th; 88
God ich it shewe, & to witnesse take,
And so shilde me fro synne & sake!
God ich it shewe, & to witnesse take,
And so shilde me fro synne & sake!
Adam Davy's Five Dreams about Edward II - 1389
419 or 20.
, Furnivall, Frederick James, 1825-1910.
Table of contents | Add to bookbag
Page [unnumbered]
Page [unnumbered]
Page [1]
Adam Daby's 5 Dreams about Edward II. : The Life of St. Alexius.
Solomon's Book of Wisdom.
St. Jeremie's 15 Tokens before Doomsday.
The Lamentacion of Souls.
EDITED FROM THE LAUD MS. 622 IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY BY
F. J. FURNIVALL,
M. A. , TRINITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE.
LONDON:
N. TRUBNER & CO. , 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL.
MDCCCLXXVIII.
Page [2]
69
Page [unnumbered]
Page [unnumbered]
Page 5
Page [unnumbered]
Page 7
Page 8
Page [unnumbered]
Page [unnumbered]
Page 11
ADAM DAVY'S FIVE DREAMS ABOUT EDWARD II. [Laud MS. 622 (end of the 14th cent. ), leaf 26, back. ]
TO oure lorde Iesu crist in heuene,
Ich to-day shewe myne sweuene,
? at ich mette in one ni? th,
Of a kni? th of mychel mi? th: 4
His name is ihote sir Edward ? e kyng,
Prince of Wales*. [Compare
"Nou is Edward of Carnarvon
King of Engelond al aplyht",
in "The Elegy on the Death of Edw. I", from Harl. 2253, leaf 73, in Mr Thos. Wright's Political Songs, for the Camden Society, 1839, p. 249. Edw. III was never created Prince of Wales. The Black Prince was, but was never king. ], Engelonde ? e faire ? ing.
Me mette ? at he was armed wel,
Bo? e wi? yrne & wi? stel; 8
And on his helme ? at was of stel,
A Coroune of gold bicom hym wel.
Bifore the shryne of seint Edward he stood,
Myd glad chere, & mylde of mood, 12
Mid two kni? ttes armed on ei? er side,
? at he ne mi? th ? ennes goo ne ride.
hetilich*. [A. S. hetelice, hatefully, hotly. ] hij leiden hym vpon,
Als hij mi? tten myd swerd don. 16
He stood ? ere wel swi? e stille,
And ? oled al-to-gedres her wille;
Page 12
No strook ne ? af he a? einward
To ? ilk ? at hym weren wi? erward*. [A. S. wi? er, against; wi? erweard, contrary, adverse. ]. 20
Wounde ne was ? ere blody non,
Of al ? at hym ? ere was don.
? After ? at me ? ou? th, onon,
As ? e tweie kni? ttes weren gon, 24
In ei? er ere of oure kyng
? ere spronge out a wel fare ? ing:
Hij wexen out so bri? th so glem
? at shyne? of ? e sonne-bem; 28
Of diuers coloures hij weren,
? at comen out of bo? e his eren
ffoure bendes alle by rewe on ei? er ere,
Of diuers colours, red & white als hij were; 32
Als fer as me ? ou[? th] ich mi? th see, [folio 27a]
hij spredden fer & wyde in ? e cuntre.
fforso? e me mette ? is ilk sweuene--
Ich take to witnesse god of heuene-- 36
? e wedenysday bifore ? e decollacioun of seint Ion*. [Decollation of John the Baptist, Aug. 29. --Nicolas. ],
It is more ? an twelue mone? gon.
God me graunte so heuene blis,
As me mette ? is sweuene as it is. 40
Now god ? at is heuene kyng,
To mychel ioye tourne ? is metyng!
A No? er sweuene me mette, on a tiwes-ni? th 43
Bifore the fest of alle halewen*. [All Hallows, or All Saints' Day, Nov. 1. --Nicolas. ], of ? at ilk kni? th;
His name is nempned here-bifore;
Blissed be ? e tyme ? at he was bore!
ffor we shullen ? e day see,
Emperour ychosen he wor? e of cristiente. 48
God vs graunte ? at ilk bone,
? at ? ilk tydyng here we sone
Of sir Edward oure derwor? kyng
Page 13
Ich mette of hym ano? ere fair metyng: 52
To oure lorde of heuene ich telle ? is,
? at my sweuene tourne to mychel blis.
Me ? ou? th he rood vpon an Asse--
And ? at ich take god to witnesse! -- 56
ywonden he was in a Mantel gray;
Toward Rome he nom his way;
Vpon his heuede sat an gray hure;
It semed hym wel a mesure; 60
he rood wi? outen hose & sho,--
his wone was nou? th so forto do;--
his shankes semeden al blood rede;
Myne herte wop for grete drede; 64
Als a pilgryme he rood to Rome,
And ? ider he com wel swi? e sone.
? E ? rid sweuene me mette a ni? th,
Ri? th of ? at derwor? e kni? th; 68
? e wedenysday a ni? th it was,
Next ? e day of seint lucie*. ['Lucy. Virgin and Martyr, Dec. 13. '--Nicolas. ] bifore cristenmesse.
Ich shewe ? is, god of heuene:
To mychel ioye he tourne my sweuene! 72
Me ? ou? th ? at ich was at Rome,
And ? ider ich com swi? e sone:
? e Pope*. ['pope' crosst through. ], & sir Edward oure kyng,
Bo? e hij hadden a newe dubbyng; 76
Hure gray was her clo? ing;
Of o? ere clo? es sei? ich no? ing.
? e pope*. ['pope' crosst through. ] ? ede bifore, mytred wel faire I-wys;
? e kyng Edward com corouned myd gret blis; 80
? at bitokne? he shal be
Emperour in cristianete:
Iesus crist ful of grace,
Graunte oure kyng, in euery place, 84
Maistrie of his wi? erwynes*. [A. S. wi? erwynna, adversary, enemy. ],
Page 14
And of alle wicked sarasynes!
Me met a sweuene, on wor? ing-ni? th*. [I can't find what or when this is. ].
Of ? at ilche derwor? e kni?
th; 88
God ich it shewe, & to witnesse take,
And so shilde me fro synne & sake!
In-to an chapel ich com of oure lefdy;
Iesus crist, hire leue son, stood by; 92
On rode he was, an louelich Man,
Als ? ilk ? at on rode was don.
He vnneiled his honden two,
And seide, 'wi? ? e kni? th he wolde go': 96
"Maiden, & moder, & mylde quene,
Ich mote my kni? th to-day sene.
Leue moder, ? iue me leue,
ffor ich ne may no lenger bileue; 100
Ich mote conueye ? at ilk kni? th,
? at vs ha? serued day and ni? th:
In pilerinage he wil gon,
To bien awreke of oure fon. " 104
"Leue son, ? oure wille, so mote it be,
for ? e kni? th bo? e day & ni? th ha? serued me,
Bo? e at oure wille wel faire I-wys,
? erfore he ha? serued heuene-riche blis. " 108
God ? at is in heuene so bri? th,
Be wi? oure kyng bo? e day & ni? th!
Amen, Amen, so mote it be!
? erto bidde? a pater noster & an Aue. 112
? Adam, ? e marchal, of stretford-atte-bowe--
Wel swi? e wide his name is yknowe,--
He hym-self mette ? is metyng--
To witnesse he take? Iesu heuene kyng,-- 116
On Wedenysday in clene leinte
A voice me bede I ne shulde nou? th feinte;
Of ? e sweuenes ? at her ben write,
I shulde swi? e don my lorde kyng to wite.
Page 15
120
Ich ansuerde, '? at I ne mi? th for derk gon. '
? e vois me bad goo, for li? th ne shuld ich faile non,
And ? at I ne shulde lette for no? ing,
? at ich shulde shewe ? e kyng my metyng. 124
ffor? ich went swi? e onon,
Estward as me ? ou? th ich mi? th gon:
? e li? th of heuene me com to,
As ich in my waye shulde go. 128
"Lorde, my body ich ? elde ? ee to,
What ? oure wille is wi? me to do.
Ich take to witnesse god of heuene,
? at so? lich ich mette ? is ilche sweuene*. ["The Lady protests too much, methinks. "--Hamlet, III. ii. 240. ]! 132
I ne reiche what ? ee myd my body do,
Als wisselich Iesus of heuene my soule vndergo. "
? E ? ursday next ? e beryng of oure lefdy*. [Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Sept. 8. --Nicolas. ],
Me ? ou? th an Aungel com sir Edward by: 136
? e Aungel bitook sir Edward on honde;
Al bledyng ? e foure for? er clawes so were of ? e lombe.
At Caunterbiry, bifore ? e hei? e autere, ? e kyng stood,
yclo? ed al in rede: murre he was of ? at blee red as blood.
God, ? at was on gode-friday don on ? e rode, 141
So turne my sweuene ni? th & day to mychel gode!
Tweye poynt? ? ere ben ? at ben vnshewed, [folio 27b]
ffor me ne wor? e to clerk ne lewed; 144
Bot to sir Edward oure kyng,
hym wil ich shewe ? ilk metyng.
? Ich telle ? ou forso? e wi? outen les,
Als god of heuene maide marie to moder ches, 148
? e Aungel com to me, Adam Dauy, & sede,
"Bot ? ou, Adam, shewe ? is, ? ee wor? e wel yuel mede! "
? erfore, my lorde sir Edward ? e kyng,
I shewe ? ou ? is ilk metyng, 152
As ? e Aungel it shewed me in a visioun.
Page 16
Bot ? is tokenyng bifalle, so doo? me in-to prisoun!
Lorde, my body is to ? oure wille*. [MS. willelle. ];
? ei? ? ee wille? me ? erfore spille, 156
Ich it wil take in ? olemodenesse,
Als god graunte vs heuene blisse;
And lete vs neuere ? erof mysse,
? at we ne moten ? ider wende in clennesse! 160
Amen, amen, so mote it be,
And lete vs neuere to o? ere waye tee!
Who so wil speke myd me, Adam ? e marchal,
In stretfor? e-bowe he is yknowe, & ouere al. 164
Ich ne shewe nou? th ? is forto haue mede,
Bot for god almi? tties drede;
? ffor it is soo? . *. [[Follows, The Jest of Alisaunder, printed in Weber's Romances, vol. i.
"DIuers is ? is myddellerede
To lewed Men & to lerede;
Bysynesse / care & sorou?
Is myd Man vche morow? e. " (&c. )]
]
Page 17
The Legend or Life of St. Alexius,
IN FOUR VERSIONS, FROM SIX MANUSCRIPTS.
1.
The longest version, in 12-line stanzas, from Laud MS. 622, in the Bodleian.
2.
The shortest version, in couplets, from the Cotton MS. , Titus A xxvi, in the British Museum.
3.
The shorter 6-line-stanza version, from the grand Vernon MS. (ab. 1400 A. D. ) and Laud 108, both in the Bodleian.
4.
The longer 6-line-stanza version, from Laud MS. 463 in the Bodleian, and Trin. Coll. MS. Oxford 57 [81].
Page 18
[THE first following version of the Life of St Alexius, from Laud 622, is the longest--and latest, no doubt*. [There is a MS. of the Life in the Durham Cathedral Library, but my enquiries about it have not yet elicited any answer. ],--of the English forms of the story. It was unknown to Dr Horstmann when he edited his Altenglische Legenden; and he having calld my attention to the other three versions of the Alexius legend, I have, for completeness' sake, added them here. I have also printed the Laud 108 opposite the Vernon text, from which it differs slightly sometimes in words, and in more distinctly Midland forms (waster, was there, l. 10; hauest tou, l. 490; and tou, l. 496; and te, l. 547; some a forms, like gan, l. 168), for convenience of comparison of two later repre|sentatives of one unknown original. I should perhaps apologize for wasting so much space on a mere legend of a so-calld saint's life. But the present story is the same pathetic one as Guy of Warwick's; it is prettily versified; and the comparing of the four ways in which the same incidents are told, has a certain interest: one likes to see how the religious-story writers of old spun out or shortend their material*. [Note how the shorter versions lengthen the end of the story. ]: and the oddness of their notions as to the line of his images' life that pleasd the God and Father of men, is always in|structive, specially when set beside many of the popular ideas on this and like subjects now. If folk would but stop attributing to God, motives, opinions, arrangements and likings, which they'd con|sider an insult to set down to any wise and good friend of their own, how much useless bother would come to an end!
Dr Horstmann,--who edited the Laud 108 Life in Herrig's Archiv, vol. iii. p.
Table of contents | Add to bookbag
Page [unnumbered]
Page [unnumbered]
Page [1]
Adam Daby's 5 Dreams about Edward II. : The Life of St. Alexius.
Solomon's Book of Wisdom.
St. Jeremie's 15 Tokens before Doomsday.
The Lamentacion of Souls.
EDITED FROM THE LAUD MS. 622 IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY BY
F. J. FURNIVALL,
M. A. , TRINITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE.
LONDON:
N. TRUBNER & CO. , 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL.
MDCCCLXXVIII.
Page [2]
69
Page [unnumbered]
Page [unnumbered]
Page 5
Page [unnumbered]
Page 7
Page 8
Page [unnumbered]
Page [unnumbered]
Page 11
ADAM DAVY'S FIVE DREAMS ABOUT EDWARD II. [Laud MS. 622 (end of the 14th cent. ), leaf 26, back. ]
TO oure lorde Iesu crist in heuene,
Ich to-day shewe myne sweuene,
? at ich mette in one ni? th,
Of a kni? th of mychel mi? th: 4
His name is ihote sir Edward ? e kyng,
Prince of Wales*. [Compare
"Nou is Edward of Carnarvon
King of Engelond al aplyht",
in "The Elegy on the Death of Edw. I", from Harl. 2253, leaf 73, in Mr Thos. Wright's Political Songs, for the Camden Society, 1839, p. 249. Edw. III was never created Prince of Wales. The Black Prince was, but was never king. ], Engelonde ? e faire ? ing.
Me mette ? at he was armed wel,
Bo? e wi? yrne & wi? stel; 8
And on his helme ? at was of stel,
A Coroune of gold bicom hym wel.
Bifore the shryne of seint Edward he stood,
Myd glad chere, & mylde of mood, 12
Mid two kni? ttes armed on ei? er side,
? at he ne mi? th ? ennes goo ne ride.
hetilich*. [A. S. hetelice, hatefully, hotly. ] hij leiden hym vpon,
Als hij mi? tten myd swerd don. 16
He stood ? ere wel swi? e stille,
And ? oled al-to-gedres her wille;
Page 12
No strook ne ? af he a? einward
To ? ilk ? at hym weren wi? erward*. [A. S. wi? er, against; wi? erweard, contrary, adverse. ]. 20
Wounde ne was ? ere blody non,
Of al ? at hym ? ere was don.
? After ? at me ? ou? th, onon,
As ? e tweie kni? ttes weren gon, 24
In ei? er ere of oure kyng
? ere spronge out a wel fare ? ing:
Hij wexen out so bri? th so glem
? at shyne? of ? e sonne-bem; 28
Of diuers coloures hij weren,
? at comen out of bo? e his eren
ffoure bendes alle by rewe on ei? er ere,
Of diuers colours, red & white als hij were; 32
Als fer as me ? ou[? th] ich mi? th see, [folio 27a]
hij spredden fer & wyde in ? e cuntre.
fforso? e me mette ? is ilk sweuene--
Ich take to witnesse god of heuene-- 36
? e wedenysday bifore ? e decollacioun of seint Ion*. [Decollation of John the Baptist, Aug. 29. --Nicolas. ],
It is more ? an twelue mone? gon.
God me graunte so heuene blis,
As me mette ? is sweuene as it is. 40
Now god ? at is heuene kyng,
To mychel ioye tourne ? is metyng!
A No? er sweuene me mette, on a tiwes-ni? th 43
Bifore the fest of alle halewen*. [All Hallows, or All Saints' Day, Nov. 1. --Nicolas. ], of ? at ilk kni? th;
His name is nempned here-bifore;
Blissed be ? e tyme ? at he was bore!
ffor we shullen ? e day see,
Emperour ychosen he wor? e of cristiente. 48
God vs graunte ? at ilk bone,
? at ? ilk tydyng here we sone
Of sir Edward oure derwor? kyng
Page 13
Ich mette of hym ano? ere fair metyng: 52
To oure lorde of heuene ich telle ? is,
? at my sweuene tourne to mychel blis.
Me ? ou? th he rood vpon an Asse--
And ? at ich take god to witnesse! -- 56
ywonden he was in a Mantel gray;
Toward Rome he nom his way;
Vpon his heuede sat an gray hure;
It semed hym wel a mesure; 60
he rood wi? outen hose & sho,--
his wone was nou? th so forto do;--
his shankes semeden al blood rede;
Myne herte wop for grete drede; 64
Als a pilgryme he rood to Rome,
And ? ider he com wel swi? e sone.
? E ? rid sweuene me mette a ni? th,
Ri? th of ? at derwor? e kni? th; 68
? e wedenysday a ni? th it was,
Next ? e day of seint lucie*. ['Lucy. Virgin and Martyr, Dec. 13. '--Nicolas. ] bifore cristenmesse.
Ich shewe ? is, god of heuene:
To mychel ioye he tourne my sweuene! 72
Me ? ou? th ? at ich was at Rome,
And ? ider ich com swi? e sone:
? e Pope*. ['pope' crosst through. ], & sir Edward oure kyng,
Bo? e hij hadden a newe dubbyng; 76
Hure gray was her clo? ing;
Of o? ere clo? es sei? ich no? ing.
? e pope*. ['pope' crosst through. ] ? ede bifore, mytred wel faire I-wys;
? e kyng Edward com corouned myd gret blis; 80
? at bitokne? he shal be
Emperour in cristianete:
Iesus crist ful of grace,
Graunte oure kyng, in euery place, 84
Maistrie of his wi? erwynes*. [A. S. wi? erwynna, adversary, enemy. ],
Page 14
And of alle wicked sarasynes!
Me met a sweuene, on wor? ing-ni? th*. [I can't find what or when this is. ].
Of ? at ilche derwor? e kni?
th; 88
God ich it shewe, & to witnesse take,
And so shilde me fro synne & sake!
In-to an chapel ich com of oure lefdy;
Iesus crist, hire leue son, stood by; 92
On rode he was, an louelich Man,
Als ? ilk ? at on rode was don.
He vnneiled his honden two,
And seide, 'wi? ? e kni? th he wolde go': 96
"Maiden, & moder, & mylde quene,
Ich mote my kni? th to-day sene.
Leue moder, ? iue me leue,
ffor ich ne may no lenger bileue; 100
Ich mote conueye ? at ilk kni? th,
? at vs ha? serued day and ni? th:
In pilerinage he wil gon,
To bien awreke of oure fon. " 104
"Leue son, ? oure wille, so mote it be,
for ? e kni? th bo? e day & ni? th ha? serued me,
Bo? e at oure wille wel faire I-wys,
? erfore he ha? serued heuene-riche blis. " 108
God ? at is in heuene so bri? th,
Be wi? oure kyng bo? e day & ni? th!
Amen, Amen, so mote it be!
? erto bidde? a pater noster & an Aue. 112
? Adam, ? e marchal, of stretford-atte-bowe--
Wel swi? e wide his name is yknowe,--
He hym-self mette ? is metyng--
To witnesse he take? Iesu heuene kyng,-- 116
On Wedenysday in clene leinte
A voice me bede I ne shulde nou? th feinte;
Of ? e sweuenes ? at her ben write,
I shulde swi? e don my lorde kyng to wite.
Page 15
120
Ich ansuerde, '? at I ne mi? th for derk gon. '
? e vois me bad goo, for li? th ne shuld ich faile non,
And ? at I ne shulde lette for no? ing,
? at ich shulde shewe ? e kyng my metyng. 124
ffor? ich went swi? e onon,
Estward as me ? ou? th ich mi? th gon:
? e li? th of heuene me com to,
As ich in my waye shulde go. 128
"Lorde, my body ich ? elde ? ee to,
What ? oure wille is wi? me to do.
Ich take to witnesse god of heuene,
? at so? lich ich mette ? is ilche sweuene*. ["The Lady protests too much, methinks. "--Hamlet, III. ii. 240. ]! 132
I ne reiche what ? ee myd my body do,
Als wisselich Iesus of heuene my soule vndergo. "
? E ? ursday next ? e beryng of oure lefdy*. [Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Sept. 8. --Nicolas. ],
Me ? ou? th an Aungel com sir Edward by: 136
? e Aungel bitook sir Edward on honde;
Al bledyng ? e foure for? er clawes so were of ? e lombe.
At Caunterbiry, bifore ? e hei? e autere, ? e kyng stood,
yclo? ed al in rede: murre he was of ? at blee red as blood.
God, ? at was on gode-friday don on ? e rode, 141
So turne my sweuene ni? th & day to mychel gode!
Tweye poynt? ? ere ben ? at ben vnshewed, [folio 27b]
ffor me ne wor? e to clerk ne lewed; 144
Bot to sir Edward oure kyng,
hym wil ich shewe ? ilk metyng.
? Ich telle ? ou forso? e wi? outen les,
Als god of heuene maide marie to moder ches, 148
? e Aungel com to me, Adam Dauy, & sede,
"Bot ? ou, Adam, shewe ? is, ? ee wor? e wel yuel mede! "
? erfore, my lorde sir Edward ? e kyng,
I shewe ? ou ? is ilk metyng, 152
As ? e Aungel it shewed me in a visioun.
Page 16
Bot ? is tokenyng bifalle, so doo? me in-to prisoun!
Lorde, my body is to ? oure wille*. [MS. willelle. ];
? ei? ? ee wille? me ? erfore spille, 156
Ich it wil take in ? olemodenesse,
Als god graunte vs heuene blisse;
And lete vs neuere ? erof mysse,
? at we ne moten ? ider wende in clennesse! 160
Amen, amen, so mote it be,
And lete vs neuere to o? ere waye tee!
Who so wil speke myd me, Adam ? e marchal,
In stretfor? e-bowe he is yknowe, & ouere al. 164
Ich ne shewe nou? th ? is forto haue mede,
Bot for god almi? tties drede;
? ffor it is soo? . *. [[Follows, The Jest of Alisaunder, printed in Weber's Romances, vol. i.
"DIuers is ? is myddellerede
To lewed Men & to lerede;
Bysynesse / care & sorou?
Is myd Man vche morow? e. " (&c. )]
]
Page 17
The Legend or Life of St. Alexius,
IN FOUR VERSIONS, FROM SIX MANUSCRIPTS.
1.
The longest version, in 12-line stanzas, from Laud MS. 622, in the Bodleian.
2.
The shortest version, in couplets, from the Cotton MS. , Titus A xxvi, in the British Museum.
3.
The shorter 6-line-stanza version, from the grand Vernon MS. (ab. 1400 A. D. ) and Laud 108, both in the Bodleian.
4.
The longer 6-line-stanza version, from Laud MS. 463 in the Bodleian, and Trin. Coll. MS. Oxford 57 [81].
Page 18
[THE first following version of the Life of St Alexius, from Laud 622, is the longest--and latest, no doubt*. [There is a MS. of the Life in the Durham Cathedral Library, but my enquiries about it have not yet elicited any answer. ],--of the English forms of the story. It was unknown to Dr Horstmann when he edited his Altenglische Legenden; and he having calld my attention to the other three versions of the Alexius legend, I have, for completeness' sake, added them here. I have also printed the Laud 108 opposite the Vernon text, from which it differs slightly sometimes in words, and in more distinctly Midland forms (waster, was there, l. 10; hauest tou, l. 490; and tou, l. 496; and te, l. 547; some a forms, like gan, l. 168), for convenience of comparison of two later repre|sentatives of one unknown original. I should perhaps apologize for wasting so much space on a mere legend of a so-calld saint's life. But the present story is the same pathetic one as Guy of Warwick's; it is prettily versified; and the comparing of the four ways in which the same incidents are told, has a certain interest: one likes to see how the religious-story writers of old spun out or shortend their material*. [Note how the shorter versions lengthen the end of the story. ]: and the oddness of their notions as to the line of his images' life that pleasd the God and Father of men, is always in|structive, specially when set beside many of the popular ideas on this and like subjects now. If folk would but stop attributing to God, motives, opinions, arrangements and likings, which they'd con|sider an insult to set down to any wise and good friend of their own, how much useless bother would come to an end!
Dr Horstmann,--who edited the Laud 108 Life in Herrig's Archiv, vol. iii. p.
