god-children too many have been slain through- crowd of Christian men from sea to sea through
out this people, besides others all too many, the nations, huddled together, to the shame of
who, without fault, have been destroyed. us all in the sight of the world,-if in earnest
Too many holy places, far and wide, have we knew any shame or even would rightly
perished, because certain men were lodged 5 understand. And all the misery that we
there, as they would not have been, if we had continually suffer we repay with honor to them
wished to know reverence for God's peace. that shame us. We pay geldsS to them con-
Christian folk too many have been sold all the tinually, and they abuse us daily. They harry,
while out of this land. All this is loathsome they burn, they spoil and plunder, and carry
to God, let him believe it who will. . . . Also 10 off to the ships; and lo, what else in these
we know full well whence hath come the evil troubles is clear and manifest but God's wrath
that a father sell his son for a price, and the son towards this people?
his mother, and one brother the other, into the No wonder misfortune is upon us, for we
power of strangers outside this nation. All know full well that now for many years men
these are mickle and terrible deeds, as he may 15 have seldom recked what they wrought in word
understand who will; and there are yet greater or deed; but this nation hath become, as it may
and more manifold that afflict this people. appear, very sinful, through manifold sins and
Many are forsworn and greatly purjured; misdeeds, through murder and evil, through
pledges are broken again and again; and it is greed and covetousness, rapine and robbery,
clear in this land that God's wrath sits heavily 20 treachery and heathen vices, through treason
upon us,- let him who

can,
understand.

and deceit, through law-breaking and sedition, Lo, how can greater shame come upon men through attacks on kinsmen, through manthrough God's wrath than cometh upon us, for slaughter and violation of religious vows, our own deserts? Though a thrall escape from through adultery and incest and divers fornihis lord and leave Christendom to become a 25 cations. Also, as we said before, through oathViking, and it come about afterward that breaking and pledge-breaking, and through thane and thrall come together in battle, if divers falsehoods, more than should be are the thrall foully slay the thane, the thane for all ruined and forsworn. Breaches of the peace his relations must lie without wer-geld, and and of fasting are wrought again and again. if the thane foully kill the thrall whom he 30 Also here in the land are reprobate apostates formerly owned, he must pay the wer-geld of a and hostile persecutors of the Church, and thane.6 Full evil laws and shameful tribute cruel tyrants, all too many; despisers of divine are, through God's wrath, common to us, as he law and Christian customs; and everywhere in who can may understand; and many mis- the nation foolish mockers, most often of those fortunes beset this people. This long time 35 things commanded by God's ministers, and nothing hath prospered within or without, but very often of those things that belong of right harrying and hatred have been continual on to God's law. Therefore hath now come about every side. The English have now long been the wide-spread evil custom that men are more without victory, and too greatly dismayed, ashamed of good deeds than of misdeeds, for through God's anger; and the ship-men? have 40 men too often deride good deeds, and all too become so strong, with God's consent, that in much revile the pious, and blame and greet with battle one of them will often put to flight ten of contumely those who love right and have in us, sometimes less, sometimes more, all because any measure the fear of God. Because men of our sins. . . . Often a thrall bindeth fast the despise all that they ought to praise and conthane who was formerly his lord, and maketh of 45 tinually loathe what they should love, all too him a thrall, through God's anger. Alas for many are brought to evil thoughts and deeds, the misery, alas for the shame in the eyes of the so that they are not ashamed though they sin world, that Englishmen now suffer, all by God's greatly and work in all things against God wrath! Often two or three seamen will drive a himself; but because of idle calumnies they are angered God that He very soon let the army of us do as we have need to do, turn to the right the English win their land and entirely de- and in some measure shun and forsake unstroyed the flower of the Britons. This, he righteousness, and eagerly better what we have said, came about because the clergy broke their heretofore broken. Let us seek Christ on our vows, and laymen the law, because of plunder- 5 knees and often call upon Him with trembling ing by the rich, extortion, evil laws of princes, heart and earn His mercy. Let us love God false judgments; because of the sloth and and fulfill God's laws, and perform eagerly ignorance of bishops, and the wicked cowardice what we promised when we received baptism, of God's ministers, who all too often were si- or those promised who at baptism spoke for lent concerning the truth, and mumbled within 10 us. Let us rightly order words and works, and their jaws when they should have called out. willingly cleanse our inner thoughts, carefully Through foul wantonness of the folk, through keep oath and pledge, and without weakness gluttony and manifold sins, they ruined their have some faith amongst us. Let us often land, and themselves perished.

consider the great judgment we shall all come But let us do, as is needful for us,-take 15 to, and eagerly save ourselves from the raging warning by such. Sooth is it that I say, worse fire of hell's torment, and earn for us the glory deeds we know have been among the English and the gladness that God hath prepared for than we have heard of anywhere among the those who work His will in the world. May Britons, and therefore have we great need to God help us. Amen. reflect and to reconcile ourselves to God. Let 20

II. THE NORMAN CONQUEST TO CHAUCER

1066-c. 1350

came

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POEMA MORALE

He abided at Arnley, at the great Church there (Before 1200)

Upon Severn's side, (it seemed to him good

there) I am now older than I was, in winters and in Hard by to Radėstone, where he read bookės. 5 lore,

It came in his mind, and he made it his purpose, I wield more power than I did, my wit ought To tell of the English, the triumphs of old; to be more.

What names the men had, what lands they were Too long a child I have been, in word and eke come from; in deed;

What folk English-land first of all owned And though I am in winters old, too young I am After the deluge that down from the Lord

in rede.? My life methinks a useless one, like that I've Which quellėd? all men that quick here it ever led;

foundė, When I bethink me well thereon, full sore I am Except Noah and Shem, Japhet and Ham, adread.

And their four wives who were in the ark with Mere idleness and childishness seems most that them.

I have done; Full late I have bethought myself, unless God's So 'gan Layamon wander wide 'mongst the grace I've won.

people, I've spoken many idle words since I to speak And noble books got he for guides in his knew how,

labours. And many deeds I did in youth that I repent That English book took he, made by Saintme now.

Bæda; All too often have I sinned in work and eke in Another in Latin, left by Saint Albin, word;

And the bless'd Austin, who baptism brought All too much, alas, I've spent, too little laid in us; hoard.

A third he took likewise, and laid it among At most of that I liked of yore I now can only them, grieve;

That a French clerk had made,-Wace was he Who overmuch doth have his will, himself doth called, but deceive.

This goodly writing he gave to the noble I might in truth have better done, had I of joy Eleanor, of Henry, that high King, his Queen. great wealth;

Layamon laid these books down, their leaves he And now I would, and yet cannot, for age and

turned over, for unhealth.

With love he looked on them, the Lord grant Old age on me hath stolen fast, before of it I

him mercy, wist;

Feather took he with fingers, and fair on the Nor can I see before me now for dark smoke and book-skin for mist.

The sooth words then wrote he, and set them Fearful are we to do good, in evil all too bold; together, More in awe of man is man than of the Christ of And these three writings he wrought into one.

old. Who doth not well the while he may, full oft it Now Layamon prayeth for the Lord's love shall him rue,

Almighty, When men at last shall surely reap that which Each wise man who readeth words in this book they ere did strew.

written, And heedeth this teaching, that these holy wordės

30 Layamon

He say all together: HOW LAYAMON WROTE HIS BOOK

For the soul of his father, who forth him

broughté, (From the Brut, c. 1205)

For the soul of his mother, who made him a man, In the land lived a priest, who was Layamon

And for his own soul, so that better befall it.

Amen. called, He was Leovenath's son; Lord to him be the legendary history of Britain, based largely on the

Brut of the Anglo-Norman poet Wace. BrutBrutus, gracious,

who according to the fabulous accounts of Geoffrey of 1 This selection is taken from the opening of the Poema

Monmouth and others was the grandson of Æneas, and

the founder of New Troy or London. Morale, or Moral Ode; a poem of about 400 lines. It may

2 Killed. have been written as early as the reign of Henry I.

3 Austin, i. e. St. Augustine, the first Archbishop of (1100-1135).

2 Counsel, wisdom.

Canterbury. * The Brut is a poem of about 30,000 lines. It is on Pen.

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