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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| X. |
| XI. |
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| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | [Chapter V] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Thanne answerede vlphyn to the kyng:
“now mowen ȝe knowen Jn alle thing
that ȝowre qweene is bothe trewe and wys,
for of erthly wommen sche berith the pris.
now wete ȝe wel sche doth not lye,
ne non blawndise Jn hire konne ȝe spye.
and þerto hauen ȝe wel sped the nede
that ȝe hyhte merlyne Jn othir stede,
that thike same child he scholde have,
were Jt a maiden oþer were Jt knave.”
“now mowen ȝe knowen Jn alle thing
that ȝowre qweene is bothe trewe and wys,
for of erthly wommen sche berith the pris.
now wete ȝe wel sche doth not lye,
ne non blawndise Jn hire konne ȝe spye.
and þerto hauen ȝe wel sped the nede
that ȝe hyhte merlyne Jn othir stede,
that thike same child he scholde have,
were Jt a maiden oþer were Jt knave.”
So Jnto vj mownthis Jt abod stylle,
Tyl that merlyne cam vlphyn vntylle,
and with vlphyn spak Jn prevyte
of swiche thinges as desirede he.
thanne desirede merlyne ouer al thyng,
er þat he wente, to speken with the kyng.
And whanne asembled they weren Jn fere,
thanne tolde the kyng Jn his manere
to merlyne the wordis of the qweene,
and what resouns betwene hem hadde bene.
thanne answered merlyne anon ageyn
To the kyng there, Jn certeyn,
& saide þat—“vlphyn hath wel agreed þe pes
of the dewkis deth, with-owten les;
but of my gylte am j not clere,
that j hire deseyvede Jn swich manere,
and wot Neuere hos that child Js
with wheche sche goth, with-owten mys!”
thanne seide the kyng: “ful Sykerle,
Merlyne, J wot, so wys that ȝe be,
that ȝow ȝe welen aqwyten ful wel;
this knowe j sekerlych everydel.”
“ȝe mosten me helpe,” quod merlyne, “þerto!”
þe kyng seide: “gladliche that wyl j do,
for wel wot j the child moste ben ȝoure,
hit Forto Norsche and to socowre.”
Anon spak merlyne to the kyng than:
“Jn this contre there Js A passing good man,
on the beste of thy region here,
and therto a good womman to his fere,
the wisest and the moste discreet,
For of alle vertwes sche is repleet.
but hire lord js not þe moste richest man,
therefore, sire kyng, not forthan
J wolde that ȝe aftyr hym sente,
and of ȝowre goodis him ȝeven, veramente!
For his wyf jn gesyne doth lye
of a knave child, sire, ful Sekerlye.
and that ȝe myhten him so plese,
that jn tyme comeng he myhte ȝow ese
this child to kepe and to norrye,
that hym deliuered schal ben, sekerlye,
and þat his wyves mylk Sowkyn hit may,
and hire owne child to ben put away
Forto sowken Som othyr womman.”
thus seide merlyne to the kyng than.
thanne anon to merlyne seide the kyng:
“As thow wylt, hit schal ben Jn alle thyng!”
Tyl that merlyne cam vlphyn vntylle,
and with vlphyn spak Jn prevyte
of swiche thinges as desirede he.
thanne desirede merlyne ouer al thyng,
er þat he wente, to speken with the kyng.
And whanne asembled they weren Jn fere,
thanne tolde the kyng Jn his manere
to merlyne the wordis of the qweene,
and what resouns betwene hem hadde bene.
thanne answered merlyne anon ageyn
To the kyng there, Jn certeyn,
& saide þat—“vlphyn hath wel agreed þe pes
of the dewkis deth, with-owten les;
but of my gylte am j not clere,
that j hire deseyvede Jn swich manere,
and wot Neuere hos that child Js
with wheche sche goth, with-owten mys!”
thanne seide the kyng: “ful Sykerle,
Merlyne, J wot, so wys that ȝe be,
that ȝow ȝe welen aqwyten ful wel;
this knowe j sekerlych everydel.”
“ȝe mosten me helpe,” quod merlyne, “þerto!”
þe kyng seide: “gladliche that wyl j do,
for wel wot j the child moste ben ȝoure,
hit Forto Norsche and to socowre.”
Anon spak merlyne to the kyng than:
166
on the beste of thy region here,
and therto a good womman to his fere,
the wisest and the moste discreet,
For of alle vertwes sche is repleet.
but hire lord js not þe moste richest man,
therefore, sire kyng, not forthan
J wolde that ȝe aftyr hym sente,
and of ȝowre goodis him ȝeven, veramente!
For his wyf jn gesyne doth lye
of a knave child, sire, ful Sekerlye.
and that ȝe myhten him so plese,
that jn tyme comeng he myhte ȝow ese
this child to kepe and to norrye,
that hym deliuered schal ben, sekerlye,
and þat his wyves mylk Sowkyn hit may,
and hire owne child to ben put away
Forto sowken Som othyr womman.”
thus seide merlyne to the kyng than.
thanne anon to merlyne seide the kyng:
“As thow wylt, hit schal ben Jn alle thyng!”
thanne merlyne, his leve he took anon,
and to blayse his maister he gan to gon.
and the kyng sente aftyr this good man,
lyk as this Storye tellen ȝow kan.
So whanne this goodman to cowrt was gon,
the kyng, with hym there mette he anon,
and with hym gret Joye gan make,
where-offen merveille þe good man gan take,
that the kyng of hym so mochel made,
and why that with hym he was so glade.
“Now, goode dere frend,” quod the kyng,
“Herkene now to myn talkyng.
Nedis j moste discoveren to the
a thing that Js of gret prevyte:
of an aventure þat js me befalle,
J schal the tellen ende and alle.
and as thow art my lige man,
So be myn helpe Jn that thou kan,
and conseyl to kepen hit to ȝowre powere,
and it neuere discuren fer ne nere!”
To the kyng thanne seide this good man tho:
“Sire, ȝowre comaundement schal j do,
and to my powere hit fulfille,
what so evere ȝe sein me vntylle.”
“Thus me dremede this oþer nyht,”
Seyde the kyng thanne to this knyht,
“that thow were one the goode man
whiche is dwellyng jn my kyngdam.
And so me thowhte on cam to me,
and merveilles me tolde, certeynle:
Ferst that to me ȝe been trewe lige man,
and that a child on ȝowre wif engendred ȝe han,
the whiche child, J-born it Js,
as he me tolde, with-owten mys.
So that man comaunded me
þat jn alle wyse J scholde preyen the
that thy chyld owt scholdest þou do
To som oþer womman and norschen it so.
And thy wyf anothir child kepen scholde,
and there-with to have plente of golde,
the wheche child to hire schal ben browht;
but there-offen the peple may weten nowht.
Now do this, bewsire, j preye to the,
and ful wel thy mede j-qwyt schal be!”
and to blayse his maister he gan to gon.
and the kyng sente aftyr this good man,
lyk as this Storye tellen ȝow kan.
So whanne this goodman to cowrt was gon,
the kyng, with hym there mette he anon,
and with hym gret Joye gan make,
where-offen merveille þe good man gan take,
that the kyng of hym so mochel made,
and why that with hym he was so glade.
“Now, goode dere frend,” quod the kyng,
“Herkene now to myn talkyng.
Nedis j moste discoveren to the
a thing that Js of gret prevyte:
of an aventure þat js me befalle,
J schal the tellen ende and alle.
and as thow art my lige man,
So be myn helpe Jn that thou kan,
167
and it neuere discuren fer ne nere!”
To the kyng thanne seide this good man tho:
“Sire, ȝowre comaundement schal j do,
and to my powere hit fulfille,
what so evere ȝe sein me vntylle.”
“Thus me dremede this oþer nyht,”
Seyde the kyng thanne to this knyht,
“that thow were one the goode man
whiche is dwellyng jn my kyngdam.
And so me thowhte on cam to me,
and merveilles me tolde, certeynle:
Ferst that to me ȝe been trewe lige man,
and that a child on ȝowre wif engendred ȝe han,
the whiche child, J-born it Js,
as he me tolde, with-owten mys.
So that man comaunded me
þat jn alle wyse J scholde preyen the
that thy chyld owt scholdest þou do
To som oþer womman and norschen it so.
And thy wyf anothir child kepen scholde,
and there-with to have plente of golde,
the wheche child to hire schal ben browht;
but there-offen the peple may weten nowht.
Now do this, bewsire, j preye to the,
and ful wel thy mede j-qwyt schal be!”
| [Chapter V] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |