124

THE FORMER AGE. MS. Ii. 3. 21, CAMBR.

THE FORMER AGE.

[Camb. Univ. MS. Ii. 3. 21, leaf 52, back.]

Chawcer vp-on this fyfte metur of the second book

(1)

Blysful lyf a paysyble and a swete

Ledden the poeples in the former age

They helde hem paied of the fructes þat þey ete
Whiche pat the feldes yaue hem by vsage
They ne weere nat forpampred with owtrage
Onknowyn was pe quyerne and ek the melle
They eten mast hawes and swych pownage
And dronken water of the colde welle

(2)

¶ Yit nas the grownd nat wownded with pe plowh But corn vp-sprong vnsowe of mannes hond

9

be which they gnodded and eete nat half .I.-nowh
No man yit knewe the forwes of his lond
No man the fyr owt of the flynt yit fonde
Vn-koruen and vn-grobbed lay the vyne
No man yit in the morter spices grond
To clarre ne to sawse of galentyne

(3)

12

16

No Madyr welde or wod no litestere

17

Ne knewh/ the fles was of is former hewe

No flessh ne wyste offence of egge or spere

No coyn ne knewh man which is fals or trewe

20

No ship yit karf the wawes grene and blewe

No Marchaunt yit ne fette owt-landissh ware
No batails trompes for the werres folk ne knewe

Ne towres heye and walles rownde or square

24

THE FORMER AGE.

MS. Ii. 3. 21,

CAMBR.

125

(4)

¶ What sholde it han avayled to werreye
Ther lay no profyt ther was no rychesse
But corsed was the tyme .I. dar' wel seye
hat men fyrst dede hir' swety bysynesse
To grobbe vp metal lurkynge in dirkenesse
And in pe Ryuerys fyrst gemmys sowhte
Allas than sprong vp al the cursydnesse
Of coueytyse pat fyrst owr sorwe browhte

(5)

¶ Thyse tyraunt; put hem gladly nat in pres

No places wyldnesse ne no busshes for to wynne
Ther pouerte is as seith diogenes

Ther as vitayle is ek so skars and thinne

hat nat but mast or apples is ther Inne
But per as bagges ben and fat vitaile
Ther wol they gon and spare for no synne
With al hir ost the Cyte forto a-sayle

(6)

[+ MS. transposes lines 39, 40.]

+39 +40

¶ Yit was no paleis chaumbres ne non halles
In kaues and wodes softe and swete
Sleptin this blyssed folk' with-owte walles

41

Or gras or leues in parfyt Ioye reste and quiete
No down of fetheres ne no bleched shete
Was kyd to hem but in surte they slepte
Hir hertes weere al on with-owte galles
Euerych of hem his feith to oother kepte

44

[for -ete ryme]

48

126

THE FORMER AGE. MS. Ii. 3. 21, CAMBR.

(8)

Yit was nat Iuppiter the lykerous bat fyrst was fadyr of delicasie

Come in this world ne nembrot desyrous

To regne had nat maad his towres hye

60

Allas allas now may [men] wepe And crye

For in owre dayes nis but couetyse

Dowblenesse and tresoun and enuye

Poyson and manslawhtre and mordre in sondry wyse

64

4

IX.

Adam Scrivener.

128

ADAM SCRIVENER. MS. R. 3. 20 (SHIRLEY).

ADAM SCRIVENER.

[MS. R. 3. 20 (Shirley's), Trin. Coll. Library, 4th leaf from the end.]

¶ Chauciers wordes a. Geffrey vn to Adame his owen scryveyne/

¶ Adam · scryveyne / if euer it' þee byfalle Boece or Troylus / for to wryten nuwe /

1

Vnder þy long lokkes / powe most haue þe scalle

But affter my makyng powe wryte more truwe

4

So offt a daye I mot þy werk' renuwe /

It to. corect and eke to rubbe and scrape/
And al is thorugħ. þy necglygence and rape /

7