Arthur: A Short Sketch of His Life and History in English Verse of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century
General
Arthur: A Short Sketch of His Life and History in English Verse of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century
Arthurian romances; Romances, English
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.]
Ther was Many a Man of Myghte
Strong & bold also to fyghte.
Eche man hath take his schuppynge,
And ys at hys loghynge. 340
Vp goþ þe sayl(:) þey sayleþ faste:
Arthour owt of syȝt ys paste.
Þe ferst lond þat he gan Meete,
and lands at Forsoþe hyt was Bareflete; 344
Barfleet. Ther he gan vp furst aryve.
Now well_e_ Mote Artho_ur_ spede & thryve;
God speed him! And þat hys saule spede þe better,
Lat eche man sey a Pater noster. 348
Pater noster.
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