Chapter 1

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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

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, Gothland, and divers parts of France, killing a giant from Spain, beating Lucius the Emperor of Rome, and returning home to lose his own life, after the battle in which the traitor whom he had trusted, and who has seized his queen and his land, was slain.

"He that will more look, Read on the French book,"

says our verse-writer: and to that the modern reader must still be referred, or to the translations of parts of it, which we hope to print or reprint, and that most pleasantly jumbled abstract of its parts by Sir Thomas Maleor, Knight, which has long been the delight of many a reader,--though despised by the stern old Ascham, whose Scholemaster was to turn it out of the land.--There the glory of the Holy Grail will be revealed to him; there the Knight of God made known; there the only true lovers in the world will tell their loves and kiss their kisses before him; and the Fates which of old enforced the penalty of sin will show that their arm is not shortened, and that though the brave and guilty king fights well and gathers all the glory of the world around him, yet still the sword is over his head, and, for the evil that he has done, his life and vain imaginings must pass away in dust and confusion.

Of the language of the Poem there is little to say: its dialect is 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 years before 1450, so that a few of the words are queried in the print. The MS. contains a few metrical points and stops, which I have here printed between parentheses (). The expansions of the contractions are printed in italics, but the ordinary doubt whether the final lined _n_ or _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.

_3, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn,_ _London, W.C., August 30, 1864._

Arthur [pg 1]

From the Marquis of Bath's MS.

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_, [Fol. 42_b_] Of kyng Arthour & hys labo_ur_; How Arthur And furst how he was bygete, was begotten As þ_a_t we in bok_is_ do rede. 4 by Pendragon Vther pendragon_e_ was hys fader, on Ygerne. And ygerne was hys Moder. Pendragon_e_ ys in walysch_e_ Pendragon 'Dragones heed' on Englysch_e_; 8 (_t.i._ Dragon's He maked ypeynted dragon_e_s two; Head) made Oon schold byfore him goo two painted Whan he went to batayle, dragons, Whan he wold hys foes sayle; 12 That other abood at wynchester, Euermore stylle there. and thence Bretones ȝaf hym þ_a_t Name, had his name. Vther Pendragon_e_ þe same, 16 For þat skyle fer & nere Euer-more hyt to here.

How Uther loved The Erles wyff of Cornewayle the Earl of He loued to Muche sanz fayle; 20 Cornwall's wife,

[Arthur Has the Round Table Made.]

Merlyn wyþ hys sotelnesse Turned vtheris lyknesse, And maked hym lyche þe Erl anone, And wyþ hys wyff (:) his wyll_e_ to done 24 In þe cou_n_tre of Cornewell_e_: In þe Castel of Tyntagell_e_, and begat Arthur Thus vther, yf y schall_e_ nat lye, in adultery. Bygat Arthour in avowtrye. 28 Whan vther Pendragon_e_ was deed, Arthur is Arthour anon was y-crowned; crowned, He was courteys, large, & Gent to alle puple verrament; 32 Beaute, Myȝt, amyable chere To alle Men ferre and neere; Hys port (;) hys ȝyftes gentyll_e_ is loved of all, Maked hym y-loved wyll_e_; 36 Ech mon was glad of hys p_re_sence, And drade to do hym dysplesau_n_ce; is strong A stronger Man of hys honde was neuer founde on any londe, 40 and courteous. As courteys as any Mayde:-- Þus wryteþ of hym þ_a_t hym a-sayde. [Fol. 42_b_, At Cayrlyon_e_, wyt_h_oute fable, col. 2.] He makes the he let make þe Rou_n_de table: 44 Round Table, And why þ_a_t he maked hyt þus, Þis was þe resou_n_ y-wyss,-- that all at it Þat no man schulde sytt aboue other, might be equal. ne haue indignaciou_n_ of hys broþ_er_; 48 And alle hadde (.)oo(.) seruyse, For no pryde scholde aryse For any degree of syttynge, Oþer for any seruynge:-- 52 Þus he kept þe table Rou_n_de Whyle he leuyd on þe grou_n_de. After his first After he hadde conquered skotlond conquests yrland & Gotland, 56

[He Fights Frollo for France.]

he lives twelve _Þan_ leuyd he at þe best years in peace, twelf ȝeeris on all_e_ reste Wyþoute werre (:) tyll_e_ at þe laste he þouȝt to make (.)a(.) nywe _con_queste. 60 and then invades Into Frau_n_ce wyþ gode cou_n_ceyle France. he wolde weende (:) & hyt assayle, Þat Rome þo kept vnder Myght, Vnder Frollo (:) a worthy knyght 64 Þ_a_t frau_n_ce hadde þo to kepe, To rywle, defende, & to lede. He beats Frollo Arthour and Frollo fouȝt in feld; back to Paris, Þere deyde many vnder scheld. 68 Frollo in-to Paryss fly, W_y_th strenkthe kept hyt wysely: and there Arthour byseged þ_a_t Syte & town besieges him, Tyll_e_ þeire vytayl was y-doon. 72 till Frollo Frollo þat worthy knyght challenges him Proferyd w_y_t_h_ Artho_ur_ for to fyght to single combat. Vnder þis wyse & condiciou_n_,-- "Ho hadde þe Maystrie (:) haue þe crown; 76 And no mo men but þey two." They fight: Þe day Was sett (:) to-geder þey go: Fayr hyt was to byholde In suche two knyȝghteȝ bolde: 80 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; [Fol. 43.] 84 Frollo fouȝt wyþ hys ax (:) as men dude se; (Frollo with his He hytt Arthour (:) so sore (:) þ_a_t he felle on kne. axe) He ros vp raply (:) and smot hym full_e_ sore; He dude hym to grent a (.) soueȝ[1] þ_er_fore. 88 thus they hyw on helmes hye, [1. ? soneȝ] And schatered on wyþ scheldes. Þe puple by-gan to crye Þat stood on þe feldes; 92

[Arthur Returns Victorious to Britain,]

till Arthur in ther ne wyst no man, as y can ler_e_, wrath takes Who of ham two was þe better_e_ þer_e_. Brownsteel, Arthour was chafed & wexed wroth_e_, _Caliburn_us He hente brou_n_steell_e_ | and to Frollo goth_e_ 96 _Arthuri Gladius_ Brou_n_stell_e_ was heuy & also kene; [with a sketch Fra_m_ þe schulder(:) to þe syde went bytwene thereof in the Off frollo | and þan he fell to þe grou_n_de MS.] and strikes Ryȝt as he moste | deed(.) in lyte stou_n_de. 100 Frollo dead. Frensch_e_ men made doell_e_ & wept full_e_ faste; Þeir Crowne of frau_n_ce þere þey loste. Arthur takes Than wente Arthour in-to paryse Paris. And toke þe castell_e_ & þe town at hys avyse. 104 Worschuped be god of hys grete grace Glory to God. Þ_a_t þus ȝeueþ fortune(:) and worschup to þe Reme; Thanke ȝe hym all_e_ þ_a_t beþ on þis place, Say ye a Pater And seyeþ a Pater noster w_y_t_h_out any Beeme. 108 Noster therefore. Pater noster.

Artho_ur_ fram paryse went w_y_t_h_ hys Rowte, Arthur conquers And co_n_quered þe Cou_n_tre on euery syde aboute; the countries Angeoy[2] , Peytow, Berry, & Gaskoyne, around, Nauerne, Burgon_e_ | Loreyn & Toreyne; 112 He dau_n_ted þe proude | & hawted þe poure; He dwelt long in Paryss after in honoure; He was drad and loued in cou_n_treis abowte; Heyest & lowest hym Loved & alowte; 116 And vpon an Esto_ur_ tyme sone afterward He fested hys knyght_is_ & ȝaf ham gret reward; distributes To hys styward he ȝaf Angers & Au_n_geye; them among his To Bedewer hys botyler he ȝaf Norma_n_dye; 120 knights, He ȝaf to Holdyne flau_n_drys parde; To Borel hys Cosyn, Boloyne þe cyte; And eche man, after þe astat þat he was, He rewarded hem alle, boþe More & lasse, 124 and returns to And ȝaf hem reward, boþe lond and Fee, Britain. And turned to Breteyn, to Carlyo_n_e ayhe.

[And then Holds a Great Feast.]

Artho_ur_ wolde of hono_ur_ [Fol. 43_b_, Arthur gives an Hold a fest at Eestour col. 1.] 128 Easter Feast Of regalye & worthynesse, And feede alle hys frendess; And sende Messanger To kynges ferre & neer 132 Þat were to hym Omager, to come to þis Dyner. And alle at oo certeyn day They come þyder in gode aray, 136 And kept þeire Ceson_e_ at Carlyon, At þe Castell_e_ Cayrlyon_e_. greater than ere Thys fest was Muche Moore before. Þan euere Artho_ur_ made a-fore; 140 Ten kings were For þere was Vrweyn þe kynge there, Of scottes at þat dynynge, Stater þe kyng of south wales, Cadwell_e_ þe kyng of north waleȝ, 144 Gwylmar þe kyng of yrland, Dolmad þe kyng of guthland, Malgan of yselond also, Archyl of De_n_march þ_er_to, 148 Aloth_e_ þe kyng of Norwey, Souenas þe kyng of Orkenye, Of Breteyn þe kyng Hoel, and thirteen Cador Erl of Cornewell_e_, 152 earls Morice þe Erl of Gloucestr_e_, Marran Erl of Wy_n_chestre, Gwergou_n_d Erl of herford, Booȝ Erl of Oxenford, 156 (including him Of bathe vngent þe Erl also, of Bath), Cursal of Chestr_e_ þer-to, Euerad Erl of salesbury[3], Kynmar Erl of Canterbury, 160 Jonas þe Erl of Dorcestre,

[Arthur's Guests at Cayrlyone.]

Valence þe Erl of sylchestr_e_, Jugeyn of Leyccer [?] þ_er_to, Argal of warwyk also,-- 164 Kynges & Erles Echon with many other Þes wer_e_; & many anoþ_er_ goom gentles great, Gret of astaat, & þe beste, Þes were at þe Feste. 168 Other also gentyls grete Were þere at þat Meete, Sauer appon Donand, Regeym & Alard, 172 Reyneȝ fitȝ Colys, Tade_us_ fitȝ Reis, Delyn fitȝ Dauid, Kymbelyn le fitȝ Gryffith, 176 Gryffitȝ þe Sone of Nagand, Þes were þer_e_ also theoband: besides the Alle þes were þere w_y_t_h_oute fable, Round Tablers, W_y_t_h_oute ham of þe rou_n_de table. 180 Archbishops, 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. 184 Þis feste dured dayes þre In reuell_e_ & sole_m_pnite. and many from Of by ȝonde þe See also beyond the sea. Many lordez[?] were þere þo. 188 Now resteþ alle wyþ Me, And say a Pater & Ave.

Pater noster.

The þrydde day folowyng The_n_ coom nywe tydynge, 192 Þe whyle þey sete at þe Mete To the feasters Messagers were In ylete; came messengers Well_e_ arayd forsoþe þey come, from the & send fram cite of Rome 196

[Lucius's Message to Arthur.]

Roman Emperor, 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, 200 Whas sentence, yf y ne lye, Was after þ_a_t y can aspye: L_ite_ra Lucii ¶ Luci_u_s þe grete Emp_er_our i_m_p_er_at_oris_. To hys Enemy Arthour:-- 204 We woundereþ of þi wodeness And also of þy Madnesse! How darst þow any wyse saying, that to Aȝenst the Emp_er_o_ur_ þ_u_s aryse, 208 have invaded And ryde on Remes on eche wey, France, etc., and And make kyngeȝ to þe obey? made kings, Þu art wood on þe Nolle! Arthur must be Þu hast scley owre cosyn frolle; 212 mad in his noll; Þu schalt be tawȝt at a schort day [Fol. 44, for to make such_e_ aray. col. 1.] Oure cosyn Iuli_us_ cesar So_m_me tyme conquered þar; 216 that he must pay To Rome þu owest hys trybut; his tribute, We chargeþ þe to paye vs hyt. Thy pryde we woll_e_ alaye Þat makest so gret aray: 220 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, 224 And wyþholdest oure tribute þ_er_to: Þu schalt be tawȝt þu hast mysdo: We co_m_mandeþ þe in haste soone and come to Þat þu come to vs at Rome 228 Rome to be To vnd_er_fang our_e_ ordynau_n_ce punished for For þy dysobediau_n_ce; his disobedience. As þu wold nat leze þy lyf, Fulfylle þys w_y_t_h_oute stryff." 232

[Arthur's Answer to Lucius.]

The Britons When þis l_ett_re was open & rad; purpose to kill Þe bretou_n_s & all_e_ men wer_e_ mad, the messengers, And wolde þe messager scle:-- but Arthur "Nay," seyd Arthour, "per de, 236 forbids it, That were aȝenst alle kynde, A messager to bete or bynde; y charge alle men here for to make ham good chere." 240 And after Mete sanz fayl Wyþ hys lordes he hadde cou_n_sayl; And alle asented þer to, and resolves to Artho_ur_ to Rome scholde go; 244 invade Rome. 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_, 248 And sayde i_n_ þis manere As ȝe may hure here:--

_L_ite_ra Reg_is_ "Knoweþ well_e_ ȝe of Romayne, Arthuri._ Y am kyng Artho_ur_ of Bretayne. 252 Arthur's answer Frau_n_ce, y haue conquered hyt, to the Emperor Y schall_e_ defende & kepe hyt Ȝut, [Fol. 44, Lucius, Y come to Rome, as y am tryw, col. 2.] claiming tribute To take my trybut (.) to me dywe, 256 from him. 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, 260 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. 264 Also Maximian kyng of Bretaigne Co[_n_]quered al frau_n_ce & Almayne, Lombardye Rome & ytalye--

[The Messenger's Report of Arthur.]

By ȝoure bok_is_ ȝe may a-spye. 268 Y am þeir Eyr & þeyre lynage, Y aske ȝow my trywage."

Þis l_ett_re was celyd fast, Y-take the Messagerez on hast; 272 Arthour ȝaf ham ȝyftez grete, And chered ham wyþ drynk and Mete. Lucius's Þey hasted ham to come hoom; messengers Byfor þe Emp_er_o_ur_ þey beþ coom; 276 return to him. Saluted hym as resou_n_ ys, And toke hym þes letterys. Þey seyde to þe Emp_er_our "We have be wyþ kyng Artho_ur_; 280 But such anoþ_er_ as he ys oon, Say neuer no Man. He ys s_er_ued on hys howshold Wyþ kynges, Erles, worthy & bold; 284 Hys worthynesse, sur Emp_er_our, Passeþ Much_e_ all_e_ ȝowre; and give him He seyde he wolde hyder come Arthur's message. And take trywage of all_e_ Rome, 288 We dowteþ last he wel do soo, For he ys Myghty ynow þer-too." Now, erst þan we goo ferþer, Every man þat ys here 292 Sey a Pater noster And ave wyþ gode chere; Ame_n_.

Pater noster

Ave Maria.

Now stureth hym self Artho_ur_ [Fol. 44_b_.] Þenkyng on hys labo_ur_, 296 Arthur prepares And gaderyþ to hym strenghth aboute, for his Hys kynges & Erles on a rowte-- expedition A fayr syȝt to Mannes ye to Rome. to see suche a cheualrye,-- 300

[The Number of Arthur's Host.]

Has five kings, The kyng of Gotland, Also þe kyng of Irland, the kyng of ysland | & of Orkenye, Þis was worthy Maynye; 304 The kyng of Denmark also was þer_e_, Þis was a worthy chere: Eche of þese vyve at her venyw Brouȝt zyx þousand at har retenyw; 308 with 30,000men, xxx{ti} þowsand, yc_h_ vnderstand, Þes vyf kyng_is_ hadde on honde. 80,000 Normans Than hadde he out of Normandye, and Of Angeoy & of Almanye, 312 Boloyne(.) Peytow & flau_n_dres Fowre skore þowsand harneys-- 12,000 from Geryn of Chartez .xij. þowsand Chartres, þat went wyþ Arto_ur_ euer at honde; 316 10,000 Bretons. Hoel of bretayn, þowsandez ten Of hardy & well_e_ fyghtyng Men; Out of Bretaygne hys owne land and 40,000 He passed fourty þowsand 320 British: Of Archerys & off Arblastere Þ_a_t Cowþ well_e_ þe craft of werre. ¶ In Foot other Many a Man Moo Able to feyght(:) as well_e_ as þo: 324 in all 200,000. Two hunderd þousand Went wyþ hym out of lond, And Many moo sykerly That y can[4] not nombrye. [4. ? MS. y-tan.] 328 Artho_ur_ toke þan þe lond Britain is left To Moddredes owne hond; in Mordred's He kept al oþer þyng charge. Saue þo Corowne weryng; 332 But he was [fals] of hys kepynge, As ȝe schall_e_ hure here folewynge. Arthur ships Now than_ne_ ys Arto_ur_ y-Come at Southampton, And hys Ost to Sowthamptone: 336

[The Giant that Ravished Fair Elayne.]