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EARLY ENGLISH POETRY,
BALLADS,
AND POPULAR LITERATURE
OF THE MIDDLE AGES,
EDITED FROM ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS
AND SCARCE PUBLICATIONS.
VOL. XXVIII. ^
^'<A
LONDON.
PRINTED FOR THE PERCY SOCIETY,
B1 T RICHAKUS. lil. QUEEN Sir.b:&!
lingoln's-inn-pields.
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CONTENTS OF VOl. XXVIII.
AN ANGLO-SAXON PASSION OF SAINT GEORGE.
EDITED BY THE REV. C. HARDWICK.
A POEM ON THE TIMES OF EDWARD II.
EDITED BY THE REV. C. HARDWICK.
THE POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
EDITED BY T. WRIGHT, ESQ.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
EDITED BY J. 0, HALLIWELL, ESQ.
AN
ANGLO-SAXON PASSION
ST. GEORGE:
MS. IN THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.
EDITED, WITH A TRANSLATION, Br
THE REV. C. HARDWICK, M.A.
PELLOW OP ST. CATHABIMK S HALL.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE PERCY SOCIETY,
BY RICHARDS, iOO, ST. MARTIN S LANE.
MDCCCL.
President.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A.
Council.
THOMAS AMYOT, Esq., F.RS., F.S.A.
WILLIAM HENRY BLACK, Esq.
W. DURRANT COOPER, Esq., F.S.A.
T. CROFTON CROKER. Esq., F.S.A., M.R.I. A.
J. H. DIXON, Esq.
FREDERICK WILLIAxM FAIRHOLT, Esq F.S.A
W. D HAGGARD, Esq, F.S.A.
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, E.sq , F.R.S., F.S.A.,
Honorary Secretary.
SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON, B.\et.
JAMES PRIOR, Esq., F.S.A., M.R.I.A.
WILLIAM SANDYS, Esq., F.S.A.
C. ROACH SMITH, Esq., F.S.A.
RICHARD JOHN SMITH, Esq.
THE REV. J. REYNELL WREFORD, F.S.A.
THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M.A., F.S.A , Treas^irer.
PREFACE
It has been affirmed in works of considerable
reputation that the subject of the following
' Passion' was almost wholly unknown to our fore-
fathers till the period of the Crusaders, when he is
said to have interposed in behalf of the Christians
during the expeditions of Richard I.
This statement is, however, untenable, as will
be seen by referring to the notices of St. George,
which belong to Anglo-Saxon history. The
language of the present poem is of itself sufficient
to convince us of his general recognition in
England even before the Norman conquest. The
MS. was perhaps executed somewhat later, but
the author of it was none other than -^Ifric,
archbishop of York, who presided over that see
between the years 1023 and 1051. This fact has
been ascertained by collating the Cambridge
MS. with a volume of ' Lives of Saints,' in the
11 PREFACE.
Cotton library (Julius, E, vii), unquestionably the
work of yElfric, as we learn from the preface.
He also informs us that he had already translated
two volumes of the same kind, to meet the wishes
of the English people, while this third was chiefly
undertaken for the gratification of the monks.
The pages which relate to St. George agree
almost literatim with the text of the following
Passion.
Nor is this the earliest vestige of St. George
in Anglo-Saxon literature. We find him in a
' Marty rology' surviving in Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge (No. cxcvi, p. 12), given, it would
seem, by bishop Leofric to the Cathedral Church
of Exeter, early in the eleventh century.' He
* I transcribe this Passion at length: "On
]7one ]7reo and twentigo^an da?g j;pes monies
(Eostor-month or April) by^ sancte Georius tyd
Jjses seiSelan martyres, J^one Datianus se casere
seofen gear myd unasecgendlicum wytum hync
)?reatode )?at he Cryste wiSsoce; and he na}fre
hyne ofer-swySan ne myhte. And J?a aefter ]?am
seofon gearum het he hyne beheafdian. pi he J>a
wajs gelaed to J^aere beheafdunge )m com fyr of
heofenum and forbaernde ];one hseScnan casere
and ealle j^a \q myd hym aer tyntregdon J?onc
halgan wer. And sancte Georius hym to Dryhtne
PREFACE. Ill
h;id also a place in the Anglo-Saxon ' Ritual of
the Church of Durham,' published by the Surtees
Society, and assignable to the beginning of the
ninth century.* A still older channel by which
gebaed and ]7us cwae^, ' Haelend Cryst, onfoh
mynum gaste; and ic J^e bydde ]>at swa hwylc
man swa myn gemynd on eorSan do, J?onn afyrr
frara J^aes mannes huse aelce untrumnysse, ne hym
feond ne sce^^e ne hunger ne man-cwealra ; and
gif man mynne nama naeme^ on aenigre freced-
nysse o^^e on sae o^^e on o^rum sy^ saete, J>onne
fylge se J^ynre myld-heortnysse\ pa com staefen
of heofenum and cwse^, ' Cum ]>u geblotsode, and
swa hwylc man swa on aenigre stowe and freced-
-nysse mynne naman J'urh ]?e cyg^, ic hyne gehyre.'
And sy^San J^yses halgan weres mihta waeron
oft mycele gecy^ed. Pa maeg on-gytan se^e rae^ed
sancte Arculfes boc, |7at se man wses stranglice
gewytnod, se^e geunarode sancte Georius anlyc-
nysse, and se wses wy^ hys feondum gescyld
betweox mycelre frecednysse se"Se hym J^am an-
lycnysse to Jjyngunge gesohte." In p. 15, there
is a commemoration of Alexandra, who is men-
tioned in some legends of St. George as the queen
of Datianus.
* p. 52. — The prayer runs thus: God, ^v ^e
vsig eadges Georg' ^rovres Sines earnvngv "j
IV PREFACE.
the Anglo-Saxon Church might have become
acquainted with St. George, is the Gregorian
Sacramentary, once very generally used in our
island. It is true, questions have been raised
touching the genuineness of the ' Preface,' where
St. George is commemorated by name ; but other
evidence is not wanting to prove that he was
already known to Gregory the Great, and there-
fore to the Roman missionaries, who took part in
the conversion of the Saxons. For among the
letters of St. Gregory, there is one in which he
gives orders for the repair of a church dedicated
in honour of St. George.*
But all doubts as to his early introduction
among our Anglo-Saxon forefathers are removed
by the testimony of Adamnan, whose treatise
' de Situ Terras Sanctse' (ed. Ingolstadt, 1619)
supplies the following curious information. It
appears that Arculf, the early traveller, on his
return to his bishopric in France, was carried by
adverse winds to lona (a.d. 701). At his own
dictation, a narrative was made of his interesting
pilgrimage ; and among other particulars we are
^ingvuge gigladias, gilef rvmlice, ^te "Sa "Se his
vel-fremnis' vc givga^, gefe giseleuisne gefes ve
gifylga."
* Lib. ix, Indict, iv, ep. Ixviii.
PREFACE. V
told (lib. iii, c. 4) : " Aliam quoque de Georgio
martyre certara relationem nobis S. Arculfus
intimavit, quam expertis quibusdam satis idoneis
narratoribus in Constantinopoli urbe indubitanter
didicit." In proof of the sanctity of the martyr,
he subjoins a most singular story touching a man
who vowed his horse to St. George, as he was
proceeding on some perilous expedition. Having
returned in safety, he wished to commute the
oflFering by the payment of a sum of money.
Whereupon the saint showed his deep displeasure
by causing the animal to become restive, when
his rider had mounted for his departure; and
after several ineffectual attempts, and the promise
of some extra shillings, the vow was at length
literally fulfilled by leaving the horse behind. The
moral which this story inculcated on the Anglo-
Saxons is then stated by Adamnan : " Hinc
manifeste colligitur, quodcumque Domino conse-
cratur, sive homo erit sive animal (juxta id quod
in Levitico scriptum est) nullo modo posse redimi
aut mutari."
From the same source Bede most probably
derived the information contained in his Mar-
tyrology, for he was well acquainted both with
the travels of Arculf* and the book of Adamnan,
* Hist. EccL, lib. v, c. 15-17.
VI PREFACE.
which latter. Indeed, he has epitomised. The
notice at ix Kalend. Maii, is as follows : " Natale
S. Georgii martyris, quisnb Datiano,rege Persarura
potentissinio qui dominabatur super septuaginta
reges, multis miraculis claruit, plurimosque con-
vertit ad fidem Christi, simul et Alexandram
uxorem ipsius Datiani usque ad martyrium
confortavit. Ipse vero novissime decollatus mar-
tyrium explevit, quamvis rfesta passionis ejus inter
apocri/phas connumerentur scripturas.''^
This last clause will throw light upon the
language at the opening of the Anglo-Saxon
Passion. It is there stated that heretical accounts
of St. George were not uncommon in the Western
Church ; and that the compiler of the present
legend undertook it with the hope of preserving
the faithful from all further imposition. In what the
heresy of those legends consisted we are unable
to ascertain precisely, for the first mention of
them, which occurs in a catalogue of spurious
writings drawn up at Rome in 495, does no more
than enumerate one relating to St. George. It
may however be conjectured, with considerable
probability, that the ground of condemnation was
an alhision respecting St. Athanasius, who appears
to have been foisted into the narrative at a very
early period. As in our own legend, he is made
to play the part of a magician in aid of the tyrant
PREFACE. VI 1
Datianus ; and since his adversaries were in the
habit of taxing him with sorcery, there is reason
to suspect that' the corruption of the legend is
due to Arian malice. This at least has been the
opinion of many writers who have investigated
the story of St. George, including Baronius,
Heylin, and the BoUandists. They also maintain,
that the confusion of our saint with the Cappado-
cian George, who lived nearly a century later, has
resulted from similar interpolations.* However
this may be, it is clear that the author of the
legend from which our Anglo- Saxon text has
been derived, reproduced several of the Arian
elements, notwithstanding his zeal to vindicate
the saint from all heretical misconstructions. This
feature of the Passion will be found not the least
curious.
I may add, in conclusion, that the accompa-
panying version claims no merit beyond that
* The main channel by which this corruption was per-
petuated, seems to be a manuscript written in Lombardic
characters, and referred to the seventh century. Baronius
speaks of that legend of St. George as " multis procul dubio
repertam mendaciis", and the BoUandists as " non tantum
fide sed etiam lectione indignissima." They affirm, how-
ever, that the basis of the legend was historical, and that
it was subsequently expurgated by collation with the purer
accounts of the Eastern Church.
Vlll PREFACE.
of a literal correctness, and that the few various
readings are drawn from the Cotton MS. to which
I have before alluded.
C. H.
St. Catharines Hall, Cambridge,
June 29, 1«50.
ANGLO-SAXON
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
GEDWOL-menn awrlton
gcdwyld on heora bocum*
be ]?am halgan were
J?e is gehaten Georius.*
Nu wylle we eow secgan
]?at soS is be ]?am*
]>at heora gedwyld ne derie-f*
digellice aenigum.
Se halga Georius
waes in hai'Senum dagum
rice ealdormann'
underi |)am re^am casere Datianus§'
on ]yxrc scire Capadocia.
)>a het Datianus
J7a hai]?enan gegaderian*
* A corruption of Georgius very common in Anglo-Saxon
and Anglo-Norman MSS. Instances also occur in which
Georgius has been confounded with Gregorius. t Derige.
+ Under ^am rcham casere be wa3s Datianus geciged.
§ The Greek Acts generally read Diocletianv.s, of which
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
Misbelievers have written
Misbelief in their books,
Touching the saint
That Georius hight.
Now will we teach you
What is true thereabout,
That heresy harm not
Any unwittingly.
The holy Georius
Was in heathenish clays
A rich ealclorman,
Under the fierce Caesar Datianus,
In the sliire of Cappadocia.
Then bade Datianus
The heathen assemble
Datianus may be a corrupted form. Heylin has endeavoured
to prove that the Datianus here mentioned was Galerius
Maximinus, a native of Dacia. — Hist, of St. George, p. 169,
seqq.
B 2
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
to his deofol-gyklum
liis Drihtne onteonan*
and mid manegum J^eowracum
]?at man-cyn geegsode*
|>at hi heora lac geofFrodon
])am leasiim god urn mid him.
|ja geseah se halga wer
];a;ra hse^enra gedwyld'
hu hi )?am deoflum onsasgdon
and heora Drihten forsawon.
J>a aspende he his feoh
unforht on aelmyssum*
hafenleasum m annum
]?am Hrelende to lofe*
and wearS J>urh Crist gebyld
and cwae'S to ]>am casere*
Omnes dii gentium [demonia*]
Dorainus autem coclos fecit.
Ealle |>a3ra he];enra godas
syndon gramlice deoflu'f
and ure Drihten so^lice
geworhte heofonas.
J)ine godas casere
syndon gyldene and sylfrene*
stffi'ne and treowe*+
getreowleasra manna hand-geweorc*
* Supplied from Cotton MS. t deofla.
+ stsenene and treowene.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. i
At his devil-ofFerlngs§
His Lord to blaspheme ;
And with many threatenings
(So) frightened the people,
That they offered their gilts
To the false gods with him.
Then witnessed the saint
The heathens' delusion,
How they were worshijjping devils.
And despising their Lord.
Then spent he his wealth
Cheerful in alms,
On shelterless men,
to the praise of the Saviour ;
And, through Christ, waxed courageous,
And quoth to the Cffisar,
" Omnes dii gentium dwmonia
Dominus autem coelos fecit. \\
' All the gods of the heathen
Are furious demons ;
And our Lord, in sooth.
Fashioned the heavens.'
Thy gods, O Caesar,
Are of gold and silver,
Of stone and of tree,
Of untrue men the hand-work ;
§ I.e. idolatry. 11 Ps. xcv, o, Q<\. Viilg.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
and ge him wcardas setta^
^e hi bewaciaS wiS Jjcofas'
hwset Sa Datianus
deoflice geyrsode*
ongen |?one halgan wer
and het hine secgan*
of hwilcere byrig he wicre
o^^e hwset his nama wxyc.
]>a. andwyrde Georius
J>am arleasan and cwse^*
Ic eom sot)lice Cristcn
and ic Criste ]>eowie.*
Georius ic eom gehaten
and ic habbe ealdordora*
on minum gearde"f"
])e is gehaten Capadocia*
and me bet Ilea's
to forlfetenne nu"
]7ysne hwihvendlican wur^mynt
and ]??cs wuldorfyllan Godes*
cync-dome gchyrsumian
on haligre drohtnunge.
I^a cwte-S Datianus
]m dwclast Georius*
gencalicV nu serest
and geoffra ]nne lac*
]?am unofcrs\vi]?cndum Ajiollino
seSe so'Slice maig'
beowige. t cardc.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
And ye station guards for them,
Who may them watch against thieves."
Whereupon Datianus
Devilishly raged
Against the holy man,
And bade him declare
Of which borough he was,
Or what was his name ?
Then answered Georius
The sinner, and quoth,
" I am, truly, a christian,
And to Chi-ist am in thrall.
My name is Georius,
jVnd I rank as an ealdorman
In my own province.
That is hight Cappadocia ;
And me it better liketh
To forfeit at once
This temporal honour,
And the glorious God's
Empire to follow
In pureness of living."
Then quoth Datianus,
*' Thou art astray, O Georiu?^,
Therefore come first
And offer thy gift
To unconquercd Apollo,
AVho doubtless is able
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
|>inre nytennysse gemiltsian
and to his man-rsedene gebigan.
Georius J?a befrau
l^one feondlican Casere*
hwaSer* is to lufigenne
oj7|?e hwam lac to offrigennc
J7am hfelende Criste
ealra worulda-f- alusend*:]:
o]/]?e Apolline
ealra deofla ealdre.
hwa3t ]7a Datianus
mid deoflicum graman*
het ]?one halgan wer
on hengene ahebban'§
and mid isenum clawum
clifrian his lima*
and on-tendan blasan||
xt bam his sidanll'
and het hinc ]7a siSban
of |)8ere ceastrc aUcdan*
and mid swinglum Jjicagan
and mid sealtan* gnidan*
ac se halga wer
wunode ungederod.
J7a het se Casere
hine on cwcartcrnf don*
* hwae^er. t woruldra. t alysend.
§ ahaebban (which is probably the true reading).
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
Thy folly to pardon,
And to his allegiance to bend."
Georius then asked
The fiend-like Caesar,
" Whether one should love.
Or to which offer gifts,
To the merciful Christ,
Everlasting Redeemer,
Or else to Apollo,
Of all devils the chief?"
Whereupon Datianus,
With devilish fury.
Gave order the saint
In prison to hold,
And with iron claws
To harrow his limbs,
And set torches on fire
At both sides of him :
And bade him thence forth
From the city to lead,
And with scourges chastise,
And rub (him) with salt.
Notwithstanding the saint
Uninjured abode.
Then ordered the Caesar
Him in prison to lay,
II blysan. ^ sidum.
* sealte. t cwearternc.
I
10 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
and hct gcaxlan ofer call
sumne scltewne dry.
]fa geaxode J^at -
Athanaslus se dry'*
and com to ]>am Casere
and hine caflice befran*
hwi hete 'Su me feccan
|;us focrllce to ]>e'
Datianus andwurde
Athanasius ]?us*
miht ]>n adw?escan
j^cera Cristcnra dry-crieft"
J^a andwyrde se dry'
Datiane J?U8'
liat cuman to me
j7one crlstenan man*
and ic beo scyldig
gif ic his scm-craeft*
ne ma3g mid ealle advvacscan
mid minum dry-craifte.
)?a facgnode Datianus
)>at he funde swylcne dry*
and het of cweartcrne hcdan
|?one Godcs cempan*
and cwa;'S to ]:'am halgan
mid hctelicum mode*
for ^c Geori
ic bcgcat J/isne dry'
f
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 11
And inquire above all
For some eminent mage.
Then news thereof heard
Athanasius, the mage,
And he came to the Caisar,
And inquired of him quick,
" Why badest thou fetch mc
Thus suddenly to thee ?"
Datiauus answered
Athanasius thus :
" Canst thou extinguish
The Christians' magic ?"
Then answered the mage
To Datian thus :
*' Bid come unto me
The Christian man,
And I am a sinner
If I his illusion
Do not quite extinguish
By means of my magic."
Datianus was fain
That he found such a mage,
And bade lead from prison
The champion of God ;
And quoth to the saint
In vehement mood,
" For thy sake, Georius,
I have got mc this mage :
12 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
of'er-swiS his dry-craft
o'S'Se he "Se ofer-swyiSe*
o]f]>e he ]>e fordo
o'S^e ]hi fordo hine.
Georius Jm beheold
]jone hsej^enan dry''
and cwse^ ];at he gesawe
Cristas gife on him.
Athanasius Sa
heardlice* genam*
senne micelne bollan
mid bealuwe afulled'*)-
and deoflanj betsehte
]7one drenc ealnc"
and sealde him drincan
ac hit him ne derode.
]?a cwpe^ eft se dry'*
gyt ic do an ]?ing"
and gif him J^at ne dera"S
ie buge to Criste.
lie genam ^a ane cuppan
mid cwealra-bserum drscncc
and clypode swySe
to |>am sweartum deoflum*
and to ];am fyrmestum deoflum
and to }>am full strangum"
and on heora nam an begol
J>one gramlican drenc.
* ardlice. t afyllcd. + deoHuni.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 13
ercoine thou his magic,
Or let him o'ercome thee :
Either he do for thee,
Or thou do for him."
Then Georius beheld
The heathenish mage.
And quoth that he saw
Christ's favour on him.
Athanasius then
Hastily took
A bowl of great size
With torment full-filled,
And to devils devoted
The whole of the drink,
And gave him to drink ;
But it injured him not.
Then added the mage,
" I do one thing more.
And if that do not harm him
1 bow unto Christ."
He then took a cup
Of death-bearing drink.
And earnestly called
On the swarthy devils,
And the foremost of devils.
And devils full strong ;
And in their name enchanted
The horrible drink.
14 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
sealde |?a drincan
J7am Drihtncs hal<jjan'
ac him naht ne derodc
sc deoflica waj'ta.
J?a geseah se dry'
|>at he him derian no mihte'
and feoll to his fotum
fuluhtes* biddende*
and se halga Georius
hine sona gefullode.
hvvset "Sa Datianus
deoflice wcar^S gram*
and het geniman J)one dry'-
ye 'Saer gelyfde on God*
and laedan of J?a3re byrig
and beheafdian sona.
Eft on J>am o]?rum da;ge
het se arleasa Cascre*
gebindan Gcorium
on anum bradum hweowle*
and twa sccarpe swurd
settan him to-geanes*
and twa up ateon
and under-baec sceofan.
]>a gebaid Georius
hine bealdhce to Godc*
Deus in adjutoriuni nieum intcndc
Domine ad adjuvandum me festina.
* fulluhtes.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGK. 15
Gave (it) then to drink
To the saint of the Lord ;
But no wise it harmed him.
The devilish wet.
Then the mage ascertained
That he could not him harm.
And fell at his feet.
Imploring baptism ;
And the holy Georius
Baptized him forthwith.
Whereupon Datianus
Waxed devilishly fierce,
And bade take the mage,
AVho there trusted in God,
And lead (him) out of the borough.
And behead (him) forthwith.
On the following day
Bade the impious Caesar
To fasten Georius
Upon a broad wheel,
And a pair of sharp swords
Against him to fix,
And so up to draw,
And backwards to shove.
Then Georius prayed
Him boldly to God,
Deus in adjutorium meum intende
Domine ad adjuvandum me/estina.i
f Common ejaculations in the Offices of the western
1() PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
])iit is, God beseoh "Sii'
(»u minum fultume*
Drihteu cfst ])u*-
me to fultumigenne.
and he weai-S gebroht
mid }>isum gebede on ]7am liwcowle.
J)a tyrndon ]>a haej^enan
hetelice |?at hweowol'
ac hit sona to-bserst
and beah to eor'San ;
and se halga wer
wunode ungederod.
Datianus ]?a
dreorig wear"S on mode*
and swor J?urh "Sa sunnan
and ]>\irh ealle his godas*
J^at he mid mislicum witum
hine wolde fordon.
)?a cwse'S se eadiga
Georius him to*
)jine ]?cowracan
synd hwilwendlice*
ac ic ne forhtige
for "Sinum gebeote.
, 5u haefest minne lichaman
on ^iuum anwealde*
church : see, for example, Rituale EcclesioB Dunelmensis.
p. 1G9, ed. Surtees Society.
PASSION OF ST, GKORGE. 17
That is, " Look thou, O God,
Upon my support,
Haste thee, O Lord,
To succour and save."
And he was brought
With this prayer to the wheel.
Then turned the heathen
Hotly the wheel.
But it soon burst asunder,
And bowed to the earth ;
And the holy man
Continued unhurt.
Thereupon Datianus
Waxed dreary in mood,
And swore by the sun,
And by the whole of his gods,
That with divers torments
He would do him to death.
Then quoth the blessed
Georius to him,
" Thy comminations
Are but for a time.
But naught do I quail
Because of thy threats.
Thou boldest my body
Within thy dominion.
]?u nu. t ha gebroht.
C
A
18 PASSION OF ST. OKOROE.
ac Su naefst swa ]>ea]\
mine sawle ac God.
]7a het se Casere
his cwelleras feccan*
senne serenne hwer
and hine ealne afullan"^-
mid weallendum leade
and lecgan Georium*
innan Jjone hwer
])SL ^a he hatostt wses.
J7a ahof se halga
to heofonum his eagan*
his Drihten biddende
and bealdlice cwa^ende*
ic 2;ano;e in to ^e
on mines Godes naman*
and ic hopige on Drihten
l^at he me ungederodnc
of ]?isum weallendum hwerc
wylle ahreddan"
]7am is lof and wuldor
geond ealle worold.
and he bletsode ]?at lead
and laeg him on-uppan*
and j^at lead wear^ acolod
^urh CristesI mihte*
and Georius sset
gesund on J^am hwere"
* afyllan. t hattost. * ]7urh Godes.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 19
But my spirit nathless
Hast thou not, but Gotl."
Then bade the Caesar
His quellers to fetch
A brazen ewer,
And fill it all up
With boiling lead,
And lay Georius
Inside the ewer.
Where it was hottest.
Then lifted the saint
To heaven his eyes,
Beseeching his Lord,
And boldly declaring,
" I go unto thee,
In the name of my God,
And I hope in the Lord
That He me unharmed
From this boiling ewer
Will be pleased to deliver,
Whose is praise and glory,
World without end."
And he hallowed the lead.
And lay thereupon,
And the lead waxed cold.
Through the power of Christ ;
And Georius sat
Unhurt in the ewer.
c2
20 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
J)a cwicS se Casere
to J)am Cristes j^egene*
nast Su la Georius
|>at ure godas swinca^ mi's j^e*
and gyt hi sund ge]?yldige
Jjat hi 'Se miltsian*
nu lare ic ^e
swa swa leofne sunu'
]7at ^u l^sera lare cristenra*
forliete mid ealle*
and to minum rsede
hra'Se gebuge.
swa J>at "Su offrige
J^am arwur^an Apolline.
and ]7u miht micclne
wur^munt swa begytan.t
]7a se halga uiartir
raid J)am halgan Gaste afuUed'
smercode mid mu'Se
and to ]7am manfullan cwse^'
ys gedafenaS to offrienne
J7am undeadlicum Gode.
sefter ]?ysum behead
se ablenda Datianus*
]?at man his deadan godas
deorwyr^lice fratewode*
and )jat deofles tempi
■* cristenra lare.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 21
Then quoth the Caesar
To the liege-man of Christ,
" Oh ! know'st not, Georius,
That our gods toll with thee,
And yet are they patient
That they may thee pardon.
Then counsel I thee,
As a son of my love,
That the Christian lore
Thou abandon entire,
And to my advice
Readily bow,
So that thou worship
The reverend Apollo,
And thou many honours
So may obtain."
Then the holy martyr,
With the Holy Spirit full-filled.
Smirked with his mouth,
And to the impious one quoth,
" Us becomes it to worship
The undying God."
After this ordered
The blind Datianus,
That they his dead gods
Should richly adorn.
And the devil's temple
and hu micelne wur§mimt
miht swa beeitan.
22 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE,
mid deorwur^um seolfre*
and het j^yder Isedan
Jjone geleafFullan martir*
wende j^at he wolde
wur'Sian his godas*
and his lac geofFrian
]?am llfleasum stanum.
hwaet )?a Georius
to eor^an abeah.
J7us biddende his Drihten
sebisrdum cneowum*
gehyr nu God aelmihtig
Ymes ]?eowan bene*
and J^as earman anlicnyssa
mid ealle fordo.
swa swa weax formylt
for hatan fyre*
l^at men ]?e oncnawan
and on ]7e gelufon*
Jjat J>u eart ana God
aelmihtig scyppend.
sefter J>ysum gebede
bajrst ut of heofenum*
swi^e faerlic fur
and forbsernde ]?at tempi*
and ealle ]>a. godas
grundlunga suncon*
in to ])pere eor^an
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 23
With costliest silver,
And bade thither lead
The believing martyr.
[HeJ weened that he would
Worship his gods,
And offer his gift
To the lifeless stones.
Whereat Georius
Bowed him to earth,
Thus beseeching his Lord
On his bended knees :
' Hear now, God Almighty,
Thy servant's petition.
And these helpless images
Wholly destroy,
Like as wax melts away
Before the hot fire,
That men Thee acknowledge
And on Thee believe.
That Thou art one God,
Almighty Creator."
After this prayer
Burst out from heaven
Instantaneous fire.
And burnt up the temple ;
And all the gods
Utterly sunk
Into the earth.
24 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
and ne seteowden nsefre sy))]>an.
eac swilce }>a sacerdas
suncon for^ mid"
and surae Jja haej^enan
ye iSaer geliende stodon*
and Georius axode
|7one arleasan Casere*
on hwilcum godum tihtst ^Su
us to gelyfenne*
hu magon hi ahreddan
^e fram frsecednyssuni'
]?onn hi ne mihton
hi sylfe ahreddan.
hwset 'Sa Datianus
gedihte Jjysne cwyde*
and het 'Sus acwellan
]?one Godes cempan.
nima"S jjysne scyldigan
ye mid scin-crsefte to-wende*
ure arwur^an godas
mid ealle to duste*
and drajra^ hine neowehie
his neb to eorSan*
geond ealle ]?as streat
and stacneue wegas*
and of-slea^ hine
mid swurdes ecge.
J^a tugun )?a hsej^enan
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE, 25
And have not appeared ever since :
So also the priests
Were wholly engulphed,
And some of the heathen
Who stood near the place.
And Georius asked
The impious Cassar,
" On what gods allur'st thou
Us to believe?
How can they save
Thee from disasters.
When they are powerless
To deliver themselves?"
Whereupon Datianus
Drew up this command,
And bade thus to kill
The champion of God,
" Lead off this sinner.
Whose illusion upturned
Our adorable gods
Entirely to dust :
And drag him prostrate.
His face to the ground.
Over all these streets
And stony ways,
And destroy him quick
With the edge of the sword."
Then drew the heathen
26 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
]?one halgan wer*
swa Datianus liet
o"Sj7at In comon*
to ^aere cwealm-stowe
and se martir bsed
J?at he hine gebidden raoste*
to })am selmihtlgan Gode
aud his gast betsecan*
he J^anccde J^a Gode
ealre his godnyssa*
)7at he hine gescylde
wiiS }?one swicolaa deofol*
and him sige forgeaf
]?urh so^ne geleafan*
he gebaed eac swylce
for eall Godes* folc*
and J)at God forgeafe
J?8ere eor^an renas*
forJ?an )?e se hsej^a
]>a hynde ^a eor^an*
sefter Jjysum gebede
he bletsode hine sylfne*
and ba?d his slagan
)?at he hine sloge*
mid J^am ^e he acweald wa3s
•Sa comon ]?yder sona*
his agene land-leodat
* cristen.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 27
The holy man,
As Datianus bade,
Until they came
To the place of death ;
And the martyr begged
That he might him pray
To the Almighty God,
And his spirit commend.
Then thanked he God
For His goodness all,
That He shielded him
From the treacherous devil.
And him victory granted
Through a sound belief.
He prayed likewise
For all God's folk,
And that God would grant
To the country rains
Inasmuch as the drought
Was then wasting the land.
After this prayer
He hallowed himself,
And ordered his slayer
That he would him slay.
Whereupon he was killed.
Then came thither soon
His own country-people,
f land-leode.
28 PASSION OF ST. GEORGE.
gelyfede* on God
and gelfehton his lie
and Iseddon to ^ere by rig*
])e he on-J^rowode
and hine "Ster bebyrigdon*
mi^ micelre arwyr^nysse
J?am selmihtigan to lofe.
]?a asende Drihten
sona ren-seuras*
and J7a eor^an gewse'terode
"Se se'r wses forburnen*
swa swa Georius bsed
ser^an ^e he abuge to siege*
hwset J^a Datianus
wear^ fserlice of-slagen*
mid heofonlice*f- fyi'e
and his geferan samod*
)?a "Sa he hamwerd waes
mid his heah-^egnum:}:
ac he becom to helle
aer'San ]>e to huse*
and se halga Georius
siiSode to Criste*
mid |7am a wuna'S
on wuldre. Amen.
* geleofede. t heofonlicum. + ■begenum.
PASSION OF ST. GEORGE. 29
Believers in God,
And took up his corpse.
And conveyed to the borough,
Where he was martyred,
And buried him there
With manifold worship.
To the praise of the Almighty.
Then sent out the Lord
Rain-showers forthwith,
And watered the ground
That ere had been parched ;
Like as Georius prayed
Ere that he bent him to death.
Whereupon Datianus
Was suddenly slain
By heaven-sent fire,
And his colleagues likewise.
While on his way home
With his notable thanes ;
But he entered hell
Ere (he reached) his house.
And the holy Georius
Journeyed to Christ,
With whom he aye dwelleth
In glory. Amen.
A POEM
i
K ON
THE TIMES OF EDWARD 11,
MS. PRESERVED IN THE LIBRARY
ST. PETER'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
EDITED BV THE
REV. C. HARD WICK, M.A.,
FELLOW OF ST. CATHABINE's HALL, CAMBRIDGE.
LONDON :
PRINTED FOR THE PERCY SOCIETY,
BY KICHAKDS, 100, ST. MARTINS LANE.
MDCCCXLIX.
€i)t ^ercj) ^onetp*
I
President.
THE RIGHT HON, LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A.
Council.
THOMAS AMYOT, Esq. F.R.S., F.S.A.
WILLIAM HENRY BLACK, Esq.
BOLTON CORNEY, Esq., M.RS.L.
T. CROFTON CROKER, Esq. F.S.A., M.R.I A.
J. H. DIXON, E.«Q.
FREDERICK WILLIAM FAIRHOLT, Esq. F.S.A.
J. M. GUTCH, Esq., F.S.A.
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, Esq. F.R.S ,
F.S.A., Acting Secretary.
W. JERDAN, Esq. M.R.S.L.
J. S. MOORE, Esq.
E. RALEIGH MORAN, Esq.
T. J. PETTIGREW, Esq. F.R.S., F.S.A.
JAMES PRIOR, Esq. F.S.A., M.R.I.A.
WILLIAM SANDYS, Esq. F.S.A.
THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M..A., F.S.A., Treasurer
I
I
I
PKEFACE.
This curious relic of our earlier poetry is preserved
at the end of a folio volume of Homilies, by
Radulphus Acton, or Achedon, who flourished,
according to Pits, about the year 1320. {De
Scriptoribus, s. 474.) The volume was presented
to St. Peter's College, Cambridge, by Thomas
Beaufort, half-brother to King Henry IV, and
afterwards Duke of Exeter; the use of it being
reserved (as we gather from a note at the com-
mencement) to one Mr. John Savage, " ad ter-
minum vitse suae duntaxat." The donor was
appointed Lord Chancellor of England in the year
1410, and died in the year 1425 {Lord Campbeirs
Lives, i. p. 316); by which dates we can approxi-
mate with suflficient accuracy to the time when
the manuscript reached its present resting-place.
The hand-writing of the Poem belongs to the
same period as that of the Homilies, and is possibly
11 PREFACE.
the work of the same scribe. It may be assigned
to the reign of Edward III, or perhaps of Edward II.
This opinion, however, as to the execution of the
manuscript, is quite independent of the age of the
Poem; and since nothing has survived respecting
the author, his date can only be ascertained by
the internal evidence of language and historical
intimations.
With respect to the language of the Poem, it
will be found (speaking generally) to resemble
the old English of Piers Ploughman's Creed and
Vision, so that we shall not far misdate its com-
position, if on a prima facie view we consider it
not later than 1350. On the contrary, it will
appear to be still more ancient. For, first, it con-
tains allusion to certain calamities very prevalent
in England at the time of its publication. Thus
in stanza 1 :
Why werre and wrake in londe
And manslaugt is y-come :
Why honger and derthe on erthe
The pour hath ouer-nome ;
Wy bestes beth i-storve
And why come is so dere,
3e that wyl abyde,
Lystyn and 30 mow here.
And similarly in stanza 78 ; both which passages
furnish proof that the country was then, or had
been very recently, suffering from war, famine.
PREFACE. Ill
and a grievous murrain ; and that the price of
corn was immoderately high. Now these various
historical phases will, I think, be found to syn-
chronize with that portion of the reign of Edward II,
which is included between the years 1311-1320.
The allusion to war and domestic divisions may
be dismissed, by referring to the troubles con-
nected with Piers Gaveston, and the unsuccessful
expedition to Scotland. The other topics, which
are of a less ordinary character, will be illustrated
by the following extract from Stow's Chronicle:*
" The king, in a Parliament at London, gave
the rod and office of marshall vnto Thomas of
Brotherton, Earle of Norfolke, his brother. Hee
also reuoked the provisionsf before made for selling
of victuals, and permitted all men to make the
best of that they had; neuerthelesse the dearth
increased through the aboundance of raine that
fell in harvest, so that a quarter of wheate, or of
salt was solde before mid-sommer for thirty
shillings, and after forty shillings. There followed
[a.d. 1316] this famine a grievous mortality of
* Pp. 217, 218, Lond. 1632.
+ These are probably the dietary provisions published in
LelaniVs Collectanea, vi, 36, ed. Hearne. The date is 1315.
A second visitation of the same kind is placed by Walsing-
ham in the year 1319. Scotland and Ireland were equally
afflicted. See Carte, ii, 337, 340.
I
IV PREFACE.
people, so that the quick might unneath bury the
dead The beasts and cattail also, by the
corrupt grasse whereof they fed, dyed, whereby
it came to passe that the eating of flesh was sus-
pected of all men; for flesh of beastes not cor-
rupted was hard to finde. Horse-flesh was
counted great delicates ; the poor stole fatte dogges
to eate. Some (as it was sayd), compelled through
famine, in hidden places, did eate the flesh of
their own children, and some stole others which
they deuoured. Theeues that were in prisons
did pluck in peeces those that were newly brought
amongst them, and greedily devoured them, halfe
aliue. A gallon of small ale was at twopence, of
the better threepence, and the best fourpence."
Another allusion, of a character more specific,
will place our Poem about the same period, i.e.,
between 1311 and 1320. In stanza 35, the fol-
lowing lecture is read to the order of the Hospi-
talers : —
An other religion ther is
Of the Hospital ;
They ben lords and sires
In contrey over al :
Ther is non of hem all
That ne awt to ben a-drad,
Whan thei bethenken
How the Templars have i-sped
For pride :
PREFACE. V
Forsothe catel cometh and goth
As wederis don in lyde.*
It will be observed that the poet is here moral-
izing on the suppression of the Knig-lits Templars,
and the transferring of their property to the
Hospitalers. These changes had been effected at
the council of Vienne, in the year 1811; so that
a warning like the above, addressed to persons
somewhat flushed by their recent good fortune,
would be, on our hypothesis, both natural and
pointed.
A further corroboration will be found in stanza
58, which refers to a general military conscription :
Whan the kyng into his werre
Wol haue stronge men,
Of ech toun to help hym at his werre
Fourteu or ten :
The strong schul sytte a-doun
For X. shylynge other twelue
And send wreches to the kyng
That mow not help hem selue.
I believe no example of levying forces after this
fashion has been recorded before the year 1316,
nor have I met with any repetition of it for some
time afterwards. In that year, however, we are
told, "the great men, and knights of shires,
granted the king one able-bodied footman, well
* I.e., " property comes and goes as clouds do in March."
I,
VI PREFACE.
armed, out of every village, or hamlet, in the
kingdom. Market-towns were to furnish more,
in proportion to their bigness and ability to defray
the expense of sending them to the general ren-
dezvous, and of paying each man a groat a day
for sixty days ; upon the expiration of which term
their wages were to be paid by the king, who de-
clared, by his letters patent, that this should not
be made a precedent, nor be drawn into a custom."*
From these, and other incidental allusions, which
it is not necessary to particularize, the poem be-
fore us may be fairly assigned to somewhere
about the year 1320. It would thus precede
Piers Ploughman by an interval of more than
thirty years, and was (if I mistake not) one of the
very earliest satirical poems composed in the
English language.
It is well-known that this species of warfare had
been long practised by our forefathers through
the medium of the Latin language ; and that many
who on this side the channel imitated the gentler
branches of Proven9al poetry were not backward
in copying its more caustic productions. In
neither case, however, was the satire of a popular
character; for besides the comparative obscurity
of the language, it was nearly always disguised in
* Carte, ii, 339.
PREFACE. VU
tropes and allegories. The exceptions, which are
few, consisted of short English ballads, directed
against some obnoxious individual, and differing
in that respect from the poem before us, which is
a broadside against whole orders. Indeed (as
Warton* observes) the personalities of some of
the above-mentioned ballads seem to have occa-
sioned a statute against libels in 1275, entitled
"Against slanderous reports, or tales to cause
discord betwixt king and people"". Probably,
through dread of this statute, as well as of eccle-
siastical censure, the allegorical species of satire
is revived by the author of Piers Ploughnaiis
Vision, who moreover substituted the alliterative
style of the Anglo-Saxon period for the rhyme
now beginning to be almost universah Diverse
from him in both these respects is the author of
the poem before us. His versificationt is in
rhyme, with occasional examples of alliteration ;
neither does he confine his censures to any mere
abstractions, such as pride, avarice, and simony,
* Vol. i, 45; ed. 1840.
t In the manuscript the stanzas appear in five long
lines, each line divided by the metrical dot, or dash. The
first four lines, by subdivision, produce eight lines, which
rhyme in alternate pairs. At the end of the fourth long
line is added a versicle, generally of two syllables, which
(oddly enough) rhymes with the final syllable of the last line.
via PREFACE.
but proceeds to a direct attack on all states and
conditions of men, — the j)ope, archbishops and
bishops, archdeacons, parsons, priests, abbots, priors,
monks, canons, friars (white, black, and grey),
hospitalers, deans and chapters, physicians, knights,
barons, squires, ministers of state, judges, sheriffs,
advocates, attorneys, merchants, and in short,
every body.* The tone of our author, though
here and there pathetic, must be described as, on
the whole, deeply lugubrious, and his matter, with
only a few exceptions, one volley of unmitigated
invective. All classes of society, he is persuaded,
find their chief pleasure in victimizing the poor;
and although we do not read that he stirred up
any violent demonstration, I cannot help thinking
that [)oems like his had great force in predisposing
the populace for the Lollard doctrines, as \vell as
in urging them to Jack Cade excesses.
Still it would be most unfair to argue as if the
grievances of the people in that age were either
few or trivial. The whole course of the reign of
* There is one exception to this sweeping condemnation,
in the absence of all allusion to the pardoner, -vvho in Piers
Flougliman and in Chaucer is handled very roughly. I
consider this sUeuce a further proof of the early date of the
poem. Indulgences were not sold, at least puhlicly, till
A.D. 131.3, so that we could scarcely expect to hear of their
abuse so early as 1320.
PUEKACE.
Edward II was one of domestic deterioration and of
external disgrace ; the king, weak and capricious ;
the courtiers, lawless, unprincipled, and oppressive.
Among the bishops and secular clergy there were
too few of those
. . . Lele libbynge meu
That Goddes lawe techen :
while, in very many cases, the licentiousness of
the monastic and mendicant orders kept pace with
their pride and rapacity. These latter were wide-
spread evils, and had been gradually provoking a
spirit of satire not only in England,* but in almost
every corner of western Christendom. t
Again, we have abundant proof that when our
poet was uttering his complaint in behalf of the
poor and starving, the wealthier classes of the
nation were revelling in ease and luxury. A
curious picture of these habits is preserved in a
dietary, or royal edict, bearing date 1315, and
occasioned, most probably, by the famine to which
we have before alluded. While all who had the
means were faring sumptuously every day, the
rest were literally abandoned to destitution, and
hundreds, we know, shared the fate of the diseased
* See the Latin Poems attributed to Walter Mapes, and
Piers Ploughman, passim.
t See a collection of kindred poems, De corrujito Ecclesiie
Statu, Basil. 1556, edited by Flacius Illyricus.
I
PRKFACE.
cattle, to which they were deemed hardly su-
perior.
The last particular, which maj^ be adduced in
extenuation of our author's acrimony, has refer-
ence to the alleged corruption of the law-courts of
that period. The lord chancellor was Robert de
Baldock, who stands charged as one of the prin-
cipal agents in bringing on the troubles of Edward
II. " He seems," says Lord Campbell,* " to have
been a very profligate man, and to have been un-
scrupulous in perverting the rules of justice, re-
gardless of public opinion, and reckless as to the
consequences." He was afterwards seized by the
mob, and thrown into Newgate, where he died of
his wounds.
On the whole, therefore, we must admit that
there were numerous handles for satire; and if
the specimen before us appears somewhat coarse
and indiscriminate, it was probably the only kind
of corrective which that age could have appreciated.
C. H.
iSt. Catharines Hall, Cambridge,
I8(h Airril, 1849.
P.S. I should remark (what was unknown to
me when I transcribed this poem) that an imper-
fect copy of it has been printed in Mr. Wright's
Collection of Political Songs, from a manuscript
* See Lives of the Chancellors, i, 199.
PREFACE. XI
in the Advocates"' Library at Edinburgh. The
printed Poem agrees in the main with this one,
not however without important variations of
words, and even of lines and stanzas. From one
or two circumstances 1 suspect that the Edinburgh
manuscript was a sort of second edition corrected.
Mr. Wright simply describes the fragment as
very curious, and assigns it to the reign of Ed-
ward II. I regret that he was unacquainted with
the Peter-House MS., for besides supplying many
various readings, it would have enabled him to
complete his text, and would thus have enhanced
the value of his interesting publication.
A POEM
ox THE
TIMES OF EDWARD II.
1. Why weiTC and wrake in londe
And manslaugt is y-come,
Wliy honger and derthe on ertlie
The pour hath over-nome ;*
Wy bestes beth i-stovvef
And why corne is so dere,
36 that wyl abyde,
Lystyn and 5c mow here,
With skyl ;
Certes without le,syng,
Herken hit ho so wyl.
2. In hevene y-blessyd mut he be
That herkeneth here a stounde ;J
* Overtaken.
t Dead; perished. (A. S.) See examples in IluUiweirs
Dictionary, p. 803.
X A moment, or sliort time. (A. S.) See numerous examples
in HalliwelVs Dictionary, p. 814. This stanza is not in the Edin-
burgh MS.
I
A POEM ON THE
How plenteth and al myrthe,
For pride is brout to giounde ;
How stedfastnesse and trewthe
Yt* turned to trecherye,
And all poure mennes sing,
Alas ! for hunger I dye
Upryjt:"
Y-heredf be the kyng of heven,
Such is hys my5t !
God greteth al tlie peple wel,
And doth hem to understonde,
That ther nys;]: but falsnes
And trecherye in londe.
At the court of Rome,
That trewth schuld begynne,
Hym is forbode the paleys ;
He dar not com ther-ynne
For dowte :
Tliow the pope clepe§ hym,
3et he schal stond ther-oute.
Alle the popes clerkes
Have i-take to redj||
Gif trewth com among hem,
I-wys he schal 1)e ded :
Ther ne dare he nojt com
For doute to be slayn
* Ys? t Glorified. J Is nought.
§ Invito. II Have taken counsel.
TIMES OK EDWAKl) II.
Withyn the popes paleys,
;if he mi3t be sayn :*
For ferde
31!' symonye may mete hyiii,
He wil smyte of his hede.f
Yoys of clerk shal lytyl be herd
At the court of Rome,
Were he never so gode a clerk,
Without selver and| lie come :
Tho5 he were the holyest man,
That ever jet was i-bore,
But§ he bryng gold or sylvei',
Al hys while is for-loi-e||
And his thowjt :
Alias ! whi love thei that so mych
That schal turne to nowgt?
So another ther ajen
That is an horlyng^ and a shrewe,
Let hym com to the court
Hys ncdes for to shewe,
And bryng gold and selver
And non other wedde,*
* Seen. t Berde? t If-
§ Unless. II All his time is lost.
% An adulterer. (A. S.)
" Aud wende bi heom that is wiif,
And hire hoi'eling it were."
MS. ap. HaUhi-flU's Diclionnrij, p. 4')9.
* Pledge. (A. S.)
n 2
A POKM ON THE
Be he never so niycli a shrcwe,
Heys nedes scliul be sped,
Fdl styll ;
Covetyse and symonye
Have all the world at wylle.
Erehebisshopes and byshopes,
That schuld trewly enquere
Of al men of holy cherche
In what Stat thei were,
Some be foles hemself
And ledeth a feble lyf ;
Therfor dar thei nowjt speke,
Lest ther i-yse a stryf
Of clerkes ;
Lest ych on bewrye other
Of her feble werkes.
Certes [holy cherche*]
Is mych i-browt a-doun,
Syth [seynt Thomas] of Cantrebury
Was smyt of the crown.
[He was byshop] of ry3t
To governe holy cherche,
These other be many lewed
And feblech do the wyrche :
I-wys
That is i-senc in holy chyrch,
Hyt farcth al amys.
* See note ad fin.
TIMES OF EDWARD II.
9. Every man hymself
May ther-of take 3erae,*
No man may serve
Twey lordes to qweme :f
Thei beth in offys with the kyng
And gadereth gold an hepe,
And the state of holy cherch
Thei lat go lygge to slope
Ful stylle :
Al to many ther ben of" such
Nerer^ Goddes wylle.
10. The erchedeknes that beth sworn
To visite holy cherche,
Anon thei welle begynne
Feblechell to wyrche.
Thei wolleth take mede
Of on and of other,
And lete the personn have a wyf
And his prest another
At wille : ]
Covetyse schal stoppen here moAvth,
And make hem ful stille.
1 1 . "Whan an old personn hys ded
And his lyf agon,
Than schal the patrone
Have 3iftes anon :
* Notice; care. t Tlease. (A. S.)
t Were it not. (A. S.) § Feebly.
b A POEM ON THE
Than vvolle the jong clerk
Bygynne for to wowe,*
The pati'oun sehal liavc jit'tes
And presentes ynowe,
And the byschopi)C :
Ther schal syraonye wel sone
Re take by the top])e.f
1 2. Covetyse upon hys hors
WoUe sone be ther,
And brynge the bischop silver
And rown in hys jhei'e iX
AUe the pour clerk
For nowt thei schul wyrclie,
He that most bryngeth
He shiil have the chyix-h
I-wys :
Thus the stat of holy chirch
Is gyed§ al amys.
13. Whan the 5ong peraoun
Is stedyd|| in hys cherch,
Anon he wolle bygynne
Feblych to wyrch.
Ne schal the corn in hys bernu
Be cte with no mows,
* Woo, or supplicate.
f Be taken by the head, a very common old proverbial phrase.
X Whibper in his ear. The phrase occurs in Shakespeare's
Sonnets. § Ruled. || Stationed.
TIMES OF EDWAKU II. 7
Hit schal be spended sykyrly
In a fill sory use,
If lie may :
Hit schal be alle i-tlirosshen*
Art Christymasse day.
14. Wan he hath gadred to-geder
Markys and powndes,
He pricket J out on hys centre
AVith haukes and houndes
Into a strange contre,
And halt a wenche in cracche.§
A ! wel is her that first may
Such a personn cacche
In londe.
Thus thei serveth the chapels,
And leteth the chyrch stonde.
15. He nymeth|l all that he may
And muketh the cherch pour,
And leteth^ ther behynde hym
A thef and an hore,
A servand and a deye*
That ledeth a sory lyf :
* Thrashed. f ^^e; before. J Kode.
§ A crib, stall, or manger. Mr. Halliwell explains it, "a
rack of any kind, a manger." || Taketh. ^ Leaveth.
* A female servant who had the charge of the dairy, and all
things pertaining to it. Chaucer has the word. Sometimes a
male servant who performed those duties was so called. — HalliwelVs
Diccionary, p. 301.
A POEM ON THE
As homlych* the gon to bedde
As goJ-mau and hys wyf,
With sorow,
Ne schal ther pour man have ther gode
At hevef nc at raorow.
1 G. Wan he hath that sylver
Of wolle and eke of lomb,
He putteth in hys pawtenei :}:
A kevchyf and a comb,
A shewer,§ and a coyf
To bynd with hys loks,
And ratyl on the rowbyble||
And in uon other boks
Ne moo ;
Mawgrey^ have the bysshop
That lat hyt so goo.
1 7. Thei the bysshop hyt wyte
And hit bename cowthe,*
With a lytyl selver
lie may stop his mowth ;
* Homely. "[■ Evening,
J Purse, or bag. See several examples in HalliwelVs Dictionary,
p. 609.
§ Mirror. The Edinburgh MS., edited by Mr. Wright, reads
mi/rour,
II A small ribibe, or kind of fiddle. See HalliweWs Dictionary,
p. 682, in V. Ribible. Mr. Wright erroneously prints it as two
words. ^ Mibfortune. (A, N.) * Became public.
TIMES OF EDWARD II.
He medeth* the clerkes
And sustyneth the wench,
And lat the purysch far amys :
The devyl hem a-drenchef
For hys werkys !
Sory may the fader be
That ever mad hem clerkys.
18. 3if the person have a prest
That is of clene lyf,
And a gode shryft-faderj
To maydyn and to wyf.
Than schal an other putte hym out
For a lytyl Iasse,§
That can not a ferthing worth,
And nowjt wel hys masse
But iile.
Thus schul the persons shep
For defaute spylle.[j
1 9. Certes also byt fareth
By a prest that is lewed^
As by a jay in a cage,
That hymself hath beshrewed :*
Gode Englysh he speketh
But he notj never what.
No more wot a lewed prest
* Bribes. t Drown. X Confessor. § Less.
II Be destroyed. ^ Uulcarned. * Cursed, t Knows not.
10 A POEM ON THE
Hys gospel wat he rat*
By day ;
Than is a levved prcst
No better than a jay.
20. Eche man may wel wyte,
By the gode rode !f
Ther bethe many prestes,
But not alle gode.
That maketh gode men ofte
To be in mych blame,
For these nysej prestes
That playeth her nyse game
By nyjt ;
Thei goth with swerd and bokler
As thei wolde fijt.
21. Abbots and priours
Doth a3enst the ry3tis,
Thei rydeth with banks and hounds
And contrefetith kny5ts ;
Thei schuld by-leve§ such pride
And be relygious,
And now is pryde lord and syre
In eche house
I-wys :
Religion is now3t i-loked,||
Hit fareth al arays.
* Reads. t Cross. J Wanton.
§ Leave. || Regarded. (A. S.)
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 11
22. By that ilke* deth
That I schal on dye,
Thei" nysf no I'elygion,
That ther nys yn ennye.
Pryde and envie
Have tempreth| so here gle,
That among men of religion
Is non unyte
I-take :
Forsothe love and charite
Is turned to woo and wrake.
23. Late come to an abbey
Syx men other seven,
And lat ther on aske gode
For Godd love of heven.
He schal stoiid theroute
An-hungred and a-cold ;
Schal no man do hys nede
Nother 3ong ner old
For hys love,
That is kyng over all kyng,
And setteth us al above.
24. Bot lat a boye com fro a lord,
And bryng hym a letter,
And do hys erand to the porter.
And he schal spede the better :
* Same. t Is not. J Mingled; adulterated.
12 A POEM ON THK
3if he is with any man
That may do the abbot harme,
He schal be led into the halle
And be maked warme
Abowt mawe,*
And a Goddes man shal stond ther-owt
Sory was that lawe.
25. Thus is God Almy3ty dryve
Out of relygion,
He ne mot no3t among hem come
In felde ne in ton ;
His men beth unwelcome
Totli erlych and late,
The porter hath comaundement
To hold hem without the 3ate,
In the fen :
How my3t thei love wel the Lord,
That faryth so with hys men !
26. Mych sorow theif suffre
For our Lordes love ;
Thei wereth sokkes in her schon|
And felted botys above ;
Wel thei beth i-fed
"With gode flesch and fysch,
And if it ys gode mete
• Stomach. f I.e., the monks.
J Their shoes.
TIMES ON KDWARD IF. 13
The lete* lytyl in her discli
Of the beste :
Thus thci p3'neth her bodyes
To hold Crystes best !
27. Religion was i-maked
Penance for to drye,f
Now it is mych i-turned
To pryde and glotonye.
"Wer schalt thu fynde
Redder men on lerysf
Fayrer men other fatter
Than raonkes, chanouns, other freres
In toun ?
Foi'sothe ther nys non aysier lyf
Than is religion.
28. Religion wot every day
Redely what he schal don :
He ne careth no skynnes thing §
But for his mete at non.
For clothes ne for hows hyrc
He ne careth nowt,
But whan he cometh to the mete
He maketh his wombe tovvt||
Of the beste :
And therafter he wol fondeH
For to cache hys reste.
* They leave. f Bear; undergo. J In complexion.
§ Not the least. il Stomach full. % Seek.
14 A POEM ON TIIK
29. Hafter mete the liaf* a pyne
That greveth hem ful sore :
He wil drawe at a uravv3t
A godc quart other more
Of gode ale and strong
Wei i-browenf of the beste,
And sone therafter he wol fond
For to each reste,
31 f he may.
Thus thei pyneth her bodyes
Bothe ny3t and day !
30. Now beth ther other relygious,
Menours and Jacobyn,
Carmes,| and other freres
I-found of seynt Austyn,
That wol preche more
For a buschel of whete
Than brynge a sowle fro helle
Out of grete hete
In rest.
Thus is covetyse lord
Est and eke west.
3 1 . Lete me come to a frer,
And aske hym shryft,
And come thu to another
And bryng hym a 3ift,
* They have. + Brewed.
% Carmelite friars. See HaUiwelVs Dictionary, p. 232.
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 15
Thou s^halt into the fraytrye*
And be made glad,
And I schal stond without
As a man that wer mad
In sorowe,
And 3et schal myn erynd be undo
For toj hyt be on the morow.
32. 5if a ryche man be seke
And evel hym hath nome,
Than wol the frere
Al day theder come,
jif hit is a pore man
And lyth in myche cai'e,
Mych mysawntre| on that on
That wol com thar
Ful loth :
Now mow 56 wel here
How the game goth.
33. 5if the rych man deyth,
That was of grete my3t,
Than wol the freres al day
For the cors fi5t.
Hyt is not al for the calf
That the cow loweth,
But it is for the gode gras
That in the mede groweth,
By my hod !
Refectory. t ^nti'- t Misadvonturc.
16 A POEM ON THE
And that may echc man know
That can any god.
34. So ych mat broke* myn hed
Under myn hatte,
The frer wol do dirige
If the cors be fatte :
Be the fayth ic schal to God,
If the cors be lene,
He walketh abowt the cloystre
And halt his fet clene
In hows :
How mowe thei forsake
That thei ne be covetows.
35. An other religion ther is
Of the Hospital,
They ben lords and sires
In contrey over al ;
Ther is non of hem all
That ne awt to ben a-drad
Whan thei bethenkcn
How the Templers have i-sped
For pride :
Forsothe catelf cometh and goth
As wederisj don in lyde.§
* As sure as I wear? t Property.
t Clouds. § Miirch.
TIMES OF EDWARD 11.
36. OiScial and denys
That chapitres schuld holde,
The schuld chaste men fro syne
And thei make hem bolde.
IMake a present to the official
Ther* thu thenkest to dwelle,
Thu schalt have leve a tvvelf-moneth
To serve the devel of hell
To qweme.
Forsoth, have thei the selvre,
Of synne take thei no jeme.
37. jif a man have a wyf
And he love her nowt,
Bryng hyr to the cousteryf
Ther trewth schuld be wrowt,
Bring twei fals wytnes with liym
And hymself the thrydde,
And he schal be deperted,:}:
As fair as he wold bydde,
From his wyf :
He schal be raayntend full wel
To lede a sory lyf.
38. Whan he is deperted
From hys trew spowse,
Take his ney3tbores wyf
And bryng her to howse,
17
* Where. j Consistory. (A. N.) J Divorced.
c
O A POEM ON THE
jif he have selver
Among the clerks to sende,
He may have hir to hys wyf
To hys lifs ende
With onskyll :*
Thei that so fair with falsenes dele,t
Gods cors on her bill.J
39. jut ther is another craft
That towcheth to clergye, —
That beth thes fisisiens§
That helpeth men to dye.
He wol wag his uryn
In a vessel of glass,
And swer by seynt Ion
That he is seker than he was,
And seye
" Dame, for defawjt
The god-man is i-sleye."
40. Thus he wol affray
All that ben therinne,
And mak many lesyngs
Sylver for to wynne :
After that he wol begynne
To confort that wyf,
* Wrongfully; with unskill. f Separate.
J Bill of divorcement? or rather, mouth ami /ace; cf. stanza 43,
'■ Gods cors on hys cheke," and stuiizu 69, " Fals in the biUe."
§ See note ••.
TIMES OF EDWARD 11. 19
And sey, " Dame, ley cost,*
And we schul save his lyf —
And lye,
Thow he be never the wysei*
Whether he wol lyve or dye.
4 1 . Furst he wol begynne
To blere the wyfs ey5e ;t
He wol aske half a pownd
To bygge with spiserye 4
The eyjt shillyngs schul up
To wyn and to ale,
And bryng hem rotys and rynds
Bretful§ a male||
Of now5t :
Hit schal be dere i-now a lekelf
Wan it is al i-browt.
42. He wol preise hit fast
And swere as he were wod,*
For the kyng of Ynglond
The drynk is swet and god.
And gif the gode-man to drynke
A gode quantite,
And make hyra wers than he was,
* Pay the fee.
•f I.e., to impose upon her. See examples in Halliwdl's
Dictionary, p. 185. % I.e., to buy spicery with.
§ Brimful. || Chest. f See Richardson. * ]M:ifl.
c 2
20 A POEM ON THE
Evel mot be the*
The clerk ;
That so berytli aweythat selver
And falselich dothe hys werk.
43. He wol byd the wif sethe a caponn
And a pese of bef ;
The gode-man schal have never a mossel,f
Be he never so lef.f
He wol pike hit hyraself
And make his mawe towt,
And 3if the gode-man to drynk
Lena broth that is nowjt
For the sek :
That so bygileth the gode-man
Godds cors on hys cheke.
44. He maketh hym al nyjt at ese
As wel as he can,
And loke that ha fare wel
Hors and eke man :
A-morow he taketh the uryn
And waggeth in the sunne,
And seyth, " Dame, blessed be God !
Thi maystre is i-wonne
And lyketh :§
Thus he bereth avvey that selver
And the gode-wyf biswyketh.||
* Thrive. + Morsel. J Desirous.
§ Tliriveth. II Cheateth.
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 21
45. Certes, and by my sowle,
This world is al beslirewed ;
Muche thei fare with falsenes
Bothe lered and lewed.
Of the lewed men
Now speketh the pope,
Whether I lye or I segge soth
Now jhe it schul grope,
That sothe
Falsenes cometh to eche feire
And piccheth first his bothe.*
46. The pope gret wel al lewed men,
William, Richard and Ion,
And doth hem to understonde
That trewth is ther non ;
And seyth that he wer worthi
To be hanged and drawe.
That hathe dryve trewth out of lond
Without proces of lawe :
Alas !
Certes whil treweth was in londe
A gode frend he was.
47. Treweth was over al redyj
For pore men to speke.
And now go pore men al a-doun
God hem mot a-wreke !
* Booth.
22 A POEM ON THE
Pryde and covetise
Gyveth over al jugement,
And turneth lawes u^^and doun
Therfor pore men be shent*
Al clene :
Ther is no rycli man that dredeth God
The worth of a bene.f
48. Thei that weldeth al the world
In town and in feld,
Erles and barowns
And also knyts of shelde,
All thei be i-swore
To maynten holy cherch ryjt,
And therfor was kny3t i-raaked
For holy cherch to fi3t
Sanj fayl ;
And thei beth the first men
That holy cherch wolle assaile.
49. Thei maketh werre and wrake
In lond ther| schuld be pees ;
Thei schuld to the Holy Lond
To make ther a rees :§
Thei schuld into the Holy Lond
And preve ther her myjt,
And help to wreke Jhesum Crist,
* Confounded, f A proverbial saying for anythinj^ wortliless.
See Halliwell's DiclJonanj, in v. Dean. J ^V^hcrc. § Onslaught.
TIMES OF KDWARD II.
And than were he a kny3t
With sheld :
Now be they lyons in the halle
And hares in the feld.
50. Knytes schuld were clothes
I-schape in dewe manere,
As his order wold aske
, As wel as schuld a frere :
Now thei beth disgysed
So diverselych i-dijt,
That no man may knowe
A mynstrel from a kny3t
Wel ny :
So is mekenes fait a-down
And pride aryse an hye.
51. Thus is the order of kuy3t
A-turned up and doun ;
As wel wol a kny3t chide
As eny scold in a toun ;
Thei schuld be as hend*
As any lady in londe,
To speke al maner of fylth
Ne nys ne kny3t fondef
For shame ;
Thus is chyualrye a-cloyed:j:
And woxen fote-lame.
23
* Gentle; polished. t See HalKwelTs Victionart/, under
wonu'e, which is probably the true reading. if Debased.
24 A POF.M ON THE
52. Chyvalrye now is a-cloyed
And wyckedlych i-di3t ;
Conne a boye breke a spere
He sclial be made a kiiyjt.
Thus beth kny5tis i-gadered
Of unkynde* blod,
And thei sliendetlif the order
That schuld be hende and god,
And hende :
On shrew in a court
May al a company shende.
53. Knyjts to drawe, God almyjt
Iche tyme schal be swore,
His yen, his fat, his nayles,
His sowle is 'nowt forbore :
That is now the gentry:):
In chawmbre and eke in halle,
The lord wil hab on othe
Grettest of hem alle
For pride :
At the day of dom
Ne schal no man his othes hyde.
54. Now is non mysprowd squier
In al this mydil-3erd,§
Bot he here a long babel || abowt
* Unaristocratic. See note ". t Corrupt.
X La mode. § Earth. || Bauble. See HalUwcU's
Diclionary, in v.
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 25
And a longe berd,
And swere by Godds sowle,
And often vowen to God,
" I byshrew hym for that, perdou,*
Bothe hosed and shod,
For his werke :"
For such othes God is wroth
With lewed men and clerke.
55. Godds soAvle schal be swore,
The knyf schal stond a-strout,f
Thow his botes be al-to-tore
jat he wol make it stout :
His hod schal hang on his brest
Ri5t as a draveled lowt,
Alas ! the sowle worthel forlore
For the body that is so prowd
In felle ; §
Forsothe he is deseyved
He wenyth he dothe ful well,
56. A new entaile|| thei have i-fend
That is now in eche toun ;
The ray^ is turned overthwart
That was wont be up and doun ;
Thei beth desgysed as turmentours
I-come fro clerks pleye,
* Par Dieu ! t Shall stick up. See a long account of this
vford in HalliweU's Dictionart/, f. 102. J Is. § Skin?
II Cut, or fashion. % Stripe in the cloth.
26 A POEM ON THE
Thei beth beleved al with pryde*
And have cast norterf away
In a diche :
Thei beth so desgised
Thei beth no man lych.
57. Mynystres under the king
That schuld meynten ryjt,
Of the fair clere day
Thei maken darke ny3t :
Thei goth out of the hy-way,
Thei lettenj for no sclandre,
Thei maketh the mote-hall§
At home in here chawmbre
With wrong ;
That schal pore men a-bygge]]
Ever more among.
58. "When the kyng into his werre
Wol have stronge men,
Of ech toun to help hym at his werre
Fourten or ten :
The stronge schul sytte a-doun
For X. shylynge other twelve
And send vs^reches to the kyng
That mow not help hemselve
At nede :
* I.e., are abandoned to pride. f Nurture.
X Leave off. § Justice-hall. || Abide.
TIMES OK EDWARD II. 27
Thus is the kyng deseyved
And pore men shend for mede.*
59. Whan the kyng into his werre
Wol have a taxacion
To help hym at his nede
Of ech toun a portion :
Hit schal be to-tolled,f
Hit schal be to-twyjt,!
Hit schal half-del§ be go
Into the develes flijt
Of helle :
Ther beth so many parteners
Ne dar no pore mon telle. ||
60. A man that hath an hundred powud
Schal pay xij.pens round :
And so mych schal a pore man pay
That poverte hath browt to ground,
That hath an housful of cliyldre
Sitting abowt the flete :^
Cristis cors hab thei !
But* that be wel sette
And sworn,
The pore schal be i-pyltt
And the rych schal be forborn.
* Destroj-ed by bribery. "j" Levied in full, or divided out.
X Snatched away. § One-half. || Give information.
t Floor. * Unless. f Robbed. (A. S.)
28 A POEM ON THE
61. Wyst the kyng of Ynglond
For god* he wold be wroth,
How his pore men be i-pyled
And how the selver goth :
Hit is so to-tolled
Bothe heder and theder,
Hit is halfen-del i-stole
Ar hit be brout togeder
And a-counted :
If a pore man speke a word
He shal be foul a-frounted.f
62. Wold the kyng do after me
That wold tech hym a skyi,!
That he ne schul never habbe wylle
Pore men to pil :
' He ne schuld not seke his tresor so fei",
He schuld fynd it ner,
At justices and at shiryves,
Corowners, and chancelers
No lesse :
This my3t fynd hym i-now
And let the pore have pes.
63. Who that is in such offys
Ne come he ner§ so pore,
He fareth witin a while
As he had selver in horde :|1
* Doubtless. t Rebuked.
J A reasonable plan. § Never. || Treasure. (A. S.)
Cf. JlaUiireWs Dictinnnri/, in V.
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 29
Thei byen londs and ledes*
Ne may ther nowt astonde.t
Wat shul pore men be i-pild
Wil^: such be in londe
Ful fele ?§
Thei pleyeth wit the kyngs selver
And bredeth wode|| for wele.
64. Sotelych^ for-sothe
Thei don the kyngs best ;
Whan ech man hath his parte
The kyngs hath the lest ;
Eche man is abowt
To fille his own pors,
The kyng hath the lest
And he hath al the cors
Wit wrong :
God send trewth into Ynglond !
Trechery dureth to long.
65. Thei byggeth wit tlie kyngs selver
Bothe londes and ledes,
Hors as fair as the kyngs
Save grete stedes ;
This myjt help the kyng
And have hemself inow :
* Landed possessions. | Withstand. J While.
§ Many. || Become mad (thi'ough prosperity).
^ With subtlety.
30 A POEM ON THE
Thei take thus wit a pore man,
That hath but half, I trowe,
A plow-land,
Other of a wreched laborer
That lyveth by hys bond.
66. Baylys and southbailys*
Under the shireves
Ever thei fondethf wer
Thei mow pore men to -grave :
The pore men shul to London
To somons and to syse,
The rych wol sytte at home,
Were:}: selver wol aryse
Anon :
Crist cors mut thei have !
But§ that be wel i-don.
67. Courteous! in the benche
That stondeth at the barre
Wol bygile the in thin hond
Bot if^ thu bewar :
He wol take half a mark
And do doun his hood,
And speke a word for a pore man —
And do hym lytil god,
I trowe :
Whan the gode-man gothe awey
He maketh hym a mowe.
* Sub-builiffs. t Seek. J Where.
§ Unless. II Advocates. ^ Unless.
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 31
68. Attorneis in contre
Wynneth selfre for nowt ;
Tliei make men to bigynne pie*
That never had it thow5t :
Wan thei cometh to the ryng
Hoppef if thei con ;
All that thei wynne wit falsenes
All that thei tell i-wonne
Ful wel ;
Ne tryst no man to much to hem,
Thei beth fals by skyl.
69. Suche bethe men of this world,
Fals in the bille.
If eny man wolleth lyf
In trewth and in skil,
Let| his fals ney3bours
And sewe§ not the rowte,||
He may ech day of his lyf
Have grete dowte ;
For why ?
Thei schal al day be endited
For manslau3t and robbery.
70. Take the trewest man
That ever in londe wa?,
* Law -suit.
X Dance; i.e., they can not dance. § I.e., if he leave.
II Follow. 1' Crowd.
32 A POEM ON TUE
He sclial be endited
For thing that never was ;
I-take and i-bounde-
A strong thef as he were,
And led to the kyngs prison
And lote hym lygge there
And rote :
Other wit a fals enquest,
Hang hym by the throte.
7 1 . Many of thes assisours,
That seweth shyre and hundred,
Hangeth men for selver ;
Therof is non wonder,
For wan the rich j ustice
Wol do wrong for mede
Than thynketh hem thei mow the beter
For thei have mor nede
For to wyn ;
Thus hath covetise benome* hem,
Trowth for love of dedly syn.
72. Be seynt Jame in Gal,t
That many man hath sowt.
The pelery and the cok-stol|
Be i-made for nou3t :
Wan thei have al i-reyned§
And i-cast on hepe,
* Possessed. f See note '.
J Cuckinj^-stool. § Ruined?
TIMES OF EDWARD If. 33
Bred and ale is the derrer,
And never the better schepe
For al that :
Trechery is i-meyntend
And trewth is al-to-sqvvat.*
73. Somtyme wer marchants
That trewly bout and sold,
Now is thilk assise"}" i-broke
And trewth is now3t of told :;!:
Marchandis was wont
Be hold up with trewth,
Now it is turned to trechery
And that is grete rewth
To wete,
How trechery shal be hald up,
And trewth doun i-smete.
74. Ther nys wel ny no man
That can any craft,
That he nis a party
Lose in the haft :§
Falsnes is over
Al the world i-sprong
That nys wel ny no trewth
In bond ne in tonge
Ne in hert ;
* Quite prostrate. t The same rule, J Accounted of.
§ The metaphor is borrowed from some manual implement
out of repair: "in some degree loose in the haft."
D
34 A POEM ON THE
Forsothe thei nyl sese*
Art God make hem co smert.
75. Ther was a game in Ynglond
That dured jer and other,|
Even upon the Moneday
Ech man beshrewed other.
So long dured the game
Among lered and lewed,
That thei nold§ never beleve||
Ar the world wer beschrewed,
I-wis :
Al that ever schal help man
All it fareth amys.
76. For the mych falsenes
That walketh in lond,
God almy3ty of heven
Hath bound nowt his bond,^
And send wederyng on erthe,
Cold and unkynde,*
And jet is ther non man
That to God taketh mynde
With ry5te ;
We be nothing aferd
Of Hys myche myjt.
* Will not cease. f Till. % I.e., two years.
§ Would not. II Leave off.
^ Has abrogated his covenant. * Unseasonable.
TIMES OF EDWARD II. 35
77. God is wroth with the world
And that is wel i-sene,
Al that was play and game
Is turned to sorow and tene ;
God shewed us plente inow,
SufFre whil we wold,
Al maner of frute
Groweng on molde
Ful thik,
And ever ajens God Almy3ty
We beth alych wyk.*
78. "Whan God Almyjty seth
The work is overthwart,f
He sende his sondj into erthe
And makethe us to smart ;
Whan bestes beth i-storve
And corne waxeth dere,
And honger and pestilence in ech lond
As 5e mow ofte here
Over al ; —
But if§ we amende us
It wil wel wers befal.
EXFLICIT.
* Equally wicked.
t Perverse: wrong. Hal liwell's Dictionary, ■p. 595.
X Message. § Unless.
NOTES
* The words included between brackets have been almost
entirely erased ; probably in obedience to the proclamation
of Henry VIII, who after declaring " Thomas, sometime
archbishop of Canterbury, to have been guilty of contumacy,
treason, and rebellion," commanded "his loving subjects to
destroy all images and pictures of the pseudo-saint Thomas,
and to erase his name and remembrance from all books,
under pain of his majesty's indignation."
•• For a fuller delineation of a monastic gourmand, see
Piers Ploughman s Vision, vol. i, p. 250, ed. Wright.
"^ The Minors were the gray friars, or Franciscans ; the
Jacobins, the black, or preaching friars, and were so called
from their first establishment in Paris (see Fleury, Hist.
Eccl., liv. Ixxviii, s. 5) ; the Carmes, or Carmelites, were the
white friars, originally established at Mount Carmel ; the
Austins were friars of the order of St. Augustine. They
had all gained a footing in England about the year 1250.
In the " Creed of Piers Ploughman" they are satmzed at
length.
^ Cf. Piers PloughmarC s Vision, vol. i, p. 133 :
" For murthercris are inany leches
Lord hem amende I
They do men deye through hir drynkes
Er destynee it wolde."
Sentiments not unlike the above had been uttered long
before, by John of Salisbury.
« Allusion is perhaps made to royal edicts and decisions
of Parliament, whereby it was ordained that all persons
who had a whole knight's fee, or fifty pounds a-year in land,
should be admitted to the honour of knighthood. Instances
of this practice occurred in the years 1312 and 1316. See
Carte, ii, 325, 339.
f The reference is to St. James of Compostella in Galicia,
which was then a most famous resort of pilgrims :
" And til seint James be sought
There I shal assigiie,
That no man go to Galis
But if he go for evere."
Piers Ploughman's Vision, vol.i, p. 72.
RELIGIOUS POEMS
WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM,
VICAR OF CHART - SUTTON, IN KENT,
IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD II.
PnESERTF.D IN A CONTEMl'ORAKV MANUSCKI PT.
EDITED By
THOMAS WRIGHT, ESQ., M.A., F.S.A., etc.
Correspotiiliii? Member of the Institute of France (Academie
lies Imcriptions et Belles Lettrcs.)
LONDON :
PRINTED FOR THE PERCY SOCIETY,
BY RICHARDS, 100, ST. MARTINS LANE.
M.DCCC.XMX.
Cftf perq) ^orietp*
President.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A.
Council.
THOMAS AMYOT, Esq., F.R S., F.S.A.
WILLIAM HENRY BLACK, Esq.
T. CROFTON CROKER, Esq., F.S.A., M.R.I. A.
J. H. DIXON, Esq.
FREDERICK WILLIAM FAIRHOLT, Esq. F.S.A.
JAMES ORCHARD BLi.LLIWELL, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A.,
Honorary Secretary.
W. JERDAN, Esq., M.R.S.L.
SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON, Bart.
E. RALEIGH MORAN, Esq.
T. J. PETTIGREW, Esq. F.R.S., F.S.A.
JAMES PRIOR, Esq., F.S.A., M.R.I.A.
WILLIAM SANDYS, Esq., F.S.A.
RICHARD JOHN SMITH, Esq.
THE REV. J. REYNELL WREFORD, F.S.A.
THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M.A., F.S.A., Treasurer.
PKEFACE.
William de Shoreham is, as far as I know, a new
name in the list of English writers. His poenis
are interesting in two points of view ; they
exhibit to us the popular doctrines of the age on
subjects of religion, which alone were consigned
to the vulgar tongue, and they present a good
specimen of the English language as it was then
spoken and written in the county of Kent. They
seem to have been written by a zealous, and far
I'rom unlearned, preacher, for the purpose of en-
forcing the doctrines of the Church on the minds
of those who were only capable of understanding
them when oftercd in a popular form ; and they
offer most of the subjects of Christian doctrine
which were then considered important. The
first of these poems recounts and illustrates the
VI
seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, and gives
a very full description of its principal ceremonies
and orders. The second is a rhyming version of
some portion of the ceremonies. The third, on the
ten commandments, and the fourth, on the seven
sins, are short commentaries on Christian morality.
The fifth is on the joys of the Virgin, a most
popular subject in the middle ages. The sixth is
a hymn on the Virgin, translated from E-obert
Grosteste. The seventh and last, in vv^hich the
writer becomes at times quite philosophical, is a
sort of dissertation on some of the mysteries of
the Christian faith, but more especially on the
doctrine of original sin.
Our information as to the author of these poems
is derived from the colophons at the end of several
of them, in which he is called William de Shore-
ham, and is stated to have been vicar of Chart
near Leeds. In Thorpe's Jiepistnim Roffense,
p. 207, we have a charter of Walter archbishop
of Canterbury, by which he impropriates the rec-
tory of Chart-Sutton to the prior and convent of
Leeds, upon which it became a vicarage, and wc
learn that the first vicar admitted was William de
Shoreham. The archbishop alluded to was Walter
Raynolds, who held the see from 1313 to 1327.
It is therefore probable that our Kentish poet,
who was, no doubt, a native of Shoreham, near
Otford (about four miles and a half from Seven-
oaks), was originally a monk of the priory of
Leeds, and he was made vicar of Chart-Sutton
on the appropriation of that living to his convent
by archbishop Walter. His poems may, there-
fore, be attributed to the reign of Edward II. It
appears from one of the colophons (p. 116 of the
present volume) that he was living under Walter's
successor, archbishop Simon Mepham (1327-
1333): and he, probably, occupied himself in the
latter period of his life in collecting his poems
into the very manuscript from which they arc
here printed, which appears to be of the beginning
of the reign of Edward III. The manuscript
was in private hands at the time my transcript
was made ; but I am not sure whether at present
it be in a private, or public collection. I have every
reason to believe my transcript to be a correct
Vlll
one ; but, unfortunately, while the present edition
was passing through the press, it was not in n^
power to refer to the original, and to. this circum-
stance, I trust that any ircWs: that may have
occurred in editing a text -which presents many
difficulties, will be attributed.
Thomas Wright.
24, Sydney Street, Brompton.
October 1849.
POEMS
OF
WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
De septem sacramentis. De psalmo, ExcercitafMS sum
et defecit spiritus.
SoNDERLicHE his man astoned
In his owene mende,
Wanne he note never wannes he comthe,
Ne wider he schel wende ;
And move,
Thet al his lyf his here i-mengde
Withe sorwe and eke withe sore.
And wanne he deithe, ne mey me wite
Woder he cometh to wisse ;
Bote as a stocke ther lithe thet body,
"Withethoute alle manere blisse ;
"Wat thenkeste ?
And hondred wynter jef a levethe.
That his lyf mid the lengeste.
I
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREIIAM.
Onnetlie creft eny that stat,
Ac some crefteth that halve ;
And for siknesse lechecreft,
And for the goute sealve
Me makethe ;
For wanne roan drawith into olde-ward,
Wei ofte his bones aketh.
And be a man never so sprind,
3ef he schel libbe to elde,
Be him wel siker ther-to he schel,
And his deythes dette 5elde,
To gile ;
3et meni 3onge man weneth longe leve,
And leveth wel litle wyle.
Thos we beth al awey-ward,
That scholde her by-leve ;
And 5et me seith y-demyd we bctlic
In Adam and ine Eve,
Te telle ;
Wa3t hope his here of savement,
Now time his for to telle.
Me seithe the ri3te wone3ynge
Ine hevene hyt his to manne ;
Ac hevene his hei3e, and we beth hevy,
Ilowe scholde we thider thanne ?
Bileddre?
Howe mey that be ? wo dar ther-oppe stei3e.
For doii3te of fotes bleddre ?
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Than thy laddre nys naujt of wode
Tliat may to hevene leste ;
Ac on ther his that Jacob i-seije,
Ther he sleppe inne hys reste ;
Now schewe this :
This like laddre is charite,
The stales gode theawis.
Her-on Jhesus stawe uppe bi-fore,
Al for to teche ous stey5e ;
Nowe hy5e, man, and ffolw3e wel,
A-doun that thou ne sy5e,
By-weyled ;
For yf thou nelt naujt climme thos,
Of hevene thou best y-fayled.
And that man lovye God and man,
Ase charite hyt hoteth,
That he so wel y-theawed be,
That alle men hit notethe ;
Wat thaune ?
jet senneles ne may he naujt be,
Ac a deythe and he not wanne.
Of brokele kende his that he deithe,
For hy ne moje naujt dury ;
And al dey he to senne falleth.
Her ne moje naujt pury
Of serewnessche.
5et hope thou wel, man, for al this.
That gojde lyf wole the wessche.
b2
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM.
For dethe ne falle naujt into wanhope,
For God himself for the deide,
The thridde day he aros ajeyn
Of the throu5 ther men hine leyde ;
Iiie tokene
That, man, thi body arise schel,
Of deithe nammore to blokne.
The Bible seythe that mannys blodis
Hys ry3t ther saule giste ;
And water wasscheth the felthe awey,
Ther me wesscheth by liste
The onsounde ;
To wesschen ous Cryst schedde his blod
And water out of hys wonde.
Here-of spronge the sacremens
Of holy chyrche digne ;
And his to segge sacrement
Of holy thynge signe.
For gode.
Hou myjte fayrer signe be
Thane of the water and blode ?
Than thorwe that blod thi soule his boujt
Fram the fendes powere ;
And thorwe that water i-wessche thart
Of thyne sennes here.
Nou loke,
50iu-e Cristendom his tokene throf
Of Criste that we toke.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DK SHOREHAM.
For 5ef thou vangest thane cristendora,
And for than bi-left clene,
Thou schelt be marked to thet stode,
To wichen heven his y-mene ;
To sothe,
Wanne the bisschop bisschopeth the,
Tokene of marke he set to the.
Ac cristendom hys saerement
Of so grete powere,
That hit thorwe-wasscheth thane man
Of senna in alle manere ;
And glorie
Hit scheppeth, jef man deythe,
And schilt fram purgatorie.
And for we beth of nonn power
To weryen ous fiam schame,
Ther der no fend acorabry ous,
Crist is mid ous to-sames
And neade ;
Tokene ther-of his Godes bodi
At cherche in forme of brede.
And jet for man his so brotel
Ine his owene kende,
Thaj he torni to senne ajen
Thorwe fondynge of the feende,
By chaunce,
That he may come to stat ajeyn
Thorwe bare repentaunce.
I
POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHOIIEIIAM.
Her-of we habbeth tokene gode,
Wanne we fangeth peuaunce;
For sennes that we habbeth i-done,
To pyne allegaunce
Ine fere,
For ther we scholde hit under-go
Sote we pinede hit here.
That man ne falle ine wanhope
A-last withoute bote,
Al that he heth i-senoged her
With honden and with fojte,
Wyth thoute,
Mouthe, nase, and ey3en, and with si5t,
Eliinge brengeth hit to noujte.
5et some hethe suche devocioun,
That hym thingthe he his al ydel,
For to libbe commun lif,
Bote 3ef he hedde a brydel ;
Wet thinge
Of harder stat God graunteth
Wei tokne throwj his ordiinge.
5et that man mowe nau3t lecherie
For-bere to donne in dede ;
5et ne schal he nau5t be for-lore,
For God 3efthe hym to rede
Spousynge ;
Tokene throf his the weddinge
At cherche and bitere wyingc.
POEMS OF WILLIAM UE SHOREHAM.
Cristendom, and bisschoppynge,
Penauns, and eke spousinge,
Godes body ine forme of bred,
Ordre, and aneliinge,
Thes sevene
Heth holi cherche sacremens,
That beth tokeuen of bevene.
God wescbt, and marketh,
And for3efth, and joyneth men an wyves,
And frevereth thorwe his body man,
And grace sent, and lyves ;
je, wanue ?
Wanne we taketh the sacremens,
Thar we seth hit thanne.
That we ne mowe hyt naujt i-se,
Ne forthe ine bodie inrede,
We sethe hit wel ine oure fey,
And fredeth hit at nede,
Wel e3athe,
God thorwe miracles ketheth hit
A-lyve and eke a-dethe.
And bote he thorwe hys sacramens
Ous thos bi-redde,
Ne scholde we of his grace wite
Wanne we hit toke and hadde,
To wisse ;
Ther-fore he that bi-lefeth hit nau5t,
Ri3t wyt neth he of nooe blisse.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOKEHAM.
Al hit beth in these cherche sacremens,
Thet tokeneth holi thynges,
As hali water, and haly bred,
Li5t, and bel-ryngynges
To leste ;
And of alle other sacremens
Thes sevene beth the greste.
De baplismo.
Cristendom his that sacremeut
That men her ferst fongeth ;
Hit openeth ous to the hevene blisse
That many man after longeth
Wei sore ;
For who that entreth ther,
He his saufFe evere-more.
Nou ferst ich wille telle 30U
Wet may be the materie,
Wer-inne cristninge may be mad,
That bringeth ous so merie
To honoure.
Hijt mojt be do ine kende water,
And non other licour.
Ther-fore ine wine me ne may,
Inne sithere, ne inne pereye,
Ne ine thinge that nevere water nes,
Thor3 cristninge man may reneye,
Ne inne ale ;
For-thie hijt were water ferst,
Of water neth hit tale.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DK SUOREHAM.
Ne mede ne forthe no other licour
That chaungeth wateres kende,
Ne longeth naujt to cristendom,
Tha3t some foles hit wende
For wete ;
For suich is kendeliche hot,
Tha3t ther no feer hit ne hente.
Ac water is kendeliche cheld,
Tha3 hit be warmd of fere ;
Ther-fore me mey cristni ther-inne,
In whaut time falthe a 3ere
Of yse ;
So mey me nau3t in ewe ardaunt,
That neth no wateris wyse.
Also me may inne sealte se
Cristny wel mitte beste ;
And eke inne othere sealte watere,
Bote me in to moche keschte
Of sealte ;
For 3ef that water his kende lest,
That cristninge stant te-tealte.
Ac 5yf ther were y-mengd licour
Other wid kende watere,
Ich wo5t wel thrinne to cristnye
Hit nere nefur the betere,
Ac wonde ;
For bote that water his kende havcj
That cristnynge may nau3t stonde.
10 FORMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
In water ich wel tlie cristny her,
As Gode himself hyt dijte ;
For mide to wessche nis uothynge,
That man cometh to so lijte,
In londe ;
Nis non that habben hit ne may,
That habbe hit wile founde.
This bethe the wordes of cristninge
Bi thyse Englissche costes,
" Ich cristin the in the Vader name,
And Sone, and Holy Gostes,
And more".
Amen ! wane hit his i-sed ther-toe
Confermeth thet ther to-fore.
The wordes schoUe be i-sed
Witheoute wane and eche ;
And onderstand hi more bi sed
In alle manere speche,
Ine lede ;
That everich man hi sigge more,
And cristny for uede.
Ac 5if man scholde i-cristnid be,
That neth none deathes signe,
The pope for te cristny hyne
So nere nau5t to digne
The leste ;
Ther-fore hi beth in cherche brou5t,
To cristny of the preste.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 11
Ac he that jif so large water
The fend fram ous to reave,
In nede for to crystny men,
jef alio men i-leave,
At felle ;
Olepi me mot hym depe ine the water,
And eke the wordes telle.
And wanne hi cristneth ine the foun3t,
The prestes so thries duppeth,
In the honur of the Trinite,
Ac gode 3eme kepeth
The ned ;
On time a clothe that water i-kest,
Ac ope the hevede to bede.
Ac water i-kest another love
Cristneth the man alyve,
Ac hit his sikerest in the heeved
Ther beth the wittes fyve,
Wei, brother,
Ne non ne may i-cristened be,
Ar 36 his boren of moder.
5et gret peryl hy undergothe
That cristneth twyes enne,
Other to 3eve asent ther-to,
Other for love of kenne
For-hedeth ;
Wanne child ari5t cristnynge heth,
And that other nau5t for-bedeth.
12 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Bote hi tliis conne, hit his pex'il
To thise medewyves ;
For ofte children scheawith quike,
I-bore to schorte lyves,
And deyeth ;
Bote he ari3t i-cristned be,
Fram hevene evere hi weyeth.
Ac jif that child i-cristned his
Ac ine fot at me hit weveth,
Thise habbeth forme ther-of,
A Latin that ham gevieth
To depe ;
And ich schel seggen hit an Englisch,
Nou ther-of neme ^e kepe.
The prest taketh that ilke child
In his honden by-thuixte,
And seith, "ich ne cristin thei nau3t,
jef thou ert i-cristned,
Eftsone ;
Ac 5yf thou nart ich cristin the ;"
And deth that his to donne.
Ac 3et ther beth cristnynges mo,
Ac no man ne may di3tti ;
For hi beth Godes grace self,
Men of gode ine \\i\ to ri5ti,
And Wynne,
^^'anne he wolde i-cristned be,
And more mid none ginne.
POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHORF.HAM. 13
That on his cleped cristninge of blode,
Wanne suche bledeth for Criste ;
That other of the Holi Gost,
That 111056 raid none liste
Be i-cristned ;
And deyeth so wanne hi beth deede,
In hevene hi beth i-gistned.
The children atte cherche dore
So beth y-priniisined ;
And that hi beethe eke atte fount
Mid oylle and creyme alyned,
Al faylleth ;
Hijt wortheth cristnynge,
And that child ther-to hit availleth.
De confirtnaciu7ie.
Confermynge his a sacrement,
And other that we foungeth ;
And wanne a man hit ondervangeth
Ine saule hit hine straungeth
Wei li3tte.
For wanne a man y-maked his,
The stronger he his to fy3te.
And be thou siker that mannes lyf
Is ri3t a kni5thod ine londe ;
And so seythe Job, the holy man ;
Now wote we thanne stonde
To fi5te ;
The feend, that flesche, and eke the wordle,
Ajeins ous beth i-di5te.
14 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
The feend with prede acombreth ous,
With wrethe, and with envie ;
That fleische with siouthe and glotonie,
And eke with lecherie,
Thou wyse ;
The wordle, with here faljse scheawinge,
Schent ous with coveytise.
Ac he that ine saule is Strang,
That he with-stent hi alle,
And hardeliche hert othre men,
A-doun that hi ne falle,
Ac stoude ;
So his i-hert thorj confermynge of gode,
That for dethe nele nau5t wonde.
Nou ich mot of this sacrement
30U telle the materie,
That maketh man so hardiliche
To stonde ane so merie
Ine goste,
That he ne may nau3t y-weid be
With blanding ne with boste.
Hit his the oyle and baume y-menge,
I-blessed, and wile lestne ;
For oyle smereth thane champion
That me ne schel on him evel festne,
Ne presse ;
And baume his riche and tokened I005
Of thare holy prowesse.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM, 15
A prince longeth ibr to do
The gode kui3tes dobbynge ;
And so a prince of Godes ost
Schel do the confermynge,
None lojer ;
Therfore hit mot a bisschoppe be,
Nis non ther-to yn 03er.
That me wasche men over the fant
After confirmement,
Nis naujt do bote for that honour
Of thilke sacrement,
Soe here ;
Ther-fore me vvescht and kerfy thane clout,
And berneth him in the fure.
The bisschop these wordes seth,
And beth wordes of selthe,
" Ich signi the with signe of croys,
And with the creme of hele
Confermi".
Ine the foreheved the crouche a set,
Fehhe of fendes to bermi.
In the foreheved he croucheth hine,
That hine be aschamed boute ;
Bote for to bi-knowe Cristes name,
Withoute alle manere doute,
And with giune,
Thorwe creymie anoynt straunge he bi-comthe,
His sauvement to winne.
16 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac hou his hit ther bethe so fele
Confermed of mankenne,
And ther so feawe stondeth styf
To fytte a5enis senne
Maligne ?
For hi ne fongeth noujt that thing,
Bote the bare signs.
The signe his of the sacrement,
Mid creyme the markynge ;
Ac thing that ther bi-tokned his,
Strengthe his that God schel bringge
Amonge ;
"Withoute god fey and god wil,
Mey non this thinge ounderfonge.
Ac nou that wil that is to gode
His al i-set bi-hinde ;
And thi bi-leave of Jhesu Crist
His nou al weverinde,
Undigne ;
Ther-fore ne habbeth that thing
Nau5t bote the bare signe.
Ac thare children take that thinge
In hare chilhod so povre ;
Hit leseth wanne hi cometh to wit,
Thour5 hare misaventure
Of senne ;
Anon the foend fondeth hy so,
And he ne spareth nanne.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SIIOREHAM.
That deth that hi nastondeth noujt,
Ac eche othren aschrencheth ;
Ac 3if hy mowe 3et stonde bet,
Waniie hi ham bet bi-thenketli
To leve,
And do ham to devocioun,
3ef God ham strengthe 3ive.
And thanne Gode that his so god
Anon hi stronge maketh,
As hi habbeth devocioun,
And hie God fey taketh,
Reversed ;
And al his thor3 that sacrement,
Thei3e hit ne be nan5t rehersed.
For wanne we taketh this sacrement,
His soule prente taketh ;
And that hi nefer mo for-lest,
Nau5t hi that God for-saketh,
Ac hine healdeth ;
Ine Stat that sacrement ine man,
Wanne 3e ine Gode by-aldeth.
And as thys ylke sacrement
Her thynge and toke hiis signe.
So habbeth the othere sacremens
Syx3e that bethe so digne,
Crystnynge,
Her signe, droppynge in the water,
And thynge hiis for-3emynge.
18 POEMS OF WILLIAM PE SHOREHAM.
Thys ylke sygne, and eke thys thynge,
Ine cure childhodc we 5yt toko,
Ac afterward we lore that thynge,
Tho we to senne toke
By wylle ;
Amend we the prente lefth
Ine oure saule wel stille.
Hym selve no man hebbe schel
To the bischoppynge,
Ine tokne of febleste of hiis goste,
Anothei- schel him brynge,
And lefte ;
Ase he ne mi5tc nau3t himself
To confermynge crefte.
Ac her ich segge apcrteliche
Thys men and eke this wyves.
That hi ne hebbe hare o^e child
By hare quicke lyves,
And rede ;
For 3ef hy dothe man and hys wyfe,
Ther draweth God sibrede.
Of seve sacremens thre
Prente ine herte maketh ;
That both cristnynge, and confermynge,
And ordre that men taketh
Wel blithe ;
That hy ne take hiis for no man,
Bote one-lepy sythe.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM.
De Sacramento altaris.
Nou hyjt by-valtli to telle 30U,
And so ich 111031 wel ncde,
Of Godes flesche and eke hys blode
At cherche ine forme of brede
And wyne ;
That frevereth ous in oure exil,
And lytheth oui'e pyne.
1156 blithe niy5ten hy be
That folwede Cryst in londe,
That my5te hyne eche day y-se,
Hiis swete love to fonde,
Ine keththe ;
So niovve we be for ous ner lie,
Hy faylled never seththe.
For tho hiis tyme was y-conie
No lenge to dwelle here,
That wete brede and honde he toke,
Ther he set atte soupere,
And seyde,
" Taketh and eteth, thys hiis my body,"
Of sothe he hara aneyde.
For-wy hyjt moste nedes be
Al sothe that he sede,
That alle thynge his ase he seith,
Thys resoun wole the redo,
To dede,
He seyde to al the worlde be.
And al was ase he sede.
c 2
20 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Nammore maystrye nys hijt to liyni
To be. ine bredes lycbe,
Thane bym was ine the liche of man,
To kethen ous hiis rycbe ;
Thet maketh
That by beth alle mis-by-leved,
That other throf for-saketb.
The fend hymself him maky mey
Wei dyverse liknynges,
Of best, of men, and of wymmen,
And mani other tbynges,
To nusy ;
Wei bet may Gode to oure prou
Dyverse formes usy.
Tho that the bred y-tourned was
Into bys body sylve,
He toke the coppe, with the wyne and water,
And seide eft to the twelve
Y-vere,
" Taketh and drynketh everechoii
Of this chalice here.
" Thys hys my chalis of my blode
Of testament nj'we,
That schal be schad for manye men.
And ase we sey3eth gode and trewe
And kende ;
And doth ^e thos wanne 36 hyt dothe,
Doth hyt in 30ure mende."
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SIIOREHAM. 21
Tho that he sede, " doth 30 thos,"
The heyje kynge of hevene,
He jaf ham power to don hyt,
And forth pov,-er to 5evene,
Wei werthe,
That he ne toke Judas out,
The worste man on erthe.
And that power hys y'3ive
Fram bysschoppe to preste,
And so schel al so longe be,
Ase cristyndom schel leste,
Y-mete ;
Seththe Crist four ous an orthe come,
He nolde ous nau3t for-lete.
Tha3 he her were inne, hys manhode
Amanges ous to flotie,
jet nere he naujt thanne ous so nej,
Ase nou we mowe hyra notye
In Gode ;
We honorieth hyne al i-hoUiche
Ine flesche and eke ine blode.
Wat may amount! that he wyle
So by-come oure fode,
Chaungeth he nau3t ase othere mote
Into oure flesche and blode.
By kende ?
Nay, ac he chaungeth ous in hym,
To maky ous gode and hende.
22 POEMS OF "WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And ase Gode there liis hole men mete,
And sike hyt by-swiketh,
So his the mete dampnacion
To hem that senne liketh
To holde ;
So he hyt tok and his lore,
Judas, that Jhesus solde.
Ther-fore ich segge a Godes half
To alle crystyiie folke,
That wanne hy scholle y-houseled be,
That hy ne be abolke
In prede ;
Let ounde and wrethe and coveytynge,
Sleuthe and lestes on lede.
Nys none of wymraan beter i-bore
To seint Johan the Baptyste,
And jet he quakede wel arj
Tho he touchede Crist
In the flomme ;
Thanne aujte we wel aryjt to be.
To fange hym on tromrae.
Ther-fore jef that 56 fredeth 30U,
That he ne be naujt digne
For te be housled wyth thys body
Ine this thre holy signe,
"Wyth-draweth ;
For wo that hyjt taketh ondygneliche,
Ilys jugement he gnajeth.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREIIAM. 23
May soni man segge, hou sclial me so
Fram ther houslynge dwelle,
Wanne God self aperteliche
Seith ous in the Gospelle,
Wei to mende,
" Who that eteth my flesch and drynketh ray blod,
Helh lyf withoute ende."
That thou take hy3t wyth the mouthe,
Ne myd teth ther-on ne werche,
Thou takest hyt, man, jef that thou art
A lyme of holy cherche,
To blysse,
Wanne eny prest his messe syngcth,
I-lief hyt myd y-wysse.
For on hys Godes flesch to nerame,
Ase mouthe the mete taketh,
Another ase the mete y-jete
Into the raembres taketh ;
Ac here,
Cryst hys that heved, the prest the mouthe.
The lymes that folke i-vere.
And ase the bred to-gadere comthe
Of menye greynys to-bake,
And ase the wyne to-gadere flouthe
Of manye greyns y-take,
I-lyke,
Cryst and liiis membrys, men,
body beilie ine niystyke.
24 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Wet hys mystyke ne mey non wete
Be nothynge a-founde,
Bote wanne ther liys o thynge y-ked,
Another to onderstonde
Ther-inne ;
Hy that aredeth thyse redeles,
Wercheth by thilke gynne.
So wane that body hym hys ked
Of swete Jhesii Cryst,
Me may wel onderstonde ther,
By thulke selve lyste,
An other ;
Cryst and eke alle holy men
Beth o body, my leve brother.
Ther-fore guod beth this sacrement
Y-mad of suiche thynges,
That ray5te of manye make on,
As Cryst and hys derlynges
I-mouge ;
Thenne scholde hy at one be,
In love that scholde hyt fonge.
Nou onderstand the signe her
Fourme hys of wyne and brede ;
Noble hys that thynge, ry3t Cristes body.
And body of quike and dede ;
Ac, brother,
5ct ry5te body thaj hyt be thynge,
Ilvjt hys signe of that other.
POEMS OF AVILLIAM I)E SHOREHAM. 25
Vor ase the ryjte bodyes lemes
Habbeth dyverse wyke,
So habbeth ryjt membrys eke
Of the body ine mystyke,
That weldeth ;
Hys honden men beth that wel doth,
The fet that wel op-hekleth.
Alle taketh that ry5t body
Thyse men at hare houslynge ;
Ac some to prou, and some to lere,
Ine vvyl of senejynge,
To derye ;
Ac one Gode ary3t hyt nometh,
That body ine hys mysterye.
Ac tha5 we be tokned ther
Ine oui"e Sauveoure,
Ne lef thou nau3t the we be ther,
Ne forthe naujt of oure
That were ;
Tha3 ther be tokned thynges two,
Ther nys bot o thyng thex'e.
And that hys swete Jliesu Cryst
Ine flesche and eke ine bloude,
That tholede pyne and passyoun.
And diath opene the roude,
Wel soiire ;
Ne lef non other Cryste, man,
For safour ne coloure.
26 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
For that colour, ne that savour,
Ne beth nau3t ther-inne Cryste,
Tha5 he ther-inne schewe hym,
By hys myjtefoUe lyste.
So couthe ;
Ne myjte elles bet be seje,
Ne beter yu5red iune mouthe.
For 3ef he schewed hym in flesche.
Other ine blody thynge,
Hydous hy5t were to the sy5te,
And to the cast wlatynge.
And pyne ;
Thanne hys hyt betere in fourme of brede,
And eke in forme of wyne.
For bred strengeth the herte of man,
And wyn hys herte gledeth ;
And strengthe longeth the body,
And blice the saule fedeth,
And nede ;
Ther-fore hys double sacrement.
Of wyne and eke of brede.
For he y-brout heth oure body,
Into OS he let hys sinke ;
And vor the saule ine the blod,
Ilys blod he let os drynke ;
Nou wost,
"NVyther hys double sacrement,
For note of body and goat.
POEMS OF AVILLIAM DE SIIOREHAM. 27
Ac wen nau5t that Cryst be to-schyft,
Thaj he scheweth ine bothe,
To wane hys body wythoute blod,
By tha weye ne gothe,
To thryfte ;
For ther he hys, he hys al y-hol,
Ne mey ine hym to-schifte.
The3 ther te breke aje ine the mouth,
Other ine thyne honden,
Hyt nas nau5t he that hys to-broke,
Ensample thou myjt fonden
To slyfte ;
In a myrour thou inyjt fol wel thi-selve se,
Bote naujt the ymage schefte.
By thyse ensample thou myjt y-se
He hys ine echautere ;
Y-hol the prest hys messe syngeth,
The5 he ne be naujt y-here,
Ac wykke,
Ase ther beth foles swiche fele
Y-sawe al to thykke.
Ac tha3 the prest hys messe do
Inne dedleche senne corse
Thet sacrement, man, be thou syker.
For hym nys nase worse ;
For loke,
The sacrement nys nathe wors,
Tha5 that Judas hyt tokc.
28 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac tlia5 hyt be never the wors
That sacrement an honde,
The bone that swych prest ther byjt
No stel ne schel hym stonde,
Ac derye ;
For he despyseth Jhesu Cryst,
TVanne he hym scholde herye
And 3yf thou wylt tak hyt to prou,
For the and thyne freende,
Ry3t repentaunt and ry5t devout
Take hys death in thy meende,
Naut lyjt ;
The more thou thenkest so on hys death,
The more hys thy meryte.
Manne, wanne thyt takest ase other mete,
Into thy wombe hyjt sedlyth ;
Ac ne defith naujt ase thy mete,
Wyth thyne flesch medlyth,
Ac kevereth
Al other wyse, and so thy body
And thy saule hy5t frevereth.
Nabyd hy3t nau3t ase other mete
Hys tyme of defyynge ;
And ry3t anon hy3t frevereth
In thare oundervanginge,
Destresse,
Of syke men, tha3 hy hyt keste of,
Ne helpeth hyt nau3t the lasse.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 29
For yf the syke man hys gode
In the leve of holy cherche,
The3 he hy5t cast op, hyt bylefth
Sauvacion to werche,
Ryjt there ;
For al at ones he mey be god,
Ther and elles-were.
He soffreth wel to be kest op,
And 3et to be honoured ;
Ac he soffreth no5t to be to-trede,
And of bestes devoured,
And neade ;
Ase he by-leve assayth in flesche,
He assayth ine forme of brede.
That body hyjt hys na3t that ther corathe op,
5ef that a man hy5t keste ;
For al so longe hyt hys that body,
Ase forme of brede schel leste
Ine manne ;
3et tha3 the fourme of brede to-go,
That body by-lefth h3et thanne.
And 3yf he passeth nau3t fram ous,
Wanne wey ary3tt hym healdeth,
That vod hys for to take hym efte,
Ther wyle he ous so wealdeth.
For raende
Of hys dethe and hys passyon,
Ase he heth hit atte hys ende.
30 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Of pure wete hyt mot be,
And eke of pure wyne,
Thet scliel be to thys sacrement
Ryjt of the grape of wyne
I-lete ;
For Jesus seyth the vygne be hys,
And eke the greyn of wete.
And 5ef mtinnes devocioun slaketh,
Wanne he by-healdeth,
For hyt thinkth bote other bread
An-heaj that the prest healdeth ;
By-thenche hym
Of the vertue that ther hys,
That non eri-our adrenche hym.
And tak ensaumple of that he kneuth,
The preciouse stone,
Thaj he lygge amange othere y-lyche,
Me honoureth hym alone,
So swete ;
Mid al thy wyl ther vertue hys,
God self ine sacreraent y-mete.
Namore ne greveth hyt Jhesus,
Thane sonne i-trede in felthe,
Tha5 eny best devoured hyt.
Other eny other onselthe,
Ech screade ;
5et al so longe hys Godes body,
Ase lest the fourme of breade.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 31
And al so longe hyt liys blod,
Ase lest the forme of wyne ;
Nau3t of fynegre kende chald,
Ne offe water dropi)ynge of wyne ;
Ac trye,
So lyte water schel be me[n]gd,
That wyne habbe the maystrye.
For water self nys naujt that blod,
Ac hyt hys an y-lyke,
Ine folke that torneth al to Cryst,
Ine the body of mystyke ;
Nou, brother,
I-lef al thys ine gode fey,
For hit may no thynge be sother.
De penite?icia.
Wane man after hys crystendom
Heth au5t i-do wyth wronge,
Penaunce hyt hys a sacrement
That men scholde fonge,
Ande mote ;
Penaunce heth maneres thre,
Thor3 sor5e, schryfte, and edbote.
Thy sorwe for thyne senne, man,
Mot be ine gode wylle,
That hy ne be nau5t ine wanhope,
That made Judas to spylle ;
Ac crye
Mercy to swete Jliesu Cryst,
Mid wyl to lete folye.
32 POEMS OF WILLIAM DK SIIOREHAM.
And jet thy wylle mot be so gret,
And ine so gode faye,
That thou wenst thuu iioldest seneji eft,
Ther-fore thcj thou scholdest deye,
Ine wytte ;
For jef thou woldest for death hyt do,
Thy sorje hys al to lyte.
Thej sorje hele man anon
Of velth of sennes sl^'me,
jet thanne were hyt naujt i-nouj,
The fore sorwy on tyme,
Ac evere,
Ase longe ase, man, thy lyf y-lest,
Elles senne may be kevei'e.
For so, man, senne greveth in the.
And eke in alle thyne,
That wed schel grewen over the corn,
Wythoutc medicyne
Of sorjc ;
Nou her-on thenche, man, day and nyjt,
An even and a morwe.
Thench thourj thy senne thou best i-lore
Thy blys of hevene-ryche,
An heth i-wrethed thane kynge
That non hys y-liche ;
And here,
Thou best of-served dygnelyche
The pyne of belle vere.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 33
Dra5 into mende that hydous si5t
Of deade men a bere,
That nadde never deade i-be,
jef senne of Adam nere,
Bye drytte ;
5et thou ajtest habbe more hydour
Of thyne ojene unry5te.
Myd sucher sor5e schryfte, man,
Wei stylle an nothynge loude ;
For repentaunce ondeth the hel,
And schreft hyt mot out-treude,
Al clone ;
For 3ef a3t leftli that treude my3t,
God so thou schelt y-\venne.
Ne non ne may hym schryve ary5t,
Bote jef he hym by-tho3te
Of sennes that he beth y-do,
And hys lyf al thor3 so3te
To kenne ;
Ac manie dosper to the prest
Al one by-se3e of senne.
And understand that al i-hol
Mot be thy schryfte, brother ;
Na3t tharof a kantel to a pi-cst,
And a kantel to another ;
And thanne
Tele 3ef thou my5t by-thenche the
Wet hou and wer and wanne.
34 POEMS OK WILLIAil DE SHOKKHAM.
And 5ef thou wylt, man, tlior5 thy schryft
Lat thy senne al a-di'ouje,
Ne wynd thou nauu-thy senne ine selke,
Ac telle out al that rou3e,
Tys la5e ;
3ef thou wenst seie, and nast no prest,
Schryf the to another felawe.
Ac that ne schalt thou nevere do,
Bote the wantrokye of lyve ;
And 3ef thou comste to lyve ajen,
Eft throf thou most the scryve
To preste,
That heth power to assoyly the,
Thor3 power of the greste.
Tha3 man on tyme i-healde be
To schryve hym a 3ere,
To schryve hym wanne he sene3ed heth,
Wei syker thynge hyt were
And mete ;
Wald 3ef he sodeynlyche deith,
And wald he hyt for-5ete.
For wanne man sodeynleche deith,
Hys tho3t the sor3e tumbleth ;
And senne ony schryve wanne he vor-3et,
Hys senne ther be doubleth
To nusy ;
For myttcr senne that he dede,
The sleuthe bine wyle acusy.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 35
Man, schryf the, and wonde none schame,
For-wy hyt hys to donne,
A lytel schame hys betere her
Thane overmoche eftsone ;
To crefte
Byvore God a domesday,
Amang al Godes schefte.
For thaj man moje i-sauved be
Thor3 bare repentaunce,
"Wanne he ne may to scryfte come,
3ef hym valleth that chaunce,
So holde ;
3et ne may he naujt y-sauved be,
Be he hym schrive wolde.
Ther-fore thy schryfte, man, schel be
"Wythoute stoneynge,
Myd herte I03, and, 3ef thou my3t,
Myd thyn e3ene wepynjje,
In treuthe ;
Thet ther be non ypocrysye,
Bote repentaunce and reuthe.
And 3yf that thou to schryfte coraff
Ine thyse manere to fare,
The schryft-vader that varth ary3t
Schal be wel debonayre,
And lo3e ;
He schel wystlyche thy senne hele,
Bet thane he wolde hys owe.
d2
36 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
jef he the schel anoye a-^t,
Hyt wyle of-thenche hym sore ;
And otherwyl anoye he mot,
Wanne he scheweth the lore
Of helthe,
Ase mot the leche ine voule sores,
"Wanne he royneth the felthe.
Ther-fore 36 mote tholyen hyt,
AVythoute alle manere tole ;
And do ther-by ententyflyche,
3yf 36 wolleth be hole
To live,
And to a betere beleave goth,
3ef 30ure prest can nau3t schryve.
Te mo prestes that thart i-sehryve
Myd alle y-liole scryfte,
The cleaner thert a3ens God,
And of the more thryfte,
Naujt nyce ;
5ef hyt ne be naujt to thy prest
Malice ne prejudice.
Wanne man hys repentaunt i-schrive,
He scholde don edbote,
And the ferste hys that he by-fle
Chypeans of sennes rote,
Ase q nances ;
He that by-fleke wel lecherye
Bi-vlekth foule continaunce.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 37
Edbote hys dede after god conseyl
Of gosslich medicine,
Wanne senne sor y-clensed hys,
To tholye a lytel pyne
Thet frete,
That he ne be ther-vore i-wrete
In purgatoryes hete.
Thre maner peyne man fangeth
For hys senne nede ;
Senne hys that on, that other fastynge.
The thrydde hys almesdede ;
Ac woste,
Sene hys and edbote y-set
For senne do ine goste.
For senne in flesche
Vestyng heth the flesche lothe ;
Ac elmesdede senne bet
Of gost and flesche bothe ;
For thencheth,
Thet almesdede senne quenketh,
Ase water that fer aquencheth.
To byddynge contemplacion
Longeth rede ande wryte.
To here predicacioun won
Lore and herte srayte,
And wreche,
Dedes to 3yve devocioun
To men ine holy cherche.
38 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Knewelynge, travayl, bar-vot go,
Welle- ward and wakynge,
Discipline and lyte mete,
Thes longeth to vestynge,
And here,
Pelgrymage and beddynge hard,
Flesch fram lykynge te arere.
jeve, and lene, and conseil,
Clothynge, herber3, and fede,
Vysyty syke and prysones,
And helpe povere at nede ;
Muknesse,
For to vor-3evene trespas,
Tak dedes of elmesse.
And sene jer tbou sclioldest, man,
O dedlyche senne peyny,
Ther-vore al that the prest the hast
To done schalt thou nau5t fyny ;
Ac more,
For onmeathe thys ther eny prest
That peyne set so sore.
For hy habbeth in syke of men,
Hy more sette the lesse,
And betere hys ffor te apeched be
Of more for3efnesse,
Than wreche ;
For 5yf thou to lyte peyne best,
Purgatorye hyt schal eche.
POEMS OF WILLIAM D£ SHOREHAM. 39
And 3et ther liys another cas,
That prestes 5yvet so lyte
Penaunce, tha5 me telle ham
Ryjt moclie of sennes wyte,
Ine mone ;
Me mot ham legge lytel on,
Other hy nolde do none.
Beter hys that hy a lyte do
Her ine obedience,
And fol-velle that remenaunt
Ine purgatoryes tense,
Eftsone ;
Nys nau3t god to vor-lete a man,
That eny yinge hys wyl bone.
The bydde ich, brother, be nau3t loth
To do penaunce here ;
For 3et ther hys here some reles,
So nys nau3t ine the vere
Areyved ;
Ne thor3 the ry3tvolnesse of God
Nys no sen omtheyvid.
Man, wane thou senejyst thre thou dest.
Thou wrethest God almy3ty,
To holy cherche onbouxam thart,
Makest thy selve onry3ty,
Thos 3e mote
Make thy pes wyth alle thre,
Sorwe, schryfte, and edbote.
40 l-OKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOUEHAM.
Man taketh thys sacrement,
And getb awey ondigne,
For he ne schryfth nau3t of thet thynge,
Bote of the bare signe,
To Wynne ;
The signe hiis that hys boute y-do,
That thynge hys grace bynne.
Two thynges her wythynne beth,
For-jefthe and repentynge ;
Ac repentaunce hys signe also
Of sennys for-hevynge,
Certayne ;
For so may man repenti hyra,
That ther voljeth no peyne.
That was i-ked wel inne the thef
Ope Calvaryes felde,
Tho he escusede Jhesu Cryst,
And hym gelty gan 5elde,
Mid sourwe ;
He deide and come to Parady!^,
Nabod he nau5t fort a-morwe.
De undone extrema.
Sacrament of aneliinge
Nou her ich woUe telle,
That man vangeth wane he ne wenth
No Icnge he my3te dwelle
A-lyve ;
The bodyes evcl that libbe ne mey,
And sone hit mey to-dryve.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 41
Many for defaute deithe
Of ther anelyynge ;
And 3yf hys saule after hys dethe
SolFrey harde pynynge,
In fere,
So scholde by nau3t hedde he i-hed
Ryjt elyynge here.
For seint James, in hys boke,
Wysseth wyd gode mende,
That 3yf eny by-falthe ry3t syke.
The prest he scholde of-sende
To hys ende ;
And he schel elye hym wyth ele,
Hys savement to wynne.
Seynt Jame seythe that orysonne
Of ther holy by-leve,
Of hiis siknesse helthe wynthe,
That no fend schal reve
The helthe ;
And 3ef that he ine sennys be,
For-3eve hys him that felthe.
Thys his, brother, and gret confort
For for-3etene synnes,
That oure foman aredy haveth
A3eynys that we goth hennes,
Tatuite ;
Ac 3ef we ary5t anelede betli,
Hy5t gayueth ham vvel lytel.
42 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And thanne hys man avy5t aneled,
Wanne he myd wyl hyt taketh,
Myd by-leve of devocioun
And repentaunce maketh
So digne ;
And 3yf he hyt othere-wyse fangeth,
He taketh ha bote the sygne.
For the sygne of thys sacrement
The elyyngys boute,
That thyngge hys alleggaunce of evel,
To lyf other diath 3ef he schel loute,
And hennes,
Thar he wende that thynge is eke
Alleggaunce of hys sennes.
And 3et me schal anelye a man,
Thar that he lese hys speche ;
For wet he thencheth in hys mod
Ne may ous no man teche ;
Ac stronge,
He mot habbe devocioun,
Thet schel a-ry3t hyt fonge.
Ther-fore this children eleth me naui(t,
Ne forthe none wode,
For hy ne conne mende have
Of thilke holy Gode ;
Ac fonge
The wode mey that sacrement,
Wane reles coiueth amonge.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 43
A prest mot do thys sacrement,
For-why hy3t hys wel worthe ;
And that seyde seynt James wel,
Ther-wyle he 5ede an erthe,
36 hit hedde,
Tho ich a lite her alone
Thes holye wordes redde.
The matyre of this sacrement
Hys ry5t the oylle allone ;
And wanne the bisschop blesseth hyt,
Baume ther-with ne megth he none
Ther-inne ;
For baume tokneth lyves loos,
Oyle mercy to wynne.
For wanne man deithe, he let his lyf
Ther the god los by-hoveth ;
Ac senne 3ef he farthe ary3t.
To bi-rensy he proveth,
To oure Lorde
Mercy he cryth, and biddeth hym
Mercy and misericorde.
The wordes that ther beth i-sed,
Hyt beth wordes of sealthe ;
For hy biddeth the sike man
Of all his sennes helthe,
In mende ;
Ther-to me aneleth the wyttes fy3f,
And fe3et, and breste, and lenden.
44 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOKEHAM.
And for the lecherye sy3t
In lenden of the manne,
And, ase the boke ous seyth, hy sit
Inne navele of the wymman,
To hele,
Me schel the mannes lenden anelye,
The navele of the femele.
Thys beth the wordes wane me aneleth,
" By thisse aneliinge,
And be hiis milse, for-5yve the God
Of thine senne3ynge,
Myd eyen" ;
And so he seyth be al hys lymes,
That scholle the oyle dre5en.
Caracter thet is prente y-cliped,
Nys non of eliinge ;
Ne furth of penaunce ne the mo,
Nof housel nof spousynge,
In thede ;
For man ofter thane ones taketh
The sacremens for nede.
De ordi7iibits ecclesiasticis.
Nou her we mote ine this sarmon
Of ordre maky sa5e,
Ther was by-tokned suithe wel
Wylom by the ealde lawe,
To a-gynne,
Tho me made Godes hous
And ministres ther-inne.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 45
God ches folkes specilliche
Hys holy folke amonge,
That was the kenred of Levy,
Offyce for to fonge,
Ase brotheren ;
For to servy ine Godes house
By-fore alle the notheren.
To segge hys Levy an Englysch
Fram the notheren y-take ;
So beth of ordre i-take men,
Ase wyte fram the blake,
Of ly ve ;
Gode 3eve al y-ordrede men
Wolde a-ry5t her-of schryve.
Ase ther beth of the Holy Gost
5eftes ry5tfolle sevene ;
So ther beth ordres foUe sevene,
That made Cryst of hevene
An orthe ;
And hedde hys ek ine hys monheth,
Toke thou hy that were wel werthe.
The ferste hys dore-ward y-cleped ;
The secunde redynge ;
The thrydde hys i-cleped conjurement
A3enys the foule thynge
To wersiexe ;
The fertile acolyt hys to segge y -wys,
Tapres to bere wel worthe.
46 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
The ordre fifte y-cleped hys
The ordre of sudeakne ;
And hys the syxte also y-cleped
The holy ordre of dekene,
And the greste ;
The sevene hys and hys y-clyped
The holy ordre of prest.
Ine the elde lawe synagoge ferst
God let the ordres werche,
And that was sched of that hys ly3t,
Non wryt ine holy cherche
I nere ;
Ich schel telle hou hyt was ther,
And hou hyt hys now here.
De hosliariis.
Ine the ealde lawe dore-ward
Lokede dore and gate,
That ther ne scholde onclene thynge
Ryjt non entry ther-ate,
Wei couthe ;
So doth thes dore-wardes eke
Ine holy cherche nouthe.
And 3ef eny other hyt doth,
Nys hyt ordre ac i-leave,
To helthe wane ther nede i-valth,
Ac me ne schal nau3t reave
The office,
Wythoute leve to don hyt,
Ne be no man so nice.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 47
The bisscliop, wanue he ordreth thes clerekes,
Takth hym the cherche keyje,
And seyth, " taketh and dotheth fol vvel,
Ase wane je scholle deye,
Scholde 3elde
Acounte of thet hys ther-onder clos,
Hardyst thet wo so hyt felde."
Ine the temple, sweete Jhesus
Thyse ordre toke at ones,
Tho that he makede a baleys.
And bet out for the nones,
Y-mene,
Tho that boujte and sealde in Godes hous,
That hys a hous of bene.
De lectoribtis.
Nou ich habbe of the ferste y-teld.
That other wyl ich trye ;
Ine the aide laje the redere
Rede the prophessye,
By wokke ;
So schulle the rederes now
By-rede and conne on lowke.
Ther-fore ere hy thys ordre have.
Me schel hy wel assaye
Of that hy redeth that hy wel
Ham conne aneye,
For-bede
Otheren to reden schal me no5t,
Ac soffry hyt for nede.
48 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Tliyse ordre swete Jhesu Cryst,
Kedde wel that he hadde,
Tho he toke Ysaies boke
lue the synagoge, and radde,
Wet welle,
Wet he ther redde thou myjt se
Ine seynt Lukes godspelle.
The bysschop weiine he ordreth thes,
The redynge boke hym taketh,
And seyth, "tak and by-conie redre
Of word that of God smaketh,
And blyce
Schelt habbe ase god prechour,
jef thou wolt do thyne offyce."
De exorcistis.
The thrydde ordre conjurement,
And was ine the ealde 1336,
Go dry ve out develyn out of men,
Fram God that were dra3e
Alyve ;
Thanne he mot habbe a clene gost,
That schal the oneclene out-dryve.
The bisschop wane he ordreth thes,
Take ham boke of cristnynge, ^
Other of other conjuremens
A3eyns the foule thynge,
And scggeth,
" Taketh power to legge hand
Over ham tliat fendes op-biggeth."
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 49
Thyse ordre swete Jhesu Cryst kedde
Wei that he hedde,
The he drof develen out of men
That hyra wel sore dredde,
The apryse
Ine the elde le3e hyt ferst by-gan
Kynge Salomon the wyse.
De accolitis.
The ordre fer the accolyt hys
To here tapres aboute wijt ri3tte,
Wanne me schel rede the gospel
Other ofFry to oure Dryte,
To thenche,
That thet lyjt by-tokneth that ly3t
Thet nothynge may quenche.
And wanne that hey ordred hys,
The bisschop schel hym teche
Hou he schel lokke cherche ly3t,
And wyne and water areche,
To synge,
In tokne taper and crowet
To hand me schal hym brynge.
Thet thys ordre hedde Jhesus,
We habbeth wel a-founde
By thet he seyd, '* Ich am that ly3t
Of alle ther wordle rounde
Aboute,
Wo so loketh, ne geth he nau3t derke,
Ac lyt ine lyves route." e
50 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ine the elde temple tokne was
Of the ordre of acolytes,
Tho certeyne men ly3te that lyjt,
Ase the la3e jef the rytes,
So brode ;
Of weclie ly3t hys y-wryte
Ine the boke of Exode,
De subdiaconis.
The ordre fifte sudeakne hys,
That chastete enjoyeth;
For sudeakne bereth the chalys
To the auter and aolyveth,
Ande weldeth
Al bare and eke the corperaus
Onder the deakne vealdeth.
Ine the aide lawe y-hote hyt hys.
That hy ham scholde clensy
That there that vessel of God,
And myd water bensy,
By ry3tte,
Clenne schel he in herte be
That schal the chalys di3te.
And wanne that he y-ordred hys,
He taketh the chalys bare.
And he a-vangeth a crowet eke,
And a towaylle vare
I-nere;
For he schel honden helde weter.
That serveth to the autere.
POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 51
Tho liym with u touwaylc schete Jhesus
After soper by-gerte,
And watex" inta bacyn
Myd a wel mylde herte,
And wesschte
Al hys apostlene veet,
Thos ordre forthe he lesschte.
De diaconis.
Nou of the sixte telle ich schel,
That hys the ordre of deakne,
Thet hys of more perfeccioun
Thane hys ordre of sudeakne ;
He bryngeth
To honde thet the prest schel have,
Wanne he the masse singeth.
Ine the ealde lawe beren hy
The hoche of holy crefte,
And nou the stole afongeth hy
Ope here scholder lefte,
To a-gynne ;
And so for thane travaylle her,
The ry5t half for to wynne.
And at ordres avangeth hy
The boke of the Godspelle,
For than to rede the gospel,
And sarraone for to telle,
To wake
Hy thet slepeth ine senne slep
Amendement to maky. e 2
52 POEMS OF AVILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Thyse ordre swete Jhesu Cryst
Ine hys travayle kedde,
Tho he prechinde thet folke
To ry3tte weye ledde ;
The thredde
Was tho he wakede hymself
The apostles for to bydde.
De presbiteris.
The sevende ordre hys of the prest,
And hys i-cleped the ealde,
Bote naujt of jeres, ac of wyt,
Ase holy wryt ous tealde;
For 3eres
Ne maketh so naiijt thane prest aid,
Ac sadnesse of maneres.
And wanne he y-ordred hys,
Hym faith an holy gyse,
Hys honden beth anoynte bothe
Thor -out a cirowche Avyse,
Tafonge
Ther-inne Godes ojen flesch,
That fode is to the stronge.
He takth the helye inne of eyther luilf
Y-joyned atte breste,
Thet no god hap ne heji hyne,
Ne non harm hyne don deste,
In mode ;
Ac thenche on hym that tholede dealli
For ous opone the roude.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. .53
He takth the chaljs vvyth the wyne.
And brede of the pateyne ;
He heth power to sacry hyt,
And thet throf hys ther seyne,
Wei trewe ;
Inne the elde lawe the ordre a-gan,
Ine tokne of thyssere newe.
Cryst kedde that he hys a prest
Ry3t in double manere ;
That on tho he sacreded hys body,
Ther he set atte sopere ;
Thet other,
Tho he an roude offrede hys body
For ous, my leve brother.
De prima tonsura.
To thys ordre croune bet
Ys an apparyblynge,
Thet hys in holy cherche y-cleped wel
The furste scherynge
Of clerke ;
Gierke hys to segge an Englysch,
Eyr of Godes werke.
Ac Godes werke an erthe was
The puple for to teche,
And also thourj hys holy dethe
Of sennes he was leche ;
Thes werkes
Men taketh after Jhesu Cryst,
Wanne hy by-coraeth clerkes.
')-i POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SIIOREHAM.
And 5) t' hy doiith wel hare dcver
Ine thysse heritage,
Ne may hem falle after thys lyf
Noil one worth desperage,
To wysse,
liyjt y-marissched schelle hy be
Ine hevene-ryche blysse.
The croune of clerke y-opened hys,
Tokneth the wyl to hevene,
Thet habbe mot that entri schel
Into eny of the sevene,
And sedder,
Tokneth ase he ine ordre a-ryst
That hys the croune breddour.
Ther drof bischop hys dignete
To maky thulke sevene,
And hyt by-tokneth thane bisschop
In the bisschopriche of hevene,
So wrethe
Was and hys the pope vicary
I-maked here an erthe.
Tliythe ordres to thys sacrament
By ryjte longis schoUe,
And that mo be that gode beth,
Thes maketh al that folle
Be a-stentc ;
'I'lierfore ich abbe ondo 30U thos,
For thyse sacrement.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And nou ich wolle ondo thys eft
By the wey of mystyke,
For crystene man hys Godes hous,
Hye mote habbe wyke
Ther-inne,
Nou lett ich schel onlouke thys,
Ase God wyle grace 3yve.
Thet inewyt hys the dore-ward,
The doren wyttes fyve ;
He schel loky wel bysylyche
That no lykynge in dryve.
That stenketh ;
That inwyt hys the reddere eke
That holy lore thencheth.
Thet innewyt dryfth the fend awey,
Myd meende of Crystes pyne ;
Thet inwyt ly3t ther saule ly3t
Myd theawes gode and fyne,
To hele ;
Thet inwyt wescht the felthe awey,
And greydeth the fessele.
Thet inwyt redeth that gospel.
Wane hyt herereth Crystes lore ;
And 3et ther-to hys charge hyt berth
Of left half swythe sore,
To abyde
After thys lyf the hevene blys.
And krefte the ry3t syde.
56 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM
That inwyt hys the masse prest,
That ine the herte slaketh
Thane auter of devocioun,
Wane man hys bone maketh ;
No lesse
Nys hyt wane man stedevast by-leftU
Sacrament of the messe.
On inwyt mey al thys wel do,
And ine the manne to werche,
Ase on may al thys ordres have
Ryt wel in holy cherche,
Ase here ;
5ef her nys suiche mynystre nou,
Thys temple stent evere.
Ther-fore ech man that crystene hys
Hys wyttes loky fyve, .
And thenche opan the lore of God,
And fendes fram hym dryve.
And ly3te
Myd gode thewes ;il hys lyf,
And ther-to do hys my5te.
And wessche and greydy hys fessel,
And do trewlyche hys charge,
And maked offrynge of hys beden,
Myd wel to elraesse large
Thys wyke ;
By thys 50 i-seoth how eth mey do
Inc manere of mystyke.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREIIAM. 57
The signe hys of thys sacrement
The bisschopes blessynge,
Forth rayd the adraynystracioun
That he deth atte ordynge,
And grace
Of wyt and of auctoryte,
Thet thynge hys ine the place.
De matrimonio.
Her longeth nou to thys sarmon
Of spousynge for to werche,
Thet hys the tokne of the joynyng of
Gode and holy cherche ;
And woste
Ry3t holy cherche y-cleped hys
That holy folke ine goste.
And ase ther mot atter spousynge
Be ry3t asent of bothe,
Of man, and of ther wymman eke,
Yn love and nau3t y-lothe,
I-lyche
By-tuixe God and holy folke
Love hys wel trye and ryche.
Thanne ajte men here wyves love,
Ase God doth holy cherche ;
And wyves naujt ajens men
Non onwrestnesse werche,
Ac tholye.
And nau3t onwrost opsechem hy
Ne tounge of hefede holye.
58 POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ine wlessche joyneth man and wyf
Children to raulteplye ;
And God hatli takea oure flesch
Of the mayde Marye,
TVel ferren,
Ther-of springeth thet holye stren
I-lykned to the sterren.
Wei fayr thanne hys thys sacrement,
And marye was by-gonne,
Tho hyt by-gan ine Paradys
Are Adam were y-wonne
To senne ;
Ac so changede to vylenye
That Stat of man-kenne.
For 3ef he hedde i-healde hym,
Ase God hym hedde y-maked,
He hedde y-brout forthe hys bearm-team
Wythoute senne i-smaked ;
Wet thanne,
3et holy stren by-tokned hys
By strenynge of the mane.
Hyt was God self that spousynge ferst
In Paradys sette ;
The fend hyt was that schente hyt al
Myd gyle and hys abette,
Wranch evel,
Spousoth scheawyth wet God ther dede,
Hourdom wat dede the devel.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM, 59
For vvanne man drajth to horclom,
And let hys ryjt spouse,
So dede Adam ine Paradys
Hys ryjt lord of house
Of bevene,
The gode for-horede the fend
Wyth hys blaundynge stevene.
That deth that God menteyneth
Wei ry5t spousynge her an erthe,
And ever mo schel go to schame
Hordom and thet hys worthe,
I-lome ;
Bet some wenth ligge in spoushop,
And lithe in hordome.
Ther-fore ich wylle telle 30U
The lore of ry3t spousynge,
That he ne take horedom,
Wanne taketh weddynge ;
Nou lestneth.
The lore al of the la3e y-wryte
That holy cherche festneth.
Ase to God hyt were y-now
That bare assent oof bothe,
Wythoute speche and by-treuthynge,
And alle manere othe,
And speche ;
Ther mote be speche of hare assent,
Holy cherche to teche.
60 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And 3ef the man other that wyf
By cheaunce doumbe were,
3ef may wyten hare assent
By soum other abere,
And seave,
Hy mowe be wedded wel 3enge
By holy cherche leve.
Two manere speches beth i-woned,
Ther two men for to nomene ;
That one of thyng that hys now,
That other of te comene,
"Wel couthe ;
" Her ich the take" wordes beth
Of thynge that hiis nouthe.
And jef me seythe " ich wille the have,"
And ther-to treuthe ply3te
He speketh of thynge that his to come
That scholde be myd ry3te
Of treuthe ;
Ac that ferste ne faylleth nau3t,
That other may for sleuthe.
And 3yf another treutheth sethe,
Wyth word of that hys nouthe,
The ferste dede halte beth,
Ne be hy nase couthe.
As none ;
Bote 3ef ther fol3ede that treuthynge,
A ferst flesch v-mone.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 61
For thet completh thet spoushod
After the by-treuthynge,
That hyt ne may be ondon
Wyth none wythseggynge,
By ry3te ;
And that hyt were her ondo,
Ry3t halt wythoute Dry3te.
And her may treuthynge be ondo
Thorwe falnesse of partye,
And for defaute of witnessynge
Wyth wrange and trycherye,
I-lome,
Me weddeth suyche and liggeth so
For than ine hordome.
Ne hy3t ne may no man ondo,
By lawe none kennes,
And so by-leveth ever-mo
Fort other vvendeth hennes,
Thou wyse,
So bryngeth hem in suche peryl,
That hy ne mowe a-ryse.
Ac 3ef eny hys ine the cas,
Red ich that he be chaste ;
And 3yf hys make mone craveth
Ine leyser other in haste
Lykynde,
He mo3t hy3t do wyth sorye mod,
And skyle wert wepynge.
62 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
3yt he mot gret penaunce do
The dayes of hys lyve,
And 3et the more 3ef hath maked
An hore of hys wyf,
That ere,
3ef that he hedde y- wedded hy,
A goud wymman hyt were.
For suche la3e is that manye beth
Men other wymmen of elde,
Thar suche contra3t y-maked hys
That more ry3t prove 3elde,
And schoUe ;
And 3et of voices thane of tuo
Hys prove to the folic.
And 3yf ry3t contrait ys y-makcd
Wy3thoutc wytnessyngc,
3ef hy by-knoweth openlyche
Byfore men of trewthynge,
Tc take,
To-gidere y-hoten schoUe hy be,
Tha3 other oft for-sake.
That hys bote hy wedded be
To othren er hy hy5t by-knowe ;
For tha3 hy by-knowe hyt,
Ne hys nau3t y-helde trewe
By lawe ;
For 3ef hy were, hyt scholde be
These spousebrechene sawe.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHORKHAM. 63
Of ham that schokle y-\vedded be
Her the age thou my3t lerne,
That knave childe fortene 3er
Schel habbe ane tuel thetherne,
Spousynge ;
At seve }er me maketh may,
Ac none lyjt weddynge.
For the5 hy were by assent
Ry3t opelyche y-wedded,
And ase thyse childre ofte beth
To-gadere ry5t y-bedded,
By ry3te ;
Bot 3ef hy 3yve ine tyme assent.
Departed be y-my3te.
And the tyme is wane ather can
Other fleschlyche y-knowe,
For wanne hy habbeth thet y-do,
Ne mowe hy be to-throwe,
In sa3e ;
Hy beth i-cliped pukeres,
That hys a worde of lawe.
Ne no treuthynge stonde ne schel,
Wyth strenthe y-maked ine mone,
Bote ther fol3y by assent
Ry3t flesch y-mone,
Ine dede ;
For thet folvelleth that spoushoth,
Ase ich by-fore sede.
64 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And 5yf liy bethe by assent
The thrydde treuthe leyde,
Here eyther other for to have,
Other word to asenti seyde,
Othe swore ;
3ef by soflPreth hym mone of flesche,
Hys wyfe and naujt hys hore.
And 3ef ther hys condicioun
Y-set atter treuthynge,
3ef hyt hys goud wythoute quede,
Hyt letteth the weddynge,
Onhealde ;
Bote 3ef ther vlesches y-mone be
Fol5ynde, ase ich ear tealde.
And hit is wykked condicioun,
Covenaunt of schrewead-hede,
Ase 3ef he seyth ich wille the have
5ef thou deist suche a dede,
Of queade;
Tha3 thet covenant be nau5t y-do,
Hy schoUe hem weddy nede.
Bote that quead be a3eins spouthhoth,
Ase ich schel here teche;
And 3ef man seyth " ich wolie the have,
3yf thou wilt be spousbreche,
Other wealde
For te destruwen oure stren,"
That treuthynge darf naut healde.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 6.5
Sudeakne mey be y-wedded naujt,
Moneke, muneche, ne no frere,
Ne no man of religion,
Profes 3ef that he were,
To leste
Of chaste professioun
Hys solempne by-heste.
Ac 5ef man of religion,
Be hys ryt fre wille,
Over tyme of professioun
Heldeth hym thrynne stylle,
Relessed
Schel hym nau5t be religioun,
Thaj he be nau3t professed.
Ac 3ef ther were ry3t treuthynge.
That may nau3t be relessed ;
Ore hye into suche ordre came,
And here hi be professed,
To sothe,
Hy scholde a5en to the spousynge,
And lete al that to nuthe.
Hy that the man for-leyen hetlu;
Under hys ry3t wyf.
Other 3yf hy hosebonde heth
Ine thet spousbreche alyve.
Si dome ;
3et hi ray3te be wedded eft,
3ef by sengle by -come.
66 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Bote 5ef by by-treuthede hem,
Wyth worde of noutbe i take,
Other bote by by-speke his dethe
In hare senvoUe sake,
To sla3e ;
For thanne scholde by weddi nou5t,
By none ry5t lawe.
Meseles mowe y-wedded be,
5ef hi asenti wylle ;
An tha3 other bi-come mesel,
To-gadere healde hem stylle,
To nomene;
Bote the treuthege bare be,
Wyth wordes of to comene.
For 5ef thet by by-treutbed be
With worde of nou y take,
Other wyd wordes of to come.
With dede of flesches sake,
Ther, brother,
Seel be renoveled that a-gonne hiis,
And ayther fol3y other.
Bote the syke into a spytel-hous
Entry ther beth museles,
Thanne der the hole naujt
Ther-ine folwy hiis meles,
Ne hiis gyfte ;
Falthe bam nau3t in suche compaigni
To-gadcre be a ny5t.
POEMS OF WILIJAJl DE SHOREHAM.
And ine the weddynge ne gaynet 1101131,
Thaj thou the other by-swyke ;
Wanne them weneth the other be hoi,
And wedded thane syke,
Ne tinde ;
Ne beth no thynges bote two
That oundeth the weddynge.
That on hys, wanne he weddeth the thral,
And weneth the frye take ;
That other, wanne he weddeth one other
Thane hys ry5te make,
By-gyled ;
The lawe of God ne senteth nou5t
That man be so by-wyled.
And 5yf thet one weddeth the thral,
And weneth the frye weddy.
And 3yf a spyet that sothe throf,
And wondeth nau3t to beddy,
Ine mone ;
3ef he by wyl serveth that flesche,
Ry3t partynge worthe hym none.
And 5yf thy wyf hebbeth a child,
Wane thou he best for-leye,
Ne my3t nau3t weddy that childe
Eft tha3 that thy wyf deye,
By lawe ;
Ne forthe the moder thet hyt beer,
Ne woldest thou nase y-fa3e.
68 POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And 5yf thou habbest so a child,
The lawe y-wryte hyt sede,
Thy wyf that his thyn oje flesch
Dra3eth eke the godesybred,
Y-mete,
That hy ne may weddy that child,
Ne fade thet hyt bi-5ete.
Thet ilke that y-crystned hys
Ne may weddy by laje
Him that hyra crystneth, ne hys child,
Ne wolde nase na5e,
Ac lete ;
And eke hem that hym hebbeth so,
And alle hare bi-5ete.
And for the fader and moder
That hyne fleschlyche forthwyseth,
Gostlyche for hym by-sebbe beth.
To ham that hine baptizeth,
And heven ;
Ther-fore thaj hy ham wedded eft,
Ne myt so by-leven.
And ase the gossybrede dra3th
Ry5t to ous after crystnynge,
So gossibrede dra3eth eke
Ry3t after confermynge,
By lawe ;
That so hy mo5e hy weddy nau3t,
Ne wolde hy nase y-na3e.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 69
More godsibrede nys ther nau3t
Thane hys y-mene3ed here,
Godfader wedded godsoaes child
Fol wel, my leva fere,
No senne,
Neth man and wyf that weddeth ham,
Godfader the3 he habbe enne.
And 5yf a man hebbeth thy child,
And naujt bye thyne wyfe,
Thy wyf may weddy thane man
Wel after thyne lyve,
And libbe ;
And in that cas thou my3t weddy
To thyne wyfes gossibbe.
And that lawe for-bode nau3t
That man and wyf y-mene
Toe hebbe a childe, 3et scholdy nau3t
Honestete so 3wene,
Ne wette,
Schrewede tonge for te speke
For sclaunder me schal lette.
The sibbe mowe to-gadere nau3t,
The foerthe grees wythinne;
Ne me ne scholle telle the stoke
That after hym by-genne,
To telle;
And 3ef other the fixte of-taketh,
To gare more hy dwelle.
POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHOREIIAM.
3C'f thou nijd word, if tliet hys noutlie,
Aiyjt bi-treuthest one,
Other tha3 thet bi-tfeuthy hy iiau5t.
And hast flesches mone,
By lavve,
AUe here sybbe affinite
To the for-than schel drawe.
And thet ine the selve degre
That hy beth here by sybbe ;
And 3ef thou weddest eny of ham,
In inceste seboUe ye lybbe
An erthe ;
3ef hy y-sibbe ine degres
Ry3t wythinne the ferthe.
And so drawyth hy affinite
Wyth alle thyne sibbe,
Ase thou of hire sibben dra3St,
For-than tlia3 hy ne libbe ;
Wat doth hy3t ?
Hyt deth the monynge ine flesche,
The3 non ne wyte ne se hy3t.
And holy cherche y-hote heth,
Me schal maky the cryes
At cherche oppe holy day3es thre
By-fore the poeple thi*yes.
To assaye.
To sech contrait 3ef me mey
Of dcstorber anaye.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOKEHAM, 71
For ei'tlie the baues y-gi'ed
He that the treuthe maketh,
Farth ase he that great work by-gunth
And thanne conseyl taketb,
And tethleth;
Ac mani man that so by-gunth,
With grete harme fayleth.
And thaj the weddynge were maked,
Ase hyt mytte by lawe,
3et hyt myjt eft be ondo,
And eft also to-drawe,
Wet wyse,
3ef ther ne mey nothere kendelyche
Do the flesches servyse.
Thet hys, jef that ere the weddynge
FoUe that ylke lette,
That other were so i-let
To do the flesches dette,
By kende;
For 3ef that lettyng velle seth,
Ne scholde by nou3t to-wende.
And tha3 thet on bi-wiched be
Thanne by to-gadere come,
That by ne my3te don ry5t nau3t,
Ne asayde nase lome,
And wolde;
3et thre 3ier by abyde scholde.
To do ere hi be scholde.
72 POEMS OF WILLIAM UE SHOREHAM.
And tha5 that servyse be foul,
5et hyt liys tokne of gode ;
For hy5t by-tokneth the takynge
Of oure flesche and blode
Ine Cryst ;
No stren may non encressy
Wythoute flesches loste.
And dette hyjt hys in spoused,
Wanne the other liy5t welde ;
For 3yf thyt other nolde do,
Destrayned be he scholde.
Be rytte.
To do hyt jyf that he may,
The lawe heth the he myjte.
And thaj man hath bysemer
Of seche manere destresse.
Be hem wel syker hyt hys y-do
For wel grete godnesse,
Of lyve ;
For elles nolde the la5e naujt
Of suche thynge schryve.
In spoushod beth godnesse thre,
Treuthe, strenyg, and signe ;
Treuthe hys that ther no gile be
Thourwe spousebreche maligne ;
Ac, brother,
That on may spousbreche by-come.
For defaute of thet other.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 73
That Other godnesse hys strenynge,
Ther me may children wene;
And 3yf that on thothren warneth hys flesch,
Ne myjt hy naut strene
On nette,
Tho scholde that godnesse be
By-twene ham inlette.
The thrydde godnesse hys sacrament,
That hiis the holy signe
Of the joynynge of God self
And holye cherche digne,
That abayleth;
And 3yf thothren warnth hys flesch,
That sacrement hem fayleth.
By thyse thre hy moje i-se
Wanne hy ine flesche sene3eth.
Wanne hy wythoute thyse thre
Wyth fleschlich mone megeth
Hare other other.
The more thyt doth, the wors hi beth,
And God also the lother.
Ase 3ef hy hy3t my3t wel a-come
To letten other wyle,
And lesse do hyt thane hy doth,
Wythoute otheres peryl
Ac blondeth,
And nys non ned wyth foule handlynge
Other other afondeth.
POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM,
Ne hy ne wondeth messe-day,
Ne none holy tyde,
Ne holy stede wyt'uoute peryl,
Tha5 hy ray3te abyde
Spy fehhe,
Ther hy my3te hyt do kendelyche,
Onkende hys hare onsehhe.
Hyt nys nau5t a3ens sacrement
Of God and holy cherche,
Thay hy nolde by goud purpos
Ine hare flesche worche
By feld ;
So ferde Marye and Joseph,
By assent that clene hem held.
For they hye wolde
In flesch by-leve clene,
5et a3eyns treuthe nere hyt nou^t,
Ne forthe a5eyns strene ;
Hou scholde hy3t
A5e gode purpos of strene,
Bote other of ham wolde hy3t ?
Ne hy3t nys a3eyns sacrement,
By assent tha3 hy be clene ;
In spoushoth 3ef hy levies hem,
And wel libbeth i-mene :
"Wytnesse
Cry St and thys holy saulen eke,
AI lovieth hem ine clannesse.
rOEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And 5yf bothe betli of god wylle,
And of assent an emne,
To take to religioun
And makye a vou solempne,
Hy mytte
In chastyte for evere mo
Sei-vy onre Drytte.
And 3ef that eyther other may
Kendelyche serve,
Ne mo5en hy ajeins wyl to go
Er thane other schal starve,
No sauve,
Bote 3ef that on for-houred be,
He may departyng have.
And jef hy so departed be,
Chastite he mote take,
So longe ase thothres lyf y-lest,
That whas hys ryjt make,
Xyst gabbe,
3ef he other thane hy for-lyth,
A3en a schel hys habbe.
Tha3 hy mysdede, 3et and he uyle
Eft a3eyn he may crave,
Tha3 ther such a departynge be,
And hiis wyf a3eyn have,
And scholde ;
Tha3 hy wythseyde hyt openlyche,
And a3eyn come nolde.
76 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac understond for thet hordom
That maketh thes to stryve,
That eche hordom ne parteth nau3t
The man al fram hiis wyf ;
Nou lestne,
jef the other othren so by-swyketh,
Ne mo3e hy nou5t ounnestne.
Ne tha3 a wyf by-gyled be
Of another by wrake,
And weneth wel to for-leye be
Of hyre ry3tte make ;
3et more,
Tha3 hy ben strengthe be for-leye,
Takth he nau3t houre lore.
Ne 3ef thon thother profreth
Wyth any other to beddy,
And ne 3ef the on welnith this otheres deth.
And he another weddeth,
Tha3 come ;
The make a3en ne schelde hy be
To do for hordome.
Ac het nou ounderstand for ham
That gooth a pylgrymage,
On wenddeth, the other abyde schel,
Wet other passeth age,
By kende,
Other wat that ther be of hys death
Ry3t god and certayn mende.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREUAM. 77
And 3yf man halt ase hys wyf
After the gelt hys spouse,
Thaj he by hyre ne ligge noujt,
Other halt hys ine hys house,
In torae,
Ne schal hy nau3t departed be
Fram hym for hordome.
The signe hys of the sacrement,
The treuthynge wel couthe,
Other comthey signe of thet asent
Wyth worde that hiis nouthe.
And dygne ;
Thynges ther beth her mo than on
Onder thys ylke signe.
Thet thyng hys thet hoi assent
By-tuixte man an wyf,
"Wat bynding hys of the spousehoth
To helde to ende of lyf,
And, brother,
Thys ilke thynge a signe hys eke
Of thyng to-forin another.
And that thynge hys ase ich seyde her,
Tho ich her-an gan worche.
The holy joynynge of God self
And of al holy cherche.
In tome,
Of spouhoth thys aneyment
Louketh 50U for hordome,
78 POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SllOREUAM.
The seynt Johan ine the Apokalips
Se3 pruveetes of hevene,
He 863 ^ boke was fast i-schet
Wyth strong lokes sevene,
A wonder ;
Ne hy my3ty no man ondo
Above in hevene and onder.
And tho that seint Johan y-se3 that,
Wei sore he gan to wepe ;
Tho seyde an angel, " Wep thou nou5t,
Ac take wel gode kepe,
Thys sygne,
That holy larabe that shi3en hys
To ondo hyt hys wel dygne."
Thys ylke boke the mystikys
Of these sacrementis,
That were i-schet fram alle men,
Wat God himself out sent hys,
To tounne ;
For be thou syker hy were in God,
Er than the worlde by-gounne.
For ase he wyste wel
We scholde be by-gyled.
So ever wyste he that the feend
Scholde a5en be by-wyled,
Thor3 Cryste ;
Ac he hyt hadde wel priv6
For Saternases lyste.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 79
Al what OS com thet ilke lambe,
Jbesus that was y-slawe,
That onne schette the queynte loken,
That spek of the aide lawe,
And sevene,
So kedde out thyse sacremens
By-nethe and bove in hevene.
The ferste loke oneleke Jhesus,
Ase be wel coude and my3te,
Tho Nychodemus to hym come
At one tyme by nyjte,
To lerny ;
And he ondede hym cristendom,
No lenge he nolde hyt derny.
That lok onleake of confermynge
Ther hiis apostles leye
Slepynde tho that of ham bed
Aryse for to preye,
Amonge,
That by ne voile into fondynge.
Ac that bye weren stronge.
The thrydde loke onleke Jhesus
Ther he set atte sopere,
Tho he sacrede hys flesche and blod,
Ase ich 30U seyde hyt here,
So bolde,
In fourme of bred and eke of wyn
That we hyt notye scholde.
80 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
And the Peter in 036 ny3t
Thryes hedde hyne for-sake,
And he by-held hyne ther a-set
Ry3t atte hys pynyng-stake,
Nem kepe,
Ther he onleke penaunce loke,
Tho Peter gan vor to wepe.
The fy3te that hys elyynge,
Cryst onleke to oure wayne,
Tho hand and fet and al hys lymes
I-persed were ine payne,
Ene helede,
For al the formes of oure lemes,
Anon so be we anelede,
The syxte onleke swete Jhesus,
Of ordre nothynge orne,
Tho he a-veng for oure love
The croune of scharpe thornes ;
Wei wyde
Ondede the loke of ry3t spousynge
The wounde onder hys syde.
For ase wymman com of the ryb
Of the mannes ry3t syde,
So holyche spouse of God
Sprange of thane wonden wyde ;
Nou leste,
IIou that was hed conseyl ine God,
Sprounge hiis out at hys brest.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 81
Nou, Lord, that coudest maky open,
Thet no man coude oneschette.
And canste wel schetten thet hy be open
That none other man derte
To hopye.
So graunte ous thyne sacremens,
That non errour ne ous ascapye ;
And that we hys mote a-redy have,
Lord, her at oure nede,
That no deve5l ne acombry ous,
Lord, thou hy5t ham for-bede,
Amonge ;
And for the tokene that we neme,
Lat ouse thy holy dole fonge. Amen.
Oretis pro anima domini Willelmi de Schorham,
quondam vicarii de Chart juxta Ledes, qui composuit
istam compilacionem de septem sacramentis.
82 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Pater noster, Domine, labia mea aperies, etc.
Thou opene myne lyppen, Lord,
Let felthe of senne out wende ;
And my mouthe wyth wel god acord
Schel thyne worschypynge sende.
Deus, in adjutorium meum intende.
Vaderis wyt of heve an-he5,
Sothnesse of oure Dry5te,
God and man y-take was
At matyn-tyde by nyjte.
The disciples that were his,
Anone by hyne for-soke,
I-seld to Gywes and by-traid,
To pyne hyne toke.
Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicamus tibi, etc.
We the honreth, Jhesu Cryst,
And blesseth ase thou os tou3test ;
For thourj thy crouche and passyon
Thys wordle thou for-boujtest.
Oremus, Domine Jhesu Criste.
We the byddeth, Jhesu Cryst,
Godes son a-lyve,
Sete on crouche pyne and passyoun,
And thy dethe that hys ryve ;
Gode atende to ray socour,
Lorde, hy3e, and help me fyjte !
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SIIOREHAM. 83
Glorye to the Fader and Sone,
And to the Gost of myjtte ;
Ase hyt was ferst and hiis,
And schal evere-more be wyth ryjte.
Bytuext ous and jugement
That no fend ous ne schende,
Nou, ne wanne the tyme comthe
Thet we scholle hennes wende.
And 5yf the lyves mysse and grace,
The dede redand and reste,
Holy cherche acord and pays
Ous glorye and lyf that beste ;
That levest and regnest wyth the Fader
Ther never nys no pyne,
And also wyth the Holy Goste,
Evere wythoute fyne. Amen.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum ; bene-
dicta tu, etc.
O swete levedy, wat they was wo,
Tho Jhesus by-come in orne ;
For drede tho the blodes dropen
Of swote of hym doun orne.
And, levedy, the was wel wors,
Tho that thou se3e in dede
Thy leve childe reulyche y-nome
And ase a thef forthe lede.
And ase he tholede thet for ous,
Levedy, wythoute sake,
Defende ous wanne we dede bethe.
That noe fende ous ne take. g 2
84 POtMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Paternoster. God, atente to my socour. Lord, hyye,
etc. Deus, adjtitoruan meum, Domine, ad. Hora prima.
At prime Jhesus was i-led
To-fore sjre Pylate,
Thar wytnesses false and fele
By-lowen hjne for hate.
In thane nekke hy hene smyte,
Bonden hys honden of myjtte ;
By-spet hym that sw... semblant
That hevene and erthe k-lyjte.
Adoramus te, Christe. We the honoureth, etc.
Ave, Jhesu Christe. We the biddeth, Jhesu Cryst.
Ave Maria, etc.
swete levedy, wat the was wo
A Gode Frydayes in orthe,
Tho al the nyjt y-spende was
In swete Jhesues sorwe.
Thou se3e hyne hyder and thyder y-cathed,
Fram Pylate to Herode ;
So me bete hys bare flesche,
That hyjt arne alle a-blode.
And ase he tholede that for ous,
Levedy, withoute crye,
Schelde ous wanne we deade beth
Fram alle feenden mestrye.
Pater noster. Deus, in adjutoriiim. God, atende
to my socour. Crncijige, etc.
Crucyfige ! crucifige !
Gredden hy at ondre ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM. 85
A pourpre cloth hi dede hym on,
A scorne an liym to wondre.
Hy to-steke hys swete hefed
Wyth one thorn ene coroune ;
Toe Calvarye his crouche ha beer
Wei reuliche ou3t of the toune.
Adoramus te. We the honoureth, Jhesu Cryst. Ut
sancta, Domiiie Jhesu Christe. We the byddeth, Jhesu
Cryst. Ave Maria, etc.
swete lavedy, wat the was wo
Tho that me Jhesus demde,
Tho that me oppone hys swete body
The hevye crouche semde !
To here hyt to Calvary
I-wys hyt was wel wery,
For so to-bete and so to-boned,
Hy5t was reweleche and drery.
And alse he tholede that for ous,
Levedy, a thysse wyse,
I-schelde ous, wanne we dede beth,
Fram alle fendene jewyse.
Deus, in adjutorium. Gode, atende to my socour.
Pater noster. Hora sexta.
On crouche y-nayled was Jhesus
Atte six3te tyde,
Stronge theves hengen hy on
Eyther half hys sede.
Ine hys pyne hys stronge therst
Sthanchede hy wyth 5alle ;
86 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
So that Godes holy lombe
Of senne wesche ous alle.
Adoramus te, Chrisle. We the honoureth, Jhesu
Cryst. Oremus, Domine Jhesu Christe. We the
biddeth, Jhesu Cryst. Ave Maria, gratia plena.
swete levedy, wat the was wo
Tho thy chyld was an-honge,
I-tached to the harde tre
Wyth nayles gret and longe !
The Gywes gradden, " com adoun,"
Hy neste way y raende,
For thrau ha thole to be do
To deth for mankende.
And ase he henge, levedy, for ous,
A-heye oppon the hulle,
I-scheld ous wane we deade ben,
That we ne hongy in helle. Amen.
Pater noster. Deus, in adjutorium. God, ateiide
to my socour. Lord, hy^e, etc. Hora nana.
Atte none Jhesu Cryst
Thane harde death felde ;
Ha grade " Hely" to hys fader,
The soule he gan op-3elde.
A knijt wyth one scharpe spere
Stange hyne i the ry3t syde ;
Therthe schoke, the sonne dyni by-come,
In thare tyde.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 87
Adoramus te. We the honoiireth, Jhesu Cryste.
Domi/ie Jhesu Christe. We the biddeth, Jhesu Cryste.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, etc.
swete levedy, wat the was wo
Tho Jhesus deyde on rode !
The crouche and the ground onder hym
By-bled was myd his blode.
That swerde persed thyne saule tho,
And so hyt dede wel ofter,
That was thy sorwe for thy child,
Dethe adde be wel softer.
And ase he tholed thane deth,
Levedy, for oure mende,
Schulde ous wane we dede beth,
Fram deth wythouten ende. Amen.
Pater noster. Deus, in adjutorium. God, altende
to my socour. Lord, hi^e, etc. De cruce deponitur.
Hora, etc.
Of the crouche he was do
At eve-sanges oure ;
The strengthe lefte lotede ine God
Of oure Sauveoure.
Suche death a under-3ede,
Of lyf the medicine,
Alas ! hi was y-leyd adoun
The croune of blysse in pyne.
Adoramus te. We the honoureth, Jhesu Crist.
88 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ave Jhesu Christe. We the biddeth, Jhesu Cryst.
Ave Maria, gratia plena.
swete levedy, wat the was wo
Tho Cryst was do of rode !
For ase a mesel tlier he lay,
A-stonned in spote and blode,
For-bere wepyng ne iny3t hy
That seje al hou thou weptyst ;
Al hy the seje of hym blody,
So ofte thou hine by-cleptyst.
And ase he tholede the fylthe,
For felthe of oure sennes,
Helpe ous, levedy, we clene be,
Wanne we scholle wende hennes. Amen.
Pater noster, etc. Deus, adjiitorium. God, attende
to my socour, etc. Lord, hi'^e, etc. Hora complectorii.
At complyn hyt was y-bore
To the beryynge.
That noble corps of Jhesu Cryst,
Hope of lives comynge.
Wei richeleche hit was anoynt,
Folfeld hys holy boke ;
Ich bydde, lord, thy passioun ^
In myne mend loke.
Adoramus te. We the honoureth, Jhesu Crist.
Domine Jhesu Christe. We byddeth, Jhesu Cryst.
Ave Maria, gratia plena : etc.
O swete levedy, was the was wo,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOKEUAM. 89
And drery was thy raone,
Tho thou sei3e thy lefe sone
I-bered under the stone !
That thou wystest thour3 thy feyth
A-ryse that he scholde,
A drery fayth hyt was to the
That he lay under molde.
And ase he was four ous y-bered,
And a-ros thourwe hys myjtte,
Help ous, levedy, a domes-day,
That wey a-ryse mytte the, levedy brytte.
Amen.
Thyse oures of the canoune,
Lord, mone5e ich the wel fayre,
Wyth wel grejt devocioun
A reyson debonayre ;
And ase thou tholedest lor forme
Ope Calvaryes doune.
So acordaunt to thy travayl,
Lord, graunte me thy coroune. Amen.
90 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
De decern preceptis.
The man that G-^des hestes halt,
And that myd gode wylle,
And naujt one by-fore men,
Ac both loud and stille,
Meche hys the mede that hym worthe,
By so that he na drylle ;
jef he hys breketh and so by-loefth,
Hys sauylle schal he spylle.
3ef thou hys halst man, God the seithe,
Ha wole be the so kende,
He wole be fo to thyne fon,
And frend to thyne frende.
Hye the mys-doth, ham wyle mys-do,
And have thys ine thyne mende ;
Hys angel schal to-forthe go
To wyte the fram the fende.
Thyne sustenaunce thou schel have,
Thy3 naujt a-lyve delyce,
Ac mete and clothes renableliche,
And lyf ine herte blysce.
Tha3 folke the beelde a nice man,
Ther-fore nert thou naujt nyce ;
I-likned worth thy gode loos
So swete so the spyce.
Thef the that art a crystene man
Wei hy healde by-falleth,
Syker thou my3t be of that lond
Thar melke and hony walleth,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 91
That hys the blysse of hevene aljove,
Thar holy soulen stalleth ;
Ine glorye ther none ende nys,
Ne none svvetnesse appalleth.
To wyte thanne wat God hajt,
Is eche man wel y-halde,
Throf ich may telle ase ich wot,
Ase other men me tealde,
And ase hyt hys in holye boke
I-wryten ine many a felde ;
Lestneth to mey par charyte,
Bothe 5onge and ealde.
thynge hyt hys al that God hat,
Bote a-two he hyjt dy3te.
And that hys love, man, syker thou be.
To lovye wyth thy my3t.
Thou ert y-helde, man, ther-to
Bye skele and eke by ryjtte ;
Thou thenke her-on par charyte.
By dayes and eke by ny3tte.
Thys love God heth y-dijt a-tuo
Amange hiis hostes alle,
The ferste hys for to lovye God.
By-falle what so falle ;
Seththe to lovye alle men,
So brothren scholde ine halle,
Wythouten byternesse of mode
That hiis thare saule galle.
The man that healdeth thys two,
Of charyte the heastes.
92 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Al he folveth the lawe of Gode
And prophetene gestes.
Ac lasse love th3r hys wyth men
Thane be wyth wylde bestes,
That doth that manye y-schodred ben
Fram hevene-ryche festes.
Ten hestes haveth y-hote God,
Ase Holy "Wryt ous tealde,
the two tablettes of stou
"Wyth hys fynger bealde.
He hys wrot Moyses by-toke
Wylom by da3es ealde,
To wyse man hou schal wel
These ten hestes healde.
In ston ich wot that he hys wrot,
In tokne of sykernesse,
That we that wole y-saved be,
The more and eke the lesse,
By-hoveth that he healde hy
"Wyth al hys bysynysse.
Alias ! feawe thencheth ther-on,
Th a wykkednesse.
Yet o table hedde thry
Of thyse hestes tene.
The thri longeth to love of Gode,
Ase hy3t schel wel be sene ;
The seven longet to love of man,
That none scholde wene,
Ine thother table sete tho
To-gadere and al y-mene.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 93
Honury thou schelt enne God,
Hjm one to by-knowe ;
Take naujt hys name in ydelschepe,
Wyth ydel wynde to blowe ;
Halje thou the masse-day,
Ase he comthe in the rewe.
In these thre the love of God schewy hit,
Were hyt hys to sewe.
Worschipe thy fader and moder eke ;
Ne brynge no man of ly ve ;
Do the to none lecherye,
Thaj the foundyngge dryve ;
Wytnesse vals ne here thou non ;
Of thefthe thou ne schryve ;
Coveyte none mannes wyf,
Ne nau3t of hys for-stryve.
Thys bethe the sevene that love of man
Schewe what hy5t be scholde.
3ef eny man fayleth eny of thys,
Nys hy3t bote an on holde ;
Ac al to fewe lovyth ham,
And wylleth that other wolde.
Alas ! wat schal be hare red,
Wanne hy beth under molde ?
Ac many man desceyved hys,
And weneth that he hys helde ;
And weyneth that he be out of peryl,
Other ine senne so schealde,
That hym ne douteth of no breche
Of Godes hestes healde,
94 POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac he not nefer wat hy beeth,
Ne never hy ne tealde.
1-wryte hyt hys, ich telle hyjt the,
Ine the boke of Wysdome,
That eche man scholde conne hy,
And rekeny wel y-lome,
And that hy nere naujt for-3ete,
Wane othere thoujtes come.
Tys fyngres scolde man bynde hy,
For doute of harde dome.
For mannes honden and hys fet
Beret tokene wel gode
Of alle the tenne comaundemens,
That man thyt onderstonde.
Ten fyngres and ten thine tone,
Of flesche and bon and blode,
Tokneth that thyne workes ne be
Ajeyns the hestes for broude.
3et som man hiis that passioun lyche
Can telle hy myd the beste,
Ac me hys dedes nares he,
Ase he naujt of hem neste.
And 5et hym thingth that he beth wel,
And for to come to reste ;
Ac al desceyved schel he be,
"Wanne cometh the grete enqueste.
Here-fore nys hyjt nau3t y-nouj
To telle hy ne vor to conne,
And telle and werehe wel ther-by,
Thanne hys hy5t alle y-wonne.
rOEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREUAM. 95
For wel to conne and nau3 iio don,
Nys nather rawe ne y-sponne ;
Lytel hiis worth bote hyt endy
Wel thynge that hiis wel by-gonne.
They hyt be wel lyttelyche y-sed,
The ferste heste a-rowe,
For to honoui'y anne God,
Hym one to by-knowe,
Thenche thou most wel bysyly,
And thy wyjt thran by-stowe,
And bydde hym that thou hyt mote do
Wel myldelyche a-knowe.
For thou ne myjt hytte nefere do,
Man, wel wythoute grace ;
So heth thys wordle bounde the
Wyth here lykynges ....
Ther-fore the by-hoveth Godes helpe,
That he hyt wolde arace,
So that thou ne teldest no worth
Of blandynge face.
For 3yf thy wyl rejoth more
In enyes kennes thynges,
Be-hy3t the childe, other thy best,
Land, brouches, other ryngeth ;
Other ajt elles, wat so hyt be,
Bote yne God that hys kynge of kynges,
Thou ne anourest najt God a-ry3t,
Ac dest is onderlynges.
By-lef thou in no wychecraft,
Ne ine none teliinge,
96 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ne forthe inne none ymage self,
Tha3 that be great botninge ;
Bote as al holy cberche the tek,
Thou make thyne worthynge.
For Gode nele naujt that thou hyt do,
Bote by there wyssynge.
Thanne asay thyn 056 thojt
By thysser ylke speche.
And 3yf thou aunourest God a-ry3t,
Thyne inwit wyle the teche.
And 3yf thou fynst that thou ne dest,
Amende, ich the by-seche ;
Thou ert a sot, and my3t do bet,
And so si5st yn the smeche.
That other heste apertelyche
Schewed mannes defaute,
Wanne he aldey swereth ydelleche,
In kebbynge and in caute.
Mechel hys that he maketh hym
Her eftervvard to tenty,
"Wenne he schal hys acountes 3yve
Of ech idel sente.
Thenne ne couthe ich nanne red
Of thylke acountes oure,
Nere the milse and merci of God self
Oure alder auditour,
That wolle the arerages for-3eve,
3ef hyt hys to hys honoure.
Ac cesse, man, of thy ydelschop,
Other ich wole out wel soure.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREIIAM. 97
The thrydde heste apertelyche
Scheweth wyth wykked rote,
Wanne thou halst thy masse-day,
As God hyt hath y-hote ;
Ac werkest other werke dest
Werkes that beth to note,
The wykkede ensample that thou 5efst,
Thou abeyst, ich the by-hote.
And that thou ne werche naujt,
Ac gest to pyne gloutynge,
Other in eny other folke
In pleye of thretynge.
Thou halst wel wors thane masse-day,
Thane manne myd hys workynge ;
Thare-fore to the al y-holliche
That day to holy thynge.
The feste heste scheweth the
That thye senne schal slethe,
3yf thou rewardest thyne eldrynges naujt
A-lyve and eke a-dethe ;
That were wel besy to brynge the forthe,
As hy my5ten onnythe,
5yf thou hy gnajst and flag5st eke,
Ryjt hys that fendes fleathe.
Naujt nys thys heste y-hote of God
For suche eldren allone ;
Ac hys of mannes eldren eke,
Ase he te3t atte font-stone.
Ther holy cherche thy moder hys.
And fader in Cristes mone ;
98 PORMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
5ef thou ert onboxom to hyre,
Grace of God ne worthe the none.
The fyfte heste scheweth the
That thou ne schalt naujt smyte,
Ne nau3t ne mys-segge ne mys-do,
Ne nau5t foules he atwyte.
For ofte the mannes sie3te aryft,
Were man hy3t weneth wel lytel ;
And he that spilleth mannes lyf,
Venjounse hyt schel avvyte.
And 3ef ther hys man-sle3 the pur,
As ous telleth holy boke,
3yf eny man for defaute deyth,
And eny hym for-soke
To helpe hym of that he may,
Hys lyf to save and loke,
Her dere 3er acuseth fele,
That God and arthe touke.
And 3et seint Johan the wangelyst
Al into mende drajeth.
He that hatyeth eny man,
He seche that he hym sla3e.
Manye suche man-sle3 then beth,
That al day men for-gna3etb,
And sweche beth in helle depe
That develen al to-draweth.
The sixte heste scheweth wel
The sothe to al mankenne.
The dede y-do in lechery
Hys ry3t a dedleche senne.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 99
And elles nere hy3t naujt
For-bode amange the hestes tenne ;
The that seggeth hyt nys naujt,
So hare wy5t hys al to thenne.
Her hys for-bode glotenye,
So ich the by-hote ;
For ich norysseth lechery e,
Ase fer the brondes bote.
And tha3 ther be alone lomprynge
In lecheryes rote,
Al hyt destrueth charyte,
Wyth wrake and wyth threte.
The sevende heste schewed wel
Man schal be true in dede,
That no man abbe of the otheres naut,
Thor5 thefte wyckerede.
For al hys thefte that man te5t
Myd wyl of wymynghede,
Ajens the ryjt ajeres wyl,
So lawe y-wryte hyt sede.
Thanne hys hyt a thef, wo so hyt be,
That manne god so taketh,
Be hy5t by gyle other mestry,
Other wordes that he craketh.
In londe suche his many a thef
That y-now hym maketh ;
He wenth by chere of jugement,
Ac helle after hym waketh.
The ejtende heste the for-bed
The ffalse wytnessynge ;
H 2
100 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM,
And that hys, man, syker thou be,
Alle manere lesynge
To hermy in body n-.an,
Othei" in hys other thynge,
Other in hys saule, and that hys worst,
In peryl for to brynge.
Al hyt hys senne that me lejth,
Bote that men lejth for gode ;
Ryjt deadlyche senne nys that nau5t
For myldenesse of mode.
Ac elles, man, al that thou legst
Is deathlich and for-brode,
The thet hy3t useth, ich wot hy beth
Unwyser thane the wode.
Alas ! onnethe eny man
* That thyse hestes healde ;
Alle hy beth y-torned to lesynge,
Thes 3onge and eke thes olde.
Ther-to hys mentenaunce great.
That raaketh hy wel bealde ;
Do 3e nau5t so, par charyte,
Ac 30ure tongen 3e wealde.
The ne3ende heste the for-bed
That wyl to lecherye ;
And to spousbreche nameleche,
That so meche hys to glye,
Thanne nys hyt nau3t one dealyche
Swych dede to complye,
Ac ys that voule wyl also
To swyche fylenye.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 101
The tethe heste the fo[r]-bet,
Wyl tou other manne thynge,
For that desturbet charyte,
In onde man to brynge.
Defendeth 50U, for Godes love,
Fram alle wykked wyllynge ;
For suche wyl hys for dede i-set
In Godes knelechynge.
Nou ich 30U bydde, for the blode
That Jhesus blede on the rode,
That into herte taketh thys two
To 30ure soule fode ;
And fojeth naujt in thys wordle
The vyle commune floude,
That fleuth into the fendes mouthe ;
And so seithe Jop the gode. Amen.
102 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREUAM.
\_De septem mortalibus peccatis.^
Senne maketh many thral,
That scholde be wel fry ;
And senne maketh many fal,
That he ne mote i-thy.
Senne bryngeth man a-doun,
That scholde sute a deys ;
Senne maketh stoi'bylon,
Thar scholde be godes peays.
Senne maketh by-wepe
That som man er by-105 ;
Senne bryngeth wel depe
That hyra wel hy5e droj.
Senne hys swete and lyketh,
Waune a man hi deth,
And al so soure hy bryketh,
Wane he venjaunce y-seth,
Senne maketh nywe schame,
Thaj hy for-3ete be ;
And senne bryngeth men in grame,
Thar er was game and gle.
And senne maketh al the who
That man an erthe hath ;
And bryngeth rnannes saule also
In helles voule breth.
And they man be fram helle y-wered
Thourj repentaunce here,
5et ne may naujt some man be spared
Fram purgatories fere,
i
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOUEllAM. 103
Tliat lie ne scliel soffry ther liys who,
As he hiis here atenkt,
And her nys fer namore ther -to,
Thanne hys fer dereynt.
Ac purgatorie and belle hy beth
So lyte by-leved.
That what soraevere men telleth,
Beth throf al adeved.
Hem wolde douty more
A lytel pyne her.
Thane havi wolde al that sore,
And on y-sely fer.
Ac hwo sej ever eny
That hedde of senne glye.
For bond other for peyne,
That he ue changede hys blye,
Wyth schame and eke wyth schounde,
Wytb sor3e and eke wyth who,
And that was ked in londe
By some nau5t fern ago.
Tlianne ich may wyssy ase ich can,
I miself tha3 ich be spreth,
That bote thou wylle wondy, man,
Thy pyne after thy deth,
Wonde the sor5e that hys her,
Foljende after thy queed,
And 3et the tyt the lasse fer,
Whanne the faith to be dead.
Whanne thou scholdest sene3y,
By-thenche, leve frend.
104 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SIIOREHAM.
And thaj thy flesch the mene3y,
The wordle other the fend,
By-thenche hou schort hys the lykynge,
And hou the schame hys stronge,
And hou thou weiyest thane kynge
Of hevene wyth thy wronge.
Thij man mo 30 thorj hys resone,
Y wote, wanne he mys-deth ;
5ef ther by-hoveth gre5t sarmone
To hame that levved bethe ;
For feawe of ham conne the skele
Hou senne aboute cometh,
And that acombreth swytbe felc
That none kepe nometh.
Ther-fore thys tale rymeth
Hou men in senne beth,
And hou senne by-lymeth
Than that to senne hym deth.
Ther-fore neme 3e kepe
Al hou the senne syt,
That 36 ne falle to depe,
For wane of 50ure wyt.
Nou lyst hou man hys bounde
Wyth senne swythe stronge,
And hou he bereth death wounde,
And fenym thare amonge.
The wonde swelth an aketh
So doth the naddre stenge,
And gret and gretter maketh,
And feithe make tluengc.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 105
I-wounded was mankende
After that hy was wro3t,
Thor} the neddre the feend,
That hy heth al thorj soujt.
Thorwe the fenym of senne,
That al mankende slakth,
Nes non nou that kenne
That that fenym ne taketh.
And that fenym was ferst y-kast
On Eve and on Adam,
And so forthe thenne hyt her y-Iest,
Ase kenne of 3erneth yne man.
So hyjt nys naujt senne lyas,
That child that haveth lyf,
Y-bore other onbore was,
Bote crystnynge breketh that stryf.
Oryginale thys senne hys cleped,
For man of kende hyt taketh syn ;
Ry3t so hys al mankende a-merred,
Thor3 the route of fenym.
That doth that mannes body y-bered,
Nys bote a lyte slym,
Her-uppe y-tho3t hath meny a man,
And i-sed many a foul,
That onwyslyche God ous by-gan,
And hys red was to coul,
That let man to suich meschyf,
Tliat my3te hyt habbe undo.
Ac 3ef thou wolt by gode lef,
Thenche thou namore so.
106 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM.
Ne velthe hyt nou3t to clypye a3en.
We soeth wel hyt hys thous ;
God to atwyte cure won
No longeth nothynge to ous.
For we dysputeth ajeyn hym,
Concluded schel he be,
Dispute nau5t, ac kepe nym,
"Wo thart and who hys he.
Wat helpth hyt the crokke,
That hys to felthe y-do,
A3e the crokkere to brokke,
Wy madest thou rae so ?
The crokkere myjtte segge
Thou proud erthe of lompet,
Ine felthe thou schelt lygge,
Thou ert nau3t elles ne3t.
Ry3t so may God answerye the,
Wanne thou hym atwyst,
Wat helpthe hyt so wran to be,
Wanne thou wyth Gode chyst ?
Do nau3t so, ac mercy crye.
That the tyde vvors ;
For suiche al day me may y-se
Encresseth here cors.
Ac be thou wel, man, be the wo,
Of gode ne tel thou nau3t lytel ;
For syker be that he let do,
He let hyt do wyth ry3te.
Swech ry3t scheaweth wyth
God above, the hy3t be hyd fram the ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 107
Thenche naraore for Godes love
So heje pryvete.
Ac thench thou nart bote esche,
And so thou 1036 the ;
And byde God that he wesche
The felthe that hys in the.
And thy3 thou lange abyde,
Ne atvvyt hym naujt thy who ;
Ac tyde the what by-tyde,
Thou thenke hym evere mo.
And so soum grace the by-tyde,
Ac elles the hy for-gest ;
For God wythstondeth hym that chyt
And a3e God wrest,
Ase he wythstent the prouden,
And myld grace sent
To libbe amange the louden,
Wenne other beth i-schent.
Nou we seeth wel hou hyt ys
Of thane oryginal ;
Nou lest ou man do amys
Thor3 hys 03ene gale.
Thys senne cometh naujt of thy ken,
Ac thyself ech del.
Tho seggeth thys leredemen,
And clypyeth hyt accuel.
Thys manere senne nys nau3t ones,
Ac hys i-schyt in thry,
In thou3t, in speche, in dede amys,
Thys may ech man y-sy.
108 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM.
He that ne thynketh nau3t bote wel,
And speketh and doth al ryjt,
The man hys sekere of accuel,
Ac he hys here so bry3t.
Ho hys he that al beth wel,
The thojtes that he kakthe ?
And who hys that spoke scheal
A-ry3t al that he speketh ?
And wo hys he that al newe deth
Wel al thathe deth?
No man, no man, ac ni3t and day
Thys men by-soyled beth,
So as hy beth men ase we seeth
Wyth sennes al thor3 therled,
Many ys the senne that me doth.
In tal the wyde wordle.
Of senne ich wot by thyse sckyle,
That ther hiis wel great host ;
And for the fend i-mut so fele,
Ther-of hys alle hys host.
And he arayeth hare trome
As me areyt men in fy3t ;
For he sykth gode theawes
Some a3enes ham y-dy3t.
And ase God dyst theawes
In alle gode men,
The feend arayeth the schreawes
In wykken ther-a3en.
Thys hys that fy3t an erthe
That al wynth, other lest ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 109
And ase the fy3ttere hys worthe,
The cheveteyn hym chest.
Ac cheveteyn of senne
Ich wot that the fend hys ;
For wyse and alle kenne
Arayes hys amys.
And ase there in bataylle
O kynge bereth the beeth ;
Soe hyt were a gret faylle,
jef the host were eni he3.
Ther-fore me maketh prynses
The host to govern! ;
And ase who welen the linses
To-gadere heldeth hy.
And ase al that hys here
By sove da3es geth ;
Of senne alle manere
Seve develen prynces beth,
That thene certeygne,
That Cryst kest out hyt seyth,
Of Marie Maudeleyne,
That goospel that ne weyth.
The ferst pryns hys prede,
That ledeth thane floke,
That of alle othere onlede
Hys rote and eke stoke.
For nys non of the syxe
That hy ne cometh of thane,
For myx of alle myxe
In hevene by by-gan.
110 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM.
Prede suweth in floures
Of wysdom and of wyt,
Amang levedys in boures
The foule prude sy3t ;
Under couele and cope
The foule prede lythe ;
Thej man go gert wyd rope,
jet prede to hym swyth.
Prede syjt under ragge,
Wei cobel and vvel balgth,
That ketheth wordes bragge,
And countenaunces jaldeth.
Nys non, thaj som myt wene,
That some prede ne taketh ;
Ne none so proud, ich wene,
Ase he that al for-saketh.
For who hys that nevere set hys thoujt
And erthe to be hyj ?
Who hys hit that never y-thoujt
Of porape that he sej ?
Who yst that never nas rebel
Ajenis hys soverayn ?
Who hist that be-nome schel.
And nabbe non agayn ?
Who hyst that nevere godlich nas
Wanne chaunce at wylle come ?
Who yst that wanne he preysed was.
Never at hej hyt nome ?
Who hyst that never thojte
He scholde honoured be,
POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHORFHAM. Ill
For dedes that he wroute
Wanne menne hy3t mytte se ?
Who hys that never ho3the droj
To-ward hys that was ?
Ho hys never ne kedde W03
In boste to hys sugges ?
Ho neth wyth pompe y-schewed hym
jet other thane he was ?
Nou ypocresy kepe nym
Regneth, hyt nys no leas.
Ho yst that never was y-blent
Wyth non surquydery ?
That hys wanne a proud man
Heth y-ment other thane hyt schel by.
Wo that never ne dede thous
He wole prede by-flej ?
3ef that kebbede eny of ous,
Ich wojt wel that he lej.
The man the hym wole afayty
Of prede that hys so hej,
Fol wel he mojt hys weyti
Bothe fer and nej.
For jef he let to nothe
That he ne awayteth hy,
Ich segge hym wel to sothe,
That ryjt proud schel he be.
For prede hys a senne of herte,
And bounte scheweth hy,
Wyth kebbynges aperte
And weddynge many able.
112 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Thor3 dedes of bostynge,
And atyr stent and say,
And other suche thynges
That men usyeth al day.
That other feend of onde
Hys pryns and chevetayn,
That senne hys ryf in londe,
And nau3t hys hyre wayn.
For sorwe he heth of gode,
And harrae hys hyre blysse ;
Ine here pryncy mode
The hert wait al thys.
Thys senne hys over nyce,
Ac holde schal hy be,
The senne of meste malice
Ajeyns charyte.
Wanne love hys here preye,
Al for to confundy,
And wyl het to by-traye
That wolde gode by.
Onde hys a senne of herte,
And bounte scheweth hy.
To harmy and to herte
Wanne hey deth bacbyty.
Wanne hy holdeth hy werches
That god and hende beth,
And othere southe plocches
Scheweth wat onde deth.
The thrydde senne hys wrethe,
That so meche hys i-telde,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 113
Ilyt maketh bled and broche
About the herte aneld.
Wanne raanne neth naujt hys thouse
To wylle and alse thynthe,
He corapasyth venjaunce
To hym that ajen clenketh ;
And so hyt fret and hys y-frete
Evere megrete,
And wanne hy het to meche hete,
Hyt letteth charite.
Inne herte hys thys senne3in<Te,
And bounte scleweth mod,
Thor3 cheste and noys-doynge.
And wythdrawynge of god.
Covetyse hys the furte,
I-lyche dropesy,
"Wanne al that hys an erthe
To hyre hys al besy.
And hou hy habbeth hy verktb,
And mannes herte by-set,
Fram Gode and so thanne name y-kejt
Servise of Mamenet.
That hy by herte senne
3et boute schentth hy
To mochel amange mankenne,
Thor3 wrange and trycherye,
Thor3 3eskynge efter gode,
Thor3 bor5 and 5emer 5elde,
Thorw wrechydnesse of mode,
And never more ful-felde.
I
114 POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
The fyfte senne hys sleuthe
Of that man scholde do,
Hye breketh god treuthe
"Wyth God and man also.
Wanne man leteth adrylle
That he god 3elde schel,
And for-slaggyth by wylle
That scholde men to stel.
Of herte cometh thes senne,
And schewe boute also,
Hon hy letteth mankenne
Of that scholde by do.
Hyt hys thorwe besynesse
That men for-slewyth hyt ;
And other wyle thor5 ydelnesse
God dede era do for-slyt.
Glotonye hys the syxte,
And hys me ine flesche y-do ;
And lecherye the nyxte in flesche
Hys senne also.
Ac glotonye entythyth
To lecherye her,
Ase that hy norysseth
Hote brondes thet fere.
Of glotonye hys foure,
The boke speketh openlyche ;
To meche fode devoury ;
And to lykerouslyche ;
An do to freche to fretene,
Wanne men hiis tyme heth ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DR SIIOREIIAM. 11.
And out of tyme to hetene,
That none siknesse neth.
Of lecherye cometh
Wreche, foule speche, and foule deljt,
Commune hordora,
Spousbreche, incest, and sodomye.
And hys incest wyth kenne
The lecherye so ;
And sodomyt hys senne
A5ens kende y-do.
By-feld beth men in sleauthe,
Ase glotonye hyt bryngeth ;
And ofte hyt doth moni kepe,
That man wakynge thencketli.
Ac jef evyl hyt come naii5t
Dealyche senne next,
Ac hou hyt falleth y-lome ncj,
Ech man nau3t y-wyst.
Thyse manere sennes sevene,
Ase he hys here i-sejeth,
Me letteth men fram hevene,
And al dedlyche hy beth.
Wanne hy y-thou3t beth other y-speke,
Other y-don in stat,
A3e the lawe of God to breke
The hestcs that he hat.
Of alle the sennes tha ther beth,
Thos bereth that los ;
For everech senne that me doth
Longeth to some of thes.
i2
116 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Her-by thou my3t, man, y-seo,
And liou here ende hys sour ;
Nou loke her-in pur charite,
And make hyt thy myrour.
Oretis pro anima domini Willelmi de Schorham,
quondam vicarii de Chart juxia Ledes, qui composuit
istam compilacionem de septem mortalibus peccatis. Et
omnibus dicentibus oracicnem dominicara cum saluta-
cione angelica quadraginta dies Venice a domino Symoiie
archiepiscopo Cantuarice conceduntur.
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 117
Meche hys that me syngeth and redeth
Of hyre that al mankende gladeth,
I-bore was here on erthe ;
And they alle speke, that speketli wyd tonge,
Of hyre worschype and murye sounge,
jet more he were worthe.
Thyse aungeles heryeth here wyth stevene,
Ase he hys hare quene of he[ve]ne.
And eke hare blysse ;
Over al erthe levedy hys here,
And thorjout helle geth here power,
Ase he hys emperysse.
Cause of alle thyse dignyte,
Thorj clennesse and huraylyte.
Was Godes owene grace ;
Wer-thorj he ber than hevene kynge,
Worschype hys worthy ine alle tbynge
Ine evereche place.
Al that hys bove and under molde,
Hou myjt hyt bote hyt bowe scholde
To hyre owene mede ;
Wanne he that al thys wordle schel welde.
To hyre worschipe hys y-helde,
For here moderhede.
118 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM.
Al thyse maydenes wythout bost
Hy beretli God in here goste
In hare holy thou}! ;
Ac hy wythoute mannes y-mone
In body and naujt in gost alone
To manne hyne broute.
Of hyre that hys thos dygne of take,
Hou my5te ich of hyre songes make,
That am so foul of lyve ;
And thou me bade, soster, synge,
And alle into one songe brynge
Here swete joyen fyve.
To segge that ich hyt maky can,
That am so oneconnende a man,
Dar ich me naujt avanty ;
Ac tryste ich AvoUe to oure levedy,
And maky hyt ase hyt wyle by,
And ase hy hy wolde me granty .
As man me hys by leave y-seth,
Joyen of hyre so fele ther beth,
Ne may hyt no man telle,
Ase hy hath of hyre leve sone,
Hyt passeth al mankeudes wone,
And out of mannes spelle.
Four manere joyen hy hedde here
Of hyre sone so lef an dere,
Wytnes opan the Godspelle ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOKEUAM. 119
And 111 Cometh of'te the blysse,
Tliat hye heth nou wythoute mysse,
So stremes of the welle.
Tho, wylle that hys in paradys
Fol wel by-tokneth thys avys,
Wyth here stremes foure,
Thet orneth out over al that londe,
Nys never erthlyche raaa that fond
Hou fele come of the stoure.
Thys wuUe hys God self man by-come ;
Of hym thys joyen beth alle y-norae,
And alle ine nout raaner.
The furste was wyth concepcioun,
Tho the angel Gabryel come a-doun
Ine stede of messager,
To bryuge the tythynge by-fore,
That Cryst of hyre wolde by bore,
Mannes trespas to jelde ;
For to brynge ous out of helle,
Wo mytte thenche other telle
Wat joye ther y-velde.
In Najareth the ryche toun,
Ave Maria was that soun
Of Gabrieles stevene ;
Tho was that mayde was y-gret,
And wyth a present wel a-geet
Fram vader oure of hevene.
120 POEMS OF WILLIAM DK SHOREHAM.
So he was ine hyre y-come,
For fleasch and blod of hyre to nome,
Ase the angel hyre seyde ;
Ne hy of mannes mone neste,
Ne hy ne breke nau5t hyre by-heste,
Ac evere clene a mayde.
Seynt Johun the Baptyst onbore,
Tho hy spek hys moder by-fore,
Ine joye he gan to asprynge ;
Elyzabet wel that aspyde,
Hon aspylede onder hys syde,
And made hys rejoyynge.
More encheyson hadde oure levedy
Joyous and blythe for to be,
AYythoute prede and boste ;
For in hyre selve hy hyne fredde,
Fol wel hy wyste hou hyne hadde
Thor3 self the Holy Goste.
Joseph kedde that he was niylde,
Tho that he wyste hy was wyth chylde,
Awey he wolde alone ;
Ha nolde nau3t he were a-slawe,
Ne forthe y-juged by the lawe
To by stend wyth stone.
Ac Joseph was wel blythe aply3t,
So to hym cam the angel bryjt.
To scggc hym wat he scholde ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 121
Wei blyththere my3te be that may,
That was y-conforted al day
Wyth aungeles wanne by wolde.
In thyssere joye we scholde by-louken
Al byre joyen of vourti woken
The wylest he jede wyth chylde ;
Of byre hyt was god game,
Ther-ine thet unicorn weks tame
That erthange was so wylde.
Thet other joye of byre y-core,
Was of Jhesus of byre y-bore
A Crystesmasse ny3te,
Wythoute sor3e, wytboute sore,
And so ne scbal ther nevere more
Wymman wyth cbilde dy3te.
For so by byne scholde ferst a-vonge,
Ther nys no senna ther amonge,
Ne noe fles^cbes lykynge ;
Ther-fore of byre y-bore be was,
Ase the Sonne passe3t thorj the glas,
Wytb-outen onopenynge.
In suathe-bendes by byne dyjte,
Ase hyt hys the chyldes ry3te,
And 3ef hym melke to souke ;
Tba3 hyt were tbustre of ny3t,
Tlicr nas wane of no ly3t.
The bevene ean onlouke.
122 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Out com an aungel vvyth great loom
Into the feld of Bedleem,
Amonges the schoperden,
Te telle that Cryst was y-bore,
Ther come singinde ther-fore
Of angeles manye verden.
Thanne sede he swythe wel,
Gracia plena, Gabryel,
And that hys fol of grace ;
Wanne glorye of hyre hys fol above,
And pays i-grad for hyre love
Of angeles in-place.
The oxe and asse in hare manyour,
The that hy sejen hare creature
Lyggynde ine hare forage,
Alone knowynge thaj hy were,
Hy makede joye in hare manere,
And eke in hare langage.
Ope the heje e3tynde day
He onder-jede the Gywen lay,
And was y-circumcysed.
Jesus me clepede hyne ther-vore,
Ase aungeles er he were y-bore
Hys eldren hedde y-wysed.
Mochele joye hy aspyde,
The kynges thre that come ryde
Fram be easte wcl i-verre ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHORKKAM. 123
Gold, myrre, scor, were here ofFrynges,
That he was lord and kyng of kynges
Wei by-toknede the sterre.
The that he scholde y-offred be
In the temple domini,
Ase la3e 5ef the termes,
Symeon the olde man gan crye,
And spek of hym fur propheeye,
And tok hym ine hys earmes.
Tho 36 was bote twelf wynter aid,
And hejhe ine the temple he seat wel bald,
And tha3 he speke smale,
Many man wondrede on hym there,
For to alle clerkes that ther were
He 3af answere and tale.
A-lyve vertu was hys childehode,
And so he com to hys manhode ;
Ine flom Jordanes syche
He was y-crystned, the hevene onleake.
The Fader of hevene doun to hym spake,
The Gost com colvere y-lyche.
To thyssere joye longye schoUe
Alle the joy en that hyre foUe,
Of hyre chylde God,
Fram than tyme he was y-bore,
For al mankende that was for-lore.
For he deyde one the roudc.
124 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
The thrydde joye that com of Cryste,
Hadde oure levedy of hys op-ryste
Frara deathcs harde bende,
Out of tlie sepulcre ther he laye,
Ase hyt fel thane thrydde daye
After hys lyves ende.
Wet joye of hyra myjte be more,
After suiche sorjynge and swyche sore,
Ase hye y-seye bine feye,
Thanne i-si5e hyne come to lyve ajen,
And everest more a-lyve to ben,
And nevere eft to dey3e ?
That he was lyf and strengthe and myjte,
And that he kedde on Estre nyjtte,
Al ine the dawyynge,
Altha was an erthe-schoke,
And hevene above undertoke
Hys holy uppe-rysynge.
Thar doun come aungeles whyte ine wede,
And that he was a-ryse by sede,
And hare sawe was trewe ;
That he ne laye nau3t under molde,
For to asaye ho so wolde,
Thane ston hye over-threwe.
Thu5 tliat he ine liys manhoth deyde,
Do minus tecum that a seyde,
Tho the aungel here by-redde ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM. 125
That hys to seggenc Godes ray5te,
Ine ry3te sothe hyt moste sitte,
That godhoth wel hyt kedde.
Nedde oure levedy thyse blysse alone,
Ac al hyre frendes in hyre mone,
So meche was here the more ;
For more hys blysse god and clene,
Amonge frendes to habbe y-mene,
After sor3ynge and sore.
O that hy were blythe, tho hye were si3en,
So glorious a-lyve wyth hare e3en,
Thet hy y-seye er in paygne ;
Furste aschewed hym wyth a fayre chaunce,
To here thet hys ensample of repentaunce,
Marye Magdaleyne.
And so hygeye hyne Peter and sothenes hy alle ;
And ther Thomas of Ynde a kowes y-falle
Groped hys holy wounde ;
Thare he fond flesche and blod myd the bones,
An nou he gan to crye loude for the nones,
" My Lord ich abbe y-founde."
Houre Lord hym answerde in thet cas,
" Thou levedest, for thou 8636 me, Thomas,
That thou me haddest y-founde,
Ac, Thomas, ich the telle, y-blessed hy betli,
Tho that on me by-Ieveth and nau5t rae setli,
Ne gropyeth none wounde."
126 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
To thyssere joyen scholle be y-leyd
Alle the joyen that mo5e be y-seyd,
Ine wyttes other in mende ;
Fram Crystes resurreccioun,
Wat Cometh hya ascencioun,
At fourty da3en ende.
Ne for the joye telle ich may,
That fel opon the Holy Thoresday,
Opon a mounte yne heje ;
He 863 Jhesus and othere some,
Of flesche and blod of hyre y-nome,
Op into hevene steje.
Al ine joye was hyre mende,
So hy seje here and oure kende
Jhesus, hyre leve sone,
Into the blysse of hevene sty,
To agredy worthy scholde hy be
At hyre assumpcioun.
And 5et ne were hyt ii05t y-noj,
One to agredy hyre I003
And he3 ine hevene blysse ;
Ac oure also, hyt nis non other.
For he hys oure kende brother,
That leve we to wysse.
Ine hym ne sehalt hyt nau3t lang be,
That we to hym ne scholle te,
Wanne we scholle wende hcnnes ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM. 127
Ac schel on ous, that beth onkende,
Ne drajeth naujt hys love to mende,
And wretheth hyne wyth sennes.
And 3et he hys milde, and sparyeth some,
And ase he wente op he wole corae
A domesday wel bry3te ;
For to crye manne dede,
And after dede 3ive mede,
And jugement to ry3tte.
Betere red nys ther non here,
For to be Crystes y-vere,
And hy3 ine hevene blysse ;
Bote folthe of senne to by-vly,
And bydde God and oure levedy,
That hy ous helpe and wysse.
For hyre poer nys nou3t y-lessed,
Ac toup alle othren hys y-blessed,
Sothe wyf and mayde ;
Ase that Godspel telleth ous,
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
Elizabeth hyt sayde,
Al here joyen a lok Sounday,
And alle the that me aspye may,
That hyre and erthe felle,
Al frani Crystes ascencioun,
Al wat comthe hyre assunipcioun.
To thyssere loungy schellc
128 POEMS OP WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
The fyfte joye of oure levedy,
Not erlychman hou hyt may by
Ne ther-of raore aspye,
Bote that the gloriouse beerde,
Out of thyse world the gloriouse ferde
Wyth greate melodye.
Eve couth to the man hys thes figure,
For the offyce of hyre sepulture
"Was al an hevene gyse ;
And toller hys man to hevene speche,
Thane be abest, thaj man hym teche,
Reyson and mannes wyse.
Ther-fore nys ther-of naut y-wryte,
For man ne mot noujt her y-wyte
Wat hys so hej a stevene ;
Ac holy cherche der wel by-knowe,
That hy ne tholede none deathes thro3e,
That lower that lyf of hevene.
Hyt hys y-wryte that angeles brytte
To holy manne deathe aly3te
Her an erthe leye ;
In holy boke hys hyt i-nome,
That God hymself a wolde come,
Wanne hy seholde deye, '
Ther-bye we mowe wel y-wyte,
Thaj ther he naujt of y-wryte,
That Cryst hymself was thei'e ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHORFHAM. 129
Myd hym of hevene the ferede,
The eadi levedy for to lede,
Most here no fend offere.
Hy vvente uppe, my leve brother,
In body and soule, hyt nys non other,
For Cryst hys god and kende ;
That body that he toke of hys 03en,
Hou mytte hyt ligge araange the lojen,
Wythoute honour and mende.
Thanne ich dar segge, mid gode ryjte,
That alle the court of hevene a-ly5te
Attare departynge ;
And Cryst hyraself ajeins hyre com,
And body and saule op wyth hym nom
Into hys wonyynge.
That hy hys quen, ase ich er mende,
Here grace hy may doun to ous sende,
Hire joye to fol-velle ;
Ich hopye hy nele nau3t let ous spylle,
For he hys al to hyre wylle
Of joye that hys the welle.
For of hyre wombe he hys that frut,
Were-of thes angeles habbeth hare dut,
And men hare holy fode ;
Elizabeth hy sede thys,
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Tui, Jesus the gode.
130 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOKEHAM.
Of songe liys to then entle y-brout,
Ase thou hest, soster, me by-so5t,
Ase ich bene myjtte frede.
Now synge and byde the hevene quene,
Thet by ous brynge al out of tene
At oure mest nede. Amen.
Oretis pro anima JVillehni de Schorham, quondam
vicarii de Chart juxta Ledes.
POEMS OF WILLIAM BE SHOREHAM. 131
JMarye, mayde mylde and fre,
Chambre of the Tiynyte,
One wyle lest to rae,
Ase ich the grete wyth songe ;
Tha3 my fet onclene be,
My mes thou onder-fonge,
Thou art quene of paradys,
Of hevene, of erthe, of al that hys ;
Thou here thane kynge of blys,
Wythoute senne and sore ;
Thou hast y-ryjt that was a-mys,
Y-wonne that was y-lore,
Thou ert the colvere of Noe,
That broute the braunche of olyve tre,
In tokne that pays scholde be
By-tuexte God and manne ;
Swete levedy, help thou me,
Wanne ich schal wende hanne.
Thou art the bosche of Synay ;
Thou art the rytte Sarray ;
Thou hast y-broujt ous out of cry
Of calenge of the fende ;
Thou art Crystes ojene drury,
And of Davyes kende.
K 2
132 POEMS OF WILLIAM D£ SHOUEHAM.
Thou ert the slinge, thy sone the ston,
That Davy slange Golye open ;
Thou ert the 3erd al of Aaron,
Me dreye i-se3 spryngynde ;
Wytnesse at ham everechon,
That wyste of thyne chyldynge.
Thou ert the temple Salomon ;
In the wondrede Gedeon ;
Thou hest y-gladed Symeon,
Wyth thyne swete offrynge
In the temple atte auter ston,
Wyth Jhesus hevene kynge.
Thou ert Judith, that fayre wyf.
Thou hast abated al that stryf,
Olofernes wyth hys knyf
Hys hevede thou hym by-nome ;
Thou hest y-saved here lef,
That to the wylle come.
Thou ert Hester, that swete thynge,
And Assever, the ryche kynge.
They heth y-chose to hys Aveddynge,
And queue he heth a-vonge ;
In Mardocheus, thy derlynge,
Syre Aman was y-honge.
The prophete Ezechyel,
In hys boke, hyt wytnesseth wel,
Thou ert the gate so stronge so stel,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREUAM. 133
Ac evere y-schet frara raanne ;
Thou erte the ry3te nayre Rachel,
Fayrest of alle wymman
By ry3te toknynge, thou ert the hel
Of wan spellede Danyel ;
Thou ert Emaus, the ryche castel,
Thar resteth alle werye ;
Ine the restede Emanuel,
Of wany speketh Ysaye.
Ine the hys God by-come a chyld ;
Ine the hys wreche by-come myld ;
That unicorn that was so wyld
Aleyd hys of a cheaste,
Thou hast y- tamed and i-styld
Wyth melke of thy breste.
Ine the Apocalyps sent Johan
I-sej ane wymman wyth sonne by-gon,
Thane mowe al onder hyre ton,
I-crouned wyth tuel sterre ;
Swyl a levedy nas nevere non,
Wyth thane fend to werre.
Ase the sonne taketh hyre pas
Wythoute breche thorjout that glas,
Thy maydenhod onwemmed hyt was
For here of thyne chylde :
Now, swete levedy of solas.
To ous senfoUe be thou mylde.
134 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM,
Have, levedy, thys lytel songe,
That out of senfol herte spronge ;
A5ens the feend thou make me stronge,
And 5yf me thy wyssynge ;
And tha3 ich habbe y-do the wrange,
Thou graunte me amendynge.
Oretis pro anima domini Roberti Grosseteyte quon-
dam episcopi Lincolnice.
roEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOUEHAM. 135
In holy sauter rue may rede,
Hou God thourwe the prophete sede,
Davyd, y-wysse,
That Ibl in liys herte sede,
Ther nys no Gode, dar man naujt drede
To don amys.
Thesse hyt hys, so hyt hys grete doute,
Tliat thare be woxe of thare route
Mani and fole,
Tliat weneth ryt wythoute mysse
That ther nys God ine hevene blysse,
Ne lelle pool.
That eny soche be crystene man,
God for-bede, and naujt for-than
"Wey soeth al day,
That menye y-crystnedde were
Fareth ryt ase hy nere
INaajt of the fay.
And manye of ham that beth so fele,
That tha3 me godne sckele hem telle,
Naujt hy3t ne ganth ;
A3en hy clappeth thys and tliat,
And manye of ham not nevere wat,
Ne wat he menth.
136 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHORKHAM.
To sechen hyt hys wel lytel prys,
Reyson to telle thet hys y-wys,
Ac lete ham be ;
For bote hy take a betere fay,
Atte last hy goth to schame a-way,
Me may hyt see.
Ac 3ef thou wenst, man, that errour,
That thare ne be no Sauveour,
Ne other lyf.
And hyt be for defaute of lore,
Lest now wat ich segge more,
Wythoute stryf.
And jef thou [be] y-lered man,
And onderstant 3et al for-than
No God ne be,
Ich acsy the a questioun.
And ase hyt longeth to reysoun
Andswere thou me.
The erthe hys hevy wythoute wylle,
That wey y-seoth and by al stylle
To gonne throp ;
What hou fareth hy that hy nasynketh,
Ase here kende were hyt thenketh,
Ho halt ys op ?
Her-to me seyth, and heth y-sed,
To healdc hy op hyt nys no ned,
Ne nevere nes ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM VE SHOREUAM. 137
For chisel gravet stones harde,
Ande here depnysse ry3t douu-vvarde
Hys endeles.
Thaj that be fals, me may aspye,
By wytnesse of philosophye,
And clerkes fele ;
And fals ich may hit provie wel,
Ther hyt hys ned, and were ich scliol,
By thysse skyle.
The Sonne and monne and many sterren
By easte aryseth swythe ferren,
Ase ham y-worthe ;
By weste hy grendeth alle thyse,
And cometh a3en ther hy a-ryse
A under forthe.
Thos myjt wete wel, wo so wolde,
The wolkne by-clepth al the molde,
And so hyt doth ;
Ne may hy naujt thanne be endeles,
That thos be go so hys and was,
An that hys southe.
Ac saye ryjt thos, and ich afowe,
That everech man hyt mojt alowe,
That reson hent,
Hyjt hys a my3t of alle myjtte,
That halt op therthe and sterren bryjte
Aboute i-trent.
138 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREUAM.
Thys ilke raytte, for hyt wel may,
Bryngeth forthe a wyt of swete aray,
Thet no swech nys ;
For al that hys an Iiej and loje.
Hit schift and ditteth ase hys oje,
And so hyt hys.
Wat maketh sonne, mone, and sterren
To certeyn go aboute and ferren,
And faylleth noujt ?
Hyt mot wyt and wysdom neade,
Thet of the mytte thet ich er sede
Hys forthe arajt.
Nou thou sixte wel hou hyt syt,
Thys ylke my5te and eke thys wyt,
In oiu'e boke ;
The mytte hys fader of our crede,
Wysdom the sone, for wyttihede
That he forth toke.
Ever was thys ylke my5tte,
And ever worth, bye gode ryte,
Ne say naujt nay ;
Hou mytte hyt and eft by-gynne,
Thet nede neth of none gynne,
Ac al do mey ?
And ase hyt hys by-fore y-nome,
Thaj that wyt of the mytte
By kende way ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 139
That wyt was evere natheles,
The myjtte nys never wytles,
Ne by ne may.
Her-to acordeth cure fay,
That holy cherche nej eche day
Wei merye syngth,
Ine a song ofte by note,
Quicumque vult thet hys y-hote,
Ry3t ase me singeth.
For ther hyt of the Vader seyth,
And of the Sone to-gadere leyth,
In boke y-set ;
The Sone hys of the Fader alone,
Engendred nau5t, y-mad of mone,
Nes othe wat.
Folye hyt hys to meche to tbynche
Of the engendrure and thynne adrenche
Of Fader and Sone ;
So ase hy bethe, ever were,
And sothe by-3ete nevere nere,
Elles me wone.
Ac naujt forth than that hyt be soth
Holy cherche to wytene doth,
We wyten hyt wel ;
I-lef hyt, other thou ert by-caut,
For ho that nele by-leve hyt naujt,
To helle he schel.
140 FOK.MS OF WILLIAM DE SUOUEHAM.
And thelke Sone ^et natheles
Ryjt ase the Fader hys endeles,
Ase myji and wyt ;
3ef ever was, ever was sone,
For bethe reysoun and eke wone
Aloweth hyt.
Nou we habbeth Vader and Sone,
Ase bye beth ry5t ine persone,
And tbancheysone ;
Wat may the Holy Gost nou be,
Persone tbrydde in Trynyte,
Nou herkne reysone.
Thou sixt thet al that farth a-ryjt.
Be hyt thyster, be hyt ly3t.
To acord hys wyve ;
For 3ef ther were weyre above
Amange the sterren, and no love,
Al hy to-dryve.
And bote a truwe love come
Of tliare my3tte and tha wysdome,
Ne my3t hyt by ;
And ry3t of ham he moste come.
For wer-of elles te be y-nome
Can non y-sy.
Ever to lef that love were,
For niy5tte and wysdom never nere,
Wytlioute acord ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM. 141
For 3ef acord hem hedde y-faylled,
Ar ayder other hedde asaylled
Wyth wykked word,
Hou scholde my5tte maky wrake,
Other eny descord onder-take,
Wyth eje wyt ?
So nest ac ever weren hy,
Thanne moste love ever by,
Nou thou sixt hyt.
Thys love hys self that holy spyryt,
Ther-to acordeth holy wryjt,
Ine thylke songe,
That ich was embe oure faye,
That holy cherche singeth a-daye
At pryme longe.
The holy of Fader ryche,
And of the Sone of other y-lyche,
So he for-comthe,
Nother by hete ne forthe i-wrojt
Of ajt that hys, ne forthe of nau5t,
By lawe hyt nometh.
And ever was that holy spyryjt,
That ylke songe wytnesseth hyt,
And more ther-to ;
That hy schal by and hys and was.
That Fader of hevene ry3t endeleas,
And Sone also.
142 POEMS OF AVILLIAM DE SHOKEHAM.
3et our by-leave wole onder-gon,
That thyse thre beth vj^t al on,
And nys no wronge ;
Tha3 hy be ine reyson dyvers,
O God hyt hys, and stent in vers
Ine thulke songe.
Thaj myjte, wysdom, and eke love,
Hy thre by ase ich sede above
Divers ine worke ;
Ine hem self o God hy beth,
Nys non that a3t elles y-seth,
So god clerke.
And uatheles ofte hy beth y-blend,
Thyse clerkes vvyth here argument,
Ande gynneth lye ;
Hare a3e wyt hys hym by-kecheth.
That God so sotylleche secheth,
That syt so he3e.
The Fader hys God, for he may alia ;
The Sone hys sv.ete, for he wot alle,
"Wythout crye ;
The Gost hys God that oneth al ;
3et ne beth hy bote o God al,
Nau3t Codes thry.
Tha3 my3tte be to the Fader y-leyd.
And wysdome of the Sone y-seyd.
And love the Goste •,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREIIAM. 143
3et beth by tbre of one niy3tte,
Of one wytte and love ly3tte,
Thor3 faythe byt wost.
Nou thou syxt wel tbat encbeysone
Of oure by-leve, and eke reysone,
Tbet o God bys ;
3ef tbou tbenkest fortber bou byt may be,
Go nau3t to ni3 bys majeste,
To thencbe a-mys.
Nou bys al tbys by skele ondo,
And by leave alegged tber-to,
Tbat God bys be ;
Now we moste y-wyte more
Of thyse wordle some lore,
How by5t may be.
Fader, tby worldle ever were,
Otber a some tyme nere,
And tbo by-gan ;
Everte mytte by nau3t by,
Icb schal the telle reyson wy,
Sothe ase icb can.
For Godes my3tte ande eke bys wyt,
And eke bys wylle to soffry by3t.
So were W03 ;
For 36 bys almytty, ase icb er sede,
Al wys and wyl ine godhede.
That bys y-no5.
144 POKMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac 3ef he nedde thys world y-wrou3t,
And my3te. and couthe and dede hy5t noii3t,
Hyt were a-mys ;
Ac hys almy3tty hys of suche entaylle,
And hys ahnytty hou mytte hyt fayile,
Of thet god hys.
He made hyt al, nys hyt non other,
And that of nau3te, ray leve brother,
He made hys werke ;
For er he a-gounne hys worke so merye,
Nas nother fourme ne materye,
Ne ly3t ne derke.
Ne acombre nau3t thy wyt and nio,
To meche to thenche hou hyt was tho,
Hyt nau3t worth.
Hou man hyt my3te wete ich not.
For so to wytene ase God hyt wot,
Comest thou nau3t forthe.
Ac some mey acsy, war God was
Tho nothynge of the worlde nas
Ne great ne smal ?
Ther the worlde hys nou was he,
And 5et he hys and ever schal be,
I-hole over al.
He hedde nede of none gynne, .
Ne 3et hou neth, to wonye ynne,
Thou kepe nyra ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHORKHAM. 145
3ef the faly throf to be aposed,
Sey God nys naujt in ther worldle a-closed,
Ac liy hys ine hyni.
Tha5 hy nabbe ende ne forthe gol,
jet over al he hys y-hol,
Wythoute crede ;
Naujt o del here, another there,
Ase great body as hyt were,
That al by-jede.
Thou wost be may by y-thojt of me
Alle y-hollyche, and eke of the ;
Wei betere ich plyjte,
He may by wel ine dyvers I03,
Ryjt al at ones, wel y-noj,
That deitb hys myjtte.
Thyse \voi"dle he made, as ich er sede,
Al ase hy hys ryjt nou ine dede,
And I03 and hej ;
Ine the gynynge of holy wryt,
IIou he hy made ryjt ther hyt syjt,
Ich hyt y-seje.
Ine dajes sixe he made hyt ryjt,
Hevene and erthe and wolkne bryjt,
Thet water to dyjt ;
Tren and gras and erthe dreje,
Sonne and mone and sterren greyje,
That beth so bryjt ; l
146 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Fojeles, fisches ine the depe,
Bestes, wormes for to crepe,
And a-last man ;
So that hyt was god and sad,
Al thys world that was y-raad,
Of hym that cam.
Al hyt was god, wythoute lake.
Hard and nesche, wyte and black e,
And al that was.
Nedes Godes creature
Moste be ryjt by nature,
Al sennes led.
3ef quead so were of Gode y-norae,
By ry3tte he myjtte be wythnome,
Ry5t ase a qued.
Ther-fore ne my5te he naujt do wrothe,
Ac schrewadnesse beth hym lothe,
And hys for-beade.
And thesse God self hyt for-beade,
"Wannes coraeth forthe al that quead,
So meche ther hys ?
And wel to donne apanyeth neawe,
Ac hym apayneth many a screwe
To do amys.
That God hyt sofFreth, hou meny hyt be,
Seththe of so great rayjtte hys he,
Thet 5ef ha wolde,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOKEHAM. 14"
He niy5tte vor-do that hys quead,
And lete ous libbe, and nau3t be dead,
Ilyt thingth ha scholde.
Leve brother, jef he so scholde,
By the syker that he so wolde,
Ac he hyt nele ;
Ich kan the telle reyson \vy
He let y-worthe quead to by,
Nou harkne skele.
That alther-ferste that god scliop,
That was hevene, ther nys no wop,
Soth for to telle ;
For he hyt made of swyche aray,
For alle manere blysse and play
Ther to folfelle.
Ac o blysse hys nys nau3t folfeld,
War-fore that hevene hys al y-dueld,
And 3et nou werth ;
Ac ich schel telle wat hys that blysse.
And so we scholle wyte to wysse
Hou quead cometh forthe.
3ef the by-falth avencement,
Of 3ef the that the was y-ment,
Wei blythe art thou ;
And 3ef the falleth to be eyr
Of a regne mechel and fayr,
More hys thy proii. l 2
148 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac nys no blysse ne no feste
Ajeyns the joye of conqueste,
Thet hys thor3 god ;
Ne mey me more joye aspye,
Thane wanne a man thor5 pur niestrye
Keth hys manhod.
And to great defaute hyt were,
3ef no joye of conqueste nere,
So merye hys hy.
Nou sixt thou thanne mytte beste,
How joye that cometh of conqueste
Mot neades by.
Nys gryt stryf wythoute queade,
And ther conqueste hys, stryf hys neade,
And som y-schent.
Thanne nys hyt to God no wrang,
To soffre queade the gode amange
To avancement.
For jef quead nere in none thynge,
Ther nere stryf ne contekynge,
Ne no wythsey ;
And 3yf stryf nere ne victorye,
So scholde ine hevene that glorye,
Ac hyt ne mey.
Ther-fore ther hys a mastrye schreawe,
Wyth hym mo beth and thet naujt neawe,
And neades mote;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 149
For he hys heaved of schrevvednesse,
Ase God hys cheaf of alle godnesse
And alle bote.
Hou mytte schreaudnesse by,
Bote scherewen were by,
That hy ferst thou3te ?
For God ne dede no quead in dede,
For al was god, ase ich er sede,
Al that he wroute^
Thes ilke screawe so hys hyjt barn,
That into helle God at arn
Ferst for hys prede ;
Ac God hyne makede fayr y-noj,
Bry3t ande schene and he3est in I03,
Ferst ine hys dede.
Ac are he were y-mad parfyt,
Ase Gode soffrede hy3t,
He waux wel proud ;
He wolde sette hys sete ryche
Of north half, and be God y-lyche,
To be alowed.
And so he werry ferst by-gan
"\Tyth Gode ine hevene, and 3et te than
Other wel fele,
Wyth hym that helde wyth alle my3tte,
Angeles that God hedde y-mad bry3tte,
Ine alle wele.
150 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Thys by-ganne schrewednesse,
Op an he3 ine hevene blysse,
The ferste «lay ;
Hy5t moste neades for the glorye,
Elles hedde y-faylled fyctorye,
Ac hyt ne may.
Ac alle hy weren y-dryven out,
Wyth Lucyfer that was so stout,
Tho3r Godes mj^tte ;
Hy that ne hylde wyth the left,
Stale woxe that nevere eft
Sene jy ne my3tte.
Tuo skeies beth that me may wyte,
That none nere y-mad parfyte
Ine hevene ferst,
Er the bataylle y-ended was
By-twexte God and Sathanas,
That now hys worst.
O reyson was for angeles gode,
That chot^e a-ry5t and faste stode
At thylke dede ;
For that hy scholde thorj pur coqueste
Ilabbe joye evere to leste
For hare mode.
That other reyson was for the devel,
That he schal to mys-wende hys chevel,
Thorj hys Ynalyco ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SUOREHAM. 151
So that fulvelfl were the glorye,
And hym seelf thorj noble victorye
Lys al hy blysse.
jef hy heade be mad parfy3t,
We nedde y-haved ryjt no profy3t
Ine hevene above ;
Nou schal man be in hare I03,
Ande habbe joye and blysse y-no3,
And pes and love.
And seththe hyt moste nides by,
Thet sothe schrewen were hy,
Ase gode hyt mente ;
Hou yst thet hy ine helle slabbeth,
And thare tou none grace nabbeth
To repente.
Suppose here hys o justyse,
God and truwe in alle wyse,
And wys of rede ;
And dampneth theves for to ordeyne
Peys in londe, nau3t so weyne,
Ne for quoadhevede.
Suppose he that schel hem spylle,
And hongeth hy wyth grete wylle,
And hys wel glad ;
Ne he neth reuche of hys eny Cryste,
Tha3 hy nevere of thef the neste,
Thes hys a quead.
152 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
For that he hys manslej the pur,
Of wylle of inysaventure,
To spylle blod ;
And he that meiite hyt that justyse,
Hys to preysy in thysse wyse
For hys wyl god.
So thou sixte that me may dyjte
Quead for gode, and that wyth ry3tte,
And so me deth.
And hy that doth hyt ine deade,
Wyth hare wyl of schrewedhede,
Dampnable beth.
Thos moje we wel by reysoun scheawe,
That thaj God soffrede such a schreawe
Al for to spylle,
Hyt was for gode, ase ich er sede ;
And Lucyfer, in hys mys-dede,
Was wykke of wylle.
And thare-vore dampnable he hys,
For he was to don amys
Tho that he my3tte ;
And God soffred that ylke dede.
For god come throf, ase ich er sede,
As God hyjt dy3tte.
Ne hyt nys of god ne malyce,
The3 he hym soffi-ede lasse hys blysse,
In alle hys wele ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 153
Al that he thor3 hys grace my5tte,
Habbe y-don hym wilni that ryjttc,
Now harkne skele.
Hyt ou by-come ine eche place,
5ef echynge hadde y-lyche grace,
To joye and blysse ;
And ich mey 3yven, and eke wythdraje,
Al that myn myn hys by gode laje,
Wythoute malyce.
Ne may naujt thanne God also
War he wyle hys grace do,
And eke wyth-draje,
jef he wole, wythout malyce,
And wythoute alle manere vyce ?
Nys nys god laje ?
3es, y-wys, god laje hys,
Thet hyt be al ase hys wyl hys,
Hyt wyle wel by-come ;
Nys non that conne dyjte hyt bet,
Al tha3 hyt thenche wel ou net,
Hys wyl to some.
Ther that God wyle grace 5yve,
Ever to libbe hyt mot leva
Ine savement ;
And thar he wyle wyth grace \vythdra3e,
Nys nau3t malyce, ac hyt hys laje
And jugement.
154 FORMS OF WILLIAM DK SHOREIIAM.
Ac vvy he ^raunteth grace to one,
And soche and otheren grauntyeth none,
Segge ich ne kanne ;
Bote tbet hys hys pryvete
Of hys domes in equyte
Wyth wel to thanne.
P'or ther nys noujt of thysse wylle
Her to jugy, ac be we stylle,
We beth y-lete ;
F'or Davyd ous to wyten deth,
In boke, that Godes domes beth
A groundlyas pet.
For hys ne may no wyt areche,
Bot tho thet hym self wyle teche,
He scheawyth hyj
And the hevele hy beth pryve,
Al tiiat y-ordeyned beth he
JMot neadys by.
Thus the devel y-dampned hys,
And wyth hym also that beth hys,
Develen wel mo ;
For that the grace of God hym faylleth,
Moche hys the pyne that hem eyleth,
And eke the who.
Wy hy ne mowe, asc ich er sede,
Wel repenty of hare mys-dede,
Lest enne .^kele,
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 155
That icU schal segge, ase ich can ;
Mo betb at thet longy te man,
Ne beth nau3t fele.
Swythe fayr thynge hys that wyte,
And ther by-syde bloke alyte
Wei y-dry3t ;
The wyte the vayrer hyt maketh,
And selve more hyt blaketh,
And al hyt hy5t.
The wyser man, the wyser soneth ;
Ther thet menye foules dremeth,
And no reysone ;
The merrer hyt hys ine batayle,
Thet insykth al the vomen faylle,
And falle a-doun.
Thys lykynge hys for hevene blysse,
That leste schal wythoute raysse,
Ase evere mo ;
Thar hys so meche the more merye,
The develys that me nau3t ne derye
And helle also.
Tly thet ther beth so more y-sy,
Wat peryl ascaped bey hy,
And be the blythere ;
So that folveld the joye nere.
Bote evere helle pyne were
And thrynne withere.
156 POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac WO beth werther for to by
Ever in o helle, thane by
Ther &ech gelt hys ?
Thenne raey be wel thys skele,
Thaj grace fayllth ham to wole,
No wonder nys.
And ase angeles the f'aste stode,
For hever eft by-come gode,
And glad and blythe ;
Ryjt develen for screawedhede
Ever ine force scholle brede,
And vvrethe and nythe.
Ac tho by hedde ine hevene y-topped,
Wy nedde hy be ine helle y-stopped
For evere mo,
Ac naujt her in thys myddeluerde,
For to maky men offerde,
And to mys-do ?
For tho bye weren out y-cached,
And ou3t of hare I03 arached,
For hare senne ;
We moje weten hyt wel y-nou,
That ase ydel was hare I03,
That hy weren ynne.
And one by comeleche thynge hyt were,
5e3 eny bo3 ther lothy were
Servynde of nou3t ;
POEMS OP WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 157
Thar-fore God made mannes schefte,
That ylke I03 al for to crafte,
As God hyjt thoiite.
Ac manne ne niytte iiau3t the glorye
Crefte wythoute victorye,
My leve brother ;
For 3ef he nadde hyjt thor3 conqueste,
Folfeld ue mytte be hys feste,
Al ase another.
Thare-fore God made hym god and wys,
And mayster over al paradys,
Ac nau3t parfyt ;
For trou thynne God for-bead,
Ase he nolde nou3t be dead,
Nau3t take hyt.
And god reyson was that bevere
Nau3t parfy3t ase other were
To-vore y-sed ;
Ac ase he was y-mad of erthe,
Ry3t here an erthe hyt was wel worthe
He were asayd.
Ther-fore nas belle nau3t y-schet,
Ne develyn ther-inne nau3t y-dut,
Ine thare crybbe ;
For that hy scholde man asaye,
Wather he was worthe for to deye,
Other to libbe.
158 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac the the devel hyt aspyde,
That man hym scholde ther abyde
To be assayde,
He thoujte gyle al onder-go,
For of that he hadde her y-do
He was affrayde.
Nas wonder tha3 he wede aifrayd,
For swythe Avel he was anayd
Of mannes stad.
For after God serablant he here,
And he thou3te a thet hym wel er,
Tho he was y-mad.
Ac hys envie ajeins man
So great by-cometh, thet al for-tlian
He nolde lette,
That he nold man afounde,
And an hym bote he mytte stonde,
Hys venym sente.
And dede hym in an addre wede,
That best was of mest schreuhede
Of alle beste ;
Hyt moste neades screwed by-come,
Tho that hy hedde me hym y-noine
Soche a tempest.
And he gan to the trowe glyde,
That was for-boden, al forte abyde
After hys praye.
FOEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 1 o9
Ac sore liym drade for to faylly,
And dorste naii3t Adam asaylly,
Al for to waye.
Ac wel liyin thoujte that E)ve nas
Najt so stedefast ase Adam was,
That was hyre lorde ;
And ase hy come, he gan here knowe,
And to hyre speke out of the trowe
Thys ylke word :
" Leve Dame, say me now,
Wy heth God for-bode hyt now,
Thet he ne mote
Eten of al that frut that hys
Here growynde in paradys
To 3oure bote ?"
" "We eteth y-nou," quath Eve, "y-wys
Of alle the trowes of paradys,
And beth wel glad ;
Bote thys trow mote we nau3t take,
For bothe me and mynne make
God hyt for-bede.
And seyde jef we ther-of ete.
We scholde deye and lyf for-lete.
And alle blysse."
"Nay," quath the fend, " ac 30 ne scholde,' ;
Ac he wot fol wel wet he wolde
That for-bcad thys.
160 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
36 wot wel 3ef ^e ther-of toke,
Wyth ejen scholde je forth loke,
Ryjt ase gocles ;
And conne bothe god and quead,
And never the rather be dead
For hys for-bodys."
Thos he gan hyre herte ablowe,
And hy sej that frut ine the trowe
Was fayr and god ;
And et throf dame lykerouse,
And maden eke eten hyt hyre spouse ;
Hy weren wode.
Anon opened ther bothe hare ejen,
And naked that hy weren y-sejen,
And woxe of-schamed ;
Wyth leaves hy helete hem ther-fore,
Ne mytte hy noseng be for-bore
To be y-blaraed.
Ac tho hy herde God speke,
Wel sone an hal by-gonne threke
Wer thet hy niytte.
" Adam !" quath God " wer my3tou be ?"
Queth he, " Lord, tho we herde the.
We were of fly5te ;
And nedes moste, Lord, to sothe,
Al for that we beth naked bothe,
Ase vole thynges."
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 161
Queth God, "Ho hath y-scheawed 30U
That he beth bothe naked nou,
Bote 3oure otinges ?"
Sede Adam wytherlyche to Gode,
" Nedde ich y-broke nau3t thy for-bode,
Ne nau3t do so,
Nedde the wymman, Lord, y-be,
That to fela3e thou madest me,
Hyt dede hyt me hyt do."
So seyde God Almy3ty to Eve,
" Wy madest thou man mys-beleve,
And thous mys-went ?"
Ac tho seyde Eve, so wey that wyle,
" The eddre. Lord, wyth hyre gyle
Heth ous y-schent."
Tho by-gan God speke to that worm,
" For thou areredst therne storm
And alle thys hete,
Acorsed be thou bestes by-syde,
Opone thy wombe thou schalt glyde,
And erthe frete.
And ich schal makye contekhede
By-tuyce thyne and wyves sede,
And moche to pleny.
So schal thy power be by-rev ed,
That 3ef schal wymman trede thine heved,
And thou hyre wayti."
162 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
So sede he, " Wymman here lere,
Hou hy scholde al hyre children here
Ine sor3e and stryf ;
And thet hy scholde lybbe her
Evere ine mannes daunger,
Al hyre lyf."
To Adam seyde God of hevene,
" For thou dedest by thine wyves stevene
Thet was for-hote,
Ther hys acorsed ine thyne deade,
In swinched then schalt tliy lyf lead(%
And ete ine swote.
Al wat thou art a5en y-corae
Into erthe that thart of y-nome,
Thor3 deathes bende ;
For thou nart bote of poudre y-welt.
And a3en into poudre schelt,
Manne, at thyne ende."
Thor3 the fend that hys oure vo,
Thos by-ganne ferst al oure wo
Thet we beth inne ;
An thos by-ganne ferst trecherye,
Thor3 the feend, and eke onnye
Manne for to wynne.
And wondervol was thys assay,
And wonderlyche 3ede man away
Ly5tlyche y-lore ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREUAM. 163
And wonderlyche jet forth myt than
Her ine thys world hys ever man
To sorwe y-bore
Ac, crystene man, for al thys wounder,
Loke that thou ne go naujt onder,
Thou5 wantrokynge ;
For sothe apreved hys thys saje,
Bothe by the elde and nywe laje,
Wythoute lesynge.
And skefol was thys ordinaunce,
Thaj man by-voUe so hard a chaunce,
Thorj trycherye ;
For thorj mestrye that he vorth droj,
The feend in hevene has hys I05,
Thorj pur mastrye.
Ryjt also tho he gyle thoujte,
For to brynge man to nojte
Pryvelyche ;
God Almyjty that hys wyl wyste,
Ajeyus hym thojte go by lyste
Also styllyche.
For ine the trowe death was kene,
And that God made wel y-sene,
Thet hyt for-bead.
And je weste that God hyt sede,
5ef man throf ete he scholde av. ede,
And eke be dead.
164 POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
Ac lyf was also ine the trowe,
Ac that ne my5te be nau3t y-knowe,
For God hyt hedde ;
For hyt was pryve for a wyle,
Aje the fendes prive gyle
The man for-ledde.
For naujt nas hyt y-cleped ne hys
Trou of lyve in paradys ;
Ac wyste,
For ase man was thorj trowe by-cou5t,
In trowe he scholde be for-bou5t,
That the fende neste.
And that was ine the holy rode,
Thorj the schewynge of the blode
Of Godes sone ;
Ase ich her-after telle may,
That he tok of a clene may,
A3ens wone.
Hedde he wyst ther hedde y-be
Lyf for-boute ine the appel-tre.
He nedde assaylled
Nother Adam ne non of hys ;
Ac are the worlde was and hys
Was y-conseyled,
God wyste wel that man schold erry.
And thor3 onboxamnesse nerry
Frain alle heaUhe ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 165
Tlier-fore that consayl was vvel trye,
A3eyns the feendes foule envie
To abatye welthe.
Thys consayl hou hyt scholde be,
Al was y-consayled of thre,
Ere eny tyme ;
Of Fader, and Sone, and Holy Gost,
That icli was embe that thou wel wost
Ferst in thyse ryme.
And was that conseyl so y-tayled,
That hyt ne my3te habbe faylled.
To bote of manne ;
And certeyn tyme y-set ther-to.
And hou hyt scholde be y-do.
And wer and wanne.
And her mankende swank and dalf,
Fy3f thousend wynter and an half,
And 5et vvel mo,
Er thane the tyme of lyve come.
And death man hedde for hys dome.
And helle also.
Thet go so longe abod the skyle,
Wel mey be thys that on of vele
To mannes mende ;
For death scholde hys meystryes kethe.
And for-sopil and for-sethe
In deathes bende.
166 POEMS OK WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
That myjte ryjt wel y-kno\ve,
That he was ryjt al one threawe,
And hai'de y-nome ;
And the feud hy5t niy3te wene,
That men out of so longe tene
Ne myjte come.
Ac her aryst question,
Tho that Adam was bro3t a-doun,
And Eve also,
Wet gelt hedden hy that tho nere,
Tiict hy to dethe i-schape were,
And eke to wo ?
Thou syxt, brother, by than by-fore,
That oure aldren were al for-lore,
Adam and Eve ;
For thai' nas of ham no partye,
That nas torned to vylanye
So to by-leve.
Ac now be wey of ham y-come,
Wyth flesch and blod of ham i-nome,
Tliet was ablowe
Thor3 the fenym of the fende ;
Thanne faith ous rewelyche by kende,
To sofFry wo we.
And thos that chyld to ny3t y-bore,
Tiui5 hyt deyde hyt were for-lore,
5ef crystnynge nere ;
POEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM. 167
T}ior5 the flosch that hyt iiome
Of hys eldrene that hyt of come,
That wykkede were.
And neades moste, leave brother,
Ry5t of ham come and man of other,
And be nature.
For elles nadde man y-be
Nau5t y-lych Gode in Trynyte,
Thor3 engendrure.
Tha5 hy be thor5 senne demeyned,
So nas hyt naujt ferst y-ordeyned,
Thy engendrure ;
For tho man seDe5ed in Paradys,
Al chaungede that flesch a-mys
To mysaventure.
Elles nedde hyt be no senne,
Thy engendrure of al mankenne,
In al thys wone ;
Ac senneleas hy hadde y-be,
Ase the engendrure in Trynyte
Of Fader and Sone.
Ase mannes y-lyche y-mad of tre
May naujt be al ase man may be,
Inne alle thynge ;
Ne Godes y-lyche, man, y-wys
Ne may nau5t be al ase God ys,
Of hevene kynge.
168 FOEMS OF WILLIAM DE SHOREHAM.
For God the fader hys leve sone
Engendrede out of alle wone,
Wythcute tyde ;
Ac man hath certayn tyme of elde,
Wanne he may engendrure jelde,
And tyme abyde.
THE END.
THE INTERLUDE
TRIAL OF TREASURE.
THE INTERLUDE
TRIAL OF TREASURE,
REPRINTED FROM
THE BLACK-LETTER EDITION BY
THOMAS PURFOOTE,
1567.
EDITED BT
J. O. HALLIWELL, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A.
LONDON :
PRINTED FOR THE PERCY SOCIETY,
RY RICHARDS, iOO, ST. MARTIN'S LANE.
Ci)e prrri.) ^ocietp*
President.
THE RIGHT HON. LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A.
Council.
THOMAS AMYOT, Esq., F.R S., F.S.A.
WILLIAM HENRY BLACK, Esq.
T. CROFTON CROKER, Esq., F.S.A., M.R.I.A.
J. H. DIXON, Esq.
FREDERICK WILLIAM FAIRHOLT, Esq. F.S.A.
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A.,
Honorary Secretary.
W. JERDAN, Esq., M.R.S.L.
SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON, Bart.
E. RALEIGH MORAN, Esq.
T. J. PETTIGREW, Esq. F.R S., F.S.A.
JAMES PRIOR, Esq., F.S.A., M.R.I.A.
WILLIAM SANDYS, Esq., F.S.A.
RICHARD JOHN SMITH, Esq.
THE REV. J. REYNELL WREFORD, F.S.A.
THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M.A., F.S.A , Treasvrcr.
PREFACE.
The interlude, presented to the modern reader
for the first time in the following pages, was
printed from a copy formerly in the possession
of Steevens, the eminent Shakesperian critic,
before it was noticed that a copy in the British
Museum contained several variations and su-
perior readings. These were the more important,
settling in some places the distribution of the
speeches with greater accuracy than they were
arranged in the exemplar we used. Perhaps,
indeed, this may in some measure have arisen
from the one last mentioned having been what
booksellers technically term " cropped", but we
have noticed all variations of importance in the
notes, and some of them seem incompatible with
any supposition, except that there were two
vni PREFACE.
different impressions in the same year,* or that
the Museum copy had been corrected while the
work was in the press.
Mr. Collier conjectures that the Trial of
Treasure was written some years before it was
printed, but subsequently to the composition of
Lusty Juventus, which is, he says, " mentioned
in it." But it appears to me that the allusion
to Lusty Juventus^ (p. 5), is merely a generic
proverbial title, and has no reference whatever
to the old play so called. iMr. Collier, Hist.
Dram. Poet, ii, 330, has given a brief analysis
of the interlude now reprinted.
December 2\st, 1849.
* The Museum copy has a wood-cut on the back of the
title-page, which is wanting in the other copy, a circumstance
which appears to confirm this opinion.
A NEW AND MERY ENTERLUDE
CALLED TUB
TRIALL OF TREASURE;
NEWLY SET FOORTH, AND NEVER BEFORE
THIS TYME IMPRINTED.
The names of the players.
First, Sturdiness, Contentation, Visitation,
and Time.
The Second, Lust, Sapience, Consolation.
The Third, the Preface, Just, Pleasure,
Gredy-gutte.
The Fourth, Elation ; Trust, a "Woman ; and
Treasure, a Woman.
The Fifth, Inclination, the Vice.
Imprinted at London, in Paules Churcheyarde, at the sitjne
of the Liicrece, by Tlionias Purfoote.
1567.
I
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Doe all things to edijie the Congregation.
Diogenes, which used a barell for his house,
Being fled from his father to the citie of Athens,
Comforted himself much in beholding the mouse.
Which desired neither castell nor hold for her defence ;
Concerning sustentation she made no difference,
But eate whatsoever to her did befall,
And, touching her apparell, she had least care of all ;
This poore mouses propertie noted Diogenes,
AVhiche oftentimes also he would have in sight.
And though he were disciple unto Antisthenes,
Yet he learned of the mouse as much as he might ;
In the science of Sophy he had great delight,
But concerning his state and outward condition,
The most can declare, if you make inquisition.
On a time he chaunsed accumpanied to be
With Alexander, which stode betwene him and the
Sonne,
AVhat requirest thou to have, Diogenes, (quod he),
Is there any thing that by me may be done ?
B 2
4 TUK TRIALL OF TREASURE.
I pray thee stande asyde, and make a little rourae
(Quod Diogenes), that the sunne upon me may shine,
Nought els require I of that that is thine.
He used to saie, that as servauntes be obedient
To their bodely maisters, being in subiection,
Euen so euill men, that are not contente.
Are subiects and slaues to their lustes and aiFection ;
This lesson unto us may be a direction
Which way our inclination to bridle and subdeawe,
Namely, if we labour the same to eschewe.
Thus see you howe little this Philosopher estemed
The aboundaunt possessions of this mundaine treasure,
Which yet, notwithstanding, at these dayes is deemed
To be the original! and fountaine of pleasure ;
This causeth luste to raigne without measure.
To the whiche men are subjects, Diogenes doth say,
Yet both lust and treasure in time weareth away.
A philosopher is he that wisdome doth love,
Which before Pithagoras wyse men were named.
Now Diogenes being wyse, this doth approve
That some of this age ought as fooles to be blamed.
For where the one with treasure lack his life framed,
The other travaile, care and labour with gredinesse
The same by all meanes to enjoy e and possesse.
But luste with the lustes converteth to dusle.
And leaveth of force his pleasant prosperitie.
So pleasure, in time, is turned to ruste,
As S. James, in his Epistle, sheweth the veritie ;
Hereof we purpose to speake without temeretie.
Therefore our matter is named the Triall af Trensure,
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 6
Which time doth expell, with all mundaine pleasure ;
Both mery and short we purpose to be,
And therefore require your pardon and pacience ;
"SVe trust in our matter nothing shall you see
That to the godly may geve any offence ;
Though the style be bai'barous, not fined with eloquence,
Yet our author desireth your gentle acceptation,
And we the plaiers likewyse with all humiliation.
FINIS.
Enter Luste, like a gallant, singing this songe.
Heye howe, care away, let the world passe,
For I ara as lusty as euer I was ;
In floures I florishe as blosomes in May,
Hey howe, care away ; hay hewe, care away !
Luste. What the deuill ailed me to singe thus ?
I crie you mercy, by my faith, for entring ;
Moste like I haue ridden on the flying Pegasus,
Or in Cock Lowels barge I haue bene a ventringe.
Syng : why, I would singe if it were to do againe.
With Orpheus and Amphion I went to schole :
What ! laddes must be liuely attending on the traine
Cf Lady Delectation, whiche is no small foole.
Hey rowse, fill all the pottes in the house ;
Tushe, man, in good felowship let us be mery.
Looke up like a man, or it is not worth a louse ;
Hey howe, troly lowe ; hey dery, dery.
Ha, pleasaunt youths, and lusty Juventus, />
In faithe, it is good to be mery this May :
For of man's liuing here there is no point endentus.
6 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Tlierfore a little mirth is worth much sorrow, some say.
Enter Juste.
But remember ye not the wyse man's sentence ?
It is better in the house of mourning to be
Then in the house of laughter, where foly hath residence,
For lightnes with wisdome cannot agree ;
''•'^ Though many haue pleasure in foolish phantasie,
Ensuing their inclination and luste,
Yet much better is the life of one that is iuste.
Luste, Sir, in this you seme against me to inuaye.
Juste. Nothing but reason, I thinke, I do saye.
Luste. Mary, you shall haue a night-cap for making
the reason.
Frinde, haue you not a pece of stocke-fishe to selle ?
I would you had a dishe of buttered peason.
By ray faith, your communication likes me well,
But, I beseche you, tell me, is not your name Juste ?
Juste. Yes, forsothe.
Luste. And my name thou shalt understands is Luste,
And according therto I am lusty in deede ;
But, I think, thou haste drunke of Morpheus seede.
y Thou goest like a dromeldory, dreamy and drowsy ;
I holde twenty pounde the knaue is lousy !
Juste. Myne apparell is not like unto thine,
Disguysed and lagged, of sundrie fashion ;
Howe be it, it is not golde alwayes that doth shine,
But corrupting copper, of small valuation ;
To horrible besides is thy operation,
Nothing more odious unto the juste,
Then the beastly desires of inordinate luste.
TUE TRIALL OF TRKASUKE. /
Luste. It is a shameful! thinge, as Cicero doth saje,
That a man his owne actes shoulde praise and commonde;
Hypocrites accustome thee like, daye by daye,
Checking other men, when they doe offende.
Juste. Yea, but it is an harde thing, saieth the
philosopher,
For a foolishe man to haue his maners reprehended ;
And euen at this dale it is come so farre,
God graunt, for his mercy, it may be amended !
For tell a man friendly nowe of his faulte,
Being blasphemy, pryde, or vyle fornication,
He will be as presumptuous as Haman, the haulte,
And repaye with reuenge, or els defamation :
Thus fewe men a friendly monition will beare,
But stoutly persiste and mainteine their ill ;
And in noblemen's houses truly I do feere, ^^
Thei'e are to many haue suche froward will.
Liiste. "Woundes and hartes, who can abyde this ?
Nay, ye vyle vylayne, I will dresse you therefore ;
Your lasy bones I pretend so to blisse,
That you shall haue small luste to prate any more.
Juste. Behold the image of insipient fooles !
There not a few, euen nowe, of thy propertie,
Untill you be put into pouerties scholes,
Ye will not forsake this folishe insolencie.
Luste. Nay, soft, with thee I haue not made an end.
\_Draue out hi-i suoonle.
Juste. The just against lust must always contend,
Therfore I purpose to wrestle with thee \jjut it uj)'^,
Who shall haue the victorie streightwaye we shall see.
8 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Luste. When thou wilt; by his fleshe I shall holde
the wag.
[^]Vrestle, and let Luste seeme to hnue the better at
the first e.
Juste. I know that Lust useth not little to brag.
Luste. Thou shalt find me as mighty as Sampson
the strong.
Juste. Yea, the battel of lust endureth long.
Luste. Woundes and fleshe ! I was almost down on
But yet I will wrestle till my bones cracke. [my back ;
^^Staije, and then spcakc.
Juste. The end of thy presumption nowedoth appeare.
Luste. Yet dooe what thou canst, I will not lie here;
No, by his woundes, you old doating knaue !
\_Caste him, and let him arise again.
Thinkest thou Lust will be made a slaue ;
Y I shall mete you in Sraithfield, or else other wheare,
By his flesh and bloud, I will thee not forbeare !
Juste. Not of my power I doe thee expell,
But by the mighte of his spirite that dwelleth in me :
Inordinate luste with the just may not dwell.
And therfore may not I accompanie thee.
Luste. Well, goodman Juste, it is no matter,
But, in faithe, I pretend not with thee to flatter ;
Though from thy company departe I muste,
I shall Hue in as much welthyuesse, I truste.
\_Go out. He must drive him out.
Juste. Where moste wealth is, and most dilectation,
There ipste is commonly of moste estimation ;
For whereas wealth wanteth, idleness doth slake.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. »
For where idlenes is, Lust parteth the stake. \_Pause.
Thus have you scene the conflicte of the juste,
Which all good men ought to use and frequent ;
For horrible are the fruites of inordinate luste,
Which in some case resembleth Hydra, the serpent ;
Whose head being cut of, another ryseth incontinent :
So, one of Luste's cogitations being cut away.
There ryseth up another, yea many, we may say.
It is requisite, therfore, that euery degree
Against this, his lust, both striue and contende ;
And though, at the first, he seeme sturdy to be,
The Lord will conuince him for you in the ende.
Your cause unto him, therefore, holy commende.
Labouring to auoyde all inordinate luste,
And to practise in lyfe, to live after the Juste.
[^Go out. Enter Inclination the Vise.
Ltd in. I can remember synce Noe's ship
Was made, and builded on Salisbury Plaine ; [pip?
The same yeere the weathercocke of Paules caught the
So that Bowe bell was like much woe to sustaine.
I can remember, I am so olde.
Since Paradise gates were watched by night ;
And when that Vulcanus was made a cuckold,
Among the great gods 1 appeared in sight.
Nay, for all you smiling, I tell you true.
No, no, ye will not knowe me nowe ;
The mightie on the earth I doe subdue.
Tush, if you will giue me leaue, yle tell ye howe ;
Nowe, in good faith, I care not greatly,
Althoughe I declare my dayly increase ;
10 THE TRIALL OF TREASURK.
But then these gentlewomen wil be angry,
Therfore I thinke best to holde my peace :
Nay, I beseche you, let the matter staye, [handes ;
For I would not for twenty pounde come into their
For if there should chaunce to be but one Dalila,
By the mas, thei would bind me in Samson's bands !
But what meane I first with them to beginne,
Seing that in all men I doe remaine ?
Because that first I remayned Eue within,
And after her, Adam, and so foorth to Caine.
I perceiue, by your lookes, my name ye would knowe ;
Why, you are not ignoraunt of that, I dare saye ;
It is I that doe guyde the bent of your bowe,
And ruleth your actions also, daye by daye ;
Forsothe, I am called Natural Inclination,
Whiche bred in old Adam's fostred bones ;
So that I am proper to his generation,
I will not awaye with casting of stones !
I make the stoutest to bowe and bende :
Ir Againe, when I luste, I make men stande uprighte ;
From the lowest to the highest I doe ascende,
Drawing them to thinges of naturall might.
Enter Luste and Stordiness, singing this song.
Where is the knaue that so did raue ?
O, that we could him finde,
We would him make for feare to quake,
That loute of lobbishe kinde.
My name is Luste, and let him truste
That I will haue redresse ;
For thou and I will make him flie
J
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 11
Mine oulde I'rientle Sturdiness.
Lnste. Where is now that valiuunt Hercules ?
For all his bragges, he is nowe runne away.
Stiirdl. (hrcifigiiuj). By the guttes of Golya it is beste
for his ease,
For he was moste like for the pottage to paye,
Inclina. Cockes soule ! what bragging knaves have
we here ?
Come ye to conuince the mightiest conqueror ?
It was I, that before you now doth appeare, [ander :
Whiche brought to confusion both Hector and Alex-
Looke on this legge, ye prating slaues,
I remember since it was no greater then a tree ;
At that time I had a cupple of knaues,
Much like unto you, that wayghted on me.
Liiste. Cockes precious soule, let us conquer the knaue.
■ Sturdi. By his flesh and sydes, a good courage I have ;
Stande you, therfore, a little asyde,
And ye shall see me quickely abate the fooles pryde.
\_Draiv out the suvorde ; make him put it up ; and
then strike him. Looke in your spectacles.
Inclina. Naye, I dare not I, if tljou lookest so bigge ;
What, suche a bore fight with a pigge !
Put up thy swoorde, man, we will agree ;
So lo : doe so much as beare that for mee.
Sturdi. Nay, by his harte then, I will you dresse.
Inclin. Be good in thine office, gentle friend Stur-
diness ;
For though thou and I doe seme to contende,
Yet we are, and must be, friendes till the ende.
12 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
SturiU. Come, geue me thy hande, I beshrowe thy
liarte.
IncUn. Nay, you must take all thinges in good parte ;
"Who standeth yonder, Captain Luste ?
Stitrdi. Yea, mary.
Inclln. No remedy then, to him go I must.
You haue forgot, I dare say, your old friend Inclination ;
But let us renew acquaintance again, for cocks passion!
Luste. Why, man, our acquaintaunce hath bene of
olde ;
I am your's at commaundement, therfore be bolde ;
For Luste can doe nothing without Inclination,
Chiefly in matters concerning a pleasaunt vocation.
Inclin. Indede Luste may be taken for a thing iu-
Except Inclination be joyned therunto ; [different,
But when that I once haue reuealed ray entent,
As I will men to worke, so commonly they doe.
Luste. Ye haue harde of the combate betwene me
and Juste.
Lie. Ye, mary, I harde saye that you laye in the duste,
Luste. 'What saye ye ?
Lie. Neither one worde, nor other, ye may me truste.
Luste. Of mine honestie my company he utterly
refused,
And in wrestling with me he gaue me the foyle,
Saying that I had myselfe and other abused,
Leading men in perplexitie and marvellous toile.
Sturdi. By gogs woundes, if we had founde him hei'e,
We should by his fleshe haue abated his chere.
luclin. I perceive, Sturdi ness, thou art no foole ;
Tell me, of felowship, where wentest thou to schole.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 13
Sturdi. What, to reade or wrighte ?
Inclin. Nay, to sweare and figlite :
For I thinke thou canst neither wryte, reade, nor spel,
But in swearing and fighting thou doest excell.
Sturdi. Thou knowest that I amjoynedwith Luste,
And sturdy, by nature, I ara in like case ;
What, let the worlde wag, all cannot be juste.
Some must naturall inclination embrace.
Luste. All men juste ? no ; I remember the sentence
of Tully,
That no man is j uste that feareth death, pouertie, or paine.
Which I doe feare all, and that marueilously ;
For fortune is variable, I doe perceiue playne.
And notwithstanding that Felix possessed great gaine,
Yet when Paule preached of the judgement daye, —
He trembled for feare, and bad him go awaye.
Inc. Doth such passions often trouble your mynde ?
Luste. Nay, not often, but sometime I do them fynde ;
But then, to the entent to dryve them awaye,
I either go to sleape, or els to some playe.
Sturdi. By gogs precious hearte, euen so doe I ;
But sometyrae they comber me pestilently,
Liclin. Well, maister Luste, suchedumpestoeschewe.
My advise and request you must nedes ensue ;
That is, to become disciple to doctor Epicurus,
And then youshall hauemyrthbymeasureandoverplus ;
Tushe, I knowe a cupple companions in store
That were marueilous mete for you euermore ;
I wishe you were knowne unto them.
Luste. Well, then, call them in.
14 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Inc. Here they come, each of them in a knaues skinne.
\^Enter Elation and Greedy-gutte.
With luste to live is our delight,
In high estate and dignitie ;
Seing that the Just put us to flight,
Let them alone in miserie.
Stur. Nay, they be lusty laddes, I tell ye.
Ela. What, Inclination ! methought I did smell thee:
Gyve me thy hande or we forther go.
Inc. Nowe, welcome in faith, and Gredy-gutte also;
But, syrs, are none of you both acquainted with Lust?
Luste. Yes, that they have bene both of them, I
truste ;
Welcome, syrs, in faithe ; welcome unto me.
Ela. By my trothe, I am glad your maistership to
In health and prosperitie, as presently you bee. [see
Gre. Bom fay zo, am I Avod all my harte.
Inc. This covve-bellied knave doth come from the
carte ;
Ise teache you to speake, I hold you a pounde !
Curchy, lob, curchy downe to the grounde.
Gre. Che can make curchy well enowe.
Inc. Lower, olde knave, or yle make ye to bowe !
The great bellied loute methinke can not bende
Yet so lo, he beginneth to amende.
Luste. Well, syrs, nowe I remember Esopes advise
Whiclie he gave to the Samies against king Crassus ;
Therfore, it is good to be wyttye and wyse,
And being in libertie to kepe me still thus,
I cannot abide a life that is dolorous,
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 15
And seing that ray name is properly Luste,
I hate the conversation of the Juste.
Inc. Well, maister Luste, first joyne you to me,
Inclination,
Next here with Sturdiness you must you acquainte ;
Turne you about and embrace Elation ;
And that wealth may encrease without any restraint,
Joine you with Gredy-gutte here in our presence,
That all these in you may have prosperous influence.
(Boive to the grounde).
Luste. Out, alas ! what a sodaine passion is this !
I am so taken that I can not stande ;
The crampe, the crampe, hath touched me y-wis;
I shall die without remedie nowe out of hande,
Gre. By my matins chese, our master is sicke.
Inc. Stande back, Nycollnoddy, with the pudding
pricke,
More braines in thy skinne then witte in thy braine,
Such Gredy-guttes in faith would be flayne !
This crampe doth signifie nothing in effect ;
None of all your councels he will now rejecte.
And therfore feare not to make full declaration.
Stnr. Then feare not the force of these that be juste,
But labour youi'self to aduaunce and augment ;
Be jocund and lively, sithe your name is Luste,
And then you shall easely obtaine your entente.
Ela. Esteme yourselfe alwayes equall with the beste.
And seeke for promotion, power and dignitie ;
It is good when men may live as they luste,
And unto the juste beare hate and malignitie.
16 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Gre. O, zur, ye must be gredy to catche and clawe.
Inc. Well said, Gredy-gutte, as wyse as a dawe I
Gre. Eate up, at a monthfull, houses and landes.
Inc. There's a vengeable mouth to —
[Gape and the Vise gape).
Gre. Never feare God, nor the governours lawe,
But gripe, gripe, gripe gredely all that cometli in
your hands.
y^{i*^-v*^ -^7 ^^^ masse, but Hewe Howlet is pestilent witty,
''^'What guttish gredinesse the horeson can teache !
That thou art not ejected, in faith, it is pitie.
As hie as three trees and a halter will reache.
yMary, syrs, but your councels hath set rae on fire !
^ Hey, lusty lad, how freshe am I nowe !
^ I Leade me, Inclination, to have my desire,
And then at thy requeste I wyll ever bende and bowe;
He that bendetli to folowe his own inclination,
Must nedes live a wicked and vile conversation,
//:>^ .' But so, maister Luste, I will leade you to a place
Where you shall have pleasure enough in short space;
,Yea, but shall not this company go thether?
Yes, mary, we foure will all go together ;
t Sturdiness shall tary to face out the matter.
If Juste peradventure against you should clatter:
By the masse, and well said, but first let us sing,
/ I must tune my pipes first of all' by drinking,
- • Tu.?he, what then ? I praie thee help us a part ;
Yes, I will sing the treble with all ray harte.
Luste shall be led by Inclination
,/,; To carnall cogitation ;
/■■
I,
/But
THE TRIALL OF TRF.ASURE. 17
"Where luste is led wholj by me,
He must Ml to Cupiditie ;
For carnal cares shall him assaile,
And spedeley they shall prevaile ;
I, Sturdiness, will face it out
In his cause, sturdy, stiiFe and stoute.
Then Gredy-gutte shall make him eate
Both house and lands like bread and meate ;
Elation shall puffe him hie
For to aspier above the skie ;
Then naturall and lordly Luste
Shall with his poure dispise the Juste.
Elation. Our songe is ended, haste thou other in store?
Inc. I shall not haue done this halfe houre and more.
Yet I will, nowe I remember. Come in, Luste ;
That I go before is but nedeful and just.
You shall be nowe led by me. Inclination,
To reason and talke with Carnall cogitation.
Is there more vanitie underneath the sonne - ''ToP.t.lfy^
Then to be inclined after this sorte ?
"Well, Luste doth now as others haue done,
Yea, and doe daye by daye, esteming it a sporte ;
This Luste is the image of all wicked men,
"Whiche in seeking the worlde liaue all delectation ;
They regarde not God, nor his commaundements tenne,
But are wholly led by their owne inclination.
First, to inculcate with Carnall cogitation.
And, after, to the desier of all worldly treasure,
"U^hiche alone they esteeme the fulness of pleasure.
With Elation, or pride, he is also associate,
c
18 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Which puffethuphis sences with presumption pestilent ;
Then Gredy-gutte maketh them continually to grate
On the mock of this world, which he thinketh permanent.
J^^a^"-^^ I, Sturdiness, to heare out all things am bent :
Thus, see jou howe men that are led by their luste
Dissent from the vertuous, godlie, and juste.
\Go out. Enter Juste and Sapience.
Sapience. The advise of Aristippus haue in your
mynnde,
Which willed me to seke such thinges as be permanent,
And not such as are of a vanishing kinde,
For the one with the other is not equivalent.
Be circumspect, therefore, forseing and sapient,
For treasures here gotten are uncertain and vaine,
But treasures of the mynde do continually remaine.
Juste. This is the mynde of , and I remember
^ Like as presently you haue advertised me,
For the whiche I cannot but thankefuUy render
Such commendations as is requisite to be ;
And as your name is Sapience, thus muche I see
That on heauenly wisedome you doe depende,
And not on as time doth bring to an ende.
Sapience. Truthe, indeed, and therfore your name
being Juste,
With me and my documentes must be associate ;
Where, contrary, suche as are led by their lust,
, , To incline euill are alwayes appropriate :
r They haue not, as you haue, battel and combate
Against the cogitations that inwardly spring,
But rather are obedient unto the same thing ;
^y
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 19
And this is the occasion that men are so an)bitious,
And so foolishe, led by the luste of their braine
Sometime to couet, sometime to be vicious ;
Sometime the councell of the wyse to disdaine ;
Sometime to clime till they fall down againe ;
Sometime to usurpe the possessions of other ;
Sometime to disobeye bothe father and mother.
Juste. Alas, what availeth it ryches to enjoye,
Though as muche in comparison as Cressus the king ?
What helpeth it to haue Helena in Troye,
If the conscience of man continually sting ?
Elation and Pride no commoditie doth bring,
But is often knowen the forerunner of shame,
And the blotte of immortall memorie and fame.
[Enter I^'CLINATlo^•, the Vise.
Inc. Nowe, by my hallydome, it is alone a,
-Better sporte in my life I never sawe.
It is trimme, I tel you, to daunce with John and Jone a,
"We passe not a point for God nor his law ;
But lust is
Cogitation and he in one bed doth lie.
Here is maister Juste, with his cancred corage.
What, and olde doting Sapience ! then I am dressed I.
So often already Juste hath me restrained,
That I dare not entise him any more.
For through Sapience he hath me clerely disdained.
That my courage is spent and I have no more.
[Make a going hack.
Sap. Nay, softe, syr, we must talke with you or ye
go-
c 2
20 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Inc. I can not tary at this time, the truthe is so.
Juste. Nay, there is no remedy with you : we muste
talke.
Inc. By the body of me, I holde best that I walke.
Or els learne to speake language another whyle,
And so I may happen the knaves to beguyle.
Juste. Turne back or you go, we have somewhat to
say.
Inc. Non point parla fransois, nonne par ma foy.
Sap. To deceiue us nowe himselfe he doth prepare.
Inc. Ick en can ghene englishe spreken von waer.
Body of me, let me go, or els I shall . . . ;
I wis, maister Juste, you have loved me or this ;
Therfore nowe be ruled after my councell,
And godly thinges for your coramoditie I shall you tell.
Sci}). Let him that is juste not lightly ensue
His vile inclination and carnall concupiscence,
But let him rather contende the same to subdue ;
And chiefly those that haue knowledge of Sapience :
Therfore to brydle this luste do your diligence,
His craftie provocations utterly to restraine,
That Just may Hue while life doth remaine.
Inc. Godd man Hoball, speake you in earnest ?
What doest thou saye, shall the Just bridle me ?
No, no, brother Snappes, doe the worst and thy best,
I will not be bridled of him nor of thee.
Juste. Seing Sapience consisteth in heauenly docu-
ment.
And that heauenly document consisteth in S:ipience,
To bridle this wretch I cannot but consent,
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 21
Sithe I of his purpose haue had oft intelligence.
Inc. Yet again brydle it doth not preuayle ;
I will not be bridled of the best of you both.
See you this gere ? heres one will make you to quaile ;
Stande backe! to kil you, raaister Ju^te, I would be loth !
You_have been so burned and fried of late, N^
That it were pitie to hurt you any more.
Back, I say, or ray dagger shall about your pate,
By the masse, but I will, syr, yle make your bones
sore. [Struggle two or three times.
Juste. I will bridle thee, beast, for all thy bragging.
Inc. In faith, good man Juste, yle holde ye wagging;
Nay, brother, ye shall find me a curste colt to bridle.
Nay, in faith, better yet I will make thee to struggle.
Sap. Never leve him, but ensue the councell of
Sapience.
Juste. Lo, nowe I have brought him under obedience.
[Brydle him.
Inc. Not so obedient as thou thinkest me to have ;
Nay, brother, ye shall finde me a coltishe knave :
We, he, he, it is good for you to holde faste.
For I will kicke and winche whyle the lyfe doth laste.
Sap. Thou shalt kicke indeed, but no victorie
Wynne ;
Neither to conquer the Juste to ungodliness nor synne.
Inc. O yes, yes, I will make a proclamation.
Juste. "What shall that be ?
Inc. If ye will geve me leave, then you shall see.
yes ! is there any man or woman that hath lost
A gambolling gelding with a graye tayle.
22 THE TKIALL OF TREASURE.
Let him come to the Crier and pay for his coste,
And he will tell him tidinges without any fayle.
Saj^. To the entent that you may him sharpely
restraine,
Let him not enjoy e so muche of the raine.
[Bridle him shorter.
Inc. Coekes sole, now the snaflfel cutteth my lip,
I would this luberly knave had the pip !
I shall leape no hedges whyle this brydle is on,
Out, alas ! I think it will fret me to the bone.
Sap. Thus should every man that wil be called
Juste
Brydle and subdue his beastly inclination.
That he in the ende may obtaine perfect truste,
The messenger of God to geve sight to salvation.
Juste. That truste to obtaine with him I have
struggled.
Sap. Then let us departe, and leave this beast
bridled. [Go out both.
Inc. May the deuill go with you and his dun dame !
Suche horse maisters will make a colte quickely tame ;
I would he were hanged that this snaffell did make,
It maketh my chappes so shamefully to ake ;
Ye haue no pitie on me, you, I se, by your laughing ;
I care not greatly if I fall to gambolling ;
We, he, he, he, he, he, come alofte, I saye.
Beware the horse heles, I avyse you stande awaye ;
The raine of my bridle is tied so shorte,
That I can not make you any more sport.
But thoujrh I be bridled now of the Juste,
i
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 23
I cloubte not but I slial be unbridled by Luste,
And let not Juste thinke but I will rebell,
Although he bridle me tenne times all well ;
Though Nature saitb one done with a croche,
It will not lie long but incontente aproche ;
Even so though that I be bridled a whyle,
The colte will at length the curser beguyle.
Enter Gredy-gutte running and catche a fall.
Gre. Chill ran I as fast as I can,
Zures, did none of you zee a man ?
Cham zent in haste from my maister Luste,
So that Inclination nedes come to him must.
Inc. Where is he now ? I pray thee tell me.
Gre. Why what have we here, Jesus, benedicitie !
I holde twenty pounde it is Baalam's asse,
Nay tis a colte, I see his tayle by the masse !
Inc. Am I a colte ? nay, thou liest lyke a knaue,
Somewhat for thy labour nowe shalt thou haue.
Gre. Hoball, ho, lousy jade, must ye kicke ?
Inc. "Who euer sawe suche a desperate Dicke ? / ■/
Why, Gredy-gutte, doest thou not knowe Inclination ?
Gre. Body of me, who hath drest thee of that fashion?
Thou arte brydled for byting nowe indeede,
Syra, maister Luste would have thee make spede.
Inc. I am bridled I, euen as thou doest see,
Therefore desier him to come and helpe me.
But what is the matter that he for me sente ?
Gre. Mary, to gather with Grediness nowe he is
bent ;
24 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
He hath had long talke with Carnal Cogitation,
And is set on fier by the means of Elation,
So that he is so lusty he cannot abyde,
Therefore one or other for him must be spied.
Inc. Well, Gredy-gutte, I praye thee, go and make
haste.
Gre. Tush, feare not, chill spend no time in waste.
Inc. I had rather then'xL pence that he were come ;
If I be bridled long I shall be undone.
So sharpe is this snafFell called restrainte,
That it maketh me sweate I am so fainte:
Harke ! I heare the voyce of my maister Luste ;
Now 1 shall be unbridled shortly I truste.
Enter Luste.
Lnste. Cocks precious woundes, here hath bene
vilanie I
Inc. Heye, they have used me with to much
vilanie,
That old knave Sapience so counseled Juste ;
But let me be unbridled, good maister Luste.
[Unbridle him.
Luste. Lo, now thou art unbridled, be of good chere.
Inc. By Lady, I am glad I have gotten thus cleare.
But harke you, maister Lust, if I may do you pleasure,
Whisper, whisper, she is called Treasure.
Luste. O my harte is on fyre till she come in place.
Inc. O maister Luste, she hath an amiable face ;
A tricker, a trimmer, in faith that she is,
The goddess of wealth, prosperitie and bliss.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 25
Luste. But thinke you that this minion long endure
shall ?
Inc. For euer and euer, man, she is iramortall.
There be many other, but she exceadeth tliem all.
Luste. "What be they, haue you their names in store?
Inc. Yea, harke, in youreare — And many other more.
Luste. Sithe that the apple of Paris before me is
cast,
And that I may deliuer the same where I will,
I would Prometheus were here to helpe me holde fast,
That I might haue a fore witte with me euer still.
Pallas I consider in science hath skill.
But Juno and Venus good will do I beare ;
Therefore to geue the appull I know not where.
Inc. Be conciled by me, and geve it Lady Treasure,
It shal be for your commoditie in the end without
measure.
For hauing the company of this minion lasse,
You shall never wante the societie of Pallas ;
Juno, nor yet the armipotent Mars,
Can not resiste your strengthe be they never so fearce;
And as for Venus, you shall haue at pleasure.
For she is bought and solde alwayes with Treasure ;
She of her power hath whole countries conquered,
The moste noble champions by her hath ben murthered;
Aeon for her sake was stoned to death.
Tushe, innumerable at this day spende their breathe,
Sume hange or be hanged, they love her so well.
She is the great goddesse, it is true that I telle.
Luste. Which way should I worke of her to haue a
sight ?
c
26 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Inc. I, Inclination, will leade you thyther right ;
But we must haue Gredy-gutte, and also Elation.
Luste. They are at the bouse of Carnal Cogitation.
Inc. Whether I would wyshe that we might departe ;
I will lead you thither with all my harte.
[Go out. Enter Just.
Trust, a woman x>lo.lnly, and Contentation, hxele down
and sing, she have a crowne.
So happy is the state of those
That walke uprighte and juste,
That thou, Lorde, doest thy face disclose
By perfect hope and truste.
Their inclination thou dost stay,
And sendeth them Sapience,
That they should serue, and eke obey
Thy highe magnificence.
Thou sendest Coutentation,
That we in thee may rest.
Therefore all adoration
To thee perteineth best. f^^J^j
Juste. God careth for his people, as the prophet doth
And preserveth them under his merciful! wynges ;
Namely the juste, that his will do obey.
Observing his holy commaundement in all thynges ;
Not for our sake, or for our deservinges,
But for his owne sake, openly to declare,
That all men on earth ought to live in his feare.
Truste. Howe God hath blissed you all men may see;
For first, at your entraunce you conquered Luste,
Not by your power, but by might of the deitie,
THK TRIALL OF TREASURE. 2/
As all persons ought to doe that be juste.
Then through Sapience which God did you sende,
You bridled that brutishe beaste Inclination,
And also ordered you with Contentation.
Con. Those that are contented with their vocation
Be thankefull to God; this is a true consequent ;
And those that be thankefull in their conversation,
Can not but please the Lorde God omnipotent ;
But those that be sturdie, proude, and disobedient,
The Ruler of all rulers will them confounde,
And rote their remembraunce of from the grounde.
Juste. When Solon was asked of Cressus the king,
"What man was moste happie in this vale terestriall,
To the ende he semeth to attribute that thing
When men be asociate with treasures celestiall.
Before the ende can no man judge, he doth saie.
That any man is happy that here beareth breath,
But then by his end preteley judge we may;
Thus true happines consisteth, saith he, after death.
If this be a truthe, as undoubtedly it is,
What men are more foolish, wretched, and miserable,
Then those that in these treasures accompt their whole
blys,
Being infect with ambition, that sickness incurable ;
A ! wicked Adrastia, thou goddes deceiuable,
Thus to plucke from men the sence of their mynde.
So that no contentation therein they can finde.
Truste. The treasure of this worlde we may well
compare
To Circes, the witche, with her craftie cautilitic,
28 THE TRIAI.L OF TREASURK.
Wherewith many mens myndes so poysoned are,
That quite they are cari'ied into all fidelitie ;
They are conjured in deedd and bewitched so sore,
That treasure is their truste, joye, and delighte.
True truste is expelled, they passe not therefore,
And against contentation they continually fight.
But though wicked men folowe their luste,
Crying on earth is our felicitie and pleasure,
Yet God doth so guide the hartes of the juste.
That they respect chiefly the celestiall treasure.
Con. Alas! should we not have that estimation
Which God hath prepared for his dere elect ?
Should not our myndes rest in full contentation.
Having truste in this treasure, most highe in respecte?
St. Paule, whom the Lorde so high did erecte,
Saith ; It passeth the sence of our memory and mynde,
Much lesse can our outward eyes the same finde.
And as for treasures which men possesse here,
Through fickelnes of fortune sone fadeth away ;
The greatest of renowme and most worthy here
Sometime falleth in the ende to myserie and decay.
Recorde of Dionisius, a king of much fame.
Of the valiaunt Alexander and Caesar the strong.
Record of Tarquin, which Superbus had to name,
And of Ileliogabalos, that ministred with wronge ;
If I should recite all, I should stand very long,
But these be sufficient plainly to approue
Howe sone by uncertaintie this treasure doth rcmoue.
Juste. It is true ; therfore a mynde well contente
Is great riches, as the wyse king Salomon doth say.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 29
"We have sene of late days this cancard pestilent
Corrupting our realme to our great decaie,
Ambition, I meane, which chiefly did raigne
Among those that should be examples to others ;
We sawe how their brethren they did disdaine,
And burned with fire the childe with the mother ;
It is often seene that such monsters ambitious
As spare not to spile the bloud of the innocente, ^ '^ -
"Will not greatly sticke to become seditious,
The determination of God thereby to prevente.
God graunt every one of us earnestly to repente,
And not to set our minds on this fading treasure,
But rather wyshe and wille to doe the Lordes pleasure.
Trusts O ye emperours, potentates, and princes of
renowne,
Learn of Juste with Truste yourselves to associate.
That like as your vocation by right doth aske the crown,
And also due obedience, being the appointed magistrate,
So rule that at the last you may be resuscitate
And raigne with the Almightie with perfect continu-
ance,
Receiving double crownes for your godly governaunce.
Ye noblemen whome God hath furnished with fame,
Be myndefuU to walke in the waves of the Juste,
And be not ouercome of concupiscence or luste.
Fie from loue of treasure, catche holde of me, Truste;
And then double felicitie at the last you shall possesse.
And in all earthly doings God shall geue you succes.
Ye poore men and commons, walke well in your
vocations.
30 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Banishe lust and desier, which is not convenient ;
Let truste worke in you a full contentation,
Considering that it leadeth to treasures more excellent,
For these are uncertaine, but they are most permanent.
Your necessitie supplie with vertue and truste,
And then shall you enjoye your crown among the just.
Juste. As I, being properly nominate Juste,
Am here associate with Contentation,
So have I my whole felicitie in Truste,
Who ilumineth myne eyes to see my saluation.
Truste. Feare you not, shortly you shall haue
consolation,
If I were once growen in you to perfection,
Euen thus goeth it alwaies with the children of
election.
Juste. I will departe now ; will ye go with me, Truste ?
Truste. Yea, I must alwaies associate the Juste.
Cont. A psalme of thankesgeuing first let us sing,
To the laude and prayse of the immortall Kinge.
(Here if you tcill : smg "the man is blest thatfear-
eth God'*\ dc. — Go out).
Enter Inclination laughing.
Inc. Lust (quod he) nowe in faithe he is lusty.
Lady Treasure and he hath made a matche ;
He thinketh that I ware marvelous trusty,
Because I teache him to clawe and to catche,
And now a daies amitie doth therein consi.ste ;
He that can flatter shal be well beloued ;
But he that saieth, thii^i and thvs, saieth Christe,
Shall as an enemy be openly reproued.
THE TRIAI.L OF TREASURE. 31
Friendship, yea fi'iendship consisteth now in adulation;
Speake faire and please the lust of thy lorde,
I warrant thee be had in great estimation,
When those that tel truthe shal be abhorde.
A ! unhappy lingua, whether wilt thou ten ?
Take heed, I advise thee, least thou be shent ;
If ye chaunce to tell any tales of these gentlewomen,
With flesh hokes and nayles you are like to be rent ;
Nay, for the passion of me be not so moued,
And I will please you incontinent againe.
Above all treasures you are worthy to be loued.
Because you do no men deride nor disdaine ;
You do not contempte the simple and poore ;
You be not hie-minded, proude, and presumptuous,
Neither wanton nor wyly you be neuer more.
But gentle, louing modestie, and vertuous.
Behold howe a lie can please some folkes diet !
pacific their myndes maruellous well,
All whyste, I warrant ye, so they in quiet.
Howe to please you hereafter I can tell :
Harke, I heare Luste and my lady Treasure,
They are given to solace, singing, and pleasure.
Enter JjVste and Treasure, a woman finehj appareled.
Lust. Ah, amorous lady, of bewtifull face,
Thou art hartely welcome unto this place ;
My harte is inclined to the, lady Treasure,
My love is insatiate, it kepeth no mesure.
Treas. It is I, maister Luste, that will you aduaunce;
Treasure it is that things doth enhaunoe :
02 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Upon me set your whole affection and luste,
And passe not a point for the wayes of the Juste.
Treasure is a pleasure, be»re that in mynde ;
Both trusty and true ye shall me alwayes finde.
Inc. As trusty as is a quick ele by the tayle !
What, lady Treasure, welcome withoute fayle ;
To be better acquainted with you once I truste,
But I dare not in the presence of my maister Luste.
Ye are welcome, syr, hartely ; what ! be of good
courage :
Drawer, let us have a pinte of whyte wine and borage.
Luste. Wherefore, I praye thee tell ?
Inc. Mary, methinke you are not well.
Luste. Not well, who can a better life craue.
Then to possesse suche a lady as I haue ?
Is there any wealth not contained in Treasure ?
Ah, lady, I love thee in faith out of measure.
Inc. It is out of measure indeede, as you sale.
And euen so must men loue her at this dale ;
Oh, she is a mynion of amorous hewe.
Her pere in my dales yet I neuer knew.
Old (quod you) I am an old knaue I tell ye,
Nay, neuer laughe at the matter, for doubtles I sniel
ye;
She passeth Juno, Ceres, and Pallas,
More beautifull then euer dame Venus was.
Other in sapience she doth excede,
And Diana in dignitie, of whome we doe reade ;
What should faire Helene once named be.
She excelleth all these, maister Luste, beleue me.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 33
Lmte. Howe say you, is not this an eloquent lad ?
Treas. That you have suche a servaunt truly I am
glad.
Inc. Ha, ha, now indeede I can you not blame,
For women of all degrees are glad of the same ;
They that flatter and speake them fayre
Shal be their sonnes, and peradventure their ayre.
Luste. You tolde me of a brother you had, lady
Treasure.
Treas. Yea, syr, that I haue ; his name is called
Pleasure ;
And seeing you enjoye me now at your will,
Right sone, I am sure, he will come you untill.
Luste. Truly of him I would faine haue a sight.
For because that in pleasure I haue marueilous delight.
Inc. Then honestie and profite you may bidde good
night.
Luste. What saiest thou ?
Lic. I sale he will shortly appeare in sight ;
I knowe by his singing the same is he.
The misbegotten Orpheus I think that he be.
Enter Pleasure, sinrj'uuj t]m Song.
O, happy dales, and pleasaunt playes,
Wherein I doe delight, a ;
I doe pretende, till my liues ende.
To liue still in such plighte, a.
Lie. Maister Pleasure, I perceive you be of good
chere.
Pleas. What, Inclination, old lad, art thou here ?
D
34 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Inc. Yea, syr, and lady Treasure, your sister, also.
Plea. Body of me, then unto her I will go.
What, sjster, I am glad to mete with you here.
Trea. Welcome unto me, mine owne brother dere.
Maister Luste, this is my brother, of whome I tolde ;
He is pleasaunt and lustj, as you may beholde.
Luste. Gentlema (I pray you) is your name master
Pleasure ?
Plea. Yea, syr, and I am brother to lady Treasure.
Luste. And are you contented to accompanie me ?
Plea. Whereas she is resident, I must nedes be ;
Treasure doth Pleasure commonly preceade.
But the one is with the other, they have both so decreed.
Lie. Mary, nowe you are well indeede, maister Luste ;
This is better, I trowe, than the life of the juste :
They be compelled to possesse contentation,
Hauing no treasure but trust of saluation.
But my lady your mistris, my mistris I would saye,
She worketh, you may see, to keepe you from decaie.
Luste. 0, madame I in you is all my delight,
And in your brother, Pleasure, bothe daye and nighte.
The Triall of Treasure, this is indeede,
I perceive that she is a true frende at neede ;
For I haue proued her, according as Thales doth saye,
And I perceive that her be w tie cannot decaye.
Trea. Alwayes with you I will be resident.
So that your life shall be most excellent.
Plea. Yea, syr, and me, Pleasure, also you shall have.
So that none other thinge there nedeth to craue ;
I will replenislie your harte with delighte.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 35
And I will be alwayes with Treasure in sighte.
But if you desire to enjoy me at your will,
My sister you must haue in reputation still ;
And then, as her treasure is certaine and excellent,
My pleasure shal be both perfect and permanent.
Credite not those, syr, that talke that and this,
Saying, that in us twoo consisteth no bliss.
But let experience your mynde euer moue,
And see if all men us twoo doe not loue.
Inc. Loue, yes, they loue you indeede without
doubte,
Which shutteth some of them God's kingdome without.
They loue you so well that their God they do hate,
As time hath declared to us even of late. '
But he that on such thinges his study doth caste,
Shal be sure to be deceiued at the last.
Luste. What doest thou sale ?
Inc Of Treasure, forsoth, ye must euer holde fast,
For if you should chance to lose lady Treasure,
Then farewell in post this gentleman, Pleasure.
Lush'. My loue to them both cannot be exprest,
And especially my lady, you I loue best. \y
Treas. If you love me as you doe professe, . ..
Be ye sure you shall wante no kinde of welthiness.
Pleas. And if you haue welthiness at your own wyll,
Then will I, Pleasure, remayne with you still.
Inc. You are both as constant as snowe in the sun.
Which from snow to water through melting doth run ;
But worldly wyse men cannot conceave that,
To honte for suche myse they learne of the cat.
D 2
36 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
Liuste. My lady is amorous, and full of favour.
Lie. I may say, to you she hath an ill-fauoured
savour.
Luste. What saiest thou ?
/??c. I saye she is loving, and of gentle behauiour.
Treas. And so I will continue still, be you sure.
Pleas. And I in like case whyle your life doth endure.
Luste. Ah, truste Treasure ; ah, pleasaunt Pleasure;
All wealth I possesse nowe without measure ;
And seing that the same shall firmely remayne,
To helpe me sing a songe will you take the paine.
Treas. Euen with all ray harte, begin whan ye will.
Inclin. To it, and I will either helpe or stand still.
[Sini/e this Songe.
Am I not in blissed case,
Treasure and Pleasure to possesse ;
I would not wishe no better place,
If I may still haue welthiness :
And to enjoye in perfect peace.
My lady, lady.
My pleasaunt pleasure shall encrease,
My deare lady.
Helene may not compared be.
Nor Creseda that was so bright ;
These cannot staine the shine of thee,
Nor yet Minerua of great might.
Thou passest Venus farre away,
Lady, lady ;
Loue thee I will, both night and day,
My dere lady.
THE TRIALL OF TREASUBE. 37
My mouse, my nobs, and cony sweete,
My hope, and ioye, my whole delight ;
Dame nature may fall at thy feete,
And may yeelde to thee her crowne of righte.
I will thy body now embrace.
Lady, lady ;
And kisse thy swete and pleasaunt face,
My dere lady.
Enter God's Visitation.
Visit. I am Gods minister, called Visitation,
Which diuers and many waies you may understande ;
Sometime I bring sicknes; sometime perturbation ;
Sometime trouble and misery throughout the lande ;
Sometime I signifie God's wrath to be at hande ;
Sometime a foreronner of distruction immenent.
But an executer of paine I am at this present.
Thou insipient foole, that hast folowed thy luste,
Disdaining the doctrine declared by Sapience,
In Treasure and Pleasure hath bene thy truste.
Which thou thoughtest should reiuaine euer in thy
presence :
Thou neuer remembrest Thales his sentence,
Who willeth men in all thinges to kepe a measure,
Especially in loue to incertaintie of treasure ;
Even nowe I am come from visiting the Just,
Because God beginneth first with his elect ;
But he is so associated and comforted with Truste,
That no kinde of impacience his soule can infecte.
Contentation in suche sort his race doth directe,
38 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
That he is contented with God's operation,
Comfortably embracing me his visitation ;
But nowe I am come to vcxe thee with paine,
Whiche makest Treasure thy castell and rocke,
Thou shalt knowe that both she and Pleasure is vaine,
And that the Almighty thou canst not mocke.
Anguishe and griefe into thee I doe caste,
With paine in thy members continually.
Now thou hast paine thy pleasure can not laste.
But I will expelle him incontinently.
Luste. cockes harte ! what a pestilence is this !
Departs from me, I saye, hence, Gods Visitation !
Helpe, helpe, lady Treasure, thou goddes of blis !
At tby handes let me haue some consolation.
Treas. I will remaiue with you, be out of doubte.
Inc. Will ye be packing, you 11 favoured lowte ?
Visi. Presently, in dede from him thou shalt not go,
And why ? because Gods will hath not determined so;
But in tyme thou. Treasure, shalt be turned to ruste.
And as for Pleasure he shall nowe attende on the Just.
Luste. Gogs woundes ! these panges encrease euer
more.
Inc. And my littell finger is spitefully sore ;
You will not beleue how my hele doth ake.
Treas {To Visitation) Nay, let me alone, your
part I will take.
(To Lust) Be of good comforte, whyle I here remainej
For pleasure and he shall be parted in twaine.
Visit. It is not mete that he should be participate
with Luste,
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 39
But rather vertuous, godly and juste.
Litstc. Kemaine with me still, maister Pleasure, I
say.
Pleas. Nay, there is no remedy ; I must away ;
For where God doth punition and paine,
I Pleasure in no case can not remaine.
Visit. I could in like case separate thy treasure,
But God doth admonishe thee by losing thy pleasure.
[6^0 out Visitation and Pleasure.
Inc. Fare well in the deuils name olde lousy loute.
That my maister will die I stand in great doubte.
Ho, ho, ho, howe is it with you, maister Luste ?
Luste. By the flesh of Goliah, yet Treasure is my
truste.
Though Pleasure be gone, and I liue in paine,
I doubte not but Treasure will fetche him againe.
Treas. Yea, that I will ; feare not, and with you to
remayne.
Inc. The propertie of riche men undoubtedly he
hath,
Whiche thinke with monie to pacific God's wrath,
And health at their pleasure to bye and to sell.
Howe is maister Lust, are you anything well ?
Luste. Against this Visitation my harte doth rebell.
Gogs woundes I shall I still in these panges remaine ?
Treas. Feare you not, maister Lust, I will helpe
you again.
Treasure in phisicke exceadeth Gallenus :
Tushe ! thei'e is no phisition but we must haue with
us ;
/
40 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
To the ease of your body they will you bringe,
And therefore I praie you despaire in nothing ;
Put your trust alwayes in me, lady Treasure,
And I will restore you againe unto pleasure,
For I am the goddes that therein hath power,
Which shall remain perfect unto the last houre.
Inc. Yea, yea, maister Luste, be as mery as you may;
Let Treasure be your truste, who so euer say naye.
Enter Tyme.
Time. The auncient Grekes haue called me Chronos,
Whiche in our vulgar tongue signifieth Time ;
I am entred in presently for a certainly purpose,
Euen to turne Treasure to ruste and to slime ;
And Luste whiche hath long disdained the Juste,
Ensuing his filthy and vyle inclination.
Shall iramediatly be turned into duste,
To the example of all the whole congregation ;
For time bringeth both these matters to passe,
As experience hath taught in euery age,
And you shall beholde the same in this glasse,
As a document both profitable and sage.
Both Lust and Treasure, come foorth with spede
Into the shop of the most mighty God,
There shall you be beaten to pouder in dede,
And for your abusion fele his scourge and rod.
Inc. By Saint Mary ! then they haue made a wise
matche,
I pretende therefore to leape ouer the hatche ;
Nay, let me depart e, syrs ; stop me not, I saye,
For I must remayne, though both these decaye. [Go out.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 41
Luste. Luste from the beginning frequented hath
bene,
And shall I now turne to nothing for thee ?
Ticas. Treasure in all ages hath bene beloued,
And shall she from the earth by thee be remoued ?
Time. You know that all suehe thinges are subject
to time ;
Therefore, me to withstande is no reason nor ryme ;
For like as all thinges in time their beginning had,
So must all thinges in time vanishe and fade.
Luste. Gog's woundes, let Treasure remaine stil
with me.
Treas. Yea, let me continue still in my dignitie.
Time. Nay, I must cary you into Vulcan's fire,
"Where you shall be tried unto the uttermost.
Seing Lust against Lust did daily conspier,
To dust he shall turne for all his great boaste :
Both of you shall haue one rigorous hoaste ;
Come therefore with spede, Time cannot tary,
To the ende of your felicitie I will you carie.
Treas. If there be no remedie, then there is no shifte.
Luste. He must nedes go, that is driuen by the
deuil's drifte ;
A ! cocke's precious sydes, what fortune is this ?
"Whether go I nowe, to misery, or blis ? [Go out.
Enter Juste, leading Inclination in his bridle shakled.
Inc. 'SVe, he, he, he, he ! ware the horse heles, I saye ;
I would the raine ware lose, that I might run away.
Juste. Nay, sithe thou wilt not spare against me to
rebel,
42 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
I will not spare, by God's grace, thee to brydell ;
All men may see how vile Inclination
Spareth not to put the just to vexation ;
Euen so may all men learne of me againe,
Thy beastly desiers to bridle and restraine.
Inc. Mary, syr, I am bridled indeede, as you say,
And shakled, I thinke, for running away ;
This snafle is sharp indeed for the nones,
And these shakkels doe chafe my legs to the bones ;
And yet will I prouoke, spurne, and pricke,
Rebell, repugne, lashe out and kicke.
We, he ! in the jade's name are ye so freshe ?
This gere I suppose will plucke downe your fleshe.
Juste. Kay, softe, thou shalt haue a little more paine,
For somewhat shorter nowe I will tye thy rayne.
E}iter Trust and Consolation.
Trust e. Most blissed and happie, I say, are the juste,
Euen because they restraine their owne inclination ;
Thou, therefore, that hast made thy treasure of trust,
Beholde, I haue brought thee here Consolation.
Juste. Nowe blyssed be God of his mercy and grace,
With all my harte and soule I doe you embrace.
Con. Consolation is my name, euen as Truste hath
saide.
Which is joye, or comfort, in this life transitorie ;
He that possesseth me is of nothing afraide.
But hathe a most quiet and peaciable memorie.
For I, tln-ough Trust, doth shewe thee the glorie
Tliut God hath prepared for them beforehand,
I
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 43
Wherein at the last they shall perfectly stande.
Tniste. Receive this crowne of felicitic now at this
space,
"Which shall be made richer at the celestiall place.
Inc. Byr lady, I woulde I had suclie a gay croune.
Juste. Nowe praysed be God for this riches of
renoune ;
Felicitie, in this worlde, the juste doth enjoye,
Namely, when the deuill can them not anoye ; ^
The Lorde's worke this is, who be praysed for ever,
Who graunte us in his lawes still to persever.
Con. Amen, amen. God gyve us delight
In his holy couenaut bothe day and night.
Trust. Our matter is almost brought to an ende,
Sauing that Inclination in prison must be shut.
Juste, carie him forth, that useth to contende,
And see that surely enoughe he be put.
Juste. That shall be done shortely, by God's grace.
Inc. What, softe, I say, me thinke ye go a shamfull
pace ;
Was ther euer poore colte thus handled before ?
Fie upon it, my legs be onreasonably sore ;
Well, yet I will rebell, yea, and rebell againe,
And though athousand times you shouldest merestraine.
\_LeaJe him out.
Enter Time, with a similitude of dust, and rust.
Time. Beholde here, howe Luste is conuerted to
duste ;
This is his image, his wealth and prosperitie ;
44 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
And Treasure in like case is turned to ruste,
Whereof this example sheweth the veritie.
The Triall of Treasure, this is, no doubte,
Let all men take hede that truste in the same,
Considering what thinges, I, Tyme, bringe aboute,
And quenche out the ungodly, their memory and fame.
Enter Juste.
Juste. Why, and is Lust and Treasure conuerted to
this?
Time. Yea, forsothe.
Juste. What foolishe man in them would put truste.
If this be the finall end of their blisse ?
Muche better I commend the life of the j uste.
Con. So it is, no doubte, for they haue consolation.
Possessing felicitie euen in this place ;
I meane through trust and hope of saluation,
Which setteth out to us God's mercy and grace.
Juste. Let all men consider this good erudition,
And not to put conlidence in Luste nor Treasure ;
By these two examples receiue admonition.
And also of the sodaine banishment of Pleasure.
Time. Remember that Time turneth all things about ;
Time is the touchstone the juste for to try.
But whereas Lust and Treasure in time is come to
nought,
Just, possessing Trust, remayneth constantly.
So that as I, Time, hath reuealed their infainie.
So haue I shewed the consolation and gaine
That tlie juste sliall receiue that justly do raigne.
THE TRIALL OF TREASURE. 45
Con. We will now no longer trouble this audience,
Sythe somewhat tedious to you we have bene ;
Beseching you to beare all thinges with pacience,
And remember the examples that you haue scene.
God graunte them to florishe liuely and grene,
That some of us the better therefore may be,
Amen, amen ! I beseche the blyssed Trinitie.
Praie for all estates.
Take hede in tyme, and note this well.
Be ruled alwaies by councell.
Learne of the just to leade thy life
Being free from envie, wrath, and strife,
Presumption, pride, and covetousnesse.
With all other ungodlinesse.
Learne of them alwayes to obey
The Lordes preceptes, from daye to daye,
That thou maiest walke as he doth wyll,
And labour thy fonde affectes to kill.
Alwayes subdue thy beastly luste,
And in the Lorde put hope and truste ;
Bridle thine inclination
By godly conversation.
46 THE TRIALL OF TREASURE.
The counsell of the wyse embrace,
The fooles advise doe then deface.
Whiche fast and praie wiih good delight,
That Adam may be killed quite.
That joy in us may still encrease,
That God, the Lorde, may give us peace,
That we may be content with Truste
To have our crowne among the just.
Imprinted at London, in Paules Chnrcheyarde, at the signe of
the Lucrc'ce, by Thomas Purfoote.
FINIS.
\
47
VARIOUS READINGS AND CORRECTIONS.
P. 4, /. 21. Some men — I. 25. As luste with the luster —
/. 27. So treasure. — P. 5, 1. 4. You shall — I. 14. Hay ho we
— 1. 18. Cocke Lorrels, ('the text is incorrect) — I. 27. Pleasant
youth.— P. 8, 1. 16. Thou that Lust.— P. 9, 1. 5. Resemble
Hybra- ^. 27. The might— ?. 29. Howe in.— P. 10, I. 4.
Come in — I. 9. Even within. — P. 11, I. 4. Braggingly —
I. 20. The swearde— ?. 23. What should suche.— P. 13, 1. 29.
You unto them. — P. 14, I. 3. This is a Song — I. 25. Yes, so
lo. — P. 15, /. 2. Also of — I. 20. After this, read a line, " But
ho we he is bowed by me, Inclination." — P. 16, ^. 1. And to
clawe — I. 9. Pestilens witty—?. 11. Art not erected — I. 13.
This is spoken hy Lust ; 1. 17 hy Inclination ; /. 21 hy Luste ;
I. 22 hy Inclination ; I. 25 hy Sturdiness ; I. 26 hy Incli-
nation ; 1.11 hy Elation ; I. 28 hy Inclination, and from line
29 is a Song. [A transcript, in the King's Library, British
Museum, has these speeches aU assigned to Greedy-gut, as
in our text]. P. 17, I. 16. Marginal direction, " Go out all
foure." — I. 19. This is spoken hy Sturdiness — I. 21. As other.
—P. 18, I. 16. Of Musonus, also I.— P. 19, I. 20. But
Lust is lusty, and full of porridge — /. 22. When here. —
P. 20, L 2. No remedy; with you we.— P. 23, I. 4. One
dome — ?. 5. Incontiuente — ?. 9. Chill runne. — P. 24, ?. 23.
48
This speech is not assigned to Inclination in the origiiuil. —
P. 26, 1. 14. And sendest— ^, 21. For his, as —P. 28, /. 20.
Worthy pere — I. 24. Tarquinius — I. 25. Heliogabolos. —
P. 29, I. 1. Cancar — I. 24. After this line, add, " Adde
vertue everaiore to your honorable name." — I. 28. Good
succes— ^. 30. Vocation.— P. ZO,l. 11. Feare ye not.— P. 31,
/. 5. Thou Tcn—l. 20. Now I— ;, 25. Into.— P. 32, I. 19.
So most— ^. 27. Othea.— P. 33, I. 23. Happy eaies.— P. 34,
I. 12. Proceade.— P. 39, I. 29. Shall have.— P. 40, I. 16.
To duste.
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TO THE
TENTH ANNUAL MEETING OP THE MEMBERS,
May 1st, 1850.
The Council of the Percy Society, in submitting the
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The publications during the past year have been,
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