Anonymous: Song of the Husbandman (HP2) (604 words)

Text size: − / +

Display options

Display as: HTML / XML / original HC / raw XML

Show source and parameters: yes / no

Line numbers: on / off

Page breaks: on / off

Corpus contents

Sort by: author / title

For more sorting options, please use the search feature.

page 7


1

POEMS FROM HARLEY MS. 2253


2

2. SONG OF THE HUSBANDMAN (1300)


3

4Ich herde men vpo mold make muche mon,
5hou he beþ itened of here tilyynge:
6gode ȝeres & corn boþe beþ agon;
7ne kepeþ here no sawe ne no song synge.
8Nou we mote worche, nis þer non oþer won,
9mai ich no lengore lyue wiþ mi lesinge;
10ȝet þer is a bitterore bid to þe bon,
11for euer þe furþe peni mot to þe kynge.

12

13þus we carpeþ for þe kyng, & carieþ ful colde,
14& weneþ forte keuere, & euer buþ a-cast;
15whose haþ eny god, hopeþ he nout to holde,
16bote euer þe leuest we leoseþ alast.

17

18Luþer is to leosen þer-ase lutel ys,
19& haueþ monie hynen þat hopieþ þer-to:
20þe hayward heteþ vs harm to habben of his;
21þe bailif bockneþ vs bale & weneþ wel do;
22þe wodeward waiteþ vs wo, þat lokeþ vnder rys;
23ne mai vs ryse no rest, rycheis ne ro.
24þus me pileþ þe pore, þat is of lute pris.
25nede in swot & in swynk swynde mot swo.

26

27Nede he mot swynde, þah he hade swore,
28þat naþ nout en hod his hed forte hude.
29þus wil walkeþ in lond, & lawe is forlore,
30& al is piked of þe pore, þe prikyares prude.

31

page 8


32þus me pileþ þe pore and pykeþ ful clene,
33þe ryche me raymeþ wiþ-outen eny ryht;
34ar londes & ar leodes liggeþ fol lene,
35þorh biddyng of baylyfs such harm hem haþ hiht.
36Meni of religioun me halt hem ful hene,
37baroun & bonde, þe clerc & þe knyht.
38þus wil walkeþ in lond, & wondred ys wene,
39falsshipe fatteþ and marreþ wyþ myht.

40

41Stont stille y þe stude, & halt him ful sturne,
42þat makeþ beggares go wiþ bordon & bagges.
43þus we beþ honted from hale to hurne;
44þat er werede robes, nou wereþ ragges.

45

46ȝet comeþ budeles, wiþ ful muche bost:
47"greyþe me seluer to þe grene wax;
48þou art writen y my writ, þat þou wel wost!"
49mo þen ten siþen told y my tax.
50þenne mot ych habbe hennen arost,
51feyr on fyhsh day launprey & lax;
52forþ to þe chepyn geyneþ ne chost,
53þah y sulle mi bil & my borstax.

54

55Ich mot legge my wed wel ȝef y wolle,
56oþer sulle mi corn on gras þat is grene.
57ȝet I shal be foul cherl, þah he han þe fulle;
58þat ich alle ȝer spare, þenne y mot spene.

59

60Nede y mot spene þat y spared ȝore,
61aȝeyn þis cachereles comeþ þus y mot care;
62comeþ þe maister budel brust ase a bore;
63seiþ he wole mi bugging bringe ful bare.
64Mede y mot munten a mark oþer more,
65þah ich at þe set dey sulle mi mare.
66þus þe grene wax vs greueþ vnder gore,
67þat me vs honteþ ase hound doþ þe hare.

68

page 9


69he vs honteþe ase hound hare doþ on hulle;
70seþþe y tek to þe lond such tene me wes taht.
71nabbeþ ner budeles boded ar sulle,
72for he may scape & we aren euer caht.

73

74þus y kippe & cacche cares ful colde,
75seþþe y counte & cot hade to kepe;
76to seche seluer to þe kyng y mi seed solde,
77forþi mi lond leye liþ & leorneþ to slepe.
78seþþe he mi feire feh fatte y my folde,
79when y þenk o mi weole wel neh y wepe;
80þus bredeþ monie beggares bolde,
81& vre ruȝe ys roted & ruls er we repe.

82

83Ruls ys oure ruȝe & roted in þe stre,
84for wickede wederes by brokes & by brynke.
85þer wakeneþ in þe world wondred & wee,
86ase god in swynden anon as so forte swynke.