 | King Henry VI's Triumphal Entry Into London, 21 Feb., 1432 |  |
Ordenaunces ffor the Kyng made in the Cite off London.
1
Towarde the ende off wyndy Februarie,Whanne Phebus was in the Fysshe eronne,
Out off the Sygne, which called is Aquarie,
Newe kalendes wern entred and begonne
Off Marchis komyng, and the mery sonne
Vpon a Thursday shewed his bemys briht
Vppon London, to make hem glade and liht.
2
The stormy reyne off alle theyre hevynesseWere passed away and alle her olde grevaunce,
For the vjte Herry, roote off here gladnesse,
Theyre hertis ioye, theyre worldis suffisaunce,
By trewe dissent crovnyd kyng off Fraunce,
The hevene reioysyng the day off his repayre
Made his komyng the wedir to be so ffayre.
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A tyme, I trowe, off God ffor hym provided,In alle the hevenes there was no clowde seyn,
From other dayes that day was so devided,
And ffraunchised ffrom mistys and ffrom reyn,
The eyre attempred, the wyndis smoth and pleyn,
The citeȝenis thurh-oute the Citee
Halwyd that day with grete solempnyte.
4
And lyke ffor Dauyd, affter his victorie,Reioyssed was alle Ierusalem,
So this Citee with lavde, pris, and glorie,
For ioye moustred lyke the sonne beem,
To yeve ensample thur[u]h-out the reem;
Alle off assent, whoso kan conseyve,
Theyre noble kyng wern gladde to resseyve.
5
Theyr clothing was off colour fful covenable,The noble Meire cladde in reede velvette,
The Sheryves, the Aldermen fful notable,
In ffurred clokes, the colour skarlette;
In statly wyse, when they were mette,
Eche oon well horsed made no delay,
But with here Meire roode fforth in her way.
6
The citeȝenis echoon off the Citee,In here entent that they were pure and clene,
Chees hem off white a fful ffeyre lyuere,
In euery craffte, as yt was well sene;
To showe the trouthe that they dyd[e] mene
Toward the Kyng hadd made hem ffeythfully
In soundry devyses enbrowdred richely.
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And fforto remembre off other alyens;First Ieneweys, though they were straungers,
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And Esterlinges gladde in her maners,
Canveyed with sergeauntes and other officers
Estatly horsed, affter the Meire rydyng,
Passed the subbarbes to mete with the kyng.
8
To the Blake-heeth whanne they dydde atteyne,The Meire, off prudence in especyall,
Made hem hove in rengis tweyne,
A strete bitwene eche partye lyke a wall,
Alle cladde in white, and the moste princypall
Afforn in reede with theire Meire rydyng
Tyl tyme that he sauh the Kyng komyng.
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Thanne with his sporys, he toke his hors anoon,That to beholde yt was a noble siht,
How like a man he to the kyng ys goon
Riht well cherid, off herte gladde and liht;
Obey[i]ng to him as him ouht off riht:
And affter that he konnyngly abrayde,
And to the kyng evyn thus he sayde.
“Sovereyn Lorde and noble Kyng, ye be welcome out
off youre Reeme off Fraunce into this your blessed Reeme
off Englond, and in speciall vnto your moste notable
Citee off London, othir wyse called youre Chaumbre; We
thankyng (thanke) God off the goode and gracious
arenyng (H. athenyng) off youre Crovne off Fraunce.
Beseching his Mercyfull Grace to sende yow prosperite
and many yeers, to the comforte off alle youre lovynge peple.”
10
But fforto tellen alle the circumstaunces,Off euery thing shewed in sentence,
Noble devyses, dyuers ordenaunces
Conveyed by scripture with ffull grete excellence,
Alle to declare I have noone eloquence,
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Forto correcte where as they se nede.
11
First whanne he passed was the FabourEntryng the Brigge off this noble town,
Ther was a pyler reysed lyke a tour
And ther-on stoode a sturdy champeoun,
Off looke and chere sterne as a lyoun,
His swerde vp rered proudely gan manace,
Alle fforeyn enmyes ffrom the Kyng to enchace.
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And in deffence off his [e]state ryallThe geaunt wolde abyde eche aventure;
And alle assautes that wern marcyall,
For his sake he proudely wolde endure,
In tokne wheroff he hadde a scripture
On eyther syde declaryng his entent,
Which seyde thus by goode avysement:
13
“Alle tho that ben enemyes to the Kyng,I shall hem clothe with confusioun,
Make him myhty with vertuous levyng
His mortall foon to oppressen and bere adoun,
And him to encresen as Cristis champioun,
Alle myscheffes ffrom hym to abrigge
With the grace off God at thentryng off the Brigge.”
14
Twoo antelopes stondyng on eytheyr sydeWith the armes off Englond and off Fraunce,
In tokenyng that God shall ffor hym provyde,
As he hath tytle by iuste enheritaunce
To regne in pees, plente and plesaunce;
Sesyng off werre, that men mow ryde or goon,
As trewe lieges, theyre hertes made both oon.
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Ferthermore, so as the Kyng gan ryde,Midde off the Brigge ther was a tour on loffte,
The Lorde off Lordes beyng ay his guyde,
As He hath be and yitt wole be ffull offte;
The tour arrayed with welvettes soffte,
Clothis off golde, sylke, and tapcerye,
As apperteynyth to his regalye.
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And at his komyng, off excellent beaute,Beyng off port most womanly off chere,
Ther yssed oute emperesses three;
Theyre heer dysplayed as Phebus in here spere,
With crovnettes off golde and stones clere;
At whos out komyng they yaff such a liht,
That the byholders were stonyed in theire siht.
17
The ffirst off hem called was Nature,As she that hath vnder her demeyne,
Man, beeste, and ffoule, and euery creature,
With-inne the bondys off hire goldyn cheyn;
Eke heven, and erthe, and euery creature
This emperesse off custume doth enbrace;
And next hire komyth hire sustre called Grace,
18
Passyng ffamous, and off grete reuerence,Moste desired in all regions;
For wher that euer she with here precence,
She bryngeth gladnes to citees and tovns;
Off alle well ffare she holdeth the possessions,
For, I dar say, prosperyte in no place
No while abydith, but yff ther be grace.
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In tokne that Grace shulde longe contuneVnto the Kyng she shewed hire ffull benyngne;
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Apperyng to hym with many a noble sygne,
And ryall toknes, to shewe that he was dygne,
Off God dysposed as Grace lyst to ordeyne,
Vpon his heede to were crovnes tweyne.
20
Thes three ladyes, alle off oon entent,Three goostly gifftes, hevenly and devyne,
Vnto the Kyng anoon they dydde present,
And to His Hyhnesse they dydd anoon enclyne;
And, what they were pleynly to termyne,
Grace gaff him ffirst at his komyng
Twoo riche gifftes, Sciens and Kunnyng;
21
Nature gaff him eke strenth and ffeyrenesse,Forto be lovyd and dredde off euery wiht;
Fortune gaff him eke prosperite and richesse,
With this scripture apperyng in theire siht,
To him applyed off verrey dewe riht,
“First vndirstonde and ioyfully procede
And lange to regne” the scripture seyde in dede.
22
This ys to mene, who-so vndirstonde a-riht,Thow shalt be Fortune haue lange prosperite;
And be Nature thow shalt haue strenth and myht,
Forth to procede in lange ffelicite;
And Grace also hath graunted vnto the,
Vertuously lange in thy ryall citee,
With septre and crovne to regne in equyte.”
23
On the riht hande off thes emperessesStoode sevyn maydenys verrey celestyall;
Lyke Phebus bemys shone hire goldyn tresses,
Vpon here heedes eche havyng a cornall,
Off porte and chere semyng inmortall,
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So aungelyk they wern off theyre ffigures.
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Alle cladde in white, in tokne off clennesse,Lyche pure virgynes as in theyre ententys,
Shewyng outward an hevenly ffressh brihtnesse;
Stremed with sonys were alle theire garmentis,
Afforne provyded ffor pure innocentis,
Most columbyne off chere and off lokyng,
Mekely roos vp at komyng off the Kyng.
25
They hadde an bawdrykes alle off saffir hewe,Goynge outward gan the Kyng salewe,
Hym presentyng with her gifftes newe,
Lyche as theym thouht yt was vnto hem dewe,
—Which goostly gifftes here in ordre sewe,
Dovne dessendyng as syluere dewe ffro hevyn,
Alle grace include with-inne thes gifftes sevyn;
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Thes ryall gifftes ben off vertue mosteGoostly corages, moste sovereynly delyte;
Thes gifftes called off the Hooly Gooste,
Outward ffigured ben vii dowys white—
And seyyng to him, lyke as clerkes write,
“God the ffulfille with intelligence
And with a spyryt off goostly sapience.
27
“God sende also vnto thy moste vaylleThe to preserve ffrom alle hevynesse,
A spyrit off strenth, and off goode counsaylle,
Off konnyng, drede, pite and lownesse.”
Thus thes ladyes gan theire gifftes dresse,
Graciously at theyre oute komyng,
Be influence liht vpon the Kyng.
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Thes emperesses hadde on theyre leffte sydeOther sevyn virgynes, pure and clene,
Be attendaunce contenuelly to abyde,
Alle cladde in white, smytte ffulle off sterres shene;
And to declare what they wolde mene
Vnto the Kyng with fful grete reuerence
Thes were theire gifftes shortly in sentence:
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“God the endewe with a crovne off glorie,And with septre off clennesse and pytee,
And with a swerde off myht and victorie,
And with a mantel off prudence cladde thow be,
A shelde off ffeyth fforto defende the,
An helme off helthe wrouht to thyn encrees,
Girt with a girdyll off love and parfyte pees.”
30
Thes sevyn virgyns, off siht most hevenly,With herte, body, and handes reioysynge,
And off othir cheris appered murely
For the Kyngis gracious home komynge;
And ffor gladnesse they beganne to synge,
Moste aungelyk with hevenly armonye,
This same roundell, which I shall now specyfye:
31
“Sovereyne Lorde, welcome to youre citee;Welcome, oure Ioye, and oure Hertis Plesaunce,
Welcome, oure Gladnesse, welcome, oure Suffisaunce,
Welcome, welcome, riht welcome mote ye be.
“Syngyng to-fforn thy ryall Mageste,
We say off herte, withoute variaunce,
Sovereyne Lorde, welcome, welcome ye be.
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“Meire, citeȜenis and alle the comounte,At youre home komyng now out off Fraunce,
Be grace relevyd off theyre olde grevaunce,
Syng this day with grete solempnyte,
Sovereyne Lorde, welcome to youre citee.”
33
Thus resseyvyd, an esy paas rydyng,The Kyng is entred into this Citee:
And in Cornhill anoon at his komyng,
To done plesaunce vnto his Magestee,
A tabernacle surmountyng off beaute,
Ther was ordeyned, be fful ffressh entayle,
Richely arrayed with ryall apparayle.
34
This tabernacle off moste magnyficence,Was off his byldyng verrey imperyall
Made ffor the lady callyd Dame Sapience;
To-fore whos fface moste statly and ryall
Wern the sevyn sciences called lyberall
Rounde aboute, as makyd ys memorie,
Which neuere departed ffrom hire consistorie.
35
First ther was Gramer, as I reherse gan,Chieff ffounderesse and roote off all konnyng,
Which hadde a-fforne hire olde Precian;
And Logyk hadde afforn hire stondyng
Arestotyll moste clerkely dysputyng;
And Rethoryk hadde eke in hire presence,
Tulyus, called Mirrour off Eloquence;
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And Musyk hadde, voyde off alle discorde,Boece, hire clerke, with hevenly armonye,
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Forto practyse with sugred melodye
He and his scolers theyre wyttes dydde applye,
With touche off strenges on orgons eke pleyng,
Theyre craffte to shewe at komyng off the Kyng;
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And Arsmetryk, be castyng off nombrarye,Chees Pyktogeras ffor hire partye;
Called chieff clerke to governe hire lybrarye,
Euclyde toke mesours be craffte off Gemetrye;
And alderhyhest stode Astronomye,
Albunisar last with hire off sevyn,
With instrumentis that rauht vp into hevyn.
38
The chieff pryncesse called SapienceHadde to-forn hire writen this scripture:
“Kynges,” quod she, “moste off excellence,
By me they regne and moste in ioye endure,
For thurh my helpe, and my besy cure,
To encrece theyre glorie and hyh renoun,
They shull off wysdome haue ffull possessioun.”
39
And in the ffront off this tabernacle,Sapience a scripture ganne devyse
Able to be redde with-oute a spectakle,
To yonge kynges seyynge in this wyse,
“Vnderstondith and lernyth off the wyse,
On riht remembryng the hyh lorde to queme,
Syth ye be iuges other ffolke to deme.”
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Ferthermore the matere doth devyse:The Kyng, procedyng fforth [vp]on his way,
Kome to the Conduyte made in cercle wyse;
Whame to resseyve, ther was made no delay,
And myddys above in ffull riche array,
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Middis off the throne rayed lyke a kyng.
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Wham to governe, ther was ffigured tweyne,A lady, Mercy, satte on his riht syde;
On his lyffte hande, yff I shall nat ffeyne,
A lady, Trouthe, his domes to provyde;
The lady Clemens aloffte dydde abyde,
Off God ordeyned in the same place
The Kyngis throne strongely to enbrace.
42
For, by the sentence off prudent Salamon,Mercy and Riht kepyn euery kyng,
And Clemence kepte by Resoun
His myhty throne ffrom myschieff and ffallyng,
And makith yt stronge with lange abydyng;
For I darr say thes sayde ladyes three
A kyng preserve in lange prosperytee.
43
Thanne stoode also affore the seyde kyngTwoo iuges with ffull hyh noblesse—
Viij sergeauntes echon representyng
For comvne profyte, doom and rihtwysnesse—
With this scripture, which I shall expresse:
“Honour off kyngys, in euery mannys siht,
Of comyn custum lovith equyte and riht.”
44
Kyng Dauyd wrote, the Sawter berith wytnesse,“Lorde God,” quod he, “thy dome yeve to the Kyng,
And yeve thy trouthe and thy rihtwysnesse
The Kyngis sone here in his levyng”;
To vs declaring, as by theyre writyng,
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Folke that be trewe and well expert in lawe.
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The Kyng fforth rydyng entryd Chepe anoon,A lusty place, a place off alle delycys;
Kome to the Conduyt, wher, as cristall stoon,
The watir ranne like welles off Paradys,
The holsome lykour, ffull riche and off grete prys,
Lyke to the water off Archedeclyne,
Which by miracle was turned into wyne.
46
Thetes, which that is off waters chieff goddesse,Hadde off the welle power noon ne myht,
For Bachus shewed there his ffulsomnesse
Off holsome wynes to euery manere wiht;
For wyn off nature makith hertes liht,
Wherfore Bachus, at reuerence off the Kyng,
Shewed oute his plente at his home komyng.
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Wyn ys a likour off recreacioun,That day presentyd in tokne off alle gladnesse,
Vnto the Kyng off ffamous and hyh renoun,
From vs texile alle manere hevynesse;
For with his komyng, the dede berith wytnesse,
Out off the londe he putte away alle trouble,
And made off newe oure ioyes to be double.
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Eke at thes welles there were virgyns threeWhich drewe wyn vp off ioye and off plesaunce,
Mercy and Grace, theyre suster eke Pyte;
Mercy mynystred wynes off attemperaunce,
Grace shedde hire likour off goode gouernaunce,
And Pitee profered with ffull goode ffoysoun
Wynes off comforte and consolacioun.
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The wyn off Mercy staunchith by natureThe gredy thristis off cruell hastynesse,
Grace with hire likour cristallyne and pure
Defferrith vengaunce off ffurious woodnesse,
And Pitee blymsith the swerde off Rithwysnesse;
Covenable welles, moste holsom off savour,
Forto be tasted off euery governour.
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O! how thes welles, who-so take goode hede,With here likours moste holsome to atame,
Affore devysed notably in dede
Forto accorden with the Meirys name;
Which by report off his worthy ffame
That day was busy in alle his gouernaunce,
Vnto the Kyng fforto done plesaunce.
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Ther were eke treen, with leves ffressh off hewe,Alle tyme off yeer, ffulle off ffruytes lade,
Off colour hevynly, and euery-liche newe,
Orenges, almondis, and the pome-gernade,
Lymons, dates, theire colours ffressh and glade,
Pypyns, quynces, blaunderell to disport,
And the pome-cedre corageous to recomfort;
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Eke the ffruytes which more comvne be—Quenynges, peches, costardes and wardouns,
And other meny ffull ffayre and ffressh to se;
The pome-water and the gentyll ricardouns;
And ageyns hertes ffor mutygaciouns
Damysyns, which with here taste delyte,
Full grete plente both off blak and white.
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And besydis this gracious paradys,Alle ioye and gladnesse fforto multyplye,
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There dydde appere lyke ffolkes off ffeyrye;
The toon was Ennok, the tothir Elye,
The Kyng presentyng theire gifftes ffull notable,
That God conferme his state ay to be stable.
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The ffirst seyde, with benyngne chere,Gretly desirynge his prosperyte,
That noon enemyes have in him power,
Nor that no childe by ffalse iniquyte
Parturble neuere his ffelicite;
Thus olde Ennok the processe gan well telle,
And prayd ffor the Kyng as he roode by the welle.
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Affter, Elyas, with his lokkes hoore,Seyde well devoutly, lokyng on the Kyng,
“God conserve the and kepe the euermore,
And make him blessid, here in erthe levyng,
And preserve him in alle manere thyng,
And specially amongis kynges alle,
In enemyes handes that he neuere ffalle.”
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And at fronteur off thes welles clere,Ther was a scripture komendyng the lykour;—
“Yee shall drawe waters, with goode chere,
Oute off welles off oure Savyour,
Which have vertue to curen alle langour,
Be influence off her grete swetnesse,
Hertes avoydyng off alle theire hevynesse.”
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Thanne ffrom thes welles off ffulsome habundaunce,With theyr lykours as eny cristall clene,
The Kyng roode fforth, with sobre contenaunce,
Towarde a castell bilt off iaspar grene,
Vpon whos toures the sonne shone shene,
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This kyngis tytle off England and off Fraunce.
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Twoo green treen ther grewe vp-[a]riht,Fro Seint Edward and ffro Seint Lowys,
The roote y-take palpable to the siht,
Conveyed by lynes be kyngis off grete prys;
Some bare leopardes, and some bare fflouredelys,
In nouther armes ffounde was there no lak,
Which the sixte Herry may now bere on his bak.
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The [pe]degree be iuste successioun,As trewe cronycles trewly determyne,
Vnto the Kyng ys now dessended dovn
From eyther partye riht as eny lyne;
Vpon whos heede now ffresshely done shyne
Two riche crovnes most sovereyn off plesaunce
To brynge inne pees bitwene England and Fraunce.
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Vpon this castell on the tothir sydeThere was a tree, which sprange out off Iesse,
Ordeyned off God ffull longe to abyde;—
Dauyd crovnyd ffirst ffor his humylite
The braunches conveyd, as men myht[e] se,
Lyneally and in the Genologie,
To Crist Ihesu, that was born off Marie.
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And why the Iesse was sette on that partye,This was the cause in especyall,
For next to Paulis, I dar well specefye,
Is the partye moste chieff and princypall,
Callyd off London the chirche cathederall,
Which ought off reson the devyse to excuse,
To alle thoo that wolde ageyn yt ffroune or muse.
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And ffro that castell the Kyng fforth gan him dresseToward Poulys, chieff chirche off this citee,
And at Conduyt a liht, and a lyknesse
Indevysible made off the Trinite,
A throne compassid off his ryall see;
Aboute which, shortly to conclude,
Off hevenly aungelles wern a grete multitude;
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To whom was yoven a precept in scripture,Wrete in the ffrontour off the hyh[e] stage,
That they shulde done theyre besy cure,
To kepe the Kyng [sure] ffrom alle damage
In his lyff here, duryng alle his age,
Hys hyh renoun to sprede and shyne fferre,
And off his twoo reemes to sese the mortall werre.
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And laste was wretyn in the ffronterys:“I shall ffulfille him with ioye and habundaunce,
And with lengthe off [many] holsome yeerys,
And I shall shewe him my helpe with alle plesaunce,
And off his lieges ffeythfull obeyssaunce,
And multyplye and encrese his lyne
And make his noblesse thurh the worlde to shyne.
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“Love off his peple, ffauour off alle straungers,In bothe his remys pees, reest, and vnyte,
Be influence off the nyne sperys,
Longe to co[n]tune in his ryall see,
Grace to cherice the Meire and the Citee,
Longe in his mynde to be conceyved
With how good will, that day he was resseyved.”
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Comyng to Poulis ther he liht adovn,Entryng the chirche ffull demure off chere,
And there to mete him with processioun
Was the Erchebisshop, and the Chaunceller,
Lyncoln, and Bathe, off hoole herte and entier,
Salysbury, Norwich, and Ely,
In pontyficall arrayed richely.
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Ther was the Bisshop off Rouchestre also,The Dene off Paulys, the Chanons euerychon,
Off dew[e]te as they auht to do,
On processioun with the Kyng to goon;
And thouh I kan nat reherse hem oon by oon,
Yitt dar I say, as in theyre entent,
To do theyre devere ffull trewly they ment.
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Lyke theyre estates fforth they ganne procede;With obseruaunces longyng ffor a kyng
Solempnely gan him conveye in dede
Vp into the chirche with ffull devoute syngyng;
And whanne he hadde made his offryng,
The Meire, the citezenis, abode and lefft him nouht,
Vnto Westmynstre tyl they hadde him brouht;
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Where alle the covent, in copys richely,Mette with him off custume as they ouht;
The Abbot affter moste solempnely
Amonges the relikes the septre oute souht
Off Seint Edward, and to the Kyng it brouht;
Thouh it were longe, large, and off grete weyht,
Yitt on his shuldres the Kyng bare it on heyht,
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Into the mynstre, while alle the belles ronge,Tyl he kome to the hyh awtere;
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And the peple, gladde off looke and chere,
Thanked God with alle here hertes entere,
To se theire Kyng with twoo crovyns shyne,
From twoo trees trewly ffette the lyne.
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And affter that, this ys the verrey sothe,Vnto his paleys off kyngly apparaylle,
With his lordes the Kyng [anon] fforth goothe
To take his reste affter his travaylle;
And than off wysdome, that may so mych avaylle,
The Meire, the citezenis, which alle this dyd se,
Ben home repeyred into hire citee.
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The Shereves, the Aldermen in ffere,The Saturday alther next suyng,
Theire Meire presented, with theyre hertes entere,
Goodly to be resseyved off the King;
And at Westminster confermed theire askyng,
The Meyre and they with ffull hole entent
Vnto the Kyng a gyffte gan to present.
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The which giffte they goodly haue dysposyd,Toke an hamper off golde that shene shone,
A Ml pounde off golde ther-inne yclosyd;
And ther-with-all to the Kyng they goone
And ffylle on knees to-forn him euerychoone,
Full humbly the trouthe to devyse,
And to the Kyng the Meire seyde in this wyse:
‘Most Cristen Prynce and noble Kyng, the goode ffolke
off youre moste notable Citee off London, otherwyse
cleped youre Chambre, beseching in here moste lowly wyse
they mowe be recomaunded to Youre Hyhnesse and
that yt kan lyke vnto Your Noble Grace to resseyve this
lytyll gyffte, gyffyn with a goode wille off trouthe and
648
74
Be gladde, O London! be gladde and make grete ioye,Citee of Citees, off noblesse precellyng,
In thy bygynnynge called Newe Troye;
For worthynesse thanke God off alle thyng,
Which hast this day resseyved so thy Kyng,
With many a signe and many an obseruaunce
To encrese thy name by newe remembraunce.
75
Suche ioye was neuere in the Consistorie,Made ffor the tryvmphe with alle the surplusage,
Whanne Sesar Iulius kam home with his victorie;
Ne ffor the conqueste off Sypion in Cartage;
As London made in euery manere age,
Out off Fraunce at the home komyng
In-to this citee off theyre noble Kyng.
76
Off sevyn thinges I preyse this citee:Off trewe menyng, and ffeythfull obseruaunce,
Off rihtwysnesse, trouthe, and equyte,
Off stablenesse ay kepte in lygeaunce;
And ffor off vertue thow hast such suffisaunce,
In this lande here and other landes alle
The Kyngis Chambre off custume men the calle.
| King Henry VI's Triumphal Entry Into London, 21 Feb., 1432 | |