 | Otuel and Roland |  |
Rowlond now lyth on the gras,
And Baudewyn with hym was,
And schulde hym water bryng.
To fecche hym water he gan gon,
But he ne myȝt fynde none,
ffor none skynnes thyng.
Tho he tolde that there none was,
Roulond sayde, “allas! allas!”
with swythe gret mornyng.
And Baudewyn with hym was,
And schulde hym water bryng.
To fecche hym water he gan gon,
But he ne myȝt fynde none,
ffor none skynnes thyng.
Tho he tolde that there none was,
Roulond sayde, “allas! allas!”
with swythe gret mornyng.
To fecche eft ȝede baudewyn:
with that there come a sarsin,
There that lay roulond,
And tok that swerd, dorundale,
And thus he sayde in hys tale,
As he it held on hond:
“O Dorundale, thou art wel founde!
wyth the hath roulond y-brouȝt t grounde,
Many a sarsin of oure lond.
Now schal many a cristen berd
wynne schame here after-ward,
Thoruȝ help of mahoundys honde.”
with that there come a sarsin,
There that lay roulond,
And tok that swerd, dorundale,
And thus he sayde in hys tale,
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“O Dorundale, thou art wel founde!
wyth the hath roulond y-brouȝt t grounde,
Many a sarsin of oure lond.
Now schal many a cristen berd
wynne schame here after-ward,
Thoruȝ help of mahoundys honde.”
Whenne roulond herd hym speke so,
In hys hert hym was ful wo,
And hastylyche vp he stert.
he ȝede a-non to þat paynym,
and with hys horn he smot hym,
þat he ffelle ouer-þwart,
That blod and brayn start vp by-forn.
ffor-sothe hys lyf þere was lorn,
That he nas neuer after quart.
Ded he fel, so sayþ my tale.
ffor he wolde haue stolyn dorundale,
he hadde a stroke ful smert.
In hys hert hym was ful wo,
And hastylyche vp he stert.
he ȝede a-non to þat paynym,
and with hys horn he smot hym,
þat he ffelle ouer-þwart,
That blod and brayn start vp by-forn.
ffor-sothe hys lyf þere was lorn,
That he nas neuer after quart.
Ded he fel, so sayþ my tale.
ffor he wolde haue stolyn dorundale,
he hadde a stroke ful smert.
with þat cam baudewyn a-none a-gayn,
And fond Roulond on þe playn,
he leyde hym on hys stede,
Swerd and horn he tok also;
As man þat was in muche wo,
Away he gan hym lede.
Out of þat forest of rouncyvale,
In-to an oþer dep dale,
and leyde hym a-mede,
And sayde, “roulond, pur charite,
þenk on god in trinite,
þat for ous wolde blede!”
And fond Roulond on þe playn,
he leyde hym on hys stede,
Swerd and horn he tok also;
As man þat was in muche wo,
Away he gan hym lede.
Out of þat forest of rouncyvale,
In-to an oþer dep dale,
and leyde hym a-mede,
And sayde, “roulond, pur charite,
þenk on god in trinite,
þat for ous wolde blede!”
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with þat roulond, godys knyȝt,
loked vp to heuene lyȝt,
And sayde on hys maner.
“Ihesu, þat syttyth in trinite,
O god & persones þre,
Now here my prayer!
y com to thys contre,
Lord, for þe loue of þe,
And thy moder dere,
þe hethen for to slo,
That wrouȝt þe so muche wo,
whyle þat þu were here.
loked vp to heuene lyȝt,
And sayde on hys maner.
“Ihesu, þat syttyth in trinite,
O god & persones þre,
Now here my prayer!
y com to thys contre,
Lord, for þe loue of þe,
And thy moder dere,
þe hethen for to slo,
That wrouȝt þe so muche wo,
whyle þat þu were here.
lord, as þu art kyng y-corne,
let þu me be nouȝt for-lorne,
But bryng me to blys,
þere þat ys þy reynyng!
Ihesu criste, heuene kyng,
þere-of þat y ne mys,
And þylke þat ben y-slawe,
ffor þe ryȝt lawe,
And for þe stedfastnesse!”
let þu me be nouȝt for-lorne,
But bryng me to blys,
þere þat ys þy reynyng!
Ihesu criste, heuene kyng,
þere-of þat y ne mys,
And þylke þat ben y-slawe,
ffor þe ryȝt lawe,
And for þe stedfastnesse!”
Ryȝt in þys same prayer,
Roulond, þe very martyr,
passed out of hys lyue.
Angelys comyn fro heuene,
By syxty & by seuene,—
Off hym þay were ful blyþe,—
And brouȝten hym in-to blys,
þat neuer more schal mysse,
þere ioye ys ful ryue.
Now ihesu, mary sone,
Graunt ous alle, þerre to wone,
ffor thy woundys fyue!
Roulond, þe very martyr,
passed out of hys lyue.
Angelys comyn fro heuene,
By syxty & by seuene,—
Off hym þay were ful blyþe,—
And brouȝten hym in-to blys,
þat neuer more schal mysse,
þere ioye ys ful ryue.
Now ihesu, mary sone,
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ffor thy woundys fyue!
And as þe Angel mychael,
Gabriel, and raphael,
Roulondys soule bare
Ouer charlys chapyll, y-wys,
As turpyn mes sed, y-wys,
A gret crye he gan here,
Off fendys that weryn felle,
That weren to-warde helle,
with the soule of mansur.
Turpyn bad hem a-byde,
And axed hem in that tyde,
what thyng that they beryn there.
Gabriel, and raphael,
Roulondys soule bare
Ouer charlys chapyll, y-wys,
As turpyn mes sed, y-wys,
A gret crye he gan here,
Off fendys that weryn felle,
That weren to-warde helle,
with the soule of mansur.
Turpyn bad hem a-byde,
And axed hem in that tyde,
what thyng that they beryn there.
“On that ys ous ful sure,
ffor-sothe, the soule of mansure.
he hath y-serued ous ay.
he schall haue to hys hure
The pyne of helle, sure,
None other be it ne may!
And Roulondys soule ys
y-brouȝt in-to paradys,
with ioye and with play,
There-Inne for to be,
And there hyt to se,
ffor-soth, y the say.”
ffor-sothe, the soule of mansure.
he hath y-serued ous ay.
he schall haue to hys hure
The pyne of helle, sure,
None other be it ne may!
And Roulondys soule ys
y-brouȝt in-to paradys,
with ioye and with play,
There-Inne for to be,
And there hyt to se,
ffor-soth, y the say.”
whenne the masse was don,
The byschop turpyn a-non,
To charlys went, and sayde:
“Charlys syre, for-sothe y-wys,
Ryȝt now none other there nys,
Roulond ys do to deth.
ffor-sothe, y sey now ryȝt
Angels of muche myȝt
hys soule to heuene lede.”
wyth that com Baudewyn,
Roulondys owyn cosyn,
Rydyng on hys stede.
The byschop turpyn a-non,
To charlys went, and sayde:
“Charlys syre, for-sothe y-wys,
Ryȝt now none other there nys,
Roulond ys do to deth.
137
Angels of muche myȝt
hys soule to heuene lede.”
wyth that com Baudewyn,
Roulondys owyn cosyn,
Rydyng on hys stede.
The swerd and the horn,
he brought the kyng beforn,
And tolde hym of that cas,
how roulond was y-slawe,
And olyuer, hys gode felaw,
And alle that euer was.
Thoruȝ mansures rede,
Alle hys folk were dede,
And y-spylt in that plas.
Tho charlys wust thys,
he was ful sory, y-wys,
And sayde, “allas, allas!”
he brought the kyng beforn,
And tolde hym of that cas,
how roulond was y-slawe,
And olyuer, hys gode felaw,
And alle that euer was.
Thoruȝ mansures rede,
Alle hys folk were dede,
And y-spylt in that plas.
Tho charlys wust thys,
he was ful sory, y-wys,
And sayde, “allas, allas!”
with dwele and muche crye,
Charlys went in hye,
Roulond for to se;
And fond hym there ded,
And thus to hym he sayde,
As y schal telle the:
“O roulond, the good conquerour,
And the noblyst warryour,
That euer-more schal be!
Now y haue the for-lore,
Dey y wylle the be-fore,
But god wyl saue!”
Charlys went in hye,
Roulond for to se;
And fond hym there ded,
And thus to hym he sayde,
As y schal telle the:
“O roulond, the good conquerour,
And the noblyst warryour,
That euer-more schal be!
Now y haue the for-lore,
Dey y wylle the be-fore,
But god wyl saue!”
On swowne he felle to grounde,
A-none in that same stounde,
As a man that was in care,
And whenne he vp stood,
he cryed as he were wood,
And wep and tor hys here.
with a rewful rage,
he cracched hys vysage,
And sayde with sykyng sore:
“Roulond, now for the loue of the,
Dede now wyl y be!
Of blys y am alle bare.
A-none in that same stounde,
138
And whenne he vp stood,
he cryed as he were wood,
And wep and tor hys here.
with a rewful rage,
he cracched hys vysage,
And sayde with sykyng sore:
“Roulond, now for the loue of the,
Dede now wyl y be!
Of blys y am alle bare.
“Thow were strong as sampson,
And bolder thanne any lyon,
In batayle and eke in fyȝt.
I may wepe for thy partyng,
So dude dauid the kyng,
ffor absolon the whyte.
Best me ys my self to sle,
ffor glad ne worthe y neuer mo,
After thys ylke syȝt.
Thow were in were good and wys,
As was Iudas machabeus,
That was godys knyȝt.”
And bolder thanne any lyon,
In batayle and eke in fyȝt.
I may wepe for thy partyng,
So dude dauid the kyng,
ffor absolon the whyte.
Best me ys my self to sle,
ffor glad ne worthe y neuer mo,
After thys ylke syȝt.
Thow were in were good and wys,
As was Iudas machabeus,
That was godys knyȝt.”
The barouns beden hym let be,
And sayde, “syre, þur charyte,
lete a-way thys ylke mornyng!
wel ȝe seth how it geth,
There nys no bote of mannys deth,
Take to the confortyng!”
The kyng let that body dyȝt,
with myrre and baume a-ryȝt,
ffor drede off Rotyng;
And sythe went to Rowncyvale,
ther the bodyes lyen be tale,
of many an heyȝe lordyng.
And sayde, “syre, þur charyte,
lete a-way thys ylke mornyng!
wel ȝe seth how it geth,
There nys no bote of mannys deth,
Take to the confortyng!”
The kyng let that body dyȝt,
with myrre and baume a-ryȝt,
ffor drede off Rotyng;
And sythe went to Rowncyvale,
ther the bodyes lyen be tale,
of many an heyȝe lordyng.
139
And al-so Oliuer, ther they fownde,
with foure wythes harde y-bownde,
And ded he lay vndyr a tre.
On hys body was many a wownde,
Charlys sayd tho in that stownde.
“Allas, that yche schulde thys euer se!”
her pauylons ther they pyȝt,
And waked the bodyes all that nyȝt
with swythe grete solemptnite.
the kyng swore by god Almyȝt,
that ys on heye in heuene hyȝt,
ther-of he wolde a-wreke be.
with foure wythes harde y-bownde,
And ded he lay vndyr a tre.
On hys body was many a wownde,
Charlys sayd tho in that stownde.
“Allas, that yche schulde thys euer se!”
her pauylons ther they pyȝt,
And waked the bodyes all that nyȝt
with swythe grete solemptnite.
the kyng swore by god Almyȝt,
that ys on heye in heuene hyȝt,
ther-of he wolde a-wreke be.
Anon-ryȝt that trewe kyng
Made there ryȝt hys prayng
to Ihesu, ful of myȝt,
that he wolde sende hym grace
Ryȝt ther in that same place,
to haue the dayes lyȝt,
for to sle hys Enemys,
And al-so to wynne the peys,
Or come the next nyȝt.
An angel come ther sone,
And sayd, “y-herd ys thy bone!
Ryse an wende to fyȝt!
Made there ryȝt hys prayng
to Ihesu, ful of myȝt,
that he wolde sende hym grace
Ryȝt ther in that same place,
to haue the dayes lyȝt,
for to sle hys Enemys,
And al-so to wynne the peys,
Or come the next nyȝt.
An angel come ther sone,
And sayd, “y-herd ys thy bone!
Ryse an wende to fyȝt!
“for, tylle thou haue thy wylle,
the sonne schall stonde stylle
In the firmement.”
The kyng was tho glad & blythe,
And thonked god fele sythe,
Ihesu, lord Omnipotent.
kyng Charlys, and Turpyn,
Terry, & Eke Bawdewyn
to batayl sone they went,
And sworyn by goddys mounde,
thay schulde neuer stynt stownde,
Tylle the sarisins were schent.
the sonne schall stonde stylle
In the firmement.”
The kyng was tho glad & blythe,
And thonked god fele sythe,
Ihesu, lord Omnipotent.
kyng Charlys, and Turpyn,
140
to batayl sone they went,
And sworyn by goddys mounde,
thay schulde neuer stynt stownde,
Tylle the sarisins were schent.
Here by-gynnyth a batayle, stronge & fyn,
Off kyng Charlys and of Turpyn,
that Ioye ys of to here,
that fauȝten aȝens the sarisins stoute,
At saragous wyth-oute dowte,
As gode men schulde and sure.
Off kyng Charlys and of Turpyn,
that Ioye ys of to here,
that fauȝten aȝens the sarisins stoute,
At saragous wyth-oute dowte,
As gode men schulde and sure.
| Otuel and Roland | |