have seen that army, as they declare. But finally, in the first year of the coronation of our King Henry, it ceased, so men say, to visit our kingdom frequently as in the past. And then it was seen by many Welsh sinking into the river Wye at Hereford.

THE STORY OF WILD EDRIC

they may publish them, and with how great care they conceal themselves lest, once being visible, they should lose their value. He had heard of their revenge and of instances of 5 men whom they had punished, but, because Cupid is rightly painted blind, Edric, recking naught of all this, doth not weigh the danger of the ghostly company, his eyes are closed to any avenger and, because he hath

Not unlike this story is that of Edric 10 no sight, he rashly offendeth. He went

Wilde, that is, the man of the woods, so
called from the agility of his body and the
charm of his words and works, a man of
great worth and lord of the manor of North
Ledbury. When he was returning late from 15
the hunt, he wandered in doubt about the
ways until midnight, accompanied only by
one boy. He chanced upon a great house on
the edge of a grove, such a house as the Eng-
lish have in each parish for drinking, and call 20
in their language 'guild-house' (ghildhus).
When he drew near, attracted by a light in
the house, and looked in, he saw a great band
of many noble women. They were most
beautiful in appearance and clad most ele- 25
gantly in robes of the finest linen, and they
were taller and more stately than our women.
The soldier noted one among them far ex-
celling the others in face and form, more to
be desired than all the darlings of kings. 30
They moved about with an airy motion,
pleasing gesture, and restrained voice, and
the sound, though melodious, was heard
but faintly, and their speech was beyond his
ken. At the sight of her, the soldier received 35
a wound in his heart, and he could scarcely
endure the fires kindled by Cupid's dart.
He is wholly consumed by all the flames of
love and winneth a mighty courage through
the burning passion for this fairest of plagues, 40
for this golden menace. He had heard of the
wanderings of spirits, and the troops of de-
mons who appear by night, and the sight
of them which bringeth death, Dictinna,
and bands of dryads and spectral squadrons, 45
and he had learned of the vengeance inflicted
by offended divinities upon those who came
upon them suddenly. He had heard, too,
how they preserve themselves undefiled and
how they secretly inhabit unknown places 50
apart from men and how they detest those
who strive to explore their counsels that they
may expose them and to pry into them that

around the house, and, finding an entrance, he rushed in and seized her by whom his heart had been seized; straightway he was seized by the others, and, being clutched close in the fiercest of contests, he escaped after a while only through the greatest of efforts of himself and his boy, not altogether without injury, but bearing on his feet and shins such marks as the teeth and nails of women could inflict. He carried away with him, however, the lady of his choice, and used her for his pleasure during three days and nights, but in all that time he was unable to get a word from her, though she passively submitted to his love. Finally, on the fourth day, she spake these words: 'Save thee, dearest! and safe thou shalt be and withal full of rejoicing in the happy lot of thee and thine, until thou shalt cast in my teeth either the sisters, from whom thou hast snatched me away, or that ground or grove whence thou carried me or anything else there anent these. From that day thou wilt fall from happiness, and, having lost me, thou wilt suffer from many other losses, and, because thou hast failed to regard times and seasons, thou wilt die before thy time.' He promised with all possible assurance to be firm and faithful in his love. He called together the noblest far and near, and, in the presence of a great throng of folk, solemnly married the lady. William the Bastard, recently crowned King of England, was then reigning; and the monarch, hearing of this marvel, and wishing to test openly its truth, summoned both the man and wife to fare together to London. They brought with them many witnesses, and also the evidence of many who could not be present; and indeed the woman herself, who was of a beauty hitherto unseen and unheard of, was the chief proof of her fairy nature. Amid the wonder of all, Edric and his wife were sent back to their

this man, he is making his residence this week by the stream which floweth from this spring.' With these words he ran away with the speed of a wild animal. A little while 5 after, the Neapolitan found the Englishman dead, and feeling such reverence for his virtues that he did not presume to touch him nor anything of his, he departed, entrusting to followers the due rites of burial. This Englishman bore in his heart Christ the fountain of joy, hence to him narrow circumstances could bring no sadness. So, as the Lord saith, let 'hypocrites be sad,' because 'perfect charity casteth out fear' to

home. After many years had passed, it
happened that Edric, on his return from
hunting about the third hour of the night,
not finding her whom he sought, called and
bade others call her. And when she came
tardily, he looked angrily at her and said,
'Were you detained by your sisters?' and
he spoke the rest of his reproof to the air,
for she disappeared at the hearing of the
word 'sisters.' Then the man regretted 10
greatly his monstrous and calamitous error,
and betook himself to the very spot where
he had made her captive, but with no weep-
ings nor wailings could he win her back.
Day and night he cried aloud to his own un- 15 gether with sadness.
doing, for his life passed away there in never-
ending sorrow.

ADVICE OF VALERIUS TO RUFFINUS

NOT TO MARRY

The first wife of the first man (Adam) after the first creation of man, by the first sin, relieved her first hunger against God's direct command. Great hath been the spawn of Disobedience, which until the end of the world will never cease from assailing women and rendering them ever unwearied in carrying to the fell consequences their chief inheritance from their mother. O friend, a man's highest reproach is a disobedient wife. Beware!

Philip of Naples, a man of mark, told me that when he was returning from hunting in Nigra Montana, he met a man of the woods, hairy and deformed, lying by a fountain to 25 drink, and that he suddenly dragged him to his feet by his hair and asked him who he was and what he was doing there. The fellow begged in his humility to be released, saying, 'Three of us came to this solitude in 30 order that, living here in penance, we might become imitators of the Fathers of old: the first and best of us was a Frank, the second, far braver and nobler than I, was an Englishman, I am a Scot. The Frank is of such per- 35 fection that I fear to speak of his life, for it passeth belief; the Angle, or rather angel, is bound with an iron chain only so long that it can be stretched seven feet. He always beareth with him an iron hammer and a 40 stake with which he fasteneth his chain to the earth on the Sabbath, and within these narrow bounds he prayeth throughout the whole week, unfailing in hymns of joy. He is never complaining or sad; eating what he 45 findeth there, he moveth his camp on the Sabbath, not wandering aimlessly, but seeking a place pleasant in its prospect, not plentiful in its products, a retreat not protected from the inclemency of the weather; 50 thou too mayst fall. and wherever he findeth any food with water near-by, there with joy in his heart he staketh out his possession. If you want to see

The truth of God, which cannot err, saith of the blessed David: 'I have found a man after mine own heart.' Yet even he is a signal instance of descent, through the love of woman, from adultery to homicide, that 'offences may never come singly.' For every sin is rich in abundant company and surrendereth whatever home it entereth to the pollution of its fellow vices. O friend, Bathsheba spake not a word and maligned no man, yet she became the instigation of the overthrow of the perfect man and the dart of death to her innocent mate. Shall she be held guiltless who shall battle by her charm of speech as Samson's Delilah, and by her grace of form as Bathsheba, although her beauty alone may have triumphed without her will? If thou art not more after God's heart than David, doubt not that

That sun of men, Solomon, treasure-house of the Lord's delights, chief dwelling-place of wisdom, was darkened by the inky blackness

of shadows and lost the light of his soul, the fragrance of his fame, the glory of his home, by the witchery of women. At the last, having bowed his knee to Baal, he was degraded from a priest of the Lord to a limb of the devil, so that he seemed to be thrust over a yet greater precipice than Phoebus, who, after Phaeton's fall, was changed from the Apollo of Jove into the shepherd of Admetus. Friend, if thou art not wiser than Solomon and no man is that thou art not greater than he who can be bewitched by woman. 'Open thine eyes and see.'

Even the very good woman, who is rarer

10

are forced to die or lose our wits. Save man alone, all living things of earth, sea, and air enjoy the life and powers with which they were endowed at creation, as if they had not 5 fallen from the grace of their Creator. What reason is there, unless it be that they observe the obedience enjoined them and we have refused it from the beginning? We have much the more reason for our sore distress in that, whereas all things still stand, the devils and we alone have fallen, in that we have our tempters as our allies, and in that our wickedness, arising from our imitation of the chief of sinners, hath found its punish

strength.
Late 12th c.

ANONYMOUS LYRICS*

than the phoenix, cannot be loved without 15 ment in the shortness of our day and the loathsome bitterness of fear and worry and constant unhappiness. But bad women, of whom the swarm is so large that no spot is without their malice, punish bitterly the bestowal of love, and devote themselves 20 utterly to dealing distress, 'to the division of soul and body.' O friend, a trite moral is, 'Look to whom thou givest.' True morality is, 'Look to whom thou givest thyself.'

Lucretia and Penelope, as well as the 25 Sabine women, have borne aloft the banners of modesty and they have brought back trophies with but few in their following. Friend, there is now no Lucretia, no Penelope, no Sabine woman. Fear all the sex.

330

THE DECADENCE OF SOCIETY What reason is there that we have fallen from our original estate in strength and 35 virtue, and that all other living things in no way vary from their earliest endowment? Adam was created a giant in stature and in strength, he was made also an angel in mind until he was overthrown; although 40 his immortality put on mortality, and his perfection imperfection, his life was much soothed by the solace of length of days. This happiness of morals, strength, virtue, and life lasted long unto his posterity; but 45 in the time of the prophet of the Lord, David, he himself described as being of eighty years that life which had formerly been eight hundred or more without labour and sorrow. But we do not last seventy unharmed; nay, 50 just as soon as we have begun to be wise, we

THE GLUTTON'S CONFESSION
In the public-house to die
Is my resolution;
Let wine to my lips be nigh

At life's dissolution:
That will make the angels cry,
With glad elocution,
'Grant this toper, God on high,
Grace and absolution!'

With the cup the soul lights up,
Inspirations flicker;
Nectar lifts the soul on high
With its heavenly ichor:
To my lips a sounder taste
Hath the tavern's liquor
Than the wine a village clerk
Waters for the vicar.
Nature gives to every man
Some gift serviceable;
Write I never could nor can
Hungry at the table;
Fasting, any stripling to
Vanquish me is able;
Hunger, thirst, I liken to

Death that ends the fable.
Nature gives to every man
Gifts as she is willing;
I compose my verses when
Good wine I am swilling,
Wine the best for jolly guest

Jolly hosts are filling;

From such wine rare fancies fine
Flow like dews distilling.

*From Wine, Women, and Song, translation by J. A. Symonds, Medieval Library, American Branch Oxford Uni versity Press, 1907. By permission of Chatto and Windus, Publishers.

Such my verse is wont to be
As the wine I swallow;
No ripe thoughts enliven me
While my stomach's hollow;
Hungry wits on hungry lips
Like a shadow follow,
But when once I'm in my cups,
I can beat Apollo.

12th c. or earlier

GAUDEAMUS IGITUR

Let us live, then, and be glad
While young life's before us!
After youthful pastime had,
After old age hard and sad,
Earth will slumber o'er us.

Where are they who in this world,
Ere we kept, were keeping?

Go ye to the gods above;
Go to hell; inquire thereof:
They are not; they're sleeping.

Brief is life, and brevity

Briefly shall be ended:

Death comes like a whirlwind strong,
Bears us with his blast along;

None shall be defended.

Live this university,

Men that learning nourish;

Live each member of the same, Long live all that bear its name; Let them ever flourish!

Live the commonwealth also,
And the men that guide it!
Live our town in strength and health,
Founders, patrons, by whose wealth
We are here provided!

Live all girls! A health to you
Melting maids and beauteous!
Live the wives and women too,
Gentle, loving, tender, true,
Good, industrious, duteous!

Perish cares that pule and pine!
Perish envious blamers!

Die the Devil, thine and mine!
Die the starch-necked Philistine!

Scoffers and defamers!

12th c. or earlier

5

Bartholomew (fl. ca. 1250)

A MEDIEVAL ENCYCLOPEDIA *

MANNERS

Men behove to take heed of maidens: for they be tender of complexion; small, pliant and fair of disposition of body; shamefast,1 fearful, and merry. Touching outward disposition they be well nurtured, demure and 10 soft of speech, and well ware of what they say: and delicate in their apparel. And for a woman is more meeker than a man, she weepeth sooner. And is more envious, and more laughing, and loving, and the malice of 15 the soul is more in a woman than in a man. And she is of feeble kind, and she maketh more lesings, and is more shamefast, and more slow in working and in moving than is

a man.

20 A man is called Vir in Latin, and hath that name of might and strength. For in might and strength a man passeth a woman. A man is the head of a woman, as the apostle saith. And therefore a man is bound to 25 rule his wife, as the head hath charge and rule of the body. And a man is called Maritus, as it were warding and defending Matrem, the mother, for he taketh ward and keeping of his wife, that is mother of the 30 children. And is called Sponsus also, and hath that name of Spondere, for that he behoveth and obligeth' himself. For in the contract of wedding he plighteth his troth to lead his life with his wife without 35 departing, and to pay her his debt, and to keep her and love her afore all other. A man hath so great love to his wife that for her sake he adventureth himself to all perils; and setteth her love afore his mother's love; 40 for he dwelleth with his wife, and forsaketh father and mother. Afore wedding, the spouse thinketh to win love of her that he wooeth with gifts, and certifieth of his will with letters and messengers, and with divers 45 presents, and giveth many gifts, and much good and cattle, and promiseth much more. And to please her he putteth him to divers plays and games among gatherings of men, and useth oft deeds of arms, of might, and of

From Robt. Steele's Medieval Lore, 1905, Medieval Library, Chatto and Windus (England) and Oxford University Press (America). By permission of the publishers.

1 shamefaced

2 easily terrified

3 untruths

4 places under obligation

mastery. And maketh him gay and seemly in divers clothing and array. And all that he is prayed to give and to do for her love, he giveth and doth anon with all his might. And denieth no petition that is made in her name and for her love. He speaketh to her pleasantly, and beholdeth her cheer in the face with pleasing and glad cheer, and with a sharp eye, and at last assenteth to her, and telleth openly his will in presence of her 10 when it is weaned. And teacheth him in his

husband with such womanly dues, than with her braided hairs, and desireth more to please him with virtues than with fair and gay clothes, and useth the goodness of matri5 mony more because of children than of fleshly liking, and hath more liking to have children of grace than of kind.

friends, and spouseth her with a ring and giveth her gifts in token of contract of wedding, and maketh her charters, and deeds of grants and of gifts. He maketh revels and

A man loveth his child and feedeth and nourisheth it, and setteth it at his own board

youth with speech and words, and chasteneth him with beating, and setteth him and putteth him to learn under ward and keeping of wardens and tutors. And the father

feasts and spousals, and giveth many good 15 sheweth him no glad cheer, lest he wax

gifts to friends and guests, and comforteth
and gladdeth his guests with songs and pipes
and other minstrelsy of music. And after-
ward, when all this is done, he bringeth
her to the privities of his chamber, and mak- 20
eth her fellow at bed and at board. And
then he maketh her lady of his money, and
of his house and meinie.1 And then he is no
less diligent and careful for her than he is
for himself: and specially lovingly head-25
viseth her if she do amiss, and taketh good
heed to keep her well, and taketh heed of her
bearing and going, of her speaking and look-
ing, of her passing and ayencoming, out and
home. No man hath more wealth, than he 30
that hath a good woman to his wife, and no
man hath more woe, than he that hath an
evil wife, crying and jangling, chiding and
scolding, drunken, lecherous, and unstead-
fast, and contrary to him, costly, stout and 35
gay, envious, noyful, leaping over lands,
much suspicious, and wrathful. In a good
spouse and wife behoveth these conditions,
that she be busy and devout in God's serv-
ice, meek and serviceable to her husband, 40
and fair-speaking and goodly to her meinie,
merciful and good to wretches that be
needy, easy and peaceable to her neighbours,
ready, wary, and wise in things that should
be avoided, mightiful and patient in suffer- 45
ing, busy and diligent in her doing, mannerly
in clothing, sober in moving, wary in speak-
ing, chaste in looking, honest in bearing,
sad in going,3 shamefast among the people,
merry and glad with her husband, and chaste 50
in privity. Such a wife is worthy to be
praised, that entendeth more to please her

And

proud, and he loveth most the son that is
like to him, and looketh oft on him.
giveth to his children clothing, meat and
drink as their age requireth, and purchaseth
lands and heritage for his children, and
ceaseth not to make it more and more. And
entaileth his purchase, and leaveth it to his
heirs. . . The child cometh of the sub-
stance of father and mother, and taketh of
them feeding and nourishing, and profiteth
not, neither liveth, without help of them.
The more the father loveth his child, the
more busily he teacheth and chastiseth him
and holdeth him the more strait under
chastising and lore; and when the child is
most loved of the father it seemeth that he
loveth him not; for he beateth and grieveth
him oft lest he draw to evil manners and
tatches, and the more the child is like the
father, the better the father loveth him.
The father is ashamed if he hear any foul
thing told by his children. The father's
heart is sore grieved, if his children rebel
against him. In feeding and nourishing of
their children stands the most business and
charge of the parents.

Meat and drink be ordained and convenient to dinners and to feasts, for at feasts first meat is prepared and arrayed, guests be called together, forms and stools be set in the hall, and tables, cloths, and towels be ordained, disposed, and made ready. Guests be set with the lord in the chief place of the board, and they sit not down at the board before the guests wash their hands. Children be set in their place, and servants at a table by themselves.