Kitabı oku: «Henry the Sixth», sayfa 3

Juramenta ejus

Item nulla unquam habere solebat alia juramenta, ad confirmanda dicta sua veredica, quam hæc verba proferendo, Forsothe, and forsothe. Ut ceteros²⁸ faceret, quos alloquibatur,²⁹ de dictis suis. Unde et quamplures, tam magnates, quam plebeos,³⁰ à gravibus juramentis, tum blande consulendo, tum dure corripiendo, compescuit. Quoniam abhominabilis erat eis³¹ quisque jurans. Audiens autem rex quendam magnum dominum, sibi camerarium, ex abrupto et improvise graviter jurare, graviter increpavit eum, dicens: Prohdolor! vos dominus familiæ multæ dum juramenta sic editis contra Dei mandatum, pessimum exhibitis³² exemplum servis et subditis vestris. ipsos enim similia facere provocatis.

Pietas et patientia ejus

De patientia istius regis, & benignissima ejus misericordia, quas per totam suam vitam in transgredientes sibi exercuit, dum regnaret, complurima verissime dici possunt.

Primo, cum semel descenderet à villa sancti Albani Londonias per Crepylgate, videns supra portam ibi quartarium hominis positum super sudem sublimem, quæsivit, quid hoc esset? Et respondentibus [B ii a] sibi dominis suis, quod erat IIII. pars cujusdam proditoris sui, qui falsus fuerat regiæ majestati, ait rex, Auferatur. Nolo enim aliquem Christianum tam crudeliter pro me tractari, & continuo sublatum est quartarium. Qui hoc vidit, testimonium dicit.

Item IIII. nobiles generosos, de proditione & crimine læsæ majestatis regiæ convictos, et super hac re legittime per judices condemnatos, et morte turpissima plectissima"³³ plectendos piissime relaxavit, et à morte illa acerbissima eripuit, cartulam suæ perdonationis pro eis liberandis ad locum supplicii citissime emittens.

Aliis tribus magnis dominis regni, in necessitate ejusdem³⁴ regis conspirantibus, infinita quasi multitudine armatorum hominum congregata, ambitione quadam regii culminis intentata, prout res postea manifestius claruit, rex iste non minorem exhibuit misericordiam. Condonabat enim omnibus tam capitaneis, quam ceteris sibi subditis, quod ei tunc maligne intenderant, dummodo se ei submitterent.

Consimilem etiam misericordiam compluribus aliis ostendit, specialiter autem duobus, mortem ei intendentibus, quorum unus collo suo grave vulnus inflixit, volens excerebrasse, vel decollasse eum, quod tamen rex patientissime tulit, dicens, Forsothe, & forsothe, ye do fouly to smyte a kynge enoynted so.

Alter vero cum sicca³⁵ percussit eum in latere, dum in turri fuerat carcere detentus, qui post hoc commissum facinus putans, se regem ex suo ictu nephario occidisse, timens se capiendum fore, citissime aufugit, deprehensum tamen eum, & eidem regi postea adductum, convalescens rex, et è carcere illo eductus, et ad regalia fastigia, Deo favente et agente, iterum sublimatus sine bellis post longa exilia et diutinam ejus incarcerationem, pardonavit eum ex summa sua clementia, sicut et prædictum suum persecutorem.

Unde et famuli quondam eidem regi asserunt, quod nullam personam, quantumcunque [B ii b] sibi noxiam, voluit aliquoties mulctari. Quod etiam in quam multis liquet personis, quibus valde fuerat gratiosus et misericors imitator effectus illius qui ait: Misericordiam volo, & nolo mortem peccatoris, sed magis ut convertatur & vivat. qui etiam, ut apostolus ait, Omnium hominum salutem affectabat. nec mirum. Quoniam etiam non inerat ejus animæ vana illa gloriatio, qua etiam venatores potiuntur captis bestiis ex nimia complacentia, videlicet ut intueretur appetitum animal in interitu suo cum truculentia contaminari, nec cædi innocui quadrupedes³⁶ aliquando voluit interesse. Quid plura? Certe inter quos et quibus tam benignus et misericors extiterat rex iste, hos tandem invenit ingratissimos, ut Christus Judæos. Nam quem dextera Dei in tantam sublimaverat gloriam, ut supra habetur, isti patriales,³⁷ insimul conglobati, rabie quadam crudilissima³⁸ præfatum regem misericordissimum potestate regia privaverunt, et à suo regno et regimine expulerunt, qui tandem post latebras, quas ad tempus, propter sui tutelam, secretioribus fovebat locis, inventus etiam captus, velut proditor & maleficus Londonium adductus in turri ibidem incarceratus erat, ubi famem, sitim, obprobria, irrisiones, blasphemeas,³⁹ aliasque injurias complurimas, ut verus Christi sequester, patienter tolleravit, et tandem mortis ibi corporis violentiam sustinuit propter regnum, ut tunc sperabatur, ab aliis pacifice possidendum. Anima autem ipsius, ut pie credimus, ex miraculorum, ubi corpus ejus humatur, diutina continuatione, cum Deo in cœlestibus vivente, ubi, post istius seculi ærumnas, cum justis in æterno Dei contuitu feliciter gaudet, pro terreno & transitorio regno hoc patienter amisso, æternum jam possidens in ævum.

[B iii a] Revelationes ei ostensæ

Præterea, de cœlestibus sacramentis, eidem regi ostensis, silendum esse non puto. In turri enim Londoniarum detentus, interrogatus erat à quodam sibi capellano erga festum Paschæ, quomodo anima ejus concordaret in hoc sacratissimo tempore cum instantibus suis tribulationibus inevitabiliter emergentibus? Et respondit rex dicens, Regnum cœlorum, cui me semper ab infantia mea devovi, appellans exposco. De regno isto transitorio & terrestri non magna nobis cura est. Cognatus noster de Marchia se interponit, ut sibi placet. Hoc ipsum tantummodo requiro, quatinus sacramenta Paschalia & ecclesiastica cum aliis Christicolis in die cœnæ recipiam, ut moris nostri est, unde & propter nimiam suam devotionem, quam ad Deum, et ad ejus sacramenta, semper habuerat, non incongrue videtur, quod cœlestibus sacramentis fuisset sæpius illustratus, & in suis tribulationibus consolatus. Fertur enim à nonnullis secretioribus sibi personis, quibus solebat secreta sua reserare, quod frequenter viderat Dominum Iesum in manibus celebrantis tractatum in forma humana ei apparere sub sacramento. Dixerat iterum apud Waltham̄ olim existens cuidam in secretis, aliis tamen à retro hoc audientibus, de multiplici revelatione Dominica sibi facta per tres annos continuos in festo sancti Edwardi, quod in vigilia Epiphaniæ accidit de gloria Domini, in effigie humana apparentis, de ejus corona, & de assumptione beatæ Mariæ in corpore & anima ostentione.

Item de absentia sacramenti à pixide, dum per quoddam equitaret cimiterium, propter quod desiit à veneratione solita sacramenti, ut supra habetur.

In ipso etiam arcto guerrarum discrimine in boriæ partibus, deficiente ad tempus pane commilitonibus vel turbis suis, dicitur ab inde venientibus, quod de exigua [B iii b] tritici annona meritis ejus et precibus à⁴⁰ Deo multiplicati fuerant panes, ut querentibus⁴¹ et petentibus sufficientia cum superfluo respondebat suis, ceteris vero suis hostibus penuriam panum patientibus.

Insuper continuata longo tempore dira ac ingratissima suorum rebellione, post plurima bella à suis rebellantibus ei gravissime illata, tandem cum paucis ad locum secretum, à suis fidelibus sibi provisum, fugit. unde dum per aliquod spacium diliteret,⁴² vox corporalis insonuit per XVII. dies antequam caperetur insinuans ei, quod proditione traderetur, ac sine honore, quasi fur aut exul quidam, Londonias, & per medium ejus manu duceretur, multa ac varia pravorum hominum ingeniis mala exquisita subiturus, et infra turrim illic incarcerandus, quæ omnia ex beatæ Mariæ virginis revelatione, Sanctorumque Joannis baptistæ, Dunstani, & Ancelmi, quorum consolationibus ad tunc, sicut etiam aliàs, potitus fuit, per eosdem ad patientiam edoctus & confirmatus ad hæc et similia patienter tolleranda. Quæ cum quibusdam de suis tunc retulerat, videlicet magistris Bedon & Mannynge, incrudeli⁴³ illi minime credere voluerunt, sed diliramenta et vana quædam deputaverunt, quoadusque rei exitus eos certos fecit.

Fertur etiam, quod rex iste, dum in turri fuisset inclusus, viderit mulierem quandam à dextra sua infantulum submergere nitentem, quam per nuncium ammonuit, ne tantum flagitium & Deo odiosum peccatum perpetraret. Cujus ammonitione correpta illa, ab incepto opere cessavit.

Item quæsito ab eodem rege H. dum in turri fuerat incarceratus, quare injuste vendicaverat et possiderat⁴⁴ coronam Angliæ tot annis, respondere solebat, Pater meus rex fuerat Angliæ⁴⁵ pacifice, coronam Angliæ possidens per totum regni sui tempus. Et suus pater, avus meus, ejusdem regni rex fuit. Et ego puer, quasi in cunabilis⁴⁶ [B iv a] pacifice, et sine omni interruptione coronatus approbatus fueram rex à toto regno, coronam Angliæ gerens quasi per XL. annos, singulis mihi dominis homagium regium facientibus, et fidem michi præstantibus sicut & aliis antecessoribus meis. Vnde, et cum Psalmista dicere possum: Funes ceciderunt michi in præclaris: etenim hereditas mea præclara est michi. Justum enim adjutorium meum à Domino, qui salvos facit rectos corde.

Laus Deo

A COMPILATION OF THE MEEKNESS AND GOOD LIFE OF KING HENRY VI

GATHERED BY

Master John Blakman, Bachelor of Divinity and afterward monk of the Charterhouse of London

A devout Prayer of his

O Lord Jesu Christ, who didst create me, redeem me, and foreordain me unto that which now I am: Thou knowest what Thou wilt do with me: deal with me according to thy most compassionate will. I know and confess in sincerity that in thy hand all things are set, and there is none that can withstand Thee: Thou art Lord of all. Thou therefore, God Almighty compassionate and pitiful, in whose power are all realms and lordships, and unto whom all our thoughts, words, and works, such as have been, are, and shall be, are continually open and known, who only hast wisdom and knowledge incomprehensible: Thou knowest, Lord, what is profitable for me poor sinner: be it so done with me as pleaseth Thee and as seemeth good in the eyes of thy divine Majesty.

Receive, O compassionate Father and merciful God Almighty, the prayer of me thy most unworthy servant; and let my supplications, which I offer before Thee and thy saints, come unto the ears of thy mercy. Amen.

PROLOGUE

It is written that we are to praise no man before his death, but that in the end shall be the exposing of his works: hence, now that every obstacle to sincere praise is out of the way, and inasmuch as the heavens declare the glory of Almighty God, and all things that the Lord hath made praise Him by the fashion of them, I have therefore thought fit to treat of some matters to the praise of God and of the serene prince King Henry VI now deceased; whom, though I be of little skill, I have taken in hand to celebrate; and this especially because to praise the saints of God, (in the register of whom I take that excellent king to be rightly included on account of the holy virtues by him exercised all his life long) is to praise and glorify Almighty God, of whose heavenly gift it cometh that they are saints.

Now of his most noble descent, how he was begotten according to the flesh of the highest blood and the ancient royal stock of England, and how in the two lands of England and France he was crowned as the rightful heir of each realm, I have purposely said nothing, as of a matter plainly known to all, and not least known because of that most unhappy fortune which befell him against all expectation in after-times.

A commendation of his virtues

But that I may set forth somewhat concerning the many virtues of that king, wherewith Almighty God adorned his soul, I will according to my small ability, with God's help, publish such things as I have known and have learned from the relation of men worthy of credit who were formerly attendant on him.

He was, like a second Job, a man simple and upright, altogether fearing the Lord God, and departing from evil. He was a simple man, without any crook of craft or untruth, as is plain to all. With none did he deal craftily, nor ever would say an untrue word to any, but framed his speech always to speak truth.

He was both upright and just, always keeping to the straight line of justice in his acts. Upon none would he wittingly inflict any injustice. To God and the Almighty he rendered most faithfully that which was His, for he took pains to pay in full the tithes and offerings due to God and the church: and this he accompanied with most sedulous devotion, so that even when decked with the kingly ornaments and crowned with the royal diadem he made it a duty to bow before the Lord as deep in prayer as any young monk might have done.

The fear of the Lord was in him

And that this prince cherished a son's fear towards the Lord is plain from many an act and devotion of his. In the first place, a certain reverend prelate of England used to relate that for ten years he held the office of confessor to King Henry: but he declared that never throughout that long time had any blemish of mortal sin touched his soul.

O what great watchfulness, O what care to please God was found in this creature so high-placed and so young! Consider it, all ye kings and princes, young men and maidens, and all peoples, and praise the Lord in His saints. Imitate, too, this king in virtue, who could have done ill and did it not, but utterly eschewed, to his power, while he lived, in view of the displeasure of God, all evil and injury of this sort.

He was a diligent worshipper of God

A diligent and sincere worshipper of God was this king, more given to God and to devout prayer than to handling worldly and temporal things, or practising vain sports and pursuits: these he despised as trifling, and was continually occupied either in prayer or the reading of the scriptures or of chronicles, whence he drew not a few wise utterances to the spiritual comfort of himself and others. So to every sort and condition and age of men he was a diligent exhorter and adviser, counselling the young to leave vice and follow the path of virtue; and admonishing men of mature age and elders (or priests) to attain the perfection of virtue and lay hold on the prize of eternal life, with those words of the Psalm 'Go from strength to strength⁴⁷; hence shall the God of gods be beheld in Sion.'

His devout habit in church

In church or chapel he was never pleased to sit upon a seat or to walk to and fro as do men of the world; but always with bared head, at least while the divine office was being celebrated, and hardly ever raising his royal person, kneeling one may say continuously before his book, with eyes and hands upturned, he was at pains to utter with the celebrant (but with the inward voice) the mass-prayers, epistles, and gospels. To some clerics also he used to address letters of exhortation full of heavenly mysteries and most salutary advice, to the great wonder of many.

Moreover, wherever this king was, he always showed himself a venerator and most devout adorer of the Holy Cross and of other symbols and holy things of the Christian religion. When engaged in such devotion he went always with bared head, even when riding on a journey: so that many times he would let his royal cap drop to the ground even from his horse's back, unless it were quickly caught by his servants. So too he preferred a row of signs of the Holy Cross to be set in his royal crown rather than any likenesses of flowers or leaves, according to that word of the wise: 'A crown of gold was upon his head marked with the sign of holiness.' He would be at the divine office quite early, nay at the very beginning: nor did he ever grow weary at the lengthy prolonging of it, even though it were continued until after noonday.

Moreover he would never suffer hawks, swords, or daggers to be brought into church, or business agreements or conferences to be carried on there: even his great men and nobles he enjoined to give themselves frequently to prayer, according to the word of the Saviour 'My house is a house of prayer': and they obeyed him devoutly.

His chastity

This king Henry was chaste and pure from the beginning of his days. He eschewed all licentiousness in word or deed while he was young; until he was of marriageable age, when he espoused the most noble lady, Lady Margaret, daughter of the King of Sicily, by whom he begat but one only son, the most noble and virtuous prince Edward; and with her and toward her he kept his marriage vow wholly and sincerely, even in the absences of the lady, which were sometimes very long: never dealing unchastely with any other woman. Neither when they lived together did he use his wife unseemly, but with all honesty and gravity.

Example

It is an argument of his watch upon his modesty that he was wont utterly to avoid the unguarded sight of naked persons, lest like David he should be snared by unlawful desire, for David's eyes, as we read, made havoc of his soul. Therefore this prince made a covenant with his eyes that they should never look unchastely upon any woman.

Another example

Hence it happened once, that at Christmas time a certain great lord brought before him a dance or show of young ladies with bared bosoms who were to dance in that guise before the king, perhaps to prove him, or to entice his youthful mind. But the king was not blind to it, nor unaware of the devilish wile, and spurned the delusion, and very angrily averted his eyes, turned his back upon them, and went out to his chamber, saying:

Fy, fy, for shame, forsothe ye be to blame.

At another time, riding by Bath, where are warm baths in which they say the men of that country customably refresh and wash themselves, the king, looking into the baths, saw in them men wholly naked with every garment cast off. At which he was displeased, and went away quickly, abhorring such nudity as a great offence, and not unmindful of that sentence of Francis Petrarch 'the nakedness of a beast is in men unpleasing, but the decency of raiment makes for modesty.'

Besides, he took great precautions to secure not only his own chastity but that of his servants. For before he was married, being as a youth a pupil of chastity, he would keep careful watch through hidden windows of his chamber, lest any foolish impertinence of women coming into the house should grow to a head, and cause the fall of any of his household. And like pains did he apply in the case of his two half-brothers, the Lords Jasper and Edmund, in their boyhood and youth: providing for them most strict and safe guardianship, putting them under the care of virtuous and worthy priests, both for teaching and for right living and conversation, lest the untamed practices of youth should grow rank if they lacked any to prune them. Not less diligence did he use, I am told, towards others dependent on him, advising them to eschew vice and avoid the talk of the vicious and dissolute, and to lay hold on virtue.