CHAPTER XXIV.
Still of Mordreins on The Roche Perilows. How he sees a ship approach the Rock with his own and Nasciens's shields on board, and the horse he won from Tholomes at Orcaus (p. 299). A knight lands, and tells him that Nasciens is dead (p. 300). He goes on board, sees a corpse like Nasciens's, swoons, and on waking finds himself far from the Rock (p. 301). He makes the sign of the Cross: and man, horse, and corpse vanish. He prays to God. The Good Man comes to him again (p. 302), and tells him that he shall not be deliverd till Nasciens comes to him alive (p. 303); and explains that it was the Devil who had tempted him as the Knight, the Lioness, and the Fair Woman, who had appeared to him (p. 303). The Good Man exhorts him to be wiser and warier than he had been, and then vanishes (p. 303). The ship drives on (p. 304); the King sees a man coming on the sea, borne up by two birds under his feet, who sprinkles the ship with water, and announces himself as Salustes, in whose honour Mordreins had built the church in Sarras (p. 304). He explains the vision of the Lioness (p. 304), and that of
the Streams flowing out of Mordreins's Nephew (p. 305); and that he had sprinkled the ship because it was the Devil's and needed purifying (p. 306). He instructs Mor∣dreins how to eject Devils by Holy Water (p. 306), and then goes, leaving the King on the ship (p. 307).
Thanne thowghte the kyng al In his herte King Mordreins
Of Manie trebulacions & of peynes smerte;
that the day was past, & wax to Eve,
thanne the kyng ful sore gan him Meve.
Anon thanne lokede he fer Into the See;
A fair schipe fast seillyng Comen sawgh he, sees a rich ship coming.
therto so Richely arayed him thowhte it was,
but he nyste Of his Comeng what was þe cas,
for so Riche A schipe, him thowghte, sawgh he neuere non
To fore tymes On non water nethir Seylen ne gon.
and whanne the Schipe Aproched him ny,
Anon Into þat Schipe he lokede An hy, In its fore-castle hang 2 Shields,
and Sawgh where that hengen scheldes two;
In þe forcastel Of the Schipe they weren I-do,
Where-Inne was A towr ful Rialy I-dyht,
As semed þat tyme to the kyng In Syht;
On wheche towr, As I vndirstonde,
bothe scheldes to-gederis diden they honge;
Of wheche the ton scheld was his, one his; the other, Nasciens's.
the tother Nasciens wit-Owten Mys:
thus him thowghte wondirly Sore,
but Evere he Merveilled how they Comen thore.
And whiles that he stood In this thowght,
to þe Roche this Schip Anon was browght:
and as it was to that Roche Comenge,
Of An hors he herde A wonderful Neyenge, On it is a horse, which neighs and stamps.
and so bonchede & ferde with his feet
that it thowghte the schipe to bersten In þat fleet.
Anon the kyng gan to herkene this Neyeng,
and Merveilled ful Mochel of that thing;
For that hors he knew there Anon
whanne he him herd so taken vppon,
And wiste wel that it was the same hors The horse is that which Mordreins won from Tho∣lome at Orcaus.
that from kyng Tholome he gat At Orcaus,
Whiche that In the bataille he wan there;
And the same hors he wende it were,
what be Neyenge and Other fare,
The same hors he wende hadde ben thare.
And thus wondred he mochel In his thowght,
how hors & scheldes thedir weren browght.
thanne to the Roche it Aplyede Anon;
and tho to the schipward the kyng gan gon,
To beholden what peple and what Meyne
In that Schipe that he Cowde se.
and whanne that he gan there-Inne to beholde,
he Sawgh Mochel peple, & Mani-folde.
And Owt Of that schipe there isswed Anon From the ship lands a Knight,
As In Maner Of a knyht, and to him gan gon;
and whanne that he gan the kyng to Aprochen Ny,
the kyng him beheld ful witterly;
hym thowghte that be his persone & figure
an hygh Old knyght of his, I the Ensure, like the brother of Mordreins's Steward,
that Brothir to his steward schold han be,
that Slayn was at Orcaws ful sekerle.
and whanne this knyht to the kyng gan gon,
he him grette with hevy Chere Anon;
and the kyng Ran to him ful faste,
and thanne him Axede atte laste,
'Why that so Sore Abasched he was;
he scholde him tellen Al the Cas.'
"A, sire," Anon quod this kniht tho,
"For the hevy tydinges ȝow Comen vnto!"
"Sey me," quod the kyng, "what May it be,
Belamy, I preie the that thow telle it to me."
"Certes, Sire," quod this knyht Anon, who says that
"the beste friend þat ȝe hadden is now Agon,
the wheche is Nasciens, ȝowre brother dere, Nasciens's corpse is in the ship.
that In this Schipe he lith ded here."
and whanne the kyng herde him thus telle,
Anon In swowneng to the Erthe he felle;
and Whanne þat he of his swowneng a-Wook,
Abowtes him faste he gan to look,
and axede his brothir forto Se, Mordreins asks to see Nasciens's corpse.
if that Sekerly he ded there be;
And Evere Criede lik a wood man;
So for his brother ferde he than.
The knyht to the kyng gan him dresse, The Knight leads
that him hadde browht In this distresse,
and the kyng took þere be the left hond, him by the left hand into the ship.
to þe schipward to leden he gan to fond;
So that the kyng Niste what he dede,
So ful of sorewe he was In that stede.
and whanne the kyng þe schipe was with-Inne,
he Ran to the bere, & nolde not blynne,
and the Cloth anon vp he Caste,—
to beholden that body hadde he gret haste;—
There Anon thanne Sawgh he there Mordreins thinks the corpse is Nasciens's,
his brother Nasciens, As that it were,
be face, semblawnce, & body Also,
as whanne on lyve þat he dide go.
thanne Anon fyl he down In swowneng there, and swoons.
hardere thanne euere to-fore dide he Ere,
that Neuere to Asckapen wende þan he,
but Certein ded forto han be.
Whanne he was waked of his Swowneng, When he wakes,
Of this hadde he gret Merveilleng,
And thowhte to axen of this knyht there
how this myhte happen, & In what Manere.
and whanne he loked Abowtes him tho;
Ful fer from the Roche thanne was he tho; he is far from the Rock.
thanne for sorwe he fyl down Anon
In swowneng, ded as Ony ston;
to-fore that bere so lay he there
ded In swowneng In this Manere.
and whanne of his swowneng þat he Wok,
Anon vp his Riht hond he took, Mordreins makes the sign of the Cross,
And the Signe of the Crois he Made Anon;
thanne thus sone Alle weren they Agon,
that nethir bere, hors, ne Man, and corpse, horse, and knight, vanish.
In that schipe cowde he Se than.
and thanne gan he to wepen ful sore,
And Morneng & wringeng he made wel More,
"A! Merciful God In Maiestie,
Now Wot I wel that I have Greved the."
and Whanne he hadde thus I-Spoke,
Forth Into the See he gan to loke;
there sawgh he to-forn hym Comen Anon
the goode man that In the Schipe gan gon, The Good Man comes on board
wheche that him Comforted Often Sithe,
and with his goode wordis Made him blithe.
and whanne he sawgh him In that Manere,
Wel ful he was Of Sorwe & Fere:
"A, sire!" quod he, "I am deserved Sekerly
Of that ȝe boden me to kepen trewly;
For ful Certeinly ȝe tolden Me Ere,
that the devel In this Manere
Me scholde Owt taken be þe left hond,
As thow didst me to vndirstond."
anon gan he for to wepen tho:
And whanne this good man say him do so,
he seide, "Sire kyng, wepe thow no More;
he hath the tempted Often tymes sore,
but here-Aftir the behoveth Eft-sone and warns Mor∣dreins to take care what he does.
To taken good keepe that Is to done."
Thanne seide the kyng to this good man tho,
"Now, goode sire, telle me what I schal do;
and as thow knowest Alle thing,
So wisse me Of begynneng & Endeng,
And how that I schal Governen Me;
For Goddis love, Sire, this preie I the."
thanne this good [man] seide to him Aȝe,
"Ȝit manie spitful Merveilles schalt þou se;
and Eten Ne drynken schalt þou neuere More
til thy brothir Nasciens Come the before, Till Nasciens comes to him,
As Cristen Man, and qwyk levenge;
Now take þou this for newe tydynge
And whanne thou sixt him In that degre, Mordreins shall not be deliverd.
thanne After, thy leveraunce Sone schal be.
"For wete þou wel ful Certeinle,
It was the devel that was with the, It was the Devil who told him Nasciens was dead,
that told the how that Nasciens was ded,
and that ȝaf the Swich Conceyl & Red;
For he is Redy, In feld & In town,
Goddis schep to don distrocciown.
"and the devel it was Also
that In thin Avisiown Cam þe to;
the Mete that þe lyown þe browghte,
he it Awey bar, & lefte the Nowghte. and who took away his food (p. 230, 293),
and ȝit I wele that þou knowe More Also,
that it was the devel that Cam the to tempted him as the Fair Woman,
In liknesse Of A womman,
and sweche wordes to þe spak than;
Also the devel ful Sekir was he
that Owt of the Roche he browhte þe. and brought him off the Rock.
"Therfore hens forward I warne the,
that bothe wisere & warere þat thou be;
For swich thinges here-After schalt þou se,
that to Endeles deth wolden bringen the,
Ȝif [MS ȝit] thou the bettir wit ne have,
thy body [&] thi sowle forto save.'
and non More to hym he gan to Say,
but with that word he partid A-way, The Good Man vanishes.
that he ne wiste where he becom
Owt of his syhte, bothe Al & som.
and thus in the Schipe Alone lefte he,
Floteringe Amyddes the hye Se.
the wynd him blew, now here, & now there; Mordreins's ship is blown about the sea.
thus Nyht and day he ferde In fere,
that Resting plase ne fond he non,
til On the Morwe it was passed noon.
thanne the kynge vpe him dressed tho,
And to-ward the forschipe he gan to go,
and loke ful fer Into the See;
A man there Comeng him thowghte say he, He sees a Man coming to him.
that Of leveng Schold he be bothe good and hye, There is no break in the English MS, but it goes straight on with the new subject of Celidoyne in prison, p. 309. The copier of it must have left out a column or page of his original.
MS XIV. E. iii. leaf 41, back, col. 2, at foot. sour l'iaue ausi com tout a pie. Et quant il fu The Man is borne up by two birds under his feet, pries, si vit desous ses .ij. pies, deus oisiaus qui le soustenoient et le portoient si tost et si isnelement com nul oisiel peussent plus tost uoler. Et quant il vint a comes on board Mordreins's ship, makes the sign of the cross, and takes up water in his hands, la nef, si s'aresta, et commencha a faire le signe de la sainte crois sour la mer, et prenoit a ses deus mains l'iaue de la mer, sans dire mot. Et li rois l'esgardoit, si se meruilloit moult durement qui il pooit estre, et pour quoi il faisoit chel arousement par la nef. Et sprinkles the ship. quant li hom eut toute la nef arousee, si parla au roi, et si li dist, "Mogdanis!" Et li rois se meruilla moult quant il s'oi apieler par son non de baptesme; Si re∣spondi, and tells the King that he is his de∣fender Salustes, "sire:" Et li boins hom li dist, "Je sui tes deffenderes, tes garans, apres ihesu crist. Je sui sa∣lutes, chil en qui non et en qui honeur tu as establie la whose church he built in Sarras, riche eglise en la chite de sarras; si te sui venus con∣sillier et conforter. Et si te mande li aigniaus par moi, chil qui en MS chil en qui est. t'auision t'aportoit les boines viandes ke and that the Wolf who took his food away li leus te toloit, chil te mande par moi, pour chou ke il veut ke tu le saches mieus ke tu as le leu uencu. Et che fu par le signe de la crois ke tu fesis sour toi, quant tu te veis si eslongie de la roche. Lors te laissa
li leus; che fu li dyables qui s'enfui, qui deuant was the Devil, t'auoit tolues toutes les boines viandes ke li aingniaus t'aportoit; Ch'estoient les boines paroles ke li hom de la nef te disoit toute iour. Chil home estoit li aigniaus, and that the Lamb who brought him meat was Jesus Christ. qui en t'avision t'aportoit les boines viandes. Et saches que ch'est chis aigniaus qui pour l'umain lignaige fu crucefijes, et ch'est ihesus crist, li fiex de la uirge. chil qui chascun iour te uenoit conforter, Chil m'a chi enuoiet a toi, pour descouurir t'auision, ensi com il le te demonstra, Si ke tu saches ke ele senefie. Tu ueis Salustes explains Mordreins's vision of the Lake and Nine Streams (ch. 18, p. 230-2). de ton neueu issir .i. grant lac, et de che lach si nais∣soient .ix. flun. si estoient li .viij. parel, d'un grant et d'une samblanche. Et li nueuismes, qui tout daerrains sourdoit, estoit ausi grans et aussi biaus com tout li autre ensamble. Li las estoit moult clers et mult biaus. Et tu esgardes en haut, si veis .j. homme venir The Lake means a Son of Mor∣dreins's nephew. qui auoit le samblanche del urai cruchefi. Et quant il fu descendus a terre, si entra el lac, tous nus pies, et ses gambes el lac, Et en tout les .viij. fluns ausi. Et quant il auoit en tout les .viij. fluns fait ensi com uous aues oi, si uenoit au nuefuisme; Lors se despoilloit tous nus, et si se baignoit trestous desdens. Chil las ki de ton neueu naissoit, senefie vn fil qui de lui istra; Et en lui baignera ihesus crist ses pies et ses gambes. Che est a dire, ke il sera soustenemens urais, et fine colombe de la sainte creanche au sauueour. De chelui istront li .ix. flun: che seront .ix. persones and the 9 streams, 9 successors of his, d'omes qui de lui descenderont. Et si ne seront il mie tout .ix. si fil, anchois descendront par droite engen∣reure, li vns del autre. Et tout li .viii. seront auques parel de boine vie; Mais li nueuismes sera asses de to the 9th of whom grignour hauteche et de grignour merite. Et pour chou qu'il vaintra tous les autres de toutes bontes, pour chou se baignera en lui ihesus cris trestous. Et si n'i baignera pas uestus, mais tous nus; Car il se despoil∣lera Christ shall dis∣close his hidden secrets. deuant lui en tel maniere ke il li desconuera ses
grans secres, cheus ke il n'ara onques desconuers a nul homme mortel. Chil sera plains de toutes icheles bontes ke cors d'ome ne cuers doiuent soustenir; Et si en passera tous chiaus qui deuant lui aront este, Et tous chiaus qui apres lui seront, qui de porter armes s'en∣tremetront. Che sera chil de qui li angeles parla a Of this nephew's descendant, the Angel who pierct Joseph spoke, sarras, quant il feri iosephe de la lanche uengeresse, Quant il dist 'ke iamais les meruelles del graal ne seroient desconuertes a homme mortel fors ch'a .i. tout seul.' Chil sera li nueuismes des oirs qui descendront del fil a ton neueu; Et si sera teus com tu m'as oi deuiser. Mais les grans miracles et les bieles uirtus and his body shall work miracles. qui par lui auenront en la terre ou ses cors girra, ne seront pas seues qu'il auiegnent par lui; Car a chel tans sera moult peu de cheus ki sachent uraies nouieles ne ensegnes de sa sepulture. Or t'ai auques parle de t'auision. Ore te parlerai de cheste nef, pour quoi iou Salustes next explains why he sprinkld the ship: l'ai arousee ensi com tu as veu. La nef si fu au dyable, qui la sainte crois encacha quant tu en fesis le signe. Et pour chou que ele estoit soie, ne pooit il estre qui n'i reuenist aucune fie, se ele ne fust mondee. mais ore est ele toute purefijee des ordures et des malices qui to purify it from the Devil. conuerse i ont, par l'arousement de l'iaue, qui par le signe de la sainte crois est saintefije, et par le coniure∣ment de la sainte trinite. Ne iamais nus mais esperis n'i enterra; Car il ne doutent tant nule riens com il For Devils fear the sign of the Cross. font le signe de la crois et le coniurement de la sainte creanche. Et se tu uiens en lieu ki soit doutables a entrer, si pren de l'iaue, et si le purifie tout auant par At any bad place, Mordreins is to bless water, le signe de la sainte crois, et en apres par le coniure∣ment du pere et du fil et du saint esperit. Et par cheste beneichon sera l'iaue toute netoie et mondee de toutes ordures. Et en quelconques lieu ke ele soit and wherever it is sprinkld, no Devil will go. espandue par boine creanche, ia dyables ne sera si oses que il aille, anchois fuira tous iours le lieu, et eslongera. En cheste maniere fai; si porras estre seurs ke ia, en
lieu ou tu le faches, dyables n'ara pooir de faire nule chose a ton cors pour quoi l'ame de toi soit dampnee." A tant se teut li sains hom, si s'en parti. Et li rois Mordreins stays in the ship. The tale goes to Nasciens. remest en la nef ensi com vous l'aues oi. si se taist atant li contes de lui, et parole de nascien.
CHAPTER XXV.
Of NASCIENS. How, when he was imprisond, the cursed Calafere had charge of his lands and him and put him in a dark dungeon (p. 307), bound him hand and foot, and also confind his young son Celidoine, whose name means 'given to heaven' (p. 308), and at whose birth at mid-day the sun disappeard, and the moon and the stars shone clear (p. 308). On the 17th night of their imprisonment, Nasciens dreams that a hand strikes off his chains. He feels that he is free (p. 309). A light shines, and a fair white hand lifts him out of prison (p. 310), and leads him out of the castle of Calafere (p. 310), who pursues him (p. 311). Nasciene is protected by the Hand (p. 312). Calafere falls from his horse (p. 313) and is found, stampt on the right cheek with an angel's hand, and on the left with his foot (p. 314). Calafere orders water to be thrown on his right cheek (p. 315), and is then carrid up to the battlements of his castle, from which he orders Celidoine to be thrown (p. 317). When Celidoine is in mid-air, nine hands catch him and bear him off (p. 318). Vengeance on Calafere is proclaimd from Heaven. A thunderbolt strikes the castle, and Calafere's body flies in pieces (p. 319). The reports of his death, and of Nas∣ciens's deliverance, get abroad; the barons go to Queen Sarracynte to ask pardon for imprisoning her brother (p. 320); and she sends five messengers out to seek him (p. 321).
CHI endroit dist li contes, ke nasciens fu mis, en tel maniere com vous aues oi, en la prison. Et si le prist en garde chil chiualers mescreans How Calafere has charge of Nas∣ciens in prison qui estoit apieles calafier, Et ki tant estoit desloiaus et traitres comme li contes a deuise cha en arriere. Et par le consel de chestui fu il pris, plus ke par tous les autres. Chis chiualers le prist en garde sour toute se terre auant, et sour la vie apres. Et quant il l'eut en sa baillie, si fu moult orguilleus vers lui, et lui fist and puts him in a dark dungeon,
moult dure prison et moult felenesse. Il fu mis el fons d'une fosse noire et tenebrouse. Il fu destournes de toute la compaignie et del solas as gens. Il manga peu, et but. Il ne se pooit aidier de nul menbre que il eust, Car il auoit les mains ausi enchainees comme and chains him hand and foot, les pies. Toutes eures estoit d'une seule contenanche, sans estre desuestus ne descauchies; anchois gisoit par nuit en sa reube et en sa caucheure. Et quant il ot mis en si angoisseuse prison, encor ne li fu il pas asses de lui tourmenter. Anchois fist ke il ot .i. sien fil and also puts in prison with him his young son, ensamble o lui qui moult estoit de iouene eage, Car il n'auoit enchore ke .vij. ans et .v. mois . Chil estoit moult biaus, et moult sambloit estre de gentil lignage estrais; Si estoit apieles el baptesme 'celidoines.' Et whose name was Celidoine, chil nons fu moult bien conuenables a l'enfant, selonc la vie ke il mena puis; Car 'celidoines' vaut autrestant a dire et a senefijer en latin comme 'dounes au chiel;' that is, 'given to heaven;' Car il eut toute sa uie son cuer et s'entente mise en celestiaus oeures, Et seut d'astrenomie tant com nus en peut plus sauoir en boine entension et en droite. Et a son naissement auint en la chite d'orberike une moult and at whose birth grant meruelle qui n'estoit mie acoustumee a auenir. Car il nascui en .i. moult caut iour d'este, et mult biel, at mid-day in July en droit miedi. Et si fu el secont iour des kalendes en iunget (sic). Et quant il fu nes a tel eure com vous aues oi, Si auint chose tout maintenant, ke li solaus, the sun became as at dawn, qui en sa grignour caleur deuoit estre, a chel eure s'aparut ausi apertement com il fait au matin quant il lieue; Et la lune fu ausi clerement veue comme s'il fust and the moon and stars shone clear. nuis, et les estoiles tout ensement. En che fu chertaine senefianche ke il serroit de toutes les celestienes uirtus curieus et encherkieres et urais counissieres. Par icheles demonstranches fu la natiuites a l'enfant sene∣fije. Et il fu raisons; Car sa vie fu puis tele com la senefianche demonstra. Et les paroles qui chi apres venront en esclairont la verite.
and this Child, had Calefere In prisown þere This Celidoine, Calafere keeps in prison with Nas∣ciens for 17 days.
Ful xvii dayes In that Manere. Chelui enfant eut calafier en prison auoec son pere nascien. Si demoura nasciens bien .xvij. iours en tel prison com vous aues oi.—A.
So it be-happed, that the Sevententhe Nyht
As he there sat, I telle the Ryht,
Vppon his Cowche to Slombren hym list,—
he was so hevy, what to don he Nyst,—
and as he was In his Slombrenge, On the 17th night Nasciens dreams that a hand
hym thowghte he hadde a wondir Metenge,
So that hym þouhte An hond there was,
that be bothen Armes him held In that plas;
and, As A man that Slepte ful sore,
the hond he wolde han put Awey thore;
and the Same hond him Cawht Ageyn,
And Aȝen In his Slepe he it voided ful pleyn.
thanne thowghte him that the hond tho
alle his Chenes to-barst vnto, bursts his chains.
Mochel mawgre Of him that there lay,
Where-Offen he hadde A ful gret fray.
and whanne he felte that it was so,
Nethir Cryen ne speke ne myhte he tho;
thanne Abasched was he ful sore
Of the noyse that he herde thore.
and whanne that vpe he gan him dresse, He rises, feels that he's free,
and felte him Self Owt of distresse,
hyse hondes & Feet he gan drawen him to,
and Felte vnbownde that he was tho,
and that Alle his Chenes to-forn him lye;
thanne thanked he god ful Solempnie.
Whanne he was Comen to the presown dore, and comes to the prison door.
That ful blak and dirk it was to fore,
there Cam Owt tho A schyneng lyht,
as thowh it were of A lyghtenyng so briht;
thanne loked he Aboven his hed,
And him thowghte he sawgh In þat sted,
Owt of the hevene there Aperid An hy
A fair whit hond, hym thowhte Trewly, A white hand from heaven,
Whiche that him bar, as him thowhte,
and Owt of that preson there him browhte
Sowfe: the arm, Red as feer it was, with a red arm,
as thike tyme him thowhte In that plas,
Whiche hond him took by his her, lifts Nasciens out of the prison by his hair,
and Owt of that presown bar him ther;
and the sleve lokede as be semblaunse
As Red as fir with-Owten variaunce;
but nonthing Ellis ne Myhte he Se,
but Onlyche the hond there Sekerle,
Sowf be the Arm, him thowghte, I-voluped was
the semblaunce of a body In that plas;
but the body Openly ne was not sein,
As I sey ȝow In Certein;
and In this manere sawh Nasciens tho
hond and body to-Gederis bothe two.
And whanne that Aboven the Erthe he was there, and bears him through the air
that the Erthe he felte in non Manere,
Wondirly Abasched he was Certeinlye,
that what to done he Ne wiste trewlye.
and thus the hand On lofte it bar him thar,
that he ne wiste whedir-ward ne whar,
Wheche that greved him Nothing,
Nethir hire ne there In non thing;
Nethir be the beryng Of his her,
It Greved him ryht nowher.
and whanne In the Eir he was so hye,
that Onne-the to þe preson he myhte sen trwlye,
þane lad him forth this hond In hye—
lik as this storie doth vs to vndirstond fullye—
tyl he Cam to-fore Calafer, to Calafere's bedside.
In his bed as he lay Sleping ther.
and whanne to the dore that he gan gon,
Aȝens him it Opened there Anon,
bothe dore posterne, and Ek the gate,
and Owt this hond lad him there-Ate; The Hand leads
and Euere to fore the hond wente,
& he it folwede with good Entente
til the Maister Gate that he was past, Nasciens through Calafere's gate.
Whiche gate gan to Chirken In hast,
as though A man hadde ben there
That Owt hadde stalked for drede & Fere.
Whanne Nasciens was thens A stones cast,
Aȝen he lokede Anon In hast;
anon him thowghte there In his Mynde
that Al On fyre It was him behinde.
and whanne the peple Of the plase
Aspiden that it On Fire wase,
Gret Noise they maden, and deolful Cry,
Wherwith Calafer Awook Sekerly, Calafere, finding that Nasciens has escapt,
and Open he fond bothe dore & Gate,
As Nasciens was gon Owt there-Ate,
anon thanne to the presown dore he wente,
that Al Open there was veramente;
Wondirly abasched thanne was he tho,
that vndir hevene he Niste what to do.
On Of his Seriawntes he Cleped Anon,
and bad him Into þe presown to Gon;
and whanne þe presown he was with-Inne,
Of Nasciens ne sawh he neþer more ne Mynne;
and whanne Calafer herde tellen Of this,
Owt Of his wit he was with-Owten Mis,
and so gret Sorwe he gan to Make,
that Neuere Man gan so On take.
thanne was browght to him An hors there, rides after him.
and Into the Sadel sprang Calafere,
With a scharpe Swerd On honde;
and Al his Meyne that there gonne stonde,
hem he Charged Aftir to hye,
Euery Man be his weys sekerlye;
So that a path there fond he Anon,
And In-to that path gan he to gon,
& Evere was the hond Schineng to-fore,—
a Wondirful liht As him thouhte thore;—
the nyht, Pesible and fair it was,
Ne A softere Nyht neuere there Nas.
his hors he prekid wondirly faste, Calafere sees Nasciens,
& loked forth to forn hem atte laste,
and saugh where that Nasciens wente,
for him he knew ful wel veramente,
as he him Often to forne hadde sein,
him thouhte it was he In Certein.
and whanne Nasciens Say him come thanne,
Anon wax Nasciens A ful sory Manne;
but Evere the hond him held ful faste, but the Hand hides and protects him.
And him Ouer spradde there In haste,
that Openly thowght tho Nascien
the body to the hond Sawh he then;
and so faste him thowhte it took him ther,
that Neuere Erthly tonge Cowde telle Er;
For it Was Of so Merveillous Clarte tho, The Hand is wondrously brighter than the sun.
so ful of brihgtenesse, & hot Schineng therto,
that In the hattest day Of the ȝer
þe sonne not so briht is as the body was ther,
Not be An hundred part Of Clernesse;
this putte Nasciens In Moche sekernesse.
but Natheles ful wondirfulli sore Adrad he was,
that he fyl In Swowneng In that plas,
So that nethir he ne saw ne felte non thing,
So sore was this Nasciens In Swowneng.
thanne prekid ful faste this Calafere, Calafere cannot find Nasciens.
and loked Abowtes bothe here and there,
and In plase where þat he say Nasciens;
But tho was not he In his presens;
and Evere Abowtes he loked faste,
and Nothing he ne Say til at the laste,
that Alle the weye & al the plas
there As him thowhte that Nasciens was,
him thowhte it was On flawmeng fer,—
As him thouhte that tymes Calafer;— Calafere thinks the Arm is burn∣ing fire.
And the Arm that was voluped In Cloth so Red,
him thowhte it brenneng fer In that sted,
that so wondirly Sore Abasched he was,
that for Alle the world he ne dorste In that plas
Not Ones Owt of his Sadil Alyhte,
but down I swowneng he fyl anon Ryht. He swoons, and falls off his horse.
For Of this Merveille so Sore Abascht he was,
That ded I swowneng lay he In that plas.
thus lay Calafer long In Swownenge,
and homward his hors ful faste Rennenge The horse gallops home.
From the place that he Cam fro,
A gret pas homward gan he to go.
And whanne that the peple of the howshold
this hors thus Comenge Gonne beholde,
And here lord was left behinde;
this was gret wondir In here Mynde,
and Siker wenden here lord hadde ben ded,
be Comeng Of the hors In that Sted.
and whanne it Was On the Morwe lyht of day, Next morning Calafere's men seek for him,
Eche man Of his Meyne wente his way
For to seken hem with here powere,
Ȝif Ony Of hem myhte him fynden there;
but they ne Cowde weten In non Manere
What weye that took this Calafere.
but it happed, As they sowhten boþe to & fro,
that somme of hem there gonne to go
Into the weye there that he lay; and find him looking as if dead.
Whiche was to hem A gret Afray,
Whanne they syen here Lord þere ded,
To Alle here syghtes In that sted;
There they gonnen him vp dressen Anon,
but foot On to stonde hadde he neuere On;
thow A man scholde han smeten Of his hed,
he ne myhte meven non lyme In that sted.
and than behelden they In his face, Calafere's face is stampt, on the right with a hand,
And On the Riht side þere was a space,
As it were the forme Of An hond
that him hadde towched, I vndirstond;
And On the lefte side hem þouhte they sye and on the left with a foot:
the forme Of A foot wel Sekerly,
that Ioyned to the hond it was,
Wondirfully Red In that plas, the hand-mark as red as fire,
As Owt Of the Forneys Comen flawmes of fire;
So thowht hem the Markes of Calafere;
1 but Only the Mark that Of the foot was, the foot-mark as black as pitch.
As blak As pich was In that plas:
and his Nose, as ys it was Cold; 1-1 Et li sains del pie estoit tout ausi noirs com est pois. Et si estoit li noirs ausi frois com est glache; et li vermaus ert ausi caus comme fus.—A.
Al thus his Meine On him gonne behold.
For whanne he was Comen to his Ostel,
and Adawed he was Eche del,
he cowde wel tellen Of Al thing,
Where-Offen he hadde gret Merveillyng.
and whanne they him fownde In this Manere, Calafere's men bear him home∣wards,
they gonne him dresse hom forto bere,
but In gret drede they weren Echon
that membre ne Meven Myhte he non— but he neither moves a limb, nor speaks.
Nether Eye to Opene, ne mowth to speke;
lo! thus god On him Nasciens gan wreke;—
but Sekir they wende he hadde ben ded,
For Of him ne Cowden they non Oþer Red.
And thus they boren him In this Manere
hom to his plase with drede & fere,
that neuere spak word be Al the weye,
neþer Eye ne Opened Certeinlye,
Ne Nethir foot ne hond myhte to him drawe;
this was to hem A wonderful Sawe.
and whanne to his hows with him they Come,
Wif, Child, & his Meyne Al & some,
Abowtes him gannen to drawen wel faste,
and Alle Of him weren sore Agaste,
that ded In the plase he hadde I-be,
Ne non Othir thing Of him ne Cowde they se; Calafere is laid in bed,
So that In A bed they dyden him leye
Al so Eselye As they Cowde Certeinlye;
and alle, gret Mone Abowtes him they made,
For there nas non that Oþer cowde glade.
And whanne it was abowtes the Noun,
Wondirly to Cryen he gan þere Anon; wakes, and cries,
and his wif to him Ran ful faste,
as a womman that hadde gret haste,
and wondirly Sore Afrayed ȝhe was
Of his noise sche herde In that plas.
And whanne he of his swowneng Awook,
he Opened his Eyen, & gan vpe to look;
and abowtes him thanne he loked pure faste, and asks for water to quench the burning of the hand-mark on his face;
and water bad bringen At the laste,
Forto qwenchen that fer so stronge
that In his fase hadde brend so longe.
thanne Ronnen forth his Seriawntes Anon,
And Aftir water they gonne to gon,
And Casten it On bothe Sides Of his face
To quenchyn þe fyr in þat place.
thanne it semed to hem Euerichon
that thike side was brent In to þe bon; but it is burnt to the bone,
And the bon, As whit it lay
Lik as doth Chalk In þe Clay; i. e. Boulder-drift clay; such, for example, as is well seen near Ely, where, by a great down-throw fault, the chalk having been brought to the surface, subsequent denudation cut away the great cliff so formed, and a new deposit, in which the pieces of chalk are scattered about like suet in a badly made plum-pudding, filled the hollow.—H. Seeley. which looks like chalk in clay.
And the flesch that was þere Abowte,
It semed ful Rosted with Owten dowte.
And thanne the lefte Side they gonne beholde, Calafere's left∣cheek mark is black and cold.
wheche þat was bothe blak & Colde,
Of wheche he myhte suffren non towcheng
For non good Of Erthly thing;
and whanne þe water On that side they gonne to caste, When water is thrown on it,
A wondirful Cry he made atte laste,
& with that he fyl In Swowneng, he swoons.
So that Of lif of him hadde non man supposing,
but that fully ded he hadde I-be
Euere with-Owten Ony Recouere.
and whanne Of swowneng he Cam Agayn,
his Eyen Opened he thanne Certein,
and seide, & pleynede him wel More,
and seide that deth negheden him wel sore.
thanne gan he to wrathen Anon, He is wroth at his coming death.
And seide, "schal I deyen thus son,
that thus am fallen In Maledye,
and neuere In better poynt I was trewlye
to han lyved be ȝeres and be day;
and now I trowe I passe my way;"
thanne Cursed he the tyme that he was bore,
that In Swich manere Scholde deyen thore.
thanne whanne he was Awaked wondirly wel, He asks about Nasciens.
after Nasciens Enqwered he Every del.
thanne they Of his howshold ful Snelle
Of him non tydinges ne Cowden they telle,
Nethir tokene ne Signe In non degre;
and thus him they tolde thanne Certeinlie.
and whanne that he herde this tyding, And, on finding that he is not caught,
Anon he fil Aȝen there tho In swowneng.
and whanne Of his swowneng Awook he þere, orders Celidoyne to be brought before him,
he Comaunded Anon þat In Alle Manere
Anon Nasciens sone to-foren him bringe,
and he scholde tellen him newe tydinge.
And whanne to forn him this Child gan gon,
Thanne seide this Calafer to him Anon,
'That On him he wolde Avenged be, and swears he'll take vengeance
For his fader from him wente In that degre;
and for his deseisse he Suffred therfore, on him.
On hym Avenged he wolde ben thore.'
thanne Comanded Sire Calafere
that Child Anon forto Slen there.
thanne fil down Calaferes wif Anon, Calafere's wife prays him not to kill Celidoyne,
and preyde him this thing not forto don;
"and ȝif Algates ȝe welen him Sle,
In presoun stille so let him be,
and Rathere hym Enfamyne there,
thanne him to slen In this Manere."
And he that was ful Of Coruptioun
as Ony tigre, Other wilde lyown,
Owther Ony Other Savage beste
that han non Resoun, neþer lest ne meste,
'but algates On him Avenged wolde he be, but he declares he will.
thowh that him self there scholde [him] Sle.'
thanne Cleped he his Seriawntes Anon þere,
And Comaunded þat In to þe towr they scholde him bere Calafere has
In his bed; Al so sik as that he was,
he wolde be born In to that hye plas;
and he Comanded Aftir him to bringe
Nasciens Sone with-Owten tarienge.
and they fulfilden his Comandement; himself carrid up the tower of his castle,
him they vpe boren verament;
and Aftyr hym, Celidoyne, Nasciens sone,
For hym they maden ful gret Mone.
and whanne this Celydoine was vpe I-browht,
Calafer, this Terant, for-gat it nowht
there that Child forto spille,
Wit venamous herte & Evel wille.
thanne Anon his seriawntes he gan to Calle, and orders his men to throw Celidoyne off it.
And Comanded the Child to throwen ouer the walle,
that with his Eyen he myhte it sen,
For sekir non Othirwise ne scholde it ben.
Wherfore deol & Sorwe they maden Echon
For that dede that they scholden don;
but they ne dorste not Offenden his Comaundement,
but Anon it fulfilde there present.
they token vpe this Child Anon, Calafere's men
And leften him Above Alle þe werk Of ston;
and whanne Calafer him Sawh so hye,
down him to Caste he bad hem hye;
Anon his biddeng fulfil they there,
and threwen him down In here Manere; throw Celidoyne over the battle∣ments.
thanne this tyraunt gan vp to Rise
To sen this Child taken his I-wise,—
So ful he was Of Crwelte
As Evere Ony tyraunt myht be;—
And whanne þe Child was Middis his fallynge, When he is in mid-air,
Alle Aftir him loked with-Owten tarienge,
and wende that to þe Erthe he schold haue gon,
and his lemes to-borsten Everichon;
but Anon As that they lokeden Owte,
they sien ix. hondes that child Comen Abowte, 9 snow-white hands catch him,
that lik As Snow they weren so whit—
Whiche to soimme Of hem was gret delyt;—
and this Child they henten Anon
In this Maner tho Everichon,
two hondes to the Ryht Arm they wente,
and tweyne to þe left Arm veramente,
tweyne to the left leg, & tweyne to þe Ryhte,
and On to hed Openly In here syhte;
And In this Manere these Nyne hondis
browhte Celidoyne Ow[t] Of Califeris bondis and bear him away.
With-Owten Ony Of the Erthe towching:
this was to Calafer gret Merveillyng;
and Evere he lay and beheld ful faste
tyl that the Child was fer from him paste;
and whanne this beheld Sire Calafere,
that this Child was boren so fer,
For sorwe he fil In swowneng Anon.
thanne Owt Of that towr Gan þer gon, Thick darkness comes.
of wondirful dirknesse gret plente,
that non Of hem Mihte Oþer there se;
and aftir this dirknesse there spak A voysse, A voice proclaims
that Alle they herden A wondirful Noisse,
that 'to him whiche was Goddis Enemy, vengeance against God's enemy.
veniawnce to him scholde Neyhen ful ny.'
and Anon As this word was seide there,
Ful wondirfol Noise, & In dredful Manere.
It Gan to thondren & lyhtene ful faste, Thunder and lightning come.
that semed Al the Eyr scholde to-berste,
and that it were ful domesday;
thus weren they Alle In gret Afray,
So that Alle the Meyne that weren there
Forsoken here lord Calafere
that stille lay swowneng In that tour;
hym they forsoken with mochel dolour.
And Anon As from him they weren I-went, A fire-bolt from heaven splits the left of the Tower
A Fyr from hevene Com there present,
and Of that towr hit smot the left partie
down Into the Middes ful Sekerlye,
In whiche partie that lay Sire Calafere.
So veniablely was he Slayn there,
that Er to the Erthe he Cam A-down, and shatters Calafere's body to pieces.
the pecis of his body fledden In-virown,
and non of his Other Meyne
hadden non harm In non degre,
Sawf Only for drede In here syht,
that In here hertes they weren Afryht;
for Cristened thei weren Everichon, His Christian attendants are not hurt.
and Chosen his plesaunse to don,
and to the Trenite they hadden hem take,
And forsaken Alle the develis so blake.
behold what God wile for his man do!
him kepen from Evel for Evere Mo!
And thus, now As ȝe han herd here told,
paste this Calafer, that was So bold,
From worldly lif to Evere-lastyng peyne,
As this storie thus doth vs to seyne.
and thus sone thorw al the Contre News of the escapes of Nas∣ciens and Celi∣doyne get about.
this word gan Springe Certeinle,
how that Nasciens Owt of preson was gon—
Where-Offen weren glad ful Manion,—
And Of his Sone Also there,
how that he Aschaped, & in what Manere.
And whanne Saracynte herde Of this tydyng, Sarracynte rejoices at it.
Ful Ioyful sche was In Alle thing,
And beleved it ful Certeinlye
that it was thorwh goddis Mercye,
and thorwh him they weren vnbownde
Where so Evere they weren that ilke stownde;
Wel wiste sche be Crist it Was I-don,
Alle these poyntes thanne Everichon.
thanne Alle the Barowns that Of þe Rem were, The Barons hear it too,
To Sarras to qwene Saracynte Comen there,
Whanne they wisten the trewthe Of deliueraunce,
That Nasciens was happed Swich A chaunce,
and Of the veniaunce Of Calafere
That God Sodeinly On him took there;
thanne thus they dowted hem Everychon,
lest God veniaunce hem Wolde senden vppon,
For here fals Wil and Concentyng,
Of Nasciens & his sones presoneng.
thanne Comen Alle to the qweene Anon, and come to excuse to Sarra∣cynte
and Criden hire Mercy Everichon,
that hire Brother En-prisoned so was
be here Consentyn In that plas; their consent to Calafere's counsel to imprison Nasciens.
And seyden 'þat it was Only Al & som,
Only be Calaferis ymaginacioun;
Wherfor, God hath veniaunce on him take
Openly, As we knowen, for Nasciens sake.'
and for they Syen that God Of his Myht
hadde schewed swich miracle to Alle Mennes siht,
there-fore Mercy they gonne to Crye The Barons cry mercy for their cruelty to Nas∣ciens,
To qwene Saracynte ful lowlye:
"Now, goode lady, ȝoure brother don seken ȝe,
In what Contre that So Evere he be,
And we scholen putten vs In his Mercy—
bothe Owre bodyes, & Owre Good pleynly,— and offer to make atonement for it.
With vs to done At his plesaunce,
To what presown, or to what Noisaunce."
and whanne qwene Saracinte herde hem thus seye, Sarracynte
Wel gladed hire herte was Certeinlye.
Anon sent sche Messangeris fyve, sends five Mes∣sengers to seek
And Charged hem Alle vppon here lyve,
And took hem I-nowh of gold & Fee,
& Charged hem to Serchen In Eche Contre, for her brother Nasciens,
Al so longe As Good & hors wolde Endure,
To sechen hire Brothir sche made hem Ensure;
And for non man Schold han hem In Suspescioun,
lettres Enseled with Good Entencioun, with letters
Enseled vndir hire Owne Sel,
the bettere men hem to knowen & leven wel;
And In that lettre dide sche don wryte
As wel as that sche Cowde Endyte,
Of hire lordis Avicion Certefyenge, describing Mor∣dreins's Vision (p. 229-232).
þat he hadde the Niht to-foren his goynge.
thus the Messengeris here leve took,
that Iorne to done, & it not forsook;
Forto fulfillen hire Comaundement,
Alle forth they wenten with good entent.
Now Mosten we leven A while this storye,
And to Anothir Storye We Mosten hye, The Story turns to Nasciens's Wife.
Whiche that Certefieth Of Nasciens Wif,
That leveth In Wo, bothe Sorwe & stryf.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Of NASCIENS on the "Yl Torneawnt." How the hand bore Nasciens to a Turning Island, the name and nature of which it is the duty of the History to expound (p. 337).
[The exposition accordingly in the French MS. only. At the beginning of all things, when God separated the four elements, he set the heavens above the earth and sea as a covering (p. 337), as they were contrary to one an∣other, the heavens being hot and light, the earth cold and heavy. And because the foul earth toucht heaven and dirtid it, God divided them, making the heavens clear and warm, and the earth cold and heavy. The dross of the elements, the rust of the earth, and the sediment of the sea, could not mix with earth and water, nor with the heavens, for they were foul, and the heavens pure (p. 338); and the flame from heaven could not return to it, as being cor∣rupted. (So little from the air was in the mass, that it need not be noticd.) Therefore, as the mass could not go to any one of its element-sources, fire or heaven, earth or water, it stopt in two, earth and water. For God willd it should be in the sea; and because one part was from heaven, it swam lightly (p. 339), and floated into the Western Sea, between Ovagrive [MS. ou a griue] and Ti∣ger's Harbour, where was great store of Adamant or Load∣stone,
which loves iron above all things, and will not leave it when it once gets hold of it, unless it is obligd to. So, when this mass of shakings came to the place of the Adamant, it stopt. And its heavenly heat made the whole mass light, and the mass remaind in the sea, and was calld an island. But no herb or tree or beast or bird was on it. Also the isle turnd every time that the firmament or heaven turnd; and this is why it was calld Yl Torneawnt (p. 340).]
How, when Nasciens awakes from his swoon, he is much abasht, but still stedfast in his belief, like Job (p. 341). How he bears all his troubles as patiently as Job, and thanks God (p. 342). How the Turning Isle is barren and very hot, and Nasciens is weary and bruisd, and so lies down to sleep, making the sign of the cross (p. 343). He sees in a vision white birds (p. 343), and two come to him, and tell him to fly. He perceivs that he has wings. The birds come again, and ask him for his heart to eat. He givs it them, and they rejoice (p. 344), and speak to him. On awaking, he feels the isle trembling, and hears a marvellous battle in the sea (p. 345); the Adamant and the Firmament trying which will turn the isle, and the Firmament winning (p. 346). One end of the isle turns down, and the other up, though it is eighty miles round and fifty-seven long (p. 347); which is no lie, for this Holy Story was written by Christ with his own hand (p. 348); and He never wrote anything else but the Law for Moses, and the Judgment on the Adulterous Woman (p. 348); which latter is explaind (p. 348-9). Then "what clerk is there so hardye that dar sein . . openlye that God sethen his uprysinge . . made ony wrytynge sauf . . this blessid storye of Seint Graal?" If any allege the contrary, "they lyen ful pleyn" (p. 350).
Now this Storye ginneth forth to telle,
Of Nasciens how that tho befelle,
that how the hond A cloud, in the French: 'Ore dist li contes chi endroit, ke quant la nue en eut porte nascien iusc'a la v calafier l'eut acousieui—ensi com uous l'aues oi deuiser cha arriere el conte,—Et que calafier fu cheus pasmes pour la paour de la nue ver∣melle, et ke li cors qui dedens la nue estoit eut calafier signie cs .ij. ioues del seing mortel, Apres che enporta la nue &c.'—A. him hadde I-bore
thens As Calafer was forlore.
thanne the hond Sire Nasciens Bar The hand bore Nasciens to an Isle in the West Sea.
Into A ful straunge Contre thar;
Whiche Contre was A Merveillous plas;
For An yl In the west Se it was,
that xiij Iornes it was of lengthe qui estoit bien .xiij. iournees loins del lieu ou nasciens auoit este en prison.—A. The Isle is 17 days' journey from Calafere's prison,
thens As Nasciens was In þe presown of strengthe.
that yl was Of sweche a fame,
For 'yl Torneawnt' was the name; and is calld 'Yl Torneawnt' because it turns upside down.
For be Ryht Resown it is So,
for Oþer whiles it Torneth bothe to & fro;
but In As moche as that the Cause why
Of his Torneng nis not knowen verayly—
Of Alle tho þat there of don speken, Other Rede,
they ne knowen it not In word ne In dede,—
therfore Resoun & sckele it were The cause of the turning shall be told at once. [But The Englisher of the Story leaves it out.]
that this Storye Rehersed [it] here;
for, Of Eche thing that is Of dowte,
he it Reherseth Er he passe Owte,
and bringeth it to Clere vndirstondyng
to Every Mannes wit, bothe Old & ȝong,
As ȝe Scholen here In tyme Comeng
how this storie declareth Every thing.
MS XIV E iii, leaf 45, col. 2, middle. Orre repaire la parole, et raconte la droite maniere The history of the Yl Torne∣awnt. del isle ou nasciens fu portes, ke li paisant, si com ie vous ai dit, apielent 'l'isle tournoiant.' Il est uerites prouuee, ke au commenchement de toutes choses, quant At the beginning of all things, when God separ∣ated the 4 elements, li establissieres del monde deuisa et departi .iiij. elemens, qui deuant estoient tout en .j. monchelement, et en vne masse; et il ot le chiel, qui li escripture he set the heavens claime le fu, deseure des autres trois, qui de toutes clartes est plains, et de toutes netetes; il l'establi el above the earth and sea plus haut lieu, Car il en fist couuerture a tous les autres, et closture. Et pour chou ke li chieus, et li as a covering, airs, et la terre, et l'iaue, auoient este en vne masse, Ja fust chou ke li vns fust contraires a l'autre, si ne pooit as they were contrary to one another, mie estre ke li vns ne fust enuolepes de l'autre, et en∣loes des diuerses manieres qui en chascun lieu estoient.
Car li chieus estoit par nature caus et legiers; et la the heavens being hot and light, terre estoit par nature froide et pesans. Et par che puet chascuns counoistre, ke en aucune maniere se and the earth cold and heavy. sentoit li chieus de la froidour de la terre, et de l'iaue autresi. Et chil doi s'entresentoient en aucune guise de la grant calour del chiel. Ensi poes entendre les contrarites des vns et des autres qui s'entrenuisoient, et ne se pooient souffrir. Et de che que la terre qui And because the foul earth toucht heaven pesans MS pensans est, et froide, et amassemens d'ordure, touchoit au chiel qui est legiers, et caus, et fontaine de toutes netetes; de che auint que il en quelli ordure, Si comme and dirtid it, (being a mass of rust of earth and scum of sea) amassement de terriene ferrume et de la rieule "It is obvious that rieule here must mean either 'scum' or 'sediment.' I have no doubt that it is the latter, from re∣gulus, Fr. regule, the chemical term for 'metals separated from other substances by fusion.'—Worcester. 'The pure metal which in the melting of ores falls to the bottom of the crucible.'—Webster. Trevoux gives rieule as the Fr. form of the proper name Regulus."—HENSLEIGH WEDGWOOD. de l'iaue autresi. Et quant li souuerains peres, qui est fontaine de toute sapiense, eut l'un departi de l'autre, God divided them, et desioint, si mist le chiel en sa droite hounour, et amena en sa droite MS droise honour, et amena en sa droite pure making the heaven clear and warm, nete[t]e; Car il le fist cler, et luisant, et legier, de toutes calours plain; Et la terre laissa froide, et pesant, and the earth cold and heavy. et en fist amassement de toutes choses pesans. Et quant il eut le chiel netie et monde de la terriene fer∣rume, Having purgd the heavens of their dross, et de la rieule de l'iaue; et il ot escousse la terre, et leue de l'arsin du chiel; Chele ferrume terriene et the rust of the earth and the sediment of the sea could not mix with earth and water, nor with the heavens, chele rieule euage ne peurent mie naturelment conioin∣dre a la terre, et a l'ieue, dont eles estoient issues. Ne chele celestiene ardure, et chil rieulemens qui de la terre et de l'iaue furent escous, ne peussent mie honeste∣ment repairier a si haute chose, et a si nete, com est li chieus; Car il auoient aucune take comcuellie de la for they were foul terre et de l'iaue, qui sont amassement de toutes ordures; Et li chieus, che aues vous bien oi, est de toutes netetes and the heavens pure;
plains. Et pour chou, par droite raison, ne deuoit nus d'aus repairier la dont il estoit issus; Ne la terriene ferrume a la terre; ne la rieule euage a l'iaue; par chou ke aucune legierete, et aucune calour, auoient con∣cheue del chiel. Et pour chou ke l'arsins del chiel ne and the flame from heaven could not return to it, peut au chiel repairier—comme chele qui estoit entechie des vilenies de la terre et de l'iaue,—pour chou couuint que ches .iij. choses repairaissent a une masse. Et as being corrupted. pour chou ke aucuns ne desist, 'ausi estoit li airs amon∣cheles com chil troi; pour quoi n'en parole dont chis contes?' Il est uoirs proues ke auoec ches trois escous∣sures (So little from the air was in the mass, ot aucune chose de l'air; et a che s'acorde bien li contes. Mais il dist, ke si petit en i eut, ke ia pour that it need not be noticd.) chel mestier n'en deust estre parole tenue. Ensi com vous aues oi, repairent les .iiij. parties a vne masse qui des .iiij. elemens furent escousses. Et pour chou que Therefore, as this mass, chele masse ne puet naturelment . repairier a nul de ches .iiij. elemens, par le raison ke li contes en a shaken out of the four elements, deuisee, si conuint ke ele fust en contenchon. Et si fu ele sans faille. Car, tant com il i auoit de fu, che est could not go to any one of its element-sources, fire or heaven, earth or water; del chiel, fu ele legiere, et entendi a monter en haut; Et tant com il i auoit de la terre, apesanti; Et de tant com ele se senti de l'iaue, si fu moiste et crollans, Et pau puisa. Mais de l'air i eut si petit, ke ele n'en quelli nule forche. Et pour chou ke toute la pensantume So in MS. des .iiij. elemens est en la terre et en l'iaue, et ke chil doi recuellent toutes les pensantes So in MS. coses, par che it stopt in two, earth and water. remest ele a ches deus, en tel maniere com vous ores. Il fu verites prouuee ke par la uolente et par le plaisir For God willd it should be in the sea; de chelui a qui toutes choses sont obeissans, chei chele masse en la mer. Et pour chou ke ele traioit en vne partie a legierete, selonc che ke cle se sentoit du chiel, and because one part was from heaven it swam lightly, qui est tres legiers, pour chou noa ele legierement, ne n'eut pooir d'aler au fons. So in MS. En cheste maniere noa ele grant pieche par la mer, ke onques en nule partie ne
peut prendre arestement, Tant ke ele vint en la mer and floated into the Western Sea, between Ovagrive and Tigers' Harbour, where was great store of Adamant or Loadstone, [MS. ou a griue ?for Ouagriue] d'occident, entre l'isle ouagriue et le port as tigres, En vne partie de chele mer qui est entre chel isle et chel port, a grant plente d'aimant el fons So in MS. aual. Et vous aues oi cha arriere, ke li contes dist ke tant com il ot de terre en la masse, Si estoit terrine So in MS. ferrume. Et chele pierre qui a a non aymans, si est de tel nature, which lovs iron above all things, ke ele aime fier sour toute riens, Et uolentiers le trait a li. Et se li fiers li est prochains, et ele i puet sa forche and will not leave it when it once gets hold of it ioindre, il n'en est mie legiers a departir; anchois tire le forche de la pierre tant le fier a li, ke ele le fait a li touchier, Se grignour plente n'i a del fier ke de la pierre, unless it is obligd to. ou autre ostacle par quoi la forche de l'aymant soit vaincue. Quant la masse dont ie vous ai parle vint So, when this mass of shakings came to the place of the Adamant, it stopt. flotant iusc'au lieu ou l'aymans estoit, si s'arestut, Car la forche del aymant is retint, pour chou ke ele estoit ferrouse, ensi com uous aues oi. Mais onques la forche del aymant ne seut tant tirer ke ele le peust a li faire And its heavenly heat made the whole mass light, ioindre; Non mie pour chou ke il i eust grignour plente de fier ke d'aimant, Mais tant com il i auoit de la celes∣tiene calour, le tenoit plus legiere; et si le faisoit par sa forche tendre en haut. En cheste maniere remest and the mass remaind in the sea, chele masse en chel lieu de mer, Et fu apielee puis par les paisans "isle", pour chou ke toutes les masses de and was calld an island. terre qui perent en mer, et es autres iaues, par ou ke che soit, sont apielees par chest non. Et pour chou But no herb or tree or beast or bird was on it. ke ele se senti en grant partie de la nature del chiel; pour che auint il ke onques point n'i crut d'erbe, ne arbres ne beste n'i porroit durer, ne oisiaus. Et auoec cheste maniere a ele enchore vne autre, ke ele tient en Also the isle turnd every time that the firma∣ment, or heaven turnd. chele nature ke ele a du chiel, ke toutes les fies ke li firmamens tourne, et l'isle tourne ausi tout com li. firmamens, che est li chieus. En tel maniere tournoie And this is why it was calld Yl Torneawnt. l'isle com vous aues oi: Or nous a li contes deuise la raison pour quoi li paisant l'apielent 'l'isle tournoiant.'
Into this yl Sire Nasciens the hond bar, The Hand bears Nasciens to the Turning Isle,
& him In Swowneng be-left thar,
As man that hadde lost bothe wit & Memorie,
For par les meruelles ke il auoit veues.—A. þe wondirful sightes that he to fore sye;
For he ne wiste Certeinlye
Where he was, ne in what partye.
Anon the hond thens departid thanne, and then goes,
And Nasciens there lay as a ded Manne; leaving him in a dead swoon.
And whanne Of his Swowneng þere Awook,
he lift vp his Eyen, and Abowtes gan to look; He wakes,
it Nas non nede him to Refreyne
Whethir he were Abascht Certeine, and is abasht, but keeps firm in his belief,
but Evere his herte stedfast was
In his Creaunce, swich was his gras.
For Al the drede he hadde Suffred be-fore,
Ȝit God him wolde Asayen wel more;
For him weren Comeng Many tormensse,
Ȝit wolde he neuere to his God Offensse,
Nether for Ioye neþer for ille,
but Euere In his Creawnce belefte Stille,
And Evere In his torment stedfast was and is as sted∣fast as Job, who
As was Iob In Every plas,
that In his lif hadde So moche Richesse,
So Moche welthe & worthynesse,
and ȝit suffred he with herte & Minde,— sufferd willingly
As A Man that was to God ful kynde,—
poverte, Misseise, and Ek distresse, poverty and distress,
Angwich, temptacions, & Siknesse,
And in poverte vppon a dong hil lay; and lay on a dunghill.
Ȝit herde þere neuere Man Into this day
that neuere with his Mowth he seide Amys,
Ne Grochched Aȝens his Creatour I-wis.
And lik In the same Manere tho
Suffrede Nasciens bothe Angwisch & wo;
With goode wille & debonowre herte
Suffrede he many Angwisches smerte, Nasciens suffers, but never grumbles against God,
and neuere to his God made he grochchenge,
Nethir for tormentis ne non Othir thinge.
And thus to him Self he gan to Speke,
And to him self his herte gan breke,
And seide, "lord I thanket to the only thanks Him for the trouble He has sent.
Of alle the deseisse thow sendest Me,
For moche more, worthy I am to have,
My Sowle ȝif I scholde Ony wise save."
And whanne to this yl he was I-browht
he loked Abowtes him, & Say Ryht nowht
but the Eir, the yl, and the See;
In ful gret Merveyl thanne was he;
for how that thedir he was I-gon.
In what Manere ne wiste he non;
And Abowtes him he loked pure faste,
& Al that yl was barein & ful waste, The Turning Isle is waste, and very hot.
and so stronge passeng hete there,
that he ne myht it Endure In non Manere.
thanne wiste he neuere In what partye
Of that yl how he myht this hete drie;
but Euere hadde In Remembraunce
Of his thedir Comeng, & Of that Chaunce,
and of Celidoine his ȝongest sone
þat with him In preson was done,
Which that was mochel In his Mynde,
That Gentyl Child, that was so kynde.
For-brosed weren his honden & Armes to; Nasciens's arms are bruisd, and his limbs ache.
his legges, his feet, wrowhten him moche wo;
his Reynes Oken, his Ribbes they gnowe,
So that Of tormentis he hadde I-nowe;
To the Erthe Anon he leide him thanne,
As A ful wery and A-brosed Manne
that a passing lust hadde forto Slepe,
hof that to his Angwisch took kepe.
thanne down he him leide, As it is told,
In A partie Of the yl that was most Cold;
For ful hot somer it was with-Owten let,
the Nynthe day Of þe kalendes of Juignet. Car ch'estoit en este au nueuisme iour des kalendes en iungnet.—A.
thanne his Ryht hond he left vpe there, Nasciens makes the sign of the Cross,
and Made the signe of the Crois In good Manere,
In the Name Of the trenite,
On God & persones thre,
That it scholde ben his protectour
In alle degrees aȝens the fals deceyvour,
Whiche is the devel, In Alle wise,
Man to deseyven In dyvers Gyse,
that to goddis beleve hath Ony lust,
him forto tempten he desireth most.
thanne thus this Nasciens to slepen be-gan,
as for Angwichs & a wery Man,
that to Slepen he hadde gret lust,
and there him down lay As he durst; lies down to sleep,
and the Mone Schon bothe fair & Cler
vppon Nasciens that Alone lay there,
that so ful wel & longe slept he tho
as A man that gret Nede hadde therto.
Thus slept Nasciens Al that Nyht
Til on the Morwen it was day lyht,
Where that In Avisioun him thowhte he sye and has a Vision
Merveillous thinges ful Sekerlye:
him thowhte he sawh gret plente
White briddes Abowtes him to be. of many White Birds flying about.
And whanne that these briddes he gan beholde,
In his herte he Merveilled Manifolde,
for somme Of hem flowen wondir hye,
and somme wondir lowe Certeinlye,
and the tothir partye Of hem tho
From the Erthe ne myhte not go,
ne flen nowher from the grounde;
Where offen he Merveilled that stownde.
thanne Comen there tweyne of þe grettest of Alle, Two of the White Birds
and down to the Erthe Gonne they falle;
At his two feet they descendyd Adown there,
And Into the Eyr they him gonnen bere. lift Nasciens into the air,
thanne whanne he was In the Eir An hy,
they seiden, "Nasciens, fle forth boldly." and bid him fly.
thanne Nasciens him self be-gan to beholde;
tho hadde he wenges that lyhtly wolde folde He finds he has white wings,
and Aplyen to his flyht thanne therto;
him thowhte he was ful Ioly tho;
Al whit him thowhte his wenges were,
and that lightliche he myht fleen there. and flies.
thanne thus Sone him thowhte Anon
that these grete briddes weren Agon; The Birds leave him,
tho that Maden him forto fle so liht,
from him weren past Owt Of his siht.
thanne to Nasciens Aȝen thei gonne Restore, and then come back,
And to him these briddes Seiden thore,
And boden him 'ȝeven hem Som Mete,
Swiche good As he Cowde Gete.'
thanne Answerid this Nasciens Aȝen tho,
"What Mete Welen ȝe that I gete ȝow to,
And I Wele fulfillen it to my power
What So Evere it be, Oþer fer other nere."
thanne Answerid the briddis Ageyn,
"that neuere fulfilled scholen we ben Certein, and ask him
Ne Neuere Replet with non Mete
that thow myht ȝeven vs forto Ete,
but thine Owne herte Only for his heart to eat.
vs on to Fede now Certeinly."
Anon he drowgh Owt his Owne herte, He pulls it out,
and the brid it ȝaf, and nold it not Asterte.
Anon the Brid Resceyved it Ioyfully, and one Bird flies off joyously with it,
& therwith flew ful fer An hy
With ful gret Ioye & melodye; This line in the MS has the pen drawn over it.
And thus he Seide In his langage,
As A bird for his kynde singeth In a kage:
"Now Am I fulfild," seide this brid, saying that he is fulfilld with Nasciens's heart.
"Of this herte As it is be-tyd;
For now I have browht this thing with me
That non Wiht knoweth Certeinle;
For it is but A litel thing It is the little mouse that frees the Lion.
that the grete lyown hath Offe knoweng,
Wheche alle Erthly bestes With Membre & body
Vndir him ther kepeth he Certeinly.
and Whanne he hath Ouercomen hem Everichon, And yet when the Lion has over∣come all beasts,
—thus thowghte Nasciens that he gan don—
And Alle vndir his feet put hem tho,
Ȝit him thowhte he ne hadde not do, he thinks he has done nothing till he can fly to heaven.
but In to the hevene he wolde than fle
With that he hadde thanne Sekerle.
thanne him thowhte that his flyht took he, Wings come to him (the Lion), and he flies into heaven by the chief gate. [From the French.]
and that Abouen Alle Mownteynes gan to fle,
Ek the wawes of the Se, and the depnesse,
And the hevene Entred with-Owten distresse."
And thus him thowhte thanne Nascien,
That to him the Brid Seide Certein.
Thus sone his Avisiown gan to Enden tho, Nasciens wakes from his Vision.
And Al Anon wakenge he Abreide Also.
Thanne wonderfully In his wakynge
he Felte the yl Anon Tremblynge He feels the Isle trembling, after the turning of the firmament.
Aftyr the towr of the firmament;
thus him thowhte that tyme present.
thanne Merveilled Nasciens full wondirfully
Of Meving Of þe yl ful trewely;
and Ek Abascht Sore he was
Of that Merveil In that plas.
thanne gan he to liften vpe his hed,
and loked Abowtes In that sted;
And As gan loken bothe two and fro,
A wondirful bataille than herde he tho;
As him Semed, In the botme Of the Se The Loadstone and Air struggle for mastery over the Island.
That ilke Batayle scholde be
So wondirful & so gret it was,
that him thowhte the yl In that plas
Scholde han Sonken In to the netheres[t] pyt
that Evere was Ordeyned, Oþer Mad ȝit;
For so Angwischhous was that stour,
So ful of tempest And Of doloure,
that for the grettest herted Erthly Man
In his herte scholde had drede than;
For there MS they nas non partie Of that yl tho, Every bit of the Isle trembles like a leaf on a tree.
that It ne qwakede and schok Also
As dide Ony lef vppon A tre
that with the wynd Mevede sekerle:
be the depthe of the see and strenkthe it was,
And be strengthe of þe Ademawnt In þat plas;
For be Comanding Of the firmament
that yl thanne turnede it verament,
Of wheche One partye he was witholde, Et il conuenoit par estouoir que l'isle tornoiast al com∣mandement del firmament, de qui ele auoit la nature retenue en vne partie.—A.
it vnknowenge to alle men vndyr molde;
but the Ademawnt hadde but litel degre The Loadstone
Aȝens the Eyr, ful Sekerle;
For the Ademaunt hath no More strengthe has no power against the Air
Aȝens the Eyr, In brede ne lengthe,
Thanne A lytel praty fownteyne
Aȝens Al the grete See In Certeyne.
So that be strengthe of þe Ademaunt Certeinle
Restreyneng of Mevyng of the yl ne Miht not be; to keep the Isle from turning;
but of the firmament it hadde Alle his Myht,
The Mevyng Of the yl, I sey ȝow Ryht.
Now So gret was this Melle
betwene the Ademaunt & þe Eir sekerle,
that there the yl Into the Se gan lawnce, so it dips into the sea.
Whiche thowhte hym thanne A wondir Chaunse,
So that the water Encresid so hye The water gets higher,
Into the heyghthe of the yl Sekerlye,
So that him thowhte he hadde grettere Cold
thanne hete before tymes, be Manifold.
and whanne the yl thus Remeved was
Ferre Into the See be this Cas,
Ful litel and litel it with-drowgh tho
Tyl the strengthe of the Ademant was Ago,
And til he was In his Owne stede Ageyn till at last the Isle is length∣wise on the water [French].
bothe of heyghthe & brede In Certein.
Whanne Nasciens Felt & Sy al this thing,
Ful Mochel he hadde ther-off Merveillyng;
But he ne Cowde Aperceyven why
that the yl So mevede tho trewly.
thanne Anon Nasciens vp-dressed him tho,
And the yl Aȝen gan tremblen Also; Then the Isle trembles.
Anon he beheld A-bowtes wel faste,
& þe ton hed of the yl down bowed Atte laste, Its one end turns down, and the other turns up.
and the toþer hed gan to Rysen þere An hy;
thus thowhte him to his sihte Certeinly.
and ȝit this yl not ful litel it was,
For with-Inne it Self it hadde A gret spas, And yet the Isle was 80 miles round, and 57 long. [Fr. lieues]
For foureskore Miles it was Abowte,
and Sevene & fyfty in length with-Owten dowte;
but Rathere More that yl was there
thanne lasse In Ony other Manere;
For it is the Gyse Of this Storye,
In non Manere Of wyse forto lye.
Ful plein this Storye putteth In Mynde,
that Al the Certeinte of Sank Ryal is hard to fynde
for ony Man that Evere of womman was born,
As I haue ȝow Often Rehersed beforn;
For that holy storye that to therthe Anexed was, The Story of the Holy Graal sent down on earth
as Scheweth the Mowth Of trow þe In this plas,
Which is Jesus Crist, Goddis sone,
that for vs on the Roode was done;
For In him Neuere falsnesse was fownde,
Ne neuere non Errour In non stownde.
For ther Neuere was Creature so hardy
that dorste with-sein this holy story,
Whiche Crist him self with his Owne hond was written by Christ himself with his own hand.
It wrot vs forto don to vndirstond.
And therfore to more worschepe it scholde be take
thanne for Ony Othir Mannes Sake,
For we ne Radden neuere In non storye
that Crist him Self wrot Sekerly
to forn his passiown In Ony stede Before His passion he wrote only twice:
but In two, As we don Rede,
Whanne to Moises he wrot the lawe, Li premiers escris ke il fesist, si fu la haute orisons qui l'escripture claime l'orison notre signour, Ch'est le patre noster. Cheli escrist il de son pauch en la pierre, quant il enseigna a ses desciples comment il deuoient orer.—A. 1. The Old Law for Moses;
and him it be-took be þe Olde dawe.
the Secund was whanne þe Jewes certeinly 2. His judgment on the Woman taken in Adultery,
a womman hadden take In Avowtry;
For to proven On hire his dom Anon,
With hire to-fore Jesus Gonne they gon;
him forto tempten In this wise,
to him they hire browhte to haven I-wise.
thanne Crist to the Erthe Enclyned presente,
and wrot In the Erthe Er he furthere wente written on the ground with his finger.
With his fynger Evene Ryht there,
As Recordeth the Story thus here;
For Crist that tyme ful wel it wiste,
al here Entent, and Al here liste;
Only to Asayen what he wolde do,
the Iewes this womman browht him vnto.
thanne Crist to hem tho seide Ageyn,
"be-holdeth now here what this doth seyn; Let him who is guiltless, throw the first stone at her.'
Whiche that is Giltles Of ȝow Alle,
the Ferste ston on hire let falle."
and In this Manere Crist told hem here Sawe Thus Christ bade them fulfil the Old Law,
Forto fulfillen here Olde lawe
that Moises hem tawhte be tho dayes,—
As this holy Storye to vs here Seyes,—
'Ȝif that a womman do Ony Avowtrye
And with Ony Other man ligge Onlye
thanne be hire Owne husbonde,—
thus was the lawe In that londe,—
that Anon I-stoned scholde sche be, to stone a woman taken in adultery,
Alle swiche that weren taken In Avowtre.
þerfore Crist wiste thanne ful wel
Alle here thowhtes Every del,
That to hym Comen they For tempteng,
and Elles Seker for non Other thing;
Therfore Schewed Crist hem In that degre
Alle here Owne Siynnes there Openle, and showd them their own sins.
And Ek Schewed hem there In that Scripture
Alle the lignage Of man, I the Ensure;
how that of so gret fowlnesse & vilete
that Man was of Mad, there gonnen they se;
For tho wordis hadden this Mevynge
holiche as heire to Owre vndirstondynge.
For thus be-began this Scripture to Seye His writing said to the Jews,
Al Openly there to the Jewes Eye,
"har, Erthe! why Art thow so hardye & so fre 'Earth, why darst thou accuse Earth:
The Erthe to Acvsen In Ony degre?" "He, terre! pour quoi ies tu si hardie ke tu accuses, ou oses accuser, la terre?"—A.
this is so mochel here forto seyne,
'O thow Man that of filthe art Mad Certeine. sinful man,
As of so foul dong & Slym of Clay,
that darst Owther be nyht Oþer day;
Why darst thow ben of sweche mevynge— how durst thou call ill in others those deeds that thou doest thyself?'
Whanne thi self hast forfeted in Alle thinge—
For to susteyne & to holde these dedis ille
Wheche In alle degrees thow dost fulfille?'
lo, in these two places ful sekerlye
We fynden that the sone of Marye—
To forn that he wente to his passion,
and that he vppon the Crois was don—
thus Wrot Al this storie doth Rede,
and now here In non Other stede.
1 but what Clerk is there So hardye, If any man dares say that Christ,
that dar sein, Other proven Openlye,
That God, Sethen his vp-Rysinge, since his rising,
In Ony plase Made Ony wrytynge wrote anything save this blessed Seint-Graal story (or Sank Ryal)
Sauf Only this blessid Storye
Of Seint Graal ful Sekerlye,
Whiche that is Clepid 'the Sank Ryal'
Of kyng, lord, bacheler, boþe gret & small;
ho dar Sein the Contrarie Of this?—
Non Erthly man forsothe I-wis,—
Nethir be non devyn Awtorite
the Contrarie proven In non degre.
And ȝif he Conne Aleggen Ony Oþer wyse
In Ony degre As for his Repryse,
For A leseng it moste be taken Certeine, he lies.
Of Alle Swich that it don Sosteyne.
thanne thus May I ful boldly Seyn: All who believe otherwise, lie too.
that Oþerwise beleven, they lyen ful pleyn,
but that God with his Owne hond
this Storye doth vs forto vndirstond,
Sethen that he lefte the dedlich flesch here,
and In hevenly Maieste was Clothed withowten pere. 1-1 Mais comment ke il esploitast endementiers que il estoit enuolepes de la mortel char, ia ne troueres si hardi clerc qui die ke il onques fesist escripture puis la resurrection ne mais ke seulement la haut escripture del saint graal; Et que vauroit dire que il, puis la resurrection, eust autre escriture faite de sa propre main, il n'en porroit auant traire nule de∣uine auctorite, Et pour chou seroit il tenus a menteour. Don∣ques di iou bien que chil seroit de trop fol hardement espris. qui menchoigne oseroit a croistre a si tres haut chose comme est cheste estoire, que li urais fiex dieu escrist de la soie main propre, puis ke il l'ot ius mis le mortel cors et reuestue la celestiene maieste.—A.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
King Label's Vision in his Sleep, and Celidoyne's Interpretation thereof. Label dreams that he is on a broad highway (p. 440), where felons take all the passers-by, rob them, and put them in prison. A seemly man accompanies him along the road, and suddenly disappears (p. 440). He enters on a little path, full of trees and flowers, and hears a voice calling all people to wash and eat meat in the High City above (p. 440). Label goes on, and comes to a high mountain, and a fair fountain where the people are wash∣ing themselves (p. 441). He does not wash, but goes on to the City, and wants to enter, but cannot, because he has not washt in the fountain (p. 441). He looks through a wicket in the door, and sees at the table the sister whom he had murderd (p. 441). She tells him to wash, and then eat with them (p. 442). He goes back to do it, but the thieves lay hold of him, and drag him to a house in a desert valley, where foul people are, and which is filthy, black, and full of weeping and crying (p. 442). Label is in such a fright at this dream, that he roars for help, and all his lords rush to him (p. 443). Two of them ask him what ails him (p. 443); he says he has seen marvels in a dream, of which he must know the meaning; and he orders Celidoyne to be brought be∣fore him (p. 443). The lords wake Celidoyne, and bring him to Label, who asks him to expound what he shall tell him. Celidoyne promises to do so, by the help of God, and threatens Label with endless darkness if he will not obey him (p. 444). Label kneels to him, and promises to do all he is told to (p. 445). Celidoyne then expounds Label's dream to him: The Broad Road is the Old Law, the Robbers are the Devil, the Fair Guide is Jesus Christ, who took pity on Label (p. 445) as he had once pitied him. Again, as a ship at sea in a storm, without captain or pilot, is driven hither or thither on the broad sea, and can only be helpt by God (p. 446), so is a man on the broad road of sin in which Label has walkt; but God can bring him out of it (p. 447). As to the Green Way, it is the New Law (p. 447); and the Strait Way shows that they who are in it, wish not to leave it, but to obey God's commandments, which forbid sin. The Green Trees are the Pastors of Holy Church. The Voice calling all people to come and eat, is God's Grace (p. 447). The Well in the Mountain is God on his Throne, and the Unction of Baptism. The City is Paradise. The refusal to admit Label, when unwasht, into the City, shows that he cannot be God's child till he is christend (p. 448). The desert lands are Label's wicked works (p. 449). See in the French text, note 1, p. 449, the exposition of the Serpent, its blindness, its flying to the Red Sea, and the The dark black house
is Hell, to which Label will go unless he amends his life (p. 450). And, note 1, p. 450, the reason of Label's sister being in Paradise. Label promises to do whatever Celi∣doyne tells him (p. 451). Celidoyne bids him go to a hermit in a forest close by, and be baptizd. Label says he is willing, but asks his knights what they advise. They declare that they will not forsake their faith (p. 451). Celidoyne then dresses Label in poor clothes, and they go off to the hermit's abode (p. 452). They reach it at night, and the hermit is surprisd to see them; but embraces Celidoyne, and rejoices to hear the cause of their coming (p. 452). All night he teaches Label what belongs to holiness (p. 453), and tells of the lives of holy men (p. 454). The French text makes Label tell the hermit a former Vision of his (p. 453),—how he was summond before a judge to answer accusations, and could only get three friends to go with him, of whom one lent him a cloak; the second took him to a strange house and left him there; but the third went with him to the judge, and producd a writing that cleard him from all the charges against him. The hermit explains, that the cloak is a grave-cloth (p. 453); the second friend, the relatives who take a man to the grave, the strange house; but the third friend is the record of a man's good and evil deeds (p. 454). If the good preponderate, the man is savd; if not, he goes to the dark house of Hell (p. 454). On the morrow the hermit fills a hollow stone with water, puts the king in it and baptizes him (p. 455). He then asks the king's fol∣lowers if they will be baptizd. They say No. Label is clothed in a white robe, and thanks Celidoyne for saving him (p. 455). He then tells his knights that he forsakes them, and will take to his new life (p. 456). They are cast down at this, but seize Celidoyne, and carry him off (p. 457). He tells Label to remain with the hermit, and not to fear for him, as his God will protect him from all perils. On the morrow, Label dies, and goes to the bliss of heaven, and Christ works miracles for him on those who seek him (p. 457).
And Anon As In Slepe he was falle, King Label has a second Vision:
A wondir Aviciown he hadde with-alle;
that he Entred In to An hy weye
Whiche was brod & large ful Sekerlye, he is on a broad highway,
And so with men it was vsed to fore,
Where-offen he Merveilled wondir sore;
Where As mochel peple there was full of men,
hawntynge that weye and that plas,
that þere non Man Mihte Entren ne gon
but that be felouns thei were taken Anon, whom felons imprison and rob.
And In presown Anon I-do,
and alle here good Itaken hem fro.
Whanne he was Entred Into this weye,
A man by hym sauwh he faste bye,
Whiche semed A man of gret honour,
A semly persone, & ful of Favour, A seemly man bears Label company,
And seide 'he wolde beren me Compenye,
tyl that weye I were past ful Sekerlye.'
So that togederys gonnen they gon;
the goodman to fore þe kyng folwed son;
And Euere hadde the kyng gret drede
how In that weye he scholde spede.
And As he loked hym there Abowte,
he Sawh of thevys A ful gret Rowte,
So þat þe kynges drede dyde Evere laste
Tyl that theke weye he were paste; and protects him from the thieves who seize other men.
For þer the thevys token there Every Man
That they Myhten leyn hond vppon.
And whanne In this weye long hadde he gon,
Abowtes hym he lokede thanne Anon,
And that man thanne sawh he nowht,
the whiche theke weye hadde him browht.
thanne In to A lytel path there Entred he, Label enters on a little path,
The moste delytable that Evere myhte be,
and ful of trees froyt berenge,
Al grene, & ful of flowres, to his semenge.
And whanne he was Entred Into this plas,
A wondirful vois him thouhte ther was, and hears a voice saying, 'Come, wash, and go to eat in the High City, as God bids you.'
"Cometh & wascheth, ȝe pleple Echon,
And to ȝoure Mete thanne schole ȝe gon
Aboven In that hye Cyte;
For þer þe tables Al redy they be,
and swete Metes for ȝow I-dyht;
thus sente ȝow to seyne the lord most of myht."
The kyng, that desired sore to knowen of this,
Whethir his sorwe scholde han Ony Ende I-wys;
And As he wolde han Enqwered of hem tho,
Faste to forn hym thanne Gonnen they go;
and so folwede he faste Certayne
tyl that he Cam to An hy Mowntayne, Label goes to a high mountain.
the heyest that Evere say he to fore
From the tyme that he was bore;
On whiche Mountayn was A welle,
The fairest that Evere he herde of telle;
and there they weschen Everychon His companions wash;
that to þe Mete In that Cite scholde gon;
but the kyng, wysch there not he, but he doesn't.
but Aftir that Compenye faste gan he fle.
And whanne to the gates they comen Echon, At the gates of the City,
Of that Cyte, they Entred Anon;
Alle that Evere hadde waschen Atte welle all who have washt are welcomd.
To that Cite weren welcomed ful snelle,
Where As gret Ioye they hadden there
In Manye A worschepful diuers Manere.
Thanne the kyng Anon Entren wolde he,
but therto hadde non Maner of powste.
thanne Axede he of the porter Anon,
'Why that In to the halle he ne myhte gon.' But Label can't get in because he hasn't washt.
thanne Answerid the porter Aȝeyn,
"for þou wost not waschen thin hondys In Certein
At the welle, As Other han don,
þerfore here-Inne schalt þou not gon.
For non Man, but ȝif he Clene be,
Into this halle Entreth not he."
And the kyng, that ful of sorwe was,
Atte A weket loked In to that plas,
and sawh his soster that he hadde slayn, He sees his sister whom he murderd, at the high table.
Atte the hygh table Sitten Certein,
And with A chapelet vppon hire hed,
ful of precious stones In that sted;
And him thouhte hire neuere so fair Er
be A thousendfold As sche was ther.
And whanne sche sawh he beheld hire so,
Sche seide, "go, wasche the As we han do, Label's sister bids him go and wash.
And þanne schalt þou with vs atte Mete be,
And ben I-servid with alle deynte."
Whanne the kyng beheld Al this Manere,
That he ne myhte not ben Resceyved there,
Anon his weye he turnede Ageyn He turns to go,
that same weye that he cam Certein;
but wardeyn thanne hadde he non, but, having no guardian,
whanne thoruh this medwe he scholde gon.
thanne Cam this peple there Anon, the thieves lay hold of him,
and vppon hym leyden hond Echon,
that of his deth neuere was he so sore Aferd
Sethen he Cam In-to Middillerd.
thanne he Axed hem Everichon,
'Why they leyden hond hym vppon.'
"For we welen so, I telle it the;
For thou Art Al oure In Every degre, saying he belongs to them,
And with vs now schalt thou go,
In to what place we welen leden þe to."
"thanne drowen they me forth Anon
be the her & be þe hondes, & forth gonne gon;
and be the feet they drowen me faste
to An hows In A valeye Atte laste, and drag him to a foul house in a wild valley,
the whiche was wastful & wilde;
and In that hows, Meyne that was vn-Mylde,
For it was so fowl, so hydous, forto be-holde,
that Erthely man was neuere so bolde
that hous to Entren to discrye,
It was so ful of filthe and velonye. full of filth,
and wondir blak it was therto,
Ful of wepinges & Cryenges as it myhte go:" and weepings and cryings.
and Al this the kyng In Avisioun Say,
that for drede he deyde nygh that day.
And whanne him thouhte In his Aviciown
that Into þat hous they wolden han throwen him down,
And for drede Anon wook he there, Label wakes with fright, and cries out for help.
And wondirly Cryde, & in An hy Manere,
And Seyde, "help now, I nam but ded
but ȝif ich have Ony other Red."
And thus Cryde he with so An hy A voys
that he Made Riht A wondirful Noys,
So that Alle his lordis and Baronye His lords run to him
herden how wondirly that he gan to Crye,
And to hym Ronnen they Alle Anon
Forto weten what so he wolde don.
there fownden they him In his bed liggenge, and find him mourning in bed.
As A Man that Made wel Mochel Mornenge,—
Neuere Man So mochel Made to here mynde,—
which stoned hem Alle In here Kynde,
For Al day Merye they hadden ben.
But whanne the kyng thus gonne they sen,
Astoned fowle weren they alle,
What of this Mater Myhte befalle.
Thanne tweyne that with him weren most preve,
To hym they Comen ful Softele,
and seiden, "Sire, what may ȝow Aylle, Two ask him what's the matter.
Oþer what Manere thing dyde ȝow Asaille,"
For they knewen, be his Cryenge,
that he was Aferd In his dremenge.
thanne seide he to hem Anon there
That thike tyme Abowtes him were,
'That there Say Neuere Erthly man He says no man has seen such sights as he has.
So Merveillous Syhtes as he Sawh than;'
"where-fore I schal neuere blithe be
Tyl there offen I knowe the Certeinte.
Now to fore me bring forth Celidoyne, Celidoyne must be fetcht to him at once.
That myn Other Avision declared Certeine;
and ȝif of this he telle me As verraylly
As he of the tother dyde trewly,
what thing he wele Comanden me to
At his Owne wille, I wyle it now do."
So to this child thanne gonnen they go, Label's lords wake Celidoyne,
that I[n] A pavilown On slepe was tho;
And him A-woken ful tendirlye,
For that to the kyng he Moste hye.
and the Child him dressed vp Anon,
And to forn the kyng thanne Gan he gon. and bring him to the King,
& whanne the kyng on þe child gan looke,
Gret Comfort thanne to him he tooke;
"Now, Maister," quod the kyng thanne,
"As I holde the, most wysest manne
that euere Sawh I of thin Age,
And that born Is of so hygh parage,
I preye ȝow that ȝe wolden tellen me who asks him to explain what he shall tell him.
Of that I schal ȝow schewen, the Certeinte."
"Sire," quod Celidoyne, "I wele ful gladly; Celidoyne says he will,
but not be myn owne wit, sire, trewly,
but As I am Enformed of the Maister Above, by God's help:
Whiche that thou Owhtest wel forto love.
and for thow wost not leven his word be me,
There-fore sore blamed schalt thou be.
For whanne thou Come to that Cite
Which In thy Slepe was schewed to the,
Ȝif that thow wylt Entren there,
Thou Most don As I schal the lere;
And but thou wilt Aftir me don so, but if Label won't obey him, he'll go to hell.
To Endeles dirknesse elles schalt thou go,
To that dirk hous, ful of teres & sorwe,
Endelesly to dwelle, þat no man schal the borwe."
And whanne the kyng herd hym speken so,
On knes Aforn hym down fyl he tho, Label kneels to Celidoyne,
& seide, "Al that Evere thou seyst me here,
I knowe it verrayly In Eche Manere,
And that thou Art hy with god Above,
I knowe ful wel he doth the love,
So what that Evere tho[u] Comandest Me, and vows to do all he bids him.
I schal it fulfyllen ful Certeinle.
For thou hast told me verraillye
That In myn Avicion I sawh Certeynlye."
"Ȝe," quod Celidoyne Anon ryht tho, Celidoyne then expounds Label's Second Vision:—
"Ȝit More schal I tellen the Er that I go:
I schal the schewen the Signefiaunce
Of Al thin Avicion with-owten variaunce,
So that the bettere thou schalt me leve,
For that swiche thinges I schal þe preve:—
"The grete weye that thou there Sye, the Broad Way is the Old Law,
Signefieth the old lawe Sekerly,
Where that so gret peple to forn han gon
As thou hast herd tellen of Many on;
and swich As grete Maistres were,
And wolde not vndirstondin þe peple to lere,
but let hem Gon to Alle wrechchednesse,
to filthes, and synne, And vnkendenesse,
So that Every day that Cursede Enemy by which the Devil casts men into hell.
To hym hem draweth by and by,
And Casteth hem In to helle anon,—
As wel good as bad thedir wenten Echon,—
lo this Enemy is to Signefye,
that be the weyes lyn so aparttly
For to taken hem that passen therby,
this signefieth the devel ful trewly.
"Now [be] this weye that thou hast Seyn,
'the olde lawe' vndirstonde thou ful pleyn;
and be the Robberis that ben there, The Robbers who seize men, are the Devil.
vndirstonde thou the devel In Ech Manere;
And be the faire Man that with the wente,
vndirstonde thou Crist veramente;
There God Of the hadde pyte, Label's com∣panion is Christ.
And In that dredful weye Governed the,
So that thyn Enemyes hadden non power
In Non wyse forto Neyhen the there.
For of him Ones haddest thou pyte, Label once took pity on Christ, and so
there fore so hath he now of the;
And wistest thou neuere what pete was
thike tyme In that same plas.
"Now haue I told the Al In fere
Of that faire Man, In this Manere,
that In that weye Cowndered the Christ led him safely thro' the thieves.
Among Alle tho thevys ful Sekerle;
Ȝit A Nothir Resoun I schal the Schewe
To forn Al this peple vppon A rewe,
be the grete weye that is so wyde
I schal the declaren At this tyde.
"thou sixt wel whanne A schipe is with-Inne,
And to the Se goth, and may not blynne, As a ship with∣out a coxswain
And hath nethir Maister ne Governour
That schipe to Steren In that stowr;
And whanne fer into the Se Is he go,
and with the wynd beten bothe to & fro, is at the mercy of wind and wave,
Tyl Amyddes the see that he be,
that brod & large Is Onne to se,
there Nis non Man that him Socoure May,
Sauf Only God that is verray;
This Owhtest thow to vnrdirstondyn here
Of the weye of Synneris In this Manere.
"For Anon As A Cristen man In Ony weye so is a Christian who's forsaken his Creator.
Forsaketh his Creatour, Serteinlye
thanne hath he broken this weye Anon
that thou Sie Alle the folk Inne gon;
thanne taken they bothe leve & lycense
Forto folwen the develis precense,
And thanne scholen they haven Compenye
that weye to gon ful Sekerlye,
and here flessches lust to fulfille,
and leven the goode wey, & taken the ylle
Aftir the develys Cownsaille,
that Nothing may hem A-vaylle.
And In this weye, Sire kyng label,
hast thou longe gon, thou wost ful wel;
but now at this Manere of Comenge,
And thow wilt, thou schalt hauen Comfortynge
Of him that the best helpen he May,
[He] Schal the Owt Bringe this selve day.
"Ȝit schal I more to the here declare
Of the grene weye that thou sye thare: The Green Way is the New Law.
'The newe lawe' it doth Signefye,
that Everiday Encresith certeinlye.
And the streite weye that was there,
Signefieth of hem that there Inne were,
[they] hadden [no] leve forth there to gon,
that Goddis Comaundement fulfilden Echon,
And of holy chirche Also thanne,
In þat wey wente swich maner of Manne.
"lo, this Goddis Comandement Is,
that non Child of holy chirche Iwys
Scholde Erren Aȝens his Creatour
be non manere of wise, for non dolour,
Ne nethir to don non dedly Synne,
Ne vsen non Coveitise neþer more ne Mynne;
And forsaken Envye Also therto,
Ȝif Aftir god & trowthe thou wilt do;
Ne be non thouht to fallen In to synne,
but Evere the Ryht weye hold the with-Inne.
"The Trees that be that grene weye stoden Abowte, The Trees by the Green Way are Pastors of Holy Church.
'pastours of holy Chirche' it signefien withowten dowte,
that Alle Abowtes the world don gon,
The holy vangelye forto vndon.
"The vois that thou herdest Clepen there, The voice speak∣ing to man is God's Mercy.
Signefieth 'goddis Mercy' In Eche Manere,
that Clepith Synneris that Synne han forsake,
And Iust that to his Servise han hem take,
And behotyth hem Al Manere of delicasye
That to ony Mannes wyt May Applye.
Be that welle, vndirstonde thou here, The Well in the Mountain is God on his Throne.
Whiche In that Mowntayne thou sye there,
that is to Signefye Euere 'god Alone,'
That Aboven Sitteth In his trone,
the wheche is the heyest lord & kyng,
and heyghest he is ouer Alle Maner thing;
Which is sene be his Bownte,
And be many Miracles In diuers degre
Whiche he wrowhte In this world here;
For ouer Alle Erthly men he hadde powere,
And Aboven Alle Other heyest is he,
lik As þat Mowntayn Aboven oþer semed þe to be:
and lik As that Mowntayn Aboven therthe was,
So Is God heyghest In Every plas.
"& for that Cause the welle Icleped It is The Well is cald the Unction of Baptism.
'The vnctioun of Baptesme' with-owten Mis,
Wheche was be goddis Ordenaunce,
And God it fulfilde to his plesaunce,
There sye thow god In Maieste
that toward this welle browhte the.
"And that Cyte that So fair & swete was, The High City on the Mountain is Paradise.
vndirstonde thou 'paradys' In this plas,
Where that god Maketh his hyghe feste
To alle his beloved, bothe leste and Meste.
"And vndirstonde thou here-by Also, Label's not being able to get in at the gates because he hadn't washt,
that whanne In Atte gates thou myhtest not go,
For thou Nost waschschen In non Manere
Atte welle, As other diden there,—
þerfore it signefieth In this degre
That Goddis Seriaunt ne myht þou not be, means that none can serve God
Nethir non Child of holy Chirche,
but ȝif Oþerwise that þou wilt wirche,
And that I-Cristened that thou be,'
Ȝif thow wilt Ony of these festes se. unless he is christend.
"And for the bettere þou scholdest han me in creaunce,
Al this I the telle with-owten Enqweraunce.
And þen so longe In swevenyng thou hast be,
In schort processe I haue declared it to the;
And there fore leve me ȝif thou wilt,
And but ȝif þou do, thou schalt be spilt.
"Al this, Sie thow, kyng Label, This Vision of Label's,
In thyn Avicioun Everydel,
Whiche thou woldest neuere to man discure,
for þou wendist that neuere Creature
Of non Manere Erthly londe
Cowde it the don to vndirstonde: God has enabld Celidoyne to explain.
but As the hyghe Maister Enformed hath me,
I haue the told In Eche degre.
"Be the wastful lawndes, haue vndirstondyng The Desert Lands are King Label's wicked works.
'Thy wykked werkys' In Alle thing
that thou hast don Al thy lyve
Sethen thou were born In wo & stryve.
therfore Cristened loke that thou be,
Ȝif thou wilt ben holpen In Ony degre. Par le serpent, dois tu entendre les males oeures, The serpent means Label himself, who has never done good. et toi meisme. Car sans faille tu ies drois sarpens et drois anemis; Car tu ne fesis onques chose se peu non qui a nostre signour pleust. Et che que il ne veoit goute, Its not seeing, means Label's spiritual blind∣ness. senefie ke tu ies auules; Car, se tu ueisses uraiement, tu MS ke tu, leaf 55, back, col. 3 n'eusses pas tant demoure el pechie com tu as. Et che que li serpens uoloit trusc'a la rouge mer, senefie toi qui uoleras. Ch'est a dire, ke tu enterras en le Its flying to the Red Sea, means Label's going to baptism. sainte eue, et en la boineuree, ke on apiele baptesme, et serras oirs ihesu crist, et fiex ausi, com li autre sont qui au saint baptesme sont uenu.
Par la rouge mer ke nostre sires a ouuri iadis as The bringing the Israelites through the Red Sea, fiex israel, dois tu leaf 57. entendre le baptesme ou li se[r]gant ihesu crist sont purefiiet, et sont oste des mains as [a]∣nemis perdurables, tout ausi com li fil ysrael furent oste means the rescue of Christ's servants from the Devil by baptism. des mains es egyptiiens. Par la rousee de la mer, dois tu entendre le boineure sanc qui issi del boineure coste au prophete dont iou parole. Et tout ausi com li fil The Israelites reaching the Promised Land, means their ysrael furent peu de l'aumosne qu'il lor enuoia es desers iusc'a tant qu'il vinrent en terre de promission, Ch'est a dire, qu'il vendront a la ioie de paradis qui ia ne attaining the joys of Paradise. faura, et ch'est la terre qui lor fu promise. Che que li serpens fu mues en coulon, senefie la muanche qui sera The serpent's change into a dove means Label's change, through Baptism, from the foe to the friend of Christ. faite de toi se tu viens a baptesme. Car de chest saint lauement seras tu mues d'anemi en ami ihesu crist, et de serf en franc; Car illuec seras tu mues et deslies des loiiens as morteus gaiteours. Or t'ai desconuert, rois label, ton songe, ke tu onques ne desconuris a home mortel. Or pues sauoir ke chil seit auques de tes afaires qui che m'a demoustre.
"Now forthermore I schal the telle, The Dark Black House is Hell,
that dirk blak hows signefyeth 'helle';
To wheche place Al Miscreaunt
Atte the day of dom schal ben here haunt;
To whiche Ostel that Is so blak,
At that dom Gost thow with-owten lak; where Label'll go for ever unless he repents.
but ȝif it In this world thou it Amende,
Ellis thedir gost thou with-owten Ende:
And so In this world myht thou don here
To blisse to Comen, that hath non pere." "Et sans recheuoir baptesme," fait li rois, "puet Baptism is the only way to Bliss. nus venir a chele hauteche ne a la chite ou iou vi mener si grant ioie." "Chertes," fait celidoines, "nenil." Label's sister was in Paradise because she died a Christian, "Coument," fait li rois, "fu che dont ma suer, qui faisoit ausi grant ioie comme li autre?" "Che vous dirai iou bien," fait celidoines. "Sachies ke vostre having been baptizd by Seraphe, who livd in the forest of Maube, in which serpents us'd to kill people, till the hermits' coming drove out the vermin. suer mourut crestiene, et rechut baptesme de la main seraphe l'ermite, qui maint en vne forest ke on apiele 'maube.' Et chele fores soloit estre habitee meruilleuse∣ment de serpens qui ochioient les gens; Mais puis .v. ans n'en i fu nus veus. Et seis tu que MS quant, xiv E iii, leaf 56, col. 2. ele fu widie de la vermine par la venue des preudomes qui a chel iour se vinrent herbergier en la forest."
"Now, Certes," quod kyng label tho,
"Merveillously hast þou this vndo. King Label
And ȝit more merveillous is that lord
that to the hath discouered Every word;
And but he were Myhtiere thanne oþer be,
this Mihte he Neuere han schewed to the.
Where fore to him only I me take, turns to God, forsakes his old works, and will do whatever Celi∣doyne bids him.
And Alle myn Olde werkes I forsake;
And what that Evere ȝe Comanden me to,
At ȝoure byddyng I wele it do."
"thanne schal I tellen þe," Celidoyne gan say,
"thus me hath Schewed the Maister varray,
hos Seriawnt I am ful prest, Celidoyne tells Label to get baptizd at once by a hermit in a forest near.
that here besides In this forest
dwelleth An holy Ermyt, and of good lif,
and þerto A prest with-owten stryf.
Go we to hym streyht Anon,
Cristendom to don the vppon, Alons a lui, si te feras baptiser et laver en la sainte onde.—A.
that I have to the Spoken of to fore,
forto Entren In to that Cite thore,
To that hygh worthy feste,
In paradis to dwellen with lest & meste."
"Certes," quod the kyng tho,
"Al this I am Redy forto do."
Thanne Axede this kyng Anon Ryht Label asks his lords if they advise him to do it:
Of duk, Erl, barown, And knyht,
Ȝif they wolden Conceillen him þerto,
this Manere thing Al forto do.
"For weteth wel In Certayn,
that In Myn herte I schal neuere be fayn he can never be happy till he's christend.
Tyl I-Cristened that I be,
As Celidoyne here Enformeth Me."
thanne Answered they him Aȝeyn, Label's lords refuse to give up their old faith.
'that wold they neuere In Certein
Ne not departen from here lay,
No more thanne here fadres be Olde day.'
"leve, "Signour," dist celidoines, "or le laissies donques. Car se vous le fesissies a forche, il ne vous vauroit mie grantment. Vous remanres ichi comme sergant al anemi The barons will stay, as servants of the devil. et poeure de sens et garni de mal ensient. Et li rois s'en partira comme fiex et oirs de ihesu, si puis vraiement dire Label will depart—the lamb from the wolves—as an heir of Christ. que nostre sires par sa misericorde a oste l'aigniel d'entre les leus, sans che qu'il n'i a este estranles ne deuoures." Et il li demandent, qui sont li leu?" "vous estes," fait il, "li leu; et chil sont deuenu aigniel qui a dieu se tienent." sire kyng," quod Celidoyne tho,
"For Aȝens here wil it schal not be do."
Thanne Celidoyne this kyng vnclothed Anon, Celidoyne puts poor clothes on Label,
and powre Clothes dyde hym vppon;
'For he ne wolde In non Manere
that so to forn him he Come there
In non Maner of swich Aray
that signefieth to pride in Ony way,'
"but As In lownesse And In humylite
So to forn him Comen scholen ȝe."
Anon the kyng dyde his Comandement,
And with hym wente with good Entent.
And from here pavilouns they partyd Anon,
& forth thorwgh the forest gonne they gon,
That so forth to Gederis wenten they faste, and they go together
tyl Into A gret valey they comen Atte laste;
And so longe to-Gyveris they wente,
Tyl that the day was Al I-spente;
So that it happed hem be Grace
That to thermyt they comen In þat place, to the hermit's cell.
And Clepeden At his dore Anon,
and thus sone he gan it vndon.
thanne ful gret Merveille þis hermyt hadde,
What maner of thing thedyr hem ladde,
And what they sowhten In that straunge place,
thike peple that thedir Comen wase;
For fully A mounthe to forn that day,
Neuere Man ne womman ne child he ne say.
And whanne the dore was thus vndon,
Celidoyne Entred thanne In Anon, Celidoyne is welcomd by the Hermit,
and beknew that Cristened he was,
Whiche was to thermyt A Ioyful Cas;
So Ech of hem Othir Embracen began,
and An hundred Sithes they kisten than.
"Faire sone," quod this Ermyt tho,
"Into Manye stronge place schalt þou go,
And goddis Pyler thow ȝchalt ben,
To helpe forto vndirsette Al cristen."
thanne Celidoyne [spak] Anon Ageyn,
And told him Al the Cas In Certein, to whom he tells King Label's case, and says that he must christen him.
Also Al the cause of here Comenge,
this kyng to Cristendom forto bringe.
thann hadde this Goodman gret Ioye of this,
that he scholde A sowle wynnen to blis,
and seide that he wolde with good wille
on þe Morwen here Axeng to fulfille.
Alle that Nyht hadden they here talkyng,
that to alle holynesse was belongeng; MS xiv E. III, leaf 56, col. 3 at foot, adds, Et tant Label asks the hermit to explain a vision of his. que li rois dist, "Sire, pour dieu, d'une auision qui m'auint, n'a pas lonc tans, me dites uerite se vous en estes chertains." "Dites," fait li preudom, "et ie uous enseig∣nerai 'Yes,' says the hermit. Label tells it,—'I thought I was summond before a rich man to whom I had been accusd; so I sent for my friends to come and help me; but only three came; of whom one lent me a cloak; and the second took me to a strange house and left me there; but the third went with me to the rich man, and produc'd a writing which cleard me from all the charges. che que nostre sires m'a enseignie." "Sire," fait il, "il m'estoit auis ke i'estoie semons a plait deuant .i. riche home vers qui i'estoie accuses, iou ne sai de ques gens. Et quant iou deuoie aler au plait, iou semounoie tous mes amis et chiaus qui iou auoie seruis, que il me uenissent aidier. Mais tout me falirent ne mais que troi; et li vns de ches trois me prestoit .i. mantiel a afu[b]ler, pour chou ke toutes uoies ne m'escondesist; et li secons me conduisoit trusc'a vne maison ke ie n'auoie onques tele veue, et me laissa dedens. Li tiers venoit auoec moi trusques chies le riche home, et mos∣troit .i. escrit et vne chartre qui m'aquitoit de toutes les choses ke li riches hom me demandoit, si ke ma pais estoit faite enuers chelui a qui i'estoie acuses. Sire, tele fu m'avisions que ie vi, n'a pas enchore lonc tans. Tell me the meaning of this.' Or, si vous pri ke vous m'en dites la uerite se vous le saues." "Chertes," fait li preudom, "volentiers. Li The hermit answers: 'The cloak is man's grave-cloth. mantiaus ke on te prestoit, rois label, senefie la poure uesteure ke on done a uestir l'omme ke on met en terre. Chou est li darrains mantiaus; et chelui garniment apieloit on 'suaire.' Chelui doit on apieler 'le mortel afublail,' et maintes fois est chis garnimens dones MS dones pour plus. pour cheus qui s'en uont. Li secons amis qui te conuoioit The second friend is the relatives who take the corpse to the grave. The strange house is the grave. trusc'a la maison, senefie les parens a chelui qui est tres∣passes, qui conduisent le cors del mort trusc'a la fosse.
La fosse doit bien par droit estre apielee 'maisons descouneue.' Car nous ki en cheste uie somes, ne sauons ke nous trouuerons, ne ne le counissons enchore de riens; et quant nous i entrons, ne sauons enchore que dire; et donques doit on bien apieler chele maison, 'maison descouneue,' et maison dont on ne voit nule autrestele. Et li tiers amis, rois label, qui au parestroit The third friend is the good works that the dead man did while he livd, te faisoit compaignie, et moustroit pour toi une chartre qui t'aquidoit [sic] de toutes les choses que li riches hom te demandoit, senefie les boines oeures ke li hom a fait en sa vie, et est ausi com li boins clers legistres qui which are like a good lawyer who wins his friend's cause. A man's relatives leave him in the grave. hardiement deffent le cause son ami, et maine a boine fin. Li fil, et les filles, et li autre parent, laissent en la fosse chelui qui il conuoient a ami, et en auant d'iluec ne li font compaignie. Qui respondera pour lui de quanqu'il ot el siecle, de quanqu'il sot, de quanqu'il Who then shall answer for him? He has no riches, but one writing of all his deeds evil and good; and, if there are more good than evil, the good shall clear him from all trespass; but if there are more evil than good, the evil shall drag him to the dark house of hell. Have I not in∣terpreted your dream right?' Label answers, 'Yes, and no one could have told you but Jesus. pot? Il n'en portera riens de sa rikeche deuant lui, fors seulement vne chartre; et en chele chartre ara escrit quanqu'il onques fist de mal et de bien. Et s'il i a plus de bien ke du mal, li biens alegera l'ome, et le deliuera de quanques on li demandera. Et s'il i a plus du mal ke du bien, li maus qui tous iours apoise et atere l'ome, le traira aual, si ke chil tresbuchera en la tenebreuse maison d'infer. Rois label, or t'ai deuisei [sic] si comme iou croi de ton songe la senefianche. Ore me di s'il te samble ke iou en ai uoir dit." "Chertes," fait li rois, "Il n'a home en chest siecle au mien ensient qui mieus le m'eust deuise, se chil meismes ne li en∣seignast ke on apiele ihesu crist. Or n'est il hom el siecle, s'il l'entendoit ausi com iou l'enteng tout, qui mieus n'en vausist tous les iours de sa vie. Car or sai And I know that He alone is God, iou bien qu'il n'est diex fors chil ke vous aoures. Car il seus counoist la verite de tout le monde. Ne nus for He alone knows the truth, and none can know it but by His power.' autres, au mien quidier, n'en puet riens sauoir, s'il ne li est desconuert par la uirtu de chest saint signeur qui tout puet sauoir." "Chertes," fait li preudom, "vous dites voir sans faille." [The Addit. MS 10,292 also has this Vision, leaf 40, back, col. 3.]
So that Al Nyht this good man Gan hem preche, The Hermit tells Label of the lives of martyrs.
And of holy mennes lyves he gan hem teche,
that for Crist Suffrede Tormentis harde,
And to the Blisse of hevene wenten Aftirwarde;
So that Evere the kyng for Ioye he wepe,
That of Al theke Nyht he ne slepe.
Vppon the Morwen, whanne it was lyht, Next morning
Thermyt his Matynes seide Anon Ryht;
and whanne his Matynes weren I-do,
A fair ston ful Redy Made he tho, the Hermit fills a stone with water,
And there with water he gan it fille.
thanne Anon the kyng he Clepid him Tylle,
& made him don Of his Clothes Anon,
And there Into that ston forto gon.
Anon there ȝaf he hym ful Crystenynge and baptizes Label in it.
holich after holy Chirches werkynge.
Whanne the kyng thus Cristened was there,
his Name nolde he Chonge In non Manere;
For of fairenesse it hadde Semblaunce,
Wherfore þere offen nolde he maken non variaunce.
Whanne this Good Man hym Cristened haddē so,
Anon hem gan he forth Clepen tho The Hermit
that with hym Comen In Compenye,
And Axede hem there Anon In hye, then asks Label's lords if they'll be baptizd.
'Ȝif that they wolden Cristened be
lik here lord was, As sche for they myhte se,'
thanne Answerid they Anon Ageyn,
'that wolde they Neuere don In Certein;
For they wolden Neuere Chongen here lay They refuse.
That here Fadris helden to forn here day.'
thanne this goodman Ryht Anon
A whit Robe the kyng dide vppon,
holiche be thermytes Ordenaunce;
Swich was thanne the kynges Chaunce.
thanne Seide the kyng to Celidoyne tho,
"Faire child, þou hast me browht Owt of wo; Label thinks
For I am becomen So heyl A man
that non Erthly tonge tellen ne kan.
For me semeth now In My syht,
that I am At theke Cyte so bryht he's in the bright City where he saw the great Feast.
where that I say the grete feste
Of manye peple, bothe lest & Meste,
Where As I was put Away Anon Ryht,
that Into the halle Entren I ne Myht,
For that I wysch not In Certeyne
Atte the welle vppon the Mownteyne."
Thanne seide the kyng to his Compenye
that thedir with hym Comen Certeinlye,
"Lordynges, that In Myn Compenye han be,
and In Travaille and In Adversite,
and welen not beren me Compenye
Now at this tyme feythfullye
there As I am In a Ioyful lyf,
And ȝe dwellen stille In wo & stryf;
holiche Alle I ȝow forsake, Label forsakes his lords,
And to this lif I wele me take;
For with ȝow schal I neuere go and says he'll never return to Persia.
Into the Cuntre that I Cam fro."
And whanne they herde the kyng thus seyn,
Alle ful wooful they weren In Certeyin,
And seiden that they hadden lost Alle here pray, et dient 'qu'il ont tout perdu, quant lor sires est tournes a la crestiene loy.'—A.
Whanne that the kyng hadde Torned his lay.
So that Owt of this hows they wenten Anon,
And to-Gederis to Conseil gonne they gon, The lords consult what to do.
And Axeden how that they Scholden do,
that thus the kyng was parted hem fro.
thanne Answered Anothir there,
"What Nedith vs lengere to Abyden here?
for his lay wile he not forsake,
that he hath now hym to I-take,
but of hym that Conseil ȝaf therto,
Loke what with hym welen ȝe do."
thanne wēntēn they Into thermytage, They seize Celidoyne,
And token Celidoyne with wilde Rage.
And whethir that he wolde oþer Non,
with hem that Child Moste Nedis gon.
And the kyng defended hem faste;
Not withstondyng ȝit forth they paste.
thanne seide Celidoyne to the kyng,
"Sire, for me Make ȝe No Morneng. who bids Label not mourn for him.
Sire, of on thyng I warne now the:
stylle with this good man that thou be,
whiche schal the ȝeven good Consaille
That to thy Sowle schal Availle.
And whedir so Evere thy Men Me lede,
Of hem Certein haue I non drede,
For he that I worschepe and Serve,
From alle perylles he wele me swerve." Car chil en qui seruiche ie sui entres, me gardera et deffendera de tous perieus.—A.
And so, be Celidoynes Cownsaylle,
the kyng left Stylle with-owten faille, Label stays with the Hermit; dies next morning;
and on the Morwe with Mylde stevenne
he deyde, and wente to the blisse of hevenne.
As God wolde haven it, so was it don, and goes to the bliss of heaven,
For hens to blisse gan he gon.
2 and sethen for hym Crist Meracle wrowhte
vppon Mochel peple that there hym Sowhte.
And thowgh this Mater and Oþere longe not to þis storye,
Ȝit he that this book Made hath put it in Memorye MS memomorye.
Forto Maken A Cler Notysyng,
And forto declaren so Everithing
More Openly to mannes Mynde,
Al the mater the bettere to bryngen to an Ende:
thus Alle thinges doth he putten In Memorye,
he that ferst Made this holy Storye. 2-2 Si fist nostre sires puis pour lui maint biel miracle, dont li contes se taist, pour chou que chele estoire n'apartient pas du tout a cheste; Ains apartient a chel liure qui deuisera les rois des persis et les estoires.—A.
CHAPTER XXXVI. THE HISTORY OF THE PHYSICIAN YPOCRAS. The Additional MS. 10,292 heads the Chapter: 'Ensi que Ypocras fu pendus en le tour de rome, & tous les gens li rewardoient.'
How he was the most learned physician living; but was once 'reproved be clergies dome,' on this wise:—when he came to Rome in Augustus's time, all men were mourn∣ing for the supposed death of the Emperor's nephew (p. 20). Ypocras goes to the corpse, finds life in it, puts the juice of a herb into its mouth, and up it gets alive, whole
and sound (p. 21). The Empress, to honour Ypocras, puts up an image of gold of him, and another of her son, in the highest place of Rome, with a tabernacle and in∣scription over (p. 22). Ypocras cures many people, and is counted half a god, and his 'fygure' is worshipped (p. 23). Then a fair lady comes from the parts of Galilee, and, when she sees these golden images, she smiles, and says she'll soon prove Ypocras a fool (p. 24). The Em∣peror appoints a meeting for them at the temple, and the fair lady looks hard at Ypocras, and he at her, till he falls in love with her, and is 'clene browht in a letargye' for desire of her (p. 24-5). The Emperor and Queen come to see him, and so does the fair lady (p. 25). His heart is glad at this, and he tells her his love (p. 26). She beguiles him, saying she loves him too, and will be at his will (p. 26). This cures him, and he returns to Court (p. 27). The fair lady shows him her bower at the top of a tower, and tells him that the son of the King of Babylon is there (p. 27); she proposes that he shall get into a vessel, The French text explains that great criminals were put into the vessel, and slung up on the side of the tower a night and a day for all the people to see them, after which the criminals were killed. and she shall draaw him up and let him talk to her. Ypocras consents (p. 28). He sleeps at the Emperor's, goes out at night (p. 28), and finds the vessel ready. The lady and her cousin draw him up to the middle of the tower (p. 28), and there he hangs in his basket all day, with the people staring at him (p. 29). When the Emperor sees him at night he orders him to be let down, but Ypocras will not explain how he came there (p. 30) The French text adds that the lady had a picture painted of herself and cousin pulling up Ypocras. This she put up before the images, and then told the Emperor all about it. Ypocras has to confess it is true, and then insists that the images shall be taken down.; so the Emperor has the images of his own nephew and Ypocras broken (p. 30). Ypocras stays at Rome till a knight comes and tells the Emperor of Christ's miracles, when Ypocras says he must go and see Christ (p. 31), and accordingly starts for Galilee (p. 32). He comes to Persia, and raises the king's dead son to life (p. 33). After a time, the king marries him The French text takes him to Giant's Island and the City of Corinth, where he marries the daughter of the King of Sur. to his daughter (p. 33), and Ypocras tries to find out the most 'temperable' isle to live in (p. 33). A master∣shipman tells him of it, and he, and his, sail there (p. 34). Ypocras has a beautiful house built (p. 34); and makes a wonderful bed, in which if a sick man lies he is cured (p. 34). He also makes a wonderful cup, in which any poison will lose its strength, and not hurt a man if he drinks it (p. 35). But Ypocras's wife is very proud of her rank, and hates her husband (p. 35). She mixes some poison
in bread, finds it will kill dogs, and then puts some of it into Ypocras's cup with his wine (p. 35). The cup deprives it of its strength, and it doesn't hurt him (p. 35). His wife is sorry for this, and throws the cup into the sea, to her husband's great distress (p. 36). One day, Ypocras tells her that any one will die who eats the flesh of a wild sow at heat, that is under their window (p. 36). She tells her cook to kill the sow, and send it up for supper (p. 37). Ypocras eats it, and says he shall die unless he can get some of the liquor the pork was boiled in (p. 37). None can be got, so he reproaches his wife and dies (p. 37). His friends bury him in a gorgeous tomb (p. 37), and the King of Babylon comes and destroys the whole place (p. 38).
FUL trewly Recordeth here this Storye Here follows the story of Ypocras,
Of the worthynesse of ypocras Sekerlye,
For the worthiest Fecyscian that was the wisest phy∣sician
Evere Acompted In Ony plas;
For of that Scyense More Coude he
that ony Man leveng In Cristiente; in Christendom.
but [for] On thyng that he dyde At Rome, He gets into trouble at Rome.
Reproved he was be Clergies dome;—
For the worthiest Clerk he was told,
Passenge Al Erthly men Many fold;—
And what Aventure that hym befylle,
I schal ȝow schewe, & herkene me vntylle.
This was the trowthe and the veryte:
Whanne Augustus Cesar Emperour was he,
The same Our that ypocras to Rome Cam,
Mochel Morneng & Sorwe Made Every Man He finds all the Romans mourn∣ing,
As thowh here Fadrys hadden ben ded
To forn hem lyggeng In that Sted.
thanne ypocras Abascht hym wondir sore
Of the Morneng that he Sawh thore,
So that he preyde A lytel Child
that to forn hym was bothe Meke and Myld,
that he wolde tellen hym the Cawse why
Wherfore the peple there was so sory.
"Now, Certes," quod this Child thanne,
"Why that thus Mornen Alle these Menne,— asks the reason.
It was for A Nevew of the Emperour The Emperor's nephew is dead.
(Whiche was A persone of gret honour)
that ful longe Syk hath be,
and now they seyn that ded Is he:
and therto he was so fayr and so good
That Every man hym lovede with his Mood.
And this is the Enchesown Sekerlye
Alle the hevynesse of þe peple trewelye."
"and where is the Body," quod ypocras tho.
"Sire, In the Emperowres halle it is I-do."
And whanne this word tho he herde,
Toward themperoures halle faste he ferde; Ypocras goes to see the body.
And ȝif Ony breth In his body be founde,
he hopede hym to A-Reren that ilke stownde,
and Onlyche to helthe to bryngen hym Aȝen—
that Alle the peple there it scholde sen—
Be his Medicyn And his Craft;
thus wolde he don Er that he laft.
Thanne to the paleys gan he gon,
And to that he presede Anon;
but so mochel peple there was,
Onnethis he myhte Entren In to þe plas.
and whanne he was Comen to the Cors, He reaches the corpse,
Anon he tasted with gret fors
In what partie he myhte fynden Ony lyf:
Thys Merveilled themperowr and his wyf.
Anon as he there thus hadde I-do,
lyf In his Body thanne felte he tho; feels life in it, and puts the juice of a herb into its mouth,
And Gan to Openen his Mowth Anon,
And þe Iews Of An Erbe he gan þere-Inne don,
That of so gret vertu was there,
Of his Siknesse he dide him Arere,
And there he A-Ros with strengthe & Myht which restores the dead to life.
Openly there In Alle Mennes Syht,
Also hol and Also Sownd
As Evere he Was In Ony stownd.
And whanne he hadde thus I-do,
the Emperesse to hym gan to go,
and Seide, "Sire, ful wel thou be!
A glad womman hast thou Maked me!
What Manere of Gwerdon that þou wilt Crave,
Ful Sekerly, Sere, ȝe scholen it have."
thanne Axede the Emperesse what he hyhte. The Empress asks his name,
he Seyde "ypocras, lady," Anon Ryhte.
"Now know I wel be ȝoure Connenge
that ȝe ben the worthyest fecyscyan levenge:
A Man from deth to lyve Aȝen Arere,
Thus dyde Neuere feciscyan, I trowe, Ere.
Therefore þe Moste worschepe I schal the do
that Evere to Feciscian was don vnto."
An Ymage of Gold Anon let sche Make, erects a gold statue in his honour,
Ryaliche I-dyht, for ypocras his sake.
And Another ymage thanne let sche maken tho and another of the restored child,
Aftyr that Child þat from Siknesse he rerid so.
And theke ymages bothe In fere
In the heȝghest place of Rome set weren they there,
So that hos Evere Comen, Other wente,
thike ymages myhten they Sen veramente;
and Aboven thike ymages two
A Ryal Tabernacle Made sche tho, with a roof, to protect them from the rain.
that non Reyn ne scholde Comen therny,
So wel was it Made, and So Sotely.
And Aboven ypocras themperesse lettres let do, Above Ypocras's image was in∣scribed,
That In this Manere wyse Seyden tho:
'Lo, this ymage is ypocras, 'This is Ypocras, the greatest of physicians.'
'the worthiest Phelesophre þat Evere was,
'that In Rome Arerid In Certeine
'A man to lyve Owt of gret peyne
'that ful Ny Was to Augustus Cesar,
'hos ymage stont by him thar.'
and whanne this was Al I-do,
thanne seyde th'emperesse Anon tho,
'that For non Manere In no degre
thike ymages Remeved scholde be.'
thanne seiden they to themperesse Anon
'that hire Comandement scholde be don.'
Anon Mochel made [MS. mad he]
Abowtes Al Rome where he dyde go,
So that Manye Sike Men Keuered he He cures so many people
as he Abowtes wente In Eche Contre,
So that for his grete konnenge
they Cleped hym half A god with-Owten lesynge, that they think him a demigod,
And the moste Sovereyn of Alle Clergye,
Thus they hym Clepyd ful Certeinlye:
And As Moche worschepe to his fygure gonnen they do and worship his image.
As to Ony of here goddis dyden they tho.
And so scholden they han don for Evere More,
Ne hadde on thyng At Rome behapped thore:
What it was, I schal now telle,
Swich An Aventure hym befelle.
Thike tyme whanne ypocras At Rome was, While he is at Rome,
and worschepyd he was In Every plas,
It happed so there be Aventure
that A fair lady, I the Ensure, a fair lady comes from Galilee,
Of the partyes of Galele,
to the Emperour thedir Cam sche.
Sche was holden the fairest womman
That Ony creature discryven Cowde than,
And Also Ryaliche sche was A-dyht
As belonged to swich A lady of Myht.
Whanne this Emperesse Say this lady bryht, whom the Empress entertaius.
Of hire sche Axede Anon Ryht
'Whens sche Cam, & of what kende.'
And sche hire Answerid As good & hende:
Sche seide that 'Sche was Comen of hy degre,
Of kynges and qwene ful Certeinle.'
Thanne ladyes and damyselis sche Comanded hire there,
hire to don Servyse In alle Manere,
as that belonged to hyre Astat,
hire forto worschepen bothe Erly & lat.
and whanne fulliche A monthe hadde sche þere be,
thanne Atte laste these ymages beheld sche, The lady sees the images,
And Anon Axede with-Owten taryenge
'What theke ymages weren to signefyeng.'
thanne tolden they hyre with-Inne a whyle;
And Anon this lady Gan forto smyle,
and seide, 'that phelesophre was not bore, disbelievos the story,
From deth to lyve A man to Reren thore:'
"for I dar wel seyn with-Inne a schort day and undertakes to make a fool of Ypocras.
hym A Fool to preven, So scholen ȝe say;
For of this that ȝe sein to me here,
It may not be trewe In non Manere;
Ne neuere beleven it In my thowht
For non Man that Evere was wrowht."
This tale was told to forn themperowr,
that thus be ypocras was seid dishonour;
So that it was spoken bothe to & fro
Tyl atte laste ypocras þere-offen herde tho; Ypocras hears of it,
Where offen he hadde ful gret disdeyn,
As I ȝow Seye now In Certeyn,
And seide 'þat he scholde neuere glad ne be
tyl that damysele he myhte se, wants to see the lady,
that hym A fool wolde make.'
thanne themperour this word gan take,
And seyde that to forn him scholde sche be.
"Whanne, sire," quod ypocras, "I preye the?"
"In the temple to morwe, Atte Owr of pryme,
thanne scholen we [? ye] Meten Al In good tyme."
Al Nyht lay ypocras, and thowhte
how that this thing Ony weye ben Mowhte;
and On þe Morwe, Er the Owr of pryme, goes to see her, at the temple.
ypocras at the temple was be tyme.
thanne Cam þere thedyr this lady gent
With A gret Compenyei Of ladyes present,
And Axede 'wheche was Ypocras,
of Alle the Meyne þat there was.'
And sche beheld hym wondirly sore She gazes at him,
A-forn Alle the wommen that weren thore;
and ypocras was A fair ȝong Man;
thus beheld sche In hym than.
And ypocras of hire, good Reward took tho, and he at her.
More thanne of Alle Remnant þat with hire gonne go;
For sche hadde the moste passyng Bewte
Aforn Alle womman that Evere Sawh he,
Whiche Made hym falle In foly thowht
that hym there-Owt no man Myht bringe nowht;
and ȝit Into Anothir place wente he
hire bettere to beholde, ȝif it wolde be.
And the More that he hire beheld tho, He falls deeply in love with her,
the More Angwich his herte Cam vnto;
that So Sore he fyl In a folye thowht,
So þat hym selve [MS. selvel] helpen Myhte he nowht.
Whanne this lady was from the temple gon,
Ypocras homward he torned Anon,
And becam So Syk And Evel At Ese so that he becomes very ill,
So that þere myhte nothing hym plese.
So sore lovede ypocras this fair ladye,
That Clene browht was he In A letargye
For that his wyl he ne Myhte not have,
And for schame he dorst it not Crave.
that so harde & so syk he lay,
that Othere Feciscians wenden Eche day
that Sekyr ded he Scholde han be; and nearly dies.
but they knew not fulliche his Malade.
So that th'emperour Cam to his plas The court come to see him,
To weten howh þat it with hym was;
and so dyde the qwene, & ladyes mo.
And Amongs Alle, this lady gan forth go,
for whom that he was so Evel At Ese.
and whanne he hire say, his herte gan to plese:
thanne In his herte hadde he gret thowht
howh this Mater Abowtes Scholde ben browht,
So that he made hem voiden Everichon
Except this lady Only Alon,
and tolde hire his herte ful pleyn, and he tells his love to the lady.
'how, for hire, ded scholde he ben In Certeyn
but ȝif hire love he Myhte have,
For Othirwise Mihte he not be save.'
"Whanne that sche hadde herd Al his Compleynt,
Thanne hire wordys Gan sche to peynt,
As sche that thouhte thorwh a fals wyle The lady means to deceive him,
holyche ypocras forto be-gyle;
and swiche wordis ȝaf hym tho
that Into A strengere letargye Mad hym to go,
"Now, Certes, sire ypocras," quod sche,
"So worthy A man as that ȝe be,
that Only wolde for My sake
Swich diseyse to ȝow now take,
Whiche fayn I wolde Amended were
be me, and I wyste In Ony Manere.
For ȝe Conne Not loven Me so wel professes much love for him,
That I do to ȝow Aȝen Everydel;
but I ne may not In non Manere wyse
Ȝowre wil to fulfille be non Gyse;
For so gret warde is set On Me
that I ne may not Comen withouten gret Meyne; but she may not see him alone,
and Ek with-Owten leve of the Emperour
I ne may nowher gon, day ne Owr;
but Rathere than deyen ȝe scholde for me,
At ȝowre owne wille wolde I be; yet will do his will.
For gret pite it were of ȝoure ded,
Forto Many A Man ȝe don good Red."
Whanne ypocras herde hire wordis tho,
that this lady Concentyn wolde hym vnto,
gret Ioye to his herte was tho dyht Ypocras gets well immediately.
Whanne sche hym kyste with Al hire Myht;
Supposyng to ypocras with herte goodlye;
but Al was falshod and Trecherye.
Lo, behold, the same day tho
Whanne this lady from hym was go,
vp of his Cowche he gan to Ryse,
& to hym took Comfort In oþerwyse,
And to the Cowrt he gan to go.
bothe ladyes & gentel wommen Aȝens hym comen tho,
and gret Ioye of hym Alle they Made; Ypocras is wel∣comd at court.
but there nas non that Myhte hym glade
Sauf only that lady So fre
Wheche falsly mente In Al degre;
Sche made hym loken vpe to the towr
vppon whiche that was hire Bowr,
and schewed hym where heng A-down be þe wal The lady shows him a cord hanging down the wall of a tower.
A strong Corde and A long with-Al.
"lo, sire," quod this lady thanne,
"Now Mown ȝe ben A Merye Manne;
For In ȝone towr ȝondir an hy
Is the kynges sone of Babyloyne trewly,
and there In presown Is he do;
and be that Corde his mete Cometh hym to,
In a vessel is I-knyt therby A vessel is tied to it.
to hym it is vpe drawen trewely,
and therfore now I schal ȝow say
A noble while this Selvë day:
the Corde and the vessel down schal I lete, She says, 'Get into the vessel, and I will pull you up to me,
and þere-Inne þat ȝe dressen ȝow ful Mete,
an vp to Me I schal ȝow drawe,—
this sey I to ȝow In prevy sawe;—
thanne prevyly Mown ȝe with me speke,
and Al ȝowre herte thanne to me breke;
and whanne the day gynneth to neyghen Nye, and let you down before day, and you may do it often.'
down scholen we ȝow leten þat non Man schal Aspye,
and thus mown ȝe often Sithes do."
thanne ypocras concented wel therto.
That same day this ypocras Ypocras consents.
at themperours table Iset he was,
and there disported hym al that day
As a man that In letargye lay.
and whanne it drowhe toward þe Nyht,
To his hows his men wolden hym han dyht;
he hym Excused As hym thowhte beste,
and seide that Al Nyht he wolde þere Reste;
and for he was not wel at Ese,
his Men weren fayn hym forto plese,
and Ordeyned hym A chambre of honour
there as the lady was to forn that tour.
and whanne his Meyne weren leyd Echon, When his men are asleep, he goes out,
Owt of his chambre gan he to gon,
and beheld that the lady was Redy
at that towr ful Certeynly,
and let there the Corde down to gon and the lady lets down the cord.
Into the Erthe there Riht Anon.
and Riht Anon this Ypocras tho Ypocras gets into the vessel,
a strong vessel he fastenid therto,
and sette hym self there with-Inne,—
Now here was toward A schrewed gynne!—
and to that lady he made A signe, the lady and her cousin draw him nearly up,
and they vpe hym drowh with gret pyne,
this lady and hire Owne Cosyn
be whom was wrowht this fals Engyn.
and whanne thys was drawen ny vpe An hy,
the Corde they fastened ful Craftyly and then fasten the cord,
that heyhere ne lowhere ne myhte he gon,
but there heng Ypocras Al A lon.
thanne seide this lady to ypocras Anon
"let se what ȝoure phelesophie Can don and ask him, if his philosophy can get him up or down.
Owther vpe to brynge, outher down Agayn;
Ȝe scholen it now preven In Certein."
And whanne that ypocras beheld Al this
that thus sche hadde hym deceyved I-wys,
he ne wiste what forto do, Ypocras doesn't know what to do, (being unable to swarm up a rope,)
Nethir howh down þat he myhte go;
for ȝif to the Erthe he fyl A down.
thanne were it fully his Confuciown:
So Al Nyht thus Ypocras lefte there
ful sore I-Angred In divers Manere. and is very angry.
And on the Morwe whanne it was day,
themperesse Owt At the ȝate toke hire way
hire to disporte and forto pleye
(as I sey ȝow now certeynlye)
and with hire a gret Meyne,
but of Al this ȝit wiste not sche.
and whanne the peple of Rome town
Erly vp Rysen al In vyrown,
And beheld to this towr An hy,
thanne sien they there ful veraylly All the people see him hanging,
A man that there heng In a vessel—
they myhten him sen Everydel,—
and they supposide Everychon
that be themperours Comaundement was it don,
and supposid that it hadde be sum Malfetour and suppose him to be a malefactor,
that was for-Iogged vppon that towr;
So that non of themperowrs Men
Nygh that vessel dorste Comen then.
thanne so ful of schame this Ypocras was
that Men so vppon him wondrid In that plas,
So that word dorste he speken non
To the peple that hym loked vppon,
and Evere wende the peple Everichon
that themperour it hadde I-don, hung up by the Emperor's orders.
and for-Iuged hym to his ded
be asent of alle the Cowrtes Red.
Thus Alle the leve longe day
Ypocras there heng with-owten delay.
and at Even whanne themperour Cam hom
and his Meyne Everychon,
And whanne that he was down Alyht,
Of that vessel he hadde Anon A syht,
And Axede 'who that ther-Inne was.' The Emperor asks who it is, and is told it is Ypocras.
"Sire," they Seiden, "it is ypocras
whom ȝe han don so Mochel honour,
and now he hangeth vppon ȝone tour.
and, Sire, we ne weten what he hath Misdo
that vppon ȝone towr is fordemed so."
"let him down," quod the Emperour anon, The Emperor says, 'Take him down,
"and I wile wete how this doth gon;
And ȝif Othere felesophres this han do,
with-owten My leven hym demen so, and if other philosophers have done this, they shall repent it.'
they scholen forthenken it Everychon
So that of hem Schal Skapen Neuere on."
So wenten they Into the towr Anon,
The Emperours Comaundement forto don,
and leten hym down ful Softelye.
thanne themperour Axede hym In hye;
but for non thyng that he Cowde seyn,
Ypocras Nolde hym tellen In Certein, Ypocras won't tell how he got there.
"wel Sire," thanne quod the Emperour,
"Sethen I may not Knowen of ȝoure langour
[See note 2, p. 19. The lady shows-up Ypocras, and he says he'll leave Rome if the images are not taken away.]
[then] themperour forth wente Anon,
and Into his Chambre gan to gon.
thanne Anon The Emperour tho
Comanded the Ymages to ben broken en two The two images are broken.
Whiche þat there he Made for Ypocras
and for his Nevew In that plas;
but ȝit to-broken ne hadden they not ben
Ne hadde þe damyseles speche ben as I wen.
Thus dwelled ypocras In Rome Stylle, Ypocras stays in Rome.
and Every man was fayn to fulfillen his wille,
that a knyht to Rome Cam perthat a knyht to Rome Cam perfay
Forto sen there the Emperowr,
Whiche that was A man of gret honour.
and whanne this knyht hadde I-Ete, A knight arrives from
Anon with the Emperowr gan he Mete;
And themperour Axede hym Anon
'Owt of what Contre he was gon.'
and the knyht hym Answerid Answerid ful softely
"Sire, from Ierusalem ful trewely; Jerusalem,
And ȝit Sire More Certeynle
I have ben In þe lond of Galele."
"what tydynges, Sire, bryngen ȝe thenne,
that ȝe welen vs tellen lik as ȝe kenne."
"Sire, I schal ȝow tellen the Moste Merveillous thyng and tells the Emperor of a marvel.
that Evere was herd of Ony Man leveng."
"what Merveilles ben they," quod themperour tho:
"Sire, I schal ȝow telle er that I go. 'There is a poor man in that country, who works many miracles,
A pore Man there is In that Contre
that manye wondir Merveilles werketh he,
For he is of so gret strengthe and Myht
that blynde men he maketh to sen ful bryht;
the dombe to speke, the lame forto go,
the woode man he Maketh tame Also,
the def to heren, the dede vpe Ryse: and raises the dead.'
Al thus doth he, sire, In Merveillous wyse."
"Alle these," quod ypocras Anon tho, Ypocras thinks he could do as much,
"As wel as he I schal hem alle do."
"Nay Sikerly, sire," quod the knyht, but the knight tells him he couldn't.
"that schal neuere lyn In ȝoure Myht;
For a man blynd born doth he Maken se,
and, sire, grettere thinges I telle it the;
For laȝarus that was there ded— The poor Jew raisd Lazarus after being 3 days in the grave.
thre dayes & thre Nyht he lay In þat sted—
and Owt of his tombe he dyde hym gon
to forn Alle the peple there Anon,
And this doth he be his Owne Myht
And by his wordis Openly In Mennys siht."
"Thanne," quod ypocras, "sethen it is so
that so manye Merveilles he Can do,
he passeth alle Erthly Creature
Of Clennesse of wit so good & pure;
I hym wile gon Forto Se Ypocras will go to see him.
And he be Swich as ȝe tellen Me."
"Sire Knyht," quod themperour than,
"What is his Name tellen me thou kan?"
"Ȝe Sekerly, Sire," quod the knyht,
"Iesus of Naȝareth his Name is Ryht, His name is Jesus of Nazareth
and they holden hym A verray prophete,
Certeynly, Sire, As I ȝow here be-hete."
"Now Certes," quod Ypocras tho, Ypocras will go and know the truth about him,
"Streyht to Galyle now wil I go,
to knowen of his wit & his powere
Ȝif that it be as ȝe seyn now here,
and there the sothe schal I knowe
Of hym & of me, with-Inne A throwe.
and ȝif he konne don More thanne I,
I wele ben his disciple trewely; and be his disciple, if he finds him really wiser.
and ȝif I Conne don More thanne he,
Myn discyple I wele that he be."
and for this same Enchesowne
wente Ypocras owt of Rome,
and with hym A ful gret Meyne,
Tyl that he Cam vnto the See.
and whanne to the see they weren I-gon,
the kyng of perse there fownden they Anon Ypocras meets Antony, the king of Persia,
with gret Compenye of Chevalrye,
but Moche Mone they Maden trewelye, grieving for his son Dardanides who is just dead. [in French MS.],
and it was only for the kynges Awntonyes sone
that Owt of this world they wenden hadde ben gone.
whanne Ypocras beheld al this Matere,
Of his Mule he Alyht A-down there,
and dressed hym Into that partye
where that theke Cors lay Sekerlye;
and In gret sorwe fond he there the kynge,
and Alle his Meyne ful sore Mornenge.
and whanne this body he hadde beholde,
Anon the Clothes he dyde On-folde,
And took there A letwarye ful good Ypocras cures Dardanides,
that thike Maladye there with-stood,
and Into his Mouth he putte [it] Anon.
And Er he Evere thens gan gon,
With A lowd voys the Child gan to Crye
that Al the peple it herde Sekerlye.
thanne Ronne they Alle Abowtes Ypocras,
and seiden that this A fair Miracle was. and the people think it a miracle,
Thanne seide Ypocras to the kyng,
"and þou wilt graunten me my ferste Askyng,
be to-Morwen thi sone schal hol be
In Al degres, As thow Schalt se."
thanne swor the kyng be his Creaunce Anon
'that Alle his peticions scholden ben don.'
So thanne wrowht this Ypocras
that on the Morewen the Child Al hol it was.
thanne seide the peple there Abowte
that he to god Aperede with-Owten dowte. and take him for a god.
thanne there Abod he ful longe In londe
with the kyng Of perse, as I vndirstonde, He stays with the king of Persia,
Tyl Atte laste be the kynges wille [See note 3, p. 19.]
the kyng ȝaf his dowhter hym vntylle; and marries his daughter.
And there Mad he ful Ryal Maryage
As longed to A lady Of hyre parage,
and As gret worschepe, I vndirstond,
as he hadde ben kyng of Ony lond,
Thanne Sente ypocras forth anon Ypocras sends for his parents and friends,
Messengeris As faste As they Cowde gon
Aftyr his fadir & Moder Certeyn tho
With his Oþer frendis to Comen vnto,
Forto Axen hem Consaille to counsel him, where to go and Live.
Into what Contre it myht best Avaylle
that he myhte beste herberwed to be,
Into Most temperable place Abowtes þe see,
Owther In ony yl that were delitable
be þe see oþer be lond with-owten fable.
thanne A Maister Schipman gan forth to gon,
And told hym of An yl In the Se Anon He hears of an island in the west,
that More temperable than Othere it was,
Fer be west, and In what plas.
Thanne Schepyd ypocras Al his good Anon,
And thedirward gan faste forto gon,
and with him his frendes & his wif Also,
To this same Yl Alle gonnen they to go.
and whanne Sawf that he was there, and goes there with all his belongings.
his wyf, his frendes, and Al his good In fere,
and Alle Sauf weren thedyr gon,
Ful Mochel Ioye they Maden Anon.
thanne werkmen let he Ordeynen Anon,
And Made A Castel Of lym & ston; He builds a castle, with a splendid hall,
and with-Inne that Castel An halle he Made,
þere-Inne his frendes forto glade;
the dore there-offen it was red goold,
As Any Man there it Myhte be-hoold,
and ful I-pyht with precyous stones;
And Ek the pyler with-Inne for þe Nones
was of Marbyl, I-kouered with gold & Asure
ful Richely wrowht, I ȝow Ensure.
and there-Inne A bed he let dyhte, and a magic bed,
the Moste wondirful that Ony man Myhte;
For there weren In so manye stones of vertwe
whiche that weren bothe good & trewe;
For Ony man that Syk þer onne lith This word is added above the line by a later hand., Sekerlye which cures everybody who is laid on it.
he Schal be keuered of Alle Maladye.
Lo this hows made ypocras be this Enchesoun,
That his wyf scholde don hym non distroccioun,
Nethir be poysown ne be non venym, He is afraid that his wife may poison him; so he
that non Maladye Scholde Comen to hym.
Ȝit Also More there let he tho Make makes a magic cup,
A Cowpe to drynken In for his Owne Sake,
that ȝif Ony poysown there Inne were don, which destroys poison.
Al the Strengthe it scholde lesen Anon.
but Evere his wyf was prowd In herte,
And of hire hosbonde sche hadde gret smerte,
For that sche was so hygh I-bore,
And sche thowhte On hym sche was but lore;
Therfore sche hated hym ful dedly, His wife hates him, and
and purposed hym to Slen Al prevyly.
Ful strong poysown sche gan to Make,
Only Al for hire lordis Sake,
and took bred, & In the poysown it putte, makes poison for him,
And took A dogge for to Eten Itte,
So that the dogge thanne deyde Anon,
and ded lay Stylle As ony Ston.
And whanne his wyf hadde prevyd Al thys,
thanne was hire herte ful of Blys;
And took it to hire lord Ypocras
As he At his Sopere was,
And In his Cowpe was it put tho: but his cup takes away its strength.
but Al the strengthe Anon was Ago.
thanne ypocras took þe Cowpe Anon
and drank þeroffen Amongs hem Echon,
but þere offen hadde he non disseise;
Wherfore his wyf gan there to mysplese,
And took the Cuppe In hire hond Anon,
and Ryht faste gan loken there vppon.
thanne Axed Sire Ypocras Anon there
'Why sche it beheld In Swich Manere.'
"Sire, for it is So Riche A thyng,
therfore I have þer offen so gret Merveilleng."
"Certes, dame," quod Ypocras tho, He tells her the power of the cup.
"In Al this world ben Swiche no mo;
For what poysown þat there-Inne be done,
It leseth al the strengthe Ryht Anone,
For Neuere Man schal Empeyred be,
That here-Offen drynketh, Siker mown ȝe be."
And whanne sche beheld Al this Cas,
how that he from deth A-sckaped was;
wherfore sche Made ful gret Morneng She is very vext.
that hire Craft ne hadde non Oþer werkyng;
For As longe As he the Cowpe hadde with-owten faille,
wel wyste sche hire werkyng nolde not Availle.
So that sche Aspyde vppon A day One day she throws the cup far into the sea.
whanne non of hire Meyne was In þe way,
And Caste this Cowpe In to See
Also fer As sche myht don it fle.
and whanne ypocras his Cowpe dyde Mysse,
thanne was his herte In gret distresse;
and faste he Axede 'where it was don,'
but of hem Alle ne wyste neuere on [The French text sends him to visit the King of Persia in the Castle of Mastic.].
"So Aftyr it happed vppon A day
that ypocras In his Chambere wyndowe lay,
and his wyf be hym Also
Lyggeng And talkyng, bothe two.
And As he loked toward the grownde,
he Sawh A wylde Sowe In that stownde; Ypocras shows his wife a wild sow,
"dame," he seide, "sy ȝe this beste here
that walketh benethe In this Manere?"
"Ȝe, Sire," sche seide ful Sekerly,
"what Meneth that beste, I ȝow prey?"
"dame," he Seide, "I schal the telle:
that beste wolde now Ony man qwelle and says any one would die, who ate of its flesh.
that there-offen Ete, it is so vnkynde,
And þerto so hot as I have In Mynde."
"Now, is that trewe, Sire," thanne quod sche.
"Ȝe, dame," he seide thanne, "ful Sykerlye."
Anon A-down sche gan hire to dresse,
and to hire Cook wente with Owten Misse. She goes to her cook,
"Sixt thou," sche seide, "this beste here
that walkyth thus In this Manere?"
"ȝe, lady," he Seyde "that wel I do."
"thanne faste Anon that thou hym slo, and orders him to kill the sow, and cook its flesh for supper.
and that to Sopere that he be dyht,
for my lord it loveth with Al his Myht."
Anon he dyde hire Comandement,
and to the Soper was born present.
and whanne ypocras þeroffen hadde Ete, Ypocras eats it,
Ful faste for peyne he gan to swete,
and seide, "dame, I may not be save and says nothing can save him, but the water it was boild in,
but ȝif of the water that I have
That this flesch was Soden Inne.
dame, I Am ded, neþer more ne Mynne."
thanne Cowntenaunce Made sche Anon
That the water Al a wey was don.
Thanne Anon the Cook let he Calle,
Of þe water to geten hym, what myhte be falle,
"Owther bringe me there it is Cast,
Outher ellis I deye, And that In hast."
thanne to thike place was he browht,
but of the water ne myhte he geten nowht. but that is all thrown away.
And whanne Ipocras say that it was so,
And that Al the water was A-go,
"dame," he seide, "thow hast me Slayn
Ful falsly here In Certayn.
for that man Is born In non londe
(As In My wit I vndirstonde)
that Kan be war of wommens wyle, He says no man is proof against women's wiles.
So ful they ben of qweyntise & Gyle."
thus falsly was here Ypocras ded He dies,
thorwh his wyves false Red.
Thanne his frendis there Anon
leten write vppon his tombe ston, and is buried.
In what Manere that he was ded
Thorwh his false wyves Red;
whiche tombe was so Ryaly dyht, Ypocras's royal tomb.
that neuere myht Comprehende In Mannes Miht
Swich Anothir tombe to Make
As there was don for Ypocras sake.
thanne the Kyng of Babyloyne Cam tho, The king of Babylon destroys Ypocras's castle.
& gret distroccion gan there do pour ypocras, que il auoit hai trop mortelement.;
and thus In this Maner As I ȝow say
Swich Richesse was þere be thike day,
and swich Strengthe & swich Bewte
As here to fore ȝe han herd seyn me.
CHAPTER LII. OF PIERS'S ADVENTURES. HOW HE IS CURED, AND BEATS KING ORCAWS, KILLS KING MARAHANS, MARRIES CAMYLLE, BEGETS HERLAWNT, AND IS BURID.
Piers's ship carries him to the land of the Pagan king Oreaws (p. 277), whose daughter is playing on the shore; she comes on board, pities him, and wishes her father's Christian prisoner could cure him (p. 277-8). Piers begs her to get him some relief (p. 279), and her damsels propose to take him down by the water, through her garden, and up to her chamber, where the Christian leech can cure him (p. 280-1). They do this, though it makes Piers think he shall die (p. 281). Then they get the Christian prisoner out of prison (p. 281). He has Piers carried into the praiel, and sees that his wound is poisond (p. 283), but heals him within a month (p. 284). Now, King Marahans of Ireland comes to disport him with King Orcaws, and a traitor butler poisond his son (p. 284); this, Marahans thought was Orcaws's doing; so he impeaches Orcaws of treason to King Luce of Great Britain, whereupon their gages are cast before the Parlia∣ment at London, and the day of battle fixt (p. 284-5). Orcaws's brother won't fight for him, as he knows that Marahans is stronger than he himself is (p. 285). So, to find out his best baron, Orcaws proclaims that one of Marahans's knights will fight twelve of his (p. 286). The king (Orcaws) gets his steward to arm him secretly, rides to the Bridge (p. 287), and there defeats the twelve knights one after another (p. 288), telling them to go and yield themselves to King Orcaws (p. 289). He then
returns to his Castle, goes to dinner, pretends to be sick (p. 289-90); next day receives the twelve knights, and affects to be surprisd that they can't tell him the name of their conqueror (p. 290). He proclaims far and wide that this conqueror will joust at the Bridge with any knight (p. 290); but intending combatants shrink from the encounter (p. 291). As soon, however, as Piers hears of it, he begs the king's daughter to get him harness and a horse (p. 292), which she does (p. 292), and then he rides to the Bridge, attacks King Orcaws (p. 293), and after a time knocks him over his horse's crupper (p. 294). They then fight on foot (p. 294) till Orcaws is overcome (p. 295); but he will die sooner than yield (p. 296). Piers makes him tell him who he is (p. 296), and, on learning that he is King Orcaws, gives up his own sword to him (p. 296), and begs forgiveness for having attacked him. This Orcaws grants, on condition that Piers fights Marahans, which Piers agrees to do (p. 298). They return secretly to Orcaws's Castle (p. 299), and the king charges his daughter to make Piers better cheer than ever (p. 299). When cured of their wounds, Orcaws and Piers set out for London (p. 300), and find Marahans at the Court of King Lucie, ready to fight (p. 300). Piers throws down his gage (p. 300); they fight; Piers kills Marahans (p. 301), declines to stay with King Lucie (p. 302), and goes home (p. 302). For his service, Orcaws offers him any reward he chooses (p. 303); he chooses that Orcaws should turn Christian; converts him accordingly (p. 303), has him baptizd, his name changd to Lamet, and his daughter's to Camille (p. 304). The people turn Christians too, and build the city Orkanye, in remembrance of Orcaws (p. 304). Then Orcaws proposes to Piers that he should marry his daughter Camylle (p. 304), which he consents to do, and the marriage is celebrated royally (p. 305). King Lucie comes to see Piers, who converts him and all his people (p. 305). Now, Brut's Story makes no mention of Piers (p. 306), but Sire Robert Borron and the Old Story do (p. 306); and so it is clear that he who drew this out in Romance knew full little of Seynt Graal or the Story of Sank Ryal (p. 306). Piers begets a son Herlawnt, who, after Piers's death, burid him in St. Philip's church, and marrid the daughter of the King of Ireland (p. 306-7), on whom he begat Melyan, and Melyan begat Agristes, and Agristes begat Hedor (p. 307), and Hedor begat four sons, Gawneyns, Granayns, Gwerrehes, and Gaheriet (p. 308). Now, Mordret was supposd to be King Lot's son, but truly King Arthur begat him on his own sister (p. 308, l. 1149-56, and Appendix); though this was before he wedded Gonnore, who was a worthy lady, and of good lore (p. 309).
Now this storye doth forth procede
whedir that Cryst Piers [Fr. pierres all thro'] gan lede:
whanne he was Comen In to the hye see,
As swyftly as Evere brid gan to fle Piers's ship sails as swiftly as a bird for four days and nights.
It drof the vessel forth, I ȝow plyht,
ful foure dayes and foure Nyht,
that nethir he ne drank ne Ete He has very little to eat, and
but Ryht litel of Ony Mete.
Atte Fyfthe daye, Abowtes pryme, on the fifth day falls asleep from exhaustion and weakness.
For werynesse he slepte that tyme,
and for Angwisch that he hadde,
of his lyf ful sore him dradde;
For so Megre and feble he was
that he myhte not steren in that plas.
so þat it happed be Aventure
At A Castel he Aryved, I ȝow Ensure, He arrives at the castle of a king, Orcaws,
whiche that ful Of paynemis was,
and þe kynges name was Orcaws,
and he was On Of þe beste knyhtes a good knight, but a paynim.
that In the world levede tho Ryhtes;
and he hadde ben In Ryht Creaunce,
he ne hadde had non felawe with-owten variaunce.
And whanne at the Castel Aryved he was,
thanne Cam walkyng this kynges dowhter Orcaws, Orcaws's daugh∣ter, a fair maiden,
whiche was a damysele ful fair and gent,
and bar þe pris of Bewte verament;
Of Alle the Maydenis In that Contre
sche was the fairest, As I telle it the.
So As sche Cam disportyng toward þe see, comes to the sea, playing with her companions.
and hire Maidenis In hire Compeyne,
For Manye sche hadde that with hire wente,
hire to disporte Aftyr hire Entente;
and In here pleyeng As they weren that day
they Sien where þat this vessel lay, She sees the ship, and begins to sing so loud
and there so lowde they gonne to synge,
hire felawes and sche In here pleyenge,
that piers Awook there that he lay, that Piers awakes.
so Astoned he was Of that Afray.
and whanne the Maide to this vessel sowhte,
he was ful syk, thanne hire thowhte;
and whanne that sche beheld his wounde, The maiden per∣ceives his wound,
Anon to hire felawes sche seide that stownde,
"wile ȝe now sen the Cause why
that this man so sik is trewely?
It Nys not wondyr thowh he were ded
Of this wounde here In this sted,
and that me thenketh were gret pyte, and pities him very much. She
For a ful fair Man hath he be
whanne that he was In hele Of his body,
A ful semly persone, sche seide, trewely;
therfore wolde I that the Cristene Man, wishes that her father's Christian captive, who is a good leech, could come to him.
which to my Fadris presoun Is tan,
that is a good leche In alle Manere,
To helen this Man I wolde he were here;
For him so Mochel I knowe,
that non Erthly man with-Inne þis throwe
Ne Can so sone don hym boote
As thike Cristene, so wel I wote."
Thanne be this tyme Piers ful wakyng was, Piers perceives the damsels,
and beheld tho damyselis In that plas,
the whiche so Richely weren Adyht,
And hire Compenye In his syht.
thanne Merveilled this piers wondirly sore and wonders who they are.
what Alle thike ladyes and damyseles wore.
& whanne this damysel sawh that Awaked he was,
Anon sche Axede hym In that plas The lady asks where he comes from.
Of what Contre that he were.
thanne Piers hire Answeride Anon there,
"Of Ierusalem I am bore,
and am I-torned to Cristene lore, He says, from Jerusalem; and that he is very sick and weak,
and ful Syk and feble I am therto,
that I ne may neyther walkyn ne go;
wherefore gret nede Of Cownseil I haue, needing help quickly.
Ȝif Ony Man Cowde me helpe Oþer Saue,
and but ȝif the Sonnere it be,
For fawt Of helpe I deye Sykerle."
thanne Axede him the damysele there She asks if he is a Christian and a knight.
In what Manere I-Cristened they were,
"For sothe A Cristene Man I Am, quod he, When he says he is both,
here Al so syk As ȝe me now se."
"be ȝe A knyht," quod this damysele, thanne.
"Ȝe trewly, and therto A Cristene Manne."
"Forsothe, quod this damysele tho, she warns him that he has come to a Pagan land,
thanne hath ȝoure vessel Evele I-go,
For In this place but paynemys ne be, and is in danger of being slain;
And non Cristene dwellyng In this Contre;
and therfore, And they knewen ȝow here,
& that A Cristene Man ȝe were,
Anon they wolden don ȝow to ded
with-Owten Ony Othir Red.
Ȝit neuertheles, for that ȝe be
A man ful syk & In euel degre,
and Also that ȝe ben Alone,
& weten neuere whider ȝe ben gone,
Therfore Of ȝow I haue pyte yet because he is so ill she pities him, and would help him, if her father knew nothing of it.
that som socour ȝe hadde, ȝif it myhte be,
Ȝif previliche to Ony man þat I durst tryste,
So that my fadir not there of wiste."
"damysele, quod Piers Anon thanne, He begs her to get his wound heald.
Conne þe Ony helpe Oþer Ony Manne
that me Cowde hele Of my Syknesse,
and me to helpen Owt Of my dystresse?"
"be my Creaunce, quod this Maiden Anon,
My Fadir hath A Cristene man In presoun, She tells him of a Christian captive of her father's
that A good man Of his lawe he is,
and þerto of lechecraft he berith the pris;
and wel I wot, and he were here,
he scholde ȝow Maken bothe hol & fere who could cure him if it were possible,
Ȝif Euere Ony man it scholde do
be wyt Oþer Craft, As I beleve so.
and therefore In my Chambre I wolde ȝe were, and he might see Piers in her chamber.
So that non body not were the Nere
but Only my damyseles that here been,
that thyke Cristene man mihte ȝow seen;
and, be myn hed, there scholde this Nyht
Som Oþer Counseylle to ȝow ben dyht,
For ȝif be Ony weye that it May be,
that goode Cristene man schal ȝow se."
"ha damysele, quod Piers Anon Ryht, Piers begs to see the Christian leech.
Now, for the love of God Almyht
and for ȝoure owne Cowrtesye
that I myhte speken with that man In hie,
And that ȝe wolden haven Rowthe on me,
And that Cristene man that I myhte Se."
And whanne sche herd hym preyen so faire,
thanne to hire damyseles gan sche Repaire;
And Axede of hem this qwestiown, Then the Princess asks her ladies what she shall do for him,
"Of this Cristene Man what schole we don?
For Certes me thinketh it were wel I-do,
Ȝif Ony hele that he myhte come to;
For a worthy knyht hath he be, as he seems a worthy knight.
as me semeth be his degre.
and ȝif In helthe that he were,
A semeliere persone nowher Nere."
"Madame, quod hire damyseles On Rewe,
Ȝif it be with ȝow as ȝe here schewe,
Of Rekewr [Fr. garison] schal he faillen non
Ȝif ȝe Consenten As we schole don;
For wel to ȝoure Chambre ȝe mown hym have,
And thedyr hym bringe bothe so Wnd and save;
and ȝif ȝe wyl knowen In this stede, The ladies ad∣vise to take him by water into the garden,
down be this water we scholen him lede;
and so forth Into the Gardyn,
And thorwgh ȝowre praiel wel & fyn;
& so to ȝoure Chambre we scholen him lede, and so up to her chamber,
Ful prevyliche thorwgh Al this stede.
and whanne we han thus I-do,
thanne mown ȝe hauen the Cristene ȝow to,
and Owt of preson him to brynge
Into ȝoure Chambre with-owten lesinge; where the leech can be got to come and see him privately.
So that he may his wounde þere se,
that there-Offen hol he myhte be."
"Ȝe sein ful wel, quod this lady tho,
I wele wel that ȝe don so."
thus sone these damyseles gonne to gon
Into this vessel thanne Anon,
and token this Piers full softely, The damsels get Piers through the garden into the Princess's cham∣ber,
and with hem forth ladden ful prevyly;
thorwh the Gardyn Into the Chambre they wente,
and fulfilde here ladyes Entente.
And whanne thus they hadden I-do,
and to hire Chambre they weren Comen vnto,
For hym A Cowche they Maden ful prest, and lay him on a couch,
where vppon As he Scholde Rest;
but for the Angwisch that he was Inne, but he suffers much, and thinks he is dying on the spot.
he ne hadde non Reste, neþer more ne Mynne.
thanne Axede hym this lady fre,
"Now, leve sire, how stont it with the?"
Thanne Answerid Piers In fair Manere,
"Now trewly I trowe to dyen riht here,
and neuere to Abyden to Morwen day,
Ful seker, damysele, As I ȝow say."
and whanne sche herde him speken so thore,
thanne hadde sche more pite þanne sche hadde to fore, The princess is very sorry for him. She
and seide, "Sire, dismaye ȝow non thing!
Ȝe scholen hauen helpe with-owten taryeng."
Thanne sente sche to the presoun Anon
Al so prevyly As sche Mihte don,
And with Alle wyttes And hire gynne manages to get the Christian out of prison.
To geten hym Owt that was with-Inne.
and whanne that owt sche hadde hym take,
For fere this Cristene began to qwake, He is much alarmd,
and seide, "damysele, what thinke ye do? and does not know what she wants.
I trowe ȝe purposen me forto slo,
and Of my deth ȝe Mown not wynne,
þerfore it were bettere that ȝe blynne."
And thus he seide for this Entent,
For þat he wende sche wolde han him schent.
"Nay, sire, þere-Offen haue thou non dowte,
but folwe thou me sethen þou Art Owte,
And Into my Chambre folwe thou Me, She takes him to her room, pro∣mises to explain,
and there the Cause schal I schewen the
why Owt Of preson I do the take;
It is Only for Anotheris sake."
Thanne wente this damysele forth to-fore,
and the Cristene hire folwede thore;
And whanne Into þe Chambre they weren gon,
thus sone sche schewed hym Piers Anon shows him Piers lying so ill,
that so sik In his bed there lay;
& whanne this presoner tho him say,
Of him he hadde ful gret pite,
and so wolde Ony man In Cristiente.
"Now behold this Man In this stounde tells him where Piers was found,
that we be the see side here fownde!
and ȝif this Cristene Man helen ȝe Mown, and engages to set them both free,
I schal deliueren ȝow Owt Of presown,
and senden ȝow bothe Into Anothir Contre and send them into another country, if the leech can cure Piers.
where þat ȝe desiren to be,
with As mochel Richesse As ȝe haue,
Owthir Ony Of ȝou Can Of me Crave,
To gon Into what partye that ȝow lyst;
and hereto ȝe Mown wel Tryst;
and thus wil I do As I telle it the,
For þe grete deseise that I In hym Se."
Whanne the presoner wist that Cristened he was, The prisoner gladly undertakes it, and
he made ful gret Ioye thanne In that plas,
and Answerid to the damysele Anon,
'that thike thing he would gladliche don;'
thanne Axede this presoner Of him þere Ryht, asks Piers how long he has been ill.
how longe it was sethen he was so dyht.
thanne Answerid piers to hym Anon,
"It is sethen Sixtene dayes Agon, He says sixteen days, getting worse every day.
and Every day it is wers than oþer,
I sei the trewly, my leve brothir,
and non socour ne kan I gete,
Ne neþer Appatyt to drinke ne mete,
whiche that Moche dismayeth Me
Ful sekerly, Sere, I telle it the."
Thanne bespak Anon this presonere,
and to this damysele seide he there,
"I wolde, And ȝowre wille it were,
Into ȝoure Prayel ȝe boren him here,
and there bettere the wonde myhte I se
thanne In this Chambre In Alle degre."
And Anon this lady thanne
dide beren Owt this Sike Manne The leech has him taken out into the sun,
Into the Sonne, that he myhte knowe
Alle his Maladye In a throwe. and examines his wound,
and whanne he beheld hym in that plas,
thanne Sawh he wel that Envemyned he was, which is much envenomd,
whiche was the Cause Certeinle
That lyhtlyche I-heled Myhte he not be, and cannot be heald quickly.
Til that the vemyn owt were I-don.
than seide þis presoner to pers Anon,
"Frend, Envemyned ȝe ben ful sore,
þerfore ȝoure Angwich is moche the more,
and tyl that vemyn Owt be I-take
Ferst, ȝoure peyne May not Aslake;
And aftir the vemyn is Owte I-do, The leech says he can get out the poison, and cure Piers in a month.
Anon ryht helthe schal Comen ȝow to,
that with-Inne a monthe, be goddis grace,
Al hol to Maken ȝow In this place."
thus sone there besowghte ful faste,
Aftir Swiche herbes In gret haste
the vemyn to drawen Owt Of that wounde, He draws out the venom with herbs,
And Aftyr to Maken him hol and sownde.
that so vppon him travailled this presoner
that with-Inne the Mounthe hol was he ther, and within a month
and to that lady ȝald hym Agayn
As hol and Clene In Certayn.
and this Piers, that was the fairest knyht Piers, the best∣looking knight of Jerusalem, is quite well again.
that Owt of Ierusalem wente In syht,
thanne his wit and bownte to him restored was
whanne helthe he hadde In that plas.
With-Inne this terme fil An Aventure
That kyng Marahans Of yreland, I ȝow ensure, King Marahans of Ireland comes to visit King Orcaws,
Cam to disporten him with kyng Orkaws,
In as mochel as that his Cosyn [Fr. parens] he was.
and his Eldest sone with him gan go, bringing his son with him;
that A lytel to-fore A knyht was Mad tho,
and þerto dowhty In his dede:
thus In storie here we Rede.
So that thike Nyht þere was gret feste and there is great feasting,
In that Castel to Mest and leste;
but it happede be A tretour boteler but a traitor butler poisons Marahans's son.
that kyng Marahans sone poysoned he ther,
And At the table there he deyde Anon
At Soper ded As Ony ston.
And whanne þe kyng beheld this there, Marahans thinks Orcaws has orderd this.
he wende kyng Orcaws Conseyl that it Were;
and thus sone wente he thenne He goes to Luce the king of Great Britain, and
to the kyng of grete breteygne with his Mene,
wheche that tyme I-clepid was
Of bretaynge kyng lwce, In Every plas.
whanne kyng Marahans to forn hym was þere,
and him hadde Compleyned In dyvers Manere,
and Apechyd kyng Orkaws Of Treson, impeaches King Orcaws of treason.
For that he hadde poysoned his son,—
thus sone Orkaws After was sent Orcaws appears before the London parliament,
to Londone to Comen to parlement.
and, whanne Orkaws to Londone was gon,
kyng Marahans Of treson him Apechid Anon,
and Seide that [he] be fals Treson denies the charge,
In his Castel hadde poysoned his son.
Anon kyng Orkaws that gan denaye,
and seide the Contrarye to him in faye;
and In that qwarel his Gage he kaste, and offers to de∣fend himself in battle upon it,
hit to defende whil his lyf wold laste,
Owther be his persone, oþer be Anothir,
be som knyht, other be his brothir;
For with Marahan he ne kepte not fyhte, or to find a cham∣pion to fight with Marahans.
For that he was so worthy A knyhte,
For Of paynemys he bar the prys,
As Aboven oþer flowres doth þe flowr delys.
Thus this bataylle Enioyned was,
and bothe fownden Ostages In that plas;
and the day Assigned was Also
Whanne that the Bataylle scholde be do. The battle is arrangd. Orcaws asks his brother to fight for him,
thanne kyng Orkaws torned hom Ageyn,
and Aftyr his brothyr sente In Certein
that the bataylle for hym scholde don þat day.
his brothir him Answerid, and seide "Nay,
For ȝe knowen ful wel that kyng Marahans
Is þe moste worthiest knyht In Alle defens
that Entreth Into Ony bataylle,
þere-fore hym I Schal not Asaylle, but he is afraid of Marahans and refuses.
Nethir for stryf, Nethir for hete,
to-gederis In feld scholen we not mete,
his body and Myn to-Gederis In fere;
It schal not ben In non Manere."
Whanne kyng Orkaws this vndirstood, Orcaws does not know what to do,
thanne Anon began to Chongen his Mood
whanne that his brothir it hadde forsake,
and that the bataille he wolde not take.
Ful Mochel Mone thanne he Made,
that he som Oþir knyht ne hadde;
For so Often tymes Asayed had he for he has often fought Marahans,
kyng Marahan In bataille & In Melle,
So that he knew wel be his dede and knows he cannot overcome him.
he was þe beste þat bestrod Ony steede,
and þerfore Nolde Orkaws In non degre
In bataylle him Meten Certeynle.
thanne sente Orkaws Ryht Anon
Aftyr his barowns Everychon,
Forto preven the beste knyht
that for hym Myhte taken that ftht.
and this Orkaws þere feynede him Syk, Orcaws pretends to he sick, sends for all his knights,
To knowen which of hem that was best lyk
that ylke bataille forto do
whanne þat to þe poynt they comen to.
And whanne they syen hym liggen In this Manere,
They Axede him what his wille were;
thanne seide he 'that Agreved was he sore
Of tydynges that him Comen thore.'
and they Axeden him what tho schold be;
and he seide, "kyng Marahans Certeinle tells them that a knight has come from Marahans,
hath sent a knyht In to this Lond,
As it is don me to vndirstond,
that with his Owne body he will holde fyhtes who challenges the twelve best knights of the country.
Aȝens .xij. of the beste knyhtes
that with-Inne My Lond I May fynde;
and thus Is it to Me put In Mynde,
and forto preven this Ilke thyng
to ȝow haue I sent to ȝeven warneng,
and to Morwe At pryme this schal be;
þerfore, and ȝow lyst, telleth now me
Ȝif that ȝe welen kepen that day;
Fore trewly, for Syknesse I ne May.
And wile ye now vndirstonden here
I sente for ȝow In this Manere;
and forto Fellen that knyhtes pride Orcaws asks them to fight this champion,
For ȝow I sente now At this tyde,
that thike knyht ne schal not say, and stop his boasting.
but his felawe here to fynden Eche day."
And thus the kyng þere gan hem telle;
for there A lesyng he Feyned ful felle;
For straunge knyht In his Rem was non, But he intends to personate this knight himself, to find out his best man.
but he him self it wolde thanne don,
Amonges theke twelve to preven Anon
Ȝif Ony Aȝens kyng Marahans dorste gon.
thanne Axeden they Anon Ageyn,
"Sere, be ȝe now here In Certeyn
that thike knyht to Morwen At pryme
At thike brygge wil Arere [? Areve.] that tyme?"
"Ȝe, quod the kyng thanne trewely,
there scholen ȝe hym Meten ful sekerly."
"thanne, quod they, we scholen him Mete, The twelve knights promise to meet the champion at the bridge.
whethir he Ryde be weye Oþer strete,
So that ȝowre worschepe saved schal be,
and we schameles In Alle degre."
Thus sone these .xij. knyhtes departyd Away,
and hom to here Ostelis they wenten þat day;
and the kyng lefte Stille In his bed
Tyl It was Even In that same sted.
and whanne it was with-Inne the Nyht, At night Orcaws calls up his steward, to
he Clepyd his stewerd Anon Ryht,
"Go, fette me the moste straungest Armure, get his least known armour,
the Moste beste and the most Sure,
For hennes to-Nyht now wyl I pace,
And to morwen At Even Aȝen In this place;
and ȝif that Ony man Axe After me, and bids him say he is ill.
Sey that deseised I am ful Certeinle."
Thus the kyng Comanded þe styward þere,
and so he wrowhte Aftyr his Manere.
and whanne the day Aproched was,
the kyng him Armede In that plas,
and took his hors, & gan forth Ride Then he rides out to the bridge at the hour of prime.
Into that brigge that Ilke tyde.
but Er thanne thens he wente, Orcaws swears his steward to secrecy.
he made the styward sweren presente
that he scholde discouere him to non Man,
what so Evere Of hym they Axeden than.
thanne so this kyng gan forth to Ryde,
forth to the Brygge At that tyde;
and ther Abod tyl the Owr Of pryme,
and was Non Comen at that tyme.
thanne alle xij knyhtes they Comen In-same, The twelve knights come together,
Forto fulfillen that Ilke Game;
but Speris with hem Non they browhte, not bringing their spears, for there are plenty on the bridge.
For At Alle daye there sen they Mowhte
the Brigge with speris Envirowned Abowte,
the wheche that weren bothe gret and stowte,
Whiche that Cavsede Men Of the Contre there
Eche Other to Asayen In dyvers Manere. They arrange to fight the knight in order.
Whanne these xij knyhtes there behelde
that þere was A knyht with spere and schelde
that Redy was to Iusten there,
Ech man hym Ordeyned In his Manere
Forto Iusten Aȝens that knyht,
Euery man there to preven his Myht;
and thus Ech Of hem A spere there took
as On the brigge were, and non forsook;
and the kyng him Cawhte Anothir,
and forth he prekede Amonges þat fothir;
& so he smot the ferste knyht, The king over∣comes the first knight and
and þere sore wounded him In þat fyht,
So that he hadde there dethes wounde,
Onnethe to Rysen Aftir þat stownde.
And whanne that thus down he was I-Cast,
To anothir knyht he prekyd In hast,
and him he wounded Al so sore,
lyk As he dide the tothir before;
and so the thrydde and þe fowrthe Also, all the others, one after another.
and thus Alle twelve he browhte to wo.
And whanne Alle xij I-scomfyt they were,
the kyng In this Maner to hem seide there, Orcaws tells the 12 knights they are his prisoners.
"Sires, ȝe knowen presoneres ȝe be,
As be þe lawe Of this Contre;
and that with ȝow I May now do
As that to Armes belongen vnto."
and they Answerid hym Ageyn,
"Sire, that is soth In Certeyn."
"Thanne Comande I ȝow Everichon, He bids them go to King Oreaws and give them∣selves up to him.
that ȝe Alle to kyng Orkaws gon,
and ȝeldeth to hym Alle ȝowre persones
On My behalve with-Inne his wones.
thanne Axede they hym what he hyhte. They ask his name,
"he knoweth me ful wel, I telle ȝow Ryhte,
but Of myn Name, it is not to ȝow;
for whanne he hereth Of this prow, but he says the king will know it by this deed.
thanne wil he knowen me ful wel,
I ȝow seye As trewe As steel;
And that In Manye stormes I haue be
with him In bataylle ful Sykerle."
thanne sworen they In here Entent They promise to obey him,
To Fulfillen his Comaundement,
But ful Of sorwe Alle they were
that they weren so discomfyt there but are much cast down at their defeat by one knight.
Of On knyht there In that plase:
Ful Moche Sorwe Amonge hem wase.
Thanne departyd Anon the xij knyhtes
From that place there Anon Ryhtes;
and the kyng Entrede Into the forest Orcaws goes to the forest,
whanne that he say his tyme best,
and þere Alle day Abod he Sekerlye
For that non Man Scholde him Aspye.
and whanne it was with-Inne the Nyht, hides till night time, then returns to his castle,
Toward his Castel he gan hym dyht,
And In A Gardyn vndir the towr
his steward hym Abood Every Owr.
and whanne he Cam to this Gardyn,
his steward him Resceyved wel & fyn, where the steward receives him, and takes his horse and armour. Orcaws goes to his chamber,
and Resceyved his hors and his Armure,
And Aftyr to Chambre wente ful pure.
& whanne A while In Chambre he hadde I-be,
Anon to halle thanne wente he, and then to the hall, and feigns to be very ill and weak before his court.
and Made Semblaunce As thowgh syk he were
To-forn Alle his Meyne þat was there.
Thanne his Meyne Aȝens hym gonne gon,
and hym worschepid Everichon,
and hym Axede 'how that it were,
& why he was Of so hevy Chere.'
and he Answerid hem Ageyn,
"I Me strengthe with Al my Mayn
aȝens herte to Maken good Contenaunce,
So mochel Of Syknesse I haue dowtawnce."
And vppon the Morwe, at the Owr of pryme, The twelve knights arrive
the xij knyhtes Comen In good tyme
that discomfyt Of hym were,
(but they it ne knewe In non Manere,)
and ȝolden hem to hym As presoneres and give them∣selves up as the strange knight's prisoners.
On a knyhtes behalve that was ful fers;
but they ne knewen not his Name,
For he was A man Of ful gret fame;
and tolden kyng Orkaws Al In fere
how thike knyht discomfyt hem there.
"Ha! quod kyng Orkaws thanne,
Now wot I wel that he Is A manne
that ȝow Alle hath taken As presoneres,
And to Me Represented now here."
thanne Made he Semblaw[n]t As wroth he were, Orcaws pretends to be angry,
but ȝit neuere the mo ne was he there;
and sente forth his Messengeris Anon and sends out to summon his chivalry to fight this knight.
thorwh-Owt his Rem for to gon,
to warnen Alle his Chevalrye,
'Atte brigge to Meten that knyht so hardye;
and ȝif Ony so hardy that there were
with that knyht to fyhten there,
what Maner Of good that he wolde Crave,
Anon Of kyng Orkaws he Scholde it have.'
but they that to fore tymes I-beten were,
Alle here Goodes the kyng Sesyd there He seizes the goods of the defeated knights for a year and a day.
As for On ȝer And On day,
thus kyng Orkaws hem gan to say.
and whanne that they that In the Contre were, The rest of the knights are alarmd at all this.
herden how þe xij knyhtes happeden there,
thanne In hem selve they hadden gret drede,
For they Niste neuere how to spede;
and ȝif discomfyt that they were,
here londis to lesen In swich maner there.
Whanne that Piers that with this lady was,
And Of his Maladye helyd In that plas,
thanne was he as ful Of pensifnesse Piers becomes very thoughtful,
As whanne he was In his distresse.
thanne Axede the lady hym Ryht tho,
"Piers, what is ȝow to thenken so, and the princess asks what is the matter with him?
and what Cause that it may be,
I praye ȝow, Sere, now telleth Me;
and ȝif I mowe don ȝow Ony Ese,
Owther Ony thing that May ȝow plese,
anon Ryht it schal ben do,
þere-fore to suffren bothe peyne and wo.'
"A! faire lady, quod Piers Anon,
Ryht ful Esely ȝe myhte it don."
"Seye On, quod this lady thanne,
and I schal don it, for Ony Manne."
"thanne schal I ȝow tellen, quod piers trewly,
And ȝe me wil Enswren feythfully; Piers tells her that he hears her father is sending out after his knights and bachelors to fight Mara∣hans's knight,
For it Cometh now In My Mynde
that ȝoure fadir sendeth Into Every Ende
Aftyr his knyhtes And Bachelere,
here worthynesse forto preven here;
And thike tyme have I sen,
and not fulliche fyve ȝeres they ben,
& swich A knyht were In Oure Contre,
wel sone Asayed scholde he be;
and ȝif that I hadde harneys and Gere, and if he, Piers, had only armour,
For Alle the Men that Evere were
I[n] my persone Ryht Al Alone
To that knyht wolde I gone;
al thowgh I be In straunge Contre,
I scholde him Asaye, what so he be, he should like to try to overcome him;
thowh he were the strengest Of this Molde,
And Abyden me he wolde:
but harneys have I In non Manere, but he has no armour, and is therefore sorrowful. The king's daughter is surprisd, and
and þat Maketh me to Mornen so here."
Whanne the kynges dowhter herde this,
sche Merveilled he spak Of so gret Aprys [Fr. si haute emprise]
And that he wolde Iosten At that tyde
with hym that no Man dorste Abyde.
thanne seide to him this lady Anon,
"hors and harneys ȝe scholen haue son, says she will get him horse and armour,
and longe Er Nyht Redy it schal be;
ann therefore, Piers, dismaye not the;
& þerto As Richely ȝe scholen ben dyht
As thowgh A kynges sone ȝe weren Owtryht;
but In feith, Sire, be the Cownseil Of Me, but advises him to let the strange knight alone.
Aȝens that knyht ȝe scholen not Te."
"Now, faire lady, quod Pers tho, He still asks for the armour,
that ȝe me han be-hote, brynge me vnto;
and Of me dismaye ȝow non thing,
for I troste holiche In hevene kyng."
and whanne they hadden spoken Of this Matere,
Anon from him sche wente there;
bothe hors and harneys him Ordeyned thus sone, which she procures for him,
and Alle Oþer thing that was to done.
and whanne it was with-Inne the Nyht, and shows him the way to the bridge.
The weye to the Brygge sche tawhte him Ryht.
thanne Of this lady his leve he took,
and On his weye forth faste he schook.
& whanne to þe brigge that he was Gon,
Into þat forest thanne wente he Anon, Piers rests in the forest till morning, then goes to the bridge,
there A While to taken his Reste
As that tyme þere it liked him beste;
and down he Alyhte Of his Rownsy,
& be his brydel hym teyde þere faste by,
and þere to pasture ȝif he wolde
Tyl þat day Aperede On Goddis Molde.
vppon the Morwen whanne it was day,
Piers toward his hors took the way,
and Made his hors Al Redy,
& his helm gan lasen ful Iostly;
and Abowte his Nekke he heng his scheld;
thanne Owt Of þe forest he took the feld.
whanne toward the brigge that he gan gon,
thanne kyng Orkaws Aspide he Anon and sees king Orcaws coming along.
that thedir was Comen for theke Entent,
To Wyten ȝif there were Ony present
whiche that Aȝens him dorste Abyde:
this was his Comeng At that tyde.
And whanne piers beheld him there,
he lyht Adown for Ony fere, Piers dismounts, sees that his harness is all right,
and tasted his harneis In that stede,
þat it scholde not faille whanne he hadd nede.
and whanne he say that Al siker it was,
To hors Aȝen he wente In that plas. mounts again,
and to the brigge he cam Anon,
and Salwed the kyng As he scholde don.
Anon a spere On honde he took,
& towardis the kyng wel faste he schook, goes to meet king Orcaws, and challenges him to fight.
and seide that Iusten Nedis he Moste:
the kyng him Answeryd that hym wel lyste.
So swyftly they Ronnen In that plas,
as faste as the howndes hertes don chas,
and so sore to-Gederis they Mette, They encounter each other so fiercely that both their shields are broken.
that here scheldes Into the feld weren smette,
So that there was Non geyn Char,
but bothe here whyte flesche persched thar;
so that bothe hadden they wowndis grete, Both are wounded,
and ȝit Nethir Othir ne wolde not lete;
so that the kyng On Piers his spere to-brak,
and Piers Aȝen hym hitte with-Owten lak,
& bare him Owt Of his sadel Into the feeld but Piers pushes king Orcaws off, over his crupper.
Ouer his hors Crowpere undir his Scheld;
and there so sore I-hurt he was,
Onnethis to Meven Owt Of that plas.
Whanne Piers atte therthe the kyng say,
Of his hors he Alyhte with-Owten delay,
and there drowh Owt his swerd Anon, Piers draws his sword,
& towardis this kyng he gan to Gon;
so þat be thike tyme þe kyng Rekeuered was,
and On his feet stood In that plas,
Ful sore I-hurt, and ful of Angwyschs.
thanne to the kyng Piers seide thus,
"Sire knyht, ȝoure Iostyng lost han ȝe; and asks the king to try that way.
assayeth ȝif Ony bettere ȝe Mown ȝow byse,
and ȝif Ony thing that ȝe Mown wynne
with Ony Other Melle vs betwynne."
Anon he drowh his swerd with good Entente,
And his scheld On honde he hente.
whanne the kyng sawh þat he was Redy,
Faste to that Melle he gan hym hy,
and there his prowesse he schewede In his wyse
with Alle his strengthe In the beste Gyse, Orcaws does his best,
so that with his swerd & with his scheld
he Entrede forth In to that Feld;
In the beste Maner that he Myhte,
thanne forth he wente Anon Ryhte. and fights well, though he is badly hurt,
Not-with-stondyng, sore hurt he was
to foren tyme In that same plas,
so þat moche more Nede thanne hadde he
Of Restyng thanne Of Ony Melle.
thanne be-twixen hem began Melle ful strong so there is a great combat between them.
which that Amonges hem durede ful long,
and Ech Other sore hurten As they stood,
that Owt Of bothe here bodyes Ran plente Of blood;
so ful Of gret prowesse weren they bothe They wonder much at each other's prowess.
that Eche Of Other Merveilled forsothe.
For the kyng supposede ful Certeynly
to han fowndyn non knyht so dowhty
that with him so longe Myhte Melle;
wherefore to him self he gan to spelle;
and Piers In that same Manere
Evene Of the kyng thowhte ryht ther;
For In non Rem he wende han fownde
so worthy A knyht Goyng on grownde.
but At the Ende Of that Mellë
the kyng non lengere myht duren sekerle,
For Evere this Piers was so ful Of prowesse
and browhte the kyng In gret distresse,
so that thorwgh Melle and thorwgh torneye
the kyng non lengere myhte stondyn In feye; At last the king can do no more, and falls down pitifully hurt.
but there to-fore Piers he fyl Adown,
Ful sore, syker I-hurt his body In-Vyrown;
So sore, that ȝif Ony Man him hadde I-seye
On hym he wolde han had pyte In feye.
Anon thanne Piers, that Supposid nothing Piers, not knowing who he is,
that it hadde been Syre Orkaws the kyng,
to him wente a ful gret pas,
and puld Offen his helm In that plas,
and seide 'he wolde him slen vppon that Molde threatens to kill him if he will not yield.
but ȝif that for Scomfyt he wolde hym holde.'
Anon the kyng his Eyen vp Caste,
and vppon Piers lokede Atte laste,
& seide "thou myhtest me slen ful wel, Orcaws says Piers can kill him if he likes,
For In thy power it is Eche del;"
"Now, be my trowthe, quod Piers tho, but Piers again bids him yield.
but thou the ȝelde, I schal the slo;
and fulliche discomfyt holden the,
Other Ellis thy bane wyle I be."
thanne quod the kyng, "Certeynlye,
Mochel lever hadde Ich here to dye
thanne to speken that schamful word,
Creaunt me ȝelde be myn Owne Acord; Orcaws says it would be disgraceful for a king to yield,
For to A kyng it were the grettest schame,
the Moste Repref, and the Moste blame,
that Evere Ony Erthly kyngdom held,
So Schamful A word to sein In feld;
Ȝit hadde [I] levere xiij Sithe deye and he would rather die 13 times than do so.
(Ȝif so Often that I myhte In feye,)
that I, whiche have be so worthy A knyht,
So schamfully schulde sein thorwh ony fyht."
Whanne Piers vndirstood that he
A kyng was Of so hy degre,
and wende he hadde ben A sengle knyht
that with hym there held swich fyht;
but whanne he Supposid that þe kyng he was, Piers begins to see that he is a king,
Anon to him spak he In that plas,
and seide, "Sire, for Charite
so telle here what Man ȝe be; and asks who he is.
For me thinketh as be ȝowre talkyng
that ȝe scholden ben A kyng."
"Certes, quod the kyng, sire knyht, Orkaws tells him.
I am A kyng here In thy syht;
and, kyng Orkaws, it Is Myn Name,
In this lond A Man Of ryht gret fame."
And whanne that Piers this vndirstood Piers is much distresst,
that it was Orkaws þat lay so bathed in blood,
Anon Piers ful Of sorwe he was
that him so hadde Greved In þat plas,
So that he Nyste what forto do,
but his swerd he ȝald him vnto, and gives up his sword to him.
and seide "sire, I Crye the Mercye
Of that I haue don the gret Anoye.
wherfore, goode sire, forȝeveth it me He begs to be forgiven, as he did not know him.
that I so moche haue trespaced Aȝens the;
And, lo, my swerd here to the I ȝelde,
And my body and lyf I putte In thi welde,
holich, Sire kyng, Into thy Bandom,
And At thyn Ordenance hol & som."
Whanne the kyng herde him so seyn,
and that to hym so Offrede him pleyn,
thanne seide the kyng to him tho,
"What art thou that doost here so, Orcaws asks Piers who he is, that has con∣querd, and yet asks for pardon?
that Of me hast here victorie,
And therto Mercy here me Crye;
For it is A ful gret Merveyl to Me.
the Conqwerour to þe scomfyt ȝolden to be."
"Sire, quod Piers Anon Ryht,
I am here to-forn ȝow bothe man and knyht,
and I-born hennes A fer Contre,
Of Ierusalem, that Grete Cyte;
And therto, sire Piers it is My Name, Piers tells him his name,
and Cristene I am, and Of that fame;
but me befyl An Aventure, how he was wounded,
Sire kyng, ful Sikerly I ȝow Ensure,
so that I Entrede Into ȝowre Castel and got into the castle,
Not longes Agon, I wot ful wel;
and ful Evel I was wonded before,
which that did me ful Mochel sore.
but, thanked be God and ȝoure dowhter so dere, and was cured by the leech and the princess.
Al Myn Rekeur hadde I there,
and thorwgh A Cristene that is ȝowre presoner
whiche that ȝe In preson kepen ther.
For siker I wende to han ben ded
Of my wonde þat I hadde In that sted;
but, Gromesty God and that good Man,
Al hel and fers he Made me than.
And whanne that hol that I was,
thanne herde I tellen In that plas
how that ȝe A bane dyde Crye How he heard that a knight was wanted to fight at the bridge,
thorwgh-Owt ȝoure lond ful hastilye,
Atte the Brigge to Iusten with A knyht
that was A Man Of so Mochel Myht.
and Al so sone as that I Myhte
harneys geten Of ȝoure dowhter so bryhte, and how he got armour from the princess.
I me hyder hiede ful sone;
but I ne wyste how it gan gone,
For siker I ne scholde han Comen here
and I hadde knowen In Ony Manere
that it hadde been ȝowre persone,
I scholde ȝow han lefft here Alone,
For the grete benefit that I haue
Of ȝoure dowhter, so Crist hire save;
and þerfore, that I haue don be vnknowenge,
Of forȝevenesse I preye ȝow, sire kynge." Again Piers asks Orcaws to forgive him.
and the kyng him forȝaf with-Owten Faylle
So þat with Marahan he wolde taken bataille.
thanne seide Piers to þe kyng Ageyn,
"Forto haven ȝowre love I wile Certeyn Orcaws asks him to fight Marahans, which Piers undertakes.
putten my lyf In Aventure
Aȝens kyng Marahan, I ȝow Ensure."
Thanne the kyng gan him behete
Many Gwerdoins bothe goode & grete,
and what thing that he wolde Crave,
thowgh his kyngdom, that he wolde haue:
but that he wolde For non thing
that kyng Marahan hadde knoweng Marahans is not to know that Piers is a Christian, or he would not fight with him.
that ȝif A Cristene Man he were,
thanne Marahan nolde fyhte with him there;
"for thanne myhte he Refusen with-Owten faille
with ȝow to fyhten In bataylle;
For that ȝe ben not Of this lay,
þerfore he may ȝow refusen In fay."
Anon Piers the kyng Ensured he
That Neuere discoverid schold it be.
Thanne putten they here swerdis bothe vpe in fere,
and vndyr that Brygge Rested hem there, Piers and Orcaws rest together under the bridge till night, and
In a gret deseise there bothe two,
Tyl that the day was Al A-go.
and whanne It was with-Inne the Nyht,
To hors bak they wenten A-Non Ryht,
and to the Castel gonnen they to go then go secretly back to the castle,
that they bothen ferst Comen fro,
Al so prevyly as that they Myhte,
that they scholde Comen In non Mannes syhte,
Neþer non Man knowen Of here Comenge, unknown to any man but the steward.
Sauf Only the steward Of the kynge
that Abod vppon hise lord,
Lyk As It Was be here Owne Acord;
and Anon there lyhten they Adown,
bothe the kyng and Ek Perown [Fr. pierron; but pierres in l. 795];
and they Onharmed hem þere Anon.
the kyng Aftyr his dowhter sente thus son; Orcaws sends for his daughter,
and whanne to-forn him that sche was gon,
the kyng his dowhter Axede Anon,
"damysele, he seide, knowe ȝe this knyht?" and asks if she knows Piers.
sche wolde it haue I-heled with Al hire Myht:
"Nay, faire dowhter, haue ȝe non drede,
Ȝe nede not hym to helen for this dede; She is afraid, and would conceal it, but Orcaws bids her not to be afraid,
wherfore, I preye ȝow, dowhter dere,
That ȝif Evere ȝe Maden him Ony good chere,
that An hundred fold bettere ȝe now do, but to take a hundred times better care of Piers than before,
For he to Me Aqwyteth hym so:
For the beste knyht Of þe world Is he,
And this day in bataille hat Ouercomen Me;
And More-Ouer to Me hath he mad Surawnce as he is going to fight Marahans.
with Marahans to fyhten Into the Owtraunce."
thanne that damysele Made gret Ioyeng
whanne he had hire told that tydyng;
and ȝif Evere sche dide hym Servise to-fore,
Aftyr sche dyde An hundred part More.
Thanne leches weren sent Aftyr Anon The leeches come and examine the wounds of Piers and king Orcaws,
Alle here woundes to serchen Echon,
For þere-Offen hadden they gret plente
Of grete and smale, As they myhten se.
and whanne the leches gan hem beholde,
and hem serched ful Many folde,
they boden hem Abasched Nothing to be,
For Al hol scholden they ben sykerle;
and with-Inne xvj dayes & xvj Nyht and say they will soon be well and jolly.
they scholde ben bothe Ioly & lyht,
so þat Er the day Come Of Bataylle,
Al heyl to been with-Owten faille.
Thus Cam Sire Piers In knowelechinge Orcaws and Piers
with kyng Orkaws with-Owten lesynge,
and Eche A day I-Served with Riche deynte
As thowh Ryht A kyng he hadde I-be.
And whanne the day of Bataille Aproched Ny,
They gonnen hem Arayen ful hastyly,
and to horsbak they gonne hem dyhte
with A gret Compenye, I ȝow plyhte, start for London with a great com∣pany,
and to Londone they Gonnen to Ryde,
To kepen here day þere At that tyde.
& whanne to Londone that they weren Gon,
there fownden kyng Marahans Anon and find Marahans at king Lucye's court.
In the Cowrt to-forn kyng lucye,
his Apel there forto Complye.
whanne kynge lwcye kyng Orkaws say,
he hym Anon Axede with-Owten delay, Lucye asks if Orcaws will fight himself,
'Ȝif that the bataylle he wolde Entren there,
Othir Anothir for hym, as was þe Manere.' or by a champion.
Thanne Sire Piers, that was so dowhty A knyht,
To-forn hem Alle he presede Anon Ryht, Piers takes up Orcaws's quarrel against Mara∣hans.
and Aȝens kyng Marahans put his Gage—
As A worthy knyht ful Of Corage—
For kyng Orkaws to fyhten there,
and him defende with schel[d] and spere.
Anon kyng Lwcye bothe here Gages took
with Ryht good wille, & not forsook.
Thanne they Of kyng Lucyes howshold The servants of Lucye inquire who Piers is,
Comen to Enqweren be Manyfold
'what he was that scholde Fyhte
Aȝens kyng Marahans þat was so wyhte;'
but non Man Of the kynges paleys there but nobody knows,
Ne wisten not what Man Sire Piers were,
But that they seyden Amonges hem Alle
that he was A knyght Of kyng Orkaws halle.
"Now, Certein, quod Al that Compenye,
vs thinketh this knyht doth gret Folye, and they think him very rash.
Aȝens kyng Marahans þe bataylle to take,
that In Al this lond he ne hath non Make;
wherefore we supposen vtterlye
hym hadde ben bettere han left his Compenie."
Thus telleden they of Perown there
that knewen ful lytel Of his Manere.
and whanne that Comen was the day of bataylle, The fight begins between Piers and Marahans.
To-Gideris they sembleden with-Owten faylle,
So that there was be-twixen hem two
Many Crwel Strokes with peyne and Wo,
that Merveille it was forto beholde
the prowesse Of tho knyhtes so bolde;
and from it was pryme Of the day They fight from prime till past noon.
they fowhten tyl it was past noon In fay;
For with gret prowesse & poyntes so fers
he gan him to defende from Sire Piers.
for whanne Marahans knew Of Pierses Myht,
he him defendyd with Many strong fyht;
but Atte laste Ende trewely
his defens ne vailled him not sekerly,
For Sire Piers hym slowhe there in the feeld, At last Piers kills Marahans,
and stille there lay ded vndir hys Scheld;
and there Sire Piers smot Of his hed, cuts off his head,
& bar it to kyng lucye In that sted,
And seyde to hym In this Manere,
"Sire kyng, this dede haue I don here
to Aqwyten kyng Orkaws In this feeld and acquits Orcaws of treason.
Of tresowne that Marahans him Apelyd."
"Certes, sire," quod kyng lucye tho,
"Ful worthily here, Syre, hauen ȝe do,
and Aqwyt ȝow In Alle degre
As A knyht ful Of Chevalre,
and here to-Fore Alle My Baronye
Ȝe han ȝow qwyt Ful dowhtylye;
And On the beste knyht ȝit ȝe be Lucye thinks Piers the best knight he ever saw,
that Evere Sawh I, Certeynle;
wherfore, And it were to ȝow non Noysaunce,
I wolde han som Of ȝowre Aqweyntawnce." and desires more acquaintance with him,
"Sire kyng, Gladliche it May wel be
that Myn Aqweyntaunce haven scholen ȝe;
but In this Contre I ne schal not Abyde,
Sauf As lytel As I May this Tyde."
and whanne kyng Lucye say it wolde not be, but Piers does not wish to stay in the country.
that he not wolde taryen In that Contre,
thanne kyng Orkaws took he Asyde,
And preide hym that Ilke tyde
"that Er viij dayes fulfillyd were, Lucye proposes to pay Orcaws a visit.
At ȝoure Castel I schal speken him there,
For Mochel desire I now trewelye
to knowen som Of his Chevalrye;
and Ek Aqweynted with him to be,
I sey ȝow, kyng Orkaws, ful sekerle."
thanne kyng Orkaws Answeryd As þe hende,
"Sire, I hope there schole ȝe hym fynde."
Thus from Londone they departyd Anon, Orcaws and Piers go home,
And to his Owne Castel Gan he to gon,
So that kyng Orkaws ful Ioyful was,
and Ek Alle his Meyne In that plas,
Of his Speed and Of his Iorne
that was I-don At Londone Cyte.
And whanne to his Castel that he Cam, and when they reach the castle,
Aȝens hem tho wente Many A Man,
& Of Sire Piers Maden ful gret Ioye there there is great rejoicing for the victory.
that he hadde born hym In swich Manere,
For they knewen wel In Certayn
That a worthy knyght he hadde I-slayn.
Whanne the thrydde day Was Agon,
thanne seide kyng Orkaws to Piers Anon, Orcaws asks Piers to choose his reward for his services.
"Sire Piers, ȝe han me don Good Servise,
And I Myhte it ȝow qwyten In Ony Gyse;
but Axeth Of Me what ȝe welen Crave,
and be my CreAwnce ȝe scholen it haue:
And ȝif it be In My powere,
what that Evere ȝe Axen here."
"Sire, quod Piers Ageyn hym to,
Myn Askynge ȝe mown ful Esely do:
For non Good Of ȝowre ne wil I haue, Piers will not have goods or money.
Nether Of non Richesse ne wil I Crave;
but On thing that ȝe wolde don for me
whiche schal profyten ȝow In Eche degre."
thanne kyng Orkaws Answerid hym Ageyn
that he it wolde don In Certeyn.
"Now, Sire, non thing Ellis I Axe Of the,
but Cristene Man that thou wilt be,
and forsaken now thy fals lay He asks Orcaws to forsake his false faith,
that thou hast worschepid Many A day;"
and be-gan him forto schewe
Of Cristes passiown with-Inne A throwe,
and the holy vangelye gan him vndo,
And Of Other poyntes Manye Mo;
so þat with-Inne two dayes Aftyr Sewynge and so preaches to him, that in two days he is converted.
he browhte hem Alle to Cristenynge,
and Reneyeden the Sarasynes lay
that they hadden kept ful Many A day.
and there sente he Aftyr An Ermyt Anon, A hermit is sent for,
and lete hem Cristenen there Everichon.
thanne the kyng that Orkaws I-Clepid was,
his Name was torned In that plas,
and 'Lamet' In baptesme Clepid was he, who baptizes the king as Lamet and his daughter as Camylle.
And his dowhter 'Camylle' Certeynle.
thanne, for the love Of the kyng,
they Of the Contre Maden gret Beldyng,
And A Cyte they gonne to Make, A city is built in honour of the king, and calld Orkanye.
And 'Orkanye' It Clepyd for his sake.
Whanne that Cristened Alle they were
For the Moste part In that Rem there,
Thanne kyng Lamet seyde In his wyse
To Sire Piers, that knyht Of pryse,
"Now, Sire Piers, Myn Owne Frende
that to Me han ben so good & hende,
Now that I have Fulfild to the
Alle that Evere thow hast Axed Of Me,
therfore, Sire, herteliche I ȝow preye King Lamet asks Piers to grant him a request.
that myn Request ȝe welen not denye."
thanne seide sire Piers ful Sekirly,
'that his Reqwest he ne schold deny Piers promises to do so.
Ȝif that It were In his powere
Ony thing that he myhte don there.'
"I ȝow beseche thanne, quod the kyng,
that ȝe wolden fulfillen now myn Axyng:
My dowhter Camylle that ȝe wolden take Lamet asks him to marry Camylle,
To ȝowre wyf, Sire, for my sake;
For sche is I-comen Of kyng & qwene, and then he shall be heir to the kingdom.
and þerto A good womman with-Owten wene;
And I schal ȝow Sesen In Al Myn lond,
and Maken hem Buxom to ȝowre hond;
& ȝyf thus, Sire Piers, it Myhte be,
there nas neuere thing so Ioyful to Me
as ȝow tweyne to ben knyt In Maryage,
So worthy persones Of so hy parage."
thanne him Answerid Sire piers ful stille,
"Sire, sethen ȝe han fulfyld My wille, Piers is very willing.
Ȝowre Askyng gladliche, Sire, wile I do,
I Sey ȝow Sykerle with-Owten Mo."
Thanne the kyng thanked hym Often Sithe,
and Of that tydynge was Ioyful and blythe;
and thus sone he sente aftyr this Mayde They send for the maiden,
& tolde hire how this Gentyl knyht hadde saide,
So that Ensured thanne bothe they were, and she and Piers are betrothd.
And for the Mariages they Ordeyned there.
And happede that Aȝens the day Of weddynge On their wedding day king Lucye arrives, and is much surprisd to find them all Christians.
Thedyr was Comen Sire Lwcye the kynge,
and Merveillede that Alle I-Cristened weren there
In so schort tyme sethen to-gederis they were;
Ȝit Neuertheles he desirede so Sore
To knowen Sire Piers And Of his lore,
and forto haven his Aqweyntawnce
he ne wolde not leven for Al this Chawnce.
So that In the Cyte of Orkanye The marriage takes place. King Lucye remains there for eight days.
was this Maryage ful Ryalye;
and there kyng Lwcye Abod viij dayes
Fulliche, As this Storye here Sayes,
To beren Sire Piers þere Compenye
that was so worthy In Chevalrye;
For the kyng him preisede so wel
Of Bewte & bounte Euerydel,
so that neuer wheche he Say
So Mochel him pleside be hys lay.
And Er the viij dayes I-past they were,
Sire Piers kyng Lwcye so preched there, Piers preaches to him, and converts him and all his com∣pany.
And Al his Compenye Ek therto
that thike tyme with hym comen tho,
& hem gan schewen Cristes lawe,
where-Offen kyng lwcye was ful fawe;
So that Cristened thanne wolde he be
be swych A Covenaunt As I schal tellen the, King Lucye makes a covenant
with this, that Piers In Compenye with Piers, to be his brother in arms and, chivalry.
with kyng Lwcye wil holden Chevalrye;
And herto Swrawnce to þe kyng he Made,
where-Offen that Meyne weren ful glade;
and þat he wolde hym loven Aboven Alle Othir,
As love scholde ben be-twene brothir & brothir.
Thus kyng Lwcye there Cristened was So King Lucye is christend,
And his Meyne Also In that plas;
Thorwh the teching Of Sire Perown,
thus weren they Crestened Alle In-virown,
As witnesseth Sire Robert Borron here as both Sir Robert de Borron says,.
that from latyn to Frensch translated this Matere.
and Ek the Olde Storye Recordeth Also and also the old story records.
That In this Manere this was I-do;
And ȝit Neuertheles Brwtes Storye Nevertheless the story of Brut says nothing of Sir Piers, so it is clear that he who drew this story out in Romance knew little about the St Graal, or the story of Sank Ryal.
Of Sire Piers ne Maketh non Memorye;
For it Is ful Syker, with-Owten dowte,
that he which In Romawnce this drow Owte,
he knew ful lytel Of Seynt Graal,
Owther Of the Storye Of Sank Ryal;
And therefore noman Merveille hym here
thowgh of Sire Piers he speketh not there;
but they ne Connen not hem Excuse,
Neuere owt Of this storye him to Refuse.
Ryht longe lyvede Sire Piers there Piers lives a long and worthy life,
In worthinesse and strengthe, In diuers Manere;
and vppon his wyf there be-gat he
A worthy Eyr In Alle Maner degre;
And Herlawnt was that Childes Name, and has a noble heir calld Her∣lawnt.
A vayllawnt knyht, And Of gret Fame.
For whanne to harmes that he Cam,
he wax A worthy Chevalrows Man;
And whanne that Sire Piers ded was, Piers dies,
he Comaunded his Meyne In that plas
In Orkanye hym forto Entere, and is burid at Orkanye in St Philip's church.
In A Chirche Of Seynt Phelyp there;
that be his lyve he dyde Don Make
In Worschepe Of God And Seint Phelyppes sake;
and thus Entered there he was
with Mochel worschepe In that plas,
and Aftyr his deth his sone harlan Herlawnt succeeds him,
the Regne Aftyr hym ReIoysched than,
and Anon kyng was Crowned there;
& þerto A good Man in Many Manere,
and wedded þe kynges dowhter Of Irland, marries the daughter of the king of Ireland,
& On hire begat, As I vndirstond,
An Eyr that A kyng I-Crowned was,
A worthy knyht In Every plas,
hos Name was Callid Melyan, and has a son calld Melyan, a worthy knight,
that was A Chevalrows & A worthy Man.
and Of Melyan descended Anothir kyng,
A worthy Man In Alle thing from whom descends Agrestes,
hos Name þat was Agristes,
A worthy Man In Every ples,
and þerto bothe wys and Redy; who is both wise and ready, and marries a fair wife.
and to his wyf A fayre lady,
A womman Gentyl & Of hy parage,
and þerto I-Comen Of gret lynage;
so that On hire begat an Eyr of fame,
kyng hedor Aftir was his name.
and this hedor was On Of þe beste knyhtes His son's name is Hedor,
that Evere In Orkanye was In fyhtes,
& wedded þe kynges dowhter Of Northgales, who marries the daughter of the king of North Wales, and begets a son,
As In this Manere vs scheweth these tales;
And An Eyr On hire Engendred he
that Aftyr kyng was Of Orkane;
And kyng loot thanne was his Name, King Loot,
A worthy Man & Of gret Fame;
& On Of kyng Arthures kyn weddede he,— who marries a relation of King Arthur's,
which was A man Of gret powste—
and sche was lady faire and gent.
& on hire he Engendrede verament
Foure sones ful trewelye, and has four sons:
As Recordith this Storye,—
Of wheche the ferste Gawneyns hyhte, Gawain, who is a good knight, but too lecherous;
that was A worthy Man In fyhte,
but that luxoryows he was,
A gret vys In Every plas.
The secund ne was not so worthy A knyht,
And Granayns be his Name he hyht, Granayns, who is proud, but not such a good knight;
and þerto A prowd Man was he,
but not to Comende for Chevalre.
the thrydde brothir hyhte Gwerrehes, Gwerrehes,
A worthy Man In Every pres, a worthy man,
and longe Endurede In travaille;
but Atte laste with-Owten faille
Ful velenosly he was Slayn who is at last slain by Bors:
be Boort Oþer lawncelot In Certeyn.
The fowrthe brothir, was his Name
Gahenet, A man Of Fame.
this Gahenet was a worthy knyht, and Gahenet,
bothe trewe and stedfast In Every fyht;
and this of the fowre bretheren wisest was, the wisest of the four brothers.
this forseid Gahanet In every plas.
but ȝyt Cam he neuere to Gaweyn,
As this storye seyth Certein.
but thanne was there On Mordret, There was also one Mordret, sup∣posed to be Loot's son,
that men Supposen hadde ben be-get
Be-twene kyng Loot and his wif;
but it was to-foren with-Owten stryf, but really born of Arthur and his sister,
kyng Arthewr On his Soster Engendrid hym, As the holders of Arthur's perfectness choose to ignore this traditional sin of their hero's, while they are willing enough to accept as true, Guinevere's traditional offence, I have added Lonelich's version of De Borron's account of the matter in an Appendix; though, of course, 'Sire Robert' may not be the author of Merlin.
As Manye bokys it telleth In Rym;
For he wende the Maiden Of Yrland it hadde be, whom he mistook for the maiden of Ireland.
whanne that to his Soster wente he.
and whanne that he knew Apertly
that with his Soster he hadde synned fleschly, Both Arthur and his sister repented
Thanne Repented they hem Wondir Sore
Of that dede they hadden don thore. bitterly of their incest.
but this was Er he weddede Gonnore, This was before Arthur wedded Gonnore.
That A worthy lady was, and Of good lore.
Now here Mown ȝe sen In Certeyn,
the Generacioun bothe hol and pleyn;
And how that Gaweyn Of þe lyne Cam So you see how Gawain was descended from Joseph of Arimathea.
Of Iosephes Fr. ioseph, English MS. Ioseps, with a curl over the p. It must mean Josephes, as in the next chapter, l. 68, the same Iosep's occurs, with '& his fadyr' after it. Of Armathie, that Good Man;
and this Supposeth not the peple here;
but It is thus In Alle Manere.
And now leveth here this Storye
& of Al this lyne ful Sekerlye,
and Only torneth to Iosephes Agayn Now the story returns to Josephes.
As here Aftyr ȝe scholen heren ful pleyn.
CHAPTER LVI. OF CELIDOYNE AND HIS DEATH, AND THE GOOD KING LANCELOT. OF THE BLEEDING TOMB, AND THE END OF THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY GRAAL.
How Nasciens, Flegentyne, and Sarracynte, all die in one day, and the two Queens are burid in the Abbey where Mordreins lies bed-ridden (p. 341); but Nasciens with his shield is carrid to another Abbey; and no man till Galahad can take away the shield (p. 341-2). How Celi∣doyne knights his son Narpus, and is so great in Alms∣deeds, that, if all the world had been his, he'd have given it away in alms (p. 342). And he was very learned in Astronomy (p. 342), and saw in the stars that a Famine was coming; so he sent his steward to buy Corn (p. 343), and the people mockt him; but they were provd Fools, and he a wise man (p. 343), for the famine came and killd half the people; and some foreigners (Saxons) agreed to invade Britain, take the corn, and destroy the inhabitants (p. 343-4). But Celidoyne sees it all in the stars, and assembles his Barons (p. 344). Narpus advises an ambush in a forest (p. 345), and one is laid. The enemy land, but Celidoyne's men attack them in three bodies, and the men of Sessoigne are all killd (p. 346-7). Celidoyne is afterwards burid at Camelot (p. 347). His son Narpus begets Nasciens, and Nasciens begets Elayne the Gros (p. 347), who begets Isaies, and he begets Jonas, and Jonas marries the daughter of king Murionex of Wales, and on her begets Avme (p. 347-8), who begets Launcelot, and he has two sons, Bans (of Baynoic) and Brons (p. 348). Bans has three sons, one Hestor a bastard, the others Lancelot and Boors; and Boors begets Lyoniax and young Boors (p. 348). Of the grandfather Lancelot, hear this: he lovd purely a beautiful wedded dame, whose tresses shone like torchlight (p. 349), and he often went to see her. But people 'Acombered with the devil' wrongly said they lovd in sin, and excited the Duke, the lady's husband, to be revengd on Lancelot (p. 350). Now, on Good Friday, King Lancelot went barefoot through the Forest Perilous (p. 351), and, having con∣fesst his sins, was drinking at a well, when the Duke cut his head off (p. 351), and then tried to get the head out of the well to insult it more; but God made the water boil, so that it burnt his hands, and he couldn't (p. 352). On his way home, a youth told him that such darkness had come on his Castle that no man could see another (p. 352), and on his entering the Castle 'a gret kernel of ston' killd him, and all that assented to the murder (p. 353). The well ever boils, and the tomb over Lance∣lot sheds blood every day at the time his head was cut off, which blood cures people of all their wounds (p. 353).
But one day two lions fight there for the carcase of a hart (p. 354), and tear one another till neither recks of his life; then one licks the blood of the tomb, and is curd; and the other, seeing this, gets curd too, and they make peace, and guard the tomb, so that no one can come to be heald at it (p. 354-5), till Lancelot de Lake kills them (p. 355).
Now, I have made an end of this (Graal) Story, and must begin another, called Prophet Merlin, translated by Robert of Borrown out of Latin into French, and joined with Sank Ryal (p. 355); therefore pray a Pater-Noster for me, Herry Lonelich, and greet our Lady with an Ave that I may bring this book to a good end (p. 356).
Now Scheweth forth this Storye
and putteth vs into More memorye;
For whanne that Iosephes hens scholde pase, After the burial of Josephes
Nasciens And Celidoigne weren In that plase,
And Ek Narpus the sone of Celidoygne,
A ful worthy knyht In Certaygne.
and whanne this terement was I-do [Fr. Quant iosephes fu enteres.],
thanne Anon Celidoygne wente hem fro, Celidoyne goes away.
and sire Nasciens with Mordreyns lefte Sikerle
To beren hym Felischepe and Compeyne;
and so that Aftyr It happede, As I ȝow Say,
that Alle thre they deyden In On day, Nasciens, and Flegentyne, and Mordreins's queen, Sarracynte, all die in one day.
bothe Nasciens and Flegentyne his wyf,
and Also Mordreins qwene there left hire lyf,
that Noble qwene Sarracynte,
Of Goddis Servise Neuere sche stynte.
Thus bothe the ladyes Enterid were Both the queens are burid in the abbey, where Mordreins lies bedrid,
In that same Abbey with-Owten dwere
where As Mordrayns bedered lay;
bothe weren they Enterid In On day.
but Nasciens liked not there for to be, but Nasciens in another abbey,
but to Anothir Abbey was born Sekerle;
and with him was born that Scheld with the shield that no knight may use.
that non knyht ne dorste be-weld;
and ȝit Cam thedyr ful Many A knyht Many knights attempt to wear it.
For that scheld there to proven his Myht;
but Abowtes his Nekke henge it neuere Man
but Er he thens wente Repented than,
that Owther Of sodeyn deth they deiden Anon, but they either die,
Owther som Othir Mischevis fyl hem vppon,
that with-Inne Schort tyme I-Maymed they were, or some mis∣fortune comes to them;
Owther som Othir Misaventure to hem Cam there.
and thus In that Abbey lefte theke scheld stille so the shield waits in the abbey for the coming of the good knight Galshad.
tyl that worthy knyht Cam, As was goddis wille,
That hyghte worthy Galaaz, Lawncelottes sone,
That Abowtes his Nekke henge it Anone.
Now Of this scheld Resteth this Storye,
and Aȝen to Celydoygne doth it hye. The MS. makes a new Chapter here.
Whanne Celydoygne from his Fadyr partyd was, Celidoyne and Narpus his son
he took forth Narpus his Sone A ful gret pas,
and to-gedris wenten I Compeneye go to the land which Mordreins had given Celi∣doyne.
Into that lond ful certaynlye
that toforen kyng Mordreins him hadde betake;
and there Narpus his sone A knyht gan he Make; Celidoyne knights Narpus, and lives twelve years in peace.
and dwelled there xij ȝer In pes and Reste,
And that Lond wel Governede with the best,
So that non Regne that by hym was,
dorste with hym werre In Non plas.
he lovede God ful Enterly, He loves God and gives much aims to his people;
and mochel Almesdede ded he trewly;
For so gret Of Almesse he was
that to peple wolde he ȝeven In Every plas;
and so ful he was Of Almesdede
that he wolde Stynten In non stede;
thowgh Al the world hadde ben his,
to Almesse it scholde han gon I-wys.
And so Mochel he knew Of Astronomye he also knows the stars, and sees in them what will happen.
and ek Of the Corps of þe sterris sekerlye,
So that he knew what scholde beFalle;
And so that Amonges Othir thinges Alle,
As the sterres he beheld, I ȝow Ensure,
þere say he A wondyr Aventure;
For there Sawhe he sekerly and In Certaigne Celidoyne sees a great famine coming on Britain,
a famyne that Schold fallen In gret Bretaygne;
So that for hunger men Scholden deye
but ȝif it were Remedyed be Other weye.
Thanne spak he to his Styward Anon,
and bad ful faste that he schulde gon and bids his steward go and buy corn as quickly as may be.
and taken his tresour, where so it were,
& Al abowtes the Contre to Serchen there,
there-with Cornes To beyen, and faste him spede.
"Sire, quod his Steward, it Nys non nede,
For Of Cornes ȝe haven, Sire, gret plente,
More thanne be ȝoure howshold spendid schal be The steward says he has more than enough for two years;
Of Ony tymes this two ȝer;
Of Cornes ȝe haven both hol & feer."
"Sire steward, what is that the vntylle
Go forth, and My wyl þou fulfille!
For it Is My Wylle that It be so;
therfore the hye that It were do."
thanne wente the steward forth Anon
that Al the kynges Comaundement were don;
and bowhte In Cornes bothe fer & Ny, but Celidoyne makes him go and buy quanti∣ties of corn.
and stuffed that lond ful plentevowsly.
Of this dede the kyng hadde don,
the peple þer-offen spoken Manyon, The people laugh at him;
and seiden "for hunger the kyng weneth deye,
and thus they him scorned be many weye.
but Atte laste Foles weren they fownde,
and he A wisman In that stownde;
For er theke ȝer Cam to an Ende, but before the year is out, a famine comes, and half the people begin to die.
Swich famyne In to gret Breteygne gan wende,
that half the peple Gan forto deye
For hunger and Misseise sekerlye.
thanne to hem kam Message Anon,
and seide, "lordynges, ȝif ȝe wil gon
Into that partye of gret Bretaygne They hear that there is food in Celidoyne's land,
whiche that holdeth kyng Celydoygne;
there scholen ȝe fynden ful gret plente
Of Cornes And Of viawndes ful sekerle."
And whanne they herden this tydyng,
Anon they wenten hem to Conseillyng
To weten what was best to doon;
And thus sone they Acordid Anon
Into that Rem Alle forto Ryde
with strengthe Of Armes and mochel pryde, and resolve to make a raid upon it and destroy it.
and that lond forto distroye,
& bothe Men, wommen & Children to Anoye,
and Alle the goodes In that Contre;
this was here purpos ful Sikirle.
and thus to schepe gonne they gon They take ship to do so.
with hors and harneys Everychon.
and thike same Nyht with-Owten dwere
that In to the See I-scheped they were,
Celydoigne On the sterres gan to beholde, Celidoyne sees their coming in the stars,
and Sawhe there Merveilles Manifolde:
that there Comen Into his lond
with hors and harneys, as I vndyrstond,
Forto disherite hym Of his good.
but As grace was, he hym with-stood,
and sente Abowtes In to eche Contre and sends out to all his barons and knights to meet him
To Alle his Barouns both fer and Nye,
And Ek to Alle his knyhtes Also
that Ony Lond Of hym helden tho,
that the thrydde day they scholden be on the third day at a castle by the sea,
with hym Atte A Castel vppon the se,
where that he Supposede In Certayn where he expects his foes to land.
that tho Schepis Scholde Aryve ful pleyn.
thanne sore Merveilled these Barowns Echon,
what that the kyng wolde there don,
So that they hieden him faste In hye
Tyl to that Castel they Comen trewelye
vppon the secund day Er þe Owr of pryme, They meet him upon the second day,
and ȝit was Celidoygne there to fore tyme.
Whanne that Alle Assembled they were,
thanne seide kyng Celidoygne to hem there,
"Lordinges, vndirstonde ȝe Owht
why so sone ȝe hider ben browht?"
"Nay, Syker, Lord, with-Owten lye but they do not know what he wants them for.
We ne knowen wherfore ne whye,
But ȝif It lyke ȝow vs to seye;
and there-Offen, Sire, we scholen ȝow preye."
"and I schal tellen Ryht Anon to ȝow Celidoyne tells them that by the first cock crow much people shall come to attack them,
thyng that schal tornen to ȝoure prow.
"this same Nyht Atte ferst kok Crowe
Moche peple scholen ȝe sen vppon A rowe,
And Al so strong As they Mown gon
here scholen they Aryven Everichon.
and weteth wel that In Certayn,
Oure londis they Casten to wasten ful pleyn,
For they han foure men Aȝens Oure On; and asks what must be done about it?
þerfore bethenk ȝow what ȝe wyl don.
Owthir scholen we þis tyme Oure Rem wynne,
Owthir ellis clene þere from to twynne."
whanne Narpus that knew non thyng of this,
Anon he seyde with-Owten Mys,
And to his Fadyr he seide Ryht there,
"Of this thing haue ȝe non Fere. Narpus advises that they hide themselves in the forest,
here to-Foren there is A Forest
Ful hygh and strong with the best,
and þedyr In Armure scholen we Entren Echon,
Al so sone As Nyht Cometh vs vppon,
and there Alle we scholen Abyde
tyl they Aryven this Ilke tyde;
For I knowe wel ful verrayly till the enemy has landed,
that they wele londen ful Sekerly,
And Also vnschepen Al here good
that they haven In the salte flood,
As thowgh nothing that they wyste
Of Owre Abydyng: to me ȝe Tryste.
and whanne from here Schepis that they ben gon,
vppon hem we scholen Entren Anon,
On partye to-fore, & Anothyr behynde, and then attack them both before and behind, and cut them off from their ships.
and from here Schepis we scholen hem blynde;
and whanne thus sodeynly we Comen hem vppon,
they scholen not weten what to don."
To this Cownseil they Concentyd Alle, They all agree to this,
and seiden that betere It myht not falle,
and that Otherwise it Myhte not be
Forto be Avenged Of that Meyne.
So that whanne It Cam to the Nyht,
they wenten to Armes Every wyht, arm themselves, and hide in the forest.
And Entreden In to thike Forest,
Alle the Baronage bothe lest & Mest,
and leften but fewe In that Castel,
that forto Governen wondirly wel.
thanne Anon, Aftyr the ferst kok krowe,
these schepis Aryvede vppon A Rowe; The ships arrive, the warriors dis∣embark
and whanne Owt Of here schepis that thei weren gon,
Into a faire Medwe they Entred Anon,
And Comanded here Men, I ȝow Ensure,
Forto don bringen hem here Armure; and send for their armour.
and whanne that they with-Inne the Forest
thowhten whanne here tyme was best,
they prekeden here hors with gret Ire Then the ambush rushes out upon them;
As swyft As Sparkle Owt Of fyre;
bothe with lawnce and Ek with swerd,
that ilke Meyne they Maden Aferd.
and whanne they wolde han torned Ageyn and when the invaders would get back to their ships, they are attackt by another body of Celidoyne's men.
streith to here Schepis In Certeyn;
thanne Metten they with A nothir Meyne
That they Weren not War Offen Sykerle;
So that with Scharpe dyntes Inowe,
that hedis & hondis Into that feld flowe.
thanne to the Castel wolde they han gon, The defenders of the castle also come out,
For Owt they wenden han ben Echon;
thanne Entrede þere-Owt A gret Rowte,
and that Meyne fyl Al Abowte.
and therto the Mone schon ful bryht,
that they myhte knowe Eche wyht;
so þat on hem Of Sessoigne fil the scomfiture,
For vnarmed they weren, & no thing sure,
and so sore Abasched Also they were, and all the Sessoigners are slain.
that Echon weren they Slayn there.
And thus savede Celidoygne his lond So Celidoyne twice saves his land.
be tweyne skelis, ȝe Mown vndirstond,
bothe from famyne & Ek his Enemyes,
thus his lond there savede he twyes.
and whanne that he was ded, God it wot, He dies, and is burid at Camelot.
he was beried and Entered At kamalot.
and Aftyr hym was Crowned kyng
his Sone Narpus, with-Owten lesyng. His son Narpus succeeds,
whiche Same Narpus A son he hadde,
That Nasciens, be cristeneng Clepen he badde; and has a son calld Nasciens (the Second),
that In his tyme was A worthy Man,
For A bettyr body non Man knew than.
and Of this Nasciens there Cam Isswe
A worthy Body bothe good and trewe
wheche that was clepid Elayne the Gros, whose son is calld Elayne the Gros, a worthy man.
A ful worthy Man and Of gret los.
and ȝif that his fadyr A good Man were,
Ȝit bettere was he, As I Can lere;
For moche levere he hadde ded to be,
that Ony thing to mysplesen God sekerle.
thanne Of this Eleyns decendid A kyng From him de∣scends a king calld Isaies.
that Isaies hyhte with-Owten lesyng,
that worschepede his God In Alle degre,
and for non thing neuere wroth sekerle.
the Fyfthe kyng, that of Isaies decended than, The fifth king that descends from Isaies is calld Jonas.
hyhte Ionas, That was ryht A worthy Man;
and therto he was An hardy knyht,
and ful Of prowesse in Eche fyht;
and holy Chirche he worschepede ay,
With Al his Myht and strengthe Evereich a day.
thanne Owt of gret Breteygne he gan to gone,
and Into wales he wente thus sone, He goes to Wales, and marries the daughter of Maroniex the king of Wales.
and wedded the kynges dowhter dere
that hyhte Maroniex with-Owten dwere;
On whom he be-gat the kyng Avme, Her son is Aume, the king of Wales.
that kyng of wales was Sikerle.
and this kyng Avme longe lyved there,
and þere A sone he hadde, As ȝe scholen here, His son is Lancelot,
whiche that lawncelot was his Name,
A worthy knyht and Of gret Fame,
that Owt Of wales he gan to Gon,
and Entrede Into gret breteygne thus son;
and weddid A kynges dowhter Of Irlonde, who marries the daughter of the king of Ireland,
As I do ȝow to vndirstonde.
this lawncelot hadde Al his fadris good,
and was A Man Of ful gret Mood,
and tweyne sones he hadde that kynges were, and has two sous,
and þerto ful dowhty with-Owten dwere,
the ton hihte baun, the oþer brons hyhte, calld Ban and Brons.
& boþe weren Men Of ful gret Myhte.
This bans Of Baynoic thre sones hadde, Ban has three sons,
as In storye here it is I-Radde,
where-offen On A bastard was,
hos Name it scheweth In this plas;
And hestor that Bastard hyhte, Hestor, a bastard (Fr. hector du mares),
that Aftyr was Man Of gret Myhte;
the tothir, Lawncelot was his Name; Lawncelot,
the thridde hyhte Boors, two men of fame. and Boors.
this Boors Aftyr was A worthy kyng, Boors has two sons,
and hadde twey sones both fair and ȝyng;
the ton, Lyoniax was Clepid ful Ryht, Lyoniax and young Boors.
the tothir, ȝonge Boors, Aftyr A man of Myht.
but Lawncelot, that was the graunt fadyr of Ban, But of Lancelot the grandfather of Ban
Of him Merveilles weren there than
whiche that Owhten not to ben forȝete,
but In Remembraunce It is put ȝite;
and I schal ȝow tellen with good wille are wonderful things told, which should not be forgotten.
what was the Resown and the skylle.
This same man that lawncelot hyhte,
was A man of ful gret Myhte,
and not A bettere with Inne his Rem
that born was Of Ony barntem.
besides the Cyte there he Abod, Beside his city is a fair castle,
A ful fair Castel besides there stood;
where-Inne A lady dwellede In Certeyne wherein dwells a lady marrid to a cousin of Celi∣doyne's.
that was weddid to A Cosyn germeyne
to Selidoygne that worthy kyng,
he was Cosyn with-Owten lesyng;
And the fairest lady forsothe sche was She is the fairest and best woman of Britain,
Of Al grete Bretaygne In Ony plas;
And therto sche was the beste womman
that Ony wyht Owher knew than,
and þerto Of hygh lyf, and Of good,
and Also benygne Of herte & Mood;
and Alwey hire tresses behinden hire was dyht, and her hair shines like torch∣light.
that weren schineng As torche lyht;
For that myhte sche not hyden In non wyse,
It schon so bryht As thing of pryse;
And euere was this lady ful Of Bownte,
and worschepede god In Eche degre;
So that fore hire bownte desired lawncelot King Lancelot desires to know her,
to knowen that lady, As I wel wot;
and so Often tymes hire he wente to se,
And this storye here telles Me;
And for that ladyes gret goodnesse and often goes to see her for the sake of her great goodness.
ful Often tymes he gan thedir prese.
This lawncelot loved this lady ful hot,
and she hym Aȝen, so god It wot,
And Eche Often wenten the tothir to se;
& as Encombred peple ful Sekerle Then the foolish people,
that Syen the Cowntenaunce Of hem tweyne,
vppon hem falsly demede Certaygne,
that with the devel Acombred were, "acombred with the devil,"
On hem they lyeden falsly there;
and seyden þat the kyng lovede that lady hot, say they love each other in folly,
and sche him In folye, kyng lawncelot.
and so long they spoken Of this thing,
So that it Cam to hire lordis hering: and it comes to her lord's ears. One of his brethren advises him to be avengd on King Lancelot.
thanne seide to hym On of his bretheren dere,
Sire, let vs Ones Conseillen In fere,
For sothe ȝe ne werke not worth Also
That suffren kyng LaWncelot thus to do;
that he scholde don ȝow swich velonye,
Ȝowre wyf to loven In lecherye;
and forto don ȝow swich dishonowr,
Owther ȝow velonye to Awayten In Ony Owre;
and ȝif it belonged to me, be my lyve
On hym scholde I ben venged as blyve."
"Now Certes, quod this goodman tho, Her husband is much surprisd, and
I Merveille Sore. And it scholde be so
that the kyng Ony velonye scholde wayten Me, says, if the king has wrongd him, he will be revengd.
Owther Ony schame In Ony degre,
I wolde ben Avenged ful vtterly
vppon his body ful venvageblely."
"Now Mown ȝe schese whethir ȝe wilen Avenged be, His kinsman assures him it is true,
For As ȝow I haue told, it is ful sekerle."
Thanne quod this dewk to hym Ageyn, and the duke vows vengeance.
"On hym schal I ben venged In certeyn
Al so sone As that I may
Tyme and space haue Ony day."
thus here wordis leften they tho,
and Eche from Othir departyd þanne fro.
and this thing happede In the Mydlent,
and Ek passioun tyme was Entred verament, Passion time has begun,
Also the tyme Of Pask Entrede ful Ny.
thanne Cam Often this kyng trewly
To this lady there that sche was, and Lancelot and the lady meet often,
And Ellis wente þis goode lady to his plas;
For they ne loveden In non Synne,
Ne non swich vnclennesse was hem betwynne;
But for the grete delyt that they hadden bothe,
Al Of Goddis Servise to talken for-sothe, and talk of the service of God.
that wondir gret Merveil it was to wyt,
how so gretly boþe there-Inne gonne delyt.
So that it happed it befyl On goode fryday, On Good Friday Lancelot goes barefoot into the Forest Perilous to a
that the kyng Into þe forest Perylouse took þe way,
and Barefoot wente for goddis Sake
whiche that daye for hym deth gan take;
and wente to heren Servise At that tyde,
Of An holy Ermyt there besyde, hermit, and two men with him.
and hym Self but the thridde persone
that In that forest wenten Al Alone,
whanne the kyng to thermytage was Trewely
he And his tweyne felawes In Compenie,
the dewk hym aspyde Anon, The duke sees him, and thinks to be avengd.
And On hym thowhte to ben venged wel son
Of that fal[s] Felonye that he thowhte
that with Cursidnesse Into his herte was browhte.
It happede the kyng hadde herd his servise, Lancelot hears service,
and worschepede his God In Many A wyse,
and Of that Ermyt took Confesciown, confesses to the hermit, and is absolvd,
& for his Synnes penaunce And Absoluciown,
and from thermytage he gan to Gon. and leaves the hermitage. Being thirsty, he stoops to drink at a fountain.
thus sone A gret thurst Cam hym vppon;
thanne tornede he Anon to A fowntaygne
that there besides was In Certaygne.
Anon down he Enclynede to the Brynkke
Of that Fayr water Forto drynkke,
and this dewk Cam hym be-hynde The duke comes treacherously behind him,
As An vntrewe Man and vnkynde,
and with his swerd smot Of his hed, cuts off his head, and it falls into the well.
that Into the welle it Fyl that Sted.
So whanne the hed In the welle he say,
hym thowhte he was wel I-venged that day,
and on the body More Avenged wolde he be;
Anon to the welle he gan to fle,
The hed Aȝen vpe forto han take;
But God Anon WroWhte Myracle For his Sake.
he putte his hond Anon Into the welle, The duke tries to take Lancelot's head out,
that hed vp to taken ful snelle,
and that water that Cold was before,
Anon brenneng hot it be-Cam thore, but the water becomes boiling hot, and scalds the duke's hands.
and with grete walmes [Fr. ondes] it boyllede so faste,
that the dewkes hondis it brende In haste
Er Owt Of the water he myhte hem have:
hym hadde ben bettere they hadden ben Save.
whanne he beheld this Miracle Anon,
thanne wiste he wel that he hadde Evel I-don; Then he sees that he has done evil.
and that god on him veniaunce hadde take,
For that he wrowht the kyng Swich wrake;
thanne seide he to hem that with hym were, He bids his followers bury the body that no man may know what is done.
"let vs beryen this Body now here,
that non Man ne wete how I haue I-do,
how that I thus falsly the kyng dide slo."
whanne that they herden this Ilke thing,
thus sone they dyden his Byddyng;
and to-forn the Ermytage hym Beryed there,
As they Cowden Oþer Myhten with drery Chere;
and thanne towardis here Castel they gonne to gon.
thus sone with A ȝong Child Metten they Anon, They meet a child,
and to the dewk he seide with-Owten lettyng,
"Sire dewk, newe tydynges I do ȝow bryng, who tells the duke that a thick darkness has fallen over his castle at midday.
whiche that ben harde and ful Merveillouse.
at ȝoure Castel there is Swich tenebrowse,
that No man there Other May se;
and this began at Mydday ful sekirle."
whanne the kyng these tydynges gan here,
Anon he sorwede and qwook for fere.
"Certes," quod he, "ful Evele haue I do, The duke repents of the murder of Lancelot,
that kyng Lawncelot thus dide I slo."
thanne seide his Compenye to hym Anon,
"Sire, Into som Oþer partye so let vs gon."
"Nay, Certes," quod the dewk Anon tho,
"I wyle Gon And proven ȝif it be so."
and whanne that he Cam to his Castel, but, as he enters the castle,
Alle this derknesse he Say ful wel;
and As sone as vnder the ȝate was he gon,
On hym there fyl a gret kernel of ston, a great block of stone falls on him, and on those who consented to the murder.
And Ouercovered hym bothe tope and to,
And Ek hem that to thyke Felonye Assented Also.
Thus Owre lord venged kyng Lawncelot certayn, So Lancelot is avengd.
that so falsly the dewk hadde slayn.
and Evere stille boylled that welle
tyl worthy Galaaz Cam, As Aventure befelle,
and Mo Miracles God schewede there
For that worthy kyng so dere.
For whanne Over hym his tombe was Mad, Each day, at the hour of his death, blood drope from Lancelot's tomb;
dropes of ful Red blood Owt It ȝald
Owt Of the tombe In theke same sted,
Eche day þe same Owr he smot Of his hed;
and of so gret vertw this Ilke blood was,
that there Cam Neuere knyht In to that plas,
thowgh he were wownded Neuere so sore,
and with that Blood towched hym thore,
that thus sone Anon hol scholde he be which heals all wounds.
Of Alle his wowndes ful Sekerle.
This Merveylle ful wyde Gan to sprynge, Many people hear of this wonder,
Abowtes In the Contre As for A merveillous thinge.
thider Cam bothe knyht and Sqwer Anon,
bothe Riche and Powre, as they Myhten gon,
that weren wounded, Maymed and Alle Sore, and come to be heald.
Anon here helthe hadden they thore.
So that it be-fyl vppon A day
aforn the same tombe, as I ȝow say,
A lyown An hert there gan chase, One day a lion pulls down a hart close to the tomb.
and aforn the tombe down gan hym Rase,
that Folk that weren there faste by,
It behelden and Syen trewely,
how þat the hert he took and þere it Slowghe,
and On hym gan feden faste I-nowghe.
thus sone Cam Anothir wilde lyown there, Another lion, hungry and angry, follows him,
Enfamyned and hungrey not þat he were,
and wolde han had the tothir lyowns pray, and would take the first lion's prey
but he it nolde Suffren to be born Away,
but defended his viaunde wondir sore, but he resists,
So that to-gederis they fowhten thore;
and ful longe durede this Melle
betwene the two lyowns Sikerle,
So what with here teeth and with here pawe, and they fight tremendously till both are nearly dead.
Eche lyown hadde Nygh Other I-slawe,
So that Manye woundes they hadden bothe,
the leste hadde ten, I sey ȝow for sothe.
and whanne they hadden thus long I-fowghte
that Nethir lyown of here lyf ne Rowghte,
the ferste lyown to the tombe gan go,— The first lion licks the drops of blood from the tomb,
and happede Abowtis Midday was it tho,—
and the tombe owt blood gan ȝelde;
thedir wente þis lyown As he myht hym welde,
and likked Of that blood Anon,
and þere-with towchede his wowndis Echon; touches his wounds with it, and is heald.
thanne thus sone as hol he was
As Evere to forn tyme In Ony plas.
and whanne the tothir beheld al this, The second does the same,
Anon thedir wente he with-Owten Mys,
and thus sone I-kevered was he
As hol as his felawe Sikerle,
So that betwixen hem was Reste and pes and there is peace between them.
Euerelastyng Aftyr with-Owten les.
the ton lyown Cowched him at his feet, One lies down at the head of the tomb, the other at the foot,
and the tothir atte the hed, nolde he not leet,
and kepten this tombe ful strongly, and they guard it from all comers,
So that Non knyht was so hardy—
thowgh they weren wownded—hele to fette,
that thyke two lyowns ne wolde hem lette;
and ȝif with strengthe Ony thedyr gonne gon,
that these lyowns hem wolde slen Anon,
For bothe be day and Ek be Nyht
they kepten that tombe, I ȝow plyht;
and whanne that forhungred that they were, taking it in turns to go and hunt for food.
the Ton wente On purchas, þe toþer lefte there;
and thus these lyowns Gonnen On to take
Til the tyme that Cam Lawncelot de lake; At last comes Lancelot du Lac and slays them both.
and that he there Slowgh hem bothe tweyne,
As to vs this Storye here Scheweth Certeyne.
Now Of Al this storie haue I mad An Ende Now I have finisht the story of Celidoyne's race; and we must begin the Story of Merlin,
That Isswede Of Celidoyne; & now forþere to wende,
And Of Anothir Brawnch moste we be-Gynne,
Of the storye that we Clepen Prophet Merllyne
Wiche that Maister Robert Of Borrown, which Master Robert de Borron translated from Latin into French,
Owt Of latyn it translated hol & Som,
Onlich Into the langage Of Frawnce
This storie he drowgh be Aventure and Chaunce, and which belongs to the story of Sank Ryal.
And doth Merllyne Iusten [Fr. adiouster] with Sank Ryal;
For þe ton storie the tothir Medlyth withal,
After the settyng Of the forseid Robert,
That somtym it translated in Middilerd.
And I, As An vnkonneng Man tre Wely, Now as I, a simple man, have translated this story into English,
Into Englisch haue drawen this Story;
And thowgh that to ȝow not plesyng It be,
Ȝit that ful Excused ȝe wolde hauen Me, excuse my negligence and mistakes,
Of my neclegence and vnkonnenge
On Me to taken swich A thinge as I supposd you would understand it better in our mother tongue
Into Owre Modris tonge for to Endite,
The swettere to sowne to More and lyte;
And more Cler to ȝoure vndirstondyng
Thanne Owther Frensch Oþer latyn, to my sopposing; than in French or Latin.
And þerfore Atte the Ende Of this Storye Before the end of the story, pray for me,
A pater noster ȝe wolden for me preye,
For me that herry Lonelich hyhte; Herry Lonelich,
And greteth Oure lady ful Of Myhte;
Hertelich with An Ave that ȝe hire bede,
This processe the bettere I myhte procede, that this book may be brought to a good end.
And bringen this book to A Good Ende.
Now therto Iesu Crist grace me sende;
And that an Ende there-Offen myhte be,
Now, goode lord, graunt me for Charyte.
[The French text, Additional MS, 10,292, ends thus: Explicit li commencemens de lestoire del saint graal. Et chi apres uient lestoire de merlin. Diex nous maint tous a boine fin. Amen.]