THE PEARL, ll. 361-612. (MS. Cotton Nero A X (about 1400).)
Thenne demed I to þat damyselle:
'Ne worþe no wrathþe vnto my Lorde,
If rapely <I> raue, spornande in spelle;
My herte watȝ al wyth mysse remorde,
As wallande water gotȝ out of welle. 5
I do me ay in Hys myserecorde;
Rebuke me neuer wyth wordeȝ felle,
Þaȝ I forloyne, my dere endorde,
Bot [kyþeȝ] me kyndely your coumforde,
Pytosly þenkande vpon þysse: 10
Of care and me ȝe made acorde,
Þat er watȝ grounde of alle my blysse.
My blysse, my bale, ȝe han ben boþe,
Bot much þe bygger ȝet watȝ my mon;
Fro þou watȝ wroken fro vch a woþe, 15
I wyste neuer quere my perle watȝ gon.
Now I hit se, now leþeȝ my loþe;
And, quen we departed, we wern at on;
God forbede we be now wroþe,
We meten so selden by stok oþer ston. 20
Þaȝ cortaysly ȝe carp con,
I am bot mol and [manereȝ] mysse;
Bot Crystes mersy, and Mary, and Ion,
Þise arn þe grounde of alle my blysse.
'In blysse I se þe blyþely blent, 25
And I a man al mornyf mate;
Ȝe take þeron ful lyttel tente,
Þaȝ I hente ofte harmeȝ hate.
Bot now I am here in your presente,
I wolde bysech, wythouten debate, 30
Ȝe wolde me say in sobre asente
What lyf ȝe lede erly and late.
For I am ful fayn þat your astate
Is worþen to worschyp and wele, iwysse;
Of alle my ioy þe hyȝe gate 35
Hit is, [and] grounde of alle my blysse.'
'Now blysse, burne, mot þe bytyde,'
Þen sayde þat lufsoum of lyth and lere,
'And welcum here to walk and byde,
For now þy speche is to me dere. 40
Maysterful mod and hyȝe pryde,
I hete þe, arn heterly hated here.
My Lorde ne loueȝ not for to chyde,
For meke arn alle þat woneȝ Hym nere;
And when in Hys place þou schal apere, 45
Be dep deuote in hol mekenesse;
My Lorde þe Lamb loueȝ ay such chere,
Þat is þe grounde of alle my blysse.
'A blysful lyf þou says I lede;
Þou woldeȝ knaw þerof þe stage. 50
Þow wost wel when þy perle con schede
I watȝ ful ȝong and tender of age;
Bot my Lorde þe Lombe, þurȝ Hys Godhede,
He toke myself to Hys maryage,
Corounde me quene in blysse to brede 55
In lenghe of dayeȝ þat euer schal wage;
And sesed in alle Hys herytage
Hys lef is, I am holy Hysse;
Hys prese, Hys prys, and Hys parage
Is rote and grounde of alle my blysse.' 60
'Blysful,' quod I, 'may þys be trwe?—
Dyspleseȝ not if I speke errour—
Art þou þe quene of heueneȝ blwe,
Þat al þys worlde schal do honour?
We leuen on Marye þat grace of grewe, 65
Þat ber a barne of vyrgynflour;
Þe croune fro hyr quo moȝt remwe
Bot ho hir passed in sum fauour?
Now, for synglerty o hyr dousour,
We calle hyr Fenyx of Arraby, 70
Þat freles fleȝe of hyr fasor,
Lyk to þe quen of cortaysye.'
'Cortayse Quen,' þenne s<a>yde þat gaye,
Knelande to grounde, folde vp hyr face,
'Makeleȝ Moder and myryest May, 75
Blessed Bygynner of vch a grace!'
Þenne ros ho vp and con restay,
And speke me towarde in þat space:
'Sir, fele here porchaseȝ and fongeȝ pray,
Bot supplantoreȝ none wythinne þys place. 80
Þat emperise al heueneȝ hatȝ,
And vrþe and helle in her bayly;
Of erytage ȝet non wyl ho chace,
For ho is quen of cortaysye.
'The court of þe kyndom of God alyue 85
Hatȝ a property in hytself beyng:
Alle þat may þerinne aryue
Of alle þe reme is quen oþer kyng,
And neuer oþer ȝet schal depryue,
Bot vchon fayn of oþereȝ hafyng, 90
And wolde her corouneȝ wern worþe þo fyue,
If possyble were her mendyng.
Bot my Lady, of quom Iesu con spryng,
Ho haldeȝ þe empyre ouer vus ful hyȝe;
And þat dyspleseȝ non of oure gyng, 95
For ho is quene of cortaysye.
'Of courtaysye, as saytȝ Saynt Poule,
Al arn we membreȝ of Iesu Kryst;
As heued and arme and legg and naule
Temen to hys body ful trwe and t<r>yste, 100
Ryȝt so is vch a Krysten sawle
A longande lym to þe Mayster of myste.
Þenne loke what hate oþer any gawle
Is tached oþer tyȝed þy lymmeȝ bytwyste:
Þy heued hatȝ nauþer greme ne gryste 105
On arme oþer fynger þaȝ þou ber byȝe:
So fare we alle wyth luf and lyste
To kyng and quene by cortaysye.'
'Cortaysé,' quod I, 'I leue,
And charyté grete, be yow among, 110
Bot my speche þat yow ne greue,
Þyself in heuen ouer hyȝ þou heue,
To make þe quen þat watȝ so ȝonge.
What more honour moȝte he acheue 115
Þat hade endured in worlde stronge,
And lyued in penaunce hys lyueȝ longe,
Wyth bodyly bale hym blysse to byye?
What more worschyp moȝt [he] fonge,
Þen corounde be kyng by cortaysé? 120
'That cortaysé is to fre of dede,
Ȝyf hyt be soth þat þou coneȝ saye;
Þou lyfed not two ȝer in oure þede;
Þou cowþeȝ neuer God nauþer plese ne pray,
Ne neuer nawþer Pater ne Crede; 125
And quen mad on þe fyrst day!
I may not traw, so God me spede,
Þat God wolde wryþe so wrange away;
Of countes, damysel, par ma fay!
Wer fayr in heuen to halde asstate, 130
Aþer elleȝ a lady of lasse aray;
Bot a quene!—hit is to dere a date.'
'Þer is no date of Hys godnesse,'
Þen sayde to me þat worþy wyȝte,
'For al is trawþe þat He con dresse, 135
And He may do no þynk bot ryȝt,
As Mathew meleȝ in your messe,
In sothful Gospel of God Almyȝt,
In sample he can ful grayþely gesse,
And lykneȝ hit to heuen lyȝte: 140
"My regne," He saytȝ, "is lyk on hyȝt
To a lorde þat hade a uyne, I wate.
Of tyme of ȝere þe terme watȝ tyȝt,
To labor vyne watȝ dere þe date.
'"Þat date of ȝere wel knawe þys hyne.145
Þe lorde ful erly vp he ros,
To hyre werkmen to hys vyne,
And fyndeȝ þer summe to hys porpos.
Into acorde þay con declyne
For a pené on a day, and forth þay gotȝ, 150
Wryþen and worchen and don gret pyne,
Keruen and caggen and man hit clos.
Aboute vnder, þe lorde to marked totȝ,
And ydel men stande he fyndeȝ þerate.
'Why stande ȝe ydel?' he sayde to þos; 155
'Ne knawe ȝe of þis day no date?'
'"'Er date of daye hider arn we wonne;'
So watȝ al samen her answar soȝt;
'We haf standen her syn ros þe sunne,
And no mon byddeȝ vus do ryȝt noȝt.' 160
'Gos into my vyne, dotȝ þat ȝe conne,'
So sayde þe lorde, and made hit toȝt;
'What resonabele hyre be naȝt be runne
I yow [pay] in dede and þoȝte.'
Þay wente into þe vyne and wroȝte, 165
And al day þe lorde þus ȝede his gate,
And nw men to hys vyne he broȝte,
Welneȝ wyl day watȝ passed date.
'"At þe [date of day] of euensonge,
On oure byfore þe sonne go doun, 170
He seȝ þer ydel men ful stronge,
And sa<y>de to [hem] wyth sobre soun:
'Wy stonde ȝe ydel þise dayeȝ longe?'
Þay sayden her hyre watȝ nawhere boun.
'Gotȝ to my vyne, ȝemen ȝonge, 175
And wyrkeȝ and dotȝ þat at ȝe moun.'
Sone þe worlde bycom wel broun,
Þe sunne watȝ doun, [and] hit wex late;
To take her hyre he mad sumoun;
Þe day watȝ al apassed date. 180
'"The date of þe daye þe lorde con knaw,
Called to þe reue: 'Lede, pay þe meyny;
Gyf hem þe hyre þat I hem owe;
And fyrre, þat non me may reprené,
Set hem alle vpon a rawe, 185
And gyf vchon [ilyche] a peny;
Bygyn at þe laste þat standeȝ lowe,
Tyl to þe fyrste þat þou atteny.'
And þenne þe fyrst bygonne to pleny,
And sayden þat þay hade trauayled sore: 190
'Þese bot on oure hem con streny;
Vus þynk vus oȝe to take more.
'"'More haf we serued, vus þynk so,
Þat suffred han þe dayeȝ hete,
Þenn þyse þat wroȝt not houreȝ two, 195
And þou dotȝ hem vus to counterfete.'
Þenne sayde þe lorde to on of þo:
'Frende no waning I wyl þe ȝete;
Take þat is þyn owne and go.
And I hyred þe for a peny agrete, 200
Quy bygynneȝ þou now to þrete?
Watȝ not a pené þy couenaunt þore?
Fyrre þen couenaunde is noȝt to plete.
Wy schalte þou þenne ask more?
'"'More weþer †louyly† is me my gyfte 205
To do wyth myn quat so me lykeȝ?
Oþer elleȝ þyn yȝe to lyþer is lyfte
For I am goude and non byswykeȝ?'
'Þus schal I,' quod Kryste, 'hit skyfte:
Þe laste schal be þe fyrst þat strykeȝ, 210
And þe fyrst be laste, be he neuer so swyft;
For mony ben calle<d>, þaȝ fewe be mykeȝ.'"
Þus pore men her part ay pykeȝ,
Þaȝ þay com late and lyttel wore;
And þaȝ her sweng wyth lyttel atslykeȝ, 215
Þe merci of God is much þe more.
'More haf I of ioye and blysse hereinne,
Of ladyschyp gret and lyueȝ blom,
Þen alle þe wyȝeȝ in þe worlde myȝt wynne
By þe way of ryȝt to aske dome. 220
Wheþer welnygh now I con bygynne—
In euentyde into þe vyne I come—
Fyrst of my hyre my Lorde con mynne,
I watȝ payed anon of al and sum.
Ȝet oþer þer werne þat toke more tom, 225
Þat swange and swat for long ȝore,
Þat ȝet of hyre no þynk þay nom,
Paraunter noȝt schal toȝere more.'
Then more I meled and sayde apert:
'Me þynk þy tale vnresounable; 230
Goddeȝ ryȝt is redy and euermore rert,
Oþer Holy Wryt is bot a fable;
In Sauter is sayd a verce ouerte
Þat spekeȝ a poynt determynable:
"Þou quyteȝ vchon as hys desserte, 235
Þou hyȝe Kyng ay pretermynable."
Now he þat stod þe long day stable,
And þou to payment com hym byfore,
Þenne þe lasse in werke to take more able,
And euer þe lenger þe lasse þe more.' 240
'Of more and lasse in Godeȝ ryche,'
Þat gentyl sayde, 'lys no ioparde,
For þer is vch mon payed [ilyche],
Wheþer lyttel oþer much be hys rewarde,
For þe gentyl Cheuentayn is no chyche; 245
Queþersoeuer He dele nesch oþer harde,
He laueȝ Hys gyfteȝ as water of dyche,
Oþer goteȝ of golf þat neuer charde.
Hys fraunchyse is large þat euer dard
To Hym þat matȝ in synne rescoghe; 250
No blysse betȝ fro hem reparde,
For þe grace of God is gret inoghe.
9 [kyþeȝ]] lyþeȝ MS.
22 [manereȝ]] marereȝ MS.
36 [and]] in MS.
119 [he]] ho MS.
164 [pay]] pray MS.
169 [date of day]] day of date MS.
172 [hem]] hen MS.
178 [and]] & & MS.
186 [ilyche]] īlyche MS.
243 [ilyche]] inlyche MS.
VII THE GEST HYSTORIALE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF TROY ABOUT 1375.
The Fall of Troy was one of the most popular subjects of mediaeval story. Lydgate wrote a Troy Book about 1420; fragments of another are attributed to 'Barbour', whose identity with the author of The Bruce has been questioned; a third version, anonymous, is known as the Laud Troy Book; and Caxton chose as the first work to be printed in English the Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye (about 1474). More famous than any of these full histories are two single stories detached from the cycle: Jason's Quest of the Golden Fleece, which is admirably told by Gower in the fifth book of his Confessio Amantis; and the Love of Troilus and Cressida, which gave a theme both to Chaucer and to Shakespeare.
The Gest Hystoriale of the Destruction of Troy, from which our extracts are taken, is a free rendering of the prose Historia Troiana finished in 1287 by Guido de Columna (most probably the modern Terranova in Sicily). The translation, which appears to have been made in the North or North-West Midlands in the second half of the fourteenth century, is preserved only in an imperfect fifteenth-century MS. at the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow. In the Early English Text Society's print, edited by Panton and Donaldson, the text extends to over 14,000 lines.
The table of contents prefixed to the MS. promises 'the nome of the knight þat causet it [sc. the story] to be made, and the nome of hym that translatid it out of Latyn into Englysshe'; but the extant MS. does not fulfil the promise. The execution suggests a set task and a journeyman poet. Phrases are repeated carelessly; there is a great deal of padding; the versification is monotonous; and the writer is too often at the mercy of the alliteration to maintain a serious level. Yet he is not a slavish or a dull translator. The more romantic elements of the story, such as the matter of the Odyssey, had already been whittled away in his original, and he shows little desire or capacity to restore them. But he knew as well as the Old English poets the forcefulness of alliterative verse in scenes of violence, and describes with unflagging zest and vigour the interminable battles of the siege, and storms such as that which wrecked the fleet of Ajax.
The Prologue is a curious example of the pseudo-critical attitude of the Middle Ages. Homer is despised as a teller of impossible tales, and a partisan of the Greeks,—for Hector is the popular hero of the mediaeval versions. The narratives of Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis, products of the taste for fictitious history that spread westward from Greek-speaking lands in the fourth and following centuries, are accepted as reliable documents; and Guido de Columna as their authoritative literary interpreter. No mention is made of Benoît de Sainte-Maure, whose Roman de Troie, written in French about 1184, served as source to Guido, and, directly or indirectly, as inspiration to the whole body of Western writers who dealt with the 'Matter of Troy'. For these lapses the English translator need not be held responsible. On the merits of Homer, Dares, Dictys, and Guido de Columna, he probably accepted without question the word of his master Guido.