Medieval Literature: Chronicles, Tales, and Poems

The Anarchy – Peterborough Chronicle

This year King Stephen traveled over the sea to Normandy and was welcomed there because they thought he should be just like his uncle and because he still had his treasure. But he dispersed and squandered it foolishly. King Henry had gathered much gold and silver, and people did no good thereof for his soul. Then King Stephen came to England, and they held his council in Oxford. There, he arrested Bishop Roger of Salisbury, Alexander Bishop of Lincoln, Roger the chancellor, and his nephews, and put them all in prison until they surrendered their castles. Then the traitors understood that he was a mild, soft, and good man, and that he didn’t do injustice. They committed all kinds of atrocities. They paid him homage and swore oaths of allegiance, but they didn’t hold their oath. They all committed perjury and broke their oaths, for every man held his castle against him and filled the land with castles. They greatly oppressed the miserable people of the land with castle building. When the castles were built, they were filled with devils and evil men. Then they seized the men and women they thought had any goods, and night and day they were put in prison and tortured for their gold and silver. Unspeakable torture, because no martyrs were ever punished as much as they were. They hanged them up by their feet and smoked them with foul smoke.

The Temptation of Eve – Ancrene Wisse

Take heed about what came through looking; not one evil or two, but all the woe that now is, ever was, and ever will be, all this came from sight. That is true, here is the proof: Lucifer, because he saw and contemplated his own beauty, leaped into pride, and from an angel became a horrible devil. About Eve, our first mother, it is written that her sin started first through her eyesight. The woman saw that the tree was good to eat, beautiful to the eyes, fair to look at, and delightful to observe. She took the fruit of it, ate it, and offered it to her husband. That is, Eve looked at the forbidden apple, and it seemed fair to her. She took it to enjoy the sight and took her lust toward it. Thereof, she took and ate it and gave it to her husband. Look how the holy scripture says, and how it tells the sin began: thus sin went and made way to evil desire, and then the deed came thereof that all humankind feels. This apple, dear sister, symbolizes all the things that lust and delight of sin fall into. When you behold the man, you are in Eve’s point: you are looking at the apple. Whoever may have said to Eve when she first threw her eye thereon: “Ah! Eve, turn yourself away; you throw your eyes on death,” what had she answered? “But, dear Sir, you are wrong. Why do you challenge me? This apple that I am looking at is forbidden for me to eat and not to behold.”

The Magnificence of Arthur’s Court

There never was any excellent knight, learned or unlearned, in any country at all, that could tell in any kind of words half of the wealth that was in Caerlon, of silver and gold and good garments, of high-born men that dwell in the court, of horses and hawks, and dogs for deer hunting, and the rich garments that were in the court. Of all the people who dwell on the earth, the people of this country are said to be the most handsome of all men, and the women were so beautiful in form, the most splendidly dressed, and the most educated of all. Because they all had promised upon their own lives that each of them would have their clothes of one color; some had white, some had red, and some had bright green. Colorful clothes of any type were displeasing to them, and they considered any lack of discipline unworthy. Then the country of England had the best praise, and the people of this nation were most loved by the king. The women of high birth that lived in this land had all promised upon the truth of their words that none would take as husband any man in this land, were he never so well-bred, unless he had been tested three times in combat, and his valor shown and his worth proven, so that he can boldly claim a bride for himself. For this same behavior, knights were brave, the women well-bred, and the more virtuous. Then there was great happiness in Britain.

The Owl and the Nightingale

Often when hounds hunt foxes, the cat lives very well himself, although he doesn’t know but one trick. The fox doesn’t know one so good, but he knows so many tricks that he believes to get the better of each hound because he knows straight and devious ways, and he can hang from a bough. And so the hound lost his march, and turns again and again to the moor. The fox can creep by the hedges, and turns away from his former way, and once again he soon comes to this. Then the hound’s sense of smell is destroyed: through the scent mixed, he doesn’t know whether he should go back or forward. If the fox failed despite all these tricks, at the end, he creeps to a hole; but despite all his tricks, he can’t expect so himself, although he is sly and very quick, that he doesn’t lose his red fur. The cat doesn’t know except one trick, neither by hills nor by fences, but he can climb very well; thereby he defends his grey fur. I also say by myself: mine is better than your twelve.

Jesus Calms the Storm

We read in today’s Holy Gospel that our Lord Jesus Christ went once on a ship, and His disciples went with him to the sea. When they went into the ship, a great tempest of wind arose. Our Lord laid himself down in the ship before the tempest arose. His disciples were very afraid of the tempest, so they woke Him and said, “Lord, save us, because we will die.” And Jesus knew well that they did not have faith in Him at all. Then, he said to them: “What do you dread, people of little faith?” Then, our Lord stood up and took the wind and the sea, and they were still quickly. And also the men, who were on the ship and had seen the miracle, marveled themselves very much. This is the true miracle that today’s Gospel tells us. Therefore, our faith be better strengthened in such Lord, that such miracle can do and does when he wants to, and it is our need that he who helped them in the peril also helps us in our needs. That we ask Him that He helps us, and He will do it willingly if we ask Him for mercy with good will. Also, He says in the Holy Scriptures, “I am,” he says, “the salvation of the people when they pray to me. In their sorrows and in their needs, I help them and take away from them all their evil without end.” We cry out for mercy to Him firmly. If the devil wants to encumber us through sin, through pride or envy, or through anger, or other kind diabolical sin, we cry out to him for mercy, and we tell him, “Lord, save us,” so that we do not perish, and so that He delivers us of all evils, and so that He gives us such actions to do in this world, that our souls may be saved on The Judgment Day and go to the joy of heaven.

When pe Nyhtengale Singes

When the nightingale sings, the woods become green; Foliage and grass and blossom spring in April, I expect, And love has gone into my heart with one spear so fierce, Night and it drinks my blood drinks, my heart makes me grief. I have loved all this year, so that I may love no more; I have sighed many sighs, darling, for your mercy. But love isn’t nearer, and that afflicts me sore. Sweet darling, think of me, I have loved you for a long time Sweet darling, I pray to you for one word of love; While living in the world so wide I will not search. With your love, my sweet love, my joy might increase, A sweet kiss from your mouth, my healing might be. Sweet darling, I pray to you for a favor of your love; If you love me as men say, as I hope And if your will be it, take care that it be seen I think of you so much that I become all green. Between Lincoln, Lindsey, Northampton, and London, I do not know so fair a girl as the one who I go for in chains I will lament my song To the one that is dedicated.

De Clerico Et Puella

She is as bright as daylight, I see it clearly. I lose all color, so does the leaf in summer when it is green. If my thought helps me not, to whom shall I complain? Sorrow and sigh are taking me fast, and my mood is very sad. I suppose that if it lasts any longer, I will go mad; My sorrow, my worries, they might be taken all away with a word. “What helps thee, my sweet darling, my life thus to ruin? Enough! You clerk, you are a fool, with you I beg not to quarrel; You shall never live the day when my love you obtain. If you are taken in by bower, shame may come to you; It is better to go on foot than to ride a wicked horse.” Alas! Why do you say so? Be merciful to me, your man! You are always in my thought in the land wherever I am. If I die for your love, it will be a great shame. Let me live and be your love, And you my sweetheart.

Sir Orfeo

“Alas!” He said, “I am lost.” Where will you go and to whom? Wherever you go, I will go with you, And wherever I go, you will be with me! “No, no sir, not at all, I will tell you how it is.” As I lay this morning Sleeping by our orchard’s side, Some fair knights came to me, All well armed and right, And they told me to make haste And spoke with their lord the king, And I answered their bold words. I did not dare nor wanted to go. They spurred again as they might go. Then, the king came quickly With a hundred knights and more And also with a hundred damsels All on snow-white horses. As white as milk were their clothes. I had never seen before So very excellent creatures. The king had a crown on his head, It was not of silver, nor of red gold, But it was of precious stone; As bright as the sun it shone. And as soon as he to me came, I would I, would not, he seized me, And made me with him ride On a palfrey by his side; And brought me to his palace Well equipped in every way, And showed me castles and towers, Rivers, towers, woodland with flowers, And each one of his rich steeds, And then brought me home again Into our own orchard, And then said to me: “Look Lady!, tomorrow Be right here under this orchard tree, And then you will go with us And live with us forever; And if you leave us aside Wherever you are, you will be fetched and Your limbs will be torn apart That nothing will help you And even if you are torn apart Yet, you will be taken with us.”

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

“Good morning, Sir Gawain!” said the glamorous lady. “You are an unwary sleeper because anyone may come in here. Now you are caught like that, unless we can arrange a truce between ourselves, I shall bind you in your bed, be sure about that.” All laughingly the lady said those jests. Gawain gently said: “Good morning to you, beauty!” “I shall please your will, and that will please me, For I surrender right away and ask for mercy, And that is the best, it is my destiny, for it suits my needs.” And thus he joked again with a gentle laughter. “But would you, lovely lady, grant me permission And release me so that I get out of this bed and dress myself up? I should obtain the greater comfort when talking to you.” “Not at all, gentle sir,” said the other person also, “and since I am chatting to the knight that I have caught, Because I certainly know that you are Sir Gawain, What the world is looking for wherever you ride. Your honor, your courtesy, are graciously praised By lords, by ladies, by all the alive. And now here you are indeed, and we are all alone. My lord and his knights are far away gone, Other knights in their beds and also my damsels. The door closed and locked with a solid bolt. Since I have in my house the one who everybody likes, I shall spend my while well until it lasts With chatter. You are welcome to my body, take your own pleasure. It bounds me of pure necessity that Your servant I am and will be.”

Belling the Cat

A rat of renown of most eloquent tongue told a sovereign to help himself: ‘I have seen men,’ he said, ‘in the city of London’ Wearing bright collars on their necks, And some collars of skillful work; they go at random Through both in warren and in waste where they like to live, And on other occasions, they are elsewhere as I hear say. If there were a belt in their collar, Jesus, I think Men might know where they went and run away. And right so; the rat said ‘the reason shows me’ To buy a bell of brass or bright silver And to hang it on a collar for our own profit And hung it on the cat’s neck; then we may hear Where he roams or rests or runs to play. And if he feels like playing when we may look, And appear in his presence when he plays, And if he becomes angry, be aware and his way avoid. This assembly of rats, to this reason assented, But when the bell was bought and the collar hanged on, There was not a rat in all the kingdom of France That dare bind the bell on the cat’s Nor hang it on the cat’s neck to win all England.