PREFACE. (continued 3)

Dearly he sells it, all the same.

He solde his gold ring ful dere,

Was neuere non so dere sold,

For chapmen, neyþer yung ne old:

1640

Þat sholen71 ye forthward ful wel heren,

Yif þat ye wile þe storie heren.

UBBE INVITES HAVELOK TO A FEAST.

Ubbe takes the ring,

Hwan ubbe hauede þe gold ring,

Hauede he youenet for no þing,

1644

Nouth for þe borw euere-il del:—

Hauelok bi-hel he swiþe wel,

1646

admires Havelok’s make and strength,

Hw he was wel of bones maked,

Brod in þe sholdres, ful wel schaped,

1648

Þicke in þe brest, of bodi long;

He semede wel to ben wel strong.

“Deus!” hwat ubbe, “qui ne were he knith?

I woth, þat he is swiþe with!

and thinks he ought to be a knight, not a pedlar.

1652

Betere semede him to bere

Helm on heued, sheld and spere,

Þanne to beye and selle ware.

Allas! þat he shal þer-with fare.

1656

Goddot! wile he trowe me,

Chaffare shal he late be.”

Neþeles he seyde sone:

“Havelok, bring your wife, and come and eat with me.”

“Hauelok, haue [þou] þi bone,

1660

And y ful wel rede þ[e]

Þat þou come, and ete with me

To-day, þou, and þi fayre wif,

Þat þou louest also þi lif.

1664

And haue þou of hire no drede,

Shal hire no man shame bede.

Bi þe fey that y owe to þe,

Þerof shal i me serf-borw be.”

UBBE TAKES A GREAT FANCY TO HAVELOK.

1668

Hauelok herde þat he bad,

And thow was he ful sore drad,

[Fol. 212, col. 2.]

With him to ete, for hise wif;

Havelok fears ill may come of it.

For him wore leuere þat his lif

1672

Him wore reft, þan she in blame

Felle, or lauthe ani shame.

Hwanne he hauede his wille wat,72

Þe stede, þat he onne sat,

But Ubbe rides away, saying,

1676

Smot ubbe with spures faste,

And forth awey, but at þe laste,

1678

Or he fro him ferde,

Seyde he, þat his folk herde:

“Mind that you come.”

1680

“Loke þat ye comen beþe,

For ich it wile, and ich it rede.”

UBBE SENDS HAVELOK TO BERNARD.

Havelok dares not refuse.

Hauelok ne durste, þe he were adrad,

Nouth with-sitten þat ubbe bad;

1684

His wif he dide with him lede,

Vn-to þe heye curt he y[e]de.73

Robert the Red leads Goldborough.

Roberd hire ledde, þat was red,

Þat hau[ed]e þarned* for hire þe ded

1688

Or ani hauede hire misseyd,

Or hand with iuele onne leyd.

William Wendut is on the other side of her.

Willam wendut was þat oþer

Þat hire ledde, roberdes broþer,

1692

Þat was with at alle nedes:

Wel is him þat god man fedes!

Þan he weren comen to þe halle,

Biforen ubbe, and hise men alle,

Ubbe starts up to welcome them.

1696

Vbbe stirte hem ageyn,

And mani a knith, and mani a sweyn,

Hem for to se, and forto shewe;

Þo stod hauelok als a lowe

Havelok is a head taller than any of them.

1700

Aboven [þo] þat þer-inne wore,

Rith al bi þe heued more

Þanne ani þat þer-inne stod:

Þo was ubbe bliþe of mod,

1704

Þat he saw him so fayr and hende,

Fro him ne mithe his herte wende,

Ne fro him, ne fro his wif;

He louede hem sone so his lif.

Ubbe loves Havelok better than any one else.

1708

Weren non in denemark, þat him þouthe,

Þat he so mikel loue mouthe;

More he louede hauelok one,

Þan al denemark, bi mine wone!

1712

Loke nou, hw god helpen kan

O mani wise wif and man.

Hwan it was comen time to ete,

[Fol. 212b, col. 1.]

Hise wif dede ubbe sone in fete,

1716

And til hire seyde, al on gamen:

Ubbe’s wife is to eat with Havelok, and Goldborough with Ubbe.

“Dame, þou and hauelok shulen ete samen,

And goldeboru shal ete wit me,

Þat is so fayr so flour on tre;

1720

In al denemark nis74 * wimman

So fayr so sche, bi seint iohan!”

1722

Þanne [he] were set, and bord leyd,

And þe beneysun was seyd,

There were cranes, swans, venison, fish, and wines.

1724

Biforn hem com þe beste mete

Þat king or cayser wolde ete;

1726

Kranes, swannes, ueneysun,

Lax, lampreys, and god sturgun,

1728

Pyment to drinke, and god clare,

Win hwit and red, ful god plente.

Was þer-inne no page so lite,

Þat euere wolde ale bite.

1732

Of þe mete forto tel,

No need to tell it all.

Ne of þe metes75 bidde† i nout dwelle;

Þat is þe storie for to lenge,

It wolde anuye þis fayre genge.

When the feast is over,

1736

But hwan he haueden þe kiwing76 de[y]led,

And fele siþes haueden wosseyled,

And with gode drinkes seten longe,

And it was time for to gonge,

1740

Il man to þer he cam fro,

Ubbe thinks he must let them have an escort.

Þouthe ubbe, “yf I late hem go,

Þus one foure, with-uten mo,

So mote ich brouke finger or to,

1744

For þis wimman bes mike wo!

For hire shal men hire louerd slo.”

He tok sone knithes ten,

And wel sixti oþer men,

1748

Wit gode bowes, and with gleiues,

1749

And sende him unto þe greyues,

He sends them to Bernard Brown, and bids him take care of them till next day.

Þe beste man of al þe toun,

Þat was named bernard brun;

1752

And bad him, als he louede his lif,

Hauelok wel y[e]men,77 and his wif,

And wel do wayten al þe nith,

Til þe oþer day, þat it were lith.

1756

Bernard was trewe, and swiþe with,

In al þe borw ne was no knith

Þat betere couþe on stede riden,

Helm on heued, ne swerd bi side.

[Fol. 212b, col. 2.]

Bernard provides a rich supper for Havelok.

1760

Hauelok he gladlike under-stod,

With mike loue, and herte god,

And dide greyþe a super riche,

Also he was no with chinche,

1764

To his bihoue euer-il del,

Þat he mithe supe swiþe wel.

A GANG OF THIEVES BESET BERNARD’S HOUSE.

At suppertime sixty-one thieves come to the house,

Also he seten, and sholde soupe,

So comes a ladde in a ioupe,

1768

And with him sixti oþer stronge,

With swerdes drawen, and kniues longe,

Ilkan in hande a ful god gleiue,

and bid Bernard open the door.

And seyde, “undo, bernard þe greyue!

1772

Vndo swiþe, and latus78 in,

THREE OF THE THIEVES ATTACK HAVELOK.

Or þu art ded, bi seint austin!”

Bernard starts up, arms himself,

Bernard stirt up, þat was ful big,

And caste a brinie up-on his rig,

1776

And grop an ax,79 þat was ful god,

Lep to þe dore, so he wore wod,

And seyde, “hwat are ye, þat are þer-oute,

Þat þus biginnen forto stroute?

and tells them to go away.

1780

Goth henne swiþe, fule þeues,

For, bi þe louerd, þat man on leues,

Shol ich casten þe dore open,

Summe of you shal ich drepen!

1784

And þe oþre shal ich kesten

In feteres, and ful faste festen!”

They defy him.

“Hwat haue ye seid,” quoth a ladde,

“Wenestu þat we ben adradde?

1788

We shole at þis dore gonge

Maugre þin, carl, or outh longe.”

They break the door open with a boulder.

He gripen sone a bulder ston,

And let it fleye, ful god won,

1792

Agen þe dore, þat it to-rof:

Auelok it saw, and þider drof,

Havelok seizes the bar of the door, and says,

And þe barre sone vt-drow,

Þat was unride, and gret ynow,

1796

And caste þe dore open wide,

And seide, “her shal y now abide:

“Come here to me.”

Comes swiþe vn-to me!80

Datheyt hwo you henne fle!”

1800

“No,” quodh on, “þat shaltou coupe,”

And bigan til him to loupe,

Three men attack Havelok.

In his hond is swerd ut-drawe,

Hauelok he wende þore haue slawe;

1804

And with [him] comen oþer two,

[Fol. 213, col. 1.]

Þat him wolde of liue haue do.

HAVELOK SLAYS SEVEN OF THE THIEVES.

1806

Hauelok lifte up þe dore-tre,

He kills them all.

And at a dint he slow hem þre;

1808

Was non of hem þat his hernes

Ne lay þer-ute ageyn þe sternes.

A fourth he knocks down with a blow on the head.

Þe ferþe þat he siþen mette,

Wit þe barre so he him grette,

1812

Bifor þe heued, þat þe rith eye

Vt of þe hole made he fleye,

And siþe clapte him on þe crune,

So þat he stan-ded fel þor dune.

A fifth he hits between the shoulders.

1816

Þe fifte þat he ouer-tok,

Gaf he a ful sor dint[e] ok,

Bitwen þe sholdres, þer he stod,

Þat he spen his herte blod.

A sixth he smites on the neck.

1820

Þe sixte wende for to fle,

And he clapte him with þe tre

Rith in þe fule necke so,

Þat he smot hise necke on to.

1824

Þanne þe sixe weren doun feld,

A seventh aims at Havelok’s eye.

Þe seuenþe brayd ut his swerd,

1826

And wolde hauelok Riht in the eye;

And hauelok le[t þe]81 barre fleye,

Havelok kills him.

1828

And smot him sone ageyn þe brest,

Þat hauede he neuere sch[r]ifte of prest;

For he was ded on lesse hwile,

Þan men mouthe renne a mile.

The rest divide into two parties,

1832

Alle þe oþere weren ful kene,

A red þei taken hem bi-twene,

þat he sholde him bi-halue,

And brisen so, þat wit no salue

1836

Ne sholde him helen leche non:

Þey drowen ut swerdes, ful god won,

1838

and rush at him like dogs at a bear.

And shoten on him, so don on bere

Dogges, þat wolden him to-tere,

1840

Þanne men doth þe bere beyte:

Þe laddes were kaske and teyte,

And vn-bi-yeden him ilkon,

Sum smot with tre, and sum wit ston;

1844

Summe putten with gleyue, in bac and side,

They wound Havelok in twenty places.

And yeuen wundes longe and wide;

In twenti stedes, and wel mo,

Fro þe croune til the to.

1848

Hwan he saw þat, he was wod,

And was it ferlik hw he stod,

[Fol. 213, col. 2.]

For the blod ran of his sides

So water þat fro þe welle glides;

1852

But þanne bigan he for to mowe

With the barre, and let hem shewe,

Hw he cowþe sore smite,

He at last succeeds in killing twenty of them.

For was þer non, long ne lite,

1856

Þat he Mouthe ouer-take,

Þat he ne garte his croune krake;

So þat on a litel stund,

Felde he twenti to þe grund.

THE THIEVES SHOOT AT HIM FROM A DISTANCE.

1860

Þo bigan gret dine to rise,

For þe laddes on ilke wise

They throw stones at him.

Him asayleden wit grete dintes,

Fro fer he stoden, him with flintes

1864

And gleyues schoten him fro ferne,

For drepen him he wolden yerne;

But dursten he newhen him no more,

Þanne he bor or leun wore.

HUGH AND THE REST COME TO THE RESCUE.

Hugh Raven hears the noise,

1868

Huwe rauen þat dine herde,

And þowthe wel, þat men mis-ferde

With his louerd, for his wif,

And grop an ore, and a long knif,

1872

And þider drof al so an hert,

and comes to help.

And cham þer on a litel stert,

And saw how þe laddes wode

Hauelok his louerd umbistode,

1876

And beten on him so doth þe smith

With þe hamer on þe stith.

“Allas!” hwat hwe, “þat y was boren!

Þat euere et ich bred of koren!

1880

Þat ich here þis sorwe se!

Hugh calls out to Robert and William.

Roberd! willam! hware ar ye?

Gripeth eþer unker a god tre,

And late we nouth þise doges fle,

1884

Til ure louerd wreke [we];

Cometh swiþe, and folwes me!

Ich haue in honde a ful god ore:

Datheit wo ne smite sore!”

Robert comes to the rescue,

1888

“Ya! leue, ya!” quod roberd sone,

“We hauen ful god lith of þe mone.”

Roberd grop a staf, strong and gret,

Þat mouthe ful wel bere a net,

and William too, and Bernard.

1892

And willam wendut grop a tre

Mikel grettere þan his þe,82

And bernard held his ax ful faste;

[Fol. 213b, col. 1.]

I seye, was he nouth þe laste;

1896

And lopen forth so he weren wode

To þe laddes, þer he stode,

And yaf hem wundes swiþe grete;

They fight with the thieves.

Þer mithe men wel se boyes bete,

1900

And ribbes in here sides breke,

And hauelok on hem wel wreke.

He broken armes, he broken knes,

He broken shankes, he broken thes.

1904

He dide þe blode þere renne dune

To þe fet rith fro the crune,

No head was spared.

For was þer spared heued non:

He leyden on heuedes, ful god won,

1908

And made croune[s] breke and crake,

Of þe broune, and of þe blake;

He made their backs as soft as their bellies.

He maden here backes al so bloute

Als h[er]e83 wombes, and made hem rowte

1912

Als he weren kradelbarnes:

So dos þe child þat moder þarnes.

ALL THE SIXTY THIEVES ARE SLAIN.

1914

Daþeit wo84 recke! for he it seruede,

Hwat dide he þore weren he werewed;

1916

So longe haueden he but and bet

With neues under hernes set,

All sixty assailants are slain.

Þat of þo sixti men and on

Ne wente þer awey liues non.

UBBE ASKS BERNARD WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

At morn, there they lay like dogs.

1920

ON þe morwen, hwan85 it was day,

Ilc on other wirwed lay,

Als it were dogges þat weren henged,

And summe leye in dikes slenget,

1924

And summe in gripes bi þe her

Drawen ware, and laten ther.

1926

Sket cam tiding intil ubbe,

Þat hauelok hauede with a clubbe

1928

Of hise slawen sixti and on

Sergaunz, þe beste þat mithen gon.

Ubbe comes to see what is the matter.

“Deus!” quoth ubbe, “hwat may þis be!

Betere his i nime86 miself and se,

1932

Þat þis baret on hwat is wold,

Þanne i sende yunge or old.

For yif i sende him un-to,

I wene men sholde him shame do,

1936

And þat ne wolde ich for no þing:

I loue him wel, bi heuene king!

Me wore leuere i wore lame,

Þanne men dide him ani shame,

[Fol. 213b, col. 2.]

1940

Or tok, or onne handes leyde,

Vn-ornelike,87 or same seyde.”

He lep up on a stede lith,

And with him mani a noble knith,

1944

And ferde forth un-to þe tun,

He calls for Bernard Brown.

And dide calle bernard brun

Vt of his hus, wan he þer cam;

And bernard sone ageyn [him] nam,

1948

Al to-tused and al to-torn,

Ner also naked so he was born,

And al to-brised, bac and þe:

Ubbe asks who has beaten him about so?

Quoth ubbe, “bernard, hwat is þe?

1952

Hwo haues þe þus ille maked,

Þus to-riuen, and al mad naked?”

BERNARD RELATES HAVELOK’S PROWESS.

“Louerd,88 merci,” quot he sone,

“To-nicht also ros þe mone

“Sixty thieves attacked me last night.

1956

Comen her mo þan sixti þeues,

With lokene copes, and wide sleues,

Me forto robben, and to pine,

And for to drepe me and mine.

1960

Mi dore he broken up ful sket,

And wolde me binden hond and fet.

Wan þe godemen þat sawe,

Havelok and his friends drove them off.

Hauelok, and he þat bi þe wowe

1964

Leye, he stirten up sone on-on,

And summe grop tre, and sum grop ston,

And driue hem ut, þei he weren crus,

So dogges ut of milne-hous.

1968

Hauelok grop þe dore-tre,

And [at] a dint he slow hem thre.

He is þe beste man at nede,

Þat euere mar shal ride stede!

1972

Als helpe god, bi mine wone,

He is worth a thousand men.

A þhousend of men his he worth one!

Yif he ne were, ich were nou ded,

So haue ich don Mi soule red;

1976

But it is hof him mikel sinne;

He maden him swilke woundes þrinne,

Þat of þe alþer-leste wounde

Were a stede brouht to grunde.

He has some bad wounds, more than twenty.

1980

He haues a wunde in the side,

With a gleyue, ful un-ride,

And he haues on þoru his arum,

Þer-of is ful mikel harum,

[Fol. 214, col. 1.]

1984

And he haues on þoru his þhe,

Þe vn-rideste þat men may se,

And oþe[r] wundes haues he stronge,

Mo than twenti swiþe longe.

1988

But siþen he hauede lauth þe sor

Of þe wundes, was neuere bor

Þat so fauth so he fauth þanne;

Was non þat hauede þe hern-panne

1992

So hard, þat he ne dede alto-cruhsse,

And alto-shiuere, and alto-frusshe.

He followed them like a dog does a hare.

He folwede hem so hund dos hare,

Daþeyt on he wolde spare,

1996

Þat [he] ne made hem euerilk on

Ligge stille so doth þe ston:

And þer nis he nouth to frie,

For oþer sholde he make hem lye

2000

Ded, or þei him hauede slawen,

Or alto-hewen, or al-to-drawen.

Louerd, haui no more plith

Of þat ich was þus greþed to-nith.

2004

Þus wolde þe theues me haue reft,

But god-þank, he hauenet sure keft.

But I fear Havelok is all but dead.”

But it is of him mikel scaþe:

I woth þat he bes ded ful raþe.”

THE OTHERS CONFIRM BERNARD’S STORY.

2008

Quoth ubbe, “bernard, seyst þou soth?”

“Ya, sire, that i ne89 lepe oth.

Yif y, louerd, a word leye,

To-morwen do me hengen heye.”

The rest confirm Bernard’s story.

2012

Þe burgeys þat þer-bi stode þore,

Grundlike and grete oþes swore,

Litle and mikle, yunge and holde,

Þat was soth, þat bernard tolde.

2016

Soth was, þat he wolden him bynde,

And trusse al þat he mithen fynde

Of hise, in arke or in kiste,

Þat he mouthe in seckes þriste.

“The thieves wanted to steal all he had.

2020

“Louerd, he haueden al awey born

His þing, and him-self alto-torn,

But als god self barw him wel,

Þat he ne tinte no catel.

2024

Hwo mithe so mani stonde ageyn,

Bi nither-tale, knith or swein?

He weren bi tale sixti and ten,

Starke laddes, stalworþi men,

They were led on by one G[r]iffin Gall.”

2028

And on, þe mayster of hem alle,

Þat was þe name giffin90 galle.

[Fol. 214, col. 2.]

Hwo mouthe agey[n]91 so mani stonde,

But als þis man of ferne londe

2032

Haueth hem slawen with a tre?

Mikel ioie haue he!

God yeue him mikel god to welde,

Boþe in tun, and ek in felde!

2036

We[l]92 is set he etes mete.”

Ubbe sends for Havelok,

Quoth ubbe, “doth him swiþe fete,

Þat y mouthe his woundes se,

Yf that he mouthen heled93 be.

2040

For yf he mouthe couere yet,

And gangen wel up-on hise fet,

to dub him knight.

Mi-self shal dubbe him to knith,

For-þi þat he is so with.

2044

And yif he liuede, þo foule theues,

2045

Þat weren of kaym kin and eues,

He sholden hange bi þe necke;

Of here ded daþeit wo recke,

2048

Hwan he yeden þus on nithes

To binde boþe burgmen and knithes.

For bynderes loue ich neuere mo,

Of hem ne yeue ich nouht a slo.”

UBBE SENDS FOR HAVELOK AND TAKES HIM TO HIS CASTLE.

Havelok is brought before Ubbe.

2052

Hauelok was bifore ubbe browth,

Þat hauede for him ful mikel þouth,

And mikel sorwe in his herte

For hise wundes, þat we[r] so smerte.

2056

But hwan his wundes weren shewed,

A leech says he can be healed.

And a leche hauede knawed,

Þat he hem mouthe ful wel hele,

Wel make him gange, and ful wel mele,

2060

And wel a palefrey bistride,

And wel up-on a stede ride,

Þo let ubbe al his care

And al his sorwe ouer-fare;

Ubbe invites him and Goldborough to his own castle.

2064

And seyde, “cum now forth with me,

And goldeboru, þi wif, with þe,

And þine seriaunz al þre,

For nou wile y youre warant be;

2068

Wile y non of here frend

Þat þu slowe with þin hend

Moucte wayte þe [to] slo,

Also þou gange to and fro.

2072

I shal lene þe a bowr,

Þat is up in þe heye tour,

Til þou mowe ful wel go,

[Fol. 214b, col. 1.]

And wel ben hol of al þi wo.

2076

It ne shal no þing ben bitwene

Þi bour and min, also y wene,

But a fayr firrene wowe;—

Speke y loude, or spek y lowe,

2080

Þou shalt94 ful wel heren me,

And þan þu wilt, þou shalt me se.

He promises to protect Goldborough.

A rof shal hile us boþe o-nith,

Þat none of mine, clerk ne knith,

2084

Ne sholen þi wif no shame bede,

No more þan min, so god me rede!”

UBBE SEES THE MIRACULOUS LIGHT WHICH ISSUES FROM HAVELOK’S MOUTH.

HE dide un-to þe borw bringe

Sone anon, al with ioynge,

2088

His wif, and his serganz þre,

Þe beste men þat mouthe be.

The first night, about midnight,

Þe firste nith he lay þer-inne,

Hise wif, and his serganz þrinne,

2092

Aboute þe middel of þe nith

Ubbe wakes and sees a great light.

Wok ubbe, and saw a mikel lith

In þe bour þat hauelok lay,

Also brith so it were day.

Ubbe says he must go and see what it means.

2096

“Deus!” quoth ubbe, “hwat may þis be?

Betere is i go miself, and se:

Hweþer he sitten nou, and wesseylen,

Or of ani shotshipe to-deyle,

2100

Þis tid nithes, also foles;

Þan birþe men casten hem in poles,

Or in a grip, or in þe fen:

Nou ne sitten none but wicke men,

2104

Glotuns, reu[e]res, or wicke þeues,

Bi crist, þat alle folk onne leues!”

He peeps in, and sees them all asleep.

He stod, and totede in at a bord,

Her he spak anilepi word,

2108

And saw hem slepen faste ilkon,

And lye stille so þe ston;

And saw al þat mikel lith

Fro hauelok cam, þat was so brith.

The light issues from Havelok’s mouth.

2112

Of his mouth it com il del,

Þat was he war ful swiþe wel.

“Deus!” quoth he, “hwat may þis mene!”

He calde boþe arwe men and kene,

2116

Knithes, and serganz swiþe sleie,

Mo þan an hundred, with-uten leye,

And bad hem alle comen and se,

Hwat þat selcuth mithe be.

THE LIGHT SHOWS THAT HAVELOK IS THE HEIR.

[Fol. 214b, col. 2.]

2120

Als þe knithes were comen alle,

Þer hauelok lay, ut of þe halle,

So stod ut of his mouth a glem,

Rith al swilk so þe sunne-bem;

The light is like that of 107 candles.

2124

Þat al so lith wa[s] þare, bi heuene!

So þer brenden serges seuene,

And an hundred serges ok:

Þat durste hi sweren on a bok.

2128

He slepen faste alle fiue,

So he weren brouth of liue;

Havelok and Goldborough are fast asleep.

And hauelok lay on his lift side,

In his armes his brithe bride.

2132

Bi þe pappes he leyen naked:

So faire two weren neuere maked

In a bed to lyen samen:—

Þe knithes þouth of hem god gamen,

2136

Hem forto shewe, and loken to.

Rith also he stoden alle so,

And his bac was toward hem wend,

They see a bright cross on his back, denoting kingship.

So weren he war of a croiz ful gent,

2140

On his rith shuldre sw[iþ]e95 brith,

Brithter þan gold ageyn þe lith.

So þat he wiste heye and lowe,

Þat it was kunrik þat he sawe.

2144

It sparkede, and ful brith shon,

So doth þe gode charbucle ston,

It was light enough to choose a penny by.

Þat men Mouthe se by þe lith,

A peni chesen, so was it brith.

2148

Þanne bihelden he him faste,

So þat he knewen at þe laste,

They know he is Birkabeyn’s son and heir.

Þat he was birkabeynes sone,

Þat was here king, þat was hem wone

2152

Wel to yeme, and wel were

Ageynes uten-laddes here.

“For it was neuere yet a broþer

In al denemark so lich anoþer,

2156

So þis man þat is so fayr

Als birkabeyn, he is hise eyr.”

He fellen sone at hise fet,

They weep for joy.

Was non of hem þat he ne gret,

2160

Of ioie he weren alle so fawen,

So he him haueden of erþe drawen.

Hise fet he kisten an hundred syþes,

Þe tos, þe nayles, and þe lithes,

2164

So þat he bigan to wakne,96

[Fol. 215, col. 1.]

And wit hem ful sore to blakne,

For he wende he wolden him slo,

Havelok wakes.

Or elles binde him, and do wo.

UBBE SAYS HAVELOK SHALL BE KING.

2168

Quoth ubbe, “louerd, ne dred þe nowth,

Me þinkes that I se þi þouth.

Ubbe offers homage to him,

Dere sone, wel is me,

Þat y þe with eyn[e]97 se.

2172

Man-red, louerd, bede y þe,

Þi man auht i ful wel to be,

For þu art comen of birkabeyn,

Þat hauede mani knith and sweyn;

2176

And so shalt þou, louerd, haue,

Þou þu be yet a ful yung knaue.

and says he shall be king of Denmark.

Þou shalt be king of al denemark,

Was þer-inne neuere non so stark.

2180

To-morwen shaltu manrede take

Of þe brune and of þe blake;

Of alle þat aren in þis tun,

Boþe of erl, and of barun,

2184

And of dreng, and of thayn,

And of knith, and of sweyn.

And so shaltu ben mad knith

Wit blisse, for þou art so with.”

Havelok is blithe, and thanks God.

2188

Þo was hauelok swiþe bliþe,

And þankede God ful fele siþe.

On þe morwen, wan it was lith,

And gon was þisternesse of þe nith,

2192

Vbbe dide up-on a stede

A ladde lepe, and þider bede

Ubbe summons all his lords.

Erles, barouns, drenges, theynes,

Klerkes, knithes, bu[r]geys,98 sweynes,

2196

Þat he sholden comen a-non,

Biforen him sone euerilkon,

Also he louen here liues,

And here children, and here wiues.

UBBE RELATES HAVELOK’S HISTORY.

All come to receive his orders.

2200

Hise bode ne durste he non at-sitte,

2201

Þat he ne neme99 for to wite

Sone, hwat wolde þe iustise:

And [he] bigan anon to rise,

2204

And seyde sone, “liþes me,

Alle samen, þeu and fre.

A þing ich wile you here shauwe,

Þat ye100 alle ful wel knawe.

Ubbe tells them about Birkabeyn,

2208

Ye witen wel, þat al þis lond

Was in birkabeynes hond,

[Fol. 215, col. 2.]

Þe day þat he was quic and ded;

And how þat he, bi youre red,

who commended his children to Godard;

2212

Bitauhte hise children þre

Godard to yeme, and al his fe.

Hauelok his sone he him tauhte,

And hise two douhtres, and al his auhte,

2216

Alle herden ye him swere

On bok, and on messe-gere,

Þat he shulde yeme hem wel,

With-uten lac, with-uten tel.

and how Godard slew the two girls,

2220

He let his oth al ouer-go,

Euere wurþe him yuel and wo!

For101 þe maydnes here lif

Refte he boþen, with a knif,

2224

And him shulde ok haue slawen,

Þe knif was at his herte drawen,

but had pity on the boy;

But god him wolde wel haue saue,

He hauede reunesse of þe knaue,

2228

So þat he with his hend

Ne drop him nouth, þat sor[i] fend,

but afterwards ordered Grim to drown him.

But sone dide he a fishere

Swiþe grete oþes swere,

2232

Þat he sholde drenchen him

In þe se, þat was ful brim.

But Grim fled with him to England.

Hwan grim saw þat he was so fayr,

And wiste he was þe Rith eir,

2236

Fro denemark ful sone he fledde

In-til englond, and þer him fedde

Mani winter, þat til þis day

Haues he ben fed and fostred ay.

Then Ubbe shows Havelok to them all,

2240

Lokes, hware he stondes her:

In al þis werd ne haues he per;

Non so fayr, ne non so long,

Ne non so mikel, ne non so strong.

2244

In þis middelerd nis no knith

Half so strong, ne half so with.

Bes of him ful glad and bliþe,

And cometh alle hider swiþe,

and bids them swear fealty to him.

2248

Manrede youre louerd forto make,

Boþe brune and þe blake.

I shal mi-self do first þe gamen,

And ye siþen alle samen.”

UBBE DOES HOMAGE TO HAVELOK.

Ubbe swears fealty first.

2252

Oknes ful fayre he him sette,

Mouthe noþing him þer-fro lette,

And bi-cam is man Rith þare,

Þat alle sawen þat þere ware.

[Fol. 215b, col. 1.]

All the rest do the same.

2256

After him stirt up laddes ten,

And bi-comen hise men;102

And siþen euerilk a baroun,

Þat euere weren in al that toun;

2260

And siþen drenges, and siþen thaynes,

And siþen knithes, and siþen sweynes;

So þat, or þat day was gon,

In al þe tun ne was nouth on

2264

Þat it ne was his man bicomen:

Manrede of alle hauede he nomen.

ALL SWEAR TO BE FAITHFUL TO HAVELOK.

Havelok makes them swear to be faithful to him always.

Hwan he hauede of hem alle

Manrede taken, in the halle,

2268

Grundlike dide he hem swere,

Þat he sholden him god feyth bere

Ageynes alle þat woren on liue;

Þer-yen ne wolde neuer on striue,

2272

Þat he ne maden sone þat oth,

Riche and poure, lef and loth.

Hwan þat was maked, sone he sende,

Ubbe sends for all the sheriffs and constables.

Vbbe, writes fer and hende,

2276

After alle þat castel yemede,

Burwes, tunes, sibbe an fremde,

Þat þider sholden comen swiþe

Til him, and heren tiþandes bliþe,

2280

Þat he hem alle shulde telle:

Of hem ne wolde neuere on dwelle,

Þat he ne come sone plattinde,

Hwo hors ne hauede, com gangande.

2284

So þat with-inne a fourtenith,

In al denemark ne was no knith,

Ne conestable, ne shireue,

Þat com of adam and of eue,

They all come.

2288

Þat he ne com biforn sire ubbe:

He dredden him so þhes103 doth clubbe.

Hwan he haueden alle þe king gret,

And he weren alle dun set,

Ubbe shows Havelok to them all.

2292

Þo seyde ubbe, “lokes here,

Vre louerd swiþe dere,

Þat shal ben king of al þe lond,

And haue us alle under hond.

2296

For he is birkabeynes sone,

Þe king þat was vmbe stonde wone

For to yeme, and wel were,

Wit sharp[e]104 swerd, and longe spere.

[Fol. 215b, col. 2.]

2300

Lokes nou, hw he is fayr;

Sikerlike he is hise eyr.

Falles alle to hise fet,

Bicomes hise men ful sket.”

All swear to obey Havelok.

2304

He weren for ubbe swiþe adrad,

And dide sone al þat he bad,

And yet deden he sumdel more,

O bok ful grundlike he swore,

2308

Þat he sholde with him halde

Boþe ageynes stille and bolde,

Þat euere wo[l]de his bodi dere:

Þat dide [he] hem o boke swere.

UBBE DUBS HAVELOK A KNIGHT.

2312

Hwan he hauede manrede and oth

Taken of lef and of loth,

2314

Ubbe dubs Havelok a knight,

Vbbe dubbede him to knith,

With a swerd ful swiþe brith,

2316

And þe folk of al þe lond

Bitauhte him al in his hond,

Þe cunnriche eueril del,

and makes him king.

And made him king heylike and wel.

2320

Hwan he was king, þer mouthe men se

Þe moste ioie þat mouhte be:

Great joy and many sports.

Buttinge with sharpe speres,

Skirming with taleuaces, þat men beres,

2324

Wrastling with laddes, putting of ston,

Harping and piping, ful god won,

Leyk of mine, of hasard ok,

Romanz reding on þe bok;

2328

Þer mouthe men here þe gestes singe,

Þe gleymen on þe tabour dinge;

There is baiting of bulls and boars,

Þer mouhte men se þe boles beyte,

And þe bores, with hundes teyte;

2332

Þo mouthe men se eueril gleu,

Þer mouthe men se hw grim greu;

Was neuere yete ioie more

In al þis werd, þan þo was þore.

2336

Þer was so mike105 yeft of cloþes,

Þat þou i swore you grete othes,

I ne wore nouth þer-offe croud:

Þat may i ful wel swere, bi god!

and plenty of meat and wine.

2340

Þere was swiþe gode metes,

And of wyn, þat men fer fetes,

Rith al so mik and gret plente,

So it were water of þe se.

2344

Þe feste fourti dawes sat,

[Fol. 216, col. 1.]

So riche was neuere non so þat.

The king makes Robert, William, and Hugh all barons.

Þe king made Roberd þere knith,

Þat was ful strong, and ful with,

2348

And willam, wendut het, his broþer,

And huwe rauen, þat was þat oþer,

And made hem barouns alle þre,

And yaf hem lond, and oþer fe,

2352

So mikel, þat ilker twent[i] knihtes

Hauede of genge, dayes and nithes.

HAVELOK IS MADE KING OF DENMARK.

Hwan þat feste was al don,

A thousand knights accompany the king.

A thusand knihtes ful wel o bon

2356

With-held þe king, with him to lede;

Þat ilkan hauede ful god stede,

Helm, and sheld, and brinie brith,

And al þe wepne þat fel to knith.

and five thousand sergeants.

2360

With hem fiue thusand gode

Sergaunz, þat weren to fyht wode,

With-held he al of his genge:

Wile I na more þe storie lenge.

2364

Yet hwan he hauede of al þe lond

Þe casteles alle in his hond,

And conestables don þer-inne,

He swears to be avenged of Godard,

He swor, he ne sholde neuer blinne,

2368

Til þat he were of godard wreken,

Þat ich haue of ofte speken.

Hal hundred knithes dede he calle,

And hise fif thusand sergaunz alle,

2372

And dide sweren on the bok

Sone, and on þe auter ok,

Þat he ne sholde neuere blinne,

Ne for loue, ne for sinne,

and to find and bind him.

2376

Til þat he haueden godard funde,

And brouth biforn him faste bunde.

HAVELOK GOES TO SEEK OUT GODARD.

Þanne he haueden swor þis oth,

Ne leten he nouth for lef ne loth,

2380

Þat he ne foren swiþe rathe,

He goes to meet Godard.

Þer he was unto þe paþe,

Þer he yet on hunting for,

With mikel genge, and swiþe stor.

2384

Robert, þat was of al þe ferd

Mayster, was girt wit a swerd,

And sat up-on a ful god stede,

Þat vnder him Rith wolde wede;

Robert accosts Godard,

2388

He was þe firste þat with godard

Spak, and seyde, “hede106 cauenard!

[Fol. 216, col. 2.]

Wat dos þu here at þis paþe?

and tells him to come to the king,

Cum to þe king, swiþe and raþe.

2392

Þat sendes he þe word, and bedes,

Þat þu þenke hwat þu him dedes,

Hwan þu reftes with a knif

Hise sistres here lif,

2396

An siþen bede þu in þe se

Drenchen him, þat herde he.

He is to þe swiþe grim:

Cum nu swiþe un-to him,

2400

Þat king is of þis kuneriche.

Þu fule man! þu wicke swike!

who will repay him.

And he shal yelde þe þi mede,

Bi crist þat wolde on rode blede!”

2404

Hwan godard herde þat þer þrette,

Godard and Robert strike each other.

With þe neue he robert sette

Biforn þe teth a dint ful strong.

And robert kipt ut a knif long,

2408

And smot him þoru þe rith arum:

Þer-of was ful litel harum.

GODARD’S MEN ARE BEATEN.

Hwan his folk þat sau and herde,

Hwou robert with here louerd ferde,

2412

He haueden him wel ner browt of liue,

Ne weren his two breþren and oþre fiue

Slowen of here laddes ten,

Of godardes alþer-beste men.

Godard’s men flee,

2416

Hwan þe oþre sawen þat, he fledden,

And godard swiþe loude gredde:

“Mine knithes, hwat do ye?

Sule ye þus-gate fro me fle?

2420

Ich haue you fed, and yet shal fede,

Helpe me nu in þis nede,

but Godard rallies them.

And late ye nouth mi bodi spille,

Ne hauelok don of me hise wille.

2424

Yif ye id107 do, ye do you shame,

And bringeth you-self in mikel blame.”

Hwan he þat herden, he wenten ageyn,

And slowen a knit and108 a sweyn

2428

Of þe kinges oune men,

And woundeden abuten ten.

GODARD IS BOUND AND LED TO HAVELOK.

The king’s men kill all Godard’s men.

The kinges men hwan he þat sawe,

Scuten on hem, heye and lowe,

2432

And euerilk fot of hem slowe,

But godard one, þat he flowe,

So þe þef men dos henge,

[Fol. 216b, col. 1.]

Or hund men shole in dike slenge.

2436

He bunden him ful swiþe faste,

Hwil þe bondes wolden laste,

Þat he rorede als a bole,

Þat he wore parred in an hole,

2440

With dogges forto bite and beite:

Were þe bondes nouth to leite.

They bind Godard,

He bounden him so109 fele sore,

Þat he gan crien godes ore,

2444

Þat he sholde of his hend plette,

Wolden he nouht þer-fore lette,

Þat he ne bounden hond and fet:

Daþeit þat on þat þer-fore let!

2448

But dunten him so man doth bere,

and cast him on an old mare, to take him to Havelok.

And keste him on a scabbed mere,

2450

Hise nese went un-to þe crice:

So ledden he þat fule swike,

2452

Til he was biforn hauelok brouth,

Þat he haue[de] ful wo wrowht,

Boþe with hungre110 and with cold,

Or he were twel winter old,

2456

And with mani heui swink,

With poure mete, and feble drink,

And [with] swiþe wikke cloþes,

For al hise manie grete othes.

2460

Nu beyes he his holde blame:

2461

“Old sin makes new shame.”

‘Old sinne makes newe shame:’

Wan he was [brouht] so shamelike

Biforn111 þe king, þe fule swike,

The king summons Ubbe and the rest.

2464

Þe king dede ubbe swiþe calle

Hise erles, and hise barouns alle,

Dreng and thein, burgeis and knith,

HE IS CONDEMNED TO BE HUNG.

And bad he sholden demen him rith:

2468

For he kneu, þe swike dam,

Euerildel god was him gram.

He setten hem dun bi þe wawe,

Riche and pouere, heye and lowe,

They sit in judgment.

2472

Þe helde men, and ek þe grom,

And made þer þe rithe dom,

And seyden unto þe king anon,

Þat stille sat [al] so þe ston:

“He is to be flayed, drawn, and hung.”

2476

“We deme, þat he be al quic slawen,112

And siþen to þe galwes drawe[n],

At þis foule mere tayl;

Þoru is fet a ful strong nayl;

[Fol. 216b, col. 2.]

2480

And þore ben henged wit two feteres,

And þare be writen þise leteres:

‘Þis is þe swike þat wende wel,

Þe king haue reft þe lond il del,

2484

And hise sistres with a knif

Boþe refte here lif.’

Þis writ shal henge bi him þare;

Þe dom is demd, seye we na more.”

GODARD IS FLAYED ALIVE AND HUNG.

Godard is shriven.

2488

Hwan þe dom was demd and giue,

And he was wit þe prestes shriue,

And it ne mouhte ben non oþer,

Ne for fader, ne for broþer,

2492

Þat he sholde þarne lif;

A lad flays him.

Sket cam a ladde with a knif,

And bigan Rith at þe to

For to ritte, and for to flo,

2496

And he bigan for to rore,

So it were grim or gore,

Þat men mithe þeþen a mile

He roars.

Here him rore, þat fule file.

2500

Þe ladde ne let no with for-þi,

Þey he criede ‘merci! merci!’

Þat [he] ne flow [him] eueril del

With knif mad of grunden stel.

He is bound on an old mare,

2504

Þei garte bringe þe mere sone,

Skabbed113 and ful iuele o bone,

And bunden him rith at hire tayl

With a rop of an old seyl,

drawn over rough ground,

2508

And drowen him un-to þe galwes,

Nouth bi þe gate, But ouer þe falwes;

and hung.

And henge [him] þore Bi þe hals:

Daþeit hwo recke! he was fals.

GODRICH RAISES AN ARMY AGAINST HAVELOK.

2512

Þanne he was ded, þat sathanas,

2513

Sket was seysed al þat his was

In þe kinges hand il del,

Lond and lith, and oþer catel,

Havelok makes Ubbe his steward.

2516

And þe king ful sone it yaf

Vbbe in þe hond, wit a fayr staf,

And seyde, “her ich sayse þe

In al þe lond, in al þe fe.”

He founds a priory of black monks for Grim’s soul,

2520

Þo swor hauelok he sholde make,

2521

Al for grim, of monekes blake

A priorie to seruen inne ay

Ihesu crist, til domesday,

2524

For þe god he haueden him don,

[Fol. 217, col. 1.]

Hwil he was pouere and iuel114 o bon.

And þer-of held he wel his oth,

For he it made, god it woth!

in the town of Grimsby.

2528

In þe tun þer grim was grauen,

Þat of grim yet haues þe name.

2530

Of grim bidde ich na more spelle.115—

Godrich, earl of Cornwall,

But wan godrich herde telle,

2532

Of cornwayle þat was erl,

(Þat fule traytour, that mixed cherl!)

Þat hauelok was king of denemark,

And ferde with him strong and stark,

hears that Havelok has invaded England.

2536

Comen engelond with-inne,

Engelond al for to winne,

And þat she, þat was so fayr,

Þat was of engelond rith eir,

2540

Þat was comen up at grimesbi,

He was ful sorful and sori,

He says he will slay Havelok and his wife.

And seyde, “Hwat shal me to raþe?

Goddoth! i shal do slou hem baþe.

2544

I shal don hengen hem ful heye,

So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie!

But yif he of mi lond[e]116 fle;

Hwat? wenden he to desherite me?”

He raises a great army.

2548

He dide sone ferd ut bidde,

Þat al þat euere mouhte o stede

Ride, or helm on heued bere,

Brini on bac, and sheld, and spere,

2552

Or ani oþer wepne bere,

Hand-ax, syþe, gisarm, or spere,

Or aunlaz,117 and god long knif,

Þat als he louede leme or lif,

2556

Þat þey sholden comen him to,

With ful god wepne ye ber so,

The army is to meet at Lincoln on the 17th of March.

To lincolne, þer he lay,

Of marz þe seuentenþe day,

2560

So þat he couþe hem god þank;

And yif þat ani were so rang,

That he þanne ne come anon,

He swor bi crist, and [bi]118 seint Iohan,

2564

That he sholde maken him þral,

And al his of-spring forth with-al.

GODRICH EXCITES THE ENGLISH AGAINST HAVELOK.

Þe englishe þat herde þat,

Was non þat euere his bode sat,

2568

For he him dredde swiþe sore,

So Runci spore, and mikle more.

[Fol. 217, col. 2.]

At þe day he come sone

Þat he hem sette, ful wel o bone,

All come to Lincoln on that day.

2572

To lincolne, with gode stedes,

And al þe wepne þat knith ledes.

Hwan he wore come, sket was þe erl yare,119

Ageynes denshe men to fare,

2576

And seyde, “lyþes me120 alle samen,

Haue ich gadred you for no gamen,

But ich wile seyen you forþi;

Godrich tells them what Havelok is doing at Grimsby.

Lokes hware here at grimesbi,

2580

Hise uten-laddes here comen,

And haues nu þe priorie numen;

Al þat euere mithen he finde,

He brenne kirkes, and prestes binde;

2584

He strangleth monkes, and nunnes boþe:

Wat wile ye, frend, her-offe Rede?

Yif he regne þus-gate longe,

He Moun us alle ouer-gange,

2588

He moun vs alle quic henge or slo,

Or þral maken, and do ful wo,

Or elles reue us ure liues,

And ure children, and ure wiues.

He excites them to attack Havelok.

2592

But dos nu als ich wile you lere,

Als ye wile be with me dere;

Nimes nu swiþe forth and raþe,

And helpes me and yu-self baþe,

2596

And slos up-o[n] þe dogges swiþe:

For shal [i] neuere more be bliþe,

THE ENGLISH MARCH TO GRIMSBY.

Ne hoseled ben, ne of prest shriuen,

Til þat he ben of londe driuen.

2600

Nime we swiþe, and do hem fle,

And folwes alle faste me,

He will lead them himself.

For ich am he, of al þe ferd,

Þat first shal slo with drawen swerd.

2604

Daþeyt hwo ne stonde faste

Bi me, hwil hise armes laste!”

Earl Gunter and Earl Reyner of Chester support him.

“Ye! lef, ye!”121 couth þe erl gunter;

“Ya!” quoth þe erl of cestre, reyner.

2608

And so dide alle þat þer stode,

And stirte forth so he were wode.

Þo mouthe men se þe brinies brihte

On backes keste, and late rithe,

2612

Þe helmes heye on heued sette;

To armes al so swiþe plette,

Þat þei wore on a litel stunde

[Fol. 217b, col. 1.]

Grethet, als men mithe telle a pund,

2616

And lopen on stedes sone anon,

They approach Grimsby.

And toward grimesbi, ful god won,

He foren softe bi þe sti,

Til he come ney at grimesbi.

Havelok meets them boldly,

2620

Hauelok, þat hauede spired wel

Of here fare, eueril del,

With al his ferd cam hem a-geyn,

For-bar he noþer knith ne sweyn.

and kills the foremost knight.

2624

Þe firste knith þat he þer mette,

With þe swerd so he him grette,

For his heued of he plette,

Wolde he nouth for sinne lette.

Robert kills a second.

2628

Roberd saw þat dint so hende,

Wolde he neuere þeþe[n] wende,

Til þat he hauede anoþer slawen,

With þe swerd he held ut-drawen.

William disables a third.

2632

Willam wendut his swerd vt-drow,

And þe þredde so sore he slow,

Þat he made up-on the feld

His lift arm fleye, with the swerd.122

COMBAT BETWEEN UBBE AND GODRICH.

Hugh Raven seizes his sword,

2636

Huwe rauen ne forgat nouth

Þe swerd he hauede þider brouth,

He kipte it up, and smot ful sore

An erl, þat he saw priken þore,

2640

Ful noblelike upon a stede,

Þat with him wolde al quic wede.

and cleaves an earl’s head in two.

He smot him on þe heued so,

Þat he þe heued clef a-two,

2644

And þat bi þe shu[l]dre-blade

Þe sharpe swerd let [he] wade,

Þorw the brest unto þe herte;

Þe dint bigan ful sore to smerte,

2648

Þat þe erl fel dun a-non,

Al so ded so ani ston.

Ubbe attacks Godrich.

Quoth ubbe, “nu dwelle ich to longe,”

And leth his stede sone gonge

2652

To godrich, with a god spere,

Þat he saw a-noþer bere,

And smoth godrich, and Godrich him,

Hetelike with herte grim,

Both fall.

2656

So þat he boþe felle dune,

To þe erþe first þe croune.

Þanne he woren fallen dun boþen,

Grundlike here swerdes ut-drowen,

[Fol. 217b, col. 2.]

2660

Þat weren swiþe sharp and gode,

They fight on foot.

And fouhten so þei woren wode,

Þat þe swot ran fro þe crune

[To the fet rith þere adune.]123

GODRICH DISPLAYS GREAT PROWESS.

2664

Þer mouthe men se to knithes bete

Ayþer on oþer dintes grete,

So þat with alþer-lest[e] dint

Were al to-shiuered a flint,

The fight lasts from morn to night.

2668

So was bi-twenen hem a fiht,

Fro þe morwen ner to þe niht,

So þat þei nouth ne bl[u]nne,*

Til þat to sette bigan þe sunne.

Godrich wounds Ubbe sorely.

2672

Þo yaf godrich þorw þe side

Vbbe a wunde ful un-ride,

So þat þorw þat ilke wounde

Hauede ben brouth to þe grunde,

2676

And his heued al of-slawen,

Hugh Raven rescues him.

Yif god ne were, and huwe rauen,

Þat drow him fro godrich awey,

And barw him so þat ilke day.

2680

But er he were fro godrich drawen,

A thousand knights slain.

Þer were a þousind knihtes slawen

Bi boþe halue, and mo y-nowe,

Þer þe ferdes to-gidere slowe.

2684

Þer was swilk dreping of þe folk,

The pools are full of blood.

Þat on þe feld was neuere a polk

Þat it ne stod of blod so ful,

Þat þe strem ran intil þe hul.

Godrich attacks the Danes like lightning.

2688

Þo tarst124 bigan godrich to go

Vp-on þe danshe, and faste to slo,

And forth rith also leuin fares,

Þat neuere kines best ne spares,

2692

Þanne his [he] gon, for he garte alle

Þe denshe men biforn him falle.

He felde browne, he felde blake,

Þat he mouthe ouer-take.

2696

Was neuere non þat mouhte þaue

Hise dintes, noyþer knith ne knaue,

He mows them down like grass.

Þat he felden so dos þe gres

COMBAT BETWEEN GODRICH AND HAVELOK.

Bi-forn þe syþe þat ful sharp is.

2700

Hwan hauelok saw his folk so brittene,

And his ferd so swiþe littene,

He cam driuende up-on a stede,

And bigan til him to grede,

2704

And seyde, “godrich, wat is þe

Þat þou fare þus with me?

[Fol. 218, col. 1.]

And mine gode knihtes slos,

Siker-like þou mis-gos.

Havelok reproves Godrich,

2708

Þou wost ful wel, yif þu wilt wite,

Þat aþelwold þe dide site

On knes, and sweren on messe-bok,

On caliz, and on [pateyn]125 hok

2712

Þat þou hise douhter sholdest yelde,

Þan she were winnan126 of elde,

Engelond eueril del:

Godrich þe erl, þou wost it wel.

and bids him perform his oaths.

2716

Do nu wel with-uten fiht,

Yeld hire þe lond, for þat is rith.

Wile ich forgiue þe þe lathe,

Al mi dede and al mi wrathe,

2720

For y se þu art so with,

And of þi bodi so god knith.”

Godrich refuses.

“Þat ne wile ich neuere mo,”

Quoth erl godrich, “for ich shal slo

2724

Þe, and hire for-henge heye.

I shal þrist ut þi rith eye

Þat þou lokes with on me,

But þu swiþe heþen fle.”

2728

He grop þe swerd ut sone anon,

And hew on hauelok, ful god won,

He cleaves Havelok’s shield in two.

So þat he clef his sheld on two:

Hwan hauelok saw þat shame do

2732

His bodi þer bi-forn his ferd,

He drow ut sone his gode swerd,

Havelok smites him down.

And smot him so up-on þe crune,

Þat godrich fel to þe erþe adune.

2736

But godrich stirt up swiþe sket,

Lay he nowth longe at hise fet,

Godrich rises, and wounds Havelok in the shoulder.

And smot him on þe sholdre so,

Þat he dide þare undo

2740

Of his brinie ringes mo,

Þan þat ich kan tellen fro;

And woundede him rith in þe flesh,

Þat tendre was, and swiþe nesh,

2744

So þat þe blod ran til his to:

Havelok is enraged,

Þo was hauelok swiþe wo,

Þat he hauede of him drawen

Blod, and so sore him slawen.

2748

Hertelike til him he wente,

and cuts off his foe’s hand.

And godrich þer fulike shente;

For his swerd he hof up heye,

[Fol. 218, col. 2.]

And þe hand he dide of fleye,

2752

Þat he smot him with so sore:

Hw mithe he don him shame more?

GODRICH IS BOUND AND FETTERED.

Hwan he hauede him so shamed,

His hand of plat, and yuele lamed,

2756

He tok him sone bi þe necke

Als a traytour, daþeyt wo recke!

He has him bound and fettered,

And dide him binde and fetere wel

With gode feteres al of stel,

and sends him to the queen.

2760

And to þe quen he sende him,

Þat birde wel to him ben grim;

And Bad she sholde don him gete,

And þat non ne sholde him bete,

2764

Ne shame do, for he was knith,

Til knithes haueden demd him Rith.

When the English find out that Goldborough is the heiress,

Þan þe englishe men þat sawe,

Þat þei wisten, heye and lawe,

2768

Þat Goldeboru, þat was so fayr,

Was of engeland rith eyr,

And þat þe king hire hauede wedded,

And haueden ben samen bedded,

they submit to Havelok.

2772

He comen alle to crie merci,

Vnto þe king, at one cri,

And beden him sone manrede and oth,

Þat he ne sholden, for lef ne loth,

2776

Neuere more ageyn him go,

Ne ride, for wel ne for wo.

THE ENGLISH SUBMIT TO GOLDBOROUGH.

Þe king ne wolde nouth for-sake,

Þat he ne shulde of hem take

2780

Manrede þat he beden, and ok

Hold oþes sweren on þe bok;

Havelok wishes to show Goldborough to the English.

But or bad he, þat þider were brouth

Þe quen, for hem, swilk was his þouth,

2784

For to se, and forto shawe,

Yif þat he hire wolde knawe.

Þoruth hem witen wolde he,

Yif þat she aucte quen to be.

Six earls fetch her in.

2788

Sixe erles weren sone yare,

After hire for to fare.

He nomen on-on, and comen sone,

And brouthen hire, þat under mone

2792

In al þe werd ne hauede per,

Of hende-leik, fer ne ner.

Hwan she was come þider, alle

Þe englishe men bi-gunne to falle

[Fol. 218b, col. 1.]

2796

O knes, and greten swiþe sore,

And seyden, “leuedi, k[r]istes ore,

The English ask her pardon.

And youres! we hauen misdo mikel,

Þat we ayen you haue be fikel,

2800

For englond auhte forto ben youres,

And we youre men and youres.

Is non of us, yung ne old,

Þat we ne wot, þat aþelwold

2804

Was king of þis kunerike,

They admit she is heiress.

And ye his eyr, and þat þe swike

Haues it halden with mikel wronge:

God leue him sone to honge!”

GODRICH IS CONDEMNED TO BE BURNT.

2808

Quot127 hauelok, “hwan þat ye it wite.

Havelok says they must pass judgment on Godrich.

Nu wile ich þat ye doun site,

And after godrich haues wrouht,

Þat haues in sorwe him-self brouth,

2812

Lokes þat ye demen him rith,

For dom ne spared128 clerk ne knith,

And siþen shal ich under-stonde

Of you, after lawe of londe,

2816

Manrede, and holde oþes boþe,

Yif ye it wilen, and ek rothe.”

Anon þer dune he hem sette,

For non þe dom ne durste lette,

They say he is to be bound on an ass’s back,

2820

And demden him to binden faste

Vp-on an asse swiþe un-wraste,

Andelong, nouht ouer-þwert,

His nose went unto þe stert;

taken to Lincoln,

2824

And so to lincolne lede,

Shamelike in wicke wede,

And hwan he cam un-to þe borw,

Shamelike ben led þer-þoru,

2828

Bisouþe þe borw, un-to a grene,

Þat þare is yet, als[o] y wene,

bound to a stake, and burnt.

And þere be bunden til a stake,

Abouten him ful gret fir make,

2832

And al to dust be brend Rith þere;

And yet demden he þer more,

Oþer swikes for to warne,

Þat hise children sulde þarne

2836

Euere more þat eritage,

Þat his was, for hise utrage.

Hwan þe dom was demd and seyd,

So he is laid on the ass, and burnt.

Sket was þe swike on þe asse leyd,

2840

And [led vn-]til129 þat ilke grene,

[Fol. 218b, col. 2.]

And brend til asken al bidene.

Þo was Goldeboru ful bliþe,

She þanked god fele syþe,

2844

Þat þe fule swike was brend,

Þat wende wel hire bodi haue shend,

Goldborough rejoices.

And seyde, “nu is time to take

Manrede of brune and of blake,

2848

Þat ich se ride[n] and go:

Nu ich am wreke[n]130 of mi fo.”

Havelok makes the English swear fealty.

Hauelok anon manrede tok

Of alle englishe, on þe bok,

2852

And dide hem grete oþes swere,

Þat he sholden him god feyth bere

Ageyn alle þat woren liues,

And þat sholde ben born of wiues.

THE EARL OF CHESTER MARRIES GUNILD.

2856

Þanne he hauede131 sikernesse

Taken of more and of lesse,

Al at hise wille, so dide he calle

He proposes that Earl Reyner of Chester

Þe erl of cestre, and hise men alle,

2860

Þat was yung knith wit-uten wif,

And seyde, “sire erl, bi mi lif,

And þou wile mi conseyl tro,

Ful wel shal ich with þe do,

2864

For ich shal yeue þe to wiue

Þe fairest þing that is oliue.

HAVELOK REMEMBERS BERTRAM’S KINDNESS.

shall marry Gunild, Grim’s daughter;

Þat is gunnild of grimesby,

Grimes douther, bi seint dauy!

2868

Þat me forth broute, and wel fedde,

And ut of denemark with me fledde,

Me for to burwe fro mi ded:

Sikerlike, þoru his red

2872

Haue ich liued in-to þis day,

Blissed worþe his soule ay!

I rede þat þu hire take,

And spuse, and curteyse make,

2876

For she is fayr, and she is fre,

And al so hende so she may be.

Þertekene she is wel with me,

and he will then always be his friend.

Þat shal ich ful wel shewe þe,

2880

For ich giue þe a giue,

Þat euere more hwil ich liue,

For hire shal-tu be with me dere,

Þat wile ich þat þis folc al here.”

2884

Þe erl ne wolde nouth ageyn

Þe king[e] be, for knith ne sweyn,

[Fol. 219, col. 1.]

Ne of þe spusing seyen nay,

But spusede [hire] þat ilke day.

2888

Þat spusinge was god time maked,

They are married,

For it ne were neuere clad ne naked,

In a þede samened two

Þat cam to-gidere, liuede so,

2892

So þey dide[n] al here liue:

and have five sons.

He geten samen sones fiue,

Þat were þe beste men at nede,

Þat mouthe riden on ani stede.

2896

Hwan gunnild was to cestre brouth,

Havelok remembers Bertram, the earl’s cook,

Hauelok þe gode ne for-gat nouth

Bertram, þat was the erles kok,

Þat he ne dide callen ok,

2900

And seyde, “frend, so god me rede!

Nu shaltu haue riche mede,

BERTRAM MARRIES GRIM’S SECOND DAUGHTER.

For wissing, and þi gode dede,

Þat tu me dides in ful gret nede.

2904

For þanne y yede in mi cuuel,

And ich ne haue[de] bred, ne sowel,

Ne y ne hauede no catel,

Þou feddes and claddes me ful wel.

and makes him Earl of Cornwall.

2908

Haue nu for-þi of cornwayle

Þe erldom ildel, with-uten fayle,

And al þe lond þat godrich held,

Boþe in towne, and ek in feld;

2912

And þerto wile ich, þat þu spuse,

And fayre bring hire un-til huse,

He is to marry Levive, Grim’s daughter,

Grimes douther, leuiue þe hende,

For þider shal she with þe wende.

2916

Hire semes curteys forto be,

For she is fayr so flour on tre;

Þe heu is swilk in hire ler

who is as fair as a rose.

So [is] þe rose in roser,

2920

Hwan it is fayr sprad ut newe

Ageyn þe sunne, brith and lewe.”

And girde him sone with þe swerd

Of þe erldom, bi-forn his ferd,

2924

And with his hond he made him knith,

And yaf him armes, for þat was rith,

They are married.

And dide him þere sone wedde

2927

Hire þat was ful swete in bedde.

2928

After þat he spused wore,

Wolde þe erl nouth dwelle þore,

Havelok and Goldborough lived 100 years, and had many children.

But sone nam until his lond,

[Fol. 219, col. 2.]

And seysed it al in his hond,

2932

And liuede þer-inne, he and his wif,

An hundred winter in god lif,132

And gaten mani children samen,

And liueden ay in blisse and gamen.

2936

Hwan þe maydens were spused boþe,

Hauelok anon bigan ful rathe

The Danes are enriched.

His denshe men to feste wel

Wit riche landes and catel,

2940

So þat he weren alle riche:

For he was large and nouth chinche.

HAVELOK IS CROWNED KING OF ENGLAND.

Þer-after sone, with his here,

Havelok is crowned at London.

For he to lundone, forto bere

2944

Corune, so þat [alle] it sawe,

Henglishe ant denshe, heye and lowe,

Hwou he it bar with mikel pride,

For his barnage þat was un-ride.

The feast lasts 40 days.

2948

Þe feste of his coruni[n]g133

Laste[de] with gret ioying

Fourti dawes, and sumdel mo;

Þo bigunnen þe denshe to go

2952

Vn-to þe king, to aske leue,

And he ne wolde hem nouth greue,

The Danes return home.

For he saw þat he woren yare

In-to denemark for to fare,

2956

But gaf hem leue sone anon,

And bitauhte hem seint Johan;

Ubbe is to rule Denmark.

And bad ubbe, his iustise,

Þat he sholde on ilke wise

2960

Denemark yeme and gete so,

Þat no pleynte come him to.

Havelok remained in England for sixty years.

Hwan he wore parted alle samen,

Hauelok bi-lefte wit ioie and gamen

2964

In engelond, and was þer-inne

Sixti winter king with winne,

And Goldeboru quen, þat I wene:

So mikel loue was hem bitwene,

2968

Þat al þe werd spak of hem two:

He louede hire, and she him so,

He and Goldborough were never apart.

Þat neyþer oþe[r] mithe be

For134 oþer, ne no ioie se,

2972

But yf he were to-gidere135 boþe;

Neuere yete ne weren he wroþe,

For here loue was ay newe,

[Fol. 219b, col. 1.]

Neuere yete wordes ne grewe

2976

Bitwene hem, hwar-of ne lathe

Mithe rise, ne no wrathe.

SUCH IS THE “GESTE” OF HAVELOK.

They had 15 children, all kings and queens.

He geten children hem bi-twene

Sones and douthres rith fiuetene,

2980

Hwar-of þe sones were kinges alle,

So wolde god it sholde bifalle;

And þe douhtres alle quenes:

Him stondes wel þat god child strenes.

Such is the geste of Havelok and Goldborough.

2984

Nu haue ye herd þe gest al þoru

Of hauelok and of goldeborw.

Hw he weren born, and hw fedde,

And hwou he woren with wronge ledde

2988

In here youþe, with trecherie,

With tresoun, and with felounye,

2990

And hwou þe swikes haueden thit

Reuen hem þat was here rith,

2992

And hwou he weren wreken wel,

Haue ich sey you euerildel;

SAY A PATERNOSTER FOR THE AUTHOR.

And forþi ich wolde biseken you,

Þat hauen herd þe rim[e] nu,

Each of you say a pater-noster for the author.

2996

Þat ilke of you, with gode wille,

Seye a pater-noster stille,

For him þat haueth þe rym[e] maked,

And þer-fore fele nihtes waked;

3000

Þat ihesu crist his soule bringe

Bi-forn his fader at his endinge.

Amen.