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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 | [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
thanne axede the kyng which of hem tweyne
whiche ded that scholde ben, certeyne.
“Jn here Bataylle there schal be
Ful gret Signyfiaunce, J telle the,
and that ful gladly j wyle the Schewe
aforn thre of thy Barowns on a rowe.”
thanne clepede Fortager to hym anon
thre Barowns that he trostyd most vppon.
Anon seide merlyne to hym thanne:
“Trostist thow wel on these thre menne,
and ben they trewe of thy cownsaille,
what so evere it may avaylle?”
“ȝe, Sekerly, merlyne,” quod Fortager,
“non trewere knowe j neþer fer ne neer.”
“thanne may J,” quod merlyne, “tellen the
of swich thyng as thow tellest me.
J wele that thow knowe here, jn certayn,
that the rede be the white schal ben slayn.
but fyrst gret peyne Schal he have,
er from the rede he may gon save.
and the deth of the rede dragown
Schal notyse ful gret Significaciown,
and the victorye of the dragown so whyt.
For the it is ful hard to knowen Jt,
but tyl that the Bataylle be alle j-do,
of this thing schalt thou knowen no mo.”
whiche ded that scholde ben, certeyne.
“Jn here Bataylle there schal be
Ful gret Signyfiaunce, J telle the,
and that ful gladly j wyle the Schewe
aforn thre of thy Barowns on a rowe.”
thanne clepede Fortager to hym anon
thre Barowns that he trostyd most vppon.
Anon seide merlyne to hym thanne:
“Trostist thow wel on these thre menne,
and ben they trewe of thy cownsaille,
what so evere it may avaylle?”
“ȝe, Sekerly, merlyne,” quod Fortager,
“non trewere knowe j neþer fer ne neer.”
“thanne may J,” quod merlyne, “tellen the
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J wele that thow knowe here, jn certayn,
that the rede be the white schal ben slayn.
but fyrst gret peyne Schal he have,
er from the rede he may gon save.
and the deth of the rede dragown
Schal notyse ful gret Significaciown,
and the victorye of the dragown so whyt.
For the it is ful hard to knowen Jt,
but tyl that the Bataylle be alle j-do,
of this thing schalt thou knowen no mo.”
| [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |