Essays in Literature and History Part 22

Oh, Gaude Maria, thy mirth was away When Christ on cross thy Son did die Full dolefully on Good Friday, That many a mother's son it sye.

His blood us brought from care and strife, His watery wounds us wisshe from woe.

The third day from death to life Fulget resurrectio.

Gaude Maria, thou birde so bright, Brighter than blossom that bloweth on hill, Joyful thou wert to see that sight, When the Apostles so smet (sic) of will, All and some did cry full shrill When the fairest of shape went you fro, From earth to Heaven he stayed full still, Motuque fertur proprio.

Gaude Maria, thou rose of ryse, Maiden and mother, both gentle and free; Precious princess, peerless of price, Thy bower is next the Trinity; Thy Son as lawe asketh a fight, In body and soul thee took him to; Thou reigned in Heaven like as we find In coeli palacio.

Now blessed birde, we pray thee abone, Before thy Son for us thou fall, And pray him as he was on the rood done, And for us drank aysell and gall, That we may wonne within that wall, Wherever is well withouten woe, And grant that grace unto us all In perenni gaudio.

SEQUUNTUR MIRABILIA.

Ad fadendum unumquemque hominum duo capita.

Sume sulphur et argentum vivum, et pone ad lumen lampadis, et unusquisque putabit socium suum habere duo capita.

Ut h.o.m.o videatur habere duo capila equina.

Accipe medullam equi, et ceram virgineam, et fac candelam, et accende.

Ut omnia instrumenta in damo appareant serpentes.

Recipe serpentem, et toque, et sume pinguedinem ejus, et fac candelam c.u.m alia cera, et iliumina.

Si vis facere lumen per vim animi.

Accipe vermes qua lucent de nocte et pone in vase vitreo continente radium solis quousque fiet aqua, et tune pone illam in lampade, et lucet sicut candela, et probatum est.

Ut homines ardere appareant.

Recipe sanguinem leporis, et ceram virgineam, et fac candelam, et illumina.

Item capiatis argentum vivum, et ponatis ipsum in aliquo vitro, et etiam aquam ardentem, et aquam vitae, et projiciatis tres vel quatuor guttas in igne--si fuerat aliqua mulier corrupta statim debet mingere et non aliter.

"Gossips mine" has been printed from another ma.n.u.script by the Percy Society. To most readers of Fraser, however, it is likely to be new. I select it from the humorous poems as being capable (which most of them are not) of being printed without omissions. The necessary discretion, it will be seen, has been supplied by the author.

How gossips mine, gossips mine, When shall we go to the wine.

I shall tell you a good sport, How gossips gather them of a sort, Their sick bodies to comfort, When they meet in land or street.

But I dare not for your displeasure, Tell of these matters half the substance; But yet somewhat of their governance, So far as I dare I will declare.

Good gossip mine, where have ye been; It is so long sith I you seen.

Where is the best wine, tell you me.

Can ye aught tell? Yea, full well.

I know a draught of merry go down, The best it is in all the town.

But yet I would not for my gown, My husband wist. Ye may me trist.

Call forth our gossips, bye-and-bye, Eleanour, Joan, and Margery, Margaret, Alice, and Cecily; For they will come, both all and some.

And each of them will something bring, Goose or pig, or capon's wing, Pasties of pigeons, or some such thing.

For we must eat some manner meat.

Go before, between, and tween, Wisely that ye be not seen; For I must home and come again.

To wit I wis where my husband is.

A strype or two G.o.d might send me, If my husband might here see me.

She is afeared, let her flee, Quoth Alice then,--I dread no men.

Now be we in the tavern set, A draught of the best let him fet, To bring our husbands out of debt; For we will spend--till G.o.d more send.

Each of them brought forth their dish, Some brought flesh and some brought fish, Quoth Margaret meke--now with a wish, I would Anne were here; she would make us cheer.

How say ye, gossips, is the wine good ?

That is it, quoth Eleanour, by the rood.

It cheereth the heart and comforts the blood.

Such jonkets among shall make us live long.

Anne bade fill a pot of muscadell; For of all wines I love it well.

Sweet wines keep my body in h.e.l.l.

If I had it not I should take great thought.

How look ye, gossips, at the board's end.

Not merry, gossips? G.o.d it amend, All shall be well, else G.o.d it defend, Be merry and glad, and sit not so sad.

Would G.o.d I had done after your counsel; For my husband is so fell; He beateth me like the Devil in h.e.l.l; And the more I cry the less mercy.

Alice with a loud voice spake then: I wis, she said, little good he can, That beateth or striketh any woman, And specially his wife, G.o.d give him short life.

Margaret meek said, so might I thrive; I know no man that is alive That give me two strokes, but he shall have five.

I am not afeard though he have a beard.

One cast down her shot, and went away.

Gossip, quoth Eleanour, what did she pay?

Not but a penny! So, therefore, I say She shall no more be of our lore.

Such guests we may have enow, That will not for their shot allow.

With whom came she? Gossip, with you?

Nay, quoth Joan: I came alone.

Now reckon our shot, and go we home, What cometh to each of us but threepence?

Pardye, that is but a small expense For such a sort, and all but sport.

Turn down the street when ye come out, And we will compa.s.s around about.

Gossip, quoth Anne, what needeth that doubt, Your husbands be pleased when ye be eased.

Whatsoever any man think, We come for naught but for good drink.

Now let us go home and wink, For it may be seen where we have been.