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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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | [Chapter VIII] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Whanne that Vlphyn beheld al this,
Ful wel hyt lyked hym, þe justis, j-wys,
and preysede Bretel for his jorne,
For wel had he qwyt hym, ful Sykerle.
thanne forth they reden but a lytel weye,
that the vj knyhtes behelden, jn feye,
hough that h[er]e lord sore wowndyd was
and jn the Feeld lay jn that plas,
and seide that glad scholden they neuere be,
Tyl here lord venged were, ful certeinle.
thanne of these vj, tweyne gonnen Owt ryde
to ouertaken þe messengeris jn that Tyde,
al so faste as here hors myhte hem bere,
So that they ouertook hem anon there.
and whanne that they weren hem faste bye,
anon these messengeris they gonne ascrye,
and therto hem manacede wondyr sore,
but fullytel there-offen they ȝoven thore.
and whanne they hem Syen aprochen so ny,
ageyns hem they torneden ful worthyly
with here scheldis and speris anon riht there,
that with-jnne schort while jsembled they were.
so that alle iiij there so sore they mette,
and so grete strokis to-gederys they sette,
that on peces to-schateryd here scheldis,
and the gobettes flowen jnto the feldys,
that persched was bothen hauberk & habiriown
of Bothe partyes there jn Vyrown.
thanne aftyr, Bretel with his Lawnce
Smot his aduersarye atte owtrawnce:
thorwgh hawberk, haberiown, & þorwh þe throte
he hym there sone bar, god hyt wote,
that ded of his hors þere fyl he down,
jnto the Feld ouer his arsown.
and Vlphyn his aduersarye smot so tho,
that his spere thorwgh his lyft scholdere gan go,
and down of his hors fyl he jnto the feeld,
where as he lay stylle vndyr his scheld.
Ful wel hyt lyked hym, þe justis, j-wys,
and preysede Bretel for his jorne,
For wel had he qwyt hym, ful Sykerle.
thanne forth they reden but a lytel weye,
that the vj knyhtes behelden, jn feye,
hough that h[er]e lord sore wowndyd was
and jn the Feeld lay jn that plas,
and seide that glad scholden they neuere be,
Tyl here lord venged were, ful certeinle.
thanne of these vj, tweyne gonnen Owt ryde
to ouertaken þe messengeris jn that Tyde,
al so faste as here hors myhte hem bere,
So that they ouertook hem anon there.
and whanne that they weren hem faste bye,
anon these messengeris they gonne ascrye,
and therto hem manacede wondyr sore,
but fullytel there-offen they ȝoven thore.
and whanne they hem Syen aprochen so ny,
ageyns hem they torneden ful worthyly
with here scheldis and speris anon riht there,
that with-jnne schort while jsembled they were.
so that alle iiij there so sore they mette,
and so grete strokis to-gederys they sette,
that on peces to-schateryd here scheldis,
and the gobettes flowen jnto the feldys,
that persched was bothen hauberk & habiriown
240
thanne aftyr, Bretel with his Lawnce
Smot his aduersarye atte owtrawnce:
thorwgh hawberk, haberiown, & þorwh þe throte
he hym there sone bar, god hyt wote,
that ded of his hors þere fyl he down,
jnto the Feld ouer his arsown.
and Vlphyn his aduersarye smot so tho,
that his spere thorwgh his lyft scholdere gan go,
and down of his hors fyl he jnto the feeld,
where as he lay stylle vndyr his scheld.
| [Chapter VIII] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |