Meaning of もてり and use of が


> 白き布 もて盤上を 磨きたり 人は心に 鏡をもてり。

Is もてり 持てる？ If so, in that case why does a potential verb have the が particle?




This is not the potential form of 持つ, but the 已然形 of 持つ plus the 終止形 of the
助動詞 り. In this case, the combination corresponds to modern Japanese 持っている.

