"The scholar complains"

In honor of the long days and longer nights I have been dedicating to my coursework essay, I offer you a bit of humorous Middle English verse. At this moment I feel a special connection with this young poet, and his whimsical fancies concerning his teacher. This anonymous poem dates from around 1500. I found it while perusing R. T. Davies' "Medieval English Lyrics: A Critical Anthology" (London, 1963), p. 289, no. 178. I have put little glosses on the side for a few things.

"The scholar complains"

Hay! hay! by this day,
What availeth it me though I say, nay? [Burden, or refrain]

[1]
I wold fain be a clarke [I would like to be a scholar]
But yet it is a strange werke:
The birchen twigges be so sharpe,
It maketh me have a faint harte.
What availeth it me though I say, nay?

[2]
On Monday in the morning whan I shall rise,
At six of the clok, it is the gise
To go to skole without avise -
I had lever go twenty mile twise.
What availeth it me though I say, nay?

[3]
My master loketh as he were madde:
'Wher hast thou be, thou sory ladde? [Where have you been]
'Milked duckes, my moder badde.' [My mother made me milk ducks]
It was no mervaile though I were sadde!
What availeth it me though I say, nay?

[4]
My master pepered my ars with well good spede:
It was worse than finkill sede [than fennel sauce]
He wold not leve till it did blede -
Mich sorow have he for his dede!
What availeth it me though I say, nay?

[5]
I wold my master were a watt, [rabbit]
And my boke a wild catt,
And a brase of grehoundes in his toppe - [hair]
I wold be glade for to see that!
What availeth it me though I say, nay?

[6]
I wold my master were an hare,
And all his bokes houndes were,
And I myself a joly hontere;
To blow my hown I wold not space,
For it he were dede I wold not case!
What availeth it me though I say, nay?

Comments

[Eric dos Santos]

I am Randog's friend Eric (I bet he'd be happy if you called him that, too!). I came over here to your little corner of the internet to congratulate you on your acceptance into the school of your dreams. You must be one of the smartest people I don't know to have gotten into such a respected and (I'm sure) exclusive postition.

Great poem, by the way. It's been at least 32 years since I've read anything in that type of English. It was enjoyable to work my way through it. I'm not the mental titan that you and Randolph are, so it took me a little bit of work to get through it.

Congratulations, again. Enjoy Yale!