Early English Alliterative Poems 16

Early English Alliterative Poems 16

 [Sidenote: The Lamb is without blemish. Every spotless soul

is a worthy bride for the Lamb. No strife or envy among

the brides.]

Thys I{e}r{usa}l{e}m lombe hade neu{er} pechche

Of oþ{er} huee bot quyt Iolyf

Þat mot ne masklle moȝt on streche

For wolle quyte so ronk & ryf, 844

For-þy vche saule þat hade neu{er} teche,[36]

Is to þat lombe a worthyly wyf;

And þaȝ vch day a store he feche,

Among v{us} co{m}meȝ non oþ{er} strot ne stryf, 848

Bot vchon enle[37] we wolde were fyf,

Þe mo þe myryer so god me blesse.

I{n} compayny gret our luf con þryf

In hono{ur} more & neu{er} þe lesse. 852

 

[Sidenote 36: MS. _tethe_.]

[Sidenote 37: _vch onlepi_ (?).]

 

[Sidenote: None can have less bliss than another.

Our death leads us to bliss.]

Lasse of blysse may non v{us} bry{n}g

Þat beren þys perle vpon oure bereste,

For þay of mote couþe neu{er} my{n}ge,

Of spotleȝ perleȝ þa[y] beren þe creste, 856

Al-þaȝ oure corses i{n} clotteȝ cly{n}ge,

& ȝe remen for rauþe wyth-outen reste,

We þurȝ-outly hauen cnawy{n}g;

Of [o]n dethe ful oure hope is drest, 860

Þe lonbe v{us} gladeȝ, oure care is kest;

He myrþeȝ v{us} alle at vch a mes,

Vchoneȝ blysse is breme & beste,

& neu{er} oneȝ hono{ur} ȝet neu{er} þe les. 864

 

[Headnote: THE VISION OF SAINT JOHN.]

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 51a.]]

[Sidenote: What St. John saw upon the Mount of Sion.

About the Lamb he saw one hundred and forty thousand maidens.

He heard a voice from heaven, like many floods.]

Lest les þ{o}u leue my tale[38] farande,

I{n} appocalyppece is wryten i{n} wro

I segh{e}, says Ioh{a}n, þe lou{m}be hy{m} stande,

On þe mou{n}t of syon ful þryuen & þro, 868

& wyth hym mayde{n}neȝ an hu{n}dreþe þowsande

& fowre & forty þowsande mo

On alle her forhedeȝ wryten I fande,

Þe lombeȝ nome, hys fadereȝ also. 872

A hue fro heuen I herde þoo,

Lyk flodeȝ fele laden, ru{n}ne{n} on resse,

& as þu{n}der þroweȝ i{n} torreȝ blo,

Þat lote I leue watȝ neu{er} þe les. 876

 

[Sidenote 38: MS. _talle_, but _tale_ in the catchwords.]

 

[Sidenote: He heard the maiden sing a new song. So did

the four beasts and the elders “so sad of cheer.”]

Nauþeles þaȝ hit schowted scharpe,

& ledden loude al-þaȝ hit were.

A note ful nwe I herde hem warpe,

To lysten þat watȝ ful lufly dere, 880

As harporeȝ harpen in her harpe,

Þat nwe songe þay so{n}gen ful cler.

In sou{n}ande noteȝ a gentyl carpe,

Ful fayre þe modeȝ þay fonge i{n} fere 884

Ryȝt byfore godeȝ chayere,

& þe fowre besteȝ þat hy{m} obes,

& þe alder-men so sadde of chere,

Her songe þay songen neu{er} þe les; 888

 

[Sidenote: This assembly was like the Lamb, spotless and pure.]

Nowþe-lese non watȝ neu{er} so quoy{n}t,

For alle þe crafteȝ þat eu{er} þay knewe.

Þat of þat songe myȝt sy{n}ge a poy{n}t,

Bot þat meyny þe lombe þay swe, 892

For þay arn boȝt fro þe vrþe aloynte.

As newe fryt to god ful due

& to þe gentyl lombe hit arn amoy{n}t,

As lyk to hym self of lote & hwe, 896

For neu{er} lesy{n}g ne tale vn-trwe,

Ne towched her tonge for no dysstresse.

Þat moteles meyny may neu{er} remwe,

Fro þat maskeleȝ mayster neu{er} þe les.” 900

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 51b.]]

[Sidenote: The father replies to the maiden. He says he is

but dust and ashes. He wishes to ask one question,]

“Neuer þe les let be my þonc,”

Q{uod} I, “my perle þaȝ I appose,

I schulde not tempte þy wyt so wlonc,

To krysteȝ chambre þat art Ichose, 904

I am bot mokke & mul amo{n}g,

& þ{o}u so ryche a reken rose,

& bydeȝ here by þys blysful bonc

Þer lyueȝ lyste may neu{er} lose, 908

Now hynde þat sympelnesse co{n}eȝ enclose,

I wolde þe aske a þy{n}ge expresse,

& þaȝ I be bustwys as a blose

Let my bone vayl neu{er} þe lese. 912

 

 

[Headnote: THE ABODE OF CHRIST’S BRIDES.]

 

XVI.

 

[Sidenote: whether the brides have their abode in castle-walls

or in manor. Jerusalem, he says, in Judea. But the dwelling

of the brides should be perfect.]

Neuer þe lese cler I yow by-calle

If ȝe con se hyt be to done,

As þ{o}u art gloryo{u}s w{i}t{h}-outen galle,

W{i}t{h}-nay þ{o}u neu{er} my ruful bone. 916

Haf ȝe no woneȝ i{n} castel walle,

Ne man{er} þer ȝe may mete & won?

Þ{o}u telleȝ me of I{e}r{usa}l{e}m þe ryche ryalle,

Þer dauid dere watȝ dyȝt on trone, 920

Bot by þyse holteȝ hit con not hone

Bot in Iudee hit is þ{a}t noble note;

As ȝe ar maskeleȝ vnder mone,

Yo{ur} woneȝ schulde by wyth-outen mote. 924

 

[Sidenote: For such “a comely pack” a great castle would be

required.]

Þys moteleȝ meyny þ{o}u coneȝ of mele,

Of þousandeȝ þryȝt so gret a route,

A gret cete, for ȝe arn fele,

Yow by-hod haue w{i}t{h}-outen doute; 928

So cu{m}ly a pakke of Ioly Iuele,

Wer euel don schulde lyȝ þ{er}-oute;

& by þyse bonkeȝ þer I con gele

& I se no bygy{n}g nawhere aboute, 932

I trowe al-one ȝe lenge & loute,

To loke on þe glory of þys g{ra}c[i]o{us} gote;

If þ{o}u hatȝ oþer lygy{n}geȝ stoute,

Now tech me to þat myry mote. 936

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 52a.]]

[Sidenote: The city in Judæa, answers the maiden, is where

Christ suffered, and is the Old Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is

where the Lamb has assembled his brides.]

“That mote þ{o}u meneȝ in Iudy londe,”

Þat specyal spyce þen to me spakk,

“Þat is þe cyte þat þe lombe con fonde

To soffer i{n}ne sor for maneȝ sake, 940

Þe olde I{e}r{usa}l{e}m to vnder-stonde,

For þere þe olde gulte watȝ don to slake,

Bot þe nwe þat lyȝt of godeȝ sonde,

Þe apostel in apocalyppce i{n} theme con take. 944

Þe lombe[39] þ{er}, w{i}t{h}-outen spotteȝ blake,

Hatȝ feryed þyder hys fayre flote,

& as hys flok is w{i}t{h}-outen flake,

So is hys mote w{i}t{h}-outen moote. 948

 

[Sidenote 39: The MS. reads _lompe_.]

 

[Headnote: THE OLD AND NEW JERUSALEM.]

 

[Sidenote: Jerusalem means the city of God. In the Old city

our peace was made at one. In the New city is eternal peace.]

Of motes two to carpe clene

& I{e}r{usa}l{e}m hyȝt boþe nawþeles,

Þat nys to yow no more to mene,

Bot cete of god oþ{er} syȝt of pes. 952

I{n} þat on oure pes watȝ mad at ene,

W{i}t{h} payne to suffer þe lombe hit chese,

In þat oþ{er} is noȝt bot pes to glene,

Þat ay schal laste w{i}t{h}-outen reles, 956

Þat is þe borȝ þat we to pres,

Fro þ{a}t oure flesch[40] be layd to rote;

Þer glory & blysse schal eu{er} encres,

To þe meyny þ{a}t is w{i}t{h}-outen mote. 960

 

[Sidenote 40: MS. _fresth_.]