Читать книгу English and Scottish Ballads (Vol. 1-8) - Various Authors - Страница 20
Reliques of English Poetry, iii. 76.
Оглавление"We have here a short summary of King Arthur's History as given by Jeff. of Monmouth and the old Chronicles, with the addition of a few circumstances from the romance Morte Arthur.—The ancient chronicle of Ger. de Leew (quoted above in p. 40,) seems to have been chiefly followed: upon the authority of which we have restored some of the names which were corrupted in the MS., and have transposed one stanza, which appeared to be misplaced: viz., that beginning at v. 49, which in the MS. followed v. 36.
"Printed from the Editor's ancient folio MS."
PERCY.
Of Brutus' blood, in Brittaine borne,
King Arthur I am to name;
Through Christendome and Heathynesse
Well knowne is my worthy fame.
5
In Jesus Christ I doe beleeve;
I am a Christyan bore;
The Father, Sone, and Holy Gost,
One God, I doe adore.
In the four hundred ninetieth yeere,
10
Oer Brittaine I did rayne,
After my Savior Christ his byrth,
What time I did maintaine
The fellowshipp of the Table Round,
Soe famous in those dayes;
15
Whereatt a hundred noble knights
And thirty sat alwayes:
Who for their deeds and and martiall feates,
As bookes done yett record,
Amongst all other nations
20
Wer feared through the world.
And in the castle off Tyntagill
King Uther mee begate,
Of Agyana, a bewtyous ladye,
And come of 'hie' estate.
25
And when I was fifteen yeere old,
Then was I crowned kinge:
All Brittaine, that was att an upròre,
I did to quiett bringe;
And drove the Saxons from the realme,
30
Who had opprest this land;
All Scotland then, throughe manly feates,
I conquered with my hand.
Ireland, Denmarke, Norwaye,
These countryes wan I all;
35
Iseland, Gotheland, and Swetheland;
And made their kings my thrall.
I conquered all Gallya,
That now is called France;
And slew the hardye Froll in feild,
40
My honor to advance.
And the ugly gyant Dynabus,
Soe terrible to vewe,
That in Saint Barnards mount did lye,
By force of armes I slew.
45
And Lucyus, the emperour of Rome,
I brought to deadly wracke;
And a thousand more of noble knightes
For feare did turne their backe.
Five kinges of Pavye I did kill
50
Amidst that bloody strife;
Besides the Grecian emperour,
Who alsoe lost his liffe.
Whose carcasse I did send to Rome,
Cladd poorlye on a beere;
55
And afterward I past Mount-Joye
The next approaching yeere.
Then I came to Rome, where I was mett
Right as a conquerour,
And by all the cardinalls solempnelye
60
I was crowned an emperour.
One winter there I made abode,
Then word to mee was brought,
Howe Mordred had oppressed the crowne,
What treason he had wrought
65
Att home in Brittaine with my queene:
Therfore I came with speede
To Brittaine backe, with all my power,
To quitt that traitorous deede;
And soone at Sandwiche I arrivde,
70
Where Mordred me withstoode:
But yett at last I landed there,
With effusion of much blood.
For there my nephew Sir Gawaine dyed,
Being wounded in that sore
75
The whiche Sir Lancelot in fight
Had given him before.
Thence chased I Mordered away,
Who fledd to London right,
From London to Winchester, and
80
To Cornewalle tooke his flyght.
And still I him pursued with speed,
Till at last wee mett;
Wherby an appointed day of fight
Was there agreed and sett:
85
Where we did fight, of mortal life
Eche other to deprive,
Till of a hundred thousand men
Scarce one was left alive.
There all the noble chivalrye
90
Of Brittaine tooke their end:
O see how fickle is their state
That doe on fates depend!
There all the traiterous men were slaine,
Not one escapte away;
95
And there dyed all my vallyant knightes
Alas! that woefull day!
Two and twenty yeere I ware the crowne
In honor and great fame,
And thus by death was suddenlye
100
Deprived of the same.
1. MS., Bruitehis.
9, He began his reign A.D. 515, according to the Chronicles.
23, She is named Igerna in the old Chronicles.
24, his, MS.
39, Froland field, MS. Froll, according to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight, governor of Gaul.
41, Danibus, MS. 49, see p. 134, v. 55.
49, feates, MS.
