BL Harley 1701 f. 92r col. a1 Rynces proude þat beþ yn pres P I wyl õow telle of þyng no les In [Cy]sylle was a noble kyng ffayre and stronge and sumdele õyng 5 He hadde a broþer yn grete Rome Pope oueral crystyndome Anoþer broþer yn Almayne Emperourer whom sarysyns wroghte payne The kyng was hote kyng Roberd 10 Neuer man wyste hym a ferd He was kyng of grete honoure And y clepyd he was conqueroure
In alle þe worlde ne was hys pere
ffor to a counte fer ne nere
15 And for he was of chyualry floure
Hys broþer was made Emperoure
Hys oþer broþer goddys vyker
Pope of Rome as y seyde er
The pope hyghte pope vrban
20 He loued boþe god and man
The Emperour hyghte syre valemownde
A strengur werryour was neuer none founde
He sente aftyr hys broþer of Cysyle
Of whom y shal õow telle awhyle
25 The kyng þoghte he hadde no pere
In alle þe worlde fer no nere
In þat þoghte he hadde pryde
ffor he was nom pere yn eche (C)yde {ryde}
And yn a nyõt of seynt Ion(e)
30 The kyng come to þe cherche (a) none
ffor to here hys euynsong
He þoghte hys dwellyng þer ful long
He þoghte more on worldly onoure
Þan on cryste oure sauyoure
35 In Magnificat he herde a vers
He made a clerk hyt hym reherce
In langage of hys owne tunge
ffor he wyste nat what þey songe
f. 92r col. b
The vers was þys y telle þe
40 Deposuit potentes de sede
Et exaltauit humiles
Thys was þe vers wyþoutyn les
The clerk seyd a none ryõt
Sere swych ys goddys myõt
45 That he may make hygh . lowe
And þe lowe hygh yn lytyl { } þrowe
He may do wyþ oute lye
Hys wylle yn twynklyng of an ye
T he kyng seyd wyþ þoght vnstable
50 thys song ys fals and fable
What man haþ swyche powere .
To brynge {me} lowe yn daungere
I am floure of chyualrye
Myn enmyys .y. may destroye
55 Ther ys no man þat lyueþ yn londe
That may aõen me wyþstonde
Þan ys þys a songe of noght
Thys errour he hadde yn hys þoõt
And yn hys þoght a slepe hym toke
60 In hys pulpyt so seyþ þe boke
Whan þe euynsong was alle done
A kyng hym lyke oute gan gone
And alle men wyþ hym gunne wynde
Kyng Roberd lefte of mynde
65 The newe kyng was y þe telle
Goddys aungel . hys pryde to felle
The aungel yn halle Ioye made
And alle men of hym were glade
The kyng a woke þat lay yn cherche
70 Hys men he þoghte wo to werche
for he was lefte þere a lone
And derk nyõt . hym felle v pone
He gan crye aftyr hys men
But þer was none þat spak aõen
75 Save þe sexteyn at þe nende
Oute of þe cherche to hym gan wende
f. 92v col. a
And sayde what doste þou here
Þou fals þefe þou losengere
Þou art here wyþ felonye
80 Holy cherche to robbey
He seyde foule gadlyng
Y am no þefe y am a kyng
Opene þe cherche dore a none
Þat y mowe to my palys gone
85 The sexteyn þoghte anone wyþ þan
Þat he hadde be sum wode man
And opened þe cherche dore yn haste (V 87-88) omitted
The kyng began to ren faste (V 90)
As a man þat was wode
90 And at hys palys gate stode
And clepyd þe porter gadelyng
And badde hym come yn hyghyng
Anone the gates vp to do
The porter sey he clepeþ so
95 He answered riõt a none
Thou shalt wete ar we gone
Þy lorde y am þou shalt hyt knowe (V 99)
In prysoun þou shalt lygge lowe
And be hanged and to drawe
100 As a traytur be þe lawe
Þou shalt wetyn y am kyng
Opene þe gatys gadelyng
The porter seyd so mote y þe
Þe kyng ys now wyþ hys meyne
105 Wel y wote wyþoutyn doute
The kyng ys nat now wyþ oute
The porter went yn to halle
Before þe aungel on kne gan falle (V 110)
And seyd þer ys at þe gate
110 A nyce fole ycome late
He seyþ he ys lorde and kyng
And clepeþ me foule gadelyng
Lorde what wylle õe þat y do
Late hym ynne . or late hym go
f. 92v col. b
115 The aungel seyde yn haste
Do hym come yn swyþe faste
ffor my fole y wyl hym make
Tyl he þe name of kyng forsake
The porter come to þe gate
120 And hym cleped yn to late
He smote þe porter whan he cam ynne
The blode braste oute of mouthe and chyne
The porter and hys men yn haste
Kyng Roberd yn a podel kaste
125 Vnsemely was hys body þan (V125-28) omitted
That was lyke none oþer man
They broghte hym before þe newe kyng
And seyd lorde þys gadelyng
Me haþ smetyn wyþoutyn desert
130 And seyþ he ys oure kyng apert
To me he seyþ none ouþer worde 131-32 < (V139-40)
But þat he ys boþe kyng and lorde
The treytur myõte for hys sawe (V 137)
Beyn y hanged and to drawe
135 The aungel seyd to kyng Roberd
Thou art a fole þou art nat aferd
My men to do swyche vylonye
Thy gylte þou moste nedes abye
What art þou seyd þe aungel
140 Seyd Roberd þou shalt wyte wel
I am kyng and kyng wol be
Wyþ wronge þou haste my dygnyte
The pope of Rome ys my broþer
And þe Emperour of Almeyn myn oþer (V 150)
145 They wylle me wreke y þe telle
Y wote þey wyl nat longe dewelle
Þou art my fole seyd þe aungel
Thou shalt be shore euerydel
Lyke a fole . a fole to be
150 ffor þou haste now no dygnyte (V156)
Thyn conseyloure shal be an ape
And o . cloþyng õow shal be shape
f. 93r col. a
I shal hym cloþyn as þy broþer
Of o . cloþyng hyt ys none oþer
155 He shal beyn þyn owne fere
Sum wytte of hym þou myõt lere
Houndes how so hyt befalle
Shul { } ete wyþ þe yn þe halle
Þou shalt etyn on þe grounde
160 Þy sayour shal beyn an hounde
To a saye þy mete before þe
ffor þou haste lore þy dygnyte
He clepyd a barbur hym before
Þat as a fole shulde he be shore
165 Alle a rounde lyke a frere
An hondbrede aboue þe ere
And on hys crowne makyn a croys
He gan crye and make noys
And seyd þey shulde alle abye
170 Þat hym ded swych vylonye
And euer he seyde he was lorde
And eche man skorned hym for hys worde
And eche {man} seyd he was wode
That preuyd wel he coude no gode
175 ffor he wend yn no wyse
Þat god coude deuyse
Hym to brynge to logher state
Wyþ a draght he was chek mate (V185-88) >199-202
Þer was yn courte grome ne page
180 Þat of þe kyng ne made grete rage
ffor no man shulde hym knowe
He was dysfygured yn a þrowe (V192)
To eche man he was vndyrlyng
Alas here was a delful þyng
185 Þat he shulde for hys pryde
Swyth hap amonge hys men betyde
ffor hys grete vnbuxumnesse 187-188 Added
God put hym yn oþer lykenesse
Hunger and þryste he hadde grete
190 ffor he muste ete no mete
f. 93r col. b
But houndys etyn of hys dysshe
Were hyt flesshe were hyt fysshe
He was to deþ ny broghte
fffor hungyr or he wulde ete oghte
195 Wyþ houndys þat were yn halle
How myõte hym hardere befalle
Whan hyt wulde none oþer be
He ete wyþ houndes grete plente
Wyþ houndes euery nyõt he lay 199-202 < (V185-88)
200 And ofte he cryed Welawey
Þat he euer was bore
ffor he was a man for lore
The aungel asked euery day 203-8 added
ffoole art þou kyng þou me say
205 Ìe he seyde hyt shal be knowe
Y am kyng þogh y be lowe
Þou art my foole seyd þe aungel
Þou art a fole and þat ys del
Þe aungel was kyng hym þoõte longe
210 In hys tyme was neuer done wronge
Trecherye falshede ne no gyle
Done yn þe londe of Cysyle
Alle gode þer was grete plente
Among men loue and charyte
215 Euery man loued wel oþer
Bettyr loue was neuer wyþ broþer
In hys tyme was neuer no stryfe
Betwene man and hys wyfe
Þan was þys a joyful þyng
220 In londe to haue swyche a kyng
Kyng he was þre õere and more
Robert õede as fole forlore
{s} Eþe hyt fel vpp on a day
A lytyl before þe moneþ of may
225 Syre Valemounde þe Emperoure
Sente letters of grete honoure
To hys broþer of Cysyle kyng
And bad hym come wyþ oute lettyng
f. 93v col. a
That þey myght boþe yn some
230 Wyþ here broþer þe pope of Rome
Hym þoght long þey were atwynne
He badde hym lette for no wynne
Þat he were of gode aray
In Rome an holy þursday
235 Þe aungel welcomed þe messangers
And õave hem cloþes ryche of perys
ffurryd alle wyþ ermyne
In alle crystyndome were none so fyne
And alle were couched wyþ perye (V239-40) > 243-44
240 Was neuer bettyr wyþ oute lye (V 238)
Of þat wundred all þe londe
How þat cloþe was wroght wyþ hande
ffor õyf swyche cloþe were to dyghte
Alle crystendom make hyt ne myghte
245 Where swyche cloþe were to selle
Ne who hyt made coude no man telle
The messangers wente wyþ þe kyng
To grete Rome wyþ oute lettyng
The foole Robard also wente
250 Cloþed yn loþely garnement
Wyþ fox tayles ryuen alle aboute
Men myõte hym knowyn yn þe route
An ape rode of hys cloþyng 253-4 < (V 271-2)
So foule rode neuer kyng (V253-4) omitted
255 The aungel Rode alle yn whyte (V 251)
Was neuer founde swych a myõte (V 252)
Alle was whyte atyre and stede
The stede was feyre þere he õede
So fayre a stede as he on rode
260 Was neuer kyng þat euer bestrode (V 258)
And so was alle hys aparayle 261-2 added
Hys men weryn alle rychely dyõte
Here rycchesse can {sey} no wyõte
Of cloþes gerdelys and ouþer þyng (V 234)
265 Euery squyer þoght a kyng
Alle men hadde þer of meruayle
f. 93v col. b
And alle were of ryche aray
But kyng Roberd y õow say
Alle men on hym gun pyke
270 ffor he rode oþer vnlyke (V 271-2) omitted
The pope and þe Emperoure also
And oþer lordys many mo
Welcomed þe aungel for kyng
And made joye for hys comyng
275 So ryal kyng come neuer yn rome
Also men wondred whan he come
Þes þre breþryn madym comforte
The aungel was made broþer be serte
Wel was Pope and Emperour
280 That hadde a broþer of swyche onoure
fforþe com sterte kyng Robard
As a fole noght aferd
And cryed wyþ ful egur speche
To hys breþryn to done hym wreche
285 On hym þat hadde wyþ queynte gyle
Hys crowne and londe of Cysyle
Pope emperour ne none oþer
Knew nat þe fole for here broþer
Moche fole þan was he holde
290 More þan er a þousend folde
To cleyme swych a broþerhede
Hyt was holde a foole dede
Kyng Roberd gan to makyn care
More þan he ded euer are
295 When hys breþryn ne wulde hym knowe
Alas he seyd now y am lowe
ffor he hoped for any þyng
Hys breþryn wulde ha made hym kyng
And whan hys hope was alle go
300 Allas he seyd and wellawo
Alas seyd he þat y was born
ffor now i am man forlorn
Alas he seyd þat y was made
ffor of my lyfe y am alle sadde
f. 94r col. a
305 Alas he seyde y am on lyue 305-8 added
Sorwen þon art me ful ryue
Alas he seyd and welawo
Herte breste and clefe on two
Alas Alas was alle hys song
310 Hys here he tere hys {Wr} handys he wrong
And euer he seyd alas allas
And þan he þoghte on hys trespas
{h} E þoght on Nabugodonosor
A noble kyng was hym before
315 In alle þe world ne was hys pere
ffor to a counte fer ne nere
Wyþ hym was syre Olyuerne
Prynce of knyõtes (st)oute and sterne
Olyuerne swore euer mor
320 By god Nabugodonosor
And seyd þer was no god yn londe
But Nabugodonosor y vndyrstonde
Therfor Nabugodonosor was glad
Þat he þe name of god had
325 And loued Olyuerne moche þe more
But seþ hyt greued hem boþe sore
Olyuerne deyde in doloure
He was slawe yn sharpe showre (V 322)
Nabugodonosor was yn desert (V 325)
330 Durst he nawhere ben apert
ffyftene õere he lyued þare
Wyþ rotys gras and euyl fare
And alle of mos hys cloþys was
And alle hyt come by goddys gras
335 He cryed mercy wyþ sory chere
God hym restored as he was ere
Now am y . yn swych a cas
And wel worse þan he was
Whan god õaue me swyche honour
340 That y was cleped conquerour
In euery londe of crystendome
ffolke speke of me wel yn lome
f. 94r col. b
And seydyn nowhere was my pere
In alle þe worlde fer ne nere
345 ffor þat name y hadde pryde
As aungelys gun from heuene glyde (V 432)
And yn twynklyng of an ye
God for nom hem here maystrye
So haþ he me myn for my gulte
350 Now am y ful lowe pulte (V 346)
And þat ys ryõt þat y so be
Lorde on þy fole þou haue pyte
Þat errur haþ made me to smerte
Þat y hadde yn my herte
355 Lorde y leued nat on þe
Lorde on þy foole þou have pyte
Holy Wrytte y hadde yn despyte
Therefore reuyd ys myn delyte
Þerfore ys ryõt a fole þat y be (V 357-60) omitted
360 Lorde on þy fole þou haue pyte
Lorde y haue gulte þe sore
Mercy Lorde y wyl no more
Euer þy fole lorde wyl y be
Lord on þy fole þou haue pyte
365 Lorde þou hast me boght and wroght added
And õyt or now . y knewe hyt noght
Þan ys ryõt a fole þat y be
Lorde on þy fole þou haue pyte
Of {my} kyngedome greueþ me noght added
370 Hyt ys for gulte . wyþ dede and þoght
At bettyr state kepe . y none be
Lorde on þy fole þou haue pyte 372-4 added
{b} lyssful marye þou were yn core
To helpe man þat was forlore
375 Prey þy sone þat deyde for me
On hys fole he haue pyte 376-7 < (V365-6)
Blyssful marye to þe y crye
Thou art ful of curtesye
Prey þy sone þat deyde for me
380 On hys fole he haue pyte
f. 94v col. a
Blyssful marye ful of grace
To þe y knowlyche my trespase
Prey þy sone þat deyde for me (V 371)
On hys fole he haue pyte
385 He seyde no more alas alas
But þanked god of hys grace
And þus he gan hymself stylle
And þanked god wyþ gode wylle
The pope . þe emperour . and þe kyng
390 ffyue wekys madyn here dwellyng
When þe fyue wekys were alle gone
To here owne londe þey woldyn a none
Boþe þe emperor and þe kynge
Þer was a fayre departyng
395 The aungel come to Cysyle
He and hys men yn a whyle
When he come yn to halle
Þe fole he ded furþe calle
And seyde fole art þou kyng
400 Nay syre he seyde wyþ oute lesyng
What art þou seyde þe aungel
Syre a fole he seyde y wote welle
And more þan a fole õyf hyt may be
Kepe y none oþer dygnyte
405 The aungel yn to chaumbre went
After þe fole a none he sent
He badde hys men oute of chambre gon
Þere lefte no mo but he a lone
And þe fole þat st[o]de hym by
410 To hym he seyde þou haste mercy
God haþ forõyue þe þy mysdede 411-2 < (V 403-4)
Euer here aftyr þou hym drede
Þenk þou were lowe pulte 413-4 < (V399-400)
And alle {was} for þyn owne gulte
415 Þe loweste state þat may be 415-6 added
Ys a fole how þenkeþ þe
A foole þou were to heuene kyng
Therefore þou were vndyrlyng
f. 94v col. b
I am an aungel of renoun
420 Sent to kepe þy regyoun
More joye me shal falle
In heuene amonge { } myne feryn alle
In an oure of a day
Þan here y þe say
425 In an hundred þousand õere
Þey alle þe werlde fer and nere
Were myn at my lykyng
Y am an aungel þou art kyng
He wente yn twynklyng of an yõe
430 No more of hym þey seye
Kyng Robard come yn (t)o halle
Hys men he badde furþ(e) [ca]lle
Alle þey were at hys wy(ll)[e]
As to here lorde and þat was skylle
435 He loued wel god and holy cherche
And euer þoghte wel to werche
He regned aftyr þre õere and more (V 423)
And loued god and alle hys lore
Þe aungel õaue hym yn warnyng
440 Of þe tyme of hys deyyng
Whan tyme come to deye sone
He lete wryte sone anone (V 428)
How god wyþ hys mochyl myõt
Made hym lowe and þat was ryõt
445 Thys storye he sent euer ydele
To hys breþryn vndyr hys sele
Whan tyme come he shulde deye
Þat tyme he deyde soþe to seye (V 434)
Hys breþryn þoghtyn on þe fole 449-64 added
450 Þat cryde to hem and made dole
And wystyn wel hyt was here broþer
Wyþoute doute hyt was none oþer
In Cysyle wyste hyt many mo
Þat weryn wyþ hym whan hyt was so
455 Þe pope of Rome herof gan preche
Alle crystyn men þerof to teche
f. 95r col. a
That þey shulde pryde forsake
And gode vertues to hem take
And seyde hys broþer þat was kyng
460 (H)ow he for pryde was vndyrlyng
ffor pryde wulde õyf hyt myõt ha be
Surmounte crystys dygnyte
And ben alle at hys owne wylle
Þus þurgh pryde man may spylle
465 Thys storye ys wyþoutyn lye
At Rome wrytyn in (memorye)
At seynt petyr cherche wel y knowe
And þus ys crystys myõt {w/ } ysowe
That lowe shul hyeõe [at] [g]oddys wylle
470 And heyõe shul low [.] þoght hyt be ylle
Cryste þat for vs w[uld] est deye (V 441)
In þy kyngdome lete vs be hye (V 442)
Euer more to ben a boue
Where ys boþe pes and loue < (V 444)
475 God graunte þat hyt so be 475-6 added
Amen Amen per charyte
BL Harley 1701 Variants
Note: to avoid confusion, expanded abbreviations will not be indicated by italics. The corresponding Vernon text is given to the right of the bracket.
12 And y clepyd he was conqueroure] ffor þat he was Conquerour
14 ffor to a counte] Kyng ne prince
20 He loued] he was good to
23 He sente aftyr] After his Broþersente added : revision alters and confuses meaning
27 In þat þoughte he hadde pryde] And in his þouõte he hedde pryde
29 And yn a nyõt of seynt Ione] At midsomer a seynt Iones niht midsomer omitted:
30 Substitute variant for rhyme
38 ffor he wyst not what] In latyn he nuste latyn omitted
49 þoght vnstable] herte vnstable
55 There ys no man þat lyueþ yn londe] No mon lyueþ. in no lond
64 out omitted] King Robert lafte out of mynde
88 out omitted ] to renne out faste (V 90)
These verses accentuate the bloody confrontation between Robert and the porter and may have seemed repetitive or excessive (as a matter of taste) to the reviser.
150 ffor þou haste now no dygnyte] Wher is now þi dignite (V 156) This refrain is altered again at l. 162.
178 (after) ll. corr. V 185 - 88 transposed to ll. 199 202.
This transposition reorganizes text to keep material concerning living, eating, sleeping with hounds together.
182 He was dysfygured] he was defygured (V 192)
183 To eche man he was vndyrlyng] So lower þat was neuer kyng (V 194). Revision emphasizes bestial state rather than loss of kingdom.
Addition places didactic emphasis on cause of Robert's fall.
199 - 202 ll. corr. V 185 - 88 transposed from after 178
The Angel's questioning of Robert every day heightens hishumiliation and casts the angel in a more active tutelary role.
215 - 16 transposed from ll. corr. V 216 - 17
Couplet order probably altered due to homoeoteleuton.
239 (after) ll. corr. V 239 - 40 transposed to ll. 243-44.
Reordering of couplets establishes a more logical narrative sequence.
240 Was neuer bettyr wyþ oute lye] Better was non in
Cristiante (V 238)
253-54 transposed from ll. corr. V 271 -- 72
255 The aungel rode alle yn whyte] Þe Angel was cloþed al in whit (V 251)
256 Was neuer founde swyche a myõte] Nas neuer seyõe such samyt (V 252)
256 (after) ll. corr. V 253 - 54 omitted
Omission refers to Angel's jewelled clothing.
260 Was neuer kyng] Nas neuer mon (V 258)
264 And clad them all in cloþys of pryse] And õaf hem cloþes Riche of pers (V 234)
266 added but accidentally transposed to l. 266 from what must havebeen intended position l. 262 where "Alle men hadde þer of meruayel" rhymes with l. 261 "And so was alle hys aparayle." New context with l. 265 kyng and l. 267 aray does not rhyme.
270 (after) ll. corr. V 271 - 72 omitted.
282 As a fole noght aferd] As ffol and mon þat nas not fert
301-04 in first person as opposed to third person narration
Added verses heighten sorrow and despair.
346 As aungelys gun from heuene glyde] And Angels þat gonne from Ioye glyde (V 342)
350 Now am y ful lowe pulte; Now am I wel lowe I pult (V 346)
353-54 reversed and revised (V 349-50)
359 (after) ll. corr. V 357 - 60 refrain omitted.
369 Of my kyngedome greueþ me noght added
This is a distinctive addition, significant in that it demonstrates his recognition of his earthly versus spiritual estate.
372-74 added to invocation to Virgin Mary
376-77 transposed from ll. corr. V 365 - 66
383 þat deyde for me] for loue of þe (V 371)
411-12 transposed from ll. corr. V 403 - 04
Effectively grants forgiveness then reinforces lesson below.
413-14 transposed from ll. corr V 399 - 400
415-16 added Reflects social emphasis on lowest estate
437 þre õere and more ] two õer and more (V 423)
448 soþe to seye] as he gon seye (V 434)
A significant addition in which his brothers recognize King Robert as having been the fool. The pope preaches against pride using Robert's story as an example. The passage appears self-authenticating with repect to the Robert of Sicily itself.
471 w[uld] est deye] gon dye (V 441)
472 In þy kyngdome] In his kynereche (V 442)
474 transposed from l. corr. V 444 "þer Is Ioye cumfort and loue"