s ea - 1 ir"^ ^J5l3DNVS(n'^ %a3AINn-3\^^ ^tJfOJUVDJO^ % Si ^^wlUNIW/^ > C5 CO 901 13UV ^OFCAIIFO/?^ ^OFCAi!FG^,l> < ^UJfi^-^Ul"- Ai^a-ji^ ' tC # "% ^OF-CMlH A-".' "^ to = .< cz CO so i-3 5 ^JTuoNvsoi^ %aiMNnjv^^ '^wnvD-jo'^^ ^MM'NIVERJ//^ \,Vil. Kim inj//^ ^mK%\\is^ ^0FCA1JF(% ;l fs 'Jj'iiDNvSOV^^ '^^ajAlN.HHV' ^o'Auvaaii-i^'>' '(/Auviiail '^.'. ^^Mfl'^M^P^:>;. .xVlO^VNT. x'. '^/:i4L'vJN,iJ^Vv OF CAi ^^ j jJj.iV l*ui ' ij/NiNiiiiV' -VAavaJiiiv^"' ^'{;, \r Vi (-^ ANXIENT ENGLEISH METRICAL ROMANCEES, SELECTED AXD VUBLISu'o BY JOSEPH RITSON. VOL. I. Qua priscis mcmorata Catonibus atque Ccthegis Nunc fitus informis prcmit ac dcfcrta vctustas. HORATIOI. LONDON: PRINTED BY W. BOLMER AND COMPANT, IH CLKVELAND-ROW, FOR O. AND W. NICOL, BOOKSELERS TO HIS MAJESTY, IN PEL-MEL. MDCCCII. Q p ?; r: o j. v. I CONTENTS. VOL. I. Page Advert{femmt - - - _ - i Dviftrtation on romance and min/irel/y - v Yicaine and Gawin - . _ _ i Launfal - - - - - 170 ADVERTISEMENT. jL It E nature, importance, and utility of fuch a publication as tiie prefcnt have been display'd to fo much advantage by a writeir of the highell eminence for his acquaintance with the fubjeft, and fur his ingenuity and tade, that it would be allmoil an aA of injustice to the undertakeing not to make ufe of fuch a powerful and elegant recommenda- tion, to which no attempt of the prefent editour could posfiblely be equal. ** As many of thefe metrical histories and ROMANCES contain a confiderable portion uf poetic merit, an teftcd in any other poet. It has been, moreover, a very gene- rally reccivc'd opinion, that he was, likcwife, the auihour of a moclc-epick, intitle'd Balrachomuomachia, or The lallle of the frogt and mite. It is by no means probable that the oldeft manufcnpt copys of I lomcrs poems fliould exhibit his name 1 vi DISSERTATION ON Onomacritus, or Oipheus of Crotona, thofe likewife of Apolloniiis Rhodius,* and the Hero and Leander of Mufseus, among the former, and the JEiieid of Virgil, the Metamorpkqfis of 0\id,f the Argonauticks of Valerius Flaccus, and the Thebaid of Statins, J in the title, or colophon ; and, as it never occurs in the book, it muft have been retain'd, if at all, by tradition. It (hould be remember'd, at the fame time, that he is mention'd by no writeer til between 4 and 5,00 years after his death. * This poem, according to Quadrio, was treated by many as a Grecian romance of chivalry. (Storia d'o^ni porjia, IV, 453.) It is the original of the northern romancees of JaJ'ou and Me- dea. " Ilfaut remarquer," obferves Huet, " pour Vhonneur des troubadours, qu' Homere I'a ejie devant eux." De I'origine des romans, 1678, P. 123. Virgil makes Dido to reign at Carthage in the time of ^neas, though in reality fhe did not arrive in Africa til three hundred years after the fuppofe'd deftruction of Troy. Such 4 violent anachronifm is onely admisfible in a romance. f- Chaucer, in his Dreme, to pafs the night away, rather than play at Chefs, calls for a romnunce, in which " were writtin fables of quenis livis, and of kings, and many other thingis fmale." This proves to be Ovid. See v. 52, SJ'c. or Wartons History of Englifh poetry, I, 388. J The ingenious doctor, or bifhop Percy, who has great weight in matters of this fort, fays of Lybeavs disconus, of which he has giveen an excellent analyfis, " If an epic poem may be defined " A fable related by a poet, to excite admi- ration, and infpire virtue, by reprefenting the action of fome one hero, favoured by heaven, who executes a great defign, in fpite of all the obftacles that oppofe him;" i know not why we fhould withhold the name of epic poem from the piece which i am about to analyfe [or that of romance to the epic poem above define'd:]" Reliques of ancient Englifh poetry, III, xxviii ; citeing " Discoursfur la poefie epique" prefix'd to TeUmachus." ROMANCE AND MINSTREI5Y. ^^i among the latter, however distinguiOi'd by fuperior art and merit, or the more illustrious appellation of epick poems, are, in reality, as perfe^ metrical romancees as the ftorjs of king Arthur and Char- lemagne; all thofc venerable monuments of ancient genius being no lefs the work of imagination and invention than the more modern effurions, upon fimilar fubjfCts, of the French and Norman trou' reurt, or Italian romanzieri. The Trojan ftory is no more fabulous and unfounded in the oldeft French romance on that fubje^, in point of historical (a&, than it is in the Iliad or iCneid ; nor is the fiege of Troy, as relateed by Homer, at all more certain, or more credible, than that of Albracca, as asferted by Boianlo; nor are Hector and Achilles of more identity than Rowland and Oliver. It feems, there- for, a wry haftey asfertion of the historian of EngleiHi poetry, that the " peculiar and arbitrary fpecies of fiction, which we commonly call romance, was entirely unknown to the writers of Greece and Rome".* Was this voluminous authour unacquainted with the romancees of Antonius Diogenes, of which Photius has givccn an account, the love-talcs of Longus, Hcliodorus, and Xenophon of Ephefus. He himfelf, even, cites an old Engleifli verfion of the Clitophon and Lmcippe of Achilles Tatius, (though, actually in plain profe) *< as a poetical novel of Greece"; and, at any rate, a novel is a fpecies HuUtry o/B, pottry, I, Cg. a. vui DISSERTATION ON of romance. The Milefian tales of Aristides, like- wife, fo famous in their day, though none of them now remain, muft have been fome kind of ro- mancees, whether in profe or verfe. A copy of thefe tales, or, at leaft, the Latin verfion of Sifenna, ac- cording to Plutarch, was, after the defeat of Cras- fus, in Parthia, found in the baggage of Roscius, a Roman officer. Homer, in faft, is much more extravagant and hyperbolical, or fublime, if it muft be fo, -than y Ariosto hirafelf, the very prince of romance. His poetical machinery is compofe'd of the Grecian deitys (worfhip'd and adore'd by himfelf and his countrymen), who take a decidced part on each fide, fight, and are wounded or victorious, like the ordinary mortals with whom they engage. Many of his heros, at the fame time, are the offpring o( thefe identical and illufory divinitys ; as Helen, for inftance, the fatal authourefs of this fangtiinary ten years war, was the daughter of Jupiter, the fu- preme god of the Greeks, by Leda, whofe em- bracees he experience'd in the form of a fwan j th^ jsfue, of courfe, was an eg, out of which proceeded this female fire-brand ; who muft, however, hav? been pretty far advance'd.in years, long before her elopement with the juvenile and gallant Paris, have- ing been ravifii'd by Thefeus forty years before, and being now, of courfe, like pur queen Elizabeth, a matchlefs beauty in her grand climacterick. The two demi gods, Castor and Pollux, her bretheren, ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. ix came into the world in the fame miraculous way. 'Acbillesy likewife, the celebrateed champion of the Greeks, was the fon of Thetis, a fea-godefs; as iEncas, the pretended founder of the Roman em- pire, was of Venus, the godefs of love ; and all tbefe fancys of a poetical imagination are to be firmly bclieve'd, though nothing more than mere romance. With refpe^t to the famous city of Troy, which ftood fo long a fiege, and was lay'd ** at lad in allies," there is not the flighted evidence that fuch a place even exifted, in or before, that is, the a-ra fix'd upon by this immortal rhnpfodid ; and the antagonilis of mister Bryant, the onely modern au- thour, who has attempted to demolifli this magnifi- cent but ideal fabrick^* have reafon'd like the advo- cates of Geoffrey of Monmouth, by arguments and authoritys, that is, dcducc'd from tlomcr himfeif, or write^rs who live'd many ccnturys after him. Herodotus,^ however, the father of Grecian history, who Bourilh'd (according to his own Recount) about four hundred years after Homer, whofe works he innil needs have been familiar with, fince he wrote hiij life, and cites them in his history, is a decifive evidence that no fuch expedition ever took place. The exiftcnce of the Trojan war was disputccd by Dio Chryfotom more than a thoufand years a^. Even Hornet himfclf has been provc'd, by his laft editour, the learned Wolf, incapable to write or read ; nor docs cither writeing or reading appear, from his elaborat Prolegomena, to have been known til many cntur) after the aux cf Homer (See p. 40, J7, 77, M, irp). 1 X DISSERTATION ON Being a profefs'd antiquary, he muft necesfaryly, from his asfiduous refearches into the remoteeft periods of Grecian history, or, at leaft, from the traditions which would be naturally preferve'd, of fo important, and celebrateed, an event, in the very country from which thefe heroick kings and princees, with their fliips and forcees, had proceed- ed, if fuch an expedition had takeen place. He ap- pears, on the contrary, to have known or hear'd, at leaft amongft his own countrymen, nothing at all of the matter, except what he himfelf, and every one eile, had red in Homer, and certain fpurious Cyprian verfees, falfely afcribe'd to that fame illus- trious bard : for, going into ^Egypt, peradventure, for this exprefs purpofe, " When enquireing,'' fays he, " whether the Greeks have relateed falfehoods concerning the deeds perforra'd at lUum, or not, the priefts anfwer'd me thus : that they knew, from Mcnelaus himfelf, that Helen being carry 'd off, great forcees of the Greeks had come to the as- iiftance of Menelaus into Teuctis: which, haveing landed, and fortify'd a place, fent mesfengers to Ilium, with whom, alfo, Mcnelaus went himfelf; that thefe, after they had enter'd the walls, not onoly demanded Helen, and the treafures which Alexander, by robbery had carry'd away, but, allfo, require'd the atonements of injurys: that the Teu- crians, however, both then, and afterward, either fworn or unfworn, had relatei^d the fame things, that they theaiftilves had neither Helen, nor the ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. xi treafures whereof they were accufe'd ; but that all tbofe things were in i^ypt ; that neither could they fuffer themfelvcs to be arraign'd with justice of thofe goods which Proteus the king of i^gypt withheld ; that the Greeks, thinking thcmfclves dc- ridecd, had fo befiegc'd Ilium, til, at length, they took it by ftorm ; that, the city being takeen, when Helen did uot appear, and they hear'd the fame defence as before, at laft, faith being giveen to the former words, the Greeks fcnt Menelaus himfelf to Proteus. Wlien this man arrive'd in iEgypt, and ascended Memphis in a fhip, the truth of the mat- tor being explain'd, and himfelf welcome'd with hospitality, in a moft honorable manner, he re ceivc'd Helen ful of injurys, and all his treafures:"* and fuch was the (able of the ^Egyptian priefts, wMch the inquiiltive historian appears to have fwallow'd as perfcdly rational, though in diametri- cal oppofition to the infallible liomer. The Odjfsfry, whether by that fame poet or not is devoid uf truth from b<^ihing to end, and abounds with adventures as hyperbolical or extra- vagant as thofe of any French romance. The his turian of Engleidi poetry juftly obferves, that " all the romances have an enchantrefs, who detains the knight from bis qucH, by objects of pleafure ; and who is nothing more than the Ca/i/fi/'o of Homer* and the Armida of Tasfo [or the Akina of Ariosto]/' Euurpe, 111, xii DISSERTATION ON Huet, who: imaginc'd it of the esfence of a ro- I mance to be in profe, profefses not to treat of thofe in verfe, much lefs, of epick poems ; which, befidc that they are in verfe, have, moreover, different esfentials, which distinguifh them from romancees, though otherwife, he admits, there is a very great relation; and, following the maxim of Aristotle (who teaches that a poet is more a poet by the fictions he invents than by the verfe he compofees) make'ers of romancees may be rank'd among the poets. After Statius, there is no metrical-roroance- writeer, or epick poet, in the Latin tongue, known to have exifted before Jofeph of Exeter, call'd by fome Cornelius Nepos, who wrote, in fix books, Of the Trojan wary and, in one book, The tear of Au' tioch; and flourifh'd, according to Bale, about the year 1210; or Philip Gualtier, a Frenchman, au- thour of T/te Alexandrcid, or actions of Alexander the great, about the fame period : all three in imi- tation of Lucan, or Statius. " It appears, however, difficult to demonftrate that the comparatively modern romancees of the French owe their immediate origin to the opick poetry, or fabulous tales, of the Greeks or Romans, but it may be fairly ad mi ted, as by no means improba- ble, that thefe remains of ancient literature had fome degree of influence; though the connection is too remote and obfcure to admit of elucidation. The Latin language continue'd, after the disfolu- ROMANXE AND MINSTRELSY. xiii lion of the Roman empire, to be in ufe with the common people of France and Italy ; but, ceafeing, it may be, to be ftudy'd grammatically, and be- coming gradually intcrmix'd with the barbarous jargons of the different northern nations which had fubjugatced, or expel'd the Romans, and occup/d their feats, til, about the ninth century, an entirely j new fpeech or dialed gain'd a complete ascendency ' in both. At one period, it is fay'd, there were not lefs than threie distind languagees fpokcen in France: the old Celtick or Gauliih, that is, the Latin, and this new dialed call'd the Roman or liomance, a mixture, it would feem, of Latin, FrankiHi, and Celtick, the lad of which, it is fuppofe'd, was fpeedyly exterminateed.* The term Roman owe'd, in fad, to have been the distinguiOiing characteris- tick of the Latin tongue, which the French appear to have undcrllood at the begining of the fcventh century ;t but this was, by no means, the cafe, as wil appear from a pasfage quotcud by Fauchet from the roman i Alexandre^ coropofe'd, he fays, by per- fons hveing in the year 1150 : " La vcrti de Vhistoir'fi corn' It roit la fit, Un clers de Cktuteaudun, Lambert li Cors I'^criit Qui de Latin la tr^, et en Roman la mit" See t good account of the converfion, or pen'crfion, of the Latin tongue into Italian, from autbcntick documents, in Muratoris Antiquitattt Ilalitr, II, ogo. t See Le Bcufs Rce they never underftood, and whofe manners they dctefted ; or would even have con- defcended, or permited themfelves, to make fuch an adoption, from a fct of infidel barbarians, who had invalei;d, ravage'd, and posfefs'd themfelves of fome of the beft and richeft provincees of Spain ; with whom ihey had continual wars, til they at " laft drove them out of the country; whom, in finft, they allways avoided, abhor'd, and defpife'd. There is, doubtlef!*, a prodigious number of Arabick poems in the library of the Efcurial, which has been plun- der'd from the Moors, but which no Spanish poet ever made ufe of, or, in fliort, had ever acccfs to. It was not in the historians |)Ower to cite one fingle old Spanilh romance that has the fli^'hteft Arabian allufion, except, indeed, that of the Cid Riiif Dias, where, as in thofe of Charlemagne, the Moors or Saracens are introduce'd as enomys, and in two modern books, the *' Uistoria terdadera del re>i don Rodrigo," printed in 1592, and the llUloria de los tandut de los Zegries y Aben^errages," \tx\nXoi.\ at Seville in 1598, and, under the title of " Htstoria de las guerras civilcs de Granada," at Pui is, in l6C0 ; both faJfely pretended to have been translateed from the Arabick, and ritUculc'd, on that account, by Cervantes, who makes ufe of the fame pretence io his Quixote. The Spaniards are fo far from have-'^ ing any ancient histurias dt cavaUerias, which we call romancee, that they have not a finale ballad xxu DISSERTATION ON (which they call romanci) upon the fubjeft of the Moors, except, it may be, a few compofe'd after, or about, the time of their expulfion, and extant in the Romancero general, or other compilations of the like kind. With refpe^t to the oriental litera- ture for which we are indebted to the crufades, befide the Clericalis disciplina of Peter Alfonfus, a converted Jew, baptife'd in IIO6*, in which are many eaftern talcs, there is but one fingle French romance, in rime or profe, of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, which appears to have been / takeen from an Arabian or oriental fource; it is "' that of Cleomedes, by king Adenes (a miiiftrel-mo- narch, or herald,) after " The ftory of the inchanted horfe," in The thoufand and one nights. As to the reft, this eloquent and flowery historian, whofe duty it was to ascertain truth from the evidence of fa6ls and ancient documents, and not to indulge his imagination in reverie and romance, without the leaft fupport, or even colour, of veracity- or probability, has not the flighteft authority for this vifionary fystem, but, asfumes with confidence that which he knew himfelf unable to eftablifli by proof. There are no limits, at the fame time, to the ex- travagance of his imagination or invention, in thus wildly labouring to account for a fubjeft of which he had no adequate or rational conception, nor any authentick information : in France, he fays, " no See Tyrwhitts Chaucer, IV. 335. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxtu province, or distrid, fecms to have giveeii thefe fic- tions of the Arabians a more welcome, or a morfc early reception, than the inhabitants of Annorica, or Bafl'e-Hretagne, now Britany, for no part of France can boaA, of fo great a number of ancient roraancecs. Many poems of high antiquity, cora- pofe'd by the Armorican bards, ftil remain, and are frequently citced by father Lobineau in his Icanied history of Bafle-Bretagne."* " On the whole," he ads, " we may venture to affirm," that tle chronicle of Geoffrey of Monmouth, " fuppofe'd to contain the ideas of the J^''el/h bards, eniiiely confilts of Aiabtun iuvc:i;ions."t It muft be coofeU'd that this poetical historian is very ready, at a venture, to aftirm any thing, however imaginary and abfurd. In another place he fays, " Goi'mund king of the Africans, occurs :" and to prove how wel he uu- deri^ood Geofi'rcy of Monmouth, and how accu- rately this impostour was acquainted with Arabian allufions, this Gurmund, in autlicntick history, was a king of the Danes, who infef'ted Engloland in the nineth ccntur)', and was defeated and baptifeVI by Alfred.! I, a a. 1 1, b 3. J " That Stonehengc," he fays, " is a Britiih monument ereCked in memory of Mengifts masfacre, refts, i believe, on the fole evidence of Geofiry of Monmouth, who had it from the Britifti bards. But why (hould not the testimony of the Britiih baids be allowed on this occafion ? For they did not invent fads, fo much as fables. In the prefent cafe, Hengifl's mas- facre is an allowed evcnt....Even to this day, the masfacre of xxiv DISSERTATION ON In all this high-flo\vn panegyrick, there is not a word of truth, nor a particle of common-fenfe. There is no vestige or fliadow of any ancient au- thority, that this pityful nation, a fraall colony from South-Wales, or Cornwall, in Britain, had any other fictions than fuch as they had carry'd over with them ; nor is it true, excepting three poems, if they dcferve fuch an appellation, of fo low a peiiod as the fifteenth century (a book of predictit>ns, that is, of a pretended prophet name'd Gwinglaff, the MS. whereof was of the year 1450 ; the life of Gwenole, abbot of Landevenec, one of their fabu- lous faints ; and a little dramatick piece, on the takeing of Jerufalera,) that they have a fingle frag- ment of poetry in their vernacular language. The learned priefl who publifti'd the dictionary of Pel- letier,* after his death, candidly admits, ' that the Armorican Britons have not cultivateed poetry ; and the language, fuch as they fpeak it, does not appear able to ply to the meafure, or to the fweet- nefs, and to the harmony, of verfe."f That I hey might or may have chanters or muficians, which the French call minjlrels, we fiddlers, and themfelves Hengift is an undisputed piece of history." (I, 53.) In the firft place, Geoffrey does not fay that he had this intelligence " from the Britifh bards ;" and, 2dly, there is not a word of truth in this masfacre by Hengift: which Geoffrey borrow'd fromNennius (C. 47). A fimilar flory is relateed by Witikind. DictioJinaire de la langue Bretonne, par dom Louis de Pelletier, Paris, 1752, fo. f Preface, viii, \x. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxr barXf or bards is fufficiently probable or rcrtain ; but if, by bard be meant a compofeer of pusfiblely epick or lyrick poetry in bis vernacular idiom, no proof can be adduce'd of fuch a character. At any rate, that father Lobineau " frequently," or even in one fini^Ie inllance, cites ** many poems of high antiquity," or any poem whatever, ancient or mo* dem, in the Armorican langua>;e, is a moft mon- iirous fiihehood. The editour of this book bus a right to be thu pofitive, haveing repeatedly, and uiifucccfhfully, examine 'd the H'ustuire de Brclagne^ (a work, by the way, of no veracity or authority, though in two ponderous folios,) with a view to discover thefe pretended citations, and has receive'd an asfuiaiice to the like efi'ed, from Francis Douce, efquire, whofc intimate acquuuitance with every branch of Trench literature cannot posfibidy be disputce valry, but that fo many of the favourite Hctions which occur in the early rrciich ronmncecs, Ihould altfu be literally found in the talcs and chrouiclei xxvi DISSERTATION ON jof the elder Welfti bards."* In this pasfage, allfo, is fcarcely a word of fenfe or truth. The Welfh have no " tales" or " chronicles" to produce of " the elder Welfh bards," nor by any other writeer, more early, at leaft, than Geoffrey of Monmouth, whofe fabulous Britijh histori/, it muft be confefs'd, was feize'd, with great avidity, by the French or Nor- man poets. If the Welfli have any fuch ftorys, they are, doubtlefs, from the French, or Engleifli, and, by way of further proof of their recency, are all in PROSE ; as, for inftance, " Uii/vyr y Greal" from the Roman de S. Graal, " Ystori Boun o Hamtun" from that of Beuves, or Bevis, of Southhampton, ' Ystori Ouen ab Yricn," from the Roman d'lvain, the Cavalier au lion," or " Ywain and Gawin :"f and, as to the idea of Warton, '* that the Wel/h bards might have been acquainted with the Scan- dinavian fcalds :" nothing was ever more extravagant or abfurd.J That the inhabitants of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, being the lateeft converts to Christianity, retain'd their original manners and opinions longer than the other nations of Gothick race, may * I, a 3, 1: } See Lhuyds Archceologia, 2Q5. X Some fuch unauthorife'd opinion had already inducc'd the elegant Gray to pollute his fublime pindarick on the bards with the Scandick mythology, of which the Britons had not a particle, and, for any thing that appears, were totally ignorant. $ Reliques, &c. III. xi, xii, xiii. The eloquent pasfagecs of ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxvii certainly, be true, though fuch fort of converfion ufually makes fome difference in thofc mattera:* but it, by no means, follows that, therefor, they have preferve'd " more ojf the genuine compofitions of their ancient po^s, than their fouthem nei;jh- bours :" this is a fad to be prove'd, not by affir- mative asfertions, but by the protluction of ancient manufcripts, or the testimony of contcmporareous or veracious historians : neither of which is pos- fefs'd by all or any one of thefe three northern nations. *' Hence," however, it is maintain'd that *' the progrefs, among them, from poetical history to poetical fiction is very discernible;" meaning, it is prefume'd, that they are equally fabulous. They have fome old piecees, it is fay'd, that are in effeA complete romancees of chivalry ;* and a fpecimen is rcfer'd to in the 2d volume of Nurfhern antiqui- ties, &c. P. 148, kc. the age whereof is not ascer- tain'd, nor do its contents perfe&ly refemble any French or Engeleifti romance that we are at all ac- ipiainted with. In another part of the fame work (page 321) is, apparently, introduce'd the. Ovidian tale of Perffua and Andromeda, under the no lefs fic- titious names of licgner Lodbrog, or hairy breeches, afterward king of Denmark, and Thora, thcbeautyful daughter of a Swcdiih prince, who was " guarded," as the poets took occafioa to fay, " by a furious the original were, at iirft, intended to be givcen at length, but retrenchment was found necciuy. * Rtlinuet, dec. Ill, xriii. xxviii DISSERTATION ON dragon :" and this, it feems, upon the authority of Regnara Lodbrogsfaga, which appears to be in print, and has been alfo translateed by the above learned and ingenious prelate; who gives the pasfage thus: " We fought with fwords : when in Gothland i flew an enormonsferpent: my reward was the beauteous Thora. Thence i was deera'd a man : they call'd me Lodbrog from that flaughier. I thruft the mon- fter through with my fpear, with the fteel produc- tive of fplendid rewards."* . That they may likewife, " have a multitude of fagas or histories on romantick fubjefts, fome of them written since the times of the crufades" wil be readyly admited ; but there is not the flighteft proof or pretext for asfei ting that " others" were fo " LONG BEFORK." Thefeyagfls, in fad, are, for the mofl part, if not totally, translateed, or imi- tateed, from the French, and, at the fame time, of very recent date. The " Saga of Ivent England kappe," in the royal library of Stockholm, is clearly the French romance of Ytain, or Le chevalier au lion, both of the twelfth or thirteenth century, ac- commodateed, apparently to the Scandick tradi- tions. f A large collection of fuch things is in the Britifh mufeum, tranfcribe'd chiefly between the * See Five pieces of Runic poetry, P. 2?. Even Warton fus- pects that the romantick amour between Rcgner and Aslanga is the forgery of a much latter age (I, i 2, b,). This fcaby (heep, indeed, infefls the whole flock. ( See Wanleys Antiquce Uteraturce fepten. catalogus, 335. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxix years 166O and 17OO ; among which are the " Saga of Likle Peturs og ^Magrhna, Saga af WirgiliOf Saga af Parcevals, Melujina og Remunds fagay Re- mundar keifara faga, Apollonius faga, &c.* all or moft of which are wel known French romancees. The Danes have no historian whatever before the eleventh century .f It is not at all more probable, or, at leaft, there is no fort of authority for fuppofeing, that Rollo * doubtlcfs carry'd many fcalds with him [into France or Neuftria] from the north, who transmitcd their(kiltothcirchildrenandfuccesfors."Itis,infa<5, a mere gratis dictum^ a petitio principii, an unfound- ed conjecture, an asferlion without a proof: after the Normans had acquire'd the Christian religion, adopted the French language, and French manners, and, in a word, become perfrcl Frenchmen, they, unquestionahlcly, dibplayM equal, if not fiiperior, talent and invention in the manufacture of roman> tick poems in that tongue ; all which, however, are on French or Ikitifh fubjects ; and none of them can be asferted, without a flagrant violation of truth and fad, to contain one fingle allufion to the Iceland fi-silds, or Scandinavian poetry, none of whofe puerile and extravagant fictions can be prove'd of fo early an age. There is not, in lliort, the wcakeft posfible au* Se mister Ajrscoughs Catalogue, No. 485?, f^c. f Stephens Nota m Saxonemt % XXX DISSERTATION ON ^ thority, the flightefl posfible proof, that the min- flrels were " the genuine fuccesfors of the ancient BARDS, who, under different names, were admire'd and revere'd, from the earheft ages, among the peo- ple of Gaul, Britain, Ireland, and the north." It is a mere hypothefis, without the leaft fupport, from fait or history, or any thing, in a word, but a vi- fionary or fancyful imagination. There is no con- nection, no refemblance, between the fcalds of Scandinavia and the minflrels of France ; nor can any ancient historian be produce'd to countenance the extravagant and abfurd fables with which the introduction to the " Histoire de Danncmarck" by Mallet, translateed into Engleifh under the title of *' Northern antiquities," is ftuf'd from begining to end. The original authou was fo ignorant as to confound the Cimbri with the Cimmeriif* and the Germans or Goths yflih the Celts or Gauls, in de- fiance of ancient history and of common fcnfe, with- out a word of truth. The Edda itsfelf, if not a rank forgery, is at leaft a comparatively modern book, of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, Dianifeftly compile'd long after Christianity was introduce'd into the north,t nor was fuch a fystem * He calls the latter " Cimmerian Scythians;" utterly ignorant that the Scythians were the bittereft enemys of the Cimmerians, and actually drove them out of Europe into Afia. f The pretended authour Snorro (no bad name for a dreamer) brings down this chronology thirty years after his death. See ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxxi of pagaruftn brought hither by either Saxons or Danes, or ever cntcrtain'U by any people in the world, nor are ihefe fcalds or poets ever mentioned by any old Engleilh historian, though we have feve* ral of the Saxon times. Saxo, a very ancient liis torian, knew nothing of any Odin, but a magician, whom the ftupidity of the inhabitants of Upfal adorc'd as a god, and fent to iiim from Conllanti- noplc a golden image ; out of which his wife Frigga drew the gold; which being confumu'd, he hung up the llatue on the brink of a precipice, and, by the wonderful industry of art, reudcr'd it vocal at the human touch : but, neverthelefs, Frigga, pre- fering the fpU'ndour of finery to divine honours, fubjeded hcrfelf in adultery to one of her fami- liars; by whofe cuning, the image being demo- liJh'd, the gold, coufecratced to publick fuperllition, fhe converted to the inltrumcnt of private luxury. Odin then fiys, but afteruard returns, and dis- perfees the magicians who had ril'een up in his abfence. He attempts to kit's llinda, daughter to the king of the Ruthes, and receives a flap on the face. According to Torfxus, he even ravifli'd this young lady ; but the pasfage, on looking into Saxo, to whom he fecms to refer, could not be found. Sec, however, Scriea regum Dania, 149, where he Northern antiquities, II, xxii. This outdoes Geoffrey of Men* mouth. " Huet," accoiding to Warton, " is of opinion that the Edda ia entirely the prtxluction of Snorro's fancy;** ami citei Origin tifromaiut, 110 (I, b 4, b. n. 3.) jtxxU . DISSERTATION ON fuppofees liim contemporar}' with Hading king of Denmark, in the year 816 before Chrift. He is blind of an eye, SfC* There cannot be a more ri- diculous ftory of a pagan deity ! The forge'd and fabulous Edda, indeed, fpeaks of another Odin, fur- name'd the Perfian, the father of the gods, to whom the origin of the ai t of the fcalds was attributeed, and who, according to the lyeing coxcomb allready noticc'd, was defeated and put to flight by Pom- pey :t this groundlefs and abfurd falfehood is, likewife, adopted by the learned and ingenious translator. J After all, it feems highly probable that the origin of romance, in every age or country, is to be fought in the different fystems of fuperftition which have, from time to time, prevail'd, whether pagan or christian. The gods of the ancient heathens, and the faints of the more modern christians, are the fame fort of imaginary beings; who, alternately, give exiftence to romancees, and receive it from them. The legends of the one, and the fables of the other, have been, conftantly, fabricateed for the fame purpofc, and with the fame view : the promotion of fanaticifm, which, being mere illufion, can onely be exciteed, or fupported, by romance : and, therefor, whether Homer made the gods, or the gods made Homer, is of no fort of confequencc, as * He dye'd in 1204 ; but has not one fingle date throughout his whole history. t P. 59. J Reliques, III, xvi. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxxiii the fame effed was produce'd by either caufe. There is this distinction, indeed, between the hea- then deitys, and the christian faints, that the fables of the former were indebted for their exiftence to the flowery imagination of the fublimc poet, and the legends of the latter to the gloomy fanaticifm of a lazy monk or ftinking prielh If the hero of a romance be, occafiooally, bor- row'd from heaven, he is, as often, fent thither in return. John of Damascus, who fabricatced a pious romance, of Barlaam and Jofaphat^ in the eighth century, was the caufc of thefe creations of his fancyful bigotry, and interefted fuperftition, being place'd in the empyreal galaxy, and worOiip'd as faints. Even Rowland and Oliver, the furge'd and fabulous exiftencees of the Pfeudo-Turpin, or fome other monkifh or prieftly impostour, have attain'd the fame honour.* This idea is render'd the more plaufible, if not pofitive, by the moft ancient ro- mancei's of chivalry, thofe of Charlemagne, for in- ftance, arid his paladins, Arthur, and his knights of the round-table, Guy, Bevis, and fo forth ; all of whom are the ftrcnuous and fuccefhful champions of Christianity, and mortal enemys of the Saracens, * See Quadrio, Storia 33, fo. zCill. xxxvi DISSERTATION ON E ^'Oliver, 4* des 'casfahf Qi morurent en Rencevals."* Geoffrey Gaimar, an earlyer poet than Wace, though he onely appears as his continuator, fpeaks, likewife of this gallant minftrel ; and gives a cu- rious relation of the behaviour of his horfe, the tricks he play'd with his fpear, and word, and his exploits in the action, which are, likewife, men- tion'd by fome of our old historians.f Doctor Burney, in his History of mufick (II, 276), has infertcd a pretendedly genuine copy of the chanfon de Roland, by the marquis de Paulmy, with a fpiritcd tftinslation : but the marquis, in this jeu d'efprit, apparently mistook the nature of the ancient chanfon, confounding it with that of a more recent period. The chevalier de Tresfan, in his Corps d'extraits de rowans (I, 356), gives a ftanza, in modern French, of a different fong, fay'd to be chanted by the peafants of the Pyrenees : but moft probablely of his own invention. The real chanfon de Roland was, unquestionablely, a metrical ro- Histaire ou roman des dues de Normendie, (R. MSS. 4 C XI) ; and by no means Le roman de Rou, as hath been completely prove'd by abbS de la Rue. Telfair, who wel could fing a ftrain Upon a horfe that went amain. Before the duke rode Anging loud. Of Charlemagne and Rowland good, Of Oliver, and thofe vasfals. Who loft their lives at Roncevals. f Le Brut, R. MSS. 13 A XXI. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxxvii mancc, of great length, upon the fatal battle of Roncevaux; of which Taillefer onely chanted a part. Le Grand d'Ausfy pretends that the char\fon de Roland fubfiftcd down to the third race, as, he fays, it appears, by that reply fo bold, known to every body, of a foldier to king John, who re- proach'd him with Tinging it, at a time when there were no longer any Rowlands. This asfertion, how- ever, fo far as rcfpeds the above, or any other, fong, is an abfolutc falfchood. The ftory alludeed to, which has no better authority than that of Hector Bois, a fabulous writeer of the fixteenth century, is, literally, as follows : " When king John was come to Paris, calling the parliament together, he complain'd, with a pityful tone, of his misfor- tune, and the calamitys of the realm, and, amongfl the reft, lamented that he could now fmd no Row- lands or Gawins : to which one of the peers, whofe valour had been famous in his youth, and, there- for, an enemy to the kings floih, anfwer'd, there would be no want of Rowlands, if there were Charleses,"* The anecdote, no doubt, fuppofeing it true, has fome merit, but no fort of connection with, or alluflon to, the chanfon de Roland^ unlefs as confounded among the number of metrical ro- mancees on the fame fubjedt. This, however, or (bme other, fong or romance of Rowland appears Seotorum kistorit, B. 15, fo. S89. xxxviii DISSERTATION ON to have been popular in Italy, in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, as we learn from a ftory of Pog- gius : (fpeaking of one who deplore'd to the by- ftanders the fall and fubverfion of the Roman empire,) hie par Jimilis ~eft, inquit [Antonius Lus- c\x%\, viro Mediolanevji, qui die f est o cum audisfet unum ex grege cantorum, qui gesta heroum ad plebem decantant, recitantem mortem Rolandi, qui feptingentis jam forme annis in prcelio occubuit, CCEPIT ACRiTER FLERE," t^c. The wit, howcver, oijignor Lusco feems to have, for this once, at leaft, been rather raisplace'd.* Defpairing of the existence of the chanfon de Ro- land, among the number of ancient French poems which remain upon the fubjed of Charlemagne, Rowland, Oliver, and Roncesvalles, f the moft ancient romance in that language, llil preferve'd, has been thought to be one upon the achieve- ments of Charlemagne, rcfpeding the deftruction of the monastery of Carcasfon and Narbon, and the conftruclion of that oi Dela Grace. This his- tory is fay'd to have been writen, at the command of the above monarch, by a certain writeer name'd * Facecie, Baiil, 1488, 4to. See more, concerning Rowland and Oliver being fung upon the ftage, in the Antiquitates Italia of Muratori, II, 844. f- This romance, the authours of the Hiftoire littercdre fcem pofitive, was no other than that which bears the name of i?o- lant & Olivier, and is mark'd among the MSS. of Charles V, VI, and VII ; and refer to the Hijloire de faca. des infcrip. t. 1, part 1, p. 317. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xxxix Philomena, and to have been, afterward, at the in- ftance of St. Bernard, abbot, and the convent of the fa}'d monastery, turn'd into Latin by one Pa- duan, or Vital, between the years 1015 and lOlg: but, as it mentions the twelve peers of France, le comte de Flandrcs, a title which did not exift til fifty years nfter the death of Charlemagne; and the city of Montauban, which was not built til 1144 it cannot, posfiblcly, be of fuch high antiquity. It is extant, though, Jipparently, in profe, in the na- tional library, Num. 27 * Another, nearly of the fame aj^e, is the roman de Guillaume d'Orange,fumomme au Court ties, (or fliort-nofe) which contains the history of St. Guil- laume de Guilluiie, and is conjecture'd, to be of the tenth century, but is, more probablcly, of the fol- lowing. Many copys of it are extant in different librarys : and a ful account of it may be fccn in Catels Metttoint de Languedoc. f The authour calls himfelf Gu/7//iumr dt Bapaume.\. It appears, from a pasfage of Ordericus yUalis, who flourifh'd in 1140, to have been fung, in his time, by the min- ftrels, though not fo worthy of attention as n moro authentick narrative. His words arc : " Canitur xmlgo d joculatoribus, de illo \/ci. S. Guiielmo] * See Montfaucon Bib. bib. II, I3S3 ; Hiftoirt lit. de la France, IV, 21 1, aivi ; VI, 13 ; VII, Ixxi ; and CatcJ, Mcmoira it Lviguedoc, 404, 400, 547, 500. t ii9, 6fl, &c See atfu Hijloiie liU de la Ft once, VU, bui. 4- Sinaaii Catalogut, tome 3, pa^t 333. xl DISSERTATION ON - cantilena,, fed jure prceferenda eji relatio autkentica, quoE a religiojisdoctoribusfolerter ejl edita, 8f djludiojis lectoribus reverenter lecta eJi in communi fratrum audientia."* Dora Calmet maintains that the roman de Garin le Loheran, the authour whereof live'd in 1050, is the moft ancient romance which the French have -.f and to prove the age of Ogier le Danois (not that of Adenez), the authours of the Histoire liiteraire quote the authority of Metellus, a monk of Te- gornfee in Bavaria, who wrote about IO6O, and haveing occafion to fpeak of the hero of that ro- mance, ads, " whom that people [the Burgundians] , finging old fongs, call Ofiger." (VII, Ixxvi.) The next, in point of age, that is yet known, is probablely, a chronicle-history of the Britons and Engleifh, from Jafon and the achievement of the golden fleece, to the death of Henry the firft, which appears to have been compofe'd at the inftance of dame Conftance Fitz-Gilbert, before the year 1147; in which year dye'd Robert earl of Gloucester, natural fon of king Henry the firft, who had fent the book he had caufe'd to be translateed, according to thofe of the Wellh kings, to Walter Espec, who dye'd in or before 1140,4- oi whom lady Conftance borrow'd it (this feems, froni the mention of Walter * L. 6. t Histoire lit. VI, 13; 4 This date is asccrtain'd by the death, in that year, of arch- bifliopThurstan, awitnefs to his foundation-charter of Rievauxr abbey. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. xU the archdeacon, to be Geoffrey of Monmouths Britijh history, which is addref^'d to earl Robert)^ a fragment of which is annex'd, by way of con-, tinuation to the Brut of maistre Wace, in the kingi MSS. 13 A XXI : no other copy being known to exil>. Alexandre Bcrnay, fumame'd Paris, and Lam- bert li Cors, are the joint authours of a romance of Alexander '\n French verfe, bcgining ** Qui vers de ricke hijstoir veut fcavoir" in 1051, or, according to others, in 1193> which may onely be the date of the MS. The next is Maistre JFaccj Gace, or GaJJe, a na- tive of the ile of Jerfey, and canon of Caen in Normandy, an excellent poet, who compofe'd the romance of Le Brut ; as he tcls us, in 1155, the roman de Ron ; the romance of William Long fword ; the romance of duke Richard I. his fou j the history of the dukes of Normandy ; a compen- dium or abridgement of the fame history ; the lif(| of St. Nicholas; and the roman du chevalier dit lion, in 1155: all performancees of confiderable merit.* The Christian name of Maistre fface is fay'd by Huet, (who cites no authoitty) to have been Robert, (Origines dt Caen, Rouen 1 70J , vo. P. fl07 .) In Lo vie de S. Nickoloi, cited by Hickes, Gr. A. S. P. Ufl, 147, he is call'd " mettre Guace" /Tyrwhitts Chaucer, IV, 59) ; and in the MS. of Le chevalier cu lion his name is writen Gaffe. Tyrwhitt fufpe^ that " Lt martyrt de St. Gforg* en vert Francois par Robert Gtttco,** xlii DISSERTATION ON Benoit,'or Benedift, de Saint-More, contempo- rary with WacCj wrote " lejtoire des due de Nor' mendie" and the ** roman de Troie " both which are among the Harleian MSS. " Le roman de Florimon" is of the year 1180 ; the author being unknown. Christian or Chrestien, de Troyes, wrote, in 1 1 91 Les romans de chevalier a Vepee \ou L'/iistoire de Lancelot du lac^, du chevalier d la charrette ou De la carette, (perhaps the fame with the precedeing) du chevalier d lion, du prince Alexandre, Sac. de mention'd by M. Lebeuf as extant in the Bibl. Colbert. Cod. 3745 [Mem. de Tacad. D. I. & B. L. V. xvii, 6. 73 1] is by this Wace or Gace [whofe name, by the way, is frequently corrupted into Eujiace, Wistace, or Huijiace, Faeces, and Faches ; par- ticularly by Warton, who believes them to be two distinct perfons ; and confounds the Brut with the roman de Rou [I, 62] . JFace, or Gace, however, was certainly a baptismal name ; there being two other French poets who bore it, GafJ'e Brides, and Gaffe de Figne. The title of master, or maistre, allfo, is conftantly prefix'd to the christian, and never to the furname, inftancees of the latter, of the 1 2th century, being, at the fame time, exceedingly rare. Had the name oiJVace been Robert, he would have call'd himfelf Maistre Robert, and not Maistre JFace. *^* The pasfage in Lebeuf (Recherchesfur les plus anciennes traductions en langue Fran^oifeJ is as follows : " Un manufcrit de la hibliotheque Colbert (Cod. 3745) nous fcurnit le martyrc de St. George en vers Franqois par Robert Guaco, une vie dp St. Thomas de Canterberi en vers Francois Alexandrins, par frere Benet, " une hiftoire du martyre de Hugues de Lincoln, enfant tue "par un Juif, Van 1206." Guaco, however, is not Guact. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xliii Graal, de Perfecalf (TEreCj with others which ar now loft.* There are numerous MS. roraancees in verfe, in different librarys, fome of which, no doubt, are as ancient as any here noticc'd. The reft are too nu- merous to fpecify, as the two fubfequent ccnturyi were ftil more prolifick. The authours of the earlyeft French romans in rime, generally declare their names in the courfe of their own works, *' Meistre Wace ki^Jl ccji lixere" and arc, occafionally, notice'd by a brother poet ; as, for inftance, Geoffrey Gaimar, the authour of a Britifti chronicle, allready mention'd, who not oncly names himfelf, but David, his contemporary, of whom nothing more is known; Lambert li Cors, one of the authours of the roman d' Alexandre, maistre Wace, the authour of le Bruty ie roman de RoUt VHistoire de Nortnandie, Ic chevalier "au lion, U ge/le de Alifandrc, and fevcrul other poems, name themfelves, and the Uift, in fome, repeatedly ; all of whom, or of which are of the twelfth cen- tury. " Allmoft every one of the [numberlefs] tales cvAVfiiJabliaus" fays M. Lc Grand, are known In the roman de Perceval he fav-s, " Cil quiJH (TEnfe " makes him, like forae one elfe, relate his own death. Another pretended verfion of this Pfeudo-Turpin, which is fay'd to have been made by one Mickius (or Michel) le Harnes, Warton, I, c 2, who cites Magn, chron. Belgic. P. 153. fub anno and refers to Longs Bibl. Hift. Gal. num. 6671, and Lambac. ii. 333. f See Flodoardus Historia ecdefice Remenfis, L. 2, C. 17. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. xlvu wholive'd in the time of Pitilip the augu(l,or 1206,* has little or nothing in common with it:> falfe origi- nal, being, in fad, the romance of Regjiaut, or Reynald, and not that of Roland who is never once mention'd in the head-chapters, and very rarely in the book. Mister Ellis, who took it, without in- fpection, to be a fair translation of the falfe Tur- pin, in 1207, fays, *' The real authour was perhaps a Spaniard ;" but this is without authority; and in fad, the Spaniards have no romance of any fuc)i antiquity.f Mister Warton calls this fabulous his- tory, " the ground-work of all the chimerical le- gends which have been reluteed concerning the conqueAs of Charlemagne and his twelve peers :"4- but this, at leaft, requires it to have been compofe'd before the year IO66, when the adventures or ex- ploits of Charlemagne, Rowland, and Oliver, were chanted ut the battle of Hastings. As a Arong in- ternal proof, however, that this romance was writen long after the time of Charlemagne, he fays, that the hiittorian, fpeaking of the numerous chiefs and kings who came with their armys to asfiA his hero^ among the reA mentions earl Oell ; and ads " Of this man there is a foog commonly fung among the minArels even to this day."X In another place, be * See MemoirtM de Facademie dts. imfcrip, IV. 308. f The original Latin was never piinted feparatc'.y, and firft of all infertcd in a collection, intitle'd ** Gnmamiarum rerum (/uatuor chronographi, &c. Fnmcofurti, 1606, fo. + 1, c. : I, c. 9. xlviii DISSERTATION ON fays, that " Turpin's history was artfully forged under the name of that archbifhop about the year 1 1 10, with a defign of giving countenance to the crufades from the example of fo high an authority as that of Charlemagne, whofe pretended vifit to the holy fepulchre is defcribed in the twentieth :"* which feems highly probable. In the year 1 138 Geoffrey of Monmouth, after- ward birtiop of St. Afaph, fet forth a certain work, which, in his epistle dedicatory to Robert earl of Gloucester, he fays, he had translateiid from a very ancient book in the Britifh tongue, which had been brought to him by Walter archdeacon of Oxford, a man of great. eloquence, and learn'd in foreign his- torys, containing, in a regular ftory, and elegant ftile, the actions of them all, from Brutus, the firft king of the Britons, down to Cadwallader, the fon of Cadwallo. Whether Geoffreys Latin book, which has, certainly made its way in the world, and in- fected, or influence'd, more or lefs, national history in allmoft every part of the globe, was an actual translation, or entirely, or partly of his own ma- nufacture, is not a question here intended to be discufs'd ; but all allow that the Britilh orignal has never been found, unlefs in the fhape of a transla- tion from the Latin. Mister Warton, indeed; mo- deftly enough, inclines to think, " that the work I, 124. In the national library, Number 3718, is a MS. of the end of the I2th century, which contains the romance of Turpin, and that of Amis and AmUlion in Latin verfees. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. Ixix . confiAs of fables thrown out by different rhapfotlifts at different times," which afterward ** were col- leftcd and digefted into an entire history," and per- hap with new decorations of fancy aded by the compilcer, who moft probablely was one of the pro- fefs'd bards, or rather a poetical historian, of Ar- morica or Bqffe Bretagne. In this ftate, and under this form, he fuppofees << it to have fallen into the hands of Geoffrey of Monmouth."* However thi may be, as there is little or no evidence, though much improbability, upon the fubje6l, the readers of the learned historian may be peimited, for the prcfent, to retain his opinion : but " Amid the gloom of fuperdition, in an age of the grofseft ig" norance and credulity," he fays, * a tafle for the wonders of oriental fiction was introduce'd by the Arabians into Europe.. .Thefe fictions coincideing with the reigning manners, and perpetually kept up and improve'd in the tales of troubadours aud min- ilreis, feem to have center'd about the eleventh cen- tury in the ideal histories of Turpin and Geoffrey of Monmouth, where they form'd the ground-work of that fpecics of fabulous narrative called romance. -}- Whatever become of the induceing caufees, the con- dufion is, unquestionablely, very pluufible, if not perfedly true, for, whether there were any thing upon the fubjcd of Chitrlcmagne and Arthur before the appearance of thefe two books, it is very cer- tain there was a prodigious number after it* lb. tl,i,4. TOL. t. d 1 DISSERTATION ON Thefobliaux of the twelfth and thirteenth cen- turys (a name for which the Ei)glei(h language af- fords no appropriate term, nor the French any fy- nonim) extant in MS. in feveral librarys, are allmoft innumerable. Three volumes have been publifli'd by M. Barbazan under the title of " Fabliaux et tontes des po'etes Franpis des XII, XIII, XIV, Sf XV es Jiecles :" Paris 1756, 177^, 3 vols, 12mo, which afford a fufficient fpecimen of this fpecies of French poetry : while feveral, as wel of thefe as others, have been epitomife'd and transprofe'd by Le Grand d'Ausfy, who has accompany'd them with ingenious and interefiing disfertations and notes, at firft, in two volumes, 8vo, and, fecondly, in five, 12mo. It has been iraagine'd, as Warton thinks, that the firft romancciis were compofe'd in metre, and fung to the hai-p by the poets of Provence at festival folemnitys ;''* but, according to more authentick writeers, thefe poets borrow'd their art from the French or Normans. He, likewife, asferls, that the troubadours were the firft writeers of metrical ro- mancees.f The provenjal poetry, in fa6t, was for the moft part, of a different defcription, and abounded chiefly in allegory and fatire. There is but one * I, 1 12. He, elfewhere, affirms that " The troubadours of Provence, an idle and unfettled race of men, took up arms, and follow'd their barons in prodigious multitudes, to the conqueft of Jerufalem." (HO.) . An abfurd falfehood. t 1. i*7. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. li fingle romance cxiAing that can be imputcud to a troubadour, that of Gerard de RouJJillon ;* nor is it certain that, if they had compofe'd ever fo many, they would have rival'd the French, in point of either merit, or precedency. Warton, indeed, misled, apparently, by that ignis fatutis, \Varburton, bi(hop of Gloucester, and even wifliing, it would feem, to emulate and outdo that confident and mendacious prelate, f has been in- duce'd to asfert that " Before ihefe expeditions into the caft became fafhionable, the principal and lead- ing fubjeAs of the old fables were the atchieveraents of king Arttiur, with his knights of the round-table, and of Charlemagne with his twelve peers. But, ia the romances written after the holy war, a new fet of champions, of conquers, and of countries, were [was] introduced. Trebizoude took place of Roun- cevallcs, and Godfrey of Bulloigne, Solyman, The Proven9al poets had got an extravagantly high cha- racter, which this ingenious writecr has entirely deprivc'd them of. M. de Saintc-Palaye, who had made large and intcrefting collections upon the history and poetry of the troubadoun which he pcrfcdly undcrftood, fuffcr'd, unfortunately, his pa- pers to fall into (he hands of one Milot, a perfcft blockhead, who neither knew the P(ovcn<;al, nor any thing elfe. f See his pretended hypothefis of the origin of romance, firft printed in the fupplement to JarvUes Don Quixote, and, afterwafd, in his own, and feveral fubfequent, editions of Shak/peare, a complete fpeciracn of ignorance, impudence, and falfchood, which has been fo ablcly and dcciGvcly con- futced and expofe'd by the learned and judicious Tyrwhitt, and defen-es only to be treated with indignation and contempt. m DISSERTATION ON Nouraddln, the caliphs, and the cities of iEgypt and Syria became the'favourite topics." In all this rhapfody there is fcarcely a fingle word of truth. It is fufficiently notorious that before the firft crufade, or for more than half a century after it, there was not one fingle romance on the achieve- ments of Arthur or his knights. Neither is it more true that any fuch change took place with regard to the fubjedts of romance as he here pretends. That there was a romance on Godfrey of Bologne is certain ; but that it ever obtain 'd the popularity of thofe of Charlemagne, Rowland, Oliver, and Roncevalles, which are allmoft innumerable, or that Solyman, Nouraddin, the caliphs, and the cities of Egypt and Syria, were ever *' the favourite topics," is nothing but random asfertion, falfehood, and im- pofition ; there not being a fingle ronvance on any one of thefe fubjeAs.* A curious pasfage in the ancient chronicle of Bcrtrand Guesclin as citeed by Du Cange, under the word MINISTELLI, preferves the names of feveral ancient French romans, fome of which are not otberwife known to have exifted, and exprefsly fays they were compole'd by the mrnftrels : " Qui veut avoir renoin des bons Sf de vaillans, II doit alerfouvent ala pluie et an champs, Et ejlre en la bataille, ainfy quefu RoUans^ Les quatre fils Maimon, et Charlon li plus gransv History mans, now ncglct^ed, had become vile, and was now known but to a few elders ; that the younger, inftrudcd to read this letter^ might be the more apt, in their old age, to alledge the muniments of their monastery agaiiut its adverfarys."f The Saxon natives, a fpiritlefs and cowardly race, who had been long accustom'd to the con- quest and ascendency of every neighbouring luition which thought proper to invade them, as the Scots^ for iullancc, the Pich, and the Danes, the laft of * iK. . t /^'- o*' Ijtisr DISSERTATION ON which had actually takeeii posfesfion of the crown and kingdom of Engleland, and held it for feveral reigns, were, after the Norman conqueft, reduce'd to a ftate of bafenefs and fervility. They had been deprive'd of their native landlords, who were for- feited, banifh'd, and put to death ; and their eftates coufiscateed, by the rapacious Normans ; they had been deprive'd of their laws, and a final attempt was now made to abolifh their language. This, however, though great pains were takeen to enforce it, did not entirely fucceed, oweing, chiefly, it may be, to the ftupidity of the Saxon peafants.* From * It would, no doubt, have been a glorious matter for a conquer'd ami cnflave'd people to boafi, that, after they had loft the fuccesfion of their native fovereigns, their laws, their posfesfions, their eftates and property, and every thing, in ftiort that was really valuable, they were pcrmited to preferve their language, and continue a meagre, and barren jargon, which was incapable of discharging its functions ; this, in fal, was the only meafure of the Norman tyrants which was adapted to the benefit of their conquer'd fubje6ls; and in this alone they were unfuccefsful ; neither, on the contrary, did the Saxon commonalty retain their primitive tongue : they got, indeed, a barbarous mixture of Saxon, Danifh, Norman, and one knows not what, which was no more Saxon than French, and is now knovim by the name of Engleifti, a term formerly fynonimous with Saxon. Heame, indeed, contends that ** the introduction of the French tongue was of very great disadvantage. It brought a disufe," he fays, *' of the fcriptures, which having been trans- lated into Saxon, were commonly read among the vulgar, 'till after the Normans came among us, who did all they could posfibly to deftroy every thing that look'd like Saxon; and yet they were not able to bring their ill deffgn to perfection." ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. i.xv the time of this conqueft, the kin;;, and the no- bility, and the bilhops, and moft of the regular clergy, and every man, in (hort, of landed property, the whole kingdom haveing l)een parcel'd out in knights fees, under the feudal law, which was now, for the firft time, introluce'd into the country, were Normans, and fpoke the French, fo that, long be- fore his death, and ever afterward, we do not once meet with the name of one fingle Saxon nobleman, nor is there a fingle family now flourifhing, however high in rank and opulence, that can prove a defcent from the Saxon times, by authentick documents ; all were ruin'd, exile'd, decapitateed, or reduce'd to poverty, wretchednefs, and distrefs : fo that, in fa6l, like the Pit'ls, they fccm to have been ciit off, all at once, by a fingle blow, without any progeny being left to reprcfent them. " At length," fays Ingulph, the Normans " fo abominatecd the En- gleifti, that, whcnfoever they excel'd in merit, they were driveen from their dignitys, and much left able foreigners, of what foe ver other nation which is under heaven they were, would be takecn wil- ingly. The very idiom, even, they fo much abhor'd, that the laws of the land, and the Aatutcs of the (Preface to Ijingtoft, P. xxix.) The lofs fustain'd by the vul- gar of their Saxon vcrfion, would have been effectually reme- dy'd by the Latin vulgntc, which the priefls continuc'd to ex- plain to them in their vernacular idiom (for, in hSt, there was no French translation of the bible) ; aad the reading of it might have contributeed to the knowlegeof the Latin tongue. VOL. I. e Ixvi DISSERTATION ON Engleifli kings, were treated in the French lan- guage:* and to boys, allfo, in fchools, the gramma- tical principles of letters were deliver'd in French, and not in Engleifli ; the Engleifli mode, allfo, of The onely laws promulgateed by the conquerour in Nor- man-French, are thofe that were found in a fmgle MS. of In- gulph, now deftroy'd, (a blank fpace being left in other copys for their infertion,) and have been printed by Selden, in Ful- mans edition, and by Wilkins in LL, Scujconicm. If thefe laws be genuine, a faft which is not intended to be disturb'd, they muft have been proclaim'd, one would think, in the Saxon language, being the old laws of the kings coufin Edward, as he fays, and intended for the benefit of his newly acquire'd Saxon fubjefts ; and this Norman verfion muft be a work of lateer times, by feme monk, who prefcr'd to get them translateed for him by another who underftood the Saxon tongue, fup- pofeing him not to have done it for himfelf. But it feems, evi- dent that the copyift of the MS. ufe'd by fir Henry Savile, had been unable to write the Saxon character, and, therefor, oblige'd to leave a blank, and a Norman monk, after Ingulphs death, would naturally prefer his native tongue. Thefe laws, no doubt, afford a very ancient fpeciraen of the Norman- French ; but it is the heighth of abfurdity to imagine that he would have re- ftore'd them to his Saxon-fubje6ts, in a language they did not underftand: particularly, as we find in Wilkins (P. 230;, that on other occafions, he had no objection to make ufe of their own idiom. The laws in Latin, which immediately follow the above, are, like many others, a manifeft forgery. There are, in fa6l, feveral charters of the conquerour, in the Saxon lan- guage, ftil extant : though the vulgar Engleifli, at that period, feems to have been esfentially different. William of Malmes- bury, relateing the death of Aldred, archbifliop of York, who fucceeded in 1060, and dye'd in 1069, fays, that the franknefs of his mind flione very clear in one expresfion, which, he ads, ' i wil give in Engleifli, bycaufe Latin words do not anfwer, like the Engleifli to the rime." One Urfus, who had been ap- pointed, by the king, ftierif of Worcester, haveing, in the ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. Ixvii writcing was omited, and the French mode adopted, in all charters and books."* Henry of Huntingdon, relateing the death of William the conquerour, fays, that, " now the Nor- mans had accomplifh'd the juft wil of the lord over the nation of the Englcs; nor was there fcarcc any chief of the progeny of the Englcs in Engleland, but all were reduce'd to flavery and forrow : fo that it was a disgrace to be call'd an Engleilhman.f " Engleland," in the words of William of Malmes- bury, contemporary with Henry the archdeacoo, " is made the habitation of drainers, and the do- minion of aliens. No Engleifhraan," he fays, " at this day, is either duke,.)- or bi(hop, or abbot The erectioo of his castle, comnoited a nuifance to the monks, and their complaint beinj; brought before the archbifhop, as patron of that fee, he, as foon as he faw the fherif, attack 'd him with thefe words : <' Hateft thou( Urfe ? Have thou gods cuifc!" which is, certainly, the moft ancient and authentick vestige of the nglei. Ixxx DISSERTATION ON imitateed the Provencal poels; his dreme, Thejlower and the leaf. The asfemble of ladies, The houfe of Fame, and, it may be, others, are very much in the manner of the troubadours ; even the Roman de la rofe is, apparently, an imitation of this kind ; which, peradventure, might rather fet him upon the translation. At any rate, the Engleifti language, fuch as it is, or is efteem'd to be, w^as by thefe means greatly enlarge'd, as vvel as improve'd, iif this reign, particularly by thofe two poets, not for- geting Robert of Brunne, to whom Warton has done great injustice, and Lawrence Minot, whofe merit he was a ftranger to. The firft inftance, of the Engleifli' language, which mister Tyrwhitt had discover'd, in the parlia- mentary proceedings, was the confesfion of Thomas duke of Gloucester, in 1398.* He might, however, have met with a petition of the mercers of London, ten years earlyer.f The oldeft Engleifh inftrument, produce'd by Rymer, is dateed 1368 ;4- but an in- denture in the fame idiom, betwixt the abbot and convent of Whitby, and Robert the fon of John Bustard, dateed at York, in 1343,J is the earlyeft known : the date of 1324, giveen in Whatleys translation of Rapins Acta regia (volume I, page 394) being either a falfification, or a blunder, for 1384, as appears by the Faedera, whence it was takeen. IV, 25. t Rof. pari. III. 225. 4 VII, 526. X Charltons History of Whitby , 247, ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. Ixxxi There is every reafon, indeed, to believe that the Engleilh language, before the invention of printing, was held, by learned, or literary, men, in very little efteem. In the library of Glastonbury-abbey, which bids fair to have been one of the nioft exten- five in the kingdom, in 12 1-8, there were but four books in EngleiOi, and thofe upon religious fubjeds, all, belide, " vetiuta 4" inuiilia."* We have not a fingle historian, in Engleifh profe, before the reign of Richard the fecund, when John Treviza trans- lateed the Poli/chronicon of Randal liigdcn. Boston of Bury, who feems to have confulted all the mo- nastcrys in Engleland, does not mention one au- thour who had writeu in Engleilh ; and Bale, at a lateer period, has, comparatively, but an infignifi- cant number : nor was Leland fo fortunate as to find above two or three Englcith books, in the mo- nastick and other librarys, which he rummagc'd, and cxplore'd, under the kings commisOon. Gower, indeed, wrote wel, in all three languagees: Latins French, and Engleifh ; and there is fufficient reafon to think that Chaucer, though he prefer'd his na- tive tongue, was wel acquainted not onely with the other two, but with tlie Italiaity allfo, which was, at that time, little cultivateed in his moiher- couutry. * John of Glastonbury, 435. VOL. I. Ixxxii DISSERTATION ON 3. ROMANCEES. No romancees are to be expefted among the Britons, at the time they posfefs'd the whole, or the greater part, of Britain, of which aera the pre- fent Welfh are unable to produce the flighteft lite- rary vestige. They pretend, indeed, to have the poems of feveral bards of the fixth century ; but they have no fabulous adventures, or tales, in verfe, of any age ; and onely a few, chiefly translations, heretofore fpecifyd, none of which can be prove'd anteriour to the thirteenth centuiy. The Saxons, of whofe learning or literature fome account has been, allready, giveen, as wel as fome idea of their poetry, being, for the nioft part, an ignorant and illiterate people, it wil be in vain to hope for proofs, among them, of genius, or original compofition, at leaft, in their native tongue. In confequence, no romance has been yet discover'd in Saxon, but a profe translation allready notice'd. So that if, as Warton pretends, the flourifhing of *' the tales of the Scandinavian fcalds among the Saxons," may be juftly prefume'd, it is certain they had been foon loft, as neither vestige nor notice is preferve'd of them in any ancient writeer ; nor, in faft, would any but a ftupid fool, or rank impostor, imagine that any of thefe fuppofititious Scandina- vian tales exifted in the middle of the fifth cen- tury, when the Saxons firft; eftablifh'd themfelves in ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. IxxxPii Britain. He pretends, likewife, that " they imported with thcni into Engleland the old Ruiiick language and letters ;" but whatever vcsti^ees of either exift in the northern parts of the kingdom are by more learned wiitecrs attributeed to the Danes.* The mull ancient romance now extant in the Engleiih language, if it may be fo call'd, being a ftraugc, and apparently corrupt, mixture of Saxon and Norman, in the fiilc of the Saxon poetry, without rime, is a fort of licentious verfion, by one Layaraon, a prieft, at Ernlye upon Severne, with great probability about tlie time of Henry H. or Richard I. the manufcript itsfelf being not lateer than the commencement, or, at leail, the earlyer part of the thirteenth century ; chiefly, it feems, from the Brut of maistre Wace, Gace, or Gaffe, which was itsfelf, in fome mcafure, a translation from Geoffrey of Monmouths Britijh history, and was finifh'd in 1155. A curious fpecimen of this fingulur production may be red to great advantage in the elegant " Specimens of early EngliQi poetry," publilh'd by George Ellis ef<(uire.t The original is in the Cotton-library (Claudius. A. IX): in which invaluable collection was formerly a lateer, and modernifc'd, copy (Otho, C. XIII); unfortunately deliroy'd in the dreadful fire which hapen'd, in that invaluable repofitory, 1731. A fpecimen of it, I, e a, b. The Runick characters exhibit proofs of Chris, tianity, aitd muft, confequently, be very late, and are, proba- blely, forgeU t Scel, Ci. Ixxxiv DISSERTATION ON however, is luckyly preferve'd in Wanleys catalogue of Saxon MSS. Our king Richard the firft, in the firft, as we are told by Du Verdier, frequented the court of Ray- mond Berenger, or Berenguier, count of Provence, the laft of that name, and there fel in love with Leonore, or Helyonne, one of the four daughters of that count, whom he, afterward, marry'd; this princefs fent him " un beau romant, en rime Pro- xengallc, des amours de Blandin de Cornailk Sf de Guilhen de Myremas, des beaux faicts d'armes .qu'ils firent I'un pour la belle Bryande, S)- I'autre pour la belle Irlande, dames dincomparable beaute:"* unfor- tunately now loft. He had either a fervant, or a friend, name'd Blondel de Nefle, who was a minftrel, and disco- ver'd the king, in the imperial prifon, by finging under his window the half of a Provencal fong of his own compofition, and, paufeing, the royal prifoner Bibliotheque, 1221 ; Nostredame, Les vies des poetes Pro- ven^aux, 1575, P. 140. Crescimbeni (II, 8) tels the fame ftory, and ads that the kjng, when prifoner, compofe'd fonnets, which he fent to Beatrix, the fister of this Leonora. It is wel known, however, that he actually marry'd Berengaria daughter of Sancho kingof Navane; though fome love-affair, between him and one of the princefses of Provence, may neverthelefs have takeen place. It may be obferve'd, at the fame time, that Richard earl of Cornwall, king of the Romans, brother to Henry III. actually marry'd Sanchia, daughter of Raymond earl of Provence, and that he is, occafionally, confounded by foreign writeers with Richard I. Another daughter of Raymon4 was marry'd to Henry III. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, bcxx? fling the other; which cerlify'd Biondel where he WHS confinc'd, and enable'd his fubje^ts to obtain his ranfora. The fung is ftil extant. This gallant monarch, himfelf a celebrateed poet, as wel in Norman, as in Provencal, was the fubjeft of feveral romancees. Lcland found the ** Historia de Hi- cardo rege, carmine fcript a," in the library of Croy- land-abbey ; and in that of the abbey of Glaston-. bury, in 1248, were the " Gesta Ricardi' register'd. Both thefe, no doubt, were a romance, or two dif- ferent romancees, in the French language. A copy of the fame poem, or forae other on the fame fub- jeft, is in the library of Turin; and in the national library at Paris (formerly the Bibliotheque du roi^ 7532), is the " HUtoirede Richard roidAngletrrre Sf de Maqurmore d'Irlande, en rimey" fo. This Maquemore is Derraond Mac Morough, king of Leinfter, who, haveing ravifh'd the wife of O'Rory, king of Lethcoin, daughter of Melaghlin Mac Col- man, king of Lcinfter, and being, on that account, attack'd by Roderick o'Conor, king of Connaught, implore'd, and obtain'd, the asfistancc of king Henry II. which procuie'd, to him and his fuc- cesfours, the dominion of Ireland, f Ducange, allfo, cites the " Histoire de la mart Richard roy CoL III, SO. f Sec, in Harrises Hibtmita, what may, with great proba> bility, be an abridgment of a fragment of this identical poem : but why king Richard is introduce'd does not appear. Ixxxvi DISSERTATION ON d'Angleterre," meaning, it is prefume'd, this Richard furname'd Cceur-de-lion. " Kyng Rycharde cuer du Lyon," was printed by Wynkyn de Worde, in 1528, in quarto, and black letter; and, according to mister Warton, an edition, by the fame printer, in 1309 (CR. 734. 8vo.) " This," he fays, " was in the Harleiah library ;" but unlefs there were an edition befide Num. 5933, he is probablely mistakeen. He, like- wife, mentions a third, " Impr. for W. C. 4to." Among the " Englyfflje boks oflf [fir] John Paston" was " Kyng Ri cur de lyon."* The MS. copys of the Engleifti romance, doubtlefs a translation from the French, contain many variations. One of thefe is in the library of Caius-college, Cambridge (D. 18) ; another doctor Farmer had (imperfedt) ; the fragment of a third is in the Harleian collection (Num. 46'9<0' ^"^ *^b^ Britifti mufeum ; and another in the Auchinleck MS. in the advocates-library, Edinburgh. " The victorious atchievements of that monarch," according to Warton, " were fo famous" in the reign of Henry thefecond, as to be made the fubjedt of a picture [duellum regis Ricardi], in the royal palace of Clarehdon" (1246,* in the time of Henry the third). No romance, in Engleifh rime, has been hitherto discover'd, or mention'd to exift, before the reign of Edward the firft, toward the end of which, as we * Original letters, &c. II, 300. f I, 114. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. Ixxxvii may fairly conjecture, tiiat of Horn chldy a very concife and licentious translation, or imitation, and abridgement, rather, of the French original, nearly two centurys older, made its firft appearance. There is every reafon to conclude that the other romancees mention'd by Chaucer Ypotys, Bevis, Sir Guy, Sir Lybeaus, VUindamour^ and, p>snblely. Sire Ferciveli, were in Engleifh verfe, and, in all probability, much the fame with thofe of which copys have been prcferve'd; except the latt, which no cue but Chaucer ever noticees. This fort of translation continue'd til at lead the time of king Henry the fixth ; in which reign T/ie St. Graal was translate*}d into Englciih by Henry Lonelich, ikyn- ner, at the inltaiice of one Harry Barton,* and contains, though im]>erfed both at bcgining and end, not iefs, according to roister Nasmith, than 40,000 lines ; Thomas Chcstre gave a free and en- large'd verfion of the Lai de Lanval of Mary of France ; and Robert de Thornton produce'd Morfe Arthure and VercyvellofGaUes. Ywain undGawin feems to have been wriien at an carlyer i)eriod, and, very probablely, in the reign of king Richard the fecond. I'herc are not above two or three originally Engleiih, among which we may fafely reckon The J'tfuyr of Ivto degree; unlefs Sir Eglamour^ and Sir Tryamour^ may, likcwife, have that honour, til tha originals be dtscover'd. It appears highly probable that the ' rimo" men- See his Calalogus bib. C. C. C. C. P. A4. Ixxxviii DISSERTATION ON tion'd by Robert of Brunne,* concerning Gryme the fifher, the founder of Grymesby, Hanelok the Dane, and his wife Goldeburgh, daughter to a king Athelwold; " who all now," exclaims the learned Tyrwhitt, " together with their bard, illacrymabiles Urgentur ignotique longd Node," was an Engleifh romance, extant not onely in the time of Henry de Knyghton, the historian, who wrote about the year 1400,t but, allfo, in that of Camden,4- and even made ufe of by Warner, who, in the twentyeth chapter of his Albions England, has told the fame ftory, in effeft, though in a different manner, under the names of Argentile and Curan, in exquifite poetry. Whether this poem were ori- ginally compofe'd in Engleilh, or were no more than a translation ftom the French, cannot be now as- certain'd, as it feems to be utterly deftroy'd: but in a part of a French metrical romance, upon the history of Englelaud, by Geoffrey Gaimar, a poet anterior to maistre Wace, to whofe poem of Le Brut (though unfortunately mutilateed) it ferves as a continuation, in a manufcript of the kings library, in the Britifh mufeum, (13 A XXI), the ftory its- felf is certainly preferve'd, though whether writen originally by Geoffrey, or takeen from fome one of the " liver es Engleis, en romanz e en Latin" of * Translation of Langefoft, 25. f Co. 2320. 4 Britannia, 569, or Gibfons edition, 1695, 47 ! ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. Ixxxix which he had purchafe'd many a copy, before he could draw his work to the end ; particularly a book, which, at the inAance of the gentle dame Conftance Fitz-Gilbert, Robert earl of Gloucester, who dyed in 1147,* and was fent for it to Helms> ley, brought it away for him from Walter Efpec, who was dead in 1140; or the Engleifh book of Wafhingbui^h, in Lincolnlhire, or how othenvifc, does not ap{)car. It is, however, a great curiofity, though too imperfedl, as wel as too prolix, to infert here. In the mean time the paraphrafe may be pe- rufe'd, with great plcafure, and equal delicacy, in Warners book allready mention'd. Robert of Brunne alludes to a romance of Dan IVaryn, which was, probablely, of this period, and, being both in French and Englcifli, appears to have been highly popular, and, from the extrads pre- ferve'd of it, a very fingular and curious compofi- tion of extraordinary merit. I'hc pasfuge is as follows : ** Wele i underllonde, that the kyng Robynf Ilasdronkenof that blode the drink of Dan Wary n. Dan Waryn he les touiies that he held, With wrong he mad a res, and misberyngof fcheld. Si then in to the forefl be yede naked and wode, A Is a wilde befte, ete of the gres that ftode : Thus of Dan Waryn in bis boke men rede." 4- * See the annaU of Waverley, t houfeof his own foundation, t Robert them that kept Bracy" (who, being fore wounded, had been taken and brought by Audelegh to king John), " into a deadely llepe, and fo he aiid Bracy cam to Fulco to Whitington." Leland, haveing Htdt^d that ** Fulco was taken by the foldan [in Burbary], and brought onto him," fays '' Here lakkid aquayrc or ti in the olde Englifch booke of the nobiie ades of the Guarines: and tliefc tbingos tiiat folow i translated owte of an olde French historic yn rime of the ades of the Guarines onto the death of Fulco . the 2." The popularity of the French or Engleilh poem (the former being, indisputablely, the origi< nal) had caufe'd fomc one to reduce, or epitomife, the Aory into French profe ; and a fragment of this roanufcript, apparently of the age of Edward the fecond, is fortunately preferve'd in the Kii\g$ library (12 C XII), where the anecdote allrcady mcntiou'd from Leiands extracts wil be hereafter relaleed. The two rooll famous, if not the moll ancient, Engleidi metrical romancec-s, now exifting, arethofe xcii DISSERTATION ON of Guy of Warwick, and Bevis of Southampton. Walter of Exeter, according to Bale {Ex bibliothecisy from the bookfelers fhops), a native of Devonfhire, and profesfor of a feft of beging friers (a Domini- can, as he thinks), at the iuftance of one Baldwin, a citizen of Exeter, in the year 1301, refideing at St. Carrock in Cornwall, wrote the life of Guy, formerly a famous earl of Warwick, in one book : but Bale is a very dubious authority. At any rate no fuch work is now extant; though Carew, as if he had had it in his library, fays, that this Walter " (de-) formed the historie of Guy of Warwick." Hearne, in his appendix to the Annates de Dun- Jiaple, has inferted " Girardi Cornubienfis Historia Guidonis de Warwyke" from an old MS. in the li- brary of Magdalen-college Oxford, n. 147. This authour, however, is fuppofititious, and the MS. in all probability, no older than the fourteenth or fif- teenth century: Lydgate translateed from him. Guy of Warwick is mention'd by no Engleifh his- torian before Robert of Brunne, or Peter de Lange- toft, about 1340.* His ftory, at the fame time, is relateed in the Gesta Romanoru7n, C. 172; " and, probably," as Warton thinks, " this is the early outUne of the life of that renowned [but ideal] champion ;"t and, in the Harley MSS. (Num. 525) is an old Engleifh poem entitle'd ** Speculum Gy de Warewyke per Alquinum ' here- * " That was Guy of Warwik, as the boke fais. There he flouh Colbrant with hache Daneis." P. 32. t 111,66. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xdii mitam,' begining " Herkenethe alle unto 1113' fpeche." The Alquinut here meant was Albinus AlcuinuSf a Saxon-Kngleilhman, (and not, ms fir James Foulis asferts, a Scotch highlander,) who was the preceptor to Charlemagne, being grounded upon his epistle De virtutibus Sf vUiit ad Guidonem comitem, here called Guy of Ji^arwick. Warton relates that the canticum Colbrondi was fung by a jugler in the hall of Alexander prior of St. Swithin, Winchester, be- fore Adam de Orlrton, bifhop of that fee, in 1333: and in Bodleys MSS. Num. 1731, and 3903, is a * Duputatio inter priorem aliqucm Sf fpiritum Gut- donis." The original French '* Romanz de Gut de Warwifk" extant in C.C.C.C. L. 6. (formerly in the library^ of St Augustines abbey, Canterbury) in the publick library (More 69O) ; ^nd the Har- Ician, and kings MSS. 377^i and 8 F IX, is of the thirteenth century. The Engleilh translatiair,nthicb exitts in the library of Caius-colle^e. was firtt printed by William Copland, before 156*7, and afterward by John Cawood, before 1571. But, in fad and truth, famous as his name is, the man himfetf never e.\ifted. This, likewife, is the cafe with fir Uevis, of whom Camden, with Angular puerility, fays, " At ihe comeing-in of the Normans, one Bogo, or Eeavofe, a Suxon, had this title [of earl (if Win- chester] ; who, in the battel at Cardiff in Wales, fought Hgainit the Normans." (Gibfons translation, 1695, CO. 128.) For tliis, however, in a way too ufual with him, he cites no authority ; nor does any ancient or veracious historian mention either Bogo^ xchr .Y?J^iDISSERTATION ON I' Off Beavofef or the battle of Cardiff; which, by the way, was not, as w learn from honeft Caradoc of Llancarvan, contemporary with Geoffrey of Mon- mouth, in 1138, built before 107P. His roman, in French, however, is of the 13th century, and was extant in the magnificent Ubrai-y of the duke de la Valliere, as it is at prefent in the late royal library at Turin : an Engleifh translation was printed by Pynfon, Copland, Eaft, and another; . and three MS. copys are extant in the Pubhck- (library, and that of Caius-eojlege, Cambridge, and in the Auchinleek collection, Edinburgh ; all three different from the printed copy, and, at leaft, two of them from each .other. Neither Bevis nor Guy is mention'd by Dugdale in his Baronage, and he muft have been confcious that the latters ftory was all together fabulous when he introduce'd it into his History uf Warwickjhire. " Bevis," as we are gravely told by the historian of Engleifh poetry, " was a Saxon chieftain, who fegras to have extended his dominion along the fouthern coafts of England, which he is faid [by whom ?] to have defended againft the Norman in- vaders. He lived at Downton in VViltfliire." This is highly ridiculous : Bevis and Guy were no more * Englifti heroes" than Amadis de Gaule or Perce- foreft : they are mere creatures of the imagination, and onely obtain an eftablifhment in history becaufe (like mister VVartons) it was ufually writen upon the authority of romance. He accounts very inge- niously, however, for the fable of Dugdale, that ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, xcv the Saracens had the ftory of Guy " in books of their own language." (I, 145.) Chaucer, who mentions thefe two romancees, noticees, likewife, Horn-chUdy YpotiSy Sire Lyb^ and Pleindamour ; none of which can, of courfe, be fo late as the year 1380, when TheCanterbury tales are generally fuppofe'd to have been publiOi'd ; and one of them, at leall, wil be prove'd, in another place, to be near a century older. The laft is un- known. " That of fir Is em bras," likewife, ac- cording to Warton, " was familiar in the time of Chaucbr, and occurs in Thb rims of sir Thopas;" actually refcring in a note to " V. 6." It is, however, a monttrous lye. * The ftories of Guy and Bevis, with fome others, were probably the invention of EngliOi minftrels."* There arc, doubtlefs, metrical romancees, fuch as Eglamuvr, Triamour, the Squyr of Ivwe degree, and, it may be, one or two more, of which no French originals are known, and, therefor, may be fairly concluded to be of EngleiOi invention; but it is abfolutely imposfible that this can be the cafe with G'uy, Bex'u, or the reft, of which thefe originals are extant, and no one, who will take the trouble to compare them, could have the flightelc doubt upon the fubjedh The MS. French metrical romancec-s are moftly of the 12th or 13th century, the Engleifh of the 14th and 15th; obviously, therefor, they do not Hand upon the fame footing, and the origioaU III, xxii. xcvi DISSERTATION ON are allways fuperior, and, fometimes, to a very extraordinary degree. Mister Tyrwhitt thinks it extremely probable that thefe romancees [Horn child, fir Guy, and Bevis\, though, originally, writen in French, were com- pofe'd in Engleland, and, perhap, by Engleifhraen; for, fays he, " we find that the general currency of the French language here engage'd feveral of our own countrymen to ufe it in their compofitions. He inftancees (doubtfully) Peter of Langtoft, as he is fay'd " by fome to have been a Frenchman ;" Robert Groffetefte, bifhop of Lincoln, in the time of Henry III. a native of Suffolk, Hells de Guincestre, i. e. Winchester, and a romance, allfo, in French verfe, which he fuppofe'd to be the original of the Engleifti Ipomednn, by Hue de Rotelande; and Gower. This, indeed, may be fo, but it, likewife, may be otherwife: Andrew of Wyntown, which, equally, implys Winchester, was not, therefor, an Engleifliman, nor ever in Engleland. In the year 136l appear'd a Angular allegorical and fatyrical romance in alliterative metre without rime, by one Robert Langeland, as it is alledge'd, by forae, without fufficient authority. It is at any rate, however, a poem of great merit. Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous poet, who pafs'd his youth, and, the greater part of his life, in the reign of Edward III. was a writcer of romancees, though in his Kime of fire Thopas, he attempts to burlefque and ridicule thofe of his predecesfours ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. xcvU aiul contcmporarys, on account of what he cvAh their * Jrafty riming." The fpocimen, however, completely proves how fuccefsful he would have been in a more ferious exertion of his lyrical and inventive powers.* His TroUus anet Cresftde was intended to be either red, or fung, probahlely, in publick, or, even, in the latter cafe, to the harp : '* And redde where fo thou be, or &\\\%fonge.^\ A learned and judiciuus gentleman is incline'd to believe that we have no Engleifh romance, priot to the age of Chaucer, which is not a translation of fome earlyer French one.4- After this decifive opinion, which may be fupportedj if necesfary, by produceing the original poem, ilil extant in publick library*, or pijvate collections, as wel in our own country as upon the continent, it is very ftrange that doctor Percy (for whole better Information, it may be, the above obfervution of his worthy friend wa intcnd-d as a gentle reprimand), ihould, in the laft edition of his RcUqnes of ancient Engle/Jh poetry, Doctor Hurd, now bilhop of Worccstrr, has endcavoui'd to dqmve old GcofTrey of the credit of this poem. " The Uoke of The giant Olyphant, and Chylde Thopas, was not," he as- ferts, * A ricTiON or his own, but a torv or antiqux- rAMB, AND Vimv CKLBBRATr.D IN THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY." Lener*,fic iU,ai8: This, huwcvcr, is no more than a ufual da(h of the Warbuiiuuian fchool, or ia the Gloucester prelates own " warm language," a lye. t B. 5, V. irort. 4- Chancer, C. T. IV, 08. Wartoo, allfo, has an argument to profc tliis, I, St. ^OL. I. g xcviii DISSERTATION ON publifh'd fome years after that- gentlemans deaths ventore to asfert that Horn-child, which he ima- gines, " although from the mention of Sarazens, &c.* it muft have been written after the firft cru- fade in 1095," tt -pretty moderate conjecture! " yet from its Anglo-Saxon language or which it would be fomewhat difficult for any other critick to distinguifh, " can fcarce" he fays, " be dated later than withiji a century after the conqueft." As if this had not been fufficiently extravagant, and il-founded, as may be eafeyly learned from the elegant Specimens of mister Ellis, " It appears," he ads, " of genuine Englifh growth, for after a care- ful examination, i", he fays, " cannot discover any allufion to French or Norman customs, manners, compofition, or phrafeology ;" as if fuch a circum- ftance were esfential, or even obfervable, in a ro- mance writen by either French or Norman, where the fcene is lay'd in a distant, of imaginary, country: " no quotation," he proceeds, " As the romance fayth :"t Not a name or local reference, which was The learned prelate does not appear to be aware that the name of Saracens is ufe'd by the old Engleiih writeers for the pagan Saxons or Danes. See the forge'd laws of Edward the confesfor (Wilkins, 204), where Arthur is fay'd to have " ex- peled the Sarace7U and enemys fr^Jm his kingdom :" and War- burtons note on Shakfpeare (V, 382). Geoffrey of Monmouth calls Gormund, a wel known king of Denmark, king of the Africans. (B. 11, C. 8, \l.) f In Horn-child and maiden Rimnild, in the Auchinleck MS. in the advocates library, a different pocra, on the fame nOMANCE ANI> MINSTRELSY, xcix likely to occur to a French rimeur. The proper names are all of Northern extraction ;" becaufe the Aory is prcdicateed of the Saxon and Danes in Engleland and Ireland (though he mentions neither by that name). ' So that this/' he concludes, (a raanufcript of the 14th century) probably is the original, from which was translate'd the old French fragment of Dan Horn in the Harleyan MS, 327 [of, at leaft, a couple of centurys earlyer], men- lion'd by Tyrwhitt (Chaucer, IV. 68.) and by T. VVarton (Hill. 1. 38.) whofe extract from Horn" child is extremely incorrect." " O moft lame and impotent conclufion !" The truth of this lail asfer- fion will be readyly admited. " Compare," he fays, " the ftile of Child-Horn with the Anglo-Saxon fpecimens in fliori verfes and rhime, which are as- figned to the century fuccecding the conquetl, in Hickcs's Thefaurus, Tom. I. Cap. 24. P. 224, and 231." The comparifon, indeed, would be eafey, but the refult is not quite fo certain. The Sa.\ons, it is well known, had no rime, nur is there a fingld vestige, in Horn-child, of a more intimate connec- tion with the Saxon than was common to every thing writen in the Engleith language at that pe- riod, about the year 1300, that is, and not " within a century after the conquell." That the metre is fubjcA, and, doubtlcfs, from the fame original, the French i* frequently refer'd to, u for inAance : Thus in I'okt u we redt." " In rimt as it is told." c DISSERTATION ON Norman, if the writeiir were not, is manifeft from a fpccimen givccn by mister Ellis, from M. de la Rue, of the kind of poetry ufe'd by Philip deThan, which does not, as thofe ingenious gentlemen choofe to think, confift in makcing orie half [of a line, rhyme] with another half, any more than the com- pofeer of Horn-child has done ; but, the truth is, tliat every two lines, being very (hort, are run to- gether, by the tranfcribeer, for the falvation of parchment ; a practice of which the Harlcian MS. (which contains the latter) affords abundant ex- amples; many of the poems in that collection being writen as profe ; and, fometimes, as VVarton ob- ferves, three or four verfecs together in one line ; of which he gives inftancces.* That the Engleifti acquirc'd the art of romance- i^'riteing from the French feems clear and certain, as moft of the fpecimens of that art, in the former language, are palpable and manifeft translations of thofe in the other, and this, too, may ferve to ac- count for the origin of romance in Italy, Spain^ Germany, and Scandinavia : but the French ro- mancees are too ancient to be indebted far their existence to more barbarous nations. It is, there- for, a vain and futile endeavotir to feek for the origin of Romance : in all agees and all countrys, where literature has been cultivateiid, and genius and tafte have infpire'd, whether in India, Perfia, Greece, Italy, or France, the earlyeft produever kifses ' that' ladye, he fayes, Of his kiiTe he ftandb in fuerc. Sir Kay beheld * that' ladye ngaine. And looked upon her fnout ; Whoever kifses ' that' ladye, he fayes. Of his kilTe he Uands in doubt. Peace, * brother' Kay, fayde fir Gawiine, And amend thee of thy life : For there is a knight amongft us all. Mud marry her to his wife. cxxxii DISSERTATION ON THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE ORIGINAL. What wedd her to wiflfe ! then faid fir Kay, 111 the divells name anon ; Gett me a wiiFe where-ere I may, For I had rather be flaiiie. Then foome tooke up their hawkes in haft, And forae tooke up their hounds. And fome fware they wold not marry her For citty nor for towne. And then befpake him noble king Arthur, And fware there by this day, For a litle foule fight and misliking, [About nine jianzas wanting.'] ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, cxxxiii THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE IMPROVEMENT. What ' marry this foule queene, quoth' Kay, r the devil's name anone ; Gett mee a wife wherever I maye, * 111 footh Hice (hall be none.' Then fome tooke up their hawkes in hade, And fome took up their houndes ; And fayd' they wolde not marry her, For * cities,' nor for townes.' Then befpake him king Arthikre, And fware there by this daye; For a little foule fight and mislikinge, Yeejhall not fay her naye. Peace, iordings, peace; Jir Gaxuaine/ayd; Nor make debate andjirife; This lothlye la dye I uiit take, And marry her to my wife. Noxoe thankes, norwe thankes, good Jir Gawaine, And a ble/singe be thy meede / For as I am thine oxvne ladyt'. Thou nexerjhalt rue this deede. Then up they took that iothly dame, And home anone they bringe: And there Jir Gauaine he her wed, And married her with a ringe. cxxxiv DISSERTATION ON THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE OUIGINAL. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, cxxxv THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE IMPROVEMENT. And when they "were in wed-bed laid, And all were done awaye ; ** Come tume to mee, mine owne ftedrlord. Come tume to mee I praye." Sir Gawaine/cant could lift his head. For forrowe and for care ; When, lo! injlead oj that lothelye dame^ Hee/awe a young ladyefeure. Sweet blujhesfiayn'd her rud-red cheeke, Her eycn were blacke as floe: The ripening cherryc ficellde her lippe. And all kcr necke wasfnaue. Sir Cawaine kifs'd that lady /aire, Lying upon thrjhecte: And /wore, as he was a true knighted The/pice was never foe fweete. Sir Gawaine kfs'd that lady brightct Lying there by his fide; ** The faireji flvwer is not foe faire: Thou never can'Ji bee my bride." I am thy bride, mine owne deare lorde. The fame wliiche thou didji knowct That was foe lothlye, and was wont Upon the wild more to goe. cxxxvi DISSERTATION ON THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE ORIGINAL. Then fhee faid, choofe thee, gentle Gawaine ; Truth as I doe fay, Weiher thou wilt have [me] in this liknefle. In the night or elfe in the day. And then befpake him gentle Gawaine, With one foe mild of moode, Sayes, well I know what I wold fay, God grant it may be good. To have thee fowle in the night, When I with thee (hold play, Yet I had rather, if I might. Have thee fowle in the day. What when lords goe with ther * feires/ Ihee faid, Both to the ale and wine, Alas ! then I muft hyde my felfe, I muft not goe withinne. And then befpake him gentle Gawaine, Said, Lady thats but a fkill, And becaufe thou art my owne lady. Thou (halt have all thy will. Then Ihe faid, blefsed be thou, gentle Gawaine, This day that I thee fee. For as thou fee me att this time. From henceforth I wil be. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, cxxxvii THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE IMPROVEMENT. ' Nowe, gentle Gawaine, chufe, quoth fliec/ * And make thy choice with care ;* Whether by night, or elfe by daye,' ' Shall I be foule or fairc V " To have thee foule [ftill] in the night, When I with thee (hould playe ! I had rather-farre, my lady deare/ [To] have thee foule by' daye." What when * gaye ladyes' goe with their ' lordes,' To [drinke] the ale and wine; Alas ! then I mull hide myfelf, I mud not goe with ' mine i' " * My fairladyfe, fir Gawaine fayd,' * I yield me to thy' (kille ; Becaufe thou art mine owne ladyti Thou (halt have all thy wille." * Now' blefsed be thou, fweete' Gawkine, [And] the' day that I thee fee ; For as thou feeft mec at this time, ' Soc Ihall I ever bee.' cxxxviii DISSERTATION ON THfe MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE OHIGINAL. My father was ah old knight, And yett it chanced foe, That he marryed a younge lady, That brought me to this woe. Shee witched me, being a faire young lady, To the greene forreft to dwell> And there I muft walke in womans likneffe, Moft like a feeind of hell. She witched my brother to a carlift b [About ninejlanzas wanting.'] ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, cxxxix THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE IMPROVEMENT. My father was an * aged' knighte, And yet it chanced foe, He * tooke to wife' a * falfe' lady^, ' Wliiche' broughte me to this woe. Shee witch'd roe, being a faire yonge * maidc,' * In' the greone foreft to dwelle ; And there ' to abide' in lothlye Ihape* Moft like a fiend of helle. Midfi moret and mofseti icoodi and wilds; To lead a hntfotne life : Till fume yongjaire and courtlye kuightc JVolde mar rye me to his tcife: Nor fully to gaine mine oiwne trewejhape, Such was her devilijh jliUle ; Until he wolde yielde to be rul'd by mee. And let mee have all my wille. She witchd my brother to a * carlifli' hoore, And made himfliffc dndjlronge; And built him a bowre on magicke groundCf To live by rapine and wrunge. But now thefpelk u broken throughCf And wronge it turnde to righte; Henceforth I shall bee a faire ladyd^ And hee be a gaitlc knighte. cxl DISSERTATION ON THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE ORIGINAL. That looked foe foule and that was wont On the wild more to goe. Come kiffe her, brother Kay, then faid fir Gawain, And amend the of thy life, I fware this is the fame lady That I marryed to my wifTe. Sir Kay kifsed that lady bright, Standing upon his feete ; He fwore, as he was trew knight, The fpice was never foe fweete. Well, cozen Gawaine, faies fir Kay, * Thy chance is fallen arright, For thou haft; gotten one of the faireft maids, I ever faw with my fight. It is my fortune, faid fir Gawaine, For my unckle Arthurs fake : I am as glad as graffe wold be of raine. Great joy that I may take. Sir Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme. Sir Kay tooke her by the tother; They led her ftraight to king Arthur, As they were brother and brother. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. cxU THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. THE ORIGINAL. King Arthur welcomed them there all, And foe did lady Genever his queene, With all the knights of the rounde table, Moft feemly to be feene. King Arthur beheld that lady faire, That was foe faire and bright ; He thanked Chrift in trinity, For fir Gawaine that gentle knight. Soe did the knights, both more and lefl*e, Rejoyced all that day, For the good chance that hapcned was To fir Gawaine and his lady gay. This mode of publLfliing ancient poetry displays, it mull be confclVd, confiderable talent and genius, but favours ftrongly, at the fame time, of unfair- ncfs and dishonesty. Here are numerous ftanzas inferted \Ahich are not in the original, and others umited which arc there. The purchafet-rs and pe- nifecrs of fuch a collection are dcccive'd and im- pofc'd upon ; the pleafure they receive is derivc'd from the idea of antiquity, which, in facl, is perfect illufion. If the ingenious editour had publifli'd all his imperfeft poems by corrcfting the blunders of puerility or iuattentiun, and fupplying the dcfcds cxlii DISSERTATION ON of barbarian ignorance, with proper distinction of type (as, in one inftance, he actually has done), it would not onely have gratify'd the auftereeft anti- quary, but allfo provideiid refine'd entertainment " for every reader of tafte and genius." He would have aded fairly and honorablely, and giveiin every fort of reader complete fatisfaction. Authenticity would have been uniteed with improvement, and all would have gone wcl; whereas, in the prefent edi- tions, it is firmly believe'd, not one article has been ingenuously or faithfully printed from the Uegining to the end : nor did the late eminent Thomas Tyr- whitt, fo ardent a refearcher into ancient poetry, and an intimate friend of the posfesfour, ever fee this curious, though tatter'd, fragment; nor would the late excellent George Steevens, on the bllhops perfonal application, confent to fanction the au- thenticity of the printed copy with his fignature.* * The bifhop of Dromore (as he now is), on a former occa- fion, haveing hirafelf, as he wel knows, allready falfify'd and corrupted a modern Scotifti fong, " This line," he fays, " be- ing quoted from memory, and given as old Scottifh poetry is [by no one, in fuch a cafe, except himfelf] now ufually printed (Reliques, 1775, I, xxxviii,)t (" Come ze frae the BORDER?") to give it a certain appearance of ruft and anti- quity. This identical fong, being, afterward, faithfully and correftly printed in a certain Collection of fuch things, from the earlyeft copy known, which, like all the reft, was accu- rately refer'd to, " Live you upo' the border?" {ScoHJh fangs, printed for J. Johnfon, 1794, 1, 266) the worthy f Scotifh poetry, of the 15th or I6th century, has been fo printed, but not that of the I8th, unlefs by impostours. ' ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. cxUu A change fimilar to that which is before repre- fented to have takeiin place in France, took place in Engleland at a fomewhat lateer period. Caxton, our firft printer, had lo little tafte for poetry, that he never printed one (ingle metrical romance, nor, in fad, any poetical corapofition whatever, befide Gowers Confesjio amantu, The Canterbury tales, and a few other piecces of Chaucer, Lydgate, 4*. He trauslateed, indeed, Virgil and Ovid, out of prelate thought proper, in the laft edition of his allready reciteed compilation, to asfcrt that his own corruption " would have been readily correded by that copy," had not all confi- dence been dcftroyed by its being altered in the " Historical calay" prefixed to that publication to " Yi Livi upo' the border;" the better," he ads, with his ufual candour, " to favour a po- fition, that many of the pipers might live upon the borders, for the conveniency of attending fairs, CSfr. in both kingdoms." This, however, is an infamoos lyb; it being much mora likely that he himfelf, who has practife'd every kind of forgery and imposture, had fome fuch end to alter this identical line, with much more violence, and, as he owns himfelf, actual " coRRUpTioii,'* to give the quotation an air of antiquity, which it was not intitle'd to. The prefent editours text is per- fcdly accurate, to a fingle comma, but " this line," as he pre- tends to apologife for his own, " being quoted [in the Es/ay] from memory," havcing frequently heard it fo fung, in his younger days, by a north-country blackfmith, without think, ing it neocsfary, at the nnoment, to turn to the genuine text, which lay at his elbow, and which his lordfhip dare not iMrKACH. "Thou hy)x>crite, firft cafl out the beam out of thine own eye, and then fhalt thou fee [more] dearly to caft out the mote out of thy brothers eye." {Giupel atcording < S. Matthew, Chap. VII, Verfc i.) cxliv DtSSERTATlON ON Frenchj into Engleifli, profe ; and we are indebted to him, by the like mean, for feveral venerable black-letter romancees in folio, or quarto, fuch as Mort Darthur, compiUAl, it feems, by lir Thomas Maloryj Charlemagne, Keynard the fox, and others ; the firft of which, though moft abominablely man- gle'd, became exceedingly popular, and was fre- quently reprinted ; allthough no copy of the original edition is now known to exift. Several of the old Engleifli metrical romancees were, afterward, printed by Wynken dc Worde, Pinfon, Copland, and others, chiefly in the earlyer part of the fix- teenth century ; many of which are ftil preferve'd in publick librarys, and a few private collections. When we confider, fays mister Warton, the feu- dal manners, and the magnificence of our Norman ancestors, their love of military glory, the enthufiafm with which they engaged in the crufades, and the wonders to which they muft have been familiarife'd from thefe eaftern enterpiifees, we naturally fup- pofe, that their retinue abounded with minftrels and harpers, and that their chief entertainment was to liften to the recital of romantick and martial ad- ventures. But i have been much disappointed in my fearches after the metrical tales which muft have prevail'd in their times. Moft of thofe old heroick fongs are perifli'd with the ftately castles in whofe halls they were fung. Yet they are not fo totally loft as we may be apt to imagine. Many of them ftil partly exift in the old Engleilh metrical ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. cxlv romances,* yet diverted of their original form, po- lifh'd in their ftile, adorn'd with new incident', fuc- cesfivcly modernife'd by repeated tranfcription and recitation, and retaining little more than the outlines of the original." This, it muft be confefs'd, is not only a juft and accurate, but allfo a beautyful and interefting, defcription of the old Engleifti ro- mancei's. Many, however, in the French language, ftil remain, corred and perfed as they came from the hands of the poet or minfirel, and preferve'd in contemporary manufcripts, more or lefs, in moft of the publick librarys in Europe, being, likewife, infinitely Aiperior, in point of ftile and expresfion, to their translations into Engleilh, of the compara- tive merit whereof it is highly probable our learned historian had a very imperfe<^ idea. It is no flight honour to ancient romance that, fo late as the feventeenth century, when it was become fuperannuatei^d and obfolete, that the expanfive and cnlightcn'd mind of ^r Britifli Homer was enrapture'd with the ftudy, as is manifefted, by frequent and happy alluftons, in bis two principal poems : " and what refounds ^ In fable or romance of Uthers fon, Begirt with Rritifh and Armoric knights ; And all who fince, baptiz'd ur intidel, Jourted in Aspramont or Monts^lban, But many more in the French, fome of which were actually writen in Englcland. VDL. 1. k cxlvi DISSERTATION ON Daraasco, or Marocco, or Trebifond ; Or whom Biferta fent from Afric fliore, When Charlemain with all his peerage fell By Fontarabbia." * (" Though like a cover'd field, where champions bold Wont ride in arm'd, and at the foldans chair Defi'd the beft of Panim chivalry To mortal combat or career with lance.") f " Such forces met not, nor fo wide a camp, When Agrican, with all his northern powers, Befieg'd Albracca, as romances tell. The city of Gallaphrone, from thence to win The faireft of her fex Angelica, His daughter, fought by many proweft knights, Both Paynim, and the peers of Charlemane: Such and fo numerous was thir chivalrie."4- He had even meditateed a metrical romance, or epickpoem, upon the ftory of Arthur, which would, doubtlefs, have excel'd in fublimity and intereft every thing he has left us, had not his increafeing attachment to the puritanical fuperftition of the times perverted his intention : P. Z,. B. 1, V. 579. *' Next," he fays, " i betook me among thofe lofty fables and romances which recount in folemn can- tos thedeeds of knighthood. ..So that even thofe books.. .prov'd to me fo many inticements to the love and fledfaft obfervation of...virtue..." See Tolands Z.i/e, P. 35. t Ihi. V. 762. + Paradiferegain'd, B.3, V. 336. Set iht Orlando inamorato of Boiardo. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSV. cxlvii " Since fiift this fubjeft for heroic foiig Pieaf'd me lung choofiug, and beginning late Not reduluus by nature to indite Warrs, hitherto the onely argument Heroic deem'd chief maiftrie to disfed. With long and tedious havoc, fabl'd knights In battels fcign'd; Or tilting furniture, emblazon'd Oiiclds, Imprefes quaint, caparifons and fteeds; Safes and tinfel trappings, gorgious knights At jouft and tomeamcnt; then marHial'd feafl, Scrv'd up in hall with fewcrs, and fenelhals."* NotwithAandiiig his religious enthufiafm, he ilil appears to r^ard the favourite purfuits of his earlyer fiays with a kind of melancholy fcnfation : And caAs a long and lingering look behind. To the abo\e de6gn he hinifelf alludes in his Epitaphium DamoniSf V. l6l, &c. ' Ipfe ego Durdaniat Rutupinaptr ctquora puppet Dicaniy et Pundrafidos rrgntan xctus Inogenuty Brennumque Aiviragumque duces, priscumque Be linum, Et tandem Armoricoa BriloHum fub lege culonoa; Turn gruxidnm Arturo,fatuli fraude, logerncn, Mendacis lullus, asjuinptaque Corlois anna, Merlin i dolus." So that, it feems, the fabulous history of Geoffrey of Monmouth was to have been the platform of his P. L. B. s. (editioe 1007-) See ToUnds L\ft, 10, 17. 1 cxlviii DISSERTATION ON fublirae poetical ftructure ; but this projed, whe- ther wifely or not, he abandon'd. Pope, likewife, had an intention of writeing a poem on the fubjecl of Brutus.* 4. MINSTRELS AND MINSTRELSY. Homer, who, as it hath been allready obfeive'd, compofe'd romancees in Greek verfe, was a rhap- fodift, bard, or minftrel, who reforted to feafts, at which he fung his compofitions to the lyre. He fays of himfelf, in one of his hymns : " Hail, hea- venly powers, whofe praifees i fing; let me, allfo, hope to be remember'd in the agees to come, and, when any one, born of the tribes of men, comes hither, a weary traveler, and enquires, Who is the fweeteft of linging men that refort to your feafts, and whom you moll delight to hear? Then 6p you make anfwer for me : It is the blind man that dwels in Chios ; his fongs excel all that can ever be fung/'t See his Life, by Ruffhead. , "f Blackwells Enquiry into the life o/Htrmer, P. no. Huet, to the fame purpofe, obfervcs, *' It is necesfary to remark, for the honour of the troubadours, that Homer has been one be- fore them, and that he went about reciteing his verfces from town to town." fDe L'origine des romans, Paris, 1678, P. 128.) Doctor Bentley fays, " He wrote a fequel of fongs and rhap- fodies, to be fung by himfelf, for fmall earnings and good cheer, at festivals and other days of merriment ; the Ilias he made for the men, and the Odysfeis for the other fex . Thefe ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. cxUx An anecdote, communicateed to Herodotus by the Lesbians, favours, likewife, very ftrongly of the minftrel character. Arion of Methymna [near three hundred years after Homi'r], who was fecond to none of the harpers of his ago, and made, and name'd, and taught, the dithyrambick, at Corinth, havcing defire'd to fail into Italy and Sicily; and wiftiing, much money being acquire'd, to return back to Corinth ; and whereas he was about to go to Tarenium, becaufe he trufted none more than the Corinthians, hire'd a Hup of fome of thofe men. When, therefor, they were out at fea, ihefe confpire'd againft Arion, that, he being got rid of, they might enjoy his money. He, underftanding this, pray'd, the money being offer'd to them, that his life might be fpare'd. Not prevailing upon the mariners, they order'd, that he fliould either lay violent hands upon himfelf, that fo be might obtain fepulture upon the (hore, or, immediately, leap into the fea. Arion, at this difficulty, befought, that, forasmuch as fuch was their pleafure, they would fulfer him to Hng, ftanding upon the deck: and, when he (hould have fung, he promife'd that he would lay violent hands upon himfelf. Thefe, therefor, (for the dcfire of hearing the moll excel- loofc fongs wer^rot colle^d togcthrr in the form of an epic poem, till Pifistratus's time, about 500 years after." (Titmark* upon a luU Discourfe of free-thinkinjr, F. 10.) This ancient bard, as it is fuppofe'd by fome learned men, could neither write nor read. cl DISSERTATION ON lent performer had feize'd them,) retire'd from the poop to the midft of the fhip. He, being drefs'd with every ornament, and, the harp takeen up, ftanding upon the deck, awake'd the fong which is call'd orthian : and that being fung, he call him- felf, as he was, with all his finery, into the fea : and thefe, truely, held their courfe for Corinth : but he, receive'd, they fay, by a dolphin, was car- ry'd to Tajnarus : and, when he had defcended from the dolphin, he went, in that fame habit, to Corinth : and, when he arrive'd there, he relateed ever}' thing that had hapen'd. Thefe things the Corinthians and Lesbians wont to fay : and there wa:5 extant at Taenarus the moderate gift of Arion, in brafs, a man above, carry'd by a dolphin.* It is highly probable, as Huet has remark'd, that other illustrious poets of Greece imitateed Homer: he particularly mentions Simonides, who, he ex- prefsly fays, exercife'd the profesfion of a trowveur and chanteur.-\ The histriones of the Romans were theatrical performers, who deliver'd the oral parts ; the mimi dumb actors, who exprefs'd every thing by dance- ing and gestures : neither of thefe, of courfe, bore the leaft referablance to a minftrel ; except that it has been fuggefted by mister Ledwich to doctor Percy upon a reference of Salmafius (Notes to His- torice augiistce/criptares, V'a.Tis, l620, fo. P. 385); * Clio, 24. + De rorigine, &c. as before. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. cU whence the latter infers that the imitative minftrel of Geoffrey of Monmouth fhave'J bimielf by clas- fical authority.* Both names, however, feem, after the decline of the empire, to have been, erroneously, conferM upon the mindrcls, or mufical performers of thofe times. Since, at lead the mimet, or juglers, are allow'il, by the laws of James the fecond, king of Majorca, to bo lawfully admisfible in courts, as their office affords pleafure : whcrefor that prince ordaitis, that in his palace the number of mimes ftiould bc^Jive, of whom two were to be trutnpeterSf and the third, a tabourer: fo that the minftrel who made ufe of the phrafe " Mimia ct cantu victum aajuiro," muft, necesfaryly, have intended two distinct functions.f Whether the Lombards brought the minftrel arts into Italy, or ac P> H7- clviii DISSERTATION ON Adenes, and is fo call'd by others : but ftil the reafon is unknown. Pasquier is quite at a lofs to account for the word king as apply 'd to a minj'trd; remarking only that the word jouingleur [jouglerie] had, by fuc- cesfion of time, turn'd into Jlight-of-hand. " We have feen," he fays, " in our youth the jouingleurs meet at a certain day, every year, in the town of Chauny in Picardy, to Ihew their protesfion before the people, who could do beft ; and this," ads he, " that i here fay of them is not to depreciate thefe ancient rime'ers, but to (hew that there is nothing fo beauteous which is not annihilateed with time:"* where, by the way, he feems, by the expresfion " anciens rimeurs" to allude rather to what they had formerly been, than to what they were in his own time, when, as he has allready told us, they were funk into mere juglers. That the different profesfors of minftrelfy were, Jn ancient times, distinguifli'd by names appro- priateed to their refpective purfuits, cannot rea- fonablely be disputeed, though it may be difficult to prove. The trouveur, trouverre, or rymour, was he who compofe'd romans, contes, fabliauX; chanfons, and lais; and thofe who confine'd themfelves to the compofition of contes and fabliaux, obtain'd the appellation of conteurs, confeours, or fabliers. The menetrier, meneftrel, or minftrel, was he who * Recherches, &c. Paris, 1633, fo. P. 611. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clix accompany'd his fong by a mufical inftrument, both the words and the melody being occafionally furninrd by himfclf, and occafionally by others.* The Jogelour,J(mgUor,ijugUor,jogeiere, Or jugler, * Le Grand distinguishes the menestrier who play'd and fling from the meneftrtl who was the chief or head of the troop; but without being able to adduce any authority for proveing fuch a distinction. + J^fUjongUur, as the ignorant or inattentive French prin- ters of the lith century, who could not, it is probable, read the manufcripts, and mistook the u for an n, there being, in faft, little or no distinction between them, uniformly orthographife'd it : and as every French authour, historian, commentator, etymologift, glosfarift, or dictionary.makeer, with the whole herd of copyifts and printers, from that time to the prcfent, hare conftantly writcn, printed, etyraologifc'd, and cxplain'd it. In every manufcript, however, Freoch or Norman, of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, or, at leaft^ whcrco'cr the u occurs, and can be distinguifh'd from an n, it is uniformly writenjou^i^oi/r, or jougUor (Roman de Troye, Harlcy MS. 44Sa), but generally without a UfjogUre (Roman de Pilt-Guarine, in the kings MS. 13 C XII), and frequently without an o, ai jugUour (Haxley MS. iili3), jugeUre (Le Brut, pasfim). Many hundred of fuch inftances could have been eafeyly adcd, but the fcrupulous reader had better confult the originals. The fame propriety was obfcrve'd in Engleland, where the corrupt orthography, jongler, has ne\er been made ufc of, cither in manufcript or print, til within thefe Cew years, and, probablely, for the firft time, in the Reliques of ancient Engli/h poetry. Thus, in Davies LyfqfAly fonder: " The minArcUcs fyngc, iiitjogelours carpe:" Again, in Robert Mannyngs translation fiom Peter of Brid- lington : Jogelourt were there inouh." But though he names both, he does not give them ferenl clx DISSERTATION ON amuff.d the fpectators with flight of hand tricks, cups and balls, SfC. Again, in Thefreres tale, V. 7049 : " A \ovSy jogelour can deceiven thee." This appears clear from the conduft of John de Raumpayne, who, when he fets out to deceive Moris of Whitington, takes with him a male, which contains his juglerys, and out of which, moft likely, he had already fo blacken'd, inflateiid, and de- form'd his vifage, that his moft intimate acquaint- ance did not know him. The chanteour, or chan- terre, was one who fang ; the viekre or harpere, he who accompany'd the ckanterre, when he did not perform himfelf, and would be call'd indifferently by either name, or the general one of minflrel, &c. A hisfrio, or mimus, fhould, properly, have been the buffoon of a play, as he was among the Romans: but thefe names, in fad, appear to have beengiveen by affefted pedants, who mistook their meaning. There were, likewife, Jlutours, timbejieres, and fai- Ixmrs, dancers, all tlyee mention'd by Chaucer in employments. Carping feems fynonimous tojmging; though, it is fay'd above, " The minjhelsjing, ihe jogelours carpe:" and may, therefor, imply talkijig or reciteing. Again, in Chaucers Romant of the rofe, V. 764 : " Miniftrallis and eke jogelous." AH, evidently and immediately from the Laitmjocutator. He is, however, in other places, repeatedly call'd a jfgelor. Carpentier, fays Warton, mentions a " joculator, qui fcielat tombare ;" dijugler who knew how to tumble. (I, G.) ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. clxi his translation of the Romant of the rofi, V. 7^2, *' There mighdft thou fe thefe ^u/our Minjlrallis and eke Jogelours That well to fingin did ther paine There was many a timbefiere, And faihurSf that i dare well fwere Ycothe ther craft full parfitly The timbris up full fubtilly Thei caftin, and hcnt them full oft Upon a finger faire and foft." The farcfurs, or buffoons, were, posfiblely, the proper histriones or mimif who aded ridiculous and buriefque dramas of a fingle part, whence the term farce is ftil ufc'd for a Ihort and laughable enter- tainment ; baladins, or danceers ; tabourers, or tO' hereret, who perform'd on the tabour or tabourin;* and, peradventurc, feveral other distinctions. All thefc, however, in procefs of time, appear to have been confounded under the common name of min- * In an old fabliau, in the Harleian MS. 3353, a minftrel feting out from London, and meeting the king, " Enlourfon col porla/oun tabour, DepeyrU de or e riche acour." The king, who addrefses him with "^e joglour," is treated with very little ceremony. Fauchet remembcr'd to have feen Martin Baraton (then old minftrel of Orleans), who at feafls and nuptials bet a tabour {tabourin) of filver, fct with plates allfo of filver, gravccn with the armorial bearing of thofe whom he had taught to dance. (RecMeil, P. 73.) " Here," obferves doctor Percy, " we fee that a minflrel performed fometimea the function of a dancing- master." (P. xlviii.) VOL. I. 1 dxii DISSERTATION ON ftrels or juglers, and by Latin writeers, minijln^ minijlrellif joculaiores, hiftrixmes, mimi, leccatores, fcurrce, vaniloqui, citharistoe, or citharcedce, cant or es^ or cant at ores, parafitce, famelici, nebulones, epulones, and the like. Their peculiar appellations, howeverj may, doubtlefs, have been preferve'd among them- felves, without being much attended to by ihofe who only confider'd them as a body of men whofe profesfion was to pleafe ; or, at leaft, by their own corruption in lateer times, when one did all, and the whole fystem funk into infignificance and con- tempt. " Sometimes," fays Fontenelle, " dureing the repaft of a prince, you would.fee arrive an unknown trouverre, with his minftrels or juglers, and make them fmg, upon their harps or violins, the verfees which he had corapofe'd : thofe who made thefounds as wel as the words being the moft efteem'd."* Le Grand, haveing allready fpokeen of thefe troops of rambleing muficians, who in the great feafts, in the plenary courts, and at marriagees ran together to amufe the nobility, fays, *" This profesfion, which mifery, libertinifm, and the vagabond life of this fort of people, have much decry*c[, require'd, however, a multiplicity of at- tainments, and of talents, which one would, at this day, have fome difficulty to find reuniteed, and who has much more right to be aftonifh'd, more- over, in the agees of ignorance : for, befide all the fongs, old and new, befide the current anecdotes^ Hiftore du theatre. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. clxiU tbe tales, and fabliaux^ which they piquc'd them* felvcs upon knowing; befide the romancees of the time, which it bchovc'd them to know, and to pos* fcfs in part, they could dccUiim, fing, compofe in rouiick, play on fcveral inftruments and accom- pany them. Frequently, even, were they authours, and made themfelves the piccccs which they utter'd. In fine, there were fome who, to all thcfc talents, join'd the fcicnce of the cork-balls, ofjuglcry, and of all the tricks known." * The following curious narrative of thcfe Angular characters is relatced in an old fabliau: " Two troops of minftrcls met in a castle, and wil'd to amufe the lord by a quarrel. One fay'd he could tel talcs {con(er) in Romance (i. e. French) and Lai in ; he knew more than forty lays and fongs of gejisy and all the fongs posfibie that you could ima ginc to aOc of him. He knew, allfo, the romancees of adventure, and in particular thofe of the Round tabic. He knew, in fine, to sing a great many romancct-s, fuch as Vivient Reynaud [r. Oger] le Danois, &c. and to tel Fhris and Blanchefiovxr. He finiili'd the enumeration of his talents by fome pleafantrys ; and pretended that if he had takeeh the profesfion he foUow'd, it was not that he had not many others to procure him a confiderable fortune : for he knew very wel to hoop an eg, to bleed the cats, to cup an ox, and cover houfees with omlets, SfC. and if any one would give him two harps, he felt himfclf capable to make a mufick A, 47. 61xiv DISSERTATION ON fuch as no one ever heard the like. At length, isifter Tome new injurys, he advife'd the miiiftrel whom he had attack'd to go out of the castle with- out being pray'd ; defpifeing him too much to dis- honour himfelf and his comrades to ftrike a man fo contemptible. This fellow undervalue'd him in his turn, and demanded of him how he dare'd to fay he was a good minftrel who knew neither pleafant tales nor dits. For me, fay'd he, i am not one of thefe ignoramuses whofe whole talent is to play the cat, the fool, the drunken man, or to fay foolifh things to their comrades : i am of the number of thefe good trouverres, who invent all that they fay : " Ge fuis jngXere de vtele; Sifai de mufe et de frestele, Et de harpe, et de chiphonie De la gigue, de /'armonie, E el falteire, e en la rote."* I know wel to fing a fong; i know tales, i knowyiz- bliaux ; i know to tel fine new dits ; rotruengcsf old and new ; and fatires Cfirvantes) and pastorals ; i know to bear counfel of love ; and to make chaplets of flowers ; and a girdle for loveers ; and to fpeak fine of courtefy." After this detail of his talents, as the jnufician and fine fellow, he pafses to thofe which he has for the tricks of dexterity, and the play of * " I am ajugler of the violin, ' So know i of the bagpipe, and of thcfiestele, And of the harp, and of the Jymphony, Of the gig, of the haifnony. And of the pfaltery, and on the rott." + A fpecies of fong fung to the rote. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. * cUv the cork-ball : [a fong] <* Wei know i the cork ball ; and tu make the beetle come, alive and dance- ing on the table ; and fo i know many a fair game of the table, and of dexterity and magick ; wcl i know to make an enchantment; i know to play with the cudgels ; and fo i know to play with the cutlafses; and with the cord, and the rope." He boafts himfelf to know all the fongs of gefis which the firil knew : he knows all the good ferjeants, and renown'd champions of his time ; and the mod ce- lebrateed minllrcls, to whom he gives ridiculous nick-names. In fine, addrcfsing himfelf to his rival, he advifces him, if he have a little fhame, never to enter into the placoes where he fhal know him : ** and you, fir," fays he, " if i have fpokeen better than he, i pray you to put him out of doors, and thus prove to him that he is a fot." * The mufical inftruments of the French minllrels were chiefly the vir/lf,t the clavicorde^ the rotcy^- the tabour, and others, it is probable, not ouely to accompany the voice, but to perform fprightly airs, and exhilarate the lively dance. Le Gnnd, B, 313, Cffc. Thofc who, in the north of En- gleUnd, cheat the poor ignorant graziers, faimcrB, and hoife- cofers, who come to the fair, by the dcluiion of the cork-ball, are call'd thimittirs. f Doctors Percy and Rumey mistake this for the rote or mandolin ljttli qucntly both in Paris and London in the hands of Savoyards. dxvi DISSERTATION ON None of the minftrel melodys, or chants, are fuppofe'd to be now exifting, unlefs, it is posfible, in fome ancient manufcript of the French national librarj', Sainte Palaye, in fa6t, fays that the beau- tyful tale oiAucasfm and Nicolette, occurs in a MS. near 500 years old, and that what was precedeijd by the words " on chante" was fet to raufick ; but whe- ther the poetical part be in the minftrel-metre does not clearly appear. The chanfons du cJiatelain de Coucy, in 1200, likewife, du roy de Navarre, have been printed with the original mnfick. It is a plain chant, in fquare notes, ranged upon four lines, under the clif Cfol ut. (JFabliaux on confes, A, 48.) Some idea of the drefs or manners of a French minftrel in the fourteenth century may be con- ceive'd from the following anecdote : " A yonge man cam to a fefte, where were many lordes, la- dyes, and damoyfels, and arrayed as they wold have fette them to dyner, and had on hem a coote hardye after the mailer of Almayne. He cam and falewed the lordes and ladyes, and whan he had done to them reverence, fyre Geffroy [de Lyege] called hym before hym, and demaunded hym where his vyell or clavycordes were, and that he fhould make his craft : and the yonge man anfuerd, Syre, i can not medle therwith. Haa, fayd the knyght, i can not byleve it ; for ye be contrefaytted and clothed lyke a mynyflrell." * The booke of thenfeynementes and tecliynge that the knyght of the towre made to his doughlers (translateed and printed by Caxton), C. 115. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clxvix " Helgaud, the lord of Joinville, and other au- thours, remark," according to Du Cange, " that at thcfe fulemn feafls were made publick banquets where the kings ate in the prefence of their whole fuite, and were there ferve'd by the great officers of the crown, and of the hotel,* every one accord- ing to the fuDction of his chai]ge. There was with them the divcrtifements of the minfirels (" des me- neArels ou det raenetriers"). Under this name were compriAe'd thofe who play'd with tlic nakairSf with the demicauoHy with the cornet, with the gui' feme Latine, with xhc Jiiifie Behaigne, with the trontpetUf with the guitcrne Morcjchct and with the vietlle ; which are all name'd in an account of the hotel of the duke of Normandy and Guienne of the year 1348." A curious fpecies of concert, no doubt ; though there be not a fiiigle minftrcl of them who " Angs" to the harp fongs of his own makeing. " Thej^ had moreover," he fays, ** Jar" ceurs, jongleurs [rrc/ ti jougleurs] CjoailatoresJ, and plai/antins, who Should divert the companys by their jokes and their comedys, for the entertain- ment of whom the kings, the priacccs,and the fimple lords, made fuch prodigious expencces, that they gjive occafion to Lambert dArdres and to the This ufeful disfyllable, hofiely we obtain'd from the French foot) after the Norman conqucft; and it remains with its old anglicifc'd pronunaation, hisltl, in the univerfity of Cambridge this day: but, havcing become obfolete, for fome centurys, in every other place, it has lately rctum'd to us h la mode dt ta France modeme, and is writen and proiwuncc'd hotiU clxviii DISSERTATION ON cardinal James de Vitrj/, to inveigh againft thefe fuperfluitys of their time, which had ruin'd whole familys: which St. Augustine had done before them, in thefe terms : " Donare res fuas histrioni- bus, vitium eft immane, non virtus. Illafanies Rotnce recepia, Sffavortbus aucta, tandem collabefecit bonos mores, Sf civitates perdidit, coegitque mperatores faeph/s eos expellere."* With refpedt to the melody, or intonation, to which the French metrical romancees, were ufually fung, being accompany'd by fome mufjcal inftru- ment, either in the hands of the finger, or in thofe of his companion, it is conjecture'd to have been little or nothing .elfe than a fort of recitatjve or chant, the performer fustaining his voice, as the ingenious mister Walker has exprefs'd it, " with arpeggios fwept over the firings of his harp."t Allmoft all * Disfertation V. fur Joinville, 161. Warton, who pro- fcfses to give this very pasfage, and cites this very page, inftead of 1348, fays " before the year 1300." The nakair he explains ** the kettle-drum," and the demi-canon " thejlagellet ;" for what reafon does not appear. Nacaires is explained by Du Cange {Ohfervations fur I'hisloire, 59) to mean a kind of tam- hour, which is in ufe among the German cavalry, which the French call, vulgarly, tymbales. There was fome esfential difference, it may be fairly prefume'd, between the histriones of king Philip de Valois time and thofe of St. Augustine. John of Salisbury reprobates thofe of his own age who, for the redeeming their fame, and extending their name, threw away their riches on " histriones fef mimos." (Epis. 247.) f- Historical memoirs of the Iri/h hards, P. 17. Cormac Common, a hVmd Jlnfgealaighthe, or tale-teler of the modem Irifli, liveing in 1786, at the age of 83, of whom this gentleman ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clxix the French poets, of the 12th and 13th century, according to M. Laborde, compofe'd tho airs of their fongs, but thcfc airs were nothing n\ore than the Gregorian chant ; and even it was often merely the chants of the church, which they parody'd."* This kind of chant or recitative continue'd in ufe upon the French ftage even to a late period. Vol- taire, having obferve'd it to be highly probable that the Mciopfc, regarded by Aristotle, in his Poeticks^ as an esfcntiai part of tragedy, was an even and fimple chant, like that of the preface to the mqfs, which is, in his opinion, the Gregorian chant, and not the Ambrofian, but which is a true melopeej ads, that '* When the Italians rcvive'd tragedy in the fixteenth century, the recitation was a melopSe, but which could not be noteiid ; for who can note inflexions of the voice, which are ISths or l6ths of tone ? they were learn'd by heart. This ufage was receive'd in France, when the French began to form a theatre, above a century after the Italians. The Sophoniiba of Mairet was chanted like that of Trisfino, but more rudely.. All the parts of the has, in his appendix to that tntercfting work, inferted a curious account, did not, like the talc-teler mention'd by fir William Temple, chant his tales in an uninterrupted even tone : the monotony of his modulation was frequently brokcen by ca- dencees inuoducc'd with tafte at the clofe of Rarua. " In re- hearfmg any of Osfiaru poems [which in Ireland are (genuine and ancient], or any compofitign in verfe, (fays mister (now fir William) Oufley) he chants them pretty much in the max ner of our cathedral-fervicc." P. 57. * Btfai/w la mufi^utf II, 140 (note). clxx DISSERTATION ON actors, but efpecially of the actrefses, were noteed inemoriter by tradition. Mademoifelle Bauval, an actrefs of the time of Corneille, of Racine, and of Moliere, reciteed to me, more than fixty years ago", the bcgining of the part of Etnilie in Cinna^ fuch as it had been deliver'd in the firft reprefentations by Beaupre." * All this, it muft be confefs'd, wil not be apt to convey a very corred or perfpicuous idea of the mufical performancees of a French rcinftrel ; it is, neverthelefs, by no means, improbable that there was a confiderable degree of refemblance : but the misfortune is, that no historian or other writeer, who flourifli'd in the time of the minftrels, has ever thought them deferveing of much attention. The author oi Gerard de Roiifillon fays, at the com- mencement of his romance, that he has made it upon the model of The fong of Antioch, that is, as Le Grand conceives, he wrote it in the fame raea- fure, and fung it to the fame tune, f About the commencement of the fifteenth cen- tury the profesfion of minftrel was rapidly decline- >ng ; and, before its expiration, was, to all appear- ance, totally extinct, except, it may be, in a few in- ftancees, where common fiddleers, or the like, might retain the name. No metrical romance, however, appears to have been compofe'd or fung in any part of France after the fourteenth century, nor is the leaft mention made, or notice takeen, of a profesfion * Questions fur VEncyclopidie, Chant, Mufique, &c. t B, 317. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, dxxi which had made fo much noife in the kingdom dureing the three precedeing one. The old rimeing romatice<*s had allready begun to be converted into profe ; in which many others, upon the fame or itmilar fubjefts, were now compofe'd by a very dif- ferent fct of authours ; many of whom, however, are not entirely devoid of merit ; though Warton, with great reafon, confiders the change among th French as " a proof of the decay of invention." Moft of thefe profe romancecs, after the invention of printing, made their appearance in large and beautyful folios and quartos, which are, at prefent, become very rare, but are ftil eagerl} purfue'd by collectors, and highly cfteem'd by thofe who are fortunate enough to posfefs them. The national librarj-, at Paris, is peculiarly rich in this fpecies of litcrar)- treafure. It, certainly, may be prefume'd there were in the laft age of the Saxon kingdom men who pro- fefs'd and exercife'd the minrtrel-art. King Eldgar, about the year 960, enjoin'd in one of his canons that no prioft fhould be an afe-drinker, nor, in any wife, a minjlrcl (jlipjje, Saxon, yciirra, Latin, pro- perly a parafite), either by himfelf, or with others;* and, in his oration to Si. Dunrtan, grieves that the boufees of clerks were become a brothel of %hor(ty and a conciabulum of minjlreU (histriones) ; Mid fays, in the fame oration, that the mmi * Spclnians (kncHi; I, 3-i8. clxxii DISSERTATION ON SING and dance:* this, however, is, moft probablely, a term of the historians time, and not of the kings, and, therefor, not of equal authority. According to Ingulph, king Alfred, feigning him- felf to be a jugler (joculatorem), a harp being takeen up, went to the tents of the Danes ; and being receive'd into the more fecret placees, learn- ing all the fecrets of his enemys, when he had fa- tisfy'd his defire, unknown and fafe, return'd to Athelney : and now, his army being colledled, baveing fuddenly attack'd, he flew his enemys with incredible flaughter. King Godrum (whom we call Gurraound) with a very great multitude of noble- men, and allfo of his people, takeen alive, receive'd baptifm ; and being takeen out of the facred font by the king, was endow'd with Eaft-Engleland, that is Norfolk, to inhabit with his people, by the royal gift. The reft refufeing to be bapiize'd, Engleland being abjure'd, fought France in a lliip.f This de- * Spelmans Concilia, I, 24fl. f 26. William Malmesbury, who enlargees this anecdote and differs in fome refpe6ls from Ingulph, whom, however, it is certain he had made ufe of, being not onely a lefs ancient authority, but even adopting feveral of his words, which would not otherwife have occur'd to him. He, at the fame time, defcribes Alfreds disguife as that of a mime or mimick fmimusj, though, apparently, a fynonimous term. So that Malmesbury, a very honeft and faithful historian upon mofl occafions, is, in this, a mere copyift, and the eccho of In- gulphus. It is, certainly, a fomewhat fuspicious adventure. It is mention'd neither by Asfer, not onely the contemporary, but ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clxxiii feat of the Danes, and fubfcqueut baptifm of Gor- mund, took place in the year 878.* allfo the chaplain, and confcsfor, and e\'en the biographer^ of Alfred, nor in the Saxon chronicle; nor by Henry ot Huntingdon, nor Simeon of Durham, nor Roger de Hovcdcn, all of whom, however, notice the battle in which Godrun was defeated, and his final converfion; nor, in hA, by any other ancient, or authentick writcer, except the two allrcady citced. It militates tii\ more forciblcly againft fuch a romantick and improbable incident, that a pious, warlike, honorable, and glorious monarch, who conqucr'd his enemys, in the field and not by treachery, (hould asfume the infamous character of a fpy.f It ii not lefs extraordinary, at the fame time, that Geof- frey of Monmouth, the contemporary of Malmcsbury, who never faw his book, has introduce'd a third actor of the fame foolry, by the name of Baldulph, a Saxon, who, haveing been defeated by the Britons, under the command of Cador duke of Cornwall, and anxious to reliev* or fpeak with his brother Colgrin, who was befiege'd in York by Arthur, " (have'd his bair and beard, and took the habit with the harp of a jugler CjoculaloritJ. Then, walking up and down wiihin the camp, by the mufical notes he compofc'd on his lyre, he fhcw'd hira- felf to be a harper: and when he was fufpcAed of no man, he approach'd to the walls of the city, effefting his commencc'd fimulation by little and little. At laft, when he was found by die befiege'd, he was drawn up by ropes within the walls, and f If ' the Anglo-5>axons had fuch flrong prejudices againft the rainftrcls," as is fuppofe'd in the Esfay on the Englijh ones, Ixxii, is it at all probable that fuch a profcslion would have been permitcd to cxift amone them. Neither Alfred, nor Anlaf, did any thing more than play on the harp. * Asfer, S4; and the Saxon chronicle. The veracious Geof- frey, as we have allready feen, nukes this Gormund king of the African*," who had arrivc'd in Ireland with a very great fleet, and had fubdue'd that country (B. II, C. 8) : this, too, nuy be one of the " many true events, that have efcaped tber annalifts." Clxxiv DISSERTATION ON Atbelftan, the fon of Edward, began to reign in the year 924, and held the kingdom fixtuen years. condu6led to his brother." (B. g, C. i).f Though, in reality, there is fcarcely a fingle word of truth in this pretended his- tory, yet every flagrant impostor is fure, at fome time or other, to obtain belief, favour, and justification. " Although the above fa6l," according to a right reverend prelate, who mixes bis romance with his historj', it muft be confefs'd in a very pleafeing and ingenious manner, efpecially for thofe who are quite indifferent to truth or falfehood, " comes only from the fufpicious pen of Geoffrey of Monmouth, the judicious reader will not too haftily rejeft it; becaufe, if fuch a faft really hap- pen'd, it could onely be known to us through the medium of Britifh writeers ;...and Geoffrey, with all his fables, is allow'd to have recorded many true events, that have efcaped other annalifls." {Esfay on the anciml minjirels, xxvi.) Now, it is certain that this impudent forgeer, bifhop as he was, live'd, according to his own fancy ful chronology, about fix hundred years after king Arthur ; who, then, are " the Britifh writeers," through whofe " medium" thefe abfurd and monftrous lyes * could only be known to us.*" Is it Nennius? Is it Gildas? Is it any newly invented Britifh historiographer, who has never yet been hear'd of? Who are they, likewife, if not fools, knaves, or madmen, who have foUow'd this rank forgeer and impos- tour, " with all his fables,...to have recorded many true events that have efcape'd other annalifts ?" Where is there any one fuch event to be found throughout his ample legend ? and how, it is poslible, with this inconfiftent admisfion, that the ' events recorded" by Geoffrey, " with all his fables," can be ascer- tain'd to be true? f MaistTeWdice ads a certain circumftance to Geoffreys account, which is very whimfical : " Alfege a lad cume jugelere, Sifefeinjl kil ejieit harpere, Jl aveit apris h chanter, E Lais e notes a harper. Par aler parler a onfrere, Sifiji par mi la barbe rere, E le chef par me enfement E un des gernuns fulement - > Benjemlla lecheur e fol." Lc Brut. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clxx? His lad battle was with Analaf* the fon of Sith- rick, who, in the hope of invadeing the realm, ha4 pafs'd over the boundarys : and Athclfian advifeedljf yielding, that be roiglit the more gloriously conquer him who now infulted, the youth, greatly dareiug^ and breathing in his mind illicit thoughts, had pro- ceeded very far into Engleland, at length by the great (kil of his generals, and great force of foldiers, was met at Bruncfurd. t He who di.scern'd fo great a danger to impend, attempted a benefit by the art of a fpy ; and, havciniT put off his royal enfigns, and takcen in his hand a harp, proceeded to the tent of our king ; where, as he was Tinging before the doors, he would occationally allfo fliake the firings with a fwect irregularity, he was eafcyly admitcd, profcfsing himfelf a mime (or mimick, mmus), who by fuch kind of art earn'd his dayly (lipend. The king and his gucfts he, for fume little time, gratify'd with his mufical performance; though, durciug his finging and playing, he examinc'd nil things with his eyes. After that fatiety of eating had put an end to pleafures, and the feverity of administering the war began afrefh in the discourfc of the peers ; he, being order*d to depart, reccive'd More corre fH y, it Hi conceived, Aulaf, ot OUnt. He is, however, gencniHy called Anlafhj oar ancient historians. f Or Brunanlmrgk, a town upon the Hambcr, now un- known ; but certainly not, as Camden abfurdly conjecnires, Bnmeridge in Nonhhumberland. Robert Mannyng &y ex- prefcly, *' At Bnmtsbwrgh on Humbrr thei gan tbm asule." P.tl. clxxvi DISSERTATION ON the price of his fong: which, loathing to carry away, he hid under him in the earth. This was obferve'd by fome one, who had formerly been a foldier, and immediately told it to Athelftan. He, blameing the man, for that he had not feize'd an enemy place'd before his eyes, receive'd this an- fwer. "The fame oath, which i lately, o king, made to thee, i formerly gave to Anlaf ; which if thou had'ft feen me violate in myfelf, thou might'ft allfo be ware of a like example regarding thyfelf. But deign to hear the advice of afervant, that thou remove thy tent hence, and, remaining in another place until the partys left fhal come, thou wilt dis- appoint the enemy, petulantly infulting, by modeft delay. The fpeech being approve'd, he thence departed."* ii:f!!rT - After all, it is highly probable that thofe three anecdotes of Baldulph, Alfred, and Anlaf, have been derive'd and improve'd from a ftory relateed by Saxo-Grammatkiis, the Danifli historian, who dye'd in 1204, upon the authority, no doubt, of * W. of IVfaljnesbury, 48. Anlaf, unconfcious of the change which has takeen place in the fituation of the kings tent, makes his attempt in the night, and flays the whole family he found in the place where he had perform'd his minftrelfy and been entertain'd. He then penetrates to the real tent of Athelflan, who was indulgeing in reft ; and makeing what exertions he was able, his fword falls out of the (heath, he is relieve'd by a miracle, and in the morning obtains a decifive victory. The whole flory, therefor, is nothing more than a legend and a lye. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clxxvii fome ancient faga, concerning an adventure of Mother, king of Sweden and Denmark, who, at a certain time, as he was hunting, misled by the error of a cloud, fel into the cave of the fylvestrian virgins, of whom, being falutecd by his own name, he enquire'd who they were. Thefe virgins af- firm 'd, that, by their conduct and their aufpicees, they chiefly govcm'd the fortune of wars. For oftentimes were they prefcnt in battles, feen by no man, to afford by fecret aids, thcwilh'd-for fuc- cefses to their friends;* and exhorting him not to harral's Bulder, the fon of Othin, (allthough worthy of the moft deadly hatred,) by anns; affirming hini to be a dcmi-god, procreateed by the fecret feed of fuperior beings. Thefe things being reccive'd, Ho- ther, in a fwoon, by tlie roof of the falling houfe, bi*held himfelf in the open air, and dcftitute of all cover, oxpofe'd on a fudden in the midll of fields. But he, chiefly, wonder'd at the fwift flight of the damfels, and the verfatile fite of the place, and the dclufive figure of the houfe. For he was ignorant that tbc things which had been done about him were nothing but mockery, and the vain device of juggleing arts. But liotlier, harrafs'd by his un* fortunate wars with Balder, haveing wandered into remote and devious ways of placees, and pafs'd through a forcfl unaccustom'd to mortals, found the cave inhabited, peradventure, by the unknown Thefe nymphs feem to have been the valkyriur of the EddOf and the three wciid (or wizard) fitters of Macbeth, VOL. I. m clxxviU DISSERTATION ON virgins. TTicy appear'd to be the fame who had, formerly, giveen him an impenetrable veft : by whom, being aflc'd why he came thither of all placees, he declare'd the fatal events of the war. Therefor, their faith being condemn'd (or, their promife violatei-d), he began to bewail the fortune and forrowful chancees of things unhapyly con- duced. But the nymphs fay'd that he himfelf, ail- though he were rarely victor, neverthelefs pour'd-in equal mischief upon the enemys, nor had he been the authour of lefs flaughter than his accomplice. Thenceforeward the grace of the victory in ready- nefs would be his, if he could fnatch a meat of a cer- tain unufual fweetnefs, invented to augment the force of Balder. For nothing to be done would be diffi- cult, fo long as he fhould enjoy the victuals deftine'd to the enemy for the augmentation of his ftrength. Therefor arriveing at the camp of the enemys, he knew that the three nymphs, bearers of the fe- cret meat, had departed from the camp of Balder: whom, hafteyly following, (for their footfteps in the dew betray'd their flight,) he, at length, came to the houfees, to which they had accustom'd them- felves. Therefor, being alk'd by thefe nymphs what he was, he fay'd he was a harper. Nor was the experiment disfonant to his profesfion: for, tuneing the harp he had brought, with inflcdted firings, to a fong, and the chords being corapofe'd by the quil, he pour'd forth a melody grateful to the ears by the moil prompt modulation. As to the reft, three female j^ ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, clxxix fnakes were with them, with the poifon whereof they were wont to make a difh of folidative confection for Balder : and much poifon now flow'd from the open jaws of the fnakes. But fome of the nymphs, allfo, ftudious of humanity, would have acquainted Ho* ther with the meat, if the chief of the three had not forbid it, proteAing that a fraud would be done to Balder, if they Hiould augment hiv very enemy with the increafe of corporeal (Irength. lie fay'd he was not Hother, but a companion of Mother : and, therefor, thcfe n^nnphs gave him a girdle of exquifite fplendour, and the potent zone of victory. On a future day Balder renew'd the battle, and, the third being elapfe'd, too much excruciateed with the wound he had before reccive'd, was utterly deftroy'd.* In the time of William the conquerour, Berdic, the kings jugler (juculator regiusj, had three vils, and there five carucates, in Gloucesterfliire, with- out rent : f but the nature of his office or employ- ment is not ascertain'd ; nor does the existence of this man, after the conquell, afford any proof " that the miiiftrel was a regular and Aatet>d officer in the court of our Anglo-Saxon kings. "4. Though the minArcls are, elfewherc, fay'd to have been confi- der'd in a very unfavorable light " by the Anglo- Saxon clergy." J Hittoria Damco, L. 3, P. 39, 43. t Domesday hook, fo. lea, co. l. 4 Reliqws, I, xxriii. J IH. It (cdtion 1775.) clxxx DISSERTATION ON One Royer, or Raher, the firft founder of the hospital of St. Bartholomew, in London, is defign'd by Leland, the mime, or mimick (tbj/wm*), of king Henry the firft;* and that mimus is properly a minftrel, is prove'd by an extradl in the History of EngUjh poetry, f from- the accounts of the priory of Maxtock near Coventry, in 1441 : " Dat.fex Mirais domini Clyntoti cantantibus, citharifanlibus, ludenti- bus, &c.iiii. f." In his legend, citeed by doctor Percy, from the Monasticon, " his minftrel profesfion," it appears, " is not mention'd: there is only a general indistin6l account that he frequented roj'al and no- ble houfees, where he ingraliateed himMffuavitate joculari." \- Hence Stow, who cites no authority, defcribes him as " a man of a Angular and pleafant wit, and therefore of many called the kings jefter or minftrel;"! and Delone, in the History of Thomas of Reading, fays that he " was a great mufician, and kept a company of minstrels, i. e. fid- LERS, who played with filver bows." King Henry may have had a harper name'd Gal- frid or Jeffrey, who, in 1180, receive'd acorrody or annuity from the abbey of Hide : but, as we by no means know that " in the early times every harper Lelands Collectanea, I, 61, 112. In another part of the fame work is this entry: " Prioratus S. Barptolomai de Smethffeld. Henricus I. fundator procurante Raherio, ejus fideli CLERico" {lbi.99). t II, 109, n.q. 4- Reliques, I, \xxxu * Annates, 1592, 186 ; Survey, 1598, 308. Hawkins, III, 85. ROMANCE AND mNSTRELSY. clxxxi was expeded to flng/' we may reafonablely doubt that this reward was giveen him for his fongs as wel as for his mufick ;* and ftil more that it was " un- doubtedly on condition that he ihould (ene the monks in the profesfion of a harper on public occafions."t To Oiew what John of Salisbur}', in the reign of king Henry the fecond, thought of this numerous body of men, it wil be necesfary to adduce his own words, and, for certain namelefs reafons, after tho laudable example of the worthy historian of En- gleifh poetry, who has furniOi'd us with the extract, to give ihem in^Latin. * At cam [defidiam]" fays he, ' noxtris prorogant histriones. Admisfa funt ergo fpectactula, et infinita knocinia vanitatu. Hinc mimi, falii, vcl faliares, balatrones, asmiliani, gladiatorcs, palazllritx, gignadii, pneAigiatores, ma- k^i quckftie tnultij et tota joculatorum fcena proce- dit. Quorum adeo error invabtitf ut d praeclaris domibus non areantur etiam illi, qui obfcoenis parti- bus corpi is wel known, that when our kings ufc'd to travel, the gejl Ct^fie^ F) was the icftmg-placefor every night, of which the whole party was to be apprifc'd. Charles I. feetas to have been the laft of them who proceeded by gt^. f Vincenu Diicovtry o/trroT$, ftc. 4*i, Vt. clxxxiv DISSERTATION ON was dead before it hapen'd, as containing misre- prefentation and falfehood ; fir Peter Leycester, who cites an ancient parchment roll, writen above two hundred years before, gives the ftory thus : *' Randle [the third, furname'd Blundevill, earl of Chester], among the many conflifts he had with the WeHh, was force'd to retreat to the castle of Rothe- lent in Flintfhire, about the reign of king John, where they befiege'd him : he prefently fent to his conftable ot Chefliire, Roger Lacy, ' furname'd Hell,' for his fierce fpirit, that he would come with all fpeed, and bring what forces he could towards his relief. Roger, having gathered a tumultuous rout oi Jidlers, players, coblers, debauched perfons, both men and women,. out of the city of Chester (for 'twas then the fair-time in that city), marcheth immediately towards the earl. The Welfli per- ceiving a great multitude coming, raife'd their fiege and fled. The earl, coming back with his conftable to Chester, gave him power over all the^dlers and Jhoemakers in Chester, in reward and memory of this fervice. The conftable retain'd to himfelf and his heirs, the authority and donation of the Jhoe- makers, but confer'd the authority of the Jidlers and players on his fteward, which then was Dutton of Dutton, whofe heirs enjoy the fame power and authority over the minftralcy of Chefliire even to this day ; who in memory hereof keep a yearly court upon the feaft of St. John Baptift at Chester, where all the minftrels of the county and city are ROMANCE AND -MINSTRELSY, clxxxr to attend and play before tbe lorti of Dutton, SfC.'** After all, it is to be wiHi'd we could have had coeval authority for fo interefting an event. Doctor Percy, who has work'd it up, with his ufual elo- quence and ingenuity, into a fine mini^rel ftory, fays, " Thefe men [minstrels, he calls them, asferablc'd at Chester fair] like so mant Tyr- TJEUS's, BY TIlEia MUSIC AXD THEIR SONGS so ALLURED AKD INSPIRED the multitudes of kx>fe and lawlefs i)erfon8 then brought together, that they refolutely marched againft the WclHi." This, to be furc, as a boautyful hyperbole, might have properly remain'd, ** had not," in his lord- fliips own language, " all confidence been de- ftroyed,"t by its being printed between inverted commas as the genuine words of fir William Dug- dale, whom he actually quotes m the margin: in confequence of which detection, his lordfhip has been fo ingenuous, as, in the lafl edition, to fup prefs the whole pasfage. There may, however, have been fome foundation for the above narrative, as the worthy baronet has infertcd the original charter of John conftable of Chester, by which he gave, fays he, * dcdi 6f concesji, &c hdc prcfenti ckarta conjirmaviy Hugoni de Dutton, Sf hctredibus /uU, magiflrutum omnium leccatorum & meretri- CUM totiui CeitcrQmids, ftcut liberius iilum magi- .^ratutn teneo de comite." Thefe leccatores, it fcems, * Hittorical antiquiHtt, 141. t See Rtiiquet, &c. I, xxxi, Sfc. clxxxvi DISSERTATION ON which fir Peter trunslates Ictchertf may, upon the authority of Du Cange, ftil mean minjlreh; and, from the company they are here found in, it is very properly apply'd. It is not, however, very probable that thefe letchers (or minjlrds if it mull be), with fiddles at their necks, inftead of bils, and accom- pany'd by a parcel of proftitutes, would or could have gone to attack a body of Welflimen, who had allready put to flight the noble and valiant earl of Chester, among whofe gallant actions recorded in the old rimes mention'd by the authour of Ficrs Flowman* this may be one. It appears, in fad, that, in the fourteenth year of king Henry the feventh, *' a quo warranto was brought againft Laurence Dutton of Dutton, efquire, why he claimed all the minjirels of Chelhire, and iii the city of Chester, to meet him at Chester yearly, at the feaft of faint John Baptift, and to give unto him at the faid feaft four bottles of wine and a lance ; and alfo every minjlrel to pay unto him at the faid feaft fourpencelialfpenny ; and why he claimed from every whore, qfficium fnum exercenfe, four pence, to be paid yearly at the feaft aforefaid : whereunto he pleaded prefcription."f At the court held annually for the manor of Dutton, the fteward haveing call'd every minjlrel, and impanel'd a jury, charge'd them to enquire, Whether any man of that profesfion had exercife'd " I can rimes of Robin Hood, and Randal earl of Chester." t Ibi. 142. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, cbcxxtu Atf infinmcnt without Ucenfe infta. the lord of the court, Sfc"* Dugdale, who dcfcribes the congrefs of ^1 the minftrels of CheOiire at Midfummer, and the pro- cesfioD of (hefe minftrels " two and two, and play- ing on their feveral forts of muiical inilrumentS|'' fays not a word of their fongs. *' Forthwith came John of Rampayne, and faw Foukes make fuch forrow. " Sir," fay'd he, " fuf- fer thb forrow to depart, and, if it pleafe god, be* fore to-morrow prime, you ftial hear good news of fir Audulf dc Bracy, for i myfelf will go to fpeak to the king. John of Rampaygne knew enough of the tabotir, the /larp, violuijjitole, SLnd juglery, fo he drew much abundantly with earl or baron ; and caufe'd ftain hb hair and his whole body entirely as black as Jet, fo that nothing was white but hi teeth ; and caufe'd hang about his neck a very handfome tabour; afterward he mounted a fair palfrey, and rode toward the town of Salisbury, as far as the gate of the castle. John came before the king, and put hirafelf on his knees, and faluteed the king very courteously ; the king retum'd him his falutes, and aik'd him whence he was. Sire," fay'd he, '* i am an Ethiopian minftrel, born in Ethiopia." Say'd the king, ** Are ail the people of your country of your colour." " Yes, my lord, roan and woman." ** What fay they in thofe ftrauge realms of me ?" ** Sire," fay'd he, " you are the * Kings y^ royol ers, tabrete, roabrers, clarions, fcdelcrs, wayghies."4' Thofe of king Edward IV. were muficians, " whereof fome, ' were' trompetsy fomc, with the Jliaimes and /malic pypfSy and fome, il range menc coming to the court at [tlie] fyve feaftcs of the year, and then take their wages. .. after iiij. d. ob. by day, &C.I Arle efEngUJk poefo, l89, P. 59. f Rtliques, I, xliii. 4 Hawkiiues HitUrry of Mm/c, II, 107. ffTtjghia were players on the hautboy or other pipes duretng the night, as they arc in many placces ai lhi day. Sec 391. I Iti, ago. cxcviii DISSERTATION ON The " mynftrals" of the earl of Northhumber- land, in the time of king Henry VIII. were no more than ** a taberet, a luyte, and a rebcc.'^* Among the houfehold muficians of king Ed- ward VI. are enumerateed " harpers,Jingers, min- STRELLES ;" \ Avhat was the peculiar office of the laft does not appear ; but it mull be evident, that they were neither ^er nor harpers. In the feaft of Alwyn the bifhop, and dureing pietancia in the hall of the convent of St. Swithin, Winchester, Ax minftrels, with four harpers, made their minftrelfys : and after fupper in the great bow'd chamber of the lord prior, fang the fame geft ; in which chamber was fufpended, as was the custom, the great arras of the prior, haveing the pictures of the three kings of Cologne.4- In an account-roll of the priory of Bicester, in Oxfordfhire, mister Warton found a parallel inftance under the year 1432, by which it appears that four /hillings were giveen to fix minftrels of Buckingham, finging in the refectory The martyrdom ofthefecen Jleepers, in the feaft of the Epiphany. % In the fourth year of king Richard the fecond (13S0), John king of Castille and Leon, duke of Lancaster, by a charter in the French tongue, or- dain'd, conftituteed and asfign'd his wel belove'd * Reliifues, I, Ixxiv. + Hawkins, III, 479. + Regijlr. Priorat. S. Stuithini IPlnton. quoted in the HiS' tory ofEngli/k poetry-f II, 174, n.m. : II, 175. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, cxcix N. N. the king of the minarets withiu his honour of Tutbury, which now is or who for the lime (hal be to take and arreft all the minjirtlt within his fanib honour and franchife, who refufe'd to do their for- vices and rainftielfy to them appertaining to do from ancictit time at Tutbury aforefay'd, annually the day of the asfumption of our lady : giveing and granting to the fuy'd king of the roinftrels fur the time being ful power and command to make them do rcafonablely, justify and conAruin to do their fervicees ann> ftrel, Ailed Roy de North ; and, in the I3th of his fuccc^or, Andrtu Nortis, hia " chier /ergeaunt." Andrew Noreis wi> Toy d^armn dt Nr(h." Anftis, II, 300. cciv DISSERTATION ON ' ' 1 Jlrelfy, and alfo the kerauldes began to cry, SfC." Thefe winjlrels, therefor, would feem to have been the muficians of the array, or military band: trum- peters, it is probable, who, in modern times, are intitle'd to the fame privilege. Edward the fourth, in 14^9, granted a charter, by which he incorporateed Walter Haliday mar- fhal, and feven others of his minftrels to be a fra- ternity or perpetual gild (fuch as, he underftood, the brothers and Jisters of the fraternity of minftrels had in times paft), to be govern'd by a marftial, and by two wardens, who were to admit brothers and fisters into the fay'd gild, and are authorife'd to examine the pretenfions of all fuch as affeded to exereife the minftrel profesfion ; and to regulate, govern, and punifii them throughout the realm (thofe of Chester excepted).* " This," doctor Percy thinks, " feems to have fome refemblance to the earl marshals court among the heralds, and is another proof of the great affinity and refemblance which the minftrels bore to the college of arms." f f This fraternity is never mention'd by any En- gleifli historian; and it is certainly difficult to conceive, for what purpofe thefe minftrels, brothers and fisters, wexe thus incorporateed, unlefs they wei-e to attend the kings army, in the nature of heralds, whenever it went abroad. Alexander Car- lile, an officer, it would feem, of this fraternity, call'd " farjaunt of the mynftrellis," came, it is * Fccdera, XI, 642. + Reliques, I, xlv. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. ccv fay'd, to the king as he lay in bed in the north, in the fame year, in great haft, and badde hym aryfe^ for he had cnemyes cuinmyng for to take him." Tiiis ^Id appears to have continuc'd down to witliin the reign of king Henry the eighth,* It would fecm from the above circumftancc that it was the duty of a party of the roinHreU to accompany the king in his progrefiics. ' The EnglcKh minftrcls, as they were generally cali'd, though the naroc9 of jcatours, or gestourSf jogeloureStjugloureSf, or jug/ers, gfruienien, or glee- meUf magicicnst tregctoum,-^ di/uurff feggas,^ * Rtliqun, I, xlvi. - 9.%.h% hfl t Tregttours are rocntionM by Gower (fo."S8) : ' ' ' " Vfiih Jlcightes of d IregelouTi" and both tragctnurs and magicians by Chaucer, in The houfe /Fame, iii, Iflo. Lydgate, in 7^* dance of Machabree, fuji. pofees Death to addrcfs thus < Maister^ohn Rykell, fometime tregUour Of noble Mcnri king of Englclond, For all ibejleyghlet and turnyng of Ihyne honde Thou muft come near this dame to undcrftonde : For Deth ftioitly, nother on fee nor londe. Is not dysccy ved by noon iilufions." This word is dcrive'd by Tyrwhitt from trtget, deceit, im- posture. t- Thefe two words occur in Robert of Brunnes verfion of The Manuel de peche : *' I mad nought (or no difourt, Ne for feggeri, no harpourt." Thus, too, Gower, fpeaking of the coronation-festival of a Roman emperour: " When he was gladeft at his mete. And every minftrell had plaidt. And e\cry difuur hud /aide. Which moft waspleatiuim to bis ere." (B.T, fb. IV.) ccvi DISSERTATION ON Jiddle'ers, harpers, &c. were by no means uncommon, appear to have undergone a mutation fimiiar to that heretofore obferve'd in the French, the names of the particular branches being confounded in that of the general profesfion. Chaucer, as we have all- ready feen, defines the Jogelour, of his own time, to be a wonder-worker, or flight-of-hand-man, as ihejugler, or Juglour, is at prefent. Again, in Pier* Plowman, fo. 32 : " Save Jake the jugloure, and Jonet of the ftewes." " Aiidjapers, a.nd juglers, and janglers* of geftes." This authour, however, generally ufeses minjirel and gleman as fynonimous. 4^1,. jt Sir John Mandeville, defcribeing the exhibitions he faw at the court of the Grete chan, fays, " And than comen jogulours and enchantoures, that don many marvayllcs, 8fC." William of Naslyngton, in his prologue, warns his readers, " furft at the begynnyng. That i will make na vayn carpynge^ Of dedes of army s, ne of amours, As dus mynjlrallis amdjestours, * Janglers, which frequently occurs in Chaucers Canter- lury tales, is explain'd, by his learned editor, a prateer or habbleer, and has, therefor, no fort of connection or analogy ytithjougelour. It is, at the fame time, from the French ; as, in an old fabliau in the Harley MS. 2253: " yks ejlex tenuz ww janglers." Thus, too, in Chaucers Troilus and Cresjida, V, 755, jong- lerit is a corruption of janglerie: " No force of wickid tongisj on^/ene." ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. ccvH Ttiat makys carpyng in many a pUcc, Of Octovi/ane and of I/antbruJe, And of many othcrjVc/?ej, And namly, when thai come to feeftes." * But though he names both minJireU and Jesfourt^ he does not give them ftveral functions ; as carp' Mg kemi fynonimous with finging. Yet it muil be admited that Adam Davie, actually, or apparently, makes a distinction on this fubjed : " The minfireUftnge, the jogelovrs carpe.** In a narrative of " The departure of the princefs Katherine out of Spainc, together with her arival and reception in England," 1501, printed in the new edition of Lclands Collectanea (V, 352), we read that " ihc and her bdycs call'd for their mut- JirtlU...aitid folace'd themfclves with the disports of dauncing." If " mynftrells" at that period were neither ** trompetts" nor " fakebovi'tts," they were clearly inllrumcntal muficians of no very disfimilar na- ture. f In the progrcfs of the new queen of Scot- land, elder daughter of Henry the feventh, to meet her husband, in the year 1502-3, " Apon the gatt [of Berwick]," as we arc told by an eye-wit- nefs, " war the mynstraylls of the capitayn, playnge of their i}istiiumekts."4- *' After the fouppcr...MYNSTRELLS begonne to blowCf whcr * Kiagi MSS. 17 C VIII. f See Lclands CoUtdanta, IV, a79> M5. 4 Iln. 970. ccviii DISSERTATION ON daunced the qwene accompayned of my lady of Surrey."* After.. .the mynstrells begonne to play a bafle daunce ;" and '* after thys doon, thay playde a rownde."t Thefe, it may be, were the regimental band. It would feem that the minftrels of this oera had a drefs to distinguifh their profesfion. The com- pany defcribe'd by the old authour, whofe words are quoteed, being feated in a tavern, " in comes a noife of muficians, is tawney coats, who taking off their caps, aflced if they would have any mu- sic? The widow anfweied, No; they were merry enough. Tut! faid the old man, let us hear, good fellows, what you can do; and play me The be- ginning of the world" \. With refpe6l to thefe tawney coats; it is wel-known to have been the livery of the bifliop of Winchester, within whofe manor of South wark, and under whofe patronage, licence, and authority, the publick stews at that period flourifli'd. This circumftance is even alludeed to in The firft 'part of king Henry VI, where the cardinal-bifliop of Winchester enters " attended by a train of fervants in xawny Lelands Co//ertae, IV, 283. '' ' + Ibi. 284. See allfo 296. + History of Jack of Newbury, by Tho. Delony. A noije of mvficians was a company of them. In The fccond part of king Henry IV. one of the drawers of The boars head bids his fellow fee if he can find out " Sneaks noife;" mistrefs Tcarftieet being defirous to have fome mufck." ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. ccik co&ts:" and is addrefs'd by the duke of Glou- cester: " Thou, that give'ft whores indulgence's to fin." * Draw, men, for all this privilegecd place; Blue-coals to tawny-coats!" '* Winchcster-goofe,* i cry, a rope! a rope! Out tawny-coats! Out fcarlet hypocrite." Henry Chettle defcribcs Anthoiii/ Now-NoWt a famous minftrcl of his own time, (not Anthony Munday,) as ** an od old fellow ; low of flature, his head covered with a round cap, his body with a tatvney coatCy bis legs and fectc truA uppe in lea- ther buskins, his gray haires and furrowed face witncfsed his age, his treble viol in his hande, as- fured me of his profesjion. On which (by his con- tinual! fawing having left but one firing) after his beft manner, hee gave me a hunts-up."f The beginuig of the icorld appears to have been a favourite tunc. It is luentiun'd, with others, in I ley wood and Rruomes tragi-comedy of T'Ae wtVc^M of Lancq/hire, ltf34. A curious account of the minArel romancees and their vocal and inltrumcntal performers, in the time of queen Elizabeth, is transmited to us by master Puttenham, a courtier, it would feem, and in hit own conceit, a moft elegant and polifh'd writer. A fFinchetler-^oo/e, according to doctor Johnfon, was " ajirvmpri, or the conj^t/umres qfker love." f Kind-UarU drcame, lig. B 3. VOL. I. O ccx DISSERTATION ON " That rime or concord is not commendably ufed both in the end and middle of a verfe.. albeit thefe common rimers ufe it much...fo on the other fide doth the over-bufie and too fpecdy returne of one maner of tune, too much an annoy and as it were glut the eare, unlefs it be in fmall and popular mufickes fong by thefe cantabanqui upon benches and barrels heads, where they have no other au- dience then boys or countrey-fellowes that paffe by them in the ftreete, or elfe by blind harpers, or fuch like taverne minftrels that give a fit of mirth for a groat ; and their matter being for the mo(V part ftories of old time, as the tale of fir Topas, the reportes of Bevis of Southampton, Guy of Warwickc, Adam Bell, and Clymraeof the Clough, and fuch other old romances, or historicall rimes, made purpofely for recreation of the common peo- ple at Chriftmaffe diners and brideales, and in tavernes and alehoufes, and fuch other places of bafe refort."* The rewards of the minftrels, for their mufical and vocal performancees, appear to have been, at leaft on many occafions, confidering the fuperiour value of money in thofe times, by no means con- temptible. In the year 1306, William Fox and Cradock his asfociatc, for finging in the prefence of the prince and other great men being in his com- pany at London, received 20f. The minftrel of the Puttcnham, Arte ofEngliJh poefie, 68. ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY. ccxi countefs Marefchal, doing his minltrelfy before the prince at Penrith, 4/.* In an annual account-roll of the Augusiinc priory of Bicester, for the year 1431, among the ** Dona priuris" is to a harper Sd; to another 12rf; to a certain minftrel of the lord Talbot at Chriftmas I2d; to the minllrels of the lord Strange in the Epiphany, 20 d; to two minflrels of the lord Lovel in the morrow of St. Mark, l6d; to the minftrels of the duke of Glou- cester in the feaft of the Nativity, 5f. \d; and to a certain bean^ard, 4rf.t The prior of Maxtoke id Warwickfhire, in various years of king Henry the fixth, gave to ajugler in the week of St. Michael, 4 fo. 56 : " The table taken up they rife, and all the youth apace. The minjirell with them called, go to fome con- venient place, Where, when with bagpipe hoarcc, he hath begon his muftcke fine. And unto fuch as are prepardc to daunce hath given fignc. Comes thither ftreight, SfC." Sometimes their inftruments wore a drum and fife: for fo Robert Greene, in his Orlando Juriofu, 159+-' " I'll be his minjlrell with my drum an*ijife, Bid him comu forth, and dance it, if he dare." ccxvi DISSERTATION ON Many other inftancees, of the fame kind, might be aded, but thefc may fufiice. Stubs, in his Jnatomie ofabufes, 1583 and 1595, defcribes the rainftrels of his time as a parcel of drunken fockets, and baudy parafilcs," that, fays he, " raunge the countries, riming and finging of unclean, corrupt, and filthy fongs in tavernes, ale- houfes, innes, and other publike asfcmblies... There is no fhip," he exclaims, " fo laden with merchan- dize, as their heads are peftred with al kind of baudy fongs, filthy ballades, and fcurvy rymes, ferving for every purpofe, and for every company. For proof whereof," ads he, " who bee' hauler knaves then they ? who uncleancr then they ? who more licentious, and loofer minded then they ? who more incontinent than they ? and, brief lie, who more inclined to all kind of infolency and leudnefs then they ?.,.I think that al good minftrels, fober and chaft mufitions, may dance the wilde Moris through a needles eye." This fame puritanical fnarler allows that " not- withftanding it were better (in refped of worldly acceptation) to bee a piper, or a baudie minftrell, then a devine, for the one is loved," he fays, " for his ribauldrie, the other hated for his gravitie, wifedome, and fobrietie. Every toune, cittie, and countrey," he ads, " is full of thefe minftrelles to pipe up a daunce to the devill ; but of devines, fo fewe there bee as any male hardely bee feen :" it would have been much the better, indeed, if there ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, ccxvii had been none at all : for, certainly, a pipeer is preferable to a parfon. It is, at the fame time, no fmall compliment to the ntinArels of former agei-s, that, as they were, doubtlefs, much more active and ufeful ; they wore infinitely better pay'd, than the idle and good-for- nothing clergy. * The fraternity of the Holy crofte in Abingdon, in Henry the fixths time.. .did every ycare kcepe a fcaft, and then they ufed to have twelve proiAcs to ling a Dirige, for which they had given them foure pence a peece. They had alfo twelve minftrells, fome from Coventre, and fome from Maydenhith, who had two ftiillinget three pence a piece, bcfides theyre dyet and hc-rfe- njen...Obfene that, in thofc days, they payd theyre minftrells better then theyre preiftes." The em- ployment of thcfe minftrels may be collebcd from a fubfetjuent pasfage, in which the writeer fays that they bad " pageantes, and playes, and May-games to captivat the fences of the zelous beholders, and to allure the people to the greater liberaUty." Another inAance of the fame kind of disparity is relateed by Warton, where four (hiUings were giveen to the fix mimi, or minfircls, and only two Aiiilmgs to the eight prieAs. In the fame year (1441), the prior gives no more than fixpence to a preaching frier.f " From the following entry," fays mister Stee- vens, " on the books of the Aationers' company, ia Liler niger, P.jfli. f II, 100. ccxviii DISSERTATION ON the year 1560, it appears that the hire o{ a. par/on, was cheaper than that of a minjlrelj or a cook: '* Item, payd to the preacher - vi*. iirf. Item, payd to the minftrell - xiis. Item, payd to the coke - - x\s." (Shakfpeare, 1793, XIV, 529 ) It fhould be re- member'd, at the fame time, that the parfons bufy- nefs would be finifli'd in an hour, whereas the cook and the minftrel would be employ'd the whole of the day, and, peradventure, all night too. The onely genuine minftrel-ballads which are known to exift at prefent (except fuch as may have been publifh'd with great inaccuracy and licentious- nefs by the right reverend the lord biftiop of Dro- more, or remain conceal'd in his lordfhips folio raanufcript) are TAe ancient battle of Chevy-chace, The battle of Otterbourne, John Dory, Little Mus- grave and lady Barnard., Lord Thomas and fair Eleanor, and Fair Margaret and fweet William, to which one may, posfiblely, venture to ad John Armjirong and Captain Care ; all which are fome- where or other in print. A fingular and whimfical writeer, name'd Ro- bert Laneham, or Langham, a ^o/eng^amfliire gen- tleman, who appears to have accompany'd Elizabeth in fome of her progrefses, as " dark of the councel chamber door," in " A letter : whearin, part of the entertainment untoo the queenz majesty, at Kil- lingwoorth caftl in Warwick Sheer, in this foomerz progreft 1575, iz fignified: from a freend officer ROMANCE AND MINSTRELSY, ccxix attendant in the coourt, unto his ficond [master Humfrcy Marti'i, mercer] a citizen and merchant of London," and there printed .n the above year, in a fniall volume in biack-lettcr, gives the toih>w- ing curious narrative of '* a ri with his hand, And al Scotland, als fayes the buke, And mani mo, if men will luke, 10 Of al knightes he bare the pryfe, In werld was non fo war ne wife ; Trew he was in alkyn thing, Als it byfel to fwilk a kyng. VOL. I. B 2 YWAINE AND GAWIN. lie made a felle, the foth to fay Opon the Witfononday, At Kerdyf, that es in Wales, And, efter mete, thar in the hales, Ful grete and gay was the asfembl^, Of lordes and ladies of that cuntre, 20 And als of knyghtes war and wyfe, And damifels of mykel pryfe ; Ilkane with other made grete gamin, And grete folace, als thai vvar famin ; Faft thai carped and curtaysly. Of dedes of armes and of venerr. And of gude knightes that lyfed then. And how men might tham kyndeli ken, By doghtiiies of thaire gude dede, On ilka fyde wharefum thai yede: 30 For thai war ftif in ilka ftowre. And tharfore gat thai grete honowre. Thai tald of more trewth tham bitwene,^ Than now omang men here es fene; For trowth and luf es al bylaft. Men ufes now another craft; With worde men makes it trew and ftabil,^ Bot in thair faith es noght bot fabil; I'AVAINE AND GAWIN. 3 With the mowth men makes it hale, Bot trew trowth es nane in the tale. 40 Tharfore her-of now wil i blyn. Of the kyng Arthur i wil bygin, And of his curtayfe ciimpany, That was the flowr of chevalliy; Swiik lofe thai wan with fpereshorde, Over al the world went the worde. After mete went the kyng Into chamber to flei)eing, And alfo went with him the quene, That byheld thai al-bydene, 50 For thai faw tbam never fo On high dayes to chamber go ; Bot fonc when thai war went to Jlepe, Knyghtes fat the dor to kepe, Sir Dedyne, and fir Segramore, Sir Gawayn, and fir Kay, fat thore, And alfo fat ihar fir Ywaine, And Colgrevance of mekyi mayn. This knight that bight Colgrevance Tald his felows of a chance, 60 And of a ftowr he had in bene, And al his tale herd the quene ; 4 YWAINE AND GAWIN. The chamber-dore flio has unfhet, And down oraang tham fcho hir {et ; Sodainii fho fat down right, Or ani of tham of hir had fight ; Bot Colgrevance rafe up in hy, And thar-of had fyr Kay envy, For he was of his tong a Ikalde, And forto bofte was he ful balde. 70 Ow, Colgrevance, faid fir Kay, Fill light of lepes has thou bene ay, ;. , Thou weues now that the fal fall. For to be hendeft of us all ; And the quene fal underftaud, That her es none fo unkunand ; Al if thou rafe, and we fat fl:yll, We ne dyd it for none yll, Ne for no maner of fayntife, Ne for us denyd noght forto rife, 80 That we ne had refen had we hyr fene. Sir Kay, i wote wele, fayd the quene, And it war gude thou left fwilk fawes, And noght defpife fo thi felawes. Madame, he faid, by goddes dome, We ne wift no thing of thi come ; YWAINE AND GAWIN. 5 And if we did noght curtaysly, Takes to no velany ; Bot pray ye now this gcntil man, To tel the tale that he bygan. 90 Colgrevance faid to fir Kay, Bi grcte god, that aw this day, Na mar moves me thi flyt Than it war a flics byt ; Ful oft welc better men than i Has thou dcsfpifed desfpytufcly ; It es ful femeli, als me think, A brok omang men forto ftynk ; So it fars by the, fyr Kay, Of weked wordes has thou bene ay, 100 And fen thi wordes er wikked and fell, This time tharto na root i tell, Bot of the thing that i bygan. And fone fir Kay him anfwerd than, And faid ful tite unto the quene, Madame, if ye had noght her beney We fold have herd a felly cafe, Now let ye us of our folace ; Tharfor, madamc, we wald yow pray, That ye cumand him to fay, 1 10 6 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And tel forth als he had tyght. Than anfwerd that hende knight, Mi lady es fo avyfe. That fcho wii noght cumand me, To tel that towches me to ill, Scho es noght of fo weked will. Sir Kai faid than, ful fraertli, Madam^ al hale this cumpani Praies yow hertly, now omell, :s>;.' uu That he his tale forth might tell ; - :'f j^ If ye wil noght for our praying, > > '< For faith ye aw unto the kyng, Cumandes him his tale to tell. That we mai her how it byfell. Than faid the quene, Sir Colgrevance, I prai the tak to no grevance, This kene karping of fyr Kay, Of weked wordes has. he bene ay, So that none may him chaftife, Tharfor i prai thee, on al wife, 130 That thou let noght for his fawes. At tel to me and thi felawes, Al thi tale how it bytid, For my luf i the pray and byd. YWAINE AND GA\VIN. 7 Scrtes, raadame, that es me lath, Bot for I wil noght mak yow wrath, Yowr cumandment i fal fulfill. If ye will liften me untill ; With hertes and ores underflandes. And i fal tel yow fwilk tithandes, 140 That ye herd never none Hike Rcherced in no kynges rykc ; Bot word fares als dole the wind, Bot if men it in hert bynd ; And wordes wofo trewly tafe By the eres into the hert it gafe ; And in the hert thar es the horde, And knawing of ilk mans worde. Herkens, hende, unto my fpell, Trofels fal i yow nane tell, 150 Ne lefinges forto gcr yow lagh, Bot i fal fay right als i fagh. Now, als this time fex yer, I rade allane, als ye fal her, Obout, forto feke aventurs, Wele armid in gude armurs, In a frith i fand a llrcte, Ful thik and hard, i yow bihete. 8 YWAINE AND GAWIN. With thornes, breres, and moni a quyn, Ner hand al daj- i rade thare-yn, l60 And thurgh i paft, with mekyl payn, Than come i fone into a playn, Whar i gan fe a bretife brade, And thederward ful faft i rade ; I faw the walles and the dyke, And hertly wele it gan me lyke ; And on the draw-brig faw i (land, A knight with fawkon on his hand ; This ilk knight, that be ye balde, Was lord and keper of that halde. IfO I hailfed him kindly, als i kowth, He anfwerd me mildeli with mowih j Mi fterap toke that hende knight. And kindly cumanded me to lyght. His cumandraent i did onane, And into hall fone war we tane. He thanked god, that gude man, Sevyu fithes or ever he blan. And the way that me theder broght. And als the aventurs that i foght. 180 Thus went we in, god do him mede ! And in his hand he led my ftede. YVVAINE AND GAWIN. 9 When we war in that fayrc palays It was ful worthlj wroght always, I faw no man of moder born, Bot a burde hang us biforn, Was now ther of yren, nc of tre, Ne i ne wifl whar-of it might be ; And by that bord bang a mall, The knyght fmate on thar-with-all I90 Thrife, and by then might men fe, Bifore ham come a fair meny^, Curtayfe men in worde and dede, To ftabil fonc thai led mi ftede, A damifel come unto me, The femelieft that ever i fe, Luffumcr lifed never in land, Ilendly fcho toke me by the hand. And Tone that gentyl creature Ai unlaced myne armurc ; 200 Into a chamber Iho mc led. And with a mantil fcho me cled ; It was of purpur, fair and fine. And the pane of richc ermyne ; Al the folk war went us fra, And tbare was none than bot we twa ; 10 YWAINE AND GAVVIN. Scho ferved me hendely to hend, Hir maners might no man amend ; Of tong fho was trew and renable, And of hir femblant foft and (labile ; 210 Ful fain i wald, if that i might, Have woned with that fwete wight : And when we fold go to fopere. That lady, with a luffom cliere, Led me down into the hall, Thar war we ferved wele at all. It nedes noght to tel the mefe, For wonder wele war we at effe. By for me fat the lady bright, Curtaisly my mete to dyght ; 220 tJs wanted nowther baken ne rofte, And, efter foper, fayd myne ofte, That he cowth noght tel the day That ani knight are with him lay, Or that ani aventures foght, Tharfor he prayed me, if i moght, On al wife when i come ogayne, That i fold cum to him fertayne. I faid, Sir, gladly, yf i may, I had bene ihame have faid him nay. 230 yWAINE AND GAWIN. 11 That night had i ful gude rcA, And mi ftcde efed of the bed. Alfune als it was dayes lyght, Forth to far fone was i dyght ; Mi leve of mine oft toke i thaxe, And went my way witb-owten mare, Aventures for to layt in land. A fair forcft fonc i fand, Me thoght mi hap tharc fel ful hard* For thar was maiu a wildc lebard, 24-0 Lions, beres, bath bul and bare, That rew fully gan rope and rare ; Oway i drogh mc, and with that, 1 faw fone whar a man fat, On a lawnd, the fowlcft wight That ever yit man faw in fyght ; He was a lathly creatur, For fowl he was out of mefur ; A wonder mace in hand he hade, And fone mi way to bim i nutde ; 360 Plis hevyd, mc-thought, was als grete Als>of a rowncy or a nete. Unto his belt hang his hare. And efter that by held i mare ; 12 YVVAINE AND GAWIN. To his forhede byheld i than, Was bradder than twa large fpan ; He had eres als ane olyfant, And was wele more than geant ; His face was ful brade and flat ; His nefe was cutted als a cat; 260 His browes war like litel bulkes ; And his tethe like bare tufkes ; A ful grete bulge opon his bak ; Thar was noght made with-owten lac ; His chin was faft until his breft ; On his mace he gan him rest. Alfo it was a wonder wede That the cherle yn yede ; Nowther of wol, ne of line, Was the wede that he went yn. 270 When he me fagh, he ftode up-right, I frayned him if he wolde fight, For tharto was i in gude will, Bot als a belle than ftode he ftill ; I hopid that he no wittes kowth, No refon forto fpeke with mowth. To him i fpak ful hardily, And faid. What ertow, belamy ? YWAINE AND GAWIN. 13 He faid ogain, I am a man. I faid, Swilk faw i never nanc ; 280 What ertow ? al fonc faid he. I faid, Swilk als thou her may fe. I faid, What dofe thou here allane ? He faid, I kcpe thir bcftes ilkane. I faid, That es mervailc think me. For i herd never of man bot the. In wildernes, ne in foreftes, That kepeing had of wilde belles, Bot thai war bundcn fad in halde. He fayd, Of thir es none fo balde, 290 Nowther by day ne bi night, Anes to pas out of mi fight. I fayd. How fo ? tel mc thi fcill* Perfay, he faid, gladly i will. He faid, In al this fair foreftc Ya thar none fo wilde belle. That renin dar bot ftil Aand, When i am to him cumand; And ay, when that i wil him fang, With mi fingers, that cr Urang, 300 I ger him cri, on fwilk manere. That al the bcftes when thai him here. Mr YWAINE AND GAWIN. Obout me than cum thai all, And to mi fete faft thai fall, On thair maner merci to cry ; Bot underftand now, redyli, Olyve es thar lifand no ma, Bot i, that durft omang tham ga, That he ne fold fone be al to-rent, Bot thai er at my comandment; 310 To me thai cum, when i tham call, And i am maifter of tham all. Than he asked, onone right. What man i was. I faid, A knyght, That foght aventurs in that land, My body to afai and fande : And i the pray of thi kownfayle, Thou teche me to fum mervayle. He fayd, I can no wonders tell, Bot her-bifyde es a well, 320 Wend theder, and do als i fay, Thou pafses noght al quite oway. Folow forth this ilk ftrete. And fone fum mervayles fal thou mete, The well es under the faireft tre, That ever was in this cuntr^; TWAINS AND GAWIN. 15 By that well hinges a bacyne, That es of gold gudc and fyne, With a cheyne, trewly to tell , That wil reche into the well. 330 Thare es a chapel ner thar-by, That nobil es, and ful lufely. By the well ftandes a ftane, Tak the bacyn fonc onane, And caft on water with thi hand, And fone thou fal fe new tithand. A ftormc fal rife, and a tcmpefl, Al obout by eft and weft ; Thou ful here mani tiionor blaft, Al obout the blawand faft ; 340 And theie fal cum flik ftcte and rayne. That unnefc ful thou ftand ogayne ; Of lightnes fal thou fe a iowc, Unnethcs thou fal thi-felven knowe ; And if thou pas with-owten grcvance, Than has thou the faireft chance That ever yit had any knyght That thcdcr come to kyth his myght. Than toke i levo, and went my way, And rade unto the midday ; 350 16 YVVAINE AND GAWIN.' By than i come whare i fold be, I faw the chapel and the tre ; Thare i fand the fayreft thorne, That ever groued fen god was bom ; So thik it was with leves grene, Might no rayn cum thar-bytwene, And that grenes laftes ay, For no winter dere yt may. I fand the bacyn, als he talde. And the wel with water kalde, 360 An amerawd was the ftane, Richer faw i never nane, On fowr rubyes on heght ftandand, Thair hght lafted over al the land ; And when i faw that femely fyght, It made me bath joyful and lyght ; I toke the bacyn fone onane, And helt water opon the ftane : The weder wex than wonder blak, And the thoner faft gan crak, 370 Thar come flike ftormes of hayl and rayn, Unnethes i might ftand thare-ogayn ; The ftore windes blew ful lowd. So kene come never are of clowd ; YWAINE AND GAWIN. 17 I was drevyn with fnaw and fletc, Unnethes i might (land on my fete ; In my face the levening fmatc, I wend have brent, fo was it hate. That weder made me fo will of rede, I bopid foiie to have my dede ; 380 And, fertes, if it lang had laft, I hope i had never thethin pad ; Bot, thorgh his might that tholed wownd, The ftorme fefcd within a ftownde ; Than wcx the weder fayr ogayne, And tbarof was i wonder Eiync ; For bcfl comfoi th of ai thing s folacc eftcr royslikeing. Than faw i fone a mery fyght, Of al the fowles that er in 6yght 39O Lighted fo thik open that tre, That bogh no lefe none might i fe ; So mcrily than gon thai fing. That al the wode began to ring ; Ful mery was the melody, Of thaire fang and of thaire cry; Thar herd never man none fwilk, Bot if ani had herd that ilk ; VOL, I. C f 18 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And when that mcry dyn was done Another noyfe than herd i fone, 400 Als it war of horsmen, Mo than owther nyen or ten. Sone than faw i cum a knyght, In riche armurs was he dight, And fone when i gan on him loke, Mi flielde and fper to me i toke ; That knight to me hied ful faft, And kene wordes out gan he caft ; He bad that i fold tel him tile Whi i did him fwilk defpite, 410 With weders wakend him of reft, And done him wrang in his foreft ; Tharfore, he faid, thou fal aby, And with that come he egerly, And faid, i had, ogayne refowne, Done him grete deftrucciowne. And might it nevermore amend, Tharfor he bad i fold me fend ; ^ And fone i fmate him on the fhelde, Mi fchaft brae out in the felde, 420 And then he bar me fone bi ftrenkith Out of my fadel my fperes lenkith. YWAINE AND GAWIN. 19 I wate that he was largely By the Omldres mare than i, And, bi the (led that i fal thole, Mi Aede by his was but a Me; For mate i lay down on the grownde. So was i ftonayd in that ftowndc. A wordc to me wald he noght fay, Bot toke my ftcde, and went his way. 430 Ful farily than thare i (at For wa i wift noght what was what. With my ftcde he went in hy, The fame way that he come by. And i durft folow him no I'crr, For dout me fulde bile werr. And alfo yit, by goddes dome, I ne will what he by come. Than i thoght how i had hight Unto myne ofte, the bende knyght, 440 And alfo til his lady bryght. To com ogiiyii, if that i myght ; Mine armurs left i thare iliiaiie, For els myght i noght have gane ; Unto myne in i come by day ; The hcnde knight, and the fay re may, 20 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Of my come war thai ful glade, And nobil femblant thai me made, In al thinges thai have tham born, Als thai did the night biforn. 450 Sone thai will whare i had bene. And faid, that thai had never fene Knyght, that ever iheder come, Take the way ogayn home. On this wife that tyme i wroght, I fand the folies that i foght. Now, fekerly, faid fir Ywayne, Thou ert my cofyn jermayne, Trew luf fuld be us bytwene, Als fold bytwyx brether beiie, 460 Thou ert a fole, at thou ne had are Tald me of this ferly fare, For, fertes, i fold onone ryght Have venged the of that ilk knyght j So fal i yit, if that i may* And than als fmertly fayd fyr Kay: He karpet to tham wordes grete : It es fene now es efter mete. Mare bofte es in a pot of wyne. Than in a karcas of faynt Martyne ; . 4/0 YWAINE AND GAWIN. 21 Arme the fmertly, fyr Ywayne, And Tunc that thou war cumen ogayne, Luke thou fil welc tbi panele, And in thi radel fet the wele ; And when thou wendes, i the pray, Thi baner wele that ihou defplay ; And rede i, or thou wende, Thou tak thi leve at ilka frende; And if it fo bytide this nyght, That the in flepe dreche ani wight, 480 Or any drerais mak the rad, Turn ogayn, and fay i bad. The quene anfwerd, with mildu mode, And faid, Sir Kay, ertow wodc i What the devyl es the withyu, At thi tong may never blyn Thi felows fo fowly to fhcnde ? Series, fir Kay, thou ert unhende. By him that for us fuflerd pine, Syr, and thi tong war myne, 4^0 I fold bical it tytc of trefun. And fo might thou do by gude refon ; Thi tong dofc the grcte dishonowrc, And tharefore is it tbi traytowre. 22 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And than alfone fyr Ywayne Ful hendly anfwerd ogayne; Al if men fayd hym velany, He karped ay ful curtaysly : Madame, he faid unto the quene, Thare fold na ftryf be us bytwene, 500 Unkowth men wele may he fliende, That to his felows es fo unhende; And als, madame, men fays fertayne, That wofo flites, or turnes ogayne. He bygins al the melle, So wil i noght it far by me ; Lates him fay halely his thoght. His wordes greves me right noght. Als thai war in this fpekeing, Out of the chamber come the kyng, 510 The barons that war thare fcrtayn, Smertly rafe thai him ogayne. He bad tham fit down albydene, And down he fet him by the quene ; The quene talde him, fayr and wele, Als (ho kowth, everilka dele, Ful apertly, al the chance, Als it byfel fyr Colgrevance. YWAINE AND GAWIN. tS When (ho had taldc him how it ferd. And the king hyr tale had herd, 520 He fwar by his owyn crowne, And his faderfowl, Uter-Pendragowne, That he fold fe that ilk fyght, By that day thethin a fowretenight. On fttint Johns cvyn the baptift, That bed barn was under Crift : Swith, he fayd, weudcs with me, Whofo wii that wonder fe. The kynges word might noght be hid, Over al the cowrt fone was it kyd, 530 And thar was none fo litel page That he ne was ayn of tiiat vayage. And knyghtcs and fwiers war ful fayne, Mysliked none bot fyr Ywayne ; To himfelf he made gretc mane. For he wald have went allane ; In hert he had grete mysiyk3mg For the wending of the kyng, Al for he hopid, withowten fiiyle, That fir Kay fold aik the batayle, 540 Or els fir Gawayn, knyght vailant, And owtlier wald the king grant. 24, YWAINE AND GAWIN. Whofo it wald firft crave, Of tham two, fone might it have. . The kynges wil wald he noght bide, Worth of him what may bityde, Bi him allane he thoght to wende, And talc the grace that god wald send. He thoght to be wele on hys way, Or it war pafsed the thryd day, 550 And to afay if he myght mete With that ilk narow ftrete. With thornes and with breres fet. That mens way might lightli let j And alfo forto fynd the halde That fir Colgrevance of talde, The knyght and the mayden meke. The foreft faft than wald he feke. And als the karl of Kaymes kyn, And the wilde beftes with him ; 560 The tre with briddes thare^opon ; The chapel, the bacyn, and the (tone. His thoght wald he tel to no frende. Until he wyft how it wald ende. Than went Ywaine to his yn, His men he fand redy thareyn. y^VAINE AND GAWIN. 25 Unto a fwier gan he faye, Go fwith, and fadcl my palfray, And fo thou do my ftrang ftcde, And tak with the my beft wede, 570 At yone yale i wil out-ryde, Withowten town i fal the bide. And hy the fraertly unto me, For i inoft make a jome, Ogain fill thou bring my palfra, And foibcde the oght to fay, If thou wil any more mc fe, Lat none wit of my prevetfe; And if ani man the oght frayn, Luke now lely that thou layn. 580 Sir, he faid, with ful gude will, Als ye byd, i fal fulfyll; At yowr awyn wil may ye ride, For me ye fal noght be afcryed. Forth than went fir Ywayne, He thinkes, or he cum ogaync, To wreke his kofyn at his royght ; Tlie fquier has his hernays dyght. He did right als his mayfter red, Uii ftedc, his armurs, he him led. 690 26 YWAINE AND GAWIN. When Ywayn was withowten town, Of his palfray lighted he down, And dight him right wele in his wede, And lepe up on his gude ftede. Furth he rade onone right, Until it neghed nere the nyght, He pafsed many high mowntayne, In wildernes, and mony a playne, Til he come to that lethir fty. That him byhoved pafs by ; 600 Than was he feker forto fe The wel, and the fayre tre ; The chapel faw he at the laft, And theder hyed he ful fall ; More curtayfi and mor honowr Fand he with tham in that tour, And mar conforth, by mony falde, Than Colgrevance bad him of talde : That night was he herberd thar, So wele was he never are. 6lO At morn he went forth by the ftrete, And with the cherel fone gan he mete, That fold tel to him the way. He fayned him, the foth to fay, yWAINE AND GAWIN. 27 Twenty fith, or ever he Wan, Swilk mervayle had he of that man ; For he had wonder that nature Myght male fo fowl a creature. Than to the well he ratle gudc pafe, And doun he lighted in that place, 620 And fone the bacyn has he tane, And keft water upon the ftane. And fone thar wcx, withowten fayle, Wind, and thonor, and rayn, and haHe. When it was fefed, than faw he Tlie fowles light opon the tre. Thai fang ful fayre opon that thorn. Right als thai had done byfom; And fone he faw cumand a knight, Als faft fo the fowl in flyght> 630 With rude fcmbland, and fterne chcr, And haftily he noghed nere ; To fpeke of lufe nu time was thar, For aither hated uther ful far ; Togcdcr fmerlly gan thai drive, Thftir Iheldcs fone bigan to ryve, Thair i '^ Of tham al mak tho a* force, Bot when that thai fal ber the cors Unto the kyrk forto bery, ' ^ Than fal thou here a fiiry crj; So fal thai mak a dolefiul dy. Than wil thay feke the eft herin ; 780 Bot loke thou be of hert lyght, For of the inX Uim \Mt% no fygbt ; VOL I. D 34 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Her fal thou be mawgre thair berd, And tharfor be thou noght aferd ; Thi famen fal be als the blynd, Both byfor the and byhind ; On ilka fide fal thou be foght : Now moft i ga, bot drede the noght, For i fal do that the es lefe, , If al it turn me to mischefe. J go When ftio come unto the yate, Ful many men fand fho tharate, Wele armed, and wald ful fayn Have taken and flane fir. Ywaine, Half his ftede thar fand thai, That within the yates lay, Bot the knight thar fand thai noght, Than was thar mekil forow unfoght, Dore ne window was thar nane "NVhar he myght oway gane. 800 Thai faid he fold thare be laft. Or els he cowth of wechecraft, Or he cowth of nygromappy, Or he had wenges for to fly, Haftily than went thai all, And foght him in the maydeus hall, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 35 In chambers high, es noght at hide, And in folers on ilka fide. Sir Ywaine faw ful welc al that, And ftill opon the bed he fat ; 810 Thar was nane that ancs mynt Unto the bed at fmyte a dynt, Al obout thai fniate fo faft That mani of thair wapins braft. MekyI forow thai made ilkane, For thai no myght wreke thair lord bane. Thai went oway, with dreri chere. And fone tharefter come the ber, A lady folowd, white fo mylk, In al that land was none fwilk ; 820 Sho wrang her fingers, out-braft the blode, For mekyl wa ftio was nere wode, Hir fayr har fcho alto drogh, And ful oft fel fho down in fwc^h ; Sho wepe, with a ful dreri voice. Tlie hali water, and the croycc, Was bom bifor the procesfion, Thar folowd mani a modcr fon. Bifore the cors rade a knyght, On his ftede that was ful wight, 830 36 YWAINE AND GAWIN. In his armurs wele amyd, With fper and target gudely grayd. Than fir Ywayn hetd the cry, And the dole of that fayr lady, For mor forow myght nane have Than fho had when he went to grave. Preftes and monkes, on thaire wyfe, Ful folempnly did the fervyfe, Als Lunet thar ftode in the thrang, Until fir Ywaine thoght hir lang, 840 Out of the thrang the wai (ho tafe. Unto fir Ywaine faft (ho gafe ; Sho faid, Sir, how ertow ftad ? I hope ful wele thou has bene rad. Series, he faid, thou fais wele thar, So abayft was i never are. He faid, Leman, i pray the, If it any wife may be, That i might luke a litel throw Out at fum hole or fum window ; S50 For wonder fayn, he fay d, wald i Have a fight of the lady. The maiden than ful fone unfhet In a place a prev^ weket, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 87 Thar of the lady he had a fyght, Lowd ftio cried to god alinyght, " Of his fins do him pardowne. For fertanly in no regyowne Was never knight of his bewtd, Nc efter him fal never nane be ; 8^0 In al the vrerld, fro end to ende, E none fo curtayfc, ne fo hende. God grant the grace thou mai won In hevyn with his owyn fon ! For fo large lifcs none in lede, Ne none fo doghty of gude dedc." When (ho had thus made hir fpell, In fwownyg ful oft-fithes flio fell. Now lat we the lady be, And of fir Ywaine fpcke we. S70 Luf that es fo mekil of raayne, Sar had wownded fir Ywayne, That wharcfo he fal ride or ga His hert (ho has that es his fet. His hert he has fet albydeue Whar him fcif dar noght oe fcne ; Bot thus in langing bides he, And hopes that it lal better be* 82853 38 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Al that war at the enteremeiit Toke thair leve at the lady gent, 880 And hame now er thai halely gane, And the lady left allane, Dweland with hir chamberer, And other mo that war hir der. Than bigan hir noyes al new, For forow failed hir hide and hew. Unto his fawl was fho ful hulde, Opon a fawter al of guide, To fay the falmes faft flio bigan, And toke no tent unto no man. 890 Than had fir Ywain mekyl drede, For he hoped noght to fpede. He faid, I am mekil to blame. That i luf tham that wald me fhame, Bot yit i wite hir al with wogh, . Sen that i hir lord flogh, I can noght fe, by nakyn gyn, How that i hir Inf fold wyn. That lady es ful gent and fmall, Hir yghen cler als es criftall ; 900 Sertes thar es no man olive '* That kowth hir bewtefe wele defcrive. YWAINE AND GAWTN. 39 Thus was fyr Ywayne fted that fefowne, He wroght fu raekyl ogayns refowne, To fet his luf in fwilk a ftedc, Whare thai hated him to the dede : He fayd he fold have hir to wive, Or els he fold lofe his lyve. Thus als he in ftody fat. The mayden come to him with that : 910 Sho fayd, How has to fam this day, Sen that i went fro the oway ? Sone (ho faw him pale and wan, Sho will weic what him ayled than ; Sho faid, I wotc thi hert es fet, And fertes i nc fal noght it let, Bot i fal help the fra prefowne. And bring the to thi warifowne. He faid, Series, damyfele. Out of this place m\ i noght ftele, 920 Bot i wil wende by dayes lyght. That men may of me have fight, Opinly on ilka fyde. Worth of mc what fo bityde ; Manly wil i hothin wende. Than anfwerd the raaydea hende : 40 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Sir, thou fai wend with honowr, For thou fal h,ave ful gude focowr ; Bet, fir, thou fal be her fertayne, A while unto i cum ogayue : 530 Sho [kend] altrewly his entent, And tharfor es fho wightly went Unto the lady faire and bright, For unto hir right wele fho myght Say what-fom hyr willes es, For fho was al hir mayflres. Her keper, and hir cownfayler : To hir fho faid,^ ak ye fel her, Bytwix tham twa in gude cownfayl : Madame, flio fayd, i have mervayl 94O That ye forow thus ever onane ; For goddes luf lat be yowr mane ; Ye fold think over alkyn thyng, Of the kinges Arthurgh curayng. Menes yow noght of the mesfage Of the damyfel favage, That in hir lettre to yow fend ; Alias, who fal yow now defend, Yowr land, and al that es tharyn ? Sen ye wil never of wepeing blyn. 950 YWAINE AND GAWIN. 41 A madamc, takes tent to rae. Ye ne have na knyght in this cuntre, That diirft right now his body bede. Forte do a doghty dede, Ne forto bide the mekil bofte Of king Arthurgh and of his ofte, And if he find none hym ogayn, Yowr landes er lorn, this es fertayn. The lady underftode ful wele How fho hyr cownfaild ilka dele, g60 Sho bad hyr go hir way fraertly, And that (ho war na mor hardy Swilk wordes to hyr at fpeke, For wa hir hert wold alto breke. Sho bad go wightly hethin oway. Than the maiden thus gan fay : Madame, it es oft wemens will Tham forto blame that fois tham fcilL Sho went oway als (ho noght roght^ And than the lady hyr bythoght 970 That the maiden faid no wrang, And fo (ho fat in (tody lang. In (tody thus allane (lio fat, * The maydcn come ogaya with that : 42 YVVAINE AND GAWIN. Madame, flio faid, ye er a barn. Thus may ye fone yowr felf forfarn. Sho fayd, chaftife thy hert madame, To fwilk a hidy it es grete fhame Thus to wepe, and make Hike cry, Think upon thi grete gentri. 980 Trowes thou the flowr of chevalry Sold al with thi lord dy, And with him be put in molde ? - God forbede that it fo folde ! Als gude als he, and better bene. Thou lyes, (ho fayd, by hevyn quene. Lat fe if thoue me tel kan, Whar es any fo doghty man Als he was that wedded me. ** Yis, and ye kun me na mawgr^, 990 And that ye mak me fekemes, That ye fal luf me nevertheles." Sho faid. Thou may be ful fertayn, Th^t for na thing that, thou mai fayn, Wil i me wreth on nane maner. Madame, fho faid, than fal ye her : I fal yow tel a prevet^. And na ma fal wit bot we. YWAINE AND GAWIN, 43 Yf tvra knyghtes be in the felde. On twa ftcdes, with fpere and flielde, 1000 And the tane the tothcr may fla, Whether es the better of tha ? Sho faid, Me that has the bataile. Ya, faid the inayden, fawnfayle, The knyght that lifos es mar of maine, Than yowr lord that was flayne ; Yowr lord fled out of the place, And the tother gan hym chace Hedcr into his awyn halde, Thar may ye wit he was ful balde. 1010 The lady faid, This es grete fcome. That thou nevyns him me bifonie. Thou fais nowlher foth, ne right, Swith out of myne eghen fyght I The mayden faid, So mot i the, Thus ne hight ye noght me. That ye fold fo me mysfay. With that flio turned hir oway, And hailily (ho went ogayn, Unto the chameber to fir Ywayne. 1020 The lady thoght than, al the nyght, How that Iho had na knyght, 4 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Forto feke hir land thoi^hout, To kepe Arthurgh and hys rowt. Than bigan hir forto Ihame, And hir felf fall forto blame ; Unto hir felf faft gan fho flyte. And faid, With wrang now i hir wite ; Now hopes fho i will never mar Luf hir, als i have done ar J 1030' I wil hir luf, with main and mode. For that Iho faid was for my gode. On the morn the mayden rafe, And unto chamber fone fho gafe ; Thar fho fyndes the faire lady Hingand hir hevyd ful drerily, In the place whar fho hir left. And ilka dele fho talde hir eft, Als fho had faid to hir hifor. : Than faid the lady. Me rewes for, 1040 That i misfayd the yifterday, I wil amend if that i- may ; Of that knyght now wald i her, What he war, and whether he wer j I wate that i have fayd omys. Now wil i do als thou^me wys : YWAINE AND GA\VIN. 45 Tel me baidcly, or thou blin, If he be cumen of gentil kyn. Madame, fho faid, i dar warand A genteler lord es none lifand. 1050 The hendefl man ye fal him fynde, That ever come of Adams kynde. " How hat he ? fai me for fertayne." Madame, fho faid, fir Ywayne, So gentil knight have ye noght fone, ^ He es the kings fon Uryenc. Sho held hir paid of that tithyng, For that his fader was a kyng. *' Do me have him here in my fight, Bitwene this and the thrid night, ' t060 And ar if that it are myght be. Me langes far him forto fc ; Bring him if thou mai this night." Madame, (ho fayd, that i ne might. For his wonyng es hcthin oway, More than the jom6 of a day ; Bot i have a wele rinand page, Wil Qirt thider right in a llage. And bring him by to morn at nyght. The lady faide, Loke, yf he myght 1070 46 YWAINE AND GAWIN. To-morn by evyn be here ogayn. Sho faid, Madame, With al his mayn, " Bid him hy, on alkyn vvyfe, He fal be quit wele his fervyfe, Avancemtnt fal be hys bone, If he wil do this eraud fone." Madame, fho faid, i dar yow hight, To have him her or the thrid nyght ; Towhils efter yowr kownfayl fend, And alk tham wha fal yow defend, 1080 Yowr well, yowr land, kastel, and towr, Ogayns the nobil king Arthur, For thar es nane of tham ilkane That dar the batel undertane. Than fal ye fay, nedes bus me take A lorde to do that ye forfake : Nedes bus yow have fum nobil knyght That wil and may defend yowr right ; And fais alfo to fufFer ded Ye wil noght do out of thair rede : IO9O Of that worde fal thai be blyth. And thank yow ful many fithe. The lady faid. By god of myght, I fal arefon tham this night; YWAINE AND GAWIN. 47 Me think thou dwelles ful lang her, Send forth fwith thi mesfanger. Than was the lady blith and glad, Sho did al als hir inaydcn bad, Efler hir cownfai.l (ho fent onane, And bad thai fold cum fone ilkane. 1100 The maiden rcdies hyr ful rath, Bilive (ho gert fyr Ywaine bath, And clcd him fethin in gudc fcarlct, Forord wele and with gold fret, A girdcl ful riche for the nanes, Of perry and of preciows (lanes. Sho talde him al how he fold do, When that he come the lady to ; And thus when he was alredy, Sho went and talde to hyr lady, 1 1 10 That cumcn was hir mesfager. Sho faid fmcrtly, Do lat me her, Cumes be fone, aU have thou wyn ? Medame, (ho faid, i fal noght blin, Or that he be byfor yow here. limn faid the lady, with light cher, Go biing liim heder prcvclyf That none wit but thou and i : 4* YWAINE AND GAWIN. Than the maiden went ogayn, Haftily to fir Ywayn : 1 120 Sir, (ho fayd, als have i wyn, , My lady wate thou ert hereyn ; To cum bifor hir luke thou be balde, And tak gode tent what i have talde. By the hand fho toke the knyght, And led him unto chamber right, Byfor hir lady, es noght at layne, And of that come was fho ful fayne ; Hot yit fir Ywayne had grete drede, When he unto chamber yede. 1130 The chamber flore, and als the bed, With klothes of gold was al over fpred, Hir thoght he was withowten lac, Hot no word to him fho fpak, And he for dred oway he drogh, Than the mayden flode and logh : Sho fayd, Mawgre have that knyght, That haves of fwilk a lady fyght, And can noght fhew to hir his nede ; Cum furth fir, the thar noght drede, 1 140 That mi lady wil the fmyte, Sho loves the wele withowten lite. YWAINE AND GAWIN. 49 Pray to hir of bir mercy, And for thi fake right fu fal i, That fho forgif the, in this ftede. Of Salados the roufe ded, That was hir lord that thou has flayoe. On knefe bim fet than fyr Ywaine : ** Madame, i yelde rac yow untill, Ever to be at yowre wyll, 1160 Yf that i might i ne wald n<^ht fie. Sho faid, Nay, whi fold fo be ? To ded yf i gert do the now. To me it war ful litcl prow, Bot for i find the fo bowfum, That thou wald thus to me cum, And for thou dofe the in my grace, I forgif the thi trifpafe. Syt down, fho faid, and lat me her. Why thou ert thus deboner. 1 16O Madame, he faid, anis, with a iuke, Al my bert with the thou toke. Sen i firil of the iiad fyght, Have i the lufcd with al my might, To mo than the, mi lady hende, Sal never mor ray luf wende. TOL. I. 50 YWAINE AND GAWIN. For tin luf ever i am rcdy Lely for to lif or dy. Sho faid, Dar thou wele undertake In my land pefe forto make, 1 170 And forto maiutene al mi rightes, Ogayns king Arthur and his knyghtes ? He faid, That dar i undertane, Ogaynes ilka lyfand man. Swilk kownfail byfor had fho tane, Sho faid, Sir, than er we at ane. Hir barons hir ful rathly red To tak a lord hir forto wed. Than haftily the went to hall, Thar abade hir barons all, 1180 Forto bald thair parlement, And mari hir by thair afent. Sho fayd, Sirs, with an acorde, Sen me bus nedely have a lord, My landes forto lede and yeme, Sais me fone howe ye wil deme. Madame, thai faid, how fo ye will, Al we fal asfent thartyll. Than the lady went ogayne. Unto chameber to fir Ywaine: 1190 Y^VAINE AND GAWIN. 51 Sir, fho faid, fo god me fave, Other lorde wil i nane have, If i the left i did noght right, A kingfon and a noble knyght. Now has the maiden done hir thoght. Sir Ywaync out of anger broght. The lady led him unto hall, Ogains him rafe the barons ally ^ And al thai faid, Ful fekerly. This knight fal wed the lady; 1200 And ilkane faid, tham-felf bitwene, So fair a man had thai noght fcne, For his bewt^ in hal and bowr^ Him femes to be an cmperowr ; We wald that thai war trowth-pligbt, And weded fone this ilk nyght. The lady fet hir on the defe, And cumand al to hald thaire pefe ; And bad hir fteward furawhat fay, Or men went fra cowrt oway : 1210 The fteward faid. Sirs, underilandes, Wcr es waxen in thir landes, The king Arthur es redy dight To be her byn this fowretenyght. 52 YWAINE A?JD GAWIN. He and his menye ha thoght To win this land if thai raoght ; Thai wate ful wele that he es ded That was lord her in this ftede, None es fo wight wapins to welde, Ne that fo boldly mai us belde, 1220 And wemen may maintene no ftowr, Thai jnoft nedes have a governowre, Tharfor mi ladv moft nede Be weded haftily for drede, And to na lord wil Iho tak tent Bot if it be by yowr asfent. Than the lordes, al on raw, Held tham wele payd of this faw, Al asfented hyr untill To tak a lord at hyr owyn wyll. 1230 Than faid the lady, onone right, How hald ye yow paid of this knight ? He profers hym, on al wyfe. To myne honor and my fervyfe ; And fertes, firs, the foth to fay, I faw him never or this day ; Bot talde unto me has it bene He es the kyngfon Uriene, YWAINE AND GAWIN, 5 He es cumen of hegh parage, And wonder dogbty of vasfelagc, 1240 War and wife and ful curtayfe. He yernes mc to wife alwayfe, And Iter the lefe i wate he might Have wele better, and fo war right. With a voice halely thai fayd, Madame, ful wele we bald us payd ; Bot haftes faft, al that ye may, That ye war wedded this ilk day : And grete prayer gan tliai make, On alwife that (ho fuld hym take. ^ 1250 Sone unto the kirk thai went, And war wedded in thair prefent; Thar wedded Ywaine in plevyue The riche lady Alundyne, The dukes doghter of Landuit ; U had hyr lande bene dcAruyt. Thus thai made the maryage, Omang al the nche bamage. Thai made ful mekyl mirth that day, Ful grete feftes on gude aray. 12^ Grete mirthes made thai in that ftede. And al forgetyn cs now the de Lo, at thi will, Fra this time forth i fal be ftill. 12J)0 The king keft water on tlie ftane, The ftorme rafe ful fone onane, With wikked wcders kene and calde, Als it was byfore-hand talde ; The king and his men ilkane Wend tharwith to have bene flanc ; So blew it Aor with flete and rayn : And haflily than fyr Ywayne Dight him graythly in his gcr, With nobil (hclde and ftrong fper. 1300 When he was dight in feker wcde^ Than he umftrade a nobil ftede, Him thoght that he was als lyght, Als a fowl cs to the flyght, Unto the well faft wendes he, And fone when thai rayght him fe, Syr Kay, for he wald noght fayle, Smertly afkcs the batayl ; And alfone than faid the kyng, Sir Kay, i grante the thine afltyng. 13 jo 66 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Than fir Ywayn neghed tham ner, Thair cowntenance to fe and her ; Sir Kay than on big ftede gan fpring. Ber the wele now, fayd the kyng. Ful glad and bhth was fyr Ywayne, When fir Kay come him ogayn ; Bot Kay wift noght wha. it was, He findes his fer now or he pas ; Syr Ywaine thinkes now to be wroken, On the grete wordes that Kay has fpoken. 1320 Thai rade togeder with fperes kene, Thar was no reverence tham bitwene ; Sir Ywayn gan fir Kay bere, Out of his fadel lenkith of his fper, His helm unto the erth fmate, A fote depe tharin yt bate ; He wald do him na mor defpite, Bot down he lighted als tyte. Sir Kay fl;ede he toke in hy, And prefand the king ful curtaysly, 133 Wonder glad than war thai all, That Kay fo fowl a ihame gan fall, And ilkone fayd til other then, This es he that fcornes al men. YWAINE AND GAWIN. gf Of his wa war thai wele paid. Syr Vwain than to the kyng faid> Sir kyng, i gif to the this ftede, For he may help the in thi n&hf And to me war it grete trispaa Forto withhald that yowres was. 1340 What man ertuw ? quod the kyng^ Of the have i na knawyng, Bot if thou unarmed were. Or els thi name that i might her. Lord, he fayd, i am Ywayue. Than was the king ferly fayne. A furi man than was lir Kay, That faid that he was ftollea oway, Al dcfcumfite he l^y on grownde, To him that was a iary ftowode. 1350 The king and his men war ful glad, That thai fo fyr Ywayne had, And ful glad was At Gawayne Of the welcfar erf fir Ywayne, For name was to him half fo der "Of al that in the court were. The king fir Ywayo fonc bifoght. To tel him al how he had wioght, 58 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And fone fir Ywaine gan him tell Of al his far how it byfell, 1360 With the knight how that he fped, And how he had the lady wed, And how the mayden hym helpid wele : Thus tald he to him ilka dele. Sir kyng, he fayd, i yow byfeke, And al yowr menye milde and meke, That ye wald grante to me that grace At wend with me to my purchace, And fe my kastel and my towre, Than myght ye do me grete honowr. I370 The kyng granted him ful right To dwel with him a fowretenyght. Sir Ywayne thanked him oft fith, The knyghtes war al glad and blyth With fir Ywaine forto wend, And fone a fquier has he fend : Unto the kastel the way he nome, And warned the lady of thair come, And that his lord come with the kyng ; And, when the lady herd this thing, 1380 It es no lifand man with mowth That half hir cumforth tel kowth. YWAINE AND GAWIN. Haftily that lady hende Cumand al hir men to wende. And dight tham in thair bed aray. To kepc the king that ilk day. Thai keped him in riche wede, Rydeand on many a nobil ftede, Thai hail fed him ful curtaysly, And alfo al his cumpany. 1390 Thai faid he was worthy to dowt, That Co fele folk led obowt. Thar was grete joy, i yow bihete, With clothes fpred in ilka ftrete, And damyfels danceand ful wele, With trompes, pipes, and with fristele ; The castel and cete rang With mynftralfi and nobil fang; Thai ordand tham ilkane in fer, To kepe the king on fair maner. 1400 The lady went withowten towne, And with hir many bald barownc, Cled in purpur and ermyne, With girdels al of gold ful fyne. The lady made ful meri chere, Sho was al dight with drewrios der ; 60 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Abowt hir was ful mekyl tbrang. The puple cried, and fayd omang, Welkum ertou, kyng Arthouie, Of al this werld thou beres the flowr, 1410 Lord kyng of all kynges. And blefsed be he that the brynges. When the lady the kyng faiW, Unto him fall gan fho draw, To hald his fterap whils he lyght, Bot fone when he of hir had fyght, With mekyl myrth thai famen met, W'ith hende wordes fho him gret. A thowfand fithes, Welkum, (ho feys, And fo es fir Gawayne the curtayfe. 1420 The king faid, Lady, white fo flowr, God gif the joy and mekil honowr, For thou ert fayr with body gent ; With that he hir in armes hent, And ful fair he gan hir falde, Thar was many to bihald?. It es no man with long may tell ., ) The mirth that was tham omell ; Of maidens was thar fo gude wane. That ilka knight wyght tak a,m. 1430 YWAINE AND GAWIK. 5l Ful mekil joy fyr Ywayn made, That be the king til his hows hade. The lady omang tham al famcn Made ful mekyl juy and game'n. In the kastcl thus thai dwell, Ful mekyl myrth wafe tham omell. The king was tharc with his knyghtes Aght dayes and aght nyghtes, And Ywayn tham ful mery made. With alkyn gamyn tham for to glade; 1440 He prayed the kyng to thank the may That hym had helpid in his jomay, And ilk day had thai folace fer Of huntyng and als of revere, For thar was a ful fayre cuntr^, With wodes and parkes grete plent^, And CHStcls wroght with lyme and fiane, That Ywayne with his wife had tane. Now wil the king no langcr lende, Bot til his cuntre wil he wendc. 1 45V Ay whils thai war thar, for fertayne, Syr Gawajti did al his raayne To pray fir Ywainc, on al maner, For to wende with tham in fere : 62 YWAINE AND GAWIN. He faid, Sir, if thou ly at hame, Wonderly men wil the blame ; That knyght es nothing to fet by That levesal his chevalry, And Hgges bekeand in his bed, When he haves a lady wed. ]460 For when that he has grete endpfe Than war tyme to win his lofe ; For, when a knyght es chevalroufe, His lady es the more jelows ; Alfo fho lufes him wele the bet : Tharfore, fir, thou fal noght let To haunt armes in ilk cuntre, Than wil men wele mor prayfe the ; Thou hafe inogh to thi defpens. Now may thow wele hante turnamentes ; 1470 Thou and i fal wende in fer, And i wil be at thi banere. I dar noght fay, fo god me glad, If i fo fayr a leman had j That i ne moft leve al chevalry. At hame ydel with hir to ly, Bot yit a fole, that litel kan, May wele cownfail another man. YWAINE AND GAWIN. 65 So lang fir Gawayn prayed fo, Sir Ywayne grantes him forto go 1480 Unto the lady, and tak his leve ; Loth him was hir forto greve. Til hyr onane the way he norae, Bot flio ne will noght whi he come ; In his arms he gan hir mete. And thus he faid, My leman fwcte, My life, my hcle, and al my hert, My joy, my comforth, and my quert, A thing prai i the unto. For thine honor and myne alfo. 1490 The lady faid, Sir, vcrrayment, I wil do al yowr cumandment. Dame, he (aid, i wil the pray, That i might the king cumvay. And alfo with my feres foundc, Armes forto hauntc a ftownde, For in bourding men wald me blame. If i fold now dwel at hame. The lady was loth him to greve ; Sir, fho faid, i gif yow leve, 1500 Until a tcrme that i fal fayn, Bot that ye cum than ogayn. 64> YWAINE AND GAWIN. Al this yer hale i yow grante Dedes of armes for to hante, Bot, fyr, als ye iuf me dere, On al wife that ye be her This day twelmoth, how fom it be, For the Iuf ye aw to me ; And, if ye com noght by that day. My Iuf fal ye lofe for ay : 1510 Avife yow wele now or ye gone, This day is the evyn ef faint Jon, That warn i yow now or ye wende, Luke ye cum by the twelmoth ende. Dame, he fayd, i fal noght let, To hald the day that thou has fet, And, if i might be at my wyll, Ful oft ar fold i cum ye till ; Bot, madame, this underftandes, A man that pafses divers landes 1520 May fumtyme cum in grete deftres, In prefon, or els in fekenes, Tharfore i pray yow or i ga, That ye wil out-tak thir twa. The lady fayd, This grant i wele, Als ye alk, everilka dde, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 65 And i fal lene to yow my ring, That es to me a ful der thing, In nane anger fal ye be, Whils ye it have and thinkes on me. 1530 I fal tel to yow ouane The vertu that es in the ftane : It es, na prefon yow fal halde, Al if yowr fafe be many falde; With fekenes fal ye noght be tane ; Ne of yowr blode ye fal lefe nane ; In l^lel tane fal ye n(^ht be, Whils ye it have and thinkes on me ; And ay, whils ye er trew of love. Over ai fal ye be above; 1540 I wald never for nakyn wight, Lene it ar unto na knyght. For grete luf i it yow take, Yemes it wclc now for ray fake. Sir Ywayne faid, Dame, gramercy. Than he gert ordain in hy Armurs, and al other gere, Stalworth ftedes, both (held and fper, And aifo fquyer, knave, and fwayne : Ful glad and bUth was fir Oawayno. 1550 TOt. I. F 66 YWAINE AND GAWIN. No lenger wald fyr Ywayne byde. On his ftede fone gan he ftride ; And thus he has his leve tane, For him murned many ane. The lady toke leve of the kyng, And of his meny6 aid and ying ; Hir lord fir Ywayne (ho bifekes, With teris trikland on hir chekes. On al wife that he noght let To halde the day that he had fet. l56o The knightes thus thair ways er went, To jufting and to turnament ; Ful dughtiiy did fir Ywayne, And alfo did fir Gawayne ; Thai war ful doghty both in fer, Thai wan the prife both fer and uer. The kyng that time at Cefter lay, The knightes went tham for to play, Ful really thai rade obout, Al that twelmoth out and out, 1570 To jufting and to turnament. Thai wan grete wirfhips als thai went. Sir Ywayne oft had al the lofe. Of him the word ful wide gofe ; YWAINE AND GAWIN. QT Of thair dedcs was grete renown To and fra in towre and towne. On this wife in this life thai lad Unto faint Johns day was pad ; Than haflily thai hied home, And fonc unto the kyng thai come ; 1580 And thar thai held grete mangcri, The kyng with al his cumpany. Sir Ywaine umbithought him than He had forgeten his leman ; Broken i have hir cumandment Series, he faid, now be i Oient ; The terme es pafl that fho roe fet. How ever fal this bale be bet ? Unnethes he might him hald fra wepe, And right in this than toke he kepe. 1590 Into court come a damyfele. On a palfray ambland wcle, And cgcrly down gan flio lyght, Withouten help of knave or knyght, And fone fho lete byr mantel fall, And hafted hir fail into ball ; Sir kyng, (ho fayd, god mot the fe, My lady gretes the wele by me, 6s YWAINE AND GAWIN. And alfo, fir, gude Gawayne, And al thi knyghtes, bot fir Ywayne, 16OO He es ateyned for traytur. And fals and lither lofenjoure : He has bytrayed my lady, Bot fho es war with his gilry ; Sho hopid noght, the foth to fay, That he wald fo have ftoUen oway ; He' made to hir ful mekyl bofte, And faid of al he lufed hir mofte ; Al was trefon and trechery, And that he fal ful der haby. 161O It es ful mekyl ogains the right To cal fo fals a man a knight. My lady wend he had hir hert, Ay forto kepe and hald in quert ; Bot now with grefe he has hir gret, And broken the term that fho him fet, That was the evyn of faynt John, Now es that tyme for ever gone ; So- lang gaf fho him refpite, And thus he haves hir led with lite ; I62O Sertainly fo fals a fode, Was never cumen of kynges blode. YWAINE AND GAWIN* 9 That fo fone forgat his vryfe, That lofed him better than hyr life. Til Ywayn fais (ho, Thus thou es Traytur untrew, and trowthles^ And alfo an unkind cumlyng ; Deliver me my lady ring. Sho dirt to him, with fterne lokc, The ring fro his finger ftio toke, l630 And, alfone als Oio had the ring, :' Hir leve toke Hio of the king, And ftirted up on hir palfray, With-owten more flio went hir way ; ! With hir was nowther knave ne grome, Ke no man v/\(i wher (ho bycome. Sir Ywayn, when he this gan her, Miirned, and made fimpil cher, In forow than fo was he Had, , . i.^l That nerc fur murnyng wcx he mad, l640: It was no mirth that him myght mend, R At worth to nc^hl ful wele he wend, lA. For wa he es ful wil of wane : > " Alias ! i am mync owin bane." Alias, he fayd, that i was bom ! Have i my leman thus forlorn i 70 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And al es for myne owen foly, Alias ! this dole wil mak me dy. An evyl toke him als he llode, For wa he wex al wilde and wode ; l650 Unto the wod the way he nome, No man will whor he bycome. Obout he welk in the foreft, Als it wore a wilde belle, His men on ilka fyde has foght, Fer and ner, and findes him noght. On a day, als Ywayne ran In the wod, he met a man, Arowes brade and bow had he, And when fir Ywaine gan him fe, I66O To him he llirt, with birful grim, His bow and arwes reft he him, Ilka day than at the lelle, Shot he him a wilde belle ; Fiefs he wan him, ful gude wane, And of his arows loll he nane. Thare he lifed a grete fefowne. With rotes, and raw venyfowne. He drank of the warm blode, And that did him mekil gode. I67O YWAINE AND GAWIN. 7 1 Als he went in that boskage, He fand a Ictil ermytage; The ermyte faw, and fone was war A naked man a bow bar, He hoped he was wode that tide, Tharfor no lenger durft he bide ; He fperd his yate, and in he ran, For fered of that wode man ; And, for him thoght it charite. Out at his window fet he I68O Brede and water for the wode man, And tharto ful fone he ran. Swilk als he had fwilk he him gaf, Barly brcde with al the chaf ; Tharof ete he ful gude wane, And are fwilk ete he never nane. Of the water he drank thar-with. Than ran he forth into the frith. For, if a man be never fo wode, He wil kura whare man dofe him gode; I69O And fertanly fo did Ywayne, Everilka day he come ogayne. And with him brc^ht he redy boun Ilka day new venifowne, 72 YWAINE AND GAWIN. He laid it at the ermite yate, And ete, and drank, and went his gate. Ever, alfone als he was gane, The ermyt toke the flefh onane, He flogh it, and feth it fayr and wele, Than had Ywayne, at ilka raele, J 700 Brede and fothen venyfowne. Than went the ermyte to the towne, And falde the fkinnes that he broght, And better brede tharwith he boght. Than fand fir Ywayne in that ftede Venyfon and better brede. . This hfe led he ful fele yer, And fethen he wroght als ye fal her. Als Ywaine fleped under a tre By him come thar rideand thre, 1710, A lady, twa bour-wemen alfwa, Than fpak ane of the maidens twa, A naked [man] me think i fe. Wit i wil what it may be. Sho lighted doun, and ta him yede, And unto him flio toke glide hede ; Hir thoght wele (ho had him fene In many ftedes whar fho had bene ; YWAINE AND GAWIN. 73 Sho was aftonayd in that ftownde. For in hys face (ho faw a woude, 1720 Bot it was heled and bale of hew, Tharby hir thogbt that flio him knew. Sho fayd, By god, that inc has made ; Swilk a wound fir Ywayne hade, Sertaynly this ilk cs he : Alias, fho fayd, how may this be I Alias, that him es thus bityd ! So nobil a knyght als he was kyd ! It es gretc forow that he fold be So ugly now opon to fe. 1730 So tenderly for him (ho gret. That hir teres al hir chekes wet. Madame, fho faid, for fertayn, Her have we funden fir Ywayne, The bed knyght that on grund mai ga, Alias, him es bytid fo wa ! In fum forow was he ftad. And tharfore es he waxen mad ; Sorow wil mcng a mans blode, And make him forto wax wode. 17*0 Madame, and he war now in quert, And al hale of will and hert. 74 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Ogayns yowr fa he wald yow wer. That has yow done fo mekyl der; And he war hale, fo god me mend, Yowr forow war fone broght to end. The lady faid, And this ilk be he. And than he wil noght hethin fle, Thorgh goddes help, than hope i yit We fal him win ynto his wyt; 1730 Swith at hame i wald we wer, For thar i have an unement der, Morgan the wife gaf it to me. And faid, als i fal tel to the ; He fayd. This unement es fo gode. That, if a man be brayn-wode. And he war anes anoynt with yt,; Smertly fold he have his wit. Fro hame thai wer bot half a myle, Theder come thai in a whyle ; I76O The lady fone the boyft has foght, And the unement has fho broght. Have, fho faid, this unement her, Unto me it es ful dere ; And fmertly that thou wend ogayne, Bot luke thou fpejid it noght in vaine ; YWAINE AND GAWIN. 75 And, fra the knight anoynted be, That thou Icves bring it to me. Haftily that maiden raeke Tok hofe, and fhofe, and ferk, and breke ; 1770 A riche robe als gan fho ta, And a faint of filk alfwa. And alfo a gude palfray, And fmertly come fho whar he lay. On flepe fail yit Iho him fande, Hir hors until a tre fho band, And haftily to him fho yede, And that was. a fill hardy dede; She enoynt his heved wele. And his body ilka dele. 1780 Sho dcfpended al ye unement, Over hir ladies cumandment ; For hir lady wald fho noght let, Hir thoght that it was ful wele fet. Al his atyre fho left hym by, At his rifing to be redy. That he might him cleth and dyght, Or he fold of hyr have fyght. Than he wakend of his flepe, The maiden to him toke gude kepe, 1790 76 YWAINE AND GAWIN. He luked up ful farily, And faid, Lady, faynt Mary, What hard grace to me es maked, That i am her now thus naked ? Alias, wher any have her bene, I trow fum has my for^ow fene. Lang he fat fo in a thoght How that ger was theder broght. Than had he noght fo mekyl myght On his fete to ftand up-right, 1800 Him failed might of fote and hand That he myght nowther ga ne ftand ; Bot yit his clathes on he wan ; Tharfor ful wery was he than ; Than had he mifter forto mete Sum man that myght his bales bete. Than lepe the maiden on hir palfray, And nere by fide him made hir way; Sho lete als Ihp him noght had fene, Ne wetyn that he thar had bene. 1810 Sone, when he of hir had fyght, He cried unto hyr, on hight. Than wald fho no ferrer ride Bot faft fho luked on ilka fyde j tWAINE AND GAWIN. 77 And waited obout fer and ner, He cried, and fayd, I am her. Than fone Hio rade him till, And fayd, Sir, what es thi will. " Lady, thi help war me ful lefe, For i am her in grete meschefe ; 1 820 I ne wate never by what chance, That i have al this grcvance, Pur charite, i wald ye pray For to lene me that palfray, That in thi hand es redy4)owne. And wis me fone unto fom towne. I wate noght huw i had this wa, Ne how that i ful hethin ga." Sho anfwerd him, with wordes hendc, Syr, if thou wil with me wendc, 1830 Ful gladly wil i cfc the Until that thou amended be. Sho helped him opon his hors ryg, And fone thai come until a bryg, Into the water the boill Hio caft, And fethin hame (ho hied faft. ^Vhcn thai come to the castel yate, Tliai lighted and went in tharate. 78 YWAINE AND GAWm. The maiden to the chameber went, The lady afked the uiiement. 1840 Madame, fho faid, the boyft es lorn. And fo was i nerehand tharforn. How fo, fho faid, for goddes tre ? Madame, fho faid, i fal tel the Al the foth how that it was : Als i over the brig fold pas, - Evyn in rayddes, the foth to fay, Thar ftombild my palfray ; ' On the brig he fell al flat, And the boyft, right with that, 1850 Fel frame in the water down, And had i noght bene titter boun To tak my palfray bi the mane, The water fone had bene my bane. The lady faid, Now am i fhent. That i have lorn my gude unement. It was to me, fo god me glade. The beft trefur that ever i hade ; To me it es ful mekil fkath, Bot better es lofe it than yow bath. I860 Wend, Iho faid, unto the knight. And luke thou efe him at thi myght. "V'>VAINE AND GAWIN; 79 Lady, (ho faid, els war me lathe. Than fho gert him waftie and bathe, And gaf him mete and drink of main, Til he had gclcri his might ogayn. Thai ordand armurs ful wele dight. And fo thai did (ledes ful wight. So it fell fone on a day, Whils he in the castcl lay, J 8/0 The ryche eryl, fyr Alers, With knightes, ferjantes, and fwiers, And with fwith grete vetale, Come that kastel to afaylc. Sir Ywain than his armurs tafe, With other focure that he hafe, The ercl he kepes in the fclde, And fone he hit ane on the (helde, That the knyght, and als the ftede, Stark ded to the erth thai yede, 1880 Sone another, the thrid, the ferth, Feld he doun ded on the erth. He ftird him fo omang tham than, At ilka dint he flogh a man, Sum he lofed of hys men, Hot the eril loft fwilk ten ; 80 YWAINE AND GAWIN. A\ thai fled faft fra that fyde Whar thai faw fir Ywayn ride, He herted fo his cumpany, The mofte coward was ful hardy, 1 89O To fel al that thai fand in felde. - The lady lay ever and bihelde : Sho fais, Yon es a noble knyght, Ful eger and of ful grete myght ; He es wele worthy forto prayfe That es fo doghty and curtayfe. The mayden faid, with owten let, Yowfioyuement mai ye think wele fet ; Se, fc, madame, how he prikes ! And fe, fe, alfo, how fele he ftrikes ! 19OO Lo, how he fars omang his fafe ! Al that he hittes fone he flafe ; War thar fwilk other twa als he, Than hope i fone thair fafe fold fle ; Series, than fold we fe ful' tyte, The eril fold be discumfite. Madame, god gif his wil wer To wed yow and be loverd here. The erils folk went faft to ded. To fle than was his beft rede; 191* YWAINE and GAWIN. 81 The eril fonc bigan to fle, And than might men bourd fe, Hpw fir Ywaync and his feres Folowd tham on fel maners, And fad thai Hogh the erils men, Olive thai left noght over ten ; The cril fled ful faft for drede, And than fir Ywaine ftrake his ftede, And over-toke him in that tide, At a kastel thar byfyde ; 1920 Sir Ywayne fonc with-fet the yate, That the eril myght noght in tharate. The eril faw al might noght gain, He yalde him fone to fir Yvrayn, And fone he has his trowth plyght To wend with him that ilk night Unto the lady of grete renowne, And profer him to hir prefowne, And to do him in hir grace, And alfo to mend his trispafe. 1930 The eril than unarmed his hcvid, And none armur on him he levid, Helm, (heldc, and als his brand. That he bar naked in his hand, VOL. I. G 82 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Al he gaf to fir. Ywayne, And hame with him he went ogaine. In the kastel made thai joy ilkane, When thai wift the eril was tane, And when thai faw thara cumand ner, Ogayns him went thai al in fere, 1940 And when the lady gan tham mete, Sir Ywaine gudely gan hir grete : He faid, Madame, have thi prefoun, And hald him her in thi baundoun, Bot he gert hir grante him grace To mak amendes yn that fpace. On a buke the erl fwar Forto reftor bath les and mar, And big ogayn bath tour and toune, That by him war caften doune, 1950 And evennar to be hir frende, Umage made he to that hende ; To this forward he borows fand, The beft lordes of al that land. Sir Ywaine wald no lenger lend, Bot redies him faft forto wend, At the lady his leve he takes, Grete murnyng tharfore (ho makes : YWAINE AND GAWIN. 83 Sho faid, Sir, if it be yowrc will, I pray yow for^'to dwel her ftill, ] 960 And i wil yelde into yuwr handcs Myne awyn body, and al my luudes, Herof faft (ho hym byfogbt, Bot al hir fpeche avaylcs noght. He faid, I wil no thing to mede, Bot myne armurs, and my ftede. Sho fuid, Bath ftedes and other thing s yowres at yowr owyn Ukyng ; And if ye wald her with us dwell Mekyl mirth war us omeli. 1970 It was na bote to bid him bide, He toke his ftede, and on gau ft ride, The lady and hyr maydcns gent Wepid far when that he went. Now rides Ywayn, als ye fal her, With hevy herte and dreri cher, Thurgh a foreft, by a fty. And thar he herd a hydofe crj'. The gayncft way ful fone he tafe. Til he come wharc the noys was, 1980 Than was he war of a dragoun, Had afayled a wilde lyown, 84 YWAINE AND GAWIN. With his tayl he drogh him faft. And fir ever on him he caft, The lyoun had over Htel myght Ogaynes the dragon forto fyght ; Than fir Ywayn made him bown For to fucor the lyown, His fhelde bifor his face he feft, For the fyr that the dragon keft, 1990 He ftrake the dragon in at the chavyl, That it come out at the navyl ; Sunder ftrake he the throte boll, That fra the body went the choU ; - By the lioun tail the hevid hang yit, For tharby had he tane his bit ; The tail fir Ywayne ftrake ^n twa, The dragon hevid than fel thar-fra. He thoght, if the lyoun me afayle, Redy fal he have batayle ; 2000 Bot the lyoun wald noght fyght, Grete fawnyng made he to the knyght, Down on the grund he fet him oft, His forther fete he held oloft, And thanked the knyght als he kowth, Al if he toyght noght fpeke with mowth : yWAINE AND GAWIN. 85 So wele the lyon of him Icte, Ful law he lay and likked his fete. When fyr Ywayne that fight gan fci Of the befte him thoght jjet^ ; 2010 And on his wai fotth gan be ride, The lyown folowd by hys fyde ; In the foreft al that day, The lyoun mekely foloud ay, And never, for wele ne for wa, Wald he part fir Ywayn fra. Thus in the fored als thai war, The lyoun hungerd fwith Cir, Of a befte favore he hade. Until hys lord fembland he made, 2020 That he wald go to get his pray, His kind it wald, the futh to fay; For his lorde fold him noght grevc, He wald noght go withowtcn leve, Fra his lord the way he laght. The mouDtancc of ane arow draght, Sone he met a barayn da, And ful fone he gan hir fla, Hir throtc in twa ful fone he bate, And drank the blode whils it was bate, 2030 86 YWAINE AND GAWIN. That da he keft than in his nek, Als it war a mele-fek, Unto his lorde than he it bar, And fir Yvvayn perfayved thar That it was fo ner the nyght That no ferrcr ride he might ; A loge of bowes fone he made, And flynt and fir-yren bath he hade, And fir ful fone thar he flogh, Of dry mos and many a bogh 2040 i The lioun has the da undone ; Sir Ywayne made a fpit ful fone, And rofl:ed fum to thaire foper ; The lyon lay, als ye fal here ; Unto na mete he him drogh, Until his maister had eten ynogh. Him failed thare bath fait and brede, And fo him did whyte wine and rede, Bot of fwilk thing als thai had He and his lyon made tham glad. 2050 The lyon hungerd for the nanes, Ful fall he ete raw flefs and banes. Sir Ywayn, in that ilk telde, Laid his hevid opon his fhelde, YWAINE AND GAVVIN. ST Alnyght the lyon obout yede, To kcpc his mayster and his ftcde : Thus the lyon and the knyght Lended thar a fourtenyght. On a day, fo it byfelli Syr Ywayne come unto the well, 2060 He faw the chapel and the thorne, And faid alias that he was born ; And when he loked on the ftano He fel in fwowing tone onane, Als he fel his fwerde out-fhoke, The pomel into the erth toke, The poynt toke until his throte, Wei ner he made a fan note, Thorgh his armurs fone it fmate, A litel intil hys hals it bate : 2070 And wen the lyon faw his blude^ He brayded als he had bene wode. Than keft he up fo lathly rerde, Ful mani folk myht he have fcrde ; He wend wclc, fo god me rede, That his mayster had bene ded. It was ful gretc pet6 to her What forow he made on his maner. 88 YWAINE AND GAWIN. He flirt ful hertly, i yow hete, And toke the fwerde bytwix his fete, 2080 Up he fet it by a ftane, And thar he wald himfelf have flane, And fo he had fone, for fertayne, Bot right in that rafe fyr Ywayne, And alfone als he faw him (land For fayn he hked fote and hand. Sir Ywayn faid oft-fithes, Alias ! i Of alkins men hard es my grace, Mi leman fet me fertayn day And i it brak, fo wayloway ! 205 Alias for dole ! how may i dwell c To fe this chapel and this well ! Hir fair thorn, hir riche ftane ! My gude dayes er now al gane, My joy es done now al bidene, I am noght worthi to be fcilie ; I faw this wild befte was ful bayn For my luf himfelfe have flayne. Than fold i fertes, by mor right Sla my felf for fwilk a wyght 2100 That i have for my foly lorn j Alias the while that i was born ! yWAINE AND GAWIN. 89 Als fir Ywayn made his roane, In the chapel ay was ane, And herd his murning haly all Thorgh a crevice of the wall, And fone it faid, with fimepel cher, What ertou, that mumes her ? A man, he fayd, fum tymc i wa# ; What ertow ? tel me or i pas. 2110 I am, it fayd, the farieft wight That ever lifed by day or nyght. Nay, he faid, by faynt Martyne, Thar es na forow mete to mynei Ne no wight fo wil of wane, I was a man now am i nane. Whilom i was a nobil knyght, And a man of rackyl mygbt, I had knyghtes of my nieny^, And of rechcs grete plenty, 2120 I had a ful fayre feignory, And al i loft for my foly ; Mi mafte forow als fal thou her, I loft a lady that was me der. The tother fayd, Alias ! alias ! Myne es a wele farier cafe j 90 YWAINE AND GAWIN. To-morn i mun ber jewyfe, Als my faraen wil devife. Alias ! he faid, what es the ikill ? " That fal thou her, fir, if thou will ; 2130 I was a mayden, mekil of pride. With a lady her ner bifide, Men me bikalles of trefown, And has me put her in prefown, I have no man to defend me, Tharfore to morn brent mun i be." He fayd, What if thou get a knyght, That for the with thi fafe wil fight ? Syr, fho fayd, als mot i ga, In this land er bot knyghtes twa, 2 140 That me wald help to cover of car, The tane es went i wate ndght whar, The tother es dweland with the king, And wate noght of my myslykyng. The tane of tham hat fyr Gawayn, And the tother hat fyr Ywayn, For hym fal i be done to dede, To-morn right in this fame ftede, He es the kinges fon Uriene. Perfay, he fayd, i have him fene ; 2150 YWAINE AND GAWIN. 91 I am he, and for my gilt Sal thou never more be fpilt ; Thou ert Lunet, if i can rede, That helpyd mc yn mckyl drede ; I had bene ded had thou noght bene, Tharfor tel me us bytwene How bical thai the of trcfon, Thus forto fla, and for what refon. " Sir, thai fay, that my lady Lufcd me moAc fpccially, 2l60 And wroght al efter ray rede, Tharfor thai hate me to the ded. The fteward fays, that done have i Grete trefone unto my lady. His twa brether fayd it als, And i wift that thai faid fals, And fone i anfwerd, als a fot (For fole boltes fone Ihot) I faid, that i fold find a knyght That fold me mayntene in my right, 2170 And feght with tham al thre, Thus the batayl wajed \vc. Than thai granted me als tytc Fourty dayes unto refpite, 92 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And at the kynges court i was, I fand na cumfort, ne na folafe, Nowther of knyght, knave, ne fwayn." Than, faid he, Whar was fyr Gawayn ? He has bene ever trew and lele, He fayled never no damyfele. 2180 Scho faid. In court [he] was noght fene, For a knyght led oway the queue, The kyng tharfor es fwith grym, Sir Gawayn folowd efter him ; He corns noght hame for fertayne Until he bryng the queue ogayne. Now has thou herd, fo god me rede, Why i fal be done to ded. He faid, Als i am a trew knyght, I fal be redy forto fyght ' 2190 To-mom with tham al thre, Leman, for the luf of the. At my might i fal noght fayl, Bow how fo befe of the batayle. If ani man my name the frayne, On al manor luke thou yt layne, Unto na man my name thou fay. Syr, iho fayd, for foth nay, Y\VAINE AND GAWIN. S3 I prai to grete god alweldand, That thai have noght the heghcr hand, 2200 Sen that ye wil my murnyng mend, I tak the grace that god wil fend. Syr Ywayn fayd, I fal the hyght To mend thi murnyng at my myght, Thorgh grace of god in trenyte, I fal the wreke of tham al thre : Than rade he forth into frith, And hys lyoun went hym with. Flad he redyn hot a ftownde A ful fayr castell he fownde, 2210 And fyr Ywainc, the foth to fay, Unto the castel tokc the way; When he come at the castel-yate, Four porters he fand tharate, The draw-bryg fone lote thai doan, Bot al thai fled for the lyown : Thai faid, Syr, wythowten dowt, That befte byhoves the leve tharout. He fayd, Sirs, fo have i wyn. Mi lyoun and i ful noght twyn ; 2220 I luf him als wcle, i yow hete, A Is my felf at ane mete, 94 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Owther fal we famyn lende, Or els wil we hethin wende. Bot right with that the lord he met, And ful gladly he him gret, With knyghtes and fvviei-s grete plente, And fair ladies and maydens fre ; Ful mekyl joy of him thai made, Bot forow in thair hertes thai hade ; 2230 Unto a chameber was he led, And unarmed, and fethin cled In clothes that war gay and der ; Bot oft-tymes changed thair cher, Sum tyme he faw thai weped all, Als thai wald to water fall ; Thai made flike murnyng and flik mane, That gretter faw he never nane. Thai feynyd tham oft for hys fake Fayre femblant forto make. 2240 Ful grete wonder fir Ywayn hade, For thai fwilk joy and forow made. Sir, he faid, if yowr wil war, I wald wyt why ye mak flike kar. This joy, he faid, that we mak now, Sir, es al for we have yow, YVVAINE AND GAWIN. 95 And, fir, alfo we mak this forow For dedys that fal be done to-morow. A geant wens her ner byfyde, That es a devil of mekil pryde, His name hat Harpj'ns of mowntaio, For him wc lyf in mekil payn, My landcs haves he robbed and reft, Noght bot this kastel es me left. And, by god that in hevyn wons, Syr, i had fcx knyghtcs to fons, 1 faw my felf the twa (logh he, To-morn the four als flanc mun be. He has al in hys prefownc, And, fir, for nanc other enchefowne,^ 226o Bot for i warned hym to wyve My doghtcr, fayrcft fode olyvc, Tharfor cs he wonder wrath, In depdy has he fwom hys atli, With raaystry that he fal hir wyn, And that the laddes of his kychyn. And alfo that his werll fote-knave, His wil of that woman fal have, Bot i to-mom might find a knight, That durft with hymfelven fyght, 2270 ge YWAINE AND GAWIN. And i have none to him ^t ga, ' ' ' What wonder es if me be wa ? or Syr Ywayn ly fiend him ful wele, And, when he had talde ilka dele, Syr, he fayd, methink mefvayl That ye foght never no kounfayl, At the kynges hous her byfyde ; For, lertes, in al this werld fo wyde Es no man of fo mekil myght Geant, champioun, ne knight, 2280 That he ne has knyghtes of his menye. That ful glad and blyth wald be For to mete with fwilk a man, That thai myght kith thair myghtes on. He faid, Syr, fo god me mend, Unto the kynges kourt i fend. To feke my mayster fyr Gawayn, For he wald focor me ful fain. He wald noght leve for luf ne drede, Had he wift now of my nede, 2290 For his fister es my wyfe, And he lufes hyr als his lyfe. Bot a knyght this other day, Thai talde, has led the quene oway, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 97 Forto fekc hyr went fir Gawayn, And }it ne come he noght ogayn. Than fyr Ywayne fighcd far. And faid unto the knyght right thar, Syr, he fayd, for Gawayn fake, This batayl wil i undertake, 2300 Forto fyght wiih the geant. And that opon fwilk a covenant, Yif be cum at fwilk a time. So that wc may fight by prime; No langcr may i tent tharto. For other thing i have to do, I have a dede that rooft be done To morn nedes byfor the none. The knyght, far fighand, fayd him till, ^ir, god yelde the thi gode wyll ; 2310 And al that war thar in the hall. On knefe byfor hym gan thai fall ; Foith thar come a byrd ful bryght, The faircfl man might A* in fight, Ilir moder come "with hir in fer, And both thai morned and made yll dier ; The knight faid, Lo, verraiment, God has us gudc focur fent ; VOL. I. H 98 YWAINE AND GAWIN. This knight, that of his grace wil grant Forto fyght with the geant. 2320 On knefe thai fel doun to his fete, And thanked him with wordes fwete. A, god forbede, faid fir Yvvain, That the fister of fir Gawayn, Or any other of his blode born, Sold on this wife knel me byforn. He toke tham up tyte both in fer, And prayd tham to amend ihair cher: " And praies fafi; to god alfwa, That i may venge yow on yowr fa, 233Q And that he cum fwilk tyme of day. That i by tyme may wend my way, For to do another dede, For fertes thcder moft i nede ; Sertes i wald noght tham byfwike, Forto win this.kinges rike." His thoght was on that damyfel That he left in the chapel. Thai faid, he es of grete renowue. For with him dwcls the lyeun j 2340 Ful wele confort war th^ all, Bath in boiir and als in hall ; yWAINE AND GAWIN. 99 Ful glad war thai of thair geii, And when tyme was at go to reft, The lady broght him to his bed, And for the lyoun iho was adrod, Na man durft ncght his chamber ner, Fro thai war broght thar-yn in fer. Sone at morn, when it was day, Hie lady and the fayr may 2350 Til Ywayn chamber went thai fone, And the dor thai have undone. Sir Ywayn to the kyrk yed. Or he did any other dede ; He herd the fcrvife of the day. And fethin to the knyght gaii fay: Sir, he faid, now moft i wend, Longer her dar i noght Icndc, Til other place byhoves me far. Than had the knyght ful mekel car. ?d60 He faid, Syr, dwells a litel thraw, For luf of Gawayn that ye knaw, Socor us now or ye wende, I fal yow gif, with-owten ende. Half my land, with tonn and tour. And ye wil help us in this ftour. 100 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Sir Ywayn faid, Nai, god forbede, That i fold tak any mede. Than was grete dole, fo god me glade, To fe the forow that thai made, 2S70 Of tham fir Ywayn had grete petfe. Him thoght his hert myght breke in thre ; For in grete dede ay gan he dwell, For the mayden in the chapell, For fertes if fho war done to ded, Of him war than none other rede, Bot oilher he fold hym-felven fla, Or wode ogain to the wod ga. Ryght with that thar come a grome, And faid 'tham that geant come ; 2380 Yovvr fons brinies he him byforn, Wei ner naked als thai war born. With wreched ragges war thai kled, And fall bunden thus er thai led. The geant was bath large and lang, And bar a levor of yren ful ftrang, Tharwith he bet tham bitterly, Grete rewth it was to her tham cry, Thai had no thing tham forto hyde. A dwergh yode on the tother fyde ; Z39(> yWAINE AND GAWIN. 101 He bar a fcowrge with cordes ten, Thar-with he bet tha gentil men, Ever onane, als he war wode, Efter ilka band braft out the blode ; And, when thai at the walles were. He cried loud that men myght her : If thou wil have tbi Tons in hele, Deliver me that damyfcle, I fal hir gif to warifowne Ane of the fouled quisteroun 3400 That ever yit ete any brede. He fal have hir mayden-hede, Thar fal none other lig hir by Bot naked herlotes and lowfy. When the lord thir wordcs herd, Als he war wode for wa he fcrd. Sir Ywayn than, that was curtays. Unto the knyght ful fonc he fais. This grant es ful fers and fell. And of his wordes ful kruell, 2410 I fal dclixer hir of his aw. Or I'ls be ded wi'hin a thraw; For fvrtea it war u mifaventur That fo gentil a creature 1^2 YWAINE A^D GAWIN. Sold ever fo foul hap byfall, To be defouled with a thrall. Sone was he armed, fir Ywayn, Tharfor the ladies war ful fayn ; Thai helped to lace him in his wede, And fone he lepe up on his ftede ; 2420 Thai prai to god that grace him grant, For to fla that foul geant ; The draw-brigges war laten doun, AM^ forth he rides with his lioun. Ful mani fari murnand man Ijfift he in the kastel than, That, on thair knefe, to god of might, Praied ful hertly for the knyght. Syr Ywayn rade into the playne. And the geant come hym ogayne, 2430 His levore was ful grete and lang, And himfelf ful mekyl and ftrang. He faid, What devil made the fo balde Forto cum heder out of thi hailde ? "Who fo ever the heder fend Lufed the litel, fo god me mend. Of the he wald be wroken fayli. Do forth thi beft, faid fir Ywayn. YWAINE AND GAWIN. 103 Al the armurc he was yn Was noght hot of a bul-lkyn. 2440 Sir Ywayn was to him ful preft, He Arakc to him in middcs the brcft, The fper was both ftif and gode, Whar it tokc bit out-braft the blodc ; So faft fir Ywayn on yt foght The bul-fcyn availed noght. The gcant llombild with the dynt. And unto fir Ywayn he m^iit, And on the Hielde he hit ful faft. It was raervayl that it myght laft ; 2450 The levor bended thar-with-ali, With grete force he lete it fall. The geanl was fo ftrong and wight That never for no dint of knyght, Ne for batayl that he fold make, Wald he none other wapyn take. Sir Ywain left his fj>cr of hand, And (inkc obout him with his brand. And the gcant, mekil of raayn, Strake ful faft to him ogayn, 246o Til at the laft within a throw ^ He reft him on his fadcl-bow, 104 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And that percayved his lioun, That his hevid fo hanged doun, He hopid that hys lord was hyrt, And to the geant fone he ftyrt, The fcyn and fiefs bath rafe he down, Fro his Lais to hjs cropoun ; His ribbes myght men fe onane, For al was bar unto bane. 2470 At the lyown oft he mynt, Bot ever he lepis fro his dynt, So th .t no ftrake on him lyght. By than was Ywain cumen to myght. Than wil he wreke him if he may : The geant gaf he ful gude pay, He Iraate oway al his left cheke. His fholdcr als of gan he kleke, That both his levor and his hand Fel doun law open the land, 2480 Sethin with a floke to him he ftert. And fmate the geant unto the hert ; Than was nane other, tale to tell, Bot fail unto the erth he fell, Als it had bene a hevy tre. Than myght men in the kastel fe YWAINE AND GAWIN. 104 Ful mekil mirth on ilka Hde, The yates kcft thai opyn wyde; The lord unlo fyr Ywaiiic ran, Him foloud many a joyful man, 2490 Alfo the lady ran ful faA, And hir dughtcr was noght the laiU I may noght tcl the joy thai hud. And the four brether war ful glad. For thai war out of bales broght. The lord wift it hi'ipid noght At pray fir Ywayn forto tiwell, For tales that he byfor gan tell, Rot hertly, with hii> myght and mayn. He praied him forto cum ogayn, 2500 And dwel with him a litel ftage, When he had done hys vusfagc. He faid, Sir, that may i noght do, Bileves wele, for me bus go. Tham was ful wo he wald noght dwell, Bot fain thai war that it fo fell. The negheft way than gan he wele. Until he come to the chapcle, Thar be fand a mekil fir. And the mayden with lely lire, 3510 106 YWAINE AND GAWIN. n hyr fmok was bunden faft, Into the fir forto be kaft. Unto hirafelf he fayd in hy, And prayed to god al-myghty, That he fold, for his mekii myght. Save fro fhame that fwete wight : " Yf thai be many, and mekil of pryfe, I fal let for no kouwardife. For with me es bath god and right, And thai fal help me forto fight, 2520 And my lyon fal help me, Than er we four ogayns tham thre." Sir Ywayn rides, and cries then, Ilabides, i bid yow, fals men ! It femes wele that ye er wode, That wil fpill this fakles blode. Ye fal noght fo yf that i may: His lyown made hym redy way. Naked he faw the mayden ftand, Behind hir bunden aither hand, 2530 Than fighed Ywain wonder oft, Unnethes might he fyt oloft, Thar was no fembland tham bitwene^ That ever owther had other fene. YWAINE AND GAWIN. 107 Al obout hyr myght men ft Ful mykel forow and grctc pt^, Of other ladies that thar wew, Wcpeand with ful foxy cher. Lord, thai fayd, what es our gjlt * Our joy, our confort, fal be fpilt ; 2540 Who fal now our erandcs fay? Alias, who fal now for us pray ? Whils thai thus karpcd was Lunct On knefc byfor the preft fet, Of hir fyns hir forte fchrive, And unto hir he went bylive, Hir band he toke and up fho rafc: Leman, he fayd, whor er thi fafe ? " Sir, lo tham yonder, in yone ftode, Kideand until i be ded ; 2550 Thai have demed me with wrang, NVel ner had ye dwelt over lang ; I pray to god he do yow tnede, TTiat ye wald help me in this nede." Thir wordcs herd than the fteward. He hies him unto hir ful hard. He fuid, Thou lies, fnls woaiRi), For thi trefon ertow tane : 108 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Sho has bitraied hir lady, And, fir, fo wil fho the in hy ; 2560 And, tharfor, fyr, by goddes dome, I rede thou wend right als thou com ; Thou takes a ful febil rede If thou for hir wil fuffer ded. Unto the fteward than faid he, Whofo es ferd i rede he fle ; And, fertes, i have bene this day Whar i had ful large pay j And yit, he fayd, i fal noght fail : To tham he waged the batayl. 2570 , Do away thi lioun, faid the fleward, For that es noght our forward j Allane fal thou fight with us thre. And unto him thus anfwerd he : Of my lioun no help i crave, I ne have none other fote-knave. If he wil do yow any dere I rede wele that ye yew wer. The fteward faid, On alkins wife, Thi lyoun, fir, thou moft chastife, 2580 That he do her no harm this day, Or els wend forth on thi way ; Y^VAINE AND GAWIN. 109 For hir warand mai thou noght be, Bot thou allane fight with us thre. Al thir men wote, and (o wote i, That Hio bitrayed hir lady. Als trayturcs fal Iho have hyr, Sho be brcnt her in this fir. Sir Ywayn fa[i]d, Nai, god forbede ! (He will wele how the foth yede) 2590 I trow to wreke hir with the beft. He bad his lyoun go to reft. And he laid him fone onane ' Doun By for tham everilk anc, Bitwenc his legges he layd his tail, And fu bihc-ld to the batayl. Al thre thai ride to fir Ywayn, And fmertly rides he tham ogayn, In that time nothing tint he, For his an firakc was worth thaires thre ; 2600 He ftrakc the ftcward on the niulde, That he fcl doun fiat in the fclde, Bot op be rafe yit at the laft. And to fir Ywayn ftrake ful fall ; Thamt the lyouii greved fare, No Icngcr wald he than lig tliar, no YWAINE AND GAWIN. To help his mayster he went onane ; And the ladies everilk ane, That war thar forto fe that fight, Praied ful faft ay for the knight. 26l0 The lyoun hailed him ful hard, And fone he come to the fteward, A ful fel mynt to him he made, He bigan at the fhulder-blade, And with his pawm al rafe he downe, Bath hauberk and his actoune. And al the fiefs doun til his kne, So that men myght his guttes fe ; To ground he fell, fo alto rent. Was thar noman that him ment. 2620- Thus the lioun gan hym fla: Than war thai bot tvva and twa ; And, fertanly, thare fir Ywayn Als with wordes did his main For to chastis hys lyowne, Bot he ne wald na mor lig doun ; The liown thoght how fo he fayd, That with his help he was wele payd. Thai fmate the lyown on ilka fyd. And gaf him many woundes wide. 2630 Y>VAINE AND GAWIN. Ill When that he faw hys lyoun blctie He ferd for wa als he wald ucde, And fad he ft rake than in that Hour, Might thare none his dintes dour; So grcvosly than he bygan, That doun he bar bath hors and man ; Thai yald tham fone to fir Ywayn, And tharof war the Iblk ful fayne ; And Tone quit to tham thairc hir, For both he kcft tham in the fir, 2640 And faid, Wha jugcs men with wrang, The fame jugement fal thai fang. Thus he helpid the maiden ying, And fethin he made the faghtelyng Bitwene hyr and the riche lady ; Than al the folk, ful haftily, Proferd tham to his fervife, To wirfhip him ever on al wife : Kane of tham al wift, bot Lunet, That thai with thair lord war met. S6>50 The lady prayed him als the heod, Tliat he hame with tham wald wcndc, Forto fojom thar a ftownd, Til he WIT warift of his wound. 112 YWAINE AND GAWIN. By his far fet he noght a ftra, Bot for his lioun was him wa. Madame, he faid, fertes, nay, I mai noght dwel, the foth to fay. Sho faid, Sir, fen thou wyl wend, Sai us thi name, fo god the mend. 2660 Madame, he faid, bi faint Symoun, I hat the knight with the lyoun. Sho faid. We faw yow never or now, Ne never herd we fpeke of yow. Tharby, he fayd, ye underftand I am noght knawen wide in land. Sho faid, I prai the forto dwell, If that thou may, her us omell. If fho had mil wele wha it was, Sho wald wele lever have laten him pas ; 3^70 And tharfor wald he noght be knawen, Both for hir efe and for his awyn. He faid, No lenger dwel i ne may, Beleves wele, and haves goday. I prai to crift, hevyn kyng, Lady, len yow gude lifing, And len grace that al yowr anoy May turn yow unto mykel joy. rVVAINE AND GAWIN. US Sho faid, God grant that it fo be ! Unto himffcif than thus faid he, 2680 Thou ert the lok and kay alfo Of al ray wele, and al my wo. Now wendes he forth, and morning mafe. And nanc of tham will what he was, Bot Lunet, that he bad fold layn, And fo (ho did with al hir mayne. Sho cunvayd him forth on his way ; He faid, Gude leman, i the pray, That thou tcl to no modei fon Who has bene thi champion ; 2590 And als i pray the, fwete wight. Late and arly thou do thi might, Wi*h fpeche unto my lady frc, Forto raak hir frende with me ; Sen ye er now togeder glade. Help you that we war frcndes made. Sertes, fir, flio fayd, ful fayn, Thar-obout wit i be bayn ; And that ye have done me this day God do yow mede, als he wele may. 2700 Of Lunet thus his leve he tafe, Bot in hert grete forow he hafe. VOL. I. I 114 YWAINE AND GAWIN. His lioun feled fo mekill wa That he ne myght no ferrer ga ; SirYwayn puld gres in the felde, And made a kouche opon his ftielde, Tharon his lyoun laid he thar, And forth he rides, and fighes far : On his fhelde fo he him led. Than was he ful evyl fted. 2710 Forth he rides, by frith and fell, Til he come to a fayr castell, Thar he cald, and fwith fone The porter has the yates undone. And to him made he ful gude cher; He faid. Sir, ye er welcum here. Syr Ywayn faid, God do the mede. For tharof have i mekil nede. Yn he rade right at the yate, Fair folk kepid hyra tharate ; 2720 Thai toke his fhelde and his lyoun, And ful foftly thai laid it doun ; Sum to ftabil led his ftede, And fum alfo unlaced his wede. Thai talde the lord than of that knyght, And fone he and his lady bryght, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 115 And thair Tons and doghtcrs all, Come ful fair him forto kail ; Thai war ful fayn he thor was fted, To chauraber fone thai have hira led ; 2730 His bed was ordand richely, And his lioun thai laid him by. Him was no mister forto crave, Redy he had what he wald have. Twa maydens with him thai laft, That wele war lered of Icche-crait. The lordes doghters both thai wore, That war left to kcpe hym thore ; Thai hcled hym everilka wound, And hys lyoun fone made thai fownd. 2^40 I can noght tcl how lang he lay, When he was helyd he went his way. Bot, whils he fojorncd in that place. In that land byfel this cafe : A litil thethin in a ftede A grete lord of the land was ded, Lifand he had none other ayr Bot two doghters that war ful fayr ; Als fone als he was laid in molde, The elder fister fayd fho wolde 2750 116 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Wend to court fone als fho myght, Forto get hir fom doghty knyght Forto win hir al the land, And hald it halely in hir hand. The yonger fister faw fho ne myght Have that fell until hir right, Bot if that it war by batail, To court fho wil at afk cownfayl. The elder fister fone was yar, Unto the court fafl gan fho far, 2/60 To fir Gawayn fho made hir mane, And he has granted hyr onane : ** Bot yt bus be fo prevely That nane wit bot thou and i ; If thou of me makes any yelp, Lorn has thou al my help." Than efter, on the tother day, Unto kourt come the tother may, And to fir Gawayn fone fho went, And talde unto him hir entent ; 2770 Of his help fho him byfoght. Series, he fayd, that may i noght. Than fho wepe and wrang hir handes, And right with that come new tithandes* YWAINE AND GAWIN. 117 How a knyght with a lyoun Had flane a geant ful feloun. The farae knight thar talde this tale That fyr Ywayn broght fra bale, - That had wedded Gawayn fister der, Sho and bir funs war thar in fer ; 2780 Thai broght the dwergh, that be yc balde, And to fir Gawayn have thai talde^ How the knyght with the lyowne Delivred tham out of prefowne, And how he, for fyr Gawayn fake, Gan that batayl undertake ; And als how uobilly that he wroght. Sir Gawayn faid, I knaw him n[o]ght. The yonger mayden than alfone Of the king aflccs this bone : 2790 To have refpitc of fourti dauy Als it fel to landes lays. Sho will thar was no man of main That wald fyght with Hr Gawayn, Sho thoght to feke, by frith and fell. The knyght that (ho herd tham of tell. Refpitc was granted of this thing, The mayden tokc Icvc at [the] king. 118 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And fethen at al the baronage, And forth fho went on hir vayage. 2800 Day ne nyght wald fho noght fpar, Thurgh all the land faft gan fho far, Thurgh castel, and thurgh ilka toun, To feke the knight with the lyown ; *' He helpes al in word and dede. That unto him has any nede." Sho foght him thurgh al that land, Bot of hym herd ftio na tythand. . Na man kouth tel hir whar he was, Ful grete forow in hert fho has, 2810 So mikel murning gan fho make, That a grete fekenes gan fho take ; Bot in hir way right wele fho fped, At that kastell was fho fled Whar fir Ywayn ar had bene Helid of his fekenes clene. Thar fho was ful wele knawen, And als welcum als til hyr awyn; With alkyn gamyn thai gan hir glade, And mikel joy of hir thai made. 2820 Unto the lord fho tald hyr cafe. And helping haftily fho hafe ; y^VAINE AND GAWIN. 119 Stil in lecheing thar Oio lay, A maiden for hir toke the way, Forto feke, yf that flio royght In any land her of that knyght ; And that fame kastel come (ho by. Whar Ywayn wedded the lavedy. And fail (ho fpird, in ylk fefown, Efter the knight with the lioun. 2830 Thai tald hir how he went tham fra. And alfo how thay faw him fla Thre nobil knyghtes, for the nanes, That faght with him al at anes. Sho faid, Pur charite, i yow pray. If that ye wate, wil ye me fay, Wljedcnvard that he es went ? Thai faid forfoth thai toke na tent : *' Ne her es nane that the can tell, Dot if it be a damyfell, 2840 For whas fake he heder come, And for hir the butayl he nome : We trow welc that fho can the wis, Yonder in yone kyrk fho ys ; Tharfor we rede to hyr thou ga :" And haftiiy than did fho fwa. 120 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Aither other ful gudeli gret, And fone (ho frayned at Lunet, If fho kouth ani fertan fayne ; And hendly anfwerd fho ogayne : 2850 I fal fadel my palfray, And wend with the forth on thi way, And wis the als wele als i can. Ful oft-fithes thanked flio hir than. Lunet was ful fmertly yar, And with the mayden forth gan ftio far, Als thai went al {ho hyr talde, How flio was taken and done iu halde, How wikkedly that fho was wreghed, And how that traytyrs on hir leghed, 266o And how that fho fold have bene brent, Had not god hir focor fent Of that knight with the lyoun : " He lefed me out of prefoun." Sho broght hir fone into a playn, AVhar fho parted fra fir Ywayn ; Sho faid, Na mare can i tel the, Bot her parted he fra me ; How that he went wate i no mar, Bot wounded was he wonder far. 2870 YVVAINE AND GAWIN. 121 God, that for us fufferd wounde, Len us to fc him hale and fownde ! No longer with the may i dwell, Bot cumly Crift, that heried hell, Len the grace, that thou may fpede Of thine erand, als thou has nede. Lunet haftily hies hir home, And the may den fone to the kastel come, VVhar he was helid byfor-hand, The lord fone at the yate fho fand, 2S30 With knyghtes and ladies grete cumpani, Sho hayifed tham al ful hendely. And ful fayr praied (ho to tham then. It thai couth, thai fold hyr ken, Whar flio myght fynd, in tour or toun, A kumly knyght with a lyoun. Than faid the lord, By fwete Jhefus, Right now parted he fra us ; Lo her the Aeppes of his ftede, vyn unto him thai wil the lede. 28^ Than toke (ho leve, and went bir way, With fpoi rs flio fparid noght hir palfray ; Faft flio hycd with al hyr myght, Until ftio of him had a fygUt, 122 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And of his lyoun that by him ran, Wonder joyful was fho than; And with hir force fho hafted fo faft That fho overtoke him at the lafl. Sho hailfed him with hert ful fayn. And he hir hailfed fay re ogayn. 2900 Sho faid, Sir, wide have i yow foght, And for myfelf ne es it noght, Bot for a damyfel of pryfe, That halden es both war and wife ; Men dofe to hir ful grete outrage, Thai wald hir reve hyr heritage, And in this land now lifes none That fho trayftes hyr opone, Bot anly opon god and the, Yoi thou ert of fo grete bounty ; 2910 Thorgh help of the fho hopes wele To win hyr right everilka dele. Scho fais, no knyght that lifes now Mai help hir half fo wele als thou : Gret word fal gang of thi vasfage, If that thou win hir heritage ; For thoght fho toke flike fekenes far, So that fho might travail noraar. YWAINE AND GAWIN. 12S I have yow foght on fydes fer, Tharfor yowr anfwer wald i her, 2920 Whether ye wil with me wend. Or eb whar yow likes to leud. He faid, That knyght that idil lies ' Oft-fuhes winnes ful litcl pries, For-thi mi rede fal fone be tane, Gladly with the wil i gane, Wheder fo thou wil me lede, And hertly help the in thi nede ; Sen thou haves me fo wide foght, Sertes fail the fal i noght. 2930 Thus thair wai forth gan thai hald. Until a kastcl, that was cald The castel of the hevy forow, Thar wald he bide until the morow, Thar to habide him thoght it bcft. For the fon drogh faft to reft ; Bot al the men that thai with met, Grete wonder fone on tham thai fet ; And [feyde], Thou wrechc unfcly man, Whi wil thou her thi hcrber tanc ? 2940 Thou pafscs noght without dcfpite. Sir Ywaia anfwerd tham alstyte, lU YWAINE AND GAWIN. And faid, Forfoth, ye er unhende, An unkouth man fo forto (hende j Ye fold noght fay hym velany, Bot if ye wift enchefon why. Thai anfwerd than, and faid ful fone, lliou fal wit or tomom at none. Syr Ywaine faid, For al yowr faw, Unto yon castel wil i draw. 2950 He, and his lyoun, and the may, Unto the castel toke the way. When the porter of tham had fight, Sone he faid unto the knight, Cumcs forth, he faid, ye altogeder, Ful ille hail er ye cumen heder. Thus war thai welkumd at the yate. And yit thai went al in tharate. Unto the porter no word thai faid, A hal thai fand ful gudeli graid ; 29^0 And, als fir Ywaine made entr^, Fall bifyde him than faw he A proper place, and fair, i wis, Enclofed obout with a palis. He loked in bitwix the trefe, And many maidens thar he fefe, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 125 Wirkand filk and gold wir, Bot thai war al in pover atir, Thair clothes war rcven on evil araiy Ful tenderly al weped thai ; 2970 Thair face war lenc and als unclenc, And blak fmokkes had thai on bideac ; Thai had mischeik ful raanifalde. Of hunger, of threft, and of calde; And ever onane thai weped all, Als thai wald to water fall. When Ywainc al this underflode, Ogayn unto the yates he yode, Bot thai war fpcrred ferli fall. With lokkes that ful wele wald laft ; 2980 The porter kepid tham with his main, And faid, Sir, thou mod wend ogain ; I wate thou wald out at the yate, Bot thou roai noght, by na g.ite ; Thi herber es lane til to-morow, And tharfur gctes thou raekill forow; Omang thi fafe her fled ertow. He faid, So have i bene or noW| And pad ful wele, fo fal i her ; Bot, Icve frcnd, wdiou mc ler 2990 125 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Of thife maidens what thai ar, That wirkes al this riche ware ? He faid, If thou wil wit trewly, For'hermar thou moft afpy. Tharfore, he faid, i fal n[o]ght lett. He foght and fand a dern weket, He opind it, and in he yede : Maidens, he faid, god mot yow fpede ! And, als he fufferd woundes far, He fend yow covering of yowr car, 3000 So that ye might mak merier chere. Sir, thai faid, god gif fo wer ! Yowr forow, he faid, unto me fay, And i fal mend it yf i may. Ane of tham anfwerd ogayne, And faid, The foth we fal noght layne, We fal yow tel or ye ga ferr, Why we er here, and what we err. Sir, ye fal underftand, That we er al of Mayden-land, 3010 Our kyng, opon his jolit^, Pafsed thurgh many cuntr^, Aventures to fpir and fpy, Forto afay his owen body, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 127 His herber her ancs gan he ta. That was biginyng of our wa, For heryD er twa champions, Men fais thai er the devil fous, Geten of a woman with a ram, Ful many man have thai done gram ; 3020 What knight fo herbers her anyght With both at ones bihoves him fight. So bus the do, by bcl and bokc : Alias, that thou thine yns her toke ! Our king was wight himfelf to welde, And of fourtene yeres of elde, When he was tane with tham to fyght, Bot unto tham had he no myght. And when he faw him bud be ded, Than he kouth no better rede, 3030 Bot did him haly in thair grace, And made tham furete in that place, Forto ycld tham ilka yer, So that he fold be hale and fer, Threty maidens to trowage, And al fold be of hegh parage, And the faireft of his land ; Herto held he up his hand. 128 YWAINE AND GAWIN. This ilk rent byhoves hym gyf, Als lang als the fendes lyf, 3040 Or til thai be in batayl tane. Or els unto thai be al flane, Than fal we pas al hethin quite, That her fuffers al this defpite ; ^ Bot herof es noght for fpeke, Es none in werld that us mai wreke. We wirk her filver, filk and golde, Es none richer on this molde, And never the better er we kled, And in grete hunger er we fted ; 3050 For al that we wirk in this ftede, We have noght half our fil of brede, For the bell that fewes her any ftyk, Takes bot four penys in a wik, And that es litel, wha-fom tafe hede, Any of us to kleth and fede. Ilkone of us, withouten lefyng, Might win ilk wike fourty Ihilling, And yit bot if we travail mar, Oft thai bete us wonder far : ^ 3060 It helpes noght to tel this tale, For thar befe never bote of our bale. Y^VAINE AND GAWIN. ICp Our maAc forow, fen we bigan. That es, (bat we fe mani a man, Dc^hty dukes, yreU, and barouns, Oft-fithes flanc with thir champiowns, With tham to-moru bihoves the fight. Sir Ywayn faid, God, mafte of inyght, Sal Hrenkith me in ilka dedc, Ogains tha devib and al thair drede : 3070 That lord deliver yow of yo\vr fafe. Thus takes he levc and forth he gafe. He pafsed forth into the ball, Thar fand be no man him to call, No bewtefe wald thai to him bede, Bot haftily thai toke his Oede, And alfo the maydens palfray, War fervcd wele with corn and hay : For wele thai hoped that fir Ywayn Sold never have had his ftede ogayn. 3080 Thurgh the hal fir Ywain gafe, Intil ane orcherd playn pafe. His maiden with him ledes he. He fand a l^nyght under a tre. Open a clath of gold he lay, Byfor him fat a ful fay r may ; VOL, 1. K 130 YWAINE AND GAWIN. A lady fat with tham in fere, The may den red at thai myght her A real romance in that place, Bot i ne wote of wham it was. 5090 Sho was bot fiftene yeres aide, The knyght was lord of al that halde, And that mayden was his ayre, Sho was both gracious, gode, and far. Sone when thai faw fir Ywaine, Smertly rafe thai hym ogayne, And by the hand the lord him tafe, And unto him grete myrth he mafe. He faid, Sir, by fwete Jhefus, Thou ert ful welcum until us. 3100 The mayden was bowfom and bayne Forto unarrae fyr Ywayne, Serk and breke bath fho hym broght, That ful craftily war wroght. Of riche cloth foft als the fylk. And tharto white als any mylk, Sho broght hym ful riche wedes to wer, Hofe and fhofe and alkins ger, Sho payned hir with al hir myght, To ferve him and his mayden bright. 3llO YWATNE AND GA\VIN. 131 Sone thai went unto fopcr, Ful really ferved thai wer, With metes and drinkes of the beft, And fethin war thai broght to reft. In bis chaumber by bym lay His owin lyoun and his may ; At morn, when it was dayes lyght. Up thai rafe, and fone tbam dyght ; Sir Ywayn and hys damyfelo Went ful fone til a cbapele, 3150 And thar thai herd a mes in hafte, That was fayd of the haly gaile ; Efter mes ordand he has Fonh on his way fafl forto pas ; At the lord hys leve he tafc, And gretc thanking to him he raafe. The lord faid, Tak it to na greve, To gang hethin yit geles thou na leve ; Herin es ane unfely law, That has bene ufed of aid daw, 3130 And bus be done for frend or fa ; I fal do com byfor the twa Grete ferjantes of mekil myght, And whether it be wrang or right. 132 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Thou moll tak the ihelde and fper, Ogaynes tham the forlo were. If thou overcum tham in this ftour, Than fal thou have al this honour, And my doghter in mariage, And alfo al myne heritage. 3140 Than faid, fir Ywayn, Als mot i the, Thi doghter fal thou have for me. For a king or ane emperour May hir wed with grete honour. The lord faid, Her fal cum na knyghf. That he ne fal with twa champions fight ; So fal thou do on al wife, For it es knawen custum asfife. Sir Ywaiiie faid, Sen i fal fo. Than es the beft that i may do 3150 To put me baldly in thair hend, And tak the grace that god wil fend. The champions fone war forth broght, Sir Ywain fais, By him me boght, Ye feme wele the devils fons, For i faw never fwilk champions. Aither broght unto the place A mikel rownd talvace, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 133 And a klub, fiil grcte and lang, Thik fret with mani a thwang; 3l60 On bodies arniyd welc thai war, Bot tbar hedes bath war bar. The lioun bremly on tham blift, When he tham faw, fui wele he will That thai fold with his raayster fight, He thc^ht to help him at his myght ; With his tayl the erth he dang, Forto fyght him thoght ful laig; Of him aparty had thai drede. Thai faid, Syr knight, thou moft nedc 3170 Do thi lioun out of tliis place. For to us makes he grete manace, Or yelde the til us als creant. He faid, That war noght mine avenant. Thai faid, Than do thi befte oway. And als fonc fal we famyn play. He faid. Sirs, if ye be agaft. Takes the bcOe and bindes him fafU Thai fuid, He fal be bun or Hane, For help of him fal thou have nane ; 3 ISO Thi felf allane fal with us fight, For that es custume, and the right. 134, YWAINE AND GAWIN. Than faid fir Ywain to tham fone, What wil ye that the heft be done ? " In a chamber he fal be loken. With gude lokkes ful ftifly ftoken." Sir Ywain led than his lioun Intil a chamber to prefoun ; Than war bath tha devils ful balde, When the lioun was in halde. 3190 Sir Ywayn toke his nobil wiede, And dight him yn, for he had nede, And on his nobil ftede he ftrade, And baldely to tham bath he rade. His may den was ful far adred, That he Mas fo ftraitly fted, And unto god fail gan flio pray, ' Forto wyn him wele oway. Than ftrake thai on him wonder far, With thair clubbcs that ful ftrang war, 3200 Opon his fhelde fo faft thai feld, That never a pece with other held ; Wonder it es that any man Might ber the ftrakes that he toke than. Mister haved he of focour. For he come never in fwilk a ftour, yWAlNE AND GAWIN. Its Bot manly evyr with al his mayn, And graithly hit he tham ogayn, And, ah it telles in the boke, He gaf the dubbil of that he toke. 3210 Ful grete forow the lionn has, In the chameber whar he was. And ever he thoght opon that dede How he was helpid in his nede, And he might now do na focowr To him that helpid him in that ftour ; Might he out of the chamber breke, Sone he walde his maister wreke. He herd thair ftrake!>, that war ful fterin, And ycrn he waytes in ilka heryn, 3220 And al was made ful fad to hald ; At the laft he come to the thriswald. The erth thar keft he up ful fonc, Als fail als four men fold have done, If thai had broght bath bill and fpade ; A mekil hole ful fone he made. Yn al this [tyrae] was fir Ywayn Ful ftraitly parted with mekil payn, And dredo he had, als him wele aght, For oowther of tham na woundes laght ; 3830 136 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Kepe tham cowth thai wonder wele, That dintes deiid tham never a dele. It was na wapen that man might welde Might get a fhever.out of thair Ihelde. Tharof cowth Ywayn no rede, Sar he douted to be ded, And alfo his damyfel Till mekil murnyng made omell, And wele fho wend he fold be flane, And, fertes, than war hir focor gane ; 3240 Bot faft he ftighteld in that ftowr, And haftily him come focowre. Now es the lioun out-broken, His maister fal ful fone be wroken ; He rynnes faft with full fell refe, Than helpid it noght to prai for pefe, He ftirt unto that a glotowne, And to the erth he brayd him downe ; Than was thar nane obout that place That thai ne war fayn of that fair chace ; 3250 The maiden had grete joy in hert ; ,:i Thai faid, He fal never rife in quert. >'- His felow fraiftcd with al his mayn, To raife him fraertly up ogayn, . ^ YWAINE AND GAWIN. 137 And, right fo als he ftowped doun. Sir Ywain with his brand was boun, And Araiie his nek-bane right in fonder, Tharuf the fulk had mekil wonder, His hevid trindeld on the fand, Thus had Ywain the hegher hand. 3250 When he had feld that fowl fcloun, Of his Acdc he lighted dowDi His lioun on that other lay, Now wil he help him if he may, The lioun faw his niaister cum, And to hys part he wald have fom ; The right Hiolder oway he rafe, Both arm and klob with him he tafe ; And fo his maister gan he wreke : And als he might, yit gan he fpckc, 3270 And faid. Sir knight, for thi gentry, I prai the have of me mercy, And by fcill ful ho mercy have What man fo mekcly wil it crave ; And tharfore grantes mercy to me. Sir Ywain faid, I grant it the, If tliat thou wil thi felven fay That thou ert overcumcn this day. 138 YWAINE AND GAWIN. He faid, I grant withowten fail, I am overcumen in this batail, 3280 For pur ataynt and recreant. Sir Ywayn faid, Now i the grant For to do the na mar der, And fro my liown i fal the wer, I grant the pefe at my power. Than come the folk ful fair in fer, The lord and the lady als, Thai toke him fair obout the hals. Thai faide, Sir, now faltou be Lord and fyre in this cuntre, SSpO And wed our doghter for fertayn. Sir Ywayn anfwerd than ogayn : He faid, Sen ye gif me hir now, I gif hir evyn ogayn to yow. Of me for ever i grant hir quite ; Bot, fir, takes it til no defpite, For, fertes, whif may i none wed Until my nedes be better fped ; Bot this thing, fir, i aflc of the, That al thir prifons may pas fre : 3300 God has granted me this chance, I have made thair delyverance. YWAINE AND GAWIN. isg The lord anfwerd than ful tyte, And faid, I grant the tham al quite ; My doghter als i rede thou take, Sho es noght worthi to forfake. Unto the knyght fir Ywain fais, Sir, I fal noght hir mysprays, For fho es fo curtays and hende, That, fra hethin to the werldes ende, 3310 Es no kyng ne emperour, Ne no man of fo grete honowr, That he ne might wed that bird bright, And fo wald i if that i myght. I wald hir wed with ful gude cher, Bot lo i have a mayden her. To folow hir now moft i nede, Wheder fo (ho wil me lede : Tharfor at this time haves goday. He faid, thou pafscs noght fo oway, 3320 Sen thou wil noght do als i tell, In my prifon fal thou dwell. He faid, If i lay thar al my live I fal hir never wed to wive. For with this maiden mod i wend, Until we cum whar fljo wil lend. UO YWAINE AND GAWIN, The lord faw it was na bote Obout that mater mor to mote, He gaf him leve oway to far, Bet he had lever he had bene thar. 3330 Sir Ywayn takes than forth in fer Al the prifons that thar wer, Bifor hym fone thai come ilkane, Nerhand naked and wobigane, Stil he hoved at the yate, Til thai war went al forth tharate, Twa and twa ay went thai famyn, And made oraang tham mikel gamyn. If god had cumen fra hevyn on hight, And on this mold omang tham light. 3340 Thai had noght made mar joy fertain Than thai made to fyr Ywayne. Folk of the toun com him biforn, And blifsed the time that he was born, Of his prowes war thai wele payd, In this werld es none (like, thai faid ; Thai cunvayd him out of the toun, With ful fair procesfiowne. The maidens than thair leve has tane, Ful mekil myrth thai made ilkane ; 3350 yWAINE AND GAWIN. 141 At thair departing prayed thai thus : Our lord god, mighty Jhefus, He help yow, fir, to have yowr will, And ftiilde yow ever fra alkyns ill. Maidens, he i'aid, god mot yow (e, And bring yow wele whar ye wald be. Thus thair way forth er thai went, Na mor unto tham wil we tent. Sir Ywayn and his fair may Al the fevenight traveld thai, S560 The maiden knew the way ful wele Hame until that ilk castele, Whar flio lef the feke may, And theder haflily come thai. When thai come to the castel yatc, Sho led fir Ywain yn tharate, The may den was yit feke lyand, Bot when thai taldc hir this tithand, That umcn was hir mesfager, And the knyght with hyr in fer, 35/0 Swilk joy tharof (ho had in hert, Hir thoght that (ho was ai in quert. Sho faid, I wate my fister will Gif me now that falles me till. 142 YWAINE AND GAWIN". In hir hert fho was ful light, ^ul hendly hailfed fho the knight. A, fir, (ho faid, god do ihe mede, That thou wald cum in fwilk a nede: And al that in that kastel wer - ' Welkumd him with meri cher. 3380 I can noght fay, fo god me glade, Half the myrth that thai him made. That night he had ful nobil reft, With alkins esment of the beft. Als fone'als the day was fent, Thai ordaind tham and forth thai went, Until that town faft gan thai ride Whar the kyng fojomed that tide, And thar the elder fister lay, Redy forto kepe hyr day. 339 Sho traifted wele on fir Gawayn, That no knyght fold cum him ogayn, Sho hopid thar was no knyght lifand In batail that might with him ftand. Al a fevenight dayes bidene Wald noght fir Gawayn be fene ; Bot in ane other toun he lay. For he wald cum at the day, YWAINE AND GAWIN. , 143 AIs aventerous into the place, So that no man fold fe bis face. 3400 The armes he bar war noght his awyn, For he wald noght in court be knawyn. Syr Ywayn and his darayfell In the town tol(e thaire hostcll. And thar he held hira prevely, So that none fold him afcry ; Had thai dwelt langer by a day, Than had ftio lorn hir land for ay. Sir Ywain refted thar that nyght, And on the mom he gan hym dyght, 3410 On flcpe left thai bis lyowne, And wan tham wightly out of toun ; It was hir wil, and ab hys awyn, At cum to court als knyght unknawyn. Sone obout the prime of day Sir Gawayn, fra thethin thar he lay, Hies him fad into the felde, Wele armyd with fper and (hclde. No man knew him, les ne mor, Bot fho that he fold fight fore. 3420 The elder fister to court come, Unto the king at aflc hir dome, 144 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Sho faid, I am cumen with my knyght, Al redy to defend my right, This day was us fet fefowne, And i am her al redy bowne, And fen this es the laft day, Gifes dome and lates us wend our way. My fister has al fydes foghf, Bot wele i wate her cums flio noght, 3430 For fertainly fho findes nane, That dar the batail undertane. This day for hir forto fyght, Forto reve fra me my right, Now have i wele wonnen my land, Withowten dint of knightes hand ; What fo my fister ever has mynt, Al hir part now tel i tynt, Al es myne, to fell and gyf, Als a wreche ay fal (ho lyf : 3440 Tharfor, fir king, fen it es fwa, Gifes yowr dome, and lat us ga. The king faid, Maiden, think noght lang, (Wele he wifl; ftio had the wrang) Damyfel, it es the asfyfe, Whils fityng es of the justife, YWAINE AND GAWIN 145 The dome nedes you mod habide. For per aveutur it may bityde, Thi fister ful cum al bityme, For it es litil pafscd prime. 3450 When the king had tald this fcill. Thai faw cum rideand over a hyll. The yonger fister and hir knyght, The way to town thai tokc ful right. On Ywains' bed his liown lay, And thai had flollen fra him oway. The elder maiden made il cher, When thai to court cumen wer. The king withdrogh his jugemcnt, For wele he trowed in his cntent 34$0 That the yonger fister had the right, And that iho fold cum with fum knyght. Himfelf knew hyr wele inogh. When he hir iiiw ful faft he logb, Him liked it wele in his hert, That he faw hir fo in queit. Into the court Oio toke the way, And to the king thus gan Hio fay, God, that governs alkin thing, The fave and fe, fyr Arthur the kyng, 3470 VOL. I. h 146 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And al the knyghtes that langes to the, And alfo al thi mcry meny^ ; Unto yowre court, fir, have i broght An unkouth knyght that ye knaw noght; He fais that, fothly, for my fake, This batayl wil he undertake, And he haves yit in other land Ful felle dedes underhand, Bot al he leves, god do him raede ! Forto help me in my nede. 3480 Hir elder fister ftode hyr by, And tyl hyr fayd (ho haftily. For hys luf that lens us life, Gif me my right withouten ftrife, And lat no man tharfor be flayn. The elder fister fayd ogayn, Thi right es noght for al es myne, And i wil have yt mawgre thhie ; Tharfore if thou preche alday, Her fal thou nothing ber oway. 3490 The yonger mayden to hir fays, Sister, thou ert ful curtays, And gret dole es it forto fe Slike two knightes al[s] thai be YWAINE AND GAWIN. 147 For us fal put tham-felf to fpill, Tharfor now, if it be thi will, Of thi gude wil to me thou gif Sura thing that i may on lif. The elder faid, So mot i the, Who fo es ferd i rede thai fle ; 3500 Thou getes right noght withowtcu fail, Bot if thou win yt tburgh batail. The yonger faid, Sen thou wil fwa. To the grace of god her i me ta, And, lord, als he es mafte of myght. He fend his focor to that knyght, That thus ill dede of charit^ This day aiitrcs hys lif for me. The twa kiiightes come bifor the king, And thar was fone ful grete gedering, 3510 For ilka man that walk might, Hafted fone to fe that fyght ; Of tbam this was a felly cafe. That nowther wift what other wafe ; Ful grete luf was bitwix tham twa. And now er aithcr other fa ; Ne the king kowth tham noght knaw, For thai wald noght thair fJaces (hew, 148 YWAINE AND GAWIN. If owther of tham had other fene, Crete luf had bene tham bitwene. 3520 Now was this a grete felly, That trew luf and fo grete envy Als bitwix tham twa was than Might bath at anes be in a man. The knightes, for thafe maidens love, Aither til other kaft a glove, And wele armed with fper and fhelde, Thai riden both forth to the felde. Thai ftroke thair ftedcs that war kene, Litel luf was tham bitwene ; 3530 Ful grevosly bigan that gamyn, With ftahvorth fperes ftrake thai famen, ' And thai had anes togeder fpoken, Had thar bene no fperes broken, Bot in that time bitid it fwa, That aither of tham wald other fla. Thai drow fwerdes, and fwang obout, To dele dyntes had thai no dout ; Thair fheldes war ftiiferd, and helms rifen, Ful ftalworth ftrakes war thar gifen, 3540 Bath on bak and breftes thar, War bath wounded wonder far, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 149 In many ftedes might men ken The blodc out of thair bodies reti. On helmes thai gaf (like ftrakes kene, That the richc (lanes albidene, And other ger that was ful gude, Was over-covered al in blode. Thar helmes war evel bniften bath, And thai alfo war wonder wrath ; 3550 Thair hauberks als war alto torn, Both behind and als byforn ; Thair flieldcs lay (heverd on the ground : Thai refted than a litel (lound, Forto tak thair andc tham till. And that was with thair bother will. Bot ful lang refted thai noght, Til aither of tham on other foght, A ftrongc (lowr was tham bitwene, Harder had men never fene, 3560 The king and other that thar war. Said that thai fuw never ar So nobil knightes in no place So lang fight bot by goddes grace. Barons, knightes, fquiers, and knaves. Said, It cs no man that haves 150 YWAINE AND GAWIN. So mekil trefor ne nobillay That might tham quite thair dede this day. Thir wordes herd the knyghtes twa, It made tham forto be mor thra. 3570 Knightes went obout gude wane, To mak the two fisters at ane, Bot the elder was fo unkinde, . In hir thai might no mercy finde, And the right that the yonger hafe Puttes fho in the kinges grace. The king himfelf and ais the quene, And other knightes albidene, And al that faw that dede that day Held al with the yonger may, 3580 And to the king al thai bifoght. Whether the elder wald or noght, That he fold evin the landes dele. And gif the yonger damyfele The half, or els fum porciowne, That fho mai have to warifowne. And part the two knightes in twyn ; For fertis, thai faid, it war grete fyn That owther of tham fold other fla, For in the world es noght fwilk twa. 35^0 YWAINE AND GAWIN. 151 Whcu other knightes faid thai fold fefe, Thain fclf wald noght asfent to pefe. Al that ever faw that batayl Of thair might had grcte inervayl, Tliai law never under the hevyn Twa knightes that war copied fo cvyn. Of al the folk was none fo wife That wift whether fold have the prife ; For thai faw never fo ftalworth ftour ; Ful der boght thai that honowr. 3600 Gretc wonder had fir Gawayn What he was that faght him ogain, And fir Ywain had grete ferly Wha ftodc ogayns him fo ftif ly. On this wife lafted that fight Era midmom unto mirk night, And by that time, i trow thai twa War ful wcri and fare alfwa ; Thai had bled fo mekil blode It was gretc ferly that thai Aode, 36lO So far thai bet on bak and breft, Until the fun was gon to reft, For nowthcr of tliam wald other fpar, For mirk night thai than namar, 152 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Tharfor to reft thai both tham yelde, Bot, or thai paft out of the felde, Bitwix tham two might men fe Both mekil joy and grete pete. By fpeche might no man Gawain knaw, So was he hafe and fpak ful law, 3520 And mekil was he out of maght, For the ftrakes that he had laght, And fir Ywain was ful wery, Bot thus he fpekes, and fais in hy : He faid, Syr, fen us failes light, I hope it be no lifand wight What wil us blame if that we twin, For of al ftedes i have bene yn With no man yit- never i met That fo wele kowth his ftrakes fet, 3630 So nobil ftrakes has thou gifen - That my fheld es alto reven. Sir Gawayn faid, Sir, fertanly, Thou ert noght fo weri als i, For if we langer fightand wer I trow i might do the no dere, Thou ert nothing in my det, Of ftrakes that i on the fet. Y^VAINE AND GAWIN. 153 Sir Ywain faid, in Criftes name, Sai mc what thou hat at hame. 3640 He faid, Sen thou my name wil her, And covaites to wit what it wer, My name in this land mani wote, I hat Gawayn the king fon Lote. Than was fir Ywayn for agaft, His fwerde fra him he kaft, He fcrd right als he wald wcde. And fonc he ftirt down of his ftede, He faid, her es a fowl mischance, For defaut of conifance ; 3650 A Ar, be faid, had i the fenc. Than had her no batel bene, I had mc yolden to the als tite Als worthi war for discumfite. What man ertou ? faid fir Gawain. Syr, he fayd, I hat Ywayne, That lufes the more, by fe and fand, Than any man that es lifand, For mani dedcs that thou me did, And curtayfi ye have me kyd : S660 Tharfor, fir, now in this (lour, I fal do the this honowr 154 YWAINE AND GAWIN. I grant that thou has me overcuinen, And by ftrenkyth in batayl nomen. Sir Gawayn anfwerd, als curtays, Thou fal noght do, fir, als thou fais ; This honowr fal noght be myne, Bot fertes it aw wele at be thine ; I gif it the her, withowten hone, And grantes that i am undone. Sone thai light, fo fais the boke, And aither other in armes toke, . 36/0 And kifsed fo, ful fele fithe, Than war thai both glad and blithe ; In armes fo thai ftode togeder, Unto the king com ridand theder, And fall he covait forto her Of thir knightes what thai wer, And whi thai made fo mekil gamyn Sen thai had fo foghten famyn. Ful hendli than alked the king Wha had fo fone made faghteling 3680 Bitwix tham thai had bene fo wrath, And aither haved done other fcath ? He faid, I wend ye wald ful fain Aither of yow have other flayn, YWAINE AND GaWIN. 155 And now ye er fo frendes der. Sir king, faid Gawain, yc fal her ; For unknawing and hard grace, Thus have we foghten in this place ; 969O I am Gawayn, yowr aw in nevow, And fir Ywayn faght with mc now ; When we war ner wcri, i wys, Mi name he frayned and i his, When we war knawin, fone gan we fcfe : Dot, fertes, fir, this es no lefe, liad we foghten forth a Aownde, I wote wcle i had gone to groundc, By his prowes and his mayne, I wate for foth i had bene flayne. 3700 Thir wordes mcngcd al the mode, Of fir Ywain als he ftode : Sir, he faid, fo mot i go, Yc kn[a]w yowr felf it es noght fo. Sir king, he faid, withowten fail, I am overcumen in this batayl. Nai, fortes, faid Gawain, hot am i. Thus nowther wald have the maiilri. Bifor the king gan aither grant That himfelf was recreant ; 3710 156 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Than the king, and hys meny^ Had bath joy and grete pet^, He was ful fayn thai frendes wer. And that thai war fo funden in fer. The kyng faid, Now es wele fene That mekil luf was yow bitwene. He faid, fir Ywain, welkum home. For it was lang fen he thar come. He faid, I rede ye both asfent To do yow in my jujement, 3720 And i fal mak fo gude ane ende, That ye fal both Le halden hende. Thai both asfented fone thartill. To do tham in the kynges will, If the maydens wald do fo. Than the king bad knyghtes two Wend efter the maydens bath, And fo thai did ful fwith rath, Bifor the kyng when thai war broght, He tald imto tham als him thoght : 3730 " Lyftens me now, maydens hende, Yowr grete debate es broght til ende, So fer forth now es it dreven That the dome moil nedes be gifen, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 157 And i fal deme yow als i can." The elder fister anfwerd than, Sen ye cr king that us fold wer, I pray yow do to me na der. He faid, I wil let for na faw, For to do the landes law. 3740 Thi yong fistcr fal have hir righl, For i fe wcic that thi knyght, Es overcumcn in this wer. Thus faid he anely hir to fer, And for he wift hir wilful wele, That fho wald part with never a dele. Sir, fho faid, fen thus es gan, Now moft i, whether i wil or nane, Al yowr cuiilandraent fulfill, And tharfor dofc right als ye will. 5750 The king faid. Thus fal it fall, Al yowr landes depart i fall : Thi wil es wrang, that have i knawin, Now fal thou have noght hot thin awin, That es the half of al-bydenc. Than anfwerd fho, ful tite in tenc, And faid, Me think ful gretc outrage To gif hir half myne heritage. 158 YWAINE AND GAWIN. The king faid, For yowr bother effe, In hir land i fal hir fefe, 376O And fho fal hald hir land of the, And to the tharfor mak fewt^, Sho fal the luf als hir lady, And thou fal kith thi curtayfi, . Luf hir efter thine avenant, And fho fal be to the terlant. This land was firft, i underftand, That ever was parted in Ingland. Than faid the king, Withowten fail. For the luf of that batayl, 3770 Al fisters that fold efter bene Sold part the landes tham bitwene. Than faid the king to fir Gawain, And als he prayed fir Ywain, Forto unlace thair riche wede, And tharto had thai bath grete nede. Als thai thus-gate ftod and fpak, The lyown out of the chamber brak, Als thai thair armours fold unlace, Come he rinand to that place, 3780 Bot he had, or he come thar, Soght his mayster whide-war. YVVAINE AND GARVIN. 159 And ful rackil joy he made^ When he his mayster funden hade. On ilka fide than might men fe The folk faft to toun gan fle, So war thai fcrd for the iiowne. When thai faw him theder bown. Syr Ywain bad tham cum ogayn, And faid, Lordingcs, for fertayn, 3790 Fra this befie i fal yow wer, So that he fal do yow no der ; And, firs, ye fai wele trow mi fawes, We er frendcs and gude felaws ; He es mine, and i am his, For na trefor i wald him mys. When thai faw this was fcrtain, Than fpak thai al of fir Ywaine : This es the knight with the Uown, That es balden of fo grete renown ; 3800 This ilk knight the geant flogh, , Of dedis he es d(^hty inogh. Than faid fir Gawayn fone in hi. Me es bitid grete velani ; I cri the mercy, fir Ywayne, That i have trispaft the ogayn ; 1^0 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Thou helped mi fyster in hir nede, Evil have i quit the now thi mede; Thou anterd thi life for luf of me, And als mi fister tald of the ; 3810 Thou faid that we, ful fele dawes, Had bene frendes, and gude felawes ; Bot wha it was ne wift i noght, Sethen have i had ful mekil thoght, And } it for al that i do can I cowth never her of na man That me cowth tell, in tour ne toun, Of the knight with the liown. When thai had unlaced thair wede, Al the folk toke ful gode hede 3820 How that befte, his bales to bete, Likked his maister both hend and fete. Al the men grete mervail hade Of the mirth the lyown made. When the knightes war broght to reft, The king gert cum fone of the beft Surgiens that our war fene. For to hele tham both bidene. Sone fo thai war hale and fownd. Sir Ywayn hies him fall to found. 3830 YVVAINE AND GAWIN. \6l Luf was fo in bis hert feil, Night ne day haved be no reft ; Bot he get grace of his lady. He moft go wode, or for luf dy, Ful prevt'li forth gan he wende Out of the court fra ilka frende ; He rides right unto the well, And thar he ihinkcs forto dwell ; His gode lyon went with him ay, He wald noght part fru him oway. 3940 He keft water opon the (lane, The ftorm rafe ful fone onane, The thoner grifely gan oul-breft, Him thoght als al the grete foreft, And al that was obout the well, Sold have fonken into bell. The lady was in mekyl dout. For al the kastel wallcs obout Quoke fo faft that men might think That al into the erth fold fynk ; 385U Thai trembled faft, both hour and hall, Alft thai unto the grund fold fall ; Was never, in this mydle-erde, In no kastell folk (o ferde. OL. I. M 162 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Bot wha it was wele wift Lunet, Sho faid, Now er we hard byfet ; Madame, i ne wate what us es beft, For her now may we have no reft ; Ful wele i wate ye have no knight That dar wende to yowr wel, and fight. 386o With him that curaes yow to afaile ; And if he have her no batayle, Ne findes none yow to defend, Yowr lofe ben lorn withouten end. The lady faid, (ho wald be dede : " Der Lunet, what es thi rede ? Wirk i wil by thi kounfail, For i ne wate noght what mai avail." Madame, Iho faid, i wald ful fayn Kownfail yow if it might gayn, 3870 Bot in this cafe it war mystere To have a wifer kownfayler : And by defait than gan fho fay, Madame, per chance, this ilk day, Sum of yowr knightes mai cum hame, And yow defend of al this (hame. A, (ho faid, Lunet, lat be ! Speke na mor of my meny6, YWAINE AND GAWIN. 169 For wele i wate, fo god me mend, I have na knight me mai defend ; 3880 Tharfor my kownfail bus the be, And i wil wirk al efter the ; And tharfor help at al thi myght. Madame, (ho faid, had we that knyght, That es fo curtais and avenant, And has flane the grete geant, And als that the tbre knightes flogh, Of him ye royght be trift inogh ; Bot furthermar, madame, i wate He and his lady r at debate, 3890 And has bene fo fu) many day, And als i herd hym-felvyn fay, He wald bileve with no lady, Bot on this kownand utterly, That thai wald mak fertayn ath To do thair might and kunyng bath, Trewly both by day and naght, To mak him and hys lady faght, The lady anfwcrd fone hir tyll. That wil i do with ful godo will ; 39OO Unto the her mi trowth i plight. That i (a\ tharto do mi might. 164 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Sho faid, Madame, be ye noght wrath, I moft nedes have of yow an ath. So that i mai be fertayn. The lady faid, That will i fayn. Lunet than riche relikes toke. The chalis and the mes boke, On knefe the lady down hir fet, Wit ye wele than liked Lnnet : 3910 Hir hand opon the boke fho laid. And Lunet alkyns to hir faid : Madame, flio faid, thou fait fwer her, That thou fal do thi power, Both dai and night, opon al wife, - Withouten alkyns fayntife, To faghtel the knyght with the liown And his lady of grete reuowne. So that no faut be fundcn in the. Sho faid, I grant it fal fo be. 3920 Than was Lunet wele paid of this, The boke (ho gert hir lady kys : Sone a palfray fho biftrade, And on hir way fail forth fho lade. The next way ful fone fho nome. Until fho to the well come. YWAINE AND GAWIN. l65 Sir Ywain fat under the thorn, And his lyown lay him byforn : Sho knew him wele by his lioun, And haftily (ho lighted downe ; 3930 And a Is Tone als he Lunet fagh In his hert than lift him lagh : Mekil mirth was when thai met, Aither other ful fair has grct. Sho faid, I love grete god in trone. That i have yow fun fo Tone, And tithandes tel i yow bifom. Other fal my lady be manefworn. On rclikcs, and bi bokes brade, Or els ye twa er frendes made. 3940 Sir Ywain than was wonder glad, Fer the tithandes that he had, He thanked hir ful fele fith, That fho wald him Dike gudencs kith ; And (ho him thanked mekill mar, For the dedes that war done ar : So ather was in other det, I'hat both thair travail was wele fet. He fais, Talde thou hir oght my name i Sho raid, Nay, than war i to blame ; 39^0 166 YWAINE AND GAWIN. Thi name fho fal noght wit for me, Til ye have kyfsed, and faghteld be. Than rade thai forth toward the town, And with tham ran the gude lyoun. When thai come to the castel-yate, Al went thai in thareat ; Thai fpak na word to na man born, Of al the folk thai fand byforn. AIs fone fo the lady herd fayn, Hir damifel was cumen ogayn, 39^0 And als the liown and the knight, Than in hert fho was ful lyght ; Scho covait ever of al thing Of him to have knawlageing. Sir Ywain fone on knefe him fet. When he with the lady met. Lunet faid to the lady fone, Take up the knight, Madame, have done, And, als covenand betwix us was, Makes his pefe faft or he pas. 3970 Than did the ladi him up-rife, Sir, flio faid, opon al wife I wil me pain in al thing Forto mak thi faghtelyng YWAINE AND GAWIN. 167 Bitwix the and tbi lady bryght, Medame, faid Lunet that es right. For nane hot ye has that powere, Al the foth now fal ye her. Madame, (ho faid, es nught at layn, This es my lord , fir Ywaine ; 3980 Swilk luf god bitwix yow fend, That may laA to yowr lives end. Than went the lady fer obak, And lang Oio ftode or that (ho fpak ; Sho faid, How es this, damyfele ? I wend thou fold be to me lele. That makes me whether i wil or nogbt Luf tham that me wa has wroght ; So that me bus be forfworn, Or luf tham that wald i was lorn ; 3990 Bot, whether it torn to wele or ill, That i have faid i fal fulfill. Wit ye wele than, fir Ywaine Of tha wordes was fvl fayoe. Madame, he faid, i have miswrqght. And that i have ful der boght ; Crete foly i did, the foth to fay, When that i pad my terme-day ; 168 YWAINE AND GAWIN. And fertes wha fo had fo bityd, Thai fold have done right als i dyd, 4000 Bot i fal never, thorgh goddes grace, At mi might do mor trifpafe ; And what man fo wil mercy crave, By goddes law he fal it have. Than fho afented faghteling to mak, And fone in arms he gan hir tak, And kifsed hir ful oft fith, Was he never ar foblith. Now has fir Ywain ending made Of al the forows that he hade ; 4010 Ful lely lufed he ever hys whyfe, And (ho him als hyr owin life ; That lafted to thair lives ende ; And trew Lunet, the maiden hende, Was honord ever with aid and ying, And lifed at hir owin likyng. Of alkins thing fho has mayftri, Next the lord and the lady ; Al honord hir in tour and toun. Thus the knyght with the liown 4020 Es turned now to fyr Ywayn, And has his lordfhip al ogayn ; YWAINE AND GAWIN. l69 And fo fir Ywain and his wive In joy and blis thai led thair live ; So did Lunct, and the Uown, Until that dcd haves drevcn tham down : Of tham na mar have i herd tell, Nowther in ruraance, ne in fpell. Bot Jhefu Crifte, for his grete grace, In hevyn blis grante us a place 4030 To bide in, if his wills be. Amen; amen, pur charite. [ 170 3 LAUNFAL. BY THOMAS CHESTRE. PART I. Be doughty Artours dawes. That held Engelond yn good lawes, Ther fell a wondyr cas, Of a ley that was yfette, That hyght Launval, and hatle yette ; Now herkeneth how hyt was. Doughty Artour fom whyle Sojournede yn Kardeuyle, Wyth joye and greet folas ; And knyghtes that wer profitable, 10 With Artour of the rounde table, Kever noon better ther nas. Sere Perfevall, and fyr Gawayn, Syr Gyheryes, and fyr Agrafrayn, LAUNFAL. 171 And Launcelot Dulake, Syr Kay, and fyr Ewayn, That well couthe fyghte yn plain, Batelcs for to take. Kyng Ban-Booght, and kyng Bos, Of ham ther was a greet los, 29 Men fawe the no wher her make ; Syr Galafre, and fyr LaunfJEde, Wherof a noble tale Among us fchall awake. With Artour ther was a bacheler. And hadde ybe well many a yer, Launfal for foth he hyght. He gaf gyftys largelyche, Gold, and fylver, and clodes ryche, To fquyer and to knyght. 30 For hys largeflc and hys bount^, The kynges fluward made was he, Ten yer, y you plyght ; Of allc the knyghtes of the table rounde So large ther was noon yfounde, Be dayes ne be nyght, 172 LAUNFAL. So hyt be fyll, yn the lenthe yer, Marlyn was Artours counfalere, He radde hyin for to wende To king Ryon of Irlond ryght, 40 And fette him ther a lady b ryght, Gwennere hys doughtyr hende. So he dede, and home her brought, But fyr Launfal lyked her noght, Ne other knyghtes that wer hende ; For the lady bar bos of fwych word, ITiat fche hadde lemannys unther her lord, So fele ther nas noon ende. They wer ywedded, as y you fay, Up on a Wytfonday, 50 Before princes of moch pryde, No man ne may telle yn tale What folk ther was at that bredale. Of countreys fer and wyde. No nother man was yn halle yfette. But he wer prelat, other baronette, In herte ys naght to hyde, Yf they fatte noght alle ylyche, Har fervyfe was good and ryche, Certeyn yn ech a fyde. 60 LAUNFAL. 173 And whan the lordcs hadde ete yn the halle, And the clothes wer drawncn alle. As ye raowe her and lytbc, The botelers fcntyn wyn, To alio the lords that wer iherj'n, With chere both glad and biythe. The quenu yaf gjftes for the nones, Gold and felver, prccyous ftonys, Her curtafye to kythc, Everych knyght fche yaf broche, other ryng, 70 But fyr Launfal fche yaf no thyng, That grevede hyra many a fythe. And whan the bredalc was at ende Launfal tuk his levc to wcndc At Artour the kyng, And feyde a Icttere was to hym come, That deth hadde hys fadyr ynome, He moft to his beryynge. Tho feyde king Artour, that was hende, Launfal, if thou wylt fro me wende, 80 Tak with the greet fpendyng. And my fuster foncs two, Bothc they fchull with the go, . At horn the for to bryng. 17 4> LAUNFAL. Launfal tok leve, withoute fable, With knyghtes of the rounde tables, And vvente forth yn his journe, Tyl he come to Karlyown, To the meyrys hous of the toune, Hys fervaunt that hadde ybe. 90 The meyr ftod, as ye may here, And faw hym come ride up anblere, With two knyghtes and other mayn^, Agayns hym he hath wey ynorae, And feyde, Syr, thou art well come, How faryth our kyng ? tel me. Launfal anfwerede and feyde than, He faryth as well as any man, And elles greet ruthe hyt wore ; But, fyr meyr, without lefyng, 100 I am thepartylh fram the kyng. And that rewyth me fore : Ne ther thar noman benethe ne above, For the kyng Artours love, Onowre me neuer more ; But, fyr meyr, y pray the pur amour, May y take with the fojour ? Som tyme we knewe us yore. LAUNFAL. 175 The meyr ftod, and bethogte hym there, What myght be hys anfwerc, 110 And to hym than gan he fayn, Syr, fevcn knyghtes han her har in ynome, And ever y wayte whan they wyl corac, They arn of Lytyll-Bretaync. Launfal tumede hymfcif and lowgh, Therof he hadde fcorn inowgh, And feyde to his knyghtes tweync. Now may ye fe fwych ys fervice, Unther a lord of lytyll pryfe, How he may therof be fayn. 120 Launfal awayward gan to ryde, The meyr bad he fchuld abyde. And feyde yn thys manere, Syr, yn a chamber by my orchard-fyde, Ther may ye dwell with joye and pryde, Yf hyt your wyll were. Laun&l anoon ryghtes, He and hys two knytes, Sojourncde ther } n fere, So favagel} ch hys good he befette, 18# That he ward yn greet dette, Uyght yn the ferft yeie. 176 LAUNFAL. So hyt befell at Pentecoft, Swych tyme as the holy gofl Among mankend gan lyght, That fyr Huwe and fyr Jon Tok her leve for to gon At fyr Launfal the knyght. They feyd, Syr, our robes beth to rent, 140 And your trefour ys all yfpent, And we goth ewyll ydyght. Thane feyde fyr Launfal to the knyghtes frc, Tell ye no man of my poverty, For the love of god almyght. The knyghtes anfwerede and feyde tho^ That they nolde him wreye never mo, All thys world to wynne. With that word they wente hym fro, To Glaftyngbery bothe two, 150 Ther kyng Artour was inne^ The kyng fawe the knyghtes hende, And ayens ham he gan wende, For they wer of his kenne ; Noon other robes they ne hadde Than they out with ham ladde. And tho wer to- tore and thynne. LAUNFAL. 177 Than feyde Gwenore, that was fel, How faryth the prowde knygbt Launfial ? May he hys armes welde ? Ye, madame, fayde the knytes than, l60 He faryth as well as any man, And ellys god hyt fchelde. Moche worchyp and greet honour, To Gonore the quene and kyng Artour, Of fyr Launfal they telde ; And feyde, He lovede us fo. That be wold us evermo, At wyll have yhelde. But upon a rayny day hyt befel, An buntynge wente fyr Launfel, 170 To chafy yn boltes hore. In our old robes we ycde that day, And thus we beth ywent away, As we before hym wore. Glad was Artour the kyng. That Launfal was yn good lykyng, The quene hyt rew well fore; For fche wold, with all her myght, That he hadde be, bothe day and nygbt, In paynys mor and more. 180 VOL. I. N 178 LAUNFAL. Upon a day of the trinit^, A fefte of greet folempnite In Carlyoun was holde, Erles and barones of that countr^. Ladyes and borjaes of that cit^, Thyder come bothe yongh and old. But Launfal for hys poverty Was not bode to that fembl^, Lyte men of hym tolde ; * The meyr to the fefte was of fent, IJK) The meyrys doughter to Launfal w^it. And axede yf he wolde In halle dyne with her that day. DSmefele, he fayde, nay. To dyne have i no herte ; Thre dayes ther ben agon Mete ne drynke eet y noon. And all was for povert. To-day to cherche y wolde have gon. But me fawtede hofyn and fchon, 200 Clenly brech and fcherte ; And for defawte of clodynge, Ne myghte y yn with the peple thrynge, No wonther dough me fmerte LAUNFAL. I7f But othyng, damefele, y pray the, Bftdel anil brydcl lene thou me, A whyle lor to ryde, That y myghte confortede be. By a lauiide unther thys cyte, Al yn thys undern-tyde. 1210 Launfal dyghte hys coarfer, Withoute knave other fquyer, He rood with lytyll pryde ; Hys hors flod, and fel yn the fen, Wherfore hym fcomede many men, Abowte hym for and wyde. Poverty the knyght to hors gan fprynge, For to dryve away lokynge. He rood toward the weft ; The wether was hot the undern-tyde. He lyghte adoun, and gan abyde, 330 Under a fayr foreft : And for hete of the wedere, Hys mantell he fcld togydere. And fette hym doun to refte ; Thus fat the knyght yn fymplyte, In the fchadowc unther a tre, Ther that hym lykede beft. 180 LAUNFAL. As he fat yn forow and fore, He fawe come out of holtes hore 230 Gentyll maydenes two, Har kerteles wer of Inde fandel, Ilafed fmalle, jolyf and well, Ther myght noon gayer go. Har manteles wer of grene felwet, Ybordured with gold, ryght well yfette Ipelvred with grys and gro ; Har heddys wer dyght well withalle, Everych hadde oon a jolyf coronall, Wyth fyxty gemmys and mo. 24# Har faces wer whyt as fnow on downe, Har rode was red, her eyn wer browue, I fawe never non fwyche ; That oon bar of gold a bafyn, That other a towayle whyt and fyn, Of felk that was good and ryche. Her kerchevcs wer well fchyre, Arayd wyth ryche gold wyre, Launfal began to fyche ; They com to hym over the hoth, 250 He was curteys, and ayens hem goth, And greette hem myldelyche. LAUNFAL. mi Datnefcls, he feyde, god yow fe ! Syr knyght, they feyde, well the be ! Our lady, dame Trjamour, Bad thou fchuldeft com fpeke with here, Gyf hyt wer thy wylle fere, Wythoute more fojour. Launfal hem grauntede curteyslyche, And wente wyth hem myldclyche, 260 They wheryn whyt as flour ; And when they come in the foreft an hygh, A pavyloun yteld be fygh, With mertbe and mochell honour. The pavyloun was wrouth for fothe; y wys, All of werk of Sarfynys, The pomelles of crystal! ; Upon the loppe an em ther ftod, Of bournede gold ryche and good, Ifloryfched with ryche amall. 270 Hys eyn wer carbonkeles bryght. As the mone ihcy fchon a-nyght. That fpretcth out ovyr all ; Alyfaundre the conquerour, Ne kyng Artour, yn hys mod honour, Ne hadde noon fcwych juell. 182 LAUNfAL. He fond yn the pavyloua The kynges doughter of Olyroun, Dame Tryamour that hyghte, Her fadyr was kyng of fayrye, 28Q Of occient fer and nyghe, A man of mochell myghte. In the pavyloun he fond a bed of prys, Iheled with purpur bys, That ferayle was of fyghte, Therinne lay that lady gent. That after fyr Launfal hedde yfent, That lef feme lemede brygbt. For hete her clothes down fche dede, Almeft to her gerdyl ftede, 299 Than lay fche uncovert ; Sche was as whyt as lylye yn May, Or fnow that fneweth yn wynterys day, He feygh never non fo pert. The rede rofe. whan fche ys newe, Ayens her rode nes naught of hewe, I dar well fay yn fert ; Her here fchon as gold wyre, May no man rede here aiyre, Ne naught well thenke yn hert, 300 LAUNFAL. 1S$ Sche feyde, Launfal, my lemman fwete) Al my joye for the y lete, Swetyng paramour, Ther nys no man yn Criftenti, That y love fo moche as the, Kyng, neyther emperour. Launfal beheld that fwete wyghth. All hys love yn her was lyghth,' And kefte that fwete flour ; And fat adoun her byfyde, ' 310 And feyde, Swetyng, what fo betyde, I am to thyn honour. She fcyde, Syr knyght, gentyl and hende, I wot thy ftat, ord, and ende, Be naught afcharoed of ne ; Yf thou wylt truly to me take, And alle wemen for me forfake, Ryche i wyll make the, I wyll the yeve an alner, Imad of fylk and of gold cler, 330 Wyth fayre ymages thre ; As o(l thou putted the hond therinne, A mark of gold thou fchalt wynne^ In wat place that thou be. 184 LAUNFAL. Alfo, fche feyde, fyr Launfal, I yeve the Blaunchard my ftede lei, And Gyfre my owen knave ; And of my armes oo penfel, Wyth thre ermyns ypeynted well, Alfo thou fchalt have. 530 In werre, ne yn turnement, Ne fchall the greve no knyghtes dent, So well y fchall the fave. Than anfwerede the gantyl knyght, And feyde, Gramarcy, my fvvete wyght, No bettere kepte y have, The damefell gan her up fette, And bad her maydenes her fette To hyr hondys watyr clere ; Hyt was ydo without lette, 340 The cloth was fpred, the bord was fette, They wente to hare fopere. Mete and drynk they hadde afyn, Pyement, clare and Reynyfch wyn. And elles greet wondyr hyt wer ; Whan they had fowpeth, and the day was gon, They wente to bedde, and that anoon, Launfal and fche yn fere. LAUNFAL. 185 For play lytyll they fclepte that nyght, Tyll on morn hyt was day-tyght, 350 Sche badd hym aryfe anoon ; Hy fcydc to hyra, Syr gantyl knyght, And thou \i'ylt fpeke with me in any wyght, To a deme ftcde thou gon. Well privyly i woU come to the, No man alyve ne fchall me fe, As Oylle as any fton. Tho was Launfal glad and blythe, He cowdc no man hys joye kythe, And kefte her well good won. 35o But of othyng, Tyr knyght, i wame the. That thou make no bofl of me, For no kcnncs mede ; And yf thou dooA, y wamy the before, All my love thou hall furlorc: And thus to hym fche feyde. Launfal tok hys leve to wende, Gyfre kedde that he was hende. And brought Launfal hys ftede; Launfal lepte ynto the arfoun, 370 And rood hom to Karlyoun, In hys pover wede* 186 LAUNFAL. Tho was the knyght yn herte at wylle, In hys chaunber he hyld him ftylle, All that undern-tyde ; Than come ther thorwgh the cytfe ten Well yhameyfyth men Upon ten fomers ryde. Some wyth fylver, fome wyth gold, All to fyr Launfal hyt fchold, 380 To prefente hym wyth pryde ; Wyth ryche clothes, and armure bryght, They axede aftyr Launfal the knyght, Whar he gan abyde. The yong men wer clodeth yn Ynde, Gyfre he rood all behynde, Up Blaunchard whyt as flour ; Tho feyde a boy, that yn the market ftod. How fer fchall all thys good ? Tell us pur amour. $go Tho feyde Gyfre, Hyt ys yfent To fyr Launfal yn prefent. That hath leved yn greet dolour. Than feyde the boy, Nys he but a wrecche ? What ihar any man of hym recche ? At the meyrys hous he taketh fojour. LAUNFAL. Itr At the merys hous they gon alyghte, And prcfcnted the noble knyghtc Wyth fwych good as hyin was fent ; And whan the ineyr fcygh that rycheffe, 400 And fyr Launfales noblencffe, He held hym fclf foulc yfchent. Tho feyde the meyr, Syr, pur charyte, In halle to day that thou wylt ete with me, Yefterday y hadde yment At the fefte we wolde han be yn fame, And y hadde folas aiid game, And erft thou were ywent. " Syr meyr, god foryelde the, Whyles y was yn my poverty, 410 Thou bede me never dyne ; Now y have more gold and fe, That myne frendes han fent me, Than thou and alle dyne. QThe meyr for fchame away yede, Launial yn purpure gan hym fchrede, Ipclvred with whyt ermyne ; All that Launfal had borwyth before Gyfre, be tayle an J be fcore, Yald hyt well and fyne. 420 188 LAUNFAL. Launfal helde ryche feftes, Fyfty fedde povere geftes, That in myschef wer ; Fyfty boughte ftronge ftedes, Fyfty yaf ryche wedes, To knyghtes and fquyere, Fyfty rewardede relygyon!>. Fyfty delyverede pryfouns, And made ham quyt and fchere ; Fytfy clodede gestours, 430 To many men he dede honours, In countreys fer and nere, AUe' the lordes of Karlyoun Lette crye a turnement yn the toun, For love of fyr Launfel, And for Blaunchard, hys good ftede. To Mryte how hym wold fpede, That was ymade fo well. And whan the day was ycome, That Ihe juftes were yn ynome, 440 They lyde out alfo fnell, Trompours gon har hemes blowe, The lordes ryden out a^^rowe. That were yn that casteil. LAUNFAL. 189 Ther began the turneraent, And ech knyght leyd on other good dent, Wyth mafes and wyth fwerdes bothe ; Me myghte y fe fome, therfore Stcdes ywounc, and fomc ylore. And knyghtes wonther wroghth. 450 Syth the rounde table was A bettere tumement ther nas, I dar well fay for fothe, Many a lord of Karlyoun That day were ybore adoun, Certayn wilhouteu othe. Of Karlyoun the rycbe conftabl* Rod to Launfall, without fable. He nolde no lengere abyde ; He fmot to Launfal, and he to hym, 46O Well fterne flrokcs, and well grym, Ther wer in eche a fyde. Launfal was of hym yware, Out of his fadell he hym bar, To giounde that ylke tyde, And whan the conftablc was bore adotto, Gyfre lepte ynto the arfoun, And awey he gaa to ryde. t90 launfal. The erl of Chestere therof fegh, For wreththe yn herte he was wod negh, 470 And rood to fyr Launfale, And fmot hym yn the helm on hegh. That the creft adoun flegh, Thus feyd the Frenffch tale. Launfal was mochel of myght, Of hys ftede he dede hym lyght, And bar hym doun yn the dale ; Than come ther fyr Launfal abowte Of Walffche knyghtes a greet rowte, The numbre y not how fale. 480 Than myghte me fe fcheldes ryve, Speres to-brefte and to-dryve, Behynde and ek before, Thorugh Launfal and hys ftedes denti Many a knyght, verement, To ground was ibore. So the prys of thatturnay Was delyvered to Lanfaul that day, Without oth yfwore ; Launfal rod to Karlyoun. 49O To the meyrys hous yn the toun, And many a lord hym before. LAUNFAU 191 And than the noble knyght Launfiad Helde a fefte ryche and ryall. That lefte fourtenyght, Erles and barouns fale Semely wer fette yn fale. And ryaly were adyght. And every day dame Triamour, Sche com to fyr Launfal bour, 500 A day when hyt was nyght, Of all that ever wer ther tho, Segh he non but they two, Gyfre and Launfal the knyght r 192 1 LAUNFAL. PART II. A knyght ther was yn Lumbardye, To fyr Launfal hadde he greet envye, Syr Valentyne he hyghte ; He herde fpeke of fyr Launfal, That that he couth jufty well, And was a man of niochel myghte. 510 Syr Valentyne was wonther ftrong, Fyftene feet he was longe, Hym thoghte he brente bryghte But he myghte with Launfal pleye, In the feld betwene ham tweye, To jufty, other to fyghte. Syr Valentyne fat yn hys halle, Hys raasfengere he let ycalle, LAUNFAL. 193 And feyde he mofte wende To fyr Launfal the noble knyght, 520 That was yholde fo mychel of myght, To Brelayne he wolde hym fende ; And fey hym, for love of.hys leman Yf fche be any gentyle woman, Courteys, fre, other hende, That he come with me to jufte, To kepe hys hamcys from the mile, And elies hys manhod fchende. The mesfengcre ys forth ywent. To tho hys lordys commaundement, 5S# He haddc wynde at wyllc Whan he was over the water ycome, The way to Laonfal he hath ynome, And grette hym with wordes (lylle : And feyd, Syr, my lord, fyr Valentyne, A noble wcrrour, and queynte of gynne, Hath me fent the tylle ; And prayth the, for thy leromanes fake, Thou fchuldeft with hym juftes take. Tho lough Launfal full ftylle. 540 vol. I. O J94 LAUNFAL. And feyde, as he was gentyl knyght, Thylke day a fourtenyght, He wold wyth hym play. He yaf the mesfeuger, for that tydyng, A noble courfer and a ryng, And a robe of ray. Launfal tok leve at Tryamour, That was the bryght berde yn hour, And kefle that fwete may ; Thanne feyde that IVete wyght, 550 Dreed the nothyng, fyr gentyl knyght, Thou fchalt hym fle that day. Launfal nolde nothyng with hym have. But Blaunchard hys ftede, and Gyfre hys knave. Of all hys fayr raayn^ ; He fchyppede and hadde wynd well good. And wente over the falte flod, Into Lumbardye. Whan he was over the water ycome, Ther the juftes fchulde be norae, 560 In the cyte of Atalye, Syr Valentyn hadde a greet oft. And fyr Launfal abatede her boft, Wyth lytyll cumpanye. LA UN FA L. 195 And whan fyr I.aunfal was ydyght. Upon Blauncbard hys ftede lygbt, With belm, and fpere, and fchelde, All that fa we hym yn armes bryght, Seyde they fawe never fwych a knyght, That hym with eyen beheld. S7O Tho ryde tog)'dere thes knyghtes twO| That bar fcbaftes to>brofte bo, And to-fcyverede yn the felde; Another cours togedere tbey rod, That fyr Launfal helm of glod, In tale as byt ys telde. Syr Valentyn logb, and hadde good game, Hadde Launfal never fu moche fcharae, Beforhond yn no fyght ; Gyfre kedde he was good at nede, 580 And lepte upon hys maptrys ftede, No man ne fegh with fyght. And cr than thay togedere mette, Hys lordes helm be on fette. Fay re and well adyght ; Tbo was Launfal glad and blythe. And donkede Gyfre many fyde, For hys dede fo raochel of myght. 196 LAUNPAL. . Syr Valentyne fmot Launfal foo, That hys fcheld fel hym fro, 590 Anoon ryght yn that ftounde ; And Gyfre the fcheld up hente, And broghte hyt hys lord to prefente, Er hyt cam thonne to grounde. Tho was Launfal glad and blythe, And rode ayen the thrydde fyde, As a knyght of raochel raounde ; Syr Valentyne he fmot fo there, That hors and man bothe deed were, Gronyng wyth grysly wounde. 600 AUe the lordes of Atalye To fyr Launfal hadde greet envye, That Valentyne was yflawe, And fwore that he fchold dye, Er he wente out of Lumbardye, And be hongede, and to-drawe. Syr Launfal brayde out hys fachon, And as lyght as dew he leyde hem doune, In a lytyll drawe. And whan he hadde the lordes fclayn, 6 10 He went ayen ynto Bretayn, Wyth folas and wyth plawe. LAUNFAL. 197 The tydyng com to Artour the kyng, Anoon wythout lefyng, Of fyr Launfales noblefTe, Anoon a letter to hym fende, That Launfal fchuld to hym wende. At feynt Jonnys mafle. For kyng Artour wold a fefte holde. Of eries and of barouns bolde, 630 Of lordynges more and lefTe ; Syr Launfal fchud be ftward of balle, For to Bgye hys geftes alle, For cowthe of largefle. Launfal toke lere at Tr}'amour| For to wende to kyng Artour, Hys fefte for to agye, Tber he fond merthe and moch honour, Ladycs that wer well bryght yn hour, Of knyghtes greet cuinpanye. 630 Fourty dayes lefte the fefte, Ryche, ryall, and honelle, What help hyl for to lye ? And at the fourty dayes ende, The lordcs toke bar leve to wende, Every ch yn hys party e. 198 LAUNFAL. And aftyr mete fyr Gaweyn, Syr Gyeryes, and Agrafayn, And fyr Launfal alfo, Wente to daunce upon the grene, 6i40 Unther the tour ther lay the quene, Wyth fyxty lad3'es and mo. To lede the daunce Launfale was kty For hys largeffe he was lovede the bet, Sertayn of alle tho ; The quene lay out and beheld hem alle, I fe, fche feyde, daunce large Launfalle, To hym than wyll y go. Of alle the knyghtes that y fe there, He ys the fayrefte bachelere, 650 He ne hadde never no wyf ; Tyde me good, other ylle, I wyll go and wyte hys wylle, Y love hym as my lyf. Sche tok with her a companye, The fayreft that fche myghte afpye, Syxty ladyes and fyf, And went hem doun anoon' ryghtes, Ham to pley among the knyghtes, Well ftylle wythouten llryf. 660 LAUNFAL. 199 The qaene yede to the formeAe endey Betwene Launfal and Gauweyn the hende, And after her iadyes bryght, To daunce they wente alle yn fante, To fe hem play hyt was fayr game, A lady and a knyght. They hadde menArales of moch honours, Fydclcrs, fytolyrs, and trompours, And elles hyt were unryght ; Ther they playde, for fothe to fay, 67O After mete the fomerys day, All what hyt was neygh nyght. And whanne the daunce began to flake, The queue gan Launfal to counfell take. And feyde yn thys manere : Scrlaynlyche, fyr knyght, I have the lovyd wyth all my myght More than thys feven yere. But that thou lovye me. Series y dye for love of the, 680 Launfal, my lemman dere. Than anfwcrede the gentyll knyght, I nell be tra) tour ihay ue nyght, Be god, that all may Here. 200 LAUNFAL. Sche feyde, Fy on the, thou coward, An hongeth worth thou hye and hard, That thou ever were ybore, That thou lyveft hyt ys pyt^, Thou lovyft no woman, ne no woman the, Thow wer worthy forlore. 6$0 The knyght was fore afchamed tho. To fpeke ne myghte he forgo, And feyde the queue before : I have loved a fayryr woman. Than thou ever leydeft thy ney upon, Thys feven yer and more. Hyr lothlokfte mayde, wythoute wene, Myghte bet be a queue Than thou in all thy lyve. Therfore the queue was fwythe wroght, 7OO Sche taketh hyr maydenes, iand forth hy goth, Into her tour alfo blyve. And anon fche ley doun yn hyr bedde, For wrethe fyk fche hyr bredde. And fwore, fo mofte fche thryve, Sche wold of Launfal be fo awreke. That all the loud fchuld of hym fpeke, Wythinne the dayes fyfe. LAUNFAL. 201 Kyng Artour com fro huntynge, Blytbe and glad yn all thyng, 710 To hys chamber than wente he, Anoone the queue on hym gan crye, But y be awreke, y fchall dye, Myn herte wyll breke athre. I fpak to Launfal yn my game. And he befofte me of fchame. My lemman for to be ; And of a lemman hys yelp he made, That the lodlokcft maydc that fche hadde Myght be a quene above me. 720 Kyng Artour was well worth, And be god he fwor hys oth. That Launfal fchuld be fclawe ; He wente aftyr doghty knyghtes. To brynge Launfal anoon ryghtes, To be hongeth and to-drawe The knyghtes fofte hyni anoon. But Launfal was to hys chanbcr gon, To han hadde folas and plawe ; He fofte hys leef, but fche was lore, 73# As fche hadde wamede hym before, Tho was Launfal unfawe. 202 LAUNFAL. He lokede yn hys alner, That fond hym fpendyng all plener, Whan that he hadde nede. And ther nas noon, for foth to fay, And Gyfre was yryde away, Up [on] Blaunchard hys ftede. All that he hadde before ywonne, Hyt malt as fnow ayens the funne, 740 In romaunce as we rede ; Hys armur, that was whyt as flour, Hyt becom of blak colour, And thus than Launfal feyde : Alas, he feyde, my creature^ How fchall i from the endure, Swetyng Tryamour ? All my joye i have forlore, And the that me ys word fore, Thou blysful berde yn hour. 750 He bet hys body and hys hedde ek, And curfede the mouth that he wyth fpek, Wyth care and greet dolour ; And, for forow, yn that ftounde, Anoon he fell afwowe to grounde ; Wyth that come knyghtes four, LAUNFAL. 20S And bond hym, and ladde hym tho, Tho was the knyghte yn doble wo. Before Artour the kyng. Than feyde kyng Artour, 7^0 Fyle ataynte traytour ! Why madeft thou fwyche yelpyng } That thy lemmannes lodlokeft mayde Was fayrer than my wyf, thou feyde, That was a fowl lefynge ; And thou befofteft her befor than, That fche fchold be thy lemman, That was mysprowd lykynge. The knyght anfwcrede, with cgre mode. Before the kyng ther he (lode, 770 The queue on hym gan lye : " Sethe that y ever was yborn, I bcfofte her here beforD Never of no folye. But fche feyde y nas no man, Ne that me lovedc no woman, Nc no womanncs companye ; And i anfwercde her and fayde. That my lemmannes lodlekeft mayde To be a quene was belter wordye. 7 SO 204 LAUNFAL. Sertes, lordynges, hyt ys fo, I am a redy for to tho All that the court wyll loke. , To fay the foth, wythout les, All togedere how hyt was, Twelve knyghtes wer dryve to boke. All they feyde ham betwene, That knewe the maners of the quene. And the quefte toke ; The quene bar los of fwych a word, 79O That fche lovede lemmannes wythout her lord, Har never on hyt forfoke. Therfor they feyden alle, Hyt was long on the quene, and not on Launfal, Therof they gonne hym fkere ; And yf he myghte hys lemman brynge, That he made of fwych yelpynge, Other the maydenes were Bryghtere than the quene of he we, Launfal fchuld be holde trewe. Of that yn all manere ; 800 And yf he myghte not brynge hys lef. He fchud be hongede as a thef, They feyden all yn fere. LAUNFAL. 205 Alle yn fere they made proferynge, That Launfal fchuld hys Icraman brynge : Hys heed he gan to laye. Than feyde the qucne, wythout lefynge, Yyf he bryugcth a fayrer thynge, Put out my eeyn gray. 810 Whan that wajowr was take on honde, Launfal therto two borwes fonde. Noble knyghtes twayn, Syr Perccvall, and fyr Gawayn, They wer hys borwes, foth to fayn, Tyll a certayn day. The certayn day, i yow plyght, Was twelve raoneth and fourteny^t, That he fchuld hys lemman brynge ; Syr Launfal, that noble knyght, 82o Greet forow and care yn hym was lyght, Hys hondys he gan wrynge. So greet forowe hym was upan, Gladlyche hys lyf he wold a forgon, In care and in marnyngc ; Gladlyche he wold hys bed forgo, Evcrych roan therfure was wo That wyfte of that tydynge. 206 LAUNFAL. The certayn day was nyghyng, Hys borowes hym broght befor the kyng, 830 The kyng recordede tho, And bad hym bryng hys lef yn fyght, Syr Launfal feyde that he ne myght, Therfore him was well wo. The kyng coramaundede the barouns alle, To yeve jugement on Launfal, And dampny hym to fclo. Than fayde the erl of Cornewayle, That was wyth ham at that counceyle, We wyllyd naght do fo : 840 Greet fchame hyt wor us alle upon For to dampny that gantylman, That hath be hende and fre ; Therfor, lordynges, doth be my reed, Our kyng we wyllyth another wey lede, Out of lond Launfal fchall fle. And as they ftod thus fpekynge, The barouns fawe come rydynge Ten maydenes bryght of ble, Ham thoghte they wer fo bryght and fchene, 850 That the lodlokeft, wythout wene, Har quene than myghte be. LA UNFA L. 207 Tho feyde Gawayn, that curteys knyght, Launfal, brodyr, drede the no wyght. Her cometb thy iemman hende. Launfal anfweredc, and feyde, Y wys, Nod of ham my leraman nys, Gawayn, my lef ly frende. To that castell they wente ryght, At the gate they gonne alyght, S60 Befor kyng Artour gonne they wende, And bede hym make a redy haftyly A fayr chamber for her lady. That was come of kynges kende. Ho ys your lady ? Artour feyde. Ye fchull y wyte, feyde the roayde, For fche cometh ryde. The kyng commaundede, for her fake, The fayrjft chaunber for to take, In hys palys that tyde. 87 And anon to hys barouns he feute, For to yeve jugcmente Upon that traytour full of pryde ; The barouns anfwerede, anoon r^-ght, Have we fcyn the madenes bryght, Whe fchull not longe abyde. 208 LAUNFAL. A newe tale they gonne tho, Some of wele, and fome of wo, Har lord the kyng to querae, Some dampnede Launfal there, 88 And fome made hym quyt and fkere, Har tales wer well breme. Tho faw they other ten maydenes bryght, Fayryr than the other ten of fyght. As they gone hym deme, They ryd upon joly moyles of Spayne, Wyth fadell and brydell of Charapayne, Har lorayns lyght gonne leme. They wer yclodeth yn famyt tyre, Ech man hadde greet defyre 8^ To fe har clodynge. Tho feyde Gaweyn, that curtayfe knyght, Launfal, her cometh thy fwete wyght, That may thy bote brynge. Launfal anfwerede, with drery doght, And feyde, Alas, y knowe her noght, Ne non of all the offprynge. Forth they wente to that palys, And lyghte at the hye deys, * Before Artour the kynge. go% LAUNFAL. 209 And grette the kyng and quene ek, And oo mayde thys wordcs fpak. To the kyng Artour, Thyn halle agrayde and hele the walles, Wyth clodes and wyth ryche palles, Ayens my lady Trjamour. The kyng anfwerede bedene, Well come, ye maydenes fchene, Be our lord the favyour. He coinraaundede Launcelot du Lake to brjngc hem yn fere, 9 10 In the chamber ther bar fclawes were, Wyth merthe and moche honour. Anoon the quene fuppofe gyle That Launfal fchuUd yn a whyle Be ymade quyt and Ikere, Thorugh hys lemman that was comraynge. Anon fche feyde to Artour the kyng, Syre, curtays yf [thou] were, Or yf thou lovcdeft thyn honour, I fchuld be awrcke of that traytour, 920 That doth me changy chore, VOL. I. P 210 LAUNFAL. To Launfal thou fchuldeft not fpare> Thy barouns dryveth the to bysmare. He ys hem lef and dere. And as the quene fpak to the kyng, The barouns feygh come rydynge A damefele alone, Upoon a whyt comely palfrey, They faw never non fo gay. Upon the grounde gone. 930 Gentyll, jolyf, as bryd on bowe. In all manere fayr inowe. To wonye yn worldly wone, The lady was bryght as blofme oh brere, Wyth eyen gray, wyth lovelych chere. Her leyre lyght fchoone. As rofe on rys her rode was red, The her fchon upon her hed, As gold wyre that fchynyth bryght ; Sche hadde a croune upon her molde, 940 Of ryche ftones and of golde, That loffom lemede lyght. LAUNFAL. 211 The lady was clad yn purpere palle, Wyth gentyll body and myddyll fmall. That feraely was of fyght, Her mantyll was furryth with whyt ermyn, ' Irevcrfyd jolyf and fyn, No rychere be ne myght* Her fadell was femyly fett. The farabus wer grene felvet, P50 Ipaynted with ymagcrye, The bordure was of belles. Of rychc gold and nothyng elles, That any man myghtc afpye. In the arfouns, before and behyndC) Were twey ilon^ of Ynde, Gay for the maystrye j The paytrelle of her paJfraye, Was worth an crldome, floute and gay. The beft yn Lumbardye, 9^0 A gerfawcon fche bar on her bond, A fofte pas her palfray fond, That men her fchuld beholde ; 212 LAUNFAL. Thorugh Karlyon rood that lady, Twey whyte grehoundys ronne hyr by, Har colers were of golde. And whan Launfal fawe that lady, To alle the folk he gon crye an hy, Both to yonge and olde, Her, he feyde, comyth my lemman fwete, 970 Sche myghte me of my balys bete, Yef that lady wolde. Forth fche wente ynto the halle, Ther was the quene and the ladyes alle, And alfo kyng Artour, Her maydenes come ayens her ryght, To take her ftyrop whan fche lyght. Of the lady dame Tryamour. Sche dede of her mantyll on the flet, That men fchuld her beholde the bet, 980 Wythoute a more fojour, Kyng Artour gan her fayre grete. And fche hym agayn, with wordes fwete, That were of greet valour. LAUNFAL. 213 Up ftod the quene and ladyes ftoute. Her forto beholde all aboute, How evene fche ftod uprj'ght ; Than wer they wyih her alfo donne, As ys the mone ayen the fonne, A day whan byt ys lyght. 990 Than feyde fche to Artour the kyng, Syr, hydyr i com for fwych a ihyng, To (kere Launfal the knyght, That he never, yn no folye, Befoftc the quene of no drurye, By dayes ne be nyght. Therfor, fyr kyng, good kepe thou ra^ne, He bad naght her, but fche bad hyni. Here lemman for to be ; And he anfwcredc her and feyde, 1000 That hys lemmanues lothlokeft mayde Was fayrjr than was fche, Kyng Artour feyde, wythoute nothe, Ech may yfi^ that ys fothe, Bryghtere that ye be. Wyth that duine Tryamour to the quene getb> And blew on her fwych a brcth. That never eft royght fche fe. 214 LAUNFAL. The lady lep an hyr palfray, And bad hem alle have good day, 1010 Sche nolde no lengere abyde ; Wyth that com Gyfre all fo preft, Wyth Launfalys ftede out of the foreft. And ftod Launfal befyde. The knyght to horfe began to fprynge, Anoon wythout any lettynge, Wyth hys lemman away to ryde j The lady tok her maydenys achon, And wente the way that fche hadde er gon, Wyth folas and wyth pryde, 1020 The lady rod dorth Cardevyle, Fer ynto a jolyf ile, Olyroun that hyghte ; Every yer upon a certayn day, Me may here Launfales ftede nay. And hym fe with fyght. Ho that wyll theie axfy juftus. To kepe hys armes fro the ruftus, In turnement other fyght ; Dar he never forther gon, 1030 Ther he may fynde juftes anoon, Wyth fyr Launfal the knyght. . LAUNFAL. 215 Thus Launfal, wythouten fable , That noble knyght of the rounde table, Was take yn to the fayrye ; Seththe faw hym yn thys lond no man, Nc no more of hym telle y ne can. For fothe, wythout lye. Thomas Chestre made thys tale, Of the noble knyght fyr Launfale, 1 040 Good of chyvalrye. Jhefus, that ys hevene kyng, Yeve us alle hys blefsyng, And hys modyr Marye ! END OP THE FIRST VOLUME. Primed by W.BuImer and Co. Ctevcland-row, Si. Jimei'i. OHf^f^l'^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book Is DUE on the last date stamped below. MAY 1 8 1990 jViU 5 1990 /. o 9 = o ^ ^/. 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