Читать книгу The Ancient English Poetry - Various Authors - Страница 36

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This old Romantic Legend (which is given from two copies, one of them in the editor's folio MS., but which contained very great variations), bears marks of considerable antiquity, and, perhaps, ought to have taken place of any in this volume. It would seem to have been written while part of Spain was in the hands of the Saracens or Moors: whose empire there was not fully extinguished before the year 1491. The Mahometans are spoken of in v. 49, &c., just in the same terms as in all other old romances. The author of the ancient Legend of Sir Bevis represents his hero, upon all occasions, breathing out defiance against

"Mahound and Termagaunte;"420

and so full of zeal for his religion, as to return the following polite message to a Paynim king's fair daughter, who had fallen in love with him, and sent two Saracen knights to invite him to her bower,

"I wyll not ones stirre off this grounde,

To speake with an heathen hounde.

Unchristen houndes, I rede you fle.

Or I your harte bloud shall se."421

Indeed they return the compliment by calling him elsewhere "A christen hounde."422

This was conformable to the real manners of the barbarous ages: perhaps the same excuse will hardly serve our bard, for that Adland should be found lolling or leaning at his gate (v. 35) may be thought, perchance, a little out of character. And yet the great painter of manners, Homer, did not think it inconsistent with decorum to represent a king of the Taphians leaning at the gate of Ulysses to inquire for that monarch, when he touched at Ithaca as he was taking a voyage with a ship's cargo of iron to dispose in traffic.423 So little ought we to judge of ancient manners by our own.

Before I conclude this article, I cannot help observing, that the reader will see, in this ballad, the character of the old Minstrels (those successors of the Bards) placed in a very respectable light:424 here he will see one of them represented mounted on a fine horse, accompanied with an attendant to bear his harp after him, and to sing the poems of his composing. Here he will see him mixing in the company of kings without ceremony: no mean proof of the great antiquity of this poem. The farther we carry our inquiries back, the greater respect we find paid to the professors of poetry and music among all the Celtic and Gothic nations. Their character was deemed so sacred, that under its sanction our famous king Alfred (as we have already seen)425 made no scruple to enter the Danish camp, and was at once admitted to the king's headquarters.426 Our poet has suggested the same expedient to the heroes of this ballad. All the histories of the North are full of the great reverence paid to this order of men. Harold Harfagre, a celebrated King of Norway, was wont to seat them at his table above all the officers of his court: and we find another Norwegian king placing five of them by his side in a day of battle, that they might be eye-witnesses of the great exploits they were to celebrate.427 As to Estmere's riding into the hall while the kings were at table, this was usual in the ages of chivalry; and even to this day we see a relic of this custom still kept up, in the champion's riding into Westminster Hall during the coronation dinner.428

Some liberties have been taken with this tale by the editor, but none without notice to the reader in that part which relates to the subject of the harper and his attendant.

[Percy refers to two copies of this ballad, but there is every reason to believe that one of these was the bishop's own composition, as it was never seen by others and has not since been found. The copy from the folio MS. was torn out by Percy when he was preparing the fourth edition of the Reliques for the press, and is now unfortunately lost, so that we have no means of telling what alterations he made in addition to those which he mentions in the footnotes. The readings in the fourth edition are changed in several places from those printed in the first edition.]

Hearken to me, gentlemen,

Come and you shall heare;

Ile tell you of two of the boldest brethren429 That ever borne y-were.

The tone430 of them was Adler younge,5 The tother was kyng Estmere; The were as bolde men in their deeds, As any were farr and neare.

As they were drinking ale and wine

Within kyng Estmeres halle:43110 When will ye marry a wyfe, brothèr, A wyfe to glad us all?

Then bespake him kyng Estmere,

And answered him hastilee:432 I know not that ladye in any land15 That's able433 to marrye with mee.

Kyng Adland hath a daughter, brother,

Men call her bright and sheene;434 If I were kyng here in your stead, That ladye shold be my queene.20

Saies, Reade me,435 reade me, deare brother, Throughout merry Englànd, Where we might find a messenger Betwixt us towe to sende.

Saies, You shal ryde yourselfe, brothèr,25

Ile beare you companye;

Many throughe fals messengers are deceived,436 And I feare lest soe shold wee.

Thus the renisht437 them to ryde Of twoe good renisht438 steeds,30 And when the came to king Adlands halle, Of redd gold shone their weeds.439

And when the came to kyng Adlands hall

Before the goodlye gate,

There they found good kyng Adlànd35

Rearing440 himselfe theratt.

Now Christ thee save, good kyng Adlànd;

Now Christ you save and see.

Sayd, You be welcome, king Estmere,

Right hartilye to mee.40

You have a daughter, said Adler younge,

Men call her bright and sheene,

My brother wold marrye her to his wiffe,

Of Englande to be queene.

Yesterday was att my deere daughtèr45

Syr Bremor the kyng of Spayne;441 And then she nicked442 him of naye, And I doubt sheele443 do you the same.

The kyng of Spayne is a foule paynim,444 And 'leeveth445 on Mahound;50 And pitye it were that fayre ladyè Shold marrye a heathen hound.

But grant to me, sayes kyng Estmere,

For my love I you praye;

That I may see your daughter deere55

Before I goe hence awaye.

Although itt is seven yeers and more

Since my daughter was in halle,

She shall come once downe for your sake

To glad my guestès alle.60

Downe then came that mayden fayre,

With ladyes laced in pall,446 And halfe a hundred of bold knightes, To bring her from bowre to hall; And as many gentle squiers,65 To tend upon them all.

The talents of golde were on her head sette,

Hanged low downe to her knee;

And everye ring on her small fingèr,

Shone of the chrystall free.70

Saies, God you save, my deere madàm;

Saies, God you save and see.

Said, You be welcome, kyng Estmere,

Right welcome unto mee.

And if you love me, as you saye,75

Soe well and hartilèe,

All that ever you are comen about

Soone sped now itt shal bee.

Then bespake her father deare:

My daughter, I saye naye;80

Remember well the kyng of Spayne,

What he sayd yesterdaye.

He wold pull downe my halles and castles,

And reave447 me of my lyfe I cannot blame him if he doe,85 If I reave him of his wyfe.

Your castles and your towres, father,

Are stronglye built aboute;

And therefore of the king of Spaine448 Wee neede not stande in doubt.90

Plight me your troth, nowe, kyng Estmère,

By heaven and your righte hand,

That you will marrye me to your wyfe,

And make me queene of your land.

Then kyng Estmere he plight his troth95

By heaven and his righte hand,

That he wolde marrye her to his wyfe,

And make her queene of his land.

And he tooke leave of that ladye fayre,

To goe to his owne countree,100

To fetche him dukes and lordes and knightes,

That marryed the might bee.

They had not ridden scant a myle,

A myle forthe of the towne,

But in did come the kyng of Spayne,105

With kempès449 many one.

But in did come the kyng of Spayne,

With manye a bold baròne,

Tone day to marrye kyng Adlands daughter,

Tother daye to carrye her home.110

Shee sent one after kyng Estmère

In all the spede might bee,

That he must either turne againe and fighte,

Or goe home and loose his ladyè.

One whyle then the page he went,115

Another while he ranne;

Till he had oretaken king Estmere,

I wis, he never blanne.450

Tydings, tydings, kyng Estmere!

What tydinges nowe, my boye?120

O tydinges I can tell to you,

That will you sore annoye.

You had not ridden scant a mile,

A mile out of the towne,

But in did come the kyng of Spayne125

With kempès many a one:

But in did come the kyng of Spayne

With manye a bold baròne,

Tone daye to marrye king Adlands daughter,

Tother daye to carry her home.130

My ladye fayre she greetes you well,

And ever-more well by mee:

You must either turne againe and fighte,

Or goe home and loose your ladyè.

Saies, Reade me, reade me, deere brothèr,135

My reade shall ryde451 at thee, Whether it is better to turne and fighte, Or goe home and loose my ladye.

Now hearken to me, sayes Adler yonge,

And your reade must rise452 at me,140 I quicklye will devise a waye To sette thy ladye free.

My mother was a westerne woman,

And learned in gramaryè.453 And when I learned at the schole,145 Something shee taught itt mee.

There growes an hearbe within this field,

And iff it were but knowne,

His color, which is whyte and redd,

It will make blacke and browne:150

His color, which is browne and blacke,

Itt will make redd and whyte;

That sworde is not in all Englande,

Upon his coate will byte.

And you shal be a harper, brother,155

Out of the north countrye;

And Ile be your boy, soe faine of fighte,454 And beare your harpe by your knee.

And you shal be the best harpèr,

That ever tooke harpe in hand;160

And I wil be the best singèr,

That ever sung in this lande.

Itt shal be written in our forheads

All and in grammaryè,

That we towe are the boldest men,165

That are in all Christentyè.

And thus they renisht them to ryde,

On tow good renish steedes:

And when they came to king Adlands hall,

Of redd gold shone their weedes.170

And whan the came to kyng Adlands hall,

Untill the fayre hall yate,455 There they found a proud portèr Rearing himselfe thereatt.

Sayes, Christ thee save, thou proud portèr;175

Sayes, Christ thee save and see.

Nowe you be welcome, sayd the portèr,

Of what land soever ye bee.

Wee beene harpers, sayd Adler younge,

Come out of the northe countrye;180

Wee beene come hither untill this place,

This proud weddinge for to see.

Sayd, And your color were white and redd,

As it is blacke and browne,

I wold saye king Estmere and his brother185

Were comen untill this towne.

Then they pulled out a ryng of gold,

Layd itt on the porters arme:

And ever we will thee, proud portèr,

Thow wilt saye us no harme.190

Sore he looked on kyng Estmère,

And sore he handled the ryng,

Then opened to them the fayre hall yates,

He lett456 for no kind of thyng.

Kyng Estmere he stabled his steede195

Soe fayre att the hall bord;

The froth, that came from his brydle bitte,

Light in kyng Bremors beard.

Saies, Stable thy steed, thou proud harpèr,

Saies, Stable him in the stalle;200

It doth not beseeme a proud harpèr

To stable 'him' in a kyngs halle.457

My ladde he is so lither,458 he said, He will doe nought that's meete; And is there any man in this hall205 Were able him to beate.

Thou speakst proud words, sayes the king of Spaine,

Thou harper here to mee:

There is a man within this halle,

Will beate thy ladd and thee.210

O let that man come downe, he said,

A sight of him wold I see;

And when hee hath beaten well my ladd,

Then he shall beate of mee.

Downe then came the kemperye man,459215 And looked him in the eare; For all the gold, that was under heaven, He durst not neigh him neare.460

And how nowe, kempe, said the kyng of Spaine,

And how what aileth thee?220

He saies, It is writt in his forhead

All and in gramaryè,

That for all the gold that is under heaven,

I dare not neigh him nye.

Then kyng Estmere pulld forth his harpe,225

And plaid a pretty thinge:

The ladye upstart from the borde,

And wold have gone from the king.

Stay thy harpe, thou proud harpèr,

For Gods love I pray thee230

For and thou playes as thou beginns,

Thou'lt till461 my bryde from mee.

He stroake upon his harpe againe,

And playd a pretty thinge;

The ladye lough462 a loud laughter,235 As shee sate by the king.

Saies, sell me thy harpe, thou proud harper,

And thy stringès all,

For as many gold nobles 'thou shalt have'

As heere bee ringes in the hall.240

What wold ye doe with my harpe, 'he sayd,

If I did sell itt yee?

"To playe my wiffe and me a Fitt,463 When abed together wee bee."

Now sell me, quoth hee, thy bryde soe gay,245

As shee sitts by thy knee,

And as many gold nobles I will give,

As leaves been on a tree.

And what wold ye doe with my bryde soe gay,

Iff I did sell her thee?250

More seemelye it is for her fayre bodye

To lye by mee then thee.

Hee played agayne both loud and shrille,464 And Adler he did syng, "O ladye, this is thy owne true love;255 Noe harper, but a kyng.

"O ladye, this is thy owne true love,

As playnlye thou mayest see;

And Ile rid thee of that foule paynim,

Who partes thy love and thee."260

The ladye looked, the ladye blushte,

And blushte and lookt agayne,

While Adler he hath drawne his brande,

And hath the Sowdan slayne.

Up then rose the kemperye men,265

And loud they gan to crye:

Ah! traytors, yee have slayne our kyng,

And therefore yee shall dye.

Kyng Estmere threwe the harpe asyde,

And swith465 he drew his brand;466270 And Estmere he, and Adler yonge Right stiffe in stour467 can stand.

And aye their swordes soe sore can byte,

Throughe help of Gramaryè

That soone they have slayne the kempery men,275

Or forst them forth to flee.

Kyng Estmere tooke that fayre ladyè,

And marryed her to his wiffe,

And brought her home to merry Englànd

With her to leade his life.280

⁂ The word Gramaryè,468 which occurs several times in the foregoing poem, is probably a corruption of the French word Grimoire, which signifies a conjuring book in the old French romances, if not the art of necromancy itself.

†‡† Termagaunt (mentioned above, p. 85) is the name given in the old romances to the god of the Saracens, in which he is constantly linked with Mahound or Mahomet. Thus, in the legend of Syr Guy, the Soudan (Sultan), swears

"So helpe me Mahowne of might, And Termagaunt my god so bright."

Sign. p. iii. b.

This word is derived by the very learned editor of Junius from the Anglo-Saxon Tẏꞃ very, and Maᵹan mighty. As this word had so sublime a derivation, and was so applicable to the true God, how shall we account for its being so degraded? Perhaps Tẏꞃ-maᵹan or Termagant had been a name originally given to some Saxon idol, before our ancestors were converted to Christianity; or had been the peculiar attribute of one of their false deities; and therefore the first Christian missionaries rejected it as profane and improper to be applied to the true God. Afterwards, when the irruptions of the Saracens into Europe, and the Crusades into the East, had brought them acquainted with a new species of unbelievers, our ignorant ancestors, who thought all that did not receive the Christian law were necessarily pagans and idolaters, supposed the Mahometan creed was in all respects the same with that of their pagan forefathers, and therefore made no scruple to give the ancient name of Termagant to the god of the Saracens, just in the same manner as they afterwards used the name of Sarazen to express any kind of pagan or idolater. In the ancient romance of Merline (in the editor's folio MS.) the Saxons themselves that came over with Hengist, because they were not Christians, are constantly called Sarazens.

However that be, it is certain that, after the times of the Crusades, both Mahound and Termagaunt made their frequent appearance in the pageants and religious interludes of the barbarous ages; in which they were exhibited with gestures so furious and frantic, as to become proverbial. Thus Skelton speaks of Wolsey:—

"Like Mahound in a play, No man dare him withsay."

Ed. 1736, p. 158.

In like manner Bale, describing the threats used by some papist magistrates to his wife, speaks of them as "grennyng upon her lyke Termagauntes in a playe." (Actes of Engl. Votaryes, pt. ii. fo. 83, Ed. 1550, 12mo.) Accordingly in a letter of Edward Alleyn, the founder of Dulwich College, to his wife or sister, who, it seems, with all her fellows (the players), had been "by my Lorde Maiors officer[s] mad to rid in a cart," he expresses his concern that she should "fall into the hands of suche Tarmagants." (So the orig. dated May 2, 1593, preserved by the care of the Rev. Thomas Jenyns Smith, Fellow of Dulw. Coll.) Hence we may conceive the force of Hamlet's expression in Shakspeare, where, condemning a ranting player, he says, "I could have such a fellow whipt for ore-doing Termagant: it out-herods Herod" (Act iii. sc. 3). By degrees the word came to be applied to an outrageous turbulent person, and especially to a violent brawling woman; to whom alone it is now confined, and this the rather as, I suppose, the character of Termagant was anciently represented on the stage after the eastern mode, with long robes or petticoats.

Another frequent character in the old pageants or interludes of our ancestors, was the sowdan or soldan, representing a grim eastern tyrant. This appears from a curious passage in Stow's Annals (p. 458). In a stage-play "the people know right well that he that plaieth the sowdain, is percase a sowter [shoe-maker]; yet if one should cal him by his owne name, while he standeth in his majestie, one of his tormenters might hap to break his head." The sowdain, or soldan, was a name given to the Sarazen king (being only a more rude pronunciation of the word sultan), as the soldan of Egypt, the soudan of Persia, the sowdan of Babylon, &c., who were generally represented as accompanied with grim Sarazens, whose business it was to punish and torment Christians.

I cannot conclude this short memoir, without observing that the French romancers, who had borrowed the word Termagant from us, and applied it as we in their old romances, corrupted it into Tervagaunte; and from them La Fontaine took it up, and has used it more than once in his tales. This may be added to the other proofs adduced in these volumes of the great intercourse that formerly subsisted between the old minstrels and legendary writers of both nations, and that they mutually borrowed each other's romances.