Altenglische legenden.

I. Klage der Seele des William Basterdfeld.

"All crysten men þat walke by me, Behold & se þis dulfull syȝht! It helpys not to calle ne cry, Fore I ame dampned, a dollfole wyȝht. [Some-tyme in Ingland duellynge — [sind interpolirt.] Line 5 Thys was trew with-outen lesynge —] [sind interpolirt.] I was callyd sir Wylliam Basterdfeld knyȝt. [Ms. basterd feld.] Be were be me, [both kynge & knyȝht, [sind interpolirt.] And amend ȝou,] whyle ȝe haue space! Fore I haue lost euer-lastynge lyȝht Line 10 And þus of mercy cane I gete no grace. When I was now as ȝe be, I kepyd neuer oþer lyffe: I spendyd my lyffe in vanyte, I(n) veynglory, bate & stryffe; [Ms. I st. In.] Line 15 Grete othes with me wer fulle ryffe, I had no grace me to amend; I sparyd noþer meyd ne wyffe, And þat hath brouȝt me to þis ende. I hade no hape, whyll I was here, Line 20 Forto aryse & me repent, Tyll þat I was brouȝt on bere: Than was to late, fore I was schente. All-wey with þem(!) I ame aweyde, In fyre of hell I schall euer be brente. Line 25 Alas, þis werld hath me deseyuede, Fore I hade no grace me to amende! In lechery I lede my lyfe, Fore I hade gode & gold at wylle, I scleuȝe my-selue with-outene knyffe, Line 30 And of glotony I hade my fylle; In sleuth I ley & slepyd stylle: I was deseyued in a reyfte, [reyste = ryste, rest.] A dolefulle deth þat dyde me kylle. Than was to late off "had I wyste". Line 35 Thus ame I lappyd all-aboute With todys & snakys, as ȝe may se, I ame gnawyne my body aboute — Alas, alas, full wo is me! It is to late, it will not be. Line 40 I knaw welle women more & mynne: Fore hym þat dyȝed fore ȝou & me, Aryse & rest not in ȝour synne! Fore when I was in my flowres, Than was I lyȝht as byrd on brere. Line 45 Therefore I suffere scharpe schoures And by þat bergayne wonder dere, And byde in peynes many & sere. Therefore þus I make my mone. Now may helpe me no prayere, Line 50 I haue no gode, bot god alone. Wo be þei, who-so euer þei be, And haue þer V wyttys at wylle, And wyll not be wer be me And knaw gode thinge fro þe ylle. Line 55 The pore fore faute late þem not spylle! And ȝe do, ȝoure deth is dyȝht. Ȝoure fals flessch ȝe not fullfylle Loft with Lucyfere fro þe lyȝht. In delycate metys I sette my delyte Line 60 And myȝhty wynes vnto my pay:

That make þis wormys on me to byte, Therefore my songe is wellywey. I myȝht not fast, I wold not praye, I thouȝt to amend me in myn age, Line 65 I droffe euer forth fro dey to dey: Therefore I byde here in þis cage. Thys cage is euer-lastynge fyre, I ame ordeynde þer-in to duelle; It is me gyuen fore myne hyre, Line 70 Euer to bryne in þe pytte of helle; I ame feteryd with þe fendys felle, There I abyde as best in stalle. There is no tonge my care cane telle. Be were ȝe haue not sych a falle! Line 75 Alas, þat euer I borne was Or modere me bore! why dyde sche so? Fore I ame lost fore my trespas And abyde in euer-lastynge wo. I haue no frend, bot many a fo. Line 80 Behold me, how þat I ame torne! Fore I ame rente fro tope to to. Alas, þat euer I was borne! Gode broþer, haue me in mynd And thinke how þou schall dyȝe, all-wey, Line 85 And to þi soule be not vnkynde — Remembyre it boþe nyȝt & dey! Besyly loke þat þou praye, And beseke þou heuen kynge To saue þe on þat dredfull dey Line 90 That euery man schall gyffe rekenynge! Fore þer no lordys schall fore þe praye, Ne Justys noþer no mane of lawe, There charter helpys þe not þat dey, There pletyne is not worth an hawe. Line 95 God gyue þe grace, þi-selue to know, And euery mane in hys degre. Fare wele! I here an horne blow: I may no lenger byde with þe."