rni, ANCIENT METRICAL TALES: CHIEFLY PRINTED FROM ORIGINAL SOURCES. iantitnt iWrtrical Cales PRINTED CHIEFLY FROM ORIGINAL SOURCES. EDITED BY THE REV. CHARLES HENRY HARTSHORNE, M.A. " Adeo sanctum est vetus omne poema." ALDI LONDON: WILLIAM PICKERING. MDCCCXXIX. •j^ 4-=K jp r^ fy ' ' i^ U (i (j Thomas White, Printer, JotiDsoti'a Court. TO SIR FRANCIS FREELING, BARONET, THIS WORK IS INSCRIBED, IN ADMIRATION OF HIS LITERARY TASTE, AND IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE KINDNESSES CONFERRED BY HIM UPON ITS EDITOR. V IX A POSTSCRIPT PREFACED. Little Wenlock, Salop, Dec. 15, 18S8. ^ The present Volume is sent forth in a smaller size '^ than that in which its Editor originally intended it should appear. It was commenced during a resi- dence in the University, and purposed for enlarge- ment as future opportunities might occur. But as nearly four years have now elapsed since the transcripts were first made, and as there appears every probability of a still longer delay if the Editor's earlier plans are adhered to, he has thought it prudent to abandon them, and commit it to the press in its present state. The professional duties of a large parish, toge- ther with a want of access to those books illus- trative of Early Poetry, which are to be found only Vlll ia the Libraries of the curious, have prevented him from elucidating his subject by more copious notes or a glossary.* To the reader, already initiated into these mysteries, such helps would be unnecessary, whilst the wants, or the com- plaints of those who are but beginning to tread in the " primrose path," may be answered by the words of Sir Philip Sidney, " that there are many mysteries contained in poetry, which of purpose were written darkly, lest by profane wits it should be abused." * The earliest transcript was Piers of Ffulham j to this are appended some scanty notes at the end of the present volume, which may ser ve to show, in part, what was the editor's plan of illustration. CONTENTS. I. KING ATHELSTONE. Page 1. The volume in Caius College Library from -which this Romance is transcribed, contains the following pieces : it is in small quarto, and written upon vellum, about the mid- dle of the 14th century. 1. Vita Ricardi regis prima (imperfect). 2. Hicincipit de milite Isumbras. 3 vita S'"' Katerine Virginis. This contains about seven hundred and sixty lines : there is also in the Library her life in Latin verse, written by Carolus Scotus, and dedicated to the Bishop of Lincoln : this latter appears to have been the author's own copy. 4. Eight Matin Masses Decruce in Anglicis verbis transpositi. At myd day he was nayld foot and hande Jhu to the roode. X CONTENTS. 5. Bevjs of Hamptoun. Lordyng lystnith to my tale That is meryer than the nightingale. 6. KING ATHEI.STONE. Lord that is off niyrtys most Ffadyr and sone and holy gost. II. A TALE OF KING EDWARD AND THE SHEPHERD. Page 35. The Manuscript from which this tale is transcribed is in the Public library, lettered Ff. v. lxviii. it is a paper book in small quarto, written in the 15th century, con- taining a collection of English poems, ascribed in the Old Catalogue of this Library to Gilbert Pilkyngton, because at the end of one of them there is written " Explicit q*' Gilbert Pilkyngton ;" a form often used by transcribers of MSS. and which I have several times met with at the end of Treatises, whose titles plainly shewed them to have been written by persons different from those who placed their signatures after this manner at the conclusion. When therefore such modes of expression as " Explicit A. B." or "Finis quod A. B." occur in MSS.it can only be inferred that A. B, was the transcriber, and not that he was the author. I see no sufficient ground for ascribing even the single poem at the conclusion of which the forementioned rubric is found, to this Gilbert Pilkyngton, much less for making him the author of the miscellemeous contents of the volume. CONTENTS. XI The beginning of this MS. is wanting : the first article now is : — No. 1. A Fragment of a Poem, which might not unaptly be stiled, The Manual of Parish Priests, containing direc- tions for preaching, and other parts of the ministerial function. — Qiiere, whether not the work of John Merks, canon of LilleshuU, who translated into English verse the treatise of Pagutas,* entitled Pars Ocule Sacerodes. — Vide Tanneri Bihl. p. 436. 2. The A B C, or short moral rules under each letter of the Alphabet. 3. A tabull of diverse moneth in the Yere, if thonder be herd in tlieym, what it betokeneth, after her seyngs that ar holdyn wyse men of sich things. 4. Contra fures et latrones, oratio latina. 5. Passio Domini. " Herkyne now if y' wille " OfFmycull pyle ye mowe \ere " Off I. H.S. that us alle wroght " And syn he oure sowles bowgt." At the end, " Explicit Passio domini nostri Jesu Christi 2'*' dominus Gilbert Pylkynton." 6. Memento Homo. " When the hed waketh memento." -f John de Burgo. Xll CONTENTS. No. 7. Against the seven deadly sins from the example of the contrary virtues in our Saviour. 8. A TALE OF A LADY. " With garlande of thomes kene." 9. A TALE OF KING EDWARD AND THE SHEPHERD. This is one of those popular tales, which represent our Kings conversing, either by accident or design, with the meanest of their subjects. It seems to be a different work from the very ancient poem entitled John the Reeve, mentioned in the Reliques of Ancient Poetry, (vol. ii. p. 169, edit. 1767,) because the adven- ture here described passed between the King and a Shepherd, and because this poem appears to exceed the other in length, (what we have hers consisting of about 900 lines,) and the rubric at the end, " Non finis sed punctus," shewing it to be imperfect. The lan- guage is, I think, as old as Edward IV. 10. THE NIGHTINGALES SONG. " In a morning of May as I lay on slepyng " To here a Song of a foule I had gret likyng " I hard a nytyngale syng 1 likyd hir full welle " She seid to me a wondrous thyng I shall tell the every delle." CONTENTS. XUI No. 11. THE BASON, A TALE. A ludicrous story of a Parson and his Brother, the latter of wliom liaving an unthrifty and incontinent wife, the Parson contrives by a spell to expose her and her paramour to slianif , and ibe tide ends with her repent- ance and aniendnieiit ; the incidents are highly laugh- able, and the whole is a good specimen of that humour which made it Merry in the hall When beards wagged all. It has been printed incorrectly by Jamieson. 12. THE TURNAMENT OF TOTTENHAM. This poem is printed in the Reliques of Ancient Poetry, (vol. ii. p. 13,) and the ingenious editor rightly observes, tliat Bedwell, who first published it in 1631, reduced the orthography to the standard of his own times. 'Ihe first stanza in the MS. is as follows : " Of all these kene conquerours to carpe isoure kynde " Offe fel feghtyng folke ferly we fynde " The Turnament of Tottenham have in I mynde " Hitwereharme sichhardynessewereholdynbehynde. " In story as we rede " ofi" Hawkyn, of Harry " ofiF Tymkyn, of Tyrry " of thaim that were dughty " And hardy in dede." XIV CONTENTS. No. Bedwel!, we are told, held this poem to have been written by one Gilbert Pilkington, thought to have been sometime parson of Tottenham, and authour of another poem entitled " Passio domini Jesu Christi." From these circumstances I apprehend that Bedwell pub- lished from this very MS. and that his authority for attributing either poem to Pilkington was no other than the rubric before noticed, which led the compiler of the former Catalogue to make him the author of the whole contents of the volume. 13. Prognostications of the following year, from the day of the week on which Christmas-day happens to fall. 14. A poem against Adultery, including a Tale of two Brothers. " Man for thy mischif thou the amende " And to my talkyng thou take gode hede " Fro VII dedly synnes thou the defende " The lest of alle is for to drede." 15. The Virgin's tale of her Son's Death. " Lystyn Lordyngs to my tale " And ze shall her of on story " Is better than ony wyne or ale " That ever was made in this cuntry " How lewys demyd my son to dy." CONTENTS. XV No. 16. The Lamentation of the Virgin. " Of alle women that ever boine " That berya children abide and se " How my son liggns me beforne " Upon me kne takyn fro tre." 17. A Poem to the Virgin. " Mary Moder wel thou be " Mary Mayden thynk on me " Maydyn and Moder was never non " To the Lady but thou allon." 18. Prophetick rules to know will happen according to the day of the week on which the year beginneth — " A man that will of wisdom lere." 19. Poems on the Festivals and Gospells, beginning with Saint Michael's day. Written ia a different hand — " Saint Michael the archangel and his fellagh also " Er be twene God and us to schewe quat we shall do." 20. Principium Anglias, or a Chronicle of England from Gogmagog to Edward II. " Herkenet hideward Lordinges " Ze that willen here of kynges." XVI CONTENTS. No. 21. THE MOURNING OF THE HARE. " Fer in frith as I can fere " Myself syzand alone " I hard the mourninge of an hare " Thus dolfuUy she made her mone." 22. Prognostics of the seasons in prose. 23. A Ballad. " I have forsworn hit while I life to wake the well." 24. A BALLAD. " Now OF THIS FEEST TELLE I CAN." 25. TALE OF A LADY, THAT LIVED NOT IN GRACE, THAT VERY GOD WAS IN FORM OF BREAD. " God that on the Rode was sent " Grant me grace redely to know the case " To me we this matter 1 have ment " Cierely to declare God give me grace." The Lady carried home the consecrated bread, and buried it under a pear-tree, and a wonderful miracle ensued for her conviction. 26. TALE OF THE LADY AND THOMAS. " As I me went this andyrs day " Fast on my way makyng my mone " In a merry moruyng of may " Be Huntley banks myself alone." CONTENTS. Xvn No. 27. The Tale of Robin Hood. " la somer sersoa when shawes be sheyn " And leaves be large and long " Hit is full mery in feyre foreste " To here the foulys song." The first stanza of the story of Robinhood and Guy of Gishorne, printed in the Reliques of Ancient Poetry, is evidently borrowed from this, but the tale in the MS. is different from the printed one. The MS. is here so damaged by the damp as to be nearly illegible, and wo\ild require much pains and trouble to decypher. From a cursory examination, it appears to me to contain the story of this celebrated robber and the Sheriff of Nottingham. " Hit is a fourtnett and more seyd Robyn " Syn I my Savior se " To day will I to Notyngham," He goes to church, where " Be side hym stode a gret heded munke." who incurs the malediction of the poet — " I pray to God, woo he be " Ful sure he knew gode Robyn " As sone as he hym se.'' b Xvm CONTENTS. The gates of the town are shut, and Robin Hood im- prisoned, but released by a stratagem of Little John. Very few of these poems have any titles in the MS. I have adopted such as seemed best to suit the contents of each, and I have inserted their several beginnings, that the curious in Ancient English Poetry may the easier identify them when met with in other MSS. III. Flopice and Blanch- flour. Page 81. The Editor is indebted to David Laing, Esq. of Edin- burgh, for the transcript of this beautiful fragment. •IV. Piers of Ffulliiam. Page 117. Transcribed from a folio i\IS. in Trinity College Library, written upon paper about the be^iinning of the 15th century, containing chiefly piece by Lydgate. V. Here foloweth a good ensamplt; of a Lady that WAS IN Dvspf.yre. Page 134. Transcribed from a paper book in folio, written late in the 15tli century. Lettered Ff. 11. xxxviii. in the Public Library. The beginning of the MS. is wanting. Its contents are — No. 1. The seven salmes. 2. A salutation of oure Lady. " Heyle fareest that ever God fonde " Heyle niodyr and maden free " Heyle floure of Josep wonde " Heyle the fruyt of Jesse." CONTENTS. xix No. 3. The ten Commandements of Almyghty God. 4. The vii werkes of merci bodili. 5. • gostli. C. The V bodyly wyttes. 7. goostly 8. The vii deadly synnes. 9. The vii verlues contrarie to the vii dedle synnes. The next 7 articles are in prose. 10. The xii articles of the beleeve. 11. The xii Sacraments shortly declared of St. Edmonde of Pounteneye. 12. A treatice of thre arowis that shullen be schott on Domesday agenste them that shullen be dampnedd. 13. The vii! tokens of Mekenes. 14. The Life of Marye Mawdelyn. 15. The Lyfe of Seynte IMargaret. 16. Seynt Thomas [of Canterbury,] 17. xii profyts that men may gete in sufferyng of bodely anger. 18. The mirror of vices and of virtues, which also ys clepyd the Sevene Ages. " His wondre to descriye soo " In name he ys begeten with synne " The chylde ys the modres deedly foo " Or they be fully partyd on tvi'ynije." 19. The ix lessons of Dirige, which is clepyd Pety loob. XX CONTENTS. No. 20. The Proverbis of Salamon. " Waste bryngyth a kyng- dom in nede." 21. The markys of medytacyonis." "Almighty God in Trynite." 22. On the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. " A lovely tale y yowe tell may." 23. The Lyfe of Seynt Kateryn. " All tho that be crystenyd and dere." 24. The Chartire of Criste. " "Who so will over rede this boke." 25. The XV rokenys before the day of dome. " The grace of the Holv Goste." 26. How the goode man taghl hys sone. " Lystenyth all and ye shall here." 27. A good ensammple of a Lady that was in despeyre. " Cryst that was crucyfyed for synners untkynde." 28. The Lamentation of the Blessed Virgin for the Death of her Son. " Lystenyth Lordyng to my tale." 29. Another Poem on the same subject. " Of all wemen that ever were borne." CONTENTS. XXI No. 30. A Poem against Adultery. " Man for myscbefe thou the amende." 31. How a merchande did hys wyfe betray. " Lystenyth Lordyngs y yov pray." 32. A gode mater of the mercband and hys sone, *' Lystenyth ye godely gentylmen and all that ben hereyn " Of a rycbe franklyn of ynglond a song y wyll begyn." 33. The Erie of Tolous. " Jesu Cryste in Trynite " Oonly God and Persons thre " Graunt us wele to spede " And gyf us grace so to do" That we may come thy blys unto On rode as thou can blede. 34. Sir Egyllamour of Artus. " Jesu Lorde cure hevyn kynge," 35. Syr Tryamowre. " Heven blys that all schall Wynne." 36. The Tale of the Emperor Octavian. " Lytyll and mykyll olde and yonge." 37. Befyse of Hampton. " Lordyngs lystenyth grete and small." 38. Dioclesean the Emperor. " Some tyme was a noble man." XXll CONTENTS. Nd. 39. Guy of Warwick. '■ Sythe the tyme that God was borne." "■ " Lystenyth now y schall yowe telle " As y fyude in parchment spelle " Of Sir Harrowee the gode baron " That lyeth in Awfryke in pryson." 41. Le bone Florence of Rome. " As ferre as men ryde or gone." 42. Robert King of Cysyll. Pryncya that be prowd in presse. 43. Sir Degarre, imperfect. " Lystenyth Lordings gent and free. VI. A BALLAD. Page 145. From the same Manuscript. VII. A Tale of the Unnatural Daughter. Page 151. From the Manuscript Ff. v. Ixviii. VIII. The Mourning of the Hare. Page 165, From the same Manuscript. IX. A Tale of a Father and his Son. Page 169. From the same Manuscript. X. A Tale of Robin Hood. Page 179. From the same Manuscript. XI. The Tale of the Basyn. Page 19S. From the same Manuscript. CONTENTS. XXlll XII. The Cokwolds Daunce. Page 209. The Editor has again the pleasure of thanking his friend David Laing, Esq. of Edinburgh, for his obliging tran- script of this poem, from a manuscript in the Ashmolean Museum, written about the middle of the 15th century. This ancient bourd may serve as a companion or coun- terpart to the well known poem of The boy and Lhe Mantle^ published by Bishop Percy in the Reliques of English Poetry, vol. 3, p. 1, in which the trial of the Horn is alluded to in the following lines : " The litle boy had a home," &c. The allusion to the Drinking Horn in the Morte d' Arthur is supposed to have suggested to Ariosto the tale of the En- chanted Cup. XIII. To ALii False Flattering Freemen of Cam- bridge, &e. Page 222. Transcribed from a manuscript upon paper in Arch- bishop Parker's collection in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. XIV. Bill A PosiTA SUPER HosTiUM Majoris. Page 225. Transcribed from Cole's manuscripts in the British Museum. XV. DocTOUR Doubble Ale. Page 227- Transcribed from a black letter volume, supposed to be unique, without printer's name, place or date, in the Bodleian. From the style it appears to have been written by Skelton. Xxiv CONTENTS. XVI. Heue eegynneth the Justes of the^ Moneth OF Maye. Page 246. Transcribed from a black letter volume in the Pepysiaa Library, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, and supposed to be unique. XVII. WiLtYAM AND THE Werwolf. Page 256. This fragment is printed as a specimen of a much larger fragment, beautifully written upon vellum, in folio, towards the close of the 14th century. [The Editor takes this opportunity of expressing his thanks to the Provost of King's College, for his permis- sion to transcribe so curious a romance.] XVIII. Jacke of the Northe. Page 288. Transcribed from a folio manuscript, upon paper, in Archbishop Parker's collection. XIX. The Kyng and the Hermit. Page 293. Reprinted from the British Bibliographer, volume iv. p. 81. XX. Heere eeginneth a mery tale of Dane Hew MuNK OF Leicestre. Page 316. From a black letter copy, printed by John Allde. THE ROMANCE OF KING ATHELSTONE. EX MSS.lo 171. Al'UD COLI. : CAII . CANT. Lord that is ofFmygtys most Ffadyr and sone and holy gost Bryng us out off synne And lene us grace so for to wyrke To loue both god and holy kyrke That may hevene wynne Lysines lordyngs that ben hende Off fFalsnesse hou it wil ende A man thatledes hym therin. Off fFoure weddyd brethryn I wole you tel That wolde yn yngelond go dwel That sybbe wer nouzt off kynde B 2 THE ROMANCE OF And alle four messangres they were That wolde you yn yngelond lettrys bere As it wes here yfynde By a fforest gan they mete With a cros stood in a strete Be lefF undyr a lynde. And as the story telles me YIke man was of dyvers cunt re In book iwreten we fFynde. Ffor loue of here metyng thar They swoor hem weddyd brethryn for every man In trewthe trewely dede hem bynde. The eldeste off hem ylkon He was hyzt Athelston The kyngs cosyn der He was of the kyngs blood Hys eemes sone i undyrstood Therfore he neyzyd hym ner And at the laste weel and fayr The kyng hym dyyd wythouten ayr Thenne was ther non hys pere. But Athelston hys eemes sone To make hym kynge woulde they nouzt schon To corowne hym wyth gold so clere. KING ATHELSTONE. 3 Now was he kynge semely to se He sendes afftyr hys brethryn thre And gafF hem her warysdom The eldest brothir he made eerl of Doune And thus the pore man gan come. Lord off tour and toun. '' That othir brothir he made eerl of Stane Egelonde was hys name A man of gret renoun. And gaff hym tyl hys weddyd wyf Hys owne sustyr dame Odyth With gret deuocyoun. The ferthe brother was a clerk Mekyl he cowde off goddys werk Hys name it was Alryke Cauntyrbury was vacant And fel in to that kynges hand He gaff it hym that wyke And made hym bysschop of that stede That noble clerk on book cowde rede In the world was non hym lyche. Thus avaunsed he hys brothir thorwz all gras And Athelston hym seluen was A good kyng and a ryche. 4 THE ROMANCE OF And he that was eerl of Stane Ser Egeland was his name Was trewe as ze schal her. Thorw the myzt off goddys gras He gat vpon the countas Twoo knave chyldren dere That on was ffyfFtene wyntyr old That othir thryttene as men me told In the world was non her pere Also whyt so lylye fflour Red as rose off her colour As bryzt as blossme on brer. Both the eerl and hys wyfF The kyng hem louede as hys lyff And her sones twoo And offten sythe he gan heqi calle Both to boure and to halle To counsayle whenne they scholde goo Theratt ser Wymound hadde gret envye Th * * * eerl of doner wyn * * * * In herte he was ful woo He thouzte al for here sake Ffalse lesyngs on hem to make To don hem brenne and sloo. KING ATHELSTONE. And thanne ser Wymound hym bethouzte Here loue thus endure may nouzte Thozwz wurd oure werk may sprynge. He bad hys men maken hem zar Vnto Londone wolde he far To speke with the kynge Whenne that he to Londone come He mete with the kynge ful sone He sayde welcome my dere kyng- The kynge hym frayned soone anon Be what way he hadde igon With oute ony dwellyng. Come thou ouzte be Countyrbery There the clerke syngen mery How fayryth that noble clerk That mekyl canon goddys west Knowest thou ouzt hys state And come thou ouzt be the eerl of Stane That wurthy lord in hys wane Wente thou oute that o-ate How fares that noble knyzt And hys sones fayr and bryzt My sustyr zifF that thou wate. 6 THE ROMANCE OF Ser thanne he sayde withoute les Be Countyrbery my way i ches Ther spak i with that dere Ryzt weel he greetes thee that nobleslest That mykyl can off goddys west In the world is non hys pere And also be Stane my way i drow With Egeland i spak i now And with the countesse so dere They fare weel is nouzt to layne , And both her sones the kynge was frayne And in his herte made glad chere. Ser kyng he sayde zifF it be thi wille To chaumbyr that thou sholdest wenden tylle Counsayl for to here I schall the telle a swete ydande That comen nuer non swyche in this lande Off all this hundryd zer The kynges herte than was ful woo With that traytour for to goo They wente bothe fozth insper And whenne that they wer the chaymbyr wythynne False lesyng he gan begynne On hys weddyd brothyr der. KING ATHELSTONE. Ser kyng he sayde woo wer me Ded that I scholde see the So moot I haue my lyfF Ffor by hym that that al this worl wan Thou hast makyd me a man And i hope me ffor to thryff Ffor in thy land sere is a fals traytour He wol doo the mykyl dyshonour And brynge the on lyve He wole deposen the slyly Sodaynly than schalst thou dy Be crystys wondys ffyve. Thennes sayde the kyng so moot thou thee Knowe i that man and i hym see His name thou me telle Nay sayde that traytour that wole i nouzt Ffor al the gold that ever was wrouzt Be masse book and belle But ziff thou me thy trowthe wil plyzt That thou schalt never bewrong the knyzt That the the tale schal telle Thanne the kyng his hand up rauzte That ffalse man his trowthe be tauzte He was a deuyl off helle. O THE ROMANCE OF Ser kynge he sayde thou madyst me And now thou hast thy trowthe me playzt Our counsayl for to layne Sertaynly it is noii othir But Egeland thy weddyd brothir He wolde that you wer slayne He dos thy sustyr to undyrstande He wole be kyng off thy lande And thus he be gynnnes here trayne He wole the poysoun ryzt slyly Sodaynly thanne schalt thou dy Be hym that sufFryd the payne. Thanne swoor the kyng be cros and rood Mete ne drynk schal do me goode Tyl that he be dede Bothe he and hys wyff hys soones also two Schole they never be no moo In Yngelond on that stede Nay says the traytour so moot i the Ded wole i nouzt my brothir se But do thy best rede No lenger ther then wolde he lende He takes hys leve to doner gan wende God geve hym schame and dede. KING ATHELSTONE. Now is the traytour horn i went A messangre was aftyr sent To speke wyth the Kynge I wene he bar his owne name He was hoten Athelstane He was foundelyng The lettrys wer i maad fullyche thar Vnto Stane for to fFar Withouten ony dvvellyng To fFette the eerl and his sones twoo And the countesse alsoo Dame Edyve that swete thynge ; And in the lettre zit was it tolde That the kyng the eerlys sones wolde Make hem bothe knyzt And therto his seel he sette The messangre wolde nouzt lette The way he rydes ful ryzt. The messangre the noble man Takes hys hors and forth he wan And byes a ful good spede The eerie in hys halle he fande He took hym the lettre in his hande / 10 THE ROMANCE OF Anon he bad hym rede Sev he sayde al so swythe This lettre ouzte to make the blythe * » thou take good hede. The kyng wole for the cuntas sake Bothe thy sones knyztes make The blyther thou may be Thy fFayr wyfF wyth the thou bryng And that be ryzt no levyng That so that sche may see. Thenne sayde that eerl wyth herte mylde My wyfF goth ryzt gret wyth chylde And for thynkes me Sche may nowzt out off chaumbyr wyn To speke with non ende of her kyn Tyl sche delyveryd be. But in to chaumbyr they ganne wende To rede the lettrys before they hende And tydyng tolde her soone Theene sayde the cuntasse so moot i the I wil nowzt leve tyl i ther be To morwen oz it be noone To see hem knyzt my sones ffre I wole nouzt lette tyl i ther be KING ATHELSTONE. 11 I schal no lenger dwelle Cryst for zelde my lord the kyng That has graimtyd hem her dubbyng Myn herte is g:ladyd welle. The eerl hys men bad make hem zar He and hys wyff fForth gunne they far To London ftaste they wente At Westemynstyr was the kyngs wone Ther they mette wyth Athelstone That aftyr hem hadde sente And fetryd faste verayment Fful lowde the countasse gan to cry And sayde goode brothyr mercy Why wole ze us sloo What have we a zens zow done That ze wole haue vs ded so soone Me thynkith ze am oure ffoo The kyng as wood ferde in that stede He garte hys ***** to pryson lede In herte he was ful woo Thenne a squyer was the countasses fFrende To the qwene he gan wende And tydyngs tolde her soone 12 THE ROMANCE OF Serlondes off chyryes ofFsche caste Into the halle sche come at the laste Long oz it was noone Ser kyng I am before the come Wyth a chyld douztyr oz a sone Graunte me my bone My brothir and sustyr that I may bozwe Tyl the nexte day at mozwe Out off her paynys stronge That we mowe wete be common sente In the playne playne parlement. Dame he sayde goo fro me Thy bone schal nowzt grauntyd be I doo the to undyrstande Ffor be hym that weres crowne of thorn They schal be drawen and hangyed to morn Zitf 1 be kyng off lande And whenne the qwene these wordes herde As sche hadde be beten with Zerde The teeres sche leet down falle Certynly as I zow tell On her bare knees down sche felle And prayde zit for hem alle A dame he sayde veiTayment Hast thou broke my commandement KING ATHELSTONE. 13 Abyyd ful dere you schalle With hys fFoot he wolde nouzt wende jT slowz the chylde ryzt in her wombe Sche swovvnyd amonges hem alle Ladyys and maydennys that these were The qwene to here chaumbyr here And there was dool i nowz Scone wythinne a lytyl spase A knave chyld iborn ther was As bryzt as blosine on bowz He was bothe whyt and red Off that dynt was he ded Hys owne fadyr hym slowz Thus may a traytour baret raijse And make manye men ful euele avase Hym selfF nowzt afFtyr it towz. But zit the qwene as ze schole here Sche callyd vpon a messangre Bad hym a lettre iFonge And bad hym wende to Cauntyrbery There the clerkys syngen mery Bothe masse and euensonge This lettre thou the bysscop take And praye hym for goddys sake 14 THE ROMANCE OF Come borewe hem out off here bande He wole doo more for hym I wene Thanne for me thouz I be qwene I doo the to vndyrstande. An eerldom in Spayne I haue of land Al I sese in to thyn hand Trewely as I the hyzt An hundryd besauntys off gold red You may sare hem from the ded ZifF that thyn hors be wyzt Madame bronke weel thy more geve Also longe as thou may leva That to haue I no ryzt But off thy gold and off thy fFee Cryst in hevene ffor zelde it the I wole be there to nyzt. Madame thrytty myles off hard way I haue reden sith it was day Fful sore I gan me swynke And for to ryde now fFyve and twenty threw An hard thyng it were to doo Ffor so the ryzt as me thynke Madame it is ner hand passyd prime And me behoves al for to dyne KING ATHELSTONE. 15 Bothe wyne and ale to diynke Whenne I haue dynyd thenne wole I fare God may coure hem off here care Oz that I slepe a wynke. Whenne he hadde dynyd he wente his way Al so faste as that he may He rod be Charynge cros And entryd into Fflete Strete And seththyn thorwn London I zow hete Vp on a noble hors. The messangre that noble man On Londone brygge sone he wan Ffor his travayle he hadde no los From Stone into Steppynge bourne For sothe his way nolde he nowzt tournc Ysraryd he nouzt for myre ne mos And thus hys way wendes he Ffro Osprynge to the Blee Thenne myzt he see the toun Off Cauntyrbery that noble wyke Ther in lay that bysscop ryke That lord of gret renoun And whenne they runggen undern belle He rod in Londone I zow telle 16 THE ROMANCE OF He was nouer redy And zit to cauntyrbery he wan Songe or euensonge began He rod mylys fFyffty. The messanger no thyng abod Into the palays forth he rod There that the bysscop was iune Ryzt welcome was the messenger That was come fFrom the qwene so cleer Was off so noble kvnne He took hym a lettre ful good speed And sayde sir bysschop haue this I reed And bad hym come with hym Or he the lettre hadde halfF iredde Ffor dool hym thouzte hys herte bledde The teeres fFyl ouyr hys chyn. The bysschop bad saddle hys palfray Also ffaste as thay may Bydde my men make hem zare And wendes before the bysschop dede say To my manres in the way Ffor no thynge that ze spare And loke at ylke fFyve mylys ende. A fFresch hors that I fFynde KING ATHELSTONE. 17 Schod and no thynge bare Blythe schal I neuer be Tyl I my weddyd brothyr see To kenve hym out oft' care. On nyne palfrays the bysschop sprong Ar it was day from euensong In romance as we rede Certaynly as I zow telle On Londone brygge ded doun felle The messangres stede Alias he sayde that I was born Now is my goode hors forlorn Was good at ylke a nede Zistyrday vpon the grounde He was wurth an hundryd pounde Ony kyng to lede. Thenne he spak the erchebysschop Oure gostly fadyr vndyr God Vnto the messangre Lat be thy menyng oft" thy stede And thynk vpon oure mykyl nede The whylys that we ben here Ffor zifF that I may my brothyr borwe And bryngen hym out off raekyl sorwe c 18 THE ROMANCE OF Thou may make glad chere And thy warysoun yschal the geve And God haue grauntyd the to leva Unto an hundryd zere. The bysschop thenne nouzt ne bod He took hys hors and forth he rod In to Westemynstyr so lyzt The messangre on his fFoot alsoo With the bysschop come no moo Nether sqiiyer ne knyzt Upon the morwen the kyng aros And takes the way to the kyrke he gos As man of mekyl myzt With him wente boihe preest and clerk That mykyl cowde off goddys werk To praye God for the ryzt. Whenne that he to the kyrke come To ffore the rode he knelyd a non And on hys knees he felle God that syt in trynyte A bone that thow graunte me Lord as thou harewyd helle Gyltles men zifF they be That are in my presoun fFree KING ATIIELSTONE. 19 Ffor cursyd there to zelle Off the gylt and they be clene Lene it moor on hem be sene That garte hem there to dwelle. And whenne he hadde maad hys pryer He lokyd vp in to the qweer The erchebysschop sawz he stande He was for wondryd off that caas And to hym he wente a pas And took hym be the hande Welcome he sayde thou erchebysschop Oure gostly fadyr vndyr God He swoor be god lenande Weddyd brothyr weel moot thou spede For I had neiiyr so mekyl nede Sith I took cros on hande. Goode weddyd brothyr now the thy rede Doo nouzt thyn owne blood to dede But ziff it weer thy were For hym that weres the corowne off thorn Let me bozwe hem tyl to morn That me mowe enquer And weten alle be comonn asent In the playne parlement 20 THE ROMANCE OF Who is wurthy be schent And but zifF ze wole graunte my bone It schall vs rewe both or none Be God that alle thynge lent. Thanne the kyng wax wroth as wynde A wodere man myzte no man fynde Than he began to bee He swoor be othis sunne and mone They scholde be drawen and hongyd or none With eyen thou schalt see. Lay doun thy cros and thy staff Thy mytyr and thy ryng that I to the gaff Out of my lande thou fflee. Hyze the faste out off my syzt Wher I the mete thy deth is dyzt Non othir then schall it bee. Thenne be spak that erchebysschop Oure gostly fadyr vndyr God Smertly to the kyng Weel I wot that thou me gaff Bothe the cros and the staff The mytyr and eke the ryng My bysschoprycke thou renest me And crystendom forbede I thee KING ATHELSTONE. 21 Prest schal ther non syngge Nethyr maydyn cbyld ne knave Crysteridom schal ther non have To care I schal thee brynge. I schal gare crye thorwz ylke a toun That kyrkes schole be broken doun And stoken agayn with thorn And thou schalt lygge in an old dyke As it wer an heretyke Alias that thou were born. ZifFthou be ded that I may see Asoylyd schalt thou neuerbee Thanne is thy soule in sorwe And I schal wende in uncouthz And gete me stronge men of bond My broth ir zit schal I borwe I schal brynge vpon thy lond Hungyr and thyrst ful strong Cold drouzthe and sorwe I schal nouzt leue on thy lond Wurth the gloues on thy bond To beg-o-e ne to borwe The bysschop has his leve tan By that his men were comen ylkan 22 THE ROMANCE OF They sayden sere haue good day. He entryd into Flete strete With lordys of Ynglond gaii he mete Vp on a nobyl iay On here knees they knelede a doun And prayden hym off his benyson He nykkyd hem with nay Neythyr off eros neythyr oftryng Hadde they non kyns wetyng. And thanue a knyzt gan say. A knyzt thanne spak wyth mylde voys Sere where is thy rynge, wher is thy croys ? Is it ffro the tan ? Thanne he sayde zoyre cursyd kyng Hath me refit off" al my ryng And ofi" al my worldly wan And I haue entyrdytyd Yngelond Ther schal no preest synge masse with hond Chylde schal be crystenyd non But ziff" he graunte me that knizt His wyff" and chyldryn fayr and bryzt He wolde wyth wrong hem slon. The knyzt sayde bysschop the agayn Off thy body we are ful fayn KING ATHELSTONE. 23 Thy brothir zit schole we borwe And but he graunte vs oure bone Hys presoun schal be broken soone Hymselff to niekyl sorwe We schole drawe doun both halle and boures Bothe hys castelles and hys toures They schole lyggelowe and holewe Thouz he be kynge and were the corown We scholen hym settee in a deep diinjoun Oure crystendom we wole folowe Thanne as they spoken otFthis thynge There comen twoo knyzt fFrom the kyng And sayden bysschop abyde And haue thy cros and thy ryng And welcome whyl that thou wylt lyng It is nouzt for to hyde Here he grauntys the the knyzt Hys wyff and chyldren fayr and bryzt Agayn I rede thou ryde He prayes the per charytye That he myzte asoylyd be And yngelond long and wyde Here off the bysschop was fFul fFayn And turnyd hys brydyl and wendes agayn 24 THE ROMANCE OF Barouns gunne with hym rycle Vnto the brokene cros otFs stoii Thedyr com the kyng ful soone a non And there he gan a byde Up on hys knees he knelyd a doun And prayde the bysschop off benysoun And he gaff hym that tyde With holy watyr and orysoun He asoylyd the kyng that weryd the coroun And yngelond long and wide. Thenne sayde the kyng a non ryzt Here I graunte the that knyzt And his sones ffree And my sustyr hende in halle Thou hast savyd here lyvys alio Iblessyd most thou bee Thenne sayde the bysschop also soone And I schal geven swylke a dome With eyen that thou schalt see Ziff thay be gylty off that dede Sonere the doome thay may drede Than schewe here schame to me. Whanne the bysschop hadde sayd soo A gret ffyr was madd ryzt thoo In remans as we rede KING ATHELSTONE. 25 It was sett that men myzte knawe Nyne plowz lengthe on rawe As red as any giede. Thanne sayde the kyng- what may this mene Sere ofF gylt and thay be clene This doom hem thar nouzt drede. Thanne sayde the good kyng Athelston An hard doome now is this on God graunte vs alle weel to spede. They fetten forth sere Egelan A trewer eerl was ther nan Before the ifyr so bryzt Ffrom hym they token the rede scarlet Bothe hosyn and schoon that weren hym met That fel al fFor a knyzt. Nyne sythe the bysschop halevvid the way That his weddyd brothir scholde goo that day To praye God for the ryzt. He was vnblemeschyd ffoot and hand That sawz the lordes off the land And thankyd God off' hys myzt. They offeryd hym wyth mylde chere Vnto seynt Powlys heyze awtere That myekyl was off" myzt Doun vpon hys knees he felle And thankyd God that harewede helle And hys modyr so bryzt 26 THE ROMANCE OF And zit the bysschop the gan say Now schal the ch\ Idryn gon the way That the fadyr zede. Ffro hym they tooke the rede scailette The hosen and schoon that weien hem mete And all her worldly wede The fFyr was bothe hydous and red The chyldren swownyd as they were ded The bysschop tyl hem zede With careful herte on hem gan look Be hys hand he hem vp took Chyldryn haue ze no drede. Thanne the chyldryn stood and lowz Sere the fyr is cold i nowz Thorwz out he went a pase They weren vnblemeschyd foot and hand That sawz the lordys off the land And thankyd God off his grace. They offeryd be wyth mylde chere To seynt Powlys that hyze awtere This myracle schewyd was there And zit the bysschop efft gan say ' Now schal the countasse goo the way There that the chyldryn were. KING ATHELSTONE. 27 They fetten forth the lady mylde Sche was ful gret igon wyth chylde In romance as we rede. Before the fyr when that she come To Jhu Cryst she praydeabone That leet his woundys blede. Now God lat neuer the kyngys foo Quyk out off the ffyr goo Thoff hadde sche no drede. Whenne sche had maad her prayer Sche was brouzt before the ffeer That brennyd bothe fayr and lyzt Sche wente ffro the lengthe into the thrydde Stylle sche stood the ffyr amydde And callyd it merye and bryzt Harde schonrys thenne took here stronge Both in bak and eke in wombe And sith then it ffel at syzt. Whenne that here paynys slakyd was And sche hadde passyd that hydous pas Here nose barst on bloode Sche was vnbleipeschyd ffoot and hand That sawz the lordys off the lande And thankyd God on rode. 28 THE ROMANCE OF They commandyd men here away to draw As it was the landys lawe And ladyys thanne tyl here rode Sche knelyd doun vpon the ground And there was born seynt Edemound Iblessyd be that fFood And whanne this chylde iboru was It was brouzt in to the plas And was bothe hool and sound Bothe the kyng and bysschop ftVee They crystynd the chyld that men myzt see And callyd it Edemound Half my land he sayde I the geve Also longe as 1 may leve With markys and with pounde And al afFtyr my dede Yngelond to wysse and rede Now iblessyd be that stounde. Thenne sayde the bysschop to the kyng Sere who made this grete lesyng And who wrouzt al this bale Thanne sayde the kynge so moot I the That schalt thou neuer wete for me KING ATHKLSTONE. 29 In burgh neytbyr in sale For I have sworn be seynte Anne That I schal neuer bewreye that manne That me gan telle that tale They arn savyd thorwz thy red Now lat al this be ded And kepe this counseyl hale. Thenne swooz the bysschop so moot I the Now I have power and dignyte Ffor to asoyle the as clene As thou were houen off the ffount ston Trustly trowe thou that vpon And holde it for no wene I swere bothe be book and belle But zif thou me his name telle The ryzt doome schal I deme Thy selff" schalt goo the ryzte way That thy brothir Avente to day Thouz it the euele be seme Thenne sayde the kynge so moot I the Be schrysste off mouthe telle 1 it thee Therto I am vnblvve Certaynly it is non othir But Wymound oure weddyd brothir 30 THE HOMANCE OF He wole neuer thryve Alias sayde the bysschop than I wende he were the treweste man That euer zit levyd on lyve And he with this ateynt may bee He schal be hongyd on trees three And drawen with hors ffvve. And whanne that the bysschop the sothe bade That the traytom- that lesyng made He callyd a messangre And hym to Dover that he scholde founde Ffor to fette that Eerl Wymound That traytour has no pere. Sere Egelane and hys sones be slawe Bothe i hangyd and to drawe Doo as I the lere The countasse is in presoun done Sche schal neuer out off presoun come But zifF it be on here. Now with the messanger was no badde He took his hors as the bysschop radde To Doner tyl that he come The eerl in hys halle he fFand He took hym the lettre in his hand KING ATHELSTONE. 31 On hyz wolde he nouzt wone Sere Egelane and his sones be slawe Bothe i hangyd and to drawe Thou getyst that eerldome The countasse is in presoun done Schal sche neuer more out come Ne see neythyr sunne ne mone. Thenne that eerl made hym glade And thaukyd God that lesynge was made It hath gete me this eerldome He sayde fFelawe ryzt weel thou bee Have here besauntys good plente Ffor thyn hedyr come Thanne the messanger made his mon Sere off zoure goode hors lende me on And graunte me my bone Ffor zystyrday deyde my nobyl stede On zoure arende as I zede Be the way as I come, Myn hors be fatte and corn fed And off thy lyfF I am a dred That eerl sayde to hym than Thanne zifF myn hors scholde the sloo My lorde the kyng \volde be ful woo 32 THE ROMANCE OF To lese swylk a man. The messanger zit he brouzte a stede On off the bests at ylke a nede That euer on ^rounde dede gange Sadelyd and brydelyd at the beste The messanger was ful preste Wyztly on hym he sprange Sere he sayde haue good day Thou schalt come whan thou may I schal make the kynge at hande Wyth sporys faste he strook the stede To Grauys ende he come good spede Is ffourty myle to ffande There the messanger the traytour abood And sethyn bothe in same they rod To Westemynstyr wone In the palays there thay lyzt In to the halle they come ful ryzt And mette with Athelstone lie wolde haue kyssd hys lord swete He sayde traytour nouzt zit lete Be God and be seynt Ihon Ffor thy falsnesse and thy lesyng I slowz myn heyr scholde haue ben kyng When my lyf hadde ben gon. KING athelstonp:. 33 There he denyyd taste the kyng That he made never that lesyng Among hys peres alle. The bysschop has hym be the hand tail Fforth in same they are gan Into the wyde halle Myzte he neuer wyth craflTt ne gynne Care hym schryven off hys synne Ffor nouzt that myzt be falle Thenne sayde the goode kyng Athelston Lat hym to the fFyr gon To prove the trewethe in dede Whanne the kynge hadde sayd soo A gret fFyr was maad thoo In romance as we rede It was set that men myeton knawe Nyne plowz lenge on rawe As red as any glede Nyne sythis the bysschop halewes the way That that traytour schole goo that day The wers hym gan to spede He wente fFro the lengthe into the thrydde And doun he ffel the fFyr amydde Hys eyen wolde hym nouzt lede 34 THE ROMANCE OF, &C. Than the eerlys chyldrn were warful smerte And wyztly to the traytour sterte And out off the fiyr hym hade And swore bothe by book and belle Or that thou deye thou shalt telle Why thou that lesynge made Certayn I can non othir red Now I wot I am but ded I telle zow no thynge gladde. Certayn ther was non othir wyte He louyd hym to mekyl and me to lyte Perffore envye I hadde Whanne that traytour so hadde sayde Ffyre goode hors to hym were tayde That alle men myzten see with yze They drowen hym thorwz ylke astrete And seththyn to the elmes I zow hete And hongyd hym ful hyze Was that neuer man so hardy That durste fFelle hys ffalse body This hadde he ffor hys lye Now Ihu that is heuene kyng Leue neuer traytours haue better endyng But swych dome ffor to dye. Explicit. TALE OF KING EDWARD AND THE SHEPHERD. EX. MS.'o FF. 5. 48. APUD BIELIOTH : UNIV : CANT. God that sittls in trinite GyfFe theym grace wel to the That lystyns me a whyle, AUe that louys of melody OfFe heuen bhsse god graunte tham perty Theyre soules shelde fro peryle. At festis and at mangery To tell of kyngs that is worthy Talis that byn not vyle. And ze wil listyn how hit ferd Betvvene kyng Edward and a sheperd Ze shalle lawgh of gyle. 36 A TALE OF KING EDWARD Oure kynge went hym in atyde To pley hym be a ryver side In a mornyng of may, Knyzt ne squyer wold he non, But hym self and a grome To wende on that jorney. With a shepherde con he mete And gret hym with wordis swete Without any delay, The shepherde louyd his hatte so well He did hit of never a dele But seid " sir gudday?" The kyng to the herde seid than " Off whens art thou gode man ?" Also mot I the " In wynsour was I borne " Hit is a myle but here beforne " The town then maist thou see, " I am so pyled with the kyng " That I most fle fro my wonyng " And therefore woo is me " I hade catell now haue I non <' Thay take my bestis and don thai slone " And payon but a stick of tre." AND THE SHEPHERD. 37 The kyng seid *' hit is gret synne " That thei of sich werks wilnot blynne " And Edward wot hit nozt " But come to morne when it is day " Thou shalbe seruyd of thy pay " Ther of haue thou no thozt, " Ffor in your towne born I was " I haue dwellid in diuerse place " Sithe I thens was broght, " In the courte I haue sich a frende " The treserer or then I wende " Ffor thy UifFe shall be soght. This gret lord the herd con frayne " What wil men of your kyng seyne " Wei liltull gode I trowe," The herd onsweryd hym rizt nozt But on his shepe was all his thozt And seid agayn " charhow." Then loogh cure kyng and smyled stille " Thou onsweris me not at my will " I wolde thei were on a lowe " I aske the tythyngs of our kyng " Off his men and his wyrkyng *' Ffor sum I haue sorow. ,■ ■■_' v/ •_J' 38 A TALE OF KING EDWARD " I am a inarch ant and ride aboute " And fele sithis I am in doute, " Ffor myn owne ware " I tell it the in prevete " The kyngs men oen to me "AM pounde and mare, " * * * » * he ouzt mycull in the cuntre " What siluer shall he pay the " Ffor goddis haly are " Sith thou art noght " I wil my nedis do and thyne '* Thar of haue thou no care. '• " Sir," he seid " be seynt Edmonde " Ther is owand MI pounde. " And odd twa schillyng " A stikke I haue to my witnesse " Oft' hasill I meue that hit is " I ne haue no nother thyng '' And gif thou do as thou has me hote " Then shall I gif the a cote " Wittwo any lesyng. *' Seuon schelyng to morne at day " Whan I am siruyd of my pay." " Graunte" seid oure kyng. AND THE SHEPHERD. 30 *' Tel me sir what is thy name ? " That I for the haue no blame " And wher thy wonnyng is" " Sir" he seid " as mot I the " Adam the schepherde men callen me " Ffor certein soth I wysse." The schepherde seid "■ whoos son art thou of our towne V " Hat not thy fadur Hochon ?" " Also haue thou bhsse." " No for god ;" seid oure kyng " I wene thou knovist me no thyng " Thou redis alle amysse." " My fadur was a walsshe knyzt, " Dame Isabell my modur hyzt, " Ffor sothe as I tell the, " In the castell was hir dwellyng " Thorow commanndment of the kyng " Whene she thar shuld be. " Now wayte thou wher that I was borne " The tother edward here beforne " Fful well he louyd me. "■ Sertanly with owte lye, " Sum tyme I lyve be marchandye " And passe well ofte the see. 40 A T.iLE OF KING EDWARD " I liaue a son is with the queue '■'■ She louys hym well as I wene, " That dar I sauely say. " And he pray hir of a bone " Zif that hit be for to done " She will not onys say nay. " And in the courte I haue sich a frende *' I shall be seruyd or I wende " With out any delay " To morne at undern speke with me, " Thou shall be seruvd of thy mone " Er than hye mydday." " Sir for seynt thomas of ynde " In what place shall I the fynde? " And what shall I the calle ? " My name" he seid " is Joly Robyn. " like man knowes hit well and fyne " Bothe in bowrs and halle, " Pray the porter as he is fre " That he let the speke with me " Soo faire hym mot be falle, " Ffor fer owtward shall I not be " Enquer 1 trow thou shall me see '* With in the castell wall. AN U THE SHEPHERD. 41 " Ffor thou and other that leue your thyng " Wei ofte sithes ye banne the kyng " And ze ar not to blame. '• Hit er other that do that dede " Theiwere worthy so god me spede, " Ther for to haue great shame. " And if I wist whilke thei were " Hit shulde come the kyng to ere " Be god and be seynt lame " Then durst I swere thei shuld abye " That dose oure kynge that vilayne " Ffor he berys all the same." The herd onswerd to the kyng " Sir be seynt lame of the tithyng " Thou seist ther of right well " Thei do but gode the kyngs men " Thei ar worse then sich ten " That bene with hym no dell " Thei goo aboute be viii or nyne "And done the husbonds mycuU pyne " That carfuU is their mele. " Thei take geese capons and henne " And alle that euer thei may with renne " And reves vs ourcatell. 42 A TALE OF KING EDWARD " Sum of them was bonds sore " And afturwarde bonget therfoie " Ffor soth as I yow say, " Zet ar ther of them nyne moo " Ffor at my hows ther were also " Certis zisturday " Thei toke my hennes and my geese " And "my schepe with all the fleese " And ladde them forth away. " Be my doztur thei lay alnyzt " To come agayne thei haue me hyzt " Of helpe I wolde yow pray. " With me thei lefte alle their thyng " That I am sicur of theire comyng " And that me rewes sore " I haue fayre chamburs thre. " But non of them may be with me " While that thei be thore " Into my cart hows thei me dryfe " Out at the dur thei put my wyfe " Ffor she is olde gray hare " Had I helpe of sum lordyng " I shulde make with them recknyng " Thei shulde do so no more. AND THE SHEPHEUD. 43 " Ffor othur iii felowes and I " We durst wel take party " These nyne for to mete, " I have slyngus smert and gode " To mete with them zif thei wer wode, " And reve hem her lyves swete. " The best archer of ilkoa " I durst mete hym with a stone " And gif hym leve to schete. " Ther is no bow that shall laste " To draw to my slyngs caste " Nought be feel fete. " Ther is non archer in this lande " And I have my slyng in hande " Ffor I dar lay with hym ale " That who so sonysthitts abanke <* Ffor to haue the tothur hant " To what thyng he will hale " That who so furst smyts a thyng " Off his bow or my slyng " Vndiu- stande my tale " Be the deth that I shall dye " That to my hed then dar I ley " Now sone in this swale. 44 A TALE OF KING EDWARD With talis he made the kyng to dwell, With mony moo then 1 can tell, Till hit was halfe gan prime. His hatte was bonde vnder his chyn He did hit nothyng of to hym " He thozt hit was no tyme, *' Robyn," he seid, " I pray the " Hit is thy will come hom with me " A morsell for to dyne " The kyng list of his bourds lere." " Gladly," he seid, " my lefe fere *• I will be on of thyne," As thei homeward con gon The kyng saw conyngs mony on, Ther at he can smyle, " Adam," he said, "take up aston, " And put hit in thy slyng anon, " Abyde we here awhile, " Gret bourde it wold be " Off them to slee twoo or thre " I swere this beseynt gyle," " No way," quod 7\dam, " let be that " Be god Iwolde not for my hat " Be taken with sich a gyle. AND THE SHEPHERD. " Hit is alle the kynges waren " Ther is nouther knyzt ne sqwayne " That dar do sich a dede. " Any conyng here to sla " And with the trespas away to ga " But his sides shulde blede " The warner is hardy and fell " Sertainly as I the tell " He will take no mede, " Who so dose here sich maistrye " Be thou wel sicurhe shall abye " And vn to preson lede. " Ther is no wilde foule that will flyne ' But I am sicur him to hittyne " Sich mete I dar the bote, Zif it be so my slyng will last, *' Zif I fayle of him acaste " Brok thou well my cote. " When we come and sitten in same " I shall tech the a game " I canhit wel berote. " Then shal thou se my slyng slaght " And of the best take vs a draght " And drynk well right be note." 46 A TALE OF KING EBWARD The scheperd hows ful mery stode Vndur a forest fayre and gode, Off hert and hynde gret mynde. The kyng seid, " be god almyght " In thy hert thou may be Uzt " Homwarde when thou shall wende " I the swere be goddis grace, *' And I had here sich a place, " I shoulde haue of that kynde, " Outher an evon ar on morning " Sum of them shuld come to ryng " Ther with to make me afrende." The herd bade, '' let sech wordls be " Sum man myzt here the " The were bettur be still— " Wode has erys felde has sizt, " Were the forstur here now right " They wordis shuld like the ille. *' He has with hym zong men thre " Thei be archers of this contre " The kyng to serue at wille. " To kepe the dere both day and nyzt " And for theire luf a loge is dizt, " Ffull hye vpon an hill-. AND THE SHEPHERD. 47 " I wolde haue here no stondy ng " But ride now forth in my blessyng, " And make vs wel at ese, " I am glad thou come with me " Goo sit now wher thy willes be " Right at thine owne ese. " Though sum det of my gode belorne " I shall haue more and god beforne " He may hit increse " And I shall tech the play " When tyme comys thou shalt asay " Whille play be not lese. A feyre cloth on the borde he leyd Into the boure he made abrayde, Gode mete for to fette, Brede of whete bultid small ii penny ale he brouzt with all " Ther of wolde he not lett, Asse saund bred and that with a crane Othur fowles were there gode ane Before the kyng he sette. " Adam," seid the kyng, *' blessed thou be " Here is bettur then thou hertist <' To day when that we mette." 48 A TALE OF KING EDWARD " Sir," he seid, " do now gladly, " Zet haue I mete that were worthy " A gret lord for to fech." He brozt a heron with a poplere Curlews bocurs both in fere, The mandlart and hurmech. And a wylde swan was bake " Sich fowle con my slyng take, " Ther off am I no wreck. " I bade felowes to my dynere " And sithen thei wil not cum here " A deuell haue who thatrech. " Zif thou wilt ete thou shalt non wave ; " But gif thou will any drynk have " Thou most con thy play ; " When thou seest the cuppe anon, " But thou sei passelodion " Thou drynks not this day. " Sely adam shall sitt the hende " And answer with berafrynde " Lene vpon my ley," The kyng seid that he wold lere, " Me think it bourde for to here " Teche me I the pray." AND THE SHEPIIEllD. 49 " Passilodyon that is this, " Who so drynks furst I wys *' Wesseyle the mare dele. " Berafrynde also I wene '' Hit is to make the cup clene " And fylle hit efte full wele. " Thus shal the game go aboute, *' And who so falys of the route, " I swere be seynt michell, *' Let hym drynk wher he will " He gets non here this is my skill, " Mozt to a nother sele." The kyng seid " let so that drynke *' I shall sayrizt that I thynke " Me thirstis swyth sore." The scheperde bade the eur fill The kyng to drynk hade gode will With passilodion more, * ' I can rizt wel my lore." " Berafrynde," I yseid Adam, " I wysse thou art a wytty man " Thou shalt wel drynke therfore." £ 50 A TALE OF KING EDWARD Thus thei sate with oute strife, The kyng with adam and his wyfe, And made hym mery and glade, The scheperde bade the cuppe fill ; The kyng to drynke hade gode will^ His wife did as he bade. When the cuppe was come anon, The kyng seid, " passylodion." When he the cuppe hade ; Hit was a game of gret solas, Hit comford all that euer ther was Ther of thai were noght sade. The scheperde ete till that he swatte, And than non erst he drew his hatt Into the benke ende, And when he feld the drynk was gode, He wynkid and strokyd vp his hode And seid, " Berafrynde." He was qwyte as any swan, He was a wel begeton man, And comyn of holy kynde. He wolde not ete his cromys drye He louyd nothynge but it were trie, Nether fer ne hende. AN D TIIK SHEPHERD. 51 Then seid the kyng in his reson, " Who so were in a gode town " This would ha costed dere, " In this maner to be fed " With alkyn deinteth wol be sted " As we haue had now here *' I shalle the whyle be hode myne " How hade I leuer a cony " In my manere. " But zif hit were of buk or doo " Ther is no mete I louyd soo, " And I come there hit were." The scheparde seid " so mot thou the " Con thou heyle a privete " And thou shalt se gode game " Ze," seid the kyng, " be my lerte ;" " And elhs haue I mycul mangre " Zif hit be for my frame, " What man thatwrye a gode frende " Thouz he were rizt sibbe of my kynde " He were worthy gret shame." Then seid adam, " thouseis soth " Zet I haue a morsel for thy toth *' And ellis I were to blame." 52 A TALE OF KING EDWARD He went and fett conyngs thre, AUe baken well in apasty With wel gode spicerye, And othur baken mete alsoo Bothe of hert and of roo The venyson was full trye. " Sir," he seid, '* asay of this " Thai were zisturday qwyk I wysse " Certan with outen lye " Hidurthei come be mone lizt " Eete ther of well aplizt " And schewe no curtasye." To the scheperde seid the kyng " The forsters luf this our althyng " Thou artalle thaire felowe " To thaire perfett thou con foulis slyng " And thei will venyson to the bryng " Ther of stande thei non awe. " Were thou as perfette in abowe " Thou shulde haue moo dere strowc " Soth to say in sawe. " Zet I zede that thou fande *' Than any forstur in this land " An arow for to drawe." AND THE SHEPHERD. 53 Then seid the scheperde, " no thyng soo " I con a game worth thei twoo, " To Wynne me a bridde " Ther is no hert ne bucke so wode " That I ne get with out blode " And I of hym haue nede. " I haue a slyng for the nones " That is made for gret stonys " Ther with I con me fede, " What dere I take vndur the side, " Be thou siker he shall abide " Til I hym home will lede. " Conyngis with my nouther slyng " I con slee and hame bryng, " Sum tyme twoo or thre; " I ete tham not my self alon " I send persandes mony on " And sury fryndes make I me " Til gentlemen and zomanry " Thei haue tham all thei ar worthy " Those that are prive. " What so thei haue it may be myne " Come and brede ale and wyne " And alle that may like me» 54 A TALE OF KING EDWARD *' Do now gladly joly Robyne ** Zet shall thou drynk a drauzt fyne " OfFgode drynk as I wene, " Off lanycoU thou shall prove " That is a cuppe to my be behove " Off maser it is ful clene. " Hit holdis a gode thryden dele; " Fful of wyne euery mele " Be fore me it is sene. ' Ffil the cuppe," he seid, anon, " And play we passilodion " Sith no moo that we bene." When the drynk was filled, The wife askid, " who shuld be gynne, The godeman sir or ze, *' Take my geyst/' seid Adam than, " Sith he his game con " I wil that it so be." The kyng toke the cuppe anon And seid, " passilodion." Hym thozt it was gode gle. The sheperde seid " certanly " Berafrynd shall be redy, " Also mot I. the." AND THE SHEPHERD. 55 He drank and made the cuppe ful clene, And sith he spake wordis kene, That game was to here, " This cuppe hit hat lanycoll " I hif hit wel for it is holl " It is me lefe and dere, " Ffil it ofte to Joly Robyn, " I wysse he drank no bettur jvyne, ^' Off alle this seuen zere, " To alle that wil my game play " Ffill it be this ee I the pray " My bourdis that wil lere." Then dranke oure kyng and toke his leve, The sheperd seid, " sir not the greue " And it thy wille be, " I shalle the schew joly Robyn " A litull chaumbur that is myne " That was made forme." The kyng therof was ful glad, And did as the scheperde bad, Moo bourdis wold he se He lad hym in to a prive place, Ther venyson plente in was, And the wyne so clare. 56 A TALE OF KING EDWARD Vndur the erth it was dizfc Fferre it was and clene of syzt, And clergially was hit wrozt. The kyng seid, " here is feyre ese " A man myzt be here wel at ese " With game zif he were souzt," Thekyng seid, " gramercy and haue goday. The scheperde onswerid, and said, " nay " Zet me gose thou nought, " Thou shalle preue furst of a costrell tre " That gode frendis send to me ** The best that myght be bouzt. " Telle me now whylke is the best wyne, " Off lonycoU cuppe myne " Alsthou art gode and kynde. " Play onys passilodion " And I shall answer sone anon " Certes berafrynde. " This chambur hat Hakdeme my page " He kepis my thyng and taks no wage " In worde wher that I wende, " Ther is no man this place con wrye, '' But thy self zif wilt say, " And than art thou ynkynde. AND THE SHEPHERD. 57 *' Ther is no man of this countre " So mycull knowes of my priuete " As thou dost Joly Robyn ; " Whil that I M welcn to me " Wyne and ale I dar hete the " And gode flesshe for to dyne," The kynge his stede he can stride, And toke his leue for to ride, Hym thozt it was hys tyme, The scheperde seid, " I will with thee goo '* I dar the hete a foule or twoo " Perauntur with a conyne." The kyng rode softely on his way Adam folowyd and way ted his- pray Conyngus saw he thre, " Joly Robyn chese thou which thou wytt, " Hym that rennys er hym that sitt '< And I shall gif him the. " He that sitts and and wil not lepe " Hit is the best of alle the hepe " Fforsoth so thynkith me." The scheperde hit hym with a stone And breke in two his brest bone Thus sone ded was he. 58 A TALE OF KING EDWARD The kynge seid, " thou art to slow, '* Take liym als that rennyth now " And thou con thou thy crafte," " Be god," seid Adam, " here is a stone " It shall be his bane anon " Thus sone his life was rafte " What fowle that sitts or flye " Whethur it were ferre or nye, " Sone with hyni it laste, " Sir," he seid, " for soth I trowc " This is behette any bowe " Ffor alle the Fedurt schafte." " Joly Robyn brok wel my pray " That I haue wone here to day " I vouchsafe wels more, " I pray the telle it to no man " In no maner that I hit wan " 1 rayzt haue blame therfore, '* And gif thou do my errand of rizt " Thou shalle haue that I the hyzt " I swere be goddis ore." The kyng seid, " take me thy tayle " Ffor my hors I wolde not the fayle " A peny that thou lore." AND THE SHEPHERD, 59 The kyng to court went anon, And Adam to his shepe con gon, i His doggs lay ther full stille, Home er nyzt come he nozt New mete with hym he brozt Ffor defaute wolde he not spill. " Wife," he seid, " be not sory " I wil to courte certanly, " I shalle haue alle my wille, " Joly Robyn that dynet with me " Hase behette me my mone " As he conlawe and skill. " He is amarchande of gret powere '< Many man is his trespere " Men owe hym mony a pounde ; '* The best frend he had sith he was borne '•' Was the tothur Edwart here beforne " Whil he was hoU and sounde. " He hase a son is with the qwene *' He may do more then othur fyftene " He swerys be seynt edmounde. " Thouz he shuld gif of his catell " I shalle haue myne euery dell " Off penys boll and rounde." 60 A TALE OF KING EDWARD On morow when he shuld to court goo In russet clothyng he tyret hym the, In kyrtil and in surstbye, And a blak furred hode That wel fast to his cheke stode, The typet myght not wrye. The my tans clutt for gate he nozt The slyng euen ys not out of his thozt Wherwith he wrouzt niaystre. Toward the court he can goo His douztur lemman met he thoo And alle his cumpanye. He thozt more then he seyde, Towarde the court he gaf abrayde, And zede a well gode pas, And when he to the zatis come He askid the porter and his man Wher Joly Robyn was. He was warned what he shuld sayn Off his comyng he was fayne, " I swere be goddis grace " Sir I shall tel the where he is *' And than be thaire gamen I wis " When he come forth in place." AND THE SHEPHERD. 61 The kyng seid to erles tweyne, " Ze shall haue gode bourd in certayne, " If that ze will be stille " Off a scheperde that I see '* That is hidur come to me " Ffor to speke his wille. " I pray you alle and waine betyme " That ze me calle Joly Robyne " And ze shalle lawz your fille " He wenys a marchande that I be " Men owe hym siluer here for fe " I shalle hym helpe ther tille. " But a wager I dar lay, " And ze will as I yow say, " A tune of wyne I wysse, " Ther is no lorde that is so gode " Thouz he avayle to hym his hode " That he wil do of his. " Sir Raufe of StafForde I pray the " Goo wete what his will be " And telle me how hit is •' Whilke bourdis I wolde fulfayn se " Gladly lord so mot I the " Otf thyngus that fallis amysse." 62 A TALE OF KING EDVVAKD And when he to the herde came, He seid, " alhayle gode man " Whidur wil thow goo ?" He onsvveryd as he thouzt gode, But he did not of his hode To hym neuer the moo. " Joly Robyn that I vondur see " Bid hym speke aworde with me " Ffor he is not my foo." Then onswerid the erle bolde " Take the porters stafFe to holde " And the my tens also." " Nay felow," he seid, " so mot I the " My stafFe no shal not goo fro me " I wil hit kepe in my hande " No my mytens gets no man, " Whil that I tham kepe can " Be goddis sone alweldande. ^' Joly Robyn that I yondur see " Goo bidde hym speke a worde with me " I pray the for goddis sande. " I wolde wete how hit is " I am aferd my schepe go mysse " On othur mennys lande." AND THE SHEPHERD. 63 And when he to the kyng came, Then seid the kyng, " welcom adam " As to my powere," " Joly Robyn," he seid, " wel mot thou be " Be god so shuld ,thou to me " On othur stede than here. " I am commyn thou wot wherfore " And trauayle shal not be for lore " Thouknowis wel my manere." " Ffor god," seid the kyng tho, " Thou shalbe sauyd er thou goo " Ffor thy make glad cheie." " Joly Robyn," he said, " I pray the " Speke with me aworde in priuate." " Ffor god," seid the kyng gladly : He freyred the kyng in his ere, What lordis that thei were That stondis here hym bye, " The erle of lancastur is the ton, " And the earlof waryn sir John, " Bolde and as hardy : " Thei mow do mycull with the kyng, " I haue tolde hem of thy thyng :" Then seid he, *' gramercy." 64 A TALE OF KING EDWARD The scheptrde seid, " sir god blesse zew, " I know yow not be swete iliu," And swere awel gret oth. " Ffelow," they seid " I leve the well " Thou hase seen Robyn or this sell " Ze ne ar no thyng wrothe." " No sirs," he seid, " so mot I the " We ar neghtburs I and he, " We were neuer loth." As gret lord is as thei ware He toke of his hode neuer the mare But seid, " god saue you bothe .' The lordis seid to hym anon, " Joly Robyn let hym nozt gon " Till that he haue etyn " Hym semys a felow for to be " Moo bourdis yet mow we see " Er his errand be gettyn." The kyng to the scheperde con say, " Fro me thou gost not away " Tille we to gedur haue spokyn, " An errande I hyzt the for to done " I wolde that thou were siruyd sone " That hit be not for getyn. AND THR SHEPHERD. 65 " Goo we to gedur to the marshall " And I my self shall tel the tale " The bettur may thou spede," '' Robyn," he seid, " thou art trew, •< I wis it shalle the neuer rew " Thou shalt haue thy mede." To the hall he went a full gode pase, To seke wher the stuards was, The scheperde with hym rede, Long hym thouzt til mydday That he ne were siruyd of his pay He wolde haue done his dede. When he into the hall came, Ther fonde he no maner of man The kyng hym bade abyde. ** I wil go aboute thy nede " Ffor to loke gif I may spede, " Ffor thing that may be tide. *' Robyn dwel not long fro me, *' I know no man here but the, "This court is nozt but pride ; " I ne come of no sick fare " These hye halles thei are so bare " Why ar thei made so wyde." F 66 A TALE OF KING EDWARD Then lowz the kyng and began to go, And wyth his marsshale met he tho, He commandit hym azeyne " Ffelow," he seid, " herkyn aUzt " And on myne errand go thou tyte " Also mot thou thynne " A scheperde abides me in hall " Off hym shall we laz alle "■ At the meyte when that we bene. " He is cum to aske iiij pounde " Goo and fech it in astounde " The so the that I may sene. " Twey schelyng ther is more " Ffor gete hem not be goddis ore " That he ne haue alle his pay " I wolde not for my best stede, " But he were siruyd er he zede, " Er then hye mydday. " He wenys amarchande that I be, " Joly Robyn he callis me, <* Ffor sertayn soth to say, " Now sone to mete when I shall goo " Loke ne be nozt for me fro." " Lorde," he seid, then " nay." AND THE SHEPHERD. 67 Fforthe the marshale can gon And brouzt the stuard sone anon And did adowne his hode, " Herstow felow hast thou do " The thyng that I seid the to V " Ffor the gode rode" " Sir," he seid, " it is redy " I know hym not be oure lady " Before me thoz he stode." " Goo take zond man and pay be tyme " And bidde hym thonk Joly Robyne " We shall sone haue game gode." Fforthe thei went all thre To pay the scheparde his mone Ther he stode in the halle, The stuward at hym frayued tho, " What askis thou felow er thou goo ? " Telle me among vs alle." " Sir," he seid, " so mot I the, " Ffoure pounde de owe to me " So fayre mot be falle, " Tway schillyngs is the rodde, " I haue wytnesse ther of begod, " Within the castell walle. 68 A TALE OF KING EDWAR0 " Hit is skoridhere on atayle " Haue biok hit wel with owt fayle " I haue kept it long enoz. " The stuwarde ther of I ne rech " I wisse I haue ther to no mech." At hym ful fast thei looz, " Ne were Joly Robyn that I here se "To day no gate no mone of me " Made thou it neur so towz. " But for his luf go tel it here." Then made the scheperde right glad chere, When he the siluer drowz. He did it vp the sothe to say, But sum therof he toke away In his handful rathe. " Joly Robyn," he seid, " herkyn to me, " A worde er tweyn in priuete " To gedur be twene vs bath. " I hizt the zisturday seuen shyllyng, " Haue brok it wel to thy clothyng, " Hit will do the no slathe " And for thou hast holpyn me now " Ever more felowes 1 and thou " And mycuU thanks sir now haue ze." AND THE SHEPHERD. 69 " Graunt mercy," seid than he, " But siluer shalt thou nou gif me " I swere be seynt martyne." " Be god," seid the scheperde, " zys :" *' Nay," seid oure kyng, *' I wys " Nozt for a tunne of wyne " Ffor thy luf I wolde do more " Then speke aworde or ij therfore, " Thou mayproue sum tyme, " Zif thoube fastyngcum with me " And take a morsell in priuete " To gedur then shall we dyne." " Nay sir," he seid, " so god me spede, " To the kyngs meyte haue I no nede " I wil ther of no dele. " Ther is non of his proud meny " That hase alway so gode plente " I ha ne euery sele." The kyng bare witnesse and seid, " za " But thou myzt onys er thou ga " Etyn with me a mele. " The grettist lordis of the lande " Haue bidde the tary I vnderstonde " And therfore here the well." 70 A TALE OF KING EDWARD " Ffor thy lufF robyne I wil gladly " To day then mett I myne enemye, " Ffor sothe as I the tell *' He that be my doztur lay, " I tolde the of hym zisturday " 1 wolde he were in hell. " At my howse is alle the rowte " They wil do harme whil I am oute " Fful yuel then dar I dwell. " Wolde thou speke for me to the kyng " He wolde avow me my slyrgyng " Thaire pride then shulde I fell." Kyng Edwart onswerid agayne, " I will go to these erles twane " That stode lang ore be me. " Thai ar a partie of my knowyng, " Thei shall speke for thee to the kyng " That wrokyn shall thou be " In this courte thai ar twenty " At my biddyng to bidde redy " To do a gode iornay, " When thou comys home make no host " Thei shal be takyn er thou it wost " Thouz thai were sech thre." AND THE SHEPHERD. 71 Thus the kyng held hym with tale, That alle that euer was in the sale, Oft' hym hade e:ret ferly. To gedur thei zede vp and down As men that seid thair orison. But no man wist why, The scheperde keppid his staf ful warme, And happid it euer vndur his harme As he romyd hym by, He wold no man toke it hym fro, Til that he shulde to meyte goo, Sich was his curtasy. The kyng commandit al his That no man speke to hym amysse As thei wolde be his frynde. When tablys were layd and cloths sprad The scheperde in to the hall was lad To begynne a bordis ende. His mytans hang be his spayre And alway hoditlike afrere To mete when he shulde wende. And when the waytis blew lowde hym be The scheperde thozt what may this be He wende he hade herd a fende= 72 A TALE OF KING EDWAKD And alle that hym aboute stode Wende that man hade bene wode And lowz hym to hethyng. Ffor he so nycely zede in halle And bare a stafte among tham alle And wolde take it no thyng, The stwarde seid to Joly Robyn, " Goo wesshe sir for it is tyme " At the furst begynyng " And for that odur Edwart loue " Thou shalt sitte here aboue " In stidde alle of the kyng." When he had wasshen, and fayr i sett, The qwene anon to hym was fett, Ffor sche was best worthy, At euery ende of the deyse, Sate an erle withowte lese And a fayre lady. The kyng commandit the stward tho, To the scheperde for to go, And pray hym specially, A tabul dormant that he begynne Then shal we lawz that be here in OflP his rybaudy. AND THE SHEPHERD. "Adam," he seid, " sit here down " Ffor Joly Robyn of the town " He gifs the gode worde. " And for thou art of his knoyng " We vouch safe olde and zong " That thou begynne the borde. " Perdy,'' seid the scheperde nowe, "Hit shal be thouzt if that 1 mow " Hit is wel kept in horde " But if I do Robyne a gode tourne " EUis mot I hangyt be " Wyth a hempyn corde.'' And when the hall was rayed out The scheperde lokid al aboute, How that hit myzt bene Surkets ouer al he con holde, Off knyzts and of persons bolde, Sich had he non sene. The prince was feched to the borde To speke with the kyng aworde, And also with the qwene. Then he frayned hym in his ere If he wolde " passilodion" lere And "berafrende" be dene. 73 74 A TALE or KING EDAVARD " Lorde," he seid, " what may that be ? " I know it not be goddis tre " It is a new language." " I leue the well," seid the kyng, " Thou may not know al thyng " Thou ther to ne has non age. " There is a mon in this town *' That will it preue gode reson " To kyng squyer and page " And gif thou wille gif any mede " I shal do ther to hym lede " Vnto his scole astage." " Hit is a scheperde that I of mene " At his howse then haue I bene " With in this seuen nyzt " A dosan knyzts and thai had cum with me " Thei shulde haue had mete plente " OfFthat 1 fonde zedy dyzt." Then he tolde hym alle the case Off " passilodion" what it was, And " berafrynde" I plyzt. " He sitts yonde m a furrid hode " Goo here hym here a golde ryng gode <* And that anon right." AND THE SHEPHEE0, 76 " And thank hym mycul for Joly Robyne " He wenys that it be name myne " Ffor soth as I the say. " He wot I haue a son here '• That is the qwene lefe and dere " I tolde hym so zisturday. "As ofte as thou wilt to hym gon " Name passilodion " And wete what he will say." " Lorde," he seid, " I wil gladly " I can hit wel and perfitely " Now have I lornyd a play." When he to the scheperde came, He seid, " do gladly gode adam " And my cull gode hit the doo *' Micul thanke for Joly Robyn " That thou did my lorde to dyne " And othur ther is also. " Whi playes thou not passilodion " As thou did zisturday at home ? " I will answer ther to " I know the game to the end " Ffor to say berafrynde " As haue I zest and zoo." 76 A TALE or KING EDWARD Then looz the herde and Hked ille And seid, " lefe childe be stille " Ffor goddis swete tre. ** Go sei thy fadur he is to blame " That he for gode dose me schame — " Why has he wryed me ? " Have I maugre for my god dede " Shall I neuer more marchande fede " Ne telle my pryuete." He stroked vp his hud for tene And toke a cuppe and made it dene A gret drauzt then drank he. The prynce seid, " that was wel done " Hit shalle filled azeyn ful sone *' AUe of the best wyne. " Play passilodion and haue no drede " And haue a gold ryng to thy mede ** And were it for luf myne. " I wil it not for soth to say " Hit shulde not laste me halfe aday '* Be goddis swete pyne." When it were brokyn farewell he An hatte wer bettur then sech thre Ffor reyne and sonne schyne. AND THE SHEPHERD. 77 Wlien the prince hade hym be holde, He zede and sate hym wher he wolde, As skille and reson is. And alle the lordyngs in the halle On the herd thei lowzen alle When any cuppe zede amys. When they hade etyn and clothe draw And wasshen as hit is landis lawe Certayn sothe I wysse, Thei drank thei aftur sone anon And played passilodion Tille ilke man hade his . The lordis anon to chaumbur went, The kyng aftur the scheperde sent, He was brozt forth full sone. He clawed his hed his here he rent He wende wel to haue be schent He ne wyst what was to done. When he french and latyn herde He hade mervell how it ferde And drow hym euer alone " Jhu," he seid, " for thy gret grace " Bryng me fayre out of this place " Lady now here my bone." 78 A TALE OF KING EDWARD " What eyled me why wis I wode " That I cowth so htell gode " My «eluen for to wrye ? " A lord god that T wis vnslye " Alasse that euer he come so nye " The sothe that I shulde seye. " Wolde god for his modurs luf " Bryng me onys at myn abose " I were out of theire eye. " Shulde I neuer for no fair spech " Marchande of my cowncell teche " Loo aferde I am to dye." The kyng saw he was scry, He had ther of gret myrth for thy, And seid, " come nere adam, " Take the spices and drynk the wyne " As homely as I did of thyne " So god the gif the dame." Ffulle carfuUy in he zede. " Haue I this for my gode dede " Me rewes that I here came." He toke the wyne, and laft the spice, Then wist thei wel that he was nyce, Wei carfuU was that man. AND THE SHEPHERD. 79 He ete the spycethe, wyne he drank Oure kyng on the scheperde wanke, Priuely with his eye. Joly Robyn he thozt wo thou be That tyme that I euer met with the, Er euer that I the seye. Be god, he thouzt, had I the nowe Ther were zisturday I and thow Paynes then shulde thou drye. I shulde chastis the so with my slyng Thou shulde no moo tythyngs bryng On horse thowz thou were hye. The kyng- cominandit a squyer tere, " Goo telle the scheperde in his ere " That I am the kyng " And thou shalt se sich cowntenence " That hym had leuer be in fraunce " When heris of that tythyng. ' ' He has me schewid his preuete " He wil wene ded to be " And make therfore mournyng. " Hit shalle hym mene alto gode " I wolde not ellis be the rode " Nouzt for my best gold ryng." 80 A TALE OF KING EDWARD The squyer pryuely toke his leue, And plucked the scheperde be the sleue, Ffor to speke hym with, " Man," he seid, " thou art wode " Why dose thou not down thy hode " Thou art all out of kith. " Hit is the kyng that spekes to thee " May do what his wilhs be " Be refe this lym and lith " And gif thou haue do any trespas '* Ffall on knees and aske grace " And he will gif the grith." Then was that herd a earful man And neuer so sory as he was than When he herd that sawe. He wist not that hym was gode, But then he putte down his hode On knees he fel down lawe. " Lorde," he seid, " I crye the mercy, " I know the not be oure lady, " When I come into the sale ; " Ffor had I wist of the sorowe " When that we met zistur morow " I had not ben in this bale." FLORICE AND BLA.NCHEFLOUR. I NE kan telle zou nowt How richeliche the sadel was wrout ; The arsouns were gold pur and fin, Stones of vertu set thair in ; Bigon abounten wh orfreis, The quene was hende and curteis; She cast hir hond to hire fingre, And drouz ther of a riche ringe ; " Haue now, sone, here this king " While thou hit hast, doute the no thing, " Bestir the brenne, ne drencher in se, " Ne iren ne stel schal derie the. " And, be hit erli and be hit late, " To the will thou schalt haue whate." Weping thai depted nouthe, And kuste him wiz softe mouthe G 82 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. Thai made for him non other chere, Than thai seze him legge on bare ! How forth thai nine wiz alle main, Himself, and his chamberlain. So long thai han undernome, To the hauene thai bez icome, Ther blancheflour lai a nizt ; Richeliche thai wer idizt. The louerd of the hous was wel hend, The child he sette next his hende, In the althiest fairest sete. Gladlie thai dronke and ete All that ther were, Al thai made glade chere, And ete and dronke echon wiz other : And Florice thouzte all another ! Ete ne drinke mizte he noiizt ; On Blaunches flour was al his thouzt The leuedi of the hous underzat How this child moarning sat And seide her loverel wiz still dreme " Sire," ze said, " nimstou no zeme " How this child mourning sit ? " Mete and drink he forzit ; " Litel he etez and lasse he drinkez, " He nis no marchaunte as me thinkez" FLOHICE AND BLANCIIEFLOUR. 83 To Flourice than spak zhe, " Child, ful of mournino^ y the se ; " Thus sat her inne, this enderdai " Blancheflour that fair mai " Herinne was that maiden bouzt " And ouerthe se sche was ibrochzt " Her inne thai bouzt that maiden swete " And wille her eft sella to bezete, " To babilothne thai wille here bring:, " And selle hire to Kaisar other to king- " Thou art slich here of alle thinge, " Of semblant and of mourning, " Bot thou art a man and zhe is a maide" Thous the wife to Florice saide. The Florice herde his leman neuene, So blithe he was of that steuene. That his herte began alle lizt. A coupe of gold he lette fulle rizt ; " Dame, he saide, this haill is thin *' Bothe the gold and the win " Bothe the gold and the wineke '* For thou of mi leman speke. " On her I thout, for here I fizt ; " And, west ich wher hire fende rnezt, 84 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. " The scholde no vveder me assoine *' That ine schal here seche at babeloine." Florice rest, him there al nizt. Amorwe, whanne hit was dai Uzt, He dide him in the salte flod ; Winde and weder he hadde ful god. To the mariners he zaf largeliche, That brouzten him ouer blethaUche, To the londe thar he wold lende, For thai founden him so hende. Sone so Florice com to londe, Wele zerne he thankede godes sonde, To the lond ther his leman is, Him thouzt he was in paradis. Wele sone men Florice tiddinggis told, The amerall wolde feste holde. And kinges and dukes to him come scholde, Al that of him holde wolde, For to honour his hezhe feste, And also for to heren his heste. Tho Florice herde this tiding. Than gan him glade in alle thing ; And in his hert thouzt he. That he wolde at that feste be ; X FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 85 For wole he hopede, in the halle, His lemen sen among hem alle, So long Florice hath undernome, To a fair cite he is icome, Wei faire men hath his in one, Ase men scholde to a kinges sone. At a palais was nou him alicht, The louerd of the hous Avaswele riche, And god inow him com to honde, Bothe biwater and belonde. Florice he sparede for nofe, no fee, I now that there ne scholde be, Of figsch, of fiesch, of tendre bred, Bothe of whit win, and of red. The louerd hadde ben wel wide ; The child he sette bi his side, In thealtherferste sete. Gladliche thai dronke and ete, And Florice ete an drank riztoowt. On Blanchesflour, was al in thouzt. Than bespak the bourgeis. That hende was fre, and courteys, *' Child, me thinkkis swiche wele, "■ Thi thoiit is mochel on thi catel !" 86 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. *' Nai on mi catel is hit nowt ; " On othe think is al mi thouzt, " Mi thouzt is, on all wyse, " Mochel on mi marchaundise, " And zit, that is mi maist wo, " Gif ich hit finde and schal forgo !" Thanne spak the louerd of that inne, " Thous sat, this other dai, her inne, " That fare maide Blaunchesflour, '* Bothe in halle and eke in bour. " Ouere zhe made mourning chere, " And bimette Florice here leue sere ; " Joie ne bliss ne hadde zhe none, " And on Florice was al here mone." Florice het a coupe of silver whizt, And a mantel of scarlet, Ipaned al wiz meniver, And zaf his hostesse ther. " Have this, " zhe saide," to thine honour; " And thou hit myztze thonke Blaunchesflour " Stolen zhe was out mine countreie, "Her ich here seche by the waie. *' He mizte make mi herte glad, " Than couthe me telle whiderzhe was lad." FLOaiCE AND BLANCIIIiFLOUR. 87 " Child, to babeloyne zhehis ibrouzt; " And ameral hir had ibouzt. " He zaue for hire, as zhe stod uprizt, " Seuen scheshere gold of wizt " For hire faired (hire faired) and for hireschere, " The ameral hire bowzte so dere. " For he thinkez, wizouten wene, " That fair mai to honen to quene. " Amang other maidnes in his tour, " He hath hire ido wiz mochel hour." Now Florice rest him there al nizt. On morewe, whan hit was dai lizt, He aros up in the moreweninge, And zaf his host an hondred schillinge. To his hoste and to his hostesse ; And nam his leue, and gan hem messe ; And zerne he had his ostesse bisouzt, That zhe him helpe, zif zhe mouzt, How he mizte, wiz sum gine, The fair maiden to him awine. " Child, to one brigge thou shalt come, " A burgeis thou findest at a frome ; "His palais is atabrigges ende: " Curteis man he his, and hende, " We beth wed breththen, and trewtlie iplizt; " He the can wessen, and renden arizt. 88 FLORICE AND BLANCHEVLOUR. " Thou schaltberen him a ring, " Fram mi selue, to toking, " That he the helpe in eche helue, " So hit were befalle mi selue." Florice tok the ring, and nam his leue^ For ther no leng wold he beleue, Bi that his was ondren heghz. The brigge he was swithe negz, When he was to the brigge icome, The burges he fond at a frome ; Stonded on a marbel ston, Fair man, and hende he was on. The burgeis was i hote dayae, Florice him grette swithe faire. And hath him the ring irawt, And wele faire him bitawt, Thourgh tokening of that ilke ring. Florice had there god gestining, Of fichss, of flegsch, of tendre bred, Bothe of whit win and of red. And euere Florice sizte ful cold. And darys gan him behold. " Leue child, v/hat mai the be ? " Thous carfoul as I the se, " I wene thou nart nowt al fer, " That thou makest thous doelful cher. FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 89 " Other the hkez nowt thin in." How Florice answered him, " Zis, fire, be godes hore, '* So god me ne hadde zore, " God late me bide thiwe dai. " That ich the zelde mai ! <' Ac I thenke, in alle wise, Upon min OAven merchaundise, " Wherefore ich am hider come, ** Lest I ne finde hit nowt at a frome. " And zit is that mi meste wo, " Zif ich it finde and sschal forgo !" " Child, woldest thou tel me thi gres, " To helpe the me were ful les." Now euerich word he had him told. Now the maide was fram him sold, And how he was of Speine a kinges sone, And for hire loue thides icome For to fond wiz som gine. That faire maide to biwine. Daris nou that childe bihalt, And for a fol he him halt. '^ Child," he seiz, " I se how goz ; " I wis thou zernest thin owendez ! " The ameral hath, to his iustenig, " Other half hondred of riche kig, 90 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. " That al ther richest king, " Ne dorste begine swich a thing, " For, mizte the amerall hit underzete, " Some thow wereof hire quite. " Abouten babeloin, wezouten wene, " Sexte longe milen and tene ; " And ate walle thar beth ate, " Seuen sithe twenti zate, " Twenti towris ther bezine, " That euerich dai chefungisine. " This no dai thurg the zer, " That cheping nis the iunepleuer. " An hundred toures also therto, " Mez in the bozevve and somdel mo. " That alderest feblest tour, " Wolde kepe and empower, " To comen al ther wiz nine, " Forther wiz strengze newiz ginne. " And thai alle the men that beth ibore, " Addon hit up here deth is whore ; " That scholde winne the mai so sone, " As fram the heuene hez the sonne and mone, " As in the borugh, amide the rizt, " Ther stat a riche a tour, the aplizt, FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 91 " Agonsang taiser he his treize, " Wo so it be alt wit fer and naggone. " And an hundres taises he is wid, " And I maked wiz mochel prid, "Of hm, and of marbel ston. " In cristience nis suilk none. " And the morter is maked so wel, " Se mai no man hit breke wiz no stel, " And the pomel, aboue the led, " Is wrocht wiz so moche red, ** That men ne ferren a nizt berne " Neither torche ne lanterne. " Swiche a pomel was neuer bigonne " Hit schinez a nizt so a dai doth the sone " Son beth therinne that riche toure " Four and twenti maidenes boure, " So wele wer that i we man, " That mizte women in that an, " Now thourt him neuere ful I wis " Willen after more blisse. " Those beth the seriantes ni the stage, '* To seruen the maidenes of page. " So mai no seriaunt be ther inne, " That in his brech bereth the ginne, " Neither bi dai ne bi nizt, 92 ILORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. " But he be as capoun dizt. " And at the gate is a gateward ; " He nis no fol, ni no coward. " Zif the comez ani man, '' Wis inne that ilche barbican, " Out hit be bi his leue, " He wille him bothe bete and reue. " The porter is proud wiz alle ; " Euerich dai he goth in palle. " And the amerail is so wonder agoine, " That euerich zer, hit his wone, " To chesen him a newe wif, " And whan he a newe wif under fo, " He knawez how hit sal be do, " Than schoUemen fechche doun of the stage " Alle the maidenes of parage, " And breng hem in to on orchard, " The fairest of al middelhard, " Ther is foulen song, " Men mizte levven ther among, " Aboute the orchard goth a walle, " The werste stone is cristal. " Ther man mai sen, on the ston, " Mochel of this werldes wisdom, FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOU R. 93 " And a welle ther springes inne, " That is wrowt wiz mochel gine, " The welle is of mochel pris, " The strem com fram paradis. " The grauel in the grounde of preciouse stone " & and of vertu, I wis, echone, " Of Sapheres and of Sardoines " Ofoneches, and of calsidoines, " Son is the wat of so mochel eye, " Zif the comez ani maiden that is forleie, " And bowe to the grounde, ** For to waschen hire honde, *' The water wille zelle als hit wer wod ; " And bicom on here so red so blod. " Wich maiden the water fairez on so, " Hye schal sone bi fordo. " And thilke that beth maidenes clene, " Thai mai hem wassche of the rene, " The water wille erne stille and cler, " Selle hit hem make no danger. " At the welle heued ther stant a tree. " The fairest that mai in erthe be ; " Hit is icleped the tre of loue, " For floures and blosimes beth en aboue 94 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. " And thilke that clene maidenes be " Men schall here bring under that tre " And wich so fallez on that flour '• He schal ben chosen quen wiz houre " And zif ther ani maiden is, " That thamerail halt of raest pris, " The floure schal on here be went, " Thurch art, and thurch enchantement : " Thous he cheseth thourz the flour, '' And euere we herknez when hit be Blancheflour." Thre siches Florice swouned nowthe. Or he mizt speke wiz mouthe, Sone he awok, and spek mizt, Sore he wepe, and sore he sizt. " Mane ! " he said," ich worlte ded, " Both ichhaue of the help and red !" — " Leue child, ful wel I se, " That thou wilt to deathe te ! " The best red that lean, " Other red i ne can, " Wende to morwe to the tour, "As thou were a god ginour, " And nim in thin bonds quis and santelour, " Als thai thou were a masoun. FLORICK AND BLANCH EFLOU 1(. 95 " Bihold the tour up and down, " The porter is coluard and feloun ; " Wei sone he wil come to the, " And aske what mister man thou be. " And ber upon the felonie, " And sai thou art comen the tour aspic. " Thou shalt answeren him swechlich, " And speke to him wel undelich, " And sai thou art aginour " To beheld that elche tour, " And for to lerne and for to fonde, " To mak another in the londe. " Wel sone he wil com the ner, " And bidde the plaien at the scheker " To plaien he wil be wel fous, " And to winen of thin wel concitous. " When thou art to the scheker brouzt ; " Wizouten faus ne plai thou nowt. " Thou shalt haue redi mitte, " Thritte mark under thi slitte, " And gif he winne ouzt al thin, " Al leue thou hit wiz him, " And gif thou winne ouzt of his, " Thou lete therof ful litel nris. 1 " Wel zeron he wille the bidde & praie, " That thou come amorewe and plaie, 96 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. " Thou schalt sigge thou wilt so, " And min wiz the amove we swich two, " And euer thou shalt in thin owen wolde, " Thi golde cop wiz he at hokle, " That ilkeself coppe of golde, " That was for Blancheflour zolde. " The thridde dai bere wiz the an hondred pond " And the coppe al hoi and sond " Zif him markes: and pans fale, " Of thi mone tel thou no tale, "Wei zerne he the wille bidde and praie, " That thou legge the caupe to plaie. " Thou shalt answeren him ate first, " So lenger plai thou no list. " Wei moche he wille for thi coupe bede, " Zif he mizte the better spede. " Thou schalt blitheliche ziuen hit him, " Thai hit be gold thur and fin, '' And sai, me thinkez hit wel besemez the " That hit wer wore worz swiche pre. " Sai also, the ne faille non, " Gold ne seluer ne fiche won, " And wil thanne so mochel loue the, " That thou hit schalt bothe here and see. FLORICE AND BLANCHEFI.OUR. 97 " That he wil falle to thi fot, " And bicome thi man zif he mot. " His manred thou shalt afonge. " And thi trewthe of his honde, " Zif thou mizt thous his loue winne, " He mai the helpe wiz som ginne." Son also Florice hath iwrowt, Also darie him hath icawt; That thourgh his gold and his garsome, The porter is his man bicom, " Now quath Florice thou art mi man, " And al mi trest is the upan. " Sone thou mezt wel ethe, " Arede me fram the dethe." And euerich word he hath him told, Hou Blancheflour was fram him sold ; And hou he was of Spaine a kynges sone, And for hire loue thider icome ; To fond wiz som ginne, The maiden azen to him winne. The porter that herde and sore sizte ; " Icham bitraied thourz rizte " Thourz the catel icham bitraid " And of mi lif icham dismaid H 98 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. *' Thou ich wot child hou hit geth " For the ich drede to thoUe deth " And natheles ich ne schal the neue faile mo " Ther whiles mai ride or go. " Thi fore ward ich wil heldenalle, " What so wille betide or falle " Wende thou hom into thin in, " Whiles I think of som ginne, " Bitwene this and the thridde dai, " How ich wille that I mai." Florice spak, and wepe among ; That ilche termehim thouzte wellong The porter thouzte what to rede. He let floures gatheren in the mede, He wist hit was the maidenes wille, Two coupen he let of floures fiUe ; That was the red that he thouzt tho, Florice in that o coupe do ; And were gegges the coupe here, So hem charged that wroth thai were, Thai bad god zif him euel fin, That so mani floures dede therin, Thider that thai weren wede, Se wer thai nouzt arizt birede ; FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 99 Ac thai turned in hire left hond, Blaunchesfloures hour an hond. To Clarice hour the coupe thai here, Wiz the floures that therinne were ; Ther the couppe thai sette adown, And zafe here malisoun, That so fele floures embzouzte on honde ; Thai wenten forth, and leten the couppe stondde, Clarice to the coupe com, and wolde The floures handleden and biholde. Florisse wende hit hadde ben his swet wizt, In the coupe he stode uprizt. And the maid, al for drede, Bigan to schrichen an to grede Tho sche seghz hit nas nowch hye And held him bitraied al clene, Of his dez he ne zafnowt abene. Ther com to Clarice maidenes lepe, Silen bi twenti in one hepe ; And askede what her were, That him makede vso loude here ? Clarice hire understod anon rizt, That hit was Blancheflour that swete wizt, For here boures nez were, And seldon that thai nezen I fere, 100 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR, And ather of other counseil that wizte, And michel ayther to other triste. Hie zaf hire maidenes answere anon, That into boure thai scholder gon, " To his coupe ich am, and wolde " The floures handle, and beholde; "Ac ther ich hit euer weste, " Aboterfleze to zain me fluste ; "^ Ich was sor adrad of than, " That schrichen and greden I began." The maidenes hadde ther of gle, And turnede azene and lete Clarisse be. So sone so the maidenes weren agon, To Blauncheflours hour Clarice went anon, And saide leyende to Blauncheflour ; " Swiche a flour that the schal lik " Haue thon sene hit alite !" " Anoth, dameseile," quath Blauncheflour, " So skorne me is litel hour ! " Ich I here, Clarice, wizoute gabbe, " The ameral wil me to wiue habbe ; " Ac thilke dai schal neuer be, " That men schal at wite me, " That I shal ben of loue untrewe, " Se chaungi loue for non newe ; FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 101 *' For no loue, ne for non eie, " So doth Florice in his countreie " Thou y schal swete Florice misse, " Shal non other of me haue bhsse !" Clarice stant, and behalt the reuthe, And the treunesse of this treuthe; Leizande sche said to Blauncheflour, " Com nou se that ilche flour!" To the coupe thai zeden tho, Wei blisful was Floresse tho, For he had iherd al this, Out of the coupe he sterte I wis. Blauncheflour changede hewe, Wei sone aither other knewe. Wizouten speche togidere thai lepe, That clepte, and keste, and eke wepe. Hire aissing laste a mile, And that he thouzt litel while. Clarice bihalt al this, Here countenaunce and here bliss, And leizende said to Blauncheflour " Felawe, knoweston thou ouzt this flour ? " Litel er, noldest thou hit se ; " And nou thou ne mizt hit lete fro the ! 102 FLORICE AND BLAISTCHEFLOUR. " He moste conne wel mochel of art, " That thou vvoldest zif therof ani part !" Bothe thise swete thinges, for blis, Fallez down here fet to kis ; And criez hire merci, al weping, That zhe hem briwaie nowt to the king. To the king that zhe hem nowt bewreie Wher thourgh thai were siker to dethe ? Tho spak Clarice to Blauncbeflour, Wordes ful of fin amour. " Se doute zou na more wiz alle, " Than to miself hit hadde bifalle. " White zhe wel wrichli, -' That hele ich wille zoure both druni." To on bedde zhe hath him ibrouzt, That was of silk and sendel wrouzt, Thai sette hem there wele softe adoun, And Clarice drouz the courteyn rown. Tho began thai to chirpe and kisse, And made joie and mochel blisse. Florice ferst speke began, And said, " louered that madest man, " The I thanke, godes sone, " Nou al mi care iche haue ouercome, FLORICE AND BLANCIIEFLOUR. 103 " And now ich haue mi left i founde, " Of al mi care ich am unbounde !" Now hath aither other told Of mani a car, foul cold, And of mani pine strong, That thai had bene atwo so long. Clarice hem serued al to wille, Bothe derneliche and stille. Bot so ne mizte zhe long i wite, That hit ne scholde ben underzeite. Now had the ameral swich a wone, That eueri dai ther scholde come, Thre maidenes out of hire bower, To seruen him up in the tour, Wiz water and cloth and bacyn. For to wasschin his hondes in, The thridde scholde bringge comb & mezour, To seruen him wiz gret honour. And thai serued him neuer so faire. Amorwen schold another pair. And mest was woned into the cour, Ther to Clarice and Blauncheflour. So longe him serued the maidenes route. That hir seruice was comen aboute ; 104 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR, On the morewen that thider com Florice, Hit fel to Blauncheflour & to Clarice. Clarice, so wele hire mote betide, Aros up in the morewented, And cleped after Blauncheflour, To wende wiz here into the tour. Blauncheflour said ich am comende, Ac here answere was al sleuende. Clarice in the wai is nome, And wende that Blauncheflour had come Sone so Clarice com in the tour, The ameral asked after Blauncheflour. " Sire, zhe saide anon rizt, " Zhe had i waked al this nizt, " And ikueled, and iloke, " And irad upon hire boke, *' And bad to god hire oriesoun, " That he the ziue benisoun, '* And the held long alive, *' Now sche slepeth also swithe, " Blauncheflour that maiden swete, " That hir ne mai nowtt comen zhete." " Certe, said the king, '* Now is he a swete thing, FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUIl. 105 " Wele arizte ich here serue to wiue, ** When zhe bit so for mi hue." Another dai Clarice arist, And Blauncheflour at wist, Whi hi made so longe demoere? ** Aris up, and go we ifere." Blancheflour saide, " icome anon." And Florice he kleppe bigan, And felle aslepe on thise wise. And after hem gan sore agrise, Clarise to the piler cam, The batyn of gold zhe nam. And had icheped after Blauncheflour, To wende wiz here into the tour. Zhe ne answerede nai ne zo, To wende Clarice zhe ware ago. 8one so Clarice com in to the tour. The ameral asked after Blauncheflour, Whi and wharfore zhe ne come, As he was woned to done ? " Zhe was arisen ar ich were, '* Ich wende her hauen ifonden here."' *< What, ne is zhe nowt icomen zit? " Now zhe me doutez al to lit." 106 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. Forthe he clepeth his chamberleyn, And bit him wende with alle main, And wite withat zhe ne com, As he was wone before to don. The chamberleyn had undernome, Into his hour he his come, And stant bifore hire bed, And find thar twa neb to neb. Neb to neb, an mouth to mouth, Wele sone was that sorwe couth ! In to the tour up he steiz And said his louerd al that he saz. The ameral het his swerd him bring, I witen he wold of that thinge. Forht he minz wiz alle mayn. Himself and his chamberleyn, Til thai com thar thai two laie ; Zit was the slepfast in hire eie. The ameral het hire clothes keste, A litel binethen here breste, And sez he wel son anon. That on was a man that other a woman, He quok for anguisse ther he stod ; Hem to quelle was his mode, FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 107 He him betbowzte ar he wolde hem quelle, What thai wer that schold him telle, And sithen he thowzte hem of dawe don. The children awoken under thon. Thai segh the swerd ouer hem i drawe, Adrad thai ben to ben is! awe. Tho bispak the ameral bold, Wordes that schold sone be told. " Sai me now, thou belami, " Who made the so hardi, " For to come in to mi tour, '• To ligge ther be Blauncheflour ? " To wrotherhale wer ze bore ; " Ze schollen tholie deth therfore." Than ne said Florice to Blauncheflour, " Of oure lif mis no socour." And mercy thai crideon him so swiche, That he zaue hem respite of her Hue, Til he had after his baronage sent. To awreken him thourgz jugement. Up he bad hem slit bothe, And don on other clothes, And siththe he let hem bindefast, And in to prisoun hem he cast. Til he had after his baronage sent, To werken him thourgh jugement. 108 TLOUICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. What helpez bit longe tale to schewe, Ich wille zou telle, at vvordes fewe, Now al his baronag had undernome, And to the ameral zhe beth icome, His halle that was heize ibult, Of kinges and dukes was ifult. He stod up among hem alle, Bisemblaunt swithe wrotht wizalle. He said " lordingges, of mochel honour, " Ze han herd speken of Blauncheflour, ** Hou ich hire bouzte dere, aplizt," For seuen siches of gold hire wizt. For hire faired and hire chere, Ich hire bouzte allinge so dere. " For ich thouzte, wezouten wene, " Here haue i had to mi quene. " Bifore hire bed miself icome, " And fond bi hir naked grom. " Tho thai were me so wrothe, " I thouzte to han equeld hem bothe, <' Ich was so wraz and so wod : " And zit ich wizdrouz mi mod. " Forth e ich haue after zou went, " To awreke me thourgz jugement. " Now ze witen how hit his agon, << A wreke mi swithe of mi fon !" FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 109 Tho spak a king of that londe, " We han iherd this schame and schonde, " Ac er we hem to dethe weeke, " We schoUe heren tho children speke, " What thai wil speke and sigge, " Zif thai ouzt azein wil allegge. " Hit were nowt rezt jugement, " Wezouten answere to acoupement." After the children noii men tendez, Hem to brenne for men lendez, Twaie sarazins forth hem bringez, Toward here deth sore wepinge. Ther were this children two, Now arther birepez otheres wo. Florice saide to Blauncheflour, "Of our lif nis non socour. ** Zif manken hit tholi mizt, " Twies T schold die wiz rizt, " One for miself another for the ; " For this deth thou hest for me !" Blauncheflour said azen tho, " The gelt is min of ounbother wo." Florice drow forth the ring, That his moder him zaue at his parting. 110 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. " Haue now this ring, leman min, " Thou ne schalt nowt die whiles hit is thin," Blauncheflour said tho, " So ne schal hit never go, " That this ring schal ared me " Me maicht no deth on the se." Florice the ring here arauzt, And he him azen hit breauzt. On hire he had the ring ithrast, And hi hit hauez awai ikast. A duk hit sez and bezgh to gronnde, An was glad that ring he founde. On this maner the children come, Weping to the fur and to hire dome. Bifor al that fok thai ware wrowt ; Drer was hire brother thouzt. Ther was non so sterne man, That these children loked upan, That thai ne wolde alle, fulfawe, Here jugement haue wizdrawe. And wiz gret garisoun hem begge, Zif thai dorste speke other sigge. So Florice was so fair a zongling, And Blauncheflour so swete a thing, FLORICE AND BLANCIIEFLOIIR. Ill Of men and wemen that beth nouthe, That gon aur riden and speketh wiz moxithe, Bethe non so fair in hire gladnesse. Als thai ware in hire sorewenesse. No man ne knew hem that hem was wo Bisemblaunt that thai made the, But be the teres that thai schadde, And fellen adoun be here nebbe. The ameral was so wroz and wod. That he ne mizt wizdraw his mod. He bade binde the children faste, In to the fir he hem caste. Thilk duk that the gold ring hadde, Son to speke reuthe he hadde. Fain he wolde hem help to Hue, And told how thai for the ring did strive. The amiral hete hem azen clepe, For he wolde the schildren speke, He asked Florice what he hete; And he him told swithe skete. " Sire, he saide, zif it werethi wille, " Thou ne auztest nowt this maiden spille. '< Ac, sire, lat quelle me, " And lat that maiden aliue be." 112 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. Blauncheflour saide tho ** The gilt is min of our both wo." And the ameral saide tho, " I wis ze stille die bo. " Wiz wreche ich wille me awreke, " Ze ne schoUe neuere go no speke." His swerd he braid out of his schethe, The children for to do to dethe ; And Blauncheflour putt forth hire swire, And Florice gan hire azein tire. " Ich am a man, ich schal go fifore : " Thou ne auztest nowzt mi dez acore." Florice forth his swire putte ; And Blauncheflour arzen it brutte. Al that wezen this, Therfore sori weren I wis, And saide " dreri mai we be *' Biswiche children swich reuthe se." The ameral, wrothe thai he were, Bothe him chaunged mod and chere. . For aither for other wolde die. And he segh so mani a weping eye. And for he hedde so mochel loued the mai, Weping he turned his heued awai, FLORICE AND BLANCIIEFLOU R. 113 And his swerd hit fel to grounde, He ne mizte hit elde in that stounde. Thilke duk that the ring founde, Wiz the ameral spak and round. And ful wel ther wiz he spedde, The children ther wiz fram dethe he redde, " Sire, he saide, hit is htel pris, " Thise children to slew iwis, " Hit is the welmore worsschipe, " Florice conseile that thou wile, '* Who him tawzte thilke gin, " For to com thi tour wizin, " And who that him brouzte thai, " The bet of other tho mizt be wai." Than said the ameral to Florice tho, " Tel me who the tauzte her to ?" " That, quath Florice, ne schall sch neuere do, " Bot zif hit ben forziuen also. " That ze gin me tauzte therto, " Arst ne schal hit neuer be do." Alle thai praied therfore I wis, The ameral graunted this. So euere word Florice hath him told, Hou the maide was fram him sold, I 114 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. And hou he was of Speyne a kinges sone, For hire loue thider i come, To fonden, wiz som gin, That faire maiden for to win, And hou thourgh his gold, and his garisoun, The porter was his man bicom, And hou he was in the coupe bore, And alle this other louen therfore. Now on the amerail wel him mote betide, Florice he sette next his side And made him stonde ther uprizt, And hath idubbed him to knizt, And bad he schold wiz him be, Wiz the formest of his mene, Florice fallet to his fet. And bit him ziue his lip so swet. The ameral zaue him his leman, Alle the othere him thonked than. To one chirche hiet hem bringge, And wedde here wiz here owen ringge. Now bothe this children alle for bliss, Fil the ameral for to kis, And thourgh counsel of Blauncheflour, Clarice was fet down of the tour, FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. 115 And the amerale here wedded to quene ; Ther was feste swithe breine. I ne can tellen alle the sonde, Ac the richest feste in londe, Nas hire nowt longe efter than, That Florice tidingge ne cam, That his fader the king was ded, And al the barnage zaf him red, That he scholde wenden hom, And underfongen his kyngdom, Ac ameral he nom his lent ; And he him bad wiz him be lent. Thanne bespake the ameral, " Zif thou wilt do, Florice, bi mi counseil, '' Dwelle her, and wend nowt hom. " Ich wille the ziuen a kyngdom, " Also longe and also brod, " Als euer zit thi fader bod, " I nel beleue for to winne, " To bidde me hit were sinne." Thai bitauzt the ameral our drizt. And thai com hom whan thai mizt. And let croune him to king. And hire to quene that swete thing, 116 FLORICE AND BLANCHEFLOUR. And underfeng cristendom of prestes honde. And thonked god of alle his sonde, Now ben thai bothe ded, Crist of heuen hom soules led, Now is this tale browt to the ende, Of Florice and of his lemans hende, How after bale hem combote, So wil our louerd that ous mote ! Amen sigges also, And ich schal helpe zou therto ! PIERS OF FULLHAM. EX. MS.'" FF. 5. ArUD TRIN : COLL: CANT. Loo worshipfull Sirs here after fFoUeweth a gently- maly Tretyse full convenyent for contemplatifF louers to rede and understood made by a noble Gierke Piers of fFulha sum tyme usslier of Venus Schole, whiche hath brieflye compyled many praty conceytis in loue under covert termes of fFysshyng and fFowlyng. Perdimus anguillam manibus dum stringimus illam, A MAN that lovith ffisshyng and ftbwlyng- bothe, Ofte tyme that lyff shall hym be lothe, In see in ryver in ponde or in poole, Off that crafte thowe he knowe the scole, Thought his nett never so wide streiche, It happith full ofte hym naught to ketche. 118 PIERS OF FULLHAM. What fisshe is slipperer than an ele ? Ffor whan thow hym gvippist and wenest wele Too haue hym siker right as the list, Than faylist thou off hym, he is owte of thy fyst. Diches sumtyme there samons used to haunte, Lampreyes lucys or pykys plesaunt, Wenyngthe ffissher suche fisshe to tfynde; Than comyth there a noyous north west wynde And dryveth the fisshe into the depe, And causeth the draught nat worthe a leeke ; But in steide off sturgeon and lamprons He draweth up gurnard, and goions, Codlyng cungur, and suche coisy fisshe, Or wulwiche rochis, nat worthe a rysshe. Suche fortune ofte tymes on fisshers fallys, Though they on Petir prayen and callys. It profiteth nat and skille is why Ffor they to fisshyng goon wyth envy, And put it oute off hiernes and hooles Where as they ffynde the ffatt sooles. And wayte in waraynes all the nyght, Evene a non after the owls flight, Whan that true men shulde goo to rest To bribe and here away the best. PIERS OF FULLHAM. 119 That soiourne and kept bien in stiewe Ffor store that nothyng shulde hyin remewe. But the goode man that oweth that gouernance, His costlewe catell and his purviaunce And severe! oonly for to serue hym selfF, But nowe other that use anglyng ten or twelfF, Wyth water hookys, and certayne baite, That makyth the fisshe after their foode to wayt, To breeke trunkes these traitours use, The cely fisshes can nat hem selfF excuse ; Tyll it be spitted like a sprotte, But the goodeman knoweth thereof no grott. That paieth for all though that he be blynde So that he his fiUe oflf fisshe may fynde It suffiseth he seieth. No man will stele Thus berdes been maade all daye full feele With anglers and other gynnes over all, There may no mans stiewe stonde seuerall. Be it closed neuer so well abowte, Therfor I stonde cliere out oflf doute, Shall I never ponde wyth pykes store Breame tenche. Perche neuer the moore. But in rennyng ryvers that bee commone, There will I fisshe and taake my fortune 120 PIERS OF FULLHAM. VVyth nettys, and with angle hookys, And laye weris and sprenteris in narrowe brookys, Ffor loochis, and lampreyes, and good layk, I will stele off no mans a strayke. Ffor whoo so usith that lyfF too, and too, His fusteryng sothly is for doo. Idrowned, on day peraventure sodeynly, Taken to prison in povert dye. And therfor lett true men liven in pays, Stroye natt theire stiews, stele nat theire plays. I see suche thynge afoore the eye That dayly encresith save the severalte Beeth wise and ware howe that ye wende Ffor off false fisshyng commyth a fowle ende. Therfor eschewe all suche prevy slaunders Com there nat dayly out off fflaunders Off ffat elys full many a showte ? And grete chepe whoso waiteth aboute, But nowe men in deyntyes so hem delyte, To feede them on tendre fisshes lyte, As floundres, perches, and such pikyng waare, I see no man that will gladly spaare To sufFre them wex unto theire age ; Theye shuUen be endyted for suche damage, PIERS OF FULLHAM. 121 And ete the olde fisshe, and leve the yonge, Thought they moore towgh be uppon the tonge, And the belyes not shewyng an ynche resett, Yet savowre off sawce may make goode mete. Late this yonge fisshe lyve till certayn yeres, And payne us to fisshe oure olde weres, But stynkkyng fisshe, and unsesonable, Latt passe, and taake such as be able. Spaare no man, but love no wast, Beth well waare when ye feele such tast, Ffor in fisshe ffatt is felt no boone, But whoo that about suche game shulde goon, Off governance he must have a name, And suffre no man to fisshe in others game. 122 PIERS OF FULLHAM. Ffistula dulce canit volucrein dum decipit auceps. FfuU swetely sowneth the pipe, and syngith, While the fowles with his deceyte bryngeth The byrdes in to his fFalse craft, Than som fowlyng wer goode to be lafte, There may no mannes snares by other stande No panteirs pight l)e water, nor by lande, "Where a comone ffowlyng hath ofte be sayne In snowe, in fFrost, in hayle, and in rayne. Theyr may no man ever his grennes keepe, Ffor somtyme a mong a man must slepe, And wayte on his game at certayne tyme, Att noone, at nyght, or elhs at pryme ; To see iff any fowle be kyght, As meny as be taken at that fflyght. But than happeneth ofte that a nother, A man is deceyved oft" his owne brother, Nat levyng his lustys but foUeweth the same, And steleth away his ffelowes game, PIERS OF FULLHAM. 123 And that the tfayrest and fattest of the fflokke EnfefFyng his felowe with a more cok ; And seyth sothely, I haue grete mervayle That thy panteirs catcheth no pullayle, And I haue the ffayiest that euer thau felt, But I trowe that thy grynnes been untelt, EUys to fieble, or to many folde, Off queeres, or ells thy complexion is colde That it makyth that all this fovvle is myne, Supposing that my baite is better than thyne ; Thou maiste see by all this store, Here is i nowgh ftbr me, and moche moore ; Taake off the best that is off myne, And serue me the same another tyme, He is a gloton that wolde haue all, Ffor somtyme suffice shall. A queynt is used, a quayle pipe. In somer er the corne be ripe, Ffollewyng the sowne sewyng his maake, Tyll the byrde under the nett be taake. And giltles been begiled in suche a wise, But and ffishes and ffowles weren wyse. They myght euermore lyven in pease , Butt hungour it maketh wythouten leese, 124 PIERS OF FULLHAM. And bayte suche as men for hem legge, Whiche causeth them to be taake or they be flegge^, Wyth full meny kennys instrumentys. A gentyll ftbwle can make no defence. Whan he is taake, save wrigge wyth the tayle a lite, But pyes, and crowes, can bothe cracthe and bytee, Kytes and bosardys, and suche boystous fFowles, It coramyth by kynde, and eke owlys, It passith my witt in eny maner wise The craft ofFffisshyng andffowlyng you to devyse. Off ffisshyng, and fowlyng, I am to leere But men that medlith off suche matter, To fisshe, and fowle and ffayleth witte, Knowing where ffowles are wont to sitt Ffor their ffoode bothe day, and nyght, To wayte what thyng comyth to theire sight And flayen thise ffowles from thire place Ffaarewell their sportis for lakk off grace, Ffor a wylde ffowle that was neuer tame. Is crafte to catche it in any game. And whane they be caughte, to hold them fast, yett but thowe please them whan they be past. Thy panters, and playes, they will forsaake. And to others byrdys playntes maake. PIERS OF FULLHAM. 125 That all gentyll ffowles shall the lothe, So may thowe leese thy game, and others bothe ; Thy lyme twiggis shall the litill avayle, Thus unkonnyng may all craftis quayle. Butt an olde fFowle that hath the snares escaped, May cause many a fowle to be japed, Whooso canne suche olde fowles please, Ofte tyme in hungur it dooth grete ease ; But men nowe adayes been so lycorouse, That fewe can lyve by stoore of howse, As brawne, bacon, and powder beefF, Suche lyvelod nowe is no man liefF, But volatile venyson and her onsewes So newefangle and nyce men been of thewes, Moche medlett wyne men all day drynke, I haue wyst wilde fowle sum tyme stynke ; Whan it is newe caught whoo can it knowe Nat byt by lookyng and tastyng lowe ? And iff he fFynde so chafed that chaffre, That it late com out off the snare, Yet this condycyon myght cause debate, But men seen ofte that fFolke off symple estate, Shall haue moche happe as in this arte. Off partriches and plovers to haue theire part. 126 PIERS or FULLHAM. Whan lordys shall lakke and that is wronge, But ffowlis syng thus in theire songe, Where baite is best there will we abyde, And love oure profyte for eny pride, My soueraynes I yowe ensure, Wyth ffisshynge and fFowlyng I may not endure. My laste will shalle be ever moore, Whan deyntees iFayle, to taake me to stoore A mallard ofF the dung hill is good inought for me, Wyth plesaunt pykill, ells it is poyson perde : My stomak accordeth to every meete. Save reresoupers I refuse lest I sorfette ; Gouernaunce is goode ; who so it use can ; Piers of ffulham was a wele gouerned man. He knewe the condition off every byrde, There was no husbondry from hydde ; Off ffisshyng and ffowlyng he wolde nat fayle But his enbatement were store on the tayle. So usen his eyres get at this day It is full harde bothe to pycche and paye ; An empty purse may evill accomptis yelde, Therfor I will my panteris untield, My gynnes, my japis, I will resigne To ffellawes, and to ffrendys off myne, PIERS OF FL'LLHAM. 127 That han fFeelyng in fFissbyng, and fFowlyng eke, Ffor suche ffantesyes han maade me seeke ; By suche crafte may no man catche estate ; But he that laboreth bothe erly, and laate, And therfor I gave up all my geere, And pray yow that I may youre byrdys beere. That office will serue me at the ffull, To helpe ete them rost, or puUe, It sufficyth wolld ye me so avaunce, Ffor translated is all my plesaunce Dyverse ftbwles han dyverse tast ! A man may all day myshap for hast, Hungur sparith no mete, though it be rawe, Yet suche licouresnesse is nat worth a strawe Thy stomak wyth corrupcion to encombre, For all the leches from Dover to Humbre, We myght save thy lyfF so it myght happe ; Therfor in tyme tye up thy tryacle tappe. Latt neuer to longe thy fFawcett renne, Kepe allway some ynke in thy penne, To write wyth thynge that berith charge, Off thy litill lyveloode be nat to large, Lest thow takke whan thou levest weere, Whoso knoweth the so the needith nat to enquere. 128 PIERS OF FULLHAM. But ofte tymes been ther bargaynes dryven, And when ther is noon ernest gyven. All is loste that thow hast goon abowte, That is sothe this is no dowte. A thryfty bargayn wold not be taryed Whan it is maade but lightly caryed. Into a certeyn place to receyve the paye No lusshebornes, but money of ffyne assaye. No nobles, nor groots, nor coyne iclypped, But full payment, and no thynge over skypped. A true payer may bargayne whan hym lyste. But tollers off money been nat be tryste. Ffor they token off that they shulde nat taake, Off the marchaunt therfor they bee forsaake. And that is becawse off covenantes brooken, A man shulde nat contrary that his mowthe had spoken. And tyde tarieth no lenger than hym lyst An hundred han been begiled wyth badde I wyst Ffor southyn wyndys that som tyme blowe, Makyn mastys to bowen and lye full lowe, Ffor som havens wyll no anker holde, The cablys crasen, and begynne to fFolde. So myry, and so moyst is the grounde, Than lakkyth the lyne wherewyth to sounde. PIERS OF FULLHAM. 129 So is he begyled that stondith atte stevne, Ffor the loodsman that shulde hem lerne, Lakkyth brayne, and also the lanterne is out, That what worde to sey, he is in doute, Eyther warae the lof, or ells full and by And so is he chased out off the chanell sodeynly. Than is no helpe but strike sayle, I knowe noon so redy a ryvaile, As is the reedeclyff by this warine wose, There mayst thow savely as I suppose, Abyde for evry wynde, or storme that blowes, Itt is an open haven that meny men knowes And sielden been ther shippes seen goon to -wtakk, But in the lethy mastis lieth all the lakke A man shulde his takle evene mesure, After the vessel may endure, Ffor as to rowe in a barge with a skull, It avayleth nat but the ffloode be at the full Ffor and iff the streme stande styfF a gayne Thanne all the laboure is loste in vayne. A man must his course as it commyth abowte An unredy rower shendith all the rowte As well in ffisshyng as in other fFaare Trouthe wolde that every man shulde sparre His fFrendys game, and lyve in pays, Stroy nat their stewes stele nat theire plays. Here after foilewyth the moralyte off this lytill processe in a fewe goode wordys. Iff any man and woman that hath a deuocyon to heire hit they shall haiie peraventure for theire meede nat past C dayes of par- don. SoM men been so longe absent from their play That other men come and take their game away And therfor it is seid in wordys ffewe How that longe absence is a shrewe. Ffor loves myghty violence Apalled is wyth longe absence, And thus full ofte the game goth That ffirst was lieff it makith lothe For love stant in no certeyn Off ffolke that been selden savne. And eke as I reherse can The tyde off love abideth no man. Looke theym that been ffurthest from the stronde Whoo rowyth best commyth first to londe Men rehersen in theire sawe, Hard it is to stryve wyth wynde or wawe, PIERS OF FULLHAM. 1'31 Whether it doo ebbe or ells fRowe But who that in lovis boote doth rowe, If that he to longe abide To cast an anker at his tyde, And fayleth off his lodemanage To waite uppon a sure passage, A tyme sett that he ne fayle In diepe to maake his a ryvaile. Whan the water is smothe, and stille, Wher ther be no wyndys ille, That contrarious will heve, and blowe, To make his ryvaile to be knowe, At RedeclyfF on his sayle to shewe, In suche a caas absence is a shrewe. Absence haue well in niynde, He settith fFeele folke ofte behynd, And loveship goth ay to wrakke, Where that presens is put a bakk, But he that is off custom nye, And off his porte queynt and slye, That erst waslieff he makyth loth That absent trustith uppon othe Ftbr men han seen here to fForne That love laughith whan men been forsworn. 132 WAS IN DYSPEYRE. Lapwynk playnly it is no ffable, In theire hartys been so unstable, "Whether they been olde or yonge otf age, Upon the tyde of theire coorage, What thynge that commyth ffirst to hande, Itt is welcom unto the stronde, OfFkynde they haue suche f^ppetite, Ffor to fuUfyll theire delyte, Whiche hath caused here to forne, That many a man hath hadde an home. And unto suche myschieff fall, That he unware hath loste his galle, To make hym sure that he nat drowne, Nor wyth sodayn wawis swonne, Whyche as clerk ysdetermyn. Is a parfite medycyne, Bothe oon fresshe water, and on see, That fFolke shall nat drowned be. I meane hosbondys yong and olde. That beren the name off a cookeold, They be ensured from all suche rage. Off maryners the fel passage, Concludyng to speke in wordys fevve That longe absence is a shrewe. PIERS OF I'ULLHAM. 133 Ffor thorowyth the yere som folke lyvyng Han harde the cokcowe fFresshly syng, In contreyes many moo than oon ; God save suche ffowhs euerychon As lapwynkys and thise calmewes That swymme on wawes whan it flowes, And somtyme on the sondys goon, That can maake and put a bone In the hcodys off theire hushond ; Whan they been goon fer out of londe, And can shewe theire goodely chiers To knowen folke and to straungers, Namely to folke that been datyeff, They haue ther eyen vocatifF, Theyr purses been callyd ablatifF, That ffolke that be name genytiff, An erbe is cause off all this rage In oure tonge called culrage. EXPLICIT PIERS OFF FFULHAM. 134 THE LADY THAT Here foloweth a good ensample of a lady that was in dyspeyre. EX M.S.S.to FF. 2. 38. APDD BIBL: VKIV : CANT. Cryst that was crucyfyed for synners unkynde Gyf me very happe and tokyn in thys cas To mene of thys matter that y of mynde Clenly to declare God graunt me hys grace Y schall telle yow hyt was Of a lady that lyved in drede Sche levyd nothyng in the masse That very God was in forme of bredd (Various readings from M.S. Ff. 5. 48.) 1 God that on the rode was rent, 2 Graunt me grace redely to know this case 3 To meve this mater I haue ment 4 Lerely to declare God gif me grace 5 I shal yow tell right as hir was 6 OflF. lyved 7 She levyd not in that was hir grace 8 Veray. WAS IN DYSPEYRE. 135 Sche had a lorde a gentyll knyght That loued wele hys God the sothe to say 10 The lady was in sorowe pyght Sche grevyd God false was hur lay. Sche levyd nothyng that ys preste can say As clerkys in bookys can rede, And for nothyng that men do may, 15 That very God was in forme of bredd. Hyt be felle at Estur day, after the lente, That every man to churche dud gone To resceyve ther God in good All but the lady sche was yn none. 20 1 Levyd wel in god. 11 In syn I plight. 12 To greve hir god tliat was hir grace 13 She belevyd in no masse that she sawe 14 But wroght aftur the fendys rede 15 Deest and. cowd sey - 1 6 Verray. formed in brede 17 On estur day aftur the lent 18 Every man to criste made his mon 19 Him in gode entent 20 And only that lady allon 136 THE LADY THAT Sche hydd the ooste on hur brest bon, And bare hyt home to hur own stedd, There gode devosyon had sche non, That very God ys in forme of bredd. There sche take that body bleste, 25 And in a kerchyt sche can hyt folde And in hur forcer sche can hyne keste, That same God that Judas solde. And there sche kepyd that body dere, And wroght aftur the fendys redd, 30 When that was paste halfe a yere Very God in forme of bredd. 21 She had criste vndur hir brest bon 22 Hym. til, 23 Ffor gode beleve. 24 Is formed inbrede. 25 She bare him home, &c. 26 Did. 27 Deest can. 28 The same body. 29 Deest and. 31 Till it was passed, zere. 32 That veray God was formed in brede. WAS IN DYSTEYRE. 137 Be thys alhalow tyde nyhed nere, The lady to hur forcer dud gon, Sche beryed that body that sche put there 35 Under a pere tree hur selfe allon ; In an erbere be syde hur halle, That feyre and grene can spryng and sprede, p gode ensample schew y schall That very God ys in form of brede. 40 A ryall feste the knyghte can make, So worschypfully on crystymas day, Oflordys and ladyes that wolde. hyt take And knyghtes that were of gode array : 33 Tille albalow day drew hym nere 34 Til hur forser she can goon 35 Andther she beryd that body dere 38 Began to groo. 39 Be this ensample. ; 41 Kyng. 42 Deest so. 44 And also knyghts. 138 THE LADY THAT An holy byschopp the knyght dyd pray 45 So worschypfully to his own stedd That levyd well in goddys fay That very God was in forme of bredd. So they waschyd and yede to mete The byschop the grace did say 50 A squyer wyth owten lete Servyd them in gode array. The squyer knelyd on hys knee And sayde lordyngs wyth owten drede , Blessyd must that lorde bee 55 That ys very god in forme of brede. 45 Holy bisshoppis. can 46 Worshiply to be at mete. 47 He lovyd wel the sothe to sey 48 Is formed in. j 49 When they had wasshene and wene set 50 Worthely grace thei can sey 53 Down on knees he hym sett 55 Here is a peyre tre semely and gret 56 And fayre blorays began to sprede WAS IN DYSPEYRE. 139 Herkenyth now all wele to me (a) And of my carpyng takyth godehede, Hyt ys a seraely syght to see Thys day a pere tre be gynyth to spredd. 60 A fayer syght may no man see The blossomys be bothe whyte and redd Thorow hys myght that dyed on tre Very God in forme of bredd. The seconde com-s came in full sone 65 Wyth grete myrthe and solempnyte The lady dredd sche had wysdom Anon when sche the pere true see. Often sche stodyed in hur thought And in hur hert sche had grete dredd 70 And sayde to her selfe sche had myswrogt Ageyn hur God in forme of bredd. The thyrdd cours come in y wene FfuU ryally in to the halle Be this the pere tre was growen all grene 75 Wyth perys rype and downe can falle. (a) 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. desuntin M.S. Ff. 5. 48. 67 The lady thozt she hade mysdon 68 Can se. 140 THE LADY THAT ' Thys tydyngs had botlie grete and small - Ffor fayrer fruyt was nevyr in lede Thorow hys mygbt that boght us all Very God in forme of brede. 80 Breke a braunche the byschop seyde Of that fruyt that ys comen thorow godds grace ; A squyer brake a bogh wyth grete breydd Kyt bledd on hym bothe honde and face ; The squyer sykyd, and seyde alias 85 Upon hym bledd the blode so redd, Ffor he was beryed in that place, Very God in forme of bredd. 78 Ffayrer was neuer with outen drede 79 Vertew of hym _, 80 That veray, &c. 81 Breke vs. 82 Deest fruyt owyn. 83 Brake a braunch of the tre. 84 The blode ran, 85, 86, 87. 88. desunt in M.S. Ff. 5. WAS IN DYSPEYRE. 141 The byschop start ouyr the tabull anon And hydd to the pere tre that syghte to see 90 To Ihu cryst he had a boon Ffayre knelyng on hys knee. He sett the braunches ageyn to the tre, Hyt grewe to the tre wyth outen drede By all gode sample men may see 95 That very God is in forme of brede. The byschop made to delue down to the rote And put ther to hys men anon. And found in a ******** A blessyd chylde formyd in blode and bon. 100 89 Rose fro the bord anon. 90 And presed the sirt to se. 91 To myghtfull god he made his mon 92 Ffulfayre. 93 Deest agayn. 94 Hit closed ageyn long and brede. 95 Be this insampull ze may se. 96 Formed in brede. 97 Thei reised the erth fro the rote 98 Thei sowzt on sadly eury chon 99 Ther thei fond the fode 100 A welfayre childe of flesh and bon 142 THE LADY THAT He lokyd on the pare tre, the fryt was gon Thechylde turnyd hym abowtewyth wounds redd, And blessyd the pepuU euery chon God that was before in forme of bredd. The lady syked, and sayde, alias! 105 Into the worlde that sche was wroght, The chylde turnyd awey his face, To loke on that lady wolde he noght. Schriste of the byschop the lady besought I have greuyd my god in worde and dede 110 The byschop seydd thou haste myswroght A geyn thy God in forme of brede. The byschop « * in that stounde And seyde woman wythowten drede, In bitter balys thou arte bounde 115 Schryve the wele thus y the rede. 101 V. 103 comes before 101 in M.S. Ff. 5. 48, but the M.S. is illegible on account of the damp it has sustained. 106 When she was forth brozt 108 The lady se wolde he not. 109 Souzt. 110 And in hir hert she began to drede 112 The lorde in forme of brede. V. 113. 114.115. 116.117. 118. 112. 120. desunt in M.S. Ff. 5. 48. WAS IN DYSPEYRE. 143 And tbynk on hym that dyed on tre And for us all hys blode hath schedde Here thy selfe the sothe may see That very God ys in forme of bredd. 120 The byschop reveschyd hym in holynes And bare that blessyd body to an autere Wyth holy wordys in to bredd he can hym dresse And there he * * that lade dere. Sche resceyuyd hur god then 125 That for vs all hys blode hath schedd, I take wytnesse of god and man That very god ys in forme of bredd. God as thou dyed on the rode Ffor me, and yow, and al mankyde, 130 And boght vs wyth hys precyovs blode Thou haue vs euyr in thy mynde. 121 Armed him in his surplese. 122 And to the awterhe hym bare. 123 In forme of bred he can hym dresse. 124 Hous. V. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 130. desunt in M.S. Ff. 5. 48. 144 THE LA0Y,&c. Mary modur that art so bonde ! Saue us fro the fendys redd, And geve vs grace when we hauc wonde 135 To resceyve God in forme of bredd. A BALLAD. (ex M.S.S.*" FF. 2. 38. APUD BIBL : VNIV. CANT.) Now of this feest telle I can I trow as wel as any man Be est or be west, Ffor ouer alle in ilke aschire I am send for as a sire To ilke a gret fest. Ffor in ferth ther was on Sich on saw I neuer non In Inglond ne in Fraunce. Ffor they hade I the maistry Of alle maner of curry Sith then was myschaunce. Ther was meyts wel dizt Well sesoned to the right Off rost, and of sew, L 146 A BALLAD. Ther was meyts to heuen That were a maistre al to weren But sum I con you. Ther was pestels in pozra And laduls in rozra Ffor pord * * * » * And somer saduls in sevvys And mashefatts in moitrewys Ffor ther to******** Ther was plente of ale To thevm that were in halle, To lasse and to more Ther was gryndulstones in graly And mylstones in mawmany And al this was thore. But zet lett thei for no costs Ffor in euery mylus posts iij in a disshe And bell clapurs in blawndisare With a nobull cury Ffor tho that ete no fissh. A BALLAD. 147 Then come in iordans in iussall AIs red as any iussall Come ther among, And blobstcrdis in white sorre Was of a nobuU curry With spicery strong. Ther come chese crustis in charlett As red as any scarlett With ruban in vise ; Certis of alle the festis That euer T saw in gestis This may ber the prise. Ther was costrell in cambys And capuls in cuUys With blandamete in dorde The nedur lippe of a larke Was broght in a muk cart And set be for the lorde. Then come in stedis of Spayn With the brute of Almayne With palfrayes in paste 148 A BALLAD. * * * # dongesterks in doralle Was forsed wele with charcoal But ceitis that was wast. Then came in the fiuture With a nobuU savoure With fetur loks fried, And alle the cart whehs of Kent With stonys of the payment Fful wel were thei tried. Then come in a horshed In the sted of french brede With alle the riche hide, Now hade I not ther seen Side of sow wold wene Fful lovvde that I lyed. Then came in the kydde Dressyd in a horse syde That abyl was to lese, iii yron harows And many whele barowes In the stid of new chese. A BALLAD. 149 When they had drawen the borde Then seid Peikyn a worde Hyniself to avownce, Syn we haue made gode chere I zed ilke man in fere Goo diesse hym to a downce. There ze myght se a mery sight When thei were sammen knytte Without any fayle, They did but ran ersward And ilke a man went bakward Topper ouer tayle. Tybbe were full tharre of hert As sche dawnsid she latt a fart Ffor sich * « Now sirris for your curtesy Take this for no vilany But ilke man crye. » * Off this fest can I no more But certes thei made ham mery thore Whil the day wold last, 150 A BALLAD. Zet myght thei not alle in fere Haue eton the meytis I reckond here But theire bodys had brast. EXPLIC, FF. ***** A TALE OF THE UNNATURAL DAUGHTER. JEX M.M.S.'" FF. 5. 48. APl'D BIBL : VNIV : CANT: Herkyns now bothe more and lasse I wille yow telle of a heuy casse Listyns I wille yow telle, If ze this tale wille here Sum gode therein ze mow lere At home if ze wille dwelle. Ther was a man of mycall mayne In the bisshope riche of Wyan Riche of londe and ledis, He hade a wyfe gentill, and fre, The best woman that myzt be And fuUe of almys dedis. A douzter they had betwen hem twoo The fayrest that myzt on erth goo, 152 A TALE OF THE Made of flesshe and blode A fuUe harde grace was hir lentte Er she owt of this worde wentte And alle hit turned to gode. Sech dedis hade she wrouzt In dedly synne she was brouzt In wan hope without bote, Such a grace was hir lent That she come to mendment God graunte that we so mowzte. The fende of hell agayn skyll Put on hir a harde wille Hur fadurs luf to wynne, And also temped was that man His owne douzter for to tan . To do a dedly synne. The fende temped hym on a day The mayden came the sothe to say In a preve stede, Hur fadur prayed hir of luf derne And she wolde hym not werne Thorow the fendis rede. UNNATURAL DAUGHTER. 153 The fadur with his douzter did his wille They zede togedur piiuely and stille Thei were wonder wylde, In holy churche us clerks fynde On his douztur a ga-n l Thus the Justes helde frome twayne after none Tyll syxe was strycke ofclockes mo than one Whiche houres past, The defendauntes the tylte about compast, And with trumpettes out of the felde they past ; The chalengers in the felde abode laste ; Euery eche day. And one of them the lady dyde convaye. That named was the yonge lady of May, From her hye stage with floures made so gaye, And there redy Was his felawe hym to accompany ; Thus the chalengers melodyously. About the tylte rode also ryght warrily, In theyr armore. 252 THE JUSTES OF Complete saue of theyr heed peres pure And in this wyse they made departure, Accompanyed with many a creature Youge and lusty.. On horses gambawdynge wonderously, That it semed as to a mannes eye. That they wolde haue haryed styll in the skye. Other there were That were joly and gorgyas in theyr gere. And than they lyst, coude well handle a spere. That came eche day to serue other men there On eche party. And dyde in eche thynge indeferently, It came be ye sure of ryght grete curtesy ; Of the chalengers I shall you certify How they were prest. Twyse in the weke in the felde redy drest, Durynge the May, and chosen for dayes best, Were sondaye, and thursday, and merelyest To shewe pleasure THE MONETH OF MAY. 253 With speres gete them to auenture, And who in presence of this lady pure, Brake morst speres, a golde rynge sholde beure Of this lady ; Aud agayne, on the party contrary, Yf the defendaunt on his party, Of speres alowed brake not so many As chalengere ; Or he went there humbly, he sholde apere Before this lady moost comely of chere, And to present vnto her a rynge there. This ordre set. Was with artycles more whereof to treate, Sholde he to longe but who best had the feate, Was gladdest man but he the pryce dyde gete, That speres brake Most in the felde, yet other had no lake Of speres brokynge, for to here the crake, Wolde cause ony lusty herte pleasure to take. What with the brute. 254 THE JUSTES OF Of trumpettes, and many an other flute, Of taboryns, and of many a douce lute, The Mynstrelles were properly clade in sute. All this deuyse, Was worthy prayre after my poore aduyse, Syth it was to no manner preiudyse To passe the tyme, this merciall exercyse Was commendable, Specyally for folkes honourable. And for other gentylmen therto able, And for defence of realmes, profytable Is the vsage. Therfore good is tohaue par fyght knowledge, For all men that haue youth, or motely age, How with the spere theyr enemyes to outrage At euery nere. And how he sholde also gouerne his stede. And for to vse in stede of other dede To were armure complete from fote to hede, Is ryght metely. THE MONETH OF MAY. It encouragetli also a body, Enforcynge hym to be the more hardy ; And syth it is so necessary, (I them commende. That to defende Them selfe pretende Valyauntly. '255 (And dyscommende Them that dyspende Theyr Hfe to ende (Some reprehende Suche as entende To condescende (God then amende And grace them sende Not to ofFende In vayne foly. To chyvalry. More tyll they deye. (Thende of the Justes of Maye.) WILLY AM AND THE WERWOLF. FRAGMBNTUM APUD BIBL : COLL: REG: CANT: Hit bi fel in that forest there ist by side, Ther woned a wel old cherl that was a couherde, That fele wintres in that forest fayre hadkepud, Mennes ken of the cuntre as a comen herds. And thus it bitide that time, as tellen oure bokes, This couzherd comes on a time to kepen is bestes, Ffast by side the borwz there the barn was inne. The herd had with him an hounde, his hert to Hzt, And for to wayte on his bestes wanne thai to brode went. The herd sat than with hound azene the hote sunne, Nouzt fully a furlong fro that fayre child, And louztand kyndely his schon also here craft failes. AVILLYAM AND THE WERWOLV, 257 That while wns the werwolf went a boute his praye, Wher behoued to the barn to bring as he mizt. The child tlian darked in his den dernly him one, And was a big bold barn, and breme of his age, Ffor spakly speke it conthe tho, and spedeliche to wawe. Lonely lay it along in his lonely denne, And busketle him out of the buschys that were blouzed grene, And leued ful lonely that lent grete schade, And briddes ful bremely on the bowes singe. What for melodye that thei made in mery sesonn, That litel child listely lorked out of his cane, Ffaire flowres for to feeche that he bi fore him seye, And to gadere of grases that grene were and fayre. And whan it was out went, so wel hit him liked The sauor of the swete sesoun, and song of the briddes That ferde fast a boute, floures to gadere ; And layked him long while to lesten that merye. The couherds hound that time, as happe by tidde, Feld foule of the child, and fast thider fulwes, And sone as he it seiz, sothe for to telle, He gan to berke on that barn and to * * * it hold That it wax neiz of wi * * * wod for fere, And comsed than to crye so kenely, and schille, s 258 AVILLYAM AND THE WEUVVOLF. And wepte so wonder fast, wite thou for sothe, That the son of the cry com to the cowherde evene, That he wist witerly it was the wys of a childe. Than ros he vp radely, and ran thider swithe, And drouz him toward the den bi his dogges noyce. Bi that time was the barn for here of that hounde Drawe him in to his den, and darked ther stille, And wept euen as it wolde a wede for fere. And euen the dogge at the hole held it at a baye. And whan the kouherdcom thide he koured lowe, To bihold in at the hole whi his hound berkyd, Thanne of sauz he ful sone that semliche child. That so louelithe lay, and wep in that loyli caue, Clothed ful komly for an kud kinges sone, In gode clothes of gold a greyed ful riche, With perrey, and pellure pertelyche to the rizttes. The cherl wondred of that chaunce, and chastised his dogge, Badhimblinneofhisberking: and to the barn talked. Acoyed it to come to him, and clepud hit oft. And foded it with floures, and with faire byhest, And hizt it hastely to haue what it wold zerne, Appeles and alle thinges thatchildern after wilnen. So for to seiz al the sothe so faire the cherl glosed. That the child com of the caue and his criynge stint. The cherl ful cherli that child tok in his armes, WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 259 And kest hit, and clipped, and oft crist thonkes, That hade him senttho sonde swithe prey to finde. Wiztlich with the child he went to his house, And bitok it to his wif tiztly to kepe. A gladere wommon vnder god no mizt go on erthe, Than was the wif with the child witow for sothe. Sche kolled it ful kindly, and askes is name, And it answered ful sone, and seide, " William," y hizt. Than was the godwifglad, and gan itfaire kepe. That it wanted nouzt that it wold haue. That thei ne fond him as faire as for here state longed, And the beter be the sure, for barn ne had thei none Brouzt forth of here bodies, here bale was the more But sothly thai seide the child schuld weld al here godis, Londes, and ludes, as ether after here lif dawes But from the cherl and the child now chaunge we oure tale. Ffor i wol of the werwolf a wile now speke. Whanne this werwolf awile was come to his wolnk denne. And hade brouzt bil foder for the barnes mete, That lie hade wonne with wo wide wher a boute, 260 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. Than fond he nest, and no neiz for nouzt nas ther leued. And whan the best the barn missed so balfully he ginneth, That alle men vpcn molde no mizt telle his sorwe. Ffor reuliche gan he rore, and rente al his hide, And fret oft of the erthe, and fel doun on swowe, And made the most dool that man mizt diuise. And as the best in his bale ther a boute wente, He fond the feute al fresh where forth the herde Hade bore than barn beter it to zeme, Wiztly the werwolf than went bi noze, Euene to the herdes house, and hastely was thare. There walked he a boute the walles to winne in sizt, And at the last leuth a litel hole he findes ; There pued he in priuely, and pertilich ebi holdes ; Now hertily the herdes wif hules that child, And how fayre it fedde, and fetisliche it bathede, And wrouzt with it as wel as zif it were hire owne. Thanne was the best blithe, and now for the barncs sake, Ffor he wist it schold be warded wel thanne at the best, And hertily for that hap to heuene ward he loked, WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 261 And throliche thonked god mani thousand sithes, And seythen went on is way whider as him liked, But whider ward wot i neuer witow t'orsothe. At nowthe ze that arn hende haldes ow stille, And how that best therwe bale was brougt out of kinde, I wol zou telle as swithe trewly the sothe. Werwolf was he non wox of kinde Ac komen was he of kun that kud was ful nobul, Ffor the kud king of spayne was kindely his fader, He gat him, as god gaf grace on his ferst wyue, And at the burth of that barn the bold lady deyde. Siththen that kud king so bi his conseyl wrout A nother wif that he wedded a worchipful ladi, The princes douzter of portingale, to prue the sothe, But lelliche that ladi in zouthe hadde lerned miche schame, Ffor al the werk of witchecrait wel y nouz che couzthe ; Nede nadde she namore of nigramauncy to lere, Of coninge of witche craft wel nouz she couzde, And braund was that bold queue of burnes y clepud. The kinges furst child was fostered fayre as it ouzt, And had lordes, and ladies it lonely to kepe, And fast gan that frely barn fayre for to wexe, 262 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. The quene his moder on a time as a mix thouzt How fayre, and how fetis it was, and freUche scha- pen, And this thanne thouzt sche throly that it no- schuld neuer Knuere to be king ther as the kinde eyre, Whille the kinges ferst sone were ther alme. Than studies sche stifly, as stepmoders wol alle, To do dernly a despit to here stepchilderen, Ffevli a mong foure schore vnnethe findestow on gode. But truly tizt hadde that quene take hire to rede To bring that barn in bale botles for euer, That he ne schuld wiztli in this world neuer weld reaume. Anoynement anon she made of so gret strengthe Brenchaunsnens of charmes that euel chaunche hire tide, That whan that womman that wizt hadde that worli child, Ones wel an oynted the child wel al a bowte, He wex to a werwolf wiztly ther after, At the making of man so mysse hadde she schaped, Ac his witt welt he after as wel as to fore. But leuth other likenes that longeth to man kynne, But awilde werwolf ne wele he neuer after. WILLYAM AND THE WEUWOLl'. :16'3 And whanne this witly werwolf wiste liiiu so schaped, He knew it was bi the craft of his kursed stepraoder, Andthouzt or he went away he wold, zifhe mizt, Wayte hire sum wicked torn what bi tidde after, And as bline boute bod he braydes to the quene, And hent hire so hetterly to haue hire a strangeled. That hire deth was neiz dizt, to deme the sothe ; But carfuli gan sche crie so kenely, and lowde, That maydenes and mizthi men manliche to hire come, And wolden brusten the best nad he be the lizttere, And fled a way the faster in to ferre londes. So that pertely in to poyle he yassed that time : As this fortune bi fel that I told of bi fore. Thus was this witty best werwolf ferst maked. But now wol 1 stint a stounde of this sterne best, And tale of the tidy child that y of told ere. Thus passed is the first pas of this pris tale. And ze thatlouen, and lyken to listen a ni more Aue wizth on hoi hert to the hen king of heuene Preieth a pater noster priuely this time, For the hend erl of herford sir humfray de bowne, The king Edwards newe, at glouseter that ligges, 264 VVILLYAM AND THE WERAVOLF. Ffor he of frensche this fayre tale ferst dede translate In ese of Englysch men in englysch speche : And god graunt hem his blis that godly so prayen. Dene lordes now listenes of this litel barn That the kinde kovvhcrde wif kepcd so fayre, And he wist it as wel, or betas zifit were hire owne, Til hit big was, and bold to bunschen on felde, And couthe ful craftily kepe alle here bestes, And bring hem in the best lese whan hem bi stode nede, And wited hem so wisly that wanted him neuer one. A bowe al so that bold barn bi gat him that time, And so to schote vnder the schawes scharplyche he lerned, That briddes, and smale bestes with his bow he quelles, So plenteousliche in his play, that pertly to telle, Whanne he went hom eche nizt with is droue of bestis, He com him self y charged with conyng, and hares, With fesauns, and feld fares, and other foules grete, That the herd and his hende wif and al his hole meyne WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 265 That bold barn with his bowe by that time fedde, And zit hadde fell felawes in the forest eche day, Zong bold barnes that bestes also keped, And blithe was eche a barn no best mizt him plese And folwe him for his fredom and for his faire thewes, For what thing William wan a day with his bowe, Were it fathered foul, or foure foted best, Ne wold this William neuer on with hold to him selve Til ane his felawes were ferst fessed to here paie, So kynde, and so corteys comsed he there That ane ledes him louede that loked on him ones, And blesseden that him bare and brouzt in to this worlds : So moche manhed and murthe schewed that child euer. Hit tidde after on a time, as tellus oure bokes, As this bold barn his bestes blytheliche keped, The riche emperour of rome rod out for to hunte In that faire forest, feithely for to telle, With alle his menskful meyne that moche was, and nobul ; Then fel it hap thatthei founde ful sone a gretebor 266 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. And huntyng with hound and horn harde alle sewede, The emperowr entred in awey euene to attele To haue bruttenet that bor and the abaie seythen. But missely marked he is way, and so manly he rides, That ane his wies were went ne wist he neuer whider So ferforth * * * his men, fethly for to telle, That of horn, ne of hound, ne mizt he here sowne. And boute eny living lud left was he one Themperour on his stif stede asty forth thanne takes, To herken after his hondes other horn schille, So komes a werwolf rizt bi that way thenne Grimly after a gret hert, as that god wold, And chased him thurth chaunce there the child pleide That kept the kowherdes bestes i carped of bi fore. Themperour thanne hastely that huge best folwed, As stifFuly as is stede mizt strecche on to renne, But by than he com by that barn, and aboute loked, The werwolf, and th e wilde hert were a weye bothe. That he ne wist in this world were thei were bi come, Ne whiderward he schuld seche to se of hem more, But thanne bi held he a boute and that barn of sethe How fair, how fetys it was, and freliche schapen; So fair a sizt of seg ne sawe he neuer one WIILYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 2G7 Oflere, ne of lykaine lik him nas none Ne of so sad a semblant that euer he say with. Themperour wend witerly for wonder of that child That * * * it were of feyrye, for faireness that it welt, And for the curteys countenaunce that it kudde there. Riztly thenne themperour wendes him euene tille The child comes him agayn, and cmtesleche him gretes, In hast themperour hendely his gretynghim zeldes, And a non rizt.es after askes his name. And of what kin he were kome komanded him telle, The child thanne soberliche, seide " sir at zoure wille " I wol zow telle as tyl trewely all the sothe. " William sire wel y wot wizes me calles, " I was bore here fast bi by this wodes side, " A knowherde sire of this kontrey is my kynde fader, " And my menskful moder is his meke wiue; " Thei han me fostered, and fed faire to this time, " And here i kepe is kyn as y kan on dayes : " But sire, by crist of my kin know i no more." Whan thempour hade herd holly his wordes, He wondered of his wis speche, as he wel mizt, 268 WILLY AM AND THE W'EUWOLF. And seid, " thow bold barn bilme i the praye, '" Socalleto me the cowherde thow clepus thi fadere, " Ffor y wold talk him tithinges to trayne." " Nay sire bi god," quath the barn, " be ze rizt sure " Bi crist that is krowned heye king of heuen, " Ffor me non harm schal he haue neuer in his line, " Ac perauenture thurth goddis to gode may turne it." " Ffor thi bring him hider faire barn y preye." " I schal sire," seide the child ," for y saufli the y hope " I may worche on zour word to wite him fro harm." " Za safliche," seide themperour, " so god zif me ioie." The child witly thanne wende with oute ani more, Comes to the couherdes hows, and clepudhim sone, Ffor he feizliche wen that he his fader where And seide than, " swete sir szou criste help, " Goth yond to a gret lord that gayly is tyred, " And on the feirest frek for sothe that I haue seie, " And he wilnes wiztli with zou to speke, " Ffor godis loue goth til him swithe lest he a greued wex." " What sone," seide the couherde, " seidestow i was here?" " Za sire sertes," seide the child, " but he swore formest WILLYAM AND THE WKRWOLF. 2 9 •* That ze schuld baue no harm, but hendely for gode *' He praids zou com speke with him, and passe azem. sone." The cherl gotthing forth goth with the gode child, And euen to themperour thei etteleden sone. Themperour anon rizt as he him of seie, Clepiid to him the couherde, and curteysly seide, " Now telle me felawe, be thi feizth, for no thing ne wonde, " Sei thou eiier themperour so the crist help;" " Nay sire, bi crist," quath the couherde, " that king is of heuen, *' I nas neuer zet so hardi to nezh him so hende, " There i shuld haue him seie so me wel tyme." " Series," than seide themperour, " the sothe for to knowe, * ' That tham that ilk vveizh i wol wel thou wite '* Al the regal of rome to riztle the y weld " Therfore couherde i the coniuer, and cora- mande att alle, " Bi vertu of thing that thou most in this world louest, *' The atow telle me tiztly truely the sothe, " Whether this bold barn be lelly thin owne, '■ Other comen of other kin, so the crist helpe." 270 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. The couherd comsed to quake for kare, and for drede, Whanne he wist witerly that he was his lorde, And bih'ue in his hert be thou zif he him gun iye, He wold prestely perceyue pertihche him thout ; Ther fore trewely as tyt he told him the sothe, How he him fond in that forest there fast bi side, Clothed in comly clothing for any kinges sone, Vnder an holw okthurth help of his dogge, And how faire he hade him fed, and fostered vij winter. " Bi crist," seide themperour, "■ y cou the gret thonke, <* That thou hast me the soth of this semly childe " And tine schalt thou nouzt thi trawayle y trow at the last, " Ac wend s^hal it with me witowfor sothe, <* Min hert so harde wilnes to have this barne " That i wol in no wise thou wite it no lenger." Whan themperour so sayde, sothe for to telle, The couherde was in care, and can him no thing white, Ac witly dorst he nouzt werne the wilie of his lord, But graunted him goddeli on godis holy name Ffor to worchen his wille, as lord with his owne. Whan William this worthi child wist the sothe. WJLLVAM AND THE WERWOLF, 271 And knewe that the cowherde nas nouzt his kinde fader, Hewaswizthche a wondered, and gan towepe sore, And seide saddely to him self sone ther after " A gracious gode god thouz grcttest of alle ! " Moch is thi mercy, and thi mizt, thi menske, and thi grace ! " Now woti neuer in this world of wham y am come, " Ne what destene me is dizt, but god do his wille. " Ac wel y wot witerly with cute ani faile " To this man, and his meke wif most y am holde " Ffor thai ful faire han me fostered, and fed a lonp- time, " That god for his gi'ete miizt al here god hem zeld, " But TxOt y neuer what to done to wende thus hem, fro " That han al kindcnes me kyd, and y ne kan hem zelde." " Bi stille barne," quath themperour, " blinne of thi sorwe, " Ffor y hope that hai thi kin hastely here after " Zif thou vvolt zene the to gode swiche grace may the faue, " That alle thi frendes for dedes faire schal scow quite." 272 WILLYAM AND THE WERAVOLF. " Za sire," quath the couherde, " zif crist wol that cas may tyde, " And god lenehim grace to god man to worthe," And than as tit to the child, he tauzt this lore, And seide " thou swete sooe seythe thou schalt hennes wende, " Whanne thou komest to kourt among the kete lordes, " And knowest alle the knythes that to kourt langps ; " Bere the boxumly, and bounre that Ich burn the loue, " Be meke, and mesurabul, nouzt of many wordes ; *' Be no tellere of talis, but trewe to thilord, " And prestely for pore men profer the euer, " Ffor hem to rekene vviththe riche in rizt, and in skille. " Be feiztful, and fre, and euer of faire speche, " Aud seruisabul to the simple so as the riche ; " Andfelawe in faire manere as falles for thi state " So schallow gete goddes, and alle gode mennes, loue.. " Leue, sone, this lessoun me lerde my fader, " That knew of kourt the thewes for kourteour was he long, " And hald it in thi hert now i the haue it kenned, V/ILLYAM AND TIIK WEIIWOLI'. 273 The bet may the bi l\ille the worse boest neuere." The child weped ahvay wondeiliche fast, But themperour had god game of that gomes lore, And comande the couherde curtesH, and fayre, To heue vp that hende child bi hinde him on his stede ; And he so dede deliuerly thouz him del thouzt. And bi kenned him to crist that on croice was peyned, Thanne that barn as biliue by gan for to glade, That he so realy schuld ride, and redeli as swithe Fful curteisle of the couherde he ca * * es his leue. And seythen seyde " swete sire i besche zou nowthe, ' Ffor goddes loue gretes ofte my godelyche moder ' That so faire hath me fed, and fostered til nowthe, ' And lellyche, zif our lord wol that I luf haue, Sche ne schal nouzt tyne hire trauayle, treuly for sothe : * And gode sire, for godes loue, also greteth wel oft ' Ane my freylichef elawes that to this forest longes ; * Han pertilyche in many places pleide with ofte ' Hugonet, and huet that Hende litel owery, ' And Abelot and Martynet Hugones gaie sone, ' And the cristen Akarm, that was my kyn fere, 274 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. " And the trewe kinnesman the payenes sone : " And alle other frely felawes that thou faireknowes " That god mak hem gode men for his mochel grace." Of the names that he neumed, themperour nam hede And had gaynhche god game for he so grette alle Of his * * pers that he knewe so curteysliche and faire, And than he kenned he the kouherde to crist, and to al alwes, And busked forth with barn bliue on his gate. The kouherde kayred to his house karful in hert, And neiz to barst he for bale for the barnes sake, And whan his wuf wist wittow for sothe, How that child from here warde was wente for euer more, Ther nis man on this mold that mizt half telle The wo, and the weping that womnian made : Sche wold haue sleie hire self there sothly as bliue, Ne hade the kind kouherde conforted here the betere. And pult hire in hope to haue gret help ther of after. But trewely of them at his time the tale y lete Of themperour, and the bold barn to bigynne to speke. WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 2/5 Lordes lusteneth her to zif zou lef tliinkes Themperour blithe of the barn on his blonk rides Ffast til the forest, til he fond al his fre ferd, That hadde take that time moche trye game, Both bores, and beres fele hors charge, Hertes, and hindes, and other bastes manye : And when the loneli hides seie here lord come, Thai were geinliche glad, and gretten him faire ; But alle awondered thei were of the barn him bi hinde. So faire, and so fetyse it was, and frelicha schapen, And freyned faire of themperour whar he it founde hadde. He gaf hem answere agayn, that god it him sent, Other wise wist not where he it founde. Than rod he forth with that route in to Rome euene, And euer that bold barn by hinde him sat stille, So passed he to the paleys, and prestelicha a lizt, And William that choys child in to his chaumber ledde, A dere damisela to douzter this emperour hadde thanne, Of ane fasoun the fairest that euer freke seize, And witerly WiUiam and she were of on held, As euene as ani wizt schuld attely bi sizt. 27G WILLYAM AND TIIK AVEHWOLF. And that menskful mayde Melior was hoten : A more curteyse creature, ne cunnyngere of hire age, Was nouzt thanne in this worlde that ani wizt knewe. Themperour to that mayde mekhche wendeth, And WilHam that worthi child with him he ladde, And seide, " dere douzter y do the to wite, " I haue a pris presant to plese with thi hert, *' Haue here this bold barn, and be til him raeke, " And do him kepe clenly for kome he his of gode. " 1 hent this at hunting, swiche hap god me sent." And told here thanne, as til trewli al the sothe, How he hade missed is mayne, and maskrid aboute, And how the Werwolf Avan him bi with a wilde hert. And how sadly he him sewed to have slayn that dere, T'l theihadebrouzt him there that barn bestes kept, And how sone of his seizt the bestes seythen mare, And how the couherde com him to, and was a knowe the sothe. How he him fond in that forest ferst that faire child, And how komeliche y clothed for ani kinges sone, And how the kouherde for kare cumsed to sorwe, Whannehe wold with the child wendehimfromme, WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 277 And how boldely that barn bad the couheide thanne To grete wel his gode wiif, and g-amely ther after Ane his freliche felawes bi forn as i told, And " ther fore my dere dowter,"theniperour seide, " Ffor mi lof loke him wel, for leily me thinkes, " Bi his menskful raaneres, and his man hede, " That he is kome of god kin, to crist y hope, " And seythe sike i, and sing samen to ge dere, " And melt neizh for mournyng, and moche ioie make ; " Mia hert hoi i hauenow, for al that hard y fele, " Saue a fers feiutise folwes me oft, " And takes me so tenefully, to telle al the sothe, " That I maseal marred for mournyng neizh hondes ** But redeliche in that res the retunerere that me falles, " As whan I haue ani hap to here of that barne " Ffor whan myn hertis so hampered, and aides so nobul, " That flour isof alle frehes of fairnes, and mizt, *' Prince is non his pere, ne in paradizs non aungel, " As he semes in my sizt; so faire is that burne " I haue hiiu portreide, and paynted in mi hert with inne, " That he sittus in mi sizt, me thinkes euer more 278 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. " And faire so his figure is festened in mi zout, '* That with no coyntise, ne craft ne can y it out scrape. " And, be marie, thouzh i mizt to mengge al the sothe, " I ne wold nouzt for al this world so wel it me likes, " Theiz i winne with mi werk the worse euer more, <' So gret liking and loue i haue that lud to bi hold, " That i hade leuer that loue than lat al mi har- mes, " Nou certes, seythe it is so, to seie the trewthe, " I hann haue y had gret wrong myn so to blame, " Ffor eni werk that he wrouzt seythe, i wol it hold, " Ne wold i it were non other al the world to haue. " Whom schal i it witebut mi wicked eyzen, " That lad myn hert throuz loking this langour drye. " Nad thei i aboute bale haue schaped, *' Redeli bi resoun, therfore, hem rette i mai mi sorwe, " But thanne thouzt che that throwe in this selue wise, ** Min ezen sorly aren sogettes to serue min hert, " And buxum ben to his bidding, as boie to his master, WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 279 " Eke, wite i al the wrong, the werk of mi eizen, " And thouzh sertes so may i nouztby no sothe rizt " Ffor seythe i knowe that mi sizt is seruanr to mi hert " And alle my nother wolnk wittes to wirthen his hest, " For thouzh i sette my sizt sadly on a thing, " Be hit briztter, other bronn, beter other worse, " Mi sizt may in no maner more barme wirche, " But zif min hauteyn hert the harde asente, " Eke, sothly my sizt is sojet to my hert, " And doth nouzt but his dener, as destine wol falle. " Than has my hasty hert holly the wrong. " Him wol i blame, and banne, but he my bales amende " That hath him so strangely set in swithe straunge burne, " That wot neuer in this world whennes that he come " But as my fader him fond in forest an herd, " Keping mennis kin of the kuntre aboute, " What fy schold i a fundeling for his fairenesse tak? " Nay my wille wol not asent to my wicked hert, *' Wei kud kinges, and kaysers krauen me i now, 280 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. '* I nel leie mi loue so lowe now at this time. " Desparaged were i disgisil e zif i dede in this wise, " I wol breke out finer that baret, and blame my hert." Sche turned here than tiztly to haue slept a wile, And seide sadly, of hire hert sche wold seche, amendis, Ffor sche so wrongly had wrouzt; but wiztly ther after Sche seide, sikinde, to here self in this selue wise, " Nouz v/itterly ich am vn wis and wonderliche nyce, " Thus vn hendly, and hard in hert, to blame, " To whom mizt i me meue amendis of him to haue, " Seythe i am his soueravn mi selue in alle thing, " Nis he holly at my best in hard and in nesche, " And now, bi crist i knowe wel for al my care newe, " He wrouzt neuer bot my worchepe ne wol nouzt i leue, " I se wel he hath set him self in so nobul a place, " That perles of alle puple is preised ouer alle, " Of fairnesse, of facioun, and frely theuwes, " Ffor kurteysie vnder krist is king, ne kud duk WILLYAM AND THE WKRWOLT. '281 " And thouzh he as fundeling where founde in the forest wilde, " And kept with the kowzherde kin, to karp the sothe, " Eche creature may know he was kome of gode, " Ffor first whan the fre was in the forest founde in his denne, " In comely clothes was he clad for any kinges sone, " Whan he kom first to this kourt bi kynde than he schewde, " His maneres were so menskful amende hem mzt none, " And seythe forsothe til this time non vn tetche he, ne wrouzt, " But hath him bore so buxumly, that ich burn him preyseth, " And vth a burn of this world, vvorchipeth him one, *' Kinges, and kud dukes, kene kniztes, and other, " Thouzh he were komen of no ken but of kende cherls, " As i wot witterly so was he neuere. '• But with worchepe, i wene, i mizt him wel loue ; " And seythe he so perles is preised ouer princes, and other. 282 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. " And eche lord of this lond is lef him to piece, *' Ffor most souereyn seg, and semlyest of thewes, " Thanne haue i wited alle wrong the work of myn herte, ** Ffor he has don his denere dignely, as he out ; " He het me most worthi of wommen holde in erthe, " Kindely, thurth kinrade of cristen lawe, " Ffor thi myn herte hendely has wrouzt in his dedes, " To sette him self so sadly in the soueraynest burne, " That lenis in ani lond, of alle ludes preised, " I ne wot neuere in this world what wise he mizt betere ; " Wirche forme in this world, my worschipe to saue, " Ffor zif eny man on mold more worthi were " Min hert is so hauteyn, that herre he wold " And for i so wrougely haue wrougt to wite him me greues, " I give me holly in his grace, as gilty for that ilk, " And to mende my misse, i make myn a vowe, " I wol here after, witerly with oute more strine, " Wirche holly mi hertes wille to harde, and to nesche, " And leye my loue on that lud lelly for euere. WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLJ. 283 " To god, here i gif a gift, it gate schal neuer other, " Wile him lasteth the hif, my loue i him grante.'' And whan sche sow as asented, sche seide sone after, Sadli sikaad,*and sore for sorwe atte here hert, " Nas i trowe this bitter bale botlesse wol hende, " Ffor i not in world this how that wofthi child " Schal euer wiie of my wo with oute me selue, '■■ Nay sertes my selue schal him neuer telle, " Ffor that were swiche a wozh tha neuer wolde be mended : " Ffor he mizt ful wel for afol me hold, " And to liim lothe in loue; zit haue y leuer deie, " Nay best beth it nouzt, so zif better mizt bi falle, " Ich mot worche other wise, zif i wol out spedeJ " What i suppose the selue zif it so bi tidde, " That i wrouzt so wodly, and wold to him speke, " That were, semlyest to seye, to saue my worchep, " Zif i told him treuli my tene, and myn anger, " What liif, for longyngof loue, i lede for his sake, '* He wold wene i were wod, or witerly schorned, " Or that i dede, for despit, to do him a schoude, " And that were a schamly schenchip to schende me euer. 284 WILLIAM AND THE WERWOLF. " What, zif i saide him sadly, that i sek were, '• And told him al treuly the entetches of myn euele, " Heknoweth nouztof that * * , bi crist, as it rowe " Wherfore he ne schold ia no wise wite what i mente, " But whanne i hade al me mened, no more nold he seie" But '* serteinly swete damisele that me sore vexes Thanne wold mi wo wex al newe, " And doubel is nouz mi duel, for i ne darhit schewe, " Alias ! whi ne wist that wizt what wo that me eyles ! " What sorwes, and sikingges i suffer for his sake! " I sayle now in the see, as schip boute mast, " Boute anker, or ore, or ani semlyche sayle, " But heizh heuene king, to gode hauene me sende. " Other laske mi liif daywes with inne a litle terme." Thus that maiden Meliors in mornyng tha liuede. And hit held hire so harde, i hete the for sothe, And schortily with in seuenizt al hire slep sche leues, Here mete, and al merthe sche missed in a while. "W1LLY.\M AND THE WERWOLF. 285 And seccleled in a seknesse, the sothe for to telle, That ther nasleche in no lond that liif hire bihizt. Zit couthe non by no craft knowen hire sore, But dueifulli sche dvvined a waie, bothe dayes, and niztes, And al hire clere colour comsed for to fade. Thanne hadde this menskful Melior, maydenes fele, A begned hire to serue, and to seuwe hire aboute. But, amono; alle the maidenes, most sche loued one, That was a digne damisele, to deme al the sothe. And komen of hire oune kin her kosm ful nere. Of lumbardie a dukes douzter,ful derworth in wede, And that ainiabul maide Alisaundrine a hizt, And from the time that Melior gan morne so strong, That burd was euer hire bi, busy hire to plese, More than an other damisele, so moche sche hire louede. And whan sche seiz here so sek, sche seiJe on a time, " Now, for marie madame the milde quene of henene, " Zut bi cas of cunsail, ful wel can ich hele, " And be tristy, and trew to zow for euer more, " And help zow hasteli at al zoure hele to gete, " Zif ze saie me zoure sores, and ith se what may gayne." 286 WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF- Whan Melior that meke mayde herd Alisaun- drines wordes, And with a sad sikyng, seide to hire thanne, Sche was gretly gladed of hire gode bi hest, " A curteyse cosyne crist mot the it zelde, " Of thi kynde cumfort that thow me knyest nowthe " Thow hast warsched me wel with thi raede wordes, " I zine me al in thi grace to gete me sum hele, " As thow me here has be hizt of mi harde peynes, •' Now wol i telle the my tene, wat so tide after, " Serteynly, this seknesse that so sore me greues, " Is feller than any frek that euer zit hadde, " And ofter than ix times hit taketh me a daye, '* And ttn times on the nizt, nouzt ones lesse, " And al comes of a throly thouzt that thirles rain hert. " I wold meng al mi mater, zif i mizt for schame, " Ac woiid wol ich nouzt to the witow for sothe " Ay whan ichhentthe haches, that so hard aren '* Itkomses of a kene thouzt that ich haue in hert, "Of William that bold barn that alle burnespraisen, " Nis no man upon mold thatmore worchip winnes, '* Him so propirli haue i peiuted, and portreide in herte, " That me semes in mi seizt he sittes euer meke; •' What man so ich mete with, or mele with speche. ■WILLYAM AND THE WERWOLF. 287 " Me tbinkes euerich tlirowe that barn is that other " And fele times baue icb fouded to flitte it fro thouzt, " But witerly al in wast ; than worche icb euer. " Ther for, curteise cosynes, for loue of crist in heuene, " Ritbe now thi kindenes, and konseyl me the best, " Ffor but icb baue bote of mi bale bi a schort time, " I am ded as dore nail : Now do al thi wille." Thanne Alisaundrine, a non after that ilk. Wax gretly awondered, and wel hire bi thouzt What were hire kuddest comfort hire care to lisse, And seide thanne til hire softily, sone ther after, " A madame for marie loue mornes no longer." JACKE OF THE NORTHE BEYONDE THE STYLE SPEAKETH. (ex M.S.'" APCD bibl: corp: XTl: CANT:) It is yet but a whyle, Sens, that I Jacke of the Style, Came foithe of ye Northe ; I tell ye evyn the trothe, Beynge shamfuUy blamed, Yea, and gyltles dyffamyd ; For it was reportyd than. That here I had slayne a man, That same shamefuU report, Causyd me for to retort Evyn now hyther agayne. This tnithe I tell playne. It was neuer my dede, No — so God me spede : For it was other man, That share nygh the brayn pan JACKE OF iilE NORTH. 289 It war allmost he war slayn For usyng suche a trayn. For kyllyg of that pykerall, Makyng hym a funerall ; But than the bayles so wrought Agayn was out bought, Redemlg agayn for nought, The myschieve that he had soughte, In sleying that honest man With the stroke of a fyre pan. Now for that slawnder's sake, Companye be nyght I take And with all that I may make Cast bodye and * * * * in the lake, Fyxed with many a stake, Tho' it war never so faste, Yet asondre it is wraste. Thus I take do recompense Ther naughty slawnderous offense, Wher as they make me a murderer. And of dethe a furderer. I take God to wytness I am of it gyltless. For as I am true speaker, I am but a hedge breaker, ir 290 JACKE OF THE NORTH. 'T'i I reporte me now oute To thes that be of my rowte, To bragge, so bolde, and stowte. How sayst thou Robya Lowte Is thys ryghte well wroughte, RoBYN Cloute. Ye syr wythout doughte Be God that me boughte, It is as ye do saye. But, syr, without delaye We thought it but a playe, To see ye stake fast straye, Down into the raye, Swymyng wer more awaye, Saylyng towarde the castylle, Lyke as the wolde wrastyll For superyoryte, Or ells for ye meyraltye. Truth now thou dost saye, It was evyn worthe a playe To see the stake jomblyng, And in the water tomblyng, And fast awaie they hyed, Lest they should been spyed, And withe a bote been foUowyd, JACKK OF TIIF. NOUTHE. 29 And with a sargeant arested, For to come to the mayer In all gudly affair : To be taken suspecyous, Or ells provyd feloneous, Accordinge unto ther rate Mayteinyg ther potestate. How sayst Tom of Trompyngton ? Tom of Trompyngton. For sothe, syr, down to Chesterton Grat store of stake begone, Jurynyng thither one by one, Glad they have escapyd, And not of the bayles attacked, Wherfore they hyed the hense, Payeng yet no toll pence, Wytness Robyn with the red rose, And Benett with the blue hose, And frawnies few close ; Ye affirme the same, I suppose, How sayest Buttynge on the hyll ? Hast not yet wrought thy fyll ? Syr, I saye, so mott I leve, I wold be thus wrought tyll eve. 292 JACKE OF THE NORTHE. Thau I see at such a bargony, You woldyst erne money largely, For I thynke that thys worke, Was gud as to byld a kyrcke ; For Cambridge baylers truly Gyve yll examples to the countrye, Ther commyn lykewyse to engrose And from pore men yt to enclose. THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. Ihesu that is hevyn kyng GifF them all god endyng. (If it be thy wyll.) And gif them parte of hevenly game, That well can call gestes same With mete and drinke to fylle. When that men be glad and blyth, Tham were solas god to lyth, He that wold be stylle. Off a kyng I wyll you telle, What a ventore hym be felle, He that wyll herke theretylle. It be felle be god Edwerd's deys, Ffor soth so the romans seys, Herkyng I will you telle. The Kyng to Scherwod gan wend, On hys pleyng for to lend, 294 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. Ff'or to solas hym that stond, The grete herte for to hunte, In frythys and in felle. With ryall fests and feyr ensemble With all ye lordys of that contr^ With hym ther gan thei well. Tyll it be fell upon a day. To hys forstere he gan sey, " Ffelowys were is the best? " In your playng wher ye have bene ? " Were have ye most gam sene " Off dere in this forest ?" They answerd, and fell on kne, " Over all, Lord, is gret plente " Both est and west, " We may schew you at asyht " Two thousand dere this same nyht " Or ye son go to reste." An old forester, drew hym nere, " Lyfans Lord, I saw a dere " Under a tre, *' So grete a hed as he bare "'• Sych one saw 1 never are, THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. 295 " No feyrer myht be, " He is more than any two, " That ever I saw on erth go," Than seyd the kyng so fre, " Thy wary son I will ye geve " Ever more whyll you doyst lyve, '* That dere you late me se. Upon the morne thei ryden fast With hounds and with homes blast To wodde than are thei wente Netts and gynnes than leyd he, Every archer to hys tre, Withbowys redy bent, They blew thrys, uncoupuld hounds, They reysed the dere up that stonds. So nere that span and sprent The hounds all as they were wode They ronne the dere as they were wode The kyng hys hors he hent The kyng sate one a god coreser Ffast he rode after ye dere, iVnd chasyd hym ryght fast, Both throw thyke and thine, 296 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. Throw the forest he gan wyn With hounds and homes blast. The kyng had followyd hym so long, Hys god sted was ne strong, Hys hert awey was past, Horn ne hunter myght he not here, So ranne the hounds at the dere, A wey was at the last. The kyng had folowyd hym so Ion Ffro rnydey to the ev'ning song, That lykyd hym full ille. He ne wyst were that he was, Ne out of the forest for to passe, And thus he rode all wylle. " Whyle I may the dey liht se '• Better is to lege under a tre" He seyd hym selve untylle. The kyng cast in hys wytte. '• GyfF I stryke into a pytte " Hors and man myght spylle. " I have herd pore men call at morow " Seynt July an send yem god harborow " When they had nede THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. 297 " And that when that they were travyst, " And of herborovv were abayst, " He wole them wysse and rede. " Seynt Julyan, as I ame trew knyht, " Send me grace this iche nyght, " Of god harborow to sped. " A gift I schall thee gyve, " Every here whyll that I lyve, " Ffolke for thy sake to fede." As he rode whyll he had lyht, And at the last he hade syght Off an hermyte hym be syde, Off that syght he was full feyn. Ffor he wold gladly be in the pleyn And theder he gan to ryde. An herinytage he tound there, He throwyd a chapell that it were, Than seyd the kyng that tyde '' Now seynt Julyan a bone ventyll " As pylgrymes know full wele " Yonder I wyll abyde." A lytell gate he fond ney There on he gan to call and cry, 298 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. That within myght here. That herd an hermyte there within, Unto the gate he gan to wyn, Bedyng his preyer. And when the hermyt saw the kyng, He beyd ; " Sir gode evynyng" " Wele worth thee, Sir Frere." " I prey thee I myht be thy gest, " Ffor 1 have ryden wyll in this forest, " And nyght neyhes me nere." The hermyte seyd, " So mote I the, " Ffor sych a lord as ye be, " I have non herborow tyll, " Bot if it be soe pore a wyght, " I ne der not herbor hym a nyht, " But he for faute schuld spyll. " I wone here inwyldernes, '* With rotys and rynds among wyld bests, " As it is my lords wylle." The kyng seyd, " I ye beseche " The wey to the toune thou wold me teche ; " And I schall thee be hyght, " That I schall thytrevell quyte THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. 299 '* That thou schall me not wyte, " Or passyth this fortnyht " And if thou wyll not, late thy knave go, '' To teche me a myle or two, " The whylys I have dey lyght." " By Seynt Mary," said the frere, " Schorte sirvys getys thou here, " And I can rede a ryght." Than seyd the kyng, " My dere frend " The wey to the towne if I schuld wynd " How fer may it be ? " Syr," he seyd, " so mote I thryve. " To the towne is myles fyve " Ffrom this long tre. " A wyld wey I hold it were, " The wey to wend I you swere, " Bot ye the dey may se." Than seyd the kyng " Bi gods myght " Ermyte, I schall here abode with thee this nyght, " And els I were wo." '' Me thinke," seyd the hermyte,'" thou art a " stoute syre, " I have ete up all the byre 300 THK KYNG AND THE HERMVT. " That ever thou gafe me, «' Were I oute of my hermyte wede " Off thy favyll I wold not dred, " ThafFthou were sych thre, " Loth I were with thee to fyght, " I will herbor thee all nyght, " And it be-hovyth so be, " Such gode as thou fynds here, take, " And aske thyn in for God's sake." " Gladly sir," sayd he. Hys stede in to the hous he lede With litter son he gaf hym bed Met ne was there now The frere he had bot barly stro, Two thake bendsfuU without no, Ffor soth it was furth born. Before the hors the kyng it leyd. " Be Seynt Mary," the hermyte seyd, " Every thing have we non,'' The kyng seyd, " Gramsy frere, " Wele at ease ame I now here, " A nyht wyll son be gon." THE KYNG AND THE HERMVT. 301 The kyng was never so servysable, He hew the wode and kepyd the stable, God far he gan hym dyght. And made hym ryght well at es, And ever the fyre befor hys nese, Brynand feyr and bryht. " Leve Ermyte," seyd the kyng, '* Mete and thou have any thing, " To soper you us dyght, " For sirteynly, as I thee sey, " I ne had never so sory a dey, " That I ne had a mery nyght." The kyng seyd " Be Gods are " And I such an hermyte were ** And wonyd in this forest " When forsters were gon to slep " Than I wold cast off my cope *' And wake both est and weste " With a bow of hue full strong " And arowys knyte in a thong " What wold me lyke best, i The kyng of venyson hath non nede, •'Hit myght me hape to have a brede " To glad me and my gest." ; 302 THE KYNG AND THE HERAIYT. The hermyte seyd to the kyng, " Leve sir where is thy dvvellyng " I praye you wolde me sey" " Sir, he seyd, so mote I the " In the kyngs courte I have be " Duellyng many a dey, " And my lord rode on huntyng, " As grete lords doth many tyme, " That giff them myche to pley, '' And after a grete hert have we redyn " And mekyll travell we have byden " And yit he scape a way. " To dey erly in the mornyng, " The kyng rode on huntyng, " And all the courte beden, " A dere we reysed in that stonds. " And gane chase with our hounds, •' A feyrer had never man sene. " I have folowyd hym all this dey, " And ryden many a wylsom wey, " He dyd me trey and tene. ** I pray thee helpe me, I were at es " Thou bought never so god sirvege " In sted there thou hast bene THE KYNG AND THE HEUMYT. 303 The ermyte seyd " So God me save, " Thou take sych gode as we have, " We schall not hyll with thee." Bred and chese forth he brouht, The kyng ete whyles hym thouht, Non othyr mete saw he, Sethen thyn drynke he droughe, Ther on he had sone inoughe, Than seyd the kyng so fre, " Hermyt pute up this mete tyte, " And if [ may I schall ye quyte " Or passyd be thes mouthy s thre." Then seyd the kyng, " Be Gods grace ! " Thou wonys in a mery place, *' To schote thou schuld lere, " When the forsters are goto rest, " Som tyme thou myht have off the best, " All of the wylld dere " I wold hold it for no skath " Thotf thou had bow and arowys bothe, • '« All thofF thou be a frere. " Ther is no foster in all this fe " That wold sych herrae to thee, " There thou may leve here. 304 THE KYNG AND THE HEUMYT. The Armyte seyd, " So mote thou go " Hast thou any othyr herand than so " Onto my lord the kyng, " I schall be trew lo hym, I trow, " Ffor towayte my lords prow, " Ffor dred of sych a thing. " Ffor iff I were take with sych a dede " To the courte thou wold me lede, " And to prison me bryng. " Bot if I myghtmy ransom gete, a Be bound in prison and sorcw grete " And in perell to hyng." Than seyd the kyng, " T would not lete " When thou arte in this forest sette " To stalke when men are at rest, " Now as thou arte a trew man, " Iff you ouht a scheting can " Ne hyll it not with yourgest " Ffor be hym that dyed on tre " Ther schall no man wyte for me " Whyll my lyve wyll lest " Now hermyte for thy professyon " GiflPthou have any venison " Thou gifF me of the best." THE KYNG AND I'lIE HERMYT. 305 The ermyte seyd, " Men of grete state *•' Our ordyr they wold make full of bate " And on to prison bryng ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** " Aboute schych mastery " To be in preyer and in penans, " And arne ther met by chans, " And not be archery. " Many dey I have her ben " And flesche mete ] ete non " Botmylkeofftheky. " Warme thee wele and go to slepe, " And I schall lape thee with my cope, " Softly to lyke. " Thou semys a felow," seyd the frere, " It is long gon seth any was here, " Bot thou thy selve to nyght." Unto a cofyr he gan go And toke forth candylls two 306 THE KYNG AND THE HEEIMYT. And sone there were a lyght. A cloth he brought, and bred full whyte, And venyson ybake tyte : Agen he yede full ryght, Venyson salt and fresch he brouht, And bade him chese wher off hym thougt, Colopys for to dyght. Well may ye wyte ynow they had, The kyng ete and made hym glad, And grete laugtere he lowghe, " Nere I had spoke of archery, " I myht have ete my bred full dryhe," The kyng made it full towghe. " Now Cryst's blyssing have sych a frere, " That thus cane ordeyn our soper, " And stalke under the wode bowe. *' The kyng hym selves so mote I the, " Is not better at es than we '* And we have drinke inowhe." The hermyte seyd, " Be Seynt Savyoure " I have a pott of galons foure " Standyng in a wro. THE KYNG AND THE IIERMYT. 307 " Ther is bot thou, and I, and my knave, " Som solas schall we have, " Sethyn we are no mo." The hermyte callyd hys knave full ryht, Wyllyn Alyn for soth he hyght, And bad hym be lyve and go. And taught hym privetly to a sted, To feche the hors corne and bred. " And luke that thou do so" Unto the knave seyd the frere, " Ffelow go wyhtly here " Thou do as I thee sey. " Be syde my bed thou must goe " And take up a floute of strawe " Als softly, as thou may *' A hownyd pote ther standys there, " And God forbot that we it spare, *< To drynke to it be day. " And bryng me forth my schell, " And every man schall have his dele, " And I schall kene us pley. The hermyte seyd, " Now schall I se " Iff thou any felow be, 308 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT, " Or ofFpley cansi ought." The kyng seyd, "So mote I the, ^' Sey you what thou will with me " Thy wyll it schall be wrouht." " When the coppe comys into the plas, " Canst thou sey, ' fusty bandyas,' " And think it in your thouht, " And you schall here a totted frere *' Sey ' Stryke pantnere,' (vel pantnere) " And in ye cope leve ryht nouht." And when the coppe was forth brought, It was oute of the kyngs thouht, That word that he schuid sey. The frere seyd " fusty bandyas/' Then seyd thee kyng " Alas ! alas !" His word it was a wey " What art you mad," seyd the frere, ** Canst thou not sey stryke pantnere, " Wylt thou lerne all dey <' And if thou efte forgete it ons, '* Thou gets no drinke in this wons. " Bot giff thou thinke upon thy pley." THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. 309 ' Ffusty bandias/ the frere seyd And gafe the coppe such a breyd, That well nyh of izede, The knave fyllyd and up it zede in plas The kyng seyd " fusty bandyas," Ther to hym stod gret nede. '' Ffusty bandyas," seyd the frere How long hast thou stond here Or thou couth do thy dede Ffyll this efte and late us lyke, And between rost us a styke, Thus holy lyve to lede. The knave fyllyd the coppe full tyte, And brouht it furth with grate delyte, Be for hym gan it stand, " Ffusty bandyas" seyd the frere The kyng sey'd " stryke pantnere" And toke it in hys hand, And stroke halve and more, " Thys is ye best pley, I suere, " That ever I saw in lond. " I hyght thee hermyte I schall thee give, " I schall thee quyte if yt 1 lyve " The god pley thou hast us fond." 310 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. *' Than seyd the hermyte, " God quyte all, " Bot when thou comys to thy lords haule, " Thou wyll for gete the frere " Bot wher thou comyst nyght ore dey " Yit myght thou thynk upon the pley " That thou hast sene here " And thou com among gentyll men " They wyll laugh then hem it ken " And make full mery chere, " And iff thou comys here for a nyht " A colype I dere thee behyht " All of the wyld dere." The kyng seyd '* Be hym that me bouht, " Syre," he seyd, " ne think it nouht " That thou be there forgets. " To morrow sone when it is dey " I schall quyte if that I may " All that we have here ete. " And when we come to the kings gate " We shall not long stond there-ate " In we schall be lete " And by my feyth I schall not blyne " Tyll the best that is there ine " Be tween us two be sete" THE KYNG AND THE llERMYT. 311 The Ermyte seyd, " By him that me bouht, " Syre,"he seyd, " ne thinke it nouht, " I swere ye by my ley, " I have be ther and takyn dele. " And have hade many merey mele. '' I dare full savely sey " Hopys thou I wold for a mase " Stond in the myre there and dase " Neyhand halve a dey " Ther charyte comys thorow such menys hend, " He havys full lytell that stond at hend, " Or that he go a wey " Hopys thou that I am so preste *' For to stond at the kyng gate and reste, " Ther pleys for to lere. " I have neyhbors her nygh hand " I send them of my presente " Be syds of the wyld dere. '' Off my presants they are feyn " Bred and ale they send me ageyn " Thus gates lyve I here." The king seyd. " So mote I the Hermyte, me pays wele with thee, '' Thou arte a horpyd frere" 312 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. The kyng seyd " Yit myght thou come in dey " Unto the courte for to pley " A venteroys for to sene " Thou wote not what thee be tyde may " Or that thou gon a way " The better thou may bene " Thoff I be here in pore clothing *' I ame no bayschyd for to bryng " Gestys two or thre *' Ther is no man in all this wonys '* That schall myssey to thee onys " Bot as I sey so schall it be," Sertis seyd the hermyte than. " I hope you be a trew man, " I schall a ventore the gate, " Bot tell me first, leve syre, " After what man schall I spyre, " Both erly and late." " Jhake Flecher, that is my name, " All men knowys me at home " I am at young man state, " And thofF I be here in pore wede " I sych a stede I can ye lede, " There we schall be made full hate." THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. 313 " Aryse up, Jake, and go with me, *' And more of my privy te " Thou schall se som thyng." Into a chambyr he hym lede, The kyng sauwe aboute ye hermytes bed Brod arowys hynge. The frere gaff him a bow in bond. " Jake," he seyd, " draw up the bond." He myght oneth styre the streng. " Sir ;" he seyd, " so have I blys, "There is no archer that may schot in this, "That is with my lord the kyng." An arow of an elle long In hys bow he it throng. And to the hede he gan it hale. " Ther is no dere in this foreste, " And it wolde one hym feste ; " Bot it schuld spyll his skale " Jake sith thou can of flecher crafte, " Thou may me ese with a schafte." Than seyd Jake, " I schall." " Jake and I wystthat thou were trew, " Or and I thee better knew, " More thou schuld se" 314 THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. The kyng to hym grete othys swer, " The covennand we made whyle are, "Iwyll that it hold be." Tyll two trowys he gan hym lede, OfFvenyson there was many brede, " Jake how thinkes thee ? " Whyle there is dere in this forest, *' Som tyme I may have of the best '* The kyng wyte save on me. " Jake and you wyll have a of myn arowys have " Take thee of them and in thou leve " And go we to our pley." And thus thei sate with fusty bandyas And with stryke pantnere in that plas, Tyll it was nere hand dey. When tyme was com there rest to take, On morn they rose when they gon wake. The frere he gan to sey. " Jake I wyll with thee go, •' In thy felowschype a myle ore two, " Tyll you have redy weys, Then seyd the kyng. " Mekyll thanke, ** Bot when we last nyght to gether dranke " Thinke what thou me be hyght. THE KYNG AND THE HERMYT. 315 " That thou schiild com som (ley " Unto the coiirte for to pley, " When tyme thou se thou myght.' " Sertis," seyd ye hermyte, than, " 1 schall com, as I ame trew man, " Or to morrow at nyght." Either betaught other gode dey The kyng toke the redy wey Home he rode full ryght Knyghtes and squyres many mo All that nyght they rode and go With syheng and sorowyng sore They cryhed and blew with hydoys bere, GifFthey myht of there lord here, Wher that ever he were. When the kyng hys bugyll blew, Knyhtes and forsters wele it knew, And lystin'd to him there. Many man that wer masyd and made. The blast of that horn made them glad, To the towne than gan they fare. HEERE BEGINNETH A MERY lEST OF DANE HEW MUNK OF LEICESTRE, AND HOW HE WAS FOURE TIMES SLAIN AND ONCE HANGED. "In olde time there was in Lecester town An Abbay of Munks of great renown, As ye shall now after heer: But amongst them all was one there That passed all his brethern iwis, His name was Dane Hew, so haue I blis, This Munk was yung and lusty, And to fair women he had a fansy, And for them he laid great wait in deed : In Leicester dwelled a Tayler I reed. Which wedded a woman, fair and good ; They looued eche other, by ray hood ; Seuen yeer, and somwhat more, Dane Hew looued this taylers wife sore ; And thought alway in his minde. When he might her alone finde; MUNK OF LEICESTRK. 317 And how he might her assay, And if she would not to say him nay. Upon a day, he said, fair woman free, Without I haue my pleasure of thee, I am like to go from my wit : Sir, she said, I haue many a shrewd fit Of my husband euery day. Dame, he said, say not nay ; My pleasure I must haue of thee ; What so euer that it cost mee. She answered and said, if it must needes be, Come to morrow vnto me, For then my husband rideth out of the town. And then to your wil I wil be bown ; And then we may make good game. And if ye come not ye be to blame ; But, Dane Hew, first tel thou me What that my rewarde shalbe. Dame, he said, by my fay. Twenty nobles of good money ; For we wil make good cheer this day : And so they kist and went their way. The tayler came home at euen, tho. Like as he was wunt to doo : 318 DANE HEW And his wife tolde him all, and some ; How Dane Hew in the morning would come, And what her meed of him should be. What? dame thou art mad so mot I thee, Wilt thou me a cuckolds hood giue ? That should me shrewdly greeue ! Nay, sir, she said, by sweet saint lohn, I wil keep my self a good woman ! And get thee money also iwis. For he hath made therof a promisse : Tomorow earely heer to be, I know wel he wil not fail me ; And I shall lock you in the chest, That ye out of the way may be mist : And whe Dane Hew commeth hether early, About fiue of the clock truely ; For at that time his houre is set, To come hether then without any let ; Then I shall you call full lightly. Look that ye come vnto me quickly. And when the day began to appeer in y^ morning, Dane Hew came thitherwarde fast renning; He thought that he had past his houre, Then softly he knocked at the taylers door ; MUNK OF LEICESTRE. 319 She rose vp and bad him come neer ; And said, Sir, welcome be ye heer. Good morow (he said) gentle mistris, Now tel me where your husband is, That we may be sure indeed ? Sir, she said, so God me speed, He is foorth of the town, And wil not come home til after noon. With that Dane Hew was wel content. And lightly in armes he did her hent. And thought to haue had good game : Sir, she said, let be, for shame ! For I wil knowe first what I shall haue, For when I haue it I wil it not craue ; Giue me twenty nobles first, And doo with me then what ye list. By my preesthood, quoth he, than. Thou shalt haue in gold and siluer anon ; Thou shalt no longer craue it of me, Lo my mistresse where they be ; And in her lap he it threw. Gramercy ! she said vnto Dane Hew. Dane Hew thought this wife to assay : Abide sir, she said, til I haue laid it away: For so she thought it should be best. With that she opened then a chest ; 320 DANE HEW Then Dane Hew thought to haue had her alone, But the tayler out of the chest anon, And said, sir Munk, if thou wilt stand, I shall giue thee a stroke with my brand, That thou shalt haue but little lust vnto my wife. And lightly, without any more strife. He hit Dane Hew vpon the hed, That he fel down stark dead. Thus was he first slain in deed ; Alas ! then said his wife, with an euil speed, Haue ye slain this munk so soone? Whither now shall we run or gone ? There is no remedy, then said he, Without thou giue good counsail to me ; To conuay this false preest out of the way. That no man speak of it, ne say That I haue killed him, or slain. Or els that we haue doon it in vain . Yea sir (she said) let him abide. Til it be soon in the euen tide. Then shall we him wel conuay. For ye shall beare him into the Abba And set him straight vp by the wall, And come your way foorth withall ; MUNK OF LEICESTRE. 321 The Abbot sought him all about, For he heard say that he was out, And was very angry with him in deed, And would neuer rest, so God me speed, Vntil Dane Hew that he had found, And bad his man to seek him round About the place, and to him say That he come speak with me straight way. Foorth went his man, til at the last Beeing abrode his eye he cast Aside : where he Dane Hew did see ; And vnto him then straight went he, And thinking him tobealiue He said, Dane Hew- so mut I thriue, 1 haue sought you and meruel how That I could not finde you til now. Dane Hew stood as stil as he that could not tel What he should say, no more he did good nor il. With that the Abbots man said with good intent, Sir ye must come to my Lord, or els you be shent. When Dane Hew answered neuer a dele. He thought he would aske some counsail ; Then to the Abbot he gan him hye, I pray you my Lord come by and by, Y 322 DANE HEW And see where Dane Hew stands straight by the wall, And wil not answere what so euer I call. And he stareth and looketh vpon one place, Like a man that is out of grace ; And one woord he wil not speak for me : Get me a staf (quoth the Abbot) and I shall see. And if he shall not vnto me answere. Then when the Abbot came there, And saw him stand vprightby the wall, He then to him began to call ; And said thou false Bribour thou shalt aby Why keepest thou not thy seruice truely ? Come hether he said, with an euil speed ; But no woord that Dane Hew answered in deed. What whorso(q. the Abbot) why spekest not thou? Speak or els I make God a vow I wil giue thee such a stroke vpon thy head. That I shall make thee to fall down dead. And with that he gaue him such a rap, That he fel down at that clap. Thus was he the second time slain, And yet he wroght them much more pain ; As ye shall afterwarde heer ful wel. Sir, quoth the abbots, an ye haue doon il, MUNK or LEICESTRE. 323 For ye haue slain Dane Hew now, And suspended this place I make God a vow. What remedy (quod the Abbot than ?) Yes, quoth his man, by sweet Saint lohn, If ye would me a good rewarde giue, That I may be the better while that I line. Yes (q. the Abbot) xl. shillings thou shalt haue, And if thou can mine honor saue : My Lord I tel you so mot I thee Vnto such a Taylers house haunted he, To woo his prety wife certain ; And thither I shall him bring again, And there vpright I shall him set, That no man shall it knowe or wit. And then euery man wil sain That the Tayler hath him slain. For he was very angry with him That he came to his wife so oft time. Of his counsail he was wel appaid; And his man took vp dane Hew that braid : And set him at the Taylers door anon. And ran home as fast as he might gone. The Tayler and his wife were in bed, And of Dane Hew were sore afraid; 324 DANE HEW Lest that he would them bewray, And to his wife began to say — All this night I haue dreamed of this false caitife, That he came to our door (quoth he to his wife) Jesus (quoth his wife) what man be ye That of a dead man so sore afraid ye be? For me thought that you did him slo. With that the Tayler to the door gan go, And a Polax in his hand. And saw the Munk by the door stand ; Whereof he was sore afraid ; And stil he stood and no woord said. Til he spake vnto his wife ; Dame now haue I lost my life. Without I kil him first of all. Foorth he took his Polax or mall, And hit Dane Hew vpon the head, That he fel down stark dead. And thus was Dane Hew three times slain, And yet he wrought him a train, Alas, quoth the Taylers wife, This caitife doth vs much strife : Dame, he said, what shall we now doo ? Sir, she said, so mote go. MUNK OF LEICESTRE. 325 The Munk in a corner ye shall lay, Til to morow before the day ; Then in a sack ye shall him thrast, And in the Mil dam ye shall him cast. I counsail it you for the best surely, So the Tayler though to doo truely. In the morning he took Dane Hew in a Sack. And laid him lightly vpon his back ; Vnto the Mil Dame he gan him hye. And there two theeues he did espye, That fro the Mil came as fast as they might ; But when of the Tayler they had a sight, They were abashed very sore. For they had thought the miller had come thoret For of him they were sore afraid. That the Sack there down they laid, And went a little aside I cannot tel where, And with that the Tayler saw the sack lye there- Then he looked therin anon ; And he saw it was ful of Bacon ; Dane Hew then he laid down there. And so the bacon away did beare ; Til he came home and that was true, The theeues took vp y'. sack with dane Hew, 326 DANE HEW And went their way til they came home. One of the theeues said to his wife anon, Dame look what is in that sack, I thee pray For there is good bacon by my fay ; Therefore make vs good cheer lightly ; The wife ran to the Sack quickly ; And when she had the Sack vnbound, The dead Munck therein she found. Then she cryed out, and said alas, I see heer a meruailous case, That ye haue slain Dane Hew so soon ; Hanged shall ye be if it be knowen. Nay, good dame, said they again to her. For it hath been the false miller ! Then they took Dane Hew again, And brought him to the mil certain. Where they did steal the Bacon before, And there they haged Dane Hew for store ; Thus was he once hanged in deed. And y^ theeues ran hoe as fast as they could speed : The Millers wife rose on the morning erly. And lightly made herself redy. To fetch some Bacon at the last, But when she looked vp she was agast, r I MUNK or LEICESTUE. 327 That she saw the munk hang there ; She cryed out, and put them all in fere ; And said heer is a chaunce for the nones, For heer hangeth the false Munk by cocks bones, That hath been so Lecherous many a day, And with mens wiues vsed to play. Now some body hath quit his meed ful wel, I trow it was the Deuil of Hel ; And our Bacon is stolne away, This I call a shrewd play. I wot not what we shall this winter eate, What wife (quoth the Miller) ye must all this forget ; And giue me some good counsail I pray. How we shall this Munk conuay, And priuily of him we may be quit ; Sir, she said, that shall you lightly wit. Lay him in a corner til it be night, And we shall conuay him or it be day light. The Abbot hath a close heer beside, Therein he hath a good horse vntide. Go and fetch him home at night. And bring him vnto me straight, And we shall set him there vpon in deed, And binde him fast so God me speed. 328 DANE HEW And giue him a long pole in his hand, Like as he would his enmies withstand. And vnder his arme we will it thrust, Like as he would fiercely iust. Fo[r] (she said) as ye wel knowe. The Abbot hath a Mare gentle and lowe, Which ambleth wel and trotteth in no wise, But in the morning when the Abbot dooth rise. He commaundeth his mare to him to be brought For to see his workmen if they lack ought. And vpon the mare he rideth as I you tel, For to see and all things be wel. And when this Horse seeth this mare anon, Vnto her he wil lightly run or gone : When the Miller this vnderstood, He thought his wiues counsail was good. And held him wel therwith content, And ran for the horse verament, And when he the horse had fet at the last, Dane Hew vpon his back he cast ; And bound him to the horse ful sure, That he might the better indure, To ride as fast as they might ren ; Now shall ye knowe how the Miller did then, MUNK OF LEICESTRE. 329 He tooke the horse by the brydle anon, And Dane Hew sitting theron ; And brought him that of the mare he had a sight, Then the horse ran ful right. The Abbot looked a Httle him beside, And saw that Dane Hew toward him gan ride; And was ahnoste out of his minde for feare, When he saw Dane Hew come so neere, He cryed help for the looue of the trinitie, For I see wel that Dane Hew auenged wil be. Alas I am but a dead man ! And with that from his mare he ran ; The abbots men ran on Dane Hew quickly, And gaue him many strokes lightly : With clubs and staues many one, They cast him to the earth anone ; So they killed him once again, Thus was he once hanged and foure times slaine ; And buried at the last as it was best, I pray God send vs all good rest. Amen. NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. Page 117. In see in ryver, &c. In se, in feld, and eke in ryvere. Life of Ipomydon, v. 63. In toun, in feld, in frith and fen. Minol's Poems, p, 9. Ibid. What fissile, &c. Thus Plautus compares a slippery and uncertain fellow to an eel : " Ps. Ecquid argutu' est ? Ch. malorum facinorum ssepissime. " Ps. Quid cum manifesto-tenetur 1 Ch. auguilla et elabitur." Pseudolus, A. II. So. iv. 1. 57. The excess in banqueting in Edward the Third's time was so great, that he was obliged in the seventeenth year of his reign to establish certain rules, forbidding any common man to have dainty dishes at his table, or costly drink. 332 NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULIIAM. Stowe says (Chron. p. 267,) at the marriage of Lionel Duke of Clarence, the third soa of Edward III. with Vio- lentis, the daughter of Galeasius the Second, Duke of Milan ; there was a rich feast, in which above thirty courses were served at the table, and the fragments that remained were more than sufficient to have served one thousand people. The feast made in honour of the nuptials of King Henry the Fourth, with the Lady Jane of Navar, in the year 1403, consisted of six courses ; the first three were of flesh and fowls, the three last chiefly of fish. In the first course of the wedding of Henry the Fourth, in 1403, we find Fesaiutys ; in the second, Partryche ; in the third, Woodecokke, Piovere, Quaylys, Suytys, and Feldfare. In the first course of fish, Lampreys pouderyd, Pyke, Breme, Samoun rostyd ; in the second, Samoun, Congre, Gurnarde, Lampreys in past ; in the third, Tenche enbrace, Perchys, Lamprey rosted, Lochys, and Sturjoun. At the coronation feast of Catherine and Henry the Fifth, in 1419, we find Pyke in erbage, Breme of the see, and Perche with goion. At the coronation feast of Henry the Sixth, 1429, was a Heyron rosted, great pyke or luce, and Carpe. In Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle are the following well-known verses : Hops and turkies, carps and beer Came into England all in a year. The opinion expressed in these lines was first controverted NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM, 333 by Walton in the Complete Angler ; Le says carp were introduced into this country by one Mr. Mascal about the year 1580. Juliana Barnes, who wrote her Treafyse of Fysshynge wyth an angle, about the year 1400, or probably a little later, says, the carp " is a deyntous fysshe, but there ben but fewe in Englonde. And therfor I wryte the lasse of hyni." This therefore was, no doubt, considered a rarity worthy to be placed "inter lanres mensasq : nitentes" of the coronation banquet of Henry the Sixth. Page 118. ♦' The Barbyll is a swete fysshe ; but it is a quasy meete, and a peryllous for mannys body."— TheTreatyse nf Fysshynge. W. lie WorJe, 1496. Could not the surging and distempered seas Thy queasy stomacke gorged with sweet meats please. Verses on the Duke nf Buckingham,' s Returnfrom the IsleofRees. MS. in Caii Coll. 143. Page 119. Stew also signifies a place of ill-fame, a brothel, in which sense it is used in Hycke- scorner. " They twayne togyder bad good sporte ; " But at the stewes syde I lost a grote :" and farther on, " At the stties we wyll lye to nyght," 334 NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. " And truely I thinke some of these places are little better than the stewes and Brothell houses were in times past." — Stubbes' Anatomy of Abuses, p. 49. Page 119. The cely fisshes, &c. The verb excuse is used similarly in Hycke-scorner ; For and I had not soused me without fayle, By our lady, he wolde have lad me strayte to jayle. Also by Shakespeare, And here I stand, both to impeach and purge Myself condemned and myself excus'd. Romeo and Juliet, A. v. sc. iii. Page 120. Ware, to beware ; warian, bewarian, A. S. the Gr. words ilf Ew and ^KtTTw, answer to this, the latter of which in its primary signification means to see, in its secondary sense to take heed; the same analogy may be remarked in the Sec. G. War Videns. " And but yf that a man be well ware how he goth, he may so doo he shall not come out agayn." — Informacyon for Fylgrymes. W, de Worde, " Bot sho es icar with his gilvy." Ywaine and Gawin, v. 1604. " Or ye bene war apoun you wil thay be." G. DcusL 4446. NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. 335 War is also used ia the sense of aware off. " Off Nynyve they wer ware." Richard Coer de Lion, v. 636. The word ware is also used as an adjective, in which sense it is perhaps taken here ; be a wise and prudent man : thus in Ywaine and Gawin, v. 1241. " He es cumen of hegh parage, " And wonder doghty of vasselage, " War and wise and ful curtayse." Page 120. Off ffat elys, &c. By a passage in Gammer Gurton's Needle, (Act ii. sc. 1.) it may be inferred that eels in the reign of Edward the Sixth, were considered delicacies ; " Her eele, Hodg ! who fisht of late 1 that was a dainty dish. " Ibid. Ware, merchandize, goods, commodities, 8^c. A. S. waree merces. " Hue nolden take for huem raunsoun ne ware." A ballad against the French in Ritson's Antient Songs, p. 22. Page 122. Panteir. S. a swoop net. F. panthiere, or better from pantiere, which come from the Greek 7r«ii6»)p«, quia omnia obvia abripit. 336 NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. " Tyll on morow wten Tytan shone full dere " The byrd was trappy d and caute wyth a pantera." Lydgates Chorl and the Byrde. MS. Page 123. Finally he (Paul the Third) is a great astronomer, and so olde a man, that (as thei saie) for the most part he is nourished with the suck of a woman's breast : and to helpe his colde nature, hath, &c. &cc.—Thomai' Description of Italy, p, 73, Berthelett. 1549. " Wherefore he called his cone and prayed him for to " gyae hym a draught of muste. His sone answered and " savd. That wyll not do for I must is not good for thy " complexyon." — Gesta liomanorum. W. de Worde. " Also whan ye come to dyuers hauens be ware of fruytes " that ye ete none for nothynge, as melons and such colde " fruytes, for they be not accordynge to oure complexion." — Informacyon for Pylgr, W. de Worde. Page 125. Lyme Twigges. S. twiggs covered with birdlime ; from the A. S. lime, bitumen, and twig, ramus. " Thy lymetwyggs and panters I defy." The Tale of the Byrde and the Chorle, by Lydgate, MS. in Trin. Coll. Lib. Cant. " Comb down his hair ; look ! look ! it stands upright, " Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul !" Hen. VI. p. 2. A. iii. S. 3. NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. 337 " You must lay lime, to tangle her desires." Two Gent, of Verona, A. iii. S. 3. " Poor bird ! tbou'dst never fear the net, nor lime, " The pit-fall, nor the gin." Macbeth, A. iv. S. 2. — " To birds the lime-twig, so " Is love to man an everlasting foe." Fanshaw's Pastor Fido, i. 4. " He throws, *' Like nets, or lime-twiggs, wheresoe'er he goes, " His title of barrister." Donne. " York and impious Beaufort, that false priest, •' Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings." Henry VI. p. 2. A. ii. S. 4. " Over her bylevith in folie, " So in the lym doth the flye." King Alisaunder, 419, 420. Lycorouse, adj. dainty-mouthed, or sweet-toothed : A. S. liccera, guUosus. •' Let not Sir Surfeit sit on thy board : z 338 NOTES TO PIERS OF FIULHAM. " Leve him not for he is lechyrous and licorous of tongue, " And after many manner of meat his mawe is a hun- gered." Pierce Plowman's Vision. " Certayne it is, that this life of ours is a continual! " warrefare, a pitchte fielde, wherein, as the lickerous " tounge of our mother ene hath justly pruoked the Lorde," &c. — Pluyes confuted injiue actions, hy Step. Gossim. Lond. 12mo. n. d. b. 1. In the time of Elizabeth, they dined at one o'clock ; and such as eat suppers most commonly sat down to meat about seven o'clock in the evening, or a little before. In Mary's rc-ign, the hour of supper at court seems to have been still earlier ; for in Fox's Martyrs, V/eston promises Bradford that he would go and say evening song before the Queen, and speak to her in his [Bradford's] behalf; but [he adds] it is to be thought that the Queen had almost supped at that present, for it was past sis of the clock. In an account (in Anthony Wood's life) of the extraor- dinary custom at Merton College, of the indignity fresh men then endured, we are told the fellows would go to supper at sis o'clock [this was in the year 1647]. And nowe a dayes, if the Table be not couered from the one ende to the other, as thicke as one dish can stand by an other, with delicate meate of sundrie sortes, one cleane different from an other, and to euery dishe a seurall sauce appropriate to hys kinde, it is thought there unworthy the name of a dinner ; yea, so many dishes shal you haue NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. 339 pestering the table at once, as the unsaciablest ffellow, the devouringst glutton, or the greediest comorant that euer was, can scarce eate of euery one a little. And these many shal you haue at the first course, and as many at the second, and peradventure, more at the third : besides other sweete condiments, and delicate confections, of spiceries, and I can not tell what. And to these dainties, all kinde of wines are not wanting, you may bee sure. Oh what nisitie is this : what vanitie, excesse, riott, and superfluitie is heere : Oh farewell former worlde : for I have heard my father say, that in his dayes, one dishe or two, of good wholesome meate, was thought sufficient for a man of great worshippe to dine withall, and if they had three or foure kinds, it was reputed a sumptuous feast. A good peece of beefe was thought then, good meate, and able for the best, but nowe, it is thought too grosse for their tender stomackes to disgest. — Anatomie of Abuses, p. 59. Page 125. And hereby it appeareth, that no people in the world, are so curious in new fangles, as they of Aligna bee. — Shibhe's Anat. (rf Abuses, p. 7. And licentious in all their wayes, whiche easeiy ap- peareth by their apparell, and newfangled fashions, eury dayinuented. — Stubbe's Anat. of Abuses, p. 47. Page 126. Save reresoupers, &c. The public suppers of the Normans were generally fol- 340 NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. lowed by dancing ; and that by the rear-supper, or colla- tion, consisting of spiced cakes and medicated wines. Page 126. Jape, v. to mock, deride, delude. Skinner deduces it from the F. Gaber, and gives it the respective meanings of comprimere, stuprare, vitiare. Jamieson from the A. S. geap, fraudulentus. Jape, s. a jest. From this word is derived gibe, to jeer ; jybe, in the Yorkshire dialect, and signifies sport, jest, &c. " He gan his beste japes forth to caste, " And made her so to laiigh at his folie." " Wherefore notwithstanding that thou speak rebuke- fully to me, I tak it in iape." — Pasguil the Playne. " Now thus it apperetb that it is but a iape and a vanite." — Miles and Clericus, p. 10. " And all bis ernest tcurneth to a iape." The Mill. Tale. 281. In the sense of insulting over those under our subjection : " The God of love deliverly " Came lepande to me hastily> " And sayid to me in grete jape " Yelde the, for thou maie not escape." Chauc. Rom. Base. 1927. NOTES TO PIEUS OF FFULHAM. 34] Gawin Douglas applies the word to tlie Trojan horse, " Vnder the feit of this ilk bysnyng jaip." 46, 47. " Quhat wenys fulis this sexte buk be hot japis." Prol. 158. ]6. " To harberie that iaip." Wation's Collect, v. ii. p. 22, " Thus in Braband has he bene, " Whare he bifore was seldom sene, " For to prove thaire japes." Minot's Poems, p. 23. " The two knyghtys grete yapys made." Tlie Erie of Tolous, v. 697. " He had a jape of malice in the derk." Coke's Prol. v. 4336. " A liteJ jape that fell ia our citee." ib. 4341. " As he did erst, and all n'as but a jape." Chauc. V. 16780. " That when the ende is known, all will turn to a jape." — Gammer Gurtcn's Needle. " Also take good hede to your knyues and other small japes.>— JTj/brmarj/on/o?- Pylgrymes. " The pilfryng pastime of a crue of apes. " Sporting themselves witli their conceited japes." Longate verses, <^c. 342 NOTES OF PIERS OF FFULHAM. " I jape not, for tliat [ say weill I knaw." G. Douglas, 41, 34. " Thelis hath so bejaped Deidamie." Gower. — Be japed with a mowe. Goiuer. Conf. Avi. f. 68. a. " Nay jape not bym, he is no smal fole." Skelton, p. 236. It was also used in another sense : — Now have ye other vicious manners of speech, but sometimes and in some cases toleiable, and chiefly to the intent to moove laughter and to make sport, or to give it some prety strange grace ; and is when we use such wordes as may be drawen to a foule and unshamefast sence, as one that should say to a young woman, I pray you let me jape with you, which is indeed no more but let me sport with you. Yea, and though it were not so directly spoken, the very sounding of the word were not commendable, as he that in the presence of ladies would use this common proverbe : Jape with me, but hurt me not, Bourde with me, but shame me not. For it may be taken in another perverser sense by that sorte of persons that beare it, in whose eares no such matter ought almost to be called in memory. — Puttenh. Art of Eng. Poetry, B.iii. c. 22. For he japed my wyfe, and made me cuckolde. ^-^ Hyche-Scorner. NOTES TO TIERS OF FFULIIAM. 343 A man may, &c. — Herrick has an epigram on this sen- timent : " Haste is unhappy : what we rashly do " Is both unluckie, I, and foolish too : " Where war with rashnesse is attempted there, " The Soldiers leave the field with equall feare. Hesperides, p. 99. Page 127. Stubbes, in noticing " the speedy decay of those that geue themselues to daintie fare," says, " doth not the whole bodie become pursie, and corpulent, yea sometimes decre- pite withal 1, and full of all filthie corruption ?" Ibid. At the time of Henry II. kings sat at meat attended by their physicians ; which is confirmed by what Robert of Glocester says, for king Henry the First desirous to eat of a lamprey that was brought to the table, was advised by his physicians to forbear, because it was unwholesome for him : He wylled of a larapreye to cte But hys leches hym verbede, vor yt was a feble mete. Leche was a term applied to all men who practised physic : the word is still retained in some counties ; a cow doctor is called a cow leche. Ibid. Allway kepe, &c. And, when there is no more hike in thepen, I wyll make a shift, as wel as other men. Lusty Jiiventus. 344 NOTES TO PIERS OF FFULHAM. Page 127. Lyveloode, livelihood, libau, M. G. libban. A.S. to live. Hood, in composition, placed after a noun, signifies office, way of life, &c. and is perhaps derived from oSoj, Gr. oiroi Tou /S;ou raurvjv tjjv oSov sTroptuSijaai'.— Jmc. " And learn to labour with hand ; for live-lode is sweet." Pierce Ploughman. " And by this lyve-lod I must live till Lammas time." Ibid. THE END. Thomas While, rriiitcr, Johnson's Court. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 305 De Neve Drive Parking Lot 17 • Box 951388 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. to URI DC L U ORU tP/L .- L13W6 1988 >'^^'> :'^ 3 1158 00898 4089 uc SOUTHl RN lUGIONAl I IBRARY FACILiTY A A 000 297 856 7 ^M H [ 1 i ■i ■- -;-v-'.;-.Jv;-,,'^ji, , S ^^^^^^^_ "IBB^^H