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 |  |
Sire, aftyr that, he ros from ded
Jn scomfiture of the fowle qwed.
and happede aftyr his vp-rysyng,
this knyht with his sowdiours was walkyng
Jn a place of wast and desert,
and with hym many of his lignage, apert.
Sire, þere happede, a famyne cam hem vppon,
and to this knyht, here maister, they compleyned anon.
Anon thanne this knyht made his preyere
that god som Tokenyng wolde schewen hem þere,
the cause to suffren Swich deseise,
that he myhte it knowen, & it wolde him plese.
Anon thanne hadde he comandement
a table forto maken, verament,
jn mynde of þe table and of swete jesus,
at which he sat jn Symon lepres hows,
and that table to koueren (& not to lette)
with whit cloth, and þer-vppon þe holy vessel sette—
‘and that the vessel be kouered also
with fair whit cloth, how so euere ȝe do!’
whiche vessel browhte the kyng of blys
To this knyht jnto presown, j-wys,
where as he was two and fowrty ȝer,
whiche vessel al his hol comfort was ther,
and be this vessel departyd he
the goode from the evel, ful sikerle.
and, Sire, at this Table evere there was
Jn memorie of crist kept a voide plas,
whiche specyal place doth Signefye
the place that judas jn Sat, trewelye,
which he Forsook, whanne god hadde sayd:
‘on of ȝow hath me betrayed
that with me here doth drynke and ete.’
(Jt hadde ben bettere he dyde it lete.)
So Was this place there voyde stylle,
tyl that aftyr-ward be goddis wylle
anothir, hyht mathy, was there-jne j-set,
as to hym there Jt cam be lot,
and to fulfille þe nombre of þe postelis twelve,
for thus wold god it scholde ben him-selve.
and, Sire, this voyde place þat at þe [table] Is,
Signefieth be josepe, Sire, j-wis;
and lik as maththy was chosen therto,
riht so was josepe, wit-owten mo,
So that these tweyne tables covenable were,
and thus pleside crist mennes hertes there.
Sire, this peple clepede this vessel
‘the Sank Ryal’ oþer ellys ‘Seint Graal.’
Jn scomfiture of the fowle qwed.
and happede aftyr his vp-rysyng,
this knyht with his sowdiours was walkyng
Jn a place of wast and desert,
and with hym many of his lignage, apert.
Sire, þere happede, a famyne cam hem vppon,
and to this knyht, here maister, they compleyned anon.
Anon thanne this knyht made his preyere
that god som Tokenyng wolde schewen hem þere,
the cause to suffren Swich deseise,
that he myhte it knowen, & it wolde him plese.
Anon thanne hadde he comandement
a table forto maken, verament,
jn mynde of þe table and of swete jesus,
at which he sat jn Symon lepres hows,
116
with whit cloth, and þer-vppon þe holy vessel sette—
‘and that the vessel be kouered also
with fair whit cloth, how so euere ȝe do!’
whiche vessel browhte the kyng of blys
To this knyht jnto presown, j-wys,
where as he was two and fowrty ȝer,
whiche vessel al his hol comfort was ther,
and be this vessel departyd he
the goode from the evel, ful sikerle.
and, Sire, at this Table evere there was
Jn memorie of crist kept a voide plas,
whiche specyal place doth Signefye
the place that judas jn Sat, trewelye,
which he Forsook, whanne god hadde sayd:
‘on of ȝow hath me betrayed
that with me here doth drynke and ete.’
(Jt hadde ben bettere he dyde it lete.)
So Was this place there voyde stylle,
tyl that aftyr-ward be goddis wylle
anothir, hyht mathy, was there-jne j-set,
as to hym there Jt cam be lot,
and to fulfille þe nombre of þe postelis twelve,
for thus wold god it scholde ben him-selve.
and, Sire, this voyde place þat at þe [table] Is,
Signefieth be josepe, Sire, j-wis;
and lik as maththy was chosen therto,
riht so was josepe, wit-owten mo,
So that these tweyne tables covenable were,
and thus pleside crist mennes hertes there.
Sire, this peple clepede this vessel
‘the Sank Ryal’ oþer ellys ‘Seint Graal.’
And, sire, ȝif ȝe welen don aftyr me,
the thrydde table, jn worschepe of þe Trenite,
ȝe scholen be-gynne, as j ȝow schal Say,
and ȝow to gret worschepe it schal torne eche day,
and to ȝoure Sowle gret mede also,
and manye benfettes ȝow schal comen to,
and thorwgh this world this word schal springe,
as j ȝow Seye with-owten lesenge.”
Lo, thus Spak merlyne to the kyng,
whiche wordis to hym were gret lykyng.
thanne seide the kyng to merlyne ageyn:
“J nolde for non thing, Jn certein,
that god non thing ne loste be me
whiche that to his plesaunce myhte be.
wherfore, merlyne, ordeyne as thow wylt,
For vppon me ne schal not lyn the gylt.”
“Now,” thanne quod merlyne to the kyng,
“where liketh ȝow best to ben abydyng?”
“Now certes,” quod the kyng ageyn,
“where þou wilt it ordeynen, jn certeyn,
and where that most plesyng it myhte be
To God, that Syt anhyghe jn maieste.”
thanne answerede merlyne, þat was ful lel:
“jn wales, atte þe town of Cardweille,
and there schalt thou holden thy feste
atte pentecost bothe to mest and leste.
and forth to-foren, Sire, wyl j gon
that Table to ordeynen for ȝow echon;
and also hem that there schal Sytte,
j wile hem ordeynen, that thow it wyte.”
the thrydde table, jn worschepe of þe Trenite,
ȝe scholen be-gynne, as j ȝow schal Say,
and ȝow to gret worschepe it schal torne eche day,
and to ȝoure Sowle gret mede also,
and manye benfettes ȝow schal comen to,
and thorwgh this world this word schal springe,
117
Lo, thus Spak merlyne to the kyng,
whiche wordis to hym were gret lykyng.
thanne seide the kyng to merlyne ageyn:
“J nolde for non thing, Jn certein,
that god non thing ne loste be me
whiche that to his plesaunce myhte be.
wherfore, merlyne, ordeyne as thow wylt,
For vppon me ne schal not lyn the gylt.”
“Now,” thanne quod merlyne to the kyng,
“where liketh ȝow best to ben abydyng?”
“Now certes,” quod the kyng ageyn,
“where þou wilt it ordeynen, jn certeyn,
and where that most plesyng it myhte be
To God, that Syt anhyghe jn maieste.”
thanne answerede merlyne, þat was ful lel:
“jn wales, atte þe town of Cardweille,
and there schalt thou holden thy feste
atte pentecost bothe to mest and leste.
and forth to-foren, Sire, wyl j gon
that Table to ordeynen for ȝow echon;
and also hem that there schal Sytte,
j wile hem ordeynen, that thow it wyte.”
| [Chapter III] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |