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)

1

4

7

For hit ful depe / is sonken) in my mynd With pitous herte. in englissh for to endite This old story in latyne which I fynde

8

Of quene Anelyda and fals Arcite

11

That eeld which þat all can) frete and bite

14

As hit hath froten) many A noble story
hath negħ 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 pe 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

15

18

21

ANELIDA AND ARCITE. HARLEIAN MS. 7333.

(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 / pat unto the sterres it wente
And him to honuren). diden) / all her entente

(5)

Beforne this duk in signe of hie Victorye
The trumpes came / 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 all the felde aboute

(6)

Ypolita his wyf / the hardy quene

Of Cithea that he conquerd had

With Emelye her yong Sustir shene

Faire in a Chaier of gold he with him ladde
That at the ground aboute the chare. she sprad

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, col. 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

And whan that old Creon) gan) espie how that the blode riał was brought edoun) he heled that Cite by his Thyrannye And did the gentils of that regyoune.

64

67

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)

¶ Amonges at thies / Anelida the quene. Of ermony was in pat toune duellyng That feirer was pan is pe sonne shene

That her to seen) had euery wigħt likyng

For as of trouth is pere non her liche

Of all pe wymen) in pis world riche.

70

71

74

77

ANELIDA AND ARCITE.

(12)

HARLEIAN MS. 7333.

Yong was this quene of xx yere eld.
Of myddet stature and of suche fairenesse
That nature had grete ioy / her to beholde
And for to speken) of her stedfastnes
She passed hath penelope and lucresse
And shortly if she shall be comprehendid

113

78

81

In her ne mygħt no thing be amendid

(13)

This theban knygħt eke þe soth to seyn
Was yong and pere with aĦ a lusty knygħt
But he was double in loue and nothing pleyne
And subtil in pat Crafte ouer any wigħt
And with his connyng what pat lady bright
So ferforth loo he gan) her trouth ensure
That she him trustith aboue eche creature.

(14)

¶ What shuld I seyn she lovid Arcyte so
That whan þat he was absent any throwe
Anon her thought / hir hert brast on two
For in her sight / to her he bare him lowe.
So pat she wende · haue all his hert eknowe
But he was fals / hit nas but feyned chere

AH nedith not to men / suche Crafte to lere.

(15),

But' natheles ful mychel besynesse.

had he or þat he mygħt his lady wynne
And swore he wold dey. for distresse.
Or from his witte he wold twynne.
Alas pe while for hit was routh and synne.
That she vpon his sorowis wolden) rewe.
But no thing thenkith / pe fals as doth the trewe.