 | The Romance of Sir Beves of Hamtoun |  |
In somer aboute whit-sontide,
Whan kniȝtes mest an horse ride,
A gret kours þar was do grede,
For to saien here alþer stede,
Whiche were swift & strong.
Þe kours was seue mile long;
Who þat come ferst þeder, han scholde
A þosand pound of rede golde.
Þar wiþ was Beues paied wel:
Meche a treste to Arondel.
A morwe, whan hit was dai cler,
Ariseþ boþe kniȝt and squier
And lete sadlen here fole.
Twei kniȝtes hadde þe kours istole,
Þat hii were to mile be-fore,
Er eni man hit wiste y-bore.
Whan Beues wiste þis, fot hot
Arondel wiþ is spures a smot
& is bridel faste a schok;
A mide þe kours he hem of-tok.
‘Arondel,’ queþ Beues þo,
‘For me loue go bet, go,
And i schel do faire and wel
For þe loue reren a castel!’
Whan kniȝtes mest an horse ride,
A gret kours þar was do grede,
For to saien here alþer stede,
Whiche were swift & strong.
Þe kours was seue mile long;
Who þat come ferst þeder, han scholde
A þosand pound of rede golde.
166
Meche a treste to Arondel.
A morwe, whan hit was dai cler,
Ariseþ boþe kniȝt and squier
And lete sadlen here fole.
Twei kniȝtes hadde þe kours istole,
Þat hii were to mile be-fore,
Er eni man hit wiste y-bore.
Whan Beues wiste þis, fot hot
Arondel wiþ is spures a smot
& is bridel faste a schok;
A mide þe kours he hem of-tok.
‘Arondel,’ queþ Beues þo,
‘For me loue go bet, go,
And i schel do faire and wel
For þe loue reren a castel!’
Whan Arondel herde, what he spak,
Be-fore þe twei kniȝtes he rak,
Þat he com raþer to þe tresore,
Þan hii be half and more.
Beues of his palfrai aliȝte
& tok þe tresore anon riȝte:
Wiþ þat and wiþ mor catel
He made þe castel of Arondel.
Be-fore þe twei kniȝtes he rak,
Þat he com raþer to þe tresore,
Þan hii be half and more.
167
& tok þe tresore anon riȝte:
Wiþ þat and wiþ mor catel
He made þe castel of Arondel.
| The Romance of Sir Beves of Hamtoun | |