Anno milleno (203)

Summary

[fol. 10v]

Anno milleno bis centenoque uiceno

Ter iam quintoque denique luce quoque,

Heu milleno bis centeno terque uiceno

Anno quintoque denique luce quoque,

Augusti quarta uera de Virgine parta

Luce Symon querit prelia sicque perit

Corpore non anima nam celsa petens fugit ima

Et postrema dies fit sibi prima quies.

Martis luce cadit cum uim ui pellere uadit.

Lux festo uacua congruit esse sua.

O pugil anglorum, tu fidus amator eorum

Pro quis castrorum non fugis ipse chorum.

O capud illorum, manus et pes atque cor horum

Pro causa quorum tis facis ipse forum

Singula membrorum uendens pro pace tuorum.

O pie mercator, inclite large dator

Dans corpus morti periure membra chohorti.

O magne fidei uir, bone serue Dei,

Iniuste pateris quia ius uir iuste tueris.

Sed quia ius queris in nece uictor eris.

Ha Deus in celis merito manet iste fidelis

Passus pro patria uulnera seua pia

Causa nam sponte populo pro paupere monte

De forti dictus nec uulnere nec nece uictus.

Iam bene de monte forti dictus quia sponte,

Fortiter ut fortis, fert horrida uulnera mortis.

Anno milleno (203)

Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 349/542, fol. 10v

In the year one thousand, two hundred, three score and five, and at dawn (alas, at dawn in the year one thousand, two hundred, three score and five) on the fourth of August, in a true dawn born of the Virgin, Simon sought battle and thus perished in the body but not in the soul. In seeking the highest he escaped the lowest, and the next day became his first respite. On a Tuesday he fell; with force he went forth to banish force. [10] The day, being void of any calendar feast, was proper to be his. O defender of the English, their faithful friend, for whom you do not flee even from a ‘company of hosts’. O their head, their hand, foot and heart: of yours you even hold a market on behalf of their cause, selling each of your limbs for the peace of your people. [16] O holy merchant, renowned and generous giver, giving your body to death and your limbs to a perjured gang. O man of great faithfulness and good servant of God, you suffer unjustly, O just man, for you protect the law. [20] Since you seek the law, however, in death you shall be the victor.