ABSTRACT
St. Godric’s Hymns are slight in themselves, but they are our earliest examples of the Middle English lyric.
The keynote of English poetry, and indeed of English prose, in the second half of the twelfth century is struck early in one of the most important and spirited poems of this period, the Poema Morale19 or the Moral Ode (c. 1170). In some four hundred lines of vigorous seven-stress verse the poet preaches a sermon on the theme, repent before it is too late. His method is suggestive of popular evangelism. He speaks first of his own misspent life and then paints the terrors of Doomsday, the torments of Hell, and the joys of Heaven. The beginning is somewhat disjointed and incoherent, but when the preacher in him begins to speak, the style becomes vivid, straightforward, and eloquent. There is a surprising note of cynicism in the opening lines. Whoever trusts too much in wife or child instead of thinking of himself is in danger of missing salvation. He will soon enough be forgotten by his friends and relatives. Such a mood, however, early gives way before the earnestness with which the author tries to make his points. The rich think to find safety in wall and ditch, but he who sends his treasure to Heaven need have no fear of fire or thief. Each man may purchase Heaven with what he has, the poor man with his penny as surely as the rich with his
St. Godric’s
Poema Morale
pound. In the final doom a man’s good works will all be known just as the devils have all his misdeeds written down. Repent now! When Death is at the door it is too late to cry for mercy. There is no virtue in hating evil when you can’t do evil any more. All the terrors of Hell which the Middle Ages knew from the Visio Pauli are described in contrast with the joy which the blessed experience in God’s presence. The wicked are enumerated in detail-those who made vows to God and didn’t keep them, who led their lives in war and strife, who lied, cheated, persecuted poor men, etc., etc. The poet closes with an exhortation to choose the narrow and difficult road, the road which few follow. The poem is addressed to “simple men and poor” and must standas an illustration of matter and purpose-for a number of other twelfthcentury pieces which we shall have to mention more briefly.
