 | Handlyng Synne |  |
The Tale of the Sacrilegious Carollers, and how they danst together for twelve Months without stopping, and then went hopping about singly ever afterwards.]
Hyt was vpp-on a crystemesse nyȝt
Þat twelue folys a karolle dyȝt;
yn wodehed, as hyt were yn cuntek
Þey come to a tounne men calles Colbek;
Þe cherche of þe tounne þat þey to come,
Ys of seynt Magne þat suffred martyrdome;
Of seynt Bukcestre hyt ys also,
Seynt Magnes suster, þat þey come to.
here names of alle, þus fonde y wryte,
And as y wote, now shul ȝe wyte:
here lodës-man þat made hem glew,
Þus ys wryte, he hyȝte Gerlew;
Twey maydens were yn here coueyne,
Mayden Merswynde and Wybessyne;
Alle þese come þedyr for þat enchesone,
Of þe prestës doghtyr of þe tounne.
Þat twelue folys a karolle dyȝt;
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Þey come to a tounne men calles Colbek;
Þe cherche of þe tounne þat þey to come,
Ys of seynt Magne þat suffred martyrdome;
Of seynt Bukcestre hyt ys also,
Seynt Magnes suster, þat þey come to.
here names of alle, þus fonde y wryte,
And as y wote, now shul ȝe wyte:
here lodës-man þat made hem glew,
Þus ys wryte, he hyȝte Gerlew;
Twey maydens were yn here coueyne,
Mayden Merswynde and Wybessyne;
Alle þese come þedyr for þat enchesone,
Of þe prestës doghtyr of þe tounne.
Þe prest hyȝt Robert, as y kan ame;
Aȝone, hyght hys sone by name;
Hys doghter, þat þese men wulde haue,
Þus ys wryte, þat she hyȝt Aue;
Echoune consented to o wyl,
who shuld go, Aue oute to tyl:
Þey graunted echone out to sende
Boþe Wybessynë and Merswynde.
Aȝone, hyght hys sone by name;
Hys doghter, þat þese men wulde haue,
Þus ys wryte, þat she hyȝt Aue;
Echoune consented to o wyl,
who shuld go, Aue oute to tyl:
Þey graunted echone out to sende
Boþe Wybessynë and Merswynde.
Þese wommen ȝede and tolled here oute
wyþ hem to karolle þe cherche aboute.
Beune ordeyned here karollyng;
Gerlew endyted what þey shuld syng:
Þys ys þe karolle þat þey sunge,
As telleþ þe latyn tunge,
“Equitabat Beuo per siluam frondosam,
Ducebat secum Merswyndam formosam,
Quid stamus, cur non imus?”
[OMITTED]
“By þe leued wode rode Beuolyne,
wyþ hym he leddë feyre Merswyne;
why stondë we? why go we noght?”
Þys ys þe karolle þat Grysly wroght.
Þys songe sunge þey yn þe chercheȝerd,—
Of foly were þey no þyng aferd,—
Vn-to þe matynes were alle done,
And þe messe shuld bygynnë sone.
wyþ hem to karolle þe cherche aboute.
Beune ordeyned here karollyng;
Gerlew endyted what þey shuld syng:
Þys ys þe karolle þat þey sunge,
As telleþ þe latyn tunge,
“Equitabat Beuo per siluam frondosam,
Ducebat secum Merswyndam formosam,
Quid stamus, cur non imus?”
[OMITTED]
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wyþ hym he leddë feyre Merswyne;
why stondë we? why go we noght?”
Þys ys þe karolle þat Grysly wroght.
Þys songe sunge þey yn þe chercheȝerd,—
Of foly were þey no þyng aferd,—
Vn-to þe matynes were alle done,
And þe messe shuld bygynnë sone.
Þe preste hym reuest to begynne messe,
And þey ne left þerfore, neuer þe lesse,
But daunsed furþe as þey bygan;
For alle þe messë þey ne blan.
And þey ne left þerfore, neuer þe lesse,
But daunsed furþe as þey bygan;
For alle þe messë þey ne blan.
Þe preste, þat stode at þe autere
And herde here noysë and here bere,
Fro þe auter down he nam,
And to þe cherchë porche he cam,
And seyd, “on Goddes behalue, y ȝow forbede
Þat ȝe no lenger do swych dede;
But comeþ yn, on feyre manere,
Goddës seruysë for to here,
And doþ at Crystyn mennys lawe;
karolleþ no more for Crystys awe,
wurschyppeþ hym with alle ȝoure myȝt,
Þat of þe vyrgyne was bore þys nyȝt.”
And herde here noysë and here bere,
Fro þe auter down he nam,
And to þe cherchë porche he cam,
And seyd, “on Goddes behalue, y ȝow forbede
Þat ȝe no lenger do swych dede;
But comeþ yn, on feyre manere,
Goddës seruysë for to here,
And doþ at Crystyn mennys lawe;
karolleþ no more for Crystys awe,
wurschyppeþ hym with alle ȝoure myȝt,
Þat of þe vyrgyne was bore þys nyȝt.”
For alle hys byddyng, lefte þey noȝt,
But daunsed furþ, as þey þoȝt.
Þe prest þarefore was sore a-greued,
he preyd God þat he on beleuyd,
And for seynt Magne, þat he wulde so werche,
yn whos wurschyp, sette was þe cherche,
Þat swych a veniaunce were on hem sent
Are þey oute of þat stedé were went,
Þat þey myȝt euer, ryȝt so wende
Vnto þat tymë tweluemonth ende:
(Yn þe latyne þat y fonde þore,
he seyþ nat ‘tweluemonth,’ but ‘euermore.’)
He cursed hem þere alsaume
As þey karoled on here gaume.
But daunsed furþ, as þey þoȝt.
Þe prest þarefore was sore a-greued,
he preyd God þat he on beleuyd,
And for seynt Magne, þat he wulde so werche,
yn whos wurschyp, sette was þe cherche,
Þat swych a veniaunce were on hem sent
Are þey oute of þat stedé were went,
Þat þey myȝt euer, ryȝt so wende
Vnto þat tymë tweluemonth ende:
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he seyþ nat ‘tweluemonth,’ but ‘euermore.’)
He cursed hem þere alsaume
As þey karoled on here gaume.
as sone as þe preste hadde so spoke,
Euery hande yn ouþer so fast was loke,
Þat no man myȝt with no wundyr
Þat tweluemonþe parte hem asundyr.
Euery hande yn ouþer so fast was loke,
Þat no man myȝt with no wundyr
Þat tweluemonþe parte hem asundyr.
Þe preste ȝede yn, whan þys was done,
And commaunded hys sone Aȝone
Þat he shulde go swyþe aftyr Aue,
Oute of þat karolle algate to haue.
But al to late þat wurde was seyd,
For on hem alle was þe veniaunce leyd.
And commaunded hys sone Aȝone
Þat he shulde go swyþe aftyr Aue,
Oute of þat karolle algate to haue.
But al to late þat wurde was seyd,
For on hem alle was þe veniaunce leyd.
Aȝone wende weyl for to spede;
Vn-to þe karolle asswyþe he ȝede;
hys systyr by þe arme he hente,
And, þe arme fro þe body wente.
Men wundred allë, þat þere wore,
And merueyle mowe ȝe herë more,
For seþen he had þe arme yn hande,
Þe body ȝede furþ karoland;
And noþer body, ne þe arme,
Bledde neuer blodë, colde ne warme,
But was as drye, with al þe haunche,
As of a stok were ryue a braunche.
Vn-to þe karolle asswyþe he ȝede;
hys systyr by þe arme he hente,
And, þe arme fro þe body wente.
Men wundred allë, þat þere wore,
And merueyle mowe ȝe herë more,
For seþen he had þe arme yn hande,
Þe body ȝede furþ karoland;
And noþer body, ne þe arme,
Bledde neuer blodë, colde ne warme,
But was as drye, with al þe haunche,
As of a stok were ryue a braunche.
Aȝone to hys fadyr went,
And broght hym a sory present:
“loke, fadyr,” he seyd, “and haue hyt here,
Þe armë of þy doghtyr dere
Þat was myn ownë syster Aue,
Þat y wende y myȝt a saue.
Þy cursyng, now sene hyt ys
with veniaunce on þyn ownë flessh;
Fellyche þou cursedest, and ouer sone;
Þou askedest veniaunce, þou hast þy bone.”
And broght hym a sory present:
“loke, fadyr,” he seyd, “and haue hyt here,
Þe armë of þy doghtyr dere
Þat was myn ownë syster Aue,
Þat y wende y myȝt a saue.
Þy cursyng, now sene hyt ys
with veniaunce on þyn ownë flessh;
Fellyche þou cursedest, and ouer sone;
Þou askedest veniaunce, þou hast þy bone.”
Ȝow þar nat aske ȝyf þere was wo
with þe preste and with many mo.
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Þe prest þat cursed for þat daunce,
On some of hys, fyl hardë chaunce.
he toke hys doghtyr arme forlorn
And byryëd hyt on þe morn;
Þe nextë day, þe arme of Aue,
he fonde hyt lyggyng aboue þe graue.
he byryed hyt on anouþer day,
And eft aboue þe graue hyt lay;
Þe þryddë tyme he byryed hyt,
And eft was hyt kast oute of þe pyt.
Þe prest wulde byrye hyt no more;
hé dredde þe veniaunce ferly sore;
yn-to þe cherche he bare þe arme,
For drede and doute of morë harme,
hé ordeyned hyt for to be,
Þat euery man myȝt with ye hyt se.
On some of hys, fyl hardë chaunce.
he toke hys doghtyr arme forlorn
And byryëd hyt on þe morn;
Þe nextë day, þe arme of Aue,
he fonde hyt lyggyng aboue þe graue.
he byryed hyt on anouþer day,
And eft aboue þe graue hyt lay;
Þe þryddë tyme he byryed hyt,
And eft was hyt kast oute of þe pyt.
Þe prest wulde byrye hyt no more;
hé dredde þe veniaunce ferly sore;
yn-to þe cherche he bare þe arme,
For drede and doute of morë harme,
hé ordeyned hyt for to be,
Þat euery man myȝt with ye hyt se.
Þese men þat ȝede so karolland
Alle þat ȝerë hand yn hand,
Þey neuer oute of þat stede ȝede,
Ne nonë myȝt hem þennë lede;
Þere þe cursyng fyrst bygan,
yn þat place, a-boute þey ran,
Þat neuer ne felte þey no werynes—
As many bodyes, for goyng, dos—
Ne metë etë, ne drank drynke,
Ne sleptë onely a-lepy wynke;
Nyȝt, ne day, þey wyst of none,
whan hyt was come, whan hyt was gone;
Frost ne snogh, hayle ne reyne,
Of colde ne hete, felte þey no peyne;
Heere ne naylës neuer grewe,
Ne solowed cloþes, ne turned hewe;
Þundyr ne lyȝtnyng dyd hem no dere,
Goddes mercy dyd hyt fro hem were;
But sungge þat songge þat þe wo wroȝt,
“why stondë we, why go we noȝt?”
Alle þat ȝerë hand yn hand,
Þey neuer oute of þat stede ȝede,
Ne nonë myȝt hem þennë lede;
Þere þe cursyng fyrst bygan,
yn þat place, a-boute þey ran,
Þat neuer ne felte þey no werynes—
As many bodyes, for goyng, dos—
Ne metë etë, ne drank drynke,
Ne sleptë onely a-lepy wynke;
Nyȝt, ne day, þey wyst of none,
whan hyt was come, whan hyt was gone;
Frost ne snogh, hayle ne reyne,
Of colde ne hete, felte þey no peyne;
Heere ne naylës neuer grewe,
Ne solowed cloþes, ne turned hewe;
Þundyr ne lyȝtnyng dyd hem no dere,
Goddes mercy dyd hyt fro hem were;
But sungge þat songge þat þe wo wroȝt,
“why stondë we, why go we noȝt?”
what man shuld þyr, be, yn þys lyue,
Þat ne wulde hyt see, and þedyr dryue?
Þe Emperoure Henry come fro Rome
For to see þys hard[ë] dome;
whan he hem say, he weptë sore
For þe myschefe þat he sagh þore;
He ded come wryȝtës for to make
Coueryng ouer hem, for tempest sake;
But þat þey wroght, hyt was yn veyn,
For, hyt come to no certeyn;
For þat þey settë on oo day,
On þe touþer, downe hyt lay;
Ones, twyys, þryys, þus þey wroȝt,
And alle here makyng was for noȝt;
Myght no coueryng hyle hem fro colde
Tyl tyme of mercy, þat Cryst hyt wolde.
288
Þe Emperoure Henry come fro Rome
For to see þys hard[ë] dome;
whan he hem say, he weptë sore
For þe myschefe þat he sagh þore;
He ded come wryȝtës for to make
Coueryng ouer hem, for tempest sake;
But þat þey wroght, hyt was yn veyn,
For, hyt come to no certeyn;
For þat þey settë on oo day,
On þe touþer, downe hyt lay;
Ones, twyys, þryys, þus þey wroȝt,
And alle here makyng was for noȝt;
Myght no coueryng hyle hem fro colde
Tyl tyme of mercy, þat Cryst hyt wolde.
Tyme of grace fyl þurgh hys myȝt
At þe twelvemonth ende, on þe ȝolë nyȝt,
Þe same oure þat þe prest hem banned,
Þe samë oure, atwynne þey woned;
Þat houre þat he cursed hem ynne,
Þat samë oure þey ȝede atwynne:
And, as yn twynkelyng of an ye,
Yn-to þe cherchë gun þey flye,
And on þe pauement þey fyl alle downe,
As þey hade be dede, or fal yn a swone.
At þe twelvemonth ende, on þe ȝolë nyȝt,
Þe same oure þat þe prest hem banned,
Þe samë oure, atwynne þey woned;
Þat houre þat he cursed hem ynne,
Þat samë oure þey ȝede atwynne:
And, as yn twynkelyng of an ye,
Yn-to þe cherchë gun þey flye,
And on þe pauement þey fyl alle downe,
As þey hade be dede, or fal yn a swone.
Þre days, styl, þey lay echone,
Þat none steryd, oþer flesshe or bone,
And, at þe þre days ende,
To lyfe God grauntede hem to wende.
Þey sette hem vpp, and spak apert
To þe parysshe prest, syre Robert:
“Þou art ensample and enchesun
Of oure long confusyun;
Þou maker art of oure trauayle,
Þat ys to many grete meruayle;
And þy traueyle shalt þou sone ende,
For to þy long home, some shalt þou wende.”
Þat none steryd, oþer flesshe or bone,
And, at þe þre days ende,
To lyfe God grauntede hem to wende.
Þey sette hem vpp, and spak apert
To þe parysshe prest, syre Robert:
“Þou art ensample and enchesun
Of oure long confusyun;
Þou maker art of oure trauayle,
Þat ys to many grete meruayle;
And þy traueyle shalt þou sone ende,
289
Alle þey ryse þat ychë tyde,
But Auë; she lay dede besyde;
Grete sorowe had here fadyr, here broþer,
Merueyle and drede had allë ouþer,
Y trow no drede of soulë dede,
But with pyne was broght þe body dede.
Þe fyrst man was þe fadyr, þe prest,
Þat, deyd aftyr þe doȝtyr nest,
Þys ychë arme þat was of Aue,
Þat, nonë myȝt leye yn graue,
Þe emperoure dyd a vessel werche
To do hyt yn, and hange yn þe cherche,
Þat alle men myȝt se hyt and knawe,
And þenk on þe chaunce when men hyt sawe.
But Auë; she lay dede besyde;
Grete sorowe had here fadyr, here broþer,
Merueyle and drede had allë ouþer,
Y trow no drede of soulë dede,
But with pyne was broght þe body dede.
Þe fyrst man was þe fadyr, þe prest,
Þat, deyd aftyr þe doȝtyr nest,
Þys ychë arme þat was of Aue,
Þat, nonë myȝt leye yn graue,
Þe emperoure dyd a vessel werche
To do hyt yn, and hange yn þe cherche,
Þat alle men myȝt se hyt and knawe,
And þenk on þe chaunce when men hyt sawe.
Þese men þat hadde go þus karolland
Alle þe ȝere, fast hand yn hand,
Þogh þat þey were þan asunder,
Ȝyt alle þe worlde spake of hem wunder:
Þat same hoppyng þat þey fyrst ȝede,
Þat daunce ȝede þey þurgh land and lede;
And as þey ne myȝt fyrst be vnbounde,
So efte to-gedyr myȝt þey neuer be founde,
Ne myȝt þey neuer come aȝeyn
To-gedyr, to oo stede certeyn.
Alle þe ȝere, fast hand yn hand,
Þogh þat þey were þan asunder,
Ȝyt alle þe worlde spake of hem wunder:
Þat same hoppyng þat þey fyrst ȝede,
Þat daunce ȝede þey þurgh land and lede;
And as þey ne myȝt fyrst be vnbounde,
So efte to-gedyr myȝt þey neuer be founde,
Ne myȝt þey neuer come aȝeyn
To-gedyr, to oo stede certeyn.
Foure ȝede to þe courte of Rome,
And euer hoppyng aboute þey nome;
with sundyr lepys come þey þedyr,
But þey come neuer efte to-gedyr;
Here cloþes ne roted, ne naylës grewe,
Ne heere ne wax, ne solowed hewe,
Ne neuer hadde þey amendëment,
Þat we herde, at any corseynt,
But at þe vyrgyne Seynt Edyght,
Þere was he botened, seynt Teodryght;
On oure lady day, yn lenten tyde,
As he slepte here toumbe besyde,
Þere he hade hys medycyne,
At seynt Edyght, þe holy vyrgyne.
And euer hoppyng aboute þey nome;
with sundyr lepys come þey þedyr,
But þey come neuer efte to-gedyr;
Here cloþes ne roted, ne naylës grewe,
Ne heere ne wax, ne solowed hewe,
Ne neuer hadde þey amendëment,
Þat we herde, at any corseynt,
But at þe vyrgyne Seynt Edyght,
Þere was he botened, seynt Teodryght;
On oure lady day, yn lenten tyde,
As he slepte here toumbe besyde,
290
At seynt Edyght, þe holy vyrgyne.
Brunyng, þe bysshope of seynt Tolous,
wrote þys tale so merueylous;
Seþþe was hys name of more renoun,
Men called hym þe pope Leoun;
Þys at þe court of Rome þey wyte,
And yn þe kronykeles hyt ys wryte,
Yn many stedys be-ȝounde þe see,
More þan ys yn þys cuntre;
Þarfor men seye, an weyl ys trowed,
“Þe nere þe cherche, þe fyrþer fro God.”
wrote þys tale so merueylous;
Seþþe was hys name of more renoun,
Men called hym þe pope Leoun;
Þys at þe court of Rome þey wyte,
And yn þe kronykeles hyt ys wryte,
Yn many stedys be-ȝounde þe see,
More þan ys yn þys cuntre;
Þarfor men seye, an weyl ys trowed,
“Þe nere þe cherche, þe fyrþer fro God.”
So fare men here by þys tale:
Some holde hyt but a trotëuale;
Yn oþer stedys hyt ys ful dere,
And for grete merueyle þey wyl hyt here;
A tale hyt ys of feyre shewyng,
Ensample and drede aȝens cursyng;
Þys tale y tolde ȝow, to make ȝow aferde,
Yn cherche to karolle, or yn cherche ȝerde,
Namely aȝens þe prestys wylle;
leueþ, whan he byddeþ ȝow be stylle,
Some holde hyt but a trotëuale;
Yn oþer stedys hyt ys ful dere,
And for grete merueyle þey wyl hyt here;
A tale hyt ys of feyre shewyng,
Ensample and drede aȝens cursyng;
Þys tale y tolde ȝow, to make ȝow aferde,
Yn cherche to karolle, or yn cherche ȝerde,
Namely aȝens þe prestys wylle;
leueþ, whan he byddeþ ȝow be stylle,
Ianglyng longeþ to sacrylage;
Þar-of takeþ þe fende taylage;
Iangle we yn cherche neuer so lyte,
Alle þat we do Iangle, þe fende doþe wryte,
And shal shewe hyt before oure face
whan hys rolle ys broght yn place:
And y shal tellë, as y kan,
A bourdë of an holy man.
Þar-of takeþ þe fende taylage;
Iangle we yn cherche neuer so lyte,
Alle þat we do Iangle, þe fende doþe wryte,
And shal shewe hyt before oure face
whan hys rolle ys broght yn place:
And y shal tellë, as y kan,
A bourdë of an holy man.
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