*Foralle, Mr Garnett proposed to readshalle.HAVELOK DOES NOT LIKE BEING IDLE.Grim was a good fisherman.Grim was fishere swiþe god,And mikel couþe on the flod;Mani god fish þer-inne he tok,752Boþe with neth, and with hok.753He caught sturgeons, turbot, &c.He tok þe sturgiun, and þe qual,And þe turbut, and lax with-al,He tok þe sele, and þe hwel;756He spedde ofte swiþe wel:Keling he tok, and tumberel,Hering, and þe makerel,Þe Butte, þe schulle, þe þornebake:He had four panniers made for himself and his sons.760Gode paniers dede he makeOntil him, and oþer þrinne,Til hise sones to berenfish inne,Vp o-londe to selle and fonge;764Forbar he neyþe[r] tun, ne gronge,Þat he ne to-yede with his ware;Kam he neuere hom hand-bare,[Fol. 208, col. 2.]Þat he ne broucte bred and sowel,768In his shirte, or in his couel;In his poke benes and korn:—Hise swink ne hauede he nowt forlorn.He used to sell lampreys at Lincoln,And hwan he tok þe grete laumprei,772Ful we[l] he couþe þe rithe weiTo lincolne, þe gode boru;Ofte he yede it þoru and þoru,Til he hauede wol39wel sold,776And þer-fore þe penies told.Þanne he com, þenne he were bliþe,For hom he brouthe fele siþeand bring home simnels, meal, meat, and hemp.Wastels, simenels with þe horn,780Hise pokes fulle of mele an korn,Netes flesh, shepes, and swines,And hemp to makenof gode lines;And stronge ropes to hise netes,784In þe se werenhe ofte setes.40*39Qu.fuloral.40Sicin MS.*Perhaps we should, however, readse-weren, and thenoteon the line (p. 93) may be wrong. SeeWerenin the Glossary.SeeEndnote.HAVELOK SELLS FISH LIKE THE BEST.Thus they lived for 12 years.Þus-gate grim him fayre ledde.Him and his genge wel he feddeWel twelf winter, oþer more:788Hauelok was war þat grimswank soreHavelok thinks he eats too much to be idle.For his mete, and he lay at hom:Thouthe, “ich am nou no grom;Ich am wel waxen, and wel may eten792More þaneuere Grim may geten.Ich ete more, bi god on liue,Þan grim an hise children fiue!It ne may nouth ben þus longe,796Goddot! y wile with þe gange,For to leren sumgod to gete;Swinken ich wolde for mi mete.It is no shame for a man to work.It is no shame forto swinken;800Þe manþat may wel etenand drinken,Þat nouth ne haue but on swink long,To liggenat hom it is ful strong.God yelde him þer i ne41may,804Þat haueth me fed to þis day!He determines to carry about panniers like the rest.Gladlike i wile þe paniers bere;Ich woth, ne shal it me nouth dere,Þey þer be inne a birþene gret,808Al so heui als a neth.Shal ich neuere lengere dwelle,To morwenshal ich forth pelle.”41MS. ine.HAVELOK GOES TO LINCOLN TO GET WORK.On þe morwen, hwanit was day,[Fol. 208b, col. 1.]812He stirt up sone, and nouth ne lay;He carries a pannier full of fish,And cast a panier on his bac,With fish giueled als a stac;Also michel he bar him one,816So he foure, bi mine mone!42and sells them.Wel he it bar, and solde it wel,Þe siluer he brouthe hom il del;Al þat he þer-fore tok820With-held he nouth a ferþinges nok.So yede he forth ilke day,Þat he neuere at home lay.So wolde he his mester lere;A great dearth arises.824Bifel it so a strong dereBigan to rise of korn of bred,That grim ne couþe no god red,Hw he sholde his meine fede;828Of hauelok hauede he michel drede:For he was strong, and wel mouthe eteMore þanne heuere mouthe he gete;They have not enough to eat.Ne he ne mouthe on þe se take832Neyþer lenge, ne þorn[e]bake,43Ne non oþer fish þat doutheHis meyne fedenwith he[r]44mouthe.Grim is sorry for Havelok.Of hauelok he hauede kare,836Hwilgat þat he micthe fare;Of his childrenwas him nouth,On hauelok was al hise þouth,839And seyde, “hauelok, dere sone,840I wene that we deye moneFor hunger, þis dere is so strong,And hure mete is uten long.He advises him to go to Lincoln,Betere is þat þu henne gonge,844Þan þu here dwelle longe;Heþen þow mayt gangento late;Thou canst ful wel þe ricthe gateTo lincolne, þe gode borw,848Þou hauest it gon ful ofte þoru;Of me ne is me nouth a slo,Betere is þat þu þider go,and work there.For þer is mani god maninne,852Þer þou mayt þi mete winne.But wo is me! þou art so naked,He makes him a coat of an old sail.Of mi seyl y wolde þe were makedA cloth, þou mithest inne gongen,856Sone, no cold þat þu ne fonge.”HE HELPS THE EARL OF CORNWALL’S COOK.[Fol. 208b. col. 2.]He tok þe sh[e]res45of þe nayl,And made him a couel of þe sayl,And hauelok dide it sone on;860Hauede neyþer hosen ne shon,Ne none kines oþe[r] wede;Havelok goes to Lincoln barefoot.To lincolne barfot he yede.Hwan he kam þe[r], he was ful wil,864Ne hauede he no frend to gangentil;He fasts for two days.Two dayes þer fastinde he yede,Þat non for his werk wolde him fede;Þe þridde day herde he calle:868“Bermen, bermen, hider forth alle!”[Poure þat on fote yede]46Sprongen forth so sparke on glede.Havelok becomes the earl’s cook’s porter.Hauelok shof dun nyne or ten,872Rith amidewarde þe fen,And stirte forth to þe kok,[Þer the herles mete he tok,]Þat he bouthe at þe brigge:876Þe bermenlet he alle ligge,And bar þe mete to þe castel,He gets a farthing cake.And gat him þere a ferþing wastel.42Cf. ll. 1711, 1972.43See l. 759.44Qu.her,i.e.their. MS. he.45Qu.sheres. MS. shres.46Cf. ll. 91, 101. Here and below an additional line seems requisite.HAVELOK IS HIRED BY THE EARL’S COOK.Another day, he watches the earl’s cook,Þet oþer day kepte he ok880Swiþe yerne þe erles kok,Til þat he say him on þe b[r]igge,And bi him mani fishes ligge.Þe herles mete hauede he bouth884Of cornwalie, and kalde oft:who calls for a porter.“Bermen, bermen, hider swiþe!”Hauelok it herde, and was ful bliþe,Þat he herde “bermen” calle;888Alle made he hem dun falleHavelok upsets 16 lads.Þat in his gate yeden and stode,Wel sixtene laddes gode.Als he lep þe kok [vn-]til,892He shof hem alle upon an hyl;Astirte til him with his rippe,He catches up the cook’s fish,And bigan þe fish to kippe.He bar up wel a carte lode896Of segges, laxes, of playces brode,Of grete laumprees, and of eles;Sparede he neyþer tos ne heles,and carries them to the castle.Til þat he to þe castel cam,900Þat menfro him his birþene nam.Þan menhauedenholpenhim dounWith þe birþene of his croun,903Þe kok [bi] stod, and on him low,[Fol. 209, col. 1.]904And þoute him stalworþe manynow,And seyde, “wiltu ben wit me?The cook takes him into his service.Gladlike wile ich feden þe;Wel is set þe mete þu etes,908And þe hire þat þu getes.”HE CUTS WOOD, AND DRAWS WATER.“Goddot!”47quoth he, “leue sire,Bidde ich you non oþer hire;But yeueþ me inow to ete,Havelok tells the cook what he can do.912Fir and watery wile yow fete,Þe fir blowe, an ful wele maken;Stickes kan ich breken and kraken,And kindlen ful wel a fyr,916And makenit to brennen shir;Ful wel kan ich cleuenshides,Eles to-turnen48of here hides;Ful wel kan ich dishes swilen,920And don al þat ye euere wilen.”The cook is content to hire him.Quoth þe kok, “wile i no more;Go þu yunder, and sit þore,And y shal yeue þe ful fair bred,924And make þe broys inþe led.Sit now doun and et ful yerne:Daþeit hwo þe mete werne!”47Soddot, MS.48MS. to turuen;but theuandnare almost indistinguishable.Cf. l. 603; andWilliam of Palerne, 2590.HAVELOK GROWS VERY TALL AND STRONG.Havelok eats a good dinner.Hauelok sette him dun anon,928Also stille als a ston,Til he hauede ful wel eten;Þo hauede hauelok fayre geten.He fills a large tub with water for the kitchen.Hwanhe hauede eteninow,932He kamto þe welle, waterup-drow,And filde þe[r] a michel so;Bad he non ageyn him go,But bi-twen his hondes he bar it in,936A[l] him one to þe kichin.Bad he non him waterto fete,Ne fro b[r]igge to bere þe mete,939He bar þe turues, he bar þe star,940Þe wode fro the brigge he bar;He draws water, and cuts wood.Al that euere shuldenhe nytte,Al he drow, and al he citte;Wolde he neuere hauenrest,944More þanhe were a best.945He is always laughing and blithe.Of alle menwas he mest meke,Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke;Euere he was glad and bliþe,948His sorwe he couþe ful wel miþe.[Fol. 209, col. 2.]It ne was non so litel knaue,For to leyken, ne forto plawe,Þat he ne wo[l]de with him pleye:952Þe children that y[e]denin þe weieChildren play with him.Of him he deden al he[r] wille,And with him leykeden here fille.Him louedenalle, stille and bolde,956Knictes, children, yunge and holde;All like him.Alle him louedenþat him sowen,Boþen heyemen and lowe.959Of him ful wide þe word sprong,960Hw he was mike, hw he was strong,Hw fayr mangod him hauede maked,He has nothing to wear but the old sail.But on þat he was almest naked:For he ne hauede nouth to shride,964But a kouel ful unride,Þat [was] ful, and swiþe wicke,Was it nouth worth a fir sticke.The cook buys him new clothes.Þe cok biganof him to rewe,968And bouthe him cloþes, al spannewe;He bouthe him boþe hosenand shon,And sone dide him dones on.He looks very well in his new suit.Hwan he was cloþed, osed, and shod,972Was nonso fayr under god,Þat euere yete in erþe were,Non þat euere moder bere;It was neuere manþat yemede976In kinneriche, þat so wel semedeKing or cayser forto be,Þan he was shrid, so semede he;Havelok is the tallest man in Lincoln,For þanne he weren alle samen980At lincolne, at þe gamen,And þe erles men woren al þore,Þan was hauelok bi þe shuldrenmoreÞan þe meste þat þer kam:984In armes him noman[ne] nam,Þat he doune sone ne caste;Hauelok stod ouer hemals a mast.Als he was heie, al49he was long,988He was boþe stark and strong;and the strongest in England.In engelond [was] non hise perOf strengþe þat euere kamhim ner.Als he was strong, so was he softe;HE SEES SOME MEN “PUTTING THE STONE.”992Þey a man him misdede ofte,Neuere more he him misdede,[Fol. 209b, col. 1.]Ne hond on him with yuele leyde.He is good-natured and pure.Of bodi was he mayden clene,996Neuere yete in game, ne in grene,Þit50hire ne wolde leyke ne lye,No more þan it were a strie.In þat time al hengelondGodrich summons a parliament at Lincoln.1000Þerl Godrich hauede in his hond,And he gart komeninto þe tunMani erl, and mani barun;And alle [men] þat liues were1004In eng[e]lond, þanne wer þere,Þat þey haueden after sent,1006To ben þer at þe parlement.Some champions begin to contend in games.With hem com mani chanbioun,1008Mani with ladde, blac and brown;An fel it so, þat yunge men,Wel aboutennine or ten,Bigunnenþe[r] for to layke:1012Þider komenbothe stronge and wayke;Þider komenlesse and more,Þat in þe borw þanne werenþore;Strong lads and bondmen are there.Chaunpiouns, and starke laddes,1016Bondemenwith here gaddes,Als he comen fro þe plow;Þere was sembling i-now!For it ne was non horse-knaue,1020Þo þei sholden in honde haue,Þat he ne kam þider, þe leyk to se:1022Biforn here fet þanne lay a tre,They begin to “put the stone.”And putten51with a mikel ston1024Þe starke laddes, ful god won.HE “PUTS THE STONE” FURTHER THAN ANY.Þe ston was mikel, and ek greth,And al so heui so a neth;Grund stalwrthe manhe sholde be,1028Þat mouthe liftenit to his kne;Few can lift it.Was þer neyþer clerc, ne prest,Þat mithe liften it to his brest:Þerwit puttenthe chaunpiouns,1032Þat þider comenwith þe barouns.Hwo so mithe putten þoreBiforn a-noþer, an inch or more,Wore ye yung, [or] wore he hold,1036He was for a kempe told.Whilst this is going on,Al-so þe[i] stoden, an ofte stareden,*Þe chaunpiouns, and ek the ladden,[Fol. 209b, col. 2.]And he maden mikel strout1040Abouten þe alþerbeste but,Havelok looks on at them.Hauelok stod, and lokede þer-til;And of puttingge he was ful wil,For neuere yete ne saw he or1044Puttenthe stone, or þanne þor.His master tells him to try.Hise maysterbad him gon þer-to,Als he couþe þer-with do.Þo hise maysterit him bad,1048He was of him sore adrad;Þerto he stirte sone anon,And kipte up þat heui ston,Þat he sholde puten wiþe;He puts the stone 12 feet beyond the rest.1052He putte at þe firste siþe,Ouer alle þat þer wore,Twel fote, and sumdel more.Þe chaunpiouns þat [þat] put sowen,1056Shuldredenhe ilc oþer, and lowen;Woldenhe no more to putting gange,But seyde, “we52dwellenher to longe!”GODRICH HEARS OF HAVELOK’S STRENGTH.This feat is everywhere talked about.Þis selkouth mithe nouth benhyd,1060Ful sone it was ful loude kidOf hauelok, hw he warp þe stonOuer þe laddes euerilkon;Hw he was fayr, hw he was long,1064Hw he was with, hw he was strong;Þoruth england yede þe speke,53Hw he was strong, and ek meke;In the castel, up in þe halle,1068Þe knithes spekenþer-of alle,Godrich hears the knights talking of it.So that Godrich it herde welÞe[r] spekenof hauelok, eueri del,Hw he was strong man and hey,1072Hw he was strong and ek fri,And þouthte godrich, “þoru þis knaueShal ich engelond al haue,And mi sone after me;1076For so i wile þat it be.1077“Athelwold said I was to marry his daughter to the strongest man alive.The king aþelwald me dide swereVpon al þe messe-gere,Þat y shu[l]de his douthe[r] yeue1080Þe hexte[man]þat mithe liue,Þe beste, þe fairest, þe strangest ok;Þat gart he me swerenon þe bok.Hwere mithe i finden ani so hey[Fol. 210, col. 1.]1084So hauelok is, or so sley?Þou y southe heþen in-to ynde,So fayr, so strong, ne mithe y finde.Hauelok is þat ilke knaue,1088Þat shal goldeborw haue.”That is Havelok.”Þis þouthe [he] with trechery,With traysoun, and wit felony;For he wende, þat hauelok wore1092Sum cherles sone, and no more;Ne shulde he hauenof engellondOnlepi forw in his hond,With hire, þat was þerof eyr,1096Þat boþe was god and swiþe fair.He thought Havelok was only a thrall.He wende, þat hauelok wer a þral,Þer-þoru he wende hauenalIn engelond, þat hire rith was;1100He was werse þan sathanas,Þat ihesu crist in erþe shop:54Hanged worþe he on an hok!49Qu.so; see l. 991.50Qu.wit = with: miswritten owing to confusion of þ with ƿ (w)?51MS. pulten. But see ll. 1031, 1033, 1044, 1051, &c.*Forstaredenwe should perhaps readstradden; see theGlossary.52In the former edition— “ye”. But theyis not dotted, and it may be “ƿe.”53MS. speche. Read “speke,” as in l. 946.54Qu.shokorstrok.GOLDBOROUGH IS SENT FOR TO LINCOLN.1103He sends for Goldborough to Lincoln.After goldebo[r]w sone he sende,1104Þat was boþe fayr and hende,And dide hire to lincolne bringe,Belles dede he ageyn hire ringen,And ioie he made hire swiþe mikel,1108But neþeles he was ful swikel.He seyde, þat he sholde hire yeueÞe fayrest manthat mithe liue.She says she will marry none but a king.She answerede, and seyde anon,1112Bi crist, and bi seint iohan,Þat hire sholde nomanwedde,Ne nomanbringen to hire55bedde,But he were king, or kinges eyr,1116Were he neuere manso fayr.55Qu.hise.GODRICH ASKS HAVELOK IF HE WILL MARRY.Godrich is wrath at this.Godrich þe erl was swiþe wroth,Þat she swore swilk an oth,And seyde, “hwor þou wilt be1120Quen and leuedi ouer me?Þou shalt hauena gadeling,Ne shalt þou hauennon oþer king;He says she shall marry his cook’s servant.Þe shal spusen mi cokes knaue,1124Ne shalt þou non oþer louerd haue.Daþeit þat þe oþer yeueEuere more hwil i liue!To-mo[r]we ye sholenben weddeth,1128And, maugre þin, to-gidere beddeth.”[Fol. 210, col. 2.]Goldeborw gret, andwas56hire ille,She wolde ben ded bi hire wille.On the morwen, hwanday was sprungen,1132And day-belle at kirke rungen,He sends next day for Havelok, and says,After hauelok sente þat iudas,Þat werse was þanne sathanas:“Master, wilt wive?”And seyde, “mayster, wilte wif?”1136“Nay,” quoth, hauelok, “bi my lif!Hwat sholde ich with wif do?I ne may hire fede, ne cloþe, ne sho.Wider sholde ich wimmanbringe?Havelok refuses.1140I ne haue none kines þinge.I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote,Ne i ne57haue stikke, y ne haue sprote,I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel,1144Ne cloth, but of an hold with couel.Þis cloþes, þat ich onne haue,Aren þe kokes, and ich his knaue.”Godrich beats him, and threatens to hang him.Godrich stirt up, and on him dong1148[With dintes swiþe hard and strong,]And seyde, “But þou hire take,Þat y wole yeuenþe to make,I shal hangenþe ful heye,1152Or y shal þristen vth þin heie.”Hauelok was one, and was odrat,Havelok consents.And grauntede himal þat he bad.Þo sende he after hire sone,1156Þe fayrest wymman under mone;And seyde til hire, [false]58and slike,Godrich next threatens Goldborough.Þat wicke þral, þat foule swike:“But þu þis manunder-stonde,1160I shal flemenþe of londe;Or þou shal to þe galwes renne,And þer þou shalt ina fir brenne.”Sho was adrad, for he so þrette,1164And durste nouth þe spusing lette,But þey hire likede swiþe ille,She consents, thinking it is God’s will.Þouthe it was godes wille:God, þat makes to growenþe korn,1168Formede hire wimmanto be born.Hwan he hauede don him for drede,Þat he sholde hire spusen, and fede,And þat she sholde til him holde,A dowry is given her.1172Þer werenpenies þicke tolde,Mikel plente upon þe bok:1174He ys hire yaf, and she as tok.[Fol. 210b, col. 1.]He weren spused fayre and wel,1176Þe messe he deden eueridel,Þat fel to spusing, and god cle[r]k,The archbishop of York marries them.Þe erchebishop uth of yerk,Þat kam to þe parlement,1180Als god him hauede þider sent.
*Foralle, Mr Garnett proposed to readshalle.HAVELOK DOES NOT LIKE BEING IDLE.Grim was a good fisherman.Grim was fishere swiþe god,And mikel couþe on the flod;Mani god fish þer-inne he tok,752Boþe with neth, and with hok.753He caught sturgeons, turbot, &c.He tok þe sturgiun, and þe qual,And þe turbut, and lax with-al,He tok þe sele, and þe hwel;756He spedde ofte swiþe wel:Keling he tok, and tumberel,Hering, and þe makerel,Þe Butte, þe schulle, þe þornebake:He had four panniers made for himself and his sons.760Gode paniers dede he makeOntil him, and oþer þrinne,Til hise sones to berenfish inne,Vp o-londe to selle and fonge;764Forbar he neyþe[r] tun, ne gronge,Þat he ne to-yede with his ware;Kam he neuere hom hand-bare,[Fol. 208, col. 2.]Þat he ne broucte bred and sowel,768In his shirte, or in his couel;In his poke benes and korn:—Hise swink ne hauede he nowt forlorn.He used to sell lampreys at Lincoln,And hwan he tok þe grete laumprei,772Ful we[l] he couþe þe rithe weiTo lincolne, þe gode boru;Ofte he yede it þoru and þoru,Til he hauede wol39wel sold,776And þer-fore þe penies told.Þanne he com, þenne he were bliþe,For hom he brouthe fele siþeand bring home simnels, meal, meat, and hemp.Wastels, simenels with þe horn,780Hise pokes fulle of mele an korn,Netes flesh, shepes, and swines,And hemp to makenof gode lines;And stronge ropes to hise netes,784In þe se werenhe ofte setes.40*39Qu.fuloral.40Sicin MS.*Perhaps we should, however, readse-weren, and thenoteon the line (p. 93) may be wrong. SeeWerenin the Glossary.SeeEndnote.HAVELOK SELLS FISH LIKE THE BEST.Thus they lived for 12 years.Þus-gate grim him fayre ledde.Him and his genge wel he feddeWel twelf winter, oþer more:788Hauelok was war þat grimswank soreHavelok thinks he eats too much to be idle.For his mete, and he lay at hom:Thouthe, “ich am nou no grom;Ich am wel waxen, and wel may eten792More þaneuere Grim may geten.Ich ete more, bi god on liue,Þan grim an hise children fiue!It ne may nouth ben þus longe,796Goddot! y wile with þe gange,For to leren sumgod to gete;Swinken ich wolde for mi mete.It is no shame for a man to work.It is no shame forto swinken;800Þe manþat may wel etenand drinken,Þat nouth ne haue but on swink long,To liggenat hom it is ful strong.God yelde him þer i ne41may,804Þat haueth me fed to þis day!He determines to carry about panniers like the rest.Gladlike i wile þe paniers bere;Ich woth, ne shal it me nouth dere,Þey þer be inne a birþene gret,808Al so heui als a neth.Shal ich neuere lengere dwelle,To morwenshal ich forth pelle.”41MS. ine.HAVELOK GOES TO LINCOLN TO GET WORK.On þe morwen, hwanit was day,[Fol. 208b, col. 1.]812He stirt up sone, and nouth ne lay;He carries a pannier full of fish,And cast a panier on his bac,With fish giueled als a stac;Also michel he bar him one,816So he foure, bi mine mone!42and sells them.Wel he it bar, and solde it wel,Þe siluer he brouthe hom il del;Al þat he þer-fore tok820With-held he nouth a ferþinges nok.So yede he forth ilke day,Þat he neuere at home lay.So wolde he his mester lere;A great dearth arises.824Bifel it so a strong dereBigan to rise of korn of bred,That grim ne couþe no god red,Hw he sholde his meine fede;828Of hauelok hauede he michel drede:For he was strong, and wel mouthe eteMore þanne heuere mouthe he gete;They have not enough to eat.Ne he ne mouthe on þe se take832Neyþer lenge, ne þorn[e]bake,43Ne non oþer fish þat doutheHis meyne fedenwith he[r]44mouthe.Grim is sorry for Havelok.Of hauelok he hauede kare,836Hwilgat þat he micthe fare;Of his childrenwas him nouth,On hauelok was al hise þouth,839And seyde, “hauelok, dere sone,840I wene that we deye moneFor hunger, þis dere is so strong,And hure mete is uten long.He advises him to go to Lincoln,Betere is þat þu henne gonge,844Þan þu here dwelle longe;Heþen þow mayt gangento late;Thou canst ful wel þe ricthe gateTo lincolne, þe gode borw,848Þou hauest it gon ful ofte þoru;Of me ne is me nouth a slo,Betere is þat þu þider go,and work there.For þer is mani god maninne,852Þer þou mayt þi mete winne.But wo is me! þou art so naked,He makes him a coat of an old sail.Of mi seyl y wolde þe were makedA cloth, þou mithest inne gongen,856Sone, no cold þat þu ne fonge.”HE HELPS THE EARL OF CORNWALL’S COOK.[Fol. 208b. col. 2.]He tok þe sh[e]res45of þe nayl,And made him a couel of þe sayl,And hauelok dide it sone on;860Hauede neyþer hosen ne shon,Ne none kines oþe[r] wede;Havelok goes to Lincoln barefoot.To lincolne barfot he yede.Hwan he kam þe[r], he was ful wil,864Ne hauede he no frend to gangentil;He fasts for two days.Two dayes þer fastinde he yede,Þat non for his werk wolde him fede;Þe þridde day herde he calle:868“Bermen, bermen, hider forth alle!”[Poure þat on fote yede]46Sprongen forth so sparke on glede.Havelok becomes the earl’s cook’s porter.Hauelok shof dun nyne or ten,872Rith amidewarde þe fen,And stirte forth to þe kok,[Þer the herles mete he tok,]Þat he bouthe at þe brigge:876Þe bermenlet he alle ligge,And bar þe mete to þe castel,He gets a farthing cake.And gat him þere a ferþing wastel.42Cf. ll. 1711, 1972.43See l. 759.44Qu.her,i.e.their. MS. he.45Qu.sheres. MS. shres.46Cf. ll. 91, 101. Here and below an additional line seems requisite.HAVELOK IS HIRED BY THE EARL’S COOK.Another day, he watches the earl’s cook,Þet oþer day kepte he ok880Swiþe yerne þe erles kok,Til þat he say him on þe b[r]igge,And bi him mani fishes ligge.Þe herles mete hauede he bouth884Of cornwalie, and kalde oft:who calls for a porter.“Bermen, bermen, hider swiþe!”Hauelok it herde, and was ful bliþe,Þat he herde “bermen” calle;888Alle made he hem dun falleHavelok upsets 16 lads.Þat in his gate yeden and stode,Wel sixtene laddes gode.Als he lep þe kok [vn-]til,892He shof hem alle upon an hyl;Astirte til him with his rippe,He catches up the cook’s fish,And bigan þe fish to kippe.He bar up wel a carte lode896Of segges, laxes, of playces brode,Of grete laumprees, and of eles;Sparede he neyþer tos ne heles,and carries them to the castle.Til þat he to þe castel cam,900Þat menfro him his birþene nam.Þan menhauedenholpenhim dounWith þe birþene of his croun,903Þe kok [bi] stod, and on him low,[Fol. 209, col. 1.]904And þoute him stalworþe manynow,And seyde, “wiltu ben wit me?The cook takes him into his service.Gladlike wile ich feden þe;Wel is set þe mete þu etes,908And þe hire þat þu getes.”HE CUTS WOOD, AND DRAWS WATER.“Goddot!”47quoth he, “leue sire,Bidde ich you non oþer hire;But yeueþ me inow to ete,Havelok tells the cook what he can do.912Fir and watery wile yow fete,Þe fir blowe, an ful wele maken;Stickes kan ich breken and kraken,And kindlen ful wel a fyr,916And makenit to brennen shir;Ful wel kan ich cleuenshides,Eles to-turnen48of here hides;Ful wel kan ich dishes swilen,920And don al þat ye euere wilen.”The cook is content to hire him.Quoth þe kok, “wile i no more;Go þu yunder, and sit þore,And y shal yeue þe ful fair bred,924And make þe broys inþe led.Sit now doun and et ful yerne:Daþeit hwo þe mete werne!”47Soddot, MS.48MS. to turuen;but theuandnare almost indistinguishable.Cf. l. 603; andWilliam of Palerne, 2590.HAVELOK GROWS VERY TALL AND STRONG.Havelok eats a good dinner.Hauelok sette him dun anon,928Also stille als a ston,Til he hauede ful wel eten;Þo hauede hauelok fayre geten.He fills a large tub with water for the kitchen.Hwanhe hauede eteninow,932He kamto þe welle, waterup-drow,And filde þe[r] a michel so;Bad he non ageyn him go,But bi-twen his hondes he bar it in,936A[l] him one to þe kichin.Bad he non him waterto fete,Ne fro b[r]igge to bere þe mete,939He bar þe turues, he bar þe star,940Þe wode fro the brigge he bar;He draws water, and cuts wood.Al that euere shuldenhe nytte,Al he drow, and al he citte;Wolde he neuere hauenrest,944More þanhe were a best.945He is always laughing and blithe.Of alle menwas he mest meke,Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke;Euere he was glad and bliþe,948His sorwe he couþe ful wel miþe.[Fol. 209, col. 2.]It ne was non so litel knaue,For to leyken, ne forto plawe,Þat he ne wo[l]de with him pleye:952Þe children that y[e]denin þe weieChildren play with him.Of him he deden al he[r] wille,And with him leykeden here fille.Him louedenalle, stille and bolde,956Knictes, children, yunge and holde;All like him.Alle him louedenþat him sowen,Boþen heyemen and lowe.959Of him ful wide þe word sprong,960Hw he was mike, hw he was strong,Hw fayr mangod him hauede maked,He has nothing to wear but the old sail.But on þat he was almest naked:For he ne hauede nouth to shride,964But a kouel ful unride,Þat [was] ful, and swiþe wicke,Was it nouth worth a fir sticke.The cook buys him new clothes.Þe cok biganof him to rewe,968And bouthe him cloþes, al spannewe;He bouthe him boþe hosenand shon,And sone dide him dones on.He looks very well in his new suit.Hwan he was cloþed, osed, and shod,972Was nonso fayr under god,Þat euere yete in erþe were,Non þat euere moder bere;It was neuere manþat yemede976In kinneriche, þat so wel semedeKing or cayser forto be,Þan he was shrid, so semede he;Havelok is the tallest man in Lincoln,For þanne he weren alle samen980At lincolne, at þe gamen,And þe erles men woren al þore,Þan was hauelok bi þe shuldrenmoreÞan þe meste þat þer kam:984In armes him noman[ne] nam,Þat he doune sone ne caste;Hauelok stod ouer hemals a mast.Als he was heie, al49he was long,988He was boþe stark and strong;and the strongest in England.In engelond [was] non hise perOf strengþe þat euere kamhim ner.Als he was strong, so was he softe;HE SEES SOME MEN “PUTTING THE STONE.”992Þey a man him misdede ofte,Neuere more he him misdede,[Fol. 209b, col. 1.]Ne hond on him with yuele leyde.He is good-natured and pure.Of bodi was he mayden clene,996Neuere yete in game, ne in grene,Þit50hire ne wolde leyke ne lye,No more þan it were a strie.In þat time al hengelondGodrich summons a parliament at Lincoln.1000Þerl Godrich hauede in his hond,And he gart komeninto þe tunMani erl, and mani barun;And alle [men] þat liues were1004In eng[e]lond, þanne wer þere,Þat þey haueden after sent,1006To ben þer at þe parlement.Some champions begin to contend in games.With hem com mani chanbioun,1008Mani with ladde, blac and brown;An fel it so, þat yunge men,Wel aboutennine or ten,Bigunnenþe[r] for to layke:1012Þider komenbothe stronge and wayke;Þider komenlesse and more,Þat in þe borw þanne werenþore;Strong lads and bondmen are there.Chaunpiouns, and starke laddes,1016Bondemenwith here gaddes,Als he comen fro þe plow;Þere was sembling i-now!For it ne was non horse-knaue,1020Þo þei sholden in honde haue,Þat he ne kam þider, þe leyk to se:1022Biforn here fet þanne lay a tre,They begin to “put the stone.”And putten51with a mikel ston1024Þe starke laddes, ful god won.HE “PUTS THE STONE” FURTHER THAN ANY.Þe ston was mikel, and ek greth,And al so heui so a neth;Grund stalwrthe manhe sholde be,1028Þat mouthe liftenit to his kne;Few can lift it.Was þer neyþer clerc, ne prest,Þat mithe liften it to his brest:Þerwit puttenthe chaunpiouns,1032Þat þider comenwith þe barouns.Hwo so mithe putten þoreBiforn a-noþer, an inch or more,Wore ye yung, [or] wore he hold,1036He was for a kempe told.Whilst this is going on,Al-so þe[i] stoden, an ofte stareden,*Þe chaunpiouns, and ek the ladden,[Fol. 209b, col. 2.]And he maden mikel strout1040Abouten þe alþerbeste but,Havelok looks on at them.Hauelok stod, and lokede þer-til;And of puttingge he was ful wil,For neuere yete ne saw he or1044Puttenthe stone, or þanne þor.His master tells him to try.Hise maysterbad him gon þer-to,Als he couþe þer-with do.Þo hise maysterit him bad,1048He was of him sore adrad;Þerto he stirte sone anon,And kipte up þat heui ston,Þat he sholde puten wiþe;He puts the stone 12 feet beyond the rest.1052He putte at þe firste siþe,Ouer alle þat þer wore,Twel fote, and sumdel more.Þe chaunpiouns þat [þat] put sowen,1056Shuldredenhe ilc oþer, and lowen;Woldenhe no more to putting gange,But seyde, “we52dwellenher to longe!”GODRICH HEARS OF HAVELOK’S STRENGTH.This feat is everywhere talked about.Þis selkouth mithe nouth benhyd,1060Ful sone it was ful loude kidOf hauelok, hw he warp þe stonOuer þe laddes euerilkon;Hw he was fayr, hw he was long,1064Hw he was with, hw he was strong;Þoruth england yede þe speke,53Hw he was strong, and ek meke;In the castel, up in þe halle,1068Þe knithes spekenþer-of alle,Godrich hears the knights talking of it.So that Godrich it herde welÞe[r] spekenof hauelok, eueri del,Hw he was strong man and hey,1072Hw he was strong and ek fri,And þouthte godrich, “þoru þis knaueShal ich engelond al haue,And mi sone after me;1076For so i wile þat it be.1077“Athelwold said I was to marry his daughter to the strongest man alive.The king aþelwald me dide swereVpon al þe messe-gere,Þat y shu[l]de his douthe[r] yeue1080Þe hexte[man]þat mithe liue,Þe beste, þe fairest, þe strangest ok;Þat gart he me swerenon þe bok.Hwere mithe i finden ani so hey[Fol. 210, col. 1.]1084So hauelok is, or so sley?Þou y southe heþen in-to ynde,So fayr, so strong, ne mithe y finde.Hauelok is þat ilke knaue,1088Þat shal goldeborw haue.”That is Havelok.”Þis þouthe [he] with trechery,With traysoun, and wit felony;For he wende, þat hauelok wore1092Sum cherles sone, and no more;Ne shulde he hauenof engellondOnlepi forw in his hond,With hire, þat was þerof eyr,1096Þat boþe was god and swiþe fair.He thought Havelok was only a thrall.He wende, þat hauelok wer a þral,Þer-þoru he wende hauenalIn engelond, þat hire rith was;1100He was werse þan sathanas,Þat ihesu crist in erþe shop:54Hanged worþe he on an hok!49Qu.so; see l. 991.50Qu.wit = with: miswritten owing to confusion of þ with ƿ (w)?51MS. pulten. But see ll. 1031, 1033, 1044, 1051, &c.*Forstaredenwe should perhaps readstradden; see theGlossary.52In the former edition— “ye”. But theyis not dotted, and it may be “ƿe.”53MS. speche. Read “speke,” as in l. 946.54Qu.shokorstrok.GOLDBOROUGH IS SENT FOR TO LINCOLN.1103He sends for Goldborough to Lincoln.After goldebo[r]w sone he sende,1104Þat was boþe fayr and hende,And dide hire to lincolne bringe,Belles dede he ageyn hire ringen,And ioie he made hire swiþe mikel,1108But neþeles he was ful swikel.He seyde, þat he sholde hire yeueÞe fayrest manthat mithe liue.She says she will marry none but a king.She answerede, and seyde anon,1112Bi crist, and bi seint iohan,Þat hire sholde nomanwedde,Ne nomanbringen to hire55bedde,But he were king, or kinges eyr,1116Were he neuere manso fayr.55Qu.hise.GODRICH ASKS HAVELOK IF HE WILL MARRY.Godrich is wrath at this.Godrich þe erl was swiþe wroth,Þat she swore swilk an oth,And seyde, “hwor þou wilt be1120Quen and leuedi ouer me?Þou shalt hauena gadeling,Ne shalt þou hauennon oþer king;He says she shall marry his cook’s servant.Þe shal spusen mi cokes knaue,1124Ne shalt þou non oþer louerd haue.Daþeit þat þe oþer yeueEuere more hwil i liue!To-mo[r]we ye sholenben weddeth,1128And, maugre þin, to-gidere beddeth.”[Fol. 210, col. 2.]Goldeborw gret, andwas56hire ille,She wolde ben ded bi hire wille.On the morwen, hwanday was sprungen,1132And day-belle at kirke rungen,He sends next day for Havelok, and says,After hauelok sente þat iudas,Þat werse was þanne sathanas:“Master, wilt wive?”And seyde, “mayster, wilte wif?”1136“Nay,” quoth, hauelok, “bi my lif!Hwat sholde ich with wif do?I ne may hire fede, ne cloþe, ne sho.Wider sholde ich wimmanbringe?Havelok refuses.1140I ne haue none kines þinge.I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote,Ne i ne57haue stikke, y ne haue sprote,I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel,1144Ne cloth, but of an hold with couel.Þis cloþes, þat ich onne haue,Aren þe kokes, and ich his knaue.”Godrich beats him, and threatens to hang him.Godrich stirt up, and on him dong1148[With dintes swiþe hard and strong,]And seyde, “But þou hire take,Þat y wole yeuenþe to make,I shal hangenþe ful heye,1152Or y shal þristen vth þin heie.”Hauelok was one, and was odrat,Havelok consents.And grauntede himal þat he bad.Þo sende he after hire sone,1156Þe fayrest wymman under mone;And seyde til hire, [false]58and slike,Godrich next threatens Goldborough.Þat wicke þral, þat foule swike:“But þu þis manunder-stonde,1160I shal flemenþe of londe;Or þou shal to þe galwes renne,And þer þou shalt ina fir brenne.”Sho was adrad, for he so þrette,1164And durste nouth þe spusing lette,But þey hire likede swiþe ille,She consents, thinking it is God’s will.Þouthe it was godes wille:God, þat makes to growenþe korn,1168Formede hire wimmanto be born.Hwan he hauede don him for drede,Þat he sholde hire spusen, and fede,And þat she sholde til him holde,A dowry is given her.1172Þer werenpenies þicke tolde,Mikel plente upon þe bok:1174He ys hire yaf, and she as tok.[Fol. 210b, col. 1.]He weren spused fayre and wel,1176Þe messe he deden eueridel,Þat fel to spusing, and god cle[r]k,The archbishop of York marries them.Þe erchebishop uth of yerk,Þat kam to þe parlement,1180Als god him hauede þider sent.
*Foralle, Mr Garnett proposed to readshalle.
*Foralle, Mr Garnett proposed to readshalle.
HAVELOK DOES NOT LIKE BEING IDLE.
Grim was a good fisherman.
Grim was fishere swiþe god,
And mikel couþe on the flod;
Mani god fish þer-inne he tok,
Boþe with neth, and with hok.
He caught sturgeons, turbot, &c.
He tok þe sturgiun, and þe qual,
And þe turbut, and lax with-al,
He tok þe sele, and þe hwel;
He spedde ofte swiþe wel:
Keling he tok, and tumberel,
Hering, and þe makerel,
Þe Butte, þe schulle, þe þornebake:
He had four panniers made for himself and his sons.
Gode paniers dede he make
Ontil him, and oþer þrinne,
Til hise sones to berenfish inne,
Vp o-londe to selle and fonge;
Forbar he neyþe[r] tun, ne gronge,
Þat he ne to-yede with his ware;
Kam he neuere hom hand-bare,
[Fol. 208, col. 2.]
Þat he ne broucte bred and sowel,
In his shirte, or in his couel;
In his poke benes and korn:—
Hise swink ne hauede he nowt forlorn.
He used to sell lampreys at Lincoln,
And hwan he tok þe grete laumprei,
Ful we[l] he couþe þe rithe wei
To lincolne, þe gode boru;
Ofte he yede it þoru and þoru,
Til he hauede wol39wel sold,
And þer-fore þe penies told.
Þanne he com, þenne he were bliþe,
For hom he brouthe fele siþe
and bring home simnels, meal, meat, and hemp.
Wastels, simenels with þe horn,
Hise pokes fulle of mele an korn,
Netes flesh, shepes, and swines,
And hemp to makenof gode lines;
And stronge ropes to hise netes,
In þe se werenhe ofte setes.40*
39Qu.fuloral.40Sicin MS.*Perhaps we should, however, readse-weren, and thenoteon the line (p. 93) may be wrong. SeeWerenin the Glossary.SeeEndnote.
39Qu.fuloral.
40Sicin MS.
*Perhaps we should, however, readse-weren, and thenoteon the line (p. 93) may be wrong. SeeWerenin the Glossary.SeeEndnote.
HAVELOK SELLS FISH LIKE THE BEST.
Thus they lived for 12 years.
Þus-gate grim him fayre ledde.
Him and his genge wel he fedde
Wel twelf winter, oþer more:
Hauelok was war þat grimswank sore
Havelok thinks he eats too much to be idle.
For his mete, and he lay at hom:
Thouthe, “ich am nou no grom;
Ich am wel waxen, and wel may eten
More þaneuere Grim may geten.
Ich ete more, bi god on liue,
Þan grim an hise children fiue!
It ne may nouth ben þus longe,
Goddot! y wile with þe gange,
For to leren sumgod to gete;
Swinken ich wolde for mi mete.
It is no shame for a man to work.
It is no shame forto swinken;
Þe manþat may wel etenand drinken,
Þat nouth ne haue but on swink long,
To liggenat hom it is ful strong.
God yelde him þer i ne41may,
Þat haueth me fed to þis day!
He determines to carry about panniers like the rest.
Gladlike i wile þe paniers bere;
Ich woth, ne shal it me nouth dere,
Þey þer be inne a birþene gret,
Al so heui als a neth.
Shal ich neuere lengere dwelle,
To morwenshal ich forth pelle.”
41MS. ine.
HAVELOK GOES TO LINCOLN TO GET WORK.
On þe morwen, hwanit was day,
[Fol. 208b, col. 1.]
He stirt up sone, and nouth ne lay;
He carries a pannier full of fish,
And cast a panier on his bac,
With fish giueled als a stac;
Also michel he bar him one,
So he foure, bi mine mone!42
and sells them.
Wel he it bar, and solde it wel,
Þe siluer he brouthe hom il del;
Al þat he þer-fore tok
With-held he nouth a ferþinges nok.
So yede he forth ilke day,
Þat he neuere at home lay.
So wolde he his mester lere;
A great dearth arises.
Bifel it so a strong dere
Bigan to rise of korn of bred,
That grim ne couþe no god red,
Hw he sholde his meine fede;
Of hauelok hauede he michel drede:
For he was strong, and wel mouthe ete
More þanne heuere mouthe he gete;
They have not enough to eat.
Ne he ne mouthe on þe se take
Neyþer lenge, ne þorn[e]bake,43
Ne non oþer fish þat douthe
His meyne fedenwith he[r]44mouthe.
Grim is sorry for Havelok.
Of hauelok he hauede kare,
Hwilgat þat he micthe fare;
Of his childrenwas him nouth,
On hauelok was al hise þouth,
And seyde, “hauelok, dere sone,
I wene that we deye mone
For hunger, þis dere is so strong,
And hure mete is uten long.
He advises him to go to Lincoln,
Betere is þat þu henne gonge,
Þan þu here dwelle longe;
Heþen þow mayt gangento late;
Thou canst ful wel þe ricthe gate
To lincolne, þe gode borw,
Þou hauest it gon ful ofte þoru;
Of me ne is me nouth a slo,
Betere is þat þu þider go,
and work there.
For þer is mani god maninne,
Þer þou mayt þi mete winne.
But wo is me! þou art so naked,
He makes him a coat of an old sail.
Of mi seyl y wolde þe were maked
A cloth, þou mithest inne gongen,
Sone, no cold þat þu ne fonge.”
HE HELPS THE EARL OF CORNWALL’S COOK.
[Fol. 208b. col. 2.]
He tok þe sh[e]res45of þe nayl,
And made him a couel of þe sayl,
And hauelok dide it sone on;
Hauede neyþer hosen ne shon,
Ne none kines oþe[r] wede;
Havelok goes to Lincoln barefoot.
To lincolne barfot he yede.
Hwan he kam þe[r], he was ful wil,
Ne hauede he no frend to gangentil;
He fasts for two days.
Two dayes þer fastinde he yede,
Þat non for his werk wolde him fede;
Þe þridde day herde he calle:
“Bermen, bermen, hider forth alle!”
[Poure þat on fote yede]46
Sprongen forth so sparke on glede.
Havelok becomes the earl’s cook’s porter.
Hauelok shof dun nyne or ten,
Rith amidewarde þe fen,
And stirte forth to þe kok,
[Þer the herles mete he tok,]
Þat he bouthe at þe brigge:
Þe bermenlet he alle ligge,
And bar þe mete to þe castel,
He gets a farthing cake.
And gat him þere a ferþing wastel.
42Cf. ll. 1711, 1972.43See l. 759.44Qu.her,i.e.their. MS. he.45Qu.sheres. MS. shres.46Cf. ll. 91, 101. Here and below an additional line seems requisite.
42Cf. ll. 1711, 1972.
43See l. 759.
44Qu.her,i.e.their. MS. he.
45Qu.sheres. MS. shres.
46Cf. ll. 91, 101. Here and below an additional line seems requisite.
HAVELOK IS HIRED BY THE EARL’S COOK.
Another day, he watches the earl’s cook,
Þet oþer day kepte he ok
Swiþe yerne þe erles kok,
Til þat he say him on þe b[r]igge,
And bi him mani fishes ligge.
Þe herles mete hauede he bouth
Of cornwalie, and kalde oft:
who calls for a porter.
“Bermen, bermen, hider swiþe!”
Hauelok it herde, and was ful bliþe,
Þat he herde “bermen” calle;
Alle made he hem dun falle
Havelok upsets 16 lads.
Þat in his gate yeden and stode,
Wel sixtene laddes gode.
Als he lep þe kok [vn-]til,
He shof hem alle upon an hyl;
Astirte til him with his rippe,
He catches up the cook’s fish,
And bigan þe fish to kippe.
He bar up wel a carte lode
Of segges, laxes, of playces brode,
Of grete laumprees, and of eles;
Sparede he neyþer tos ne heles,
and carries them to the castle.
Til þat he to þe castel cam,
Þat menfro him his birþene nam.
Þan menhauedenholpenhim doun
With þe birþene of his croun,
Þe kok [bi] stod, and on him low,
[Fol. 209, col. 1.]
And þoute him stalworþe manynow,
And seyde, “wiltu ben wit me?
The cook takes him into his service.
Gladlike wile ich feden þe;
Wel is set þe mete þu etes,
And þe hire þat þu getes.”
HE CUTS WOOD, AND DRAWS WATER.
“Goddot!”47quoth he, “leue sire,
Bidde ich you non oþer hire;
But yeueþ me inow to ete,
Havelok tells the cook what he can do.
Fir and watery wile yow fete,
Þe fir blowe, an ful wele maken;
Stickes kan ich breken and kraken,
And kindlen ful wel a fyr,
And makenit to brennen shir;
Ful wel kan ich cleuenshides,
Eles to-turnen48of here hides;
Ful wel kan ich dishes swilen,
And don al þat ye euere wilen.”
The cook is content to hire him.
Quoth þe kok, “wile i no more;
Go þu yunder, and sit þore,
And y shal yeue þe ful fair bred,
And make þe broys inþe led.
Sit now doun and et ful yerne:
Daþeit hwo þe mete werne!”
47Soddot, MS.48MS. to turuen;but theuandnare almost indistinguishable.Cf. l. 603; andWilliam of Palerne, 2590.
47Soddot, MS.
48MS. to turuen;but theuandnare almost indistinguishable.Cf. l. 603; andWilliam of Palerne, 2590.
HAVELOK GROWS VERY TALL AND STRONG.
Havelok eats a good dinner.
Hauelok sette him dun anon,
Also stille als a ston,
Til he hauede ful wel eten;
Þo hauede hauelok fayre geten.
He fills a large tub with water for the kitchen.
Hwanhe hauede eteninow,
He kamto þe welle, waterup-drow,
And filde þe[r] a michel so;
Bad he non ageyn him go,
But bi-twen his hondes he bar it in,
A[l] him one to þe kichin.
Bad he non him waterto fete,
Ne fro b[r]igge to bere þe mete,
He bar þe turues, he bar þe star,
Þe wode fro the brigge he bar;
He draws water, and cuts wood.
Al that euere shuldenhe nytte,
Al he drow, and al he citte;
Wolde he neuere hauenrest,
More þanhe were a best.
He is always laughing and blithe.
Of alle menwas he mest meke,
Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke;
Euere he was glad and bliþe,
His sorwe he couþe ful wel miþe.
[Fol. 209, col. 2.]
It ne was non so litel knaue,
For to leyken, ne forto plawe,
Þat he ne wo[l]de with him pleye:
Þe children that y[e]denin þe weie
Children play with him.
Of him he deden al he[r] wille,
And with him leykeden here fille.
Him louedenalle, stille and bolde,
Knictes, children, yunge and holde;
All like him.
Alle him louedenþat him sowen,
Boþen heyemen and lowe.
Of him ful wide þe word sprong,
Hw he was mike, hw he was strong,
Hw fayr mangod him hauede maked,
He has nothing to wear but the old sail.
But on þat he was almest naked:
For he ne hauede nouth to shride,
But a kouel ful unride,
Þat [was] ful, and swiþe wicke,
Was it nouth worth a fir sticke.
The cook buys him new clothes.
Þe cok biganof him to rewe,
And bouthe him cloþes, al spannewe;
He bouthe him boþe hosenand shon,
And sone dide him dones on.
He looks very well in his new suit.
Hwan he was cloþed, osed, and shod,
Was nonso fayr under god,
Þat euere yete in erþe were,
Non þat euere moder bere;
It was neuere manþat yemede
In kinneriche, þat so wel semede
King or cayser forto be,
Þan he was shrid, so semede he;
Havelok is the tallest man in Lincoln,
For þanne he weren alle samen
At lincolne, at þe gamen,
And þe erles men woren al þore,
Þan was hauelok bi þe shuldrenmore
Þan þe meste þat þer kam:
In armes him noman[ne] nam,
Þat he doune sone ne caste;
Hauelok stod ouer hemals a mast.
Als he was heie, al49he was long,
He was boþe stark and strong;
and the strongest in England.
In engelond [was] non hise per
Of strengþe þat euere kamhim ner.
Als he was strong, so was he softe;
HE SEES SOME MEN “PUTTING THE STONE.”
Þey a man him misdede ofte,
Neuere more he him misdede,
[Fol. 209b, col. 1.]
Ne hond on him with yuele leyde.
He is good-natured and pure.
Of bodi was he mayden clene,
Neuere yete in game, ne in grene,
Þit50hire ne wolde leyke ne lye,
No more þan it were a strie.
In þat time al hengelond
Godrich summons a parliament at Lincoln.
Þerl Godrich hauede in his hond,
And he gart komeninto þe tun
Mani erl, and mani barun;
And alle [men] þat liues were
In eng[e]lond, þanne wer þere,
Þat þey haueden after sent,
To ben þer at þe parlement.
Some champions begin to contend in games.
With hem com mani chanbioun,
Mani with ladde, blac and brown;
An fel it so, þat yunge men,
Wel aboutennine or ten,
Bigunnenþe[r] for to layke:
Þider komenbothe stronge and wayke;
Þider komenlesse and more,
Þat in þe borw þanne werenþore;
Strong lads and bondmen are there.
Chaunpiouns, and starke laddes,
Bondemenwith here gaddes,
Als he comen fro þe plow;
Þere was sembling i-now!
For it ne was non horse-knaue,
Þo þei sholden in honde haue,
Þat he ne kam þider, þe leyk to se:
Biforn here fet þanne lay a tre,
They begin to “put the stone.”
And putten51with a mikel ston
Þe starke laddes, ful god won.
HE “PUTS THE STONE” FURTHER THAN ANY.
Þe ston was mikel, and ek greth,
And al so heui so a neth;
Grund stalwrthe manhe sholde be,
Þat mouthe liftenit to his kne;
Few can lift it.
Was þer neyþer clerc, ne prest,
Þat mithe liften it to his brest:
Þerwit puttenthe chaunpiouns,
Þat þider comenwith þe barouns.
Hwo so mithe putten þore
Biforn a-noþer, an inch or more,
Wore ye yung, [or] wore he hold,
He was for a kempe told.
Whilst this is going on,
Al-so þe[i] stoden, an ofte stareden,*
Þe chaunpiouns, and ek the ladden,
[Fol. 209b, col. 2.]
And he maden mikel strout
Abouten þe alþerbeste but,
Havelok looks on at them.
Hauelok stod, and lokede þer-til;
And of puttingge he was ful wil,
For neuere yete ne saw he or
Puttenthe stone, or þanne þor.
His master tells him to try.
Hise maysterbad him gon þer-to,
Als he couþe þer-with do.
Þo hise maysterit him bad,
He was of him sore adrad;
Þerto he stirte sone anon,
And kipte up þat heui ston,
Þat he sholde puten wiþe;
He puts the stone 12 feet beyond the rest.
He putte at þe firste siþe,
Ouer alle þat þer wore,
Twel fote, and sumdel more.
Þe chaunpiouns þat [þat] put sowen,
Shuldredenhe ilc oþer, and lowen;
Woldenhe no more to putting gange,
But seyde, “we52dwellenher to longe!”
GODRICH HEARS OF HAVELOK’S STRENGTH.
This feat is everywhere talked about.
Þis selkouth mithe nouth benhyd,
Ful sone it was ful loude kid
Of hauelok, hw he warp þe ston
Ouer þe laddes euerilkon;
Hw he was fayr, hw he was long,
Hw he was with, hw he was strong;
Þoruth england yede þe speke,53
Hw he was strong, and ek meke;
In the castel, up in þe halle,
Þe knithes spekenþer-of alle,
Godrich hears the knights talking of it.
So that Godrich it herde wel
Þe[r] spekenof hauelok, eueri del,
Hw he was strong man and hey,
Hw he was strong and ek fri,
And þouthte godrich, “þoru þis knaue
Shal ich engelond al haue,
And mi sone after me;
For so i wile þat it be.
“Athelwold said I was to marry his daughter to the strongest man alive.
The king aþelwald me dide swere
Vpon al þe messe-gere,
Þat y shu[l]de his douthe[r] yeue
Þe hexte[man]þat mithe liue,
Þe beste, þe fairest, þe strangest ok;
Þat gart he me swerenon þe bok.
Hwere mithe i finden ani so hey
[Fol. 210, col. 1.]
So hauelok is, or so sley?
Þou y southe heþen in-to ynde,
So fayr, so strong, ne mithe y finde.
Hauelok is þat ilke knaue,
Þat shal goldeborw haue.”
That is Havelok.”
Þis þouthe [he] with trechery,
With traysoun, and wit felony;
For he wende, þat hauelok wore
Sum cherles sone, and no more;
Ne shulde he hauenof engellond
Onlepi forw in his hond,
With hire, þat was þerof eyr,
Þat boþe was god and swiþe fair.
He thought Havelok was only a thrall.
He wende, þat hauelok wer a þral,
Þer-þoru he wende hauenal
In engelond, þat hire rith was;
He was werse þan sathanas,
Þat ihesu crist in erþe shop:54
Hanged worþe he on an hok!
49Qu.so; see l. 991.50Qu.wit = with: miswritten owing to confusion of þ with ƿ (w)?51MS. pulten. But see ll. 1031, 1033, 1044, 1051, &c.*Forstaredenwe should perhaps readstradden; see theGlossary.52In the former edition— “ye”. But theyis not dotted, and it may be “ƿe.”53MS. speche. Read “speke,” as in l. 946.54Qu.shokorstrok.
49Qu.so; see l. 991.
50Qu.wit = with: miswritten owing to confusion of þ with ƿ (w)?
51MS. pulten. But see ll. 1031, 1033, 1044, 1051, &c.
*Forstaredenwe should perhaps readstradden; see theGlossary.
52In the former edition— “ye”. But theyis not dotted, and it may be “ƿe.”
53MS. speche. Read “speke,” as in l. 946.
54Qu.shokorstrok.
GOLDBOROUGH IS SENT FOR TO LINCOLN.
He sends for Goldborough to Lincoln.
After goldebo[r]w sone he sende,
Þat was boþe fayr and hende,
And dide hire to lincolne bringe,
Belles dede he ageyn hire ringen,
And ioie he made hire swiþe mikel,
But neþeles he was ful swikel.
He seyde, þat he sholde hire yeue
Þe fayrest manthat mithe liue.
She says she will marry none but a king.
She answerede, and seyde anon,
Bi crist, and bi seint iohan,
Þat hire sholde nomanwedde,
Ne nomanbringen to hire55bedde,
But he were king, or kinges eyr,
Were he neuere manso fayr.
55Qu.hise.
GODRICH ASKS HAVELOK IF HE WILL MARRY.
Godrich is wrath at this.
Godrich þe erl was swiþe wroth,
Þat she swore swilk an oth,
And seyde, “hwor þou wilt be
Quen and leuedi ouer me?
Þou shalt hauena gadeling,
Ne shalt þou hauennon oþer king;
He says she shall marry his cook’s servant.
Þe shal spusen mi cokes knaue,
Ne shalt þou non oþer louerd haue.
Daþeit þat þe oþer yeue
Euere more hwil i liue!
To-mo[r]we ye sholenben weddeth,
And, maugre þin, to-gidere beddeth.”
[Fol. 210, col. 2.]
Goldeborw gret, andwas56hire ille,
She wolde ben ded bi hire wille.
On the morwen, hwanday was sprungen,
And day-belle at kirke rungen,
He sends next day for Havelok, and says,
After hauelok sente þat iudas,
Þat werse was þanne sathanas:
“Master, wilt wive?”
And seyde, “mayster, wilte wif?”
“Nay,” quoth, hauelok, “bi my lif!
Hwat sholde ich with wif do?
I ne may hire fede, ne cloþe, ne sho.
Wider sholde ich wimmanbringe?
Havelok refuses.
I ne haue none kines þinge.
I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote,
Ne i ne57haue stikke, y ne haue sprote,
I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel,
Ne cloth, but of an hold with couel.
Þis cloþes, þat ich onne haue,
Aren þe kokes, and ich his knaue.”
Godrich beats him, and threatens to hang him.
Godrich stirt up, and on him dong
[With dintes swiþe hard and strong,]
And seyde, “But þou hire take,
Þat y wole yeuenþe to make,
I shal hangenþe ful heye,
Or y shal þristen vth þin heie.”
Hauelok was one, and was odrat,
Havelok consents.
And grauntede himal þat he bad.
Þo sende he after hire sone,
Þe fayrest wymman under mone;
And seyde til hire, [false]58and slike,
Godrich next threatens Goldborough.
Þat wicke þral, þat foule swike:
“But þu þis manunder-stonde,
I shal flemenþe of londe;
Or þou shal to þe galwes renne,
And þer þou shalt ina fir brenne.”
Sho was adrad, for he so þrette,
And durste nouth þe spusing lette,
But þey hire likede swiþe ille,
She consents, thinking it is God’s will.
Þouthe it was godes wille:
God, þat makes to growenþe korn,
Formede hire wimmanto be born.
Hwan he hauede don him for drede,
Þat he sholde hire spusen, and fede,
And þat she sholde til him holde,
A dowry is given her.
Þer werenpenies þicke tolde,
Mikel plente upon þe bok:
He ys hire yaf, and she as tok.
[Fol. 210b, col. 1.]
He weren spused fayre and wel,
Þe messe he deden eueridel,
Þat fel to spusing, and god cle[r]k,
The archbishop of York marries them.
Þe erchebishop uth of yerk,
Þat kam to þe parlement,
Als god him hauede þider sent.