Early English Alliterative Poems
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Title: Early English Alliterative Poems
Editor: Richard Morris
Release date: October 19, 2009 [eBook #30282]
Most recently updated: January 5, 2021
Language: English
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[1] Introductory Material
[2] The Pearl
[3] Cleanness
[4] Patience
[5] Glossarial Index (excluding Postscript)
[6] Collected Sidenotes (section added by transcriber: editor’s
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Early English
Alliterative Poems
in the
West-Midland Dialect
of the
Fourteenth Century
Edited From
The Unique Manuscript
British Museum MS. Cotton
Nero A. x
by
Richard Morris
_Published for_
THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY
_by the_
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
London New York Toronto
First Published 1864
Second Edition 1869
Reprinted (1869 Version) 1965
Original Series, No. 1
Originally Printed by Stephen Austin, Hertford
and now Reprinted Lithographically in Great Britain
at the University Press, Oxford
by Vivian Ridler, Printer to the University
CONTENTS
[List added by transcriber. Items in brackets do not have headers in the
body text, but were treated as subsections for grouping footnotes.]
Preface
[Introduction to _The Pearl_]
[Introduction to _Cleanness_]
[Introduction to _Patience_]
[General Introduction]
Remarks Upon the Dialect and Grammar
Grammatical Details
I. Nouns
II. Adjectives
III. Pronouns
IV. Verbs
V. Adverbs
VI. Prepositions
VII. Conjunctions
Description of the Manuscript
Contractions Used in the Glossary
The Pearl
Cleanness
Patience
Notes [distributed among the three poems]
Glossarial Index
PREFACE.
The following poems are taken from a well known manuscript in the
Cottonian collection, marked Nero A. x, which also contains, in the same
handwriting and dialect, a metrical romance,[1] wherein the adventures
of Sir Gawayne with the “Knight in Green,” are most ably and
interestingly described.
Unfortunately nothing can be affirmed with any certainty concerning the
authorship of these most valuable and interesting compositions. The
editor of “Syr Gawayn and the Green Knight” considers that Huchowne, a
supposed[2] Scotch _maker_ of the fourteenth century, has the best
claims to be recognised as the author, inasmuch as he is specially
referred to by Wyntown as the writer of the _Gret gest of Arthure_ and
the _Awntyre of Gawayne_.
I do not think that any certain conclusions are to be drawn from the
Scotch historian’s assertion. It is well known that more versifiers than
one during the fourteenth century attempted romance composition in the
English language, having for their theme the knightly deeds of Arthur or
Sir Gawayne. These they compiled from French originals, from which they
selected the most striking incidents and those best suited to an
Englishman’s taste for the marvellous. We are not surprised, then, at
finding so many romance poems treating of the exploits of the same hero,
and laying claim to be considered as original productions. In Scotland,
Huchowne’s works might no doubt have been regarded as the standard
romances of the period, but that they were the only English _gests_ is
indeed very doubtful.
The Early English alliterative romance, entitled the _Morte Arthure_,
published from a manuscript in Lincoln Cathedral by Mr. Halliwell,[3] is
considered by Sir F. Madden to be the veritable _gest of Arthure_
composed by Huchowne. An examination of this romance does not lead me to
the same conclusion, unless Huchowne was a Midland man, for the poem is
not written in the old Scotch dialect,[4] but seems to have been
originally composed in one of the Northumbrian dialects spoken _South_
of the Tweed.[5]
The manuscript from which Mr. Halliwell has taken his text is not the
original copy, nor even a literal transcript of it. It exhibits certain
orthographical and grammatical peculiarities unknown to the Northumbrian
dialect which have been introduced by a Midland transcriber, who has
here and there taken the liberty to adapt the original text to the
dialect of his own locality, probably that one of the North Midland
counties, where many of the Northumbrian forms of speech would be
intelligible.[6]
A comparison of the Arthurian romance with the following poems throws no
light whatever upon the authorship of the poems. The dialect of the two
works is altogether different, although many of the terms employed are
common to both, being well known over the whole of the North of England.
The grammatical forms (the best test we can have) in the poems are quite
distinct from those in the _Morte Arthure_, and of course go far to
prove that they do not proceed from the pen of the same writer.
The Editor of “Syr Gawayn and the Green Knight” acknowledges that the
poems in the present volume, as now preserved to us in the manuscript,
are not in the Scottish dialect, but he says “there is sufficient
internal evidence of their being _Northern_,[7] although the manuscript
containing them appears to have been written by a scribe of the Midland
counties, which will account for the introduction of forms differing
from those used by writers beyond the Tweed.”
Now, with regard to this subsequent transcription of the poems from the
Scotch into a Midland dialect,--it cannot be said to be improbable, for
we have abundant instances of the multiplication of copies by scribes of
different localities, so that we are not surprised at finding the works
of some of our popular Early English writers appearing in two or three
forms; but, on the other hand, a comparison of the original copy with
the _adapted transcriptions_, or even the reading of a transcribed copy,
always shows how the author’s productions have suffered by the change.
Poetical works, especially those with final rhymes, of course undergo
the greatest amount of transformation and depreciation. The changes
incident upon the kind of transcription referred to are truly
surprising, and most perplexing to those who make the subject of Early
English _dialects_ a matter of investigation.
But, in the present poems, the uniformity and consistency of the
grammatical forms is so entire, that there is indeed no internal
evidence of subsequent transcription into any other dialect than that in
which they were originally written. However, the dialect and grammatical
peculiarities will be considered hereafter.
Again, in the course of transcription into another dialect, any literary
merit that the author’s copy may have originally possessed would
certainly be destroyed. But the poems before us are evidently the work
of a man of birth and education; the productions of a true poet, and of
one who had acquired a perfect mastery over that form of the English
tongue spoken in his own immediate locality during the earlier part of
the fourteenth century. Leaving out of consideration their great
philological worth, they possess an intrinsic value of their own as
literary compositions, very different from anything to be found in the
works of Robert of Gloucester, Manning, and many other Early English
authors, which are very important as philological records, but in the
light of poetical productions, cannot be said to hold a very
distinguished place in English literature. The poems in the present
volume contain many passages which, as Sir F. Madden truly remarks, will
bear comparison with any similar ones in the works of Douglas or
Spenser.
I conclude, therefore, that these poems were not transcribed from the
Scotch dialect into any other, but were written in their own
West-Midland speech in which we now have them.
Mr. Donaldson, who is now editing for the Early English Text Society the
Troy Book, translated from Guido di Colonna, puts forward a plea for
Huchowne as its author, to whom he would also assign the _Morte Arthure_
(ed. Perry) and the Pistel of Sweet Susan.[8] But Mr. Donaldson seems to
have been misled by the similarity of vocabulary, which is not at all a
safe criterion in judging of works written in a Northumbrian, West or
East Midland speech. The dialect, I venture to think, is a far safer
test. A careful examination of the Troy Book compels me to differ in
toto from Mr. Donaldson, and, instead of assigning the Troy Book to a
Scotchman, say that it cannot even be claimed, in its present form, by
any Northumbrian south of the Tweed; moreover, it presents no appearance
of having been tampered with by one unacquainted with the dialect,
though it has perhaps been slightly modernised in the course of
transcription.
The work is evidently a genuine West-Midland production,[9] having most
of the peculiarities of vocabulary and inflexions that are found in
these _Alliterative Poems_.[10] I feel greatly inclined to claim this
English Troy Book as the production of the author of the _Alliterative
Poems_; for, leaving out identical and by no means common expressions,
we find the same power of description,[11] and the same tendency to
inculcate moral and religious truths on all occasions where an
opportunity presents itself.[12] Without dwelling upon this topic, which
properly falls to the Editor of the Troy Book, it may not be out of
place to ask the reader to compare the following description of a storm
from the Troy Book, with that selected from the present volume on pp. 14
and 18.
A TEMPEST ON ÞE SEE.
There a tempest _hom_ toke on þe torres hegh:--
A _rak_ and a royde wynde rose in _hor_ saile,
A myst & a _merkenes_ was mervell to se;
With a _routond_ rayn ruthe to be-holde,
Thonr{et}[13] full _throly_ with a thicke haile;
With a leuenyng light as a _low_ fyre,
Blas{et} all the brode see as it bren wold.
The flode with a felle cours flow{et} on hepis,
Rose uppon rockes as any _ranke_ hylles.
So wode were the waghes & þe wilde _ythes_,
All was like to be lost þat no lond hade
The ship ay shot furth o þe _shire waghes_,
As qwo clymbe at a clyffe, or a clent[14] hille.
Eft _dump_ in the depe as all drowne wolde.
Was no _stightlyng_ with stere ne no stithe ropes,
Ne no sayle, þat might serue for _unsound_ wedur.
But all the buernes in the bote, as _hom_ best liked,
Besoght unto sainttes & to sere goddes; (p. 65)
A STORME ON THE SE.
All the company enclin{et} cair{yn} to ship;
Cach{yn} in cables, knyt up _hor_ ancres,
Sesit vp _hor_ sailes in a sad hast;
_Richet_ þere rapes, rapit unto see.
Hokit out of hauyn, all the hepe somyn,
_Hade bir at hor bake_, blawen to þe depe;
Sail{yn} forthe _soberly_, somyn but a while,
Noght fyftene forlong fairly to the end.
. . . . . . . . . . .
When sodenly the softe aire _unsoberly_ rose;
The cloudis overcast, _claterrit_ aboute;
Wyndes full wodely _walt_ up the ythes;
Wex _merke_ as the mydnighte mystes full thicke:
Thunret in the _thestur throly_ with all;
With a _launchant laite_ lightonyd the water;
And a _ropand_ rayne _raiked_ fro the heuyn.
The storme was full stithe with mony stout windes,
Hit _walt_ up the wilde se vppon wan hilles.
The ffolke was so ferd, that _on flete_ were,
All drede for to drowne with dryft of the se;
And in perell were put all the proude kynges. --(p. 150.)
[Footnote 1: Edited by Sir Frederic Madden for the Bannatyne Club,
under the title of “Syr Gawayn and the Grene Knyȝt,” and by me for
the Early English Text Soc., 1865.]
[Footnote 2: Wyntown nowhere asserts that Huchowne is a
Scotchman.]
[Footnote 3: Edited for E. E. T. Soc. by Rev. G. G. Perry, M.A.]
[Footnote 4: This is evident from the following particulars:--
I. In old Scotch manuscripts we find the guttural _gh_ (or ȝ)
represented by _ch_; thus, _aght_, _laght_, _saght_, _wight_, are
the English forms which, in the Scotch orthography, become _aucht_
(owed), _laucht_ (seized), _saucht_ (peace), _wicht_ (active). It
is the former orthography, however, that prevails in the Morte
Arthure.
II. We miss the Scotch use of (1) _-is_ or _-ys_, for _-es_ or
_-s_, in the plural number, and of possessive cases of nouns, and
in the person endings of the present tense indicative mood of
verbs; (2) _-it_ or _-yt_, for _-ed_ or _-d_, in the preterites or
passive participles of regular verbs.
III. There is a total absence of the well-known Scotch forms
_begouth_ (began), _sa_ (so), _sic_ (such), _throuch_, _thorow_
(through). Instead of these _bigan_, _so_, _syche_, _thrughe_
(_thurgh_) are employed. See Preface to Hampole’s Pricke of
Conscience, pp. vii, viii.]
[Footnote 5: This is shown by the frequent employment of _-es_ as
the person ending of the verb in the present tense, plural number.
The corresponding Southern verbal inflexion _-eth_ _never_ occurs;
while the Midland _-en_ is only occasionally met with in the third
person plural present, and has been introduced by a later copyist.
There are other characteristics, such as the predominance of words
containing the A.S. long _a_; as _hame_ (home), _stane_ (stone),
_thra_ (bold), _walde_ (would), etc.; the frequent use of _thir_
(these), _tha_ (the, those), etc.]
[Footnote 6: The peculiarities referred to do not appear to be
owing to the copyist of the Lincoln manuscript (Robert de
Thornton, a native of Oswaldkirk in Yorkshire), who, being a
Northumbrian, would probably have restored the original readings.
The non-Northumbrian forms in the Morte Arthure are-- 1. The
change of _a_ into _o_, as _bolde_ for _balde_, _bote_ for _bate_,
_one_ for _ane_, _honde_ for _hande_, _londe_ for _lande_;
2. _they_, _theyre_, _them_, _theym_, for _thay_, _thaire_,
_tham_; 3. _gayliche_, _kindliche_, _semlyche_, etc., for _gayly_,
_kindly_, _seemly_, etc. (the termination _lich_, _liche_, was
wholly unknown to the Northumbrian dialect, being represented by
_ly_ or _like_); 4. _churle_, _churche_, _iche_, _mache_, _myche_,
_syche_, _wyrche_, etc., for _carle_, _kirke_, _ilk_, _make_,
_mykelle_, _swilk_, _wyrk_, etc.; 5. infinitives in _-en_, as
_drenschen_, _schewenne_, _wacchenne_, etc.; 6. the use of _eke_,
_thos_, for _als_ (_alswa_), _thas_; 7. the employment of _aye_
for _egg_. The former word _never_ occurs in any pure Northumbrian
work, while the latter is seldom met with in any Southern
production.]
[Footnote 7: The poems are _Northern_ in contradistinction to
_Southern_, but they are not Northern or Northumbrian in
contradistinction to _Midland_.]
[Footnote 8: Printed by Mr. D. Laing in his “Inedited Pieces,”
from a MS. of Mr. Heber’s. Other copies are in the Vernon MS., and
Cotton Calig. A. ii.; the latter imperfect.]
[Footnote 9: Other specimens of this dialect will doubtless turn
up. Mr. Brock has found a MS. in British Museum (Harl. 3909) with
most of the peculiarities pointed out by me in the preface to the
present work, and I believe that this dialect was probably a
flourishing one in the 13th century. See O.E. Homilies, p. li.]
[Footnote 10: (1) _en_ as the inflexion of the pres. tense pl.,
indic. mood of verbs; (2) _s_ in the second and third pers. sing.
of verbs; (3) _ho_ = she; (4) _hit_ = its; (5) _tow_ = two;
(6) _deȝter_ = daughters, etc.]
[Footnote 11: See p. 36, ll. 1052-1066; p. 37, ll. 1074-1089; pp.
161-162, ll. 4956-4975.]
[Footnote 12: See pp. 25, 26 (Jason’s unfaithfulness); pp. 74, 75,
ll. 2241-2255; p. 75, ll. 2256-2263; p. 69, ll. 2267-2081; p. 158,
ll. 4839-4850; p. 189, ll. 4881-4885; p. 165, ll. 5078-5086, etc.]
[Footnote 13: In the Harl. MS. 3909, nearly all the p. part. and
preterites end in _-et_ (_-ut_ and _-et_ occur in Romances ed. by
Robson).]
[Footnote 14: This seems to furnish an etymology for _Clent_
Hills, Worcestershire--_brent_ is the term employed in
Alliterative.]
The poems in the present volume, three in number, seem to have been
written for the purpose of enforcing, by line upon line and precept upon
precept, Resignation to the will of God; Purity of life as manifested in
thought, word, and deed; Obedience to the Divine command; and Patience
under affliction.
In the first poem, entitled by me “_The Pearl_”, the author evidently
gives expression to his own sorrow for the loss of his infant child, a
girl of two years old, whom he describes as a
Perle plesaunte to prynces paye
_Pearl pleasant to princes’ pleasure,_
To clanly clos in golde so clere
_Most neatly set in gold so clear._
Of her death he says:
Allas! I leste hyr in on erbere
_Alas! I lost her in an arbour,_
Þurȝ gresse to grounde hit fro me yot
_Through grass to ground it from me got._ --(p. 1.)
The writer then represents himself as visiting his child’s grave (or
arbour) in the “high season of August,” and giving way to his grief
(p. 2). He falls asleep, and in a dream is carried toward a forest,
where he saw rich rocks gleaming gloriously, hill sides decked with
crystal cliffs, and trees the leaves of which were as burnished silver.
The gravel under his feet was “precious pearls of orient,” and birds “of
flaming hues” flew about in company, whose notes were far sweeter than
those of the cytole or gittern (guitar) (p. 3). The dreamer arrives at
the bank of a stream, which flows over stones (shining like stars in the
welkin on a winter’s night) and pebbles of emeralds, sapphires, or other
precious gems, so
Þat all the loȝe lemed of lyȝt
_That all the deep gleamed of light,_
So dere watȝ hit adubbement
_So dear was its adornment._ --(p. 4.)
Following the course of the stream, he perceives on the opposite side a
crystal cliff, from which was reflected many a “royal ray” (p. 5).
At þe fote þer-of þer sete a faunt
_At the foot thereof there sat a child,_
A mayden of menske, ful debonere
_A maiden of honour, full debonnair;_
Blysnande whyt watȝ hyr bleaunt
_Glistening white was her robe,_
(I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere)
_(I knew her well, I had seen her before)_
At glysnande golde þat man con schore
_As shining gold that man did purify,_
So schon þat schene an-vnder schore
_So shone that sheen (bright one) on the opposite shore;_
On lenghe I loked to hyr þere
_Long I looked to her there,_
Þe lenger I knew hyr more & more
_The longer I knew her, more and more._ --(pp. 6, 7.)
The maiden rises, and, proceeding along the bank of the stream,
approaches him. He tells her that he has done nothing but mourn for the
loss of his Pearl, and has been indeed a “joyless jeweller” (p. 8).
However, now that he has found his Pearl, he declares that he is no
longer sorrowful, but would be a “joyful jeweller” were he allowed to
cross the stream (p. 8). The maiden blames her father for his rash
speech, tells him that his Pearl is not lost, and that he cannot pass
the stream till after death (p. 10). The dreamer is in great grief; he
does not, he says, care what may happen if he is again to lose his
Pearl. The maiden advises him to bear his loss patiently, and to abide
God’s doom (p. 11). She describes to him her blissful state in heaven,
where she reigns as a queen (p. 12). She explains to him that Mary is
the Empress of Heaven, and all others kings and queens (p. 13). The
parable of the labourers in the vineyard[15] (pp. 15-18) is then
rehearsed at length, to prove that “innocents” are admitted to the same
privileges as are enjoyed by those who have lived longer upon the earth
(p. 18). The maiden then speaks to her father of Christ and his one
hundred and forty thousand brides (p. 24), and describes their blissful
state (p. 26). She points out to him the heavenly Jerusalem, which was
“all of bright burnished gold, gleaming like glass” (p. 29). Then the
dreamer beholds a procession of virgins going to salute the Lamb, among
whom he perceives his “little queen” (p. 33). On attempting to cross the
stream to follow her, he is aroused from his dream (p. 35), laments his
rash curiosity in seeking to know so much of God’s mysteries, and
declares that man ever desires more happiness than he has any right to
expect (p. 35).
[Footnote 15: Matthew, chapter xx.]
The second poem, entitled “_Cleanness_,” is a collection of Biblical
stories, in which the writer endeavours to enforce Purity of Life, by
showing how greatly God is displeased at every kind of impurity, and how
sudden and severe is the punishment which falls upon the sinner for
every violation of the Divine law.
After commending cleanness and its “fair forms,” the author relates (I.)
The Parable of the Marriage Feast (p. 39); (II.) the Fall of the Angels
(p. 43); (III.) The wickedness of the antediluvian world (p. 44),
He watȝ famed for fre þat feȝt loued best
_He was famous as free that fight loved best,_
& ay þe bigest in bale þe best watȝ halden
_And ever the biggest in sin the best was held;_ (p. 45.)
(IV.) The destruction of mankind by the Flood. When all were safely
stowed in the ark,
Thenne sone com þe seuenþe day, when samned wern alle
_Then soon came the seventh day when assembled were all,_
& alle woned in þe whichche þe wylde & þe tame.
_And all abode in the ark (hutch), the wild and the tame._
Þen bolned þe abyme & bonkeȝ con ryse
_Then swelled the abyss and banks did rise,_
Waltes out vch walle-heued, in ful wode stremeȝ
_Bursts out each well-head in full wild streams,_
Watȝ no brymme þat abod vnbrosten bylyue
_There was no brim (stream) that abode unburst by then,_
Þe mukel lauande loghe to þe lyfte rered
_The much (great) flowing deep (loch) to the loft (sky) reared._
Mony clustered clowde clef alle in clowteȝ
_Many a clustering cloud cleft all in clouts (pieces),_
To-rent vch a rayn-ryfte & rusched to þe vrþe
_Rent was each a rain-rift and rushed to the earth;_
Fon neuer in forty dayeȝ, & þen þe flod ryses
_Failed never in forty days, and then the flood rises,_
Ouer-walteȝ vche a wod and þe wyde feldeȝ
_Over-flows each wood and the wide fields;_
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Water wylger ay wax, woneȝ þat stryede
_Water wildly ever waxed, abodes that destroyed,_
Hurled in-to vch hous, hent þat þer dowelled
_Hurled into each house, seized those that there dwelt._
Fyrst feng to þe flyȝt alle þat fle myȝt
_First took to flight all that flee might,_
Vuche burde with her barne þe byggyng þay leueȝ
_Each bride (woman) with her bairn their abode they leave,_
& bowed to þe hyȝ bonk þer brentest hit wern
_And hied to the high bank where highest it were,_
& heterly to þe hyȝe hilleȝ þay [h]aled on faste
_And hastily to the high hills they rushed on fast;_
Bot al watȝ nedleȝ her note, for neuer cowþe stynt
_But all was needless their device, for never could stop_
Þe roȝe raynande ryg [&] þe raykande waweȝ
_The rough raining shower and the rushing waves,_
Er vch boþom watȝ brurd-ful to þe bonkeȝ eggeȝ
_Ere each bottom (valley) was brim-ful to the banks’ edges,_
& vche a dale so depe þat demmed at þe brynkeȝ
_And each dale so deep that dammed at the brinks._ --(pp. 47, 48).
The ark is described as “heaved on high with hurling streams.”
Kest to kyþeȝ vncouþe þe clowdeȝ ful nere
_Cast to kingdoms uncouth the clouds ful near,_
Hit waltered on the wylde flod, went as hit lyste
_It tossed on the wild flood, went as it list,_
Drof vpon þe depe dam, in daunger hit semed
_It drove upon the deep dam, in danger it seemed,_
With-outen mast, oþer myke, oþer myry bawe-lyne
_Without mast, or mike,[16] or merry bow-line,_
Kable, oþer capstan to clyppe to her ankreȝ
_Cable or capstan to clip to their anchors,_
Hurrok, oþer hande-helme hasped on roþer
_Oar or hand-helm hooked on rudder,_
Oþer any sweande sayl to seche after hauen
_Or any swinging sail to seek after haven,_
Bot flote forthe with þe flyt of þe felle wyndeȝ
_But floated forth with the force of the fell winds._
Wheder-warde so þe water wafte, hit rebounde
_Whither-ward so (as) the water waft, it rebounded,_
Ofte hit roled on-rounde & rered on ende
_Oft it rolled around and reared on end,_
Nyf our lorde hade ben her lodeȝ-mon hem had lumpen harde
_Had our Lord not been their (pilot) leader hardship had befallen
them._ --(p. 49.)
(V.) The Visit of Three Angels to Abraham (p. 54).
(VI.) The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (pp. 64, 65), including a
description of the Dead Sea, the tarn (lake) of traitors (p. 66).
(VII.) The invasion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (p. 71), and the
captivity of Judah (p. 74).
The following is a paraphrase of the fourth and fifth verses in the
twenty-fifth chapter of the second book of Kings.[17]
Þenne þe kyng of þe kyth a counsayl hym takes
_Then the king of the kingdom a counsel him takes,_
Wyth þe best of his burnes, a blench for to make
_With the best of his men a device for to make;_
Þay stel out on a stylle nyȝt er any steuen rysed
_They stole out on a still night ere any sound arose,_
& harde hurles þurȝ þe oste, er enmies hit wyste
_And hard hurled through the host, ere enemies it wist,_
Bot er þay at-wappe ne moȝt þe wach wyth oute
_But ere they could escape the watch without,_
Hiȝe skelt watȝ þe askry þe skewes an-vnder
_High scattered was the cry, the skies there under,_
Loude alarom vpon launde lulted was þenne
_Loud alarm upon land sounded was then;_
Ryche, ruþed of her rest, ran to here wedes,
_Rich (men) roused from their rest, ran to their weeds,_
Hard hattes þay hent & on hors lepes
_Kettle hats they seized, and on horse leap;_
Cler claryoun crak cryed on-lofte
_Clear clarion’s crack cried aloft._
By þat watȝ alle on a hepe hurlande swyþee
_By that (time) was all on a heap, hurling fast,_
Folȝande þat oþer flote, & fonde hem bilyue
_Following that other fleet (host), and found them soon,_
Ouer-tok hem, as tyd,[18] tult hem of sadeles
_Over-took them in a trice, tilted them off saddles,_
Tyl vche prynce hade his per put to þe grounde
_Till each prince had his peer put to the ground;_
& þer watȝ þe kyng kaȝt wyth calde prynces
_And there was the king caught with crafty princes,_
& alle hise gentyle for-iusted on Ierico playnes
_And all his nobles vanquished on Jericho’s plains._ --(pp. 71, 72.)
(VIII.) Belshazzar’s impious feast (pp. 76-80), and the handwriting upon
the wall (pp. 80, 81).
In þe palays pryncipale vpon þe playn wowe
_In the palace principal upon the plain wall,_
In contrary of þe candelstik þat clerest hit schyned
_Opposite to the candlestick that clearest there shone._
Þer apered a paume, with poyntel in fyngres
_There appeared a palm with a pointel in its fingers,_
Þat watȝ grysly & gret, & grymly he wrytes
_That was grisly and great, and grimly it writes,_
None oþer forme bot a fust faylaynde þe wryst
_None other form but a fist failing the wrist_
Pared on þe parget, purtrayed lettres
_Pared on the plaister, pourtrayed letters._
When þat bolde Baltaȝar blusched to þat neue
_When that bold Belshazzar looked to that fist,_
Such a dasande drede dusched to his hert
_Such a dazzling dread dashed to his heart._
Þat al falewed his face & fayled þe chere
_That all paled his face and failed the cheer;_
Þe stronge strok of þe stonde strayned his ioyntes
_The strong stroke of the blow strained his joints,_
His cnes cachcheȝ to close & cluchches his hommes
_His knees catch to close, and he clutches his hams,_
& he with plat-tyng his paumes displayes his lers[19]
_And he with striking his palms displays his fears,_
& romyes as a rad ryth þat roreȝ for drede
_And howls as a frightened hound that roars for dread,_
Ay biholdand þe honde til hit hade al grauen,
_Ever beholding the hand till it had all graven,_
& rasped on þe roȝ woȝe runisch saueȝ
_And rasped on the rough wall uncouth saws (words)._
(IX.) The story of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and its punishment (pp. 84,
85), and the interpretation of the handwriting by Daniel (p. 86).
(X.) The invasion of Babylon by the Medes (pp. 87, 88).
Baltaȝar in his bed watȝ beten to deþe
_Belshazzar in his bed was beaten to death,_
Þat boþe his blood & his brayn blende on þe cloþes
_That both his blood and his brains blended on the clothes;_
Þe kyng in his cortyn watȝ kaȝt by þe heles
_The king in his curtain was caught by the heels,_
Feryed out bi þe fete & fowle dispysed
_Ferried out by the feet and foully despised;_
Þat watȝ so doȝty þat day & drank of þe vessayl
_He that was so doughty that day and drank of the vessels,_
Now is a dogge also dere þat in a dych lygges
_Now is as dear (valuable) as a dog that in a ditch lies._ --(p. 88.)
[Footnote 16: See Glossary.]
[Footnote 17: “4. And the city was broken up, and all the men of
war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which
is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city
round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
“5. And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and
overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were
scattered from him.”]
[Footnote 18: Immediately.]
[Footnote 19: ? feres.]
The third poem, entitled “_Patience_,” is a paraphrase of the book of
Jonah. The writer prefaces it with a few remarks of his own in order to
show that “patience is a noble point though it displease oft.”
The following extract contains a description of the sea-storm which
overtook Jonah:--
Anon out of þe norþ est þe noys bigynes
_Anon out of the north east the noise begins,_
When boþe breþes[20] con blowe vpon blo watteres
_When both breezes did blow upon blue waters:_
Roȝ rakkes þer ros with rudnyng an-vnder
_Rough clouds there arose with lightning there under,_
Þe see souȝed ful sore, gret selly to here
_The sea sobbed full sore, great marvel to hear;_
Þe wyndes on þe wonne water so wrastel togeder,
_The winds on the wan water so wrestle together,_
Þat þe wawes ful wode waltered so hiȝe
_That the waves full wild rolled so high,_
& efte busched to þe abyme þat breed fyssches
_And again bent to the abyss that bred fishes;_
Durst nowhere for roȝ arest at þe bothem.
_Durst it nowhere for roughness rest at the bottom._
When þe breth & þe brok & þe bote metten
_When the breeze and the brook and the boat met,_
Hit watȝ a ioyles gyn þat Ionas watȝ inne
_It was a joyless engine that Jonah was in,_
For hit reled on round vpon þe roȝe yþes
_For it reeled around upon the rough waves._
Þe bur ber to hit baft þat braste alle her gere
_The bore (wave) bear to it abaft that burst all her gear,_
Þen hurled on a hepe þe helme & þe sterne
_Then hurled on a heap the helm and the stern,_
Furste to murte[21] mony rop & þe mast after
_First marred[21] many a rope and the mast after._
Þe sayl sweyed on þe see, þenne suppe bihoued
_The sail swung on the sea, then sup behoved_
Þe coge of þe colde water, & þenne þe cry ryses
_The boat of the cold water, and then the cry rises;_
Ȝet coruen þay þe cordes & kest al þer-oute
_Yet cut they the cords and cast all there-out._
Mony ladde þer forth-lep to laue & to kest
_Many a lad there forth leapt to lave and to cast,_
Scopen out þe scaþel water, þat fayn scape wolde
_To scoop out the scathful water that fain escape would;_
For be monnes lode neuer so luþer, þe lyf is ay swete
_For be man’s lot never so bad, the life is aye sweet._ --(p. 93.)
The writer, in concluding the story of Jonah, exhorts his readers to be
“patient in pain and in joy.”
For he þat is to rakel to renden his cloþeȝ,
Mot efte sitte with more vn-sounde to sewe hem togeder.
_For he that is too rash to rend his clothes,
Must afterwards sit with more unsound (worse ones)
to sew them together._ (p. 104.)
[Footnote 20: Eurus and Aquilo.]
[Footnote 21: ? = to-marte.]
This brief outline of the poems, together with the short extracts from
them, will, it is hoped, give the reader stomach to digest the whole. It
is true that they contain many “uncouth” terms; but this will be their
highest merit with the student of language, as is shown, by Dr. Guest’s
testimony, that they are “for several reasons curious, and especially so
to the philologist.”[22] To those readers who do not appreciate the
importance of such a very large addition to the vocabulary of our Early
Language as is made by these treatises, let Sir Frederic Madden’s
opinion of their literary merit suffice. That distinguished editor says,
of the author’s “poetical talent, the pieces contained in the MS. afford
unquestionable proofs; and the description of the change of the seasons,
the bitter aspect of winter, the tempest which preceded the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the sea storm occasioned by the wickedness of
Jonas, _are equal to any similar passages_ in Douglas or Spenser.”[23]
Moreover, as to the hardness of the language--inasmuch as the subject
matter of the poem will be familiar to all who may take up the present
volume, the difficulty on the word-point will not be such as to deter
the reader from understanding and appreciating the production of an old
English poet, who--though his very name, unfortunately, has yet to be
discovered--may claim to stand in the foremost rank of England’s early
bards.
The Editor of the present volume has endeavoured to do justice to his
author by giving the text, with some few exceptions, as it stands in the
manuscript.[24] The contractions of the scribe have been expanded and
printed in italics, a plan which he hopes to see adopted in every future
edition of an early English author.
The Glossary has been compiled not only for the benefit of the reader,
but for the convenience of those who are studying the older forms of our
language, and who know how valuable a mere index of words and references
sometimes proves.
In conclusion, I take the present opportunity of acknowledging the kind
assistance of Sir Frederic Madden and E. A. Bond, Esq., of the British
Museum, who, on every occasion, were most ready to render me any help in
deciphering the manuscript, in parts almost illegible, from which the
poems in the present volume are printed.
[Footnote 22: History of English Rhythms, vol. i. p. 159.]
[Footnote 23: Syr Gawayn, ed. Madden, p. 302.]
[Footnote 24: Wherever the Text has been altered, the reading of
the MS. will be found in a foot-note.]
REMARKS UPON THE DIALECT AND GRAMMAR.
Higden, writing about the year A.D. 1350, affirms, distinctly, the
existence of three different forms of speech or dialects, namely,
Southern, Midland, and Northern;[25] or, as they are sometimes
designated, West-Saxon, Mercian, and Northumbrian. Garnett objects to
Higden’s classification, and considers it certain “that there were in
his (Higden’s) time, and probably long before, five distinctly marked
forms, which may be classed as follows:-- 1. Southern or standard
English, which in the fourteenth century was perhaps best spoken in Kent
and Surrey by the body of the inhabitants. 2. Western English, of which
traces may be found from Hampshire to Devonshire, and northward as far
as the Avon. 3. Mercian, vestiges of which appear in Shropshire,
Staffordshire, and South and West Derbyshire, becoming distinctly marked
in Cheshire, and still more so in South Lancashire. 4. Anglian, of which
there are three sub-divisions--the East Anglian of Norfolk and Suffolk;
the Middle Anglian of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and East Derbyshire;
and the North Anglian of the West Riding of Yorkshire--spoken most
purely in the central part of the mountainous district of Craven.
5. Northumbrian,” spoken throughout the Lowlands of Scotland,
Northumberland, Durham, and nearly the whole of Yorkshire.
Garnett’s division is based upon peculiarities of pronunciation, which
will be found well marked in the _modern_ provincial dialects, and not
upon any essential differences of inflexion that are to be found in our
Early English manuscripts.[26]
The distinction between Southern and Western English was not at all
required, as the Kentish Ayenbite of Inwyt (A.D. 1340) exhibits most of
the peculiarities that mark the Chronicles of Robert of Gloucester
(Cottonian MS. Calig. A. xi.) as a Southern (or West-Saxon) production.
The Anglian of Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire may be
referred to one group with the Mercian of Lancashire, as varieties of
the Midland dialect.
A careful examination of our early literature leads us to adopt Higden’s
classification as not only a convenient but a correct one.
There is, perhaps, no better test for distinguishing these dialects from
one another than the verbal inflexions of the plural number in the
present tense, indicative mood.
To state this test in the briefest manner, we may say that the Southern
dialect employs _-eth_, the Midland _-en_, and the Northumbrian _-es_ as
the inflexion for all persons of the plural present indicative:[27]--
Southern. Midland. Northern.
1st pers. Hop-_eth_. Hop-_en_. Hop-_es_. (we) hope.
2nd „ Hop-_eth_. Hop-_en_. Hop-_es_. (ye) hope.
3rd „ Hop-_eth_. Hop-_en_. Hop-_es_. (they) hope.
It is the constant and systematic employment of these inflexions, and
not their occasional use that must be taken as the criterion of
dialectical varieties.
In a pure specimen of the Southern dialect, we never find the
Northumbrian _-es_. We do occasionally meet with the Midland _-en_, but
only in those works written in localities where, from their geographical
position, Southern and Midland forms would be intelligible.[28] We might
look in vain for the Southern plural _-eth_ in a pure Northumbrian
production, but might be more successful in finding the Midland _-en_ in
the third person plural; as, “thay _arn_” for “they _ar_”, or “thay
_er_.”
In a work composed in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, or Lancashire, we
should be sure to find the occasional use of the Northumbrian plural
_-es_.[29]
The inflexions of the verb in the singular are of value in enabling us
to discriminate between the several varieties of the Midland
dialect.[30] The Southern and Midland idioms (with the exception of the
West-Midland of Lancashire, Cheshire, etc.) conjugated the verb in the
singular present indicative, as follows:--
1st pers. hope (I) hope.
2nd „ hop-_est_ (thou) hopest.
3rd „ hop-_eth_ (he) hopes.
The West-Midland, corresponding to Garnett’s Mercian, instead of _-est_
and _-eth_ employs the inflexions that are so common in the so-called
Northumbrian documents of the ninth and tenth centuries:--
1st pers. hope (I) hope.
2nd „ hop-_es_ (thou) hopest.
3rd „ hop-_es_ (he) hopes.
The Northumbrian dialect takes _-es_ in all three persons; but mostly
drops it in the first person.
The peasantry of Cheshire and Lancashire still preserve the verbal
inflexions which prevailed in the fourteenth century, and conjugate
their verbs in the present indicative according to the following
model:--
Singular. Plural.
1st pers. hope hopen.
2nd „ hopes hopen.
3rd „ hopes hopen.
Inasmuch as the poems in the present volume exhibit the systematic use
of these forms, we cannot but believe that they were originally composed
in one of those counties where these verbal inflexions were well known
and extensively used. We have to choose between several localities, but
if we assign the poems to Lancashire we are enabled to account for the
large number of Norse terms employed. It is true that the ancient
examples of the Lancashire dialect contained in Mr. Robson’s Metrical
Romances,[31] the Boke of Curtasye,[32] and Liber Cure Cocorum,[33]
present us with much broader forms, as _-us_ for _-es_ in the plural
number and possessive case of nouns, _-un_ for _-en_ in the plural
present indicative mood, in passive participles of irregular (or strong)
verbs, _-ud_ (_-ut_) for _-ed_ in the past tense and passive participle
of regular (or weak) verbs, and the pronominal forms _hor_ (their),
_hom_ (them), for _her_ and _hem_.[34]
These forms are evidence of a broad pronunciation which, at the present
time, is said to be a characteristic of the northwestern division of
Lancashire, but I think that there is good evidence for asserting that
this strong provincialism was not confined, formerly, to the
West-Midland dialect, much less to a division of any particular county.
We find traces of it in Audelay’s Poems (Shropshire), the Romance of
William and the Werwolf,[35] and even in the Wickliffite version of the
Scriptures.
Formerly, being influenced by these broad forms, I was led to select
Cheshire or Staffordshire as the probable locality where the poems were
written; but I do not, now, think that either of these counties ever
employed a vocabulary containing so many Norse terms as are to be found
in the Lancashire dialect. But although we may not be able to fix, with
certainty, upon any one county in particular, the fact of the present
poems being composed in the West-Midland dialect cannot be denied. Much
may be said in favour of their Lancashire origin, and there are one or
two points of resemblance between our poems, the Lancashire Romances,
and Liber Cure Cocorum, that deserve especial notice.
I. In Sir Amadace,[36] lxviii. 9, there occurs the curious form _miȝtus_
= _miȝtes_ = _mightst_.[37] As it appears only once throughout the
Romances we might conclude that it is an error of the scribe for
_miȝtest_, but when we find in the poems before us not only _myȝteȝ_ =
_myȝtes_ (mightst), but _woldeȝ_ = _woldes_ (wouldst), _coutheȝ_ =
_couthes_ (couldst), _dippteȝ_ (dippedest), _travayledeȝ_ (travelledst),
etc., we are bound to consider _miȝtus_ as a genuine form.[38] In no
other Early English works of the fourteenth century have I been able to
find this peculiarity. It is very common in _the Wohunge of Ure Lauerd_
(xiiith cent.). See O.E. Homilies, p. 51. The Northumbrian dialect at
this period rejected the inflexion in the second person preterite
singular, of regular verbs,[39] and in our poems we find the _-es_ often
dropped, so that we get two conjugations, which may be called the
inflected and the uninflected form.
Inflected. Uninflected.
1st pers. hopede hoped (I) hoped.
2nd „ hoped_es_ hoped (thou) hopedest.
3rd „ hopede hoped (he) hoped.
Originally the inflected form may have prevailed over the whole of the
North of England, but have gradually become confined to the West-Midland
dialect.
II. The next point of resemblance is the use of the verb SCHIN or SCHUN
= schal = shall. It is still preserved in the modern dialect of
Lancashire in combination with the adverb _not_, as schunnot[40] = shall
not. The following examples will serve to illustrate the use of this
curious form:--
“---- þay _schin_ knawe sone,
Þere is no bounté in burne lyk Baltaȝar þewes.”[41] --(B. l. 1435.)
“& þose þat seme arn & swete _schyn_ se his face.”[42]
--(_Ibid._ l. 1810.)
“Pekokys and pertrikys perboylyd _schyn_ be.”[43]
--(Liber Cure Cocorum, p. 29.)
“For þer bene bestes þat _schyn_ be rost.”[44] --(_Ibid._ p. 34.)
“Alle _schun_ be draȝun, Syr, at þo syde.”[45] --(_Ibid._ p. 35.)
“Seche ferlies _schyn_ falle.”[46]
--(Robson’s Met. Rom. p. 12, l. 4.)
III. Nothing is more common in the present poems than the use of _hit_
as a genitive = its, which is also found in the Lancashire romances.
“Forþy þe derk dede see hit is demed ever more,
For _hit_ dedeȝ of deþe duren þere ȝet.”[47] --(Patience, l. 1021.)
“And, as hit is corsed of kynde & _hit_ coosteȝ als,
Þe clay þat clenges þer-by arn corsyes strong.”[48]
--(_Ibid._ l. 1033.)
“For I wille speke with the sprete,
And of _hit_ woe wille I wete,
Gif that I may _hit_ bales bete.”[49]
--(Robson’s Met. Romances, p. 5, ll. 3, 4.)
The present dialect of Lancashire still retains the uninflected
genitive:--
“So I geet up be strike o’ dey, on seet eawt; on went ogreath tilly
welly coom within two mile oth’ teawn; when, os tha dule woud
height, o tit wur stonning ot an ale heawse dur; on me kawve (the
dule bore eawt _it_ een for me) took th’ tit for _it_ mother, on
woud seawk her.”[50] (Tummus and Meary).
Thus much for the dialectical peculiarities of our author. The scanty
material at our disposal must be a sufficient excuse for the very meagre
outline which is here presented to the reader. As our materials
increase, the whole question of Early English dialects will no doubt
receive that attention from English philologists which the subject
really demands, and editors of old English works will then be enabled to
speak with greater confidence as to the language and peculiarities of
their authors. Something might surely be done to help the student by a
proper classification of our manuscripts both as to date and place of
composition. We are sadly in want of unadulterated specimens of the
Northumbrian and East-Midland idioms during the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries. There must surely be some records of these dialects in our
university libraries which would well repay editing.[51]
[Footnote 25: Polychronicon R. Higdeni, ap. Gale, p. 210, 211. See
Garnett’s Philological Essays, p. 43, and Specimens of Early
English, p. 338.]
[Footnote 26: It is to be regretted that Garnett did not enter
upon details, and give his readers some tests by which to
distinguish the “five distinctly marked forms.”]
[Footnote 27: In English works of the fourteenth century the _-en_
of the Midland, and the _-es_ of the Northumbrian is frequently
dropped, thus gradually approximating to our modern conjugation.]
[Footnote 28: We are here speaking of works written in the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.]
[Footnote 29: Robert of Brunne, in his “Handlyng Synne,” often
employs it instead of _-en_, but only for the sake of the rhyme.]
[Footnote 30: The Midland dialect is a very difficult one to deal
with, as it presents us with no uniform type; and, moreover, works
written in this idiom are marked by Northern or Southern
peculiarities, which have led many of our editors altogether
astray in determining the locality of their composition.]
[Footnote 31: Published by the Camden Society, 1842.]
[Footnote 32: Edited by Mr. Halliwell for the Percy Society.]
[Footnote 33: Edited by me for the Philological Society, 1862.]
[Footnote 34: _-us_ and _-ud_ for _-es_ and _-ed_, as well as
_hom_, _hor_, do occasionally occur in the MS. containing our
poems.]
[Footnote 35: The Romance of William and the Werwolf is written in
the West-Midland dialect as spoken probably in Shropshire.]
[Footnote 36: Robson’s Metrical Romances, p. 54, l. 9.]
[Footnote 37: _Woldus_ = _woldes_ = _wouldst_, appears in
Audelay’s poems (in the Shropshire dialect of the fifteenth
century), p. 32, l. 6.]
[Footnote 38: The so-called Northumbrian records of the ninth and
tenth centuries frequently use _-es_ instead of _-est_, in the 2nd
pers. preterite of regular verbs, _e.g._,
_ðu forcerdes usic on-bec_ = Thou turnedst us hindward.
--(Ps. xliii. 11.)
_ðu saldes usic_ = Thou gavest us. --(Ps. xliii. 12.)
_ðu bi-bohtes folc ðin butan weorðe_ = Thou soldest thy folk
without price. --(Ps. xliii. 12.)
ðu _ge-hiowades_ me & _settes_ ofer me hond ðine = Thou madest me
and settest over me thy hand. --(Ps. cxxxviii. 5.)
ðu _ðreades ða_ ofer-hygdan = Thou hast rebuked the proud.
--(Ps. cxviii. 21.)
Ic ondeto ðe fader drihten heofnes forðon ðu _gedeigeldes_ ðas
ilco from snotrum & hogum & _ædeaudes_ ða ðæm lytlum = I thank
thee, O father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them
unto babes. --(Matt. xi. 25).]
[Footnote 39: Þou _torned_ us hindward. --(Early English Nn.
Psalter, xliii. 11.)
Þou _salde_ þi folk. --(_Ibid._ xliii. 12.)
Þou _meked_ us. --(_Ibid._ xliii. 20.)
Þou _made_ me and set þi hand over me. --(_Ibid._ cxxxviii. 5.)
Þou _snibbed_ proude. --(_Ibid._ cxviii. 21.)]
[Footnote 40: I am informed by a Shropshire friend that it
prevails in his county under the form _shinneh_.
_Win_ = will, in _winnot_, _wunnot_ = will not, is still heard in
the West-Midland districts. It is found in Robson’s Romances and
in Liber Cure Cocorum.]
[Footnote 41: They _shall_ know soon there is no goodness in man
like Belshazzar’s virtues.]
[Footnote 42: And those that seemly are and sweet _shall_ see His
(God’s) face.]
[Footnote 43: Peacocks and partriches parboiled _shall_ be.]
[Footnote 44: For þer are beasts þat _shall_ be roasted.]
[Footnote 45: All _shall_ be drawn (have the entrails removed),
Sir, at the side.]
[Footnote 46: Such marvels _shall_ happen.]
[Footnote 47:
Wherefore the dark dead sea it is called ever more.
For _its_ deeds of death endure there yet.]
[Footnote 48:
And as it is cursed of kind and _its_ properties also,
The clay that clings thereby are corrosives strong.]
[Footnote 49:
I will speak with the spirit,
And of _its_ woe will I wit (know),
If that I may _its_ bales (grief) abate.]
[Footnote 50: So I got up by break of day and set out; and went
straight till I well nigh came within two miles of the town, when,
as the devil would have it, a horse was standing at an ale-house
door; and my calf (the devil bore out _its_ eyes for me) took the
horse for _its_ mother, and would suck her.]
[Footnote 51: Three specimens of the East-Midland dialect have
come to light since writing the above. Harl. MS. 3909; Troy Book,
ed. Donaldson, E. E. T. Soc.; The Lay-folks Mass-Book, ed.
Simpson, E. E. T. Soc.]
GRAMMATICAL DETAILS.
I. +Nouns.+
(1) _Number._--The plurals generally end in _-es_ (_eȝ_), _-s_. _Yȝen_
(eyes), _trumpen_ (trumpets), are the only plurals in _-en_ that occur
in the poems. In Robson’s Metrical Romances we find _fellun_ (fells,
hills,), _dellun_ (dells), and _eyren_ (eggs), in Liber Cure Cocorum.
The plurals of _brother_, _child_, _cow_, _doȝter_ (daughter), are
_brether_, _childer_, _kuy_, and _deȝter_.
(2) _Gender._--The names of inanimate things are in the neuter gender,
as in modern English. The exceptions are _deep_ (fem.), _gladnes_
(fem.), and _wind_ (masc.).
(3) _Case._--The genitive singular (masc. and fem.) ends in _-es_
(_-eȝ_), _-s_, but occasionally the inflexion is dropped; as, “Baltaȝar
thewes,” the virtues of Balshazzar.[52] If “_honde_ myȝt,” “_honde_
werk,” “_hellen_ wombe,” are not compounds, we have instances of the
final _-e_ (_en_) which formed the genitive case of _feminine_ nouns in
the Southern English of the fourteenth century.
In the phrases “_besten_ blod” (blood of beasts), “_blonkken_ bak” (back
of horses), “_chyldryn_ fader” (father of children), “_nakeryn_ noyse”
(noise of nakers), we have a trace of the genitive plural _-ene_ (A.S.
_-ena_).
[Footnote 52: In the romance of “Syr Gawayn and the Grene Knyȝt”
we find “_blonk_ (horse) sadele,” “_fox_ felle” (skin). In _blonk_
an _e_ has probably been dropped.]
II. +Adjectives.+
(1) _Number._--The final _e_, as a sign of the plural, is very
frequently dropped. _Pover_ (poor), _sturn_ (strong), make the plurals
_poveren_ and _sturnen_. In the phrase, “þo syȝteȝ so _quykeȝ_”[53]
(those sights so living), the _-eȝ_ (= _-es_) is a mark of the plural,
very common in Southern writers of the fourteenth century, and employed
as a plural inflexion of the adjective until a very late period in our
literature.
The Article exhibits the following forms:
SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Masc. Fem.
The. tho.[54] tho.
_This_ forms the plural _thise_ and _thes_ (_these_). _That_ is always
used as a demonstrative, and never as the neuter of the article; its
plural is _thos_ (those).[55] The older form, _theos_ = _these_, shows
that the _e_ is not a sign of the plural, as many English grammarians
have asserted.
(2) _Degrees of Comparison._--The comparative degree ends in _-er_, and
the superlative in _-est_.
Adjectives and adverbs terminating in the syllable _-lyche_ form the
comparative in _-loker_ and the superlative in _-lokest_; as, positive
_uglyche_ (= ugly), comp. _ugloker_, superl. _uglokest_. The long vowel
of the positive is often shortened in the comp. and superl., as in the
modern English _late_, _latter_, _last_.
Positive. Comparative. Superlative.
Brade (broad), bradder, braddest.
Dere (dear), derrer, derrest.
Lyke (like), lykker, lykkest.
Swete (sweet), swetter, swettest.
Wayke (weak), wakker, wakkest.
Wode (mad), wodder, woddest.
The following irregular forms are occasionally met with:
Positive. Comparative. Superlative.
Fer (far), ferre (fyrre), ferrest.
Heȝe (high), herre, heȝest (hest).
Neȝe (nigh, near) nerre, nerrest (nest).
Sare (sore), sarre, sarrest.
Forme (first), formast.
Mikelle (great), mo most.
Yvel, ill (bad), wers (worre), werst.
_Numerals._--_Twinne_ and _thrinne_ occur for two and three. The ordinal
numbers are--
first (fyrste), the forme,
secunde, that other, tother,
thryd, }
thrydde, }
furþe,
fyfþe,
sexte,
sevenþe,
aȝtþe,
nente,
tenþe, }
tyþe. }
The Northumbrian numerals corresponding to _sevenþe_, _aȝtþe_, _nente_,
_tenþe_, are _sevend_, _aghtend_, _neghend_, _tend_. The Southern forms
end in _-the_, as _sevenþe_, _eiȝteoþe_, _nyþe_, _teoþe_ (_tyþe_).
[Footnote 53: The feminine form is seldom employed.]
[Footnote 54: The Northumbrian plural article is _tha_.]
[Footnote 55: The Northumbrian corresponding form is _thas_.]
III. +Pronouns.+
In the following poems we find the pronoun _ho_, she, still keeping its
ground against the Northumbrian _scho_.[56] _Ho_ is identical with the
modern Lancashire _hoo_ (or _huh_ as it is sometimes written), which in
some parts of England has nearly the same pronunciation as the
accusative _her_.
The Northumbrian _thay_ (they) has displaced the older Midland _he_,
corresponding to the Southern pronoun _hii_, _hi_ (A.S. _hí_). _Hores_
and _thayreȝ_ (theirs) occasionally occur for _here_.[57] The genitives
in _-es_, due no doubt to Scandinavian influence, are very common in
Northumbrian writers of the fourteenth century, but are never found in
any Southern work of the same period.
_Hit_ is frequently employed as an indefinite pronoun of all genders,
and is plural as well as singular. It is, as has been previously shown,
uninflected in the genitive or possessive case.
_Me_ in Southern writers is used as an indefinite pronoun of the _third_
person, and represents our _one_, but in the present poems it is of all
persons, and seems to be placed in apposition with the subject of the
sentence corresponding to our use of myself, thyself, himself, etc.; as,
“_He_ swenges _me_ þys,” etc. = He himself sends this, etc.[58]
“Now sweȝe _me_ þider swyftly” = Now go (thou) thyself thither
swiftly.[59]
“_He_ meteȝ _me_ þis good man” = He himself meets this good man.[60]
Sturzen-Becker (“Some Notes on the leading Grammatical Characteristics
of the Principal Early English Dialects, Copenhagen, 1868”) thinks that
I have been led astray with regard to this use of _me_, which he says is
nothing more than the _dativus ethicus_.
The _me_ in these examples may be merely an expletive, having arisen out
of the general use of the dative ethicus, but the context does not
satisfy me that it has the force of a dative. Dr. Guest (Proceedings of
Philolog. Soc., vol. i. p. 151-153, 1842-1844) has discussed this
construction at some length, and he carefully distinguishes the dative
of the 1st person from the indeterminate (or indefinite) pronoun _me_ =
Fr. one. He says that in Old Frisian the indefinite pronoun has two
forms, _min_ and _me_, “the latter of which seems to be always used as a
suffix to the verb, as _momme_, one may; _somme_, one should,” etc. The
same construction was occasionally used in our own language, and it no
doubt gave rise to those curious idioms which are noticed by Pegge in
his “Anecdotes of the Eng. Lang.,” p. 217. This writer, whose evidence
to a _fact_ we may avail ourselves of, whatever we think of his
criticism or his scholarship, quotes the following as forms of speech
then prevalent among the Londoners: “and so says _me_ I;” “well what
does _me_ I;” “so says _me_ she;” “then away goes _me_ he;” “what does
_me_ they?” Here it is obvious that _me_ is the indeterminate pronoun,
and represents the _subject_, while the personal pronoun is put in
apposition to it, so that “says _me_ I” is equivalent to “_one says,
that is I_,”[61]. These idioms are not unknown to our literature.
(1) ‘But as he was by diverse principall young gentlemen, to his no
small glorie, lifted up on horseback, _comes me a page_ of
Amphialus, etc.’ Pembr. Arcad. B. iii.
Other idioms, which have generally been confounded with those last
mentioned, have the indeterminate pronoun preceded by a nominative
absolute.
(2) ‘_I_, having been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was
Crab, and--_goes me_ to the fellow, who whips the dogs,’ etc. Two
Gent. of Verona, 4. 4.
(3) ‘_He thrusts me_ himself into the company of three or four
gentlemanlike dogs under the Duke’s Table.’ _Ib._ See B. Jons. Ev.
Man in his Humour, 3, 1.
Johnson considers the _me_ in examples 2 and 3 to be the oblique case of
the first pers. pron., and treats it as “a ludicrous expletive.” It is
difficult to say how he would have parsed example 2 on such a
hypothesis.
With these instances of the use of _me_ (indef. or reflexive), the
reader may compare the following:
(1) “Suche a touche in that tyde, _he_ taȝte (Gauan) hym in tene
And _gurdes me_, Sir Gallerun, evyn grovelonges on grounde.”
(The Anturs of Arther at the Tarnewathelan, p. 22.)
(2) There at the dore he (the Fox) cast _me_ downe hys pack.
Spenser’s Shep. Cal. ed. Morris, p. 460, l. 243.
Cp. _Cut me_, i. Hen. IV. Act 4. Sc. 4; _steps me_, Ib. Act 4, Sc. 3;
_comes me, runs me_, Ib. Act 3, Sc. 1.
(3) “Juno enraged, and fretting thus,
_Runs me_ unto one Æolus.” --(Virgile Travestie, 1664.)
The indefinite _me_ = one is not uncommon in Elizabethan writers. Cf.
“_touch me_ his hat;” “_touch me_ hir with a pint of sack,” etc.; “and
_stop me_ his dice you are a villaine” (Lodge’s Wit’s Miserie).
The following table exhibits the declension of the personal and relative
pronouns:--
SINGULAR.
Nom. I, thou, he, ho, hit.
Gen. My, myn, thy, thyn, his, hir, her, hit.
Dat. Me, the, him, hir, her, hit.
Acc. Me, the, him, hir, her, hit.
PLURAL.
Nom. We, ȝe, thay, hit.
Gen. Oure, yor, youre, her (here), hor, hit.
Dat. Vus (= uus), yow, you, hem, hom, hit.
Acc. Vus (= uus), yow, you, hem, hom, hit.
Nom. Who (quo).
Gen. Whose (quos).
Dat. { Whom, Wham } (quom).
Acc. { Whom, Wham } (quom).
[Footnote 56: _Scho_ occurs _once_ in the present poems.]
[Footnote 57: _Yowreȝ_ (yours) sometimes takes the place of
_youre_ in the romance of “Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knyȝt.”]
[Footnote 58: Page 92, l. 108.]
[Footnote 59: Page 91, l. 72.]
[Footnote 60: Syr Gawayn, l. 1932.]
[Footnote 61: I would say that _says me I_ = I myself say. --R. M.]
IV. +Verbs.+
_Infinitive Mood._--The _-en_ of the infinitive is frequently dropped,
without even a final _-e_ to mark its omission. Infinitives in _-y_, as
_louy_ (love), _schony_ (shun), _spotty_ (spot, defile), _styry_ (stir),
_wony_ (dwell), occasionally occur, and probably owe their appearance to
the author’s acquaintance with Southern literature.[62]
_Indicative Mood._--The final _e_ often disappears in the first and
third persons of the preterite tense, as I _loved_, he _loved_, instead
of I _lovede_, he _lovede_.
The _-en_ in the plural of the present and preterite tenses is
frequently dropped. The pl. present in _-eȝ_ occasionally occurs.
_Imperative Mood._--The imperative plural ends in _-es_ (_eȝ_), and not
in _-eth_ as in the Southern and ordinary Midland dialects.
_Participles._--The active or imperfect participle ends in _-ande_[63]
and never in _-ing_.
The participle passive or perfect of regular verbs terminates in _-ed_;
of irregular verbs in _-en_. Occasionally we find the _n_ disappearing,
as _bigonn-e_, _fund-e_, _runn-e_, _wonn-e_, where perhaps it is
represented by the final _-e_.
The prefix _-i_ or _-y_ (A.S. _-ge_) occurs twice only in the poems, in
_i-chose_ (chosen), and _i-brad_ (extended); but, while common enough in
the Southern and Midland dialects, it seems to be wholly unknown to the
Northumbrian speech.
The verb in the West-Midland dialect is conjugated according to the
following model:--
I.--+Conjugation of Regular Verbs.+
INDICATIVE MOOD.
PRESENT TENSE.
Singular. Plural.
(I) hope, (We) hopen.
(Thou) hopes, (Ȝe) hopen.
(He) hopes, (Thay) hopen.
PRETERITE TENSE.
(I) hopede[64] (hoped), (We) hopeden.
(Thou) hopedes (hoped), (Ȝe) hopeden.
(He) hopede[64] (hoped), (Thay) hopeden.
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Hope (thou). Hopes (ȝe).
PARTICIPLES.
Imperfect or Active. Perfect or Passive.
Hopande. Hoped.
II.--+Conjugation of Irregular Verbs.+
INDICATIVE MOOD.
PRESENT TENSE.
Singular.
(I) kerve, renne, smite, stonde.
(Thou) kerves, rennes, smites, stondes.
(He) kerves, rennes, smites, stondes.
Plural.
(We) kerven, rennen, smiten, stonden.
(Ȝe) „ „ „ „
(Thay) „ „ „ „
PRETERITE TENSE.
Singular.
(I) carf, ran, smot, stod.
(Thou) carve, ranne, smote, stode.
(He) carf, ran, smot, stod.
Very frequently the _e_ in the second person is dropped,[65] as in the
Northumbrian dialect, but we never meet with such forms as carves
(= carvedest), rannes (= ranst), smotes (= smotest), etc.
Plural.
(We) corven, runnen, smiten, stonden.
(Ȝe) „ „ „ „
(Thay) „ „ „ „
PASSIVE PARTICIPLES.
Corven, runnen, smiten, stonden.
The Northumbrian dialect does not preserve any separate form for the
preterite plural, and this distinction is not always observed in the
present poems.
+Table of Verbs.+
A.--SIMPLE ORDER.
Present. Preterite. Passive Participle.
Class I.
Hate, hatede, hated.
Class II. (_a_)
Bede (offer), bedde, bed.
Dype (dip), dypte, dypt.
Kythe (show), kydde, kyd.
Lende, lende, lent.
Rende, rende, rent.
Sende, sende, sent.
(_b_)
Clothe, cladde, clad.
Dele (deal), dalte, dalt.
Lede, ladde, lad.
Leve, lafte, laft.
Rede (advise), radde, rad.
Sprede (spread), spradde, sprad.
Swelt (die), swalte, ----
Swette (sweat), swatte, ----
Threte (threaten), thratte, thrat.
Class III.
Byye (buy), boȝte, boȝt
Bringe, broȝte, broȝt.
Cache (catch), caȝte, caȝt.
Lache (seize), laȝte, laȝt.
Reche (reck), roȝte, ----
Reche (reach), raȝte, ----
Selle, solde, sold.
Worche (work), wroȝte, wroȝt.
B.--COMPLEX ORDER.
Present. Preterite. Passive Participle.
+Division I.+
Class I.
Bere (bear), ber, born.
Bete (beat), bet, beten.
Breke (break), brek, broken.
Chese (choose), ches (chos), chosen.
Cleve (cleave), clef, cloven.
Ete (eat), ette (_for_ et), eten.
Forȝete (forget), forȝet, forȝeten.
Frese (freeze), fres, frosen.
Gife (give), gef, given, geven.
Heve (heave), hef, hoven.
Ligge (lie), leȝ, leyen, leȝen.
Lepe (leap), lep, lopen.
Nemme } (take), nem (nam), nomen.
Nimme }
Schere (shear), scher, schorn.
Slepe (sleep), slep, slepen.
Speke (speak), spek, spoken.
Stele (steal), stel, stolen.
Swere (swear), swer, sworen.
Wepe (weep), wep, wopen.
Wreke (avenge), wrek, wroken.
Class II.
Falle, fell, fallen.
Fonge (take), feng, fongen.
Growe, grew, growen.
Hange, honge, heng, hangen, hongen.
Knowe, knawe, knew, knawen, knowen.
Schape (make), schep, schapen.
Walke, welk, walken.
Wasche, wesch, waschen.
Class III.
Drawe, draȝe, droȝ, drawen.
Fare (go), for, faren.
Laȝe (laugh), loȝ, laȝen.
Stande, stonde, stod, standen.
Slaye, slow, slew, slayn.
Take, tok, tane, tone.
Wake, wok, waken.
+Division II.+
Present. Preterite. Passive Participle.
Class I.
Biginne, bigon, bigonnen, bigunnen.
Breste, brast, borst, brusten, bursten.
Climbe, clamb, clomb, clumben.
Drinke, dronk, drank, drunken, dronken.
Finde, fand, fond, funden.
Fiȝte, faȝt, feȝt, foȝten.
Helpe, halp, holpen.
Kerve (cut), carf, corven.
Melte, malt, molten.
Renne (run), ran, runnen.
Ringe, rong, rungen, rongen.
Singe, song, sang, sungen.
Steke, stac, stoken.
Sterve (die), starf, storven.
Werpe (throw), warp, worpen.
Win, wan, won, wonnen, wunnen.
Ȝelde (yield), ȝald, ȝolden.
Class II.
Bide (abide), bod, biden.
Bite, bot, biten.
Drive, drof, driven.
Fine (cease), fon, ----
Glide, glod, gliden.
Ride, rod, riden.
Rise, ros, risen.
Schine, schon, ----
Slide, slod, sliden.
Smite, smot, smiten.
Trine (go), tron, ----
Class III.
Fly, fleȝ, flegh, flaȝ, flowen.
See, seȝ, segh, syȝ, seen.
Stiȝe, steȝe, steȝ ----
+Anomalous Verbs.+
Can, pret. couthe.
Dare, „ dorste.
May, „ miȝte.
Mot, „ moste.
Oȝe (owe), „ oȝte.
Schal, „ scholde, schulde.
Thar, „ thurte.
Wote, „ wiste.
Wille, „ wolde.
_Schal_ (shall) in the second person singular is _schal_ or _schalt_;
so, too, we occasionally find _wyl_ for _wylt_.
The present plural of _schal_ is _schul_, _schulen_, or _schyn_.
The verb _to be_ is thus conjugated:--
INDICATIVE MOOD.
PRESENT TENSE. PAST TENSE.
Singular.
(I) am. (I) was, watȝ.
(Thou) art. (Thou) was, watȝ.
(He) is, bes, betȝ. (He) was, watȝ.
Plural.
(We) arn, are, ar. (We) wern, were.
(Ȝe) arn, are, ar. (Ȝe) wern, were.
(Thay) arn, are, ar. (Thay) wern, were.
The verbs _be_, _have_, _wille_, have negative forms; as, _nam_ = am
not; _nar_ = are not; _nas_ = was not; _naf_ = have not; _nade_ = had
not; _nyl_ = will not.
The following contractions are occasionally met with: _bos_ = behoves;
_byhod_ = behoved; _ha_ = have; _ma_ = make; _man_ = make (pl.) _matȝ_
(_mas_) = makes; _ta_ = take; _tatȝ_ (= _tas_) = takes; _tane_, _tone_ =
taken.
[Footnote 62: _Schonied_ occurs for _schoned_. No Southern writer
would retain, I think, the _i_ in the preterite.]
[Footnote 63: Garnett asserts that the present participle in
_-ande_ is “a _certain criterion_ of a Northern dialect subsequent
to the thirteenth century.” It is never found in any Southern
writer, but is common to many Midland dialects. Capgrave employs
it frequently in his Chronicles. It is, however, no safe criterion
by itself.]
[Footnote 64: The final _e_ is often dropped.]
[Footnote 65: In _The Wohunge of Ure Lauerd_ the _e_ is constantly
omitted.]
V. +Adverbs.+
The Norse forms _hethen_, _quethen_ (_whethen_),[66] and _thethen_, seem
to have been known to the West-Midland dialect as well as the Saxon
forms _hence_ (_hennes_, _henne_), _whence_ (_whennes_), _thence_
(_thennes_), etc. The adverbs _in-blande_ (together), _in-lyche_
(alike), _in-mydde_ (amidst), _in-monge_ (amongst), are due, perhaps, to
Scandinavian influence.
[Footnote 66: “Syr Gawayn and the Grene Knyȝt.”]
VI. +Prepositions.+
The preposition _from_ never occurs in the following poems; it is
replaced by _fro_, _fra_ (Northumbrian), O.N. _frá_.
VII. +Conjunctions.+
The conjunction _if_ takes a negative form; as, _nif_ = if not, unless.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MANUSCRIPT USED IN THE PRESENT VOLUME.[67]
+Cotton MS. Nero A. x.+ A small quarto volume, consisting of three
different MSS. bound together, which originally had no connection with
each other. Prefixed is an imperfect list of contents in the
hand-writing of James, the Bodley Librarian.
The first portion consists of a panegyrical oration in Latin by Justus
de Justis, on John Chedworth, archdeacon of Lincoln, dated at Verona
16th July, 1468. It occupies thirty-six folios, written on vellum, and
is the original copy presented by the author.
The second portion is that we are more immediately concerned with. It is
described by James as “_Vetus poema Anglicanum, in quo sub insomnii
figmento multa ad religionem et mores spectantia explicantur_,” and this
account, with some slight changes, is adopted by Smith and Planta, in
their catalogues; both of whom assign it to the fifteenth century. It
will appear, by what follows, that no less than four distinct poems have
been confounded together by these writers.
This portion of the volume extends from fol. 37 to fol. 126, inclusive,
and is written by one and the same hand, in a small, sharp, irregular
character, which is often, from the paleness of the ink, and the
contractions used, difficult to read. There are no titles or rubrics,
but the divisions are marked by large initial letters of blue,
flourished with red, and several illuminations, coarsely executed, serve
by way of illustration, each of which occupies a page.
1. Four of these are prefixed to the first poem. In the first the
Author is represented slumbering in a meadow, by the side of a
streamlet, clad in a long red gown, having falling sleeves, turned
up with white, and a blue hood attached round the neck.
In the second the same person appears, drawn on a larger scale, and
standing by the stream. In the third he occurs nearly in the same
position, with his hands raised, and on the opposite side a lady
dressed in white, in the costume of Richard the Second’s and Henry
the Fourth’s time, buttoned tight up to the neck, with long hanging
sleeves. Her hair is plaited on each side, and on her head is a
crown. In the fourth we see the author kneeling by the water, and
beyond the stream is depicted a castle or palace, on the embattled
wall of which appears the same lady, with her arm extended towards
him.
The poem commences on fol. 39, and consists of one hundred and one
twelve-line stanzas,[68] every five of which conclude with the same
line, and are connected by the iteration of a leading expression. It
concludes on fol. 55b.
2. Then follow two more illuminations; in the first of which Noah
and his family are represented in the ark; in the second the prophet
Daniel expounding the writing on the wall to the affrighted
Belshazzar and his queen. These serve as illustrations to the second
poem, which begins at fol. 57, and is written in long alliterative
lines. It concludes on fol. 82.
3. Two illuminations precede, as before; one of which represents the
sailors throwing the prophet Jonas into the sea, the other depicts
the prophet in the attitude of preaching to the people of Nineveh.
The poem is in the same metre as the last, and commences at fol. 83.
It is occupied wholly with the story of Jonas, as applicable to the
praise of meekness and patience; and ends on fol. 90.
4. The Romance intitled _Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knyȝt_ follows,
fol. 91. Prefixed is an illumination of a headless knight on
horseback, carrying his head by its hair in his right hand, and
looking benignly at an odd-eyed bill-man before him; while from a
raised structure above, a king armed with a knife, his queen, an
attendant with a sabre, and another bill-man scowling looks on. Here
and elsewhere the only colours used are green, red, blue, and
yellow. It ends on fol. 124b., and at the conclusion, in a later
hand, is written “Hony soit q̃ mal penc,” which may, perhaps, allude
to the illumination on the opposite page, fol. 125, representing the
stolen interview between the wife of the Grene Knyȝt and Sir
Gawayne. Above the lady’s head is written:
Mi mind is mukel on on, þ{a}t wil me noȝt amende,
Sum time was trewe as ston, & fro schame couþ{e} hir defende.
It does not appear very clearly how these lines apply to the painting.
Two additional illuminations follow; in the first of which Gawayne is
seen approaching the _Grene Chapel_, whilst his enemy appears above,
wielding his huge axe; and in the second Sir Gawayne, fully equipped in
armour, is represented in the presence of king Arthur and queen
Guenever, after his return to the court.
The third and concluding portion of the Cotton volume extends from fol.
127 to fol. 140b, inclusive, and consists of theological excerpts, in
Latin, written in a hand of the end of the thirteenth century. At the
conclusion is added _Epitaphium de Ranulfo, abbate Ramesiensi_, who was
abbot from the year 1231 to 1253, and who is erroneously called _Ralph_
in the _Monasticon_, vol. ii. p. 548, new ed.
[Footnote 67: Taken with some few alterations from Sir F. Madden’s
“Syr Gawayn.”]
[Footnote 68: A line, however, is missing from the MS. on fol.
55b. See page 15.]
CONTRACTIONS USED IN THE GLOSSARY.
The letters A. B. C. refer severally to the poems, entitled by me, “The
Pearl,” “Cleanness,” and “Patience.”
A.S. Anglo-Saxon.
Dan. Danish.
Du. Dutch.
E. English.
O.E. Old English.
Prov.E. Provincial English.
N.Prov.E. } North Provincial English.
N.P.E. }
Fr. French.
O.Fr. Old French.
Prov. Fr. Provincial French.
Fris. Frisian.
G. Doug. Gawin Douglas’s Æneid, published by the
Bannatyne Club, 2 vols.
Ger. German.
Goth. Gothic.
Icel. Icelandic.
Jam. Jamieson’s Scottish Dictionary.
K. Alex. King Alexander, Romance of (Ed. Stevenson).
Met. Hom. Metrical Homilies (Ed. Small).
O.N. Old Norse.
O.S. Old Saxon.
Prompt. Parv. Promptorium Parvulorum (Ed. Way).
Sc. Scotch.
O.Sc. Old Scotch.
S.Sax. Semi-Saxon.
Sw. Swedish.
O.Sw. Old Swedish.
Town. Myst. Townley Mysteries.
T. B. Troy Book (Ed. Donaldson).
Errata (noted by transcriber)
PREFACE:
[Footnote 4.III]
... for _-ed_ or _-d_ [or _d_]
... pp. vii, viii. [vii. viii.]
[Footnote 5]
... verbal inflexion _-eth_ _never_ occurs [_-eth_. _never_]
[Footnote 9]
... See O.E. Homilies, p. li. [O.E]
[Footnote 10]
... (5) _tow_ = two; [two:]
their blissful state (p. 26). [(p. 26),]
(IX.) ... by Daniel (p. 86). [p, 86]
_First marred[21] many a rope and the mast after._
[_footnote number misprinted “2”; shared note is 1_]
DIALECT AND GRAMMAR:
“For þer bene bestes þat _schyn_ be rost.”[44] [““For þer bene]
GRAMMATICAL DETAILS: Pronouns
[Footnote 59]
... Page 91, l. 72. [l, 72.]
_hi_ (A.S. _hí_) [_closing ) missing_]
The same construction [“The same]
----: Verbs
_comes me, runs me_, Ib. Act 3, Sc. 1. [me_. Ib.]
Nom. I, thou, he, ho, hit. [he ho]
PRETERITE TENSE. [_. missing_]
(I) hopede[64] (hoped), (We) hopeden. [hopeden,]
Wreke (avenge), wrek, wroken. [(avenge) wrek,]
Class III. Drawe, draȝe, droȝ, drawen. [drawen,]
Helpe, halp, holpen. [holpen,]
Sterve (die), starf, storven. [storveu]
Schal, „ scholde, schulde. [_. missing_]
----: Adverbs
The Norse forms _hethen_, _quethen_ [Ths Norse]
_thence_, (_thennes_), etc.
[_opening ( missing; “etc{t}” with italic {t} for ._]
CONTRACTIONS:
Ger. [_the abbreviations O.H.G. and M.H.G. are not listed_]
N.P.E. [_note that this abbreviation is never used_]
Prompt. Parv. Promptorium Parvulorum [Prampt.]
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
THE PEARL.
[Headnotes:
A FATHER VISITS HIS CHILD’S GRAVE, AND THERE FALLING ASLEEP,
HE DREAMS.
HE SEES A BEAUTIFUL FOREST, WHICH CAUSES HIS GRIEF TO ABATE.
THE FATHER SEES HIS LOST CHILD DRESSED IN WHITE ROBES.
THE MAIDEN ADDRESSES HER FATHER.
SHE TELLS HIM OF HER BLISS.
DEATH IS THE ROAD TO PARADISE.
ALL MUST ABIDE GOD’S DOOM.
THE BEREAVED PARENT ASKS HIS CHILD’S PITY.
SHE DESCRIBES HER MODE OF LIFE.
MARY IS THE EMPRESS OF HEAVEN.
THE PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD.
THE PAYMENT OF THE LABOURERS.
THE APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE.
GOD IS NO NIGGARD.
PARADISE WAS LOST THROUGH AN APPLE.
INNOCENTS ARE SAVED BY RIGHT.
CHRIST BLESSED LITTLE CHILDREN.
FORSAKE THE MAD WORLD.
THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDES.
THE LAMB WAS SLAIN IN JERUSALEM.
THE VISION OF SAINT JOHN.
THE ABODE OF CHRIST’S BRIDES.
THE OLD AND NEW JERUSALEM.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM.
NO SUN NOR MOON IN HEAVEN.
NO CHURCH IN HEAVEN.
A PROCESSION OF VIRGINS.
HE WISHES TO CROSS THE STREAM.
THE FATHER OF THE MAIDEN AWAKES.
GOD GIVE US GRACE TO SERVE HIM.]
[Headnote: A FATHER VISITS HIS CHILD’S GRAVE, AND THERE FALLING
ASLEEP, HE DREAMS.]
I.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 39a.]]
[Sidenote: Description of a lost pearl (_i.e._ a beloved child).
The father laments the loss of his pearl.]
Perle plesau{n}te to prynces paye,
To clanly clos in golde so clere,
Oute of oryent I hardyly saye,
Ne proued I neu{er} her precios pere, 4
So rou{n}de, so reken in vche araye,
So smal, so smoþe her sydeȝ were.
Quere-so-eu{er} I Iugged ge{m}meȝ gaye,
I sette hyr sengeley i{n} synglure; 8
Allas! I leste hyr i{n} on erbere,
Þurȝ gresse to grou{n}de hit fro me yot;[1]
I dewyne for-dolked of luf daungere,
Of þat pryuy perle w{i}t{h}-outen spot. 12
[Sidenote 1: ? _got._]
[Sidenote: He often visits the spot where his pearl disappeared,
and hears a sweet song.]
Syþen i{n} þat spote hit fro me sprange,
Ofte haf I wayted wyschande þat wele,
Þat wont watȝ whyle deuoyde my wrange,
& heuen my happe & al my hele, 16
Þ{a}t dotȝ bot þrych my hert þrange,
My breste in bale bot bolne & bele.
Ȝet þoȝt me neu{er} so swete a sange,
As stylle stou{n}de let to me stele, 20
For-soþe þ{er} fleten to me fele,
To þenke hir color so clad i{n} clot;
O moul[2] þ{o}u marreȝ a myry mele.
My p{r}iuy perle w{i}t{h}-outen spotte, 24
[Sidenote 2: ? _mould._]
[Sidenote: Where the pearl was buried there he found lovely
flowers. Each blade of grass springs from a dead grain.]
Þat spot of spyseȝ myȝt nedeȝ sprede,
Þer such rycheȝ to rot[3] is ru{n}nen;
Blomeȝ blayke & blwe & rede,
Þer schyneȝ ful schyr agayn þe su{n}ne. 28
Flor & fryte may not be fede,
Þer hit dou{n} drof i{n} moldeȝ du{n}ne,
For vch gresse mot grow of grayneȝ dede,
No whete were elleȝ to woneȝ wo{n}ne; 32
Of goud vche goude is ay by-go{n}ne.
So semly a sede moȝt fayly not,
Þ{a}t spry{n}gande[4] spyceȝ vp ne spo{n}ne,
Of þat p{re}cios perle wyth-outen spotte. 36
[Sidenote 3: ? _rote._]
[Sidenote 4: The MS. reads _sprygande_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 39b.]]
[Sidenote: In the high season of August the parent visits the
grave of his lost child. Beautiful flowers covered the grave.
From them came a delicious odour.]
To þat spot þat I in speche expou{n}
I entred in þat erber grene,
In augoste in a hyȝ seysou{n},
Quen corne is coruen wyth crokeȝ kene. 40
On huyle þer perle hit trendeled dou{n},
Schadowed þis worteȝ ful schyre & schene
Gilofre, gyngure & gromylyou{n},
& pyonys powdered ay by-twene. 44
Ȝif hit watȝ semly on to sene,
A fayr reflayr ȝet fro hit flot,
Þer wonys þat worþyly I wot & wene,
My p{re}cio{us} perle, wyth-outen spot. 48
[Sidenote: The bereaved father wrings his hands for sorrow,
falls asleep upon the flowery plot, and dreams.]
Bifore þat spot my honde I spe{n}n[e]d,
For care ful colde þat to me caȝt[e];
A denely dele in my hert de{n}ned,
Þaȝ resou{n} sette my seluen saȝt[e]. 52
I playned my perle þ{a}t þ{er} watȝ spe{n}ned
Wyth fyrte skylleȝ þat faste faȝt[e],
Þaȝ kynde of kryst me comfort ke{n}ned,
My wreched wylle i{n} wo ay wraȝte. 56
I felle vpon þat flo{ur}y flaȝt[e],
Suche odo{ur} to my herneȝ schot;
I slode vpon a slepy{n}g slaȝte,
On þat p{re}c[i]os perle w{i}t{h}-outen spot. 60
[Headnote: HE SEES A BEAUTIFUL FOREST, WHICH CAUSES HIS GRIEF
TO ABATE.]
II.
[Sidenote: In spirit he is carried to an unknown region,
where the rocks and cliffs gleamed gloriously.]
Fro spot my spyryt þer sprang i{n} space,
My body on balke þer bod i{n} sweuen,
My goste is gon in godeȝ grace,
In auenture þ{er} meruayleȝ meuen; 64
I ne wyste in þis worlde quere þ{a}t hit wace,
Bot I knew me keste þ{er} klyfeȝ cleuen;
Towarde a foreste I bere þe face,
Where rych rokkeȝ wer to dyscreuen; 68
Þe lyȝt of hem myȝt no mon leuen,
Þe glemande glory þat of hem gle{n}t;
For wern neu{er} webbeȝ þat wyȝeȝ weuen,
Of half so dere adubmente. 72
[Sidenote: [Fol. 40a.]]
[Sidenote: The hill sides were decked with crystal cliffs.
The leaves of the trees were like burnished silver. The gravel
consisted of precious pearls.]
Dubbed wern alle þo downeȝ sydeȝ
W{i}t{h} crystal klyffeȝ so cler of kynde,
Holte-wodeȝ bryȝt aboute hem bydeȝ;
Of bolleȝ as blwe as ble of ynde, 76
As bornyst syluer þe lef onslydeȝ,
Þat þike con trylle on vch a tynde,
Quen glem of glodeȝ agaynȝ hem glydeȝ,
Wyth schym{er}y{n}g schene ful schrylle þay schynde. 80
Þe grauayl þat on grou{n}de con grynde
Wern p{re}cio{us} perleȝ of oryente;
Þe su{n}ne bemeȝ bot blo & blynde,
In respecte of þat adubbement. 84
[Sidenote: The father forgets his sorrow. He sees birds of the
most beautiful hues, and hears their sweet melody.]
The adubbemente of þo downeȝ dere
Garten my goste al greffe for-ȝete
So frech flauoreȝ of fryteȝ were,
As fode hit con me fayre refete. 88
Fowleȝ þ{er} flowen i{n} fryth i{n} fere,
Of flau{m}bande hweȝ,[5] boþe smale & grete,
Bot sytole stry{n}g & gyt{er}nere,
Her reken myrþe moȝt not retrete, 92
For quen þose bryddeȝ her wyngeȝ bete
Þay songen wyth a swete asent;
So grac[i]os gle couþe no mon gete
As here & se her adubbement. 96
[Sidenote 5: Or _hiweȝ_.]
[Sidenote: No tongue could describe the beauty of the forest.
All shone like gold. The dreamer arrives at the bank of a river,
which gave forth sweet sounds.]
So al watȝ dubbet on dere asyse;
Þat fryth þer fortwne forth me fereȝ,
Þe derþe þer-of for to deuyse
Nis no wyȝ worþe þat tonge bereȝ. 100
I welke ay forth i{n} wely wyse,
No bonk so byg þ{a}t did me dereȝ,
Þe fyrre i{n} þe fryth þe feier con ryse,
Þe playn, þe plontteȝ, þe spyse, þe pereȝ, 104
& raweȝ & randeȝ & rych reuereȝ,
As fyldor fyn her b[o]nkes brent.
I wan to a water by schore þat schereȝ,
Lorde! dere watȝ hit adubbement! 108
[Sidenote: [Fol. 40b.]]
[Sidenote: In it, stones glittered like stars in the welkin on a
winter night.]
The dubbemente of þo derworth depe
Wern bonkeȝ bene of beryl bryȝt;
Swangeande swete þe water con swepe
Wyth a rownande rourde raykande aryȝt; 112
I{n} þe fou{n}ce þ{er} stonden stoneȝ stepe,
As glente þurȝ glas þat glowed & glyȝt,
A[6] stremande sterneȝ quen stroþe me{n} slepe,
Staren i{n} welkyn i{n} wynt{er} nyȝt; 116
For vche a pobbel i{n} pole þer pyȝt
Watȝ Emerad, saffer, oþ{er} ge{m}me gente,
Þat alle þe loȝe lemed of lyȝt,
So dere watȝ hit adubbeme{n}t. 120
[Sidenote 6: ? _As._]
III.
[Sidenote: His grief abates, and he follows the course of the
stream.]
The dubbeme{n}t dere of dou{n} & daleȝ,
Of wod & wat{er} & wlonk playneȝ,
Bylde in me blys, abated my baleȝ,
For-didden my [dis]tresse, dystryed my payneȝ. 124
Dou{n} after a strem þat dryȝly haleȝ,
I bowed in blys, bred ful my brayneȝ;
Þe fyrre I folȝed þose floty valeȝ,
Þe more strenghþe of ioye myn herte strayneȝ, 128
As fortune fares þ{er} as ho frayneȝ,
Wheþ{er} solace ho sende oþ{er} elleȝ sore,
Þe wyȝ, to wham her wylle ho wayneȝ,
Hytteȝ to haue ay more & more. 132
[Sidenote: No one could describe his great joy. He thought that
Paradise was on the opposite bank. The stream was not fordable.]
More of wele watȝ i{n} þat wyse
Þe{n} I cowþe telle þaȝ I tom hade,
For vrþely herte myȝt not suffyse
To þe tenþe dole of þo gladneȝ glade; 136
For-þy I þoȝt þ{a}t paradyse
Watȝ þer oþ{er} gayn þo bonkeȝ brade;
I hoped þe water were a deuyse
By-twene myrþeȝ by mereȝ made, 140
By-ȝonde þe broke by slente oþ{er} slade,
I hope[de] þ{a}t mote merked wore.
Bot þe water watȝ depe I dorst not wade
& eu{er} me longed a more & more. 144
[Sidenote: [Fol. 41a.]]
[Sidenote: More and more he desires to see what is beyond the
brook. But the way seemed difficult. The dreamer finds new
marvels.]
More & more, & ȝet wel mare,
Me lyste to se þe broke by-ȝonde,
For if hit watȝ fayr þ{er} I con fare,
Wel loueloker watȝ þe fyrre londe. 148
Abowte me con I stote & stare
To fynde a forþe, faste con I fonde,
Bot woþeȝ mo i-wysse þ{er} ware,
Þe fyrre I stalked by þe stronde, 152
& euer me þoȝt I schulde not wonde
For wo, þer weleȝ so wy{n}ne wore.
Þe{n}ne nwe note me com on honde
Þat meued my mynde ay more & more, 156
[Headnote: THE FATHER SEES HIS LOST CHILD DRESSED IN WHITE ROBES.]
[Sidenote: He sees a crystal cliff, at the foot of which, sits
a maiden clothed in glistening white. He knows that he has seen
her before.]
More meruayle con my dom adau{n}t;
I seȝ by-ȝonde þat myry mere,
A crystal clyffe ful relusau{n}t,
Mony ryal ray con fro hit rere; 160
At þe fote þ{er}-of þ{er} sete a fau{n}t,
A mayden of menske, ful debonere;
Blysnande whyt watȝ hyr bleau{n}t,
(I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere) 164
As glysnande golde þat man con schere,
So schon þat schene an vnder schore;
On lengh{e} I loked to hyr þere,
Þe lenger I knew hyr more & more 168
[Sidenote: He desires to call her but is afraid, at finding her
in such a strange place.]
The more I frayste hyr fayre face.
Her fygure fyn, quen I had fonte,
Suche gladande glory con to me glace,
As lyttel byfore þerto watȝ wonte; 172
To calle hyr lyste con me enchace,
Bot baysme{n}t gef myn hert a bru{n}t,
I seȝ hyr in so strange a place,
Such a burre myȝt make my{n} herte blu{n}t 176
Þe{n}ne vereȝ ho vp her fayre frou{n}t,
Hyr vysayge whyt as playn yuore,
Þat stonge my{n} hert ful stray atou{n}t,
& eu{er} þe lenger, þe more & more. 180
IV.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 41b.]]
[Sidenote: So he stands still, like a well trained hawk.
He fears lest she should escape before he could speak to her.
His long lost one is dressed in royal array--decked with
precious pearls.]
More þen me lyste my drede aros,
I stod ful stylle & dorste not calle,
Wyth yȝen open & mouth ful clos,
I stod as hende as hawk i{n} halle; 184
I hope þ{a}t gostly watȝ þ{a}t porpose,
I dred on ende quat schulde byfalle,
Lest ho me eschaped þat I þ{er} chos,
Er I at steuen hir moȝt stalle. 188
Þat gracios gay w{i}t{h}-outen galle,
So smoþe, so smal, so seme slyȝt,
Ryseȝ vp i{n} hir araye ryalle,
A p{re}c[i]os pyece[7] i{n} perleȝ pyȝt. 192
[Sidenote 7: MS. looks like _pyete_.]
[Sidenote: She comes along the stream towards him.
Her kirtle is composed of ‘sute,’ ornamented with pearls.]
Perleȝ pyȝte of ryal prys,
Þere moȝt mon by grace haf sene,
Quen þat frech as flor-de-lys,
Dou{n} þe bonke con boȝe by-dene. 196
Al blysnande whyt watȝ hir beau uiys,
Vpon at sydeȝ & bou{n}den bene
Wyth þe myryeste margarys at my deuyse,
Þat eu{er} I seȝ ȝet with myn yȝen; 200
Wyth lappeȝ large I wot & I wene,
Dubbed with double perle & dyȝte,
Her cortel of self sute schene,
W{i}t{h} p{re}cios perleȝ al vmbe-pyȝte. 204
[Sidenote: [Fol. 42a.]]
[Sidenote: She wore a crown of pearls. Her hair hung down
about her. Her colour was whiter than whalebone. Her hair
shone as gold.]
A pyȝt coroune ȝet wer þat gyrle,
Of mariorys & non oþ{er} ston,
Hiȝe pynakled of cler quyt perle,
Wyth flurted flowreȝ perfet vpon; 208
To hed hade ho non oþ{er} werle,
Her here heke[8] al hyr vmbe-gon;
Her semblau{n}t sade, for doc oþ{er} erle,
Her ble more blaȝt þen whalleȝ bon; 212
As schorne golde schyr her fax þe{n}ne schon,
On schyldereȝ þat legh{e} vnlapped lyȝte;
Her depe colo{ur} ȝet wonted non,
Of p{re}cios perle i{n} porfyl pyȝte, 216
[Sidenote 8: In the MS. it is _lere leke_.]
[Sidenote: The trimming of her robe consisted of precious
pearls. A wonderful pearl was set in her breast.]
Pyȝt watȝ poyned & vche a he{m}me,
At honde, at sydeȝ, at ouerture,
Wyth whyte perle & non oþ{er} ge{m}me,
& bornyste quyte watȝ hyr uesture. 220
Bot a wonder perle w{i}t{h}-outen we{m}me,
In myddeȝ hyr breste watȝ sette so sure;
A ma{n}neȝ dom moȝt dryȝly de{m}me,
Er mynde moȝt malte i{n} hit mesure; 224
I hope no tong moȝt endure
No sau{er}ly saghe say of þ{a}t syȝt,
So watȝ hit clene & cler & pure,
Þat p{re}cios perle þ{er} hit watȝ pyȝt, 228
[Sidenote: No man from here to Greece, was so glad as the father,
when he saw his pearl on the bank of the stream. The maiden
salutes him.]
Pyȝt in perle þat p{re}cios p[r]yse.
On wyþ{er} half wat{er} com dou{n} þe schore,
No gladder gome heþen i{n} to grece,
Þe{n} I, quen ho on bry{m}me wore; 232
Ho watȝ me nerre þen au{n}te or nece,
My Ioy for-þy watȝ much þe more.
Ho p{ro}fered me speche þ{a}t special spyce,
Enclynande lowe i{n} wo{m}mon lore, 236
Caȝte of her corou{n} of grete tresore,
& haylsed me wyth a lote lyȝte.
Wel watȝ me þ{a}t eu{er} I watȝ bore,
To sware þat swete i{n} perleȝ pyȝte! 240
[Headnote: THE MAIDEN ADDRESSES HER FATHER.]
V.
[Sidenote: The father enquires of the maiden whether she is his
long-lost pearl, and longs to know who has deprived him of his
treasure.]
“O perle,” q{uod} I, “in perleȝ pyȝt,
Art þ{o}u my perle þat I haf playned,
Regretted by my{n} one, on nyȝte?
Much longey{n}g haf I for þe layned, 244
Syþen into gresse þ{o}u me aglyȝte;
Pensyf, payred, I am for-payned,
& þ{o}u i{n} a lyf of lyky{n}g lyȝte
In paradys erde, of stryf vnstrayned. 248
What wyrde hatȝ hyder my iuel vayned,
& don me in þys del & gret dau{n}ger?
Fro we i{n} twy{n}ne wern towen & twayned,
I haf ben a Ioyleȝ Iuelere.” 252
[Sidenote: [Fol. 42b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden tells him that his pearl is not really
lost. She is in a garden of delight, where sin and mourning
are unknown.]
That Iuel þe{n}ne in ge{m}myȝ gente,
Vered vp her vyse w{i}t{h} yȝen graye,
Set on hyr corou{n} of perle orie{n}t,
& soberly after þe{n}ne con ho say: 256
“Si{r} ȝe haf yo{ur} tale myse-tente,
To say yo{ur} perle is al awaye,
Þat is i{n} cofer, so comly clente,
As i{n} þis gardyn gracios gaye, 260
Here-i{n}ne to lenge for eu{er} & play.
Þer mys nee morny{n}g com neu{er} here,
Her were a forser for þe i{n} faye,
If þ{o}u were a gentyl Iueler. 264
[Headnote: SHE TELLS HIM OF HER BLISS.]
[Sidenote: The rose that he had lost is become a pearl of price.
The pearl blames his rash speech.]
Bot Iueler gente if þ{o}u schal lose
Þy ioy for a ge{m}me þat þe watȝ lef,
Me þynk þe put i{n} a mad porpose,
& busyeȝ[9] þe aboute a raysou{n} bref, 268
For þat þ{o}u lesteȝ watȝ bot a rose,
Þat flowred & fayled as kynde hyt gef;
Now þurȝ kynde of þe kyste þ{a}t hyt con close,
To a perle of prys hit is put i{n} pref; 272
& þ{o}u hatȝ called þy wyrde a þef,
Þat oȝt of noȝt hatȝ mad þe cler;
Þ{o}u blameȝ þe bote of þy meschef,
Þ{o}u art no kynde Iueler.” 276
[Sidenote 9: Looks like _husyeȝ_ in MS.]
[Sidenote: The father begs the maiden to excuse his speech, for
he really thought his pearl was wholly lost to him.]
A Iuel to me þen watȝ þys geste,
& iueleȝ wern hyr ge{n}tyl saweȝ,
“I-wyse,” q{uod} I, “my blysfol beste,
My grete dystresse þ{o}u al to-draweȝ, 280
To be excused I make requeste;
I trawed my perle don out of daweȝ,
Now haf I fonde hyt I schal ma feste,
& wony w{i}t{h} hyt i{n} schyr wod schaweȝ, 284
& loue my lorde & al his laweȝ,
Þat hatȝ me broȝ[t] þys blys ner;
Now were I at yow by-ȝonde þise waweȝ,
I were a ioyfol Iueler.” 288
[Sidenote: [Fol. 43a.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden tells her father that he has spoken
three words without knowing the meaning of one. The first word.
The second. The third.]
“Iueler,” sayde þat ge{m}me clene,
“Wy borde ȝe men, so madde ȝe be?
Þre wordeȝ hatȝ þ{o}u spoken at ene,
Vn-avysed, for soþe, wern alle þre, 292
Þou ne woste in worlde quat on dotȝ mene,
Þy worde byfore þy wytte con fle.
Þou says þ{o}u traweȝ me i{n} þis dene,
By cawse þ{o}u may w{i}t{h} yȝen me se; 296
Anoþ{er} þ{o}u says, i{n} þys cou{n}tre
Þy self schal won w{i}t{h} me ryȝt here;
Þe þrydde, to passe þys wat{er} fre,
Þat may no ioyfol Iueler. 300
[Headnote: DEATH IS THE ROAD TO PARADISE.]
VI.
[Sidenote: He is little to be praised who loves what he sees.
To love nothing but what one sees is great presumption.]
I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse.
Þat loueȝ wel þ{a}t he seȝ wyth yȝe,
& much to blame & vn-cortoyse,
Þat loueȝ[10] oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe, 304
Þat lelly hyȝte yo{ur} lyf to rayse,
Þaȝ fortune dyd yo{ur} flesch to dyȝe;
Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays
Þat loueȝ[11] no þy{n}k bot ȝe hit syȝe, 308
& þat is[12] a poy{n}t o sorquydryȝe,
Þat vche god mon may euel byseme
To leue no tale be t{ru}e to tryȝe,
Bot þat hys one skyl may dem[e]. 312
[Sidenote 10: Looks at first sight like _lyueȝ_--MS. rubbed, but
read _leueȝ_.]
[Sidenote 11: Read _leueȝ_.]
[Sidenote 12: The MS. reads _īs_.]
[Sidenote: To live in this kingdom (_i.e._ heaven) leave must be
asked. This stream must be passed over by death.]
Deme now þy-self, if þ{o}u con, dayly
As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue.
Þ{o}u saytȝ þ{o}u schal won i{n} þis bayly;
Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue, 316
& ȝet of grau{n}t þ{o}u myȝteȝ fayle;
Þ{o}u wylneȝ ou{er} þys water to weue,
Er moste þ{o}u ceuer to oþ{er} cou{n}sayl,
Þy corse i{n} clot mot calder keue, 320
For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue
Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme;
Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ vch ma dreue,
Er ou{er} þys dam hy{m} dryȝty{n} deme.” 324
[Sidenote: [Fol. 43b.]]
[Sidenote: The father asks his pearl whether she is about to
doom him to sorrow again. If he loses his pearl he does not care
what happens to him.]
“Demeȝ þ{o}u me,” q{uod} I, “my swete
To dol agayn, þe{n}ne I dowyne;
Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete
Schal I efte for-go hit er eu{er} I fyne? 328
Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete?
My p{re}cios perle dotȝ me gret pyne,
What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete
When he hit schal efte w{i}t{h} teneȝ tyne? 332
Now rech I neu{er} forto declyne,
Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme,
When I am partleȝ of perleȝ myne.
Bot durande doel what may men deme?” 336
[Headnote: ALL MUST ABIDE GOD’S DOOM.]
[Sidenote: The maiden tells her father to suffer patiently.
Though he may dance as any doe, yet he must abide God’s doom.]
“Thow demeȝ noȝt bot doel dystresse,”
Þenne sayde þat wyȝt “why dotȝ þ{o}u so?
For dyne of doel, of lureȝ lesse,
Ofte mony mon for-gos þe mo; 340
Þe oȝte better þy seluen blesse,
& loue ay god &[13] wele & wo,
For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse.
Who nedeȝ schal þole be not so þro; 344
For þoȝ þ{o}u dau{n}ce as any do
Brau{n}dysch & bray þy braþeȝ breme,
When þ{o}u no fyrre may, to ne fro,
Þ{o}u moste abyde þat he schal deme. 348
[Sidenote 13: _in_ or _an_ (?).]
[Sidenote: He must cease to strive. All lies in God’s power
to make men joyful or sad.]
Deme dryȝtyn, euer hy{m} adyte,
Of þe way a fote ne wyl he wryþe,
Þy mendeȝ mou{n}teȝ not a myte,
Þaȝ þ{o}u for sorȝe be neu{er} blyþe; 352
Sty{n}st of þy strot & fyne to flyte,
& sech hys blyþe ful swefte[14] & swyþe,
Þy prayer may hys pyte byte,
Þat mercy schal hyr crafteȝ kyþe; 356
Hys comforte may þy lango{ur} lyþe,
& þy lureȝ of lyȝtly leme,
For marre oþ{er} madde, morne & myþe,
Al lys i{n} hym to dyȝt & deme.” 360
[Sidenote 14: MS. _sweste_.]
[Headnote: THE BEREAVED PARENT ASKS HIS CHILD’S PITY.]
VII.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 44a.]]
[Sidenote: The father beseeches the pearl to have pity upon him.]
Thenne demed I to þat damyselle,
Ne worþe no wrath þe vnto my lorde,
If rapely raue[15] spornande i{n} spelle.
My herte watȝ al w{i}t{h} mysse remorde, 364
As wallande water gotȝ out of welle;
I do me ay i{n} hys myserecorde.
Rebuke me neu{er} w{i}t{h} wordeȝ felle,
Þaȝ I forloyne my dere endorde, 368
Bot lyþeȝ me kyndely yo{ur} cou{m}forde,
Pytosly þenkande vpon þysse;
Of care & me ȝe made acorde,
Þat er watȝ grou{n}de of alle my blysse; 372
[Sidenote 15: _rane_ (?).]
[Sidenote: He says that she has been both his bale and bliss.
And when he lost her, he knew not what had become of her.]
My blysse, my bale ȝe han ben boþe,
Bot much þe bygger ȝet watȝ my mon,
Fro þ{o}u watȝ wroken fro vch a woþe.
I wyste neu{er} quere my perle watȝ gon; 376
Now I hit se, now leþeȝ my loþe,
& quen we departed we wern at on,
God forbede we be now wroþe,
We meten so selden by stok oþ{er} ston; 380
Þaȝ cortaysly ȝe carp con,
I am bot mol & marereȝ mysse,
Bot crystes mersy & mary & Ion,
Þise arn þe grou{n}de of alle my blysse. 384
[Sidenote: And now that he sees her in bliss, she takes little
heed of his sorrow. He desires to know what life she leads.]
In blysse I se þe blyþely blent
& I a man al mornyf mate,
Ȝe take þ{er}-on ful lyttel tente,
Þaȝ I hente ofte harmeȝ hate. 388
Bot now I am here i{n} yo{ur} p{re}sente,
I wolde bysech wythouten debate,
Ȝe wolde me say i{n} sobre asente,
What lyf ȝe lede, erly & late, 392
For I am ful fayn þat yo{ur} astate
Is worþen to worschyp & wele I wysse,
Of alle my Ioy þe hyȝe gate
Hit is i{n} grou{n}de of alle my blysse.” 396
[Headnote: SHE DESCRIBES HER MODE OF LIFE.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 44b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden tells him that he may walk and abide
with her, now that he is humble. All are meek that dwell
in the abode of bliss.]
“Now blysse burne mot þe bytyde;”
Þen sayde þat lufsou{m} of lyth & lere,
“& welcu{m} here to walk & byde,
For now þy speche is to me dere; 400
Maysterful mod & hyȝe pryde
I hete þe arn heterly hated here;
My lorde ne loueȝ not forto chyde,
For meke arn alle þ{a}t woneȝ hy{m} nere, 404
& when i{n} hys place þ{o}u schal apere,
Be dep deuote i{n} hol mekenesse;
My lorde þe lamb, loueȝ ay such chere,
Þat is þe grou{n}de of alle my blysse. 408
[Sidenote: All lead a blissful life. She reminds her father
that she was very young when she died. Now she is crowned
a queen in heaven.]
A blysful lyf þ{o}u says I lede,
Þou woldeȝ knaw þ{er}-of þe stage;
Þow wost wel when þy perle con schede,
I watȝ ful ȝong & tender of age, 412
Bot my lorde þe lombe, þurȝ hys god-hede,
He toke my self to hys maryage,
Corou{n}de me quene i{n} blysse to brede,
I{n} lengh{e} of dayeȝ þat eu{er} schal wage, 416
& sesed i{n} alle hys herytage
Hys lef is, I am holy hysse;
Hys prese, hys prys & hys parage,
Is rote & grou{n}de of alle my blysse.” 420
[Headnote: MARY IS THE EMPRESS OF HEAVEN.]
VIII.
[Sidenote: The father of the maiden does not fully understand
her. Mary, he says, is the queen of heaven. No one is able
to remove the crown from her.]
“Blysful,” q{uod} I, “may þys be trwe,
Dyspleseȝ not if I speke erro{ur};
Art þou þe quene of heueneȝ blwe,
Þ{a}t al þys worlde schal do hono{ur}? 424
We leuen on marye þat grace of grewe,
Þat ber a barne of vyrgyn flo{ur},
Þe croune fro hyr quo moȝt remwe,
Bot ho hir passed i{n} su{m} fauo{ur}? 428
Now for synglerty o hyr douso{ur},
We calle hyr fenyx of arraby,
Þat freles fleȝe of hyr fasor,
Lyk to þe quen of cortaysye.” 432
[Sidenote: [Fol. 45a.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden addresses the Virgin. She then explains
to her father that each has his place in heaven.]
“Cortayse quen” þe{n}ne s[a]yde þat gaye,
Knelande to grou{n}de, folde vp hyr face,
“Makeleȝ moder & myryest may,
Blessed bygy{n}ner[16] of vch a grace!” 436
Þe{n}ne ros ho vp & con restay,
& speke me towarde i{n} þat space:
“S{ir} fele here porchaseȝ & fongeȝ pray
Bot supplantoreȝ none w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne þys place; 440
Þat emp{er}ise al heue{n}ȝ hatȝ,
& vrþe & helle i{n} her bayly;
Of erytage ȝet non wyl ho chace,
For ho is quen of cortaysye. 444
[Sidenote 16: MS. reads _bȳgyner_.]
[Sidenote: The court of God has a property in its own being.
Each one in it is a king or queen. The mother of Christ holds
the chief place.]
The co{ur}t of þe kyndom of god alyue,
Hatȝ a p{ro}perty i{n} hyt self bey{n}g;
Alle þat may þer-i{n}ne aryue
Of alle þe reme is quen oþ{er} ky{n}g, 448
& neu{er} oþ{er} ȝet schal depryue,
Bot vchon fayn of oþ{er}eȝ hafy{n}g,
& wolde her corou{n}eȝ wern worþe þo fyue,
If possyble were her mendy{n}g. 452
Bot my lady of quom Iesu con spry{n}g,
Ho haldeȝ þe empyre ou{er} v{us} ful hyȝe,
& þat dyspleseȝ non of oure gy{n}g,
For ho is quene of cortaysye. 456
[Sidenote: We are all members of Christ’s body. Look that
each limb be perfect.]
Of co{ur}taysye, as saytȝ say{n}t poule,
Al arn we me{m}breȝ of ih{es}u kryst,
As heued & arme & legg & naule,
Temen to hys body ful trwe & t[r]yste; 460
Ryȝt so is vch a krysten sawle,
A longande lym to þe mayster of myste;
Þe{n}ne loke what hate oþ{er} any gawle,
Is tached oþ{er} tyȝed þy ly{m}meȝ by-twyste, 464
Þy heued hatȝ nauþer greme ne gryste,
On arme oþ{er} fynger, þaȝ þ{o}u ber byȝe;
So fare we alle wyth luf & lyste,
To ky{n}g & quene by cortaysye.” 468
[Sidenote: [Fol. 45b.]]
[Sidenote: The father replies that he cannot understand how
his pearl can be a queen. He desires to know what greater
honour she can have.]
“Cortayse,” q{uod} I, “I leue
& charyte grete be yow amo{n}g,
Bot my speche þat yow ne greue,
. . . . . 472
Þy self in heuen ou{er} hyȝ þ{o}u heue,
To make þe quen þat watȝ so ȝonge,
What more-hond moȝte he acheue
Þat hade endured i{n} worlde stronge, 476
& lyued i{n} penau{n}ce hys lyueȝ longe,
W{i}t{h} bodyly bale hy{m} blysse to byye?
What more worschyp moȝt ho fonge,
Þen corou{n}de be ky{n}g by cortayse? 480
[Headnote: THE PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD.]
IX.
[Sidenote: She was only two years old when she died,
and could do nothing to please God. She might be a countess
or some great lady but not a queen.]
That cortayse is to fre of dede,
Ȝyf hyt be soth þat þ{o}u coneȝ saye,
Þ{o}u lyfed not two ȝer i{n} oure þede,
Þ{o}u cowþeȝ neu{er} god nauþ{er} plese ne pray, 484
Ne neu{er} nawþer pater ne crede,
& quen mad on þe fyrst day!
I may not traw, so god me spede,
Þat god wolde wryþe so wrange away; 488
Of cou{n}tes damysel, par ma fay,
Wer fayr i{n} heuen to halde asstate
Aþ{er} elleȝ a lady of lasse aray,
Bot a quene, hit is to dere a date.” 492
[Sidenote: The maiden informs her father that there is no limit
to God’s power. The parable of the labourers in the vineyard.]
“Þer is no date of hys god-nesse,”
Þen sayde to me þat worþy wyȝte,
“For al is trawþe þat he con dresse,
& he may do no þynk bot ryȝt, 496
As mathew meleȝ i{n} yo{ur} messe,
I{n} sothfol gospel of god al-myȝt
I{n} sample he can ful grayþely gesse,
& lykneȝ hit to heuen lyȝte.” 500
“My regne, he saytȝ, is lyk on hyȝt,
To a lorde þat hade a uyne I wate,
Of tyme of ȝere þe terme watȝ tyȝt,
To labor vyne watȝ dere þe date, 504
[Sidenote: [Fol. 46a.]]
[Sidenote: The lord of the vineyard hires workmen for a penny a
day. At noon the lord hires other men standing idle in the
market place.]
Þat date of ȝere wel knawe þys hyne;
Þe lorde ful erly vp he ros,
To hyre werkmen to hys vyne,
& fyndeȝ þ{er} su{m}me to hys porpos, 508
Into acorde þay con de-clyne,
For a pené on a day & forth þay gotȝ,
Wryþen & worchen & don gret pyne,
Keruen & caggen & man hit clos; 512
Aboute vnder, þe lorde to marked totȝ
& ydel men stande he fyndeȝ þer-ate,
“Why stande ȝe ydel” he sayde to þos,
Ne knawe ȝe of þis day no date? 516
[Sidenote: He commands them to go into his vineyard, and he will
give them what is right.]
“Er date of daye hider arn we won{n}e,”
So watȝ al samen her answar soȝt;
“We haf standen her syn ros þe su{n}ne,
& no mo{n} byddeȝ v{us} do, ryȝt noȝt.” 520
“Gos i{n}-to my vyne, dotȝ þat ȝe co{n}ne.”
So sayde þe lorde & made hit toȝt.
“What resonabele hyre be naȝt be ru{n}ne,
I yow pray i{n} dede & þoȝte.” 524
Þay wente i{n} to þe vyne & wroȝte,
& al day þe lorde þ{us} ȝede his gate,
& nw men to hys vyne he broȝte;
Wel neȝ wyl day watȝ passed date, 528
[Sidenote: At an hour before the sun went down the lord sees
other men standing idle. Tells them to go into the vineyard.]
At þe day of date of euen-songe,
On oure byfore þe so{n}ne go dou{n}
He seȝ þer ydel men ful stronge
& sa[y]de to hem[17] w{i}t{h} sobre sou{n}; 532
“Wy stonde ȝe ydel þise dayeȝ longe.”
Þay sayden her hyre watȝ nawhere bou{n}.
“Gotȝ to my vyne ȝemen ȝonge
& wyrkeȝ & dotȝ þ{a}t at ȝe mou{n}.” 536
Sone þe worlde by-com wel brou{n},
Þe su{n}ne watȝ doun &[18] hit wex late;
To take her hyre he mad su{m}ou{n};
Þe day watȝ al apassed date. 540
[Sidenote 17: MS. _hen_.]
[Sidenote 18: MS. & &.]
[Headnote: THE PAYMENT OF THE LABOURERS.]
X.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 46b.]]
[Sidenote: As soon as the sun was gone down the “reeve” was told
to pay the workmen. To give each a penny. The first began to
complain.]
The date of þe daye þe lorde con knaw,
Called to þe reue “lede pay þe meyny,
Gyf hem þe hyre þat I hem owe,
& fyrre, þat non me may repreue, 544
Set hem alle vpon a rawe,
& gyf vchon i{n}-lyche a peny.
Bygyn at þe laste þat sta{n}deȝ lowe,
Tyl to þe fyrste þat þ{o}u atteny;” 548
& þe{n}ne þe fyrst by-go{n}ne to pleny
& sayden þat þay hade trauayled sore,
Þese bot an [h]oure hem con streny,
V{us} þy{n}k v{us} oȝe to take more. 552
[Sidenote: Having borne the heat of the day he thinks that he
deserves more. The lord tells him that he agreed only to give
him a penny.]
More haf we serued v{us} þy{n}k so,
Þat suffred han þe dayeȝ hete,
Þe{n}n þyse þat wroȝt[e] not houreȝ two,
& þ{o}u dotȝ hem v{us} to cou{n}terfete. 556
Þe{n}ne sayde þe lorde to on of þo,
“Frende no wrang[19] I wyl þe ȝete,
Take þat is þyn owne & go;
& I hyred þe for a peny a grete, 560
Quy bygy{n}neȝ þ{o}u now to þrete;
Watȝ not a pené þy couenau{n}t þore?
Fyrre þe{n} couenau{n}de is noȝt to plete,
Wy schalte þou þe{n}ne ask more? 564
[Sidenote 19: MS. _wanig_.]
[Headnote: THE APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE.]
[Sidenote: The last shall be first, and the first last.
The maiden applies the parable to herself.]
More weþ{er} louyly is me my gyfte
To do wyth myn quat so me lykeȝ?
Oþ{er} elleȝ þyn yȝe to lyþ{er} is lyfte,
For I am goude & no{n} by-swykeȝ.” 568
“Þ{us} schal I,” q{uod} kryste, “hit skyfte,
Þe laste schal be þe fyrst þat strykeȝ,
& þe fyrst þe laste, be he neu{er} so swyft,
For mony ben calle[d] þaȝ fewe be mykeȝ.” 572
Þ{us} pore men her part ay pykeȝ,
Þaȝ þay com late & lyttel wore,
& þaȝ her sweng wyth lyttel at-slykeȝ,
Þe merci of god is much þe more. 576
[Sidenote: [Fol. 47a.]]
[Sidenote: She came to the vine in eventide, and yet received
more than others who had lived longer.]
“More haf I of ioye & blysse here-i{n}ne,
Of ladyschyp gret & lyueȝ blom,
Þen alle þe wyȝeȝ i{n} þe worlde myȝt wy{n}ne
By þe way of ryȝt to aske dome. 580
Wheþer wel nygh[t] now I con bygy{n}ne,
In euentyde in-to þe vyne I come,
Fyrst of my hyre my lorde con my{n}ne,
I watȝ payed anon of al & sum; 584
Ȝet oþ{er} þer werne þ{a}t toke more tom,
Þat swange & swat for long ȝore,
Þat ȝet of hyre no þynk þay nom,
Parau{n}t{er} noȝt schal to ȝere more.” 588
[Sidenote: The father says that his daughter’s tale is
unreasonable.]
Then more I meled & sayde apert,
“Me þynk þy tale vnresou{n}able,
Goddeȝ ryȝt is redy & eu{er} more rert,[20]
Oþ{er} holy wryt is bot a fable; 592
I{n} sauter is sayd a verce ouerte
Þat spekeȝ a poy{n}t determynable,
‘Þ{o}u quyteȝ vchon as hys desserte,
Þ{o}u hyȝe ky{n}g ay p{re}termynable,’[21] 596
Now he þat stod þe long day stable,
& þ{o}u to payment com hym byfore,
Þe{n}ne þe lasse i{n} werke to take more able,
& eu{er} þe lenger þe lasse þe more.” 600
[Sidenote 20: _ert_ (?).]
[Sidenote 21: MS. p{er}termynable.]
[Headnote: GOD IS NO NIGGARD.]
XI.
[Sidenote: In heaven, the maiden says, each man is paid alike.
God is no niggard. The grace of God is sufficient for all.]
“Of more & lasse in godeȝ ryche,”
Þat gentyl sayde “lys no Ioparde,
For þer is vch mon payed inliche,
Wheþer lyttel oþ{er} much be hys rewarde, 604
For þe gentyl cheuentayn is no chyche,
Queþ{er}-so-eu{er} he dele nesch oþ{er} harde,
He laueȝ hys gyfteȝ[22] as wat{er} of dyche,
Oþ{er} goteȝ of golf þat neu{er} charde; 608
Hys frau{n}chyse is large þ{a}t eu{er} dard,
To hy{m} þat matȝ i{n} sy{n}ne no scogh{e}[23]
No blysse betȝ fro hem reparde,
For þe grace of god is gret I-nogh{e}. 612
[Sidenote 22: MS. _gysteȝ_.]
[Sidenote 23: In the MS. it looks like _rescoghe_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 47b.]]
[Sidenote: Those who live long on the earth often forfeit heaven
by sinning.]
Bot now þ{o}u moteȝ me for to mate
Þat I my peny haf wrang tan here,
Þ{o}u sayȝ þat I þat com to late,
Am not worþy so gret lere. 616
Where wysteȝ þ{o}u eu{er} any bourne abate
Euer so holy i{n} hys prayere,
Þat he ne forfeted by su{m}kyn gate,
Þe mede su{m}-tyme of heueneȝ clere; 620
& ay þe ofter, þe alder þay were,
Þay laften ryȝt & wroȝten wogh{e}
Mercy & g{ra}ce moste hem þe{n} stere,
For þe g{ra}ce of god is gret i{n}-noȝe. 624
[Sidenote: Innocents are saved by baptism. Why should not
God allow their labour.]
Bot i{n}-nogh{e} of grace hatȝ i{n}nocent,
As sone as þay arn borne by lyne
I{n} þe water of babtem þay dyssente,
Þ{en} arne þay boroȝt i{n}-to þe vyne, 628
Anon þe day w{i}t{h} derk endente,
Þe myȝt of deth dotȝ to en-clyne
Þat wroȝt neuer wrang er þe{n}ne þay wente;
Þe gentyle lorde þe{n}ne payeȝ hys hyne, 632
Þay dyden hys heste, þay wern þere-ine,
Why schulde he not her labo{ur} alow,
Ȝy[rd] & pay hem[24] at þe fyrst fyne
For þe grace of god is gret i{n}-nogh{e}? 636
[Sidenote 24: MS. _hym_.]
[Headnote: PARADISE WAS LOST THROUGH AN APPLE.]
[Sidenote: Our first father lost heaven by eating an apple.
And all are damned for the sin of Adam. But there came one
who paid the penalty of our sins.]
Inoȝe is knawen þ{a}t man-kyn grete,
Fyrste watȝ wroȝt to blysse parfyt;
Oure forme-fader hit con forfete,
Þurȝ an apple þat he vpon con byte; 640
Al wer we dampned for þat mete,
To dyȝe i{n} doel out of delyt,
& syþen wende to helle hete,
Þ{er}-i{n}ne to won w{i}t{h}-oute respyt; 644
Bot þer on com a bote as-tyt.
Ryche blod ran on rode so rogh{e},
& wy{n}ne [&] wat{er}, þe{n} at þat plyt
Þe g{ra}ce of god wex gret i{n}-nogh{e}. 648
[Sidenote: [Fol. 48a.]]
[Sidenote: The water that came from the pierced side of Christ
was baptism.]
Innogh{e} þer wax out[25] of þat welle,
Blod & wat{er} of brode wou{n}de;
Þe blod v{us} boȝt fro bale of helle,
& delyu{er}ed v{us} of þe deth secou{n}de; 652
Þe water is baptem þe soþe to telle;
Þat folȝed þe glayue so gry{m}ly grou{n}de,
Þat wascheȝ away þe gylteȝ felle,
Þat adam wyth i{n}ne deth v{us} drou{n}de. 656
Now is þ{er} noȝt i{n} þe worlde rou{n}de
Bytwene v{us} & blysse bot þat he w{i}t{h}-droȝ
& þat is restored i{n} sely stou{n}de,
& þe grace of god is gret i{n}-nogh. 660
[Sidenote 25: MS. _out out_.]
XII.
[Sidenote: Repentance must be sought by prayer with sorrow and
affliction. The guilty may be saved by contrition.]
Grace i{n}-nogh þe mon may haue,
Þat sy{n}neȝ þe{n}ne new, ȝif hy{m} repente,
Bot w{i}t{h} sorȝ & syt he mot hit craue,
& byde þe payne þer-to is bent, 664
Bot resou{n} of ryȝt þat con not raue,
Saueȝ eu{er} more þe i{n}nosse{n}t;
Hit is a dom þ{a}t neu{er} god gaue,
Þat eu{er} þe gyltleȝ schulde be schente. 668
Þe gyltyf may contryssyou{n} hente
& be þurȝ mercy to grace þryȝt;
Bot he to gyle þat neu{er} glente,
At i{n}-oscente is saf & ryȝte. 672
[Headnote: INNOCENTS ARE SAVED BY RIGHT.]
[Sidenote: Two sorts of people are saved, the _righteous_ and
the _innocent_. The words of David. The innocent is saved by
right.]
Ryȝt þ{us}[26] I knaw wel i{n} þis cas,
Two men to saue is god by skylle;
Þe ryȝt-wys man schal se hys face,[27]
Þe harmleȝ haþel schal com hym tylle, 676
Þe saut{er} hyt satȝ þ{us} i{n} a pace:
“Lorde quo schal klymbe þy hyȝ hylleȝ
Oþ{er} rest w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne þy holy place?”
Hymself to on-sware he is not dylle; 680
“Hondely{n}geȝ harme þat dyt not ille,
Þat is of hert boþe clene & lyȝt,
Þer schal hys step stable stylle,”
Þe i{n}nosent is ay saf by ryȝt. 684
[Sidenote 26: MS. þ{us} þ{us}.]
[Sidenote 27: MS. _fate_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 48b.]]
[Sidenote: The words of Solomon.]
The ryȝtwys man also sertayn
Aproche he schal þ{a}t proper pyle,
Þat takeȝ not her lyf in vayne
Ne glauereȝ her nieȝbor wyth no gyle; 688
Of þys ryȝt-wys saȝ[28] salamon playn,
How kyntly oure con aquyle
By wayeȝ ful streȝt he con hym strayn,
& scheued hy{m} þe rengne of god a whyle, 692
As quo says “lo ȝon louely yle,
Þ{o}u may hit wy{n}ne if þ{o}u be wyȝte,”
Bot hardyly w{i}t{h}-oute peryle,
Þe i{n}nosent is ay saue by ryȝte! 696
[Sidenote 28: _satȝ_ (?).]
[Sidenote: David says no man living is justified.
Pray to be saved by innocence and not by right.]
An-ende ryȝtwys men, ȝet saytȝ a gome
Dauid in sauter, if eu{er} ȝe seȝ hit,
“Lorde þy seruau{n}t draȝ neuer to dome,
For[29] non lyuyunde to þe is Iustyfyet.” 700
For-þy to corte quen þ{o}u schal com,
Þer alle oure causeȝ schal be tryed,
Alegge þe ryȝt þ{o}u may be i{n}-nome,
By þys ilke spech I haue asspyed; 704
Bot he on rode þat blody dyed,
Delfully þurȝ hondeȝ þryȝt
Gyue þe to passe when þ{o}u arte tryed
By in{n}ocens & not by ryȝte. 708
[Sidenote 29: MS. _sor._]
[Headnote: CHRIST BLESSED LITTLE CHILDREN.]
[Sidenote: When Jesus was on earth, little children were brought
unto him. The disciples rebuked the parents. Christ said,
“Suffer little children to come unto me,” etc.]
Ryȝt-wysly quo con rede,
He loke on bok & be awayed
How Ih{esu}c hy{m} welke in are þede,
& burneȝ her barneȝ vnto hy{m} brayde, 712
For happe & hele þat fro hy{m} ȝede,
To touch[30] her chylder þay fayr hym prayed.
His dessypeleȝ w{i}t{h} blame let be hy{m} bede,
& wyth her resou{n}eȝ ful fele restayed; 716
Ih{esu}c þe{n}ne hem swetely sayde,
“Do way, let chylder vnto me tyȝt.
To suche is heuen-ryche arayed,”
Þe i{n}nocent is ay saf by ryȝt. 720
[Sidenote 30: MS. _touth_.]
XIII.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 49a.]]
[Sidenote: No one can win heaven except he be meek as a child.]
Ih{esu}c con calle to hy{m} hys mylde
& sayde hys ryche no wyȝ myȝt wy{n}ne.
Bot he com þyder ryȝt as a chylde,
Oþ{er} elleȝ neu{er} more com þer-i{n}ne, 724
Harmleȝ, trwe & vnde-fylde,
W{i}t{h}-outen mote oþ{er} mascle of sulpande sy{n}ne;
Quen such þer cnoken on þe bylde,
Tyt schal hem men þe ȝate vnpy{n}ne, 728
Þer is þe blys þat con not bly{n}ne,
Þat þe Iueler soȝte þurȝ perre pres
& solde alle hys goud boþe wolen & ly{n}ne,
To bye hy{m} a perle [þat] watȝ mascelleȝ. 732
[Headnote: FORSAKE THE MAD WORLD.]
[Sidenote: The pearl of price is like the kingdom of heaven,
pure and clean. Forsake the mad world and purchase the spotless
pearl.]
This makelleȝ perle þat boȝt is dere,
Þe Ioueler gef fore alle hys god,
Is lyke þe reme of heuenesse clere
So sayde þe fader of folde & flode, 736
For hit is we{m}leȝ, clene & clere,
& endeleȝ rou{n}de & blyþe of mode,
& co{m}mune to alle þat ryȝtwys[31] were,
Lo! euen i{n} myddeȝ my breste hit stode; 740
My lorde þe lombe þat schede hys blode,
He pyȝt hit þere i{n} token of pes;
I rede þe forsake þe worlde wode,
& porchace þy perle maskelles.” 744
[Sidenote 31: MS. _ryȝtywys_.]
[Sidenote: The father of the maiden desires to know who formed
her figure and wrought her garments. Her beauty, he says,
is not natural. Her colour passes the fleur-de-lis.]
“O maskeleȝ perle i{n} perleȝ pure
Þat bereȝ,” q{uod} I, “þe perle of prys,
Quo formed þe þy fayre fygure?
Þat wroȝt þy wede, he watȝ ful wys; 748
Þy beaute com neu{er} of nature,
Pymalyon paynted neu{er} þy vys,
Ne arystotel nawþ{er} by hys lettrure
Of carpe þe kynde þese p{ro}perteȝ. 752
Þy colo{ur} passeȝ þe flo{ur}-de-lys,
Þyn angel hauy{n}g so clene corteȝ
Breue me bryȝt, quat-kyn of p{r}iys[32]
Bereȝ þe perle so maskelleȝ.” 756
[Sidenote 32: The MS. has _triys_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 49b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden explains to her father that she is a bride
of Christ. She is without spot or blemish. Her weeds are washed
in the blood of Christ.]
“My makeleȝ lambe þat al may bete,”
Q{uod} scho, “my dere destyné
Me ches to hys make al-þaȝ vnmete,
Su{m} tyme semed þ{a}t assemblé 760
When I wente fro yor worlde wete.
He calde me to hys bon{er}té,
‘Cu{m} hyder to me my le{m}man swete,
For mote ne spot is non i{n} þe:’ 764
He gef me myȝt & als bewté.
I{n} hys blod he wesch my wede on dese,
& coronde clene i{n} v{er}gynté,
& pyȝt me i{n} perleȝ maskelleȝ.” 768
[Sidenote: The father asks the nature of the Lamb that has
chosen his daughter, and why she is selected as a bride.]
“Why maskelleȝ bryd þat bryȝt con flambe
Þat reiateȝ hatȝ so ryche & ryf,
Quat-kyn þy{n}g may be þat lambe,
Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf? 772
Ou{er} alle oþ{er} so hyȝ þ{o}u clambe,
To lede w{i}t{h} hy{m} so ladyly lyf
So mony a cumly on v{n}der cambe,
For kryst han lyued i{n} much stryf, 776
& þ{o}u con alle þo dere out-dryf,
& fro þat maryag al oþ{er} depres,
Al only þyself so stout & styf,
A makeleȝ may & maskelleȝ.” 780
[Headnote: THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDES.]
XIV.
[Sidenote: The Lamb has one hundred and forty thousand brides.
St. John saw them on the hill of Sion in a dream, in the new
city of Jerusalem.]
“Maskelles,” q{uod} þat myry quene,
“Vnblemyst I am wyth-outen blot,
& þat may I w{i}t{h} mensk me{n}teene;
Bot makeleȝ quene þe{n}ne sade I not, 784
Þe lambes vyueȝ i{n} blysse we bene,
A hondred & forty þowsande flot
As i{n} þe apocalyppeȝ hit is sene;
Sant Ioh{a}n hem syȝ al i{n} a knot, 788
On þe hyl of syon þat semly clot.
Þe apostel hem segh i{n} gostly drem
Arayed to þe weddy{n}g i{n} þ{a}t hyl coppe,
Þe nwe cyte u I{e}r{usa}l{e}m. 792
[Sidenote: [Fol. 50a.]]
[Sidenote: Isaiah speaks of Christ or the Lamb. He says that
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter.]
Of I{e}r{usa}l{e}m I in speche spelle.
If þ{o}u wyl knaw what-kyn he be,
My lombe, my lorde, my dere Iuelle,
My ioy, my blys, my le{m}man fre, 796
Þe p{ro}fete ysaye of hy{m} con melle,
Pitously of hys debonerté
Þat gloryo{us} gyltleȝ[33] þ{a}t mon con quelle,
W{i}t{h}-outen any sake of felonye, 800
As a schep to þe slaȝt þ{er} lad watȝ he
& as lombe þat clypper i{n} lande nem,[34]
So closed he hys mouth fro vch query,
Quen Iueȝ hy{m} iugged i{n} Ih{erusal}em. 804
[Sidenote 33: MS. reads _gystleȝ_.]
[Sidenote 34: MS. _men_.]
[Sidenote: In Jerusalem was Christ slain. With buffets
was His face flayed. He endured all patiently as a lamb.
For us He died in Jerusalem.]
In I{e}r{usa}l{e}m watȝ my le{m}man slayn
& rent on rode w{i}t{h} boyeȝ bolde;
Al oure baleȝ to bere ful bayn,
He toke on hy{m} self oure careȝ colde, 808
W{i}t{h} boffeteȝ watȝ hys face flayn,
Þat watȝ so fayr on to byholde;
For sy{n}ne he set hy{m} self i{n} vayn,
Þat neu{er} hade non hym self to wolde, 812
For v{us} he lette hy{m} flyȝe & folde
& brede vpon a bostwys bem,
As meke as lomb[35] þat no playnt tolde.
For v{us} he swalt i{n} I{e}r{usa}l{e}m: 816
[Sidenote 35: The MS. reads _lomp_.]
[Headnote: THE LAMB WAS SLAIN IN JERUSALEM.]
[Sidenote: The declaration of St. John, “Behold the Lamb
of God,” etc. Who can reckon His generation, that died
in Jerusalem?]
I{e}r{usa}l{e}m, Iordan & galalye,
Þer as baptysed þe goude say{n}t Ion,
His wordeȝ acorded to ysaye;
When Ih{esu}c con to hy{m} warde gon 820
He sayde of hy{m} þys p{ro}fessye,
“Lo godeȝ lombe as trwe as ston,
Þat dotȝ away þe sy{n}neȝ dryȝe!”
Þat alle þys worlde hatȝ wroȝt vpon, 824
Hy{m} self ne wroȝt neu{er} ȝet non,
Wheþ{er} on hym self he con al clem,
Hys generacyou{n} quo recen con,
Þat dyȝed for v{us} i{n} I{e}r{usa}l{e}m? 828
[Sidenote: [Fol. 50b.]]
[Sidenote: In the New Jerusalem St. John saw the Lamb sitting
upon the throne.]
In I{e}r{usa}l{e}m þ{us} my le{m}man swatte,
Twyeȝ, for lombe watȝ taken þere,
By trw recorde of ayþ{er} p{ro}phete,
For mode so meke & al hys fare, 832
Þe þryde tyme is þ{er}-to ful mete
In apokalypeȝ wryten ful ȝare.
In mydeȝ þe trone þere saynteȝ sete,
Þe apostel ioh{a}n hy{m} saytȝ as bare, 836
Lesande þe boke with leueȝ sware,
Þere seuen sy{n}gnetteȝ wern sette i{n}-seme
& at þ{a}t syȝt vche douth con dare,
In helle, i{n} erþe & I{e}r{usa}l{e}m. 840
XV.
[Sidenote: The Lamb is without blemish. Every spotless soul
is a worthy bride for the Lamb. No strife or envy among
the brides.]
Thys I{e}r{usa}l{e}m lombe hade neu{er} pechche
Of oþ{er} huee bot quyt Iolyf
Þat mot ne masklle moȝt on streche
For wolle quyte so ronk & ryf, 844
For-þy vche saule þat hade neu{er} teche,[36]
Is to þat lombe a worthyly wyf;
And þaȝ vch day a store he feche,
Among v{us} co{m}meȝ non oþ{er} strot ne stryf, 848
Bot vchon enle[37] we wolde were fyf,
Þe mo þe myryer so god me blesse.
I{n} compayny gret our luf con þryf
In hono{ur} more & neu{er} þe lesse. 852
[Sidenote 36: MS. _tethe_.]
[Sidenote 37: _vch onlepi_ (?).]
[Sidenote: None can have less bliss than another.
Our death leads us to bliss.]
Lasse of blysse may non v{us} bry{n}g
Þat beren þys perle vpon oure bereste,
For þay of mote couþe neu{er} my{n}ge,
Of spotleȝ perleȝ þa[y] beren þe creste, 856
Al-þaȝ oure corses i{n} clotteȝ cly{n}ge,
& ȝe remen for rauþe wyth-outen reste,
We þurȝ-outly hauen cnawy{n}g;
Of [o]n dethe ful oure hope is drest, 860
Þe lonbe v{us} gladeȝ, oure care is kest;
He myrþeȝ v{us} alle at vch a mes,
Vchoneȝ blysse is breme & beste,
& neu{er} oneȝ hono{ur} ȝet neu{er} þe les. 864
[Headnote: THE VISION OF SAINT JOHN.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 51a.]]
[Sidenote: What St. John saw upon the Mount of Sion.
About the Lamb he saw one hundred and forty thousand maidens.
He heard a voice from heaven, like many floods.]
Lest les þ{o}u leue my tale[38] farande,
I{n} appocalyppece is wryten i{n} wro
I segh{e}, says Ioh{a}n, þe lou{m}be hy{m} stande,
On þe mou{n}t of syon ful þryuen & þro, 868
& wyth hym mayde{n}neȝ an hu{n}dreþe þowsande
& fowre & forty þowsande mo
On alle her forhedeȝ wryten I fande,
Þe lombeȝ nome, hys fadereȝ also. 872
A hue fro heuen I herde þoo,
Lyk flodeȝ fele laden, ru{n}ne{n} on resse,
& as þu{n}der þroweȝ i{n} torreȝ blo,
Þat lote I leue watȝ neu{er} þe les. 876
[Sidenote 38: MS. _talle_, but _tale_ in the catchwords.]
[Sidenote: He heard the maiden sing a new song. So did
the four beasts and the elders “so sad of cheer.”]
Nauþeles þaȝ hit schowted scharpe,
& ledden loude al-þaȝ hit were.
A note ful nwe I herde hem warpe,
To lysten þat watȝ ful lufly dere, 880
As harporeȝ harpen in her harpe,
Þat nwe songe þay so{n}gen ful cler.
In sou{n}ande noteȝ a gentyl carpe,
Ful fayre þe modeȝ þay fonge i{n} fere 884
Ryȝt byfore godeȝ chayere,
& þe fowre besteȝ þat hy{m} obes,
& þe alder-men so sadde of chere,
Her songe þay songen neu{er} þe les; 888
[Sidenote: This assembly was like the Lamb, spotless and pure.]
Nowþe-lese non watȝ neu{er} so quoy{n}t,
For alle þe crafteȝ þat eu{er} þay knewe.
Þat of þat songe myȝt sy{n}ge a poy{n}t,
Bot þat meyny þe lombe þay swe, 892
For þay arn boȝt fro þe vrþe aloynte.
As newe fryt to god ful due
& to þe gentyl lombe hit arn amoy{n}t,
As lyk to hym self of lote & hwe, 896
For neu{er} lesy{n}g ne tale vn-trwe,
Ne towched her tonge for no dysstresse.
Þat moteles meyny may neu{er} remwe,
Fro þat maskeleȝ mayster neu{er} þe les.” 900
[Sidenote: [Fol. 51b.]]
[Sidenote: The father replies to the maiden. He says he is
but dust and ashes. He wishes to ask one question,]
“Neuer þe les let be my þonc,”
Q{uod} I, “my perle þaȝ I appose,
I schulde not tempte þy wyt so wlonc,
To krysteȝ chambre þat art Ichose, 904
I am bot mokke & mul amo{n}g,
& þ{o}u so ryche a reken rose,
& bydeȝ here by þys blysful bonc
Þer lyueȝ lyste may neu{er} lose, 908
Now hynde þat sympelnesse co{n}eȝ enclose,
I wolde þe aske a þy{n}ge expresse,
& þaȝ I be bustwys as a blose
Let my bone vayl neu{er} þe lese. 912
[Headnote: THE ABODE OF CHRIST’S BRIDES.]
XVI.
[Sidenote: whether the brides have their abode in castle-walls
or in manor. Jerusalem, he says, in Judea. But the dwelling
of the brides should be perfect.]
Neuer þe lese cler I yow by-calle
If ȝe con se hyt be to done,
As þ{o}u art gloryo{u}s w{i}t{h}-outen galle,
W{i}t{h}-nay þ{o}u neu{er} my ruful bone. 916
Haf ȝe no woneȝ i{n} castel walle,
Ne man{er} þer ȝe may mete & won?
Þ{o}u telleȝ me of I{e}r{usa}l{e}m þe ryche ryalle,
Þer dauid dere watȝ dyȝt on trone, 920
Bot by þyse holteȝ hit con not hone
Bot in Iudee hit is þ{a}t noble note;
As ȝe ar maskeleȝ vnder mone,
Yo{ur} woneȝ schulde by wyth-outen mote. 924
[Sidenote: For such “a comely pack” a great castle would be
required.]
Þys moteleȝ meyny þ{o}u coneȝ of mele,
Of þousandeȝ þryȝt so gret a route,
A gret cete, for ȝe arn fele,
Yow by-hod haue w{i}t{h}-outen doute; 928
So cu{m}ly a pakke of Ioly Iuele,
Wer euel don schulde lyȝ þ{er}-oute;
& by þyse bonkeȝ þer I con gele
& I se no bygy{n}g nawhere aboute, 932
I trowe al-one ȝe lenge & loute,
To loke on þe glory of þys g{ra}c[i]o{us} gote;
If þ{o}u hatȝ oþer lygy{n}geȝ stoute,
Now tech me to þat myry mote. 936
[Sidenote: [Fol. 52a.]]
[Sidenote: The city in Judæa, answers the maiden, is where
Christ suffered, and is the Old Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is
where the Lamb has assembled his brides.]
“That mote þ{o}u meneȝ in Iudy londe,”
Þat specyal spyce þen to me spakk,
“Þat is þe cyte þat þe lombe con fonde
To soffer i{n}ne sor for maneȝ sake, 940
Þe olde I{e}r{usa}l{e}m to vnder-stonde,
For þere þe olde gulte watȝ don to slake,
Bot þe nwe þat lyȝt of godeȝ sonde,
Þe apostel in apocalyppce i{n} theme con take. 944
Þe lombe[39] þ{er}, w{i}t{h}-outen spotteȝ blake,
Hatȝ feryed þyder hys fayre flote,
& as hys flok is w{i}t{h}-outen flake,
So is hys mote w{i}t{h}-outen moote. 948
[Sidenote 39: The MS. reads _lompe_.]
[Headnote: THE OLD AND NEW JERUSALEM.]
[Sidenote: Jerusalem means the city of God. In the Old city
our peace was made at one. In the New city is eternal peace.]
Of motes two to carpe clene
& I{e}r{usa}l{e}m hyȝt boþe nawþeles,
Þat nys to yow no more to mene,
Bot cete of god oþ{er} syȝt of pes. 952
I{n} þat on oure pes watȝ mad at ene,
W{i}t{h} payne to suffer þe lombe hit chese,
In þat oþ{er} is noȝt bot pes to glene,
Þat ay schal laste w{i}t{h}-outen reles, 956
Þat is þe borȝ þat we to pres,
Fro þ{a}t oure flesch[40] be layd to rote;
Þer glory & blysse schal eu{er} encres,
To þe meyny þ{a}t is w{i}t{h}-outen mote. 960
[Sidenote 40: MS. _fresth_.]
XVII.
[Sidenote: The father prays his daughter to bring him to the
blissful bower. His daughter tells him that he shall see
the outside, but not a foot may he put in the city.]
“Moteleȝ may so meke & mylde,”
Þen sayde I to þat lufly flor,
“Bry{n}g me to þat bygly bylde,
& let me se þy blysful bor.” 964
Þat schene sayde, þat god wyl schylde,
“Þ{o}u may not enter w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne hys tor,
Bot of þe lombe I haue þe aquylde
For a syȝt þer-of þurȝ gret fauor. 968
Vt-wyth to se þat clene cloystor,
Þ{o}u may, bot i{n}wyth not a fote,
To strech in þe strete þ{o}u hatȝ no vygo{ur},
Bot þ{o}u wer clene w{i}t{h}-outen mote. 972
[Headnote: A DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM.]
XVIII.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 52b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden then tells her father to go along the bank
till he comes to a hill. He reaches the hill, and beholds the
heavenly city.]
If I þis mote þe schal vn-hyde,
Bow vp to-warde þys borneȝ heued,
& I an-endeȝ þe on þis syde
Schal sve, tyl þ{o}u to a hil be veued, 976
Þe{n} wolde [I] no lenger byde,
Bot lurked by lau{n}ceȝ so lufly leued,
Tyl on a hyl þat I asspyed
& blusched on þe burgh{e}, as I forth dreued, 980
By-ȝonde þe brok fro me warde keued,
Þat schyrrer þen su{n}ne w{i}t{h} schafteȝ schon;
I{n} þe apokalypce is þe fasou{n} preued,
As deuyseȝ hit þe apostel Ihoñ. 984
[Sidenote: As St. John saw it, so he beheld it. The city was
of burnished gold. Pitched upon gems, the foundation composed
of twelve stones.]
As Ioh{a}n þe apostel hit syȝ w{i}t{h} syȝt
I syȝe þat cyty of gret renou{n},
I{e}r{usa}l{e}m so nwe & ryally dyȝt,
As hit watȝ lyȝt fro þe heuen adou{n}. 988
Þe borȝ watȝ al of brende golde bryȝt,
As glemande glas burnist brou{n},
W{i}t{h} gentyl ge{m}meȝ an-vnder pyȝt;
W{i}t{h} banteleȝ twelue on basy{n}g boun, 992
Þe fou{n}dementeȝ twelue of riche tenou{n};
Vch tabelment watȝ a serlypeȝ ston,
As derely deuyseȝ þis ilk tou{n},
I{n} apocalyppeȝ þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 996
[Sidenote: The names of the precious stones.]
[Sidenote: i. Jasper. ii. Sapphire. iii. Chalcedony.
iv. Emerald. v. Sardonyx. vi. Ruby.]
As þise stoneȝ i{n} writ con ne{m}me
I knew þe name aft{er} his tale;
Iasper hyȝt þe fyrst ge{m}me,
Þat I on þe fyrst basse con wale, 1000
He glente grene i{n} þe lowest he{m}me.
Saffer helde þe secou{n}de stale,
Þe calsydoyne þe{n}ne w{i}t{h}-outen we{m}me,
I{n} þe þryd table con purly pale; 1004
Þe emerade þe furþe so grene of scale;
Þe sardonyse þe fyfþe ston;
Þe sexte þe rybe he con hit wale,
I{n} þe apocalyppce þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 1008
[Sidenote: [Fol. 53a.]]
[Sidenote: vii. Chrysolite. viii. Beryl. ix. Topaz.
x. Chrysoprasus. xi. Jacinth. xii. Amethyst.]
Ȝet Ioyned Ioh{a}n þe crysolyt,
Þe seuenþe ge{m}me i{n} fundament;
Þe aȝtþe þe beryl cler & quyt
Þe topasye twy{n}ne how þe ne{n}te endent; 1012
Þe crysopase þe tenþe is tyȝt;
Þe Iacy{n}gh[41] þe enleuenþe gent;
Þe twelfþe þe gentyleste i{n} veh a plyt,
Þe amatyst purpre w{i}t{h} ynde blente; 1016
Þe wal abof þe bantels bent,
Masporye as glas þat glysnande schon,
I knew hit by his deuysement,
I{n} þe apocalyppeȝ þe apostel I{o}h{a}n. 1020
[Sidenote 41: _Iacynth_ (?).]
[Sidenote: The city was square. The wall was of jasper.
Twelve thousand furlongs in length and breadth.]
As Ioh{a}n deuysed ȝet saȝ I þare.
Þise twelue de-gres wern brode & stayre,
Þe cyte stod abof ful sware,
As longe as brode as hyȝe ful fayre; 1024
Þe streteȝ of golde as glasse al bare,
Þe wal of Iasper þat glent as glayre;
Þe woneȝ w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne enurned ware
Wyth alle ky{n}neȝ perre þat moȝt repayre, 1028
Þe{n}ne helde vch sware of þis manayre,
Twelue forlonge space er eu{er} hit fon,
Of heȝt, of brede, of lenþe to cayre,
For meten hit syȝ þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 1032
[Headnote: NO SUN NOR MOON IN HEAVEN.]
XIX.
[Sidenote: Each “pane” had three gates. Each gate adorned with
a pearl. Such light gleamed in all the streets, that there
was no need of the sun or moon.]
As Ioh{a}n hy{m} wryteȝ ȝet more I syȝe
Vch pane of þat place had þre ȝateȝ,
So twelue i{n} po{ur}sent I con asspye
Þe portaleȝ pyked of rych plateȝ 1036
& vch ȝate of a margyrye,
A parfyt perle þat neu{er} fateȝ;
Vchon i{n} scrypture a name con plye,
Of isr{ae}l barneȝ folewande her dateȝ, 1040
Þat is to say as her byrþ whateȝ;
Þe aldest ay fyrst þ{er}-on watȝ done.
Such lyȝt þer lemed i{n} alle þe strateȝ
Hem nedde nawþ{er} su{n}ne ne mone. 1044
[Sidenote: [Fol. 53b.]]
[Sidenote: God was the light of those in the city.
The high throne might be seen, upon which the “high God” sat.
A river ran out of the throne;]
Of su{n}ne ne mone had þay no nede
Þe self god watȝ her lompe[42] lyȝt,
Þe lombe her lantyrne w{i}t{h}-outen drede,
Þurȝ hy{m} blysned þe borȝ al bryȝt. 1048
Þurȝ woȝe & won my loky{n}g ȝede,
For sotyle cler moȝt[43] lette no lyȝt;
Þe hyȝe trone þer moȝt ȝe hede
W{i}t{h} alle þe apparaylmente vmbe-pyȝte, 1052
As Ioh{a}n þe appostel in termeȝ tyȝte;
Þe hyȝe godeȝ self hit set vpone.
A reu{er} of þe trone þer ran out-ryȝte
Watȝ bryȝter þen boþe þe su{n}ne & mone. 1056
[Sidenote 42: MS. _lombe_.]
[Sidenote 43: MS. _noȝt_.]
[Headnote: NO CHURCH IN HEAVEN.]
[Sidenote: it flowed through each street. No church was seen.
God was the church; Christ the sacrifice. The gates were
ever open.]
Su{n}ne ne mone schon neu{er} so swete;
A! þat foysou{n} flode out of þat flet,
Swyþe hit swange þurȝ vch a strete,
W{i}t{h}-outen fylþe oþ{er} galle oþ{er} glet. 1060
Kyrk þer-i{n}ne watȝ non ȝete,
Chapel ne temple þat eu{er} watȝ set,
Þe al-myȝty watȝ her mynyster mete,
Þe lombe þe saker-fyse þer to reget; 1064
Þe ȝates stoken watȝ neu{er} ȝet,
Bot eu{er} more vpen at vche a lone;
Þer entreȝ non to take reset,
Þat bereȝ any spot an-vnder[44] mone. 1068
[Sidenote: There is no night in the city. The planets,
and the sun itself, are dim compared to the divine light.
Trees there renew their fruit every month.]
The mone may þer-of acroche no myȝte
To spotty, ho is of body to grym,
& al-so þ{er} ne is neu{er} nyȝt.
What schulde þe mone þer compas clym 1072
& to euen wyth þat worþly lyȝt[45],
Þat schyneȝ vpon þe brokeȝ brym?
Þe planeteȝ arn i{n} to pou{er} a plyȝt,
& þe self su{n}ne ful fer to dym. 1076
Aboute þat wat{er} arn tres ful schym,
Þat twelue fryteȝ of lyf con bere ful sone;
Twelue syþeȝ on ȝer þay beren ful frym
& re-nowleȝ nwe i{n} vche a mone. 1080
[Sidenote: [Fol. 54a.]]
[Sidenote: The beholder of this fair city stood still as a
“dased quail.”]
An-vnder mone so gret m{er}wayle
No fleschly hert ne myȝt endeure,
As quen I blusched vpon þat baly,
So ferly þ{er}-of watȝ þe falure. 1084
I stod as stylle as dased quayle,
For ferly of þat french[46] fygure,
Þat felde I nawþ{er} reste ne t{ra}uayle,
So watȝ I rauyste wyth gly{m}me pure; 1088
For I dar say, w{i}t{h} conciens sure,
Hade bodyly burne abiden þat bone,
Þaȝ alle clerkeȝ hy{m} hade i{n} cure,
His lyf wer loste an-vnder mone. 1092
[Sidenote 44: MS. _an-vndeȝ_.]
[Sidenote 45: Or _syȝt_.]
[Sidenote 46: _fresch_ (?).]
[Headnote: A PROCESSION OF VIRGINS.]
XX.
[Sidenote: As the moon began to rise he was aware of a
procession of virgins crowned with pearls, in white robes,
with a pearl in their breast.]
Ryȝt as þe maynful mone con rys,
Er þe{n}ne þe day-glem dryue al dou{n},
So sodanly on a wonder wyse,
I watȝ war of a prosessyou{n}, 1096
Þis noble cite of ryche enpresse
Watȝ sodanly ful w{i}t{h}-outen so{m}mou{n}
Of such v{er}gyneȝ i{n} þe same gyse
Þat watȝ my blysful an-vnder crou{n}, 1100
& coronde wern alle of þe same fasou{n}
Depaynt i{n} perleȝ & wedeȝ qwyte,
I{n} vchoneȝ breste watȝ bou{n}den bou{n},
Þe blysful perle w{i}t{h} gret[47] delyt. 1104
[Sidenote 47: MS. _with outen_.]
[Sidenote: As they went along they shone as glass.
The Lamb went before them. There was no pressing.]
W{i}t{h} gret delyt þay glod i{n} fere,
On golden gateȝ þat glent as glasse;
Hu{n}dreth þowsandeȝ I wot þer were,
& alle in sute her liureȝ wasse, 1108
Tor to knaw þe gladdest chere.
Þe lombe byfore con proudly passe,
Wyth horneȝ seuen of red golde[48] cler,
As praysed perleȝ his wedeȝ wasse; 1112
Towarde þe throne þay trone a tras.
Þaȝ þay wern fele no pres i{n} plyt,
Bot mylde as maydeneȝ seme at mas,
So droȝ þay forth w{i}t{h} gret delyt. 1116
[Sidenote: [Fol. 54b.]]
[Sidenote: The “alder men” fell groveling at the feet of the
Lamb. All sang in praise of the Lamb.]
Delyt þ{a}t hys come encroched,
To much hit were of for to melle;
Þise alder men quen he aproched,
Grouely{n}g to his fete þay felle; 1120
Legyou{n}es of au{n}geleȝ togeder uoched,
Þer kesten ensens of swete smelle,
Þen glory & gle watȝ nwe abroched.
Al songe to loue þat gay Iuelle, 1124
Þe steuen moȝt stryke þurȝ þe vrþe to helle,
Þat þe v{er}tues of heuen of Ioye endyte,
To loue þe lombe his meyny in melle,
I-wysse I laȝt a gret delyt; 1128
[Sidenote 48: MS. _glode_.]
[Sidenote: The Lamb wore white weeds. A wide wound was seen
near his breast.]
Delit þe lo{m}be forto deuise,
W{i}t{h} much meruayle in mynde went.
Best watȝ he, blyþest & moste to pryse,
Þat eu{er} I herde of speche spent, 1132
So worþly whyt wern wedeȝ hys;
His lokeȝ symple, hy{m} self so gent,
Bot a wou{n}de ful wyde & weete con wyse
An-ende hys hert þurȝ hyde to-rente; 1136
Of his quyte syde his blod out-sprent,
A-las! þoȝt I, who did þat spyt?
Ani breste for bale aȝt haf for-brent,
Er he þer-to hade had delyt, 1140
[Sidenote: Joy was in his looks. The father perceives
his little queen.]
The lombe delyt non lyste to wene,
Þaȝ he were hurt & wou{n}de hade,
I{n} his sembelau{n}t watȝ neu{er} sene,
So wern his glenteȝ gloryo{us} glade. 1144
I loked amo{n}g his meyny schene,
How þay wyth lyf wern laste & lade,
Þe{n} saȝ I þer my lyttel quene,
Þat I wende had standen by me i{n} sclade; 1148
Lorde! much of mirþe watȝ þat ho made,
Amo{n}g her fereȝ þat watȝ so quyt!
Þat syȝt me gart to þenk to wade,
For luf longy{n}g i{n} gret delyt. 1152
[Headnote: HE WISHES TO CROSS THE STREAM.]
XXI.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 55a.]]
[Sidenote: Great delight takes possession of his mind.
He attempts to cross the stream. It was not pleasing to the Lord.]
Delyt me drof i{n} yȝe & ere,
My maneȝ mynde to maddy{n}g malte;
Quen I seȝ my frely I wolde be þere,
Byȝonde þe water, þaȝ ho were walte, 1156
I þoȝt þat no þy{n}g myȝt me dere
To fech me bur & take me halte;
& to start in þe strem schulde non me stere,
To swy{m}me þe remnau{n}t, þaȝ I þer swalte, 1160
Bot of þat mu{n}t I watȝ bi-talt;
When I schulde start i{n} þe strem astraye,
Out of þat caste I watȝ by-calt;
Hit watȝ not at my prynceȝ paye, 1164
[Headnote: THE FATHER OF THE MAIDEN AWAKES.]
[Sidenote: The dreamer awakes, and is in great sorrow.]
Hit payed hym not þat I so flonc,
Ou{er} meruelo{us} mereȝ so mad arayde,
Of raas þaȝ I were rasch & ronk,
Ȝet rapely þer-i{n}ne I watȝ restayed; 1168
For ryȝt as I sparred vn-to þe bonc,
Þat brathe out of my drem me brayde;
Þen wakned I i{n} þat erber wlonk,
My hede vpon þat hylle watȝ layde, 1172
Þer as my perle to grou{n}de strayd;
I raxled & fel i{n} gret affray,
& syky{n}g to my self I sayd:
“Now al be to þat prynceȝ paye.” 1176
[Sidenote: He addresses his pearl; laments his rash curiosity.]
Me payed ful ille to be out-fleme,
So sodenly of þat fayre regiou{n},
Fro alle þo syȝteȝ so quykeȝ & queme.
A longey{n}g heuy me strok i{n} swone, 1180
& rewfully þe{n}ne I con to reme;
“O perle,” q{uod} I, “of rych renou{n},
So watȝ hit me dere þ{a}t þ{o}u con deme,
I{n} þys v{er}ay avysyou{n}; 1184
If[49] hit be ueray & soth sermou{n},
Þat þ{o}u so stykeȝ i{n} garlande gay,
So wel is me i{n} þys doel dou{n}gou{n},
Þat þ{o}u art to þat prynseȝ paye.” 1188
[Sidenote 49: MS. _inf_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 55b.]]
[Sidenote: Men desire more than they have any right to expect.]
To þat prynceȝ paye hade I ay bente,
& ȝerned no more þen watȝ me geuen,
& halden me þer in trwe entent,
As þe perle me prayed þat watȝ so þryuen, 1192
As helde drawen to goddeȝ p{re}sent,
To mo of his mysterys I hade ben dryuen.
Bot ay wolde man of happe more hente
Þen moȝten by ryȝt vpon hem clyuen; 1196
Þer-fore my ioye watȝ sone to-riuen,
& I kaste of kytheȝ þat lasteȝ aye.
Lorde! mad hit arn þat agayn þe stryuen,
Oþ{er} proferen þe oȝt agayn þy paye; 1200
[Headnote: GOD GIVE US GRACE TO SERVE HIM.]
[Sidenote: The good Christian knows how to make peace
with God. God give us grace to be his servants!]
To pay þe p{r}ince oþ{er} sete saȝte,
Hit is ful eþe to þe god krystyin;
For I haf fou{n}den hym boþe day & naȝte,
A god, a lorde, a frende ful fyin. 1204
Ou{er} þis hyl[50] þis lote I laȝte,
For pyty of my perle enclyin,
& syþen to god I hit by-taȝte,
In krysteȝ dere blessy{n}g & myn, 1208
Þat in þe forme of bred & wyn,
Þe preste v{us} scheweȝ vch a daye;
He gef v{us} to be his homly hyne,
Ande precio{us} perleȝ vnto his pay. Amen. Amen. 1212
[Sidenote 50: MS. _hyiıl_.]
NOTES: _The Pearl_.
Page 1.
l. 2, _to_, very.
8 _sengeley in synglure_, ever in singleness (uniqueness).
Now is Susan in sale _sengeliche_ arayed.
Pistel of Susan, Vernon MS., fol. 317.
11 _dewyne_, pine; _for-dolked_, for-wounded (severely hurt).
16 _heuen my happe_, increase my happiness.
17 _þrych my hert þrange_, through my heart pierce.
20 _stylle stounde_, a secret sorrow.
23
_O moul þou marreȝ a myry mele_,
O mould (earth) thou spoilest a merry discourse.
P. 2.
l. 27
_Blomeȝ blayke & blwe & rede_,
Flowers yellow, blue, and red.
49 _spenned_, wrung.
51, 52
A secret grief in my heart dinned (resounded),
Though reason set myself at peace.
53 _spenned_, allured, enticed away.
54
_Wyth fyrte skylleȝ þat faste faȝt_,
With trembling doubts that fast fought (struggled).
P. 3.
l. 76 bolleȝ = _boleȝ_, trunks of trees.
78 _on vch a tynde_, on each branch.
92 _reken myrþe_, pleasant, joyous mirth.
P. 4.
l. 99 _Þe derþe þer-of_, the value (preciousness) thereof.
101 _in wely wyse_, in joyful mood.
102 _dereȝ_, injuries, harms.
103 _fyrre_, farther.
105 _raweȝ & randeȝ_, borders and paths.
107 _I wan to_, I reached. _Winne_ in O.E. was used much in the same
way as we now employ the word _get_.
112
_Wyth a rownande rourde raykande aryȝt_,
With a murmuring (whispering) sound flowing aright.
113 _founce_, bottom; _stepe_, bright.
114 _glente_, shone; _glyȝt_, glistened.
115 _A[s] stremande sterneȝ_, as glittering stars; _stroþe_, stout,
brave.
119 _loȝe_, deep.
125 _dryȝly haleȝ_, strongly (_or_ deeply) flows.
126 _bred ful_ = _bred-ful_ = _bretful_ (?), full to the brim.
P. 5.
l. 131 _wayneȝ_, grants.
132 _hitteȝ_, seeks.
138 _gayn_, opposite.
142
_I hopede þat mote merked wore_,
I supposed that building was devised.
149 _stote & stare_, stand (loiter) and gape.
150-1
_To fynde a forþe, faste con I fonde,
Bot woþeȝ mo I-wysse þer ware,_
To find a way fast did I go,
But paths more indeed there were.
153 _wonde_, cease, abstain (from fear).
155 _nwe note_, a new matter.
163 _blysnande whyt_, glistening white. See 197.
P. 6.
l. 165 _schere_, purify, refine.
169
_Þe more I frayste hyr fayre face._
The more I examined her fair face.
_frayst_ (_fraist_) usually signifies to try, tempt.
170 _fonte_, tried, examined, _found_.
176
_Such a burre myȝt make myn herte blunt_,
Such a blow might make mine heart faint.
179
_Þat stonge myn hert ful stray atount_,
Should we not read--Þat stonge myn hert ful stray a stount (?),
“full stray a stount” = a blow full stray.
187 _chos_, was following, was seeking.
188
_Er I at steuen hir moȝt stalle_,
Before I could place her within reach of discourse.
190 _seme_ = _semely_, seemly.
P. 7.
l. 208 _flurted_, figured. Cf. _flurt_-silk, figured-silk.
210
_Her here heke al hyr vmbe-gon_,
Her hair eke (also) all her about gone.
212 _Her ble more blaȝt_, her complexion whiter.
213 _schorne golde schyr_, refined gold pure.
216 _porfyl_, hem of a dress, or rather an embroidered hem.
217 _poyned_, ornamented, trimmed.
223-4 _A manneȝ dom myȝt dryȝly demme,_
_Er mynde moȝt malte in hit mesure,_
A man’s judgment might greatly dim,
Before (his) mind could discourse of it in sufficient terms
of praise.
226 _No_ = _ne_ (nor) would be a better reading.
230 _wyþer half_, opposite side.
P. 8.
l. 243 _myn one_, myself.
244 _layned_, kept secret, hidden.
251 _Fro_, from the time that.
_towen & twayned_, made two and separated.
P. 9.
l. 272 _is put in pref_, has been proved.
275 _bote of þy meschef_, the remedy of thy misfortune (misery).
290 _Wy borde ȝe men so madde ȝe be?_
Why should you talk, so foolish you are?
P. 10.
l. 307 _westernays_, wrongly, in vain? It may be another form of
westernways, from the A.Sax. _wéste_, barren, empty; _wéstern_,
a desert place. Or is it connected with A.Sax. _winstre_, the
left hand?
320
_Þy corse in clot mot colder keue_,
Thy body in earth (clods) must colder plunge.
321 _for-garte_ forfeited.
322 _ȝore fader_ for _form-fader_, first-father.
323 _drwry_ = _drery_, dreary (?). _boȝ_ (= _bos_ = _bus_ ?) _vch ma_
(_man_ ?) _dreue_, behoves each man to drive (go). See B. l. 687.
327-8
_Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete
Schal I efte forgo hit er euer I fyne?_
Now I have found what I have lost.
Shall I again forego it ere ever I die?
P. 11.
l. 336 _durande doel_, lasting grief.
343
_For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse_,
For anger avails the not a cress, (_i.e._ not a mite).
Cf. the following passage from “Piers Ploughman,” p. 174, l. 5629:
“Wisdom and wit now
Is noght worth a _kerse_.”
353
_Stynst (stynt?) of þy strot & fyne to flyte_,
Leave off thy complaining and cease to chide.
354 _blyþe_ is here used as a substantive in the sense of bliss, joy.
_swefte_ = swift.
356 _hyr crafteȝ kyþe_, manifest her powers.
359-60
_For marre oþer madde, morne & myþe,
Al lys in him to dyȝt & deme._
For to ruin, or make foolish, grieve or to soothe,
All lies in him to order and doom.
363 _If rapely raue_, etc. = _If rapely I raue_, etc. (?)
368 Though I go astray, my dear, adored one.
P. 12.
l. 369 _lyþeȝ_, grant.
374
_Bot much þe bygger ȝet watȝ my mon,
Fro þou watȝ wroken fro vch a woþe._
But much the greater yet was my moan (sorrow),
From (the time) thou wast banished from every path.
377 _now leþeȝ my loþe_, now my sorrow ceases (is softened).
382 _marereȝ_ = _mareȝ_ (?).
386 _mate_, dejected.
402 _I hete þe_, I promise the.
P. 14.
l. 446 _in hyt self beyng_, in its very being.
455 _gyng_, company.
460 _Temen_, are united, joined.
_tryste_, trusty, faithful, firm.
P. 16.
l. 511 _wryþen_, toil, literally to turn, twist.
512 _keruen_, dig.
_caggen_, draw.
_man_ = _maken_, make. Cf. _ma_ = make, _ta_ = take, _tan_ = taken.
522 _toȝt_, binding, firm.
524 _pray_ (so in MS.), read _pay_.
536 _at ȝe moun_, that ye are able.
P. 17.
l. 560 _a grete_, in the gross, a head.
563 _plete_, plead, ask for.
572 _be_ = _he_ (?).
P. 18.
l. 575
_Þaȝ her sweng wyth lyttel at-slykeȝ_,
Though their labour (blow) with little falls off (fails to
accomplish much).
605 _chyche_, niggard.
608 _goteȝ_, streams; _charde_, past tense of _charre_, to turn,
deviate.
P. 19.
l. 617 _bourne abate_ = _burne abade_, man continued.
626 _by lyne_, by lineage descent.
P. 20.
l. 645
_Bot þer on com a bote as-tyt_,
But there came one as a remedy at once.
659 _in sely stounde_, in a happy moment.
671 _glente_, fell, slided.
P. 21.
l. 680 _dylle_, slow, sluggish.
681 _dyt_ = _dyde_, did (?), or _dotȝ_, does (?).
690 _oure_, prayer.
P. 22.
l. 726 _sulpande synne_, defiling, polluting, sin.
727 _bylde_, building.
735 _reme_, realm.
P. 23.
l. 752 _Of carpe_, discourse of.
754 _hauyng_, condition, behaviour.
757 _bete_, save, ransom.
759 _make_, wife.
775 _vnder cambe_ = _under-cam_, came under, took an inferior
position (?).
P. 24.
l. 802
_& as a lombe þat clypper in lande nem_,
And as a lamb that a _shearer_ has taken, etc.
813-4 For us he let himself be scourged and buffetted, and stretched
upon a rough tree (_i.e._ nailed to the cross).
P. 25.
l. 836 _as bare_, (?) _al bare_, openly. See 1025.
837
_Lesande þe boke with leueȝ sware_,
Opening the book with leaves square.
839
_& at þat syȝt vche douth con dare_,
And at that sight each doughty (one) did tremble (with fear).
849 enle = _eneli_ = onely or _onlepi_ (?) = singly, alone.
P. 26.
l. 865 _talle farande_ = _tale farande_, pleasing story.
873 _hue_, cry, voice.
876 _lote_, sound.
P. 27.
l. 896 _lote_, features.
909 _hynde_ = _hende_, gentle, courteous (one).
911 _bustwys as a blose_, boisterous (wild) as a blaze (flame).
916
_With nay þou neuer my ruful bone_,
Do thou never refuse my mournful request.
P. 28.
l. 948
_So is hys mote with-outen moote_,
So is his building without mote (blemish).
P. 29.
ll. 975-6 _& I an-endeȝ þe on his syde
Schal sve, tyl þou to a hil be veued,_
And I opposite thee on this side
Shall go, till thou to a hill be passed.
980-81
_& blusched on þe burghe, as I forth dreued,
Byȝonde þe brok fro me warde keued,_
And looked on the city, as I forth drove (urged),
Beyond the brook that cut me off from (the object of my desire).
P. 30.
l. 1018 _Masporye_ = _was pure_ (?).
1022 _brode & stayre_, broad and steep (high).
1026 _þat glent as glayre_, that shone as amber.
P. 31.
l. 1030 _fon_, ceased, the preterite of _fine_.
1038 _fateȝ_ = _fadeȝ_, fades.
1041 _whateȝ_ = _watȝ_, was.
P. 32.
ll. 1065-66 _Þe ȝates stoken watȝ neuer ȝet,
Bot euer more vpen at vche a lone._
The gates shut were never yet,
But ever more open at every lane.
1073 _to euen with_, to equal with, to match with.
1084 _falure_ = _fasure_, form (?).
P. 33.
l. 1124 _to loue_, to praise.
1127 _in melle_ = _in-melle_ = _i-melle_, among. Cf. _in-lyche_ and
_i-lyche_, etc.
P. 34.
l. 1141
_Þe lombe delyt non lyste to wene_,
The lamb’s delight none desired to doubt.
1146 _laste and lade_, followed and preceded (?).
1161
_Bot of þat munt I watȝ bi-talt_,
But from that purpose I was aroused (shaken).
1163 _bi-calt_ = _bi-called_ (?), called away.
P. 35.
l. 1165 _flonc_ = _flong_ (?), flung.
1193 _helde_, willingly (inclined).
Errata (noted by transcriber)
Minor spelling variations-- such as added or missing final “e”-- between
the main text and endnotes were left as printed.
[61 Sidenote] ... where the rocks and cliffs ... [Where]
[278] & iueleȝ wern hyr ge{n}tyl saweȝ, [saweȝ”]
[373 Sidenote] ... his bale and bliss. [bliss,]
[775] So mony a cumly on v{n}der cambe, [vu{n}der]
[_spelling changed to agree with Note_]
[993 Sidenote] the foundation composed of twelve stones. [The]
[1059 Sidenote] it flowed through each street. [It]
[1205] Ou{er} þis hyl[50] þis lote I laȝte,
[Sidenote 50] MS. _hyiil_.
[_1864 edition had “hyiil” in the body text,
with note “_hye-hil_ or _hyul_?”]
ORPHANED QUOTATION MARKS
[396] Hit is i{n} grou{n}de of alle my blysse.”
[501] “My regne, he saytȝ, is lyk on hyȝt,
[602] Þat gentyl sayde “lys no Ioparde,
[744] & porchace þy perle maskelles.”
[902] Q{uod} I, “my perle þaȝ I appose,
[939] “Þat is þe cyte þat þe lombe con fonde
[966] “Þ{o}u may not enter w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne hys tor,
NOTES
78 _on vch a tynde_, on each branch. [vcha]
213 _schorne golde schyr_, refined gold pure. [_, missing_]
223-4 _A manneȝ dom myȝt dryȝly demme, [_. for ,_]
343 For anger avails the not a cress
[_modern text unchanged: error for “thee”?_]
Cf. the following passage from “Piers Ploughman,” [Piers’]
536 [535]
865 [864]
1026 [1025]
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
CLEANNESS.
[Headnotes:
THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST.
THOSE INVITED TO THE FEAST REFUSE TO COME.
THE HALT AND THE BLIND ARE INVITED.
THE MAN WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT.
GOD IS DISPLEASED WITH THE WICKED.
THE FALL OF THE ANGELS.
THE WICKEDNESS OF THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD.
GOD DETERMINES TO DESTROY ALL FLESH.
NOAH IS COMMANDED TO BUILD AN ARK.
THE RAIN DESCENDS.
ALL ROT IN THE MUD.
THE ARK RESTS ON MOUNT ARARAT.
NOAH SENDS FORTH A DOVE.
NOAH LEAVES THE ARK.
THE BEASTS ARE DISPERSED.
GOD’S HATRED OF WICKEDNESS.
ABRAHAM RECEIVES THREE GUESTS, AND ENTERTAINS THEM.
GOD DISCLOSES HIS PURPOSE TO ABRAHAM.
THE FILTHINESS OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH.
ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE CITIES.
MESSENGERS ARE SENT TO LOT.
LOT ENTERTAINS THE MESSENGERS.
LOT’S HOUSE IS BESET.
THE MEN OF SODOM SMITTEN WITH BLINDNESS.
LOT IS SENT OUT OF THE CITY.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES.
LOT’S WIFE BECOMES A STIFF STONE.
THE DEAD SEA COVERS THE FIVE CITIES.
IT IS A TOKEN OF WICKEDNESS AND VENGEANCE.
CHRIST WAS EVER PURE.
PENANCE MAKES MAN PURE AS A PEARL.
GOD PUNISHES IMPURITY.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR BESIEGES JERUSALEM.
THE KING OF JUDAH IS MADE PRISONER.
NEBUZARDAN PILLAGES THE TEMPLE.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR IS PLEASED WITH THE SPOIL.
HE PRIZES GREATLY THE SACRED JEWELRY.
BELSHAZZAR PROCLAIMS A FEAST, TO WHICH KINGS AND EMPERORS
ARE INVITED.
BELSHAZZAR BRINGS OUT THE SACRED VESSELS TO DECK THE FESTIVE HALL.
THE SACRED VESSELS ARE DEFILED.
THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
THE KING CONSULTS HIS DIVINERS.
DANIEL IS SENT FOR.
DANIEL DESCRIBES HOW NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS PUNISHED FOR HIS PRIDE.
THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HANDWRITING.
DARIUS LAYS SIEGE TO BABYLON.
BELSHAZZAR IS BEATEN TO DEATH.]
I.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 57a.]]
[Sidenote: Cleanness discloses fair forms.]
Cla{n}nesse who-so kyndly cowþe co{m}ende,
& rekken vp alle þe resou{n}ȝ þ{a}t ho by riȝt askeȝ,
Fayre formeȝ myȝt he fy{n}de i{n} foreri{n}g his speche,
& in þe co{n}traré, kark & co{m}brau{n}ce huge; 4
[Sidenote: God is angry with the unclean worshipper, and with
false priests.]
For wonder wroth is þe wyȝ þ{a}t wroȝt alle þi{n}g{es},
Wyth þe freke þat i{n} fylþe folȝes hy{m} aft{er},
As renkeȝ of relygiou{n} þat reden & sy{n}gen,
& aprochen to hys presens, & presteȝ arn called; 8
Thay teen vnto his te{m}mple & teme{n} to hy{m} seluen,
Reken w{i}t{h} reu{er}ence þay r[ec]hen his auter,
Þay hondel þer his aune body & vsen hit boþe.
[Sidenote: The pure worshipper receives great reward.]
If þay in cla{n}nes be clos þay cleche gret mede, 12
Bot if þay conterfete crafte, & cortaysye wont,
[Sidenote: The impure will bring upon them the anger of God, Who
is pure and holy.]
As be honest vtwyth, & i{n}-with alle fylþeȝ,
Þen ar þay synful hemself & sulped altogeder,
Boþe god & his gere, & hy{m} to greme cachen. 16
He is so clene in his co{ur}te, þe ky{n}g þ{a}t al weldeȝ,
& honeste in his ho{us}-holde & hagherlych serued,
With angeleȝ eno{ur}led in alle þat is clene,
[Sidenote: It would be a marvel if God did not hate evil.]
Boþe w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne & w{i}t{h}-outen, i{n} wedeȝ ful bryȝt. 20
Nif he nere scoym{us} & skyg & non scaþe louied,
Hit were a meruayl to much, hit moȝt not falle;
[Sidenote: Christ showed us that himself.]
Kryst kydde hit hym self i{n} a carp oneȝ,
Þer as he heuened aȝt happeȝ & hyȝt hem her medeȝ; 24
[Sidenote: St. Matthew records the discourse.]
Me myneȝ on one amo{n}ge oþ{er}, as maþew recordeȝ,
Þat þ{us} of clannesse vn-closeȝ a ful cler speche.
[Sidenote: The clean of heart shall look on our Lord.]
Þe haþel clene of his hert hapeneȝ ful fayre,
For he schal loke on oure lorde w{i}t{h} a bone chere, 28
As so saytȝ, to þat syȝt seche schal he neu{er},
Þat any vncla{n}nesse hatȝ on, anwhere[1] abowte:
For he þ{a}t flem{us} vch fylþe fer fro his hert,
May not byde þat burne[2] þat hit his body neȝen; 32
For-þy hyȝ not to heuen i{n} hatereȝ to-torne,
Ne i{n} þe harloteȝ hod & handeȝ vnwaschen;
[Sidenote: What earthly noble, when seated at table above dukes,
would like to see a lad badly attired approach the table with
“rent cockers,” his coat torn and his toes out?]
For what vrþly haþel þat hyȝ hono{ur} haldeȝ
Wolde lyke, if a ladde com lyþ{er}ly attyred, 36
[Sidenote: [Fol. 57b.]]
When he were sette solempnely i{n} a sete ryche,
Abof dukes on dece, w{i}t{h} dayntys serued,
Þen þe harlot w{i}t{h} haste helded to þe table
W{i}t{h} rent cokreȝ at þe kne & his clutte trasches, 40
& his tabarde to-torne & his toteȝ oute;
[Sidenote: For any one of these he would be turned out with a
“big buffet,” and be forbidden to re-enter, and thus be ruined
through his vile clothes.]
Oþ{er} ani on of alle þyse he schulde be halden vtt{er},
With mony blame ful bygge, a boffet, p{er}au{n}t{er},
Hurled to þe halle dore & harde þ{er}-oute schowued, 44
& be forboden þat borȝe to bowe þider neu{er},
On payne of enprysonment & putty{n}g i{n} stokkeȝ;
& þ{us} schal he be schent for his schrowde feble,
Þaȝ neu{er} i{n} talle ne in tuch he trespas more. 48
[Headnote: THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST.]
[Sidenote: The parable of the “Marriage of the King’s Son.”]
& if vnwelcu{m} he were to a worþlych prynce
Ȝet hy{m} is þe hyȝe ky{n}g harder i{n} her euen,
As maþew meleȝ in his masse of þat man ryche,
Þat made þe mukel mangerye to marie his here dere, 52
& sende his sonde þen to say þat þay samne schulde,
& in comly quoyntis to com to his feste;
[Sidenote: The king’s invitation.]
“For my boles & my boreȝ arn bayted & slayne,
& my fedde fouleȝ fatted w{i}t{h} sclaȝt, 56
My polyle þat is pe{n}ne-fed & partrykes boþe,
Wyth scheldeȝ of wylde swyn, swaneȝ & croneȝ;
Al is roþeled & rosted ryȝt to þe sete,
Comeȝ cof to my corte, er hit colde worþe.” 60
[Headnote: THOSE INVITED TO THE FEAST REFUSE TO COME.]
[Sidenote: Those invited begin to make excuses.]
When þay knewen his cal þ{a}t þider com schulde,
Alle ex-cused hem by þe skyly he scape by moȝt:
[Sidenote: One had bought an estate and must go to see it.]
On hade boȝt hym a borȝ he sayde by hys t{ra}wþe,
Now t[ur]ne I þeder als tyd, þe tou{n} to by-holde; 64
[Sidenote: Another had purchased some oxen and wished to see
them “pull in the plough.”]
An oþ{er} nayed also & nurned þis cawse:
I haf ȝerned & ȝat ȝokkeȝ of oxen,
& for my hyȝeȝ hem boȝt, to bowe haf I mest{er},
To see hem pulle in þe plow aproche me byhoueȝ; 68
[A third had married a wife and could not come.]
& I haf wedded a wyf, sower[3] hy{m} þe þryd,
Excuse me at þe co{ur}t, I may not com þere;
Þ{us} þay droȝ hem adreȝ w{i}t{h} dau{n}g{er} vchone,
Þat non passed to þe place[4] þaȝ he prayed were. 72
[Sidenote: [Fol. 58a.]]
[Sidenote: The Lord was greatly displeased, and commanded his
servants to invite the wayfaring, both men and women, the better
and the worse, that his palace might be full.]
The{n}ne þe ludych lorde lyked ful ille
& hade dedayn of þat dede, ful dryȝly he carpeȝ:
He saytȝ “now for her owne sorȝe þay for-saken habbeȝ,
More to wyte is her wrange, þen any wylle gentyl; 76
Þe{n}ne gotȝ forth my gomeȝ to þe grete streeteȝ,
& forsetteȝ on vche a syde þe cete aboute;
Þe wayferande frekeȝ, on fote & on hors,
Boþe burneȝ & burdeȝ, þe bett{er} & þe wers, 80
Laþeȝ hem alle luflyly to lenge at my fest,
& bry{n}geȝ hem blyþly to borȝe as barou{n}eȝ þay were,
So þat my palays plat-ful be pyȝt al aboute,
Þise oþ{er} wrecheȝ I-wysse worþy noȝt wern.” 84
[Sidenote: The servants brought in bachelors and squires.]
Þe{n} þay cayred & com þat þe cost waked,
Broȝten bachlereȝ hem wyth þat þay by bonkeȝ metten,
Swyereȝ þat swyftly swyed on blonkeȝ,
& also fele vpon fote, of fre & of bonde. 88
[Sidenote: When they came to the court they were well
entertained.]
When þay com to þe co{ur}te keppte wern þay fayre,
Styȝtled w{i}t{h} þe stewarde, stad i{n} þe halle,
Ful man{er}ly w{i}t{h} marchal mad forto sitte,
As he watȝ dere of de-gre dressed his seete. 92
[Sidenote: The servants tell their lord that they have done his
behest, and there is still room for more guests.]
Þe{n}ne seggeȝ to þe souerayn sayden þer-aft{er},
“Lo! lorde w{i}t{h} yo{ur} leue at yo{ur} lege heste,
& at þi ba{n}ne we haf broȝt, as þ{o}u beden habbeȝ,
Mony renischche renkeȝ & ȝet is rou{m} more.” 96
[Headnote: THE HALT AND THE BLIND ARE INVITED.]
[Sidenote: The Lord commands them to go out into the fields, and
bring in the halt, blind, and “one-eyed.”]
Sayde þe lorde to þo ledeȝ, “layteȝ ȝet ferre,
Ferre out i{n} þe felde, & fecheȝ mo gesteȝ,
Wayteȝ gorsteȝ & greueȝ, if ani gomeȝ lyggeȝ,
What-kyn folk so þer fare, fecheȝ hem hider, 100
Be þay fers, be þay feble for-loteȝ[5] none,
Be þay hol, be þay halt, be þay onyȝed,
& þaȝ þay ben boþe blynde & balt{er}ande cruppeleȝ,
[Sidenote: For those who denied shall not taste “one sup” to
save them from death.]
Þat my ho{us} may holly by halkes by fylled; 104
For certeȝ þyse ilk renkeȝ þat me renayed habbe
& de-nou{n}ced me, noȝt now at þis tyme,
Schul neu{er} sitte in my sale my sop{er} to fele,
Ne suppe on sope of my seve, þaȝ[6] þay swelt schulde.” 108
[Sidenote: [Fol. 58b.]]
[Sidenote: The palace soon became full of “people of all
plights.”]
The{n}ne þe sergau{n}teȝ, at þat sawe, swengen þ{er}-oute,
& diden þe dede þat [is] demed, as he deuised hade,
& w{i}t{h} peple of alle plyteȝ þe palays þay fyllen;
[Sidenote: They were not all one wife’s sons, nor had they all
one father.]
Hit weren not alle on wyueȝ su{n}eȝ, wonen w{i}t{h} on fader; 112
Wheþ{er} þay wern worþy, oþ{er} wers, wel wern þay stowed,
[Sidenote: The “brightest attired” had the best place.]
Ay þe best byfore & bryȝtest atyred,
Þe derrest at þe hyȝe dese þat dubbed wer fayrest;
[Sidenote: Below sat those with “poor weeds.”]
& syþen on lenþe biloogh{e} ledeȝ inogh, 116
& ay a segge soerly[7] semed by her wedeȝ;
So with marschal at her mete mensked þay were,
Clene men i{n} compaynye for-knowen wern lyte,
[Sidenote: All are well entertained “with meat and minstrelsy.”]
& ȝet þe symplest in þ{a}t sale watȝ serued to þe fulle, 120
Boþe with menske, & w{i}t{h} mete & mynstrasy noble,
& alle þe laykeȝ þat a lorde aȝt i{n} londe schewe.
[Sidenote: Each with his “mate” made him at ease.]
& þay bigo{n}ne to be glad þat god dri{n}k haden,
& vch mon w{i}t{h} his mach made hy{m} at ese. 124
[Sidenote 1: _aywhere_ (?).]
[Sidenote 2: Looks like _burre_ in MS.]
[Sidenote 3: _swer_ (?).]
[Sidenote 4: MS. _plate_.]
[Sidenote 5: _forleteȝ_ (?).]
[Sidenote 6: MS. þaȝ þaȝ.]
[Sidenote 7: _soberly_ (?).]
[Headnote: THE MAN WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT.]
II.
[Sidenote: The lord of the feast goes among his guests.]
Now i{n}-myddeȝ þe mete þe mayst{er} hym biþoȝt,
Þat he wolde se þe semblé þ{a}t samned was þ{er}e,
& re-hayte rekenly þe riche & þe pou{er}en,[8]
& cherisch hem alle w{i}t{h} his cher, & chaufen her Ioye, 128
Þen he boweȝ fro his bour i{n} to þe brode halle,
[Sidenote: Bids them be merry.]
& to þe best on þe bench, & bede hy{m} be myry,
Solased hem w{i}t{h} semblau{n}t & syled fyrre;
Tron fro table to table & talkede ay myrþe, 132
[Sidenote: On the floor he finds one not arrayed for a holyday.]
Bot as he ferked ou{er} þe flor he fande w{i}t{h} his yȝe,
Hit watȝ not for a haly day honestly arayed,
A þral þryȝt i{n} þe þrong vnþryuandely cloþed,
Ne no festiual frok, bot fyled with werkkeȝ. 136
Þe gome watȝ vn-garnyst w{i}t{h} god me{n} to dele,
& gremed þ{er}-w{i}t{h} þe grete lord & greue hy{m} he þoȝt;
[Sidenote: Asks him how he obtained entrance, and how he was so
bold as to appear in such rags.]
“Say me, frende,” q{uod} þe freke w{i}t{h} a felle chere,
“Hov wan þ{o}u into þis won i{n} wedeȝ so fowle? 140
Þe abyt þat þ{o}u hatȝ vpon, no haly day hit menskeȝ;
Þ{o}u burne for no brydale art busked i{n} wedeȝ!
How watȝ þ{o}u hardy þis ho{us} for þyn vnhap [to] neȝe,
I{n} on so ratted a robe & rent at þe sydeȝ? 144
[Sidenote: [Fol. 59a.]]
Þow art a gome vn-goderly i{n} þat gou{n} febele;
Þ{o}u praysed me & my place ful pou{er} & ful [g]nede,
[Sidenote: Does he take him to be a harlot?]
Þat watȝ so prest to aproche my p{re}sens here-i{n}ne;
Hopeȝ þ{o}u I be a harlot þi erigant to prayse?” 148
Þat oþ{er} burne watȝ abayst of his broþe wordeȝ,
[Sidenote: The man becomes discomfited.]
& hurkeleȝ dou{n} with his hede, þe vrþe he bi-holdeȝ;
He watȝ so scou{m}fit of his scylle, lest he skaþe hent,
[Sidenote: He is unable to reply.]
Þat he ne wyst on worde what he warp schulde. 152
[Sidenote: The lord commands him to be bound, and cast into a
deep dungeon.]
Þe{n} þe lorde wonder loude laled & cryed,
& talkeȝ to his tormentto{ur}eȝ: “takeȝ hym,” he biddeȝ,
“Byndeȝ byhynde, at his bak, boþe two his handeȝ,
& felle fett{er}eȝ to his fete festeneȝ bylyue; 156
Stik hym stifly i{n} stokeȝ, & stekeȝ hy{m} þ{er}-aft{er}
Depe i{n} my dou{n}gou{n} þ{er} doel eu{er} dwelleȝ,
Greui{n}g, & grety{n}g, & gryspy{n}g harde
Of teþe tenfully to-geder, to teche hy{m} be quoy{n}t.” 160
[Sidenote: This feast is likened to the kingdom of heaven, to
which all are invited.]
Thus comparisu{n}eȝ kryst þe kyndom of heueñ,
To þis frelych feste þat fele arn to called,
For alle arn laþed luflyly, þe luþ{er} & þe bett{er},
Þat eu{er} wern fulȝed i{n} font þat fest to haue. 164
[Sidenote: See that thy weeds are clean.]
Bot war þe wel, if þ{o}u wylt, þy wedeȝ ben clene,
& honest for þe haly day, lest þ{o}u harme lache,
For aproch þ{o}u to þat prynce of parage noble.
He hat{es} helle no more þe{n} hem þat ar sowle.[9] 168
[Headnote: GOD IS DISPLEASED WITH THE WICKED.]
[Sidenote: Thy weeds are thy works that thou hast wrought.]
Wich arn þe{n}ne þy wedeȝ þ{o}u wrappeȝ þe i{n}ne,
Þat schal schewe he{m} so schene schrowde of þe best?
Hit arn þy werkeȝ wyt{er}ly, þ{a}t þ{o}u wroȝt haueȝ,
& lyued w{i}t{h} þe lyky{n}g þ{a}t lyȝe in þy{n} hert, 172
Þat þo be frely & fresch fonde i{n} þy lyue,
& fetyse of a fayr forme, to fote & to honde,
& syþe{n} alle þy{n} oþ{er} lymeȝ lapped ful clene,
[Sidenote: For many faults may a man forfeit bliss.]
Þe{n}ne may þ{o}u se þy sauior & his sete ryche. 176
For fele fauteȝ may a freke forfete his blysse,
[Sidenote: For sloth and pride he is thrust into the devil’s
throat.]
Þat he þe sou{er}ayn ne se þen, for slauþe one,
As for bobau{n}ce & bost & bolnande p{r}iyde,
Þroly i{n}-to þe deueleȝ þrote man þry{n}geȝ bylyue, 180
[Sidenote: [Fol. 59b.]]
[Sidenote: He is ruined by covetousness, perjury, murder, theft,
and strife.]
For couetyse, & colwarde & croked dedeȝ,
For mon-sworne, & men-sclaȝt, & to much drynk,
For þefte, & for þrepy{n}g, vn-þonk may mon haue;
[Sidenote: For robbery and ribaldry, for preventing marriages,
and supporting the wicked, for treason, treachery, and tyranny,
man may lose eternal bliss.]
For roborrye, & riboudrye & resou{n}eȝ vntrwe, 184
& dysheriete & depryue dowrie of wydoeȝ,
For marry{n}g of maryageȝ & may{n}tnau{n}ce of schreweȝ,
For traysou{n}, & trichcherye, & tyrau{n}tyré boþe,[10]
& for fals famacions & fayned laweȝ; 188
Man may mysse þe myrþe, þat much is to prayse,
For such vnþeweȝ as þise & þole much payne,
& i{n} þe creatores cort com neu{er} more,
Ne neu{er} see hym with syȝt for such sour to{ur}neȝ. 192
[Sidenote 8: MS. poueu{er}.]
[Sidenote 9: _fowle_ (?).]
[Sidenote 10: loþe (?).]
[Headnote: THE FALL OF THE ANGELS.]
III.
Bot I haue herkned & herde of mony hyȝe clerkeȝ,
& als i{n} resou{n}eȝ of ryȝt red hit my seluen,
[Sidenote: The high Prince of all is displeased with those who
work wickedly.]
Þ{a}t þat ilk prop{er} prynce þat paradys weldeȝ
Is displesed at vch a poy{n}t þat plyes to scaþe. 196
Bot neu{er} ȝet i{n} no boke breued I herde
Þat eu{er} he wrek so wyþ{er}ly on werk þat he made,
Ne venged for no vilté of vice ne sy{n}ne,
Ne so hastyfly watȝ hot for hatel of his wylle, 200
Ne neu{er} so sodenly soȝt vn-sou{n}dely to weng,
As for fylþe of þe flesch þat foles han vsed;
For as I fynde þ{er} he forȝet alle his fre þewes,
[Sidenote: For the first fault the devil committed, he felt
God’s vengeance.]
& wex wod to þe wrache, for wrath at his hert, 204
For þe fyrste felonye þe falce fende wroȝt.
Whyl he watȝ hyȝe i{n} þe heuen houen vpon lofte,
Of alle þyse aþel au{n}geleȝ attled þe fayrest,
[Sidenote: He, the fairest of all angels, forsook his sovereign,
and boasted that his throne should be as high as God’s.]
& he vnkyndely as a karle kydde areward, 208
He seȝ noȝt bot hym self how semly he were,
Bot his sou{er}ayn he forsoke & sade þyse wordeȝ:
“I schal telde vp my trone i{n} þe tra mou{n}tayne
& by lyke to þat lorde þat þe lyft made. 212
With þis worde þat he warp, þe wrake on hy{m} lyȝt,
[Sidenote: For these words he was cast down to hell.]
Dryȝtyn w{i}t{h} his dere dom hym drof to þe abyme,
I{n} þe mesure of his mode, his metȝ neu{er} þe lasse,
Bot þer he tynt þe tyþe dool of his to{ur} ryche, 216
[Sidenote: [Fol. 60a.]]
Þaȝ þe felou{n} were so fers for his fayre wedeȝ
& his glorio{us} glem þat glent so bryȝt;
As sone as dryȝtyneȝ dome drof to hy{m} seluen,
[Þi]kke þowsandeȝ þro þrwen þer-oute 220
[Sidenote: The fiends fell from heaven, like the thick snow, for
forty days.]
Fellen fro þe fyrmame{n}t, fendeȝ ful blake
Weued[11] at þe fyrst swap as þe snaw þikke,
Hurled i{n}-to helle-hole as þe hyue swarmeȝ;
Fyltyr fenden folk forty dayeȝ lencþe, 224
Er þat styngande storme stynt ne myȝt;
Bot as smylt mele vnder smal siue smokes for-þikke,
[Sidenote: From heaven to hell the shower lasted.]
So fro heuen to helle þat hatel schor laste,
On vche syde of þe worlde aywhere ilyche. 228
Þis[12] hit watȝ a brem brest & a byge wrache,
[Sidenote: The devil would not make peace with God.]
& ȝet wrathed not þe wyȝ, ne þe wrech saȝtled,
Ne neu{er} wolde, for wylnesful, his worþy god knawe,
Ne pray hym for no pité, so proud watȝ his wylle, 232
[Sidenote: Affliction makes him none the better.]
For-þy þaȝ þe rape were rank, þe rawþe watȝ lyttel;[13]
Þaȝ he be kest into kare he kepes no bett{er}.
[Sidenote: For the fault of one, vengeance alighted upon all men.]
Bot þat oþ{er} wrake þat wex on wyȝeȝ, hit lyȝt
Þurȝ þe faut of a freke þat fayled i{n} trawþe. 236
[Sidenote: Adam was ordained to live in bliss.]
A{da}m i{n} obedyent[14] ordaynt to blysse,
Þer pryuely i{n} paradys his place watȝ de-vised,
To lyue þer i{n} lyky{n}g þe lenþe of a terme,
& þe{n}ne en-herite þat home þat au{n}geleȝ for-gart, 240
[Sidenote: Through Eve he ate an apple.]
Bot þurȝ þe eggy{n}g of eue he ete of an apple
Þat en-poysened alle pepleȝ þat parted fro hem boþe,
[Sidenote: Thus all his descendants became poisoned.]
For a defence þat watȝ dyȝt of dryȝtyn seluen,
& a payne þer-on put & pertly halden; 244
Þe defence watȝ þe fryt þat þe freke towched,
& þe dom is þe deþe þat drepeȝ v{us} alle.
[Sidenote: A maiden brought a remedy for mankind.]
Al i{n} mesure & meþe watȝ mad þe vengiau{n}ce,
& efte amended w{i}t{h} a mayden þat make hade neu{er}. 248
[Sidenote 11: _wened_ (?).]
[Sidenote 12: _ȝis_ (?).]
[Sidenote 13: MS. _lyttlel_.]
[Sidenote 14: _obedience_ (?).]
[Headnote: THE WICKEDNESS OF THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD.]
IV.
Bot in þe þryd watȝ forþrast al þat þryue schuld,
[Sidenote: Malice was merciless.]
Þer watȝ malys mercyles & mawgre much scheued,
Þat watȝ for fylþe vpon folde þ{a}t þe folk vsed,
[Sidenote: A race of men came into the world, the fairest, the
merriest, and the strongest that ever were created.]
[Þ]at þen wonyed i{n} þe worlde w{i}t{h}-outen any mayst{er}ȝ; 252
[Sidenote: [Fol. 60b.]]
Hit wern þe fayrest of forme & of face als,
Þe most & þe myriest þat maked wern euer,
Þe styfest, þe stalworþest þat stod eu{er} on fete;
& lengest lyf i{n} hem lent of ledeȝ alle oþ{er}, 256
For hit was þe forme-foster þat þe folde bred,
[Sidenote: They were sons of Adam.]
Þe aþel au{n}cetereȝ su{n}eȝ þat ad{a}m watȝ called,
To wham god hade geuen alle þat gayn were,
Alle þe blysse boute blame þat bodi myȝt haue, 260
& þose lykkest to þe lede þat lyued next aft{er},
For-þy so semly to see syþe{n} wern none.
[Sidenote: No law was laid upon them.]
Þer watȝ no law to hem layd bot loke to kynde,
& kepe to hit, & alle hit cors clanly ful-fylle; 264
[Sidenote: Nevertheless they acted unnaturally.]
& þe{n}ne fou{n}den þay fylþe i{n} fleschlych dedeȝ
& controeued agayn kynde contraré werkeȝ,
& vsed hem vn-þryftyly vchon on oþ{er},
& als with oþ{er}, wylsfully, vpon a wrange wyse. 268
[Sidenote: The “_fiends_” beheld how fair were the daughters of
these mighty men, and made fellowship with them and begat a race
of giants.]
So ferly fowled her flesch þat þe fende loked,
How þe deȝt{er} of þe douþe wern dere-lych fayre,
& fallen i{n} felaȝschyp w{i}t{h} hem on folken wyse
& en-gendered on hem ieau{n}teȝ w{i}t{h} her Iapeȝ ille. 272
Þose wern men meþeleȝ & maȝty on vrþe,
Þat for her lodlych laykeȝ alosed þay were.
He watȝ famed[15] for fre þat feȝt loued best,
[Sidenote: The greatest fighter was reckoned the most famous.]
& ay þe bigest i{n} bale þe best watȝ halden; 276
& þe{n}ne eueleȝ on erþe ernestly grewen
& multyplyed mony-folde i{n}-mongeȝ mankynde,
[Sidenote: The Creater of all becomes exceedingly wroth.]
For þat þe maȝty on molde so marre þise oþ{er}.
Þat þe wyȝe þat al wroȝt ful wroþly bygy{n}neȝ. 280
[Headnote: GOD DETERMINES TO DESTROY ALL FLESH.]
When he knew vche contre corupte i{n} hit seluen,
& vch freke forloyned fro þe ryȝt wayeȝ,
[Sidenote: Fell anger touches His heart.]
Felle temptande tene towched his hert;
As wyȝe, wo hy{m} with-i{n}ne werp to hy{m} seluen: 284
[Sidenote: It repents Him that He has made man.]
“Me for-þy{n}keȝ ful much þat eu{er} I mon made,
Bot I schal delyu{er} & do away þat doten on þis molde,
[Sidenote: He declares that all flesh shall be destroyed, both
man and beast.]
& fleme out of þe folde al þat flesch wereȝ,
Fro þe burne to þe best, fro bryddeȝ to fyscheȝ; 288
[Sidenote: [Fol. 61a.]]
Al schal dou{n} & be ded & dryuen out of erþe,
Þat eu{er} I sette saule i{n}ne; & sore hit me rweȝ
Þat eu{er} I made hem my self; bot if I may her-aft{er},
I schal wayte to be war her wrencheȝ to kepe.” 292
[Sidenote: There was at this time living on the earth a very
righteous man: Noah was his name.]
Þe{n}ne i{n} worlde watȝ a wyȝe wonyande on lyue,
Ful redy & ful ryȝtwys, & rewled hy{m} fayre;
In þe drede of dryȝtyn his dayeȝ he vseȝ,
& ay glydande wyth his god his g{ra}ce watȝ þe more. 296
Hy{m} watȝ þe nome Noe, as is i{n}noghe knawen,
[Sidenote: Three bold sons he had.]
He had þre þryuen su{n}eȝ & þay þre wyueȝ;
Sem soþly þat on, þat oþ{er} hyȝt cam
& þe Iolef Iapheth watȝ gendered þe þryd. 300
[Sidenote: God in great anger speaks to Noah.]
Now god i{n} nwy to Noe co{n} speke,
Wylde wrakful wordeȝ i{n} his wylle greued:
“Þe ende of alle-kyneȝ flesch þat on vrþe meueȝ,
Is fallen forþ wyth my face & forþ{er} hit I þenk, 304
W{i}t{h} her vn-worþelych werk me wlateȝ w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne,
Þe gore þ{er}-of me hatȝ greued & þe glette nwyed;
[Sidenote: Declares that He will destroy all “that life has.”]
I schal strenkle my distresse & strye al to-geder,
Boþe ledeȝ & londe & alle þat lyf habbeȝ. 308
[Headnote: NOAH IS COMMANDED TO BUILD AN ARK.]
[Sidenote: Commands him to make “a mansion” with dwellings for
wild and tame.]
Bot make to þe a manciou{n} & þat is my wylle,
A cofer closed of tres, clanlych planed;
Wyrk woneȝ þ{er}i{n}ne for wylde & for tame,
& þe{n}ne cleme hit w{i}t{h} clay comly w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne[16] 312
& alle þe endentur dryuen daube w{i}t{h}-outen.
[Sidenote: To let the ark be three hundred cubits in length,
and fifty in breadth, and thirty in height, and a window in it a
cubit square.]
& þ{us} of lenþe & of large þat lome þ{o}u make,
Þre hundred of cupydeȝ þ{o}u holde to þe lenþe,
Of fyfty fayre ou{er}-þwert forme þe brede; 316
& loke euen þat þyn ark haue of heȝþe þretté,
& a wyndow wyd vpon, wroȝt vpon lofte,
In þe compas of a cubit kyndely sware,
[Sidenote: Also a good shutting door in the side, together with
halls, recesses, bushes, and bowers, and well-formed pens.]
A wel dutande dor, don on þe syde; 320
Haf halleȝ þer-i{n}ne & halkeȝ ful mony,
Boþe boskeȝ & bo{ur}eȝ & wel bou{n}den peneȝ;
For I schal waken vp a wat{er} to wasch alle þe worlde,
& quelle alle þat is quik w{i}t{h} quauende flodeȝ. 324
[Sidenote: [Fol. 61b.]]
[Sidenote: For all flesh shall be destroyed, except Noah and his
family.]
Alle þat glydeȝ & gotȝ, & gost of lyf habbeȝ,
I schal wast with my wrath þat wons vpon vrþe;
Bot my forwarde w{i}t{h} þe I festen on þis wyse,
For þ{o}u in reysou{n} hatȝ rengned & ryȝtwys ben eu{er}; 328
Þ{o}u schal ent{er} þis ark w{i}t{h} þyn aþel barneȝ
& þy wedded wyf; with þe þ{o}u take
Þe makeȝ of þy myry su{n}eȝ; þis meyny of aȝte
[Sidenote: Noah is told to take into the ark seven pairs of
every clean beast, and one of unclean kind, and to furnish the
ark with proper food.]
I schal saue of mo{n}neȝ sauleȝ, & swelt þose oþ{er}. 332
Of vche best þat bereȝ lyf busk þe a cupple,
Of vche clene comly kynde enclose seuen makeȝ,
Of vche horwed, i{n} ark halde bot a payre,
For to saue me þe sede of alle ser kyndeȝ; 336
& ay þ{o}u meng w{i}t{h} þe maleȝ þe mete ho-besteȝ,
Vche payre by payre to plese ayþ{er} oþ{er};
W{i}t{h} alle þe fode þat may be fou{n}de frette þy cofer,
For sustnau{n}ce to yow self & also þose oþ{er}.” 340
[Sidenote: Noah fills the ark.]
Ful grayþely gotȝ þis god ma{n} & dos godeȝ hestes,
In dryȝ dred & dau{n}ger, þat durst do non oþer.
Wen hit watȝ fettled & forged & to þe fulle grayþed,
Þe{n}n con dryȝttyn hym dele dryȝly þyse wordeȝ: 344
[Sidenote 15: _fained_ (?).]
[Sidenote 16: MS. w{i}t{h}i{n}me]
[Headnote: THE RAIN DESCENDS.]
V.
[Sidenote: God asks Noah whether all is ready.]
“Now Noe,” q{uod} oure lorde, “art þ{o}u al redy?
Hatȝ þ{o}u closed þy kyst w{i}t{h} clay alle aboute?”
[Sidenote: Noah replies that all is fully prepared.]
“Ȝe lorde w{i}t{h} þy leue,” sayde þe lede þe{n}ne,
“Al is wroȝt at þi worde, as þ{o}u me wyt lanteȝ.” 348
[Sidenote: He is commanded to enter the ark, for God tells him
that he will send a rain to destroy all flesh.]
“Enter in þe{n}n,” q{uod} he, “& haf þi wyf w{i}t{h} þe,
Þy þre su{n}eȝ w{i}t{h}-outen þrep & her þre wyueȝ;
Besteȝ, as I bedene haue, bosk þ{er}-i{n}ne als,
& when ȝe arn staued, styfly stekeȝ yow þ{er}i{n}ne; 352
Fro seuen dayeȝ ben seyed I sende out by-lyue,
Such a rowtande ryge þat rayne schal swyþe,
Þat schal wasch alle þe worlde of werkeȝ of fylþe;
Schal no flesch vpon folde by fonden onlyue; 356
[Sidenote: Noah stows all safely in the ark.]
Out-taken yow aȝt i{n} þis ark staued,
& sed þat I wyl saue of þyse ser besteȝ.”
Now Noe neu{er} stysteȝ[17] (þat niyȝ[t] he bygy{n}neȝ),
Er al wer stawed & stoken, as þe steuen wolde. 360
[Sidenote: [Fol. 62a.]]
[Sidenote: Seven days are passed.]
The{n}ne sone com þe seuenþe day, when samned wern alle,
& alle woned i{n} þe whichche þe wylde & þe tame.
[Sidenote: The deep begins to swell, banks are broken down, and
the clouds burst.]
Þe{n} bolned þe abyme & bonkeȝ con ryse,
Walt{es} out vch walle-heued, i{n} ful wode stremeȝ, 364
Watȝ no bry{m}me þat abod vnbrosten bylyue,
Þe mukel lauande logh{e} to þe lyfte rered.
Mony clust{er}ed clowde clef alle i{n} clowteȝ,
To-rent vch a rayn-ryfte & rusched to þe vrþe; 368
[Sidenote: It rains for forty days, and the flood rises, and
flows over the woods and fields.]
Fon neu{er} i{n} forty dayeȝ, & þe{n} þe flod ryses,
Ou{er}-walteȝ vche a wod & þe wyde feldeȝ;
For when þe wat{er} of þe welkyn w{i}t{h} þe worlde mette,
Alle þat deth moȝt dryȝe drowned þer-i{n}ne; 372
Þer watȝ moon forto make when meschef was cnowen,
[Sidenote: All must drown.]
Þat noȝt dowed bot þe deth in þe depe stremeȝ.
Wat{er} wylger ay wax, woneȝ þat s
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