Altenglische legenden.

This chapitle declareth the Roial gouer|nance of seynt Edmond aftir he was crownyd kyng of Estyngland.

This hih feste, ful famous of renoun, [The hih feeste.] Fully accomplisshid, with euery circum|stance, In al that longith Tacoronacioun, [to acoronacioun.] Line 860 That blissid Edmond by goddis ordynance Hadde of Estyngland hooli the gouernance: [Estyngelond holly.] Tholi gost beyng euer his guyde, [The hooly goost beeing evir.] First for his rewm thus he gan prouyde. [reem right thus.] Lawes he sette of trouthe and equite, [He set lawes.] Line 865 Them establysshid upon ryhtwisnesse; [And them stablysshed.] First so disposyng his royal mageste Twen sceptre and swerd tattempre his noblesse, [tatempryn.] That ther were founde in nouther noon excesse, [wer. nouthir.] But with the sceptre conserue his peeple in pees, [firste st. sceptre.] Line 870 Punysshe with the swerd folk that were reklees. [with the secunde. wer rekkelees.] For, as a sceptre is smothe, long and round, The hier part of gold and stonys ynde: [hiher party. goold. stoonys.] So semblably this noble kyng Edmond [semlably.] Was meek of maneres and vertuous, as I fynde, [meke. manerys.] Line 875 Vp to godward hadde most his mynde, [And vp to. had.] Mercy preferryng, examyned euery deede, Delaied rygour, listnat of haste proceede. [delayng.] In his on hand the sceptre of pees he heeld, [on fehlt. he fehlt. held.] Cherisshynge his peeple in reste and quyeete; [cherysshing. and in quiete.] Line 880 And wher that he espied or beheeld [wheer.] Ryot or trouble of folk that were vnmeete, [wer.] Of manly prudence in his royal seete [hih st. manly. ] Anoon he took his swerd of rihtwisnesse, [He took anoon.] [Off which as.] Of fals rauyne alle surfetis to redresse. [al surffetys.] Line 885 And so, of clerkys as discrecioun [folio 33] Ys named moodir of vertues alle, [Is namyd.] With hir douhtren: prouydence and resoun, [hire sustrys.] Riht to sustene she bowe nat nor falle: [Right so sustene(!).] So was he besy the tresour, that men calle Line 890 Rem publicam, to moren and amende, [moore.] In pees tawmente it, in werre it to diffende. He koude the reynes coarten and rest|reyne [renys. coartyn.]

Of such as lyued by fals robberye, Al ydil folk that wolde also disdeyne [ydel folkys.] Line 895 In vertuous labour ther bodies to applie, Chastise truantis for ther losengrye; [trowauntis] Deuly cherisshe, as it is specefied, [And dewly.] For comon profit them that were occupied. [wer.] In foure thyngis he dide his besynesse. [thynges. did.] Line 900 First sette his study bi ful gret dilligence [set. studye.] With hool herte and vertuous hih prow|esse, Doon first to god dew reuerence, [dewh.] Cherisshe his prynces in ther magnificence, [His prynces cherysshen.] Gouerne his knyhtis in marcial disciplyne, [knyghtes.] Line 905 Tauht by Vigecius, ffamous in that doc|tryne. First blissid Edmond of noble policie [blyssed. nobil.] Heeld up the chirch of hih perfeccioun, [chirche.] Fro them auoided al maner symonye, Bothe ypocrisie and symylacioun; [Ipocrysie. symvlacioun.] Line 910 Gaff no benefices but for deuocioun, But ches out heerdis most contemplatiff To rewle his peeple, for ther parfit liff. [parfight lyff.] His roial Juges, that shulde his doomys speede, Such as excellid in kunnyng and prudence, [suych. konnyng.] Line 915 That were nat corrupt with fauour, loue nor dreede [wer. dred.] And hadde to giftes no maner aduertence, [yiff|tes.] Groundid in lawe and on good conscience: [on st. in.] Them he ches out, by whos auysementis [avysement.] Were execut hooly his Juggementis. [wer. hooly fehlt. his royal Jugement.] Line 920 His noble lawes that tyme were gouernyd [wer.] Withoute oppression of any meyntenance, [ony.] That lyht of trouthe cleerly was discernyd And nat eclipsid be power nor puissance; [eclypsed.] For meede tho daies peised nat in ballance, [mede thoo.] Line 925 Nor fals forsweryng with fauour was not meynt [nat.] Nor for vntrouthe Jurours were not atteynt. [Jorours wer nat.] Marchandise sold by no gile, [soold.] The symple biggere vntrewly to deceyue; [The poore byere. disceyve.] Thartificer knew no-maner wile, [The artificeer. knewh.] Line 930 Nouther in vttryng nor inward to receyue— [nouthir. owtryng. resceyue.] What fraude mente, men koudenat tho conceyue; [frawde. cowde.] The laborer neded no stuff to borwe, [laboreer nedid.] For his salaire abood nat til the morwe. [Nor for his salarye. tyl on morne.] Thus first of prynces the notable ex|cellence, Line 935 And of the cherch the preued perfeccioun, [cirche. the fehlt. ffamous perfeccioun.] And of the Juges thauyse prouydence, [thavisee.] And of knyhthod the marcial hih renoun, [of the.] And of marchantis the hih discrecioun, [of the.] With al the residue, in oon ymage knet, [resedewe. I-knet.] Line 940 Wer by kyng Edmund in ther dew ordre set: [Edmond. dewe.] Of this ymage prynces stood as hed, With ther two eyen, of prudence and resoun, To ther sogetis forto takyn heed, [sogettys.] That thei nat erre by no deuysioun; [divysioun.] Line 945 Eek that the eeris haue inclynacioun [ther eerys.] That outher party his quarell may expresse [outhir. quareel.] Be good leiser, or thei here doomys dresse. [By. leyseer. here fehlt.] This moral ymage to conserue and diffende, The kyng ordeyned of royal polycye Line 950 That worthy knyhtis, pleynly to com|prehende, [knyghtes.] Sholde of the armys the party occupie, [shulde.] Forto supporte it thoruh ther chyualrie: [chevalrye.]

To keepe maidens and widwes from outrage, [kepe maydenys.] And saue the chirche from myschef and damage. [fro.] Line 955 This cristene prynce for a prerogatiff Disposed, a soule to quyke this ymage, [disposid.] Forto preferre folk contemplatiff, Sobre of ther leuyng, demeur and sad of age, [lyvyng. demewr. and fehlt.] Expert in kunnyng, benygne of ther lang|uage: [konnyng. humble st. benygne.] Line 960 Lyk ther office, be exaumple and by doc|tryne [bexaumple.] With liht of vertu his peeple tenlumyne. With feet and leggis this ymage to supporte, To contynue bi lengthe of many yeeris, [Forto contvne.] This prynce ordeyned, his story kan reporte, [as bookys can.] Line 965 The plouh in cheeff, with othre laborerys, [plowh. othir laboureerys.] As dyuers trauailes which been parti|culeris: [travaylles. particuleerys.] For, but yif labour holde the plouh on honde, [helde. plowh.] In prosperite no lond ne myhte stonde. [myght.] Thus euery membre set in ordre dewe, Line 970 Cause was noon among hem to compleyne; [Ther was no cause.] For ech of hem his office dide sewe, [did.] The hed listnat at the foot disdeyne; Ther loue was oon, departed not on tweyne; [they partyd.] Ech thyng bi grace so deuly was conueied: [be. dewly.] Line 975 Hed of the membris was not disobeied. [nat.] And as the Ruby, kyng of stonys alle, [stoonys.] Reioiseth ther presence with his naturel liht: [Reioyffeth. natural.] So kyng Edmond in his roial stalle [Right so blyssed Edmond.] With sceptre and crowne sat lik an heuenly knyht, [With crowne and sceptre.] Line 980 To hih and low most agreable of syht — [lowh.] This woord rehersid of euery creature: "Longe mote he leue, longe mote the kyng endure!" [Long mut he lyve this kyng and endure.] And as myn auctour his persone doth descryue, He was be craft so fourmyd of nature: [by. formyd.] Line 985 A bettir compact was ther noon a-lyue [That bettir.] Nor proporcyownyd of fetures nor stature; [Nor bet proporciouns of feturys.] Most lik a knyht labour to endure; And euery man only bi goddis grace [wyght st. man.] Loued him of herte that loked on his face. [lovyd. lookyd.] Line 990 In his estat most goodly and benygne, Heuenly of cher, of counseil prouydent, [cheere.] Hadde in his persone many blissid signe, [Shewyng of grace ful many a blysful signe.] Whan tyme requyrid, kyngly pacient, [requeryd. he was moost pacient.] And ay to godward hool was his entent; [euere st. ay.] Line 995 And al his port, in ordre to termyne, Was to al uertu a scole and a doctryne. [Was vnto vertu of scole.] In his doomys most rihtful & most trewe, [al his.] Best auysid in Juggement yeuyng; [Moost circumspect in Jugement yevyng.] Stable of his heste, loued no chaunges newe, [beheest. lovyd.] Line 1000 Koude weel abide, nat hasty in werkyng; [Wondir avised, nat hasty.] And passendly discreet in comandyng, [Of alle his preceptis discreet in c.] In his language nat boistous nor contraire, [And in his speche not.] But with sad chier benygne and debonaire. [cheer. .] Most temperat he was of his dieete, [also st. he was. dyete.] Line 1005 Large in yeuyng to folkes vertuous; [folkys.] To foryefnesse most mansuet and meete; [Ageyn in|juryes moost mansuete.]

In prosperite meek and nat pompous, [meke. not.] Sur in aduersite; of mercy most famous, [Sewr.] His hand mynystre, pleynly as I reede, [rede.] Line 1010 Topne his cofres for almesse-deede. [To opne. coffres. dede.] To alle religious protectour and support, [alle fehlt. suppoort.] To heretikes a yerde most mortal — [heretiques. the st. a.] Lollardis that tyme fond in him no confort, [counfort.] To holichirche he was so strong a wal, [umgesetzt.] [To hooly chirche ther cheef castel and wal.] Line 1015 Hated fals doctryn in especial; [umgesetzt.] [hatyd. doctryne.] And disdeyned of kyngly excellence [royal st. kyngly.] To alle fals tonges to yeuen audience: [Vnto detraccioun to yiven a.] To his hihnesse it was abhomynable [And to his.] Feynyd lesynges and adulacioun, [Hyndryng tounges and adulacioun.] Line 1020 Kankrid mouthes and lippis detestable; [Le|syngges feyned with lippes.] And al enuyous supplantacioun [Nor fals envye nor s.] Hadde in his siht no supportacioun; Double corages nor soweris of discord [Double mouthys. discoord.] With his noblesse myht haue noon accord. [hadde st. miht haue. accoord.] Line 1025 And as myn auctour makith rehersaile [rehersaylle.] His hih prowesse puttyng in memorye, [hih fehlt.] In trouthes quarel komyng to bataile [he was founde in bataylle st. komyng to b.] A sheeld of knyhthod, of worthynesse the glorye, Callid in armes a swerd of hih victorye: [armys. the swerd.] Line 1030 For in his brest he bar to his encres [Which in his breest bar to his encrees.] Of magnanymyte the herte of Hercules, [Herculees.] Prudence in armys, to make a feeld and fette, Hadde with Nestor manly auysynesse; [With Nestor hadde. avysenesse.] Knyhtly cherid his foomen whan he mette; [Moost knyghtly cheeryd.] Line 1035 With Tideus he hadde eek hardynesse, [ek.] Eek at assaies passyng delyuernesse; [In persone passyng delyvirnesse.] And thouh he hadde bothe hardynesse and myht, [As though that he excellyd of greet myght,] He neuer took feeld but on a ground of ryht. [He neuer faught bataylle but wheer as he knew right.] What-euer he wan, of ffredam and bounte [Off thyng wel wonne thorugh fredam & bounte.] Line 1040 To parte it forth he was most liberal, [Vnto his men he was moost liberal.] In his giftes there was no skarsete, [For in. ther.] For longe delaies he liste noon make attal — [Nor long dellayes he lyst noon m. at al.] For of such giftes that callid been roial [of fehlt. yifftes.] Men seyn, with prynces who that hath to doone, Line 1045 A gifte is doublid whan it is youe soone. [yove.] This prynce among, of natural gentilesse, [among fehlt. gentillesse.] Wolde for disport, his story doth deuyse, [dispoort.] Hawke and hunte, tauoiden ydilnesse, Vse honest gamen in many sondry wise; [gamyn. sundry.] Line 1050 And lik a knyht to haue exercise [hauyn. excersyse.] With marcial pleies, in youthe hauyn a guyde [In st. with. havyng.] Knyhtly to teche him for pees to Juste and ryde. [in pees.] And as it sat to his roial estat, Dyuers tymes he armyd wolde be [armyd he.] Line 1055 To renne a pees, wondir fortunat, [woundir.] Therin most ewrous and therwithal parde [Ther inne.] Best demened that men koude owher se: [The best demenyd. owher fehlt.] For god bi grace maad him so enteer [made. entiere.] That he was able alle vertues to leer. [for to lere.] Line 1060

Line 1060 This worthy prynce famous in al uertu, [notable st. famous.] Old of prudence, of yeris yong and greene, [discrecioun st. prudence. grene.] Chose and ordeyned of our lord Jhesu [choose.] Tencrece in goodnesse, of entent most cleene: [of his. moost clene.] For in his court, as it was weel seene, [wel sene.] Line 1065 As his maister in youthe dide him teche, [Lyk as. did.] Ther was noon oth nor dishonest speche; [nor noon.] First in the morwe, whan he dide aryse, [did.] With his knyhtis he was anoon conueied [meyne st. knyhtis. anoon he was.] To his oratorie, to heren his seruise; [Vnto his clooset to heryn.] Line 1070 Al holy thyng of him was so obeied; [goodly st. holy. so was.] Cloos in his herte ech uertu was I-keied: [ykeyed.] Thus toward heuene he was contemplatiff, Toward the world a good knyht of his liff. [al st. of.] And of his houshold styward was plente, Line 1075 Glad suffisance was his tresorer, [tresowrer.] And countrollour was lyberalite, And trewe reknere was callid his cofrer, [coffereer.] And humble compassion was his awmener, Marchal of halle good cher with gentilesse, Line 1080 And clerk of kechyn was feithful redynesse. There was no surfet of no ryot late: [nor no ryot.] Sobirnesse kepte his wach at eue; [kept.] Geyn poore folk shet was not his gate, [Ageyn. nat.] His warderope open, alle needy to releue; [wardrope opyn al. relevyn.] Line 1085 Such roial mercy dide his herte meue, [suych. mevyn.] To clothe the nakid and the hungry feede, And sente his almesse to folk that lay bedreede. [And he sent. his fehlt.] Who can or may keepe cloos or hide A cleer lanterne whan that it is lyht, Line 1090 On a chaundelabre whan it doth abide; [Vpon. .] Or of the sonne difface the bemys bryht? [Apollo st. the sonne.] Or who koude hyndre goddis owne knyht, This holy Edmond, this Cristes owne man, [blyssed st. holy. this fehlt vor Crystes.] To many a kyngdham but that his fame ran? Line 1095 Of his noblesse that was the report: [Of fehlt. thus st. that. repoort.] In Estyngland how ther was a kyng [Estynge|lond.] Of whom the renon by many a strange port [To st. of. straunge poort.] Was rad and sunge, his vertues rehersyng, [songe.] His gouernance, his knyhtly demenyng. Line 1100 Which cesid nat, fro tyme it was be-gonne, [Ms. for st. fro.] [fro that it.] Til into Denmark the noble fame is ronne. [hat rede.] Which was occasion of ful gret hatreed Of such as hadde at his noblesse enuye. [suych.] Prowesse of knyhthod, where-euer it doth proceed, [wheer euere. did. procede.] Line 1105 And hih report of famous cheualrie [of noble ch.] I-hyndred is ful ofte on sum partie [Is put a-bak ful offte. som.] Bi them that list falsly therat disdeyne, Whan to such noblesse them-silf maynot atteyne. [suych. may not.] Now cese a while I wil in this matere Line 1110 And in maner make a digressioun, [And make in maneer a d.] Lyk as myn auctour doth me pleynly lere, [men st. me. pleynly fehlt.] Forto reherse the firste occasioun [first.] How Danys kam into this regioun; [cam.] Aftir reherse the title be wrytyng [Than telle the cause and the title. —Die lat. Note fehlt.] Line 1115 Of the martirdam of this worthy kyng. Explicit liber primus. Incipit secundus.