Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance by Herry Lovelich ... (AB. 1450 A.D.), edited from the unique ms. 80 in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, with an introduction, notes, and glossaries by Dr. Ernst A. Kock |
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| XIV. |
 | [Chapter VIII] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Whanne kyng Arthewr hem hadde conqweryd,
these Syxe kynges, as ȝe haven herd,
Be the cownseyl of merlyne,
To cardeweyl jn wales he turned ageyn,
and Sente faste abowtes jn that contre
aftyr Sowdyowrs ful gret plente.
Bothe Robes and fees he ȝaf hem there,
To alle the Sowdeowrs that with him were,
bothe to powre, sqwyers, and to knyht,
So that they Sworen be god almyht,
with hym they wolden both lyven and deye;
thus they hym enswred be here feye.
whanne Kyng Arthewr hadde thus j-sped,
& the hertes of þe peple geten jn that sted,
and gret love abowtes jn that contre
of alle the peple jn here degre,
and aftyr he stuffede his cytes echon,
his castelis, his garesouns be on & be on.
these Syxe kynges, as ȝe haven herd,
227
To cardeweyl jn wales he turned ageyn,
and Sente faste abowtes jn that contre
aftyr Sowdyowrs ful gret plente.
Bothe Robes and fees he ȝaf hem there,
To alle the Sowdeowrs that with him were,
bothe to powre, sqwyers, and to knyht,
So that they Sworen be god almyht,
with hym they wolden both lyven and deye;
thus they hym enswred be here feye.
whanne Kyng Arthewr hadde thus j-sped,
& the hertes of þe peple geten jn that sted,
and gret love abowtes jn that contre
of alle the peple jn here degre,
and aftyr he stuffede his cytes echon,
his castelis, his garesouns be on & be on.
and sethen to logres he wente, j vndirstond,
that now is Clepyd Londone jn Engelond.
and there his parlement began he thanne;
To hym there Semblyd many a manne.
This cowrt there began, with-owten delay,
In Septembre vppon owre ladyes day.
atte that cowrt, with-owten dowte,
Many knyhtes he made, both stronge & stowte.
and to hem he ȝaf bothen grete rentes & fe,
and to hym dyden they homage & fewte.
To every man he ȝaf swich gwerdon there,
So that here degre wel Sosteyned were.
and thus he gat hym love plente
of knyht, Sqwyer, and comunealte,
So that they hym enswrede here trowthe & feye,
with hym to lyven and ek to deye.
and sethen they dyden him Socour, Sekyrlye,
as aftyr ȝe scholen heren jn this storye.
that now is Clepyd Londone jn Engelond.
and there his parlement began he thanne;
To hym there Semblyd many a manne.
This cowrt there began, with-owten delay,
In Septembre vppon owre ladyes day.
atte that cowrt, with-owten dowte,
Many knyhtes he made, both stronge & stowte.
and to hem he ȝaf bothen grete rentes & fe,
and to hym dyden they homage & fewte.
To every man he ȝaf swich gwerdon there,
So that here degre wel Sosteyned were.
and thus he gat hym love plente
of knyht, Sqwyer, and comunealte,
So that they hym enswrede here trowthe & feye,
with hym to lyven and ek to deye.
and sethen they dyden him Socour, Sekyrlye,
as aftyr ȝe scholen heren jn this storye.
| [Chapter VIII] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |