Short pieces from ms. Cotton Galba E.IX / [ed. Joseph Hall].

I. SHORT PIECES FROM MS. COTTON GALBA E. IX.

The first and third pieces are here printed for the first time, the second has already appeared in Pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry. By Joseph Ritson, second edition, London 1833, and in the Appendix to the Latin Poems of Walter Mapes edited by Thomas Wright for the Camden Society. A table of the contents of the MS. will be found in the introduction to my edition of Minot's poems.

I. In imagine pertransit homo.

Al es bot a fantum þat we with ffare, [f. 48b] , [col. 2.] [1 we om. MS.] Vs behoues ilka day heþen make us ȝare, [2 heþen make us ȝare, make ourselves ready to depart hence.] Forto wend fra þis werld naked & bare, Bot our wyndyng clathe, with outen any gare, [4 our] o above the line MS.] Litel while sal we hald þat we so fast spare, [ 5] Other men sal it wast þat we obout care, He þat maste hordes sal rew it ful sare, Saue þat we do for Godes loue haue we na mare.

Al es bot a fantum þat we with dele, Many has hap and many vnsele, [ 10] Be ye neuer so hate, ȝit may it kele, Lat noght þe pouer by þat þe es ouer wele. [12 Do not suffer the poor to purchase what you have in superabundance.] Do þou il, do þou wil, bathe sal þou fele When bathe ligges in lik hegh þi hed & þi hele. [14 When your head and your heels are on the same level.]

Al es bot a fantum þat we so fast hald, [ 15] Litel gode can þe ȝong & les can þe ald, [16 þald MS.] Him self sal hald him a fole þat most has in wald, When he sal on domesday his justis byhald, Þan sal he sik & sorow many fald Þat he had wroght in þis werld as God him wald; [ 20] [20 him om. MS.] Help þe pouer in honger & in cald, Þan may þow be for an of his tald.

Al es bot a fantum þat most es our thoght, Þat es þe welþe of þis werld þat es noght. [24 noght] o above the line.] Þar we sal haue our dome als we haue wroght, [ 25] Of al our misdedeȝ forthe sal be soght, [f. 49a] , [col. 1.] Of manikyn folis þat we littel roght. Prai we to Godes son þat dere has us boght, Til þe ioy þar he wones þat we may be broght.

Al es bot a fantom þat most es oure thoght, [ 30] Þat es þe welth o þis werld þat saul helpes noght. [31 oþis MS.] When we sal here our dome als we haue wroght, Of al our misdedeȝ forth sal be soght, Of manikyn folis þat us littel roght.

Ȝit es þar a fantom lest forto praies; [ 35] Þou rekes noght of þi brother bot þou be at ais, [36 bot seems to mean, provided that.] When þou lyes bonden als hering dos in maies, [37 maies, O.N. meiss, a wicker basket. A mese of herring means now five hundred.] In payne for þi misdedeȝ, wha sal þe raies? Of al þas þat befor wald þe so fast praies ffindes þou þan na frende þat þe wil up laies. [ 40] [40 laies is wrong, perhaps tais: Kölbing.]

Litel pite men thinkes of þi mikel care, Þou ne rekes in þi lif how þi saul fare; To gif to þe pouer nothing mightow spare, To hald þi caitif saul fra sorow & care, Es þar noman þe menes þe les no þe mare, [ 45] Þou ert wilet with þe werld & tan in þe snare.

Þou ert tan with a snare to put in hel pitt; Blam þarfor naman bot þi awen witt. [48 after þarfor, þe MS.] Be side mani sari sal þou þare sitt, [49 sare MS.] Of God & of heuyn blis ertow ful quitt. [ 50]

Gerrard hem self sal gif þe a smitt; [51 Gerrard, the devil. Comp. Cursor Mundi, ll. 18227 & 11811. Bemond is another popular name for him. Hymns to the Virgin (E. E. T. S. no. 24) 61/95.] Als blak as him self makes he þe lik. [52 lik spoils the rhyme; read þi lit: Kölbing.]

Al es bot a fantom þat we with daile; Al þe gode þat þou has getin it sal noght þe availe, When þou ert put in þi pit þi frendeȝ þe faile, [ 55] [55 pit, the grave.] Þi sekturs, þi gode skift has made þe at aile. [56 Thy executors, thy careful distribution of thy property have brought thee to grief. For sekturs, comp. Rel. Ant. 1, p. 314. 'Too secuturs and an overseere make thre theves'. As for scift, O.E. sciftan. O.N. skipti, comp. Halliwell under shift. 'A division of land among coheirs is called a shifting'.]

Mikel ferly me think þat men in þare lyfe Al þe gode þat þai haue geten þai leuit with þare wife, When he es at his lang ham, scho eges hire be lyfe To take hire a ȝong swayn þat wil mai hire swyfe. [ 60]

I hald him a grete fole & þat kan litel skile, [61 þat om. MS.] When he seeȝ þat he sitȝ opon þe pit hil, [62 When he sees himself on the edge of the grave.] To take him any sektur gode or jl, fforto dele his gode, i ne wot whartil. [64 inwot MS.]

Þai wil dele nothing bot þaim wile list; [ 65] Þam thoght it ful litel þai fand in his kist; [66 fulitel MS.] [66 The executors express their surprise at the small sum the dead man has left. dale in 67 is deal, distribution.] Þai ne rek of the dale how lang it es mist; Þai wil sai þai haue delt if naman it wist.

He þat kan in his hert wile vndrestand [69 wile, well.] He sal dele at his dore with his awen hand, [ 70] Whils he mai on his fete in þe wai stand, Els sal he be giled when he mai noght gang.

Al es bot a fantom þat we about ga; [f. 49a] , [col. 2.] Þat es þe welth o þis werld þat wirkes many wa. When þou lys in þi bed opon þi dede stra, [ 75] Þou wenes to gif it þi frende & leues it þi fa. [76 gifit MS.] When dede has þe begiled, as he dos many ma, Of al þi gode ertow quitt þat tow ferd fra.

Þis werld es bot a fantom, sothe forto sai; [79 weld MS.] Now mai þou se a man here & sone es he a wai. [ 80] [80 he above the line MS.] Thynk on þi saule & gif, whils þou mai;

He þat hordes most sal rew it for ay: [82 rewit MS.] He thinkes more on his hord þat in kist lay, Þan of God him self be nyghte ore be day.

Prai we to þat iusticȝ þat al thing wate; [ 85] Of al þe dedes þat we haue done he knawes oure state, Þat we haue wroght in oure lyue arly & late. To þe ioy þare he wones he lede vs þe gate, Grant til vs his jritage, to enter at his ȝate, [89 jritage, heritage, inheritance.] To folow vs oure charite of þe lang date, [ 90] [90 Grant that the acts of charity done long ago may follow us for reward.] Þat we þat stede noght se þare sauleȝ ay grate.

He þat þis sang made Jhesus mirthe he hade. [91, 92 transposed in MS.] [92 mirthe] i above the line MS. hade] gate is to be read: K.]

Ȝit sais Jhesus mery als he saide are, Al es bot a fantom þat we obout fare.

II. Incipit narracio de domino denario. [f. 50b] , [col. 2.]

In erth it es a litill thing, And regnes als a riche king, Whare he es lent in land; Sir peni es his name talde; [4 talde] calde. Ritson, Wright.] He makes both ȝong & alde [ 5] Bow vntill his hand.

Papes, kinges and emperoures, Bisschoppes, abbottes and priowres, Person, prest and knyght, Dukes, erles and ilk barowne, [ 10] To serue him er þai ful boune Both bi day and nyght. [12 biday MS.]

Sir Peni chaunges ofte mans mode, [13 þeni] above line MS. ofte] om. MS. supplied from Caius MS. by Ritson.] And gers þam oft do doun þaire hode, [14 do doun] to don, Ritson. to doun, Wright.] And to rise him ogayne. [ 15] Men honors him with grete reuerence, Makes ful mekell obedience Vnto þat litill swaine.

In kinges court es it no bote, Ogaines Sir Peni forto mote, [ 20] So mekill es he of myght; He es so witty and so strang, Þat be it neuer so mekill wrang, He will mak it right.

With Peny may men wemen till, [ 25] Be þai neuer so strange of will, So oft may it be sene. Lang with him will þai noght chide, For he may ger þam trayl syde [29 trayl syde, to wear gowns with long trains.] In gude skarlet and grene. [f. 51a] , [col. 1.] [ 30]

He may by both heuyn and hell, And ilka thing þat es to sell, In erth has he swilk grace. He may lese and he may bind, Þe pouer er ay put bihind, [ 35] Whare he cumes in place.

When he bigines him to mell, He makes meke þat are was fell And waik þat bald has bene. All þe nedes ful sone er sped [ 40] [40 þe] ye Ritson.] Bath with owten borgh and wed, Whare Peni gase bitwene.

Þe domes men he mase so blind, Þat he may noght þe right find [44 he] read þai.] Ne þe suth to se. [ 45] Forto gif dome þam es ful lath, Þarwith to mak Sir Peni wrath, Ful dere with þam es he.

Þare strif was Peni makes pese, Of all angers he may relese, [ 50] In land whare he will lende: Of fase may he mak frendes sad, Of counsail thar þam neuer be rad Þat may haue him to frende.

Þat sire es set on high dese, [ 55] And serued with mani riche mese, At þe high burde.

Þe more he es to men plente, Þe more ȝernid alway es he And halden dere in horde. [ 60]

He makes mani be forsworne, And sum life and saul forlorne, Him to get and wyn. Oþer god will þai none haue Bot þat litil round knaue, [ 65] Þaire bales forto blin.

On him halely þaire hert es sett, [67 hert es] hertes Ritson, Wright.] Him forto luf will þai noght let Nowþer for gude ne ill. All þat he will in erth haue done, [ 70] Ilka man grantes it ful sone, Right at his awin will.

Peni may both lene and gyf. [73 Peni] he MS.] He may ger both sla and lif Both by frith and fell. [ 75]

Peni es a gude felaw, Men welcums him in dede and saw, [f. 51a] , [col. 2.] Cum he neuer so oft. He es noght welkumd als a gest, Bot euermore serued with þe best [ 80] And made at sit ful soft.

Who so es sted in any nede, With Sir Peni may þai spede, How so euer bytide. [84 Ritson inserts they before bytide.] He, þat Sir Peni es with all, [ 85] Sal haue his will in stede and stall, When oþer er set byside.

Sir Peny gers in riche wede Ful mani go & ride on stede, In þis werldes wide. [ 90] [90 werldes. Ritson reads werlde.] In ilka gamin and ilka play, Þe maystri es gifen ay To Peny for his pride.

Sir Peny ouer all gettes þe gre, Both in burgh and in cete, [ 95] In castell and in towre.

With owten owþer spere or schelde, Es he þe best in frith or felde, And stalworthest in stowre.

In ilka place, þe suth es sene, [ 100] Sir Peni es ouer albidene, Maister most in mode. And all es als he will cumand, Oganis his steuyn dar no man stand, Nowþer by land ne flode. [ 105]

Sir Peny mai ful mekill availe To þam þat has nede of cownsail, Als sene es in assise. He lenkithes life and saues fro ded, Bot luf it noght ouer wele, I rede, [ 110] For sin of couaityse.

If þou haue happ tresore to win, Delite þe noght to mekill þarin, Ne nything þareof be; Bot spend it als wele als þou can, [ 115] So þat þou luf both God and man In perfite charite.

God grante vs grace with hert & will, Þe gudes þat he has gifen vs till Wele and wisely to spend, [ 120] And so oure liues here forto lede Þat we may haue his blis to mede Euer with owten end.

Amen.

III. Popule meus, quid feci tibi?

Vos qui transitis: si crimina flere uelitis. [f. 51b] , [col. 1.] Per me transite: qui sum ianua vite.

Bides a while and haldes ȝoure pais, And heres what God him seluen sais, Hingand on þe rode. Man and woman þat by me gase, Luke up to me and stint þi pase, [ 5] For þe I sched my blude.

Bihald mi body or þou gang And think opon my paynes strang And still as stane þou stand. [Compare with this piece, Cursor Mundi, 17 129 and foll.] [9 still as stane. For examples of this phrase, see Minot, ed. Hall, 11, 32, note.]

Bihald þi self þe suth and se, [ 10] How I am hanged here on þis tre And nailed fute and hand.

Bihald mi heuid, bihald my fete, And of þi misdedes luke þou lete; Bihald mi grisely face. [ 15] Of þi sins ask aledgance, [16 aledgance, relief.] And in my mercy haue affiance, And þou sall get my grace.

In cruce sum pro te{punctel} qui peccas desine pro me. Desine do ueniam{punctel} dic culpam corrige uitam.

Man, þus on rode I hing for þe; [19 The Latin lines preceding this are also with slight variation in Political, Religious etc. Poems (E. E. T. S., no. 15) p. 111.] Forsake þi sin for luf of me, [ 20] Sen I swilk luf þe bede. Man, I lufe þe ouer all thing, And for þi luf þus wald I hing, My blisced blude to blede.

Man, ful dere I haue þe boght; [ 25] How es it so, þou lufes me noght? [25, 26 Compare 'Sin i haf þe sua dere boght | Quat ailes þe þou luues me noght', Cursor, 17 155, 17 156.] Vnkindly dose þou þare. If þou will luf vnto me schaw, For my broþer I will þe knaw, [29 broþer] br very faint.] What may I do þe mare? [ 30]

If þat þou be most sinful man, Þat euer in werld on erth ran, And þou will knaw þi state, And sadly seke to my mercy, Þe to resaiue I am redy, [ 35] Euer arly and late.

Of all þi misdedes luke þou blin, More es my mercy þan þi sin; Þou call mercy with hert. Ask mercy and þou sall haue, [ 40] And fro þe fende I sall þe saue, And fro his paines smert.

In my mercy despaire þou noght, [f. 51b] , [col. 2.] Sen I þe so dere haue boght, And ensaumpill þou take [ 45] Of sinfull mari mawdelayne Þat with sin was gastly slayne And seþin gan it forsake.

Also ensaumple may þou luke Of saint peter þat me forsoke, [ 50] And seþin rewed it sare. Mercy had þai sone of me: Man, þe same I will do þe, Þarfore lete at my lare. [54 lete at my lare, See Minot, VI, 22, note.] [At the end is de dn̄o denario mani thinges not to / be reiected in a later hand.]

MANCHESTER, February 21, 1895

Joseph Hall.