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 |  |
thanne dede fortager his comaundement;
and whanne they weren comen alle present,
thanne seide merlyne amonges hem alle:
“ȝe clerkis ben folys, what so befalle,
to entermeten ȝow of ony thyng,
but ȝif ȝe cowden bryngen it to endyng.
and in as moche as folys that ȝe be,
and fowle han faylled, ful certeinle,
ȝe ben worthy to haven ȝowre gwerdon,
that ȝe han deservyd be ryht reson.
wel wot j ȝe syen that j was bore,
but he that schewede it to ȝow thore,
schewed ȝow there ful openlye
that For me scholden ȝe Nedys deye;
and also gret doel he schewed ȝow there,
For he hadde me lost jn swich manere;
whiche was ȝoure cause, ful certeynle,
to comaunden kyng Fortager me forto sle.
but swych a lord j hope that j have,
thorwgh goddis helpe, me forto save;
and the devel a lyere schal j make,
ȝe scholen neuere deyen for my sake,
ȝif that Sewrawnce ȝe wylen me do
of thyng that j schal speken ȝow vnto.”
Whanne that they Herdyn merlyne so seyn,
thanne ful of Joye weren they, ful pleyn,
So of here deth excused to be,
and seiden to merlyne ful benyngnele:
“what evere thou biddist vs to don,
we scholen it Fulfillen Ryht anon.
For we knowen wel, with-owten lesynge,
that þou art the wysest man levenge.”
“ȝe scholen me ensuren, er that ȝe gon,
of this craft neuere to entermeten non.
and j comande ȝow alle jn fere
To ben confessid with herte clere,
and ȝoure flesch to putten jn discyplyne
to strong subiecciown & to gret pyne,
that ȝowre Sowles ne dampned be;
doth as j cownseille ȝow, certeinle!”
So that they thankyd hym everychon,
and grauntyd his comaundement to don.
and whanne they weren comen alle present,
thanne seide merlyne amonges hem alle:
“ȝe clerkis ben folys, what so befalle,
to entermeten ȝow of ony thyng,
but ȝif ȝe cowden bryngen it to endyng.
and in as moche as folys that ȝe be,
and fowle han faylled, ful certeinle,
ȝe ben worthy to haven ȝowre gwerdon,
that ȝe han deservyd be ryht reson.
wel wot j ȝe syen that j was bore,
but he that schewede it to ȝow thore,
schewed ȝow there ful openlye
that For me scholden ȝe Nedys deye;
and also gret doel he schewed ȝow there,
For he hadde me lost jn swich manere;
whiche was ȝoure cause, ful certeynle,
to comaunden kyng Fortager me forto sle.
but swych a lord j hope that j have,
thorwgh goddis helpe, me forto save;
and the devel a lyere schal j make,
ȝe scholen neuere deyen for my sake,
ȝif that Sewrawnce ȝe wylen me do
of thyng that j schal speken ȝow vnto.”
Whanne that they Herdyn merlyne so seyn,
thanne ful of Joye weren they, ful pleyn,
So of here deth excused to be,
and seiden to merlyne ful benyngnele:
“what evere thou biddist vs to don,
we scholen it Fulfillen Ryht anon.
For we knowen wel, with-owten lesynge,
that þou art the wysest man levenge.”
“ȝe scholen me ensuren, er that ȝe gon,
of this craft neuere to entermeten non.
and j comande ȝow alle jn fere
To ben confessid with herte clere,
and ȝoure flesch to putten jn discyplyne
to strong subiecciown & to gret pyne,
that ȝowre Sowles ne dampned be;
79
So that they thankyd hym everychon,
and grauntyd his comaundement to don.
| [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |