Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval DutchWeston, Jessie L. (Jessie Laidlay)
General
Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch
Weston, Jessie L. (Jessie Laidlay)
Arthurian romances; Moriaen -- Romances
Thus fared they, having heard the tale and speaking of the twain, till
that they touched the sand. Then did the boatman shew them the way they
should ride thence to where the hermitage stood, and declared to them
the road. Thus left they the boatman, who was much rejoiced to be safely
quit of them. But the knights went on their way till they knew that they
drew near to the hermitage, and came even unto it. Then they dismounted,
and made fast their steeds before the door, and cried with a loud voice
to those within: "Let us in! Open of your goodwill!" A lad came to the
door and asked them what they desired, and if aught ailed them that they
required aid.
Then Sir Gariët spake, and said that an it were pleasing to them, they
would fain have speech with the hermit and with Sir Agloval. And the
messenger went his way to the twain, and told them how two knights stood
without the gate. "The one is a goodly man to look upon and well armed,
and so, forsooth, is the other, but his armour and his limbs, so far as
I might see, were blacker than soot or pitch. I wot not if ye know aught
of them or of their errand. They said that they would fain speak with
ye, and they prayed me straitly, the twain of them, that I should come
hither and tell ye this."
Sir Agloval, who deemed this passing strange, went, as best he might,
to the gate, and his uncle the hermit followed him with no delay. Sir
Agloval looked through the wicket, and was ware of Sir Gariët, Sir
Gawain's brother, and bethought him how that he belonged to King
Arthur's court and was worthy of great honour, for though he were not so
well known throughout the land as was his brother Sir Gawain, yet was he
a strong knight and bold, and a doer of valiant deeds.
When they beheld each other they gave fair and courteous greeting, the
one to the other, and Sir Gariët spake. "May He who can do all things
shew favour and honour to ye Sir Knight, and to all who be with ye there
within!"
Sir Agloval looked upon Morien, and marked right well the fashion of
him, and marvelled within himself what manner of knight he might well be
who bare such guise. And Morien stood before him and asked him if he yet
remembered how, seeking for Sir Lancelot, he came into the land of the
Moors, and how he there loved a maiden, and plighted to her his troth,
and how she granted to him her favours ere he departed from her upon his
quest. He asked him if he yet thought thereupon, how, when he departed
from the land he pledged his word to her that he would return, so soon
as might be, to the country of the Moors, for her profit and for her
honour? Did he yet think upon this?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account