1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507

N     N         N     N                   N           N           N                                                                                                         N                               N       N                                                                               N                                           N                                                                                                                                                                                                     N                       N                                                                                           N                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             N

[Uther and Ygerne]   All as Merlyn devised dide the kynge, and warned thourgh all his reame to be at Cardoell in Walys at the Pentecoste. And thus he lete crye thourgh all his reame, and Merlyn dide ordeyne all that longed to the table. The weke afore Witsontyde come the kynge to Cardoell. And whan he was come, he axed Merlin how he hadde spedde, and he seide, "Wele." Quod the kynge, "What men shull ye chese to sitte at this table?" And Merlyn seide, "Ye shull se tomorou that ye wende never to seen, that I shall chese fyfty of the beste knyghtes of this londe. And whan thei be ones sette, thei will have no grete desire to returne into their contrees. And thus ye may knowe whiche were gode men and worthy, whan ye se the signifiaunce of the voyde place." Thus Merlyn on the Witsonday chese fifty knyghtes and comaunded hem to be sette at that table to mete; and thei so diden with gode chere. And Merlyn, that full of stronge arte was, yede hem aboute, and cleped the kynge as they weren sette, and shewed hym the voyde place. And many othir it syen, but they ne knewe not the tokenynge, ne why it was voyde. When Merlyn hadde don all thus, he badde the kynge that he sholde go sitte; and thus thei diden, alle eight dayes. And the kynge yaf grete yeftes to lordes and to ladyes and to dameseles. And when they departed, the kynge come to the fyfty knyghtes and axed how hem lyked. And thei seyde, "Sir, we have no talent to remeve fro hens, and therof we have merveile what it maketh, for we be entred as brethern; and therfore we will never departe till deth us departe." When the kynge herde hem thus sey, he hadde grete merveile and comaunded hem to be served and kepte as his owne body. And thus departed the grete prese. And than the kynge come to Merlyn and seide, "Truly, thow seidest me soth that oure Lorde wolde that this table sholde be stablisshed; but I wolde praye thee to telle me yef thow knowe who shall fulfille the place that is voyde." And Merlyn ansuerde, "Wite thow right wele that it shall not be in thy tyme, ne he that shall acomplesshen it is not yet begeten. But it shall be in the kynges tyme that shall come next after thee; ne he that shall hym engendere shall not knowe that he shall hym engendere; and he that shall acomplysshe that sete must also complysshe the voyde place at the table that Joseph made. And I pray yow therfore that ever hensforth that ye hoilde alle youre grete festes in this town." "Certes," quod the kynge, "I will gladly." And than seide Merlyn, "Sir, I moste go, and of longe tyme ye shull not se me ageyn." And the kynge hym axed whider he sholde go. Quod he, "Shall ye not be here at alle tymes when I holde my grete courte?" And Merlyn seyde, "No." Than departed the kynge. And Merlyn yede to Blase and told hym the stablisshement of this table and many other thynges. And thus abode Merlyn thre yere that he come not to courte. They that loved not Merlyn but by semblaunce come to the kynge on a day as he was at Cardoell, and axeden hym of his voide place and why ther was not sette some worthy man that the table myght be full. And the kynge seide, "Merlin tolde me a grete merveile, that seide noon myght it acomplisshe in my tyme, ne yet ne ys he born that shall engendre hym that shall it complesshen." And thei lough therat as they that weren full of envye, and seide, "Sir, trowe ye that ther shal be better peple after youre tyme than beth now, and that ther ne be now as gode men in youre londe as thei shull be?" "Truly," seide the kynge, "I wote never." And thei seide, "Ye do not wele but ye assaye." "Certes," quod the kynge, "I will it not assaie, for I doute that Merlin wolde be wroth." And than they ansuerde, "Yef ye wele yeve us leve, we will assaye it, and for to preve the grete lesynge." And the kynge seide, "Ne were the drede I have of the wrath of Merlyn, ther is nothynge that I desire so moche to assayen." And they seide, "Yef Merlyn be livynge and he knowe that we will it assayen, he will come without faile er eny man shall it assayen; but suffre that we may it assaien at Pentecoste." And the kynge hem graunted, wherfore they weren gladde. Thus it lefte till at Witsontyde that the kynge hadde do warne all his barons to be at his feste at Cardoell. And Merlyn, that all thys wiste wele, tolde unto Blase the evell thoughtes that they hadden that hadde take this enprise, and seide he wolde not go till he knewe who sholde assaye to preve that place, for he hadde lever have it preve by a shrewe than a gode man. Thus suffred Merlyn to the quynsyne of Pentecoste. Uterpendragon the kynge come to Cardoel and brought with hym grete plenté of peple. And thei that were come for to assaie the place made it to be seide that Merlyn was deed, and that he was founden in a wildernesse madde, and cherles hym kylde. And so moche peple spake therof that the kynge hymself it leved, and more for that he was so longe awey than for eny thinge elles; and namely he wende in no wyse he wolde not have suffred that eny man sholde have assaide the voyde place yef he were lyvynge. Thus was the kynge on Witson-even at Cardoel, and axed of hem that sholde it assaie whiche of hem sholde it do. And he that all this hadde ordeyned seide, "Sir, I will that ye wete that ther shall noon assaie it but I." Than he com to the table whereas the fifty knyghtes weren sette and seide, "I am come to sitte with yow and for to holde yow company." And they ansuerde no worde but full mekely behelde what he wolde do. And the kynge and grete partye of the barons weren ther assembled. This [man] sette hym down in the voyde place; and anoon as he was sette, he sanke down as it hadde be leed, so that noon wiste where he was become. Than the kynge comaunded alle the other gode men to aryse, and they so diden. And than anoon began so grete a noyse and sorowfull crye that all the court was trowbled. And the kynge hymself was gretely abaisshed. Thus they abiden to the quynsyne after Pentecoste that Merlin come to courte. And whan the kynge wiste of hys comynge, he was right joyfull, and wente hym ageins to mete with hym. And anoon whan Merlyn saugh the kynge, he seide he had evell spedde to suffre eny man to sytte in that place. "Trewly," seide the kynge, "I was disceyved thourgh here wordes." "In feith," seide Merlyn, "it falleth often to hem that wolden begile that thei [be] begiled hemself; and that maist thow wele preven be this." After the kynge axed yef he wiste where he was becomen that set hym in the sege. And Merlin ansuerde, "Therof no force is for to enquere, ne nought it sholde avayle for to wite, but thenke on them that in the other places sitten, and to mayntene that thow haste begonne; and alle thy festes and alle thy courtes, come holde hem heir in this town for to wurship this table, for thow knowest by the assay that thow haste seyen that it is of grete dignité. And now I go; now loke thow do as thow haste seyde." And thus departed the kynge. And Merlin comaunded the kynge to beilde feire howsynge where he sholde ever after holde his courte and his hye festes. Than the kynge lete it be knowen thourgh his reame that alle high festes, as Pasch and Pentecoste and Yole and Halowmesse, sholde be holden at Cardoel. And ageyn the Feste of Yole he somowned alle his barons in soche maner that everich of hem shulde brynge with hem their wyves and doughtres and her neces or susteres. And the knyghtes so diden alle. I may not telle yow alle tho that ther weren, sef of hem that the tale reherses, oon after another. Ther was the Duke of Tintagel and Ygrine his wif; and hir the kynge loved gretly, but therof he made no semblaunce, saf that often he beheilde her more than another, insomoche that hirself it perceyved and knewe that the kynge behelde her often. And whan she it perceyved, she eschewed to come in his presence, for she was right a gode lady and full of grete bewté and right trewe ageins hir lorde. And the kynge for her love, and for he sigh she hadde taken hede of his lokynges, he sente juwelles to every lady that was at the feste. And to Ygerne he sente as he trowed sholde beste hir plese. And she knewe and sigh wele that he hadde sente to alle other ladies, and therfore she durste not refuse hirs but receyved hem, and thought wele in her herte that the kynge ne hadde not yeven to other ladyes but for she sholde not refusen hirs. Thus hilde the kynge that feeste, that yet is withouten wif, and was so supprised with the love of Ygerne that he wiste not how to do. And thus departed the court. But firste the kynge praide alle the barons to be at Cardoel at Pasch, and so he prayed alle the ladies, and thei graunted to be ther. Whan the Duke of Tintagel departed fro courte, the kynge hym conveyed and gretly hym honoured at theyr departynge; and whan he hadde hym a while conveied, he toke leve and yede thourgh the courte in his othir necessitees, till that the tyme of Pasch. And than gan to assemble alle the barons and alle the ladyes at Cardoel. And grete was the joye that the kynge made till it come to the mete tyme, that the kynge made the Duke of Tintagel to be set before hymself and also his wif Ygerne, so that Ygerne ne myght not eschewe but to receve his yeftes, so that she it aparceyved verily that the kynge hir loved, wherof she was right hevy, but ne she mot it suffer. Thus was this feeste holden in grete joye. And the kynge hem prayde to come at alle tymes whan he hem comaunded; and thei seiden so thei wolden as to theire sovereyn lorde. And thus departed the courte. And so endured the kynge in grete mysese for love of Ygerne. And at laste he complayned hymself to tweyne that he moche trusted, of grete angwysshe that he suffred for the love of Ygerne; and they seiden, "What will ye that we shull do?" Quod the kynge, "I wolde have youre counseile how I myght have her company." And they seide, "Yef ye go in to the courte theras she is, the peple shull it aperceyve, and so myght ye be in blame." And he seyde, "What counseile yeve ye me thanne?" "The beste counseile," seid thei, "that we se therinne is that ye somowne a grete courte to be at Cardoel and that ye make hem all to wite that it shall holde to the quynsine, and that eche come araide to abide fifteen dayes, and everiche man to brynge with hym his wif. And thus may ye have longe the company of Ygerne and have grete counfort of youre love." And the kynge was plesed wele with her counseile, and sente to alle the barons to be at Pentecoste at Cardoel, and every baron to brynge with hym his wif. And as the kynge hem comaunded thei diden. And at that feeste the kynge bar crowne and yaf grete yeftes to alle astates, as hym semed beste sittynge. Gretly was the kynge at that feeste, and joyfull and mery. And he spake to oon of his counseile to whom he hadde moste truste of eny other, and his name was Ulfyn. And the kynge hym tolde of the grete peyne that he was inne for the love of Ygerne, that so hym constrayned that he myght nother ete ne slepe ne go ne ride, and that he wende verily to dye whan he was oute of her sight, and that he myght not longe lyve but he hadde other counseile of her love. And Ulfyn seide, "Sir, it is a wonder thynge that for the delyte of a woman ye wene to dye. And I am but a pore man, and yef I loved a woman so strongly as ye, I sholde not wene therfore to dyen. Who herde ever speke of eny woman, yef she were wele requereth, but ye sholde have of her youre volunté; with that to yeve her gret yeftis and juwels and to hem that ben abouten hir. I ne herde never speke of woman that cowde hir diffende ageyn this; and thow that arte a kynge, dismayest thee so of feynt herte!" And the kynge seide, "Ulfyn, thow seyst right wele, and thow knowest wele what longeth to soche mystere. I pray thee helpe me in all maners that thow can or may, and take of my cofres what thow wilte, to yeve to alle that ben hir abouten, and speke so to hir as thow knowest is for my spede." Quod Ulfin, "Be of gode counfort, for I shall do all my power." And thus undirtoke Ulfin to helpe the kynge. And so all the fifteen dayes hilde the kynge grete feste, and every day hadde the duke in his company and yaf hym a grete juwell, and also to his compers. And Ulfyn spake with Ygerne and tolde hir many thinges that he myght, as he trowed beste her plese; and many tymes he brought her a preciouse juwell. But Ygerne wolde noon, till on a tyme that Ygerne hilde Ulfyn in counseile and seide, "Ulfin, wherefore that ye wolde me yeve alle these juwelles and these riche yeftes?" And Ulfin seide, "Madame, for youre grete wisdome and your grete beauté and faire contenaunce I may noght yeve yow, for all erthely gode is yours and alle the londe of Logres and alle the mennes bodyes at your plesier to do your volenté." And she ansuerde, "How?" "How?" quod he; "for ye have the herte of hym to whom alle moste obbeye." Quod she, "Whos herte is that ye of speken?" And Ulfin seide, "Of the kynge." And she lifte up hir hande and hir sayned and seide, "A, mercy God, shold eny kynge be traytour so as he maketh semblaunce to myn husbonde of love and so shamefully wolde me diffoule? Ulfin, now be right well ware that thow never speke to me more of these wordes, for wite thow wele I shall telle my lorde; and yef he it knowe, thow moste dye." And Ulfyn ansuerde, "That were to me grete wurship, yef I sholde dye for my lord; ne never lady that refused a kynge in soche wyse as do ye, that loveth yow more than eny other thynge. And I trowe ye do but jape. But for Goddes love, haveth pité of the kynge that is youre lorde, and also upon youreself, for yef ye have no mercy of this thynge, witeth wele that therof may come grete harme; ne ye ne youre lorde may not yow diffende ageyn the kynges wille." And Ygerne ansuerde, wepynge, "I shall therfore me right wele diffende, for I will never come in place wheras he may me seen." And so departed Ygerne. And Ulfin come to the kynge and tolde hym like as she hadde seide. And the kynge seyde so sholde a gode lady ansuere, for ther was never gode lady that lightly wolde be overcome; and therfore he ne cessed not of prayinge. And on the eleventh jour of Pentecoste the kynge satte at mete and with hym the Duke of Tintagel. And the kynge hadde a riche cowpe of goolde; and Ulfyn kneled before the kynge and seide, "Sir, sende this cuppe to Ygerne, and praye the duke to bidde hir to take it and drynke for your love." And the kynge cleped the duke and badde hym sende that cuppe to Ygerne, his wif, and sende hir worde to drynke for his love. And the duke ansuerde as he that thought noon evell and seyde, "Sir, gramercy." The duke cleped a knyght of his owne that he loved well; "Bretel, take this cuppe and bere to thy lady, and sey her that she drynke for the kynges love." And Bretel cam in to the chamber where Ygerne sat at mete amonge othir ladyes and kneled before hir and seide, "Madam, the kynge sente yow this cuppe, and my lorde comaundeth that ye sholde it take and also to drynke for the kynges sake." Whan the lady undirstode these wordes, she wax all reade for shame, but she durste not refuse the comaundement of hir lorde but toke the cuppe and dranke and wolde have sente it ageyn be the same knyght. And he seide, "My lorde sente yow worde ye sholde it kepe, for so the kynge hym prayde." When she sye that, she sigh wele that nedes she muste kepe the cuppe. And Bretell com ageinand thanked the kynge on Ygernes behalfe, that therof hadde seide no worde. And glad was the kynge that she hadde resceyved his yefte. And Ulfin wente into the chamber to se what semblaunce she made, and he fonde hir pensif and angry. And whan she saugh Ulfin, she cleped hym to hir for the bourdes weren up, and seide, "Ulfyn, thourgh grete treson thy lorde hath here sente me a cuppe, but therby shall he gete litill wurschip er tomorow day, for I will telle my lorde of the treson that ye betwene yow two have purposed." And Ulfyn ansuerde, "Bewar therof, that it yow never passe." And she seide, "Mysaventure have that it kepeth eny counseile." With that departed Ulfyn from hir. And be than the kynge hadde waisshe, and was right mery and gladde, and toke the duke be the hande and seide, "Gowe, se these ladyes." Than they yede to the chamber wheras Ygerne hadde eten; and she knewe wele that he come for noon othir cause but for hir. And so she suffred all the day till the nyght, and than she wente hom to hir loigynge. And when the duke come, he fonde hir wepynge and makynge grete sorowe; wherfore he was right hevy, and toke hir in his armes, as he that moche hir loved, and axed whi she made soche sorowe. "Trewly," quod she, "ther [is] nothynge that I will kepe from yowr counseile, for ther is nothynge that I love so moche as yow. The kynge, that is my lorde and yowr, seith that he loveth me. And alle these courtes that ye se hym holde, and alle these ladyes that he sendith fore, it is nought elles but for me, and that ye sholde brynge me with yow. And these othir tymes I parceyved it wele inough, and I me kepte both fro hym and from his yeftes. And so hiderto I have me wele deffended that I have nought taken of his. And now have ye made me to take a cuppe, and sente me that I sholde drynke for his love. And therfore I wolde I were deed, for I may never have reste for hym and Ulfyn hys counseiller. And now I have tolde yow all as it is, I knowe wele that therof muste come more anger, wherfore I beseke yow, as I ought to do my lorde, that ye brynge me to Tintagel, for I will no lenger abide in this town." Whan the duke, that moche loved his wif, herde this, he was als wroth as eny man myght be. Than he sente after his men thourgh the town, and when they were come, he seide to hem prevely, "Make yow redy for to ride in all haste, so that no man of the town it wyte; and axe not the cause why till I telle yow." And thus the duke and his knyghtes lepe to horse and rode home to his contré, and ledde with hym his wyf. On the morowe whan the kynge wiste the Duke was thus igon, he was hevy and sorowfull for that he hadde ledde awey Ygerne. And [he] sente after his counseile and shewde hem the shame and the dispite the duke hadde hym don. And they seide they merveyled ther gretly, and that [the Duke] hadde don grete folye. Thus seide they that wiste not why he was gon. And the kynge seide, "As ye have sen alle, I have do to hym more wurship than to eny othir." And they seiden it was soth; "wherfore we gretly merveyle why he hath don so grete outerage." And the kynge seide, "Yef it be youre rede, I will sende after hym that he come ageyn and amende this forfet, and that in the same wise as he is gon that he come agein, for that me semeth is right." And the counseile therto assented. On this massage was sente two worthy men fro the kynge, and rode till they come to Tintagell, and ther they fonde the duke and tolde hym their message as they weren charged. Whan the duke herde that in the same forme he moste come ageyn, he undirstode wele he sholde bringe with hym Ygerne. And than he seide to the messagers, "I ne will not come at his courte, for he hath so don to me and to myne that I owe hym neyther to truste ne to love." And thus departed the messagers withouten other ansuere. And than the duke sente after alle the worthy men of his counseile and seide hem the cause why he was come fro Cardoel, and the untrouthe and the shame that the kynge hadde hym purposed. And they therof merveileden gretly, and seide that sholde never betyden, with Goddes grace, and wele oughten he to have shame that this shame hath purposed to his liege man. Thanne seide the duke, "I pray yow and requyre be the feith that ye me owen, that ye helpe me to diffende my londe yef he me assawte with werre." And thei ansuerde that so wolde they do to put alle ther lyves and godes in jepardye. Thus the duke counseiled with his men. And the messagers come to Cardoel and fonde the kynge and his barons, and tolde as the duke hadde yeve hem ansuere; and they seiden alle, thei merveiled of the duke that was wonte to be so wise a man and so had him ruled. The kynge praide his barons and hem requyred as his liege men that thei wolde hym helpe to redresse that forfet and avenge the shame that he hadde hym don. And they seiden that they myght not that refusen; but thei seiden yef it were hys plesier to sende, knowynge that he hym diffied forty dayes before, er he hym assailed. And the kynge seide that wolde he do; but the kynge hem praide that at the ende of forty dayes they be redy assembled ther he hem assigned, arayed for to osteye. The kynge sente his messagers for to diffie the Duke of Tintagel. And when the duke herde that he hym diffied at the ende of forty dayes, he seide he sholde hym diffende yef he myght. And than he sente to his peple and shewde hem the diffiaunce of the kynge, prayinge hem to helpe hym in that grete mister. And they seide thei sholde hym helpe with all their power. And than the duke counseiled with his peple and seide, "I have but two castelles that agein the kynge may holde." But the tweyne wolde he holde as longe as he hadde lyf. And he devised to leve his wif at Tintagel, and with hir ten knyghtes, for he knewe that castell hadde no doute of no man; and hymself wente to another castell that was of lesse strengthe, and it stuffed in the beste wise that he myght, and seide that he myght not his other londes agein hym diffende. The messagers that hadde the duke diffied come to the kynge and seide how the duke wolde hym diffende. Thanne the kynge sente to somowne his barons and his peple, and made hem alle to assemble in the duke's londe in a grete medowe upon a rivere. Whan the barons were assembled, the kynge to hem rehersed the grete dispyte of brekynge of his courte, and the barons seiden it was reson that the forfet were redressed. Thus the kynge lefte in the duke's londes, and tok his castelles and his townes and distroyed all the contré. And than the kynge herde seyd that Ygerne was at Tintagel and the duke in another castell; and than the kynge axed of his counseile whiche castell he sholde firste assaile. And the barons yaf hym counseile firste to assaile the duke, and therto the kyngegraunted. And so thei rode to the castell that the duke was ynne; and than the kynge seide to Ulfin, "What may I do whan I ne may not se Ygerne?" And Ulfin seide, "The thinges that a man may not have, he muste nede suffer; and therfore ye must put to grete besynesse to take the duke, for after that ye shall well to purpose bringe the remenaunt." Many assaute made the kynge at the castell, but he cowde it in no wise gete, wherfore he was full of sorowe and right irouse. And on the tother side he was sore distreined with the love of Ygerne, that on a tyme as he was in his pavilyon he gan to wepe. Whanne his peple saugh hym wepe they weren hevy, and hem withdrowen and leften hym alone. And whan Ulfin it wiste therof, he come anoon and axed the kynge why he wepte. And the kynge seide, "Thow knowest wele wherfore, for thow woste wele that I dye full of love of Ygerne, for I have loste bothe mete and drynke and all reste that a man ought to have." And whan Ulfyn this undirstode he seide, "Ye be of ful febill herte whan ye thynke to dye for oon sole woman; but I shall sey yow gode counseile." "What is that?" seide the kynge. "That ye wolde sende to seche Merlin that he myght come to yow; and it myght noon otherwise be but that he sholde yeve yow some gode counseile that sholde yow profite. And ye shull hym yeve what he will desire." And than seide the kynge, "Ther is no thynge that is possible to a man but that he can it do; but I wote wele Merlin of my distresse knoweth, and so I am in drede that he be wroth for the voide place of the table that I suffred to be assaide. And longe tyme it is passed sethe he was in place whereas I myght hym se. And also, I trowe he is not well plesed that I love the wif of my liege man; but trewly, I may not do therto ne I ne may not therfro me deffende. But I have well in mynde that he badde I sholde not sende hym for to seche." And Ulfin ansuerde, "I am in certeyn of oon thynge, that he farith well and is in hele. Yef he love yow as he was wonte to do, he knoweth what distresse that ye beth ynne, and it shall not be longe er ye here of hym tydynges." Thus Ulfyn counforted the kynge and counseiled hym to sende for his meyné to hym, and that sholde cause hym toforyete a grete partie of his sorowe. And the kynge seyde so he wolde do; but his love myght he, ne his sorow, in no maner wise forgete. Thus the kynge peyned to conforte hymself and his peple, and made the castell to be assailed. But take it they myght not in no wise. And on a day, as Ulfin rode thourgh the oste, he mette with a man that he nothinge kenned. And he seide, "Ulfin, I wolde fain speke with thee." And thanne they yede oute of the hoste, the man on his fete and Ulfyn on horsebak. And Ulfin light down on foote to speke with this man, and hym axed what he was. And he seide, "I am an olde man, as thow maist se, and som tyme in my yowthe I was holden wise; and now of moche thinge that I sey, men sein that I dote. But I sey to yow in counseile that I was at Tintagel not longe sithe, and ther I was aqueynted with a gode man that tolde me that youre kynge loveth the duke's wif, and that is the cause that the kynge distroyeth his contré, for that he brought his wif fro Cardoel. And yef ye and the kynge will wele quyte my nede, I shall make yow aqueynte with a gode man that shall make yow speke with Ygerne, and that shall wele counseile the kynge of his desir." When Ulfyn herde this man so say, he merveled who that hym sholde have tolde, and prayde hym that he wolde teche hym to that man that cowde counseile the kynge of his desires. And the olde man seide, "I will first here what rewarde the kinge will yeve." Quod Ulfyn, "Where shall I yow fynde when I have spoke with the kynge?" The olde man seide, "Ye shull finde me or my messager betwene this and the hoste." And so he hym comaunded to God, and bad hym come on the morowe, and hym wolde telle soche tydinges as sholde hym plese. And Ulfin com to the kynge as hastely as he myght and told how the olde man hadde seide. And whan the kynge hadde herde these wordes, he lowgh and made feire semblaunce and seide to Ulfin, "Knowest thow ought the man that thow spake with?" And he ansuerde, "It is a man right olde and feble." And the kynge seide, "Whan shull ye mete efte togeder?" And Ulfyn seide, "In the morowe, for he badde me wite of yow what he shulde have to rewarde." And the kynge seide, "Lede me thider as thow shalt mete with hym." And Ulfin seide, "With gode will." "And yef thow speke with hym withoute me, profer hym what he willdesire of myn." Thus thei leften till on the morowe; but that nyght was the kynge merier than he hadde ben eny tyme before. The morowe after masse the kynge and Ulfyn rode forth as Ulfin wolde hym guyde; and as thei issued oute of the hoste, thei sye a crepell that semed blinde. And as thei passed forth by hym, he cried with an high voyce, "Sir kynge, so God acomplesshe thyn hertys desire of that thow desirest moste to have, so yeve me som thynge that I may conne thee thanke fore." And the kynge beheilde Ulfyn and seide lawghynge, "Ulfyn, do that I shall comaunde thee for my grete profite and for my love and for to compleisshe my grete desire." And Ulfyn seide, "Ther is nothinge that I desire so moche as for to do that myght acomplisshe youre desire." And the kynge seide, "Hast thow nought herde what the crepell axed, that I sholde remembre the thinge that I beste loved in this worlde, and that I am moste desiraunte? Go and sette thee adown by hym and sey that I have sente thee to hym, and ther is nothinge in this worlde that I have in possession but that I wolde come to yeve it hym, yef I durste come to se hym." And Ulfin, withoute eny grucchynge, yede and yaf hymself to the crepill, and sette hym down by hym. And whan the crepill felte Ulfyn, he axed what he was and what he was come for to seche. And he ansuerde, "The kynge hath sente me to yow, and that I sholde ever be youres." And whan the crepill that herde, he lowgh and seide to Ulfyn, "The kynge is sone perceyvinge, and me knoweth bet- ter than do ye. I will that thow wite that the olde man that thow spake with yester- day sente me to thee; but I will not telle thee what he seyde. Go to the kynge and sey he wolde do a grete thynge for to have his desire, and that I sende hym worde that sone he is parceyvinge, and he shall spede the better." And Ulfin seide, "I dar nought aske what ye ben." "Aske the kynge," quod the crepill, "and he shall telle thee wele inough." And Ulfyn lepe on horse and priked after the kynge. And whan the kynge saugh hym come, he drough aside and seide, "Ulfyn, is it that thow art come after me? Ne have I not yove thee to the crepill?" Quod Ulfin, "He seith that ye be sone aperceyvaunte of hym, and that ye sholde telle me what he is, for he wolde not telle me, but seide ye sholde telle wele inough." Than seide the kynge, "Wost thow what olde man that was that spake with thee yesterday? That same is this that thow haste seyn a crepill." And Ulfyn seide, "May this be true, that oo man may hymself thus desfigure? And what is he than that thus hym disfigureth?" And the kynge ansuerde, "Knowe it verily it is Merlin that thus hym kepeth fro yow. And whan he will, he will make yow wele to knowe that it is thus." Thus they passed forth thourgh the feilde. And Merlin come in his right semblaunce into the kynges teynte, and asked where was the kynge. And a messanger come to the kynge and seide Merlin was come. And than was the kynge so gladde that he myght not ansuere, but in all haste returned and cleped Ulfyn and seide, "Now shalt thow knowe yef it be so as I have seide, for Merlyn is comen, and I knowe wele that he doth not seke me for nought." And than seide Ulfyn, "Now shall it be sene yef ever he were ought wroth, and yef ye can other do well or sey to his plesir of alle thinges; for ther is no man that may yow helpe so wele to have the love of Ygerne." And the kynge seide, "Thow seiste soth, and ther is no thynge that he doth comaunde me but I shall it gladly performe." Thus thei rode till thei come to the teynte whereas thei fonde Merlin. And the kynge hym made grete joye and mery chere, and ran hym agein with armes spred abrode and hym halsed, and seide he was the man in all the worlde that was moste to hym welcome. And than he seide, "Wherto sholde I me complayne unto yow, for as ye it knowe as myself, and ther was never man that I longed so sore after; and I pray yow and requyre, telle me of that ye knowe my herte desireth so." And Merlin seide, "Of that ye me asken, I shall not speke withoute Ulfyn." Than made the kynge to clepe after Ulfin, and droughen hem aside in counseile. Than seide the kynge to Merlyn, "I have tolde Ulfin of that ye comaunded, and that ye were the olde man that he sigh yesterday, and also the crepill this day." And Ulfyn beheilde hym strongely and seide, "May this be trewe that the kynge eith?" And Merlin seide, "Ye, it is trewe withouten faile; and as sone as I saugh he sente thee to me, I wiste well he hadde me perceyved." And than Ulfyn seideto the kynge, "Sir, now sholde ye speke of youre gref, and not wepe whan ye ben soill." And the kynge seide, "I wote not what to sey ne preyen. He knoweth well my corage, and I may not make hym no lesynge, but he it knowe as wele as I. But I pray hym hertely to helpe me to have the love of Ygerne, and he ne shall devise nothinge that is to me possible but that I shall it gladly don." And Merlin seide, "Yef ye will graunte me that I shall aske, I shall purchace yow hir love and make yow to ly in here chamber and in hir bedde, bothe naked." And [whan] Ulfyn that herde, he lough and seide, "Now shall I se what a mannes herte is worth!" And the kynge seide to Merlin, "Ye can not aske me nothinge that be founden in this worlde but I sholde it yow yeven." And Merlin ansuerde, "How may I hereof be sure, but yef ye be sworn, and also lete Ulfyn swere, that I shall have that I aske on the morn that ye have leye with Ygerne, and don with hir your beste?" And the kynge seide that wolde he do with gode will. And Merlin asked Ulfyn yef he wolde swere, and Ulfyn seide, "That me forthinketh, for I was never yet sworn in no tyme." When Merlin herde that worde he lough and seide, "Whan youre othes be made, I shall telle yow how it shall be." Than the kynge made be brought the hiest seintewaries that he hadde and the best relikes, and theron they dide swere as Merlin dide hem devyse, and thei seiden thei sholde it feithfully holde withouten fraude or mal engyn. After the kynge swore Ulfyn, and thus hath Merlin take their othes. And than seide the kynge, "Merlin, now I requere yow sone to helpe myn hertes desire, as the man of all the worlde that moste therafter longeth to have it complisshed." And than seide Merlyn, "Ye muste be wisely demened, for she is a trewe lady and full wise, and trewe to God and to hir lorde. But now shall ye se what power I have hir to begile, for I shall make yow semblaunce of the duke so wele that ther is no man that yow doth sen but he shall wene it be the duke. And [there are] two knyghtes that ben moste privy with hym that noon ne knoweth so moche of his counseile, not Ygerne hersilf; and that oon hight Bretell and that other Jordan. And I shall have the semblaunce of Bretel and Ulfin shall be like Jordan, and so shall I make hem to open the gates of the castell, and we shall alle thre ly withinne. But full erly on the morow we moste gon oute, for er we departe thens we shall here straunge tidinges. And therfore aray youre oste and your barons and comaunde hem to make gode wacche to diffende hemself, and that noon of hem ne go towarde the castell till that ye be come ageyn. And be well ware that ye telle no creature wheder that ye shall go." And Uterpendragon dide as Merlin hadde devised, and anoon com agein and seide that he was redy, and Merlin seide how he was also redy: "Ther is not ellis but to spede us forward." And so thei wenten forth alle thre till thei com ner at Tintagell; and than seide Merlyn to the kynge, "Abyde ye here, and I and Ulfyn shall go this wey." And than eche drough aside by hymself; and whan thei were dissevered and Merlin hadde don his art, he toke an herbe and brought it to the kynge and seide, "Frote youre visage with this herbe, and youre handes." And the kynge toke the herbe and rubbid his handes and his visage and his feet; and anoon as he hadde thus idon, he hadde aperteliche the semblaunce of the Duke. And than seide Merlyn, "Have ye eny mynde that ever ye saugh Jordan?" And the kynge seide, "Ye, I knowe hym wele." And Merlyn com to Ulfyn and transfigured hym to the semblaunce of Jurdan, and than sente hym to the kynge. And whan the kynge saugh Ulfyn, he hym blissed and seide, "Mercy God! How may eny man make oon man so like another?" And than he seide to Ulfyn, "How semeth thee be me?" And Ulfyn seide, "I knowe yow nought but for the duke." And the kynge seide he was verily like unto Jurdan. And as thei stoden so, thei beheilde Merlyn, and thei semed verily it was Bretel. And thus thei speken togeder and taried till it was nyght. And in the evenynge thei come to the castell gate. And Merlyn, that wele resembled to Bretel, cleped the porter. And the peple com to the gate and saugh apertly the duke, as hem semed. And thei seide, "Open -- lo, here the Duke!" And thei thought it was Bretel and Jurdan. And whan thei weren entred, Bretel diffended that no man in the place sholde not wite that the duke was comen. Inowe ther were that yede to telle the duchesse. And Merlyn toke the kynge in counseile and seide that he sholde contene hymself myrily. And anoon alle thre thei come before the chambir where Ygerne that yet was in her bedde; and in all haste that thei myght, thei mad their lorde redy. And so he yede to bedde to Ygerne. And that nyght he gat upon hir the gode kynge that after was cleped Arthur. The lady made grete joye of the kynge, for she wende verily it hadde ben the duke hir lorde, that she loved moche with a trewe herte. Thus thei lay togeder till on the morowe. In the dawenynge, the tidinges com into the town that the duke was dede, and also his stewarde itake. And than thei com full previly in; and when these other tweyn that tho were arisen herde these tidynges, thei ran theras their lorde lay and seide, "Aryse up and go to youre castell, for ther be soche tydinges come hider that oure peple wene that ye be deed." And he lepe up and seide, "It is no merveyle though they wene so; for I yede oute of the castell that no man knewe therof no worde." Anoon he toke leve of Ygerne, and hir kiste, seynynge hem alle at her departynge. And thus they departed oute of the castell in all the haste they myght, that never oon ne knewe but it was the duke. And whan they weren oute, thei weren right gladde. And Merlyn seide to the kynge, "Sir, I have kept wele the covenaunte. Now loke thow kepe as wele myne." And the kynge seide, "Ye sey trewe, for ye have don me the beste servise that ever man dide to another; and therfore youre covenauntes shall I well holde." And Merlyn seide, "I hem aske now and will that they be holden." And the kynge seide, "I am redy hem to performe." And than seide Merlyn, "I will that thow knowe that thow haste engendred an heyre male on Ygerne, and that hast thow me yoven. And therfore I shall write the houre and the day in the whiche it is begeten, and so shalt thow knowe yef I sey soth." Quod the kynge, "As thow hast seide, I have sworn; and I yeve it thee with gode will." Thus they rode till they come to a rivere, and ther Merlyn did hem waisshen, and than hadde thei semblaunce as that thei hadden before. And than the kynge rode forth as faste as he myght; and as sone as he was come, his barons and his peple gedered aboute hym. And he hem asked how the duke was deed. And thei hym tolden: "The day when ye were departed, the oste was stille and koye; and therby the duke undirststode that ye were not in the oste, and dide his peple to arme and come upon us, and dide us grete damage er we myghten ben armed. The cry arose and the noyse, and oure meynee hem arayde and set on hem, and drof hem ageyn, even before the yate. And ther the duke abode and dide many maistries in armes. And ther was his horse slayn and the duke overthrowe. And ther was he deed amonge oure peple on foote that hym nought knewen. And we driven the remenaunt in at the yates, that sympilly hem deffended whan they hadde loste their lorde." And the kynge seide that he was right sory for the deth of the duke. [Summary. After the death of the Duke of Tintagel, the barons harbor no ill feelings toward King Uther, who acts generously toward the duke's kindred. Merlin reminds Uther of his bargain concerning the child, suggesting that Ygerne would be ashamed to raise the child herself. Uther makes peace with Ygerne and restores her lands. The council of bar- ons suggests that the king and the duchess should marry, and Uther is happy to accept their advice if Ygerne assents. She does, and their wedding occurs on the twentieth day after Arthur was conceived. Also on that day Ygerne's daughters are wed to King Lot and King Ventres. Morgan, the illegitimate daughter of the duke, is sent to school in a reli- gious house where she learns the art of astronomy; as a result she becomes known as Morgan le Fay. Ygerne, now noticeably pregnant, tells Uther what happened on the night Arthur was conceived. Uther never reveals that he was the man who visited her, but he asks her to give him the child and she agrees. Merlin arranges for the child to be raised by a good man named Antor. Ygerne weeps and grieves when the child is taken away. Antor's wife nurses the child herself, and her own son is turned over to a wet-nurse. Antor is not told the child's identity, but he has the child baptized and names him Arthur. While Uther is stricken with gout, the invading Danes defeat Uther's army. Merlin tells Uther he must lead his army against the Danes while being carried on a litter; he also tells him that he will not live long after the Danes are defeated, and that he must give away his worldly goods for his soul's sake. Uther asks about the child, and Merlin assures him the child is flourishing. The king leads his army against the Danes and defeats them, and then he does many alms deeds. As Uther lies on his death bed, Merlin whispers to him that his son Arthur will be the next king and that he shall complete the Round Table that Uther had begun. Uther hopes that Arthur will pray for his soul; then he dies. Uther is buried with honor, but he leaves the kingdom without an heir. Fol. 26r (line 18)-31v (line 13.]