Oyr purra e aprendre
L’estoyre de un Ordre novel,
Qe mout est delitous e bel:
Je le vus dirroi come l’ay apris
Des freres de mon pays.
L’Ordre est si foundé à droit,
Qe de tous ordres un point estroit,
N’i ad ordre en cest mound
Dont si n’i ad ascun point. 10
Le noun de l’Ordre vus vueil dyre,
Qe um ne me pust blamer de lire;
Qy oyr velt si se teyse,
C’est le Ordre de Bel-Eyse.
De l’Ordre vus dirroi la sonme;
Quar en l’Ordre est meint prodhonme,
E meinte bele e bone dame.
En cel Ordre sunt sanz blame
Esquiers, vadletz, e serjauntz;
Mès à ribaldz e à pesauntz 20
Est l’Ordre del tot defendu,
Qe jà nul ne soit rescu.
Quar il frount à l’Ordre hounte.
Quant rybaud ou vyleyn mounte
En hautesse ou baylie,
Là oû il puet aver mestrie,
N’i ad plus de mesure en eux
Qe al le luop qe devoure aigneux.
De cele gent lerroi ataunt,
E de le Ordre dirroi avaunt. 30
En cel Ordre dount je vus dy,
Est primes issi estably,
Que ceux qe à l’Ordre serrount,
De Sympringham averount
Un point, qe bien pleysant serra,
Come l’abbeie de Sympringham a,
Freres e sueres ensemble;
C’est bon Ordre, come me semble.
Mès de tant ert changié, pur veyr,
Q’à Sympringham doit aver 40
Entre les freres e les sorours,
Qe desplest à plusours,
Fossés e murs de haute teyse;
Mès en cet Ordre de Bel-Eyse
Ne doit fossé ne mur aver,
Ne nul autre destourber,
Qe les freres à lur pleysyr
Ne pussent à lor sueres venyr,
E qu’il n’eit point de chalaunge.
Jà n’i avera ne lyn ne launge 50
Entre eux, e si le peil y a,
Jà pur ce ne remeindra.
De yleoque est ensi purveu,
Qe cil q’à l’Ordre serrount rendu,
De l’abbé deyvent bien estre:
E ce comaund nostre mestre,
Pur bien manger e à talent
Treis foiz le jour, e plus sovent.
E s’il le font pur compagnye,
Le Ordre pur ce ne remeindra mie. 60
De Beverleye ont un point treit,
Qe serra tenu bien e dreit,
Pur beyvre bien à mangier,
E pus après desqu’à soper;
E après al collacioun,
Deit chescun aver un copoun
De chandelle long desqu’al coute,
E tant come remeindra goute
De la chandeille à arder
Deivent les freres à beyvre ser. 70
Un point unt tret de Hospitlers,
Qe sunt mult corteis chevalers,
E ount robes bien avenauntz,
Longes desqu’al pié traynantz,
Soudlers e chausés bien séantz,
E gros palefrois bien amblantz;
Si deyvent en nostre Ordre aver
Les freres e sueres, pur veyr.
De Chanoynes ont un point pris,
Qu’en l’Ordre ert bien assis; 80
Quar chanoygnes pur grant peyne
Mangent en la symeygne
Char en le refreitour treis jours;
Auxi deyvent nos sorours
E nos freres chescun jour
Char mangier en refreitour,
Fors le vendredi soulement,
E le samadi ensement.
E si issint avenist
Q’al samadi hoste fust, 90
E l’em ne ust plenté de pesshon,
L’estor qe fust en la mesoun
Purreint il par congié prendre,
Jà l’Ordre ne serra le meindre.
Un point ont tret de Moyne Neirs,
Que volenters beyvent, pur veyrs,
E sount cheschun jour yvre,
Quar ne sevent autre vivre;
Mès il le fount pur compagnie,
E ne mie pur glotonie. 100
Auxi est il purveu
Que chescun frere soit enbu,
De jour en jour tot adès
Devant manger e après.
E si il avenist ensi
Qe à frere venist amy,
Dount se deyvent ensorter
Pur les freres solacer,
Qui savera bien juer le seyr;
Ce vus di-je de veir, 110
Yl dormira grant matinée,
Desque la male fumée
Seit de la teste issue,
Pur grant peril de la vewe.
Des Chanoygnes Seculers,
Qe dames servent volenters,
Ont nos mestres un point treit,
E vueillent qe cel point seit
Bien tenuz e bien uséez;
Quar c’est le point, bien sachez, 120
Que pluz ad en l’Ordre mester,
Pur les freres solacer.
Si est, sur eschumygement,
Comaundé molt estroitement,
Que chescun frere à sa sorour
Deit fere le giw d’amour
Devant matines adescement,
E après matines ensement;
E s’il le fet avant son departyr
Troiz foiz à soun pleysyr, 130
Jà le frere blame ne avera,
Ne le Ordre enpeyré serra.
Gris Moignes sunt dure gent,
E de lur ordre nequedent
Vueillent nos mestres pur grever
L’Ordre un des lur poyntz aver;
E si n’est geres corteis,--
Quar à matines vont sanz breys.
Auxi deyvent nos freres fere,
Pur estre prest à lur affere. 140
E quant il fount nul oreysoun,
Si deyvent estre à genulloun,
Pur aver greindre devocioun
A fere lur executioun.
E ou un seyn sonnent santz plus,
C’est lur ordre e lur us:--
Mès nos freres pur doubler,
Ou deus seynz deyvent soner.
De taunt est nostre Ordre dyvers,
Qe no sueres deyvent envers 150
Gysyr e orer countre-mount,
Par grant devocioun le fount.
Issi pernent en pacience,
C’est point de l’Ordre de Cilence;
Chaichons est bon ordre, sanz faile,
N’est nul des autres qe taunt vayle;--
Pur ce vueillent ascun point trere
De cel ordre à nostre affere.
Chescun est en sa celle enclos,
Pur estre soul en repos; 160
Auxi deyvent nos freres estre,
Si doit chescun à sa fenestre
Del herber aver pur solas,
E sa suere entre ces bras,
E estre enclos privément,
Pur survenue de la gent.
Ne devomz pas entreoublier,
Si nostre ordre deit durer,
Les Frere Menours à nul suer,
Qe Dieu servent de bon cuer; 170
Si devomz ascun point aver
De lur ordre, pur mieux valer.
Lur ordre est fondé en poverte,
Pur quei yl vont la voie apierte
En ciel tot plenerement;
Si vus dirroi bien coment
Yl querent poverte tot dis;
Quaunt il vont par le pays,
Al chief baroun ou chivaler
Se lerrount il herberger, 180
Ou à chief persone ou prestre,
Là ou il purrount acese estre;
Mès par Seint Piere de Ronme,
Ne se herbigerount ou povre honme,--
Taunt come plus riches serrount,
Ostiel plustost demanderount.
Ne ne deyvent nos freres fere
Ostiel, ne autre lyu quere,
Fors là ou il sevent plenté,
E là deyvent en charité 190
Char mangier e ce qu’il ount,
Auxi come les Menours fount.
Pus qe avomz des menours,
Auxi averomz des Prechours;
Ne vont come les autres nuyz péez
Eynz vont precher tot chaucéez,
E s’il avient ascune feez
Qu’il seient malades as piés,
Yl purrount, s’il ount talent,
Chevalcher tot plenerement 200
Tote la jornée entière.
Mès tot en autre manere
Deyvent nos freres fere,
Quant il prechent par la terre;
Car il deyvent tot adès
Tot dis chevalcher loinz e près:
E quant il fount nul sermoun,
Si deyvent estre dedenz mesoun.
E tote foiz après manger
Deyvent il de dreit precher; 210
Quar meint honme est de tiele manere,
Qu’il ad le cuer pluz dur qe piere,
Mès quant il avera ankes bu
Tost avera le Ordre entendu,
E les cuers serront enmoistez,
De plus leger serrount oyez,
Qe à l’Ordre se rendrount
Quant le sermon oy averont.
Ensi est nostre ordre foundé,
E si ount nos freres en pensée, 220
Qe chescun counté doit aver
Un abbé, qe eit poer
A receyvre sueres e freres,
E fere e tenyr ordres pleneres,
E qe les pointz seient tenuz
Qe nos mestres ount purveuz.
Un provyncial en la terre
Doit aler e enquere,
Pur saver qy l’Ordre tendra.
E cely qe le enfreindra, 230
Serra privément chastié,
E de son meffet reprové.
E ceux qe serront trovez
Qe l’Ordre averount bien usez,
Si deyvent pur lur humilité
Estre mis en digneté,
E serrount abbés ou priours
A tenyr l’Ordre en honeurs.
Issi fount les Augustyns,
Qe tant sevent de devyns; 240
Par tot enquergent pleynement
Qy tienent l’Ordre lealment,
E ceux qe l’Ordre tendrount
Par tot loé serrount.
Atant fine nostre Ordre,
Q’à touz bonz ordres se acorde,
E c’est l’Ordre de Bel-Eyse,
Qe à plusours trobien pleyse!
TRANSLATION.--He who will listen to me, may hear and learn the
history of a new Order, which is very pleasant and beautiful:
I will tell it you as I have learnt it from the brethren of my
country. The Order is so cleverly founded, that it takes a point
from all the other orders; there is not an order in this world,
of which there is not there some one point. The name of the Order
I will tell you, that I may not be blamed for what I read; he
who will hear, let him be silent, it is the Order of Fair-Ease.
Of this Order I will tell you the sum; for in the order is many
a worthy fellow, and many a fair and good dame. In this Order
there are without blame, esquires, valets, and serjeants; but
to ribalds and to peasants the Order is entirely forbidden,
so that no one may be received into it. For they would bring
disgrace upon the Order. When ribald or vilein mounts to high
place or office, there where he can have power, there is no more
moderation in them than in the wolf which devours lambs. Of such
people I will say no more, but I will go on to talk about the
Order.
In this Order of which I tell you, it is first ordained thus,
that those who shall belong to the Order, shall have one point
of Sempringham, which will be very agreeable, as the Abbey of
Sempringham has, brothers and sisters together; it is a good
Order, as it seems to me. But so far, in truth, it is changed,
that at Sempringham there must be between the brothers and the
sisters (a thing which displeases many,) ditches and walls of
high measure; but in this Order of Fair-Ease there must be
neither ditch nor wall, nor any other impediment, to hinder
the brethren at their pleasure from visiting the sisters, nor
shall there be any watch-word. Their intimacy shall neither be
separated by linen nor wool, or even by their very skins. From
thence also it is provided, that they who shall enter the Order,
must be well entertained by the abbot: and this our master
commands, to eat well and plentifully three times a day, and
oftener. And if they do it for company, the Order on that account
shall not be the worse.
Of Beverley they have taken a point, which shall be kept well
and accurately, to drink well at their meat, and then afterwards
until supper; and afterwards at the collation, each must have
a piece of candle as long as the arm below the elbow, and as
long as there shall remain a morsel of the candle to burn, the
brethren must continue their drinking.
A point they have taken from the Hospitallers, who are very
courteous knights, and have very becoming robes, so long that
they drag at their feet; shoes and breeches which fit elegantly,
and great palfreys that amble well; so in our Order, in truth,
the brethren and sisters must have them.
Of the Canons they have taken a point, which will agree well
with the Order; for the canons, for great pain, eat in the
refectory flesh three days in the week; so must our sisters and
our brethren eat flesh in the refectory every day, except only
Friday, and likewise Saturday. And if it so happen that there be
a fast on the Saturday, and they have not plenty of fish, they
may have leave to take what provisions are in the house; the
Order will be none the worse for it.
A point they have taken from the Black Monks, that they love
drinking, forsooth, and are drunk every day, for they do not know
any other way of living. But they do it for the sake of society,
and not at all out of gluttony. Also it is provided, that each
brother drink before dinner and after. And if it so happen that
a friend visit a brother (for such must be at hand to solace
the brethren) who shall know how to play in the evening; this I
tell you for certain, he shall sleep late in the morning, until
the evil fumes are issued from his head, for great danger of the
sight.
Of the Secular Canons, who willingly serve ladies, our masters
have taken a point, and will that this point be well observed
and well used; for know that this point is more needful than
any in the Order, in order to solace the brethren. And so it
is commanded very straightly, on pain of excommunication,
that the brethren be constant companions of the sisters, both
before matins and after, so that the brethren be not blamed for
neglecting them, nor the Order receive discredit.
The Grey Monks are a hard race; yet, nevertheless, from their
order our masters will that the Order have one of their points
for mortification; and in fact it is not over courteous,--for
they go to matins without breeches. So ought our brethren to do,
to be more at their ease. And when they make no prayer, they must
be on their knees, to have greater and more effectual devotion:
and they ring with one bell, and no more,--it is their order
and usage:--but our brethren, to double it, must sound with two
bells. Our Order has such difference, that our sisters must
lay down flat and pray on their backs, they do it out of great
devotion.
Also they take in patience, it is a point from the Order of
Silence; each is a good order, without doubt, but none of the
others is so valuable;--therefore they will take one point of
this order for our purpose. Each is shut up in his cell, to
repose himself alone; so our brothers must be, and each at his
window must have some plants to comfort him, and his sister in
his arms, and he must be shut up privately, that nobody may
disturb them.
We must not forget, if our Order is to last, the Friars Minors,
in no case; so must we have a point of their order, to be of more
account. Their order is founded in poverty, therefore they go the
open way to heaven completely; and I will tell you exactly how
they seek poverty always; when they travel through the country,
they take up their lodgings with the chief baron or knight,
or with the chief person or priest, there where they can be
satiated; but, by St. Peter of Rome! they will never lodge with
a poor man,--so long as there are richer men to be found, they
prefer asking a lodging of them. In the same manner our brethren
must not take up their lodging, nor seek other place, than where
they know there is plenty, and there they ought in charity to eat
flesh and whatever they find, as the Friars Minors do.
As we owe something to the Minors, we will borrow also of the
Preachers; they do not go bare-foot like the others, but they
go preaching with shoes on, and if it happen any time that they
have sore feet, they may, if they like, ride on horseback at
their ease all the day long. But quite in another manner ought
our brethren to do, when they preach through the land; for they
must ride thus always both far and near: and when they make any
sermon, they must be within doors. And always after dinner they
ought rightly to preach; for many a man is of such a character,
that his heart is harder than stone; but when he shall have once
drunk, then as soon as he has heard the Order, and the hearts
shall be moistened, however little they might have heard, they
will listen to the Order, when they have heard the sermon.
Thus is our Order founded, and our brothers have deemed right,
that each county must have an abbot, who has power to receive
sisters and brothers, and make and hold full orders, and that
the points shall be held which our masters have provided. A
provincial ought to go and inquire in the land, to know who will
hold the Order. And he who shall break it, shall be chastised
in private, and reproved for his trespass. And those who shall
be found to have made good use of the order, must, for their
humility, be raised to dignity, and they shall be abbots or
priors to hold the order in honours. Thus do the Augustine
Monks, who know so many devices; every where they give full
encouragement to those who hold the Order loyally, and those who
will hold the Order shall be praised everywhere.
Now ends our Order, which agrees with all good orders, and it is
the Order of Fair-Ease, which to many may it please too well!
* * * * *
Edward endeavoured to call off the vigour of his subjects from
domestic sedition to foreign wars. But the expenses dependent
upon the latter only added to the many burdens under which the
English peasantry laboured; and it is now that we begin to find the
complaints of the latter vented in the shape of popular songs.
SONG OF THE HUSBANDMAN.
[MS. Harl. No. 2253, fol. 64, r^o; reign of Edw. II.]
Ich herde men upo mold make muche mon,
Hou he beth i-tened of here tilyynge,
Gode ȝeres and corn bothe beth a-gon,
Ne kepeth here no sawe ne no song syng.
“Now we mote worche, nis ther non other won,
Mai ich no lengore lyve with my lesinge;
Ȝet ther is a bitterore bid to the bon,
For ever the furthe peni mot to the kynge.
Thus we carpeth for the kyng, and carieth ful colde,
And weneth for te kevere, and ever buth a-cast;
Whose hath eny god, hopeth he nout to holde,
Bote ever the levest we leoseth a-last.
Luther is to leosen ther ase lutel ys,
And haveth monie hynen that hopieth therto;
The hayward heteth us harm to habben of his;
The bailif bockneth us bale and weneth wel do;
The wodeward waiteth us wo that loketh under rys;
Ne mai us ryse no rest rycheis ne ro.
Thus me pileth the pore that is of lute pris:
Nede in swot and in swynk swynde mot swo:”
Nede he mot swynde thah he hade swore,
That nath nout en hod his lied for te hude.
Thus wil walketh in londe, and lawe is for-lore,
And al is piked of the pore, the prikyares prude.
Thus me pileth the pore and pyketh ful clene,
The ryche raymeth withouten eny ryht;
Ar londes and ar leodes liggeth fol lene,
Thorh b[i]ddyng of baylyfs such harm hem hath hiht.
Meni of religioun me halt hem ful hene,
Baroun and bonde, the clerc and the knyht.
Thus wil walketh in loud, and wondred ys wene,
Falsshipe fatteth and marreth wyth myht.
Stont fulle ythe stude, and halt him ful sturne,
That maketh beggares go with bordon and bagges.
Thus we beth honted from hale to hurne;
That er werede robes, nou wereth ragges.
Ȝet cometh budeles, with ful muche bost,--
“Greythe me selver to the grene wax:
Thou art writen y my writ that thou wel wost.”
Mo then ten sithen told y my tax.
Thenne mot ych habbe hennen a-rost,
Feyr on fyhshe day launprey ant lax;
Forth to the chepyn geyneth ne chost,
Thah y sulle mi bil ant my borstax.
Ich mot legge my wed wel ȝef y wolle,
Other sulle mi corn on gras that is grene.
Ȝet I shal be foul cherl, thah he han the fulle,
That ich alle ȝer spare thenne y mot spene.
Nede y mot spene that y spared ȝore,
Aȝeyn this cachereles cometh thus y mot care;
Cometh the maister budel brust ase a bore,
Seith he wole mi bugging bringe ful bare.
Mede y mot munten a mark other more,
Thah ich at the set dey sulle mi mare.
Ther the grene wax us greveth under gore,
That me us honteth ase hound doth the hare.
He us honteth ase hound hare doh on hulle;
Seththe y tek to the lond such tene me wes taht.
Nabbeth ner budeles boded ar sulle,
For he may scape ant we aren ever caht.
Thus y kippe ant cacche cares ful colde,
Seththe y counte ant cot hade to kepe;
To seche selver to the kyng y mi seed solde,
Forthi mi lond leye lith ant leorneth to slepe.
Seththe he mi feire feh fatte y my folde,
When y thenk o mi weole wel neh y wepe;
Thus bredeth monie beggares bolde,
Ant ure ruȝe ys roted ant ruls er we repe.
Ruls ys oure ruȝe ant roted in the stre,
For wickede wederes by brok ant by brynke.
Ther wakeneth in the world wondred ant wee,
Ase god is swynden anon as so for te swynke.
TRANSLATION.--I heard men on the earth make much
lamentation,--how they are injured in their tillage,--good years
and corn are both gone,--they keep here no saying and sing no
song.--Now we must work, there is no other custom,--I can no
longer live with my gleaning;--yet there is a bitterer asking for
the boon,--for ever the fourth penny must [go] to the king.
Thus we complain for the king, and care full coldly,--and think
to recover, and ever are cast;--he who hath any goods, expects
not to keep them,--but ever the dearest we lose at last.
It is grievous to lose, where there is little,--and we have many
fellows who expect it;--the hayward commandeth us harm to have
of his;--the bailiff causeth us to know evil, and thinks to do
well;--the woodward has woe in keeping for us, who looketh under
branches;--there may not arise to us or remain with us riches or
repose.--Thus they rob the poor man, who is of little value:--he
must needs in sweat and in labour waste away so.
He must needs pine away, though he had swore (?),--that hath not
a hood to hide his head.--Thus will walketh in the land, and law
is destroyed,--and all the pride of the rider is picked from the
poor.
Thus they rob the poor and pick him full clean,--the rich
lord it without any right;--their lands and their people lay
full lean,--through asking of bailifs such harm has befallen
them.--Many of religion hold them full abject,--baron and
bond-man, the clerk and the knight.--Thus will walks in the land,
and consternation is frequent,--falsehood fattens and marrs with
might.
He stands full in the place, and holds him full sternly,--that
makes beggars go with bordon and bags.--Thus we are hunted from
hall to corner;--they who once wore robes, now wear rags.
Still there come beadles, with very great boast,--“Prepare me
silver for the green wax:--thou art entered in my writing, that
thou knowest well of.”--More than ten times I paid my tax.--Then
must I have hens roasted,--fair on the fish day lamprey and
salmon;--forth to the market gains not cost,--though I sell my
bill and my borstax.
I must lay my pledge well if I will,--or sell my corn while it is
but green grass.--Yet I shall be a foul churl, though they have
the whole,--what I have saved all the year, I must spend then.
I must needs spend what I saved formerly,--I must thus take care
against the time these catchpoles come;--the master beadle comes
as roughly as a boar,--he says he will make my lodgings full
bare;--I must give him for meed a mark or more,--though I sell
my mare at the day fixed.--There the green wax grieveth us under
garment,--so that they hunt us as a hound doth the hare.
They hunt us as a hound doth a hare on the hill;--since I took to
the land such hurt was given me:--the beadles have never asked
their ...,--for they may scape, and we are always caught.
Thus I take and catch cares full cold,--since I reckoning
and cot had to keep;--to seek silver for the king, I sold
my seed,--wherefore my land lies fallow and learneth to
sleep.--Since they fetched my fair cattle in my fold,--when
I think of my weal I very nearly weep;--thus breed many bold
beggars,--and our rye is rotted and ... before we reap.
... is our rye and rotted in the straw,--on account of the
bad weather by brook and by brink.--There wakes in the world
consternation and woe,--as good is to perish at once as so to
labour.
* * * * *
The following song appears to be directed against the gay fashions
in Ladies’ clothing which became prevalent about this time, and
seem even to have been aped by the middle and lower ranks.
AGAINST THE PRIDE OF THE LADIES.
[MS. Harl. 2253, fol. 61, v^o; reign of Edw. II.]
Lord that lenest us lyf, ant lokest uch an lede,
For te cocke with knyf nast thou none nede;
Bothe wepmon ant wyf sore mowe drede,
Lest thou be sturne with strif, for bone that thou bede,
in wunne
That monku[n]ne
Shulde shilde hem from sunne.
Nou hath prude the pris in everuche plawe;
By mony wymmon un-wis y sugge mi sawe,
For ȝef a ledy lyne is leid after lawe,
Uch a strumpet that ther is such drahtes wl drawe;
in prude
Uch a screwe wol hire shrude
Thah he nabbe nout a smoke hire foule ers to hude.
Furmest in boure were boses y-broht,
Levedis to honoure ichot he were wroht;
Uch gigelot wol loure, bote he hem habbe soht;
Such shrewe fol soure ant duere hit hath a-boht;
in helle
With develes he shule duelle,
For the clogges that cleveth by here chelle.
Nou ne lacketh hem no lyn boses in to beren;
He sitteth ase a slat swyn that hongeth is eren.
Such a joustynde gyn uch wrecche wol weren,
Al hit cometh in declyn this gigelotes geren;
upo lofte
The devel may sitte softe,
Ant holden his halymotes ofte.
Ȝef ther lyth a loket by er outher eȝe,
That mot with worse be wet for lat of other leȝe;
The bout and the barbet wyth frountel shule feȝe;
Habbe he a fauce filet, he halt hire hed heȝe,
to shewe
That heo be kud ant knewe
For strompet in rybaudes rewe.
TRANSLATION.--Lord, that givest us life, and regardest every
people,--to ... with knife thou hast no need;--both man and
woman sorely may dread,--lest thou be stern with wrath, for the
boon that thou askedst,--in joy--that mankind--should shield
themselves from sin.
Now pride hath the prize in every play;--of many unwise women
I say my saw,--for if a lady’s linen is laid after law,--every
strumpet that there is such draughts will draw;--in pride--every
shrew will clothe herself,--though she have not a smock to hide
her dirty tail.
First in bower were bosses brought,--to honour ladies I wot they
were wrought;--every giglot will lour, unless she have them
sought;--such shrew full sourly and dearly hath bought it;--in
hell--with devils they shall dwell,--on account of the clogs
which hang by their jowls.
Now they want no linen to bear bosses in;--they sit like a
slit swine which hangs its ears.--Such a justling contrivance
every wretch will wear,--that these giglots’ gear all comes
to nothing;--on high--the devil may sit softly,--and hold his
sabbaths often.
If there lies a locket by ear or eye,--that may with worse be
wet, for lack of other lye; the but and the barbel with frontlet
shall quarrel;--if she have a false fillet, she holds her head
high,--to show--that she is famous and well known--for a strumpet
in the ribalds’ ranks.
* * * * *
Another song, written apparently about the same period, is a satire
upon the smaller Ecclesiastical Courts, and the vexation which they
caused to the peasantry.
A SATYRE ON THE CONSISTORY COURTS.
[MS. Harl. No. 2253, fol. 70, v^o; of reign of Edw. II.]
Ne mai no lewed lued libben in londe,
Be he never in hyrt so haver of honde,
So lerede us bi-ledes;
Ȝef ich on molde mote with a mai,
Y shal falle hem byfore ant lurnen huere lay,
Ant rewen alle huere redes.
Ah bote y be the furme day on folde hem by-fore,
Ne shal y nout so skere scapen of huere score;
So grimly he on me gredes,
That y ne mot me lede ther with mi lawe,
On alle maner othes that heo me wulleth awe,
Heore boc ase un-bredes.
Heo wendeth bokes un-brad,
Ant maketh men a moneth a-mad;
Of scathe y wol me skere,
Ant fleo from my fere;
Ne rohte he whet it were,
Boten heo hit had.
Furst ther sit an old cherl in a blake hure,
Of all that ther sitteth semeth best syre,
And leyth ys leg o lonke.
An heme in an herygoud with honginde sleven,
Ant mo then fourti him by-fore my bales to breven,
In sunnes ȝef y songe:
Heo pynkes with heore penne on heore parchemyn,
Ant sayen y am breved ant y-broht yn
Of al my weole wlonke.
Alle heo bueth redy myn routhes to rede,
Ther y mot for menske munte sum mede,
Ant thonkfulliche hem thonke.
Shal y thonke hem ther er y go?
Ȝe, the maister ant ys men bo.
Ȝef y am wreint in heore write,
Thenne am y bac-bite,
For moni mon heo maketh wyte
Of wymmene wo.
Ȝet ther sitteth somenours syexe other sevene,
Mys motinde men alle by here evene,
Ant recheth forth heore rolle;
Hyrd-men hem hatieth, ant uch mones hyne,
For everuch a parosshe heo polketh in pyne,
Ant clastreth with heore colle.
Nou wol uch fol clerc that is fayly,
Wende to the bysshop ant bugge bayly;
Nys no wyt in is nolle.
Come to countene court couren in a cope,
Ant suggen he hath privilegie proud of the pope,
Swart ant al to-swolle.
Aren heo to-swolle for swore?
Ȝe, the hatred of helle beo heore!
For ther heo beodeth a boke,
To sugge ase y folht toke;
Heo shulen in helle on an hoke
Honge therefore.
Ther stont up a ȝeolumon, ȝeȝeth with a ȝerde,
Ant hat out an heh that al the hyrt herde,
Ant cleopeth Magge ant Malle;
Ant heo cometh by-modered ase a mor-hen,
Ant scrynketh for shome, ant shometh for men,
Un-comely under calle.
Heo biginneth to shryke, ant scremeth anon,
Ant saith, “by my gabbyng ne shal hit so gon,
Ant that beo on ou alle;
That thou shalt me wedde ant welde to wyf.”
Ah me were levere with lawe leose my lyf,
Then so to fote hem falle.
Shal y to fote falle for mi fo?
Ȝe monie by-swyketh heo swo.
Of thralles y am ther thrat,
That sitteth swart ant for-swat,
Ther y mot hente me en hat,
Er ich hom go.
Such chaffare y chepe at the chapitre,
That maketh moni thryve-mon un-thenfol to be,
With thonkes ful thunne:
Ant seththe y go coure at constory,
Ant falle to fote uch a fayly,
Heore is this worldes wynne,
Seththen y pleide at bisshopes plee.
Ah! me were levere be sonken y the see,
In sor withouten synne.
At chirche ant thourh cheping ase dogge y am drive,
That me were levere of lyve then so for te lyve,
To care of al my kynne.
Atte constorie heo kenneth us care,
Ant whissheth us evele ant worse to fare;
A pruest proud ase a po,
Seththe weddeth us bo,
Wyde heo worcheth us wo,
For wymmene ware.