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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Thanne vppon the morwe they sembled Eft sone,
and jnto on thing they acordid Echone:
So that of this child that there was bore,
how that his lyf Scholde be forlore,
And his blood j-leyd jn the fundement
Of that jlke towr, verament,
ȝif that towr scholde Evere abyde.
thus they seyden that jlke tyde,
Everich a mayster be hym-self alone,
and thus alle acordid they jn-to one.
“and lete vs maken the kyng thus beleve,
oþer ellis of oure lyves he wyle vs depreve;
and that theke child he do seken anon,
also faste as messengeris mown gon.”
thanne thus endid they here cownseil there,
that anon so to-forn þe kyng j-browht they were,
and eche be hym-self tolde his avis
aforn the kyng there and alle his.
thanne, whanne the kyng and alle his cownsaylle
herden hem thus tellen, with-owten faylle,
and seiden alle: “it myhte wel be,
Swich a thing, Jn alle degre,
ȝif so it be that a man be bore
with-owten erthly fadyr, as ȝe seiden before;
and thus han ȝe me told everyechone,
ech of ȝow maistres be ȝowre one.”
“and but ȝe it Fynde as we ȝow say,
ellis doth be vs what ȝow lyst, jnfay!”
thanne seyde the kyng to hem ageyn,
he wolde hem jn warde putten, certeyn,
Tyl that the sothe he myhte knowe.
thanne seiden they to hym vppon a rowe:
“Anon as that he Fownden Js, þat child so ȝyng,
Loketh that ȝe don hym Slen for ony thyng,
and that the blood be to ȝow browht,
and for non thyng they leven jt nowht.”
the kyng hem putte alle sevene anon
Jn a ful strong hows of lym and ston,
and deliuered hem jn what hem nede was,
therby to ben Sosteyned jn that plas.
and jnto on thing they acordid Echone:
So that of this child that there was bore,
how that his lyf Scholde be forlore,
And his blood j-leyd jn the fundement
Of that jlke towr, verament,
ȝif that towr scholde Evere abyde.
56
Everich a mayster be hym-self alone,
and thus alle acordid they jn-to one.
“and lete vs maken the kyng thus beleve,
oþer ellis of oure lyves he wyle vs depreve;
and that theke child he do seken anon,
also faste as messengeris mown gon.”
thanne thus endid they here cownseil there,
that anon so to-forn þe kyng j-browht they were,
and eche be hym-self tolde his avis
aforn the kyng there and alle his.
thanne, whanne the kyng and alle his cownsaylle
herden hem thus tellen, with-owten faylle,
and seiden alle: “it myhte wel be,
Swich a thing, Jn alle degre,
ȝif so it be that a man be bore
with-owten erthly fadyr, as ȝe seiden before;
and thus han ȝe me told everyechone,
ech of ȝow maistres be ȝowre one.”
“and but ȝe it Fynde as we ȝow say,
ellis doth be vs what ȝow lyst, jnfay!”
thanne seyde the kyng to hem ageyn,
he wolde hem jn warde putten, certeyn,
Tyl that the sothe he myhte knowe.
thanne seiden they to hym vppon a rowe:
“Anon as that he Fownden Js, þat child so ȝyng,
Loketh that ȝe don hym Slen for ony thyng,
and that the blood be to ȝow browht,
and for non thyng they leven jt nowht.”
the kyng hem putte alle sevene anon
Jn a ful strong hows of lym and ston,
and deliuered hem jn what hem nede was,
therby to ben Sosteyned jn that plas.
Thanne ordeyned the kyng messengeris ful snelle,
xij worthy gentyles, as j ȝow telle,
that they scholden alle anon forth gon
this Fadirles child to seken welson.
and these xij men the kyng made swere,
that where so evere j-fownden he were,
that they scholden hym Slen anon—
“and that his Blood jn a sawf place ȝe don,
and that it Sawfly be browht to me,
thowgh two ȝer owte that ȝe be.
and loke that ȝe fynden hym for ony thing,
thowgh that ȝe maken the lengere taryeng.”
and thus the messengeris, forth they gon,
be tweyne & tweyne here weye token they son,
and sowhten jn manye dyvers contre
that child to fynde, ȝif hit myhte be.
So that atte laste fowre metten jn fere,
as that here aventure behappede there.
xij worthy gentyles, as j ȝow telle,
that they scholden alle anon forth gon
this Fadirles child to seken welson.
and these xij men the kyng made swere,
57
that they scholden hym Slen anon—
“and that his Blood jn a sawf place ȝe don,
and that it Sawfly be browht to me,
thowgh two ȝer owte that ȝe be.
and loke that ȝe fynden hym for ony thing,
thowgh that ȝe maken the lengere taryeng.”
and thus the messengeris, forth they gon,
be tweyne & tweyne here weye token they son,
and sowhten jn manye dyvers contre
that child to fynde, ȝif hit myhte be.
So that atte laste fowre metten jn fere,
as that here aventure behappede there.
| [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |