Reliques of Ancient English Poetry consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and other Pieces of our earlier Poets, (Chiefly of the Lyric kind.) Together with some few of later Date |
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Reliques of Ancient English Poetry | ||
II. ON THE DEATH OF K. EDWARD THE FIRST.
We have here an early attempt at Elegy. Edward I. died July 7. 1307, in the 35th year of his reign, and 60th of his age. This poem appears to have been composed soon after his death. According to the modes of thinking peculiar to those times, the writer dwells more upon his devotion, than his skill in government, and pays less attention to the martial and political abilities of this great monarch, in which he had no equal, than to some little weaknesses of superstition, which he had in common with all his cotemporaries. The king had in the decline of life vowed an expedition to the holy land, but finding his end approach, he dedicated the sum of 32,000 l. to the maintenance of a large body of knights (140 say historians, 80 says our poet,) who were to carry his heart with them into Palestine. This dying command of the king was never performed. Our poet with the honest prejudices of an Englishman, attributes this failure to the advice of the king of France, whose daughter Isabel our young monarch immediately married. But the truth is, Edward and his destructive favourite Piers Gaveston spent the money upon their pleasures.—To do the greater honour to the memory of his heroe, our poet puts his eloge in the mouth of the Pope; with the some poetic licence, as a more modern bard would have introduced Britannia, or the Genius of Europe pouring forth his praises.
This antique Elegy is extracted from the same MS volume, as the preceding article; is found with the same peculiarities of writing and orthography; and tho' written
A stounde herkneth to my song
Of duel, that Deth hath diht us newe,
That maketh me syke, ant sorewe among;
Of a knyht, that wes so strong,
Of wham God hath don ys wille;
Me-thuncheth that deth hath don us wrong,
That he so sone shall ligge stille.
Of wham that song is, that y synge;
Of Edward kyng, that lith so lowe,
Zent al this world is nome con springe:
Trewest mon of alle thinge,
Ant in werre war ant wys,
For him we ahte oure honden wrynge,
Of Cristendome he ber the prys.
He spek ase mon that wes in care,
“Clerkes, knyhtes, barons, he sayde,
“Y charge ou by oure sware,
“Y deze, y ne may lyven na more;
“Helpeth mi sone, ant crouneth him newe,
“For he is nest to buen y-core.
“That hit be write at mi devys,
“Over the see that Hue be diht,
“With fourscore knyhtes al of prys,
“In werre that buen war ant wys,
“Azein the hethene for te fyhte,
“To wynne the croiz that lowe lys,
“Myself ycholde zef that y myhte.”
That thou the counsail woldest fonde,
To latte the wille of ‘Edward kyng’
To wende to the holy londe:
That oure kyng hede take on honde
All Engelond to zeme ant wysse,
To wenden in to the holy londe
To wynnen us heveriche blisse.
And seyde that oure kynge wes ded:
Ys oune hond the lettre he nom,
Ywis his herte wes ful gret:
Ant spec a word of gret honour.
“Alas! he seid, is Edward ded?
“Of Cristendome he ber the flour.”
For dol ne mihte he speke na more;
Ant after cardinals he sende,
That muche couthen of Cristes lore,
Bothe the lasse, ant eke the more,
Bed hem bothe rede ant synge:
Gret deol me myhte se thore,
Mony mon is honde wrynge.
With ful gret solempnetè,
Ther me con the soule blesse:
“Kyng Edward honoured thou be:
“God love thi sone come after the,
“Bringe to ende that thou hast bygonne,
“The holy crois y-mad of tre,
“So fain thou woldest hit hav y-wonne.
“The flour of al chivalrie
“Now kyng Edward liveth na more:
“Alas! that he zet shulde deye!
“Oure banners, that bueth broht to grounde;
“Wel! longe we mowe clepe and crie
“Er we a such kyng han y-founde.”
King of Engelond al aplyht,
God lete him ner be worse man
Then is fader, ne lasse of myht,
To holden is pore men to ryht,
And understonde good counsail,
Al Engelong for to wysse ant dyht;
Of gode knyhtes darh him nout fail.
Ant min herte yzote of bras,
The godness myht y never telle,
That with kyng Edward was:
Kyng, as thou art cleped conquerour,
In uch bataille thou hadest prys;
God bringe thi soule to the honour,
That ever wes, ant ever ys.
That lasteth ay withouten ende,
Bidde we God, ant oure Ledy to thilke blisse.
Jesus us sende. Amen.
Reliques of Ancient English Poetry | ||