Six Centuries of English Poetry Part 46

A VISIT TO LONDON.

BY JOHN LYDGATE.

Then unto London I dyd me hye, Of all the land it beareth the pryse: "Hot pescodes," one began to crye, "Strabery rype, and cherryes in the ryse"; One bade me come nere and by some spyce, Peper and safforne they gan me bede, But for lack of mony I myght not spede.

Then to the Chepe I began me drawne, Where mutch people I saw for to stand; One ofred me velvet, sylke, and lawne, An other he taketh me by the hande, "Here is Parys thred, the fynest in the land"; I never was used to such thyngs indede, And wanting mony, I might not spede.

Then went I forth by London stone, Th[o]roughout all Canwyke streete; Drapers mutch cloth me offred anone; Then comes me one, cryed, "Hot shepes feete"; One cryde "makerell," "ryshes grene," an other gan greete; One bad me by a hood to cover my head, But for want of mony I myght not be sped.

Then I hyed me into Est-Chepe; One cryes rybbs of befe, and many a pye: Pewter pottes they clattered on a heape; There was harpe, pype, and mynstralsye.

"Yea, by c.o.c.k! nay, by c.o.c.k!" some began crye; Some songe of Jenken and Julyan for there mede; But for lack of mony I myght not spede.

Then into Corn-Hyll anon I yode, Where was mutch stolen gere amonge; I saw where honge myne owne hoode, That I had lost amonge the thronge; To by my own hood I thought it wronge, I knew it well as I dyd my crede, But for lack of mony I could not spede.

The taverner tooke me by the sleve, "Sir," sayth he, "wyll you our wyne a.s.say"?

I answered, "That can not mutch me greve: A peny can do no more than it may"; I drank a pynt, and for it did paye; Yet sone a-hungerd from thence I yede, And wantyng mony, I cold not spede.

Then hyed I me to Belyngsgate; And one cryed, "Hoo! go we hence!"

I prayd a barge-man, for G.o.d's sake, That he wold spare me my expence.

"Thou scapst not here," quod he, "under two pence; I lyst not yet bestow my almes dede."

Thus, lackyng mony, I could not spede.

Then I convayd me into Kent; For of the law wold I meddle no more; Because no man to me tooke entent, I dyght me to do as I dyd before.

Now Jesus, that in Bethlem was bore, Save London, and send trew lawyers there mede!

For who so wantes mony with them shall not spede.

--_From "London Lickpenny."_

GLOSSARY.

=anone=, at once.

=a.s.say=, try.

=bede=, offer.

=Chepe=, the market. Cheapside, still a famous street in London.

=dyght=, disposed.

=gere=, apparel.

=greete=, cry out.

=hyed=, hurried.

=lyst=, wish.

=mede=, reward, wages.

=pescodes=, pease.

=ryse=, bough or twig.

=ryshes=, rushes.

=spede=, proceed, do.

=yede=, went.

THE GOLDEN AGE.

Rightwisenes chastised al robbours, By egall balaunce of execucion, Fraud, false mede, put backward fro jurours, True promes holde, made no delacioun; Forswearing shamed durst enter in no toun, Nor lesingmongers, because Attemperaunce Had in that world wholy the governaunce.

That golden world could love G.o.d and drede, All the seven dedes of mercy for to use, The rich was ready to do almes dede, Who asked harbour, men did him not refuse; No man of malice would other tho accuse, Defame his neighbour, because Attemperaunce Had in that world wholy the governaunce.

The true marchant by measure bought and sold, Deceipt was none in the artificer, Making no balkes, the plough was truely hold, Abacke stode Idlenes, farre from labourer, Discrecion marcial at diner and supper, Content with measure, because Attemperaunce Had in that world wholy the governaunce.

Of wast in clothing was that time none excesse; Men might the lord from his subjectes know; A difference made twene povertie and richesse, Twene a princesse and other states lowe; Of horned boastes no boast was tho blowe, Nor counterfeit feining, because Attemperaunce Had in that world wholy the governaunce.

This golden world long whyle dyd endure, Was none allay in that metall sene, Tyll Saturne ceased, by record of scripture, Jupiter reygned, put out his father clene, Chaunged obrison into silver shene, Al up so downe, because Attemperaunce Was set asyde, and loste her governaunce.

NOTE.

"The Falls of Princes," from which this is an extract, was printed in folio in 1558. Its complete t.i.tle is, "The Tragedies gathered by Jhon Bochas of all such Princes as fell from theyr Estates throughe the Mutability of Fortune since the creation of Adam until his time; wherin may be seen what vices bring menne to destruccion, wyth notable warninges howe the like may be avoyded. Translated into English by John Lidgate, Monke of Burye."

THE GARMOND OF FAIR LADIES.

BY ROBERT HENRYSON.

Wald my gud lady lufe me best, And wirk eftir my will, I suld ane Garmond gudliest Gar mak hir body till.

Off hie honour suld be hir hud, Upoun hir heid to weir, Garneist with governance so gud, Na demyng suld hir deir.

Hir sark suld be hir body nixt, Of chestetie so quhyt, With schame and dreid togidder mixt, The same suld be perfyt.

Hir kirtill suld be of clene constance, Lasit with lesum lufe, The mailyheis of continuance For nevir to remufe.

Hir gown suld be of gudliness Weill ribband with renowne, Purfillit with plesour in ilk place, Furrit with fyne fa.s.soun.

Hir belt suld be of benignitie, About hir middill meit; Hir mantill of humilitie, To tholl bayth wind and weit.

Hir hat suld be of fair having And her tepat of trewth, Hir patelet of gude pansing, Hir hals-ribbane of rewth.

Hir slevis suld be of esperance, To keip hir fra dispair; Hir gluvis of the gud govirnance, To hyd hir fyngearis fair.

Hir schone suld be of sickernes, In syne that scho nocht slyd; Hir hoiss of honestie, I ges, I suld for hir provyd.

Wald scho put on this Garmond gay, I durst sweir by my seill, That scho woir nevir grene nor gray That set hir half so weill.