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 III] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Thus aqweyntyd merlyne with Pendragown,
and of hym took leve Jn that town.
So Forth to Blasye he gan to gon,
and dide hym it putten jn scripture anon,
that so be hym knowen we this storye,
wheche to vs is put Jn memorye.
And Pandragown held forth his weye,
tyl that to his brothyr he cam, jn feye.
& whanne that vter his brothyr Say,
Ful mochel Joye he made that day,
and took the kyng anon on side,
and þere hym tolde that ilke tyde
how that haugwis he had slayn,
lik as merlyne him ferst hadde told, certeyn.
“Now, goode brother, what myht he be,
That ferst discured to ȝow þis destyne?”
“Now, so me god helpe,” quod vter thanne,
“j merveillede neuere so mochel of manne.
Of that ȝe me Seyn jn this throwe
whiche j wende neuere but that god and j hadde knowe.
and therfore I preye ȝow, for charyte,
how that ȝe jt wiste, now telleth me.”
“J seye ȝow sekerly,” quod Pandragown,
“j Jt now knowe be good Resown.
but, brothir vter, what good man was he
that from the deth warawnted the?”
“be the oth þat j owe to ȝow, my kyng,
j schal ȝow trewly seyn, to my knoweng.
j not what maner of man jt was,
but a good man he semede jn every plas,
and therefore the bettere j gan hym leve,
For aftyr, the sothe he dede me preve.”
“Cowde ȝe hym knowen,” quod Pandragown tho,
“jn ony place and he to-fore ȝow go?”
“ȝe, sire, forsothe,” quod vter thanne,
“J schal hym knowen to-forn anothir manne.”
“wel, Sire vter, thanne warne j the
that with-jnne xij dayes he wyle here be,
and only with ȝow wil he speke,
and to ȝow his herte wyle he breke.
but of on thing j preye ȝow, certeinle:
that al that day ȝe ben to-forn me,
that j myhte knowen, as wel as ȝe,
what maner of man þat so he be.”
And vter be-hyghte that so he Wolde,
and not to letten for ȝong neþer olde.
and thus bothe the bretheren Jn fere
of diuers materis spoken there.
and of hym took leve Jn that town.
So Forth to Blasye he gan to gon,
and dide hym it putten jn scripture anon,
that so be hym knowen we this storye,
wheche to vs is put Jn memorye.
And Pandragown held forth his weye,
tyl that to his brothyr he cam, jn feye.
& whanne that vter his brothyr Say,
Ful mochel Joye he made that day,
and took the kyng anon on side,
and þere hym tolde that ilke tyde
how that haugwis he had slayn,
lik as merlyne him ferst hadde told, certeyn.
“Now, goode brother, what myht he be,
That ferst discured to ȝow þis destyne?”
“Now, so me god helpe,” quod vter thanne,
“j merveillede neuere so mochel of manne.
94
whiche j wende neuere but that god and j hadde knowe.
and therfore I preye ȝow, for charyte,
how that ȝe jt wiste, now telleth me.”
“J seye ȝow sekerly,” quod Pandragown,
“j Jt now knowe be good Resown.
but, brothir vter, what good man was he
that from the deth warawnted the?”
“be the oth þat j owe to ȝow, my kyng,
j schal ȝow trewly seyn, to my knoweng.
j not what maner of man jt was,
but a good man he semede jn every plas,
and therefore the bettere j gan hym leve,
For aftyr, the sothe he dede me preve.”
“Cowde ȝe hym knowen,” quod Pandragown tho,
“jn ony place and he to-fore ȝow go?”
“ȝe, sire, forsothe,” quod vter thanne,
“J schal hym knowen to-forn anothir manne.”
“wel, Sire vter, thanne warne j the
that with-jnne xij dayes he wyle here be,
and only with ȝow wil he speke,
and to ȝow his herte wyle he breke.
but of on thing j preye ȝow, certeinle:
that al that day ȝe ben to-forn me,
that j myhte knowen, as wel as ȝe,
what maner of man þat so he be.”
And vter be-hyghte that so he Wolde,
and not to letten for ȝong neþer olde.
and thus bothe the bretheren Jn fere
of diuers materis spoken there.
and merlyne forth to Blasye wente,
and tolde hym alle these poyntes, veramente,
how the tweyne bretheryn of hym gonne speke,
& how þat vter of his fo gan hym wreke,
and how that Pandragown wolde hym asaye
be many poyntes and many a waye.
thanne axede blasie of merlyne there
how they lyveden and jn what manere.
thanne seide merlyne to blasie ageyn
that—“bothe ben they ȝonge men, jn certeyn,
and gret nede they haven of good cownsaylle
of swich a man that myhte hem avaylle.
but fyrst jnto mirthe j wolde hem drawe
with lawghenges & boordes to maken hem fawe.
For j wot wel where woneth a fayr lady
that vter Loveth, paramours, trewely,
and so streyht to hym wyl j gon
with a lettre from his love anon.
For j knowe alle the wordis preve
that betwixen hem to-fore tyme hath be.”
and tolde hym alle these poyntes, veramente,
how the tweyne bretheryn of hym gonne speke,
& how þat vter of his fo gan hym wreke,
and how that Pandragown wolde hym asaye
be many poyntes and many a waye.
thanne axede blasie of merlyne there
how they lyveden and jn what manere.
95
that—“bothe ben they ȝonge men, jn certeyn,
and gret nede they haven of good cownsaylle
of swich a man that myhte hem avaylle.
but fyrst jnto mirthe j wolde hem drawe
with lawghenges & boordes to maken hem fawe.
For j wot wel where woneth a fayr lady
that vter Loveth, paramours, trewely,
and so streyht to hym wyl j gon
with a lettre from his love anon.
For j knowe alle the wordis preve
that betwixen hem to-fore tyme hath be.”
And þe xj day thanne next Sewenge,
To cowrt cam merlyne faste rennenge
jn liknesse of a groom messenger
that from his Love to hym cam ther,
and seide: “my lady greteth ȝow wel
with herte and Body everydel,
and sente ȝow here a lettre to rede
alone be ȝoure-self jn prevy stede.”
thanne took vter this lettre, verament,
and wende his love hadde it hym sent,
and ryht gret Joye he gan to make
of þe lettre for his loves sake.
thanne spak the lettre jn this manere,
þat the messenger he scholde lestene & here
and trowen that he to hym seide,
For so on hym hire arende sche leyde.
and this messenger tolde many prevy thyng
that vter had offen ryht good knoweng,
so that þe bettyr wil hadde he to dwelle
For thinges þe messenger gan hym telle.
thus alday taryede kyng Pandragown,
Tyl the lyht of day was ny agon,
and merveillede of merlynes taryenge,
and why that so Longe was his dwellenge.
To cowrt cam merlyne faste rennenge
jn liknesse of a groom messenger
that from his Love to hym cam ther,
and seide: “my lady greteth ȝow wel
with herte and Body everydel,
and sente ȝow here a lettre to rede
alone be ȝoure-self jn prevy stede.”
thanne took vter this lettre, verament,
and wende his love hadde it hym sent,
and ryht gret Joye he gan to make
of þe lettre for his loves sake.
thanne spak the lettre jn this manere,
þat the messenger he scholde lestene & here
and trowen that he to hym seide,
For so on hym hire arende sche leyde.
and this messenger tolde many prevy thyng
that vter had offen ryht good knoweng,
so that þe bettyr wil hadde he to dwelle
For thinges þe messenger gan hym telle.
thus alday taryede kyng Pandragown,
Tyl the lyht of day was ny agon,
and merveillede of merlynes taryenge,
and why that so Longe was his dwellenge.
thussone merlyne drowh hym on syde,
and þere took anothir lyknesse that tyde,
Evene the same fygure and semblaunce
as whanne he warned vter of his chaunce.
Anon as vter him gan be-holde,
he hym knew and jn armes gan folde,
and preyede hym for alle cowrtesye
with hym to abyden stedfastlye,
and that he wolde speken with the kyng
with-owten ony more taryeng.
thanne tolde vter to Pandragown
that this good man was comen to town.
thanne axede the kyng of vter there
ȝif it were the same jn alle manere.
“ȝe, sire,” quod vter, “with-owten dowte.”
so forth wenten they bothe jn þat rowte,
and comen bothe to this good man,
and þer of hym gret joye made than.
“wile ȝe þat j to my brothir vter proclame
what man ȝe ben and what is ȝoure name?”
“Ȝe, sire, J Wyle Wyth Ryht good Wylle
that to ȝoure brothyr ȝe seyn it vntylle.”
thanne seide Pandragown to his brothyr dere:
“knowen ȝe owht this man that is here?
J telle ȝow, brothir, ful certeinlye,
that this is the wisest man, trewlye,
that here on lyve may now be,
Of whom we han gret mester, ful sikerle.
For sweche konneng hath this man,
as here to-forn hym tellen j ȝow kan.
for to ȝow cam non other messengere
but only this man that Js here.
and þe lettres tok ȝow this same man
that seide how he from ȝoure love cam.”
thanne abascht hym vter ful sore,
and of that man he wondred thore.
“how may j beleven this jlke thyng?
this were to me gret merveyllyng!”
“As wel mown ȝe knowen this jlke dede
as of oþer thinges þat he to ȝow afore seide.”
thanne seide vter: “ful certeynle,
j kan not beleven that this scholde ben he.”
the kyng preide merlyne jn wordis fewe
that som maner of tokenyng he wold hym schewe.
“Goth forth from me,” quod merlyne, “henne,
and anon j schal don hym me kenne.
For j wele proven hym þe same semblance
Of that Garsown, with-owten varyaunce.”
and þere took anothir lyknesse that tyde,
96
as whanne he warned vter of his chaunce.
Anon as vter him gan be-holde,
he hym knew and jn armes gan folde,
and preyede hym for alle cowrtesye
with hym to abyden stedfastlye,
and that he wolde speken with the kyng
with-owten ony more taryeng.
thanne tolde vter to Pandragown
that this good man was comen to town.
thanne axede the kyng of vter there
ȝif it were the same jn alle manere.
“ȝe, sire,” quod vter, “with-owten dowte.”
so forth wenten they bothe jn þat rowte,
and comen bothe to this good man,
and þer of hym gret joye made than.
“wile ȝe þat j to my brothir vter proclame
what man ȝe ben and what is ȝoure name?”
“Ȝe, sire, J Wyle Wyth Ryht good Wylle
that to ȝoure brothyr ȝe seyn it vntylle.”
thanne seide Pandragown to his brothyr dere:
“knowen ȝe owht this man that is here?
J telle ȝow, brothir, ful certeinlye,
that this is the wisest man, trewlye,
that here on lyve may now be,
Of whom we han gret mester, ful sikerle.
For sweche konneng hath this man,
as here to-forn hym tellen j ȝow kan.
for to ȝow cam non other messengere
but only this man that Js here.
and þe lettres tok ȝow this same man
that seide how he from ȝoure love cam.”
thanne abascht hym vter ful sore,
and of that man he wondred thore.
“how may j beleven this jlke thyng?
this were to me gret merveyllyng!”
“As wel mown ȝe knowen this jlke dede
as of oþer thinges þat he to ȝow afore seide.”
97
j kan not beleven that this scholde ben he.”
the kyng preide merlyne jn wordis fewe
that som maner of tokenyng he wold hym schewe.
“Goth forth from me,” quod merlyne, “henne,
and anon j schal don hym me kenne.
For j wele proven hym þe same semblance
Of that Garsown, with-owten varyaunce.”
And forth he wente thanne anon,
and þat same semblance he took thusson,
& cam to vter and took his leve,
For that þe sothe he scholde preve.
“brother, the sothe knowen not now ȝe,
that this same verray man Js he
that tolde how haugwis wolde ȝow han slayn?”
“ȝis, ful sekyr ȝe ben, brothyr, jn certeyn;
For bothe wete ȝe wel and vndirstonde
that he knoweth thinges jn dyvers londe,
bothe that is to comen and that js gon,
For of aventures kan he tellen manyon.
wherefore, brothir, we welen hym preye
with vs to dwellen, be ony weye;
For aftyr his werkynge welen we do
of alle thinges that vs longen vnto.”
and þat same semblance he took thusson,
& cam to vter and took his leve,
For that þe sothe he scholde preve.
“brother, the sothe knowen not now ȝe,
that this same verray man Js he
that tolde how haugwis wolde ȝow han slayn?”
“ȝis, ful sekyr ȝe ben, brothyr, jn certeyn;
For bothe wete ȝe wel and vndirstonde
that he knoweth thinges jn dyvers londe,
bothe that is to comen and that js gon,
For of aventures kan he tellen manyon.
wherefore, brothir, we welen hym preye
with vs to dwellen, be ony weye;
For aftyr his werkynge welen we do
of alle thinges that vs longen vnto.”
thanne bothe bretheren gonnen hym beseche
with hem to dwellen, with ful fayr speche.
“For so mochel to vs hauen ȝe told
of dyvers thinges manyfold,
wherefore that j beleve ȝow wel;
and that ȝe wolden everydel
Taken governaunce of my brothir and me;
and it ȝow likede, it myhte so be.”
thanne answerede hem aȝen merlyne:
“this schal j granten ȝow wel and fyne,
but j wile that ȝe knowen, certeinly,
of myn doyng prevyly.
For ȝit most j gon forther mo
to the hed of Gret Breteigne, how so j do.
but weteth wel that j schal haue knowenge
Of alle ȝowre nedis, with-owten varienge;
and Neuere deseisse schal j be ȝow se,
but that j schal helpen ȝow, Sekerle.
and þerfore chargeth not whanne j go,
For schortly schal j comen ȝow to.
and whanne that j come jnto ȝoure howshold,
loke þat ȝe joyen many fold
aforn ȝowre meyne jn my Syht,
That there-offen mowe knowen Every Wyht.”
with hem to dwellen, with ful fayr speche.
“For so mochel to vs hauen ȝe told
of dyvers thinges manyfold,
wherefore that j beleve ȝow wel;
and that ȝe wolden everydel
Taken governaunce of my brothir and me;
and it ȝow likede, it myhte so be.”
thanne answerede hem aȝen merlyne:
“this schal j granten ȝow wel and fyne,
but j wile that ȝe knowen, certeinly,
of myn doyng prevyly.
For ȝit most j gon forther mo
to the hed of Gret Breteigne, how so j do.
98
Of alle ȝowre nedis, with-owten varienge;
and Neuere deseisse schal j be ȝow se,
but that j schal helpen ȝow, Sekerle.
and þerfore chargeth not whanne j go,
For schortly schal j comen ȝow to.
and whanne that j come jnto ȝoure howshold,
loke þat ȝe joyen many fold
aforn ȝowre meyne jn my Syht,
That there-offen mowe knowen Every Wyht.”
| [Chapter III] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |