Old French Romances, Done into EnglishMorris, William
General
Old French Romances, Done into English
Morris, William
French literature -- To 1500 -- Translations into English; Romances; Tales, Medieval
No long while after the knight betook him to wending to a tournay afar
from his land, and when he came there he was retained straightway of the
fellowship, he and the knight of whose mesney he was, and his banner was
borne into the hostel of his lord. The tournay began, and the knight did
so well by means of the good deeds of Robin, his squire, that he bore off
the praise and prize of the tournay from one party and the other. On the
second day the knight betook him to wending to his own land, and Robin
put him to reason many times and blamed him much in that he gave not his
fair daughter in marriage, and many times he said it to him, till at the
last his lord said to him: “Robin, thou and thy lady give me no peace
about the marrying of my daughter; but as yet I know and see no man in my
land unto whom I would give her.” “Ah, sir,” said Robin, “there is not a
knight in thy land who would not take her with a good will.” “Fair
friend Robin, they are of no avail, all of them; and to none of them
shall I give her; and forsooth to no one would I give her as now, save to
one man only, and he forsooth is no knight.” “Sir, tell me of him,” said
Robin, “and I shall speak or let speak to him so subtilly that the
marriage shall be made.” “Certes, Robin,” said the knight, “from the
semblance that I see of thee thou willest well that my daughter should be
wedded.” “Sir,” said Robin, “thou sayest sooth, for it is well time.”
“Robin,” said the knight, “whereas thou art so eager that my daughter
should be wedded, she shall be wedded right soon if thou accord to the
said wedding.” “Certes, sir,” said Robin, “of a good will shall I accord
thereto.” “Wilt thou give me thy word herein?” “Yea, sir,” said Robin.
“Robin, thou hast served me exceeding well, and I have found thee a
valiant man, and a loyal, and such as I be thou hast made me, and great
gain have I gotten by thee, to wit, five hundred pounds of land; for it
was but a little while that I had but five hundred, and now have I a
thousand, and I tell thee that I owe much to thee: wherefore will I give
my fair daughter unto thee, if thou wilt take her.” “Ha, sir,” said
Robin, “God’s mercy, what is this thou sayest? I am too poor a person to
have so high a maiden, nor one so fair and so rich as my damsel is; I am
not meet thereto. For there is no knight in this land, be he never so
gentle a man, but would take her with a good will.” “Robin, know that no
knight of this land shall have her, but I shall give her to thee, if thou
will it; and thereto will I give thee four hundred pounds of my land.”
“Ha, sir,” said Robin, “I deem that thou mockest me.” “Robin,” said the
knight, “wot thou surely that I mock thee not.” “Ha, sir, neither my
lady nor her great lineage will accord hereto.” “Robin,” said the
knight, “nought shall be done herein at the will of any of them. Hold!
here is my glove, I invest thee with four hundred pounds of my land, and
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