ou merciable to widewe; & to
faderles
childe.
Adam Davy's Five Dreams about Edward II - 1389
?
er sette by ?
e bere.
Page 76
594
A-boute ? e bere was moche li? t;
With proude palle was be-di? t,
I-beten al with golde. 597
ffor to worschipe ? is man,
Al ? at lond folk ? uder cam,
? at cors by-wake wolde. 600
? Alle ? e sike ? at ? er were,
As sone as hy touchede ? e bere,
Hol hy were anon 603
Of ? e euel ? at hy hadde,
? if hy in ? e name badde
Of ? is holy man.
Page 77
606
? To cherche come ? onge & olde,
? at holy cors to by-holde
? at ? uder was y-bro? t. 609
A wel gentel marbel ston,
To louke in his holy bon,
Sone was by-so? t. 612
? ? e ? ridde day was y-come,
So it is ? e londis wone,
Me dude ? e seruyse; 615
? uder come more and lasse,
? e Pope self song ? e masse,
With herte wel bly? e.
Page 78
618
? ? o ? e masse was y-do,
? e Pope and ? e emperour al-so,
? at holy cors hy kiste. 621
Hy nome ? e holy man, [folio 77b]
And leyde him in ? e marbel ston,
By-loke in one chiste. 624
? Alle ? ulke ? at ? er were,
Herede god with loude bere,
And cride him mercy,
Page 79
627
Of ? e wondres ? at he dude
? o in ? at ilke holy stude,
ffor loue of allexi. 630
? By-seche we ? anne, ? erne & ofte,
Crist self ? at vs dere bo? te,
? at his grace vs sende, 633
? at we mote him seruy,
And for ? e loue of allexi,
To his blesse wende. Amen.
Page [80]
636
Page 81
King Solomon's Book of Wisdom,
A BOOK OF MORAL PRECEPTS AND PRACTICAL ADVICE (lines 1-105),
Taken from the Laud MS. 622's headless rymed Bible Story, and followd by the end of that Story, an account of
1 King SOLOMON'S love of Lechery, p. 85, l. 107-111. (For his Coronation, his Judgment on the Child claimd by 2 Mothers, and his Wisdom, &c. , see p. 96-8);
2 of his son REHOBOAM, l. 113-131; and the separation of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, 132-146; p. 85-86;
3 legends of the prophet ELIJAH, 150; his raising the prophet Jonah*. [That Jonah was the son of the widow of Zarephath is in the Midrash Yalqut (a legendary Commentary on the Old Testament, called Yalqut) to the book Jonah, quoted from the Talmud of Jerusalem. --A. Neubauer. ] (the widow of Zarephath's son, 1 Kings xvii. 17) to life, 156-65; going to Horeb, 166-73; his choosing Elisha, 174-7; burning up king Ahaziah's messengers (2 Kings i. 10-12), 178-199; and going to heaven in a fiery horse and cart (2 Kings ii. 11), 200-213; p. 86-88;
4 of ELISHA, his purifying a well with salt, 214-225 (2 Kings ii. 19-22); and multiplying a poor woman's oil, 226-233 (2 Kings iv. 1-3); p. 88;
5 of DANIEL in the lions' den, fed with Abacue's food, 234-263; and of Apostles and Friars preaching Christianity, 264-7; p. 88-89;
6 of the Day of Doom, 268; and herein, p. 89-90;
7 of ANTICHRIST, 272; how he shall go into the Holy Land, 274; slay Enoch and Eli, who have come to earth from Paradise to fight him, 292-6; and shall then himself be smitten to death by the Holy Ghost in the form of a sword.
All in alternate fours and threes*. [A few fours, as 183, 202, 207, are but three measures; while a few threes, as 234 and 244, are fours. ], the latter ryming. In the rymes the equiva|lence of final '? th' with '? t' is to be noted*. [Cp. Havelok, fiht, rith, 2716; with, knith = wiht, knight, 2720. --Skeat. ],--l. 52, 51, 71-2; (but see 57-8, 7-8, 19-24, 33-4, &c. ),--and these forms and rymes: prep. mytte (with), wytte, 43-4; but 'myde', iryde (ridden), 249-50; er? e, fier? e (fourth), 99-100; mesure, here, 89-90; consaile (obl. ), availe (inf. ), 115-16; but conseil (obj. ), israel, 141-2; sei? e (3 pl. perf. saw), di? e (inf. die), 191-2; but 'sei? ', on hei? (high), 201-2; pite (put,? inf. , imp. , or subj. ), a 'lite' (little), 225-6; ydytte (pp. of dihtan, see 254) 'pytte' (pit), 241-2; vchone, fon, 262-3. The ie is right: folie, wrie (inf. ), 79-80; Elye, prophecie, 152-3, &c. The final e can hardly be allowd to ? ing (obl. ) to match springe (inf. ), 3-4 (see 59-60); cp. telle, wel, 55-6. Mowe, abou? e, 27-8, seem to show the silence of ? . There are two 'longe' s probably of the same mean|ing ryming, 91-2. The ryming of 'ysed' (pp. ) with 'ded' (dead, pp. ), 195-6; of 'sede' (perf. ) with 'falshede', 266, and the six '-ede' words in 267-272 (drede among them); of 'seide' with 'rede', 179-180, shows that the Elizabethan and our 'sed' is not, as has been asserted, a mere late slurring of the broad 'said', tho' that form or spelling has won in the fight for the survival of the fittest.
Page 82
[Laud MS. 622, leaf 69, back. ]
SO mychel wisdom neuer y-herd was; as kyng salamon cou? e:
Vche word wyt & wisdom was; ? at com out of his mou? e.
? e kynde he cou? e of vche beest; & of vche quik ? ing,
And ? e vertu of vche herbe; ? at do? on er? e spr[i]nge; 4
And ? orou? queintise in book ywrite; ? e fende to ouer-come,
? at ? ise clerkes ? utt to ? is day; in priuete habbe? some.
A Book he made of wisdom; ? orou? his owen ? ou? th;
Sum ich wil ? erof telle; for al ne may I nou? th. 8
? e book bigan in ? is manere; euerich wyt & wisdom,
Euer with oure lord it is; & fro hym first it com.
Who schulde ? e rein-dropes telle; oi? er ? e grauel in ? e Cee,
Oi? er ? e dayes ? at euere were; bot ? if it were he? 12
To douten god almi? tty; of vche wisdom it is rote.
On er? e & at ? ine endyngday; of alle bales he is bote.
? if ? ou louest wisdom; look ? ou ri? th loue;
Vnbuxum ne be ? ou nou? th; to ? em ? at ben ? e aboue. 16
Helpe ? e man ? at nedeful is; be a? eins hym ? at is vnmylde.
Be ?
ou merciable to widewe; & to faderles childe.
Ne hide nou? th ? i wisdom; ne wi? seie nou? th ? e ri? th.
A? ein stronge men & ireful; look ? at ? ou ne fi? th. 20
Answere ? e pouere myldelich; to longe abid ? ou nou? th
Forto turne a? ein to god; ? if ? ou be in synne brou? th.
// Ne bileue ? ou nou? th to trauaile; oi? er to de? [e] fi? th,
For Iesu cristes swete loue; to susteyne ? e ri? th. 24
Wi? ? e fole ne wone ? ou nou? th; ? if ? ou wilt good lerne.
? ou wisse hym ? at litel good can; ? e vnwise teche ? erne.
Ne wilne nou? th Iustise to be; bot ? if ? ou cunne & mowe.
? e vnbuxum, chastise wi? ri? th law? e; & make ? e proude abou? e.
Page 83
? ei? ? ou haue a . M. frendes; take on ? at be good & priuee,
? at ? ou mowe ? i conseil telle; lest ? e o? er failen ? e. 30
For summe ben at ? i borde ? i frende; ac at ? i nede bihynde.
Best tresore is ? ine elde frende; ? at men on er? e may fynde;
? i trewe frende emfor? ? i-self; ? ou mi? th telle ? i ? ou? th; 33
Michel solas he wil ? e don; ? if ? ou art in baret brou? th.
? To Newfangel ne be ? ou nou? th; lest ? ou finde vntrewe.
? ine olde frende ? at ? ou fonded haste; bileue ? ou for no newe.
Faire speche is [ful] good ? ing; it passe? many fon, 37
And make? many a good frend; & holde? hol many a bon.
Chese ? e a witty hyne; & loue hym with al ? i mi? th;
Of his Salerie wi? holde ? ou nou? th; ? at ? ou schalt hym with ri? th.
? erwhile ? i sones ? onge be? ; ? ou hem chastise & lere; 41
Wite ? i douttren with eye wel; ? at ? ai haue of ? e fere;
Selde ? ou make hem fair semblaunt; ? er while ? ai ben ? e mytte;
Whan ? ai schullen ywedded be; take hem a man of wytte. 44
// Honoure fader & moder; ? at ? e in-to ? is werlde brou? th;
? e pyne ? at ? i moder had; haue it mychel in ? ou? th.
Who so honoure? fader & moder; ? e lenger he wor? e alyue;
His hous & al his er? lich ? ing; ? e better schal y? riue. 48
To ? e seke gladlich ? ou go; ? an doostou as ? e kynde.
In euerych dede ? at ? ou doost; ? ine endynge haue in mynde.
? Ne chide nou? th wi? no foule speker; with riche ne plede ? ou no? t;
For oft ? e ri? th, ? orou? gret mede; is in-to wrong y-brou? th. 52
Mid a fole, of ? i ? ing; ne make ? ou non In mone.
Wi? a Man ? at fool-hardy is; ne goo ? ou nou? th alone.
To fool ne to non vncou? man; ? i conseil [? ou] ne telle, [folio 69b:2]
For ? e fool, bot his foly; no? ing ne loue? wel. 56
Ne biholde no faire wymmen; ? at ? ai ne chaunge ? i ? ou? t;
Ne loue no womman with ? ine hert; ? at sche ne gile ? e nou? t;
Ne biholde nou? th in ? e strete; aboute fram ? ing to ? ing.
? if a li? er man do? ? e vnri? th; ne haue ? erof no likyng. 60
Dele ?
Page 76
594
A-boute ? e bere was moche li? t;
With proude palle was be-di? t,
I-beten al with golde. 597
ffor to worschipe ? is man,
Al ? at lond folk ? uder cam,
? at cors by-wake wolde. 600
? Alle ? e sike ? at ? er were,
As sone as hy touchede ? e bere,
Hol hy were anon 603
Of ? e euel ? at hy hadde,
? if hy in ? e name badde
Of ? is holy man.
Page 77
606
? To cherche come ? onge & olde,
? at holy cors to by-holde
? at ? uder was y-bro? t. 609
A wel gentel marbel ston,
To louke in his holy bon,
Sone was by-so? t. 612
? ? e ? ridde day was y-come,
So it is ? e londis wone,
Me dude ? e seruyse; 615
? uder come more and lasse,
? e Pope self song ? e masse,
With herte wel bly? e.
Page 78
618
? ? o ? e masse was y-do,
? e Pope and ? e emperour al-so,
? at holy cors hy kiste. 621
Hy nome ? e holy man, [folio 77b]
And leyde him in ? e marbel ston,
By-loke in one chiste. 624
? Alle ? ulke ? at ? er were,
Herede god with loude bere,
And cride him mercy,
Page 79
627
Of ? e wondres ? at he dude
? o in ? at ilke holy stude,
ffor loue of allexi. 630
? By-seche we ? anne, ? erne & ofte,
Crist self ? at vs dere bo? te,
? at his grace vs sende, 633
? at we mote him seruy,
And for ? e loue of allexi,
To his blesse wende. Amen.
Page [80]
636
Page 81
King Solomon's Book of Wisdom,
A BOOK OF MORAL PRECEPTS AND PRACTICAL ADVICE (lines 1-105),
Taken from the Laud MS. 622's headless rymed Bible Story, and followd by the end of that Story, an account of
1 King SOLOMON'S love of Lechery, p. 85, l. 107-111. (For his Coronation, his Judgment on the Child claimd by 2 Mothers, and his Wisdom, &c. , see p. 96-8);
2 of his son REHOBOAM, l. 113-131; and the separation of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, 132-146; p. 85-86;
3 legends of the prophet ELIJAH, 150; his raising the prophet Jonah*. [That Jonah was the son of the widow of Zarephath is in the Midrash Yalqut (a legendary Commentary on the Old Testament, called Yalqut) to the book Jonah, quoted from the Talmud of Jerusalem. --A. Neubauer. ] (the widow of Zarephath's son, 1 Kings xvii. 17) to life, 156-65; going to Horeb, 166-73; his choosing Elisha, 174-7; burning up king Ahaziah's messengers (2 Kings i. 10-12), 178-199; and going to heaven in a fiery horse and cart (2 Kings ii. 11), 200-213; p. 86-88;
4 of ELISHA, his purifying a well with salt, 214-225 (2 Kings ii. 19-22); and multiplying a poor woman's oil, 226-233 (2 Kings iv. 1-3); p. 88;
5 of DANIEL in the lions' den, fed with Abacue's food, 234-263; and of Apostles and Friars preaching Christianity, 264-7; p. 88-89;
6 of the Day of Doom, 268; and herein, p. 89-90;
7 of ANTICHRIST, 272; how he shall go into the Holy Land, 274; slay Enoch and Eli, who have come to earth from Paradise to fight him, 292-6; and shall then himself be smitten to death by the Holy Ghost in the form of a sword.
All in alternate fours and threes*. [A few fours, as 183, 202, 207, are but three measures; while a few threes, as 234 and 244, are fours. ], the latter ryming. In the rymes the equiva|lence of final '? th' with '? t' is to be noted*. [Cp. Havelok, fiht, rith, 2716; with, knith = wiht, knight, 2720. --Skeat. ],--l. 52, 51, 71-2; (but see 57-8, 7-8, 19-24, 33-4, &c. ),--and these forms and rymes: prep. mytte (with), wytte, 43-4; but 'myde', iryde (ridden), 249-50; er? e, fier? e (fourth), 99-100; mesure, here, 89-90; consaile (obl. ), availe (inf. ), 115-16; but conseil (obj. ), israel, 141-2; sei? e (3 pl. perf. saw), di? e (inf. die), 191-2; but 'sei? ', on hei? (high), 201-2; pite (put,? inf. , imp. , or subj. ), a 'lite' (little), 225-6; ydytte (pp. of dihtan, see 254) 'pytte' (pit), 241-2; vchone, fon, 262-3. The ie is right: folie, wrie (inf. ), 79-80; Elye, prophecie, 152-3, &c. The final e can hardly be allowd to ? ing (obl. ) to match springe (inf. ), 3-4 (see 59-60); cp. telle, wel, 55-6. Mowe, abou? e, 27-8, seem to show the silence of ? . There are two 'longe' s probably of the same mean|ing ryming, 91-2. The ryming of 'ysed' (pp. ) with 'ded' (dead, pp. ), 195-6; of 'sede' (perf. ) with 'falshede', 266, and the six '-ede' words in 267-272 (drede among them); of 'seide' with 'rede', 179-180, shows that the Elizabethan and our 'sed' is not, as has been asserted, a mere late slurring of the broad 'said', tho' that form or spelling has won in the fight for the survival of the fittest.
Page 82
[Laud MS. 622, leaf 69, back. ]
SO mychel wisdom neuer y-herd was; as kyng salamon cou? e:
Vche word wyt & wisdom was; ? at com out of his mou? e.
? e kynde he cou? e of vche beest; & of vche quik ? ing,
And ? e vertu of vche herbe; ? at do? on er? e spr[i]nge; 4
And ? orou? queintise in book ywrite; ? e fende to ouer-come,
? at ? ise clerkes ? utt to ? is day; in priuete habbe? some.
A Book he made of wisdom; ? orou? his owen ? ou? th;
Sum ich wil ? erof telle; for al ne may I nou? th. 8
? e book bigan in ? is manere; euerich wyt & wisdom,
Euer with oure lord it is; & fro hym first it com.
Who schulde ? e rein-dropes telle; oi? er ? e grauel in ? e Cee,
Oi? er ? e dayes ? at euere were; bot ? if it were he? 12
To douten god almi? tty; of vche wisdom it is rote.
On er? e & at ? ine endyngday; of alle bales he is bote.
? if ? ou louest wisdom; look ? ou ri? th loue;
Vnbuxum ne be ? ou nou? th; to ? em ? at ben ? e aboue. 16
Helpe ? e man ? at nedeful is; be a? eins hym ? at is vnmylde.
Be ?
ou merciable to widewe; & to faderles childe.
Ne hide nou? th ? i wisdom; ne wi? seie nou? th ? e ri? th.
A? ein stronge men & ireful; look ? at ? ou ne fi? th. 20
Answere ? e pouere myldelich; to longe abid ? ou nou? th
Forto turne a? ein to god; ? if ? ou be in synne brou? th.
// Ne bileue ? ou nou? th to trauaile; oi? er to de? [e] fi? th,
For Iesu cristes swete loue; to susteyne ? e ri? th. 24
Wi? ? e fole ne wone ? ou nou? th; ? if ? ou wilt good lerne.
? ou wisse hym ? at litel good can; ? e vnwise teche ? erne.
Ne wilne nou? th Iustise to be; bot ? if ? ou cunne & mowe.
? e vnbuxum, chastise wi? ri? th law? e; & make ? e proude abou? e.
Page 83
? ei? ? ou haue a . M. frendes; take on ? at be good & priuee,
? at ? ou mowe ? i conseil telle; lest ? e o? er failen ? e. 30
For summe ben at ? i borde ? i frende; ac at ? i nede bihynde.
Best tresore is ? ine elde frende; ? at men on er? e may fynde;
? i trewe frende emfor? ? i-self; ? ou mi? th telle ? i ? ou? th; 33
Michel solas he wil ? e don; ? if ? ou art in baret brou? th.
? To Newfangel ne be ? ou nou? th; lest ? ou finde vntrewe.
? ine olde frende ? at ? ou fonded haste; bileue ? ou for no newe.
Faire speche is [ful] good ? ing; it passe? many fon, 37
And make? many a good frend; & holde? hol many a bon.
Chese ? e a witty hyne; & loue hym with al ? i mi? th;
Of his Salerie wi? holde ? ou nou? th; ? at ? ou schalt hym with ri? th.
? erwhile ? i sones ? onge be? ; ? ou hem chastise & lere; 41
Wite ? i douttren with eye wel; ? at ? ai haue of ? e fere;
Selde ? ou make hem fair semblaunt; ? er while ? ai ben ? e mytte;
Whan ? ai schullen ywedded be; take hem a man of wytte. 44
// Honoure fader & moder; ? at ? e in-to ? is werlde brou? th;
? e pyne ? at ? i moder had; haue it mychel in ? ou? th.
Who so honoure? fader & moder; ? e lenger he wor? e alyue;
His hous & al his er? lich ? ing; ? e better schal y? riue. 48
To ? e seke gladlich ? ou go; ? an doostou as ? e kynde.
In euerych dede ? at ? ou doost; ? ine endynge haue in mynde.
? Ne chide nou? th wi? no foule speker; with riche ne plede ? ou no? t;
For oft ? e ri? th, ? orou? gret mede; is in-to wrong y-brou? th. 52
Mid a fole, of ? i ? ing; ne make ? ou non In mone.
Wi? a Man ? at fool-hardy is; ne goo ? ou nou? th alone.
To fool ne to non vncou? man; ? i conseil [? ou] ne telle, [folio 69b:2]
For ? e fool, bot his foly; no? ing ne loue? wel. 56
Ne biholde no faire wymmen; ? at ? ai ne chaunge ? i ? ou? t;
Ne loue no womman with ? ine hert; ? at sche ne gile ? e nou? t;
Ne biholde nou? th in ? e strete; aboute fram ? ing to ? ing.
? if a li? er man do? ? e vnri? th; ne haue ? erof no likyng. 60
Dele ?
