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 |  |
And thus merlyne of his modir took cownge,
and forth with the messengeris wente, ful sikerle.
& Blayse wente forthe jnto Northhumberlond,
lyk as merlyn dyde hym to vndirstond.
and forth with the messengeris wente, ful sikerle.
& Blayse wente forthe jnto Northhumberlond,
lyk as merlyn dyde hym to vndirstond.
merlyne and these messengeris Jn fere,
alle forth to-gederis Riden they there.
So that thorwgh a town gonnen they Ryde,
where as market was the same tyde.
& whanne the town they were past everychon,
a cherl to-For hem Syen they gon,
that him hadde j-bowht a peire stronge schon,
and ek strong clowt lethir to sette þere-on.
and whanne that merlyne this cherl gan se,
he gan anon to lawghen ful prevyle.
thanne axeden hym the messengeris there
why he lawghed, & wherfore it were.
“Sires, j lawghe,” quod merlyne thanne,
“at hym that ȝondir goth, ȝone cherlisch manne,
that hym bowht ful stronge schon
and ek stronge clowtes to setten þer-on.
And j ȝow seye, ful certeynly,
that he schal dyen ful sodeynly,
Er that he come to his owne place;
Swich schal ben both his hape & his grace.”
and whanne they herden hym, that he seide so,
Ful mochel merveyl hadden they tho.
thanne seiden they that fayn they wolde knowe
ȝif it scholde happen with-jnne a throwe.
and so that tweyne folweden that jlke veleyn,
and tweyne with merlyne Ryden, certeyn.
they folwed not this cherl passyng a myle,
that he ne was ded with-jnne a whyle,
and evene a-myddes the hye weye,
there gan this veleyn forto deye.
and his schon vndir his arm were,
and ek his clowt lethir also there.
Anon as they hadden seyn this syht,
To here felawes they wenten with al here myht,
and tolden hem of that they hadden seyn,
and howh that þe veleyn to-forn hem gan deyen.
“Now certes,” quod these messengeris aȝen,
“alle theke clerkis, but Folys they been,
that wolde don vs this wyse man to sle,
but for non thing jt ne schal not be.
For on myn owne Body levere hadde j here
To suffren gret peynes jn dyvers manere,
thanne his body ony harm scholde haue,
also god me wysse other Save!”
and so they seiden everychon,
alle that with hym gonne forto gon.
thanne thankid they hym al jnfere,
of that merveille he told hem there.
and sore a-basched weren they echon,
For they cowden non thing nethir speken ne don,
but that he knew alle here entent;
thus thanne seiden they, verament.
alle forth to-gederis Riden they there.
So that thorwgh a town gonnen they Ryde,
where as market was the same tyde.
& whanne the town they were past everychon,
a cherl to-For hem Syen they gon,
that him hadde j-bowht a peire stronge schon,
65
and whanne that merlyne this cherl gan se,
he gan anon to lawghen ful prevyle.
thanne axeden hym the messengeris there
why he lawghed, & wherfore it were.
“Sires, j lawghe,” quod merlyne thanne,
“at hym that ȝondir goth, ȝone cherlisch manne,
that hym bowht ful stronge schon
and ek stronge clowtes to setten þer-on.
And j ȝow seye, ful certeynly,
that he schal dyen ful sodeynly,
Er that he come to his owne place;
Swich schal ben both his hape & his grace.”
and whanne they herden hym, that he seide so,
Ful mochel merveyl hadden they tho.
thanne seiden they that fayn they wolde knowe
ȝif it scholde happen with-jnne a throwe.
and so that tweyne folweden that jlke veleyn,
and tweyne with merlyne Ryden, certeyn.
they folwed not this cherl passyng a myle,
that he ne was ded with-jnne a whyle,
and evene a-myddes the hye weye,
there gan this veleyn forto deye.
and his schon vndir his arm were,
and ek his clowt lethir also there.
Anon as they hadden seyn this syht,
To here felawes they wenten with al here myht,
and tolden hem of that they hadden seyn,
and howh that þe veleyn to-forn hem gan deyen.
“Now certes,” quod these messengeris aȝen,
“alle theke clerkis, but Folys they been,
that wolde don vs this wyse man to sle,
but for non thing jt ne schal not be.
For on myn owne Body levere hadde j here
To suffren gret peynes jn dyvers manere,
thanne his body ony harm scholde haue,
also god me wysse other Save!”
and so they seiden everychon,
alle that with hym gonne forto gon.
thanne thankid they hym al jnfere,
66
and sore a-basched weren they echon,
For they cowden non thing nethir speken ne don,
but that he knew alle here entent;
thus thanne seiden they, verament.
Forth thanne Riden they in here jorne,
Tyl that jn Fortageris lond they be,
and with-jnnen his strengthe and his powere,
alle the iiij messengeris and merlyne jn fere.
So that Jt happede vppon a day,
As thorwgh A town thanne lay here Way,
A chyld to-ward Beryeng was there j-bore,
and moche ful sore wepyng was there-fore.
the prestes and clerkis, ful faste they songe,
as lowde as they myhten with here tonge.
thanne gan this merlyn to lawghen anon,
as he with his Feleschepe gan forth to gon,
and seide to his felawes: “merveilles J se.”
“Now, goode child,” quod they, “what mown tho be?”
“Se ȝe not,” quod merlyn, “now here
this goode man that Folweth the bere,
that so sore wepeth and maketh swich doel?”
“ȝis, sekyr,” quod they, “we sen hym wel.”
“and se ȝe not the preest that goth to-fore,
That so meryly now syngeth thore?”
“ȝis, child, that don we, ful Sykirly.”
“ȝe, the Sorwe scholde he maken, trewly,
For, be myn hevyd, the child is his,
and non thyng his that folweth, j-wys;
& therfore the Sorwe the preest scholde make
that the goodman doth For the childis sake.”
“what, trowen ȝe [not] that the child his be?”
“Nay, Sires,” quod merlyne, “ful Sykirle.”
“Leve child, how mowen we the sothe knowe?”
“Goth forth,” quod merlyne, “on a rowe,
and axeth the modyr the cause why
why that hire husbond wepeth so soryly.
Anon wele sche sein it is for his chyld,
that to hym was bothe mek and myld.
and loke that ȝe answeren hire ageyn
that it was neuere his, Jn certeyn,
but that the prestes child it Js
That to-forn goth and syngeth, J-wys.”
Tyl that jn Fortageris lond they be,
and with-jnnen his strengthe and his powere,
alle the iiij messengeris and merlyne jn fere.
So that Jt happede vppon a day,
As thorwgh A town thanne lay here Way,
A chyld to-ward Beryeng was there j-bore,
and moche ful sore wepyng was there-fore.
the prestes and clerkis, ful faste they songe,
as lowde as they myhten with here tonge.
thanne gan this merlyn to lawghen anon,
as he with his Feleschepe gan forth to gon,
and seide to his felawes: “merveilles J se.”
“Now, goode child,” quod they, “what mown tho be?”
“Se ȝe not,” quod merlyn, “now here
this goode man that Folweth the bere,
that so sore wepeth and maketh swich doel?”
“ȝis, sekyr,” quod they, “we sen hym wel.”
“and se ȝe not the preest that goth to-fore,
That so meryly now syngeth thore?”
“ȝis, child, that don we, ful Sykirly.”
“ȝe, the Sorwe scholde he maken, trewly,
For, be myn hevyd, the child is his,
and non thyng his that folweth, j-wys;
& therfore the Sorwe the preest scholde make
that the goodman doth For the childis sake.”
“what, trowen ȝe [not] that the child his be?”
“Nay, Sires,” quod merlyne, “ful Sykirle.”
“Leve child, how mowen we the sothe knowe?”
“Goth forth,” quod merlyne, “on a rowe,
and axeth the modyr the cause why
why that hire husbond wepeth so soryly.
Anon wele sche sein it is for his chyld,
that to hym was bothe mek and myld.
67
that it was neuere his, Jn certeyn,
but that the prestes child it Js
That to-forn goth and syngeth, J-wys.”
| [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |