Lyrics

Here beginnes Morte Arthure. In Nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen pur Charite. Amen. Now grete glorious God through grace of Himselven           great And the precious prayer of his pris Moder           excellent Sheld us fro shamesdeede and sinful workes           shameful deeds And give us grace to guie and govern us here           guide In this wretched world through virtuous living, That we may kaire til his court, the kingdom of heven           go to When our soules shall part and sunder fro the body           from Ever to beld and to bide in bliss with Himselven;           dwell; abide And wisse me to warp out some word at this time           teach; utter That nother void be ne vain but worship til Himselven           neither; honour Plesand and profitable to the pople that them heres.           Pleasing; people; hear Ye that lust has to lithe or loves for to here           desire; listen Of elders of olde time and of their awke deedes,           strange How they were lele in their law and loved God Almighty           loyal; religion Herkenes me hendely and holdes you stille,           Hearken; courteously And I shall tell you a tale that trew is and noble           true Of the real renkes of the Round Table           royal men That chef were of chivalry and cheftains noble           chief; chieftains Both wary in their workes and wise men of armes,           skilled Doughty in their doings and dredde ay shame,           dreaded always Kind men and courtais and couth of court thewes,           courteous; skilled; manners How they won with war worshippes many,           honours Slogh Lucius the lithere that lord was of Rome,           Slew; wicked And conquered that kingrik through craftes of armes;           kingdom Herkenes now hiderward and heres this story!           Listen; here; hear When that the king Arthur by conquest had wonnen           won Casteles and kingdomes and countrees many,           countries And he had covered the crown of that kith riche           recovered; country Of all that Uter in erthe ought in his time:           Uther; earth; owned Argayle and Orkney and all these oute-iles,           outer-isles Ireland utterly, as Ocean runnes,           entirely; where the Scathel Scotland by skill he skiftes as him likes,           Harmful Scotland with skill he rules as it pleases him And Wales of war he won at his will,           by; to Bothe Flaunders and Fraunce free til himselven           to Holland and Hainault they held of him bothen,           both Burgoigne and Brabaunt and Bretain the less           Brittany Guienne and Gothland and Grace the rich,           Grasse Bayonne and Bourdeaux he belded full fair,           dwelt in Touraine and Toulouse with towres full high,           towers Of Poitiers and Provence he was prince holden;           considered Of Valence and Vienne, of value so noble, Of Overgne and Anjou, those erldoms rich,           Auvergne; earldoms By conquest full cruel they knew him for lord           acknowledged Of Navarre and Norway and Normandy eek           also Of Almaine, of Estriche, and other ynow;           Germany; Austria; many others Denmark he dressed all by drede of himselven           directed; dread Fro Swynne unto Swetherwike, with his sword keen!           From Swynn to Sweden, with his sharp sword When he these deedes had done, he dubbed his knightes, Devised ducheries and delt in diverse rewmes,           Created and gave out dukedoms in diverse realms Made of his cosins kinges annointed           relatives In kithes there they covet crownes to bere.           countries where; bear When he these rewmes had ridden and rewled the pople,           realms; ruled; people Then rested that real and held the Round Table;           royal (one) Sujourns that seson to solace himselven           Sojourns; season In Bretain the brodder, as him best likes;           Great Britain; pleases Sithen went into Wales with his wyes all,           Then; men Sways into Swaldie with his snell houndes           Moves; South Wales; swift For to hunt at the hartes in those high landes,           stags In Glamorgan with glee there gladship was ever,           where gladness And there a citee he set, by assent of his lordes           city; established That Caerlion was called, with curious walles, On the rich river that runnes so fair,           great There he might semble his sorte to see when him liked.           Where he might assemble his followers to review when it pleased him Then after at Carlisle a Christenmass he holdes,           Christmas This ilk kidd conquerour and held him for lord           same famous With dukes and douspeeres of diverse rewmes,           high nobles; realms Erles and erchevesques and other ynow,           Earls; archbishops Bishoppes and bachelers and bannerettes noble That bowes to his banner, busk when him likes.           go when it pleases him But on the Christenmass-day when they were all sembled, That comlich conquerour commaundes himselven           comely That ilk a lord sholde lenge and no leve take           each; should remain; leave To the tende day fully were taken to the end.           tenth Thus on real array he held his Round Table           royal With semblaunt and solace and selcouthe metes;           splendour; rare foods Was never such noblay in no mannes time           nobleness Made in mid-winter in tho West Marches!           those But on the New-Yere day, at the noon even,           New Year's; exactly As the bold at the borde was of bred served,           As the bold men at the table were served with bread So come in sodenly a senatour of Rome,           suddenly With sixteen knightes in a suite, sewand him one;           company following; alone He salued the soveraign and the sale after           saluted; hall Ilk a king after king, and made his inclines;           Each; bows Gaynor in her degree he grette as him liked           greeted; pleased And sinn again to the gome he gave up his needes:           And then (bowed) again to the man (Arthur) and delivered his message "Sir Lucius Iberius, the Emperour of Rome, Salues thee as subjet, under his sele rich;           Salutes; subject; seal It is credan, Sir King, with cruel wordes;           credentials Trow it for no troufles, his targe is to shew!           Think it not a trifle, his shield (armorial device) is to be seen hereon Now in this New-Yeres Day, with notaries sign, I make thee summons in sale to sew for thy landes,           hall; plead That on Lamass Day there be no let founden           August 1; hindrance found That thou be redy at Rome with all thy Round Table           ready Appere in his presence with thy pris knightes           Appear; excellent At prime of the day, in pain of your lives,           first hour; on In the kidd Capitoil before the king selven           famous; himself When he and his senatours bes set as them likes,           are; it pleases them To answer only why thou occupies the landes           alone That owe homage of old til him and his elders,           to Why thou has ridden and raimed and ransound the pople           robbed; ransomed And killed down his cosins, kinges annointed;           kinsmen There shall thou give reckoning for all thy Round Table, Why thou art rebel to Rome and rentes them with-holdes!           revenue Yif thou these summons withsit, he sendes thee these wordes:           If; resist He shall thee seek over the se, with sixteen kinges,           sea Brin Bretain the brode and britten thy knightes           Burn Britain the broad (Great Britain) and beat down your knights And bring thee buxomly as a beste with brethe where him likes,           And with anger bring you compliantly as a beast where he pleases That thou ne shall route ne rest under the heven rich           And you shall not sleep nor rest under the great heaven Though thou for reddour of Rome run to the erthe!           Though for fear of Rome you run to the earth (like a hunted animal) For if thou flee into Fraunce or Frisland other,           Frisia either Thou shall be fetched with force and overset forever!           overthrown Thy fader made fewtee we find in our rolles,           father; fealty; records In the regestré of Rome, who-so right lookes;           registry Withouten more troufling the tribute we ask           trifling That Julius Cesar won with his gentle knightes!"           noble The king blushed on the berne with his brode eyen,           The king looked on the man with his large eyes That full bremly for brethe brent as the gledes,           Which burned very fiercely like coals because of (his) anger Cast colours as the king with cruel lates           Turned pale; features Looked as a lion and on his lip bites. The Romanes for radness rusht to the erthe,           fear; earth For ferdness of his face as they fey were;           fear; fated to die Couched as kennetes before the king selven;           Crouched like hounds Because of his countenaunce confused them seemed!           they seemed Then covered up a knight and cried full loud:           got up (on his knees) "King, crowned of kind, courtais and noble,           by nature courteous Misdo no messanger for mensk of thyselven,           Harm; honour Senn we are in thy manrede and mercy thee beseekes;           Since; power; beseech We lenge with Sir Lucius, that lord is of Rome,           belong That is the marveloustest man than on molde lenges;           most marvelous; earth It is lelful til us his liking til work;           It is loyal (our duty) for us to do his pleasure We come at his commaundment; have us excused." Then carpes the conquerour cruel wordes:           says "Ha! cravand knight, a coward thee seemes!           craven; you seem There is some segge in this sale, and he were sore greved           There is a certain man in this hall, and he was sorely grieved Thou durst not for all Lumbardy look on him ones!"           That you dared not look on him once for all Lombardy (as a reward) "Sir," says the senatour, "so Crist mot me help,           as; may The vout of thy visage has wounded us all!           expression Thou art the lordliest lede that ever I on looked.           man By looking, withouten lees, a lion thee seemes!"           In appearance; lies; you seem "Thou has me summoned," quod the king, "and said what thee likes. For sake of thy soveraign I suffer thee the more; Senn I crowned was in kith with crisom annointed,           Since; country; holy oil Was never creature to me that carped so large!           spoke so freely But I shall take counsel at kinges annointed           from Of dukes and douspeeres and doctours noble,           high noblemen; theologians Of peeres of the parlement, prelates and other           parliament Of the richest renkes of the Round Table;           most powerful men Thus shall I take avisement of valiant bernes,           advice; men Work after the wit of my wise knightes.           Do according to To warp wordes in waste no worship it were,           utter; honour Ne wilfully in this wrath to wreken myselven.           Nor; avenge Forthy shall thou lenge here and lodge with these lordes           Therefore; remain This seven-night in solace to sujourn your horses,           pleasure; rest To see what life that we lede in these low landes."           lead; humble For by the realtee of Rome, that richest was ever,           royalty; most powerful He commaundes Sir Kayous, "Take keep to those lordes           care of To stightel tho stern men as their state askes,           arrange those; requires That they be herbered in haste in those high chambres,           lodged; noble Sithen sittandly in sale served thereafter,           Then suitably in hall That they find no faute of food to their horses,           lack Nother wine ne wax ne welth in this erthe;           candles Spare for no spicery, but spend what thee likes           Don't save money on spices, but spend what you please That there be largess on loft and no lack founden;           generosity prevailing If thou my worship wait, wye, by my trewth,           If you guard my honour, man, by my pledged word Thou shall have gersoms full grete that gain shall thee ever!"           You shall have very great rewards that will profit you forever Now are they herbered in high and in host holden,           Now they are nobly lodged and regarded as guests Hastily with hende men within these high walles.           courteous; noble In chambers with chimpnees they changen their weedes,           In chambers with chimneys (heat), they change their clothes And sithen the chaunceller them fetched with chevalry noble;           then Soon the senatour was set as him well seemed,           befit At the kinges own borde; two knightes him served,           table Singulere, soothly, as Arthur himselven,           Singly (alone) Richly on the right hand at the Round Table. By resoun that the Romans were so rich holden,           reason; powerful As of the realest blood that regned in erthe.           most royal; reigned There come in at the first course, before the king selven,           himself Borehevedes that were bright, burnisht with silver           Boar-heads; adorned All with taught men and towen in togges full rich,           All with men trained and taught, in very rich clothes Of sank real in suite, sixty at ones;           All of royal blood in a troop, sixty together Flesh flourisht of fermison, with frumentee noble,           Flesh fattened in season with noble frumentee (a wheat dish) There-to wild to wale, and winlich briddes,           Along with wild (game) to choose, and pleasant birds Pacockes and plovers in platters of gold           Peacocks Pigges of pork despine that pastured never;           Piglets; porcupine Sithen herons in hedoyne heled full fair,           Then; plumage concealed Grete swannes full swithe in silveren chargeours,           Very many large swans on silver platters Tartes of Turky, taste whom them likes;           Pies of Turkey, to be tasted by whomever it pleases Gumbaldes graithly, full gracious to taste;           Beef pies readily Senn bowes of wild bores with the brawn leched,           Then shoulders of wild boars, with the lean meat sliced Bernakes and botoures in batterd dishes,           Barnacle geese and bitterns in pastry-covered dishes Thereby braunchers in bred, better was never,           young hawks; bread With brestes of barrowes that bright were to shew;           breasts; pigs; be seen Senn come there sewes sere with solace thereafter,           Then; stews various Ownde of azure all over and ardaunt them seemed;           Wavy with azure-coloured sauce all over, and they appeared to be flaming Of ilk a leche the lowe launched full high,           From each slice the flame leaped very high That all ledes might like that looked them upon;           men; who Then cranes and curlewes craftily rosted,           roasted Connies in cretoyne coloured full fair,           Rabbits; milk and spices Fesauntes enflourished in flamand silver,           Pheasants adorned; flaming With darielles endorded and dainties ynow;           With pastries glazed with egg yolks and many (other) dainties Then Claret and Crete clergially rennen           Then Claret and Creten wine were cunningly made to flow With condethes full curious all of clene silver,           By conduits that were skillfully made, all of pure silver Osay and Algarde and other ynow           Alsatian and Spanish wines; many others Rhenish wine and Rochelle, richer was never, Vernage of Venice, virtuous, and Crete,           White wine; full-bodied In faucetes of fine gold, fonde who-so likes;           vessels; to try The kinges cup-bord was closed in silver,           enclosed In grete gobletes overgilt, glorious of hew;           With great jewels gilded over, glorious of hue There was a chef butler, a chevaler noble           chief; chevalier Sir Kayous the courtais, that of the cup served;           courteous Sixty cuppes of suite for the king selven,           cups in a set Crafty and curious, corven full fair,           Skillfully made; carved In ever-ilk a party pight with precious stones,           Each part adorned That none enpoison sholde go privily there-under           So that if any poison should go secret under them (in the cup) But the bright gold for brethe sholde brist all to peces,           The bright gold would burst all to pieces with anger Or else the venom sholde void through virtue of the stones;           Or else the poison should lose its power because of the virtue of the precious stones And the conquerour himselven, so clenly arrayed,           handsomely In colours of clene gold cledde, with his knightes,           pure; clad Dressed with his diadem on his dese rich,           dais For he was deemed the doughtiest that dwelled in erthe. Then the conquerour kindly carped to those lordes,           spoke Reheted the Romans with real speche:           Cheered; royal speech "Sirs, bes knightly of countenaunce and comfortes yourselven;           be We know nought in this countree of curious metes;           exotic meats In these barrain landes breedes none other;           barren Forthy, withouten feining, enforce you the more           Therefore, without pretending (that you are enjoying it), force yourself all the more To feed you with such feeble as ye before find."           poor food "Sir," says the senatour, "so Crist mot me help,           as; may There regned never such realtee within Rome walles!           reigned; royalty There ne is prelate ne pope ne prince in this erthe           is no; nor That he ne might be well payed of these pris metes!"           pleased; excellent foods After their welth they wesh and went unto chamber,           bounteous feast; washed This ilk kidd conquerour with knightes ynow;           same famous; many knights Sir Gawain the worthy Dame Waynor he ledes,           Guinevere; leads Sir Owghtreth on tother side, of Turry was lord.           the other Then spices unsparely they spended thereafter,           unsparingly; expended Malvesy and Muskadell, those marvelous drinkes,           Malmsey and Muscatel Raiked full rathely in rosset cuppes           Went round very quickly in russet-coloured (gold) cups Til all the rich on row, Romans and other.           To; in turn But the soveraign soothly, for solace of himselven,           pleasure Assigned to the senatour certain lordes To lede to his levere, when he his leve askes,           lead; desired place; leave With mirth and with melody of minstralsy noble.           musicians Then the conquerour to counsel kaires thereafter           goes With lordes of his legeaunce that to himself longes           allegiance; belong To the Giauntes Towr jollily he wendes           Giants' Tower; goes With justices and judges and gentle knightes.           noble Sir Cador of Cornwall to the king carpes,           speaks Laugh on him lovely with likand lates;           Smiles on him pleasantly with pleasing features "I thank God of that thro that thus us thretes!           trouble; threatens You must be trailed, I trow, but yif ye tret better!           dragged; believe; unless The lettres of Sir Lucius lightes mine herte.           lighten; heart We have as losels lived many long day           wastrels With delites in this land with lordshippes many           delights And forlitened the los that we are laited.           lessened; praise; esteemed I was abashed, by our Lord, of our best bernes,           by; men For grete dole of deffuse of deedes of armes.           sadness because of the ban Now wakenes the war! Worshipped be Crist!           reawakens And we shall win it again by wightness and strength!"           vigour "Sir Cador," quod the king, "thy counsel is noble;           said But thou art a marvelous man with thy merry wordes! For thou countes no case ne castes no further,           you take account of no circumstances, nor consider (the matter) any further But hurles forth upon heved, as thy herte thinkes;           spout off; heart I moste trete of a trews touchand these needes,           consider; truce; matters Talk of these tithandes that teenes mine herte.           tidings; grieve Thou sees that the emperour is angerd a little; It seemes by his sandesman that he is sore greved;           messenger; grieved His senatour has summond me and said what him liked, Hethely in my hall, with heinous wordes,           Scornfully; hateful In speche despised me and spared me little;           speech I might not speke for spite, so my herte trembled!           could not speak He asked me tyrauntly tribute of Rome, That teenfully tint was in time of mine elders,           painfully lost There alienes, in absence of all men of armes,           foreigners Coverd it of commouns, as cronicles telles.           Obtained; commoners I have title to take tribute of Rome; Mine auncestres were emperours and ought it themselven,           owned Belin and Bremin and Bawdewyne the third; They occupied the empire eight score winters, Ilkon eier after other, as old men telles;           Each one heir They covered the Capitol and cast down the walles,           seized Hanged of their hedesmen by hundrethes at ones;           head men; hundreds; once Senn Constantine, our kinsman, conquered it after,           Then That eier was of Yngland and emperour of Rome,           heir; England He that conquered the cross by craftes of armes, That Crist was on crucified, that King is of heven.           heaven Thus have we evidence to ask the emperour the same, That thus regnes at Rome, what right that he claimes."           reigns Then answerd King Aungers to Arthur himself: "Thou ought to be overling over to all other kinges,           overlord For wisest and worthyest and wightest of handes,           strongest The knightlyest of counsel that ever crown bore. I dare say for Scotland that we them scathe limped;           suffered harm from them When the Romans regned they ransound our elders           reigned; ransomed And rode in their riot and ravished our wives, Withouten resoun or right reft us our goodes;           reason; bereft us of And I shall make my avow devotly to Crist           devoutly And to the holy vernacle, virtuous and noble,           image of Veronica Of this grete vilany I shall be venged ones,           villainy; avenged at once On yon venomous men with valiant knightes! I shall thee further of defence fostred ynow           well trained Twenty thousand men within two eldes           ages Of my wage to wend where-so thee likes,           At my expense; travel To fight with thy fomen that us unfair ledes!"           foes; treat Then the burlich berne of Bretain the Little           stately man; Brittany Counsels Sir Arthur and of him beseekes           beseeches To answer the alienes with austeren wordes,           bold To entice the emperour to take over the mountes. He said: "I make mine avow verily to Crist,           vow And to the holy vernacle, that void shall I never           image of Veronica; retreat For radness of no Roman that regnes in erthe,           fear; reigns But ay be redy in array and at erest founden;           ready; the first No more dout the dintes of their derf wepens           fear the blows; grim Than the dew that is dank when that it down falles; Ne no more shoun for the swap of their sharp swordes           shrink; sweep Than for the fairest flowr that on the folde growes!           flower; ground I shall to batail thee bring of brenyed knightes           battle; armoured Thirty thousand by tale, thrifty in armes,           count; prosperous Within a month-day, into what march           whatever country That thou will soothly assign, when thyself likes." "A! A!" says the Welsh king; "worshipped be Crist! Now shall we wreke full well the wrath of our elders!           avenge; injury to In West Wales, iwis, such wonders they wrought That all for wandreth may weep that on that war thinkes.           sorrow I shall have the avauntward witterly myselven,           vanguard certainly Til that I have vanquisht the Viscount of Rome, That wrought me at Viterbo a vilany ones,           villainy once As I past in pilgrimage by the Pount Tremble.           Pontremoli He was in Tuskane that time and took of our knightes,           Tuscany; some of Arrest them unrightwisly and ransound them after.           Arrested them unjustly and awfterwards held them for ransom I shall him surely ensure that saghtel shall we never           be reconciled Ere we sadly assemble by ourselven ones           ourselves alone And dele dintes of deth with our derf wepens!           deal; strong And I shall wage to that war of worshipful knightes,           bring at my expense Of Wyghte and of Welshland and of the West Marches,           Isle of Wight Two thousand in tale, horsed on steedes,           number Of the wightest wyes in all yon West Landes!"           strongest men Sir Ewain fitz Urien then egerly fraines,           Iwain son of Urien (and Morgan le Fay); eagerly asks Was cosin to the conquerour, corageous himselven:           kinsman; courageous "Sir, and we wiste your will we wolde work thereafter;           if we knew; would Yif this journee sholde hold or be ajourned further,          journey; adjourned To ride on yon Romans and riot their landes,          ravage We wolde shape us therefore, to ship when you likes."           would prepare us "Cosin," quod the conquerour, "kindly thou askes           kinsman; said Yif my counsel accord to conquer yon landes. By the kalendes of Juny we shall encounter ones           first day of June With full cruel knightes, so Crist mot me help!          as; may Thereto I make mine avow devotly to Crist           devoutly And to the holy vernacle, virtuous and noble;           image of Veronica I shall at Lamass take leve to lenge at my large           At Lamas (August 1) I shall take my leave, to remain freely In Lorraine or Lumbardy, whether me leve thinkes;           In Lorraine or Lombardy, whichever seems preferable to me Merk unto Meloine and mine down the walles           Go; Milan; undermine Both of Petersand and of Pis and of the Pount Tremble;           Petrasanta (the Vatican); Pisa; Pontremoli In the Vale of Viterbo vitail my knights,           supply (victual) Sujourn there six weekes and solace myselven,           Sojourn; refresh Send prikers to the pris town and plant there my sege           riders; excellent; siege But if they proffer me the pees by process of time."           Unless; peace "Certes," says Sir Ewain, "and I avow after,           Certainly; vow And I that hathel may see ever with mine eyen           If; man; eyes That occupies thine heritage, the empire of Rome, I shall aunter me ones his egle to touch           venture; eagle-standard That borne is in his banner of bright gold rich, And rase it from his rich men and rive it in sonder,           snatch; cut it asunder But he be redily rescued with riotous knightes.                     Unless he (the eagle) is rescued quickly by vigourous knights I shall enforce you in the feld with fresh men of armes,           reinforce; field Fifty thousand folk upon fair steedes, On thy fomen to founde there thee fair thinkes,           foemen to go where In Fraunce or in Frisland, fight when thee likes!"           Frisia "By our Lord," quod Sir Launcelot, "now lightes mine herte!           lightens I lowe God of this love these lordes has avowed!           praise Now may less men have leve to say what them likes,           lesser; leave And have no letting by law; but listenes these wordes:           hindrance I shall be at journee with gentle knightes           the day's fight; noble On a jamby steed full jollily graithed,           active; equipped Ere any journee begin to joust with himselven           Before any day's fight (the major battle) begins, to joust with himself (Lucius) Among all his giauntes, Genivers and other,           giants, Genoese Strike him stiffly fro his steed with strenghe of mine handes, For all the steren in stour that in his stale hoves!           Despite the strong (one) in battle that remain in his troop Be my retinue arrayed, I reck it but a little           reckon To make route into Rome with riotous knightes. Within a seven-night day, with six score helmes,           Within a week from today with one hundred and twenty knights I shall be seen on the se, sail when thee likes."           sea Then laughes Sir Lot and all on loud meles:           speaks "Me likes that Sir Lucius longes after sorrow;           for Now he wilnes the war his wandreth beginnes;           desires; sorrow It is our werdes to wreke the wrath of our elders!           fates to avenge I make mine avow to God and to the holy vernacle:           image of Veronica And I may see the Romans that are so rich holden,           If I can see the Romans, who are considered so powerful Arrayed in their riotes on a round feld,           Arrayed in their riotous groups on a broad field I shall at the reverence of the Round Table           for Ride through all the rout, rereward and other,           Ride through all the company, rear guard and the rest Redy wayes to make and renkes full rowm,           To make a ready way and paths full spacious Runnand on red blood, as my steed rushes!           Running with He that followes my fare and first comes after           route Shall find in my fare-way many fey leved!"          path; dead left Then the conquerour kindly comfortes these knightes, Alowes them gretly their lordly avowes;           Praises; vows "Allweldand God worship you all!           All-ruling; honour And let me never want you, whiles I in world regn;           be without you My mensk and my manhed ye maintain in erthe,           honour; manhood Mine honour all utterly in other kinges landes; My wele and my worship of all this world rich,           prosperity Ye have knightly conquered that to my crown longes.           belongs Him thar be ferd for no foes that swilk a folk ledes,           He needs be afraid; such But ever fresh for to fight in feld when him likes.           field I account no king that under Crist lives;           take account of Whiles I see you all sound, I set by no more."           depend on When they trustily had treted they trumped up after,           When they had confidently discussed (this business), they blew on trumpets afterwards (conclusion of the council) Descended down with a daunce of dukes and erles.           group; earls Then they sembled to sale and souped als swithe,           met; hall; dined quickly All this seemly sorte, with semblaunt full noble.           company; splendour Then the roy real rehetes these knightes           royal king regales With reverence and riot of all his Round Table           respect; revelry Til seven dayes was gone. The senatour askes Answer to the Emperour with austeren wordes.           bold After the Epiphany, when the purpose was taken           January 6 Of peeres of the parlement, prelates and other,           parliament The king in his counsel, courtais and noble,           courteous Uters the alienes and answers himselven:           Brings out "Greet well Lucius, thy lord, and laine not these wordes;           conceal If thou be legemen lele, let him wite soon           liege-man loyal; know I shall at Lamass take leve and lodge at my large           August 1; freely In delite in his landes with lordes ynow,           delight; many lords Regne in my realtee and rest when me likes;           Reign; royalty By the river of Rhone hold my Round Table, Fang the fermes in faith of all tho fair rewmes           Seize the revenues, in faith, of all those fair realms For all the menace of his might and maugree his eyen!           Despite the threat of his power and regardless of his resistance And merk sithen over the mountes into his main landes,           go; mountains To Miloine the marvelous and mine down the walles;           Milan; undermine In Lorraine ne in Lumbardy leve shall I nother           Lombardy; leave; neither Nokine lede upon life that there his lawes yemes;           No kind of man; keeps And turn into Tuskane when me time thinkes,           Tuscany Ride all those rowm landes with riotous knightes.           spacious; vigorous Bid him make rescues for mensk of himselven,           honour And meet me for his manhed in those main landes!           manhood; strong I shall be founden in Fraunce, fraist when him likes!           try The first day of Feveryer in those fair marches!           February Ere I be fetched with force or forfeit my landes, The flowr of his fair folk full fey shall be leved!           dead; left I shall him sekerly ensure under my sele rich           certainly; seal To sege the citee of Rome within seven winter           besiege; city And that so sekerly ensege upon sere halves           securely besiege; all sides That many a senatour shall sigh for sake of me one!           alone My summons are certified and thou art full served           provided Of cundit and credens; kaire where thee likes.           With safe-condust and credentials; go where you please I shall thy journee engist, enjoin them myselven,           I shall assign the resting-places for your journey, order them myself Fro this place to the port there thou shall pass over:           from Seven days to Sandwich I set at the large;           as a maximum time Sixty mile on a day, the sum is but little! Thou moste speed at the spurs and spare not thy fole;           must; foal Thou wendes by Watling Street and by no way elles;           travel; else There thou nyghes on night needes moste thou lenge;           Wherever you set down by night you must be necessity remain Be it forest or feld, found thou no further;           field; go Bind thy blonk by a busk with thy bridle even,           horse; bush Lodge thyselven under linde as thee lefe thinkes;           Lodge yourself under trees, wherever it seems good to you There owes none alienes to ayer upon nightes,           ought; wander With such a ribawdous rout to riot thyselven.           ribald; company Thy license is limit in presence of lordes,           limited Be now loth or lette, right as thee thinkes,           Whether (my order) is now hateful or a hindrance in your mind For both thy life and thy limm ligges thereupon,           limb lie Though Sir Lucius had laid thee the lordship of Rome,           laid on you For be thou founden a foot withoute the flood marches           edge of the sea After the aughtende day when undern is rungen,           eighth; nine A.M. Thou shall be heveded in hie and with horse drawen,           You shall be speedily beheaded and torn apart by horses And senn hiely be hanged, houndes to gnawen!           And then quickly be hanged for dogs to gnaw The rent ne red gold that unto Rome longes           tax; belongs Shall not redily, renk, ransoun thine one!"           man, ransom you alone "Sir," says the senatour, "so Crist mot me help,           as; may Might I with worship win away ones           Could; go I sholde never for Emperour that on erthe lenges           should; remains Eft unto Arthur ayer on such needes;           Again; go; a message But I am singely here with sixteen knightes;           singly I beseek you, sir, that we may sound pass.           beseech; safely If any unlawful lede let us by the way,           man hinder Within thy license, lord, thy los is inpaired."           fame is impaired "Care not," quod the king; "thy cundit is knowen           said; safe-conduct Fro Carlisle to the coste there thy cogge lenges;           From; coast; ship Though thy coffers were full, crammed with silver, Thou might be seker of my sele sixty mile further."           Secure; seal They enclined to the king and congee they asked,           bowed; leave Kaires out of Carlisle, catches on their horses;           Go Sir Cador the courtais kend them the wayes,           courteous; taught To Catrik them conveyed and to Crist them bekenned.           entrusted So they sped at the spurres they sprangen their horses,           exhausted Hires them hackenayes hastily thereafter.           horses So for reddour they ridden and rested them never,           fear; rode But yif they lodged under linde whiles them the light failed;           Unless; tree But ever the senatour forsooth sought at the gainest.           nearest (way) By the sevende day was gone the citee they reched.           By the time the seventh Of all the glee under God so glad were they never As of the sound of the se and Sandwich belles.           sea; curfew Withouten more stunting they shipped their horses;           delay Wery to the wan se they went all at ones.           Weary; pale sea With the men of the wale they weighted up their ankers           gunwale; anchors And fled at the fore flood; in Flaunders they rowed           first high tide; to And through Flaunders they found, as them fair thought,           went Til Aachen in Almaine, in Arthur landes;           To; Germany Gos by Mount Goddard full grevous wayes,           They go; grievous And so into Lumbardy, likand to shew.           pleasant to be seen They turn through Tuskane with towres full high;           Tuscany In pris appairelles them in precious weedes.           They dress themselves worthily in precious clothes The Sononday in Sutere they sujourn their horses           Sunday; Sutri; rest And seekes the saintes of Rome by assent of knightes; Sithen prikes to the palais with portes so rich,           Spur; palace; gates There Sir Lucius lenges with lordes ynow;           Where; many lords Loutes to him lovely and lettres him bedes           Bows; properly; offers Of credens enclosed with knightlich wordes.           credentials; knightly Then the Emperour was eger and enkerly fraines;           eager; ardently asks The answer of Arthur he askes him soon,           immediately How he arrayes the rewm and rewles the pople,           orders the realm Yif he be rebel to Rome, what right that he claimes;           If "Thou sholde his sceptre have sesed and sitten aboven           seized; above For reverence and realtee of Rome the noble;           royalty By certes thou was my sandes and senatour of Rome,           Because; messenger He sholde for solempnitee have served thee himselven."           decorum "That will he never for no wye of all this world rich           man But who may win him of war, by wightness of handes;           Except; strength Many fey shall be first upon the feld leved,           dead; left Ere he appere in this place, proffer when thee likes.           appears I say thee, sir, Arthur is thine enmy forever,           tell you; enemy And ettles to be overling of the empire of Rome,           intends; overlord That all his auncestres ought but Uter himselven.           ownder; except Thy needes in this New Yere I notified myselven           message; made known Before that noble of name and nine sum of kinges;           nine in all In the most real place of the Round Table           royal I summond him solemnly on-seeand his knightes;           I summoned him solemnly (to appear in Rome) with his knights looking on Senn I was formed, in faith, so ferd was I never,           Since; born; fearful In all the places there I passed of princes on erthe.           where I wolde forsake all my suite of seignoury of Rome           following; lordship Ere I eft to that soveraign were sent on such needes!           again; errand He may be chosen cheftain, chef of all other           chieftain; chief Both by chaunces of armes and chevalry noble, For wisest and worthyest and wightest of handes.           strongest Of all the wyes that I wot in this world rich -           men; know The knighliest creature in Cristdendom holden          considered Of king or of conquerour crowned in erthe, Of countenaunce, of corage, of cruel lates,           courage; expressions The comlyest of knighthood that under Crist lives! He may be spoken in dispens despiser of silver,           called in his expenditures That no more of gold gives than of grete stones, No more of wine than of water that of the well runnes, Ne of welth of this world but worship alone.           wealth; except for Such countenance was never knowen in no kith riche           country As was with this conquerour in his court holden; I counted at this Cristenmass of kinges annointed, Hole ten at his table that time with himselven.           Ten in all He will warray, iwis, be ware yif thee likes;           make war Wage many wight men and watch thy marches,           Pay; borders That they be redy in array and at erest founden,           at the earliest time For yif he reche unto Rome, he ransouns it forever.           if; reach I rede thou dress thee therefore and draw no let longer;           I advise you to prepare yourself therefore and delay no longer Be seker of thy soudeours and send to the mountes;           sure; mercenaries By the quarter of this yere, and him quert stand,           year; if his health remains He will wightly in a while on his wayes hie."           stoutly; hasten "By Ester," says the Emperour, "I ettle myselven           Easter; intend To hostay in Almaine with armed knightes;           lead a host; Germany Send frekly into Fraunce, that flowr is of rewmes;           boldly Fonde to fette that freke and forfeit his landes,           Try; fetch; man For I shall set keepers, full cunnand and noble,           guards; cunning Many giaunt of Gene, jousters full good.           Genoa To meet him in the mountes and martyr his knightes,           mountains Strike them down in straites and stroy them forever.           narrow places; destroy There shall upon Goddard a garret be rered           A watch tower shall be raised on Mt. Goddard (in the Alps) That shall be garnisht and keeped with good men of armes,           furnished And a becon aboven to brin when them likes,           beacon; burn That none enmy with host shall enter the mountes.           enemy There shall on Mount Bernard be belded another,           built Busked with bannerettes and bachelers noble.           Equipped with noble bachelors and bannerets In at the portes of Pavia shall no prince pass           gates Through the perilous places for my pris knightes."           excellent Then Sir Lucius lordlich lettres he sendes Anon into the Orient with austeren knightes           bold Til Ambyganye and Orcage and Alisaundere eek           To Ambyganye (Albania?) and Orcage and Alexandria as well To Inde and to Ermonye, as Eufrates runnes,           To India and to Armenia, where the Euphrates runs To Asia and to Afrike, and Europe the large, To Irritaine and Elamet, and all those oute iles,           Hyrcania; Elam; outer isles To Arraby and Egypt, til erles and other           to That any erthe occupies in those este marches           eastern countries Of Damaske and Damiet, and dukes and erles.           Damascus; Damietta For drede of his daunger they dressed them soon; Of Crete and of Capados the honourable kinges           Cappadocia (in Turkey) Come at his commaundement clenly at ones;           completely To Tartary and Turkey when tithinges is comen           China; tidings They turn in by Thebay, tyrauntes full huge,           Thebes The flowr of the fair folk of Amazonnes landes;           land of the Amazons All that failes on the feld be forfeit forever.           are lacking Of Babylon and Baldake the burlich knightes           Cairo; Baghdad; stately Bayous with their baronage bides no longer;           Men of Bayonne Of Perse and of Pamphile and Preter John landes           From Persia and Pamphilia and Prester John's lands Ech prince with his power appertlich graithed;           Each; openly prepared The Sowdan of Surry assembles his knightes           Sultan; Syria Fro Nilus to Nazareth, numbers full huge;           From Nile To Garyere and to Galilee they gader all at ones,           Gadara; gather; once The sowdanes that were seker soudeours to Rome;           sultans; trusty mercenaries They gadered over the Greekes Se with grevous wepens, In their grete galleys, with glitterande sheldes;           glittering shields The King of Cyprus on the se the Sowdan abides,           awaits With all the reales of Rhodes arrayed with him one;           royal (ones); alone They sailed with a side wind over the salt strandes,           ample Sodenly the Sarazenes, as themselve liked;           Quickly; Saracens Craftyly at Cornett the kinges are arrived,           Corneto Fro the citee of Rome sixty mile large.           away By that the Greekes were graithed, a full grete number,           By this time; prepared The mightiest of Macedone, with men of tho marches,           those Pulle and Prussland, presses with other,           Apulia; Prussia; hasten The lege-men of Lettow with legions ynow.           liege-men; Lithuania Thus they semble in sortes, summes full huge;           assemble; companies The sowdanes and Sarazenes out of sere landes           sultans; Saracens; various The Sowdan of Surry and sixteen kinges           Sultan; Syria At the citee of Rome assembled at ones. Then ishews the Emperour, armed at rightes           issues; completely Arrayed with his Romans upon rich steedes; Sixty giauntes before, engendered with fendes,           by fiends With witches and warlaws, to watchen his tentes           warlocks Aywere where he wendes wintres and yeres.           Anywhere; years Might no blonkes them bere, those bustous churles,           horses; bear; wild But coverd cameles of towrs, enclosed in mailes;           camels covered with towers He ayeres out with alienes, hostes full huge           goes Even into Almaine, that Arthur had wonnen,           Directly; Germany Rides in by the river and riotes himselve, And ayeres with a huge will all those high landes;           goes All Westfale by war he winnes as him likes,           Westphalia Drawes in by Danuby and dubbes his knightes,           Danube In the countree of Coloine castelles enseges           Cologne; besieges And sujourns that sesoun with Sarazenes ynow. At the utas of Hillary Sir Arthur himselven                     At the Octave of St. Hillary's Day (a week after Jan. 24) Sir Arthur himself In his kidd counsel commaunde the lordes:           famous; commanded "Kaire to your countrees and semble your knightes,           Go; assemble And keepes me at Constantine, clenlich arrayed,           await; completely Bides me at Barflete upon the blithe stremes           peaceful streams Boldly within borde, with your best bernes;           aboard (ships); men I shall menskfully you meet in those fair marches."           honourably He sendes forth sodenly sergeauntes of armes           quickly To all his mariners in row to arrest him shippes;           commandeer Within sixteen dayes his fleet was assembled, At Sandwich on the se, sail when him likes. In the palais of York a parlement he holdes           palace With all the peeres of the rewm, prelates and other;           realm And after the preching, in presence of lordes,           preaching The king in his counsel carpes these wordes:           speaks "I am in purpose to pass perilous wayes, To kaire with my keen men to conquer yon landes,           go To outraye mine enmy, yif aventure it shew,           To outrage my enemy, if a chance should appear That occupies mine heritage, the empire of Rome. I set you here a soveraign, assent yif you likes,           if That is my sib, my sister son; Sir Mordred himselven           kin; sister's son Shall be my leutenant, with lordshippes ynow           lieutenant; enough authority Of all my lele lege-men that my landes yemes."           loyal liege-men; possess He carpes to his cosin then, in counsel himselven:           says; kinsman "I make thee keeper, Sir Knight, of kingrikes many,           guardian; kingdoms Warden worshipful to weld all my landes,           rule That I have wonnen of war in this world rich. I will that Waynor, my wife, in worship be holden.           desire; Guinevere That her want no wele ne welth that her likes;           prosperity Look my kidd casteles be clenlich arrayed,           famous; completely equipped There sho may sujourn herselve with seemlich bernes;           she; fair knights Fonde my forestes be frithed, of frendship for ever,           See that my forests are enclosed (from poachers) on pain of losing my favour That none warray my wild but Waynor herselven,           That no one be allowed to hunt the game but Guinevere herself And that in the sesoun when grees is assigned,           And even she is to hunt only at the season when the game are fat enough to be hunted That sho take her solace in certain times.           So that she will take her pleasure at appropriate times Chaunceller and chamberlain change as thee likes, Auditours and officers, ordain them thyselven, Both jurees and judges, and justices of landes;           juries Look thou justify them well that injury workes.           do justice to; do If me be destained to die at Drightens will,           fated; God's I charge thee my sektour, chef of all other,           executor; chief To minister my mobles for meed of my soul           goods; reward To mendinauntes and misese in mischef fallen.           mendicants; those in misery Take here my testament of tresure full huge; As I traist upon thee, betray thou me never!           trust As thou will answer before the austeren Judge           austere That all this world winly wisse as Him likes,           pleasantly directs Look that my last will be lely perfourned!           loyally performed Thou has clenly the cure that to my crown longes           completely; care Of all my wordles wele and my wife eek;           earthly prosperity; as well Look thou keep thee so clere there be no cause founden           clear; complaint When I to countree come, if Crist will it thole;           come home; allow And thou have grace goodly to govern thyselven,           If I shall crown thee, knight, king with my handes." Then Sir Mordred full mildly meles himselven,           speaks Kneeled to the conquerour and carpes these wordes: "I beseek you, sir, as my sib lord,           beseech; related by blood That ye will for charitee chese you another,           choose For if ye put me in this plitt, your pople is deceived;           plight; people To present a prince estate my power is simple;           princely When other of war-wisse are worshipped hereafter,           cunning in warfare Then may I, forsooth, be set but at little.           be little regarded To pass in your presence my purpose is taken           travel And all my perveance appert for my pris knightes."           provisions ready "Thou art my nevew full ner, my nurree of old,           nephew; near; nursling That I have chastied and chosen, a child of my chamber;           disciplined; praised For the sibreden of me, forsake not this office;           blood relationship to That thou ne work my will, thou wot what it menes."           If; know; means Now he takes his leve and lenges no longer At lordes, at lege-men that leves him behinden;           With; leaves And senn that worthiliche wye went unto chamber           then; worthy man For to comfort the queen that in care lenges. Waynor waikly weepand him kisses,           weakly weeping Talkes to him tenderly with teres ynow;           tears "I may werye the wye that this war moved,           curse; person That warnes me worship of my wedde lord;           denies; wedded All my liking of life out of land wendes,           pleasure And I in langour am left, leve ye, forever!           believe Why ne might I, dere love, die in your armes, Ere I this destainy of dole sholde drie by mine one!"           destiny; suffer; alone "Greve thee not, Gaynor, for Goddes love of heven, Ne grouch not my ganging; it shall to good turn!           begrudge; going Thy wandrethes and thy weeping woundes mine herte;           sorrows I may not wite of this wo for all this world rich;           turn aside from I have made a keeper, a knight of thine owen,           guardian; own Overling of Yngland, under thyselven,           Overlord And that is Sir Mordred, that thou has mikel praised,           much Shall be thy dictour, my dere, to do what thee likes."           spokesman Then he takes his leve at ladies in chamber,           from Kissed them kindlich and to Crist beteches;           kindly; entrusts (them) And then sho swoones full swithe when he his sword asked,           she; requested Sways in swooning, swelte as sho wolde!           as if she would die He pressed to his palfrey, in presence of lordes,           hastened Prikes of the palais with his pris knightes           spurs from; palace With a real rout of the Round Table,           company Sought toward Sandwich; sho sees him no more.           Went; she There the grete were gadered with galiard knightes,           Gathered; jolly Garnished on the green feld and graitheliche arrayed;           drawn up suitably Dukes and douspeeres daintely rides,           high noblemen Erles of Yngland with archers ynow. Shirreves sharply shiftes the commouns,           Sheriffs sharply move the common soldiers about Rewles before the rich of the Round Table,           Give orders (to their men) before the powerful (men) of the Round Table Assignes ilk a countree to certain lordes,           the soldiers from each country In the south on the se bank sail when them likes. Then barges them buskes and to the bank rowes,           prepare Bringes blonkes on borde and burlich helmes           horses aboard; stately Trusses in tristly trapped steedes,           securely; equipped Tentes and other tooles, and targes full rich,           siege-engines; shields Cabanes and cloth-sackes and cofferes full noble,           Cabins; sacks of clothes Hackes and hackeneys and horses of armes; Thus they stow in the stuff of full steren knightes.           stern When all was shipped that sholde, they shunt no lenger,           hold back; longer But unteld them tite, as the tide runnes;           untied; quickly Cogges and crayers then crosses their mastes,           Large ships and small boats then hoist their sails At the commaundement of the king uncovered at ones;           unfurled (sails) Wightly on the wale they wie up their ankers,           Stoutly on the gunwale they weigh up their anchors By wit of the watermen of the wale ythes.           surging waves Frekes on the forestaine faken their cables           Men; bow coil In floynes and fercostes and Flemish shippes,           small ships; merchantmen Titt sailes to the top and turnes the luff,           Pull; bow Standes upon steerbord, sterenly they songen.           starboard; sternly; sang The pris shippes of the port proven their deepness,           test And foundes with full sail over the fawe ythes;           go; bounding waves Holly withouten harm they hale in botes,           Wholly; haul; boats Shipmen sharply shutten their portes,           shut; portholes Launches lede upon luff latchen their deepes,           Launch the lead on the luff (the bow) to measure the depth of the water Lookes to the lode-stern when the light failes,           North Star Castes courses by craft when the cloud rises With the needle and the stone on the night tides.           a compass For drede of the dark night they dreched a little           slowed down And all the steren of the streme steken at ones.           And all the stern men of the stream (i.e., sailors) struck sail at once The king was in a grete cogge with knightes full many,           ship In a cabane enclosed, clenlich arrayed;           cabin; completely Within on a rich bed restes a little, And with the swogh of the se in swefning he fell.           swaying; dreaming Him dremed of a dragon, dredful to behold,           He dreamed Come drivand over the deep to drenchen his pople,           driving; drown Even walkand out the West landes,           Directly walking Wanderand unworthyly over the wale ythes;           Wandered unbecomingly; surging waves Both his hed and his hals were holly all over           neck; wholly Ounded of azure, enamelled full fair;           Covered with waves of azure, enamelled (coloured) very fair His shoulders were shaled all in clene silver           His shoulders were all covered with scales of pure silver Shredde over all the shrimp with shrinkand pointes;           That clothed the monster with shrinking points (like mail) His womb and his winges of wonderful hewes,           belly; hues In marvelous mailes he mounted full high. Whom that he touched he was tint forever!           lost His feet were flourished all in fine sable           decorated And such a venomous flaire flow from his lippes           flame flowed The flood of the flawes all on fire seemed!           outpouring; flames Then come out of the Orient, even him againes,           Then came out of the East, directly against him A black bustous bere aboven in the cloudes,           A wild black bear above in the clouds With ech a paw as a post and paumes full huge           With each paw as big as a post, and palms very huge With pikes full perilous, all pliand them seemed;           With very perilous claws that seemed all curling Lothen and lothly, lockes and other,           Hateful and loathly, his hair and the rest All with lutterd legges, lokkerd unfair,           With legs all bowed, covered with ugly hair Filtered unfreely, with fomand lippes -           That was churlishly matted, with foaming lips The foulest of figure that formed was ever! He baltered, he blered, he braundished thereafter;           danced about; grimaced To batail he bounes him with bustous clawes;           prepares himself; wild He romed, he rored, that rogged all the erthe,           bellowed; roared; rocked So rudely he rapped at to riot himselven!           So violently he stamped on (the earth) to enjoy himself Then the dragon on dregh dressed him againes           finally came against him And with his duttes him drove on dregh by the welken;           blows; afar; sky He fares as a faucon, frekly he strikes;           falcon; boldly Both with feet and with fire he fightes at ones. The bere in the batail the bigger him seemed,           bear And bites him boldly with baleful tuskes; Such buffetes he him reches with his brode klokes,           gives; claws His breste and his brayell was bloody all over.           breast; waist He ramped so rudely that all the erthe rives,           He reared up on his hind legs so rudely that all the earth was shaken Runnand on red blood as rain of the heven!           Running He had weried the worm by wightness of strenghe           wearied; serpent; stoutness Ne were it not for the wild fire that he him with defendes.           himself Then wanders the worm away to his heightes,           serpent Comes glidand fro the cloudes and coupes full even,           strikes directly Touches him with his talones and teres his rigge,           tears; back Betwix the taile and the top ten foot large!           long Thus he brittened the bere and brought him o live,           Thus he beat down the bear and killed him Let him fall in the flood, fleet where him likes.           float So they thring the bold king binne the ship-borde,           These dreams so oppress the king aboard the ship That ner he bristes for bale on bed where he ligges.           That he nearly bursts for pain on the bed where he lies Then waknes the wise king, wery fortravailed,           wakens; wearily exhausted Takes him two philosophers that followed him ever, In the seven science the sutelest founden,           most subtle The cunningest of clergy under Crist knowen;           most learned of scholars He told them of his torment that time that he sleeped: "Dreched with a dragon and such a derf beste,           Harassed; dire beast Has made me full wery, as wisse me Our Lord;           guide Ere I mon swelt as swithe, ye tell me my swefen!"           Before I must die quickly, interpret my dream for me "Sir," said they soon then, these sage philosophers,           immediately; wise "The dragon that thou dremed of, so dredful to shew,           dreamed; behold That come drivand over the deep to drenchen thy pople,           driving; drown Soothly and certain thyselven it is, That thus sailes over the se with thy seker knightes.           trusty The coloures that were casten upon his clere winges           shining May be thy kingrikes all, that thou has right wonnen,           kingdoms And the tattered tail, with tonges so huge,           tongues Betokens this fair folk that in thy fleet wendes.           Signifies The bere that brittened was aboven in the cloudes           beaten down Betokenes the tyrauntes that tormentes thy pople Or elles with some giaunt some journee shall happen,           else; day's fight In singular batail by yourselve one;           battle; alone And thou shall have the victory, through help of Our Lord, As thou in thy vision was openly shewed. Of this dredful dreme ne drede thee no more,           dream Ne care not, sir conquerour, but comfort thyselven And these that sailes over the se with thy seker knightes." With trumpes then tristly they trussen up their sailes           trumpet calls; boldly And rowes over the rich se, this rout all at ones;           company The comly coste of Normandy they catchen full even           coast; reach And blithely at Barflete these bold are arrived,           Barfleur And findes a fleet there of frendes ynow, The flowr and the fair folk of fifteen rewmes,           kingdoms For kinges and capitaines keeped him fair,           awaited As he at Carlisle commaunded at Cristenmass himselven. By they had taken the land and tentes up rered,           By the time; reared Comes a Templar tite and touched to the king;           quickly; told "Here is a tyraunt beside that tormentes thy pople, A grete giaunt of Gene, engendered of fendes;           Genoa; by fiends He has freten of folk mo than five hundreth,           devoured; more; hundred And als fele fauntekins of free-born childer.           And as many infants of noble children This has been his sustenaunce all this seven winteres, And yet is that sot not sad, so well him it likes!           rogue In the countree of Constantine no kind has he leved           family; left Withouten kidd casteles, enclosed with walles, That he ne has clenly distroyed all the knave childer,           male children And them carried to the crag and clenly devoured. The duchess of Bretain today has he taken,           Brittany Beside Reines as sho rode with her rich knightes,           Rennes; she Led her to the mountain there that lede lenges           man To lie by that lady ay whiles her life lastes. We followed o ferrome mo than five hundreth           from afar Of bernes and of burges and bachelers noble,           townsmen But he covered the crag; sho cried so loud           got to The care of that creature cover shall I never           recover Sho was the flowr of all Fraunce or of five rewmes, And one of the fairest that formed was ever, The gentilest jowell ajudged with lordes           most noble jewel; by Fro Gene unto Gerone by Jesu of heven!           Genoa; Gironne Sho was thy wifes cosin, know it if thee likes,           relative; acknowledge Comen of the richest that regnes in erthe;           reigns As thou art rightwise king, rew on thy pople           righteous; have pity And fonde for to venge them that thus are rebuked!"           endeavour; avenge "Alas," says Sir Arthur, "so long have I lived! Had I witten of this, well had me cheved.           known; achieved Me is not fallen fair but me is foul happened That thus this fair lady this fend has destroyed!           fiend I had lever than all Fraunce this fifteen winter           I would give the revenues of all France for the past fifteen years I had been before that freke a furlong of way           To have been even a furlong from that man When he that lady had laght and led to the mountes;           seized I had left my life ere sho had harm limped.           suffered But wolde thou ken me to that crag there that keen lenges,           show; keen one I wolde kaire to that coste and carp with himselven, To trete with that tyraunt for tresoun of landes           treat; treason And take trews for a time til it may tide better."           truce; betide "Sir, see ye yon forland with yon two fires?           promontary There filsnes that fend, fraist when thee likes,           lurks; try Upon the crest of the crag by a cold well That encloses the cliff with the clere strandes;           shining There may thou find folk fey withouten number,           dead Mo florines, in faith, than Fraunce is in after,           More coins And more tresure untrewly that traitour has getten           dishonestly; gotten Than in Troy was, as I trow, that time that it was wonnen."           believe Then romes the rich king for rewth of the pople,           bellows; pity Raikes right to a tent and restes no lenger;           Goes; longer He welteres, he wresteles, he wringes his handes;           writhes; wrestles There was no wye of this world that wiste what he mened.           knew; meant He calles Sir Kayous that of the cup served And Sir Bedvere the bold that bore his brand rich:           sword "Look ye after even-song be armed at rightes           completely On blonkes by yon buscaile, by yon blithe stremes,           horses; brush; calm For I will pass in pilgrimage privily hereafter, In the time of souper, when lordes are served,           dinner For to seeken a saint by yon salt stremes, In Saint Michel mount, there miracles are shewed." After even-song Sir Arthur himselven Went to his wardrope and warp off his weedes           wardrobe; threw; clothes Armed him in a aketoun with orfrayes full rich;           padded jacket; gold trim Aboven, on that, a jerin of Acres out over;           Upon that, a leather jacket Aboven that a gesseraunt of gentle mailes,           coat of mail A jupon of Jerodine jagged in shredes;           gipon; shreds He braides on a bacenett burnisht of silver           draws; helmet The best that was in Basel, with bordours rich;           borders The crest and the coronal enclosed so fair           diadem With claspes of clere gold, couched with stones;           shining; set The vesar, the aventail, enarmed so fair,           visor; face-guard; plated Void withouten vice, with windowes of silver;           Devoid of defects His gloves gaylich gilt and graven at the hemmes           gaily; decorated With graines and gobelets, glorious of hew.           seed pearls; jewels He braces a brode sheld and his brand askes,           He puts on the arm straps (braces) of a broad shield and asks for his sword Bouned him a brown steed and on the bente hoves;           Went to; ground waits He stert til his stirrup and strides on loft,           leapt; aloft Straines him stoutly and stirres him fair, Broches the bay steed and to the busk rides,           Spurs; bush And there his knightes him keeped full clenlich arrayed.           waited Then they rode by that river that runned so swithe,           swiftly There the rindes over-reches with real boughes;           trees reach over; stately The roe and the reindeer reckless there runnen,           roe deer In ranes and in rosers to riot themselven;           bushes; rosebushes; amuse The frithes were flourisht with flowres full many,           woods; flowered With faucons and fesauntes of ferlich hewes;           falcons; pheasants; wondrous All the fowles there flashes that flies with winges, For there galed the gouk on greves full loud;           sang; cuckoo; groves With alkine gladship they gladden themselven;           all sorts of gladness Of the nightingale notes the noises was sweet; They threped with the throstels three hundreth at ones!           debated; thrushes That whate swowing of water and singing of birds,           swift sound It might salve him of sore that sound was never! Then ferkes this folk and on foot lightes,           goes Fastenes their fair steedes o ferrom between;           They tie their horses with a good distance between them And then the king keenly commaunded his knightes For to bide with their blonkes and boun no further;           horses; go "For I will seek this saint by myselve one And mele with this master man that this mount yemes,           speak; possesses And senn shall ye offer, either after other           And afterwards you shall make your offerings, each after the other Menskfully at Saint Michel, full mighty with Crist."           Honourably to The king covers the crag with cloughes full high,           gets to; ravines To the crest of the cliff he climbes on loft, Cast up his umbrere and keenly he lookes,           visor Caught of the cold wind to comfort himselven. Two fires he findes flamand full high; The fourtedele a furlong between them he walkes;           quarter to The way by the well-strandes he wanderd him one           welling water To wite of the warlaw, where that he lenges.           learn; warlock; dwells He ferkes to the first fire and even there he findes           goes A wery woful widow wringand her handes, And gretand on a grave grisly teres,           weeping New merked on molde, senn mid-day it seemed.           Newly dug in the earth He salued that sorrowful with sittand wordes           saluted; fitting And fraines after the fend fairly thereafter.           asks; fiend Then this woful wife unwinly him greetes,           woman unhappily Coverd up on her knees and clapped her handes, Said: "Careful, careman, thou carpes too loud!           man May yon warlaw wite, he warrays us all!           warlock know; attacks Weryd worth the wight ay that thee thy wit reved,           Cursed be; man; stole That mas thee to waife here in these wild lakes!           makes; wander I warn thee, for worship, thou wilnes after sorrow!           desire Whider buskes thou, berne? unblessed thou seemes!           Whither go Weenes thou to britten him with thy brand rich?           Expect; destroy; sword Were thou wighter than Wade or Wawain either,           fiercer Thou winnes no worship, I warn thee before. Thou sained thee unsekerly to seek to these mountes;           You crossed yourself unsafely (started out wrong) to go to these mountains Such six were too simple to semble with him one,           Six such as you would be too weak to attack him alone For, and thou see him with sight, thee serves no herte           For, if you see him with your eyes, you will not have the heart To saine thee sekerly, so seemes him huge.           To cross yourself securely, so huge does he seem Thou art freely and fair and in thy first flowres,           noble But thou art fey, by my faith, and that me forthinkes!           fated to die; grieves Were such fifty on a feld or on a fair erthe,           fifty such (as you) The freke wolde with his fist fell you at ones.           man Lo! Here the duchess dere - today was sho taken -           dear Deep dolven and dede, diked in moldes.           buried; buried; ground He had murthered this mild by mid-day were rungen,           He had murdered this mild one by the time the midday bell was rung Withouten mercy on molde, I not what it ment;           ground; knew not; meant He has forced her and filed and sho is fey leved;           raped; defiled; left dead He slew her unslely and slit her to the navel.           crudely And here have I baumed her and buried thereafter.           embalmed For bale of the bootless, blithe be I never!           sorrow; helpless Of all the frendes sho had there followed none after But I, her foster moder, of fifteen winter.           mother To ferk off this forland fonde shall I never,           go; promontary; endeavour But here be founden on feld til I be fey leved."