University of Virginia Library

Arthure

Wanne he comþ binne to ligge he wole þe limemele
To drawe & uorsuolwe par auenture at one mele
Bedwer bigan to conforti þe wommon In þe place
& bihet hire bote of hire wo bi tyme þoru godes grace
& wende aȝen to þe king & tolde al þis cas
Þe king was sori þo he wuste þat þet maide aslawe was
Ac anauntre he þoȝte him do & dude him in þe weye
Þis clene maide uorto awreke & is felawes beye
Ar hii come vpe þe hul arst he was ycome
Þis grisliche geant & adde an vatte barn ynome
& yspited him þoru out mid an yrene spite
& rostede in þis grete fur to abbe þe volle bite
Arthure bed is felawes to late him yworþe al one
Ac ȝif hii seye him in nede þat hii ne made targinge none
King arthure him blessede & baldeliche ynou
Toward þis grisliche fourme mid god herte him drou
Þis geant þo he sey him come bigan is mace adrawe
Þat tueye stalwarde men ne ssolde noȝt enes wawe
Toward þe heued þe king he smot ac he hente mid is sselde
Ac ȝut he buyde al adoun & wel harde it yvelde
Vor hit þoȝte al þe hul mid þe stroc was astoned
Arþure was liȝt ynou as he was ywoned
He hupte þo he ywraþþed was & is suerd adrou
& smot þen ssrewe in þe frount mid god ernest ynou
& þe vel & fless was so hard & þe scolle hard & þikke
Þeruore þei it ne come noȝt þoru þe dunt nas noȝt wikke
& is male he dude ek bituene ac þat blod adoun wende
So vast in eye & in face þat hit him ney ablende
Þe king hupte her & þer & leyde on euere vaste
So strong was þe ssrewe þat no dunt ne miȝte him adoun caste
He vemde & grunte & stod aȝen as it were a strong bor
Þat euere wole aȝen þe stroc vor te he ne may nammor
Þe king smot euere her & þer so þat atte laste
Ernest of herte he nom to him & adrou so vaste
Calebourne is gode suerd þat he þut scolle clef a tuo
Þat þat suerd was al þer Inne Ihud þat brayn orn out al so
So grisliche ȝal þat ssrewe þo & grislich was is bere
He vel adoun as a gret ok þat bineþe ykorue wer