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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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
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| VII. |
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| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | [Chapter I] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Thus talkydden they þere al jn fere
of thinges that befallen were—
“That thus from vs hath he taken away
thinges that we not kepen ne may.
wel knowen ȝe alle here wel everychon
that jn water he doth hem waschen anon,
jn þe Name of the Fadir and sone & holi gost,
whiche that ben of myhtes most,
and also hem anoynteth with oynement,
where-thorwh owre powere js al j-schent,
So that oure part of hem, Jt is don,
Tyl that owre Servauntes they becom.
and thus owre power he doth away,
and so don his mynestres everyday,
that jn erthe he hath left here;
they don vs ful often wel mochel dere.
For they, oure Servantes the[y] ben be Ryht,
ȝit ouer hem han they so gret myht,
that, and they welen oure Servise forsake
and onliche to Jesu thanne hem take,
alle oure powere, than Js it j-don,
and thus we lesen hem Everychon.
Moche goodnesse schewed he for man-kynde,
that jn this world he wold hym bynde
of a wommans body to ben j-bore,
to Saven mankynde, that was forlore.
and whanne that he j-boren was,
we hym assaieden jn every plas,
as moche as was jn owre powere,
and neuere gilty ne fownden we hym jn non manere,
jn hym of oure werkes neuere Ryht nowht,
For al that evere we to hym wrowht,
But that he wolde deyen to saven man,
For jn him hadde we non powere than.
Ful mochel cherte hadde he to man,
that so mochel peyne suffrede for him than,
and hym forto wynnen ageyn,
and from vs hem be-reven, jn certeyn.
Ful mochel sorwe to vs he wrowhte
thorwgh mankynde, that he bowhte.”
of thinges that befallen were—
“That thus from vs hath he taken away
thinges that we not kepen ne may.
wel knowen ȝe alle here wel everychon
that jn water he doth hem waschen anon,
jn þe Name of the Fadir and sone & holi gost,
whiche that ben of myhtes most,
and also hem anoynteth with oynement,
where-thorwh owre powere js al j-schent,
So that oure part of hem, Jt is don,
Tyl that owre Servauntes they becom.
and thus owre power he doth away,
and so don his mynestres everyday,
that jn erthe he hath left here;
they don vs ful often wel mochel dere.
For they, oure Servantes the[y] ben be Ryht,
ȝit ouer hem han they so gret myht,
that, and they welen oure Servise forsake
and onliche to Jesu thanne hem take,
alle oure powere, than Js it j-don,
and thus we lesen hem Everychon.
Moche goodnesse schewed he for man-kynde,
that jn this world he wold hym bynde
of a wommans body to ben j-bore,
to Saven mankynde, that was forlore.
3
we hym assaieden jn every plas,
as moche as was jn owre powere,
and neuere gilty ne fownden we hym jn non manere,
jn hym of oure werkes neuere Ryht nowht,
For al that evere we to hym wrowht,
But that he wolde deyen to saven man,
For jn him hadde we non powere than.
Ful mochel cherte hadde he to man,
that so mochel peyne suffrede for him than,
and hym forto wynnen ageyn,
and from vs hem be-reven, jn certeyn.
Ful mochel sorwe to vs he wrowhte
thorwgh mankynde, that he bowhte.”
thanne anon Spoken they Jn fere
of Swiche thinges as greved hem there,
of hem that proclamed the tydyng
Ferst jn the erthe of his comeng:
“and whanne we ony tormentes scholde hem do,
anon he delyverede hem vs Fro.
Therfore wolden we weten ful fayn
The beste to done, Jn certayn,
how that jn the erthe a child to have
that the peple wolde aftyr crave.
For he scholde hauen alle connenge
of thyng þat js past and that is comenge,
and encense the peple to oure lore,
as he dyde that was þere be-fore,
To tellen hem of thinges þat hadde be
and befalle scholden, ful Sikerle.
So scholde he þe peple to vs drawe,
For of hym they wolden ben Ryht fawe.”
thanne seiden they amonges hem everichon
that swich a child, and they hadden on,
wel mochel he scholde hem profyte
and torne the peple to here delyte,
For fulwel beleved scholde he be
For his prophecyes, ful Sikerle.
of Swiche thinges as greved hem there,
of hem that proclamed the tydyng
Ferst jn the erthe of his comeng:
“and whanne we ony tormentes scholde hem do,
anon he delyverede hem vs Fro.
Therfore wolden we weten ful fayn
The beste to done, Jn certayn,
how that jn the erthe a child to have
that the peple wolde aftyr crave.
For he scholde hauen alle connenge
of thyng þat js past and that is comenge,
and encense the peple to oure lore,
as he dyde that was þere be-fore,
To tellen hem of thinges þat hadde be
and befalle scholden, ful Sikerle.
So scholde he þe peple to vs drawe,
For of hym they wolden ben Ryht fawe.”
thanne seiden they amonges hem everichon
that swich a child, and they hadden on,
wel mochel he scholde hem profyte
and torne the peple to here delyte,
For fulwel beleved scholde he be
For his prophecyes, ful Sikerle.
4
thanne stirte there forth a schrewe anon,
and seide amonges hem everichon:
“J haue power Seed forto Sowe
jn the erthe on wommen bothe hye & lowe,
and j haue on redy at myn assent,
that wil Fulfillen myn talent.”
So concentyd they that this ilke schrewe
jnto erthe scholde gon anon that threwe
Forto Fulfillen that jlke dede,
of wheche alle the schrewes token here rede.
Now, grete Foles weren they everychon,
that amonges hem cowde not knowen on
how that god knew wel alle thyng,
bothe gynneng, midwardis, and endyng!
thus departyd they from here conseylle
this werk to be-gynne, with-owten faille.
thanne he that seide that he hadde powere
on women jn erthe to engendren there,
he taryed there non lengere thanne,
but cam jnto erthe to this wommanne
whiche womman that dyde hym Servise.
with hire he anon mette jn prevy gyse,
and anon he tempted hire so,
that anon sche concentyd hym to,
and graunted hym, al that sche cowde oþer myhte,
To don him Servyse bothe day & Nyhte.
and hire lord was a worthy man,
& moche more good hadde thanne J telle kan.
and seide amonges hem everichon:
“J haue power Seed forto Sowe
jn the erthe on wommen bothe hye & lowe,
and j haue on redy at myn assent,
that wil Fulfillen myn talent.”
So concentyd they that this ilke schrewe
jnto erthe scholde gon anon that threwe
Forto Fulfillen that jlke dede,
of wheche alle the schrewes token here rede.
Now, grete Foles weren they everychon,
that amonges hem cowde not knowen on
how that god knew wel alle thyng,
bothe gynneng, midwardis, and endyng!
thus departyd they from here conseylle
this werk to be-gynne, with-owten faille.
thanne he that seide that he hadde powere
on women jn erthe to engendren there,
he taryed there non lengere thanne,
but cam jnto erthe to this wommanne
whiche womman that dyde hym Servise.
with hire he anon mette jn prevy gyse,
and anon he tempted hire so,
that anon sche concentyd hym to,
and graunted hym, al that sche cowde oþer myhte,
To don him Servyse bothe day & Nyhte.
and hire lord was a worthy man,
& moche more good hadde thanne J telle kan.
| [Chapter I] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |