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 IX] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Whanne they herden the kynges preiden so faste,
Bretel on sire Vlphyn lowgh atte laste.
thanne answerid sire Bretel to the kyng:
“what nedith ȝow vs to axen of swich a thing,
whanne that ȝe knowen hyt as wel as we,
as merlyne ȝow hath told, ful certeinle,
So that hyt were not but wordis jn veyn
of swiche thinges to speken, certeyn?”
than answerede anon kyng Ban:
“now, leve sires, ho þere-of ȝou telle kan,
that ȝoure kyng js therto thus preve?”
“ȝis, Sire kyng, quod sire Bretel, sykirle,
The wysest man of al this Lond
Other of Al crystyndon, J Vndyrstonde.”
“Now where Js he?” quod the kyng Ban tho,
“and what his name, telle thou me also.”
“Syre, hit is merlyne,” quod Sire Bretel thanne,
“that we holden ryht a wys manne,
and jn my chambre he lyth to reste.
he is a man of cownseyl of þe beste,
For be his cownseyl we comen for ȝow,
wheche we hopen schal ben for ȝoure prow.”
Thanne spak kyng ban anon thanne
To kyng Arthewr there of this manne:
“Now, good Syre, lete ȝe vs now hym se,
For gret lust therto we han, parde,
For merveilles that we han herd of seye
of that man jn manye a weye.”
kyng Arthewr seide, with ryht good wylle
That anon he scholde comen hem vntylle.
Anon thanne sente he For Sire vlphyn,
and preyde hym gon to seken after merlyn.
And as Sire Vlphyn gan forth to gon,
ryht there with merlyne he mette anon.
thanne seide Sire Vlphyn: “welcome ȝe be;
the kyng wolde gladliche speken with þe.”
“j come ryht anon,” quod merlyne tho,
“For j ne rekke toforn whom þat j go.”
Thus entrede merlyne jnto that pres,
and many thinges seide, that was non les,
bothen of his konnenge and of his lyf,
there he hem tolde, with-owten stryf.
Bretel on sire Vlphyn lowgh atte laste.
thanne answerid sire Bretel to the kyng:
“what nedith ȝow vs to axen of swich a thing,
whanne that ȝe knowen hyt as wel as we,
as merlyne ȝow hath told, ful certeinle,
So that hyt were not but wordis jn veyn
of swiche thinges to speken, certeyn?”
than answerede anon kyng Ban:
“now, leve sires, ho þere-of ȝou telle kan,
that ȝoure kyng js therto thus preve?”
“ȝis, Sire kyng, quod sire Bretel, sykirle,
The wysest man of al this Lond
258
“Now where Js he?” quod the kyng Ban tho,
“and what his name, telle thou me also.”
“Syre, hit is merlyne,” quod Sire Bretel thanne,
“that we holden ryht a wys manne,
and jn my chambre he lyth to reste.
he is a man of cownseyl of þe beste,
For be his cownseyl we comen for ȝow,
wheche we hopen schal ben for ȝoure prow.”
Thanne spak kyng ban anon thanne
To kyng Arthewr there of this manne:
“Now, good Syre, lete ȝe vs now hym se,
For gret lust therto we han, parde,
For merveilles that we han herd of seye
of that man jn manye a weye.”
kyng Arthewr seide, with ryht good wylle
That anon he scholde comen hem vntylle.
Anon thanne sente he For Sire vlphyn,
and preyde hym gon to seken after merlyn.
And as Sire Vlphyn gan forth to gon,
ryht there with merlyne he mette anon.
thanne seide Sire Vlphyn: “welcome ȝe be;
the kyng wolde gladliche speken with þe.”
“j come ryht anon,” quod merlyne tho,
“For j ne rekke toforn whom þat j go.”
Thus entrede merlyne jnto that pres,
and many thinges seide, that was non les,
bothen of his konnenge and of his lyf,
there he hem tolde, with-owten stryf.
thanne hadde kyng Ban a clerk there,
a wyser man ther nas nowhere,
and aposyd merlyne of many a thyng;
his name was Guinebant, with-owten lesyng.
And what evere of merlyne he gan to freyne,
merlyne hym answerede anon, certeine,
For merlyne knew neuere non maner of man,
that hym so aposede as he dyde than.
And evere these kynges stodyn ful stylle,
tyl bothe clerkes hadden seid here wylle,
and tyl the dispetesoun was al j-do
er that ony of hem wolde thennes go.
So that there aqweyntawnce they took,
and neuere there-aftyr hit forsook.
a wyser man ther nas nowhere,
and aposyd merlyne of many a thyng;
his name was Guinebant, with-owten lesyng.
And what evere of merlyne he gan to freyne,
merlyne hym answerede anon, certeine,
For merlyne knew neuere non maner of man,
that hym so aposede as he dyde than.
And evere these kynges stodyn ful stylle,
259
and tyl the dispetesoun was al j-do
er that ony of hem wolde thennes go.
So that there aqweyntawnce they took,
and neuere there-aftyr hit forsook.
Thanne whanne al this was thus j-don,
merlyne to these two kynges gan to gon,
and seide: “ȝe ben lordis bothe goode & trewe;
my Lord kyng Arthewr hath sweche to fewe.
beholdeth now my lord and kyng, ful sikerle,
For he ȝoure Sovereyn and lord moste be,
and of hym ȝoure rem to holden vnder gage,
and him to don bothe Fewte & homage,
and he schal ȝoure Socowr and helpe be
aȝens alle ȝoure enemyes, Sykyrle.”
“Now, merlyne, tell vs, we preyen the,
jn what maner he was chosen kyng to be,
and ȝif that Antron wyste, verraylly,
kyng vter pendragones sone he were, trewely.”
“Ȝe, Sires,” quod merlyne, “with-owten lesyng,
that was þe cawse he is chosen kyng.
and of his Elecciown, with-owten dwere,
they konnen beren witnesse þat ben here,
bothe therchebisschope & vlphyn also;
bothe konne they seyn how hyt gan go.”
“merlyne,” quod the kyng thanne,
“We holden the for a ful trewe manne;
þerfore we wolden preyen the for thi lordis sake
of on thyng vs sewr forto make;
And For A trewe man We Knowen the, sekyrlye,
and for non erthely good thou wylt not lye.”
“A,” quod merlyne, “ȝe wolden that j swore
that hit were trewe þat j tolde ȝow to-fore.”
thanne gonnen these kynges to lawghen anon:
Swyche on knewe they neuere but hym alon.
Thanne seide merlyne to hem ageyn:
“what ȝe so me axen, j schal tellen ȝow, pleyn.”
So that respyt they tooken that nyht,
Tyl vppon the morwen hit was day lyht.
merlyne to these two kynges gan to gon,
and seide: “ȝe ben lordis bothe goode & trewe;
my Lord kyng Arthewr hath sweche to fewe.
beholdeth now my lord and kyng, ful sikerle,
For he ȝoure Sovereyn and lord moste be,
and of hym ȝoure rem to holden vnder gage,
and him to don bothe Fewte & homage,
and he schal ȝoure Socowr and helpe be
aȝens alle ȝoure enemyes, Sykyrle.”
“Now, merlyne, tell vs, we preyen the,
jn what maner he was chosen kyng to be,
and ȝif that Antron wyste, verraylly,
kyng vter pendragones sone he were, trewely.”
“Ȝe, Sires,” quod merlyne, “with-owten lesyng,
that was þe cawse he is chosen kyng.
and of his Elecciown, with-owten dwere,
they konnen beren witnesse þat ben here,
bothe therchebisschope & vlphyn also;
bothe konne they seyn how hyt gan go.”
“merlyne,” quod the kyng thanne,
“We holden the for a ful trewe manne;
þerfore we wolden preyen the for thi lordis sake
of on thyng vs sewr forto make;
And For A trewe man We Knowen the, sekyrlye,
and for non erthely good thou wylt not lye.”
“A,” quod merlyne, “ȝe wolden that j swore
that hit were trewe þat j tolde ȝow to-fore.”
thanne gonnen these kynges to lawghen anon:
Swyche on knewe they neuere but hym alon.
260
“what ȝe so me axen, j schal tellen ȝow, pleyn.”
So that respyt they tooken that nyht,
Tyl vppon the morwen hit was day lyht.
thus they departyd here cownseyl thanne,
and to bedde they wenten every manne.
thanne jnto on chambre wente that meyne:
thre kynges, þe bisschope, Guinebant, & merlin in compeyne;
For departen wolden they jn non weye,
and namly þis clerk Guinebant & merlyne, jn feye.
For a gret clerk held hym this merlyne,
as aftyr this storye reporteth wel and fyn.
and to bedde they wenten every manne.
thanne jnto on chambre wente that meyne:
thre kynges, þe bisschope, Guinebant, & merlin in compeyne;
For departen wolden they jn non weye,
and namly þis clerk Guinebant & merlyne, jn feye.
For a gret clerk held hym this merlyne,
as aftyr this storye reporteth wel and fyn.
| [Chapter IX] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |