 | A Mumming At Eltham |  |
Loo here begynneþe a balade made by daun Iohn
Lidegate at Eltham in Cristmasse, for a momyng
tofore þe kyng and þe Qwene.
1
Bachus, which is god of þe glade vyne,Iuno and Ceres, acorded alle þeos three,
Thorughe þeyre power, which þat is devyne,
Sende nowe þeyre gifftes vn-to Your Magestee:
Wyne, whete and oyle by marchandes þat here be,
Wheeche represent vn-to Youre Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plente and gladnesse.
2
For þeos gifftes pleynly to descryve,Wheche in hem-self designe al souffisaunce:
Pees is betokened by þe grene olyve;
In whete and oyle is foulsome haboundaunce;
Wheche to Youre Hyenesse for to do plesaunce,
Þey represente nowe to Houre Hye Noblesse,
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
3
Ysaak, þe patryark ful olde,Gaf his blessing with his gifftes three
Vn-to Iacobe; in Scripture it is tolde,
Genesis yee may hit reede and see.
And semblabully þe Hooly Trynytee,
Your staate blessing, sent to Youre Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
4
In þe olyve He sendeþe to yowe pees,Þe Lord of Lordes, þat lordshipeþe euery sterre,
673
He stint shal of Mars þe cruwel werre;
And þane youre renoun shal shyne in londes ferre
Of youre two reavmes, graunting to Your Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee and gladnesse.
5
For Mars þat is mooste furyous and woode,Causer of stryff and desobeyssaunce,
Shal cesse his malice; and God þat is so goode,
Of vnytee shal sende al souffysaunce.
He ioyne þe hertes of England and of Fraunce,
Bassent of booþe sent to your Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
6
Iuno þat is goddesse of al tresore,Sende eeke hir gyfftes to your estate royal:
Laude of knight-hoode, victorie and honnour,
Ageyns mescreantes in actes marcyal—
For Crystes feyth yee enhaunce shal;
Repeyre ageyne, and regne in Your Noblesse—,
Pees with youre lieges, plentee and gladnesse.
7
And al þis whyle Ceres, goddesse of corne,Shal where yee ryde mynistre you victayle;
Provydence, hir sustre, goo byforne
And provyde, soo þat no thing ne fayle;
Bachus also, þat may so miche avayle:
Alle of acorde present to Your Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
8
Þis God, þis Goddesse, of entent ful goode,In goodely wyse also þeyre gyfftes dresse
To yowe, Pryncesse, borne of Saint Lowys blood;
Frome yowe avoyding al sorowe, al hevynesse,
Frome yeere to yeere in verray sikrenesse;
To you presenting, yif yowe list aduerte,
Ay by encreesse ioye and gladnesse of hert.
674
9
Þey wol þeyre gyfftes with you and youres dwellePees, vnytee, plentee and haboundaunce,
So þat Fortune may hem not repelle,
Ner hem remuwe thorughe hir varyaunce;
Graunting also perseueraunt constaunce;
To you presenting, yif yowe list aduerte,
Ay by encresse ioye and gladnesse of hert.
10
To Youre Hyenesse þey gif þe fresshe olyve,By pees texyle awaye al hevynesse;
Prosparytee [eeke] during al your lyve.
And Iuno sent you moost excellent ricchesse,
Loue of al people, grounded in stablenesse.
With þis [reff(r)ete, yif yowe list] aduerte,
Ay by [encresse ioye and gladnesse of hert.]
11
Ceres also sent foulsomnesse,Frome yeere to yeere in your court tabyde.
Aduersyte shal þer noon manase,
But care and sorowe for ever sette asyde,
Happe, helthe and grace chosen to be youre guyde.
And with al þis present, yif yee aduerte,
Ay beo encresse, ioye [and] gladnesse of hert.
| A Mumming At Eltham | |