Arthur - A Short Sketch of His Life and History in English Verse of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century

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• Publié par: asta
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 44
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Arthur, Copied And Edited From The Marquis of Bath's MS This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Arthur, Copied And Edited From The Marquis of Bath's MS  A Short Sketch of His Life and History in English Verse  of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century Author: Editor: Frederick J. Furnivall Release Date: October 10, 2005 [EBook #16845] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARTHUR ***

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TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: This text contains the character yogh (ȝ and Ȝ). Typically, it will display as a ? or a box if your browser's font does not support it. One suggested font that seems to support the characters (and is free for use) is the Caslon Roman font. This is available from the font creator's website (http://bibliofile.mc.duke.edu/gww/fonts/Caslon/Caslon.html). Arthur A Short Sketch of His Life and History in English Verse of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century Copied and Edited From the Marquis of Bath's MS. by Frederick J. Furnivall, M.A., Camb. Editor of De Borron's and Lonelich's "History of the Holy Graal," Walter Map's "Queste Del Saint Graal," Etc. Etc.

London: Published for the Early English Text Society, by Trübner & Co., 60, Paternoster Row. MDCCCLXIV

Contents Preface Arthur Words

Notes Preface [pg v] As one of the chief objects of the Early English Text Society is to print every Early English Text relating to Arthur, the Committee have decided that this short sketch of the British hero's life shall form one of the first issue of the Society's publications. The six hundred and forty-two English lines here printed occur in an incomplete Latin Chronicle of the Kings of Britain, bound up with many other valuable pieces in a MS. belonging to the Marquis of Bath. The old chronicler has dealt with Uther Pendragon, and Brounsteele (Excalibur), and is narrating Arthur's deeds, when, as if feeling that Latin prose was no fit vehicle for telling of Arthur, king of men, he breaks out into English verse, "Herkeneþ, þat loueþ hono ur , Of kyng Arthour & hys labo ur ." The story he tells is an abstract, with omissions, of the earlier version of Geoffry of Monmouth, before the love of Guinevere for Lancelot was introduced by the French-writing English romancers of the Lionheart's time (so far as I know), into the Arthur tales. The fact of Mordred's being Arthur's son, begotten by him on his sister, King Lot's wife, is also omitted; so that the story is just that of a British king founding the Round Table, conquering Scotland, Ireland, L G u o c t i h u la s  n t d h , e     a E n m d  p d e i r v o e r r   s o   f  p R ar o ts m   e o , f     a F n r d a  r n e c t e u , r   n k i i n ll g i   n h g o  a m   e g   i t a o  n l t o  f s r e o   m hi   s  S o p w ai n n  l , i   f b e e ,  a a t f i t n e g r [pg vi] the battle in which the traitor whom he had trusted, and who has seized his queen and his land, was slain. "He that will more look, Read on the French book," says our verse-writer: and to that the modern reader must still be referred, or to the translations of parts of it, which we hope to print or reprint, and that most pleasantly jumbled abstract of its parts by Sir Thomas Maleor, Knight, which has long been the delight of many a reader,—though despised by the stern old Ascham, whose Scholemaster was to turn it out of the land.—There the glory of the Holy Grail will be revealed to him; there the Knight of God made known; there the only true lovers in the world will tell their loves and kiss their kisses before him; and the Fates which of old enforced the penalty of sin will show that their arm is not shortened, and that though the brave and guilty king fights well and gathers all the glory of the world around him, yet still the sword is over his head, and, for the evil that he has done, his life and vain imaginings must pass away in dust and confusion. Of the language of the Poem there is little to say: its dialect is Southern, as shown by the verbal plural th , the vyve for five, zyx for six, ych for I, har (their), ham (them), for her, hem ; hulle, dude, ȝut , for hill, did, yet, the infinitive in y (rekeny) , etc. Of its poetical merits, every reader will judge for himself; but that it has power in some parts I hope few will deny. Arthur's answer to Lucius, and two lines in the duel with Frollo, "There was no word y-spoke, But eche had other by the throte," are to be noted. Parts of the MS. have very much faded since it was written some ten or twenty y M e S a . r   s c   o b n e t f a o i r n e s     1 a 4   5 fe 0, w     so m   e t t h r a ic t  a a l     fe po w i   n o t f s     th a e n   d w   o s r to d p s  s a ,  re w   h q ic ue h  ri I  e h d a  i v n e     th h e e   r p e r   i p nt r . i   n T te he d [pg vii] between parentheses (). The expansions of the contractions are printed in italics, but the ordinary doubt whether the final lined n or u —for they are often undistinguishable —is to be printed n e , n ne , or u n , exists here too. I am indebted to Mr. Sims, of the Manuscript Department of the British Museum, for pointing out the Poem to me, and to the Marquis of Bath for his kind permission to copy it for printing.

Arthur From the Marquis of Bath's MS.

3, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, London, W.C., August 30, 1864.

[pg 1]

[Fol. 42 b .] How Arthur was begotten by Pendragon on Ygerne. Pendragon ( t.i.  Dragon's Head) made two painted dragons, and thence had his name. How Uther loved the Earl of Cornwall's wife,

and begat Arthur in adultery. Arthur is crowned, is loved of all, is strong and courteous. [Fol. 42 b . col. 2.] He makes the Round Table, that all at it might be equal.

BEF. 1450 A.D.

[The Latin side notes in italics, and the stops of the text in parentheses (), are those of the MS.]

Herkeneþ, þat loueþ hono ur , Of kyng Arthour & hys labo ur ; And furst how he was bygete, As þ a t we in bok is do rede. Vther pendragon e was hys fader, And ygerne was hys Moder. Pendragon e ys in walysch e 'Dragones heed' on Englysch e ; He maked ypeynted dragon e s two; Oon schold byfore him goo Whan he went to batayle, Whan he wold hys foes sayle; That other abood at wynchester, Euermore stylle there. Bretones ȝaf hym þ a t Name, Vther Pendragon e þe same, For þat skyle fer & nere Euer-more hyt to here. The Erles wyff of Cornewayle He loued to Muche sanz fayle; Merlyn wyþ hys sotelnesse Turned vtheris lyknesse, And maked hym lyche þe Erl anone, And wyþ hys wyff (:) his wyll e to done In þe cou n tre of Cornewell e : In þe Castel of Tyntagell e , Thus vther, yf y schall e nat lye, Bygat Arthour in avowtrye. Whan vther Pendragon e was deed, Arthour anon was y-crowned; He was courteys, large, & Gent to alle puple verrament; Beaute, Myȝt, amyable chere To alle Men ferre and neere; Hys port (;) hys ȝyftes gentyll e Maked hym y-loved wyll e ; Ech mon was glad of hys p re sence, And drade to do hym dysplesau n ce; A stronger Man of hys honde was neuer founde on any londe, As courteys as any Mayde:— Þus wryteþ of hym þ a t hym a-sayde. At Cayrlyon e , wyt h oute fable, he let make þe Rou n de table: And why þ a t he maked hyt þus, Þis was þe resou n y-wyss, — Þat no man schulde sytt aboue other, ne haue indignaciou n of hys broþ er ; And alle hadde (.)oo(.) seruyse, For no pryde scholde aryse

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[pg 2 - Arthur Has   the Round Table Made.]

After his first conquests he lives twelve years in peace, and then invades France. He beats Frollo back to Paris, and there besieges him, till Frollo challenges him to single combat. They fight: [Fol. 43.] (Frollo with his axe)

till Arthur in wrath takes Brownsteel, Caliburn us Arthuri Gladius [with a sketch thereof in the MS.] and strikes Frollo dead. Arthur takes Paris. Glory to God. Sa e a Pater Noster

For any degree of syttynge, Oþer for any seruynge:— Þus he kept þe table Rou n de Whyle he leuyd on þe grou n de. After he hadde conquered skotlond yrland & Gotland, Þan leuyd he at þe best twelf ȝeeris on all e reste Wyþoute werre (:) tyll e at þe laste he þouȝt to make (.)a(.) nywe con queste. Into Frau n ce wyþ gode cou n ceyle he wolde weende (:) & hyt assayle, Þat Rome þo kept vnder Myght, Vnder Frollo (:) a worthy knyght Þ a t frau n ce hadde þo to kepe, To rywle, defende, & to lede. Arthour and Frollo fouȝt in feld; Þere deyde many vnder scheld. Frollo in-to Paryss fly, W y th strenkthe kept hyt wysely: Arthour byseged þ a t Syte & town Tyll e þeire vytayl was y-doon. Frollo þat worthy knyght Proferyd w y t h Artho ur for to fyght Vnder þis wyse & condiciou n — , "Ho hadde þe Maystrie (:) haue þe crown; And no mo men but þey two." Þe day Was sett (:) to-geder þey go: Fayr hyt was to byholde In suche two knyȝghteȝ bolde: Þer was no word y-spoke, But eche hadde other by þe þrote; Þey smote w y t h trou n chou n & w y t h swerd; Þat hyt seye were a-ferd; Frollo fouȝt wyþ hys ax (:) as men dude se; He hytt Arthour (:) so sore (:) þ a t he felle on kne. He ros vp raply (:) and smot hym full e sore; He dude hym to grent a (.) soueȝ 1 þ er fore. thus they hyw on helmes hye, And schatered on wyþ scheldes. Þe puple by-gan to crye Þat stood on þe feldes; ther ne wyst no man, as y can ler e , Who of ham two was þe better e þer e . Arthour was chafed & wexed wroth e , He hente brou n steell e | and to Frollo goth e Brou n stell e was heuy & also kene; Fra m þe schulder(:) to þe syde went bytwene Off frollo | and þan he fell to þe grou n de Ryȝt as he moste | deed(.) in lyte stou n de. Frensch e men made doell e & wept full e faste; Þeir Crowne of frau n ce þere þey loste. Than wente Arthour in-to paryse And toke þe castell e & þe town at hys avyse. Worschuped be god of hys grete grace Þ a t þus ȝeueþ fortune(:) and worschup to þe Reme; Thanke ȝe hym all e þ a t beþ on þis place,        

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[pg 3 - He Fights Frollo for France.]

[pg 4 - Arthur Returns Victorious to Britain,]

rthur conquers t re ot t , eherofer A . ,ndoc eh rtnu seiuora þe Ence f syrl o crse foD aVel rt,e ccey Lof þ?] [er e rtsehcl  nyeguJ , , e rt rraME nao lrWyf he n crest we , Ggruod n E lro  fehrford, Booȝ Erl o yk eþ ny,leoH gn Err doCaor Cofl ll, e enew ecþ oMirl ofe Eruces Glo  orlsaf erEu Ead nyK 3  ram bsel,yru anterburErl of C eþE lro  ,y oJan s baf  , O rdfoenOxf  rE eþ tnegnv eht l ofursa so, C l al t-,oþ rets e rC eh ndlayrf  d maol , D þ ramlywo gnyk e orthof neȝ, G  walll  e daewny geþk   softhoual w, C esatS ,  retk eþ gny s at þat dynynge  eykgn O e  fcstoet eterB fO ,eynekrOf  ongkye  þasenS , uo wrye foNgno e kyh e  þAlot r to,cram e þ hfo l n eD  , A so hyrc onelald nao  fsy na,d aMgl of guthlþe kyng   nadtrye  yocT y ehyderme þgode in  siþ ot e A .renyD  e ll andceo  oat ee Þ r taw re eoth ym Omager, to com  ednsseMegna  oT r ngky fesreer n & or þ re; F a-foade  nyþ rVewaw sre e an e Þ orMoe chMus  m  ru ohtrA ereue  e  Cayrly Castell f se taw no. e hTsy ked  þpt ra a An y, A e no eþ t erieseC 

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and thirteen earls (including him of Bath),

at Carlyon, greater than ere before. Ten kings were there,

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and returns to Britain. [Fol. 43 b , col. 1.] Arthur gives an Easter Feast

distributes them among his knights,

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[pg 6 - Arthur's Guests at

[pg 5 - And Then Holds a Great Feast.]

He ȝ dye; o Hoaf t  eaȝreh mr n a foN herewedylot bys g n uA & s B oT ;eye e þe cyte; And ec syC sony ,oBolny rdpa To e; or B hel nydllf ed n ua syr seeteHf  awdrtfrene ae so tymto ur sE na nopv dnA ;ewtlo a &edov Lym faA gnrera dehȝ hys styw ward; To  erg er tfaȝ mah htyg & is hyd kns  fo edlow H ru onoh  fea d olEet  ast ,nt teyelroy oaCyhe. n e a o ur  Arth ef d edeellasyh re fesnd An s; sed  tsuo O r  feragyl e& worthynesse, An hed dearew rHe s, roM eþob ,ella m r þeaftean, he m eawtah taþ a ts d ane,Fe lþed on t derB o dnAnrut e, And ȝa e & lass awdr ,ob feh mer Ar r.teos fr r  o u th        n retaP   hys  y t h  e, An Rowtrasymap tnw  eew p ordu e | &ahtwed þe poure; He dtlewnol ni graP s ysteafinr on h H ;  e uoer rddaaw s lou andn coed i siert n u H ;etwoba & t esey hstwelo red þe Cd co n que nuere yuot n ero e;ut geAn desybo a ,wotreB , 2 yoyeP ne, N skoy& Gary,  no  e uBgren ,uareeyor T &ynreLo|  eþ det n uad eH ;en

Argal of warwyk also,— Kynges & Erles Echon with a   t many other gentles Þes wer e ; & many anoþ er goom gre , Gret of astaat, & þe beste, Þes were at þe Feste. Other also gentyls grete Were þere at þat Meete, Sauer appon Donand, Regeym & Alard, Reyneȝ fitȝ Colys, Tade us fitȝ Reis, Delyn fitȝ Dauid, Kymbelyn le fitȝ Gryffith, Gryffitȝ þe Sone of Nagand, Þes were þer e also theoband: Alle þes were þere w y t h oute fable, besides the Round W y t h oute ham of þe rou n de table. T A a rc bl h e b r i s , hops, Thre archebusschopes þ er wer e also, Bishops, And other busschopes many mo— All e þis mayne were nat al-oone; W y t h ham com many a Goome. Þis feste dured dayes þre In reuell e & sole m pnite. and many from beyond the Of by ȝonde þe See also sea. Many lordez[?] were þere þo. Now resteþ alle wyþ Me, And say a Pater & Ave. Pater noster. The þrydde day folowyng The n coom nywe tydynge, Þe whyle þey sete at þe Mete To the feasters came rs were ; messengers from the M W e el s l e s   a a g r e ayd forso I þ n e y   l þ e e te y come, Roman Emperor, & send fram cite of Rome Wyþ l ett res of þe Emp er oures luci us. Whas name was Lucies. Þes l ett res were opened & vnfold, And þe tydyng e to alle men told, Whas sentence, yf y ne lye, Was after þ a t y can aspye: L ite ra Lucii i m p er at oris . ¶ Luci u s þe grete Emp er our To hys Enemy Arthour:— We woundereþ of þi wodeness And also of þy Madnesse! How darst þow any wyse saying, that to have Aȝenst the Emp er o ur þ u s aryse, invaded France, etc., and made kings, Arthur must And ryde on Remes on eche wey, be mad in his noll; And make kyngeȝ to þe obey? Þu art wood on þe Nolle! Þu hast scley owre cosyn frolle; [Fol. 44, col. 1.] Þu schalt be tawȝt at a schort day for to make such e aray. Oure cosyn Iuli us cesar So m me tyme conquered þar; t t r h ib at u   t h e e must pay his To Rome þu owest hys trybut; , We chargeþ þe to paye vs hyt. Thy pryde we woll e alaye

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ayr yone.

[pg 7 - Lucius's Message to Arthur.]

and come to Rome to be punished for his disobedience. The Britons purpose to kill the messengers, but Arthur forbids it,

and resolves to invade Rome.

L ite ra Reg is  Arthuri. Arthur's answer to the Emperor Lucius, [Fol. 44, col. 2.] claiming tribute from him.

Lucius's messengers return to him.

Þat makest so gret aray: We co m mandeþ þe on haste To paye owre trybut faste; Þu hast scley frolle in frau n ce Þat hadde vnder vs þer e gou er nau n ce, And wyþholdest oure tribute þ er to: Þu schalt be tawȝt þu hast mysdo: We co m mandeþ þe in haste soone Þat þu come to vs at Rome To vnd er fang our e ordynau n ce For þy dysobediau n ce; As þu wold nat leze þy lyf, Fulfylle þys w y t h oute stryff." When þis l ett re was open & rad; Þe bretou n s & all e men wer e mad, And wolde þe messager scle:— "Nay, seyd Arthour, "per de, " That were aȝenst alle kynde, A messager to bete or bynde; y charge alle men here for to make ham good chere." And after Mete sanz fayl Wyþ hys lordes he hadde cou n sayl; And alle asented þer to, Artho ur to Rome scholde go; And þey ne wolde in hys t ra uayle Wyþ strenkþ & good neuer fayle. Than Artho ur wroot to Rome a l ett re, Was sentence was so m m-what bytter e , And sayde i n þis manere As ȝe may hure here:— "Knoweþ well e ȝe of Romayne, Y am kyng Artho ur of Bretayne. Frau n ce, y haue conquered hyt, Y schall e defende & kepe hyt ȝut, Y come to Rome, as y am tryw, To take my trybut (.) to me dywe, But noon þere-for to paye, By my werk ȝe schall e asay; For þe Emp er our Constantyne Þat was þe Soone of Elyne, Þat was a Breton e of þis lond, Co n quered Rome w y t h hys hond, And so ȝe oweþ me tribut: Y charge ȝow þat ȝe pay me hyt. Also Maximian kyng of Bretaigne Co[ n ]quered al frau n ce & Almayne, Lombardye Rome & ytalye— By ȝoure bok is ȝe may a-spye. Y am þeir Eyr & þeyre lynage, Y aske ȝow my trywage." Þis l ett re was celyd fast, Y-take the Messagerez on hast; Arthour ȝaf ham ȝyftez grete, And chered ham wyþ drynk and Mete. Þey hasted ham to come hoom; Byfor þe Emp er o ur þey beþ coom;

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[pg 8 - Arthur's Answer to Lucius.]

[pg 9 - The Messenger's Report of Arthur.]