erinne oure lord was ybore; in
Bethleem
iwis.
Adam Davy's Five Dreams about Edward II - 1389
76
// wisdom yheled, litel is wor? ; oi? er treu? ihyd;
Bot bo? e ? ai wexen swi? e; ? if ? ai ben y-kyd.
Good is, wisdom to schewe; & to hely folie;
For ? e fool ne can hele no? ing; bot he it out wrie; 80
His hert is as a vessel; ? at bo? ome ne ha? non;
Whan any ? ing ? erinne come? ; it go? out onon.
A fool, men mowen wel yknowe; for oft he go? aboute
With erandes to many hous; & oft he stant withoute, 84
And go? to a windowe stillelich; & soft loke? ? er-inne,
Oi? er herkne? ? erat what men; seien ? ere wi? inne.
Sone & lovde he wil li? e; whan he here? foly telle: 87
A wise man wolde aschamed be; ? if swich a cas hym bifelle.
Vche word ? at at his mou? e schal come, schal be by mesure;
Hym is lo? to telle myche; ac leue myche to here. 90
? ut ? re wisdoms lerne of me; ne ? enche nou? th to longe;
Be nou? th sory for no los; ne after no? ing longe, 92
Namelich ? at ? ou ne mi? th nou? th haue; ne nou? th ? erfore ne care.
Ne al ? at ? ou herest, ne leue ? ou nou? th; ? if ? ou wilt wel fare.
An vntau? t childe his fader schent more; ? an ? ei hem selue don;
? e man ? at teche? his children wel; sore sawe? his fon. 96
? re ? inges on er? e be? ; ? at men mowen nou? th y-knowe:
Whiche hij ben, I schal ? ou telle; bo? e to hei? e & lowe:
Page 85
? e fissches weie in ? e Cee; ? e snakes weie on er? e,
And ? e foules waie in ? e sky; ? e werst is ? e fier? e: 100
? at is, childes waie in his ? ou? e; ? if it ha? his wille.
For many a foule waie it will goo; & selde sitt stille.
? is book made Salamon; of ? ise wisdoms & more: [folio 70a]
To mychel he loued leccherie; for al his wise lore, 104
Seuenty wyues in spousehode; he helde al his lyf,
And ? re hundre? in leccherie; ? at non ? erof was his wyf.
Fourty wyntren he was kyng; & died in ? e fourtide ? ere.
Telle men mi? tten ? at he were saf; ? if leccherie nere. 108
Foure hundre? ? er & seuentene; it was ? o he died, & mo,
? at ? e folk of Israel; out of Egipte gunnen go.
Affter kyng Salomons de? ; Roboam his sone
Was of ? at londe kyng ymade; as it was ? e wone. 112
? at folk cried on hym a day; ? at he a-legge scholde
? e seruage ? at his fader hem made; ? e better serue hym ? ai wolde.
? erfore with alle his olde men; ? e kyng went to conseile: 115
? ai radden hym mylde forto be; ? e more it wolde hym availe.
He cleped for? his ? onge folk; as he hym self was,
& axed whe? er ? e reed was good; ? ai seiden ? at it nas;
Bot "be ? ou sterne & dredeful; & ? an wil ? ai ben good; 119
Ne schaltou hem neuere good holde; bot with sterne mood. "
? ? e kyng ? is conseil loued wel; his bondemen he lete fecche.
"Wene ? e for my fader was wys; ? at ich wil be a wrecche.
In ? e left fynger ? at ich haue; streng? e ? ere is more 123
? an was in al my fader schulder; for al his wise lore
? if he ? ou brou? th in seruage; to more I wil ? ou drawe.
Wene ? e ? ei? ich be ? ong; ? at ich ne cou? e ? ou lawe? "
? is folk crieden ? erne & wepen; sore ? ai hem dradd;
Ac for no? ing ? ai mi? tten do; o? er word ? ai nadd. 128
? O ? ai weren from hym ywent; gret conseil ? ai token.
? e ten kyndes of israel; for kyng ? ai hym forsoken,
And made hem a newe kyng; ne stode hem of hym non eie;
ffor ? ere ne leued wi? hym; bot ? e kyndes tweie,
Page 86
132
Bot ? e kynde of Beniamyn; & ? e kynde of Iudas;
Alle ? e kyndes of ? e o? er ten; a? eins hym fast was.
? e kyng sent messagers to hem; & gret doel to hym he nom;
Wi? stones ? ai slow? en his messagers; ? at to hem from hym com. 136
Affter ? ai maden Ieroboam kyng; wel he gan hem paie;
And euere ? e kyngdom departed is ? ut to ? is daye.
? e kyngdom of ? e tweie kyndes; Iudee ycleped is;
?
erinne oure lord was ybore; in Bethleem iwis. 140
? e kyngdom of ? e ten kyndes; ycleped is israel;
? ere mi? th Roboam ? e kyng; acursy fole conseil.
Ofte eye & pride, harme doe? ; ? ere men mi? th yse;
So riche a man in londe nis; ? at mowe al-one be; 144
So riche a kyng in ? e werlde nys; ? at poure begger he nere,
ffor al ? e richesse ? at he ha? ; ? if vche man his fo were.
IT bifel in israel; by ? e kyngesday, swiche a cas:
? ere was a wise prophete; Elye ycleped he was. 148
In wildernesse he woned; ? e good prophete Elye,
ffor ? e kyng awaited hym to sle; for his prophecie.
A morewen & an euen a Rauen; ? ere com vche a day,
And brou? th ? e prophete mete; in wildernesse ? ere he lay. 152
Si? en as oure lorde hym hete; to a toun he wende,
And sei? a widewe gadre wood; onon to hir he kende.
? ere he woned longe wi? hire; a day ? er fel a cas
? at ? e widewe son died; he was yhote Ionas; 156
Elie arered hym fram de? to lyue; ? orou? goddes sonde;
And si? en he was a prophete; ? e wisest in ? e londe.
ffor wel longe afterward; oure lord bad Ionas gon
To ? e Cite of Niniue; ? at schulde haue ben fordon 160
ffor synne ? at ? ai hadden ydon; Ionas was adradd,
Ac forto prechen ? ider he ? ede; as oure lord hym bad.
// To ? e hil of Oreb; Ely redy wende
? ere Moyses in ? e brennyng ? orne; oure lorde kende: 164
ffourty dayes he was ? iderward; ? at he ne ete ne dronk
As it goddes will was; he had mychel ? onk.
Page 87
? ere oure lorde spak wi? hym; & hete hym good lyf lede,
And wende a? ein to israel; & no? ing ne drede. 168
"// A Man ? at hatte Elisee; by ? e waie ? ou schalt fynde;
? ou schalt hym take for? wi? ? e; ? at he ne leue bihynde. "
Elie ? e prophete went for? ; til he in-to desert cam. 171
He fonde Elyse gon on ? e pleyn; with hym for? he hym nam
To ? e londe of israel*. [MS. isrk. ]; ? ai nadden of ? e kyng non eye.
Elise fonde ano? er prophete; & ? ider ? ai wenten beie.
? o lay ? e kyng sore seek; & ? o it was hym ysed,
Elye tolde his messagers; ? at he schulde be ded. 176
He hete his men wende after hym; ? at ? ai sparen ne scholde;
He wende, ? if he mi? th hym haue hadd; ? at he hym hele wolde.
? ei wenten for? & comen to Elye; "goddes man" ? ai seide:
"? e kyng hete ? e come & speke with hym; ? if ? ou cou? est hym rede. " 180
Elie seide "? if ich am goddes man; I. bid god al-one,
? at wilde fire come fram heuen adoun; & brenne ? ou vchone. "
Amyd ? is word onon; fire fram heuen com,
And brent ? ise men al to dust; ? ere was an hard dom. 184
Sore alonged was ? e kyng; after hym ylome;
Tueie he sent of o? er men; ? o ? ai nou? [th] ne come.
? ai seiden as ? e o? er deden; ? o ? ai Elye seie;
And as ? e o? er ? ai weren serued; ibrou? th on li? th leie. 188
? o ? ai ne comen nou? th a? ein; ? e kyng ? ou? th longe,
And lete sende after hym; wise men & stronge.
// ? erne ? ai crieden mercie; ? o ? ai Elye sei? e:
"Haue mercy on ? e kyng; or elles he schal di? e. " 192
? erof seide Elye; "Siker he may be.
Ac, forto paye his corage; ich wil hym ones see. "
Elye went for? to ? e kyng; & seide he schulde be ded;
And sone he died ? erafter-ward; as he had ysed. 196
Elie & Elisee in ? e londe; wide aboute went,
For to tellen of prophecie; as oure lorde hem sent.
As ? ai precheden goddes lawe; from heuen ? ere ali? th
A fyry hors & a cart;--bo? e ? ai weren wel bri? th;--
Page 88
200
Elye ? erinne went; ? at hors hym drou? vp on hei? 201
In ? e cart to heuen; ? at men neuer eft hym ne sei? .
// Ri? th to heuen ne segge ich nou? th; ? at he euer come,
For he schal haue fleschlich lyf; forto a? eins ? e day of dome.
We rede nou? th bot of two Men; ? at hennes alyue went, 205
Enok & Elye; as god hem after sent.
Bo? e ? ai wonen in paradys; & bo? e ? ai schullen ali? th
A? eins ? e day of dome; & wi? antecrist fi? th. 208
Anticrist hem schal bo? e sle; & si? ? en ? ai schullen wende
To ? e blisse of heuen; & wonen ? ere wi? outen ende.
// wisdom yheled, litel is wor? ; oi? er treu? ihyd;
Bot bo? e ? ai wexen swi? e; ? if ? ai ben y-kyd.
Good is, wisdom to schewe; & to hely folie;
For ? e fool ne can hele no? ing; bot he it out wrie; 80
His hert is as a vessel; ? at bo? ome ne ha? non;
Whan any ? ing ? erinne come? ; it go? out onon.
A fool, men mowen wel yknowe; for oft he go? aboute
With erandes to many hous; & oft he stant withoute, 84
And go? to a windowe stillelich; & soft loke? ? er-inne,
Oi? er herkne? ? erat what men; seien ? ere wi? inne.
Sone & lovde he wil li? e; whan he here? foly telle: 87
A wise man wolde aschamed be; ? if swich a cas hym bifelle.
Vche word ? at at his mou? e schal come, schal be by mesure;
Hym is lo? to telle myche; ac leue myche to here. 90
? ut ? re wisdoms lerne of me; ne ? enche nou? th to longe;
Be nou? th sory for no los; ne after no? ing longe, 92
Namelich ? at ? ou ne mi? th nou? th haue; ne nou? th ? erfore ne care.
Ne al ? at ? ou herest, ne leue ? ou nou? th; ? if ? ou wilt wel fare.
An vntau? t childe his fader schent more; ? an ? ei hem selue don;
? e man ? at teche? his children wel; sore sawe? his fon. 96
? re ? inges on er? e be? ; ? at men mowen nou? th y-knowe:
Whiche hij ben, I schal ? ou telle; bo? e to hei? e & lowe:
Page 85
? e fissches weie in ? e Cee; ? e snakes weie on er? e,
And ? e foules waie in ? e sky; ? e werst is ? e fier? e: 100
? at is, childes waie in his ? ou? e; ? if it ha? his wille.
For many a foule waie it will goo; & selde sitt stille.
? is book made Salamon; of ? ise wisdoms & more: [folio 70a]
To mychel he loued leccherie; for al his wise lore, 104
Seuenty wyues in spousehode; he helde al his lyf,
And ? re hundre? in leccherie; ? at non ? erof was his wyf.
Fourty wyntren he was kyng; & died in ? e fourtide ? ere.
Telle men mi? tten ? at he were saf; ? if leccherie nere. 108
Foure hundre? ? er & seuentene; it was ? o he died, & mo,
? at ? e folk of Israel; out of Egipte gunnen go.
Affter kyng Salomons de? ; Roboam his sone
Was of ? at londe kyng ymade; as it was ? e wone. 112
? at folk cried on hym a day; ? at he a-legge scholde
? e seruage ? at his fader hem made; ? e better serue hym ? ai wolde.
? erfore with alle his olde men; ? e kyng went to conseile: 115
? ai radden hym mylde forto be; ? e more it wolde hym availe.
He cleped for? his ? onge folk; as he hym self was,
& axed whe? er ? e reed was good; ? ai seiden ? at it nas;
Bot "be ? ou sterne & dredeful; & ? an wil ? ai ben good; 119
Ne schaltou hem neuere good holde; bot with sterne mood. "
? ? e kyng ? is conseil loued wel; his bondemen he lete fecche.
"Wene ? e for my fader was wys; ? at ich wil be a wrecche.
In ? e left fynger ? at ich haue; streng? e ? ere is more 123
? an was in al my fader schulder; for al his wise lore
? if he ? ou brou? th in seruage; to more I wil ? ou drawe.
Wene ? e ? ei? ich be ? ong; ? at ich ne cou? e ? ou lawe? "
? is folk crieden ? erne & wepen; sore ? ai hem dradd;
Ac for no? ing ? ai mi? tten do; o? er word ? ai nadd. 128
? O ? ai weren from hym ywent; gret conseil ? ai token.
? e ten kyndes of israel; for kyng ? ai hym forsoken,
And made hem a newe kyng; ne stode hem of hym non eie;
ffor ? ere ne leued wi? hym; bot ? e kyndes tweie,
Page 86
132
Bot ? e kynde of Beniamyn; & ? e kynde of Iudas;
Alle ? e kyndes of ? e o? er ten; a? eins hym fast was.
? e kyng sent messagers to hem; & gret doel to hym he nom;
Wi? stones ? ai slow? en his messagers; ? at to hem from hym com. 136
Affter ? ai maden Ieroboam kyng; wel he gan hem paie;
And euere ? e kyngdom departed is ? ut to ? is daye.
? e kyngdom of ? e tweie kyndes; Iudee ycleped is;
?
erinne oure lord was ybore; in Bethleem iwis. 140
? e kyngdom of ? e ten kyndes; ycleped is israel;
? ere mi? th Roboam ? e kyng; acursy fole conseil.
Ofte eye & pride, harme doe? ; ? ere men mi? th yse;
So riche a man in londe nis; ? at mowe al-one be; 144
So riche a kyng in ? e werlde nys; ? at poure begger he nere,
ffor al ? e richesse ? at he ha? ; ? if vche man his fo were.
IT bifel in israel; by ? e kyngesday, swiche a cas:
? ere was a wise prophete; Elye ycleped he was. 148
In wildernesse he woned; ? e good prophete Elye,
ffor ? e kyng awaited hym to sle; for his prophecie.
A morewen & an euen a Rauen; ? ere com vche a day,
And brou? th ? e prophete mete; in wildernesse ? ere he lay. 152
Si? en as oure lorde hym hete; to a toun he wende,
And sei? a widewe gadre wood; onon to hir he kende.
? ere he woned longe wi? hire; a day ? er fel a cas
? at ? e widewe son died; he was yhote Ionas; 156
Elie arered hym fram de? to lyue; ? orou? goddes sonde;
And si? en he was a prophete; ? e wisest in ? e londe.
ffor wel longe afterward; oure lord bad Ionas gon
To ? e Cite of Niniue; ? at schulde haue ben fordon 160
ffor synne ? at ? ai hadden ydon; Ionas was adradd,
Ac forto prechen ? ider he ? ede; as oure lord hym bad.
// To ? e hil of Oreb; Ely redy wende
? ere Moyses in ? e brennyng ? orne; oure lorde kende: 164
ffourty dayes he was ? iderward; ? at he ne ete ne dronk
As it goddes will was; he had mychel ? onk.
Page 87
? ere oure lorde spak wi? hym; & hete hym good lyf lede,
And wende a? ein to israel; & no? ing ne drede. 168
"// A Man ? at hatte Elisee; by ? e waie ? ou schalt fynde;
? ou schalt hym take for? wi? ? e; ? at he ne leue bihynde. "
Elie ? e prophete went for? ; til he in-to desert cam. 171
He fonde Elyse gon on ? e pleyn; with hym for? he hym nam
To ? e londe of israel*. [MS. isrk. ]; ? ai nadden of ? e kyng non eye.
Elise fonde ano? er prophete; & ? ider ? ai wenten beie.
? o lay ? e kyng sore seek; & ? o it was hym ysed,
Elye tolde his messagers; ? at he schulde be ded. 176
He hete his men wende after hym; ? at ? ai sparen ne scholde;
He wende, ? if he mi? th hym haue hadd; ? at he hym hele wolde.
? ei wenten for? & comen to Elye; "goddes man" ? ai seide:
"? e kyng hete ? e come & speke with hym; ? if ? ou cou? est hym rede. " 180
Elie seide "? if ich am goddes man; I. bid god al-one,
? at wilde fire come fram heuen adoun; & brenne ? ou vchone. "
Amyd ? is word onon; fire fram heuen com,
And brent ? ise men al to dust; ? ere was an hard dom. 184
Sore alonged was ? e kyng; after hym ylome;
Tueie he sent of o? er men; ? o ? ai nou? [th] ne come.
? ai seiden as ? e o? er deden; ? o ? ai Elye seie;
And as ? e o? er ? ai weren serued; ibrou? th on li? th leie. 188
? o ? ai ne comen nou? th a? ein; ? e kyng ? ou? th longe,
And lete sende after hym; wise men & stronge.
// ? erne ? ai crieden mercie; ? o ? ai Elye sei? e:
"Haue mercy on ? e kyng; or elles he schal di? e. " 192
? erof seide Elye; "Siker he may be.
Ac, forto paye his corage; ich wil hym ones see. "
Elye went for? to ? e kyng; & seide he schulde be ded;
And sone he died ? erafter-ward; as he had ysed. 196
Elie & Elisee in ? e londe; wide aboute went,
For to tellen of prophecie; as oure lorde hem sent.
As ? ai precheden goddes lawe; from heuen ? ere ali? th
A fyry hors & a cart;--bo? e ? ai weren wel bri? th;--
Page 88
200
Elye ? erinne went; ? at hors hym drou? vp on hei? 201
In ? e cart to heuen; ? at men neuer eft hym ne sei? .
// Ri? th to heuen ne segge ich nou? th; ? at he euer come,
For he schal haue fleschlich lyf; forto a? eins ? e day of dome.
We rede nou? th bot of two Men; ? at hennes alyue went, 205
Enok & Elye; as god hem after sent.
Bo? e ? ai wonen in paradys; & bo? e ? ai schullen ali? th
A? eins ? e day of dome; & wi? antecrist fi? th. 208
Anticrist hem schal bo? e sle; & si? ? en ? ai schullen wende
To ? e blisse of heuen; & wonen ? ere wi? outen ende.
