Lordinges, herkneth to me tale! Is merier than the nightingale, That I schel singe; Of a knight ich wile yow roune, I will sing to you line5 Beves a highte of Hamtoune, he [is] called Withouten lesing. lying

Ich wile yow tellen al togadre I together Of that knight and of is fadre, his Sire Gii. line10 Of Hamtoun he was sire And of al that ilche schire, same shire To wardi. guard

Lordinges, this, of whan I telle, Never man of flesch ne felle skin line15 Nas so strong. Was not And so he was in ech strive. quarrel And ever he levede withouten wive, lived Al to late and long.

Whan he was fallen in to elde, old age line20 That he ne mighte himself welde, control He wolde a wif take; Sone thar after, ich understonde, Him hadde be lever than al this londe Hadde he hire forsake.

line25 An elde a wif he tok an honde, elderly man The kinges doughter of Scotlonde, So faire and bright. Allas, that he hire ever ches! chose For hire love his lif a les he lost line30 With mechel unright. much evil

This maide ichave of ytold, I have Faire maide she was and bold And fre yboren; nobly born Of Almayne that emperur Germany line35 Hire hadde loved paramur as a mistress Wel thar beforen.

Ofte to hire fader a sente he And he him selve theder wente there (thither) For hire sake; line40 Ofte gernede hire to wive; desired The king for no thing alive Nolde hire him take.

Sithe a yaf hire to sire Gii, Then he gave A stalword erl and hardi line45 Of Southhamtoun. Man, whan he falleth in to elde. old age Feble a wexeth and unbelde Feeble he grew unbold Thourgh right resoun.

So longe thai yede togedres to bedde, they went line50 A knave child betwene hem thai hedde, Beves a het. he was called Faire child he was and bolde, He nas boute seve winter olde, not quite seven Whan his fader was ded.

line55 The levedi hire misbethoughte lady had evil thoughts And meche aghen the right she wroughte much against In hire tour: tower “Me lord is olde and may nought werche, work Al dai him is lever at cherche, rather line60 Than in me bour.

Hadde ich itaken a yong knight, That ner nought brused in werre and fight, was not Also he is, As A wolde me loven dai and night, He line65 Cleppen and kissen with al is might Embrace his And make me blis.

I nel hit lete for no thinge, will not allow it That ich nel him to dethe bringe do not With sum braide!” trick line70 Anon right that levedi fer Soon lady fierce To consaile clepede hir masager counsel called messenger And to him saide:

“Maseger, do me surté, Messenger, promise me That thow nelt nought discure me disclose line75 To no wight! person And yif thow wilt, that it so be, wish I schel thee yeve gold and fe property And make the knight.”

Thanne answerde the masager — line80 False a was, that pautener, vagabond And wel prut — proud “Dame, boute ich do thee nede, unless I do your bidding Ich graunte, thow me forbede imagine you would forbid me The londe thourgh out.”

line85 The levedi thanne was wel fain: glad “Go,” she seide, “in to Almaine Germany Out of me bour! chamber Maseger, be yep and snel, prompt swift And on min helf thow grete wel behalf line90 That emperur,

And bid, in the ferste dai, That cometh in the moneth of May, For love of me, That he be to fighte prest ready line95 With is ferde in hare forest his retinue our Beside the se. sea

Me lord ich wile theder sende For his love, for to schende destroy And for to sle; kill line100 Bid him, that hit be nought beleved, believed That he ne smite of his heved cut off head And sende hit me!

And whan he haveth so ydo, done Me love he schel underfo, My receive line105 Withouten delai! Thanne seide that masager: “Madame, ich wile sone be ther! Now have gode dai!”

Now that masager him goth. line110 That ilche lord him worthe wroth, same became angry That him wroughte! To schip that masager him wode. ship went Allas! The wind was al to gode, That him over broughte.

line115 Tho he com in to Almayne, Thar a mette with a swain he servant And grette him wel. “Felawe,” a seide, “par amur: if you please Whar mai ich finde th’emperur? the emperor line120 Thow me tel!”

“Ich wile thee telle anon right: At Rifoun a lai tonight, he lay Be me swere!” by my oath The masager him thankede anon line125 And thederwardes he gan gon thither Withouten demere. delay

Th’empereur thar a fonde; he found Adoun a knevlede on the grounde, he knelt Ase hit was right, line130 And seide: “The levedi of South Hamtone Thee grette wel be Godes sone, Greets you by God’s son That is so bright,

And bad thee, in the ferste day That cometh in the moneth o May, line135 How so hit be, That ye be to fighte prest ready With your ferde in hare forest retinue her Beside the se.

Hire lord she wile theder sende line140 For the love, for to schende, kill With lite meini; With few followers Thar aboute thow schost be fouse, strenuous And thow schelt after her wedde to spouse, as To thin amy.” love

line145 “Sai,” a seide, “Icham at hire heste: he said command Yif me lif hit wile leste, If my life will last Hit schel be do! It shall be done Gladder icham for that sawe, advice Than be fouel, whan hit ginneth dawe, Than birds it begins to dawn line150 And sai hire so! tell her so

And for thow woldes hire erande bede, make known An hors icharged with golde rede laden with red gold Ich schel thee yeve, And withinne this fourtene night line155 Me self schel dobbe thee to knight, dub you knight Yif that ich live.”

The mesager him thankede yerne; earnestly Hom ayen he gan him terne Home again To Hamtoun; line160 The levedi a fond in hire bour, he found chamber And he hire clepede doceamur embraced sweetly And gan to roun: began to talk secretly

“Dame,” a seide, “I thee tel: That emperur thee grette wel greets you well line165 With love mest: greatest love Glad he is for that tiding, A wile be prest at that fighting He will be ready for In that forest.

Yif thow ert glad the lord to sle, you are happy line170 Gladder a is for love of thee Happier he is Fele sithe!” Many times The mesager hath thus isaid, The levedi was right wel apaid content And maked hire blithe.

line175 In Mai, in the formeste dai, foremost (first) The levedi in hire bedde lai, Ase hit wer nede; As though it were a necessity Hire lord she clepede out of halle called And seide, that evel was on hire falle, evil (sickness) line180 She wende be ded. She thought [she would] be dead

That erl for hire hath sorwe ikaught earl sympathetized And askede, yif she disired aught, if desired anything That mighte hire frevre. might comfort her “Ye,” she seide, “of a wilde bor boar line185 I wene, me mineth, boute for Al of the fevre!”

“Madame,” a seide, “for love myn, my love Whar mai ich finde that wilde swin? Where swine I wolde, thow it hadde!” line190 And she answerde with tresoun mest, treason Be the se in hare forest, our Thar a bradde. he breeds

That erl swor, be Godes grace, In that forest he wolde chace, line195 That bor to take; And she answerde with tresoun than; “Blessed be thow of alle man For mine sake!”

That erl is hors began to stride, his mount line200 His scheld he heng upon is side, shield his Gert with swerd; Armed Moste non armur on him come, Himself was boute the ferthe some among a group of four Toward that ferd. army

line205 Allas, that he nadde be war had not been wary Of is fomen, that weren thar, enemies Him forte schende: To kill him With tresoun worth he ther islawe slain And ibrought of is lif-dawe, from his life line210 Er he hom wende! Before

Whan he com in to the forest, Th’emperur a fond al prest; he found all ready For envi A prikede out before is ost, spurred his host line215 For pride and for make bost, boast And gan to crie:

“Aghilt thee, treitour! thow olde dote! Surrender traitor fool Thow shelt ben hanged be the throte, Thin heved thow schelt lese; head lose line220 The sone schel anhanged be Your son And the wif, that is so fre, noble To me lemman I chese!” I choose for my lover

Th’erl answerde at that sawe: The earl speech “Me thenketh, thow seist ayen the lawe, speak against line225 So God me amende! Me wif and child, that was so fre, noble Yif thow thenkest beneme hem me, to take them from me Ich schel hem defende!” them

Tho prikede is stede Sire Gii, spurred his horse line230 A stalword man and hardi, While he was sounde; healthy Th’emperur he smot with is spere, Out of is sadel he gan him bere his saddle And threw him to grounde.

line235 “Treitour,” a seide, “thow ert to bolde! too Wenestow, thegh ich bo olde, Do you think since I am old To ben afered? To be afraid That thow havest no right to me wif, my I schel thee kithe be me lif!” show line240 And drough is swerd. drew

That erl held is swerd adrawe, drawn Th’emperur with he hadde slawe, would have slain Nadde be sokour: Had there not been help Thar come knightes mani and fale, many numerous line245 Wel ten thosent told be tale, thousand tolled by tally To th’emperur.

Tho Sire Gii him gan defende, himself Thre hondred hevedes of a slende heads he struck off With is brond; sword line250 Hadde he ben armed wel, ywis, well-armed I imagine Al the meistré hadde ben his, victory Ich understonde.

Thre men were slawe, that he ther hadde, slain That he with him out ladde line255 And moste nede; and needed the most To have merci, that was is hope; his Th’emperur after him is lope rode Upon a stede. his horse

Th’erl knewlede to th’emperur, knelt line260 Merci a bad him and sokour succor And is lif: his life “Merci, sire, ase thow art fre, noble Al that ichave, I graunte thee, I have Boute me wif! Except

line265 For thine men, that ichave slawe, I have slain Have her me swerd idrawe here drawn And al me fe: possessions Boute me yonge sone Bef Except Bevis And me wif, that is me lef, my beloved line270 That let thow me!”

“For Gode,” queth he, “that ich do nelle!” will not do Th’emperur to him gan telle, And was agreved, angered Anon right is swerd out drough line275 And the gode knight a slough slew And nam is heved. took his head

A knight a tok the heved an honde: “Have,” a seide, “ber this sonde take message Me leve swet!” [To] my sweet love line280 The knight to Hamtoun tho gan gon, The levedi thar a fond anon he found soon And gan hire grete: greet

“Dame,” a seide, “to me atende: listen to me Th’emperur me hider sende sent me hither line285 With is pray!” prize And she seide: “Blessed mot he be! To wif a schel wedde me he shall To morwe in the dai. Tomorrow

Sai him, me swete wight, tell man line290 That he come yet to night In to me bour!” my bedchamber The mesager is wei hath holde, held his way Al a seide, ase she him tolde, All he said To th’emperur.

line295 Now scholle we of him mone, speak Of Beves, that was Guis sone, Guy’s son How wo him was: sorrowful Yerne a wep, is hondes wrong, Earnestly he wept, he wrung his hands For his fader a seide among: repeatedly line300 “Allas! Allas!”

He cleped is moder and seide is sawe: called speech “Vile houre! Thee worst to-drawe whore You should be drawn And al to-twight! pulled apart Me thenketh, ich were ther-of ful fawe, I would be very glad line305 For thow havest me fader slawe slain my father With mechel unright! much injustice

Allas, moder, thee faire ble! complexion Evel becometh thee, houre to be, Evil becomes you, whore To holde bordel, manage [a] brothel line310 And alle wif houren for thee sake, all women whore (i.e., work for you) The devel of helle ich hii betake, I would deliver them Flesch and fel! skin

Ac o thing, moder, I schel thee swere: But one Yif ich ever armes bere line315 And be of elde, age Al that hath me fader islawe slain And ibrought of is lif dawe, dear Ich shel hem yilden!” repay

The moder hire hath understonde, line320 That child she smot with hire honde Under is ere. his ear The child fel doun and that was scathe, pity His meister tok him wel rathe, mentor quickly That highte Saber. Who was called

line325 The knight was trewe and of kinde, by nature Strenger man ne scholde men finde To ride ne go. A was ibrought in tene and wrake He (Saber) harm injury Ofte for that childes sake line330 Ase wel ase tho. then

That childe he nam up be the arm, took Wel wo him was for that harm, That he thar hadde. Toward is kourt he him kende; showed the way line335 The levedi after Saber sende sent after And to him radde. spoke

“Saber,” she seide, “thow ert me lef, love Let sle me yonge sone Bef, slay Bevis That is so bold! line340 Let him anhange swithe highe, very high I ne reche, what deth he dighe, Sithe he be cold!”

Saber stod stille and was ful wo; Natheles a seide, a wolde do Nevertheless line345 After hire sawe; command The child with him hom he nam, he took home A swin he tok, whan he hom cam, swine And dede hit of dawe. killed it

The childes clothes, that were gode, line350 Al a bisprengde with that blode sprinkled In many stede, places Ase yif the child were to-hewe, cut apart A thoughte to his moder hem schewe, He show And so a dede. he did

line355 At the laste him gan adrede, to be afraid He let clothen in pouer wede poor clothes That hende wight, gentle person And seide: “Sone, thow most kepe Upon the felde mine schepe sheep line360 This fourte night! fortnight (two weeks)

And whan the feste is come to th’ende, In to another londe I schel thee sende Fer be southe, To a riche erl, that schel thee gie guide you line365 And teche thee of corteisie teach you courtesy In the youthe. your

And whan thow ert of swich elde, such [an] age That thow might the self wilde, govern And ert of age, line370 Thanne scheltow come in te Ingelonde, return to England With werre winne in to thin honde win back Thin eritage. Your heritage

I schel thee helpe with alle me might, all my With dent of swerd to gete thee right, your rights line375 Be thow of elde!” [Until] you are of age The child him thankede and sore wep, thanked him wept And forth a wente with the schep Upon the velde. field

Beves was herde upon the doun shepherd hill line380 He lokede homward to the toun, That scholde ben his; He beheld toward the tour, tower Trompes he herde and tabour Trumpets drum And meche blis. much bliss (celebration)

line385 “Lord,” a seide, “on me thow mone! remember Ne was ich ones an erles sone once earl’s son And now am herde? shepherd Mighte ich with that emperur speke, Wel ich wolde me fader awreke avenge line390 For al is ferde!” Despite his retinue

He nemeth is bat and forth a goth, picked up club Swithe sori and wel wroth, Deeply sorry angry Toward the tour; “Porter!” a sede, “Let me in reke! quickly line395 A lite thing ich ave to speke little have With th’emperur.”

“Go hom, truant!” the porter sede, vagrant “Scherewe houre sone, I thee rede, Wicked whore’s command Fro the gate: From line400 Boute thow go hennes also swithe, Unless Hit schel thee rewe fele sithe, Thow come ther-ate!

Sixte the scherewe, “Ho be itte, Said evil man How A loketh, as a wolde smite line405 With is bat: Speke he ought meche more, If he says anything much more I schel him smite swithe sore very sore Upon is hat.”

“For Gode,” queth Beves, “natheles, line410 An houre sone for soth ich wes, A whore’s son Wel ich it wot! I nam no truant, be Godes grace!” With that a lefte up is mace lifted club Anon fot hot. Quickly

line415 Beves withoute the gate stod. outside stood And smot the porter on the hod, hood That he gan falle; His heved he gan al to cleve head And forth a wente with that leve permission line420 In to the halle.

Al aboute he gan beholde, To th’emperur he spak wordes bolde With meche grame: anger “Sire,” a sede, “what dostow here? are you doing line425 Whi colles thow aboute the swire embraces neck That ilche dame? same

Me moder is that thow havest an honde: What dostow her upon me londe Withouten leve? permission line430 Tak me me moder and mi fe, Take [from] me my property Boute thow the rather hennes te, Unless sooner go I schel thee greve! make trouble for you

Nastow, sire, me fader slawe? Have you not slain Thow schelt ben hanged and to-drawe, drawn line435 Be Godes wille! Aris! Fle hennes, I thee rede!” Arise advise Th’emperur to him sede: “Foul, be stille!” Fool

Beves was nigh wod for grame, mad anger line440 For a clepede him “foul” be name, called fool And to him a wond; he turned For al that weren in the place, Thries a smot him with is mace Three times club And with is honde. his hand

line445 Thries a smot him on the kroun; crown (head) That emperur fel swowe adoun, in a swoon Thar a sat. The levedi, is moder, gan to grede: cry “Nemeth that treitour!” she sede, Seize line450 “Anon with that!”

Tho dorste Beves no leng abide; The knightes up in ech a side, More and lasse, Wo hem was for the childes sake, line455 Boute non of hem nolde him take But none of them would take him Hii lete him pase. They pass

Beves goth faste ase he mai, His meister a mette in the wai, teacher he met That highte Saber, was called line460 And he him askede with blithe mod: uplifted spirits “Beves!” a seide, “for the Rode, Cross What dostow her?” are you doing here

“I schel thee telle al togadre: at once Beten ichave me stifadre Beaten stepfather line465 With me mace; Thries I smot him in the heved, Al for ded ich him leved left In the place!”

“Beves,” queth Saber, “thow ert to blame: line470 The levedi wile now do me schame will shame (harm) For thine sake! Boute thow be me consaile do, Unless counsel Thow might now sone bringe us bo both In meche wrake!” trouble

line475 Saber Beves to his hous ladde, led Meche of that levedi him dradde. he was very afraid The levedi out of the tour cam, To Saber the wei she nam. she made her way “Saber,” she seide, “whar is Bef, line480 That wike treitour, that fule thef?” wicked foul thief “Dame,” a seide, “ich dede him of dawe Be thee red and be thee sawe: By your advice by your command This beth his clothe, thow her sixt.” as you can see The levedi seide: “Saber thow lixt! you lie line485 Boute thow me to him take, Unless Thow schelt abegge for is sake.” pay Beves herde his meister threte; teacher (mentor) threatened To hire a spak with hertte grete And seide: “Lo, me her be name! Lo, I am here, by name line490 Do me meister for me no schame! Do not shame my teacher on my behalf Yif thow me sext, lo, whar ich am here!” call for me here I am His moder tok him be the ere; Fain she wolde a were of live. Eagerly she wished he were dead Foure knightes she clepede blive: called quickly line495 “Wendeth,” she seide, “to the stronde: Go shore Yif ye seth schipes of painim londe, ships heathen land Selleth to hem this ilche hyne, Sell to them very boy That ye for no gode ne fine, fine possessions Whather ye have for him mor and lesse, line500 Selleth him right in to hethenesse!” Forth the knightes gonne te, began to go Til that hii come to the se, they Schipes hii fonde ther stonde found standing there Of hethenesse and of fele londe; many line505 The child hii chepeden to sale, they offered to sell Marchaundes thai fonde ferli fale Merchants very many And solde that child for mechel aughte a good price And to the Sarasins him betaughte. delivered Forth thai wente with that child, line510 Crist of hevene be him mild! The childes hertte was wel colde, fearful For that he was so fer isolde; far away sold Natheles, though him thoughte eile, grief Toward painim a moste saile. he must line515 Whan hii rivede out of that strond, sailed forth The king highte Ermin of that londe; was called His wif was ded, that highte Morage, A doughter a hadde of yong age, Josiane that maide het, was named line520 Hire schon wer gold upon hire fet; shoes feet So faire she was and bright of mod, mind Ase snow upon the rede blod — Wharto scholde that may discrive? To what should she be compared Men wiste no fairer thing alive, knew line525 So hende ne wel itaught; gentle nor well brought up Boute of Cristene lawe she kouthe naught. Except knew nothing The marchauns wente an highing in haste And presente Beves to Ermyn King. The king thar of was glad and blithe line530 And thankede hem mani a sithe: time “Mahoun!” a seide, “thee might be proute, Mohammed proud And this child wolde to thee aloute; If incline to Yif a wolde a Sarasin be, If only [he] would be a Saracen Yit ich wolde hope, a scholde the! As he should prosper line535 Be Mahoun, that sit an high, By Mohammed A fairer child never I ne sigh, saw Neither a lingthe ne on brade, length breadth Ne non, so faire limes hade! limbs Child,” a seide, “whar wer thee bore? where were you born line540 What is thee name? telle me fore! Yif ich it wiste, hit were me lef.” It would please me if I knew it “For Gode,” a seide, “ich hatte Bef; am called Iborne ich was in Ingelonde, I was born England At Hamtoun, be the se stronde. seashore line545 Me fader was erl thar a while, Me moder him let sle with gile, murdered treacherously And me she solde in to hethenlonde; Wikked beth fele wimmen to fonde! many prove to be Ac, sire, yif it ever so betide, But happen line550 That ich mowe an horse ride might And armes bere and scheft tobreke, lance shatter Me fader deth ich schel wel wreke!” avenge The kinges hertte wex wel cold, heart grew Whan Beves hadde thus itolde, line555 And seide: “I nave non eir after me dai, have no heir Boute Josian, this faire mai; Except maiden And thow wile thee god forsake If you forsake your god And to Apolyn, me lord, take, Hire I schel thee yeve to wive give [her] to you to marry line560 And al me lond after me live!” when I die “For Gode!” queth Beves, “that I nolde would not For al the selver ne al the golde, silver That is under hevene light, Ne for thee doughter, that is so bright. Neither line565 I nolde forsake in none manere Jesu, that boughte me so dere. redeemed Al mote thai be doum and deve, dumb deaf That on the false godes beleve!” The king him lovede wel the more, loved him line570 For him ne stod of no man sore, endured no other man’s sorrow And seide: “Beves, while thow ert swain, servant Thow schelt be me chaumberlain, And thow schelt, whan thow ert dobbed knight, dubbed Me baner bere in to everi fight!” My banner bear line575 Beves answerde al with skil: “What ye me hoten, don ich wil!” command I will do Beves was ther yer and other, a year and a second (two years) The king him lovede also is brother, as his And the maide that was so sligh. clever line580 So dede everi man that him sigh. saw Be that he was fiftene yer olde, By the time Knight ne swain thar nas so bolde, That him dorste ayenes ride ride against him (challenge) Ne with wrethe him abide. anger tolerate him

line585 His ferste bataile, for soth te say A dede a Cristes messe day; He did on Christmas Ase Beves scholde to water ride And fiftene Sarasins be is side, And Beves rod on Arondel, line590 That was a stede gode and lel. loyal A Sarasin began to say speak And askede him, what het that day. was called Beves seide: “For soth ywis, I not never, what dai it is, do not know line595 For I nas boute seve winter old, seven Fro Cristendome ich was isold; From Tharfore I ne can telle nought thee, cannot tell you What dai that hit mighte be.” The Sarasin beheld and lough. looked at him laughed line600 “This dai,” a saide, “I knowe wel inough. This is the ferste dai of Youl, Yule Thee God was boren withouten doul; Your pain For thi men maken ther mor blisse partake in greater joy Than men do her in hethenesse. line605 Anoure thee God, so I schel myn, Honor Bothe Mahoun and Apolyn!” Beves to that Sarasin said: “Of Cristendom yit ichave abraid, partaken Ichave seie on this dai right line610 Armed mani a gentil knight, Torneande right in the feld Tourneying With helmes bright and mani scheld; helmets many [a] shield And were ich alse stith in plas, as strong [my] place Ase ever Gii, me fader was, line615 Ich wolde for me Lordes love, That sit high in hevene above, Fighte with yow everichon, every one Er than ich wolde hennes gon!” Before leaving The Sarasin seide to his felawes: line620 “Lo, brethern, hire ye nought this sawes, Listen these boasts How the yonge Cristene hounde, A saith, a wolde us fellen te grounde. He defeat us Wile we aboute him gon Shall And fonde that treitour slon?” try to slay line625 Al aboute thai gonne thringe, press And hard on him thai gonne dinge to strike And yaf him wondes mani on wounds Thourgh the flesch in to the bon, Depe wondes and sore, line630 That he mighte sofre namore; suffer Tho his bodi began to smerte, hurt He gan plokken up is hertte, pluck up his courage Ase tid to a Sarasin a wond Quickly he turned And breide a swerd out of is honde, took line635 And fifti Sarasins, in that stonde place Thar with a yaf hem dedli wonde, them deadly wounds And sum he strok of the swire, some severed neck That the heved flegh in to the rivere, head flew And sum he clef evene asonder; line640 Here hors is fet thai laine under; Their horses’ feet they lay Ne was ther non, that mighte ascape, There were none So Beues slough hem in a rape. them hastily The stedes hom to stable ran home Withoute kenning of eni man. guidance from

line645 Beves hom began to ride, His wondes bledde be ech side; The stede he graithed up anon, put into the stable In to his chaumber he gan gon And leide him deueling on the grounde, himself flat line650 To kolen his hertte in that stounde. calm place Tiding com to King Ermyn Word That Beves hadde mad is men tyn; perish The king swor and seide is sawe. his sentence For thi a scholde ben to-drawe. That he should line655 Up stod that maide Josian, And to hire fader she seide than: “Sire, ich wot wel in me thought, know mind That thine men ne slough he nought, Be Mahoun ne be Tervagaunt, line660 Boute hit were himself defendaunt! Unless he were defending himself Ac, fader,” she saide, “be me red, And advice Er thow do Beves to ded, Before you put death Ich praie, sire, for love o me, pray Do bringe that child before thee! line665 Whan the child, that is so bold, His owene tale hath itolde, And thow wite the soth, aplight, truth, indeed Who hath the wrong, who hath right, Yef him his dom, that he schel have, Render judgment line670 Whather thow wilt him slen or save!” slay King Ermyn seide: “Me doughter fre, noble Ase thow havest seid, so it schel be!” Josiane tho anon rightes very soon Clepede to hire twei knightes: Called two line675 “To Beves now wende ye make your way And prai him, that he come to me: ask Er me fader arise fro his des; dais Ful wel ich schel maken is pes!” peace Forth the knightes gonne gon, line680 To Beves chaumber thai come anon And praide, ase he was gentil man, Come speke with Josian. Beves stoutliche in that stounde bravely Haf up is heved fro the grounde; Heaved head line685 With stepe eighen and rowe bren bright hairy brows So lotheliche he gan on hem sen, loathly looked to them The twei knightes, thar thai stode, Thai were aferde, hii wer nigh wode. afraid confused A seide: “Yif ye ner masegers, were not messengers line690 Ich wolde yow sle, losengers! cowards I nele rise o fot fro the grounde, one foot from For speke with an hethene hounde: She is an honde, also be ye, heathen as you are Out of me chaumber swithe ye fle!” Get out quickly line695 The knightes wenten out in rape, haste Thai were fain so to ascape. eager escape To Josian thai wente as tit at once And seide: “Of him is gret despit: Sertes, a clepede thee hethene hound Certainly, he called you heathen hound line700 Thries in a lite stounde Three times short time We nolde for al Ermonie Armenia Eft sones se him with our eie!” Again “Hardeliche,” she seide, “cometh with me, Hardily And ich wile your waraunt be!” guarantee line705 Forth thai wente al isame, together To Beves chaumber that he came. “Lemman,” she seide, “gent and fre, Sweetheart For Godes love, spek with me!” She keste him bothe moth and chin kissed mouth line710 And yaf him confort gode afin, throughout So him solaste that mai, gave solace maiden That al is care wente awai, his And seide: “Lemman, thin ore! mercy Icham iwonded swithe sore!” I am wounded very line715 “Lemman,” she seide, “with gode entent Ichave brought an oyniment, ointment For make thee bothe hol and fere; To make you whole sound Wende we to me fader dere!” Let us go Forth thai wenten an highing in haste line720 Til Ermyn, the riche king, To And Beves tolde unto him than, How that stour ended and gan, conflict began And schewed on him in that stounde showed place Fourti grete, grisli wounde. Forty gruesome line725 Thanne seide King Ermin the hore: grayhaired “I nolde, Beves, that thow ded wore do not wish For al the londes, that ichave; Ich praie, doughter, that thow him save And prove to hele, ase thow can, bring to health line730 The wondes of that doughti man!” brave In to chaumber she gan him take And riche bathes she let him make, healthful That withinne a lite stonde in a short time He was bothe hol and sonde. whole and sound line735 Thanne was he ase fresch to fight, So was the faukoun to the flight. As falcon His other prowesse who wile lere, learn Hende, herkneth, and ye mai here! Nobles A wilde bor thar was aboute, boar line740 Ech man of him hadde gret doute. fear Man and houndes, that he tok, With his toskes he al toschok. tusks shook to pieces Thei him hontede knightes tene, hunted [the boar] ten Tharof ne yef he nought a bene, gave he not a bean (did not care) line745 At is mouth fif toskes stoden out, five Everich was fif enches about, Each inches wide His sides wer hard and strong, His brostles were gret and long, bristles Himself was fel and kouthe fighte, fierce knew how to line750 No man sle him ne mighte. Beves lay in is bedde a night his And thoughte, a wolde kethen is might dreamed he would prove his Upon that swin himself one, swine alone That no man scholde with him gone. line755 A morwe, whan hit was dai cler, In the morning Ariseth knight and squier; Beves let sadlen is ronsi, saddled horse That bor a thoughte to honti, decided hunt A gerte him with a gode brond armed himself sword line760 And tok a spere in is hond, A scheld a heng upon is side, Toward the wode he gan ride. forest Josian, that maide, him beheld, watched Al hire love to him she feld; felt line765 To hire self she seide, ther she stod: as she stood there “Ne kepte I never more gode Ne namore of al this worldes blisse, Thanne Beves with love o time te kisse; In gode time were boren, line770 That Beves hadde to lemman koren!” chosen

Tho Beves in to the wode cam, His scheld aboute is nekke a nam he took And tide his hors to an hei thorn tree And blew a blast with is horn; line775 Thre motes a blew al arowe, notes in a row That the bor him scholde knowe. boar hear Tho he com to the bor is den, Then boar’s den A segh ther bones of dede men, saw The bor hadde slawe in the wode, slain line780 Ieten here flesch and dronke her blode. Eaten their drunk their blood “Aris!” queth Beves, “corsede gast, cursed spirit And yem me bataile wel in hast!” give right now Sone so the bor him sigh, As soon as saw A rerde is brosteles wel an high He raised line785 And starede on Beves with eien holwe, stared at hungry eyes Also a wolde him have aswolwe; As if swallowed And for the bor yenede so wide, when yawned A spere Beves let to him glide; On the scholder he smot the bor, line790 His spere barst to pises thore pieces there The bor stod stille ayen the dent, blow His hyde was harde ase eni flent. any flint Now al to-borste is Beves spere, broken A drough his swerd, himself to were, protect line795 And faught ayen the bor so grim, A smot the bor and he to him. Thus the bataile gan leste long Til the time of evesong, evensong That Beves was so weri of foughte, fighting line800 That of is lif he ne roughte, cared And tho the bor was also, Awai fro Beves he gan go, Wile Beves made is praier his prayer To God and Mari, is moder dere, line805 Whather scholde other slen. With that com the bor ayen And bente is brostles up, saunfaile, without fail Ayen Beves to yeve bataile; Against give Out at is mouth in aither side line810 The foim ful ferli gan out glide; foam wondrously And Beves in that ilche veneu, very place Thourgh Godes grace and is vertu His virtue With swerd out a slinte sliced Twei toskes at the ferste dent; Two tusks stroke line815 A spanne of the groin beforn hand’s breadth of the snout With is swerd he hath of schoren. shorn away Tho the bor so loude cride, Out of the forest wide and side, long To the castel thar that lai Ermin, line820 Men herde the noise of the swin; And, alse he made that lotheli cri, loathly His swerd Beves hasteli In at the mouth gan threste tho thrust And karf his hertte evene ato carved exactly in two line825 The swerd a breide ayen fot hot brandished again quickly And the bor is heved of smot, off smote And on a tronsoun of is spere handle That heved a stikede for to bere, head stuck Thanne a sette horn to mouthe line830 And blew the pris ase wel kouthe, flourish known So glad he was for is honting. That heved a thoughte Josian bring: And er he com to that maide fre, Him com strokes so gret plenté, line835 That fain he was to weren is hed eager defend And save himself fro the ded. from death A stiward was with King Ermin, steward That hadde tight to sle that swin; Who hoped To Beves a bar gret envie, bore line840 For that he hadde the meistrie; mastery He dede arme his knightes stoute, stout Four and twenti in a route, And ten forsters also he tok And wente to wode, seith the bok. the book says line845 Thar-of ne wiste Beves nought. knew Helpe him God, that alle thing wrought! who created all things In is wei he rit pas for pas. rides step for step Herkneth now a ferli cas: Listen marvelous event A wende pasi in grith and pes, He (Bevis) went walking in peace security line850 The stiward cride: “Leith on and sles!” Attack strike down Beves seigh that hii to him ferde, drew A wolde drawe to is swerde: Thanne had he leved it thor, left it there Thar he hadde slawe the bor. Where line855 He nadde nothing, himself to were, defend Boute a tronsoun of a spere. handle Tho was Beves sore desmeid, dismayed The heved fro the tronsoun a braid, took And with the bor is heved a faught boar’s head he line860 And wan a swerd of miche maught, great power That Morgelai was cleped, aplight. was called, indeed Beter swerd bar never knight. Tho Beves hadde that swerd an hond, When Among the hethene knightes a wond, turned line865 And sum upon the helm a hitte, In to the sadel he hem slitte, them slit And sum knight Beves so ofraughte, a certain reached The heved of at the ferste draughte, stroke So harde he gan to lein aboute rush line870 Among the hethene knightes stoute, That non ne pasede hom, aplight; So thourgh the grace of God almight The kinges stiward a hitte so, That is bodi a clef ato. he cleft in two line875 The dede kors a pulte adoun corpse pulled down And lep himself in to the arsoun. saddle That strok him thoughte wel iset placed For he was horsed meche bet. much better He thoughte make pes doun rightes wanted to make a certain peace line880 Of the forsters ase of the knightes; With To hem faste he gan ride; them Thai gonne schete be ech a side, shoot So mani arwes to him thai sende, arrows Unnethe a mighte himself defende, Scarcely line885 So tho is a lite stounde The ten forsters wer feld te grounde, And hew hem alle to pices smale: So hit is fonde in Frensche tale. Josian lai in a castel line890 And segh that sconfit everich del. conflict “O Mahoun,” she seide, “oure drighte, lord What Beves is man of meche mighte! Al this world yif ich it hedde, if I had it Ich him yeve me to wedde; would wed him line895 Boute he me love, icham ded. Unless Swete Mahoun, what is thee red? your advice Lovelonging me hath becought, captivated Thar-of wot Beves right nought,” knows nothing Thus that maide made hire mon, lament (moan) line900 Thar she stod in the tour al on, alone And Beves thar the folk beleved left And wente hom with the heved; That heved of that wilde swin He presente to King Ermin. line905 The king thar-of was glad and blithe And thankede him ful mani a sithe, time Ac he ne wiste ther of nowight, But he did not learn from anyone How is stiward to dethe was dight. was done to death Thre yer after that bataile, line910 That Beves the bor gan asaile, A king ther com in to Ermonie And thoughte winne with meistrie Josiane, that maide bright, That lovede Beves with al hire might. Who line915 Brademond cride, ase he wer wod, crazed To King Ermin, thar a stod: “King,” a seide swithe blive, very quickly “Yem me thee doughter to wive! Give Yif thow me wernest, withouten faile, refuse line920 I schel winne hire in plein bataile, all-out combat On fele half I schel thee anughe, many sides provoke And al thee londe I schel destruye destroy And thee sle, so mai betide, happen And lay hire a night be me side, line925 And after I wile thee doughter yeve To a weine-pain, that is fordrive!” carter worn out Ermin answerde blive on highe: “Be Mahoun, sire, thow schelt lighe!” lie Adoun of his tour a went line930 And after al is knightes a sent And tolde hem how Brademond him asailed hadde, And askede hem alle, what hii radde. they advise A word thanne spak that maiden bright: “Be Mahoun, sire! wer Beves a knight, line935 A wolde defende thee wel inough. Me self I segh, whar he slough Your owene stiward, him beset, who set upon him Al one in the wode with him a met, Alone At wode he hadde his swerd beleved, taken away line940 Thar he smot of the bores heved; Where boar’s head He nadde nothing, himself to were, defend Boute a tronsoun of is spere, handle And your stiward gret peple hadde, Four and twenti knightes a ladde, he led line945 Al y-armed to the teth, And everi hadde swore is deth, And ten forsters of the forest With him a broughte ase prest, ready That thoughte him have slawe thore there line950 And take the heved of the bore, And yeve the stiward the renoun. Tho Beves segh that foule tresoun, A leide on with the bor is heved, boar’s head Til that hii were adoun iweved, knocked down line955 And of the stiward a wan that day won His gode swerd Morgelay. The ten forsters also a slough slew And hom a pasede wel inough, That he of hem hadde no lothe.” fear line960 King Ermyn thanne swor is othe, his oath That he scholde be maked knight, [Bevis] should be dubbed His baner to bere in that fight. He clepede Beves at that sake And seide: “Knight ich wile thee make. line965 Thow schelt bere in to bataile Me baner, Brademond to asaile!” Beves answerde with blithe mod: enthusiasm “Blethelich,” a seide, “be the Rod!” Gladly Cross King Ermin tho anon righte line970 Dobbede Beves unto knighte Dubbed And yaf him a scheld gode and sur sure With thre eglen of asur, eagles azure The champe of gold ful wel idight field ornamented With fif lables of selver bright; ribbons line975 Sithe a gerte him with Morgelay, Then he armed himself A gonfanoun wel stout and gay banner Josian him broughte for to bere. Sent of the scheld, I yow swere! Beves dede on is actoun, put on his jacket line980 Hit was worth mani a toun; An hauberk him broughte that mai, tunic maiden So seiden alle that hit isai: viewed it Hit was wel iwrought and faire, Non egge tol mighte it nought paire. edge-tool sever line985 After that she yaf him a stede, horse That swithe gode was at nede, For hit was swift and ernede wel. ran Me clepede hit Arondel. Men called it Beves in the sadel lep, line990 His ost him folwede al to hep host in a group With baner bright and scheldes schene, shining Thretti thosent and fiftene, Thirty thousand The ferste scheld trome Beves nam. first shield retinue took Brademond aghenes him cam; against line995 His baner bar the King Redefoun, That levede on Sire Mahoun. Who believed in Row he was also a schep, Rough shepherd Beves of him nam gode kep. took good care He smot Arondel with spures of golde; line1000 Thanne thoughte that hors, that he scholde, Aghen Redefoun Beves gan ride And smot him thourgh out bothe side, Hauberk ne scheld ne actoun jacket Ne vailede him nought worth a botoun, availed button line1005 That he ne fel ded to the grounde. “Reste thee,” queth Beves, “hethen hounde! Thee hadde beter atom than here!” at home “Lay on faste!” a bad his fere. he ordered his companions Tho laide thai on with eger mod Then eager mood (enthusiastically) line1010 And slowe Sarsins, as hii wer wod, slew as if they berserk And Sire Beves, the Cristene knight Slough ase mani in that fight With Morgelay himself alone, Ase thai deden everichone. did everyone [else] line1015 And ever hii were to fighte prest ready Til that the sonne set in the west. Beves and is ost withinne a stounde moment Sexti thosent thai felde to grounde, Sixty thousand That were out of Dameske isent, Damascus line1020 That never on homward ne went; Tho Brademond segh is folk islayn, When saw A flegh awei with mighte and mayn. fled Ase he com ride be a cost, coast Twei knightes a fond of Beves ost; host line1025 Of his stede he gan doun lighte dismount And bond hem bothe anon righte, And thoughte hem lede to his prisoun And have for hem gret raunsoun. ransom Ase he trosede hem on is stede, trussed steed line1030 Beves of hem nam gode hede, took heed And hasteliche in that tide time After Brademond he gan ride And seide: “Brademond, olde wreche, Ertow come Josiane to feche? Are you fetch line1035 Erst thow schelt pase thourgh min hond First And thourgh Morgelay, me gode brond!” my sword Withouten eni wordes mo any more Beves Brademond hitte so Upon is helm in that stounde, place line1040 That a felde him flat to grounde. “Merci!” queth Bradmond, “ich me yelde, I acknowledge myself Recreaunt to thee, in this felde, Defeated by So harde thee smitest upon me kroun, crown Ich do me all in the bandoun, relinquish your power line1045 Sexti cites with castel tour Thin owen, Beves, to thin onour, Your own honor With that thow lete me ascape!” Providing that escape Beves answerde tho in rape: then in haste “Nay!” a seide, “be sein Martyn! line1050 Icham iswore to King Ermin. Al that ich do, it is his dede; for him Tharfore, sire, so God me spede, Thow schelt swere upon the lay, law Thow schelt werre on him night ne day, war [neither] day nor night line1055 And omage eche yer him yelde homage And al the londe of him helde!” Brademond answerde anon righte: “Tharto me treuthe I thee plighte, Thereto That I ne schel never don him dere harm line1060 Ne aghen thee, Beves, armes bere!” Neither against you And whan he hadde swore so, Beves let King Brademond go. Allas, that he nadde him slawe And ibrought of is life dawe! line1065 For sithe for al is faire beheste For later despite all his fair promise Mani dai a maked him feste, feast In is prisoun a lai seve yere, Ase ye may now forthward here. henceforth hear Beves rod hom and gan to singe line1070 And seide to Ermin the Kinge: “Sire! Brademond, King of Sarasine, A is become one of thine; The man a is to thin heste, command While his lif wile leste, As long as he lives line1075 Londes and ledes, al that he walt, people possesses A saith, sire, of thee hem halt!” He says holds them for you Thanne was King Ermin at that sithe time In is hertte swithe blithe; A clepede is doughter and saide: line1080 “Josian, the faire maide, Unarme Beves, he wer at mete, food (dinner) And serve thee self him ther-ate!” Tho nolde that maide never blinne, cease Til she com to hire inne, lodging line1085 Thar she lai hire selve anight: Thar she sette that gentil knight, Hire self yaf him water to hond gave And sette before him al is sonde. servings [of various dishes] Tho Beves hadde wel i-ete eaten line1090 And on the maidenes bed isete, That mai, that was so bright of hiwe, hue (complexion) Thoughte she wolde hire consaile schewe, counsel show And seide: “Beves, lemman, thin ore! my dear if you please Ichave loved thee ful yore, so completely line1095 Sikerli can I no rede, Truly I know no counsel Boute thow me love, icham dede, Unless And boute thow with me do thee wille.” unless you do your will with me “For Gode,” queth Beves, “that ich do nelle! nothing of the kind Her is,” a seide, “min unliche, There unlike me line1100 Brademond King, that is so riche, In al this world nis ther man, Prinse ne king ne soudan, sultan That thee to wive have nolde, would not wish to have And he the hadde ones beholde!” you have once beheld line1105 “Merci,” she seide, “yet with than Ichavede thee lever to me lemman, I would rather have you as my lover Thee bodi in thee scherte naked, Than al the gold, that Crist hath maked, And thow wost with me do thee wille!” line1110 “For Gode,” queth Beves, “that I do nelle!” will not do Sche fel adoun and wep right sore: “Thow seidest soth her before: In al this world nis ther man, Prinse ne king ne soudan, line1115 That me to wive have nolde, That would not have me as wife And he me hadde ones beholde, If And thow, cherl, me havest forsake; Mahoun thee yeve tene and wrake! suffering injury Beter become the iliche the likes [of you] line1120 For to fowen an olde diche clean ditch Thanne for to be dobbed knight, dubbed Te gon among maidenes bright. To other contré thow might fare: Mahoun thee yeve tene and care!” pain suffering line1125 “Damesele,” a seide, “thow seist unright; you say wrong Me fader was bothe erl and knight. How mighte ich thanne ben a cherl, Whan me fader was knight and erl? To other contré ich wile te: go line1130 Scheltow me namore ise! see Thow yeve me an hors: lo it her! [bring] it here I nel namore of thee daunger!” will not [endure] of your threats Forth him wente Sire Bevoun And tok is in in that toun, lodging line1135 Sore aneighed and aschamed, annoyed ashamed For she hadde him so gramed. angered Tho Beves was to toun igo, Tho began that maidenes wo; Thanne was hire wo with alle, line1140 Hire thoughte, the tour wolde on hir falle. She clepede hire chaumberlein Bonefas And tolde to him al hire cas troubles And bad him to Beves wende: “And sai him, ich wile amende tell change line1145 Al togedre of word and dede, Of that ichave him misede!” mis-said (spoken falsely) Forth wente Bonefas in that stounde And Beves in is chaumber a founde And seide, she him theder sende, line1150 And that she wolde alle amende Al togedres to is wille, Bothe loude and eke stille. Thanne answerde Beves the fer: valiant “Sai, thow might nought speden her! line1155 Ac for thow bringest fro hire mesage, I schel thee yeve to the wage as payment A mantel whit so melk: white as milk The broider is of Tuli selk, silk from Toulouse Beten abouten with rede golde, Embroidered line1160 The king to were, thegh a scholde!” wear, as he should Bonefas him thankede yerne, eagerly Hom aghen he gan terne; return A fond that maide in sorwe and care And tolde hire his answare, line1165 That he ne mighte nought spede succeed Aboute hire nede, And seide: “Thow haddest unright, So te misain a noble knight!” speak evil of “Who yaf thee this ilche wede? very same garment line1170 “Beves, that hendi knight!” a sede. courteous “Allas!” she seide, “Ich was to blame, Whan ich seide him swiche schame, For hit nas never a cherles dede, To yeve a maseger swiche a wede! line1175 Whan he nel nought to me come, If The wei to his chaumber I wil neme, take And, what ever of me befalle, befalls me Ich wile wende in to is halle!” Beves herde that maide ther-oute. line1180 Ase yif aslep, he gan to route. snore “Awake, lemman!” she seide, “Awake! Icham icome, me pes to make. my peace Lemman, for the corteisie, Spek with me a word or tweie!” two line1185 “Damesele,” queth Beves thanne, “Let me ligge and go the wei henne! lie go away Icham weri of-foughte sore, I am weary Ich faught for thee, I nel namore.” “Merci,” she seide, “lemman, thin ore!” if you please line1190 She fel adoun and wep wel sore: “Men saith,” she seide, “in olde riote, sayings That wimmannes bolt is sone schote. woman’s arrow shot Forghem me, that ichave misede, Forgive And ich wile right now to mede as a reward line1195 Min false godes al forsake My And Cristendom for thee love take!” your “In that maner,” queth the knight, “I graunte thee, me swete wight!” creature And kiste hire at that cordement. covenant line1200 Tharfore he was negh after schent. nearly overcome The twei knightes, that he unbond, That were in Brademondes hond, He made that on is chaumberlain. one Him hadde be beter, he hadde hem slein! It would have been better line1205 Thei wente to the king and swor othe: oath “No wonder, sire, thegh ye be wrothe, that you are angry No wonder, thegh ye ben agreved, Whan Beves, scherewe misbeleved, wicked infidel The doughter he hath now forlain. deflowered line1210 Hit were gode, sire, that he wer slain!” Hii lowe, the scherewes, that him gan wreie. In helle mote thai hongen beie! He dede nothing, boute ones hire kiste, kiss her once Nought elles bi hem men ne wiste. Nothing else about him knew line1215 Tharfore hit is soth isaide And in me rime right wel ilaid. my rhyme placed Delivre a thef fro the galwe, gallows He thee hateth after be alle halwe! by all saints “Allas!” queth Ermin, the King, line1220 “Wel sore me reweth that tiding! Sethe he com me ferst to, See to it come to me first So meche he hath for me ido, done I ne mighte for al peynim londe, pagan That men dede him eni schonde! disgrace line1225 Ac fain ich wolde awreke be, eagerly avenged Boute I ne mighte hit nought ise.” Unless see Thanne bespak a Sarasin — Have he Cristes kurs and myn — May he have curse “Sire, she scholle for is sake line1230 A letter swithe anon do make To Brademond, the stronge king, And do him theder the letter bringe; make him And in the letter thee schelt saie, That he hath Josian forlaie!” seduced line1235 Whan the letter was come to th’ende, After Beves the king let sende And seide: “Beves, thow most hanne go hence To Brademond, thin owene manne: Al in solas and in delit line1240 Thow most him bere this ilche scriit! very writing Ac yif yow schelt me letter bere, Upon the lai thow schelt me swere, law That thow me schelt with no man mele, speak To schewe the prente of me sele!” imprint seal line1245 “I wile,” queth Beves ase snel, quick “The leter bere treuliche and wel; truthfully Have ich Arondel, me stede, Ich wile fare in to that thede, country And Morgelai, me gode bronde, sword line1250 Ich wile wende in to that londe! King Ermin seide in is sawe, speech That ner no mesager is lawe, allowed To ride upon an hevi stede, heavy steed (warhorse) That swiftli scholde don is nede. line1255 “Ac nim a lighter hakenai take hackney And lef her the swerd Morgelai, leave here And thow schelt come to Brademonde Sone withinne a lite stounde!” a little while Beves an hakenai bestrit mounted line1260 And in his wei forth a rit he rode And bereth with him is owene deth, own Boute God him helpe, that alle thing seth! Unless sees Terne we aghen, thar we wer er, earlier And speke we of is em Saber! uncle line1265 After that Beves was thus sold, when For him is hertte was ever cold. A clepede to him his sone Terri called And bad him wenden and aspie go search In to everi londe fer and ner, line1270 Whider him ladde the maroner, mariner And seide: “Sone, thow ert min owen, Wel thow canst the lord knowen! Ich hote thee, sone, in alle manere, command That thow him seche this seve yer. seven line1275 Ich wile feche him, mowe thow him fynde, might Though he be biyende Inde!” beyond Terri, is sone, is forth ifare, has gone away Beves a soughte everiwhare; In al hethenes nas toun non, all pagan lands line1280 That Cristene man mighte ther in gon, That he ne hath Beves in isought, Ac he ne kouthe finde him nought. could So hit be fel upon a cas, by chance That Terri com beside Damas; Damascus line1285 And ase he com forth be that stede, place A sat and dinede in a wede dined in armor Under a faire medle tre, medlar tree That Sire Beves gan of-see. “Sire,” queth Terri, “for Sein Juline! Saint Julian line1290 Is it thee wille, come nere and dine!” If you would like Beves was of-hongred sore very hungry And kouthe him gret thank therfore, showed For twei dawes he hadde ride days Fastande in that ilche wede. Garbed same clothes line1295 The palmer nas nought withouten store, pilgrim supplies Inough a leide him before, Bred and flesc out of is male Bread meat bag And of his flaketes win and ale flagons wine Whan Beves hadde eten gret foisoun abundance line1300 Terri askede at Sire Bevoun, Yif a herde telle yong or olde Whether Of a child, that theder was solde. His name was ihote Bevoun called Ibore a was at South-Hamtoun. Born line1305 Beves beheld Terri and lough, laughed And seide, a knew that child wel inough: “Hit is nought,” a seide, “gon longe, not long ago I segh the Sarsins that child anhonge!” hang Terri fel ther doun and swough, fell down swooned line1310 His her, his clothes he al to-drough. hair tore Whan he awok and speke mighte, Sore a wep and sore sighte sighed And seide: “Allas, that he was boren! Is me lord Beves forloren!” lost line1315 Beves tok him up at that cas event And gan him for to solas: “Wend hom,” a seide, “to thee contré! Return home Sai the frendes so ichave thee. Tell your friends what I have told you Though thow him seche thes seve yer, sought seven line1320 Thow worst that child never the ner!” were nearer Terri on Beves beheld And segh the boiste with a scheld. saw letter case seal “Me thenketh, thow ert a masager, That in this londe walkes her; line1325 Icham a clerk and to scole yede: went to school Sire, let me the letter rede, read For thow might have gret doute, fear Thin owene deth to bere aboute!” Beves seide, ich understonde: line1330 “He, that me tok this letter an honde, He ne wolde love me non other, Than ich were is owene brother.” As if Beves him thankede and thus hii delde. they parted Terri wente hom and telde line1335 His fader Saber in the Ilde of Wight, Isle [Man] How him tolde a gentil knight, That Sarsins hadde Beves forfare killed And hangede him, while he was thare. Saber wep and made drem. lament line1340 For he was the childes em, uncle And ech yer on a dai certaine Upon th’emperur of Almaine Germany With a wel gret baronage A cleimede his eritage. claimed heritage line1345 Let we now ben is em Saber Let us now leave And speke of Beves, the maseger! Forth him wente Sire Bevoun Til a com to Dames toun; Damascus Aboute the time of middai line1350 Out of a mameri a sai mosque he saw Sarasins come gret foisoun, [in] great abundance That hadde anoured here Mahoun, honored their Beves of is palfrei alighte palfrey dismounted And ran to her mameri ful righte temple line1355 And slough here prest, that ther was in, priest And threw here godes in the fen ditch And lough hem alle ther to scorn. On ascapede and at-orn escaped ran fast In at the castel ghete, line1360 As the king sat at the mete. dinner “Sire,” seide this man at the frome, at once “Her is icome a corsede gome, cursed man That throweth our godes in the fen gods And sleth al oure men; line1365 Unnethe I scapede among that thring, Scarcely throng For to bringe thee tiding!” Brademond quakede at the bord trembled with fear table And seide: “That is Beves, me lord!” Beves wente in at the castel ghate, line1370 His hors he lefte ther-ate And wente forth in to the halle And grete hem in this maner alle: greeted them “God, that made this world al ronde, Thee save, Sire King Brademond, Save you line1375 And ek alle thine fere, companions That I se now here, And yif that ilche blessing very Liketh thee right nothing, Mahoun, that is god thin, line1380 Tervagaunt and Apolin, Termagant Thee blessi and dighte bless save Be alle here mighte! their Lo her, the King Ermin Look here The sente this letter in parchemin, parchment line1385 And ase the letter thee telleth to, A bad, thow scholdest swithe do!” He bade Beves kneueled and nolde nought stonde kneeled And yaf up is deth with is owene honde. furthered Brademond quakede al for drede, fear line1390 He undede the letter and gan to rede And fond iwriten in that felle, hide How that he scholde Beves aquelle. kill Thanne seide Brademond to twenti king, That were that dai at is gistning, banquet line1395 A spak with tresoun and with gile: “Ariseth up,” he sede “a while, Everich of yow fro the bord, And wolcometh your kende lord!” gentle Alle hii gonnen up right stonde, line1400 And Brademond tok Beves be the honde And held him faste at that sake, for that purpose That he ne scholde is swerd out take, And cride, alse he hadde be wod, as if he were mad To hem alle, aboute him stod: line1405 “Ase ye me loven at this stounde, moment Bringeth this man swithe to grounde!” quickly So faste hii gonne aboute him scheve, shove Ase don ben aboute the heve. As bees do around the hive So withinne a lite stounde line1410 Beves was ibrought to grounde. Brademond seide him anon right: “Yif thow me naddest wonne with fight, If you had not beaten me in a fight I nolde for nothing hit beleve, That thow schost be hanged er eve. before dark line1415 Ac ase evel thee schel betide, In me prisoun thow schelt abide Under th’erthe twenti teise, fathoms Thar thow schelt have meche miseise. mis-ease (discomfort) Ne scheltow have, til thow be ded, line1420 Boute ech a dai quarter of a lof bred; loaf of bread Yif thow wilt drinke, thegh it be nought swet, Thee schelt hit take under the fet!” A dede Beves binde to a ston gret, great stone That wegh seve quarters of whet, wheat line1425 And het him caste in to prisoun, ordered That twenti teise was dep adoun. fathoms At the prisoun dore Beves fond A tronsoun, that he tok in is hond. club Tharwith a thoughte were him there to protect himself line1430 Fram wormes, that in prisoun were. snakes Now is Beves at this petes grounde. pit’s bottom God bringe him up hol and sonde! Now speke we of Josian, the maide, That com to hire fader and seide: line1435 “Sire,” she seide, “whar Beves be, where is Bevis That me mighte him nought fern ise?” see for a long time “Doughter,” a seide, “a is ifare has gone In to his londe and woneth thare, dwells In to is owene eritage, line1440 And hath a wif of gret parage, birth The kinges doughter of Ingelonde, Ase men doth me to understonde.” tell me Thanne was that maide wo ynough, sorrowful In hire chaumber hire her she drogh hair she tore out line1445 And wep and seide ever mo, sighed That sum tresoun thar was ydo. done “That me ne telde ord and ende, did not tell me beginning What dai awai whanne a wolde wende.” Of Mombraunt the King Yvor, line1450 A riche king of gret tresore, Whan he owhar to werre wolde, anywhere to make war Fiftene kinges him sewe scholde: follow Comen a is Josian to wedde; Aghen hire fader so a spedde, Towards he hastened line1455 That he hire grauntede to is wive And al is londe after is live. Tho Josian wiste, she scholde be quen, she would be queen Hit was nought be hire wille; I wen not her will believe Hire were lever have had lasse She would rather lower station line1460 And have be Beves is contasse. Bevis’ countess Natheles, now it is so, Hire fader wil she moste do, Her father’s will Ac ever she seide: “Bevoun, Hende knight of South Hamtoun, Gentle line1465 Naddestow me never forsake, You would never have Yif sum tresoun hit nadde make: Ac for the love, that was so gode, That I lovede ase min hertte blode, as my heart’s blood Ichave,” she seide, “a ring on, I have line1470 That of swiche vertu is the ston: While ichave on that ilche ring, To me schel no man have welling, his will And Beves!” she seide, “be God above, I schel it weren for thee love!” line1475 Whan hit to that time spedde, rapidly came closer That Yvor scholde that maide wedde, He let sende withouten ensoine delay After the Soudan of Babiloine Sultan Babylon And after the fiftene kinge, line1480 That him scholde omage bringe, should bring homage And bad hem come lest and meste, To onoure that meri feste. honor Of that feste nel ich namor telle, I will not tell anymore For to highe with our spelle. hasten story line1485 Whan al the feste to-yede, finished Ech knight wente to is stede, Men graithede cartes and somers, prepared packhorses Knightes to horse and squiers, And Josian with meche care line1490 Theder was brought in hire chare. Thither chariot King Ermin nom Arondel took And let him sadlen faire and wel, A wente to Beves chaumber, ther he lay, And nom his swerd Morgelay; line1495 With Arondel agan it lede began To King Yvor, and thus a sede: “Sone,” a sede, “have this stede, Son The beste fole, that man mai fede, best horse feed And this swerd of stel broun, shining line1500 That was Beves of Hamtoun. A nolde hit yeve, wer it in is honde, He (Bevis) would not give it Nought for al painim londe!” “Ne ich,” queth the King Yvor, Nor “For al the gold ne the tresor, line1505 That thow might in the cité belouke!” guard “Sone,” queth Ermin, “wel mot thee it brouke!” use Yver gan homward te ride And dede lede Arondel be is side. Whan he com withoute Mombraunt, line1510 A swor is oth be Tervagaunt, That he wolde in to his cité ride Upon Arondel before is bride. Arondel thar he bestrit; sat upon That hors wel sone underyit, understands line1515 That Beves nas nought upon is rigge back The king wel sore scholde hit abegge. pay for He ran over dich and thorn, Thourgh wode and thourgh thekke korn; grain For no water ne for no londe, line1520 Nowhar nolde that stede astonde; stop At the laste a threw Yvor doun And al to-brak the kinges kroun, nearly That al is kingdom wel unnethe Arerede him ther fro the dethe; Prevented line1525 And er hii mighte that hors winne, capture Thai laughte him with queinte ginne. caught cunning ruse A wonderthing now ye may here. wondrous hear After al that seve yere seven years To rakenteis a stod iteide, chains line1530 Nas mete ne drinke before him leid, No food Hey ne oten ne water clere, Hay oats clear Boute be a kord of a solere. Except cord from a balcony No man dorste come him hende, No one dared approach Thar that hors stod in bende. Where fetters line1535 Now is Josian a quene; Beves in prisoun hath gret tene. pain The romounce telleth, ther a set, Til the her on is heved grew to is fet; hair grew to his feet Snakes and euetes and oades fale, lizards many toads line1540 How mani, can I nought telle in tale, That in the prisoun were with him, That provede ever with her venim attempted their venom To sle Beves, that gentil knight, Oc, thourgh the grace of God Almight, But line1545 With the tronsoun, that he to prisoun tok, club A slough hem alle, so saith the bok. A fleande nadder was in an hole, flying adder For elde blak ase eni cole; age coal Unto Beves she gan flinge line1550 And in the forehed thoughte him stinge. Beves was redi with is tronsoun And smot hire, that she fel adoun. Upon aghen the nadder rowe again adder rose And breide awei his right browe; took away line1555 Tho was Beves sore agreved And smot the nadder on the heved; head So harde dent he hire yaf, The brein clevede on is staf. brain stuck to his Doun fel the nadder, withouten faile, line1560 And smot so Beves with the taile, That negh a les ther contenaunse, Almest is lif was in balaunse. Whan he awakede of that swough, out of swoon The tronsoun eft to him a drough line1565 And bet hire al to pises smale, beat small pieces As hit is fonde in Frensche tale. Tho he hadde slawe the foule fendes, fiends Be that hadde Beves lein in bendes bonds Seve yer in peines grete, great pain line1570 Lite idronke and lasse iete; Little less [he] ate His browe stank for defaut of yeme, lack care That it set after ase a seme, scar (seam) Wharthourgh that maide ne kneu him nought, Whan hii were eft togedre brought. line1575 On a dai, ase he was mad and feint, delirious sick To Jesu Crist he made is pleint And to his moder, seinte Marie, Reuliche he gan to hem crie: Mournfully “Lord,” a seide, “Hevene King, line1580 Schepere of erthe and alle thing: Maker What have ich so meche misgilt, done so wrong That thow sext and tholen wilt, see will allow That Thee wetherwines and Thee fo enemies foes Schel Thee servaunt do this wo? line1585 Ich bedde Thee, Lord, for Thee pité, your That Thow have merci on me And yeve grace, hennes to gange hither go Or sone be drawen other anhange! drawn or hanged Me roughte never, what deth to me come, I do not care line1590 With that ich were hennes nome! hence taken The gailers, that him scholde yeme, jailers guard Whan hii herde him thus reme, cry out “Thef! cherl!” seide that on tho: Thief then “Now beth thee lif dawes ydo, your life’s days are done line1595 For king ne kaiser ne for no sore caesar sorrow Ne scheltow leve no lenger more.” Anon rightes with that word Very soon A laumpe he let doun be a cord, lamp A swerd a tok be his side, line1600 And be the cord he gan doun glide And smot him with that other hond, And Beves to the grounde a wond. fell “Allas,” queth Beves, “that ilche stounde! very time of suffering Wo is the man, that lith ybounde lies line1605 Medel bothe fet and honde! Middle (waist) feet Tho ich com ferst in to this londe, Hadde ich had me swerd Morgelay And Arondel, me gode palfray, saddle horse For Dames, nadde be tresoun, Damascus had it not been for line1610 I nolde have yeve a botoun, give a button (would not care) And now the meste wreche of alle With a strok me doth adoun falle, Bidde ich never with Jesu speke, Boute ich ther-of may ben awreke!” avenged line1615 A smot the gailer with is fest, fist That is nekke him to-berst. bursts His felawe above gan to crie: companion “Highe hider, felawe,” queth Beves, “highe!” Come “Yif thow most have help,” a sede, line1620 “Ich come to thee with a gode spede!” “Yis!” queth Beves, al for gile, And knette the rop thar while knotted Ase high ase a mighte reche. reach Tho queth Beves with reuful speche: rueful retort line1625 “For the love of Sein Mahoun, Saint Mohammed Be the rop glid blive adoun By glide quickly And help, that this thef wer ded!” thief Whan he hadde thus ised, said That other gailer no leng abod, longer line1630 Boute by the rop adoun he glod. slid Whan the rop failede in is hond, missed Beves held up that gode bronde weapon And felde to gronde that sori wight, man Thourghout is bodi that swerd he pight. set line1635 Now er thai ded, the geilers tweie, are they dead And Beves lith to the rakenteie, lies in chains His lif him thoughte al to long, Thre daies after he ne et ne drong, ate nor drank Tofore that, for soth to sai line1640 A was woned, ech other dai accustomed every other day Of berelof to have a quarter barley-loaf To his mete and to his diner; For food dinner And, for is meisters wer bothe ded, keepers Thre daies after he ne et no bred. line1645 To Jesu Crist he bed a bone, prayed a prayer And He him grauntede wel sone; granted So yerne he gan to Jesu speke, eagerly That his vetres gonne breke fetters And of his medel the grete ston. off belly line1650 Jesu Crist he thankede anon; A wente quik out of prisoun He Be the rop the gailer com adoun, And wente in to the castel right, Ac it was aboute the midnight; But line1655 He lokede aboute fer and ner, far near No man wakande ne segh he ther; He beheld forther a lite To a chaunber under a garite, watchtower Thar-inne he segh torges ilight; torches line1660 Beves wente theder ful right; Twelf knightes a fond ther aslepe, Twelve found there That hadde the castel for to kepe; guard The chaumber dore a fond unsteke, unfastened And priveliche he gan in reke did indeed go in line1665 And armede him in yrene wede, iron clothes (chain mail) The beste, that he fond at nede, best handy And gerte him with a gode bronde girt himself sword And tok a gode spere in is honde; A scheld aboute is nekke he cast line1670 And wente out of the chaumber in hast. Forther a herde in a stable Pages fele, withoute fable, many Ase thai sete in here raging; their wantonness In at the dore Beves gan spring, line1675 And for thai scholde him nought wrain, betray Under his hond he made him plai. fight And whan the Sarasins wer islawe, slain The beste stede he let forth drawe And sadelede hit and wel adight. dressed line1680 And wente him forth anon right And gan to crie with loude steven voice And the porter he gan nevenen: did name “Awake!” a seide, “proude felawe, Thow were worthi ben hanged and drawe! line1685 Highe, the gates wer unsteke, Make haste open Beves is out of prisoun reke, escaped And icham sent now for is sake, I am The treitour yif ich mighte of-take!” capture The porter was al bewaped: confused line1690 “Allas!” queth he, “is Beves ascaped?” Up he caste the gates wide, And Beves bi him gan out ride And tok is wei ful hastelie Toward the londe of Ermonie. Armenia line1695 He nadde ride in is wei Boute seve mile of that contrei, away from He wex asleped wondersore, got very sleepy He mighte ride no forthermore; He reinede his hors to a chesteine tied chestnut tree line1700 And felle aslepe upon the pleine; And alse a slep, in is swevene dream Him thoughte, Brademond and kinges seven Stod over him with swerdes drawe, Al slepande him wolde han slawe. have slain line1705 Of that sweven he was of-drad; afraid He lep to hors ase he wer mad, crazy Towarde Damas agein, aplight! indeed Now reste we her a lite wight, short while And speke we scholle of Brademond. line1710 Amorwe, whan he it hadde ifonde, That Beves was ascaped so, In is hertte him was ful wo. That time be comin acent by common assent Thar was comin parlement, line1715 Erles, barouns, lasse and more, And fiftene kinges were samned thore. assembled there To hem Brademond tolde thare, That Beves was fro him ifare, gone And bad help with might and main, line1720 For to feche Beves again. A king thar was swithe fer, very valiant His nam was hote Grander. name called An hors he hadde of gret pris, worth That was icleped Trinchefis: line1725 For him a yaf selver wight, weight in silver Er he that hors have might. He armede him in yrene wede, Seve knightes he gan with him lede And prikede forth on Trenchefis spurred line1730 And wende wenne meche pris; went forth [to] win much honor And Beves sone he gan se, Ase he rod toward the cité. “Ayilt thee,” a seide, “thow fox welp, Surrender Thee god schel thee nothing help, Your god line1735 For her thourgh min hondes one, here alone For sothe, thow schelt thee lif forgon!” “So helpe me God!” queth Beves tho, “Hit were no meistri, me to slo, mastery slay For this is the ferthe dai agon, line1740 Mete ne drinke ne bot i non: have I had neither Ac natheles, God it wot, God willing Yif ich alle nedes mot, Yit ich wile asaie, attempt A lite box thee to paie!” blow to please (pay) you line1745 King Grander was of herte grim And rod to Beves and he to him; And ase thei bothe togedre mete, clashed With here launces thei gonne mete, That hit gonnen al to-drive line1750 And teborsten on pises five. burst pieces Here swerdes drowe knightes stoute Their And fighteth faste, it is no doute; The medwe squaughte of her dentes, meadow torn [by] their strokes The fur flegh out, so spark o flintes; fire flies from flint line1755 Thus thai leide on in bothe side Betwene midmorwe and undertide. morning noon King Grander was agremed strong, angered greatly That Sire Beves him stod so long, withstood And with is swerd a hitte is scheld, line1760 A quarter fel in to the feld, Hauberk, plate and aktoun, armor quilted jacket In to Beves forther arsoun saddlebow Half a fot he karf doun right. foot Tho Beves segh that strok of might, Then line1765 A seide: “That dent was wel iset, well done Fasten I wile another bet!” I will do you one better With that word Beves smot doun Grander is scheld with is fachoun, his falchion And is left honde be the wrest, at wrist line1770 Hit flegh awei thourgh help of Crist. Tho Grander hadde his scheld ilore, taken away He faught ase he wer wode therfore; A yaf Beves strokes that tide, time Non ne moste other abide. line1775 Beves ther-of was agreved And smot of King Grander is heved, cut off his head The dede kors in that throwe corpse at that moment Fel out over the sadel bowe. Tho King Grander was islawe, When line1780 The seve knightes of hethen lawe Beves slough that ilche stounde, So hit is in Frensch yfounde. For nought Beves nolde belave, would not remain The beter hors a wolde have; line1785 Beves Trenchefis bestrit, bestrode And in is weie forth a rit, rode And Brademond with al is ost host Com after with meche bost; So longe hii han Beves drive, line1790 That hii come to the clive, cliff Ther the wilde se was. sea Harkneth now a wondercas! In to the se a moste, iwis, he must [go], certainly Other fighte aghenes al hethenes. Or line1795 To Jesu Crist he bad a bone, asked a favor And He him grauntede wel sone: “Lord,” a sede, “hevene king, Schepere of erthe and alle thing, Maker Thow madest fisch ase wel alse man, line1800 That nothing of senne ne can, know nothing of sin Ne nought of fisches kenne kind Never yet ne dede senne, sin Of this hethene hounde, That beste Thee and bounde That bested you line1805 And bete Thee body to the dethe, Tharfore ich may alse ethe as easily To water fle in this stede, on this horse To fisch, that never senne dede, sinned Than her daien in londe die here line1810 In al this Sarasines honde!’ Beves smot is hors, that it lep In to the se, that was wel dep. Whan he in to the se cam, Over the se, I wot, a swam; line1815 In a dai and in a night A bar over that gentil knight. He Whan he com of that wilde brok, His gode stede him resede and schok, raised himself [out of the water] And Beves, for honger in that stounde because of hunger time line1820 The hors threw him doun to the grounde. “Allas!” queth Beves, whan he doun cam, “Whilom ichadde an erldam Once I had earldom And an hors gode and snel, swift That men clepede Arondel; line1825 Now ich wolde yeve hit kof quickly For a schiver of a lof!” slice loaf A restede him ther a lite tide, His gode stede he gan bestride mount And rod over dale and doun, lowland and upland line1830 Til he com to a gret toun; The levedi thar-of over the castel lai, lady And Beves hire sone of-say soon saw her And wende ben al out of care And thoughte wel to spede thare. line1835 Beves to the castel gate rit rode And spak to hire, above him sit: “Dame,” a seide, “that sit above, For that ilche lordes love, On wham thin herte is on iset: line1840 Yeve me today a meles met!” meal’s measure The levedi answerde him tho: “Boute thow fro the gate go, Unless Thee wer beter elleswhar than her; elsewhere here Go, or the tit an evel diner! receive line1845 Me lord,” she seide, “is a geaunt giant And leveth on Mahoun and Tervagaunt believes in And felleth Cristene men to grounde, For he hateth hem ase hounde!” like dogs “Be God!” queth Beves, “I swere an othe: oath line1850 Be him lef and be him lothe, lovable loathsome Her ich wile have the mete With love or eighe, whather I mai gete!” fear, whichever The levedi swithe wroth with alle Wente hire forth in to the halle line1855 And tolde hire lord anon fore, How a man hadde iswore, That he nolde fro the ghete, would not go from the gate Er he hadde ther the mete. Before The geaunt was wonderstrong, line1860 Rome thretti fote long; In length thirty feet He tok a levour in is hond, lever (club) And forth to the gate he wond. Of Beves he nam gode hede, Ful wel a knew Beves is stede: Bevis’ horse line1865 “Thow ert nome thef, ywis: caught thief Whar stele thow stede Trenchefis, Where did you steal That thow ridest upon here? Hit was me brotheres Grandere!” brother’s “Grander,” queth Beves, “I yaf hod gave [a] cap line1870 And made him a kroune brod; Tho he was next under me fest, Wel I wot, ich made him prest, priest And high dekne ich wile make thee, archdeacon Er ich ever fro thee te!” go line1875 Thanne seide the geaunt: “Meister sire, Slough thow me brother Grandere, For al this castel ful of golde A live lete thee ich nolde!” I will not let you live “Ne ich thee,” queth Beves, “I trowe!” Nor I you line1880 Thus beginneth grim to growe. anger The geaunt, that ich spak of er, The staf, that he to fighte ber, Was twenti fote in lengthe be tale, by measure (tally) Tharto gret and nothing smale: line1885 To Sire Beves a smot therwith A sterne strok withouten grith, peace Ac a failede of his divis But he failed device (he missed) And in the heved smot Trenchefis, That ded to grounde fel the stede. line1890 “O,” queth Beves, “so God me spede, Thow havest don gret vileinie, Whan thow sparde me bodi And for me gilt min hors aqueld, killed Thow witest him, that mai nought weld. line1895 Be God, I swere thee an oth: Thow schelt nought, whan we tegoth, go forth Laughande me wende fram, Laughing get away from me Now thow havest mad me gram!” made angry Beves is swerd anon up swapte, swept line1900 He and the geaunt togedre rapte rushed And delde strokes mani and fale: The nombre can I nought telle in tale. The geaunt up is clobbe haf heaved And smot to Beves with is staf, line1905 That his scheld flegh from him thore flew Thre akres brede and sumdel more. acres across Tho was Beves in strong erur wrath And karf ato the grete levour cut in two club (lever) And on the geauntes brest a wonde, wound line1910 That negh a felde him to the grounde. The geaunt thoughte this bataile hard, Anon he drough to him a dart, hand spear Thourgh Beves scholder he hit schet, hurled The blod ran doun to Beves fet, line1915 Tho Beves segh is owene blod, Out of is wit he wex negh wod, became nearly mad Unto the geaunt ful swithe he ran And kedde that he was doughti man, showed powerful And smot ato his nekke bon: in two line1920 The geaunt fel to grounde anon. Beves wente in at castel gate, The levedi a mette ther-ate. “Dame!” a seide, “go, yeve me mete, give me food That ever have thow Cristes hete!” hatred line1925 The levedi, sore adrad with alle, Ladde Beves in to the halle, And of everiche sonde, every dish That him com to honde, was served A dede hire ete al ther ferst, line1930 That she ne dede him no berst, damage And drinke ferst of the win, That no poisoun was ther-in. Whan Beves hadde ete inough, A keverchef to him a drough he drew line1935 In that ilche stounde, To stope mide is wonde. To stop up his wound “Dame, dame,” Beves sede, “Let sadele me a gode stede, For hennes ich wile ride, line1940 I nel lo lenger her abide!” here The levedi seide, she wolde fawe; joyfully provide A gode stede she let forth drawe And sadeled hit and wel adight, appointed And Beves, that hendi knight, line1945 Into the sadel a lippte, he lept That no stirop he ne drippte. touched Forth him wente Sire Bevoun, Til he com withoute the toun In to a grene mede. meadow line1950 “Now, loverd Crist,” a sede, Lord “Yeve it, Brademond the king, Grant that He and al is ofspring, Wer right her upon this grene: Now ich wolde of me tene pain line1955 Swithe wel ben awreke, avenged Scholde he never go ne speke: Now min honger is me aset, satisfied Ne liste me never fighten bet!” Forth a wente be the strem, line1960 Til a come to Jurisalem; To the patriark a wente cof, patriarch quickly And al his lif he him schrof confessed And tolde him how hit was bego, Of is wele and of is wo. his weal (success) woe (failure) line1965 The patriark hadde reuthe Of him and ek of is treuthe And forbed him upon his lif, That he never toke wif, Boute she were clene maide. Unless virgin line1970 “Nai, for sothe!” Sire Beves saide. On a dai aghenes the eve toward evening Of the patriarke he tok is leve; Erliche amorwe, whan it was dai, Early Forth a wente in is wai; line1975 And also a rod himself alone: “Lord,” a thoughte, “whar mai I gone? Whar ich in to Ingelonde fare? Nai,” a thoughte, “what sholde I thare, Boute yif ichadde ost to gader, Unless an army assembled line1980 For to sle me stifader?” stepfather He thoughte, that he wolde an hie hurry on In to the londe of Ermonie, To Ermonie, that was is bane, death To his lemman Josiane. line1985 And also a wente theder right, A mette with a gentil knight, That in the londe of Ermonie Hadde bore him gode companie; Thai kiste hem anon with that line1990 And ather askede of otheres stat. each asked about the other’s situation Thanne seide Beves and lough: laughed “Ich ave fare hard inough, have Sofred bothe honger and chele Suffered chill And other peines mani and fele pains line1995 Thourgh King Ermines gile: Through deceit Yet ich thenke to yelde is while, yield well (a good idea) For he me sente to Brademond, To have slawe me that stonde: time God be thanked, a dede nought so, line2000 Ac in is prisoun with meche wo Ichave leie this seven yare, Ac now icham from him ifare far Thourgh Godes grace and min engyn, ingenuity Ac al ich wite it King Ermyn, credit it all line2005 And, ne wer is doughter Josiane, were it not for his Sertes, ich wolde ben is bane!” his slayer “Josiane,” queth the knight, “is a wif Aghen hire wille with meche strif. Against Seve yer hit is gon and more, line2010 That the riche King Yvore To Mombraunt hath hire wedde Bothe to bord and to bedde, And hath the swerd Morgelai And Arondel, the gode palfrai: line2015 Ac sithe the time, that I was bore, since Swiche game hadde ich never before, amusement Ase ich hadde that ilche tide, Whan I segh King Yvor ride Toward Mombraunt on Arondel; line2020 The hors was nought ipaied wel: contented He arnede awai with the king bolted Thourgh felde and wode, withouten lesing, in truth And in a mure don him cast, mire Almest he hadde deied in hast. line2025 Ac er hii wonne the stede, gathered Ropes in the contré thai leide; Ac never sithe, withoute fable, Ne com the stede out of the stable, So sore he was aneied that tide; [Arondel] annoyed line2030 Sithe dorste no man on him ride!” For this tiding Beves was blithe, happy His joie kouthe he no man kithe. tell “Wer Josiane,” a thoughte, “ase lele, as loyal Alse is me stede Arondel, As line2035 Yet scholde ich come out of wo!” And at the knight he askede tho: “Whiderwardes is Mombraunt?” Yonder “Sere,” a sede, “be Tervagaunt, Thow might nought thus wende forth, line2040 Thow most terne al aghen north!” Beves ternede his stede And rod north, Gode spede; God [let him] prosper Ever a was pasaunt, he moving on Til a com to Mombraunt. line2045 Mombraunt is a riche cité; In al the londe of Sarsine Nis ther non therto iliche none like it Ne be fele parti so riche. And whan that hende knight Bevoun line2050 Come withouten the toun, Tharwith a palmer he mette, pilgrim And swithe faire he him grette: “Palmer,” a sede, “whar is the king?” “Sire,” a seide, “an honting line2055 With kinges fiftene.” “And whar,” a seide, “is the quene?” “Sire,” a seide, “in hire bour.” bedchamber “Palmer,” a seide, “paramour, for love’s sake Yem me thine wede Fetch clothes line2060 For min and for me stede!” “God yeve it,” queth the palmare, “We hadde drive that chefare!” bargain Beves of is palfrei alighte dismounted And schrede the palmer as a knighte clothed line2065 And yaf him is hors, that he rod in, For is bordon and is sklavin. pilgrim’s staff coat The palmer rod forth ase a king, And Beves went alse a bretheling. as a wretched person Whan he com to the castel gate, line2070 Anon he fond thar-ate Mani palmer thar stonde Of fele kene londe, many diverse [kinds of] lands And he askede hem in that stede, What hii alle thar dede. line2075 Thanne seide on, that thar stod: “We beth icome to have gode, goods And so thow ert also!” “Who,” queth Beves, “schel it us do?” “The quene, God hire schilde fro care! line2080 Meche she loveth palmare; Al that she mai finden here, Everiche dai in the yere, Faire she wile hem fede feed them And yeve hem riche wede line2085 For a knightes love, Bevoun, That was iboren at Southamtoun; To a riche man she wolde him bringe, That kouthe telle of him tiding!” “Whanne,” queth Beves, “schel this be don?” line2090 A seide: “Betwene middai and noun.” noon Beves, hit ful wel he sai, saw Hit nas boute yong dai; early A thoughte that he wolde er than before then Wende aboute the barbican, Walk (turn) tower line2095 For to loke and for to se, How it mighte best be, Yif he the castel wolde breke, Whar a mighte best in reke; go in And also a com be a touret, turret line2100 That was in the castel iset, A herde wepe and crie; Thederward he gan him hie. “O allas,” she seide, “Bevoun, Hende knight of Southhamtoun, line2105 Now ichave bide that day, lived to see That to the treste I ne may: trust That ilche God, that thow of speke, He is fals and thow ert eke!” also In al the sevene yer eche dai line2110 Josiane, that faire mai, Was woned swich del to make, wont such mourning Al for Sire Beves sake. The levedi gan to the gate te, go The palmeres thar to se; line2115 And Beves, after anon To the gate he gan gon. The palmers gonne al in threste, all pushed forward Beves abod and was the laste; remained [behind] And whan the maide segh him thar, line2120 Of Beves she nas nothing war; “Thee semest,” queth she, “man of anour, honor Thow schelt this dai be priour first And beginne oure deis: preside at the feast Thee semest hende and corteis.” courteous line2125 Mete and drinke thai hadde afyn, throughout Bothe piment and plenté a wyn, spiced wine Swithe wel thai hadde ifare; So well partaken Thanne seide the quene to eche palmare: “Herde ever eni of yow telle line2130 In eni lede or eni spelle, people story Or in feld other in toun, Of a knight, Beves of Hamtoun?” “Nai!” queth al that thar ware. who were there “What thow?” she seide, “niwe palmare?” new line2135 Thanne seide Beves and lough: “That knight ich knowe wel inough! Atom,” a seide, “in is contré At home Icham an erl and also is he; At Rome he made me a spel told story line2140 Of an hors, men clepede Arondel: Wide whar ichave iwent And me warisoun ispent treasure I sought hit bothe fer and ner, Men telleth me, that it is her; here line2145 Yif ever lovedestow wel that knight, Let me of that hors have a sight!” What helpeth hit, to make fable? She ladde Beves to the stable: Josian beheld him before, line2150 She segh his browe to-tore; disfigured After Bonefas she gan grede, Boniface call At stable dore to him she sede; “Be the moder, that me hath bore, By Ner this mannes browe to-tore, Were not man’s brow all torn line2155 Me wolde thenke be his fasoun, fashion That hit were Beves of Hamtoun!” Whan that hors herde nevene speak His kende lordes stevene, legitimate voice His rakenteis he al terof chains rent asunder line2160 And wente in to the kourt wel kof quickly And neide and made miche pride neighed With gret joie be ech a side. “Allas!” tho queth Josiane, “Wel mani a man is bane doomed line2165 To dai he worth ilaught, Er than this stede ben icaught!” Thanne seide Beves and lough: “Ich can take hit wel inough: Wolde ye,” a sede, “yeve me leve, permission line2170 Hit ne scholde no man greve!’ “Take hit thanne,” she sede, “And in to stable thow it lede And teie it thar it stod, tie where And thow schelt have mede gode!” reward line2175 Beves to the hors tegh; went Tho the hors him knew and segh. He ne wawede no fot, moved Til Beves hadde the stirop; Beves in to the sadel him threw, line2180 Tharbi that maide him wel knew. Anon seide Josian with than: “O Beves, gode lemman, my dear Let me with thee reke reckon In that maner, we han ispeke, have spoken line2185 And thenk, thow me to wive tok, remember Whan ich me false godes forsok: Now thow hast thin hors Arondel, Thee swerd ich thee fette schel, fetch And let me wende with thee sithe go then line2190 Hom in to thin owene kithe!” Home country Queth Beves: “Be Godes name, Ichave for thee sofred meche schame, suffered Lain in prisoun swithe strong: Yif ich thee lovede, hit were wrong! line2195 The patriark me het upon me lif, That I ne tok never wif, Boute she were maide clene; virgin And thow havest seve year ben a quene, And everi night a king be thee: by you line2200 How mightow thanne maide be?” “Merci,” she seide, “lemman fre, Led me hom to thee contré, Lead your And boute thee finde me maide wimman, unless virgin Be that eni man saie can, line2205 Send me aghen to me fon foes Al naked in me smok alon!” smock alone Beves seide: “So I schel, In that forward I graunte wel!” agreement Bonefas to Sire Beves sede: line2210 “Sire, thee is beter do be rede! follow [my] advice The king cometh sone fro honting And with him mani a riche king, Fiftene told al in tale, Dukes and erles mani and fale. numerous line2215 Whan hii fonde us alle agon, gone away Thai wolde after us everichon everyone With wondergret chevalrie, horsemanship And do us schame and vileinie; harm Ac formeste, sire, withouten fable, first lie line2220 Led Arondel in to the stable, And ate the gate thow him abide, at wait Til the king cometh bi the ride; A wile thee asken at the frome, right then Whider thow schelt and whannes thow come; Who are you line2225 Sai, that thow havest wide iwent, traveled widely And thow come be Dabilent, from That is hennes four jurné: [days’] journey Sai, men wile ther the king sle, Boute him come help of sum other; Unless line2230 And King Yvor is his brother, And whan he hereth that tiding, Theder a wile an highing in haste With al is power and is ost: host Thanne mai we with lite bost effort line2235 Forth in oure wei go!” Beves seide: “It schel be so!” And Arondel to stable lad, led Ase Bonefas him bad; bade And to the gate Beves yode went line2240 With other beggers, that ther stode, And pyk and skrippe be is side, staff and purse by In a sklavin row and wide; pilgrim’s cloak rough and unfitted His berd was yelw, to is brest wax yellow [down] to his breast And to his gerdel heng is fax. waist hair line2245 Al thai seide, that hii ne sighe So faire palmer never with eighe, eyes Ne com ther non in that contré: Thus wondred on him that him gan se; And so stod Beves in that thring, throng line2250 Til noun belle began to ring. noon Fram honting com the King Yvore, And fiftene kinges him before, Dukes and erles, barouns how fale many I can nought telle the righte tale. give accurate account line2255 Mervaile thai hadde of Beves alle. Wonder Yvor gan Beves to him calle And seide: “Palmer, thow comst fro ferre: afar Whar is pes and whar is werre? peace war Trewe tales thow canst me sain.” line2260 Thanne answerde Beves again: “Sire, ich come fro Jurisalem Fro Nazareth and fro Bedlem, Bethlehem Emauns castel and Synaie; Emmaus Sinai Ynde, Erop, and Asie, India Europe Asia line2265 Egippte, Grese, and Babiloine, Tars, Sesile and Sesaoine, Tarsus Sicily Saxony In Fris, in Sodeine and in Tire, Friesland Sidon Tyre In Aufrik and in mani empire, Ac al is pes thar ichave went, wherever line2270 Save in the lond of Dabilent. Except In pes mai no man come thare, Thar is werre, sorwe and care. Thre kinges and dukes five His chevalrie adoun ginneth drive, line2275 And meche other peple ischent, killed Cites itake and tounes ibrent; torched Him to a castel thai han idrive, That stant be the se upon a clive, cliff And al the ost lith him aboute, surrounded line2280 Be this to daie a is in doute,” King Yvor seide: “Allas, allas, Lordinges, this is a sori cas! situation That is me brother, ye witen wel, know That lith beseged in that castel: line2285 To hors and armes, lasse and more, In haste swithe, that we wer thore!” Immediately there Thai armede hem anon bedene, themselves instantly Yvor and his kinges fiftene, And to the Cité of Diablent line2290 Alle samen forth they went. together But an old king, that hight Garcy, At home he lefte to kepe the lady. guard Thoo seid Beves: “Make yow yare, ready Yif that ye wille with me fare!” go line2295 Sir Bonefas answered thoo: “Yif ye wil by my consaile do: Here is an olde king Garcy, That muche can of nygremancy; necromancy He may see in his goldryng, gold ring line2300 What any man dooth in alle thing. I know an erbe in the forest. herb Now wille I sende therafter prest quickly And let brochen Reynessh wyne broach (a cask) of Rhenish And do that yerbe anoon therynne, herb line2305 And what he be, that ther-of doth drynke, He shal lerne for to wynke nod off And slepe anon after ryght Al a day and al a nyght.” Sir Bonefas dide al this thing; line2310 They resen up in the dawnyng; Inowgh they toke what they wolde, Both of silver and of golde, And other tresoure they toke also, And in hur way they gunne goo. on their line2315 And when they were went away, Garcy awaked a morow day And had wonder swith stronge, very That he hadde slept so longe. His ryng he gan to him tee, take line2320 For to loke and for to see; And in his ryng say he thare, saw The queene awey with the palmer was fare. gone To his men he grad ryght: cried out “As armes, lordinges, for to fyght!” To arms line2325 And tolde his folke, verament, truly How the queene was awey went. They armed hem in ryche wede armor And every knyght lep on his stede, And after went al that route line2330 And besette hem al aboute. Thenne seide Beves to Bonefas: “Kepe wel Josian at this cas, And I wil wynde to bataile, go Garcy and his ost assaile. line2335 I wil fonde, what I do may, try I have rested me moony a day. many days Fyght, I will now my fylle And hem overcom by Goddes wille!” Tho Bonefas to him saide: line2340 “Sir, yow is better do by my reed: Ye shal be in the lasse dout, For I know the contré al about; I can bryng yow in to a cave, There a sheparde with a stave, staff line2345 Theyghe men hadden his deth sworn, Though He myght him kepe wel therforn!” Into the cave he hath hem brought; Garcy, the Kyng, hem couth fynde nought, could not find them Therfore him was swith woo; so angry line2350 He and his ost bethought hem thoo, Hoom agheyn for to wende And sende Ascopart hem to shende. destroy In the cave they were al nyght Withoute mete or drynke, aplyght. indeed line2355 Twoo dayes it was goon, passed That mete ne drynke had they noon. Josian was afyngered soore starved And told anoon Beves therfore. Beves seid, “How darst thou of me meete crave? food [ask for] line2360 Wel thou wotest, that noon I have.” you know Josian answered sone anoon And bade Sir Beves to wood goon: forest I have herde of savagenes, savageness Whenne yonge men were in wyldernes, line2365 That they toke hert and hinde stag doe And other bestes, that they myght fynde; They slowen hem and soden hem in her hide; prepared Thus doon men that in wood abyde. live Sir, thou myghtest bestes lyghtly take, easily line2370 For sause good I wyl thee make!” sauce Beves seide to Bonefas than: “I pray thee kepe wel Josian, The while I wynde into the forest, For to take sum wylde beest!” line2375 Forth went Beves in that forest, Beestes to sheete he was ful prest. shoot ready Als sone as he was forth yfare, Two lyouns ther com yn thare, Grennand and rampand with her feet. Gnashing standing (as lions rampant) line2380 Sir Bonefas then als skeet very quickly His hors to him thoo he drowgh And armyd him wel ynowgh And yave the lyouns bataile to fyght; Al to lytel was his myght. line2385 The twoo lyouns sone had sloon That oon his hors, that other the man. Josian into the cave gan shete, shut [herself] And the twoo lyouns at hur feete, Grennand on hur with muche grame, ferocity line2390 But they ne myght do hur no shame, For the kind of lyouns, ywis, nature A kynges doughter, that maide is, virgin Kinges doughter, quene and maide both, queen The lyouns myght do hur noo wroth. harm line2395 Beves com sone fro huntyng With three hertes, without lesyng, stags And fonde an hors gnawe to the boon, bone And Josian awey was goon. He sowned soone for sorow and thought, swooned line2400 Fro cave to cave he her sought, To wete how that cas myght be, understand what happened And in a cave he gan to see, Where Josain sate in grete doute fear And twoo lions hur about. line2405 Too Sir Beves gan she speke: To “Sir, thyn help, me to awreke avenge Of these two liouns, that thy chamberleyn, steward Ryght now han him slayn!” She seide, she wolde that oon hoolde, line2410 While that he that other quelde. killed Aboute the nekke she hent that oon, held And Beves bade let him goon, And seide: “Dame, forsoth, ywys, I myght yelp of lytel prys, boast worth line2415 There I had a lyon quelde, The while a woman another helde! Thow shalt never umbraide me, reproach When thou comest hoom to my contré: But thou let hem goo both twoo, line2420 Have good day, fro thee I goo!” She let hem skip up and doun, And Beves assailed the lyoun. Strenger bataile ne strenger fyght Herde ye never of no knyght line2425 Byfore this in romaunce telle, Than Beves had of beestes felle. cruel Al that herkeneth word and ende, listen carefully to the end To hevyn mot her sowles wende! may their souls go That oon was a lionesse, line2430 That Sir Bevis dide grete distresse; At the first begynnyng To Beves hondes she gan spryng And al to peces rent hem there, Or Beves myght ther-of be werre. Before beware line2435 That other lyon, that Josian gan holde, To fight with Beves was ful bold; He ran to him with grete randon vehemently And with his pawes he rent adoun His armour almost to ground, line2440 And in his thyghe a wel grete wound. thigh Tho was Beves in hert grame, discouraged For the lioun had do him shame; As he were wood, he gan to fyght; mad The lionesse seyghe that sight line2445 And raught to Beves, without faile, rushed Both at oones they gan him assaile. Thoo was Beves, in strong tempestes, great trouble So strong and egre were these beestes, eager That nyghe they hadde him there queld; nearly killed line2450 Unnethe he kept him with his shelde. Scarcely he protected himself With Morgelay, that wel wold byte, To the lioun he gan smyte; His ryght foot he shore asonder, sheared Sir Beves shilde the Lyoun ranne under line2455 And with his teeth with sory happe unfortunately He kitte a pece of his lappe, And Beves that ilke stounde For anguysse fel to the grounde, anguish And hastely Beves than up stert, line2460 For he was grevyd in his hert; He kyd wel tho, he was agrevyd, knew And clef a twoo the lyon is hevyd, split the lion’s head in two And to his hert the poynt thrast; Thus the lioun died at the last. line2465 Stoutliche the liounesse than Courageously Asailede Beves, that doughti man, hearty And with hire mouth is scheld tok So sterneliche, saith the bok, That doun it fel of is left hond. line2470 Tho Josian gan understonde, That hire lord scholde ben slawe; Helpe him she wolde fawe. gladly Anon she hente that lioun: seized Beves bad hire go sitte adoun, line2475 And swor be God in Trinité, Boute she lete that lioun be, Unless A wolde hire sle in that destresse would slay her Ase fain ase the liounesse. As gladly as Tho she ne moste him nought helpe fighte, line2480 His scheld she broughte him anon righte And yede hire sitte adoun, saun faile, And let him worthe in that bataile. The liounesse was stout and sterne, Aghen to Beves she gan erne Again run line2485 And be the right leg she him grep, gripped Ase the wolf doth the schep, sheep That negh she braide out is sparlire; almost tore out his calf Tho was Beves in gret yre, And in that ilche selve veneu place line2490 Thourgh Godes grace and is vertu His The liounesse so harde he smot With Morgelai, that biter bot greviously cut Evene upon the regge an high, back That Morgelai in therthe fligh. the earth line2495 Tho was Josian ful fain, very glad Tho that hii were bothe slain, When they (the lions) And Beves was glad and blithe, His joie ne kouthe he no man kithe, could show And ofte he thankede the king in glori line2500 Of his grace and is viktori; victory Ac wo him was for Bonefas, And tho he segh, non other it nas, then saw A sette Josian upon a mule And ride forth a lite while, line2505 And metten with a geaunt giant With a lotheliche semlaunt. loathsome semblance He was wonderliche strong, Rome thretti fote long; In length His berd was bothe gret and rowe; shaggy line2510 A space of fot betwene is browe; brows His clob was, to yeve a strok, club A lite bodi of an ok. small trunk oak Beves hadde of him wonder gret And askede him, what a het, he was called line2515 And yef men of his contré whether Were ase meche ase was he. large “Me name,” a sede, “is Ascopard: Garci me sente hiderward, For to bringe this quene aghen line2520 And thee, Beves, her of-slen. here to slay Icham Garci is chaumpioun Garcy’s And was idrive out of me toun; driven Al for that ich was so lite, Everi man me wolde smite; line2525 Ich was so lite and so merugh, delicate Everi man me clepede dwerugh, dwarf And now icham in this londe, Iwoxe mor, ich understonde, And strengere than other tene, stronger ten others line2530 And that schel on us be sene; I schel thee sle her, yif I mai!” “Thourgh Godes help,” queth Beves, “nai!” Beves prikede Arondel a side, spurred Arondel’s flanks Aghen Ascopard he gan ride Against line2535 And smot him on the scholder an high, That his spere al to-fligh, And Ascopard with a retret step backward Smot after Beves a dent gret, And with is o fot a slintte one foot he slipped line2540 And fel with is owene dentte. Beves of is palfrai alighte off his And drough his swerd anon righte And wolde have smiten of is heved; cut off his head Josian besoughte him, it were beleved: delayed line2545 “Sire,” she seide, “so God thee save, Let him liven and ben our knave!” servant “Dame, a wile us betrai!” he will betray us “Sire, ich wil ben is bourgh, nai!” bail Thar a dede Beves omage he (Ascopard) did homage line2550 And becom is owene page. Forth thai wenten alle thre, Til that hii come to the se; A dromond hii fonde ther stonde, fast ship That wolde in to hethene londe, line2555 With Sarasines stout and fer, fierce Boute thai nadde no maroner. But they (Saracens) mariner Tho hii sighe Ascopard come, Hii thoughten wel, alle and some, He wolde hem surliche hem lede, line2560 For he was maroner god at nede. good Whan he in to the schipe cam, His gode bat an honde he nam, club took A drof hem out and dede hem harm, them (the Saracens) Arondel a bar to schip in is arm, he bore line2565 And after in a lite while Josian and hire mule, And drowen up saile al so snel quickly And sailede forth faire and wel, That hii come withouten ensoine without delay line2570 To the haven of Coloine. harbor Cologne Whan he to londe kem, Men tolde, the bischop was is em, uncle A noble man wis afin altogether wise And highte Saber Florentin. line2575 Beves grete him at that cas chance And tolde him what he was. who The beschop was glad afin And seide: “Wolkome, leve cosin! dear Gladder I nas, sethe ich was bore, line2580 Ich wende, thow haddest be forlore. Who is this levedi schene?” beautiful lady “Sire, of hethenesse a quene, And she wile, for me sake, Cristendome at thee take.” Be christened by you line2585 “Who is this with the grete visage?” “Sire,” a sede, “hit is me page And wile ben icristnede also, And ich bidde, that ye hit do!” The nexste dai after than line2590 The beschop cristnede Josian. For Ascopard was mad a kove; made font Whan the beschop him scholde in schove, A lep anon upon the benche And seide: “Prest, wiltow me drenche? line2595 The devel yeve thee helle pine, hell’s pain Icham to meche te be cristine!” too large christened After Josian is cristing Josian’s christening Beves dede a gret fighting, Swich bataile dede never non line2600 Cristene man of flesch ne bon, Of a dragoun ther be side, That Beves slough ther in that tide, Save Sire Launcelet de Lake, He faught with a fur drake firebreathing dragon line2605 And Wade dede also, And never knightes boute thai to, except those two And Gy a Warwik, ich understonde, Slough a dragoun in NorthHomberlonde. How that ilche dragoun com ther, line2610 Ich wile yow telle, in what maner. Thar was a king in Poyle land Apulia And another in Calabre, ich understonde; Calabria This twe kinge foughte ifere together (i.e., each other) More than foure and twenti yere, line2615 That hii never pes nolde, peace Naither for selver ne for golde, And al the contré, saundoute, without doubt Thai distruede hit al aboute; destroyed Thai hadde mani mannes kours, curse line2620 Wharthourgh hii ferden wel the wors; Tharfore hii deide in dedli sinne And helle pine thai gan hem winne. After in a lite while Thai become dragouns vile, became line2625 And so thai foughte dragouns ifere as dragons together Mor than foure and thretti yere. An ermite was in that londe, hermit That was feld of Godes sonde; Who had received mercy To Jesu Crist a bed a bone, he requested favor line2630 That he dilivre the dragouns sone soon Out of that ilche stede, very place That hii namore harm ne dede. no more And Jesu Crist, that sit in hevene, Wel herde that ermites stevene voice line2635 And grauntede him is praiere. his prayer Anon the dragouns bothe ifere together Toke here flight and flowe awai, flew Thar never eft man hem ne sai. That on flegh anon with than, thence line2640 Til a com to Toscan. Tuscany That other dragoun is flight nome took his flight To Seinte Peter is brige of Rome; Saint Peter’s bridge Thar he schel leggen ay, lay dormant Til hit come Domes Dai. Judgment Day line2645 And everi seve yer ones, Whan the dragoun moweth is bones, moves his Than cometh a roke and a stink vapor Out of the water under the brink, That men ther-of taketh the fevere, line2650 That never after mai he kevere; recover And who that nel nought leve me, will not believe Wite at pilgrimes that ther hath be, Ask have been there For thai can telle yow, iwis, Of that dragoun how it is. line2655 That other thanne flegh an highe flew Thourgh Toskan and Lombardie, Thourgh Province, withouten ensoine, delay Into the londe of Coloyne; Thar the dragoun gan arive line2660 At Coloyne under a clive. cliff His eren were rowe and ek long, ears rough His frount before hard and strong; forehead (whole face) Eighte toskes at is mouth stod out, The leste was seventene ench about, inches around line2665 The her, the cholle under the chin, hair throat He was bothe leith and grim; loathsome A was imaned ase a stede; maned The heved a bar with meche pride, Betwene the scholder and the taile line2670 Foure and twenti fot, saunfaile. without fail His taile was of gret stringethe, strength Sextene fot a was a lingthe; it was in length His bodi ase a wintonne. wine tun Whan hit schon the brighte sonne, When the bright sun shone line2675 His wingges schon so the glas. as glass His sides wer hard ase eni bras. His brest was hard ase eni ston; A foulere thing nas never non. Ye, that wile a stounde dwelle, [If] you will stay awhile line2680 Of his stringethe I mai yow telle. Beves yede to bedde a night With torges and with candel light. torches Whan he was in bedde ibrought, On Jesu Crist was al is thought. line2685 Him thoughte, a king, that was wod, A vision came to him mad Hadde wonded him ther a stod; He hadde wonded him biter and sore, A wende a mighte leve namore, He thought he might not remain And yet him thoughte a virgine it seemed to him line2690 Him broughte out of al is pine. suffering Whan he of is slep abraid, [abruptly] awakened Of is swevene he was afraid. dream Thanne a herde a reuli cri, mournful And besoughte Jesu merci: line2695 “For the venim is on me throwe, Her I legge al to-blowe, lie swollen And roteth me flesch fro the bon, Bote ne tit me never non!” Nor do I have any remedy at all And in is cri a seide: “Allas, line2700 That ever yet I maked was!” ever I was born Anon whan hit was dai light, Beves awakede and askede right, immediately What al that cri mighte ben. His men him answerde aghen line2705 And seide, that he was a knight, In bataile he was holden wight; valiant Alse a wente him to plaie fight Aboute her in this contrai, In this contré aviroun hereabout line2710 A mette with a vile dragoun, And venim he hath on him throwe: Thar a lith al to-blowe! he lies swollen “Lord Crist,” queth Beves tho, “Mai eni man the dragoun slo!” line2715 His men answerde, withouten lesing: lying “Thar nis neither emperur ne king, That come thar the dragoun wore, where the dragon was An hondred thosend men and more, That he nolde slen hem everichon, line2720 Ne scholde hii never thannes gon.” “Ascopard,” a seide, “whar ertow?” where are you “Icham her; what wilte now?” here do you want “Wile we to the dragoun gon? Thourgh Godes help we scholle him slo!” line2725 “Ya, sire, so mot I the, may I prosper Bletheliche wile I wende with thee!” Gladly Beves armede him ful wel, Bothe in yrene and in stel, steel And gerte him with a gode bronde armed himself sword line2730 And tok a spere in is honde. Out ate gate he gan ride, And Ascopard be his side. Alse hii wente in here pleghing, Hii speke of mani selkouth thing. wondrous line2735 That dragoun lai in is den And segh come the twei men; A made a cri and a wonder, Ase hit were a dent of thonder. As if Ascopard was adrad so sore, afraid line2740 Forther dorste he go namore; A seide to Beves, that was is fere: companion “A wonderthing ye mai here!” marvelous Beves saide: “Have thow no doute, The dragoun lith her aboute; is close line2745 Hadde we the dragoun wonne, defeated We hadde the feireste pris under sonne!” fairest prize Ascopard swor, be Sein Jon, Saint A fot ne dorste he forther gon. Beves answerde and seide tho; line2750 “Ascopard, whi seistow so? Whi schelt thow afered be Of thing that thow might nought sen?” A swor, alse he moste then, must get away He nolde him neither hire ne sen: line2755 “Icham weri, ich mot have reste: tired must Go now forth and do the beste!” Thanne seide Beves this wordes fre: “Schame hit is, to terne aghe. turn back A smot his stede be the side, line2760 Aghen the dragoun he gan ride, Against The dragoun segh, that he cam Yenande aghenes him anan, Roaring against him rapidly Yenande and gapande on him so, Yawning gaping Ase he wolde him swolwe tho. swallow line2765 Whan Beves segh that ilche sight, The dragoun of so meche might, Hadde therthe opnede anon, the earth For drede a wolde ther in han gon; A spere he let to him glide line2770 And smot the dragoun on the side; The spere sterte aghen anon, jumped back So the hail upon the ston, Like stone And to-barst on pices five. burst into His swerd he drough alse blive; quickly line2775 Tho thai foughte, alse I yow sai, Til it was high noun of the dai. noon The dragoun was atened stronge, greatly irritated That o man him scholde stonde so longe; one withstand The dragoun harde him gan asaile fiercely assailed him line2780 And smot his hors with the taile Right amideward the hed, in the middle of That he fel to grounde ded. Now is Beves to grounde brought, Helpe him God, that alle thing wrought! line2785 Beves was hardi and of gode hert, Aghen the dragoun anon a stert And harde him a gan asaile, And he aghen with strong bataile; So betwene hem leste that fight lasted line2790 Til it was the therke night. dark Beves hadde thanne swich thrast, thirst Him thoughte his herte to-brast; would burst Thanne segh he a water him beside, So hit mighte wel betide, line2795 Fain a wolde theder flen, He ne dorste fro the dragoun ten; go The dragoun asailede him fot hot, quickly With is taile on his scheld a smot, That hit clevede hevene ato, even in two line2800 His left scholder dede also. Beves was hardi and of gode hert, Into the welle anon a stert. Lordinges, herkneth to me now: The welle was of swich vertu: line2805 A virgine wonede in that londe, dwelling Hadde bathede in, ich understonde; That water was so holi, That the dragoun, sikerli, Ne dorste neghe the welle aboute dared not come near line2810 Be fourti fote, saundoute. forty feet Whan Beves parsevede this, perceived Wel glad a was in hertte, iwis; indeed A dede of is helm of stel He took off his helmet And colede him ther in fraiche wel, cooled pure line2815 And of is helm a drank thore from A large galon other more. or A nemenede Sein Gorge, our levedi knight, called on Saint George And sete on his helm, that was bright; And Beves with eger mode eager spirit (inspiration) line2820 Out of the welle sone a yode; arose The dragoun harde him asaile gan, He him defendeth ase a man. So betwene hem leste the fight, lasted Til hit sprong the dai light, line2825 Whan Beves mighte aboute sen, Blithe he gan thanne ben; Beves on the dragoun hew, cut The dragoun on him venim threw; Al ferde Beves bodi there All became (fared) line2830 A foule mesel alse yif a were; foul leper Thar the venim on him felle, His flesch gan ranclen and tebelle, rankle swell Thar the venim was icast, His armes gan al to-brast; fall apart line2835 Al to-brosten is ventaile, neck armor And of his hauberk a thosend maile. from his [chain mail] a thousand links Thanne Beves, sone an highe Wel loude he gan to Jesu criye: “Lord, that rerede the Lazaroun, raised Lazarus line2840 Dilivre me fro this fend dragoun!” fiend Tho he segh his hauberk toren, chain mail “Lord!” a seide, “That I was boren!” That seide Beves, thar a stod, where he stood And leide on, ase he wer wod; line2845 The dragoun harde him gan asaile fiercely And smot on the helm with is taile, That his helm clevede ato, helmet in two And his bacinet dede also. basinet Tweies a ros and tweis a fel, Twice he rose line2850 The thredde tim overthrew in the wel; third time Thar-inne a lai up right; he lay face up A neste, whather hit was dai other night. He did not know Whan overgon was his smerte healed injury And rekevred was of is hertte, recovered courage line2855 Beves sette him up anon; The venim was awei igon; He was ase hol a man whole Ase he was whan he theder cam. On is knes he gan to falle, line2860 To Jesu Crist he gan to calle: “Help,” a seide, “Godes sone, That this dragoun wer overcome! Boute ich mowe the dragoun slon Er than ich hennes gon, line2865 Schel hit never aslawe be For no man in Cristenté!” Christianity To God he made his praiere And to Marie, his moder dere; That herde the dragoun, ther a stod, line2870 And flegh awei, ase he wer wod. Beves ran after, withouten faile, And the dragoun he gan asaile; With is swerd, that he out braide, unsheathed On the dragoun wel hard a laide, line2875 And so harde a hew him than, A karf ato his heved pan, cut in two head pan (skull) And hondred dentes a smot that stonde, strokes time Er he mighte kerven a wonder, A hitte him so on the cholle throat line2880 And karf ato the throte bolle. throat-ball (Adam’s apple) The dragoun lai on is side, its On him a yenede swithe wide. gaped very Beves thanne with strokes smerte Smot the dragoun to the herte, line2885 An hondred dentes a smot in on, Er the heved wolde fro the bodi gon, And the gode knight Bevoun The tonge karf of the dragoun; Upon the tronsoun of is spere handle line2890 The tonge a stikede for to bere. A wented tho withouten ensoine delay Toward the toun of Coloine. Thanne herde he belles ringe, Prestes, clerkes loude singe; line2895 A man ther he hath imet, And swithe faire he hath him gret, greeted And asked that ilche man tho, Whi thai ronge and songe so. “Sire,” a seide, “withouten faile, line2900 Beves is ded in bataile; Tharfore, for sothe I saie thee: Hit is Beves dirige!” dirge “Nai,” queth Beves, “be Sein Martin!” And wente to Bischop Florentin. line2905 Tho the bischop hadde of him a sight, A thankede Jesu ful of might And broughte Beves in to the toun With a faire prosesioun; Thanne al the folk that thar was, line2910 Thankede Jesu of that gras. for grace On a dai Sire Beves sede: One day “Leve em, what is to rede Dear uncle news Of me stifader Devoun stepfather Devon That holdeth me londes at Hamtoun?” line2915 The beschop seide anon right: “Kosin, Saber, thin em, is in Wight, uncle And everi yer on a dai certaine Upon th’emperur of Almaine Germany He ginneth gret bataile take, line2920 Beves, al for thine sake; He weneth wel, that thow be ded; believes Tharfore, kosin, be me red, by advice An hondred men ich yeve thee wighte, I give you manfully Aghen th’emperur to fighte, Against line2925 Stalworde men and fer, Stalwart fierce And thow schelt wende te Saber: go to Sai, ich grette him wel ilome! many times Yif ye han nede, sendeth to me, Ich wile yow helpe with al me might, line2930 Aghen th’emperur to fight. While thow dost this ilche tourne, The levedi schel with me sojurne, And the page Ascopard Schel hire bothe wite and ward.” protect guard line2935 Forth wente Beves with than To his lemman Josian: lady “Lemman,” a seide, “ich wile go And avenge me of me fo, my foe Yif ich mighte with eni ginne means (device) line2940 Me kende eritage to winne!” My natural heritage “Swete lemman,” Josian sede, “Who schel me thanne wisse and rede?” guide advise Beves sede “Lemman min, Min em, the Bischop Florentin, line2945 And Ascopard, me gode page, Schel thee warde fro damage.” Protect harm “Ye, have ich Ascopard,” she sede, I have Of no man ne stant me drede; no man I dread Ich take thee God and seinte Marie: put you [in the hands of] holy Mary line2950 Sone so thow might, to me thow highe!” As soon as you can return Beves wente forth anon With is men everichon, every one That the bischop him hadde yeve. given So longe thai hadde here wei idrive, line2955 That hii come upon a done, hill A mile out of South Hamtone. “Lordinges,” to his men a sede, “Ye scholle do be mine rede! take my counsel Have ich eni so hardi on, anyone so hardy line2960 That dorre to Hamtoun gon, dares To th’emperur of Almaine, And sai: her cometh a vintaine, here division Al prest an hondred knighte ready That fore his love wilen fighte line2965 Both with spere and with launce, Al fresch icome out of Fraunce! Ac ever, an erneste and a rage, Ever speketh Frensche laungage, And sai, ich hatte Gerard, am called line2970 And fighte ich wile be forward, by agreement And of the meistri icham sure, victory I am confident Yif he wile yilde min hure?” If pay my hire Forth ther com on redi reke, one man readily That renabliche kouthe Frensch speke; eloquently line2975 “Sire,” a seide, “ich wile gon, The mesage for to don anon!” Forth a wente to the castel gate The porter a mette ther-ate, To th’emperur he hath him lad, line2980 Al a seide, ase Beves him bad. Th’emperur and Beves sete ifere together That ilche night at the sopere; same Th’emperur askede him, what a het; he was called “Gerard!” a seide alse sket very quickly line2985 “Gerard!” a seide, “for soth iwis, This levedi hadde her er this An erl to lord, er ich hire wedde, A sone betwene hem to thai hadde, A proud wreche and a ying, young line2990 And for sothe a lite gadling; impudent So was is fader of proud mode, spirit Icomen of sum lether blode; evil His sone, that was a proud garsoun, boy Men him clepede Bevoun; line2995 Sone he was of age, As soon as A solde me his eritage inheritance And spente his panes in scham and schonde, money in shame disgrace And sithe flegh out of Ingelonde. ran away Now hath he her an em in Wight, there uncle line3000 Sire Saber, a wel strong knight, And cometh with gret barnage baronage And cleimeth his eritage, And ofte me doth her gret gile, here And thow might yilden is while, stay for a while line3005 Him to sle with swerd in felde, Wel ich wolde thin here yelde!” army pay “Sire,” queth Beves anon right, “Ichave knightes of meche might, That beth unarmed her of wede, armor line3010 For we ne mighte non out lede Over the se withouten aneighe; difficulty Tharfore, sire, swithe an highe quickly Let arme me knightes echon, each one And yef hem gode hors forth enon, right away line3015 An hondred men sent thow thee self, Ase mani ichave be min helf, on my behalf Dight me the schip and thin men bothe, Prepare And I schel swere thee an othe, That I schel yeve swiche asaut assault line3020 On that ilche Sabaaut, Saber That withinne a lite while Thow schelt here of a queinte gile!” hear cunning trick Al thus th’emperur hath him dight supplied Bothe hors, armes, and knight, line3025 Tharto schipes with gode vitaile; victuals Forth thai wente and drowe saile. In the schipe the knightes seten, ywis, for sure On of here, another of his. Whan thai come amidde the forde, line3030 Ech threw is felawe over the bord; Of th’emperures knightes everichon Withinne bord ne levede non. left none Saber hem ful wel ysay, saw Ase he upon his toure lay, tower line3035 Mani baner he segh arered. raised Tho was Saber sumdel afered, somewhat afraid That th’emperur with is ost come, Biker he made wel ylome. Fight many times Beves wiste wel and sede, line3040 That Saber him wolde drede; dread Upon the higheste mast is top there mast’s top He let sette up a stremere banner Of his fader armure, Saber the rather to make sure, line3045 For mani a time thar beforen He hadde hit in to bataile boren. carried it into battle Tho the schip to londe drough, drew Saber hit knew wel inough And thoughte and gan to understonde, line3050 That Beves was come inte Ingelonde. into “Lord,” a sede, “hered Thow be, praised That ich mai me kende lord se: lawful That he wer ded, ich was ofdrad, afraid Meche sorwe ichave for him had.” line3055 A wente with is knightes blive, quickly Thar the schipes scholde arive; Where Either other gan to kisse, Each began to kiss the other And made meche joie and blisse, And Beves tolde him in a while, line3060 He hadde do th’emperur a gile. done trick Tho seide Beves with than: “Have ich eni so hardi man, That dorre to Hamtoun gon dares Over the water sone anon, line3065 And sai th’emperur anon right, That I nam no Frensche knight, Ne that I ne hatte nought Gerard, I am not named Gerard That made with him the forward, agreement And sai him, ich hatte Bevoun, line3070 And cleymeth the seinori of Hamtoun, rule And that is wif is me dame, his wife is my mother That schel hem bothe terne to grame; anger Now of hem bothe togadre together I schel fonde wreke me fadre?” try to avenge line3075 Up thar sterte an hardi on: hearty one “Sire,” a seide, “ich wile gon, The mesage fordoth hem bothe, ruins And maken hem sori and wrothe.” Forth a wente ase hot at once line3080 Over the water in a bot, boat Forth a wente also whate quickly In at the castel gate; At the soper alse a set, as he sat Th’emperur he gan thus gret: line3085 “Sire emperur, I thee bringe A swithe sertaine tiding: Wel the grete that ilche knight, That sopede with thee yerstene night; supped A saith a hatte nought Gerard, he was not called line3090 That made with thee the forward; agreement A saith, that he hatte Bevoun And cleymeth the seinori of Hamtoun, And is icome with thee to speke, Of his fader deth to ben awreke, avenged line3095 Thee te sle with schame and schonde disgrace And for to winne is owene londe.” Th’emperur herde of him that word, His sone stod before the bord; [the emperor’s] son He thoughte with is longe knif line3100 Bereve that mesageres lif; Take away A threw is knif and kouthe nought redi aim And smot his sone thourgh the bodi. The mesager spak a gainli word suitable Before th’emperur is bord: the emperor’s table line3105 “Thow gropedest the wif anight to lowe, groped your wife too lowly at night Thow might nought sen aright to throwe; Thow havest so swonke on hire to night, worked Thow havest negh forlore the sight: almost lost your sight Her thow havest lither haunsel, Here a poor gift line3110 A worse thee betide schel!” And smot is hors with the spore pricked spur And arnde out at halle dore; ran (hightailed) Wel and faire he hath him dight conducted himself And com aghen to Beves in Wight line3115 And tolde a slough is sone for grame; he slew [the emperor’s] son in anger Beves lough and hadde gode game. amusement Lete we with Sire Beves thanne And speke of Josiane, That in Coloine was with Beves em, uncle line3120 Til that he aghen theder kem. In that londe that ilche while Thar wonede an erl, that highte Mile: Miles To Josian he hadde his love cast And gan hire to wowen fast, woo line3125 Faire a spak to terne hire thought, change her mind And she seide a was aboute nought. i.e., “Nothing doing” That erl was wroth in is manere, angry For Josian him nolde here, Since would not listen to him And spak to hire with loude gret: lamentation line3130 “For wham,” a seide, “scholde ich it lete, should I stop it Boute ich mai have of thee me wille? Ich wile,” a seide, “who that nille!” She seide: “While ichave Ascopard, Of thee nam ich nothing afard, line3135 For thee wrethe ne for thin ost, anger army Ne for thee ne for thine bost!” threat And tho thoughte that Erl Mile To do Josian a gile: trick A leter he let for to write, line3140 In this maner he dede adite, compose That Ascopard come scholde To Beves, thar the letter him tolde, In to a castel in an yle, isle The brede of the water thre mile; width line3145 To Ascopard thai come snel; quickly Thai seide, Beves him grette wel And besoughte, for is love In haste a scholde to him come. Forth wente Ascopard ase hot at once line3150 Over the water in a bot; boat Whan he was over the water come, Hii unlek the ghate at the frome; unlocked start And whan he was comen withinne, Thai sperede him faste with ginne. locked him securely trap line3155 Aghen to Josiane Miles gan terne: return “For wham,” a seide, “schel ich it werne?” hold back She thoughte for to kepe hire, aplight, protect herself, indeed She sente a masager to Wight, [Isle of] Wight To Beves, be letter and tolde fore line3160 Al togedre lasse and more. Miles wolde have is wille And she bed him holde stille: bade stop “Nought, thegh I scholde lese me lif, Boute ich were thee weddede wif; line3165 Yif eni man me scholde wedde, Thanne mot ich go with him to bedde. must I trow, he is nought now here, That schel be me weddefere!” husband “I schel thee wedde aghenes thee wille, line3170 Tomorwe I schel hit fulfille!” And kiste hire anon right And sente after baroun and knight And bed hem come leste and meste, ordered them lowest and highest To anoure that meri feste. honor line3175 The night is gon, that dai comen is, The spusaile don hit is espousal With merthe in that toun And joie of erl and baroun. And whan hit drough toward the night, line3180 Here soper was ther redi dight, Their arrayed And thegh thai richelich weren ifed, when That erl wolde ben abed. Josian he het lede to bour, commanded [that she be] led to bower To have hire under covertour; covers line3185 Upon hire bedde ther she sat, That erl com to hire with that, With knightes gret compainie With pyment and with spisorie, spiced wine spices With al the gamen that hii hedde, tricks line3190 For to make hire dronke a bedde; drunk Ac al another was hire thought, But Ne gamnede hire that gle right nought. amused gaiety not at all “Sire,” she seide to that erl sone, “Ich bidde thow graunte me a bone, favor line3195 And boute thow graunte me this one, unless I ne schel thee never bedde none. Ich bidde thee at the ferste frome, very beginning That man ne wimman her in come; [neither] man nor here Belok hem thar-oute for love o me, Lock line3200 That no man se our privité! secret things Wimmen beth schamfast in dede modest And namliche maidenes,” sche sede. particularly That erl seide a wolde faine. gladly A drof out bothe knight and swaine, servants line3205 Levedies, maidenes, and grome, young men That non ne moste ther-in come, And schette the dore with the keie. shut key Litel a wende have be so veie. Little he thought doomed Josian he com aghen to: line3210 “Lemman,” a seide, “ichave ido, Thee bone ichave do with lawe, Your boon in good faith Me schon I mot me self of drawe, shoes take off As I never yet ne dede.” Adoun a set him in that stede; line3215 Thanne was before his bed itight, prepared Ase fele han of this gentil knight, As many [servants] have done A covertine on raile tre, cover rail-tree For no man scholde on bed ise. Josian bethoughte on highing, quickly line3220 On a towaile she made knotte riding, a riding knot (noose) Aboute his nekke she hit threw And on the raile tre she drew; Be the nekke she hath him up tight And let him so ride al the night. line3225 Josian lai in hire bed. No wonder, though she wer adred. Dai is come in alle wise, A morwe the barouns gonne arise In the morning Sum to honten and sum to cherche, hunt line3230 And werkmen gonne for to werche. workmen The sonne schon, hit drough to under, toward noon The barouns thar-of hadde wonder; That th’erl lai so longe a bed, Gret wonder thar-of he hedde. line3235 Queth sum: “Let him lie stille! Said some Of Josian he hath al is wille.” Middai com, hit drough te noune, toward noon The barouns speke ther eft soune: again Queth the boldeste: “How mai this be? line3240 Wende ich wile up and ise!” I will go up and see That baroun dorste wel speke, To the chaumber he gan reke reach And smot the dore with is honde, That al wide opun it wonde. line3245 “Awake,” a seide, “Sire Erl Mile, Thow havest sleped so longe while, Thin heved oweth to ake wel: head ache Dame, let make him a caudel!” fortified drink “Nai,” queth Josian at that sake, line3250 “Never eft ne schel his heved ake! Ichave so tyled him for that sore, handled pain Schel hit never eft ake more, Yerstendai he me wedded with wrong Yesterday illegitimately And tonight ichave him honge. line3255 Doth be me al youre wille, Schel he never eft wimman spille!” despoil women Al hii made meche sorwe; Anon rightes in that morwe Sum hire demte thanne condemned line3260 In a tonne for to branne. In a barrel burn Withoute the toun hii pighte a stake, Outside set up Thar the fur was imake, There fire The tonne thai hadde ther iset, Thai fette wode and elet. gathered wood and fuel line3265 Ascopard withinne the castel lay, The tonne and al the folk he say; town saw Ful wel him thoughte that while, That him trokede a gret gile, tricked him deceit For he was in the castel beloke, locked line3270 The castel wal he hath tobroken; shattered He was maroner wel gode, sailor A stertte in to the salte flode, leapt A fischer he segh fot hot, fisherman at once Ever a swam toward the bot. line3275 The fischer wende, sum fend it were, thought some fiend Out of is bot he flegh for fere. flew Ascopard hente the bot an honde caught And rew himself to the londe, Toward the fur faste a schok, fire hasten line3280 Beves com and him oftok: overtook “Treitour,” a seide, “whar hastow be? have you been This dai thow havest betraied me!” “Nai, sire!” Ascopard seide, And tolde, Miles him hadde betraide. line3285 Toward the fur thai wente blive: The prest, that hire scholde schrive, confess Godes blessing mote he fonge, receive For that he held Josiane so longe! In hire smok she stod naked, line3290 Thar the fur was imaked; Ase men scholde hire forbrenne, Beves on Arondel com renne came running With is swerd Morgelay; Ascopard com be another way, line3295 And slowen in that ilche stounde killed very place Al that hii aboute the fur founde, fire found around And that he hadde for is while, his effort That proude erl, Sire Mile. A sette Josian on is palfrai, line3300 And wente forth in here wai; their way Thai wente to schip anon righte And sailede forth in to Wighte. Wel was Saber paid with than Of Ascopard and of Josian. line3305 Beves and Saber sente here sonde message Wide in to fele londe, many lands And hii sente an hie in haste After gret chevalrie, Of al the londe the stringeste knighte, most stalwart line3310 That hii owhar finde mighte. anywhere That emperur negh daide, nearly died His wif confortede him and saide: “Sire,” she seide, “doute yow nought! fear not Of gode consaile icham bethought: good counsel line3315 Ye scholle sende, for sertaine, After your ost in to Almaine, host And whan your ost is come togadre, Send to the King of Scotlonde, me fadre; He wile come to thee an highe in haste line3320 With wondergret chevalrie, That thow derst have no sore pain Of that thef, Saber the hore, grayhaired Ne of Beves, that is me lothe: loathful to me Yit ye schollen hem hangen bothe!” line3325 Tho the letters were yare, ready The masegers wer forth ifare. gone In Mai, whan lef and gras ginth springe, leaf begin to And the foules merie to singe, birds The King of Scotlonde com to fighte line3330 With thretti thosend of hardi knighte Of Almaine, is owene barouny, With wonder-gret chevalry. “Lordinges,” a seide, “ye witeth alle,” know Whan hii were before him in the halle, line3335 “That ofte this thef, Saber the hore, Me hath aneied swithe sore. annoyed Now is him come help to fighte, Beves of Hamtoun, an hardi knighte, To Sarasins was solde gon longe; sold long ago line3340 Ich wende he hadde ben anhonge. wish He me threteth for to slen And for to winne is londe aghen; With him he hath a geaunt brought: Erthliche man semeth he nought, Earthly line3345 Ne no man of flesch ne felle, skin Boute a fend stolen out of helle; fiend Ascopart men clepeth him ther oute, Of him ichave swithe gret doute. fear Ac, lordinges,” a seide, “arme ye wel, line3350 We scholle besege hem in here castel; The Ascopard be strong and sterk, Though Mani hondes maketh light werk!” hands Forth thai wenten ase snel, swiftly Til thai come to the castel line3355 Thar Saber and Beves weren inne. Thai pighte pavilouns and bente ginne. pitched pavilions field machinery Saber stod on is tour an high, tower Al that grete ost a sigh; sighted Gret wonder ther of he hade, line3360 The holi crois before him he made cross And swor be his berde hore, gray Hit scholde some of hem rewe sore. regret Saber doun of his tour went, After al is knightes a sent: line3365 “Has armes, lordinges!” he gan segge, To arms say “Th’emperur ther oute us wile belegge. besiege Make we thre vintaine, divisions That be gode and certaine! The ferste ich wile me self out lede, lead out line3370 And thow that other, Beves!” a sede, “And Ascopard the thredde schel have With is gode, grete stave. Be we thre upon the grene, field Wel ich wot and nought ne wene: know doubt not line3375 Mani man is thar oute kete, caught This dai schel is lif forlete!” be lost Saber is horn began to blowe, That his ost him scholde knowe. “Lordinges,” a seide, “ne doute yow nought, line3380 Ye scholle this dai be holde so dought, brave That hem were beter at Rome, Thanne hii hadde hider icome.” Tho th’emperur herde in castel blowe, Tharbi he gan to knowe, line3385 That hii armede hem in the castel; His knightes he het ase snel: called quickly “Has armes, lordinges, to bataile! To arms battle Out hii cometh, us to asaile.” Twei ostes thai gonne make, line3390 He of Scotlonde hath on itake, Th’emperur that other ladde: His deth that dai ther he hadde.

Out of the castel cam before Saber with is berde hore, his gray beard line3395 And in is compainie Thre hondred knightes hardie. Sire Morice of Mounclere His stede smot aghenes Sabere; His spere was sumdel kene, somewhat sharp line3400 And Saber rod him aghene: Though is spere wer scharp igrounde, Saber slough him in that stounde. instant Out on Arondel tho com Bevoun And mette with is stifader Devoun, stepfather line3405 And with a dent of gret fors A bar him doun of his hors; knocked off With Morgelay, that wolde wel bite, He hadde ment is heved of smite; meant his head off His ost cam riding him to, line3410 Wel ten thosend other mo; or more So stronge were tho hii come. Th’emperur Beves hii benome They took the emperor away from Bevis And broughte him an horse tho; Tharfore was Beves swithe wo. angry line3415 Thar com in the thredde part With is batte Ascopard; his club Ever alse he com than, as A felde bothe hors and man. He struck down Tharwith was Beves wel apaide, pleased line3420 A clepede Ascopard and to him saide: called “Ascopard, tak right gode hede: Th’emperur rit on a whit stede; rides Thin hure I schel thee yilde wel, hire With that thow bringe him to me castel!” line3425 “Sire,” a seide, “I schel for sothe In to the castel bringe him to thee!” Ascopard leide on wel inough, Bothe man and hors he slough; slew Thar nas non armur in that londe, line3430 That mighte the geauntes strok astonde. giant’s stroke withstand The King of Scotlonde, with is bat A yaf him swiche a sori flat slap Upon the helm in that stounde, moment That man and hors fel ded to grounde. line3435 Thanne anon, withoute sojur, delay A wente to that emperur, And hasteliche with might and main A hente the hors be the rain; grabbed rein Wolde he, nolde he, faire and wel Like it or not line3440 He bar hors and man to the castel. carried Of al that other, siker aplighte, yes indeed That were ensemled in that fighte, assembled Of Scotlonde and of Almaine, Beves and Saber with might and maine line3445 With deth is dentes gonne doun drive, That thar ne scapede non alive. no one escaped And thus Sire Beves wan the pris victory And vengede him of is enemis, avenged himself And to the castel thai wente isame together line3450 With gret solas, gle and game, satisfaction joy mirth And that his stifader wer ded, to make certain his stepfather was dead Ase tit he let felle a led At once lead kettle Ful of pich and of bremston, pitch brimstone And hot led let falle ther-on; molten lead line3455 Whan hit alther swither seth, all at once seethed Th’emperur thar in a deth, in death Thar a lay atenende. at his ending Wende his saule, whider it wende! soul His moder over the castel lai, [Bevis’] mother line3460 Hire lord sethen in the pich she sai; seething saw So swithe wo hire was for sore, very woeful shock She fel and brak hire nekke therfore. broke her neck Alse glad he was of hire, Of his damme, ase of is stipsire, mother stepfather line3465 And seide: “Damme, forgheve me this gilt, Mother, forgive I ne yaf thee nother dent ne pilt!” blow nor knock Thanne al the lordes of Hamteschire shire of Hampton Made Beves lord and sire And dede him feuté and omage, fealty homage line3470 Ase hit was lawe and right usage. customary Tho was Beves glad and blithe And thankede God ful mani a sithe, That he was wreke wel inough avenged Of him, that his father slough. line3475 Wel hasteliche she let sende [Josian] To Coloine after the bischop hende, And spusede Beves and Josiane. married Of no joie nas ther wane; lack Though ich discrive nought the bredale, describe not the wedding line3480 Ye mai wel wite, hit was riale, know royal That ther was in alle wise Mete and drinke and riche servise. Now hath Beves al is stat; estate Tweie children on hir he begat line3485 In the formeste yere, first Whiles that hii were ifere. together And Saber him redde thar advised Wende to the King Edgar; Go Tho with inne a lite stounde line3490 The king a fond at Lounde. London Beves a knes doun him set, knelt The king hendeliche a gret; courteously he greets The king askede him, what he were And what nedes a wolde there. line3495 Thanne answerde Bevoun: “Ichatte Beves of Hamtoun; I am called Me fader was ther th’erl Gii; the earl Th’emperur for is levedi for his lady Out of Almaine com and him slough; line3500 Ichave wreke him wel inough; avenged Ich bidde before your barnage, baronage That ye me graunte min eritage!” heritage “Bletheliche,” a seide, “sone min, Gladly Ich graunte thee, be Sein Martin!” Saint line3505 His marchal he gan beholde: marshal “Fet me,” a seide, “me yerde of golde! Bring staff Gii, is fader, was me marchal, Also Bevis, is sone, schal.” His yerd he gan him ther take: line3510 So thai atonede withoute sake. were reconciled strife In somer aboute Whitsontide Pentecost Whan knightes mest an horse ride, A gret kours thar was do grede, course prepared For to saien here alther stede, test all the steeds line3515 Whiche were swift and strong. The kours was seve mile long; Who that come ferst theder, han scholde A thosand pound of rede golde. Tharwith was Beves paied wel: pleased line3520 Meche a treste to Arondel. trusted A morwe, whan hit was dai cler, Ariseth bothe knight and squier And lete sadlen here fole. horses Twei knightes hadde the kours istole, stolen (sneaked onto) line3525 That hii were to mile before, two ahead Er eni man hit wiste ybore. Before any man knew it was done Whan Beves wiste this, fot hot learned immediately Arondel with is spures a smot And is bridel faste a schok; shook line3530 A mide the kours he hem oftok. overtook them “Arondel,” queth Beves tho, “For me love go bet, go, And I schel do faire and wel For thee love reren a castel!” raise line3535 Whan Arondel herde what he spak, Before the twei knightes he rak, reached That he com rather to the tresore, Than hii be half and more. Beves of his palfrai alighte line3540 And tok the tresore anon righte: With that and with mor catel chattel He made the castel of Arondel. for Meche men preisede is stede tho, Many praised For he hadde so wel igo; run well line3545 The prince bad, a scholde it him yeve; commanded “Nay,” queth Beves, “so mot I leve, Though thow wost me take an honde Even if let me Al the hors of Ingelonde!” horses Sithe that he him yeve nele, Since not give it to him line3550 A thoughte, that he it wolde stele. steal Hit is lawe of kinges alle, custom At mete were croune in halle, crowned And thanne everiche marchal marshal His yerde an honde bere schal. staff should bear line3555 While Beves was in that ofice, i.e., as marshal The kinges sone, that was so nice, foolish What helpeth for to make fable? Why tell a lie A yede to Beves stable He went And yede Arondel to nighe, got too close to line3560 And also a wolde him untighe, And tho Arondel, fot hot, then immediately With his hint fot he him smot hind And todaschte al is brain. dashed out Thus was the kinges sone slain. line3565 Men made del and gret weping mourning For sorwe of that ilche thing; The king swor, for that wronge That Beves scholde ben anhonge And to-drawe with wilde fole. horses line3570 The barnage it nolde nought thole barons allow And seide, hii mighte do him no wors, Boute lete hongen is hors; Hii mighte don him namore, For he servede tho the king before. line3575 “Nai,” queth Beves, “for no catele property Nel ich lese min hors Arondele, lose Ac min hors for to were protect Ingelonde ich wile forswere; Min eir ich wile make her heir here line3580 This gode knight, min em Saber.” In that maner hii wer at one, And Beves is to Hamtoun gone; A tolde Josian and Ascopard fore Al togedre, lasse and more. line3585 Beves lep on is rounci horse And made is swein Terri, his squire That Saber is sone is; Saber’s son And whan Ascopard wiste this, learned Whiche wei hii wolde take, line3590 Aghen to Mombraunt he gan schake, hasten To betraie Beves, as ye mai se, betray For he was falle in poverté, For, whan a man is in poverté falle, He hath fewe frendes with alle. line3595 To him seide King Yvore: “Treitour, whar hastow be thus yore?” where have you been “Sire,” a seide, “have sought the quene, [I] have And have had for hire miche tene! because of her distress Sire,” a seide, “certeine for sothe, line3600 Yet ich kouthe bringe hire to thee!” “Ich wile thee yeve a kingdom right, Bring yow me that levedi bright!” Queth Ascopart: “Therto I graunt, Okay Be Mahoun and be Tervagaunt, line3605 So that ichave fourti knightes, Stout in armes and strong in fightes; For Beves is ful sterne and stoute, Of him ichave swithe gret doute; fear He overcom me ones in bataile: line3610 Me behoveth help, him to asaile.” I require King Yvor grauntede anon rightes; He let him chese fourti knightes And armede hem him in yrene wede, iron armor And forth with Ascopard thai yede. line3615 Now lete we be this Ascopard And speke of Beves, that rit forthward rode In is wei til Ermonie to Armenia Thourgh Fraunce and thourgh Normondie; And Josiane, Crist here be milde! line3620 In a wode was bestonde of childe suddenly in labor Beves and Terri doun lighte got down And with here swerdes a logge pighte; hut constructed Thai broughte Josiane ther inne, For hii ne kouthe no beter ginne. they knew of no better plan line3625 Bevis is servise gan hire bede, offered her his service To helpe hire at that nede. “For Godes love,” she saide, “nai, Leve sire, thow go thee wai, God forbede for is pité, line3630 That no wimman is privité To no man thourgh me be kouthe. Goth and wendeth hennes nouthe, return hence now Thow and thee swain Terry, And let me worthe and Oure Levedy!” let me and Our Lady be line3635 Forth thai wente bothe ifere, together For hii ne mighte hire paines here. So they would not hear her pains Allas, that ilche cherre; [for] that decorous behavior Hii wente from hire alto ferre! too far away Alse hii wer out of the weie, When line3640 She hadde knave children tweie. gave birth to twin boys Also she dilivered was, As Thar com Ascopard goande a pas passing by And fourti Sarasins, the Frensch seth, Al iarmede to the teth. armed teeth line3645 For al hire sorwe and hire wo Thai made hire with hem te go, And gret scorning of hire thai maked And bete hire with swerdes naked. beat swords Wo was the levedi in that stounde, moment line3650 That was so beten and ibounde; beaten bound And in here wei ase thai gonne wende, She seide: “Ascopard, freli frende, noble For bounté, ich dede thee while favor And savede thee fro perile, line3655 Tho Beves thee wolde han slawe And ibrought of thee lif dawe, Ich was the bourgh, thee schost be trewe. guarantee should Thar fore I praie, on me thee rewe take pity And yeve me space a lite wight, time line3660 For wende out of this folkes sight, To do me nedes in privité, For kende hit is, wimman te be natural Schamfaste and ful of corteisie, Modest And hate dedes of fileinie.” villainy line3665 Ascopard answerde hire tho: “Whider thow wilt, dame, thow schelt go, So ichave of thee a sight!” As long as Thanne Josiane, anon right Out of the way she gan terne, line3670 As she wolde do hire dedes derne. So that secret While she was in Ermonie, Bothe fysik and sirgirie physic surgery (medicine) She hadde lerned of meisters grete teachers Of Boloyne the gras and of Tulete, grass (herbs) Toledo line3675 That she knew erbes mani and fale, To make bothe boute and bale. good (medicines) bad (poisons) On she tok up of the grounde, That was an erbe of meche mounde, value To make a man in semlaunt there, seem to resemble line3680 A foule mesel alse if a were. leper Whan she hadde ete that erbe, anon To the Sarasines she gan gon, And wente hem forth withoute targing tarrying Toward Yvore, the riche king. line3685 Thai nadde ride in here way had not ridden Boute fif mile of that contray, She was in semlaunt and in ble appearance complexion A foule mesel on to se. Tho she was brought to King Yvore, When line3690 To Ascopard a seide thore: “Who is this wimman, thow hast me brought?” “What,” a seide, “knowest hire nought? She is Josiane, the Quene. Ichave had for hire meche tene.” distress line3695 Thanne seide Yvor: “I praie Mahoun Tharfore yeve thee is malisoun, give you his curse Swiche a levedi me to bringe, So foule of sight in alle thinge! Led hire awai, God yeve yow schame, Lead line3700 Thee and hire, bothe isame!” together A castel hadde King Yvor Fro his paleise fif mile and mor; Theder Yvor bad hire lede And finde hire that hire wer nede. what she needed line3705 Tho Ascopard withouten dwelling delaying In to that castel gan hire bring, In wildernesse upon a plaine, And half a yer a was hire wardaine. keeper (warden) Now lete we be of this levedi line3710 And speke of Beves and of Terri. Beves, aghen is wei he nam, took his way In to the logge that he cam; hut Fond he ther nother yong ne elder, Boute twei hethene knave childer, heathen line3715 Swithe faire children with alle, Alse hii were fro the moder falle. As when they were born Beves fel thar doun and swough; swooned Terri wep and him up drough, raised himself up And koursede biter that while cursed bitterly at that moment line3720 Ascopard is tresoun and is gile. Ascopard’s his Thei kottede here forers of ermin, cut furs ermine The yonge children wonde ther in. clothed Thar nolde hii no long abide, Thei lope to horse and gonne ride; leaped line3725 In the wode a forster thai mette And swithe faire thai him grette: “God the blesse, sire!” Beves sede, “Sighe the eni levedi her forth lede Did you see Owhar be this ilche way?” line3730 “Sire, for Gode” a seide, “nay!” “What dones man ertow, bacheler?” manner of man are you “Sire,” a seide, “a forster!” “Forster, so Crist thee be milde, Christ be gentle [with] you Wiltow lete cristen this hethen childe? Will you baptize line3735 Right, lo, now hit was ibore And yong hit hath is moder forlore. abandoned Wilt thow kep it for to min,” a sede, on my behalf “And I schel quite wel thee mede?” pay reward The forster him grauntede ther, line3740 To kepe hit al the seven yer. “Sire, what schel it hote yet?” be called “Gii,” a sede, “ase me fader het. Guy is named Right sone so he is of elde, Until age Tech him bere spere and schelde!” line3745 That child the forster he betok And forth in is wei a schok. he hastened Another man a mette there, That seide, a was a fischere; fisherman Ten mark Beves him betok, gave line3750 And that other child to lok, look after And he himself, at the cherche stile He let nevene the child Mile. had named Miles Thar nolden lengere abide, Thai lope to hors and gonne ride line3755 Over dale and over doun, hill Til thai come to a gret toun, And at a faire in thai lighte, dismounted And riche soper thai gonne hem dighte. had prepared for them Beves at a wendowe lokede out line3760 And segh the strete ful aboute Of stedes wrien and armes bright. covered A wonder him thoughte, what it be might; At here ostesse he askede there, hostess What al the stoute stedes were. places line3765 “Sire, a seide, “veraiment, she truly Thai ben come for a tornement, That is cride for a maide faire, decreed A kinges doughter and is air. heir Who that thar be beste knight line3770 And stireth him stoutliche in that fight, He schel have that maide fre And Aumbeforce, the faire contré.” Thanne seide Beves unto Terry: “Wile we tornaie for that levedy?” tourney for the sake of line3775 “Ye, sire,” a sede, “be Sein Thomas of Ynde! Whan were we wonded be byhinde? We scholle lete for non nede, refuse That we ne scholle manliche forth us bede!” A morwe the lauerkes songe, lark’s line3780 Whan that the lighte day was spronge, Beves and Terry gonne arise And greithede hem in faire queintise. ornamented arms Here armes were riale of sight, With thre eglen of asur bright; eagles azure line3785 The chaumpe of gold ful farie Tolede, field [made in] Toledo Portraid al with rosen rede. And Terri, Saberes sone of Wight, In riche armes also was dight. Ase thai com ride thourgh the toun, line3790 Erles, barouns of renoun Hadde wonder of here armes slie, finely made In that londe never swich thai sie. The trompes gonne here bemes blowe; trumpeters trumpets The knightes riden out in a rowe, line3795 And tho the tornement began, then Thar was samned mani a man, assembled The tornement to beholde, To se the knightes stout and bolde. Thai leide on ase hii were wode clashed mad line3800 With swerdes and with maces gode; Thar nolde no man other knowe, Thar men mighte se in lite throwe while Knightes out of sadel iboren, Stedes wonne and stedes loren. lost line3805 The kinges sone of Asie Asia Thoughte wenne the meistrie. Hoped to win Out of the renge he com ride, rank And Beves nolde no leng abide; He rod to him with gret randoun, violence line3810 And with Morgelai, is fauchoun, falchion The prince a felde in the feld; struck down He was boren hom upon is scheld. home And also Beves adoun bar A noble duk, that was thar. duke line3815 In Aumbeforce cleped a wes Balam of Nuby, withouten les; Nubia lie Taile over top he made him stoupe And felde him over is horses croupe, rump And seven erles he gan doun thrawe, did throw down line3820 Sum iwonded and sum yslawe. wounded Saber is sone, that highte Terry, Kedde that he was knight hardy; He leide on, alse he wolde awede, rave And wan his lord mani gode stede. won line3825 Alle tho that hii mighte hitte, No man mighte here strokes sitte. So Beves demeinede him that dai, bested The maide hit in the tour say. tower saw Hire hertte gan to him acorde, line3830 That she wolde have him to lorde, Other with love other with strif; Either or And ever a seide, he hath a wif, And seide, she was stolen him fro. Thanne saide the maide: “Now it is so, line3835 Thow schelt al this seven yere Be me lord in clene manere, pure And yif thee wif cometh thee aghen, Terry, the swein, me lord schel ben!” Beves seide: “So I schel; line3840 In that forward I graunte wel!” promise Saber at Hamtoun lai in is bed, Him thoughte, Beves a wonde hed; dreamed wound A way he was, him thoughte that while, Toward Sein Jemes and Sein Gile. Saint James Saint Giles line3845 Whan he awok, he was afraid, To his wif is swevene a said. dream “Sire,” she seide, “thow havest wrong, That thow dwellest her so long. Alse ich am wimman ibore, line3850 Wif or child he hath forlore. lost Thourgh Ascopard he hath that gile.” Twelf knightes Saber let atile equip In palmer is wedes everichon, pilgrims’ clothes And armede hem right wel anon; line3855 Here bordones were imaked wel pilgrims’ staffs With longe pikes of wel gode stel, And whan thai were so idight, arrayed To schip thai wente anon right And pasede over the Grikische se; Greek sea line3860 Gode winde and weder hadden he. Good weather Whan thai come to the londe, Faste thai gonne fraine and fonde, ask and inquire In what londe were the quene, And men tolde hem al bedene, as well line3865 How the geaunt Ascopard In a castel hire hadde to ward, guard In wildernesse al be selve. Tho Saber and is feren twelve, companions Thourgh help of God that ilche stounde moment line3870 Sone thai han the castel founde. The castel ase he yede aboute, For to divise the toures stoute, survey Josian lay in a tour an high, Saber and felawes she sigh, saw line3875 And to him she gan to crie: “Help, Saber, for love of Marie!” Tho Ascopard herde that stevene, voice How she gan Saber to nevene, name He wente him out with hertte wroth line3880 And be Mahoun a swor his oth, To dethe a scholde Saber dighte. send His sclavin ech palmer of twighte, pilgrim’s coat took off Tho schon here armur wel clere; Tho Saber and his felawes ifere together line3885 Aboute Ascopard thai thringe, pressed And harde on him thai gonne dinge strike And hew him alle to pices smale And broughte Josian out of bale; trouble And hasteliche tho, veraiment, truly line3890 Josian with an oiniment Hire coulur, that was lothli of sight, skin She made bothe cler and bright. Tho Saber, that was wis of dede, Josian, hire dighte in palmers wede, arrayed garb line3895 And forth thai wente hasteli, To seche Beves and sire Terri. seek Seve yer togedres thai him sought, Seven years Er than hii him finde moughte. might In grete Grese, so saith the bok, Greece line3900 Saber gret sikenesse tok, That other half yer in none wise Ne mighte he out of is bed arise, And tresor he nadde namore, treasure Than half a mark of olde store. provision line3905 While Josian was in Ermonie, She hadde lerned of minstralcie, Upon a fithele for to play fiddle Staumpes, notes, garibles gay; Dances notes flourishes Tho she kouthe no beter red, knew strategy line3910 Boute in to the bourgh anon she yed went And boughte a fithele, so saith the tale, For fourti panes of one menestrale; pence from a minstral And alle the while that Saber lay, Josian everiche a day each and every line3915 Yede aboute the cité withinne, Here sostenaunse for to winne. Their sustenance Thus Josian was in swiche destresse, While Saber lai in is siknesse. At that other half yer is ende line3920 Swiche grace God him gan sende And heled him of his maladie, And forth thai wente hastelie, Beves and Terry for to seche, Wheder that God hem wolde teche. show line3925 So thourgh a toun thai com thringe, advance Thar Beves was in also a kinge; A broughte Josian at here inne And wente te toun, here mete to winne. food Whan he com to the castel gate, line3930 Terry, is sone, a mette ther-ate, That was stiward of al that londe, And Saber gan to understonde, realized That hit was is sone Terry, And bad him for love of Our Levedy Our Lady line3935 And for the love of the gode Rode good Cross Yeve him sumwhat of hire gode. Terry beheld Saber ful blive gladly And seide: “Palmer, so mot I thrive, Thow schelt have mete riche choice food line3940 For love of me fader, th’ert iliche!” [whom] you are like “So seide thee moder, sone, that I was!” And Terry him in armes las, embraced And gonne cleppen and to kisse hugged And made meche joie and blisse. line3945 Saber Josian wel faire gan dighte arrayed And broughte hire to the castel righte And tok hire Sire Beves to honde, Ne cam him never lever sonde. a more lovely sound “Louerd Crist,” queth Josian tho, Lord line3950 “Swithe wel is me bego, befallen That ichave me lord ifonde. Hadde ich me children hol and sonde!” Would that I sound That hii were ded, wel she wende. thought Beves after hem let sende; line3955 Than com the fischer and the forster And broughte the children of fair cher. countenance Thanne weddede Terry Of that londe the riche levedy; And after mete thar it was, line3960 The children pleide at the talvas, fenced And to the justes thai gonne ride; jousts Thar was joie be everi side. Thanne Sire Beves and Sere Terry Wente hem in til Ermonie, to line3965 And Josiane and Sire Sabere, And Miles and Gii bothe ifere. With that was come King Yvore, To yeve bataile Ermyn the hore; grayhaired Ipight he hadde is pavilioun, Pitched line3970 To besege him in that toun. With that com Beves in that tide With gret folk be that other side. Tho was Ermin afered sore, sorely afraid For tresoun he hadde don him before. Because of the line3975 Aghen Beves anon a yede And merci cride of his misdede, And Sire Beves tho, veraiment, Foryaf him alle is mautalent ill will And seide a wolde anon righte he would right away line3980 Aghen Yvor take the fighte. Out of the cité Beves rod, And al is ost, withouten abod, army (host) delay And slowe doun rightes mani and fale, slew many Sixti thosand told in tale; in total line3985 And Beves threw Yvor adoun And sente him Ermin to prisoun. He gan him take be the honde; The King Ermin gan understonde, That he ne schel nought scape awai, line3990 Withoute gret raunsoun for to pai. Tho swor Yvor to King Ermin Be Mahoun and be Apolyn, That gret raunsoun paie he wolde, ransom Sixti pound of rede golde, line3995 Foure hondred beddes of selk echon, beds silk Quiltes of gold thar upon, Four hondred copes of gold fyn cups And ase fele of maslin. as many brass “Ye,” seide Beves, “asend it me, line4000 And wend hom to the contré!” A masager a sente with main strength To Tabefor, his chaumberlain, And he him sente that raunsoun. Thus com Yvor out of prisoun. line4005 Now let we be of King Yvore And speke we of Ermin the hore, gray That in is bedde sike lay. So hit befel upon a day, Er he out of this world went, line4010 After Beves children a sent. He clepede to him Sire Gii And with is croune gan him crouny with his crown crowned him And yaf him alle is kenedom. kingdom Sone thar after hit becom, line4015 That a daide at the ende, died To hevene mote his saule wende! soul Thanne Sire Beves and Sire Gii, Al the lond of Ermony Hii made Cristen with dent of swerd, blows line4020 Yong and elde, lewed and lered. unlearned learned So hit befel upon an eve, Saber of Beves tok leve, Hom te wende to his contré, His wif, his children for to se. line4025 Ne stente never Sire Saber, stopped Til that he in Ingelonde were; Wel sore aneighed schel Beves be, annoyed Er than he Saber eft ise! The King Yvor hadde a thef. thief line4030 God him yeve evel pref, trial For that he kouthe so wel stele! knew how to steal He stel Beves Arondele stole With his charmes, that he kouthe, knew And broughte hit to Mombraunt be southe line4035 And presentede the King Yvore. The King be Mahoun hath swore That Beves scholde abegge sore pay for The raunsoun, that he hadde before. Now Sire Beves let we gan leave line4040 And to Sire Saber wile we tan. turn Saber at Hamtoun in bedde lay; Him thoughte that he Beves say He dreamed saw In bataile wo begon And al to-heve, flesch and bon. cut up line4045 Tho he abraide out of is swevene, started up dream To his wif a tolde hit ful evene exactly Al togedres how him met. dreamed “O sire,” she seide withouten let, delay “Be the swevene ful wel I wat, know line4050 That Beves is in semple stat; desperate state He hath forloren Arondel, lost And that I wet finliche wel.” intuit pretty well Saber was wo for that sake; Eft scrippe and bordoun he gan take purse staff line4055 And tok leve of his wif And to Beves a wente belif. with haste Beves was glad, that he was come, And tolde, his hors was him benome: taken “A roboun hit stal ful yore robber stole a while ago line4060 And hath yeve hit to King Yvore.” “That,” Saber seide, “athenketh me, grieves Boute yif ich mighte winne it aye!” Unless again Aghen to Mombraunt wente Saber Thar men watrede the deistrer; watered warhorse line4065 Thar he stod and abod, waited A proud Sarasin ther-on rod; “Mahoun thee save!” seide Saber, “Fro whanne kometh this fair deistrer? warhorse Hit haveth brestes thikke and proute. strong line4070 Which is the kroupe terne aboute?” rump Aboute he ternde the deistrer; Up behinde lep Saber And smot the Sarasin ded adoun With the pik of his bordoun. spike staff line4075 To the King Ivor he gan grede: did implore “Lo, Arondel ich a wei lede. Ye him stele with envie And ich him feche before your eie!” eyes The King Ivor was swithe wo so angry line4080 And after Saber thai gonne go; Thre thosend hath Saber beset; Josian stod in a toret; turret Al this folk she segh ful wel And Saber com ride on Arondel; line4085 Out of the tour she wente adoun And seide: “Beves of Hamtoun, Her cometh Saber upon thee stede. Jesu Crist him yilde is mede! reward Ac he is beset al aboute line4090 With wonderliche grete route; host Al most he is in point to spille!” die “Has armes!” Beves cride schille. To arms shrilly Ferst smot out the yonge King Gii And Miles with gret chevalry; line4095 Thai come to Saber at that stour attack And broughte Saber gode sokour help And leide on with alle here might their And slowe Sarasines adoun right. slew Of al that sewede him so yerne, followed eagerly line4100 To Mombraunt gonne never on terne, return That thai ner ded upon the grene, nearly died Everi moder sone, I wene; And thus Saber in this wise Wan Arondel with is queintise. cunning line4105 Now mowe ye here forthormore Ful strong bataile of King Yvore; Ac er than we beginne fighte, Ful us the koppe anon righte! Fill cup The King Yvore him ros amorwe, line4110 In his hertte was meche sorwe. He let of sende an highing in haste Thretti amirales and ten king. emirs Thai armede hem in yrene wede, To Ermonie he gan hem lede. line4115 Hii pighte paviliouns and bente ginne, They set up field artillery For to besege hem ther inne, And Yvore clepede at that cas embraced in his arms Morable and Sire Judos. Judas (Iscariot) “Redeth me,” a seide, “aright, Advise line4120 Yif ich mai understonde this fight Aghen Beves of Hamtoun, That is so stout a baroun!” “We redeth meintene your parti!” company He lep to hors and gan to crie: line4125 “Sire Beves of Hamtoun,” a sede, “Thou havest thar-inne gret ferede, company And ich her oute mani stout knight, out here Ichave brought with me to fight, And yif we bataile schel abide, line4130 Gret slaughter worth in either side. Wiltow graunte be then helve, on your part That ich and thow mote fighte us selve? ourselves Yif thow slest me in bataile, Al min onour, withouten faile, honor line4135 Ich thee graunte thourgh and thourgh, Bothe in cité and in bourgh!” borough Here gloven thai gonne up holde Their gloves In that forward, that Yvor tolde, pledge And armede hem in armes brighte line4140 And lopen to horse anon righte In an yle under that cité, isle Thar that scholde the bataile be. Where Over that water thai gonne ride, To hire godes that bede in either side; who command line4145 Beves bad help to Marie sone prayed for And King Yvor to Sein Mahoune; Saint Ase Beves bad helpe to Marie, To Tervagaunt Yvor gan crie, That he scholde helpe him in that fight, line4150 Also he was king of meche might. With that hii ride togedres bothe, Ase men, that were in hertte wrothe, angry So harde thai gonne togedres mete And with here launces gonne grete, line4155 That thourgh the scheldes the speres yode; went At the breinies the dent withstode. coat of mail blow So harde thai threste togedre tho, That here gerthes borste ato, belts asunder And felle to grounde bothe tho, line4160 A fote nedes thai moste go. On foot Out of here sadles thai gonne springe And with fauchouns to gedere flinge; falchions Aither on other strokes set, Each Of helm and scheld and bacinet line4165 The fure brast out so brond ibrent, fire erupted as if a torch burned So fel and eger was either dent. fierce stroke Thus togederes thai gonne dinge strike Fram prime til underne gan to ringe. six in the morning till noon Alle that sighen hem with sight, line4170 Seide never in none fight So stronge bataile sighe er than before Of Sarasin ne of Cristene man. At high midday the King Yvore, To Beves he smot a dent ful sore, line4175 That sercle of gold and is crestel circle his crest Fer in to the mede fel. grass Doun of the helm the swerd gan glace And karf right doun before is face, Doun right the viser with is swerd line4180 And half the her upon is berd. hair Ac thourgh the help of Godes grace His flesch nothing atamed nas. pierced Tho cride the Sarasins al at ones: “This Beves with his grete bones prayers line4185 Ful sone worth imaked tame!” [will] become tamed Tho wex Beves in gret grame grew anger And thoughte wel with Morgelay Yelden his strok, yif that he may. Repay To King Yvor he gan areche reach out line4190 Anon withoute more speche Upon the scholder in that tide, time That half a fot hit gan in glide. For smertte Yvor in that stounde pain Fel a knes unto the grounde, line4195 Ac up he sterte in haste than And in wrathe to Beves ran And thoughte han Beves aqueld; killed And Beves keppte him with is scheld, warded him off with his shield And Yvore with the strok of yre anger line4200 Made fle in to the rivere fly A large quarter of his scheld, That never nas atamed in feld. tamed Or Ivor mighte his hond withdrawe, Before Beves, the knight of Cristene lawe, line4205 With Morgelay a smot him tho, That his scheld he clef ato, And his left hond, be the wrest wrist Hit flegh awei thourgh help of Crist. Whan Ivor hadde his hond lore, lost line4210 He faught, ase he wer wod therfore, And hew to Beves in that tide, No strok ne moste other abide. could withstand Tho Beves segh is strokes large, He kepte his strokes with is targe; warded off shield line4215 Tho Beves to Ivor gan flinge rush And thourgh the might of hevene king His right arm and is scholder bon He made fle to gronde anon. With that strok Yvor the Mombraunt line4220 Cride: “Merci, Tervagaunt, Mahoun, Govin, and Gibiter, Reseve now me saule her, Receive soul For wel ich wot, ich am dede!” Tho Beves herde him so grede, cry out line4225 He seide: “Yvor, let be that cri And clepe to God and to Mari, And let thee cristen, er thee deie, let yourself be baptized before you die Or thow schelt go the worsse weie And withouten ende dwelle line4230 In the stronge peine of helle!” “Nay,” queth Yvor, “so mot I then, prosper Cristene wile ich never ben, Christian For min is wel the beter lawe!” Tho Beves herde that ilche sawe, pronouncement line4235 A felde him doun, withouten faile, And unlacede his ventaile, helmet-front And tok him be the heved anon And strok hit fro the scholder bon, And on his spere he hit pighte. placed line4240 And tho the Cristen sighe that sighte, when Thai thankede God in alle wise, That Beves hadde wonne the prise. contest Thanne al the Sarasins lasse and more, That was ycome with King Yvore, line4245 Thai sighe her lordes heved arered, raised up Sore thai weren alle afered; Toward Mombraunt thei wolde fain, Ac Saber made hem terne again, And Sire Beves and Sire Terry, line4250 And Sire Miles and Sire Gii Slough hem doun rightes thore, there That ther ne scapede lasse ne more. Tho crounede thai Beves king in that lond, That King Yvore held in hond, line4255 And Josiane bright and schene, radiant Now is she ther twies quene. twice On a dai thai wente a rivere; went hawking Thar com ride a masagere, And ever he askede fer and ner line4260 After the hende knight Saber. Anon Saber gan forth springe: “Masager,” a sede, “what tiding?” “Sire,” a sede, “the King Edgare Thee driveth to meche te bismare, to infamy line4265 Desereteth Robaunt, thin eyr!” Disinherited heir “For God,” queth Saber, “that is nought feir!” And Sire Saber in haste tho Tok leve of Beves, hom to go; And Sire Beves corteis and hende, noble line4270 A seide a wolde with him wende, And Sire Miles and Sire Gii, And is owene sone Terry. Now wendeth Beves in te Ingelonde With is knightes fel to fonde, courageous try line4275 And Terry with is knightes fale, many Sexty thosend told in tale. Thai lende over the se belive, came in haste At Southhamtoun thai gonne up rive. to land Hervebourgh, Saber is wif, Saber’s wife line4280 And Robaund anon ase blif quickly Aghen Saber come tho; Toward Queth Saber: “How this is igo?” And thai him tolde at the frome, beginning That Edgar hadde here londes benome. taken line4285 Thanne seide Beves: “So mot I the, thrive Thar of ich wile awreke be!” avenged Anon the knight, Sire Bevoun, His ost he let at Hamtoun, left And toward Londen a wente swithe; quickly line4290 His quene a let at Potenhithe; left Putney He tok with him sex knightes And wente forth anon rightes, And in is wei forth a yode went And pasede over Temse flode. Thames line4295 To Westmenster whan he com than, Westminster A fond the king and mani man, found And on is knes he him set, The king wel hendeliche a gret nobly And bad before his barnage, baronage line4300 That he him graunte is eritage. “Bletheliche,” a seide, “sone min, Gladly my son I graunte thee, be Seinte Martin!” And alle the barouns, that ther were, On Beves made glade chere, line4305 Boute the stiward of the halle; He was the worste frend of alle. The king wolde have yeve him grith, peace The stiward seide nay ther with, And seide: “This forbanniiste man banished line4310 Is come to the land aghan, returned And hath thin owene sone slawe. He hath ydon aghenes the lawe, And yif a mot forther gon, A wile us slen everichon!” line4315 Beves that herde, a was wroth, And lep to hors, withouten oth, And rod to Londen, that cité, With sex knightes in meiné. company Whan that he to Londen cam, line4320 In Tour strete is in he nam Tower his lodging And to the mete he gan gon, food And is knightes everichon. Let we now Beves be, And of all the stiward telle we, line4325 That hateth Beves, also is fo. as his enemy Sexty knightes he tok and mo, In to Londene sone he cam, And into Chepe the wei he nam Cheapside And dede make ther a cri line4330 Among the peple hasteli, And seide: “Lordinges, veraiment, Hureth the kinges comaundement. Hear Sertes, hit is befalle so, so happens In your cité he hath a fo, line4335 Beves, that slough the kinges sone; That tresoun ye oughte to mone. remember I comaunde, for the kinges sake, Swithe anon that he be take!” Very soon Whan the peple herde that cri, line4340 Thai gonne hem arme hasteli, And hii that hadde armur non, no armor Thai toke staves and gonne gon; Thai schette anon everi gate With the barres, thai founde ther-ate; bars line4345 And sum thai wente to the wal With bowes and with springal; catapults Everi lane and everi strete Was do drawe with chaines grete, barricaded That, yif Beves wolde awei flen, line4350 The chaines scholde holde him aghen. Boute her of Beves weste nought. About this knew not Help him God, that alle thing wrought! Beves at the mete sat, He beheld and underyat understood line4355 Al is fon, that were ther oute; foes He was afered of that route. He askede at the tavarnere, tavern That armede folk, what it were. And he answerde him at that sake: cause line4360 “Thai ben ycome thee to take!” Whan Beves herde him speke so, To a chaumber he gan go, That he hadde seghe armur inne; seen In haste the dore he gan up winne open line4365 And armede ther anon rightes Bothe he and is sex knightes, his six And gerte him with a gode brond armed himself sword And tok a spere in is honde, Aboute his nekke a doble scheld. double line4370 He was a knight stout and belde. bold On Arondel a lep that tide, In to the strete he gan ride. Thanne seide the stiward to Sire Bef: Bevis “Ayilt thee, treitour, thow foule thef! Yield line4375 Thow havest the kinges sone islawe, Thow schelt ben hanged and to-drawe!” Beves seide: “Be Sein Jon, Treitour was I never non. That I schel kethe hastely, make known line4380 Er than ich wende, sikerly!” certainly A spere Beves let to him glide And smot him under the right side; Thourgh is bodi wente the dent, blow Ded a fel on the paviment. Dead he fell line4385 A sede anon after that dint: “Treitour! now is the lif itint. lost Thus men schel teche file glotouns, vile That wile misaie gode barouns!” slander The folk com with grete route, line4390 Besette Beves al aboute; Beves and is sex knightes Defendede hem with al her mightes, So that in a lite stounde while Five hondred thai broughte te gronde. line4395 Beves prikede forth to Chepe, galloped Cheapside The folk him folwede al to hepe; as a mob Thourgh Godes lane he wolde han flowe, fled Ac sone within a lite throwe He was beset in bothe side, line4400 That fle ne mighte he nought that tide. time Tho com ther fotmen mani and fale numerous With grete clobbes and with smale! Aboute Beves thai gonne thringe throng And hard on him thai gonne dinge. strike line4405 Al Beves knightes, in that stounde space of time Thar hii were feld to grounde And al to-hewe flesch and bon. Tho was Beves wobegon, woebegone For he was on and hii were ded; alone line4410 For sorwe kouthe he no red; advice That lane was so narw ywrought, narrowly built That he mighte defende him nought, not defend himself He ne Arondel, is stede, Nor had he his Ne mighte him terne for non nede. line4415 To Jesu he made his praiere And to Marie, is moder dere, That he moste pase with is lif, escape To sen is children and is wif. Out of the lane a wolde ten, go line4420 The chynes held him faste aghen. chains held him back With is swerd he smot the chayne, That hit fel a peces twayne, two pieces And forth a wente in to Chepe; The folk him folwede al to hepe, in a mob line4425 And al thai setten up a cry: “Ayilt thee, Beves, hastely, Yield Ayilt thee, Beves, sone anon, And elles thow schelt thee lif forgon!” Beves seide: “Ich yelde me line4430 To God, that sit in Trinité! To non other man I nel me yelde, While that ich mai me wepne welde!” weapon Now beginneth the grete bataile Of Sire Beves, withouten faile, line4435 That he dede ayenes that cité. Ye that wile here, herkneth to me! This was aboute the under tide, noon The cri aros be ech a side Bothe of lane and of strete; line4440 Aboute him com peple grete, Al newe and fresch, with him to fight, Ac Beves stered him ase gode knight, comported himself So that in a lite thrawe while Fif thosend thar was islawe line4445 Of the strengeste, that ther wore, That him hadde yeve dentes sore; given painful blows Ac ever his stede Arondel Faste faught with hertte lel, loyal That fourty fote behinde and forn before line4450 The folk he hath to grounde iborn. Thus that fight leste longe Til the time of evesonge. evensong Tidinge com to Potenhithe, Putney To Josian also swithe, line4455 That Beves in Londen was islawe And ibrought of his lif dawe. Josian thanne fel aswowe, swooned Gii and Miles hire up drowe picked And confortede that levedi bright line4460 Hendeliche with alle her might, Nobly And askede hire, what hire were; And she tolde hem anon there, How Beves was in Londen slayn And his knightes with gret payn: line4465 “Now kethe ye ben noble knightes, know And wreketh your fader with your mightes!” avenge Sire Gii and Miles seide than To here moder Josian: their “Dame, be Him that herwede helle, by harrowed hell line4470 We scholle his deth wel dere selle!” purchase dearly Than Sire Miles and Sire Gii Gonne hem arme hasteli And on here knes set hem doun And bad her moder benesoun. mother’s blessing line4475 Sire Gii lep on a rabit, Arabian horse That was meche and nothing lite, And tok a spere in is hond, Out at the halle dore a wond he departed Toward the cité of Londen toun, line4480 And Sire Miles with gret randoun violence Lep upon a dromedary, camel To prike wolde he nought spary, spur spare Whan thai come to Londen gate, Mani man thai fonde ther-ate, line4485 Wel iarmed to the teth, So the Frensche bok us seth, Aghen the children thei yeve bataile, And hii aghen, withouten faile, in return And made of hem so clene werk, line4490 That thai never spek with prest ne clerk; And afterward, ase ye mai hure, hear Londegate thai sette a fure. on fire Whan thai come, withouten faile, Tho began a gret bataile line4495 Betwene Bowe and Londen ston, That time stod us never on. not a single one withstood us Thar was a Lombard in the toun, That was scherewed and feloun; wicked villainous He armede him in yrene wede line4500 And lep upon a sterne stede strong And rod forth with gret randoun violence And thoughte have slawe Sire Bevoun. With an uge masnel huge club Beves a hite on the helm of stel, line4505 That Beves of Hamtoun, veraiment, Was astoned of the dent; dazed What for care and for howe, anguish He lenede to his sadelbowe. Thanne com priken is sone Gii, line4510 To helpe his fader, hastely; With a swerd drawe in is hond To that Lombard sone a wond quickly he proceeded And smot him so upon the croun, That man and hors he clevede doun; clove line4515 The poynt fel on the paviment, The fur sprong out after the dent. fire Thanne com ride is brother Mile Among the peple in that while; Al tho, that a mighte reche, line4520 Ne dorste he never aske leche, ask for a doctor For to hele ther is wonde, That he ne lai ded upon the grounde. And whan Beves segh that sighte, In hertte he was glad and lighte line4525 And thankede Jesu, our saviour, That hadde sent him so gode sokour, succor And egerliche, withouten faile, eagerly The grete peple he gan asaile. So meche folk was slawe and ded, line4530 That al Temse was blod red; Thames The nombre was, veraiment, To and thretti thosent. 32,000 And also sone as hit was night, To the ledene halle thai wente right; hall [with the] lead roof line4535 A fette Josian with faire meiné brought retinue To Londen, to that riche cité, And held a feste fourtene night To al that ever come, aplight! indeed Tiding com to King Edgar, line4540 That Beves hadde his men forfare; killed For is borgeis in is cité citizens He made del and gret pité grief (dole, mourning) And seide: “Ichave leved me lif lived Longe withouten werre and strif, war line4545 And now icham so falle in elde, old age That I ne may min armes welde. Twei sones Beves hath with him brought, Tharfore hit is in me thought, Miles, his sone, me doughter take, line4550 In this maner is pes to make.” peace Thai grauntede al with gode entent, And King Edgar Beves of-sent, And Sire Saber and Sire Gii, And Sire Miles and Sire Terry, line4555 And King Edgar Miles gan calle Before his barouns in the halle And yaf him is doughter be the honde, And after is day al Ingelonde, And pes and love was maked thare line4560 Betwene Beves and King Edgare. The maide and Miles wer spused same espoused In the toun of Notinghame. Nottingham Ye witeth wel, though I ne telle yow, The feste was riale inow, feast royal enough line4565 As scholde be at swiche a spusing spousing (wedding) And at the kinges couroning; crowning The feste leste fourtene night To al that ever come, aplight! indeed And at the fourtene night is ende, line4570 Beves tok leve, hom to wende, At King Edgar and at Sabere, And Miles, is sone, a lefte here And kiste and yaf him is blessing, And wente to Mombraunt, ther he was king; line4575 And his erldom in Hamteschire Hampshire A yaf to his em Sabere And schipede at Hamtoun hastely, sailed from And with him wente his sone Gii, And Terry with is barnage. baronage line4580 The wind blew hardde with gret rage And drof hem in to Ermonie, Thar belefte his sone Gii With his barouns gode and hende; And Terry to Aumberthe gan wende, line4585 And Beves wente withoute dwelling In to Mombraunt, thar he was king; With him wente Josian, is quene, And levede withoute treie and tene grief injury Twenti yer, so saith the bok. line4590 Thanne swiche siknesse the levedi tok, Out of this world she moste wende; Gii, hire sone, she gan ofsende, And Terry, the riche king, For to ben at here parting. her passing line4595 And whan thai were alle thare, To his stable Beves gan fare; Arondel a fond thar ded, dead That ever hadde be gode at nede; Tharfore him was swithe wo, line4600 In to his chaumber he gan go And segh Josian drawe to dede. Him was wo a moste nede, And er her body began to colde, before In is armes he gan hire folde, line4605 And thar hii deide bothe ifere. died together Here sone ne wolde in non manere, son That hii in erthe beried were. Of Sein Lauarauns he let arere Saint Lawrence raise up A faire chapel of marbel fin, marble fine line4610 That was ikast with queint engin; cast noble art Of gold he made an high cornere And leide them thar in bothe ifere. An hous he made of riligioun, house of religion (church or monastery) For to singe for Sire Bevoun line4615 And ek for Josian the fre: noble God on here saules have pité! souls And also for Arondel, Yif men for eni hors bidde schel, pray Thus endeth Beves of Hamtoun. line4620 God yeve us alle Is benesoun! His Amen.