Crispine and Crispianus. Chap. I. How Crispianus and his brother Crispine, the two sons of the king of Logria1), through the cruelty of the tyrant Maximinus, were fain, in disguised manner to seek for their lives' safty, and how they were entertained by a shoomaker in Feversham. When the Romane Maximinus sought in cruell sort to bereave this land of all her noble youth or youth of noble blood, the vertuous queen of Logria which now is called Kent2) dwelling in the city Durovernum, alias Canterbury or the Court of Kentishmen, having at that time two young sons, sought all the meanes she could possible to keep them out of the tyrant's claws; and in this manner she spake3) unto them: "My dear and beloved sons, the joy and comfort of my age, you see the dangers of these times and the stormes of a tyrant's reign, who, having now gathered together the most part of the young nobilitie to make 1) Rowley: 'Elred and Offa this king's (Allured, King of Brittaine's) two sonnes, borrowing the names of Crispine and Crispianus.' 2) See the introduction, and compare: "Conanes Eorldom Kent is ihaten." Layamon's Brut, vol. II, Bk. V, 11561-62, ed. Madden. 3) Speake; corrected from T. them slaves in a forraign land that are free-born in their own countery, seeketh for you also, thereby to make a cleare riddance of all our born princes, to the end he might plant strangers in their stead. Therefore, my sweet sons, take the counsell of your mother and seek in time to prevent ensuing danger, which will come upon us suddenly as a storme at sea, and as cruelly as a tyger in the wildernesse. Therefore, suiting yourselves in honest habits, seek some poore service to shield you from mischance, seeing necessity hath priviledged those places from tyrannie. And so, my sons, the gracious Heavens may one day raise you to deserved dignitie and honour." The young lads, seeing that their mother was') so earnest to have them gone, fulfilled her commandment and, casting off their attire, put homlie garments on and, with many bitter tears, took leave of the queen, their mother, desiring her before they went to bestow her blessing upon them. "O my sons", quoth she, "stand you now upon your ceremonies? Had I leasure to give you one kisse, it were something. The Lord blesse you! Get you gon, away, away, make hast, I say; let not swift time overslip) you, for the tyrant is hard by." With that she pushed them out of a back doore, and then sets herselfe down to weep. The two young princes, which like pretty lambs went straying they knew not whither, at length by good fortune came to Feversham3), where, before the daye's peep, they heard certain shoomakers singing, being as pleasant as their notes as they sat at their businesse their song: and this was 1) Omitted in S. 2) From T; oversip in S. 3) In the Sh. H. the shoemaker of Feversham has been merged with Eyre, and Crispine and Crispianus have become Lacy and Askew. The young princes, perceiving such mirth to remain in so homely a cottage, judged by their pleasant notes that their hearts were not cloyed with over-many cares, and therefore wished it might be their good hap to be harboured in a place of such great content. But standing a long time in doubt what to do, like two distressed strangers, combating twixt hope and feare, at length taking courage, Crispianus knocking at the doore "What knave knocks there?" quoth the journeyman. And by and by down he takes his quarter-staffe and opens the doore, being as ready to strike as speake, saying, "What lack you?" To whom Crispianus made this answer: "Good sir, pardon our boldnesse and measure not our truth by our rudenesse. We are two poore boyes that want service, stript from our friends by the furie of these warres, and therefore are we enforced, succourlesse, to crave service in any place." "What, have you no friends or acquaintance in these parts to go to", said the shoomakers, "by whose means you might get preferment?" "Alas sir", said Crispianus, "necessitie is despised of every one and misery is troden down of many, but seldome or never relieved. Yet, notwithstanding, if our hope did not yeeld us some comfort of good hap, we should grow desperate through distresse." Palaestra. XVIII. V "That were great pitie", said the shoomaker. "Be content, for, as our dame tels our master, 'A patient man is better then a strong man.' Stay a while, and I will call our dame to the doore, and then you shall heare what she will say." With that he went in, and forth came his dame, who, beholding the said youths, said: "Now alas, poore boyes, how comes it to passe that you are out of service? What, would you be shoomakers and learn the Gentle Craft?" "Yes, forsooth", said they, "with all our hearts." "Now, by my troth", quoth she, "you do look with honest, true faces. I will intreat my husband for you, for we would gladly have good boyes; and if you will be just and true, and serve God, no doubt you may do well enough. Come in, my lads, come in." Crispianus and his brother with great reverence gave her thanks; and by that time they had stayed a little while, down came goodman, and his wife hard by his heels, saying: "Husband, these be the youths I told you of; no doubt but in time they will be good men." Her husband, looking wishly) upon them and conceiving a good opinion of their favors, at length agreed that they should dwell with him, so that they would be bound for seven years. The youths being contented, the bargain was soon ended, and so set to their business. Whereat they were no sooner setled, but that great search was made for them in all places; and albeit the officers came to the house where they dwelt, by reason of their disguise they knew them not, having also taken upon them borrowed names of Crispianus and Crispine. Within a few days after, the queen, their mother, was by the tyrant taken and, for that she would not confesse where her sonns were, she was laid in prison in Colchester Castle, whereunto she went with as cheerfull a countenance 1) S and T wishtly; R very wishfully. |
