56The first letter of this word is eitherþor a Saxonw(ƿ). I read it as the latter.57MS. ine.58Both sense and metre require this word.HAVELOK RESOLVES TO GO TO GRIMSBY.Hwan he werentogydere ingodes lawe,Þat þe folc ful wel it sawe,He ne wistenhwat he mouthen,Havelok knows not what to do.1184Ne he ne wistenwat hem douthe;Þer to dwellen, or þenne to gonge,Þer ne woldenhe dwellenlonge,For he wisten, and ful wel sawe,1188Þat godrich hemhatede, þe deuel himhawe!And yf he dwelledenþer outh—Þat fel hauelok ful wel on þouth—Men sholde don his leman shame,1192Or elles bringeninwicke blame.Þat were him leuere to ben ded,He determines to go to Grimsby.For-þi he tokenanoþer red,GRIM’S CHILDREN WELCOME HAVELOK.Þat þei sholden þenne fle1196Til grim, and til hise sones þre;Þer wenden he alþer-best to spede,Hem forto cloþe, and for to fede.Þe lond he token under fote,1200Ne wisten he non oþer bote,And helden ay the riþe [sti]59Til he komento grimesby.1203He finds that Grim is dead, but his five children are alive.Þanne he komenþere, þanne was grimded,1204Of him ne hauedenhe no red;But hise childrenalle fyueAlle weren yet on liue;Þat ful fayre ayen hemneme,1208Hwan he wistenþat he keme,And madenioie swiþe mikel,Ne werenhe neuere ayen hemfikel.On knes ful fayre he hem setten,1212And hauelok swiþe fayre gretten,They welcome Havelok very kindly.And seyden, “welkome, louerd dere!And welkome be þi fayre fere!Blessed be þat ilke þrawe,1216Þat þou hire toke in godes lawe!Wel is hus we sen þe on lyue,Þou mithe us boþe selle and yeue;Þou mayt us boþe yeue and selle,[Fol. 210b, col. 2.]1220With þat þou wilt here dwelle.We hauen, louerd, alle gode,They beg him to stay with them.Hors, and neth, and ship on flode,Gold, and siluer, and michel auchte,1224Þat grim ute fader us bitawchte.Gold, and siluer, and oþer feBad he us bi-taken þe.We hauen shep, we hauen swin,1228Bi-leue her, louerd, and al be þin;They will serve him and his wife.Þo shalt ben louerd, þou shalt bensyre,And we sholen seruenþe and hire;And hure sistres sholendo1232Al that euere biddes sho;He sholenhire cloþen,*washen, and wringen,And to hondes water bringen;He sholen beddenhire and þe,1236For leuedi wile we þat she be.”Hwan he þis ioie hauedenmaked,Sithen stikes brokenand kraked,They make a fire, and spare neither goose nor hen.And þe fir brouth on brenne,1240Ne was þer spared gos ne henne,Ne þe hende, ne þe drake,Mete he deden plente make;Ne wantede þere no god mete,They fetch wine and ale.1244Wyn and ale dedenhe fete,And made[n] hem [ful] glade and bliþe,Wesseyl leddenhe fele siþe.59A word is here erased; but see l. 2618.*Mr Garnett suggested thatcloþenmay meanclothes. If so, dele the comma after it.GOLDBOROUGH SEES THE WONDROUS LIGHT.1247At night Goldborough lies down sorrowful.On þe nith, als goldeborw lay,1248Sory and sorwful was she ay,For she wende she were bi-swike,Þat sh[e w]ere60yeuenun-kyndelike.She sees a great light.O nith saw she þer-inne a lith,1252A swiþe fayr, a swiþe bryth,Al so brith, al so shir,So it were a blase of fir.She lokede no[r]þ,61and ek south,It comes out of Havelok’s mouth.1256And saw it comenut of his mouth,Þat lay bi hire in þe bed:No ferlike þou she were adred.Þouthe she, “wat may this bi-mene!1260He beth heymanyet, als y wene,He beth heymaner he be ded:”—She sees a red cross on his shoulder, and hears an angel, saying,On hise shuldre, of gold redShe saw a swiþe noble croiz,1264Of an angel she herde a uoyz:60MS. shere,evidently miswritten forshe were.61MS. noþ.HAVELOK TELLS HER HIS STRANGE DREAM.[Fol. 211, col. 1.]“Goldborough, be not sad.“Goldeborw, lat þi sorwe be,For hauelok, þat haueþ spuset þe,He62kinges sone, and kinges eyr,1268Þat bikenneth þat croiz so fayr.It63bikenneth more, þat he shalDenemark hauen, and englond al;Havelok shall be a king,He shal ben king strong and stark1272Of engelond and denemark;Þat shal þu wit þin eyne sen,and thou, queen.”And þo shalt quen and leuedi ben!”62Qu.Is.63MS. Iit.Þanne she hauede herd the steuene1276Of þe angel uth of heuene,She rejoices, and kisses Havelok.She was so fele siþes blithe,Þat she ne mithe hire ioie mythe;But hauelok sone anon she kiste,1280And he slep, and nouth ne wiste.Hwan þat aungel hauede seyd,He awakes, and says he has had a dream.Of his slep a-non he brayd,And seide, “lemman, slepes þou?1284A selkuth drem dremede me nou.SHE SAYS HAVELOK WILL BE A GREAT KING.Herkne nou hwat me haueth met:He dreamt he was on a high hill in Denmark,Me þouthe y was indenemark set,But on on þe moste hil1288Þat euere yete kam i til.It was so hey, þat y wel moutheAl þe werd se, als me þouthe.Als i sat up-on þat lowe,and began to possess all that country.1292I bigan denemark for to awe,Þe borwes, and þe castles stronge;And mine armes werenso longe,That i fadmede, al at ones,1296denemark, with mine longe bones;And þanne y wolde mine armes draweTil me, and hom for to haue,All things in Denmark cleaved to his arms.Al that euere in denemark liueden1300On mine armes faste clyueden;And þe stronge castles alleOn knes bigunnenfor to falle,Þe keyes fellenat mine fet:—He also dreamt that he went to England,1304Anoþer drem dremede me ek,Þat ich fley ouer þe salte seTil engeland, and al with meÞat euere was in denemark lyues,1308But bondemen, and here wiues,And þat ich kom til engelond,[Fol. 211, col. 2.]Al closede it intil min hond,and that became his too.And, goldeborw, y gaf [it] þe:—1312Deus! lemman, hwat may þis be?”Sho answerede, and seyde sone:“Ihesu crist, þat made mone,Þine dremes turne to ioye;1316Þat wite þw that sittes introne!She says, he will be king of England and Denmark.Ne non strong king, ne caysere,So þou shalt be, fo[r] þou shalt bereIn engelond corune yet;1320Denemark shal knele to þi fet;Alle þe castles þat aren þer-inne,Shal-tow, lemman, ful wel winne.I woth, so wel so ich it sowe,1324To þe shole comenheye and lowe,“All men in Denmark shall come to thee.And alle þat in denemark wone,Em and broþer, fader and sone,Erl and baroun, dreng an kayn,1328Knithes, and burgeys, and sweyn;And mad king heyelike and wel,Denemark shal be þin euere-ilc del.Haue þou nouth þer-offe douthe1332Nouth þe worth, of one nouthe;Þer-offe with-inne þe firste yerThou shalt be king within the year.1334Shalt þou ben king, of euere-il del.But do nou als y wile rathe,1336Nim in with þe to denema[r]k baþe,And do þou nouth onfrest þis fare,Lith and selthe felawes are.For shal ich neuere bliþe be1340Til i with eyen denemark se;For ich woth, þat al þe londShalt þou hauenin þin hon[d].Pray Grim’s sons to go with you to Denmark.Prey grimes sones alle þre,1344That he wenden forþ with þe;I wot, he wilen þe nouth werne,With þe wende shulenhe yerne,For he louenþe herte-like,1348Þou maght til he aren quike,Hwore so he o worde aren;Go at once.Þere ship þou do hemswithe yaren,Delays are dangerous.”And loke þat þou dwellennouth:1352Dwelling haueth ofte scaþe wrouth.”HAVELOK PRAYS FOR VENGEANCE ON GODARD.Hwan Hauelok herde þat she radde,Sone it was day, sone he him cladde,[Fol. 211b, col. 1.]And sone to þe kirke yede,1356Or he dide ani oþer dede,And bifor þe rode biganfalle,Croiz and crist bi[gan] to kalle,Havelok prays for success,And seyde, “louerd, þat al weldes,1360Wind and water, wodes and feldes,For the holi milce of you,Haue merci of me, louerd, nou!and for vengeance on his foe,And wreke me yet on mi fo,1364Þat ich saw biforn min eyne sloMine sistres, with a knif,And siþen wolde me mi lyfHaue reft, for in the [depe] se1368Bad he grim haue drenched me.He [hath] mi lond with mikel vn-Rith,With michel wrong, with mikel plith,For i ne64misdede him neuere nouth,1372And haued me to sorwe brouth.who had caused him to be a beggar.He haueth me do mi mete to þigge,And ofte in sorwe and pine ligge.Louerd, haue merci of me,1376And late [me] wel passe þe se,He prays for a fair passage across the sea.Þatihchaue ther-offe douthe and kare,With-uten stormes ouer-fare,Þat y ne drenched [be] þer-ine,1380Ne forfaren for no sinne.And bringge me wel to þe lond,Þat godard haldes in his hond;Þat is mi Rith, eueri del:1384Ihesu crist, þou wost it wel!”64MS. ine.Þanne he hauede his bede seyd,He leaves his offering on the altar.His offrende on þe auter leyd,His leue at ihesu crist he tok,1388And at his suete moder ok,And at þe croiz, þat he biforn lay,Siþenyede sore grotinde awey.HAVELOK ADDRESSES GRIM’S THREE SONS.He finds Grim’s sons ready to fish.Hwan65he com hom, he wore yare,1392Grimes sones, forto fareIn-to þe se, fishes to gete,Þat hauelok mithe wel of ete.But auelok þouthe al anoþer,Havelok calls Grim’s three sons.1396First he ka[l]de þe heldeste broþer,Roberd þe rede, bi his name,HE ASKS THEM TO GO WITH HIM TO DENMARK.Wiliam wenduth, and h[uwe r]auen,66Grimes sones alle þre,[Fol. 211b, col. 2.]1400And sey[d]e, “liþes nou alle to me,Louerdinges, ich wile you sheue,A þing of me þat ye wel knewe.He says, “My father was king of Denmark.Mi fader was king of denshe lond,1404Denemark was al in his hondÞe day þat he was quik and ded;But þanne hauede he wicke red,Þat he me, and denemark al,He left me and my sisters in charge of a foul fiend,1408And mine sistres bi-tawte a þral:A deueles lime [he] hus bitawte,And al his lond, and al hise authe.For y saw that fule fend1412Mine sistres slo with hise hend;who slew my sisters,First he shar a-two here þrotes,And siþen [karf] hem al to grotes,And siþen bad [he] in þe seand bade Grim drown me.1416Grim, youre fader, drenchenme.Deplike dede he him swereOn bok, þat he sholde me bereVnto þe se, an drenchen ine,1420And[he]wolde takenon him þe sinne.But Grim was wise.But grim was wis, and swiþe hende,Wolde he nouth his soule shende;Leuere was him to be for-sworen,1424Þan drenchen me, and ben for-lorn;But sone biganhe forto fleHe fled from Denmark with me,Fro denemark, forto berwen67me,For yif68ich hauede þer ben funden,1428Hauede ben slayn, or harde bunden,And heye ben henged on a tre,1430Hauede go for him gold ne fe.For-þi fro denemark hider he fledde,and took care of me.1432And me ful fayre and ful wel fedde,So þat vn-to þis [ilke] day,Haue ich ben fed and fostred ay.But nou ich am up to þat helde1436Cumen, that ich may wepne welde,And y may grete dintes yeue,And now, I must go to Denmark.Shal i neuere hwil ich lyueBen glad, til that ich denemark se;Go with me, and I will make you rich men.”1440I preie you þat ye wende with me,And ich may mak you riche men,Ilk of you shal haue castles ten,And þe lond þat þor-til longes,1444Borwes, tunes, wodes and wonges.”69**********65In the MS. the Capital letter is prefixed to the next line.66MS. hauen. Cf. ll. 1868, 2528. Only an assonance, not a rime, seems intended.67MS. berƿen,the A.S.wbeing used here. Cf. l. 697.68MS. yif.69A folio has here been cut out of the MS., containing 180 lines. The missing portion must have been to this effect. “To this they gladly assented; and Havelok, accompanied by his wife Goldeborw and the sons of Grim, set sail for Denmark. Disembarking, they travel till they reach the castle of a great Danish earl, named Ubbe, who had formerly been a close friend to king Birkabeyn. Havelok begs that he will allow him to live in that part of the country, and to gain a livelihood by trading.”HAVELOK GIVES UBBE A GOLD RING.[Fol. 212, col. 1.]“With swilk als ich byen shal:Þer-of bi-seche you nou leue;Havelok asks Ubbe to give him leave to buy and sell there.Wile ich speke with non oþer reue,1628But with þe, þat iustise are,Þat y mithe seken70mi wareIn gode borwes up and doun,And faren ich wile fro tun to tun.”1632A gold ring drow he forth anon,An hundred pund was worth þe ston,He gives Ubbe a gold ring.And yaf it ubbe for to spede:—He was ful wis þat first yaf mede,1636And so was hauelok ful wis here,Dearly he sells it, all the same.He solde his gold ring ful dere,Was neuere non so dere sold,For chapmen, neyþer yung ne old:1640Þat sholen71ye forthward ful wel heren,Yif þat ye wile þe storie heren.70Qu.sellen.71MS. shoren.UBBE INVITES HAVELOK TO A FEAST.Ubbe takes the ring,Hwanubbe hauede þe gold ring,Hauede he youenet for no þing,1644Nouth for þe borw euere-il del:—Hauelok bi-hel he swiþe wel,1646admires Havelok’s make and strength,Hw he was wel of bones maked,Brod in þe sholdres, ful wel schaped,1648Þicke in þe brest, of bodi long;He semede wel to ben wel strong.“Deus!” hwat ubbe, “qui ne were he knith?I woth, þat he is swiþe with!and thinks he ought to be a knight, not a pedlar.1652Betere semede him to bereHelm on heued, sheld and spere,Þanne to beye and selle ware.Allas! þat he shal þer-with fare.1656Goddot! wile he trowe me,Chaffare shal he late be.”Neþeles he seyde sone:“Havelok, bring your wife, and come and eat with me.”“Hauelok, haue [þou] þi bone,1660And y ful wel rede þ[e]Þat þou come, and ete with meTo-day, þou, and þi fayre wif,Þat þou louest also þi lif.1664And haue þou of hire no drede,Shal hire no man shame bede.Bi þe fey that y owe to þe,Þerof shal i me serf-borw be.”UBBE TAKES A GREAT FANCY TO HAVELOK.1668Hauelok herde þat he bad,And thow was he ful sore drad,[Fol. 212, col. 2.]With him to ete, for hise wif;Havelok fears ill may come of it.For him wore leuere þat his lif1672Him wore reft, þan she inblameFelle, or lauthe ani shame.Hwanne he hauede his willewat,72Þe stede, þat he onne sat,But Ubbe rides away, saying,1676Smot ubbe with spures faste,And forth awey, but at þe laste,1678Or he fro him ferde,Seyde he, þat his folk herde:“Mind that you come.”1680“Loke þat ye comenbeþe,For ich it wile, and ich it rede.”72MS.eitherþatorƿat.UBBE SENDS HAVELOK TO BERNARD.Havelok dares not refuse.Hauelok ne durste, þe he were adrad,Nouth with-sittenþat ubbe bad;1684His wif he dide with him lede,Vn-to þe heye curt he y[e]de.73Robert the Red leads Goldborough.Roberd hire ledde, þat was red,Þat hau[ed]e þarned*for hire þe ded1688Or ani hauede hire misseyd,Or hand with iuele onne leyd.William Wendut is on the other side of her.Willam wendut was þat oþerÞat hire ledde, roberdes broþer,1692Þat was with at alle nedes:Wel is him þat god manfedes!Þan he werencomento þe halle,Biforen ubbe, and hise menalle,Ubbe starts up to welcome them.1696Vbbe stirte hem ageyn,And mani a knith, and mani a sweyn,Hem for to se, and forto shewe;Þo stod hauelok als a loweHavelok is a head taller than any of them.1700Aboven [þo] þat þer-inne wore,Rith al bi þe heued moreÞanne ani þat þer-inne stod:Þo was ubbe bliþe of mod,1704Þat he saw him so fayr and hende,Fro him ne mithe his herte wende,Ne fro him, ne fro his wif;He louede hem sone so his lif.Ubbe loves Havelok better than any one else.1708Werennon indenemark, þat him þouthe,Þat he so mikel loue mouthe;More he louede hauelok one,Þan al denemark, bi mine wone!1712Loke nou, hw god helpen kanO mani wise wif and man.
56The first letter of this word is eitherþor a Saxonw(ƿ). I read it as the latter.57MS. ine.58Both sense and metre require this word.HAVELOK RESOLVES TO GO TO GRIMSBY.Hwan he werentogydere ingodes lawe,Þat þe folc ful wel it sawe,He ne wistenhwat he mouthen,Havelok knows not what to do.1184Ne he ne wistenwat hem douthe;Þer to dwellen, or þenne to gonge,Þer ne woldenhe dwellenlonge,For he wisten, and ful wel sawe,1188Þat godrich hemhatede, þe deuel himhawe!And yf he dwelledenþer outh—Þat fel hauelok ful wel on þouth—Men sholde don his leman shame,1192Or elles bringeninwicke blame.Þat were him leuere to ben ded,He determines to go to Grimsby.For-þi he tokenanoþer red,GRIM’S CHILDREN WELCOME HAVELOK.Þat þei sholden þenne fle1196Til grim, and til hise sones þre;Þer wenden he alþer-best to spede,Hem forto cloþe, and for to fede.Þe lond he token under fote,1200Ne wisten he non oþer bote,And helden ay the riþe [sti]59Til he komento grimesby.1203He finds that Grim is dead, but his five children are alive.Þanne he komenþere, þanne was grimded,1204Of him ne hauedenhe no red;But hise childrenalle fyueAlle weren yet on liue;Þat ful fayre ayen hemneme,1208Hwan he wistenþat he keme,And madenioie swiþe mikel,Ne werenhe neuere ayen hemfikel.On knes ful fayre he hem setten,1212And hauelok swiþe fayre gretten,They welcome Havelok very kindly.And seyden, “welkome, louerd dere!And welkome be þi fayre fere!Blessed be þat ilke þrawe,1216Þat þou hire toke in godes lawe!Wel is hus we sen þe on lyue,Þou mithe us boþe selle and yeue;Þou mayt us boþe yeue and selle,[Fol. 210b, col. 2.]1220With þat þou wilt here dwelle.We hauen, louerd, alle gode,They beg him to stay with them.Hors, and neth, and ship on flode,Gold, and siluer, and michel auchte,1224Þat grim ute fader us bitawchte.Gold, and siluer, and oþer feBad he us bi-taken þe.We hauen shep, we hauen swin,1228Bi-leue her, louerd, and al be þin;They will serve him and his wife.Þo shalt ben louerd, þou shalt bensyre,And we sholen seruenþe and hire;And hure sistres sholendo1232Al that euere biddes sho;He sholenhire cloþen,*washen, and wringen,And to hondes water bringen;He sholen beddenhire and þe,1236For leuedi wile we þat she be.”Hwan he þis ioie hauedenmaked,Sithen stikes brokenand kraked,They make a fire, and spare neither goose nor hen.And þe fir brouth on brenne,1240Ne was þer spared gos ne henne,Ne þe hende, ne þe drake,Mete he deden plente make;Ne wantede þere no god mete,They fetch wine and ale.1244Wyn and ale dedenhe fete,And made[n] hem [ful] glade and bliþe,Wesseyl leddenhe fele siþe.59A word is here erased; but see l. 2618.*Mr Garnett suggested thatcloþenmay meanclothes. If so, dele the comma after it.GOLDBOROUGH SEES THE WONDROUS LIGHT.1247At night Goldborough lies down sorrowful.On þe nith, als goldeborw lay,1248Sory and sorwful was she ay,For she wende she were bi-swike,Þat sh[e w]ere60yeuenun-kyndelike.She sees a great light.O nith saw she þer-inne a lith,1252A swiþe fayr, a swiþe bryth,Al so brith, al so shir,So it were a blase of fir.She lokede no[r]þ,61and ek south,It comes out of Havelok’s mouth.1256And saw it comenut of his mouth,Þat lay bi hire in þe bed:No ferlike þou she were adred.Þouthe she, “wat may this bi-mene!1260He beth heymanyet, als y wene,He beth heymaner he be ded:”—She sees a red cross on his shoulder, and hears an angel, saying,On hise shuldre, of gold redShe saw a swiþe noble croiz,1264Of an angel she herde a uoyz:60MS. shere,evidently miswritten forshe were.61MS. noþ.HAVELOK TELLS HER HIS STRANGE DREAM.[Fol. 211, col. 1.]“Goldborough, be not sad.“Goldeborw, lat þi sorwe be,For hauelok, þat haueþ spuset þe,He62kinges sone, and kinges eyr,1268Þat bikenneth þat croiz so fayr.It63bikenneth more, þat he shalDenemark hauen, and englond al;Havelok shall be a king,He shal ben king strong and stark1272Of engelond and denemark;Þat shal þu wit þin eyne sen,and thou, queen.”And þo shalt quen and leuedi ben!”62Qu.Is.63MS. Iit.Þanne she hauede herd the steuene1276Of þe angel uth of heuene,She rejoices, and kisses Havelok.She was so fele siþes blithe,Þat she ne mithe hire ioie mythe;But hauelok sone anon she kiste,1280And he slep, and nouth ne wiste.Hwan þat aungel hauede seyd,He awakes, and says he has had a dream.Of his slep a-non he brayd,And seide, “lemman, slepes þou?1284A selkuth drem dremede me nou.SHE SAYS HAVELOK WILL BE A GREAT KING.Herkne nou hwat me haueth met:He dreamt he was on a high hill in Denmark,Me þouthe y was indenemark set,But on on þe moste hil1288Þat euere yete kam i til.It was so hey, þat y wel moutheAl þe werd se, als me þouthe.Als i sat up-on þat lowe,and began to possess all that country.1292I bigan denemark for to awe,Þe borwes, and þe castles stronge;And mine armes werenso longe,That i fadmede, al at ones,1296denemark, with mine longe bones;And þanne y wolde mine armes draweTil me, and hom for to haue,All things in Denmark cleaved to his arms.Al that euere in denemark liueden1300On mine armes faste clyueden;And þe stronge castles alleOn knes bigunnenfor to falle,Þe keyes fellenat mine fet:—He also dreamt that he went to England,1304Anoþer drem dremede me ek,Þat ich fley ouer þe salte seTil engeland, and al with meÞat euere was in denemark lyues,1308But bondemen, and here wiues,And þat ich kom til engelond,[Fol. 211, col. 2.]Al closede it intil min hond,and that became his too.And, goldeborw, y gaf [it] þe:—1312Deus! lemman, hwat may þis be?”Sho answerede, and seyde sone:“Ihesu crist, þat made mone,Þine dremes turne to ioye;1316Þat wite þw that sittes introne!She says, he will be king of England and Denmark.Ne non strong king, ne caysere,So þou shalt be, fo[r] þou shalt bereIn engelond corune yet;1320Denemark shal knele to þi fet;Alle þe castles þat aren þer-inne,Shal-tow, lemman, ful wel winne.I woth, so wel so ich it sowe,1324To þe shole comenheye and lowe,“All men in Denmark shall come to thee.And alle þat in denemark wone,Em and broþer, fader and sone,Erl and baroun, dreng an kayn,1328Knithes, and burgeys, and sweyn;And mad king heyelike and wel,Denemark shal be þin euere-ilc del.Haue þou nouth þer-offe douthe1332Nouth þe worth, of one nouthe;Þer-offe with-inne þe firste yerThou shalt be king within the year.1334Shalt þou ben king, of euere-il del.But do nou als y wile rathe,1336Nim in with þe to denema[r]k baþe,And do þou nouth onfrest þis fare,Lith and selthe felawes are.For shal ich neuere bliþe be1340Til i with eyen denemark se;For ich woth, þat al þe londShalt þou hauenin þin hon[d].Pray Grim’s sons to go with you to Denmark.Prey grimes sones alle þre,1344That he wenden forþ with þe;I wot, he wilen þe nouth werne,With þe wende shulenhe yerne,For he louenþe herte-like,1348Þou maght til he aren quike,Hwore so he o worde aren;Go at once.Þere ship þou do hemswithe yaren,Delays are dangerous.”And loke þat þou dwellennouth:1352Dwelling haueth ofte scaþe wrouth.”HAVELOK PRAYS FOR VENGEANCE ON GODARD.Hwan Hauelok herde þat she radde,Sone it was day, sone he him cladde,[Fol. 211b, col. 1.]And sone to þe kirke yede,1356Or he dide ani oþer dede,And bifor þe rode biganfalle,Croiz and crist bi[gan] to kalle,Havelok prays for success,And seyde, “louerd, þat al weldes,1360Wind and water, wodes and feldes,For the holi milce of you,Haue merci of me, louerd, nou!and for vengeance on his foe,And wreke me yet on mi fo,1364Þat ich saw biforn min eyne sloMine sistres, with a knif,And siþen wolde me mi lyfHaue reft, for in the [depe] se1368Bad he grim haue drenched me.He [hath] mi lond with mikel vn-Rith,With michel wrong, with mikel plith,For i ne64misdede him neuere nouth,1372And haued me to sorwe brouth.who had caused him to be a beggar.He haueth me do mi mete to þigge,And ofte in sorwe and pine ligge.Louerd, haue merci of me,1376And late [me] wel passe þe se,He prays for a fair passage across the sea.Þatihchaue ther-offe douthe and kare,With-uten stormes ouer-fare,Þat y ne drenched [be] þer-ine,1380Ne forfaren for no sinne.And bringge me wel to þe lond,Þat godard haldes in his hond;Þat is mi Rith, eueri del:1384Ihesu crist, þou wost it wel!”64MS. ine.Þanne he hauede his bede seyd,He leaves his offering on the altar.His offrende on þe auter leyd,His leue at ihesu crist he tok,1388And at his suete moder ok,And at þe croiz, þat he biforn lay,Siþenyede sore grotinde awey.HAVELOK ADDRESSES GRIM’S THREE SONS.He finds Grim’s sons ready to fish.Hwan65he com hom, he wore yare,1392Grimes sones, forto fareIn-to þe se, fishes to gete,Þat hauelok mithe wel of ete.But auelok þouthe al anoþer,Havelok calls Grim’s three sons.1396First he ka[l]de þe heldeste broþer,Roberd þe rede, bi his name,HE ASKS THEM TO GO WITH HIM TO DENMARK.Wiliam wenduth, and h[uwe r]auen,66Grimes sones alle þre,[Fol. 211b, col. 2.]1400And sey[d]e, “liþes nou alle to me,Louerdinges, ich wile you sheue,A þing of me þat ye wel knewe.He says, “My father was king of Denmark.Mi fader was king of denshe lond,1404Denemark was al in his hondÞe day þat he was quik and ded;But þanne hauede he wicke red,Þat he me, and denemark al,He left me and my sisters in charge of a foul fiend,1408And mine sistres bi-tawte a þral:A deueles lime [he] hus bitawte,And al his lond, and al hise authe.For y saw that fule fend1412Mine sistres slo with hise hend;who slew my sisters,First he shar a-two here þrotes,And siþen [karf] hem al to grotes,And siþen bad [he] in þe seand bade Grim drown me.1416Grim, youre fader, drenchenme.Deplike dede he him swereOn bok, þat he sholde me bereVnto þe se, an drenchen ine,1420And[he]wolde takenon him þe sinne.But Grim was wise.But grim was wis, and swiþe hende,Wolde he nouth his soule shende;Leuere was him to be for-sworen,1424Þan drenchen me, and ben for-lorn;But sone biganhe forto fleHe fled from Denmark with me,Fro denemark, forto berwen67me,For yif68ich hauede þer ben funden,1428Hauede ben slayn, or harde bunden,And heye ben henged on a tre,1430Hauede go for him gold ne fe.For-þi fro denemark hider he fledde,and took care of me.1432And me ful fayre and ful wel fedde,So þat vn-to þis [ilke] day,Haue ich ben fed and fostred ay.But nou ich am up to þat helde1436Cumen, that ich may wepne welde,And y may grete dintes yeue,And now, I must go to Denmark.Shal i neuere hwil ich lyueBen glad, til that ich denemark se;Go with me, and I will make you rich men.”1440I preie you þat ye wende with me,And ich may mak you riche men,Ilk of you shal haue castles ten,And þe lond þat þor-til longes,1444Borwes, tunes, wodes and wonges.”69**********65In the MS. the Capital letter is prefixed to the next line.66MS. hauen. Cf. ll. 1868, 2528. Only an assonance, not a rime, seems intended.67MS. berƿen,the A.S.wbeing used here. Cf. l. 697.68MS. yif.69A folio has here been cut out of the MS., containing 180 lines. The missing portion must have been to this effect. “To this they gladly assented; and Havelok, accompanied by his wife Goldeborw and the sons of Grim, set sail for Denmark. Disembarking, they travel till they reach the castle of a great Danish earl, named Ubbe, who had formerly been a close friend to king Birkabeyn. Havelok begs that he will allow him to live in that part of the country, and to gain a livelihood by trading.”HAVELOK GIVES UBBE A GOLD RING.[Fol. 212, col. 1.]“With swilk als ich byen shal:Þer-of bi-seche you nou leue;Havelok asks Ubbe to give him leave to buy and sell there.Wile ich speke with non oþer reue,1628But with þe, þat iustise are,Þat y mithe seken70mi wareIn gode borwes up and doun,And faren ich wile fro tun to tun.”1632A gold ring drow he forth anon,An hundred pund was worth þe ston,He gives Ubbe a gold ring.And yaf it ubbe for to spede:—He was ful wis þat first yaf mede,1636And so was hauelok ful wis here,Dearly he sells it, all the same.He solde his gold ring ful dere,Was neuere non so dere sold,For chapmen, neyþer yung ne old:1640Þat sholen71ye forthward ful wel heren,Yif þat ye wile þe storie heren.70Qu.sellen.71MS. shoren.UBBE INVITES HAVELOK TO A FEAST.Ubbe takes the ring,Hwanubbe hauede þe gold ring,Hauede he youenet for no þing,1644Nouth for þe borw euere-il del:—Hauelok bi-hel he swiþe wel,1646admires Havelok’s make and strength,Hw he was wel of bones maked,Brod in þe sholdres, ful wel schaped,1648Þicke in þe brest, of bodi long;He semede wel to ben wel strong.“Deus!” hwat ubbe, “qui ne were he knith?I woth, þat he is swiþe with!and thinks he ought to be a knight, not a pedlar.1652Betere semede him to bereHelm on heued, sheld and spere,Þanne to beye and selle ware.Allas! þat he shal þer-with fare.1656Goddot! wile he trowe me,Chaffare shal he late be.”Neþeles he seyde sone:“Havelok, bring your wife, and come and eat with me.”“Hauelok, haue [þou] þi bone,1660And y ful wel rede þ[e]Þat þou come, and ete with meTo-day, þou, and þi fayre wif,Þat þou louest also þi lif.1664And haue þou of hire no drede,Shal hire no man shame bede.Bi þe fey that y owe to þe,Þerof shal i me serf-borw be.”UBBE TAKES A GREAT FANCY TO HAVELOK.1668Hauelok herde þat he bad,And thow was he ful sore drad,[Fol. 212, col. 2.]With him to ete, for hise wif;Havelok fears ill may come of it.For him wore leuere þat his lif1672Him wore reft, þan she inblameFelle, or lauthe ani shame.Hwanne he hauede his willewat,72Þe stede, þat he onne sat,But Ubbe rides away, saying,1676Smot ubbe with spures faste,And forth awey, but at þe laste,1678Or he fro him ferde,Seyde he, þat his folk herde:“Mind that you come.”1680“Loke þat ye comenbeþe,For ich it wile, and ich it rede.”72MS.eitherþatorƿat.UBBE SENDS HAVELOK TO BERNARD.Havelok dares not refuse.Hauelok ne durste, þe he were adrad,Nouth with-sittenþat ubbe bad;1684His wif he dide with him lede,Vn-to þe heye curt he y[e]de.73Robert the Red leads Goldborough.Roberd hire ledde, þat was red,Þat hau[ed]e þarned*for hire þe ded1688Or ani hauede hire misseyd,Or hand with iuele onne leyd.William Wendut is on the other side of her.Willam wendut was þat oþerÞat hire ledde, roberdes broþer,1692Þat was with at alle nedes:Wel is him þat god manfedes!Þan he werencomento þe halle,Biforen ubbe, and hise menalle,Ubbe starts up to welcome them.1696Vbbe stirte hem ageyn,And mani a knith, and mani a sweyn,Hem for to se, and forto shewe;Þo stod hauelok als a loweHavelok is a head taller than any of them.1700Aboven [þo] þat þer-inne wore,Rith al bi þe heued moreÞanne ani þat þer-inne stod:Þo was ubbe bliþe of mod,1704Þat he saw him so fayr and hende,Fro him ne mithe his herte wende,Ne fro him, ne fro his wif;He louede hem sone so his lif.Ubbe loves Havelok better than any one else.1708Werennon indenemark, þat him þouthe,Þat he so mikel loue mouthe;More he louede hauelok one,Þan al denemark, bi mine wone!1712Loke nou, hw god helpen kanO mani wise wif and man.
56The first letter of this word is eitherþor a Saxonw(ƿ). I read it as the latter.57MS. ine.58Both sense and metre require this word.
56The first letter of this word is eitherþor a Saxonw(ƿ). I read it as the latter.
57MS. ine.
58Both sense and metre require this word.
HAVELOK RESOLVES TO GO TO GRIMSBY.
Hwan he werentogydere ingodes lawe,
Þat þe folc ful wel it sawe,
He ne wistenhwat he mouthen,
Havelok knows not what to do.
Ne he ne wistenwat hem douthe;
Þer to dwellen, or þenne to gonge,
Þer ne woldenhe dwellenlonge,
For he wisten, and ful wel sawe,
Þat godrich hemhatede, þe deuel himhawe!
And yf he dwelledenþer outh—
Þat fel hauelok ful wel on þouth—
Men sholde don his leman shame,
Or elles bringeninwicke blame.
Þat were him leuere to ben ded,
He determines to go to Grimsby.
For-þi he tokenanoþer red,
GRIM’S CHILDREN WELCOME HAVELOK.
Þat þei sholden þenne fle
Til grim, and til hise sones þre;
Þer wenden he alþer-best to spede,
Hem forto cloþe, and for to fede.
Þe lond he token under fote,
Ne wisten he non oþer bote,
And helden ay the riþe [sti]59
Til he komento grimesby.
He finds that Grim is dead, but his five children are alive.
Þanne he komenþere, þanne was grimded,
Of him ne hauedenhe no red;
But hise childrenalle fyue
Alle weren yet on liue;
Þat ful fayre ayen hemneme,
Hwan he wistenþat he keme,
And madenioie swiþe mikel,
Ne werenhe neuere ayen hemfikel.
On knes ful fayre he hem setten,
And hauelok swiþe fayre gretten,
They welcome Havelok very kindly.
And seyden, “welkome, louerd dere!
And welkome be þi fayre fere!
Blessed be þat ilke þrawe,
Þat þou hire toke in godes lawe!
Wel is hus we sen þe on lyue,
Þou mithe us boþe selle and yeue;
Þou mayt us boþe yeue and selle,
[Fol. 210b, col. 2.]
With þat þou wilt here dwelle.
We hauen, louerd, alle gode,
They beg him to stay with them.
Hors, and neth, and ship on flode,
Gold, and siluer, and michel auchte,
Þat grim ute fader us bitawchte.
Gold, and siluer, and oþer fe
Bad he us bi-taken þe.
We hauen shep, we hauen swin,
Bi-leue her, louerd, and al be þin;
They will serve him and his wife.
Þo shalt ben louerd, þou shalt bensyre,
And we sholen seruenþe and hire;
And hure sistres sholendo
Al that euere biddes sho;
He sholenhire cloþen,*washen, and wringen,
And to hondes water bringen;
He sholen beddenhire and þe,
For leuedi wile we þat she be.”
Hwan he þis ioie hauedenmaked,
Sithen stikes brokenand kraked,
They make a fire, and spare neither goose nor hen.
And þe fir brouth on brenne,
Ne was þer spared gos ne henne,
Ne þe hende, ne þe drake,
Mete he deden plente make;
Ne wantede þere no god mete,
They fetch wine and ale.
Wyn and ale dedenhe fete,
And made[n] hem [ful] glade and bliþe,
Wesseyl leddenhe fele siþe.
59A word is here erased; but see l. 2618.*Mr Garnett suggested thatcloþenmay meanclothes. If so, dele the comma after it.
59A word is here erased; but see l. 2618.
*Mr Garnett suggested thatcloþenmay meanclothes. If so, dele the comma after it.
GOLDBOROUGH SEES THE WONDROUS LIGHT.
At night Goldborough lies down sorrowful.
On þe nith, als goldeborw lay,
Sory and sorwful was she ay,
For she wende she were bi-swike,
Þat sh[e w]ere60yeuenun-kyndelike.
She sees a great light.
O nith saw she þer-inne a lith,
A swiþe fayr, a swiþe bryth,
Al so brith, al so shir,
So it were a blase of fir.
She lokede no[r]þ,61and ek south,
It comes out of Havelok’s mouth.
And saw it comenut of his mouth,
Þat lay bi hire in þe bed:
No ferlike þou she were adred.
Þouthe she, “wat may this bi-mene!
He beth heymanyet, als y wene,
He beth heymaner he be ded:”—
She sees a red cross on his shoulder, and hears an angel, saying,
On hise shuldre, of gold red
She saw a swiþe noble croiz,
Of an angel she herde a uoyz:
60MS. shere,evidently miswritten forshe were.61MS. noþ.
60MS. shere,evidently miswritten forshe were.
61MS. noþ.
HAVELOK TELLS HER HIS STRANGE DREAM.
[Fol. 211, col. 1.]“Goldborough, be not sad.
“Goldeborw, lat þi sorwe be,
For hauelok, þat haueþ spuset þe,
He62kinges sone, and kinges eyr,
Þat bikenneth þat croiz so fayr.
It63bikenneth more, þat he shal
Denemark hauen, and englond al;
Havelok shall be a king,
He shal ben king strong and stark
Of engelond and denemark;
Þat shal þu wit þin eyne sen,
and thou, queen.”
And þo shalt quen and leuedi ben!”
62Qu.Is.63MS. Iit.
62Qu.Is.
63MS. Iit.
Þanne she hauede herd the steuene
Of þe angel uth of heuene,
She rejoices, and kisses Havelok.
She was so fele siþes blithe,
Þat she ne mithe hire ioie mythe;
But hauelok sone anon she kiste,
And he slep, and nouth ne wiste.
Hwan þat aungel hauede seyd,
He awakes, and says he has had a dream.
Of his slep a-non he brayd,
And seide, “lemman, slepes þou?
A selkuth drem dremede me nou.
SHE SAYS HAVELOK WILL BE A GREAT KING.
Herkne nou hwat me haueth met:
He dreamt he was on a high hill in Denmark,
Me þouthe y was indenemark set,
But on on þe moste hil
Þat euere yete kam i til.
It was so hey, þat y wel mouthe
Al þe werd se, als me þouthe.
Als i sat up-on þat lowe,
and began to possess all that country.
I bigan denemark for to awe,
Þe borwes, and þe castles stronge;
And mine armes werenso longe,
That i fadmede, al at ones,
denemark, with mine longe bones;
And þanne y wolde mine armes drawe
Til me, and hom for to haue,
All things in Denmark cleaved to his arms.
Al that euere in denemark liueden
On mine armes faste clyueden;
And þe stronge castles alle
On knes bigunnenfor to falle,
Þe keyes fellenat mine fet:—
He also dreamt that he went to England,
Anoþer drem dremede me ek,
Þat ich fley ouer þe salte se
Til engeland, and al with me
Þat euere was in denemark lyues,
But bondemen, and here wiues,
And þat ich kom til engelond,
[Fol. 211, col. 2.]
Al closede it intil min hond,
and that became his too.
And, goldeborw, y gaf [it] þe:—
Deus! lemman, hwat may þis be?”
Sho answerede, and seyde sone:
“Ihesu crist, þat made mone,
Þine dremes turne to ioye;
Þat wite þw that sittes introne!
She says, he will be king of England and Denmark.
Ne non strong king, ne caysere,
So þou shalt be, fo[r] þou shalt bere
In engelond corune yet;
Denemark shal knele to þi fet;
Alle þe castles þat aren þer-inne,
Shal-tow, lemman, ful wel winne.
I woth, so wel so ich it sowe,
To þe shole comenheye and lowe,
“All men in Denmark shall come to thee.
And alle þat in denemark wone,
Em and broþer, fader and sone,
Erl and baroun, dreng an kayn,
Knithes, and burgeys, and sweyn;
And mad king heyelike and wel,
Denemark shal be þin euere-ilc del.
Haue þou nouth þer-offe douthe
Nouth þe worth, of one nouthe;
Þer-offe with-inne þe firste yer
Thou shalt be king within the year.
Shalt þou ben king, of euere-il del.
But do nou als y wile rathe,
Nim in with þe to denema[r]k baþe,
And do þou nouth onfrest þis fare,
Lith and selthe felawes are.
For shal ich neuere bliþe be
Til i with eyen denemark se;
For ich woth, þat al þe lond
Shalt þou hauenin þin hon[d].
Pray Grim’s sons to go with you to Denmark.
Prey grimes sones alle þre,
That he wenden forþ with þe;
I wot, he wilen þe nouth werne,
With þe wende shulenhe yerne,
For he louenþe herte-like,
Þou maght til he aren quike,
Hwore so he o worde aren;
Go at once.
Þere ship þou do hemswithe yaren,
Delays are dangerous.”
And loke þat þou dwellennouth:
Dwelling haueth ofte scaþe wrouth.”
HAVELOK PRAYS FOR VENGEANCE ON GODARD.
Hwan Hauelok herde þat she radde,
Sone it was day, sone he him cladde,
[Fol. 211b, col. 1.]
And sone to þe kirke yede,
Or he dide ani oþer dede,
And bifor þe rode biganfalle,
Croiz and crist bi[gan] to kalle,
Havelok prays for success,
And seyde, “louerd, þat al weldes,
Wind and water, wodes and feldes,
For the holi milce of you,
Haue merci of me, louerd, nou!
and for vengeance on his foe,
And wreke me yet on mi fo,
Þat ich saw biforn min eyne slo
Mine sistres, with a knif,
And siþen wolde me mi lyf
Haue reft, for in the [depe] se
Bad he grim haue drenched me.
He [hath] mi lond with mikel vn-Rith,
With michel wrong, with mikel plith,
For i ne64misdede him neuere nouth,
And haued me to sorwe brouth.
who had caused him to be a beggar.
He haueth me do mi mete to þigge,
And ofte in sorwe and pine ligge.
Louerd, haue merci of me,
And late [me] wel passe þe se,
He prays for a fair passage across the sea.
Þatihchaue ther-offe douthe and kare,
With-uten stormes ouer-fare,
Þat y ne drenched [be] þer-ine,
Ne forfaren for no sinne.
And bringge me wel to þe lond,
Þat godard haldes in his hond;
Þat is mi Rith, eueri del:
Ihesu crist, þou wost it wel!”
64MS. ine.
Þanne he hauede his bede seyd,
He leaves his offering on the altar.
His offrende on þe auter leyd,
His leue at ihesu crist he tok,
And at his suete moder ok,
And at þe croiz, þat he biforn lay,
Siþenyede sore grotinde awey.
HAVELOK ADDRESSES GRIM’S THREE SONS.
He finds Grim’s sons ready to fish.
Hwan65he com hom, he wore yare,
Grimes sones, forto fare
In-to þe se, fishes to gete,
Þat hauelok mithe wel of ete.
But auelok þouthe al anoþer,
Havelok calls Grim’s three sons.
First he ka[l]de þe heldeste broþer,
Roberd þe rede, bi his name,
HE ASKS THEM TO GO WITH HIM TO DENMARK.
Wiliam wenduth, and h[uwe r]auen,66
Grimes sones alle þre,
[Fol. 211b, col. 2.]
And sey[d]e, “liþes nou alle to me,
Louerdinges, ich wile you sheue,
A þing of me þat ye wel knewe.
He says, “My father was king of Denmark.
Mi fader was king of denshe lond,
Denemark was al in his hond
Þe day þat he was quik and ded;
But þanne hauede he wicke red,
Þat he me, and denemark al,
He left me and my sisters in charge of a foul fiend,
And mine sistres bi-tawte a þral:
A deueles lime [he] hus bitawte,
And al his lond, and al hise authe.
For y saw that fule fend
Mine sistres slo with hise hend;
who slew my sisters,
First he shar a-two here þrotes,
And siþen [karf] hem al to grotes,
And siþen bad [he] in þe se
and bade Grim drown me.
Grim, youre fader, drenchenme.
Deplike dede he him swere
On bok, þat he sholde me bere
Vnto þe se, an drenchen ine,
And[he]wolde takenon him þe sinne.
But Grim was wise.
But grim was wis, and swiþe hende,
Wolde he nouth his soule shende;
Leuere was him to be for-sworen,
Þan drenchen me, and ben for-lorn;
But sone biganhe forto fle
He fled from Denmark with me,
Fro denemark, forto berwen67me,
For yif68ich hauede þer ben funden,
Hauede ben slayn, or harde bunden,
And heye ben henged on a tre,
Hauede go for him gold ne fe.
For-þi fro denemark hider he fledde,
and took care of me.
And me ful fayre and ful wel fedde,
So þat vn-to þis [ilke] day,
Haue ich ben fed and fostred ay.
But nou ich am up to þat helde
Cumen, that ich may wepne welde,
And y may grete dintes yeue,
And now, I must go to Denmark.
Shal i neuere hwil ich lyue
Ben glad, til that ich denemark se;
Go with me, and I will make you rich men.”
I preie you þat ye wende with me,
And ich may mak you riche men,
Ilk of you shal haue castles ten,
And þe lond þat þor-til longes,
Borwes, tunes, wodes and wonges.”69
*****
*****
65In the MS. the Capital letter is prefixed to the next line.66MS. hauen. Cf. ll. 1868, 2528. Only an assonance, not a rime, seems intended.67MS. berƿen,the A.S.wbeing used here. Cf. l. 697.68MS. yif.69A folio has here been cut out of the MS., containing 180 lines. The missing portion must have been to this effect. “To this they gladly assented; and Havelok, accompanied by his wife Goldeborw and the sons of Grim, set sail for Denmark. Disembarking, they travel till they reach the castle of a great Danish earl, named Ubbe, who had formerly been a close friend to king Birkabeyn. Havelok begs that he will allow him to live in that part of the country, and to gain a livelihood by trading.”
65In the MS. the Capital letter is prefixed to the next line.
66MS. hauen. Cf. ll. 1868, 2528. Only an assonance, not a rime, seems intended.
67MS. berƿen,the A.S.wbeing used here. Cf. l. 697.
68MS. yif.
69A folio has here been cut out of the MS., containing 180 lines. The missing portion must have been to this effect. “To this they gladly assented; and Havelok, accompanied by his wife Goldeborw and the sons of Grim, set sail for Denmark. Disembarking, they travel till they reach the castle of a great Danish earl, named Ubbe, who had formerly been a close friend to king Birkabeyn. Havelok begs that he will allow him to live in that part of the country, and to gain a livelihood by trading.”
HAVELOK GIVES UBBE A GOLD RING.
[Fol. 212, col. 1.]
“With swilk als ich byen shal:
Þer-of bi-seche you nou leue;
Havelok asks Ubbe to give him leave to buy and sell there.
Wile ich speke with non oþer reue,
But with þe, þat iustise are,
Þat y mithe seken70mi ware
In gode borwes up and doun,
And faren ich wile fro tun to tun.”
A gold ring drow he forth anon,
An hundred pund was worth þe ston,
He gives Ubbe a gold ring.
And yaf it ubbe for to spede:—
He was ful wis þat first yaf mede,
And so was hauelok ful wis here,
Dearly he sells it, all the same.
He solde his gold ring ful dere,
Was neuere non so dere sold,
For chapmen, neyþer yung ne old:
Þat sholen71ye forthward ful wel heren,
Yif þat ye wile þe storie heren.
70Qu.sellen.71MS. shoren.
70Qu.sellen.
71MS. shoren.
UBBE INVITES HAVELOK TO A FEAST.
Ubbe takes the ring,
Hwanubbe hauede þe gold ring,
Hauede he youenet for no þing,
Nouth for þe borw euere-il del:—
Hauelok bi-hel he swiþe wel,
admires Havelok’s make and strength,
Hw he was wel of bones maked,
Brod in þe sholdres, ful wel schaped,
Þicke in þe brest, of bodi long;
He semede wel to ben wel strong.
“Deus!” hwat ubbe, “qui ne were he knith?
I woth, þat he is swiþe with!
and thinks he ought to be a knight, not a pedlar.
Betere semede him to bere
Helm on heued, sheld and spere,
Þanne to beye and selle ware.
Allas! þat he shal þer-with fare.
Goddot! wile he trowe me,
Chaffare shal he late be.”
Neþeles he seyde sone:
“Havelok, bring your wife, and come and eat with me.”
“Hauelok, haue [þou] þi bone,
And y ful wel rede þ[e]
Þat þou come, and ete with me
To-day, þou, and þi fayre wif,
Þat þou louest also þi lif.
And haue þou of hire no drede,
Shal hire no man shame bede.
Bi þe fey that y owe to þe,
Þerof shal i me serf-borw be.”
UBBE TAKES A GREAT FANCY TO HAVELOK.
Hauelok herde þat he bad,
And thow was he ful sore drad,
[Fol. 212, col. 2.]
With him to ete, for hise wif;
Havelok fears ill may come of it.
For him wore leuere þat his lif
Him wore reft, þan she inblame
Felle, or lauthe ani shame.
Hwanne he hauede his willewat,72
Þe stede, þat he onne sat,
But Ubbe rides away, saying,
Smot ubbe with spures faste,
And forth awey, but at þe laste,
Or he fro him ferde,
Seyde he, þat his folk herde:
“Mind that you come.”
“Loke þat ye comenbeþe,
For ich it wile, and ich it rede.”
72MS.eitherþatorƿat.
UBBE SENDS HAVELOK TO BERNARD.
Havelok dares not refuse.
Hauelok ne durste, þe he were adrad,
Nouth with-sittenþat ubbe bad;
His wif he dide with him lede,
Vn-to þe heye curt he y[e]de.73
Robert the Red leads Goldborough.
Roberd hire ledde, þat was red,
Þat hau[ed]e þarned*for hire þe ded
Or ani hauede hire misseyd,
Or hand with iuele onne leyd.
William Wendut is on the other side of her.
Willam wendut was þat oþer
Þat hire ledde, roberdes broþer,
Þat was with at alle nedes:
Wel is him þat god manfedes!
Þan he werencomento þe halle,
Biforen ubbe, and hise menalle,
Ubbe starts up to welcome them.
Vbbe stirte hem ageyn,
And mani a knith, and mani a sweyn,
Hem for to se, and forto shewe;
Þo stod hauelok als a lowe
Havelok is a head taller than any of them.
Aboven [þo] þat þer-inne wore,
Rith al bi þe heued more
Þanne ani þat þer-inne stod:
Þo was ubbe bliþe of mod,
Þat he saw him so fayr and hende,
Fro him ne mithe his herte wende,
Ne fro him, ne fro his wif;
He louede hem sone so his lif.
Ubbe loves Havelok better than any one else.
Werennon indenemark, þat him þouthe,
Þat he so mikel loue mouthe;
More he louede hauelok one,
Þan al denemark, bi mine wone!
Loke nou, hw god helpen kan
O mani wise wif and man.