Political, religious, and love poems. Some by Lydgate, Sir Richard Ros, Henry Baradoun, Wm. Huchen, etc. from the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Ms. no. 306, and other sources, with a fragment of The Romance of Peare of Provence and the fair Magnelone, and a sketch, with the prolog and epilog, of The Romance of the knight Amoryus and the Lady Cleopes,

Crentale Sancti Gregorii.

[Brit. Mus. MS. Cott. Calig., A ii., leaf 86, back, col. 2, and MS. Lambeth 306, leaf 110.] [The B. Mus. text is rather earlier than the Lambeth, and is therefore printed here, the chief variations of the Lambeth MS. being put in the notes. See an earlier version in Minor Poems of the Vernon MS., E. E. T. Soc.]

[

A Writt men ffynt, A fayre storye,The Pope hit wrote, Seint gregorye

] A nobull story wryte y fynde, A pope hit wrote to haue yn mynde Of his modur, (& of her lyf) That holden was an holy wyfe, [That al men helden an holy housewyffe] Line 4 Of myrthes sadde, & [So sade of maneres, so] mylde of mode, Þat alle men held [Alle men helden] her holy & gode, Bothe deuowte & [Bonoure devoute so.] mylde of steuen Þat alle men helde her wordy [gesshed hire worthy to] heuen; Line 8 So holy as she was holde of name, Alle men were gladde of her fame, But as holy as she holden was, [Also holy as she was] Þe deuell browȝth her [The Fende it felde] yn a foule cas, Line 12 He trifeled her so [And travailde hir] with his trecherye And ledde her yn lust [into synne] of lecherye: For with lust of lecherye he her [That luste of loue hir so] begylde Tyll she hadde conceyued A chylde. [So ffer that she was with childe.] Line 16 And al so priuely she hit [So privily ner the lees she her] bare That þere-of was no man ware. And, for no mon shuld wyte of þat [witte her] case, A-none as þe chylde born was, Line 20

Line 20 The chylde she slowȝ & wyryede, [Be the necke the child she wriede.] And pryuely she hit [And a-none the childe she] byryede. Þer [Thus] was she combred yn a carefull case, And vnshryuen þer-of she was; [She shewed neuer shryfte þerof, alas!] Line 24 She ne tolde no [She tolde neuer] preste her priuyte, For she wolde holy holden be. [L. transposes this and the line above, and adds,

Alle folke were fayne of hire name,So holy she was holdene, and of gode fame.

Twyes] Efte sones she fell in [hir felle the] þe same case Ryȝth as beforn her be-tydde [as hit be-forne] was. Line 28 For she was comen of hyȝ parage, [price] Of gentyll [Riche] kynne & worþy [gentille] lynage; [L. adds,

Hir sonne was Gregory the pope;Men helden hir holy with alle her hope.

] Þerfore she wolde not her synne [durste she no shryft] shewe, Nor yn schryfte hit be [lest be schreft hir case were] knowe, [L. adds,

So shame maketh men to hide ther shryffte,And lese the grace of god alle-myght,And sethen to lyve synfully,And fallen to dethe sodeynly.

] Line 32 And so here [This womans] dedes were not a-spyed; But afturwarde sodenly [And sothely afterward] she dyed. When she was seyn so sodenly [softly] dye, Men hoped she was yn heuen hye; [fulle hie] Line 36 They helde her [helden hire] so holy & deuowte, Þat of here deth þey made [men had] no dowte, But sykurly men wende y-wys [wenden witterly al to wysse] Þat she was worþy [sett in] heuen blys. Line 40 Then aftur with-Inne a shorte [Ther after. . .litelle] tyme, [folio 87:1] Vpon a day soone aftyr pryme, The pope, as he at his massë [Her Sonne the pope at the mas] stode, Vpon his modur he hadde þowȝt [And of his moder hee trowed but] goode, Line 44 Prayng to god with conciens clere

The soþe to knowë as hit were; [L. omits lines 45, 46.] And sodenly, yn myddës his [the myd] masse, Þer þrowȝ to hym such a [drewe to him a grete] derkenesse Line 48 Þat he lakkede ner [That blacked alle] þe dayës lyȝt, For hit was [And was alse] derkë as mydnyȝt; In þat derkenes was [And in the derknes a] myste among. All a-stonyed he stode, so hit stongke; [L.,

Stonyed he was of a stynche fulle stronge.Ther-of so gresely he was a-gasteThat in swonyng he was alle-moste.

] Line 52 Be-syde he loked vnþur hys lere; In þat derknes a þyng þrew hym [Amiddes the derknes that þat drewe on] nere, A wonþurfull [wonder] grysely creature, Aftur a fend fyred with all her feture, [But as a ffende was hir feture] Line 56 All ragged & rente, boþe elenge & [So ragged so rent and also] euell, As orrybull [dredfulle] to be-holde as any [helle] deuell: Mowthë, facë, [and nose] eres & yes, Brennede all [Flammynge] full of brennyng lyes. Line 60 ¹⁶He was so agast of þat grysyly goste, That yn a swonyng he was almoste; He halsed hit, þorow¹⁶ [^16_16 He asked fullyche bi] goddes myȝte, That þe fende he putte to flyȝte, [That alle deuelis shulde drade by right] Line 64 And be þe vertu of hys blode That for mankynde dyed on Rode, "Sey me sykerly þe soþë [Sey thou me the sothe wel] soone What þou hast [Whate hate thou] yn þis place to done: Line 68 What ys þy cause þou cursed [the cause that þu weked] wreche, Thus at masse me for to [Thus me at masse do der and] drecche?" Þe gost answered with drury [drery] chere "I am þy modur þat þe beere, Line 72 Þat for vnschryuen dedes so [om. so] derne In byttyr paynes þus y brenne."

Then sayde [Tho answerd] þe pope, "alas! Alas! Modur, þis ys to me [My moder this is] a wondur case. Line 76 A! leef [Alas] modur! how may þis be In such paynes [A-Raye] þe for to se? For alle men wende y-wys [Men wendyne witterlyche I-wis] [folio 87:2] That þou hadde bene wordy [were worthi to haue] heuen blys, Line 80 And full good [fulle welle with god] þat þou were To praye for vs þat ben [leven] here. Sey me, modyr, with-outen fayne Why art þou put to all þis payne." Line 84 She sayde, "sone, sykerly [my sonne sothefastlye] I shalle þe telle þe causë why: For y was not such as y semed, But mychë [Butt wecked and] worsë þen men wened; Line 88 I lyuede in lustes [I synned] wykkydly in my lyfe, Of þe whyche y wolde me not [durste me neuer] shryfe;" And [She] tolde hym trewly all þe [her] case Fro þe bygynnyng how þat [From one tille other as] hit wase. Line 92 ¹⁶The pope lette teres a-down Renne, And to his modyr he sayde þen,¹⁶ [^16_16 L. omits these lines.] "Telle me now, modur, for [Sey me, moder, for] loue of mary flour, If any þyng may þe help or [Yf oughte the may save and] sokour? Line 96 ¹⁹Bedes, or masse, þy penaunce to bye, Or ony fastyng þy sorowe to aleye; What crafte, [?MS.; may be 'curste'] or caste, or any oþur þyng The may help, or be þy Releuyng."¹⁹ [^19_19

Wheþer fastynge or pennaunce may þee alegge,Bedis or masses thi peynes to brygge,With cost, and crafte, and other thingeTo the be helpe of Any savynge.

] Line 100 "My [My dere] blessed sone," sayde she, "Full well y hope þat hit may [welle y-holpen y myght] be; Syker & saf myȝth y [Holpen and savide y myghte] be well,

Who-so trewly wolde take a [vnder-toke a trewe] trentell Line 104 Of ten chef festës of [of alle] þe ȝere, To syng for me yn [on] þis manere, Thre masses of crystys natyuyte, And of þe xij day [Epuphanie. L. compresses the next eight lines into four long ones.] oþur þre, Line 108 Thre of our ladyes puryfycacioun, And oþur þre of her Annunciacioun, Thre of crystes gloryous Resurreccioun, And oþer þre of his hyȝ Ascencioun, Line 112 And of pentecoste oþur þre, And þre of þe blessed trinite, And of our ladyes Assumpcioun, oþur þre, And of here Ioyfull natiuite þre; Line 116 These ben þe chefë [tho ilke] festës ten That sokour þe sowles þat ben fro heuenn. [That souerenly socouren synfulle men] "Who so [Whate preeste] sayth þese masses with-out fayle, For synnfulle sowles þey shalle [To . . . they shulden myche] a-vayle; Line 120 Alle A [In one] ȝere, with-outen trayne, [folio 87b:1] They delyuere a sowle [Delyuer sowles] out of payne. Lette say þese masses be ȝour hestes With-Inne þe [euery] vtas of þe [euery] festes; Line 124 And he þat shall þese masses do, Sey [Shalle sey . . too. For the next four lines the Lambeth MS. (fol.112) reads:

Trewly with-owtene ony wereEuery day thorowe-oute the yere;Do hem it to saye euery daye,Or he that dothe thes masses to saye,Whoso wille knowe this orisoun clene,Hit is in Englisshe this myche to mene:Oracio, 'Deus qui es nostra Redempcio'"God, that arte oure verray Redempcioun,To owre Sowlis sothefast saluacioun:That chesest, alle oþer londis be-forne,The lond of hest, in to be borne,And thi dethe suffrest in that same,Delyuere the Soules from helle blame!Brynge hem oute of the fendis bonde,And that londe out of hethen men honde!And that pepille that levith not on the,Throwe thi vertue a-mendide may be,And alle that trustyn on thi merce,Lord, save hem alle for thi pite!"

] he þer-with þis oryson also,

'Deus qui es nostra Redempcio' With alle þe oþur þat longen þer-to." Line 128 The pope was gladde here-of in fay, And to his modur þen gon he say, "Modyr," he sayde, "þis shall be [wille y] do, For y am most bounde [I am a man moste holdynge] þerto; Line 132 Thou were [artte] my modur, I was [am] þy sone; Thys same ȝere hit shall be done; [To synge these masses y shalle not shonne] God graunte me grace to [me moder the] stonde in stede Aȝeyns alle þe synnus þat euur þou dede; Line 136 I commaunde hooly, my [pray the holiche] moder dere, þat þis tyme twelfmoneþ þou to me apere, And hooly to me þy state þou telle, [Holiche thi state to me thowe shewe] That how þou fare y may wyte welle." [faryst I mowe it knowe] Line 140 "My sone," she sayde, "y woll yn fay;" And with þat worde she wente her way. [she vansshede awaye] Day by day [So day from day] þe ȝere gon passe, The pope for-ȝate neuur [lete neuer to say] his masse Line 144 The samë dayes þat were a-syned, To helpe his modur þat was [was soo] pyned; And toke þe orysons all-way þer-to Ryȝth as she bad hym for [As his moder praide him] to do. Line 148 xij moneþ aftur, as he at masse [That time a twelmothe at the masse he] stode, With gret deuocioun & holynesse gode, [Holy in prayers, with devociouns gode] At þat samë tyme full Ryght [And in the same tide a-plight] He sawe a full swetë [wondere sely] syght: Line 152 A comely lady dressed [so dressyd] & dyght, That all þe worlde was not so [alle the place of hir shone] bryȝt, Comely [Comly and] crowned as a qwene,

Twenty Angellys her ladde [Two Angilles helden hir hem] betwene. Line 156 He was so Raueshed [was y-Ravesshede] of þat syght That nyȝ [Allemoste] for Ioye he swoned [felle downe] Ryght; He fell down flatte by-fore [to-for] her fete, Þat deuowtly teres wepynge [Devoute teres ther] he lete, Line 160 And [He] grette here with a mylde steuen, And sayde þere, [om. þere] "lady, qwene of heuen, Modyr of Ihesu, mayde [mylde] marye, [folio 87b:2] For my modyr, mercy I crye." Line 164 ¹⁰At þat worde, with myldë chere She hym answered on þis manere, "Blessed sone,¹⁰ [^10_10 Do way, she saide] I am not she Who wenest þou [Ne whom þu wenest] þat I be; Line 168 But certes, [sothe] as þou seest me here, I am þy modyr þat þe bere, That here by-fore, [Be-forne y ferde] þou wystë well, I was wordy payne yn hell, [Right foule as a deville of helle] Line 172 And now y am such [I Am nowe swiche] as þou seest here, Þorow help of þe [and] vertu of þy prayere; Fro derknesse I dresse to [derknesse in to] blyssë clere; Þe tyme be blessed þat y þe bere! Line 176 And, for þe kyndenesse of [and, sonne, for] þy good dede, Heuen blysse [Sovereyn Ioye] shall be þy mede. And alle þo þat leten þese masses be [this massys this] do, Shall saue hem self & oþur [haue hem selfe and the soules. L. omits the next two lines.] mo; Line 180 Þus may þey helpe her frendes alle That Reche-lesly yn synnë falle: Therfore, sone, þis story þou preche; And almyȝty [My dere sonne] god y þe be-teche." Line 184 ²³At þe endyng of her wordes euen

An Angell her ber yn to heuen: In-to þat placë god vs sende, To dwelle with her with-outen ende! Line 188 ¶ Thys ys þe vertu, y þe telle,²³ [^23_23

When she hadde this saide A-none,The Angelle to hevyn with her con gone;To that place god vs sendeThat wonneth in blysse with-owten ende!Now haue we herd fayre and weleThe vertus (of Seint Gregories trentalle)

] Of seynt gregory trentelle; But who so wyll do hit trewely, [parfitely] He mostë do more sykurly: [therto trewly] Line 192 Þe preste þat þe masse shall [shalle this trentalle] synge, At eche feste þat he doþ hit mynge, [dothe mynde] He moste say with good deuocioun, Ouer [Euery] Euen þe commendacyoun, Line 196 Placebo & dyryge [& the direges he most sey] also, The sowle to brynge out of woo; And also þe salmis [spalmes] seuenne For [That helpeth] to brynge þe sowle to [tille] heuen; Line 200 Among oþur prayeres þey ben [For A-monge alle other they bethe] good To brynge sowles [the soule] fro helle f[l]ode, [flode L. (fode, Cott., is offspring, person).] For euery psalme qwencheth [dothe quynche] a synne As ofte as a man þoth hem mynne. [Any man dothe them be-gynne. L. adds:

And with gode Devocion seith þem to the ende,Then may the soules to hevyn wende;Therfore this Salme haue ye in thought;The xv Salmes for-yete ye nought;The letany also ye haue in mynde,Loke thou leve hit not be-hynde.

] Line 204 Loke [om. Look] with good deuocyon þou hem [hit] say, [folio 88:1] And to alle halewes þat þou [hallowun ther-with to] pray, To [Pray hem to] helpe þe with all her myȝte The sowle [soules] to brynge to heuen bryght Line 208 There euur ys day, and neuur nyght; Cryst graunt vs parte of þat lyght! [vs grace to se that sight] Loke þese [þis] ben sayde alle in fere

Euery day yn [thorowe] þe ȝere; Line 212 Neuer a day þat þou [And euery day loke thou not] for-gete, These to say þou ne [This is to say loke thou not] lette; Also in þe Vtas [In the evtas] of euery feste Al so longe as hit doth [they do] leste— Line 216 Viij^te dayis men callen þe Vtas— Þe preste moste say in his masse, (A nobull orysoun hit ys holde,) Þe colette þat fyrst y of tolde; Line 220 And aftur þe fyrste orysoun, Þer ys an-oþur of gret Renoun Þat to þe sowle ys wonþur swete, Menne calle hit þe 'secrete.' [L. has the side note, Secret[um.] Omnipotcns sempiterne deus.] Line 224 When þe preste hath don [sacred] his masse, Vsed, [And vsid] & his hondes wasche, A-noþur oryson he moste say Þat yn þe boke fynde he may, Line 228 Þe 'post comen' [L. side note, post communionem. Deus cuius nomine (?).] men don hit calle, That helpeth sowles out of þralle; And þat þis be don at eche a feste As þe trentall speketh [That . . . speketh of] moste & leste; Line 232 Then may þou be sykur & certayne [fulle serteyne] To brynge þe sowle out of [sowles oute of her] payne To endeles Ioye, þat lasteth aye, Þat god dyed fore on good fryday. [He vs graunte that for vs Dyed on gode Frydaye.] Line 236 To þat Ioye he [god] vs brynge Þat ys in heuen with-oute endynge! Pray we alle hit may so [that hit so] be, And say Amen for [Amen, Amen per] charyte! [[HERE AFTER FOLOWETH MEDCYNES OF LECHECRAFTE, FOL. 114 L. 'Vrbanitatis' follows in Calig. A ii.: printed in Babees Book, E. E. T. Soc., Orig. Ser. No. 32.]] Line 240

EXPLICIT. [SENT GREGORYS TRENTALLE, L.]