The Minor Poems of John Lydgate edited from all available mss. with an attempt to establish The Lydgate Canon: By Henry Noble MacCracken |
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[Occasional Poems.]
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 | The Minor Poems of John Lydgate |  |
652
[Occasional Poems.]
34. VERSES ON CAMBRIDGE.
1
By trew[e] recorde of the Doctor Bede,That some tyme wrotte so mikle with his hand,
And specially—remembringe as I reede
In his Cronicles made of England—
Amoung other thyngs, as ye shall understand—
Whom for myne aucthour I dare alleage—
Kouth þe translation & buylding of Cambridge;
2
With hym accordynge, Alfride the Croniclere—Seriouslye who lyst his booke to see,
Made in þe tyme when he was Thresurere
Of Beverley, an old famouse cytye—
Affirme & seyne, the Universitie
Off Cambridge & studye fyrst began
By þat wrytinge, as I reporte can.
3
He rehersing first for commendacion,By þat wrytinge, how that old cytie
Was stronglie whalled with towers manye one,
Builte & finished with great libertie,
Notable & famous, of greate authoritie,
As theis authors accordinge sayne þe same,
Of Cantabro takyng first his name.
4
Like as I finde—reporte I can none other—This Canteber tyme of his lyvynge
To Pertholyne he was germayne brother,
Duke in tho dayes, in Ireland a great kynge,
Chieffe & principall cause of that buildyng;
The wall about & towers as they stoode
Was sett & builte upon a large floode,
653
5
Named Cantebro, a large brode ryver,And after Cante called Cantebro.
This famous citie, this write the cronicler,
Was called Cambridge; rehersing eke also
In þat booke theis authors bothe twoe.
Towching the date, as I rehear[s]e can,
Fro thilke tyme that the world began
6
Fower thowsand complete, by accompt[e]s clere,And three hundreth by computacion,
Ioyned therto eight & fortie yeare,
When Cantebro gave the foundacion
Of thys cytie & this famous towne,
And of this noble universitie,
Sett on this ryver which is called Cante;
7
And fro the greate transmigracionOf kyns reconned in the Byble of old,
Fro Ierusalem to Babylon
Two hundreth wynter & thirtie years told—
Thus to write myne author maketh me bold—
When Cantebro, as it [is] well kouthe,
At Atheynes scholed in his youth,
8
All his wytts greatlye did applieTo have acquayntance by great affection,
With folke experte in philosophie.
From Atheynes he brought with him downe
Philosophers most sovereigne of renowne,
Unto Cambridge, playnlye this is the case,
Anaxamander & Anaxogoras,
9
With many other, myne Authours dothe declare;To Cambridge fast[e] can hym spede,
With philosophers, & let for no cost spare,
654
Of whoes teachynge great profit þat gan spread
And great increase rose of his doctrine;
Thus of Cambridge þe name gan first shyne
10
As chieffe schoole & universitie.Unto this tyme fro the daye it began,
By clere reporte, in many a far countre;
Unto the reigne of Cassibellan—,
A woorthie prynce & a full knightlie man,
As sayne cronicles, who with his might[y] hand
Let Iulius Cesar to arryve in this land—,
11
Five hundreth yere, full thirtie yere & twentieFro Babylons transmigracion,
That Cassibelane reigned in Britaine,
Which, by his notable royall discrecion,
To increase that studdie of great affection,
I meane of Cambridge the Universitie
Franchised with manye a libertie.
12
By the meane of his royall favor,From countreis about[en] manye one,
Divers schollers, by diligent labour,
Made þat resorte of great affection;
To that stooddie great plentye there cam downe,
To gather fruits of wysedome & science
And sondrie flowers of sugred eloquence.
13
And as it is put eke in memorie,Howe Iulius Cesar, entring this region,
On Cassybellan after his victorye,
Tooke with him clarks of famous renowne
Fro Cambridge, & ledd them to Rome Towne;
Thus by process remembred here-to-forne,
Cambridg was founded long or Chryst was borne—
655
14
Five hundreth yere, thirtie & eke nyne.In this matter ye gett no more of me,
Reherse I wyll no more at this tyme.
Theis remembranc[e]s have great authoritie,
To be preferred of long antiquitie;
For which by recorde, all clarks seyne þe same,
Of heresie Cambridge bare never blame.
35. DEATH'S WARNING.
1
Syth that ye lyste to be my costes,And in your book to set[ten] myne image,
Wake and remembre wyth grete auys[in]es,
Howe my custome and mortall vsage
Ys for to spare nether olde ne yonge of age,
But that ye nowe in thys world leuyng,
Afore be redy or I my belle rynge.
2
My dredefull spere [that ys] full sharpe ygroundeDoth yow now, lo, here thys manace,
Armour ys noon that may withstande hys wounde
Ne whom I merke ther ys non other grace,
To fynde respite of day, oure, ne space;
Wherfore be redy, and haue no dysdeyne
Yef of my commyng the tyme be vncerteyne.
3
Remembre your yeres almost past be,Of flowryng age lasteth but a seasoun,
656
Beaute declyneth, hys blossom falleth doune,
And lytyll and lytyll, tyll by successioun
Cometh croked elde, vnwarly [in] crepyng,
With hys patent purely than manysshyng.
4
The gospell byddeth than [to] wake and pray[e];For of my commyng there ys no tyme sette,
Ne no man knoweth [the hour] when he shall d[e]ye,
Ne agayne myne entre no gate may be shutte;
Twene me and kynde ther ys a knot [y-knet]
That in thys worlde euery lyuyng creature
For Adams synne must dye of nature.
5
O worldely folke, auerteth and take hedeWhat vengeaunce and punycioun
God shall take, after ye be dede,
For your trespas and youre transgressioun,
Whyche breken hys preceptes ayenst all reasoun;
Ye haue foryete howe, with hys precious bloode
Yow for to saue, he dyed on the roode.
6
Lerne for to dye and hate for to lye,Of olde offens amonge haue repentaunce,
And to eschewe all skorne and mok[e]ry[e],
Ayenst vyces do almes and penaunce,
And for to haue moste souueranly plesaunce,
To sewe the pathes of oure lorde Ihesu,
Trewe exampeler of grace and vertew,
7
Whyche for oure sake and oure redempcioun,And for oure loue was nayled to a tree,
657
And nothyng asketh of hygh ne lowe degree,
Recompensed ayenwarde for to be,
But that we sette all holy oure ententes,
For to fulfyll hys commaundmentys,
8
Wherby men may that prudent be and wyse,The ioyes clayme, whyche be eternall,
And entre [ageyn] in-to paradyse,
From whens [our fadyr] Adam had a fall;
To whyche place aboue celestiall,
O Cryste Ihesu, so brynge vs to that glory,
Whyche by thy dethe had[dest] the victory.
Amen.
36. ON THE DEPARTING OF THOMAS CHAUCER (1417).
Balade made by Lydegate at þe Departyng
of Thomas Chaucyer on Ambassade in-to France
1
O þow Lucyna, qwene and empyresseOf waters alle, and of floodes rage,
And cleped art lady and goddesse
Of iorneying and fortunate passage,
Governe and guye by grace þe vyage,
Þowe Heuenly Qweene, sith I of hert[e] prey
My maystre Chaucyer goodely to convey,
2
Him to expleyten, and firþerne on his wayWith holsome spede, ay in his iournee.
658
Hym to fauour whane he is on þe see,
Preserving him frome al aduersytee,
Frome al trouble of wynde and eke of wawe.
And lat þy grace so to him adawe
3
Þat wher to hym may beo moost plesaunce,Þer make him lande, he and his meynee.
And God I prey, þe whyle he is [in] Fraunce,
To sende him helthe and prosparytee,
Hasty repayre hoome to his cuntree,
To reconfort þer with his presence
Folkys þat mowrne moost for his absence.
4
For soþely nowe þagreable sonneOf housholding and fulsum haboundaunce
Eclipsid is, as men recorden konne,
Þat founden þer so ryche souffisaunce,
Fredam, bountee, with gode governaunce,
Disport, largesse, ioye and al gladnesse,
And passingly goode chere with gentylesse.
5
Ceres also, goddesse of welfare,Was ay present, hir chaare with plentee lade;
And Bacus þer ne koude neuer spare
With his lykour hertes for to glade,
Refresshe folkis þat were of colour fade,
With his conduytes moost plentyvous habounde,
Þe wellis hed so fulsome ay is founde.
6
His moost ioye is innly gret repayreOf gentilmen of heghe and lowe estate,
Þat him thenkeþ, boþe in foule and fayre,
With-outen hem he is but desolate;
And to be loued þe moost fortunate
Þat euer I knewe, with othe of soþefastnesse,
Of ryche and pore, for bounteuouse largesse.
659
7
And gentyl Molyns, myn owen lord so der,Lytel merveyle þoughe þow sighe and pleyne;
Now to forgone þin owen pleying feere,
I wot right wel, hit is to þe gret peyne.
But haue good hope soone for to atteyne
Þin hertis blisse agayne, and þat right sone,
Or foure tymes echaunged be þe mone.
8
Lat be youre weping, tendre creature,By my sainte Eleyne fer away in Ynde.
How shoule ye þe gret woo endure
Of his absence, þat beon so truwe and kynde?
Haþe him amonge enprynted in your mynde,
And seythe for him, shortly in a clause,
Goddes soule to hem þat beon in cause.
9
Ye gentilmen dwelling envyroun,His absence eke ye aught to compleyne,
For farwell nowe, as in conclusyoun
Youre pleye, your ioye, yif I shal not feyne;
Farwel huntyng and hawkyng, boþe tweyne,
And farewel nowe cheef cause of your desport,
For he absent, farewel youre recomfort.
10
Late him not nowe out of remembraunce,But euer amonge haþe him in memoyre;
And for his saake, as in youre dalyaunce,
Saythe euery day deuotely þis memoyr(r)e,
“Saint Iulyan, oure ioye and al oure gloyre,
Come hoome ageyne, lyche as we desyre,
To suppowaylen al þe hole shyre.”
11
And for my part, I sey right as I thenk,I am pure sory and hevy in myn hert,
More þan I expresse can wryte with inke,
Þe want of him so sore doþe me smert;
But for al þat hit shal me nought astert,
Daye and night, with hert[e] debonayre,
And prey to God, þat he soone may repayre.
660
37. OF THE SODEIN FAL OF PRINCES IN OURE DAYES.
Here folowen seven balades made by Daun Iohn
Lydegate of þe sodeine fal of certain Princes
of Fraunce and Englande nowe late in oure dayes.
1
Beholde þis gret prynce Edwarde þe Secounde,Which of diuers landes lord was and kyng,
But so governed was he, nowe vnderstonde,
By suche as caused foule his vndoying,
For trewly to telle yowe with-oute lesing,
He was deposed by al þe rewmes assent,
In prisoun murdred with a broche in his foundament.
2
Se howe Richard, of Albyon þe kyng,Which in his tyme ryche and glorious was,
Sacred with abyt, with corone, and with ring,
Yit fel his fortune so, and eke his cas,
Þat yvel counseyle rewled him so, elas!
For mys-treting lordes of his monarchye,
He feyne was to resigne and in prysone dye.
3
Lo Charles, of noble Fraunce þe kyng,Taken with seknesse and maladye,
Which lefft him never vnto his eonding,
Were it of nature, or by sorcerye,
Vnable he was for to governe or guye
His reaume, which caused suche discencyon,
Þat fallen it is to gret destruccion.
661
4
Se nowe þis lusty Duc of Orlyaunce,Which floured in Parys of chiuallerie,
Broþer to Charles, þe kyng of Fraunce:
His yong[e] hert[e] thought[e] never to dye,
But for he vsed þe synne of lecherye,
His cosin to assent[e] was ful fayene,
Þat he in Parys was murdred and foule slayne.
5
Of Edward þe Thridde Thomas his sone,Of Gloucestre Duc, Constable of England,
Which to love trouth was ever his wone,
Yet not-with-stonding his entent of trouthe,
He murdred was at Caleys, þat was routhe,
And he to God and man moste acceptable,
And to þe comvne profit moste fauorable.
6
Lo here þis Eorlle and Duc of Burgoyne boþe,Oon of þe douspiers and deen of Fraunce,
Howe fortune gan his prosparite to looþe,
And made him putte his lyff in suche balaunce
Þat him navayled kyn nor allyaunce,
Þat for his mourder he mortherd was and slayne,
Of whos deth þErmynakes were fayne.
7
Þis Duc of Yrland, of England Chaumburleyn,Which is plesaunce so he ledde his lyff,
Tyl fortune of his welthe hade disdeyn,
Þat causeles he parted was frome his wyff,
Which grounde was of gret debate and stryff,
And his destruccion, if I shal not lye,
For banned he was, and did in meschef dye.
662
38. HORNS AWAY.
Here gynneth a Dyte of Womenhis Hornys
1
Off God and kynde procedith al bewte;Crafft may shewe a foreyn apparence,
But nature ay must haue the souereynte.
Thyng countirfeet hath noon existence.
Tween gold and gossomer is greet dyfference;
Trewe metall requeryth noon allay;
Vnto purpos by cleer experyence,
Beute wol shewe, thogh hornys wer away.
2
Ryche attyres of stonys and perre,Charbonclys, rubyes of moost excellence,
Shewe in dirknesse lyght where so they be,
By ther natural hevenly influence.
Doublettys of glas yeve a gret evydence,
Thyng counterfeet wol faylen at assay;
On this mater concludyng in sentence,
Beute wol shewe, thogh hornes were away.
3
Aleyn remembreth—his compleynt who lyst see,In his book of ffamous elloquence—
663
He sauh Nature in hir moost excellence,
Vpon hir hed a kerche[f] of Valence,
Noon other richesse of counterfet array:
Texemplyfie by kyndely provydence,
Beute wol shewe, thogh hornes wer away.
4
Famous poetis of antyquyte,In Grece and Troye renomed of prudence,
Wrot of Queen Heleyne and Penolope,
Of Pollycene, with hir chast innocence;
For wyves trewe calle Lucrece to presence;
That they wer faire ther can no man sey nay;
Kynde wrouht hem with so gret dyllygence,
Ther beute kouth, hornys wer cast away.
5
Clerkys recorde, by gret auctoryte,Hornes wer yove to bestys ffor dyffence—
A thyng contrarie to ffemynyte,
To be maad sturdy of resystence.
But arche wives, egre in ther vyolence,
Fers as tygre ffor to make affray,
They haue despit, and ageyn concyence,
Lyst nat of pryde, ther hornes cast away.
Lenvoye.
6
Noble pryncessis, this litel schort dyte,Rudely compyled, lat it be noon offence
664
Though it be rad in your audyence;
Peysed euery thyng in your iust aduertence,
So it be noon dysplesaunce to your pay,
Vnder support of your pacyence,
Yeveth example hornes to cast away.
7
Grettest of vertues ys humylyte,As Salamon seith, sonne of sapyence,
Most was accepted onto the Deyte;
Taketh heed herof, yeveth to his wordis credence,
How Maria, which hadde a premynence
Above alle women, in Bedlem whan she lay,
At Crystys birthe no cloth of gret dispence,
She wered a kouercheef, hornes wer cast away.
8
Off birthe she was hihest of degre,To whom alle angellis dyd obedyence,
Of Dauid-is lyne wich sprang out of Iesse;
In whom alle vertues by iust convenyence,
Maad stable in God by goostly confydence,
This rose of Iericho, ther greuh non suych in May,
Pore in spirit, parfit in pacyence,
In whom alle hornes of pride wer put away.
9
Modyr of Ihesu, myrour of chastyte,In woord nor thouht that neuere dyd offence,
Trewe examplire of virgynyte,
Hed-spryng and welle of parfit contynence,
665
Koude alle hir vertues reherse on-to this day;
Noble pryncessis, of meek benyvolence,
Be example of hir your hornes cast away.
Explicit.
39. LYDGATE'S LETTER TO GLOUCESTER.
1
Riht myhty prynce, and it be your wille,Condescende leiser for to take,
To seen the content of this litil bille,
Which whan I wrot, myn hand I felte quake.
Tokne of mornyng, weryd clothys blake,
Cause my purs was falle in gret rerage,
Lynyng outward, his guttys wer out shake,
Oonly for lak of plate and of coignage.
2
I souhte leechys for a restoratiff,In whom I fond no consolacioun,
Appotecaryes for a confortatiff,
Dragge nor dya was noon in Bury toun;
Botme of his stomak was tournyd vp-so-doun,
A laxatif did hym so gret outrage,
Made hym slendre by a consumpcioun,
Oonly for lak of plate and of coignage.
666
3
Ship was ther noon, nor seilis reed of hewe,The wynd froward to make hem ther to londe,
The flood was passyd, and sodeynly of newe,
A lowh ground-ebbe was faste by the stronde;
No maryneer durste take on honde,
To caste an ankir for streihtnesse of passage,
The custom skars as folk may vndirstonde,
Oonly for lak of plate and of coignage.
4
Ther was no tokne sent doun from the Tour,As any gossomer the countirpeys was liht;
A ffretyng etyk causyd his langour
By a cotidian whi[c]h heeld hym day and nyht;
Sol and Luna were clypsyd of ther liht,
Ther was no cros, nor preent of no visage,
His lynyng dirk, ther wer no platys briht,
Oonly for lak and scarsete of coignage.
5
Harde to likke hony out of a marbil stoon,For ther is nouthir licour nor moisture;
An ernest grote, whan it is dronke and goon,
Bargeyn of marchauntys, stant in aventure;
My purs and I be callyd to the lure
Off indigence, our stuff leyd in morgage.
But ye, my Lord, may al our soor recure,
With a receyt of plate and of coignage.
6
Nat sugre-plate, maad by thappotecarye,Plate of briht metal, yevith a mery soun,
In Boklerys-bury is noon such letuary.
Gold is a cordial, gladdest confeccioun,
667
Aurum potabile for folk ferre ronne in age,
In quynt-essence best restauracioun
With siluer plate, enprentyd with coignage.
[Lenvoye.]
7
O seely bille, why art thu nat ashamyd,So malapertly to shewe out thy constreynt?
But pouert hath so nyh thy tonne attamyd
That nichil habet is cause of thy compleynt.
A drye tisyk makith oold men ful feynt;
Reediest weye to renewe ther corage,
Is a fressh dragge, of no spycis meynt,
But of a briht plate, enpreentyd with coignage.
8
Thu mayst afferme, as for thyn excus,Thy bareyn soyl is sool and solitarye;
Of cros nor pyl ther is no reclus,
Preent nor impressioun in al thy seyntuarye.
To conclude breefly, and nat tarye,
Ther is no noyse herd in thyn hermytage,
God sende soone a gladdere letuarye
With a cleer soun of plate and of coignage.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
668
40. THE MUMMING AT BISHOPSWOOD.
Nowe here nexst folowyng ys made a balade by
Lydegate, sente by a poursyvant to þe Shirreves
of London, acompanyed with þeire breþerne vpon
Mayes daye at Busshopes wod, at an honurable
dyner, eche of hem bringginge his dysshe.
1
Mighty Flourra, goddes of fresshe floures,Whiche cloþed hast þe soyle in lousty grene,
Made buddes springe with hir swote showres
By influence of þe sonne so sheene;
To do plesaunce of entent ful clene
Vn-to þestates wheoche þat nowe sitte here,
Haþe Veere dovne sent hir owen doughter dere,
2
Making þe vertue þat dured in þe roote,Called of clerkes þe vertue vegytable,
For to trascende, moste holsome and moste swoote,
In-to þe crope, þis saysoun so greable.
Þe bawmy lykour is so comendable
Þat it reioyþe with þe fresshe moysture
Man, beeste, and foole, and every creature
3
Whiche haþe repressed, swaged, and bore dovneÞe grevous constreinte of þe frostes hoore;
And caused foolis, ffor ioye of þis saysoune,
To cheese þeire makes þane by natures loore,
With al gladnesse þeire courage to restore,
Sitting on bowes fresshly nowe to synge
Veere for to salue at hir home comynge;
4
Ful pleinly meninge in þeire ermonyeWynter is goone, whiche did hem gret payne,
669
Thanking Nature þeire goddesse souereyne
Þat þey nowe have no mater to compleyne,
Hem for to proygne every morwenyng
With lousty gladnesse at Phebus vprysinge.
5
And to declare þe hye magnifysenceHowe Vere inbringeþe al felicytee,
Affter wynters mighty vyolence
Avoydinge stormys of al adversytee;
For sheo haþe brought al prosperitee
To alle þestates of þis regyoun
At hir comynge to-fore youre hye renoun:
6
To þe mighty prynces þe palme of þeire victorie;And til knighthode nowe sheo doþe presente
Noblesse in armes, lawde, honnour, & glorie;
Pees to þe people in al hir best entente,
With grace and mercy fully to consente
Þat provydence of hye discressioun
Avoyde descorde and al devysyoun.
7
Wynter shal passe of hevynesse and trouble,F[l]owres shal springe of perfite charite,
In hertes þere shal be no meninge double,
Buddes shal [blosme] of trouþe and vnytee,
Pleinly for to exyle duplicytee,
Lordes to regne in þeire noble puissance,
Þe people obeye with feythful obeyssaunce.
8
Of alle estates þere shal beo oone ymage,And princes first shal ocupye þe hede,
And prudent iuges, to correcte outrages,
Shal trespassours const[r]eynen vnder drede,
Þat innosentes in þeire lowlyhede
As truwe comvnes may beo þeire socour,
Truwly contune in þeire faithful labour.
670
9
And by þe grace of Oure Lorde IhesuÞat Holly Chirche may have parseueraunce,
Beo faythfull founde in al [vertu],
Mayre, provost, shirreff, eche in his substaunce;
And aldremen, whiche haue þe governaunce
Over þe people by vertue may avayle,
Þat noone oppression beo done to þe pourayle.
10
Þus as þe people, of prudent pollycye,Pryncis of þe right shal governe,
Þe Chirche preye, þe iuges iustefye,
And knighthode manly and prudently discerne,
Til light of trouþe so clerely þe lanterne:
Þat rightwysnesse thorughe þis regyoune
Represse þe derknesse of al extorcyoune.
11
Þeos be þe tyþinges, wheoche þat Weer haþe brought,Troubles exylinge of wynters rude derknesse;
Wherfore reioye yowe in hert, wille, and thought,
Somer shal folowe to yowe off al gladnesse;
And siþen sheo is mynistre of lustynesse,
Let hir beo welcome to yowe at hir comyng,
Sith sheo to yowe haþe brought so glad tyþinge.
12
Þe noble princesse of moste magnifisence,Qweene of al ioye, of gladde suffisaunce,
May is nowe comen to Youre Hye Excellence,
Presenting yowe prosperous plesaunce,
Of al welfare moste foulsome haboundance,
As sheo þat haþe vnder hir demayne
Of floures fresshe moste holsome and soueraine.
671
Lenvoye to alle þestates present.
13
Þis Princesse haþe, by favour of nature,Repared ageine þat wynter haþe so fade,
And foolis loustely recvvre
Þeire lusty notes and þeire enemye glade,
And vnder braunches vnder plesant shade
Reioyssing þaire with many swote odoures,
And Zepherus with many fresshe [shoures].
14
Topyted fayre, with motleys whyte and rede,Alle hilles, pleynes, and lusty bankes grene,
And made hir bawme to fleete in every mede,
And fury Tytane shewe oute heos tresses sheene,
And vppon busshes and hawthornes kene,
Þe nightingale with plesant ermonye
Colde wynter stormes nowe sheo doþe defye.
15
On Parnoso þe lusty muses nyene,Citherra with hir sone nowe dwellis,
Þis sayson singe and þeire notes tuwyne
Of poetrye besyde þe cristal wellis;
Calyope þe dytes of hem tellis,
And Orpheus with heos stringes sharpe
Syngeþe a roundell with his temperd herpe.
16
Wher-fore to alle estates here present,Þis plesant tyme moste of lustynesse,
May is nowe comen to fore yow of entent
To bringe yowe alle to ioye and fresshnesse,
Prosparitee, welfare, and al gladnesse,
And al þat may Youre Hyenesse qweeme and pleese,
In any parte or doone youre hertes eese.
672
41. A MUMMING AT ELTHAM.
Loo here begynneþe a balade made by daun Iohn
Lidegate at Eltham in Cristmasse, for a momyng
tofore þe kyng and þe Qwene.
1
Bachus, which is god of þe glade vyne,Iuno and Ceres, acorded alle þeos three,
Thorughe þeyre power, which þat is devyne,
Sende nowe þeyre gifftes vn-to Your Magestee:
Wyne, whete and oyle by marchandes þat here be,
Wheeche represent vn-to Youre Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plente and gladnesse.
2
For þeos gifftes pleynly to descryve,Wheche in hem-self designe al souffisaunce:
Pees is betokened by þe grene olyve;
In whete and oyle is foulsome haboundaunce;
Wheche to Youre Hyenesse for to do plesaunce,
Þey represente nowe to Houre Hye Noblesse,
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
3
Ysaak, þe patryark ful olde,Gaf his blessing with his gifftes three
Vn-to Iacobe; in Scripture it is tolde,
Genesis yee may hit reede and see.
And semblabully þe Hooly Trynytee,
Your staate blessing, sent to Youre Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
4
In þe olyve He sendeþe to yowe pees,Þe Lord of Lordes, þat lordshipeþe euery sterre,
673
He stint shal of Mars þe cruwel werre;
And þane youre renoun shal shyne in londes ferre
Of youre two reavmes, graunting to Your Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee and gladnesse.
5
For Mars þat is mooste furyous and woode,Causer of stryff and desobeyssaunce,
Shal cesse his malice; and God þat is so goode,
Of vnytee shal sende al souffysaunce.
He ioyne þe hertes of England and of Fraunce,
Bassent of booþe sent to your Hye Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
6
Iuno þat is goddesse of al tresore,Sende eeke hir gyfftes to your estate royal:
Laude of knight-hoode, victorie and honnour,
Ageyns mescreantes in actes marcyal—
For Crystes feyth yee enhaunce shal;
Repeyre ageyne, and regne in Your Noblesse—,
Pees with youre lieges, plentee and gladnesse.
7
And al þis whyle Ceres, goddesse of corne,Shal where yee ryde mynistre you victayle;
Provydence, hir sustre, goo byforne
And provyde, soo þat no thing ne fayle;
Bachus also, þat may so miche avayle:
Alle of acorde present to Your Noblesse
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladnesse.
8
Þis God, þis Goddesse, of entent ful goode,In goodely wyse also þeyre gyfftes dresse
To yowe, Pryncesse, borne of Saint Lowys blood;
Frome yowe avoyding al sorowe, al hevynesse,
Frome yeere to yeere in verray sikrenesse;
To you presenting, yif yowe list aduerte,
Ay by encreesse ioye and gladnesse of hert.
674
9
Þey wol þeyre gyfftes with you and youres dwellePees, vnytee, plentee and haboundaunce,
So þat Fortune may hem not repelle,
Ner hem remuwe thorughe hir varyaunce;
Graunting also perseueraunt constaunce;
To you presenting, yif yowe list aduerte,
Ay by encresse ioye and gladnesse of hert.
10
To Youre Hyenesse þey gif þe fresshe olyve,By pees texyle awaye al hevynesse;
Prosparytee [eeke] during al your lyve.
And Iuno sent you moost excellent ricchesse,
Loue of al people, grounded in stablenesse.
With þis [reff(r)ete, yif yowe list] aduerte,
Ay by [encresse ioye and gladnesse of hert.]
11
Ceres also sent foulsomnesse,Frome yeere to yeere in your court tabyde.
Aduersyte shal þer noon manase,
But care and sorowe for ever sette asyde,
Happe, helthe and grace chosen to be youre guyde.
And with al þis present, yif yee aduerte,
Ay beo encresse, ioye [and] gladnesse of hert.
Lenvoie.
Prynce excellent, of your benignytee,Takeþe þees gyfftes, sent to your Hye Noblesse,
Þis hyeghe feest frome þeos yche three:
Pees with youre lieges, plentee with gladdnesse,
As Bacus, Iuno and Ceres bere witnesse.
To you, Pryncesse, also, yif yee aduerte,
Ay beo encresse, ioye [and] gladdnesse of hert.
675
42. A MUMMING AT HERTFORD.
Nowe foloweþe here þe maner of a bille by wey of supplicacion putte to þe kyng holding his noble feest of Cristmasse in Þe Castel of Hertford as in a disguysing of þe rude vpplandisshe people compleynyng on hir wyves, with þe boystous aunswere of hir wyves, devysed by Lydegate at þe request of þe Countre Roullour Brys slayne at Loviers.
Moost noble Prynce, with support of Your GraceÞer beon entred in-to youre royal place,
And late e-comen in-to youre castell,
Youre poure lieges, wheche lyke no-thing weel;
Nowe in þe vigyle of þis nuwe yeere
Certeyne sweynes ful [froward of ther chere]
Of entent comen, [fallen on ther kne],
For to compleyne vn-to Yuoure Magestee
Vpon þe mescheef of gret aduersytee,
Vpon þe trouble and þe cruweltee
Which þat þey haue endured in þeyre lyves
By þe felnesse of þeyre fierce wyves;
Which is a tourment verray importable,
A bonde of sorowe, a knott vnremuwable.
For whoo is bounde or locked in maryage,
Yif he beo olde, he falleþe in dotage.
And yong[e] folkes, of þeyre lymes sklendre,
Grene and lusty, and of brawne but tendre,
Phylosophres callen in suche aage
A chylde to wyve, a woodnesse or a raage.
For þey afferme þer is noon eorþely stryff
May beo compared to wedding of a wyff,
And who þat euer stondeþe in þe cas,
He with his rebecke may sing ful offt ellas!
676
He may with hem vpon þe daunce goon,
Leorne þe traas, booþe at even and morowe,
Of Karycantowe in tourment and in sorowe;
Weyle þe whyle, ellas! þat he was borne.
For Obbe þe Reeve, þat gooþe heere al to-forne,
He pleyneþe sore his mariage is not meete,
For his wyff, Beautryce Bittersweete,
Cast vpon him an hougly cheer ful rowghe,
Whane he komeþe home ful wery frome þe ploughe,
With hungry stomake deed and paale of cheere,
In hope to fynde redy his dynier;
Þanne sitteþe Beautryce bolling at þe nale,
As she þat gyveþe of him no maner tale;
For she al day, with hir iowsy nolle,
Hathe for þe collyk pouped in þe bolle,
And for heed aache with pepir and gynger
Dronk dolled ale to make hir throte cleer;
And komeþe hir hoome, whane hit draweþe to eve,
And þanne Robyn, þe cely poure Reeve,
Fynde noone amendes of harome ne damage,
But leene growell, and soupeþe colde potage;
And of his wyf haþe noone oþer cheer
But cokkrowortes vn-to his souper.
Þis is his servyce sitting at þe borde,
And cely Robyn, yif he speke a worde,
Beautryce of him dooþe so lytel rekke,
Þat with hir distaff she hitteþe him in þe nekke,
For a medecyne to chawf with his bloode;
With suche a metyerde she haþe shape him an hoode.
And Colyn Cobeller, folowing his felawe,
Haþe hade his part of þe same lawe;
For by þe feyth þat þe preost him gaf,
His wyff haþe taught him to pleyne at þe staff;
Hir quarter-strooke were so large and rounde
Þat on his rigge þe towche was alwey founde.
Cecely Soure-Chere, his owen precyous spouse,
Kowde him reheete whane he came to house;
677
Ageyne oon worde, alweys he hade tweyne;
Sheo qwytt him euer, þer was no thing to seeche,
Six for oon of worde and strookes eeche.
Þer was no meen bytweene hem for to goone;
What euer he wan, clowting olde shoone
Þe wykday, pleynly þis is no tale,
Sheo wolde on Sondayes drynk it at þe nale.
His part was noon, he sayde not oonys nay;
Hit is no game but an hernest play,
For lack of wit a man his wyf to greeve.
Þeos housbondemen, who-so wolde hem leeve,
Koude yif þey dourst telle in audyence
What foloweþe þer of wyves to doone offence;
Is noon so olde ne ryveld on hir face,
Wit tong or staff but þat she dare manase.
Mabyle, God hir sauve and blesse,
Koude yif hir list bere here of witnesse:
Wordes, strookes vnhappe, and harde grace
With sharp[e] nayles kracching in þe face.
I mene þus, whane þe distaff is brooke,
With þeyre fistes wyves wol be wrooke.
Blessed þoo men þat cane in suche offence
Meekly souffre, take al in pacyence,
Tendure suche wyfly purgatorye.
Heven for þeyre meede, to regne þer in glorye,
God graunt al housbandes þat beon in þis place,
To wynne so heven for His hooly grace.
Nexst in ordre, þis bochier stoute and bolde
Þat killed haþe bulles and boores olde,
Þis Berthilmewe, for al his broode knyff,
Yit durst he neuer with his sturdy wyff,
In no mater holde chaumpartye;
And if he did, sheo wolde anoon defye
His pompe, his pryde, with a sterne thought,
And sodeynly setten him at nought.
Þoughe his bely were rounded lyche an ooke
She wolde not fayle to gyf þe first[e] strooke;
For proude Pernelle, lyche a chaumpyoun,
Wolde leve hir puddinges in a gret cawdroun,
678
But with hir skumour reeche him on þe heued.
Shee wolde paye him; and make no delaye,
Bid him goo pleye him a twenty deuel wey.
She was no cowarde founde at suche a neode,
Hir fist ful offt made his cheekis bleed;
What querell euer þat he agenst hir sette,
She cast hir not to dyen in his dette.
She made no taylle, but qwytt him by and by;
His quarter sowde, she payde him feythfully,
And his waages, with al hir best entent,
She made þer-of noon assignement.
Eeke Thome Tynker with alle hees pannes olde,
And alle þe wyres of Banebury þat he solde—
His styth, his hamour, his bagge portatyf—
Bare vp his arme whane he faught with his wyff.
He foonde for haste no better bokeller
Vpon his cheeke þe distaff came so neer.
Hir name was cleped Tybot Tapister.
To brawle and broyle she nad no maner fer,
To thakke his pilche, stoundemel nowe and þanne,
Thikker þane Thome koude clowten any panne.
Nexst Colle Tyler, ful hevy of his cheer,
Compleyneþe on Phelyce his wyff, þe wafurer.
Al his bred with sugre nys not baake,
Yit on his cheekis some-tyme he haþe a caake
So hoot and nuwe, or he can taken heede,
Þat his heres glowe verray reede,
For a medecyne whane þe forst is colde,
Making his teethe to ratle, þat beon oolde.
Þis is þe compleynt, þat þeos dotardes oolde
Make on þeyre wyves, þat beon so stoute and bolde.
Þeos holy martirs, preued ful pacyent,
Lowly beseching in al hir best entent,
Vn-to Youre Noble Ryal Magestee
To graunte hem fraunchyse and also liberte,
Sith þey beoþe fetird and bounden in maryage,
A sauf-conduyt to sauf him frome damage.
Eeke vnder support of youre hyeghe renoun,
679
Conquest of wyves is ronne thoroughe þis lande,
Cleyming of right to haue þe hyegher hande.
But if you list, of youre regallye,
Þe Olde Testament for to modefye,
And þat yee list asselen þeyre request,
Þat þeos poure husbandes might lyf in rest,
And þat þeyre wyves in þeyre felle might
Wol medle amonge mercy with þeyre right.
For it came neuer of nature ne raysoun,
A lyonesse toppresse þe lyoun,
Ner a wolfesse, for al hir thyraunye,
Ouer þe wolf to haven þe maystrye.
Þer beon nowe wolfesses moo þane twoo or three,
Þe bookys recorde wheeche þat yonder bee.
Seoþe to þis mater of mercy and of grace,
And or þees dotardes parte out of þis place,
Vpon þeyre compleynt to shape remedye,
Or þey beo likly to stande in iupardye.
It is no game with wyves for to pleye,
But for foolis, þat gif no force to deye!
Takeþe heed of þaunswer of þe wyves.
Touching þe substance of þis hyeghe discorde,We six wyves beon ful of oon acorde,
Yif worde and chyding may vs not avaylle,
We wol darrein it in chaumpcloos by bataylle.
Iupart oure right, laate or ellys raathe.
And for oure partye þe worthy Wyff of Bathe
Cane shewe statutes moo þan six or seven,
Howe wyves make hir housbandes wynne heven,
Maugre þe feonde and al his vyolence;
For þeyre vertu of parfyte pacyence
Parteneþe not to wyves nowe-adayes,
Sauf on þeyre housbandes for to make assayes.
Þer pacyence was buryed long agoo,
Gresyldes story recordeþe pleinly soo.
680
No counseyle keepe, but þe trouth oute telle;
We beo not borne by hevenly influence
Of oure nature to keepe vs in sylence.
For þis is no doute, euery prudent wyff
Haþe redy aunswere in al suche maner stryff.
Þoughe þeos dotardes with þeyre dokked berdes,
Which strowteþe out as þey were made of herdes,
Haue ageyn hus a gret quarell nowe sette,
I trowe þe bakoun was neuer of hem fette,
Awaye at Dounmowe in þe Pryorye.
Þey weene of vs to haue ay þe maystrye;
Ellas! þeos fooles, let hem aunswere here-to;
Whoo cane hem wasshe, who can hem wring alsoo?
Wryng hem, yee, wryng, so als God vs speed,
Til þat some tyme we make hir nases bleed,
And sowe hir clooþes whane þey beoþe to-rent,
And clowte hir bakkes til somme of vs beo shent;
Loo, yit þeos fooles, God gyf hem sory chaunce,
Wolde sette hir wyves vnder gouuernaunce,
Make vs to hem for to lowte lowe;
We knowe to weel þe bent of Iackys bowe.
Al þat we clayme, we clayme it but of right.
Yif þey say nay, let preve it out by ffight.
We wil vs grounde not vpon wommanhede.
Fy on hem, cowardes! When hit komeþe to nede,
We clayme maystrye by prescripcyoun,
Be long tytle of successyoun,
Frome wyff to wyff, which we wol not leese.
Men may weel gruchche but þey shal not cheese.
Custume is vs for nature and vsaunce
To set oure housbandes lyf in gret noysaunce.
Humbelly byseching nowe at oon worde
Vnto oure Liege and Moost Souerein Lord,
Vs to defende of his regallye,
And of his grace susteenen oure partye,
Requering þe statuyt of olde antiquytee
Þat in youre tyme it may confermed bee.
681
Þe complaynte of þe lewed housbandes with þe cruwell aunswers of þeyre wyves herde, þe kyng yiveþe þer-vpon sentence and iugement.
Þis noble Prynce, moost royal of estate,Having an eyeghe to þis mortal debate,
First aduerting of ful hyeghe prudence,
Wil vnavysed gyve here no sentence,
With-oute counseylle of haste to procede,
By sodeyne doome; for he takeþe heede
To eyþer partye as iuge indifferent,
Seing þe paryll of hasty iugement;
Pourposiþe him in þis contynude stryffe
To gif no sentence þer-of diffynytyff,
Til þer beo made examynacyoun
Of oþer partye, and inquysicyoun.
He considereþe and makeþe Raysoun his guyde,
As egal iuge enclyning to noo syde;
Not-with standing he haþe compassyoun
Of þe poure housbandes trybulacyoun,
So offt arrested with þeyre wyves rokkes,
Which of þeyre distaves haue so many knokkes;
Peysing also, in his regallye,
Þe lawe þat wymmen allegge for þeyre partye,
Custume, nature, and eeke prescripcyoun,
Statuyt vsed by confirmacyoun,
Processe and daate of tyme oute of mynde,
Recorde of cronycles, witnesse of hir kuynde:
Wher-fore þe Kyng wol al þis nexst[e] yeere
Þat wyves fraunchyse stonde hoole and entier,
And þat no man with-stonde it, ne with-drawe,
Til man may fynde some processe oute by lawe,
Þat þey shoulde by nature in þeyre lyves
Haue souerayntee on þeyre prudent wyves,
A thing vnkouþe, which was neuer founde.
Let me be-ware þer-fore or þey beo bounde.
Þe bonde is harde, who-soo þat lookeþe weel;
Some man were leuer fetterd beon in steel,
Raunsoun might help his peyne to aswaage,
But whoo is wedded lyueþe euer in seruage.
682
Man þat was gladde to bynde him prysonier,
Þoughe þat his prysoun, his castell, or his holde
Wer depeynted with asure or with golde.
Explicit.
43. A MUMMING AT LONDON.
Lo here filoweþe þe deuyse of a desguysing to fore þe gret estates of þis lande, þane being at London, made by Lidegate Daun Iohan, þe Munk of Bury. of Dame Fortune, Dame Prudence, Dame Rightwysnesse and Dame Fortitudo. beholdeþe, for it is moral, plesaunt and notable. Loo, first komeþe in Dame Fortune.
Loo here þis lady þat yee may see,Lady of mutabilytee,
Which þat called is Fortune,
For seelde in oon she dooþe contune.
For as shee haþe a double face,
Right so euery houre and space
She chaungeþe hir condycyouns,
Ay ful of transmutacyouns.
Lyche as þe Romans of þe Roose
Descryveþe hir, with-outen glose,
And telleþe pleyne, howe þat she
Haþe hir dwelling in þe see,
Ioyning to a bareyne roche.
And on þat oon syde dooþe aproche
A lytel mountaygne lyke an yle;
Vpon which lande some whyle
Þer growen fresshe floures nuwe,
Wonder lusty of þeyre huwe,
Dyuers trees, with fruyte elade.
And briddes, with þeyre notes glaade,
683
In þeyre hevenly hermonye
Somme sing on hye, and some lowe.
And Zepherus þeer dooþe eeke blowe
With his smooþe, attempree ayre.
He makeþe þe weder clere and fayre
And þe sesoun ful of grace.
But sodeynly, in lytel space,
Vpon þis place mooste ryal
Þer comeþe a wawe and for-dooþe al.
First þe fresshe floures glade
On þeyre stalkes he doþe faade.
To þeyre beautee he dooþe wrong;
And þanne farweel þe briddes song.
Braunche and boughe of euery tree
She robbeþe hem of hir beautee,
Leef and blossomes downe þey falle.
And in þat place she haþe an halle,
Departed and wonder desguysee.
Frome þat oon syde, yee may see,
Ceryously wrought, for þe noones,
Of golde, of syluer, and of stoones,
Whos richesse may not be tolde.
But þat oþer syde of þat hoolde
Is ebylt in ougly wyse,
And ruynous, for to devyse;
Daubed of clay is þat doungeoun,
Ay in poynt to falle adoun.
Þat oon fayre by apparence,
And þat ooþer in existence
Shaken with wyndes, rayne and hayle.
And sodeynly þer dooþe assayle
A raage floode þat mancyoun,
And ouerfloweþe it vp and doun.
Her is no reskous, ner obstacle
Of þis ladyes habytacle.
And as hir hous is ay vnstable,
Right so hir self is deceyuable:
In oo poynt she is neuer elyche;
684
And thorughe hir mutabilytee
Casteþe him to morowe in pouertee.
Þe proddest she can gyve a fal:
She made Alexaundre wynnen al,
Þat noman him with stonde dare,
And caste him dovne, er he was ware.
So did sheo Sesar Iulius:
She made him first victorius,
Þaughe to do weel sheo beo ful looþe;
Of a bakers sonne, in sooþe,
She made him a mighty emperrour,
And hool of Roome was gouuernour,
Maugrey þe Senaat and al þeyre might;
But whanne þe sonne shoone mooste bright
Of his tryumphe, fer and neer,
And he was corouned with laurier,
Vnwarly thorughe hir mortal lawe
With bodekyns he was eslawe
At þe Capitoyle in Consistorye,
Loo, affter al his gret victorye.
See, howe þis lady can appalle
Þe noblesse of þeos prynces alle.
She haþe two tonnys in hir celler;
Þat oon is ful of pyment cler,
Confeit with sugre and spyces swoote
And manny delytable roote.
But þis is yit þe worst of alle:
Þat oþer tonne is ful of galle;
Whoo taasteþe oon, þer is noon ooþer,
He moste taaste eeke of þat toþer.
Whos sodeyne chaunges beon not sofft,
For nowe sheo can reyse oon alofft,
Frome lowghe estate til hye degree.
In olde storyes yee may see
Estates chaunge, whoo takeþe keepe.
For oon Gyges, þat kepte sheepe,
Sheo made, by vertu of a ring,
For to be made a worþy kyng;
And by fals mourdre, I dare expresse,
685
Moost odyous of alle thinges.
And Cresus, ricchest eeke of kynges,
Was so surquydous in his pryde,
Þat he wende, vpon noo syde
Noon eorþely thing might him pertourbe,
Nor his ryal estate distourbe.
Til on a night a dreme he mette,
Howe Iuvo in þe ayre him sette
And Iubiter, he vnderstondes,
Gaf him water vn-to his handes,
And Phebus heelde him þe towayle.
But of þis dreme þe devynayle
His doughter gane to specefye,
And fer to-forne to prophesye,
Whiche called [was] Leryopee.
Sheo sayde, he shoulde an hanged bee;
Þis was hir exposicyoun.
Loo, howe his pruyde was brought adovne.
And alle þeos chaunges, yif þey beo sought,
Þis fals lady haþe hem wrought,
Avaled with þeyre sodeyne showres
Þe worþynesse of conquerroures.
Reede of poetes þe comedyes;
And in dyuers tragedyes
Yee shal by lamentacyouns
Fynden þeyre destruccyouns—
A thousande moo þan I can telle—,
In-to mescheef howe þey felle
Dovne frome hir wheel, on see and lande.
Þer-fore, hir malys to withstande,
Hir pompe, hir surquydye, hir pryde,
Yif she wol a whyle abyde,
Foure ladyes shall come heer anoon,
Which shal hir power ouergoone,
And þe malys eeke oppresse
Of þis blynde, fals goddesse,
Yif sheo beo hardy in þis place
Oonys for to shewe hir double face.
686
Nowe komeþe here þe first lady of þe foure, Dame Prudence.
Loo, heer þis lady in youre presenceOf poetis called is Dame Prudence,
Þe which with hir mirrour bright,
By þe pourveyaunce of hir forsight
And hir myrrour, called provydence,
Is strong to make resistence
In hir forsight, as it is right,
Ageyns Fortune and al hir might.
For Senec seyþe, who þat can see,
Þat Prudence haþe eyeghen three,
Specyally in hir lookynges
To considre three maner thinges,
Alweyes by goode avysement:
Thinges passed and eeke present,
And thinges affter þat shal falle.
And she mot looke first of alle,
And doon hir inwarde besy peyne,
Thinges present for to ordeyne
Avysely on euery syde,
And future thinges for to provyde,
Þe thinges passed in substaunce
For to haue in remembraunce.
And who þus dooþe, I say þat hee
Verrayly haþe yeghen three
Comitted vn-to his diffence,
Þe truwe myrrour of prouydence.
Þane þis lady is his guyde,
Him to defende on euery syde
Ageyns Fortune goode and peruerse
And al hir power for to reuerse.
For fraunchysed and [at] liberte,
Frome hir power to goo free,
Stonde alle folkes, in sentence
Wheeche beon gouuerned by Prudence.
687
Nowe sheweþe hir heer þe secounde lady, Dame Rigwysnesse.
Seoþe here þis lady, Rightwysnesse.Of alle vertues she is pryncesse,
For by þe scales of hir balaunces
Sheo sette hem alle in gouuernaunces.
She putteþe asyde, it is no dreede,
Frenship, fauour and al kyns meede.
Love and drede she setteþe at nought,
For rightful doome may not beo bought.
And Rightwysnesse, who can espye,
Haþe neyþer hande ner yeghe.
She loste hir hande ful yore agoone,
For she resceyueþe gyfftes noone,
Noþer of freonde, neyþer of foo.
And she haþe lost hir sight al-soo,
For of right sheo dooþe provyde,
Nought for to looke on neyþer syde,
To hyeghe estate, ner lowe degree,
But dooþe to boþen al equytee,
And makeþe noon excepcyoun
To neyþer part, but of raysoun.
And for þe pourpos of þis mater
Of a iuge yee shal heere,
Which neuer his lyff of entent
Þer passed no iugement
By his lippes of falsnesse;
Of whome þe story dooþe expresse,
Affter his deeþe, by acountes cleer,
More þane three hundreþe yeer,
His body, as is made mencyoun,
Was tourned vn-to corrupcyoun,
Þe story telleþe, it is no dreed;
But lyche a roos, swoote and reed,
Mouþe and lippes werne yfounde,
Nought corrupte, but hoole and sounde.
For trouth is, þat he did expresse
In alle hees doomes of rithwysnesse.
688
Was with him of acqweyntaunce,
Which him made in his ententys
To gyf alle rightwyse iugementis.
Where fore þis lady, which yee heer see
With hir balaunces of equytee,
Haþe þe scaalis honged soo,
Þat she haþe no thing to doo
Neuer with Fortunes doublenesse.
For euer in oon stant Rightwysnesse,
Nowher moeving too ne froo
In no thing þat she haþe to doo.
Loo, heer komeþe in nowe þe thridde lady, called Fortitudo.
Takeþe heede, þis fayre lady, loo,Ycalled is Fortitudo,
Whame philosophres by þeyre sentence
Ar wonte to cleepe Magnyfysence.
And Fortitudo soþely sheo hight,
Ageyns alle vyces for to fight,
Confermed as by surtee
Ageynst all aduersytee.
In signe wher of sheo bereþe a swerde,
Þat sheo of no thing is aferd.
For comune profit also she,
Of verray magnanymyte,
Thinges gret dooþe vnderfonge,
Taking enpryses, wheeche beon stronge.
And moost sheo dooþe hir power preove
A communaltee for to releeve,
Namely vpon a grounde of trouthe;
Þanne in hir þer is no slouthe
For to maynteyne þe goode comune.
And alle þassautes of fortune,
Of verray stidfastnesse of thought
Alle hir chaunges she sette at nought.
689
Thorough hir mighty excellence
She armed þeos philosophres oolde,
Of worldely thing þat þey nought tolde
Recorde vpon Dyogenes,
On Plato and on Socrates.
She made Cypion of Cartage
To vnderfongen in his aage
For comune proufyte thinges gret;
And for no dreed list not leet,
Ageynst Roome, þat mighty tovne,
For to defende his regyoun.
Sheo made Hector for his cytee
To spare for noon aduersytee,
But, as a mighty chaumpyoun,
In þe defence of Troyes toun
To dye with-outen feer or dreed.
And þus þis lady, who takeþe heed,
Makiþe hir chaumpyoun[e]s strong,
Parayllous thinges to vnderfong,
Til þat þey þeyre pourpos fyne.
Recorde of þe worthy nyen,
Of oþer eeke þat weere but late,
I meene prynces of latter date.
Herry þe Fyfft, I dare sey soo,
He might beo tolde for oon of þoo;
Empryses wheeche þat were bygonne
He lefft not til þey weere wonne.
And I suppose, and yowe list see,
Þat þees ladyes alle three
Wer of his counseyle doutelesse,
Force, Prudence and Rightwysnesse.
Of þeos three he tooke his roote,
To putte Fortune vnder foote.
And sith þis lady, in vertu strong,
Sousteneþe trouthe, and dooþe not wrong,
Late hir nowe, to more and lasse,
Be welcome to yowe þis Cristmasse.
690
And þeos edoone, komeþe inne þe feorþe lady, cleped Dame Feyre and Wyse Attemperaunce.
Þis feorþe lady þat yee seon heer,Humble, debonayre and sadde of cheer,
Ycalled is Attemperaunce;
To sette al thing in gouuernaunce
And for hir sustres to provyde,
Vyces alle shal circumsyde,
And setten hem in stabulnesse.
With hir Cousin Soburnesse
She shal frome vyces hem restreyne
And in vertu holde hir reyne,
And þer-inne gyf hem libertee,
Eschuwing alle dishonestee;
And hem enfourmen by prudence,
For to haue pacyence,
Lownesse and humylytee,
And pruyde specyally to flee.
Contynence frome gloutonye,
Eschuwe deshoneste compaignye,
Fleen þe dees and þe taverne,
And in soburnesse hem gouverne;
With hert al þat euer þey can,
In vertu loven euery man;
Sey þe best ay of entent:
Whoo þat seyþe weel, dooþe not repent.
Detraccion and gloutouny,
Voyde hem frome þy companye
And al rancoure sette asuyde.
Be not to hasty, but euer abyde,
Specyally to doone vengeaunce;
In aboode is no repentaunce.
And in vertu whoo is þus sette,
Þanne beo þeos sustres weel ymette;
And sooþely, if it beo discerned,
Who by þeos foure is þus gouuerned—
Þus I mene: þat by Prudence
He haue þe myrrour of Provydence.
691
Naamely parylles, or þey falle—
And who þat haue by gouuernaunce
Of Rightwysnesse þe ballaunce,
And strongly holde in his diffence
Þe swerd of hir Magnyfycence:
Yee beon assured frome al meschaunce,
Namely whanne þat Attemperaunce
Hir sustre gouuerneþe al three.
Frome Fortune yee may þane go free,
Booþe alwey in hert and thought.
Whyle yee beo soo, ne dreed hir nought,
But avoydeþe hir acqweyntaunce
For hir double varyaunce,
And fleoþe oute of hir companye
And alle þat beon of hir allye.
And yee foure susters, gladde of cheer,
Shoule abyde here al þis yeer
In þis housholde at libertee;
And ioye and al prosparytee
With yowe to housholde yee shoule bring.
And yee all foure shal nowe sing
With al youre hoole hert entiere
Some nuwe songe aboute þe fuyre,
Suche oon as you lykeþe best;
Lat Fortune go pley hir wher hir list.
Explicit.
44. A MUMMING AT WINDSOR.
Nowe foloweþe nexst þe devyse of a momyng to fore
þe Kyng Henry þe Sixst, being in his Castell of
Wyndesore, þe fest of his Crystmasse holding þer,
made by Lidegate daun Iohn, þe Munk of Bury;
howe þampull and þe floure delys came first to þe
kynges of Fraunce by myrakle at Reynes.
692
1
Mooste noble Prynce of Cristen prynces alle,To Youre Hyeghnesse lat hit beo plesaunce,
In youre presence men may to mynde calle,
Howe þat whylom oure worthy reavme of Fraunce
Conuerted was frome þeyre mescreaunce,
Whane þe Lord of Lordes caste a sight
Vpon youre lande and made His grace alight.
2
For in þe heghe, hevenly consistorye,Be ful acorde of þe Trynitee,
As in cronycles maked is memorye,
Þe Lord, which is called oon, twoo and thre,
His eyeghe of mercy caste on Cloudovee,
Shadde His grace of goostely influence
Towardes þat kyng, having his aduertence,
3
Þat he shoulde passe frome paganymes laweBy prescyence, which þat is devyne,
His hert al hoolly and him self withdrowe
Frome his ydooles, and alle hees rytes fyne,
Whane hevenly grace did vpon him shyne,
By meene oonly and by devoute preyer
Of Saint Cloote, moost goodly and entier.
4
Hir hertely loue, hir meditacyouns,Hir wacche, hir fasting and hir parfyt lyf,
Hir stedfast hoope, hir hooly orysouns,
Hir conuersacyoun moost contemplatyff
Stynt in Fraunce of Mawmetrye þe stryff,
Causing þe lawe, moost souerein of vertue
To sprede abroode of oure Lord Ihesu.
5
Hir meryte caused and hir parfit entent,Þat Crystes feyth aboute þer did sprede,
Whane þat an aungel was frome heven sent
Vn to an hermyte, of parfyt lyf in deed,
Presented it, whoo-so can take heed;
693
And in þe feelde of golde three floure delys.
6
At Ioye en Vale, with-oute more obstacle,Fel al þis cas, where þaungel doune alight,
A place notable, chosen by myracle,
Which thorughe al Fraunce shadde his bemys light.
God of his grace caste on þat place a sight,
For to þat reavme in passing avauntage
In þilke vale was sette þat hermytage.
7
Al þis came in, whoo-so list to seen,I dare afferme it with-oute any dreed,
By parfytnesse of þe hooly qweene,
Saynte Cloote, floure of wommanheed.
What euer she spake, acordant was þe deed:
I mene it þus, þat worde and werke were oon;
It is no wonder, for wymmen soo beon echoon.
8
Hir hoolynesse Fraunce did enlumyneAnd Crystes fayth gretly magnefye.
Loo what grace dooþe in wymmen shyne,
Whas assuraunce noman may denye.
To seye pleyne trouth nys no flaterye;
But stabulnesse in wymmen for to fynde,
Deemeþe youre selff wher it komeþe hem of kynde.
9
For thorughe meeknesse, yif it be aduerted,Of Saynte Cloote, and thorugh hir hyeghe prudence,
Kyng Cloudovee was to oure feyth conuerted.
In hir þer was so entier diligence,
Fully devoyde of slouthe and necglygence,
Ne stynt nought, til þat hir lord haþe take
Þe feyth of Cryst and his errour forsake.
10
Þis made, þe kyng þat Crystes feyth tooke,For he was booþe manly and rightwys,
694
And in his sheelde he bare thre floure delys,
Sent frome heven, a tresore of gret prys;
Affter at Reynes, þe story telleþe þus,
Baptysed lowly of Saint Remigius.
11
Þampolle of golde a colver brought adovne,With which he was, þis hooly kyng, ennoynt.
Gret prees þer was stonding envyroun,
For to beholde þe kyng frome poynt to poynt.
For where as he stoode, in gret desioynt,
First a paynyme, by baptyme anoon right
Was so conuerted, and bekame Crystes knight.
12
At Reynes yit þat hooly vnccyounConserued is for a remembraunce,
And of coustume, by reuolucyoun
Of God provyded, with due observaunce,
Tannoynte of coustume kynges wheeche in Fraunce
Ioustely succeede, þe story dooþe vs leere;
Of which Sixst Henry, þat nowe sitteþe here,
13
Right soone shal, with Goddes hooly grace,As he is borne by successyoun,
Be weel resceyued in þe same place
And by vertu of þat vnccyoun
Atteyne in knighthoode vn-to ful hye renoun,
Resceyve his coroune, he and his successours,
By tytle of right, lyche hees progenytours.
14
Nowe, Royal Braunche, O Blood of Saint Lowys,So lyke it nowe to Þy Magnyfycence,
Þat þe story of þe flour delys
May here be shewed in þyne heghe presence,
And þat þy noble, royal Excellence
Lyst to supporte, here sitting in þy see,
Right as it fell þis myracle to see.
695
45. A MUMMING FOR THE MERCERS OF LONDON.
And nowe filoweþe a lettre made in wyse of balade by
Daun Iohan, brought by a poursuyaunt in wyse of mommers desguysed to fore þe Mayre of London,
Eestfeld, vpon þe twelffeþe night of Cristmasse,
ordeyned ryallych by þe worthy merciers, citeseyns of London.
1
Moost mighty Lord, Iubyter þe Greet,Whos mansyoun is ouer þe sonnes beem,
Frome þens þat Phebus with his feruent heet
Reflecteþe his light vpon þe swyfft streeme
Of Ewfratees towardes Ierusalem,
Dovne coosteying, as bookys maken mynde,
By Lubyes landes, thorughe Ethyope and Ynde;
2
Conveyed dovne, where Mars in CyrreaHaþe bylt his paleys vpon þe sondes rede,
And she, Venus, called Cytherrea,
Venus is called þe goddesse of love. She is called Cytherea affter Cytheron, þe hill wher she is worshiped. Perseus is a knight which þat rood vpon an hors þat was called Pegase. Þe nyen Muses dwelle bysyde Ellycon, þe welle; wheeche beon þe nyen sustres of Musyk and of Eloquences and Calyope is oone of hem.
On Parnaso, with Pallas ful of drede;
And Parseus with his furyous steede
Smote on þe roche where þe Muses dwelle,
Til þer sprange vp al sodeynly a welle,
3
Called þe welle of Calyope,Mooste auctorysed amonges þees Cyryens—;
Of which þe poetes þat dwelle in þat cuntree,
And oþer famous rethorycyens,
And þey þat cleped beon musycyens,
Ar wont to drynk of þat hoolsome welle,
Which þat alle oþer in vertu dooþe excelle—;
696
4
Bacus is cleped god of wyne and Thagus is a ryver of which þe gravelles and þe sandes beon of golde. Tulius a poete and a rethorisyen of Rome. Macrobye an olde philosofre. Ovyde and Virgilius weren olde poetes, þat oon of Rome, þat oþer of Naples afore þe tyme of Cryst. Fraunceys Petrark was a poete of Florence. So were Bochas and Dante withinne þis hundreþe yeere; and þey were called laureate for þey were coroned with laurer in token þat þey excelled oþer in poetrye. Poetes feynen þat þe gret god Iubiter came dovne from heven for to rauisshe a kynges doughter cleped Europa, affter whame alle þe cuntreys of Europ bereþe þe name.
Of ryche Thagus, þe grauellys alle of gold,
Which gyveþe a light agens þe sonne cleer,
So fresshe, so sheene, þat hit may not beo tolde;
Where Bellona haþe bylt a stately hoolde—
In al þis worlde, I trowe, þer is noon lyche—
Of harde magnetis and dyamandes ryche:—
5
And of þat welle drank some tyme TuliusAnd Macrobye, ful famous of prudence;
Ovyde also, and eeke Virgilius,
And Fraunceys Petrark, myrour of eloquence;
Iohan Bocas also, flouring in sapyence.
Thoroughe þat sugred bawme aureate
Þey called weren poetes laureate.—
6
Oute of Surrye, by many straunge stronde,Þis Iubiter haþe his lettres sent,
Thoroughe oute Europe, where he did lande,
And frome þe heven came dovne of entent,
To ravisshe shortly in sentement
Fayre Europe, mooste renommed of fame,
Affter whame yit al Europe bereþe þe name.
7
And thorughe Egypte his poursuyant is comme,Dovne descendid by þe Rede See,
And haþe also his right wey ynomme
Thoroughe valeye of þe Drye Tree
By Flomme Iordan, coosteying þe cuntree,
Where Iacob passed whylome with his staff,
Taking his shippe, to seylen at poort Iaff.
8
And so forþe downe his iourney can devyse,In Aquarye whane Phebus shoon ful sheene,
Forþe by passing þe gret gulff of Venyse;
And sayled forþe soo al þe ryver of Geene;
In which see regneþe þe mighty qweene,
697
Where nymphes syng, hir honnour to exalte.
9
And þer he saughe, as he gan approche,With inne a boote a fissher drawe his nette
On þe right syde of a crystal rooche;
Fisshe was þer noon, for þe draught was lette.
And on þoon syde þer were lettres sette
Þat sayde in Frenshe þis raysoun: Grande travayle;
Þis aunswere nexst in ordre: Nulle avayle.
10
Þanne seyling forþe bysyde many a rokk,He gane ful fast for to haaste him dovne
Thoroughe þe daunger and streytes of Marrokk,
Passing þe parayllous currant of Arragoun;
So foorþe by Spaygne goyng envyroun,
Thoroughe out þe Raas and rokkes of Bretaygne,
Þe Brettysshe see til þat he did atteyne
11
Thoroughe þilk sakk, called of Poortland;And towardes Caleys holding his passage,
Lefft Godwyn sandes, by grace of Goddes hand—
Havyng his wynde to his avauntage,
Þe weder cleer, þe stormes lefft hir raage—
Entryng þe see of Brutes Albyon,
Nowe called Themse thoroughe al þis regyon.
12
And in a ffeeld, þat droughe in to þe eest,Besyde an ylande, he saughe a shippe vnlade
Which hade sayled ful fer towarde þe West;
Þe caban peynted with floures fresshe and glaade
And lettres Frenshe, þat feynt nyl ne faade:
Taunt haut e bas que homme soyt,
Touz ioures regracyer dieux doyt.
13
And in a boote on þat oþer sydeAnoþer fissher droughe his nette also,
698
With so gret plentee, he nyst what til do.
And þer were lettres enbrouded not fer froo,
Ful fresshly wryten þis worde: grande peyne;
A[nd] cloos acording with þis resoun: grande gayne.
14
Þe noble yllande, where he saughe þis sight,Gaf vn-to him a demonstracion,
Taught him also by þe Poolys light,
He was not fer frome Londones tovne.
And with a floode þe pursuyaunt came downe,
Lefft þe water, and at Thems stronde,
With owte aboode, in haaste he came to lande,
15
Where certayne vesselles nowe by þe anker ryde.Hem to refresshe and to taken ayr,
Certein estates, wheche purveye and provyde
For to vysyte and seen þe noble Mayr
Of þis cytee and maken þeyre repayr
To his presence, or þat þey firþer flitte,
Vnder supporte, þat he wol hem admytte.
46. A MUMMING FOR THE GOLDSMITHS OF LONDON.
And nowe filoweþe a lettre made in wyse of balade by
Ledegate Daun Iohan, of a mommynge, whiche þe goldesmythes of þe Cite of London mommed in
right fresshe and costele welych desguysing to þeyre Mayre Eestfeld, vpon Candelmasse day at
nyght, affter souper; brought and presented vn to þe Mayre by an heraude, cleped Fortune.
699
1
Þat worþy Dauid, which þat sloughe Golye,Þe first kyng þat sprang oute of Iesse,
Of God echosen, þe bookes specefye,
By Samuel sette in his royal see,
With twelve trybus is comen to þis citee,
Brought royal gyfftes, kyngly him taquyte,
Þe noble Mayre to seen and to vysyte.
2
Þe first trybe, þe Byble cane well telle,Is called Iuda, þe hardy, strong lyoun.
Fro whos kynrede—for hit did excelle—
Cryst lyneally he came adowne,
Which lyche David was þe chaumpyoun
Þat sloughe þe tyraunt, to gete him-self a prysse,
Man to restore ageyne to Paradys.
3
Þis noble Dauid, moost mighty and moost goode,Is nowe descended in his estate royal
With alle þe trybus of Iacobus blood,
For to presenten in especial
Gyfftes þat beon boþe hevenly and moral,
Apperteyning vn-to good gouuernaunce,
Vn-to þe Mayre for to doo plesaunce.
4
Frome his cytee of IherusalemHe is come dovne of humble wille and thought;
Þe arke of God, bright as þe sonne beeme,
In-to þis tovne he haþe goodely brought,
Which designeþe, if hit be wel sought,
Grace and good eure and long prosperitee
Perpetuelly to byde in þis cytee.
5
O yee Levytes, whych bere þis lordes arke,Dooþe youre devoyre with hevenly armonye
Þe gret mysterye deuoutely for to marke,
With laude and prys þe Lord to magnefye;
Of oon acorde sheweþe your melodye,
700
Nowe to þe Mayre with hoole and truwe entent.
6
Whylome þis arke, abyding in þe housOf Ebdomadon, brought in ful gret ioye;
For in effect it was more gracyous
Þanne euer was Palladyone of Troye.
Hit did gret gladnesse and hit did accoye
Thinges contrarye and al aduersytee.
Þeffect þer-of, whane Dauid did see,
7
And fully knewe, howe God list for to blesseThorughe his vertu and his mighty grace,
Þat of gladdnesse þey might nothing mysse—
Wher hit aboode any maner spaace,
God of His might halowed so þe place—
Wherfore Kyng Dauid, by gret deuocion,
Maade of þis ark a feyre translacion
8
In-to his hous and his palays royal,Brought by þe Levytes with gret solempnytee;
And he him-self in especyal
Daunsed and sang of gret humylyte,
And ful deuoutely lefft his ryaltee,
With Ephod gyrt, lyche preestis of þe lawe,
To gyf ensaumple howe pryde shoulde be withdrawe
9
In yche estate, who list þe trouth serche,And to exclude al veyne ambycyoun,
Specyally fro mynistres of þe Chirche,
To whome hit longeþe by deuocyoun,
To serve God with hool deffeccyoun
And afforne him mynistre in clennesse,
Bensaumple of Dauid for al his worþynesse.
10
Nowe ryse vp, Lord, in-to Þy resting place,Aark of Þyne hooly halowed mansyoun,
701
Keepe and defende in þy proteccion
Þe Meyre, þe citeseyns, þe comunes of þis tovne,
Called in cronycles whylome Nuwe Troye,
Graunte hem plente, vertu, honnour and ioye.
11
And for þat meeknesse is a vertu feyre,Worþy Dauid, with kyngly excellence,
In goodely wyse haþe made his repayre,
O noble Mayre, vn-to youre presence,
And to youre hyeghnesse with freondly dilygence
Þis presande brought, oonly for þe best,
Perpetuelly þis tovne to sette at rest,
12
Of purpoos put þis aark to youre depoos,With good entent, to make youre hert light;
And þoo three thinges, which þer inne beo cloos,
Shal gif to yowe konnyng, grace and might,
For to gouuerne with wisdome, pees and right
Þis noble cytee, and lawes suche ordeyne,
Þat no man shal haue cause for to compleyne.
13
A wrytt with-inn shal vn-to you declareAnd in effect pleynly specefye,
Where yee shal punysshe and where as yee shal spare,
And howe þat Mercy shal Rygour modefye.
And youre estate al-so to magnefye,
Þis aark of God, to make you gracyous,
Shal stille abyde with you in youre hous.
14
For whyles it bydeþe stille in youre presence,Þe hyeghe Lord shal blesse booþe yowe and youres,
Of grace, of fortune sende yowe influence
And of vertue alle þe fresshe floures;
And of aduersytee voyde awey þe shoures,
Sette pees and rest, welfare and vnytee
Duryng youre tyme thoroughe-oute þis cytee.
| The Minor Poems of John Lydgate | |