99MS. meme;miswritten forneme;seell. 1207, 1931.100MS. he.and how Godard slew the two girls,2220He let his oth al ouer-go,Euere wurþe him yuel and wo!For101þe maydnes here lifRefte he boþen, with a knif,2224And him shulde ok haue slawen,Þe knif was at his herte drawen,but had pity on the boy;But god him wolde wel haue saue,He hauede reunesse of þe knaue,2228So þat he with his hendNe drop him nouth, þat sor[i] fend,but afterwards ordered Grim to drown him.But sone dide he a fishereSwiþe grete oþes swere,2232Þat he sholde drenchen himIn þe se, þat was ful brim.101Qu.Fro.But Grim fled with him to England.Hwan grim saw þat he was so fayr,And wiste he was þe Rith eir,2236Fro denemark ful sone he fleddeIn-til englond, and þer him feddeMani winter, þat til þis dayHaues he ben fed and fostred ay.Then Ubbe shows Havelok to them all,2240Lokes, hware he stondes her:In al þis werd ne haues he per;Non so fayr, ne non so long,Ne non so mikel, ne non so strong.2244In þis middelerd nis no knithHalf so strong, ne half so with.Bes of him ful glad and bliþe,And cometh alle hider swiþe,and bids them swear fealty to him.2248Manrede youre louerd forto make,Boþe brune and þe blake.I shal mi-self do first þe gamen,And ye siþen alle samen.”UBBE DOES HOMAGE TO HAVELOK.Ubbe swears fealty first.2252Oknes ful fayre he him sette,Mouthe noþing him þer-fro lette,And bi-cam is man Rith þare,Þat alle sawenþat þere ware.[Fol. 215b, col. 1.]All the rest do the same.2256After him stirt up laddes ten,And bi-comenhise men;102And siþen euerilk a baroun,Þat euere weren inal that toun;2260And siþen drenges, and siþenthaynes,And siþen knithes, and siþensweynes;So þat, or þat day was gon,In al þe tun ne was nouth on2264Þat it ne was his man bicomen:Manrede of alle hauede he nomen.102A word is added in the MS. aftermen, apparentlybeye. Perhaps we should read:hise heye men.ALL SWEAR TO BE FAITHFUL TO HAVELOK.Havelok makes them swear to be faithful to him always.Hwan he hauede of hemalleManrede taken, inthe halle,2268Grundlike dide he hem swere,Þat he sholden him god feyth bereAgeynes alle þat woren on liue;Þer-yen ne wolde neuer on striue,2272Þat he ne madensone þat oth,Riche and poure, lef and loth.Hwan þat was maked, sone he sende,Ubbe sends for all the sheriffs and constables.Vbbe, writes fer and hende,2276After alle þat castel yemede,Burwes, tunes, sibbe an fremde,Þat þider sholdencomenswiþeTil him, and heren tiþandes bliþe,2280Þat he hem alle shulde telle:Of hem ne wolde neuere on dwelle,Þat he ne come sone plattinde,Hwo hors ne hauede, com gangande.2284So þat with-inne a fourtenith,In al denemark ne was no knith,Ne conestable, ne shireue,Þat com of adam and of eue,They all come.2288Þat he ne com biforn sire ubbe:He dreddenhim so þhes103doth clubbe.103Qu.þes,i.e.thighs; or the spellingþhesmay be intentional; see l. 1984. But Sir F. Madden suggestsþeues.Hwan he hauedenalle þe king gret,And he weren alle dun set,Ubbe shows Havelok to them all.2292Þo seyde ubbe, “lokes here,Vre louerd swiþe dere,Þat shal ben king of al þe lond,And haue us alle under hond.2296For he is birkabeynes sone,Þe king þat was vmbe stonde woneFor to yeme, and wel were,Wit sharp[e]104swerd, and longe spere.[Fol. 215b, col. 2.]2300Lokes nou, hw he is fayr;Sikerlike he is hise eyr.Falles alle to hise fet,Bicomes hise men ful sket.”All swear to obey Havelok.2304He weren for ubbe swiþe adrad,And dide sone al þat he bad,And yet dedenhe sumdel more,O bok ful grundlike he swore,2308Þat he sholde with him haldeBoþe ageynes stille and bolde,Þat euere wo[l]de his bodi dere:Þat dide [he] hem o boke swere.104See l. 2645 for the finale.UBBE DUBS HAVELOK A KNIGHT.2312Hwan he hauede manrede and othTaken of lef and of loth,2314Ubbe dubs Havelok a knight,Vbbe dubbede him to knith,With a swerd ful swiþe brith,2316And þe folk of al þe londBitauhte him al in his hond,Þe cunnriche eueril del,and makes him king.And made him king heylike and wel.2320Hwan he was king, þer mouthe menseÞe moste ioie þat mouhte be:Great joy and many sports.Buttinge with sharpe speres,Skirming with taleuaces, þat menberes,2324Wrastling with laddes, putting of ston,Harping and piping, ful god won,Leyk of mine, of hasard ok,Romanz reding on þe bok;2328Þer mouthe men here þe gestes singe,Þe gleymen on þe tabour dinge;There is baiting of bulls and boars,Þer mouhte men se þe boles beyte,And þe bores, with hundes teyte;2332Þo mouthe men se eueril gleu,Þer mouthe mense hw grim greu;Was neuere yete ioie moreIn al þis werd, þan þo was þore.2336Þer was so mike105yeft of cloþes,Þat þou i swore you grete othes,I ne wore nouth þer-offe croud:Þat may i ful wel swere, bi god!and plenty of meat and wine.2340Þere was swiþe gode metes,And of wyn, þat men fer fetes,Rith al so mik and gret plente,So it were water of þe se.2344Þe feste fourti dawes sat,[Fol. 216, col. 1.]So riche was neuere non so þat.The king makes Robert, William, and Hugh all barons.Þe king made Roberd þere knith,Þat was ful strong, and ful with,2348And willam, wendut het, his broþer,And huwe rauen, þat was þat oþer,And made hem barouns alle þre,And yaf hem lond, and oþer fe,2352So mikel, þat ilker twent[i] knihtesHauede of genge, dayes and nithes.105See l. 2342.HAVELOK IS MADE KING OF DENMARK.Hwan þat feste was al don,A thousand knights accompany the king.A thusand knihtes ful wel o bon2356With-held þe king, with himto lede;Þat ilkan hauede ful god stede,Helm, and sheld, and brinie brith,And al þe wepne þat fel to knith.and five thousand sergeants.2360With hemfiue thusand godeSergaunz, þat werento fyht wode,With-held he al of his genge:Wile I na more þe storie lenge.2364Yet hwan he hauede of al þe londÞe casteles alle inhis hond,And conestables don þer-inne,He swears to be avenged of Godard,He swor, he ne sholde neuer blinne,2368Til þat he were of godard wreken,Þat ich haue of ofte speken.Hal hundred knithes dede he calle,And hise fif thusand sergaunz alle,2372And dide swerenon the bokSone, and on þe auter ok,Þat he ne sholde neuere blinne,Ne for loue, ne for sinne,and to find and bind him.2376Til þat he haueden godard funde,And brouth biforn himfaste bunde.HAVELOK GOES TO SEEK OUT GODARD.Þanne he hauedenswor þis oth,Ne leten he nouth for lef ne loth,2380Þat he ne foren swiþe rathe,He goes to meet Godard.Þer he was unto þe paþe,Þer he yet on hunting for,With mikel genge, and swiþe stor.2384Robert, þat was of al þe ferdMayster, was girt wit a swerd,And sat up-on a ful god stede,Þat vnder him Rith wolde wede;Robert accosts Godard,2388He was þe firste þat with godardSpak, and seyde, “hede106cauenard![Fol. 216, col. 2.]Wat dos þu here at þis paþe?and tells him to come to the king,Cumto þe king, swiþe and raþe.2392Þat sendes he þe word, and bedes,Þat þu þenke hwat þu him dedes,Hwan þu reftes with a knifHise sistres here lif,2396An siþen bede þu in þe seDrenchen him, þat herde he.He is to þe swiþe grim:Cumnu swiþe un-to him,2400Þat king is of þis kuneriche.Þu fule man! þu wicke swike!who will repay him.And he shal yelde þe þi mede,Bi crist þat wolde on rode blede!”106Qu.helde,i.e.old. Unless it means “heed!”2404Hwan godard herde þat þer þrette,Godard and Robert strike each other.With þe neue he robert setteBiforn þe teth a dint ful strong.And robert kipt ut a knif long,2408And smot him þoru þe rith arum:Þer-of was ful litel harum.GODARD’S MEN ARE BEATEN.Hwan his folk þat sau and herde,Hwou robert with here louerd ferde,2412He haueden him wel ner browt of liue,Ne werenhis two breþren and oþre fiueSlowen of here laddes ten,Of godardes alþer-beste men.Godard’s men flee,2416Hwan þe oþre sawenþat, he fledden,And godard swiþe loude gredde:“Mine knithes, hwat do ye?Sule ye þus-gate fro me fle?2420Ich haue you fed, and yet shal fede,Helpe me nu in þis nede,but Godard rallies them.And late ye nouth mi bodi spille,Ne hauelok don of me hise wille.2424Yif ye id107do, ye do you shame,And bringeth you-self in mikel blame.”Hwan he þat herden, he wenten ageyn,And slowen a knit and108a sweyn2428Of þe kinges oune men,And woundedenabutenten.107Qu.it.108MS. and and.GODARD IS BOUND AND LED TO HAVELOK.The king’s men kill all Godard’s men.The kinges men hwan he þat sawe,Scutenon hem, heye and lowe,2432And euerilk fot of hem slowe,But godard one, þat he flowe,So þe þef men dos henge,[Fol. 216b, col. 1.]Or hund men shole indike slenge.2436He bundenhim ful swiþe faste,Hwil þe bondes wolden laste,Þat he rorede als a bole,Þat he wore parred in an hole,2440With dogges forto bite and beite:Were þe bondes nouth to leite.They bind Godard,He boundenhimso109fele sore,Þat he gan crien godes ore,2444Þat he sholde of his hend plette,Woldenhe nouht þer-fore lette,Þat he ne boundenhond and fet:Daþeit þat on þat þer-fore let!2448But duntenhim so man doth bere,and cast him on an old mare, to take him to Havelok.And keste him on a scabbed mere,2450Hise nese went un-to þe crice:So leddenhe þat fule swike,2452Til he was biforn hauelok brouth,Þat he haue[de] ful wo wrowht,Boþe with hungre110and with cold,Or he were twel winter old,2456And with mani heui swink,With poure mete, and feble drink,And [with] swiþe wikke cloþes,For al hise manie grete othes.2460Nu beyes he his holde blame:2461“Old sin makes new shame.”‘Old sinne makes newe shame:’Wan he was [brouht] so shamelikeBiforn111þe king, þe fule swike,The king summons Ubbe and the rest.2464Þe king dede ubbe swiþe calleHise erles, and hise barouns alle,Dreng and thein, burgeis and knith,HE IS CONDEMNED TO BE HUNG.And bad he sholdendemen him rith:2468For he kneu, þe swike dam,Euerildel god was him gram.He settenhem dun bi þe wawe,Riche and pouere, heye and lowe,They sit in judgment.2472Þe helde men, and ek þe grom,And made þer þe rithe dom,And seydenunto þe king anon,Þat stille sat [al] so þe ston:“He is to be flayed, drawn, and hung.”2476“We deme, þat he be al quic slawen,112And siþen to þe galwes drawe[n],At þis foule mere tayl;Þoru is fet a ful strong nayl;[Fol. 216b, col. 2.]2480And þore ben henged wit two feteres,And þare be writen þise leteres:‘Þis is þe swike þat wende wel,Þe king haue reft þe lond il del,2484And hise sistres with a knifBoþe refte here lif.’Þis writ shal henge bi him þare;Þe dom is demd, seye we na more.”109MS. fo.110MS. hungred.111MS. Brouht biforn;but the wordbrouhtclearly belongs to the preceding line, in which, however, it is omitted.112We should perhaps readflawen, as required by the sense.Seell. 2495, 2502.GODARD IS FLAYED ALIVE AND HUNG.Godard is shriven.2488Hwan þe dom was demd and giue,And he was wit þe prestes shriue,And it ne mouhte ben non oþer,Ne for fader, ne for broþer,2492Þat he sholde þarne lif;A lad flays him.Sket cam a ladde with a knif,And bigan Rith at þe toFor to ritte, and for to flo,2496And he bigan for to rore,So it were grim or gore,Þat men mithe þeþen a mileHe roars.Here him rore, þat fule file.2500Þe ladde ne let no with for-þi,Þey he criede ‘merci! merci!’Þat [he] ne flow [him] eueril delWith knif mad of grundenstel.He is bound on an old mare,2504Þei garte bringe þe mere sone,Skabbed113and ful iuele o bone,And bundenhim rith at hire taylWith a rop of an old seyl,drawn over rough ground,2508And drowenhim un-to þe galwes,Nouth bi þe gate, But ouer þe falwes;and hung.And henge [him] þore Bi þe hals:Daþeit hwo recke! he was fals.113MS. Skabbeb.GODRICH RAISES AN ARMY AGAINST HAVELOK.2512Þanne he was ded, þat sathanas,2513Sket was seysed al þat his wasIn þe kinges hand il del,Lond and lith, and oþer catel,Havelok makes Ubbe his steward.2516And þe king ful sone it yafVbbe inþe hond, wit a fayr staf,And seyde, “her ich sayse þeIn al þe lond, in al þe fe.”He founds a priory of black monks for Grim’s soul,2520Þo swor hauelok he sholde make,2521Al for grim, of monekes blakeA priorie to seruen inne ayIhesu crist, til domesday,2524For þe god he haueden him don,[Fol. 217, col. 1.]Hwil he was pouere and iuel114o bon.And þer-of held he wel his oth,For he it made, god it woth!in the town of Grimsby.2528In þe tun þer grim was grauen,Þat of grim yet haues þe name.2530Of grim bidde ich na more spelle.115—Godrich, earl of Cornwall,But wan godrich herde telle,2532Of cornwayle þat was erl,(Þat fule traytour, that mixed cherl!)Þat hauelok was king of denemark,And ferde with him strong and stark,hears that Havelok has invaded England.2536Comen engelond with-inne,Engelond al for to winne,And þat she, þat was so fayr,Þat was of engelond rith eir,2540Þat was comen up at grimesbi,He was ful sorful and sori,He says he will slay Havelok and his wife.And seyde, “Hwat shal me to raþe?Goddoth! i shal do slou hem baþe.2544I shal don hengen hem ful heye,So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie!But yif he of mi lond[e]116fle;Hwat? wendenhe to desherite me?”He raises a great army.2548He dide sone ferd ut bidde,Þat al þat euere mouhte o stedeRide, or helm on heued bere,Brini on bac, and sheld, and spere,2552Or ani oþer wepne bere,Hand-ax, syþe, gisarm, or spere,Or aunlaz,117and god long knif,Þat als he louede leme or lif,2556Þat þey sholdencomen him to,With ful god wepne ye ber so,The army is to meet at Lincoln on the 17th of March.To lincolne, þer he lay,Of marz þe seuentenþe day,2560So þat he couþe hemgod þank;And yif þat ani were so rang,That he þanne ne come anon,He swor bi crist, and [bi]118seint Iohan,2564That he sholde maken him þral,And al his of-spring forth with-al.114The MS. has “we,” which the scribe several times writes instead of “wel.” But “wel” is a manifest blunder, since “iuel” is meant. Cf. l. 2505.115The author has here omitted to tell us that Havelok, at the desire of his wife, invades England. See the note.116Cf. l. 2599.117Printed “alinlaz” in the former edition. The first stroke of theuis longer than the second, and the tail of thexin the line above converts the second downstroke of theuinto an apparenti.118Cf. l. 1112.GODRICH EXCITES THE ENGLISH AGAINST HAVELOK.Þe englishe þat herde þat,Was non þat euere his bode sat,2568For he him dredde swiþe sore,So Runci spore, and mikle more.[Fol. 217, col. 2.]At þe day he come soneÞat he hem sette, ful wel o bone,All come to Lincoln on that day.2572To lincolne, with gode stedes,And al þe wepne þat knith ledes.Hwanhe wore come, sket was þe erl yare,119Ageynes denshe men to fare,2576And seyde, “lyþes me120alle samen,Haue ich gadred you for no gamen,But ich wile seyen you forþi;Godrich tells them what Havelok is doing at Grimsby.Lokes hware here at grimesbi,2580Hise uten-laddes here comen,And haues nu þe priorie numen;Al þat euere mithen he finde,He brenne kirkes, and prestes binde;2584He strangleth monkes, and nunnes boþe:Wat wile ye, frend, her-offe Rede?Yif he regne þus-gate longe,He Moun us alle ouer-gange,2588He moun vs alle quic henge or slo,Or þral maken, and do ful wo,Or elles reue us ure liues,And ure children, and ure wiues.He excites them to attack Havelok.2592But dos nu als ich wile you lere,Als ye wile be with me dere;Nimes nu swiþe forth and raþe,And helpes me and yu-self baþe,2596And slos up-o[n] þe dogges swiþe:For shal [i] neuere more be bliþe,THE ENGLISH MARCH TO GRIMSBY.Ne hoseled ben, ne of prest shriuen,Til þat he ben of londe driuen.2600Nime we swiþe, and do hem fle,And folwes alle faste me,He will lead them himself.For ich am he, of al þe ferd,Þat first shal slo with drawenswerd.2604Daþeyt hwo ne stonde fasteBi me, hwil hise armes laste!”Earl Gunter and Earl Reyner of Chester support him.“Ye! lef, ye!”121couth þe erl gunter;“Ya!” quoth þe erl of cestre, reyner.2608And so dide alle þat þer stode,And stirte forth so he were wode.Þo mouthe mense þe brinies brihteOn backes keste, and late rithe,2612Þe helmes heye on heued sette;To armes al so swiþe plette,Þat þei wore on a litel stunde[Fol. 217b, col. 1.]Grethet, als menmithe telle a pund,2616And lopen on stedes sone anon,They approach Grimsby.And toward grimesbi, ful god won,He foren softe bi þe sti,Til he come ney at grimesbi.
99MS. meme;miswritten forneme;seell. 1207, 1931.100MS. he.and how Godard slew the two girls,2220He let his oth al ouer-go,Euere wurþe him yuel and wo!For101þe maydnes here lifRefte he boþen, with a knif,2224And him shulde ok haue slawen,Þe knif was at his herte drawen,but had pity on the boy;But god him wolde wel haue saue,He hauede reunesse of þe knaue,2228So þat he with his hendNe drop him nouth, þat sor[i] fend,but afterwards ordered Grim to drown him.But sone dide he a fishereSwiþe grete oþes swere,2232Þat he sholde drenchen himIn þe se, þat was ful brim.101Qu.Fro.But Grim fled with him to England.Hwan grim saw þat he was so fayr,And wiste he was þe Rith eir,2236Fro denemark ful sone he fleddeIn-til englond, and þer him feddeMani winter, þat til þis dayHaues he ben fed and fostred ay.Then Ubbe shows Havelok to them all,2240Lokes, hware he stondes her:In al þis werd ne haues he per;Non so fayr, ne non so long,Ne non so mikel, ne non so strong.2244In þis middelerd nis no knithHalf so strong, ne half so with.Bes of him ful glad and bliþe,And cometh alle hider swiþe,and bids them swear fealty to him.2248Manrede youre louerd forto make,Boþe brune and þe blake.I shal mi-self do first þe gamen,And ye siþen alle samen.”UBBE DOES HOMAGE TO HAVELOK.Ubbe swears fealty first.2252Oknes ful fayre he him sette,Mouthe noþing him þer-fro lette,And bi-cam is man Rith þare,Þat alle sawenþat þere ware.[Fol. 215b, col. 1.]All the rest do the same.2256After him stirt up laddes ten,And bi-comenhise men;102And siþen euerilk a baroun,Þat euere weren inal that toun;2260And siþen drenges, and siþenthaynes,And siþen knithes, and siþensweynes;So þat, or þat day was gon,In al þe tun ne was nouth on2264Þat it ne was his man bicomen:Manrede of alle hauede he nomen.102A word is added in the MS. aftermen, apparentlybeye. Perhaps we should read:hise heye men.ALL SWEAR TO BE FAITHFUL TO HAVELOK.Havelok makes them swear to be faithful to him always.Hwan he hauede of hemalleManrede taken, inthe halle,2268Grundlike dide he hem swere,Þat he sholden him god feyth bereAgeynes alle þat woren on liue;Þer-yen ne wolde neuer on striue,2272Þat he ne madensone þat oth,Riche and poure, lef and loth.Hwan þat was maked, sone he sende,Ubbe sends for all the sheriffs and constables.Vbbe, writes fer and hende,2276After alle þat castel yemede,Burwes, tunes, sibbe an fremde,Þat þider sholdencomenswiþeTil him, and heren tiþandes bliþe,2280Þat he hem alle shulde telle:Of hem ne wolde neuere on dwelle,Þat he ne come sone plattinde,Hwo hors ne hauede, com gangande.2284So þat with-inne a fourtenith,In al denemark ne was no knith,Ne conestable, ne shireue,Þat com of adam and of eue,They all come.2288Þat he ne com biforn sire ubbe:He dreddenhim so þhes103doth clubbe.103Qu.þes,i.e.thighs; or the spellingþhesmay be intentional; see l. 1984. But Sir F. Madden suggestsþeues.Hwan he hauedenalle þe king gret,And he weren alle dun set,Ubbe shows Havelok to them all.2292Þo seyde ubbe, “lokes here,Vre louerd swiþe dere,Þat shal ben king of al þe lond,And haue us alle under hond.2296For he is birkabeynes sone,Þe king þat was vmbe stonde woneFor to yeme, and wel were,Wit sharp[e]104swerd, and longe spere.[Fol. 215b, col. 2.]2300Lokes nou, hw he is fayr;Sikerlike he is hise eyr.Falles alle to hise fet,Bicomes hise men ful sket.”All swear to obey Havelok.2304He weren for ubbe swiþe adrad,And dide sone al þat he bad,And yet dedenhe sumdel more,O bok ful grundlike he swore,2308Þat he sholde with him haldeBoþe ageynes stille and bolde,Þat euere wo[l]de his bodi dere:Þat dide [he] hem o boke swere.104See l. 2645 for the finale.UBBE DUBS HAVELOK A KNIGHT.2312Hwan he hauede manrede and othTaken of lef and of loth,2314Ubbe dubs Havelok a knight,Vbbe dubbede him to knith,With a swerd ful swiþe brith,2316And þe folk of al þe londBitauhte him al in his hond,Þe cunnriche eueril del,and makes him king.And made him king heylike and wel.2320Hwan he was king, þer mouthe menseÞe moste ioie þat mouhte be:Great joy and many sports.Buttinge with sharpe speres,Skirming with taleuaces, þat menberes,2324Wrastling with laddes, putting of ston,Harping and piping, ful god won,Leyk of mine, of hasard ok,Romanz reding on þe bok;2328Þer mouthe men here þe gestes singe,Þe gleymen on þe tabour dinge;There is baiting of bulls and boars,Þer mouhte men se þe boles beyte,And þe bores, with hundes teyte;2332Þo mouthe men se eueril gleu,Þer mouthe mense hw grim greu;Was neuere yete ioie moreIn al þis werd, þan þo was þore.2336Þer was so mike105yeft of cloþes,Þat þou i swore you grete othes,I ne wore nouth þer-offe croud:Þat may i ful wel swere, bi god!and plenty of meat and wine.2340Þere was swiþe gode metes,And of wyn, þat men fer fetes,Rith al so mik and gret plente,So it were water of þe se.2344Þe feste fourti dawes sat,[Fol. 216, col. 1.]So riche was neuere non so þat.The king makes Robert, William, and Hugh all barons.Þe king made Roberd þere knith,Þat was ful strong, and ful with,2348And willam, wendut het, his broþer,And huwe rauen, þat was þat oþer,And made hem barouns alle þre,And yaf hem lond, and oþer fe,2352So mikel, þat ilker twent[i] knihtesHauede of genge, dayes and nithes.105See l. 2342.HAVELOK IS MADE KING OF DENMARK.Hwan þat feste was al don,A thousand knights accompany the king.A thusand knihtes ful wel o bon2356With-held þe king, with himto lede;Þat ilkan hauede ful god stede,Helm, and sheld, and brinie brith,And al þe wepne þat fel to knith.and five thousand sergeants.2360With hemfiue thusand godeSergaunz, þat werento fyht wode,With-held he al of his genge:Wile I na more þe storie lenge.2364Yet hwan he hauede of al þe londÞe casteles alle inhis hond,And conestables don þer-inne,He swears to be avenged of Godard,He swor, he ne sholde neuer blinne,2368Til þat he were of godard wreken,Þat ich haue of ofte speken.Hal hundred knithes dede he calle,And hise fif thusand sergaunz alle,2372And dide swerenon the bokSone, and on þe auter ok,Þat he ne sholde neuere blinne,Ne for loue, ne for sinne,and to find and bind him.2376Til þat he haueden godard funde,And brouth biforn himfaste bunde.HAVELOK GOES TO SEEK OUT GODARD.Þanne he hauedenswor þis oth,Ne leten he nouth for lef ne loth,2380Þat he ne foren swiþe rathe,He goes to meet Godard.Þer he was unto þe paþe,Þer he yet on hunting for,With mikel genge, and swiþe stor.2384Robert, þat was of al þe ferdMayster, was girt wit a swerd,And sat up-on a ful god stede,Þat vnder him Rith wolde wede;Robert accosts Godard,2388He was þe firste þat with godardSpak, and seyde, “hede106cauenard![Fol. 216, col. 2.]Wat dos þu here at þis paþe?and tells him to come to the king,Cumto þe king, swiþe and raþe.2392Þat sendes he þe word, and bedes,Þat þu þenke hwat þu him dedes,Hwan þu reftes with a knifHise sistres here lif,2396An siþen bede þu in þe seDrenchen him, þat herde he.He is to þe swiþe grim:Cumnu swiþe un-to him,2400Þat king is of þis kuneriche.Þu fule man! þu wicke swike!who will repay him.And he shal yelde þe þi mede,Bi crist þat wolde on rode blede!”106Qu.helde,i.e.old. Unless it means “heed!”2404Hwan godard herde þat þer þrette,Godard and Robert strike each other.With þe neue he robert setteBiforn þe teth a dint ful strong.And robert kipt ut a knif long,2408And smot him þoru þe rith arum:Þer-of was ful litel harum.GODARD’S MEN ARE BEATEN.Hwan his folk þat sau and herde,Hwou robert with here louerd ferde,2412He haueden him wel ner browt of liue,Ne werenhis two breþren and oþre fiueSlowen of here laddes ten,Of godardes alþer-beste men.Godard’s men flee,2416Hwan þe oþre sawenþat, he fledden,And godard swiþe loude gredde:“Mine knithes, hwat do ye?Sule ye þus-gate fro me fle?2420Ich haue you fed, and yet shal fede,Helpe me nu in þis nede,but Godard rallies them.And late ye nouth mi bodi spille,Ne hauelok don of me hise wille.2424Yif ye id107do, ye do you shame,And bringeth you-self in mikel blame.”Hwan he þat herden, he wenten ageyn,And slowen a knit and108a sweyn2428Of þe kinges oune men,And woundedenabutenten.107Qu.it.108MS. and and.GODARD IS BOUND AND LED TO HAVELOK.The king’s men kill all Godard’s men.The kinges men hwan he þat sawe,Scutenon hem, heye and lowe,2432And euerilk fot of hem slowe,But godard one, þat he flowe,So þe þef men dos henge,[Fol. 216b, col. 1.]Or hund men shole indike slenge.2436He bundenhim ful swiþe faste,Hwil þe bondes wolden laste,Þat he rorede als a bole,Þat he wore parred in an hole,2440With dogges forto bite and beite:Were þe bondes nouth to leite.They bind Godard,He boundenhimso109fele sore,Þat he gan crien godes ore,2444Þat he sholde of his hend plette,Woldenhe nouht þer-fore lette,Þat he ne boundenhond and fet:Daþeit þat on þat þer-fore let!2448But duntenhim so man doth bere,and cast him on an old mare, to take him to Havelok.And keste him on a scabbed mere,2450Hise nese went un-to þe crice:So leddenhe þat fule swike,2452Til he was biforn hauelok brouth,Þat he haue[de] ful wo wrowht,Boþe with hungre110and with cold,Or he were twel winter old,2456And with mani heui swink,With poure mete, and feble drink,And [with] swiþe wikke cloþes,For al hise manie grete othes.2460Nu beyes he his holde blame:2461“Old sin makes new shame.”‘Old sinne makes newe shame:’Wan he was [brouht] so shamelikeBiforn111þe king, þe fule swike,The king summons Ubbe and the rest.2464Þe king dede ubbe swiþe calleHise erles, and hise barouns alle,Dreng and thein, burgeis and knith,HE IS CONDEMNED TO BE HUNG.And bad he sholdendemen him rith:2468For he kneu, þe swike dam,Euerildel god was him gram.He settenhem dun bi þe wawe,Riche and pouere, heye and lowe,They sit in judgment.2472Þe helde men, and ek þe grom,And made þer þe rithe dom,And seydenunto þe king anon,Þat stille sat [al] so þe ston:“He is to be flayed, drawn, and hung.”2476“We deme, þat he be al quic slawen,112And siþen to þe galwes drawe[n],At þis foule mere tayl;Þoru is fet a ful strong nayl;[Fol. 216b, col. 2.]2480And þore ben henged wit two feteres,And þare be writen þise leteres:‘Þis is þe swike þat wende wel,Þe king haue reft þe lond il del,2484And hise sistres with a knifBoþe refte here lif.’Þis writ shal henge bi him þare;Þe dom is demd, seye we na more.”109MS. fo.110MS. hungred.111MS. Brouht biforn;but the wordbrouhtclearly belongs to the preceding line, in which, however, it is omitted.112We should perhaps readflawen, as required by the sense.Seell. 2495, 2502.GODARD IS FLAYED ALIVE AND HUNG.Godard is shriven.2488Hwan þe dom was demd and giue,And he was wit þe prestes shriue,And it ne mouhte ben non oþer,Ne for fader, ne for broþer,2492Þat he sholde þarne lif;A lad flays him.Sket cam a ladde with a knif,And bigan Rith at þe toFor to ritte, and for to flo,2496And he bigan for to rore,So it were grim or gore,Þat men mithe þeþen a mileHe roars.Here him rore, þat fule file.2500Þe ladde ne let no with for-þi,Þey he criede ‘merci! merci!’Þat [he] ne flow [him] eueril delWith knif mad of grundenstel.He is bound on an old mare,2504Þei garte bringe þe mere sone,Skabbed113and ful iuele o bone,And bundenhim rith at hire taylWith a rop of an old seyl,drawn over rough ground,2508And drowenhim un-to þe galwes,Nouth bi þe gate, But ouer þe falwes;and hung.And henge [him] þore Bi þe hals:Daþeit hwo recke! he was fals.113MS. Skabbeb.GODRICH RAISES AN ARMY AGAINST HAVELOK.2512Þanne he was ded, þat sathanas,2513Sket was seysed al þat his wasIn þe kinges hand il del,Lond and lith, and oþer catel,Havelok makes Ubbe his steward.2516And þe king ful sone it yafVbbe inþe hond, wit a fayr staf,And seyde, “her ich sayse þeIn al þe lond, in al þe fe.”He founds a priory of black monks for Grim’s soul,2520Þo swor hauelok he sholde make,2521Al for grim, of monekes blakeA priorie to seruen inne ayIhesu crist, til domesday,2524For þe god he haueden him don,[Fol. 217, col. 1.]Hwil he was pouere and iuel114o bon.And þer-of held he wel his oth,For he it made, god it woth!in the town of Grimsby.2528In þe tun þer grim was grauen,Þat of grim yet haues þe name.2530Of grim bidde ich na more spelle.115—Godrich, earl of Cornwall,But wan godrich herde telle,2532Of cornwayle þat was erl,(Þat fule traytour, that mixed cherl!)Þat hauelok was king of denemark,And ferde with him strong and stark,hears that Havelok has invaded England.2536Comen engelond with-inne,Engelond al for to winne,And þat she, þat was so fayr,Þat was of engelond rith eir,2540Þat was comen up at grimesbi,He was ful sorful and sori,He says he will slay Havelok and his wife.And seyde, “Hwat shal me to raþe?Goddoth! i shal do slou hem baþe.2544I shal don hengen hem ful heye,So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie!But yif he of mi lond[e]116fle;Hwat? wendenhe to desherite me?”He raises a great army.2548He dide sone ferd ut bidde,Þat al þat euere mouhte o stedeRide, or helm on heued bere,Brini on bac, and sheld, and spere,2552Or ani oþer wepne bere,Hand-ax, syþe, gisarm, or spere,Or aunlaz,117and god long knif,Þat als he louede leme or lif,2556Þat þey sholdencomen him to,With ful god wepne ye ber so,The army is to meet at Lincoln on the 17th of March.To lincolne, þer he lay,Of marz þe seuentenþe day,2560So þat he couþe hemgod þank;And yif þat ani were so rang,That he þanne ne come anon,He swor bi crist, and [bi]118seint Iohan,2564That he sholde maken him þral,And al his of-spring forth with-al.114The MS. has “we,” which the scribe several times writes instead of “wel.” But “wel” is a manifest blunder, since “iuel” is meant. Cf. l. 2505.115The author has here omitted to tell us that Havelok, at the desire of his wife, invades England. See the note.116Cf. l. 2599.117Printed “alinlaz” in the former edition. The first stroke of theuis longer than the second, and the tail of thexin the line above converts the second downstroke of theuinto an apparenti.118Cf. l. 1112.GODRICH EXCITES THE ENGLISH AGAINST HAVELOK.Þe englishe þat herde þat,Was non þat euere his bode sat,2568For he him dredde swiþe sore,So Runci spore, and mikle more.[Fol. 217, col. 2.]At þe day he come soneÞat he hem sette, ful wel o bone,All come to Lincoln on that day.2572To lincolne, with gode stedes,And al þe wepne þat knith ledes.Hwanhe wore come, sket was þe erl yare,119Ageynes denshe men to fare,2576And seyde, “lyþes me120alle samen,Haue ich gadred you for no gamen,But ich wile seyen you forþi;Godrich tells them what Havelok is doing at Grimsby.Lokes hware here at grimesbi,2580Hise uten-laddes here comen,And haues nu þe priorie numen;Al þat euere mithen he finde,He brenne kirkes, and prestes binde;2584He strangleth monkes, and nunnes boþe:Wat wile ye, frend, her-offe Rede?Yif he regne þus-gate longe,He Moun us alle ouer-gange,2588He moun vs alle quic henge or slo,Or þral maken, and do ful wo,Or elles reue us ure liues,And ure children, and ure wiues.He excites them to attack Havelok.2592But dos nu als ich wile you lere,Als ye wile be with me dere;Nimes nu swiþe forth and raþe,And helpes me and yu-self baþe,2596And slos up-o[n] þe dogges swiþe:For shal [i] neuere more be bliþe,THE ENGLISH MARCH TO GRIMSBY.Ne hoseled ben, ne of prest shriuen,Til þat he ben of londe driuen.2600Nime we swiþe, and do hem fle,And folwes alle faste me,He will lead them himself.For ich am he, of al þe ferd,Þat first shal slo with drawenswerd.2604Daþeyt hwo ne stonde fasteBi me, hwil hise armes laste!”Earl Gunter and Earl Reyner of Chester support him.“Ye! lef, ye!”121couth þe erl gunter;“Ya!” quoth þe erl of cestre, reyner.2608And so dide alle þat þer stode,And stirte forth so he were wode.Þo mouthe mense þe brinies brihteOn backes keste, and late rithe,2612Þe helmes heye on heued sette;To armes al so swiþe plette,Þat þei wore on a litel stunde[Fol. 217b, col. 1.]Grethet, als menmithe telle a pund,2616And lopen on stedes sone anon,They approach Grimsby.And toward grimesbi, ful god won,He foren softe bi þe sti,Til he come ney at grimesbi.
99MS. meme;miswritten forneme;seell. 1207, 1931.100MS. he.
99MS. meme;miswritten forneme;seell. 1207, 1931.
100MS. he.
and how Godard slew the two girls,
He let his oth al ouer-go,
Euere wurþe him yuel and wo!
For101þe maydnes here lif
Refte he boþen, with a knif,
And him shulde ok haue slawen,
Þe knif was at his herte drawen,
but had pity on the boy;
But god him wolde wel haue saue,
He hauede reunesse of þe knaue,
So þat he with his hend
Ne drop him nouth, þat sor[i] fend,
but afterwards ordered Grim to drown him.
But sone dide he a fishere
Swiþe grete oþes swere,
Þat he sholde drenchen him
In þe se, þat was ful brim.
101Qu.Fro.
But Grim fled with him to England.
Hwan grim saw þat he was so fayr,
And wiste he was þe Rith eir,
Fro denemark ful sone he fledde
In-til englond, and þer him fedde
Mani winter, þat til þis day
Haues he ben fed and fostred ay.
Then Ubbe shows Havelok to them all,
Lokes, hware he stondes her:
In al þis werd ne haues he per;
Non so fayr, ne non so long,
Ne non so mikel, ne non so strong.
In þis middelerd nis no knith
Half so strong, ne half so with.
Bes of him ful glad and bliþe,
And cometh alle hider swiþe,
and bids them swear fealty to him.
Manrede youre louerd forto make,
Boþe brune and þe blake.
I shal mi-self do first þe gamen,
And ye siþen alle samen.”
UBBE DOES HOMAGE TO HAVELOK.
Ubbe swears fealty first.
Oknes ful fayre he him sette,
Mouthe noþing him þer-fro lette,
And bi-cam is man Rith þare,
Þat alle sawenþat þere ware.
[Fol. 215b, col. 1.]
All the rest do the same.
After him stirt up laddes ten,
And bi-comenhise men;102
And siþen euerilk a baroun,
Þat euere weren inal that toun;
And siþen drenges, and siþenthaynes,
And siþen knithes, and siþensweynes;
So þat, or þat day was gon,
In al þe tun ne was nouth on
Þat it ne was his man bicomen:
Manrede of alle hauede he nomen.
102A word is added in the MS. aftermen, apparentlybeye. Perhaps we should read:hise heye men.
ALL SWEAR TO BE FAITHFUL TO HAVELOK.
Havelok makes them swear to be faithful to him always.
Hwan he hauede of hemalle
Manrede taken, inthe halle,
Grundlike dide he hem swere,
Þat he sholden him god feyth bere
Ageynes alle þat woren on liue;
Þer-yen ne wolde neuer on striue,
Þat he ne madensone þat oth,
Riche and poure, lef and loth.
Hwan þat was maked, sone he sende,
Ubbe sends for all the sheriffs and constables.
Vbbe, writes fer and hende,
After alle þat castel yemede,
Burwes, tunes, sibbe an fremde,
Þat þider sholdencomenswiþe
Til him, and heren tiþandes bliþe,
Þat he hem alle shulde telle:
Of hem ne wolde neuere on dwelle,
Þat he ne come sone plattinde,
Hwo hors ne hauede, com gangande.
So þat with-inne a fourtenith,
In al denemark ne was no knith,
Ne conestable, ne shireue,
Þat com of adam and of eue,
They all come.
Þat he ne com biforn sire ubbe:
He dreddenhim so þhes103doth clubbe.
103Qu.þes,i.e.thighs; or the spellingþhesmay be intentional; see l. 1984. But Sir F. Madden suggestsþeues.
Hwan he hauedenalle þe king gret,
And he weren alle dun set,
Ubbe shows Havelok to them all.
Þo seyde ubbe, “lokes here,
Vre louerd swiþe dere,
Þat shal ben king of al þe lond,
And haue us alle under hond.
For he is birkabeynes sone,
Þe king þat was vmbe stonde wone
For to yeme, and wel were,
Wit sharp[e]104swerd, and longe spere.
[Fol. 215b, col. 2.]
Lokes nou, hw he is fayr;
Sikerlike he is hise eyr.
Falles alle to hise fet,
Bicomes hise men ful sket.”
All swear to obey Havelok.
He weren for ubbe swiþe adrad,
And dide sone al þat he bad,
And yet dedenhe sumdel more,
O bok ful grundlike he swore,
Þat he sholde with him halde
Boþe ageynes stille and bolde,
Þat euere wo[l]de his bodi dere:
Þat dide [he] hem o boke swere.
104See l. 2645 for the finale.
UBBE DUBS HAVELOK A KNIGHT.
Hwan he hauede manrede and oth
Taken of lef and of loth,
Ubbe dubs Havelok a knight,
Vbbe dubbede him to knith,
With a swerd ful swiþe brith,
And þe folk of al þe lond
Bitauhte him al in his hond,
Þe cunnriche eueril del,
and makes him king.
And made him king heylike and wel.
Hwan he was king, þer mouthe mense
Þe moste ioie þat mouhte be:
Great joy and many sports.
Buttinge with sharpe speres,
Skirming with taleuaces, þat menberes,
Wrastling with laddes, putting of ston,
Harping and piping, ful god won,
Leyk of mine, of hasard ok,
Romanz reding on þe bok;
Þer mouthe men here þe gestes singe,
Þe gleymen on þe tabour dinge;
There is baiting of bulls and boars,
Þer mouhte men se þe boles beyte,
And þe bores, with hundes teyte;
Þo mouthe men se eueril gleu,
Þer mouthe mense hw grim greu;
Was neuere yete ioie more
In al þis werd, þan þo was þore.
Þer was so mike105yeft of cloþes,
Þat þou i swore you grete othes,
I ne wore nouth þer-offe croud:
Þat may i ful wel swere, bi god!
and plenty of meat and wine.
Þere was swiþe gode metes,
And of wyn, þat men fer fetes,
Rith al so mik and gret plente,
So it were water of þe se.
Þe feste fourti dawes sat,
[Fol. 216, col. 1.]
So riche was neuere non so þat.
The king makes Robert, William, and Hugh all barons.
Þe king made Roberd þere knith,
Þat was ful strong, and ful with,
And willam, wendut het, his broþer,
And huwe rauen, þat was þat oþer,
And made hem barouns alle þre,
And yaf hem lond, and oþer fe,
So mikel, þat ilker twent[i] knihtes
Hauede of genge, dayes and nithes.
105See l. 2342.
HAVELOK IS MADE KING OF DENMARK.
Hwan þat feste was al don,
A thousand knights accompany the king.
A thusand knihtes ful wel o bon
With-held þe king, with himto lede;
Þat ilkan hauede ful god stede,
Helm, and sheld, and brinie brith,
And al þe wepne þat fel to knith.
and five thousand sergeants.
With hemfiue thusand gode
Sergaunz, þat werento fyht wode,
With-held he al of his genge:
Wile I na more þe storie lenge.
Yet hwan he hauede of al þe lond
Þe casteles alle inhis hond,
And conestables don þer-inne,
He swears to be avenged of Godard,
He swor, he ne sholde neuer blinne,
Til þat he were of godard wreken,
Þat ich haue of ofte speken.
Hal hundred knithes dede he calle,
And hise fif thusand sergaunz alle,
And dide swerenon the bok
Sone, and on þe auter ok,
Þat he ne sholde neuere blinne,
Ne for loue, ne for sinne,
and to find and bind him.
Til þat he haueden godard funde,
And brouth biforn himfaste bunde.
HAVELOK GOES TO SEEK OUT GODARD.
Þanne he hauedenswor þis oth,
Ne leten he nouth for lef ne loth,
Þat he ne foren swiþe rathe,
He goes to meet Godard.
Þer he was unto þe paþe,
Þer he yet on hunting for,
With mikel genge, and swiþe stor.
Robert, þat was of al þe ferd
Mayster, was girt wit a swerd,
And sat up-on a ful god stede,
Þat vnder him Rith wolde wede;
Robert accosts Godard,
He was þe firste þat with godard
Spak, and seyde, “hede106cauenard!
[Fol. 216, col. 2.]
Wat dos þu here at þis paþe?
and tells him to come to the king,
Cumto þe king, swiþe and raþe.
Þat sendes he þe word, and bedes,
Þat þu þenke hwat þu him dedes,
Hwan þu reftes with a knif
Hise sistres here lif,
An siþen bede þu in þe se
Drenchen him, þat herde he.
He is to þe swiþe grim:
Cumnu swiþe un-to him,
Þat king is of þis kuneriche.
Þu fule man! þu wicke swike!
who will repay him.
And he shal yelde þe þi mede,
Bi crist þat wolde on rode blede!”
106Qu.helde,i.e.old. Unless it means “heed!”
Hwan godard herde þat þer þrette,
Godard and Robert strike each other.
With þe neue he robert sette
Biforn þe teth a dint ful strong.
And robert kipt ut a knif long,
And smot him þoru þe rith arum:
Þer-of was ful litel harum.
GODARD’S MEN ARE BEATEN.
Hwan his folk þat sau and herde,
Hwou robert with here louerd ferde,
He haueden him wel ner browt of liue,
Ne werenhis two breþren and oþre fiue
Slowen of here laddes ten,
Of godardes alþer-beste men.
Godard’s men flee,
Hwan þe oþre sawenþat, he fledden,
And godard swiþe loude gredde:
“Mine knithes, hwat do ye?
Sule ye þus-gate fro me fle?
Ich haue you fed, and yet shal fede,
Helpe me nu in þis nede,
but Godard rallies them.
And late ye nouth mi bodi spille,
Ne hauelok don of me hise wille.
Yif ye id107do, ye do you shame,
And bringeth you-self in mikel blame.”
Hwan he þat herden, he wenten ageyn,
And slowen a knit and108a sweyn
Of þe kinges oune men,
And woundedenabutenten.
107Qu.it.108MS. and and.
107Qu.it.
108MS. and and.
GODARD IS BOUND AND LED TO HAVELOK.
The king’s men kill all Godard’s men.
The kinges men hwan he þat sawe,
Scutenon hem, heye and lowe,
And euerilk fot of hem slowe,
But godard one, þat he flowe,
So þe þef men dos henge,
[Fol. 216b, col. 1.]
Or hund men shole indike slenge.
He bundenhim ful swiþe faste,
Hwil þe bondes wolden laste,
Þat he rorede als a bole,
Þat he wore parred in an hole,
With dogges forto bite and beite:
Were þe bondes nouth to leite.
They bind Godard,
He boundenhimso109fele sore,
Þat he gan crien godes ore,
Þat he sholde of his hend plette,
Woldenhe nouht þer-fore lette,
Þat he ne boundenhond and fet:
Daþeit þat on þat þer-fore let!
But duntenhim so man doth bere,
and cast him on an old mare, to take him to Havelok.
And keste him on a scabbed mere,
Hise nese went un-to þe crice:
So leddenhe þat fule swike,
Til he was biforn hauelok brouth,
Þat he haue[de] ful wo wrowht,
Boþe with hungre110and with cold,
Or he were twel winter old,
And with mani heui swink,
With poure mete, and feble drink,
And [with] swiþe wikke cloþes,
For al hise manie grete othes.
Nu beyes he his holde blame:
“Old sin makes new shame.”
‘Old sinne makes newe shame:’
Wan he was [brouht] so shamelike
Biforn111þe king, þe fule swike,
The king summons Ubbe and the rest.
Þe king dede ubbe swiþe calle
Hise erles, and hise barouns alle,
Dreng and thein, burgeis and knith,
HE IS CONDEMNED TO BE HUNG.
And bad he sholdendemen him rith:
For he kneu, þe swike dam,
Euerildel god was him gram.
He settenhem dun bi þe wawe,
Riche and pouere, heye and lowe,
They sit in judgment.
Þe helde men, and ek þe grom,
And made þer þe rithe dom,
And seydenunto þe king anon,
Þat stille sat [al] so þe ston:
“He is to be flayed, drawn, and hung.”
“We deme, þat he be al quic slawen,112
And siþen to þe galwes drawe[n],
At þis foule mere tayl;
Þoru is fet a ful strong nayl;
[Fol. 216b, col. 2.]
And þore ben henged wit two feteres,
And þare be writen þise leteres:
‘Þis is þe swike þat wende wel,
Þe king haue reft þe lond il del,
And hise sistres with a knif
Boþe refte here lif.’
Þis writ shal henge bi him þare;
Þe dom is demd, seye we na more.”
109MS. fo.110MS. hungred.111MS. Brouht biforn;but the wordbrouhtclearly belongs to the preceding line, in which, however, it is omitted.112We should perhaps readflawen, as required by the sense.Seell. 2495, 2502.
109MS. fo.
110MS. hungred.
111MS. Brouht biforn;but the wordbrouhtclearly belongs to the preceding line, in which, however, it is omitted.
112We should perhaps readflawen, as required by the sense.Seell. 2495, 2502.
GODARD IS FLAYED ALIVE AND HUNG.
Godard is shriven.
Hwan þe dom was demd and giue,
And he was wit þe prestes shriue,
And it ne mouhte ben non oþer,
Ne for fader, ne for broþer,
Þat he sholde þarne lif;
A lad flays him.
Sket cam a ladde with a knif,
And bigan Rith at þe to
For to ritte, and for to flo,
And he bigan for to rore,
So it were grim or gore,
Þat men mithe þeþen a mile
He roars.
Here him rore, þat fule file.
Þe ladde ne let no with for-þi,
Þey he criede ‘merci! merci!’
Þat [he] ne flow [him] eueril del
With knif mad of grundenstel.
He is bound on an old mare,
Þei garte bringe þe mere sone,
Skabbed113and ful iuele o bone,
And bundenhim rith at hire tayl
With a rop of an old seyl,
drawn over rough ground,
And drowenhim un-to þe galwes,
Nouth bi þe gate, But ouer þe falwes;
and hung.
And henge [him] þore Bi þe hals:
Daþeit hwo recke! he was fals.
113MS. Skabbeb.
GODRICH RAISES AN ARMY AGAINST HAVELOK.
Þanne he was ded, þat sathanas,
Sket was seysed al þat his was
In þe kinges hand il del,
Lond and lith, and oþer catel,
Havelok makes Ubbe his steward.
And þe king ful sone it yaf
Vbbe inþe hond, wit a fayr staf,
And seyde, “her ich sayse þe
In al þe lond, in al þe fe.”
He founds a priory of black monks for Grim’s soul,
Þo swor hauelok he sholde make,
Al for grim, of monekes blake
A priorie to seruen inne ay
Ihesu crist, til domesday,
For þe god he haueden him don,
[Fol. 217, col. 1.]
Hwil he was pouere and iuel114o bon.
And þer-of held he wel his oth,
For he it made, god it woth!
in the town of Grimsby.
In þe tun þer grim was grauen,
Þat of grim yet haues þe name.
Of grim bidde ich na more spelle.115—
Godrich, earl of Cornwall,
But wan godrich herde telle,
Of cornwayle þat was erl,
(Þat fule traytour, that mixed cherl!)
Þat hauelok was king of denemark,
And ferde with him strong and stark,
hears that Havelok has invaded England.
Comen engelond with-inne,
Engelond al for to winne,
And þat she, þat was so fayr,
Þat was of engelond rith eir,
Þat was comen up at grimesbi,
He was ful sorful and sori,
He says he will slay Havelok and his wife.
And seyde, “Hwat shal me to raþe?
Goddoth! i shal do slou hem baþe.
I shal don hengen hem ful heye,
So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie!
But yif he of mi lond[e]116fle;
Hwat? wendenhe to desherite me?”
He raises a great army.
He dide sone ferd ut bidde,
Þat al þat euere mouhte o stede
Ride, or helm on heued bere,
Brini on bac, and sheld, and spere,
Or ani oþer wepne bere,
Hand-ax, syþe, gisarm, or spere,
Or aunlaz,117and god long knif,
Þat als he louede leme or lif,
Þat þey sholdencomen him to,
With ful god wepne ye ber so,
The army is to meet at Lincoln on the 17th of March.
To lincolne, þer he lay,
Of marz þe seuentenþe day,
So þat he couþe hemgod þank;
And yif þat ani were so rang,
That he þanne ne come anon,
He swor bi crist, and [bi]118seint Iohan,
That he sholde maken him þral,
And al his of-spring forth with-al.
114The MS. has “we,” which the scribe several times writes instead of “wel.” But “wel” is a manifest blunder, since “iuel” is meant. Cf. l. 2505.115The author has here omitted to tell us that Havelok, at the desire of his wife, invades England. See the note.116Cf. l. 2599.117Printed “alinlaz” in the former edition. The first stroke of theuis longer than the second, and the tail of thexin the line above converts the second downstroke of theuinto an apparenti.118Cf. l. 1112.
114The MS. has “we,” which the scribe several times writes instead of “wel.” But “wel” is a manifest blunder, since “iuel” is meant. Cf. l. 2505.
115The author has here omitted to tell us that Havelok, at the desire of his wife, invades England. See the note.
116Cf. l. 2599.
117Printed “alinlaz” in the former edition. The first stroke of theuis longer than the second, and the tail of thexin the line above converts the second downstroke of theuinto an apparenti.
118Cf. l. 1112.
GODRICH EXCITES THE ENGLISH AGAINST HAVELOK.
Þe englishe þat herde þat,
Was non þat euere his bode sat,
For he him dredde swiþe sore,
So Runci spore, and mikle more.
[Fol. 217, col. 2.]
At þe day he come sone
Þat he hem sette, ful wel o bone,
All come to Lincoln on that day.
To lincolne, with gode stedes,
And al þe wepne þat knith ledes.
Hwanhe wore come, sket was þe erl yare,119
Ageynes denshe men to fare,
And seyde, “lyþes me120alle samen,
Haue ich gadred you for no gamen,
But ich wile seyen you forþi;
Godrich tells them what Havelok is doing at Grimsby.
Lokes hware here at grimesbi,
Hise uten-laddes here comen,
And haues nu þe priorie numen;
Al þat euere mithen he finde,
He brenne kirkes, and prestes binde;
He strangleth monkes, and nunnes boþe:
Wat wile ye, frend, her-offe Rede?
Yif he regne þus-gate longe,
He Moun us alle ouer-gange,
He moun vs alle quic henge or slo,
Or þral maken, and do ful wo,
Or elles reue us ure liues,
And ure children, and ure wiues.
He excites them to attack Havelok.
But dos nu als ich wile you lere,
Als ye wile be with me dere;
Nimes nu swiþe forth and raþe,
And helpes me and yu-self baþe,
And slos up-o[n] þe dogges swiþe:
For shal [i] neuere more be bliþe,
THE ENGLISH MARCH TO GRIMSBY.
Ne hoseled ben, ne of prest shriuen,
Til þat he ben of londe driuen.
Nime we swiþe, and do hem fle,
And folwes alle faste me,
He will lead them himself.
For ich am he, of al þe ferd,
Þat first shal slo with drawenswerd.
Daþeyt hwo ne stonde faste
Bi me, hwil hise armes laste!”
Earl Gunter and Earl Reyner of Chester support him.
“Ye! lef, ye!”121couth þe erl gunter;
“Ya!” quoth þe erl of cestre, reyner.
And so dide alle þat þer stode,
And stirte forth so he were wode.
Þo mouthe mense þe brinies brihte
On backes keste, and late rithe,
Þe helmes heye on heued sette;
To armes al so swiþe plette,
Þat þei wore on a litel stunde
[Fol. 217b, col. 1.]
Grethet, als menmithe telle a pund,
And lopen on stedes sone anon,
They approach Grimsby.
And toward grimesbi, ful god won,
He foren softe bi þe sti,
Til he come ney at grimesbi.