IV.
THE TURNAMENT OF TOTTENHAM:
OR, THE WOOEING, WINNING, AND WEDDING OF TIBBE, THE REEV'S DAUGHTER THERE.
It does honour to the good sense of this nation, that while all Europe was captivated with the bewitching charms of chivalry and romance, two of our writers in the rudest times could see thro' the false glare that surrounded them, and discover whatever was absurd in them both. Chaucer wrote his _Rhyme of Sir Thopas_ in ridicule of the latter; and in the following poem we have a humorous burlesque of the former. Without pretending to decide, whether the institution of chivalry was upon the whole useful or pernicious in the rude ages, a question that has lately employed many good writers,[100] it evidently encouraged a vindictive spirit, and gave such force to the custom of duelling, that there is little hope of its being abolished. This, together with the fatal consequences which often attended the diversion of the turnament, was sufficient to render it obnoxious to the graver part of mankind. Accordingly the Church early denounced its censures against it, and the State was often prevailed on to attempt its suppression. But fashion and opinion are superior to authority: and the proclamations against tilting were as little regarded in those times, as the laws against duelling are in these. This did not escape the discernment of our poet, who easily perceived that inveterate opinions must be attacked by other weapons, besides proclamations and censures: he accordingly made use of the keen one of ridicule. With this view he has here introduced, with admirable humour, a parcel of clowns, imitating all the solemnities of the tourney. Here we have the regular challenge--the appointed day--the lady for the prize--the formal preparations--the display of armour--the scucheons and devices--the oaths taken on entering the lists--the various accidents of the encounter--the victor leading off the prize--and the magnificent feasting--with all the other solemn fopperies that usually attended the pompous turnament. And how acutely the sharpness of the author's humour must have been felt in those days, we may learn from what we can perceive of its keenness now, when time has so much blunted the edge of his ridicule.
The _Turnament of Tottenham_ was first printed from an ancient MS. in 1631, 4to., by the Rev. William Bedwell, rector of Tottenham, who was one of the translators of the Bible. He tells us, it was written by Gilbert Pilkington, thought to have been some time parson of the same parish, and author of another piece, intitled, _Passio Domini Jesu Christi_. Bedwell, who was eminently skilled in the Oriental and other languages, appears to have been but little conversant with the ancient writers in his own, and he so little entered into the spirit of the poem he was publishing, that he contends for its being a serious narrative of a real event, and thinks it must have been written before the time of Edward III. because turnaments were prohibited in that reign. "I do verily beleeve," says he, "that this turnament was acted before this proclamation of K. Edward. For how durst any to attempt to do that, although in sport, which was so straightly forbidden, both by the civill and ecclesiasticall power? For although they fought not with lances, yet, as our authour sayth, 'It was no childrens game.' And what would have become of him, thinke you, which should have slayne another in this manner of jeasting? Would he not, trow you, have been _hang'd for it in earnest? yea, and have bene buried like a dogge_?" It is, however, well known that turnaments were in use down to the reign of Elizabeth.
In the first editions of this work, Bedwell's copy was reprinted here, with some few conjectural emendations; but as Bedwell seemed to have reduced the orthography at least, if not the phraseology, to the standard of his own time, it was with great pleasure that the Editor was informed of an ancient MS. copy preserved in the Museum (Harl. MSS. 5396), which appeared to have been transcribed in the reign of K. Hen. VI. about 1456. This obliging information the Editor owed to the friendship of Tho. Tyrwhitt, Esq., and he has chiefly followed that more authentic transcript, improved however by some readings from Bedwell's book.
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[A writer in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ (July, 1794, p. 613), calls attention to the fact that this ballad is "a burlesque upon the feudal custom of marrying an heiress to the knight who should vanquish all his opponents at a solemn assembly holden for the purpose."
Bedwell's MS. is now in the Cambridge public library (Ff. 5, 48), and Mr. Thomas Wright, who has printed it in a miniature volume, believes it to have been written as early as the reign of Edward II.
Bedwell was chaplain to Sir Henry Wotton in his embassy to Venice, where he is said to have assisted the celebrated Father Paul in the composition of his _History of the Council of Trent_. The following is a copy of the inscription on Bedwell's monument in the chancel of Tottenham church:--"Here lyes interred in this chancel Mr. William Bedwell, sometime vicar of this church and one of King James's translators of the Bible, and for the Easterne tongues as learned a man as most lived in these moderne times. Aged 70. Dyed May the 5th, 1632."]
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Of all thes kene conquerours to carpe[101] it were kynde; Of fele feyytyng[102] folk ferly[103] we fynde; The Turnament of Totenham have we in mynde; It were harme sych hardynes were holden byhynde, In story as we rede 5 Of Hawkyn, of Herry, Of Tomkyn, of Terry, Of them that were dughty[104] And stalworth[105] in dede.
It befel in Totenham on a dere[106] day, 10 Ther was mad a shurtyng[107] be the hy-way: Theder com al the men of the contray, Of Hyssylton,[108] of Hy-gate, and of Hakenay, And all the swete swynkers.[109] Ther hopped Hawkyn, 15 Ther daunsed Dawkyn, Ther trumped Tomkyn, And all were trewe drynkers.
Tyl the day was gon and evyn-song past, That thay schuld reckyn ther scot and ther counts cast;[110] 20 Perkyn the potter into the press past, And sayd Randol the refe,[111] a doyter[112] thou hast, Tyb the dere: Therfor faine wyt wold I,[113] Whych of all thys bachelery 25 Were best worthye To wed hur to hys fere.[114]
Upstyrt thos gadelyngys[115] wyth ther lang staves, And sayd, Randol the refe, lo! thys lad raves; Boldely amang us thy doyter he craves; 30 We er rycher men then he, and mor gode haves Of cattell and corn; Then sayd Perkyn, To Tybbe I have hyyt[116] That I schal be alway redy in my ryyt, If that it schuld be thys day sevenyyt, 35 Or elles yet to morn.[117]
Then sayd Randolfe the refe, Ever be he waryd,[118] That about thys carpyng lenger wold be taryd: I wold not my doyter, that scho[119] were miscaryd, But at hur most worschip I wold scho were maryd, 40 Therfor a Turnament schal begynne Thys day sevenyyt,-- Wyth a flayl for to fyyt: And 'he,' that is most of myght Schal brouke hur wyth wynne.[120] 45
Whoso berys[121] hym best in the turnament, Hym schal be granted the gre[122] be the comon assent, For to wynne my doyter wyth 'dughtynesse' of dent,[123][124] And 'coppell' my brode-henne 'that' was broyt out of Kent:[125] And my dunnyd kowe 50 For no spens[126] wyl I spare, For no cattell wyl I care, He schal have my gray mare, And my spottyd sowe.
Ther was many 'a' bold lad ther bodyes to bede:[127] 55 Than thay toke thayr leve, and homward they yede;[128] And all the weke afterward graythed ther wede,[129][130] Tyll it come to the day, that thay suld do ther dede. They armed ham[131] in matts; Thay set on ther nollys,[132] 60 For to kepe ther pollys,[133] Gode blake bollys,[134] For batryng of bats.[135]
Thay sowed tham in schepeskynnes, for thay schuld not brest:[136] Ilk-on[137] toke a blak hat, insted of a crest: 65 'A basket or a panyer before on ther brest,'[138] And a flayle in ther hande; for to fyght prest,[139] Furth gon thay fare:[140] Ther was kyd[141] mekyl fors,[142] Who schuld best fend hys cors:[143] 70 He that had no gode hors, He gat hym a mare.[144]
Sych another gadryng[145] have I not sene oft, When all the gret company com rydand to the croft:[146] Tyb on a gray mare was set up on loft 75 On a sek ful of fedyrs,[147] for scho schuld syt soft,[148] And led 'till the gap.'[149] For cryeng of the men Forther wold not Tyb then, Tyl scho had hur brode hen 80 Set in hur Lap.
A gay gyrdyl Tyb had on, borowed for the nonys,[150] And a garland on hur hed ful of rounde bonys,[151][152] And a broche on hur brest ful of 'sapphyre' stonys,[153] Wyth the holy-rode tokenyng,[154] was wrotyn[155] for the nonys;[156] 85 For no 'spendings' thay had spared.[157] When joly Gyb saw hur thare, He gyrd so hys gray mare, 'That scho lete a fowkin'[158] fare[159] At the rereward. 90
I wow to God, quoth Herry, I schal not lefe behynde, May I mete wyth Bernard on Bayard the blynde, Ich man kepe hym out of my wynde, For whatsoever that he be, before me I fynde, I wot I schall hym greve. 95 Wele sayd, quoth Hawkyn. And I wow, quoth Dawkyn, May I mete wyth Tomkyn, Hys flayle I schal hym reve.[160]
I make a vow, quoth Hud, Tyb, son schal thou se, 100 Whych of all thys bachelery 'granted' is the gre:[161] I schal scomfet[162] thaym all, for the love of the; In what place so I come thay schal have dout[163] of me, Myn armes ar so clere: I bere a reddyl,[164] and a rake, 105 Poudred wyth a brenand drake,[165] And three cantells[166] of a cake In ycha[167] cornere.
I vow to God, quoth Hawkyn, yf 'I' have the gowt,[168][169] Al that I fynde in the felde 'thrustand' here aboute,[170] 110 Have I twyes or thryes redyn thurgh the route, In ycha stede ther thay[171] me se, of me thay schal have doute, When I begyn to play. I make avowe that I ne schall, But yf Tybbe wyl me call,[172] 115 Or I be thryes don fall,[173] Ryyt onys[174] com away.
Then sayd Terry, and swore be hys crede; Saw thou never yong boy forther hys body bede,[175] For when thay fyyt fastest and most ar in drede, 120 I schall take Tyb by the hand, and hur away lede: I am armed at the full; In myn armys I bere wele A doy trogh[176] and a pele,[177] A sadyll wythout a panell, 125 Wyth a fles of woll.[178]
I make a vow, quoth Dudman, and swor be the stra, Whyls me ys left my 'mare,' thou gets hurr not swa;[179][180] For scho ys wele schapen, and liyt as the rae,[181] Ther is no capul[182] in thys myle befor hur schal ga;[183] 130 Sche wul ne noyt begyle: Sche wyl me bere, I dar say, On a lang somerys day, Fro Hyssylton to Hakenay, Noyt other half myle. 135
I make a vow, quoth Perkyn, thow speks of cold rost, I schal wyrch 'wyselyer'[184] withouten any bost:[185] Five of the best capulys, that ar in thys ost, I wot I schal thaym wynne, and bryng thaym to my cost, And here I grant thaym Tybbe. 140 Wele boyes here ys he, That wyl fyyt, and not fle, For I am in my jolyte, Wyth so forth, Gybbe.
When thay had ther vowes made, furth can thay hie, 145 Wyth flayles, and hornes, and trumpes mad of tre:[186] Ther were all the bachelerys of that contre; Thay were dyyt[187] in aray, as thaymselfes wold be: Thayr baners were ful bryyt Of an old rotten fell;[188] 150 The cheveron of a plow-mell;[189][190] And the schadow of a bell, Poudred wyth the mone lyyt.[191]
I wot yt 'was' no chylder[192] game, whan thay togedyr met,[193] When icha freke[194] in the feld on hys feloy[195] bet, 155 And layd on styfly, for nothyng wold thay let, And foght ferly[196] fast, tyll ther horses swet, And few wordys spoken. Ther were flayles al to slatred,[197] Ther were scheldys al to flatred, 160 Bollys and dysches al to schatred, And many hedys brokyn
There was clynkyng of cart-sadellys, & clatteryng of cannes;[198] Of fele frekys[199] in the feld brokyn were their fannes; Of sum were the hedys brokyn, of sum the braynpannes,[200] 165 And yll were thay besene,[201] or thay went thanns, Wyth swyppyng of swepyls:[202] Thay were so wery for-foght,[203] Thay myyt not fyyt mare oloft,[204] But creped about in the 'croft,'[205] 170 As thay were croked crepyls.
Perkyn was so wery, that he began to loute;[206] Help, Hud, I am ded in thys ylk rowte: An hors for forty pens, a gode and a stoute! That I may lyytly come of my noye[207] oute, 175 For no cost wyl I spare. He styrt up as a snayle, And hent[208] a capul be the tayle, And 'reft' Dawkin hys flayle,[209] And wan there a mare. 180
Perkyn wan five, and Hud wan twa: Glad and blythe thay ware, that they had done sa; Thay wold have tham to Tyb, and present hur with tha:[210] The Capulls were so wery, that thay myyt not ga, But styl gon thay stond.[211] 185 Alas! quoth Hudde, my joye I lese;[212] Mee had lever then a ston of chese, That dere Tyb had al these, And wyst it were my sond.[213][214]
Perkyn turnyd hym about in that ych thrang,[215] 190 Among thos wery boyes he wrest and he wrang; He threw tham doun to the erth, and thrast tham amang, When he saw Tyrry away wyth Tyb fang,[216] And after hym ran; Off his horse he hym drogh,[217] 195 And gaf hym of hys flayl inogh: We te he! quoth Tyb, and lugh, Ye er a dughty man.
'Thus' thay tugged, and rugged, tyl yt was nere nyyt:[218] All the wyves of Tottenham came to se that syyt 200 Wyth wyspes, and kexis,[219] and ryschys[220] there lyyt, To fetch hom ther husbandes, that were tham trouth plyyt; And sum bróyt gret harwos,[221] Ther husbandes hom to fetch,[222] Sum on dores, and sum on hech,[223] 205 Sum on hyrdyllys, and som on crech.[224] And sum on whele-barows.
Thay gaderyd Perkyn about, 'on' everych syde,[225] And grant hym ther 'the gre,' the more was hys pryde:[226] Tyb and he, wyth gret 'mirth,' homward con thay ryde,[227] 210 And were al nyyt togedyr, tyl the morn tyde; And thay 'to church went:'[228] So wele hys nedys he has sped, That dere Tyb he 'hath' wed;[229] The prayse-folk,[230] that hur led,[231] 215 Were of the Turnament.
To that ylk fest com many for the nones; Some come hyphalte,[232] and some trippand 'thither' on the stonys;[233] Sum a staf in hys hand, and sum two at onys; Of sum where the hedes broken, of some the schulder bonys: 220 With sorrow come thay thedyr. Wo was Hawkyn, wo was Herry, Wo was Tomkyn, wo was Terry. And so was all the bachelary, When thay met togedyr. 225
[234]At that fest thay wer servyd with a ryche aray, Every fyve & fyve had a cokenay;[235] And so thay sat in jolyte al the lung day; And at the last thay went to bed with ful gret deray:[236] Mekyl myrth was them among; 230 In every corner of the hous Was melody delycyous For to here precyus Of six menys song.[237]
FOOTNOTES:
[100] See (Mr. Hurd's) _Letters on Chivalry_, 8vo. 1762, _Memoires de la Chevalerie, par M. de la Curne de Sainte-Palaye_, 1759, 2 tom. 12mo. &c.
[101] [talk.]
[102] [fierce fighting.]
[103] [wonder.]
[104] [doughty.]
[105] [stout.]
[106] [dire or sad.]
[107] [sport.]
[108] [Islington.]
[109] [labourers.]
[110] Ver. 20. It is not very clear in the MS. whether it should be _conts_, or _conters_.
[111] [bailiff.]
[112] [daughter.]
[113] [know would I.]
[114] [to wed her for his mate.]
[115] [idle fellows.]
[116] [promised.]
[117] [it be to-morrow.]
[118] [accursed.]
[119] [she.]
[120] [shall have possession of her with joy.]
[121] [beareth.]
[122] [prize.]
[123] [blow.]
[124] Ver. 48. Dozty, MS.
[125] V. 49. coppeld. We still use the phrase "a copple-crowned hen."
[126] [expense.]
[127] [bid or offer.]
[128] [went.]
[129] [made ready their clothing.]
[130] V. 57. gayed, _PC._
[131] [them.]
[132] [heads.]
[133] [polls.]
[134] [bowls.]
[135] [cudgels.]
[136] [burst.]
[137] [each one.]
[138] V. 66 is wanting in MS. and supplied from _PC._
[139] [ready.]
[140] [they began to go forth.]
[141] [shown.]
[142] [much strength.]
[143] [best defend his body.]
[144] V. 72. He borrowed him, _PC._
[145] [gathering.]
[146] [riding to the inclosure.]
[147] [sackfull of feathers.]
[148] Ver. 76. The MS. had once _sedys_, _i.e._ seeds, which appears to have been altered to _fedyrs_, or feathers. Bedwell's copy has _Senvy_, _i.e._ Mustard-seed.
[149] V. 77. and led hur to cap, MS.
[150] [nonce or occasion.]
[151] [Chaucer uses the expression "rowel boon" in his _Tale of Sir Thopas_, which is explained as _round bone_.]
[152] V. 83. Bedwell's _PC._ has "Ruel-Bones."
[153] V. 84. safer stones, MS.
[154] [token.]
[155] [wrought.]
[156] V. 85. _wrotyn_, _i.e._ wrought. _PC._ reads, written.
[157] V. 86. No catel (perhaps chatel) they had spared, MS.
[158] [crepitus ventris.]
[159] V. 89. Then ... faucon, MS.
[160] [deprive.]
[161] Ver. 101. grant, MS.
[162] [discomfit.]
[163] [fear.]
[164] [riddle or sieve.]
[165] [sprinkled over with firebrands.]
[166] [pieces.]
[167] [each.]
[168] [though I have the gout.]
[169] V. 109. yf he have, MS.
[170] V. 110. the MS. literally has _th^r. sand_, here.
[171] [in each place where they.]
[172] [unless Tib will call me.]
[173] [ere I be thrice made to]
[174] [even once.]
[175] [engage.]
[176] [dough trough.]
[177] [a baker's long-handled shovel.]
[178] [fleece of wool.]
[179] [so.]
[180] V. 128. merth, MS.
[181] [roe.]
[182] [horse.]
[183] [go.]
[184] [work more wisely.]
[185] Ver. 137. fwyselier, MS.
[186] V. 146. flailes and harnisse, _PC._
[187] [dressed.]
[188] [hide.]
[189] [a small wooden hammer occasionally fixed to the plough.]
[190] Ver. 151. The chiefe, _PC._
[191] [moonlight.]
[192] [child's.]
[193] V. 154. yt ys, MS.
[194] [man.]
[195] [fellow.]
[196] [wonderfully.]
[197] [splintered.]
[198] V. 163. The boyes were, MS.
[199] [many men.]
[200] [skulls.]
[201] [dressed.]
[202] [striking fast of the staffs of the flails.]
[203] [over-fought.]
[204] [on horseback.]
[205] V. 170. creped then about in the croft, MS.
[206] [stoop.]
[207] [hurt.]
[208] [laid hold of.]
[209] Ver. 179. razt, MS.
[210] [them.]
[211] V. 185. stand, MS.
[212] [lose.]
[213] [knew it were my sending.]
[214] V. 189. sand, MS.
[215] V. 190. the _PC._ reads, ilk throng.
[216] [make off.]
[217] [drew.]
[218] Ver. 199. Thys, MS.
[219] [elder sticks used for candles.]
[220] [rushes.]
[221] [harrows.]
[222] V. 204. hom for to fetch, MS.
[223] [half door of a cottage.]
[224] [crutch.]
[225] V. 208. about everych side, MS.
[226] V. 209. the gre, is wanting in MS.
[227] V. 210. mothe, MS.
[228] V. 212. and thay ifere assent, MS.
[229] V. 214. had wed, MS.
[230] [singing men and women.]
[231] V. 215. The cheefemen, _PC._
[232] [lame in the hip.]
[233] V. 218. trippand on, MS.
[234] In the former impressions this concluding stanza was only given from Bedwell's printed edition, but it is here copied from the old MS. wherein it has been since found separated from the rest of the poem, by several pages of a money account, and other heterogeneous matter.
[235] [a lean chicken.]
[236] [a confusion.]
[237] Six-men's song, _i.e._ a song for six voices. So Shakespeare uses three-man song-men, in his _Winter's Tale_, act iii. sc. 3, to denote men that could sing catches composed for three voices. Of this sort are Weelkes's madrigals mentioned below, book ii. song 9. So again Shakespeare has three-men beetle; _i.e._ a beetle or rammer worked by three men, _2 Hen. IV._ act i. sc. 3.
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[Illustration: _The Notes referred to Vol. ii. page 29._
_Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria_ Owr Kynge went forth to Normandy with grace and myzt of Chyvalry, the God for hym wrouzt marvelusly Wherefore Englonde may call and cry, _Deo gratias_.
CHORUS
Deo Gratias. Anglia redde pro Victoria.]