Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts

Title: Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts

Editor: Joseph Hall

Release date: August 24, 2008 [eBook #26413] Most recently updated: January 4, 2021

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26413

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This e-text includes characters that will only display in UTF-8 (Unicode) file encoding, including but not limited to:

Ȝ, ȝ (yogh) ⁊ (Tironian ampersand) þ̵ (thorn with stroke—also see below) ę (e with tail, “e caudata”) ẏ (y with over-dot)

All but the first three are rare, or occur only in notes.

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A few selections use additional, very unusual letters that will be explained as they appear.

The Notes were published in a separate volume, in preparation at the time this e-text was produced (August 2008). For each selection, the paragraph describing the MSS. has been summarized from these Notes; additions or omissions shown by ellipses or brackets according to the usual rules for academic quotation.

Errors are marked with mouse-hover popups. Further details about the format of this e-text and the original book, including handling of parallel texts, are at the end of the e-text.

SELECTIONS FROM EARLY MIDDLE ENGLISH 1130-1250

EDITED WITH INTRODUCTIONS AND NOTES

BY

JOSEPH HALL

M.A., Hon. D.Litt., Durham University

PART I: TEXTS

OXFORD

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

M CM XX

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

LONDON EDINBURGH GLASGOW NEW YORK TORONTO MELBOURNE CAPE TOWN BOMBAY HUMPHREY MILFORD PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY

PREFACE

Some of the texts in this book have already appeared in the Specimens of Early English edited by the Rev. Richard Morris. But Nos. i, ii, iv, vii, xiii and xv are new, the important shorter pieces, Nos. vi, viii, xvi, xviii, xxi and xxiii, are printed in full, and some, as Nos. viii and ix, are taken from additional or better manuscripts. The pieces are arranged tentatively in what appears to be the chronological order of their composition, but Nos. xix and xvii should have come before the Ancrene Wisse, and No. vii has been placed next to the Proverbs of Alfred, from which it appears to be derived. It is hoped that those who study the older book will find in the present one a useful supplement.

The texts follow the manuscripts in all details. The syntax being comparatively simple, there is not much to be gained by modern punctuation, and that of the manuscripts has gained a fresh importance from theories which have been founded upon it. Where obvious mistakes have been corrected in the text, notice is always given in the footnotes. Additions are made within square brackets, and interlineations are printed between accents.

My best thanks are due to the custodians of the libraries for the facilities which with uniform kindness they extended to me in the collation of the manuscripts.

J. H.

Woodstock, January, 1920.

TABLE OF PIECES AND MANUSCRIPTS

Worcester Cathedral Library, 174.

British Museum, Royal 5 F. vii.

Bodleian, Laud Misc. 636.

B. M., Harleian Charter iii B. 49.

B. M., Cotton Vespasian A. xxii.

Jesus Coll. Oxford, Arch. E. 29.

Same as No. VI.

Lambeth, 487.

B. M., Egerton 613.

Trinity Coll. Camb., B. 14. 52.

Corpus Christi Coll. Camb., 402.

Caius Coll., 234.

Corpus MS., as before.

B. M., Cotton Nero A. xiv, with passages from C inserted between asterisks.

Variants upon MS. Nero from B. M., Cotton Titus D. xviii (without any indicating letter) and B. M., Cotton Cleopatra C. vi (= C). B indicates agreement of T and C as against N.

Lambeth, 487.

Same as for No. X.

Trinity Coll. Camb., B. 14. 52.

B. M., Stowe 34.

B. M., Cotton Caligula A. ix.

B. M., Cotton Otho C. xiii.

Bodleian, Junius 1.

Bodleian, 34 (to l. 339, p. 127).

B. M., Royal 17 A. xxvii (from l. 339, p. 127 to end).

B. M., Royal 17 A. xxvii.

B. M., Cotton Nero A. xiv.

B. M., Royal 17 A. xxvii.

Bodleian, 34.

Jesus Coll. Oxford, Arch. E. 29.

B. M., Cotton Caligula A. ix.

B. M., Arundel 292.

Corpus Christi Coll. Camb., 444.

Bodleian, Laud Misc. 471.

CORRIGENDA

The listed corrections have been made in the text and marked with mouse-hover popups like this.

I. WORCESTER FRAGMENTS

“Worcester Cathedral Library, 174.... Its contents are ... (2) the scrap here marked A; (3) the pieces B and C with five more fragments of the same poem. A completes the page on which the glossary ends, and B is on the verso of the leaf. The leaves have been slightly shorn at one side and reduced at top and bottom, but probably to no great extent: the conjectural complement, which is here printed within square brackets, is for the most part fairly obvious, the more so as portions of the lost letters often remain. The whole MS. is in the same large square hand, but the pieces in verse, which are written continuously, like prose, are less carefully executed. The handwriting is of the second half of the twelfth century, perhaps about 1180 A.D. The Latin headings are not in the MS.”

A. Sicut Oues absque Pastore

[S]

anctus beda was iboren her on breotene mid us ·

⁊ he wisliche [writen] awende

þ̵ þeo englisc leoden þurh weren ilerde ·

⁊ he þeo c[not]ten unwreih · þe questiuns hoteþ ·

5 þa derne diȝelnesse · þe de[or]wurþe is ·

ælfric abbod þe we alquin hoteþ ·

he was bocare · ⁊ þe [fif] bec wende ·

Genesis · Exodus · Vtronomius · Numerus · Leuiticus ·

þ[urh] þeos weren ilærde ure leoden · on englisc ·

10 þet weren þeos biscop[es þeo] bodeden cristendom

wilfrid of Ripum · Johan of beoferlai · Cuþb[ert] of Dunholme · Oswald of wireceastre · Egwin of heoueshame · æl[dhelm] of malmesburi · Swiþþun · æþelwold · Aidan · Biern of wincæstre · [Pau]lin of rofecæstre · S. Dunston · ⁊ S. ælfeih of cantore · buri ·

15 þeos læ[rden] ure leodan on englisc ·

næs deorc heore liht · ac hit fæire glod ·

[nu is] þeo leore forleten · ⁊ þet folc is forloren ·

[nu beoþ] oþre leoden · þeo læ[reþ] ure folc ·

⁊ feole of þen lorþeines losiæþ · ⁊ þ̵ folc forþ mid

20 Nu sæiþ [ure] drihten þus · Sicut aquila prouocat

pullos suos ad uolandum · ⁊ super eo[s uolitat ·]

þis beoþ godes word to worlde asende ·

þ̵ we sceolen fæier feþ [festen to him] ·

B. Homo Putredo et Filius Hominis Vermis

en earde ·

⁊ alle þeo isceæftan · þe him to [s]cu[l]en ·

⁊ mid muchele cre[fte · þe]ne mon he idihte ·

⁊ him on ileide · lif ⁊ soule ·

5 Softliche he heo isom[nede] · ac þær biþ sor idol ·

þ̵ bodeþ þ̵ bearn : þonne hit iboren biþ ·

hit [woan]eþ ⁊ mænet þeo weowe ·

⁊ þene seoruhfule siþ · ⁊ þ̵ sori idol ·

þ̵ soule schal [⁊ li]came · sorliche idælen ·

10 forþon hit cumeþ weopinde · ⁊ woniende iwiteþ ·

[swo D]eaþ mid his pricke · pineþ þene licame ·

he walkeþ ⁊ wendeþ ⁊ woneþ [oftes]iþes ·

he sæiþ on his bedde · wo me þ̵ ic libbe ·

þ̵ æffre mine lif dawes · þus [lon]ge me ilesteþ ·

15 for heui is his greoning · ⁊ seorhful is his woaning ·

⁊ al [biþ] his siþ · mid seorwe biwunden ·

him deaueþ þa æren : him dimmeþ [þa] iȝen ·

him scerpeþ þe neose · him scrinckeþ þa lippen ·

him scorteþ [þe] tunge · [him starkeþ his skin ·]

20 him trukeþ his iwit · him teoreþ his miht ·

him coldeþ his [siden ·] liggeþ þe ban stille ·

þonne biþ þ̵ soule hus · seoruhliche bereaued ·

[at] also muchele wunne · þe þer inne wunede ·

þus biþ þæs bearnes · [bod]unge ifulled ·

25 þeo moder greoneþ · ⁊ þ̵ bearn woaneþ ·

So biþ þeo [bu]rdtid · mid ba`le´wen imenged ·

so biþ eft þe feorþsiþ · Mid seoruwen al bewunden ·

þonne þe licame ⁊ þe sowle · soriliche to[dæl]eþ :

þonne biþ þ̵ wræcche lif · iended al mid sori siþ ·

30 þonne biþ þe [fei]ȝe · iflut to þen flore ·

he biþ eastward istreiht · he biþ sone stif ·

he [col]deþ also clei · hit is him ikunde ·

Mon hine met mid one ȝerde · ⁊ þa mol[de] seoþþen ·

ne mot he of þære molde · habben nammore ·

35 þonne þ̵ rihte imet · [rih]tliche tæcheþ ·

þonne liþ þe clei clot · colde on þen flore ·

⁊ him sone from [fleoþ] · þeo he ær freome dude ·

nulleþ heo mid honden · his heafod riht wen[den] ·

heom þuncheþ þ̵ hore honden · swuþe beoþ ifuled ·

40 Gif heo hondleþ þe[ne d]eade · seoþþen his deaȝes beoþ igon ·

sone cumeþ þ̵ wrecche wif · þe [forh]oweþ þene earfeþ siþ ·

forbindeþ þæs dædan muþ · ⁊ his dimme eȝen ·

[þon]ne þet riche wif · forhoweþ þene earueþ siþ ·

for ufel is þeo wrecche lufe · [þari]nne þeo un blisse cumaþ ·

45 þonne besihþ þeo soule · sorliche to þen lich[ame ·]

C. Confabulabor cum Amaritudine Animae Meae

[ ] þu me · þeo hwule þet ic wunede inne þe ·

for þu were leas ⁊ lutiȝ · ⁊ u[n]riht lufedest ·

Godnesse ⁊ riht · æfre þu onscunedest ·

hwar is nu þe[o mo]dinesse · swo muchel þe þu lufedæst ·

5 hwar beoþ nu þeo pundes · þurh [pa]newes igædered ·

heo weren monifolde · bi markes itolde ·

hwar beoþ [nu] þeo Goldfæten · þeo þe Guldene · comen to þine honden ·

þin blisse is [nu] al agon · min seoruwe is fornon ·

hwar beoþ nu þine wæde · þe þ[u] wel lufedest ·

10 hwar beoþ [sibbe ·] þe seten sori ofer þe ·

beden swuþe ȝeorne · [þet] þe come bote ·

heom þuþte alto longe · þ̵ þu were on liue ·

for heo [we]ren grædie · to gripen þine æihte ·

nu heo hi dæleþ heom imong · [heo] doþ þe wiþ uten ·

15 ac nu heo beoþ fuse · to bringen þe ut of huse,

b[rin]gen þe ut æt þire dure · of weolen þu ært bedæled ·

hwui noldest þ[u be]þenchen me · þeo hwile ic was innen þe ·

ac semdest me mid sunne · fo[rþon] ic seoruhful eam ·

weile þ̵ ic souhte · so seoruhfulne · buc ·

20 noldest þ[u lo]kien lufe · wiþ ilærede men ·

ȝiuen ham of þine Gode · þ̵ heo þe fo[re] beden ·

heo mihten mid salm songe · þine sunne acwenchen ·

Mid [ho]re messe · þine misdeden fore biddan ·

heo mihten offrian loc · leofli[che] for þe ·

25 swuþe deor wurþe lac · licame cristes ·

þurh þæne þu were · alese[d] from helle wite ·

⁊ mid his reade blode · þ̵ he ȝeat on rode ·

þo þu we[re] ifreoed to farene into heouene ·

ac þu fenge to þeowdome · þurh þæs de[ofles] lore ·

30 Bi þe hit is iseid · ⁊ soþ hit is on boken ·

Qui custodit diuitias ser[uus] est diuitiis

þu were þeow · þines weolan ·

noldest þu nouht þær of d[ælen ·] for drihtenes willæn ·

ac æfre þu grædiliche · gæderedest þe more ·

35 lu[þer]liche eart þu forloren · from al þ̵ þu lufedest ·

⁊ ic scal wræcche soule [· weo]we nu driæn ·

eart þu nu loþ ⁊ unwurþ · alle þine freonden ·

nu ham [þun]cheþ alto long · þ̵ þu ham neih list ·

ær þu beo ibrouht · þaer þu be[on] scalt ·

40 on deope sæþe · on durelease huse ·

þær wurmes wældeþ · al [þet þe] wurþest was ·

füweles quale holde · þe þu icwemdest ær ·

Mid alre [þære] swetnesse · þeo þu swuþe lufedest ·

þeo swetnesse is nu al agon · þ̵ b[ittere] þe biþ fornon ·

45 þ̵ bittere ilæsteþ æffre · þ̵ swete ne cumeþ þe [næffre ·]

II. SAINT GODRIC’S HYMNS

“Royal 5 F vii, British Museum ... apparently an inserted leaf. This leaf ... belongs to the beginning of the thirteenth century....”

A

S

ainte marie uirgine

moder ihesu cristes nazarene

onfo schild help þin godric ·

onfang bring heȝilich wið þe in godes riche ·

S

5 ainte marie xpistes bur

maidenes clenhad moderes flur ·

dilie min sinne rix in min mod ·

bring me `to´ winne wið þe selfd God.

B

Crist and sainte marie swa on scamel me iledde

10 þat ic on þis erðe ne silde wid mine bare fote i tredie ·

C

S

ainte Nicholaes godes druð ·

tymbre us faire scone hus ·

At þi burth at þi bare.

Sainte nicholaes, bring vs wel þare.

III. THE PETERBOROUGH CHRONICLE

“Laud Misc. 636, Bodleian Library (MS. E).... A new hand begins with 1132 and continues to the end in 1155 A.D.”

The Anarchy

f. 88 v] M·C·XXXII. Ðis gear com henri king to þis land. þa com henri abbot ⁊ uureide þe muneces of burch to þe king forþi ð he uuolde underþeden ð mynstre to clunie. sua ð te king was wel neh be paht. ⁊ sende efter þe muneces. ⁊ þur`h´ godes milce ⁊ þur`h´ þe biscop of Seresberi ⁊ te biscop of lincol ⁊ te oþre ricemen þe 5 þer wæron þa wiste þe king ð he feorde mid suicdom. Þa he nan mor ne mihte. þa uuolde he ð his nefe sculde ben abbot in burch. oc xpist it ne uuolde. Was it noht suithe lang þer efter þatte king sende efter him. ⁊ dide him gyuen up ð abbotrice of burch. ⁊ faren ut of lande. ⁊ te king iaf ð abbotrice an prior of S’ neod Martin was 10 ge haten. he com on S’ petres messe dei mid micel wurscipe into the minstre.

20. þa wes treson a Emerson, in MS. þa westre sona. M·C·XXXV. On þis gære for se king henri ouer sæ æt te lammasse. ⁊ ð oþer dei þa he lai an slep in scip. þa þestrede þe dæi ouer al landes ⁊ uuard þe sunne suilc als it 15 uuare thre niht ald mone. an sterres abuten him at middæi. Wur`þ´en men suiðe of uundred ⁊ of dred ⁊ sæden ð micel þing sculde cumen her efter. sua dide. for þat ilc gær warth þe king ded. ð oþer daei efter S’ Andreas massedæi · on normandi. Þa wes treson a þas landes. for æuricman sone ræuede oþer þe mihte. 20 Þa namen his sune ⁊ his frend ⁊ brohten his lic to englelande ⁊ bebiriend in Redinge. Godman he wes ⁊ micel æie wes of him. durste nanman misdon wið oðer on his time. Pais he makede men ⁊ dær. Wua sua bare his byrthen gold ⁊ sylure. durste nan man sei to him naht bute god. 25

f. 89 r] Enmang þis was his nefe cumen to englelande Stephne de blais. ⁊ com to lundene. ⁊ te lundenisce folc him underfeng. ⁊ senden ęfter þe ærcebiscop Willelm curbuil. ⁊ halechede him to kinge on midewintre dæi. On þis kinges time wes al unfrið ⁊ yfel ⁊ ræflac. for agenes him risen sona þa ricemen þe wæron swikes. alre fyrst Balduin 30 de Reduers ⁊ held Execestre agenes him. ⁊ te king it be sæt. ⁊ siððan Balduin acordede. Þa tocan þa oðre ⁊ helden her castles agenes him. ⁊ dauid king of scotland toc to uuerrien him · þa þohuuethere þat here sandes feorden betwyx heom. ⁊ hi to gædere comen ⁊ wurðe sæhte. þoþ it litel forstode. 35

M·C·XXX`VII´. Ð is gære for þe `king´ Stephne ofer sæ to normandi ⁊ ther wes under fangen for þi ð hi uuenden ð he sculde ben alsuic alse the eom wes. ⁊ for he hadde get his tresor. ac he to deld it ⁊ scatered sotlice. Micel hadde henri king gadered gold ⁊ syluer. ⁊ na god ne dide me for his saule thar of. 40

41. Þa] no paragraph in MS. 46. After maked erasure of two letters. 56. After þumbes, ⁊ deleted. Þa `þe´ king Stephne to englalande com þa macod he his gadering æt Oxeneford. ⁊ þar he nam þe biscop Roger of Sereberi ⁊ Alexander biscop of lincol ⁊ te canceler Roger hise neues. ⁊ dide ælle in prisun. til hi iafen up here castles. Þa the suikes under gæton ð he milde man was ⁊ softe ⁊ god. ⁊ na iustise ne dide. þa dide`n´ hi alle 45 wunder. Hi hadden him manred maked ⁊ athes suoren. ac hi nan 7 treuthe ne heolden. alle he wæron for sworen and here treothes for loren. for æuric riceman his castles makede ⁊ agænes him heolden. ⁊ fylden þe land ful of castles. Hi suencten suyðe þe uureccemen of þe land mid castel weorces. þa þe castles uuaren 50 maked þa fylden hi mid deoules ⁊ yuelemen. Þa namen hi þa men þe hi wenden ð ani god hefde`n´. bathe be nihtes. ⁊ be dæies. carlmen ⁊ wimmen. ⁊ diden heom `in prisun´ efter gold ⁊ syluer. ⁊ pined heom; untellendlice pining. for ne uuæren næure

nan martyrs swa pined alse hi wæron. Me henged up bi the fet ⁊ smoked heom · mid 55 ful smoke. Me henged bi the þumbes other bi the hefed. ⁊ hengen bryniges on `her´ fet. Me dide cnotted strenges abuton here [f. 89 v] hæued. ⁊ uurythen to ð it gæde to þe `h´ærnes. Hi diden heom in quarterne þar nadres ⁊ snakes ⁊ pades wæron inne. ⁊ drapen heom swa. Sume hi diden in crucethus ð is in an cęste þat was scort ⁊ nareu. ⁊ 60 un dep. ⁊ dide scærpe stanes þer inne. ⁊ þrengde þe man þær inne. ð him bræcon alle þe limes. In mani of þe castles wæron lof ⁊ grim. ð wæron rachenteges ð twa oþer thre men hadden onoh to bæron onne. þat was sua maced. ð is fæstned to an beom. ⁊ diden an scærp iren abuton þa mannes throte ⁊ his hals. ð he `ne´ myhte nowiderwardes. 65 ne sitten ne lien ne slepen. oc bæron al ð iren. Mani þusen hi drapen mid hungær. J ne can ne i ne mai tellen alle þe wunder ne alle þe pines ð hi diden wreccemen on þis land. ⁊ ð lastede þa ·xix· wintre wile

Stephne was king ⁊ æure it was uuerse ⁊ uuerse. Hi læiden gæildes o`n´ the tunes æure umwile ⁊ clepeden it tenserie. þa 70 þe uureccemen ne hadden nan more to gyuen. þa ræueden hi ⁊ brendon alle the tunes. ð wel þu myhtes faren al a dæis fare sculdest thu neure finden man in tune sittende. ne land tiled. Þa was corn dære. ⁊ flec ⁊ cæse ⁊ butere. for nan ne wæs o þe land. Wrecce men sturuen of hungær. sume ieden on ælmes þe waren sum wile 75 ricemen. sume flugen ut of lande. Wes næure gæt mare wre`c´ce hed on land. ne næure hethen men werse ne diden þan hi diden. For ouer sithon ne for baren `hi´ nouther circe ne cyrce iærd. oc namen al þe god ð þar inne was. ⁊ brenden sythen þe cyrce ⁊ alte gædere. Ne hi ne forbaren biscopes land ne abbotes ne preostes. ac ræueden 80 8 81. þe ouer] þeouer MS. 97. After moste, alse erased. 99. strengthe corrected out of strengthre. munekes ⁊ clerekes. ⁊ æuricman other þe ouer myhte. Gif twa men oþer ·iii· coman ridend to an tun. al þe tunscipe

flugæn for heom. wenden ð hi wæron ræueres. Þe biscopes ⁊ leredmen heom cursede æure. oc was heom naht þar of. for hi uueron al forcursæd ⁊ for suoren ⁊ for loren. War sæ me tilede. þe erthe ne bar nan corn. for þe land 85 was al fordon. mid suilce dædes. ⁊ hi sæden openlice ð xpist slep. ⁊ his halechen. Suilc ⁊ mare þanne we cunnen sæin. we þolenden xix· wintre for ure sinnes. [f. 90 r] On al þis yuele time heold Martin abbot his abbotrice ·xx· wintre ⁊ half gær ⁊ viii· dæis. mid micel suinc. ⁊ fand þe munekes ⁊ te gestes al þat heom be houed ⁊ heold mycel 90 carited in the hus. ⁊ þoþwethere wrohte on þe circe ⁊ sette þar to landes ⁊ rentes. ⁊ goded it suythe. ⁊ læt it refen ⁊ brohte heom into þe neuuæ mynstre on S’ Petres mæsse dæi mid micel wurtscipe. ð was · anno ab incarnatione domini · M·c·xl. a combustione loci ·xxiii· ⁊ he for `to´ Rome. ⁊ þær wæs wæl under fangen fram þe pape 95 Eugenie. ⁊ be gæt thare priuilegies. an of alle þe landes