The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II

Anglo-Norman poetry -- Translations into English; English poetry -- Middle English, 1100-1500; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1066-1485 -- Sources; Latin poetry, Medieval and modern -- England -- Translations into English; Political ballads and songs -- Great Britain -- Texts; Political

If Aristotle were alive,--and Virgil who knew skill,--they would
  not say the value--of the worthy man a tenth part.--Now is dead
  King Edward,--for whom my heart is in desolation;--may God
  preserve his soul in safety,--for the sake of his holy passion!
  Amen.

       *       *       *       *       *

The following song, in English, on the same event, is preserved
in another manuscript. It is somewhat singular that one of these
songs is clearly translated from the other, the variations being
comparatively small, and consisting chiefly in the transposition of
some of the stanzas. The French song was probably the original.


ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD I.

[MS. Harl. No. 2253, fol. 73, r^o. of the reign of Edw. II.]

      Alle that beoth of huerte trewe,
        A stounde herkneth to my song,
      Of duel that deth hath diht us newe,
        That maketh me syke ant sorewe among;
        Of a knyht that wes so strong,
      Of wham God hath don ys wille:
        Me thuncheth that deth hath don us wrong,
      That he so sone shal ligge stille.

      Al Englond ahte for te knowe
        Of wham that song is that y synge;--
      Of Edward kyng that lith so lowe,
        Ȝent al this world is nome con springe.
        Trewest mon of alle thinge,
      Ant in werre war ant wys,
        For him we ahte oure honden wrynge,
      Of Christendome he ber the prys.

      Byfore that oure kyng wes ded,
        He speke ase mon that wes in care,--
      “Clerkes, knyhtes, barouns,” he sayde,
        “Y charge ou by oure sware,
        That ȝe to Engelonde be trewe.
      Y deȝe, y ne may lyven na more;
        Helpeth mi sone ant crouneth him newe,
      For he is nest to buen y-core.

      “Ich biquethe myn herte aryht,
        That hit be write at mi devys,
      Over the see that hue be diht,
        With fourscore knyhtes al of prys,
        In werre that buen war ant wys,
      Aȝeyn the hethene for te fyhte,
        To wynne the croiz that lowe lys;
      Myself ycholde ȝef that y myhte.”

      Kyng of Fraunce, thou hevedest sunne,
        That thou the counsail woldest fonde,
      To latte the wille of kyng Edward
        To wende to the holy londe:
        That oure kyng hede take on honde
      Al Engelond to ȝeme ant wysse,
        To wenden into the Holy Londe,
      To wynnen us heve[n]riche blisse.

      The messager to the Pope com,
        And seyde that oure kynge wes ded:
      Ys oune hond the lettre he nom,
        Y-wis his herte wes ful gret:
        The Pope himself the lettre redde,
      Ant spec a word of gret honour,--
        “Alas!” he seide, “is Edward ded?
      Of Christendome he ber the flour!”

      The Pope to is chaumbre wende,
        For del ne mihte he speke na more;
      Ant after cardinals he sende,
        That muche couthen of Cristes lore,
        Bothe the lasse ant eke the more,
      Bed hem bothe rede ant synge:
        Gret deol me myhte se thore,
      Mony mon is honde wrynge.

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

Opening the text

History

The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II

If Aristotle were alive,--and Virgil who knew skill,--they would
  not say the value--of the worthy man a tenth part.--Now is dead
  King Edward,--for whom my heart is in desolation;--may God
  preserve his soul in safety,--for the sake of his holy passion!
  Amen.

       *       *       *       *       *

The following song, in English, on the same event, is preserved
in another manuscript. It is somewhat singular that one of these
songs is clearly translated from the other, the variations being
comparatively small, and consisting chiefly in the transposition of
some of the stanzas. The French song was probably the original.


ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD I.

[MS. Harl. No. 2253, fol. 73, r^o. of the reign of Edw. II.]

      Alle that beoth of huerte trewe,
        A stounde herkneth to my song,
      Of duel that deth hath diht us newe,
        That maketh me syke ant sorewe among;
        Of a knyht that wes so strong,
      Of wham God hath don ys wille:
        Me thuncheth that deth hath don us wrong,
      That he so sone shal ligge stille.

      Al Englond ahte for te knowe
        Of wham that song is that y synge;--
      Of Edward kyng that lith so lowe,
        Ȝent al this world is nome con springe.
        Trewest mon of alle thinge,
      Ant in werre war ant wys,
        For him we ahte oure honden wrynge,
      Of Christendome he ber the prys.

      Byfore that oure kyng wes ded,
        He speke ase mon that wes in care,--
      “Clerkes, knyhtes, barouns,” he sayde,
        “Y charge ou by oure sware,
        That ȝe to Engelonde be trewe.
      Y deȝe, y ne may lyven na more;
        Helpeth mi sone ant crouneth him newe,
      For he is nest to buen y-core.

      “Ich biquethe myn herte aryht,
        That hit be write at mi devys,
      Over the see that hue be diht,
        With fourscore knyhtes al of prys,
        In werre that buen war ant wys,
      Aȝeyn the hethene for te fyhte,
        To wynne the croiz that lowe lys;
      Myself ycholde ȝef that y myhte.”

      Kyng of Fraunce, thou hevedest sunne,
        That thou the counsail woldest fonde,
      To latte the wille of kyng Edward
        To wende to the holy londe:
        That oure kyng hede take on honde
      Al Engelond to ȝeme ant wysse,
        To wenden into the Holy Londe,
      To wynnen us heve[n]riche blisse.

      The messager to the Pope com,
        And seyde that oure kynge wes ded:
      Ys oune hond the lettre he nom,
        Y-wis his herte wes ful gret:
        The Pope himself the lettre redde,
      Ant spec a word of gret honour,--
        “Alas!” he seide, “is Edward ded?
      Of Christendome he ber the flour!”

      The Pope to is chaumbre wende,
        For del ne mihte he speke na more;
      Ant after cardinals he sende,
        That muche couthen of Cristes lore,
        Bothe the lasse ant eke the more,
      Bed hem bothe rede ant synge:
        Gret deol me myhte se thore,
      Mony mon is honde wrynge.

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

The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II — John Shaqi

The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II

The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II

No reviews yet