POLITICAL SONGS. (continued 5)
Reading edition
“I bequeath my heart rightly,—that it be written at my devise,—over the sea that it be sent,—with fourscore knights all of repute,—in war that are wary and wise,—against the heathen for to fight,—to win the cross which lies low;—myself I would [go] if I could.”
King of France, thou hadst sin,—that thou shouldest seek counsel,—to hinder the will of King Edward—to go to the Holy Land:—that our king had taken in hand—all England to rule and teach,—to go into the Holy Land,—to win us heaven’s bliss.
The messenger to the pope came,—and said that our king was dead:—to his own hand the letter he took,—truly his heart was very full:—the pope himself the letter read,—and spake a word of great honour,—“Alas!” he said, “is Edward dead?—of Christendom he bare the flower!”
The pope to his chamber went,—he could speak no more for grief;—and after the cardinals he sent,—who knew much of Christ’s doctrine,—both the less and also the greater,—bade them both read and sing;—great grief might be seen there,—many a man to wring his hands.
The pope of Poitiers stood at his mass,—with very great solemnity,—there they began to bless the soul:—“King Edward, honoured be thou!—God give thy son, who comes after thee,—to bring to end what thou hast begun;—the holy cross made of wood,—so fain thou wouldst it have won.
“Jerusalem, thou hast lost—the flower of all chivalry;—now King Edward lives no more:—Alas! that he yet should die!—He would have reared up full high—our banners, that are brought to the ground;—very long we may call and cry—before we have found such a king!”
Now is Edward of Caernarvon—entirely King of England,—God let him never be worse man—than his father, nor less of might—to hold his commons to right,—and to understand good counsel,—all England to direct and manage;—of good knights there need not fail him.
Though my tongue were made of steel,—and my heart produced out of brass,—I could never tell the goodness—that was with King Edward:—King, as thou art called conqueror,—in each battle thou haddest prize;—God bring thy soul to the honour—which ever was and ever is,—which lasts ever without end!—Pray we God and our Lady,—to that bliss Jesus us send! Amen.
The old cry against the oppression of the poor and honest by the rich, and the general corruption of the age, is repeated in the following piece. It probably describes the state of feeling amongst many in the earlier years of Edward’s reign.
SONG ON THE TIMES.
[MS. Reg. 12, C. XII. fol. 7, ro. of reign of Edw. II.]
Quant honme deit parleir, videat quæ verba loquatur; Sen covent aver, ne stultior inveniatur. Quando quis loquitur, bote resoun reste therynne, Derisum patitur, ant lutel so shal he wynne. En seynt eglise sunt multi sæpe priores; Summe beoth wyse, multi sunt inferiores. When mon may mest do, tunc velle suum manifestat, In donis also, si vult tibi præmia præstat. Ingrato benefac, post hæc à peyne te verra; Pur bon vin tibi lac non dat, nec rem tibi rendra. Sensum custodi, quasi mieu valt sen qe ta mesoun; Thah thou be mody, robur nichil est sine resoun. Lex lyth doun over al, fallax fraus fallit ubique; Ant love nys bote smal, quia gens se gestat inique. Wo walketh wyde, quoniam movet ira potentes: Ryht con nout ryde, quia vadit ad insipientes. Dummodo fraus superest, lex nul nout lonen y londe; Et quia sic res est, ryth may nout radlyche stonde. Fals mon freynt covenaunt, quamvis tibi dicat, “habebis.” Vix dabit un veu gaunt, lene les mon postea flebis. Myn ant thyn duo sunt, qui frangunt plebis amorem; Ce deus pur nus sunt facienda sæpe dolorem. Tresoun dampnificat, et paucis est data resoun; Resoun certificat, confundit et omnia tresoun. Pees may nout wel be, dum stat per nomina bina; Lord Crist, that thou se, per te sit in hiis medicina! Infirmus moritur, thah lechcraft ligge bysyde; Vivus decipitur, nis non that her shal abyde Tels plusours troverez, qui de te plurima prendrount; Au dreyn bien verrez, quod nullam rem tibi rendrount. Esto pacificus, so myh thou welde thy wylle; Also veridicus, ant stond pro tempore stille. Pees seit en tere, per te, Deus, alma potestas! Defendez guere, ne nos invadat egestas. God Lord Almyhty, da pacem, Christe benigne! Thou const al dyhty, fac ne pereamus in igne!
Translation.—When a man has to speak, let him consider what words he utters;—he ought to pay attention to them, lest he appear a fool.—When any one speaks, unless reason rest therein,—he is laughed at, and so he shall gain little.—In holy church there are often many who hold advanced situations;—some are wise, many are inferior.—When a man may do most, then he exhibits his will,—in gifts also, if he will he gives thee presents.—Do a kindness to an ungrateful man, and afterwards he will scarcely look at you;—he will not even give you milk for good wine, nor will he make you any return.—Take care of thy intellect, as of a thing which is worth more than thy house;—although thou be moody, strength is nothing without reason.—Law lies down over all, false fraud deceives everywhere;—and there is but little love, because people conduct themselves wickedly.—Woe walks wide, since anger moves those who are powerful;—right cannot ride, because it goes to the ignorant.—Now that fraud is alive, law will not dwell in the land;—and since the matter is in that position, right may not easily stand.—The false man breaks his promise, although he say to thee, “thou shalt have it.”—He will scarcely give an old glove, ... thou shalt afterwards weep.—Mine and thine are two, which break the love of the people;—these two for us will cause frequent grief.—Treason injures, and reason is given to few;—reason makes sure, while treason confounds all things.—Peace may not well be, while it stands by two names;—Lord Christ, do thou look to it, through thee may there be a medicine for these things!—The sick man dies, although the art of medicine lie by his side;—the living man is deceived, there is none who shall abide here.—You will find many such as will take very much from you;—in the end you will see well, that they will return you nothing.—Be pacific, so mayest thou possess thy will;—also a teller of truth, and stand for the time still.—May there be peace in the land, through thee, God, kind power!—forbid war, lest want invade us.—Good Lord Almighty, give peace, O benignant Christ!—Thou canst do all things, hinder us from perishing in the fire.
The following song appears to have been made in the latter end of the year 1311, on the occasion of the King’s journey to the North, where he was joined by his lately banished favourite, Peter de Gaveston, and disregarded the charter which he had confirmed in the beginning of the October of that year.
ON THE KING’S BREAKING HIS CONFIRMATION OF MAGNA CHARTA.
[The Auchinleck MS. in the Advocates’ Library, at Edinburgh, art. 21, of the reign of Edw. II.]
L’en puet fere et defere, Ceo fait-il trop sovent; It nis nouther wel ne faire; Therfore Engelond is shent. Nostre prince de Engletere, Par le consail de sa gent, At Westminster after the feire Made a gret parlement. La chartre fet de cyre, Jeo l’enteink et bien le crey, It was holde to neih the fire, And is molten al awey. Ore ne say mès que dire, Tout i va à Tripolay, Hundred, chapitle, court, and shire, Al hit goth a devel way. Des plusages de la tere Ore escotez un sarmoun, Of iiij. wise-men that ther were, Whi Engelond is brouht adoun. The ferste seide, “I understonde Ne may no king wel ben in londe, Under God Almihte, But he cunne himself rede, Hou he shal in londe lede Everi man wid rihte. For might is riht, Liht is night, And fiht is fliht. For miht is riht, the lond is laweles; For niht is liht, the lond is loreles; For fiht is fliht, the lond is nameles.” That other seide a word ful god, “Whoso roweth aȝein the flod, Off sorwe he shal drinke; Also hit fareth bi the unsele, A man shal have litel hele Ther agein to swinke. Nu on is two, Another is wo, And frend is fo. For on is two, that lond is streintheles; For wel is wo, the lond is reutheles; For frend is fo, the lond is loveles.” That thridde seide, “It is no wonder Off thise eyres that goth under, Whan theih comen to londe Proude and stoute, and ginneth ȝelpe, Ac of thing that sholde helpe Have theih noht on honde. Nu lust haveth leve, Thef is reve, And pride hath sleve. For lust hath leve, the lond is theweles; For thef is reve, the lond is penyles; For pride hath sleve, the lond is almusles.” The ferthe seide, that he is wod That dwelleth to muchel in the flod, For gold or for auhte; For gold or silver, or any wele, Hunger or thurst, hete or chele, Al shal gon to nohte. Nu wille is red, Wit is qued, And god is ded. For wille is red, the lond is wrecful; For wit is qued, the lond is wrongful; For god is ded, the lond is sinful. Wid wordes as we han pleid, Sum wisdom we han seid Off olde men and ȝunge; Off many a thinge that is in londe, Whoso coude it understonde, So have I told wid tongue. Riche and pore, bonde and fre, That love is god, ȝe mai se; Love clepeth ech man brother; For it that he to blame be, Forȝif hit him par charité, Al theih he do other. Love we God, and he us alle, That was born in an oxe stalle, And for us don on rode. His swete herte-blod he let For us, and us faire het That we sholde be gode. Be we nu gode and stedefast, So that we muwen at the last Haven hevene blisse. To God Almihti I preie Lat us never in sinne deie, That joye for to misse. Ac lene us alle so don here, And leve in love and god manere, The devel for to shende; That we moten alle i-fere Sen him that us bouhte dere, In joye withoute ende. Amen.
Translation.—A person may make, and unmake,—it is what he too often does;—it is neither well nor fair;—on account of it England is ruined.—Our prince of England,—by the counsel of his people,—at Westminster after the fair—made a great parliament.—The charter he made of wax,—so I understand, and I readily believe it,—it was held too near the fire,—and is all melted away.—Now I know not what more to say,—all goes to Tripoly,—hundred, chapter, court, and shire,—all it goes the devil’s way.—Of the wisest men of the land—now listen to a discourse,—of four wise men that there were,—why England is brought down.
The first said, “I understand—no king may be prosperous in land—under God Almighty,—unless he can counsel himself,—how he shall in land lead—every man with right.—For might is right,—light is darkness,—and fight is flight.—Because might is right, the land is lawless;—because darkness is light, the land is without doctrine;—because fight is flight, the land is without reputation.”
The second said a very good word,—“Whoever rows against the flood,—he shall drink of sorrow;—thus it fares by the unfortunate,—a man shall have little strength—to labour against it.—Now one is two,—another is woe,—and friend is foe.—Because one is two, the land is without strength;—because weal is woe, the land is without ruth;—because friend is foe, the land is without love.”
The third said, “It is no wonder—of these heirs that go under,—when they come to land—proud and stout, and begin to yelp,—but of anything that might help—they have nought in hand.—Now lust hath leave,—thief is magistrate,—and pride hath sleeves.—Because lust hath leave, the land is destitute of morality;—because thief is magistrate, the land is pennyless;—because pride hath sleeves, the land is without alms.”
The fourth said, “That he is mad—who dwells too much in the flood,—for gold or for property;—for gold or silver, or any weal,—hunger or thirst, heat or cold,—all shall go to nothing.—Now will is counsel,—wit is wicked,—and good is dead.—Because will is counsel, the land is full of revenge;—because wit is wicked, the land is full of wrong;—because good is dead, the land is full of sin.”
With words as we have played,—some wisdom we have said—of old men and young;—of many a thing that is in land,—whoever might understand it,—thus have I told with tongue.
Rich and poor, bond and free,—that love is good, ye may see;—love calls every man brother;—for that for which he may be to blame,—forgive it him in charity,—although he do other.
Love we God, and may he love us all,—who was born in an oxe’s stable,—and for us placed on the cross.—His sweet heart’s blood he shed—for us, and bade us fairly—that we should be good.
Be we now good and steadfast,—so that we may at last—have the bliss of heaven.—To God Almighty I pray,—let us never die in sin,—to miss that joy.
But grant us all so to do here,—and live in love and good manner,—the devil for to shame;—that we may all in company—see him that bought us dearly,—in joy everlasting. Amen.
Edward’s wretched favourite, Peter de Gaveston, was beheaded by the Barons in the May of 1312. The two following songs exhibit the general feeling of exultation which attended this execution. It is scarcely necessary to say that they are parodies on two hymns in the old church service.
SONGS ON THE DEATH OF PETER DE GAVESTON.
[MS. Trin. Coll. Cambr. O. 9. 38. 15th cent. on paper.]
I.
De Petro de Gaverstone.
Vexilla regni prodeunt, fulget cometa comitum, Comes dico Lancastriæ qui domuit indomitum; Quo vulneratus pestifer mucronibus Walensium, Truncatus est atrociter in sexto mense mensium. Impleta sunt quæ censuit auctoritas sublimium; Mors Petri sero patuit,— regnavit diu nimium. Arbor mala succiditur, dum collo Petrus cæditur:— Sit benedicta framea quæ Petrum sic aggreditur! Beata manus jugulans! beatus jubens jugulum! Beatum ferrum feriens quem ferre nollet sæculum! O crux, quæ pati pateris hanc miseram miseriam, Tu nobis omnem subtrahe miseriæ materiam! Te, summa Deus Trinitas, oramus prece sedula, Fautores Petri destruas et conteras per sæcula! Amen.
II.
Pange, lingua, necem Petri qui turbavit Angliam, Quem rex amans super omnem prætulit Cornubiam; Vult hinc comes, et non Petrus, dici per superbiam. Gens est regni de thesauri fraude facta condolens, Quando Petrus de thesauro prodige fit insolens, Quid ventura sibi dies pariat non recolens. Hoc opus nostræ salutis, quod Petrus interiit; Multiformis proditoris ars tota deperiit; Ex nunc omen cor lætetur, quia væ præteriit. Quando venit apta rei plenitudo temporis, Est præcisum caput ei de junctura corporis; Turbans turbas intra regnum nunc turbatur a foris. Nulli volens comparari, summo fastu præditus, Se nolente subdit collum passioni deditus; De condigna morte cujus est hic hympnus editus. Perdit caput qui se caput paribus præposuit: Rite corpus perforatur cujus cor sic tumuit: Terra, pontus, astra, mundus, plaudant quod hic corruit. Trux, crudelis inter omnes, nunc a pompis abstinet; Jam non ultra sicut comes, vel ut rex, se continet; Vir indignus, morte dignus, mortem dignam sustinet. Flexis ramis arbor illa ruit in proverbia; Nam rigor lentescit ille quem dedit superbia; Sic debet humiliari qui sapit sublimia. Ædes Petri qua tenetur non sit fulta robore; Sit prophanus alter locus, sit et in dedecore, Quem fœdus cruor fœdavit fusus Petri corpore! Gloria sit creatori! gloria comitibus Qui fecerunt Petrum mori cum suis carminibus! A modo sit pax et plausus in Anglorum finibus! Amen.
Translation.—I. The banners of the kingdom go forth, the comet of Earls shines, I mean the Earl of Lancaster, who tamed him whom nobody else could tame; whereby the pestiferous one being wounded by the blades of the Welsh, was disgracefully beheaded in the sixth month. What the authority of the powers above willed has been fulfilled; the death of Peter at last has been effected,—he reigned much too long. The bad tree is cut down, when Peter is struck on the neck:—Blessed be the weapon which thus approached Peter! Blessed be the hand which executed him! blessed the man who ordered the execution! blessed the steel which struck him whom the world would not bear any longer! O Cross, which allowed to be suffered this wretched misery, do thou take from us all the material of misery. Thee, highest God in Trinity, we pray earnestly, destroy and crush for ever the maintainers of Peter. Amen.
II. Celebrate, my tongue, the death of Peter who disturbed England, whom the king in his love for him placed over all Cornwall; hence in his pride he will be called Earl, and not Peter.—The people of the kingdom was made sorrowful for the fraud upon the treasure, when Peter becomes wastefully insolent with the treasury, not bearing in mind what the future day may produce for him.—This is the work of our salvation, that Peter is dead; all the artfulness of the multifarious traitor has perished; henceforth let the good omen rejoice our hearts, for sorrow is past.—When the fulness of time which was fit for the thing came, his head is cut off from the juncture of the body; he who raised troubles within the kingdom is now troubled from without.—He who was unwilling to have an equal, clothed in the extreme of pride, against his will bends his neck to the executioner; of whose merited death this hymn is set forth.—He who placed himself as a head above his equals, loses his own head; justly his body is pierced, whose heart was so puffed up; both land, sea, stars, and world, rejoice in his fall.—Ferocious and cruel among all men, he ceases now from his pomp; now he no longer behaves himself like an earl, or a king; the unworthy man, worthy of death, undergoes the death which he merits.—This tree with its branches bent falls into a proverb; for the stiffness which pride gave is softened; thus ought the ambitious and aspiring man to be humbled.—May the house of Peter, in which he is held, not be supported in strength; may the other place be profane, and may it be in disgrace, which the filthy gore spilled from Peter’s body has defiled!—Glory be to the Creator! Glory to the Earls who have made Peter die with his charms! Henceforth may there be peace and rejoicing throughout England! Amen.
The events of the Scottish war during the reign of Edward II. were not of a character to draw forth the songs of triumph which had attended the campaigns of his father. The loss of his father’s conquests, and the reverses of his own arms, while they produced universal dejection, only tended to widen the breach which his own folly had made between himself and his people. The following song was made in 1313, immediately after the disastrous battle of Bannockburn, where the Earl of Gloucester was slain. The writer, while he laments the humiliation to which his country had been reduced, glances from time to time at the evil counsels which had led to it.
THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN.
[From MS. Cotton. Titus, A. XX., fol. 68 ro. written in the reign of Ed. III.]
Quomodo comes Gloverniæ fuerat occisus apud Strivelyn, et Anglici victi.
Me cordis augustia cogit mira fari, Scotiæ quod Anglia cæpit subjugari: Nova jam prodigia dicitur patrari, Quando matri filia sumit dominari. Regionum Anglia plurium matrona, Cuï tributaria jam dabantur dona, Proth dolor! nunc cogitur nimis esse prona Filiæ, qua læditur materna corona. Exiit per Angliam edictum vulgare, Admonendo quempiam arma præparare, Ut adiret Scotiam phalanx vendicare Jura, vel injuriam posse vindicare. Ad quod thema debeam nimis protelare: Rex cæpit militiam suam adunare, Inconsultus abiit Scotos debellare. Ira sponte rediit nolens plus obstare. Erant in excercitu plures generosi, Milites in exitu nimis et pomposi; Cum ad bellum venerant tot impetuosi, Satis promti fuerant hostes animosi. Animosi fuerant et hoc apparebat; Cum partes certaverant, illa permanebat Stabilis, sed fugiit quæ superbiebat. Inproba succubuit, astuta vincebat. Inauditus ingruit inter hos conflictus; Primitus prosiliit Acteus invictus, Comes heu! Gloverniæ dans funestos ictus; Assistens in acie qui fit derelictus. Hic phalangas hostium disrupi coegit, Et virorum fortium corpora subegit; Sed fautor domesticus sibi quem elegit, Hic non erat putitus quando factum fregit. Hic est proditorius vir Bartholomeus, In cunctis victoriis quem confundat Deus! Domino quod varius fit ut Pharisæus. Hinc Judæ vicarius morte fiet reus. Videns contra dominum hostes desævire, Fingit se sex seminum longius abire; Domino quod renuit suo subvenire, Proditor hic meruit tormenta obire. Plures sunt quem perperam comes est seductus, Ut ovis ad victimam et ad mortem ductus, Qui [sunt] per quos oritur tam vulgaris luctus, Hoc satis cognoscitur per eorum fructus. Quorum virus Anglia tota toxicatur; Vulgaris justitia sic et enervatur; Regale judicium per hos offuscatur; Ex hoc in exilium fides relegatur. Victa jacet caritas, et virtus calcatur; Viret ingratuitas, et fraus dominatur; Quicquid in hiis finibus mali perpetratur, Dictis proditoribus totum inputatur. Iste deceptorius vir non erat solus, Per quem proditorius jam fiebat dolus; Alter sed interfuit, quem non celet polus, Et fiat ut meruit infernalis bolus. Hujusmodi milites, regno pervicaces, Sathanæ satellites, sunt nimis rapaces; Regis si sint judices undique veraces, Destruent veneficos suos et sequaces. Capitis sententiam pati meruerunt, Cum sponte militiam talem prodiderunt; Qui fuerunt rustici, sicut permanserunt, Comitis domestici fugam elegerunt. Hii fraude multiplica virum prodiderunt, Inpia gens Scotica quem circumdederunt; Ipsum a dextrario suo prostraverunt, Et prostrati vario modo ceciderunt Fideles armigeri qui secum fuerunt; Milites et cæteri secum corruerunt; Cum sui succurrere sibi voluerunt, Hostibus resistere tot non valuerunt. Sic comes occubuit præ cunctis insignis, Qui sua distribuit prædia malignis; Sibi quisque caveat istis intersignis, Jam fidem ne præbeat talibus indignis. Ex hoc illi comites actibus periti, Adhuc qui superstites sunt, fiant muniti, Alias in prælio cum sistant uniti, Ne sic proditorio telo sint attriti. Cruciatur Anglia nimio dolore, Tali quod versutia privatur honore, Muniatur cautius mentis cum labore, Error ne novissimus pejor sit priore. Consulo comitibus adhuc qui sunt vivi, Quod sint proditoribus amodo nocivi; Sic et per industriam omnes sint captivi: Anglici ad Scotiam fiant progressivi. Credo verum dicere, non mentiri conor; Jam cæpit deficere nostri gentis honor; Comitem cum lividus mortis texit color, Angliæ tunc horridus statim crevit dolor. Nostræ gentis Angliæ quidam sunt captivi; Currebant ab acie quidam semivivi; Qui fuerunt divites fiunt redemptivi; Quod delirant nobiles plectuntur Achivi. Mentes ducum Angliæ sunt studendo fessæ, Nam fœdus justitiæ certo caret esse; Ergo rex potentiæ stirps radice Jessæ, Fautores perfidiæ ducat ad non esse! Quando sævit aquilum, affricus quievit; Et australi populo dampnum mortis crevit. Anglia victoria frui consuëvit, Sed prolis perfidia mater inolevit. Si scires, Glovernia, tua fata, fleres, Eo quod in Scotia tuus ruit hæres; Te privigni capient quorum probra feres; Ne te far ... facient, presens regnum teres. Facta es ut domina viro viduata, Cujus sunt solamina in luctum mutata; Tu es sola civitas capite truncata; Tuos casus Trinitas fæcundet beata!
Translation.—Perplexity of heart compels me to tell wonderful things, that England begins to be subjected to Scotland: it is said that new prodigies are now performed, when the daughter takes upon her to lord it over the mother.—England the matron of many regions, to whom tributary gifts were given, is now, alas! constrained too much to be prostrate to the daughter, by whom the maternal crown is injured.—A general proclamation went through England, admonishing everybody to take up arms, that the army might go to Scotland to vindicate our rights, or to be able to avenge our injury.—To which theme I ought to procrastinate very much; the king began to assemble his troops, unadvisedly he went to make war on the Scots: his anger voluntarily subsided, unwilling longer to hold out.—There were in the army many nobles, knights who were too showy and pompous; when so many impetuous men came to the conflict, the courageous enemies were ready enough.—They were courageous, as will appear; when the two sides engaged, that one remained firm, but that which had shown so much pride fled. The wicked party succumbed, the cunning one conquered.—An unheard-of battle thickened between them; first rushed forward the unconquered Actæus, the Earl of Gloucester, alas! giving fatal blows; who, standing in the thick of the battle, is deserted.—He compelled the troops of the enemy to break, and subdued the bodies of strong men; but one of his own chosen retainers, he was not a fool when he ruined the affair.—This is the traitorous man, Bartholomew, whom in all victories may God confound! Because he has been to his master as changeable as a Pharisee. Hence as the representative of Judas he shall be condemned to death.—Seeing the enemy’s rage against his master, he pretends that he had been out more than six weeks; because he refused to come to his master’s support, this traitor has deserved to be put to the rack.—Many are they whereby the Earl was seduced, led like a sheep to the sacrifice and to death; through whom such common lamentation arises, is sufficiently known by their fruits.—With whose venom all England is poisoned; and thus common justice is weakened; by these the royal judgment is darkened; in consequence of this, faith is driven into exile.—Charity lies subdued, and virtue is trodden down; ingratitude flourishes, and fraud rules; whatever of evil is perpetrated in this country, is all the work of the aforesaid traitors.—This deceitful man was not the only one by whom the art of treason was now exercised; but there was another concerned in it, whom may heaven not conceal, and may he become, as he deserves, a morsel of hell.—Knights such as these, obstinate against the kingdom, retainers of Satan, are too rapacious; if the King’s judges every where are true, they will destroy the enchanters and their followers.—They deserved to suffer judgment of decapitation, since voluntarily they have betrayed such a soldiery; the Earl’s domestics, who were clowns, as they have remained, took to flight.—These by a multifarious treason betrayed their lord, whom the impious people of Scotland surrounded; they struck him down from his steed, and the faithful esquires who were with him fell struck down in different ways; the knights and others fell along with him; when his friends tried to succour him, they were not able to resist so many enemies.—Thus died an Earl who was distinguished above all others, who had given his property to wicked men; let every one have a care to himself, after these examples, that he give not henceforth trust to such unworthy people.—By this let those Earls who are still alive, learning from experience, be on their guard, when at another time they stand united in battle, that they be not thus bruised by the weapon of treason.—England is tormented with very much grief, that she is deprived of her honour by such craftiness; let her be fortified more cautiously, with labour of mind, that the last error be not worse than the former.—I advise the Earls who are still alive, that henceforward they destroy traitors; and thus by their industry let them all be made prisoners; let the English thus make their way into Scotland.—I believe that I tell the truth, I endeavour not to say what is false; now the honour of our nation begins to decline; when the livid colour of death spread itself over the Earl, then immediately grew the terrible grief of England.—Of our people of England some are in captivity; some ran away from the battle half dead; they who were rich are made ransom; because the nobles go mad, the common people are the sufferers.—The minds of the chieftains of England are weary with studying, for the league of justice is without any certain existence; may therefore the King of power, who sprang from the root of Jesse, destroy utterly the maintainers of perfidy!—When the north-east wind rages, the south-west wind dropped; and to the people of the south the pain of death increased. England used to obtain victory, but by the treachery of the offspring the mother hath lost her savour.—If you knew, Gloucester, your fate, you would weep, because your heir perishes in Scotland; thy sons-in-law will take thee, from whom thou wilt suffer disgrace; lest they should make thee ... thou will bruise the present government.—Thou art made as a lady widowed of her husband, whose comfort is changed into weeping; thou art a solitary city deprived of thy head; may the blessed Trinity amend thy fortune!
The last piece in our collection is rather different in character from those which have preceded it. One of the most unpopular acts of this weak reign was the execution of the Earl of Lancaster in 1322. The love which the people bore towards him, led them to sanctify his memory. A martyr in what was loudly proclaimed to be the cause of God, his countrymen believed that he testified his unshaken love for those in whose defence he had fallen by miracles performed at his tomb, and a regular form of service was composed for his worship.
THE OFFICE OF ST. THOMAS OF LANCASTER.
[MS. Reg. 12, c. XII. fol. 1, ro. of the end of the reign of Edward II., or beginning of that of Edw. III., written all as prose.]
Ant.—Gaude Thoma, ducum decus, lucerna Lancastriæ, Qui per necem imitaris Thomam Cantuariæ; Cujus caput conculcatur pacem ob ecclesiæ, Atque tuum detruncatur causa pacis Angliæ; Esto nobis pius tutor in omni discrimine.
Oratio.—Deus, qui, pro pace et tranquillitate regnicolarum Angliæ, beatum Thomam martyrem tuum atque comitem gladio persecutoris occumbere voluisti, concede propitius, ut omnes qui ejus memoriam devote venerantur in terris, præmia condigna cum ipso consequi mereantur in cœlis, ꝑ đn. ñ.
Prosa.—Sospitati dat ægrotos precum Thomæ fusio; Comes pius mox languentum adest in præsidio; Relevantur ab infirmis infirmi suffragio. Sancti Thomæ quod monstratur signorum indicio. Vas regale trucidatur regni pro remedio. O quam probat sanctum ducem morborum curatio! Ergo laudes Thomæ sancto canamus cum gaudio; Nam devote poscens illum, statim proculdubio sospes regreditur.
Sequentia.—Summum regem honoremus, dulcis pro memoria Martyris, quem collaudemus summa reverentia. Thomas comes appellatur, stemmate egregio; Sine causa condempnatur, natus thoro regio. Qui cum plebem totam cernit labi sub naufragio, Non pro jure mori spernit, lætali commercio. O flos militum regalis, tuam hanc familiam Semper conserves a malis, perducens ad gloriam! Amen.
Pange, lingua, gloriosi comitis martyrium, Sanguinisque præciosi Thomæ floris militum, Germinisque generosi laudis, lucis comitum. De parentis utriusque regali prosapia Prodit Thomas, cujus pater proles erat regia, Matrem atque sublimavit reginam Navarria. Dux fidelis suum gregem dum dispersum conspicit, Æmulumque suum regem sibi motum meminit, Mox carnalem juxta legem in mirum contremuit. Benedicti benedictus capitur vigilia, Agonista fit invictus statim die tertia, Diræ neci est addictus, ob quod luget Anglia. Proht dolor! acephalatur plebis pro juvamine, Suorumque desolatur militum stipamine, Dum dolose defiandatur per sudam Hoylandiæ. Ad sepulcrum cujus fiunt frequenter miracula, Cæci, claudi, surdi, muti, membra paralytica, Prece sua consequuntur optata præsidia. Trinitati laus et honor, virtus et potentia Patri, proli, flaminique sacro sit per sæcula, Quæ nos salvat a peccatis Thomæ per suffragia! Amen.
O jam Christi pietas, Atque Thomæ caritas palam elucescit! Heu! nunc languet æquitas, Viget et impietas, veritas vilescit! Nempe Thomæ bonitas, Ejus atque sanctitas, indies acrescit; Ad cujus tumbam sospitas Ægris datur, ut veritas cunctis nunc clarescit. Copiosæ caritatis Thoma pugil strenue, Qui pro lege libertatis decertasti Angliæ, Interpella pro peccatis nostris patrem gloriæ Ut ascribat cum beatis nos cœlestis curiæ. Amen.
Translation.—Anthem.—Rejoice, Thomas, the glory of chieftains, the light of Lancaster, who by thy death imitatest Thomas of Canterbury; whose head was broken on account of the peace of the Church, and thine is cut off for the cause of the peace of England; be to us an affectionate guardian in every difficulty.
Prayer. O God, who, for the peace and tranquillity of the inhabitants of England, willed that the blessed Thomas thy martyr and Earl should fall by the sword of the persecutor, grant propitious, that all who devoutly reverence his memory on earth, may merit to obtain worthy reward along with him in heaven, through our Lord.
Prosa. The pouring out of prayers to Thomas restores the sick to health; the pious Earl comes immediately to the aid of those who are feeble; they are relieved from their infirmities by the suffrage of one who was infirm. So that it is shown by the evidence of the miracles of St. Thomas, that the royal vessel is beheaded for the cure of the kingdom. O how the cure of diseases declares the sainted leader! Therefore with rejoicing let us sing praises to St. Thomas; for he who asks him devoutly, immediately without doubt he will return healed.
Sequence. Let us honour the highest King, for the memory of the sweet martyr, whom we join in praising with the utmost reverence. He is called Earl Thomas, of an illustrious race; he is condemned without cause, who was born of a royal bed. Who when he perceived that the whole commons were falling into wreck, did not shrink from dying for the right, in the fatal commerce. O royal flower of knights, preserve ever from evils this thy family, bringing them to glory! Amen.
Declare, my tongue, the martyrdom of the glorious Earl, and of the precious blood of Thomas the flower of knights, and of the praise of the noble sprout, the light of Earls.—Thomas sprang from a royal race by both his parents, whose father was the son of a king, and whose mother Navarre raised to be a queen.—The faithful leader when he saw that his flock was dispersed, and he called to mind that his king was moved with jealousy towards him, soon according to the law of the flesh he trembled wonderfully.—The blessed man is taken on the vigil of St. Benet, on the third day he is suddenly made an unconquered champion, he is delivered to dire death, on account of which England mourns.—Alas! he is beheaded for the aid of the commons, he is deserted by the company of his knights, whilst he is treacherously deserted by Robert de Hoyland.—At whose tomb are frequently performed miracles; the blind, the lame, the deaf, the dumb, and paralytics, by his prayer obtain the help they desire.—Praise and honour, virtue and power be to the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for ever, which preserve us from sin through the intercession of Thomas! Amen.
O now the piety of Christ, and the charity of Thomas, shine openly! Alas! equity now pines away, and impiety flourishes, truth is made vile! Yet the goodness of Thomas, and his sanctity, daily increase; at whose tomb health is given to the sick, that the truth may now be clear to all.
O Thomas, strenuous champion of plentiful charity, who didst combat for the law of England’s liberty, intercede for our sins with the Father of Glory, that he may give us a place with the blessed in the heavenly court. Amen.