33. BALLADE ON A NEW YEAR'S GIFT OF AN EAGLE, PRESENTED TO KING HENRY VI.
[_]
[MS. Trin. Coll. Camb., R. 3. 20, pp. 149–152.]
Þis balade was gyven vn to þe kyng Henry ye .vj.
and to his moder þe qweene Kateryne sittyng at
þe mete vpon þe yeris day in þe Castell of Hertford
made by Ledegate, &c.
1
Þis hardy foole, þis bridde victoryous,
Þis staately foole, mooste imperyal,
Of his nature fiers and corageous,
Called in Scripture þe foole celestyal—
Þis Yeeris Day to youre estate ryal
Lowly presenteþe tencresce of your glorye
Honnour and knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
2
Þis staately bridde dooþe ful heghe soore,
Percyng þe beemys of þe heghe sonne,
And of his kynde excelleþe euermoore
In soryng vp above þe skyes donne;
And for þis bridde haþe þe crowne wonne
Above briddes alle, presenteþe to your glorye
Honnour of knyghthoode, conquest and victorye.
3
Þis foole is sacred vnto Iubyter
Þe lord of lordes in þe heghe heven,
Weel-willing planete, beholding frome so fer
Aboue þe paleys of þe sterres seven
Alle constillacyouns þat any man kan neven;
Þis saame foole presenteþe to youre glorye,
Honnour of knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
4
Þis is þe foole, as clerkis telle can,
Which leete dovne falle in þe natiuyte
Of Cryst Ihesu vn-to Octouyan
Þe grene olyue of pees and vnytee,
Whane þe heghe Lord tooke oure humanytee;
Þis ryal egle sendeþe to youre glorye
Honnour of knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
5
Þis is þe foole which Ezechyel
In his avysyoun saughe ful yoore agoon—
He saughe foure beestis tournyng on a wheele,
Amonges wheeche þis ryal brydde was oon,
Called in Scripture þevangelyst Saint Iohan;
Þis Yeeris Day presenting to your glorye
Honnour of knighthoode, conquest and victorye.
6
Þis ryal bridde, moost peersande of hir sight,
Ageyne Phebus stremys moost shyning fresshe and sheene
Blencheþe neuer for al þe cleer light;
Presenteþe also vn-to þe noble qweene
Þat sitteþe nowe here, ful gracyous on to seene,
Þis Yeris Day dovne frome þat hevenly see
Helþe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
7
Þis foole also, by tytle of hir nature,
Of fooles alle is qweene and emperesse;
Flyeþe heghest and lengest may endure,
Bating hir wynges with-oute werynesse
To Iuvoos Castel; in heven a gret goddesse:
Sendeþe to you, Pryncesse, here sitting in youre see,
Helthe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
8
He sendeþe also vn-to youre hye noblesse
Of alle vertus fulsome haboundaunce,
Fredame, bountee, honnour and gentylesse—
Which wee þee mene by gracyous allyaunce
To sette in pees England and Fraunce—;
To whos hyenesse dovne frome þe hevenly see
Helthe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
9
Þis bridde in armys of emperoures is borne,
Which in þe tyme of Cesar Iulius,
In Roome appering whane Cryst Ihesu was borne,
Of a mayde moost clene and vertuous;
Wherfore O Pryncesse, happy and gracyous,
To you presenteþe þis egle as he dooþe flee
Helthe and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
10
Þis foole with briddes haþe holde his parllement,
Where as þe lady which is called Nature
Sate in hir see, lyche a presydent;
And alle, yche oon, þey dyd hir besy cure
To sende to yowe goode happe, good aventure,
Alle youre desyres acomplisshed for to beo,
Helth and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
Lenvoye.
Mooste noble Prynce, which in especyal
Excelle alle oþer, as maked is memorye,
Þis day beo gif to youre estate ryal,
As I sayde erst, honnour, conquest, victorye,—
Lyche as þis egle haþe presented to your glorye;
And to yowe, Pryncesse! he wol also þer be
Helth and welfare, ioye and prosparytee.
