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Here beginnes Morte Arthure. In Nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen pur Charite. Amen.
   
Now grete glorious God   through grace of Himselven
And the precious prayer   of his pris Moder
Sheld us fro shamesdeede   and sinful workes
And give us grace to guie   and govern us here
In this wretched world   through virtuous living,
That we may kaire til his court,   the kingdom of heven
When our soules shall part   and sunder fro the body
Ever to beld and to bide   in bliss with Himselven;
And wisse me to warp out   some word at this time
That nother void be ne vain   but worship til Himselven
Plesand and profitable   to the pople that them heres.
   
   Ye that lust has to lithe   or loves for to here
Of elders of olde time   and of their awke deedes,
How they were lele in their law   and loved God Almighty
Herkenes me hendely   and holdes you stille,
And I shall tell you a tale   that trew is and noble
Of the real renkes   of the Round Table
That chef were of chivalry   and cheftains noble
Both wary in their workes   and wise men of armes,
Doughty in their doings   and dredde ay shame,
Kind men and courtais   and couth of court thewes,
How they won with war   worshippes many,
Slogh Lucius the lithere   that lord was of Rome,
And conquered that kingrik   through craftes of armes;
Herkenes now hiderward   and heres this story!
   
   When that the king Arthur   by conquest had wonnen
Casteles and kingdomes   and countrees many,
And he had covered the crown   of that kith riche
Of all that Uter in erthe   ought in his time:
Argayle and Orkney   and all these oute-iles,
Ireland utterly,   as Ocean runnes,
Scathel Scotland by skill   he skiftes as him likes, 1
And Wales of war   he won at his will,
Bothe Flaunders and Fraunce   free til himselven
Holland and Hainault   they held of him bothen,
Burgoigne and Brabaunt   and Bretain the less
Guienne and Gothland   and Grace the rich,
Bayonne and Bourdeaux   he belded full fair,
Touraine and Toulouse   with towres full high,
Of Poitiers and Provence   he was prince holden;
Of Valence and Vienne,   of value so noble,
Of Overgne and Anjou,   those erldoms rich,
By conquest full cruel   they knew him for lord
Of Navarre and Norway   and Normandy eek
Of Almaine, of Estriche,   and other ynow;
Denmark he dressed   all by drede of himselven
Fro Swynne unto Swetherwike,   with his sword keen! 2
   
   When he these deedes had done, he dubbed his knightes,
Devised ducheries and delt   in diverse rewmes, 3
Made of his cosins   kinges annointed
In kithes there they covet   crownes to bere.
When he these rewmes had ridden   and rewled the pople,
Then rested that real   and held the Round Table;
Sujourns that seson   to solace himselven
In Bretain the brodder, as him best likes;
Sithen went into Wales   with his wyes all,
Sways into Swaldie   with his snell houndes
For to hunt at the hartes   in those high landes,
In Glamorgan with glee   there gladship was ever,
And there a citee he set,   by assent of his lordes
That Caerlion was called,   with curious walles, 4
On the rich river   that runnes so fair,
There he might semble his sorte   to see when him liked. 5
Then after at Carlisle   a Christenmass he holdes,
This ilk kidd conquerour   and held him for lord
With dukes and douspeeres   of diverse rewmes,
Erles and erchevesques   and other ynow,
Bishoppes and bachelers   and bannerettes noble 6
That bowes to his banner,   busk when him likes.
But on the Christenmass-day   when they were all sembled,
That comlich conquerour   commaundes himselven
That ilk a lord sholde lenge   and no leve take
To the tende day fully   were taken to the end.
Thus on real array   he held his Round Table
With semblaunt and solace   and selcouthe metes;
Was never such noblay   in no mannes time
Made in mid-winter   in tho West Marches!
   
   But on the New-Yere day, at the noon even,
As the bold at the borde   was of bred served, 7
So come in sodenly   a senatour of Rome,
With sixteen knightes in a suite,   sewand him one;
He salued the soveraign   and the sale after
Ilk a king after king,   and made his inclines;
Gaynor in her degree   he grette as him liked
And sinn again to the gome   he gave up his needes: 8
"Sir Lucius Iberius,   the Emperour of Rome,
Salues thee as subjet,   under his sele rich;
It is credan, Sir King,   with cruel wordes;
Trow it for no troufles,   his targe is to shew! 9
Now in this New-Yeres Day,   with notaries sign,
I make thee summons in sale   to sew for thy landes,
That on Lamass Day   there be no let founden 10
That thou be redy at Rome   with all thy Round Table
Appere in his presence   with thy pris knightes
At prime of the day,   in pain of your lives,
In the kidd Capitoil   before the king selven
When he and his senatours   bes set as them likes,
To answer only   why thou occupies the landes
That owe homage of old   til him and his elders,
Why thou has ridden and raimed   and ransound the pople
And killed down his cosins,   kinges annointed;
There shall thou give reckoning   for all thy Round Table,
Why thou art rebel to Rome   and rentes them with-holdes!
Yif thou these summons withsit,   he sendes thee these wordes:
He shall thee seek over the se,   with sixteen kinges,
Brin Bretain the brode   and britten thy knightes 11
And bring thee buxomly as a beste   with brethe where him likes,
That thou ne shall route ne rest   under the heven rich
Though thou for reddour of Rome   run to the erthe!
For if thou flee into Fraunce   or Frisland other,
Thou shall be fetched with force   and overset forever!
Thy fader made fewtee   we find in our rolles,
In the regestré of Rome, who-so right lookes;
Withouten more troufling   the tribute we ask
That Julius Cesar won   with his gentle knightes!"
   
   The king blushed on the berne   with his brode eyen, 12
That full bremly for brethe   brent as the gledes,
Cast colours as the king   with cruel lates
Looked as a lion   and on his lip bites.
The Romanes for radness   rusht to the erthe,
For ferdness of his face   as they fey were;
Couched as kennetes   before the king selven;
Because of his countenaunce   confused them seemed!
Then covered up a knight   and cried full loud:
"King, crowned of kind,   courtais and noble,
Misdo no messanger   for mensk of thyselven,
Senn we are in thy manrede   and mercy thee beseekes;
We lenge with Sir Lucius,   that lord is of Rome,
That is the marveloustest man   than on molde lenges;
It is lelful til us   his liking til work; 13
We come at his commaundment;   have us excused."
   
   Then carpes the conquerour   cruel wordes:
"Ha! cravand knight,   a coward thee seemes!
There is some segge in this sale,   and he were sore greved 14
Thou durst not for all Lumbardy   look on him ones!"
   
   "Sir," says the senatour,   "so Crist mot me help,
The vout of thy visage   has wounded us all!
Thou art the lordliest lede   that ever I on looked.
By looking, withouten lees,   a lion thee seemes!" 15
   
   "Thou has me summoned," quod the king,   "and said what thee likes.
For sake of thy soveraign   I suffer thee the more;
Senn I crowned was in kith   with crisom annointed, 16
Was never creature to me   that carped so large!
But I shall take counsel   at kinges annointed
Of dukes and douspeeres   and doctours noble,
Of peeres of the parlement,   prelates and other
Of the richest renkes   of the Round Table;
Thus shall I take avisement   of valiant bernes,
Work after the wit   of my wise knightes.
To warp wordes in waste   no worship it were,
Ne wilfully in this wrath   to wreken myselven.
Forthy shall thou lenge here   and lodge with these lordes
This seven-night in solace   to sujourn your horses,
To see what life that we lede   in these low landes."
For by the realtee of Rome,   that richest was ever,
He commaundes Sir Kayous,   "Take keep to those lordes
To stightel tho stern men   as their state askes,
That they be herbered in haste   in those high chambres,
Sithen sittandly in sale   served thereafter,
That they find no faute   of food to their horses,
Nother wine ne wax   ne welth in this erthe;
Spare for no spicery,   but spend what thee likes 17
That there be largess on loft   and no lack founden;
If thou my worship wait,   wye, by my trewth, 18
Thou shall have gersoms full grete   that gain shall thee ever!"
   
   Now are they herbered in high   and in host holden, 19
Hastily with hende men   within these high walles.
In chambers with chimpnees   they changen their weedes, 20
And sithen the chaunceller   them fetched with chevalry noble;
Soon the senatour was set   as him well seemed,
At the kinges own borde;   two knightes him served,
Singulere, soothly,   as Arthur himselven,
Richly on the right hand   at the Round Table.
By resoun that the Romans   were so rich holden,
As of the realest blood   that regned in erthe.
There come in at the first course,   before the king selven, 21
Borehevedes that were bright,   burnisht with silver
All with taught men and towen   in togges full rich, 22
Of sank real in suite,   sixty at ones;
Flesh flourisht of fermison,   with frumentee noble, 23
There-to wild to wale,   and winlich briddes,
Pacockes and plovers   in platters of gold
Pigges of pork despine   that pastured never;
Sithen herons in hedoyne   heled full fair,
Grete swannes full swithe   in silveren chargeours, 24
Tartes of Turky,   taste whom them likes;
Gumbaldes graithly,   full gracious to taste;
Senn bowes of wild bores   with the brawn leched, 25
Bernakes and botoures   in batterd dishes,
Thereby braunchers in bred,   better was never,
With brestes of barrowes   that bright were to shew;
Senn come there sewes sere   with solace thereafter,
Ownde of azure all over   and ardaunt them seemed; 26
Of ilk a leche the lowe   launched full high,
That all ledes might like   that looked them upon;
Then cranes and curlewes   craftily rosted,
Connies in cretoyne   coloured full fair,
Fesauntes enflourished   in flamand silver,
With darielles endorded   and dainties ynow; 27
Then Claret and Crete   clergially rennen 28
With condethes full curious   all of clene silver,
Osay and Algarde   and other ynow
Rhenish wine and Rochelle,   richer was never,
Vernage of Venice,   virtuous, and Crete,
In faucetes of fine gold,   fonde who-so likes;
The kinges cup-bord   was closed in silver,
In grete gobletes overgilt,   glorious of hew; 29
There was a chef butler,   a chevaler noble
Sir Kayous the courtais,   that of the cup served;
Sixty cuppes of suite   for the king selven,
Crafty and curious,   corven full fair,
In ever-ilk a party pight   with precious stones,
That none enpoison sholde go   privily there-under 30
But the bright gold for brethe   sholde brist all to peces,
Or else the venom sholde void   through virtue of the stones;
And the conquerour himselven,   so clenly arrayed,
In colours of clene gold cledde,   with his knightes,
Dressed with his diadem   on his dese rich,
For he was deemed the doughtiest   that dwelled in erthe.
   
   Then the conquerour kindly   carped to those lordes,
Reheted the Romans   with real speche:
"Sirs, bes knightly of countenaunce   and comfortes yourselven;
We know nought in this countree   of curious metes;
In these barrain landes   breedes none other;
Forthy, withouten feining,   enforce you the more 31
To feed you with such feeble   as ye before find."
   
   "Sir," says the senatour,   "so Crist mot me help,
There regned never such realtee   within Rome walles!
There ne is prelate ne pope   ne prince in this erthe
That he ne might be well payed   of these pris metes!"
   
   After their welth they wesh   and went unto chamber,
This ilk kidd conquerour   with knightes ynow;
Sir Gawain the worthy   Dame Waynor he ledes,
Sir Owghtreth on tother side,   of Turry was lord.
Then spices unsparely   they spended thereafter,
Malvesy and Muskadell,   those marvelous drinkes,
Raiked full rathely   in rosset cuppes 32
Til all the rich on row,   Romans and other.
But the soveraign soothly,   for solace of himselven,
Assigned to the senatour   certain lordes
To lede to his levere,   when he his leve askes,
With mirth and with melody   of minstralsy noble.
   
   Then the conquerour to counsel   kaires thereafter
With lordes of his legeaunce   that to himself longes
To the Giauntes Towr   jollily he wendes
With justices and judges   and gentle knightes.
   
   Sir Cador of Cornwall   to the king carpes,
Laugh on him lovely   with likand lates; 33
"I thank God of that thro   that thus us thretes!
You must be trailed, I trow,   but yif ye tret better!
The lettres of Sir Lucius   lightes mine herte.
We have as losels lived   many long day
With delites in this land   with lordshippes many
And forlitened the los   that we are laited.
I was abashed, by our Lord,   of our best bernes,
For grete dole of deffuse   of deedes of armes. 34
Now wakenes the war!   Worshipped be Crist!
And we shall win it again   by wightness and strength!"
   
   "Sir Cador," quod the king,   "thy counsel is noble;
But thou art a marvelous man   with thy merry wordes!
For thou countes no case   ne castes no further, 35
But hurles forth upon heved,   as thy herte thinkes;
I moste trete of a trews   touchand these needes,
Talk of these tithandes   that teenes mine herte.
Thou sees that the emperour   is angerd a little;
It seemes by his sandesman   that he is sore greved;
His senatour has summond me   and said what him liked,
Hethely in my hall,   with heinous wordes,
In speche despised me   and spared me little;
I might not speke for spite,   so my herte trembled!
He asked me tyrauntly   tribute of Rome,
That teenfully tint was   in time of mine elders,
There alienes, in absence   of all men of armes,
Coverd it of commouns,   as cronicles telles.
I have title to take   tribute of Rome;
Mine auncestres were emperours   and ought it themselven,
Belin and Bremin   and Bawdewyne the third;
They occupied the empire   eight score winters,
Ilkon eier after other,   as old men telles;
They covered the Capitol   and cast down the walles,
Hanged of their hedesmen   by hundrethes at ones;
Senn Constantine, our kinsman,   conquered it after,
That eier was of Yngland   and emperour of Rome,
He that conquered the cross   by craftes of armes,
That Crist was on crucified,   that King is of heven.
Thus have we evidence to ask   the emperour the same,
That thus regnes at Rome,   what right that he claimes."
   
   Then answerd King Aungers   to Arthur himself:
"Thou ought to be overling   over to all other kinges,
For wisest and worthyest   and wightest of handes,
The knightlyest of counsel   that ever crown bore.
I dare say for Scotland   that we them scathe limped;
When the Romans regned   they ransound our elders
And rode in their riot   and ravished our wives,
Withouten resoun or right   reft us our goodes;
And I shall make my avow   devotly to Crist
And to the holy vernacle,   virtuous and noble,
Of this grete vilany   I shall be venged ones,
On yon venomous men   with valiant knightes!
I shall thee further of defence   fostred ynow
Twenty thousand men   within two eldes
Of my wage to wend   where-so thee likes,
To fight with thy fomen   that us unfair ledes!"
   
   Then the burlich berne   of Bretain the Little 36
Counsels Sir Arthur   and of him beseekes
To answer the alienes   with austeren wordes,
To entice the emperour   to take over the mountes.
He said: "I make mine avow   verily to Crist,
And to the holy vernacle,   that void shall I never
For radness of no Roman   that regnes in erthe,
But ay be redy in array   and at erest founden;
No more dout the dintes   of their derf wepens
Than the dew that is dank   when that it down falles;
Ne no more shoun for the swap   of their sharp swordes
Than for the fairest flowr   that on the folde growes!
I shall to batail thee bring   of brenyed knightes
Thirty thousand by tale, thrifty in armes,
Within a month-day,   into what march
That thou will soothly assign,   when thyself likes."
   
   "A! A!" says the Welsh king;   "worshipped be Crist!
Now shall we wreke full well   the wrath of our elders!
In West Wales, iwis,   such wonders they wrought
That all for wandreth may weep   that on that war thinkes.
I shall have the avauntward   witterly myselven,
Til that I have vanquisht   the Viscount of Rome,
That wrought me at Viterbo   a vilany ones,
As I past in pilgrimage   by the Pount Tremble.
He was in Tuskane that time   and took of our knightes,
Arrest them unrightwisly   and ransound them after. 37
I shall him surely ensure   that saghtel shall we never
Ere we sadly assemble   by ourselven ones
And dele dintes of deth   with our derf wepens!
And I shall wage to that war   of worshipful knightes,
Of Wyghte and of Welshland   and of the West Marches,
Two thousand in tale,   horsed on steedes,
Of the wightest wyes   in all yon West Landes!"
   
   Sir Ewain fitz Urien   then egerly fraines,
Was cosin to the conquerour,   corageous himselven:
"Sir, and we wiste your will   we wolde work thereafter;
Yif this journee sholde hold   or be ajourned further,
To ride on yon Romans   and riot their landes,
We wolde shape us therefore,   to ship when you likes."
   
   "Cosin," quod the conquerour,   "kindly thou askes
Yif my counsel accord   to conquer yon landes.
By the kalendes of Juny   we shall encounter ones
With full cruel knightes,   so Crist mot me help!
Thereto I make mine avow   devotly to Crist
And to the holy vernacle,   virtuous and noble;
I shall at Lamass take leve   to lenge at my large 38
In Lorraine or Lumbardy,   whether me leve thinkes;
Merk unto Meloine   and mine down the walles
Both of Petersand and of Pis   and of the Pount Tremble;
In the Vale of Viterbo   vitail my knights,
Sujourn there six weekes   and solace myselven,
Send prikers to the pris town   and plant there my sege 39
But if they proffer me the pees   by process of time."
   
   "Certes," says Sir Ewain,   "and I avow after,
And I that hathel may see   ever with mine eyen
That occupies thine heritage,   the empire of Rome,
I shall aunter me ones   his egle to touch
That borne is in his banner   of bright gold rich,
And rase it from his rich men   and rive it in sonder,
But he be redily rescued   with riotous knightes. 40
I shall enforce you in the feld   with fresh men of armes,
Fifty thousand folk   upon fair steedes,
On thy fomen to founde   there thee fair thinkes,
In Fraunce or in Frisland,   fight when thee likes!"
   
   "By our Lord," quod Sir Launcelot,   "now lightes mine herte! 41
I lowe God of this love   these lordes has avowed!
Now may less men have leve   to say what them likes,
And have no letting by law;   but listenes these wordes:
I shall be at journee   with gentle knightes
On a jamby steed   full jollily graithed,
Ere any journee begin   to joust with himselven 42
Among all his giauntes,   Genivers and other,
Strike him stiffly fro his steed   with strenghe of mine handes, 43
For all the steren in stour   that in his stale hoves!
Be my retinue arrayed,   I reck it but a little
To make route into Rome   with riotous knightes.
Within a seven-night day,   with six score helmes, 44
I shall be seen on the se,   sail when thee likes."
   
   Then laughes Sir Lot   and all on loud meles:
"Me likes that Sir Lucius   longes after sorrow;
Now he wilnes the war   his wandreth beginnes;
It is our werdes to wreke   the wrath of our elders!
I make mine avow to God   and to the holy vernacle:
And I may see the Romans   that are so rich holden, 45
Arrayed in their riotes   on a round feld,
I shall at the reverence   of the Round Table
Ride through all the rout,   rereward and other, 46
Redy wayes to make   and renkes full rowm,
Runnand on red blood,   as my steed rushes!
He that followes my fare   and first comes after
Shall find in my fare-way   many fey leved!"
   
   Then the conquerour kindly   comfortes these knightes,
Alowes them gretly   their lordly avowes;
"Allweldand God   worship you all!
And let me never want you,   whiles I in world regn;
My mensk and my manhed   ye maintain in erthe,
Mine honour all utterly   in other kinges landes;
My wele and my worship   of all this world rich,
Ye have knightly conquered   that to my crown longes.
Him thar be ferd for no foes   that swilk a folk ledes, 47
But ever fresh for to fight   in feld when him likes.
I account no king   that under Crist lives;
Whiles I see you all sound,   I set by no more."
   
   When they trustily had treted   they trumped up after, 48
Descended down with a daunce   of dukes and erles.
Then they sembled to sale   and souped als swithe,
All this seemly sorte,   with semblaunt full noble.
Then the roy real   rehetes these knightes
With reverence and riot   of all his Round Table
Til seven dayes was gone.   The senatour askes
Answer to the Emperour   with austeren wordes.
After the Epiphany,   when the purpose was taken
Of peeres of the parlement,   prelates and other,
The king in his counsel,   courtais and noble,
Uters the alienes   and answers himselven:
"Greet well Lucius, thy lord,   and laine not these wordes;
If thou be legemen lele,   let him wite soon
I shall at Lamass take leve   and lodge at my large
In delite in his landes   with lordes ynow,
Regne in my realtee   and rest when me likes;
By the river of Rhone   hold my Round Table,
Fang the fermes in faith   of all tho fair rewmes 49
For all the menace of his might   and maugree his eyen!
And merk sithen over the mountes   into his main landes,
To Miloine the marvelous   and mine down the walles;
In Lorraine ne in Lumbardy   leve shall I nother
Nokine lede upon life   that there his lawes yemes;
And turn into Tuskane   when me time thinkes,
Ride all those rowm landes   with riotous knightes.
Bid him make rescues   for mensk of himselven,
And meet me for his manhed   in those main landes!
I shall be founden in Fraunce,   fraist when him likes!
The first day of Feveryer   in those fair marches!
Ere I be fetched with force   or forfeit my landes,
The flowr of his fair folk   full fey shall be leved!
I shall him sekerly ensure   under my sele rich
To sege the citee of Rome   within seven winter
And that so sekerly ensege   upon sere halves
That many a senatour shall sigh   for sake of me one!
My summons are certified   and thou art full served
Of cundit and credens;   kaire where thee likes. 50
I shall thy journee engist,   enjoin them myselven, 51
Fro this place to the port   there thou shall pass over:
Seven days to Sandwich   I set at the large;
Sixty mile on a day,   the sum is but little!
Thou moste speed at the spurs   and spare not thy fole;
Thou wendes by Watling Street   and by no way elles;
There thou nyghes on night   needes moste thou lenge; 52
Be it forest or feld,   found thou no further;
Bind thy blonk by a busk   with thy bridle even,
Lodge thyselven under linde   as thee lefe thinkes; 53
There owes none alienes   to ayer upon nightes,
With such a ribawdous rout   to riot thyselven.
Thy license is limit   in presence of lordes,
Be now loth or lette,   right as thee thinkes, 54
For both thy life and thy limm   ligges thereupon,
Though Sir Lucius had laid thee   the lordship of Rome,
For be thou founden a foot   withoute the flood marches
After the aughtende day   when undern is rungen,
Thou shall be heveded in hie   and with horse drawen, 55
And senn hiely be hanged,   houndes to gnawen!
The rent ne red gold   that unto Rome longes
Shall not redily, renk,   ransoun thine one!"
   
   "Sir," says the senatour,   "so Crist mot me help,
Might I with worship   win away ones
I sholde never for Emperour   that on erthe lenges
Eft unto Arthur   ayer on such needes;
But I am singely here   with sixteen knightes;
I beseek you, sir,   that we may sound pass.
If any unlawful lede   let us by the way,
Within thy license, lord,   thy los is inpaired."
   
   "Care not," quod the king;   "thy cundit is knowen
Fro Carlisle to the coste   there thy cogge lenges;
Though thy coffers were full,   crammed with silver,
Thou might be seker of my sele   sixty mile further."
   
   They enclined to the king   and congee they asked,
Kaires out of Carlisle,   catches on their horses;
Sir Cador the courtais   kend them the wayes,
To Catrik them conveyed   and to Crist them bekenned.
So they sped at the spurres   they sprangen their horses,
Hires them hackenayes   hastily thereafter.
So for reddour they ridden   and rested them never,
But yif they lodged under linde   whiles them the light failed;
But ever the senatour forsooth   sought at the gainest.
By the sevende day was gone   the citee they reched.
Of all the glee under God   so glad were they never
As of the sound of the se   and Sandwich belles.
Withouten more stunting   they shipped their horses;
Wery to the wan se   they went all at ones.
With the men of the wale   they weighted up their ankers
And fled at the fore flood;   in Flaunders they rowed
And through Flaunders they found,   as them fair thought,
Til Aachen in Almaine,   in Arthur landes;
Gos by Mount Goddard   full grevous wayes,
And so into Lumbardy,   likand to shew.
They turn through Tuskane   with towres full high;
In pris appairelles them   in precious weedes. 56
The Sononday in Sutere   they sujourn their horses
And seekes the saintes of Rome   by assent of knightes;
Sithen prikes to the palais   with portes so rich,
There Sir Lucius lenges   with lordes ynow;
Loutes to him lovely   and lettres him bedes
Of credens enclosed   with knightlich wordes.
   
   Then the Emperour was eger   and enkerly fraines;
The answer of Arthur   he askes him soon,
How he arrayes the rewm   and rewles the pople,
Yif he be rebel to Rome,   what right that he claimes;
"Thou sholde his sceptre have sesed   and sitten aboven
For reverence and realtee   of Rome the noble;
By certes thou was my sandes   and senatour of Rome,
He sholde for solempnitee   have served thee himselven."
   
   "That will he never for no wye   of all this world rich
But who may win him of war,   by wightness of handes;
Many fey shall be first   upon the feld leved,
Ere he appere in this place,   proffer when thee likes.
I say thee, sir, Arthur   is thine enmy forever,
And ettles to be overling   of the empire of Rome,
That all his auncestres ought   but Uter himselven.
Thy needes in this New Yere   I notified myselven
Before that noble of name   and nine sum of kinges;
In the most real place   of the Round Table
I summond him solemnly   on-seeand his knightes; 57
Senn I was formed, in faith,   so ferd was I never, 58
In all the places there I passed   of princes on erthe.
I wolde forsake all my suite   of seignoury of Rome
Ere I eft to that soveraign   were sent on such needes!
He may be chosen cheftain,   chef of all other
Both by chaunces of armes   and chevalry noble,
For wisest and worthyest   and wightest of handes.
Of all the wyes that I wot   in this world rich -
The knighliest creature   in Cristdendom holden
Of king or of conquerour   crowned in erthe,
Of countenaunce, of corage,   of cruel lates,
The comlyest of knighthood   that under Crist lives!
He may be spoken in dispens   despiser of silver,
That no more of gold gives   than of grete stones,
No more of wine than of water   that of the well runnes,
Ne of welth of this world   but worship alone.
Such countenance was never knowen   in no kith riche
As was with this conquerour   in his court holden;
I counted at this Cristenmass   of kinges annointed,
Hole ten at his table   that time with himselven.
He will warray, iwis,   be ware yif thee likes;
Wage many wight men   and watch thy marches,
That they be redy in array   and at erest founden,
For yif he reche unto Rome,   he ransouns it forever.
I rede thou dress thee therefore   and draw no let longer; 59
Be seker of thy soudeours   and send to the mountes;
By the quarter of this yere,   and him quert stand,
He will wightly in a while   on his wayes hie."
   
   "By Ester," says the Emperour,   "I ettle myselven
To hostay in Almaine   with armed knightes;
Send frekly into Fraunce,   that flowr is of rewmes;
Fonde to fette that freke   and forfeit his landes,
For I shall set keepers,   full cunnand and noble,
Many giaunt of Gene,   jousters full good.
To meet him in the mountes   and martyr his knightes,
Strike them down in straites   and stroy them forever.
There shall upon Goddard   a garret be rered 60
That shall be garnisht and keeped   with good men of armes,
And a becon aboven to brin   when them likes,
That none enmy with host   shall enter the mountes.
There shall on Mount Bernard   be belded another,
Busked with bannerettes   and bachelers noble. 61
In at the portes of Pavia   shall no prince pass
Through the perilous places   for my pris knightes."
   
   Then Sir Lucius lordlich   lettres he sendes
Anon into the Orient   with austeren knightes
Til Ambyganye and Orcage   and Alisaundere eek 62
To Inde and to Ermonye,   as Eufrates runnes,
To Asia and to Afrike,   and Europe the large,
To Irritaine and Elamet,   and all those oute iles, 63
To Arraby and Egypt,   til erles and other
That any erthe occupies   in those este marches
Of Damaske and Damiet,   and dukes and erles.
For drede of his daunger   they dressed them soon;
Of Crete and of Capados   the honourable kinges
Come at his commaundement   clenly at ones;
To Tartary and Turkey   when tithinges is comen
They turn in by Thebay,   tyrauntes full huge,
The flowr of the fair folk   of Amazonnes landes;
All that failes on the feld   be forfeit forever.
Of Babylon and Baldake   the burlich knightes
Bayous with their baronage   bides no longer;
Of Perse and of Pamphile   and Preter John landes 64
Ech prince with his power   appertlich graithed;
The Sowdan of Surry   assembles his knightes
Fro Nilus to Nazareth,   numbers full huge;
To Garyere and to Galilee   they gader all at ones,
The sowdanes that were seker   soudeours to Rome;
They gadered over the Greekes Se   with grevous wepens,
In their grete galleys,   with glitterande sheldes;
The King of Cyprus on the se   the Sowdan abides,
With all the reales of Rhodes   arrayed with him one;
They sailed with a side wind   over the salt strandes,
Sodenly the Sarazenes,   as themselve liked;
Craftyly at Cornett   the kinges are arrived,
Fro the citee of Rome   sixty mile large.
By that the Greekes were graithed,   a full grete number, 65
The mightiest of Macedone,   with men of tho marches,
Pulle and Prussland,   presses with other,   
The lege-men of Lettow   with legions ynow.
Thus they semble in sortes,   summes full huge;
The sowdanes and Sarazenes   out of sere landes
The Sowdan of Surry   and sixteen kinges
At the citee of Rome   assembled at ones.
   
   Then ishews the Emperour,   armed at rightes
Arrayed with his Romans   upon rich steedes;
Sixty giauntes before, engendered with fendes,
With witches and warlaws,   to watchen his tentes
Aywere where he wendes   wintres and yeres.
Might no blonkes them bere,   those bustous churles,
But coverd cameles of towrs,   enclosed in mailes;   
He ayeres out with alienes,   hostes full huge
Even into Almaine,   that Arthur had wonnen,
Rides in by the river   and riotes himselve,
And ayeres with a huge will   all those high landes;
All Westfale by war   he winnes as him likes,
Drawes in by Danuby   and dubbes his knightes,
In the countree of Coloine   castelles enseges
And sujourns that sesoun   with Sarazenes ynow.
   
   At the utas of Hillary   Sir Arthur himselven 66
In his kidd counsel   commaunde the lordes:
"Kaire to your countrees   and semble your knightes,
And keepes me at Constantine,   clenlich arrayed,
Bides me at Barflete   upon the blithe stremes
Boldly within borde,   with your best bernes;
I shall menskfully you meet   in those fair marches."
   
   He sendes forth sodenly   sergeauntes of armes
To all his mariners in row   to arrest him shippes;
Within sixteen dayes   his fleet was assembled,
At Sandwich on the se,   sail when him likes.
In the palais of York   a parlement he holdes
With all the peeres of the rewm,   prelates and other;
And after the preching,   in presence of lordes,
The king in his counsel   carpes these wordes:
"I am in purpose to pass   perilous wayes,
To kaire with my keen men   to conquer yon landes,
To outraye mine enmy,   yif aventure it shew, 67
That occupies mine heritage,   the empire of Rome.
I set you here a soveraign,   assent yif you likes,
That is my sib, my sister son;   Sir Mordred himselven
Shall be my leutenant,   with lordshippes ynow
Of all my lele lege-men   that my landes yemes."
   
   He carpes to his cosin then,   in counsel himselven:
"I make thee keeper, Sir Knight,   of kingrikes many,
Warden worshipful   to weld all my landes,
That I have wonnen of war   in this world rich.
I will that Waynor, my wife,   in worship be holden.
That her want no wele   ne welth that her likes;
Look my kidd casteles   be clenlich arrayed,
There sho may sujourn herselve   with seemlich bernes;
Fonde my forestes be frithed,   of frendship for ever, 68
That none warray my wild   but Waynor herselven,
And that in the sesoun   when grees is assigned,
That sho take her solace   in certain times.
Chaunceller and chamberlain   change as thee likes,
Auditours and officers, ordain them thyselven,
Both jurees and judges,   and justices of landes;
Look thou justify them well   that injury workes.
If me be destained to die   at Drightens will,
I charge thee my sektour,   chef of all other,
To minister my mobles   for meed of my soul
To mendinauntes and misese   in mischef fallen.
Take here my testament   of tresure full huge;
As I traist upon thee,   betray thou me never!
As thou will answer before   the austeren Judge
That all this world winly   wisse as Him likes,
Look that my last will   be lely perfourned!
Thou has clenly the cure   that to my crown longes
Of all my wordles wele   and my wife eek; 69
Look thou keep thee so clere   there be no cause founden
When I to countree come,   if Crist will it thole;
And thou have grace goodly   to govern thyselven,
I shall crown thee, knight,   king with my handes."
   
   Then Sir Mordred full mildly   meles himselven,
Kneeled to the conquerour   and carpes these wordes:
"I beseek you, sir,   as my sib lord,
That ye will for charitee   chese you another,
For if ye put me in this plitt,   your pople is deceived;
To present a prince estate   my power is simple;
When other of war-wisse   are worshipped hereafter,
Then may I, forsooth,   be set but at little.
To pass in your presence   my purpose is taken
And all my perveance appert   for my pris knightes."
   
   "Thou art my nevew full ner,   my nurree of old,
That I have chastied and chosen,   a child of my chamber;
For the sibreden of me,   forsake not this office;
That thou ne work my will,   thou wot what it menes."
   
   Now he takes his leve   and lenges no longer
At lordes, at lege-men   that leves him behinden;
And senn that worthiliche wye   went unto chamber
For to comfort the queen   that in care lenges.
Waynor waikly   weepand him kisses,
Talkes to him tenderly   with teres ynow;
"I may werye the wye   that this war moved,
That warnes me worship   of my wedde lord;
All my liking of life   out of land wendes,
And I in langour am left,   leve ye, forever!
Why ne might I, dere love,   die in your armes,
Ere I this destainy of dole   sholde drie by mine one!"
   
   "Greve thee not, Gaynor,   for Goddes love of heven,
Ne grouch not my ganging;   it shall to good turn!
Thy wandrethes and thy weeping   woundes mine herte;
I may not wite of this wo   for all this world rich;
I have made a keeper,   a knight of thine owen,
Overling of Yngland,   under thyselven,
And that is Sir Mordred,   that thou has mikel praised,
Shall be thy dictour, my dere,   to do what thee likes."
   
   Then he takes his leve   at ladies in chamber,
Kissed them kindlich   and to Crist beteches;
And then sho swoones full swithe   when he his sword asked,
Sways in swooning,   swelte as sho wolde!
He pressed to his palfrey,   in presence of lordes,
Prikes of the palais   with his pris knightes
With a real rout   of the Round Table,
Sought toward Sandwich;   sho sees him no more.
   
   There the grete were gadered   with galiard knightes,
Garnished on the green feld   and graitheliche arrayed;
Dukes and douspeeres   daintely rides,
Erles of Yngland   with archers ynow.
Shirreves sharply   shiftes the commouns, 70
Rewles before the rich   of the Round Table,
Assignes ilk a countree   to certain lordes,
In the south on the se bank   sail when them likes.
Then barges them buskes   and to the bank rowes,
Bringes blonkes on borde   and burlich helmes
Trusses in tristly   trapped steedes,
Tentes and other tooles,   and targes full rich,
Cabanes and cloth-sackes   and cofferes full noble,
Hackes and hackeneys   and horses of armes;
Thus they stow in the stuff   of full steren knightes.
   
   When all was shipped that sholde,   they shunt no lenger,
But unteld them tite,   as the tide runnes;
Cogges and crayers   then crosses their mastes, 71
At the commaundement of the king   uncovered at ones;
Wightly on the wale   they wie up their ankers, 72
By wit of the watermen   of the wale ythes.
Frekes on the forestaine   faken their cables
In floynes and fercostes   and Flemish shippes,
Titt sailes to the top   and turnes the luff,
Standes upon steerbord,   sterenly they songen.
The pris shippes of the port   proven their deepness,
And foundes with full sail   over the fawe ythes;
Holly withouten harm   they hale in botes,
Shipmen sharply   shutten their portes,
Launches lede upon luff   latchen their deepes, 73
Lookes to the lode-stern   when the light failes,
Castes courses by craft   when the cloud rises
With the needle and the stone   on the night tides.
For drede of the dark night   they dreched a little
And all the steren of the streme   steken at ones. 74
   
   The king was in a grete cogge   with knightes full many,
In a cabane enclosed,   clenlich arrayed;
Within on a rich bed   restes a little,
And with the swogh of the se   in swefning he fell.
Him dremed of a dragon,   dredful to behold,
Come drivand over the deep   to drenchen his pople,
Even walkand   out the West landes,
Wanderand unworthyly   over the wale ythes; 75
Both his hed and his hals   were holly all over
Ounded of azure,   enamelled full fair; 76
His shoulders were shaled   all in clene silver
Shredde over all the shrimp   with shrinkand pointes;
His womb and his winges   of wonderful hewes,
In marvelous mailes   he mounted full high.
Whom that he touched   he was tint forever!
His feet were flourished   all in fine sable
And such a venomous flaire   flow from his lippes
The flood of the flawes   all on fire seemed!
   
   Then come out of the Orient,   even him againes, 77
A black bustous bere   aboven in the cloudes,
With ech a paw as a post   and paumes full huge
With pikes full perilous,   all pliand them seemed;
Lothen and lothly,   lockes and other,
All with lutterd legges,   lokkerd unfair,
Filtered unfreely,   with fomand lippes -
The foulest of figure   that formed was ever!
He baltered, he blered,   he braundished thereafter;
To batail he bounes him   with bustous clawes;
He romed, he rored,   that rogged all the erthe,
So rudely he rapped at   to riot himselven! 78
   
   Then the dragon on dregh   dressed him againes
And with his duttes him drove   on dregh by the welken;
He fares as a faucon,   frekly he strikes;
Both with feet and with fire   he fightes at ones.
The bere in the batail   the bigger him seemed,
And bites him boldly   with baleful tuskes;
Such buffetes he him reches   with his brode klokes,
His breste and his brayell   was bloody all over.
He ramped so rudely   that all the erthe rives, 79
Runnand on red blood   as rain of the heven!
He had weried the worm   by wightness of strenghe
Ne were it not for the wild fire   that he him with defendes.
   
   Then wanders the worm   away to his heightes,
Comes glidand fro the cloudes   and coupes full even,
Touches him with his talones   and teres his rigge,
Betwix the taile and the top   ten foot large!
Thus he brittened the bere   and brought him o live, 80
Let him fall in the flood,   fleet where him likes.
So they thring the bold king   binne the ship-borde, 81
That ner he bristes for bale   on bed where he ligges.
   
   Then waknes the wise king,   wery fortravailed,
Takes him two philosophers   that followed him ever,
In the seven science   the sutelest founden,
The cunningest of clergy   under Crist knowen;
He told them of his torment   that time that he sleeped:
"Dreched with a dragon   and such a derf beste,
Has made me full wery,   as wisse me Our Lord;
Ere I mon swelt as swithe,   ye tell me my swefen!" 82
   
   "Sir," said they soon then,   these sage philosophers,
"The dragon that thou dremed of,   so dredful to shew,
That come drivand over the deep   to drenchen thy pople,
Soothly and certain   thyselven it is,
That thus sailes over the se   with thy seker knightes.
The coloures that were casten   upon his clere winges
May be thy kingrikes all,   that thou has right wonnen,
And the tattered tail,   with tonges so huge,
Betokens this fair folk   that in thy fleet wendes.
The bere that brittened was   aboven in the cloudes
Betokenes the tyrauntes   that tormentes thy pople
Or elles with some giaunt   some journee shall happen,
In singular batail   by yourselve one;
And thou shall have the victory,   through help of Our Lord,
As thou in thy vision   was openly shewed.
Of this dredful dreme   ne drede thee no more,
Ne care not, sir conquerour,   but comfort thyselven
And these that sailes over the se   with thy seker knightes."
   
   With trumpes then tristly   they trussen up their sailes 83
And rowes over the rich se,   this rout all at ones;
The comly coste of Normandy   they catchen full even
And blithely at Barflete   these bold are arrived,
And findes a fleet there   of frendes ynow,
The flowr and the fair folk   of fifteen rewmes,
For kinges and capitaines   keeped him fair,
As he at Carlisle commaunded   at Cristenmass himselven.
   
   By they had taken the land   and tentes up rered,
Comes a Templar tite   and touched to the king;
"Here is a tyraunt beside   that tormentes thy pople,
A grete giaunt of Gene,   engendered of fendes;
He has freten of folk   mo than five hundreth,
And als fele fauntekins   of free-born childer. 84
This has been his sustenaunce   all this seven winteres,
And yet is that sot not sad,   so well him it likes!
In the countree of Constantine   no kind has he leved
Withouten kidd casteles,   enclosed with walles,
That he ne has clenly distroyed   all the knave childer,
And them carried to the crag   and clenly devoured.
The duchess of Bretain   today has he taken,
Beside Reines as sho rode   with her rich knightes,
Led her to the mountain   there that lede lenges
To lie by that lady   ay whiles her life lastes.
We followed o ferrome   mo than five hundreth
Of bernes and of burges   and bachelers noble,
But he covered the crag;   sho cried so loud
The care of that creature   cover shall I never
Sho was the flowr of all Fraunce   or of five rewmes,
And one of the fairest   that formed was ever,
The gentilest jowell   ajudged with lordes
Fro Gene unto Gerone   by Jesu of heven!
Sho was thy wifes cosin,   know it if thee likes,
Comen of the richest   that regnes in erthe;
As thou art rightwise king,   rew on thy pople
And fonde for to venge them   that thus are rebuked!"
   
   "Alas," says Sir Arthur,   "so long have I lived!
Had I witten of this,   well had me cheved.
Me is not fallen fair   but me is foul happened
That thus this fair lady   this fend has destroyed!
I had lever than all Fraunce   this fifteen winter 85
I had been before that freke   a furlong of way
When he that lady had laght   and led to the mountes;
I had left my life   ere sho had harm limped.
But wolde thou ken me to that crag   there that keen lenges,
I wolde kaire to that coste   and carp with himselven,
To trete with that tyraunt   for tresoun of landes
And take trews for a time   til it may tide better."
   
   "Sir, see ye yon forland   with yon two fires?
There filsnes that fend,   fraist when thee likes,
Upon the crest of the crag   by a cold well
That encloses the cliff   with the clere strandes;
There may thou find folk   fey withouten number,
Mo florines, in faith,   than Fraunce is in after,
And more tresure untrewly   that traitour has getten
Than in Troy was, as I trow,   that time that it was wonnen."
   
   Then romes the rich king   for rewth of the pople,
Raikes right to a tent   and restes no lenger;
He welteres, he wresteles,   he wringes his handes;
There was no wye of this world   that wiste what he mened.
He calles Sir Kayous   that of the cup served
And Sir Bedvere the bold   that bore his brand rich:
"Look ye after even-song   be armed at rightes
On blonkes by yon buscaile,   by yon blithe stremes,
For I will pass in pilgrimage   privily hereafter,
In the time of souper,   when lordes are served,
For to seeken a saint   by yon salt stremes,
In Saint Michel mount,   there miracles are shewed."
   
   After even-song   Sir Arthur himselven
Went to his wardrope   and warp off his weedes
Armed him in a aketoun   with orfrayes full rich;
Aboven, on that, a jerin   of Acres out over;
Aboven that a gesseraunt   of gentle mailes,
A jupon of Jerodine   jagged in shredes;
He braides on a bacenett   burnisht of silver
The best that was in Basel,   with bordours rich;
The crest and the coronal   enclosed so fair
With claspes of clere gold,   couched with stones;
The vesar, the aventail, enarmed so fair, 86
Void withouten vice,   with windowes of silver;
His gloves gaylich gilt   and graven at the hemmes
With graines and gobelets,   glorious of hew.
He braces a brode sheld   and his brand askes, 87
Bouned him a brown steed   and on the bente hoves;
He stert til his stirrup   and strides on loft,
Straines him stoutly   and stirres him fair,
Broches the bay steed   and to the busk rides,
And there his knightes him keeped   full clenlich arrayed.
   
   Then they rode by that river   that runned so swithe,
There the rindes over-reches   with real boughes;
The roe and the reindeer   reckless there runnen,
In ranes and in rosers   to riot themselven;
The frithes were flourisht   with flowres full many,
With faucons and fesauntes   of ferlich hewes;
All the fowles there flashes   that flies with winges,
For there galed the gouk   on greves full loud;
With alkine gladship   they gladden themselven;
Of the nightingale notes   the noises was sweet;
They threped with the throstels   three hundreth at ones!
That whate swowing of water   and singing of birds,
It might salve him of sore   that sound was never!
   
   Then ferkes this folk   and on foot lightes,
Fastenes their fair steedes   o ferrom between; 88
And then the king keenly   commaunded his knightes
For to bide with their blonkes   and boun no further;
"For I will seek this saint   by myselve one
And mele with this master man   that this mount yemes,
And senn shall ye offer,   either after other 89
Menskfully at Saint Michel,   full mighty with Crist."
   
   The king covers the crag   with cloughes full high,
To the crest of the cliff   he climbes on loft,
Cast up his umbrere   and keenly he lookes,
Caught of the cold wind   to comfort himselven.
Two fires he findes   flamand full high;
The fourtedele a furlong   between them he walkes;
The way by the well-strandes   he wanderd him one
To wite of the warlaw,   where that he lenges.
He ferkes to the first fire   and even there he findes
A wery woful widow   wringand her handes,
And gretand on a grave   grisly teres,
New merked on molde,   senn mid-day it seemed.
He salued that sorrowful   with sittand wordes
And fraines after the fend   fairly thereafter.
   
   Then this woful wife   unwinly him greetes,
Coverd up on her knees   and clapped her handes,
Said: "Careful, careman,   thou carpes too loud!
May yon warlaw wite,   he warrays us all!
Weryd worth the wight ay   that thee thy wit reved,
That mas thee to waife here   in these wild lakes!
I warn thee, for worship,   thou wilnes after sorrow!
Whider buskes thou, berne?   unblessed thou seemes!
Weenes thou to britten him   with thy brand rich?
Were thou wighter than Wade   or Wawain   either,
Thou winnes no worship,   I warn thee before.
Thou sained thee unsekerly   to seek to these mountes; 90
Such six were too simple   to semble with him one,
For, and thou see him with sight,   thee serves no herte
To saine thee sekerly,   so seemes him huge.
Thou art freely and fair   and in thy first flowres,
But thou art fey, by my faith,   and that me forthinkes!
Were such fifty on a feld   or on a fair erthe,
The freke wolde with his fist   fell you at ones.
Lo! Here the duchess dere - today was sho taken -
Deep dolven and dede,   diked in moldes.
He had murthered this mild   by mid-day were rungen, 91
Withouten mercy on molde,   I not what it ment;
He has forced her and filed   and sho is fey leved;
He slew her unslely   and slit her to the navel.
And here have I baumed her   and buried thereafter.
For bale of the bootless,   blithe be I never!
Of all the frendes sho had   there followed none after
But I, her foster moder,   of fifteen winter.
To ferk off this forland   fonde shall I never,
But here be founden on feld   til I be fey leved."
   
   
great; (see note)
excellent
shameful deeds
guide
   
go to
from
dwell; abide
teach; utter
neither; honor
Pleasing; people; hear
   
desire; listen
strange
loyal; religion
Hearken; courteously
true
royal men
chief; chieftains
skilled
dreaded always
courteous; skilled; manners
honors
Slew; wicked
kingdom
Listen; here; hear
   
won
countries
recovered; country
Uther; earth; owned; (see note)
outer-isles
entirely; where the
(see note)
by; to
to
both
Brittany
Grasse; (see note)
dwelt in
towers
considered
(see note)
Auvergne; earldoms; (see note)
acknowledged
also
Germany; Austria; many others
directed; dread; (see note)
   
   
   
   
relatives
countries where; bear
realms; ruled; people
royal (one)
Sojourns; season
Great Britain; pleases
Then; men
Moves; South Wales; swift
stags
where gladness
city; established
(see note)
great
   
Christmas; (see note)
same famous
high nobles; realms; (see note)
Earls; archbishops
(see note)
go when it pleases him
   
comely
each; should remain; leave
tenth
royal
splendor; rare foods
nobleness
those; (see note)
   
New Year's; exactly
(see note)
suddenly
company following; alone
saluted; hall
Each; bows
greeted; pleased
   
(see note)
Salutes; subject; seal
credentials
   
   
hall; plead
(see note)
ready
Appear; excellent
first hour; on; (see note)
famous; himself
are; it pleases them
alone
to
robbed; ransomed
kinsmen
   
revenue
if; resist
sea; (see note)
   
   
(see note)
   
Frisia either
overthrown
father; fealty; records
registry
trifling
noble
   
   
   
Turned pale; features
   
fear; ground
fear; fated to die
Crouched like hounds
they seemed
got up (on his knees)
by nature courteous
Harm; honor
Since; power; beseech
belong
most marvelous; earth
   
   
   
says
craven; you seem
(see note)
   
   
As; may
expression
man
   
   
   
   
(see note)
spoke so freely
from
high noblemen; theologians
parliament
most powerful men
advice; men
Do according to
utter; honor
Nor; avenge
Therefore; remain
pleasure; rest
lead; humble
royalty; most powerful
care of
arrange those; requires
lodged; noble
Then suitably in hall
lack
candles
   
generosity prevailing
   
   
   
   
courteous; noble
(see note)
then
befit
table
Singly (alone)
   
reason; powerful
most royal; reigned
(see note)
Boar-heads; adorned
(see note)
   
   
   
Peacocks
Piglets; porcupine
Then; plumage concealed
platters
pies; Turkey; pleases; (see note)
Beef pies readily
   
   
young hawks; bread
breasts; pigs; be seen
Then; stews various
   
   
men; who
roasted
Rabbits; milk and spices
Pheasants adorned; flaming
   
(see note)
   
Alsatian and Spanish wines; many others
   
White wine; full-bodied
vessels; to try
enclosed
   
chief; chevalier
courteous
cups in a set
Skillfully made; carved
each part adorned
(see note)
   
   
handsomely
pure; clad
dais
   
   
spoke
Cheered; royal speech
be
exotic meats
barren
   
poor food
   
As; may
reigned; royalty
is no; nor
pleased; excellent foods
   
bounteous feast; washed
same famous; many knights
Guinevere; leads; (see note)
the other; (see note)
unsparingly; expended
Malmsey and Muscatel
   
To; in turn
pleasure
   
lead; desired place; leave
musicians
   
goes
allegiance; belong
Tower; goes; (see note)
noble
   
speaks
   
trouble; threatens
dragged; believe; unless
lighten; heart
wastrels
delights
lessened; praise; esteemed
by; men
(see note)
reawakens
vigor
   
said
   
   
spout off; heart
consider; truce; matters
tidings; grieve
   
messenger; grieved
   
Scornfully; hateful
speech
could not speak
   
painfully lost
foreigners
Obtained; commoners
   
owned
(see note)
   
Each one heir
seized
head men; hundreds; once
Then; (see note)
heir; England
   
heaven
   
reigns
   
(see note)
overlord
strongest
   
suffered harm from them
reigned; ransomed
   
reason; bereft us of
devoutly
image of Veronica; (see note)
villainy; avenged at once
   
well trained
ages; (see note)
At my expense; travel
foes; treat
   
(see note)
beseeches; (see note)
bold
   
vow
image of Veronica; retreat
fear; reigns
ready; the first
fear the blows; grim
   
shrink; sweep
flower; ground
battle; armored
count, prosperous
whatever country
   
   
(see note)
avenge; injury to
   
sorrow
vanguard certainly
   
villainy once
Pontremoli
Tuscany; some of
   
be reconciled
ourselves alone
deal; strong
bring at my expense
Isle of Wight; (see note)
number
strongest men
   
eagerly asks; (see note)
kinsman; courageous
if we knew; would
journey; adjourned
ravage
would prepare us
   
kinsman; said
   
first day of June
as; may
devoutly
image of Veronica
   
   
Go; Milan; undermine
(see note)
supply (victual)
Sojourn; refresh
   
Unless; peace
   
Certainly; vow
If; man; eyes
   
venture; eagle-standard
   
snatch; cut it asunder
   
reinforce; field
   
foemen to go where
Frisia
   
(see note)
praise; (see note)
lesser; leave
hindrance
the day's fight; noble
active; equipped
   
giants, Genoese; (see note)
   
   
reckon
   
   
sea
   
speaks
for
desires; sorrow
fates to avenge
image of Veronica
   
   
for
   
(see note)
Running with
route
path; dead left
   
   
Praises; vows
All-ruling; honor
be without you
honor; manhood
   
prosperity
belongs
   
field
take account of
depend on
   
   
group (dance); earls
met; hall; dined quickly
company; splendor
royal king regales
respect; revelry
   
bold
January 6; (see note)
parliament
courteous
Brings out
conceal
liege-man loyal; know
August 1; freely
delight; many lords
Reign; royalty
   
   
   
go; mountains
Milan; undermine
Lombardy; leave; neither
No kind of man; keeps
Tuscany
spacious; vigorous
honor
manhood; strong
try
February
   
dead; left
certainly; seal
besiege; city
securely besiege; all sides
alone
provided
   
   
from
as a maximum time
   
must; foal
travel; else; (see note)
(see note)
field; go
horse; bush
   
ought; wander
ribald; company
limited
(see note)
limb lie
laid on you
edge of the sea
eighth; nine a.m.
   
   
tax; belongs
man, ransom you alone
   
as; may
Could; go
should; remains
Again; go; a message
singly; (see note)
beseech; safely
man hinder
fame is impaired
   
said; safe conduct
From; coast; ship
   
secure; seal
   
bowed; leave
Go
courteous; taught
entrusted; (see note)
exhausted
horses
fear; rode
Unless; tree
nearest (way)
By (the time)
   
sea; curfew; (see note)
delay
Weary; pale sea
gunwale; anchors
first high tide; to
went
To; Germany
They go; grievous; (see note)
pleasant to be seen
Tuscany
   
Sunday; Sutri; rest
   
spur; palace; gates
Where; many lords
Bows; properly; offers
credentials; knightly
   
eager; ardently asks
immediately
orders the realm
If
seized; above
royalty; (see note)
Because; messenger
decorum
   
man; (see note)
Except; strength
dead; left
appears
tell you; enemy
intends; overlord
owned; except
message; made knowen
nine in all
royal
   
   
where
following; lordship
again; errand
chieftain; chief
   
strongest
men; know
considered
   
courage; expressions
   
called in his expenditures
   
   
wealth; except for
country
   
   
Ten in all
make war
Pay; borders
at the earliest time
if; reach
   
sure; mercenaries
year, if; health remains
stoutly; hasten
   
Easter; intend
lead a host; Germany
boldly
Try; fetch; man
guards; cunning
Genoa
mountains
narrow places; destroy
   
furnished
beacon; burn
enemy
built
   
gates
excellent
   
   
bold
(see note)
   
   
(see note)
to
eastern countries
Damascus; Damietta
   
Cappadocia (in Turkey)
completely
China; tidings
Thebes
land of the Amazons
are lacking
Cairo; Bagdad; stately
Men of Bayonne; (see note)
(see note)
Each; openly prepared
Sultan; Syria
From Nile
Gadara; gather; once
sultans; trusty mercenaries
   
glittering shields
awaits
royal (ones); alone
ample
Quickly; Saracens
Corneto
away
   
those
Apulia; Prussia; hasten; (see note)
liege-men; Lithuania
assemble; companies
sultans; Saracens; various
Sultan; Syria
   
   
issues; completely
   
by fiends
warlocks
Anywhere; years
horses; bear; wild
camels covered with towers
goes
Directly; Germany
   
goes
Westphalia
Danube
Cologne; besieges
   
   
(see note)
famous; commanded
Go; assemble
await; completely; (see note)
peaceful streams
aboard (ships); men
honorably
   
quickly
commandeer
   
   
palace
realm
preaching
speaks
   
go
   
   
if
kin; sister's son
lieutenant; enough authority
loyal liege-men; possess
   
says; kinsman
guardian; kingdoms
wield (rule)
   
desire; Guinevere
prosperity
famous; completely equipped
she; fair knights
(see note)
   
   
   
   
   
juries
do justice to; do
fated; God's
executor, chief
goods; reward
mendicants; those in misery
   
trust
austere
pleasantly directs
loyally performed
completely; care
(see note)
clear; complaint
come home; allow
If
   
   
speaks
   
beseech; related by blood
chose
plight; people
princely
cunning in warfare
be little regarded
travel
provisions ready
   
nephew; near; nursling
disciplined; praised
blood relationship to
If; know; means
   
   
With; leaves
then; worthy man
   
weakly weeping
tears
curse; person
denies; wedded
pleasure
believe
   
destiny; suffer; alone
   
   
begrudge; going
sorrows
depart (turn aside from)
guardian; own
Overlord
much
spokesman
   
from
kindly; entrusts (them)
she; requested
as if she would die; (see note)
hastened
Spurs from; palace
company
Went; she
   
gathered; jolly
drawn up suitably
high noblemen
   
   
   
the soldiers from each country
   
prepare
horses aboard; stately
securely; equipped
siege-engines; shields
Cabins; sacks of clothes
(see note)
stern
   
hold back; longer
untied; quickly
   
unfurled (sails)
   
surging waves
Men; bow coil
small ships; merchantmen
Pull; bow
starboard sternly; sang
test
go; bounding waves
Wholly; haul; boats
shut; portholes
   
North Star
   
i.e., with a compass
slowed down
   
   
ship
cabin; completely
   
swaying; dreaming
He dreamed
driving; drown
Directly walking
   
neck; wholly
   
   
   
belly; hues
(see note)
lost
decorated; (see note)
flame flowed
outpouring; flames
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
danced about; grimaced
prepares himself; wild
bellowed; roared; rocked
(see note)
   
finally came against him
blows; afar; sky
falcon; boldly
   
bear
   
reaches to (gives); claws
breast; waist
   
Running
wearied; serpent; stoutness
himself
   
serpent
strikes directly
tears; back
long
   
float
   
   
   
wakens; wearily exhausted
   
most subtle; (see note)
most learned of scholars
   
Harassed; dire beast
guide me; (see note)
   
   
immediately; wise
dreamed; behold
driving; drown
   
trusty
clear (shining)
kingdoms
tongues; (see note)
Signifies
beaten down
people
else; day's fight
battle; alone
   
   
dream
   
   
   
   
company
coast; reach
Barfleur
   
kingdoms
awaited
   
   
By the time; reared
quickly; told; (see note)
   
Genoa; by fiends
devoured; more; hundred
   
   
rogue
family; left; (see note)
   
male children
   
Brittany
Rennes; she
man
   
from afar
townsmen
got to
recover
   
   
most noble jewel; by
Genoa; Gironne
relative; acknowledge
reigns
righteous; have pity
endeavor; avenge
   
   
known; achieved
   
fiend
   
   
siezed
suffered
show; keen one
   
treat; treason
truce; betide
   
promontory; (see note)
lurks; try
   
clear (shining)
dead
More coins
dishonestly; gotten
believe
   
bellows; pity
Goes; longer
writhes; wrestles
knew; meant
   
sword
completely
horses; brush; calm
   
dinner
   
   
   
   
wardrobe; threw; clothes
padded jacket; gold trim
Upon that, a leather jacket
coat of mail
gipon; shreds; (see note)
draws; helmet
borders
diadem
clear (shining); set
(see note)
Devoid of defects
gayly; decorated
seed pearls; jewels
   
went to; ground waits
leaped; aloft
   
Spurs; bush
awaited
   
swiftly
trees reach over; stately
roe deer
bushes; rose bushes; amuse
woods; flowered
falcons; pheasants; wondrous
   
sang; cuckoo; groves
all sorts of gladness
   
debated; thrushes
swift sound
   
   
goes
   
   
horses; go
   
speak; possesses
   
Honorably to
   
gets to; ravines
   
visor
   
   
quarter to; (see note)
welling water
learn; warlock; dwells
goes
   
weeping
Newly dug in the earth
saluted; fitting
asks; fiend
   
woman unhappily
   
man
warlock know; attacks
Cursed be; man; stole
makes; wander
desire
Whither go
Expect; destroy; sword
fiercer; (see note)
   
   
   
   
   
noble
fated to die; grieves
fifty such (as you)
man
dear
buried; buried; ground
   
ground; knew not; meant
raped; defiled; left dead
crudely
embalmed
sorrow; the helpless
   
mother
go; promontory; endeavor