Master Wace, His Chronicle of the Norman Conquest From the Roman De Rou

Name: Master Wace, His Chronicle of the Norman Conquest From the Roman De Rou
Author: Wace

Wace

Great Britain -- History -- William I, 1066-1087

PAGE 71. A century before the revival and enrichment of the abbey of
Westminster by Edward, its church was rich enough to boast an organ,
that required seventy strong men to keep its twenty-six bellows in
action. The following description of this unwieldy machine is quoted
(from Ducange) in the _Mém. des Antiq. Norm_. vol. i. 673, from a latin
poem of Wolstan, a monk of Westminster.

     Bisseni supra sociantur in ordine _folles,_
     Inferiusque jacent quatuor atque decem:
     Quos agitant validi septuaginta viri,
     Brachia versantes, multo et sudore madentes.
     Certatimque suos quisque movet socios,
     Viribus ut totis impellant flamina sursum,
     Et rugiat pleno capsa referta sinu,
     Sola quadragintas quæ sustinet ordine musas.

PAGE 79. The LIVRE here seems to mean the pound weight of silver.

PAGE 83. _Benoit de Sainte-More's_ account of Harold's oath and
agreement with duke William:

     Si josta li dux son concile,
     Ce sui lisant, à Bone vile.
     Là fu li serremenz jurez,
     Que Heraut meisme a devisez,
     Que tant cum Ewart vivreit mais
     Le regne li tendreit en pais,
     Selon sa force, au suen poeir,
     Senz fausser et senz déceveir;
     E après qu'il sereit feniz,
     Ci que del regne fust saisiz,
     li tendreit vers toz homes nez
     De ci qu'il i fust coronez;
     E dès ceu jor en avant
     L'en sera mais partot aidant;
     Douvre, la tor e le chastel,
     Si fort cum il est e si bel,
     Baillera sempres bien garniz
     E de vitaille repleniz
     A ceus des suens qui lui plaira,
     Qu'il à garder i trametra;
     E s'aillors vout chasteaus fermer
     Desus le rivage de mer,
     Despense e vivre e estoveir,
     Trovera tot de son aveir.
     Eissi sor tot le saintuaire
     Qu'on li vout aporter ne traire
     Jura de sa main à tenir,
     Senz rien fausser e senz guenchir.

     E li dux, por lui mieuz aveir
     Senz fausser e senz déceveir
     E senz muer vers lui corage,
     Aeliz la proz e la sage.
     Sa fille, li ottreie e done,
     Quant saisiz ert de la corone,
     E del regne une meitié.
     Mult en vout cil baisier le pié.
     Iteux furent lor covenanz.

PAGE 98. For _Easter_ should be read _Noël_ (Christmas). _Benoit de
Sainte-More's_ account of the messages between Harold and William is as
follows:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Master Wace, His Chronicle of the Norman Conquest From the Roman De RouWace

History

Master Wace, His Chronicle of the Norman Conquest From the Roman De Rou

Wace

Great Britain -- History -- William I, 1066-1087

PAGE 71. A century before the revival and enrichment of the abbey of
Westminster by Edward, its church was rich enough to boast an organ,
that required seventy strong men to keep its twenty-six bellows in
action. The following description of this unwieldy machine is quoted
(from Ducange) in the _Mém. des Antiq. Norm_. vol. i. 673, from a latin
poem of Wolstan, a monk of Westminster.

     Bisseni supra sociantur in ordine _folles,_
     Inferiusque jacent quatuor atque decem:
     Quos agitant validi septuaginta viri,
     Brachia versantes, multo et sudore madentes.
     Certatimque suos quisque movet socios,
     Viribus ut totis impellant flamina sursum,
     Et rugiat pleno capsa referta sinu,
     Sola quadragintas quæ sustinet ordine musas.

PAGE 79. The LIVRE here seems to mean the pound weight of silver.

PAGE 83. _Benoit de Sainte-More's_ account of Harold's oath and
agreement with duke William:

     Si josta li dux son concile,
     Ce sui lisant, à Bone vile.
     Là fu li serremenz jurez,
     Que Heraut meisme a devisez,
     Que tant cum Ewart vivreit mais
     Le regne li tendreit en pais,
     Selon sa force, au suen poeir,
     Senz fausser et senz déceveir;
     E après qu'il sereit feniz,
     Ci que del regne fust saisiz,
     li tendreit vers toz homes nez
     De ci qu'il i fust coronez;
     E dès ceu jor en avant
     L'en sera mais partot aidant;
     Douvre, la tor e le chastel,
     Si fort cum il est e si bel,
     Baillera sempres bien garniz
     E de vitaille repleniz
     A ceus des suens qui lui plaira,
     Qu'il à garder i trametra;
     E s'aillors vout chasteaus fermer
     Desus le rivage de mer,
     Despense e vivre e estoveir,
     Trovera tot de son aveir.
     Eissi sor tot le saintuaire
     Qu'on li vout aporter ne traire
     Jura de sa main à tenir,
     Senz rien fausser e senz guenchir.

     E li dux, por lui mieuz aveir
     Senz fausser e senz déceveir
     E senz muer vers lui corage,
     Aeliz la proz e la sage.
     Sa fille, li ottreie e done,
     Quant saisiz ert de la corone,
     E del regne une meitié.
     Mult en vout cil baisier le pié.
     Iteux furent lor covenanz.

PAGE 98. For _Easter_ should be read _Noël_ (Christmas). _Benoit de
Sainte-More's_ account of the messages between Harold and William is as
follows:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Master Wace, His Chronicle of the Norman Conquest From the Roman De Rou

Master Wace, His Chronicle of the Norman Conquest From the Roman De Rou

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