172
SOLOMON'S CORONATION, DEEDS, AND JUDGMENT ON THE TWO MOTHERS' CLAIM TO ONE CHILD.
SOLOMON'S CORONATION, DEEDS, AND JUDGMENT ON THE TWO MOTHERS' CLAIM TO ONE CHILD.
Adam Davy's Five Dreams about Edward II - 1389
ai neuer adel; ?
at bifore vs come.
16
He nas oure bro? er nou? th; er he oure flesch nome;
? erwi? he ha? vs dere abou? th; to maken vs ysome. 20
ysome nere we nou? th bifore; Aungels & oure kynde,
Er swete Iesus were ybore; ? at to selde is in mynde. 24
// Bot now he ha? oure flesch ynome; & oure bro? er is;
Oure kynde is wel hei? e ycome; among o? er, Iwis; 28
ffor he is oure kynde heixt; saue his godhede,
& al aboue his throne next; so hei? e is manhede. 32
Aungel ne wor? hym nou? t so nei? ; for he is oure bro? er nou? th,
& ? at oure kynde is ek so hei? e; he ha? vs dere abou? th. 36
Aungels he ne bou? th nou? th; we ben hym wel neer;
Whan he ha? vs so dere bou? th; wel ou? tten we to louen hym here. 40
Ne aungel nys na? emo; bot his messagere, [folio 71a:2]
How mi? th it ? an go; to be his bro? er here? 44
& in heuen ? ai schullen also; whan ? at we ben ? ere,
Oure hestes & oure will do; as ? ai oure hynen were, 48
And to oure heste seruen vs; to foot & to honde,
Oure owen mowe we holden hem; as ich vnderstonde; 52
wel mowe we ? an glade be; to habbe suich an hyne.
& si? ? e we mowe here isee; as we ise? atte fyne, 56
? at we ben al? er kynde hei? est; wi? -oute god al-one,
And in heuen also hym next; among his aungels vchone. 60
And all ? at now late comen; si? oure lorde ali? th,
And oure flesch ha? here ynomen; yheried be his mi? th! 64
? ilk ? at toforne vs come; whan ? ai ? e de? founde,
? an were ? ai onon ycast; in-to helle grounde. 68
Nere he neuer so holy ne so good; ? ere nas non forbore;
And so hem longed sore; after oure lorde ? erfore.
Page 95
72
// ? e prophetes ? at weren so good; & so holy alle,
? at of oure lorde vnderstoden; & what schulde bi-fall, 76
Hij wisten ? at he schulde come; ac hij nysten whanne; 78
? e tyme hem ? ou? t long ynou? ; vche ynche hem ? ou? t a spanne.
? ai gradden after hym oft; in her prophecie, 82
And in ? e bokes ? at ? ai writen; ? at he schulde dye: 84
"God ? eue," quo? on of hem; "? at heuen broste atwo,
? at he mi? th ali? th adoun; & vs sauen so. " 88
Sumdel hem longed ? o; whan ? ai nolden abide,
? at heuen cleue soft a two; to saue vche side. 92
Ac it schulde al to brest; & oure lorde falle adoune,
Mi? th ? ai hym haue yhent; fast by ? e crovne. 96
Ac he ne hei? ed nou? th so swi? ; bot com soft adoun; 98
? ai wolde hym narew? hab y-hent; ac he held hem ? er doun.
Parde, ? it ne com he nou? th; ne were hem neuer so wo; 102
? ai hadden ? e grounde of helle isou? th; er he com hem to. 104
Seint Dauid after his anoie; after hym grad ? us:
"Lord, in heuen to vs abow? e; & ali? th to vs! 108
Schewe vs ? ine holy face; & we wor? e hool onon. "
Hym longed ek after his face; ? e holy Symeon, 112
And all blis hym was bynome; & oft he gradd ? erfore:
"Lorde, whan wiltou come; & wilt ben ybore? 116
Wene ? e ich may dure; wene ? e ich may see? "
Her mone was doel to see; ? ere gamed hem no gle. 120
// Ac hym ne greued nou? th; a? eins o? er bifore,
ffor he nas nou? th to de? ibrou? th; er god were ibore, 124
Ac liued forto he hym sei? ; & in his armes nome,
? o he on Candelmesday; to ? e temple come. 128
Lorde, wel may vs be; bet ? an hem was ? o,
? at ne mi? tten nower fle; lorde, what hem was wo. 132
? ere oure lorde seide; ? o he was ybore,
? at we mi? tten ben ful glade; ouer o? er ? at weren bifore. 136
? e prophetes wilned hym forto see; & many kynges also,
? at we isen ? if it mi? th be; ac hij ne mi? tten it nou? th do.
// we mowen now as it were; for nou? th, to heuen come, 142
Si? ? en oure lord it had ibou? th; & ? e fendes power bynome.
Page 96
Ac ? ai ? at suich grace ne hadden; ? at tofore vs come, 146
After oure lorde ? ai gradden; in ? e prophecie ylome; 148
After hym ? ai gradden; wi? gret wille & longe;
No mendement ? ai ne seie; bot gret pyne & stronge; 152
So longe ? at ? ai wery weren; & leten be al stille,
And he[r] gredyng forberen; & turneden to goddes wille; 156
ffor ? ai ne sei? en non o? er won; ? ou? hem ? ou? tten longe;
Oure lorde lete her will ago; er he wolde flesch a-fonge. 160
And ? o ? ai weren wery ynou? ; as who sei? for sore,
Vche of hem to rest drou? ; & speken of hym nomore, 164
? at swete barne oure kynde took; bo? e of flesche & felle,
In whiche he dyed on rood; ? e fendes streng? e to felle. 168
? orou? whiche preciouse de? ; god vs grant ? at grace
? at we mowe after oure de? ; in heuen haue a place. Amen.
172
SOLOMON'S CORONATION, DEEDS, AND JUDGMENT ON THE TWO MOTHERS' CLAIM TO ONE CHILD. HIS COURT AND TEMPLE.
[In order to complete the Life of Solomon, of which his Book of Wisdom, &c. , form part, I add the MS. bit that comes before the Book. The passage about his birth is too far back to be taken. ]
[Laud MS. 622, leaf 69, col. 1. ]
? ? o Dauid in elde was; his eldest son was alyue.
Adonye ycleped he was; with Salamon he gan striue.
Aboute he was kyng to be; by his fader daye.
Gret feste he made on a day; ? at folk to paye. 4*
He ne bad nowgth ? ider Salamon; ne his moder ? e quene;
? erfore sche was with hym wro? ; for wymmen be? oft kene.
"Sir," sche seide to Dauid; "oft ? ou swore me,
? at my son Salamon; schulde be kyng after ? e. 8*
Now ha? Adonye i? ou? th to be kyng bi ? i lyue;
& after ? i day to sle my son; for ? ai ne ben by on wyue. "
Page 97
? E kyng lete somony all his men: a fest he made sone, [folio 69:2]
And lete coroone Salamon; & sette hym in his throne.
By his lyue he made hym kyng; & bigan to prechi fast
fforto sustene vp goddes law? e; ? er-while his lif ylast;
? at he bulde for? goddes hous in Ierusalems burgh? ,
? at ? e law? es better weren; ysustened ? orou? & ? orou? . 16*
Dauid was kyng fourty wyntren; in werre & in strife;
And in ? e fourtide ? er; in pes he ended his lyf.
Afftere his fader, Salamon; slou? his bro? er Adonye
In ? e first ? er, & all ? at with hym weren; to hym he made boweye, 20*
& he wex fai? ful man & wis; ? at folk better to wisse,
? e kynges dou? ttere of Egipte; he wedded in gret blisse.
? e grete ? inges forto don; he destred*. [[? desired]] goddes grace,
fforto arere goddes temple; in on faire place, 24*
And aboute Ierusalem; treble wal arere.
? at to his bihof? e & vche riche kyng; ? e court arered were,
His sacrifise he dude to god; & gan to hym crie:
"Lorde! " he seide, "to ? ong icham; to haue suich maistrie.
Teche me, ? if ? i wille be; wel my folk to wisse, 29*
And to knowe god & yuel; ? at I ? erof ne mysse. "
Oure lord hym graunted ? inges ? re; to haue maistri ouer his fo,
To habbe worldes richesse ynou? ; & wisdom ynou? ? erto.
IT bifel ? at two wymmen; in on In, a ni? th were; 33*
Ei? er had a ? ong childe; bo? e of on ? ere.
In hire slep ? at o womman; her owen childe ouerlay,
And si? ? e leide it by her felawe; & hir child nom away. 36*
? o ? e womman awook; & vnder? at ? is gile,
? erne ? ai striueden & chid ? for ? e quik child a long while.
? at on seide, ? e quyk childe was hire; ? at o? er seide it nas.
Bo? e ? ei comen bifore ? e kyng; & tolden al her cas. 40*
? ? o ? e kyng ne mi? th vnder? ete; whe? er had ? e ri? th,
"Take hider," he seide, "my swerd; & euen, I wil it di? th;
Cleuen ich wil, ? if ich can; ? e quyk childe a two.
& taken ei? er of ? ou ? e haluendel; whan ? e nyllen o? er do. "
Page 98
"? e, sir," seide ? e fals quene; "crist it ? elde ? e; 45*
So ? ou mi? th best legge strif; ? an mowe we euen be. "
"Nay, sir," seide ? e ri? th moder; "mercy, ? at do ? ou nou? th!
Take hire ra? er euerich del; ? at it ne be to de? ybrou? th. "
"? e, good womman," ? e kyng seide; "take ? at child to ? e;
ffor ? ou hast ? e ri? th weye; & ? e o? ere ? e falste. "
MIchel wonder hadden al ? at folk ? ? at herden of ? is strif,
? at ? e kyng ? ou? th swich wisdom; in his ? ong lyf. 52*
Men douteden ? erafter-ward hym ? e more; for ? ilk cas.
Good pais ? ere was in hil londe; ? er while he kyng was.
Vche weke he spended in his hous; xxx. quarters of whete,
And an hundre? fatte we? ers; & xxx. Oxen grete, 56*
Wi? outen venison & o? er ? ing; ? at he had by deinte:
In ? e werlde was non so riche court; ne of so gret plente.
He arered treble wal; swi? e fair & strong
Aboute ? e burgh? of Ierusalem; swi? e fair & long. 60*
? e fier? e ? er of his regne; he gan his temple arere,
& in ? e elleuen? e ? er was it; er it redy were.
? o bigan he arere his court; swi?
He nas oure bro? er nou? th; er he oure flesch nome;
? erwi? he ha? vs dere abou? th; to maken vs ysome. 20
ysome nere we nou? th bifore; Aungels & oure kynde,
Er swete Iesus were ybore; ? at to selde is in mynde. 24
// Bot now he ha? oure flesch ynome; & oure bro? er is;
Oure kynde is wel hei? e ycome; among o? er, Iwis; 28
ffor he is oure kynde heixt; saue his godhede,
& al aboue his throne next; so hei? e is manhede. 32
Aungel ne wor? hym nou? t so nei? ; for he is oure bro? er nou? th,
& ? at oure kynde is ek so hei? e; he ha? vs dere abou? th. 36
Aungels he ne bou? th nou? th; we ben hym wel neer;
Whan he ha? vs so dere bou? th; wel ou? tten we to louen hym here. 40
Ne aungel nys na? emo; bot his messagere, [folio 71a:2]
How mi? th it ? an go; to be his bro? er here? 44
& in heuen ? ai schullen also; whan ? at we ben ? ere,
Oure hestes & oure will do; as ? ai oure hynen were, 48
And to oure heste seruen vs; to foot & to honde,
Oure owen mowe we holden hem; as ich vnderstonde; 52
wel mowe we ? an glade be; to habbe suich an hyne.
& si? ? e we mowe here isee; as we ise? atte fyne, 56
? at we ben al? er kynde hei? est; wi? -oute god al-one,
And in heuen also hym next; among his aungels vchone. 60
And all ? at now late comen; si? oure lorde ali? th,
And oure flesch ha? here ynomen; yheried be his mi? th! 64
? ilk ? at toforne vs come; whan ? ai ? e de? founde,
? an were ? ai onon ycast; in-to helle grounde. 68
Nere he neuer so holy ne so good; ? ere nas non forbore;
And so hem longed sore; after oure lorde ? erfore.
Page 95
72
// ? e prophetes ? at weren so good; & so holy alle,
? at of oure lorde vnderstoden; & what schulde bi-fall, 76
Hij wisten ? at he schulde come; ac hij nysten whanne; 78
? e tyme hem ? ou? t long ynou? ; vche ynche hem ? ou? t a spanne.
? ai gradden after hym oft; in her prophecie, 82
And in ? e bokes ? at ? ai writen; ? at he schulde dye: 84
"God ? eue," quo? on of hem; "? at heuen broste atwo,
? at he mi? th ali? th adoun; & vs sauen so. " 88
Sumdel hem longed ? o; whan ? ai nolden abide,
? at heuen cleue soft a two; to saue vche side. 92
Ac it schulde al to brest; & oure lorde falle adoune,
Mi? th ? ai hym haue yhent; fast by ? e crovne. 96
Ac he ne hei? ed nou? th so swi? ; bot com soft adoun; 98
? ai wolde hym narew? hab y-hent; ac he held hem ? er doun.
Parde, ? it ne com he nou? th; ne were hem neuer so wo; 102
? ai hadden ? e grounde of helle isou? th; er he com hem to. 104
Seint Dauid after his anoie; after hym grad ? us:
"Lord, in heuen to vs abow? e; & ali? th to vs! 108
Schewe vs ? ine holy face; & we wor? e hool onon. "
Hym longed ek after his face; ? e holy Symeon, 112
And all blis hym was bynome; & oft he gradd ? erfore:
"Lorde, whan wiltou come; & wilt ben ybore? 116
Wene ? e ich may dure; wene ? e ich may see? "
Her mone was doel to see; ? ere gamed hem no gle. 120
// Ac hym ne greued nou? th; a? eins o? er bifore,
ffor he nas nou? th to de? ibrou? th; er god were ibore, 124
Ac liued forto he hym sei? ; & in his armes nome,
? o he on Candelmesday; to ? e temple come. 128
Lorde, wel may vs be; bet ? an hem was ? o,
? at ne mi? tten nower fle; lorde, what hem was wo. 132
? ere oure lorde seide; ? o he was ybore,
? at we mi? tten ben ful glade; ouer o? er ? at weren bifore. 136
? e prophetes wilned hym forto see; & many kynges also,
? at we isen ? if it mi? th be; ac hij ne mi? tten it nou? th do.
// we mowen now as it were; for nou? th, to heuen come, 142
Si? ? en oure lord it had ibou? th; & ? e fendes power bynome.
Page 96
Ac ? ai ? at suich grace ne hadden; ? at tofore vs come, 146
After oure lorde ? ai gradden; in ? e prophecie ylome; 148
After hym ? ai gradden; wi? gret wille & longe;
No mendement ? ai ne seie; bot gret pyne & stronge; 152
So longe ? at ? ai wery weren; & leten be al stille,
And he[r] gredyng forberen; & turneden to goddes wille; 156
ffor ? ai ne sei? en non o? er won; ? ou? hem ? ou? tten longe;
Oure lorde lete her will ago; er he wolde flesch a-fonge. 160
And ? o ? ai weren wery ynou? ; as who sei? for sore,
Vche of hem to rest drou? ; & speken of hym nomore, 164
? at swete barne oure kynde took; bo? e of flesche & felle,
In whiche he dyed on rood; ? e fendes streng? e to felle. 168
? orou? whiche preciouse de? ; god vs grant ? at grace
? at we mowe after oure de? ; in heuen haue a place. Amen.
172
SOLOMON'S CORONATION, DEEDS, AND JUDGMENT ON THE TWO MOTHERS' CLAIM TO ONE CHILD. HIS COURT AND TEMPLE.
[In order to complete the Life of Solomon, of which his Book of Wisdom, &c. , form part, I add the MS. bit that comes before the Book. The passage about his birth is too far back to be taken. ]
[Laud MS. 622, leaf 69, col. 1. ]
? ? o Dauid in elde was; his eldest son was alyue.
Adonye ycleped he was; with Salamon he gan striue.
Aboute he was kyng to be; by his fader daye.
Gret feste he made on a day; ? at folk to paye. 4*
He ne bad nowgth ? ider Salamon; ne his moder ? e quene;
? erfore sche was with hym wro? ; for wymmen be? oft kene.
"Sir," sche seide to Dauid; "oft ? ou swore me,
? at my son Salamon; schulde be kyng after ? e. 8*
Now ha? Adonye i? ou? th to be kyng bi ? i lyue;
& after ? i day to sle my son; for ? ai ne ben by on wyue. "
Page 97
? E kyng lete somony all his men: a fest he made sone, [folio 69:2]
And lete coroone Salamon; & sette hym in his throne.
By his lyue he made hym kyng; & bigan to prechi fast
fforto sustene vp goddes law? e; ? er-while his lif ylast;
? at he bulde for? goddes hous in Ierusalems burgh? ,
? at ? e law? es better weren; ysustened ? orou? & ? orou? . 16*
Dauid was kyng fourty wyntren; in werre & in strife;
And in ? e fourtide ? er; in pes he ended his lyf.
Afftere his fader, Salamon; slou? his bro? er Adonye
In ? e first ? er, & all ? at with hym weren; to hym he made boweye, 20*
& he wex fai? ful man & wis; ? at folk better to wisse,
? e kynges dou? ttere of Egipte; he wedded in gret blisse.
? e grete ? inges forto don; he destred*. [[? desired]] goddes grace,
fforto arere goddes temple; in on faire place, 24*
And aboute Ierusalem; treble wal arere.
? at to his bihof? e & vche riche kyng; ? e court arered were,
His sacrifise he dude to god; & gan to hym crie:
"Lorde! " he seide, "to ? ong icham; to haue suich maistrie.
Teche me, ? if ? i wille be; wel my folk to wisse, 29*
And to knowe god & yuel; ? at I ? erof ne mysse. "
Oure lord hym graunted ? inges ? re; to haue maistri ouer his fo,
To habbe worldes richesse ynou? ; & wisdom ynou? ? erto.
IT bifel ? at two wymmen; in on In, a ni? th were; 33*
Ei? er had a ? ong childe; bo? e of on ? ere.
In hire slep ? at o womman; her owen childe ouerlay,
And si? ? e leide it by her felawe; & hir child nom away. 36*
? o ? e womman awook; & vnder? at ? is gile,
? erne ? ai striueden & chid ? for ? e quik child a long while.
? at on seide, ? e quyk childe was hire; ? at o? er seide it nas.
Bo? e ? ei comen bifore ? e kyng; & tolden al her cas. 40*
? ? o ? e kyng ne mi? th vnder? ete; whe? er had ? e ri? th,
"Take hider," he seide, "my swerd; & euen, I wil it di? th;
Cleuen ich wil, ? if ich can; ? e quyk childe a two.
& taken ei? er of ? ou ? e haluendel; whan ? e nyllen o? er do. "
Page 98
"? e, sir," seide ? e fals quene; "crist it ? elde ? e; 45*
So ? ou mi? th best legge strif; ? an mowe we euen be. "
"Nay, sir," seide ? e ri? th moder; "mercy, ? at do ? ou nou? th!
Take hire ra? er euerich del; ? at it ne be to de? ybrou? th. "
"? e, good womman," ? e kyng seide; "take ? at child to ? e;
ffor ? ou hast ? e ri? th weye; & ? e o? ere ? e falste. "
MIchel wonder hadden al ? at folk ? ? at herden of ? is strif,
? at ? e kyng ? ou? th swich wisdom; in his ? ong lyf. 52*
Men douteden ? erafter-ward hym ? e more; for ? ilk cas.
Good pais ? ere was in hil londe; ? er while he kyng was.
Vche weke he spended in his hous; xxx. quarters of whete,
And an hundre? fatte we? ers; & xxx. Oxen grete, 56*
Wi? outen venison & o? er ? ing; ? at he had by deinte:
In ? e werlde was non so riche court; ne of so gret plente.
He arered treble wal; swi? e fair & strong
Aboute ? e burgh? of Ierusalem; swi? e fair & long. 60*
? e fier? e ? er of his regne; he gan his temple arere,
& in ? e elleuen? e ? er was it; er it redy were.
? o bigan he arere his court; swi?
