Note 45 — MINSTRELSY OF THE SCOTTISH BORDER. PART THIRD. IMITATIONS OF THE ANCIENT BALLAD.
Reading edition
The strange occupation, in which Waldhave beholds Merlin engaged, derives some illustration from a curious passage in Geoffrey of Monmouth's life of Merlin, above quoted. The poem, after narrating, that the prophet had fled to the forests in a state of distraction, proceeds to mention, that, looking upon the stars one clear evening, he discerned, from his astrological knowledge, that his wife, Guendolen, had resolved, upon the next morning, to take another husband. As he had presaged to her that this would happen, and had promised her a nuptial gift (cautioning her, however, to keep the bridegroom out of his sight), he now resolved to make good his word. Accordingly, he collected all the stags and lesser game in his neighbourhood; and, having seated himself upon a buck, drove the herd before him to the capital of Cumberland, where Guendolen resided. But her lover's curiosity leading him to inspect too nearly this extraordinary cavalcade, Merlin's rage was awakened, and he slew him with the stroke of an antler of the stag. The original runs thus:
Dixerat: et silvas et saltus circuit omnes, Cervorumque greges agmen collegit in unum, Et damas, capreasque simul, cervoque resedit; Et veniente die, compellens agmina præ se, Festinans vadit quo nubit Guendolna. Postquam venit eo, pacienter coegit Cervos ante fores, proclamans, "Guendolna, "Guendolna, veni, te talia munera spectant." Ocius ergo venit subridens Guendolna Gestarique virum cervo miratur, et illum Sic parere viro, tantum quoque posse ferarum Uniri numerum quas præ se solus agebat, Sicut pastor oves, quas ducere suevit ad herbas. Stabat ab excelsa, sponsus spectando fenestra In solio mirans equitem risumque movebat. Ast ubi vidit eum vates, animoque quis esset, Calluit, extemplo divulsit cornua cervo Quo gestabatur, vibrataque jecit in illum Et caput illius penitus contrivit, eumque Reddidit exanimem, vitamque fugavit in auras; Ocius inde suum, talorum verbere, cervum Diffugiens egit, silvasque redire paravit.
For a perusal of this curious poem, accurately copied from a MS. in the Cotton Library, nearly coeval with the author, I was indebted to my learned friend, the late Mr Ritson. There is an excellent paraphrase of it in the curious and entertaining Specimens of Early English Romances, lately published by Mr Ellis.