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 II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Now thanne scheweth this Storye
how that Fortager kyng was, Sekerlye.
and whanne that Sacrid he was kyng,
thanne to hym these Barowns weren comeng,
the same that Slowen kyng costantyn
(therfore hadden they ful evele fyn),
and stoden tofor Fortager vppon a rowe,
& countenaunce he made as he cowde not hem knowe,
& lyk as to-Fore he ne hadde neuere hem seyn;
this cowntenaunce made Fortager, jn certeyn.
thanne they to hym aproched Neer,
and thus they seide to kyng fortager:
“by vs a kyng J-mad thow were,
& kyng costance we slowen for the here.”
and whanne kyng Fortager herde this,
Anon he leet hem to be taken, j-wis.
“For ded moste ȝe Nedys been,
For ȝowre owne juggement hauen ȝe ȝoven clen,
That seyn ȝe slowen ȝowre owne lord,
ȝe mosten be ded be ȝowre owne word.
j se wel, the same wele ȝe don be me,
but j schal ȝow bettere don kepen, Sykerle.”
and whanne the xij Barowns herde this,
Ful sore they weren abasched, j-wys.
So that thanne Fortager ryht anon
let hem don drawen everichon,
and to hors hem bond, & so to-drowe,
and thus these xij knyhtes he slowe;
For of hem non pece with othyr lefte,
So that from the Bodyes Jt was refte.
how that Fortager kyng was, Sekerlye.
and whanne that Sacrid he was kyng,
thanne to hym these Barowns weren comeng,
the same that Slowen kyng costantyn
(therfore hadden they ful evele fyn),
and stoden tofor Fortager vppon a rowe,
& countenaunce he made as he cowde not hem knowe,
& lyk as to-Fore he ne hadde neuere hem seyn;
this cowntenaunce made Fortager, jn certeyn.
thanne they to hym aproched Neer,
and thus they seide to kyng fortager:
“by vs a kyng J-mad thow were,
& kyng costance we slowen for the here.”
and whanne kyng Fortager herde this,
Anon he leet hem to be taken, j-wis.
“For ded moste ȝe Nedys been,
For ȝowre owne juggement hauen ȝe ȝoven clen,
That seyn ȝe slowen ȝowre owne lord,
ȝe mosten be ded be ȝowre owne word.
j se wel, the same wele ȝe don be me,
but j schal ȝow bettere don kepen, Sykerle.”
51
Ful sore they weren abasched, j-wys.
So that thanne Fortager ryht anon
let hem don drawen everichon,
and to hors hem bond, & so to-drowe,
and thus these xij knyhtes he slowe;
For of hem non pece with othyr lefte,
So that from the Bodyes Jt was refte.
thanne these men that distroyed were,
moche worthy kynrede hadden they there.
and to Fortager comen they anon,
and seiden: “mochel schame hast þou vs don,
that thou oure kynrede hast thus slayn
and so veleynowsly to deth hem put, certayn.
For neuere Servise we scholen the do,
for þou oure kynrede thus dydest Slo.”
whanne Fortager herde they gonnen hym manace,
anon angry was he jn that place,
and seide, ȝif they Spoken ony more,
the same jewys scholden they han thore.
of wheche wordis they hadden gret dyspyt,
as who that ful lytel dowteden jt,
and seiden to Fortager there anon:
“thow dost vs manacen everichon,
but we don the to vndirstonde:
As longe as we han Frendis oþer Londe,
Gold other Sylver, owther oþer entaylle,
the schal nethyr faillen werre ne bataylle.
and we defyen the what thou kanst do,
For falsly the kyngdom ocupiest thou so,
and Falsly & vntrewely ocupyest the crowne,
with-owten ryht Skele owther resowne.
for wete thow wel, ryht jn good feye,
as evel deth ȝit schalt thou deye.”
So that thus, jn this manere degre,
betwixen the kyng & þe barowns began þe melle;
and gret peple asembled vppon a day,
and on Fortager they comen, the sothe to say,
& gret distrocciown diden him there,
and of his token they many presonere.
So that jn this wyse kyng Fortagere
that Lond governede longe there,
and hem drof owt of the lond
as For a whyle, as j vndirstond.
moche worthy kynrede hadden they there.
and to Fortager comen they anon,
and seiden: “mochel schame hast þou vs don,
that thou oure kynrede hast thus slayn
and so veleynowsly to deth hem put, certayn.
For neuere Servise we scholen the do,
for þou oure kynrede thus dydest Slo.”
whanne Fortager herde they gonnen hym manace,
anon angry was he jn that place,
and seide, ȝif they Spoken ony more,
the same jewys scholden they han thore.
of wheche wordis they hadden gret dyspyt,
as who that ful lytel dowteden jt,
and seiden to Fortager there anon:
“thow dost vs manacen everichon,
but we don the to vndirstonde:
As longe as we han Frendis oþer Londe,
Gold other Sylver, owther oþer entaylle,
the schal nethyr faillen werre ne bataylle.
and we defyen the what thou kanst do,
For falsly the kyngdom ocupiest thou so,
and Falsly & vntrewely ocupyest the crowne,
with-owten ryht Skele owther resowne.
for wete thow wel, ryht jn good feye,
as evel deth ȝit schalt thou deye.”
So that thus, jn this manere degre,
betwixen the kyng & þe barowns began þe melle;
and gret peple asembled vppon a day,
and on Fortager they comen, the sothe to say,
52
and of his token they many presonere.
So that jn this wyse kyng Fortagere
that Lond governede longe there,
and hem drof owt of the lond
as For a whyle, as j vndirstond.
| [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |