^rifwr;

A SHORT SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND HISTORY

IN ENGLISH VERSE

OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

COPIED AND EDITED FROM THE MARQUIS OF BATH'S MS.,

Liber Rubens Bathonim, 1428 A.l>.

FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL, M.A., Oamb.,

EDITOR OP DB BO&RON'S AND LONELICH'S "HISTORY OF THE HOLT GRAAL," WAITER XAP'fi

"QUESTS del saiht qraal," ETC- ETC.

[Sttowb (Bbiiion, 1869.]

LONDON:

PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY,

BY K TRUBNEE & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCQLXIV.

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PEEFACE.

As one of the chief objects of the Early English Text Society

is to print every Early English Text relating to Arthur, the

Committee have decided that this short sketch of the British

hero's life shall form one of the first issue of the Society's pub-

lications. The six hundred and forty-two English lines here

printed occur in an incomplete Latin Chronicle of the Kings

of Britain, an abbreviation of the Brut, bound up with many

other valuable pieces in the Liber Rube us BatJioniw, 1428 a.d.,x

belonging to the Marquis of Batb. The old chronicler has

dealt with Uther Pendragon, and is narrating Arthur's deeds,

telling of the siege of Bath, of Brouwsteeil (Excalibur)

'caliburni, gladii Arthuri' of the conquest of Scotland, Ireland,

Gothland, and the founding of the Rotunda Tabula, made round

that none should be above, none below, but all sit equal

when, as if feeling that Latin prose was no fit vehicle for telling

of Arthur, king of men, he breaks out into English verse,

"Herkeneb, bat louef honowr,

Of kyng Arthour & hys labour."

The story he tells is an abstract, with omissions, of the

earlier version of GeofFry of Monmouth, before the love of

Guinevere for Lancelot was introduced by the French-writing

1 This 13 the date on the back of the case of the MS.

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vi preface:.

English romancers of the Lionheart's time (so far as I know),

into the Arthur Tales. The fact of Mordred's being Arthur's

son, begotten by him on his sister, King Lot's wife, is also

omitted; so that the story is just that of a British king

founding the Round Table, conquering Scotland, Ireland, Goth-

land, and divers parts of France, killing a giant from Spain,

beating Lucius the Emperor of Rome, and returning home to

lose his own life, after the battle in which the traitor whom he

had trusted, and who has seized his queen and his land, was

slain.

"He that will more look,

Read on the French book"

says our verse-writer: and to that the modern reader must still

be referred, or to the translations of parts of it, which we hope

to print or reprint, and that most pleasantly jumbled abstract

of its parts by Sir Thomas Maleor, Knight, which has long

been the delight of many a reader,though despised by the

stern old Ascham, whose Scholemaster was to turn it out of the

land.There the glory of the Holy Grail will be revealed to

him; there the Knight of God made known; there the only

true lovers in the world will tell their loves and kiss their

kisses before him; and the Fates which of old enforced the

penalty of sin will show that their arm is not shortened, and

that though the brave and guilty king fights well and gathers

all the glory of the world around him, yet still the sword is

over his head, and, for the evil that he has done, his life and

vain imaginings must pass away in dust and confusion.

Of the language of the Poem there is little to say: its dialect

is mostly Southern, as shown by the verbal plural th, the ryve

for five, zyx for six, ych for I, har (their), ham (them), for her,

hem; hulle, dude, yd, for hill, did, yet, the infinitive in y

(rekeny), etc.; but Northern forms appear, as/ra, from (1. 628),

at, that (1. 640). Of its poetical merits, every reader will judge

for himself; but that it has power in some parts I hope few

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PREFACE. Vll

will deny. Arthur's answer to Lucius, and two lines in the

duel with Frollo,

"There was no word y-spoke,

But eche had other by the throte,"

are to be noted. Parts of the MS. have very much faded since

it was written some ten or twenty years before 1450, so that a

few of the words are queried in the print. The MS. contains

a few metrical points and stops, whicb I have here printed

between parentheses (). The expansions of the contractions

are printed in italics, but the ordinary doubt whether the final

lined n or ufor they are often undistinguishableis to be

printed ne, mie, tin, or u, exists here too. I have generally

printed it fi.

I am indebted to Mr Sims, of the Manuscript Department

of the British Museum, for pointing out the Poem to me, and

to the Marquis of Bath for his kind permission to copy it for

printing.

Old Square, Lincoln's Inn,

London, W.C., August 30, 1864.

{Revised, March 2, 18G9.)

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ARTHUR,

FROM THE MAEQUIS OF BATH'S MS.

1428 a.d.

[The Latin side-notes in italics and Clarendon, and the stops of the

text in parentheses (), are those of the MS.]

Hi

lErkenob, bat loueb honour,

Of kyng Arthour & hys labour;

And furst how he was hygete,

4 As bat we in bokis do rede.

Vther pendragon was hys fader,

And ygerne was hys Moder.

Pendragon ys in walysch

8 'Dragones heed' on Englyscfi

He maked ypeynted dragons two;

Oon sehold1 hyfore him goo

Whan he went to batayle,

12 Whan he wold hys foes sayle;

That other ahood at wynchester,

Euer-more stylle there.

Bretones jaf hym bat Name,

16 Vther Pendragon be same,

For bat skyle fer & nere

Euer-more hyt to bere.

IT

The Erles wyff of Cornewayle

20 He loued to Muche sanj fayle;

[leaf 42, back]

How Arthur was

begotten

by Pendragon on

Ygerne.

Pendragon (t.i.

Dragon's Head)

made two painted

dragons,

and thence had

his name.

How Uther loved

the Karl of Corn-

wall's wife,

1 'scold' over an erasure in the text; 'sehold ' in the left margin.

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ARTHUR HAS THE ROUND TABLE MADE.

and begat Arthur

in adultery.

Arthur ia

crowned,

is loved of all,

is strong

and courteoua.

[leaf 12 bk, col. 20

He makes the

Round Table,

that all at it

might be equal.

After his first

conquests

Merlyn wyf hys sotelnesse

Turned vtheris lyknesse,

And maked hym lyche fe Erl anone,

24 And wy]> hys wyff (:) his wyft to done

In fe cozmtre of Corneweii:

In fe Castel of Tyntageft,

Thus vther, yf y schaft nat lye,

28 Bygat Arthour in avowtrye.

Whan vther Pendragon was deed,

Arthour anon was y-crowned;

He was courteys, large, & Gent

32 To alle puple verrament;

Beaute, Myjt, ainyable chere

To alle Men ferre and neere;

Hys port (;) hys jyftes gentyft

36 Maked hym y-loved wyft;

Ech mon was glad of hys presence,

And drade to do hym dysplesafice;

A stronger Man of hys honde

40 was neuer fouwde on any londe,

As courteys as any Mayde :

Jjus wrytef of hym fat hym a-sayde.

At Cayrlyon -wythoute fable,

44 He let make J?e Eouwde table:

And why fat he maked hyt Jus,

Jjis was fe resoura y-wyss,

Jjat no man schulde sytt aboue other,

48 ~Ne haue indignacio?m of hys broker;

And alle hadde (.)oo(.) seruyso,

For no pryde scholde aryse

For any degree of syttynge,

52 Ofer for any seruynge:

Jjus he kept fe table Rouwde

Whyle he leuyd on fe growndu.

After he hadde conquered Skotlond

56 Yrland & Gotland,

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HE FIGHTS FROLLO FOR FRANCE.

}jan leuyd he at fe best

Twelf jeeris on alle reste

Wyfoute werre (:) tyff at fe laste

60 He Jroujt to make (.)a(.) nywe ctwqueste.

Into Frauwce wyf gode courcceyle

ho wolde weende (:) & hyt assayle,

Jjat Eome )>o kept vnder Myght,

64 Vnder Frollo (:) a worthy knyght

pat frauwce hadde fo to kepe,

To rywle, defende, & to lede.

Arthour and Frollo fowjt in feld;

68 Jjere deyde many vnder scheld.

Frollo in-to Paryss fly,

Wyth. strenkthe kept hyt wysely:

Arthour byseged fat Syte & town

72 Tyft feire vytayl was y-doon.

Frollo fat worthy knyght

Proferyd yvyUi Arthowr for to fyght

Vnder fis wyse & condiciouw,

76 "Ho hadde f>e Maystrie (:) haue fe crown;

And no mo men hut fey two."

Jje day was sett (:) to-geder1 fey go:

Fayr hyt was to byholde

80 In suche two knyjghtej bolde:

Jjer was no word y-spoke,

But eche hadde other by fe frote;

J3ey smote wyth trouwchouw & wyth swerd ;'.

84 pat hyt seye, were a-ferd;

Frollo fowjt wy]> hys ax (:) as men dude se;

He hytt Arthour (:) so sore (:) fat he felle on kno.

He ros vp raply (:) and smot hym futt sore;

88 He dude hym to grent a (.) souej* ferfore.

Thus they hyw on helmes hye,

And schatered on wyf scheldes.

pe puple by-gan to crye

92 pat stood on fe feldes;

he lives twelva

years ic peace,

and then invades

France.

He beats Frollo

back to Paris.

and there be-

sieges him, till

Frollo challenges

him to single

combat.

They fight:

[leaf 43.]

(Frollo with his

axe)

[* ? gone;]

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ARTHUR RETURNS VICTORIOUS TO BRITAIN,

till Arthur in

wrath takes

Brownsteel,

Caliburnus

Arthur i

Gladius

[with a sketch

thereof in the

MS.]

and strikes Frollo

dead.

Arthur takeB

Paris.

Glory to God.

Say ye a Pater

Noster therefore.

Arthur conquers

the countries

around,

distributes them

among his

knights,

and returns to

Britain.

Ther ne wyst no man, as y can lere,

Who of ham two was f e betters fore.

Arthour was chafed & wexed wroth,

96 He hente brourcsteett / and to Frollo goth;

Brouwsteft was heuy & also kene;

Fraro fe schulder (:) to f e syde went bytwene

Off frollo / and fan he fell to f e grourcde

100 Ryjt as he moste / deed (.) in lyte stounde.

FrenscB men made doett & wept futt faste;

]jeir Crowne of fraurcce fere fey loste.

Than wente Arthour in-to paryse

104 And toke fe castelr & fe town at hys avyse.

Worschuped be god of hys grete grace

\)at f us jeuef fortune (:) and worschup to f e Eeme;

Thanke je hym aft fat bef on fis place,

108 And seyef a Pater noster wyt7iout any Beeme.

IT // |ater noster. //

Arthowr fram Paryse went wyth hys Rowte,

And corequered f e Contre on euery syde aboute;

Angeoy,1 Peytow, Berry, & Gaskoyne,

112 Nauerne, Burgon / Loreyn & Toreyne;

He dauwted f e proude / & hawted f e poure;

He dwelt long in Paryss after in honoure;

He was drad and loued in contreis abowte;

116 Hey est & lowest hym Loved & alowte;

And vp-on an Estowr tyme sone afterward

He fested hys knyght/s & }af ham gret reward;

To hys Styward he $af Angers & Angeye;

120 To Bedewer hys botyler he jaf Norniarcdye;

He jaf to Holdyne flauwdrys parde;

To Borel hys Cosyn, Boloyne f e Cyte;

And eche man, after fe astat fat he was,

124 He rewarded hem alle, bofe More & lasse,

And jaf hem reward, bofe lond and Fee,

And turned to Breteyn, to Carlyon ayhe.

1 ? MS. perhaps Angecye. Sec Angeoy, 1. 312. .

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AND THEN HOLDS A'GREAT FEAST.

Axthour wolde of honour

128 Hold a fest at Eestour

Of regalye & worthynesse,

And feede alle hys frendess;

And sende Messanger

132 To kynges ferre & neer

Jjat were to hym Omager,

to come to fis Dyner.

And alle at oo certeyn day

136 They come byder in gode aray,

And kept beire Cesofl

At be Casteft Carlyoii.

Thys fest was Muche Moore

140 Jjan euere Arthowr made a-fore;

For bere was Vrweyn be kynge

Of scottes at bat dynynge,

Stater fe kyng of south wales,

144 Cadwett be kyng of north wale},

Gwylmar be kyng of yrland,

Dolmad be kyng of guthland,

Malgan of yselond also,

148 Archyl of Dewmarch perto,

AlotE be kyng of Norwey,

Souenas fe kyng of Orkenye,

Of Breteyn be kyng Hoel,

152 Cador Erl of Cornewett,

Morice be Erl of Gloucestre,

Marran Erl of Wywchestre,

Gwergownd Erl of herford,

156 B00j Erl of Oxenford,

Of bathe vngent be Erl also,

Cursal of Chestre ber-to,

Euerad Erl of Salesbury,1

160 Kynmar Erl of Canterbury,

Ionas be Erl of Dorcestro,

1 The s is rubbed: the word may be "onlesbury.'

pf. 43 bk( col. 1.]

Arthur gives an

Easter Feast

at Carlyon,

greater than ere

before.

Ten kings wero

there,

and thii teen earls

(including him

of Bath),

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with many other

gentles great,

Df. 43 bk, ool. 2.J

besides the

Round Tablers,

Archbishops,

Bishops,

and many from

beyond the sex

To (lie fcasters

came messengers

from the

Roman Emperor,

ARTHURS GUESTS AT CARLYONE.

Valence f e Erl of Sylchestre,

Iugeyn of Leyccer [?] perto,

164 Argal of warwyk also,

Kynges & Erles Echon

Jjes were; & many anoper goom

Gret of astaat, & fe beste,

168 Jjes were at fe Feste.

Other also gentyls grete

Were fere at fat Meete,

Sauer appon Donand,

172 Regeym & Alard,

Eeynej nt3 Colys,

Tadeus fitj Reis,

Delyn fi^ Dauid,

176 Kymbelyn le fitj GryffitK,

Gryffitj f e sone of Nagand,

Jjes were fere also theoband:

Alle f es were fere wytAoute fable,

180 W?/t/toute ham of fe rouwde table.

Thre archebusschopes per were also,

And other busschopes many mo

Aft f is mayne were nat al-oone;

184 Wyth ham com many a Goome.

Jjis feste dured dayes f re

In reuelt & solempnite.

Of byjonde pe See also

188 Many lordej were fere fo.

Now restef alle wyf Me,

And say a Pater & Aue.

11 |)afr rtoste.

The f rydde day folowyng

192 There coom nywe tydynge,

Jje whyle fey sete at f e Mete

Messagers were In ylete;

Weft arayd forsofe fey come,

196 Y-send fram cite of Rome

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LUCIUS S MESSAGE TO ARTHUR.

Wy]> lettiea of fe Emperoures

Whas name was Lucies.

Joes lettiea were opened & vnfold,

200 And fe tydyng1 to alle men told,

Whas sentence, yf y ne lye,

Was after fat y can aspye:

1T Luciws fe grete Emperour

204 To hys Enemy Arthour :

We woiideref of fi wodeness

And also of fy Madnesse!

How darst fow any wyse

208 Ajenst the ~Emperour pus aryse,

And ryde on Eemes on eche wey,

And make kyngej to fe obey 1

Jju art wood on fe Nolle!

212 Jju hast Scley owre cosyn frolle;

Jju schalt be tawjt at a schort day

for to make such aray.

Oure cosyn Iuliws cesar

216 So?me tyme conquered far;

To Rome fu owest hys trybut;

We chargeJ> f e to paye vs hyt.

Thy pryde we wott alaye

220 Jjat makest so gret aray:

We commandef f e on haste

To paye owre trybut faste;

Jju hast scley frolle in frauwce

224 Jjat hadde vnder vs fere goueraauwce,

And wyf holdest oure tribute perto:

Jju schalt be tawjt f u hast mysdo:

We commandef f e in haste soone

228 Jjat fu come to vs at Eome

To vnderfang oure ordynawnce

For f y dysobediazmce;

As f u wold nat le;e f y lyf,

232 Fulfylle fys wytAoute stryff."

(f 11 f IT)

Lucixxs.

litem Lucii

imperatoris.

saying, that to

have invaded

France, etc., and

made kings,

Arthur must be

mad in his noil;

[leaf

aethub's answer to lucius.

The Britons pur-

pose to kill the

messengers,

but Arthur for-

bids it,

and resolves to

invade Rome.

IT Whan fis lettie was open & rad,

Jje bretons & aft men were mad,

And wolde fe messager scle :

236 "Nay," seyd Arthour, "per de,

That were ajenst aft kynde,

A messager to bete or bynde;

Y charge alle men here

240 For to make ham good chere."

And after Mete sanj fayl

Wyf hys lordes he hadde couwsayl;

And alle asented fer-to,

244 Arthowr to Eome scholde go;

And fey ne wolde in hys trauayle

Wyf strenkf & good neuer fayle.

Than Arthowr wroot to Eome a lettm,

248 Was sentence was so?nm-what byttere,

And seyde in fis manere

As $e may hure here :

Litem Regis

Arthuri.

Arthur's answer

to the Emperor

Lucius,

[leaf 44, col. !.]

claiming tribute

from him.

Ji.]STC

lowef weft je of Eomayne,

252 Y am kyng ArthoMr of Bretayne.

France, y haue conquered hyt,

Y schaft defende & kepe hyt jut,

Y come to Eome, as y am tryw,

256 To take my trybut (.) to me dywe,

But noon fere for to paye,

By my werk je schaft asay;

For fe Emperour Constantyne

260 Jjat was fe Soone of Elyne,

Jjat was a Breton of fis lond,

Conquered Eome wytA hys hond,

And so je owef me tribut:

264 Y charge 30W fat je pay me hyt.

IT

Also Maximian kyng of Bretamgne

Co[]quered al france & Almayne,

Lombardye, Eome, & ytalye

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TUB MESSENGERS REPORT OP ARTHUR.

268 By joure hokis je may a-spye.

Y am Jeir Eyr & feyre lynago,

Y aske jow my trywage."

Jjis lettre was colyd fast,

272 Y-take the Message^ on hast;

Arthour jaf ham 3yftj grete,

And chered ham wyf drynk and Mete.

pay hasted ham to come hoom;

276 Byfor fe Emperowr fey be]j coom;

Saluted hym as reson ys,

And toke hym fes letterys.

Jjey seyde to fe Empenrar

280 ""We have bo wyf kyng Axthour;

But such anofer as he ys oon,

Say neuer no Man.

He ys serued on hys howshold

284 Wyf kynges, Erles, worthy & hold;

Hys worthynesse, sur Emperour,

Passef Much aft yovrre;

He seyde he wolde hyder come

288 And take trywage of aft Rome,

We dowtef last he wol do soo,

For he ys Myghty ynow fer-too."

Now, erst fan we goo ferfer,

292 Every man fat ys here

Sey a Pater noster

And ave wyf gode chere. Amew.

IT |)ata watti

$bs. Paris.

Now stureth hym self Arthowr

296 Jjenkyng on hys labottr,

And gaderyf to hym strenghth abouto,

Hys kynges & Erles on a rowte

A fayr syjt to Mannes ye

300 To see such a cheualryo,

Lucius's messen-

gers return to

and give liirn

Arthur's mes-

-' . - 11; ''it

-'.[hjafft,backj -' .

[|U.

Qz? /orftis expecli-

1 1 , 'tion to Rome,

V.V3 N. tmfr- ./

V

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10

THE NUMBER OF ARTHUR'S HOST.

Has five kings,

with 30,000 men,

80,000 Normans

and

12,000 from

Chartres,

10,000 Bretons,

and 40,000

British:

in all 200,000.

Britain is left in

Mordred's

charge.

Arthur ships at

Southampton,

The kyng of Gotland,

Also fe kyng of Irland,

The kyng of ysland / & of Orkonye,

304 Jjis was worthy Maynye;

The kyng1 of Denmark also was fore,

Jjis was a worthy chere:

Eche of fese vyve at her venyw

308 Broujt zyx fousand at har retenyw;

xxx" J>owsand, jch vnderstand,

Jjes vyf kyng?'s hadde on honde.

Than hadde he out of Normandye,

312 Of Angeoy & of Almanye,

Boloyne (.) Peytow & flauwdres

Fowre skore fowsand harneys.

Geryn of Chartej .xij. fowsand

316 fat went wyf Artow euer at honde;

Hoel of bretayn, fowsandej ten

Of hardy & welt fyghtyng Men;

Out of Bretaygne hys owne land

320 He passed fourty fowsand

Of Aroherys & off Arblastere

Jjat Cowf welt fe craft of werro.

f In Foot other Many a Man Moo

324 Able to feyghte (:) as weft as \>o:

Two hunderd J>ousand

Went wyf hym out of lond,

And Many moo sykerly

328 That y can nat nombrye.

Aithour toke fan fe lond

To Moddredes owne hond;

He kept al of>er fyng

332 Saue )>e Corowne weryng;

But he was [fals] of hys kepynge,

As je schaft hure here folewynge.

Now than ys Artoiw y-Come,

336 And hys Ost, to Sowthamptone:

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THE GIANT THAT RAVISHED FAIR ELAYNE.

11

Thcr was Many a Man of Myghte ^^u^tolfie0'"

Strong & bold also to fyghte.

Eche man hath take his schuppynge,

340 And ys at hys loghynge.

Vp go]> f e sayl (:) fey saylef faste:

Arthour owt of syjt ys paste.

fio ferst lond fat he gan Meete,

344 Forsof hyt was Barefiete;

Ther he gan vp furst aryve.

Now weft Mote Arthowr spede & thryve!

And fat hys saule spede f e better,

348 Lat eche man sey a pater noster.

IT |)ater naskx.

Now god 'spede Artour weft!

Hym ys comyng a nyw batett.

Ther coom a gyant out of spayne,

352 And rauasehed had fayr Elayne;

He had broujt boor1 vp on an hulle

Mornyng hyt ys to hure or telle

Cosyn heo was to kyng Hoell,

356 A damesel fayr and genteft;

And jut ferf ermore to,

He rauasehed heore Moder also.

He dude f e damesel for to dye,

360 For he myght not lygge heor1 bye.

Whan fis was told to Artour,

He maked Much dolour,

And send Bedower for to spye

364 How he myght come hym bye;

And he was nat Sclowh,

But to f e hulle hym drowh

fiat Closed was wyf water stronge,

368 fie hulle a-Mydde gret & longe;

He went ouer to fe hulle syde,

And fere a fonde a womman) byde,

Jjat sorwedd & wept Mornynge

lleafWbk, col. 2.]

and lands at Bar-

fleet.

God speed him!

A new foe ap-

pears, a Spanish

Giant,

who has slain

fair Elayne.

Arthur sends

Bedwere first as

a spy,

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12

ARTHURS FIGHT WITH THE GIANT.

and then (with

Bedwere and

Key) startB on

his adventure.

[i hy in a later

hand, above.]

He kills the

Giant,

whose horrible

head is shown to

the host.

and St. Mary's

Chanel is built

in honour of the

victory.

News of Lucius's

approach ib

brought,

372 For Eleynos def & departyngc,

And bad Bedewef to fle also

Last he were ded more to;

"For yf f e Gyant fynde f e,

376 WytAoute dowte he wyft fe sclo."

Bedwer wyf att hastynge

Tolde Arthowr air fis fynge.

Amorwe whan fat hyt was day

380 Arthour toke fyder hys way,

Bedewer wyf hym wente, & keye,

Men fat cowfe weft pe weye,

And broute Arthojw Meyntenaiit

384 Euen 'byfore pe gyant.

Arthour fowjt wyf fat wyght;

He had almost ylost hys Myght:

Wyf Muche peyne, fruj goddej grace

388 He sclowh pe Geant in fat place,

And fan he made Bedewere

To smyte of hys heed fere.

To fe Ost he dude hyt brynge,

392 And feron was gret wofidrynge,

Hyt was so oryble & so greet,

More fan any Horse heed.

Than hadde hoel Ioye ynowh

396 For fat Arthour so hym sclowh;

And for a perpetuel Memorie

He Made a chapelr of seynt Maryo

In f e hulle vpon f e pleyne,

400 Wyf-Inne fat (:) fe tumhe of Eleyne;

And fat name wyfoute nay

Hyt beref jut in-to fis day.

Now ys an ende of f is f ynge,

404 And artour haf nyw tydynge:

Lucy f e Emperour wyf hys host

Comef fast in gret bost;

Jjey helyf ouer alt fe lond,

[leaf 45]

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Arthur's men pray to god.

13

408 Fowre hunderd bowsand

An hunderd & i'oure & twenty,

Thus herawdes dude ham rekeny ;

Thus he hadde gadered to hym

412 Of cristiens and of Sarasyn,

Wyf aft hys wytt & labour

To destroyen Arthour.

Arthour dude wyselye,

416 And hadde euer gode aspye

Of lucyes gouernynge

And of hys byder comynge;

But somme seyde hyt were folye

420 To fyght ajenst Emperowr lucie,

For he hadde sexe' euere ajenst oon,

& cou/iceyled Arthow to fie & goon.

Wyf be Emperowr come kynges Many oon,

424 And aft beire power hooft & soom;

Stronger men Myjt no man see,

As futt of drede as bey myght be;

But / Arthour was nat dysmayd,

428 He tryst on god, & was wel payd,

And prayd be hye trynyte

Euer hys help forto be;

And aft hys Men wyb oo voyso

432 Cryede to god wyf Oo noyse,

"Fader in heuene, by wyft be doou;

Defende by puple fram beire foon,

And lat nat be hebofi Men

436 Destroye be puple crystien:

Haue Mercy on by so[r]uantis bonde,

And kepe ham fram be heboS honde;

with an army of

100,124 men.

Some advise

Arthur to turn

and flee,

[leaf 45, cot. 2.]

but he trusts in

God,

to whom his

soldiers pray

1 I read this sepe before; but now I read it sexe; for though the llan'18-

x is not like that of ax, 1. 85, or of axes, 1. 463, Maxymyan, 607,

next 508, Saxoynes, 521, &c., yet it is something like that of the

'Xristianitas durat' of the headlines of the English pages, and the

'Destructt'o xn'anitatts' of the headline on the back of leaf 46, and

Sexaginta, leaf 66, back. But as Arthur had 200,000, and Lucius

only 400,124, sexe should be two.

to keep them from

the heathen's

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14

THE BATTLE BETWEEN ARTHUR AND LUCIUS.

Arthur's " For-

ward!"

Maledtetus qui

confidct in

homine.

The battle be-

gins.

[leaf 45, back.]

Men are wetehod

with brains and

blood.

Lucius is slain,

Jje Muchelnesse of Men sainfayle

440 Ys nat Victoria in Batayle;

But after pe wyft pat in heuene ys,

So pe victorie fallef y-wys."

Than seyd Arthour, "hyt ys so:

444 Auant Baner, & be Goo."

Now frendes aft, for goddes loue,

Eeref jowre hertes to god aboue,

And sejep 30wre prayeris faste,

448 Jjat we weft spede furst & laste.

IT |Snta ixosttt.

The eniperour tryst on hys men,

And fat ha]> bygyled bym;

Forsothe hyt most nedej bo so,

452 For pej bef cursed fat weft hyt do,

Such aft myght comeJ> of god;

To tryst on hym, y hold hyt good,

Lucye haf pyght his pauelon

456 And sprad wyf pryde his guwfanon;

His claryons blastes fuft grete blywe,

Archeris schot (:) Men oucr-thrywe;

Bowes, arwes, & arblastere

460 Schot sore all y-vere;

Quarels, arwes, fey fly smerte;

Jje fyched Men pra-$ heed & herte;

Axes, sperys, and gysarmes grot,

464 Clefte Many a prowt Mawnes heed:

Hors & steedes gan to grent,

And deyde wyf stroke pat pej hente;

Many a man pere. lost hys lyf,

468 Many on was wedyw pat was wytf;

Jjere men were wetschoede

AftofBrayn&ofblode;

Gret rywth liyt was to seyn

472 Jje feltes fuft of men y-scleyn;

Lucy fe Empewur also was dedo;

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ARTHUR WINS, AND BURIES THE DEAD.

15

But ho hym sclowh, y can nat rede;

He, for aft hys grete Renoun,

476 Ajenst Arthour hadde no fusouw,

No more fan haue twenty schep

Ajenst vyve wolfej greet.

To god be euere alle honours^!

480 The falde was hys & Arthourej.

Arthour, as he scholde done,

Sende lucyes body to Rome.

Whan fe Romeynes say fis,

484 Jjo fey dradde Arthowr & hys.

Also he buryed Bedewere

Hys frend and / hys Botyler,

And so he dude other Echon

488 In Abbeys of Relygyon

Jjat were cristien of name;

He dude to alle fe same;

And dude for ham Masse synge

492 Wyth sole?wpne song & offrynge,

And bood fere for to rest

Tyft fat wynter was past,

Bofe he (.) hys Men echone

496 Seruyd god in deuocione,

Jjankyng god of hys Myjt

Jjat kepef hys seruawntez ryjt,

And suffref noon for to spyllo

500 pat hym loue]> & tryste wylle:

Jjus worschup god dude certeyn

To Englond, fat fo was Bretayn;

Jje More Breteyn Englond ys

504 As men may rede on Cronyclys

By-end fe See Bretayne \er ys,

Jjat ha]> hys name forsofo of fis,

For fe kyng Maxymyan,

508 Jje next after Octauyan,

He conquered aft Armoryk,

not able to stand

against Arthur.

Arthur sends

Lucius's body to

Rome,

buries Bedwere

and others

in Abbeys,

and stays the

winter,

thanking God

for His honour

to England.

[Of the difference

between More (or

Great) Britain,

and Little

Britain.]

Quomodo anplia

est Jiritannia

maior,

16

OP THE WELSH AND STINKING SAXONS.

Armorica.

Little Britain is

called after Great

Britain.

How the Welsh-

men call the

English "stink-

ing Saxons."

Arthur is pre-

paring to cross

the mountains to

Rome,

And to f e Eeme named hyt lyk:

Amorica on latyn me cleped pat lond,

512 Tyl Maxymyan co[]queryd hyt wytih honde,

And called hyt lyte bretayne fan,

So hyjt f is lond fat he coom fram;

For perpetuett Mynde of grete Bretayne

516 He called hyt lyte Bretayne,

Jjat Men schulde kepe in Mynde & wytt

How f is lond conqueryd hytt;

For Walsch Men hep Bretoans of kynde

520 Know fat weft fast on Mynde

Englysch men bef Saxoynes,

\)at be f of Engistes Soones;

There-fore f e walsch man Breton

524 Seyf & clepef vs "Sayson" *$&Prices'

And seyf (.) "taw or (.) Peyd Sayson brouwt" l

Whan he ys wroth (:) or ellys drownke;

Hauyng Mynde of Engystis Men

528 Jjat wytk gyle sclow f eyre kyn:

At pe place of f e Stonehenge

3ut fey fenkef for to venge:

And fat hyt neuere be so,

532 Seyf a Pater noster more to.

IT |)ata uotshr.

Now turne we to oure labowr,

And lat vs speke of Arthour:

He cast on herte sone

536 After fat to go to Eome,

And spak of Passage & hys wey

Forth ouer Mont Ioye.

And sone after vpon an owr

540 He hnrde of Mordred the tretowr

when he hears of

Mord red's

treachery j

1 Pughe's abridged Dictionary gives tau, v.a. be still; taw, s.m.

and adj. quiet, silence, silent; paid, s.m. a cessation, quiet; bront,

a. nasty, filthy, surly. Or, says Dr. Benj. Davics, you must take as

equal to the modern Welsh wr, man, if it is not English; peyd is

cease, pause; taw, be silent.

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of mordred's treachery and Arthur's return.

17

That haddo att J>is lond on warde

Euyft moot such fare, and harde!

Who may best bygyle a man

544 But sucn as he tryst vpan 1

Jjer ys no man wel nye, y tryste,

Jjat can be waar of hadde wyste.

Mordred, fis falss Man,

548 Much" sorw fo bygan;

He stuffed alle castells

Wyf armyre & vytells,

And strenghthed hym on eche syde

552 Wyth Men of contreys ferre & wyde:

He toke fe qweene, Arthourej wyff,

Ajenst goddes lawe & gode lyff,

And putte heore to soiourne fo

556 At Euerwyk (:) god jyf hym wo.

Yhork ys Euerwyk (:)

& so me calleJ> hyt.

ArthoiW aryved at Whytsond

560 Wyth gret Myght & strong hond,

And Mordred sain} fayl

3af hym fo a strong batayl;

Many a man, as y rede,

564 Jjat day was fere dede;

Artboures nevew Waweyn

]jat day was fere y-sclayn,

And ofer knyjtes Many moo:

568 Jjan Arthour was heuy & woo.

Mordred fly toward Londouw;

He most nat come in fe touw:

Jjan fled he to Wywchester

572 And wyth hys Mayn" kep hym fer1;

And Arthour on gret haste

Pursywed after hym faste.

Mordred wythonte fayle

576 Fled in-to Cornewayle.

[leaf 46.]

how the traitor

had seized the

queen, his (Ar-

thur's) wife,

and put her at

York.

Arthur then

comes home,

fights Mordred,

and Gawain is

slain.

Mordred flies to

London,

and then to Corn-

wall.

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IS

ARTHURS LAST BATTLE WITH MORDRED.

The Queen

turns nun at

Carlyon.

Gawain

is buried in

Scotland.

Northern men

and others come

to Arthur.

[leaf 46, col. 2.]

He gives Mor-

dred battle.

Bellum arthuri

apnd Camelerto-

um in CornuHa.

Mordred is slain,

Arthur wounded,

and carried to

Avelon, or

Auelona .i. in-

sula pomorum

Glastonia.

The qwene wyf oute lesyng

Hurde of f is tydyng,

And how Mordred was flow,

580 And how to Cornewale he hym drow.

Heo of Mercy hadde noon hoope,

Ther-for he dude on a Russet cote,

And to Carlyon ys preuyly Eofine,

584 And made heore self f o a Nonne;

Fro fat place neuer heo wende,

But of heore lyf fere made an ende.

Waweynes body, as y reede,

588 And other lordes fat weere deede,

Arthour sente in-to skotlonde,

And buryed ham fere, y vnderstonde.

Muche folke ferhenne he toke f o,

592 Of JSTorthumber-lond also

Fram dyverse places to Arthowr come

Hys wyii to werk & to done:

Thus he semhled a fuft gret Ost;

596 To Cornewayle he drawef hym fast

After fat Mordred f e traytowr

Jjat hadde do hym Much dyshonowr.

That tretow?1 hadde gret Strength

600 And fulled fat lond on brede & length,

Such a bateir as fere was redy fo

Hadde neuer Arthour byfore y-doo:

They fowjt tyl f er come doun bloode.

604 As a(.) Eyver or (.)a(.) flood;

Jjey fowjt euer sore & sadde;

Men nyst ho f e betere hadde;

But at f e last Certeyn

608 "Was Mordred & alle hys y-sclayn;

And Arthowr y-bete wyf wouwdo,

He Myght not stonde on grouwdo;

But on lyter ryjt anon

612 Was browjt to Aueloii

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ARTHUR IS BURIED AT GLASTONBURY.

19

\)at was a place fayr & Mary;

Now liyt hootef Glastyngbury.

Ther Aithour pat worthy kyng

016 Maked hys lyues endyng;

But for he skaped fat batett y-wys,

Bretons & Cornysch seyef Jms,

"Jjat he leuyth jut parde,

620 And schatt come & be a kyng eye."

At glastyngbury on fe qweer

Jjey made Axtourej touwibe fere,

And wrote wyth latyn vers fus,

624 Hie iacet Arthurus, rex quondam, rex que futuriw.

Thys was fus forsofe ydone

Jje yheer after ]>e Incarnacione,

Vyf hundred (.) fourty & two.

628 Now saue vs alle fra woo

Ihesu cryst, heuenly kyng,

& grauwt vs alle hys blessyng;

And fat hyt Moote so be,

632 Seyef alle Pater & Aug.

1 fata nosier / g,ut /

Ho fat woti more loke,

Reed on fe frensch boke,

And he schatt fynde fere

636 }5ynges fat y leete here.

But yf fat god wolle grauwte grace,

y schatt rehercy in fis place

Alle fe kyngez fat after were,

640 And what names at fey here;

And ho fat wott feyre gestes loke,

Reed on fe Frensch boke. Amen fiat.

[On the back of leaf 46 follows : ' Destructio christiamtatis /

Et reformacio eiusdem. Constantinus. Post Arthurum

regnauit Constantino, Alius Cador, Comitis Cornubie,

nepos Arthuri / iste Constantino interfecit duos filios

Mordredi spurios, qui Mouerat bellum contra eum

propter pa

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&WORDS.

a, he, 1. 370.

alowte, L 116, bowed down to.

aspye, sb. espial, 1. 416; vb. ascer-

tain, U. 202, 268.

ayhe, again, 1. 126.

beeme, sb. ?noise, display, from

A.S. beme, a trumpet, 1. 108.

doelle, 1. 101, sorrow.

falde, 1. 480, felt, 1. 472; field.

foon, 1. 434, foes.

fusoun, gain, victory, 1. 476. L.

fusio, outpouring, plenty; com-

mon in Scotland for 'pith,

bottom.'

fyched, pierced, L 462.

goom, man, 1. 166.

gysarme,l. 463. Hallebarde,pique,

hache. Roquefort.

hadde wyste, L 546, had I known

(how it would have turned out).

See Nares, and the Poem " Be-

ware of had-I-wyst," that he

quotes. "Beware of had-I-wyst,

whose fine bringes care and

smart."

hawted, exalted, 1. 113.

he, she, 1. 582.

heo, 1. 581, she.

helyth, cover (or pour out, hele

Wilts., hale Dorset.), 1. 407.

hente, 1. 96, took; 1. 466, received.

huUe, 1. 399, hill.

last, lest, 1. 289.

leete, 1. 636, leave, omit.

loghynge, lodging, L 344.

lynage, descendant, 1. 269.

meyntenaunt, 1. 383, presently,

muchelnesse, sb. muchness, num-

ber and power, 1. 439.

mynde, remembrance, 1. 527.

nyst, 1. 606, ne wyst, knew not.

oo, one, 1. 49, 135.

pyght, 1. 455, pitched.

raply, 1. 87, quickly.

rees, 1. 524, rush, stir]

remes, 1. 209, realms.

sayle, assail, attack, 1. 12.

scley, slain, 1. 212.

skyle, sb. reason, 1. 17.

soue$ (?), sough, moan, 1. 88.

that, ye who, L 1; those who, 1.

42, 84.

theoband (1. 178), is, I expect,

miswritten for theoband; A.S.

\eodan, to join; ge-peod-an, to

join, associate.

therhenne, thence, 1. 591.

tho, 1. 138, then.

toke, gave, 1. 329.

trywage, 1. 270, 288, truage, tri-

bute.

venge, have revenge, take venge-

ance, 1.- 530.

verrament, truly, 1. 32.

was, whose, 1. 248.

whas, whose, 1. 198, 201.

wood, wild, mad, 1. 211.

ydoon, done, spent, 1. 72.

ye, 1. 299, eye.

ylete, let, 1. 194.

ytake, taken to, given to, 1. 272.

y-vere, together, 1. 460.

ywyss, certainly, L 46.

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