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[^TEXT:  SONG OF THE HUSBANDMAN.
HISTORICAL POEMS OF THE XIVTH
AND XVTH CENTURIES.
ED. R. H. ROBBINS.
NEW YORK: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1959. 
PP. 7.1 - 9.72 (2)

TEXT:  SATIRE ON THE CONSISTORY COURTS.
Idem.
PP. 24.1 - 27.90 (6)

TEXT:  SATIRE ON THE RETINUES OF THE GREAT.
Idem.
PP. 27.1 - 29.40 (7)^] 

<P 7>
[} [\POEMS FROM HARLEY MS. 2253\] }] 
[} [\2. SONG OF THE HUSBANDMAN (1300)\] }]

Ich herde men vpo mold make muche mon,
hou he be+t itened of here tilyynge:
gode +geres & corn bo+te be+t agon;
ne kepe+t here no sawe ne no song synge.
Nou we mote worche, nis +ter non o+ter won,
mai ich no lengore lyue wi+t mi lesinge;
+get +ter is a bitterore bid to +te bon,
for euer +te fur+te peni mot to +te kynge.

+tus we carpe+t for +te kyng, & carie+t ful colde,
& wene+t forte keuere, & euer bu+t a-cast;
whose ha+t eny god, hope+t he nout to holde,
bote euer +te leuest we leose+t alast.

Lu+ter is to leosen +ter-ase lutel ys,
& haue+t monie hynen +tat hopie+t +ter-to:
+te hayward hete+t vs harm to habben of his;
+te bailif bockne+t vs bale & wene+t wel do;
+te wodeward waite+t vs wo, +tat loke+t vnder rys;
ne mai vs ryse no rest, rycheis ne ro.
+tus me pile+t +te pore, +tat is of lute pris.
nede in swot & in swynk swynde mot swo.

Nede he mot swynde, +tah he hade swore,
+tat na+t nout en hod his hed forte hude.
+tus wil walke+t in lond, & lawe is forlore,
& al is piked of +te pore, +te prikyares prude.

<P 8>
+tus me pile+t +te pore and pyke+t ful clene, 
+te ryche me rayme+t wi+t-outen eny ryht;
ar londes & ar leodes ligge+t fol lene,
+torh biddyng of baylyfs such harm hem ha+t hiht.
Meni of religioun me halt hem ful hene, 
baroun & bonde, +te clerc & +te knyht.
+tus wil walke+t in lond, & wondred ys wene,
falsshipe fatte+t and marre+t wy+t myht.

Stont stille y +te stude, & halt him ful sturne,
+tat make+t beggares go wi+t bordon & bagges.
+tus we be+t honted from hale to hurne;
+tat er werede robes, nou were+t ragges.

+get come+t budeles, wi+t ful muche bost:
"grey+te me seluer to +te grene wax; 
+tou art writen y my writ, +tat +tou wel wost!"
mo +ten ten si+ten told y my tax.
+tenne mot ych habbe hennen arost,
feyr on fyhsh day launprey & lax;
for+t to +te chepyn geyne+t ne chost,
+tah y sulle mi bil & my borstax.

Ich mot legge my wed wel +gef y wolle,
o+ter sulle mi corn on gras +tat is grene.
+get I shal be foul cherl, +tah he han +te fulle;
+tat ich alle +ger spare, +tenne y mot spene.

Nede y mot spene +tat y spared +gore,
a+geyn +tis cachereles come+t +tus y mot care;
come+t +te maister budel brust ase a bore;
sei+t he wole mi bugging bringe ful bare.
Mede y mot munten a mark o+ter more,
+tah ich at +te set dey sulle mi mare.
+tus +te grene wax vs greue+t vnder gore,
+tat me vs honte+t ase hound do+t +te hare.

<P 9>
he vs honte+te ase hound hare do+t on hulle;
se+t+te y tek to +te lond such tene me wes taht.
nabbe+t ner budeles boded ar sulle,
for he may scape & we aren euer caht.

+tus y kippe & cacche cares ful colde,
se+t+te y counte & cot hade to kepe;
to seche seluer to +te kyng y mi seed solde, 
for+ti mi lond leye li+t & leorne+t to slepe.
se+t+te he mi feire feh fatte y my folde, 
when y +tenk o mi weole wel neh y wepe;
+tus brede+t monie beggares bolde,
& vre ru+ge ys roted & ruls er we repe.

Ruls ys oure ru+ge & roted in +te stre,
for wickede wederes by brokes & by brynke.
+ter wakene+t in +te world wondred & wee,
ase god in swynden anon as so forte swynke.

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<P 24>
[} [\6. SATIRE ON THE CONSISTORY COURTS (1307)\] }]

Ne mai no lewed lued libben in londe,
be he neuer in hyrt so hauer of honde,
so lerede vs biledes;
<P 25>
+gef ich on molde mote wi+t a mai,
y shal falle hem byfore & lurnen huere lay,
ant rewen alle huere redes.
ah bote y be +te furme day on folde hem byfore,
ne shal y nout so skere scapan of huere score;
so grimly he on me gredes,
+tat y ne mot me lede +ter wi+t mi lawe,
on alle maner o+tes +tat heo me wulle+t awe,
heore boc ase vn-bredes.
heo wende+t bokes vn-brad,
ant make+t men a mone+t a-mad;
of sca+te y wol me skere,
ant fleo from my fere;
ne rohte he whet yt were,
boten heo hit had.

ffurst +ter sit an old cherl in a blake hure,
of alle +tat +ter sitte+t seme+t best syre,
ant ley+t ys leg o-lonke.
An heme in an herygoud wi+t honginde sleuen,
& mo +ten fourti him by-fore my bales to breuen,
In sunnes +gef y songe.
heo pynkes wi+t heore penne on heore parchemyn,
ant sayen y am breued ant y-broht yn
of al my weole wlonke.
Alle heo bue+t redy myn rou+tes to rede,
+ter y mot for menske munte sum mede,
ant +tonkfulliche hem +tonke.
shal y +tonke hem +ter er y go?
+ge, +te maister ant ys men bo.
+gef y am wreint in heore write,
+tenne am y bac-bite;
for moni mon heo make+t wyte
Of wymmene wo.

<P 26>
+get +ter sitte+t somenours syexe o+ter seuene,
mys-motinde men alle by here euene,
ant reche+t for+t heore rolle.
Hyrdmen hem hatie+t, ant vch mones hyne,
for eueruch a parosshe heo polke+t in pyne,
and clastre+t wy+t heore colle.
Nou wol vch fol clerc +tat is fayly,
wende to +te bysshop ant bugge bayly - 
nys no wyt in is nolle - 
come to countene court, couren in a cope,
ant suggen he ha+t priuilegie proud of +te pope - 
swart ant al to-swolle.
aren heo to-swolle, for-swore?
+ge, +te hatred of helle beo heore!
for +ter heo beode+t a bok,
to sugge ase y folht tok;
heo shulen in helle on an hok
honge +tere-fore!

+ter stont vp a +geolumon, +ge+ge+t wi+t a +gerde,
ant hat out an heh +tat al +te hyrt herde,
ant cleope+t Magge ant Malle.
ant heo come+t bymodered ase a mor-hen,
ant scrynke+t for shome, & shome+t for men,
vncomely vnder calle.
heo biginne+t to shryke, & screme+t anon,
ant sai+t, "by my gabbyng, ne shal hit so gon,
ant +tat beo on ou alle;
+tat +tou shalt me wedde & welde to wyf."
ah me were leuere wi+t lawe leose my lyf
+ten so to fote hem falle.
shal y to fote falle for mi fo?
+ge, monie byswyke+t heo swo.
of +tralles y am +ter +trat,
+tat sitte+t swart & for-swat;
+ter y mot hente me en hat 
er ich hom go.

<P 27>
such chaffare y chepe at +te chapitre,
+tat make+t moni +tryue mon vn-+teufol to be,
wi+t +tonkes ful +tunne;
ant se+t+te y go coure at constory,
ant falle to fote vch a fayly - 
heore is +tis worldes wynne.
se+t+ten y pleide at bisshopes plee,
ah me were leuere be sonken y +te see,
In sor wi+touten synne.
At chirche ant +tourh cheping, ase dogge y am dryue,
+tat me were leuere of lyue +ten so forte lyue,
to care of al my kynne.
atte constorie heo kenne+t vs care,
ant whisshe+t vs euele & worse to fare.
a pruest proud ase a po
se+t+te wedde+t vs bo;
Wyde heo worche+t vs wo
for wymmene ware.

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<P 27>
[} [\7. SATIRE ON THE RETINUES OF THE GREAT (1307)\] }]

of rybaud+g y ryme ant rede o mi rolle,
of gedelynges, gromes, of colyn & of Colle,
harlotes, hors-knaues, bi pate & bi polle -  
to deuel ich hem to-lyure ant take to tolle!

+te gedelynges were gedered of gonnylde gnoste;
palefreiours & pages, ant boyes wi+t boste;
alle were y-haht of an horse +toste -  
+te deuel huem afretye, Rau o+ter a-roste!

<P 28>
+te shuppare +tat huem shupte, to shome he huem shadde,
to fles ant to fleye, to tyke ant to tadde.
so sey+t romaun+g, whose ryht radde:
ffleh com of flore, ant lous com of ladde.

+te harlotes bueth horlynges ant haunte+t +te plawe;
+te gedelynges bue+t glotouns ant drynke+t er hit dawe.
sathanas huere syre seyde on is sawe:
gobelyn made is gerner of gromene mawe.

+te knaue cromme+t is crop er +te cok crawe;
he momele+te & mocche+t ant marre+t is mawe.
when he is al for-laped ant lad ouer lawe,
a doseyn of doggen ne myhte hyre drawe.

+te rybaud+g a-ryse+t er +te day rewe.
he shrape+t on is shabbes ant drawe+t huem to dewe;
sene is on is browe ant on is e+ge-brewe,
+tat he louseth a losynger, & shoye+t a shrewe.

Nou be+t capel-claweres wi+t shome to-shrude;
hue boske+t huem wy+t botouns, ase hit were a brude,
wi+t lowe lacede shon of an hayfre hude,
hue pyke+t of here prouendre al huere prude.

whose rykene+t wi+t knaues huere coustage,
+te lu+ternesse of +te ladde, +te prude of +te page,
+tah he +geue hem cattes dryt to huere companage,
+get hym shulde a-rewen of +te arrerage

whil god wes on erthe & wondrede wyde,
whet wes +te resoun why he nolde ryde?
for he nolde no grom to go by ys syde,
ne grucchyng of no gedelyng to chaule ne to chyde.

<P 29>
spede+t ou to spewen, ase me do+t to spelle;
+te fend ou afretie wi+t fleis & wi+t felle!
herkne+t hideward, horsmen, a tidyng ich ou telle,
+tat +ge shulen hongen & herbarewen in helle!



