Lyrics

But on a Saterday at noon, a seven-night there-after, The cunningest Cardinal that to the court longed Kneeles to the conquerour and carpes these wordes, Prayes him for the pees and proffers full large To have pitee of the Pope, that put was at-under           at a disadvantage Besought him of suraunce for sake of the Lord           a truce But a seven-night day to they were all sembled           a week from today; until And they sholde sekerly him see the Sononday there-after           Sunday In the citee of Rome, as soveraign and lord, And crown him kindly with crismed handes           anointed With his sceptre and swerde, as soveraign and lord. Of this undertaking hostage are comen,           agreement Of eiers full avenaunt, eight score children,           pleasant In togges of tars full richly attired,           Chinese silk And betook them the king and his clere knightes.           gave them to When they had treted their trewe, with trumping thereafter           discussed; truce They trine unto a tent where tables were raised;           go The king himselven is set and certain lordes Under a sylure of silk, saught at the bordes.           canopy; reconciled All the senatours are set sere by them one,           each by himself Served solemnly with selcouthe metes. The king, mighty of mirth, with his mild wordes, Rehetes the Romanes at his rich table,           Cheers Comfortes the Cardinal, so knightly himselven, And this roy real, as romaunce us telles, Reverences the Romans in his rich table. The taught men and the cunning, when them time thought, Tas their leve at the king and turned again;           Take To the citee that night they sought at the gainest, And thus the hostage of Rome with Arthur is leved. Then this roy real reherses these wordes:           tells "Now we may revel and rest, for Rome is our owen! Make our hostage at ese, these avenaunt children,           ease; pleasant And look ye honden them all that in mine host lenges,           guard The Emperour of Almaine and all these este marches; We shall be overling of all that on erthe lenges! We will by the Cross-days encroch these landes           September 13-14; invade And at the Cristenmass day be crowned there-after, Regne in my realtees and hold my Round Table, With the rentes of Rome, as me best likes; Senn graithe over the grete se with good men of armes To revenge the Renk that on the Rood died!"           Cross Then this comlich king as cronicles telles, Bounes brothly to bed with a blithe herte; Off he slinges with sleght and slakes his girdle,           He throws himself quickly on the bed and loosens his belt And for slewth of slomour on a sleep falles.           sloth; slumber But by one after midnight all his mood changed;           1:00 A.M. He mette in the morn-while full marvelous dremes;           dreamed; morning; dreams And when his dredful dreme was driven to the ende, The king dares for doute, die as he sholde,           cowers in fear Sendes after philosophers, and his affray telles:           terror "Senn I was formed, in faith, so ferd was I never! For-thy ransackes redily and rede me my swevenes,           Search; interpret; dreams And I shall redily and right rehersen the sooth.           tell "Me thought I was in a wood, willed mine one           wandered by myself That I ne wiste no way whider that I sholde,           knew; whither; should go For wolves and wild swine and wicked bestes Walked in that wastern wathes to seek,           waste place prey There lions full lothly licked their tuskes           loathly All for lapping of blood of my lele knightes! Through that forest I fled there flowres were high, For to fele me for ferd of tho foul thinges,           hide; fear Merked to a medow with mountaines enclosed           meadow The merriest of middle-erthe that men might behold. The close was in compass casten all about           enclosed place; extent covered With clover and clerewort cledde even over;           small grass clad The vale was enveround with vines of silver,           encircled All with grapes of gold, greter were never, Enhorild with arbory and alkins trees,           Surrounded; groves; all kinds of Erberes full honest, and herdes there-under;           Gardens All fruites foddemed was that flourished in erthe,           produced Fair frithed in fraunk upon the free bowes;           Beautifully enclosed upon the noble boughs Was there no danking of dew that ought dere sholde;           There was no moisture that could harm anything With the drought of the day all dry were the flowres. "Then descendes in the dale, down fro the cloudes, A duchess dereworthily dight in diapered weedes,           expensively; patterned In a surcote of silk full selcouthly hewed,           surcoat; rarely All with loyotour overlaid low to the hemmes           otter fur And with ladily lappes the lenghe of a yard,           ladylike lappets And all redily reversed with rebanes of gold,           trimmed; ribbons With brouches and besauntes and other bright stones;           brooches; medallions Her back and her breste was broched all over,           adorned With kell and with coronal clenlich arrayed,           hairnet; diadem And that so comly of colour one knowen was never.           complexion "About sho whirled a wheel with her white handes, Overwhelm all quaintly the wheel, as sho sholde;           Turned skillfully The rowel was red gold with real stones,           wheel Railed with riches and rubies ynow;           Adorned The spekes was splented all with speltes of silver,           spokes; plated; bars The space of a spere-lenghe springand full fair;           spear length There-on was a chair of chalk-white silver And checkered with charbocle changing of hewes           carbuncle Upon the compass there cleved kinges on row,           outer edge; clung With crowns of clere gold that cracked in sonder; Six was of that settle full sodenlich fallen,           seat Ilk a segge by himself and said these wordes:           warrior 'That ever I regned on this roo me rewes it ever!           wheel Was never roy so rich that regned in erthe!           king When I rode in my rout rought I nought elles           I thought of But rivaye and revel and raunson the pople!           to hunt And thus I drive forth my dayes whiles I drie might,           endure And therefore derflich I am damned for ever!'           direly "The last was a little man that laid was beneth;           beneath His leskes lay all lene and lothlich to shew,           loins; lean His lockes liard and long the lenghe of a yard,           grey His lire and his ligham lamed full sore,           face; body crippled The tone eye of the berne was brighter than silver           The one The other was yellower than the yolk of a nay.           an egg "'I was lord,' quod the lede, 'landes ynow, And all ledes me louted that lenged in erthe.           bowed to me And now is left me no lap my ligham to hele           rag; body to cover But lightly now am I lost, leve eche man the sooth.'           quickly; believe "The second sir, forsooth, that sewed them after           followed Was sekerer to my sight and sadder in armes;           stronger; more determined Oft he sighed unsound and said these wordes: 'On yon see have I sitten als soveraign and lord,           throne And ladies me loved to lap in their armes,           ford And now my lordshippes are lost and laid for ever!' "The third thoroughly was thro and thick in the shoulders,           stout A thro man to thret of there thirty were gadered;           threaten His diadem was dropped down, dubbed with stones,           adorned Endented all with diamaundes and dight for the nones;           Adorned; diamonds 'I was dredde in my dayes,' he said, 'in diverse rewmes,           dreaded And now damned to the dede, and dole is the more!' "The fourt was a fair man and forcy in armes,           fourth; forceful The fairest of figure that formed was ever. 'I was frek in my faith,' he said, 'whiles I on folde regned,           bold; earth Famous in fer landes and flowr of all kinges; Now is my face defaded and foul is me happened,           withered For I am fallen fro fer and frendles beleved.' "The fift was a fairer man than fele of these other,           fifth A forcy man and a fers, with fomand lippes;           forceful; foaming He fanged fast on the feleighes and folded his armes           gripped; rim But yet he failed and fell a fifty foot large; But yet he sprang and sprent and spradden his armes,           leapt; spread And on the spere-lenghe spekes he spekes these wordes: 'I was in Surry a Sire and set by mine one As soveraign and seinyour of sere kinges landes;           lord Now of my solace I am full sodenly fallen And for sake of my sin yon sete is me rewed.'           yon seat is denied me "The sixt had a sawter seemlich bounden           sixth; psalter; bound With a surepel of silk sewed full fair,           cover; sewn A harp and a hand-sling with hard flint-stones; What harmes he has hent he hallowes full soon:           suffered; announces 'I was deemed in my dayes,' he said, 'of deedes of armes One of the doughtiest that dwelled in erthe; But I was marred on molde in my most strenghes           injured With this maiden so mild that moves us all.' "Two kinges were climband and claverand on high,           climbing The erest of the compass they covet full yerne.           top; wheel; eagerly 'This chair of charbocle,' they said, 'we challenge hereafter,           carbuncle As two of the chefest chosen in erthe.' "The childer were chalk-white, cheekes and other, But the chair aboven cheved they never.           achieved The furthermost was freely with a front large           noble; forehead The fairest of fisnamy that formed was ever,           physiognomy And he was busked in a blee of a blew noble           dressed; colour; blue With flourdelys of gold flourished all over;           fleur-de-lis The tother was cledde in a cote all of clene silver,           The other; clad With a comlich cross corven of gold;           carved Four crosselettes crafty by the cross restes           little crosses And thereby knew I the king, that cristened him seemed. "Then I went to that wlonk and winly her greetes,           bright one; graciously And sho said: 'Welcome, iwis, well art thou founden;           come Thou ought to worship my will, and thou well couthe,           knew how Of all the valiant men that ever was in erthe, For all thy worship in war by me has thou wonnen; I have been frendly, freke, and fremmed til other.           strange to others That thou has founden, in faith, and fele of thy bernes, For I felled down Sir Frolle with froward knightes;           defeated; hostile For-thy the fruits of Fraunce are freely thine owen. Thou shall the chair escheve, I chese thee myselven,           achieve Before all the cheftaines chosen in this erthe.' "Sho lift me up lightly with her lene handes           lean And set me softly in the see, the septer me reched;           throne; sceptre; gave Craftily with a comb sho kembed mine heved,           combed That the crispand krok to my crown raught;           curling lock; reached Dressed on me a diadem that dight was full fair, And senn proffers me a pome pight full of fair stones,           orb set Enameld with azure, the erthe there-on depainted, Circled with the salt se upon sere halves,           all sides In sign that I soothly was soveraign in erthe. "Then brought sho me a brand with full bright hiltes           sword And bade me braundish the blade: 'The brand is mine owen; Many swain with the swing has the swet leved,           lifeblood left For whiles thou swank with the sword it swiked thee never.'           laboured; failed "Then raikes sho with roo and rest when her liked,           quiet To the rindes of the wood, richer was never;           trees Was no pomerie so pight of princes in erthe,           orchard Ne none apparel so proud but paradise one. Sho bade the bowes sholde bow down and bring to my handes           boughs Of the best that they bore on braunches so high; Then they helded to her hest, all holly at ones,           bowed; command The highest of ech a hirst, I hete you forsooth.           grove; promise Sho bade me frith not the fruit, but fonde whiles me liked:           spare; try 'Fonde of the finest, thou freelich berne,           Try; noble And reche to the ripest and riot thyselven.           reach; enjoy Rest, thou real roy, for Rome is thine owen, And I shall redily roll the roo at the gainest           wheel And reche thee the rich wine in rinsed cuppes.' "Then sho went to the well by the wood eves, That all welled of wine and wonderlich runnes, Caught up a cup-full and covered it fair; Sho bade me derelich draw and drink to herselven;           dearly take a draught And thus sho led me about the lenghe of an hour, With all liking and love that any lede sholde.           should want "But at the mid-day full even all her mood changed, And made much menace with marvelous wordes. When I cried upon her, she cast down her browes: 'King, thou carpes for nought, by Crist that me made! For thou shall lose this laik and thy life after;           pleasure Thou has lived in delite and lordshippes ynow!'           delight "About sho whirles the wheel and whirles me under, Til all my quarters that while were quasht all to peces,           time; crushed And with that chair my chin was chopped in sonder; And I have shivered for chele senn me this chaunce happened.           chill Thus wakened I, iwis, all wery fordremed,           wearied from dreaming And now wot thou my wo; worde as thee likes."           speak "Freke," says the philosopher, "thy fortune is passed,           Bold warrior For thou shall find her thy fo; fraist when thee likes! Thou art at the highest, I hete thee forsooth;           promise Challenge now when thou will, thou cheves no more! Thou has shed much blood and shalkes destroyed,           Men Sakeles, in surquidrie, in sere kinges landes;           Innocent; pride Shrive thee of thy shame and shape for thine end.           Confess; prepare Thou has a shewing, Sir King, take keep yif thee like,           revelation For thou shall fersly fall within five winters. Found abbeyes in Fraunce, the fruites are thine owen, For Frolle and for Feraunt and for thir fers knightes That thou fremedly in Fraunce has fey beleved.           Whom you unkindly (as a stranger) left dead in France Take keep yet of other kinges, and cast in thine herte,           consider That were conquerours kidd and crowned in erthe. "The eldest was Alexander that all the world louted,           bowed to The tother Ector of Troy, the chevalrous gome;           other The third Julius Cesar, that giaunt was holden, In eche journee gentle, ajudged with lordes. The fourth was Sir Judas, a jouster full noble, The masterful Macabee, the mightiest of strenghes; The fift was Josue, that jolly man of armes,           fifth That in Jerusalem host full much joy limped;           befell The sixt was David the dere, deemed with kinges           sixth One of the doughtiest that dubbed was ever, For he slew with a sling by sleight of his handes           skill Golias the grete gome, grimmest in erthe;           Goliath Senn endited in his dayes all the dere psalmes           composed That in the sawter are set with selcouthe wordes.           psalter "The tone climand king, I know it forsooth,           The one Shall Karolus be called, the kinge son of Fraunce; He shall be cruel and keen and conquerour holden, Cover by conquest contrees ynow;           Obtain He shall encroch the crown that Crist bore himselven,           capture And that lifelich launce that lepe to His herte           strong When He was crucified on cross, and all the keen nailes Knightly he shall conquer to Cristen men handes.           i.e., for "The tother shall be Godfray, that God shall revenge           The other On the Good Friday with galiard knightes;           jolly He shall of Lorraine be lord by leve of his fader And senn in Jerusalem much joy happen, For he shall cover the cross by craftes of armes           recover And senn be crowned king with crisom annointed.           holy oil Shall no dukes in his day such destainy happen,           destiny Ne such mischief drie when trewth shall be tried.           suffer; proved "For-thy Fortune thee fetches to fulfill the number, Als ninde of the noblest named in erthe;           ninth of the Worthies This shall in romaunce be redde with real knightes, Reckoned and renownd with riotous kinges, And deemed on Doomesday for deedes of armes, For the doughtiest that ever was dwelland in erthe; So many clerkes and kinges shall carp of your deedes And keep your conquestes in cronicle for ever. "But the wolves in the wood and the wild bestes Are some wicked men that werrayes thy rewmes,           attack Is entered in thine absence to werray thy pople, And alienes and hostes of uncouthe landes.           foreign Thou gettes tidandes, I trow, within ten dayes,           will get That some torfer is tidde senn thou fro home turned.           trouble has happened I rede thou reckon and reherse unresonable deedes           tell (i.e., confess) Ere thee repentes full rathe all thy rewth workes.           quickly; sad Man, amend thy mood, ere thou mishappen,           have misfortune And meekly ask mercy for meed of thy soul."           reward Then rises the rich king and raght on his weedes, A red acton of rose, the richest of flowres,           quilted jacket A pesan and a paunson and a pris girdle;           An armour neckpiece, a stomach guard, and an excellent belt And on he hentes a hood of scarlet full rich,           draws A pavis pillion-hat that pight was full fair           large cloth hat With perry of the Orient and precious stones;           pearls His gloves gaylich gilt and graven by the hemmes           decorated With graines of rubies full gracious to shew.           small stones His bede greyhound and his brand and no berne else           [He takes] his hunting And bounes over a brode mede with brethe at his herte.           meadow; anger Forth he stalkes a sty by tho still eves,           path Stotays at a high street, studyand him one.           Pauses at a main road, thinking by himself At the sours of the sun he sees there comand,           rising Raikand to Rome-ward the rediest wayes,           Going; quickest A renk in a round clok with right rowme clothes           A man in a full-cut cloak and very roomy clothes With hat and with high shoon homely and round;           shoes; comfortable With flat farthinges the freke was flourished all over           coins; adorned Many shreddes and shragges at his skirtes hanges           scalloped edges With scrip and with slawin and scallopes ynow           With wallet and with pilgrim's mantle and many scallop shells Both pike and palm, als pilgrim him sholde;           Both staff and palm branch, as if he were a pilgrim The gome graithly him grette and bade good morwen;           greeted; morning The king, lordly himself, of langage of Rome,           language, i.e., Italian Of Latin corrumped all, full lovely him menes:           corrupted; speaks "Wheder wilnes thou, wye, walkand thine one?           Whither seek Whiles this world is o war, a wathe I it hold;           at war; danger Here is an enmy with host, under yon vines;           enemy And they see thee, forsooth, sorrow thee betides; But if thou have condeth of the king selven,           safe-conduct Knaves will kill thee and keep at thou haves,           what And if thou hold the high way, they hent thee also,           take But if thou hastily have help of his hende knightes." Then carpes Sir Craddok to the king selven: "I shall forgive him my dede, so me God help, Any gome under God that on this ground walkes! Let the keenest come that to the king longes, I shall encounter him as knight, so Crist have my soul! For thou may not reche me ne arrest thyselven,           seize; stop (me) Though thou be richly arrayed in full rich weedes; I will not wonde for no war to wend where me likes           hesitate Ne for no wye of this world that wrought is on erthe! But I will pass in pilgrimage this pas to Rome           way To purchase me pardon of the Pope selven, And of the paines of Purgatory be plenerly assoilled;           fully forgiven Then shall I seek sekerly my soveraign lord, Sir Arthur of England, that avenaunt berne!           seemly For he is in this empire, as hathel men me telles,           noble Hostayand in this Orient with awful knightes."           Warring; awesome "Fro whethen come thou, keen man," quod the king then,           whence "That knowes King Arthur and his knightes also? Was thou ever in his court whiles he in kith lenged? Thou carpes so kindly it comfortes mine herte! Well wele has thou went and wisely thou seekes,           nobly For thou art Breton berne, as by thy brode speche."           British; plain "Me ought to know the king; he is my kidd lord, And I called in his court a knight of his chamber; Sir Craddok was I called in his court rich, Keeper of Caerlion, under the king selven; Now I am chased out of kith, with care at my herte, And that castel is caught with uncouthe ledes."           captured; foreign men Then the comlich king caught him in armes, Cast off his kettle-hat and kissed him full soon, Said: "Welcome, Sir Craddok, so Crist mot me help! Dere cosin of kind, thou coldes mine herte!           blood relative How fares it in Bretain with all my bold bernes? Are they brittened or brint or brought out of life?           burnt Ken thou me kindly what case is befallen;           Tell I keep no credens to crave; I know thee for trew."           I need ask for no credentials; I know you are true "Sir, thy warden is wicked and wild of his deedes,           i.e., Mordred For he wandreth has wrought senn thou away passed.           misery; since He has castels encroched and crownd himselven,           captured Caught in all the rentes of the Round Table; He devised the rewm and delt as him likes;           divided Dubbed of the Denmarkes dukes and erles,           i.e., Danes Disservered them sonderwise, and citees destroyed;           Scattered; everywhere Of Sarazenes and Sessoines upon sere halves           Saxons; both sides He has sembled a sorte of selcouthe bernes,           foreign Soveraignes of Surgenale and soudeours many           South Wales; mercenaries Of Peghtes and paynims and proved knightes           Picts; pagans Of Ireland and Argyle, outlawed bernes; All tho laddes are knightes that long to the mountes, And leding and lordship has all, als themselve likes;           command And there is Sir Childrik a cheftain holden, That ilke chevalrous man, he charges thy pople;           burdens They rob thy religious and ravish thy nunnes           monks And redy rides with his rout to raunson the poor;           rob Fro Humber to Hawyk he holdes his owen,           From the Humber River to Hawick (i.e., the whole North Country) And all the countree of Kent by covenant entailled,           in his possession The comlich castles that to the crown longed, The holtes and the hore wood and the hard bankes,           grey All that Hengest and Hors hent in their time;           Horsa held At Southampton on the se is seven score shippes, Fraught full of fers folk, out of fer landes,           Filled For to fight with thy frap when thou them assailes.           company But yet a word, witterly, thou wot not the worst!           certainly He has wedded Waynor and her his wife holdes, And wonnes in the wild boundes of the west marches,           dwells And has wrought her with child, as witness telles! Of all the wyes of this world, wo mot him worthe,           men; woe be to him Als warden unworthy women to yeme!           preserve Thus has Sir Mordred marred us all!           injured For-thy I merked over these mountes to mene thee the sooth."           came; tell Then the burlich king, for brethe at his herte And for this booteless bale all his blee changed;           without remedy; colour "By the Rood," says the roy, "I shall it revenge! Him shall repent full rathe all his rewth workes!"           quickly; calamitous All weepand for wo he went to his tentes; Unwinly this wise king he wakenes his bernes,           Unhappily Cleped in a clarioun kinges and other,           Called with a trumpet Calles them to counsel and of this case telles: "I am with tresoun betrayed, for all my trew deedes! And all my travail is tint, me tides no better!           labour; destroyed Him shall torfer betide this tresoun has wrought,           trouble; i.e., who this And I may traistely him take, as I am trew lord!           can surely This is Mordred, the man that I most traisted, Has my castels encroched and crownd himselven With rentes and riches of the Round Table; He made all his retinues of renayed wretches,           renegade And devised my rewm to diverse lordes,           divided To soudeours and Sarazenes out of sere landes! He has wedded Waynor and her to wife holdes, And a child is y-shaped, the chaunce is no better! They have sembled on the se seven score shippes, Full of ferrom folk to fight with mine one!           foreign For-thy to Bretain the Brode buske us behooves,           Therefore to Great Britain it behooves us to hasten For to britten the berne that has this bale raised.           break; grief There shall no freke men fare but all on fresh horses That are fraisted in fight and flowr of my knightes.           proven Sir Howell and Sir Hardolf here shall beleve           remain To be lordes of the ledes that here to me longes; Lookes into Lumbardy that there no lede change, And tenderly to Tuskane take tent als I bid;           attention Receive the rentes of Rome when they are reckoned; Take sesin the same day that last was assigned,           possession Or elles all the hostage withouten the walles Be hanged high upon height all holly at ones." Now bounes the bold king with his best knightes, Gars trome and trusse and trines forth after, Turnes through Tuskane, tarries but little; Lights not in Lumbardy but when the light failed; Merkes over the mountaines full marvelous wayes,           Marches Ayers through Almaine even at the gainest Ferkes even into Flandresh with his fers knightes.           Hastens; Flanders Within fifteen dayes his fleet is assembled, And then he shope him to ship and shounes no lenger,           prepared himself; delays Sheeres with a sharp wind over the shire waters;           Cuts; translucent By the roche with ropes he rides on anker.           rocks; anchor There the false men fleted and on flood lenged,           floated With chef chaines of charre chocked togeders, Charged even chock-full of chevalrous knightes, And in the hinter on height, helmes and crestes;           rear Hatches with hethen men heled were there-under, Proudlich pourtrayed with painted clothes,           painted; on Ech a pece by pece prikked til other,           sewed Dubbed with dagswainnes doubled they seem;           Adorned; heavy cloth And thus the derf Denmarkes had dight all their shippes,           Danes That no dint of no dart dere them sholde.           harm Then the roy and the renkes of the Round Table All realy in red arrayes his shippes; That day ducheries he delt and dubbed knightes, Dresses dromoundes and dragges and drawen up stones;           galleys; barges The top-castels he stuffed with toiles, as him liked;           slings Bendes bowes of vise brothly there-after;           crossbows; fiercely Toloures tently tackle they righten,           Haulers carefully Brasen hedes full brode busked on flones,           Bronze; missiles Graithes for garnisons, gomes arrayes,           garrisons Grim godes of steel, gives of iron;           goads; fetters Stighteles steren on steren with stiff men of armes;           supplies; stern (of a ship) Many lovelich launce upon loft standes, Ledes on leburd, lordes and other,           lee (sea side of a ship) Pight pavis on port, painted sheldes, On hinder hurdace on height helmed knightes.           rear barrier Thus they shiften for shottes on those shire strandes,           manoeuvre; shooting Ilke shalk in his shroud, full sheen were their weedes.           garment The bold king is in a barge and about rowes, All bare-hevede for besy with beveren lockes, And a berne with his brand and an helm beten,           adorned Menged with a mauntelet of mailes of silver,           Adorned; little mantle Compast with a coronal and covered full rich;           Encircled; diadem; decorated Kaires to ech a cogge to comfort his knightes;           Travels; ship To Clegis and Cleremond he cries on loud: "O Gawain! O Galyran! These good mens bodies!" To Lot and to Lionel full lovely he meles, And to Sir Launcelot de Lake lordlich wordes: "Let us cover the kith, the coste is our own,           reclaim And gar them brothelich blenk, all yon blood-houndes!           make; violently blanch Britten them within borde and brin them there-after!           aboard; burn Hew down hertily yon hethen tikes!           dogs They are harlotes half, I hete you mine hand!"           They are on the rascal's side, I swear by my hand Then he coveres his cogge and catches on anker,           returns to; ship; anchor Caught his comlich helm with the clere mailes; Buskes banners on brode, beten of gules,           Raises; adorned with red With crowns of clere gold clenlich arrayed; But there was chosen in the chef a chalk-white maiden,           But there was placed in the chief a chalk-white maiden And a child in her arm that Chef is of heven; Withouten changing in chase these were the chef armes           noble Of Arthur the avenaunt, whiles he in erthe lenged.           worthy Then the mariners meles and masters of shippes;           get to work Merrily ich a mate menes til other;           each; speaks Of their termes they talk, how they were tidd,           They talk in their jargon about what has happened Towen trussel on trete, trussen up sailes,           Drag bundles on trestles Bete bonnetes on brode, bettred hatches;           Set small sails; battened Braundisht brown steel, bragged in trumpes;           blew in trumpets Standes stiff on the stamin, steeres on after,           stalwartly on the prow Streken over the streme, there striving beginnes.           Strike Fro the waggand wind out of the west rises,           When; swaying Brothly bessomes with birr in bernes sailes,           Suddenly sweeps; force Wether bringes on borde burlich cogges,           Weather (wind) brings stout ships against planks (of other ships) Whiles the biling and the beme bristes in sonder;           So that the bilge and the beam burst apart So stoutly the fore-stern on the stam hittes           stern; prow That stockes of the steer-borde strikes in peces!           planks; starboard side By then cogge upon cogge, crayers and other,           ship; small ships Castes crepers on-cross, als to the craft longes;           grappling hooks across Then was hed-ropes hewen, that held up the mastes; There was contek full keen and cracking of shippes!           strife Grete cogges of kemp crashes in sonder!           war Many cabane cleved, cables destroyed,           cabins Knightes and keen men killed the bernes! Kidd castels were corven, with all their keen wepen,           Proven; carved Castels full comlich that coloured were fair! Up ties edgeling they ochen there-after;           mast-stays; edgewise; hack With the swing of the sword sways the mastes, Over-falles in the first frekes and other;           i.e., first blow Many freke in the fore-ship fey is beleved! Then brothly they beker with bustous tackle;           fight; powerful equipment Brushes boldly on borde brenyed knightes,           Armoured knights rush boldly on board Out of botes on borde, was busked with stones,           (Coming) out of small boats on board, (and) were pelted with stones Bete down of the best, bristes the hatches; Some gomes through-gird with godes of iron,           pierced; goads Gomes gaylich cledde englaimes wepenes;           Men; clad make slimy Archers of England full egerly shootes, Hittes through the hard steel full hertly dintes!           Strikes; mortal Soon ochen in holly the hethen knightes,           completely cut down Hurt through the hard steel, hele they never!           heal Then they fall to the fight, foines with speres,           duel All the frekkest on front that to the fight longes,           front rank And ilkon freshly fraistes their strenghes,           each one War to fight in the fleet with their fell wepenes.           to fight the battle Thus they delt that day, thir dubbed knightes, Til all the Danes were dede and in the deep throwen! Then Bretons brothly with brandes they hewen; Lepes in upon loft lordlich bernes;           through the air When ledes of out-landes lepen in waters, All our lordes on loud laughen at ones! By then speres were sprongen, spalded shippes,           broken; split Spanioles speedily sprented over-bordes;           Spaniards; leapt overboard All the keen men of kemp, knightes and other,           battle Killed are cold-dede and casten over-bordes; Their swyers swiftly has the swet leved;           young men; life-blood Hethen hevand on hatch in thir hawe rises,           heaving; these grey waves Sinkand in the salt se seven hundreth at ones! Then Sir Gawain the good, he has the gree wonnen,           prize And all the cogges grete he gave to his knightes. Sir Garin, Sir Griswold, and other grete lordes; Gart Galuth, a good gome, gird off their hedes!           i.e., the captives' Thus of the false fleet upon the flood happened, And thus these ferin folk fey are beleved!           foreign Yet is the traitour on land with tried knightes, And all trumped they trip on trapped steedes           accompanied with trumpets Shews them under sheld on the shire bankes; He ne shuntes for no shame but shewes full high!           shows himself Sir Arthur and Gawain avyed them bothen           set out To sixty thousand of men that in their sight hoved. By this the folk was felled, then was the flood passed;           By the time the battle was finished the high tide had passed Then was it silke a slowde in slackes full huge           Then was the water near the shore such a slush in very large pools That let the king for to land in the low water.           That the king could not land in the low water For-thy he lenged on laye for lesing of horses,           Therefore, he remained on the deep water for fear of losing his horses To look of his lege-men and of his lele knightes, Yif any were lamed or lost, live yif they sholde. Then Sir Gawain the good a galley he takes And glides up at a gole with good men of armes;           small bay (gully) When he grounded, for gref he girdes in the water           ran aground; leaps That to the girdle he goes in all his gilt weedes, Shootes up upon the sand in sight of the lordes,           Rushes Singly with his soppe, my sorrow is the more!           Alone; small troop With banners of his badges, best of his armes,           heraldic devices He braides up on the bank in his bright weedes; He biddes his banneour: "Busk thou belive           banner bearer; Go quickly To yon brode batail that on yon bank hoves, And I ensure you soothe I shall you sew after;           follow Look ye blenk for no brand ne for no bright wepen,           blanch But beres down of the best and bring them o-dawe!           out of daylight Bes not abaist of their boste, abide on the erthe;           Be; abashed Ye have my banneres borne in batailes full huge; We shall fell yon false, the fend have their soules! Fightes fast with the frap, the feld shall be oures!           company May I that traitour over-take, torfer him tides           If I can; woe That this tresoun has timbered to my trew lord!           built for Of such a engendure full little joy happens,           engendering And that shall in this journee be judged full even!" Now they seek over the sand, this soppe at the gainest,           small troop Sembles on the soudeours and settes their dintes;           Attack; set out Through the sheldes so sheen shalkes they touch With shaftes shivered short of those sheen launces;           broken Derf dintes they delt with daggand speres;           piercing On the dank of the dew many dede ligges, Dukes and douspeeres and dubbed knightes; The doughtiest of Danemark undone are forever! Thus those renkes in rewth rittes their brenyes           rip And reches of the richest unrecken dintes,           give; countless There they throng in the thick and thrustes to the erthe Of the throest men three hundreth at ones! But Sir Gawain for gref might not again-stand,           withstand Umbegrippes a spere and to a gome runnes,           Grasps That bore of gules full gay with goutes of silver;           arms of red; droplets He girdes him in at the gorge with his grim launce           throat That the grounden glaive graithes in sonder;           point With that bustous blade he bounes him to die!           prepares himself The King of Gotheland it was, a good man of armes.           Gothland (South Sweden) Their avauntward then all voides there-after,           vanguard Als vanquist verrayly with valiant bernes;           vanquished; verily Meetes with middle-ward that Mordred ledes;           middle guard Our men merkes them to, as them mishappened,           advance toward For had Sir Gawain the grace to hold the green hill, He had worship, iwis, wonnen forever! But then Sir Gawain, iwis, he waites him well To wreke on this warlaw that this war moved,           warlock And merkes to Sir Mordred among all his bernes, With the Montagues and other grete lordes. Then Sir Gawain was greved and with a grete will Fewters a fair spere and freshly ascries: "False fostered fode, the fend have thy bones!           creature; fiend Fy on thee, felon, and thy false workes! Thou shall be dede and undone for thy derf deedes, Or I shall die this day, if destainy worthe!"           if it be my destiny Then his enmy with host of outlawed bernes All enangles about our excellent knightes           Surrounds That the traitour by tresoun had tried himselven;           experienced Dukes of Danemark he dightes full soon,           marshals And leders of Lettow with legions ynow,           Lithuania Umbelapped our men with launces full keen,           Surrounded Soudeours and Sarazenes out of sere landes, Sixty thousand men, seemlyly arrayed, Sekerly assembles there on seven score knightes, Sodenly in dischaite by tho salt strandes.           deceit Then Sir Gawain grette with his grey eyen           wept For gref of his good men that he guide sholde. He wiste that they wounded were and wery for-foughten,           exhausted with fighting And what for wonder and wo, all his wit failed. And then sighand he said with syland teres:           flowing tears "We are with Sarazenes beset upon sere halves! I sigh not for myself, so help our Lord, But for to see us surprised my sorrow is the more!           captured Bes doughty today, yon dukes shall be yours!           Be For dere Drighten this day dredes no wepen. We shall end this day als excellent knightes, Ayer to endless joy with angeles unwemmed;           Go; spotless Though we have unwittyly wasted ourselven,           unwisely We shall work all well in the worship of Crist! We shall for yon Sarazenes, I seker you my trewth,           pledge Soupe with our Saviour solemnly in heven,           Dine In presence of that Precious, Prince of all other, With prophetes and patriarkes and apostles full noble, Before His freelich face that formed us all! Yonder to yon yaldsones! He that yeldes him ever           whore sons Whiles he is quick and in quert, unquelled with handes,           alive; sound health Be he never mo saved, ne succoured with Crist, But Satanase his soul mowe sink into Hell!"           may Then grimly Sir Gawain grippes his wepen; Again that grete batail he graithes him soon, Radly of his rich sword he rightes the chaines;           Quickly; cuts In he shockes his sheld, shuntes he no lenger,           pushes; hangs back But all unwise, wodewise, he went at the gainest,           madly Woundes of those widerwinnes with wrakful dintes;           enemies; wrathful All welles full of blood there he away passes; And though him were full wo, he wondes but little,           hesitates But wrekes at his worship the wrath of his lord! He stickes steedes in stour and sterenfull knightes,           pierces; stern That steren men in the stirrupes stone-dede they ligge! He rives the rank steel, he rittes the mailes;           cleaves; rips There might no renk him arrest; his resoun was passed! He fell in a frensy for fersness of herte;           frenzy He fightes and felles down that him before standes! Fell never fey man such fortune in erthe!           Befell; a fated man Into the hole batail hedlings he runnes           headlong And hurtes of the hardiest that on the erthe lenges; Letand as a lion he launches them through,           Acting like; stabs Lordes and leders that on the land hoves.           stand Yet Sir Wawain for wo wondes but little,           hesitates But woundes of those widerwinnes with wonderful dintes,           enemies Als he that wolde wilfully wasten himselven, And for wondsome and will all his wit failed,           fierceness; willfulness That wode als a wild beste he went at the gainest;           crazy All wallowed on blood there he away passed; Ich a wye may be ware by wreke of another!           Each man may be warned by vengeance wreaked on another Then he moves to Sir Mordred among all his knightes, And met him in the mid-sheld and malles him through,           hammers But the shalk for the sharp he shuntes a little;           hangs back He share him on the short ribbes a shaftmond large.           cut; six inches deep The shaft shuddered and shot in the shire berne           dashed; shining That the sheddand blood over his shank runnes           leg And shewed on his shin-bawde that was shire burnisht!           shin-plate; brightly And so they shift and shove he shot to the erthe,           as; fell precipitously With the lush of the launce he light on his shoulders           blow; i.e., Mordred An acre-lenghe on a laund full lothly wounded.           full length; hillock Then Gawain gird to the gome and on the grouf falles;           leaps; on his face All his gref was graithed; his grace was no better!           destined He shockes out a short knife shethed with silver           draws; sheathed And sholde have slotted him in but no slit happened;           stabbed His hand slipped and slode o-slant on the mailes           slid; aslant And the tother slely slinges him under;           the other slyly With a trenchand knife the traitour him hittes           cutting Through the helm and the hed on high on the brain; And thus Sir Gawain is gone, the good man of armes, Withouten rescue of renk, and rew is the more!           pity Thus Sir Gawain is gone that guied many other;           guided Fro Gower to Gernesay, all the grete lordes           Guernsey Of Glamour, of Galys land, these galiard knightes           Glamorgan; Wales For glent of glopining glad be they never!           sight of horror King Frederik of Fres faithly there-after           Frisia faithfully Fraines at the false man of our fers knight:           Inquires of "Knew thou ever this knight in thy kith rich? Of what kind he was comen beknow now the sooth;           family What gome was he, this with the gay armes, With this griffon of gold, that is on grouf fallen?           on his face He has gretly greved us, so me God help, Gird down our good men and greved us sore!           Struck He was the sterenest in stour that ever steel wered,           wore For he stonayed our stale and stroyed for ever!"           troop Then Sir Mordred with mouth meles full fair: "He was makless on molde, man, by my trewth.           matchless This was Sir Gawain the good, the gladdest of other, And the graciousest gome that under God lived, Man hardiest of hand, happiest in armes,           most fortunate And the hendest in hall under heven-rich,           the kingdom of heaven And the lordliest in leding whiles he live might,           leadership For he was lion alosed in landes ynow;           praised as Had thou knowen him, Sir King, in kithe there he lenged, His cunning, his knighthood, his kindly workes, His doing, his doughtiness, his deedes of armes, Thou wolde have dole for his dede the dayes of thy life."           grieved Yet that traitour als tite teres let he fall,           at once Turnes him forth tite and talkes no more,           quickly Went weepand away and weryes the stounde           curses the time That ever his werdes were wrought such wandreth to work!           fates; misery When he thought on this thing it thirled his herte;           pierced For sake of his sib-blood sighand he rides;           kinship When that renayed renk remembered himselven           renegade Of reverence and riotes of the Round Table, He romed and repent him of all his rewth workes,           moaned; foul deeds Rode away with his rout, restes he no lenger, For rade of our rich king, rive that he sholde.           fear; arrive; might Then kaires he to Cornwall, care-full in herte,           goes Because of his kinsman that on the coste ligges; He tarries trembland ay, tidandes to herken. Then the traitour treunted the Tuesday there-after,           set forth Trines in with a trayn tresoun to work,           Goes; trick And by the Tamber that tide his tentes he reres,           the River Tamar And then in a mett-while a messanger he sendes           short time And wrote unto Waynor how the world changed And what comlich coste the king was arrived, On flood foughten with his fleet and felled them o life;           from Bade her ferken o-fer and flee with her childer           hasten afar Whiles he might wile him away and win to her speche,           Until he could get away by stealth and come to speak to her Ayer into Ireland, into those oute-mountes,           outer mountains And wonne there in wilderness within tho waste landes.           live; deserted Then sho yermes and yeyes at York in her chamber,           cries; sobs Grones full grisly with gretand teres,           weeping Passes out of the palais with all her pris maidens, Toward Chester in a charre they chese her the wayes,           carriage Dight her even for to die with dole at her herte; Sho kaires to Caerlion and caught her a veil,           i.e., became a nun Askes there the habit in honour of Crist           nun's garment And all for falshed and fraud and fere of her lord!           falsehood; fear; husband But when our wise king wiste that Gawain was landed, He al to-writhes for wo, and wringand his handes,           writhes violently Gars launch his botes upon a low water,           Gives orders to Landes als a lion with lordlich knightes, Slippes in the sloppes o-slant to the girdle,           pools aslant Swalters up swiftly with his sword drawen,           Splashes Bounes his batail and banners displayes, Buskes over the brode sand with brethe at his herte, Ferkes frely on feld there the fey ligges; Of the traitours men on trapped steedes, Ten thousand were tint, the trewth to account,           slain And, certain, on our side seven score knightes, In suite with their soveraign unsound are beleved.           Together; not whole (dead) The king comly overcast knightes and other,           turned over Erles of Afrike and Estriche bernes,           Austrian Of Argyle and Orkney the Irish kinges, The noblest of Norway, numbers full huge, Dukes and Danemarkes and dubbed knightes; And the Guthede king in the gay armes           Gothic Lies gronand on the ground and gird through even. The rich king ransackes with rewth at his herte           searches And up rippes the renkes of all the Round Table,           pulls Sees them all in a soppe in suite by them one           little group together With the Sarazenes unsound encircled about,           dead And Sir Gawain the good in his gay armes, Umbegripped the gers and on grouf fallen,           Clutched; grass; face down His banners braiden down, beten of gules,           adorned with red His brand and his brode sheld all bloody berunnen.           run over Was never our seemlich king so sorrowful in herte, Ne that sank him so sad but that sight one.           Nor was there anything that sank him so sad as that sight alone Then gliftes the good king and glopins in herte,           stares; is terror-struck Grones full grislich with gretande teres,           weeping Kneeles down to the corse and caught it in armes,           corpse Castes up his umbrere and kisses him soon,           visor Lookes on his eye-liddes that locked were fair, His lippes like to the lede and his lire fallowed.           lead; complexion pale Then the crownd king cries full loud: "Dere cosin of kind in care am I leved,           blood relative For now my worship is went and my war ended! Here is the hope of my hele, my happing in armes,           well-being; good fortune My herte and my hardiness holly on him lenged! My counsel, my comfort, that keeped mine herte! Of all knightes the king that under Crist lived! Thou was worthy to be king, though I the crown bare! My wele and my worship of all this world rich           wealth Was wonnen through Sir Gawain and through his wit one!           only "Alas," said Sir Arthur, "now eekes my sorrow!           increases I am utterly undone in mine owen landes! A doutous, derf dede, thou dwelles too long!           fearful, cruel death Why drawes thou so on dregh? Thou drownes mine herte!"           delay; so long Then sweltes the sweet king and in swoon falles,           faints Swafres up swiftly and sweetly him kisses           Staggers Til his burlich berde was bloody berunnen,           covered with blood Als he had bestes brittened and brought out of life;           beasts Ne had Sir Ewain comen and other grete lordes, His bold herte had bristen for bale at that stounde!           time "Blinn," says these bold men, "thou blunders thyselven!           Stop; harms This is bootless bale, for better bes it never!           without remedy; will be It is no worship, iwis, to wring thine handes; To weep als a woman it is no wit holden! Be knightly of countenaunce, als a king sholde, And leve such clamour, for Cristes love of heven!" "For blood," says the bold king, "blinn shall I never           cease Ere my brain to-brist or my breste other!           shatter; either Was never sorrow so soft that sank to my herte; It is full sib to myself; my sorrow is the more.           closely related Was never so sorrowful a sight seen with mine eyen! He is sakless surprised for sin of mine one!"           innocent Down kneeles the king and cries full loud, With care-full countenaunce he carpes these wordes: "O rightwise rich God, this rewth thou behold,           righteous This real red blood run upon erthe! It were worthy to be shrede and shrined in gold,           clothed; enshrined For it is sakless of sin, so help me our Lord!"           innocent Down kneeles the king with care at his herte, Caught it up kindly with his clene handes, Cast it in a kettle-hat and coverd it fair, And kaires forth with the corse in kithe there he lenges. "Here I make mine avow," quod the king then, "To Messie and to Mary, the mild Queen of heven:           Messiah I shall never rivaye ne ratches uncouple,           hunt; hounds unleash At roe ne rein-dere that runnes upon erthe,           reindeer Never greyhound let glide, ne gossehawk let fly           goshawk Ne never fowl see felled that flighes with wing,           flies Faucon ne formel upon fist handle           Falcon; female hawk Ne yet with gerefaucon rejoice me in erthe,           gerfalcon Ne regne in my royaltees, ne hold my Round Table, Til thy dede, my dere, be duly revenged!           death; beloved But ever droop and dare whiles my life lastes,           lie still Til Drighten and derf dede have done what them likes!"           the Lord; cruel death Then caught they up the corse with care at their hertes, Carried it on a courser with the king selven; The way unto Winchester they went at the gainest,           by the shortest route Wery and wandsomly with wounded knightes;           sorrowfully There come the prior of the place and professed monkes, A-pas in procession, and with the prince meetes,           Quickly And he betook them the corse of the knight noble:           entrusted to "Lookes it be clenly keeped," he said, "and in the kirk holden;           church Don for him diriges, as to the dede falles,           Do; benefits Mensked with masses for meed of the soul;           Honoured; reward Look it want no wax, ne no worship elles,           See that; lack; candles And that the body be baumed and on erthe holden;           embalmed Yif thou keep thy covent, encroch any worship           promise, claim; reward At my coming again, yif Crist will it thole;           allow Abide of the burying til they be brought under           Wait for That has wrought us this wo and this war moved." Then says Sir Wichere the wye, a wise man of armes: "I rede ye warily wend and workes the best, Sujourn in this citee and semble thy bernes, And bide with thy bold men in the burgh rich; Get out knightes of countrees that castels holdes,           Get knights who hold your castles from their countries And out of garrisons grete good men of armes, For we are faithly too few to fight with them all That we see in his sorte upon the se bankes.           saw With cruel countenaunce then the king carpes these wordes: "I pray thee care not, sir knight, ne cast thou no dredes!           imagine Had I no segge but myself one under sun, And I may him see with sight or on him set handes, I shall even among his men malle him to dede,           hammer Ere I of the stede stir half a steed lenghe!           place I shall strike him in his stour and stroy him forever, And there-to make I mine avow devotly to Crist           devoutly And to his moder Mary, the mild Queen of heven! I shall never sujourn sound, ne saught at mine herte,           nor have peace In citee ne in suburb set upon erthe, Ne yet slomour ne sleep with my slow eyen,           slumber; heavy Til he be slain that him slogh, if any sleight happen,           slew; chance But ever persew the paganes that my pople destroyed           pursue Whiles I may pare them and pinne in place there me likes."           hurt; imprison There durst no renk him arrest of all the Round Table,           stop Ne none pay that prince with plesand wordes,           pacify; pleasing Ne none of his lege-men look him in the eyen, So lordly he lookes for loss of his knightes! Then drawes he to Dorset and dreches no lenger,           hesitates Dref-ful, dredless, with droopand teres,           Sorrowful, doubtless Kaires into Cornwall with care at his herte;           Proceeds The trace of the traitour he trines full even,           follows And turnes in by the Trentis the traitour to seek,           the River Trent Findes him in a forest the Friday there-after; The king lightes on foot and freshly ascries, And with his freelich folk he has the feld nomen!           taken Now isshewes his enmy under the wood eves           issues out With hostes of alienes full horrible to shew! Sir Mordred the Malbranche, with his much pople,           Ill-begotten Foundes out of the forest upon fele halves,           Comes In seven grete batailes seemlich arrayed, Sixty thousand men - the sight was full huge - All fightand folk of the fer landes, Fair fitted on front by tho fresh strandes.           arranged And all Arthurs host was amed with knightes           reckoned by But eighteen hundreth of all, enterd in rolles. This was a match un-mete, but mightes of Crist,           unequal, save for To melle with that multitude in those main landes.           fight Then the royal roy of the Round Table Rides on a rich steed, arrayes his bernes, Buskes his avauntward, als him best likes; Sir Ewain and Sir Errak, and other grete lordes Demenes the middle-ward menskfully there-after,           Command With Merrak and Meneduke, mighty of strenghes; Idrous and Alymer, thir avenaunt children, Ayers with Arthur with seven-score of knightes;           Proceed He rewles the rereward redyly there-after, The rekenest redy men of the Round Table;           most active And thus he fittes his folk and freshly ascries, And senn comfortes his men with knightlich wordes: "I beseek you, sirs, for sake of our Lord, That ye do well today and dredes no wepen! Fightes fersly now and fendes yourselven,           defend Felles down yon fey folk, the feld shall be ours!           fated They are Sarazenes, yon sorte, unsound mot they worthe!           may they be Set on them sadly for sake of our Lord! Yif us be destained to die today on this erthe,           destined We shall be heved unto heven ere we be half cold!           lifted Look ye let for no lede lordly to work; Layes yon laddes low by the laike end;           end of the game Take no tent unto me, ne tale of me recke;           Pay no attention; believe Bes busy on my banners with your bright wepens,           Be; around That they be strenghely stuffed with steren knightes           strongly provided And holden lordly on-loft ledes to shew; Yif any renk them arase, rescue them soon;           is captured by them Workes now my worship; today my war endes! Ye wot my wele and my wo; workes as you likes! Crist comly with crown comfort you all For the kindest creatures that ever king led! I give you all my blessing with a blithe will, And all Bretons bold, blithe mot ye worthe!"           may you be glad They pipe up at prime time, approches them ner,           9 A.M., approach; nearer Pris men and preste proves their strenghes;           Choice; ready Bremly the brethe-men bragges in trumpes,           Boldly; buglers; blow In coronettes comlyly, when knightes assembles;           horns And then jollyly enjoines these gentle knightes;           join battle A jollier journee ajudged was never, When Bretones boldly enbraces their sheldes,           put on (their arms) And Cristen encrossed them and castes in fewter!           Christians crossed themselves Then Sir Arthur host his enmy escries,           sees And in they shock their sheldes, shuntes no lenger,           thrust; delay Shot to the sheltrones and shoutes full high;           troops Through sheldes full sheen shalkes they touch! Redily those rydde men of the Round Table           fierce With real rank steel rittes their mailes;           rip Brenyes brouden they brist and burnisht helmes,           woven Hewes hethen men down, halses in sonder!           necks Fightand with fine steel the fey blood runnes; Of the frekkest on front un-fers are beleved.           unfierce (i.e., defeated) Hethenes of Argyle and Irish kinges Enverounes our avauntward with venomous bernes,           Surrounds Peghtes and paynimes with perilous wepens,           Picts With speres dispitously despoiles our knightes           pitilessly And hewed down the hendest with hertly dintes!           mortal blows Through the hole batail they holden their wayes; Thus fersly they fight upon sere halves,           various sides That of the bold Bretons much blood spilles; There durst none rescue them for riches in erthe,           dared The steren were there so stedde and stuffed with other;           beset; hard-pressed He durst not stir a step, but stood for himselven,           i.e., Arthur Til three stales were stroyed by strenghe of him one!           detachments "Idrous," quod Arthur, "ayer thee behooves! I see Sir Ewain over-set with Sarazenes keen! Redy thee for rescues, array thee soon! Hie thee with hardy men in help of thy fader! Set in on the side and succour yon lordes! But they be succoured and sound, unsaught be I ever!"           safe; troubled Idrous him answers ernestly there-after: "He is my fader, in faith, forsake shall I never - He has me fostered and fed and my fair brethern - But I forsake this gate, so me God help,           going (to his aid) And soothly all sibreden but thyself one.           kinship I broke never his bidding for berne on life,           command But ever buxom as beste blithely to work.           (was) obedient as a beast He commaund me kindly with knightly wordes, That I sholde lely on thee lenge, and on no lede elles; I shall his commaundment hold, if Crist will me thole!           allow He is elder than I, and end shall we bothen; He shall ferk before, and I shall come after; Yif him be destained to die today on this erthe,           destined Crist, comly with crown, take keep to his soul!" Then romes the rich king with rewth at his herte,           cries; grief Heves his handes on height and to the Heven lookes:           Lifts "Why then ne had Drighten destained at His dere will           Why did the Lord not destine (me to die) at His dear will That He had deemed me today to die for you all?           ordered That had I lever than be lord all my life-time Of all that Alexander ought whiles he in erthe lenged!" Sir Ewain and Sir Errak, these excellent bernes, Enters in on the host and egerly strikes; The hethenes of Orkney and Irish kinges They gobone of the gretest with grounden swordes,           i.e., Ewain and Errak; chop Hewes on those hulkes with their hard wepens, Layed down those ledes with lothly dintes;           Laid Shoulders and sheldes they shrede to the haunches, And middles through mailes they merken in sonder!           midriffs; cut Such honour never ought none erthly kinges At their ending day but Arthur himselven! So the drought of the day dryed their hertes That both drinkless they die; dole was the more! Now melles our middle-ward and mengen togeder.           attacks; mingles Sir Mordred the Malbranche with his much pople,           Ill-begotten; great army He had hid him behind within these holt eves, With hole batail on hethe, harm is the more!           whole battalion; heath He had seen the contek all clene to the end,           conflict How our chevalry cheved by chaunces of armes;           fared He wiste our folk was for-foughten that there was fey leved;           outfought To encounter the king he castes him soon,           plans But the cherles chicken had changed his armes;           churlish offspring He had soothly forsaken the sauturour engreled,           saltire engrailed And laght up three lions all of white silver,           taken Passand in purpure of perry full rich,           Passant on a purple background of very rich jewels For the king sholde not know the cautelous wretch.           cunning Because of his cowardice he cast off his attire;           heraldic device But the comlich king knew him full swithe, Carpes to Sir Cador these kindly wordes: "I see the traitour come yonder trinand full yerne;           going Yon lad with the lions is like to himselven; Him shall torfer betide, may I touch ones,           woe; if I can For all his tresoun and trayn, als I am trew lord!           trickery Today Clarent and Caliburn shall kithe them togeders           Excalibur; make known Whilk is keener of carfe or harder of edge!           Which; carving Fraist shall we fine steel upon fine weedes.           Test It was my darling dainteous and full dere holden,           i.e., the sword Clarent; dainty Keeped for encrownmentes of kinges annointed;           coronations On dayes when I dubbed dukes and erles It was burlich borne by the bright hiltes; I durst never dere it in deedes of armes           harm But ever keeped clene because of myselven. For I see Clarent uncledde that crown is of swordes,           i.e., drawn My wardrope at Walingford I wot is destroyed.           wardrobe Wiste no wye of wonne but Waynor herselven;           Knew; the dwelling place Sho had the keeping herself of that kidd wepen, Of coffers enclosed that to the crown longed, With ringes and relickes and the regale of Fraunce           regalia That was founden on Sir Frolle when he was fey leved."           left dead Then Sir Marrak in malencoly meetes him soon,           melancholy With a malled mace mightyly him strikes;           hammered The bordour of his bacenett he bristes in sonder,           border; helmet That the shire red blood over his breny runnes! The berne blenkes for bale and all his blee changes,           blanches; complexion But yet he bides as a bore and bremly he strikes!           boar; fiercely He braides out a brand bright als ever any silver           i.e., Mordred That was Sir Arthur owen, and Utere his faders, In the wardrope at Walingford was wont to be keeped;           wardrobe Therewith the derf dog such dintes he reched           impudent The tother withdrew on dregh and drust do none other           other; back For Sir Marrak was man marred in elde,           weakened by age And Sir Mordred was mighty and in his most strenghes; Come none within the compass, knight ne none other, Within the swing of sword, that he ne the swet leved.           life-blood left That perceives our prince and presses to fast,           i.e., to battle Strikes into the stour by strenghe of his handes,           melee Meetes with Sir Mordred; he meles unfair:           speaks gruffly "Turn, traitour untrew, thee tides no better; By grete God, thou shall die with dint of my handes! Thee shall rescue no renk ne riches in erthe!" The king with Caliburn knightly him strikes; The cantel of his clere sheld he carves in sonder,           cornerpiece Into the shoulder of the shalk a shaftmonde large           six inches deep That the shire red blood shewed on the mailes! He shuddered and shrinkes and shuntes but little, But shockes in sharply in his sheen weedes; The felon with the fine sword freshly he strikes, The felettes of the ferrer side he flashes in sonder,           rib plates; farther Through jupon and gesseraunt of gentle mailes,           gipon (tunic); hauberk The freke fiched in the flesh an half-foot large;           pierced That derf dint was his dede, and dole was the more           hideous blow That ever that doughty sholde die but at Drightens will! Yet with Caliburn his sword full knightly he strikes, Castes in his clere sheld and coveres him full fair, Swappes off the sword hand, als he by glentes -           goes An inch fro the elbow he oched it in sonder           chopped That he swoones on the swarth and on swim falles -           turf; swoon Through bracer of brown steel and the bright mailes,           armguard That the hilt and the hand upon the hethe ligges. Then freshlich the freke the fente up-reres,           Arthur; vent raises Broches him in with the brand to the bright hiltes, And he brawles on the brand and bounes for to die.           struggles "In faye," said the fey king, "sore me for-thinkes           I sorely repent That ever such a false thef so fair an end haves."           thief When they had finisht this fight, then was the feld wonnen, And the false folk in the feld fey are beleved! Til a forest they fled and fell in the greves,           groves And fers fightand folk followes them after, Huntes and hewes down the hethen tikes,           heathen dogs Murtheres in the mountaines Sir Mordred knightes;           Murder There chaped never no child, cheftain ne other,           escaped But choppes them down in the chase; it charges but little!           troubles But when Sir Arthur anon Sir Ewain he findes, And Errak the avenaunt and other grete lordes,           comely He caught up Sir Cador with care at his herte, Sir Clegis, Sir Cleremond, these clere men of armes, Sir Lot and Sir Lionel, Sir Launcelot and Lowes, Marrak and Meneduke, that mighty were ever; With langour in the land there he layes them togeder, Looked on their lighames, and with a loud steven,           bodies; voice Als lede that list not live and lost had his mirthes -           man; desired Then he stotays for mad and all his strenghe failes,           staggers; dizziness Lookes up to the lift and all his lire changes,           sky; face Down he sways full swithe, and in a swoon falles, Up he coveres on knees and cries full often - "King, comly with crown, in care am I leved! All my lordship low in land is laid under, That me has given guerdones, by grace of Himselven,           rewards Maintained my manhed by might of their handes,           manhood Made me manly on molde and master in erthe, In a teenful time this torfer was rered,           painful; mischief; raised That for a traitour has tint all my trew lordes!           destroyed Here restes the rich blood of the Round Table, Rebuked with a rebaud, and rewth is the more!           scoundrel I may helpless on hethe house by mine one, Als a woful widow that wantes her berne!           children I may werye and weep and wring mine handes,           curse For my wit and my worship away is forever! Of all lordshippes I take leve to mine end! Here is the Bretones blood brought out of life, And now in this journee all my joy endes!" Then relies the renks of all the Round Table;           rally To the real roy they ride them all; Then assembles full soon seven score knightes In sight to their soveraign that was unsound leved; Then kneeles the crowned king and cries on loud: "I thank thee, God, of thy grace, with a good will, That gave us vertue and wit to venquish these bernes, And us has graunted the gree of these grete lordes!           victory over He sent us never no shame ne shenship in erthe           disgrace But ever yet the over-hand of all other kinges;           i.e., upper hand We have no leisere now these lordes to seek,           leisure For yon lothly lad me lamed so sore!           i.e., Mordred Graith us to Glashenbury; us gaines none other;           Let us go to Glastonbury; nothing else avails There we may rest us with roo and ransack our woundes.           peace; treat Of this dere day work the Drighten be lowed,           costly; praised That us has detained and deemed to die in our owen."           i.e., in our own land Then they hold at his hest holly at ones,           command And graithes to Glashenbury the gate at the gainest;           Glastonbury; way Entres the Ile of Avalon and Arthur he lightes,           Isle Merkes to a manor there, for might he no further;           for he could go A surgen of Salerne enserches his woundes;           surgeon; treats The king sees by assay that sound bes he never,           examination; will be And soon to his seker men he said these wordes:           true "Do call me a confessor with Crist in his armes;           i.e., the Eucharist I will be houseld in haste what hap so betides.           given the sacrament Constantine my cosin he shall the crown bere, Als becomes him of kind, if Crist will him thole!           allow Berne, for my benison, thou bury yon lordes           blessing That in batail with brandes are brought out of life, And sithen merk manly to Mordred children,           pursue manfully That they be slely slain and slongen in waters;           wisely; slung Let no wicked weed wax ne writhe on this erthe;           grow nor flourish I warn, for thy worship, work als I bid! I forgive all gref, for Cristes love of heven! If Waynor have well wrought, well her betide!" He said "In manus" with main on molde where he ligges,           "Into Your hands" And thus passes his spirit and spekes he no more! The baronage of Bretain then, bishoppes and other, Graithes them to Glashenbury with glopinand hertes           Glastonbury; dismayed To bury there the bold king and bring to the erthe With all worhsip and welth that any wye sholde.           person should have Throly belles they ring and Requiem singes,           Loudly Dos masses and matins with mornand notes;           Do Religious reveste in their rich copes,           Monastics dressed Pontificalles and prelates in precious weedes,           Bishops Dukes and douspeeres in their dole-cotes,           mourning garments Countesses kneeland and claspand their handes, Ladies languishand and lowrand to shew;           frowning All was busked in black, birdes and other,           dressed; women That shewed at the sepulture with syland teres;           sepulchre; flowing Was never so sorrowful a sight seen in their time! Thus endes King Arthur, as auctors allege,           authorities tell That was of Ectores blude, the kinge son of Troy           Hector's blood And of Sir Priamous, the prince, praised in erthe;           Priam Fro thethen brought the Bretons all his bold elders           thence (i.e., Troy) Into Bretain the brode, as the Brut telles. Hic jacet Arthurus, rex quondam rexque futurus. (Here lies Arthur, king once and king to be.) Here endes Morte Arthure, written by Robert of Thornton R. Thornton dictus qui scripsit sit benedictus. Amen. (May the said R. Thornton, who wrote this, be blessed. Amen.)