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 VI] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Vppon the whitsonne even, satirday at nyht,
therchebisschope took cownseyl at Barown & knyht,
and that nyht Artheur knyht was mad,
er ony more dignite that he had.
and that Nyht in preyeris lay everyman,
Tyl vppon the morwen that hit dawen began.
So vppon the morewen, whanne hit was day lyht,
To the maister chirche cam bothe barown & knyht.
Thanne bespak therchebisschope Ful sone:
“Sires, ȝe weten what ȝe han to done.
Lo, here this man of goddis chesing
To ben bothe ȝoure gouernour & kyng!
beholdith here vestures, and robys ryal,
and the corowne of this lond with-al,
Be the counseyl of Ryalis and of oþer mo
this coronacioun here forto ben do.
ȝit wolde j weten not For than
ȝif that here be ony Swich man
that this eleccion here wolde with-seye;
of this the sothe wolde j knowen, Jn feye.”
thanne answerid they alle be on assent:
“we wylen he be crowned, verament.”
therchebisschope took cownseyl at Barown & knyht,
and that nyht Artheur knyht was mad,
er ony more dignite that he had.
and that Nyht in preyeris lay everyman,
Tyl vppon the morwen that hit dawen began.
So vppon the morewen, whanne hit was day lyht,
To the maister chirche cam bothe barown & knyht.
Thanne bespak therchebisschope Ful sone:
“Sires, ȝe weten what ȝe han to done.
Lo, here this man of goddis chesing
To ben bothe ȝoure gouernour & kyng!
beholdith here vestures, and robys ryal,
and the corowne of this lond with-al,
Be the counseyl of Ryalis and of oþer mo
this coronacioun here forto ben do.
ȝit wolde j weten not For than
ȝif that here be ony Swich man
that this eleccion here wolde with-seye;
of this the sothe wolde j knowen, Jn feye.”
thanne answerid they alle be on assent:
“we wylen he be crowned, verament.”
“Thanne with this,” quod the bisschope thanne,
“So he haue the hertis here of euery manne,
what aȝens hym hath be wrowht jnto this day,
he it to ȝow forȝevith for evere and ay.”
Thanne knelyd they down al jn fere,
and to Arthewr cryden mercy there.
thussone aȝens hem he knelede vppon his kne,
and vppon hem he wepe for pure pyte,
Seyeng to hem there, fulsore weping:
“J forȝeve to ȝow alle ȝowre trespasyng,
and so j preye to god an hy
that he hyt forȝeve, & so wyle J.”
Thanne Rysen they alle be on assent,
and hym gonne embracen with good entent,
and him vp boren, and there forth ladde
there as the Robes the bisschope leyd hadde.
So thanne they hym vestured anon,
and the bischope thussone to masse ward gan gon.
Anon As the Bysschope there Redy Was,
To Artheur there cam he jnto that plas.
“Sire, to the Swerd now ȝe mosten go
and hyt vptaken, as tofore ȝe han do,
wherwith holychirche defenden as a knyht
and also cristendom with al ȝowre myht.”
Thanne wenten they forth on procession,
bothe prelates, lordis, and comunes echon,
Tyl they comen there as the swerd was
Stekyng jn the ston jn the forseid plas.
“So he haue the hertis here of euery manne,
what aȝens hym hath be wrowht jnto this day,
he it to ȝow forȝevith for evere and ay.”
Thanne knelyd they down al jn fere,
205
thussone aȝens hem he knelede vppon his kne,
and vppon hem he wepe for pure pyte,
Seyeng to hem there, fulsore weping:
“J forȝeve to ȝow alle ȝowre trespasyng,
and so j preye to god an hy
that he hyt forȝeve, & so wyle J.”
Thanne Rysen they alle be on assent,
and hym gonne embracen with good entent,
and him vp boren, and there forth ladde
there as the Robes the bisschope leyd hadde.
So thanne they hym vestured anon,
and the bischope thussone to masse ward gan gon.
Anon As the Bysschope there Redy Was,
To Artheur there cam he jnto that plas.
“Sire, to the Swerd now ȝe mosten go
and hyt vptaken, as tofore ȝe han do,
wherwith holychirche defenden as a knyht
and also cristendom with al ȝowre myht.”
Thanne wenten they forth on procession,
bothe prelates, lordis, and comunes echon,
Tyl they comen there as the swerd was
Stekyng jn the ston jn the forseid plas.
Thanne seide therchebisschope to Artheur there:
“Lesteneth now to me, and ȝe scholen here.
Ȝyf hit so be that thow wylt Swere
and to God avowen & his modyr dere,
Ek to Petyr and Powl, enswre thou me,
and to alle Seyntes that jn hevene be,
holy chirche to susteynen jn hire ryht
and pes jn thy Lond with al thy myht,
Ek the vnconseylled forto cownseylle,
Thy peple to worschepe and avaylle,
To thy Power this schalt thou do,
and ryhtful lawes to meynteyne also,
with this com forth, take vpe this Swerd,
whom god hath chosen jn this middilerd!”
Anon so Arthew[r] herde al this,
For pite he wepe, & many mo, j-wys.
So that he there Swor be god almyhty
althis to susteyne with herte ful trewly—
“And be alle thynges that jn erthe be,
J schal hem Sosteyne jn my degre.”
with this anon Arthewr he knelyd adown
amonges al the peple that was jn vyrown.
Anon the Swerd there vpe he took,
Seenge many man that on hym gan look,
and as lyhtly took hyt vpe ryht there,
as Jn the ston hyt not ne were.
So bar he the swerd forth jn his hond,
and to thawter they hym ladde, ȝe vndirstond,
and there hym Sacryd, with-owten dowte,
& as to here kyng they gonne to hym lowte.
Ek anoynt he was anon therto,
& alle that belonged to a kyng also.
“Lesteneth now to me, and ȝe scholen here.
Ȝyf hit so be that thow wylt Swere
and to God avowen & his modyr dere,
Ek to Petyr and Powl, enswre thou me,
and to alle Seyntes that jn hevene be,
holy chirche to susteynen jn hire ryht
and pes jn thy Lond with al thy myht,
Ek the vnconseylled forto cownseylle,
Thy peple to worschepe and avaylle,
To thy Power this schalt thou do,
and ryhtful lawes to meynteyne also,
with this com forth, take vpe this Swerd,
whom god hath chosen jn this middilerd!”
Anon so Arthew[r] herde al this,
206
So that he there Swor be god almyhty
althis to susteyne with herte ful trewly—
“And be alle thynges that jn erthe be,
J schal hem Sosteyne jn my degre.”
with this anon Arthewr he knelyd adown
amonges al the peple that was jn vyrown.
Anon the Swerd there vpe he took,
Seenge many man that on hym gan look,
and as lyhtly took hyt vpe ryht there,
as Jn the ston hyt not ne were.
So bar he the swerd forth jn his hond,
and to thawter they hym ladde, ȝe vndirstond,
and there hym Sacryd, with-owten dowte,
& as to here kyng they gonne to hym lowte.
Ek anoynt he was anon therto,
& alle that belonged to a kyng also.
Whanne this coronacion j-endyd was,
and the masse j-Fenysched be goddis gras,
owt of the mynstre alle wenten they anon,
and behelden there aftyr this Ston,
But they ne wyste where hit was do,
So sodeynliche aweye was hit hem fro.
And jn this maner Arthew[r] kyng chosen was,
as ȝe han me herd rehersyn jn this plas.
and the masse j-Fenysched be goddis gras,
owt of the mynstre alle wenten they anon,
and behelden there aftyr this Ston,
But they ne wyste where hit was do,
So sodeynliche aweye was hit hem fro.
And jn this maner Arthew[r] kyng chosen was,
as ȝe han me herd rehersyn jn this plas.
| [Chapter VI] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |