1994 Prospectus: Huntington Library Hm 128 (MS Hm) Documentary Edition Sample

Note that HTML does not interpret the entity reference "¶ph;."

	Now is mede the mayde . and nomo of hem alle 

	wyth Bedelles and wyth baylyfs . brougth bifore the kynge

	The kynge callede a clerk . ne can y nougth his name

 4	To take mede the mayde . and make here at ese

	I schall assaye here my-selfe . and soþli appose

	what man vpon molde . that here were leueste

	And 3if s3e wurche by wytt . and my wyll folowe

 8	y wol for3yue hyre this gylt . so me god helpe

	¶ph;Curteysly the clerk thanne . as the kynge hy3te

	Tooke mede by the myddel . and brougth hire into chambre



	And there was merthe and menstralsye . mede to plese  

12	¶ph;They that wonen in westmynstre . wurschipeden here alle

	Gentylyche wyth ioye . the iustyces somme

	buskeden hem to the boure . there the burde dwellede

	To conforten hire kyndely . by clergyes leue

16	and seyden moorne thu nougth . ne make thu no sorowe

	for we woll wysse the kynge . and thy weye schape

	to be wedded at thy wylle . and where the leef lyketh

	for all consciences caste . or crafte as y trowe

20	¶ph;Myldely mede thanne . mercyde hem alle

	of here grete goodnesse . and gafe hem echone

	coupes of clene gold . and cuppes of seluer

	rynges wyth rubies . and rychesses manye

24	the leste man of here meyne . a motoun of golde

	thanne laught they leue . these lordes at mede

	¶ph;Wyth that comen clerkes . and conforteden here þe same

	and beden hire be blythe . for we beth thyn owne

28	forto wurche thy wylle . the while thy lyfe lasteth

	¶ph;Hendely sche thanne . byhigth hem the same

	to louen hem lely . and lordes to make

	and in the concystorye at court . do callen her names

32	schall no lewednesse lette . the lede that y louye

	that he ne wurth ferste auaunced . for y am by knowen

	there connynge clerkes . schull clokke byhynde

	¶ph;Thanne come there a confessour . coped as a frere

36	to mede the mayden . he meuede these woordes

	and seyde full softly . in schryfte as it were

	though lewed men and lered . hadden leye by the bothe

	and fals hadde fowled the . all this fyfty wynter

40	y schall assoyle the my-self . for a seem of whete

	and be thy bedeman . and bere well thy message

	amonge knyghtes and clerkes . conscience to turne

	¶ph;Thanne mede fore here mysdedes . to that man knelede

44	and schorfe here of here schrewdnesse . schameles y trowe

	tolde hym a tale . and toke hym a noble

	forto ben here bedeman . and here brocour alsse

	¶ph;Thanne he soyled here sone . and seþþen he seyde

48	we haue a wyndow in werchinge . woll sytten vs ful hi3e

	woldest þu glase that gable . and graue þerynne þyn name

	ful syker schulde þy soule be . heuene to haue



	¶ph;wyste y that quod that womman . y wolde nougth spare  

52	forto be 3oure frende frere . and fayle 3ow neuere

	while 3e loue lordes . that lecchery hauntyn

	and lakken nougth ladyes . that louen wel the same

	yt ys a frealte of flesch . 3e fynden yt in bookes

56	a comyn cours of kynde . where-of we comyn alle

	who may scapen that sclawndre . the scathe ys sone amended

	yt ys a synne of the seuene . sonnest relessed

	¶ph;God haue mercy quod mede . on men that yt hauntyn

60	and y schal couer 3oure cherche . 3oure cloyster make

	and 3oure wowes whyten . and wyndowes glasyn

	do paynte and portraye . and paye for the makynge

	that euery segge schal seye . y am suster of 3oure hous

64	¶ph;But god to alle good folke . suche grauynge deffendith

	to wryten in wyndowes . of here wel dedys

	yn aduenture pryde be peynted þere . and pompe of the worlde

	for cryst knoweth thi conscyence . and þy kynde wylle

68	and þy coste and thy couetyse . and who the catel owghte



	¶ph;ffor-þy y lere 3ow lordes . leueþ suche werkes

	to wryten in wyndowes . of 3oure wel dedys

	or to gredyn after goddes men . whan 3e delen doles

72	yn aduenture 3e haue 3oure huyre here . and 3oure heuene als

	Nesciat sinistra manus ; quid faciat dextra

	late nougth thy lefte halfe . late ne rathe

	wete what thu werchest . wyth thy rygth syde

76	for thus byddeþ the gospel . good men do her almesse

	¶ph;Meyres and mercers [*] . that menes ben bytwene

	the kyng and the comune . to kepe the lawes

	to punysche on pyloryes . and pynynge stoles

80	brewesters and baksters . bochers and cokes

Notes

77 K-D say "ercers" is over erasure, another ink. Back

---

Copyright (c) 1994 by Hoyt N. Duggan, all rights reserved.

---

Last Modified: Friday, 23-Sep-1994 13:02:07 EDT