Part 11

[Sidenote: Night.] ++The clowdy nyght, wndir whois obſcure The reſt and quiet of euery criatur 1276 Lyith ſauf, quhare the goſt w{i}t{h} beſyneß Is occupiit, w{i}t{h} thoghtfull hewynes; And, for that tho{ch}t furth ſchewing vil h{is} my{ch}t, Go fare-wel reſt and quiet of the ny{ch}t. 1280 [Sidenote: Arthur cannot rest.] Artur, I meyne, to whome that reſt is no{ch}t, But al the ny{ch}t ſuppriſit is with tho{ch}t; In to his bed he turnyth to and fro, Remembryng the apperans of his wo, 1284 That is to ſay, his deith, his confuſioune, And of his realme the opin diſtruccioune. That in his wit he can no thing p{ro}wide, Bot tak his forton thar for to abyd. 1288 [Sidenote: The sun goeth up.] Vp goith the ſon, vp goith the hot morow; The thoghtful king al the ny{ch}t to ſorow, That ſauch the day, vpone his feit he ſtart, [Fol. 17.] [Sidenote: Arthur goeth forth.] And furth he goith, diſtrublit in his hart. 1292 A quhill he walkith in his penſyf goſt, [Sidenote: He hears that a clerk has arrived,] So was he ware thar cu{m}myne to the oſt O clerk, with whome he was aqwynt befor, In to his tyme non bett{er} was y-bore; 1296 Of qwhois com he gretly vas Reioſit, For in to hyme ſum comfort he ſuppoſit; [Sidenote: between whom and himself there was a hearty affection.] Betuex them was one hartly affeccioune. Non ord{er}is had he of Relegioune, 1300 Fam{us} he was, and of gret excellence, [Sidenote: He was expert in the seven sciences,] And ry{ch}t exp{er}t in al the vij. ſcience; Contemplatif and chaſt in gou{er}nance, [Sidenote: and was named Amytans.] And clepit was the maiſt{er} amytans. 1304 The king befor his palȝou{n}e one the gren, That knew hyme well, {and} haith his cu{m}myn ſeñ, [Sidenote: Arthur welcomes him.] Velcu{m}myt hyme, and maid hyme ry{ch}t gud chere, And he agan, agrewit as he were, 1308 [Sidenote: He recks nothing of Arthur’s salutation.] Saith, “nothir of thi ſaloſing, nor the, Ne rak I no{ch}t, ne charg I no{ch}t,” q{uo}d hee. [Sidenote: The king inquires what trespass he has committed.] Than q{uod} the king, “maiſt{er}, {and} for what why Ar ȝe agrewit? or quhat treſſpas have I 1312 Co{m}mytit, ſo that I ſhal yow diſples?”

[Headnote: AMYTANS REPROVES ARTHUR.]

[Sidenote: He replies, “It is not against me, but against thyself.] Quod he, “no thing It is ayane myn eß, But only {con}trare of thi-ſelf alway; So fare the courß yow paſſith of the way. 1316 [Sidenote: Thy ship is almost drowned in the whirlpool.] Thi ſchip, that goth apone the ſtormy vall, Ney of thi careldis in the ſwelf it fall, Whar ſhe almoſt is in the p{er}ell drent; That is to ſay, yow art ſo far myſwent 1320 Of wykitneß vpone the vrechit dans, That yow art fallyng in the storng[T29] vengans [Sidenote: That is, God’s wrath shall soon devour thee.] Of goddis wreth, that ſhal the ſon deuour; For of his ſtrok approchit now the hour 1324 That boith thi Ringe, thi ceptre, {and} thi crovñ, Frome hie eſtat he ſmyting ſhal adoune. And that accordith well, for in thi tho{ch}t [Sidenote: Because thou knowest Him not, who set thee up in this high estate,] Yow knawith not hyme, the wich that haith the wro{ch}t, 1328 And ſet the vp in to this hie eſtat From powert; for, as the-ſelwyne wat, It cu{m}myth al bot only of his myght, And not of the, nor of thi eld{er}is Richt 1332 To the diſcending, as in heritage, [Sidenote: though not begotten in spousage.] For yow was not byget in to spouſag. Wharfor yow aucht his biding to obſerf, [Fol. 17b.] And at thy my{ch}t yow ſhuld hyme pleß {and} ſerf; 1336 That dois yow nat, for yow art ſo confuſſit With this fals warld, that thow haith hyme Refuſit, And brokine haith his reul and ordynans, The wich to the he gave in gou{er}nans. 1340

[Footnote T29: So in MS. Is it necessary to alter it to “strong”?]

[Headnote: THE TYRANNY OF KINGS.]

[Sidenote: He made thee king,] He maid the king, he maid the gou{er}nour, He maid the ſo, and ſet in hie honour Of Realmys and of [diuerß] peplis ſere; Eft{er} his loue thow ſhuld them Reul {and} ſtere, 1344 And wnoppreſſit kep in to Iuſtice, The wykit men and pwnyce for ther wice. Yow dois no thing, bot al in the {con}trare, [Sidenote: and thou sufferest thy people to fare ill.] And ſuffrith al thi puple to forfare; 1348 Yow haith non Ey but one thyne awn delyt, Or quhat that pleſing ſhall thyne appetyt. In the defalt of law and of Iuſtice, Wndir thi hond is ſufferyt gret ſuppriß 1352 Of fadirleß, and modirleß alſo, And wedwis ek ſuſtenit mekill wo. [Sidenote: The poor are oppressed.] With gret myſchef oppreſſit ar the pure; And thow art cauß of al this hol Iniure, 1356 Whar-of that god a raknyng ſal craf At the, and a ſore Raknyng ſal hafe; For thyne eſtat is gewyne to Redreß Thar ned, and kep them to ry{ch}twyneß; 1360 And thar is non that ther complant{is} her{is}; The my{ch}ty folk, and ek the flattereris Ar cheif with the, and doith this oppreſſiou{n}; [Sidenote: If they complain, it is their confusion.] If thai complen, It is ther confuſſiou{n}e. 1364 And daniell ſaith that who doith to the pure, Or fad{er}leß, or modirleß, EnIure, Or to the puple, that ilke to god doth hee; And al this harme ſuſtenit Is throw the. 1368 Yow ſufferith them, oppreſſith {and} anoyith; So yow art cauß, throw the thei ar diſtroyth; Than, at thi my{ch}t, god ſo diſtroys yow. [Sidenote: What wilt thou do, when God destroys sinners off the visage of the earth?] What ſhal he do aȝane? quhat ſhal yow, 1372 When he diſtroys by vengance of his ſuerd The ſynar{is} fra the vysag{is} of the Erde? Than vtraly yow ſhall diſtroyt bee; And that Richt weill apper{is} now of thee, 1376 For yow allon byleft art ſolitere; [Sidenote: Solomon saith, ‘Wo to him who is left alone! He hath no help.’] And the wyß salamon can duclar, ‘Wo be to hyme that is byleft alone, He haith no help;’ so Is thi forton goñe; 1380 [Fol. 18.] For he is callit, w{i}t{h} quhom that god is no{ch}t, Allone; and ſo thi wykitneß haith wro{ch}t That god hyme-ſelf he is bycu{m}myn thi fo, [Sidenote: Thou hast lost thy people’s hearts,] Thi pupleis hart{is} haith thow tynt alſo; 1384 Thi wykitneß thus haith the maid alon, That of this erth thi fortone Is y-goñ. Yow mone thi lyf, yow mone thi vorſchip tyne, [Sidenote: and shalt come to death that hath no end.”] And eft to deth that neu{er} ſhal haf fyne.” 1388

[Headnote: ARTHUR ASKS ADVICE.]

++“Maist{er},” q{uo}d he, “of yowre beneuolens, Y yow beſech that tueching my{n} offens, Ȝhe wald wichſaif your conſell to me If [Sidenote: Arthur asks how he shall amend,] How I ſal mend, and ek her-eftir leif.” 1392 “Now,” q{uo}d the maiſter, “and I have m{er}well qwhy Yow aſkith conſail, and wil in non affy, Nor wyrk thar-by; and ȝhit yow may In tym, If yow lykith to amend the cryme.” 1396 “Ȝhis,” ſaith the king, “and ſuthfaſtly I will [Sidenote: and promises to fulfil his bidding.] Ȝour ordynans in eu{er}y thing fulfyll.” “And if the liſt at conſail to abide, [Sidenote: The master replies, “Thou must first dread the Lord.] The remed of thi harme to p{ro}uyde-- 1400 Firſt, the begyning is of ſapiens, To dreid the lord and his mag{ni}ficens; And what thow haith in contrar hyme ofendit, Whill yow haith my{ch}t, of fre deſir amend it;[T30] 1404 [Sidenote: Repent thy guilt.] Repent thi gilt, repent thi gret treſpaß, And remembir one goddis richwyſneß; How for to hyme that wykitneß anoyt, And how the way of ſynaris he diſtroit; 1408 And if ye lyk to ryng wnd{er} his peß, Ye wengans of his my{ch}ty hond yow ſeß, This ſchalt yow do, if yow wil be p{er}fit. Firſt, mone yow be penitent and contrit 1412 Of euery thing that tuechith thi conſiens, Done of fre will, or ȝhit of neglygens. [Sidenote: Thy need requireth full contrition.] Thi neid requirith ful contretioune, Princepaly with-out concluſioune; 1416 With humble hart and goſtly byſyneß, Syne ſhalt yow go deuotly the confeß [Sidenote: Confess to some holy confessor.] Ther-of vnto ſum haly confeſſour, That the wil conſail tueching thin arour; 1420 And to fulfill his will and ordynans, [Sidenote: Do penance, and amend all wrong.”] In ſatiſfaccione and doing of penans, And to amend al wrang and al Iniure, By the ydone til euery Creature; 1424 If yow can In to thi hart fynde, [Fol. 18b.] Contretioune well degeſt In to thi mynd. Now go thi weie, for if it leful were, Confeſſioune to me, I ſhuld It here.” 1428

[Footnote T30: MS. “amendit.”]

[Headnote: ARTHUR CONFESSES HIS SINS,]

[Sidenote: Arthur tries to remember every sin done since his years of innocence,] ++Than arthur, Richt obedient {and} mek, In to his wit memoratyvecan ſeik Of euery gilt wich that he can pens, Done frome he paſſith the ȝer{is} of Innocens; 1432 And as his maiſter hyme commandit hade, [Sidenote: and made his confession with lamentable cheer.] He goith and his confeſſione haith he maad Richt deuotly with lementable chere; The man{er} wich quho lykith for to here 1436 He may It fynd In to the holl romans, Of confeſſione o paſing c{er}cumſtans. I can It not, I am no confeſſour, My wyt haith ewill conſat of that labour, 1440 Quharof I wot I aucht repent me ſore. The king wich was confeſſit, what is more, Goith and til his maiſt{er} tellith hee, How euery ſyne In to his awn degree 1444 He shew, that mycht occuryng to his mynde. [Sidenote: “Leftest thou aught behind,” quoth the master, “about Ban, king of Albanak, and his disinherited wife?”] “Now,” q{uo}d the maiſtere, “left thow aght behynde Of albenak the vorſchipful king ban, The wich that vas in to my ſ{er}uice ſlan, 1448 And of his wif diſheriſt eft alſo? Bot of ther ſone, the wich was them fro, Ne ſpek[T31] y not;”--the king in his entent Abaſyt was, and furt{h}w{i}t{h} is he went 1452 [Sidenote: The king again confesses, and returns,] Aȝane, and to his confeſſour declarith;

[Footnote T31: MS. apparently has “srpek;” but a comparison with line 1543 shews that the apparent _r_ is due to the meeting of two slight flourishes belonging to the _s_ and _p_.]

[Headnote: AND AGAIN ASKS FOR ADVICE.]

Syne to his maiſt{er} he ayane Reparith, To quhome he ſaith, “I aftir my cu{n}yng Your ordinans fulfillit in al thing; 1456 And now right hartly y beſeich and prey, Ȝhe wald w{i}t{h}ſchaif ſum thing to me ſay, [Sidenote: prays for comfort,] That may me comfort in my gret dreid, And how my men ar falȝet in my Neid, 1460 [Sidenote: and inquires about his dream.] And of my dreme, the wich that is ſo dirk.” [Sidenote: The master saith, “If thou art bound to work by my counsel,] This maiſt{er} ſaith, “and thow art bound to virk [T32] ++AT my conſail, and if yow has maad Thi confeſſione, as yow before hath ſaid, 1464 And in thi conciens thinkith p{er}ſeuere, As I p{re}ſume that thow onon ſhalt here That god hyme-ſelf ſhal ſo for y^e p{ro}uide, [Sidenote: thou shalt abide in thy kingdom.] Thow ſhal Remayne and In thi Ring abyd. 1468 And why thi men ar falȝet At this nede, [Fol. 19.] At ſhort this is the cauß, ſhalt yow no{ch}t dred, Fore thow to gode was frawart and p{er}wert; Thi ryngne and the he tho{ch}t for to ſubwart; 1472 And yow ſal knaw na power may reciſt, In contrar quhat god lykith to aſſi[ſ]t.

[Footnote T32: This line (though it should not) begins with an illuminated letter.]

[Headnote: KINGS DERIVE THEIR POWER FROM GOD.]

[Sidenote: Strength of victory cometh from God only.] The vertw nore the ſtrenth of victory It cu{m}myth not of man, bot an{er}ly 1476 Of hyme, the wich haith eu{er}y ſtrinth; {and} than, If that the waiis pleſſit hyme of man, He ſhal have forß aȝane his e{n}nemys. A-ryght agan apone the ſamyne vyß, 1480 [Sidenote: Whoso displeases Him shall be subject to his enemies, as we read in the Bible concerning the Jews.] If he diſpleß vn to the lord, he ſhall Be to his fais a ſubiet or a thrall, As that we may In to the bible red, Tueching the folk he tuk hyme-ſelf to led 1484 In to the lond, the wich he them byhicht. Ay when thei ȝhed in to his ways Richt, Ther fois gon befor there ſuerd to no{ch}t; [Sidenote: When they wrought against Him, they were so full of fear that the sound of a falling leaf made a thousand flee.] And when that thei ayanis hyme hath vro{ch}t, 1488 Thei war ſo full of radur and diſſpare, That of o leif fleing in the air, The ſound of It haith gart o thouſand tak At onys apone them-ſelf the bak, 1492 And al ther manhed vterly foryhet; Sich dreid the lord apone ther hart{is} set. So ſhalt yow know no powar may w{i}t{h}ſtond, Ther god hyme-ſelf hath ton the cauß on hond. 1496 [Sidenote: Thine own offence is the reason why thy people fail thee.] And ye quhy ſtant in thyne awn offens, That al thi puple falȝhet off defens. And ſum ar falȝeing magre ther entent; Thei ar to quhom thow yewyne hath thi rent, 1500 Thi gret Reuard, thi richeß and thi gold, And cheriſſith and held in thi houſhold. Bot the moſt p{ar}t ar falȝheit the at wyll, [Sidenote: Thou hast shewn some of them unkindness,] To quhome yow haith wnkyndneß ſchawin till; 1504 Wrong and i{n}Iure, and ek defalt of law, And pwnyſing of qwhich that thei ſtand aw; And makith ſ{er}uice but reward or fee, Syne haith no thonk bot fre{m}mytneß of the. 1508 Such folk to the cu{m}myth bot for dred, Not of fre hart the for to help at nede. And what awalith owthir ſheld or ſper, Or horß or armoure according for ye were, 1512 Vith-outen man them for to ſtere and led? [Fol. 19b.] [Sidenote: and a man that wanteth heart is dead.] And man, yow wot, that vantith hart is ded, That in to armys ſ{er}uith he of noght; A cowart oft ful mekil harm haith vroght. 1516 In multitude nore ȝhit in confluens Of ſich, is nowther manhed nore defens. [Sidenote: Thou hast so conducted thyself as to lose all thy people’s hearts.] And ſo thow hath the rewlyt, that almoſt Of al thi puple the hart{is} ben ylost; 1520 And tynt richt throw thyne awn myſgou{er}nans Of auerice and of thyne errogans. [Sidenote: What is a prince without honour?] What is o prince? quhat is o gou{er}noure W{i}t{h}outen fame of worſchip and honour? 1524 What is his my{ch}t, ſuppos he be A lorde, If that his folk ſal no{ch}t to hyme accorde? [Sidenote: Can he by himself sustain his kingdom, by serving his own appetite?] May he his Rigne, may he his holl Empire Suſten al only of his owne deſyre, 1528 In ſerwyng of his wrechit appetit Of awerice and of his awn delyt, And hald his men, wncheriſt, in thraldome? [Sidenote: His oppression of his people consumes his high estate, and makes other kings war on them.] Nay! that ſhal ſone his hie eſtat conſome. 1532

[Headnote: UNJUST KINGS ARE PUNISHED.]

For many o kny{ch}t[T33] therby is broght ydoune, All vt{r}aly to ther confuſioune; For oft it makith vther king{is} by To wer on them In traſt of victory; 1536 And oft als throw his peple is diſtroyth, That fyndith them agrewit or anoyth; [Sidenote: God also punishes their vices.”] And god alſo oft w{i}t{h} his awn ſwerd, Punyſith ther wyſis one this erd. 1540 Thus falith not o king but gou{er}nans, Boith realme and he goith one to myſchans.”

[Footnote T33: “king” (?).]

[Headnote: A MESSAGE FROM GALIOT.]

[Sidenote: Meanwhile, the king of a hundred knights and the first-conquest king come from Galiot,] ++AS thai war thus ſpeking of this thinge, Frome galiot cam two kny{ch}t{is} to the king; 1544 That one the king of hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was; That other to nome the fyrst-co{n}queſt king[T34] has, At firſt that galyot conquerit of one. The n{er}eſt way one to the king thei gon, 1548 And vp he roß, as he that wel cout{h} do Honor, to quhome that It afferith to; And ȝhit he wiſt not at thei king{is} were; So them[T35] thei boith and vyt{h} ry{ch}t knyghtly cher 1552 Reu{er}endly thei ſaluſt hyme, and thane [Sidenote: and the former delivers his message, to the effect that] The king of hund{er} knyght{is} he began And ſaid hyme, “ſ{ir}, to ȝow my lord ws ſende, Galiot, whilk bad ws ſay he wende, 1556 [Fol. 20.] That of this world the vorthieſt king wor ȝhe, Greteſt of men and of awtoritee.

[Footnote T34: MS. “kinghe,” a spelling due to confusion with “knight.” See l. 1533.]

[Headnote: A TRUCE PROPOSED AND ACCEPTED.]

[Sidenote: Galiot wonders at the feebleness of Arthur’s folk,] Wharof he has gret wond{er} that ȝhe ar So feble cu{m}myne In to his contrare, 1560 For to defend your cuntre {and} your londe, And knowith well ȝhe may hyme no{ch}t w{i}t{h}ſtonde. Wharfor he thinkith no worſchip to conquere, Nore in the wer{is} more to p{er}ſyuere; 1564 Conſiddir yowr wakneß and yowr Indegens, Aȝanis hyme as now to mak defens. [Sidenote: and is willing to grant a year’s truce,] Wharfore, my lord haith grantit by vs here Trewis to yhow and reſput for o ȝhere, 1568 [Sidenote: if Arthur will return to fight against him in a year’s time;] If that yhow lykith by the ȝher{is} ſpace For to retwrn ayane In to this place, Her to manteine yhour cuntre and w{i}t{h}ſtond Hyme w{i}t{h} the holl power of yhour lond. 1572 And for the tyme the trewis ſhal endure, Yhour cuntre and yhour lond he will aſſurre; And wit ȝhe ȝhit his powar is no{ch}t here. And als he bad ws ſay yhow by the yhere, 1576 [Sidenote: and desires to have the red knight in his household.] The gud kny{ch}t wich that the Red armys bure And in the feild maid the diſcumfiture, The whilk the flour of kny{ch}thed may be cold, He thinkith hyme to haue of his houſhold.” 1580 “Well,” q{uo}d the king, “I have hard quhat yhe ſay, But if god will, and ek if that I may, In to ſich wyß I think for to withſtond, Yhour lord ſhall have no powar of my londe.” 1584 [Sidenote: Arthur rejoices at the truce,] Of this meſag the king Reioſing haß, And of the trewis wich that grantit was, Bot anoyt ȝhit of the kny{ch}t was he, Wich thei awant to have in ſuch dogre. 1588 Ther leif thei tuk; and when at thei war gon, [Sidenote: which the master attributes to God’s providence, and exhorts him, saying,] [T36] ++This maiſt{er} ſaith, “how lykith god diſpone!

[Footnote T35: “then” (?).] [Footnote T36: The initial T is illuminated.]

Now may yhow ſe {and} ſuth is my recorde; For by hyme now is makith this accord; 1592 And by non vthir worldly p{ro}videns, Sauf only grant of his bynewolans, To ſe if that the lykith to amend, And to p{ro}uid thi cuntre to defend. 1596 Wharfor yow ſhalt in to thi lond home fair, And gowerne the as that I ſhall declaire. [Sidenote: “First, serve God with humble heart, and let the wand of law pass through the land.] Firſt, thi god with humble hart yow ſerfe, [Fol. 20b.] And his comand at al thi my{ch}t obſerf; 1600 And ſyne, lat paß the ilk bleſſit wonde Of lowe w{i}t{h} m{er}cy Iuſtly throw thi londe; And y beſeich--to quhome yow ſal direke The rewle vpone, the wrang{is} to correk-- 1604 That yow be no{ch}t in thi electioune blynde; For writin It Is and yow ſal trew It fynde. That, be thei for to thonk or ell{is} blame, And towart god thi p{ar}t ſhal be the ſam̅; 1608 Of Ignorans ſhalt yow no{ch}t be excuſit, Bot in ther werk{is} ſorly be accuſit, For thow ſhuld eu{er} cheß apone ſich wyß [Sidenote: Thus shalt thou choose the ministers of justice.] The mi{ni}ſteris[T37] that rewll haith of Iustice:-- 1612

[Headnote: HOW TO CHOOSE JUDGES.]

Firſt, that he be deſcret til wnd{er}ſtond And lowe and ek the mat{er} of the londe; And be of my{ch}t and ek Autoritee, (For puple ay {con}tempnith low degre,) 1616 And that of trouth he folow furth the way; That is als mych as he louyth trewth alway, And haitith al them the wich ſal pas therfro. Syne, that he god dreid and lowe al-so. 1620 [Sidenote: Avoid avaricious and wrathful men.] Of auerice be-war with the deſyre, And of hyme full of haſtynes {and} fyre; Be-war thar-for of malice and deſire, And hyme alſo that lowith no medyre; 1624 For al this abhomi{n}able was hold, When Iuſtice was in to the tymis olde. For qwho that is of an of thir by-know, The leſt of them ſubu{er}tith all the low, 1628 And makith It w[n]Iustly[T38] to p{ro}cede;

[Footnote T37: MS. “mīſteris.”] [Footnote T38: MS. “w Iustly.”]

[Headnote: KINGS MUST BE JUST AND TRUE.]