Anonymous: Dame Sirith (2 524 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 1


1
2

CI COMENCE LE FABLEL ET LA COINTISE DE DAME SIRIZ.


3

4As I com bi an waie,
5Hof on ich herde saie,
6Ful modi mon and proud;
7Wis he wes of lore,
8And gouþlich vnder gore,
9And cloþed in fair sroud.
10

11To louien he bigon
12On wedded wimmon,
13Þer-of he heuede wrong;
14His herte hire wes alon,
15Þat reste neuede he non,
16Þe loue wes so strong.
17

18Wel ȝerne he him biþoute
19Hou he hire gete moute
20In ani cunnes wise.

page 2


21Þat befel on an day
22Þe louerd wend away
23Hon his marchaundise.
24

25He wente him to þen inne
26Þer hoe wonede inne,
27Þat wes riche won;
28And com in to þen halle,
29Þer hoe wes srud wiþ palle,
30And þus he bigon: -
31

32"God almiȝtten be her-inne!"

33"Welcome, so ich euer bide wenne,"
34Quod þis wif.
35"His hit þi wille, com and site,
36And wat is þi wille let me wite,
37Mi leuelif.
38

39Bi houre louerd, heuene-king,
40If I mai don ani þing
41Þat þe is lef,
42Þou miȝtt finden me ful fre.
43Fol bleþeli willi don for þe,
44Wiþ-houten gref."

page 3


45"Dame, god þe forȝelde,
46Bote on þat þou me nout bimelde,
47Ne make þe wroþ,
48Min hernde willi to þe bede;
49Bote wraþþen þe for ani dede
50Were me loþ."

51

52"Nai I-wis, wilekin,
53For no-þing þat euer is min,
54Þau þou hit ȝirne,
55Houncurteis ne willi be;
56Ne con I nout on vilte,
57Ne nout I nelle lerne.
58

59Þou mait saien al þine wille,
60And I shal herknen and sitten stille,
61Þat þou haue told.
62And if þat þou me tellest skil,
63I shal don after þi wil,
64Þat be þou bold.
65

66And þau þou saie me ani same,
67Ne shal I þe nouiȝt blame
68For þi sawe."

69"Nou ich haue wonne leue,
70Ȝif þat I me shulde greue,
71Hit were hounlawe.

72

page 4


73Certes, dame, þou seist as hende,
74And I shal setten spel on ende,
75And tellen þe al,
76Wat ich wolde, and wi ich com;
77Ne con ich saien non falsdom,
78Ne non I ne shal.
79

80Ich habbe I-loued þe moni ȝer,
81Þau ich nabbe nout ben her
82Mi loue to schowe.
83Wile þi louerd is in toune,
84Ne mai no mon wiþ þe holden roune
85Wiþ no þewe.
86

87Ȝurstendai ich herde saie,
88As ich wende bi þe waie,
89Of oure sire;
90Me tolde me þat he was gon
91To þe feire of botolfston
92In lincolne-schire.
93

94And for ich weste þat he ves houte,
95Þarfore ich am I-gon aboute
96To speken wiþ þe.
97Him burþ to liken wel his lif,
98Þat miȝtte welde secc a vif
99In priuite.

page 5


100Dame, if hit is þi wille,
101Boþ dernelike and stille,
102Ich wille þe loue."

103"Þat woldi don for non þing ,
104Bi houre louerd, heuene-king,
105Þat ous is boue!
106

107Ich habe mi louerd þat is mi spouse,
108Þat maiden broute me to house,
109Mid menske I-nou;
110He loueþ me and ich him wel,
111Oure loue is also trewe as stel,
112Wiþ-houten wou.
113

114Þau he be from hom on his hernde,
115Ich were ounseli, if ich lernede
116To ben on hore.
117Þat ne shal neuere be,
118Þat I shal don selk falsete,
119On bedde ne on flore.
120

121Neuer more his lif-wile,
122Thau he were on hondred mile
123Bi-ȝende rome,
124For no þing ne shuldi take
125Mon on erþe to ben mi make,
126Ar his hom-come."

127

page 6


128"Dame, dame, torn þi mod;
129Þi curteisi was euer god,
130And ȝet shal be;
131For þe louerd þat ous haueþ wrout,
132Amend þi mod, and torn þi þout,
133And rew on me."

134

135"We, we! oldest þou me a fol?
136So ich euer mote biden ȝol,
137Þou art ounwis.
138Mi þout ne shalt þou newer wende;
139Mi louerd is curteis mon and hende,
140And mon of pris;
141

142And ich am wif boþe god and trewe;
143Trewer womon ne mai no mon cnowe
144Þen ich am.
145Þilke time ne shal neuer bitide
146Þat mon for wouing ne þoru prude
147Shal do me scham."

148

149"Swete leumon, merci!
150Same ne vilani
151Ne bede I þe non;
152Bote derne loue I þe bede,
153As mon þat wolde of loue spede,
154And fin de won."

155

page 7


156"So bide Ich euere mete oþer drinke,
157Her þou lesest al þi swinke;
158Þou miȝt gon hom, leue broþer,
159For ne wille ich þe loue, ne non oþer,
160Bote mi wedde houssebonde;
161To tellen hit þe ne wille ich wonde."

162"Certes, dame, þat me forþinkeþ;
163And wo is þe mon þat muchel swinkeþ,
164And at þe laste leseþ his sped!
165To maken menis his him ned.
166Bi me I saie ful I-wis,
167Þat loue þe loue þat I shal mis.
168And , dame, haue nou godnedai!
169And þilke louerd, þat al welde mai,
170Leue þat þi þout so tourne,
171Þat ihc for þe no leng ne mourne."

172

173Dreri-mod he wente awai,
174And þoute boþe niȝt and dai
175Hire al for to wende.
176A frend him radde for to fare,
177And leuen al his muchele kare,
178To dame siriz þe hende.

179

page 8


180Þider he wente him anon,
181So suiþe so he miȝtte gon,
182No mon he ni mette.
183Ful he wes of tene and treie;
184Mid wordes milde and eke sleie
185Faire he hire grette.

186

187"God þe I-blessi, dame siriz!
188Ich am I-com to speken þe wiz,
189For ful muchele nede.
190And ich mai haue help of þe
191Þou shalt haue, þat þou shalt se,
192Ful riche mede."

193

194"Welcomen art þou, leue sone;
195And if ich mai oþer cone
196In eni wise for þe do,
197I shal strengþen me þer-to.
198For-þi, leue sone, tel þou me
199Wat þou woldest I dude for þe."

200"Bote, leue nelde, ful euele I fare;
201I lede mi lif wiþ tene and kare;
202

203Wiþ muchel hounsele ich lede mi lif,
204And þat is for on suete wif
205Þat heiȝtte margeri.

page 9


206Ich haue I-loued hire moni dai,
207And of hire loue hoe seiz me nai;
208Hider ich com for-þi.
209

210Bote if hoe wende hire mod,
211For serewe mon ich wakese wod,
212Oþer mi selue quelle.
213Ich heuede I-þout miself to slo;
214For-þen radde a frend me go
215To þe mi sereue telle.
216

217He saide me, wiþ-houten faille,
218Þat þou me couþest helpe and uaile,
219And bringen me of wo
220Þoru þine crafftes and þine dedes;
221And ich wile ȝeue þe riche mede,
222Wiþ þat hit be so."

223

224"Benedicite be herinne!
225Her hauest þou, sone, mikel senne.
226Louerd, for his suete nome,
227Lete þe þerfore hauen no shome!
228Þou seruest affter godes grome,
229Wen þou seist on me silk blame.
230For ich am old, and sek and lame;
231Seknesse haueþ maked me ful tame.

page 10


232Blesse þe, blesse þe, leue knaue!
233Leste þou mes-auenter haue,
234For þis lesing þat is founden
235Opp-on me, þat am harde I-bonden.
236Ich am on holi wimon,
237On wicchecrafft nout I ne con,
238Bote wiþ gode men almesdede.
239Ilke dai mi lif I fede,
240And bidde mi pater noster and mi crede,
241Þat goed hem helpe at hore nede,
242Þat helpen me mi lif to lede,
243And leue þat hem mote wel spede.
244His lif and his soule worþe I-shend,
245Þat þe to me þis hernde haueþ send;
246And leue me to ben I-wreken
247On him þis shome me haueþ speken."

248

249"Leue nelde, bilef al þis;
250Me þinkeþ þat þou art onwis.
251Þe mon þat me to þe taute,
252He weste þat þou hous couþest saute.
253Help, dame siriþ, if þou maut,
254To make me wiþ þe sueting saut,

page 11


255And ich wille geue þe gift ful stark,
256Moni a pound and moni a marke,
257Warme pilche and warme shon,
258Wiþ þat min hernde be wel don.
259Of muchel godlec miȝt þou ȝelpe,
260If hit be so þat þou me helpe."

261"Liȝ me nout, wilekin, bi þi leute
262Is hit þin hernest þou tekest me?
263Louest þou wel dame margeri?"

264"Ȝe, nelde, witerli;
265Ich hire loue, hit mot me spille,
266Bote ich gete hire to mi wille."

267"Wat, god wilekin, me reweþ þi scaþe,
268Houre louerd sende þe help raþe!
269

270Weste hic hit miȝtte ben forholen,
271Me wolde þunche wel solen
272Þi wille for to fullen.
273Make me siker wiþ word on honde,
274Þat þou wolt helen, and I wile fonde
275If ich mai hire tellen.
276

277For al þe world ne woldi nout
278Þat ich were to chapitre I-brout
279For none selke werkes.

page 12


280Mi iugement were sone I-giuen
281To ben wiþ shome somer driuen
282Wiþ prestes and with clarkes."

283

284"I-wis, nelde, ne woldi
285Þat þou heuedest uilani
286Ne shame for mi goed.
287Her I þe mi trouþe pliȝtte,
288Ich shal helen bi mi miȝtte,
289Bi þe holi roed!"

290

291"Welcome, wilekin, hiderward;
292Her hauest I-maked a foreward
293Þat þe mai ful wel like.
294Þou maiȝt blesse þilke siþ,
295For þou maiȝt make þe ful bliþ;
296Dar þou namore sike.
297

298To goder-hele euer come þou hider,
299For sone willi gange þider,
300And maken hire hounderstonde.
301I shal kenne hire sulke a lore;
302Þat hoe shal louien þe mikel more
303Þen ani mon In londe."

304

page 13


305"Al so haui godes griþ,
306Wel hauest þou said, dame siriþ,
307And goder-hele shal ben þin.
308Haue her twenti shiling,
309Þis ich ȝeue þe to meding,
310To buggen þe sep and swin."

311

312"So ich euere brouke hous oþer flet,
313Neren neuer penes beter biset
314Þen þes shulen ben.
315For I shal don a iuperti,
316And a ferli maistri,
317Þat þou shalt ful wel sen.
318

319Pepir nou shalt þou eten,
320Þis mustart shal ben þi mete,
321And gar þin eien to rene;
322I shal make a lesing
323Of þin heie-renning,
324Ich wot wel wer and wenne."

325

326"Wat! nou const þou no god?
327Me þinkeþ þat þou art wod:
328Ȝeuest þo þe welpe mustard?"

329"Be stille, boinard!

page 14


330I shal mit þis ilke gin
331Gar hire loue to ben al þin.
332Ne shal ich neuer haue reste ne ro
333Til ich haue told hou þou shalt do.
334Abid me her til min hom-come."

335"Ȝus, bi þe somer blome,
336Heþen nulli ben binomen,
337Til þou be aȝein comen"

338Dame siriþ bigon to go,
339As a wrecche þat is wo,
340Þat hoe come hire to þen inne
341Þer þis gode wif wes inne.
342Þo hoe to þe dore com,
343Swiþe reuliche hoe bigon:

344"Louerd," hoe seiþ, "wo is holde wiues,
345Þat in pouerte ledeþ ay liues;
346Not no mon so muchel of pine
347As poure wif þat falleþ in ansine.
348Þat mai ilke mon bi me wite
349For mai I nouþer gange ne site.
350Ded woldi ben ful fain.
351Hounger and þurst me haueþ nei slain;
352Ich ne mai mine limes on-wold,
353For mikel hounger and þurst and cold.
354War-to liueth selke a wrecche?
355Wi nul goed mi soule fecche?"

page 15


356"Seli wif, god þe hounbinde!
357To dai wille I þe mete finde
358For loue of goed.
359Ich haue reuþe of þi wo,
360For euele I-cloþed I se þe go,
361And euele I-shoed.
362

363Com her-in, ich wile þe fede,"

364"Goed almiȝtten do þe mede,
365And þe louerd þat wes on rode I-don,
366And faste fourti daus to non,
367And heuene and erþe haueþ to welde.
368As þilke louerd þe forȝelde.
369Haue her fles and eke bred,
370And make þe glad, hit is mi red;
371And haue her þe coppe wiþ þe drinke;
372Goed do þe mede for þi swinke."

373Þenne spac þat holde wif,
374Crist awarie hire lif!

375"Alas! Alas! þat euer I liue!
376Al þe sunne ich wolde forgiue
377Þe mon þat smite of min heued!
378Ich wolde mi lif me were bireued!"

page 16


379"Seli wif, what eilleþ þe?"

380"Bote eþe mai I sori be:
381Ich heuede a douter feir and fre,
382Feiror ne miȝtte no mon se.
383Hoe heuede a curteis hossebonde;
384Freour mon miȝtte no mon fonde.
385Mi douter louede him al to wel;
386For þi maki sori del.
387Oppon a dai he was out wend,
388And þar-þoru wes mi douter shend.
389He hede on ernde out of toune;
390And com a modi clarc wiþ croune,
391To mi douter his loue beed,
392And hoe nolde nout folewe his red.
393He ne miȝtte his wille haue,
394For no þing he miȝtte craue.
395Þenne bigon þe clerc to wiche,
396And shop mi douter til a biche.
397Þis is mi douter þat ich of speke;
398For del of hire min herte breke.
399Loke hou hire heien greten,
400On hire cheken þe teres meten.

page 17


401For þi, dame, were hit no wonder,
402Þau min herte burste assunder.
403And wose euer is ȝong houssewif,
404Ha loueþ ful luitel hire lif,
405And eni clerc of loue hire bede,
406Bote hoe grante and lete him spede."

407"A! louerd crist, wat mai þenne do!
408Þis enderdai com a clarc me to,
409And bed me loue on his manere,
410And ich him nolde nout I-here.
411Ich trouue he wolle me forsape.
412Hou troustu, nelde, ich moue ascape?"

413"God almiȝtten be þin help
414Þat þou ne be nouþer bicche ne welp!
415Leue dame, if eni clerc
416Bedeþ þe þat loue-werc,
417Ich rede þat þou grante his bone,
418And bicom his lefmon sone.
419And if þat þou so ne dost,
420A worse red þou ounderfost."

421

422"Louerd crist, þat me is wo,
423Þat þe clarc me hede fro,
424Ar he me heuede biwonne.

page 18


425Me were leuere þen ani fe
426That he heuede enes leien bi me,
427And efft-sones bigunne.
428

429Euer-more, nelde, ich wille be þin,
430Wiþ þat þou feche me willekin,
431Þe clarc of wam I telle,
432Giftes willi geue þe
433Þat þou maiȝt euer þe betere be,
434Bi godes houne belle!"

435

436"Soþliche, mi swete dame,
437And if I mai wiþ-houte blame,
438Fain ich wille ffonde;
439And if ich mai wiþ him mete,
440Bi eni wei oþer bi strete,
441Nout ne willi wonde.
442

443Haue goddai, dame! forþ willi go."

444"Allegate loke þat þou do so
445As ich þe bad;
446Bote þat þou me wilekin bringe,
447Ne mai neuer lawe ne singe,
448Ne be glad."

449

page 19


450"I wis, dame, if I mai,
451Ich wille bringen him ȝet to-dai,
452Bi mine miȝtte."

453Hoe wente hire to hire inne,
454Her hoe founde wilekinne,
455Bi houre driȝtte!
456

457"Swete wilekin, be þou nout dred,
458For of þin hernde ich haue wel sped.
459Swiþe com for þider wiþ me,
460For hoe haueþ send affter þe.
461I-wis nou maiȝt þou ben aboue,
462For þou hauest grantise of hire loue."

463"God þe for-ȝelde, leue nelde,
464Þat heuene and erþe haueþ to welde!"

465

466Þis modi mon bigon to gon
467Wiþ Siriz to his leuemon
468In þilke stounde.
469Dame Siriz bigon to telle,
470And swor bi godes ouene belle,
471Hoe heuede him founde.
472

473"Dame, so haue ich wilekin sout,
474For nou haue ich him I-brout."

475"Welcome, wilekin, swete þing,
476Þou art welcomore þen þe king.

page 20


477Wilekin þe swete,
478Mi loue I þe bihete,
479To don al þine wille.
480Turnd ich haue mi þout,
481For I ne wolde nout
482Þat þou þe shuldest spille."

483

484"Dame, so ich euere bide noen,
485And ich am redi and I-boen
486To don al þat þou saie.
487Nelde, par ma fai!
488Þou most gange awai,
489Wile ich and hoe shulen plaie."

490

491"Goddot so I wille:
492And loke þat þou hire tille,
493And strek out hire þes.
494God ȝeue þe muchel kare,
495Ȝeif þat þou hire spare,
496Þe wile þou mid hire bes.
497

498And wose is onwis,
499And for non pris
500Ne con geten his leuemon,
501I shal, for mi mede,
502Garen him to spede,
503For ful wel I con."