Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose :: XV MISCELLANEOUS PIECES IN VERSE

XV MISCELLANEOUS PIECES IN VERSE

Under this head are grouped a number of short poems, representing forms of composition that survive only by fortunate chance.

A is a curious little song, which has been printed from Hale MS. 135 by G. E. Woodbine in Modern Language Review, vol. iv, p. 236, and reconstructed by Skeat at vol. v, p. 105, of the same periodical.

B and C are the best-known lyrics of the important collection edited by BÖddeker, Altenglische Dichtungen des MS. Harley 2253, Berlin 1878. They are literary and rather artificial in form.

D and E are minstrels' songs found, among other popular snatches, on a fly-leaf of Bodleian MS. Rawlinson D. 913, and edited by Heuser in Anglia, vol. xxx, p. 173. In E lines 14-16 and ll. 17-19 are to be expanded on the model of ll. 7-13.

All these songs are early, and have a lightness and gaiety that become rare as the fourteenth century advances.

F is one of several English scraps (ed. Furnivall in Political, Religious, and Love Poems, E.E.T.S., pp. 249 ff.) that are found scattered through the Latin text of MS. Harley 7322. Most of the English pieces are without poetical merit, but in this one poem the writer has attained a perfect simplicity.

G, printed in Wright and Halliwell's Reliquiae Antiquae, 1845, vol. i, p. 144, has been recognized as the first of the English ballads. It is the only example before 1400 of the swift and dramatic movement, the sudden transitions, and the restrained expression, characteristic of the ballad style.

H, first printed in Reliquiae Antiquae, vol. i, p. 240, is the latest of the short pieces. With onomatopoeic effects it gives a vivid if unfriendly picture of a blacksmith's forge on a busy night.

I is a charm edited by Furnivall at p. 43 of the E.E.T.S. volume in which F appears.

A. NOW SPRINGS THE SPRAY. Lincoln's Inn MS. Hale 135 (about 1300).

Nou sprinkes Þe sprai,

Al for loue icche am so seek

Þat slepen I ne mai.

Als I me rode Þis endre dai

O mi playinge, 5

Seih I hwar a litel mai

Bigan to singge:

'Þe clot him clingge!

Wai es him i louue-longinge

Sal libben ai!' 10

Nou sprinkes, &c.

Son icche herde Þat mirie note,

Þider I drogh;

I fonde hire in an herber swot

Vnder a bogh,

With ioie inogh. 15

Son I asked: 'Þou mirie mai,

Hwi sinkestou ai?'

Nou sprinkes, &c.

Þan answerde Þat maiden swote

Midde wordes fewe:

'Mi lemman me haues bihot 20

Of louue trewe:

He chaunges anewe.

Yiif I mai, it shal him rewe

Bi Þis dai.'

Nou sprinkes, &c.

4 Þis endre dai als I me rode MS.; corr. Skeat.5 playinge] indistinct.8 clingge] clingges MS.

B. SPRING. MS. Harley 2253 (about 1325), f. 71 b.

Lenten ys come wiÞ loue to toune,

WiÞ blosmen and wiÞ briddes roune,

Þat al Þis blisse bryngeÞ.

Dayese?es in Þis dales,

Notes suete of nyhtegales, 5

Vch foul song singeÞ.

Þe Þrestelcoc him ÞreteÞ oo,

Away is huere wynter wo,

When woderoue springeÞ.

Þis foules singeÞ ferly fele, 10

Ant wlyteÞ on huere †wynter† wele,

Þat al Þe wode ryngeÞ.

Þe rose rayleÞ hire rode,

Þe leues on Þe lyhte wode

Waxen al wiÞ wille. 15

Þe mone mandeÞ hire bleo,

Þe lilie is lossom to seo,

Þe fenyl and Þe fille.

Wowes Þis wilde drakes;

†Miles† murgeÞ huere makes, 20

Ase strem Þat strikeÞ stille.

Mody meneÞ, so doÞ mo—

Ichot ycham on of Þo,

For loue Þat likes ille.

Þe mone mandeÞ hire lyht; 25

So doÞ Þe semly sonne bryht,

When briddes singeÞ breme.

Deawes donkeÞ Þe dounes;

Deores wiÞ huere derne rounes,

Domes for te deme; 30

Wormes woweÞ vnder cloude;

Wymmen waxeÞ wounder proude,

So wel hit wol hem seme.

?ef me shal wonte wille of on,

Þis wunne weole y wole forgon, 35

Ant wyht in wode be fleme.

22 doÞ] doh MS.

C. ALYSOUN. MS. Harley 2253, f. 63 b.

Bytuene Mersh and Aueril,

When spray biginneÞ to springe,

Þe lutel foul haÞ hire wyl

On hyre lud to synge.

Ich libbe in loue-longinge 5

For semlokest of alle Þynge;

He may me blisse bringe—

Icham in hire baundoun.

An hendy hap ichabbe yhent;

Ichot from heuene it is me sent; 10

From alle wymmen mi loue is lent,

And lyht on Alysoun.

On heu hire her is fayr ynoh,

Hire browe broune, hire e?e blake;

WiÞ lossum chere he on me loh, 15

WiÞ middel smal and wel ymake.

Bote he me wolle to hire take,

For te buen hire owen make,

Longe to lyuen ichulle forsake,

And feye fallen adoun. 20

An hendy hap, &c.

Nihtes when y wende and wake,

ForÞi myn wonges waxeÞ won,

Leuedi, al for Þine sake

Longinge is ylent me on.

In world nis non so wyter mon 25

Þat al hire bountÉ telle con;

Hire swyre is whittore Þen Þe swon,

And feyrest may in toune.

An hend<y hap>, &c.

Icham for wowyng al forwake,

Wery so water in wore, 30

Lest eny reue me my make,

Ychabbe y?yrned ?ore.

Betere is Þolien whyle sore

Þen mournen euermore.

Geynest vnder gore, 35

Herkne to my roun.

An hendi <hap ichabbe yhent;

Ichot from heuene it is me sent;

From alle wymmen mi loue is lent,

And lyht on Alysoun>. 40

D. THE IRISH DANCER. Bodleian MS. Rawlinson D. 913.

Icham of Irlaunde,

Ant of the holy londe

Of Irlande.

Gode sire, pray ich Þe,

For of saynte charitÉ, 5

Come ant daunce wyt me

In Irlaunde.

4 Þe] ?e MS.

E. THE MAID OF THE MOOR. Bodleian MS. Rawlinson D. 913.

Maiden in the mor lay,

In the mor lay,

Seuenyst fulle, seuenist fulle,

Maiden in the mor lay,

In the mor lay, 5

Seuenistes fulle ant a day.

Welle was hire mete;

Wat was hire mete?

Þe primerole ant the,—

Þe primerole ant the,— 10

Welle was hire mete;

Wat was hire mete?—

The primerole ant the violet.

Welle <was hire dryng>;

Wat was hire dryng? 15

Þe chelde water of <Þe> welle-spring.

Welle was hire bour;

Wat was hire bour?

Þe rede rose an te lilie flour.

7 was] wat MS.]

F. THE VIRGIN'S SONG. British Museum MS. Harley 7322 (about 1375), f. 135 b.

Iesu, swete sone dere!

On porful bed list Þou here,

And Þat me greueÞ sore;

For Þi cradel is ase a bere,

Oxe and asse beÞ Þi fere:

Weepe ich mai Þarfore.

Iesu, swete, beo noth wroÞ,

Þou ich nabbe clout ne cloÞ

Þe on for to folde,

Þe on to folde ne to wrappe, 10

For ich nabbe clout ne lappe;

Bote ley Þou Þi fet to my pappe,

And wite Þe from Þe colde.

G. JUDAS. Trinity College (Cambridge) MS. B. 14. 39 (about 1300), f. 34 a.

Hit wes upon a Scere Þorsday Þat vre Louerd aros;

Ful milde were Þe wordes He spec to Iudas:

Iudas, Þou most to Iurselem, oure mete for to bugge;

Þritti platen of seluer Þou bere upo Þi rugge.

Þou comest fer i Þe brode stret, fer i Þe brode strete; 5

Summe of Þine cunesmen Þer Þou meist imete.

Imette wid is soster, Þe swikele wimon:

'Iudas, Þou were wrÞe me stende Þe wid ston, (bis)

For Þe false prophete Þat tou bileuest upon.'

'Be stille, leue soster, Þin herte Þe tobreke! 10

Wiste min Louerd Crist, ful wel He wolde be wreke.'

'Iudas, go Þou on Þe roc, heie upon Þe ston,

Lei Þin heued i my barm, slep Þou Þe anon.'

Sone so Iudas of slepe was awake,

Þritti platen of seluer from hym weren itake. 15

He drou hymselve bi Þe top, Þat al it lauede a blode;

Þe Iewes out of Iurselem awenden he were wode.

Foret hym com Þe riche Ieu Þat heiste Pilatus:

'Wolte sulle Þi Louerd, Þat hette Iesus?'

'I nul sulle my Louerd for nones cunnes eiste, 20

Bote hit be for Þe Þritti platen Þat He me bitaiste.'

'Wolte sulle Þi Lord Crist for enes cunnes golde?'

'Nay, bote hit be for Þe platen Þat He habben wolde.'

In him com ur Lord gon, as is postles seten at mete:

'Wou sitte ye, postles, ant wi nule ye ete? (bis) 25

Ic am iboust ant isold today for oure mete.'

Up stod him Iudas: 'Lord, am I Þat?

I nas neuer o Þe stude Þer me Þe euel spec.'

Up him stod Peter, ant spec wid al is miste:

'Þau Pilatus him come wid ten hundred cnistes, (bis) 30

Yet ic wolde, Louerd, for Þi loue fiste.'

'Stille Þou be, Peter! Wel I Þe icnowe;

Þou wolt fursake me Þrien ar Þe coc him crowe.'

H. THE BLACKSMITHS. British Museum MS. Arundel 292 (about 1425-50), f. 71 b.

Swarte smekyd smeÞes smateryd wyth smoke

Dryue me to deth wyth den of here dyntes.

Swech noys on nyghtes ne herd men neuer:

What knauene cry and clateryng of knockes!

Þe cammede kongons cryen after 'col, col!' 5

And blowen here bellewys, Þat al here brayn brestes:

'Huf, puf!' seith Þat on; 'haf, paf!' Þat oÞer.

Þei spyttyn and spraulyn and spellyn many spelles;

Þei gnauen and gnacchen, Þei gronys togydere,

And holdyn hem hote wyth here hard hamers. 10

Of a bole-hyde ben here barm-fellys;

Here schankes ben schakeled for the fere flunderys;

Heuy hamerys Þei han, Þat hard ben handled,

Stark strokes Þei stryken on a stelyd stokke:

Lus, bus! las, das! rowtyn be rowe. 15

Swech dolful a dreme Þe deuyl it todryue!

Þe mayster longith a lityl, and lascheth a lesse,

Twyneth hem tweyn, and towchith a treble:

Tik, tak! hic, hac! tiket, taket! tyk, tak!

Lus, bus! lus, das! swych lyf thei ledyn 20

Alle cloÞemerys: Cryst hem gyue sorwe!

May no man for brenwaterys on nyght han hys rest!

I. RATS AWAY. Bodleian MS. Rawlinson C. 288, f. 113 (15th-century writing, blurred).

I comawnde alle Þe ratones Þat are here abowte,

Þat non dwelle in Þis place, withinne ne withowte,

Thorgh Þe vertu of Iesu Crist, Þat Mary bare abowte,

Þat alle creatures owyn for to lowte,

And thorgh Þe vertu of Mark, Mathew, Luke, an Ion,— 5

Alle foure Awangelys corden into on,—

Thorgh Þe vertu of Sent Geretrude, Þat mayde clene,

God graunte Þat grace

Þat <non> raton dwelle in Þe place

Þat here namis were nemeled in; 10

And thorgh Þe vertu of Sent Kasi,

Þat holy man, Þat prayed to God Almyty

For skathes Þat Þei deden

Hys medyn

Be dayes and be ny?t, 15

God bad hem flen and gon out of euery manesse sy?t.

Dominus Deus Sabaot! Emanuel, Þe gret Godes name!

I betweche Þes place from ratones and from alle oÞer schame.

God saue Þis place fro alle oÞer wykked wytes,

BoÞe be dayes and be nytes! et in nomine Patris et Filii,20

&c.

13 skathes] t altered from f (?) MS.

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