Verses on the Nine Worthies

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VERSES ON THE NINE WORTHIES

Professor Gollancz' edition of the Parlement of the Thre Ages,
published in 1915, contains an appendix consisting of early texts
illustrative of the Nine Worthies theme. These texts, written in
Latin, French, German, and English, show the wide dispersion of
the theme in literature. My researches have brought to my atten-
tion a number of others, dating from the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries, some of which afford interesting comparisons with those
published by Gollancz.

The first is written in a hand of about 1380 in a manuscript of
the Vulgate about a century older, prepared for, and doubtless used
in, Sweetheart Abbey in Kirkcudbright. 1 The lines, which present
a variant of those numbered as XVII and XVIII in Gollancz' appen-
dix, and show the same Scotch tradition of Robert Bruce as the tenth
Worthy that we meet in the Ballet of the Nine Nobles, numbered X
by Gollancz, run as follows :

Ector, Alexander, Julius, Josue, David, Machabeus,
Arthurus, Carulus, et postremus Godofrydus —
Robertus rex Scotorum denus est in numero meliorum.

II

The next is a set of stanzas which accompanies mural paintings of
the Nine Worthies in the castle of La Manta in Piedmont. 2 The
paintings were executed between 1411 and 1430. The verses are
interesting, first, as showing a clear dependence upon the very earliest
authoritative treatment of the Nine Worthies in literature, the
passage from the Vaeux du Paon of Jacques de Longuyon, which is
given by Gollancz as VI; and, in the second place, as showing a
version in Italianized French of the stanzas on the woodblock of

1 Bernard Quaritch, Catalogue No. 196, p. 299.

2 P. D'Ancona, "Gli affreschi del castello di Manta," V Arte, 1905, p. 195.

211] 19 [Modeen Philology, August, 1917

20

Roger Sherman Loomis

1454-57, given by Gollancz as XIV. 1 The text is given by D'Ancona

as follows ■?

Ector Je fui de Troie nee et fis du roy Priam,

E fuy qant Menelas e la gregoise gans

Vindrer asegier Troie a cumpagne grant;

La ocige XXX rois et des autres bien CCC :

Puis moy ocist Achiles ases vilainemant

Devant que Diu nasquit XI.CXXX ans.

Alisandre Jay coquis por ma force les illes d'outramer;

D'Orient jusques a Ocident fuge ja sire apeles.
Jay tue roy Daire, Porus, Nicole larmires; 3
La grant Babiloina fige ver moy encliner;
E fuy sire du monde; puis fui enarbres:
Ce fut III.C ans devant que Diu fut nee.

D Rome fuge jadis enperere et roy;

Jay conquis tote Spagne, France, e Navaroys;

Ponpe, Amunsorage, e Casahilion li roy;

La cite dAlisandra amim somis voloyr: 4

Mort fui devant que Diu nasquit des ans XL trois.

Des enfans d'Irael fuge fort ames,
Qant Diu fist pour miracle li solegl arester,
Le flin Jordam partir a pasaie la roge mer;
Le Filistins ne purent contra moy endurer:
Je ocis XXXII roy: puis moy fenir,
XIIII.C ans devant que Diu fust nee.

Roy Davit Je trovay son de harpa e de sauterion;
Si ay tue Gulias, un grant gehant felon;
En meintes batagles moy tient-on a prodons:
Apres li roy Saul tien je la region;
Et fui vray propheta de lancarnacion :
Mort fui VIII.C ans devant que Diu devenist hons.

1 There are certain errors in Gollancz' printing of these stanzas, as may be seen by
comparing it with Pilinski's reproduction of the woodcuts in his Monuments de la Xylo-
graphie, Les Neuf Preux. Gollancz' errors are as follows: The title Hector de Troye
should read Troie; and in the first line following, povoir should read pooir. The second
title should read Alixandre; and in the fourth line below, pris should read os. The fifth
title should read Le Roy David. In the sixth stanza, 1. 4, le should read se. In the
seventh, 1. 3, grant should read grand; and in 1. 5 g{uer)re should read gerre (cf. gerrier in
the next stanza). The eighth title should read Charle le Grand.

2 D'Ancona has emended the text, but gives the original reading in his notes.

» In the margin the painter of the legends supplied glosses describing Daire as li
Persian and Porus as li Endian.

* D'Ancona suggests that this is a corruption of soumis a mon voloyr.

212

Julius

Cesar

Josuee

Verses on the Nine Worthies

21

Judas Je viens en Jerusalem, en la grant regiom,

Makabeus E la loy Moises metre a defensiom;

Ceous qui adorent les idoles, mecreants e felons,
.... mige a destrucion;

Econtra heus men alay a pou de compagnons;

E mory VC ans devant licarnacion.

Roy Artus Je fui roy de Bertagne, d'Escosa e d'Anglatere;
Cinquanta roy conquis qui de moy tiegnen terre;
Jay tue VII grans Jehans rustons en mi lour terre;
Sus le munt Saint Michel un autre nalay conquere;
Vis le Seint Greal; puis moy fist Mordre goere;
Qui moy ocist V.C ans puis que Diu vint en tere.

Charlemaine Je fui roy, emperaire, e fuy nee de France;
Jay aquis tote Espagne e in us la creance;
Namont e Agolant ocige sans dotance;
Le Senes descunfis e l'Armireau de Valence.
En Jerusalem remige la creance,
E mors fuy V.C. ans apres Diu sans dotance.

Godefroy Je fuy Dus de Loraine apres mes ancesours,

de Bouglon E si tien de Bouglon le palais e le tours;

Au plain de Romania jay conquis les Mersours:
Li roy Corbaran ocige a force e a stours;
Jerusalem conquige au retours,
E mori XIC ans apres Nostre Segnour.

Ill

Another version of these stanzas is found on the fragmentary
woodcuts of the Hotel de Ville at Metz. 1 These according to
Pilinski date from before 1460, and they show some dialectal forms
of Lorraine.

(Joshua) Des enfans disrael fuge forment ameis

Quant dieus fit par miracle le solail aresteir
Le fleune iordan p(ar)tir & passay rouge meir
Les mescreans ne peurent contre moy dureir
De XXXII royalmes fige les roys tueir
XIII C . ans deuant que die- fut- ne-

» Reproduced by Pilinski, Monuments de la Xylogriphie, Lea Neuf Preuz.

213

22 Roger Sherman Loomis

(David) Ie trouuay son de harpe & de psalteriu-

Et golias tuay le grant gayant fel-
En pluseurs grans batailes me tint on-
Et apres le roy saul ie tins la regio-
Et si propheti . . . lanuntia-

(Godfrey) -e fus due de lorraine apres mes ancessours

-t si tins de boullon les palais & les tours
-n plain de comeine desconfis lamassour
-e roy cornemarent occis par fort atour
-herusalem conquis antijoche au retour
-s fus .XI C . apres nostre se-

IV

The next treatment of the Nine Worthies is a Latin description by
Antonio d'Asti of the statues of these heroes in the great hall of
Coucy, written in 1451. : Bertrand du Guesclin here makes a tenth
Worthy.

Adde novem veterum fama praestante virorum,
Nomen apud Gallos clarae probitatis habentum,
Illic compositas ex petra albente figuras.
Ex quibus existunt Judea ab origine nati
Tres domini: Josue, Judas Machabaeus, et ipse
David; tres autem gentilis sanguinis: Hector
Trojanus, Caesar Romanus Jullius, atque
Magnus Alexander; tres vero Regis Olimpi,
Qui fuit ob nostram passus tormenta salutem,
Excoluere fidem, certe meliora secuti:
Arturus rex, et rex Magnus Karolus, atque
Is qui pro Christo postremus subdidit urbem
Jerusalem, aeterno Gothofredus nomine dignus.
Addidit his genitor nostri hujus principis, heros
Summae virtutis, Lodoycus, munera longe
Promeritus famae, qui non mediocriter auxit
Hoe castrum, decimam Gallorum ex gente figuram
Militis insignis Clasehina, prole Britanna
Nati, Bertrandi, quo nullus major in armis
Tempestate sua fuit, aut praestantior omni
Virtute, et tota fama praeclarior orbe.

1 Le Roux de Lincy, Paris et ses Historiens, p. 558.

214

Verses on the Nine Worthies
V

23

The fifth example occurs on a series of copper engravings, made
in 1464 by an anonymous artist known as the Meister mit den
Bandrollen, of which sets are to be found in the British Museum and
the library of Bamberg. 1 The verses, which reflect rather unfavor-
ably on the composer's latinity, run as follows:

Hector
de

troya

Hector de troya priamis filius
fuit de ix paribus unus
apud troyam fuit occisus
ab archille ut legimus
xic annis lxx uter pars minus
antequam xps fuit natus

Rex

alexander

Secondus fuit alexander vocatus
qui de macedonia fuit natus

in paradiso tributum

sicut continet historia scriptum

tre centis annis obiit prius

in babilonia quam nasceretur xps

Julius

cesar

rex

Julius cesar tercius vocatur

per quam terra magna acquiratur

in babilona & italia

ipse possedit cum potencia

de satis fuit vexatus

xlii annis antequam xps fuit natus

nobilis

(Inscription imperfect)

Iosue

rex

Quintus dauid vocabatur

dauid

vere illustris rex coronabatur

golias fuit ab eo interfectus

a deo fuit dauid electus

obiit ut legimus mille annis

ante datum xpi incarnacionis

' Described by Dodgson, Catalogue of German and Flemish Prints in the British
Museum, II, 150 ff.

215

24

Roger Sherman Loomis

Judas
machabeus

Artur
rex

Karolus
rex

gotfridus
de bulion

Sextus fuit vero iudeus

et vocabatur iudas machabeus

muchonorum ipse necavit

de hoc seculo migravit

centum & quadraginta duo annis

ante datum xpi incarnacionis

Artur fuit in ordine primus

christianorum et rex nobilissimus

draconem ipse occidit

Et per xpo penas habuit

post mortem xpi vc et xlv annis

abiit artur rex illustris

Karolus rex et imperator

fuit sanctus et dominator

per ytaliam & almaneam

per friseam & hyspaniam

aquis gracie obiit nobilis

post mortem xpi viiic et xlv annis

gotfridus de bulion fuit tercius
et paganis multum durus
jhrem subiugauit et locum sanctum
coronam spineam portauit tantum
veneno ipse fuit toscicatus
post mortem xpi xic annis

VI

The sixth is found in MS Harley 2259, fol. 39v, at the British
Museum, and has been published by Furnivall in Notes and Queries. 1
As this text is so easily accessible, I print here only the first of the
nine stanzas.

ix e worthy

Trogie.
Ector, miles paganus, & he b(ere) asure ij lyons rampant

ante incarnacionem. combataunt or, enarmyd goules.

Ector, that was off alle knyghtes flowre,
whych euer gate hym' with hys hond honour,
vnware, of achylles full of envye,
was slayn': alias, that euer shuld he deye!

i Series VII, Vol. VIII, p. 22.

216

Verses on the Nine Worthies 25

VII

In the Coventry Leet Book an account is given of the entertain-
ment of Queen Margaret, in 1455, and on this occasion the Nine
Worthies figured among the spectacles, each of them delivering a
speech of welcome. 1

Afturward betwix the seyde crosse & the cundit benej>e that were sette
ix pagentes well arayed & yn every pagent was shewed a speche of the ix
conqueroures yn the furst was shewed of Hector as foloweth
hector Most pleasaunt princes recordid l>at may be

I hector of troy l>at am chefe conquerour
lowly wyll obey yowe & knele on my kne
and welcom yowe tendurly to your honoure
to this conabull citie the princes chaumber
whome ye bare yn youre bosom joy to J>is lande
thro whome in prosperite J>is empyre shall stand

In the secunde pagent was shewed a speche of Alexander as foloweth
alex I alexander J>at for chyvalry berithe l>e balle

Most curious in conquest thro J>e world am y named

Welcum yowe princes as quene principall

but I hayls you right hendly I wer wurthy to be blamyd

The noblest prince bat is born whome fortune hath famyd

is your sovereyn lorde herry emperour & kyng

unto whom mekely I wyll be obeying

In the thridde pagent was shewed of Josue as foloweth
josue I Josue l>at in hebrewe reyn principall

to whome J>at all egipte was fayne to inclyne

wyll abey to your plesur princes most riall

as to the heghest lady bat I can ymagyne

to the plesure of your persone I wyll put me to pyne

As a knyght for his lady boldly to fight

Yf any man of curage wold bid you unright.

In the fourthe pagent was shewed of david as foloweth
david I David bat in deyntes have led all my dayes

That slowe be lyon & goly thorowe goddys myght
Will obey to you lady youre persone prayse
And welcum you curtesly as a kynd knyght
for the love of your lege lorde herry that hight
And your laudabull lyfe that vertuus ever hath be
lady most lufly ye be welcum to bis cite

1 Thomas Sharp, Dissertation on the Pageants or Dramatic Mysteries, p. 147.

217

26 Roger Sherman Loomis

In the fyth pagent was shewed a speche of Judas as foloweth
Judas I Judas J>at yn Jure am callid the belle

In knyghthode & conquest have I no pere

Wyll obey to you prynces elles did I not well

And tendurly welcum you yn my manere

Your own soverayn lorde & kynge is present here

Whome god for his godeness preserve in good helthe

and ende you with worship to this landys welthe.

In the sixt pagent was shewed a speche of Arthur as foloweth
akthde I Arthur kynge crownyd & conquerour

That yn this land reyned right rially
With dedes of armes I slowe the Emperour
The tribute of this ryche reme I made downe to ly
Ihit unto [you] lady obey I mekely
as youre sure servande plesur to your highnesse
for the most plesaunt princes mortal \>&t es.

In the vij pagent was shewed a speche of Charles as foloweth
Charles I charles chefe cheftan of J>e reme of fraunce
And emperour of grete rome made by eleccion
Which put mony paynyms to pyne & penaunce
The holy relikes of criste I had in possession
Jhit lady to your highnes to cause dieu refeccion
Worshipfully I welcum you after your magnificens
Yf my service mowe plese you I wyll put to my diligens

In the viij Pagent was shewed a speche of Julius as foloweth
Julius I Julius cesar soverayn of knyghthode

and emperour of mortall men most hegh & myghty

Welcum you prynces most benynge & gode

Of quenes >at byn crowned so high non knowe I

the same blessyd blossom J>at spronge of your body

Shall succede me in worship I wyll it be so

all the landis olyve shall obey hym un to.

In the ix Pagent was shewed a speche of Godfride as foloweth
godfride I Godfride of Bollayn kynge of Jerusalem

Weryng J>e thorny crowne yn worshyp of Jhesu
Which in battayle have no pere under the sone beme
Yhit lady right lowely I loute unto yowe
So excellent a princes stedefast & trewe
knowe I none christened as you in your estate
Jhesu for hys merci incresse & not abate.
218

Verses on the Nine Worthies 27

VIII

A tapestry of the third quarter of the fifteenth century in the
Basel Historical Museum gives us German couplets for five of the
Worthies. 1 The tapestry, bearing as it does the arms of a Basel
family, was doubtless of Swiss manufacture.

David .... kam schlug ich den grossen goliam

Judas Machebeus ich hab gehabt iudische lant und min opfer zuo gott
gesant

Kunig Artus min macht und min miltikeit das ich alle lant erstreit

Kaisser Karelus weltlich recht han ich gestifft und die bestettiet in
geschrift

Goppfrit herr von noch duress fursten adels sitten han ich das heilige grab
hollant erstritten

Of the texts on the subject of the Nine Worthies one of those given
by Gollancz (No. XIII), a mumming play of the time of Edward IV,
and one of those given above (No. VII), the Coventry pageant, were
intended for oral recitation, and of course each of the speeches is in
the first person. It seems to me, therefore, possible that the stanzas
of which versions are to be found on the Bibliotheque Nationale and
Metz woodcuts and at La Manta were composed originally for that
purpose. The commonest method of explanation on wall paintings,
tapestries, and so forth is the third person. Perhaps, too, the
German prologue to the prose Alexander (Gollancz No. XV) and the
couplets for the Basel tapestry, both of which are written in the
first person, were also intended as the parts of actors in a pageant, and
came to be used naturally for other purposes. A set of sixteenth
century tapestries from the district of La Marche, originally dis-
covered at St. Maixent and now at the Castle of Langeais, also
bears inscriptions in the first person. 2 Perhaps when further texts
of this character have been accumulated, we shall have actual proof
of the occasional adoption of pageant parts by tapicers and other
decorative artists for explanatory legends on their products.

Roger Sherman Loomis
University or Illinois

1 Julius Lessing, Wandteppiche und Decken des Deutschen Mittelalters, Plate XXVIII.

2 Bulletin de la Sociit^ Arckiologique et Historique du Limousin, 1894, p. 209.

219