The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun printed on parallel pages from the Cottonian and Wemyss mss., with the variants of the other texts: Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary by F. J. Amours |
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| XCV. | CHAPTER XCV. |
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 | CHAPTER XCV. The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun |  |
CHAPTER XCV.
Off Theodosyus þe gud emperour
That Sanct Ambross brocht fra errour.
That Sanct Ambross brocht fra errour.
Thre hundreth ȝere foure score and sevin
Efter þe birgh of God of Hevin,
Theodosyus past on weire
In till Grece with gret powere,
And wan þe toune of Thessaly,
A gret cete and a mychti,
That had conspyrit all in ire
Agane the stait of þe empyre,
And his luftennendis þai slew þare,
And of vthere officiaris, þat of him baire
Stait and cure, thai slew all doune
In to that cete rycht felloune.
This Theodosyus forthy
Gert sla all doune without mercy,
With thai mysdoaris saikles blude,
That nomerit were in multitud
Five thousand men, but barnis and wiffis,
That at þat slauchter lossit þe liffis;
And efter þat distructioun
Out of þe land he maid him bovne,
And come in Lumbardy agane
Evin to the cete of Myllane.
Efter þe birgh of God of Hevin,
Theodosyus past on weire
In till Grece with gret powere,
And wan þe toune of Thessaly,
A gret cete and a mychti,
472
Agane the stait of þe empyre,
And his luftennendis þai slew þare,
And of vthere officiaris, þat of him baire
Stait and cure, thai slew all doune
In to that cete rycht felloune.
This Theodosyus forthy
Gert sla all doune without mercy,
With thai mysdoaris saikles blude,
That nomerit were in multitud
Five thousand men, but barnis and wiffis,
That at þat slauchter lossit þe liffis;
And efter þat distructioun
Out of þe land he maid him bovne,
And come in Lumbardy agane
Evin to the cete of Myllane.
Thare Sanct Ambross, þat haly man
Wes of þat cete bischop þan,
Herd tell how þat saikles blude
Wes spilt in to sic multitude.
As Theodosyus on a day
Fra his palace tuke þe way
Towart þe kirk, in to þat quhile
This Sanct Ambross vtouth þe stile
Him met and said: “Quhether art þov bovne?
I mak þe inhibitioun
In Goddis kirk to mak entre
Till thi trespass amendit be.
Thav knawis þi self as emperour,
Bot nocht þi dedis of errour;
Thow kennis nocht at ar felloune,
Na þe charge of thi prescriptioun;
Thov comptis nocht þat in wodnes
Gert sla sa mony þat wes saikles;
Bot þe welth þat þov art in
Gerris þe þusgatis mysknaw þi syne;
Forthy it nedis þat ressoune
Thyne vnreullis habandoun;
For natur, certis, ay suld be
Considerit in mortalite,
And of our tyme þe latter day
We suld haif in memor ay,
And of our dedis þat we haif wrocht,
And to quhat end we haif þaim brocht;
And nouþer in strenth of oure ȝouthheid,
Na in þe coloure of oure faire heid,
Na ȝit in robis of fyne purpure,
Standis þe stait of oure errour;
For throu the feble infirmyte
Off brukill flesche, baith þov and we
Ar baith elike as be nature,
For all þi hycht and þi honour.
Thow art bot seruand ȝit, I wiss,
Off sic seruandis as þov is;
A lord is at we God call,
A king and makare of ws all.
How dare þov with þin ene se
The temple of þe Trinite?
How dar þov think in þin entent
To tred apon hallowit pathment
With thi feit at sa fast ȝude
To ger spill sic saikles blude?
How may þov heif þi handis on hycht
Till hevin, or till God of mycht,
Quhare of þe saikles blude dropand
Has fylit baith þi sleif and hand?
How dar þov think in þin entent
To ask þe haly sacrament?
For þi pass hame, and press þe nocht
To þat fell syne þat þov has wrocht
For till eik ane, till þov it mend,
And thole quhat God will on þe send.
Perchance it may be medicyne
Off syne, at þov has lang in lyne.”
Wes of þat cete bischop þan,
Herd tell how þat saikles blude
Wes spilt in to sic multitude.
As Theodosyus on a day
Fra his palace tuke þe way
Towart þe kirk, in to þat quhile
This Sanct Ambross vtouth þe stile
Him met and said: “Quhether art þov bovne?
I mak þe inhibitioun
In Goddis kirk to mak entre
Till thi trespass amendit be.
Thav knawis þi self as emperour,
Bot nocht þi dedis of errour;
474
Na þe charge of thi prescriptioun;
Thov comptis nocht þat in wodnes
Gert sla sa mony þat wes saikles;
Bot þe welth þat þov art in
Gerris þe þusgatis mysknaw þi syne;
Forthy it nedis þat ressoune
Thyne vnreullis habandoun;
For natur, certis, ay suld be
Considerit in mortalite,
And of our tyme þe latter day
We suld haif in memor ay,
And of our dedis þat we haif wrocht,
And to quhat end we haif þaim brocht;
And nouþer in strenth of oure ȝouthheid,
Na in þe coloure of oure faire heid,
Na ȝit in robis of fyne purpure,
Standis þe stait of oure errour;
For throu the feble infirmyte
Off brukill flesche, baith þov and we
Ar baith elike as be nature,
For all þi hycht and þi honour.
Thow art bot seruand ȝit, I wiss,
Off sic seruandis as þov is;
A lord is at we God call,
A king and makare of ws all.
How dare þov with þin ene se
The temple of þe Trinite?
476
To tred apon hallowit pathment
With thi feit at sa fast ȝude
To ger spill sic saikles blude?
How may þov heif þi handis on hycht
Till hevin, or till God of mycht,
Quhare of þe saikles blude dropand
Has fylit baith þi sleif and hand?
How dar þov think in þin entent
To ask þe haly sacrament?
For þi pass hame, and press þe nocht
To þat fell syne þat þov has wrocht
For till eik ane, till þov it mend,
And thole quhat God will on þe send.
Perchance it may be medicyne
Off syne, at þov has lang in lyne.”
All þire wordis þe emperour,
As cunnand in till letteratour,
Herd, and thaim consauit weill
Quhat fell to bischopis ilk deill,
And went on hame with saire siching,
With repentance and gret murnyng,
Till aucht monethis weire neire past,
And Ȝule wes followand als fast,
Quhen Ihesu Crist Lord wes borne
To sauf mankynd þat wes forlorne.
Than Rufyne, his famuliere,
That all tyme wes him with and neire,
Sperit þe causs of his doloure;
Than till him ansuerd the emperour,
Menand sairely his trespas,
Sayand: “Allace, at he borne was
That he sic horrible causs suld ma
Haly kirk to be put fra,
That commone is to knaif and knycht,
And till all Cristin creature rycht;
To fre and gentill, bond and thrall,
The kirk is opin to þaim all
That cumis with deuotioun
To God to mak þare orisoun,
And for my syne is closit me fra,
And hevin is closit fra me alsua.”
Than said Ruffyne: “I will ga trete,
Withoutin wordis of aw or threte,
With þe bischop, to change his saw
And his decrete in myldare law.”
Till him þan ansuerd Theodoss:
“Pass on, bot I trow at Ambross
Sall neuer discerne bot it is rycht
That I be put furth of my plycht,
For nouþer king nor emperoure
May gere him inclyne till errour,
Na gere him reuoke þat at he
Decretis for rycht equite;
For I him knaw sa wiss a man
That all þair wittis him mend na can.”
Quhen this [had] spokin Theodoss,
Ruffyne past on till Ambrose,
And quhen he had tald his trete,
Ambross said: “Ruffyne, me think þe
Like a bund dog þat ay brayis,
For þov me in þis thing assayis,
Barkand agane þe maiestie
Off mychti God be þi trete,
Set at þov say at þe emperour
Mak him to cum throu his terrour,
I sall agane stand and lat at he
Within þe kirk sall mak entre.
Supposs þe stait of his empyre
Be changeit in tyrandry and ire,
My dede I sall thole wilfully,
Or he me wyn wiþ his mastry.”
Ruffyne þan, his mediatour,
Past agane to þe emperour,
And all þe wordis of Ambross
He rehersit to Theodoss,
That ansuerd him and said meikly:
“To þe bischop now bodely
I will pass, and heire quhat he
For my defalt will say to me.”
And sa he did, bot nocht forþi,
For all his mycht and senȝeory,
Within þe kirk durst he nocht ga,
Bot without it byding can ma;
He sat him doun to wait and se
The bischopis oportunyte.
Sone efter þe bischop bodely
He saw, and salust him meikly,
And on his baire kneis sone doune he fell,
And prayit him, þe suth to tell,
That he wald louss him of his syne
And bandis þat he lay bunding in;
Thus maid he faire and meik prayere.
The bischop þan on þis manere
Said: “Þi powere certanely
Is like all to fell tyrandry;
Thus mayis þe agane God to weid,
And to fordo his law in deid.”
“Na,” said þe emperour, “on na wiss
Think I agane his law to ryss,
Na think I neid for to wirk
Agane þe stait of haly kirk,
Na ȝit in it to mak entre,
Till ȝe, fader, assolȝe me,
And lowss me of ȝone band of syne
And cumbranss at I am fallin in.
Lat nocht be stekit aganis me
The ȝet of hevin, at ay salbe
Opin till all men penitent,
And askis mercy wiþ trew entent;
For God him self is to mercy
Than to vengeans ay mare redy.
This is the sovme of my prayere,
As I that meikly is cummyn heire.”
Than said þe bischop: “Quhat pennance
Has þov done, or ȝit repentance,
For thi gret fell iniquite?
Quhat medicyne has þov done, lat se,
To heill or to raiss þaim agane
That in thi breich þov gert be slane?”
Full meikly þan þe emperour
Said with reuerens and honoure:
“Fader, ȝour part is till [inione]
My pennance þat ȝe wald haif done,
And temper ȝoure medicyne now sa
That I mycht þe rycht way ga;
And I obliss me to fulfill
All ȝour bidding with gud will.”
The bischop þan at his meiknes
And his wordis mare sekere wes,
And said: “Sen̄ ressoune þin entent
Rewllit [noucht] all in iugisment,
Bot ragit wauerand or wodnes,
And held nane ordour of rychtuisnes,
For law I will þov now ga dyte
And with haist in þi letres writt
That sentens of evin rychtuisnes
Fordo decretis of wodnes;
Writt als, and for law allwayis
Gert hald, that full xxx. dayis
Sentens of deid or bannysing
Be kepit close but publising,
For to byde iugisment of ressoune
With rype examinatioun;
Sa þat it may be sessit weill,
Thai dayis passit oure ilk deill,
And sa throu law and equite
All thing may rycht disponit be;
And sentens gevin full lauchfully
May hald and bynd all sekirly,
And þat sentens with forme of law
The iuge may with gud counsall knaw
That mony sall follow syne na schame,
Na till his stait sall fall na blame,
Na be oure hasty iugement
Sall be supprisit nane innocent.”
As cunnand in till letteratour,
Herd, and thaim consauit weill
Quhat fell to bischopis ilk deill,
And went on hame with saire siching,
With repentance and gret murnyng,
Till aucht monethis weire neire past,
And Ȝule wes followand als fast,
Quhen Ihesu Crist Lord wes borne
To sauf mankynd þat wes forlorne.
Than Rufyne, his famuliere,
That all tyme wes him with and neire,
Sperit þe causs of his doloure;
Than till him ansuerd the emperour,
478
Sayand: “Allace, at he borne was
That he sic horrible causs suld ma
Haly kirk to be put fra,
That commone is to knaif and knycht,
And till all Cristin creature rycht;
To fre and gentill, bond and thrall,
The kirk is opin to þaim all
That cumis with deuotioun
To God to mak þare orisoun,
And for my syne is closit me fra,
And hevin is closit fra me alsua.”
Than said Ruffyne: “I will ga trete,
Withoutin wordis of aw or threte,
With þe bischop, to change his saw
And his decrete in myldare law.”
Till him þan ansuerd Theodoss:
“Pass on, bot I trow at Ambross
Sall neuer discerne bot it is rycht
That I be put furth of my plycht,
For nouþer king nor emperoure
May gere him inclyne till errour,
Na gere him reuoke þat at he
Decretis for rycht equite;
For I him knaw sa wiss a man
That all þair wittis him mend na can.”
Quhen this [had] spokin Theodoss,
Ruffyne past on till Ambrose,
And quhen he had tald his trete,
Ambross said: “Ruffyne, me think þe
480
For þov me in þis thing assayis,
Barkand agane þe maiestie
Off mychti God be þi trete,
Set at þov say at þe emperour
Mak him to cum throu his terrour,
I sall agane stand and lat at he
Within þe kirk sall mak entre.
Supposs þe stait of his empyre
Be changeit in tyrandry and ire,
My dede I sall thole wilfully,
Or he me wyn wiþ his mastry.”
Ruffyne þan, his mediatour,
Past agane to þe emperour,
And all þe wordis of Ambross
He rehersit to Theodoss,
That ansuerd him and said meikly:
“To þe bischop now bodely
I will pass, and heire quhat he
For my defalt will say to me.”
And sa he did, bot nocht forþi,
For all his mycht and senȝeory,
Within þe kirk durst he nocht ga,
Bot without it byding can ma;
He sat him doun to wait and se
The bischopis oportunyte.
Sone efter þe bischop bodely
He saw, and salust him meikly,
And on his baire kneis sone doune he fell,
And prayit him, þe suth to tell,
482
And bandis þat he lay bunding in;
Thus maid he faire and meik prayere.
The bischop þan on þis manere
Said: “Þi powere certanely
Is like all to fell tyrandry;
Thus mayis þe agane God to weid,
And to fordo his law in deid.”
“Na,” said þe emperour, “on na wiss
Think I agane his law to ryss,
Na think I neid for to wirk
Agane þe stait of haly kirk,
Na ȝit in it to mak entre,
Till ȝe, fader, assolȝe me,
And lowss me of ȝone band of syne
And cumbranss at I am fallin in.
Lat nocht be stekit aganis me
The ȝet of hevin, at ay salbe
Opin till all men penitent,
And askis mercy wiþ trew entent;
For God him self is to mercy
Than to vengeans ay mare redy.
This is the sovme of my prayere,
As I that meikly is cummyn heire.”
Than said þe bischop: “Quhat pennance
Has þov done, or ȝit repentance,
For thi gret fell iniquite?
Quhat medicyne has þov done, lat se,
To heill or to raiss þaim agane
That in thi breich þov gert be slane?”
484
Said with reuerens and honoure:
“Fader, ȝour part is till [inione]
My pennance þat ȝe wald haif done,
And temper ȝoure medicyne now sa
That I mycht þe rycht way ga;
And I obliss me to fulfill
All ȝour bidding with gud will.”
The bischop þan at his meiknes
And his wordis mare sekere wes,
And said: “Sen̄ ressoune þin entent
Rewllit [noucht] all in iugisment,
Bot ragit wauerand or wodnes,
And held nane ordour of rychtuisnes,
For law I will þov now ga dyte
And with haist in þi letres writt
That sentens of evin rychtuisnes
Fordo decretis of wodnes;
Writt als, and for law allwayis
Gert hald, that full xxx. dayis
Sentens of deid or bannysing
Be kepit close but publising,
For to byde iugisment of ressoune
With rype examinatioun;
Sa þat it may be sessit weill,
Thai dayis passit oure ilk deill,
And sa throu law and equite
All thing may rycht disponit be;
486
May hald and bynd all sekirly,
And þat sentens with forme of law
The iuge may with gud counsall knaw
That mony sall follow syne na schame,
Na till his stait sall fall na blame,
Na be oure hasty iugement
Sall be supprisit nane innocent.”
The emperour consauit weyll
All þir wordis ilk deill,
And oblist him for to fulfill
All þir statutis with gud will,
And maid þare his confessioun,
And tuke syne absolutioun.
And in þe kirk with gud entent
He enterit and kissit the pathment,
And baid standand without the queire,
Quhare all þe commonis standand were,
Herand þe mess all þat quhile,
Quhill red and done wes þe ewangile,
And kepit þe tyme of þe offerand.
One kneis þan to þe preistis hand
He past, and stude syne in the queire,
Off þat mess þe laif to heire.
The bischop þan with stout will
Askit quhy he baid þare sa still,
Haldand within the queire þat place
That neuer to seculare ordanit was.
The emperour ansuerd þan meikly,
And said: “For na hicht of senȝeory
Byde I heire, bot in gud entent
For to resaue the sacrament.”
The bischop chargeit till him þan
His archdene, a cunnand man,
That said till him: “Schir emperoure,
Ȝe leif þe queire with ȝour honour;
For þe queire all halely
For preistis ordanit specially,
And to clerkis on þare wiss
To syng or say þare Goddis seruice.
Set ȝoure array of riche purpure
Schaw ȝow now heire as emperoure,
Ȝour purpure may nocht preistis ma;
Out of þe queire I reid ȝow ga,
And but amangis the commonyte
Byde thare ȝour oportunyte
Thare to tak ȝour sacrament.”
Than but he past with gud entent,
And said but ony rebellioun
In till his excusatioun:
“I wend that manere here had bene
In Constantinople as I had sene;
Thare in þe queire of honour
Is a steid for þe emperour;
Bot lovit be God,” said he syne,
“This is bot hailsum medicyne
For the woundis of my syne,
That I am lyand stynkand in.”
All þir wordis ilk deill,
And oblist him for to fulfill
All þir statutis with gud will,
And maid þare his confessioun,
And tuke syne absolutioun.
And in þe kirk with gud entent
He enterit and kissit the pathment,
And baid standand without the queire,
Quhare all þe commonis standand were,
Herand þe mess all þat quhile,
Quhill red and done wes þe ewangile,
And kepit þe tyme of þe offerand.
One kneis þan to þe preistis hand
He past, and stude syne in the queire,
Off þat mess þe laif to heire.
The bischop þan with stout will
Askit quhy he baid þare sa still,
Haldand within the queire þat place
That neuer to seculare ordanit was.
The emperour ansuerd þan meikly,
And said: “For na hicht of senȝeory
488
For to resaue the sacrament.”
The bischop chargeit till him þan
His archdene, a cunnand man,
That said till him: “Schir emperoure,
Ȝe leif þe queire with ȝour honour;
For þe queire all halely
For preistis ordanit specially,
And to clerkis on þare wiss
To syng or say þare Goddis seruice.
Set ȝoure array of riche purpure
Schaw ȝow now heire as emperoure,
Ȝour purpure may nocht preistis ma;
Out of þe queire I reid ȝow ga,
And but amangis the commonyte
Byde thare ȝour oportunyte
Thare to tak ȝour sacrament.”
Than but he past with gud entent,
And said but ony rebellioun
In till his excusatioun:
“I wend that manere here had bene
In Constantinople as I had sene;
Thare in þe queire of honour
Is a steid for þe emperour;
Bot lovit be God,” said he syne,
“This is bot hailsum medicyne
For the woundis of my syne,
That I am lyand stynkand in.”
490
And all þis tyme þat I of tell,
His wif, þat callit wes Dame Placell,
A faire lady and a plesand,
Honest, abill and avenand,
Haly and religiouss,
Did mony dedis of almouss.
Scho vsit to vesy bodely
All pure folkis wes neire hir by,
In meit and drink, and in clething,
And in all othere neidfull thing;
Scho wayndit nocht þare feit to wesche,
Na ȝit to feche þaim fische nor flesche;
Baith to sympill, seik and saire,
Hir besynes scho wald nocht spaire,
Bot seruit þaim with þar awne handis,
Lipnand nocht till hir seruandis.
Quhen scho wes arguyt at þat mycht be
Dedeyne weill for hir ryalte,
And gaif þame siluer or payment,
Or claith to syþ thare entent,
Scho [said] sic workis of honour
Fell till hir lord [the] emperour,
For to sympill, scho said, wes scho
Sic dedis as scho did to do.
Scho wald say oftsyss till her lord:
“Schir, ȝe suld with ȝour self record
Quhat ȝe haif bene, and is to be,
And þar with alsua think suld ȝe
To be kynd to ȝour Creature
That has ȝow put in þis honour,
And be rychtuis, and ȝe sall weill
Gouerne ȝour empyre euer ilk deill.”
His wif, þat callit wes Dame Placell,
A faire lady and a plesand,
Honest, abill and avenand,
Haly and religiouss,
Did mony dedis of almouss.
Scho vsit to vesy bodely
All pure folkis wes neire hir by,
In meit and drink, and in clething,
And in all othere neidfull thing;
Scho wayndit nocht þare feit to wesche,
Na ȝit to feche þaim fische nor flesche;
Baith to sympill, seik and saire,
Hir besynes scho wald nocht spaire,
Bot seruit þaim with þar awne handis,
Lipnand nocht till hir seruandis.
Quhen scho wes arguyt at þat mycht be
Dedeyne weill for hir ryalte,
And gaif þame siluer or payment,
Or claith to syþ thare entent,
Scho [said] sic workis of honour
Fell till hir lord [the] emperour,
For to sympill, scho said, wes scho
Sic dedis as scho did to do.
Scho wald say oftsyss till her lord:
“Schir, ȝe suld with ȝour self record
Quhat ȝe haif bene, and is to be,
And þar with alsua think suld ȝe
492
That has ȝow put in þis honour,
And be rychtuis, and ȝe sall weill
Gouerne ȝour empyre euer ilk deill.”
Betuene þis bischop Sanct Ambross
And this gud emperour Theodoss
Wes maid this mediacioun
And gud reconsiliacioun,
And be þaim baith þan landis seire
Wes brocht to Cristin treuth all cleire.
And this gud emperour Theodoss
Wes maid this mediacioun
And gud reconsiliacioun,
And be þaim baith þan landis seire
Wes brocht to Cristin treuth all cleire.
The dedis of þis gud emperour
Suld be, lordis, ȝour merour,
For to forbeire iniquite,
And deme with law and equite,
With rycht of haly kirk to stand,
And fauour þame in it seruand,
Na with oure haisty iugisment
For to suppriss nane innocent.
To bischopis all tyme bowsum be,
And luf preistis in cherite,
Pay at ȝe aw to þe kirk blithly,
Tak na thing fra þaim wranguisly.
It may be callit vnhonest tulȝe
To se þe quyk þe dede dispulȝe
Quhen he is woundit in his schete;
It is ensampill to ȝow ȝete,
Or like to þat thing all þar neist,
A gentillman to reiff a preist.
Off preistis at oure begynning,
And all oure tyme till oure ending,
And efter, ȝe haif myster ay;
Thare for with reuerens gret suld þai
Be tretit and led honestly,
And be forborne als gretumly.
Efter all þis, this gud emperour
Suld be, lordis, ȝour merour,
For to forbeire iniquite,
And deme with law and equite,
With rycht of haly kirk to stand,
And fauour þame in it seruand,
Na with oure haisty iugisment
For to suppriss nane innocent.
To bischopis all tyme bowsum be,
And luf preistis in cherite,
Pay at ȝe aw to þe kirk blithly,
Tak na thing fra þaim wranguisly.
It may be callit vnhonest tulȝe
To se þe quyk þe dede dispulȝe
Quhen he is woundit in his schete;
It is ensampill to ȝow ȝete,
Or like to þat thing all þar neist,
A gentillman to reiff a preist.
Off preistis at oure begynning,
And all oure tyme till oure ending,
494
Thare for with reuerens gret suld þai
Be tretit and led honestly,
And be forborne als gretumly.
Led furþ his lif in hie honour;
Baith pure and riche in þare degre
He luffit and led in honeste;
All tyrandris and mawmentriss
Ay he resistit, and lollandris;
And tempillis of thare deuocioun
He gert distroy and cast all doune.
He had gret fame of hie prowes,
And of vertu commendit wes;
In Melane toune he tuke his deid;
Till Constantynople fra þat steid
He wes translatit, and þare lyis,
His saull in ioy of paradiss.
Amen.
497
END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
2
VOL. IV.
| CHAPTER XCV. The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun | |