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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| V. |
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| XIV. |
 | [Chapter V] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Whanne the kyng herde hem axen this,
Semblaunce of gladnesse he made, j-wys,
and seide to vlphyn with wordis sadde:
“A riche man j haue the made,
ek norsched, and wis þou art þerto;
þerfore with hem schalt þou forth go
and conseille hem as thou best can,
For j holde the a ful wys man.”
thanne seide vlphyn to the kyng:
“Sire, j ȝow warne of on thyng:
that kyng ne prynce owhte not to be
to famulyer with his meyne,
Nethyr to lowliche he scholde hym make
the hertes of his men forto take.”
Semblaunce of gladnesse he made, j-wys,
and seide to vlphyn with wordis sadde:
“A riche man j haue the made,
ek norsched, and wis þou art þerto;
þerfore with hem schalt þou forth go
and conseille hem as thou best can,
For j holde the a ful wys man.”
thanne seide vlphyn to the kyng:
“Sire, j ȝow warne of on thyng:
that kyng ne prynce owhte not to be
to famulyer with his meyne,
Nethyr to lowliche he scholde hym make
the hertes of his men forto take.”
thus wente vlphyn to cownseil anon,
and alle the Barowns everichon.
and whanne ensembled they weren jn fere,
thanne axeden they of vlphyn there
what hym thowghte best to do.
thanne seide vlphyn hem vnto:
“wel weten ȝe that the kyng
on vs hath put alle manere of thyng.
Now þerfore to the lady let vs now gon,
to weten ȝif that sche so wyle don!”
thanne wente they forth anon jn hye
to þat lady & to hire conseil, trewelye,
and tolden hem of the kynges wylle,
how he ensured was hem vntylle
and forto holden hym fully agre,
what ende so they maden, Sykerle—
“þerfore we comen to weten of ȝow here
ȝif ȝe wylen don jn that manere.”
thanne answereden they, with-owten faille,
here-vppon it were good to taken consaille,
and seiden anon hem be-twene
that in better cas myht it not bene
thanne þe kyng to putten it on his lordynges,
bothe high and lowh, of alle maner of thinges.
“what myhte the kyng bettere do?
þerfore, lady, concenteth ȝe þerto!”
So that this lady with-owten more
Concented to here conseille thore.
thanne was þere mad Siker assuraunce
on bothe partyes, with-owten variaunce.
and alle the Barowns everichon.
and whanne ensembled they weren jn fere,
thanne axeden they of vlphyn there
what hym thowghte best to do.
thanne seide vlphyn hem vnto:
“wel weten ȝe that the kyng
on vs hath put alle manere of thyng.
Now þerfore to the lady let vs now gon,
to weten ȝif that sche so wyle don!”
thanne wente they forth anon jn hye
to þat lady & to hire conseil, trewelye,
and tolden hem of the kynges wylle,
how he ensured was hem vntylle
and forto holden hym fully agre,
what ende so they maden, Sykerle—
“þerfore we comen to weten of ȝow here
ȝif ȝe wylen don jn that manere.”
160
here-vppon it were good to taken consaille,
and seiden anon hem be-twene
that in better cas myht it not bene
thanne þe kyng to putten it on his lordynges,
bothe high and lowh, of alle maner of thinges.
“what myhte the kyng bettere do?
þerfore, lady, concenteth ȝe þerto!”
So that this lady with-owten more
Concented to here conseille thore.
thanne was þere mad Siker assuraunce
on bothe partyes, with-owten variaunce.
thanne to conseyl gonne þese barowns gon,
and ech of other enqwered anon;
thanne eche man his avis gan seyn.
Anon of vlphyn axeden they pleyn
how him thowhte be here avys.
“Sires, riht ful wel, as men of prys!
Now myn avis j schal ȝow telle,
and ȝe welen lestene to my spelle.
wel weten ȝe the dewk ded was
be the kynges strengthe jn that plas,
And trespaced non thyng, As J ȝow seye,
jn non cawse, that he scholde deye,
and that the lady Js left with childe,
and þerto hire londis ben mad bothe bare and wilde,
and therto a good womman sche is, Sikerle,
welful of wysdom and of Bownte.
more over the dewkes kynnes-men also
Ful mochel harm & los han cawht þerto.
and þerfore me Semeth ryht good resoun
that the kyng hem make restetucioun,
So that here love he myhte have
and jn his lond to dwellen more save.
On the tothir side ȝe knowen echon,
that owre kyng ne haveth wyf non,
So that me semeth be myn avys,
the kyng ne may not wel mendyn thys
lasse thanne hire to his wif he take,
and thus hire amendis forto make;
the wheche schal torne hym to honour
and of al his rem to haven favour;
For whanne they heren this jlke pes,
they welen hym loven, with-owten les.
and þat the dewkys dowhter wedden they wolde
To the kyng of orkanye with plente of golde;
and alle þe Remenaunt of his meyne,
Ful wel agreed scholen they be,
so þat they scholen holden hym for a ryht wys kyng,
and him loven and worschepen aboven alle thyng.”
and ech of other enqwered anon;
thanne eche man his avis gan seyn.
Anon of vlphyn axeden they pleyn
how him thowhte be here avys.
“Sires, riht ful wel, as men of prys!
Now myn avis j schal ȝow telle,
and ȝe welen lestene to my spelle.
wel weten ȝe the dewk ded was
be the kynges strengthe jn that plas,
And trespaced non thyng, As J ȝow seye,
jn non cawse, that he scholde deye,
and that the lady Js left with childe,
and þerto hire londis ben mad bothe bare and wilde,
and therto a good womman sche is, Sikerle,
welful of wysdom and of Bownte.
more over the dewkes kynnes-men also
Ful mochel harm & los han cawht þerto.
and þerfore me Semeth ryht good resoun
that the kyng hem make restetucioun,
So that here love he myhte have
and jn his lond to dwellen more save.
On the tothir side ȝe knowen echon,
that owre kyng ne haveth wyf non,
So that me semeth be myn avys,
161
lasse thanne hire to his wif he take,
and thus hire amendis forto make;
the wheche schal torne hym to honour
and of al his rem to haven favour;
For whanne they heren this jlke pes,
they welen hym loven, with-owten les.
and þat the dewkys dowhter wedden they wolde
To the kyng of orkanye with plente of golde;
and alle þe Remenaunt of his meyne,
Ful wel agreed scholen they be,
so þat they scholen holden hym for a ryht wys kyng,
and him loven and worschepen aboven alle thyng.”
| [Chapter V] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |