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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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collapse sectionXI. 
[Chapter XI]
  
  
  
  
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[Chapter XI]

[N]ow here putteth this Jlke Storye
[of t]hese xj kynges Jn memorye,
[and o]f the dewk of Askam also,
[tha]t be merlynes cownseylle conqwered weren tho,
[an]d how joyful from Blasye he cam,
[an]d how that kyng Arthewr ordeyned hym than.
[th]anne here Pavylouns pyhten they ful faste
[an]d ek here tentes jn ryht gret haste.

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[So] that they casten hem there to abyde
[an]d Forto resten hem that jlke tyde.
[th]anne gouernours of þe ost gonne they ordeynen there:
[S]ire Leownce, Sire gyrflet, & Sire Lwcawns the botelere.
[th]anne Sire Faryens to sire Leownces j-joyned he was
[Towar]dis the wode to kepen jn that plas;
[and Si]re Lwcawns and sire gyrflet
[kepte]n the medewes bothe drye and wet.
[and] the remnaunt to reste gonnen to gon,
ly[k a]s þerto they hadden Nede everychon.
So that they eten & dronken, & maden here play,
and there hem restede, tyl hit was day.
For j-nowh they hadden of the Beste,
bothe riche and powre, to gladen his geste.
Thus they hem restede, tyl hit was day;
And thanne kyng Arthewr comanded, jn fay,
that al the good that geten was
and ek al the rychesse Jnto on plas
that to-gederis scholde ben browht, ful pleyn,
For he wolde departyn hit þere, jn certeyn.
and whanne that they hadden herd here masse,
they wenten there as al þe trosor wasse.
and there on hepis as that hit lay,
These thre kynges, with-owten delay,
departyd this good þere to every man,
as that hem thowhte he hadde nede than:
on man lasse and a-nothyr more,
as hem thowhte they weren worthy thore,
and ek to many pore knyhtes also,
ek to seriauntes that with hem weren tho;
they ȝouen hem of þat good ful largely,
Whyles that Hem Last there ony peny.
and sethen departyd they forth in here compenye
bothe stedys and palfreyes ful justlye,
clothes of gold & of Sylk also,
that nowht to departyn beleft hem tho.
So that every man gwerdonen he was
that with hem was jn that plas.
thanne xl knyhtes chosen they tho

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with hem of Tarmelyde forto go,
which meyne Sire Leownce & sire pharyen
jn governaunce hadden & with hem sire Gracien.
Thus this peple of Tarmelyde
jnto here lond they gonne hem gyde,
that kyng clawdas non harm scholde þere do,
whyles the two kynges here lond weren fro.
Thanne these Barowns to-fore seid here,
Jn here owne contres whanne they were,
hem purchased bothe londes and fe,
everych a man aftyr his degre,
with the grete ȝiftes that they hadde,
and with þe tresor þat they out of þe ost ladde,
So that evere riche men they were,
whiles that on erthe they lyvede here.
So soiorned kyng Artheur at Bredygam stylle
and with hym bothe kynges at his wylle
(that was jn the march of gret Breteyne
and ek of Tarmelyde tho, in certeyne)
merlyne forto abyden there;
this was Artheuris entent, j sey ȝow here.
and vppon the morwen, whanne this was do,
that kyng Arthewr his meyne hadde departyd so,
and at Bredygam hadde mad gret feste
as wel to þe meste as to the leste,
and whanne they hadden eten echon,
out of here loggenges gonnen they gon
Forto beholden bothe ryvere and mede,
How þat the flowres dyden springen & sprede,
thanne behelden they furthermore:
they Syen where a old cherl cam thore
ouer alle the medewes, the sothe to sayn,
with his bowe on hande, jn certayn.
and boltes vndir his gyrdel bar he,
and wylde fowl hadde slayn, sekerle,
the whiche vndir his gyrdel him heng abowte.
ȝit anothir bryd aspide he, with-owten dowte;

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anon his bowe to his ere he drowh,
and anon ryht there that bryd he slowh.
ȝit wylde mathelardes he slowh also,
and evere vnder his gyrdyl he dyde hem do.
Forth a gret pas thanne cam he there
jnto place þere as þe thre kynges logged were.
tha[nne] these kynges hadden beholden ful wel
the schetyng of this cherl every del.
So towardis here loggeng cam he faste,
tyl that thyder he was comen atte laste.
thanne King Arthewr axede hym ful snelle
ȝif ony of that wylde fowl wolde he selle.
“ȝe,” quod the cherl, “with good wylle anon
j wele hem Sellen everychon.”
“To what prys?” quod Arthewr the kyng.
and thanne the cherl wolde seyn non thing.
the aray of this cherl j schal declare,
and so wel as þat j hadde ben thare:
Whit russet hosen he hadde vppon
with a peyre of grete clowted schon,
With a cote and Surcote of Blak Burnet
vppon his Body ful lewedly j-set,
and j-gyrt he was with a schepis skyn,
and þerto he was bothen long, stowt, and Grym,
therto on his hed nethyr coyfe ne hood,
but thus al barehed the carl forth ȝood.
For lyk a wodman he semed, oþer a felown
that hadde don som distrocciown.
and to kyng Arthewr he seyde thanne:
“j ne can non skele of sweche maner menne
That Loven so wel here Tresore;
hyt js ryht nowht, j telle the fore.”
“but thou ony Servyse cowdest do,
to avauncen the scholde j wherto?”
quod this carl: “haue thou this fowl thanne.
ȝit for me art þou than the rychere manne,
and thou of thy good ȝevest me non thyng,
not the lest part of on ferthing.

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and forto ȝeven of þat thou hast geten here,
me thinketh for thy worschepe gretly it were.”
Whanne that the kyng Arthewr vndirstod this,
eche kyng on othyr thanne lokyd, j-wys,
and sethen they seiden hem be-twene:
“where-of devel spekyth this carl so kene?”
thanne þere anon hym clepede kyng Ban,
and axede what devel he seyde than.
but this carl to hym non word wolde speke,
but to king Arthewr he gan for to reke.
“haue þou,” he seide, “these Bryddes here,
For j wele walken jn myn manere.”
thanne Spak kyng Ban, certeinle:
“Sey what maner man that thou be.”
“Swich a man am here j,” quod he,
“that a savage man thus tolde me,
whiche that merlyne is his name,
jn this lond a man of ryht gret fame—
and that same merlyne tolde to me
that hider wolde he comen, ful sykerle,
Forto speken with ȝow kynges present;
thus merlyne me tolde, verament.”
and jn the tyme of this talkyng
cometh Vlphyn owt of a chambre goyng,
and herde the pletyng of hem two,
hou kyng Ban to merlyn spak tho.
“O,” quod kyng Ban, “hou may this be,
that merlyne scholde speken with the?”
“what,” quod the carl, “ȝif þou wylt me leve,
chese; the oþer ellis thou beleve.”
And [whiles] the veleyn hadde seyd al this,
evere stood sire Vlphyn and herkened, j-wys,
and thussone he gan for to Smyle,
and knew hit was merlyne be his wyle.
whanne that merlyne aspyde him so,
towardis hym he gan forto go.
“haue here mo Bryddis to thy kyng,
that grochcheth forto ȝeven onything.”

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Thanne lowh Vlphyn wonderly sore
of the wordis that Merlyne seide thore,
and seide: “sire, ȝif hyt thy wylle be,
wylt þou jnto chambre gon with me
For diuers thinges that j haue to seyn
betwene the and me þere, jn certeyn.”
“ȝe, sire, gladly,” quod this veleyn tho,
“with the to chambre now wyl j go.”
Thanne beheld the kyng sire vlphyn,
and axede to what ende oþer fyn
That so Faste He Lowh there,
and why that his Skele were.
“Sire,” he seide, “jn tyme comeng
ȝe scholen hit knowen every thing.”
there mette the veleyn with Sire kay,
and thus to him he gan to Say:
“Go make Redy this wylde fowl here,
that hit be at thy lordis Sopere.”
“ȝe, sire,” quod Vlphyn to that veleyn,
“hit nys not the ferste, jn certeyn.”
and with this cam þere sire Bretel,
and herde these wordis everydel.
So whanne they hadde ben there a stownde,
thanne wyste Bretel he hadde merlyn fownde,
and vndyr his mentyl he lawhed anon.
thanne axede of hym the kyng thusson:
“Why dost þou lawhen here so sore?”
“Sire, and þe carl wyle, j schal tellen ȝow fore.”
thanne this veleyn there lowh ful faste,
and seide to Vlphyn atte laste:
“Sey now on what js thy wylle.”
than Vlphyn seide the kyng vntylle:
“Sire,” he seyde, “knowe ȝe not merlyn,
whiche that is ȝoure owne devyn?”
“ȝis,” quod the kyng, “why axen ȝe?
hym j wel knowe, and j him se.”
“Sire,” quod vlphyn, “this js now he

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that here toforn ȝow now ȝe se,
that ij or thries ȝow hath serued thus.
why not ȝe hym knowe, j merveylle, be jesus.”
Whan that the kyng herde vlphyn spekyn so,
wondirly abasched sore was he tho,
that he nyste what forto seyn.
thanne seid Vlphyn to hym ageyn:
“that j haue seyn oftere thanne one,
the bettere j schal knowen hyt eft sone.”
that seide the kyng to hym ageyn:
“Sey me now, what js this veleyn?”
“Sire, knowe ȝe not merlin, and ȝe hym se?”
“ȝis, what scholde ellis now eylen me?”
“thanne beholde ȝe this good man so hore,
ȝif euere ȝe syen hym owht here before.”
and the kyng beheld him ful wel,
but he hym knew neuere a del.
“Now certes,” quod sire vlphyn with that,
“he may thinken his Servise evel beset,
that ȝow so mochel servyse hath j-do
an ȝow j-loved so wel therto
and ȝow hath holpen jn alle manere
aȝens ȝoure enemyes, where so they were.”
thanne whanne kyng Arthewr herde this,
fulsone thanne he hym blessede, j-wys,
and the tothyre tweyne kynge[s] also
ful mochel merveylle hadden tho,
and seiden: “merlyn, how is this be-tyd
now to ben clothed jn swich an abyt?”
thanne seide merlyn to hem ageyn:
“hit may ful wel ben, in certeyn.”
thanne seide Vlphyn: “Sire, basche ȝow not,
for his semblawnce he wil schewen, wel j wot,
that ȝe to-fore hauen hym jnne seyn;
he wile hit ȝow schewen, jn certeyn.”
“that wolde we fayn,” quod these kynges,
“To bringen vs owt of distorbelynges.”

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“Now jnto A chambre go ȝe Wyth me.”
and so they deden, these kynges thre.
thanne seyde sire Vlphyn to Artheur the kyng:
“Sire, haueth ȝe non merveylle of this thyng,
For many semblances he kan ȝow schewe,
vj other vij sone vppon a rewe.
For also often as hit js his plesaunce,
he wyl sone chongen his semblaunce,
and al be craft of Negremauncye;
Sire kyng, this is soth, ful certeynlye.
and gwymebant the clerk witnesseth this,
For of clergye he can ful mochel, j-wys.
For often here-aftyr ȝe scholen hym se
jn dyvers semblaunce, ful feythfulle.
For he doth wel that he do so,
For in this contre he hath many a fo.
Now go we jnto the chambre ageyn,
and þere scholen ȝe hym sen, jn certeyn,
jn the same semblaunce he was to-fore;
there scholen ȝe sen hym thore.”
Whanne that to þe chomber ward þey wenten ageyn,
jn the halle merlyn they fownden, ful pleyn,
as he was jn his ferste kynde,
where-offen they merveillede jn here mynde.
they gonne embracen hym anon,
and gret joye they maden echon,
as men that hym lovede with al here herte;
eche man there to him gan sterte.
thanne gonnen they lawhen everychon
of that cowntenaunce that he hadde j-don,
and of that he seide to the kyng;
eche man tho took hyt in boordyng.
thanne seyde kyng Arthewr to merlyn:
“Sire, now j knowe ryht wel and fyn
that ȝe me loven now, certeynle,
and that these bryddys ȝe han ȝoven to me.
and for ȝoure love j schal hem ete,
and for non thing j nele hyt lete.”
thanne merlyn gan to lawhen tho,
and seide: “Sire, hyt js ryht wel j-do.”

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Thus they soiourned there everychon,
tyl that mydlentone was al a-gon.
So that kyng Arthewr vppon a day
be merlynes leve, the Sothe to Say,
he aqweynted hym with a mayden so ȝyng;
hym thowhte he sey neuere a fayrere thyng.
hire name Lysanore y-clepyd hit was,
therles dowhter Sevayn, that deyde be kas.
that mayden homage cam forto do
and with hyre Barowns manye mo
anon aftyr the Scomfyture
of the xj kynges, j ȝow ensure.
thus for drede they comen to hym tho
here londes to holden with-owten wo.
For his bettere neuere j-seyn was;
that thus for here londys they sowhten here gras.
So that jt happede that this mayde,
of whiche to-forn tyme j ȝow seyde,
cam to the castel of Bredyngham,
where that sche osteyed hyre than
wit[h] a riche Burgeys, as j rehers,
that was bothe riche, stowt, and fers.
and anon as the kyng hadde cast his eye
vppon that mayden, the sothe to seye,
Thanne With merlyne Spak He Anon,
that they to-gederis myhte speken alon.
So be that mayde that nyht the kyng lay,
and on hire be-gat, the Sothe to say,
On hyhte Loost, as good a knyht
as euere armure scholde beren jn fyht,
which that was after, with-owten fable,
On of the knyhtes of the rownde table.
This Loost dyde many a merveyllous thyng,
as here-aftyr hit schal come to rehersyng.
whanne that mydlentone was fully gon,
kyng Arthewr of this damysele took leve anon.
that so bothe kynges and ek he
jn-to Tarmelyde wenten, certeynle.

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Now of hem resteth this Talkyng,
and lete vs speken of a-nothyr thyng,
and to the xj kynges retornen ageyn,
whyder that they weren chased, jn certeyn.