Arthur; a short sketch of his life and history in English verse of the first half of the fifteenth century. Copied and ed. from the Marquis of Bath's ms. by Frederick J. Furnivall. 21 pages, ca. 50 kb University of Michigan Library Ann Arbor, Michigan 2018 CME00055 02652787 APA0508

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 Arthur; a short sketch of his life and history in English verse of the first half of the fifteenth century. Copied and ed. from the Marquis of Bath's ms. by Frederick J. Furnivall. Furnivall, Frederick James, 1825-1910. 2d ed., 1869. vii, 19 p. 23 cm. London, Published for the Early English Text Society by Trübner, 1864 [i.e. 1869] Early English Text Society (Series). Original series.no. 2. Mode of access: Internet.

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55 CME00055 CME00055

Arthur; A SHORT SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND HISTORY IN ENGLISH VERSE OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

COPIED AND EDITED FROM THE MARQUIS OF BATH'S MS. Liber Rubeus Bathoniae, 1428 A.D.

BY FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL, M.A., CAMB., EDITOR OF DE BORRON'S AND LONELICH'S "HISTORY OF THE HOLY GRAAL," WALTER MAP'S "QUESTE DEL SAINT GRAAL," ETC. ETC.

[Second Edition, 1869.]

LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY, BY N. TRÜBNER & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCCLXIV.

 ARTHUR, FROM THE MARQUIS OF BATH'S MS. 1428 A.D.

[The Latin side-notes in italics and Clarendon, and the stops of the text in parentheses (), are those of the MS.]

 HErkeneþ, þat loueþ honour, Of kyng Arthour & hys labour; And furst how he was bygete, How Arthur was begotten As þat we in bokis do rede. Vther pendragon̄ was hys fader, by Pendragon on Ygerne. And ygerne was hys Moder. Pendragon̄ ys in walyscħ Pendragon (t. i. Dragon's Head) made two painted dragons, 'Dragones heed' on Englyscħ He maked ypeynted dragon̄s two; Oon schold 'scold' over an erasure in the text; 'schold' in the left margin. byfore him goo Whan he went to batayle, Whan he wold hys foes sayle; That other abood at wynchester, Euer-more stylle there. Bretones ȝaf hym þat Name, and thence had his name. Vther Pendragon̄ þe same, For þat skyle fer & nere Euer-more hyt to bere. The Erles wyff of Cornewayle How Uther loved the Earl of Corn∣wall's wife, He loued to Muche sanȝ fayle; Merlyn wyþ hys sotelnesse Turned vtheris lyknesse, And maked hym lyche þe Erl anone, And wyþ hys wyff (:) his wyłł to done In þe countre of Cornewełł: In þe Castel of Tyntagełł, Thus vther, yf y schałł nat lye, Bygat Arthour in avowtrye. and begat Arthur in adultery. Whan vther Pendragon̄ was deed, Arthour anon was y-crowned; Arthur is crowned, He was courteys, large, & Gent To alle puple verrament; Beaute, Myȝt, amyable chere To alle Men ferre and neere; Hys port (;) hys ȝyftes gentyłł Maked hym y-loved wyłł; is loved of all, Ech mon was glad of hys presence, And drade to do hym dysplesan̄ce; A stronger Man of hys honde is strong was neuer founde on any londe, As courteys as any Mayde:—and courteous. Þus wryteþ of hym þat hym a-sayde. At Cayrlyon̄ wythoute fable, , He let make þe Rounde table: He makes the Round Table, And why þat he maked hyt þus, Þis was þe resoun y-wyss,— Þat no man schulde sytt aboue other, that all at it might be equal. Ne haue indignacioun of hys broþer; And alle hadde (.)oo(.) seruyse, For no pryde scholde aryse For any degree of syttynge, Oþer for any seruynge: Þus he kept þe table Rounde Whyle he leuyd on þe grounde. After he hadde conquered Skotlond After his first conquests Yrland & Gotland, Þan leuyd he at þe best he lives twelve years in peace, Twelf ȝeeris on alle reste Wyþoute werre (:) tyłł at þe laste He þouȝt to make (.)a(.) nywe conqueste. Into Fraunce wyþ gode counceyle and then invades France. he wolde weende (:) & hyt assayle, Þat Rome þo kept vnder Myght, Vnder Frollo (:) a worthy knyght Þat fraunce hadde þo to kepe, To rywle, defende, & to lede. Arthour and Frollo fowȝt in feld; He beats Frollo back to Paris, Þere deyde many vnder scheld. Frollo in-to Paryss fly, Wyth strenkthe kept hyt wysely: Arthour byseged þat Syte & town and there be∣sieges him, till Tyłł þeire vytayl was y-doon. Frollo þat worthy knyght Frollo challenges him to single combat. Proferyd wyth Arthour for to fyght Vnder þis wyse & condicioun,— "Ho hadde þe Maystrie (:) haue þe crown; And no mo men but þey two." Þe day was sett (:) to-geder þey go: They fight: Fayr hyt was to byholde In suche two knyȝghteȝ bolde: Þer was no word y-spoke, But eche hadde other by þe þrote; Þey smote wyth trounchoun & wyth swerd; Þat hyt seye, were a-ferd; Frollo fowȝt wyþ hys ax (:) as men dude se; (Frollo with his axe) He hytt Arthour (:) so sore (:) þat he felle on kne. He ros vp raply (:) and smot hym fułł sore; He dude hym to grent a (.) soueȝ [? soneȝ] þerfore. Thus they hyw on helmes hye, And schatered on wyþ scheldes. Þe puple by-gan to crye Þat stood on þe feldes; Ther ne wyst no man, as y can lere, Who of ham two was þe bettere þere. Arthour was chafed & wexed wrotħ, till Arthur in wrath takes Brownsteel, He hente brounsteełł / and to Frollo gotħ; Brounstełł was heuy & also kene; Caliburnus Arthuri Gladius Fram þe schulder (:) to þe syde went bytwene Off frollo / and þan he fell to þe grounde. [with a sketch thereof in the MS.] Ryȝt as he moste / deed (.) in lyte stounde. Frenscħ men made doełł & wept fułł faste; and strikes Frollo dead. Þeir Crowne of fraunce þere þey loste. Than wente Arthour in-to paryse Arthur takes Paris. And toke þe castełł & þe town at hys avyse. Worschuped be god of hys grete grace Glory to God. Þat þus ȝeueþ fortune (:) and worschup to þe Reme; Thanke ȝe hym ałł þat beþ on þis place, And seyeþ a Pater noster wythout any Beeme. Say ye a Pater Noster therefore. ¶ // Pater noster. // Arthour fram Paryse went wyth hys Rowte, And conquered þe Con̄tre on euery syde aboute; Arthur conquers the countries around, Angeoy, ? MS. perhaps Angecye. See Angeoy, . Peytow, Berry, & Gaskoyne, Nauerne, Burgon̄ / Loreyn & Toreyne; He daunted þe proude / & hawted þe poure; He dwelt long in Paryss after in honoure; He was drad and loued in con̄treis abowte; Heyest & lowest hym Loved & alowte; And vp-on an Estour tyme sone afterward He fested hys knyghtis & ȝaf ham gret reward; distributes them among his knights, To hys Styward he ȝaf Angers & An̄geye; To Bedewer hys botyler he ȝaf Normandye; He ȝaf to Holdyne flaundrys parde; To Borel hys Cosyn, Boloyne þe Cyte; And eche man, after þe astat þat he was, He rewarded hem alle, boþe More & lasse, And ȝaf hem reward, boþe lond and Fee, And turned to Breteyn, to Carlyon̄ ayhe. and returns to Britain. Arthour wolde of honour , Hold a fest at Eestour Arthur gives an Easter Feast Of regalye & worthynesse, And feede alle hys frendess; And sende Messanger To kynges ferre & neer Þat were to hym Omager, to come to þis Dyner. And alle at oo certeyn day They come þyder in gode aray, And kept þeire Ceson̄ At þe Castełł Carlyon̄. at Carlyon, greater than ere before. Thys fest was Muche Moore Þan euere Arthour made a-fore; For þere was Vrweyn þe kynge Ten kings were there, Of scottes at þat dynynge, Stater þe kyng of south wales, Cadwełł þe kyng of north waleȝ, Gwylmar þe kyng of yrland, Dolmad þe kyng of guthland, Malgan of yselond also, Archyl of Denmarch þerto, Alotħ þe kyng of Norwey, Souenas þe kyng of Orkenye, Of Breteyn þe kyng Hoel, Cador Erl of Cornewełł, and thirteen earls Morice þe Erl of Gloucestre, Marran Erl of Wynchestre, Gwergound Erl of herford, Booȝ Erl of Oxenford, Of bathe vngent þe Erl also, (including him of Bath), Cursal of Chestre þer-to, Euerad Erl of Salesbury, The s is rubbed: the word may be "onlesbury." Kynmar Erl of Canterbury, Ionas þe Erl of Dorcestre, Valence þe Erl of Sylchestre, Iugeyn of Leyccer [?] þerto, Argal of warwyk also,— Kynges & Erles Echon Þes were; & many anoþer goom with many other gentles great, Gret of astaat, & þe beste, Þes were at þe Feste. Other also gentyls grete , Were þere at þat Meete, Sauer appon Donand, Regeym & Alard, Reyneȝ fitȝ Colys, Tadeus fitȝ Reis, Delyn fitȝ Dauid, Kymbelyn le fitȝ Gryffitħ, Gryffitȝ þe sone of Nagand, Þes were þere also theoband: Alle þes were þere wythoute fable, Wythoute ham of þe rounde table. besides the Round Tablers, Archbishops, Thre archebusschopes þer were also, And other busschopes many mo—Bishops, Ałł þis mayne were nat al-oone; Wyth ham com many a Goome. Þis feste dured dayes þre In reuełł & solempnite. Of byȝonde þe See also and many from beyond the sea. Many lordeȝ were þere þo. Now resteþ alle wyþ Me, And say a Pater & Aue. Pater noster. The þrydde day folowyng Then coom nywe tydynge, Þe whyle þey sete at þe Mete Messagers were In ylete; To the feasters came messengers from the Roman Emperor, Wełł arayd forsoþe þey come, Y-send fram cite of Rome Wyþ lettres of þe Emperoures Whas name was Lucies. Lucius. Þes lettres were opened & vnfold, And þe tydyng to alle men told, Whas sentence, yf y ne lye, Was after þat y can aspye: Litera Lucii imperatoris. ¶ Lucius þe grete Emperour To hys Enemy Arthour:— We won̄dereþ of þi wodeness And also of þy Madnesse! How darst þow any wyse Aȝenst the Emperour þus aryse, saying, that to have invaded France, etc., and made kings, Arthur must be mad in his noll; And ryde on Remes on eche wey, And make kyngeȝ to þe obey? Þu art wood on þe Nolle! Þu hast Scley owre cosyn frolle; Þu schalt be tawȝt at a schort day , for to make sucħ aray. Oure cosyn Iulius cesar Somme tyme conquered þar; To Rome þu owest hys trybut; that he must pay his tribute, We chargeþ þe to paye vs hyt. Thy pryde we wołł alaye Þat makest so gret aray: We commandeþ þe on haste To paye owre trybut faste; Þu hast scley frolle in fraunce Þat hadde vnder vs þere gouernaunce, And wyþholdest oure tribute þerto: Þu schalt be tawȝt þu hast mysdo: We commandeþ þe in haste soone Þat þu come to vs at Rome and come to Rome to be pun∣ished for his dis∣obedience. To vnderfang oure ordynaunce For þy dysobediaunce; As þu wold nat leȝe þy lyf, Fulfylle þys wythoute stryff." (¶ . . . . . ¶ . . . . . ¶ . . . . . ¶) ¶ Whan þis lettre was open & rad, Þe breton̄s & ałł men were mad, The Britons pur∣pose to kill the messengers, And wolde þe messager scle:— "Nay," seyd Arthour, "per de, but Arthur for∣bids it, That were aȝenst ałł kynde, A messager to bete or bynde; Y charge alle men here For to make ham good chere." And after Mete sanȝ fayl Wyþ hys lordes he hadde counsayl; And alle asented þer-to, Arthour to Rome scholde go; and resolves to invade Rome. And þey ne wolde in hys trauayle Wyþ strenkþ & good neuer fayle. Than Arthour wroot to Rome a lettre, Was sentence was somm-what byttere, And seyde in þis manere As ȝe may hure here:— "KNoweþ wełł ȝe of Romayne, Litera Regis Arthuri. Y am kyng Arthour of Bretayne. Fran̄ce, y haue conquered hyt, Arthur's answer to the Emperor Lucius, Y schałł defende & kepe hyt ȝut, , Y come to Rome, as y am tryw, To take my trybut (.) to me dywe, claiming tribute from him. But noon þere for to paye, By my werk ȝe schałł asay; For þe Emperour Constantyne Þat was þe Soone of Elyne, Þat was a Breton̄ of þis lond, Conquered Rome wyth hys hond, And so ȝe oweþ me tribut: Y charge ȝow þat ȝe pay me hyt. Also Maximian kyng of Bretaingne Co[n]quered al fran̄ce & Almayne, Lombardye, Rome, & ytalye— By ȝoure bokis ȝe may a-spye. Y am þeir Eyr & þeyre lynage, Y aske ȝow my trywage." Þis lettre was celyd fast, Y-take the Messagereȝ on hast; Arthour ȝaf ham ȝyfteȝ grete, And chered ham wyþ drynk and Mete. Lucius's messen∣gers return to him, Þey hasted ham to come hoom; Byfor þe Emperour þey beþ coom; Saluted hym as reson̄ ys, And toke hym þes letterys. Þey seyde to þe Emperour "We have be wyþ kyng Arthour; But sucħ anoþer as he ys oon, Say neuer no Man. He ys serued on hys howshold Wyþ kynges, Erles, worthy & bold; Hys worthynesse, sur Emperour, Passeþ Mucħ ałł ȝowre; He seyde he wolde hyder come and give him Arthur's mes∣sage. And take trywage of ałł Rome, We dowteþ last he wol do soo, For he ys Myghty ynow þer-too." Now, erst þan we goo ferþer, Every man þat ys here Sey a Pater noster And ave wyþ gode chere. Amen. Pater noster Ave Maria. Now stureth hym self Arthour Þenkyng on hys labour, Arthur prepares for his expedi∣tion to Rome. And gaderyþ to hym strenghth aboute, Hys kynges & Erles on a rowte— A fayr syȝt to Mannes ye To see sucħ a cheualrye,— The kyng of Gotland, Has five kings, Also þe kyng of Irland, The kyng of ysland / & of Orkenye, Þis was worthy Maynye; The kyng of Denmark also was þere, Þis was a worthy chere: Eche of þese vyve at her venyw Brouȝt zyx þousand at har retenyw; xxxṭi þowsand, ych vnderstand, with 30,000 men, Þes vyf kyngis hadde on honde. Than hadde he out of Normandye, 80,000 Normans and Of Angeoy & of Almanye, Boloyne (.) Peytow & flaundres Fowre skore þowsand harneys— Geryn of Charteȝ .xij. þowsand 12,000 from Chartres, þat went wyþ Artour euer at honde; Hoel of bretayn, þowsandeȝ ten 10,000 Bretons, Of hardy & wełł fyghtyng Men; Out of Bretaygne hys owne land He passed fourty þowsand and 40,000 British: Of Archerys & off Arblastere Þat Cowþ wełł þe craft of werre. ¶ In Foot other Many a Man Moo Able to feyghte (:) as wełł as þo: Two hunderd þousand in all 200,000. Went wyþ hym out of lond, And Many moo sykerly That y can nat nombrye. Arthour toke þan þe lond To Moddredes owne hond; Britain is left in Mordred's charge. He kept al oþer þyng Saue þe Corowne weryng; But he was [fals] of hys kepynge, As ȝe schałł hure here folewynge. Now than̄ ys Artour y-Come, Arthur ships at Southampton, And hys Ost, to Sowthamptone: Ther was Many a Man of Myghte ¶ Ascendebat nauem suam Hamptonie. Strong & bold also to fyghte. Eche man hath take his schuppynge, , And ys at hys loghynge. Vp goþ þe sayl (:) þey sayleþ faste: Arthour owt of syȝt ys paste. Þe ferst lond þat he gan Meete, Forsoþ hyt was Bareflete; and lands at Bar∣fleet. Ther he gan vp furst aryve. Now wełł Mote Arthour spede & thryve! And þat hys saule spede þe better, God speed him! Lat eche man sey a pater noster. Pater noster. Now god spede Artour wełł! Hym ys comyng a nyw batełł. A new foe ap∣pears, a Spanish Giant, Ther coom a gyant out of spayne, And rauasched had fayr Elayne; He had brouȝt heor vp on an hulle— Mornyng hyt ys to hure or telle— Cosyn heo was to kyng Hoell, A damesel fayr and gentełł; And ȝut ferþermore to, He rauasched heore Moder also. who has slain fair Elayne. He dude þe damesel for to dye, For he myght not lygge heor bye. Whan þis was told to Artour, He maked Much dolour, And send Bedewer for to spye Arthur sends Bedwere first as a spy, How he myght come hym bye; And he was nat Sclowh, But to þe hulle hym drowh Þat Closed was wyþ water stronge, Þe hulle a-Mydde gret & longe; He went ouer to þe hulle syde, And þere a fonde a womman̄ byde, Þat sorwedd & wept Mornynge For Eleynes deþ & departynge, And bad Bedewer to fle also Last he were ded more to; "For yf þe Gyant fynde þe, Wythoute dowte he wyłł þe scle." Bedwer wyþ ałł hastynge Tolde Arthour ałł þis þynge. Amorwe whan þat hyt was day Arthour toke þyder hys way, and then (with Bedwere and Key) starts on his adventure. Bedewer wyþ hym wente, & keye,— Men þat cowþe wełł þe weye,— And broute Arthour Meyntenan̄t Euen by in a later hand, above.] byfore þe gyant. Arthour fowȝt wyþ þat wyght; He had almost ylost hys Myght: Wyþ Muche peyne, þruȝ goddeȝ grace He sclowh þe Geant in þat place, He kills the Giant, And þan he made Bedewere To smyte of hys heed þere. To þe Ost he dude hyt brynge, And þeron was gret won̄drynge, Hyt was so oryble & so greet, whose horrible head is shown to the host, More þan any Horse heed. Than hadde hoel Ioye ynowh For þat Arthour so hym sclowh; And for a perpetuel Memorie He Made a chapełł of seynt Marye and St. Mary's Chapel is built in honour of the victory. In þe hulle vpon þe pleyne, Wyþ-Inne þat (:) þe tumbe of Eleyne; tombe. And þat name wyþoute nay Hyt bereþ ȝut in-to þis day. Now ys an ende of þis þynge, And artour haþ nyw tydynge: News of Lucius's approach is brought, Lucy þe Emperour wyþ hys host Comeþ fast in gret bost; Þey helyþ ouer ałł þe lond, Fowre hunderd þowsand with an army of 400,124 men. An hunderd & foure & twenty,— Thus herawdes dude ham rekeny;— Thus he hadde gadered to hym Of cristiens and of Sarasyn, Wyþ ałł hys wytt & labour To destroyen Arthour. Arthour dude wyselye, And hadde euer gode aspye Of lucyes gouernynge And of hys þyder comynge; But somme seyde hyt were folye Some advise Arthur to turn and flee, To fyght aȝenst Emperour lucie, For he hadde sexe I read this sepe before; but now I read it sexe; for though the x is not like that of ax, , or of axes, , Maxymyan, 507, next 508, Saxoynes, 521, &c., yet it is something like that of the 'Xristianitas durat' of the headlines of the English pages, and the 'Destructio xrianitatis' of the headline on the back of , and Sexaginta, . But as Arthur had 200,000, and Lucius only 400,124, sexe should be two. euere aȝenst oon, & counceyled Arthour to fle & goon. Wyþ þe Emperour come kynges Many oon, , And ałł þeire power hoołł & soom; Stronger men Myȝt no man see, As fułł of drede as þey myght be; But / Arthour was nat dysmayd, He tryst on god, & was wel payd, but he trusts in God, And prayd þe hye trynyte Euer hys help forto be; And ałł hys Men wyþ oo voyse Cryede to god wyþ Oo noyse, "Fader in heuene, þy wyłł be doon; to whom his soldiers pray Defende þy puple fram þeire foon, And lat nat þe heþon̄ Men Destroye þe puple crystien: Haue Mercy on þy se[r]uan̄tis bonde, And kepe ham fram þe heþon̄ honde; to keep them from the heathen's hands. Þe Muchelnesse of Men sainfayle Ys nat victorie in Batayle; But after þe wyłł þat in heuene ys, So þe victorie falleþ y-wys." Than seyd Arthour, "hyt ys so: Arthur's "For∣ward!" Auan̄t Baner, & be Goo." Now frendes ałł, for goddes loue, Rereþ ȝowre hertes to god aboue, And seyeþ ȝowre prayeris faste, Þat we wełł spede furst & laste. Pater noster. The emperour tryst on hys men, And þat haþ bygyled hym; Forsothe hyt most nedeȝ be so, For þey beþ cursed þat wełł hyt do, Sucħ ałł myght comeþ of god; Maledictus qui confidet in homine. To tryst on hym, y hold hyt good, Lucye haþ pyght his pauelon̄ And sprad wyþ pryde his gunfanon̄; His claryon̄s blastes fułł grete blywe, Archeris schot (:) Men ouer-thrywe; The battle be∣gins. Bowes, arwes, & arblastere Schot sore ałł y-vere; Quarels, arwes, þey fly smerte; Þe fyched Men þruȝ heed & herte; Axes, sperys, and gysarmes gret, Clefte Many a prowt Mannes heed: Hors & steedes gan to grent, And deyde wyþ strokis þat þey hente; Many a man þere lost hys lyf, Many on was wedyw þat was wyff; Þere men were wetschoede Men are wetshod with brains and blood. Ałł of Brayn & of blode; Gret rywtħ hyt was to seyn Þe feltes fułł of men y-scleyn; Lucy þe Emperour also was dede; Lucius is slain, But ho hym sclowh, y can nat rede; He, for ałł hys grete Renoun, Aȝenst Arthour hadde no fusoun, not able to stand against Arthur. No more þan haue twenty schep Aȝenst vyve wolfeȝ greet. To god be euere alle honoureȝ! The falde was hys & Arthoureȝ. Arthour, as he scholde done, Arthur sends Lucius's body to Rome, Sende lucyes body to Rome. Whan þe Romeynes say þis, Þo þey dradde Arthour & hys. Also he buryed Bedewere buries Bedwere and others Hys frend and / hys Botyler, And so he dude other Echon In Abbeys of Relygyon̄ in Abbeys, Þat were cristien of name; He dude to alle þe same; And dude for ham Masse synge Wyth solempne song & offrynge, And bood þere for to rest Tyłł þat wynter was past, and stays the winter, Boþe he (.) hys Men echone Seruyd god in deuocione, Þankyng god of hys Myȝt thanking God Þat kepeþ hys seruauntez ryȝt, And suffreþ noon for to spylle Þat hym loueþ & tryste wylle: Þus worschup god dude certeyn for His honour to England. To Englond, þat þo was Bretayn; [Of the difference between More (or Great) Britain, and Little Britain.] Þe More Breteyn Englond ys— As men may rede on Cronyclys— Byȝend þe See Bretayne þer ys, Þat haþ hys name forsoþe of þis, For þe kyng Maxymyan,—Quomodo anglia est Britannia maior, & quare maior Þe next after Octauyan,— He conquered ałł Armoryk, , And to þe Reme named hyt lyk: Amorica on latyn me cleped þat lond, Armorica. Tyl Maxymyan co[n]queryd hyt wyth honde, And called hyt lyte bretayne þan, So hyȝt þis lond þat he coom fram; For perpetuełł Mynde of grete Bretayne Little Britain is called after Great Britain. He called hyt lyte Bretayne, Þat Men schulde kepe in Mynde & wytt How þis lond conqueryd hytt; For Walscħ Men beþ Bretouns of kynde— Know þat wełł fast on Mynde— Englyscħ men beþ Saxoynes, Þat beþ of Engistes Soones; There-fore þe walsch man Breton̄ Seyþ & clepeþ vs "Sayson" Þat ys to seye vpon a reess, "Stynkyng Saxone, be on pees." And seyþ (.) "taw or (.) Peyd Sayson brount" Pughe's abridged Dictionary gives tau, v.a. be still; taw, s.m. and adj. quiet, silence, silent; paid, s.m. a cessation, quiet; bront, a. nasty, filthy, surly. Or, says Dr. Benj. Davies, you must take as equal to the modern Welsh wr, man, if it is not English; peyd is cease, pause; taw, be silent. How the Welsh∣men call the English "stink∣ing Saxons." Whan he ys wroth (:) or ellys drounke; Hauyng Mynde of Engystis Men Þat wyth gyle sclow þeyre kyn: At þe place of þe Stonehenge Ȝut þey þenkeþ for to venge: And þat hyt neuere be so, Seyþ a Pater noster more to. Pater noster. Now turne we to oure labour, Arthur is pre∣paring to cross the mountains to Rome, And lat vs speke of Arthour: He cast on herte sone After þat to go to Rome, And spak of Passage & hys wey Forth ouer Mon̄t Ioye. And sone after vpon an owr when he hears of Mordred's treachery; He hurde of Mordred the tretour That hadde ałł þis lond on warde— Euyłł moot sucħ fare, and harde! Who may best bygyle a man But sucħ as he tryst vpan? Þer ys no man wel nye, y tryste, Þat can be waar of hadde wyste.— Mordred, þis falss Man, Mucħ sorw þo bygan; He stuffed alle castells Wyþ armyre & vytells, And strenghthed hym on eche syde Wyth Men of contreys ferre & wyde: He toke þe qweene, Arthoureȝ wyff, how the traitor had seized the queen, his (Ar∣thur's) wife, Aȝenst goddes lawe & gode lyff, And putte heore to soiourne þo At Euerwyk (:) god ȝyf hym wo.— Yhork ys Euerwyk (:) and put her at York. & so me calleþ hyt.— Arthour aryved at Whytsond Arthur then comes home, Wyth gret Myght & strong hond, And Mordred sainȝ fayl fights Mordred, Ȝaf hym þo a strong batayl; Many a man, as y rede, Þat day was þere dede; Arthoures nevew Waweyn Þat day was þere y-sclayn, and Gawain is slain. And oþer knyȝtes Many moo: Þan Arthour was heuy & woo. Mordred fly toward Londoun; Mordred flies to London, He most nat come in þe toun: Þan fled he to Wynchester And wyth hys Mayne kep hym þer; And Arthour on gret haste Pursywed after hym faste. Mordred wythoute fayle Fled in-to Cornewayle. and then to Corn∣wall. The qwene wyþoute lesyng Hurde of þis tydyng, And how Mordred was flow, And how to Cornewale he hym drow. Heo of Mercy hadde noon hoope, Ther-for he dude on a Russet cote, And to Carlyon̄ ys preuyly Ron̄ne, The Queen turns nun at Carlyon. And made heore self þo a Non̄ne; Fro þat place neuer heo wende, But of heore lyf þere made an ende. Waweynes body, as y reede, Gawain And other lordes þat weere deede, Arthour sente in-to skotlonde, is buried in Scotland. And buryed ham þere, y vnderstonde. Muche folke þerhenne he toke þo, Of Northumber-lond also Northern men and others come to Arthur. Fram dyverse places to Arthour come Hys wyłł to werk & to done: Thus he sembled a fułł gret Ost; To Cornewayle he draweþ hym fast After þat Mordred þe tratour Þat hadde do hym Mucħ dyshonour. That tretour hadde gret Strength , And fulled þat lond on brede & lengtħ, Sucħ a batełł as þere was redy þo He gives Mor∣dred battle. Hadde neuer Arthour byfore y-doo: They fowȝt tyl þer come doun bloode As a(.) Ryver or (.)a(.) flood; Bellum arthuri apud Camelerto∣num in Cornubia. Þey fowȝt euer sore & sadde; Men nyst ho þe betere hadde; But at þe last Certeyn Was Mordred & alle hys y-sclayn; Mordred is slain, And Arthour y-bete wyþ wounde, Arthur wounded, He Myght not stonde on grounde; But on lyter ryȝt anon and carried to Avelon, or Auelona .i. in∣sula pomorum Glastonia. Was browȝt to Auelon̄ Þat was a place fayr & Mury; Now hyt hooteþ Glastyngbury. Glastonbury, where he dies, Ther Arthour þat worthy kyng Maked hys lyues endyng; But for he skaped þat batełł y-wys, Breton̄s & Cornysch seyeþ þus, "Þat he leuyth ȝut parde, And schałł come & be a kyng aȝe." At glastyngbury on þe qweer Þey made Artoureȝ toumbe þere, and is buried, A.D. 542. And wrote wyth latyn vers þus, Hic iacet Arthurus, rex quondam, rex que futurus. Thys was þus forsoþe ydone Þe yheer after þe Incarnacione, Anno domini quingentesimo quadragesimo secundo. Vyf hundred (.) fourty & two. Now saue vs alle fra woo Ihesu cryst, heuenly kyng, & graunt vs alle hys blessyng; And þat hyt Moote so be, Seyeþ alle Pater & Aue. Pater noster / Aue / Ho þat wołł more loke, Reed on þe frensch boke, Read the French Book for the rest. And he schałł fynde þere Þynges þat y leete here. But yf þat god wolle graunte grace, y schałł rehercy in þis place Alle þe kyngez þat after were, And what names at þey bere; And ho þat wołł þeyre gestes loke, Reed on þe Frenscħ boke. Amen fiat.

[On the back of follows: 'Destructio christianitatis / Et reformacio eiusdem. Constantinus. Post Arthurum regnauit Constantinus, filius Cador, Comitis Cornubie, nepos Arthuri / iste constantinus interfecit duos filios Mordredi spurios, qui Mouerunt bellum contra eum propter patrem eorum,' &c., &c.]