108

MOTHER OF GOD. PHILLIPPS MS.

(20) (VII. 3)

Vn to yow tweyne, I my soule commende
Marie and Iohn for my sauuacion

Helpith me pat I may my lyf amende
Helpith now, þat the habitacion

134

137

Of the holy goost our recocation

Be in myn herte now and eueremore

And of my soule, wasshe away the sore-Amen [Bottom of leaf 37.]

140

VII.

Anelida and Arcite.

HARLEIAN MS. 7333 (FROM SHIRLEY).

[As none of Shirley's 3 copies of this poem have stanzas 39 and 45, which are evidently both genuine, they are put in here from the Tanner MS. 346 in the Bodleian.]

110

ANELIDA AND ARCITE. HARLEIAN MS. 7333.

ANELYDA AND ARCYTE.

[Harl. MS. 7333 (from Shirley), leaf 134, col. 1.]

C lxxvij

Lo my lordis and ladyes Here folowyng may ye see the maner of the lovyng bytwene Arcite of Thebes and Anelida the faire Quene of Hermony which with his feyned chere doublenesse and flateryng disceiued her withouten cause / she beyng than oon of pe trewest gentilwomen that bere lyf compleyneth her I beseche you.

Y

(1) [Proem or Invocation: 3 stanzas]
ow fiers god of armes Mars the rede

That in þe frosty contrey called Trace
Within thi gresly temple ful of drede
Honured art as patron) of that place
With thi Bellona / Pallas ful of grace
Be present and my song contynne and guy
At my begynnyng/ thus to the I
cry

(2)

For hit ful depe/is sonken) in my mynd With pitous herte. in englissh for to endite

1

4

7

8

This old story in latyne which I fynde

Of quene Anelyda and fals Arcite

That eeld which þat al can) frete and bite
As hit hath froten) many A noble story
hath negh devoured oute of my memory
(3)

¶ Be fauourable eke thow polymea
On parnaso that with thi sustren) glade
By Ellicon) nogħ fer frome Cirea
Syngest with voice memorial in þe shade

Vndir the laurier / which pat may not fade
And do that I my Ship to hauen) wynne
First folowe I stace / and aftir þat Corynne

111

ANELIDA AND ARCITE. HARLEIAN MS. 7333.

W

(4) [The Story: 27 stanzas]

Han Theseus with werres longe and grete
The Aspre folke of Cithe had ouercomme
With laurer corouned in his chare gold bete
home to his Cuntre / houses is ecomme
For which the people blisful hole and somme
So crydon / þat unto the sterres it wente
And him to honuren). diden) / all her entente

(5)

Beforne this duk in signe of hie Victorye
The trumpes camè / and in his baner large.
The ymage of mars and tokenyng of his glorie.
Men mighten seen) / of tresoure many a Charge.
Many bright helme and many spere and targe
many a fressh knygħt / and blisful route

On hors and fote / In aH the felde aboute

(6)

Ypolita his wyf/ the hardy quene

Of Cithea that he conquerd had

With Emelye her yong Sustir shene

22

25

28

29

32

335

36

Faire in a Chaier of gold he with him ladde

That all the ground aboute the chare. she sprad

39

With the brightnesse of the beaute in her face
Fulfilled of largesse and of Alle grace

42

And fonde I woH in shortly for to bryng
The sleght wey of that I gan to write
Of tho quene Anelida / and fals Arcyte.

49

112

ANELIDA AND ARCITE.

HARLEIAN MS. 7333.

(8)

¶ Mars which thurgħ his furious Cours of yre [leaf 184, ∞ol. 2] The old wrath of Juvo to fulfille

Hath sette the peoplis hertis both on fyre

Of Thebes and grece/yche othir for to kylle

53

With blody speris / ne rested neuer stille

But throng now here now pere amongis hem botħ
TyH euerich othir slough so were thei wrotħ

56

And whan that old Creon) gan) espie how that the blode rial was brougħt edoun) he heled that Cite by his Thyrannye

And did the gentils of that regyoune.

To ben his frend and wonnen) in þe toune
So what for loue of him and what for awe.
The noble folke were to the toune edrawe

(11)

That her to seen) had euery wight likyng

For as of trouth is pere non her liche

Of all pe wymen in pis world riche.

74

77