Early English Alliterative Poems 19

Early English Alliterative Poems 19

[61 Sidenote] ... where the rocks and cliffs ... [Where]

[278] & iueleȝ wern hyr ge{n}tyl saweȝ, [saweȝ”]

[373 Sidenote] ... his bale and bliss. [bliss,]

[775] So mony a cumly on v{n}der cambe, [vu{n}der]

[_spelling changed to agree with Note_]

[993 Sidenote] the foundation composed of twelve stones. [The]

[1059 Sidenote] it flowed through each street. [It]

[1205] Ou{er} þis hyl[50] þis lote I laȝte,

[Sidenote 50] MS. _hyiil_.

[_1864 edition had “hyiil” in the body text,

with note “_hye-hil_ or _hyul_?”]

 

ORPHANED QUOTATION MARKS

[396] Hit is i{n} grou{n}de of alle my blysse.”

[501] “My regne, he saytȝ, is lyk on hyȝt,

[602] Þat gentyl sayde “lys no Ioparde,

[744] & porchace þy perle maskelles.”

[902] Q{uod} I, “my perle þaȝ I appose,

[939] “Þat is þe cyte þat þe lombe con fonde

[966] “Þ{o}u may not enter w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne hys tor,

 

NOTES

78 _on vch a tynde_, on each branch. [vcha]

213 _schorne golde schyr_, refined gold pure. [_, missing_]

223-4 _A manneȝ dom myȝt dryȝly demme, [_. for ,_]

343 For anger avails the not a cress

[_modern text unchanged: error for “thee”?_]

Cf. the following passage from “Piers Ploughman,” [Piers’]

536 [535]

865 [864]

1026 [1025]

 

 

* * * * *

* * * *

* * * * *

 

 

CLEANNESS.

 

 

[Headnotes:

THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST.

THOSE INVITED TO THE FEAST REFUSE TO COME.

THE HALT AND THE BLIND ARE INVITED.

THE MAN WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT.

GOD IS DISPLEASED WITH THE WICKED.

THE FALL OF THE ANGELS.

THE WICKEDNESS OF THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD.

GOD DETERMINES TO DESTROY ALL FLESH.

NOAH IS COMMANDED TO BUILD AN ARK.

THE RAIN DESCENDS.

ALL ROT IN THE MUD.

THE ARK RESTS ON MOUNT ARARAT.

NOAH SENDS FORTH A DOVE.

NOAH LEAVES THE ARK.

THE BEASTS ARE DISPERSED.

GOD’S HATRED OF WICKEDNESS.

ABRAHAM RECEIVES THREE GUESTS, AND ENTERTAINS THEM.

GOD DISCLOSES HIS PURPOSE TO ABRAHAM.

THE FILTHINESS OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH.

ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE CITIES.

MESSENGERS ARE SENT TO LOT.

LOT ENTERTAINS THE MESSENGERS.

LOT’S HOUSE IS BESET.

THE MEN OF SODOM SMITTEN WITH BLINDNESS.

LOT IS SENT OUT OF THE CITY.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES.

LOT’S WIFE BECOMES A STIFF STONE.

THE DEAD SEA COVERS THE FIVE CITIES.

IT IS A TOKEN OF WICKEDNESS AND VENGEANCE.

CHRIST WAS EVER PURE.

PENANCE MAKES MAN PURE AS A PEARL.

GOD PUNISHES IMPURITY.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR BESIEGES JERUSALEM.

THE KING OF JUDAH IS MADE PRISONER.

NEBUZARDAN PILLAGES THE TEMPLE.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR IS PLEASED WITH THE SPOIL.

HE PRIZES GREATLY THE SACRED JEWELRY.

BELSHAZZAR PROCLAIMS A FEAST, TO WHICH KINGS AND EMPERORS

ARE INVITED.

BELSHAZZAR BRINGS OUT THE SACRED VESSELS TO DECK THE FESTIVE HALL.

THE SACRED VESSELS ARE DEFILED.

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

THE KING CONSULTS HIS DIVINERS.

DANIEL IS SENT FOR.

DANIEL DESCRIBES HOW NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS PUNISHED FOR HIS PRIDE.

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HANDWRITING.

DARIUS LAYS SIEGE TO BABYLON.

BELSHAZZAR IS BEATEN TO DEATH.]

 

 

I.

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 57a.]]

[Sidenote: Cleanness discloses fair forms.]

Cla{n}nesse who-so kyndly cowþe co{m}ende,

& rekken vp alle þe resou{n}ȝ þ{a}t ho by riȝt askeȝ,

Fayre formeȝ myȝt he fy{n}de i{n} foreri{n}g his speche,

& in þe co{n}traré, kark & co{m}brau{n}ce huge; 4

[Sidenote: God is angry with the unclean worshipper, and with

false priests.]

For wonder wroth is þe wyȝ þ{a}t wroȝt alle þi{n}g{es},

Wyth þe freke þat i{n} fylþe folȝes hy{m} aft{er},

As renkeȝ of relygiou{n} þat reden & sy{n}gen,

& aprochen to hys presens, & presteȝ arn called; 8

Thay teen vnto his te{m}mple & teme{n} to hy{m} seluen,

Reken w{i}t{h} reu{er}ence þay r[ec]hen his auter,

Þay hondel þer his aune body & vsen hit boþe.

[Sidenote: The pure worshipper receives great reward.]

If þay in cla{n}nes be clos þay cleche gret mede, 12

Bot if þay conterfete crafte, & cortaysye wont,

[Sidenote: The impure will bring upon them the anger of God, Who

is pure and holy.]

As be honest vtwyth, & i{n}-with alle fylþeȝ,

Þen ar þay synful hemself & sulped altogeder,

Boþe god & his gere, & hy{m} to greme cachen. 16

He is so clene in his co{ur}te, þe ky{n}g þ{a}t al weldeȝ,

& honeste in his ho{us}-holde & hagherlych serued,

With angeleȝ eno{ur}led in alle þat is clene,

[Sidenote: It would be a marvel if God did not hate evil.]

Boþe w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne & w{i}t{h}-outen, i{n} wedeȝ ful bryȝt. 20

Nif he nere scoym{us} & skyg & non scaþe louied,

Hit were a meruayl to much, hit moȝt not falle;

[Sidenote: Christ showed us that himself.]

Kryst kydde hit hym self i{n} a carp oneȝ,

Þer as he heuened aȝt happeȝ & hyȝt hem her medeȝ; 24

[Sidenote: St. Matthew records the discourse.]

Me myneȝ on one amo{n}ge oþ{er}, as maþew recordeȝ,

Þat þ{us} of clannesse vn-closeȝ a ful cler speche.

[Sidenote: The clean of heart shall look on our Lord.]

Þe haþel clene of his hert hapeneȝ ful fayre,

For he schal loke on oure lorde w{i}t{h} a bone chere, 28

As so saytȝ, to þat syȝt seche schal he neu{er},

Þat any vncla{n}nesse hatȝ on, anwhere[1] abowte:

For he þ{a}t flem{us} vch fylþe fer fro his hert,

May not byde þat burne[2] þat hit his body neȝen; 32

For-þy hyȝ not to heuen i{n} hatereȝ to-torne,

Ne i{n} þe harloteȝ hod & handeȝ vnwaschen;

[Sidenote: What earthly noble, when seated at table above dukes,

would like to see a lad badly attired approach the table with

“rent cockers,” his coat torn and his toes out?]

For what vrþly haþel þat hyȝ hono{ur} haldeȝ

Wolde lyke, if a ladde com lyþ{er}ly attyred, 36

[Sidenote: [Fol. 57b.]]

When he were sette solempnely i{n} a sete ryche,

Abof dukes on dece, w{i}t{h} dayntys serued,

Þen þe harlot w{i}t{h} haste helded to þe table

W{i}t{h} rent cokreȝ at þe kne & his clutte trasches, 40

& his tabarde to-torne & his toteȝ oute;

[Sidenote: For any one of these he would be turned out with a

“big buffet,” and be forbidden to re-enter, and thus be ruined

through his vile clothes.]

Oþ{er} ani on of alle þyse he schulde be halden vtt{er},

With mony blame ful bygge, a boffet, p{er}au{n}t{er},

Hurled to þe halle dore & harde þ{er}-oute schowued, 44

& be forboden þat borȝe to bowe þider neu{er},

On payne of enprysonment & putty{n}g i{n} stokkeȝ;

& þ{us} schal he be schent for his schrowde feble,

Þaȝ neu{er} i{n} talle ne in tuch he trespas more. 48

 

[Headnote: THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST.]

 

[Sidenote: The parable of the “Marriage of the King’s Son.”]

& if vnwelcu{m} he were to a worþlych prynce

Ȝet hy{m} is þe hyȝe ky{n}g harder i{n} her euen,

As maþew meleȝ in his masse of þat man ryche,

Þat made þe mukel mangerye to marie his here dere, 52

& sende his sonde þen to say þat þay samne schulde,

& in comly quoyntis to com to his feste;

[Sidenote: The king’s invitation.]

“For my boles & my boreȝ arn bayted & slayne,

& my fedde fouleȝ fatted w{i}t{h} sclaȝt, 56

My polyle þat is pe{n}ne-fed & partrykes boþe,

Wyth scheldeȝ of wylde swyn, swaneȝ & croneȝ;

Al is roþeled & rosted ryȝt to þe sete,

Comeȝ cof to my corte, er hit colde worþe.” 60

 

[Headnote: THOSE INVITED TO THE FEAST REFUSE TO COME.]

 

[Sidenote: Those invited begin to make excuses.]

When þay knewen his cal þ{a}t þider com schulde,

Alle ex-cused hem by þe skyly he scape by moȝt:

[Sidenote: One had bought an estate and must go to see it.]

On hade boȝt hym a borȝ he sayde by hys t{ra}wþe,

Now t[ur]ne I þeder als tyd, þe tou{n} to by-holde; 64

[Sidenote: Another had purchased some oxen and wished to see

them “pull in the plough.”]

An oþ{er} nayed also & nurned þis cawse:

I haf ȝerned & ȝat ȝokkeȝ of oxen,

& for my hyȝeȝ hem boȝt, to bowe haf I mest{er},

To see hem pulle in þe plow aproche me byhoueȝ; 68

[A third had married a wife and could not come.]

& I haf wedded a wyf, sower[3] hy{m} þe þryd,

Excuse me at þe co{ur}t, I may not com þere;

Þ{us} þay droȝ hem adreȝ w{i}t{h} dau{n}g{er} vchone,

Þat non passed to þe place[4] þaȝ he prayed were. 72

[Sidenote: [Fol. 58a.]]

[Sidenote: The Lord was greatly displeased, and commanded his

servants to invite the wayfaring, both men and women, the better

and the worse, that his palace might be full.]

The{n}ne þe ludych lorde lyked ful ille

& hade dedayn of þat dede, ful dryȝly he carpeȝ:

He saytȝ “now for her owne sorȝe þay for-saken habbeȝ,

More to wyte is her wrange, þen any wylle gentyl; 76

Þe{n}ne gotȝ forth my gomeȝ to þe grete streeteȝ,

& forsetteȝ on vche a syde þe cete aboute;

Þe wayferande frekeȝ, on fote & on hors,

Boþe burneȝ & burdeȝ, þe bett{er} & þe wers, 80

Laþeȝ hem alle luflyly to lenge at my fest,

& bry{n}geȝ hem blyþly to borȝe as barou{n}eȝ þay were,

So þat my palays plat-ful be pyȝt al aboute,

Þise oþ{er} wrecheȝ I-wysse worþy noȝt wern.” 84

[Sidenote: The servants brought in bachelors and squires.]

Þe{n} þay cayred & com þat þe cost waked,

Broȝten bachlereȝ hem wyth þat þay by bonkeȝ metten,

Swyereȝ þat swyftly swyed on blonkeȝ,

& also fele vpon fote, of fre & of bonde. 88

[Sidenote: When they came to the court they were well

entertained.]

When þay com to þe co{ur}te keppte wern þay fayre,

Styȝtled w{i}t{h} þe stewarde, stad i{n} þe halle,

Ful man{er}ly w{i}t{h} marchal mad forto sitte,

As he watȝ dere of de-gre dressed his seete. 92

[Sidenote: The servants tell their lord that they have done his

behest, and there is still room for more guests.]

Þe{n}ne seggeȝ to þe souerayn sayden þer-aft{er},

“Lo! lorde w{i}t{h} yo{ur} leue at yo{ur} lege heste,

& at þi ba{n}ne we haf broȝt, as þ{o}u beden habbeȝ,

Mony renischche renkeȝ & ȝet is rou{m} more.” 96

 

[Headnote: THE HALT AND THE BLIND ARE INVITED.]