The Legend of the Holy Grail its Sources, Character and Development, by Dorothy Kempe. The introduction to, and Part V of, Herry Lovelich's verse "History of the Holy Grail," |
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| XX. | CHAPTER XX. |
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 | CHAPTER XX. The Legend of the Holy Grail |  |
CHAPTER XX.
Now here be-gynneth kyng Mordreins Storie,
that vppon a Roche In the se is Certeinlye;
that Owt of his Regiown xvii. Iornees was,
With-Inne the se In A perilous plas.
that vppon a Roche In the se is Certeinlye;
that Owt of his Regiown xvii. Iornees was,
With-Inne the se In A perilous plas.
Abowtes the Owr of Noon it was tho
whanne the holigoost In þat Roche put him tho;
And there the holigost Schewed him thanne
Al so mochel richesse as evere Sawgh Manne;
And whanne vppon this Roche he was alyht,
In his herte he was wondirly Afryght.
Whanne Abowtes vppon the Roche he lookede tho,
And beheld how Into A straunge Contre he was I-do,
Where-Offen he thowghte tho In his herte
Neuere that deseisse forto Asterte;
And there-fore but litel wondir it were
Thowgh Sore Abasched were he there,
For ȝit hadde he non ful knoweng
That In the paleys he hadde of his swevenynge;
And Evere he Merveilled In his thowht
How that he thedir was tho browht,
And In him Self hadde gret Merveillinge
Ho that thedir dide him tho bringe.
And thus longe he gan to beholde,
That Al his herte gan wexen Colde,
For non thing he ne Sawh abowtes hym
But the wilde Se, bothe Stowt & Grym,
And no more lond there ne was
Thanne þere the Roche stood In that spas.
whanne the holigoost In þat Roche put him tho;
And there the holigost Schewed him thanne
Al so mochel richesse as evere Sawgh Manne;
247
In his herte he was wondirly Afryght.
Whanne Abowtes vppon the Roche he lookede tho,
And beheld how Into A straunge Contre he was I-do,
Where-Offen he thowghte tho In his herte
Neuere that deseisse forto Asterte;
And there-fore but litel wondir it were
Thowgh Sore Abasched were he there,
For ȝit hadde he non ful knoweng
That In the paleys he hadde of his swevenynge;
And Evere he Merveilled In his thowht
How that he thedir was tho browht,
And In him Self hadde gret Merveillinge
Ho that thedir dide him tho bringe.
And thus longe he gan to beholde,
That Al his herte gan wexen Colde,
For non thing he ne Sawh abowtes hym
But the wilde Se, bothe Stowt & Grym,
And no more lond there ne was
Thanne þere the Roche stood In that spas.
This Roche stont A-Middes the se,
Al this Storie now telleth to Me,
Evene from Scotlond the Ryhte weye
Into Babiloyne, As I the Seye,
And from Erlond the weye Also
Streyht to babyloyne it doth go.
And So hygh the Roche is there,
That Ouer the Se I[s] sein Every where;
And to Wales there Mihte he se,
And Into Spayne Into that partee;
So hygh is the Roche In that stounde
That kyng Mordreins there haþ I-fownde,
For it is On of the most heyest plase
That In Ony Se Evere ȝit sein wase;
And this yl So wastful Is,
That of non Maner viaunde there-Inne þere nys,
Ne non Erthe that is Mevable,
But Al Clene Roche hard & stable;
Except þe space Of A mannes hond,
In þat place Is there non Erable lond;
And Elles Into the harde Se,
Clenë Roche As it May be.
And for that Roche Is so perilows,
So hygh, so straunge, & so Merveillous,
That “the Roche perilows”is the Name,
For it is of So perilous A fame.
Al this Storie now telleth to Me,
Evene from Scotlond the Ryhte weye
Into Babiloyne, As I the Seye,
And from Erlond the weye Also
Streyht to babyloyne it doth go.
And So hygh the Roche is there,
That Ouer the Se I[s] sein Every where;
And to Wales there Mihte he se,
And Into Spayne Into that partee;
So hygh is the Roche In that stounde
That kyng Mordreins there haþ I-fownde,
For it is On of the most heyest plase
That In Ony Se Evere ȝit sein wase;
And this yl So wastful Is,
That of non Maner viaunde there-Inne þere nys,
248
But Al Clene Roche hard & stable;
Except þe space Of A mannes hond,
In þat place Is there non Erable lond;
And Elles Into the harde Se,
Clenë Roche As it May be.
And for that Roche Is so perilows,
So hygh, so straunge, & so Merveillous,
That “the Roche perilows”is the Name,
For it is of So perilous A fame.
Vppon wheche roche sumtyme was diht
A Certein habitacle with gret Miht,
That A lerrers of the Se hyt Made,
And Fowcairs to his name he hade.
This lerrers was of so passing Mesure,
And of so gret strengthe, I the Ensure,
That non Man his gretnesse Cowde discrie,
Ne his strengthe to haven In Memorie;
So that In this Roche, for certein,
His habitacle he made ful pleyn;
That So with Verray strengthe & Myht,
In that Roche his hows gan he dyht;
A large hostel for twenty Men,
Thus he gan Areyened than;
But In that Roche lay not he,
But In A galeye In the Se,—
He, & hise felawes Also,—
Vppon the Se felonie to do.
And Oþer whiles In Certein
Vppon that Roche they wolden ful plein,
A ful gret feer wolden they make,
Here pray there-with forto take;
So that it semede to Ony Marchawnt
That thekë plas dide Owht hawnt,
That Som Resteng place it hadde be;
But here distroction it was, As ȝe mown Se;
For Aȝens that Roch they hurtelid so sore,
That Alle to-borsten weren they thore;
Thanne Owt of here galeyes gonne they go—
These thevis that this falshed hadden do,—
And tooken bothe þere Man & good
That persched was there In theke flood:
And In this Manere distroied this lerrers
Mani A Marchaunt & Mariners.
A Certein habitacle with gret Miht,
That A lerrers of the Se hyt Made,
And Fowcairs to his name he hade.
This lerrers was of so passing Mesure,
And of so gret strengthe, I the Ensure,
That non Man his gretnesse Cowde discrie,
Ne his strengthe to haven In Memorie;
So that In this Roche, for certein,
His habitacle he made ful pleyn;
That So with Verray strengthe & Myht,
In that Roche his hows gan he dyht;
A large hostel for twenty Men,
Thus he gan Areyened than;
But In that Roche lay not he,
But In A galeye In the Se,—
He, & hise felawes Also,—
Vppon the Se felonie to do.
And Oþer whiles In Certein
Vppon that Roche they wolden ful plein,
A ful gret feer wolden they make,
Here pray there-with forto take;
249
That thekë plas dide Owht hawnt,
That Som Resteng place it hadde be;
But here distroction it was, As ȝe mown Se;
For Aȝens that Roch they hurtelid so sore,
That Alle to-borsten weren they thore;
Thanne Owt of here galeyes gonne they go—
These thevis that this falshed hadden do,—
And tooken bothe þere Man & good
That persched was there In theke flood:
And In this Manere distroied this lerrers
Mani A Marchaunt & Mariners.
Thanne be-fil A wondir Cas,
That On, Grete Pompees, that Emperour was
Of Romeyns, As happed that day,
Of Alle these Merveilles herde he say,
As Owt of grece he seilede tho,
Toward Cecyle he gan to go.
And thus As he seillede Abowte,
And took many Garisouns, bothe strong & stowte,
That Abowtes be the Se stoode
In Ony place be þe salt Floode;
Thus Cam he toward babyloyne,
And thidirward of this thef herde he seyne.
That On, Grete Pompees, that Emperour was
Of Romeyns, As happed that day,
Of Alle these Merveilles herde he say,
As Owt of grece he seilede tho,
Toward Cecyle he gan to go.
And thus As he seillede Abowte,
And took many Garisouns, bothe strong & stowte,
That Abowtes be the Se stoode
In Ony place be þe salt Floode;
Thus Cam he toward babyloyne,
And thidirward of this thef herde he seyne.
Thanne seide this pompee with-Owten faille,
‘That theke strong theef ȝe scholen asaille.’
And thus to his peple gan he Seyn,
“We scholen him Asayen In Certeyn.”
Anon there Redily dide he dyhte
A riht strong galeie, & Of gret Myhte,
And put it ful of good vitaille,
And Of goode knyhtes, that thef to Asaille.
‘That theke strong theef ȝe scholen asaille.’
And thus to his peple gan he Seyn,
“We scholen him Asayen In Certeyn.”
Anon there Redily dide he dyhte
A riht strong galeie, & Of gret Myhte,
And put it ful of good vitaille,
And Of goode knyhtes, that thef to Asaille.
Anon whanne this was Redely dyht,
The Se he took Anon there Riht.
And fowrty goode knyhtes be ordeyned there,
And twenty grete grapelis of Erne þere were,
The Galeyes to the Schipe forto holde,—
Of yrne weren Mad bothe strong & bolde;—
And thus they gonnen to seylen Anon
As faste to the Roche as they myhte gon,
Bothe be day & Eke be Nyht,
Tyl of a hard roche they hadden a syght.
The Se he took Anon there Riht.
And fowrty goode knyhtes be ordeyned there,
And twenty grete grapelis of Erne þere were,
250
Of yrne weren Mad bothe strong & bolde;—
And thus they gonnen to seylen Anon
As faste to the Roche as they myhte gon,
Bothe be day & Eke be Nyht,
Tyl of a hard roche they hadden a syght.
And whanne the Roche they gonne to Aspie,
It to Aprochen they Seiled ful Nye;
And whanne faste by they weren gon,
Heren Ancres they Casten þere Anon,
Forto Abyden there that Nyht,
Til of the Roche they myhte han better Syht.
And whanne þe Nyht was wel Apast,
To-ward the Roche they Comen In hast;
As Ny As a man Mihte Casten A ston,
Thus Ny to the Roche Gonne they gon.
It to Aprochen they Seiled ful Nye;
And whanne faste by they weren gon,
Heren Ancres they Casten þere Anon,
Forto Abyden there that Nyht,
Til of the Roche they myhte han better Syht.
And whanne þe Nyht was wel Apast,
To-ward the Roche they Comen In hast;
As Ny As a man Mihte Casten A ston,
Thus Ny to the Roche Gonne they gon.
And whanne these thevis gonnen Aspie,
Redeliche they Raped hem, & In hye.
But þe maister Mariner that was with pompee,
Of that Roch knew Al the Sotelte;
And þere As the feer the thevis gonne Make,
That partie of the Roche wolde he not take,
But be Anothir side they wente,
þere As they fownden presente
A strong galeye, that there lay
Be-twene þe Roch & hem, þe sothe to say;
And they Comen with so gret A wille
That there mani men gonnen to spille,
And fillen down Into þe Se,
Of Men & good, ful gret plente.
Redeliche they Raped hem, & In hye.
But þe maister Mariner that was with pompee,
Of that Roch knew Al the Sotelte;
And þere As the feer the thevis gonne Make,
That partie of the Roche wolde he not take,
But be Anothir side they wente,
þere As they fownden presente
A strong galeye, that there lay
Be-twene þe Roch & hem, þe sothe to say;
And they Comen with so gret A wille
That there mani men gonnen to spille,
And fillen down Into þe Se,
Of Men & good, ful gret plente.
Thanne they that In þe toþere galeyes were,
Wenden the grete schipe hadde persched þere;
So was there tho A ful hard stowr
Betwene these Felowns and the Emperour.
And wanne they sien it gan so to go,
The Emperour to withstonde non power hadden tho,
Be litel and litel they Gonne to gon,
Til that þe Roche they Entred Anon.
Wenden the grete schipe hadde persched þere;
So was there tho A ful hard stowr
Betwene these Felowns and the Emperour.
And wanne they sien it gan so to go,
The Emperour to withstonde non power hadden tho,
251
Til that þe Roche they Entred Anon.
And whanne pompee gan this to Aspie,
Ful lowde he gan hem to discrye,
And swoor that he wolde don his Miht,
Of tho theves to ben Avenged Ariht.
And whanne the thevis this vndirstood,
Non lengere there they ne Abood,
But to the heithe of the Roche Sekerlye,
Ful faste these thevis gonnen hem hye;
And After hem xxx knyhtes goode,
That departed Owt of that floode;
So with-Owten, thritty there were,
And with-Inne, xix theves In fere;
For alle the Remnaunt of þese theves tho
Weren slayn, And In-to the Se I-do.
Ful lowde he gan hem to discrye,
And swoor that he wolde don his Miht,
Of tho theves to ben Avenged Ariht.
And whanne the thevis this vndirstood,
Non lengere there they ne Abood,
But to the heithe of the Roche Sekerlye,
Ful faste these thevis gonnen hem hye;
And After hem xxx knyhtes goode,
That departed Owt of that floode;
So with-Owten, thritty there were,
And with-Inne, xix theves In fere;
For alle the Remnaunt of þese theves tho
Weren slayn, And In-to the Se I-do.
And whanne this Sawt began to gynne,
These theves wrowhten A corsid gynne;
They Rolled down I that plas
A qwarter Of a galeye þat broken was,
That hevy & boistous it was to be-holde;
And down it Cam with strengthe manifolde,
And fil Anon down Into the Se,
Where-with xi. of Pompees knyhtes slow he,
Where-offen pompee hadde so gret Care,
Anon him Self to the Roche gan fare,
And swoor ‘that he hadde levere to dye,
But avenged he Were there Otterlye,
That there so falsly hadde slain his knyhtes
At thike same tyme with here fyhtes.’
These theves wrowhten A corsid gynne;
They Rolled down I that plas
A qwarter Of a galeye þat broken was,
That hevy & boistous it was to be-holde;
And down it Cam with strengthe manifolde,
And fil Anon down Into the Se,
Where-with xi. of Pompees knyhtes slow he,
Where-offen pompee hadde so gret Care,
Anon him Self to the Roche gan fare,
And swoor ‘that he hadde levere to dye,
But avenged he Were there Otterlye,
That there so falsly hadde slain his knyhtes
At thike same tyme with here fyhtes.’
Thanne On of his knythes there Anon,
That say In what peryl that he wolde gon,
And Conseilled him “forto Abyde
Til it were more to the day tyde,
And I schal ȝow Certefien Everidel
How On these theves to ben Avenged wel;
Thanne scholen ȝe non men lese,
Ne putten ȝowre self Into non gret deseisse.”
Thanne Pompee Axede him Anon,
In What Manere that it Mihte gon.
“Sire, of this sawt ȝe scholen A while reste;
I hope it schal be for ȝoure beste.”
That say In what peryl that he wolde gon,
And Conseilled him “forto Abyde
Til it were more to the day tyde,
And I schal ȝow Certefien Everidel
How On these theves to ben Avenged wel;
252
Ne putten ȝowre self Into non gret deseisse.”
Thanne Pompee Axede him Anon,
In What Manere that it Mihte gon.
“Sire, of this sawt ȝe scholen A while reste;
I hope it schal be for ȝoure beste.”
But Evere they maden sorwe & wo,
For hise goode knyhtes weren slayn so.
He forto lesen so mani goode knihtes
For A fewe theves In tho fyhtes,
Ful gret schame to him he thowhte it was,
His knyhtes so to lesen In theke Cas.
And On the Morwe whanne it was day lyht,
And Pompee of that Roch hadde A syht,
So strong A thing say he neuere non
As thike Roche that he loked vppon;
‘And non wondir it hadde ben,’ seide he Anon,
‘Thowgh his knyhtes hadde ben slayn Echon.’
For hise goode knyhtes weren slayn so.
He forto lesen so mani goode knihtes
For A fewe theves In tho fyhtes,
Ful gret schame to him he thowhte it was,
His knyhtes so to lesen In theke Cas.
And On the Morwe whanne it was day lyht,
And Pompee of that Roch hadde A syht,
So strong A thing say he neuere non
As thike Roche that he loked vppon;
‘And non wondir it hadde ben,’ seide he Anon,
‘Thowgh his knyhtes hadde ben slayn Echon.’
Thanne of his knyhtes he Axede Counsaille,
ȝif to that Roche they Cowden Owght Availle;
But non Of hem that was there
Cowde him Counseillen In non Manere;
For they seiden to him Certeinle
But ȝif be Enfamyne it wolde not be.
ȝif to that Roche they Cowden Owght Availle;
But non Of hem that was there
Cowde him Counseillen In non Manere;
For they seiden to him Certeinle
But ȝif be Enfamyne it wolde not be.
Whanne þe kyng of hem hadde non Oþer chere,
He be-thowghte him In Another Manere,
That hem he wolde distroyen Anon
Be Angwisch Of fyr þere Euerychon.
He be-thowghte him In Another Manere,
That hem he wolde distroyen Anon
Be Angwisch Of fyr þere Euerychon.
Anon A gret fere he let there dyhte
Of Olde schepes And Galeyes, þat brenden so bryhte,
That At theke Roche persched hadde been,
As all the peple there Myhte it seen;
So that this feer there brende so longe tho,
That Alle the smolder Into þat kave gan go;
For that feer to stawnchen hadden they non miht,
But Euere this feer brende ful lyht.
And they benethe gonne hem defende
With Arwes & stones that they gonnen vp sende;
And they Aboven defensed hem thore
With speris & cleyves wondirly Sore.
Of Olde schepes And Galeyes, þat brenden so bryhte,
That At theke Roche persched hadde been,
As all the peple there Myhte it seen;
So that this feer there brende so longe tho,
That Alle the smolder Into þat kave gan go;
253
But Euere this feer brende ful lyht.
And they benethe gonne hem defende
With Arwes & stones that they gonnen vp sende;
And they Aboven defensed hem thore
With speris & cleyves wondirly Sore.
And whanne this feer gan brennen so briht,
The thevis tooken fresch water Anon riht—
Where-Offen they hadden Som plente tho—
And In-to that Feer they gonnen it do;
Thanne Alle the smoke & þe flawme, I þe plyht,
Into that Cave wente there Anon Ryht,
And they benethe schetten ful sore,
And stones vp threw with Engynes thore,
So that they slowen fowre of the felowns
That hadden don sweche distroctiouns.
And whanne these thevis Syen this,
Aȝen to þe Cave þey wenten with-Owten Mys;
But þere weren they not wel at Ese,
So Evel this Feer it dide hem plese.
And whanne they seyen it Miht not be,
Alle Anon Owt of that kave gonnen they fle,
And with Alle here myht And strengthe ther
They purposed to stawnchen this feer.
And thanne these knyhtes to hem Ronne,
And there sore begeringe they begonne;
And the Felowns hem defendid sore,
As they that Maymed & Greved wore.
The thevis tooken fresch water Anon riht—
Where-Offen they hadden Som plente tho—
And In-to that Feer they gonnen it do;
Thanne Alle the smoke & þe flawme, I þe plyht,
Into that Cave wente there Anon Ryht,
And they benethe schetten ful sore,
And stones vp threw with Engynes thore,
So that they slowen fowre of the felowns
That hadden don sweche distroctiouns.
And whanne these thevis Syen this,
Aȝen to þe Cave þey wenten with-Owten Mys;
But þere weren they not wel at Ese,
So Evel this Feer it dide hem plese.
And whanne they seyen it Miht not be,
Alle Anon Owt of that kave gonnen they fle,
And with Alle here myht And strengthe ther
They purposed to stawnchen this feer.
And thanne these knyhtes to hem Ronne,
And there sore begeringe they begonne;
And the Felowns hem defendid sore,
As they that Maymed & Greved wore.
And whanne this pompee gan this beholde,
For deol his herte gan wexen ful Colde;
And to that Rooch he hentred Anon,
To-ward þe feer, As faste As he Cowde Gon.
Anon Aȝen to the Cave they gonnen to Ronne,
For non lengere nolden they blynne;
And Pompe After hem tho sewede faste—
For to hem hadde he ful gret haste—
Where that he of hem Slow there fyve;
Thanne leften there but xiiii On lyve;
To wheche they benethen schotten ful sore,
& Manie of hem horten thore,
So that Pompe him-self hurt with hem was
In thre stedis In that Same plas.
And whanne that this beheld Pompees knyghtes,
That he was so vegorous In fyhtes,
Vppe to the Roche they gonnen to wynne,
To sosteine here Lord Aȝens hem with-Inne;
So that pompee ful Sore gan fyhte,
And drof these Felouns Into the Cave Anon Ryht,
And putten hem Alle to Mischef,
Thike lerrers, that Errawnt thef.
For deol his herte gan wexen ful Colde;
And to that Rooch he hentred Anon,
To-ward þe feer, As faste As he Cowde Gon.
Anon Aȝen to the Cave they gonnen to Ronne,
For non lengere nolden they blynne;
254
For to hem hadde he ful gret haste—
Where that he of hem Slow there fyve;
Thanne leften there but xiiii On lyve;
To wheche they benethen schotten ful sore,
& Manie of hem horten thore,
So that Pompe him-self hurt with hem was
In thre stedis In that Same plas.
And whanne that this beheld Pompees knyghtes,
That he was so vegorous In fyhtes,
Vppe to the Roche they gonnen to wynne,
To sosteine here Lord Aȝens hem with-Inne;
So that pompee ful Sore gan fyhte,
And drof these Felouns Into the Cave Anon Ryht,
And putten hem Alle to Mischef,
Thike lerrers, that Errawnt thef.
And whanne this lerrers bethowhte him tho
That they xiiij Of On Man dispised weren so,
Owt they Comen Al On Abrest;
And this lerrers On pompees Faste threst,
And took pompees be bothe scholdres tho,
There In that Fer him forto hauen do;
But he myhte not Allyng for his knyhtes,
But down Fillen they bothe Anon Ryhtes.
But Pompee there in Swowneng lay,
And bothen Armes of lerrers borsten, in fay.
Thanne they benethe Gonnen this beholde,
And to here Lord Ronne Manifolde,
And to the Schip they him gan bere,
And In a Cowche they leyden hem there.
That they xiiij Of On Man dispised weren so,
Owt they Comen Al On Abrest;
And this lerrers On pompees Faste threst,
And took pompees be bothe scholdres tho,
There In that Fer him forto hauen do;
But he myhte not Allyng for his knyhtes,
But down Fillen they bothe Anon Ryhtes.
But Pompee there in Swowneng lay,
And bothen Armes of lerrers borsten, in fay.
Thanne they benethe Gonnen this beholde,
And to here Lord Ronne Manifolde,
And to the Schip they him gan bere,
And In a Cowche they leyden hem there.
Thanne token they thys fals lerrers,
And him kepte As A thef So fers.
And Alle this whille fowghten the knyhtes
Vppon the Roche, and slowgh down Ryhtes.
And him kepte As A thef So fers.
And Alle this whille fowghten the knyhtes
Vppon the Roche, and slowgh down Ryhtes.
And In this mene whille Of fyhgteng,
Awook Pompee Owt Of his swowneng,
Where-offen his Meyne ful glad they were,
Whanne that he was Recouered there.
Thanne Merveilled Pompe wondir sore
How that In the Schipe he Cam thore;
Thanne his Meyne gan him to telle,
In what Maner and how þat he felle.
Awook Pompee Owt Of his swowneng,
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Whanne that he was Recouered there.
Thanne Merveilled Pompe wondir sore
How that In the Schipe he Cam thore;
Thanne his Meyne gan him to telle,
In what Maner and how þat he felle.
Thanne this pompee vp Ros Anon,
And Aȝen to that Roche gan he to gon
With a ful good strong Spere In honde,
Where-with he wrowhte þe theves schonde
And to that Cave he Entred Again,
And there with-Inne he hath hem Slayn,
And there threw hem Into the Se,
The Fysches Mete Al forto be.
And Aȝen to that Roche gan he to gon
With a ful good strong Spere In honde,
Where-with he wrowhte þe theves schonde
And to that Cave he Entred Again,
And there with-Inne he hath hem Slayn,
And there threw hem Into the Se,
The Fysches Mete Al forto be.
Thanne Cam he to the Schipe Again,
Where-Offen his Meyne was ful fayn.
Thanne Comanded he to taken this lerrers,
That was a theef So strong and fers,
To bersten bothen his thyes and Ek his bak,
And Into the se Casten him with-Owten lak,
Thus deliuered thanne Sire pompee
That Roche Of felowns, As I telle the.
Where-Offen his Meyne was ful fayn.
Thanne Comanded he to taken this lerrers,
That was a theef So strong and fers,
To bersten bothen his thyes and Ek his bak,
And Into the se Casten him with-Owten lak,
Thus deliuered thanne Sire pompee
That Roche Of felowns, As I telle the.
And to Rome seilled he streyht Agein,
As I telle ȝow now for certein;
And from Rome to Jerusalem he wente,
Where that he stablede his hors presente
In the holy temple Of Owre lord.
As I telle ȝow now for certein;
And from Rome to Jerusalem he wente,
Where that he stablede his hors presente
In the holy temple Of Owre lord.
Thanne to him Cam seint Petir At On word,
And seide to hym In this Manere:
“Pompee, thow forsakest thi maneres here,
And dost moche wers thanne dide lerrers,—
That was a felown bothe strong and fers,—
Thy stable thus here forto Make
The heyest hows, that for goddis Sake
Was mad to don Inne his Servise.
Now thow þat hows gynnest to dispise,
Wherfore I may wel liknen the
To Forcaus, that felown sire, perde.”
And seide to hym In this Manere:
“Pompee, thow forsakest thi maneres here,
And dost moche wers thanne dide lerrers,—
That was a felown bothe strong and fers,—
Thy stable thus here forto Make
The heyest hows, that for goddis Sake
Was mad to don Inne his Servise.
Now thow þat hows gynnest to dispise,
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To Forcaus, that felown sire, perde.”
Thanne from Jerusalem þis pompe wente,
And charged Al his Men wit goode Ente[nte],
‘They scholden neuere Of this forcaus speke,
In what maner On him he was A-wreke;
For to him hadde it ben gret velonie,
Vppon A thef to han set his hol Navye;’
For it was On of the grettest prowesse
That Evere dide þe Emperowr In Ony distresse.
And charged Al his Men wit goode Ente[nte],
‘They scholden neuere Of this forcaus speke,
In what maner On him he was A-wreke;
For to him hadde it ben gret velonie,
Vppon A thef to han set his hol Navye;’
For it was On of the grettest prowesse
That Evere dide þe Emperowr In Ony distresse.
| CHAPTER XX. The Legend of the Holy Grail | |