Читать книгу English and Scottish Ballads (Vol. 1-8) - Various Authors - Страница 69

The editor has added the following note.

"It has no title, and the first line has been cut away by the ignorant binder to whom the volume was intrusted, but both are supplied from the notice given of the ballad in the Dissertation prefixed to vol. iii. of the Reliques, p. xxxvii. Dr. Percy has added in the margin of the MS. these words: "To the best of my remembrance, this was the first line, before the binder cut it." The poem is very imperfect, owing to the leaves having been half torn away to light fires (!) as the Bishop tells us, but I am bound to add, previous to its coming into his possession. The story is so singular, that it is to be hoped an earlier and complete copy of it may yet be recovered. On no account perhaps is it more remarkable, than the fact of its close imitation of the famous gabs made by Charlemagne and his companions at the court of King Hugon, which are first met with in a romance of the twelfth century, published by M. Michel from a MS. in the British Museum, 12mo., London, 1836, and transferred at a later period to the prose romance of Galien Rethoré, printed by Verard, fol., 1500, and often afterwards. In the absence of other evidence, it is to be presumed that the author of the ballad borrowed from the printed work, substituting Arthur for Charlemagne, Gawayne for Oliver, Tristram for Roland, etc., and embellishing his story by converting King Hugon's spy into a "lodly feend," by whose agency the gabs are accomplished. It is further worthy of notice, that the writer seems to regard Arthur as the sovereign of Little Britain, and alludes to an intrigue between the King of Cornwall and Queen Guenever, which is nowhere, as far as I recollect, hinted at in the romances of the Round Table."

"Come here my cozen, Gawain, so gay;

My sisters sonne be yee;

For you shall see one of the fairest Round Tables,

That ever you see with your eye."

5 Then bespake [the] Lady Queen Guenever,

And these were the words said shee:

"I know where a Round Table is, thou noble king,

Is worth thy Round Table and other such three.

"The trestle that stands under this Round Table," she said,

10 "Lowe downe to the mould,

It is worth thy Round Table, thou worthy king,

Thy halls, and all thy gold.

"The place where this Round Table stands in,

It is worth thy castle, thy gold, thy fee;

15 And all good Litle Britaine,"—

"Where may that table be, lady?" quoth hee,

"Or where may all that goodly building be?"

"You shall it seeke," shee sayd, "till you it find,

For you shall never gett more of me."

20 Then bespake him noble King Arthur,

These were the words said hee;

"Ile make mine avow to God,

And alsoe to the Trinity,

"Ile never sleepe one night, there as I doe another,

25 Till that Round Table I see;

Sir Marramiles and Sir Tristeram,

Fellowes that ye shall bee.

"Weele be clad in palmers weede,

Five palmers we will bee;

30 There is noe outlandish man will us abide,

Nor will us come nye."

Then they rived east and they rived west, In many a strange country.

Then they travelled a litle further, 35 They saw a battle new sett; "Now, by my faith," saies noble King Arthur,

[Half a page is here torn away.

But when he came that castle to,

And to the palace gate,

Soe ready was ther a proud porter,

40 And met him soone therat.

Shooes of gold the porter had on,

And all his other rayment was unto the same;

"Now, by my faith," saies noble King Arthur,

"Yonder is a minion swaine."

45 Then bespake noble King Arthur,

These were the words says hee:

"Come hither, thou proud porter,

I pray thee come hither to me.

"I have two poor rings of my finger,

50 The better of them Ile give to thee; [To] tell who may be lord of this castle," he saies, "Or who is lord in this cuntry?"

"Cornewall King," the porter sayes,

"There is none soe rich as hee;

55 Neither in Christendome, nor yet in heathennest,

None hath soe much gold as he."

And then bespake him noble King Arthur,

These were the words sayes hee:

"I have two poore rings of my finger,

60 The better of them Ile give thee,

If thou wilt greete him well, Cornewall King,

And greete him well from me.

"Pray him for one nights lodging, and two meales meate,

For his love that dyed uppon a tree;

65 A bue ghesting, and two meales meate, 65 For his love that dyed uppon a tree.

"A bue ghesting, and two meales meate, For his love that was of virgin borne, And in the morning that we may scape away, 70 Either without scath or scorne."

Then forth is gone this proud porter, As fast as he cold hye; And when he came befor Cornewall King, He kneeled downe on his knee.

75 Sayes, "I have beene porter, man, at thy gate,

[Half a page is wanting.

… our Lady was borne,

Then thought Cornewall King these palmers had beene in Britt.

Then bespake him Cornewall King,

These were the words he said there:

80 "Did you ever know a comely King,

His name was King Arthur?"

And then bespake him noble King Arthur,

These were the words said hee:

"I doe not know that comly King,

85 But once my selfe I did him see."

Then bespake Cornwall King againe,

These were the words said he.

Sayes, "Seven yeere I was clad and fed,

In Litle Brittaine, in a bower;

90 I had a daughter by King Arthurs wife,

It now is called my flower;

For King Arthur, that kindly cockward,

Hath none such in his bower.

"For I durst sweare, and save my othe,

95 That same lady soe bright,

That a man that were laid on his death-bed

Wold open his eyes on her to have sight."

"Now, by my faith," sayes noble King Arthur,

"And thats a full faire wight!"

100 And then bespoke Cornewall [King] againe,

And these were the words he said: "Come hither, five or three of my knights, And feitch me downe my steed; King Arthur, that foule cockeward, 105 Hath none such, if he had need.

"For I can ryde him as far on a day,

As King Arthur can doe any of his on three.

And is it not a pleasure for a King,

When he shall ryde forth on his journey?

110 "For the eyes that beene in his head,

They glister as doth the gleed;"— "Now, by my faith," says noble King Arthur,

[Half a page is wanting.

No body. …

But one thats learned to speake.

115 Then King Arthur to his bed was brought,

A greeived man was hee;

And soe were all his fellowes with him

From him they thought never to flee.

Then take they did that lodly boome, 120 And under thrubchandler closed was hee; And he was set by King Arthurs bed-side, To heere theire talke, and theire com'nye;

That he might come forth, and make proclamation,

Long before it was day;

125 It was more for King Cornwalls pleasure,

Then it was for King Arthurs pay.

And when King Arthur on his bed was laid,

These were the words said hee:

"Ile make mine avow to God,

130 And alsoe to the Trinity,

That Ile be the bane of Cornwall Kinge

Litle Brittaine or ever I see!"

"It is an unadvised vow," saies Gawaine the gay,

"As ever king hard make I;

135 But wee that beene five christian men,

Of the christen faith are wee;

And we shall fight against anoynted King,

And all his armorie."

And then he spake him noble Arthur,

140 And these were the words said he:

"Why, if thou be afraid, Sir Gawaine the gay,

Goe home, and drinke wine in thine owne country."

32, the rived west.

34, tranckled.

50, They better.

65, bue, sic.