1672Spek not to mych, nore be not vareable.O kingisword ſhuld be o kingisbonde,And ſaid It is, a kingisword ſhuld ſtond;O kingisword, among our faderis old,1676Al-out more precious & more ſur was holdThan was the oth or ſeel of any wight;A king should be the very light of truth.O king of trouth ſuld be the werray lyght,So treuth and Iuſtice to o king accordyth.1680And als, as thir clerkisold recordith,KINGS SHOULD CHERISH ALL MEN.41The initial I is illuminated; rather because there is here a change of subject than because it begins a new sentence.41In tyme is larges and humiliteeRight well according vnto hie dugre,And pleſſith boith to god and man al-so;[Fol. 21b.]1684Wharfor I wil, incontinent thow go,And of thi lond in euery part abide,Whar yow gar fet and clep one euery ſidOut of thi cuntreis, and ek out of thi tovnis,Invite thy dukes, earls, great barons, thy poor knights, and thy bachelors, and welcome them severally.1688Thi dukis, erlis, and thi gret baronis,Thi pur knychtis, and thi bach[e]leris,And them reſauf als hartly as afferis,And be them-ſelf yow welcum them ilkon:1692Syne, them to glaid and cheris, thee diſponeWith feſting and with humyllcontynans.Be not penſyve, nore proud in arrogans,Keep company not with the rich man only, but with the poor worthy man also.Bot withthem hold in gladnes cumpany;1696Not with the Rich nor myghty anerly,Bot with the pure worthi man alſo,Withthem thow ſit, withthem yow ryd and go.I ſay not to be our fameliar,1700For, as the moſt philoſephur can duclar,Yet remember that familiarity breeds contempt.To mych to oyß familiariteeContempnyng bryngith one to hie dugre;Bot cherice them withwordis fair depaynt,1704So with thi pupelle ſal yow the aquaynt.Choose out of each district an aged knight to be thy counsellor.Than of ilk cuntre wyſly yow enquereAn agit knycht to be thi conſulere,That haith ben hold in armys Richt famus,1708Wyß and diſcret, & no thing Inwyus;For there is non that knowith ſo wel, I-wyß,O worthy man as he that worthi Is.When thou hast sojourned long in a place, then provide thee with plenty of horses, armour, gold, silver, and clothing;KINGS MUST BE LIBERAL.When well long haith yow ſwiornyt ina place,1712And well acqueynt the viththi puple has,Than ſhalt thow ordand & prowid theOf horß and ek of armour gret plente;Of gold, and ſiluer, tressore, and cleithing,1716And euery Riches that longith to o king;and, before leaving, distribute gifts liberally.And when the lykith for to tak thi leif,By largeß thus yow thi reward geif,First to the pure worthy honorable,1720That is til armys and til manhed able;(Set he be pur, ȝhit worſchip in hyme bidith);Give to the poor worthy man the horse thou thyself ridest.If hyme the horß one wich thi-ſelwyne Ridith,And bid hyme that he Rid hyme for yhour ſak;1724Syne til hyme gold and ſilueryow betak;The horß to hyme for worſchip and prowes,The treſor for his fredome and larges.[Fol. 22a.]If moſt of Riches and of Cheriſing;1728Eftir this gud knycht berith vitneſing.Give to thy tenants and vavasours easy hackneys, palfries, and coursers.Syne to thi tennandis& to thi wawaſourisIf eſſy haknays, palfrais, and curſouris,And robis ſich as pleſand ben and fair;1732Syne to thi lordis, wich at mychty aire,Give to thy lords things strange and uncouth.As dukis, erlis, princis, and ek kingis,Yow if them ſtrang, yow if them vncouththingis,As diuerß iowellis, and ek preciouß ſtonis,1736Or halkis, hundis, ordinit for the nonis,Or wantone horß that can nocht ſtand in ſtāble;Thar giftismot be fair and delitable.Thus, firſt vn to the vorthi pur yow if1740Giftis, that may ther pouerte Releif;And to the rich iftisof pleſans,That thei be fair, ſet nocht of gret ſubſtans;For riches aſkith no thing bot delyt,1744And powert haith ay ane appetytFor to support ther ned and Indigens:Thus ſhall yow if and makith thi diſpens.So, too, shall the queen give to maidens and ladies,And ek the quen, my lady, ſhalt alſo1748To madenis and to ladeis, quhar ȝhe go,If, and cheriß one the ſamyne wyß;for all thy welfare lies in liberality.For in to largeß al thi welfar lyis.And if thy giftiswith ſichcontinans1752That thei be ſen ay gifyne vithpleſans;The wyß man ſais, and ſuth it is approuit,Thar is no thonk, thar is no ift alowit,Bot It be ifyne In to ſich manere,Remember that the giver should be as glad in his cheer as the receiver.1756(That is to ſay, als glaid into his chere),As he the wich the ift of hyme Reſauith;And do he not, the gifar is diſſauith.For who that iffis, as he not if wald,1760Mor profit war his ift for to with-hald;His thonk he tynith, and his ift alſo.Bot that thow ifith, if withboith two,Give with both hand and heart at once;That is to ſay, vith hart and hand atonis;1764And ſo the wyſman ay ye ift diſponis.Beith larg and iffisfrely of thi thing;for liberality is the treasure of a king.For largeß is the treſour of o king,And not this other Iowellisnor this gold1768That is in to thi treſory with-holde.[Fol. 22b.]Who gladly iffith, be vertew of largesWhoso gives liberally, his treasury increases.His treſory encreſis of Richeſß,And ſal aȝañe the mor al-out reſawe.LIBERAL KINGS ARE LOVED IN LIFE,For the receiver shall place his goods at the king’s disposal,1772For he to quhome he ȝewith ſall hawe,Firſt his body, ſyne his hart with two,His gudis al for to diſpone alsowho shall gain, moreover, both worship and praise.In his ſeruice; and mor atour he ſhall1776Have O thing, and that is beſt of all;That is to ſay, the worſchip and the loßThat vpone larges in this world furth goß.And yow ſhal knaw the lawbour & the preß1780In to this erth about the gret Richeß.Is there any labour except for meat and clothing? All the remnant is for fame.42MS. “Is ony bout bot;” “bout” being defaced.Is ony, bot42apone the cauß we seeOf met, of cloth, & of proſperitee?All the remanant ſtant apone the name1784Of purches, furth apone this worldisfame.And well yow wot, in thyne allegiansFul many Is, the wich haith ſufficiansOf euery thing that longith to ther ned;1788What haith yow more, qwich [haith] them al to lede,For al thi Realmys and thi gret Riches,If that yow lak of worſchip the encreß?Well leß, al-out; for efterthar eſtate1792Thei have vorſchip, and kepith It al-gat;And yow degradith al thyne hie dugree,That ſo ſchuld ſhyne In to nobelitee,Throuch wys and throw the wrechitneß of hart.AND COMMENDED AFTER DEATH.Knowest thou not what shall be thy part, when thou passest away from this world?43MS. has “by.”1796And knowis yow not what ſall be43thi part,Out of this world when yow ſal paß the courß?Fair well, I-wyß! yow neuerſhall Recourß44MS. has “subeiet.”Whar no prince more ſhall the subiet44have,1800But be als dep in to the erd y-grave,Virtue and honour will alone remain.Sauf vertew only and worſchip wich abidith;Withthem the world apone the laif dewidith;And if thy successor be liberal, he will be commended of the world;And if he, wich ſhal eftir the ſucced,1804By larges ſpend, of quhich that yhow had dreid,He of the world comendit is and priſit,And yow ſtant furth of euery thing diſpiſit;The puple ſaith and demyth thus of thee,1808“Now is he gone, a werray vrech was hee,And he the wich that is our king and lordBoith wertew haith & larges in accorde;Welcum be he!” and ſo the puple ſoundith.[Fol. 23a.]1812Thus through thi viß his wertew mor aboundith,and his virtue will abound through thy vice.And his vertew the more thi wice furth ſchawith.Wharfor ȝhe, wich that princes ben y-knawith,Lat not yhour vrechit hart so yhow dant,1816That he that cummyth next yhow may awantTo be mor larg, nore more to be commendit;Riches well spent are the best kept.Best kepit Is the Riches well diſpendit.O ȝhe, the wich that kingisben, fore ſham1820Remembrith yhow, this world hath bot o naam̅Of good or ewill, efterȝhe ar gone!And wyſly tharfor cheſſith yhow the toñWich moſt accordith to nobilitee,1824And knytith larges to yhour hie degre.For qwhar that fredome In O prince Ringnis,It bryngith In the victory of kingis,And makith realmys and puple boith to dout,45Or “subettis.”1828And ſubectis45of the cuntre al about.LIBERAL KINGS WIN SUBJECTS,Whoso will be a conqueror, let him not reck to give largely.And qwho that thinkith ben o conquerour,Suppos his largeß ſumquhat pas myſour,Ne rak he nat, bot frely iffith ay;1832And as he wynyth, beis var al-wayTo mych nor ȝhit to gredy that he hold,Wich ſal the hartisof the puple colde.Both love and fear spring from liberality.And low and radour cummyth boith two1836Of larges; Reid and ȝhe ſal fynd It ſo.Alexanderthis lord the warld that wan,Firſt withthe ſuerd of larges he began,Alexander gave so liberally,And as he wynith ifith largely,1840He rakith No thing bot of cheuelry;Wharfor of hyme ſo paſſith the Renown,that many cities desired to have such a lord,That many o cetee, and many o ſtrang towñOf his worſchip that herith the Recorde,1844Diſſirith ſo to haveing ſich o lorde;and offered themselves peaceably to him, though they were manly men of war.And offerith them with-outen ſtrok of ſpere,Suppos that thei war manly men of were,But only for his gentilleß that thei1848Have hard; and ſo he louit was al-wayFor his larges, humilitee, and manhed,Withhis awn folk, that neuermore, we Reid,[Fol. 23b.]For al his weris nor his gret trawell,1852In al his tym that thei hyme onys faill;Bot in his worſchip al thar beſynesThei ſet, and lewith in to no diſtres;Whar-throw the ſuerd of victory he berith.Many princes bear the palm of victory, through liberality;1856And many prince full oft the palm werith,As has ben hard, by largeß, of before,In conqueringe of Rignis & of glore.while miserliness hath made realms desolate.And wrechitnes Richt ſo, in the contrar,BUT UNJUST ONES DESPOIL THEM.1860Haith Realmys maid ful deſolat & bare,And kingisbroght doun from ful hie eſtat;And who that Red ther old bukis, watThe vicis lef, the wertew have in mynde,1864And takith larges In his awn kynd;Choose the mean between prodigality and avarice.A-myd ſtanding of the vicis two,Prodegalitee and awerice alſo.Wharfor her-of It nedith not to more,1868So mych ther-of haith clerkisvrit to-fore.Whoso chooses to be liberal,Bot who the wertw of larges & the lawSal cheß, mot ned conſidir well & knawmust understand three things: theamount he has, towhomhe giveth, and thefit timefor giving.In to hyme-ſelf, and thir thre wnderſtande,1872The ſubſtans firſt, the powar of his land,Whome to he iffith, and the cauß wharfore,The nedful tyme awatith euermore.Kepith thir thre; for qwho that ſal exced1876His rent, he fallith ſodandly in nede.(1) The king that becomesindigentoverthrows his subjects.And ſo the king, that on to myſterdrowis,His subiettisand his puple he our-thrawis,And them diſpolȝeith boith of lond and Rent;1880So is the king, ſo is the puple ſchent.For the voice of the oppressed shrieketh up ceaselessly to heaven;For-quhi the woice It ſcrik[i]th vp ful ewyneWith-out abaid, and paſſith to the hewyne,Whar god hyme-ſelf reſauith ther the crye1884Of the oppreſioune and the teranny,and God smiteth down with the sword of vengeance.And vith the ſuerd of wengans douny-ſmytith,The wich that caruith al to ſor, and bitith,And hyme diſtroyth, as has ben hard or this1888Of euery king that wirkith ſich o mys.BEWARE OF INJUSTICE AND FLATTERY.For ther is few eſchapith them, It ſallFor God hath given the king the wand of justice:Boith vpone hyme & his ſucceſſione fall;For he forſuth haith ifyne hyme the wond[Fol. 24a.]1892To Iuſtefy and Reull in pece his lond,The puple all ſubmytit to his cure;And he aȝan one to no creaturSave only ſhall vn to his gode obey.1896And if he paſſith ſo far out of the wey,and if he oppresses them whom he should rule,Them to oppreß, that he ſhuld reul & gid,Ther heritag, there gwdis to dewide,Ye, wnderwhome that he moſt nedis ſtond,God shall stretch His mighty hand for correction.1900At correccioune ſal ſtrek his mychty hond,Not euery day, bot ſhal at onys fallOn hyme, mayhap, and his ſucceſcione all.Herein, alas! is the blindness of kings.In this, allace! the blyndisof the kingis,1904And Is the fall of princisand of Rygnis.The moſt wertew, the gret Intellegens,The blessed token of a king’s wisdom is for him to restrain his hand from his people’s riches.The bleſſit tokyne of wyſdom and prudensIſß, in o king, for to reſtren his honde1908Frome his pupleis Riches & ther lond.Mot euery king have this wice inmyndIn tyme, and not when that he ned fynde!And in thi larges beith war, I pray,(2) Choose afitting time.1912Of nedful tyme, for than is beſt alway.(3) Take careto whomyou give.Awyß the ek quhome to that thow ſalt if,Of there fam, and ek how that thei leif;Let not the virtuous and the vicious stand in the same degree.And of the wertws and wicious folk alſo,1916I the beſeich dewidith well thir two,So that thei ſtond nocht in[to] o degree;Diſcreccioune ſall mak the diuerſitee,Wich clepith the moderof al vertewis.FLATTERERS SUCCEED WHEN KINGS ARE FOOLISH.Beware of flattery.1920And beith war, I the beſeich of this,That is to ſay of flatry, wich that longithTo court, and al the kingislarges fongith.The vertuouß man no thing thar-of reſauith,1924The flattererisnow ſo the king diſſauithAnd blyndith them that wot no thing, I-wyß,When thei do well, or quhen thei do o myß;And latith kingisoft til wnderſtonde1928Thar vicis, and ek ye faltisof ther lond.In to the realme about o king Is holdeA flatterer is worse than a storm or a pestilence.O flatterere were than is the ſtormys cold,Or peſtelens, and mor the realme anoyith;1932For he the law and puple boith diſtroyith.[Fol. 24b.]Three things make flatterers in favour.And in to principall ben ther three thingis,That cauſſith flattereris ſtonding withthe kingis;First, the blind ignorance of kings.And on, It is the blyndit Ignorans1936Of kingis, wich that hath no gouernansTo wnderſtond who doith ſich o myß;But who that fareſt ſchewith hym, I-wyß,Moſt ſuffiſith and beſt to his pleſans.1940Wo to the realme that havith ſich o chans!Secondly, where a king is vicious himself.And ſecundly, quhar that o king IsWeciuß hyme-ſelf, he cheriſſith, ywys,Al them the wich that one to vicis ſoundith,1944Whar-throw that vicis and flattery ek aboundith.Thirdly, where the king is so foolish, that he knows their flattery, yet withdraws from reproving them.The thrid, is the ilk ſchrewit harrmful wice,Wich makith o king within hyme-ſelf ſo nyce,That al thar flattry and ther gilt he knowith1948In to his wit, and ȝhit he hyme with-drowithThem to repref, and of ther vicis he wot;And this It is wich that diſſemblyng hot,That in no way accordith for o king.1952Is he not ſet abuf apone his Ringne,As ſouerane his puple for to lede?Why should a king spare to say the truth?Whi ſchuld he ſpare, or quhom of ſchuld he dredTo ſay the treuth, as he of Right is hold?1956And if ſo ware that al the kingiswold,When that his legiscomytit ony wyce,As beith not to ſchamful, nore to nyce,That thei preſume that he is negligent,He should reprove without dissembling, as it is fitting.1960But als far as he thinkith that thei myß-went,But diſſemblyng reprewith as afferis;And pwnice them quhar pwnyſing Requeris,Sauf only mercy in the tyme of ned.1964And ſo o king he ſchuld his puple led,That no treſpaß, that cummyth in his way,Shuld paß his hond wne-pwniſt away;Nore no good deid in to the ſamyn degree,1968Nore no wertew, ſuld wn-Reuardid bee.Then flattery, that now is high, should be low.Than flattry ſhuld, that now is he, be low,And wice from the kingiscourt with-drow;His miniſteris that ſhuld the Iuſtice reull,1972Shuld kep well furthof quiet & reull,That now, god wat, as It conſerwit Is,The ſtere is loſt, and al is gon amys;[Fol. 25a.]And vertew ſhuld hame to the court hyme dreß,1976That exillith goith in to the wildernes.WISE KINGS MAKE A WISE PEOPLE.If a king thus stood like his own degree, his people would be virtuous and wise.Thus if o king ſtud lyk his awn degree,Wertwis and wyß than ſhuld his puple bee,Only ſet by vertew hyme to pleß,1980And ſore adred his wiſdom to diſpleß.And if that he towart the vicis draw,His folk ſall go on to that ilk law;What ſhal hyme pleß that wil nocht ellisfynd,1984Bot ther-apon ſetith al ther mynde.Thus the rule of his people and kingdom standeth only in the king’s virtue.Thus only in the wertew of o kingThe reull ſtant of his puple & his ringne,If he be wyß and, but diſſemblyng, ſchewis,1988As I have ſaid, the vicis one to ſchrewis.And ſo thus, ſir, It ſtant apone thi willFor to omend thi puple, or to ſpill;Or have thi court of vertewis folk, or fullis;Since thou art wholly master of the schools, teach them, and they shall gladly learn.”1992Sen yow art holl maiſterof the ſcoullisTeichith them, and thei ſal gladly leir,46Or, “leir.” MS. apparently has “leir,” corrected to “heir.”That is to ſay, that thei may no thing heir46Sauf only wertew towart thyn eſtat;1996And cheriß them that wertews ben algait.And thinkith what that wertew is to thee;It pleſſith god, vphaldith thi degree.”Arthur considers his counsel profitable.“Maiſter,” quod he, “me think rycht profitable2000Yowr conſeell Is, and wonderhonorableFor me, and good; rycht well I haveconſauit,And in myne hartisInwartneß reſauit.I ſhal fulfill and do yowr ordynans2004Als far of wit as I have ſuffiſans;Bot y beſeich yow, in til hartly wyß,He beseeches him to expound his dream,That of my drem ȝhe ſo to me dewyß,The wich ſo long haith occupeid my mynd,how he shall only find help through the water-lion, the leech, and the flower.2008How that I ſhal no manerſucour fyndBot only throw the wattir lyon, & ſyneThe leich that is withouten medyſyne;And of the conſell of the flour; wich ayre2012Wonderis lyk that no man can duclar.”THE WATER-LION MEANS GOD.“Now, ſir,” quodhe, “and I of them al thre,What thei betakyne ſhal I ſchaw to the,The master’s explanation.Such as the clerkisat them ſpecifiit;[Fol. 25b.]2016Thei vſit no thing what thei ſignefiit.The water-lion is the very God.The wattir lyone Is the god werray,God to the lyone is lyknyt many way;But thei have hyme In to the wattir ſeñ,2020Confuſit were ther wittis al, y weñ;The water is men’s fragility;The wattir was ther awn fragelitee,And thar treſpas, and thar InequiteeIn to this world, the wich thei ſtond y-cloſit;2024That was the wattir wich thei have ſuppoſit,That haith there knowlag maad ſo Inperfyt;Thar ſyne & ek ther worldis gret delyt,As clowdy wattir, was euermore betweñ,whereby they see not the lion perfectly.2028That thei the lyone perfitly hath nocht ſeñ;Bot as the wattir, wich was yerawn ſynne,That euermor thei ſtond confuſit In.Had men been always religious, they had seen the lion not in water, but clearly.If thei haith ſtond in to religioñ clen,2032Thei had the lyone Not in watterſen,Bot clerly vp in to the hewyne abuf,Eternaly whar he ſhal not remufe.And euermore in vatterof ſyne vas hee,47“see”(?).2036For-quhi It is Impoſſeble for to bee;47The world is enclosed in the darkness of their sin.And thus the world, wich that thei ar In,Y-cloſit Is in dyrknes of ther ſyne;And ek the thikneß of the air betwen2040The lyone mad in vattir to be ſen.For It was nocht bot ſtrenth of ther clergyWich thei have here, and It is bot erthly,That makith them there reſouns dewyß,2044And ſe the lyone thus in erthly wyß.The lion is God’s son, Jesu Christ.This is the lyone, god, and goddis sone,Ihesu criſt, wich ay in hewyne ſal wonne.For as the lyone of euery beſt is king,2048So is he lord and maiſterof al thing,That of the bleſſit vyrgyne vas y-bore.Ful many a natur the lyone haith, quhar-foreThat he to god reſemblyt is, bot I2052Lyk not mo at this tyme ſpecify.This is the lyone, thar-of have yow no dred,That ſhal the help and comfort In thi ned.THE LEECH WITHOUT MEDICINE IS CHRIST.The ſentens here now woll I the defyneThe leech without medicine is also God.2056Of hyme, the lech withouten medyſyne,Wich is the god that euery thing hath vroght.[Fol. 26a.]For yow may know that vther Is It noght,Not as surgeons,As ſurgynis and feſicianis, wich that delith2060Withmortell thingis, and mortell thingishelyth,whose art is in medicine,And al thar art is in to medyſyne,As it is ordanit be the mycht dewyne,and in plaisters, drinks, and various anointments; who know the quality of the year, and the disposition of the planets.48MS. “anoñytmētis,” or “anoūytmētis.”As plaſteris, drinkis, and anouyntmentis48ſeir,2064And of the qualyte watyng of the yher;And of the planetisdiſpoſicioune,And of the naturis of compleccyoune,And in the diuerß changing of hwmowris.2068Thus wnderreull lyith al there cwris;And yhit thei far as blynd man In the way,Oft quhen that deith thar craft liſt to aſſay.Bot god, the wich that is the ſoueran lech,2072Nedith no manermedyſyne to ſech;For ther is no Infyrmyte, nore wound,Bot as hyme lykith al is holl and ſound.But God can heal infirmity of thought,So can he heill Infyrmytee of thoght,2076Wich that one erdly medeſyne can noght;and also the soul that goeth to confusion.And als the ſaul that to confuſioune goith,And haith with hyme and vther parteis boith,His dedly wound god helyth frome the ground;2080On to his cure no medyſyne is found.This Is his mycht that neuermore ſhall fyne,This is the leich withouten medyſyne;And If that yhow at confeſſioune hath ben2084And makith the of al thi ſynnis clen,He shall be thy leech in all necessity.Yow art than holl, and this ilk ſamyn is heSchall be thi leich In al neceſſitee.THE FLOWER IS THE VIRGIN MARY.Now of the flour y woll to the diſcerñ:49The word, though indistinct, is almost certainly “haith.” Stevenson has “high;” but this gives no sense.2088This is the flour that haith49the froyt eterñ,This is the flour, this fadith for no ſchour,This is the flour of euery flouris floure;The flower is she of whom the eternal fruit was born,This is the flour, of quhom the froyt vas borñ,2092This ws redemyt efterthat we war lorñ;This Is the flour that euerſpryngith new,This is the flour that changith neuerhew;the virgin that bore the Saviour,This is the vyrgyne, this is the bleſſit flour2096That Ihesu bur is our salweour,This flour wnwemmyt of hir wirginitee;This is the flour of our felicitee,This is the flour to quhom ve ſhuld exort,that ceaseth not to support us caitiffs,2100This is the flour not ſeſſith to ſupportIn prayere, conſell, and in byſſynes,[Fol. 26b.]Vs catifis ay In to our wrechitnesOn to hir sone, the quich hir conſell herith;2104This is the flour that al our gladneß ſterith,through whose prayer are many saved.Throuch whois prayer mony one is ſawit,That to the deth eternaly war reſawit,Ne war hir hartly ſuplicatioune.2108This is the flour of our ſaluatioune,Next hir sone, the froyt of euery flour;This is the ſam that ſhal be thi ſuccour,If that the lykith hartly Reuerans2112And ſeruice ȝeld one to hir excellens,Syne worſchip hir withal thi byſſyneß;Sche ſal thi harm, ſche ſall thi ned redreß.She shall so counsel the lion and the leech, that thou need not despair.Sche ſall ſice conſell if one to the two,2116The lyone and the ſouerane lech alſo,Yow ſall not Ned yi drem̅ for to diſpar,Nor ȝhit no thing that is in thi contrare.Now—quod the maiſter—yow may well wnderſtand2120Tueching thi drem as I have born on hande;And planly haith the materal declarith,That yhow may know of wich yow was diſparith.The lech, the lyone, and the flour alſo,2124Yow worſchip them, yow ſerve them euermo;And ples the world as I have ſaid before;In gouernans thus ſtondith al thi glore.Do now as thou list, for all is in thy hand.Do as yow liſt, for al is in thi honde,2128To tyne thi-ſelf, thi honore, and thi londe,Or lyk o prince, oconquerour, or king,In honore and in worſchip for to Ringe.”ARTHUR IS COMFORTED.The king replies,“Now,” quodthe king, “I fell that the ſupport2132Of yhour conſell haith don me ſich comfort,that his heart is eased from fear;Of euery raddour my hart is In to eß,To ȝhourcommand, god will, y ſal obeß.Bot o thing is yneuch wn to me,but inquires if Galiot will win over the red knight, and what is his name.2136How galiot makith his awant that heShall have the knycht, that only by his hondeAnd manhed, was defendour of my londe;If that ſhall fall y pray yhow tellith me,2140And quhat he hecht, and of quhat lond is hee?”“What that he hecht yow ſhall no foryerknow,The master evades reply.His dedis ſall her-efterwart hyme ſchaw;Botcontrar the he ſhall be found no way.50At the bottom of the page is the catch-word, “With that the king.”2144No more thar-of as now y will the ſay.”50[Fol. 27a.]With that the king haith at his maiſtir tone* Text unchanged. Duplication does not fit metre, and another edition has ‘one to his’.** Missing syllable?The king and the host return home.His leve, one to to* his cuntre for to goñe;And al the oſt makith none abyde,**2148To paſſing home anone thei can prowid;And to ſirgawane thei haith o lyttermaad,Ful ſore ywound, and hyme on withthem haade.[T]he king, as that the ſtory can declar,The king sojourns twenty-four days at Cardole, in Wales.2152Paſſith to o Cete that was Right fair,And clepit cardole, In to walis, was,For that tyme than It was the nereſt place,And thar he ſoiornyt xxiiijti days2156In ryall feſting, as the auttore ſays.So diſcretly his puple he haith cherit,That he thar hartis holy haithconquerit.Sir Gawan is healed in fifteen days.And ſirgawan, helyt holl and ſound2160Be xv dais he was of euery wounde;Right blyththerof in to the court war thei.ARTHUR AGAIN BECOMES MOURNFUL.51MS. “xxviij,” altered to “xxiiij.”And ſo befell, the xxiiij51day,The king becomes mournful, as he sits at the mess.The king to fall in to o hewynes,2164Right ate his table ſiting at the meß;Gawan rebukes him.And ſirgawan cummyth hyme before,And ſaid hyme, “ſir, yhour thoght is al to ſore,Conſidering the diuerß knychtisſere2168Ar of wncouth and ſtrang landishere.”The king answers in “matalent,”The king anſuert, as in to matalent,“Sir, of my thocht, or ȝhit of myne entent,Yhe have the wrang me to repref, for-quhy2172Thar lewith none that ſhuld me blam, for Ithat he was thinking of the worthiest knight living;Was thinkand one the worthieſt that lewyt,That al the worſchip In to armys prewyt;And how the thonk of my defens he had,2176And of the wow that galiot haith mad.But I have ſen, when that of my houſholdThar was, and of my falowſchip, that wold,If that thei wiſt, quhat thing ſhuld me pleß,2180Thei wald nocht leif for trawell nor for eß.And ſum tyme It preſwmyt was & ſaid,that he once had the flower of knighthood in his household, but now this flower is away.That in my houſhold of al this world I hadThe flour of knychthed and of chevalry;2184Bot now thar-of y ſe the contrarye,Sen that the flour of knychthed is away.”“Schir,” quodhe, “of Reſone ſuth yhe ſay;[Fol. 27b.]And if god will, In al this warld ſo Round2188He ſal be ſoght, if that he may he found.”GAWANE’S EXPEDITION.Gawan departs to seek Lancelot.Than gawan goith witho knychtly chere,At the haldure he ſaith In this maner:“In this paſag who lykith for to wend?2192It is o Iorne moſt for to comendThat In my tyme In to the court fallith,To knyghtiswich that chewellry lowithOr trawell In to armys for to hant;2196And lat no knycht fra thyne-furthhyme awantAll the knights rise to go with him.That it denyith;”—withthat onon thei roß,Al the knychtis, and frome the burdis goß.The king that ſauch In to his hart was wo,Arthur reproves him.2200And ſaid, “ſirgawan, nece, why dois yow ſo?Knowis yow nocht I myne houſhold ſuld encreß,In knychthed, and in honore, and largeß?And now yow thinkith mak me diſſolat2204Of knychtis, and my houß tranſulat,To ſek o knycht, and It was neuermoreHard ſich o ſemble makith o before.”Gawan explains.“Sir,” quodhe, “als few as may yhow pleſß;2208For what I said was no thing for myne eß,Nor for deſir of falouſchip, for-whyTo paß alone, but cumpany, think I;And ilk knycht to paß o ſundry way;2212The mo thei paß the fewar eſchef thay,Bot thus ſhal pas no mo bot as yhow leſt.”Arthur assigns him forty companions.“Takith,” quodhe, “of quhom ȝhe lykith beſt,Fourty in this paſag for to go;”2216At thiscommand and gawan cheſit ſoFourty, quhich that he louit, & that wasRicht glaid in to his falowſchip to pas.GAWANE AND HIS FELLOWS DEPART.These knights arm themselves,[A]nd furth thei go, and al anarmyt thei2220Come to the king, withouten more delay,and bring the relics, whereon to swear to shew the truth.The relykisbrocht, as was the manertho,When any knyghtisfrome the court ſuld go.Or when the paſſit, or quhen thei com, thei ſwor2224The trouth to ſchaw of euery aduentur.Sirgawan knelyng to his falowis ſais,“Yhe lordis, wich that in this ſeking gais,So many noble and worthi knychtisar ȝhe,2228Me think in wayne yhour trauel ſhuld nocht be,[Fol. 28a.]For aduentur is non so gret to pref,As I ſuppone, nor ȝhe ſal It eſſchef,And if ȝhe lyk as I that ſhal dewyß,2232Yhour oth to ſwer In to the ſamyne wyßMyne oith to kep;”—and that thei vndertak,How euerſo that he his oith makIt to conſerf, and that thei have all ſworñ.2236Than gawan, wich that was the king beforn,Gawane swears not to return till he has found Lancelot, or evidence of him.On kneis ſwore, “I ſal the ſuth duclarOf euery thing when I agan Repar,Nor neuermore aȝhane ſal I returñ,2240Nore in o place long for to ſuiorñ
1672Spek not to mych, nore be not vareable.
O kingisword ſhuld be o kingisbonde,
And ſaid It is, a kingisword ſhuld ſtond;
O kingisword, among our faderis old,
1676Al-out more precious & more ſur was hold
Than was the oth or ſeel of any wight;
A king should be the very light of truth.
O king of trouth ſuld be the werray lyght,
So treuth and Iuſtice to o king accordyth.
1680And als, as thir clerkisold recordith,
KINGS SHOULD CHERISH ALL MEN.
41The initial I is illuminated; rather because there is here a change of subject than because it begins a new sentence.
41In tyme is larges and humilitee
Right well according vnto hie dugre,
And pleſſith boith to god and man al-so;
[Fol. 21b.]
1684Wharfor I wil, incontinent thow go,
And of thi lond in euery part abide,
Whar yow gar fet and clep one euery ſid
Out of thi cuntreis, and ek out of thi tovnis,
Invite thy dukes, earls, great barons, thy poor knights, and thy bachelors, and welcome them severally.
1688Thi dukis, erlis, and thi gret baronis,
Thi pur knychtis, and thi bach[e]leris,
And them reſauf als hartly as afferis,
And be them-ſelf yow welcum them ilkon:
1692Syne, them to glaid and cheris, thee diſpone
With feſting and with humyllcontynans.
Be not penſyve, nore proud in arrogans,
Keep company not with the rich man only, but with the poor worthy man also.
Bot withthem hold in gladnes cumpany;
1696Not with the Rich nor myghty anerly,
Bot with the pure worthi man alſo,
Withthem thow ſit, withthem yow ryd and go.
I ſay not to be our fameliar,
1700For, as the moſt philoſephur can duclar,
Yet remember that familiarity breeds contempt.
To mych to oyß familiaritee
Contempnyng bryngith one to hie dugre;
Bot cherice them withwordis fair depaynt,
1704So with thi pupelle ſal yow the aquaynt.
Choose out of each district an aged knight to be thy counsellor.
Than of ilk cuntre wyſly yow enquere
An agit knycht to be thi conſulere,
That haith ben hold in armys Richt famus,
1708Wyß and diſcret, & no thing Inwyus;
For there is non that knowith ſo wel, I-wyß,
O worthy man as he that worthi Is.
When thou hast sojourned long in a place, then provide thee with plenty of horses, armour, gold, silver, and clothing;
KINGS MUST BE LIBERAL.
When well long haith yow ſwiornyt ina place,
1712And well acqueynt the viththi puple has,
Than ſhalt thow ordand & prowid the
Of horß and ek of armour gret plente;
Of gold, and ſiluer, tressore, and cleithing,
1716And euery Riches that longith to o king;
and, before leaving, distribute gifts liberally.
And when the lykith for to tak thi leif,
By largeß thus yow thi reward geif,
First to the pure worthy honorable,
1720That is til armys and til manhed able;
(Set he be pur, ȝhit worſchip in hyme bidith);
Give to the poor worthy man the horse thou thyself ridest.
If hyme the horß one wich thi-ſelwyne Ridith,
And bid hyme that he Rid hyme for yhour ſak;
1724Syne til hyme gold and ſilueryow betak;
The horß to hyme for worſchip and prowes,
The treſor for his fredome and larges.
[Fol. 22a.]
If moſt of Riches and of Cheriſing;
1728Eftir this gud knycht berith vitneſing.
Give to thy tenants and vavasours easy hackneys, palfries, and coursers.
Syne to thi tennandis& to thi wawaſouris
If eſſy haknays, palfrais, and curſouris,
And robis ſich as pleſand ben and fair;
1732Syne to thi lordis, wich at mychty aire,
Give to thy lords things strange and uncouth.
As dukis, erlis, princis, and ek kingis,
Yow if them ſtrang, yow if them vncouththingis,
As diuerß iowellis, and ek preciouß ſtonis,
1736Or halkis, hundis, ordinit for the nonis,
Or wantone horß that can nocht ſtand in ſtāble;
Thar giftismot be fair and delitable.
Thus, firſt vn to the vorthi pur yow if
1740Giftis, that may ther pouerte Releif;
And to the rich iftisof pleſans,
That thei be fair, ſet nocht of gret ſubſtans;
For riches aſkith no thing bot delyt,
1744And powert haith ay ane appetyt
For to support ther ned and Indigens:
Thus ſhall yow if and makith thi diſpens.
So, too, shall the queen give to maidens and ladies,
And ek the quen, my lady, ſhalt alſo
1748To madenis and to ladeis, quhar ȝhe go,
If, and cheriß one the ſamyne wyß;
for all thy welfare lies in liberality.
For in to largeß al thi welfar lyis.
And if thy giftiswith ſichcontinans
1752That thei be ſen ay gifyne vithpleſans;
The wyß man ſais, and ſuth it is approuit,
Thar is no thonk, thar is no ift alowit,
Bot It be ifyne In to ſich manere,
Remember that the giver should be as glad in his cheer as the receiver.
1756(That is to ſay, als glaid into his chere),
As he the wich the ift of hyme Reſauith;
And do he not, the gifar is diſſauith.
For who that iffis, as he not if wald,
1760Mor profit war his ift for to with-hald;
His thonk he tynith, and his ift alſo.
Bot that thow ifith, if withboith two,
Give with both hand and heart at once;
That is to ſay, vith hart and hand atonis;
1764And ſo the wyſman ay ye ift diſponis.
Beith larg and iffisfrely of thi thing;
for liberality is the treasure of a king.
For largeß is the treſour of o king,
And not this other Iowellisnor this gold
1768That is in to thi treſory with-holde.
[Fol. 22b.]
Who gladly iffith, be vertew of larges
Whoso gives liberally, his treasury increases.
His treſory encreſis of Richeſß,
And ſal aȝañe the mor al-out reſawe.
LIBERAL KINGS ARE LOVED IN LIFE,
For the receiver shall place his goods at the king’s disposal,
1772For he to quhome he ȝewith ſall hawe,
Firſt his body, ſyne his hart with two,
His gudis al for to diſpone also
who shall gain, moreover, both worship and praise.
In his ſeruice; and mor atour he ſhall
1776Have O thing, and that is beſt of all;
That is to ſay, the worſchip and the loß
That vpone larges in this world furth goß.
And yow ſhal knaw the lawbour & the preß
1780In to this erth about the gret Richeß.
Is there any labour except for meat and clothing? All the remnant is for fame.
42MS. “Is ony bout bot;” “bout” being defaced.
Is ony, bot42apone the cauß we see
Of met, of cloth, & of proſperitee?
All the remanant ſtant apone the name
1784Of purches, furth apone this worldisfame.
And well yow wot, in thyne allegians
Ful many Is, the wich haith ſufficians
Of euery thing that longith to ther ned;
1788What haith yow more, qwich [haith] them al to lede,
For al thi Realmys and thi gret Riches,
If that yow lak of worſchip the encreß?
Well leß, al-out; for efterthar eſtate
1792Thei have vorſchip, and kepith It al-gat;
And yow degradith al thyne hie dugree,
That ſo ſchuld ſhyne In to nobelitee,
Throuch wys and throw the wrechitneß of hart.
AND COMMENDED AFTER DEATH.
Knowest thou not what shall be thy part, when thou passest away from this world?
43MS. has “by.”
1796And knowis yow not what ſall be43thi part,
Out of this world when yow ſal paß the courß?
Fair well, I-wyß! yow neuerſhall Recourß
44MS. has “subeiet.”
Whar no prince more ſhall the subiet44have,
1800But be als dep in to the erd y-grave,
Virtue and honour will alone remain.
Sauf vertew only and worſchip wich abidith;
Withthem the world apone the laif dewidith;
And if thy successor be liberal, he will be commended of the world;
And if he, wich ſhal eftir the ſucced,
1804By larges ſpend, of quhich that yhow had dreid,
He of the world comendit is and priſit,
And yow ſtant furth of euery thing diſpiſit;
The puple ſaith and demyth thus of thee,
1808“Now is he gone, a werray vrech was hee,
And he the wich that is our king and lord
Boith wertew haith & larges in accorde;
Welcum be he!” and ſo the puple ſoundith.
[Fol. 23a.]
1812Thus through thi viß his wertew mor aboundith,
and his virtue will abound through thy vice.
And his vertew the more thi wice furth ſchawith.
Wharfor ȝhe, wich that princes ben y-knawith,
Lat not yhour vrechit hart so yhow dant,
1816That he that cummyth next yhow may awant
To be mor larg, nore more to be commendit;
Riches well spent are the best kept.
Best kepit Is the Riches well diſpendit.
O ȝhe, the wich that kingisben, fore ſham
1820Remembrith yhow, this world hath bot o naam̅
Of good or ewill, efterȝhe ar gone!
And wyſly tharfor cheſſith yhow the toñ
Wich moſt accordith to nobilitee,
1824And knytith larges to yhour hie degre.
For qwhar that fredome In O prince Ringnis,
It bryngith In the victory of kingis,
And makith realmys and puple boith to dout,
45Or “subettis.”
1828And ſubectis45of the cuntre al about.
LIBERAL KINGS WIN SUBJECTS,
Whoso will be a conqueror, let him not reck to give largely.
And qwho that thinkith ben o conquerour,
Suppos his largeß ſumquhat pas myſour,
Ne rak he nat, bot frely iffith ay;
1832And as he wynyth, beis var al-way
To mych nor ȝhit to gredy that he hold,
Wich ſal the hartisof the puple colde.
Both love and fear spring from liberality.
And low and radour cummyth boith two
1836Of larges; Reid and ȝhe ſal fynd It ſo.
Alexanderthis lord the warld that wan,
Firſt withthe ſuerd of larges he began,
Alexander gave so liberally,
And as he wynith ifith largely,
1840He rakith No thing bot of cheuelry;
Wharfor of hyme ſo paſſith the Renown,
that many cities desired to have such a lord,
That many o cetee, and many o ſtrang towñ
Of his worſchip that herith the Recorde,
1844Diſſirith ſo to haveing ſich o lorde;
and offered themselves peaceably to him, though they were manly men of war.
And offerith them with-outen ſtrok of ſpere,
Suppos that thei war manly men of were,
But only for his gentilleß that thei
1848Have hard; and ſo he louit was al-way
For his larges, humilitee, and manhed,
Withhis awn folk, that neuermore, we Reid,
[Fol. 23b.]
For al his weris nor his gret trawell,
1852In al his tym that thei hyme onys faill;
Bot in his worſchip al thar beſynes
Thei ſet, and lewith in to no diſtres;
Whar-throw the ſuerd of victory he berith.
Many princes bear the palm of victory, through liberality;
1856And many prince full oft the palm werith,
As has ben hard, by largeß, of before,
In conqueringe of Rignis & of glore.
while miserliness hath made realms desolate.
And wrechitnes Richt ſo, in the contrar,
BUT UNJUST ONES DESPOIL THEM.
1860Haith Realmys maid ful deſolat & bare,
And kingisbroght doun from ful hie eſtat;
And who that Red ther old bukis, wat
The vicis lef, the wertew have in mynde,
1864And takith larges In his awn kynd;
Choose the mean between prodigality and avarice.
A-myd ſtanding of the vicis two,
Prodegalitee and awerice alſo.
Wharfor her-of It nedith not to more,
1868So mych ther-of haith clerkisvrit to-fore.
Whoso chooses to be liberal,
Bot who the wertw of larges & the law
Sal cheß, mot ned conſidir well & knaw
must understand three things: theamount he has, towhomhe giveth, and thefit timefor giving.
In to hyme-ſelf, and thir thre wnderſtande,
1872The ſubſtans firſt, the powar of his land,
Whome to he iffith, and the cauß wharfore,
The nedful tyme awatith euermore.
Kepith thir thre; for qwho that ſal exced
1876His rent, he fallith ſodandly in nede.
(1) The king that becomesindigentoverthrows his subjects.
And ſo the king, that on to myſterdrowis,
His subiettisand his puple he our-thrawis,
And them diſpolȝeith boith of lond and Rent;
1880So is the king, ſo is the puple ſchent.
For the voice of the oppressed shrieketh up ceaselessly to heaven;
For-quhi the woice It ſcrik[i]th vp ful ewyne
With-out abaid, and paſſith to the hewyne,
Whar god hyme-ſelf reſauith ther the crye
1884Of the oppreſioune and the teranny,
and God smiteth down with the sword of vengeance.
And vith the ſuerd of wengans douny-ſmytith,
The wich that caruith al to ſor, and bitith,
And hyme diſtroyth, as has ben hard or this
1888Of euery king that wirkith ſich o mys.
BEWARE OF INJUSTICE AND FLATTERY.
For ther is few eſchapith them, It ſall
For God hath given the king the wand of justice:
Boith vpone hyme & his ſucceſſione fall;
For he forſuth haith ifyne hyme the wond
[Fol. 24a.]
1892To Iuſtefy and Reull in pece his lond,
The puple all ſubmytit to his cure;
And he aȝan one to no creatur
Save only ſhall vn to his gode obey.
1896And if he paſſith ſo far out of the wey,
and if he oppresses them whom he should rule,
Them to oppreß, that he ſhuld reul & gid,
Ther heritag, there gwdis to dewide,
Ye, wnderwhome that he moſt nedis ſtond,
God shall stretch His mighty hand for correction.
1900At correccioune ſal ſtrek his mychty hond,
Not euery day, bot ſhal at onys fall
On hyme, mayhap, and his ſucceſcione all.
Herein, alas! is the blindness of kings.
In this, allace! the blyndisof the kingis,
1904And Is the fall of princisand of Rygnis.
The moſt wertew, the gret Intellegens,
The blessed token of a king’s wisdom is for him to restrain his hand from his people’s riches.
The bleſſit tokyne of wyſdom and prudens
Iſß, in o king, for to reſtren his honde
1908Frome his pupleis Riches & ther lond.
Mot euery king have this wice inmynd
In tyme, and not when that he ned fynde!
And in thi larges beith war, I pray,
(2) Choose afitting time.
1912Of nedful tyme, for than is beſt alway.
(3) Take careto whomyou give.
Awyß the ek quhome to that thow ſalt if,
Of there fam, and ek how that thei leif;
Let not the virtuous and the vicious stand in the same degree.
And of the wertws and wicious folk alſo,
1916I the beſeich dewidith well thir two,
So that thei ſtond nocht in[to] o degree;
Diſcreccioune ſall mak the diuerſitee,
Wich clepith the moderof al vertewis.
FLATTERERS SUCCEED WHEN KINGS ARE FOOLISH.
Beware of flattery.
1920And beith war, I the beſeich of this,
That is to ſay of flatry, wich that longith
To court, and al the kingislarges fongith.
The vertuouß man no thing thar-of reſauith,
1924The flattererisnow ſo the king diſſauith
And blyndith them that wot no thing, I-wyß,
When thei do well, or quhen thei do o myß;
And latith kingisoft til wnderſtonde
1928Thar vicis, and ek ye faltisof ther lond.
In to the realme about o king Is holde
A flatterer is worse than a storm or a pestilence.
O flatterere were than is the ſtormys cold,
Or peſtelens, and mor the realme anoyith;
1932For he the law and puple boith diſtroyith.
[Fol. 24b.]
Three things make flatterers in favour.
And in to principall ben ther three thingis,
That cauſſith flattereris ſtonding withthe kingis;
First, the blind ignorance of kings.
And on, It is the blyndit Ignorans
1936Of kingis, wich that hath no gouernans
To wnderſtond who doith ſich o myß;
But who that fareſt ſchewith hym, I-wyß,
Moſt ſuffiſith and beſt to his pleſans.
1940Wo to the realme that havith ſich o chans!
Secondly, where a king is vicious himself.
And ſecundly, quhar that o king Is
Weciuß hyme-ſelf, he cheriſſith, ywys,
Al them the wich that one to vicis ſoundith,
1944Whar-throw that vicis and flattery ek aboundith.
Thirdly, where the king is so foolish, that he knows their flattery, yet withdraws from reproving them.
The thrid, is the ilk ſchrewit harrmful wice,
Wich makith o king within hyme-ſelf ſo nyce,
That al thar flattry and ther gilt he knowith
1948In to his wit, and ȝhit he hyme with-drowith
Them to repref, and of ther vicis he wot;
And this It is wich that diſſemblyng hot,
That in no way accordith for o king.
1952Is he not ſet abuf apone his Ringne,
As ſouerane his puple for to lede?
Why should a king spare to say the truth?
Whi ſchuld he ſpare, or quhom of ſchuld he dred
To ſay the treuth, as he of Right is hold?
1956And if ſo ware that al the kingiswold,
When that his legiscomytit ony wyce,
As beith not to ſchamful, nore to nyce,
That thei preſume that he is negligent,
He should reprove without dissembling, as it is fitting.
1960But als far as he thinkith that thei myß-went,
But diſſemblyng reprewith as afferis;
And pwnice them quhar pwnyſing Requeris,
Sauf only mercy in the tyme of ned.
1964And ſo o king he ſchuld his puple led,
That no treſpaß, that cummyth in his way,
Shuld paß his hond wne-pwniſt away;
Nore no good deid in to the ſamyn degree,
1968Nore no wertew, ſuld wn-Reuardid bee.
Then flattery, that now is high, should be low.
Than flattry ſhuld, that now is he, be low,
And wice from the kingiscourt with-drow;
His miniſteris that ſhuld the Iuſtice reull,
1972Shuld kep well furthof quiet & reull,
That now, god wat, as It conſerwit Is,
The ſtere is loſt, and al is gon amys;
[Fol. 25a.]
And vertew ſhuld hame to the court hyme dreß,
1976That exillith goith in to the wildernes.
WISE KINGS MAKE A WISE PEOPLE.
If a king thus stood like his own degree, his people would be virtuous and wise.
Thus if o king ſtud lyk his awn degree,
Wertwis and wyß than ſhuld his puple bee,
Only ſet by vertew hyme to pleß,
1980And ſore adred his wiſdom to diſpleß.
And if that he towart the vicis draw,
His folk ſall go on to that ilk law;
What ſhal hyme pleß that wil nocht ellisfynd,
1984Bot ther-apon ſetith al ther mynde.
Thus the rule of his people and kingdom standeth only in the king’s virtue.
Thus only in the wertew of o king
The reull ſtant of his puple & his ringne,
If he be wyß and, but diſſemblyng, ſchewis,
1988As I have ſaid, the vicis one to ſchrewis.
And ſo thus, ſir, It ſtant apone thi will
For to omend thi puple, or to ſpill;
Or have thi court of vertewis folk, or fullis;
Since thou art wholly master of the schools, teach them, and they shall gladly learn.”
1992Sen yow art holl maiſterof the ſcoullis
Teichith them, and thei ſal gladly leir,
46Or, “leir.” MS. apparently has “leir,” corrected to “heir.”
That is to ſay, that thei may no thing heir46
Sauf only wertew towart thyn eſtat;
1996And cheriß them that wertews ben algait.
And thinkith what that wertew is to thee;
It pleſſith god, vphaldith thi degree.”
Arthur considers his counsel profitable.
“Maiſter,” quod he, “me think rycht profitable
2000Yowr conſeell Is, and wonderhonorable
For me, and good; rycht well I haveconſauit,
And in myne hartisInwartneß reſauit.
I ſhal fulfill and do yowr ordynans
2004Als far of wit as I have ſuffiſans;
Bot y beſeich yow, in til hartly wyß,
He beseeches him to expound his dream,
That of my drem ȝhe ſo to me dewyß,
The wich ſo long haith occupeid my mynd,
how he shall only find help through the water-lion, the leech, and the flower.
2008How that I ſhal no manerſucour fynd
Bot only throw the wattir lyon, & ſyne
The leich that is withouten medyſyne;
And of the conſell of the flour; wich ayre
2012Wonderis lyk that no man can duclar.”
THE WATER-LION MEANS GOD.
“Now, ſir,” quodhe, “and I of them al thre,
What thei betakyne ſhal I ſchaw to the,
The master’s explanation.
Such as the clerkisat them ſpecifiit;
[Fol. 25b.]
2016Thei vſit no thing what thei ſignefiit.
The water-lion is the very God.
The wattir lyone Is the god werray,
God to the lyone is lyknyt many way;
But thei have hyme In to the wattir ſeñ,
2020Confuſit were ther wittis al, y weñ;
The water is men’s fragility;
The wattir was ther awn fragelitee,
And thar treſpas, and thar Inequitee
In to this world, the wich thei ſtond y-cloſit;
2024That was the wattir wich thei have ſuppoſit,
That haith there knowlag maad ſo Inperfyt;
Thar ſyne & ek ther worldis gret delyt,
As clowdy wattir, was euermore betweñ,
whereby they see not the lion perfectly.
2028That thei the lyone perfitly hath nocht ſeñ;
Bot as the wattir, wich was yerawn ſynne,
That euermor thei ſtond confuſit In.
Had men been always religious, they had seen the lion not in water, but clearly.
If thei haith ſtond in to religioñ clen,
2032Thei had the lyone Not in watterſen,
Bot clerly vp in to the hewyne abuf,
Eternaly whar he ſhal not remufe.
And euermore in vatterof ſyne vas hee,
47“see”(?).
2036For-quhi It is Impoſſeble for to bee;47
The world is enclosed in the darkness of their sin.
And thus the world, wich that thei ar In,
Y-cloſit Is in dyrknes of ther ſyne;
And ek the thikneß of the air betwen
2040The lyone mad in vattir to be ſen.
For It was nocht bot ſtrenth of ther clergy
Wich thei have here, and It is bot erthly,
That makith them there reſouns dewyß,
2044And ſe the lyone thus in erthly wyß.
The lion is God’s son, Jesu Christ.
This is the lyone, god, and goddis sone,
Ihesu criſt, wich ay in hewyne ſal wonne.
For as the lyone of euery beſt is king,
2048So is he lord and maiſterof al thing,
That of the bleſſit vyrgyne vas y-bore.
Ful many a natur the lyone haith, quhar-fore
That he to god reſemblyt is, bot I
2052Lyk not mo at this tyme ſpecify.
This is the lyone, thar-of have yow no dred,
That ſhal the help and comfort In thi ned.
THE LEECH WITHOUT MEDICINE IS CHRIST.
The ſentens here now woll I the defyne
The leech without medicine is also God.
2056Of hyme, the lech withouten medyſyne,
Wich is the god that euery thing hath vroght.
[Fol. 26a.]
For yow may know that vther Is It noght,
Not as surgeons,
As ſurgynis and feſicianis, wich that delith
2060Withmortell thingis, and mortell thingishelyth,
whose art is in medicine,
And al thar art is in to medyſyne,
As it is ordanit be the mycht dewyne,
and in plaisters, drinks, and various anointments; who know the quality of the year, and the disposition of the planets.
48MS. “anoñytmētis,” or “anoūytmētis.”
As plaſteris, drinkis, and anouyntmentis48ſeir,
2064And of the qualyte watyng of the yher;
And of the planetisdiſpoſicioune,
And of the naturis of compleccyoune,
And in the diuerß changing of hwmowris.
2068Thus wnderreull lyith al there cwris;
And yhit thei far as blynd man In the way,
Oft quhen that deith thar craft liſt to aſſay.
Bot god, the wich that is the ſoueran lech,
2072Nedith no manermedyſyne to ſech;
For ther is no Infyrmyte, nore wound,
Bot as hyme lykith al is holl and ſound.
But God can heal infirmity of thought,
So can he heill Infyrmytee of thoght,
2076Wich that one erdly medeſyne can noght;
and also the soul that goeth to confusion.
And als the ſaul that to confuſioune goith,
And haith with hyme and vther parteis boith,
His dedly wound god helyth frome the ground;
2080On to his cure no medyſyne is found.
This Is his mycht that neuermore ſhall fyne,
This is the leich withouten medyſyne;
And If that yhow at confeſſioune hath ben
2084And makith the of al thi ſynnis clen,
He shall be thy leech in all necessity.
Yow art than holl, and this ilk ſamyn is he
Schall be thi leich In al neceſſitee.
THE FLOWER IS THE VIRGIN MARY.
Now of the flour y woll to the diſcerñ:
49The word, though indistinct, is almost certainly “haith.” Stevenson has “high;” but this gives no sense.
2088This is the flour that haith49the froyt eterñ,
This is the flour, this fadith for no ſchour,
This is the flour of euery flouris floure;
The flower is she of whom the eternal fruit was born,
This is the flour, of quhom the froyt vas borñ,
2092This ws redemyt efterthat we war lorñ;
This Is the flour that euerſpryngith new,
This is the flour that changith neuerhew;
the virgin that bore the Saviour,
This is the vyrgyne, this is the bleſſit flour
2096That Ihesu bur is our salweour,
This flour wnwemmyt of hir wirginitee;
This is the flour of our felicitee,
This is the flour to quhom ve ſhuld exort,
that ceaseth not to support us caitiffs,
2100This is the flour not ſeſſith to ſupport
In prayere, conſell, and in byſſynes,
[Fol. 26b.]
Vs catifis ay In to our wrechitnes
On to hir sone, the quich hir conſell herith;
2104This is the flour that al our gladneß ſterith,
through whose prayer are many saved.
Throuch whois prayer mony one is ſawit,
That to the deth eternaly war reſawit,
Ne war hir hartly ſuplicatioune.
2108This is the flour of our ſaluatioune,
Next hir sone, the froyt of euery flour;
This is the ſam that ſhal be thi ſuccour,
If that the lykith hartly Reuerans
2112And ſeruice ȝeld one to hir excellens,
Syne worſchip hir withal thi byſſyneß;
Sche ſal thi harm, ſche ſall thi ned redreß.
She shall so counsel the lion and the leech, that thou need not despair.
Sche ſall ſice conſell if one to the two,
2116The lyone and the ſouerane lech alſo,
Yow ſall not Ned yi drem̅ for to diſpar,
Nor ȝhit no thing that is in thi contrare.
Now—quod the maiſter—yow may well wnderſtand
2120Tueching thi drem as I have born on hande;
And planly haith the materal declarith,
That yhow may know of wich yow was diſparith.
The lech, the lyone, and the flour alſo,
2124Yow worſchip them, yow ſerve them euermo;
And ples the world as I have ſaid before;
In gouernans thus ſtondith al thi glore.
Do now as thou list, for all is in thy hand.
Do as yow liſt, for al is in thi honde,
2128To tyne thi-ſelf, thi honore, and thi londe,
Or lyk o prince, oconquerour, or king,
In honore and in worſchip for to Ringe.”
ARTHUR IS COMFORTED.
The king replies,
“Now,” quodthe king, “I fell that the ſupport
2132Of yhour conſell haith don me ſich comfort,
that his heart is eased from fear;
Of euery raddour my hart is In to eß,
To ȝhourcommand, god will, y ſal obeß.
Bot o thing is yneuch wn to me,
but inquires if Galiot will win over the red knight, and what is his name.
2136How galiot makith his awant that he
Shall have the knycht, that only by his honde
And manhed, was defendour of my londe;
If that ſhall fall y pray yhow tellith me,
2140And quhat he hecht, and of quhat lond is hee?”
“What that he hecht yow ſhall no foryerknow,
The master evades reply.
His dedis ſall her-efterwart hyme ſchaw;
Botcontrar the he ſhall be found no way.
50At the bottom of the page is the catch-word, “With that the king.”
2144No more thar-of as now y will the ſay.”50
[Fol. 27a.]
With that the king haith at his maiſtir tone
* Text unchanged. Duplication does not fit metre, and another edition has ‘one to his’.** Missing syllable?
The king and the host return home.
His leve, one to to* his cuntre for to goñe;
And al the oſt makith none abyde,**
2148To paſſing home anone thei can prowid;
And to ſirgawane thei haith o lyttermaad,
Ful ſore ywound, and hyme on withthem haade.
[T]he king, as that the ſtory can declar,
The king sojourns twenty-four days at Cardole, in Wales.
2152Paſſith to o Cete that was Right fair,
And clepit cardole, In to walis, was,
For that tyme than It was the nereſt place,
And thar he ſoiornyt xxiiijti days
2156In ryall feſting, as the auttore ſays.
So diſcretly his puple he haith cherit,
That he thar hartis holy haithconquerit.
Sir Gawan is healed in fifteen days.
And ſirgawan, helyt holl and ſound
2160Be xv dais he was of euery wounde;
Right blyththerof in to the court war thei.
ARTHUR AGAIN BECOMES MOURNFUL.
51MS. “xxviij,” altered to “xxiiij.”
And ſo befell, the xxiiij51day,
The king becomes mournful, as he sits at the mess.
The king to fall in to o hewynes,
2164Right ate his table ſiting at the meß;
Gawan rebukes him.
And ſirgawan cummyth hyme before,
And ſaid hyme, “ſir, yhour thoght is al to ſore,
Conſidering the diuerß knychtisſere
2168Ar of wncouth and ſtrang landishere.”
The king answers in “matalent,”
The king anſuert, as in to matalent,
“Sir, of my thocht, or ȝhit of myne entent,
Yhe have the wrang me to repref, for-quhy
2172Thar lewith none that ſhuld me blam, for I
that he was thinking of the worthiest knight living;
Was thinkand one the worthieſt that lewyt,
That al the worſchip In to armys prewyt;
And how the thonk of my defens he had,
2176And of the wow that galiot haith mad.
But I have ſen, when that of my houſhold
Thar was, and of my falowſchip, that wold,
If that thei wiſt, quhat thing ſhuld me pleß,
2180Thei wald nocht leif for trawell nor for eß.
And ſum tyme It preſwmyt was & ſaid,
that he once had the flower of knighthood in his household, but now this flower is away.
That in my houſhold of al this world I had
The flour of knychthed and of chevalry;
2184Bot now thar-of y ſe the contrarye,
Sen that the flour of knychthed is away.”
“Schir,” quodhe, “of Reſone ſuth yhe ſay;
[Fol. 27b.]
And if god will, In al this warld ſo Round
2188He ſal be ſoght, if that he may he found.”
GAWANE’S EXPEDITION.
Gawan departs to seek Lancelot.
Than gawan goith witho knychtly chere,
At the haldure he ſaith In this maner:
“In this paſag who lykith for to wend?
2192It is o Iorne moſt for to comend
That In my tyme In to the court fallith,
To knyghtiswich that chewellry lowith
Or trawell In to armys for to hant;
2196And lat no knycht fra thyne-furthhyme awant
All the knights rise to go with him.
That it denyith;”—withthat onon thei roß,
Al the knychtis, and frome the burdis goß.
The king that ſauch In to his hart was wo,
Arthur reproves him.
2200And ſaid, “ſirgawan, nece, why dois yow ſo?
Knowis yow nocht I myne houſhold ſuld encreß,
In knychthed, and in honore, and largeß?
And now yow thinkith mak me diſſolat
2204Of knychtis, and my houß tranſulat,
To ſek o knycht, and It was neuermore
Hard ſich o ſemble makith o before.”
Gawan explains.
“Sir,” quodhe, “als few as may yhow pleſß;
2208For what I said was no thing for myne eß,
Nor for deſir of falouſchip, for-why
To paß alone, but cumpany, think I;
And ilk knycht to paß o ſundry way;
2212The mo thei paß the fewar eſchef thay,
Bot thus ſhal pas no mo bot as yhow leſt.”
Arthur assigns him forty companions.
“Takith,” quodhe, “of quhom ȝhe lykith beſt,
Fourty in this paſag for to go;”
2216At thiscommand and gawan cheſit ſo
Fourty, quhich that he louit, & that was
Richt glaid in to his falowſchip to pas.
GAWANE AND HIS FELLOWS DEPART.
These knights arm themselves,
[A]nd furth thei go, and al anarmyt thei
2220Come to the king, withouten more delay,
and bring the relics, whereon to swear to shew the truth.
The relykisbrocht, as was the manertho,
When any knyghtisfrome the court ſuld go.
Or when the paſſit, or quhen thei com, thei ſwor
2224The trouth to ſchaw of euery aduentur.
Sirgawan knelyng to his falowis ſais,
“Yhe lordis, wich that in this ſeking gais,
So many noble and worthi knychtisar ȝhe,
2228Me think in wayne yhour trauel ſhuld nocht be,
[Fol. 28a.]
For aduentur is non so gret to pref,
As I ſuppone, nor ȝhe ſal It eſſchef,
And if ȝhe lyk as I that ſhal dewyß,
2232Yhour oth to ſwer In to the ſamyne wyß
Myne oith to kep;”—and that thei vndertak,
How euerſo that he his oith mak
It to conſerf, and that thei have all ſworñ.
2236Than gawan, wich that was the king beforn,
Gawane swears not to return till he has found Lancelot, or evidence of him.
On kneis ſwore, “I ſal the ſuth duclar
Of euery thing when I agan Repar,
Nor neuermore aȝhane ſal I returñ,
2240Nore in o place long for to ſuiorñ