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 III] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Thus belefte merlyne with the kyng,
and with his Brother vter was dwellyng.
so atte laste from hem wolde he gon,
jn swich semblaunce þat they myhten hym knowen echon.
So that whanne aȝen he cam,
of hym made joye bothe child & man,
and wenten and tolden to the kyng
at eche tyme of merlynes comyng.
and algates whanne þe kyng þere-of herde,
Ful mochel joye of hym he ferde,
and algates wente hym forto mete,
were jt jn feld oþer Jn strete,
and gret joye of hym made.
and ek al the meyne was ful glade,
and token the kyng anon on syde,
& thore hym tolde þat Jlke tyde
that he was the beste devyn, trewly,
except god that is al-myhtty.
“Now preyeth hym, Jn alle wyse,
that he wolde tellen ȝow jn what gyse
how that the castel to bryngen to ende,
and how this werre atte laste schal wende,
and of his kyn to haven victorye;
of this axe ȝe hym, ful certeynlye.”
the kyng answerede hem ageyn
that ryht gladliche he wolde it seyn.
and with his Brother vter was dwellyng.
so atte laste from hem wolde he gon,
jn swich semblaunce þat they myhten hym knowen echon.
So that whanne aȝen he cam,
of hym made joye bothe child & man,
and wenten and tolden to the kyng
at eche tyme of merlynes comyng.
and algates whanne þe kyng þere-of herde,
Ful mochel joye of hym he ferde,
and algates wente hym forto mete,
were jt jn feld oþer Jn strete,
and gret joye of hym made.
and ek al the meyne was ful glade,
and token the kyng anon on syde,
& thore hym tolde þat Jlke tyde
that he was the beste devyn, trewly,
except god that is al-myhtty.
“Now preyeth hym, Jn alle wyse,
that he wolde tellen ȝow jn what gyse
how that the castel to bryngen to ende,
and how this werre atte laste schal wende,
and of his kyn to haven victorye;
of this axe ȝe hym, ful certeynlye.”
the kyng answerede hem ageyn
that ryht gladliche he wolde it seyn.
whanne the thrydde day j-comen was,
the cownseyl assemblede al jn on plas.
thanne the kyng aforn his cownseil
enqwered of merlyne wondirly wel:
“Now, dere Frend,” quod the kyng thanne,
“J knowe ȝow For Ryht a wys manne,
and for the beste devyn J ȝow knowe
jn al this world, owthyr hyghe oþer lowe.
that ȝe wolden me tellen, j ȝow preye,
of diuers thynges that J schal seye,
and how this castel that j schal have,
and ek my meyne, to kepen hem save.”
thanne answeride merlyne a-geyn:
“Syre, j wolde that ȝe wisten, ful fayn:
For sethen his kynnes-men haugwis hadden lost,
Sethen that tyme maden they non bost,
ne rekken but lytel, the sothe to say,
owt of this lond to gon here way;
and to morwe vndir trewe hem besende,
thanne fulsone schole ȝe knowen the ende,
how they scholen profren to ȝelden ageyn
al þat they holden of ȝoure fadyr, certeyn.
but ȝit scholen ȝe not don so,
For whanne here answere cometh ȝow vnto,
ȝe scholen ȝow offren hem to conveye
be sauf coundit and be ryht weye,
and owt of ȝoure lond hem don lede,
and scheping hem ordeynen jnto what stede,
jnto what contre that they wylen gon;
thus to hem scholen ȝe answeren anon.”
thanne the kyng Sente forth vlfyn
and thre other knyhtes with hym;
and merlyne hem charged with this massage,
as they weren knyhtes of hygh parage.
99
thanne the kyng aforn his cownseil
enqwered of merlyne wondirly wel:
“Now, dere Frend,” quod the kyng thanne,
“J knowe ȝow For Ryht a wys manne,
and for the beste devyn J ȝow knowe
jn al this world, owthyr hyghe oþer lowe.
that ȝe wolden me tellen, j ȝow preye,
of diuers thynges that J schal seye,
and how this castel that j schal have,
and ek my meyne, to kepen hem save.”
thanne answeride merlyne a-geyn:
“Syre, j wolde that ȝe wisten, ful fayn:
For sethen his kynnes-men haugwis hadden lost,
Sethen that tyme maden they non bost,
ne rekken but lytel, the sothe to say,
owt of this lond to gon here way;
and to morwe vndir trewe hem besende,
thanne fulsone schole ȝe knowen the ende,
how they scholen profren to ȝelden ageyn
al þat they holden of ȝoure fadyr, certeyn.
but ȝit scholen ȝe not don so,
For whanne here answere cometh ȝow vnto,
ȝe scholen ȝow offren hem to conveye
be sauf coundit and be ryht weye,
and owt of ȝoure lond hem don lede,
and scheping hem ordeynen jnto what stede,
jnto what contre that they wylen gon;
thus to hem scholen ȝe answeren anon.”
thanne the kyng Sente forth vlfyn
and thre other knyhtes with hym;
and merlyne hem charged with this massage,
as they weren knyhtes of hygh parage.
| [Chapter III] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |