 | Bernardus de cura rei famuliaris, with some Early Scottish Prophecies |  |
Early Scottish Verse.
I. BERNARDUS DE CURA REI FAMULIARIS.
Awtenyk bukys and storis alde and newBe wyß poetys ar tretit, þe quhilk trew,
Sum maide for law of god in document,
And oþir sum for varldly regiment,
Experyence throw þam þat men may haffe
Off sapience, and sa, amange þe laiffe,
A lytil epistile I fande for to comende,
Be þe doctor bernarde, and sende
To raymwnde knycht of chewalry þe roß:
Þe forme as he his howsalde sulde contene,
And his famele miserabilly sustene,
Wyt mony oþir virteus eligant,
Rycht necessar to vaike and ignorant.
And quhar I say to lang or ȝit to schort,
To pacience mekly I me report;
And in þe nam of mary and Ihesus,
I wyl begyne his text fyrst sayande þus.
Gracioso et felici militi raymundo domino castri sancti angeli Bernardus in senium deductus Salutem.
Ande of his text fyrst in begynyngeTo raymonde knycht he sendys salusyng.
2
Salutem et sincerem in domino caritatem. doceri petis a nobis de modo & cura rei famuliaris gubernande, qualiter patres familias debeant se habere: ad quod tibi respondemus, quod licet omnium rerum mundanarum status et exitus negociorum sub fortuna liborent, non tum hec timore est viuendi regula omittenda.
Þoch alkyne stat of varldly regimentBe dame fortowne, cruele and dement
And variance, ar febyle as þe wynde,
Ȝit rewle of lyffe is nocht to leff behynde.
Audi ergo et attende, quod si in domo tua sumptus et redditus sint equales.
And fyrst prouide with werteu þat þi rentTo þi expensis be equiuolente
Quia casus inopinatus poterit destruere statum tuum. Status hominis negligentis est domus ruinosa.
For foly expenß but temporance is noyAnd of his houß þe stat it may destroy.
Quid est negligencia gubernantis domum? ignis in domo validus et accensus.
Qwhat is he speris þe foly negligensOf hym þat sulde his howsald and expenß
Gowerne with grace: he sayis þe man þat spendis
Vnsparandly mar þan his rent extendis.
For as þe fyr throw brandis red ande hate
Vastis þe selffe sa is he desolate.
Discute diligenter eorum diligenciam negligenciam et propositum qui tua administrant.
He says al tyme se thou with diligenceOff þi seruandys haff gud experience,
And þar purpoß persew for tyl haf plane,
So thow consaffe gef þa be the agane
Quhilk in þar handis haß gouernans
Off þi gud in tyme but harme
Þat þow may þam exclude.
3
Labenti & nondum lapso vtile est abstinere antequam cadat, &c. Sepius reuidere que tua sunt, quom sint, maxima prouidencia est.
This famus doctor says it is gret prudence,Souerene verteu and rycht he sapience,
Oft tyl ourese þi gud and gouernance,
Þat þow may hafe in freche remembrance
Gef þar be ocht in perel for to spyle:
Of ourseynge may mende it at þi vyle
For it is sene and saide in sampylle batht
Slewthe and delay oft causis mekyl skatht.
Nupcie sumptuose dampnum sine honore conferunt.
For to mak fest he sayis and hee costageAnd sumpteuß spenß is foly and barnage:
For gef ane loffys, ane oþir discomendys;
And tyl honowris throw festyn few ascendis.
Sumptus pro milicia honorabilis est.
Bot for to spend wyt spensys mesurabyle,For worchip is and profet honorabyl.
Sumptus pro adiuuando amicos racionabilis est.
And for þi tendyr frende for tyl exspendeÞi gudis for gud of hym is to comende.
Sumptus pro adiuuando prodigos perditus est.
Bot for to spende þi gude and þi substanceOn foly men, þat lefys by temporance,
Proponande þat þi gud and þi vertew
Sic fulechte men with worchipe suld renew,
Or ȝit maik rychce, lat be: for in sertane
Owt of þe flesche wyl nocht brede in þe bane.
Considera itaque de cibo et de potu animalium tuorum nam esuriunt et non petunt.
Se thou consyder with al þi besy cur
Þi bestis fude and plese þam with pasture
For þocht þa hunger and thryst for falt of drynk
Þa cane nocht ask, on þam þar-for thow think.
Þi bestis fude and plese þam with pasture
For þocht þa hunger and thryst for falt of drynk
Þa cane nocht ask, on þam þar-for thow think.
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Familiam de grosso cibo & non delicato enutries.
Þi famel fede and thus sal be þar fude,Nocht delicate, smale drynk and metis rude.
Qui gulosus effectus est vix aliter quam morte mores mutabit, &c.
This famus clerk þus in his buk sayis he:Qwha is infekyt with gulosite,
Or ȝit dedit wyt. wyce of drunkynneß,
It leffys þam nocht quhile dede þam part dowtleß.
Gulositas vilis & negligentis hominis putredo est.
This vofule wyce of drunkynneß þe nameIn til a man þat has na drede of schame
May be reput of sorow and of syne
A sary smyt tyle hyme þat leffys þar in.
Sobrietas soliciti hominis & diligentis solacium est.
Qwhat man delitis and haffys diligenceOn glutony to waste and mak expence
And haile his Joy ande solace is þar In
Ande reputis sport þat wyss men reputis syne.
Diebus paschalibus habundanter et non delicate pasce familiam tuam, &c.
In ioyfule dayis and haly tyme paschaleFede nocht þi famel with costly victuale
Geffe þame enwcht of drynk and metis rude
Quhilk may suffice to seruandis and þer fude
Fac gulam litigare cum bursa & caue cuius aduocatus existas, aut inter gulam et bursam qualem sentenciam feras.
Alß he comawndis betwenß glutonyAnd þi purß be striffe for þe mastry,
And be sa wer al tym in thyne expenß
Betwene þame twa þat thow gef rycht sentence.
For glutony prouokys þe tyl expende
And vast þi gudis; quhilk to discomende
Þi purs þe prayis to spende as thow may wyne
Or ellis þin arthe sal be oft bare wythin.
Si autem inter gulam & bursam iudex existas, sepius, sed non semper, pro
bursa sentenciam feras. Tunc male iudicas contra gulam quom auaricia ligat bursam.
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Geff auarice þi purß sal lowß and bynde
Nam gula affectionibus probat contra bursam, & sic testibus non iuratis: bursa euidenter probat archa & cellario vacuatis vel brevi tempore vacuandis. Nunquam inter gulam & bursam auaricia recte iudicabit.
For glutony walde wast þat elderys wane,And auarice walde gef noþer god na mane:
Thare-for largeneß thow tak and lef þam batht
For he cane spende in tym and do na skatht.
Quid est auarus? sui homicida. Quid est auaricia? paupertatis timor: semper in paupertate viuere.
Qwhat is, he speris, auarice þe syne?To dred purete and euer to leffe þar in.
Recte viuit auarus in se non perdens diuicias, sed aliis reseruando.
Thar-for a wreche he leffys rycht wyslyIn til hym selffe, and I sal tel þe quhy.
It is aganys þe wrechiß properte
To spende, þar-for he leffys in pauperte
And oþir men oft spendys þat he may wyne;
Þar for he leffys in sorow and deis in syne.
Melius est enim aliis reseruare quam in se perdere.
Bot better is to oþir kepe þi pelffeÞan to forswme and wast away þi selffe.
Si habundas blado non diligas caristiam: diligens caristiam cupit esse pauperum homicida.
Geff thow be rycht man of gouernance,And hase to sel wetale in gret substance,
Se be na way na derth þat thou desyre
For þi wynnyng for dred of goddis Ire:
Thow cowattyß þane, planly I þe assur,
To be oppresser and slaar of þe pur.
Vende bladum tuum dum satis valet non quando per pauperem emi non potest.
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For mesurabyl vynnynge profet and awale,
And in þat tym desyr for to sel nocht,
Qwhen be þe pur na way it may be bocht.
Vicinis minore precio vende etiam inimicis. Non gladio sed sepe seruicio vincitur inimicus.
And to þi nychtbowr, as resone is and skyle,Sel better chepe na thow oþir tyle:
And to þi fayis gud chepe, prente þis worde,
For he is nocht ay wencuste with þe sworde
But oft throw lufe and dedys of cheryte.
Ande lawlyneß ourcummyne oft his he.
Superbia contra vicinum habere balteum est expectens tonitruum cum sagitta.
Se thow be sobyr ande ber þe, man, ewynliTo þi nychbowr þat dwellis þe ner by.
And in þi harte inwy þam nocht throw pryde;
For and thow do dowtleß, mane, confyde,
It is þe fendys prouocacione
Takyne of noy ande tribulacione.
Habens inimicum conuersacionem non habeas cum ignotis sed cogita inimici tui vias.
Geff þat it happynnis throw rancor or InwyThe for to haf a dedly inimy,
It is na wyt, na wertu sekyrli,
For to conwerß wyth strangeris inwartly.
To þe of case, for it may happyn sa,
Sum mane is frende til hyme þat is þi fa
Debilitas in inimici non est loco pacis sed treuga ad tempus.
On þe gef þat þi mortale inimyFor cauß may nocht schaw furtht his felony
He bydis his howre þat he may be þi bane
Ande quhile his tym hys trewis þai ar bot tane.
De feminis tuis suspectis quid agant ignoranciam queras. Postquam sciueris crimen male uxoris a nullo medico curaberis.
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Quhat sum euer mane happynnis for to knaw
Þe wykytneß and sorow of a wyfe,
Na medicine may mende hyme in his lyffe,
Na þe dolowr of hyr þat is his make
Be na science þar is na leche can slake.
Dolorem de mala muliere tunc mitigabis quando audies facta de vxoribus alienis.
Bot it wyl slak sum part of sowrowis serOf oþir wyffys þe sorow for to her,
And mare sobyr to thole sic vikytneß,
Mane, to consaife þat þow art nocht makleß.
Cor altum et nobile non inquirit de operibus mulierum.
Bot nobyl hartis ande gentyl settys nocht byOff wice and verkys quhilk ar wnwomanly.
For þa consaue þat womannys wyttis ar thyne
And noch[t] sa abyl to werteu as to syne:
Quhilk cummys þam of kynde and of nature
Of þar formodyr eua þat þam bure.
Malam uxorem pocius risu quam baculo castigabis.
This nobyl clerk says thow sal soner seseOf ewyl women þe sorow þan be pese
Quhen þat þai chide and chauner for to lacht
Na bet with staffeis quhile þa ly by þe wacht.
Femina meretrix & senex si lex permitteret sepelienda esset viua, &c.
This doctor says, ane aulde woman þat isLicherus and wyl not lef hir myß,
And law wald thole hir for to persewere
Nan oþir hewyne scho walde neuer eftyr sper,
Thocht elde be cummyne ande passit al hir flowris
Ȝit walde scho luffe and be luffyt paramowris.
Si securum putas inimicum vt supra.
Man, of þi fa gef thow hase ony dowte,Be wakyr al tyme and war þe abowte,
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Wycht sobyrneß stedfastly and style.
De vestibus vero teneas. Vestis sumptuosa est probacio pauci sensus, &c.
Off clethyng now þis clerk wyl spek a spase.Costly clething se sais is wantonase,
Off lityle wyt to men of sympil state,
Off meswre ay he byddis the halde þe gate
Vestis nimis apparens vicinis tedium parat.
For ryche aray and freche apparalyneDois oft tymis skath, & principaly in þis thing:
Nychbouris abowt wyl say in þar entent,
Loo se so gay ȝon man is of his rent!
And þe in hart þar-for þa hewy ber.
Eftyr þi wyne with worschipe clethyng wer.
Stude ergo bonitate non veste placere.
Bot erare sone þe forß at al þe powerTo pleß gudneß and gud be callit her.
That men may say, ȝon man is of renowne,
Þat is bettyr na for to ruß þi gowne.
Mulieris peticio habentis vestes & vestes quærentis non indicat firmitatem. De amicis tene quod maior est amicus qui sua tribuit quam qui seipsum offert, &c.
Off frendys þus þis doctor cane decide;In to þat frende erar thow confyde
Quhilk the supportis in þi necessite,
Na in hym says, al myn frend sal be
Chargis me at al ȝour owne I am sekyr.
Þar is nocht ellis bot ioly wordis as þir.
Nam de verbis magna est copia amicorum.
Bot mony frendis to nowmer ar be tale,In to þir wordis bot few in speciale.
Amicum non reputes qui te presentem laudat.
Man, reput nocht hym frende quhilk in þi faceGyffis grei lowynge and sais þow art makleß.
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In to þi hart and in þi brest thow bere,
And trast hym nocht, suppoß he were þi brudyr,
Bot gef a ioly worde ay for ane vdyr.
Si consolis amico non queras placere ei sed rationi.
Sone to þi frend gef thow sal gef consele,For his profet honowr ande awale,
As resone askys þi consel gef hym tyl,
And folow nocht his plesance na his vyle.
Dicas in consulendo amico, sic mihi videtur, non precise, sic agendum est, &c.
Alß be þi frend in way of consellyngGeffe thow be chargit gef it but fenȝeing
How he sal doo but dowt determinatly,
And discuß nocht his mater mistely.
Facilius enim de malo exitu consilii sequitur redargucio quam de bono laus, &c.
For oftersyß reprwfe and welanyAnd ewyle consele folowis mare sodanly
Þan doys loffyng or comendacione
Of trew consel or gud prouisione.
Audiui quod visitant te ioculatores; audi que sequuntur, &c.
Man or childe haffande a gret delyteFor to wesy with diligence perfit
Ioculatouris or trumpouris, sone, attende
Quhat falowis eftyr or quhat sal be þe ende.
Homo ioculatoribus intendens & impendens cito habebit uxorem cuius nomen erit paupertas, & erit huius uxoris filius derisio.
A mane, he says, quhik al his fantasyHas geffyne to vice and vesy ioculary,
A wyfe he sal hafe, purte til hir name,
And a sone alß callit scorne and schame.
Placent tibi verba ioculatoris finge te audire et aliud cogitare, &c.
Gef quhillumys pleseis ioculatoris, my dere,Fenȝe þe þar fantasy to here
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On odyr materß be sade and diligent.
Ridens & gaudens de verbis ioculatoris Jam pignus sibi dedit. Ioculatores improperantes digni sunt suspendio, &c.
A mane to lach at ioculatouris fantasy,It is rewarde to þam, sone, sekyrli,
And pryseis þat a gyft of gudly price
For it fosteris and rutis þam in þar vice.
Quid est ioculator mala improperans? anime homicidium secum portans, &c.
Quhat is, he says, a ioculatour, late see,A mane inclinande to iniquite,
Ande of his saule a slaar sekyrli
Ande mony oþiris throw his falß fantasy.
Ioculatores instrumenta nunquam deo placuerunt.
The instrumentis pertenande iocularyWar neuer plesande to god ȝeit sekyrly.
Audi de famulis: famulum alti cordis repelle ut futurum inimicum.
This nobyle doctor to þe he wyl declare,Qwhat kynde of seruande is familier,
That seruande, sone, quhilk has a hart of pryde
In þi seruice thou thole hym nocht to byde,
Bot fra þe sone þat seruande thou exclude
As inimys þe quhilk walde the na gud.
Famulum tuis moribus blandientem repelle.
Þa seruandys, sone, þe quhilk ar in þar langagisThow felis flech schawand a far visagis,
In tym be wer, sone, for þar sutelte
For seruandis þa ar batht falß and sle.
Famulo et vicino te laudantibus resiste, aliter cogita te esse deceptum.
That seruande sone I rede thow cheß nocht alßÞat loffys þe in þi face, he is falß,
For wyrk thow oder wnwerteusly or vele
All is done weile þat schrew sweris be his sele.
Famulum de facili verecundantem dilige ut filium.
Bot þat seruande, my swet sone, thow cheßÞe quhilk schamys with his mysdeide þou seis,
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No in þi chargis schawis na prophesy,
As gef thow sayis, o seruande, feche me þis,
He sayis, son, al redy schir I wyß,
Bot he þat passis with murmur and a sang
And wyl nocht get it he wat weil or he gang,
Serve nequam þat childe to nam has tane,
Now in þis varlde of sic is mony ane.
Vis edificare: ad edificandum inducat te necessitas et non voluntas.
How sal thow byg castel towne or toureThis clerk he kennys, or lytil hal or bowre,
Thow prent in hart fyrst þi necessiite
And of howseis quhat may suffice the
And lat thou nocht þi wyl and wantonaß
Consum þar-one þi substance and rychaß.
Cupiditas edificandi edificando non tollitur, &c., &c.
Gef thow cowatis to byg with gret desyr,Ȝeit biggyne haue nocht þi cowatynge exspire,
Þe mar þow art applyit to polisy
The mare encreseis þi mynde in fantasy.
Nimia & inordinata edificandi cupiditas expectat edificiorum vendicionem.
Sumpteuß biggyne inordinat and heeIt is bot bydyne of sellyn thow may se
Off tenementis and biggynis ryche agane:
For halffe þe golde to geff þam men ar fane.
Turris edificata & completa & archa vacuata vel brevi tempore vacuandafaciunt valde sed tarde hominem sapientem.
Thi tenement complet and consummat,Thyne siluer and þine arch euacuate,
It makys quhill trew towris he of price
Þar-for thow byg na mar na wyl suffice.
Vis aliquid vendere caue ne vendas partem hereditatis tue potenciori te sed pocius minori precio des minori.
For mistyr gefe it happyinis þe to selThyne heritage to quham sone, I sal tel.
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Þoth þai promyt þe twis for it þe wale.
In mystir quhen þe nedis for to hafe
Þa wil displeß þam at þe and thou crafe.
To gudly men thow sel þi land and gud
Þan nedis thow nocht to rewerß hate na hude,
To crafe þine awne bot haf it at þi wyl.
Sone, for leß price þi thing sel sic men tyl.
Totum autem vendas plus offerenti.
And louandly wyth vertue sel þi landeTil hym geffis maste and tak it in þi hande.
Melius est grauem pati famem quam patrimonium vendicionem.
Sone, bettyr is to sustene hungir gretAnd grest skantneß, sone, batht of drink & met
Na for to sel þine herytagis and lande
Þe quhilk þi fadyr seseit in þi hand.
Sed melius est partem vendere quam vsuris subicere. Quid est vsura? venenum patrimonii. Quid est vsurarius? legalis latro predicens quod intendit. Nichil emas in consorcio potenciorum.
Sone, dreß þe nocht na marchandiß to byOf mychti men in to þe company.
Paruum consortem pacienter sustineas, ne tibi sorciat forciorem.
Gyf a smale frend it hapynnis þe to haue,Or a falow þou luffys our þe laffe,
Se þow sustene and thole hym paciently,
Thocht he excede sum tyme reklesly.
For suld it happyn þe hym til exclude
Perawentour þu wal nocht get sa gude.
Quesisti de vsu vini. qui in duersitate et habundanciâ vinorum est sobrius, ille est quasi terrenus deus.
A mane, se says, of wyne þat has vsageAnde habundance and syne is nocht saffage
Thow mychtineß and confort of þe wyne
At temporance bydis and sobyr syne;
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Sende fra þe hewyne in to þat man for luffe.
Ebrietas nichil recte facit nisi cum in lutum cadit.
Schir drunkyineß þat syre doys no thing rych[t],Thocht salomon he be and sampsone wycht,
Ande quhilis a nape to mak mowis as a fule,
Bot as a sow quhen he fallis in a pule.
Sentis vinum? fuge consorcium, quere somnium pocius quam colloquium.
Persaweis þu þe lycht of wyne and blycht?Fra company my swet sone draw þe swycht,
To þi chalmer to beek þi nape is best.
Litil of langage be þan bot tak þe rest.
Qui se ebrium verbis excusat suam ebrietatem a parte accusat, &c.
Quhat sum euer man excuseis reklesneßOf worde and verk with schyr drunkynneß,
He accuseis hym selffe and his foly,
As wnwysmane þat temperance gayis by.
Male sedet in Juuine vinum cognoscere.
It cordis il in ȝouthhede of a childeOff tendyr age, or ȝit in madyne mylde,
Diuersiteis of wynis for to knaw,
And þar gudneß, for þat wyl viceis draw.
Fuge medicum ebrium.
In to þe handys put nocht þi hape and hele,Sone, of þat leche with drunkynneß cane dele.
Caue tibi a medico volenti in te experiri qualiter alios de simili morbo curabit, &c.
Caniculos valde paruos dimitte clericis et reginis.
Litile doggis and messanys with þar bellisTo clerkis and qweynis cordis and to non ellys.
Canes pro custodiâ vtiles sunt.
Bot wakyr doggis ar profitabyl to fedeTo kepe þi hale one nycht gef þu has nede.
Canes ad venandum plus constant quam conferunt.
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Ar costlyar þan þa wyl mak ganȝelde.
Habentem filios dispensatorum bonorum tuorum non instituas, &c.
Haf þow sonnis, for consel I conclude,Thow mak þam nocht disponeris of þi gude,
Perauentowr throw slewcht and negligence
Or wanfortowne or wnganand expence
Thow waxis pur, þane fortone wil þe wyt,
And haf na dantetht of þi sone na delite,
Bot say quhat profettis þis reid of lif to lere
For murmur man dispone þi gud and ger.
Sed tu dicas si aduersetur fortuna, quid prodest viuendi doctrina. Audi quid de hoc viderim. Stultos obnitentes contingenciam & se excusantes sub fortuna, eorum infortunium aliis imputantes, vidi facultatibus cito labi, &c.
Sone, foly menne quhilk ar inoportwne,Quhen þa wax pure, throw þar slewcht wil say sone
Quhat kynde of stat may fortowne be agane,
Bot þis doctryne to kepe and þu þe pane
Þi spirit sal and besyneß accuse
Fortowne and þow wil nocht þi gud abwß.
Raro enim diligenciam cum infortunio sociabis, sed rarius a pigricia infortunium sociabis.
For seldyne, sone, besy diligenceFolowis with wanfortonys violence:
Bot seldinar wanfourtowne þu dessewyr
Sale fra swerneß, quhilk de na wirk had leuer.
Expectat piger sibi subueniri a deo qui vigilare precepit in mundo, &c.
For schyr swerneß to vyrke he wyl sone tyreAnd cryis one god quhen he lyis in þe myre
Hyme for to helpe, bot helpe hyme selff no wyle
Bot quhil god cum and tak hym upe lys stile,
Quham god of mycht bade wald and virke & leffe
In wytneß of adame and of eue.
Tu ergo vigila et leuitatem expendendi cum grauitate lucrandi compensa, &c.
15
Maide in þis warlde dolowr to endour,
Be wyß and were and walkyr for to wyne
Thi liffys fude but det and dedly syne,
Expendande ay þi wynnyng and rycheß
Be ewyne compenß to þe swet of þi face
And forsum nocht þi weilefar viciusly
Syn wyt fortowne and thow þi selffe gilty.
Appropinquat senectus: consulo quod deo pocius quam tuo filio te committas, &c.
Qwhen febyle elde has tane þe throw his dat,And þi spretis vax dul and blat,
Errer to god þi saul þi selff commit
Nay to þi sone þow ded to do for it.
Disponis legata: consulo quod primo seruitoribus quam sacerdotibus solui mandes, &c.
Gef thow dysponis and leffys legasyIn fyrst thow pay þi seruandis, consel I,
For haly wyrt sayis þat seruandis fee
Wnpayit wengeance cryis to þe hewyne one hee.
Diligentibus personam tuam non committas animam tuam, &c.
Commyt þu nocht þi sawle in to þer handisÞat luffys the to bryng it owt of bandis.
Committe animam tuam diligentibus animam suam.
Bot in þar handys þi sawle thow sal comendeÞat luffys þar saule, for sic mene may it mende.
Dispone de rebus tuis ante morbum. Sepe enim quis efficitur infirmitatis seruus & seruus testari non potest. liber ergo testeris antequam seruus efficiaris.
In freche memor befor InfirmyteThow sulde dispone and lefe legasye
For quhen sekneß abowte þi hart is plet,
Thy mynde þi sawle to god þan sulde be set.
Ande paynnys gret with schowrys scharpe amange
Causeis þi wyt to wauer and ga wrange.
De filiis autem audi, &c.
16
Of ȝonge childyr quhilk ar left fadyrleß.
Mortuo patre querunt diuisionem filii.
And fyrste, he says, þe fadyr beande dede,Oftsyß þe sone flittys to fremyt sted.
Si nobiles sunt melior est eorum per mundum dispersio quam hereditatis diuisio.
And syne he says gef þer progenitourisWar nobyl men, gentyl and of valouriß,
Haffande liflate and land in herytagis,
Better is stalynge of þar barnagis
In to þe warlde to gowerne be þer grace
Na to dewyde þar herytagis dowtlaß.
Si vero sunt laboratores faciunt quid volunt.
And gef þer faderis war seruandis or hwsbandis,Lat þam ga seike sic laboris in þe landis,
Batht tel and saw and dyk and delff þe erde,
Or vse sum craft as geffyne it to þam verde.
Si mercatores tucior est diuisio eis quam communicacio ne vnius infortunium aliis imputetur.
And gef þar faderys be marchande men of mychtAnd tile ilk barne dewydis his rycheß rycht,
Be hiis powr ilkane a porcione
Better is of þam diuisione
And of þar guddys batht be se ande lande
Þane may nane sic vnhap til oþeris hande.
Mater vero tua senex forte remaritari querit, stulte agit, sed vt peccata sua deploret,
Thar moderis þan desyris mariageQuhilk is wanwyt and foly in þar age.
Vtinam ipsa senex maritum accipiat iuniorem qui non ipsam sed que sua sunt querit quibus habitis & deuastatis bibet cum ea calicem doloris quem optauit ad quem eam perducunt merita sue dampnabilis senectus. Amen.
But mare þar moderis in elde wyl mary þaneTo spende þar gudys bryngis hame a swet ȝong mane,
17
Qwhen þat is gane, þar is bot lestande wer.
For euer day þane wyl þa fecht and flyt:
Sic ful women þar wantoneß may wyt,
Þat can nocht leffe in lykyne þam alane:
Be this vertew na sampylle may be tane.
Et sic Explicit tractus bernardi de cura rei famuliaris, &c. est finis.
18
II. ANCIENT SCOTTISH PROPHECY, No. 1.
Qwhen the koke in the northe halows his nest,And buskis his birdys and bunnys to flee,
Þan shall fortune his frende þe ȝattis vpcaste,
And Rychte shall haue his Free entre;
Then þe mone shall Ryse in the northwest
IN A clowde als blak as the bill of A crawe:
Þen shall the lyonne be lousse, þe baldest & best
Þat euer was in brattane sen in Arthuris dayes.
A dredfull dragoune shall dresse hime fro his den
To helpe the lyonne wyth all his myghte:
A bull and A bastarde sperys to spend
Shall abyde wyghe þe bere and Rekyn his Ryght.
A libert engendret of a native kynde
Wyght the sterne of bedleme sall Ryse in þe south;
The mole & þe marmadyne movyde in mynde,
Cryst þat Is our creatour has cursede be mouth.
The Egyll and þe antelope sall baldly abyde,
And Sadilles horse, and a bore wygh bernyse so brycht.
At Sandyfurde, for-suthe, in þe south syde,
A pruude prunce in þe prese lordly sall lythe,
Wycht balde bernese in bushment þe batell sall mete:
Þar sall profecy proffe þat thomas of tellys;
Mony A comly knyghte sall be cast under fute,
Þat sall make maydene to wepe þat in bour duellis:
Þen sall dulefull destany drive to þe nyghte;
Mony wyff and maydene in mornynge sall be brocht.
19
Be-tuix Setone and þe See sorow sall be wrought.
Be þar þe lyonne sall be hurte, bot nocht perichede be,
He sall brayde to þe best þat hime þe wound wrought,
And mony sterne in þat stoure shall fale for þat fre,
And þe proudeste in þat prese wycht ball has it bought.
Þe fox and þe fowmerte in alß sall be tane,
And to þe lyonne be lede, þe law tyll abyde.
Bothe þe puppede and þe pye sall suffre þe same,
And all þe frendis off þe fox sall fall fra þere pryde.
Then sall tro vntrew tremyll that day
For drede of the dede man when þai her hime spelk,
And þe comoynis of kynt sall kast hime key,
The busment of brykhyll þer-wyth sall breke.
When Wenoum and wadis ar wastyd & away lede,
And euerylk seede in his sesoune kyndly sett,
And ilk Ryght has his Rewyll, and falshede fled,
We sall haue plente of pese when law has no lett,
All grace and gudenes sall grow ws amonge,
And euerylk freytt sall haue foysoune be land & be See.
The spouse of cryst wytht Jocounde Sange
Thank we gode þar-of in trinite.
Then þe sonn & þe mone sall shine full brycht,
Þat mony longe day full dirke has beyne,
And kep þar course both day and nycht
Wyth moo myrthis þen mene may meyne.
Þen the lyonne wytht the lyonisses efter þat sall Reigne;
Þus bretlingtone bukis and banstre tellis,
Merlyne and mony moo þat mene of may mene,
And þe expositoris Wigythtoune & thomas wytht-all tell.
Sone at þe Saxonis sall cheß þame a lorde,
And full sone bryng hyme at vnder.
A ded man sall make A corde
And þat sall be full mekyll wonder.
He þat Is dede ande beryde in syght,
Sall Ryse ayane, and lyffe in lande,
20
Þat fortoune has schose to be hir husbande.
The whelle sall turne to hime full Ryght
Þat fortune has chossin to be hir fer;
IN Surry he sall shew A syght,
And in babylone bringe mony on one ber;
Fyftyne dayis Iornay fro Ierusoleme
Þe haly crosse wyne sall hee:
Þe same bore sall bere þe beme
And yhit sall it sayle in the fyrst þat þe frek thinkis.
Whenne þe kokke cane craw, kepe well his came,
For þe fox and þe foulmert þai ar botht falß.
Qwhene þe Rawne and the Ruke has Rowned to geder,
Þen the kyng in his kytht sall acorde same:
Þen sall þai be boulde, and bow sonefter:
Then þe bull in bollingtime sall make A gret bere;
It Is bot wynde þat he vawes, for he is bot away.
Þen sall vakne vp A were, and mekyll waa efter
When þe bernys of þe Rawme Ruggis & Revys:
Þen þe lell men of lowthyane lepis on þar horß,
And þe pure pepill salbe spoyled full nere.
Bot the merß sall murne mony day efter,
And þe abbays trewly þat standis on twede.
And all lell men sall lyff þame on þar lyffis awnter,
Þai sall Ruee and byrne, and mekyll Reveryse make.
Þan dar no pur man say whose man he is,
Þan sall þat lande be lawleß, for luf is þar nane;
Þan sall falsset haue fute fully V. yhere,
And treuth trewly salbe tynt and few trast oþir,
Bot for to gette of his gudes he myght thole hime gone.
Þen þai sall call A counsell for pese of þat kyth,
To mak luf among lordis bot þat sall nocht left,
Þar salbe Baronys and bachelres þat wyll nocht obey;
Rar wyll nocht kepe þar crye nor come to þar call.
Þen sall men be merkyt for þar mysdede,
Þat sall turne þame to teyne wyght-in schort tume efter:
21
Þe tripe is þan fastly at ane oynde:
Þe Gayt buke þat mayde þe greyfe is þen ner gone,
IN A watter he sall abyde, and he sall fey worth;
In his fayre forest sall ane ern bygge,
And mony on sall tyne þir lyff in the mene tyme:
Þai sall founde to þe felde, and þen fersly fyght,
Apone A brode mure þar sall A batell be,
Be-syde a stob crose of stane þat standis on A mure:
It sall be coueret wyght corsis all of a kynth,
That þe craw sall nocht ken whar þe cross standis.
Þe wouff salbe wachmane and kep mony wayis,
And sall be lell to þe lyonne & loue bot hime allone.
Haly kyrke sall be couerit and be best in þat kynth,
Wyth ledys þat lewis nocht on cryst; bot þat sall nocht lest.
Fra bambrwgh to þe basse on the brayde See,
And fra farnelande to the fyrth salbe a fayr sygh
O barges and ballungerys, and mony brod sayle:
And the lybberte with the flurdowlyß sall fayr þer apon.
Þar sall A huntter in hycht come fra the Southe
Wyght mony Rechis on Raw Rewleyd full Ryght,
And he sall fayr on his fute our the watter of forth.
Þan in fyfe he sall fycht, and the fyld wyne;
And the chiftanis sall dye on þe twin halffis:
Qwhen þe man and þe mone is most in his mycht,
Þen sall dunbertone turne vp þat is doune,
And þe mounte of Arane, bath at þat tume.
Þe lede wych lykyne haue þat lede sall he loß,
And mony on full doughty sall dye for þat dede;
And mony lede of þe North sall þar lyffis losse,
And mony merchauntis sall murne for A mane ache
Þat sall turne þam to teyn wyth-in schort time efter;
& þat Ilka wynttyr A ferly sall fall,
Mony of þe lordis of þat land þar lyffis sall loss
For couatyse and tresoune þat time in the lande,
Qwhen the craggis of tarbart tumleß in þe Se,
22
For bedis buke haue I seyn, & banysters als;
And merwelus merlyne is wastede away
Wyght A wykede womane,—woo mycht sho bee!—
Scho has closede him in A cragge of cornwales coste.
23
III. FRAGMENT OF AN ALLITERATIVE POEM CONTAINING THOMAS A-BEKET'S PROPHECIES.
[OMITTED]
Thomas takes the Iuell,—and Ihesus thankis,—
Þat comyne was to hume fro his Ientyll moder.
Þat comyne was to hume fro his Ientyll moder.
Als bekat bad at his messe, now has a boy stone
Þe brydylle of his blonke hede, agayne he buske shulde.
Þai turnyt to Thomas, and hume þis tale taulde.
“Love barnes,” quod beket, “go by me ane oþer;
For the falssede sall fayr, Sasell sall fall to the erth,
And salbe al to-Rokked wyth Rude wederys Ruth to þe grounde;
Forthy wende we on oþir ways, and hime no more wroth;
For all þar wroke sall ende wyght þam selwne.”
Þe brydylle of his blonke hede, agayne he buske shulde.
Þai turnyt to Thomas, and hume þis tale taulde.
“Love barnes,” quod beket, “go by me ane oþer;
For the falssede sall fayr, Sasell sall fall to the erth,
And salbe al to-Rokked wyth Rude wederys Ruth to þe grounde;
Forthy wende we on oþir ways, and hime no more wroth;
For all þar wroke sall ende wyght þam selwne.”
Thus he windes on his way, (wysse hume our lorde!)
Twelff days Iurnay, as the buke tellys;
At the last he landes in ane noþer lande, þer avyoune standis.
Thomas knelyde downe on his kne, and kessed the grunde,
And gat vp A glowe full of that grunde wyth glayde hartis,
And sayde to þerles sone of waryn, “it is worth all, and mekyll ȝelde,”
“Be my saule,” he sayde, “þat war a Selly, þat ar Riall and Rewme,”
“Yis,” says thomas, els war a Selly,[OMITTED]
For her Sall þe pope of Rome sett, and his See halde.
Þis caytiwe auoyoune, þat na man now kepis,
Heder sall kyng and clerk cayr for helpe;
And full fayne be to feche fude for þar Saulys;
Þe vernycle of Rome sall full anerly be wyde.
Þis sall be tane for A towne, and nocht be tentyde,
And þen sall ferlis feell fall on þe warlde.
He þat is Rewler of resone sall neuer Reke of it,
Bot lat Rewmes and Ryche lordes Rusche to geþer;
All for faute of A fader sall feell folk dye.”
Twelff days Iurnay, as the buke tellys;
At the last he landes in ane noþer lande, þer avyoune standis.
Thomas knelyde downe on his kne, and kessed the grunde,
And gat vp A glowe full of that grunde wyth glayde hartis,
And sayde to þerles sone of waryn, “it is worth all, and mekyll ȝelde,”
“Be my saule,” he sayde, “þat war a Selly, þat ar Riall and Rewme,”
“Yis,” says thomas, els war a Selly,[OMITTED]
For her Sall þe pope of Rome sett, and his See halde.
24
Heder sall kyng and clerk cayr for helpe;
And full fayne be to feche fude for þar Saulys;
Þe vernycle of Rome sall full anerly be wyde.
Þis sall be tane for A towne, and nocht be tentyde,
And þen sall ferlis feell fall on þe warlde.
He þat is Rewler of resone sall neuer Reke of it,
Bot lat Rewmes and Ryche lordes Rusche to geþer;
All for faute of A fader sall feell folk dye.”
Thomas passis furthe, ande A passe haldis,
Tyll he come to payters throw perlyhous wais.
He buskis tyll A burges house, quhar hime best thocht,
And set tyll hime tyll his Super wyth vj. lordis childer;
He hayd no power in his purs to pay for lyk clerkis,
Bot wyth þe waryn and þe wake hamwerde he wendis;
For þai fand hime at the courte, þai kend hime better;
A porer prelet thane thomas was passede neuer of Englonde.
Thomas askede þe husbande wytht full hende wordis;
“And ser, and þi wyll war, wete wald I fayne,
Qwha is maystr of yhon werk þat is tyll A tour merkyt;
Me think it is harme, be hewine, that it no helpe has;
For war it byggod up,” quod beket, “your towne war the better,
For ony way that mycht happine, on yon west halfe.”
“Sir clerk,” sayis the cleyn burges, “be cryst I sall the tell:
Kyng charles our cheiffe chesyde him selwen,
He walde haue tried vp A toure, gyff ony tuyll Rase;
Þen was þer Suilk A Selly sewne in þe same time,
Þai fand A fayr letter on A stone fast,
Þat it wonderrede all the werkmen þat þe werk wroght;
It sayd, ‘masterles men, yhe this tour make;
A Bayre sall come out of Berttane wytht so brode tuskis,
He sall trauyll up yhour towre, and your towne þer efter,
And dycht his den in þe derrest place þat euer aucht kynge charl[es.]’
This foulkes had ferly þeroffe, and the [freke] fechede;
He herd it full Rathly, and Rewyde sone efter.
He kest the stone in þe watter, & bad it waa worghe;
And sayde, ‘Masouns, be sant mary, no mor sall yhe make.
Bot what wy þat it wynnis, ger werk yt hime sellwyn.’
For-thy it is grathly grathede, and þe ground þus lewyde;
And we hynge in A hop, for drede of the bayre.”
Tyll he come to payters throw perlyhous wais.
He buskis tyll A burges house, quhar hime best thocht,
And set tyll hime tyll his Super wyth vj. lordis childer;
He hayd no power in his purs to pay for lyk clerkis,
Bot wyth þe waryn and þe wake hamwerde he wendis;
For þai fand hime at the courte, þai kend hime better;
A porer prelet thane thomas was passede neuer of Englonde.
Thomas askede þe husbande wytht full hende wordis;
“And ser, and þi wyll war, wete wald I fayne,
Qwha is maystr of yhon werk þat is tyll A tour merkyt;
Me think it is harme, be hewine, that it no helpe has;
For war it byggod up,” quod beket, “your towne war the better,
For ony way that mycht happine, on yon west halfe.”
“Sir clerk,” sayis the cleyn burges, “be cryst I sall the tell:
Kyng charles our cheiffe chesyde him selwen,
He walde haue tried vp A toure, gyff ony tuyll Rase;
Þen was þer Suilk A Selly sewne in þe same time,
Þai fand A fayr letter on A stone fast,
Þat it wonderrede all the werkmen þat þe werk wroght;
It sayd, ‘masterles men, yhe this tour make;
A Bayre sall come out of Berttane wytht so brode tuskis,
He sall trauyll up yhour towre, and your towne þer efter,
And dycht his den in þe derrest place þat euer aucht kynge charl[es.]’
25
He herd it full Rathly, and Rewyde sone efter.
He kest the stone in þe watter, & bad it waa worghe;
And sayde, ‘Masouns, be sant mary, no mor sall yhe make.
Bot what wy þat it wynnis, ger werk yt hime sellwyn.’
For-thy it is grathly grathede, and þe ground þus lewyde;
And we hynge in A hop, for drede of the bayre.”
And þon knelys thomas downe, & call tyll our lady;
“Der lady, latte me witt, (and thy wille were,)
Qwheþer of berttaine þat is braide, sall þis ber Ryse.”
The blessyt lady bounnede hyme to, and blessed hime for euer;
“Beket,” scho sayde, “be balde, þi buke it tell the best;
It is the gretter of my morow gyft, throw grace of my sone;
Þis bere in his barnhede sall byde mony noyes.”
“Der lady, latte me witt, (and thy wille were,)
Qwheþer of berttaine þat is braide, sall þis ber Ryse.”
The blessyt lady bounnede hyme to, and blessed hime for euer;
“Beket,” scho sayde, “be balde, þi buke it tell the best;
It is the gretter of my morow gyft, throw grace of my sone;
Þis bere in his barnhede sall byde mony noyes.”
And þen thomas semblise sone seyue skore masons;
And feche fre stane out of A fer erthe.
“I sall bygge it,” quod beket, “agayne the bere Ryse;
If he hynttis ony harme as he hydder wendis,
At he may Rest þerin, wyth his Rethe tuskis.
Þat man sall be makleß, for mercy hime folows.”
And feche fre stane out of A fer erthe.
“I sall bygge it,” quod beket, “agayne the bere Ryse;
If he hynttis ony harme as he hydder wendis,
At he may Rest þerin, wyth his Rethe tuskis.
Þat man sall be makleß, for mercy hime folows.”
And þus is thomas toure mayde, þe mare is his myrthte;
Of his masons was mony wytht, he thame qwhittis.
He fayris in A fayre felde, and his folke hime folowys;
And walkis be A wodesyde, and wonderly he spekis:
“Masons, for Sant mary lufe, helpe at your mythttis,
That here were A fayre crosse founded on this grunde;
And downe in yhon depe dale dythtis ane oþer;
And on yhone banke, whare yhone vynes growis, makis þe thride.
Fore the kynge of france wyste qwhat wonder sulde be wrothte,
He walde þat A watter, or a well, hayd wecht it away.
At þis crosse þat is cleyn, is croune salle he losse;
And all fraunce vn to Sexty wynter efter.
Þat so wonderfull wyes, and soe fewe þat þer is,
Þat all the warlde swlde wyte be the wyll of our lorde.
At yhon secunde croß þat I of say schall,
Byschopis, Arsbischopis, abbottis, and priouris,
And preloettis of haly kyrke, sall þar lyffis loß.
At yhone thride crosse, þen thripis all my shillis,
Þe sonne sall forsake þe fadre; and þat is a Selly;
And the croune be kelede to þe erthe wytht a knyghte;
A batell of berdles barnes bring sall it oure.”
Þone lawghis þe erlys sonne of Waryne, & Iwis sweris,
“Was neuer wye of þis warlde þat durst wakin slike bourdis,
Her to Feght, no to feche the fayr honour of Fraunce.
Qwha durst busk to Bolane, wytht ony brycht helmis?
Or care on to calase, wytht ony cleyne cheldis?
Ilk a lorde in the lande hume fore þe cheffe haldis.”
Thomas grewes at the gome, all if he gret were;
“Þow gaffe me lytyll, be our lorde; leys the to say.
It is trew, and no truffle, þat þis buk tellys;
For A tuske of this bore sall tumble vp þis lande;
And a body sall byde in A burghe, þat londyn is hattene,
And nocht bryst A brisse of his bare Rygge.
Serttes,” says thomas, “her is a mor Selly!
He says he sall to the see, wytht A sadde pepill;
And wrotte emong walles, and werke feell wonderys;
And pasture hime propirly on proude lordis bodyes.
Þar salbe no hatell, þat at hume huntis,
Þat wythtoutyne hurte salle chape.
He sall lewe of his layke, so lell sal be his hert;
Bot he sall clayme his comonys throw out all fraunce.
All cretoye sall haue care, when he furth caryes;
And be the watter of sayne sall Sellyes be seyne.
Wyld wyis of wales sall wyrk feell wonderys;
And gomes of gourlande sall get vp þar baneris,
And styss knychtis strek doune þar stremys.
Abfyle for his bost sall balfully be brunt;
And ledys lose þar lyffis þat to þat toune langis.
And in A forest I fynde sall feell knychtis de;
Ande the best of beein sal by, when þe bayr buskes,
Fra his tuskis begynnes to tuyll, his tene salbe þe lesse;
He sall grynne quhar he gase, & grace sall him folowe;
Ande þe fays put to þe flycht, þat þe floure berys,
And do hime draw to Sant denyse, for drede of þe bare.
This ber salbe buskede in A banke syde,
Ande nocht ster A bresse for all þare stern werdis.
Ande þen may Mount Joys murne, ande oþer moo ceteses;
Perty properly put downe for euer.
Cane ande calyse kepe þi turne, for þan þi care Ryses!
Hogge sall full carfully be cast to the grunde;
Valoys, wythtoutyne fale, sall fall to the erth.
In quhyte sande the ledene sal be, ‘no houß lewyde.’
Þe bare sall busk to calyse, wyth his brode brysses,
Ande dere Inglande dyght þe, ande kepe well þi brisses!
A noyntede kynge sall come fro the North,
Ande noy hyme Ryght Ryght[OMITTED]
Ande Ryde in the bares Royalme, þogff he no Rycht have.
Bot he salbe hynte wyth a handfull; his herme salbe þe more,
And claughte on A clerke laide, þat Cutbert is [called],
And salbe lede to lond, þogh lothe thinke
Þat Renk to Rest hime þar Rycht mony yheris;
Þat neuer was of this warlde sall wete qwhare he worthede.
Bot as A slomerande slepe war slongyn in his Erys,
Un-tyll his grysly tuskis be so grete growene,
Þat all the dukis wnder dryghtene sall drede hime allone.
He salbe waknede wyth A burghe that Berowyck hatte;
And wander in A winter tyme wyth full wale knychtis.
Þis kene wythtoutyne counter sall agayne care,
And syne be comforth wyth A crowne, as cristis wyll Is.
He sall grise tyll hime his grym grisses, grathly hym selwene,
Ande stable his stiffe Roailme wyth sterne knyghtis,
Ande nyghe tyll A nawy, his enmyse to noye;
Ilka sarsyne may haue syte quhen he to schipe gangis.
At bolane sall byd hume A battell fulle hugge;
Ande fyftyne hundreghe helmes þer salbe hewene.
A byrde wytht two bekis bring sall full mony;
Fyfty thowsande of fere pepyll sall folow his tayll,
To meke mary, ande a ber þat mekyll mercy folowys,
Fro the bryde ande the bere be busked in A felde;
Syne sall come mony Sope, or els war ferly.
Benedicite!” sayde beket, ande blessyt hime thr[i]sse,
“That euer sall A bare (as þis buk tellys),
Skippe so sleistly, and he A swyne lyk,
Qwhile lyonis, vnicorns, and liberdis Regnis!
Þan may ceteis haue cete, as the buk says,
For the bere in lande haue laykede hime A stounde.
Þai sall bane, that hime bydes, þat euer he was borne;
For he to paryche passe, wytht his Rout nobyll,
He sall tuche his tuskes tyll A stone, þat mekyll strenth folow[ys],
And þai sall cast hime the keys our the clene yhattis;
He sall Ryde throuch the Rych towne, Rewylle it hym selvine;
And brode bukis on brestis agaynis hume sall þai brynge.
It no wonder, Iwis, and ilka wye wyste
Qwhat sall worth of his werkis, wythtin few yheris.
For hime behowes Semble, forsuth, þat lange has beyne sund[er],
Þo crounie, ande the thre nalles, & A spere Rycht.
For all the blysse of þat burghte, byde wyll he nocht,
Bot efter þe byrde wytht tw[o] bekis he wyll busk.
Fray this bayre wytht his brysses be buskede in a feylde,
Þar beys na byerde wytht twa bekis, nor best þat hede berys,
So hardy to lyght on þat lande, þar the ber Restis.
Þis byrde thar noȝt trest on no tre, & he be anes turnede,
No perk hime on no proper perk wytht no proude pales,
For the Ryche bare wytht his tuskes wyll Rywe þame in sonder,
Ande he sall [fight] fersly xiiij. days in diuerse places,
All gyffe he be wery, Iwis, and his wyes all.
Then shall he cast vp his croune to the blessyt mary,
Ande besek hyr of helpe, helle of all succure:
He sall be ware in the west whare A wye comes,
A lefe knyght & A lene, wytht two long sydis;
He salbe hardy, ande hathell, and her of hime selwyne;
Lacede iij. liberttis, ande all of golde lyke,
Wytht A labell full lele, laide ewene our;
A Rede schelde wytht A quhyt lyoune sall cum fra the felde.
Melane, mak yow no myrth, for murne may yow swyth;
And lumberdy lely sall lene tyll hume soun.
Þen sall þis berde in his bek bringe thre crouns,
Ande bynde þame to this bare, best of alle othire;
Þane þis bare sall busk tyll A brade watter,
And on to sant Nycholaß bowne hume fulle Soune ewine;
& Redy his schippis, he that the soth tellys,
Wyth his pawelȝounis that is proper, and his prowude folkis,
To wende our the wane watter, (& wysse hume our Lorde!)
And sall fayr to Famagoste, for-lyes to seke,
And saill furth be cipres, as the buk tellis,
Ande Rynne up at Ryche Jaffe, (Joys to þame all!)
To convert the cateffes þat noȝtt one Crystis lewys.
He is my contre-man, my comforth is the mor,
For he sall lewe his trouth on crystis owyne grawde.”
Of his masons was mony wytht, he thame qwhittis.
He fayris in A fayre felde, and his folke hime folowys;
And walkis be A wodesyde, and wonderly he spekis:
“Masons, for Sant mary lufe, helpe at your mythttis,
That here were A fayre crosse founded on this grunde;
And downe in yhon depe dale dythtis ane oþer;
And on yhone banke, whare yhone vynes growis, makis þe thride.
Fore the kynge of france wyste qwhat wonder sulde be wrothte,
He walde þat A watter, or a well, hayd wecht it away.
At þis crosse þat is cleyn, is croune salle he losse;
26
Þat so wonderfull wyes, and soe fewe þat þer is,
Þat all the warlde swlde wyte be the wyll of our lorde.
At yhon secunde croß þat I of say schall,
Byschopis, Arsbischopis, abbottis, and priouris,
And preloettis of haly kyrke, sall þar lyffis loß.
At yhone thride crosse, þen thripis all my shillis,
Þe sonne sall forsake þe fadre; and þat is a Selly;
And the croune be kelede to þe erthe wytht a knyghte;
A batell of berdles barnes bring sall it oure.”
Þone lawghis þe erlys sonne of Waryne, & Iwis sweris,
“Was neuer wye of þis warlde þat durst wakin slike bourdis,
Her to Feght, no to feche the fayr honour of Fraunce.
Qwha durst busk to Bolane, wytht ony brycht helmis?
Or care on to calase, wytht ony cleyne cheldis?
Ilk a lorde in the lande hume fore þe cheffe haldis.”
Thomas grewes at the gome, all if he gret were;
“Þow gaffe me lytyll, be our lorde; leys the to say.
It is trew, and no truffle, þat þis buk tellys;
For A tuske of this bore sall tumble vp þis lande;
And a body sall byde in A burghe, þat londyn is hattene,
And nocht bryst A brisse of his bare Rygge.
Serttes,” says thomas, “her is a mor Selly!
He says he sall to the see, wytht A sadde pepill;
And wrotte emong walles, and werke feell wonderys;
And pasture hime propirly on proude lordis bodyes.
Þar salbe no hatell, þat at hume huntis,
Þat wythtoutyne hurte salle chape.
He sall lewe of his layke, so lell sal be his hert;
Bot he sall clayme his comonys throw out all fraunce.
All cretoye sall haue care, when he furth caryes;
And be the watter of sayne sall Sellyes be seyne.
Wyld wyis of wales sall wyrk feell wonderys;
And gomes of gourlande sall get vp þar baneris,
And styss knychtis strek doune þar stremys.
Abfyle for his bost sall balfully be brunt;
27
And in A forest I fynde sall feell knychtis de;
Ande the best of beein sal by, when þe bayr buskes,
Fra his tuskis begynnes to tuyll, his tene salbe þe lesse;
He sall grynne quhar he gase, & grace sall him folowe;
Ande þe fays put to þe flycht, þat þe floure berys,
And do hime draw to Sant denyse, for drede of þe bare.
This ber salbe buskede in A banke syde,
Ande nocht ster A bresse for all þare stern werdis.
Ande þen may Mount Joys murne, ande oþer moo ceteses;
Perty properly put downe for euer.
Cane ande calyse kepe þi turne, for þan þi care Ryses!
Hogge sall full carfully be cast to the grunde;
Valoys, wythtoutyne fale, sall fall to the erth.
In quhyte sande the ledene sal be, ‘no houß lewyde.’
Þe bare sall busk to calyse, wyth his brode brysses,
Ande dere Inglande dyght þe, ande kepe well þi brisses!
A noyntede kynge sall come fro the North,
Ande noy hyme Ryght Ryght[OMITTED]
Ande Ryde in the bares Royalme, þogff he no Rycht have.
Bot he salbe hynte wyth a handfull; his herme salbe þe more,
And claughte on A clerke laide, þat Cutbert is [called],
And salbe lede to lond, þogh lothe thinke
Þat Renk to Rest hime þar Rycht mony yheris;
Þat neuer was of this warlde sall wete qwhare he worthede.
Bot as A slomerande slepe war slongyn in his Erys,
Un-tyll his grysly tuskis be so grete growene,
Þat all the dukis wnder dryghtene sall drede hime allone.
He salbe waknede wyth A burghe that Berowyck hatte;
And wander in A winter tyme wyth full wale knychtis.
Þis kene wythtoutyne counter sall agayne care,
And syne be comforth wyth A crowne, as cristis wyll Is.
He sall grise tyll hime his grym grisses, grathly hym selwene,
Ande stable his stiffe Roailme wyth sterne knyghtis,
28
Ilka sarsyne may haue syte quhen he to schipe gangis.
At bolane sall byd hume A battell fulle hugge;
Ande fyftyne hundreghe helmes þer salbe hewene.
A byrde wytht two bekis bring sall full mony;
Fyfty thowsande of fere pepyll sall folow his tayll,
To meke mary, ande a ber þat mekyll mercy folowys,
Fro the bryde ande the bere be busked in A felde;
Syne sall come mony Sope, or els war ferly.
Benedicite!” sayde beket, ande blessyt hime thr[i]sse,
“That euer sall A bare (as þis buk tellys),
Skippe so sleistly, and he A swyne lyk,
Qwhile lyonis, vnicorns, and liberdis Regnis!
Þan may ceteis haue cete, as the buk says,
For the bere in lande haue laykede hime A stounde.
Þai sall bane, that hime bydes, þat euer he was borne;
For he to paryche passe, wytht his Rout nobyll,
He sall tuche his tuskes tyll A stone, þat mekyll strenth folow[ys],
And þai sall cast hime the keys our the clene yhattis;
He sall Ryde throuch the Rych towne, Rewylle it hym selvine;
And brode bukis on brestis agaynis hume sall þai brynge.
It no wonder, Iwis, and ilka wye wyste
Qwhat sall worth of his werkis, wythtin few yheris.
For hime behowes Semble, forsuth, þat lange has beyne sund[er],
Þo crounie, ande the thre nalles, & A spere Rycht.
For all the blysse of þat burghte, byde wyll he nocht,
Bot efter þe byrde wytht tw[o] bekis he wyll busk.
Fray this bayre wytht his brysses be buskede in a feylde,
Þar beys na byerde wytht twa bekis, nor best þat hede berys,
So hardy to lyght on þat lande, þar the ber Restis.
Þis byrde thar noȝt trest on no tre, & he be anes turnede,
No perk hime on no proper perk wytht no proude pales,
29
Ande he sall [fight] fersly xiiij. days in diuerse places,
All gyffe he be wery, Iwis, and his wyes all.
Then shall he cast vp his croune to the blessyt mary,
Ande besek hyr of helpe, helle of all succure:
He sall be ware in the west whare A wye comes,
A lefe knyght & A lene, wytht two long sydis;
He salbe hardy, ande hathell, and her of hime selwyne;
Lacede iij. liberttis, ande all of golde lyke,
Wytht A labell full lele, laide ewene our;
A Rede schelde wytht A quhyt lyoune sall cum fra the felde.
Melane, mak yow no myrth, for murne may yow swyth;
And lumberdy lely sall lene tyll hume soun.
Þen sall þis berde in his bek bringe thre crouns,
Ande bynde þame to this bare, best of alle othire;
Þane þis bare sall busk tyll A brade watter,
And on to sant Nycholaß bowne hume fulle Soune ewine;
& Redy his schippis, he that the soth tellys,
Wyth his pawelȝounis that is proper, and his prowude folkis,
To wende our the wane watter, (& wysse hume our Lorde!)
And sall fayr to Famagoste, for-lyes to seke,
And saill furth be cipres, as the buk tellis,
Ande Rynne up at Ryche Jaffe, (Joys to þame all!)
To convert the cateffes þat noȝtt one Crystis lewys.
He is my contre-man, my comforth is the mor,
For he sall lewe his trouth on crystis owyne grawde.”
Þen þerle sone off w[a]ryn to thomas wendis,
“Þar sall I feght fenely, be my fader saule.”
“Þow swerys wonder Swyftly, & Swyppe may it euer;
Þat time of the ȝere, ande A tyde forþer,
May þow be laid full law, and all thi leue Armes;
So þat no wy of this warlde sall were þame on shulder.”
“Þat war a wonder,” says the wak Rycht.
“Lytyll landis lelely,” says thomas, “salbe levyde.
Als leffe as þow þame thinkis,[OMITTED]
Þow salbe laide full law, and þow na lorde hade.”
Þe gentyll says, ”be Sant mary! þat war gret murnyng,
Þat suilk lordis of landis swld so law be layde;
And no cosine vnder cryst þar castels to welde.”
Then says thomas, “In fathte, ferly is it none;
Þi land may far be famales, in so Fer ȝeris;
Or þar may a pestellaunce proper fall in all landis,
Þat may ger sexty cosins part wytht-in vij. wekis,
And may mak mony Sorowles lykes, & joyles brydyles;
And mak halykyrke to-trowlede, for tenyng of maryage;
And plewes to lygge wpon ley, þe larke lorde wax;
And cateffis vnkyndly sall welde mekyll gudis;
Þai sall forgette cryste and his cleyne moder
Qwhen thar Is no wye þat þis warld weldis.
Þen sall come A Snyll Snappyng to Swithe in þer hornes;
Hunger and hate warldles, I hythe þe for suche,
A wodenes to walk our þe landis, and þame wa wyrke,
Bernes bundyn on to buredis and braydis full ȝarne,
Tyll þai have knawyng of cryst and his blessed moder.
He sall passe his courß, and þat salbe well kennede,
Ande do haly kyrke to heylde, I say the for suthe,
To wend out our the wan watterys, as þar none ware;
It Sall Ryne Rede in the est, and Rewth it is the mor.
And þen salbe wanttynge of wode, and wanyng of Irne;
Suilk wonderys salbe wroucht whar the ber wendis.”
Edmound of abyndoun, þat Baroune all blessede,
Says, “my lorde, lelyli lythe me A stounde:
The Sonne walkes west, ande the day wendis;
Þow tellys þame tales, þat trowys thame full lytyll.”
Ane angell bowed doune to beket in a blew wede,
And sayde, “binde vp thy buk, my lady the byddis.”
And þen he hewed vp his handis, als he as he mycht,
And lowes our lorde and his der moder
Off the talle that scho hume tould in the meene tyme.
Þen the buk was borne vp to þe blysse off our lorde;
And beket to burgone buskes hume full Evine.
“Þar sall I feght fenely, be my fader saule.”
“Þow swerys wonder Swyftly, & Swyppe may it euer;
Þat time of the ȝere, ande A tyde forþer,
May þow be laid full law, and all thi leue Armes;
So þat no wy of this warlde sall were þame on shulder.”
“Þat war a wonder,” says the wak Rycht.
“Lytyll landis lelely,” says thomas, “salbe levyde.
30
Þow salbe laide full law, and þow na lorde hade.”
Þe gentyll says, ”be Sant mary! þat war gret murnyng,
Þat suilk lordis of landis swld so law be layde;
And no cosine vnder cryst þar castels to welde.”
Then says thomas, “In fathte, ferly is it none;
Þi land may far be famales, in so Fer ȝeris;
Or þar may a pestellaunce proper fall in all landis,
Þat may ger sexty cosins part wytht-in vij. wekis,
And may mak mony Sorowles lykes, & joyles brydyles;
And mak halykyrke to-trowlede, for tenyng of maryage;
And plewes to lygge wpon ley, þe larke lorde wax;
And cateffis vnkyndly sall welde mekyll gudis;
Þai sall forgette cryste and his cleyne moder
Qwhen thar Is no wye þat þis warld weldis.
Þen sall come A Snyll Snappyng to Swithe in þer hornes;
Hunger and hate warldles, I hythe þe for suche,
A wodenes to walk our þe landis, and þame wa wyrke,
Bernes bundyn on to buredis and braydis full ȝarne,
Tyll þai have knawyng of cryst and his blessed moder.
He sall passe his courß, and þat salbe well kennede,
Ande do haly kyrke to heylde, I say the for suthe,
To wend out our the wan watterys, as þar none ware;
It Sall Ryne Rede in the est, and Rewth it is the mor.
And þen salbe wanttynge of wode, and wanyng of Irne;
Suilk wonderys salbe wroucht whar the ber wendis.”
Edmound of abyndoun, þat Baroune all blessede,
Says, “my lorde, lelyli lythe me A stounde:
The Sonne walkes west, ande the day wendis;
Þow tellys þame tales, þat trowys thame full lytyll.”
Ane angell bowed doune to beket in a blew wede,
And sayde, “binde vp thy buk, my lady the byddis.”
And þen he hewed vp his handis, als he as he mycht,
And lowes our lorde and his der moder
31
Þen the buk was borne vp to þe blysse off our lorde;
And beket to burgone buskes hume full Evine.
Explicit.
32
IV. ANCIENT SCOTTISH PROPHECY, No. 2.
Qwhen Rome Is removyde in to Inglande,
Ande the prest haffys the poppys power in hande,
Betuix iij. and sex (who so wylle vnderstande),
Mekyll baret ande bale shall fall in brutis lande.
When pryde is most in price, ande wyt is in covatyse,
Lychory is Ryffe, and theffis has haldin þar lyff,
Holy cherche is awlesse, and Justicis ar lawlesse,
Bothte knychtis and knawys clede in on clethinge.
Be the yheris of cryst comyn and gone,
Fully nynty ande nyne, nocht one wone,
Þen shall sorrow be settande vnsell,
Þan shall dame fortowne turne hir whell,
Scho sall turne vp þat ar was doune,
And þan sall leawte ber the crowne.
Betweyne þe cheyss of the somer & the sad winter,
For þe heycht of þe heyte happyne sall wer,
And everyche lorde shall austernly werk;
Þen shall Nazareth noy welle A while,
And þe lilly so lele wytht lovelyche flouris
For harmes of the harde heyte sall hillyne his ledis;
Syne speyde hime at sped, and spawne in þe wynter;
All þe flowris in the fyrth sall folow hime one;
Tat caldwers sall call on carioun the noyus,
And þan sall worthe vp wallys, and wrethe oþir landis;
And erth on tyll albany, if þai may wyne,
Herme wnto Alienys, aneuer þai sall wakyne.
Þe bruttis blude sall thame waykne & bryttne wyth brandis of stell;
Þar sall no bastarde blode abyde in þat lande.
Þen Albanattus þe kene, kynde kyng offe erthe,
Vnto þe libert shall leng, leve yhe non oþir.
The lyone; leder of bestis[OMITTED]
Shall lowte to þe libert and long hume wytht,
And shall stere hume A stryff be stremis of humber.
Þe stepsonys of þe lyonne steryt vp at ones,
Þe leoperde sall þame stryke doune, and stroy þame for euer;
He sall þame kenly kersse, as cryst has hume bydyne;
And þus he sall þame doune dryff ewyne to þe ende,
For þai luf nocht þe lylly, nor þe libert lelle.
And þai halde to þe harde, happyn as it may,
Ay to þe tayle of somyr tyne hir lappis,
Wytht þat sall A libert be louse when þai lest weyne.
Ane Egle of þe est, ande ane aventruse byrde,
Shall fande flowrys to fange in þat fyrste sesoun;
Sterte to þe stepsonys, stryke þame doune togeþer,
To bynde bandis vnbrokyne þat salbe furthe broucht.
He sall hime [gather] garlandis of þe gay flowrys,
At in þat sesoune spredis so fayre,
And all sall fawlo þe foulke þat þe freke strykis;
A sely northyrune flaw sall fadyne for euer,
Herafter on oþir syde sorow sall Ryse;
Þe barge of bariona bowne to the senkyne;
Secularis sal set þame in spiritual clothis,
And occupy þar offices, ennoyntyd as þai war;
Þar tonsurys tak wytht turnamentis Inowe,
And trow tytylle of trouth þat þe strenth haldis;
Þat salbe tene for to tell the tende of þar sorow,
Þat sall ourdryff the date doune to þe boke.
Þis most betyde in þe time, throw yhe for suthe,
Qwhen A, B, C, may set hume to wryte.
Anon efter Ml. evene to Rewlle,
Tre CCC in A fute semblyt togeþer,
Ande syne efter ane l, as þe lyne askis,
Tris X ande ane R enterly folowande;
Þis Is þe dolorouse date, under yhe þe glose,
Whereoff whyll merlyne melys in his bokis.
Ande the prest haffys the poppys power in hande,
Betuix iij. and sex (who so wylle vnderstande),
Mekyll baret ande bale shall fall in brutis lande.
When pryde is most in price, ande wyt is in covatyse,
Lychory is Ryffe, and theffis has haldin þar lyff,
Holy cherche is awlesse, and Justicis ar lawlesse,
Bothte knychtis and knawys clede in on clethinge.
Be the yheris of cryst comyn and gone,
Fully nynty ande nyne, nocht one wone,
Þen shall sorrow be settande vnsell,
Þan shall dame fortowne turne hir whell,
Scho sall turne vp þat ar was doune,
And þan sall leawte ber the crowne.
Betweyne þe cheyss of the somer & the sad winter,
For þe heycht of þe heyte happyne sall wer,
And everyche lorde shall austernly werk;
Þen shall Nazareth noy welle A while,
And þe lilly so lele wytht lovelyche flouris
For harmes of the harde heyte sall hillyne his ledis;
Syne speyde hime at sped, and spawne in þe wynter;
All þe flowris in the fyrth sall folow hime one;
Tat caldwers sall call on carioun the noyus,
And þan sall worthe vp wallys, and wrethe oþir landis;
And erth on tyll albany, if þai may wyne,
Herme wnto Alienys, aneuer þai sall wakyne.
33
Þar sall no bastarde blode abyde in þat lande.
Þen Albanattus þe kene, kynde kyng offe erthe,
Vnto þe libert shall leng, leve yhe non oþir.
The lyone; leder of bestis[OMITTED]
Shall lowte to þe libert and long hume wytht,
And shall stere hume A stryff be stremis of humber.
Þe stepsonys of þe lyonne steryt vp at ones,
Þe leoperde sall þame stryke doune, and stroy þame for euer;
He sall þame kenly kersse, as cryst has hume bydyne;
And þus he sall þame doune dryff ewyne to þe ende,
For þai luf nocht þe lylly, nor þe libert lelle.
And þai halde to þe harde, happyn as it may,
Ay to þe tayle of somyr tyne hir lappis,
Wytht þat sall A libert be louse when þai lest weyne.
Ane Egle of þe est, ande ane aventruse byrde,
Shall fande flowrys to fange in þat fyrste sesoun;
Sterte to þe stepsonys, stryke þame doune togeþer,
To bynde bandis vnbrokyne þat salbe furthe broucht.
He sall hime [gather] garlandis of þe gay flowrys,
At in þat sesoune spredis so fayre,
And all sall fawlo þe foulke þat þe freke strykis;
A sely northyrune flaw sall fadyne for euer,
Herafter on oþir syde sorow sall Ryse;
Þe barge of bariona bowne to the senkyne;
Secularis sal set þame in spiritual clothis,
And occupy þar offices, ennoyntyd as þai war;
Þar tonsurys tak wytht turnamentis Inowe,
And trow tytylle of trouth þat þe strenth haldis;
Þat salbe tene for to tell the tende of þar sorow,
Þat sall ourdryff the date doune to þe boke.
Þis most betyde in þe time, throw yhe for suthe,
Qwhen A, B, C, may set hume to wryte.
Anon efter Ml. evene to Rewlle,
Tre CCC in A fute semblyt togeþer,
34
Tris X ande ane R enterly folowande;
Þis Is þe dolorouse date, under yhe þe glose,
Whereoff whyll merlyne melys in his bokis.
Busk ye wyell, Berwyk! be blyth of þis wordis
Þat Sant bede fande in his buk of þe byg bergh,
Þe trew towne vpon twede, wytht towrys fayre!
Þow sall Releve to þi keng þat is þe kynde Eyr.
Ande oþir burghys abowte, wytht þar brade wall,
Sall wytht þe lyoune beleff, ande longe for euer.
Þat Sant bede fande in his buk of þe byg bergh,
Þe trew towne vpon twede, wytht towrys fayre!
Þow sall Releve to þi keng þat is þe kynde Eyr.
Ande oþir burghys abowte, wytht þar brade wall,
Sall wytht þe lyoune beleff, ande longe for euer.
| Bernardus de cura rei famuliaris, with some Early Scottish Prophecies | |