to say : ' Godd oure kyng before f e begynnyng of f e werld wroght hele in myddes of fe erthe.' And ferfore fai fat gase oute of oure cuntreez of pe west toward Jerusalem, als many journez - as fai make to ga 5 pider upward, als many journez sail fai make to ga in to pe land of Prestre John dounward fra Jerusalem. And so he may ga into pase iles envirounand all pe roundness of pe erthe and of pe see, till he com even under us. And perfore I hafe ofttymes thoght on a tale pat I herd, when I was Jung, how a worthy man of oure cuntree went 10 on a tyme for to see pe werld ; and he passed Inde " and many iles byjonde Inde, whare er ma pan v™ * iles, and he went so lang by land and by see, envirounand pe werld, pat he fand ane ile whare he herd men speke his awen langage. For he herd ane ^ dryfe bestez, sayand to pam swilke wordes as he herd men say til oxen in his awen cun- 1 5 tree gangand at pe plugh ; of whilk he had grete mervaile, for he wist nojt how it myght be. Bot I suppose he had so lang went " on land and on see, envirounand pe werld, pat he was commen in to his awen marchez ' ; and, if he had passed forpermare, he schuld hafe commen even to his awen cuntree. Bot for he herd pat mervaile, and myght 2o get schipping na ferrere, he turned agayne as he come ; and so he had a grete travaile. And it befell efterward pat he went into Nor- way ; and a tempest of wynd in pe see drafe him, so pat he arryved in ane ile. And, when he was pare, he wist wele it was pe ile in whilk he had bene before and herd his awen speche, as men drafe bestez. 25 And pat myght wele be ; pof all * it be pat symple men of cunnyng trowe nojt pat men may ga under pe erthe bot-if pai fall unto pe firmament. For as us think " pat pase men er under us, so think paim pat we er under paim. 1 Ps. 74. 12 5 one, a man 9 unless 2 day's journeys 6 traveled 10 it seems to us 8 India ^ borders * five thousand ' even though SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 259 THE TERRESTRIAL PARADISE Text, pp. 149-50. To afford an opportunity of comparison with the current Southern text, the beginning of this section is here transcribed from Halliwell's reprint (London, 1839, p. 303), with changes in capitalization: 'And bejonde the lond and the yles and the desertes of Prestre Johnes lordschipe, in goynge streyght toward the est, men fynde nothing but mountaynes and roches fulle grete ; and there is the derlte regyoun, where no man may see, nouther be day ne be nyght, as thei of the contree seyn. And that desert and that place of derknesse duren fro this cost unto Paradys Terrestre, where that Adam, oure foremest fader, and Eve weren putt, that dwelleden there but lytylle while ; and that is towards the est, at the begynnynge of the erthe.' For the subject in general, see Coli, // Paradiso Terrestre Dantesco, Flor- ence, 1897. Bejond pir ilez pat I hafe-talde gow off, and fe desertez of fe lord- schepe of Prestre John, to ga even ^ est, es na land inhabited, as I said before, bot wastez and wildemessez, and grete rochez and moun- taynes, and a myrk '■' land, whare na man may see, nyght ne day, as men of pas cuntreez talde us. And pat mirk land and pase desertez 5 laste ri5t to Paradyse terrestre, wharein Adam and Eve ware putte ; bot pai ware pare bot a lytill while. And pat place es toward pe este, at pe begynnyng of pe erthe. Bot pat es nojt oure este, whare pe sonne risez till us ; for when pe Sonne risez in pase cuntreez, pan es it mid- nyght in our cuntree, because of pe roundness of pe erthe. For, as I 10 said before, Godd made pe erthe all rounde, in myddez of pe firma- ment. Bot pe hillez and pe valays pat er now on pe erthe er no5t bot of Noe fiude, thurgh pe whilk pe tendre erthe was remowed fra his place, and pare become a valay, and pe hard erthe habade ^ still, and pare er now hilles. 1 5 Off Paradys can I nojt speke properly, for I hafe nojt bene pare ; and pat forthinkez * me. Bot als mykill as I hafe herd of wyse men, and men of credence, of pase cuntreez, I will tell jow. Paradys ter- restre, as men saise, es pe hiest land of pe werld ; and it es so hye pat it touchez nere to pe cercle of pe moone. For it es so hye pat 20 Noe " flode myght nojt com perto, whilk flude coverd all pe erthe bot it. Paradys es closed all aboute with a wall ; bot whareoff pe wall es 1 directly 8 abode 6 Noah's 2 dark, gloomy 4 that I regret 26o STORIES OF TRAVEL made, can na man tell. It es all mosse-begrowen, and coverd so with mosse and with bruschez fat men may see na stane, ne nogt elles wharoff a wall schuld be made. JJe walle of Paradys strechez fra fe south toward f e north ; and ]>er es nane entree open into it, because 5 of fire evermare brynnand, f e whilk es called f e flawmand swerde ' fat Godd ordaynd fare before fe entree, for na man schuld entre. In fe middes of Paradys es a well, out of fe whilke fer commez foure flodez,^ fat rynnez thurgh diverse landez. J'ir' fiodez sinkez doune into fe erthe within Paradyse, and rynnez so under fe erthe many a 10 myle, and afterwardes comme fai up agayne oute of fe erthe in ferre cuntreez. SIR JOHN'S MODESTY Text, pp. 155-6 J>are er many of er cuntreez and ofer mervailes whilk I hafe nojt sene, and f erfore I can nojt speke properly of f am ; and also in cun- treez whare I hafe bene er many mervailes of whilk I speke nojt, for it 15 ware owere * lang to tell. And also I will tell na mare of mervailes fat er fare, so fat ofer men fat wendez f ider may fynd many new thingez to speke off, whilk I hafe nojt spoken off. For many men base grete lykyng and desyre for to here new thinges ; and f erfore will I now ceesse of tellyng of diverse thingez fat I sawe in f ase cuntreez, so fat 20 f ase fat covetez to visit f ase cuntrez may fynd new thinges ynewe to tell off, for solace and recreacioun of f aim fat lykez to here fam. And I, John Mawndevill, knyght, fat went oute of my cuntree, and passed fe see, fe jere of oure Lord Jesu Criste MCCCXXXII, and base passed thurgh many landes, cuntreez, and iles, and base bene 25 at many wirschipfuU journeez* and dedez of armez with worthy men — if all " I be unworf i — and now am commen to rest, as man dis- comfitt for age and travaile and f ebilness of body, fat constraynez me farto, and for ofer certayne causez, I hafe compiled fis buke and writen it, as it coome to my mynde, in f e 5ere of oure Lord Jesu 30 Criste MCCCLXVI, fat es for to say, in fe foure and thrittyde jere efter fat I departed oute of fis land, and tuke my way f iderward. 1 Gen. 3. 24 8 these " days of battle 2 Gen. 2. 10 ff. * too 6 even if SIR JOHN MANDEVILLE 261 And for als mykill as many men trowez nojt bot fat at ^ J»ai see with faire eghen, or fat f ai may consayve with faire awen kyndely " wittes, ferfore I made my way in my commyng hamward unto Rome, to schew my buke till oure Haly Fader fe Rape. And I tald him f e mervailes whilk I had sene in diverse cuntreez, so pat he, with his 5 wyse counsaile, wald examyne it with diverse foUce fat er in Rome — for fare er evermare dwelland men of all naciouns of fe werld. And a lytill after, when he and his wyse counsaile had examynde it all thurgh, he said to me for certayne fat all was soth fat was ferin. For he said fat he had a buke of Latyn fat conte)Tied all fat and 10 mykill mare, after whilk buke the Mappa Mundi es made ; and fat buke he schewed me. And ferfore oure Haly Fader fe Rape base ratified and confermed my buke in all poyntes. Qwherfore I pray til all f ase fat redez f is buke, or heres it redd, fat f ai will pray for me, and I schall pray for f aim. And all f ase fat saise 1 5 for me devotely a Pater Noster and ane Ave, fat Godd forgif e me my synnez, he graunt fam parte of all my pilgrimage, and all of er gude dedis fat I hafe done, or may do in tyme comm)mg unto my lyfez end. And I, in fat in me es, makez fam parceneres' of me,^ prayand to Godd, of wham all grace commez, fat he fulfill with his grace all f ase 20 fat fis buke redez or heres, and save fam and kepe fam in body and saule, and after fis \yi bring fam to fe cuntree whare joy es, and endles rest, and peesse withouten end. Amen. A PILGRIMAGE BY SEA TO COMPOSTELLA The manuscript containing this poem has been ascribed to the time of Henry VI (1422-1471). It is here printed from Fumivall's edition of TTie Stacions of Rome (E.E.T.S. No. 25). Men may leve alle gamys ' That saylen to Seynt Jamys,' 25 Ffor many a man hit gramys,' When they begyn to sayle ; 1 that ** MS. J>am ^ Santiago deCompostella, in the province 2 natural, native 5 put aside all mirth of Galicia, in northwestern Spain 8 sharers, partners ^ distresses 262 STORIES OF TRAVEL Ffor when they have take the see At Sandwyche ^ or at Wynchylsee/ At Brystow/ or where that hit bee, Theyr hertes begyn to fayle. S Anone the mastyr commaundeth fast To hys shypmen, in alle the hast,* To dresse ' hem sone about the mast, Theyr takelyng to make ; With ' Howe ! hissa ! ' then they cry ; lo ' What, howe I mate, thow stondyst to " ny. Thy felow may nat hale ' the * by ' ; Thus they begyn to crake.' A boy or tweyn anone upstyen,^" And overthwart the sayle-yerde lyen. 15 ' Y how ! taylia 1 ' the remenaunt cryen, And pulle with alle theyr myght. " Bestowe " the boote,^'' boteswayne, anon, That our pylgryms may pley theron ; For som ar lyke to cowgh and grone 20 Or " hit be full mydnyght' ' Hale the bowelyne " ! now, vere the shete ! — Cooke, make redy anoon our mete ! ' ' Our pylgryms have no lust to ete, I pray God yeve hem rest' 25 ' Go to the helm ! what, howe I no nere ^1' — ' Steward, felow, a pot of here ! ' ' Ye shalle have, sir, with good chere. Anon alle of the best.' 1 north of Dover 'haul Were 2 southwest of Dover, in Sussex s thee 14 a rope made fast to the mid- 8 Bristol 9 call aloud dle part of the outside of i all haste 10 climb a sail 6 make ready 11 stow 15 nearer (no closer to the 6 too 12 boat wind ?) A PILGRIMAGE TO COMPOSTELLA 263 ' Y howe ! trussa I hale in the brayles ^ I Thow halyst nat, be God, thow fayles I ' — ' O se howe welle owre good shyp sayles I ' And thus they say among. ' Hale in the wartake ^1 ' ' Hit shal be done.' — 5 ' Steward, cover the boorde anone. And set bred and salt therone, And tary nat to long 1 ' Then cometh oone and seyth : " Be mery, Ye shall have a storme or a pery.^ ' 10 ' Holde thow thy pese ! thow canst no whery,* Thow medlyst wondyr sore.' Thys menewhyle '' the pylgryms ly; And have theyr bowlys fast theym by. And cry aftyr bote malvesy " : 15 ' Thow helpe for to restore.' And som wold have a saltyd tost,' Ffor they myght ete neyther sode " ne rost ; A man myght sone pay for theyr cost, As for 00 day or twayne. 20 Som layde theyr bookys on theyr kne. And rad ^ so long they myght nat se. " Alias, myne hede wolle cleve on thre 1 ' Thus seyth another certayne. Then commeth owre owner, lyke a lorde, 25 And speketh many a royall worde, And dresseth hym to the hygh borde. To see alle thyng be welle. Anone he calleth a carpentere, And byddyth hym bryng with hym hys gere,'" 30 1 small ropes fastened to the 4(?) 8 anything boiled edges of sails 6 in the meantime 9 read 2(?) 6 malmsey 10 tools 8 squall 7 toast 264 STORIES OF TRAVEL To make the cabans here and there, With many a f ebylle ^ celle. A sak of strawe were there ryght good, Ffor som must lyg '^ theym in theyr hood • I had as lefe be in the wood, Without[e] mete or drynk. For when that we shall go to bedde, The pumpe is ' nygh oure beddes hede ; A man were as good be * dede As smell therof the stynk. 1 slightly built ^Me s MS. was 4 MS. to be RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES ROLLE, THE FORM OF PERFECT LIVING Richard RoUe, who was born near the end of the thirteenth century (the year is not known) at Thornton Dale, near Pickering in northern Yorkshire, was a hermit and mystic who wrote the first original [since the Ancren Riwle is translated] English prose after the Conquest (Jusserand, Lit. Hist. Eng. People I. 218). In his early youth he was sent as a student to Oxford, but was repelled by the scholastic philosophy there dominant, and made up his mind to turn to a life of contemplation. For the next four years he lived in a solitary cell on the estate of friends who provided him with the necessaries of life, and there he passed through three stages of the contemplative life — furificatio, illumi- natio, and contemplatio proper (cf. H. O. Taylor, The Medii2val Mind 2. 362 ff.), in the last of which he had the mystic sense of the direct vision of God. After traveling about for some time, in the hope of teaching his faith, as to which he met with little encouragement and considerable opposition, he settled near the recluse Margaret Kirkby at Ainderby, near Northallerton (famous for the Battle of the Standard), also in the North Riding, where he gave assistance and instruction to her and other recluses. Later he lived and wrote at Hampole, five miles northwest of Doncaster, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, where he died in 1349, and whence he has come to be known as Richard RoUe of Hampole. RoUe was a figure apparently but little heeded by the authorities of his own time, yet one of real significance. In his emphasis on the direct relation be- tween the individual soul and God, rather than on mere obedience to the Church, he was a forerunner of Wycliffe and Luther ; and through the fervor of his mystical outpourings, he still makes a strong emotional appeal. His works, which it is hard in some cases to distinguish from those of his imitators and translators, were sometimes written in Latin and sometimes in English, one of the best known of those in English being a long poem. The Pi'ick of Conscience. His editor Horstman says of him : " His chief character- istic as a writer is originality — he is essentially a genius; everywhere he cuts out new ways, laysTiewToundations. Next, he is preeminently a lyric ; whether he writes in prose or verse, he writes from feeling, from momentaTyTnspiration. Besides, he is of a remarkable versatility and facility ; he writes with equal ease in Latin and English, in verse and prose, and in all kinds of verse, fre- quently mixing prose and verse in the same work ; he writes postils, commen- taries, epistles, satires, polemic treatises, prayers and devotions, lyric and didactic poetry, epigrams ' (2. xxxv). Our selections are from his epistle known 265 266 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES as The Form of Perfect Living, as it appears in MS. Cambr. Dd. V. 64, where it is dedicated to the recluse Margaret. For this text, and for an extended account of Richard Rolle and his place in the history of mysticism, see Richard Rolle of Hampole, ed. C. Horstman, London, 1895, in Yorkshire Writers (Library of Early English Writers). Our selections are from Vol. i, pp. 29-30, 46-9. THE LOVE OF GOD Amore langueo. J>ir' twa wordes er^ wryten in pe boke of lufe, fat es kalled fe Sang of Lufe, or fe Sang of Sanges. For he fat mykel' lufes, hym lyst * oft syng of his luf, for joy pat he or scho hase when pai thynk on pat pat pai lufe, namely ^ if pair lover be trew and lufand. 5 And pis es pe Inglisch of thies twa wordes : ' I languysch for lufe.' Sere ^ men in erth has sere gyftes and graces of God, bot pe special gift of pas pat ledes solitary lyf es for to lufe Jesu Criste. ]7ow says me: 'AH men lufes hym pat haldes' his comawndementes.' Soth it es. Bot all men pat kepes hys byddyngs kepes noght also hys cown- 10 sayle. And all pat dos his cownsell er noght also fulfyld of * pe swet- nes of his lufe, ne feles noght pe fyre of byrnand luf of hert. Forpi pe diversite of lufe makes pe diversite of halynes and of mede.° In heven, pe awngeU pat er byrnandest in lufe er nerrest God. Also men and women pat maste ^° has of Goddes lufe, whether pai do penance or nane, pai sail be in pe heghest degre in heven ; pai pat lufes hym lesse, in pe lawer order. If pou lufe hym mykel, mykel joy and swetnes and byrnyng pou feles in his lufe, pat es pi comforth and streng[t]h nyght and day. If pi lufe be not byrnand in hym, litel es pi delyte. For hym may na man fele in joy and swetnes, bot-if " pai be clene, and fylled 20 with his lufe ; and partill ^'^ sal pou com with grete travayle in praier and thynkyng, havand swilk meditacions pat er al in pe lufe and in pe lovyng of God. And when pou ert at pi mete, love ay God in pi thoght at ilk a ^' morsel, and say pus in pi hert : ' Loved be pou, Keyng, and thanked be pou, Keyng, and blyssed be pou, Keyng, Jesu all my 25 joyng, of all pi giftes gude ; pat for me spylt pi blude, and died on pe 1 these ; of. Cant. 2. 5 ' diverse n unless 2 are ^ keeps '^ to this condition, thereto 8 much, greatly * filled with 18 every 4 he desires ® reward 6 especially 1® most ROLLE, THE FORM OF PERFECT LIVING 267 rude ; fou gyf me grace to syng fe sang of fi lovyng.' And thynk it noght anely ^ whils fou etes, bot bath before and after, ay bot when ^ fou prayes or spekes. Or if fou have other thoghtes pat ]>o\i has ' mare swetnes in and devocion fan in })ase pat I lere * ]>e, pou may thynk [pam]. For I hope pat God will do swilk* thoghtes in ]n hert als he 5 es payde of,' and als pou ert ordaynde for. When pou prayes, loke noght how mykel pou says, bot how wele, pat pe lofe of pi hert be ay upwarde, and thy thoght on pat pou sayes, als mykel als pow may. If pou be in prayers and meditacions al pe day, I wate ' wele pat pou mon wax " gretely in pe lufe of Jesu Cryste, and mikel fele of delyte, and 10 within schort tyme. THE ACTIVE AND THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE Twa lyves par er pat Cristen men lyfes. Ane es called actyve lyfe, for it es in mare ' bodili warke. Another, contemplatyve lyfe, for it es in mare swetnes gastely.^" Actife lyfe es mykel owteward, and in mare travel " and in mare peryle, for pe temptacions pat er in pe worlde. 15 Contemplatyfe lyfe es mykel inwarde, and forpi ^' it es lastandar,^' and sykerar," restfuUer, delitabiler,^^ luflyer, and mare medeful.^" For it base joy in Goddes lufe, and savowre in pe lyf pat lastes ay, in pis present tyme, if it be right ledde. And pat felyng of joy in pe lufe of Jesu passes al other merites in erth. For it es swa harde to com to 20 for pe freelte of oure flesch, and pe many temptacions pat we er um- sett ^' with, pat lettes ^' us nyght and day. Al other thynges er lyght at " com to, in regarde parof , for pat may na man deserve, bot anely it es gifen of Goddes godenes, til pam pat verrayli gifes pam to contemplacion and til quiete for Cristes luf. 25 Til men or wymen pat takes ^^ pam til actife lyfe, twa thynges falles.^' Ane, for to ordayne pair meyne ^'^ in drede and in pe lufe of ^ only " more 1^ set about, surrounded 2 always except when l» spiritually 18 hinder 8 findest 11 labor, toil 19 easy to * teach 12 therefore 2» betake 6 put such 18 more lasting 21 are appointed 6 satisfied with " more full of security 22 household 7 know 15 more delightful 8 must increase 16 full of reward 268 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES God, and fynd |iam faire necessaries, and famself kepe enterely pe comandementes of God, doand ^ til far neghbur als fai wil fat fai do til fam. Another es : fat J>ai do at far power f e seven werkes of mercy, f e whilk es : to fede f e hungry ; to gyf f e thristi a drynk ; to 5 cleth f e naked ; to herbar hym fat base na howsyng ; to viset fe seke; to comforth fam fat er in prysoun ; and to grave" dede men. AI fat mai, and base ' cost,* fai may noght be qwyt^ with ane or twa of fir, bot fam behoves do fam al, if fai wil have fe benyson" on Domesday ' fat Jesu sal til ' al gyf fat dose fam. Or els may fai lo drede fe malysoun" fat al mon^" have fat will noght do fam, when fai had godes ^^ to do fam wyth. Contemplatife lyf base twa partyes,^^ a lower and a beer, fe lower party es meditacion of haly wrytyng, fat es Goddes wordes, and in other gude thoghtes and swete fat men base, of fe grace of God, abowt 15 fe lufe of Jesu Criste, and also in lovyng of God in psalmes and ympnes,^' or in prayers. JJe hegher party of contemplacion es behald- yng and jernyng of " f e thynges of beven, and joy in f e Haly Gaste. JJat men base oft, and ^' if it be swa fat fai be noght prayand with f e mowth, bot anely thynkand of God, and of f e fairehede ^° of aungels 20 and haly sawles." J'an may I say fat contemplacion es a wonderful joy of Goddes luf, f e whilk ^' joy es lovyng of God, fat may noght be talde ; and fat wonderful lovyng es in fe saule, and for abundance of joy and swettenes it ascendes in til fe mouth, swa fat fe hert and fe tonge acordes in ane,^' and body and sawle joyes in God lyvand.^" 25 A man or woman fat es ordaynd til contemplatife lyfe, first God enspires fam to forsake fis worlde, and al f e vanite and f e covayties and f e vile luste f arof. Sythen ^ he ledes fam by far ane,^'' and spekes til fair ^' hert, and, als f e prophete says, he gif es fam at sowke ^^ fe swetnes of fe begynnyng of lufe, and fan be settes fam in will^ i doing 1» must 18 agree 2 bury 11 goods 20 living a MS. hase and mai (em. H.) 12 parts, phases 21 afterwards * money sufficient 18 hymns 22 by themselves, alone fi quit, released "for 28 MS. Sar 6 blessing IS even 24 to suck 7 Day of Judgment 18 fairness, beauty 26 makes them desire 8 to 1' souls 9 malediction 18 which THE ANCREN RIWLE 269 to gyf fam haly^ to prayers and meditacions and teres. Sithen, when ))ai have sufferd many temptacions, and [])e] ^ foule noyes ' of thoghtes pat er ydel, and of vanitees fe whilk wil comber fam pat can noght destroy para, er passand away, he gars pam * geder * til pam pair hert, and fest ° anely in hym, and opens til ]>e egh ' of pair sawls 5 pe 5ates of heven, swa pat pe illc * egh lokes in til heven ; and pan pe fire of lufe verrali ligges" in pair hert, and byrnes parin, and makes [it] clene of al erthly filth ; and sithen forward " pai er contemplatife men, and ravyst^' in lufe. For contemplacion es a syght, and pai se in til heven with par gastly egh. Bot pou sal witt'^ pat na man base 10 perfite syght of heven whils pai er lif and bodili here ; bot als sone als pai dye pai er broght before God, and sese hym face til face, and egh til egh, and wones '' with hym withouten ende. For hym pai soght, and hym pai covayted, and hym pai lufed, in al par myght. Loo, Margarete, I have schortly sayde pe '* pe forme of lyvyng, and 1 5 how pou may com til perfection, and to lufe hym pat pou base taken pe til. If it do pe gude, and profit til pe, thank God, and pray for me. f>e grace of Jesu Criste be with pe, and kepe pe. Amen. THE ANCREN RIWLE The Ancren Riwle (Regula Indusarum) was written for the guidance of three sisters of gentle blood who had given themselves up to a religious life, without having at that time become nuns. It exists in three languages — French, English, and Latin — the English having been translated from French, and the Latin from English (G. C. Macaulay, in Mod. Lang. Rev. 9. 63 ff.). The author has been thus characterized : " His doctrine may be summed up in a word : he teaches self-renunciation. But he does it in so kindly and affectionate a tone that the life he wishes his penitents to submit to does not seem too bitter ; his voice is so sweet that the existence he describes seems almost sweet' (Jusserand, Lit. Hist. Eng. People i. 212). His 'work betokens much learning, great knowledge of the human heart, as well as deep piety, 1 wholly 6 fix 11 ravished, rapt 2em. H. 7 eyes 12 know 8 annoyances, troubles 8 same 18 dwell 4 causes them 9 lies W to thee 5 gather, collect 10 from that time on 15. Margarete : probably Dame Margaret Kyrkby, an anchoress for whom he felt a holy affection. 270 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES and a refined and gentle spirit' (Ten Brink, Early Eng. Lit. i. 200). Ten Brink also refers (ibid. 2'. 16) to "that aroma, that tinge of poetry, which breathes throughout the language of the Ancren Riwle,' to which, as well as to the author's deep spirituality, the work owes its unusual appeal. Judging from its language, the Ancren Riwle was written in the early thir- teenth century. The best text is contained in a Cambridge manuscript desig- nated by Macaulay as B (Mod. Lang. Rev. 9. 145). Our selections are taken from Morton's text [The Ancren Riwle, London, 1853), '" which MS. Brit. Mus. Cotton Nero A. XIV is reproduced; the pages are 50-2, 72, 132-4, 388-90, 416-22, 422-4. The dialect is southwestern. Morton's translation is published in The King's Classics as The Nun's Rule. ANCHORESSES NOT TO LOOK OUT UPON THE WORLD Vorfui,' mine leove "•' sustren,' fe leste faet je ever muwen luvietS our furies ' ; al beon heo lutle,^ fe parluris ° lest ' and nerewest. J>e cloS in ham beo * twovold : blac cloS ; f e creoiz ' hwit, wiSinnen and wi8uten. J^e blake cIo6 bitockne6 fast je beoS blake and unwur15e " toward ^^ fe worlde wi6uten ; fast te so^e sunne, fast is Jesu Crist, haveS ^'^ wiSuten vorkuled ^' ou ; and so wiSuten, ase je beo8, unseau- liche imaked ou ^^ furh gleames ^ of his grace. J7et hwite creoiz limpeS ^^ to ou ; vor f reo manere '' creoices beotS — reade and blake and hwite. JJe reade limpeS to feo fast beo6, vor Godes luve, mid hore " blodshedunge irudded " and ireaded," ase f e martirs weren. JJe blake creoiz limpeS to f eo^° fast makietS i Se'^^ worlde hore penitence vor lodliche^'^ sunnen.^^ JJe hwite creoiz limpeS to hwit meidenhod and to clennesse,^ faet is muchel pine ^^ wel vor to holden.^' Pine is overal "' f urh creoiz idon to understonden.^' J^us bitockneS hwit croiz f e ward ^^ 1 wherefore H in the sight of 21 jn the 2 dear 12 has 22 foul, loathsome s sisters 18 discolored 23 sins ^ love your windows the 1* and so has made you exter- 24 purity least that ye ever may nally as you are, uncomely 25 difficulty, pains IS and let them all be small 16 rays 26 preserve 6 those of the parlor 1^ belongs, appertains 27 everywhere ^ smallest 17 three kinds 28 given to understand = 8 let it be 18 their to be understood 9 cross 19 reddened 29 keeping 1" of no value 20 those I. leste . . . Iuvie3: properly, according to the French (Mod. Lang. Rev. 9. 65), 'the best that you ever can guard,' etc. THE ANCREN RIWLE 271 of hwit chastite, fset is muchel pine wel vor to witene.' pe blake .clots also tekeSe'* bitocnunge," de8 * lesse eile^ to fen eien, and is ficcure ajein fe wind, and wurse to furhseon," and halt ' his heou ^ betere vor winde and for oSer hwat.° LokeB fast te '° parlurs beon ever veste^' on everiche halve,^^ and eke wel istekene-"; and witeS" fer 5 our '^^ eien, leste fe heorte etfleo ^° and wende ut, ase of David,^' and oure soule secli ^' so sone heo is ute. Ich write muchel vor oSre, f set noising ne etrine'6 ou,^" mine leove sustren, vor nabbe je ^^ nout fene nome,^^ ne ne schulen habben, furh fe grace of Gode, of totinde^" ancres,^" ne of tollinde lokunges ^* ne lates,'*^ f set summe, oSer hwules,"^ lo weilawei ! unkundeliche " makieS ; vor ajein kunde "' hit is, and un- meS ™ suUic '" wunder, fast te deade totie,*^ and mid cwike worldes men '^ wede,^* wiS sunne. ' Me*'' leove sire,' serS sum inouh reatSe,*^ "and is hit nu so overuvel'^ vor te *' toten utward ? ' ^e hit, leove suster, vor uvel fast ter '* kumeiS 15 of hit, is uvel over uvel *° to everich ancre, and nomeliche *" to f e gunge, and to ]'en old vorSui *^ fset heo to f e gunge jiveS uvel vorbisne,*^ and scheld ■** to werien ham mide.^* Vor, gif ei *^ etwit *° ham, f eonne sig- geS heo anon riht *' • " Me sire, f eo detS also f eo *' is betere fen Ich arn, and wot betere fen Ich wot hwat heo have© to donne.' O leove 20 junge ancren, of te a f ul hawur *' smifi smeoSiS ^ a f ul woe ^^ knif , and te wise ouh'^ to volewen wisdom, and nout folie, and an olde ancre mei don wel fset tu ^' dest uvele. Auh ^* toten ut wiSuten uvel ne mei 1 guard 19 for nothing [of this] applies to you 8rto 2 teaches 20 ye have not 88 there 8 symbol, emblem 21 the name 89 evil beyond evil *» does 22 peermg ^0 especially fiill 28 anchoresses 41 because 6 see through 24 enticing looks 42 example 5" holds, keeps 25 manners, gestures 48 a shield s hue, color 2G at times 44 defend themselves with s anything else 25' inconsistently 45 any one 10 the 28 against nature 46 reprove, chide 11 fast 29 exceedingly 4'' straightway 12 side 3" strange ; MS. swuc 48 she does it also who 18 shut 81 should look out 49 clever, skilful l"! guard 82 living men of the world 60 forges 15 your 88 wed 61 weak, poor 16 fly out, escape 84 ixiy 62 ought 1' like David's 85 quickly enough 63 thou 18 become sick 86 very evil 54 but 272 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES nouSer of ou ; and nim nu jeme ^ hwat uvel beo icumen of totinge : nout on uvel ne two, auh al ]>e uvel and al fe wo pset nu is, and ever jete was, and ever schal iwurSen'' — al com of a sihSe. J>et hit beo soS, lo her fe preove " : Lucifer, furh fet he iseih and biheold on himsulf S his owene veirness, leop* into prude,^ and bicom of engel atelich' deovel ; and of Eve, ure aire ' moder, is iwriten on aire erest,° in hire neowe ^^ injong ^^ of hire eiesihSe : Vtdtt igitur mulier quod bonum esset lignum ad vescendum, et pulchrum oculis, aspeduque delectabile, et tulit de fructu ejus et comedit, deditque viro,^^ fset is r ' Eve biheold o^' 10 fen vorbodene eppele, and iseih hine ^* veir, and veng ^^ to deliten i fe biholdunge, and turnde hire lust per toward, and nom '^ and et perof, and jef hire loverd.' Lo hu Holi Writ spekeS, and hu inwardliche '" hit teller hu sunegunge ^' bigon. JJus eode " sihSe bivoren, and makede wei to ^° uvel lust ; and com pe deaS perefter, pset al monkun iveleS.'^' 1 5 pes eppel, leove sustren, bitocnelS alle pe ping pset lust falleS ^^ to, and delit of sunne. Hwon pu biholdest te mon, pu ert in Eve point ^: pu lokest o pen eppel. THE BEAUTY OF SILENCE Seneca seide: Ad summam \yolo\ vos esse rariloquos, tuncqtie pauci- loquos.^ J>3et is pe ende of pe tale, seiS Seneke the wise : ' IchuUe ^ 2o paet je speken selde, and peonne buten lutel.' Auh moni punt^' hire word vor te leten mo ut, as me deS water et ter mulne cluse ^^ ; and so duden Jobes freond ^' paet weren icumen to vrovren ^ him : seten '" stille alle seoveniht.'^ Auh peo '^ [heo] hefden alles bigunne vor to spekene, peone kuSen heo nevere astunten ^^ hore cleppe.^ Greg. : 1 take thou heed 18 looked upon 25 I will, desire 2 come to pass "it 26 shut in, restrain a proof 16 began 2? at the mill-dam * leaped 16 took 28 friends 5 pride 17 showing the inward causes 29 comfort 6 instead of 18 sinning 8» they sat ' hateful, foul 19 went 81 for a full week 8 of us all Mfor S2 when 9 first of all 21 feeleth 88 they never knew how 10 fresh 22 inclines to stop 11 beginning 28 in Eve's case 81 talking 12 Gen. 3.6 2^ Not found THE ANCREN RIWLE 273 Censura silencii nutritura est verbi\ so hit is ine monie, ase Seint Gregorie seiS : " Silence is wordes fostrild.^' Juge silencium cogit celestia meditari : ' Long silence, and wel iwust,^ nedetS * fe fouhtes up touward fer heovene.' Also ase ge muwen iseon pe water, hwon me punt hit, and stoppeS * bivoren wel,^ so fet hit ne muwe,° aduneward, feonne 5 is hit ined ' ajein vor to climben upward. And je al fisses weis ° pundeS ' ower wordes, and forstoppeS " ouwer fouhtes, ase ge wuUe^ , fset heo climben and hien touward heovene, and nout ne vallen adune- ward, and to vleoten " jeond ^^ te world, ase dei5 muchel cheafle." Auh hwon 5e nede moten" speken a lutewiht,^* lesetS up^" ower muSes 10 flodgeten,'' ase me deS et ter *' mulne, and leted " adun sone. THE HAPPINESS OF ANCHORESSES IS LIKE THAT OF THE BIRDS OF HEAVEN Auh God cleopeS '"' fe gode ancren briddes of heovene, ase Ich er"^ seide : Vulpes foveas habent, et volucres cell nidos^^ ■ ' Voxes hab- beS hore holes, and briddes of heovene hore nestes.' Treowe ancren beoS ariht ^^ briddes of heovene pet fleoS an heih, ant sitteS singinde 1 5 murie ''^ o Se ""^ grene bowes ; pet is, pencheS ^'' upp, and of pe blisse of heovene, pet never ne valeweS,^" auh is ever grene, and sitteS o pisse grene, singinde swuSe "' murie ; pet is, rested ham inne swuche pouhte, and habbeS muruhSe of heorte, ase peo pet singeS. Brid pauh,'" oiSer hwule,'" vor te sechen '^ his mete '^ vor pe vlesches neode, lihteS adun zo to per eor6e ; auh peo hwule pet °* hit sit o per eorSe, nis hit never siker, auh biwent '* him of te, and bilokeS '^ him ever georneliche °° al abuten. Alriht ^ so, pe gode ancre, ne vleo heo °' never so heie, heo 1 foster-mother, nurse 2 kept 8 compels * stop, check (it) ^ spring 6 cannot (flow) 7 forced, compelled 8 in this way » do ye check (imperative) 10 restrain 11 float 12 through 18 idle talk 14 needs must 16 little 16 open up I'' the floodgates of your mouth 15 at the 13 let them 2» calleth 21 before 22 Matt. 8. 20 28 indeed 24 merrily 25 on the 26 meditate 27 fadeth 28 very 29 a bird, however 80 sometimes 81 seek 82 food 88 the while that, while 84 turns 86 looks 86 carefully, cautiously 87 just 88 although she fly 274 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES mot lihten otSer hwules adun to fer eorSe of hire bodie, eten, drinken, slepen, wurchen, speken, iheren (of fet neodeS to),^ of eorSliche finges. Auh feonne, as fe brid deS, heo mot wel biseon hire," and- biholden hire on ilchere half,^ fet heo nouhwar ne misnime,* leste 5 heo beo ikeiht* puruh summe of pe deofies gronen,' oSer ihurt summes weis, fe hwule J>set heo sit so lowe. THE KINGLY WOOER A lefdi was' fet was mid hire voan* biset al abuten, and hire lond al destrued, and heo al poure, wiMnnen one eorSene castle. On' mihti kinges luve was, fauh,^" biturnd upon hire, so unimete^^ swuSe lo ]>et he vor wouhlecchunge ^" sende hire his sonden,^^ on efter oSer, and ofte somed monie,^'' and sende hire beaubelet ^^ bo8e veole ^^ and feire, and sukurs ^' of liveneS,^* and help of his heie bird ^^ to holden hire castel. Heo underveng"" al ase on unrecheleas fing,^^ pet was so herd iheorted pet hire luve ne mihte he never beon pe neorre. Hwat 1 5 wult tu more ? He com himsulf a ^" last, and scheawede hire his feire neb,''' ase pe "* pet was of alle men veirest to biholden, and spec ^ swutSe sweteliche and so murie wordes pet heo"° muhten pe deade arearen"' vrom deaSe to 'live, and wrouhte veole wundres, and dude veole meistries "° bivoren hire eihsihSe, and scheawede hire his mihten ; 20 tolde hire of his kinedome, and bead ^ for to makien hire cwene of al pet he ouhte.*" Al pis ne help nout. Nes '^ pis wunderlich hoker *" ? Vor heo nes never wurSe vor te beon his schelchine.^' Auh so, puruh his debonerte,^* luve hefde overkumen hine pet he seide on ende '^ : ' Dame, pu ert i^veorred,^" and pine von '' beoS so stronge pet tu ne 1 so far as is necessary 14 many together 27 arouse 2 look about her 15 jewels (baubles) 28 brave deeds 8 on every side 16 many 29 offered 4 make a mistake l** help, aid ^^ owned, possessed 5 caught 18 food 81 is not G snares 19 army S2 contempt, disdain '' there was 20 received 33 slave, scullion 8 foes 21 a heedless creature 34 graciousness, kindness 9 a 22 at 85 finally 10 however 28 face, countenance 36 attacked, warred against 11 boundlessly 24 he S'' foes 12 for wooing, to woo her 25 spoke 18 messengers 26 they THE ANCREN RIWLE 275 meiht nones weis,^ wiSuten sukurs of me, etfleon^ hore honden, fet heo ne don fa to scheomefule deatS. Ich chulle,' vor fe luve of fe, nimen J>is fiht upon me, and aredden * fe of ham f et secheS * fine deaS. Ich wot, fauh, forsotSe, fet Ich schal bitweonen' ham under- vongen ' deatSes wunde, and Ich hit wulle heorteliche vor to ofgon ' s fine heorte. Nu, feonne, biseche Ich fe, vor fe luve fet Ich kut5e fe,' fet tu luvie me, hure and hure ^^ efter fen ilke deaSe," hwon fu noldes lives.-'^ ' JJes king dude al f us — aredde hire of alia hire von, and was himsuH to wundre ^' ituked,'* and isleien on ende.^* JJuruh miracle, f auh, he aros from deaSe to live. Nere '° f eos ilke lefdi of 10 uvele kunnes kunde,'' jif hao over alia f ing ^' ne luve him herefter ? J>es king is Jesu Crist, Godes Sune, f et al o f isse wise ^' wowude ^ ure soule, fat fa daoflen haveden biset. And he, asa noble woware, after monia messagers and feole ^ god deden, com vor to praoven his luve, and schaawede f uruh knihtschipa ^' f et he was luva-wurSe,''' ase 1 5 waren sumewhule^ knihtes iwuned^ for to donne. He duda him ine ^* tumement, and hefda, vor his leofmonnes ^ luve, his schelde ine vihte,^' ase kene kniht, on evariche half if urlad.^ THE ANCHORESS' CAT, HER CLOTHING AND OCCUPATIONS ^a, mine leova sustran, ne schulen habben no best "' bute kat one.^^ Ancre f et haveS eihte ^^ f uncheS ^ bet ** husewif , ase Martha was, fen 20 ancra ; na none wise ne mai hao baon Marie,'* mid griSfulnesse '^ of heorte. Vor f eonne mot *' heo f enchen of f e kues ^ foddre, and of i in no way 14 maltreated, injured 27 sweetheart, lady 2 escape from 15 finally 28 in the fight SwiU 18 were not 2s pierced in all parts * deliver " of a perverse sort of nature 30 beast, animal 5 seek ; MS. scheche'5 18 above all things 31 except only a cat •* amongst 1® in this manner 82catUe ^ receive 2» wooed 33 seems 8 deserve, win 21 many 34 better 9 show thee 22 knightly prowess 35 Mary 10 at least 23 worthy of love ; MS. -wurde 36 peace 11 MS. dead deaSe 24 sometimes 3' must 12 in life 25 wont 38 cow's 33 wonderfully, grievously 26 entered into 2/6 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES heordemonne huire,^ oluhnen ^ pene heiward,* warien * hwon me punt hire,' and ^elden, fauh, fe hermes." Wat Crist,' fis is lodlich fing hwon me makeiS mone ' in tune of ancre eihte. ]7auh, jif eni mot nede habben leu, loke fet heo none monne ne eilie,' ne ne hermie,'" 5 ne fet hire fouht ne beo nout feron ivestned." Ancre ne ouh^^ nout to habben no fing f et drawe utward hire heorte. None cheffare " ne drive ^* 5e. Ancre fet is cheapild,''' heo cheapen ^° hire soule fe chepmon '' of helle. Ne wite ■'' je nout in oure " huse of oSer monnes finges, ne eihte, ne cloSes ; ne nout ne undervo ^° je fe chirche vesti- lo menz, ne fene caliz,''^ bute-5if ^^ strenctSe hit makie,^' of5er muchel eie,^ vor of swuche witunge ^ is ikumen muchel uvel oftesiSen.'"' WiSinnen ower woanes "' ne lete je nenne mon slepen. ^if muchel neode mid alle ^' make6 breken ^ ower hus, fe hwule fet hit ever is ibroken, loke fet je habben ferinne mid ou one wummon of clene live deies and 15 nihtes.'" VorSi^^ fet no mon ne isihS ou, ne je iseoS nenne mon, wel mei don of ^^ ower clo6es, beon heo hwite, beon heo blake ; bute fet heo beon unorne'^ and warme, and wel iwrouhte — velles*^ wel itauwed,'° and habbeS ase monie ase ou toneodeS,'° to bedde and eke to rugge." 20 Nexst fleshe ne schal mon werien no linene cloS, bute-jif hit beo of herde '^ and of greate heorden.'' Stamin *° habbe hwose wule, and hwose wule mei beon buten.** ^e schulen liggen in on heater,*^ and igurd.** Ne bere^* 56 npn iren,*^ ne here,*" ne irspiles*'' felles ; ne ne 1 herdsman's hire 2 flatter - 8 hayward (keeper of the hedges, who prevented cattle from injuring pri- vate property) 4 defend herself 6 they shut it up 6 pay the damages, more- over ? Christ knows 8 they make complaint 9 annoy 1* harm 11 fixed 12 ought 18 traffic, business M carry on 15 trafficker 16 sells 17 to the bargainer ^8 take charge 19 your 20 receive 21 chalice 22 unless 28 make necessary 24 fear 26 guarding, care-taking 26 ofttimes 27 dwelling 28 after all 29 to be used 80 by day and night 81 because 82 do with, be content with 88 plain 84 skins 86 tawed, dressed 86 you need 87 also for your back 88 hards, tow 89 coarse canvas 46 harsh rough cloth, used for penitential shirts (cf. F, etamine) 41 without 42 a garment 48 girt 44 wear 46 iron 46 haircloth 47 porcupines' THE ANCREN RIWLE 277 beate ou fermide,^ ne mid schurge^ ileSered^ ne ileaded,* ne mid holie,^ ne mid breres * ; ne ne biblodge hiresulf ' witSuten schriftes ° leave ; ne ne nime, et enes, to veole ' disceplines.-"' Ower schone beon^^ greate and warme. Ine sumer je habbeS leave vor to gon and sitten barvot, and ^^ hosen wiiSuten vaumpez,^' and ligge ine ham 5 hwoso Iikei5." . . . ^if je muwen beon wimpelleas,^* beoS bi ^° warme keppen " and feruppon blake veiles. Hwose wule beon iseien, fauh heo atiffe ^* hire nis nout muchel wunder ; auh to Godes eien heo is lufsumere, fet is, vor f e luve of him, untiffed wiSuten. Ring ne broche nabbe je, ne gurdel imenbred," ne gloven, ne no swuch frng fet ou 10 ne deih ™ for to habben. Ever me is leovere so ^^ je don gretture werkes. Ne makie none purses, vor te vreonden ou mide,^^ ne blodbendes"' of seolke, auh schepieS,^ and seouweS,'® and amendeS "^ chirche cIo6es, and poure monne cloiSes. No fing ne schule ^e given witSuten . schriftes leave. 15 HelpeS mid ower owune swinke," so vor15 so''* je muwen, to schruden''' ou sulven and feo fet ou'serveS, ase Seint Jerome leretS.'" THE ANCHORESS' HEALTH ^e ne schulen senden lettres, ne undervon lettres, ne writen uten leave, ^e schulen beon idodded ^ four sitSen i t5e jere, vor to lihten ower heaved'^; and ase ofte ileten blod,^ and oftere pi neod is; and 20 hwoso mei beon f er wiSuten,^* Ich hit mei wel it5olien.°* Hwon %e beoS ileten blod, je ne schulen don no Jiing, peo f reo dawes, f et ou greve,'° auh talkeS mid ouer meidenes and mid feaufule *' talen schurteS ** ou 5 therewith w whoever likes may lie in 2!' labor 2 scourge them 28 so far as 8 made of leather 15 without wimples 29 clothe 4 leaded 16 be provided with 80 teacheth 5 holly 17 capes 81 have your hair clipped 6 briars 18 adorn 32 your head !■ let her not cause herself 19 linked 38 have blood let to bleed 20 you ought not 84 be able to be without this 8 of the confessor 21 I am always more pleased if 35 suffer, permit 9 too many 22 gain you friends with 36 that may grieve you, be i» flagellations 28 bandages to stop bleeding disagreeable to you " let your shoes be 24 fashion 87 edifying 12 and (to wear) 25 sew 88 divert 13 vamps 26 mend 2/8 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES togederes. ^e muwen don so ofte hwon ou funcheS hevie,^ ot5er beo8 vor sume worldliche finge sorie o6er seke. So wisliche wite^ ou ^ in our ° blodletunge, and holdeS ou ine swuche reste ]>et je longe per- efter muwen ine Codes servise fe monluker* swinken, and also hwon 56 ivelefS eni secnesse ; vor muchel sotschipe * hit is vor to vorleosen," vor one deie, tene oSer tweolve. A TREATISE AGAINST MIRACLE-PLAYS This tract, in the form of a sermon, was first printed by Halliwell (in Reliquia Antiqua 2. 42 ff.) from a manuscript volume of sermons in the library of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, London. This is now British Museum MS. Add. 24,202, which is designated in the catalogue as " Wycliffite Tracts in English.' The (■'fj^ Ji manuscript is described as a small folio, vellum, of the end of th e fourte enth ,-- century. Unless otherwise stated, the readings given below repose upon my •-' collation of this rnanuscript. As there is considerable variation in the orthog- raphy, I have sought to render it more consistent, especially in the endings. Emendations marked ' M ' are those of Matzner in his Altenglische Sprach- proben ; the others are mine. The following selections give the main argument of the tract, which is headed : " Here bigynnis a tretise of miraclis-pleyinge.' The outline which follows may help to make the argument clear. Detailed notes can be found in Matzner's edition. I. Introduction. Christ's miracles were performed in earnest, and therefore ought not to be represented in play. I. Such representation takes away our fear of God, and, as a result, the strength of our faith. z. It contradicts the teaching of Christ. 3. It leads to scorn of God : the players make sport of his passion. II. There are six arguments in favor of miracle-plays. Men say : 1. They are given for the sake of worship. J.. By them many are converted to a good life, seeing, as they do, the manifest work of the devil. 3. Often the sight of Christ's passion moves men to tears. 4. Some men may be drawn to religion through play, who would never be moved by seriousness. 5. Men must have some recreation ; why not that of a good sort ? 6. We do not object to paintings of miracles j why, then, to dramatic portrayals of them? III. But there are answers to all these arguments : I. The giving of such plays springs from heathenism, and is not worship. Worship consists in doing the will of God. 1 you are in low spirits ' your 5 folly 2 guard yourselves ^ more vigorously ^ lose A TREATISE AGAINST MIRACLE-PLAYS 279 2. Though good may sometimes come of evil, this is not the rule. Miracle-plays most often pervert those who see them. 3. If tlie spectators weep, it is purely from external causes, not from consciousness of their own sin. 4. If men are ever converted by miracle-plays, it is only to show the grace of God. But men are seldom converted by such means ; conversion comes from the earnest working of God, not from playing. 5. Plays do not afford true recreation. 6. Good paintings merely exhibit truth, but plays are mainly to delight men's bodily senses. IV. A friend declares : I. That he will not abandon his interest in miracle-plays unless their sinfulness can be proved directly from Holy Writ. Answer : Such plays are against the spirit of the commandment, ' Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.' (Illustration: One would not represent in a play the death of one's own father.) ii. That if the giving of such plays is sin, it is but a small sin. Answer : Any sin, however small, is deadly sin. Moreover, the danger in such playing is shown by the analogy of the following stories, with their mediaeval allegorical interpretations : a. Ishmael and Isaac (Gen. 21.8-10). b. The children of Abner and those of Joab (2 Sam. :£. 12-32). (T. Moses and the children of Israel (Exod. 32). d. £lisha (2 Kings 2.23— 4). £. Noah (as referred to in Matt. 24.38-9). V. If we are to play, let us do so in the spirit of David (2 Sam. 6. 15-6, 20-2), (i) realiz- ing how God's grace to us surpasses that to our neighbors ; (2) being always devout before God, though misliked by the world; (3) being lowly in our own eyes. Knowe gee, Cristen men, fat as Crist, God and man, is bofe weye, trewf , and lif,^ as seij> f e gospel of Jon (weye to f e errynge, trewfe to fe unknowyng and doutyng, lif to fe styynge^ to hevene and weryinge^), so Crist dyde* nofinge to us but ef[f]ectuely in weye of mercy, in treufe of ri[5]twesnes, and in lif of ^ildyng^ everlastynge joye for oure continuely ® mo[u]niyng and sorwynge in f is valey of teeres."^ J?e " myraclis, f erf ore, fat Crist dyde * heere in erfe, oufer in^ hymsilf oufer in hise seyntis, weren so ef[f]ectuel and in emest don,-'° fat to synful men fat erren f ei broujten forjyvenesse of synne, settynge hem in f e weye of rijt bileve ; to doutouse ^^ men not stede- fast f ei broujten in kunnyng ^^ to betere plesen God, and verry hope 1 John 14.6 5 yielding 9 through 2 those climbing upward 6 MS. continuiely 10 "MS. done s growing weary 7 Ps, 84. 6 (in the Latin) " doubting 4 MS. dude s MS. in (em. M.) 12 ability 2§o RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES in God to ben ^ stedef ast in hym ; and to fe wery of fe weye of God, for fe grette penaunce and suffraunce of fe trybuIac[i]oun fat men moten ^ ban * ferinne, fei broujten in love of brynnynge * charite, to fe whiche alle fing is lijt,^ and ° were ' he to suffren ° 5 dejie, fa whiche bien most dreden, for fe everlastynge lyf and joye fat men most loven and desiren ' : of fe whiche f ing verry hope puttif awey alle werinesse heere in ]>e weye of God. Jeanne, syfen " myraclis of Crist and of hyse seyntis weren pus effectuel, as by oure bileve we ben in certeyn/' no man shulde usen in bourde^^ and 10 pley ^' pe myraclis and werkis pat Crist so emestfuUy " wroujte to oure helpe ^^ ; for whoevere so do[i]p, he errip in pe byleve, reversip ^* Crist, and scornip " God. He errip in pe bileve, for in pat he takip pe most precious werkis of God in pley and bourde, he ^' takip his name in idiV and so mysusip oure byleve. A, Lord ! sypen an erpely servaunt 1 5 dar not taken ^^ in pley and in bourde pat pat his ^^ erpely lord takip in ernest, myche more we shulden not maken oure pley ^' and bourde of po myraclis and werkis pat God so emestfuUy wrou5t[e] to us ; for,'^^ sopely whan we so don,^' drede to s)mne ^* is taken ^^ awey, as a servaunt whan he bourdip ^ wip his mayster leesip ^ his drede to 2o offenden^' hym, namely, whanne he bourdip wip his mayster in pat pat ^* his mayster takip in ernest. . . . f>anne, sypen pes myraclis-pleyeris taken in bourde pe ernestful werkis of God, no doute pat pei ne '" scomen God, as dyden '" pe Jewis pat bobbiden *^ Crist ; for pei lowen"'' at his passioun, as pese lawjen*' 2S and japen at** pe myraclis of God. JJerfore, as pei scomiden'° Crist, so pese °° scorne[n] God ; and rijt '' as Pharao, wroop *' to do[n] pat 1 MS. been " MS. emyst- 2? MS. -yn =^ must needs 15 salvation 28 MS. in |?at in [lat s MS. have W contradicts "9 jjS. ne ))ei 4 burning W MS. -yj) 8« MS. diden 5 easy is MS. and so si mocked, made sport of 6 if 19 vain s-2 laughed 7 MS.omitswere; M.hewere 20 MS. -un 88 MS. lowyn 8 MS. suffere 21 MS. her (em. M.) 84 MS. of 9 MS. di- 22 MS. ffor 85 MS. -eden 1» since 28 MS. done 86 MS. jieese 11 assured 24 of sinning 87 just 12 game, sport 25 jests, makes merry 88 hating 18 MS. pleye 26 loses A TREATISE AGAINST MIRACLE-PLAYS 281 pat God bad hym, dispiside God,^ so fese myraclis-pleyeris and -mayntenours,^ leevynge plesingly * to do[n] fat God biddif hem, scornen God. He, forsofe, hap beden us alle to halowen* his name, gyvyng drede and reverence in alle mynde" of his werkis, wipoute ony pleying[e] or japynge, as al holynesse is in ful emest men ; panne, s pleyinge pe name of Goddis myraclis,' as plesyngly pei leeve[n] to do[n] pat God biddip hem, so pei scornen his name, and so scornen ' hym. But hereajenus ' pei seyen [i] pat pei pleyen pese myraclis in pe worschip of God, and so dyden not pese Jewis pat bobbiden Crist. Also, [2] ofte sipis ° by siche myraclis-pleyinge ben '" men convertid 10 to gode lyvynge, as men and wymmen, seyng in myraclis-pleyinge pat pe devul by per aray, by pe whiche pei moven eche on opere '^ to leccherie and to pride, makip hem his servauntis to bryngen hemsilf and many opere to helle, and to han ^^ fer more vylenye herafter, by'' per proude aray heere, pan pei han worschipe heere ; and seynge," 1 5 ferpermore, pat al pis worldly beyng heere is but vanite for a while — as is myraclis-pleying[e] — pei '* leeven per pride, and taken to hem afterward pe meke conversac[i]oun of Crist and of hise seyntis, and so myraclis-pleyinge turnip '° men to pe bileve, and not pervertip." Also, [3] ofte sypis by siche myraclis-pleyinge men and wymmen, 20 seynge pe passioun of Crist and of hise seyntis, ben movyd to com- passion and devocion, wepynge bitere teris ; panne pei ben not scom- ynge of God, but worschipyng. Also, [4] profitable '* to men and to pe worschipe of God it is to fulfiUen-'' and sechen alle pe menes by pe whiche men mowen^" fleen^' synne, and drawen hem to vertues. 25 And sypen as^^ per ben men pat on[e]ly by ernestful do3T)ge wylen be[n] convertid to God, so per ben ^' opere men pat wylen not be[n] con- vertid to God but by gamen and pley ; and now on dayes ^* men ben not convertid by pe ernestful doyng of God ne of men, panne ^ now 1 Exod, 7. I3fif. 8 in opposition to this 1^ does not pervert them 2 those who defend and sup- 9 ofttimes 18 MS. proph- port them lo are 19 MS. -un 8 omitting for the sake of u each one the other 20 may pleasure 12 have 21 MS. seene ; M. fie * MS. -yn 18 because of 22 whereas * remembrance I'l MS. seeynge 28 MS. been 8 MS. miraclis 16 MS. wherjioru J>ie 24 nowadays 7 MS. -yn 16 MS. -ej) 26 therefore 282 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES it is tyme and skilful ' to assayen to converten - ])e puple by pley and gamen — as by myraclis-pleyinge, and oper maner myrj'is. Also, [s] summe recreac[i]oun men moten* han ; and bettere it is, or lesse . yvele, )>at ]'ei han ]>eyre recreac[i]oun ■* by pleyinge of myraclis )'an 5 by pleyinge of o)'er[e] japis. Also, [6] si|)en it is Icveful ° to han pe myraclis of God peyntid, why is [it] not as wel leveful to han ]'e myraclis of God pleyid,'* syj'en men mowen bettere reden ]>e wille of God, and his mervelous werkis, in )'e pleyinge of hem ]'an in |)e peyntynge, and betere ])ei ben holden in men[n]us mynde, and oftere 10 rehersid, by fe pleyinge of hem fan by ]>e peyntynge, for ])is is a deed bok, ])e tofier a qu[i]ck ' ? To ]'e first reson we answeren," seying [i] fat siche myraclis- pleyinge is not to ]'e worschipe of God, for fei ben don more to ben seen of ]>e worlde, and to plesen ° to fe world, fanne to ben seen of IS God, or to plesen" to hym. As Crist never ensaumplide hem,^" but onely hefene men, fat everemore dishonouren God, seyinge fat to ]>e worschipe of God fat is to fe most veleynye ^' of hym ; ferfore, as fe wickidnesse of f e misbileve of hefene men lyif to hemsilf ^^ whanne fei seyn fat f e wors[c]hipyng of f eire maumetrie ^' is to fe worschipe 20 of God, so mennus " lec[c]herye now on dayes, to han fer owne lustus. liif '° to hemsilf whanne fei seyn fat siche ^° miraclis "-pleying[e] is to fe worschip of God. . . . [2] pe same wise,'' myraclis-pleyinge, albeit fat it be synne, is oferewhile '" occasion of convertyng of men ; but as it is synne, it is 25 fer more occasion of pervertyng of men, not onely of oon synguler''" persone, but of al an hool comynte,^' as it makif al a puple to ben ocupied in veyn ajenus fis heeste''^ of fe Psauter Book, fat seif to alle men, and namely to pristis, fat eche day reden it in fer servyse : ' Turne awey myn eyen fat fei se[n] not vanytees ^ ' ; and efte '^* : 1 reasonable MS. -yn 1? MS. -es 2 MS. -yn 1 must 4 em, M. l» taught their use by example 11 degradation 12 deceive themselves ; MS. ))emsil{ 1*^ in the same manner ID sometimes 20 single "J permissible MS. -ed 18 idols n men's 21 community «2 command 7 living 8 MS. -yng (em. M.) 16 MS. liej> 16 MS. suche 28 Ps. 119.37 24 again A TREATISE AGAINST MIRACLE-PLAYS 283 ' Lord, fou hatist ^ alle waytynge vanytees.'' ' How f anne may a prist pleyn in entirludies,' or gyve hymsilf to fe sijt of hem ? . . . Myraclis-pleyinge, syfen it is ajenus f e heest of God, fat biddip fat fou shalt not take[n] Goddis name in ydil, it is asenus oure bileve, and so it may not jyven occasioun * of tumynge men to ]>e bileve, 5 but of pervertyng ; and f erfore many men wenen ^ fat fer is no helle of everelastynge peyne, but fat God do[i]f but* freten' us, and not to do[n] it in dede — as is ' pleyinge of myraclis " in sygne,"^" and not in dede. . . . A prist of fe Newe Testament, fat is passid fe tyme of childehod, 10 and fat not onely shulde kepe[n] chastite, but alle ofere vertues, ne ^^ onely mynystren fe sacrament of matrimonye, but alle ofere sacra- mentis, and, namely,^''' syfen hym owif ^^ to mynystre[n] to alle fe puple f e precious body of Crist, aw5te ^* to abstene[n] hym fro al ydil pleying[e], bofe of myraclys and ellis.^^ ... 15 pes men fat seyen, " Pley[e] we a pley of Anticrist and of f e Day of Dome, fat sum man may be convertid ferby,' fallen into fe herisie of hem fat, reversyng f e Aposteyl, seyden : ' Do we yvel f ingis, fat f er comen ^* gode f ingis ' — 'of whom,' as seif f e Aposteyl," ' dampnyng is rijtwise.'* ' 20 By fis we answeren to fe fridde" resoun, seyinge [3] fat siche myraclis-pleyinge 3)rvif '" noon occasioun of verrey ^^ wepynge and medeful ^^ ; but f e wepyng fat fallif ^' to men and wymmen by f e si^te of siche myraclis-pleyinge, as it is^* not principaly for feire owne^* synnes, ne of feire gode feif wifinneforf,^* but more of feire 25 sijt wif outeforf , is not alowable byfore God, but more reprovable " ; for** syfen Crist hymsilf reprovyde fe wymmen fat wepten upon hym in his passioun, myche more fei ben reprovable fat wepen for W third 2» MS. -ei> 21 true, sincere ; MS. werrey 22 profitable 28 befalls 24 MS. Jjei ben 25 MS. oune 26 inwardly; MS.-forjje d) aposteyl 27 MS. reprowable 28 MS. ffor iMS.hatistde;M. hatid- 9 MS. mir- est 1" symbolic 2Ps. 31.6 (Vulg.) 11 nor 3 interludes, plays ; ; MS. 12 especially entirlodies 13 he ought 4 MS. -cioun 14 ought 6 believe 16 other things 6 merely 16 MS. -yn ' MS. )>reti> 17 MS. gospel (I: 8 MS. ben 18 Rom. 3.8 284 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES pe pley of Cristis passioun, leevynge to wepen ^ for f e synnes of hemsilf and of feire chyldren, as Crist bad fe wymmen pat wepten on hym.^ And by pis we answeren to pe furpe resoun, seyinge [4] pat no man may be convertid to God but onely by pe emestful doinge' of 5 God, and by noon veyn pleying[e] ; for pat pat * pe word of God worchip not, ne his sacramentis, how shulde pleyinge worchen, pat is of no vertue, but ful of defaute ? . . . ]7e wepyng pat men wepen ofte in siche pley, comunely is f als, witnessinge * pat pei loven ^ more pe lykyng' of peire body, and of prosperite of pe world, pan lykynge 10 of * God, and prosperite of vertu[e] in pe soule ; and, perfore, hav- yng more compassion of peyne pan of synne, pei falsly wepen" for lakkynge of bodily prosperite, more pan for lakkyng of gostly. . . . And herby we answeren to pe fifte resoun, seyinge [5] pat verry recreacion is leeveful ocupiynge in lasse ^^ werkis, to more ardently 15 worchen ^^ grettere werkis; and perfore siche myraclis-pleyinge, ne pe sigte of hem,^'' is no verrey recreacion,"^" but fals and worldly, as proven ^* pe dedis of pe fautours ^* of siche pleyis. . . . And jif men axen what recreac[i]oun men shulden han ^* on pe haliday, after peire holy contemplacioun in pe chirche, we seyen to hem two pingis : oon, 20 pat jif he hadde ver[r]yly ocupied ^^ hym in contemplac[i]oun byforn, neyper he wolde aske[n] pat question, ne han wille ■'' to se[n] ^° vanyte ; anopere, we seyn pat his recreacioun shulde ben in pe werkis of mercy to his neyebore, and in delit3nig '■''' hym in alle good comu- nicacion wip his ney[e]bore, as biforn he delitid^' hym in God, and 25 in alle opere nedeful werkis pat reson and kynde"^ axen. And to pe last reson we seyn [6] pat peinture,^^ jif it °* be verry, wipoute mengyng ^ of lesyngis,^^ and not to curious to ^' myche fedynge mennus wittis, and not occasion of maumetrie ^* to pe puple, pei ben but as nakyd lettris to a clerk to reden ^ pe treupe ; but so 1 omitting to weep u MS. worschen 21 MS. di- 2 Luke 23.28 12 (miracle-plays) 22 nature 8 MS. doyinge 18 MS. -sion 2a painting i which " MS. -yn 24 MS. Sif it it 6 MS. falf wittnessenge ^^ patrons 25 mingling 6 MS. -yn 16 MS. have 26 falsehoods ^ pleasure, enjoyment 1^ MS. -ede 27 intent upon 8 MS. in 18 desire 28 idolatry 9 MS. -yn 19 see 29 MS. riden (em. M.) l» smaller 20 MS. di- A TREATISE AGAINST MIRACLE-PLAYS 285 ben not myraclis-pleyingis,^ fat ben made more to deliten men bodily J»an to ben bokis to lewid^ men, and perfore jif fei ben quike' bookis, pei ben quike bookis to schrewidnesse,* more pan to god- nesse.^ Gode men, perfore, seinge per tyme to° schort to ocupyen hem in gode emest werkis, and seinge pe day of per reken)Tige 5 neyjen' faste, and unknowyng whan pei schulen" go[n] hennys, fleen aUe siche ydilnessis, hyinge ' pat pei weren '" wip per " spouse, Crist, in pe blisse of hevene. . . . [^]if pou haddist had^^ a fadir pat hadde suffrid^^ a dispitous" dep to geten pee pyn heritage, and pou perafter wolde«t so ligtly ber[e]n ^ ro it, to make[n] perof a pley to pe ^° and to alle pe puple, no doute " but pat alle gode men wolden demen ^' pe unkynde. Miche more, God and alle his seyntis " demen ^* aUe po ^ Cristen men unkynde pat pleyen or favouren pe pley of pe dep or of pe myraclis ^^ of per most kynde Fadir, Crist, pat dyede and wrougte myraclis to bryngen men to pe evere- 15 lastande heretage of hevene. But peraventure heere pou seist pat, [5]if°^ pleyinge of myraclis be synne, never pe latere^ it is but litil synne. But herfore,"* dere frend, knowe jee pat eche synne, be it never so litil, [^Jif it be mayntenyd and prechid as gode and profitable, is deadly^ synne; 20 and perfore seip pe prophete ^' : " Wo to hem pat seien good " yve\, and 3rvel good''*!' and perfore pe wyse man dampnip® hem pat gladen'" virhan pei don yvel; and perfore alle seyntis seyen pat mannysch'^ it is to fallen, but develiche it is to abyden stille per- inne. JJerfore, sipen pis *^ myraclis-pleyinge is synne, as pou knowl- 25 echist,'' and is stedefasdy meyntenyd, and also men deliten hem perinne, no doute " but pat it is deadly synne, dampnable — develiche, not mannysch. . . . 1 MS. -inge ^ MS. hadde ^ nevertheless 2 ignorant, unlearned 13 MS. -ed 24 in consideration of this 3 living 1* cruel ; MS. -ouse 25 MS. deadely 4 wickedness ; MS. -ide- ^ so disregard 26 MS. -ite 5 MS. gode- W for thyself 27 MS. gode 6 too 1' MS. dowte 28 isa. 5, 20 ' draw near ^ MS. denyen 29 condemneth ; MS. -ej> 8 MS. schal 19 MS. -es 3" rejoice 9 hastening 20 those 31 human ; MS. -ysche M might be 21 MS. -es 32 MS. J>es u MS. her 22 MS. of 33 dost acknowledge 286 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES As fis is a verre lesynge to seyen fat for f>e love of God he wil ben a good felawe^ wip pe devul, so it is a verry^ lesyng to seyen pat for pe love of God he wil pleyen his myraclis — for in neyper is pe love of God schewid, but his hestis tobroken.^ And sypen fe cere- S monyes ' of f>e olde lawe — albeit J>at pei weren jyven bi God — for pei weren fleyshly, shulden ^ not be[n] holde[n] ^ wip pe Newe Testa- ment, for it is gostly ' ; myche more pleyinge, for it is fieys[h]ly, never beden ' of God, shulde not ben don wip pe mervelouse werkis of God, for pei ben gostly ; for as pe pleyinge ^ of Ismael wip Isaac 10 shulde han ^° bynomen ^' Isaac his heretage, so ^^ pe kepyng of pe cere- monyes * of pe olde lawe in pe Newe Testament shulde han bynomen men per bileve in Crist, and han made men to gon bacward — • pat is to seie[n], fro pe gostly lyvyng of pe Newe Testament to pe fleyshly lyvyng of pe Olde Testament. . . . IS JJis myraclis-pleyinge is verre witnesse'' of mennus averice and covey tise byfore, pat is maumetrie, as seip pe Apostele " ; for pat pat '^ pei shulden spenden^^ upon pe nedis of per nejeboris, pei spenden upon pe pleyis ; and to peyen per rente and per dette pei wolen grucche[n],^' and to spende[n] two so myche ^^ upon per pley pei wolen nopinge 20 grucchen. Also, to gaderen^' men togidere to bien pe derre pere vetaihs,^" and to stiren men to glotonye, and to pride and boost,^^ pei pleyn pes myraclis ; and, also, to han wherof to spenden on pese myraclis, and to holde[n] felawschipe of glotenye and lec[c]herie in siche''^ dayes of myraclis-pleyinge, pei bisien hem beforn to more 25 gredily bygilen per ne5[e]bors in byinge and in sellyng ; and so pis pleyinge of myraclis now on dayes is verre ^' witnesse of hidous''* coveytise, pat is maumetrie. 1 MS. felowe 9 Gen. 21.9 {ludentem^ Vul- 16 MS. -yn 2 MS. werry gate ; see the Authorized 1^ grudge 3 MS. -un Version) 18 twice as much * MS. sery- 1" might have i" MS. gideren 5 MS. J^ei shulden n taken from ; MS. -yn 20 buy their food the dearer 6 ranked 12 MS. so in \t& 21 boasting 7 of the spirit 1' MS. witt- 22 MS. sicsse 8 bidden ; MS. -yn " Col. 3. 5 23 MS. werre 15 which 24 MS. hidoous MIRK, INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS 287 MIRK, INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS The Instructions for Parish Priests is a versified translation of the Pupilla Oculi of WilUam de Pagula (Diet. Xat. Biog. s.v. Mirk). Its author, who was prior of Lilleshall in Shropshire, wrote also, besides a Latin Manuale Sacerdo- tum^ the Liber Fesiialis^ an English book of sermons which was decidedly popular, being printed eighteen times between 1483 and 1532 (Schofield, English Literature from, the Norman Conquest to Chaucer., p. 395)- Nothing more is known of Mirk's life ; the date 1403 as the time at which he flourished is conjectural. The following selections are from Peacock's print (E.E.T.S. 31, London, 1868 ; revised, 1902) of MS. Brit. Mus. Cotton Claud. A. 2, which he supposes to be not later than 1450, and to represent the language of an earlier time. The pages are respectively, with the exception of the third from the end, 2, 9-10, 14, 32, 43, 66-7, and 60, of the edition of 1902; the antepenultimate, 21-3 of the edition of 1868. THE CHARACTER OF A PRIEST Preste, pyself thow moste be chast, And say ]'y serves ^vyJ)owten hast. That mowthe and herte acorden ifere,^ ^ef thow wole that God pe here. Of honde and mowfe J>ou moste be trewe, 5 And grete ofes thow moste enchewe ^ ; In worde and dede fou moste be m)lde, Bothe to mon and to chylde. Dronkelec " and glotonye, Pruyde and slou}>e and envye, 10 AUe fow moste putten away, ^ef fow wolt serve God to pay.* That fe nedeth, ete and drynke, But sle ' fy lust for any thynge. Tavemes also thow moste forsake, 15 And marchaundyse fow schalt not make ; Wrastelynge, and schotynge,' and suche maner game,' i agree {lit. accord together) 4 please ' sports of such sort 2 eschew 5 slay, crush 3 drunkenness 6 shooting 288 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Thow myjte not use ' wythowte blame ; Hawkynge, huntynge, and dawnsynge, Thow moste forgo for any thynge ; Cuttede " clothes and pykede ' schone, 5 Thye gode fame fey wole fordone.* Marketes and feyres I the forbede, But ° hyt be for the more ^ nede. In honeste ' clothes thow moste gon : Baselarde ' ny bawdryke ' were fow non. lo Berde and crowne thow moste be schave, ^ef thow wole thy ordere save. Of mete and diynke f ow moste be fre ^° To pore and lyche, by ^' thy degre. ^erne '■^ thow moste thy Sawtere ■" rede, IS And of the Day of Dome have drede ; And evere do gode ageynes " evele, Or elles thow myjte not lyve wele. BEHAVIOR IN CHURCH No non in chyrche stonde schal, Ny '* lene to pyler ny to wal, 20 But f ayre ^^ on kneus fey schule hem sette — Knelynge doun upon the flette " — And pray to God wyth herte meke To jeve hem grace, and mercy eke. Soffere hem to make no here,*' 25 But ay to be in here " pray ere ; 1 practise * short sword, dagger 14 in return for 2 cut short (?) 9 sword-belt IB nor 8 long-toed 10 generous 16 properly 4 make way with H according to 1^ floor 5 unless 12 earnestly, zealously 18 noise 6 greater U Psalter 19 their 7 decent, simple 4. pykede : ' The pikes were sometimes made like the tails of scorpions, at others twisted into the form of a ram's horn ' (Peacock's note, ed. 1902, p. 73). MIRK, INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS 289 And whenne fe gospelle ired ^ be schalle, Teche hem penne to stonde up alle, And blesse ^ feyre as fey conne Whenne ' Gloria tibi ' ' ys bygonne. And whenne fe Gospel ys idone, Teche hem eft to knele downe sone ; And whenne they here the belle rynge To that holy sakeiynge,* Teche hem knele downe, bof e jonge and olde, And bofe here hondes up to holde. And say fenne in fys manere, Feyre and softely, wythowte bere : ' Jesu, Lord, welcome fow be, In forme of bred as I ]>e se. Jesu, for thy holy name, Schelde me to-day fro S3mne and schame. Schryfte ° and howsele,* Lord, f ou graunte me bo,' Er that I schale hennes go. And verre ' contrycyone of my synne. That I, Lord, never dye thereinne ; And, as fow were of a may ' ibore," Sof ere ^^ me never to be f orlore," But whenne fat I schale hennes wende, Grawnte me fe blysse wythowten ende.' 15 THE CREED I beleve in oure holy Dryjt," Fader of hevene, God ahnyp., J>at aUe thynge has wrojt — Hevene and erfe, and alle of nojt. On Jesu Cryst I beleve also, iread 2 make the sign of the cross 8 ' Glory be to thee, God,' sung between the Epistle and the Gospel 25 4 consecration of the elements 9 maiden 5 confession and absolution Whom 6 receiving of the Eucharist 11 suffer 7 both 12 lost strae 18 Lord . 290 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Hys only Sone, and no mo, ]7at was conceyvede of fe Holy Spyryt, And of a mayde ibore quyt ^ ; And afterward under Pounce Pylate 5 Was itake ^ for vye " and hate, And soffrede peyne and passyone, And on fe croys was idone * ; Dad and buryed he was also, And wente to helle to spoyle " oure fo, 10 And ros to lyve the pryde day, And stegh " to hevene fe xl day. ^et he schale come wyp woundes rede, To deme ' ]>e quyke and fe dede. In fe Holy Gost I leve " welle ; 15 In Holy Chyrche and hyre spelle.' In Goddes body I beleve nowe, Amonge hys seyntes to jeve me rowe,*° And of my synnes fat I have done To have plenere ^' remyssyone ; 20 And when my body from deth schal ryse, I leve to be wyth God and hyse,^^ And have the joye fat lastef ay ; God graunte hymself fat I so may 1 THE VANITIES OF THE FLESH Hast fou ben prowde and glad in thoght 25 Of any mysdede fat fou hast wrojt ? Hast fou ben prowde of any gyse ^' Of any fynge fat fou dedust use, Of party ^* hosen, of pykede schone. Of fytered '^^ clof es (as foles done) 1 quite * ascended H full, complete ^ seized ^ judge 12 his 3 envy ^ believe 18 appearance, look 4 done to death ' teaching " party-colored 5 despoil ^° rest 16 slashed MIRK, INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS 291 Of londes rentes, of gay howsynge,^ Of mony servauntes to fy byddynge, Or of hors fat and rownde. Or for fy godes ^ were hole and sownde. Or for fow art gret and ryche 5 JJat no negbore ys fe ilyche,' Or for fow art a vertues mon, And const * more fen anofer con ? ^ef f ou have be * on pys maner prowd, Schryf " fe, sone, and telle hyt out. 10 SINS OF CARELESSNESS Hast fow icome by chyrchejorde,' And for fe dede iprayed no worde ? Hast pow ay cast up ' lydegate " f>ere bestus have go in ate ? Hast fow istruyed^" com or gras, 15 Or ofer fynge fat sowen was ? Hast f ou icome in any sty," And cropped ^erus ^^ of come f e by ? Art fou iwont over com to lyde, When fou myjtest have go bysyde ? 20 THE PRONOUNCING OF EXCOMMUNICATION J'e grete sentens I wryte f e here, put foure tymes in fe ^ere J>ou schalte pronownce withowtyn lette,^' Whan fe parich is togydur mette. JJou schalte pronownce J>is hydowse finge 25 Wit cros, and candul, and beUe-knyllynge," 1 trappings 7 past a churchyard ^i path 2 goods, possessions 8 fastened up (so as to prevent 12 ears 3 like the entrance of cattle) 18 hindrance * Icnowest s gate between pasture-land i* tolling 5 been and ploughed land c shrive, confess 1® destroyed 292 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES J>e furste Sononday affter Myshellfeste ^ ; Myd-Lenton ^ Sonday schal be neste ^ ; JJe Trenite feste is f e fridde, os ' I fe say ; pe ferthe is fe Sononday aftur Candulmes day. S Spelle ° hit reddely," for nojte fou wonde,' f>at * alle men ]>e undurstonde. FORM OF EXCOMMUNICATION (I) By auttorite of God almijti, Fader " and Son and Holy Gost, and of al ]>e seyntes of heven. First," we accursen al them that broken " the pece of Holy Chirch or sturben hit; ... all pat falsen or use false 10 measures, busshelles, galones, and potelles,^'' quartes, [cuppes], or false wightes, poundes or poundrelles,'° or false ellenyerdes," wetyngly o|>er fan 1)6 lawe of pe lond woU ; . . . also all pat distroubleth pe pes of Englond, and traitors that ben false or isenting "' to falsenes, agen pe king or the reame '";... also all that helpen with strength, or with vit- 1 5 ayles, or soccouren Jewes or Sarzons " agen Cristendom ; also all pat sleen childeren, or distroyen boren or unborn, with drynkes or with wichcraft, and all her consentes " ; also all pat stondeth or herkeneth by nyjtes under woUes, dores, or wyndowes, for to spy touching evil, and all house-brekeres and man-quellers.'°. . . FORM OF EXCOMMUNICATION (II) 20 By pe auctorite of oure Fadur, of pe Sone, of pe Holy Goste, and off ou[r]e lady Seynte Mary, Goddus modur of heven, and alle opur vir- gynes, and Seynte Myhel,'^" and alle opur angellus and archangellus, and Petur and Poule, and opur apostolus, and Seynte Stewne,"' and alle opur martyres, and Seynte Nicholas, and alle opur confessoures,'''' and alle 1 Michaelmas l*' MS. ffirst 18 accomplices 2 Mid-Lenten W break i" murderers 8 next 12 a measure for liquids, equal 2o Michael 4 as to half a gallon ^i Stephen 6 speak, say ; MS. sepelle 18 scales, balances 22 those who suffered perse- 1 promptly, willingly 1^ ell-measures cution, but not martyr- 7 shrink, fear ^^ consenting dom, for the sake of their s so that ic realm religion 9 MS. ffader " Saracens THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT 293 fe holy halowes ^ of hewen, we acurson and waryon ^ and departon " from alle gode dedus and prayeres of Holy Chyrche, and dampnon* into f e peyne of helle, alle f 00 * fat have done feis articoles fat we have sayde before, tyl° fei comen to amendemente. We acurson hem be fe auctorite off fe courete off Rome, witinne- and witouteforjfe,' 5 sclepynge and wakynge, goynge, syttynge and standinge, lyggynge, ofbowne * fe erthe and undur pe erthe, ... in wode, in watur, in felde, and in towne. We acurson be f e Fadur and Sone and Holy Goste. Acursyn hem angelus and archangellus, and alle f e nyne ordorus of heven. Acursyn hem patriarchus, prophetus, and apostolus, and alle 10 Goddus disciplus, and alle holy innocentus, martyres, confessoures, and virgynes, monkus, cannonus, eremytus,' and prestus and clerkus, fat f ei have no parte off masses ne mateynus ^'' ne evensonge, ne of none ofur gode prayeres fat bene done in Holy Chyrche, no in none ofur holy place ; bot f e peynus of helle for to be here mede,'^ wit Judas fat 1 5 betrayed oure Lord Jesu Cryste, and f e lyf of hem be putte oute of f e bokus of lyfe, tyl fay comen to amendemente, and satisfaccion made. Fiat, fiat I Amen ! JJan f ou fi candul kaste to grownde, Ande spytte '^^ f erto f e same stownde,^' 20 And lette also fe belle knylle. To make hertus fe more grylle.'^ , THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT ' Perhaps it is hardly too much to say that no literary production since the time of the apostles has contributed so much to Western civilization as the Benedictine Rule ; and yet its author probably never regarded it as a literary production at all ' (Cook and Tinker, &/. Trans, from Old Eng. Prose, p. 278). Benedict was bom at the end of the fifth century ; by the end of the sixth his Rule was chosen by Pope Gregory the Great for a monastery Gregory had founded at Rome. By the end of the eighth century — the age of Charlemagne ^ saints 6 MS. tul 11 reward 2 execrate 7 at home and abroad 12 spit 8 separate, shut off 8 above 18 at the same time * condemn 9 hermits, recluses 1* (to) shudder, tremble 6 those 10 matins 294 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES — the Rule was almost universally followed in European monasteries. Through- out the Middle Ages the Benedictine monks were famous for their learning, and, by their zeal in copying classical manuscripts, preserved most of those that have come down to us. For a general account of them, see Montalembert's The early English manuscripts of the Rule are many of them based on a version written for nuns. That from which our selections are taken is MS. Brit. Mus. Cott on Vespasian A. 2 5, in the Northern dialect of the earlier fif- teenth century7as printed by Kock (E.E.T.S. 120), the respective pages being 95-6, 99-100, 102-J, 1 15-6. THE HOURS FOR MEALS IS Of time of mete now es to lere, In times and sesons of fe 5ere. Fro Pas ' right unto Witsunnday, At fe sext our ^ ete sal fai, JJe whilk es midday for to mene, And sine " sal fai soupe * bedene.^ In somer, fro ^ Witsunday be past, Wedinsday and Friday sal fai fast, Bot-if ' fai oper * swink ^ or swete In hay or corn with travel grete. And if f ai non slike ^^ travel done," On fos days sal fai fast to none.^'^ And on of er days, als I air ^' saide. At mydday sal fer mete be graide." Bot al fiis sal be purued^^ playn, At fe ordinance of ))er soverayn ^^ ; What seson so " scho ^' putes fam to, Withoutin groching " sal fai do. Fro time fat December begin Until clene Lentyn cum in, 1 Easter 2 sixth hour 8 afterwards 4 sup 6 together 6 from the time that ^ unless ^ either 9 labor 10 such 11 do, engage in 12 noon 18 before 14 ready, prepared 16 provided 16 prioress, superior 1^ whatsoever manner of life according to the season 18 she 19 grumbling THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT 295 At hi ^ none sal ]'ai ete ; J>er lesons ^ sal pai not forgete. In Lentyn sal non to mete gang Efter ' ]>e our of evynsang ; And al servys * ])an sal )'ai sai S Efter mete, bi light of day, So ]>at al be rewlid right At wend ° to bede bi dais lyght. DAILY OCCUPATIONS All ))at wons in religioun ° Aw' to have sum ocupacioun, 10 Ou|)er ' in kirk of " hali bedes " Or stodying in oder stedes.^^ For ydilnes, os sais Sant Paul, Es grete enmy unto ]'e saul ; And |)erfor es ordand^^ fat pai 15 Sum gude warkes sal wirk alway, And sum certane times of fe jer To wirk with hand, os men may her. Fro Pase, thurgh al Cristyndome, Til fe kalandes '' of October cum, 20 Unto prime '* sone sal fai rise, And sine ilkon ^^ wirk on fer wise What so es most nedeful labore. Until ]>e tyme of Jie third oure. And lessons sal ]>ai rede fan next 25 Fro ]>e third our unto fe sext. And afterward thurgh wirchep Fro cures ^' and mes " wend unto mete. ihigh f ought 1* church-service celebrated 2 readings 8 either about 5 or 6 a.m. a MS. or efter 9 with 15 each one * the whole service 10 prayers W hours of service fi to go 11 other places 1' mass 6 dwell in religion, lead 12 ordained a religious life IS first 296 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES And efter mete, fen sal fai slepe, And silence al samen ^ sal fai kepe, So fat none do ofer disese,^ Bot ilkon paid ' ofer to plese. S Sone efterward, when fis as done, And fai haf said fe our of none, Until feir werk fen sal fai gang. Unto f e tyme of evynsang, To scher * or bind, if it be nede, 10 Or dike,° or els do ofer dede. For unto travel wor we born. And al our elders us beforn. Bot travel aw mesurd to be Til ilkon efter fer degre, 15 To men or women, old or jing, Ilkon to do divers fing. Fro October, os I are * sayd. Unto Lentyn es f us purvayd ' : In orisons, and in per oures 20 And lessons, sal be far laboures. LENTEN OBSERVANCE In Lentyn tyme fen sal fai rise Arly, and say fer servyse And orisons til Godes honoura. Until it be past ]>e third oure. 25 JJan to fe tent our * sal fai wirk. And sine til non " serve in fa kirk. And in Lentyn aw fam to luke ^^ ]7at ilkon have ordand a buke, Whilk sal be red right to fe and, 30 Als fe cours of fe rewl hase kand." 1 together 6 make ditches 9 noon 2 discomfort, disturbance 6 before 10 see to it 8 content 7 provided for 11 taught ^ cut, reap 8 tenth hour THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT 297 And who so groches oght here ogayn ' Sal be punest with grevus payne. Who tentes to trofils,'' and wil not rede, And ]>ai overtayn " with fat dede, With payn ))ai sal amendes make, S So pat ofer ensaumpil take. THE ENTERTAINMENT OF GUESTS A priores aw to be prest * For to resave ilka gude gest, And at hir myght fam mere " make Soveraynly for Godes sake, 10 Namely * fam fat er ' pilgrams knawn, And pouer ' fat hase ° not of f er awn. For God until [us] fus sal say In dome,'" apon f e dredful day : Hospes eram, et colligistis me — 15 ' I wos a gest in my degre, And in jour hous je herberd me.' f>an aw us ^^ gestes and gud pilgrims For to releve in al fere lims, And for to refresch in al right, 20 Als it es det " be day and nyght, And oblis " f am kissink " of pese, Perfite luf for to encres. And when fai cum, bi day or nyght, And also when fai wend to flight, 25 Loute ^' unto f am aw " grete and small. Or els unto f er fete at '" fall, Witand ^' wele in fat sesoune JJai honour Crist in f er persoune ; ^ against this s attends to trifles ' if they are found out 7 are 8 poor people 9 have 18 courteously give "kiss 16 to bow * ready, eager 6 merry 6 especially 10 judgment " it befits us, we ought "due 16 ought "to 18 knowing 298 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES IS 25 For who so resaves ]>e pure man In Crist name, resaves Crist fan. A soveraryn ^ sal ger gestes kepe ^ With honour and with gret wirchepe, Or rede to fam, or ger be rede, How hali men fer lives lede. . . . Scho sal gif water unto ]>er hend. And wesch feir fete, als Crist hase kend.' When fai so do, .fai sal reherce. Word bi word, and say fis verce : Suscepimus, Deus, misericordiam tuam in medio - ' We have resavyd, Lord, f>i mercy. In fe mydes of fe hows haly.' .... ]7e gestes kechin* sal be set Allone, fat it no nofer ^ let. So fat fai be servyd at ese. And ilk man redy fam to plese, And luk f>er bedes ^ ordand bene With litter larch ' and clothes clene. And swilk servandes assigned fam til pat wil f am serve with gude wil. None aw f am do for to greve, Ne speke with fam withoutyn leve,. Bot loutand ' hals ° fam wher fai go. And with blissing pase furth fam fro. THE NUN'S CLOTHING 30 Thay sal be clede f ul wele, we wate, Efter fer place es cald or hate. For in cald stedes ^'' who so er sted,'^ ]7am nedes for to be better cled ; And ^^ who er in hate cuntre, 1 prioress 5 other 9 salute 2 cause guests to be entertained Sheds M places 8 taught r large straw-bed 11 situated < kitchen 8 bowing 12 MS. in THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT 299 Sich clething to f am may be ; And al it sal be purvayd playne At ]>e ordinance of feir soverayne. In comun places for alkins note ^ Sufficis a kirtil ^ and a cote " ; S And mantels sal f ai have certayne, In winter dubil, in somer playne ; And changing kirtils sal fai have In nyghtes fer ofer for to save. Schos fai sail have, whor fai dwel, 10 Swilk OS fai may find for to sel.* Of fe farest ^ f ai sal not by, Bot fe vilist ful bowsumly.^ And fair soverayn aw for to se J>at fair gere ' evynly o[r]dand * be, 15 Mete for pam fat sal it fang,* And nofer to schort ne to lang. When fai tak new, fe old sal fen Be partid til ^° pouer women. And when f ai sal went ^^ in cuntre, 20 ]7air clething sal mor honest ^'''be ; And home agayn when fai cum eft, pen sal fai were slik os ^^ fai left. Until feir beddyng sal fai have At '* suffise f am fro cauld to save. 25 And oftsithes sail fer bed be sene, f>at no tresure be f am betwene, Ne no gude fat to f am may gayne ^^ ; Who so it base, sail soffer payne. For whi ^^ fer soverayn sal f am bede '" 30 All unto f am fat es nede. 1 all kinds of work '! apparel ^^ such as 2 gown 8 fitly ordered ; em. K. " (enough) to 8 skirt, petticoat 8 receive 15 be useful * for sale m distributed to 1* wherefore 5 fairest u go 1' offer, give them 6 meekly ^ finer 300 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES THE PORTER Ane old man sal pe 5ates ^eme ^ J>at witti es, and wele wil seme '' For to welcum with wordes fre Evyrilk man in per degre. 5 His dwelling sal be dyght " algayte * In a eel beside pe jate, So pat he be redy ay Til al ^ pat cums be nyght or day. And when so ony knok or call, lo Softli answer pam he sail ; To her per wordes sal he be bayn," And bryng pam grath ' answer ogayn. And baynly sal he bryng and take Al pat men sendes for Godes sake. 15 And ever him aw to 5eme pe 5ate For al aventurs,* arely and layte. In abbais aw to be al thing J>at nedeful es to peir lifing, Als watter for to do al per dedis, 20 MUn,' kiln," and oven, and al pat nedis, . . . So pat pai sal not outward gang To say, for dred, or wirk, oght wrang. ROBERT MANNYNG OF BRUNNE, HANDLING SIN Robert Mannyng of Brunne (now Bourne), in Lincolnshire, wrote his poem, the Handlyng Synne, in 1303, when he had for fifteen years belonged to the priory of Gilbertine canons at Sempringham (six miles from Bourne). The work is a poetical adaptation of the Manuel des Pechiez of William of Wading- ton, who wrote some time in the reign of Edward I (i 272-1307). While char- acterizing the seven deadly sins, etc., it pictures in a lively way the life and vices of the age, and inserts tales here and there to point a moral. The poem ikeep 5 for all Bmill 2 be suitable 6 ready 10 bakery 8 prepared 1 direct < always 8 with reference to all contingencies ROBERT MANNYNG, HANDLING SIN 301 has been spoken of as ' the work which more than any former one foreshadowed the path that English literature was to tread from that time forward ' {Diet. Nat. Biog. s.v. Mannyng) ; and, in general, it has been more popular than the writer's other chief work, a chronicle-history of England. Of Mannyng's language Ten Brink says {Early English Literature i. 302) : ' Robert of Brunne is without doubt one of the writers who served most to spread the East- Midland dialect toward the south. And through him many new Romanic words were probably either introduced into the English literary language, or at least established there.' With the caution in 303 10 ff. may be compared the following (reprint of E.E.T.S. 15.59): A man that intendyth to mynstrels shall soone be weddyd to poverte. . , . Iff mynstrels pleace the, feyne as thow herde them, but thynke uppone another. He that lawith [laughs] at a mynstrels worde gevith to hym a wedde [forfeit, pledge]. Our selections are from E.E.T.S. 119 and 123, which print the version of this poem (12,630 lines long) in MS. Brit. Mus. Harl. 1701 ; and, in parallel col- umns, the corresponding parts of Wadington's Old French. The selections are, respectively, lines 985-1054, 4571-4614, 4739-4774, 8987-9006, 10,729-10,798. THE PROPER WAY OF KEEPING HOLY DAYS ^yf J>ou make karol ^ or play, J>ou halewyst nat jiyn halyday. ^yf fou come overgladly fartyl,^ And jyvest farto mochyl ' fy wyl, Yn fat hast pou mochyl plyjt,* 5 For synne wyl come furgh swyche syjt. ^yf fou ever settyst swerde eyper ryng For to gadyr a wrastlyng, \t halyday fou holdest noght, Whan swyche bobaunce ^ for fe ys wrojt : 10 Cuntek ° fere comyf, or ouf er bobaunce. And sum man slayn, or lost purse chaunce. ^yf pou ever yn f elde, eyf er ' in toune, Dedyst ' floure-gerland or coroune " To make wommen to gad)rr fere, 15 2 dancing in a ring, accompanied by singing < danger 7 or 2 thereto, to it 5 pomp 8 madest 8 greatly 6 quarreling, discord » coronal, wreath 302 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES To se whych fat feyrer were, Jjys ys a^ens pe commaundement, And f e halyday for f e ys shent ^ ; Hyt ys a gaderyng for lecheiye, S And ful grete pryde, and herte hye.'' ^yf f ou ever janglyst ' at messe, Yn fe cherche with more or lesse, And lettyst * men of ^ here preyers, For hem perel sofely fou berys ; JO ]7e halyday pou boldest nat ryjt, And lettyst to wurschyp God almyjt. Halyday was made for preyere, To God oure herende ^ for to bere. Certys we oujt fan with ful mynde IS To preye God us of synne unbynde/ And yn gode lyfe us wysse and rede,' And forgeve us al oure mysdede. ^yf fou hauntyst ^ to make f y play At fe taverne on pe halyday, 20 To many on ^'' comyp parfore evyl JJurgh cumberaunce " of pe devyl. Holy Chyrche wyl pe werne ^^ JJe halyday to go to pe taverne, And namly byfore pe noun,'^ 25 Whan Goddys servyse owyp to be doun. Taverne ys pe devylys knyf e ; Hyt slep " pe, oper soule or lyfe ; One of pys shal hyt do, ^yf pou haunte -"^ comunly parto. 30 Hyt shortyp py lyfe, over moche drynkynge. And slep py soule with bakbytyngge ; Hyt wastyp py body, and makep pe drye, 1 spoiled, ruined 6 petition 11 harassing, temptation 2 high heart 7 set us free from sin 12 forbid 8 dost engage in altercation 8 direct and counsel 18 noon 4 dost hinder » art accustomed " slayeth 6 from 10 many a one 15 resort ROBERT MANNYNG, HANDLING SIN 303 And gadryf ^ lecherye to glotonye ; And fe comaundment ys brokun, And fe halyday, byfore of spokun. ^yf f ou do any man o dawe '^ On fe halyday for any lawe, Swyche men grevusly werche Ajens pe state of Holy Ch)Tche ; For holy preyere, and for fe pees, J'e halyday God hyt chees. i^yf fou ever with jogeloure,^ With hasa[r]doure,* or with rotoure,' Hauntyst taveme, or were to any pere ^ To pley at fe ches or at fe tablere," Specyaly before fe noun, Whan Goddys servyse owyf to be doun, Hyt ys ajens f e comaundment And Holy Cherches asent.' ^jf fou be infra sacros^ And art a clerk, and hast fe los ^^ Of subdekene, or dekene by name, So moche art fou fe more to blame. Jjys ^^ lemed men jyven ensample so JJat pe lewd ^^ men fe more mysdo.^* 15 THE EVIL OF TOURNAMENTS Of toumamentys fat are forbede Yn Holy Cherche, as men rede. Of toumamentys Y preve ^* f erynne, Sevene poyntes of dedly synne : Fyrst ys pryde, as fou wel wost,^" Avauntement,^" bobaunce, and host ; 25 1 adds ; MS. gadryd 5 player on the rote 11 these ^ kill any man fi a companion to any one 12 ignorant 2 juggler ' (one who enter- '' backgammon 18 do evil tained with songs, stories. 8 sanction 14 prove or tricks) 9 of the lower clergy 15 knowest 4 player at dice 10 praise, honor M self-glorification 304 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Of ryche atyre ys here avaunce,^ Prykyng ' here hors with olypraunce.' Wete fou wel fer ys envye Whan one seef anofer do maystrye * ; 5 Ofer yn wurdys ofer yn dedys, Envye moste of alia hem ledys. Yre ^ and wraffe may fey nat late ° ; Ofte are tournamentys made for hate. ^yf every knyjt lovede oper weyl, 10 Tournamentes shulde be never a deyl ' ; And certys fey falle yn sloghnes,' JJey love hyt more fan God of er messe ; And, ferof ys hyt no doute, J7ey dyspende more gode f er aboute ° — IS JJat ys jeve alle to folye — f>an to any dede of mercy. And jyt may nat, on no wyse, Be f orgete ^^ Dame Coveytyse,. For she shal fonde,^^ on alle wyse,'^ 20 To Wynne hors and harnyse. And 5yt shal he make sum robbery, Or bygyle hys hoste f er ^' he shal lye.^* Gl otonye also ys hem among, Delycyus metes '^ to make hem strong, 25 And drynke fe wyne fat he were lyght, Wyf glotonye to make hym wyght.'° ^yt ys fere Dame Lecherye ; Of here " cumf alle here ^* maystrye. Many tymes, for wymmen sake, 30 Knyghteys tournamentys make ; And whan he wendyf to f e tournament 1 boast, vaunt '■bit ^ where ^ urging on "sloth 14 spend the night 3 vanity, ostentation in this pursuit 15 viands * wonderful deeds l" forgotten 16 courageous s anger 11 try l-her 6 forsake, desist from 12 by every means 18 their ROBERT MANNYNG, HANDLING SIN 30S She sendyf hym sum pry vy ^ present, And byt ^ hym do for hys lemman Yn vasshelage ' alle fat he kan ; So ys he bete * fere, for here love, J>at he ne may sytte hys hors above, 5 JJat peraventure, yn alle hys lyve, Shal he never aftyr fryve. BISHOP GROSSETESTE OF LINCOLN Y shall 50W telle, as Y have herd. Of fe bysshope Seynt Roberd ^ ; Hys toname ^ ys Grostest 10 Of Lynkolne, so seyf fe gest.' He loved moche to here fe harpe, For mannys wytte hyt makyf sharpe. Next hys chaumbre, besyde hys stody, Hys harpers chaumbre was fast f erby ; i s Many tymes, be nyjtys and dayys. He had solace of notes * and layys. One asked hym onys ' resun why He had delyte yn mynstralsy ; He answerede hym on fys manere, 20 Why he helde f e harper so dere : ' ]7e vertu of f e harpe, f urgh skylle and rygt, Wyl destroye fe fendes mygt. And to f e croys by gode skylle Ys fe harpe lykened weyle. 25 Anof er poynt cumfortef me : JJat God haf sent unto a tre So moche joye to here with eere ; Moche fan more joye ys fere With God hymselfe, fere he wonys.'" 30 1 secret 5 Robert 9 once 2 bids 6 surname, nickname 1" where he dwells prowess ? romance, tale * beaten, smitten 8 melodies, songs 3o6 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES JJe harpe ferof me ofte mones ■' Of fe joye and of fe blys Where God hymself wonys and ys. JJarefor, gode men, je shul lere," Whan je any glemen here, To wurschep God at ^ goure powere. As Davyd seyf yn fe Sautere * : " Yn harpe, yn thabour, and symphan gle,° Wurschepe God ; yn troumpes," and sautre,' Yn cordys,* an organes, and bellys ryngyng, Yn al )>ese, wurschepe je hevene Kyng.' " ' QUIET IN CHURCH AND CHURCHYARD DURING THE TIME OF SERVICE 15 25 KaroUes, wrastlynges, or somour-games,^° Whoso ever hauntep any swyche '^ shames ^^ Yn cherche oj'er yn cherchegerd, Of sacrylage he may be aferd ; Or entyrludes, or syngynge, Or tabure bete," or ofer pypynge, AUe swyche fyng forbodyn es Whyle ]>e prest stondef at messe. AUe swyche to every gode preste ys lothe, And sunner wyl he make hym wroth J>an he wyl fat ha)) no wyt, Ne undyrstondef nat Holy Wryt ; And specyaly, at hyghe tymes, Karolles to synge, and rede rymys, Noght yn none holy stedes," ]7at myjt dysturble fe prestes bedes," 1 reminds 2 learn 8 according to * psalter 6 music of the symphony (in- strument like the tabor) 6 trumpets 7 psaltery 8 chords (strings of a musical instrument) 9Ps. 150.3-5 10 summer-games 11 such 12 disgraceful doings 18 beating 14 places 16 devotions ROBERT MANNYNG, HANDLING SIN 307 Or syf he were yn orysun,^ Or any oufer devocyun, Sacrylage ys alle hyt tolde.^ THE TALE OF THE MINER Jjyr was a man bejimde f e see A mynour, woned ° yn a cyte. 5 (Mynurs, fey make yn hyllys holes, As yn fe West Cuntre men seke coles.) J>ys mynur sogte stones undyr fe molde,* J>at men make of ° sylver and golde ; He wro5t on a day, and holed ' yn fe hyl ; 10 A perylous chaunce to hym fyl,' For a grete party " of fat yche ^ myne Fyl dowun )fn f e hole, and closed hym ynne. Hys felaus alle, fat were hym hende,^" JJat he were dede weyl sofely wende ; 1 5 pey jede " and toke hem alle to rede,^^ And tolde hys wyfe fat he was dede. » J>ys womman pleyned ^* here husbonde sore — Wulde God fat many swyche wommen wore I. — She hylpe hys soule yn alle fyng, 20 In almesdede, and yn offryng ; She offred for hym to fe auter, Ful of wyne, a pecher,^* And a feyre lofe withalle. Every day as for a pryncypalle,^^ 25 Alle fat twelvemonef stabely," But o " day fat passed forby. Fewe swyche wymmen now we fynde. 1 prayer, supplication 2 counted, considered 8 who dwelt r befel 8 part 9 same 18 lamented, bewailed 1* pitcher 15? ■1 earth 5 from which are made 10 kindly disposed 11 went l« regularly 17 one sdug 12 took counsel all together 3o8 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES ]7at to here husbondes are so kynde. ' But fys wyfe, at ^ alia here myjt, Bed for hym hope day and nyjt. Fyl hyt at pe twelvemone]) ende, S Hys felaws to pe mounteyne gun wende, And come to pe same stede efte ]7ere pey last here werk ilefte, Ryjt pere pey fyrst bygan, And perced purgh unto pys man. lo J)e man yn gode state pey fonde, Lyvyng withoute wem ^ or wounde. Everych one pey hadde grete ferly,' And pat was grete resun why AUe po men were yn grete were * 15 How he had lyved alle pat jere. But he tolde hem everych one How he hadde lyved pere alone : ' Y have lyved gracyous lyfe JJurgh pe curtesye of my wyfe, 20 « For every day she hap me sent Brede and wyne to " present ; But o day certys ete Y nojt, For no mete ^ was to me brogt.' J>ey led pys man unto pe tounne, 25 And tolde pys myracle up and dounne, Fyrst purogh pe cyte, And seppe ' purogh pe cuntre. JJey asked hym, at pe laste, pat day pat he dyde faste ; 30 He tolde hem pe dayes name. And hys wyfe seyd pe same ; JJat day she offred never a deyl ' — JJe Gode Fryday he my^t be weyl. 1 with * doubt, uncertainty 7 afterwards '^ harm, injury l) as a 8 bit 3 wonder, astonishment 6 food THE BOOK OF LA TOUR-LANDRY 309 Now mow ^ 56 here fat almesdede Gostely ^ a man wyl fade, And so mow je weyl undyrstande JJat God ys payd of ' gode offrande. But for alle fys tale, yn joure lyves, Truste 56 nat moche on joure wyves, Ne on joure chyldryn, for no )')fng, But make}) seself * joure off ryng, For so kynde a womman as Y of tolde LyveJ) nat now, be fou bolde " ; Ne no clerk, fat fys ryme redys, Shal fynde a womman of so kynde dedes. THE BOOK OF THE KNIGHT OF LA TOUR-LANDRY Among the numerous instruction-books of the Middle Ages was one known as I^ Livre du Chevalier de la Tour-Landry pour V £nseignement de ses Filles^ a series of tales written (collected, rather) in 1371-1372 for his motherless daughters by Geoffroy de la Tour-Landry, a nobleman of Anjou. A similar book written for his sons has disappeared entirely, but this for the daughters was frequently copied — about a dozen manuscript copies -being still in exist- ence. A German translation of the work was printed toward the end of the fifteenth century, and an English translation by Caxton in 1484. Our selections are taken from the Early English Text Society's print (No. 33, ed. Wright, 1868; revised ed., 1906) of MS. Brit. Mus. Harl. 1764, assigned to the reign of Henry VI (1422-1461). This translation, by an unknown hand, is much less literal than Caxton's (cf. Wright's introduction). The selections are from pages 1-4, 22, 26-8, and 39-40 of the edition of 1906. The words in brackets are supplied from Caxton's edition. PROLOGUE In the yere of the incamacion of oure Lord MCCCLXXI, as Y was in a gardin, al hevi and full of thought, in the shadow, about the ende of the monthe of April], but a litell Y rejoysed me of the melodie and song of the wilde briddes. Thei sang there in he;: ° langages, as the thrustill, the thrusshe, the nytinggale, and other briddes, the whiche 1 may 8 pleased with 6 assured 2 spiritually * yourself 6 their 310 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES were fuU of mirthe and joye ; and thaire suete songe made my herte to lighten, and made me to thinke of the tyme that is passed of my youthe, how love in gret distresse had holde me, and how Y was in her service mani tymez full of sorugh and gladnesse, as mani lovers 5 ben. But my sorw was heled, and my service wel ysette ' and quitte, for he gave [me a fayr] wyff, and . . .^ that was bothe faire and good, [whiche had knowleche of aUe honoure, alle good, and fayre mayn- tenynge,°] and of all good she was bell * and the floure ; and Y delited me so moche in her that Y made for her love-songges, balades, 10 rondelles, viralles,* and diverse nwe thinges in the best wise that Y couthe. . . . And as Y was in the saide gardein, thinkynge of these thoughtz, Y sawe come towardes me my iii doughters, of the whiche I was joyfuU, and had grete desire that thei shuld turne to good and worshipe above all ertheli thinges, for thei were yonge, and had but 1 5 tendir witte ; and so atte the begynnyng a man aught to lerne ° his doughters with good ensaumples yevinge, as dede the Quene Proues of Hongrie, that faire and goodly chastised ' and taught her doughters, as it [is] contened in her boke. . . . And Y said to hem that Y wolde make a boke of ensaumples, for to teche my doughtres, that thei 20 might understond how thei shulde governe hem, and knowe good from evell. And so Y made hem extraie * me ensaumples of the Bible and other bokes that Y had, as the gestis* of kingges, the croniclez of Fraunce, Grece, of Inglond, and of mani other straunge londes. And Y made hem rede me everi boke ; and ther that Y fonde a good 25 ensaumple, Y made extraie it oute. And thanne Y made this boke. But Y wolde not sette it in lyme, but in prose, for to abregge ^^ it, and that it might be beter and more pleinly to be understond. And Y made this boke for the gret love that Y had to my said doughtres, the whiche Y loved as fader aught to love his child, having hertely 30 joye to finde wayes to stere and turne hem to goodnesse and wor- shippe, and to love and serve her^^ Creatoure, and to have love of her neighboures and of the world. And therfor all faders and moders, after good nature,'^ aught to teche her children to leve all wrong and 1 bestowed 6 virelays 9 tales 2 MS. illegible 8 teach w abridge, shorten 8 deportment 7 corrected 11 their * bore the bell 8 extract 12 in the kindness of their hearts THE BOOK OF LA TOUR-LANDRY 3" evell waies, and shew hem the true right weye, as wele for the salvacion of the soule as for the worshipe of the worldely bodi. And therfor Y have made ii bokes, one for my sones, another for my doughtres, for to lerne hem to rede. And in reding, it may not be but that thei shall kepe with hem som good ensaumple for to flee evell, and withholde the good. 5 For it shall not be posible but sumtyme thei shall have mynde on sum good ensaumple, sum good doctrine of this boke, whanne thei knowe or here speke hereafter, as thei fall in the rewe '■ upon sum spekers of suche matiers. THE STORY OF THE MAGPIE Ther was a woman that had a pie " in a cage, that spake and wolde 10 tell talys that she saw do. And so it happed that her husbonde made kepe " a gret ele in a litell ponde in his gardin, to that entent to yeve it sum of his frendes that wolde come to see hym ; but the wyff, whanne her husbond was oute, saide to her maide : " Late us ete the gret ele, and Y will sale to my husbond that the otour* hatha eten 15 hym ; ' and so it was done. And whan the good man was come, the pye began to tell hym how her maistresse had eten the ele. And he yode^ to the ponde, and fonde not the ele. And he asked his wiff wher the ele was become." And she wende to have excused her, but he saide her : ' Excuse you not, for Y wote well ye have eten yt, for 20 the pye hathe told me.' And so ther was gret noyse ' betwene the man and hys wiff for etinge of the ele. But whanne the good man was gone, the maistresse and the maide come to the pie, and plucked of all the fedres on the pyes hede, saieng : ' Thou hast discovered * us of the ele ' ; and thus was the pore pye plucked. But ever after, 25 whanne the pie sawe a balled or a pilled ° man, or a woman with an high forhede, the pie saide to hem ; ' Ye spake of the ele.' And ther- for here is an ensaumple that no woman shulde ete no lycorous ^^ morcelles in the absens and withoute weting^^ of her husbond, but yef it so were that it be with folk of worshippe, to make hem chere'^; 30 for this woman was afterward mocked for the pye and the ele. 1 successively 5 went ^ with hair removed 2 magpie 6 what had become of the eel ^^ dainty 8 caused to be kept 7 disturbance ^1 knowledge 4 otter 8 betrayed ^ entertainment 312 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES THE STORY OF THE OBEDIENT WIFE Hit happed onis there were iii marchauntes that yede ^ homwarde from a faiere, and as thei fell in talkinge, ridyng on the waye, one of hem saide : " It is a noble thinge a man to have a good wiff that obeiethe and dothe his biddinge atte all tymes.' " Be my trouthe,' S saide that other, ' my wiff obeiethe me truly.' ' Be God,' saide that other, ' Y trowe myn obeieth best to her husbonde.' Thanne he that beganne f urst to speke saide : ' Lete ''■ leye a wager of a dener," and whos wiff that obeiethe worst, lete her husbonde paie for the dener ' ; and thus the wager was leyde. And thei ordeined amonges hem how lo thei shulde sale* her wyfes, for thei ordeined that everi man shulde bidde his wyff lepe into a basin that thei shulde sette afore her, and they were suoren that none shulde late his wiff have weting ^ of her wager, save only thei shulde saye : * Lokithe," wiff, that Y comaunde be done.' However it be, after one of hem bade his wiff lepe into the IS basin that he had sette afore her on the grounde, and she ansuered and axed wherto,' and he saide : ' For it is myn luste,' and Y will ye do it' ' Be God,' quod she, ' Y will furst wete " wherto ye will have me lepe into the basin.' And for nothinge her husbond coude do she wolde not do it. So her husbonde up with his fust,^° and gave her ii 20 or iii gret strokes ; and thanne yede thei to the secounde marchauntys hous, and he comaunded that whatever he bade do it shulde be do, but it was not longe after but he bade his wiff lepe into the basin that was afore her on the flore, and she asked wherto, and she saide she wolde not for hym. And thanne he toke a staffe, and al tobete '^ her. 25 And thanne thei yode to the thridde marchauntes hous, and there thei fonde the mete on the borde, and he rowned '" in one of his felawes heres, and saide : ' After dyner Y will assaie my wiff, and bidde her lepe into the basin.' And so thei sette hem to her ^' dyner. And whan thei were sette, the good man saide to his wiff : ' Whatever Y bidde, 30 loke it be done, however it be.' And she that loved hym, and dredde 1 went 6 see to it n beat severely 2 let us 1 for what purpose 12 whispered ' dinner s desire 18 their < assay, try 9 know S knowledge 10 fist THE BOOK OF LA TOUR-LANDRY 313 hym, herde what he saide, and toke hede to that worde, but she wost^ not what he ment. But it happed that thei had atte her dyner rere ^ eggis, and there lacked salt on the horde, and the good man saide: ' Wiff, sele sus table,' and the wiff understode that her husbonde had saide: ' Seyle sus table,' the whiche is in Frenshe: ' Lepe on the horde.' S And she, that was aferde to disobeie, lepte upon the horde, and threw down mete and drinke, and brake the verres,' and spilt all that there was on the borde. ' What,' saide the good man, ' thanne canne * ye none other plaie, wiff ? ' ' Be ye wode,' sir,' she saide, ' Y have do youre biddinge, as ye bade me to my power, notwithstondinge it is 10 youre harme and myn ; but Y had lever ye had harme and Y bothe, thanne Y disobeied youre biddinge ; for ye saide : " Seyle sus table." ' ' Nay,' quod he, ' Y saide : '" Sele sus table," that is to sale, " Salt on the borde." ' ' Bi my trouthe,' she saide, ' Y understode that ye bade me lepe on the horde,' and there was mochemirthe and laughinge. And 15 the other two marchauntes saide it was no nede to bidde her lepe into the basin, for she obeied ynough ; wherthorugh ° thei consented that her husbond had wonne the wager, and thei had lost bothe. And after ^ she was gretly preised for her obeisaunce to her husbonde, and she was not bete as were that other ii wyves that wolde not do her 20 husbondes comaundement. HOW ST. BERNARD'S SISTER WAS LED AWAY FROM VANITIES Hit befell that Seint Bemarde, that was an holy man and of gret richesse and birth, lefte all his possessiones and good, and yede to serve God in an abbey ; and for his holy lyving, and weringe ° of the heyre, and doinge gret abstinence and almesdedes, made° that 25 he was chose to be abbot of that place. And he hadd a gret ladi to his suster, that come to see hym withe gret meyni,^" well arraied with riche clothinge, and riche atyred of perles and presious stones. And in this array she come afore her brother, Seint Bernard. And whanne 1 knew 5 mad 9 brought it about 2 underdone 8 wherefore 1" retinue 8 glasses 7 afterwards 4 know 8 MS. of weringe 314 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES he sawe her in that array, he turned to her his backe and blessed* hym, and the lady was ashamed, and asked whi he ne wolde with her speke. And he saide that he had gret pitee to see her so disgised, and in that pride that she was inne. And she dede of her riche S atyre and gay clothes, and toke other symple arrayc. And he saide : ' Suster, yef Y love youre bodi, by reson Y shuld beter love youre sowle. Wene ye not that ye displese God and his aungells to see in you suche pompe and pride, to aome ' suche a carion as is youre body, whiche withinne vii dayes that * the soule ys parted from the body, he 10 saverithe^ in suche wise that no creatoure may suffre to be nigh it or see it, with[out] gret abhominacion ? Faire suster, whi thenke ye not of ° the pore peple that deyen for hungir and colde, that for the sixte part of youre gay arraye xl persones might be clothed, refresshed, and kepte from the colde ? ' And thus Bernai'de declared the foly and the 15 pompe of the worlde to his suster, and also the savement of her soule. And thanne the ladi wepte, and solde awey her clothes, and levid after an holy lyff, and had love of God, aungeles, and holy seintez, the whiche is beter thanne of the worldely pepill. GESTA ROMANORUM: THE MAGIC IMAGE The Gesta Romanonim is a series of mediaeval tales and their morals, orig- inally written in Latin, and widely used for further artistic development or for illustrative material by the writers and preachers of the later Middle Ages. In the collection are versions of the tale of Constance which Chaucer tells in his Man of Law's Tale, of Shakespeare's bond- and casket-incidents in The Merchant of Venice, and of the Lear storyj and many less-known tales appear in later poems and ballads. The date, authorship, and origin of the series are doubtful; for discussions of them see the Latin version, ed. Oesterley, 1872, revised 1877, and the Early English Text Society's reprint of the Middle English versions (ed. Herrtage, 1879; Ex. Ser. 33). Cf. also Swan's transla- tion of the Latin Gesta Romanonim in the Bohn Library. The following selection is from Herrtage's reprint of MS. Brit, Mus. Marl. 7333' ^"d is No. 3 of the series of tales (pp. 7-8). The Middle English versions (3 manuscripts) are all dated in the reign of Henry VI (1422-1461). Our story has been versified by William Morris as The Writing on the Imagi, in The Earthly Paradise. 1 made the sign of the cross ' adorn ^ it has an odor 3 took oft * from the time when « MS. that GESTA ROMANORUM: THE MAGIC IMAGE 31 S Deoclician was emperour in fe cite of Rome, in ]>e empire of whom was a philosophre, callid Lenoppus, fe which had bi his crafte sette up an ymage, fe which put out an hond with a fynger, and upon the finger was wretyn wordis, Percute hie, that is to say, ' Smite here.' This ymage stode fer long, and many a day after fe deth of fe phi- S losophre ; and many come to fis finger, and radde the superscripcion, but pey undirstode it not, and therfore fei hadde moch marvaile what it shuld mene. So in a certeyne tyme fer com a clerke of ferr con- • treys, and of te tymis he sawe fis ymage, and ])is finger with fe scrip- ture.' And in a certeyne day he toke a shovill, and dyggyd in the 10 erth, undir pe superscripcion. And anon he fond a hous of marbill undir pe erth ; and thanne he went down, and enterid into the hall, and per he fond so many riche jewelis and marvelous pingys, that no tunge cowde tell. Aftir pis he sawe a bord or a table, isprad with rich metys ynowe peruppon. Thenne he lokid afer,^ and sawe stonding a 15 charbuncle ston, the which jaf lijt over all the hous ; and ajenst hit stod a man, with a bowe in his hond, redy for to schete. This clerke perceivid well this sight, and pou[5]te, JJos I tell pis sist' whenne I am ago ' hens, no man woll trowe ° me, and perf ore I woU take som of pis goode in tokne. He stirte Vo pe bord, and tooke a faire gilt cowpe, 20 and put it up ; and anoon the man with pe bowe sheet to the char- buncle ston so soore that it jede " onsundre, and po was all the lijt agon, and pe hous was full of dorknesse. And whenne pe clerke sawe pis, he wepte soore, for he wiste not how to passe out, for dorknesse. And perf ore he dwelte per still, and per he endyd his lif, etc. 25 Moralite. Goode men, pis ymage that is thus ypaynt ' is the devell, pe which seith evermore : Percute hie, " Smyte here,' that is to sey, he puttith in our hertes erthely thingis, and biddith us take hem, but he woll never speke of hevinly thingis. The clerke pat smjrtith with the shovill bitokenyth pe wise men of pis wordle,' and ben advocatis and 30 pletouris,' pe which by sotilte and wickidnesse getith pe goode of pis wordle, and pe vanyteys of pis wordle. And whenne thei have geten hem with such worching, they fyndith many marvellous pingis, pat is 1 inscription, writing * gone ^ painted 2 afar 5 believe 8 world 3 MS. sijth 6 parted » pleaders 3i6 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES to sey, dilectabill f ingis of jje wordle, in f e which f ei have gret dilecta- tion. The charbuncle ston fat jevith lijt is f e yowth of man, fe which jevith to man hardinesse to have dilectacion and liking of wordly^ fingis. The archer fat shetith is deth, fe which stondith evermore S redy in awaite,' for to shete his dart Now the clerke f anne takith a knyfe — what is that ? The wordly man, trowing to have all thingis at his owne will. But in that trust the archer shetith att f e charbuncle ston, that is to sey, deth shetith his schotys to f e jowth of man, and smytith his strength* and his myjte; and fenne lieth the yowth in 10 derkenesse of synne, in the which derkenesse many men oftyn tyme deyeth. And perefore lat us fie all lustys and all likingys, and penne we schuU not faile of everlasting list, ad quam nos perducat, etc. THE BESTIARY The Bestiary, or Physiologus, had a history of something like a thousand years before it entered Middle English, which it did as a translation from the Latin of a certain Theobaldus ; his work had been already rendered into French by Philippe de Thaon, who dedicated his version to Adela, second wife (1121) of Henry I of England. The Middle English version belongs to ca. 1220. The two subjects dealt with below — the Whale (Turtle) and the Panther — are also treated in Old English poetry (see my edition of the Old English Elene, Phmnix, and Physiologus (New Haven, 1919), where a much fuller account is given, with references to the bibliography of the subject). Our text is derived from Matzner, Altenglische Sprachproben (i. 55-75), which in turn reproduces Wright and Halliwell, Reliquia Antiquce i. 208-27. Emendations are by Matzner, and (of the Whale) by Emerson (Middle English Reader) ; others are mine. THE WHALE (TURTLE) Cethegrande ° is a fis,* De moste ' ^at in water is ; Dat tu wuldes seien ° get, Gef «u it soge ° wan it flet," 1 MS. the ' whale {properly, turtle) 9 saw a worldly « fish 10 floated « waiting ^ largest < MS. strenght * say THE BESTIARY 317 Dat it were an eilond ^ Dat sete ^ on * Se se-sond.^ Dis fis 6at is unride,*" Danne him hungre'6, he gapeS wide ; Ut of his tSrote it smit ^ an onde/ De swetteste t5ing t5at is o londe. Derfore otSre fisses to him dragen ' ; Wan he it f elen he aren f agen ° ; He cumen and hoven ^'' in his muS ; Of his swike ^' he am uncu8.^'' Dis cete '^ Sanne hise chaveles ^* lukeS/' Dise fisses alle in sukeS ; De smale he wile t5us biswiken/^ De grete maig he nogt bigripen.^' Dis fis wuneS wiS tSe se-grund,'' And liveS ISer evre heil and sund," Til it cumeS 6e time Dat storm stireS al Se se, Danne sumer and winter winnen.^° Ne mai it wunen 8erinne[n], So drovi °^ is te sees grund, Ne mai he wunen Ser t5at stund,'''' Oc stire^ up ^^ and hoveS stille. Wiles ^* tSat "' weder is so ille, De sipes "^ Sat am on se fordriven '' — LoS hem is deS,^' and lef ^ to liven — Biloken '" hem, and sen (5is fis ; An eilond he wenen '^ it is. 15 2S 1 island 2 sat 8 MS. one (em. E.) 4 sea-sand (nom.) 5 unwieldy, bulky 8 emits 7 breath 8 draw near 9 glad l» abide u trickery 12 ignorant 22 at that time 18 sea-monster 28 rises 14 jaws 24 while 16 shuts 25 MS. «ar (em. E.) 16 deceive 26 ships 17 seize, get hold of 27 driven about 18 dwells near the bottom of 28 MS. ded (em. E.) the sea 29 dear, pleasant 19 well and sound 8» look about 2» contend 81 they suppose 21 turbid 318 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES IS Derof he aren swiSe fagen, And mid here migt Sarto he dragen Sipes on festen,^ And alle up gangen, Of ston mid stel in Se tunder " Wei to brennen "on * ^is wunder, Warmen hem wel, and eten ^ and drinken. De fir he feleS, and do5 ° hem sinken, For sone he diveS dun to grunde ; He drepeS ' hem alle wiSuten wunde. &gnificacio. Dis devel is mikel wi6 wil and magt (So ' wicches ° haven in here craft) ; He dots men hungren, and haven ^rist,^° And mani o8er sinful list/^ ToUeS ^^ men to him wi6 his onde, Woso him folegeS,'' he findetS sonde.** Do arn Se little in " leve *" lage " ; De mikle ne maig he to him dragen — De mikle, I mene Se stedefast In rigte leve mid fles *' and gast. Woso listnetS develes lore, On lengSe it sal him rewen " sore ; Woso festetS ''■" hope on him, He sal him folgen to helle dim. 1 with reference to fasten- ing, for tile purpose of anchoring 2 tinder 3 make a fire 4 MS. one (em. E.) 6 MS. heten (em. E.) 6 causes ^ slays 9 such as 9 enchanters; MS. witches ■ (em. E.) l» thirst 11 pleasure 12 draw; MS. colic's (em. E.) 18 follows ; MS. folge'5 (em. E.) l< shame 15 (who are) in 16 faith 1^ low 18 body 18 rue ; MS. reven (em. E.) 20 fasteneth (alluding to the anchorage and landing) THE BESTIARY 319 THE PANTHER Panter is an wilde der, Is non fairere on werlde her ; He is blac so bon ^ of qual,^ Mid ' wite spottes sapen * al, Wit, and trendled ' als a wel,' And it ' bicumeS him switSe wel. Worso he wunet5, tSis panter, He fedeS him al mid oSer der ; Of 80 6e he wile he nimei5 Se cul,' And fet him ^ wel til he is ful. In his hole siSen ^'' stille Dre dages he slepen wUle ; Dan after 'Se Sridde dai He rise6 and remetJ " lude so ^^ he mai. Ut of his Srote cumeS a smel Mid his rem forS over al, Dat overcumeth haliweie '° Wis swetnesse, Ic gu " seie ; And al Sat evre smelleS swete. Be it drie, be it wete. For Se swetnesse off his onde, Worso '^ he walkeS o londe, Worso he walkeS,^^ er worso he wuneS,^' Ilk der Se him hereS to him cumeS, And folegeS him upon ^' Se wold, For Se swetnesse Se Ic gu have told. De dragunes one ^' ne stiren nout Wiles ™ te panter rameS ogt,^^ 15 25 ibone; MS. bro 8 choice, best 15 wheresoever 2 whale 9 himself 16 MS. walked 3 MS. mK M afterwards 17 dwells * fashioned 11 roars 18 MS. upone 5 round 12 loud as 19 alone 6 wheel IS balsam 20 while ? MS. itt (em. M.) " to you 21 anything, at all 320 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES IS Oc daren * stille in here pit, Als so ^ he weren of deSe ■* offrigt.* Sgnificacio. Crist is tokned 6urg Sis der, Wos kinde ° we haven told gu her ; For he is faier over alle men, So evensterre over erSe fen ^ ; Ful wel he taunede ' his luve to man Wan he Surg holi spel him wan ; And longe he lai her in an hole — Wel him 6at ' he it wulde Solen ' : Dre dales slep he al onon,!" Danne he ded was in blod and bon. Up he ros, and remede iwis " — Of helle pine, of hevene blis — And steg '^^ to hevene uvemest ^' ; Der wuneS wiS Fader and Holi Gast. Amonges men a swete smel ^^ He let herof — his holi speV^ WorSurg we mugen folgen him Into his godcundnesse ^° fin.'' And Sat wirm,'' ure widerwine '' — Worso ^'' of Godes word is dine ^' Ne dar he stiren, ne no man deren,^'* De ^' while he ^ lage ^^ and luve beren. 1 crouch, cower 2 if 8 death ; MS. dede ^ frightened 6 nature 6 mire 'i manifested 8 MS. dat 9 endure 10 uninterruptedly 11 MS. in wis (em. M.) 12 ascended 18 on high ; MS. uvenest {em. M.) " MS. mel. (em. M.) 15 teaching 18 divinity's 17 utmost reach 18 serpent 19 adversary 20 whereso 21 mention (a. din); MS. 'Sine 22 injure 28 MS. 'Ser (em. M.) M they 26 law THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE 321 THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE The Owl and the Nightingale is the earliest specimen in English of the true contention-poem — a verbal contest for supremacy — analogous to the Latin, French, and Proven9al/a^z>K^K, tenson, plait, jeu-parli, etc. Its main subject, after the opening personalities, is joy and aestheticism, represented by the nightingale, as opposed to practicality and seriousness, represented by the owl. In Fritz Renter's Hanne Nate (Part 9), the sparrow and the nightingale contrast their modes of Hfe : ' Gu'n Abend, Jochen,' seggt sei, ' na ? Ik biin tauriigg ut Afrika.' — ' Ja,' segg ik, * siijlst di brav wat schamen. So in de Welt heriim tau striken, Bliw hir bi uns, bi dinesgliken ! An Lotten kannst en Bispill nemen, De brott nu all den tweiten Satz.' — Dunn lacht s' un seggt : * Mein lieber Spatz, Dein Lotting ist ein braves Weib, Un Essen kochen, Striimpfe kniitten, Un Junge aus die Eier sitten Ist sicher auch ein Zeitvertreib ; Doch wir, die in der Poesie Die Aufgab' unsres Lebens finnen, Wir Kiinstler und wir Sangerinnen, Wir kniitten, Jochen, un briiten nie.' ' In a group of poets that were active in the South of England at the begin- ning of the thirteenth century, the author ol The Owl and the Nightingale stands preeminent. Of striking vigor and originality of mind, possessing a sane critical judgment founded on a considerable culture, and endowed with aston- ishing poetical gifts for his time and environment, he produced a composition that seems the earliest, and from many points of view the best, original long poem of a wholly imaginative character written in English before the tima of Chaucer ' (Wells' ed., p. xxxvii). Elsewhere Wells says : ' Theme and treat- ment grew out of the poet's own immediate experience. . . . The poem is nota- ble in its period for its embodiment of the distinctly national tone and spirit that were beginning to grow out of the amalgamation of the French and the English, the learned and the popular, in the island.' This author's identity is unknown ; it would seem probable that he is not the Nicholas of Guildford chosen by the disputants as judge. The poem is found in two manuscripts. Our selection (made with the kind permission of the publishers, Messrs. D. C. Heath & Co.) is from John Edwin Wells' reproduction of MS. Brit Mus. Cotton Caligula A. 9, which belongs to the first half of the thirteenth century, with his emendations, and a few of my own. The selection includes lines 1-94, 101-285, 287-348. 322 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES 25 Ich was in one sumere ^ dale, In one sufe ^ dijele ° hale,* Iherde Ich holde grete tale ° An hule " and one ' nistingale. J7at plait ' was stif and stare ° and strong, Sum wile ^^ softe and lud -"^ among ^^ ; An " aifer agen ofer sval,''* And let fat wole " mod " ut al. And eifer seide of of eres custe " J>at alreworste ^' fat hi wuste ; And hure and hure " of ofere[s] songe, Hi holde plaiding ^ suf e stronge. pe nijtingale bigon f e speche In one hurne ^^ of one beche,''^ And sat up[on] one vaire boje,^* ]7ar were abute blosme ino5e. In ore ''* waste ^ f icke hegge, Imeind "^ mid spire "' and grene segge. Ho ^^ was f e gladur vor f e rise,^ And song a vele ^^ cunne wise ^^ : Bet '^ f ujte f e dreim '^ fat he were Of harpe and pipe fan he nere. Bet f ujte fat he were ishote '* Of harpe and pipe fan of frote. f>o stod on old stoc '^ far biside, J>ar fo ule song hire tide,'^ ^ a certain 2 very 8 secluded 4 out of the way spot 5 dispute 6 owl ' a 8 debate 9 severe, sharp 1** sometimes 11 loud ^ at intervals 18 and " grew swollen with wrath 15 evil 16 mood 17 character 18 very worst 19 at all events 20 debate 21 corner, nook 22 valley ; MS. breche 28 a fair bough 24a 25 solitary 26 mingled 27 tall grass 28 she 29 twig, branch 80 in many 81 kinds of ways 82 rather (better); MS.het(em.W.) 83 seemed the music 84 shot, poured forth 85 stump 86 at her tirne, when her time came THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE 323 And was mid ivi al bigrowe : Hit was fare hule earding-stowe.' ]7e nijtingale hi isej,'' And hi bihold and overses,' And pugte wel wl * of fare hule, 5 For me hi halt * lodlich and fule.° ' Unwijt,' ' ho sede, ' awei pu flo ' ! Me is ]>e wrs ° pat Ich f e so.^° Iwis for pine wle '^ lete ^^ Wel oft Ich mine song forlete ^' ; 10 Min horte atflip," and fait '° mi tonge, Wonne pu art to me iprunge." Me luste bet speten ^' pane singe, Of ^' pine fule sojelinge." ' JJos ^° hule abed fort ^^ hit was eve, 15 Ho ne mijte no leng ^ bileve,''* Vor hire horte was so gret JJat wel ne5 hire fnast ^ atschet,''^ And warp ^* a word ^' paraf ter longe : ' Hu pinc[p] pe ^' nu bi mine songe ? 20 We[n]st pu ^ pat Ich ne cunne singe, J>e5 Ich ne cunne of writelinge °° ? [Oft and] ilome *' pu dest me grame,°° And seist me hope tone ** and schame. ^if Ich pe holde on mine vote'* — 25 So hit bitide ^ pat Ich mote ! — 1 the owl's dwelling-place 1' abandon, stop 25 shot away, burst forth > 2 saw her 1* flees away 26 poured out (lit. threw) 3 looked at with scorn is falters 27 speech 4 evilly 16 pressed close, drawn close 28 seems it to you 5 men consider her 1? I would rather spit 29 do you suppose 6 loathsome and foul is because of ^ trilling 7 monster 19 guggling 81 often 8 flee (imp.) 20 this S2 harm, injury 9 worse 21 until 88 reproach i" see 22 longer 84 foot 11 evil 28 remain silent 85 would that it might happen 12 behavior, noise 24 breath 324 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES ■S 25 And fu were ut of fine rise, J»u sholdest singe an ofer w[i]se.* ' J'e nistingale 5af answare : ' ^if Ich me loki ^ wit pe bare,' And me schilde wit f e blete,* Ne reche Ich nojt of fine frete : ^if Ich me holde in mine hegge, Ne recche Ich never what f u segge.' Ich wot fat f u art unmilde " Wif horn ' fat ne muje from f e ' schilde ; And f u tukest ' wrofe ^° and uvele Whar fu mijt over smale fujele.'^ Vorf i ^^ f u art lof ^' al f uel-kunne," And alle ho " f e drivef honne,*° And f e bischrichef " and bigredet,** And wel narewe ^' f e biledet "" ; And ek forf e ^^ f e sulve mose,*' Hire fonkes,^° wolde fe totose." JJu art lodlich to biholde, And f u art lof in monie volde "^ : J>i bodi is short, f i swore "* is smal, Grettere is fin heved fan f u al ; J>in ejene bof col-blake and brode, Rijt swo ho weren ipeint " mid wode ** ; J>u starest so ^ f u wille abiten ^ Al fat f u mijt '^ mid clivre '^ smiten ; Ipi bile is stif and scharp and hoked, Rijt so an owel '' fat is croked, 1 in another fashion 12 therefore 28 willingly 2 may protect myself IS hateful 24 pull to pieces s against the open l"* bird-kind 25 in manifold ways 4 exposure 15 they all 28 neck 6 say 16 hence 27 painted " harsh 17 screech at 28woad 7 those 18 cry out at 29 as if 8 MS. se 19 closely 8" bite to pieces 9 domineer 2" pursue 81 might; MS. mist 10 angrily 21 because of that 82 claws 11 birds 22 the very titmouse 88 just like an awl THE OWL AND THE NIGHTING.\LE 323 JJarmid fu clackes[t] oft and longe, And fat is on ' of fine songe. Ac J)u fretest to ^ mine fieshe, Mid pine clivres woldest me meshe.° J>e were icundur to one frogge * : JJat sit at mulne * under cogge ° ; Snailes, mus,' and fule wiste,' Boj) pine cunde and pine riste.' J>u sittest adai,^" and fii5[s]t anijt, J>u cupest " pat pu art on unwijt. f>u art lodlich and unclene, Bi " pine neste Ich hit mene, And ek bi pine fule brode ^* — f>u fedest on horn a wel ful fode. " . }>at oper jer ^^ a faukun bredde '° ; His nest no^t wel he ne bihedde ^' : JJarto pu stele in o^* day, And leidest paron pi fole ey." }>o hit bicom * pat he hajte,''^ And of his eyre ^ briddes wrajte, Ho brojte his briddes mete, Bihold his nest, ise^ hi ^ ete : He isej bi one halve ^ His nest ifuled uthalve.^ JJe faucvm was wrop wit his bridde, And lude jal ^ and steme chidde : " Segget me, wo" havet pis ido ? Ou nas never icunde ^ parto ; IS 2S 1 one 2 make threats against ' crush to a pulp * it would be more suitable for you to have a frog (for food) 5 the min ^ cog ; this line is suppUed from J. — lacking in C. ^ mice * creatures 9 are for thy kind and fit for thy deserts 10 by day n knowest ^ concerning 18 brood 14 thou feedest in them a very foul lot {tit. offspring) 15 year 16 bred 17 guarded 1^ one 19 foul egg 20 when it happened 21 it (the falcon) hatched 22 its eggs 23 watched them 24 on one side 22 on the outer part 26 cried out aloud 2? who 28 iimate, natural 326 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Hit was idon ow a lof custe.' Segge me jif je hit wiste." }>o qua)) fat on and quad fat of er : " I wis it was ure ojer ^ brof er, S JJe 5ond ° fat haved fat grete heved : Wai fat hi[t] nis f arof bireved * 1 Worp hit* ut mid fe alre-wrste, JJat his necke him toberste ! " }>e faucun ilefde " his bridde, 10 And nom ' fat fule brid amidde,' And warp hit of fan wilde bowe,^" f>ar " pie ^^ and crowe hit todrowe. Herbi men segget a bispel,^* Jie^ hit ne bo fuliche spel " : IS Al so ^* hit is bi fan ungode^° J>at is icumen of fule brode, And is meind wit fro monne " ; Ever he cuf fat he com f onne,^° f>at he com of fan adel eye,^^ 20 Ipe^ he a fro nest ™ leie. JJej appel trendli ^^ from "'' f on trowe,^ ]7ar he and ofer mid growe, J>e5 he bo ^^ farfrom bicume,"* He cuf wel whonene he is icume.' 25 f>os word ajaf ^° fe nijtingale, And after fare longe tale He song so lude and so scharpe, Rijt so me grulde "'' schille ^' harpe. 1 in a disagreeable manner ; ^o bough 19 addled egg custe_/br MS. wiste 11 where 20 Jn a noble nest 2 own 12 magpies 21 roll (trundle) a the one yonder 13 in fable, parable 22 MS. fron ^ alas that he is not bereft of it " long story 28 tree 5 throw him 15 just so 24 be 6 believed 18 with the evil person 25 gone ^ took, seized 17 mingled with noble 26 uttered 8 by the middle (well-bom) men 27 as if some one were twanging 9 cast it from 18 thence 28 shrill THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE 327 JJos hule luste ^ fiderward, And hold hire e^e ^ nof erwa[r]d,^ And sat tosvolle * and ibolwe,^ Also ho hadde one frogge isuolge,* For ho wel wiste and was iwar JJat ho song hire a bisemar,' And nof eles ho gaf * andsuare : ' Whi neltu ^ flon into fe bare,'" And sewi ^^ ware ^^ unker '^ bo '* Of brijter howe,'^ of vairur bio ^' ? ' ' No, fu havest wel scharpe clawe, Ne kep " Ich nojt fat fu me clawe ; f>u havest clivers sufe stronge, f>u tuengst ^' farmid so dof> a tonge. y>u fojtest, so do)) fine ilike,^' Mid faire worde me biswike ™ ; Ich nolde don fat fu me rad[djest,^^ Ich wiste wel fat fu me misraddest. Schamie f e for fin unrede ^^ I Unwrogen '^ is f i svikelhede ^ 1 Schild fine svikeldom vram fe ligte, And hud ^ fat woje ^* amon[g] f e rigte. Wane ^ f u wilt fin unrigt '^ spene,"" Loke fat hit ne bo isene, Vor svike[l]dom haved schome and hete,*" ^if hit is ope " and underjete.''^ Ne speddestu °* nojt mid fine unwrenche,** 15 25 1 listened 2 eyes 8 cast down 4 swollen with anger 5 puffed with wrath 8 swallowed 7 in scorn of her 8 MS. gas (/penciled in margin) 9 will you not I'' the open 11 show 12 MS. J?are 18 which (whether) of us two iMs 15 hue 16 complexion, appearance (bloom) 17 care, wish 18 press tightly, nip 19 as do those of thy sort 20 to deceive, betray 21 counseled 22 ill advice 23 revealed 24 treachery 26 hide 26 wrong 2r MS. J)ane 28 injustice, wrong 29 spend, show forth so hate 81 open, apparent 82 perceived 88 you did not succeed 84 trick 328 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Fp^ Ich am war,' and can wel blenche.^ Ne help)) nojt fat pu bo to [pjriste ' : Ich wolde vijte bet mid liste * JJan fu mid al pine strengfe. S Ich habbe on brede ° and ech on lengfe Castel god on mine rise ; " Wel fijt fat wel flist," ' seif fe wise. Ac lete we awei fos cheste,' Vor suiche wordes bof unwreste ' ; lo And fo we on ' mid ri^te dome,^" Mid faire worde and mid ysome.^' JJej we ne bo at one acorde, We muje bet mid fayre worde, Witute cheste, and bute fi^te, 1 5 Plaidi '^ mid f oje '* and mid rigte, And mai hure " eiper wat hi wile Mid rijte segge and mid sckile.' J>o quap pe hula : ' Wu '° schal us seme,'° fat kunne and wille ri^t us deme " ? ' 20 ' Ich wot wel,' qua]) pe nijtingale, ' Ne paref '* parof bo no tale.'' Maister Nichole of Guldeforde,^" He is wis an war of worde ; He is of dome supe gleu,^' 25 And him is lop evrich unpeu.^^ He wot insijt in ^' eche songe — Wo singet wel, wo singet wronge ; And he can schede ^* vrom pe rijte f>at woje,^^ pat puster ^° from pe lijte.' 1 wary, cautious in judgment 20 Nicholas of Guildford, spoken 2 avoid by shrinking 11 peaceable of in lines 1752-3 of the Sbold 12 debate poem as living at Port- < cunning 18 propriety esham, in Dorset « breadth 14 of us 21 wise, prudent 6 cf. Proverbs of Hendyng, 15 who ; MS. ).u 22 vice, bad habit St. 10 (Harl. MS.) 18 reconcile ' 28 has intelligence in, knows 7 let US be done with this strife 1^ judge 2< separate, distinguish 8 unavailing ; MS. unwerste 18 need 25 wrong 9 let us begin 19 dispute 28 darkness THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE 329 Ipo hule one wile hi bipojte,' And after fan pis word upbro5te : ' Ich granti wel pat he us deme, Vor peg he were wile ^ breme,' And lof * him were nijtingale, 5 And oper wijte * gente and smale, Ich wot he is nu supe acoled.^ Nis he vor pe nojt afoled,' Ipai he, for pine olde luve, Me adun * legge " and pe buve ; 10 Ne schaltu nevre so him queme ^^ JJat he for pe fals dom deme. He is him ripe " and fastrede/'' Ne lust ^' him nu to none unrede " ; Nu him ne lust na more pleie, 15 He wile gon a^* riste weie.' 'pe nistingale was al jare,'' Ho hadde ilorned ■" wel aiware '' ; ' Hule,' ho sede, ' seie me sop, Wi dostu pat unwistis ^° dop ? 20 pu singist anijt and nojt adai, And al pi song is " Wailawai I " JJu mijt mid pine songe afere ^° Alle pat iherep pine ibere ^^ ; pu schrichest ''^ and ^oUest^' to pine fere,"* 25 ]7at hit is grislich ^ to ihere ; Hit pinchep "^ hope wise and snepe,"' No5t pat pu singe, ac pat pu wepe. f>u flijst anigt and nojt adai ; 1 bethought herself for 1" please i' monsters a time U mature ™ terrify '■' at one time 12 of firm purpose 21 noise, clamor 8 spirited, passionate is pleases 22 screechest ; MS. schirchest 4 dear " unwise action 23 call out 5 creatures 15 in 24 companion » much cooled 16 ready 26 horrible f befooled 1^ learned 26 MS. J>inchest 8 below 18 nearly everywhere (OE. 27 to wise and to foolish 9 would place (lay) aghwSr) 330 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES JJarof Ich wndri,^ and wel mai, Vor evrich ping fat schuniet " rijt, Hit luvef fuster and hatiet ' lijt ; And evrich ping pat is lof misdede,* S Hit luvep puster to * liis dede. A wis word, pes hit bo unclene, Is fele manne ^ a mupe ' imene,* For Alvred King hit seide and wrot : " He schunet pat hine wl wot.° " lo Ich wene pat pu dost also, Vor pu flijst nistes evermo. Anoper ping me is awene ^° — JJu havest anijt wel brijte sene ^^ ; Bi dale pu art stareblind,^'' IS JJat pu ne sichst ne bo[u] ne rind." Adai pu art blind oper bisne,^* JJarbi men segget a uorbisne : " Ri5t so hit farp bi pan ungode, pat nojt ne sup to '^ none gode, 20 And is so f ul of uvele wrenche ^° J>at him ne mai no man atwrenche,^' And can ^' wel pane ■'^ pustre ™ wai, And pane brijte lat awai.^^ " So dop pat bop ^^ of pine cunde, 25 Of lijte nabbep hi none imunde.''' ' J>os hule luste supe longe, And was oftoned ^* sup[e] stronge. Ho quap: ' J>u [h] attest ^ nistingale ; JJu mistest bet hoten ^^ galegale,''' 1 wonder l» is in my thoughts 20 dark ; MS. (jurste 2 shuns 11 power of vision 21 abandons the bright one 8 hates 12 purblind 22 those that are < to which evil-doing is dear 18 seeneitherboughnorbark 23 thought 6 for 1^ of dim sight 24 irritated 6 of many men 1^ looks toward 25 are called ' in the mouths 1* guile, trickery 26 better be called 8 commonly 1' evade, elude ; MS. -prenche 2r chatterbox 9 that which knows him to ^8 knows be foul 19 the THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE 331 Vor f>u havest to monie tale,^ Lat fine tunge habbe spale ^ ! fu wenest fat fes dai bo fin 056 ' ; Lat me nu habbe mine froje * ; Bo nu stille and lat me speke, Ich wille bon of fe awreke.^ And lust ° hu Ich con me bitelle,' Mid rijte sofa, witute spelle.' ]7u seist fat Ich me hude adai, farto ne segge Ich nich ne nai ' ; And lust, Ich telle fe warevore, Al wi hit is and warevore. Ich habbe bile stif and stronge, And gode clivers scharp and longe, So hit bicumef ^° to havekes cunne ; Hit is min hijte/"^ hit is mi wune,^^ JJat Ich me draje ■'' to mine cunde, Ne mai [me] no man f arevore schende " ; On me hit is wel isene, Vor rijte cunde ^ Ich am so kene. Vorf i Ich am lof smale fogle ^^ f>at flof bi " grunde an bi f uvele '' : Hi me bichermet " and bigredef j^" And hore ^^ flockes to me ledef . Me is lof to habbe reste, And sitte stille in mine neste ; Vor nere Ich never no fe betere, ^if ''^ Ich mid chavling^' and mid chatere Hom schende, and mid fule worde. . . . Ne lust me " wit f e screwen ^ chide,''' 15 25 30 1 tales M is fitting 19 scream at 2 respite, rest 11 joy 20 cry out upon 8 own 12 delight 21 their 4 turn 18 turn me 22 MS. )>it 6 avenged 1^ blame, revile 23 scolding 6 listen 16 from very nature 2^ it does not please me 7 justify 16 to small birds 25 evil persons 8 a long story 1' near 26 to contend 8 no nor nay 18 bushes 332 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES IS 25 Forpi Ich wende ' from horn wide.' Hit is a wise monne dome,' And hi hit segget wel ilome,* JJat me ne ° chide wit fe gidie,' Ne wit fan ofne ' me ne gonie.' At sume s\]>e herde I telle Hu Alvred sede on his spelle ' : " Loke fat fu ne bo fare par ^° chavling bof and cheste jare ; Lat sottes '' chide, and vorf fu go " ; And Ich am wis, and do also. And jet Alvred seide, an ofer side,'^ A word fat is isprunge '' wide : " JJat wit fe fule havef imene,'* Ne cumef he never from him cleine." Wenestu fat haveck bo f e worse JJoj crowe bigrede ^' him bi f e mershe. And gof to him mid hore chirme " Rijt so hi wille wit him schirme " ? J»e havec foljef gode rede," And flijt his wei, and lat him ^^ grede.™ ^et f u me seist of ofer finge. And telst fat Ich ne can nogt singe, Ac al mi rorde ^ is woning,'''' And to ihire grislich ^ f ing. JJat nis nojt sof , Ich singe efne,'^* Mid fuUe dreme ^ and lude stefne.'^^ JJu wenist '' fat ech song bo grislich 1 turn 11 fools 20 ciy out 2 far 12 on the other hand 21 speech 8 in the judgment of wise men 18 spread 22 lamenting * often " he who has companionship 28 horrible ^ they do not with the foul 2* evenly 6 foolish 16 cry out upon 25 melody 7 oven, furnace 16 uproar 26 voice 8 yawn I? fight 27 thinkest 9 instruction 18 counsel 10 where 19 MS. hem THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE 333 JJat fine pipinge nis ilich.'' Mi stefne is bold ''■ and nojt unome,' Ho is ilich one grete home, And fin is ilich one pipe Of one smale wode * unripe. Ich singe bet pan fu dest ; f>u chaterest so dof on Irish prost. Ich singe an eve, a riste time,^ And soffe won hit is bedtime, Jje fridde sipe at ' middelniste ; And so Ich mine song adiste ' Wone Ich iso ° arise vorre ' Ofer dairim ^'' oper daisterre. Ich do god mid mine prote, And wami men to hore note." Ac pu singest alle longe nijt, From eve fort " hit is dailijt. And evre seist pin o song So longe so pe nijt is long ; And evre crowep pi wrecche crei,^° JJat he ne swikep ^* nijt ne dai. Mid pine pipinge pu adunest '* J7as monnes earen par pu wunest. And makest pine song so unwrp " J'a[t] me ne telp of par noj[t] wrp." Evrich murjpe ^° mai so longe ileste, JJat ho shal liki " wel unwreste,°° Vor harpe, and pipe, and fuseles songe Mislikep, jif hit is to long. Ne bo pe song never so murie, '5 25 3° 1 is not like 2 MS. blod 7 arrange, prepare 8 see 1^ ceases 15 dinnest 8 feeble < weed 6 in the evening, at the proper time « MS. ad Safar l« daybreak 11 profit, advantage 12 until 18 crying I'' unworthy 1' that men set no store by it IB joy 19 please 20 m 334 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES J>at he ne shal finche ' wel unmurie ' ^ef he ilestep ° over wille ' ; So fu mijt fine song aspille.' PIERS THE PLOWMAN Until 1906, the work called The Vision (rather, Book) of William concerning Piers the Plowman had been for a generation attributed, on the faith of two fifteenth-century memoranda, to William Langland, or Langley, whom Skeat believed to have been born about 1332, and to have died about 1400. Three texts of the poem have been printed, of which the second and third (known as B and C) are revisions and extensions of the first (A). The dates assigned to these are : A, 1362; 8,1377; C, after 1390 (probably about 1398). The A-text has 2567 lines, the B-text 7242, and the C-text 7357. All have been edited by Skeat in two volumes (Oxford, 1886). Professor John M. Manly presents his view, which differs in many respects from that hitherto received, in the Pambridg e History of Engli sh Litera ture, Vol. 2. According to him, the twelve cantos, or passus, contained in A, were the work of two different authors, of whom the second wrote Passus 9-12, while B and C represent two revisions, so that there would have been four authors; but since he finds 61 lines at the end of the A-text (12. 57-105, and 12 lines not given in Skeat's large edition, 1.331) to have been written by a certain John But (or Butt), the whole number of authors would be five. On the theory of the single authorship, Jusserand has an illuminating chapter in Vol. I of his Literary History of the English People. For a general bibliography, see Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. 2. 490-7. The passages given below are all from the B-text. They differ so incon- siderably from the A-text that Manly's characterization of the style of the latter sufficiently holds concerning them (op. cit. p. 13) : "As to the style, no summary or paraphrase can reproduce its picturesqueness and verve. It is always simple, direct, evocative of a constant series of clear and sharply-defined images of individuals and groups. Little or no attempt is made at elaborate, or even ordinarily full, description, and color-words are singularly few ; but it would be difiicult to find a piece of writing from which the reader derives a clearer vision of individuals or groups of moving figures in their habit as they lived. That the author was endowed in the highest degree with the faculty of visualization is proved, not merely by his ability to stimulate the reader to form mental images, but even more by the fact that all the movements of individuals and groups can be followed with ease and certainty. Composition, in the larger sense of structural excellence, that quality common in French literature, 1 seem ^ beyond (the point of) pleasure ; MS. unwille 2 unpleasing ^ spoil 'lasts PIERS THE PLOWMAN 335 but all too rare in Knglish, and supposed to be notably lacking in Piers the Plowman, is one of the most striking features.' Our text is from Skeat's smaller edition, based on MS. Laud 581, with certain omitted lines supplied from the large edition ; with the omission of the dots which mark the middle of lines ; and with changes in punctuation, capitalization, and the joining of words. The lines quoted are Prol. 1-122; 3. 1-129, 133-68 i 5. 304-46, 352-9, 364-71 ; 5. 392-478 ; 6. 107-53. PROLOGUE In a somer seson, whan soft was the sonne, I shope ^ me in shroudes,'^ as I a shape " were ; In habite as an heremite, unholy of workes, Went wyde in fis world, wondres to here. Ac on a May mornynge, on Malverne hulles,^ 5 Me byfel a ferly ^ — of fairy, me thoujte ; I was wery, forwandred," and went me to reste Under a brode banke, bi a homes ' side ; And as I lay and lened, and loked in ]>& wateres, I slombred in a slepyng — it sweyved * so merye. 10 Thanne gan I to meten " a merveilouse swevene, That I was in a wildernesse — wist I never where ; As I bihelde into fe est, an hiegh " to ]>e sonne, I seigh a toure on a toft,^^ trielich '^ ymaked ; A depe dale binethe, a dongeon fereinne, 15 With depe dyches and derke, and dredful of sight. A faire felde ful of folke fonde I there bytwene, Of alle maner of men — fe mane and f>e richa — Worchyng and wandryng, as ]>e worlde asketh.^' Some putten hem " to ]>e plow, pleyed ful salde " ; 20 In settyng " and in sowyng swonken ^' ful harde, And wonnen that " wastours " with glotonye destruyeth. 1 robed " worn out with wandering '^ requires, demands 2 rough garments ' bum's, brook's 1^ set themselves 8 shepherd 8 rippled i' seldom ^ hills ; the Malvem hills are " dream W planting in Worcestershire, on the w on high i' labored border of Herefordshire n hilltop 1* gained what 6 marvel 1^ excellently w spendthrifts 336 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES And some putten hem to pruyde — apparailed hem fereafter'; In contenaunce " of clothyng comen disgised. In prayers and in penance putten hem manye, Al for love of owre Lorde lyveden ful streyte,' 5 In hope for to have heveneriche * blisse ; As ancres ° and heremites that holden hem in here selles, And coveiten nought in contre to kairen aboute " For no likerous liflode,' her lykam " to plese. And somme chosen chaffare ° ; they cheven *" the bettere — 10 As it semeth to owre syjt that suche men thryveth ; And somme murthes to make, as mynstralles conneth,^' And geten gold with here glee — giltles, I leve.^^ Ac japers " and jangelers," Judas chylderen, Feynen hem fantasies, and foles hem maketh, 15 And han here witte at wille, to worche, jif fei sholde ; That Poule precheth of hem I nel nought preve it here : Qui turpiloquium loquitur is Luciferes hyne.''^ Bidders ^' and beggeres fast aboute jede," With her belies and her bagges of bred ful ycrammed ; 20 Fayteden '' for here fode, foujten atte ale ; In glotonye, God it wote, gon hii to bedde. And risen with ribaudye," tho Roberdes knaves ; Slepe and sori sleuthe'''' seweth'^* hem evre. Pilgrymes and palmers plijted hem togidere 25 To seke Seynt James,^'' and seyntes in Rome. Thei went forth in here wey, with many wise tales, 1 accordingly 9 a merchant's life i' went 2 outward appearance 10 achieved, prospered 18 begged deceitfully " strictly U know how to do W ribaldry, sin 4 of the kingdom of heaven 12 believe 20 sloth 5 anchorites 18 jesters 21 pursue 6 go about M jongleurs 22 St. James of Compostella 7 dainty living 15 servant 8 body 10 beggars 17. Qui . . . loquitur : this is not from St. Paul ; but it bears some resem- blance to Eph. 5. 4 and Col. 3. 8. 22. Roberdes knaves : the so-called Roberts men were robbers and vaga- bonds (perhaps originally Robin Hood's men). PIERS THE PLOWMAN 337 And hadden leve to lye al Here lyf after. I seigh somme that seiden fei had ysoujt seyntes ; To eche a tale fat fei tolde here tonge was tempred to lye More fan to sey soth, it semed bi here speche. Heremites on an heep,^ with hoked staves, 5 Wenten to Walsyngham,^ and here wenches after ; Grete lobyes " and longe, that loth were to sw)fnke, Clotheden hem in copis,* to ben knowen fram othere, And shopen ^ hem heremites, here ese to have. I fonde fere freris — alle fe foure ordres lo Preched f e peple for profit of hemselven ; Closed ' fe gospel as hem good lyked,^ For coveitise of copis construed it as fei wolde. Many of fis maistres freris mowe clothen hem at lyk)Tig, For here money and marchandise marchen togideres ; 1 5 For sith Charite haf be chapman,* and chief to shryve lordes. Many ferlis han fallen in a fewe seris. But ' Holy Chirche and hii holde better togideres. The most myschief on molde ^° is mountyng wel f aste. JJere preched a pardonere, as he a prest were ; 20 Broujte forth a buUe " with bishopes seles. And seide fat hymself myjte assoilen ^^ hem alle Of falshed, of fastyng, of vowes ybroken. Lewed men leved hym wel, and lyked his wordes ; Comen up knelyng, to kissen his bulles ; 25 He bonched '^ hem with his brevet,*^ and blered here eyes, And raujte '* with his ragman '" rynges and broches ; Thus fey geven here golde, glotones to kepe, 1 in great numbers 6 glossed, commented on 12 absolve 3 to the shrine of Our Lady 7 pleased them well is banged, beat of Walsingham — a popu- 8 love has become a trades- " letter of indulgence lar pilgrimage man 15 obtained 8 lubbers 9 unless 16 bull * friars' capes or cloaks i" on the earth 5 made 11 a papal bull 10. four ordres : the four orders of friars were the Carmelites (white friars), Augustines (Austin friars), Dominicans (black friars), and Minorites (gray friars). 338 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES And leveth ^ such loseles ^ fat lecherye haunten." Were fe bischop yblissed,* and worth bothe his eres, His seel shulde nou5t be sent to deceyve fe peple ; Ac it is naujt by ' fe bischop fat fe boy precheth, 5 For the pariscb prest and fe pardonere parten fe silver That fe poraille ° of fe parisch sholde have, jif fei nere.' Persones ' and parisch prestes pleyned hem to fe bischop f>at here parisshes were pore, sith fe pestilence-tyme. To have a lycence and a leve at London to dwelle, 10 And syngen pere for symonye — for silver is swete. Bischopes and bachelers,^ bothe maistres and doctours, J>at han cure ^^ under Criste, and crounyng ^' in tokne And signe fat fei sholden shryven here paroschienes, Prechen and prey for hem, and fe pore fede, I s Liggen in London — ■ in Lenten, an elles.^'' Somme serven f e kyng, and his silver tellen ^* ; In Cheker ^* and in Chancerye chalengen '* his dettes Of wardes ^° and wardmotes,^' weyves and streyves.^' And some serven as servantz lordes and ladyes, 20 And in stede of stuwardes sytten and demen." Here messe and here matynes, and many of here cures,'"' Am don undevoutlych ; drede is at f e laste Lest Crist in consistorie ''^ acorse ful manye. I parceyved of fe power fat Peter had to kepe, 25 To bynde and to unbynde, as fe boke telleth,'"' How he it left wif love, as owre Lorde hight,'° Amonges f oure vertues — f e best of all vertues, J»at cardinales ben called, and closyng jatis "* — 1 believe 12 and at other times 20 canonical hours 2 wretches (vagabonds) 18 count 21 court, tribunal ; here, Last 8 practise 1^ the court of the Exchequer Judgment * a holy (blessed) man 15 claim 22 Matt. i6. 19 5 concerning 1" wardships 28 bade 6 poor people i? ward-courts 24 with power to close gates, ' if it were not for them 18 waifs and strays — aban- because 'cardinal' is de- 8 parsons doned property or that rived from cardo, a 9 young men for which there were hinge 10 a charge no heirs 11 the tonsure 1^ judge PIERS THE PLOWMAN 339 fere Crist is in kyngdome to close and to shutte, And to opne it to hem, and hevene blisse shewe. Ac of fe cardinales atte courte ^ fat cau5t of ^ fat name, And power presumed in hem a Pope to make, To han fat power fat Peter hadde, inpugnen I nelle,* 5 For in love and letterure * f e eleccioun bilongeth ; Forfi I can and can naujte ' of courte speke more. Jeanne come fere a kyng — knyjlhod hym ladde ; Mijt of f e comunes made hym to regne ; . And fanne cam Kynde Wytte,* and clerkes he made, lo For to conseille fe kyng, and fe comune save. The kyng and knyjthode, and clergye bothe, Casten '' fat fe comune shulde hemself fynde.* ]7e comune contreved ° of Kynde Witte craftes. And for profit of alle fe poeple, plowmen ordeygned, 15 To tilie " and travaile, as Trewe Lyf askef . pe kynge and fe comune, and Kynde Witte fe thridde, Shope ^^ lawe and lewte — eche man to knowe his owne. MEED THE MAIDEN Now is Mede " f e mayde, and na mo of hem alle. With bedellus ^' and wif bayllyves broujt bifor f e kyng. 20 The kyng called a clerke — can I noujt his name — To take Mede fe mayde, and make hire at ese. ' I shal assaye hir myself, and sothelich appose '* What man of fis molde fat hire were leveste " ; And if she worche bi my witte, and my wille folwe, 25 I wil forgyve hir fis gilte, so me God help I ' Curteysliche fe clerke fanne, as fe kyng hight, 1 at the court of Rome ^ common sense ^^ created 2 received 7 contrived 12 bribery, ' graft ' ' I will not raise question * provide food for themselves ^ beadles, summoners * learning 9 devised i-" inquire ' can because of what he i" till, cultivate 15 dearest knows, but cannot be- cause of his reverence 340 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Toke Mede bi J>e middd,^ and broujte hir into chaumbre, And fere was myrthe and mynstralcye, Mede to plese. They fat wonyeth in Westmynstre worschiped hir alle, Gentelliche, wif joye ; f e justices somme ' 5 Busked ' hem to fe boure ^ fere fe birde ^ dwelled, To conforte hire kyndely, by clergise ' leve, And seiden : ' Mourne nought, Mede, ne make fow no sorwe For we wil wisse ' ]>e kynge, and fi way shape To be wedded at f i wille, and where f e leve liketh,* lo For al Conscience caste ° or craft, as I trowe 1 ' Mildeliche Mede f anne mercyed ^° hem alle Of feire gret goodnesse, and gaf hem uchone Coupes " of clene golde, and coppis " of silver, Rynges with rubies, and ricchesses manye ; 1 5 The leste man of here meyne ^° a motoun " of golde. Thanne laujte '^ f ei leve, fis lordes, at ^° Mede. With that comen clerkis to conforte hir fe same. And beden hire be blithe — ' for we beth fine owne. For to worche fi wille fe while fow myjte laste.' 20 Hendeliche " heo f anne bihight ^' hem f e same, To ' love jow lelli,'° and lordes to make, And in f e consistorie atte courte do calle "" jowre names ; Shal no lewdnesse lette ^^ f e leode ^ fat I lovye. That he ne worth first avanced — for I am biknowen ^' — 25 JJere konnyng'* clerkes shul clokke''^ bihynde.' JJanne come fere a confessoure, coped as a frere ; To Mede f e mayde he mellud ^^ f is wordes. And seide f ul softly — in shrif te '^ as it were : 1 waist 11 bowls 18 promised 2 some of them 12 cups 19 loyally 3 hastened is household 20 cause to be called * bower, lady's chamber 1^ a French gold coin worth 21 ignorance hinder 5 lady about five shillings, 22 man 6 learning's stamped with the impres- 28 well known ' guide sion of the Lamb of God 24 wise, learned 8 you please 1^ took 26 limp, hobble 9 conscience's contrivance 18 of 26 spoke 1" thanked i^ courteously 27 confession PIERS THE PLOWMAN 34 f ' J>ei5 lewed men and lered ^ men had leyne by fe bothe, And Falsenesse haved yfolwed fe al fis fyfty wyntre, I shal assoille Tpe myselve for a seme ^ of whete, And also be fi bedeman,' and bere wel ]>i message Amonges knijtes and clerkis, Conscience to torne.^ ' 5 Thanne Mede for here mysdedes to fat man kneled, And shrove hire of hire shrewednesse ^ — shamelees, I trowe ; Tolde hym a tale, and toke ° hym a noble/ For to ben hire bedeman, and hire brokour als.* Thanne he assoilled hir sone ; and sithen he seyde : 10 ' We han a wyndowe a wirchyng ° wil sitten us f ul heigh ^° ; Woldestow glase ^^ fat gable, and grave fereinne fi name, Siker ^^ sholde fi soule be hevene to have.' ' Wist I that,' quod fat womman, ' I wolde noujt spare For to be jowre frende, frere, and faille 50W nevre, 15 Whil je love lordes fat lechery haunteth, And lakketh nou5t ladis fat loveth wel the same. It is f relete of flesh — ■ je fynde it in bokes — And a course of kynde ^' wherof we komen alie ; Who may scape fe sklaundre,^* f e skathe ^ is sone amended ; 20 It is synne of f e sevene sonnest •"' relessed.^' Have mercy,' quod Mede, ' of men fat it haunte, And I shal kevre ^' jowre kirke, jowre cloystre do maken, Wowes" do whiten, and wyndowes glasen, Do peynten and purtraye, and paye for fe makynge, 25 That evry segge"" shal seyn I am sustre of jowre hous.' Ac God to alle good folke suche gravynge defendeth,^^ To writen in wyndowes of here wel "^ dedes. 1 learned 9 in process of being made V forgiven 2 load 10 cost us full dear 18 cover 8 beadsman 11 provide the glass for 19 walls i defeat 12 certain 20 person 6 sin 18 nature 21 forbids 6 gave 14 disgrace 22 good ? a third of a pound sterling 15 harm 8 broker also 16 soonest 26. sustre : any wealthy person could belong to a religious order of friars through a ' letter of fraternity.' • 342 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES On aventure ^ pruyde be peynted fere, and pompe of fe worlde ; For Crist knowef fi conscience and fi kynde wille,^ And fi coste,' and fi coveitise, and who fe catel oujte.* Forpi I lere ° jow, lordes, levef suche werkes — 5 To writen in wyndowes of jowre wel dedes, Or to greden " after Goddis men whan ge delen doles ; An aventure je han jowre hire here,' and joure hevene als \ Nesciat sinistra quidfaciat dextra : ' Lat noujte \\ left half, late ne rathe,^ 10 Wyte what fow worchest with f>i rijt syde ; For fus, bit '" fe gospel, gode men do here almesse. Meires ^^ and maceres,^^ that menes '^^ ben bitwene JJe kynge and fe comune to kepe pe lawes. To punyschen on pillories and pynynge-stoles ^* 1 5 Brewesteres ^^ and bakesteres,^^ bocheres and cokes ; For fise aren men on fis molde fat moste harme worcheth To f e pore peple fat parcelmele ^' buggen,'* For they poysoun f e peple priveliche ^^ and oft ; Thei rychen '"' f orw regraterye,^^ and rentes hem buggen 2o With fat f e pore people shulde put in here wombe ^^ ; For toke f ei on ^* trewly, f ei tymbred nougt ^* so heije, Ne boujte non burgages,^ be je ful certeyne. , Ac Mede fe mayde f e maire hath bisoujte, Of alle suche sellers sylver to take, 25 Or presentz withoute pens, as peces of silver, Ringes, or other ricchesse, f e regrateres to maynetene : ' For my love,' quod that lady, ' love hem uch one. And soffre hem to selle somdele^" ajeins resoun.' 1 lest perchance li mayors, magistrates 2o grow rich 2 natural disposition ^2 mace-bearers (officers of 21 selling retail 8 expenses the courts) 22 stomach ^ who really owned the property ^8 intermediaries 28 if they took in money s teach 1^ stools of punishment 24 would not build 6 cry after, send for 15 brewers 25 town-dwellings ' Matt. 6. 2 18 bakers 26 somewhat 8 Matt. 6. 3 1^ in small quantities * early 1^ buy 10 bids " secretly PIERS THE PLOWMAN 343 Salamon fe sage a sarmoun he made, For to amende maires, and men fat kepen lawes, And tolde hem fis teme,' fat I telle thynke : Ignis devorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera, etc' Amonge fis lettered ledes,' fis Latyn is to mene 5 That fyre shal falle, and brenne al to bio askes * The houses and }»e homes of hem fat desireth i^iftes or jeres-jyves ' bicause of here offices. The kynge fro conseille cam, and called after Mede, And ofsent" hir alswythe' with serjauntes manye, lo That broujten hir to bowre with blisse and with joye. Curteisliche fe kynge f anne comsed ' to telle — • To Mede fe mayde melleth ' fise wordes : ' Unwittily, womman, wroujte hastow oft, Ac worse wrougtestow nevre fan fo'° fow Fals toke'*; 15 But I forgyve f e fat gilte, and graunte fe my grace ; Hennes to fi deth-day do so na more. I have a knyjte. Conscience, cam late fro bijunde ^^ ; ^if he wilneth f e to wyf , wyltow hym have ? ' " ^e, lorde,' quod fat lady, " Lorde forbede elles ! 2a But ^' I be holely at jowre heste, lat hange " me sone ! ' And f anne was Conscience calde to come and appiere Bifor fe kynge and his conseille, as clerkes and othere. Knelynge, Conscience to fe kynge louted,^ To wife what his wille were, and what he do shulde. 25 ' Woltow wedde f is womman,' quod f e kynge, ' jif I wil assente — For she is fayne of f i f elawship — for to be f i make ^' ? ' Quod Conscience to f e kynge : ' Cryst it me forbede ! Ar '" I wedde suche a wyf, wo me bityde I For she is frele '* of hir feith, fykel of here speche, 30 1 text, theme 7 as quickly as possible 14 have me hanged 2 Job 15. 34 8 began 15 made obeisance 2 persons 9 speaks 16 mate 4 livid ashes 1** when 17 before 5 New Year's gifts (extorted n took to thee Falsehood 1* frail as bribes) 1^ across the sea 8 sent after 1* except 344 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES And maketh men mysdo many score tymes ; Truste of hire tresore treieth ^ ful manye. Wyves and widewes wantounes she techeth,^ And lereth ' hem leccherye that loveth hire jiftes. S i^owre fadre she felled forw fals biheste, And hath apoysounde Popis,* and peired * Holi Cherche. Is naujt a better baude, bi hym fat me made, Bitwene hevene and helle — in erthe though men soujte. . . . Sisoures " and sompnoures ' — suche men hir preiseth ; lo Shireves of shires were shent jif she nere/ For she dop men lese here londe and here lyf bothe. She leteth passe prisoneres, and payeth for hem ofte, And gyveth fe gailers golde and grotes " togideres, To unfettre )>e fals — fle where hym lyketh I 15 And take)) fe trewe bi fe toppe,^° and tieth hym faste, And hangeth hym for hatred fat harme dede nevre. To be cursed in consistorie she counteth noujte a russhe ; For she copeth ^^ fe comissarie, and coteth ^^ his clerkis ; She is assoilled ^^ as sone as hirself liketh, 20 And may neije as moche do in a moneth one " As 50wre secret seel in syx score dayes. For she is prive ^' with ]>e Pope — provisoures ^' it knoweth — For Sire Symonye and hirselve seleth " hire buUes. She blesseth pise bisshopes, feije fey be lewed, 35 Provendreth persones,^' and prestes meynteneth To have lemmannes and lotebies " alle here lifdayes, And bringen forth bames ajein forbode '"' lawes. There she is wel with fe kynge wo is ]>e rewme, 1 betrays 8 would be lost if it were not 16 intimate 2 teaches to be for her 16 provisors (persons named 8 teaches 9 groats by the Pope for a living 4 poisoned Popes i" top, head not vacant) 6 injured 11 provides a cope for 1*" seal 6 jurymen 12 provides coats for 18 supports parsons ^ summoners 18 absolved 19 concubines 14 by herself 20 prohibitive 5. ^owre fadre : probably Edward II, father of Edward III (king at the time the first version was written). PIERS THE PLOWMAN 34S For she is favorable to Fals,' and fouleth Trewthe ofte. Bi Jesus, with here jeweles gowre justices she shendeth,'' And lith ' ajein fe lawe, and letteth hym ]>e gate * That Faith may noujte have his forth,^ here * floreines go so fikke. She ledeth f e lawe as hire list, and love-dayes ' maketh, 5 And doth men lese forw hire love fat lawe myjte wynne — ]7e mase ' for a mene man, fouj he mote ' evre.^" Lawe is so lordeliche, and loth to make ende, Withoute presentz or pens she pleseth wel fewe. Barounes and burgeys she bryngeth in sorwe, lo And alle fe comune in kare pat coveyten lyve " in trewthe, For Clergye ^^ and Coveitise ^^ she coupleth togideres. JJis is f e lyf of that lady — now Lorde jif hir sorwe. And alle that meynteneth here men, meschaunce hem bityde I For pore men mowe have no powere to pleyne '* hem, fou^ fei smerte, i s Suche a maistre is Mede amonge men of gode.' GLUTTONY Now bigynneth Gloutoun '' for to go to schrifte, And kaires hym ^° to kirkeward,'^ his coupe '' to schewe ; Ac Beton fe brewestere bad hym good morwe, And axed of hym with fat whiderward he wolde. 20 ' To Holi Cherche,' quod he, ' for to here masse. And sithen^' I wil be shryven, and synne na more.' " I have gode ale, gossib,' quod she ; ' Glotown, wiltow assaye ? ' ' Hastow aujte in pi purs ^ ? — any bote spices ? ' ' I have peper and piones,''^ ' quod she, ' and a pounde of garlike, 25 A ferthyngworth of fenel-seed for fastyng-dayes.' 1 MS. the fals 8 disappointment 18 repairs him 2 destroys 9 plead, argue i" to church ; cf. (A.V.) 2 Cor. 'lies lOMS. hirevre 1. 12 ; i Thess. i.8 * hinders him the way H desire to live 1' guilt, sin 5 egress " Learning W afterwards 6 her 18 Avarice * 20 pouch, wallet ^ days for holding court, and 14 make complaint 21 peony-seeds settling di£ferences 1^ Glutton 346 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES IS Jeanne goth Glotoun in, and grete othes after ; Cesse ^ f e souteresse "^ sat on f e benche, Watte ]?e warner ** and hys wyf bothe, Tymme fe tynkere, and tweyne of his prentis,* Hikke fe hakeneyman,^ and Hughe pe nedeler,^ Clarice of Cokkeslane/ and J?e clerke of f e cherche, Dawe pe dykere,^ and a dozeine other ; Sire Piers of Pridie, and Peronelle" of Flaundres, A ribibour/^ a ratonere,^^ a rakyer of Chepe/^ A ropere,^^ a redyngkyng,^* and Rose pe dissheres,^^ Godfrey of Garlekehithe,^^ and Gryfin fe Walshe,^' And upholderes ^^ an hepe erly bi f e morwe Geven Glotoun with glad chere good ale to hansel.^® Clement f e cobelere cast of '^^ his cloke, And atte new f aire ^^ he nempned ^'^ it to selle ; Hikke f e hakeneyman hitte ^^ his hood after, And badde Bette ^* fe bochere ben on his side. fere were chapmen ychose fis chaffare to preise ^ ; Whoso haveth f e hood shuld have amendes of fe cloke. Two risen up in rape,^*^ and rouned ^"^ togideres, And preised fese penyworthes apart bi hemselve ; ]?ei couth noujte bi her conscience acorden^^ in treuthe, Tyl Robyn pe ropere arose bi pe southe, And nempned hym for a noumpere ^^ — pat no debate nere - 1 short for Cicely, or Cecilia ^ woman shoemaker 3 gamekeeper 4 apprentices 5 man who keeps horses for hire 6 needle-seller 5" a region occupied by women of ill repute 8 ditcher 9 a proverbial name for a gaily dressed, bold-faced woman i<* player on the rebeck 11 rat-catcher 12 street-sweeper of Cheap- side 18 rope-maker 1^ retainer 15 dish-seller 16 a region on the bank of the Thames where gar- lic was sold 1' Welshman 18 furniture-brokers 19 as an earnest or pledge (to propitiate him) 30 off 21 at the new fair (to chaffer at the new fair = to exchange) 22 named 28 threw down 2^ Bartholomew 25 appraise, value 26 haste 2'' whispered 28 agree 29 an umpire T. in : Skeat suggests that the scene may be the Boar's Head, in Eastcheap (cf. King Henry IV), PIERS THE PLOWMAN 347 For to trye fis chaffare bitwixen hem f re. Hikke fe hostellere ^ hadde fe cloke, In covenaunte pat Clement shulde fe cuppe fiUe, And have Hikkes hode hostellere,^ and holde hym yserved ^ ; And whoso repented rathest * shulde arise after, s And grete Sire Glotoun with a galoun ale. JJere was laughyng and louryng,^ and " Let go pe cuppe ! ' And seten so til evensonge, and songen umwhile,* Tyl Glotoun had yglobbed ' a galoun an a jille.' . . . He myjte neither steppe ne stonde er he his staffe hadde ; lo And )7anne gan he go liche a glewmannes bicche,' Somme tyme aside, and somme tyme arrere,'" As whoso leyth lynes for to lacche foules." And whan he drowgh to f e dore, J>anne dymmed his eighen ; He stumbled on f e thresshewolde, an threwe ^^ to pe erthe. i s Clement pe cobelere caugte hym bi ]>e myddel, For to lifte hym alofte, and leyde him on his knowes.^'. . . With al pe wo of pis worlde, his wyf and his wenche Baren hym home to his bedde, and brou^te hym perinne ; And after al pis excesse, he had an accidie,^'' 20 f>at he slepe Saterday and Sonday til sonne jede ^* to reste. J>anne waked he of his wynkyng,^^ and wiped his eyghen ; JJe fyrste worde pat he warpe ^' was : ' Where is pe boUe ^' ? ' His wif gan edwite " hym po how wikkedlich he lyved, And Repentance rijte so rebuked hym pat tyme. 25 1 an innkeeper (who also let 6 at intervals " fit of sloth horses for hire ; cf. 346 7 gulped down 15 went 5, 16) 8 gill 16 slumber 2 the hood of Hikke the 9 a (blind) minstrel's dog 17 uttered innkeeper 10 backwards 18 cup, bowl a contented 11 catch birds 19 reproach < soonest 12 fell 5 scowling IS knees 348 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES SLOTH THE PARSON Jeanne come Sleuthe ^ al bislabered,^ with two slymy eisen, " I most sitte,' seyde pe segge,' ' or elles shulde I nappe ; I may noujte stonde ne stoupe, ne withoute a stole * knele. Were I broujte abedde, . . . S Sholde no ryngynge do me ryse ar I were rype to dyne.' He bygan ' Benedicite ' with a bolke/ and his brest knocked, And roxed * and rored, and rutte ' atte laste. ' What ! awake, renke ' 1 ' quod Repentance, ' and rape ° fe to shrifte.' ' If I shulde deye bi ^^ fis day, me liste " nou5te to loke ; 10 I can nougte perfitly my Pater Noster, as ]>e prest it syngeth. But I can rymes of Robyn Hood, and Randolf Erie of Chestre,'^ Ac neither of owre Lorde ne of owre Lady, pe leste pat evere was made. I have made vowes fourty, and forjete hem on pe morne ; I parfourned ^' nevere penaunce, as pe prest me hijte, 1 5 Ne ryjte sori for my synnes 5et was I nevere ; And 5if I bidde any bedes,^* but-if it be in wrath, J>at I telle with my tonge is two myle fro myne herte. I am occupied eche day — haliday and other — With ydel tales atte ale, and otherwhile in cherches ; 20 Goddes peyne and his passioun — f ul selde pynke I pereon. I visited nevere fieble men, ne fettered folke in puttes ^^ ; I have levere here an harlotrie,^" or a somer-game of souteres," Or lesynges ^' to laughe at, and belye my neighbore, jJan al pat evere Marke made, Mathew, John, and Lucas ; 25 And vigilies and fastyng-dayes — alle pise late I passe,^' And ligge abedde in Lenten, an[d] my lemman in myn armes, Tyl matynes and masse be do, and panne go to pe freres ; 1 sloth H man 16 dungeons 2 bedabbled 8 hasten 16 a tale of harlotry 8 creature 10 within 17 summer-game played by 4 stool 11 would please shoemakers, consisting of 5 belch 12 1181-1231 athletic sports, etc. 6 Stretched himself 18 performed 18 lying tales 7 snored W offer any petitions 19 I let pass, pay no heed to II. Robyn Hood: the earliest mention of him. PIERS THE PLOWMAN 349 Come I to " Ite, missa est,' ' I holde me yserved.^ I nam nougte shry ven some tyme — but-if sekenesse it make " — • Nou5t tweies in two jere, and fanne up gesse ^ I schryve me. I have be " prest and persoun passynge thretti wynter, ^ete can I neither solfe * ne synge, ne seyntes lyves rede ; 5 But I can fynde in a f aide or in a fourlonge ' an hare, Better fan in Beatus vir ' or in jBeaii omnes " Construe oon clause wel, and kenne ■"' it to my parochienes. I can holde love-dayes, and here a reves rekenynge, Ac in canoun ^^ ne in f e decretales ■'^ I can noujte rede a lyne. 10 igif I bigge ■'•'' and borwe " it — but-^if it be y tallied " — I forgete it as gerne '" ; and jif men me it axe Sixe sithes or sevene, I forsake '" it with othes. And fus tene '" I trewe men ten hundreth tymes. And my servauntz — some tyme her salarye is bihynde ; 15 Reuthe " is to here pe rekenynge whan we shal rede acomptes ; So with wikked wille and wraththe my werkmen I paye. ^if any man doth me a benfait, or helpeth me at nede, I am unkynde ajein '"' his curteisye, and can nou5te understonde it ; For I have and have hadde somedele "^ haukes maneres : 20 I nam nougte lured with love, but fere ligge ^^ aujte ^' under f e thombe. The kyndenesse fat myne evene-Cristene ^* kidde me fernyere,^ Sixty sythes I, Sleuthe, have forjete it sith ; In speche and in sparynge of speche yspilte ^^ many a tyme Bothe flesche and fissche, and many other vitailles, 25 Bothe bred and ale, butter, melke, and chese — Forsleuthed ^' in my servyse, til it myjte serve no man. I ran aboute in gouthe, and jaf me noujte to lerne. And evere sith have be beggere, for my foule sleuthe ; 1 the closing words of the mass n canon law 20 in response to ^ satisfied 12 decretals — a collection 21 to some extent 8 unless sickness bring it about of Popes' edicts 22 He ^ by guesswork ^8 buy anything 23 'fhe lure was often baited 6 been ^4 give a pledge for it with meat 6 sol-fa, i.e. sing by note 15 marked on a tally 24 fellow-Christian 7 lot (of land) 16 quickly (as may be) 25 showed me formerly 8 Ps. I or 112 17 deny 26 wasted 9 Ps. 128 1' injure 27 wasted by carelessness II explain 19 pity 3SO RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Heu michi, quod sterilem vitam duxi juvenilem ! ' ' Repentestow pe naujte ? ' quod Repentance, and ri^te with fat he swowned, Til Vigilate^ Jie veille,'' fette ' water at his eyjen, And flatte * it on his face, and faste on hym criede, 5 And seide : ' Ware fe fram Wanhope,* wolde ' fe bitraye 1 '" I am sori for my synnes " — • sey so to fiselve. And bete fiselve on fe breste, and bidde hym' of grace; For is no gult * here so grete fat his goodnesse nys more.' Jeanne sat Sleuthe up, and seyned ^ hym swithe," 10 And made avowe tofore^^ God for his foule sleuthe : ' Shal no Sondaye be f is sevene jere — but sykenesse it lette " — ]7at I ne shal do ^' me er day to f e dere cherche. And heren matines and masse, as I a monke were ; Shal none ale ^* after mete holde me f ennes 1 5 Tyl I have evensonge herde, I behote to f e rode." And jete wil I jelde ajein ^' — if I so moche have — Al fat I wikkedly wan sithen I wytte hadde. And fough my liflode lakke,^' leten I nelle ^' JJat eche man ne shal have his, ar I hennas wende ; 20 And with f e residue and f e remenaunt, bi f e Rode of Chestre I I shal seke treuthe arst," ar I se Rome ! ' PIERS THE PLOWMAN Now is Perkyn '^ and his pilgrymes to f e plowe faren °^ ; To erie '^ fis halve-acre holpyn hym manye. Dikeres and delveres digged up f e balkes '^ ; 25 J>erewith was Perk)m apayed,^ and preysed hem faste. Other werkemen fere were fat wrougten ful jerne,^ 1 Cf. Mk. 13. 2 watcher 37 !» quickly 11 before M first 2» Uttle Piers (Peterkin) a fetched 4 dashed 12 prevent la betake 21 gone 22 plow 5 despair 6 who would 14 alehouse 15 vow to the cross 23 ridges of Jand left unplowed 24 pleased rood » guilt, sin 9 signed (crossed) 16 repay 17 means of living fail 18 cease I will not 25 Eealously PIERS THE PLOWMAN 35 1 Eche man in his manere made hymself to done, And some, to plese Perkyn, piked up fe wedes. At heighe pryme ^ Peres lete fe plowe stonde. To oversen hem hymself ; and whoso best wrou5te. He shulde be huyred ferafter, whan hervest-tyme come. 5 And fanne seten somme, and songen atte nale,* And hulpen erie his half acre with ' How 1 troUi-lolli ! ' ' Now, bi ]>e peril of my soule ! ' quod Pieres al in pure tene ' : ' But je arise l^e rather,* and rape ^ 50W to worche, Shal no greyne pat groweth glade jow at nede ; 10 And fough 5e deye for dole, fe devel have fat reccheth ^ 1 ' Tho were f aitoures ' af erde, and f eyned hem blynde, Somme leyde here legges aliri,' as suche loseles conneth,' And made her mone to Pieres, and preyde hym of grace : " For we have no lymes to laboure with, lorde, ygraced be je ! 15 Ac we preye for jow, Pieres, and for ^owre plow bothe, ]7at God of his grace jowre grayne multiplye, And gelde 50W of '" gowre almesse fat je ^ive us here ; For we may noujte swynke ne swete, suche sikenesse us eyleth.' ' If it be soth,' quod Pieres, ' pat 50 seyne, I shal it sone asspye I 20 ^e ben wastoures,'^ I wote wel, and Treuthe wote fe sothe 1 And I am his olde hyne,'^ and hijte hym to warne Which f>ei were in pis worlde his werkemen appeyred."^' ^e wasten pat men wynnen with travaille and with tene, Ac Treuthe shal teche gow his teme to dryve, 25 Or 5e shal ete barly bred, and of pe broke drynke ; But if he be blynde or broke-legged, or bolted with ymes,^* He shal ete whete bred, and drynke with myselve, Tyl God of his goodnesse amendement hym sende. Ac 50 myjte travaUle as Treuthe wolde, and take mete and huyre 30 To kepe kyne ^^ in pe felde, pe come fro pe bestes, 1 Probably about 9 A. M. ^ vagabonds 12 servant 2 at their ale * crosswise is those who in this world de- 3 vexation, grief 9 wretched idlers know how moralized his workmen * more quickly to do 14 supported with iron supports 5 haste 10 requite you for 15 cattle 6 take him who cares n spendthrifts 352 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Diken or delven, or dyngen ' uppon sheves,^ Or helpe make morter, or bere mukke afelde. In lecherye and in losengerye ' je lyven, and in sleuthe — > And al is forw suff ranee fat venjaunce jow ne taketh. S Ac ancres and heremytes, fat eten nojt but at nones,* And na more er morwe,^ myne almesse shul fei have, And of my catel ' to cope hem with fat han cloistres and cherches. Ac Robert Renneaboute shal nowjte have of myne, Ne posteles,' but' fey preche conne, and have powere " of fe bisschop ; 10 They shal have payne'" and potage, and make hemself at ese, For it is an unresonable religioun fat hath rigte noujte of certeyne." ' PIERS THE PLOWMAN'S CREED Among the poems which owe their origin to Piers Plowman is Piers the Plowman's Creed, written by an unknown author soon after 1393. It runs thus : An unlearned man who has got by heart the Paternoster and Ave Maria, wishes also to know the Creed, and seeks a teacher. He appUes in turn to friars of each of the four orders. Each rails at the other orders, and promises that the questioner shall be saved without knowledge of the Creed, if he contribute to the expenses of the monastery. The man leaves them with indignation at their magnificent buildings and luxurious lives, and finally comes upon a poor plowman, who joins him in invective against friars of all orders. Skeat suggests that the keynote of the poem is to be found at the beginning of Passus g (A), 8 (B), 11 (C) of Piers Plowman. This poem was first printed in 1553. Our text, however, is taken, not from that of 1553, but from Skeat's edition (E.E.T.S. 30) of IMS. Camb. Trin. Coll. R. 3. 15 (adopting Skeat's emendations without comment), which, though later than 1553, he concludes to be based on a much earlier manuscript. Our selections embrace lines 98-137, 153-242, 420-42, 546-64, 719-61, and 775-8. ' Alas ! frere,' quaf I fo,^^ ' my purpos is ifailed ; Now is my counfort acast.^' Canstou no bote " — Where Y myjte meten wif a man fat my5te me wissen ^' 1 5 For to conne my crede, Crist for to f olwen ? ' 1 thresh 6 substance H has no established order 2 sheaves 7 apostles 12 then s lying, flattering 8 unless 18 cast away, lost 4 noon 8 license 14 do you know no remedy 6 till the next morning 1** bread, food 15 teach PIERS THE PLOWMAN'S CREED 353 ' Certeyne, felawe,' quaf f e frere, ' wif outen any faile : Of all men opon mold, we Menures ^ most schewef J>e pure apostelles life, wif penaunce on erfe. And suen '^ hem in sanctite, and suffren well harde. We haunten none tavernes, ne hobelen ' abouten ; s At marketts and myracles * we medlef us nevere ; We hondlen no money, but menelich ^ faren. And haven hunger at the meate — at ich a mel ones. We haven forsaken the worlde, and in wo lybbej),* In penaunce and poverte ; and prechef fe puple, lo By ensample of cure life, soules to helpen ; And in povertie praien for all oure parteners ' JJat jyvej) us any good, God to honouren — Oper bell, ofer booke, or breed to our fode. Other catell,* ofier cloth to coveren wif> our bones,' 1 5 Money, or money-worthe — here made ^^ is in heven. For we buldep a burwj,^^ a brod and a large : A chirche and a chapaile, with chambres alofte, Wif wide windowes ywrougt, and walles wel heye, JJat mote bene portreid and paynt, and pulched ^^ ful clene ; 20 With gaie glittering glas, glowing as fe Sonne ; And, myjtestou amenden us wip money of fyn owne, JJou chuldest cnely " bifore Crist in compas " of gold. In fe wide windowe westwarde — wel nije in the myddell — And Se3nit Fraunces himself schall f olden the in his cope, 25 And presente the to the Trynitie, and praie for thy synnes ; JJi name schall noblich ben wryten and wroujt, for the nones,'^ And, in remembrance of fe, yrade ^^ fer for ever. And, broper, be pou noujt aferd ; bjrthenk in thyn herte ; JJouj pou conne noujt pi crede, kare pou no more ; 30 1 Minorites 7 those who share with us 18 kneel 2 follow 8 property, goods 14 circle, ring ; with this whole 8 loaf 9 our bones with passage compare Piers * miracle-plays i» their reward Plmiman, 341 23-26 6 meanly 11 large convent (lit. borough) 15 for the occasion » live 12 polished 16 read 354 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES I schal asoilen '■ ]>e, syre, and setten it on my soule, And f ou maie maken f is good ; f enk fou non o})er.^ ' ' Sire,' Y saide, " in certaine Y schal gon and asaye.' And he sette on me his honde, and asoilede me clene ; 5 And fair Y parted him fro, wifouten any peine ; In covenant fat Y come agen, Crist he me betau5te.' . . . f>anne foujt Y to frayne * f e first ^ of pis foure ordirs, And presede " to pe prechoures to proven ' here wille. Ich hijede " to her house to herken of more, 10 And whan Y cam to fat court, Y gaped aboute. Swich a bild ' bold, ybuld opon erfe heiste,*" Say *^ I noujt in certeine sif fe a longe tyme. Y jemede ^^ upon pat house, and 5eme ^' peron loked, Whou5 " pe pileres wreren ypeynt and pulched f ul clene, 1 5 And queynteli icorven wip curiouse knottes,^^ Wip wyndowes well ywrou5t, wide up olofte. And panne Y entrid in and evenforp ^^ went, And all was walled pat wone," pouj it wid were, Wip posternes in pry vy tie ^' to pasen ^° when hem liste, 2o Orchejardes and erberes ^ evesed ^^ well clene. And a curious cros craftly entayled,'"' Wip tabernacles ^' ytijt ^* to toten ^ all abouten. J>e pris ^ of a plouglond, of ^' penyes so rounde, To aparaile ^' pat pyler were pure ''^ lytel. 25 JJanne Y munte*" me forp pe mynstre to knowen, And awaytede a woon '^ wonderlie well ybeld,"^ 1 absolve ^ gazed attentively 23 cells 2 no otherwise ^^ eagerly 24 fixed, arranged 8 he commended me to Christ " how 25 spy * question ^^ bosses 26 price 6 the Dominicans 18 straight ahead 27 in 6 pressed forward, hastened 1^ dwelling-place 28 furnish forth, provide for 7 make trial of ^^ private posterns 29 very 8 hied me ^^ go out so ventured 9 building 20 gardens 81 perceived a building l» a height of earth, an elevation 21 bordered 82 built 11 saw 22 carved 8. prechoures : the Dominicans were called Preachers. PIERS THE PLOWMAN'S CREED 355 Wif arches on everiche half,^ and belliche ^ ycorven, Wif crochetes " on comers wip knottes of golde, Wyde wyndowes ywrougt, ywritten full fikke,* Schynen wi); schapen scheldes * to schewen aboute, Wif merkes " of marchauntes ymedled ' bytwene, 5 Mo fan twenty and two twyes ynoumbred. y>e.r is none heraud ' fat haf half swich a rolle — • Rijt as a rageman ^ hadde " rekned hem newe. Tombes opon tabernacles tyld opon lofte,^"^ Housed in hirnes ^^ harde set abouten, 10 Of armede alabaustre clad for fe nones, Made upon marbel in many maner wyse ; Knyghtes in her conisantes ^' clad for fe nones ; All it semed seyntes, ysacred ^* opon erpe, And lovely ladies y wrougt leyen by her sydes, 1 5 In many gay garmentes, fat weren goldbeten.^^ JJouj f e tax of ten jer were trewly ygadered, Nolde it nou5t maken fat hous half, as Y trowe. JJanne kam I to fat cloister and gaped abouten, Whou5 it was pilered and peynt and portred well clene, 20 All yhyled wif leed ^^ lowe to f e stones, And ypaved wif peynt til '" iche poynte ^' after of er ; Wif kundites ^^ of clene tyn ^° closed all aboute, Wif lavoures '"- of latun ^^ lovelyche ygreithed.^ I trowe fe gaynage ^^ of fe ground in a gret schire 25 Nolde aparaile fat place 00 poynt til other ende.^ Jeanne was f e chaptire-hous wrougt as a greet chirche, Corven and covered, and queyntliche entayled,'"^ 1 side 11 set up on high 21 lavers 2 beautifully 12 enclosed in comers 22 latoun, a kind of brass 8 crockets 18 cognizances 28 prepared 4 with many inscriptions 14 sanctified, consecrated 24 produce s coats of arms wrought 15 adorned with beaten gold 23 would not fit out that place s symbols, badges W covered with lead one bit towards the other ^ interspersed 1^ painted tiles end * herald 1* piece, bit 26 sculptured 9 catalogue is conduits 1« MS. ha)) 20 tin 3S6 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Wip semlich selure ' yset on lofte, As a Parlement Hous ypeynted aboute. J»anne ferd " Y into fraytour," and fond pere anof er, An halle for an heyj kinge an housholde to holden, 5 Wif brode hordes * aboute ybenched ° wel clene, WiJ) windowes of glas wroujt as a chirche. Jeanne walkede Y ferrer, and went all abouten, And sei5 halles ful hyje, and houses full noble, Chambers wif chymneyes, and chapells gaie, 10 And kychens for an hyje kinge in castells to holden, And her dortour " yd[p.e ' wi|? dores ful stronge, Fermery ' and fraitur, with fele mo houses. And a.^ strong ston wall, Sterne opon heife," WiJ) gaie garites " and grete, and iche hole yglased, 1 5 And ofere houses ynowe to herberwe fe queene ; And jet fise bilderes wilne beggen a baggful of wheate Of a pure pore ^^ man fat maie onefe ^' paie Half his rente in a %er, and half ben behynde. Jeanne turned Y ajen, whan Y hadde all ytoted," zo And fond in a freitour a frere on a benche, A greet cherl and a grym, growen as a tonne,'" Wif> a face as fat as a full bledder Blowen bretfuU '" of brep, and as a bagge honged " On bofen his chekes, and his chyn vii]> a chol '* lollede," 25 As greet as a gos-eye,™ growen all of grece ; J>at ^' all wagged his fieche "^ as a quyk my re.''' His cope fat biclypped ^ him, wel clene ^ was it folden. Of double worstede ^ ydyjt,^' doun to fe hele ; 1 ceiling M stem on a height " wagged about 2 went 11 garrets 20 goose-egg 8 the refectory 12 very poor 21 go that ^ tables 18 with difficulty 22 flesh 6 furnished with benches 1* observed 28 like a quagmire 6 dormitory 16 as large as a tun '^ covered ' provided 16 brimful 26 neatly 8 infirmary 1' it hung 26 cf . Chaucer, Prol. 26s 9 MS. all 18 jowl 27 made PIERS THE PLOWMAN'S CREED 357 His kyrtel of dene whiit, clenlyche '■ ysewed ; Hyt was good ynow of ground '^ greyn ' for to beren. I haylsede * fat herdeman,* and hendliche ' Y saide : ' Gode syre, for Godes love canstou me graif ' tellen ' To any worfely wiijt ' fat wissen ^° me coufe Whou ^' Y schulde conne my crede, Crist for to folowe, JJat levede lelliche ^^ himself, and lyvede ferafter ; J>at feynede non falshede, but fully Crist suwede '' ? For sich a certeyn man syker wold Y trosten " J>at he wolde telle me ]>e trewfe, and tume to none ofer. And an Austyn fis ender ^° dale egged ^° me faste ; J>at he wolde techen me wel he plygt me his treufe, And seyde me : " Serteyne, syfen Crist died, Oure ordir was evelles^' and erst^' yfounde.". . .' And as Y wente be ]>e waie, wepynge for sorowe, I sei5 a sely " man me by opon fe plow hongen. His cote was of a cloute '■"' pat cary ^^ was ycalled ; His hod ^^ was full of holes, and his heer oute ; Wi)) his knopped schon,''* clouted full fykke,''* His ton toteden out ^ as he fe londe treddede ; His hosen overhongen his hokschynes ^* on everiche a side, Al beslobbred ^' in fen,"* as he fe plow folwede ; Twey myteynes ^ as mete,'" maad all of cloutes — JJe fyngers weren forwerd,'"^ and ful of fen honged. JJis whit '^ waselede " in ]>e fen almost to ]>e ancle ; Foure roferen ** hym b)rfom fat f eble were worfen ^ — i-S 25 1 neatly 2 texture s color, dye ^ saluted 5 shepherd, pastor ** courteously ^ readily 8 direct 9 worthy person i» teach u how ^ believed faithfully l« followed 14 trust 15 other 16 urged 17 evil-less 18 first 19 simple 20 a ragged cloth 21 name of a coarse material 22 hood 28 shoes full of knobs or roughnesses 2< in tatters 25 toes peeped out 28 the under side of the thighs 27 bedaubed; MS. beslombered 28 mud 29 mittens 80 suitable 81 worn out 82 fellow (wight) 88 bemired himself 84 heifers 85 become 358 RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Men mygte reken "ich a ryb,^ so reufuU ^ fey weren. His wiif walked him wip, wip a longe gode,° In a cutted * cote ^ cutted full hey^e, Wrapped in a wynwe-schete " to weren ' hire fro weders,' 5 Barfote on ])e bare iis, fat fe blod folwede. And at ]>e londes ' ende laye a litell cromboUe,"' And peron lay a litell childe, lapped in cloutes, And tweyne of tweie jeres olde, opon anofer syde ; And alle fey songen o songe, fat sorwe was to heren ; lo J»ey crieden alle o cry — a carefull" note. f>e sely man si5ede sore, and seide : ' Children, bef stille.' . . . Loke nowe, leve ^^ man, bef nou5t fise ilyke Fully to f e Farisens ^' in fele ^^ of fise poyntes ? Al her brod beldyng ^^ ben belded withe synne, 15 And in worchipe of fe werlde her wynnynge fei holden. JJei schapen her chapolories,"' and strecchef hem brode " And launcef ^' hei^e her hemmes wif babelyng " in str;tes ; JJei ben ysewed wif whigt silk, and semes full queynte, Ystongen ^ wif stiches fat staref as silver. 20 And but ^^ freres ben first yset at sopers and at festes, f>ei wiln ben wonderly wrof , ywis, as Y trowe ; But fey ben at f e lordes borde, louren ^^ fey willef , He mot bygynne fat borde,^' a beggere ^* — wif sorwe ^ ! — And first sitten in se ^^ in her synagoges,^' 25 JJat bef here heyje hellehous of Kaymes "" kynde ; For fouj a man in her mynster a masse wolde heren. His si^t schal so be set on sundrye werkes, ^ count each rib 12 dear 24 beggar that he is (perhaps 2 miserable, sorry-looking 18 Pharisees with allusion to the beg- 8 goad 14 many ging friars) 4 cut short 15 building 25 bad luclc to him 6 skirt, petticoat 1* scapulars 26 seat a sheet used in winrow- 1' Matt. 23. 5-7 27 churches ing com 18 fling 28 Cain's(CAIM=Carmelites ' protect 1' babbling Augustinians, Jacobins, 8 storms 20 pricked through Minorites — the four or- 9 strip's 21 unless ders of friars) 11 crumb-bowl 22 look sourly 11 full of misery 28 sit at the head of the table PIERS THE PLOWMAN'S CREED 359 pe penounes,' and pe pomels,^ and poyntes ' of scheldes Wifdrawen his devocion, and dusken * his herte ; I likne it to a lymjerde ^ to drawen men to hell. . . . pei usen russet ° also, somme of fis freres, J>at bitokne)) travaile and trewjje opon er]>e. 5 Bote loke whou ])is lorels ' labouren ]ie erpe, But f reten * ))e f rute ]jat f e folk f yll lellich biswynkef " ; Wip travail of trewe men pei tymbren ^^ her houses, And of curious '' elope her copes pei biggen ^^ ; And als " his getynge is greet he schal ben good holden ; lo And ryjt as dranes " dop nou5t but drynkep up pe huny, Whan been '° wipe her bysynesse han brou^t it to hepe, Rijt so farep freres wip folke opon erpe : pey freten up pe fu[r]ste froyt,'" and falsliche lybbep. But alle freres eten nou^t ylich good mete, 1 5 But after pat his wynnynge is, is his wellfare ; And after pat he bringep home, his bed schal ben grayped " ; And after pat his rychesse is raujt," he schal ben redy served. But see piself in pi sijt whou somme of hem walkep Wip cloutede ^° schon, and elopes ful feble, 20 Wei neij forwerd,'"' and pe wlon ^' offe ; And his felawe in a froke worp swiche fiftene,'''^ Arayd in rede sc[h]on — and elles were reupe''' — And sexe copes or seven in his celle hongep. J>ou3 for fayling of good his fellawe schulde sterve,''* 25 He wolde noujt lenen ^ him a peny his liif for to holden. Y mi^t tymen po troifiardes '" to toilen wip pe erpe, Tylyen," and trewliche lyven, and her fiech tempren I 1 pennons 9 faithfully obtain by labor 19 patched 2 pommels, bosses i" build 2» worn out 8 divisions n MS. )je curious 21 borders, hems ■• darken, cloud 12 fashion (?) ; buy (?) 22 fifteen of such 5 a limed twig 1' according as 28 a pity " The Franciscans wore gray " drones 24 die habits originally, but later 16 bees 2fi lend, give russet-brown 16 first-fruits 26 compel the triflers T good-for-nothings 17 prepared 27 till the ground 1 devour 18 reached, obtained 36o RELIGIOUS AND DIDACTIC PIECES Now mot ich soutere ^ his sone setten to schole, And ich a beggers brol ^ on f e booke leme, And worjj to ° a writere, and wif> a lorde dwell, Ofer falsly to a frere, fe fend for to serven. S So of fat beggers brol a bychop schal worfen, Among fe peres of fe lond prese * to sitten, And lordes sones lowly tcj fo losells aloute " ; Knyjtes croukef " hem to, and cruche|) ' full lowe ; And his syre a soutere, ysuled ' in grees, 10 His teef wif toylinge of lefer tatered as a sawe 1 Alaas I pat lordes of ]>e londe levef ^^ swiche wrechen, And lenef ^^ swiche lorels for her lowe wordes 1 J>ey schulden maken bichopes her owen bre))ren childre, Ofer of some gentil blod, and ^^ so it best semed, IS And foster none faytoures," ne swiche false freres, To maken fatt and full, and her fleche combren '* I For her kynde were more to yclense diches J>an ben to sopers yset first, and served wip silver 1 . . . For Fraunces '^ founded hem nou^t to faren ^° on fat wise, 20 Ne Domynik ^' dued '' hem never swiche drynkers to worjie, ' Ne Helye '° ne Austen '"' swiche liif never used. But in poverte of spirit spended her tyme. 1 cobbler 9 tugging at 16 do 2 brat 1" believe 17 Dominic, founder of 8 become n enrich the Dominicans * press forward 12 if 18 endowed 5 bow down to the wretches 18 traitors, deceivers 19 Elijah 6 bend down 1* cumber, gorge 20 St. Augustine 7 crouch 15 St. Francis of Assisi, founder 8 soiled of the Franciscan order ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS SONG AGAINST THE FRIARS The following selection (lines 1-84 of the poem) is reprinted from Wright's Political Poems and Songs (London, 1859) I. 263-5. I' '^ from MS. Brit. Mus. Cotton Cleopatra B. 2, which Wright assigns to the year 1382. Preste, ne monke, ne jlt chanoun, Ne no man of religioun, Gyfen hem so to devocioun As done thes holy frers. For summe gyven ham to chyvalry, S Somme to riote and ribaudery ; Bot ffrers gyven ham to grate study, And to grete prayers. Who so kepes thair reule al, Bothe in worde and dede, 10 I am ful siker that he shal Have heven blis to mede.* Men may se by thair contynaunce That thai are men of grete penaunce, And also that thair sustynaunce 15 Simple is and wayke. I have lyved now fourty jers, And fatter men about the neres ' ^it sawe I never then are these frers, In contreys ther thai rayke.' 20 1 as lenaid ^ kidneys ; cf. Isa. 34. 6 8 wander about 361 362 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS Meteles/ so megre are thai made, And penaunce so puttes ham doun, That ichone is an hors-lade,'' When he shal trusse of toun.^ 5 Alias, that ever it shuld be so, Suche clerkes as thai about shuld go, Fro toun to toun by two and two. To seke thair sustynaunce ! By God that al this world wan, 10 He that that ordre first bygan Me thynk certes it was a man Of simple ordynaunce.* For thai have noght to lyve by, Thai wandren here and there, 15 And dele with dyvers marcerye,^ Right as thai pedlers were. Thai dele with purses, pynnes, and knyves. With gyrdles, gloves, for wenches and wyves ; Bot ever bacward the husband thryves 20 Ther thai are haunted tille." For when the gode man is fro hame. And the frere comes to oure dame. He spares nauther for synne ne shame That he ne dos hiswille. 25 ^if thai no helpe of houswyves had, When husbandes are not inne. The freres welfare were ful bad, For thai shuld brewe ful thynne. Somme frers beren pelure ' aboute, 30 For grete ladys and wenches stoute, 1 without meat » regulation, rule of life 6 where they are accustomed 2 horse load ^ mercery (textile goods and to go 8 pack out of town small wares) ' fur SONG AGAINST THE FRIARS 363 To reverce ^ with thair clothes withoute, Al after that thai ere ° — For somme vaire,^ and somme gryse,* For somme bugee,' and for somme byse "" ; And also many a dyvers spyse, 5 In bagges about thai bere. Al that for women is plesand Ful redy certes have thai ; Bot l)ftel gyfe thai the husband, That for al shal pay. 10 Trantes ' thai can,' and many a jape ' ; For somme can with a pound of sape ^'' Gete him a kyrtelle '^ and a cape. And somwhat els therto. Wherto shuld I othes swere? 15 Ther is no pedler that pak can bere That half so dere can selle his gere As ^^ a f rer can do. For if he gife a wyfe a knyfe That cost bot penys two, 20 Worthe ten knyves, so mot I thryfe, He wyl have er he go. Iche man that here shal lede his life. That has a faire doghter or a wyfe, Be war that no frer ham shryfe, 25 Nauther loude ne stille. Thof women seme of hert ful stable, With faire byhest and with fable Thai can make thair hertes chaungeable, And thair likynges fulfille. 30 1 to turn back, so as to show 4 gray fur 9 jest the Hning 5 lambskin fur 10 soap 2 plow (?) 6 a (brown ?) fur used for trimming 11 mantle 3 fur made from the skin of a ' tricks 12 MS. then kind of squirrel s know 364 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS Be war * ay with the lymitour,^ And with his felawe bathe, And ' thai make maystries * in thi hour, It shal turne the to scathe.^ ON THE MINORITE FRIARS This poem, found in the same manuscript as the preceding one, is also reprinted from Wright's Political Poems and Songs (1.268-70). The writer seems to be describing pictorial representations. 5 Of thes frer mynours me thenkes moch wonder, That waxen are thus hauteyn,^ that som tyme weren under ; Among men of holy chirch thai maken mochel blonder ' ; Nou he that sytes ' us above make ham sone to sonder ' ! With an O and an I, thai praysen not Seynt Poule ; 10 Thai lyen on Seyn[t] Fraunceys, by my fader soule. First thai gabben on ^'' God, that alle men may se, When thai hangen him on hegh on a grene tre, With leves and with blossemes that bright are of ble,'' That was never Goddes Son, by my leute.'^ 15 With an O and an I, men wenen that thai wede,^' To carpe so of clergy that ^* can not thair Crede. V/^ rl^*~ J Thai have done him on a croys fer up in the skye. And festned on hym wyenges, as he shuld flie ; This f als f eyned byleve '"' shal thai soure bye,''* On that lovelych Lord so for to lye. With an O and an I, one sayd ful stille : ' Armachan ^' distroy ham, if it is Goddes wille ! ' 1 cautious 2 friar licensed to beg within cer- tain limits ; cf. Chaucer, Wife of BaiKs Tale g-25 8 if 4 play tricks 6 to your harm 6 haughty 7 confusion 8 sits 9 disperse them soon 1" make sport of "hue 12 loyalty, faith 18 go mad " MS. thai 15 belief W Cf. 112 23 17 Richard Fitzralph (d. 1360) ON THE MINORITE FRIARS 3^5 Ther comes one out of the skye in a grey goun, As it were an hoghyerd ^ hyand ^ to toun ; Thai have mo ' goddes then we, I say by Mahoun,* Alle men under ham that ever beres croun.* With an O and an I, why shuld thai not be shent * ? 5 Ther wantes noght bot a fyre that thai nere alle brent.' Went I forther on my way in that same tyde ' ; Ther I sawe a f rere blede in myddes of his syde ; Bothe in hondes and in fete had he woundes wyde. To serve to that same frer the pope mot abyde.' 10 With an O and an I, I wonder of thes dedes, To se a pope holde a dische whyl the frer bledes. A cart was made al of fyre, as it shuld be ; A gray frer I sawe therinne, that best lyked me. Wele I wote thai shal be brent, by my leaute ; 1 5 God graunt me that grace that I may it se. With an O and an I, brent be thai alle. And alle that helpes therto faire mot byf alle *" ! Thai preche alle of povert, bot that love thai noght ; For gode mete to thair mouthe'the toun is thurgh soght." 20 Wyde are thair wonnynges,'^ and wonderfully wroght ; Murdre and horedome ^' ful dere has it boght. With an O and an I, for sixe pens er thai fayle, Sle thi fadre, and jape " thi modre, and thai wyl the assoile. 1 swineherd 6 destroyed 11 searched through 2 hastening 7 burned 12 dwellings 8 more 8 time 13 whoredom * Mahomet 9 must wait " lie with s tonsure l» may fair (good) befall 366 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS THE REPLY OF FRIAR DAW TOPIAS About 1401. This selection, from MS. Oxford Digby 41, is here reprinted from Wright's Political Poems and Songs 2. 76-8. Forthermore ^ thou spekest Of oure costli houses ; Thou seist it were more almes To helpen the nedy S Than to make siche housynge To men that ben deede, To whiche longith ^ but graves And mornynge-housis. Jak, is not a man beter 10 Than a rude best ? ^it makist thou to thi sheep a shepen,' And to thi hors a stable ; And many a pore man ther is That hath noon hillyng,* 15 But oonly heven is his hous. The bestes stond kevered ; Whi houses thou not pore men As wele as thi beestis ? Take hede to sumwhat 20 That is said biforen : And ^ thou answere to my question, Answer to thin owne. Thou carpist " also of oure coveitise, And sparist the sothe ; -5 Thou seist we ben more ryaP Than ony lordis. Coventis have wee noon, Jack, But cloistrers we ben callid, Foundid ^ afor " with charite, 1 MS. ff- * shelter ' royal, regal •i belong, are fitting ^ if 8 aforetime 3 sheep-cote ' talkest THE LAND OF COKAYGNE 367 Or that he were flemyd ^ ; But sith ^ entride envie, And revyd * hath oure houses, That unnethes * the hillinge " Hangith on the sparres ' ; 5 And jit thou thinkist hem over-good — Yvel fare thou therfore I Jak, where saw thou ever frere-houses Thourjout the rewme ' Liche in ony rialte " 10 To the Toure of Londoun, To Wyndesore, to Wodestoke, To Wallingforde, to Shene, To Herforde, to Eltham, To Westmynster, to Dover'' ? 15 How maist thou for rebukyng Lye so lowde, To saye that oure covetise Passith the lordes' ? THE LAND OF COKAYGNE Tie Land of Cokaygne, which has been called the earliest extant English fabliau, is not a fabliau at all, but rather a piece of Rabelaisian satire. With the satire, which is directed against monks and nuns, and possibly includes some local and specific references, are, however, mingled touches of the ■ purely comic spirit. Cf. Pherecrates, in Athenasus 6. 97. An Old French poem similar in character is found in Barbazan and Meon's Fabliaux et Conies 4. 175—81, entitled Li Fabliaus de Coqtiaigne (though, again, not a fabliau) . Here the details are somewhat different, and the satiric intent, and reference to the religious orders, much less marked, but the general picture is of the same sort. One of the most amusing details is similar : Par les rues vont rostissant Les Grasses oes, et tomant Tout par eles [lines 37-9]. 1 before it was banished ^ roof 9 Royal castles or palaces were '^ afterward 6 rafters, beams in all these places ** robbed ; MS. renyd 'realm 4 so that scarcely 8 royalty 368 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS Here there are two rivers of wine, of which he who will may drink ; four Easters, Christmases, and All-Saints Days every year ; but a Lent only once in twenty years I Our text is reproduced (120 lines out of 190) from M'atzner's Altenglische Sprachproben (i. 148 ff.), which follows MS. Brit. Mus. Harl. 913. It has been dated ca. 1305. Fur ^ in see bi west Spaygne ''■ Is a lond ihote ' Cokaygne. JJer nis lond under hevenriche * Of wel,* of godnis, hit iliche ; ]705 Paradis be miri and brijt, Cokaygn is of fairir sijt. What is fer in Paradis Bot grasse, and fiure, and grene ris ° ? fJoj per be joi and grete dute,' JJer nis mete ' bote frute ; JJer nis halle, bure,° no benche, Bot watir, manis furst to quenche. Bef I'er no man but two — Hely 1° and Enok " also ; Elinglich " may hi go Whar fer woni)) ^' men no mo. In Cokaygne is met and drink Wifute care, how," and swink.'* JJe met is trie,*' f>e drink is clere, zo To none, russin," and sopper. I sigge '* forsop, boute were," ]7er nis lond on erthe is pere '"' ; Under heven nis lond, iwisse,^^ Of so mochil joi and blisse. 23 JJer is mani swete sijte : Al is dai, nis per no nijte ; 'S ifar 8 is no food 15 labor 2 MS. Spayngne 9 chamber 16 select 8 called l» Elijah; cf. 2 Kings 2. 11 iM?) 4 heaven's domain 11 Enoch ; cf. Gen. 5. 24 18 say 6 prosperity 12 sorrowfully 19 without doubt 6 branches 18 dwell 20 its equal ? delight w trouble 21 indeed THE LAND OF COKAYGNE 369 /^/' >•" J>er nis baret * nof er strif ; Nis f er no def , ac " ever lif ; ]?er nis lac of met no clof ; JJer nis man no womman wroj? ; Iper nis serpent, wolf, no fox, Hors no capil,° kowe no ox ; JJer nis schepe, no swine, no gote. Ne non horw5,* la,* God it wot, Nother harace,' nother stode ' ; ]7e londe is ful of oper gode. Nis fer flei,* fie,' no lowse. In clof, in toune, bed, no house ; f>er nis dunnir," slate, no haile," No non vile worme, no snaile,^^ No non storme, rein, no winde ; ]>er is man no womman blinde ; Ok'' al is game,'*joi, and gle. Wei is him pat fer mai be I J>er bej) rivers gret and fine, Of oile, melk, honi, and wine ; Watir servip fer to noping Bot to si5t and to waiissing." J>er is [mani] '° maner f rute ; Al is solas and dedute." 7er is a wel fair abbei ^^ Of white monkes and of grei : JJer bej) bowris and halles ; Al of pasteiis '* bep pe walles, Of fleis, of fisse, and rich met, ]7e likfuUist " pat man mai et, Fluren '^ cakes bep pe scingles alle 15 "Ja. Kj^^I^ lA vC<>-' 25 30 1 quarrel 8 fly 15 washing 2 but 9 flea 16 em. M. Snag 10 thunder V delight 4 defilement "hail; MS. hawle IS pasties, pies 5 truly 12 MS. snawile 1» most delicious 8 place for breeding horses IS but 20 flour ' stud M mirth 21 shingles 370 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS '5 P'- 3° Of cherche, cloister, boure, and halle ; JJe pinnes ' bej) fat podinges — Rich met to princez and [to] kinges ; Man mai ferof et ino5 Al wij) ri^t, and nojt wif W05 '^ : Al is commune to jung and old, To stoute and sterne, mek and bold. J>er is a cloister, fair and lijt, Brod and lang, of sembli ' sigt. J>e pilers of |)at cloistre alle Bef iturned of cristale, With har bas * and capitale Of grene jaspe and rede corale. In ]>e praer ^ is a tre, Swife likful ° for to se : JJe rote is gingevir and galingale ' ; f>e siouns * bef al sedwale ' ; Trie maces bef fe flure ; J>e rind, canel ^^ of swet odur ; f>e frute, gilofrej ^^ of gode smakke ^'^ ; Of cucubes ^' per nis no lakke. JJer be)) rosis of rede ble," And lilie likful for to se — JJai f alowef ^^ never day no nijt ; f>is a5t be '" a swete si5t. J>er bef iiii willis '" in \e. abbei Of triacle " and halwei," Of baum ^" and ek piement,^^ Ever emend ^^ to rijt rent ^ ; Of fam ^ stremis al fe molde.'^ 1 pinnacles 2 wrong 8 seemly ■1 their base " meadow 6 very attractive ^ ginger and galingale (sweet cyperus) s scions, shoots 9 zedoary 10 cinnamon ^1 gillyflower 12 taste 18 cubebs (a pungent spice) "hue 15 fade 16 ought to be If wells 18 treacle (a medicine) 19 healing water . 2» balm 21 spiced wine sweetened with honey 22 running 28 profit 24 these; MS.t>ai 25 earth, nom. THE LAND OF COKAYGNE 371 Stonis preciuse, and golde : JJer is saphir and uniune,^ Carbuncle and astiune,^ Smaragde," lugre,* and prassiune,^ Beril, onix, topasiune,^ S Ametist and crisolite, Calcedun and epetite.' per be|) briddes mani and fale ' — JJrostil, pruisse,^ and nigtingale, Chalandre^" and wodwale,^' 10 And ofer briddes wifout tale,^^ J>at stintej) ^^ never by bar mijt " Miri to sing dai and nijt ^ite I do 50W mo to witte ^^ : J>e gees irostid on pe spitte 15 Fleez ^^ to pat abbai, God hit wot, And gredip " : ' Gees al bote, al hot I ' Hi bringep garlek gret plente, f>e best idijt '^ pat man mai se. pe leverokes " — pat bep cup ^ — 20 Li5tip adun to manis mup, Idist in stu ^^ ful swipe wel, Pudrid ^^ wip gilofre and canel. Nis no spech of no drink ; Ak take ino^ wipute swink. 25 Whan pe monkes goop ^ to masse, All pe fenestres ^* pat bep of glasse Tumep into cristal brijt. To jive [pe] monkes more lijt. When pe masses bep iseiid, 30 1 pearl 9 thrush 16 fly ; MS. flees * astrion (^erha/s asteriated lo a Mediterranean species of i^ cry out sapphire) lark; see Romance of iAe 18 dressed a emerald Jlose (8i, 663), 914 " larks ^ ligure 11 woodpecker 20 ^ell known 5 chrysoprase 12 number 21 made into a stew 8 topaz 18 cease 22 sprinkled ' hepatite 1^ according to their ability 28 MS. geej) 3 numerous 15 give you to know further 24 windows 372 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS And J>e bokes up ileiid,^ \>e cristal tumif into glasse — In state fat hit rafer " wasse. THE GOSSIPS' FEAST The following poem is reprinted from Dyboski's Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S. Ex. Ser. loi), an edition of Richard Hill's Commonplace-Book (MS. Oxford Balliol 354). The manuscript contains records as late as 1536, but our text differs only slightly from that of Wright in Percy Society 23. 91-5, which is dated by the editor 1461-85, and from which two or three readings are here adopted (marked W.). Our text is on pages 106-8 of Dyboski. Hbow, gossip myne, gossip myn, 5 Whan will we go to pe wyne, Good gossip\is myti\ ? I shall you tell a full good sport, How gossippis gader them on a sort,^ Ther seke * bodyes to comforte, 10 Whan they mete In lane or stret, God ° gossipis myn, [a I] But I dare not, for fer dissplesans," Tell of ])es maters half the substance ; 1 5 But get sumwhat of Jjer governance,' As ferre as I dare, I will declare, Good gossipis myn, [a I] ' Good gossip myn, wher have ye be ? 20 Hit is so long sith I you see ; Wher is f e best wyne, tell you me 1 Can ye owght tell ? ' " Ye, full well, Good gossippis myn, [a !] Maid 4 sick 7 proceedings 2 formerly 5 good 8 in a company 8 lest I displease them THE GOSSIPS' FEAST 373 I know a drawght of mery-go-down,^ The beste it is in all this town, But yet I wolde not, for my gown, My husbond wyste.' ' Ye may me triste,^ 5 Good gossippis myn, [a I '] " Call forth owr gossippis by and by, Elynore, Johan, and Margery, Margret, Alls, and Cecely, For fei will cum, jo Both all and som, Good gossippis myn, a ! And eche of them will sumwhat bryng, Gose, or pigge, or capons wynge. Pastes ° of pygynnes, or sum ofer thyng ; 15 For we muste ete Sum maner mett, Good gossippis myn, a I Go beffore by tweyn and tweyn, Wisely, fat ye be not seen, 20 For I muste home and cum agayn, To witt, ywis, Wher my husbond is, Good gossippis myn, a ! A strype or two God myght send me, 2% Yf my husbond myght here see me.' ' She pat is aferde, lett her flee,' Quod Alis than ; ' I dred no man. Good gossippis myn, a I ' 30 1 strong ale 2 trast s pasties, pies 374 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS ' Now be we in fe tavern sett, A drawght of ]>e best lett hym fett, To bryng owr husbondis owt of dett, For we will spend S Till God more send, Good gossippis myn, a I ' Eche of them browght forth per disshe ; Sum browght fiesshe, and sum [browght] fisshe Quod Margret meke now, with a wisshe : lo ' I wold Anne were here. She wold mak us chere, Good gossippis myn, a I ' " How say ye, gossippis ? Is pis wyn good ? ' ' f>at is it,' quod Elynore, ' by pe rode 1 15 It chereth pe hart and comforteth pe blod. Such jonkets ' amonge Shall make us leve " long. Good gossippis [myn, a] I ' Anne bade me fill a pot of Muscadell, 20 ' For of all wynes I love it well ; Swet wynes kepe my body in hele " ; Yf I had it nowght, I shuld tak thowght, Good gossippis myn, a ! ' 25 ' How loke ye, gossip, at pe bordis end ? Not mery, gossip ? God it amend 1 An shall be well, els God defend ; Be mery and glad, And sit not so sade, 30 Good gossip myn, a I ' 1 delicacies (drinks) ; MS. jonkers ; W. jonchettes 2 live s health, well-being THE GOSSIPS' FEAST 375 ' Wold God I had don after your counsell, For my husbond is so fell ^ He betith me lyke f e devill of hell ; And fe more I crye, J>e lease merqr, S Good gossippis myn, a ! ' Alls with a lowde voys spak than : ' Ywis,^ ' she said, ' litill good he can, JJat betith or striketh any woman, And specially his wyff ; lo God geve hym short lyff, Good gossippis myn, a ! ' Margret meke said : ' So mot I thryve, I know no man fat is alyve JJat gevith me ii strokis, but he [shall] ' have v ; i5_ I am not afferd, Thowgh he have a berde, Good gossippis myn, a 1 ' On * cast down her shot,* and went away. ' Gossip,' quod Elynore, ' what dide she pay ? ' 20 ' Not but a peny ; loo, ferfor I say, She shall no more Be of owr lore,® Good gossippis myn, a 1 Suche gestis' we may have ynow, 25 JJat wiU not for per shot alowe.' With whom com she, gossip ? ' " With you I ' ' Nay,' quod Johan, ' I com aloon. Good gossippis myn, a 1 ' 30 1 cruel * one ' guests 2 W ; MS. evis * contribution, share * provide i W. ^ school, sort 376 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS ' Now rekyn owr shot, and go we hens ; What cummeth to eche of us ? ' ' But iii pens.^ ' ' Parde, f is is but a small expens For suche a sorte, S And all but sporte, Good gossipis myn, a ! ' ' Torn down ]>e stret, whan ye cum owt, And we will cumpas rownd abowt.' ' Gossip,' quod Anne, ' what nedith fat dowt ? " lo Your husbond is pleased. Whan ye be eased, Good gossippis myn, a I Whatsoever any man thynk. We com for nowght but for good drynk ; 15 Now let us go home and wynke. For it may be seen Wher we have ben. Good gossippis myn, a ! ' This is fe thowght fat gossippis take : 20 0ns in fe wek, mery will they make, And all small drynkis fei will forsake ; But wyne of fe best Shall have no rest. Good gossippis myn, a I 25 Sum be at pe tavern prise' in pe weke, And so be sum every day eke, Or ellis pei will gron and mak them sek, For thyngis used Will not be refused * ; 30 Good gossippis myn, a 1 1 MS. d, 8 MS. Ill"* ^ for things one is accustomed 2 fear to cannot be done without STANS PUER AD MENSAM 377 STANS PUER AD MENSAM The following poem, by John Lydgate (i37o?-i45i ?), the follower and unitator of Chaucer, is taken from the print of MS. Harl. 2251 (about 1460) in The Babees Book, ed. Fumivall (E.E.T.S. 32). With its precepts one may compare Chaucer's characterization of the Prioress (Prol. 127-36) : At mete wel ytaught was she witballe ; She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe. Wel coude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe, That no drope ne fiUe upon hir brest. In curteisye was set ful muche hir lest. Hir over lippe wyped she so dene That in hir coppe was no ferthing sene Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. Ful semely after hir mete she raughte. Our extract comprises lines 15-42, 57-70. Two or three emendations are from the Lambeth MS. Who spekithe to the in any maner place, Rudely cast nat thyn ye ^ adowne, But with a sadde chiere ^ loke hym in the face. Walke demurely by strete in the towne ; Advertise the withe " wisdom and reasoune. 5 Withe dissolute laughters do thow non offence Tof ore ' thy soverayn,' whiles he is in presence. Pare clene thy nailes, thyn handes wasshe also Tofore mete, and whan thow dooest arise ; Sitte in that place thow art assigned to ; 10 Prease ° nat to ' hye in no maner wise ; And til thow se afore the thy service,' Be nat to hasty on brede for to b)fte, Of gredynesse lest men wolde the edwyte.' Grennyng and mowes " at the table eschewe '"■; 15 Cry nat to loude ; kepe honestly '^ silence ; 1 eye 5 master 9 reproach, twit ; MS. end- 2 sober expression 6 press 10 grinning and grimaces 8 turn your attention to 'too 11 MS. eschowe < before 8 plate of food 53 politely 378 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS To enboce ^ thy jowis ^ withe mete [it] is nat diewe ' With ful mowthe spake nat, lest thow do offence ; Diynk nat bretheles for hast ne necligence ; Kepe clene thy lippes from fat of fiesshe or fysshe ; 5 Wype clene thi spone, leva it nat in thy disshe. Of brede ibyten no soppis * that thow make ; In ale nor wyne withe hande leve no f attenes ; With mowthe enbrewed ° thi cuppe thou nat take ; Defoule " no napery ' for no rekelesnes ; 10 [Loude] ' for to souppe is agenst gentiles. [NJevyr at mete begynne thow nat stryf ' ; Thi teth also thow pike nat with no knyf . . . . Droppe nat thi brest withe sawce ne with potage ; Brynge no knyves unskoured to the table ; IS Fil nat thy spone, lest in the cariage It went beside," whiche were nat comendable. Be quyke and redy, meke and servisable, Wele awaityng to fulfylle anone What that thy soverayne comau[n]dithe to '^ be done. 20 And wharesoever that thow dyne or soupe, Of gentilesse take salt withe thy knyf ; And be wele ware thow blowe nat in the cuppe. Reverence thy felawe, gynne ^^ withe hym no stryf ; Be ^^ thy powere, kepe pees all thy lyf. 25 Interrupt nat, whereso [that] ^* thou wende, None other mans tale, til he have made an ende. 1 stuff out 6 defile ; MS. enbrewe (em. i*> should spill over 2 jaws from Lambeth MS.) 11 MS. the to (em. from Lamb^ 8 fitting 7 table-linen 12 begin ^ sops 8 em. from Lamb. 18 according to 5 soiled 9 MS. stryfe W em. from Lamb. PREFACE TO A TREATISE ON MEDICINE 379 CHARM FOR THE TOOTHACHE From MS. Line. Cath. Thornton A. 1. 17, printed in Horstman's edition of Richard RoUe, i. 375. Say />e charme thris to '^ it be sayd ix tynies, and ay thris at a charemynge? I conjoure the, laythely ' beste, with * fat ilke spere J>at Longyous ° in his hande gane here, And also with ane hatte of thome S JJat one my Lordis hede was borne, \Mth alle pe wordis, mare and lesse, ^^^ith pe office of fe messe, ^^'ith my Lorde and his xii postills,' With oure Lady and hir x maydenys, 10 Saynt Margrete, fe haly quene, Saynt Katerin, fe haly virgyne — Ix tymes Goddis forbott,' fou wikkyde worme, JJat ever fou make any rystynge,' Bot awaye mote fou wende 15 To fe erde ' and f e stane.'" PREFACE TO A TREATISE ON MEDICINE From the Payne manuscript, of the first half of the fifteenth century, printed in Fumivall's Political, Religious, and Love Poems (E.E.T.S. 15). Readings supplied from Sloane MS. 1314 are marked S. The man fat wol of lechecraf t " lere. Red ovvr this book, and he may here Many medycinis both good and trewe, To hele sores both oolde and newe, 20 And preciouse medycinis, forw Goddis grace 1 till ^ Longus, or Longinus, the Roman soldier ^ delay (resting) 2 charming who pierced the side of Christ 8 earth 3 loathsome 6 aposties 1** stone < by f God forbid u medicine 38o ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS To save mens ^ lyves in diverse place. Cryst, fat made bothe Est and West, Geve grace her sowles have ^ god rest, Evere more in hevene for to be, 5 In hevene wyt fe Trinite I Herinne be medycinis, wythoutyn fable, To hele alle sores pat ben curable, Of swerd, of knyf , and of arwe " — Be fe wounde wyde or narwe — lo Of sper,* of quarel,' of dagger, of dart, To make him hool in ilka * part, So fe seek' wol do wysely. And kepe himself fro surfety. Be fe wounde nevere so deep, IS J'erof thar" him take no kep. So fat he drynke save " or anteoche,'"' Him thar ' not drede of fat outrage : Be ^^ fat on and twenti days be goon. He schal be hoi, both flesch and bon, 20 To ride and go in ilka ^^ place, Thorw f e verteu of Goddys grace. Thus seyth Ypocras,'* fe good surgien. And Socrates and Galyen,^* pat weren philisophres alle thre, 25 pat tyme f e best in any countree : In f is werld " were non her " pere, As fer as any man coude here. 1 MS. men ' if the sick man II by the time ■^ may have 8 he need ; MS. dar, S. thar 12 MS. ylka, S. ilka 3 arrow 9 sage 18 Hippocrates < spear i" a medicinal potion of herbs " Galen 5 a short, square-headed arrow boiled in white wine and 15 MS. weld 3 every ; MS. ylke, S. ilka honey 16 their A MEDIEVAL WILL 38 1 A MEDIEVAL WILL This will (from MS. Oxford Univ. Coll. 97), which the testator dates in the year 1399, is here reprinted from Horstman's edition of Richard RoUe, 2. 448-9. In pe name of Almyghty Jesu, I, Robart F[olkyngham], beynge in hool and cleere mynde, fe vi day of Juylle/ fe jeere of our Lorde a thousand fre hundreth foure score and nynetene, make my testament and my laste wylle in fis manere. First, I bytake ^ my soule into fe hondes of Almysty God, bysechynge to oure lady, Seynte Marye, and j to alle fe hoole compaygnye of heven, to preye for mercy and grace for me. Also I byqwethe my wrecchyd synfuUe body to been heere in erthe, abydyng fe dredful doom of God, in suche place and manere as yt lyketh to his wyse endeles purveaunce.' Also I wylle fat at myn enterement ])ere be abowte my body bot twey * tapres of wex, and 10 foure torches of wex, fe whiche torches I wiUe be jeven to brerme atte pe levacioun* of pe sacrament whil pei wU dure," in pe same chirche pat I schalle be beryed inne. Also I wiUe pat, in alle pe haste pat yt may be doo after my deth, pere be sayde a thousande massez for my soule, and for alle Cristen soules. Also I bequethe, to be doon 1 5 in almesse after ' dyscrecioun of myn executours, in alle pe hast for my soule, for pe soules of my fadre, modre, and of alle hem pat I am endebtede to by way of k3rnde,* by way of ffrendshipe, or by way of restitucioun, for pe gode I have hade of heres ' by any way, fourty pounde of golde, and, over pat, pat pei have part of aUe pe preyours, 20 goode dedes, and almesse pat I have do or ordeyned to be doo, as wel in pis testament as tofore ^^ in alle my lyf. Sythene,^' I jeve to William Flete, my cosyn, fourty marke of golde and alle myn horses, a blew bed of Arras werke, twey payre schetes, my best haberjoun,^^ my pysan," my ketylle-hat," and myn armynge sworde of Burdeux. Also 25 I bequeth to Johan of Brugge an haberjoun, a basynet,^^ a longe dagger of Burdeux hameyside ^* with sylver in manere of a sword. IJuly 7 at the 18 pisane (armor to protect 2 commit 8 kindred chest and neck) 3 providence 9 theirs, them 14 kind of helmet * two l« before 16 basinet (steel headpiece) 5 lifting up 11 next 16 mounted 6 last 12 habergeon, coat of mail ■382 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS Also, I jeve to Thomas Salman an haberjoun and a basynet. Also, I byqueth to William Fletc, my cosyn, alle ))e remanant of myne armeure. Also, I byqweth to Sir William Countour a longe sangwyn ' gownc 5 furryd with Calabir.^ Also, I byqueth to Thomas Heighelme a gowne of blak worstede, furred with bevere. Also, I wylle fat alle fie debtez pat any man cane resonably axe, fat )>ei been payed. And ])e remanant of alle my goode, wheicso 10 it be in fe handes of my debtours or elles,° I beqweth it to JoncI, my wyfe, to governe and susteyne with, hir and Elianorc my dough- tre, ande eke to doon in almesse for me, and for here, and for alle hem fat we been endebted to doon for by any way, as sche may resonabely, noujt amenysynge'' gretely here lyflode nc here povre 15 Stat. The execucioun of whiche thynges abovesayd after my laste wille to be doon and fulfillide, I make myn executours Jonet my wyfe, William Wenloke, Squiere, Sire William Countour, Prcste, Thomas Heighelme, Thomas Salman, William Flete, my cosyn ; preyinge to hem for Goddes sake, for charitable dede of almcssc, 20 and for fe sovereyn trust I have in hem, fat fei wille take fis charge on hem, and refuse it by no maner way. Writen fe day and 5ere tofore nempned," with myn owen honde, in witnesse of my laste wille, and ensealede with my seal. THE LIBEL OF ENGLISH POLICY The Libel (or Little Book) of English Policy, a plea for a strong navy, was written, according to internal evidence, after the siege of Calais by the Duke of Burgundy, in 1436, and before the death of the Emperor Sigismund in 1437. The siege of Calais, though unsuccessful, had roused England to a sense of the importance of controlling the straits; and the author of this poem, who is unknown, cleverly shows how all the commerce of Europe (generally directed toward the Low Countries) must needs pass through 'the narrow sea.' Control of the sea, therefore, would make England powerful. He reviews the exports and imports of the chief countries of Europe, showing intimate 1 blood-red ' elsewhere s named 2 a kind of squirrel-fur ■• diminishing THE LIBEL OF ENGLISH POLICY 383 acquaintance with the commercial Hfe of his age. He may in some respects be compared with Chaucer's merchant, who wolde the see were kept for any thing Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle ; and his hne Kepe thou the see, that is the walle of Englond, recalls Shakespeare (Rich. II 2. 1.48-50, 63) : This precious stone, set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a ftioat defensive to a house. . . . England bound in with the triumphant sea. His spirit, we are told (Traill, Social England 2. 347 ; cf. 340, 344 ff., 406) " is exactly the spirit which animated the sea-captains and merchant adventurers of the golden age of Elizabeth.' Our selections are from Wright's Political Poems and Songs 2. 157-9, 160-1, 172-3, this text being printed from MS. Oxford Bodl. Laud. 704. Other editions are by Hertzberg (1878) and in Hakluyt, Principal Navigations, Glas- gow, 1903, z. 114-47. Kmendations in the following pages are from the two other editions noted ; _^has been changed to/ The .trewe processe of Englysh polycye — Of utterwarde ^ to kepe thys regne ''■ in rest Of oure England, that no man may denye, Nere ' say of soth but it is one the best — Is thys, that who seith * Southe, Northe, Est, and West, Cheryshe marchandyse, kepe th' amyralte," That we bee maysteres of the narowe see." For Sigesmonde, the grata emperoura Whyche yet regneth, whan ' he was in this londe Wyth Kynge Herry the Fifte,' prince of honoure, Here mocha glorye, as hym thought, he fonda ' ; A myghty londa, whyche hadde take on honde To werre ^^ in Fraunce and make mortalite. And avere walla kepe ^^ rounde aboute the see. 1 from (toes) without 6 the admiralty 9 MS. founde 2 kingdom 6 the Straits of Dover 1" war 8 n.or 7 In 1416 " MS. kept 1 professes to be of (?) 8 MS. V" 384 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS And to the kynge thus he seyde : ' My brothere ' — Whan he perceyved too townes, Calys ' and Dovere — ' Of alle youre townes to chese of one and othere, To kepe the see, and sone to come overe 5 To werre oughtwardes,'' and youre regne to recovere, Kepe these too townes, sire, to ' youre mageste As youre tweyne eyne,* to kepe the narowe see.' For if this see be kepte in tyme of werre, Who cane here passe withought daungere and woo ? 10 Who may eschape, who may myschef dyfferre * ? What marchaundye * may f orby be agoo ' ? For nedes hem muste take truse ' every foo — Flaundres, and Spayne, and othere, trust to me — Or ellis hyndered alle for thys narowe see. 15 Therfore I caste me, by a lytele wrytinge. To shewe att eye ' thys conclusione. For concyens, and for myne acquytynge Ayenst God, and ageyne abusyon And cowardyse, and to oure enmyes confusione ; 20 For iiii thynges our noble ^'' sheueth to me — Kyng, shype, and swerde, and pouer of the see. Where bene oure shippes, where bene oure swerdes, become " ? Owre enmyes bid for the shippe sette a shepe. Alias ! oure reule halteth, hit is benome ^^ ; 25 Who dare weel say that lordeshyppe shulde take kepe '^ ? I wolle asaye, thoughe myne herte gynne to wepe. To do thys werke, yf we wole ever the," For verry shame, to kepe aboute the see.^'^ 1 Calais ' be carried past H what has become of 2 outwards, in foreign lands 8 make terms (with Eng- 12 taken away 8 MS. and land) is heed ^ eyes 9 to the eye " prosper 5 postpone 1" the gold coin called the 16 guard the circuit of the 6 merchandise noble Channel THE LIBEL OF ENGLISH POLICY 385 Shalle any prynce, what so be hys name, Wheche hathe nobles moche lyche oures, Be lorde of see, and Flemmyngis to oure blame Stoppe us, take us, and so make fade the fioures Of Englysshe state, and disteyne ' oure honnoures ? 5 For cowardyse, alias ! hit shulde so be ; Therfore I gynne to wryte now of the see. Knowe welle alle men that profites in certayne,** Commodytes called, commynge out of Spayne, And marchandy," who so wylle wete what that is, 10 Bene fygues, raysyns, wyne bastarde,* and dates ; And lycorys, Syvyle '^ oyle, and grayne," Whyte Castelle ' sope, and wax, is not in vayne ; Iren, woUe, wadmole,' gotefel," kydefel ^° also — For poynt-makers " fulle nedefuUe be the two — 15 Saffron, quiksilver, wheche arne Spaynes marchandy. Is into Flaundres shypped fulle craftylye. Unto Bruges, as to here staple '^^ fayre ; The haven of Sluse ^^ they have ^* for here repayre,''^ Wheche is cleped Swyn, thaire shyppes gydynge, 20 Where many vessells " and fayre arne abydynge. But these merchandes, wyth there shyppes greet, And suche chaffare " as they bye and gette By the weyes, most nede take one honde By the costes to passe of oure Englonde. ... 25 And whenne these seyde marchauntz discharged be Of marchaundy in Flaundres neere the see. Than they be charged agayn wyth marchaundy That to Flaundres longeth ^' full rychelye ; 1 sully 8 a coarse, hairy, woollen cloth 1** MS. here havene 2 certain things 9 goatskin 16 for them to resort to 8 merchandise i» kidskin 16 vessels ; MS. wessell * a sweet wine, Hke muscadel 11 those who made leather 1^ merchandise 6 SeviUe lacing-strings 18 belongs; MS.bougeth 6 kermes 12 market (em. Hertzberg) 7 Castile 18 Sluys 19. Sluse: Edward Ill's naval victory at Sluys in 1340 gave England the mastery of the Channel for centuries. 386 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS Fyne clothe of Ipre/ that named is better than oure is, Cloothe of Curtryke," fyne cloothe of alia coloures, Moche fustyane, and also lynen cloothe. But ye Flemmyngis, yf ye be not wrothe, 5 The grete substaunce of youre cloothe, at the fulle, Ye wot ye make hit of oure ' Englissh wolle. . . . The Janueys * comyne in sondre wyses Into this londe, wyth dyverse marchaundyses, In grete karrekkis,^ arrayde wythouten lake lo Wyth clothes of golde, silke, and pepir blake They bringe wyth hem, and of wood ^ grete plente, Woole-oyle, wood-aschen,' by vessels ' in the see, Coton, roche-alum,° and gode golde of Jene.^" And they be charged wyth wolle ageyne, I wene, 15 And wollene clothe of owres, of colours alle. And they aventure, as ofte it dothe byfalle, Into Flaundres wyth suche thynge as they bye. That is here ■'^ cheffe staple sykerlye ^^ ; And if they wolde be oure fulle ennemyse, 20 They shulde not passe our stremez with merchaundyse. . . . The grete galees ^' of Venees and Florence Be wel ladene wyth thynges of complacence,'* Alle spicerye and '^ grocers ware, Wyth swete wynes, alle manere of chaffare, 25 Apes, and japes,'^ and marmusettes taylede," Nifles,'' trifles, that litelle have availede. And thynges wyth whiche they f etely '^ blere ^'' oure eye, Wyth thynges not enduryng that we bye — For moche of thys chaffare that is wastable 30 Mighte be forborne, for ^' dere and dyssevable.'^^ 1 Ypres, in Belgium 9 rock alum 16 trinkets 2 Courtrai, in Belgium 1" Genoa 1^ marmosets with tails s MS. youre n their 18 baubles, 'notions' 4 Genoese 12 jn truth 19 cleverly s caracks, galleons 18 galleys 20 dim 6 woad (blue dyestuff) 1^ things that give pleasure, 21 as " wood-ashes ; MS. woad- articles of luxury 22 deceptive 8 MS. wesshelle 15 MS. and of THE GUILD OF ST. LEONARD 3^7 THE GUILD OF ST. LEONAiUD The following account of the guild of St. I.eonard was returned to the ' King in Council, by order of Parliament,' in 1389. Our text of it is taken from Toulmin Smith's English Gilds (E.E.T.S. 40. 49-50). In honore Sancti Leonardi confessoris. In f e worchep of God alle- myghti, and of his modir Seynt Mary, and of aUe )>e holy company of hevai, and specially of fe holy confessour Seynt Leonard, J»is gilde was begonne in Damgate in fe toun of Lenne,^ forow pe devocion of men and women, to fyndyn** befom on ymage in fe Chirche of 5 Seynt Jame of Lenn, in fe worchep of God and of Seynt Leonard, on candelle of i li.' waxe, to brenne every * f estivale day in fe jere, af om fe ymage of Seynt Leonard. AUeso it is ordeyned, be on assent of aUe fe bretheryn, fat everiche brothir and sistir shal offren at fe chirche of Seynt Jame, on fe Soneday nexte aftir fe fest of Seynt 10 Leonard,^ ob.,* in fe worchep of God and Seynt Leonard. Alleso it is ordeyned, be on assent of pe brethren, to have foure morspeches ' in ])e 5ere. JJe firste shal bene )>e Moneday neste aftir fe forseide Soneday. And at fat momspeche, porow on assent of aUe pe brethen, to chesen* an aldirman, wise and able to reule J»e company to }je 15 worchep of God ; and also foure men for to reseyven and kepyn pe katel ' of pe gilde ; and also on certayne oficere to wamyn aUe pe brethren to comyn to chirche ; and also on clerke, to wryten pe katel of pe gilde. f>e secunde morspeche shal bene aftir pe Purificacioun of our Levedy.^" J'e thred, aftir pe feste of Phelip and Jacob." JJe 20 fourte, aftir pe feste of Seynt Petre Ad Vincula?^ Alleso it is ordeyned, be on assent of pe brethren, be als mechil as ^' pe lyght f omseide ne may nout be me)mtened in pe tyme for to come, every man pat wiUe with good devocion comyn into pis ffratemite shal pay iii s. Alleso, if any brothir or sistir deye, pe aldirman shal comand pe oficere to 25 wamyn alle pe bretheryn and sisteryn to bryng pe cors to pe chirche, 1 Lynn (King's Lynn, of ^ a half-penny (obolus) ^ Feb. 2 Xorfolk) 7 periodical assemblies held n Philip and James ; 2 provide on the morrow after the May i 8 one pound guild-feast ^ Aug. i ^ MS. overy 8 choose ^ inasmuch as 5 St Leonard's day is Nov. 6 * property 388 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LIFE AND MANNERS with waxe brennend, and fe waxe for to brenne in fe tyme of service. And every brofir and sistir shal offren at fe messe for fe body ob. ^efe any brothir or sistir of fis company be in any mischefe, forow losse of fe se,^ or any other myshappes, porow Godes ^ sond,' fe com- 5 pany shal ben gadered togedir and helpyn hym. ^efe any brofer or sistir of fis gild dye within a mile abouten, and have nout whereof to bryng hym to ]>e erthe,* fe aldirman and fe gilde-brethren shuln wend, and bryng hym to f e erthe on feire owe costages.^ And if any brofir dye within fe iii mile aboutyn, fe aldirman shal gon and beryne ° hym, 10 or ellis hyren a man of here costages to bryng hym to fe erthe. JJere shal no brofir ne sistir sene othir in prison, fat ' he shal comyn and vesyten hym, and comfordyn hym in his powere. Also, if any brofir or sistir of fis gild dye, he shal have xv messes songyn for his soule. Also, what man or woman of fis gilde be rebel ageyne fe lawe of 1 5 Holy Chirche, he shal lese " pe f raternite of fis gilde tille he come to amendment. Be it open to jow, be fes presentes, fat we, fuUiche undirstondend 50ur lettres sent to us, seyend on fis manere, fat we shuld send 50W a kopy of our statuz, and also fe summe of our katel, we do jow 20 openliche to wetyn fat fe summe of our katel is xxi s. viii d., redy to our lord f e kinges wille. 1 at sea 4 bury him 7 but that 2 MS. goodes 6 at their own expense ^ lose 8 dispensation 6 bury TRANSLATIONS CHAUCER, THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE The Roman de la Rose, one of the most celebrated and influential poems of the Middle Ages, is the work of two poets, Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, the former writing about 1237, and the latter about 1277. Of the 22,817 lines in Michel's edition (the most accessible), Guillaume wrote 4669, and Jean the remainder. Gaston Paris has characterized Guillaume's part by its use of the dream as a frame ; of allegory (the maiden as a rose) ; of a garden as the scene of the poem ; and of personification. Jean de Meun's part is more formless, and makes much parade of learning. The translation into Middle English consists of 7698 lines. Until about 1868 Chaucer's authorship of the whole of this version was not doubted, especially as Cupid is represented as saying to Chaucer, in the Prologue to the Legend of Good Women (B) : For in pleyn text, withouten nede of glose. Thou hast translated the Romaunce of the Rose. At present three divisions are recognized: 1-1705 (A), 1706-5810 (B), 5811- 7698 (C), corresponding respectively to 1-1678, 1679-5875, and 11,444-13,299 of the French (Michel's edition). Nearly all scholars agree that A is by Chaucer, and that B is not ; Kaluza believes that C is also by Chaucer, but this view has not been generally accepted. Through Guillaume de DiguUeville, or Guilevile (d. about 1360), the French Roman may have had an influence on the Pilgrim's Progress (see Hammond, Chaucer, pp. 76-7). For the French original, see Gaston Paris, Litt. Fr. au Moyen Age, chap. 5 ; Petit de JuUeville, Hist, de la Langue et de la Litt. Fr. 2. 105-61 (Langlois) ; Hammond, Chaucer, pp. 78-9 ; where bibliographies may be found. The Roman has been translated into English by F. S. Ellis (Temple Classics, 3 vols.). For a bibliography of the EngUsh translation, see Hammond, Chaucer, pp. 450-4. The subjoined text is based upon the reprint of the unique manuscript (Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, V. 3. 7) by Kaluza, issued by the Chaucer Society in 1891, Omissions in the manuscript have been supplied from Thynne's edition, and a few emendations have been admitted. The extracts below are, respectively, lines 49-89, 1 10-43, 349~^' To lines 7 1-89 of the ver- sion I subjoin 67-83 of the French (Michel), for the purpose of comparison. 389 39° TRANSLATIONS THE JOYS OF SPRING That it was May me thought[e] tho, It is V yere or more ago ; That it was May, thus dremed me, In tyme of love and jolite, S That al thing gynneth waxen gay. For ther is neither busk ' nor hay ^ In May, that it nyl shrouded ° bene. And it with newe leves wrene.* These wodes eek recoveren gr[e]ne, 10 That drie in wynter ben to sene ; And the erth wexith proude withall. For swote ^ dewes that on it fall. And the pore estat forgette In which that winter had it sette ; 15 And than bycometh the ground so proude That it wole have a newe shroude. And makith so queynt his robe and faire That it hath ° hewes an hundred payre Of gras and flouris, ynde ' and pers,' 20 And many hewes ful dyvers ; [That is the robe I] ° mene, iwis, [Through whiche the] ground to preisen " is. [The byrdes, that hajven lefte her song, While thai [han suffrjide cold so strong 25 In wedres gryl," and derk to sight, Ben in May, for the sonne bright, So glade, that they shewe in.syngyng That in her hertis is sich lykyng That they mote syngen and be light. 30 Than doth the nyghtyngale hir myght ibush 6 sweet 9 From Thynne's edition. 2 hedge 6 MS. had (em. Skeat) and so the next lines 8 clothed ^ dark blue (indigo) ^0 to be praised, admired * cover 8 sky-blue 11 disagreeable CHAUCER, THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE 391 To make noyse, and syngen blythe ; Than is blisful, many sithe, The chela[un]dre ' and [the] papyngay.^ Than yong[e] folk entenden ay For to ben gay and amorous, 5 The tyme is than so faverous.' Hard is the hert that loveth nought In May, whan al this mirth is wrought, Whan he may on these braunches here The smale briddes syngen clere 10 Her blesful swete song pitous. Li oisel, qui se sunt teii Tant com il ont le froit eii, Et le tens divers et frarin, Sunt en Mai, por le tens serin. Si M qu'il monstrent en chantant 5 Qu'en lor cuer a de joie tant, Qu'il lor estuet chanter par force. Li rossignos lores s'esforce De chanter et de faire noise ; Lors s'esvertue, et lors s'envoise 10 Li papegaus et la kalandre : Lors estuet jones gens entendre A estre gais et amoreus Por le tens bel et doucereus. Moult a dur cuer qui en Mai n'aime, 15 Quant il ot chanter sus la raime As oisiaus les dous chans piteus. 1 a kind of lark (a Mediterranean species) 2 parrot, popinjay s favorable 392 TRANSLATIONS THE RIVER AND THE GARDEN Toward a ryver gan I me dresse ' That I herd renne fast[e] by ; For fairer plaiyng non saugh I Than playen me by that ryvere, S For from an hill that stood ther nere Cam doun the streme ful stif and bold. Clear was the water, and as cold [As any welle is, sotj^'h to seyn ; [And somdele lasse '] it was than Seyn, lo [But it was strayjghter wel away. [And never saujgh I, er that day, The watir that so wel lyked * me ; And wondir glad was I to se That lusty place, and that ryvere ; 15 And with that watir that ran so clere My face I wysshe." Tho saugh I well The botme paved everydell With gravel, ful of stones shene.' The medewe softe, swote,' and grene, 20 Beet ' right on the watirsyde. Ful clere was than the morowtyde,' And ful attempre,^" out of drede. Tho gan I walk thorough the mede, Dounward ay in my pleiyng, 25 The ryversyde costeiyng." And whan I had a while goon, I saugh a gardyn right anoon, Ful long and brood, and everydell Enclosed was, and walled well, 30 With high[e] walles enbatailled, Portraied without, and wel entailled ^^ 1 direct ^ washed 8 morning 2 From Thynne, and so next lines 6 glistening 10 mild 8 smaller ' sweet n coasting, skirting * pleased ^ adjoined (/rV. beat upon) 12 carved CHAUCER, THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE 393 With many riche portraitures ; And bothe the ymages and the peyntures Gan I biholde bysyly. THE PICTURE OF OLD AGE Elde ^ was [ijpaynted after this, That shorter was a foote, iwys, 5 Than she was wont in her yonghede.* Unneth ' herself e she might[e] f ede ; So feble and eke so olde was she That faded was al her beaute. Ful salowe was waxen hir coloure, la Hir heed for hore ' was vihyte as fioure ; Iwys, great qualme " ne were it none, Ne S3aine, although her lyfe were gone. Al woxen was her body unwelde,^ And drie and dwyned ' al for elde ; 15 A foule forwelked * thyng was she That whylom rounde and soft had be. Hir eeres shoken faste withall, As from her heed they wolde fall. Her face frounced ^ and forpyned,^" 2c And bothe hir hondes lome,^^ fordwined." So olde she was that she ne went A foote, but it were by potent." i old age ® unwieldy, impotent w wasted away ^ youth ^ dwindled n forlorn 8 with difi5culty ^ withered 12 shrunken * hoaxiness ^ wrinkled 13 crutch 5 evil 394 TRANSLATIONS CHAUCER'S TRANSLATION OF BOETHIUS Boethius (ca. 475-524) was a Roman patrician and consul in the reign of Theodoric. His Consolation of Philosophy, said to have been written during his imprisonment by Theodoric, is preserved in hundreds of manuscripts, and was regarded as the standard handbook of philosophy until the Renaissance. This book, which is partly in verse and partly in prose, was translated into prose by Chaucer, while allusions to it, and versions or paraphrases of many passages, are scattered through his works. See Cook and Tinker, Sel. Trans, from Old Eng. Prose, p. 116, and the works mentioned there. The passages here printed are from Book 2 (Metre 5, and a bit of Prose 6), and comprise ( i) Chaucer's prose ; (2) the original Latin ; (3) a few lines of the Old English translations, prose and verse, due to King Alfred ; {4) a portion of Chaucer's The Foryner Age (following MS. Camb. Univ. li. 3. 21), which is partly a paraphrase of the same passage. It will be noted that various glosses rendered by Chaucer in the prose version are printed in italics. The Latin lines corresponding to a given part of the first version are indicated in square brackets. [1-5] Blisful was the first age of men ! They helden hem apayed' with the metes ^ that the trewe ' feldes broughten forth. They ne dis- troyede nor deceivede nat hemself with outrage.* They weren wont lightly to slaken hir hunger at even with acornes of okes. [6-1 o] They 5 ne coude nat medle ° the yif te of Bachus to the deer hony ; that is to seyn, they coude make no piment ^ nor darree ' ; ne they coude nat medle the brighte fleeses of the contree of Seriens* with the venim' of Tyrie '" ; this is to seyn, they coude nat deyen whyte Jleeses of Serien contree with the Mode of a maner shelfisshe that men Jinden in Tyrie, 10 with whiche blood men deyen purpur. They slepen hoolsom slepes upon the gras, [11 -15] and dronken of the renninge wateres ; and layen under the shadwes of the heye pyn-trees. Ne no gest ne straungere ne carf" yit the heye see with ores or with shippes ; ne they ne hadde seyn yit none newe strondes, to leden marchaundyse into dy- 15 verse contrees. [16-20] Tho weren the cruel clariouns ful hust^^ and ful stille, ne blood yshad by egre^° hate ne hadde nat deyed 1 contented, satisfied 6 wine mixed with honey (usur 9 dye 2 kinds of food ally spiced wine) 10 Tyre 8 faithful '* wine mixed with honey, and "cut 4 excess then clarified 12 silent, hushed ' mingle, mix ; MS. medly 8 Chinese 18 fierce, bitter CHAUCER'S TRANSLATION OF BOETHIUS 395 yit armures.' For wherto or which woodnesse ^ of enemys wolde first moeven' armes, [21-26] whan they seyen cruel woundes, ne none medes * be of blood yshad ? I wolde that oure tymes sholde tome ayein to the olde maneres ! But the anguissous ^ love of havinge bren- neth in folk more cruely than the fyr of the mountaigne Ethna, fAai ay 5 brenneth. [27-30] Alias ! what was he that first dalf ^ up the gobetes ' or the weightes of gold covered under erthe, and the precious stones that wolden han ben hid ? He dalf up precious perils. That is to seyn, that he that hem first up dalf, he dalf up a precious peril; forwhy^ for the predoHsnesse of swiche thinge hath many tnan ben in peril. la \Prose\ But what shal I seye of dignitees and of powers, the whiche ye men, that neither knowen vMray" dignitee ne verray power, areysen " hem as heye as the hevene ? The whiche dignitees and powers, yif they comen to any wikked man, they don as grete damages and destrucciouns as doth the flaumbe " of the mountaigne Ethna, whan the flaumbe walweth'^ up; ne no deluge ne doth so cruel harmes. Felix nimium prior astas, Contenta fidelibus arvis Nee inerti perdita luxu, Facili quae sera solebat Jejunia solvere glande. Non Bacchica munera norant Liquido confundere melle. Nee lucida vellera Serum Tyrio miscere veneno. Somnos dabat herba salubres, Potum quoque lubricus amnis, Umbras altissima pinus. Nondum maris alta secabat, Nee mercibus undique lectis Nova litora viderat hospes. ' armor ''' madness, rage 8 stir up < rewards 6 tormenting 6 dug " lumps 8 wherefore 9 true I»eialt "flame 12 rolls, tosses 25 30 396 TRANSLATIONS Tunc classica sseva tacebant, Odiis neque fusus acerbis Cruor horrida tinxerat arva. Quid enim furor hosticus uUa S Vellet prior arma movere, Cum vulnera saeva viderent, Nee praemia sanguinis ulla ? Utinam modo nostra redirent In mores tempora priscos ! 10 Sed, saevior ignibus ^tnae, Fervens amor ardet habendi. Heu I primus quis fuit ille Auri qui pondera tecti, Gemmasque latere volentes, 1 s Pretiosa pericula, f odit ? Quid autem de dignitatibus potentiaque disseram qua vos verae dig- nitatis ac potestatis inscii caelo exaequatis ? Quas si in improbissimum quemque ceciderunt quag flammis ^tnae eructuantibus, quod diluvium tantas strages dederint ? 2o Treowa wasstmas hi Ston and wyrta ; nalles scir win hi ne druncan, ne nanne wStan hi ne cufon witS hunige mengan, ne seolocenra hraegla mid mistlicum bleowum hi ne gimdon. Ealne weg hi slepon ute on triowa sceadum ; hluterra wella waeter hi druncon. Ne geseah nan cepa ealand ne wero8, ne geherde non mon fa get nanne sciphere. 25 And hi Sne on daege seton symle On sefentid eorpan waestmas, Wudes and wyrta ; nalles win druncon Scir of steape. Naes \>a scealca nan JJe mete o86e drinc maengan cutSe, 30 Waster wiS hunige, ne heora wsda fon ma Sioloce siowian, ne hi siarocraeftum Godweb giredon, ne hi gimreced Setton searolice, ac hi simle him Eallum tidum ute slepon CHAUCER'S TRANSLATION OF BOETHIUS 397 Under beamsceade ; druncon human water, Calde wellan. NSnig cepa ne seah Ofer eargeblond ellendne wearod, Ne hum ymbe sciphergas sStilcas ne herdon. THE FORMER AGE A blysful lyf, a paysyble and a swete, 5 Ledden the poeples in the former age ; They helde hem paied ^ of fructes ^ J'at pey ete, Whiche fat the f eldes yave hem by usage ' ; They ne weere nat forpampred * with owtrage.' Onknowyn was fe quyeme ^ and ek the melle ' ; 10 They eten mast, hawes, and swych pownage," And dronken water of the colde welle. Yit nas the grownd nat wownded with ]>e plowh, But com upsprong, unsowe of mannes bond, pe which they gnodded,' and eete nat half inowh. 15 No man yit knewe the forwes ^° of his lond ; No man the fyr owt of the flynt yit fonde ; Unkorven '' and ungrobbed ^^ lay the vyne ; No man yit in the morter spices grond, To ^° clarre ne to sawse of galentyne.^* 20 No madyr,'* welde,^" or wod ^^ no litestere " Ne knewh ; the fles '^ was of [h]is former hewe ; No flessh ne wyste offence of egge "" or spere ; No coyn ne knewh man which was ^^ fals or trewe ; 1 satisfied 2 MS. the fructes passage seems imitated from Boethius) : ' Et des 10 dyeweed, yellowweed 1" woad s customarily, regularly ■• pampered fi excess ^ hand-mill espis des bl^s f rotoient ' 10 furrows 11 unpruned 12 not digged round 18 dyer 19 fleece 20 edge 21 MS. is 'mill 18 for 8 swine's food rubbed, bruised ; ci.Rom. " a mixture of ginger, grated bread, vinegar, etc. Rose 9 1 24 (the whole 15 madder 398 TRANSLATIONS No ship yit karf the wawes grene and blewe ; No marchaunt yit ne fette owtlandissh ware ; No trompes ' for the werres folk ne knewe, Ne towres heye, and walles rownde or square. What sholde it han avayled to werreye ^ ? Ther lay no profyt, ther was no rychesse ; But corsed was the tyme, I dar wel seye, JJat men fyrst dede hir swety bysynesse To grobbe up metal, lurkynge in derknesse,' And in pe ryverys fyrst[e] gemmys sowhte. Alias I than sprong up al the cursydnesse Of coveytyse, pat fyrst owr sorwe browhte. WYCLIFFITE TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE The extracts here given are from the second Wycliffite version of the Vulgate (ca. 1388), which is not so awkwardly literal as the earlier (ca. 1380). An interesting study of the Wycliffite Epistle to the Romans, compared with the Latin and another (fragmentary) Middle English rendering, has been published by Dr. Emma C. Tucker ( Yale Studies in English, No. 49). JOB 41. 20-28 ; 42. 4-25 Whether thou schalt mowe drawe out levyathan with an hook, and schalt bynde with a roop his tunge ? Whethir thou schalt putte a 1 5 ryng in hise nosethirlis, ethir schalt perse hyse cheke with an hook ? Whether he schal multiplie preieris to thee, ether schal speke softe thingis to thee? Whether he schal make covenaunt with thee, and thou schalt take him a servaunt everlastinge ? Whether thou schalt scorne hym as a brid, ethir schalt bynde hym to thin handmaidis ? 20 Schulen frendis kerve hym ? schulen marchauntis departe hym ? Whether thou schalt fille nettis with his skyn, and a leep* of fischis with his heed? Schalt thou putte thin bond on hym? have thou mynde of the batel, and adde no more to speke. Lo, his hope schal disseyve hym ; and in the sijt of alle men he schal be cast doun. . . . 1 MS. batails trompes 2 fight s MS. dirkenesse < basket WYCLIFFITE TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE 399 Who schal s^chewe the face of his clothing, and who schal entre into the myddis of his mouth ? Who schal opene the jatis of his cheer ^ ? ferdfulnesse ^ is bi the cumpas of hise teeth. His bodi is as jotun ' scheldys of bras, and joyned togidere with scalis overleiynge hemsilf.* Oon is joyned to another, and sotheli brething goith not thorouj 5 iho.* Oon schal cleve to anothir, and tho holdynge hemsilf schulen not be departid.^ His fnesynge' is as schynynge of fier, and hise ijen ' ben as iselidis of the morewtid." Laumpis comen forth of his mouth, as trees " of fier that ben kyndlid. Smoke cometh forth of hise nosethirlis, as of a pot set on the fier and boilynge. His breeth lo maketh colis to brenne, and flawme goith out of his mouth. Strengthe schal dwelle in his necke, and nedynesse " schal go bifor his face. The membris of hise fleischis ben clevynge togidere to hemsilf ; God schal sende floodis ^^ ajens hym, and tho schulen not be borun to another place. His herte schal be maad hard as a stoon ; and it schal be 15 streyned '' togidere as the anefeld " of a smith. Whanne he schal be takun awei, aungels schulen drede ; and thei, aferd, schulen be purgid.'^ Whanne swerd takith hym, it may not stonde, nethir spere, nether haburjoun.^^ For he schal arette irun as chaffis, and bras as rotun tre. A man archere schal not dryve hym awei ; stoonys of a slynge ben 20 turned into stobil to hym. He schal arette " an hamer as stobil,^' and he schal scorne a florischynge ^' spere. The beemys of the sunne schulen be undur hym ; and he schal strewe to hymsilf gold as cley. He schal make the depe se to buyle as a pot ; and he schal putte ^° as whanne oynementis buylen. A path schal schyne aftir hym ; he 25 schal gesse ^' the greet occian as wexynge eld. No power is on erthe that schal be comparisound to hym, which is maad that he schulde drede noon. He seeth al hij thing ; he is kyng over alle the sones of pride. 1 face 8 eyes 15 purified 2 terror 9 morning 16 breastplate 3 molten lo torches i^ esteem 4 one another n want, poverty 18 stubble 6 them 12 \ja.\,. fulmina, read as flumma 19 brandishing, waving 6 separated is compacted 20 regard (it) ? sneezing 14 anvil 21 esteem 400 TRANSLATIONS JOHN 17. 1-& * These thingis Jesus spak, and whanne he hadde cast up hise ijen into hevene, he seide : " Fadir, the our cometh ; clarifie ^ thi sone, that thi sone clarifie thee ; as thou hast jovun to hym power on ech fleisch, that al thing that thou hast jovun to hym, he gyve to hem 5 everlast)fnge liif. And this is everlastynge liif, that thei knowe thee very God aloone, and whom thou hast sent, Jesu Crist. Y have clarified thee on the erthe ; Y have endid the werk that thou hast jovun to me to do. And now, Fadir, clarifie thou me at ^ thisilf , with the clerenesse' that Y hadde at thee bifor the world was maad. Y 10 have schewid thi name to tho men whiche thou hast jovun to me of the world ; thei weren thine, and thou hast jovun hem to me, and thei han kept thi word. REVELATION 14 And Y sai, and lo ! a Lomb stood on the mount of Sion, and with hym an hundrid thousynde and foure and fourti thousynde, havynge 15 his name, and the name of his Fadir, writun in her forhedis. And Y herde a vols fro hevene, as the vols of many watris, and as the vols of a greet thundur; and the vois which is herd was as of many harperis harpinge in her harpis ; and thei sungun as a newe song bifor the seete ^ of God, and bifore the foure beestis and senyouris ; 20 and no man mijte seie the song but thei, an hundrid thousynde and 1 glorify 2 with ; Lat. apud 8 glory * throne i. thingis : cf. the Old English of verses 1-3 : Das )>ing se HSlend sprsec, and ahof upp his eagan to heofenum, and cwastS : ' Fseder, tid ys cumen ; geswutela )>inne Sunu, Jjset bin Sunu geswutelige J)e ; and swa J>u him sealdest anweald selces mannes, Jjset he sylle ece lif eallum bam be \f^ him sealdest. Dis ys soblice ece ITf, ]>sEt hi oncnawon ba^t bu eart an sob God, and se be bu sendest, Hselynde Crist.' Tyndale has : These wordes spake Jesus, and lifte uppe his eyes to heven, and sayde : ' Father, the houre is come ; glorify thy Sonne, that thy Sonne maye glorify the ; as thou hast geven hym power over all fleshe, that he shulde geve etemall life to as many as thou hast geven him. This is life etemall, that they myght knowe the, that only very God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ.' WYCLIFFITE TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE 40 1 foure and fourti thousynde, that ben bougt fro the erthe. These it ben that ben not defoulid with wymmen, for thei ben virgyns. These suen the Lomb whidir ever he schal go. These ben boujt of alle men, the firste f ruytis to God and to the Lomb ; and in the mouth of hem lesyng ^ is not foundun, for thei ben without wem ^ bifor the trone s of God. And Y say another aungel, fliynge bi the myddU of hevene, havynge an everlastinge gospel that he schulde preche to men sittynge on erthe, and on ech folk, and lynage, and langage, and puple ; and seide with a greet vois : ' Drede je the Lord, and jyve ge to hym onour, for the our of his dom cometh ; and worschipe je hym that 10 made hevene and erthe, the see, and alle thingis that ben in hem, and the wellis of watris.' And anothir aungel suede,' seiynge : " Thilke greet Babiloyne fel doun, fel doun, which 5af drinke to alle folkis of the wyn of wraththe of her fomycacioun.' And the thridde aungel suede hem, and seide with a greet vois : " If ony man worschipe the 1 5 beeste and the ymage of it, and takith the carecter* in his forheed, ether in his hoond, this schal drynke of the wyn of Goddis wraththe, that is meynd ^ with clere wyn in the cuppe of his wraththe, and schal be turmentid with fier and brymston, in the sijt of hooli aungels, and bifore the sijt of the Lomb ; and the smoke of her turmentis schal 20 stie " up into the worldis of worldis ; nether thei han reste dai and nigt, whiche worschipiden the beeste and his ymage, and yf ony man take the carect of his name. Here is the pacience of seyntis, whiche kepen the maundementis of God, and the feith of Jesu.' And Y herde a vois fro hevene seiynge to me : ' Write thou, Blessid ben deed men 25 that dieri in the Lord ; fro hennus forth now the Spirit seith that thei reste of her traveilis ; for the werkis of hem suen hem.' And Y say,' and lo a white cloude, and above the cloude a sittere, liik the Sone of man, hav)mge in his heed a goldun coroun, and in his bond a scharp sikil. And another aungel wente out of the temple, and criede with 3a greet vois to hym that sat on the cloude : " Sende thi sikil, and repe, for the our cometh that it be ropun ; for the com of the erthe is ripe.' And he that sat on the cloude sente his sikil into the erthe, and rap the erthe. And another aungel wente out of the temple that is in 1 falsehood 8 followed 5 mingled T looked 2 blemish * mark 8 rise 402 TRANSLATIONS hevene, and he also hadde a scharp sikile. And another aungel wente out fro the auter, that hadde power on fier and water ; and he criede with a greet vois to hym that hadde the scharp sikil, and seide: " Sende thi scharp sikil, and kitte awei the clustris of the vynjerd of the erthe, for the grapis of it ben ripe.' And the aungel sente his sikil into the erthe, and gaderide grapis of the vynjerd of the erthe, and sente into the greet lake of Goddis wraththe. And the lake was troddun without the citee, and the bloode wente out of the lake til to the bridels of horsis, bi furlongis a thousynd and six hundrid. VERSIONS OF PSALM 51. 1-3 LATIN lo Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam ; et se- cundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea, et a peccato meo munda me. Quoniam iniquitatem meam cognosco, et peccatum meum contra me est semper. ABOUT 1200 Vices and Virtues, in Smyth, Biblical Quotations in Middle English Litera- ture ( Yale Studies in English, No. 41), p. 42. 1 5 Hlaverd, * . . af ter-Bat-Se tSin mildce ys michel, have ore of mine michele senne ; and after tSine manifealde mUdces ^e t5u hafst ihafd to mankenne, Hlaverd, do awei fram me Sese michele unrihtwisnesse. A.D. 1300-1350 Biilbring, Earliest Complete English Prose Psalter, p. 60 Ha mercy on me, God, efter fy mychel mercy; and efter fe mychelnes of fy pites do way my wickednes. Whasshe me more 20 of my wickednes, and dense me of myn synne. For ich knowe my wickednes, and my synne ys evermore ojains me. VERSIONS OF PSALM 51. 1-3 403 A.D. 1350-1400 Horstmann, Jiiehani Rolle, pp. 182-3 God, )>ou have mere}- of me, After mikel mercy of J)e ; And after of J)i reuj>es l>e mikelnes J>ou do awai mi wdckednes. Xou mare me wasche of min ivel bidene, 5 And of mi sinne pou klens me klene. For mi \ricke[d]nes I knaw ]>at I am inne, And ai (^ain me es mi sinne. ABOUT 13SS WycUffe God, have thou merci on me, bi thi greet merci ; and bi the mychil- nes of thi merciful do\Tigis do thou awei niv wickidr.esse. More 10 waische thou me fro mv wickidnesse. and dense thou me fro mv synne. For V knouleche my wickidnesse. and mv svnne is evere ajejTis me. ABOUT 1460 PaiiSUy.. ReUgious. and Lczi Songs (reprint of E.E.T.S. 151. pp. ;-o-5o Mercv, God, of my m\"sdede. For fi mere}- fat mychel )-s : 15 Lat pi pite sprynge and sprede, Off pi mercy pat I ne mj-s. After gosdy grace I grede^ : Good God, pou graunt me pis, J>at I may h-^e in love and drede, 20 And never after do - more amys. And after pi mercies pat ben fde,' Lord, fordo m}- wickj'dnesse ; i CTT MS. to do s loany 404 TRANSLATIONS ^yve me grace to hyde and hele The blame of my bruchelnesse. ^if any sterynge ^ on me stele Out of fe clos of fi clennesse, Wysse me, Lord, in wo and weele. And kepe me fram unkyndnesse. Moreover, wasche me of my synne. And of my gultes clanse fow me ; And serche my soule without and inne, lo That I no more defowlid be. And as fyn hert aclef atwynne ^ With doleful deth on pe rode-tre, Late me never no werke bigynne, Lord, but-jif ' it lyke pee. 15 For al my wickidnesse I knowe, And my synne is ever me ajeyn ; Therfore late ]>i grace growe, Jesu, fat was with Jewis sleyn. Ryche and pore, hye and lowe, 20 Smale and gret[e], in certeyn, Atte Domesdaie, when pou schalt blowe. Of pi mercy schul be ful feyn. A.D. 1535 Coverdale Have mercy upon me (O God), after thy goodnes ; and acordinge unto thy greate mercies do awaye myne offences. Wash me well fro 25 my wickednesse, and dense me fro my synne. For I knowlege my fautes, and my synne is ever before me. 1 guidance (?) ; stirring (?) 2 burst in twain 8 unless VERSIONS OF PSALM 51. 1-3 405 A.D. 1560 Geneva Version Have mercie upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindenes ; according to the multitude of thy compassions put awaie mine iniqui- ties. Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie, and dense me from my sinne. For I knowe mine iniquities, and my sinne is ever before me. A.D. 1611 Authorized Version Have mercie upon mee, O God, according to thy loving kindnesse ; s according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my trans- gressions. Wash mee throughly from mine iniquitie, and dense me from my sinne. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sinne is ever before mee. LYRICS CUCKOO SONG About J^o {New Eng. Diet.). From MS. Brit. Mus. Harl. 978, where it is accompanied by the music. The author of this rondel, rota, or round, may perhaps have been John of Fornsete, a monk of the abbey of Reading. The melody is of considerable importance in the history of English music. Sober musical critics have spoken of ' this amazing production,' of its " ingenuity and beauty,' of " the airy and pastoral correspondence between the words and the music' See Grove's DM. Music, 2d ed., 4.745-54 (cf. 3. 750-1, 765) ; Oxford Hist. Music 1. 326-38' (Wooldridge) ; Trans. Phil. Soc. for 1868, p. 103; E.E.T.S. 7. 419-28. There are facsimiles in Grove (4. 748), Chappell, Pop. Music of the Olden Time, and the facsimiles of the Palseographical Society, Part 8, PI. 125. Sing, cuccu, nu'^ ! Sing, cuccu ! S.ng, cuccu t Sing, cuccu, nu / Sumer is icumen in ; Lhude ^ sing, cuccu I GroweJ) sed, and blowef ° med,* And springjj fe wde ° nu. Sing, cuccu ! Awe ° bletejj after lomb, Lhoup ' after calve cu ; BuUuc stertej),* bucke vertej) ' ; Murie '" sing, cuccu 1 Cuccu 1 cuccu I Wei singes J)u, cuccu ; Ne swik ■'^ fu naver ^* nu. 6 ewe 7 lows ' bounds, frisks (cf. Chaucer, K.T. 644 : " a courser, sterting as the fyr ') 406 1 now 2 loudly 8 blooms * mead, meadow 6 wood » peM (Lat.) 10 merrily 11 cease 12 never SPRING 407 About 1310. pp. 164-5. SPRING From Boddeker, Altenglische Dichtungen des MS. Harl. zzS3<, Lenten ys come wif love to toune,^ C^^ Wi)) blosmen and wip briddes roune,'' 6- JJat al J)is blisse bryngef ; V Dayesejes " in f is * dales, <^ Notes suete of nyhtegales ; (— - Uch foul song singe)). " The frestelcoc him f retef * 00 ° ; t- AsNd^y is huere ' wynter woo, '' - When woderove * springe)). V J>is foules singe)) feriy fele,' Ant wlyte)) ^'' on huere wynter wele,'^ JJat al fe wode rynge)). J>e rose raylep '" hire rode ^' ; The leves on ))e lyhte " wode Waxen al wi)) wille.'^ JJe mone mande)) ^° hire bleo " ; f>e lilie is lossom '* to seo, f'efenyl" and ))e fiUe.^" Wowes " ))is wilde drakes ; Miles ^^ murge)) ''^ huere makes," Ase strem ))at strike)) ^ stille. Mody ^ mene)),^' so dof "* mo ^ ; lehot Ycham '" on of fo. For love ))at likes ille.^' /:-. 15 1 spring has made its appear- ance, with love 2 song . 8 daisies * these 5 disputes with himself (?) 6 ever ' their 8 woodruff 9 wonderfully much l» look back 12 puts on (as a garment) 18 ruddiness 1* fluttering, trembling (trans- ferred epithet, belonging properly to ' leves ') 15 eagerly 13 sends forth 17 color 18 lovely 19 fennel 20 chervil 11 winter'swell-being(ironical?) 21 woo 22 animals (so Matzner) 23 delight 24 mates 25 flows 26 disconsolate ones? (cf. Shakespeare, King John 4. 1. 15-16) 27 lament 28 MS. doh 29 others ** I know I am 31 annoys, vexes 4o8 LYRICS J>e mone mandef hire lyht ; So dof f e semly ' sonne bryht, When briddes singef breme.^ Deawes donkef ' fe dounes ; S Deores * w[r]ij) * huere derne rounes/ Domes for te deme ' ; Wormes wowef under cloude ' ; Wymmen waxef wounder proude, So wel hit wol hem seme.' 10 ^ef me shal wonte wille of on,^" J>is worldes ^^ weole ^^ Y wole forgon,^" Ant wyht " in wode " be fleme.^' WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS About 1310. From Boddeker, p. 174 When fe nyhtegale singes, J>e wodes waxen grene, 15 Lef ant gras ant blosme springes In Averyl, Y wene ; Ant love is to myn herte gon WiJ> one '' spere so kene, Nyht ant day my blod hit drynkes, 20 Myn herte dep to ^' tene." Ich have loved al pis jer, ]7at Y may love na more ; Ich have siked ^^ moni syk, Lemmon,^^ for pin ore ' .22. 1 goodly 8 clod 16 fugitive 2 gaily 9 beseem, become 1' a 8 wet l»if I shall fail to have l« Wright {S/ec. Lyr. Poetryi ^animals my will of one p. 92), me 6 divulge ; cf . Chaucer, H MS. wunne 19 distress, anguish Compl. Mars gi ; T. 12 weal 20 sighed and C. 2. 537 18 forego 21 sweetheart 6 their secret communings 1^ bold (?) ^ favor, grace 7 sentiments to express 16 forest WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS Me nis love never fe ner,' Ant |)at me rewef sore ; Suete lemmon, pench on me, Ich have loved fe jore.^ Suete lemmon, Y preye fee Of love one speche ; Whil Y l3rve in world so wyde Oper nulle ° Y seche. Wi|j ])y love, my suete leof,* My blis pou mihtes eche ° ; A suete cos ° of py mouth Mihte be my leche.' 409 Suete lemmon, Y preje pee Of a love-bene * • ^ef pou me lovest, ase men says, Lemmon, as I wene, Ant gef hit pi wille be, JJou loke pat hit be sene ; So muchel Y penke upon pe ]>at al Y waxe grene.' Bituene Lyncolne ant L3nideseye,^'' Norhamptoun ant Lounde,'^ Ne wot I non so fayr a may, As I go fore ybounde.^' Suete lemmon, Y prege pe J>ou lovie me a stounde ^' ; Y wole mone my song On wham hit ys ylong." 'S 25 1 nearer 7 healing 1' London, about 57 miles from s long s love-boon Northampton » will not 9 pale 12 as I go in bondage for 4 dear 10 Lindsey in Suffolk, about 13 for a time 5 augment ioo miles from Lincoln " to whom it belongs ; MS. on ekiss wham (at hit ys on ylong 4IO LYRICS ALISON About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 147-8. Translation in Ten Brink, Early Eng. Lit., pp. 308-9. An hendy hap Ichabbe yhent^ ; Ichot^ from hevene it is me sent ; From alle wymmen mi love is lent^ And lyht * on Alysoun. S Bytuene Mersh and Averil, When spray biginnef to springe, JJe lutel foul hap hire wyl On hyre lud ' to synge. Ich libbe in love-longinge 10 For semlokest ' of alle pinge ; He ' may me blisse bringe — Icham in hire baundoun.' On ° heu hire her " is f ayr ynoh, Hire browe broune, hire eje blake ; 15 Wip lossum chere ^^ he on me loh ^^ ; Wip middel ^' smal and wel ymake."^* Bote ■'^ he me woUe to hire take, For te buen ^* hire owen make," Longe to lyven IchuUe ^' forsake, 20 And feye " fallen adoun. Nihtes when Y wende '"' and wake, For])i ^ myn wonges ""^ waxep won ; Levedi, al for pine sake Longinge is ylent me on.°' 1 1 have won a fair fate 9 in 1' mate 2 I know 10 hair 18 1 shall 8 turned 11 loving mien 10 death-stricken 4 has lighted 12 laughed 20 wander 5 language 18 waist 21 on this account « comeliest, goodliest 1* made 22 cheeks 7 she 16 unless 28 appointed to me 8 power 16 be 1-4 : refrain to each stanza. CHAUCER, BIRD-SONG 4" In world nis non so wyter ^ mon J>at al hire bounte telle con. Hire swyre "^ is whittore fen fe swon, And feyrest may ' in toune. Icham for wowyng * al f orwake,* s Wery so ° water in wore.' Lest eny reve * me my make, Ychabbe ysemed ' gore." Betere is folien whyle sore " f»en moumen evermore. lo Geynest '* under gore,^' Herkne to my roun." CHAUCER, BIRD-SONG Roundel, from the Parliament of Birds (about 1382?) Now welcom, somer, with thy sonne softe, That hast this wintres weders '^ overshake}^ And driven awey the longe nightes blake ! 1 5 Seynt Valentyn, that art ful hy onlofte," Thus singen smale foules for thy sake : Now welcom, somer, with thy sonne softe. That hast this wintres weders overshake. Wei han they cause for to gladen ofte, 20 Sith ech of hem recovered hath his make ; Ful blisful may they singen whan they wake : Now welcom, somer, with thy sonne softe, That hast this wintres weders overshake, And driven awey the longe nightes blake! 25 iwise 7 weir (?) 18 in body {lit. under gore, i.e. 2 neck 8 rob under garment) s maid 9 yearned 14 lay, song * yearning 10 long 16 storms 5 overwatched n to suffer sorely for a time 16 dispelled 6as 12 loveliest 17 aloft 412 LYRICS BLOW, NORTHERN WIND About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 168-71 Blow, northerne wynd, Send^ f>ou me my suetyng I Blow, norfierne wynd, Blou ! blou ! blou ! Ichot ^ a burde ' in boure bryht, JJat fully semly is on syht,* Menskf ul ° ma idenof mx ht, Feir ant f re * to f onde ' ; In al fis wurhliche won,' A burde of blod and of bon Never jete Y nuste ' non Lussomore *" in londe. IS WiJ) lokkes lefliche '* and longe, Wif f rount " and face feir to f onde, Wif murfes monie mote heo monge,*' J>at brid ^* so breme " in boure ; Wif lossom eye, grete ant gode, Wip browen blvsf ol under hode ^° ; He fat reste him on f e rode " J>at leflich lyf honoure ! 1 MS. sent ' test, make proof of 2 I know 8 noble dwelling (the world ?) 3 lady 9 knew 4 to behold lo more enchanting 6 worshipful 11 lovely « charming 12 forehead 18 bargain, traffic (?) 14 maiden 15 blithe, gay 16 hood 17 Christ 1—4 : refrain to each stanza. 14. fonde : assonance, not rhyme. BLOW, NORTHERN WIND 413 Hire lure ^ lumes ^ liht Ase a launterne a ° nyht, Hire bleo * blykyef ° so bryht ; So feyr heo is ant fyn 1 A.suetly° suyre' heo haf to holde, Wip armes, shuldre, ase mon wolde, Ant f)Tigres f eyre forte f olde " ; God wolde hue were myn ! Middel heo ha]> menskf ul ' smal ; Hire loveliche chere ^° as cristal ; JJeses," legges, fet, ant al, Ywraht ^^ is ^' of fe beste. A lussum ledy lasteles " JJat sweting is, and ever wes ; A betere burde never nes Yheryed ^^ wif fe heste." 15 Heo is dereworfe " in day, Graciouse, stout," and gay, Gentil, jolyf ^' so ^° pe jay, Worhliche ^^ when heo wakep. Maiden murgest ^^ of moup ; Bi est, bi west, by norp and soup, ]7er nis fi[p]ele ^* ne croup ''* JJat ^ such murpes makep. 1 face 2 shines 8 at * hue 5 gleams 6 sweet 'neck 8 clasp 9 delightfully 10 countenance 11 thighs ^2 fashioned 13 MS. wes 14 faultless, perfect 16 praised 16 highest 1' precious 18 stately 19 lively 20 as 21 noble 22 merriest 28 fiddle ; em. B. 24 crowd, rote 26 MS. sat (em. B.) 414 LYRICS IS Heo is coral of godnesse, Heo is rubie of ryhtfulnesse,^ Heo is cristal of clannesse,^ Ant baner of bealte ' ; Heo is lilie of largesse,* Heo is paruenke * of prouesse, Heo is selsecle " of suetnesse, Ant ledy of lealte.' . . . For hire love Y carke ant care, For hire love Y droupne " ant dare,' For hire love my blisse is bare, Ant al Ich waxe won " ; For hire love in slep Y slake,"^^ For hire love al nyht Ich wake. For hire love moumyng Y make More fen eny mon. 25 LONGING About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 149-50 Wif longyng Y am lad,^" On molde *' Y waxe mad, A maide marref me ; Y grede," Y grone, unglad, For selden Y am sad '* J>at semly forte se. Levedi, ]>ou rewe me I To roufe ^° fou havest me rad *' ; Be bote" of ))at Y bad," My lyf is long ^ on f e. 1 righteousness 8 droop 2 purity 9 falter 8 beauty w turn pale * generosity 11 grow weak 6 periwinkle 12 led 6 heliotrope "earth ? loyalty 14 cry 15 satiated 16 sorrow 1' guided, brought 18 recompense 19 (have) endured 2" depends LONGING Levedy of alle londe, Les ^ me out of bonde ; Broht Ich am in wo ; Have resting " on honde, And send ' pou me ]>i sonde * Sone, er f ou me slo * — My reste is wif ]>e ro." J>ah men to me han onde,' To love nul y noht wonde,' Ne lete ' for non of f o.^° 41S Levedi, wip al my miht, My love is on pe liht/^ To menske '^ pe when Y may ; JJou rew and red ^' me ryht ; To depe pou havest me diht," Y deje longe er my day ; f>ou leve ^° upon mi lay. Treupe Ichave pe plyht, To don pat Ich have hyht ^' Whil mi lif leste may. 15 Lylie-whyt hue " is, Hire rode ^' so rose on rys " ; fat revep ^ me mi rest. Wymmon war ^^ and wys, Of prude "^ hue berep pe pris, Burde on of pe best. JJis wommon wonep by west, 25 1 loose 8 will I not cease 16 promised 2 relief, assuagement 9 leave off "she s MS. sent l»them 18 complexion * message 11 alighted 19 spray 6 slay 12 honor 20 deprives 6 roe (a type of restlessness ; 18 guide 21 prudent cf. Virgil, JEn. 4. 69 ff.) 1^ appointed 22 splendor 7 jealousy 16 believe (imp.) 4l6 LYRICS , ; I Brihtest under bys ^ ; Hevene Y tolde ^ al his JJat o ° nyht were hire gest.^ NOW WOULD I FAIN About 1445. Our text is on the basis of MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. 1.6, 'written about the time of Hen. VI,' with emendations from MS. Bodl. Ashm. 191, but with spellings conformed to the Cambridge manuscript. The latter is reproduced from Halliwell's print in Reliquice AntiqucE 1.25; Ashmole 191 is printed in Stainer and Nicholson, Early Bodleian Music 2. 65 (facsimile in Vol. i, PI. XXX). Now wold I fayne some myrthis make 5 All oneli for my ladys sake, When I hir se ° ; But now I am so ferre from hir, Hit will nat be. Thogh I be long out of hir ° sight, 10 I am hir ' man both day and night, And so will be ; Wherfor wold God as I love hir That she lovid me ! When she is mery, then am I glad ; 15 When she is sory, then ' am I sad ; And cause whi — For he livith nat that lovith hir So ^ well as I. She sayth that she hath seen hit wreten 20 That ' seldyn seen is soon f oryeten ' ' ; Hit is nat so ; For, in good feith, save oneli hir, I love no moo. 1 byssus, fine linen * guest 7 MS. than 2 should consider ^ MS. and hit wold be (Ashm.) 8 MS. as (Ashm.) 3 one ^ MS. your (Ashm.) 9 forgot 425 23 CHAUCER, MERCILESS BEAUTY 41/ Wherfor I pray, both night and day. That she may cast [all] ^ care away, And leve ^ in rest ; And evermore, wherever ' she be. To love me * best ; S And I to hir for to be trew, And never chaung[e] her for no ° new Unto myne end ; And that I may in hir servise For evyr amend.* 10 CHAUCER, MERCILESS BEAUTY The first of a sequence of three roundels. From MS. Camb. Magd. Coll. Pepys 2006. See Skeat, Works of Geoffrey Chaucer 1.80-1, 387; Hammond, Chaucer., pp. 436-7. Youre yen two ' woole sle me sodenly, I may the beaute of them not sustene, So wondeth * it thorowout my herte kene. And but your word wille helen hastily Mi hertis wound[e],' while that it is grene, 15 Youre yen two ivolle sle me sodenly, I may the beaute of them not sustene. Upon my trouth I sey yow feithfuUy That ye ben of my liffe and deth the quene ; For with my deth the trouth shal be [yjsene.^" 20 Youre yen two wolle sle me sodenly, I may the beaute of them not sustene, So wondeth it thorowout my herte kene. 1 (Ashm.) s MS. noon (Ashm.) 9 em. S. 2 live ^ improve ^** Morris (Aldine Chaucer), 8 MS. whersoever (Ashm.) ' MS. two yen (em. S.) isene * MS. hir (Ashm.) * wounds 4i8 LYRICS DEBATE OF THE CLERIC AND THE MAIDEN About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 172-3. Cf. below, p. 476 " My def Y love, my lyf Ich hate, For a levedy shene ^ ; Heo is briht '^ so ° daies liht, paX is on me wel sene. Al Y falewe * so dof }>e lef , In somer when hit is grene ; ^ef * mi poht ^ helpel) me noht, To wham shal Y me mene ' ? '5 Sorewe and syke " and drery mod ' ByndeJ) me so faste J>at Y wene to walke wod,^" ^ef hit me lengore laste ; My serewe, my care, al wip a word He ^' myhte awey caste ; Whet helpejj fe, my suete lemmon. My lyf f us forte gaste ^^ ? ' ' Do wey, fou clerc, fou art a fol, Wif fe bydde " Y noht chyde ; Shalt pou never lyve fat day Mi love pat pou shalt byde." ^ef pou in my boure art take, Shame pe may bityde ; J>e is bettere on fote gon ]>en wycked hors to ryde.' Ifair 6 pondering "she 2 MS. brith (em. B.) 7 bemoan myself 12 ruin 8 as 8 sighing 18 must 4 wither, fade 9 temper, state of mind " experience 5 if l» insane DEBATE OF THE CLERIC AND THE MAIDEN 4^9 ' Weylawei ! whi seist \>o\i so ? JJou rewe on me, fy man ; JJou art ever in my foht In londe wher Ich am. ^ef Y deje for )>i love, Hit is fe mykel sham ; J>ou lete me lyve, and be }^ luef, And fou my suete lemman.' " Be stille, fou fol — Y calle l)e rihtM Co[n]st pou never Wynne ^ ? J»ou art wayted ' day and nyht WiJ) ' fader and al my kynne ; Be fou in mi hour ytake, Lete pay * for no synne " Me to holde, and pe to slou ' ; Jje dep so pou maht * wyime I ' 15 " Suete lady, pou wend ' pi mod ; Sorewe pou wolt me kype ^° ; Ich am al so ^^ sory ^^ mon, So Ich was whylen ^' blype — In a wyndou per " we stod, We custe us ^ fyfty sype." Feir biheste " makep mony mon Al is ^' serewes mythe." ' ' Weylawey ! whi seist pou so ? Mi serewe pou makest newe ; Y lovede a clerk al paramours ^ — Of love he wes ful trewe ; 1 MS. ri).t (em. B.) 2 stop 8 watched, spied upon ou semest wel to ben a clerc. For fou spekest so stille ^* ; 1 5 Shalt fou never for mi love Woundes f ole grylle ^* ; Fader, moder, and al my kun Ne shal me holde so stille f>at Y nam ^° fyn, and fou art myn, 20 To don al fi wiUe.' CHAUCER, BALLADE From the Legend of Good Women, Prologue B, lines zt,<)-(iij Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte '° tresses clere ; Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al adoun ; Hyd, Jonathas," al thy frendly manere ; Penalopee, and Marcia^' Catoun, 25 Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun ; 1 unless " suffered H cruel 2 soon 9 very 15 am not 8 saw 1» em. Wright (Spec. Lyr. 16 golden 4 good Poetry, p. 91) 17 Cf. I Sam. 19.2 5 lie 11 hoary; MS. gore 18 daughter of Cato of Utica 6 knew 12 can ' learning 18 gently CHAUCER, BALLADE 421 Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne, My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.' Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, Lavyne ^ ; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun, And Polixene,' that boghten love so dere, 5 And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun, Hyde ye your trouthe of love and your renoun ; And thou, Tisbe,* that hast of love swich peyne ; My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. Herro,^ Dido, Laudomia,* alle yfere,' lo And Phyllis,* hanging for thy Demophoun, And Canace,' espyed by thy chere,^" Ysiphile,'^ betraysed with ^^ Jasoun, Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun ; Nor Ypermistre ^* or Adriane,^* ye tweyne ; 1 5 My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. MINOT, EDWARD THE THIRD'S FIRST INVASION OF FRANCE Laurence Minot (fl. 1333-1352) is a writer of whom virtually nothing is known except that he produced a series of eleven poems, of which this is No. 4. Herford has thus characterized him (Diet. Nat. Biog. 38. 47) : " While Minot has no great literary value, and gives almost no new information, he embodies in a most vivid way the militant England of his day. He has but one subject, the triumph of England and the English king over French and Scots. The class-divisions among Englishmen are for him wholly merged in the unity of England ; himself probably of Norman origin, his habitual language is the strongest and homeliest Saxon. His verse is throughout inspired by savage triumph in the national successes. He has no elegiac or tender note.' Cf. Hall's edition, pp. xii-xiii ; Ten Brink, Early Eng. Lit., pp. 322-4. 1 overshadow, eclipse 5 Hero; cf. Ovid, .ffer. i8, 19 see her legend in Chau- 2 Lavinia ; cf. Virgil, j^n. 6 Laodamia j cf. Ovid, Her. 13 cer. Leg. Good Women 6. 764 £f., etc. '! together 12 betrayed by 8 daughter of Priam ; cf . 8 cf. Ovid, Her. 2 1^ Hypermnestra ; cf. Ovid, Ovid, Met. 13. 439 ft. 9 Cf. Ovid, Her. 11 Her. 14 * Thisbe ; cf . Ovid, Met. 1° countenance " Ariadne ; see Chaucer, 4. 55-166 11 Hypsipyle,firstwifeof Jason; Leg. Good Women 422 LYRICS Our poem celebrates the fact that, Edward III and Philip of France having offered each other battle, Edward drew up his troops near La Flamengerie in northern France, on Saturday, Oct. 23, 1339, and waited for Philip to arrive, who, however, retreated from his position, five or six miles away, leaving behind him a thousand horses in a marsh (Hall, p. 54 ; cf. Diet. Nat. Biog. 17- 55)- The poem here printed is from Joseph Hall's edition (Oxford, 1887). Edward, oure cumly king, In Braband has his woning, With mani cumly knight ; And in pat land, trewly to tell, Ordanis he still for to dwell, To ^ time he think to fight. Now God, pat es of mightes maste, Grant him grace of pe Haly Gaste His heritage to win ! And Mari moder, of mercy fre. Save oure king and his menje^ Fro sorow, and schame, and syn I JJus in Braband has he bene — Whare he bifore was seldom sene — For to prove ' paire japes ; Now no langer wil he spare, Bot unto Fraunce fast will he fare, To confort him with grapes.* Furth ^ he f erd into France ; God save him for mischance, And all his cumpany ! JJe nobill due of Braband With him went into pat land, Redy to lif or dy. 1 until the * make trial of 6 MS. ff- 2 retainers * Cf. Cant. 2. 5 MINOT, EDWARD HI'S INVASION OF FRANCE 423 JJan f e riche floure de lice ' Wan fare f ul litill prise '^ ; — Fast he * fled for ferde." J>e right aire ^ of fat cuntre Es cumen, with all his knightes fre, S To schac him by pe herd. Sir Philip ))e Valayse,^ Wit his men in fo dayes, To batale had he thoght : He bad his men fam purvay ' 10 Withowten lenger delay ; Bot he ne held it noght. He broght folk ful grete wone,* Ay sevyn oganis one, JJat ful wele wapnid were ; i S Bot sone, whe[n] he herd ascry ^ JJat King Edward was nere farby, f>an durst he noght cum nere. In fat morni[n]g fell a myst, And when oure I[n]gliss men it wist, 20 It changed all faire chere ; Oure king unto God made his bone,^" And God sent him gude confort sone — f'e weder wex ful clere. Oure king and his men held pe felde 25 Stalwortly, with spere and schelde. And thoght to win his right. With lordes, and with knightes kene, And ofer doghty men bydene,^^ JJat war ful frek ^^ to fight. 30 '^fleur de lis 5 heir (i.e. Edward) 9 report (by spies) 2 glory 6 de Valois (the king) lo prayer 8 Philip VI of France ' make ready u together * fear * plenty 12 eager 424 >s 25 LYRICS When Sir Philip of France herd tell J»at King Edward in feld walld dwell, J>an gayned-" him no gle ; He traisted of ^ no better bote,' Bot both on hors and on fote He hasted him to fle. It semid he was ferd for strokes When he did fell his grete okes Obout his pavilyoune ; Abated was fan all his pride, For langer pare durst he noght bide, His host was broght all doune. JJe king of Beme * had cares colde, JJat was ful ' hardy and bolde A stede to amstride." [He and] ' fe king als " of Naverne ' War fain for ferd " in pe feme ^''■ J>aire heviddes ^^ for to hide. And leves " wele — it es no lye — J>e felde hat " Flemangrye ^' f'at King Edward was in. With princes pat war stif ande bolde, And dukes pat war doghty tolde,^° In batayle to bigin. JJe princes pat war riche ^' on raw,^' Gert " nakers '"' strike, and trumpes blaw, And made mirth at paire might ; 1 availed 9 Navarre (father-in-law of 14 was called 2 expected Philip) 15 MS. ff- 8 resource 10 MS. faire feld (em. Hall, 16 considered 4 Bohemia with fered for ferd) If splendid 6 MS. fur (em. Ritson) 11 were glad, for fear, in the 18 row (line of battle ?), order 8 bestride fem 19 caused 7 em. R. 12 heads 20 kettle-drums 8 also 18 believe (imp.) THE DEATH OF EDWARD IH 425 Both alblast ' and many a bow War redy railed ° opon a row, And ful frek for to fight. Gladly fai gaf mete and drink, So pat pai suld ]>e better swink ' — ^- J>e wight * men fat far ware. Sir Philip of Fraunce fled for dout,* And hied * him hame with all his rout ; Coward, God giff him care ' ! For fare fan had f e lely flowre ' Lorn all halely ° his honowre, pat sogat ^'' fled for ferd ; Bot oure King Edward come ful still, When fat he trowed ^^ no harm him till,' 12 And keped " him in pe berde." 15 THE DEATH OF EDWARD III From a poem (written in 1377) in MS. Brit. Mus. Addit. 22,283. Our ex- tract is from Wright's Political Poems and Songs (Rolls Series) i. 216-7, 2nd comprises lines 17-80. Sum tyme an Englis schip we had, Nobel hit was, and heih of tour '^ ; Thorw al Christendam hit was drad,^° And stif wold stonde in uch a stour," And best dorst byde a scharp schour,'* And other stormes smale and grete ; Nou is that schip, that bar the flour, Selden seije " and sone f orjete. 1 arblast, crossbow 8 See 423 1 16 tower 2 set in order 9 wholly 16 feared 8 toil "thus 17 every battle ^ stout 11 looked for 18 tempest 6 fear 12 to himself is seen 6 hastened 18 seized 7 distress 1^ beard 426 LYRICS Into that schip ther longeth a roothur,' That steered the schip, and governed hit ; In al this world nis such anothur, As me thenketh in my wit. 5 Whil schip and rothur togeder was knit, Thei dredde nother tempest, druyje,^ nor wete, Nou be thei bothe in sjTider flit,' That selden seige is sone forgete. Scharpe wawes * that schip has sayled, 10 And sayed ^ alle sees " at aventur ; For wynt ' ne wederes ° never hit fayled, WiP the roothur miht enduir.'"-" Thou5 the see were rouj, or elles dimuuir," Gode havenes that schip wold geete.^'' 15 Nou is that schip, I am wel suir," Selde iseye and sone forjete. This good schip I may remene ^* To the chivalrye of this londe ; Sum tyme thei counted noujt a bene '^ 20 Be ^* al Fraunce, Ich understonde. Thei toke and slouj hem with her wonde " — The power of Fraunce, bothe ^* smale and grete ; And broujt the kyng hider to byde her bonde " ; And nou riht sone hit is forgete. 25 That schip hadde a ful siker™ mast. And a sayl strong and large. That made the gode schip never agast To undertake a thinge of charge. ^^ And to that schip ther longed^ a barge, '■ radder ' while 1' rod, sceptre 2 drought 11 endure 18 MS. bethe 3 removed asunder n calm 19 fetters 4 waves 12 attain 20 secure 5 braved 18 sure 21 moment 6 seas 1^ compare 32 belonged ' wind 15 bean 8 storms 18 by ; MS. beo THE DK\TH OF EDWARD III 427 Of al Fraunce jaf ' noujt a cleete.' To us hit was a siker taige ' ; And now riht dene hit is forjete. The rother was nouther ok ne elm, Hit was Edward the Thridde, the noble kniht ; 5 The prince his sone bar up his helm, That never scoumfited * was in fiht. The kj-ng him rod and rouwed ° ariht. The prince dredde nouther stok nor screete.^ Xou of hem we lete ful liht'; 10 That selden is seije is sone forjete. The swifte barge was Duk Henri,^ That noble kniht and wel assayed ; And in his leggaunce ' worthily He abod mony a bitter brayd^" ; 15 ^if that his enemys oujt outrayed," To chasteis hem wolde he not lete.^- Xou is that lord ful lowe ileyd ; That selde is seije is sone forjete. This gode comunes,'* bi the rode, 20 I likne hem to the schipes mast ; That with heore catel " and with heore goode ^^ MaTOtened the werre ^' both furst and last. The w}Tid that bleuj the setup with blast. Hit v\"as gode prejeres. I se\- hit atrete '" : 25 Xou is devoutnes out icast. And mony gode dedes ben dene forjete. . . 1 cared •■ make little account IS commons 3deat s Henry of Lancaster (d. I36r) 1* property Sshidd 9 allegiance «goods * discomfited "stroke 16 war = rode and rowed u inflicted any injuries !■' distinctly 6 street (for rhyme, instead 12 refrain of ^ stok nor ston ') 428 LYRICS CHAUCER, COMPLAINT TO HIS EMPTY PURSE To you, my purse, and to non other wight ^ Compleyne I, for ye be my lady dere ; I am so sory, now that ye be light, That certes, but ^ ye make me hevy chere. Me were as leef be leyd upon my here ; For whiche unto your mercy thus I crye : Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot ' I dye I Now voucheth sauf * this day, or.^ hit be night, That I of you the blisful soun ° may here, Or see your colour lyk the sonne bright. That of yelownesse ' hadde never pere.' Ye be my lyf, ye be myn hertes stere,' Quene of comfort and of good companye. Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye ! IS Now purs, that be ■"* to me my lyves " light. And saveour,^^ as doun in this worlde here. Out of this toune help me through your might. Sin " that ye wole nat been my tresorere ; For I am shave " as nye '^ as any f rere. But yit I pray unto your curtesye, Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye I ^ creature 2 unless ** must 4 vouchsafe 5 ere 6 sound ^ referring to gold 8 equal 9 guide Ware " life's 12 saviour 13 since 1* shaved 15 close I HAVE A GENTLE COCK 429 I HAVE A GENTLE COCK About 1450. From MS. Brit. Mus. Sloane 2593, as printed by Wright in Songs and Carols (Pickering, London, 1836). See 199 2S if. I have a gentil cok ^ Crowyt[h] me day '^ ; He doth ' me rysyn erly, My matynis for to say. I have a gentil cok ^ ; 5 Comyn he is of gret * ; His comb is of reed corel, His tayl * is of get.* I have a gentil cok ^ ; Comyn he is of kynde ' ; 10 His comb is of reed corel,' His tayl is of inde.° His leggs ben of asour, So gentil and so smale ; His spors am of sylver quyt " : 5 Into the wortewale." His eynyn am of cristal, Lokyn '^'^ al in aumbyr ; And every ny5t he perchit[h] hym In myn ladyis chaumbyr. 20 1 MS. cook s MS. tayil 9 indigo 2 announces day to me by his 6 jet lo white crowing 1 he is true to his breed il quick (lit. root) 8 makes 8 MS. scorel 12 enclosed ^ great (lineage) 430 LYRICS BACHELOR'S SONG About 1460-1490. From MS. Bodl. Eng. Poet. e. i, printed by Wright in Songs and Carols (Percy Soc. 23), p. 27. A, a, a, 0^ Yet I love wherso I go. In all this warld [n]is a meryar life Than is a gong man withoutyn a wyfe ; S For he may lyven withougten stryfe, In every place wherso he go. In every place he is loved over all Among maydyns gret and small, In dauncing, in pypyng, and rennyng at the ball, 10 In every place wherso he go. Thei lat lygt ^ be husbondmen,' Whan thei at the balle ren ^ ; They cast hyr love to 5ong[e] men In every place wherso he go. 1 5 Than sey maydens : ' Farwell, Jack ^ ! Thi love is pressyd al in thi pa[c]k * ; Thou beryst thi love behynd thi back,' In every place wherso he go. 1 MS. a 8 married men 5 jiS. Jacke 2 easily < MS. rene 6 MS. pake CHAUCER, TRUTH 431 CHAUCER, TRUTH Fie fro the pres,^ and dwelle with sothfastnesse '^ ; Suffise ^ thin owene thing, thogh it be smal ; For hord * hath hate, and clymbyng tylcelnesse,* Frees ^ hath envye, and wele ' blent * overal " ; Savoure '" no more thanne the byhove ^^ shal ; 5 Reule weel thiself, that other folk canst reede,^^ And trouthe the shal delyvere — it is no drede.^^ Tempest ^* the ^ noght al croked to redresse, In trust of hire ^^ that turneth as a bal ; Greet reste stant in litel besynesse,^' lo Bywar therfore to spurne agayn an al ^* ; Stryve not as doth the crokke -^^ with the wal, Daunte '"' thiself, that dauntest otheres dede, And trouthe the shal delyvere — it is no drede. That the is sent, receyve in buxumnesse,^^ 15 The wrastlyng for '^^ this worlde axeth ^^ a fal ; Her is non hom,^* her nys but wyldernesse. Forth, pylgrym, forth ! Forth, beste, out of thi stal 1 Know thi contre, loke up, thank God of al ! Hold the hye weye, and lat thi gost ^ the lede, 20 And trouthe the shal delyvere — it is no drede. 1 crowd 10 relish, care for 18 awl (cf. Acts g. 5) 2 truth 11 suit, fit 19 crock, earthen pot 8 subj. 12 direct 20 conquer 4 hoarding 13 there is no fear 21 submission s instability !■* torment 22 to obtain 6 the throng of courtiers is thyself 23 calls for, invites ? prosperity 16 Fortune 24 cf. Heb. 11. 9, ro ; 13. 14 8 blinds 1^ fuss, worry (cf. Isa. 30. 15) 25 spirit 9 everywhere * 432 LYRICS UBI SUNT QUI ANTE NOS FUERUNT? About 1275. From MS. Bodl. Digby 86, as printed by Furnivall, Minor Poems of the Vernon MS., Part II (E.E.T.S. 117), pp. 761 ff. (ten stanzas in all) ; cf. the somewhat different version in Boddeker, Altengl. Dicht., pp. 229-30, which has suggested two or three emendations. The keynote is struck by Boethius (Book 2, Metre 7): Ubi nunc fidelis ossa Fabricii manent, Quid Brutus aut rigidus Cato ? These lines are expanded in translation by King Alfred : ' Where now are the bones of the famous and wise goldsmith, Weland ? ' etc. One of the most famous variations on the theme is by Villon (1461), the first of whose stanzas runs: Dictes moy oil, n'en quel pays, Est Flora, la belle Rommaine ; Archipiada, ne Thais, Qui fut sa cousine germaine ; Echo, parlant quant bruyt on maine Dessus riviere ou sus estan. Qui beault^ ot trop plus qu'humaine ? — Mais oil sent les neiges d'antan 1 This is translated by Payne as follows : Tell me, where, in what land of shade. Hides fair Flora of Rome ? and where Are Thais and Archiapade, Cousins german in beauty rare ? And Echo, more than mortal fair, That when one calls by river flow. Or marish, answers out of the air ? — But what has become of last year's snow ? The last four lines are thus translated in Rossetti's version : Where is Echo, beheld of no man, Only heard on river and mere. She whose beauty was more than human ? — But where are the snows of yester-year ? See also below, p. 434 ; Wells, Manual, p. 824 (30). Were bep fey [pat] ^ biforen us weren, Houndes ladden and havekes beren, And hadden feld and wode ? 1 Cf. B. THOMAS OF HALES, LOVE-SONG 433 JJe riche levedies in hoere bour, J>at wereden gold in hoere tressour,^ Wij) hoere brijtte rode ^ ? [pey] ° eten and drounken, ^nd maden hem glad ; Hoere lif was al wi]> gamen ilad * ; 5 Men kneleden ° hem biforen ; J>ey beren hem wel swife heye ° ; And, in a twincling of an eye, Hoere soules weren forloren. Were is fat lawing ' and that song, lo J>at trayling and that proude gong,* \>o havekes and fo houndes ? Al fat joye is went away, ]7at wele is comen to " Weylaway I ' — To manie harde stoundes.' 15 Hoere paradis fey " nomen ^^ here. And nou fey lien in helle ifere ^^ ; f>e fuir hit brennes hevere. Long is ay,'^ and long is o,^* Long is wy,^* and long is wo '' ; 20 JJennes ne comef fey nevere. THOMAS OF HALES, LOVE-SONG Thomas of Hales was a Franciscan friar, who wrote this ' luve-ron ' of 2 1 o lines at the request of a young nun, in the reign of Henry III (probably before 1 240, according to Camb. Hist. Eng. Lit. 1 . 2 58 ; soon after 1 244, according to Morris, Old Eng. Misc., p. xi; about 1272, N. E. D.). The extract below is from the MS. of Jesus College, Oxford (lines 65-120), as reproduced in Old English Miscellany (E.E.T.S. 49), pp. 93-9. A translation of thirteen stanzas. 1 braids, tresses !■ laughing 18 ever 2 complexion 8 gait, carriage " always ; MS. ho 8 Cf. B. 9 experiences 15 alas 4 led 10 MS. by 16 woe 6 MS. keneleden 11 took B very exceedingly high 12 side by side 434 LYRICS including the first five printed here, may be found in Ten Brink, Early Eng. Lit., pp. 208-11. He says : 'We have here an art-poetry not quite developed in form, of the simplest, noblest mould, a contemplative lyric, which, springing from warm feeling, moves calmly and quietly, without subtlety of reflection or trifling with forms, in euphonious, richly figurative speech.' Another version is in Miss Weston's Chief Middle English Poets, pp. 343-5. Hwer is Paris and Heleyne, J'at weren so bryht and feyre on bleo ^ ? Amadas and Ideyne," Tristram, Yseude, and alle feo ' ? Ector, wip his scharpe meyne,^ And Cesar, riche of wor[l]des feo ' ? Heo beoj) iglyden ut of pe reyne. So * fe schef ' is of pe cleo.* 'S Hit is of heom al so ' hit nere. Of heom me havep ^'' wunder itold - Nere hit reupe " for to here '^ — Hw hi were wip pyne ^° aquold,^* And hwat hi poleden ^^ alyve ■'° here ; Al is heore hot itumd to cold. JJus is pes world of false fere " ; Fol he is pe on hire is bold. JJeyh he were so riche mon As Henry,^' ure [noble] kyng, ihue 7 sheaf 13 pain 2 MS. Dideyne 8 brae, steep hillside 14 destroyed 8 those 9 as if 16 endured * power If* one has, they have 16 in life 6 wealth 11 were it not pity 17 appearance, show 6 as 12 MS. heren 18 Henry HI (1216-1272) 3. Amadas: see Schofield, pp.322, 479. — Meyne : there is a thirteenth- century OF. romance of Breton origin, Amadas et Idoine (ed. Hippeau, Paris, 1863), and allusion is made to the story by Gower (Conf. Am. 6.879) ^i*^ ''1^ Cursor Mundi (v. 20), etc. ; cf. Gaston Paris, Litt. Fr. au Moyen Age, § 66, and English Miscellany presented to Dr. Fumivall, pp. 386 ff. (where there are other references) ; Schofield, pp. 117, 375. THOMAS OF HALES, LOVE-SONG 435 And al so veyr as Absalom, ]7at nevede on eorpe non even3Tig,^ Al were sone his prute ^ agon,^ Hit nere on ende wr[) on heryng.* Mayde, if J>u wilnest ^ after leofmon,^ 5 Ich teche pe enne ' treowe King. A I swete, if {)u ikn[e]owe ' ]7e gode fewes ' of fisse Childe ! He is feyr, and bryht on heowe. Of glede chere,^" of mode mylde, lo Of lufsum lost,^' of truste treowe, Freo of heorte, of wisdom wilde ^* ; Ne furfte ^^ pe never re[o]we, Myhtestu do " ])e in his [hjylde." He is ricchest Mon of londe, 15 So wide so mon speketh wij) mup ; AUe heo beop to ^^ his honde, Est and west, norp and sup. Henri, King of Engelonde, Of hym he halt," and to hym buhp.** 20 Mayde, to pe he send his sonde,^° And wilnep for to beo pe cup. Ne byt ^^ he wip pe lond ne leode,^^ Vouh,^^ ne gray,^^ ne rencyan.^* Navep he perto none neode ; 25 He is riche and well ^ man. ipeer; cf.420 2i 10 countenance 19 message ; MS. schonde 2 pride 11 delight 2» asks 8 vanished 12(?) 21 people 4 herring 18 thou wouldst need ; MS. Jjurhte 22 particolored fur 5 longest W put 23 gray fur 6 lover 16 grace 24 a kind of cloth 7a 16 in 26 wealthy 8 knew 17 holds s qualities 18 bows 436 LYRICS If fu him woldest luve beode,* And bycumen his leovemon, He brouhte ^ fe to suche wede,* JJat * navef king ne kayser non. 5 Hwat * spekestu of eny bolde ° pat wrouhte ]>e wise Salomon ? Of jaspe, of saphir, of merede ' golde, And of mony ono|)er ston ? Hit is f eyrure of f eole volde " 10 More fan Ich eu telle con, J>is bold, mayde, f e is bihote,' If fat fu bist his leovemon. EARTH UPON EARTH Of this poem there are three versions (A, B, C). A is represented by two poems, B by twenty, and C by one — not to mention a rather anomalous example, difficult to classify. The earliest texts date from about 13 lo; that printed here is from 1430-1450 (MS. Lambeth 853), and is No. 10 of B. All the known texts have been printed by Miss Hilda Murray, with the necessary apparatus, in £riAe upon Erthe (E.E.T.S. 141). The Stratford-on-Avon version was printed by Longfellow in Otitre-Mer. The theme is : ' Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return ' (Gen. 3. 19). Erf e out of erf e is wondirly wroujt, Erf e of erf e haf gete '" a dignyte of nou5t, 15 Erfe upon erfe haf sett al his foujt, How fat erfe upon erfe may be hij ^^ brougt. Erfe upon erfe wold he be a king ; But how erfe schal to erfe f enkif he nof ing ; Whanne fat erfe biddif erfe hise rentis hom bring, 20 ]7an schal erfe out of erfe have a piteuous parting. 1 offer 5 why 9 promised 2 would bring 8 building w got 8 apparel 7 purified 11 high ' as. 8 many times EARTH UPON EARTH 437 Erfe upon erfe wynne)) castels and touris ; ]7an sei|» erfe to erpe : " Now is fis al houris.' Whanne erjie upon erpe ha|) biggid ^ up hise boures, f>anne schal erfe upon erj)e suffir scharpe schouris." Erfe gooth upon erj^e as molde upon molde, S So gooth er])e upon erfe al gliteringe in golde, Like as erj^e unto erfe nevere go scholde,' And 5it schal erf e unto erthe raj'er * fan he wolde. O ])ou wrecchid erfe, fat on erf e traveilist * nyjt and day, To florische * f e erf e, to peynte f e erf e with wantdwne aray, :o ^it schal fou, erfe, for al fi er])e, make fou it nevere so queynte and gay, Out of f is erfe into f e erfe, fere to clinge ' as a clot ' of clay. O wrecchid man, whi art fou proud, fat art of f e erfe makid ? Hider broujttist fou no schroud,' but poore come fou and nakid. 15 Whanne f i soule is went ^° out, and f i bodi in erfe rakid, f>an f i bodi fat was rank ■'^ and undevout, of alle men is bihatid. Out of f is erfe cam to f is erfe f is wrecchid gamement ■'^ ; To hide f is erfe, to happe '° f is erfe, to him was clof inge lente ; Now goof erfe upon erfe, ruli ^* raggid and rent, 20 f>erfore schal erfe undir f e erfe have hidiose turment. Whi fat erfe to myche lovef erfe wondir me fink. Or whi fat erfe for superflue erfe to sore sweete ^ wole or swynk ^° ; Ffor whanne fat erfe upon erfe is broujt withinne fe brink," JJan schal erfe of fe erfe have a rewful stynk.^' 25 1 built 7 dry, shrivel up 33 cover 2 trials 8 clod " ruefully s MS. schulde 9 garment 15 sweat * sooner 1" gone "toU 6 laborest ^ proud V of the grave € adom 12 garment (of flesh) 18 MS. swynk 438 LYRICS Lo I erf e upon erfe considere fou may, How erfe comep into erfe nakid alway, Whi schulde erfe upon erpe go now so stoute or gay, Whanne erfe schal passe out of erfe in so poore aray ? S Wolde God ferfore }>is erf a, while fat he is upon this erfe. Upon f is wolde hertili finke, And how f e erfe out of f e erfe schal have his ajenrisyng,^ And fis erfe for f is erfe schal seelde ^ streite ° rekenyng ; Schulde nevere fan fis erfe for fis erfe mysplese hevene King. 10 JJerfore, fou erfe upon erfe, fat so wickidli hast wroujt, While fat fou, erfe, art upon erfe, turne ajen fi f oujt, And praie to fat God upon erfe fat al f e erfe haf wroujt, }>at fou, erfe upon erfe, to blis may be broujt. O fou Lord fat madist fis erfe for fis erfe, and suffridist heere 15 peynes ille, Lete nevere fis erfe, for fis erfe, myscheve * ne spille,*^ But fat fis erfe on fis erfe be evere worchinge fi,wiUe, So fat fis erfe from fis erfe may stie ' up to fin hij hille. Amen. FILIUS REGIS MORTUUS EST About 1430. From MS. Lambeth 853, printed by Furnivall in Political, Re- ligious, and Love Poems (reprint of E.E.T.S. 15), p. 233. Thirteen stanzas in all. As resoun rewlid my rechelees ' mynde, 2° Bi wielde * waies as Y hadde went, A solempne citee me fortuned to fynde ; To turne ferto was myne entent. A maiden Y mette, a modir hynde,^ Sobbinge and sijynge, sche was neer schent ^° ; 1 resurrection ; MS. -lisynge 2 yield 3 strict 6 perish c ascend ' reckless ; MS. riche- 9 gracious 10 prostrated 4 come to grief SwUd QUIA AMORE LANGUEO 439 Sche wepte, sche wailid, so sore ache pined ; Hir heer, hir face, sche tuggid and rent : Sche tuggid, sche taar with greet turment, Sche racide ^ hir skyn, bothe body and brest ; Sche seide |)eise wordis evere as sche went : 5 Filius Regis mortuus est. ' The Kingis Sone,' sche seide, ' is deed, J>e joie, fe substaunce of my liif ^ ; ]7e modir to se hir Sone so blede. It kittij) ' myn herte as with a knyf. 10 My Sone ))at Y was woont to fede. To lulle, to lappe, with songis riif * — Out of his herte his blood to schede Maki]) me, his modir, in myche striif.* I am boj'e maiden, modir, and wiif, 15 Sones ' have Y no mo to souke my brest ; I may make sorewe without reliif. For Filius Regis mortuus est.' QUIA AMORE LANGUEO About 1450-1500. From MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. Hh. 4. 12, printed by Fur- nivall, op. cit., p. 181. Sixteen stanzas in all. Translation in Weston, op. cit., pp. 349-5°- In the vaile of restles mynd, I sowght in mownteyn and in mede, 20 Trustyng a treu lofe for to fynd. Upon an hyll than toke I hede ; A voise I herd — and nere ' I yede ' — In gret dolour complaynyng tho : ' See, dere soule, my sydes blede, 25 Quia amove langueo.' 1 tore ' rife 7 nearer 2 MS. liife 5 MS. striife 8 approached 3 cuts 6 MS. and sones 440 LYRICS Upon thys mownt I fand a tree ; Undir thys tree a man sittyng ; From hede to fote wowndyd was he, Hys hert-blode I saw bledyng ; S A semely man to be a kyng, A graciose face to loke unto. I askyd hym how he had pa)myng,^ He said : ' Quia amove langueo. I am treu love that fals was never : 10 My sistur, mannys soule, I loved hyr thus ; Bycause I wold on no wyse dissevere, I left my kyngdome gloriouse ; I purveyd ^ hyr a place full preciouse ; She flytt,' I folowyd ; I luffed her soo 15 That I suffred thes paynes piteuouse, Quia amove langueo.' HE BARE HIM UP About 1500 (or earlier). From MS. Oxford Balliol 354, as printed by Fliigel in Anglia 26. 175-6 (slightly different in his Neuenglisches Lesebuc'h 1. 142), with k for MS. y. The knight is of course Jesus Christ. Lully, lulley, lully,'^ lulley, pefawcon hath born my make ° away. He bare hym up, he bare h)nn down, 20 He bare hym into an orchard browne. In fat orchard pare was an halle JJat was hangid with purpill and pall. And in pat hall fere was a bede ° ; Hit was hangid with gold so rede. J distress s fled 6 mate 2 provided 4 MS. lulley (em. F.) 6 bed THE PEARL 44 1 And yn ]>at bed pere lythe a knyght. His wowndis bledyng day and nyght. By ])at bedeside kneleth a may,' And she wepeth both nyght and day. And by ])at beddeside fere stondith a ston, " Corpus Christi ' wretyn f eron. THE PEARL The Pearl is an elegiac poem with allegorical elements, embodying a vision by the author of a maiden closely related to him, who had died at an early age. Disregarding stanza 72 (for which see Osgood's edition, p. xlvi, note i), the poem falls into 20 sections, each consisting of 5 twelve-line stanzas, con- catenated by the recurrence of the last word of a stanza in the first line follow- ing. The rhyme-scheme is ababababbcbc. The date is about 1370; the author wrote also Gawain and the Green Knight (see above, p. 53), besides two other poems. Purity and Patience. There is only a single manuscript, Brit. Mus. Cott. Nero A. X -f 4 (facsimile in Yale University Library). The best edition is by Osgood (Belles Lettres Series, 1906) ; to this the student is referred for further information. There are translations by GoUancz (1891), Mitchell (1906), Coulton (1906), Osgood (1907), Jewett (1908), and Weston (in Romance, Vision, and Satire, 191 2) ; of these the best is Osgood's, in prose. Tennyson thus apostrophized the poem in GoUancz's edition : We lost you — for how long a time ! — True pearl of our poetic prime ; We found you, and you gleam reset In Britain's lyric coronet. With reference to the emphasis upon the jeweler's art, we know that from the death of St. Louis (1270) this had surpassed all other industrial arts in France (Labarte, Inventaire du Mobilier de Charles f^ p. i). Our text is taken from Osgood's edition (by the kind permission of the publishers, Messrs. D. C. Heath & Co.), with the substitution, when etymo- logically indicated, of z for the character %, which usually denotes palatal g, of and for df, and with the normalization of a and v ; the emendations are those of Osgood's text. Our extracts comprise lines 37-300, 385-420. To ])at spot fat I in speche expoun ^ I entred, in fat erber ' grene, I maid 2 tell of ' lawn 442 LYRICS In Augoste, in a hyj ^ seysoun, Quen come is corven ^ wyth crokez ° kene. On huyle * per perle hit trendeled * doun Schadowed ^ f is wortez ' ful sch)rre ' and schene ' GUofre," gyngure," and gromylyoun,'"' And pyonys *' powdered " ay bytwene. ^if hit watz semly on to sene, A fayr reflayr " ^et fro hit flot," JJer wonys ^' fat worfyly,^' I wot and wane/' My precious perle wythouten spot. Bifore pat spot my honde I spenn[e]d,^° For care ful colde fat to me ca^t "^ ; "" "? A de[r]vely dele ^^ in my hert denned,"' ' V^T) resoun _ se tte mys elven sa^ t."* IS I playned''* my perle fat fer watz spenned''" Wyth f yrte skyllez ^'' fat f aste f ajt "' ; ]7a3 kynde '^ of Kryst me comfort kenned,"" My wreched wylle in wo ay wrajte."^ I felle upon fat floury flajt,''* 20 Suche odour to my hernez "^ schot ; , I slode '^ upon a slepyng-slajte ^ — On fat prec[i]os perle wythouten spot. Fro spot '^ my spyryt fer sprang in space. My body on balke * fer bod " in sweven '" 1 high (in a liturgical sense ; probably the Assumption of the Virgin, August 15) 2 mowed 8 sickles * mound 5 rolled 6 shaded ? plants 8 bright 9 fair 10 gillyflower 11 ginger 13 gromwell 13 peonies ifi scattered thickly 16 fragrance 16 flowed 17 dwells 18 worshipful one 19 suppose 29 clasped 21 seized on me 2* sudden sorrow 2* made tumult 21 though reason reconciled me 26 bemoaned 26 enclosed 2? frightened reasonings 28 contended 29 the nature 89 imparted 81 wrought 84 turf 88 brain Msank 85 visitation of sleep ,36 forth 8' remained 88 dream THE PEARL 443 OP^- My goste is gon in Godez grace, In aventure per ^ mervaylez ° meven.' I ne wyste in pis worlde quere pat hit wace,* Bot I knew me keste ° per klyfez " eleven ' ; Towarde a foreste I here * pe face, Where rych rokkez wer to dyscreven.' Ipe lygt of hem my5t no mon leven,"^" JJe glemande " glory pat of hem glent " ; For wem never webbez pat wyjez weven ^' Of half so dere adub[be]mente.'* Dubbed ^* wem alle po downez sydez ^° Wyth crystal klyffez so cler of kynde." Holte-wodez ^' hrygt aboute hem bydez ^' Of boUez "" as blwe ^^ as ble of ynde '^ ; As bornyst sylver pe lef onslydez,^^ J'at pike con trylle ^ on uch a tynde ^ Quen ^^ glem of glodez ^' agaynz hem glydez ; Wyth sch)?meryng schene ^" f ul schrylle ^' pay schynde. JJe gravayl pat on grounde con grynde ^^ V--- Wem precious perlez of Oryente ; C' JJe sunnebemez bot bio and blynde '^ *' In respecte of '^ pat adubbement. ^ The adubbemente of po downez dere Garten "^ my goste '^ al greff e f orjete ; So f rech flavorez '^ of f rytez '^ were As fode hit con me fayre refete." ■ \l:- L \A 6^ \0 ' 25 1 where 2 marvels 3 move '^ was *» myself to be set down e cliffs 7 stand fast 8 turn 9 to be descried w believe 11 resplendent 12 gleamed 1-8 people weave 14 splendid array 15 arrayed 16 hillsides 17^ by nature 18 woods 19 are 20 trunks of trees 21 blue 22 indigo color 23 unfolds 24 did quiver 25 on each branch 26 when 27 flashes of light (?) . 28 beautiful shimmering 29 intensely so did crunch 81 are but dark and dim 32 compared to 33 caused 34 soul 35 fresh fragrances 36 fruits 37 satisfy, refresh 444 LYRICS Fowlez ^ f er flowen ^ in fryth ' in fere,* Of flaumbande hwez,^ hope smale and grete ; Bot sytole-stryng " and gyternere ' Her reken ' myrfe most not retrete ° ; For, quen ]JOse bryddez her wyngez bete, pay songen wyth a swete asent ^^ ; So grac[i]os gle ^^ coufe no men gete As here and se her adubbement.^^ 15 So al watz dubbet on dere asyse ^^ ; JJat fryth fer ^* fortwne forth me ferez *^ ; ]7e derjie ^* |)erof for to devyse Nis no wy5 ^^ worfe '* fat tonge berez. I welke " ay forth in wely ^ wyse ; No bonk "^ so byg '^ pat did me derez.^' ]7e fyrre ^* in pe fryth, pe fei[r]er con ryse y>e playn, pe plonttez,^ pe spyse,^' pe perez,''' And rawez ^* and raqdez ^' and rych reverez °° As fyldor '^ fyn her bonkes brent.'^ I wan '^ to a water by schore pat scherez '* ; Lorde, dere watz hit '^ adubbement I .i-_ The dubbemente of po derworth '^ depe " Wem bonkez "^ bene '° of beryl bry5t ; Swangeande *" swete pe water con swepe, Wyth a rownande *^ rourde *^ raykande *' aryst ; 1 birds 2 flew 8 woodland ^ together 6 flaming colors 6 citole-string ' player on the cithern 8 lively 8 reproduce 10 harmony 11 joy 12 beauty 18 manner 14 where 16 transports 16 glory 17 person 18 worthy 19 walk 20 happy 21 hill 22 difficult 28 as to cause me annoyances 24 further 25 plants 26 spicy shrubs 27 pear-trees 28 hedges 29 borders of streams St* rivers 81 thread of gold (Fr.y?/ ifor) 82 steep 88 made my way 84 runs swiftly by 85 its 86 rare 8' deep stream 88 banks 89 pleasing 49 rushingly (?) 41 murmuring 42 voice 48 moving forward THE PEXrL 445 In f e founce ^ fer stonden stonez stepe,' As glente ' f urj glas pat glowed and glyjt * A[s] stremande sternez,* quen strope ° men slepe, Staren ' in welkyn in wynter nyjt ; For uche a pobbel ' in pole ' per pyjt " Watz emerad, saffer,'^ oper gemme gente,''' JJat alle pe lo^e ^' lemed of ^* ly5t, So dere watz hit adubbement. The dubbement dere of doun ^ and dalez, Of wod and water and wlonk '° playnez, Bylde ^^ in me blys, abated my balez,^' Forbidden " my stresse,^ dystryed ^^ my paynez. Doun after a strem pat dryjly ^^ halez *' I bowed in blys. Bredful ^ my braynez ; Ipe fyrre I foljed ^ pose floty ^^ valez, J>e more strenghpe of joye myn herte stra)fnez. As fortune fares per as ho fraynez,^' Wheper solace ho sende oper ellez sore,'" pe wyj to wham her wylle ho waynez "' Hyttez ^^ to have ay more and piore. IS More of weel °^ watz in pat wyse J>en I cowpe telle paj I torn '^ hade ; For urpely °* herte myjt not suffyse To pe tenpe dole ** of po gladnez glade.' 1 bottom of the stream 2 glittering 8 gleam ^ shimmered t> stars streaming with light 6 secure (?) ' glitter 8 pebble 9 pool l»set 11 sapphire 12 precious 18 water 14 gleamed with 15 hill 16 fair 17 caused to spring up 18 sorrows 19 did away with 20 anguish 21 destroyed 22 mightily 23 flows 24 brimful 25 followed 26 watery 27 where she desires 28 sorrow 29 bestows 36 strives 31 joy 32 leisure 33 earthly 34 part 85 happy 446 llT^RICS Forf y ^ I fojt fat paradyse Watz per over gayn ^ po bonkez brade ° ; I hoped * pe water were a devyse ° Bytwene myrpez * by merez ' made ; Byjonde pe broke,* by slente " oper slade," I hope pat mote ^^ marked ^^ wore. Bot pe water watz depe, I dorst not wade, And ever me longed a[y] more and more. 'S ^ cX More and more, and get wel mare. Me lyste ^' to se pe broke by5onde ; For if hit watz fayr per I con fare, Wel loveloker " watz pe fyrre londe, Abowte me con I stote ^ and stare, To fynde a f orpe ■'* faste con I fonde " ; Bot wopez ^* mo iwysse per ware, if-^ JJe fyrre I stalked by pe stronde ; And ever me pojt I schulde not wonde " For wo per welez so wynne ™ wore. J>enne nwe note ^^ me com on honde, p>at meved ''^ my mynde ay more and more. 25 More mervayle con my dom '^^ adaunt ^* ; I se5 '^ byjonde pat myry ^ mere A crystal clyffe ful relusaunt '^ ; Mony ryal ^* ray con fro hit rere."' At pe fote perof per sete a faunt,'" A mayden of menske '^ ful debonere ; 1 wherefore 2 over against ; MS. ojier gayn 8 broad * supposed 5 division 8 pleasure-gardens 7 boundary-lines 8 stream 9 slope 10 dale 11 city (referring to the New Jerusalem) 12 placed 13 I yearned 1* lovelier 15 stumble 16 ford 17 seek 18 dangers 19 hesitate 20 fair 21 a new matter 22 stirred 28 mind 24 overcome 25 saw 26 lovely 27 reflecting much light 28 royal 29 leap 80 young person (OF. en/auni) 81 decorous bearing THE PEARL 447 Blysnande ^ whyt watz hyr bleaunt ^ — I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere ' — As glysnande ^ golde fat man con schere,* So schon fat schene ■* anunder schore.' On lenghe * I loked to hyr fere, S f>e lenger I knew hyr more and more. The more I f rayste ' hyr f ayre face, Her fygure fyn, quen I had fonte,^" Suche gladande ^^ glory con to me glace ^^ As lyttel byfore ferto watz wonte. lo To calle h)rr lyste '^^ con me enchace,^* Bot baysment ^ gef myn hert a brunt ^^ ; I sej hyr in so strange a place. Such a burre " myjt make myn herte blunt.^' JJenne verez'' ho up her fayre frount,^" 15 Hyr vysayge whyt as playn yvore, ]7at stonge myn hert f ul stray ^' atount,^^ And ever fe lenger, fe more and more. More fen me lyste my drede aros ; I stod ful stylle and dorste not calle, 20 Wyth ygen open and mouth ful clos ; I stod as hende ^ as hawk in halle. I hope ^* fat gostly ^ watz fat porpose ^' ; I dred onende " quat schulde byf alle — Lest ho me eschaped fat I fer chos,^^ 25 Er I at Steven ^ hir mojt stalle.^" 1 gleaming ii causing me to rejoice 21 out of the right course 2 tunic (OF. iliau^ 12 glide 22 confounded a erstwhile is the desire 23 quiet * glittering 14 pursue 24 suppose 5 cut 15 confusion 25 spectral 6 fair one i^ blow 26 intent, thing intended 7 at the foot of the bank 1" shock 27 concerning 8 at a distance 18 stunned 28 discerned 9 scanned 19 lifts 29 with my voice 11 perceived it 20 brow so stop 448 LYRICS IS \ pat gracios gay ^ wythouten galle, So smof e, so smal, so seme " slygt,' Rysez up in hir araye ryalle, A prec[i]os pyece * in perlez pyjt.^ Perlez pyjte of ryal prys ° J^ere most mon by grace haf sene, Quen fat f rech ' as flor-de-lys Doun f e bonke con boje ^ bydene.' Al blysnande whyt watz hir bleaunt of biys,^° Upon ^^ at sydez, and bounden bene ^^ Wyth fe myiyeste margarys/' at my devyse/* J>at ever I se^ jet with myn yjen ; Wyth lappez ^^ large, I wot and I wene, Dubbed with double perle and dygte,''^ Her cortel " of self sute ^* schene, Wyth precios perlez al umbepyjte." A pygt '" coroune ^^ jet ^^ wer ^^ fat gyrle, Of marjorys ^' and non ofer ston, Hije pynakled of cler quyt perle, Wyth flurted ^ flowrez perfet ^ upon. To hed "^ hade ho non oper herle ^'' ; Her here-leke ^' al hyr urabegon.^' Her semblaunt '" sade for doc ofer erle,'' Her ble "^ more blagt ^' fen whallez bon '* ; 1 radiant one 2 modest 8 slight « creature, thing 5 arrayed 6 excellence 7 sweet one 8 did betake herself 9 forthwith 1' fine linen; MS.hirbeauniys(?) (em. Osgood) 11 open 12 pleasingly 18 pearls 14 in my opinion 15 loose folds 16 adorned "■ kirtle 18 of the very same fashion 19 bordered 20 set with jewels 21 crown 22 besides 28 wore 24 figured 25 perfectly wrought 26 on her head 2f fillet ; MS. werle 28 locks of hair (?) ; MS. lere leke 29 encircled 80 countenance 81 demure enough to suit duke or earl 82 complexion 88 white (bleached) 84 Ivory is called whale's bone in ME. THE PEARL As schome golde schyr ^ her fax ^ fenne schon, On schylderez' fat leghe* unlapped* lyste." Her depe colour get wonted ' non Of precios perle in porfyl * pyjte. Pygt and poyned ' watz uche a hemme, At honde, at sydez, at overture/" Wyth whyte perle and non of er gemme, And bomyste quyte watz hyr vesture. Bot a wonder perle wythouten wemme '^ In myddez hyr breste watz sette so sure. A mannez dom ^^ mo^t dryjly ^^ demme ^* Er mynde mo5t malte in hit mesure ^ ; I hope no tong mogt endure ^^ No saverly " saghe ^' say of fat syjt, So watz hit dene and cler and pure, J»at precios perle f er hit watz pyjt. Pyjt in perle, fat precios py[ec]e On wyf er half ^" water com doun f e schore ; No gladder gome ^ hef en ^^ into Grece JJen I quen ho on brymme wore ^^ ; Ho watz me nerre ^ fen aunte or nece ; My joy forfy watz much fe more. Ho p[ro]fered me speche, fat special spece,^ Enclynande lowe in wommon lore,^ Cajte of ^ her coroun of grete tresore, And haylsed ^ me wyth a lote lyjte.^* 449 15 25 1 bright 11 blemish 21 hence 2 hair 12 judgment 22 was on the brink 3 shoulders 13 seriously 23 closer {perhaps dearer) 4 lay w be baffled 24 rare being ; MS. spyce 5 unbound 16 enter into its measure of 25 according to women's eti- 6 lightly excellence quette r lacked 16 be equal to the task 26 caught off » embroidered border W sweet 27 greeted 9 pierced (with open-work 18 recitel 28 manner blithe design) 19 on the opposite side of 10 opening 20 man 450 LYRICS Wei watz me fat ever I watz bore, To sware ^ fat swete in perlez pyjte 1 ' O perle,' quod I, ' in perlez pyjt, Art fou my perle fat I haf playned,^ Regretted " by myn one,^ on nyjte ? Much longeyng haf I for fe layned,^ Syfen into gresse ^ fou me aglyjte ' ; Pensyf, payred,' I am forpayned,' And f ou in a lyf of lykyng ^° lyjte," In paradys erde/^ of stryf unstrayned.''^ What wyrde ^* hatz hyder my juel ^^ wayned/' And don me in del ^' and gret daunger ? Fro ^' we in twynne ^' wern towen ^° and twayned,'''^ I haf ben a joylez juelere.' 15 25 That juel fenne in gemmez gente ^' Vered ^' up her vyse ^* wyth y5en graye, Set on hyr coroun of perle orient, And soberly after f enne ^ con ho say : ' Sir, 56 haf your tale mysetente,^^ To say your perle is al awaye, JJat is in cofer so comly clente,^' As in fis gardyn gracios ^ gaye, Hereinne to lenge ^' for ever and play, JJer mys nee mornyng '" com never nere '^ ; Her were a forser ^^ for fe, in faye,'* If fou were a gentyl jueler. 1 answer 2 lamented 8 grieved for * by myself 5 kept silent about 6 the sod (grass) 7 slipped away 8 worn 9 overcome with pain 10 pleasure u arrived 12 the country of paradise 18 unmolested M fate 15 jewel 16 brought ; MS. vayned !'■ sorrow ; MS. Jjys del 18 since 19 in twain 20 drawn 21 torn apart 22 precious 28 turned 24 face 25 Straightway 26 heeded ill 2^ enclosed so beautifully 28 delightful 29 tarry 80 where sin nor mourning 81 MS. here 82 treasure-chest 88 indeed THE PEARL ' Bot, jueler gente, if fou schal lose py joy for a gemme fat ]>e watz lef,^ Me fynk fe put in a mad porpose," And busyez fe ' aboute a raysoun bref * ; For fat fou lestez ° watz bot a rose f>at fiowred and f ayled ° as kynde hyt gef '' ; Now, furj kynde of f e kyste ' fat hyt con close,' To a perle of prys hit is put in pref.'^" And fou hatz called fy wyrde a fef,^' JJat op. of no5t ^' hatz mad f e cler,'° JJou blamez ^* f e bote ^° of f y meschef '" ; f>ou art no kynde " jueler.' A juel to me fen watz fys geste,^' And juelez wern hyr gentyl sawez." ' Iwyse,' quod I, " my blysfol beste,^" My grete dystresse fou al todrawez.^^ To be excused I make requeste ; I trawed ^^ my perle don out of dawez ''' ; Now haf I fonde hyt, I schal ma feste,^* And wony ^ wyth hyt in schyr ^° wod-schawez,^' And love my Lorde and al his lawez, pat hatz me bro5[t] fys blys ner ; Now were I at.^^ yow byjonde fise wawez,^ I were a joyfol jueler.' 'Jueler,' sayde fat gemme clene,"" ' Wy borde "^ je men, so madde je be ? 451 IS 25 idear 12 something from nothing 23 perished 2 given over to mad intent 18 manifestly 24 make merry « thou troublest thyself w dost reproach 25 dwell 4 matter of short duration 15 remedy 26 bright 5 lost 16 injury 2^ groves 6 withered 1^ grateful 28 beside ' nature permitted it 18 guest 29 waves 8 chest 19 words 80 pure y enclose 20 best one 81 jest 10 it is proved to be 21 puttest an end to 11 thief 22 believed 452 LYRICS pre wordez hatz fou spoken at ene ^ ; Unavysed,^ forsofe, wern alle fre ; }>ou ne woste " in worlde ' quat on dotz mene,' ]7y worde byfore ]>y wytte con fle. JJou says pou trawez me in fis dene,° Bycawse pou may wyth yjen me se ; Anoper |)ou says, in pys countre fyself schal won wyth me ry^t here ; pe frydde, to passe pys water fre — ' f>at may no joyfol jueler. . . .' ' In blysse I se ]>e blypely blent,' And I a man al momyf * mate " ; ^e take peron ful lyttel tente,'" JJaj I hente ^^ ofte harmez hate." IS Bot now I am here in your presente," I wolde bysech wythouten debate ^e wolde me say in sobre asente " What lyf je lede erly and late ; For I am ful f ayn ^^ pat your astate ^' 20 Is worpen ^' to worschyp and wele, iwysse ; Of alle my joy pe hyje gate," Hit is in grounde " of alle my blysse.' ' Now blysse, burne,™ mot pe bytyde,' JJen sayde pat lufsoum of lyth and lere ^' ; 25 'And welcum here to walk and byde. For now py speche is to me dere ; Maysterful mod ^'^ and hyje pryde, I hete °' pe, am heterly ^ hated here. 1 one time 9 dejected 18 road 2 ill considered 10 heed 19 at the basis 8 knowest not 11 experience 20 sir 4 at all 12 burning 21 that one, lovely of limb 6 a single one means (Hi, 18 presence and face does mean) " compliance 22 temper valley 15 glad 28 assure 7 joyously mingled 16 condition 24 bitterly 8 mournful W is turned GODRIC'S HYMNS 453 My Lorde ne lovez not for to chyde, For meke am alle fat wonez hym nere ; And when in hys place fou schal apere, Be dep devote ^ in hoi '^ mekenesse ; My Lorde pe Lamb lovez ay such chere " — 5 pat is fe grounde of alle my blysse. ' A blysful lyf pou says I lede ; JJou woldez knaw perof pe stage.* J»ow wost wel when fy perle con schede ^ I watz ful jong and tender of age ; lo Bot my Lorde pe Lombe, purj hys Godhede, He toke myself to hys maryage, Corounde me quene in blysse to brede ° In lenghe of dayez pat ever schal wage ' ; And sesed in ' alle hys herytage 15 Hys lef ' is, I am holy hysse ; Hys prese,^" hys prys,^^ and hys parage,^' Is rote and grounde of alle my blysse.' GODRIC'S HYMNS It is not for beauty of phrasing or loveliness of movement that these verses are remarkable. They are here printed because they are early (Godric died in 1170) ; because their author was illiterate ; and because he had such a sin- gular career. He was successively peddler, pirate, and palmer, before, at the age of forty or over, he turned to the hermit's life. He is described as broad- shouldered, with well-set, sinewy frame, and flowing beard ; and his hair in earlier life was black. Of him, as of Chaucer's shipman, it might be said : With many a tempest hadde his herd been shake. During his wandering life, he was for several years the master of a vessel ply- ing between England, Scotland, Denmark, and Flanders ; journeyed twice to Jerusalem, and on May 29, 1102, carried Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem, to Jaffa in his ship ; and visited Rome, St. Giles in Provence, and Compostella. The i deeply devout 6 did fall 9 precious one ■i all 6 dwell 1" worth 8 demeanor ' endure '"■ excellence ^ degree of advancement 8 put in possession of ^2 noble lineage 454 LYRICS last sixty years of his life he spent at Finchale, near Durham. He knew a little French, and could read at least the Psalter in Latin. He ' had unique influence over animals. His heifer, the hare that was nibbling at his garden herbs, the frozen birds, the stag pursued by huntsmen, all found a friend in him ' (Diet. Nat. Biog.). In extreme old age he became clairvoyant, and "would interrupt his conversation to utter prayers for the storm-tossed vessels of his dreams.' See Kingsley, Hei-mits ; Alban Butler's and Baring-Gould's Lives of the Saints ; and especially the Diet. Nat. Biog. The music of all three hymns, found in MS. Brit. Mus. Royal S. F. 7, is reproduced as the frontispiece of Saintsbury's History of English Prosody, with a somewhat imperfect text. HYMN TO THE VIRGIN This hymn was taught, as he believed, to Godric, by the Virgin Mary herself. The text is from Zupitza's edition (Eng. Stud. 11.423). The music to which it was sung is printed in Stevenson's edition of Reginald's life of the saint (Surtees Soc, Vol. 20), p. 288. Sainte Marie, Virgine, Moder Jesu Cristes Nazarene, Onfo,^ scild,^ help |)in ' Godric, Onfang/ bring hehlic * wiS pe in Godes ric.° Sainte Marie, Cristes bur,° Maidenes clenhad,' moderes flur,* Dilie " mine sinne, rixe '" in min mod, Bring me to winne " wi6 self God. HYMN OF BURGWINE, GODRIC'S SISTER Godric's sister had led a hermit's life in a cell near him at Finchale. After her death he was concerned about the state of her soul. One night he had a vision of the Virgin Mary followed by two men in white garments, and between them the spirit of his sister. They floated down upon the altar of his oratory, and his sister, standing upon the altar, sang the following lines (Zupitza, p. 429). 1 receive ^ kingdom 8 flower 2 protect ° bower ; chamber (alluding to Ps. 19. 5, under- » blot out 8 thy stood of Christ as the bridegroom) 10 reign 1 gloriously ' purity H bliss I SIGH WHEN I SING 455 The ' scamel,' or footstool, here refers to the altar, with allusion to i Chron. 28. 3 ; Ps. 99. 5 ; 132. 7 ; Isa. 60. 13 ; for the footstool may be identified with the mercy-seat of the old dispensation (Exod. 25. 16-22), and hence with the altar in the Christian church. Crist and Seinte Marie swa '■ on scamel me iledde ^ 'pat Ic on f is erSe ne silde " wiS mine bare fote itredie.* HYMN TO ST. NICHOLAS St. Nicholas is reported by his biographer, Reginald (ed. Stevenson, p. 202), to have once visited Godric in a dream at Eastertide, in company with angels descending to Christ's sepulchre, to have sung with them, and to have urged Godric to sing also, which he did. Our hymn, however, has no direct allusion to this occurrence. The third line should, according to Zupitza (p. 430), be brought into direct relation with the end of the first (" God's darling at thy birth, at thy bier ') — which indicates that Godric's literary technique left something to be desired. Sainte Nicholaes, Godes drut5, Tymbre ° us f aire scone ° hus — At pi burth, at f i bare — S Sainte Nicholses, bring us wel fare.' I SIGH WHEN I SING About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 210-2 I syke ° when Y singe, For sorewe paf Y se, When Y wip wypinge " Biholde upon pe tre, 10 Ant se Jesu, pe suete, Is" hert;e-blod foriete" For pe love of me. Ys '^'' woundes waxen wete ; JJei wepen stiUe and mete " ; 15 Marie rewep pe. 1 so ^ build 9 weeping 2 led « beautiful l» his 3 should ^ there 11 lose 4 tread 8 sigh 12 gently 456 LYRICS Heje upon a doune,* ]>er al folk hit se may, A mile from fe ^ toune, Aboute pe midday, 5 ' pe rode is up arered ; His frendes aren afered, Ant clyngej) " so ^ fe clay. J»e rode stont ^ in stone ; Marie stont hire one,° 10 Ant seijj ' Weylaway I ' When Y fe biholde Wif ey5en bryhte bo,' Ant J)i bodi colde, f>i ble * waxef bio ' ; 1 5 J»ou hengest al of blode So he5e upon fe rode, Bitiiene feves tuo. Who may syke more ? Marie wepep sore, 2o Ant sip " al pis wo. pii naylles bep to stronge, ' pe smypes are to sleye '^ ; J>ou bledest al to longe, ]>e tre is al to heyje. 25 JJe stones beop al wete, Alas, Jesu, pe suete I For nou frend hast pou non Bote Seint Johan moumynde. Ant Marie wepynde 30 For pyne pat pe ys on. Ihill 5 Stands ; MS. stond 9 livid 2 MS. uch (em. B.) 6 by herself 1» MS. siht (em. B.) 8 shrink up 7 both 11 skilful 4 like 8 color A SONG TO THE VIRGIN 457 Ofte when Y sike And makie my mon, Wei ille pah me like ^ Wonder is hit non ; When Y se honge heje, 5 Ant bittre pynes dreje," Jesu, my lemmon.' His wondes sore smerte ; pe spere al to [h]is herte Ant fourh [h]is syde [i]s * gon. 10 Ofte when Y syke, Wif care Y am pourhsoht ^ ; When Y wake, Y wyke,° Of serewe is al mi foht. Alas ! men be]? wode ' 1 5 J>at sueref by f e rode, And sellef him for noht f>at bohte us out of synne. He bring ' us to wynne " fat haf us duere ■"' boht ! 20 A SONG TO THE VIEGIN Thirteenth century. From MS. Brit. Mus. Egerton 613, printed by Morris, Old English Miscellany (E.E.T.S. 49), pp. 194-5. Of on pat is so fayr and brijt Velut " maris stella, Brigter pan pe dayis lijt. Parens et puella. Ic crie to pe ; pou se ^^ to me ; 25 Levedy, preye pi Sone for me, Tam pia, 1 if I like it full ill 2 suffer 3 darling ^ MS. sydes 5 pierced "bliss 6 grow weak 10 dearly ' demented 11 MS. velud 8 subj. 12 look 4S8 LYRICS JJat Ic mote ^ come to fe, Maria. Of kare '^ conseil ^ fou ert best, Felix, fecundata ; S Of alle wery * f ou ert rest, Mater honorata. Bisek him wip ^ milde mod JJat for ous alle s[h]ad [h]is blod In cruce, to J>at we moten komen til him In luce. Al ))is world was forlore, Eva peccatrice, Tyl our Lord was ybore 1 5 De te genitrice ; With Ave " it went away — JJuster ' nyht — and comet[h] fe day Salutis ; JJe welle springeth ut of fe 20 Virtutis. * Levedi, flour ' of alle }'ing,° Rosa sine spina, JJu here ^° Jesu, hevene King, Gratia divina ; , 25 Of alle \\x berst pe pris," Levedi, quene of Parays Electa, Mayde milde, moder es Effecta. 1 may 6 MS. wiz 9 things 2 anxiety 6 hail (anagram of Eva) M barest B counsel 7 dark 11 prize 4 who are weary 8 flower STAND WELL, MOTHER, UNDER ROOD 4S9 Wei he wot ' he is ]>i Sone, Ventre quem portasti ; He wyl nout weme ^ fe fi bone,^ Parvum quem lactasti ; So hende ' and so god he is,^ He havet[h] brou[h]t ous to blis Superni fat havez hidut " f e f oule put ' Inferni. STAND WELL, MOTHER, UNDER ROOD About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 206-8 ' Stond wel, moder, under rode, Byhold ^ fy Sone wi)j glade mode ; Blyfe, moder, myht ' ]jou be ! ' ' Sone, hou shulde Y blyfe stonde ? Y se fin fet, Y se fin honde. Nay led to fe harde tre.' 15 ' Moder, do wey '" fy wepinge ; Y J?ole ^^ def for monkynde. For my gult fole Y non.' ' Sone, Y fele f e dede-stounde ^^ ; f>e suert is at myn herte grounde ^' JJat me byhet" Symeon.' ' Moder, merci, let me deye. For Adam out of helle [to] beye, Ant his kun, fat is fcrlore.' 1 knows 2 deny 8 prayer, boon ^ gracious 5 MS. his 6 covered 7 pit 8 MS. -holt 9 mayst 10 away 11 suffer 12 death-pang 13 core " foretold 460 LYRICS 15 ' Sone, what shal me to rede ' ? My peyne pynef me to dede ^ ; Lat me deje pe byfore.' ' Moder, fiou rewe al of fi Bern ' ; JJou wosshe awai pe blody tern,^ Hit doj7* me worse pen my ded.' ' Sone, hou may Y teres werne ° ? Y se pe blody stremes erne ' From pin herte to my fet.' ' Moder, nou Y may pe^ seye, Betere is pat Ich one ^ deye f'en' al monkunde to helle go.' ' Sone, Y se pi bodi bysw[o]ngen,^'' Fet and honde pourhout stongen " ; No wonder pah ^^ me be wo.' ' Moder, nou Y shal pe telle, ^ef Y ne dege, pou gost to helle ; Y pole ded for pine sake.' ' Sone, pou art so meke and mynde," Ne wyt " me naht — hit is my kynde ^^ — JJat Y for pe pis sorewe make.' ' Moder, nou pou miht wel leren " Whet sorewe havep ^^ pat children beren, Whet sorewe -hit is wip childe gon.' ' Sorewe ? ywis,^^ Y con pe telle ! Bote ^° hit be pe pyne '"' of helle, More serewe wot Y non.' 1 as advice 2 death 3 son 4 tears 6 affects 6 forbid 7 run » alone 9 than W em. B. 11 pierced 12 if 18 considerate 1^ blame 15 nature 16 canst easily explain 17 they have 16 indeed 19 unless 20 pain STAND WELL, MOTHER, UNDER ROOD 461 " Moder, rew of moder-kare. For nou f ou wost of moder-fare,' JJah ^ fou be dene mayden on.' ' ' Sone, help at alle nede Alle fo pat to nae grede,* S Maiden, wif, ant fol^ wymmon.' ' Moder, may Y no lengore duelle," J>e time is come, Y shal ' to helle ; f>e fridde day Y ryse upon.' ' Sone, Y wil wi|? fe [be] founden ; 10 Y deye, y wis, for Yme wounden — So soreweful ded nes never non.' When he ros, \>o ' fel hire sorewe. Hire blisse sprong pe f ridde morewe ; Blyfe, moder, were fou po ! 15 Levedy, for pat ilke blisse, Bysech pi Sone of sunnes lisse ' ; f>ou be oure sheld ajeyn ■"" oure fo. Blessed be pou, ful of blysse ! Let us never hevene misse, 20 JJourh pi ^^ suete Sones myht. Loverd, for pat ilke '^^ blod JJat pou sheddest on pe rod, JJou bryng us into hevene-lyht. 1 mother-doings 5 foolish, loose 2 though ; MS. Jsou 6 stay s one, a; MS. mon 7 must * cry 8 then 9 sin's remission 1^ against 11 MS. sourh )>ich (em. B.) 12 same 462 LYRICS AS I RODE About 1310. From Boddeker, pp. 218-9 Ase Y me rod, fis ender ■* day, By grene wode to seche play. Mid herte Y fohte al on a may,' Suetest of alle finge ; Lyfe,' and Ich ou telle may Al of fat suete finge. f>is maiden is suete ant fre of blod,* Briht and feyr, of milde mod ; i Alle heo mai don us god I ]7urh hire bysedi)aige ; Of hire he tok fleysh and blod, Jesu Crist, hevene Kynge. IS Wif al mi lif Y love fat may ; He is mi solas nyht and day. My joie, and eke my beste play;* Ant eke my love-longynge ; Al fe betere me is fat day J>at Ich of hire synge. Of alle finge Y love hir mest,° My dayes blis, my nyhtes rest, Heo counseilef and helpef best Bofe elde and jynge ' ; Nou Y may, jef Y wole, ]7e fif joyes mynge.' y>e f urst joie of pat wymman ' — When Gabriel from hevene cam, 4 descent, parentage 5 delight 6 most ' old and young 8 mention 9 MS. wyn- AS I RODE 463 ^ mankind ^ second 3 on ^ manger 6 light Ant seide God shulde bicome man, Ant of hire be bore, And bringe up of helle pyn Monkyn '■ fat was forlore. Wes o " Cristesmasse day, n^^ \f^J-' }»at ofer ^ joie of f at may o' u^7r^h^ Ant brohte us lyhtnesse ^ ; J>estri " wes seie ' byfore day, JJis hirdes * beref wytnesse. JJefridde joieof fatlevedy— . ■ T -,.-VK2^ ]7at men clepe)) pe Epyphany, (/„^<^<»-^''tr'^ ^^ When fe kynges come, weiy, To presente hyre Sone W\\ myrre, gold, and encenz, f'at' wes Men bicome. ' IS JJe furfe joie we telle mawen — On Estermorewe, w[h]en " hit gon dawen," „ I^Lm^A Hyre sone, fat wes slawen. Arcs in fieysh and bon ; More joie ne mai me haven Wyf ne mayden non. (T.'- J'e fifte joie of fat wymman — When hire body to hevene cam, f>e soule to fe body nam,^^ Ase hit wes woned to bene.'' Crist, leve " us alle wip fat wymman JJat joie al for te sene. 6 darkness ' seen H shepiierds 9 who 1» em. B. P^y^-^- 'tAy>-' 25 11 dawn J^ joined 13 be 14 grant 464 LYRICS Preye we alle to oure levedy, Ant to ])e sontes ' ])at wone|) ^ hire by, pcLt heo ' of us haven merci, Ant J)at we ne misse 5 In pis world to ben holy, Ant Wynne hevene blysse. WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN OF MARY FREE About 1456. From MS. Brit. Mus. llarl. 5396, printed by Wright, Specimen.! oj Old Christmas Carols (Percy Soc. 4), p. 32. Christo paremus canticam, \In\ excelsis gloria. When Cryst was born of Mary fre,* 10 In Bedlem in that fayre cyte, Angellis song ther with myrth and gle : In excelsis gloria. Herdmen " beheld thes angellis bryjt, To hem apperyd wyth gret lyjt, I s And seyd : ' Goddys Sone is born this nyjt ; In excelsis gloria.' Thys king ° ys comyn to save [manjkynde. In the Scriptur ' as we fynde ; Therfore this song have we in mynde : 20 In excelsis gloria. Then, Lord, for thy gret[e] grace, Graunt us the blys to se thy face. Where we may syng to thy solas : In excelsis gloria. 1 saints s shepherds 7 M.S. as yn Scripturas (em. 2 dwell 6 MS. keng (em. Chambers C. and S.) «they and Sidgwick, Early Eng- < noble lish Lyrics) AT CHRISTMAS, MAID MARY 46$ AT CHRISTMAS, MAID MARY About 1425. Sections 6 and 7 (lines 59-84) of Festivals of the Ckurck,iTom MS. Brit. Mus. Royal r8 A. 10, printed by Morris, Legends of the Holy Rood (E.E.T.S. 46), pp. 212-3. At Cristemasse, mayde Mary, J^orowe heipe of pe Holy Goostis heste,^ }>i Brid ^ was born, and lay pe by, Aboute bope bynne ' and beeste. J>e aungels maden melody 5 For joye of Cristis feeste ; A clere note pei sang in pe sky Whan Kyngis Sone bare fleisshly creste.* Scheperdes, meest and leest, " Joye to God full of love ! ' 10 Herden pei aungels synge above, ' Pes to man ! JJe devyll is drove ^ Fro Goddis trone in pe eest.' f>an mygt pe mylde may ° synge, Ysaye, pe woord of pee : 15 ' f>ou seydest ' a jerd schulde sprynge Oute of pe rote of jentill Jesse, And schulde floure with florisschyng, With primeroses greet plente ; Into pe croppe * schulde come a Kyng 20 JJat is a Lord of power and pyte — My swete Sone I see I I am pe gerde,^ pou art pe Flour ! My Brid ^'' is borne by " beest in boure ; My Primerose, my Paramour,^^ 25 With love I luUe pee.' 1 bidding 5 driven 8 shoot 2 son {lit. bird) 6 maiden 1» child {lit. bird) 8 manger 7 isa. ii, i linear ^ crest, insignia 8 topmost branch 12 sweetheart 466 LYRICS I SING OF A MAIDEN About 1450. From MS. Brit. Mus. Sloane 2593, as printed by Fehr in Herrig's Archiv 109. 50. I syng of a mayden J'at is makeles ^ ; Kyng of alle kynges To here Sone [sjche ''■ ches.° 5 He cam also * stylle JJere ^ his moder was As dew ^ in Aprylle J>at fallyt on fe gras ; He cam also stylle lo To his moderes bowr As dew in Aprille ]7at fallyt on fe flour ; He cam also stylle ]7ere his moder lay 15 As dew in Aprille J>at fallyt on fe spray ; Moder and maydyn Was never non but [s]che ^ ; Wd may swych a lady 20 Godes moder be. LULLAY, MY CHILD About 1460-1490. From MS. Bodl. Eng. Poet. e. i, printed by Wright in Songs and Carols (Percy Soc. 73), p. ig. Lullay, my Child, and wepe no more ; Slepe, and be now styll ; The King of blys thy Fader ys, As it was hys wyll. 1 matchless * chose where 2 MS. che (em. Chambers and Sidgwick) < as Cf. Ps. 72. 6 LULLAY, MY CHILD This endrys ' nyjt I saw a syjt ^ — A mayd a cradyll kepe — And ever she song, and seyd among : " Lullay, my child, and slepe.' ' I may not slepe, but I may wepe, I am so wo begone ; Slap I [w]old, butt I am colde, And clothys have I none.' Me thoujt I hard ^ the Chyld answard, And to hys moder he sayd : ' My moder der, what do I her, In cribbe why am I layd ? I was borne, and layd befome Bestys, both ox and asse ; My moder mild, I am thy Child, But he my Fader was. Adam's gylt this man had spylt * ; That sin grevet[h] me sore. Man, for the her shall I be Thyrty wynter and mor. Dole ^ is to se, her shall I be Hang[ed] upon the rode ; With baleis " tobete,' my woundes towete,* And geffe my fleshe to bote.^ Here shall I be hanged on a tre. And dye, as it is sky 11 ^'' ; That I have bougt leese " wyll I noujt ; It is my Faders will. 467 IS 25 1 other 2 MS. syjth 8 heard * ruined 6 MS. dole it 9 atonement 8 scourge 10 proper, right '' smitten 11 lose ; MS. lesse 8 dripping 468 LYRICS A spere so scharp shall perse my herte For dedys that I have done ; Fader of grace, wher ^ thou hase Forgetyn thy lytyll Sonne ? 5 Withouten pety ^ her shall aby,' And mak my fleshe all bio.* Adam, iwys, this deth it ys For the and many mo.' THE SHEPHERD UPON A HILL HE SAT About 1500 (or earlier). From MS. Oxford Balliol 354, as printed by Fliigel in Angl. 26. 243-5 (cf. Neueng, Lesebuch, pp. 117-9), with ^ for MS. y. See 554 24 ff. Can I not syng but ' Hoy ! ' 10 Whan the joly shepard made so mych joy. The shepard upon a hill he satt ; He had on hym his tabard * and his hat, Hys tarbox, his pype, and hys flagat ^ ; Hys name was called Joly, Joly Wat, 1 5 For he was a gud herdesboy. Ut hoy ! For in hys pype he made so mych joy. The shepard upon a hill was layd ; Hys doge to hys gyrdyll was tayd.' 20 He had not slept but a lytill brayd ' But ° Gloria in excelsis was to hym sayd. Ut hoy 1 For in his pipe he mad so myche joy. 8 while ; MS. broyd (em. F.) ® when 1 whether 6 loose upper garment with- 2 pity out sleeves s expiate 6 flask, bottle 4 livid <■ tied THE SHEPHERD UPON A HILL HE SAT 469 The shepard [up]on a hill he stode ; Rownd abowt hym his shepe they yode.^ He put hys hond under hys hode,^ He saw a star as rede as blod. Ut hoy ! S For in his pipe he mad so myche joy. ' Now farwell, Mall, and also Will, For my love go ye all styll Unto ' I cum agayn you till * ; And evermore, [W]ill,° ryng well thy bell. 10 Ut hoy ! ' For in his pipe he mad so mych joy. ' Now must I go f er " Cryst was borne ; Farewell, I cum agayn to-morn ' ; Dog, kepe well my shep fro fe com, 15 And warn well warroke ' when I blow my horn. Ut hoy ! ' For in hys pipe he made so mych joy. Whan Wat to Bedlem cum [en] was, He swet — he had gon faster than a pace ' ; 20 He fownd Jesu in a sympyll place, Betwen an ox and an asse. Ut hoy ! For in his pipe he mad so mych joy. The shepard sayd anon ryght : 25 " I will go se yon farly ^° syght, Wheras fe angell syngith on hight,^^ And the star fat shynyth so bryght. Ut hoy ! ' For in [his] ^^ pipe he made so mych joy. 30 1 went 5 em. F. 9 walk 2 hood (to lift it up) 6 where lo wondrous 8 until ' to-morrow n high < to 8 (?) u em. F. 470 LYRICS ' Jesu, I offer to the here my pype, My skyrte,' my tarbox, and my scrype ^ ; Home to my felowes now will I skype, And also loke unto my shepe. 5 Ut hoy ! ' For ^ in his pipe he mad so myche joy. ' Now farewell, myne owne herdesman, Wat ! ' ' Ye, for God, lady, even so I hat * ; Lull well Jesu in thy lape, 10 And farewell, Joseph, wyth thy rownd cape. Ut hoy I ' For in hys pipe he mad so myche joy. Now may I well both hope * and syng, For " I have bene a[t] Crystes beryng ^ ; 15 Home to my felowes now wyll I flyng.' Cryst of hevyn to his blis us bryng ! Uthoyl' For in his pipe he mad so myche joy. JUDAS About 1300 {A/ew Eng. Diet. s.v. plate). From MS. Camb. Trin. Coll. B. 14-39 (photograph in my possession); cf. Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 23. The manuscript has y iorJ> and -st{e) for St{e) ; it is otherwise carelessly written {wid for wij>, wou for hou (?)), etc., but I have made very few emendations, though one is tempted to change aros to aras, for instance. Mirk (about 1400?) says (Festial, E.E.T.S., Ex. Ser. 96, p. 79) : 'Judas had befor slayne his owne fadyr, and bylayn hys owne modyr.' Hit wes upon a Scere JJorsday fat ure Loverd aros ; 20 Ful milde were pe wordes he spec to Judas : 1 (?) ; MS. scrype (em. Fliigel) * am called 6 birth 2 scrip; MS. skyrte (em. Fliigel) Shop 7 rush 8 MS. ffor 19. Scere jjorsday : Maundy Thursday ; Mirk explains (Festial, p. 125) : ' In old fadyrs dayes, men wold ))at day make scher hom honest, and dodde hor heddys, and clyp hor berdys, and so make hom onest aseynes Astyr-day. For, on the morow, bay wold do hor body non ese, but suffyr penance yn mynd of hym bat suffred so hard for hom ' ; cf. p. 169. JUDAS 471 ' Judas, fou most to Jurselem, oure mete for to bugge ^ ; J^ritti platen ^ of selver fou here upo f i rugge.' J>ou comest far i ^ ]>e brode stret, f er i pe brode strata ; Summa of fine tunesmen far fou meigt imata.^ ' Imetta wid is soster,^ f e swikele ' wimon. 5 ' Judas, f ou were wrfe ' ma ' stenda ^° fa wid ston, [Judas, fou were wrfe ma stenda fe wid ston,] For fe false prophata fat tou bilavast upon.' ' Be stille, leve soster, fin harta fa tobrake ^^ I Wista ^^ min Loverd,'* Crist, ful wal ha wolde be wrake." ' 10 ' Judas, go f ou on f e roc, heie upon fa ston ; Lai fin heved i my barm,^* slap fou fa anon.' Sone so ■'* Judas of slepe was awake, JJritti platen of salvar from hym weran itake. He drou " hymselve bi f e cop,^' fat al [h]it lavede " a ^ blode ; 1 5 JJe Jewes out of Jurselem awanden ^^ he were wode. Foret ^^ hym com fa richa Jeu fat heijte ^ Pilatus. ' Wolte suUa^* fi Loverd, fat hette^ Jesus ? ' " I mil ^° sulle my Loverd for nones cunnas aiste,^' Bote hit be for f e f ritti platan fat he me bitai^te.''* ' 20 ibuy 10 stoned 20 in 2 Wyclif has " plates," Matt. 11 break, subj. 21 thought 26.15, etc. 12 if . . . knew (it) 22 forth aback 18 lord 28 was called Mn 14 avenged 24 wilt thou sell s meet IE lap 25 is called 8 sister 16 as soon as 26 will not 7 treacherous 17 drew 27 no kind of property 8 deserving 18 head 28 entrusted 9 (that) one 19 was bathed 472 LYRICS " Wolte suUe fi Lord, Crist, for enes cunnes golde ? ' ' Nay, bote hit be for pe platen fat he habben wolde.' In him ^ com ur Lord gon, as [h]is postles seten at mete. ' Wou ■■' sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete ? S [Wou sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete ?] Ic am iboujt ant Isold to-day for oure" mete.' Up stod him Judas : " Lord, am I fat ? I nas never o ]>e stude * fer me ° pe evel spec." ' Up him stod Peter, ant spec wid al is mijte : lo " ]7au ' Pilatus him come wid ten hundred cnijtes, [JJau Pilatus him com wid ten hundred cnijtes,] Yet Ic wolde, Loverd, for pi love fijte.' ' Still pou be, Peter ! wel I pe icnowe ' ; J>ou wolt fursake me prien' ar pe coc him crowe.' ST. STEPHEN AND HEROD About 1450. From MS. Brit. Mus. Sloane 2593, as printed by Child, Ballads, No. 22. 15 Seynt Stevene was a clerk in Kyng Herowdes halle. And servyd him of bred and clop,^" as every kyng befalle. Stevyn out of kechone cam, wyth boris hed on honde ; He saw a sterre was fayr and biyjt over Bedlem stonde. irefl. 5 any one 9 thrice 2 how (is it that) ; or read wi ? 6 spake 10 tablecloth 8 your '' though 4 place 8 know 7. )>at : Matzner (Altengl. Sfrachproben i. 114) suggests wreck after this word ; but would the c of spec be palatal ? ST. STEPHEN AND HEROD 473 He kyst ^ adoun f e boris hed, and went into ]>e halle. ' I forsak fe, Kyng Herowdes, and J)i werkes alle. ' I forsak fe, Kyng Herowdes, and fi werkes alle ; JJer is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter fan we alle.' " Quat eylyt ^ f e, Stevene ? quat ' is fe bef alle .'' 5 Lakkyt * ]>e eyfer mete or drynk in Kyng Herowdes halle ? ' ' Lakit me neyfer mete ne drynk in Kyng Herowdes halle ; JJer is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter fan we alle.' ' Quat eylyt fe, Stevyn ? art fu wod,* or ])u gynnyst to brede ^ ? Lakkyt fe eyfer gold or fe, or ony rychewede ' ? ' lo ' Lakyt me neyper gold ne fe, ne non ryche wede ; ' ' JJer is a chyld in Bedlem born xaP helpyn us at our nede.' yff'"'^ \ ^. j[' ' JJat is al so sof, Stevyn, al so so}), iwys, /~ ,( ' ; ' . ' ■ , \ As fis capoun crowe xal fat lyp here in myn dysh.' iiK , i^ ■ ' JJat word was not so sone seyd, fat word in fat halle, 15 JJe capoun crew Cristus natus est ! among fe lordes alle. ' Rysyt ° up, myn turmentowres, be to ^° and al[s] '^ be on. And ledyt Stevyn out of fis town, and stony t hym wyth ston ! ' Tokyn he ^"^ Stevene, and stonyd hym in the way, And f erfore is his evyn ^* on Crystes owyn day. 20 1 cast 6 be pregnant (?) 11 also 2 ails ^ garment 1^ they took » what * shall 18 eve, vigil 4 fails ® rise (imp.) 5 mad 1** by two 474 LYRICS CHAUCER, INVOCATION TO VENUS Troilus and Criseyde 3. 1-14, which is translated from Boccaccio's Filosirato 3. 585-600 : O luce etema, il cui lieto splendore Fa bello il terzo ciel, dal qual ne piove Placer, vaghezza, pietade ed amore ; Del sole arnica, e figliuola di Giove, Benigna donna d' ogni gentil core, Certa cagion del valor che mi muove A' sospir dolci della mia salute, Sempre lodata sia la tua virtute. II ciel, la terra, lo mare e 1' inferno Ciascuno in s^ la tua potenzia sente, O chiara luce ; e s' io il ver discerno, Le piante, i semi, e V erbe puramente, Gli uccei, le fiere, i pesci con eterno Vapor ti senton nel tempo piacente, E gli uomini e gli del, n& creatura Senza di te nel mondo vale dura.. For an extended comment, see my article, Herrig's Archiv 119 {1907). 40-54. O blisful light, of whiche the hemes clere Adometh al the thridde hevene ^ f aire ; O sonnes leef, O Joves doughter dere, Plesaunce of love, O goodly, debonaire,^ In gentil hertes ay redy to repaire ; O verray cause of hele " and of gladnesse, Yheried * be thy might and thy goodnesse ! In hevene and helle, in erthe and salte see Is felt thy might, if that I wel descerne ; I As man, brid, best, fish, herbe, and grene tree Thee fele in tymes with vapour ^ eteme. God loveth, and to love wol nought werne * ; And in this world no ly ves ' creature, Withouten love, is worth, or may endure. 1 that of Venus ^ praised, exalted 6 forbid 2 gracious 5 inspiration 7 living 8 well-being CHAUCER, INVOCATION TO THE TRINITY 475 CHAUCER, INVOCATION TO THE TRINITY Troilus and Criseyde 5. 1863-1869. The first three Unes are from Dante, Paradiso 14.28-30: Quell' uno e due e tre che sempre vive, E regna sempre in tre e due ed uno, Non circonscritto, e tutto circonscrive. Thou oon, and two, and three, eterne onlyve,^ That regnest ay in three and two and oon, Uncircumscript, and al mayst circumscryve, Us from visible and invisible foon Defende ; and to thy mercy, everychoon, So make us, Jesus, for thy grace digne,'' For love of mayde and moder thyn benigne ! 1 in life, living "^ worthy PLAYS THE CLERIC AND THE MAIDEN This fragmentary ' interlude,' belonging to the thirteenth century, is the first English comedy, and the only one extant from the Middle Ages. It was printed by Wright from a manuscript then in private hands, but now MS. Brit. Mus. Add. 23,986, written about 1300 by a French scribe. A more critical edition is by Heuser (Anglia 30. 306-19). According to the latter, the dialect indicates south Yorkshire or north Lincolnshire ; as there is mention in Dame Sirith (see above, p. 145) of Boston, in Lincolnshire, the two works belong to the same region, though the manuscript of Dame Sirith hails from Worcester. Heuser assumes that both works rest upon a lost interlude. He concludes : 1. Dame Sirith was originally written in rhyming couplets. 2. Dame Sirith has only 47 narrative lines (24 of these at the beginning) out of 450, and these occur almost exclusively when a new character enters ; everything indicates that it was an interlude before it was a fabliau. 3. Dame Sirith and our interlude are akin in subject, dramatic character, verse, dialect, and occasionally in phraseology ; hence both repose upon a thirteenth-century interlude. 4. Various changes of the original appear in Dame Sirith (narrative addi- tions, verse, dialect), so that our interlude does not spring from the fabliau. In the interlude the deceived woman is a girl, not, as in every other version, a wife ; hence the fabliau does not spring from the present interlude. It is likely that each author worked, not from a manuscript, but from his own recollection of the acted interlude. 5. The names throw no light upon a possible French origin. For (a) as the scribe was French (Heuser, p. 310), the saints, Michel and Dinis, signify nothing ; (^) Mome Elwis and Malkyn are English names ; the Margeri of Dame Sirith is French, but must have been used in England ; the Willekin of Dame Sirith is English; Sirith is Scandinavian (= Sigrith) ; the Nelde of Dame Sirith is hardly a proper name, but possibly from OE. eald, old. Elwis, or Helwys, points to the eastern part of England, where there occur such family-names as Helwys and Elwes. With respect to Heuser's (5), the indications are that behind the Clericus et Puella there was a French original. Malkyn has a termination borrowed from Dutch or Low German, but the first syllable is from the French Matilda (note that the wife of Henry I changed her original name of Eadgyth, Edith, to Matilda). Mone (MS. Mome) is borro\yed from Scandinavian or Dutch. The other names point clearly to France : to the saints, Michael and Denis, add 476 THE CLERIC AND THE MAIDEN 477 Leonard (cf. above, p. 387), who is associated with the vicinity of Limoges; and Elwis is surely the French Heluis (Helois, Heluir, Helui, Heloi, Eluys), which is frequently found in the French feudal epic before 1180 — thirteen times in Garin le Lorrain, for instance (Langlois, Table des Noms Propres dans les Chansons de Geste, pp. 329-30) ; compare Chaucer's ' Helowys ' in Wife of Bath's Prologue 677, referring to the mistress of Abelard. Then fayllard, 477 8 (following its noun), is French, lilce the boinardoi Dame Sirith (152 19). As to Dame Sirith, the name Margeri is French, as we have seen ; Willekin has the same ending as Malkyn ; and Nelde (rather, nelde) represents a variant spell- ing of ' needle ' (the one crone may have ostensibly supported herself with her needle, as the other with her distaff). Compare the Debate of the Cleric and the Maiden, pp. 418-20, above. The interlude begins : Hie incipit Interludium de Clerico et Puella, and these names are retained throughout the stage-directions ; I have substituted Cler. and Maid. I have also supplied the headings for the scenes, and made several emendations. The manuscript commonly represents initial {> (and occasionally 5) by 7 ; I have restored the original forms. It also confounds w and v, supplies and omits h at random, etc. SCENE I Maiden's home. Enter Cleric and Maiden Cler. Damisel,^ reste wel ! Maid. Sir, wrelcum, by Saynt Michel ! Cler. Wer es ty ■' sire ? War as ty dame ? Maid. By Goda, as nof er ' her at hame. Cler. Wal wor suUc a man to life, pat suilc a may mihta * have to wyfe ° ! Maid. Do way, by Crist and Leonard ! No wil Y lufe na clerc fayllard ° ; Na kep ' I herbherg * clerc in huse no ° y '^'' Acre," Bot ^^ his hers ^° ly witutan " dora. 1 Go forth fi way, god sira, For ^^ her hastu losyt ^' al \\ hire." 1 MS. damishel » nor 16 MS. losye ; cf. 147 5 2 thy (< for <^, as elsewhere) 1" on '^'' HS.^'-Ae.; ci.Childlwod of 8 neither u Cf. 145 27 Jesus 1384 (ca. 1300) in * MS. mithe W unless 'Ro'csX.rsa.'an,Alienglische 6 Cf. 145 7-8 1' rump Legenden, 1875 : ' EUes 6 deceitful 1* outside the we leosez bojje ore 7 care 1^ MS. ff., and always below gwile and huyre.' 8 to harbor as initial 4/8 PLAYS 10 IS Cler. Nu, nu, by Crist and by Sant Jhon, In al fis land ne wist I none, Mayden, fat Hi luf mor J^an fe ; Hif me micht ever f e better ' be I For pe Hy sory ^ nicht and day ; Y may say, ' Hay,' wayleuay 1 ' Y luf fe mar * pan mi lif ; JJu hates me mar fan gayt " dos cnif ° — JJat es noutt' for mysgilt' Cartes," for ])i luf ham Hi spilt.^" A, suyte ^' mayden, reu of me,^'^ JJat es ty luf, hand ay sal be 1 For fe luf of \\€\ mod[er] " of hevene," J>u mend \\ mode," and her my stevene." Maid. By Crist of hevene, and Sant Jon " ! Clerc of scole ne kep " I non. For many god wymman haf fai don scam[e] • By Crist, fu michtis haf be " at hame ™ I Cler. Syn " it n[on] of ir ''"■ gat ^' may be, Jesu Crist'" bytech'^ Y fe. And send[e] ^ neulic "" bot '^ tharinne, JJat Y™ be lesit™ of al my pine." Maid. Go nu, truan,''' go nu, go. For mikel fu canst '° of sory and wo I 1 MS, bether 2 sorrow s alas ^ more ligoat; MS. yayt (jayt?) knife ; MS. chuief (em. Heuser) 7 not 8 misdeed 9 MS. certhes 10 undone 11 sweet ; MS. suythe 12 Cf. 14612 18 MS. y mod (em. H.) " MS. efne ic Cf . 146 u 16 cry 17 MS. Jone 18 care for 19 been 2" Cf . 147 6 21 MS. synt 22 MS. nojiir; cf. 48010 28 way iMdat. 25 commend; MS.bytethy (era. H.) 20 may he send 2' soon ; MS. neulit (em. H.) 28 amendment, help 20 MS. yi 80 freed 81 woe 82 vagabond 88 MS. canstu THE CLERIC AND THE MAIDEN 479 SCENE II Elwis' home. Enter Cleric and Elwis Cler. God te blis/ mone ^ Helwis. Mone ^ Elwis. Son, welcum, by San Dinis ° ! Cler. Hie am comin * to pe, mone ' ; f>u hel ' me noht,' f u say me sone. Hie am a elere fat hauntes * scole ; Y led » my lif wyt mikel dole " ; Me wor lever to be ded " f>an led the lif fat Hye led,i^ For an ^' mayden wit " and sehen '^ — Fayrer ho ^^ lend hav '^'' Y non sen.^* ^o " hat ^° mayden Malkyn, Y wene — Nu fu wost quam ^' Y mene ; ^o wonys at the tounes ende, JJat suyt lif, so f ayr and hende '"^ ; , Bot-if 50 wil hir mod amende, Neuly Crist my ded me send[e] ^' ! Men send ^ me hyder, wytuten ^ f ayle, To haf fi help an[d] ty cunsayle.^^ J'arfor am Y eummen here, JJat pu salt be my herandbere,'" To mac me and pat mayden sayct,^' And Hi sal gef pe of myn ayct,^ So pat hever, al pi lyf, Saltu be pe better "" wyf ; IS 1 bless; cf. 1484 ^ aunt ; MS. mome (see note 5) 3 Cf. 148 10 4 come 5 MS. mome (mone rhymes with sone, *soon,' in Gower, Conf. Am. i. 97) fi conceal !■ nothing ; MS. noth 8 frequent 9 lead ; MS. lydy 10 Cf. 148 17-W 11 MS. dedh 12 MS. ledh IS MS. ay 14 white ; MS. with 15 beautiful 16 on, in 1? MS. haw 18 MS. syen 19 she; MS. yo 20 is named 21 whom 22 gracious 28 opt. 24 they (one) sent 25 MS. vyt- 26 Cf. 149 1-2 2^ messenger 28 at one ; cf. 150 8 29 property 30 richer 48o PLAYS So help me Crist — and ' Hy may spede, Riche ^ saltu haf fi mede I ' Mone * Ellwis. A, son, wat ° saystu ? Benedicite ° 1 Lift hup J)i hand, and blis fe I S For it es boyt ' syn and scam[e] JJat fu on me hafs layt thys blam[e] ; For Hie am an aid* quyne" and a lam[e],'° Y led my lyf wit Godis gram[e] ^' ; Wit my roc '^ Y me fede ; 10 Can I do non othir dede Bot my Pater Noster and my Crede " (To say Crist for missedede), And myn Avy Mary (For my synnes " Hie am sory), 15 And my De Frofundis (For al that yn sin lys) ; For can I me non opir fing,^' Jjat wot Crist, of hevene Kyng.'° Jesu Crist, of hevene hey, 20 Gef ^' that fay may heng hey, And gef fat Hy may se ]7at fay be heng on a tre J»at fis ley as leyit " me onne," For aly '" wyman am I on.''' . . . lif quean 16 MS. bink 2 richly M Cf. 149 10-ls 16 MS. kync 8 Cf . 149 5 " anger; MS. love (em. sug- " grant 4 MS. mome gested by H. ; cf. grome, 18 lie have lied 6 MS. vat 149 11) 1» MS. onne me 6 Pron. bencitee ; cf. 1497 12 distaff 3»holy: cf. 14919 7 both 18 Cf . 149 21-28 21 one Sold w MS. scynnes THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 481 THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD Even as early as the fourth century, Greek Christian preachers introduced dramatic dialogue into their sermons, no doubt under the influence of the dramatic tradition which had been perpetuated from the classic age ; and they were imitated by certain of the Latin Fathers. Such dialogue is found, again, in the Christ of the Old English poet, Cynewulf . Thus, before the ritual of the Church developed into the beginnings of the miracle-play, the dramatic element in Scriptural narrative had been accentuated in both the East and the West (Cook, ' A Remote Analogue to the Mjracle Play,' in Jour. Eng. and Germ. Phil. 4 (1903). 421-51 ; cf. 5. 62-4). In the tenth century, the Concordia Regularis of St. ^thelwold (A.D. 965- 975), in the ceremony for the third nocturn at matins on Easter morning, directs three brethren to represent the women who go to the sepulchre, and one the angel seated at the door of the tomb. As they approach, the angel says : Quern quaritis in sepulchro, O Christicola ? To which the three reply : Jesum Nazare- num crucifixum. And he answers : Nonesthic; surrexit, sicut pmdixerat. Ite, nuntiaie quia surrexit a mortuis, etc. (Chambers, Mediceval Stage 2. 308 ; cf. Gayley, Flays of Our Forefathers, pp. 17-8). The rise and progress of the miracle-play are well sketched by Jusserand (Lit. Hist. Eng. Feople i. 456 ff.) : ' The imitation of any action is a step towards drama. Conventional, litur- gical, ritualistic as the imitation was, still there was an imitation in the cere- mony of mass ; and mass led to the religious drama, which was therefore, at starting, as conventional, liturgical, and rituaUstic as could be. Its early beginning is to be sought for in the antiphoned parts of the service, and then it makes one with the service itself. ... A great step was made when, at the principal feasts of the year, Easter and Christmas, the chanters, instead of giving their responses from their stalls, moved in the Church to recall the action commemorated on that day ; additions were introduced into the received text of the service ; religious drama begins then to have an existence of its own. "Tell us, shepherds, whom do you seek in this stable.'" — They will answer: " Christ the Saviour, our Lord." Such is the starting-point; it dates from the tenth century ; from this is derived the play of Shepherds, of which many versions have come down to us. . " Verse replaced prose ; the vulgar idiom replaced Latin ; open air and the public square replaced the church nave and its subdued light. It was no longer necessary to have recourse to priests wearing a dalmatic in order to represent midwives ; the feminine parts were performed by young boys dressed as women. . . . ' The religious drama was on the way to lose its purely liturgical character when the conquest of England had taken place. Under the reign of the Norman and Angevin kings, the taste for dramatic performances increased considerably ; within the first century after Hastings we find them numerous 482 PLAYS and largely attended. The oldest representation the memory of which has come down to us took place at the beginning of the twelfth century. ... A little later in the same century, Fitzstephen, who wrote under Henry II, mentions as a common occurrence the " representations of miracles " held in London. In the following century, under Henry III, some were written in the English language. During the fourteenth century, in the time of Chaucer, mysteries were at the height of their popularity. . . . " In a more or less complete state, the collections of the Mysteries performed at Chester, Coventry, Woodkirk, and York have been preserved, without speak- ing of fragments of other series. Most of those texts belong to the fourteenth cen- tury, but have been retouched at a later date. Old Mysteries did not escape the hand of the improvers, any more than old churches, where any one who pleased added paintings, porches, and tracery, according to the fashion of the day ' Once emerged from the Church, the drama had the whole town in which to display itself ; and it filled the whole town. On these days the city belonged to dramatic art ; each company had its cars or scaffolds, pageants (placed on wheels in some towns), each car being meant to represent one of the places where the events in the play happened. The complete series of scenes was exhibited at the main crossings, or on the principal squares or open spaces in the town. . . . " While in the theatre of Bacchus the tragedies of Sophocles were played once and no more, the Christian drama, remodeled from century to century, was represented for four hundred years before immense multitudes ; and this is a unique phenomenon in the history of literature.' According to Gayley (op. cii., pp. 132-3 ; cf. pp. 128-31) the Chester cycle, at least in part, was in existence in the first third of the fourteenth century, and its present form probably represents a revision made not far from 1400 (see also Ten Brink, English Literature 2.^274 ; Hemingway, English Nativity Plays, pp. xix-xxi ; Pollard, English Miracle Plays, p. xxxvi ; Cook, in Nation of May 27, 191 5, p. 599). The manuscripts, five in number, are, however, much later (i 591-1604). Pollard thus characterizes these plays (p. xxxvii) : " There is less in the Chester plays to jar on modern feelings than in any other of the cycles. The humor is kept more within bounds, the religious tone is far higher.' Of the Noah's Flood, Gayley says (p. 151) : "The characters are distinct and con- sistently developed. The comic episodes are natural and justifiable, for they serve to display, not to distort, character, and they grow out of the dramatic action. They are, moreover, varied, and, to some extent, cumulative.' Chaucer thus alludes to the stubbornness of Noah's wife (Miller's Tale 352-7) : ' Hastow nat herd,' quod Nicholas, ' also The sorwe of Noe with his felawshipe, Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe ? Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake. At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake. That she hadde had a ship hirself allone. THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 483 Our text is based upon MS. Harl. 2124 (H.), as printed by Deimling (E.E.T.S. Ex. Ser. 62. 48-63), with certain stage-directions and variants from MS. Bodley 175 (B.), as contained in Deimling's edition, and from MS. Brit. Mus. Add. 10,305 (W.), as printed by Thomas Wright in 1843. For the Latin names of the characters, Noe, etc., I have substituted the corresponding English ones. There is a duplication of the dumb show of making the ark, of the command to take the beasts by sevens, and of the comic episode of Noah's wife ; this looks as though two drafts had been rather clumsily patched together. There are emendations by Kolbing in Engl. Stud. 16. 280 j 21. 163. CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY God Noah Noah's Wife Shem Shem's Wife Ham Ham's Wife Japheth Japheth's Wife First, in some heigh place or in the doudes, yf it may be, God speaketh unto Noe, standing without the arke, with all his family : ^ God. I, God, that all the world have wrought, Heaven and earth, and all of nought, I see my people, in deede and thought, Are sett[e] fowle in sinne. My Ghost shall not lenge '^ in mon ' — 5 That through fleshlie liking is my f one * — But ° till vi skore yeares be gone, To loke if they will blynne.* Manne that I made I will destroy, Beast, worme, and fowle to flie, lo For on earthe they doe me n[o]ye ' — The f olke that are theron ; 1 From B. ; the correspond- 8 MS. man ; W. mone ^ except ing Latin is in H. ^ foes (plural, because man is ^ cease ; see Gen. 6. 3, 5 3 remain (Vulg. permanebii) used collectively) ^ cause me annoyance 484 PLAYS Hit harmes me so hartfuUie ^ — The malyce that now ''■ can ° multeply — That sore it greveth me inwardlie That ever I made men.* 5 Therfore, Noe, my servant free, That righteous man art, as I see,- A shipp sone thou shalt make the, Of trees drye and lighte ; Little chambers therein thou make, 10 And bynding slich" also thou take ; Within and out thou ne slake * To noynte ' it through thy * mighte.' 300 cubytes it shall be long. And 50 of breadth,^" to mak it stronge ; IS Of heigh te 30 " ; the mete " thou fonge," Thus measure it about. One wyndow worch, through thy wytte ; , One cubyte of length and breadth " make it. Upon the side a dore shall sit, 20 For to come in and out." Eating-places thou make also ; Three-roofed chambers one or two ; For with water I thinke to slowe ^^ Man that I can make ; 25 Destroyed aU the world shal be Save thou, thy wife, thy sonnes three. And all there wives also with thee Shall saved be for thy sake.''" 1 at the heart ^ MS. anoynte 18 take 2 MS. now that 8 MS. all thy " Gen. 6. 16 8 doth 9 Gen. 6. 14 16 slay 4 MS. manne ; see Gen. 6. 6 " MS. breadeth 16 Gen. 6. 16-18 5 pitch " MS. 50 8 fail 12 measure THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 485 Noah. Ah Lord, I thanke the lowd and still, That to me art in such will, And spares me and my house to spill,^ As now I sothlie fynde. Thy bydding, Lord, I shall fulfill, 5 And never more the greeve ne grill,^ That suche grace has sent me till ° Among all mankinde. Have done, yow men and women all ; Helpe, for ought that may befall, 10 To worke this shipp, chamber and hall, As God hath bydden us doe. Shem. Fader/ I am already bowne ^ ; Anne axe I have, by my crowne ° 1 As sharpe as any in all this towne, 15 For to goe thereto. Ham. I have a hatchet wonder kene, To byte well, as may be scene ; A better grownden, as I weene, "" Is not in all this towne. 20 Japheth. And I can well make a p)Ti, And with this hammer knock yt in ; Goe and worche without more dynne ; And I am ready bowne. Noah's Wife. And we shall bring tymber to, 25 For wee nothing els mon ' doe ; Women be weake to underfoe Any great travayle. Shem's Wife. Here is a good hackstock ' ; On this yow maye hew and knock ; 30 1 destroy * MS. father ? may ; MS. mon nothing els 2 offend 5 prepared 8 chopping-block 8 to me 6 head 486 PLAYS Shall non be idle in this flock, Ne now may no man fayle. Ham's Wife. And I will goe to gather sliche, The ship for to caulke ' and piche ; S Anoynt ^ yt must be every stich — Board, tree, and pyn. JapheMs Wife. And I will gather chippes here, To make a fire for yow in feere,' And for to dight[e] * your dynner, lo Against [that] yow come in.° Then Noye begineth to biiilde the arcke ; and speaketh Noye:° Noah. Now, in Gods name,' I will begin To make the shippe that we shall in,' That we be ready for to swym At the cominge of the flood. IS These hordes I joyne here togeder,' To kepe us safe from the wedder,' That we may row both hider '" and thider, And safe be from this floode. Of this tree will I make the mast, 20 Tyde with cables ^^ that will last. With a sayleyarde for each blast. And each thinge in ther kinde ; With topcastle and bowspreet," With coardes and ropes, I have all meete 25 To sayle forth at the next weete '* ; This shipp is at an ende." 1 MS. cleane (em. W.) 5 MS. adds : Tunc faciunt w MS. hither 2 MS. anoynted ; em. sug- signa quasi laborarent n MS. gables ; W. cabbelles gested by Deimling cum diversis instru- ^2 MS.bewsprytt; of. OE. j-/?-5£J/ 8 all {lit. in company) mentis is wet, rain •make ready 6 From W. W MS. adds: Tunc Noe iterum, ? MS. the name of God cum tota familia, faciunt 8 inhabit signa laborandi cum di- 9 MS. -gether versis instrumentis THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 487 Wife, in this castle we shall be kepte ^ ; My childer and thou I wold ^ in lepte.' Noah's Wife. In faith, I * had as lief thou slepte,' For all t hy Frankish ° fare ^ ; I will not doe after thy red[e].' Noah. Good wife, doe now as I the bede ° ! Noah's Wife. By Christ, not or ^° I see more neede, Though thou stand all day " and stare I Noah. Lord, that women be crabbed aye, And never are meke, that dare I saye ! This is wel sene by me to-daye. In witnes of yow each one. Good wife, let be all this beere ^'^ That thou makes in this place here ; For all they wene thou art master — So art thou," by St. John I 15 Then Noye with all his familie shall make a signe as though thely] wroughte upon the shippe with diveres instrumentes, and afte?- that God shall speake to Noye, sayinge " .• God. Noe, [now] take thou thy meanye,^^ And in the shippe hye '' that thow '" be. For none so righteous man to me Is now on earth lyvinge. Of cleane beastes with thee thou take Seaven and seaven or thou slake ^' ; Hee and shee, make ^° to make, Belyve ^° in that ^' thou bringe.^^ 1 MS. keped ; W. kepte 2 would (I would that my children, etc.) s MS. leaped ; W. lepte '1 MS. Noe I ; em. suggested by Deimling 5 MS. sleppit ; W. slepte 6 French ' 7 behavior |H 8 counsel 15 company 16 hasten 9 MS. bydd ; cf . OE. beodan 1» before, till "MS. the day; W. day 12 clamor " MS. yow 18 Stop 19 mate 2« at once 18 MS. and so thou art 21 see that 14 From W. ; cf. note 2 on P- 489 22 Gen. 7, I 488 PLAYS Of beastes uncleane two and two, Male and female, without moe * ; Of cleane fowles seaven alsoe, The hee and shee togeder " ; 5 Of fowles uncleane two,' and no more, As I of beastes said before. That shal be saved throughe my lore, Against I send the weder.* Of all meates that must be eaten lo Into the ship loke there be getten, For that no way may be forgeten ^ ; And doe all this bydeene," To sustayne man and beast therein Aye till the water cease and blyn ' ; 15 This world is filled full of synne, And that is now well sene. Seaven dayes be yet coming — You shall have space them in to bringe ; After that is my lyking * 20 Mankinde for to n[o]ye ; 40 dayes and 40 nightes Rayne shall fall for ther unrightes,' And that I have made through my mightes Now think I to destroye.'" 25 Noah. Lord, to thy " byddinge I am bayne " ; Seinge " non other grace will gayne. Hit will I fulfill fayne. For gratious I thee fynde. 1 more 6 straightway ^^ MS. at your (em. W.) 2 MS. -gether ' stop ; see Gen. 6. 21 12 willing 8 But cf. Gen. 7.3 s purpose is MS. sith (em. W.) * MS. wedder ® iniquities 6 MS. -yeten ; W. -getten l» Gen. 7. 4 THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 489 A too wynters and 20 This shipp making taried have I, If through amendment any mercye Wolde fall unto mankinde. Have done, you men and women all ; 5 Hye you lest this water fall — • That ' each beast were in his stall, And into the ship broughte. Of cleane beastes seaven shal be, Of uncleane two — this God bade me ; 10 This floode is nye, well may we see, Therfore tary you noughte. Then Noye shall goe into the arke with all his family, his wief except, and the arke must be horded rounde about, and one the hordes all the beastes and fowles hereafter receaved must be painted, that thes wordes may agree with the pictures?' Shem. Syr, here are lyons, libardes in, Horses, mares, oxen, and swyne, Geates, calves, sheepe, and kine, 15 Here sitten thou may see. Ham. Camels, asses, men may finde, Bucke [and] doe, harte and h)nide ; And beastes of all manner kinde Here bene, as thinkes mee. 20 fapheth. Take here cattes, dogges ° to, Otter, fox, fulmart * also ; 1 (hasten) that et, postquam unus quisque dare debent ; et sic inci- 2 From B. ; the Latin (from suam locutus est partem, piet primus filius H.) runs: Tunc Noe in- ibit in archam, uxore Noe SMS. cattes and doggs; troibit archam, et familia excepta, et animalia de- W. cattes, dogges sua dabitetrecitabit omnia picta cum verbis concor- 4 polecat animalia depicta in cartis, 490 PLAYS Hares, hopping, gaylie can goe — Have cowle ' here for to eate. Noak's Wife. And here are beares, wolfes, sett, Apes, owles, marmoset,^ Weesells, squirrels, and firret ' ; Here they eaten their meate. Shem's Wife. Yet more beastes are in this howse : Here cattis maken it full crowse ' ; Here a ratten,* here a mowse, They stand nye togeder.^ Ham's Wife. And here are fowles les and more : Heames,' cranes, and byttour,^ Swans, peacockes ; and them before Meate for this wedder. IS Japheth's Wife. Here are cockes, kites, crowes, Rookes, ravens — many rovires ° — Cuckoes, curlewes — whoever knowes — Eache one in his kinde ; And here are doves, diggs,'"' drakes, 20 Redshankes runninge through the lakes ; And each fowle that ledden ■'^ makes In this shipp men may finde. Noah. Wife, come in ! Why standes thou here ? Thou art ever f roward — that dare I sweare ! 25 Come in, on God's half '^ ! Tyme yt were, For feare lest that we drowne. 1 cabbage « MS. -gather 11 language (cf. Chaucer, 2 monkey 7 herons Squire's Tale 435, 3 ferret 8 bittern 478) 4 lively 9 rows 12 for God's sake 6 rat (cf. Fr. raim) ; MS. rotten l» ducks THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 49 1 Noah's Wife. Yea, sir, set up your sayle, And rowe forth with evill hayle,^ For, without[en] ^ any fayle, I will not out of this towne. But ' I have my gossips everichon, s One foote further I will not gone ; They shall not drowne, by St. John, And * I may save their lyfe 1 They loved me full well, by Christ ! But ° thou wilt let them in thy chist,' lo Rowe " forth, Noe, whether ' thou list, And get thee a new wife. Noah. Sem, sonne, loe thy mother is wrow " ; Forsooth such another I do not know. Shem. Father, I shall f ett her in, I trow, 1 5 Without[en] any fayle. — Mother, my father after thee send. And bydds the into yonder ship wend ; Loke up, and se the wynde. For we be readye to sayle. 20 Noah's Wife. Sonne, goe again to him, and say I will not come therein to-daye. Noah. Come in, wife, in 20 devills waye ! Or els stand there without. Ham. [Father], shall wee all fet her in .' 25 Noah. Yea,_^onneSj JnjChr^t^ blessinge and myne I I would yow hyde ^ yow beljj'me, T " For of this flood I doubte." i success ; H. heale 5 ark 8 angry ; MS. wraw (em. '^ em. from W. 6 MS. els rowe from W.) 8 unless 7 whither Shied Mf M MS. am in doubte 492 PLAYS [Noah's Wife.'] The flood comes in full fleetinge fast,* On every side it spredeth full ferre " ; For feare of drowning I am agast ; Good gossip, let us draw neare, 5 And let us drinke or we depart, For oftentymes we have done see ; At ' a draught thou drinkes a quarte. And so will I doe or I goe.* Japheth. Mother, we praye you altogeder ^ — lo For we are here your owne childer — Come into the ship, for feare of the wedder, For his love that you boughte * ! Noah's Wife. That will I not, for all your call, But ' I have my gossopes all. IS Shem. In feith, mother, yet you shall. Whether you will or not.' [She enters. Noah. Welcome, wife, into this boate ! Noah's Wife. And have thou that for thy note ° ! [ Gives him a box on the ear}" Noah. A, ha ! Mary," this is hote ! 20 It is good to be still ! A, children, me thinkes my boate remeves,*'' Our tarying here hugelie me greves ; Over the lande the water spredes ; God doe as he will ! 25 Ah, great God that art so good, That *' worchis not thie will is wood ! Now all this world is on a flood, As I see well in sighte. 1 This stanza is noted by ItwilIrejoy[c]ebothhartand 8 H. adds : Tunc ibit Hohlfeld as a later addi- tongi 9 pains (^<. benefit) ; MS. ^^!0■a.(Anglia^l..2^o) Though Noy thinke us never mote ; em. from W. 2 MS. fare (em. K.) .^^ '°"8'.,, ... , , 1" For the Latin (H.) : Et „ , ^ , ' . Yet wee will drinke alyke. . , ; ' 8 MS. for at (em. K.) dat alapam vita 4 B., W. add : 5 MS. -gether " marry Here is a pottell of Malmesy ^ redeemed 12 moves good and stronge ; "' unless 18 that which, he who x THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 493 This window I will shut anon, And into my chamber will I gone, Till this water, so greate one. Be slaked ' throughe thy mighte. Then shall Noye shutte the wyndowe of they arcke, and for a littill space be silent, and afterwarde lokinge rounde aboute shall saye ' : Now 40 dayes are fuUie gone, 5 Send a raven I will anone. If oughtwhere " earth, tree, or stone, Be drye in any place ; And if this foule come not againe, It is a signe, soth to sayne, 10 That drye it is on hill or playne,* And God hath done some grace. TTien he shall send forth the raven, and, taking a dove in his hand, shall say * .■ Ah, Lord I wherever this raven be. Somewhere is drye, well I see. But yet a dove — by my lewtye * 1 — . 'S After I will sende. Thou wilt turne againe to me, For of all fowles that may flye,' Thou art most meke and hend.' Then he shall send forth the dove, and there shall be in the ark another dove, which shall be let 1 abated ably Ps. 69], et aperiens dimittet corvum, et, ca- 2 From W. ; the Latin (H.) fenestram et respiciens piens columbam in ma- runs : Tunc Noe claudet ^ anywhere ; perhaps for nibus, dicat fenestram archse, et per oughwhere, variant of ^ loyalty, faith modicum spatium infra owhere 7 Here a line seems to have , tectum cantent psalmum ^ Gen. 8. 6, 7 dropped out " Save mee, O God ' [prob- 6 Translated from H. : Tunc 8 gentle ; cf . Gen. 8. 8 494 PLAYS down from the mast by a cord into the hands of Noah ; and afterward Noah shall say ' .• Ah, Lord 1 blessed be thou aye, That hast me comfort '^ thus to-day By this sight ; I may well saye, This flood beginnes to cease ; 5 My sweete dove to me brought base A branch of olyve from some place ; This betokeneth God has done us grace,' And is a signe of peace.^ Ah, Lord, honoured most thou be I 10 All earthe dryes, now I see. But yet tyll thou comaunde me Hence will I not hye. All this water is awaye ; Therfore, as sone as I maye, 15 Sacryfice I shall doe, in faye,* To thee devoutlye.^ God. Noe, take thy wife anone. And thy children every one ; Out of the shippe thou shalt gone, 20 And they all with thee ; Beastes, and all that can flie, Out anone they shall hye, On earth to grow and multeplye ; I will that yt see be.' 25 Noah. Lord, I thanke the through thy mighte ; Thy bidding shall be done in height,* 1 Translated from H. : Tunc in manus Noe ; et postea 5 faith emittet columbam, et erit dicat Noe 6 Gen. 8. 20 in nave alia columba, fe- 2 comforted 7 MS. be see (em. K.); rens olivam in ore, quae 8 MS. some grace cf. Gen. 8. 16, 17 demittetur [MS. quam de- * Gen. 8. 11 8 with speed mittet] ex malo per f unem THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 49S And, as fast as I may dighte,^ I will doe the honoure, And to thee offer sacrifice ; , Therfore comes,^ in all wise, For of these beastes that bene hise 5 Offer I will this stower.^ Then, going out from the ark with his whole family, he shall take with him his animals and birds, and shall offer them and slay} Lord God in majestye, Thou ° such grace hast graunted me, Where all was lome, save ^ to be ; Therfore now I am bowne, 10 My wife, my childer, my meanye,' With sacrifice to honoure thee ; With beastes, fowles, as thou may see, I offer here right sone.° God. Noe, to me thou arte full able,' 15 And thy sacrifice acceptable ; For I have fownd thee trew and stable. On the now must I myn '" : Warry " earth will I no more For mans synne that greves me sore, 20 For, of ^^ youth, man full yore Has byn enclyned to syn[n]e.'" You shall now grow and multeply, And earth, againe, you edefie " ; Each beast, and fowle that may flie, 25 Shall be afrayd of you ; 1 make ready animalia sua et volucres, 9 pleasing, compliant 2 imp. plur. et offeret ea et mactabit M be mindful 8 store 5 MS. that 11 curse < Translated from H. : Tunc 6 safe 12 from egrediens archam cum 7 nom. 13 Gen. 8. zi tota familia sua, accipiet 8 Cf. Gen. 8. 20 14 build up 496 PLAYS And fishe in sea, that may flete,^ Shall susteyne yow, I yow behete ° ; To eate of them yow ne lete ' That cleane bene you may knowe.* 5 Thereas * you have eaten before Grasse and rootes sith you were bore, Of cleane beastes now, les and more, I geve you leave to eate ; Safe " bloode and flesh, bothe in feare,' ' 10 Of wrong-dead carren ' that is here ; Eates not of that in no manere. For that aye you shall let[e].^° Manslaughter also you shall flee, For that is not pleasant to me ; 15 That" shedes bloode, he or shee, Oughtwhere amongst mankinne,'^ That blood foule sheede shal be. And venge[a]nce have, that men shall se ; Therfore beware now all[e] yee, 20 You fall not in that synne.^' A forwarde ^* now with thee '° I make. And all thy seede for thy sake. Of suche vengeance for to slake. For now I have my will. 25 Here I behet the a heaste" — That man [ne] woman, fowle ne beaste, With water, while the world shall l[e]ast[e]," I will [them] no more spill.'' 1 float, swim ; MS. flytte ' together ; Gen. 9. 4 is Gen. 9. 5, 5 2 promise ; MS. -hite 8 Miswritten for ' or' ? 1* covenant 8 refrain, forbear; MS. lett 9 carrion ; see Lev. 22. 8 15 MS. thie 4 that you may know to be clean; 10 leave 16 promise Gen. 9. 1-3 ; cf. 7. 2 ; 8. 20 n whoever 17 em. K. 6 whereas 12 MS. -kinde ; em. sug- 18 destroy; Gen. 9.9-11 6 save gested by Pollard THE CHESTER NOAH'S FLOOD 497 My bowe betwene you and me In the firmament shall bee, ' By verey token, that you may see That such vengeance shall cease ; That man ne woman shall never more 5 Be wasted by water, as was ^ before ^ ; But for syn, that greveth me sore, Therfore this vengeance wes.^ Where cloudes in the welkin bene. That ilke bowe shall be sene, lo In tokeninge that my wrath and tene Shall never thus * wroken be ; The stringe is turned toward you. And toward me is bent the bowe. That such wedder shall never showe ; 15 And this behett I thee.° My blessing now I geve the here, To thee, Noe, my servant dere, For vengeance shall no more appeare ; And now farewell, my darling deere.^ 20 THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC Lucy Toulmin Smith, the first editor (in 1884) thus characterizes the play, in comparison with the five others on the same subject (Anglia 7. 332) : "On the whole, the Brome version now printed is superior to those above described in the touches of child-nature, and in the play of feeling skilfully shown — the dear coquetting between the love of his child and the committal of the deed by the obedient but agonized father. The child begging his father not to kill him, and his fear of the sword even after all danger is over, . . . are touched in with a life not found elsewhere. The thought of the mother . . . breaks out in the most natural and affecting manner, . . . and the joyful rebound of emo- tion after the painful strain between duty and affection, expressing itself in the kisses of Abraham and the apostrophes of Isaac to the " gentle sheep," 1 MS. is 4 MS. this 6 w. adds : 2Gen.g. 12-15 ^ Gen. 9. 16 Finis. Deo gracias] per me, George Bellin,l3q2. 8 MS. was (em. K.) Coim, Lordejesii, come guicklye. 498 PLAYS must have warmly appealed to the hearts of the audience. Finally, the lesson of faith for " learned and lewed " and " the wisest of us all " is taught by the " Doctor " in the simplest manner.' Gayley thinks this the third miracle-play in order of time, the first being The Harrowing of Hell (ca. 1250), and the &&conA, Jacob and Esau (ca. 1280). He says {Plays of our Forefathers, p. 126) : " The Brome play of Abraham and Isaac, which comes next in order of production, is undoubtedly the basis of The Sacrifice of Isaac in the Chester cycle, and probably in an earlier version dates from the beginning of the fourteenth century.' A particularly close paral- lel is that between 506 3-6 and the Chester play 289-92 (ed. Deimling, p. 76) ; If I have trespassed in any degree, With a yard you maye beate me ; Put up your sword, if your will be, For I am but a childe. The play has been three times printed — by Miss Smith as above (A.), by Lady Kerrison and Miss Smith in 1886 (B.), and by Manly in 1897 (M.); Pollard has reproduced lines 316-435 {English Miracle Plays, Appendix IV), following Miss Smith. The unique manuscript (i 470-1 480) takes its name from the village of Brome, in Suffolk, two miles north of Eye. Brome was from the fourteenth century the seat of the Cornwallis family, to which belonged the Lord Cornwallis who was conspicuous in the American Revolution. The two editions directly from the manuscript differ here and there in their readings ; of the readings I have rejected I have taken no account. Important emendations have been made by Miss Smith, Holthausen (Anglia 13 (1891). 361-2), and Manly (Spec. Pre-Shak. Drama i. 41-57). I have been tempted to further efforts at restoration by the remark of Miss Smith (Anglia 7. 322-3) : ' Judging by the analogy of other plays of the kind, it is probable that this also was originally composed with much care for its poetical form, but has become partially corrupt through oral repetition and the errors of copyists.' All the emendations not attributed to S., H., or M. are by myself ; some are perhaps rather daring, but it is easy to revert to the manuscript-readings. Stage- directions (following a bracket) have been supplied partly from S. and M. ; two or three are found in the manuscript, in Latin. Miss Smith remarks (Anglia 7. 322) : 'With regard to the versification, the reader will observe that it is irregular : in several places the lines run in clear stanzas of five lines, riming abaab ; in others it appears to be in stanzas of eight lines, riming alternately, with a frequent short line or tag following. There are also many lines which seem to be formless as regards metre, rime, or stanza.' Accordingly the indications of stanzaic form are often somewhat obscured in this play. I have modernized in the stage-directions the names of certain characters, for the sake of consistency — Deus to God, The Angell to Angel, Ysaac to Isaac. THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 499 SCENE I Afield near Abraham's home in Beersheba Enter Abraham and Isaac Abraham. Fader of hevyn omnipotent, With all my hart to the I call ; Thow hast joffe '■ me both lond and rent,^ And my lyvelod thow hast me sent ; I thanke the evermore ' of all. 5 Fyrst off * the erth fou madyst Adam, And Eve also to be hys wyffe ; All other creatures of them too ^ cam ; And now thow hast grant " to me, Abram,^ Her in thys lond to lede my lyffe. 10 In my age fou hast grantyd me thys. That thys jowng chyld with me shall wone ' ; I love nothyng so myche, iwysse, Except \\ ^ selffe, der Fader of blysse. As Ysaac her, my owyne swete sone. 15 I have dyverse chyldryn moo. The wych I love not halffe so wyll ^'' ; Thys fayer swet chyld he chereys '^ me soo In every place wer that I goo. That noo dessece " her may I fell.'* 20 And therfor, Fadyr of hevyn, I prey " For hys helth, and also for hys grace ; 1 given 6 granted 10 well ; pronounced wail 2 income ^ MS. Abraham 11 MS. scherys 3 MS. heyly euermore 8 dwell 12 discomfort 4 of 9 MS, thin owyne ; see 13 feel 5 two next line w MS. the prey 500 PLAYS Now, Lord, kepe hym both nyght ^ and day, That never dessese nor noo [afjfray ^ Cume to my chyld in noo place. Now cum on, Ysaac, my owyne swet chyld ; 5 Goo we horn, and take owr rest. Isaac. Abraham, myne owyne fader so myld. To folowe 50W I am full prest,' Bothe erly and late. Abraham. Cume on, swete chyld, I love the best 10 Of all the chyldryn that I ■* begat. \JExeunt. SCENE II Heaven. Enter God and an Angel God. Myn angell, fast hey ^ the thy wey, And to ° medyll erth anon pou goo ; Abra[ha]ms hart now wyll I asay. Wether that he be stedfast or noo. 15 Sey I commaw[n]dyd hym for to take Ysaac, hys sonne,' fat he love[s] so wyll, And with hys blood sacryfyce he make, Ony " off my freynchepe [yf] he wyll fell.' Schow hym the wey onto ^'' the hylle 20 Wer that hys sacryffyce schall be. I schall asay now hys good wyll. Whether he lovyth '"■ better hys chyld or me. All men schall take exampyll be hym My commawmentes how they schall kepe. \Exeunt. 1 MS. nygth 6 haste 8 MS. yffe ony 2 fright, terror 6 unto ; MS. on to » MS. ffell 8 ready; MS. glad (em. H.) 7 MS. jowng sonnC; cf. 10 unto IMS. ever I 50124 " MS. lovyd (em. M.) THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC SOI SCENE III Afield near Abraham's home. Enter Abraham Abraham, l^cyfi. Fader of hevyn, fat formyd all thyng, My preyeres I make to the ajeyn, For thys day my tender offryng Here must I jeve to the, certeyn. A ! Lord God, allmyty Kyng, 5 Wat maner best ^ woU make f e most fayn ? Yff I had therof very knoyng,'' Yt schuld be don with all my mayne ' Full sone by me.* To don thy plesyng on an hyll, lo Verely yt ys my wyll, Dere Fader, God in Trinyte. Enter Angel Angel. Abraham, Abraham, wyll f ou rest ! Owr Lord comandyth pe for to take Ysaac, thy jowng sone, that thow lovyst best, 15 And with hys blod sacryfyce fat thow make. Into the lend of v[i]syon ' thow goo, And offer thy chyld onto thy Lord ; I schall the lede and schow allsoo. Unto Goddes hest, Abraham, acord, 20 And folow me upon thys grene. Abraham. WoUecom * to me be my Lordes sond,' And hys hest I wyll not withstond ; ^yt Ysaac, my jowng Sonne in lond, A full dere chyld to me hase * bene.' 25 1 beast 4 MS. anone (em. H.) 8 MS. haue ^ knowing, knowledge 5 Moriah (Gen. 22. 2) ; em. H, 9 MS. byn 8 might, strength (cf . ' might 6 welcome and main ') 7 messenger S02 PLAYS I had lever, yf God had be plesyd, For to a ^ forbore " all fe good fat I have, Than Ysaac my sone schuld a be desessyd," So God in hevyn my sowU mot save I 5 I lovyd never thyng soo mych in erde,* And now I must the chyld goo kyll. A, Lord ^ ! my conseons ys stron[g]ly sterd,° And 5yt, my dere Lord, I am sore ' aferd To groche * ony thyng ' agens thy wyll. lo I love my chyld as [I love] my lyffe, But 2yt I love my God myche more, For thow my hart woold make ony stryffe, i^yt wyll I not spare for chyld nor wyffe. But don after my Lordes lore.'"' 1 5 Thow I love my sonne never so wyll, ^yt smythe of ^^ hys hed sone I schall. A, Fader of hevyn ! to the I knell ; An hard dethe my son schall fell. For to honor the, [my] Lord, withall. 20 Angel. Abraham ! Abraham ! thys ys wyll seyd, And all thys comamentes loke fou obay '" ; But in thy hart be nothyng dysmayd.^' Abraham. Nay, nay, I ■'* hold me wyll apayd ^* To plesse ^^ my God to the best I '" may,^* 1 have ^ MS. sere (em. H.) " MS. forsoth I '^ done without 8 MS. gowr I5 MS. plesyd (M. sug s disturbed, put to discom- ^ make any complaint gests em.) fort, molested l» instruction 10 MS. pelsse ■* MS. erthe (em. M., follow- n smite oft 17 MS. Jiat I ing S.'s suggestion) 12 MS. loke )>at ))0U kepe 18 MS. haue (M. sug 6 MS. Lord God (em. suggested by M.) gests em.) 6 stirred ; MS. steryd is MS. dismasyd ; em. M. THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 503 For thow my hart be hevely sett To see the blood of my owyn dere sone, ^yt for all thys I wyll not lett,^ [Exit Angel. But Ysaac, my son, I wyll goo fett, And cum asse fast as ever we conne.^ [Exit. 5 SCENE IV Abraham's home. Enter Abraham and Isaac \Abraham.\ Now, Ysaac, my owyne son [so] dere, Wer art thow, chyld ? Speke to me. Isaac. My fayer swet fader, I am here, And make my preyrys to fe Trenyte. Abraham. Rysse up, my chyld, and fast cum heder, 10 My gentyll bam ' fat art so wysse, For we to,* chyld, must goo togeder. And onto my Lord make sacryffyce. Isaac. I am full redy, my fader, loo ! Ev)ni' at gowr handes I stand tyght^ here, 15 And watsoever ge byd me doo, Yt schall be don with glad cher, Full wyll and fyne. Abraham. A ! Ysaac, my owyn son soo dere, Godes blyssyng I gyffe the, and raja. 20 Hold thys fagot upon fi bake. And her myselffe fyer schall bryng. Isaac. Fader, all thys her wyll I packe ; I am full fayn to do jowr bedyng. 1 desist s child 5 MS. gevyn 2 MS. can < two 6 MS. rygth 504 PLAYS Abraham. A, Lord of hevyn ! my handes I wiyng, Thys chyldes wordes all towond ^ my harte. Now, Ysaac son, goo we owr wey Onto 5on mownte, with all owr mayn. 5 Isaac. Go we, my dere fader, as fast as I may ; To folow jow I am full fayn, Allthow I be slendyr. Abraham. A, Lord 1 my hart brekyth on tweyn,^ Thys chyldes wordes, they be so tender. SCENE V Mount Moriah. Enter Abraham and Isaac lo A, Ysaac, son 1 anon ley yt down, No lenger upon |)i backe yt hold,* For I must make redy bo[u]n * To honowr my Lord God as I schold.' Isaac. Loo, my dere fader, wer yt ys 1 IS To cher° gow allwey I draw me ner; But, fader, I mervell sore of thys, Wy fat je make thys hevy chere ; And also evermore ' dred I : Wer ys jowr best * fat je schuld kyll ? 2o Both fyer and wood we have redy. But queke ' best have we non on fis hyll ; A qwyke best, I wot wyll, must be ded, ^owr sacryfyce for to make.^° 1 wound 4 prepared 8 ms. queke best 2 MS. tewyn (em. S.) 6 MS. schuld 9 living 8 MS. here (em. M., following 6 cheer 10 MS. transposes this line Kittredge's suggestion) ^ MS. fader euermore and the next (em. S.) THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 505 Abraham. Dred the nowyht/ my chyld, I the red ^ ; Owr Lord wyll send me onto thys sted * Summ maner a best for to take, Throw hys swet sond. Isaac, ^a, fader, but my hart begynnyth to quake ' To se fat scharpe sword in jowr hond. Wy here je jowr sword draw)fn soo ? Off 5owre contenauns * I have mych wonder. Abraham. A, Fader of hevyn, so ° I am woo ! Thys chyld her brekys my harte onsonder/ 10 Isaac. Tell me, my dere fader, or that je ses,' Ber 5e jowr sword draw[)m] * for me ? Abraham. A, Ysaac, swet son, pes ! [a,] pes I For iwys thow breke[s] my harte on thre. Isaac. Now trewly, sumwat, fader, je thynke,® 15 That je morne ^'' thus [ay] more and more. Abraham. A 1 Lord of hev)m, thy grace let synke, For my hart was never halffe so sore. Isaac. I preye 50W, fader, let '^ me fat wyt,^' Wyther schall I have ony harme or noo. 20 Abraham. Iwys, swet son, I may not tell the 5)rt, My hart ys now soo full of woo. Isaac. Dere fader, I prey," hyd yt " not fro me. But sum of 50wr thowt je " tell me [ahone]. 1 not at all ; MS. -wyth 6 MS. on too (em. H.) u MS. Jat ge wyll let 2 counsel ^ cease ^ know * place ^ em. M. ^3 MS. prey 50W * countenance ; MS. conwnauns 9 ponder upon 1^ MS. hydygth (em. M .) 6 MS. OS (em. S.) 1» mourn 15 MS. ))at je So6 PLAYS Abraham. A, Ysaac, Ysaac, I must kyll the ! Isaac. Kyll me, fader ? alasse, wat have I done ? Yff I have trespassyd ajens jow owt, ^e may make me with a jard ^ full myld, 5 And with jowr scharp sword kyll me nowt,'' For iwys, fader, I am but a chyld. Abraham. I am full scry ' thy blood for to spyll, But truly, my chyld, I may not chese.* Isaac. Now I wold ° my moder were on ° J)is ' hyll ! 10 Sche woold knele for me on both hyr kneys To save my l)fffe. And sythyn ' my moder ys not here, I prey 50W, fader, chonge ' jowr chere, And kyll me not with jowyr kn3^e. 15 Abraham. Forsothe, son, but-jyf I the kyll, I schuld greve God ryght " sore, I drede ; Yt ys hys commawment and also hys wyll That I schuld do thys same dede. He commawdyd me, son, for serteyn, 20 To make my sacryfyce with thy blood. Isaac. And ys yt Goddes wyll fat I schuld be slayn ? Abraham, ^a, truly, Ysaac, my son soo good. And therfor my handes I wryng. 1 rod ; MS. with a Sard Se ^ choose 8 MS. sy|>yn (lat may make me 5 MS. wold to God 9 change ; MS. schonge 3 MS. nogth 6 MS. her on l» MS. rygth ' MS. sory son ' A. ys, B. yis (em. M.) THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 507 Isaac. Now, fader, ajens my Lordes decre ^ I wyll never groche, lowd nor styll ; He myght ^ a " sent me a better destyne * Yf yt had a be hys wyll.^ Abraham. Forsothe, son, but-yf I do * pis dede, Grevosly dysplessyd owr Lord wyll be. Isaac. Nay, nay, fader, God forbede That ever je schuld greve hym for me. ^e have other chyldryn, on or too, The wyche ge schuld love wyll be kynd.' I prey jow, fader, make je no woo, For, be I onys ded and fro gow goo, I schall be sone owt of jowr mynd. Therfor doo owr Lordes byddyng, And wan I am ded, than prey for me ; But, good fader, tell ge my moder nothyng. Say fat I am dwellyng ' in another cuntre.' Abraham. A, Ysaac," blessyd mot thow be ! My hart begynnyth " stron[g]ly to rysse. To see the blood off thy blyssyd body. Isaac. Fadyr, syn yt may be noo other wysse,^' Let yt passe over as wyll as I ; But, or " I goo onto my deth, I prey gow blysse me with jowr bond." 1 MS.wyll(em.suggestedbyM.) 6 MS. ded lo MS. Ysaac, Ysaac 2 MS. mygth * ' by nature, naturally n MS. begynnyd (em. M,) 3 have ■ 8 MS. dewUyng (em. S.) 12 wise < MS. desteny 9 MS. in another cuntre '^ before ; MS. fader or 5 MS.plecer(em.suggestedbyM.) dewylling M MS. hand So8 PLAYS Abraham. Now, Ysaac, [sonej with all my breth, My blyssyng I jeve fe upon thys lond, And Godes also therto, iwys. Ysaac, Ysaac, sone, up thow stond, S Thy fayer swete mowthe fat I may kys. Isaac. Now farwyll,^ my owyne fader so fyn, And grete wyll my moder in erde.^ But I prey jow, fader, to hyd my eyne. That I se not pe stroke of jowr scharpe swerd,' lo That my fleysse schall defyle. Abraham. Sone, thy wordes make me to wepe full sore ; Now, my dere son Ysaac, speke no more. Isaac. A, my owyne dere fader, werefore ? We schall speke togedyr her but a wylle,* 1 5 And sythyn that I must nedys ' be dad, ^yt, my dere fader, to jow I prey, Smythe but fewe ° strokes at my hed. And make an end as sone as ge may, And tery not to longe. 20 Abraham. Thy meke wordes, chyld, make me afray ' ; So ' Welawey ! ' may be my songe, Excepe al only Godes wyll. A, Ysaac, my owyn swete chyld, gyt kysse me ajen upon thys hyll 1 25 In all thys war[l]d ' ys non soo myld. Isaac. Now truly, fader, all thys teryyng Yt doth my hart but harme ; I prey gow, fader, make an enddyng. 1 farewell; MS. for- ^ while, short time ' ''afraid; MS. afrayed 2 MS. erthe (em. M,, following 5 needs ; MS. nedysse (em. M.) S.'s suggestion) 6 MS. feve (em. M.) 8 em. S. 8 MS, sword (em. M.) THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC S09 Abraham. Cume up, swet son, onto my arme ; I must bynd thy handes too, AUthow thow be never soo myld. Isaac. A, mercy, fader ! wy schuld 56 do soo ? Abraham. That thow schuldyst not let,^ my chyld. 5 Isaac. Nay, iwysse, fader, I wyll not let ^ow ; Do on for me jowr wyll. And on the purpos that 5e have set jow For Codes love kepe yt forthe styll. I am full sory thys day to day,'' r^o But 5yt I kepe " not my God to greve ; Do on 5owr lyst * for me hard[e]Iy, My fayer swete fader, I jeffe 50W leve. But, fader, I prey jow evermore. Tell je my moder never a ° dell " ; 15 Yffe sche wist ' yt, sche wold wepe full sore, For iwysse, fader, sche lovyt[h] me wylle ' ; Goddes blyssyng have mot sche " ! Now forwyll, my moder so swete. We too be leke ^'' no mor to mete. 20 12 Abraham. A, Ysaac, son " ! fou makyst me gret,' And with thy wordes ^' dystempurst " me. Isaac. Swete '"' fader, I am sory gow to greve ^' ; I cry sow mercy of that I have donne. And of all trespasse fat ever I ded meve ^' ; 23 Now, fader,^* forjyffe me fat I have donne. God of hevyn be with me 1 1 hinder 7 knew ; MS. wost 18 MS. wordes thow ^ die 8 MS. full wylle " troublest s wish, desire 9 MS. mot sche have (em. H.) 15 MS. iwysse swete * pleasure 10 are likely 16 MS. to greve Sow 6 MS. no 11 MS. Ysaac, Ysaac I'' cause ; MS. meve Sow 6 part of it 12 lament, weep ; MS. to gret 18 MS. dere fader 5IO PLAYS Abraham. A, dere chyld, lefe of ^ thy monys I In all thy lyffe thow grevyd me never onys ; Now blyssyd be thow, body and bonys ^ ! Thow hast be to me chyld full good. 5 But iwysse,' thow I mome never so fast, ^yt must I nedes here at the last In thys place sched * thy blood. Therfor, my son,^ here schall fou lye. Onto my warke I must me stede ° ; 10 I ' had as leve myselffe to dey, Yff God wyll be plecyd wyth my dede, And myn owyn body for to offer. Isaac. A, mercy, fader, mome je no more, ^owr wepyng make[th] ' my hart [as] sore 15 As my owyn deth that I schall suffer. ^owr kerche[f] ° abowt my eyn 56 wynd. Abraham. So I schall, my swettest chyld in erde.''" Isaac. Now jyt, good fader, have thys in mynd. And smyth me not oftyn with jowr scharp swerd," 20 But hastely that yt be sped.^'^ Here Abraham leyd a cloth on Ysaaces face, thus seyyng: Abraham. Now farewyll,-^' my chyld, so full of grace. Isaac. A, fader, fader, tome downward '* my face. For of 50wr ^^ swerd '" I am ever adred. 1 leave off, cease 6 set myself u MS. sword (em. M.) 2 MS. bonys, That ever thow ^ MS. iwysse I 12 done quickly were bred and born ^ em. H. 18 MS. fore- s MS. iwysse child 9 MS. kerche fader " MS. downgward 4 MS. sched all 10 MS.erthe (em. M.,following 16 MS. gowr scharpe 6 MS. dere son S.'s suggestion) 16 MS. sword THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC S" Abraham. To don thys dede I am full soiy, But, Lord, thyn best I wyll not withstond. Isaac. A, Fader of hevyn, to the I crye, Lord, rese)rve me into thy hond.' Abraham. Loo, now ys cum the tyme ^ certeyn S That my swerd ' in hys necke schall bite.* A, Lord, my hart reysytb therageyn,' I may not f 3md ° in my harte to smygth — My hart wyll not now thertoo. ^yt fayn I woold warke my Lordes wyll ; lo But thys jowng innosent lygth so styll, I may not fynd ° in my hart hym to kyll. O, Fader of hevyn, what schall I doo ? Isaac. A, mercy, fader, wy ' tery je so. And let me ley thus longe on fis bethe? 15 Now I wold to God fe stroke were doo * ! I prey jow,' schorte me of ^'' my woo. And let me not loke thus after " my deth.*^ Abraham. Now, hart, wy wilt thow not ^^ breke on thre ? ^yt schall ^[oju not make me to God " onmyld.'* 20 I wyll no lenger let ^* for the. For that my God agrevyd wold be ; Now hoold ^' the ^' stroke, my owyn dere chyld. Her Abraham drew hys stroke, and pe Angell take the swerd' in hys hand soddenly. Angel. I am an angell, thow mayist se ^' blythe. That fro hevyn to the ys sent.^" 25 1 MS. hand » done 15 ungracious (//V.unmild) 2 MS. the tyme cum ^ MS. fader I prey Jow hartely 16 tarry SMS. sword 10 shorten 17 receive ^ MS. synke (em. H.) n wait thus for 18 MS. tha 5 against this 12 MS. degth 19 see 8 MS. fyndygth ; M. fynd yt is MS. wolddyst not thou 20 MS. senth ^ why 1^ MS. my God 512 PLAYS Owr Lord thanke[th] the an c sythe * For the kepyng of hys commaw[nde]ment. He knowyt[h] fi wyll and also thy harte, That thow dredyst hym above all thyng ; 5 And sum of thy hevynes for to departe,^ A fayr ram jynder ' I gan brynge ; He standyth teyed, loo, among fe breres. Now, Abraham, amend thy mood, For Ysaac, thy jowng son pat her ys, lo Thys day [thow] schall not sched hys blood ; Goo, make thy sacryfece with jon rame. Now farwyll,* blyssyd Abraham, For onto hevyn I goo now horn ; The way ys full gayn ' [to pace °] ; 15 Take up thy son soo free. [£xif. % Abraham. A, Lord, I thanke the of thy gret grace 1 Now am I teyed ' on dy vers wysse ; Arysse up, Ysaac, my sunne,' arysse ; Arysse," swete chyld, and cum to me. 20 Isaac. A, mercy, fader ! wy smygth ge nowt *° ? A, smygth on, fader, onys with jowr knyffe. Abraham. Pesse, my swet son,'^ and take no thowt. For owr Lord of hevjTi hath grant fi lyffe Be hys angell now, that fou schalt not dey.^'' 25 Isaac. A, fader, full glad than wer I, 1 a hundred times " near, straight 9 MS. arysse up 2 banish ^ pass ; em. H. 1" MS. not yyt (em. H.) 3 yonder ' bound (to God) ; MS. yeyed n MS. sir (em. M.) * MS. for- 8 MS. dere sunne 12 MS. dey )>is day sunne truly THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 513 Iwys, fader, I sey, iwys, Yf thys tale wer trew 1 Abraham. An hundryd tymys, my son fayer of hew, For joy fi mowth now wyll I kys. Isaac. A, my dare fader, Abraham, 5 Wyll not God be wroth fat we do thus ? Abraham. Noo, noo ! swet ^ son, for 5yn "^ same rame He hath sent hether down to us.^ ^yn best schall dey here in fi sted, In the wor))schup * of owr Lord alon ; 10 Goo, fet° hym hethyr, my chyld, inded. Isaac. I ° wyll goo hent ' hym be the hed. And bryng jon best with me anon. \Isaac catches the ram. A, scheppe, scheppe, blyssyd mot pou be That ever thow were sent down hederl 15 Thow schall thys day dey for me, In the worchup of the holy Trynyte. Now cum fast, and goo we togeder To my fader in hy * ; Thow fou be never so jentyll and good, 20 ^yt had I lever thow schedyst \\ blood, Iwysse, scheppe, than I. Loo ! fader, I have browt here full smerte ° Thys jentyll scheppe, and to ^'' jow I jyffe ; ^ MS. swyt Hether down to us ; 7 seize ".i yon em. suggested by M. 8 inhaste;MS.ofheven 8 MS. 4 MS. worpschup (em. S.) (em. sugg. by M.) Noo, noo ! hariy, my swyt son, = fetch 9 promptly For Syn same rame he hath us sent 6 MS. Fader I 1" MS. hym to 514 PLAYS Lord ^ God, I thanke fe with all my hart, For I am glad that I schall leve,'' And kys onys my dere moder. Abraham. Now be ryght ' myry, my [owyne] swete chyld, S For thys qwyke best fat ys so myld Here I present * before all other. Isaac. And I wyU fast begynne to blowe ; Thys fyer schall brene ^ a full good sped." But, fader, wyll ^ I stowppe downe lowe, 10 ^e wyll not kyll me with jowr swerd,* I trowe ? Abraham. Noo, har[de]ly,' swet son, have no dred, My momyng '" ys past. Isaac. I ^^ woold fat swerd ^ wer in a gled,^" For ^* yt make[th] '* me full yll agast. Here Abraham mad hys offryng, knelyng, and seyyng thus: IS Abraham. Now, Lord God of haven in Trynyte, AUmyty God omnipotent, My offeryng I make in the worchope of the, And with thys qweke best I the present ; Lord, reseyve thow myn intent, 20 As [thow] ^' art God, and grownd '^ of owr grace. \God speaks from heaven. God. Abraham, Abraham, wyll "" mot thow sped,^' And Ysaac, fi jowng son the by ! 1 MS. but Lord ' while 18 MS. for iwys fader '^ live 8 MS. sword 14 em. suggested by H. 8 MS. rygth 9 certainly; em. M. if» em. M. 4 MS. schall present 1° mourning 16 foundation, source 6 bum 11 MS. Sa but I 17 well 6 speed; MS. spyd 12 fire (?) ; MS. glad (em. M.) i* prosper THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 515 Truly, Abraham, for thys dede I schall multyplye 50wr bother ^ sede As thyke as sterres be in the skye, Bothe more and lesse ; And as thyke as gravell in the see, 5 So " multyplyed gowr sede schall be ; Thys grant I gow for jowr goodnesse. Off 50W schall cume frowte gret [won],' And ever be in blysse withowt[en] end.* For 5e drede me as God alon, 10 And kepe my commawmentes everych ° on. My blyssyng I jeffe, wersoever 5e wend." Abraham. Loo, Ysaac, my son, how thynke 50 Be thys warke that we have wroght ' ? Full glad and blythe we may be, 15 Ajens Gods wyll ' fat we grucched nott Upon thys fayer heth.' Isaac. A, fader, I thanke owr Lord every dell That my wyt servyd me so wyll For to drede God more than my deth.^" 20 Abraham. Why 1 dereworfy ^' son, war thow adred ? Hardely,^^ chyld, tell me thy lore.^^ Isaac, ^a, be my feyth, fader, now have " I red,^^ I wos never soo afrayd before As I have byn at -gfsx hyll. 25 But, be my feyth, fader, I swere I wyll nevermore cume there But yt be a^ens my wyll. 1 of you both; MS-gowresbotheres ^ MS. goo (em. H.) n precious; MS. -wordy 2 MS. so thyke ' MS. wrogth 12 boldly, unhesitatingly 3 plenty ; em. M. 8 MS. ]je wyll of God 13 story, what is in thy mind * MS. Synd 9 MS. hetth ^ MS. hath (em. M.) 6 MS. everysch l" MS. detth ^^ my senses 5i6 PLAYS Abraham. Cum ^ on with me, my owyn swet sonn, And homward fast now let us goon. Isaac. Be '^ my feyth, fader, therto I on,' I had never so good wyll horn to gon,* 5 And to speke with my dere moder. Abraham. A I Lord of hevyn, I thanke the, For now may I led hom with me Ysaac, my 50wnge sonn so fre, The gentyllest chyld above all other * — lo Thys may I wyll avo[w to th]ee.° Now goo we forthe, my blyssyd sonn. Isaac. I grant, fader, and let us gon, For, be my trowthe, wer I at home, I wold never gon owt under that forme.' 15 I pray God jeffe us grace evermo. And all tho ' that we be holdyng ' to. \Exeunt. EPILOGUE Enter Doctor Doctor. Lo, sovereyns and soiys,^" now have we schewyd ^' Thys solom story " to grete and smale ; It ys good lemyng to lernd and lewyd ■'° 20 And fe wysest of us all, Wythowtyn ony berryng.''* For thys story schewyt[h] '' jowe [her] " 1 MS. 5a cum ' (?) 18 ignorant 2 by s those ; MS. thow " outcry, clamorous protest 8 consent; MS. grant 9 beholding (see A'SZ). under *«r«,sb.) 4 MS. to gon hom w sirs 15 showeth ; MS. schoyt 6 MS. erthe (em. S.) " MS. schowyd 16 em. M. 6 MS. avoee 12 MS. story hath schowyd (em. H.) THE BROME PLAY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 517 How we schuld kepe, to owr po[we]re/ Goddes commawments withowt grochyng. Trowe je, sores, and '^ God sent an angell [to jow], And commawndyd jow jowr chyld to slayn,' Be 50wr trowthe, ys ther ony of 50W 5 That eyther wold groche or stryve therageyn * ? How thyngke 5e now, sorys, therby ? I trow ther be iij, or iiij, or moo. And thys^ women that wepe sorowfuUy Whan that hyr chyldryn dey them froo " — 10 As nater well ' and kynd — Yt ys but folly, I may well avow,* To groche asens God or to greve 30W, For je schall never se hym myschevyd,' I " know. Be lond nor watyr, have thys in mynd ; 15 And groche not asens owr Lord God In welth or woo, wether ^^ that he 30W send, Thow je be never so hard bestad ; For when he wyll, he may yt amend, Hys comawmentes yf ^^ ^e kepe with good hart, 20 As thys story hath now schewyd ^^ jow befor[n]e," And feytheffuUy serve hym qwyll ^^ je be qvart,'" That je may piece God bothe evyn and mome. Now Jesu, that weryd ^' the crown of thome, Bryng us all to hevyn blysse I 25 Finis. 1 em. M. 8 die and leave them '^ MS. treuly y£ 2 if 7 MS. woll woU (em. S.) 18 MS. schowyd 8 MS. to smygth of Sowr 8 MS. awooe " em. H. chUdes hed (em. H.) 9 afflicted 16 while * against this i" MS. wyll I 18 healthy, sound 6 these 11 whichever 17 MS. weryt Sl8 PLAYS THE YORK NATIVITY PLAY The Earl of Ashburnham's manuscript (1430-1440), now MS. Brit. Mus. Add. 35,290, was edited by Lucy Toulmin Smith as York Plays (Oxford, 1885). Emendations are by Miss Smith (S.) ; Holthausen (H.), in Herrig's Archiv 85. 413; Kolbing (K.), in Engl. Stud. 20. 187. The stage-directions are modern. The form of the seven-Hne stanza should be noted : abab^c^b^c^. SCENE I Bethlehem, A stable. Enter Joseph and Mary Jos, AUweldand ^ God in Trinite, I praye fe, Lord, for thy grete myght. Unto thy symple servand see, Here in fis place wher we are pight,'^ 5 Oureself allone ; Lord, graunte us gode herberow ' fis nyght, Within fis wone.* For we haue sought both uppe and doune, Thurgh diverse stretis in fis cite ; 10 So mekill pepull is comen to towne, JJat we can nowhare herbered be, Slike prees ^ it is * ; Forsuthe I can no socoure see, But belde' with bestes.' 1 5 And yf we here all nyght abide, We shall be stormed in fis steede ° ; ]7e walles are doune on ilke a side, J>e ruffe is rayned ^'' aboven oure hede, Als have I roo.^^ 20 Say, Marie, doughtir, what is thy rede ^^ ? How sail we doo ? 1 almighty » MS. ()er is slike prees ic wet with rain '^ pitched, settled 7 lodge ^^ rest, peace * harbor, shelter 8 MS. belde us with J,ere ^ counsel ^ place, dwelling bestes (em. H., K.) fi such a crowd 9 place THE YORK NATIVITY PLAY 519 For in grete nede nowe are we stedde,' As pou thyselffe the soth may see, For here is nowthir cloth ne bedde, And we are weyke and all werie, And fayne wolde rest. 5 Now, gracious God, for thy mercie, Wisse ^ us fe best ! Mar. God will us wisse, full wele witt je, J»erfore, Joseph, be of gud chere. For in fis place borne will he be 10 ]7at sail us save fro sorowes sere,° Bothe even and morne. Sir, witte ge wele fe tyme is nere Hee * will be borne. Jos. JJan behoves us bide here stille, 15 Here in fis same place all fis nyght. Mar. iga, sir, forsuth it is Goddis will. Jos. J>an wolde I fayne we had sum light, Whatso befall ; It waxes myrke ° unto my sight, 20 And colde withall. I will go gete us light forthy," And fewell f ande ' with me to bryng. \Exit. Mar. AUweldand God yow goveme and gy,* As he is Sufferayne " of all thyng, 25 Fo[r] his grete myght ! And lende me grace to his lovyng JJat I me dight " ! Nowe in my sawle grete joie have I, I am all cladde in comforte clere ; 30 1 placed ^ dark ; MS. right myrke 9 sovereign 2 guide, direct ' therefore l» prepare 8 divers, various ' seek 1 when he * guide S20 PLAYS Now will be borne of my body Both God and Man togedir in feere,^ Bliste mott he be ! Jesu, my Son fat is so dere, 5 Now borne is he ! — [Mary worships the child. Hayle, my Lord God ! hayle, Prince of pees I Hayle, my Fadir ! and hayle, my Sone I Hayle sovereyne Sege,^ all synnes to sesse ' ! Hayle, God and Man in erth to wonne * I 10 Hayle I thurgh whos myht All fis worlde was first begonne, Merknes and light. Sone, as I sugett^ am of thyne, Vowchesaffe, swete Sone, [for so] I pray fe, 15 That I myght |>e take in armys myne," And in fis povre wede arraie ' pe. Graunte me fi blisse, As I am thy modir chosen to be In sothfastnesse. SCENE II Outside the stable. Enter Joseph 20 Jos. A, Lorde ! what ' the wedir is colde I J>e f ellest ° f reese ^° fat evere I felyd. I pray God helpe fam pat is olde,^' And namely ■^^ pam pat is vnwelde,^* So may I sale. 2t Now, gud God, pou be my belde,'* As pou best may. \_A sudden light shines. 1 together (redundant) 6 MS. )>e armys of myne 12 especially 2 hero 7 MS. to araie is weak 8 cease 8 how " shelter ; MS. brilde - dwell 9 cruelest (em. S.) ^ subject ; MS. am sympill 10 frost sugett (K. omits sympill) " MS. aide a (Tl^^^^.^ THE YORK NATIVITY PLAY ^ A, Lord God 1 what light is fis fJat comes shynyng f us sodenly ? I can not saie, als have I blisse. When I come home unto Marie, pan sail I spirre.' Jyi'''^:at is so gud. ' Jos. Wele is me I bade * fis day To se J)is Foode ^ ! Me merveles mekill of fis light, f>at fusgates " shynes in }>is place, Forsuth it is a selcouth ' sight I Mar. J)is base he ordand * of his grace. My Sone so jing, A starne ° to be shynyng a space At his bering.^" 15 For Balam tolde ful longe befome How J)at a steme shulde rise full hye,^^ And of a maiden shulde be borne ^^ 1 ask, inquire 2 em. K. 3 MS. Marie what (em. H.) < awaited 5 child (lit; one fed) 6 thus ' strange, unusual 8 ordained n. \ vUua 9 Star 10 birth ^1 Num. 24. 17 ^ Isa. 7. 14 !>^.'^ H-'«^ A_«v-t^ A./^-^ // tc-A/ tf-T.._f 522 PLAYS A Sone * J>at sail oure saffyng ^ be Fro caris kene. Forsuth it is my Sone so free Whame he gan mene.' S Jos. Nowe welcome, Floure fairest of hewe ! I shall fe menske * with mayne and rnyght. Hayle, my Maker 1 hayle, Crist Jesu I Hayle, rial! ' Kyng, Roote of all right ! Hayle, Saveour ! 1° Hayle, my Lorde, Lemer ^ of light ! Hayle, blessid Floure I Mar. Nowe, Lord, fat all fis worlde schall wynne, To fe, my Sone, is pat I saye. Here is no bedde to laye the inne, 15 J»erfore, my dere Sone, I fe praye. Sen it is scf. Here in pis cribbe I myght Jie lay Betweene bestis '' two. And I sail happe ^ fe, myn owne dere Childe, 20 With such clothes as we have here. Jos. Marie,' beholde pes beestis mylde. They make lovyng in ther manere As pei wer men ; Forsothe it semes wele be ther chere " 25 J>are Lord pei ken.^^ Mar. Ther Lorde pai kenne, pat wate I wele — They worshippe hym with myght and mayne. The wedir is colde, as ye may fele ; 1 MS. Sonne * worship » wrap 2 salvation 5 royal " MS. O Marie (em. K.) s mean ; MS. be whame Balam 6 flasher forth 1" look gon mene (em. H.) 7 MS. J^er bestis (em. H., K.) 11 know, recognize THE YORK NATIVITY PLAY 523 To halde ^ hym warme pei are full fayne With fare warme breth, And oondis ^ on hym. Is noght to layne ° To warme hym with ? Nowe * slepis my Sone, blist mot he be ! 5 And lyes full warme fer bestis bytwene. /os. Nowe'* is fulfilled, forsuth I see, J>at Abacuc in mynde gon mene, By * prophicie : He saide cure Savyoure shall be sene 10 Betwene bestis lye ; And nowe I see fe same in sight. Afar, ^a, sir, forsuth fe same is he. /os. Honnoure and worshippe both day and nyght, Aylastand Lorde, be done to fe, 15 As * is worthy ! And to ' thy service I oblissh ° me With herte ' holy. Jlfar. Ipou mercyfuU Maker most myghty, My God, my Lorde, my Sone so free, 20 Thy handemayden forsoth am I, And to thi service I oblissh me, With herte " entere." Thy blissing, [now], beseke I thee, Graunte ^^ us in '^ feere. 25 1 keep CMS. and preched by (em. K.) 9 MS. all myn herte (em. K.) 2 breathe 6 MS. all way as (em. K.) lo entire, whole 3 borrow 7 MS. lord to (em. K.) n MS. Jjou graunte (em. K.) ^ MS. O nowe (em. K.) s oblige me, bind myself 12 MS. all in (em. K.) 8. Abacuc : the allusion is to the apocryphal Pseudo-Matthew, chap. 14, which reads : " Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Habakkuk the prophet, who said. Between two animals thou art made known.' The reference here is to Hab. 3. 2, where the Septuagint version reads : ' Thou shall be known between the two living creatures.' S24 PLAYS THE SECOND TOWNELEY SHEPHERDS' PLAY (SECUNDA PASTORUM) Gayley thus characterizes this piece (Plays of our Forefathers, p. 182) : ' The Wakefield Secunda ... is plot within plot, developed through eight closely consecutive scenes, and crowded with action. The comic adventure is indeed but an episode — this " sheep stealing of Mak " — but it has its beginning, middle, and end ; the motive, the devices, and the progress of a comedietta in itself. It grows out of and belongs to the conditions with which the en- veloping action opens, and its party of the second part are also dramatic per- sons in the main action. . . As a work of dramatic genius this little play, with its home-made philosophy, home-made figures, and home-made humor, with its comic business, its sometimes boisterous spirits, its quiet and shrewd irony, its ludicrous diction, its revelation of rural manners, its simple and healthful creed, its radiant and naive devoutness, its dramatic anticipations, postponements, and surprises, stands out English and alone, and a master- piece.' The three shepherds he thus describes (pp. 182-3) : ' Coll, the first shepherd, who soliloquizes concerning political philosophy, a kind of later fourteenth-century populist whom it refreshes to grumble ; . . . Gyb, the second shepherd, whose vein is of matrimonial philosophy ; . . and Daw, the hind, whose philosophy is eclectic, who swears by the unborn Christ and Saint Nicholas, and " lets the world pass." He it is who sees " sudden sights in the darkness " ; who warns of the midnight-stalking Mak ; who makes that " Yoman " of the king lie safely down between them ; it is he, too, who dreams of the stolen sheep, and conducts the vain search therefor ; and who, fortu- nately flinging back to Mak's home to give the hypothetical babe, " that little day starne," a " saxpence," lifts up the clout and diagnoses the fraud that has been practised upon them.' According to Pollard {English Miracle Plays, p. 189), Mak is probably adapted from the favorite comic character, the con- jurer and buffoon Maugis, of the romance of the Four Sons of Aymon. Pollard's general estimate is (England's edition, p. xxx) : " The Secunda Pasiorum ... is really perfect as a work of art.' The play is written, like four others in the Towneley series — Noah, Prima Pastorum, Herod, and the Btiffeting — and parts of others (cf. Pollard's remarks in England's edition, pp. xxi ff. ; Gayley, op. cit., pp. 1 63 ff.) in a nine-line stanza, rhyming aaaa^b^ccc^bi, where the superior numbers denote the number of feet in the line (the a-lines have each four feet, for instance). In reality, how- ever, there are four rhymes to the stanza, instead of three, since each of the a-lines has a rhyme in the middle ; the scheme may therefore be represented thus- (cf. Pollard, p. xxii) : abababab^c^ddd^c'. All the stanzas save one (535 14 ff .) are constructed on this model, and that has lost two of the four opening lines. Not to mention earlier editions, the play was printed in 1897 by England (The Towneley Plays, E.E.T.S. Ex. Ser., No. 71, pp. 116-40), and by Manly THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 525 (Spec. Pre-Shak. Drama i. 94-1 ig, with a few emendations by Kittredge); in 1909 by Hemingway (English Nativity Plays, pp. 188-214); and in part by Pollard (English Miracle Plays, pp. 31-43). Emendations by Kolbing are in Engl. Stud. 21. 165-6. Modernizations are to be found in Everyman's Library (Everyman, with Other Interludes, ed. by Ernst Rhys) and (better) in the River- side Literature Series (The Second Shepherds' Play, etc., ed. by C. G. Child) ; the latter has a good bibliographical introduction, pp. 27-8. The manuscript may be dated about 1460, and the composition of the plays may extend approximately from 1360-1410 (Pollard, in England's edition, pp. xxvii-xxviii). Miss Hope Traver (Mod. Lang. Notes 20 (1905). 5) con- cludes from the use of the word " crochett ' (551 7), introduced into the lan- guage before 1400, that the Secunda Pastontm was written 'perhaps about 1400 or a little later' (for other references to music see 532l6ff. ; 542 25ff. ; 5449; 554 24). The stage-directions are modern. For Primus Pastor, Uxor, etc., I have substituted the proper names in the text; thus : Collior Primus Pastor; Gib for Secundus (iius) Pastor; Daw for Tertius (iiius) Pastor; Gill for Uxor (eius), etc. CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY Coll, tAe First Shepherd Gib, the Second Shepherd Daw, the Third Shepherd, or rather Gib's servant Mak, the Thief Gill, Mak's Wife The Virgin Mary, with the Child Jesus An Angel SCENE I The moors near Horbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire Enter Coll, the First Shepherd Coll. Lord, what these weders ^ ar cold ! and I am yll happyd ^ ; I am nerehand ' dold,* so long have I nappyd ; My legys thay fold, my fyngers ar chappyd ; It is not as I wold, for I am al lappyd ^ In sorow, 1 weathers, storms 3 nearly s lapped, enveloped 2 wrapped, clothed * numb 526 PLAYS In stormes and tempest — Now in the eest, now in the west. Wo is hym has never rest Mydday nor morow 1 S Bot we sely ^ husbandys ^ that walkys on the moore, In fayth we are nerehandys outt of the doore.' No wonder, as it standys, if we be poore, Ffor the tylthe * of oure landys lyys falow as the floore, As ye ken. lo We ar so lamyd,* Ffortaxed ^ and ramyd,' We ar mayde handtamyd * With ° thyse gentlery-men.'" Thus thay refe" us oure rest — oure Lady theym wary^l 1 5 These men that ar lord-f est,^" thay cause the ploghe tary. That " men say is for the best, we fynde it contrary ; Thus ar husbandys opprest, in po[i]nte to ^^ myscary On lyfe. Thus hold thay us hunder, 20 Thus thay bryng us in blonder ^' ; It were greatte wonder And " ever shuld we thryfe. Ther '° shall com a swa[y]ne " as prowde as a po ^° ; He must borow my wa[y]ne,''^ my ploghe also ; 25 Then I am full fa[y]ne '^ to graunt or ^' he go. Thus lyf we in payne, anger, and wo, By nyght and day ; 1 helpless, miserable ^ oppressed 16 confusion, trouble 2 husbandmen (see 1. 17) ; 8 reduced to submission 17 if MS. shepardes (em. sug- 9 by is MS. transposes this stanza and gested by M.) 1" gentry the next (em. K.) 8 nearly homeless u take from 19 swain 4 surface (?) (there is arable 12 curse 20 peacock land among the moors) 18 bound to a lord 21 wagon 6 MS. hamyd (em. H.) "what 22 MS.swane,wane,fane(em.K.) " overtaxed 15 in peril of ; em. E. 28 ere THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 52/ He must have if he langyd,^ If I shuld forgang ^ it, I were better be hangyd Then oones ' say hym nay. Ffor may he gett a paynt slefe,* or a broche, now-on-dayes, 5 Wo is hym that hym gref e, or onys aganesays * ! Dar no man hym reprefe/ what mastry ' he mays/ And yit may no man lefe ' oone word that he says — No letter. He can make purveance ^'' 10 With boste and bragance,^^ And all is thrugh mantenance ^^ Of men that are gretter. It dos me good, as I walk thus by myn oone,^' Of this warld for to talk in maner of mone." i^ To my shepe wyll I stalk, and herkyn anone, Ther abyde on a balk,^^ or sytt on a stone, Fful soyne ^^ ; Ffor I trowe, perde," Trew men if thay be, 20 We gett more compane ^' Or it be noyne." Enter Gib, the Second Shepherd. He fails to see Coll Gib. Benste ^^ and Dominus ! What may this bemeyne ''^ ? Why fares this warld thus ? Oft have we not sene ? ^ desired 8 makes, shows 15 ridge 2 do without 9 believe 16 soon 3 once 10 provision for himself ^~i par Dieu ^ sleeve embroidered in colors 11 bragging 13 company 5 contradicts 12 countenance, backing 19 noon 6 reprove 13 myself 20 benedicite ? masterful behavior 14 lamentation 21 mean, signify 528 PLAYS Lord, thyse winds ^ ar spjrtxis,^ and the weders ° full kene, And the frostys so hydus * thay water myn eeyne — No ly.« Now in dry, now in wete, 5 Now in snaw, now in slete ; When my shone "• freys to my fete. It is not all esy. Bot as far as I ken, or yit as I go. We sely wedmen ' dre ° mekyll wo, 10 We have sorow then and then, it fallys oft so. Sely Capyle, cure hen, both to and fro She kakyls, Bot begyn she to crok. To groyne,' or [to clojk,^" 1 5 Wo is hym " oure cok, Ffor he is in the shakyls ^^ 1 These men that ar wed have not all thare wyll ; When they ar full hard sted,^' thay sygh full styll ; God wayte " thay ar led full hard and full yll ; 2o In bower nor in bed thay say noght thertyll This tyde. My parte have I fun,''' I know my lesson : Wo is hym that is bun,'* 25 Ffor he must abyde." Bot now late in oure lyfys (a mervell to me. That I thynk my hart ryfys '* sich wonders to see — What that destany dryfys it shuld so be !) Som men wyll have two wyfys, and som men thre 30 In store 1 1 MS. weders (em. sbg- ^ See line 17, below 14 knows gested by M.) » endure, suffer 16 found 2 spiteful 9 grumble 16 bound 8 storms 10 em. E. 17 stay as he is 4 hideous 11 MS. hym is of (em. suggested by M.) 18 is riven asundfir s lie 12 shackles, bonds of wedlock; MS.shekyls 6 shoes 18 beset THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 529 Som ar wo that has any, Bot so far [as] can ^ I, Wo is hym that has many, Ffor he felys sore. Bot, yong men, of " wowyng, for God that you boght, Be well war ° of wedyng, and thynk in youre thoght : ' Had I wyst * ' is a thyng it servys of noght. Mekyll styll mowrnyng has wedyng home broght. And grefys, With many a sharp showre ; Ffor thou may each in an owre That shall [savour] ° fuUe sowre As long as thou lyffys. .T Ffor — as ever red I pystyll ° ! — I have oone to my fere ' As sharp as a thystyll, as rugh as a brere ; 15 She is browyd ' lyke a brystyll, with a sowre-loten " chere '"' ; Had she oones wett hyr whystyll, she couth syng full clere Hyr Pater Noster. She is as greatt as a whall ^^ ; She has a galon of gall ; 20 By hym that dyed for us all, I wald I had ryn ^^ to i' I had lost hir " ! Co/l. ' God looke over the raw ^^ ! ' Ff uU defiy " ye stand ! Gid. Yee, the dewill in thi maw so tariand " ! Sagh thou awre ^' of Daw ? 25 Co//. Yee, on a ley " land Hard I hym blaw. He commys here at hand, Not far. 1 know y sour-looking 16 deaf 2 as to 10 expression !!■ tarrying 8 beware well 11 whale 18 anywhere ; MS. awro (see < known 12 run N££). s.v, orwhere) 6 em. E. 18 till 19 fallow, unplowed 8 epistle " ' I wald I had lost hir'would ? for my mate be more metrical 8 has brows IS row S30 PLAYS Stand styll. Gib. Qwhy ? Coll. Ffor he commys, hope I. Gib. He wyll make us both a ly ^ Bot-if we be war.^ Enter Daw, the Third Shepherd. At first he thinks himself alone 5 Daw. Ciystys crosse me spede and Sant Nycholas I Therof had I nede, it is wars then it was. Whoso couthe take hede and lett the warld pas, It is ever in drede, and brekyll * as glas, And slythys.* lo This warld fowre " never so, With mervels mo and mo — Now in weyll,° now in wo. And all thyng wrythys.' Was never syn Noe * floode sich floodys seyn, 15 Wyndys and ranys so rude, and stormes so keyn — Som stamerd, som stod in dowte, as I weyn. Now God turne all to good ! I say as I mene, Ffor ponder : These floodys so thay drowne, 20 Both in feyldys and in towne. And berys all downe, And that is a wonder ! \Catches sight of the others. We that walk on the nyghtys, oure catell to kepe. We se sodan syghtys, when othere men slepe. 25 Yit me thynk my hart lyghtys,' I se shrewys ^^ pepe. \Still soliloquizing. Ye ar two [t]all ^^ wyghtys — I wyll gyff my shepe A turne. 1 lie ^ fared 9 grows light ^ wary * weal 10 rascals a brittle ' turns, changes n em. Kittredge ^ slides * Noah's THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 531 — Bot full yll have I ment ' : As I walk on this bent,^ I may lyghtly repent, My toes if I spume.' \He first addresses Coll, then his master, Gib. A, sir, God you save, and master myne ! 5 — A drynk fayn wold I have, and somwhat to dyne. Coll. Crystys curs, my knave, thou art a ledyr ' hyne " 1 Gib. What, the boy lyst rave ! Abyde unto syne " ; We have made ' it. Yll thryft on thy pate ! 10 Though the shrew cam late, Yit is he in state To dyne, if he had it. Daw. Sich servandys as I, that swettys and swynkys,* Etys oure brede full dry, and that me forthynkys.' 15 We ar oft weytt and weiy when master-men wynkys,^" Yit commys full lately ^' both dyners and drynkys. Bot nately ^^ Both oure dame and oure syre. When we have ryn in the myre, 20 Thay can nyp ^' at oure hyre. And pay us full lately. Bot here my trouth, master, for the fayr " that ye make, I shall do theraf ter '° — wyrk as I take ; I shall do a lytyll, sir, and emang ^' ever lake,'' 2 5 Ffor yit lay my soper never on my stomake In feyldys. 1 planned (to visit the sheep, » wait till later 12 to some purpose, thoroughly since he may stumble in ^ finished ; MS. mayde ^8 take away bits the dark) 8 toil 14 wages 2 heath, open field 9 grieves 15 in proportion 8 stub 10 sleep 16 the whole time * worthless 11 reluctantly, after the V be lacking 5 hind proper time 532 PLAVS Wherto shuld I threpe ^ ? With my staf can I lepe, And men say, ' Lyght chepe ''■ Letherly * foryeldys.* ' 5 Coll. Thou were an yll lad to ryde on ^ wowyng With a man that had hot lytyll of spendyng. Gib. Peasse, boy, I bad ! — no more jangling. Or I shall make the full rad," by the hevens Kyng, With thy gawdys ' ! lo Wher ar oure shepe, boy, we skorne ' ? Daw. Sir, this same day at mome I thaym left in the come. When thay rang lawdys ^ ; Thay have pasture good, thay can not go wrong. 1 5 Coll. That is right, by the roode I thyse nyghtys ar long ; Yit I wold, or we yode,^" oone gaf us a song. Gib. So I thoght as I stode — to myrth us emong.'^ Daw. I grauntt Coll. Lett me syng the tenory. 2o Gib. And I the tryble so hye. Daw. Then the meyne ^^ fallys to me ; Lett se how you chauntt. \They sing. Enter Mak, with a cloak thrown over his tunic^^ Mak. Now, Lord, for thy naymes vii, that made both moyn and stames, Well mo then I can neven," thi will, Lorde, of me thamys " ; 25 I am all uneven ^^ — that moves oft my hames " ; Now wold God I were in heven, for the[re] ■'' wepe no barnes " So styll I 1 complain 8(?) 14 name 2 easy bargain 9 lauds (before daybreak) 16 lacks 8 badly w before we went 16 at odds, at sixes and sevens < repays 11 to gladden us the while 17 brains 6 a- 12 middle part IS em. E. 6 frightened 18 MS. Tunc intrat Mak, in clamide 19 children 7 tricks se super togam vestitus THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 533 Coll. Who is that pypys so poore ? Mak. Wold God ye wyst how I f oore ^ t \_CollF\ Lo, a man that walkys on the moore, And has not all his wyll ! Gib. Mak, where has thou gon ' ? Tell us tythyng.* 5 Daw. Is he commen ? Then ylk on take hede to his thyng.^ \Snatches his own cloak from Mak.^ Mak. What ! Ich be a yoman, I tell you, of the king, [Pretending not to know them. The self and the same, sond ' from a greatt lordyng, And sich.' Ffy on you 1 Goyth hence 10 Out of my presence I I must have reverence — Why, who be Ich ? Coll. Why make ye it so qwaynt,' Mak ? Ye do wrang. Gib. Bot, Mak, lyst ye saynt^" ? I trow that ye lang.^^ 15 Daw. I trow the shrew ^^ can paynt," the dewyll myght hym hang 1 Mak. Ich shall make complaynt, and make you all to thwang," At a worde, And tell evyn ^° how ye doth. ColL Bot, Mak, is that sothe ? 20 Now take outt that sothren ^' tothe. And sett in a torde " ! Gib. Mak, the dewill in youre ee ! A stroke wold I leyne '' you. Daw. Mak, know ye not me ? By God, I couthe teyn " you. Mak. God looke ^^ you all thre J Me thoght I had sene you, 25 [As if recognizing them. 1 fared 8 so forth 16 southern (Child under- 2 em. Child 9 do you behave so strangely stands ' deceitful ') 3 MS. gom (em. E.) lo play the saint 1^ piece of dung ^ news 11 are restless (love change ?) 18 lend 5 property 12 rascal 19 trouble 6 MS.&accipitclamidem 18 deceive jobless ab ipso 14 to be whipped 7 messenger 15 exactly 534 PLAYS Ye ar a fare compane. Coll. Can ye now mene you "^ ? Gib. Shrew, jape ''■ ! Thus late as thou goys, What wyll men suppos ? 5 And thou has an yll noys ' Of stelyng of shepe. Mak. And I am trew as steyll, all men waytt ^ ; Bot a sekenes I feyll that haldys * me full haytt * : My belly farys not weyll, it is out of astate. 10 Daw. ' Seldom lyys the dewyll dede by the gate.' Mak. Therfor Full sore am I and yll, If I stande stone-styll. I ete not an nedyll ' ' ' IS Thys moneth and more. Coll. How farys thi wyff ? By my hoode, how farys sho ? Mak. L3^s walteryng,* by the roode, by the fyere, lo ! And a howse full of brude ° ; she drynkys well, to. Yll spede othere good that she wyll do ! 20 Bot s[h]o 1° Etys as fast as she can ; And ilk yere that commys to man She bryngys furth a lakan,^^ And, som yeres, two. 25 Bot were I not more gracy[o]us,^^ and rychere be '° far, I were ^* eten outt of howse and of harbar ■'^ ; Yit is she a fowll dowse,^" if ye com nar ; Ther is none that trowse nor knowys a war " Then ken I. 18 by 14 should be 15 shelter 16 doxy 17 worse 1 remember 7 particle, bit 2 make jokes 8 rolling about 8 reputation 9 brood, children 4 know 10 em. H. 5 keeps 11 baby {lit. toy) 6 hot 12 prosperous THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 535 Now wyll ye se what I prefer : To gyf all in my cofer To-mome at next ^ to offer Hyr hed-maspenny.' Coll. I am cold and nakyd, and wold have a fyere. 5 Gib. I wote so forwakyd ' is none in this shyre ! I wold slepe if * I takyd les to my hyere.* Daw. I am wery, forrakyd,^ and run in the myre — Wake thou ! Gib. Nay, I wyll lyg downe by, 10 Ffor I must slepe truly. Daw. As good a mans son was I As any of you.' Bot, Mak, com heder I betwene shall thou lyg downe. Mak. Then myght I lett * you bedene ° of that ye wold rowne." 1 5 No drede. \He says his prayers. ' Ffro my top to my too, ^ at length (?) 5 hire 8 hinder 2 funeral dues (see 6 22) o worn out with walking 9 completely 8 weary with waking ^ Two lines are apparently lo whisper 4 even if lost here 5- CoU : MS. gives this line to Daw, and makes it follow Gib's next speech ; but Gib's speech requires Daw's next as an immediate answer. 8. Daw : MS. assigns this to Coll, but Daw and his master, Gib, are having a dispute as to who shall keep awake. 17. In the Prima Pastorum (290-5), one of the shepherds says, as they pre- pare to he down : pj^^. ^^^^^ ^^ j,g ^ ^^j^^^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ . * Cryst-crosse, benedyght eest and west, Ffor drede. Jesus onazorus, Cnicyefixus, Morcus, Andreus, God be oure spede ! ' Cf. the blessing in Chaucer's Miller's Tale 292-300 : Therwith the nightspel seyde he anonrightes On foure halves of the hous aboute. And on the threshfold of the dore withoute : * Jesu Crist, and seynt Benedight, Blesse this hous from every wikked wight, For nightes verye, the white Pater NosterX Where wentestow, seynt Fetres soster ? ' 536 PLAYS Manus tuas commendo} Pondo Pilato ; t r^A ") U^ Cryst-crosse me spede I ' W^^^ ~ [JVhile the Shepherds sleep on, he rises? Now were tyme for a man that lakkys what he wold 5 To stalk prevely than unto a fold, And neemly ° to wyrk than, and be not to bold, Ff or he might aby ^ the bargan, if it were told At the endyng. Now were tyme for to reyll ^ ; 10 Bot he nedys good counsell That fayn wold fare weyll, And has bot lytyll spendyng.' \He works a spell. Bot abowte you a serkyll,'' as rownde as a moyn,' Kest ' now ^^ I wyll, tyll that it be noyn, 15 That ye lyg stone-sty 11 to that I have doyne ; And I shall say thertyll of good wordys a f oyne ■'■' : ' On hight, Over youre heydys, my hand I lyft. Outt go youre een ! fordo ^^ your syght 1 ' — 20 Bot yit I must make better shyft, And ^^ it be right. Lord, what " thay slepe hard ! — that may ye all here. Was I never a shepard, bot now wyll I lere ^° ; If the flok be skard,^* yit shall I nyp '' nere. 25 How ! drawes hederward ! Now mendys oure chere Ffrom ■'' sorow ; 1 Cf. Luke 23, 46 " iiy phonetically = in this 12 destroy 2 MS. Tunc surgit, pastoribus dormi- text 18 if entibus, & dicit : 9 cast (see note on 535 17) 14 how 8 nimbly If MS. to I have done that; is learn ' atone for but this seems to have W frightened 5 ramble been anticipated from 17 steal up 6 money to spend next line by some scribe w MS.(fEronem.E.) 7 circle (a magician's imaginary circle) n few THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 537 A fatt shepe, I dar say 1 A good flese, dar I lay ^ I Eftwhy te ' when I may, Bot this will I borow. [Exit with the sheep. SCENE II Mak's cottage. Enter Mak [Mah.] How, Gyll, art thou in ? Gett us som lyght. e Gttt. Who makys sich dyn this tyme of the nyght ? I am sett for to spyn, I hope not I myght Ryse a penny to wyn,' I shrew ' them on hight ^ I So farys A huswyff that has bene — lo To be rasyd " thus betwene,'' Here may no note ' be sene, Ffor^ sich small charys.'" Mak. Good wyff, open the hek *^ ! Seys thou not what I bryng ? Git/. I may thole ^^ the dray ^' the snek.'* A, com in, my swetyng ! 15 Mak. Yee, thou thar ^° not rek of '* my long standyng. [Reproachfully. Gill. By the nakyd nek art thou lyke for to hyng. Mak. Do way " 1 I am worthy my mete, Ffor, in a strate,'* can I gett zo More then thay that swynke and swette All the long day. \Siows Gill the sheep. Thus it fell to my lott, Gyll, I had sich grace." Gill. It were a fowU blott to be hanged for the case. ^ wager 7 ever and anon " latch 2 return, repay 8 work (i.e. completed task) 15 need s 1 do not expect that I could 9 because of 16 care about gain a penny by rising 10 jobs IT get along 4 curse 11 inner door 18 at a pinch fi aloud, openly 12 suffer 19 luck 6 rushed i» to draw 538 PLAYS Mak. I have skapyd, Jelott,^ oft as hard a glase.^ Gill. ' Bot solong goys the pott to the water,' men says, ' At last Comys it home broken.' S Mak. Well knowe I the token, Bot let it never be spoken ! — Bot com and help fast. I woid he were slayn, I lyst well ete " ; This twelmo[n]the * was I not so fayn of oone shepe-mete.' 10 Gill. Com thay or * he be slayn, and here the shepe blete — Mak. Then myght I be tane. That were a cold swette 1 Go spar' The gaytt ^ doore. Gill. Yis, Mak. 1 5 Ffor and thay com at thy bak — Mak. Then myght I far, by ° all the pak. The dewill of the war.^" Gill. A good bowrde ^^ have I spied, syn thou can '^ none : Here shall we hym hyde, to ^' thay be gone, 20 In my credyll.-'* — Abyde '^ ! Lett me alone I — And I shall lyg besyde in chyl[d]bed, and grone. Mak. Thou red," And I shall say thou was lyght " Of a knave ^' childe this nyght. 25 Gill. Now well is me day '^ bright That ever was I bred ! This is a good gyse,^" and a far[e] cast,^^ Yit a woman [s] avyse helpys at the last. ' French form of " Gill ' (f) 9 fare, at the hands of; MS. n cradle 2 rub, swipe, plight {lit. blow) by for (em. Skeat, Loge- 15 wait 8 greatly desire to eat man) 16 make ready 4 em. K. 10 the devil the worse, a devil- li" delivered 3 meal of mutton ish deal worse 18 boy 6 ere 11 jest 19 the day '' fasten 12 knowest 20 way 8 outer 18 until !i clever contrivance THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 539 I wote never who spyse ; agane go thou fast. Mak. Bot ' I com ^ or thay ryse, els blawes a cold blast 1 I wyll go slepe. Yit slepys all this meneye,' And I shall go stalk prevely, 5 As it had never bene I That caiyed thare shape. SCENE III ^' The moors near Horbury Enter Coll, Gib, Daw, and Mak Coll. Resurrex a mortrtcis ! have hald my hand 1 Judas carnas dominus ! I may not well stand. My foytt slepys, by Jesus ! and I water-fastand.* jo I thoght that we layd us full nere Yngland. Gib. A! ye! Lord, what I have slept weyll I As fresh as an eyll * ; As lyght I me feyll '' i^ As leyfe on a tre ! Daw. Benste ' be herein ! So my body " qwakys My hart is outt of skyn, what so it makys. Who makys all this dyn ? So my browes blakys,' To the dowore ^° wyll I w)ti. Harke, felows, wakys ! 20 We were f owre ; Se ye awre ^' of Mak now ? Coll. We were up or thou. Gib. Man, I gyf God avowe Yit yede " he na owre." 25 1 unless 6 feel myself M door 2 reach there ' a blessing ^1 anywhere * company 8 MS. illegible ; E., H. hart; 12 went '- fasting on water Kittredge, M. body 13 flowhere ; MS. nawre 6 eel 9 grow black S40 PLAYS Daw. Me thoght he was lapt in a wolfe-skyn. Coll. So are many now hapt, namely '^ within. Daw.^ When we had long napt, me thoght with a gyn * A fatt shepe he trapt, bot he mayde no dyn. 5 Gib.* Be styll, Thi dreme makys the woode * ; It is bot fantom, by the roode ! Coll. Now God turne all to good, If it be his wyll. lo Gib. Ryse, Mak, for shame ! Thou lygys right lang. Mak. Now, Crystys holy name be us emang ! What is this ? For Sant Jame, I may not well gang ! I trow I be the same. A, my nek has lygen wrang Enoghe ! 1 5 Mekill thank ! Syn yistereven, Now, by Sant Stevyn,' I was flayd ' with a swevyn,' My hart out ofsloghe.' I thoght Gyll began to crok, and travell ^^ full sad, 20 Wei ner '"■ at the fyrst cok, of a yong lad Ff or to mend oure flok ; then be I never glad — I have tow on my rok more then ever I had. A, my heede I A house full of yong tharmes ! 25 The dewill knok outt thare harnes'^^l Wo is hym has many barnes. And therto lytyll brede I i especially 5 mad ^ which smote my heart out (F) 2 MS. ii pastor (em. M.) 6 MS. strevyn (em. H.) i" travail 8 snare, trap , 7 tormented 11 well nigh - MS. iii pastor (em. M.) 8 dream 12 brains 22. rok : distaff ; the phrase means ' business to attend to ' (cf. Chaucer, Miller's Tale 588 (A 3774), and Skeat's note). 24. tharmes: children (lit. bowels, Lat. viscera; cf. Ovid, Met. 8. 478; Shakespeare, M.forM. 3. i. 29). THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 541 I must go home, by youre lefe, to Gyll, as I thbght, I pray you looke ^ my slefe,'' that I steyll noght ; I am loth you to grefe, or from you take oght. [£xi( Mak. Daw. Go furth, yll myght thou chefe " 1 Now wold I we soght This morne 5 That we had all oure store. Col/. Bot I will go before. Let us mete. Gi6. Whore ? Daw. At the crokyd thome. 10 SCENE IV Mak's cottage. Mak enters Mak. Undo this doore 1 Who is here ? How long shall I stand ? Gill. Who makys sich a here * ? Now walk in the wenyand. Mak. A, Gyll, what chere ? It is I, Mak, youre husbande. Gill. Then may we se ^ here the dewill in a bande,' Syr Gyle'! 15 Lo, he commys with a lote ^ As he were holden in the throte. I may not syt at my note ° A handlang-while ^° ! Mak. Wyll ye here what fare she makys to gett hir a glose ^^ ? 20 And dos noght bot lakys,^^ and dowse " hir toose. Gill. Why^ who wanders ? Whowakys? Who commys? Whogose? Who brewys ? Who bakys ? What makys me thus hose '* ? And than 1 look in 8 bond, chain n pretext 2 sleeve ^ Cf. p. 529, note 9 12 amuse herself 8 prosper 8 voice 18 strokes, caresses * noise, clamor 9 work 1< hoarse 6 MS. be (em. Kittredge) 1" an instant 10. crokyd thome : perhaps the Shepherds' Thorn of Mapplewell, three miles northwest of Barnsley, and distant about eight miles from Horbury (see England's ed., p. xiv). 13. wenyand : waning of the moon, i.e. unlucky time (cf. wanton, e.g. Shakespeare, Per. 2. i. 17). S42 PLAYS It is rewthe to beholde ; Now in hote, now in colde, FfuU wofuU is the householde That wantys a woman. 5 Bot what ende has thou mayde with the hyrdys,^ Mak ? Mak. The last worde that thay sayde when I turnyd my bak, Thay wold looke that thay hade thare shepe all the pak. I hope ^ thay wyll nott be well payde ' when thay thare shepe lak, Perde ! 10 Bot howso the gam * gose, To me thay wyll suppose,^ And make a fowU noyse, And cry outt apon me. Bot thou must do as thou hyght.^ 15 Gill. I accorde me thertyll. I shall swedyll ' hym right in my credyll ; If it were a gretter slyght,' yit couthe I help tyll. I wyll lyg downe stright,' com hap ^° me. Mak. I wyll. Gin. Behynde 1 20 Com Coll and his maroo," Thay wyll nyp us full naroo. Mak. Bot I may cry out ' Haroo 1 ' The shepe if thay fynde. Gill. Harken ay when thay call — thay will com onone. 25 Com and make redy all, and syng by thyn oone '* ; Syng ' luUay ' thou shall, for I must grone. And cry outt by the wall on Mary and John, Ffor sore.^' 1 shepherds ^ promised U companion = Gib (cf. Words- '^ suspect "^ swaddle worth's 'winsome marrow," 8 pleased ^ trick Yarrow Unvisiied) 4 sport ' straightway 12 alone, by thyself 6 they will suspect me 1^ wrap, cover 1^ pain THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 543 Syng ' luUay ' on fast When thou hens at the last ; And, hot I play a fals cast,^ Trust me no more. SCENE V The moors near Horbury. Enter Coll, Gib, and Haw Daw. A, Coll, goode morne, why slepys thou nott ? 5 Coll. Alas, that ever was I borne ! We have a f owU blott — A fat wedir ^ have we lorne. Daw. Mary, Godys forbott ' ! Gib. Who shuld do us that skorne ? That were a fowU spott. Coll. Som shrewe. I have soght with my dogys 10 All Horbery * shrogys,* And, of XV hogys,' Ffond I bot oone ewe. Daw. Now trow me, if ye will — by Sant Thomas of Kent,^ Ayther Mak or Gyll was at that assent.' 15 Coll. Peasse, man, be still I I sagh when he went Thou sklanders hym yll, thou aght to repent Goode spede. Gib. Now as ever myght I the,° If I shuld evyn here de," _ 20 I wold say it were he That dyd that same dede ! Daw. Go we theder, I rede,^^ and ryn '^ on oure feete. Shall I never ete brede the sothe to '* I weei ." 1 shrewd trick (on the southwest of Wakefield, 9 prosper shepherds) in Yorkshire lo die ^ wether ^ thickets 11 counsel 3 God forbid (lit. God's « young sheep 12 Daw is always ' lynning ' prohibition) ' Thomas k Becket 13 till < Horbury, four miles s agreement, concerted action 1^ know; MS. wytt (H. weete) 544 PLAYS Coll. Nor drynk in my heede, with hym tyll I mete. Gib. I wyll rest in no stede tyll that I hym grete, My brothere.^ Oone ^ I will hight : Tyll I se hym in sight, Shall I never slepe one nyght Ther' I do anothere. SCENE VI Mak's cottage. Mak singing within, and Gill groaning Daw. Will ye here how thay hak * ? Oure syre lyst croyne/ Coll. Hard ' I never none crak ' so clere out of toyne." 10 Call on hym. Gib. Mak ! Undo youre doore soyne 1 Mak. Who is that spak, as it were noyne,' On loft"? Who is that, I say ? Daw. Goode felowse, were it day — 1 5 Mak. As far as ye may. Good, spekys soft Over a seke woman's heede, that is at maylleasse " ; I had lever be dede or she had any dyseasse.^^ Gill. Go to anothere stede,-'* I may not well qweasse.^* 20 Ich ^* fote that ye trede goys thorow my nese ■"' So hee." Coll. Tell us, Mak, if ye may. How fare ye, I say ? Mak. Bot ar ye in this towne " to-day ? — 25 Now how fare ye ? 1 = Coll ^ bray, bawl W place 2 one thing 8 tune " breathe ifit. wheeze) ' where ' 9 noon 15 each 4 jangle 1» up there 16 nose fi croon 11 distress (OF. malaise) 1' loud 6 heard 12 suffering 18 farmstead THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 545 Ye have ryn in the myre, and ar weytt yit ; I shall make you a fyre, if ye will syt. A nores ' wold I hyre — thynk ye on ^ yit ? Well qiyytt ' is my hyre — my dreme this is itt — A seson.* I have barnes, if ye knew, Well mo then enewe — Bot we must drynk as we brew, And that is bot reson. I wold ye dynyd or ye yode.' Me thynk that ye swette. lo Gib. Nay, nawther njendys oure mode ^ drynke nor mette. Mak. Why, sir, alys ' you oght bot goode ? Daw. Yee, oure shepe that we gett Ar stollyn as thay yode ; oure los is grette. Mak. Syrs, drynkys ! Had I bene thore 15 Som shuld have boght it full sore. Coll. Mary, som men trowes that ye wore,' And that us forthynkys.' Gib. Mak, som men trowys that it shuld be ye. Daw. Ayther ye or youre spouse, so say we. io Mak. Now if ye have suspowse ^^ to Gill or to me, Com and rype ^^ oure howse, and then may ye se Whohadhir^^ — If I any shepe fott,^' Aythor cow or stott ^* ; 25 And Gyll, my wyfe, rose nott Here syn she lade hir. 1 nurse ' temper 11 search 2 one '' ails 12 the e*e 8 requited, earned * were i« fetched < for a while ' troubles W steer 5 before you went 1" suspicion 546 PLAYS As I am true and lele/ to God here I pray That this be the fyrst mele that I shall ete this day. Coll. Mak, as have I ceyll,'^ avyse the, I say — ' He lernyd tymely' to steyll that couth not say nay.' 5 Gill. IsweltM Outt, thefys, fro my wonys ' I Ye com to rob us, for the nonys. Mak. Here ye not how she gronys ? Youre hartys shuld melt. lo Gill. Outt, thefys, fro my barne I Negh ^ hym not thor ' ! Mak. Wyst ye how she had fame,' youre hartys wold be sore. Ye do wrang, I you warne, that thus commys before To a woman that has fame — bot I say no more. Gill. A, my medyll " ! — 15 I pray to God so my Ida, If ever I you begyld, That I ete " this chylde That lygs in this credyll. Mak. Peasse, woman, for Godys payn,^^ and cry not so 1 20 Thou spyllys ^^ thy bra[y]ne, and makys me full wo. Gib. I trowe oure shepe be slayn. What finde ye two ? Daw. All wyrk we in vayn, as well may we go. Bot hatters,^' I can fynde no flesh, 25 Hard nor nesh," Salt nor fresh, Bot two tome ^^ platers ; Whik ^^ catell bot this, tame nor wylde. None, as have I blys, as lowde as he smylde.^' Ileal ' there 18 except clothes (I can find nothing) 2 bliss 8 fared " soft 3 early 9 middle, inwards 16 empty 4 die i» may eat 16 quick, live 5 dwelling 11 i.e. on the cross 17 smelled as strongly as he (the sheep) (?) 6 approach 12 dost injure THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 547 Gill. No, so God me blys, and gyf me joy of my chylde ! Coll. We have merkyd ^ amys ; I hold us begyld. Gib. Syr, don"! — Syr — oure Lady hym save ! — Is youre chyld a knave ° ? 5 Mak. Any lord myght hym have. This chyld, to his son. When he wakyns he kyppys * that joy is to se. Daw. In good tyme to hys hyppys,* and in cele.' Bot who were' his gossyppys,' so sone rede' ? lo Mak. So fare fall thare lyppys ■"" ! Coll. Hark now, a le " 1 \Aside. Mak. So God thaym thank — Parkyn, and Gybon Waller, I say. And gentill John Home, in good fay ; He made all the garray ^^ — 15 With the greatt shank. Gib. Mak, freyndys will we be, ffor we ar all oone. Mak. We ? Now I hald for me,^° for mendys " gett I none ! Ffare well all thre, all ^* glad were ye gone. \The shepherds leave the house. Daw. " Ffare wordys may ther be, bot luf is ther none ' 20 This yere. Coll. Gaf ye the chyld anythyng ? Gib. I trow not oone f arthyng ^' ! Daw. Ffast agane will I flyng ; Abyde ye me here." \^Goes back to the house. 25 Mak, take it to no grefe if I com to thi barne. Mak. Nay thou dos me greatt reprefe,'^' and fowll has thou fame. J aimed !■ MS. was 13 myself 2 completely 8 sponsors 14 amends 8 boy 9 ready 15 very ^ grabs, clutches l» lips 16 rush, thing 6 hips ; see Gen, 49. 25 ; Prov. 11.26 11 lie 17 MS. there 6 happiness 12 commotion 18 reproach 548 PLAYS Daw. The child will it not grefe, that lytyll day-starne.^ Mak, with youre leyfe, let me gyf youre barne Bot vi pence. \He approaches the cradle. Mak. Nay, do way, he slepys. 5 Daw. Me thynk he pepys.^ Mak. When he wakyns, he wepys. I pray you go hence. [Coll and Gib return. Daw. Gyf me lefe hym to kys, and lyft up the clowtt.' \He sees the sheep. What the dewill is this ? He has a long snowte. 10 Coll. He is merkyd * amys, we wate ill * abowte. Gib. " lU-spon weft,' iwys, ' ay commys foull owte.' Ay, so ! He is lyke to oure shepe ! Daw. How, Gyb, may I pepe * ? IS Coll. I trow ' Kynde' will crepe " Where it may not go.' ' Gib. This was a qwantt gawde,^" and a far[e] " cast ; It was a hee ^^ f rawde. Daw. Yee, syrs, wast." Lett bren " this bawde, and bynd hir fast. 2o ' A fals skawde"-^ hang[s] at the last.' So shall thou. Wyll ye se how thay swedyll ^° His foure feytt in the medyll ? Sagh I never in a credyll 25 A hornyd lad or " now. Mak. Peasse byd I ! What, lett be youre fare I I am he that hym gatt,^* and yond woman hym bare. 1 See 553 22 7 nature 18 was it y whimpers 8 A proverb ; also found in Everyman^ 1. 316 1* bum 8 cloth a walk 16 scold ^ fashioned (marked ?) 1" trick 18 swathe, swaddle 6 wait to no purpose H See 538 2r 17 before 6 have a look 12 high, deep l' begot THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 549 Coll. What dewill shall he hatt/ Mak ? Lo, God, Makys** ayreM Gib. Lett be all that, now God gyf hym care, I sagh.* Gill. A pratty child is he As syttys on a womans ° kne, 5 A dyllydowne,' perde, To gar ' a man laghe. Daw. I know hym by the eeremarke — that is a good tokyn. Mak. I tell you, syrs, hark ! Hys noyse * was brokyn ; Sythen ° told me a dark ^° that he was forspokyn.^^ 10 Coll. This is a fals wark. I wold f ayn be wrokyn ''■' ; Gett wepyn. Gill. He was takyn with '' an elfe, I saw it myself ; When the clok stroke twelf 15 Was he forshapyn.^* Gih. Ye two ar well feft '^ sam ^* in a " stede. Coll}^ Syn thay manteyn thare theft, let do thaym to dede.^' Mak. If I trespas eft, gyrd of ^^ my heede ; With you will I be left^^ Daw?'^ Syrs, do my reede : 20 Ffor this trespas We will nawtKer ban ^ ne flyte,''* Ffyght nor chyte,^ Bot have done as tyte,''* And cast hym in canvas. 25 \They go outside, and toss Mak in a sheet. 1 be called, named i» MS. clerk 19 death 2 Mak's 11 bewitched a> strike off 8 heir 12 avenged 21 you shall judge 4 say 18 enchanted by 22 MS. primus pastor (em. M.) 5 MS.wamans (em. M.) 14 transformed 28 curse 6 darling 15 endowed 24 scold 7 make 16 together 26 chide 8 nose 17 one 2S as quickly as possible » since 18 MS. iiius pastor (em. M.) SSO PLAYS SCENE VII The fields near Bethlehem of Judea. Enter the Three Shepherds [Coll}] Lord, what I am sore, in poynt for to bryst^'l In fayth I may no more ; therfor wyll I ryst.° Gii. As a shepe of vii skore * he weyd in my fyst. Ff or to slepe ay whore ° me thynk that I lyst. S Daw. Now, I pray you, Lyg downe on this grene. Coll. On these thefys yit I mene.' £>aw. Wherto shuld ye tene ' ? Do ° as I say you. An Angel appears, and sings Gloria in excelsis. Then the Angel addresses the shepherds:^ 10 Angel. Ryse, hyrdmen heynd ^° I for now is he borne That shall take fro the feynd that Adam had lorne ^^ ; That warloo '° to sheynd," this nyght is he borne. God is made youre freynd now at this mome, He behestys.^* 1 5 At Bedlem go se ; Ther lygys that f re " In a cryb full poorely, Betwyx two bestys. [Exit. Coll. This was a qwant stevyn '' as " ever jA I hard. 20 It is a mervell to nevyn ^' thus to be skard.^' Gib. Of Godys Son of hevyn he spak upward.'"' All the wod on a levyn " me thoght that he gard ^ Appere. i em. M. 9 MS. Angelus cantat ' Gloria 16 voice ^ burst in excelsis,' postea dicat : "MS. that (eir suggested 8 rest 10 gentle by M.) * seven score pounds n lost 18 name, speak 6 anywhere 12 wizard 19 frightened ' think IS destroy 20 from above ' trouble n promises 21 lightning 8 MS. so (em. M.) 16 noble one 22 made THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM SSI Daw. He spake of a Barne In Bedlam, I you warne. Coll. That betokyns yond starne * ; \Pointing to the sky. Let us seke hym there. Gib. Say, what was his song ? Hard ye not h9w he crakt ^ it, 5 Thre brefes ° to a long ? h-J i A ,• ' ■'■''•.- X_(p.f..' Daw. Yee, Mary, he hakt * it. Was no crochett wrong, nor no thyng that lakt it. Coll. Ffor to syng us emong, right as he knakt it,* I can. Gib. Let se how ye croyne ! 10 Can ye bark at the mone ? Daw. Hold youre tonges I Have done 1 Coll. Hark after, than I \They sing. Gib. To Bedlem he bad that we shuld gang ; I am full f ard " that we tary to lang. 1 5 Daw. Be mery and not sad — of myrth is oure sang I Everlastyng glad ' to mede ° may we fang,° Withoutt noyse. Coll. Hy 1° we theder forthy," If ^^ we be wete and wery, 20 To that Chyld and that lady ; We have it not to lose. Gib. We fynde by the prophecy — let be youre dyn 1 — Of David and Isay, and mo then I myn,''* Thay prophecyed by clergy '* that in a vyrgyn 25 Shuld he lyght and ly, to slokyn " oure syn And slake " it, 1 nom. fi threw it off n therefore ^trilled (?); MS. crakyd fl afeared 12 even if 3 breves (three breves were accounted ^ gladness ^ remember equal to one long in the music of 8 for reward ^4 learning that period) 9 receive 15 quench 4 warbled (?) 10 hie W slacken, abate 552 PLAYS [Save] oure kjmde ^ from wo, Ffor Isay sayd so : Ecce ^ virgo Condpiet^ a chylde that is nakyd. 5 Daw. FfuU glad may we be, and abyde that day, That Lufly to se, that all myghtys may.^ Lord, well were me, for ones and for ay, Myght I knele on my kne, som word for to say To that Chylde. 10 Bot the angell sayd In a cryb wos he layde, He was poorly arayd, Both meke ^ and mylde. CoH. Patryarkes that has bene, and prophetys befome, 1 5 Thay desyryd to have sene ° this Chylde that is borne. Thay ar gone full dene ; that have thay lorne. We shall se hym, I weyn, or it be morne, To tokyn.'' When I se hym and fele, 20 Then wot I full weyll It is true as steyll That prophetys have spokyn : To so poore as we ar[e] that he wold appere, Ffyrst fynd, and declare by his messyngere. 25 Gib. Go we now, let us fare, the place is us nere. Daw. I am redy and yare,' go we in fere " To that Bright." ' race 6 ms. mener (em. K.) 9 together 2 MS. cite (em. E.) « Matt. 13. 17 10 bright one 8 Isa. 7. 14 (Vulgate) 7 as a sign * has power over all mights 8 prepared THE TOWNELEY SECUNDA PASTORUM 553 Lord, if thi wyll ^ be — We ar lewde ^ all thre — Thou grauntt us somkyns ° gle To comforth thi Wight* SCENE VIII Bethlehem. A stable. Enter the Shepherds, and kneel Coll. Hayll, comly and dene I Hayll, yong Child ! 5 Hayll, Maker, as I meyne, of ' a madyn so mylde 1 Thou has waryd,' I weyne, the warlo so wylde ; The fals gyler ' of teyn,* now goys he begylde. — Lo, he merys,' Lo, he laghys, my Swetyng ! — 10 A wel fare '" metyng ; I have holden my hetyng.^^ — Have a bob ^^ of cherys. Gib. Hayll, sufferan " Savyoure 1 Ffor thou has us soght, Hayll, frely Foyde " and Floure, that all thyng has wroght ! 1 5 Hayll, full of f avoure, that made all of noght 1 Hayll 1 I kneyll and I cowre. A byrd have I broght To my Bame. Hayll, lyfyll tyne ''^ Mop " ! Of oure crede thou art Crop." 20 I wold drynk on thy cop,'' Lytyll Daystame." Daw. Hayll, Derlyng dere, full of godhede ! I pray the be nere when that I have nede. 1 MS. wylles 8 of sorrow, sorrowful is tiny 2 simple, ignorant ^ grows merry 16 baby, young creature 8 of some kind i« very fair 17 See Heb. 12. 2 4 creature 11 promise 18 from thy cup s from 12 bunch, cluster 19 See 2 Pet. i . 19 ; Rev. 22. 16 6 cursed 18 sovereign ' beguiler (Satan) 1* noble child SS4 PLAYS Hayll, swete is thy chere ! My hart wold blede To se the sytt here in so poore wede, With no pennys. HayU! Put furth thy dall M I bryng the hot a ball ; Have and play the ^ withall, And go to the tenys.' IS Mary. The Fader of heven, God omnypotent, That sett all on seven,* his Son has he sent. My name couth * he " neven/ and lyght * or he went. I conceyvyd hym ' full even thrugh myght, as he ment, And now is he borne. He kepe you fro wo ! I shall pray hym so ; Tell furth as ye go, And myn " on this morne. 25 Coll. Ffarewell, lady, so fare to beholde, With thy Chylde on thi kne ! Gib. Bot he lygys full cold. Lord, well is me ; now we go, thou behold. Daw. Fforsothe, allredy it semys to be told Full oft. Coll. What grace we have fun ^^ I Gib. Com furth, now ar we won ^^ 1 Daw. To syng ar we bun,^' Let take on loft." Explicit Pagina Pastorum}^ [They sing. 1 fist, hand 2refl. 8 tennis (well known in Eng- land by the end of the fourteenth century) 4 created all things in seven days (?) 6 did 6 God the Father 7 name 8 alighted, descended (on me) 9 Christ 10 think 11 found 12 rescued, saved 18 bound 1* let us sing aloud 1* Here ends The Shepherds' Pageant ,# ./