Must be the speech that men most need. Now from this prologue we will blinne," Richard Rolle of Hampole died 1349 THE INFANT (From The Pricke of Conscience,1 c. 1340) [When man] was born to this world's light, Then has the man less might than beast; There is, free from all darkness, light; There is aye day and never night; There aye is summer bright to see; And never more winter in that countrie; 465 470 And there an endless home made sure; 7830 There too are all delights and ease, And sure tranquility and peace; There peaceful joy forever is, And pleasure there and lasting bliss. 7834 475 480 There's melody and angel's song, And love and praise from that bright throng: There is all friendship that may be; And perfect love and charitie; There is accord, and its due mede Is given aye to each good deed; There's lowly awe and reverence, And meekness and obedience; There are all virtues and no sin, All dainties and delights therein, All wisdom's there from folly free, And honour without villany. There is brightness and beautie 7845 7850 7852 7860 7865 Lawrence Minot c. 1300-1352 THE BATTLE OF HALIDON HILL1 Listen, Lordings, if you will Hear of the battle of Halidon Hill. True King that sitteth on thy throne, Unto thee I tell my tale, And unto thee I bid a boon, For thou art balm of all my bale. As thou hast made the earth and moon, And beasts and foulės great and smale, In this dale I droup2 and dare 5 10 15 20 25 They said it should full dear be bought, The land whence they were driven out. Philip Valois wordes wrought, And said he should their foeman stay; More menaces they boasting cry, A little from that selfsame town, Then was their banner borne all down, To hurt England with sorrow and shame. Shame they have as I here say; At Dundee now is done their dance, And wend they must another way Even through Flanders into France. On Philip Valois 10 fast cry they, There for to dwell and him advance. And nothing list they now to play Since them befell this sorry chance. This sorry chance hath them o'erthrown, 75 Sir John Comyn11 had they struck down, There dwelled our king, the sooth to sayn, He gave good comfort on that plain Although his men were mickle of main,15 They came not from that strife alive In England help us to have peace. Ready. 10 Philip VI. King of France, 1328-1350, who in the interests of France, became the ally of Scotland against their common enemy England. 11 Comyn, surnamed The Red, one of the rivals of Bruce to the Throne of Scotland after Edward Balliol's renunciation. He was murdered on the altar steps of the Franciscan church at Dumfries by Bruce and his followers, in 1306. 12 Kill. 14 Company. 16 Trappings, booty. 13 Grief-stricken. 15 Great of might. 17 The post of danger. 10 Full of all love and of goodness, No man may tell of her fairness. It befel in time of May, 55 60 When is merry and pleasing the summer's day, 6 65 Of all the things that men may see Most fit to praise forsooth they be. In Brittany these lays were wrought, And full soon that fairest queen, Fell fast asleep upon the green, The maidens durst not her awake, 70 There first were made, and thence were brought But round her they 'gan merry make, 75 Of aventures in days that were, They took their harps with glee and game2 And made a lay and did it name. 20 Of áventures that did befall I can tell some but nowise all. Harken, lordlings, that be true, And I will tell of Sir Orphew. She cried, and loathsome 'gan her make, Now my Queen is left forlorn, 205 In wilderness now will I be, 'Away!" he said, "I will not so.' Then all his kindred he forsook And unto him a sclaveyn 16 took, He would have no other hood; Hose, nor shoe, nor other good; 210 215 220 And after, back he brought me home, 160 Only his harp he took, and straight 225 Back into our own orchárd, He journeyed barefoot through the gate. And said to me this afterward: No man there must with him go, 'Look tomorrow that thou be Alas! there weeping was and woe. Here beneath this ympė tree; He that was King and bare the crown, And if thou makest any let, 165 Where'er thou be thou shalt be fet,12 Went out so poorly from the town, Into the wild he takes his road, 230 And to tear thy limbės all, Shall help thee naught whate'er befall, And although thou be all torn 13 Alas! 15 Together. Both through the heath and through the wood. Nothing he hath to give him ease, 14 Disgraced. 16 Hair-shirt. In summer on the haws he lives, That midst her leaves the hawthorne gives; He was all shrunken, shriveled, pale, He taketh harp and maketh glee, And lies all night beneath a tree. When bright and clear there dawns the day, He searched her face and form alsó, 310 245 250 255 260 265 That sometime was so rich and high, 315 320 325 For joy about him gather round, And all the little birds that were, 330 For joy they come about him there His sclavyne put he on his back To listen to that harping fine, And took his harp right as he spak, So mickle joy there was therein. And swiftly after them is gone, His harping when he laid aside, Over stock and over stone. Nor bird, nor beast would then abide, Often saw he him beside, Full three mile and some deal mo,21 In the heat of summer-tide, He came unto a fair countráy, The Fairy King with all his rout, 275 It was as bright as any day. 340 Come a-hunting all about. Neither hill nor dale was seen, With shout and merry din they go And noise of hound and horn alsó; And yet forsooth, no beast they slay, Nor knows he where they take their way. 280 And other whiles he may espye, A mighty hunt go passing by, Full two hundred knights of pride All was lawn full fair and green, Midst it a castle met his eye, Noble and rich, and wondrous high, Over all the topmost wall 345 Shone as doth the clear crystál, And the towers that were there Were gaily set with pearlės fair; Armed through the forest ride. The farthest, rising from the ditch, Somewhile he saw other thing, 285 Was all of gold and silver rich; 350 Knights and ladies come ridíng The front, that stood amidst them brade, 22 With raiment bright and courtly grace, Moving all with easy pace; Was all of divers metals made; Within, a wondrous dwelling wide, 290 Tabors and pipes with them there be, And every kind of minstrelsy. And ladies too there come riding, Jolie they were in everything, 295 With gold and gems all glorified, The pillars fair thereon, were dight 355 With precious stones and sapphires bright. So fair the palace shone by night That all the town was full of light, Those riché stones so fairly shone 360 |