The Gersum Project

St Erkenwald

1 At London in englonde noȝt fulle longe tyme

2 Sythen Crist suffride on crosse and cristendome stablyde,

3 Ther was a byschop in that burghe blessyd and sacryd

4 Saynt Erkenwolde, as i hope, that holy mon hatte.

5 In his tyme in that ton the temple aldergrattyst

6 Was drawen don that one dole to dedifie new

7 For hit hethen had bene in Hengyst dawes,

8 That the Saxones vnsaȝt haden sende hyder.

9 Thai bete oute the Bretons and broȝt hom into Wales,

10 And peruertyd alle the pepul that in that place dwellide.

11 Then wos this reame renaide mony ronke ȝeres,

12 Til saynt Austyn into Sandewiche was sende fro the pope;

13 Then prechyd he here the pure faythe and plantyd the trouthe,

14 And conuertyd alle the communnates to Cristendame newe.

15 He turnyd temples that tyme that temyd to the deuelle

16 And clansyd hom in Cristes nome and kyrkes hom callid.

17 He hurlyd owt hor ydols and hade hym in sayntes

18 And chaungit cheuely hor nomes and chargit hom better.

19 That ere was of Appolyn is now of saynt Petre,

20 Mahon to saynt Margrete other to Maudelayne,

21 The synagoge of the sonne was sett to oure Lady,

22 Jubiter and Jono to Jhesu other to James.

23 So he hom dedifiet and dyght alle to dere halowes

24 That ere wos sett of Sathanas in Saxones tyme.

25 Now that london is neuenyd hatte the new Troie:

26 The metropol and the maysterton hit euermore has bene

27 The mecul mynster therinne a maghty deuel aght,

28 And the title of the temple bitan was his name

29 For he was dryghtyn derrest of ydols praysid

30 And the solempnest of his sacrifices in saxon londes.

31 The thrid temple hit wos tolde of Triapolitanes

32 By alle Bretaynes bonkes were bot othire twayne.

33 Now of this Augustynes art is Erkenwolde bischop

34 At loue London ton and the laghe teches

35 Syttes semely in the sege of saynt Paule mynster

36 That was the temple Triapolitan, as i tolde are.

37 then was hit abatyd and beten don and buggyd efte new,

38 A noble note for the nones and new werke hit hatte,

39 Mony a mery mason was made ther to wyrke.

40 Harde stones for to hewe with eggit toles

41 Mony grubber in grete the grounde for to seche

42 That the fundement on fyrst shuld the fote halde,

43 And as thai mukkyde and mynde a meruayle thai founden

44 As ȝet in crafty cronecles is kydde the memorie:

45 For as thai dyȝt and dalfe so depe into the erthe

46 Thai founden fourmyt on a flore a ferly faire toumbe.

47 Hit was a throghe of thykke ston thryuandly hewen

48 With gargeles garnysht aboute alle of gray marbre;

49 The speke of the spelunke that spadde hit olofte

50 Was metely made of the marbre and menskefully planede,

51 And the bordure enbelicit with bryȝt golde lettres.

52 Bot roynyshe were the resones that ther on row stoden

53 Fulle verray were the vigures--ther auisyde hom mony--

54 Bot alle muset hit to mouthe and quat hit mene shulde.

55 Mony clerke in that clos with crownes ful brode

56 Ther besiet hom aboute noȝt to brynge hom in wordes

57 Quen tithynges token to the ton of the toumbe wonder,

58 Mony hundrid hende men highide thider sone:

59 Burgeys boghit therto bedels ande othire,

60 And mony a mestersmon of maners dyuerse

61 Laddes laften hor werke and lepen thiderwardes

62 Ronnen radly in route with ryngande noyce:

63 Ther commen thider of alle kynnes so kenely mony

64 That as alle the worlde were thider walon within a hondequile

65 Quen the maire with his meynye that meruaile aspied.

66 By assent of the sextene the sayntuare thai kepten,

67 Bede vnlouke the lidde and lay hit byside

68 Thai wolde loke on that lome quat lengyd withinne.

69 Wyȝt werkemen with that wenten thertille

70 Putten prises therto, pinchid onevnder

71 Kaghten by the corners with crowes of yrne,

72 And were the lydde neuer so large thai laide hit by sone.

73 Bot then wos wonder to wale on wehes that stoden,

74 That myȝt not come to toknowe a quontyse strange

75 So was the glode within gay al with golde payntyde,

76 And a blisfulle body opon the bothum lyggid,

77 Araide on a riche wise in rialle wedes.

78 Al with glisnande golde his gowne wos hemmyd

79 With mony a precious perle picchit theron

80 And a gurdille of golde bigripide his mydelle,

81 A meche mantel on lofte with menyuer furrit

82 The clothe of camelyn ful clene with cumly bordures,

83 And on his coyfe wos kest a coron ful riche

84 And a semely septure sett in his honde.

85 Als wemles were his wedes withouten any tecche

86 Other of moulynge other of motes othir moghtfreten.

87 And als bryȝt of hor blee in blysnande hewes

88 As thai hade ȝepely in that ȝorde bene ȝisturday shapen.

89 And als freshe hym the face and the fleshe nakyde

90 Bi his eres and bi his hondes that openly shewid

91 With ronke rode as the rose and two rede lippes

92 as he in sounde sodanly were slippide opon slepe.

93 Ther was spedeles space to spyr vschon other

94 Quat body hit myȝt be that buried wos ther,

95 How longe had he ther layne his lere so vnchaungit,

96 And al his wede vnwemmyd thus ylka weghe askyd.

97 "Hit myȝt not be bot suche a mon in mynde stode longe.

98 He has ben kynge of this kithe as couthely hit semes,

99 he lyes doluen thus depe hit is a derfe wonder."

100 Bot summe segge couthe say that he hym sene hade

101 Bot that ilke note wos noght, for nourne none couthe

102 Nother by title ne token ne by tale nother

103 That wos breuyt in brut ne in boke notyde

104 That euer mynnyd suche a mon, more ne lasse.

105 The bodeworde to the byschop was broght on a quile

106 Of that buriede body al the bolde wonder

107 the primate with his prelacie was partyd fro home:

108 In Esex was ser Erkenwolde an abbay to visite.

109 Tulkes tolden hym the tale and the troubulle in the pepul,

110 And suche a cry aboute a cors crakit euermore,

111 The bischop sende hit to blynne by bedels and lettres

112 Ande buskyd thiderwarde bytyme on his blonke after.

113 By that he come to the kyrke kydde of saynt paule

114 Mony hym metten on that meere the meruayle to telle.

115 He passyd into his palais and pes he comaundit,

116 And deuoydit fro the douthe and ditte the durre after.

117 The derke nyȝt ouerdrofe and daybelle ronge

118 And ser Erkenwolde was vp in the vghten ere then,

119 That welneghe al the nyȝt hade naityd his houres

120 To biseche his Souerayn of his swete grace,

121 To vouchesafe to reuele hym hit by avision or elles,

122 "Thaghe i be vnworthi," al wepande he sayde,

123 Thurghe thi deere debonerte digne hit, my Lorde,

124 In confirmynge thi cristen faithe fulsen me to kenne,

125 The mysterie of this meruaile that men opon wondres."

126 And so longe he grette after grace that he graunte hade

127 An ansuare of the Holy Goste and afterwarde hit dawid,

128 Mynsterdores were makyd opon quen matens were songen

129 The byschop hym shope solemply to synge the heghe masse:

130 The prelate in pontificals was prestly atyride.

131 Manerly with his ministres the masse he begynnes

132 Of "Spiritus Domini" for his spede on sutile wise

133 With queme questis of the quere with ful quaynt notes.

134 Mony a gay grete lorde was gedrid to herken hit

135 As the rekenest of the reame repairen thider ofte,

136 Tille cessyd was the seruice and sayde the later ende,

137 Then heldyt fro the autere alle the heghe gynge.

138 The prelate passide on the playn--ther plied to hym lordes--

139 As riche reuestid as he was he rayked to the toumbe.

140 Men vnclosid hym the cloyster with clustrede keies,

141 Bot pyne wos withthe grete prece that passyd hym after.

142 The byschop come to the burynes him barones besyde,

143 The maire with mony maȝti men and macers before hym.

144 The dene of the dere place deuysit al on fyrst:

145 The fyndynge of that ferly with fynger he mynte.

146 "Lo lordes," quoth that lede, "suche a lyche here is,

147 Has layn loken here on loghe how longe is vnknawen.

148 And ȝet his colour and his clothe has caȝt no defaute,

149 Ne his lire ne the lome that he is layde inne.

150 Ther is no lede opon lyfe of so longe age,

151 That may mene in his mynde that suche a mon regnyd,

152 Ne nother his nome ne his note nourne of one speche,

153 Quether mony porer in this place is putte into graue.

154 That merkid is in oure martilage his mynde for euer.

155 And we haue oure librarie laitid thes longe seuen dayes,

156 Bot one cronicle of this kynge con we neuer fynde.

157 He has non layne here so longe, to loke hit by kynde,

158 To malte so out of memorie bot meruayle hit were."

159 "Thou says sothe," quoth the segge that sacrid was byschop,

160 "Hit is meruaile to men that mountes to litelle

161 Towarde the prouidens of the Prince that paradis weldes,

162 Quen hym luste to vnlouke the leste of his myȝtes.

163 Bot quen matyd is monnes myȝt and his mynde passyde,

164 And al his resons are torent and redeles he stondes,

165 Then lettes hit hym ful litelle to louse wyt a fynger,

166 That alle the hondes vnder heuen halde myȝt neuer.

167 There as creatures crafte of counselle oute swarues,

168 The comforthe of the creatore byhoues the creature take.

169 And so do we now oure dede, deuyne we no fyrre

170 To seche the sothe at oureselfe ȝe se ther no bote.

171 Bot glew we alle opon godde and his grace aske,

172 That careles is of counselle vs comforthe to sende,

173 Anande that in fastynge of ȝour faithe and of fyne bileue,

174 I shal auay ȝow so verrayly of vertues his,

175 That ȝe may leue vpon longe that he is Lord myȝty,

176 And fayne ȝour talent to fulfille if ȝe hym frende leues."

177 Then he turnes to the toumbe and talkes to the corce,

178 Lyftande vp his eghelyddes, he loused suche wordes:

179 "Now lykhame that thus lies, layne thou no lenger,

180 Sythen Jhesus has iuggit today his ioy to be schewyde.

181 Be thou bone to his bode, I bydde in his behalue,

182 As he was bende on a beme quen he his blode schedde.

183 As thou hit wost wyterly and we hit wele leuen,

184 Ansuare here to my sawe, councele no trouthe,

185 Sithen we wot not qwo thou art witere vs thiselwen:

186 In worlde quat weghe thou was, and quy thow thus ligges,

187 How longe thou has layne here, and quat laghe thou vsyt,

188 Quether art thou ioyned to ioy other iuggid to pyne."

189 Quen the segge hade thus sayde, and syked therafter,

190 The bryȝt body in the burynes braythed a litelle.

191 And with a drery dreme, he dryues owte wordes voice

192 Thurghe sum lyfly goste lant of Hym that al redes.

193 "Bisshop," quoth this ilke body, "thi bode is me dere.

194 I may not bot boghe to thi bone for bothe myn eghen.

195 The name that thou neuenyd has and nournet me after,

196 Al heuen and helle heldes to and erthe bitwene.

197 Fyrst to say the the sothe quo myselfe were:

198 One the vnhapnest hathel that euer on erthe ȝode.

199 Neuer kynge, ne cayser, ne ȝet no knyȝt nothyre,

200 Bot a lede of the laghe that then this londe vsit,

201 I was committid and made a maystermon here,

202 To sytte vpon sayd causes this cite I ȝemyd

203 Vnder a prince of parage of paynymes laghe

204 (And vche segge that him sewide the same faythe trowid).

205 The lengthe of my lyinge here, that is a lappid date,

206 Hit to muthe to any mon to make of a nombre.

207 After that Brutus this burghe had buggid on fyrste,

208 Noȝt bot aght hundred ȝere ther aghtene wontyd,

209 Before that kynned ȝour Criste--by Cristen acounte--

210 Thre hundred ȝere and thritty mo and ȝet threnen aght.

211 I was on eire of an oyer in the new Troie,

212 In the regne of the riche kynge that rewlit vs then,

213 The bolde Breton ser Belyn--ser Berynge was his brothire--

214 Mony one was the busmare boden hom bitwene,

215 For hor wrakeful were quil hor wrathe lastyd.

216 Then was I iuge here enioynyd in gentil lawe."

217 Quil he in spelunke thus spake, ther sprange in the pepulle

218 In al this worlde no worde ne wakenyd no noice,

219 Bot al as stille as the ston stoden and listonde,

220 With meche wonder forwrast and wepid ful mony.

221 The bisshop biddes that body biknowe the cause,

222 "Sithen thou was kidde for no kynge, quy thou the cron weres,

223 Quy haldes thou so heghe in honde the septre,

224 And hades no londe of lege men ne life ne lym aghtes."

225 "Dere ser," quoth the dede body, "deuyse the, I thenke,

226 Al was hit neuer my wille that wroght thus hit were.

227 I wos deputate and domesmon vnder a duke noble,

228 And in my power this place was putte altogeder.

229 I iustifiet this ioly toun on gentil wise,

230 And euer in fourme of gode faithe more then fourty wynter.

231 The folke was felonse, and fals, and frowarde to reule.

232 I hent harmes ful ofte to holde hom to riȝt,

233 Bot for wothe, ne wele, ne wrathe, ne drede,

234 Ne for maystrie, ne for mede, ne for no mounes aghe,

235 I remewit neuer fro the riȝt, by reson myn awen,

236 For to dresse a wrange dome no day of my lyue.

237 Declynet neuer my consciens for couetise on erthe

238 In no gynful iugement no iapes to make.

239 Were a renke neuer so riche, for reuerens sake

240 Ne for no monnes manas, ne meschefe, ne routhe,

241 Non gete me fro the heghe gate to glent out of ryȝt.

242 Als ferforthe as my faithe, confourmyd my hert.

243 Thaghe had bene my fader bone, I bede hym no wranges,

244 Ne fals fauour to my fader, thaghe felle hym be hongyt.

245 And for I was ryȝtwis, and reken, and redy of the laghe,

246 Quen I deghed, for dul denyed alle Troye.

247 Alle menyd my dethe, the more and the lasse,

248 And thus to bounty my body, thai buriet in golde,

249 Cladden me, for the curtest that courte couthe then holde,

250 In mantel for the mekest and monlokest on benche,

251 Gurden me for gouernance the graythist of Troie,

252 Furrid me for the fynest of faithe ther withinne.

253 For the honour of myn honeste of heghest enprise,

254 Thai coronyd me the kidde kynge of kene iustises,

255 That euer was tronyd in Troye other trowid euer shulde.

256 And for I rewardid euer riȝt, thai raght me the septre."

257 The bisshop baythes hym ȝet, with bale at his hert,

258 Thaghe men menskid him so, how hit myȝt worthe

259 that his clothes were so clene. "In cloutes, me thynkes,

260 Hom burde haue rotid and bene rent in rattes longe sythen.

261 Thi body may be enbawmyd, hit bashis me noght

262 That hit thar ryne ne rote ne no ronke wormes.

263 Bot thi coloure, ne thi clothe I know in no wise

264 How hit myȝt lye by monnes lore and last so longe."

265 "Nay bisshop," quoth that body, "Enbawmyd wos I neuer,

266 Ne no monnes counselle my clothe has kepyd vnwemmyd;

267 Bot the riche Kynge of reson that riȝt euer alowes

268 and loues al the lawes lely that longen to trouthe,

269 and moste He menskes men for mynnynge of riȝtes.

270 Then for al the meritorie medes that men on molde vsen,

271 And if renkes for riȝt thus me arayed has,

272 He has lant me to last that loues ryȝt best."

273 "ȝea bot say thou of thi saule," then sayd the bisshop,

274 "Quere is ho stablid and stadde, if thou so streȝt wroghtes.

275 He that rewardes vche a renke as he has riȝt seruyd,

276 Myȝt euel forgo the to gyfe of His grace summe brawnche.

277 For as He says in His sothe psalmyde writtes,

278 'The skilfulle and the vnskathely skelton ay to Me.'

279 Forthi say me of thi soule in sele quere ho wonnes,

280 And of the riche restorment that raȝt hyr oure Lorde."

281 Then hummyd he that ther lay, and his hedde waggyd,

282 And gefe a gronynge ful grete and to Godde sayde,

283 "Maȝty Maker of men, thi myghtes are grete,

284 How myȝt Thi mercy to me amounte any tyme?

285 Nas I a paynym vnpreste that neuer thi plite knewe,

286 Ne the mesure of Thi mercy ne Thi mecul vertue,

287 Bot ay a freke faitheles that faylid thi laghes,

288 That euer Thou, Lord, wos louyd in allas the harde stoundes?

289 I was non of the nombre that Thou with noy boghtes

290 With the blode of Thi body vpon the blo rode

291 Quen Thou herghedes hellehole and hentes hom theroute,

292 The loffynge oute of limbo, Thou laftes me ther!

293 And ther sittes my soule that se may no fyrre,

294 Dwynande in the derke dethe that dyȝt vs oure fader

295 Adam, oure alder, that ete of that appulle

296 That mony a plyȝtles pepul has poysned for euer.

297 ȝe were entouchid with his teche and toke in the glette,

298 Bot mendyd with a medecyn, ȝe are made for to lyuye.

299 That is fulloght in fonte with faitheful bileue

300 And that han we myste. Alle merciles myselfe and my soule

301 Quat wan we with oure weledede that wroghtyn ay riȝt,

302 Quen we are dampnyd dulfully into the depe lake,

303 And exiled fro that soper so that solempne fest,

304 Ther richely hit arne refetyd that after right hungrid.e

305 My soule may sitte ther in sorow and sike ful colde,

306 Dymly in that derke dethe ther dawes neuer morowen,

307 Hungrie inwith hellehole and herken after meeles,

308 Longe er ho that soper se other segge hyr to lathe."

309 Thus dulfully this dede body deuisyt hit sorowe,

310 That alle wepyd for woo the wordes that herden,

311 And the bysshop balefully bere don his eghen,

312 What hade no space to speke, so spakly he ȝoskyd

313 Til he toke hym a tome and to the toumbe lokyd

314 To the liche ther hit lay with lauande teres.

315 "Oure Lord lene," quoth that lede, "that thou lyfe hades

316 by Goddes leue, as longe as I myȝt lacche water,

317 and cast vpon thi faire cors, and carpe thes wordes:

318 "I folwe the in the Fader nome, and his fre Childes,

319 and of the gracious Holy Goste, and not one grue lenger.

320 Then thof thou droppyd doun dede hit daungerde me lasse."

321 With that worde that he warpyd of his wete eghen,

322 The teres trillyd adon, and on the toumbe lighten,

323 And one felle on his face, and the freke syked,

324 Then sayd he with a sadde soun: "Oure Sauyoure be louyd!

325 Now herid be Thou, heghe God, and thi hende Moder!

326 And blissid be that blisful houre that Ho The bere in,

327 And also be thou, bysshop, the bote of my sorowe,

328 And the relefe of the lodely lures that my soule has leuyd in.

329 For the wordes that thou werpe and the water that thou sheddes,

330 The bryȝt bourne of thin eghen my bapteme is worthyn.

331 The fyrst slent that on me slode slekkyd al my tene.

332 Ryȝt now to soper my soule is sette at the table.

333 For with the wordes and the water that weshe vs of payne,

334 Liȝtly lasshit ther a leme loghe in the abyme

335 that spakly sprent my spyrit with vnsparid murthe

336 into the cenacle solemply ther soupen alle trew.

337 And ther a marcialle hyr mette with menske aldergrattest,

338 And with reuerence a rowme He raȝt hyr for euer.

339 I heere therof, my heghe God, and also the, bysshop,

340 Fro bale has broȝt vs to blis blessid thou worthe."

341 Wyt this cessyd his sowne; sayd he no more, words

342 Bot sodenly his swete chere swyndid and faylide,

343 And alle the blee of his body wos blakke as the moldes,

344 As roten as the rottok that rises in powdere.

345 For as sone as the soule was sesyd in blisse,

346 Corrupt was that other craft that couert the bones.

347 For the aylastande life that lethe shalle neuer,

348 Deuoydes vche a vayneglorie that vayles so litelle.

349 Then wos louynge oure Lorde with loves vphalden,

350 meche mournynge and myrthe was mellyd togeder.

351 Thai passyd forthe in procession and alle the pepulle folowid,

352 and alle the belles in the burghe beryd at ones.