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. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. | CHAPTER XXII. |
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| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
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| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
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| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
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| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
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| LVI. |
 | CHAPTER XXII. The Legend of the Holy Grail |  |
CHAPTER XXII.
266
Thanne sat this kyng in gret stodying,
And thowhte what to don of al this thing;
Whethir with that lady he scholde go,
That sche seide so wel him louede tho,
And therto so ful of Sapiense,
Lyk As sche wede In his presense.
And thowhte what to don of al this thing;
Whethir with that lady he scholde go,
That sche seide so wel him louede tho,
And therto so ful of Sapiense,
Lyk As sche wede In his presense.
Thanne Eualach Clepid this womman tho,
And Axede hire ‘ȝif sche Cowde Owht do
To tellen him In what plase þat he were;
And how fer from his londis there.’
“ȝe,” quod this womman tho Anon Riht,
“Al this schal I the tellen Astyht.
Of port peryl this Roche bereth the name,
A perilows Roch, And Of gret Fame;
And Owt of thy kyngdom Art thow here
xvii. dayes Iornees, Al In fere;
For A gret Iorne for A schipe it were,
In a Monthe & .ix. dayes from thens to ben here.
So that there schalt thow neuere haue dwellynge
But ȝif so be that I thedyr þe bringe.”
Thanne Abasched was he mochel more
Thanne he was Ony tym be-fore,
That he was so fer from his kingdom
I-browht In-to A straunge Regiown:
Thanne In gret thowht sat this kyng,
And þere made mochel Morneng.
And Axede hire ‘ȝif sche Cowde Owht do
To tellen him In what plase þat he were;
And how fer from his londis there.’
“ȝe,” quod this womman tho Anon Riht,
“Al this schal I the tellen Astyht.
Of port peryl this Roche bereth the name,
A perilows Roch, And Of gret Fame;
And Owt of thy kyngdom Art thow here
xvii. dayes Iornees, Al In fere;
For A gret Iorne for A schipe it were,
In a Monthe & .ix. dayes from thens to ben here.
So that there schalt thow neuere haue dwellynge
But ȝif so be that I thedyr þe bringe.”
Thanne Abasched was he mochel more
Thanne he was Ony tym be-fore,
That he was so fer from his kingdom
I-browht In-to A straunge Regiown:
Thanne In gret thowht sat this kyng,
And þere made mochel Morneng.
Thanne seide this womman to him tho,
“Sire Eualach, wherto thenken ȝe so?
ȝif ȝe wilen don Aftir My biddinge,
Into a ful delitable plase I schal the bringe;
And ȝif thow wilt not don as I the seye,
Many wondir happes schalt þou han In feye;
And so Manie Combrawnces scholen Comen to þe,
That with-Inne ful schort tyme schalt þou se,
So þat þou wost ben hid in þe most Caytifes plase
That Evere On Erthe ȝit Mad wase.”
“Sire Eualach, wherto thenken ȝe so?
ȝif ȝe wilen don Aftir My biddinge,
Into a ful delitable plase I schal the bringe;
And ȝif thow wilt not don as I the seye,
Many wondir happes schalt þou han In feye;
And so Manie Combrawnces scholen Comen to þe,
That with-Inne ful schort tyme schalt þou se,
267
That Evere On Erthe ȝit Mad wase.”
Thanne the kyng Abasched him sore,
That to hire wordis mihte he speke no more.
And whanne sche say þat it wolde not be,
That Answere mihte non Getten sche,
Sche torned hire Schipe, and Gan to go
Streyht Aȝen Into the highe se tho.
Thanne Anon the king Cast vp his hed,
And saw where sche seillede In that sted
Fer Amyddis the grete throwenge se,
Where that grete Merveilles Anon say he;—
The grettest tempest him thowte was there,
And the Moste wondirful that was o-where;
So that him thowghte þat Al the Se
Ouer Al the world schold han be;
And In Middis Of that tempest,
There was the Schipe Althermest.
Thus Sone there Cam A wyndes blast,
And that Schipe there Ouer Cast.
And As the kyng On þe Roch there sat,
With his Eyen he beheld Al that,
And wondred mochel In his thowht
What schipe it was that the womman browht.
That to hire wordis mihte he speke no more.
And whanne sche say þat it wolde not be,
That Answere mihte non Getten sche,
Sche torned hire Schipe, and Gan to go
Streyht Aȝen Into the highe se tho.
Thanne Anon the king Cast vp his hed,
And saw where sche seillede In that sted
Fer Amyddis the grete throwenge se,
Where that grete Merveilles Anon say he;—
The grettest tempest him thowte was there,
And the Moste wondirful that was o-where;
So that him thowghte þat Al the Se
Ouer Al the world schold han be;
And In Middis Of that tempest,
There was the Schipe Althermest.
Thus Sone there Cam A wyndes blast,
And that Schipe there Ouer Cast.
And As the kyng On þe Roch there sat,
With his Eyen he beheld Al that,
And wondred mochel In his thowht
What schipe it was that the womman browht.
Thanne this kyng bethowhte him tho,
That Of him self it was Evel I-do
That he ne hadde Enqwered what sche hadde be,
& what hire Name was, & Of what Contre;
For he here supposed neuere to se,
Therfore here Name haven knowen wolde he.
Thanne of hire wordes sore he thowghte,
How that In Reste he scholde be nowhte
As long as he held that Creaunse;
Ful Often he thowghte vppon this Chaunce;
And For sorwe of this tydinge
He ne wiste to don non thing.
Thanne gan he to Remembren him Anon
How worthily he was wont to Gon,
Of his Richesse, & Of his honoure,
And On his lordschepis In that stowur;
And sethen he thowhte thanne Aȝen
In what persecucioun he hadde ben
Sethen Cristen Man that he was,
What he hadde Suffred In diuers plas;
And thus In disperawnce he gan to falle
Tyl Aȝens the Niht Sore with Alle.
That Of him self it was Evel I-do
That he ne hadde Enqwered what sche hadde be,
& what hire Name was, & Of what Contre;
For he here supposed neuere to se,
Therfore here Name haven knowen wolde he.
Thanne of hire wordes sore he thowghte,
How that In Reste he scholde be nowhte
As long as he held that Creaunse;
Ful Often he thowghte vppon this Chaunce;
And For sorwe of this tydinge
He ne wiste to don non thing.
268
How worthily he was wont to Gon,
Of his Richesse, & Of his honoure,
And On his lordschepis In that stowur;
And sethen he thowhte thanne Aȝen
In what persecucioun he hadde ben
Sethen Cristen Man that he was,
What he hadde Suffred In diuers plas;
And thus In disperawnce he gan to falle
Tyl Aȝens the Niht Sore with Alle.
Thanne he bethowhte him Anon,
How that Ony wyse he myhte don;
For the Roche was A wastable plase,
And non Resteng there-Inne Nas.
Thanne fond the king the grees there riht
That to thike Cave wente ful streiht,
Whiche was bothe ful dirk & blak,
& hidows On to looken with many A lak;
For long tyme was it past be-fore
That Evere Ony levyng man was thore.
And to hym self he gan to seye,
“Sekerly, with-Owten wile I not lye,
But entren I wiele Into this Cave,
There-Inne Min herberwe forto have.”
And the ferste foot that with-Inne he sette,
Plat to the Grownd he was smette;
For him thowhte that On with two hondis him took,
And Evene to therthe there him schook.
And thus lay the king In swowneng In þis Manere
Thorwgh the Fal that he hadde there.
And whanne of his swowneng he A-wook,
Vppon the Entre Of the Cave he gan to look;
And thus As he In this thowht gan dwelle,
A wondirful tempest there befelle,
That him thowghte the wawes of þe se
Into the hevene wolden fle,
And Al to-berste bothe lond & ston:
Thus him thowghte there Ryht Anon.
How that Ony wyse he myhte don;
For the Roche was A wastable plase,
And non Resteng there-Inne Nas.
Thanne fond the king the grees there riht
That to thike Cave wente ful streiht,
Whiche was bothe ful dirk & blak,
& hidows On to looken with many A lak;
For long tyme was it past be-fore
That Evere Ony levyng man was thore.
And to hym self he gan to seye,
“Sekerly, with-Owten wile I not lye,
But entren I wiele Into this Cave,
There-Inne Min herberwe forto have.”
And the ferste foot that with-Inne he sette,
Plat to the Grownd he was smette;
For him thowhte that On with two hondis him took,
And Evene to therthe there him schook.
And thus lay the king In swowneng In þis Manere
Thorwgh the Fal that he hadde there.
And whanne of his swowneng he A-wook,
Vppon the Entre Of the Cave he gan to look;
And thus As he In this thowht gan dwelle,
A wondirful tempest there befelle,
That him thowghte the wawes of þe se
Into the hevene wolden fle,
269
Thus him thowghte there Ryht Anon.
Thanne Cam there so grete A dirknesse
That browhte him in moche distresse,
That him self he ne myhte not se
No more thanne In A pit he hadde I-be.
And whanne Of alle thinge he hadde lost þe siht,
And þat non thing he sen ne myht,
More Abasched thanne he tho was,
Was neuere Man ȝit In non plas;
But Aftir this gret drede Anon,
Good Comfort to him was sent ful son.
And whanne In this dirknesse he hadde longe be,
And for drede lost bothe wit & Memore,
He ne wiste for drede what to do,
And In this thowht longe Abod he so.
And al the nyht lay this kyng
As In Maner he hadde ben In Sowneng,
That from him Self he was ful Clene,
For On him non Otherwise ne was it sene.
That browhte him in moche distresse,
That him self he ne myhte not se
No more thanne In A pit he hadde I-be.
And whanne Of alle thinge he hadde lost þe siht,
And þat non thing he sen ne myht,
More Abasched thanne he tho was,
Was neuere Man ȝit In non plas;
But Aftir this gret drede Anon,
Good Comfort to him was sent ful son.
And whanne In this dirknesse he hadde longe be,
And for drede lost bothe wit & Memore,
He ne wiste for drede what to do,
And In this thowht longe Abod he so.
And al the nyht lay this kyng
As In Maner he hadde ben In Sowneng,
That from him Self he was ful Clene,
For On him non Otherwise ne was it sene.
And whanne that it was goddis wille,
The Clernesse Of day there to fulfille,
And the bemes of the sonne Bryht
Into Alle the Erthe it schon ful lyht,
The kyng that vppon the Grees lay
To-fore the Cave dore, As I the Say,
Vppon his Face the sonne þere schon,
Where-with he A-wook Ryht Anon,
And his Eyen Open he gan to Caste,
And Abowtes him he loked ful faste;
And whanne that the Se he loked vppon,
And Ek the Roch that he lay There on,
He lefte vpe his Riht hond An hy,
And the Signe of the Crois made devoutly.
The Clernesse Of day there to fulfille,
And the bemes of the sonne Bryht
Into Alle the Erthe it schon ful lyht,
The kyng that vppon the Grees lay
To-fore the Cave dore, As I the Say,
Vppon his Face the sonne þere schon,
Where-with he A-wook Ryht Anon,
And his Eyen Open he gan to Caste,
And Abowtes him he loked ful faste;
And whanne that the Se he loked vppon,
And Ek the Roch that he lay There on,
He lefte vpe his Riht hond An hy,
And the Signe of the Crois made devoutly.
Thanne Cam he to his Mynde Agein
As he to-forn was Al In Certein,
And kneling, to God made his preyere
In this Maner As ȝe scholen here:
“O thow swete lord God Almyhty,
That Comfort And Ese dost to Alle Sory,
And me hast deliuered of Manie gret distresse,
Of Mani Aventures, & Of Mani heveynesse;
And Of Mani hevynesses which weren Comenge,
Thow me deliueredest, thow Glorious kynge!
O goode lord god, I am thi Creature
To whom thow hast ben ful deboneure,
And to me hast Schewed gret Mercy,
To Me, lord, that ne Am no thing worthi;
And my Sowle to helle Scholde han went,
Ne hadde ben thy Mercy, God lord Omnipotent;
And thy Mercy from helle it gan to withdrawe,
And browhtest it Into the Cristene lawe;
So, goode lord, me kepe & defende,
And Euere thy Grace that thow me Sende;
And that the devel ne tempte not me,
Whom I haue forsaken, & Only taken me to the;
Whose werkis & him I have forsake,
And to thy mercy Onlich, lord, I me betake.”
As he to-forn was Al In Certein,
270
In this Maner As ȝe scholen here:
“O thow swete lord God Almyhty,
That Comfort And Ese dost to Alle Sory,
And me hast deliuered of Manie gret distresse,
Of Mani Aventures, & Of Mani heveynesse;
And Of Mani hevynesses which weren Comenge,
Thow me deliueredest, thow Glorious kynge!
O goode lord god, I am thi Creature
To whom thow hast ben ful deboneure,
And to me hast Schewed gret Mercy,
To Me, lord, that ne Am no thing worthi;
And my Sowle to helle Scholde han went,
Ne hadde ben thy Mercy, God lord Omnipotent;
And thy Mercy from helle it gan to withdrawe,
And browhtest it Into the Cristene lawe;
So, goode lord, me kepe & defende,
And Euere thy Grace that thow me Sende;
And that the devel ne tempte not me,
Whom I haue forsaken, & Only taken me to the;
Whose werkis & him I have forsake,
And to thy mercy Onlich, lord, I me betake.”
Whanne he thus his preyere hadde I-do,
Ful faste Abowte him loked he tho.
Owt Of the Est he Saw Comen thore
The fair Schip that he say þe day before,
Where-Inne that was the goode man
That of so mochel goodnesse to him spak than.
And whanne he Saw that it was he,
Ful glad and blithe he gan forto be,
And alle his Sorewes forȝat he thanne,
For Joye to speken with this good Manne.
Thanne ful faste he gan to Crie
Of Alle his trespas there to god Mercye.
And whanne he Say the Schipe to the Roche gon,
Evere to the foot of the Roch he Cam Anon,
And Into that Schipe he lokede there,
And Say there-Inne thinges of diuers Manere,
Bothe Richesse, Jowelles, & vitaille Also,
That to Ony lyveng Man belonged to.
Ful faste Abowte him loked he tho.
Owt Of the Est he Saw Comen thore
The fair Schip that he say þe day before,
Where-Inne that was the goode man
That of so mochel goodnesse to him spak than.
And whanne he Saw that it was he,
Ful glad and blithe he gan forto be,
And alle his Sorewes forȝat he thanne,
For Joye to speken with this good Manne.
Thanne ful faste he gan to Crie
Of Alle his trespas there to god Mercye.
And whanne he Say the Schipe to the Roche gon,
Evere to the foot of the Roch he Cam Anon,
271
And Say there-Inne thinges of diuers Manere,
Bothe Richesse, Jowelles, & vitaille Also,
That to Ony lyveng Man belonged to.
And whanne the Same good man he Say,
That to him hadde spoken the formere day,
And seide, “Sire, Ryht welcome ȝe be
Into this Roche ful Certeinle!”
Thanne this goodman Owt of þe schipe wente
Vp to the Roche tho, veramente,
And Axed the kyng how he dide fare
Sithen þe tyme that he was thare.
“Forsothe, sire,” quod the king tho,
“I Was neuere so ful of Sorwe & Wo
As that, Goode sire, I have I-be,
Sethen the tyme ȝe partid from me.”
That to him hadde spoken the formere day,
And seide, “Sire, Ryht welcome ȝe be
Into this Roche ful Certeinle!”
Thanne this goodman Owt of þe schipe wente
Vp to the Roche tho, veramente,
And Axed the kyng how he dide fare
Sithen þe tyme that he was thare.
“Forsothe, sire,” quod the king tho,
“I Was neuere so ful of Sorwe & Wo
As that, Goode sire, I have I-be,
Sethen the tyme ȝe partid from me.”
Thanne gan he him forto telle
What Aventures that him befelle,
And Of that Fairre wommans Comeng,
And of mani Anothir Aventures thing.
Thanne Answerid him tho this good Man
With a smyleng Chere Anon than:
“O thow Man ful litel of beleve,
Ful litel thing May the Greve.
And thou stedfast In beleve wost be,
þer nys non thing that myhte Greven the;
For And thow wost thenken on hem þat the bowht,
Troste thow wel, he forgeteth the nowht;
And ȝif thow Attenden wilt to his Servise,
He nele the forgeten In non wise;
As dauid seith In the Sawter book—
Hos wele there aftir there-Inne look—
‘Owre lord is Redy In Alle wise
To hem that hym Clepen In his Servise.’
In this loke thow have stedfast Creaunce,
And thanne schalt thow, with-Owten variaunce,
[Have al] where vppon thin herte wil thenke,
Redy to the, whethir þou wake Oþer wynke.
And thowgh A whille that here thow be
Here In preson, As thow Miht Se,
Abasche the not for thy beyng;
Ful wel hens he wyl the bringe,
And qwiten the A hundred fold More
Thanne for him dist thow Owht fore;
And more Gwerdoun schalt thow have
Thanne Evere thin herte kan thenken oþer krave,
As witnesseth david the prophete,
Where As he Seith these wordes swete,
‘God vnbindeth that is I-bownde,
& of here peynes hem loseth In a stownde;
For God, the hurte men he keuereth sone,
And þe wikked to goodnesse torneth Anone,
Oure God, þe Ryhtwos loveth Ryht Wel,
The Orphanees he gouerneth Ech del.’
What Aventures that him befelle,
And Of that Fairre wommans Comeng,
And of mani Anothir Aventures thing.
Thanne Answerid him tho this good Man
With a smyleng Chere Anon than:
“O thow Man ful litel of beleve,
Ful litel thing May the Greve.
And thou stedfast In beleve wost be,
þer nys non thing that myhte Greven the;
For And thow wost thenken on hem þat the bowht,
Troste thow wel, he forgeteth the nowht;
And ȝif thow Attenden wilt to his Servise,
He nele the forgeten In non wise;
As dauid seith In the Sawter book—
Hos wele there aftir there-Inne look—
‘Owre lord is Redy In Alle wise
To hem that hym Clepen In his Servise.’
In this loke thow have stedfast Creaunce,
And thanne schalt thow, with-Owten variaunce,
272
Redy to the, whethir þou wake Oþer wynke.
And thowgh A whille that here thow be
Here In preson, As thow Miht Se,
Abasche the not for thy beyng;
Ful wel hens he wyl the bringe,
And qwiten the A hundred fold More
Thanne for him dist thow Owht fore;
And more Gwerdoun schalt thow have
Thanne Evere thin herte kan thenken oþer krave,
As witnesseth david the prophete,
Where As he Seith these wordes swete,
‘God vnbindeth that is I-bownde,
& of here peynes hem loseth In a stownde;
For God, the hurte men he keuereth sone,
And þe wikked to goodnesse torneth Anone,
Oure God, þe Ryhtwos loveth Ryht Wel,
The Orphanees he gouerneth Ech del.’
“This Owhtest thow to have In knowenge,
And holych In thy sperit Remembringe:
And thow In thyn herte that þou Synne,
It Cometh on of him self More ne mynne,
But On Of thy flesches frelte;
Here-offen Sekyr Myhtest þou be;
For the Flesch, dedlich it is,
And so thin herte sekerly It Nis;
For thin herte, it is speritwel,
And speritwel thing to don Ech del;
For thine herte is thing of speritwelte
The goode from Evel to knowen, I telle the.
And this is Only hise Mesteere,
þerfore ‘the Sihte of þe sowle’ he is cleped there;
Thus sendeth the goode lord Above,
‘Sihte of sowle’ to hem that him love,
That dedly thinges wile forsake,
& Only to his Conseil hem take;
Ful seker of welthe mown they be,
And Owt of al Maner Aduersite;
For thus witnesseth the profecie
Of holy prophetis that don not lye.
[It is ful trewe] with-owten lesing,
[He that] In Synne is dwellyng,
In ful strong preson he is I-Caste
Whiles that he In Synne doth laste,
For thanne he is bownden In strong peine
With the develis Combrauns, in Certeine.
And ȝif Owt Of preson he wil ben vnbownde,
To the welle of Cownseil he moste In a stownde,
The wheche is openly now Confessiown,
That is to the devel Riht fowl Confuciown;
“Anon Of presown he is vnbownde
Thorwgh Confesciown that ilke stownde;
Thanne the develis Cownseil forsaketh he,
And alle þe werkes that to him longen to be.
And holych In thy sperit Remembringe:
And thow In thyn herte that þou Synne,
It Cometh on of him self More ne mynne,
But On Of thy flesches frelte;
Here-offen Sekyr Myhtest þou be;
For the Flesch, dedlich it is,
And so thin herte sekerly It Nis;
For thin herte, it is speritwel,
273
For thine herte is thing of speritwelte
The goode from Evel to knowen, I telle the.
And this is Only hise Mesteere,
þerfore ‘the Sihte of þe sowle’ he is cleped there;
Thus sendeth the goode lord Above,
‘Sihte of sowle’ to hem that him love,
That dedly thinges wile forsake,
& Only to his Conseil hem take;
Ful seker of welthe mown they be,
And Owt of al Maner Aduersite;
For thus witnesseth the profecie
Of holy prophetis that don not lye.
[It is ful trewe] with-owten lesing,
[He that] In Synne is dwellyng,
In ful strong preson he is I-Caste
Whiles that he In Synne doth laste,
For thanne he is bownden In strong peine
With the develis Combrauns, in Certeine.
And ȝif Owt Of preson he wil ben vnbownde,
To the welle of Cownseil he moste In a stownde,
The wheche is openly now Confessiown,
That is to the devel Riht fowl Confuciown;
“Anon Of presown he is vnbownde
Thorwgh Confesciown that ilke stownde;
Thanne the develis Cownseil forsaketh he,
And alle þe werkes that to him longen to be.
And In this Manere wele oure Saviour
His Servauntes bringen owt of dolowr,
And Owt of presown thus hem bringe
That to-fore the devel hadde In Chalenginge;
And thus the Brosed, hol doth he Make,
That Ony thing wele don for his sake.
For Manie Men In this world there be,
That Maymed In here Membres ben Sekerle,
And so harde here Membres ben hurt Echon,
That On non foote ne mowen they Gon;
And sweche Men forsothe they be,
That the Membres of the sowle han lost Sikerle,
And þe Swetnesse of þe herte with-drawe
Be worldly lustes they they han hem slawe;
But Otherwise scholden they do,
As I schal the seye, now herkene me to,
What the swetnesse of the sowle it is,
Ful delitable thing, & ful Of blis.
His Servauntes bringen owt of dolowr,
And Owt of presown thus hem bringe
That to-fore the devel hadde In Chalenginge;
And thus the Brosed, hol doth he Make,
That Ony thing wele don for his sake.
For Manie Men In this world there be,
That Maymed In here Membres ben Sekerle,
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That On non foote ne mowen they Gon;
And sweche Men forsothe they be,
That the Membres of the sowle han lost Sikerle,
And þe Swetnesse of þe herte with-drawe
Be worldly lustes they they han hem slawe;
But Otherwise scholden they do,
As I schal the seye, now herkene me to,
What the swetnesse of the sowle it is,
Ful delitable thing, & ful Of blis.
“The membres of the sowle these bene:
Swetnesse of herte Is On ful schene,
Good Religiows, with pyte,
Lowliche reuerence to God, & divinite
Innocense, & ful therto of Mercye:
These ben the Membres of þe sawle sekerlye;
For the sowle, sosteined here-bi et is.
Swetnesse of herte Is On ful schene,
Good Religiows, with pyte,
Lowliche reuerence to God, & divinite
Innocense, & ful therto of Mercye:
These ben the Membres of þe sawle sekerlye;
For the sowle, sosteined here-bi et is.
“And what sowle that of these Membres don Mis,
It may not wel Governed thanne be,
For these ben the hondes & feet sekerle
That to Mannes Sowle belongen Echon,
And elles May it nethir Meven ne gon;
For Anon As the sowle þese membres hath gete,
Thanne to the body it is dressed ful swete;
Ful wel is that body At Reste & Ese
That with the membres of þe sowle can him plese
Lo thus Redesteth God of hevene
Hem that him loven woth Milde stevene.”
It may not wel Governed thanne be,
For these ben the hondes & feet sekerle
That to Mannes Sowle belongen Echon,
And elles May it nethir Meven ne gon;
For Anon As the sowle þese membres hath gete,
Thanne to the body it is dressed ful swete;
Ful wel is that body At Reste & Ese
That with the membres of þe sowle can him plese
Lo thus Redesteth God of hevene
Hem that him loven woth Milde stevene.”
Sweche wordis, & Other Mo,
The goode Man of þe schipe the kyng spak vnto,
And Comforted the king moche In this Manere
With tho wordes þat he to him Spak there.
The goode Man of þe schipe the kyng spak vnto,
And Comforted the king moche In this Manere
With tho wordes þat he to him Spak there.
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Thanne the kyng this good man gan to refreine,
And Axede him of that faire womman Certaine,
That with him was the formere day,
And with hire him wolde han had Away.
Anon the goode man him Answerid thanne:
“Ful wel know I that ilke wommanne
That to the Semede so fair and Riche,
And In alle the world the thowhte non swich;
ȝit, whanne sche was In Myn howshold,
Fairere sche was be an hundred fold,
And bettere At Ese, thanne sche now Is,
And moche more In welthe, with-Owten mis.
And whanne sche An-hawnsed so was
In that ilke delitable plas,
And whanne Myn hows thus was I-Mad,
And sche alle delicasies there-Inne sche had,
Anon In herte took sche gret pryde—
So ful of welthe sche was that tyde—
And Anon thowhte that sche lady wolde han be,
As I was Lord In myn Owne Sovereinte,
And that of hire I scholde haven non powste,
But heyere than I sche thowhte þer to be;
For so mochel bewte was hire tho vppon,
That Erthly man was there neuere non
That Into hire face myght haven a siht;
So fair sche was, so Cler, & so briht.
And Axede him of that faire womman Certaine,
That with him was the formere day,
And with hire him wolde han had Away.
Anon the goode man him Answerid thanne:
“Ful wel know I that ilke wommanne
That to the Semede so fair and Riche,
And In alle the world the thowhte non swich;
ȝit, whanne sche was In Myn howshold,
Fairere sche was be an hundred fold,
And bettere At Ese, thanne sche now Is,
And moche more In welthe, with-Owten mis.
And whanne sche An-hawnsed so was
In that ilke delitable plas,
And whanne Myn hows thus was I-Mad,
And sche alle delicasies there-Inne sche had,
Anon In herte took sche gret pryde—
So ful of welthe sche was that tyde—
And Anon thowhte that sche lady wolde han be,
As I was Lord In myn Owne Sovereinte,
And that of hire I scholde haven non powste,
But heyere than I sche thowhte þer to be;
For so mochel bewte was hire tho vppon,
That Erthly man was there neuere non
That Into hire face myght haven a siht;
So fair sche was, so Cler, & so briht.
“And whanne that I knew Al hire thowht—
As that from me is hid ryht nowht—
And that to me sche thowhte swiche felonye,
That in thike plase non lengere myht I hire drye;
But threw hire owt of myn hows Anon,
Into A wers plase that sche scholde gon,
Where that non thing so wel At Ese
Sche ne Is not, ne neiþer that doth hire plese,
Ne so gret bewte hath sche now non
As that tyme was hire vppon.
As that from me is hid ryht nowht—
And that to me sche thowhte swiche felonye,
That in thike plase non lengere myht I hire drye;
But threw hire owt of myn hows Anon,
Into A wers plase that sche scholde gon,
Where that non thing so wel At Ese
Sche ne Is not, ne neiþer that doth hire plese,
Ne so gret bewte hath sche now non
As that tyme was hire vppon.
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“And from that tyme ȝit hidirto,
Alle hire Miht and power hath sche do,
Me to wraththen what sche May;
The wheche is hire labour bothe i Nyht & day.
And for that sche sawh that I Cam to the,
The to visite & Comforte In this degre,
It was the Cawse Of hire Comenge,
Owt of this plase the forto brenge,
And Al hire wyl thanne to fulfille,—
Thus ful of wikkednesse sche is, & ille,—
And to don the forsaken thi Creatour
That the Supported & holpen In Mani a stowr.
Therfore As longe As to thi Saviour thow kepist þe,
And from him ne Flechest in non Manere degre,
There ne schal non Manere thing the faille
That to thi body Or Sowle May Availle,
That to the it schal Anon I-grawntid be
Ful Sekerley, Sere, As I tellet the.”
Alle hire Miht and power hath sche do,
Me to wraththen what sche May;
The wheche is hire labour bothe i Nyht & day.
And for that sche sawh that I Cam to the,
The to visite & Comforte In this degre,
It was the Cawse Of hire Comenge,
Owt of this plase the forto brenge,
And Al hire wyl thanne to fulfille,—
Thus ful of wikkednesse sche is, & ille,—
And to don the forsaken thi Creatour
That the Supported & holpen In Mani a stowr.
Therfore As longe As to thi Saviour thow kepist þe,
And from him ne Flechest in non Manere degre,
There ne schal non Manere thing the faille
That to thi body Or Sowle May Availle,
That to the it schal Anon I-grawntid be
Ful Sekerley, Sere, As I tellet the.”
| CHAPTER XXII. The Legend of the Holy Grail | |