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 | The Romance of William of Palerne |  |
Þus william & his worþi quen winteres fele,
liueden in liking & lisse as our lord wolde,
& haden tvo sones samen ful semliche childeren,
þat seþþen þurth goddes grace were grete lordes after.
þat on was emperour of rome & regned after his fader,
þat oþer was a kud king of calabre & poyle;
& miȝti men & menskful were þei in here time,
& feiþful as here fader to fre & to þewe.
þus þis worþi william was emperour of rome,
þat hadde many hard happe hade þere-bi-fore,
& be in gret baret and bale sum time;
of alle bales was he brouȝt blessed be goddes miȝt!
& so schal euerich seg þat secheþ to þe gode,
& giues him in goddes grace & godliche ay wircheþ.
liueden in liking & lisse as our lord wolde,
& haden tvo sones samen ful semliche childeren,
þat seþþen þurth goddes grace were grete lordes after.
þat on was emperour of rome & regned after his fader,
þat oþer was a kud king of calabre & poyle;
& miȝti men & menskful were þei in here time,
& feiþful as here fader to fre & to þewe.
þus þis worþi william was emperour of rome,
þat hadde many hard happe hade þere-bi-fore,
& be in gret baret and bale sum time;
of alle bales was he brouȝt blessed be goddes miȝt!
& so schal euerich seg þat secheþ to þe gode,
& giues him in goddes grace & godliche ay wircheþ.
In þise wise haþ william al his werke ended,
as fully as þe frensche fully wold aske,
& as his witte him wold serue þouȝh it were febul.
but þouȝh þe metur be nouȝt mad at eche mannes paye,
wite him nouȝt þat it wrouȝt he wold haue do beter,
ȝif is witte in eny weiȝes wold him haue serued.
but, faire frendes, for goddes loue & for ȝour owne mensk,
ȝe þat liken in loue swiche þinges to here,
preiȝes for þat gode lord þat gart þis do make,
þe hende erl of hereford humfray de boune;—
þe gode king edwardes douȝter was his dere moder;—
he let make þis mater in þis maner speche,
for hem þat knowe no frensche ne neuer vndersto[n].
biddiþ þat blisful burn þat bouȝt vs on þe rode,
& to his moder marie of mercy þat is welle,
“ȝif þe lord god lif wil he in erþe lenges,
& whan he wendes of þis world welþe with-oute ende,
to lenge in þat liking ioye þat lesteþ euer-more.”
& god gif alle god grace þat gladli so biddes,
& pertli in paradis a place for to haue. Amen.
as fully as þe frensche fully wold aske,
& as his witte him wold serue þouȝh it were febul.
but þouȝh þe metur be nouȝt mad at eche mannes paye,
wite him nouȝt þat it wrouȝt he wold haue do beter,
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but, faire frendes, for goddes loue & for ȝour owne mensk,
ȝe þat liken in loue swiche þinges to here,
preiȝes for þat gode lord þat gart þis do make,
þe hende erl of hereford humfray de boune;—
þe gode king edwardes douȝter was his dere moder;—
he let make þis mater in þis maner speche,
for hem þat knowe no frensche ne neuer vndersto[n].
biddiþ þat blisful burn þat bouȝt vs on þe rode,
& to his moder marie of mercy þat is welle,
“ȝif þe lord god lif wil he in erþe lenges,
& whan he wendes of þis world welþe with-oute ende,
to lenge in þat liking ioye þat lesteþ euer-more.”
& god gif alle god grace þat gladli so biddes,
& pertli in paradis a place for to haue. Amen.
| The Romance of William of Palerne | |