The lay of Havelok the Dane : composed in the reign of Edward I, about A.D. 1280 / Formerly ed. by Sir F. Madden for the Roxburghe cl[ub], and now re-edited from the unique ms. Laud misc. 108, in the Bodleian library, Oxford; by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

Incipit vita Hauelok, quondam Rex Anglie et Denemarchie.

Herknet to me, gode men, [folio 204a:1] Wiues, maydnes, and alle men, Of a tale þat ich you wile telle, Wo so it wile here, and þer-to duelle. Line 4 Þe tale is of hauelok i-maked; Wil he was litel he yede ful naked: Hauelok was a ful god gome, He was ful god in eueri trome, Line 8 He was þe wicteste man at nede, Þat þurte riden on ani stede. Þat ye mowen nou y-here, And þe tale ye mowen y-lere. Line 12 At the beginning [MS. Beginnig.] of vre tale, Fil me a cuppe of ful god ale; And [y] wile drinken her y spelle, Þat crist vs shilde alle fro helle! Line 16 Krist late vs heuere so for to do, Þat we moten comen him to, And wit[e] [See ll. 517, 1316.] þat it mote ben so! Benedicamus domino! Line 20 Here y schal biginnen a rym, Krist us yeue wel god fyn!

The rym is maked of hauelok, A stalworþi man in a flok; Line 24 He was þe stalworþeste man at nede, Þat may riden on ani stede.

IT was a king bi are dawes, That in his time were gode lawes Line 28 He dede maken, an ful wel holden; Hym louede yung, him louede holde, Erl and barun, dreng and kayn, Knict, bondeman, and swain, Line 32 Wydues, maydnes, prestes and clerkes, And al for hise gode werkes. He louede god with al his micth, And holi kirke, and soth, ant ricth; Line 36 Ricth-wise [MS. "Rirth wise."] men he louede alle, And oueral made hem forto calle; Wreieres and wrobberes made he falle, And hated hem so man doth galle; Line 40 Vtlawes and theues made he bynde, Alle that he micthe fynde, And heye hengen on galwe-tre; For hem ne yede gold ne fe. Line 44 In that time a man þat bore [Wel fyfty pund, y woth, or more,] [Supplied from conjecture. Cf. v. 653, 787. A few more instances will be found where a similar liberty has been taken, for the purpose of completing the sense.] Of red gold up-on hijs bac, [folio 204a:2] In a male with or blac, Line 48 Ne funde he non that him misseyde, N[e] with iuele on [him] hond leyde. Þanne micthe chapmen fare Þuruth englond wit here ware, Line 52 And baldelike beye and sellen, Oueral þer he wilen dwellen,

In gode burwes, and þer-fram Ne funden he non þat dede hem sham, Line 56 Þat he ne weren sone to sorwe brouth, An pouere maked, and browt to nouth. Þanne was engelond at hayse; [MS. athayse.] Michel was svich a king to preyse, Line 60 Þat held so eng[e]lond in grith! Krist of heuene was him with. He was engelondes blome; Was non so bold lond to rome, Line 64 Þat durste upon his [menie] bringhe Hunger, ne here wicke þinghe. Hwan he felede hise foos, He made hem lurken, and crepen in wros; Line 68 Þe hidden hem alle, and helden hem stille, And diden al his herte wille. Ricth he louede of alle þinge, To wronge micht him no man bringe, Line 72 Ne for siluer, ne for gold:— So was he his soule hold. To þe faderles was he rath, Wo so dede hem wrong or lath, Line 76 Were it clerc, or were it knicth, He dede hem sone to hauen ricth; And wo [so] diden widuen wrong, Were he neure knicth so strong, Line 80 Þat he ne made him sone kesten, And in feteres ful faste festen; And wo so dide maydne shame Of hire bodi, or brouth in blame, Line 84 Bute it were bi hire wille, He [MS. Ke.] made him sone of limes spille. He was te [MS. Ke waste.] beste knith at nede, Þat heuere micthe riden on stede, Line 88 Or wepne wagge, or folc vt lede;

Of knith ne hauede he neuere drede, Þat he ne sprong forth so sparke of glede, And lete him [knawe] of hise hand-dede, [folio 204b:1] Line 92 Hw he couþe with wepne spede; And oþer he refte him hors or wede, Or made him sone handes sprede, And "louerd, merci!" loude grede. Line 96 He was large, and no wicth gnede; Hauede he non so god brede, Ne on his bord non so god shrede, Þat he ne wolde þorwit fede, Line 100 Poure þat on fote yede; Forto hauen of him þe mede Þat for vs wolde on rode blede, Crist, that al kan wisse and rede, Line 104 Þat euere woneth in ani þede.

¶ Þe king was hoten aþelwold, Of word, of wepne he was bold; In engeland was neure knicth, Line 108 Þat betere hel þe lond to ricth. Of his bodi ne hauede he eyr Bute a mayden swiþe fayr, Þat was so yung þat sho ne couþe Line 112 Gon on fote, ne speke wit mouþe. Þan him tok an iuel strong, Þat he we[l] wiste, and under-fong, Þat his deth was comen him on: Line 116 And seyde, "crist, wat shal y don! Louerd, wat shal me to rede! I woth ful wel ich haue mi mede. W shal nou mi douhter fare? Line 120 Of hire haue ich michel kare; Sho is mikel in mi þouth, Of me self is me rith nowt. No selcouth is, þou me be wo; Line 124

Line 124 Sho ne kan speke, ne sho kan go. Yif scho couþe on horse ride, And a thousande men bi hire syde; And sho were comen intil helde, Line 128 And engelond sho couþe welde; And don hem of þar hire were queme, An hire bodi couþe yeme; No wolde me neuere iuele like Line 132 Me þou ich were in heuene-riche!"

Quanne he hauede þis pleinte maked, Þer-after stronglike [he] quaked. He sende writes sone on-on Line 136 After his erles euere-ich on; [folio 204b:2] And after hise baruns, riche and poure, Fro rokesburw al into douere, That he shulden comen swiþe Line 140 Til him, that was ful vnbliþe; To þat stede þe[r] he lay, In harde bondes, nicth and day. He was so faste wit yuel fest, Line 144 Þat he ne mouthe hauen no rest; He ne mouthe no mete hete, Ne he ne mouchte no lyþe gete; Ne non of his iuel þat couþe red; Line 148 Of him ne was nouth buten ded.

Alle þat the writes herden, Sorful an sori til him ferden; He wrungen hondes, and wepen sore, Line 152 And yerne preyden cristes hore, Þat he [wolde] turnen him Vt of þat yuel þat was so grim! Þanne he weren comen alle Line 156 Bifor þe king into the halle, At winchestre þer he lay:

"Welcome," he seyde, "be ye ay! Ful michel þank[e] kan [y] yow Line 160 That ye aren comen to me now!"

Quanne he weren alle set, And þe king aueden i-gret, He greten, and gouleden, and gouen hem ille, Line 164 And he bad hem alle ben stille; And seyde, "þat greting helpeth nouth, For al to dede am ich brouth. Bute nov ye sen þat i shal deye, Line 168 Nou ich wille you alle preye Of mi douther þat shal be Yure leuedi after me, Wo may yemen hire so longe, Line 172 Boþen hire and engelonde, Til þat she [mowe] winan of helde, And þa she mowe yemen and welde?" He ansuereden, and seyden an-on, Line 176 Bi crist and bi seint ion, That þerl Godrigh of cornwayle Was trewe man, wit-uten faile; Wis man of red, wis man of dede, Line 180 And men haueden of him mikel drede. "He may hire alþer-best[e] yeme, [folio 205a:1] Til þat she mowe wel ben quene."

þe king was payed of that Rede; Line 184 A wol fair cloth bringen he dede, And þer-on leyde þe messebok, Þe caliz, and þe pateyn ok, Þe corporaus, þe messe-gere; Line 188 Þer-on he garte þe erl suere, Þat he sholde yemen hire wel, With-uten lac, wit-uten tel, Til þat she were tuelf [Qu. tuenti. Cf. v. 259.] winter hold, Line 192

Line 192 And of speche were bold; And þat she covþe of curteysye, Gon, and speken of luue-drurye; And til þat she louen þoucte, [MS. mithe. But see l. 257.] Line 196 Wom so hire to gode thoucte; And þat he shulde hire yeue Þe beste man that micthe liue, Þe beste, fayreste, the strangest ok:— Line 200 Þat dede he him sweren on þe bok. And þanne shulde he engelond Al bitechen in-to hire hond.

Quanne [MS. Ouanne. And perhaps "his" should have been "þis."] þat was sworn on his wise, Line 204 Þe king dede þe mayden arise, And þe erl hire bitaucte, And al the lond he euere awcte; Engelonde eueri del; Line 208 And preide, he shulde yeme hire wel.

þe king ne mowcte don no more, But yerne preyede godes ore; And dede him hoslen wel and shriue, Line 212 I woth, fif hundred siþes and fiue; An ofte dede him sore swinge, And wit hondes smerte dinge; So þat þe blod ran of his fleys, Line 216 Þat tendre was, and swiþe neys. [

Some lines appear to be wanting here, such as—

"He þoucte his quiste þan to make,His catel muste he wel bitake," &c.] And sone gaf it euere-il del; He made his quiste swiþe wel. Wan it was gouen, ne micte men finde Line 220 So mikel men micte him in winde, Of his in arke, ne in chiste,

In engelond þat noman wiste: For al was youen, faire and wel, Line 224 Þat him was leued no catel.

Þanne he hauede ben ofte swngen, Ofte shriuen, and ofte dungen, [folio 205a:2] "In manus tuas, lou[er]de," he seyde, Line 228 Her þat he þe speche leyde. To ihesu crist bigan to calle, And deyede biforn his heymen alle. Þan he was ded, þere micte men se Line 232 Þe meste sorwe that micte be; Þer was sobbing, siking, and sor, Handes wringing, and drawing bi hor. Alle greten swiþe sore, Line 236 Riche and poure þat þere wore; An mikel sorwe haueden alle, Leuedyes in boure, knictes in halle.

Quan þat sorwe was somdel laten, Line 240 And he haueden longe graten, Belles deden he sone ringen, Monkes and prestes messe singen; And sauteres deden he manie reden, Line 244 Þat god self shulde his soule leden Into heuene, biforn his sone, And þer wit-uten hende wone. Þan he was to þe erþe brouth, Line 248 Þe riche erl ne foryat nouth, Þat he ne dede al engelond Sone sayse intil his hond; And in þe castels leth he [Sir F. Madden printed "lechhe"; but the MS. may be read "leth he."] do Line 252 Þe knictes he micte tristen to; And alle þe englis dede he swere[n],

Þat he shulden him ghod fey beren; He yaf alle men, þat god þoucte, Line 256 Liuen and deyen til þat him moucte, [

So in MS. But the sense requires

"He gaf alle men, þat god himþouchte,Liuen and deyen til þat he moucte," &c.] Til þat þe kinges dowter wore Tuenti winter hold, and more.

Þanne he hauede taken þis oth Line 260 Of erles, baruns, lef and loth, Of knictes, cherles, fre and þewe, Justises dede he maken newe, Al engelond to faren þorw, Line 264 Fro douere into rokesborw. Schireues he sette, bedels, and greyues, Grith-sergeans, wit longe gleyues, To yemen wilde wodes and paþes Line 268 Fro wicke men, that wolde don scaþes; And forto hauen alle at his cri, At his wille, at his merci; Þat non durste ben him ageyn, [folio 205b:1] Line 272 Erl ne barun, knict ne sweyn. Wislike for soth, was him wel Of folc, of wepne, of catel. Soþlike, in a lite þrawe Line 276 Al engelond of him stod [in] awe; Al engelond was of him adrad, [MS. "adred," altered to "adrad."] So his þe beste fro þe gad.

ÞE kinges douther bigan þriue, Line 280 And wex þe fayrest wman on liue. Of alle þewes w[as] she wis, Þat gode weren, and of pris. Þe mayden Goldeboru was hoten; Line 284 For hire was mani a ter igroten.

Quanne the Erl godrich him herde Of þat mayden, hw we[l s]he ferde; Hw wis sho was, w chaste, hw fayr, Line 288 And þat sho was þe rithe eyr Of engelond, of al þe rike:— Þo bigan godrich to sike, And seyde, "weþer she sholde be Line 292 Quen and leuedi ouer me? Hweþer sho sholde al engelond, And me, and mine, hauen in hire hond? Daþeit hwo it hire thaue! Line 296 Shal sho it neuere more haue. Sholde ic yeue a fol, a þerne, Engelond, þou sho it yerne? Daþeit hwo it hire yeue, Line 300 Euere more hwil i liue! Sho is waxen al to prud, For gode metes, and noble shrud, Þat hic haue youen hire to offte; Line 304 Hic haue yemed hire to softe. Shal it nouth ben als sho þenkes, 'Hope maketh fol man ofte blenkes.' Ich haue a sone, a ful fayr knaue, Line 308 He shal engelond al haue. He shal [ben] king, he shal ben sire, So brouke i euere mi blake swire!"

Hwan þis trayson was al þouth, Line 312 Of his oth ne was him nouth. He let his oth al ouer-ga, Þerof ne yaf he nouth a stra; But sone dede hire fete, Line 316 Er he wolde heten ani mete, [folio 205b:2] Fro winchestre þer sho was, Also a wicke traytur iudas; And dede leden hire to doure, Line 320

Line 320 Þat standeth on þe seis oure; And þerhinne dede hire fede Pourelike in feble wede. Þe castel dede he yemen so, Line 324 Þat non ne micte comen hire to Of hire frend, with [hire] to speken, Þat heuere micte hire bale wreken.

Of Goldeboru shul we nou laten, Line 328 Þat nouth ne blinneth forto graten, Þet sho liggeth in prisoun: Ihesu crist, that lazarun To liue broucte fro dede bondes, Line 332 He lese hire wit hise hondes; And leue sho mo him y-se Heye hangen on galwe tre, Þat hire haued in sorwe brouth, Line 336 So as sho ne misdede nouth!

Sawe nou forth in hure spelle; In þat time, so it bifelle, Was in þe lon of denemark Line 340 A riche king, and swyþe stark. Þ[e] name of him was birkabeyn, He hauede mani knict and sueyn; He was fayr man, and wicth, Line 344 Of bodi he was þe beste knicth Þat euere micte leden uth here, Or stede onne ride, or handlen spere, Þre children he hauede bi his wif, Line 348 He hem louede so his lif. He hauede a sone [and] douhtres two, Swiþe fayre, as fel it so. He þat wile non forbere, Line 352 Riche ne poure, king ne kaysere, Deth him tok þan he bes[t] wolde

Liuen, but hyse dayes were fulde; Þat he ne moucte no more liue, Line 356 For gol ne siluer, ne for no gyue.

Hwan he þat wiste, raþe he sende After prestes fer an hende, Chanounes gode, and monkes beþe, [MS. "boþe." But "beþe" rimes to "Rede"; see l. 694.] Line 360 Him for to [MS. forthm to, the hm being expuncted.] wisse, and to Rede; Him for to hoslon, an forto shriue, [folio 206a:1] Hwil his bodi were on liue.

Hwan he was hosled and shriuen, Line 364 His quiste maked, and for him gyuen, His knictes dede he alle site, For þorw hem he wolde wite, Hwo micte yeme hise children yunge, Line 368 Til þat he kouþen speken wit tunge; Speken and gangen, on horse riden, Knictes an sweynes bi here siden. He spoken þer-offe, and chosen sone Line 372 A riche man was under mone, Was þe trewest þat he wende, Godard, þe kinges oune frende; And seyden, he Moucthe hem best loke, Line 376 Yif þat he hem vndertoke, Til hise sone Mouthe bere Helm on heued, and leden vt here, In his hand a spere stark, Line 380 And king ben maked of denemark. He wel trowede þat he seyde, And on Godard handes leyde; And seyde, "Here bi-teche i þe Line 384 Mine children alle þre, Al denemark, and al mi fe, Til þat mi sone of helde be;

But þat ich wille, þat þo[u] suere Line 388 On auter, and on messe-gere, On þe belles þat men ringes, On messe-bok þe prest on singes, Þat þou mine children shalt we[l] yeme, Line 392 Þat hire kin be ful wel queme, Til mi sone mowe ben knicth, Þanne biteche him þo his Ricth, Denemark, and þat þertil longes, Line 396 Casteles and tunes, wodes and wonges."

Godard stirt up, an swor al þat Þe king him bad, and siþen sat Bi the knictes, þat þer ware, Line 400 Þat wepen alle swiþe sare For þe king þat deide sone: Ihesu crist, that makede mone On þe mirke nith to shine, Line 404 Wite his soule fro helle pine; And leue þat it mote wone In heuene-riche with godes sone! [folio 206a:2]

Hwan birkabeyn was leyd in graue, Line 408 Þe erl dede sone take þe knaue, Hauelok, þat was þe eir, Swanborow, his sister, helfled, þe toþer, [Corrupt? Lines 410, 411 do not rime well together.] And in þe castel dede he hem do, Line 412 Þer non ne micte hem comen to Of here kyn, þer þei sperd wore; [MS. were. But see l. 237.] Þer he greten ofte sore, Boþe for hunger and for kold, Line 416 Or he weren þre winter hold. Feblelike he gaf hem cloþes, He ne yaf a note of hise oþes;

He hem [ne] cloþede rith, ne fedde, Line 420 Ne hem ne dede richelike be-bedde. Þanne godard was sikerlike Vnder god þe moste swike, Þat eure in erþe shaped was, Line 424 With-uten on, þe wike Iudas. Haue he þe malisun to-day Of alle þat eure speken may! Of patriark, and of pope! Line 428 And of prest with loken kope! Of monekes, and hermites boþe! [Lines 430, 431, 432 rime together. NB. The words holi rode are written over an erasure.] And of þe leue holi rode, Þat god him-selue ran on blode! Line 432 Crist warie him with his mouth! Waried wrthe he of norþ and suth! Offe alle man, þat speken kunne! Of crist, þat made [MS. maude.] mone and sunne! Line 436 Þanne he hauede of al þe lond Al þe folk tilled in-til his hond, And alle haueden sworen him oth, Riche and poure, lef and loth, Line 440 Þat he sholden hise wille freme, And þat he shulde[n] him nouth greme, He þouthe a ful strong trechery, A trayson, and a felony, Line 444 Of þe children forto make: Þe deuel of helle him sone take!

Hwan þat was þouth, onon he ferde To þe tour þer he woren sperde, Line 448 Þer he greten for hunger and cold: Þe knaue þat was sumdel bold, Kam him ageyn, on knes him sette, And godard ful feyre he þer grette; [folio 206b:1] Line 452 And Godard seyde, "Wat is yw?

Hwi grete ye and goulen nou?" "For us hungreth swiþe sore:"— Seyden he wolden [haue] more, Line 456 "We ne haue to hete, ne we ne haue Herinne neyther knith ne knaue Þat yeueth us drinken, ne no mete, Haluendel þat we moun ete. Line 460 Wo is us þat we weren born! Weilawei! nis it no korn, Þat men micte maken of bred? Vs [MS. þs; cf. l. 455.] hungreth, we aren ney ded." Line 464

Godard herde here wa, Ther-offe yaf he nouth a stra, But tok þe maydnes bothe samen, Al-so it were up-on hiis gamen; Line 468 Al-so he wolde with hem leyke, Þat weren for hunger grene and bleike. Of boþen he karf on two here þrotes, And siþen [karf] hem alto grotes. Line 472 Þer was sorwe, wo so it sawe! Hwan þe children bi þ[e] [MS. biþ; cf. l. 2470.] wawe Leyen and sprauleden in þe blod: Hauelok it saw, and þe[r] bi stod. Line 476 Ful sori was þat seli knaue, Mikel dred he mouthe haue, For at hise herte he saw a knif, For to reuen him hise lyf. Line 480 But þe knaue, [MS. kaue.] þat litel was, He knelede bifor þat iudas, And seyde, "louerd, merci nov! Manrede, louerd, biddi you! Line 484 Al denemark i wile you yeue, To þat forward þu late me liue; Here hi wile on boke swere, Þat neure more ne shal i bere Line 488

Line 488 Ayen þe, louerd, shel ne spere, Ne oþer wepne [MS. "wepne bere," where "bere" is redundant.] that may you dere. Louerd, haue merci of me! To-day i wile fro denemark fle, Line 492 Ne neuere more comen ageyn: Sweren y wole, þat bircabein Neuere yete me ne gat:"— Hwan þe deuel he[r]de [MS. hede.] that, Line 496 Sum-del bigan him forto rewe; [folio 206b:2] With-drow þe knif, þat was lewe Of þe seli children blod; Þer was miracle fair and god! Line 500 Þat he þe knaue nouth ne slou, But fo[r] rewnesse him wit-drow. [Printed thus in the former edition:—"But to rewnesse him thit drow." But the MS. has fo, not to, where fo is corruptly written for for, as in l. 1318; and the initial letter of the last syl|lable but one may be read as a Saxon w (ƿ), not a thorn-letter (þ). It merely repeats the idea in ll. 497, 498.] Of auelok rewede him ful sore, And þoucte, he wolde þat he ded wore, Line 504 But on þat he nouth wit his hend Ne drepe him nouth, [Qu. mouth.] þat fule fend! Þoucte he, als he him bi stod, Starinde als he were wod: Line 508 "Yif y late him liues go, He micte me wirchen michel wo. Grith ne get y neuere mo, He may [me] waiten for to slo; Line 512 And yf he were brouct of liue, And mine children wolden thriue, Louerdinges after me Of al denemark micten he be. Line 516 God it wite, he shal ben ded, Wile i taken non oþer red;

I shal do casten him in þe se, [MS. she.] Þer i wile þat he drench[ed] be; Line 520 Abouten his hals an anker god, Þat he ne flete in the flod." Þer anon he dede sende After a fishere þat he wende, Line 524 Þat wolde al his wille do, And sone anon he seyde him to: "Grim, þou wost þu art mi þral, Wilte don mi wille al, Line 528 Þat i wile bidden þe, To-morwen [i] shal maken þe fre, And aucte þe yeuen, and riche make, With-þan þu wilt þis child[e] take, Line 532 And leden him with þe to-nicht, Þan þou sest se [So in MS. Qu. þe.] Mone lith, In-to þe se, and don him þer-inne, Al wile [i] taken on me þe sinne." Line 536 Grim tok þe child, and bond him faste, Hwil þe bondes micte laste; Þat weren of ful strong line:— Þo was hauelok in ful strong pine. Line 540 Wiste he neuere her wat was wo: Ihesu crist, þat makede to go [folio 207a:1] Þe halte, and þe doumbe speken, Hauelok, þe of Godard wreken! Line 544

Hwan grim him hauede faste bounden, And siþen in an eld cloth wnden A keuel of clutes, ful, un-wraste, Þat he [ne] mouthe speke, ne fnaste, Line 548 Hwere he wolde him bere or lede. Hwan he hauede don þat dede, Hwan [We should rather read "þan."] þe swike him hauede hethede, [MS. he þede.]

Þat he shulde him forth [lede] Line 552 And him drinchen in þe se; Þat forwarde makeden he. In a poke, ful and blac, Sone he caste him on his bac, Line 556 Ant bar him hom to hise cleue, And bi-taucte him dame leue, And seyde, "wite þou þis knaue, Al-so thou with mi lif haue; Line 560 I shal dreinchen him in þe se, For him shole we ben maked fre, Gold hauen ynou, and oþer fe; Þat hauet mi louerd bihoten me." Line 564

Hwan dame [leue] herde þat, Vp she stirte, and nouth ne sat, And caste þe knaue adoun so harde, Þat hise croune he þer crakede Line 568 Ageyn a gret ston, þer it lay: Þo hauelok micte sei, "weilawei! Þat euere was i kinges bern!" Þat him ne hauede grip or ern, Line 572 Leoun or wlf, wluine or bere, Or oþer best, þat wolde him dere. So lay þat child to middel nicth, Þat grim bad leue bringen lict, Line 576 For to don on [him] his cloþes: "Ne thenkeste nowt of mine oþes Þat ich haue mi louerd sworen? Ne wile i nouth be forloren. Line 580 I shal beren him to þe se, Þou wost þat [bi-]houes me; And i shal drenchen him þer-inne; Ris up swiþe, an go þu binne, Line 584 And blou þe fir, and lith a kandel:" Als she shulde hise cloþes handel

On forto don, and blawe þe [MS. þer.] fir, [folio 207a:2] She saw þer-inne a lith ful shir, Line 588 Also brith so it were day, Aboute þe knaue þer he lay. Of hise mouth it stod a stem, Als it were a sunnebem; Line 592 Also lith was it þer-inne, So þer brenden cerges inne: [Qu. þrinne. See ll. 716, 761, 2125.] "Ihesu crist!" wat dame leue, "Hwat is þat lith in vre cleue! Line 596 Sir [Qu. stir, or stirt.] up grim, and loke wat it menes, Hwat is þe lith as þou wenes?" He stirten boþe up to the knaue, For man shal god wille haue, Line 600 Vnkeueleden him, and swiþe unbounden, And sone anon [upon] him funden, Als he tirneden of his serk, On his rith shuldre a kyne merk; Line 604 A swiþe brith, a swiþe fair: "Goddot!" quath grim, "þis [is] ure eir Þat shal [ben] louerd of denemark, He shal ben king strong and stark; Line 608 He shal hauen in his hand A[l] denemark and engeland; He shal do godard ful wo, He shal him hangen, or quik flo; Line 612 Or he shal him al quic graue, Of him shal he no merci haue." Þus seide grim, and sore gret, And sone fel him to þe fet, Line 616 And seide, "louerd, haue merci Of me, and leue, that is me bi! Louerd, we aren boþe þine, Þine cherles, þine hine. Line 620

Line 620 Lowerd, we sholen þe wel fede, Til þat þu cone riden on stede, Til þat þu cone ful wel bere Helm on heued, sheld and spere. Line 624 He ne shal neuere wite, sikerlike, Godard, þat fule swike. Þoru oþer man, louerd, than þoru þe, Sal i neuere freman be. Line 628 Þou shalt me, louerd, fre maken, For i shal yemen þe, and waken; Þoru þe wile i fredom haue:" Þo was haueloc a bliþe knaue. [folio 207b:1] Line 632 He sat him up, and crauede bred. And seide, "ich am [wel] ney ded, Hwat for hunger, wat for bondes Þat þu leidest on min hondes; Line 636 And for [þe] keuel at þe laste, Þat in mi mouth was þrist faste. y was þe[r]-with so harde prangled, Þat i was þe[r]-with ney strangled." Line 640 "Wel is me þat þu mayth hete: Goddoth!" quath leue, "y shal þe fete Bred an chese, butere and milk, Pastees and flaunes, al with suilk Line 644 Shole we sone þe wel fede, Louerd, in þis mikel nede, Soth it is, þat men seyt and suereth: 'Þer god wile helpen, nouth no dereth.' " Line 648

Þanne sho hauede brouth þe mete, Haueloc anon bigan to ete Grundlike, and was ful bliþe; Couþe he nouth his hunger Miþe. Line 652 A lof he het, y woth, and more, For him hungrede swiþe sore. Þre dayes þer-biforn, i wene,

Et he no mete, þat was wel sene. Line 656 Hwan he hauede eten, and was fed, Grim dede maken a ful fayr bed; Vncloþede him, and dede him þer-inne, And seyde, "Slep sone, with michel winne; Line 660 Slep wel faste, and dred þe nouth, Fro sorwe to ioie art þu brouth." Sone so it was lith of day, Grim it under-tok þe wey Line 664 To þe wicke traitour godard, Þat was denemak a [Qu. Denemarkes.] stiward, And seyde, "louerd, don ich haue Þat þou me bede of þe knaue; Line 668 He is drenched in þe flod, Abouten his hals an anker god; He is witer-like ded, Eteth he neure more bred; Line 672 He liþ drenched in þe se:— Yif me gold [and] oþer fe, [Cf. l. 1225.] Þat y mowe riche be; And with þi chartre make [me] fre, Line 676 For þu ful wel bi-hetet me, [folio 207b:2] Þanne i last[e] spak with þe." Godard stod, and lokede on him Þoruth-like, with eyne grim; Line 680 And seyde, "Wiltu [nou] ben erl? Go hom swiþe, fule drit, cherl; Go heþen, and be euere-more Þral and cherl, als þou er wore. Line 684 Shal [þou] haue non oþer mede; For litel i [shal] [The MS. has "ig," but the g is expuncted; and it omits "shal."] do þe lede To þe galues, so god me rede!

For þou haues don a wicke dede. Line 688 Þou Mait stonden her to longe, Bute þou swiþe eþen gonge."

Grim thoucte to late þat he ran Fro þat traytour, þa wicke man; Line 692 And þoucte, "wat shal me to rede? Wite he him onliue, he wile beþe Heye hangen on galwe-tre: Betere us is of londe to fle, Line 696 And berwen boþen ure liues, And mine children, and mine wiues." Grim solde sone al his corn, Shep wit wolle, neth wit horn, Line 700 Hors, and swin, [and gate] wit berd, Þe gees, þe hennes of þe yerd; Al he solde, þat outh douthe, That he eure selle moucte, Line 704 And al he to þe peni drou: Hise ship he greyþede wel inow, He dede it tere, an ful wel pike, Þat it ne doutede sond ne krike; Line 708 Þer-inne dide a ful god mast, Stronge kables, and ful fast, Ores god, an ful god seyl, Þer-inne wantede nouth a nayl, Line 712 Þat euere he sholde þer-inne do: Hwan he hauedet greyþed so, Hauelok þe yunge he dide þer-inne, Him and his wif, hise sones þrinne, Line 716 And hise two doutres, þat faire wore, And sone dede he leyn in an ore, And drou him to þe heye se, Þere he mith alþer-best[e] fle. Line 720 Fro londe woren he bote a mile,

Ne were neuere but ane hwile, [folio 208a:1] Þat it ne bigan a wind to Rise Out of þe north, men calleth 'bise' Line 724 And drof hem intil engelond, Þat al was siþen in his hond, His, þat hauelok was þe name; But or he hauede michel shame, Line 728 Michel sorwe, and michel tene, And þrie he gat it al bidene; Als ye shulen nou forthwar lere, [MS. here; read lere. Cf. ll. 12, 1640.] Yf that ye wilen þer-to here. Line 732

IN humber grim bigan to lende, In lindeseye, Rith at þe north ende. Þer sat is ship up-on þe sond, But grim it drou up to þe lond; Line 736 And þere he made a litel cote, To him and to hise flote. Bigan he þere for to erþe, A litel hus to maken of erþe, Line 740 So þat he wel þore were Of here herboru herborwed þere; And for þat grim þat place aute, Þe stede of grim þe name laute; Line 744 So þat [hit] grimesbi calleth alle Þat þer-offe speken alle, And so shulen men callen it ay, Bituene þis and domesday. Line 748

Grim was fishere swiþe god, And mikel couþe on the flod; Mani god fish þer-inne he tok, Boþe with neth, and with hok. Line 752 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: Line 756 Keling he tok, and tumberel, Hering, and þe makerel, Þe Butte, þe schulle, þe þornebake: Gode paniers dede he make Line 760 Ontil him, and oþer þrinne, Til hise sones to beren fish inne, Vp o-londe to selle and fonge; Forbar he neyþe[r] tun, ne gronge, Line 764 Þat he ne to-yede with his ware; Kam he neuere hom hand-bare, Þat he ne broucte bred and sowel, [folio 208a:2] In his shirte, or in his couel; Line 768 In his poke benes and korn:— Hise swink ne hauede he nowt forlorn. And hwan he tok þe grete laumprei, Ful we[l] he couþe þe rithe wei Line 772 To lincolne, þe gode boru; Ofte he yede it þoru and þoru, Til he hauede wol [Qu. ful or al.] wel sold, And þer-fore þe penies told. Line 776 Þanne he com, þenne he were bliþe, For hom he brouthe fele siþe Wastels, simenels with þe horn, Hise pokes fulle of mele an korn, Line 780 Netes flesh, shepes, and swines, And hemp to maken of gode lines; And stronge ropes to hise netes, In þe se weren he ofte setes. [Sic in MS.] Line 784

Þus-gate grim him fayre ledde. Him and his genge wel he fedde Wel twelf winter, oþer more: Hauelok was war þat grim swank sore Line 788

Line 788 For his mete, and he lay at hom: Thouthe, "ich am nou no grom; Ich am wel waxen, and wel may eten More þan euere Grim may geten. Line 792 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, Line 796 For to leren sum god to gete; Swinken ich wolde for mi mete. It is no shame forto swinken; Þe man þat may wel eten and drinken, Line 800 Þat nouth ne haue but on swink long, To liggen at hom it is ful strong. God yelde him þer i ne [MS. ine.] may, Þat haueth me fed to þis day! Line 804 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. Line 808 Shal ich neuere lengere dwelle, To morwen shal ich forth pelle."

On þe morwen, hwan it was day, He stirt up sone, and nouth ne lay; [folio 208b:1] Line 812 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! [Cf. ll. 1711, 1972.] Line 816 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. Line 820 So yede he forth ilke day, Þat he neuere at home lay.

So wolde he his mester lere; Bifel it so a strong dere Line 824 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: Line 828 For he was strong, and wel mouthe ete More þanne heuere mouthe he gete; Ne he ne mouthe on þe se take Neyþer lenge, ne þorn[e]bake, [See l. 759.] Line 832 Ne non oþer fish þat douthe His meyne feden with he[r] [Qu. her, i.e. their. MS. he.] mouthe. Of hauelok he hauede kare, Hwilgat þat he micthe fare; Line 836 Of his children was him nouth, On hauelok was al hise þouth, And seyde, "hauelok, dere sone, I wene that we deye mone Line 840 For hunger, þis dere is so strong, And hure mete is uten long. Betere is þat þu henne gonge, Þan þu here dwelle longe; Line 844 Heþen þow mayt gangen to late; Thou canst ful wel þe ricthe gate To lincolne, þe gode borw, Þou hauest it gon ful ofte þoru; Line 848 Of me ne is me nouth a slo, Betere is þat þu þider go, For þer is mani god man inne, Þer þou mayt þi mete winne. Line 852 But wo is me! þou art so naked, Of mi seyl y wolde þe were maked A cloth, þou mithest inne gongen, Sone, no cold þat þu ne fonge." Line 856

Line 856

He tok þe sh[e]res [Qu. sheres. MS. shres.] of þe nayl, [folio 208b:2] And made him a couel of þe sayl, And hauelok dide it sone on; Hauede neyþer hosen ne shon, Line 860 Ne none kines oþe[r] wede; To lincolne barfot he yede. Hwan he kam þe[r], he was ful wil, Ne hauede he no frend to gangen til; Line 864 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!" Line 868 [Poure þat on fote yede] [Cf. ll. 91, 101. Here and below an additional line seems re|quisite.] Sprongen forth so sparke on glede. Hauelok shof dun nyne or ten, Rith amidewarde þe fen, Line 872 And stirte forth to þe kok, [Þer the herles mete he tok,] Þat he bouthe at þe brigge: Þe bermen let he alle ligge, Line 876 And bar þe mete to þe castel, And gat him þere a ferþing wastel.

Þet oþer day kepte he ok Swiþe yerne þe erles kok, Line 880 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: Line 884 "Bermen, bermen, hider swiþe!" Hauelok it herde, and was ful bliþe, Þat he herde "bermen" calle; Alle made he hem dun falle Line 888

Line 888 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; Line 892 Astirte til him with his rippe, And bigan þe fish to kippe. He bar up wel a carte lode Of segges, laxes, of playces brode, Line 896 Of grete laumprees, and of eles; Sparede he neyþer tos ne heles, Til þat he to þe castel cam, Þat men fro him his birþene nam. Line 900 Þan men haueden holpen him doun With þe birþene of his croun, Þe kok [bi] stod, and on him low, And þoute him stalworþe man ynow, [folio 209a:1] Line 904 And seyde, "wiltu ben wit me? Gladlike wile ich feden þe; Wel is set þe mete þu etes, And þe hire þat þu getes." Line 908

"Goddot!" [Soddot, MS.] quoth he, "leue sire, Bidde ich you non oþer hire; But yeueþ me inow to ete, Fir and water y wile yow fete, Line 912 Þe fir blowe, an ful wele maken; Stickes kan ich breken and kraken, And kindlen ful wel a fyr, And maken it to brennen shir; Line 916 Ful wel kan ich cleuen shides, Eles to-turnen [MS. to turuen; but the u and n are almost indistinguishable. Cf. l. 603; and William of Palerne, 2590.] of here hides; Ful wel kan ich dishes swilen, And don al þat ye euere wilen." Line 920 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 in þe led. Line 924 Sit now doun and et ful yerne: Daþeit hwo þe mete werne!"

Hauelok sette him dun anon, Also stille als a ston, Line 928 Til he hauede ful wel eten; Þo hauede hauelok fayre geten. Hwan he hauede eten inow, He kam to þe welle, water up-drow, Line 932 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. Line 936 Bad he non him water to 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; Line 940 Al that euere shulden he nytte, Al he drow, and al he citte; Wolde he neuere hauen rest, More þan he were a best. Line 944 Cf alle men was he mest meke, Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke; Euere he was glad and bliþe, His sorwe he couþe ful wel miþe. Line 948 It ne was non so litel knaue, [folio 209a:2] For to leyken, ne forto plawe, Þat he ne wo[l]de with him pleye: Þe children that y[e]den in þe weie Line 952 Of him he deden al he[r] wille, And with him leykeden here fille. Him loueden alle, stille and bolde, Knictes, children, yunge and holde; Line 956

Line 956 Alle him loueden þat him sowen, Boþen heyemen and lowe. Of him ful wide þe word sprong, Hw he was mike, hw he was strong, Line 960 Hw fayr man god him hauede maked, But on þat he was almest naked: For he ne hauede nouth to shride, But a kouel ful unride, Line 964 Þat [was] ful, and swiþe wicke, Was it nouth worth a fir sticke. Þe cok bigan of him to rewe, And bouthe him cloþes, al spannewe; Line 968 He bouthe him boþe hosen and shon, And sone dide him dones on. Hwan he was cloþed, osed, and shod, Was non so fayr under god, Line 972 Þat euere yete in erþe were, Non þat euere moder bere; It was neuere man þat yemede In kinneriche, þat so wel semede Line 976 King or cayser forto be, Þan he was shrid, so semede he; For þanne he weren alle samen At lincolne, at þe gamen, Line 980 And þe erles men woren al þore, Þan was hauelok bi þe shuldren more Þan þe meste þat þer kam: In armes him noman [ne] nam, Line 984 Þat he doune sone ne caste; Hauelok stod ouer hem als a mast. Als he was heie, al [Qu. so; see l. 991.] he was long, He was boþe stark and strong; Line 988 In engelond [was] non hise per Of strengþe þat euere kam him ner. Als he was strong, so was he softe;

Þey a man him misdede ofte, Line 992 Neuere more he him misdede, Ne hond on him with yuele leyde. [folio 209b:1] Of bodi was he mayden clene, Neuere yete in game, ne in grene, Line 996 Þit [Qu. wit = with: miswritten owing to confusion of þ with ƿ (w)?] hire ne wolde leyke ne lye, No more þan it were a strie. In þat time al hengelond Þerl Godrich hauede in his hond, Line 1000 And he gart komen into þe tun Mani erl, and mani barun; And alle [men] þat liues were In eng[e]lond, þanne wer þere, Line 1004 Þat þey haueden after sent, To ben þer at þe parlement. With hem com mani chanbioun, Mani with ladde, blac and brown; Line 1008 An fel it so, þat yunge men, Wel abouten nine or ten, Bigunnen þe[r] for to layke: Þider komen bothe stronge and wayke; Line 1012 Þider komen lesse and more, Þat in þe borw þanne weren þore; Chaunpiouns, and starke laddes, Bondemen with here gaddes, Line 1016 Als he comen fro þe plow; Þere was sembling i-now! For it ne was non horse-knaue, Þo þei sholden in honde haue, Line 1020 Þat he ne kam þider, þe leyk to se: Biforn here fet þanne lay a tre, And putten [MS. pulten. But see ll. 1031, 1033, 1044, 1051, &c.] with a mikel ston Þe starke laddes, ful god won. Line 1024

Line 1024 Þe ston was mikel, and ek greth, And al so heui so a neth; Grund stalwrthe man he sholde be, Þat mouthe liften it to his kne; Line 1028 Was þer neyþer clerc, ne prest, Þat mithe liften it to his brest: Þerwit putten the chaunpiouns, Þat þider comen with þe barouns. Line 1032 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. Line 1036 Al-so þe[i] stoden, an ofte stareden, Þe chaunpiouns, and ek the ladden, And he maden mikel strout [folio 209b:2] Abouten þe alþerbeste but, Line 1040 Hauelok stod, and lokede þer-til; And of puttingge he was ful wil, For neuere yete ne saw he or Putten the stone, or þanne þor. Line 1044 Hise mayster bad him gon þer-to, Als he couþe þer-with do. Þo hise mayster it him bad, He was of him sore adrad; Line 1048 Þerto he stirte sone anon, And kipte up þat heui ston, Þat he sholde puten wiþe; He putte at þe firste siþe, Line 1052 Ouer alle þat þer wore, Twel fote, and sumdel more. Þe chaunpiouns þat [þat] put sowen, Shuldreden he ilc oþer, and lowen; Line 1056 Wolden he no more to putting gange, But seyde, "we [In the former edition—"ye". But the y is not dotted, and it may be "ƿe."] dwellen her to longe!"

Þis selkouth mithe nouth ben hyd, Ful sone it was ful loude kid Line 1060 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; Line 1064 Þoruth england yede þe speke, [MS. speche. Read "speke," as in l. 946.] Hw he was strong, and ek meke; In the castel, up in þe halle, Þe knithes speken þer-of alle, Line 1068 So that Godrich it herde wel Þe[r] speken of hauelok, eueri del, Hw he was strong man and hey, Hw he was strong and ek fri, Line 1072 And þouthte godrich, "þoru þis knaue Shal ich engelond al haue, And mi sone after me; For so i wile þat it be. Line 1076 The king aþelwald me dide swere Vpon al þe messe-gere, Þat y shu[l]de his douthe[r] yeue Þe hexte þat mithe liue, Line 1080 Þe beste, þe fairest, þe strangest ok; Þat gart he me sweren on þe bok. Hwere mithe i finden ani so hey So hauelok is, or so sley? [folio 210a:1] Line 1084 Þou y southe heþen in-to ynde, So fayr, so strong, ne mithe y finde. Hauelok is þat ilke knaue, Þat shal goldeborw haue." Line 1088 Þis þouthe [he] with trechery, With traysoun, and wit felony; For he wende, þat hauelok wore Sum cherles sone, and no more; Line 1092 Ne shulde he hauen of engellond

Onlepi forw in his hond, With hire, þat was þerof eyr, Þat boþe was god and swiþe fair. Line 1096 He wende, þat hauelok wer a þral, Þer-þoru he wende hauen al In engelond, þat hire rith was; He was werse þan sathanas, Line 1100 Þat ihesu crist in erþe shop: [Qu. shok or strok.] Hanged worþe he on an hok!

After goldebo[r]w sone he sende, Þat was boþe fayr and hende, Line 1104 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. Line 1108 He seyde, þat he sholde hire yeue Þe fayrest man that mithe liue. She answerede, and seyde anon, Bi crist, and bi seint iohan, Line 1112 Þat hire sholde noman wedde, Ne noman bringen to hire [Qu. hise.] bedde, But he were king, or kinges eyr, Were he neuere man so fayr. Line 1116

Godrich þe erl was swiþe wroth, Þat she swore swilk an oth, And seyde, "hwor þou wilt be Quen and leuedi ouer me? Line 1120 Þou shalt hauen a gadeling, Ne shalt þou hauen non oþer king; Þe shal spusen mi cokes knaue, Ne shalt þou non oþer louerd haue. Line 1124 Daþeit þat þe oþer yeue Euere more hwil i liue!

To-mo[r]we ye sholen ben weddeth, And, maugre þin, to-gidere beddeth." Line 1128 Goldeborw gret, and was [The first letter of this word is either þ or a Saxon w (ƿ). I read it as the latter.] hire ille, [folio 210a:2] She wolde ben ded bi hire wille. On the morwen, hwan day was sprungen, And day-belle at kirke rungen, Line 1132 After hauelok sente þat iudas, Þat werse was þanne sathanas: And seyde, "mayster, wilte wif?" "Nay," quoth hauelok, "bi my lif! Line 1136 Hwat sholde ich with wif do? I ne may hire fede, ne cloþe, ne sho. Wider sholde ich wimman bringe? I ne haue none kines þinge. Line 1140 I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote, Ne i ne [MS. ine.] haue stikke, y ne haue sprote, I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel, Ne cloth, but of an hold with couel. Line 1144 Þis cloþes, þat ich onne haue, Aren þe kokes, and ich his knaue." Godrich stirt up, and on him dong [With dintes swiþe hard and strong,] Line 1148 And seyde, "But þou hire take, Þat y wole yeuen þe to make, I shal hangen þe ful heye, Or y shal þristen vth þin heie." Line 1152 Hauelok was one, and was odrat, And grauntede him al þat he bad. Þo sende he after hire sone, Þe fayrest wymman under mone; Line 1156 And seyde til hire, [false] [Both sense and metre require this word.] and slike, Þat wicke þral, þat foule swike: "But þu þis man under-stonde,

I shal flemen þe of londe; Line 1160 Or þou shal to þe galwes renne, And þer þou shalt in a fir brenne." Sho was adrad, for he so þrette, And durste nouth þe spusing lette, Line 1164 But þey hire likede swiþe ille, Þouthe it was godes wille: God, þat makes to growen þe korn, Formede hire wimman to be born. Line 1168 Hwan he hauede don him for drede, Þat he sholde hire spusen, and fede, And þat she sholde til him holde, Þer weren penies þicke tolde, Line 1172 Mikel plente upon þe bok: He ys hire yaf, and she as tok. He weren spused fayre and wel, [folio 210b:1] Þe messe he deden eueridel, Line 1176 Þat fel to spusing, and god cle[r]k, Þe erchebishop uth of yerk, Þat kam to þe parlement, Als god him hauede þider sent. Line 1180

Hwan he weren togydere in godes lawe, Þat þe folc ful wel it sawe, He ne wisten hwat he mouthen, Ne he ne wisten wat hem douthe; Line 1184 Þer to dwellen, or þenne to gonge, Þer ne wolden he dwellen longe, For he wisten, and ful wel sawe, Þat godrich hem hatede, þe deuel him hawe! Line 1188 And yf he dwelleden þer outh— Þat fel hauelok ful wel on þouth— Men sholde don his leman shame, Or elles bringen in wicke blame. Line 1192 Þat were him leuere to ben ded, For-þi he token anoþer red,

Þat þei sholden þenne fle Til grim, and til hise sones þre; Line 1196 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, Line 1200 And helden ay the riþe [sti] [A word is here erased; but see l. 2618.] Til he komen to grimesby. Þanne he komen þere, þanne was grim ded, Of him ne haueden he no red; Line 1204 But hise children alle fyue Alle weren yet on liue; Þat ful fayre ayen hem neme, Hwan he wisten þat he keme, Line 1208 And maden ioie swiþe mikel, Ne weren he neuere ayen hem fikel. On knes ful fayre he hem setten, And hauelok swiþe fayre gretten, Line 1212 And seyden, "welkome, louerd dere! And welkome be þi fayre fere! Blessed be þat ilke þrawe, Þat þou hire toke in godes lawe! Line 1216 Wel is hus we sen þe on lyue, Þou mithe us boþe selle and yeue; Þou mayt us boþe yeue and selle, With þat þou wilt here dwelle. [folio 210b:2] Line 1220 We hauen, louerd, alle gode, Hors, and neth, and ship on flode, Gold, and siluer, and michel auchte, Þat grim ure fader us bitawchte. Line 1224 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; Line 1228 Þo shalt ben louerd, þou shalt ben syre,

And we sholen seruen þe and hire; And hure sistres sholen do Al that euere biddes sho; Line 1232 He sholen hire cloþen, washen, and wringen, And to hondes water bringen; He sholen bedden hire and þe, For leuedi wile we þat she be." Line 1236 Hwan he þis ioie haueden maked, Sithen stikes broken and kraked, And þe fir brouth on brenne, Ne was þer spared gos ne henne, Line 1240 Ne þe hende, ne þe drake, Mete he deden plente make; Ne wantede þere no god mete, Wyn and ale deden he fete, Line 1244 And made[n] hem [ful] glade and bliþe, Wesseyl ledden he fele siþe.

On þe nith, als goldeborw lay, Sory and sorwful was she ay, Line 1248 For she wende she were bi-swike, Þat sh[e w]ere [MS. shere, evidently miswritten for she were.] yeuen un-kyndelike. O nith saw she þer-inne a lith, A swiþe fayr, a swiþe bryth, Line 1252 Al so brith, al so shir, So it were a blase of fir. She lokede no[r]þ, [MS. noþ.] and ek south, And saw it comen ut of his mouth, Line 1256 Þat lay bi hire in þe bed: No ferlike þou she were adred. Þouthe she, "wat may this bi-mene! He beth heyman yet, als y wene, Line 1260 He beth heyman er he be ded:"— On hise shuldre, of gold red She saw a swiþe noble croiz,

Of an angel she herde a uoyz: Line 1264

"Goldeborw, lat þi sorwe be, [folio 211a:1] For hauelok, þat haueþ spuset þe, He [Qu. Is.] kinges sone, and kinges eyr, Þat bikenneth þat croiz so fayr. Line 1268 It [MS. Iit.] bikenneth more, þat he shal Denemark hauen, and englond al; He shal ben king strong and stark Of engelond and denemark; Line 1272 Þat shal þu wit þin eyne sen, And þo shalt quen and leuedi ben!"

Þanne she hauede herd the steuene Of þe angel uth of heuene, Line 1276 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. Line 1280 Hwan þat aungel hauede seyd, Of his slep a-non he brayd, And seide, "lemman, slepes þou? A selkuth drem dremede me nou. Line 1284

Herkne nou hwat me haueth met: Me þouthe y was in denemark set, But on on þe moste hil Þat euere yete kam i til. Line 1288 It was so hey, þat y wel mouthe Al þe werd se, als me þouthe. Als i sat up-on þat lowe, I bigan denemark for to awe, Line 1292 Þe borwes, and þe castles stronge; And mine armes weren so longe, That i fadmede, al at ones,

denemark, with mine longe bones; Line 1296 And þanne y wolde mine armes drawe Til me, and hom for to haue, Al that euere in denemark liueden On mine armes faste clyueden; Line 1300 And þe stronge castles alle On knes bigunnen for to falle, Þe keyes fellen at mine fet:— Anoþer drem dremede me ek, Line 1304 Þat ich fley ouer þe salte se Til engeland, and al with me Þat euere was in denemark lyues, But bondemen, and here wiues, Line 1308 And þat ich kom til engelond, Al closede it intil min hond, [folio 211a:2] And, goldeborw, y gaf [it] þe:— Deus! lemman, hwat may þis be?" Line 1312 Sho answerede, and seyde sone: "Ihesu crist, þat made mone, Þine dremes turne to ioye; Þat wite þw that sittes in trone! Line 1316 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; Line 1320 Alle þe castles þat aren þer-inne, Shal-tow, lemman, ful wel winne. I woth, so wel so ich it sowe, To þe shole comen heye and lowe, Line 1324 And alle þat in denemark wone, Em and broþer, fader and sone, Erl and baroun, dreng an kayn, Knithes, and burgeys, and sweyn; Line 1328 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; Line 1332 Þer-offe with-inne þe firste yer Shalt þou ben king, of euere-il del. But do nou als y wile rathe, Nim in with þe to denema[r]k baþe, Line 1336 And do þou nouth onfrest þis fare, Lith and selthe felawes are. For shal ich neuere bliþe be Til i with eyen denemark se; Line 1340 For ich woth, þat al þe lond Shalt þou hauen in þin hon[d]. Prey grimes sones alle þre, That he wenden forþ with þe; Line 1344 I wot, he wilen þe nouth werne, With þe wende shulen he yerne, For he louen þe herte-like, Þou maght til he aren quike, Line 1348 Hwore so he o worde aren; Þere ship þou do hem swithe yaren, And loke þat þou dwellen nouth: Dwelling haueth ofte scaþe wrouth." Line 1352

Hwan Hauelok herde þat she radde, Sone it was day, sone he him cladde, And sone to þe kirke yede, [folio 211b:1] Or he dide ani oþer dede, Line 1356 And bifor þe rode bigan falle, Croiz and crist bi[gan] to kalle, And seyde, "louerd, þat al weldes, Wind and water, wodes and feldes, Line 1360 For the holi milce of you, Haue merci of me, louerd, nou! And wreke me yet on mi fo, Þat ich saw biforn min eyne slo Line 1364 Mine sistres, with a knif,

And siþen wolde me mi lyf Haue reft, for in the [depe] se Bad he grim haue drenched me. Line 1368 He [hath] mi lond with mikel vn-Rith, With michel wrong, with mikel plith, For i ne [MS. ine.] misdede him neuere nouth, And haued me to sorwe brouth. Line 1372 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, Line 1376 Þat ihc haue ther-offe douthe and kare, With-uten stormes ouer-fare, Þat y ne drenched [be] þer-ine, Ne forfaren for no sinne. Line 1380 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!" Line 1384

Þanne he hauede his bede seyd, His offrende on þe auter leyd, His leue at ihesu crist he tok, And at his suete moder ok, Line 1388 And at þe croiz, þat he biforn lay, Siþen yede sore grotinde awey.

[In the MS. the Capital letter is prefixed to the next line.] Hwan he com hom, he wore yare, Grimes sones, forto fare Line 1392 In-to þe se, fishes to gete, Þat hauelok mithe wel of ete. But auelok þouthe al anoþer, First he ka[l]de þe heldeste broþer, Line 1396 Roberd þe rede, bi his name,

Wiliam wenduth, and h[uwe r]auen, [MS. hauen. Cf. ll. 1868, 2528. Only an assonance, not a rime, seems intended.] Grimes sones alle þre, And sey[d]e, "liþes nou alle to me, [folio 211b:2] Line 1400 Louerdinges, ich wile you sheue, A þing of me þat ye wel knewe. Mi fader was king of denshe lond, Denemark was al in his hond Line 1404 Þe day þat he was quik and ded; But þanne hauede he wicke red, Þat he me, and denemark al, And mine sistres bi-tawte a þral: Line 1408 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; Line 1412 First he shar a-two here þrotes, And siþen [karf] hem al to grotes, And siþen bad [he] in þe se Grim, youre fader, drenchen me. Line 1416 Deplike dede he him swere On bok, þat he sholde me bere Vnto þe se, an drenchen ine, And wolde taken on him þe sinne. Line 1420 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; Line 1424 But sone bigan he forto fle Fro denemark, forto berwen [MS. berƿen, the A.S. w being used here. Cf. l. 697.] me, For yif [MS. yif.] ich hauede þer ben funden, Hauede ben slayn, or harde bunden, Line 1428 And heye ben henged on a tre,

Hauede go for him gold ne fe. For-þi fro denemark hider he fledde, And me ful fayre and ful wel fedde, Line 1432 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, Line 1436 And y may grete dintes yeue, Shal i neuere hwil ich lyue Ben glad, til that ich denemark se; I preie you þat ye wende with me, Line 1440 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." [A 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."] Line 1444 * * * * * * * * * * "With swilk als ich byen shal: [folio 212a:1] Þer-of bi-seche you nou leue; Wile ich speke with non oþer reue, But with þe, þat iustise are, Line 1628 Þat y mithe seken [Qu. sellen.] mi ware In gode borwes up and doun, And faren ich wile fro tun to tun." A gold ring drow he forth anon, Line 1632 An hundred pund was worth þe ston, And yaf it ubbe for to spede:— He was ful wis þat first yaf mede, And so was hauelok ful wis here, Line 1636

Line 1636 He solde his gold ring ful dere, Was neuere non so dere sold, For chapmen, neyþer yung ne old: Þat sholen [MS. shoren.] ye forthward ful wel heren, Line 1640 Yif þat ye wile þe storie heren.

Hwan ubbe hauede þe gold ring, Hauede he youenet for no þing, Nouth for þe borw euere-il del:— Line 1644 Hauelok bi-hel he swiþe wel, Hw he was wel of bones maked, Brod in þe sholdres, ful wel schaped, Þicke in þe brest, of bodi long; Line 1648 He semede wel to ben wel strong. "Deus!" hwat ubbe, "qui ne were he knith? I woth, þat he is swiþe with! Betere semede him to bere Line 1652 Helm on heued, sheld and spere, Þanne to beye and selle ware. Allas! þat he shal þer-with fare. Goddot! wile he trowe me, Line 1656 Chaffare shal he late be." Neþeles he seyde sone: "Hauelok, haue [þou] þi bone, And y ful wel rede þ[e] Line 1660 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, Line 1664 Shal hire no man shame bede. Bi þe fey that y owe to þe, Þerof shal i me serf-borw be."

Hauelok herde þat he bad, Line 1668 And thow was he ful sore drad, With him to ete, for hise wif; [folio 212a:2]

For him wore leuere þat his lif Him wore reft, þan she in blame Line 1672 Felle, or lauthe ani shame. Hwanne he hauede his wille wat, [MS. either þat or ƿat.] Þe stede, þat he onne sat, Smot ubbe with spures faste, Line 1676 And forth awey, but at þe laste, Or he fro him ferde, Seyde he, þat his folk herde: "Loke þat ye comen beþe, Line 1680 For ich it wile, and ich it rede."

Hauelok ne durste, þe he were adrad, Nouth with-sitten þat ubbe bad; His wif he dide with him lede, Line 1684 Vn-to þe heye curt he y[e]de. [MS. yde.] Roberd hire ledde, þat was red, Þat hau[ed]e þarned for hire þe ded Or ani hauede hire misseyd, Line 1688 Or hand with iuele onne leyd. Willam wendut was þat oþer Þat hire ledde, roberdes broþer, Þat was with at alle nedes: Line 1692 Wel is him þat god man fedes! Þan he weren comen to þe halle, Biforen ubbe, and hise men alle, Vbbe stirte hem ageyn, Line 1696 And mani a knith, and mani a sweyn, Hem for to se, and forto shewe; Þo stod hauelok als a lowe Aboven [þo] þat þer-inne wore, Line 1700 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, Line 1704

Line 1704 Fro him ne mithe his herte wende, Ne fro him, ne fro his wif; He louede hem sone so his lif. Weren non in denemark, þat him þouthe, Line 1708 Þat he so mikel loue mouthe; More he louede hauelok one, Þan al denemark, bi mine wone! Loke nou, hw god helpen kan Line 1712 O mani wise wif and man.

Hwan it was comen time to ete, Hise wif dede ubbe sone in fete, [folio 212b:1] And til hire seyde, al on gamen: Line 1716 "Dame, þou and hauelok shulen ete samen, And goldeboru shal ete wit me, Þat is so fayr so flour on tre; In al denemark nis [MS. is.] wimman Line 1720 So fayr so sche, bi seint iohan!" Þanne [he] were set, and bord leyd, And þe beneysun was seyd, Biforn hem com þe beste mete Line 1724 Þat king or cayser wolde ete; Kranes, swannes, ueneysun, Lax, lampreys, and god sturgun, Pyment to drinke, and god clare, Line 1728 Win hwit and red, ful god plente. Was þer-inne no page so lite, Þat euere wolde ale bite. Of þe mete forto tel, Line 1732 Ne of þe metes [Qu. win.] bidde i nout dwelle; Þat is þe storie for to lenge, It wolde anuye þis fayre genge. But hwan he haueden þe kiwing [Uncertain in MS. See note.] deled, Line 1736 And fele siþes haueden wosseyled, And with gode drinkes seten longe,

And it was time for to gonge, Il man to þer he cam fro, Line 1740 Þouthe ubbe, "yf I late hem go, Þus one foure, with-uten mo, So mote ich brouke finger or to, For þis wimman bes mike wo! Line 1744 For hire shal men hire louerd slo." He tok sone knithes ten, And wel sixti oþer men, Wit gode bowes, and with gleiues, Line 1748 And sende him unto þe greyues, Þe beste man of al þe toun, Þat was named bernard brun; And bad him, als he louede his lif, Line 1752 Hauelok wel y[e]men, [MS. ymen.] and his wif, And wel do wayten al þe nith, Til þe oþer day, þat it were lith. Bernard was trewe, and swiþe with, Line 1756 In al þe borw ne was no knith Þat betere couþe on stede riden, Helm on heued, ne swerd bi side. Hauelok he gladlike under-stod, [folio 212b:2] Line 1760 With mike loue, and herte god, And dide greyþe a super riche, Also he was no with chinche, To his bihoue euer-il del, Line 1764 Þat he mithe supe swiþe wel.

Also he seten, and sholde soupe, So comes a ladde in a ioupe, And with him sixti oþer stronge, Line 1768 With swerdes drawen, and kniues longe, Ilkan in hande a ful god gleiue, And seyde, "undo, bernard þe greyue! Vndo swiþe, and latus [Sic in MS.] in, Line 1772

Line 1772 Or þu art ded, bi seint austin!" Bernard stirt up, þat was ful big, And caste a brinie up-on his rig, And grop an ax, [MS. ar; but see l. 1894.] þat was ful god, Line 1776 Lep to þe dore, so he wore wod, And seyde, "hwat are ye, þat are þer-oute, Þat þus biginnen forto stroute? Goth henne swiþe, fule þeues, Line 1780 For, bi þe louerd, þat man on leues, Shol ich casten þe dore open, Summe of you shal ich drepen! And þe oþre shal ich kesten Line 1784 In feteres, and ful faste festen!" "Hwat haue ye seid," quoth a ladde, "Wenestu þat we ben adradde? We shole at þis dore gonge Line 1788 Maugre þin, carl, or outh longe." He gripen sone a bulder ston, And let it fleye, ful god won, Agen þe dore, þat it to-rof: Line 1792 Auelok it saw, and þider drof, And þe barre sone vt-drow, Þat was unride, and gret ynow, And caste þe dore open wide, Line 1796 And seide, "her shal y now abide: Comes swiþe vn-to me! [MS. vnto me datheit,—evidently the repetition of the first word in the succeeding line.] Datheyt hwo you henne fle!" "No," quodh on, "þat shaltou coupe," Line 1800 And bigan til him to loupe, In his hond is swerd ut-drawe, Hauelok he wende þore haue slawe; And with [him] comen oþer two, Line 1804 Þat him wolde of liue haue do. [folio 213a:1]

Hauelok lifte up þe dore-tre, And at a dint he slow hem þre; Was non of hem þat his hernes Line 1808 Ne lay þer-ute ageyn þe sternes. Þe ferþe þat he siþen mette, Wit þe barre so he him grette, Bifor þe heued, þat þe rith eye Line 1812 Vt of þe hole made he fleye, And siþe clapte him on þe crune, So þat he stan-ded fel þor dune. Þe fifte þat he ouer-tok, Line 1816 Gaf he a ful sor dint[e] ok, Bitwen þe sholdres, þer he stod, Þat he spen his herte blod. Þe sixte wende for to fle, Line 1820 And he clapte him with þe tre Rith in þe fule necke so, Þat he smot hise necke on to. Þanne þe sixe weren doun feld, Line 1824 Þe seuenþe brayd ut his swerd, And wolde hauelok Riht in the eye; And hauelok le[t þe] [Qu. Hauelok let the. MS. "haue le."] barre fleye, And smot him sone ageyn þe brest, Line 1828 Þat hauede he neuere sch[r]ifte of prest; For he was ded on lesse hwile, Þan men mouthe renne a mile. Alle þe oþere weren ful kene, Line 1832 A red þei taken hem bi-twene, þat he sholde him bi-halue, And brisen so, þat wit no salue Ne sholde him helen leche non: Line 1836 Þey drowen ut swerdes, ful god won, And shoten on him, so don on bere Dogges, þat wolden him to-tere,

Þanne men doth þe bere beyte: Line 1840 Þe laddes were kaske and teyte, And vn-bi-yeden him ilkon, Sum smot with tre, and sum wit ston; Summe putten with gleyue, in bac and side, Line 1844 And yeuen wundes longe and wide; In twenti stedes, and wel mo, Fro þe croune til the to. Hwan he saw þat, he was wod, Line 1848 And was it ferlik hw he stod, For the blod ran of his sides [folio 213a:2] So water þat fro þe welle glides; But þanne bigan he for to mowe Line 1852 With the barre, and let hem shewe, Hw he cowþe sore smite, For was þer non, long ne lite, Þat he Mouthe ouer-take, Line 1856 Þat he ne garte his croune krake; So þat on a litel stund, Felde he twenti to þe grund.

þo bigan gret dine to rise, Line 1860 For þe laddes on ilke wise Him asayleden wit grete dintes, Fro fer he stoden, him with flintes And gleyues schoten him fro ferne, Line 1864 For drepen him he wolden yerne; But dursten he newhen him no more, Þanne he bor or leun wore.

Huwe rauen þat dine herde, Line 1868 And þowthe wel, þat men mis-ferde With his louerd, for his wif, And grop an ore, and a long knif, And þider drof al so an hert, Line 1872 And cham þer on a litel stert,

And saw how þe laddes wode Hauelok his louerd umbistode, And beten on him so doth þe smith Line 1876 With þe hamer on þe stith.

"Allas!" hwat hwe, "þat y was boren! Þat euere et ich bred of koren! Þat ich here þis sorwe se! Line 1880 Roberd! willam! hware ar ye? Gripeth eþer unker a god tre, And late we nouth þise doges fle, Til ure louerd wreke [we]; Line 1884 Cometh swiþe, and folwes me! Ich haue in honde a ful god ore: Datheit wo ne smite sore!" "Ya! leue, ya!" quod roberd sone, Line 1888 "We hauen ful god lith of þe mone." Roberd grop a staf, strong and gret, Þat mouthe ful wel bere a net, And willam wendut grop a tre Line 1892 Mikel grettere þan his þe, [MS. þre, the r being caught from the word above. Cf. l. 1903.] And bernard held his ax ful faste; I seye, was he nouth þe laste; [folio 213b:1] And lopen forth so he weren wode Line 1896 To þe laddes, þer he stode, And yaf hem wundes swiþe grete; Þer mithe men wel se boyes bete, And ribbes in here sides breke, Line 1900 And hauelok on hem wel wreke. He broken armes, he broken knes, He broken shankes, he broken thes. He dide þe blode þere renne dune Line 1904 To þe fet rith fro the crune, For was þer spared heued non: He leyden on heuedes, ful god won,

And made croune[s] breke and crake, Line 1908 Of þe broune, and of þe blake; He maden here backes al so bloute Als h[er]e [Qu. here. MS. he.] wombes, and made hem rowte Als he weren kradelbarnes: Line 1912 So dos þe child þat moder þarnes.

Daþeit wo [MS. "ƿe," clearly miswritten for "ƿo" or "wo." See ll. 2047, 296, 300, &c.] recke! for he it seruede, Hwat dide he þore weren he werewed; So longe haueden he but and bet Line 1916 With neues under hernes set, Þat of þo sixti men and on Ne wente þer awey liues non.

ON þe morwen, hwan [MS. "hhan," miswritten for "hƿan," from which it differs very slightly.] it was day, Line 1920 Ilc on other wirwed lay, Als it were dogges þat weren henged, And summe leye in dikes slenget, And summe in gripes bi þe her Line 1924 Drawen ware, and laten ther. Sket cam tiding intil ubbe, Þat hauelok hauede with a clubbe Of hise slawen sixti and on Line 1928 Sergaunz, þe beste þat mithen gon. "Deus!" quoth ubbe, "hwat may þis be! Betere his i nime [MS. inime.] miself and se, Þat þis baret on hwat is wold, Line 1932 Þanne i sende yunge or old. For yif i sende him un-to, I wene men sholde him shame do, And þat ne wolde ich for no þing: Line 1936

Line 1936 I loue him wel, bi heuene king! Me wore leuere i wore lame, Þanne men dide him ani shame, Or tok, or onne handes leyde, [folio 213b:2] Line 1940 Vn-ornelike, [MS. Vn ornelfke; but f should certainly be i.] or same seyde." He lep up on a stede lith, And with him mani a noble knith, And ferde forth un-to þe tun, Line 1944 And dide calle bernard brun Vt of his hus, wan he þer cam; And bernard sone ageyn [him] nam, Al to-tused and al to-torn, Line 1948 Ner also naked so he was born, And al to-brised, bac and þe: Quoth ubbe, "bernard, hwat is þe? Hwo haues þe þus ille maked, Line 1952 Þus to-riuen, and al mad naked?"

"Louerd, [MS. Iouerd.] merci," quot he sone, "To-nicht also ros þe mone Comen her mo þan sixti þeues, Line 1956 With lokene copes, and wide sleues, Me forto robben, and to pine, And for to drepe me and mine. Mi dore he broken up ful sket, Line 1960 And wolde me binden hond and fet. Wan þe godemen þat sawe, Hauelok, and he þat bi þe wowe Leye, he stirten up sone on-on, Line 1964 And summe grop tre, and sum grop ston, And driue hem ut, þei he weren crus, So dogges ut of milne-hous. Hauelok grop þe dore-tre, Line 1968 And [at] a dint he slow hem thre.

He is þe beste man at nede, Þat euere mar shal ride stede! Als helpe god, bi mine wone, Line 1972 A þhousend of men his he worth one! Yif he ne were, ich were nou ded, So haue ich don Mi soule red; But it is hof him mikel sinne; Line 1976 He maden him swilke woundes þrinne, Þat of þe alþer-leste wounde Were a stede brouht to grunde. He haues a wunde in the side, Line 1980 With a gleyue, ful un-ride, And he haues on þoru his arum, Þer-of is ful mikel harum, And he haues on þoru his þhe, [folio 214a:1] Line 1984 Þe vn-rideste þat men may se, And oþe[r] wundes haues he stronge, Mo than twenti swiþe longe. But siþen he hauede lauth þe sor Line 1988 Of þe wundes, was neuere bor Þat so fauth so he fauth þanne; Was non þat hauede þe hern-panne So hard, þat he ne dede alto-cruhsse, Line 1992 And alto-shiuere, and alto-frusshe. He folwede hem so hund dos hare, Daþeyt on he wolde spare, Þat [he] ne made hem euerilk on Line 1996 Ligge stille so doth þe ston: And þer nis he nouth to frie, For oþer sholde he make hem lye Ded, or þei him hauede slawen, Line 2000 Or alto-hewen, or al-to-drawen.

Louerd, haui no more plith Of þat ich was þus greþed to-nith. Þus wolde þe theues me haue reft, Line 2004

Line 2004 But god-þank, he hauenet sure keft. But it is of him mikel scaþe: I woth þat he bes ded ful raþe."

Quoth ubbe, "bernard, seyst þou soth?" Line 2008 "Ya, sire, that i ne [MS. ine.] lepe oth. Yif y, louerd, a word leye, To-morwen do me hengen heye." Þe burgeys þat þer-bi stode þore, Line 2012 Grundlike and grete oþes swore, Litle and mikle, yunge and holde, Þat was soth, þat bernard tolde. Soth was, þat he wolden him bynde, Line 2016 And trusse al þat he mithen fynde Of hise, in arke or in kiste, Þat he mouthe in seckes þriste. "Louerd, he haueden al awey born Line 2020 His þing, and him-self alto-torn, But als god self barw him wel, Þat he ne tinte no catel. Hwo mithe so mani stonde ageyn, Line 2024 Bi nither-tale, knith or swein? He weren bi tale sixti and ten, Starke laddes, stalworþi men, And on, þe mayster of hem alle, Line 2028 Þat was þe name giffin [Qu. griffin.] galle. Hwo mouthe agey[n] [MS. agey.] so mani stonde, [folio 214a:2] But als þis man of ferne londe Haueth hem slawen with a tre? Line 2032 Mikel ioie haue he! God yeue him mikel god to welde, Boþe in tun, and ek in felde! We[l] [Cf. ll. 772, 907.] is set he etes mete." Line 2036 Quoth ubbe, "doth him swiþe fete,

Þat y mouthe his woundes se, Yf that he mouthen heled [MS. holed. See l. 2058.] be. For yf he mouthe couere yet, Line 2040 And gangen wel up-on hise fet, Mi-self shal dubbe him to knith, For-þi þat he is so with. And yif he liuede, þo foule theues, Line 2044 Þat weren of kaym kin and eues, He sholden hange bi þe necke; Of here ded daþeit wo recke, Hwan he yeden þus on nithes Line 2048 To binde boþe burgmen and knithes. For bynderes loue ich neuere mo, Of hem ne yeue ich nouht a slo."

Hauelok was bifore ubbe browth, Line 2052 Þat hauede for him ful mikel þouth, And mikel sorwe in his herte For hise wundes, þat we[r] so smerte.

But hwan his wundes weren shewed, Line 2056 And a leche hauede knawed, Þat he hem mouthe ful wel hele, Wel make him gange, and ful wel mele, And wel a palefrey bistride, Line 2060 And wel up-on a stede ride, Þo let ubbe al his care And al his sorwe ouer-fare; And seyde, "cum now forth with me, Line 2064 And goldeboru, þi wif, with þe, And þine seriaunz al þre, For nou wile y youre warant be; Wile y non of here frend Line 2068 Þat þu slowe with þin hend Moucte wayte þe [to] slo,

Also þou gange to and fro. I shal lene þe a bowr, Line 2072 Þat is up in þe heye tour, Til þou mowe ful wel go, And wel ben hol of al þi wo. [folio 214b:1] It ne shal no þing ben bitwene Line 2076 Þi bour and min, also y wene, But a fayr firrene wowe;— Speke y loude, or spek y lowe, Þou shalt [MS. sahalt; and the second a is expuncted by mistake, instead of the first.] ful wel heren me, Line 2080 And þan þu wilt, þou shalt me se. A rof shal hile us boþe o-nith, Þat none of mine, clerk ne knith, Ne sholen þi wif no shame bede, Line 2084 No more þan min, so god me rede!"

HE dide un-to þe borw bringe Sone anon, al with ioynge, His wif, and his serganz þre, Line 2088 Þe beste men þat mouthe be. Þe firste nith he lay þer-inne, Hise wif, and his serganz þrinne, Aboute þe middel of þe nith Line 2092 Wok ubbe, and saw a mikel lith In þe bour þat hauelok lay, Also brith so it were day.

"Deus!" quoth ubbe, "hwat may þis be? Line 2096 Betere is i go miself, and se: Hweþer he sitten nou, and wesseylen, Or of ani shotshipe to-deyle, Þis tid nithes, also foles; Line 2100 Þan birþe men casten hem in poles, Or in a grip, or in þe fen:

Nou ne sitten none but wicke men, Glotuns, reu[e]res, or wicke þeues, Line 2104 Bi crist, þat alle folk onne leues!"

He stod, and totede in at a bord, Her he spak anilepi word, And saw hem slepen faste ilkon, Line 2108 And lye stille so þe ston; And saw al þat mikel lith Fro hauelok cam, þat was so brith. Of his mouth it com il del, Line 2112 Þat was he war ful swiþe wel. "Deus!" quoth he, "hwat may þis mene!" He calde boþe arwe men and kene, Knithes, and serganz swiþe sleie, Line 2116 Mo þan an hundred, with-uten leye, And bad hem alle comen and se, Hwat þat selcuth mithe be.

Als þe knithes were comen alle, [folio 214b:2] Line 2120 Þer hauelok lay, ut of þe halle, So stod ut of his mouth a glem, Rith al swilk so þe sunne-bem; Þat al so lith wa[s] þare, bi heuene! Line 2124 So þer brenden serges seuene, And an hundred serges ok: Þat durste hi sweren on a bok. He slepen faste alle fiue, Line 2128 So he weren brouth of liue; And hauelok lay on his lift side, In his armes his brithe bride. Bi þe pappes he leyen naked: Line 2132 So faire two weren neuere maked In a bed to lyen samen:— Þe knithes þouth of hem god gamen, Hem forto shewe, and loken to. Line 2136

Line 2136 Rith also he stoden alle so, And his bac was toward hem wend, So weren he war of a croiz ful gent, On his rith shuldre sw[iþ]e [MS. swe, for swiþe. Cf. l. 1252.] brith, Line 2140 Brithter þan gold ageyn þe lith. So þat he wiste heye and lowe, Þat it was kunrik þat he sawe. It sparkede, and ful brith shon, Line 2144 So doth þe gode charbucle ston, Þat men Mouthe se by þe lith, A peni chesen, so was it brith. Þanne bihelden he him faste, Line 2148 So þat he knewen at þe laste, Þat he was birkabeynes sone, Þat was here king, þat was hem wone Wel to yeme, and wel were Line 2152 Ageynes uten-laddes here. "For it was neuere yet a broþer In al denemark so lich anoþer, So þis man þat is so fayr Line 2156 Als birkabeyn, he is hise eyr."

He fellen sone at hise fet, Was non of hem þat he ne gret, Of ioie he weren alle so fawen, Line 2160 So he him haueden of erþe drawen. Hise fet he kisten an hundred syþes, Þe tos, þe nayles, and þe lithes, So þat he bigan to wakne, [Here follows the catchword—"And wit hem."] Line 2164 And wit hem ful sore to blakne, [folio 215a:1] For he wende he wolden him slo, Or elles binde him, and do wo.

Quoth ubbe, "louerd, ne dred þe nowth, Line 2168 Me þinkes that I se þi þouth.

Dere sone, wel is me, Þat y þe with eyn[e] [We find eyne in ll. 680, 1273, &c.] se. Man-red, louerd, bede y þe, Line 2172 Þi man auht i ful wel to be, For þu art comen of birkabeyn, Þat hauede mani knith and sweyn; And so shalt þou, louerd, haue, Line 2176 Þou þu be yet a ful yung knaue. Þou shalt be king of al denemark, Was þer-inne neuere non so stark. To-morwen shaltu manrede take Line 2180 Of þe brune and of þe blake; Of alle þat aren in þis tun, Boþe of erl, and of barun, And of dreng, and of thayn, Line 2184 And of knith, and of sweyn. And so shaltu ben mad knith Wit blisse, for þou art so with."

þo was hauelok swiþe bliþe, Line 2188 And þankede God ful fele siþe. On þe morwen, wan it was lith, And gon was þisternesse of þe nith, Vbbe dide up-on a stede Line 2192 A ladde lepe, and þider bede Erles, barouns, drenges, theynes, Klerkes, knithes, bu[r]geys, [MS. bugeys.] sweynes, Þat he sholden comen a-non, Line 2196 Biforen him sone euerilkon, Also he louen here liues, And here children, and here wiues.

Hise bode ne durste he non at-sitte, Line 2200 Þat he ne neme [MS. meme; miswritten for neme; see ll. 1207, 1931.] for to wite

Sone, hwat wolde þe iustise: And [he] bigan anon to rise, And seyde sone, "liþes me, Line 2204 Alle samen, þeu and fre. A þing ich wile you here shauwe, Þat ye [MS. he.] alle ful wel knawe. Ye witen wel, þat al þis lond Line 2208 Was in birkabeynes hond, Þe day þat he was quic and ded; [folio 215a:2] And how þat he, bi youre red, Bitauhte hise children þre Line 2212 Godard to yeme, and al his fe. Hauelok his sone he him tauhte, And hise two douhtres, and al his auhte, Alle herden ye him swere Line 2216 On bok, and on messe-gere, Þat he shulde yeme hem wel, With-uten lac, with-uten tel.

He let his oth al ouer-go, Line 2220 Euere wurþe him yuel and wo! For [Qu. Fro.] þe maydnes here lif Refte he boþen, with a knif, And him shulde ok haue slawen, Line 2224 Þe knif was at his herte drawen, But god him wolde wel haue saue, He hauede reunesse of þe knaue, So þat he with his hend Line 2228 Ne drop him nouth, þat sor[i] fend, But sone dide he a fishere Swiþe grete oþes swere, Þat he sholde drenchen him Line 2232 In þe se, þat was ful brim.

Hwan grim saw þat he was so fayr, And wiste he was þe Rith eir,

Fro denemark ful sone he fledde Line 2236 In-til englond, and þer him fedde Mani winter, þat til þis day Haues he ben fed and fostred ay. Lokes, hware he stondes her: Line 2240 In al þis werd ne haues he per; Non so fayr, ne non so long, Ne non so mikel, ne non so strong. In þis middelerd nis no knith Line 2244 Half so strong, ne half so with. Bes of him ful glad and bliþe, And cometh alle hider swiþe, Manrede youre louerd forto make, Line 2248 Boþe brune and þe blake. I shal mi-self do first þe gamen, And ye siþen alle samen."

Oknes ful fayre he him sette, Line 2252 Mouthe noþing him þer-fro lette, And bi-cam is man Rith þare, Þat alle sawen þat þere ware. [folio 215b:1]

After him stirt up laddes ten, Line 2256 And bi-comen hise men; [A word is added in the MS. after men, apparently beye. Per|haps we should read: hise heye men.] And siþen euerilk a baroun, Þat euere weren in al that toun; And siþen drenges, and siþen thaynes, Line 2260 And siþen knithes, and siþen sweynes; So þat, or þat day was gon, In al þe tun ne was nouth on Þat it ne was his man bicomen: Line 2264 Manrede of alle hauede he nomen.

Hwan he hauede of hem alle Manrede taken, in the halle,

Grundlike dide he hem swere, Line 2268 Þat he sholden him god feyth bere Ageynes alle þat woren on liue; Þer-yen ne wolde neuer on striue, Þat he ne maden sone þat oth, Line 2272 Riche and poure, lef and loth. Hwan þat was maked, sone he sende, Vbbe, writes fer and hende, After alle þat castel yemede, Line 2276 Burwes, tunes, sibbe an fremde, Þat þider sholden comen swiþe Til him, and heren tiþandes bliþe, Þat he hem alle shulde telle: Line 2280 Of hem ne wolde neuere on dwelle, Þat he ne come sone plattinde, Hwo hors ne hauede, com gangande. So þat with-inne a fourtenith, Line 2284 In al denemark ne was no knith, Ne conestable, ne shireue, Þat com of adam and of eue, Þat he ne com biforn sire ubbe: Line 2288 He dredden him so þhes [Qu. þes, i.e. thighs; or the spelling þhes may be intentional; see l. 1984. But Sir F. Madden suggests þeues.] doth clubbe.

Hwan he haueden alle þe king gret, And he weren alle dun set, Þo seyde ubbe, "lokes here, Line 2292 Vre louerd swiþe dere, Þat shal ben king of al þe lond, And haue us alle under hond. For he is birkabeynes sone, Line 2296 Þe king þat was vmbe stonde wone For to yeme, and wel were, Wit sharp[e] [See l. 2645 for the final e.] swerd, and longe spere.

Lokes nou, hw he is fayr; [folio 215b:2] Line 2300 Sikerlike he is hise eyr. Falles alle to hise fet, Bicomes hise men ful sket." He weren for ubbe swiþe adrad, Line 2304 And dide sone al þat he bad, And yet deden he sumdel more, O bok ful grundlike he swore, Þat he sholde with him halde Line 2308 Boþe ageynes stille and bolde, Þat euere wo[l]de his bodi dere: Þat dide [he] hem o boke swere.

Hwan he hauede manrede and oth Line 2312 Taken of lef and of loth, Vbbe dubbede him to knith, With a swerd ful swiþe brith, And þe folk of al þe lond Line 2316 Bitauhte him al in his hond, Þe cunnriche eueril del, And made him king heylike and wel. Hwan he was king, þer mouthe men se Line 2320 Þe moste ioie þat mouhte be: Buttinge with sharpe speres, Skirming with taleuaces, þat men beres, Wrastling with laddes, putting of ston, Line 2324 Harping and piping, ful god won, Leyk of mine, of hasard ok, Romanz reding on þe bok; Þer mouthe men here þe gestes singe, Line 2328 Þe gleymen on þe tabour dinge; Þer mouhte men se þe boles beyte, And þe bores, with hundes teyte; Þo mouthe men se eueril gleu, Line 2332 Þer mouthe men se hw grim greu; Was neuere yete ioie more

In al þis werd, þan þo was þore. Þer was so mike [See l. 2342.] yeft of cloþes, Line 2336 Þat þou i swore you grete othes, I ne wore nouth þer-offe croud: Þat may i ful wel swere, bi god! Þere was swiþe gode metes, Line 2340 And of wyn, þat men fer fetes, Rith al so mik and gret plente, So it were water of þe se. Þe feste fourti dawes sat, Line 2344 So riche was neuere non so þat. [folio 216a:1] Þe king made Roberd þere knith, Þat was ful strong, and ful with, And willam, wendut het, his broþer, Line 2348 And huwe rauen, þat was þat oþer, And made hem barouns alle þre, And yaf hem lond, and oþer fe, So mikel, þat ilker twent[i] knihtes Line 2352 Hauede of genge, dayes and nithes.

Hwan þat feste was al don, A thusand knihtes ful wel o bon With-held þe king, with him to lede; Line 2356 Þat ilkan hauede ful god stede, Helm, and sheld, and brinie brith, And al þe wepne þat fel to knith. With hem fiue thusand gode Line 2360 Sergaunz, þat weren to fyht wode, With-held he al of his genge: Wile I na more þe storie lenge. Yet hwan he hauede of al þe lond Line 2364 Þe casteles alle in his hond, And conestables don þer-inne, He swor, he ne sholde neuer blinne,

Til þat he were of godard wreken, Line 2368 Þat ich haue of ofte speken. Hal hundred knithes dede he calle, And hise fif thusand sergaunz alle, And dide sweren on the bok Line 2372 Sone, and on þe auter ok, Þat he ne sholde neuere blinne, Ne for loue, ne for sinne, Til þat he haueden godard funde, Line 2376 And brouth biforn him faste bunde.

þanne he haueden swor þis oth, Ne leten he nouth for lef ne loth, Þat he ne foren swiþe rathe, Line 2380 Þer he was unto þe paþe, Þer he yet on hunting for, With mikel genge, and swiþe stor. Robert, þat was of al þe ferd Line 2384 Mayster, was girt wit a swerd, And sat up-on a ful god stede, Þat vnder him Rith wolde wede; He was þe firste þat with godard Line 2388 Spak, and seyde, "hede [Qu. helde, i.e. old. Unless it means "heed!"] cauenard! Wat dos þu here at þis paþe? [folio 216a:2] Cum to þe king, swiþe and raþe. Þat sendes he þe word, and bedes, Line 2392 Þat þu þenke hwat þu him dedes, Hwan þu reftes with a knif Hise sistres here lif, An siþen bede þu in þe se Line 2396 Drenchen him, þat herde he. He is to þe swiþe grim: Cum nu swiþe un-to him, Þat king is of þis kuneriche. Line 2400 Þu fule man! þu wicke swike!

And he shal yelde þe þi mede, Bi crist þat wolde on rode blede!"

Hwan godard herde þat þer þrette, Line 2404 With þe neue he robert sette Biforn þe teth a dint ful strong. And robert kipt ut a knif long, And smot him þoru þe rith arum: Line 2408 Þer-of was ful litel harum.

Hwan his folk þat sau and herde, Hwou robert with here louerd ferde, He haueden him wel ner browt of liue, Line 2412 Ne weren his two breþren and oþre fiue Slowen of here laddes ten, Of godardes alþer-beste men. Hwan þe oþre sawen þat, he fledden, Line 2416 And godard swiþe loude gredde: "Mine knithes, hwat do ye? Sule ye þus-gate fro me fle? Ich haue you fed, and yet shal fede, Line 2420 Helpe me nu in þis nede, And late ye nouth mi bodi spille, Ne hauelok don of me hise wille. Yif ye id [Qu. it.] do, ye do you shame, Line 2424 And bringeth you-self in mikel blame." Hwan he þat herden, he wenten ageyn, And slowen a knit and [MS. and and.] a sweyn Of þe kinges oune men, Line 2428 And woundeden abuten ten.

The kinges men hwan he þat sawe, Scuten on hem, heye and lowe, And euerilk fot of hem slowe, Line 2432 But godard one, þat he flowe,

So þe þef men dos henge, Or hund men shole in dike slenge. [folio 216b:1] He bunden him ful swiþe faste, Line 2436 Hwil þe bondes wolden laste, Þat he rorede als a bole, Þat he wore parred in an hole, With dogges forto bite and beite: Line 2440 Were þe bondes nouth to leite. He bounden him so [MS. fo.] fele sore, Þat he gan crien godes ore, Þat he sholde of his hend plette, Line 2444 Wolden he nouht þer-fore lette, Þat he ne bounden hond and fet: Daþeit þat on þat þer-fore let! But dunten him so man doth bere, Line 2448 And keste him on a scabbed mere, Hise nese went un-to þe crice: So ledden he þat fule swike, Til he was biforn hauelok brouth, Line 2452 Þat he haue[de] ful wo wrowht, Boþe with hungre [MS. hungred.] and with cold, Or he were twel winter old, And with mani heui swink, Line 2456 With poure mete, and feble drink, And [with] swiþe wikke cloþes, For al hise manie grete othes. Nu beyes he his holde blame: Line 2460 'Old sinne makes newe shame:' Wan he was [brouht] so shamelike Biforn [MS. Brouht biforn; but the word brouht clearly belongs to the preceding line, in which, however, it is omitted.] þe king, þe fule swike, Þe king dede ubbe swiþe calle Line 2464 Hise erles, and hise barouns alle, Dreng and thein, burgeis and knith,

And bad he sholden demen him rith: For he kneu, þe swike dam, Line 2468 Euerildel god was him gram. He setten hem dun bi þe wawe, Riche and pouere, heye and lowe, Þe helde men, and ek þe grom, Line 2472 And made þer þe rithe dom, And seyden unto þe king anon, Þat stille sat [al] so þe ston: "We deme, þat he be al quic slawen, [We should perhaps read flawen, as required by the sense. See ll. 2495, 2502.] Line 2476 And siþen to þe galwes drawe[n], At þis foule mere tayl; Þoru is fet a ful strong nayl; And þore ben henged wit two feteres, [folio 216b:2] Line 2480 And þare be writen þise leteres: 'Þis is þe swike þat wende wel, Þe king haue reft þe lond il del, And hise sistres with a knif Line 2484 Boþe refte here lif.' Þis writ shal henge bi him þare; Þe dom is demd, seye we na more."

Hwan þe dom was demd and giue, Line 2488 And he was wit þe prestes shriue, And it ne mouhte ben non oþer, Ne for fader, ne for broþer, Þat he sholde þarne lif; Line 2492 Sket cam a ladde with a knif, And bigan Rith at þe to For to ritte, and for to flo, And he bigan for to rore, Line 2496 So it were grim or gore, Þat men mithe þeþen a mile Here him rore, þat fule file. Þe ladde ne let no with for-þi, Line 2500

Line 2500 Þey he criede 'merci! merci!' Þat [he] ne flow [him] eueril del With knif mad of grunden stel. Þei garte bringe þe mere sone, Line 2504 Skabbed [MS. Skabbeb.] and ful iuele o bone, And bunden him rith at hire tayl With a rop of an old seyl, And drowen him un-to þe galwes, Line 2508 Nouth bi þe gate, But ouer þe falwes; And henge [him] þore Bi þe hals: Daþeit hwo recke! he was fals.

Þanne he was ded, þat sathanas, Line 2512 Sket was seysed al þat his was In þe kinges hand il del, Lond and lith, and oþer catel, And þe king ful sone it yaf Line 2516 Vbbe in þe hond, wit a fayr staf, And seyde, "her ich sayse þe In al þe lond, in al þe fe." Þo swor hauelok he sholde make, Line 2520 Al for grim, of monekes blake A priorie to seruen inne ay Ihesu crist, til domesday, For þe god he haueden him don, Line 2524 Hwil he was pouere and iuel [The MS. has "we," which the scribe several times writes instead of "wel." But "wel" is a manifest blunder, since "iuel" is meant. Cf. l. 2505.] o bon. [folio 217a:1] And þer-of held he wel his oth, For he it made, god it woth! In þe tun þer grim was grauen, Line 2528 Þat of grim yet haues þe name. Of grim bidde ich na more spelle. [The author has here omitted to tell us that Havelok, at the desire of his wife, invades England. See the note.] — But wan godrich herde telle,

Of cornwayle þat was erl, Line 2532 (Þat fule traytour, that mixed cherl!) Þat hauelok was king of denemark, And ferde with him strong and stark, Comen engelond with-inne, Line 2536 Engelond al for to winne, And þat she, þat was so fayr, Þat was of engelond rith eir, Þat was comen up at grimesbi, Line 2540 He was ful sorful and sori, And seyde, "Hwat shal me to raþe? Goddoth! i shal do slou hem baþe. I shal don hengen hem ful heye, Line 2544 So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie! But yif he of mi lond[e] [Cf. l. 2599.] fle; Hwat? wenden he to desherite me?" He dide sone ferd ut bidde, Line 2548 Þat al þat euere mouhte o stede Ride, or helm on heued bere, Brini on bac, and sheld, and spere, Or ani oþer wepne bere, Line 2552 Hand-ax, syþe, gisarm, or spere, Or aunlaz, [Printed "alinlaz" in the former edition. The first stroke of the u is longer than the second, and the tail of the x in the line above converts the second downstroke of the u into an apparent i.] and god long knif, Þat als he louede leme or lif, Þat þey sholden comen him to, Line 2556 With ful god wepne ye ber so, To lincolne, þer he lay, Of marz þe seuentenþe day, So þat he couþe hem god þank; Line 2560 And yif þat ani were so rang, That he þanne ne come anon, He swor bi crist, and [bi] [Cf. l. 1112.] seint Iohan,

That he sholde maken him þral, Line 2564 And al his of-spring forth with-al.

Þe englishe þat herde þat, Was non þat euere his bode sat, For he him dredde swiþe sore, Line 2568 So Runci spore, and mikle more. At þe day he come sone [folio 217a:2] Þat he hem sette, ful wel o bone, To lincolne, with gode stedes, Line 2572 And al þe wepne þat knith ledes. Hwan he wore come, sket was þe erl yare, [Or þare; but see l. 2954.] Ageynes denshe men to fare, And seyde, "lyþes me [MS. mi. Cf. l. 2204.] alle samen, Line 2576 Haue ich gadred you for no gamen, But ich wile seyen you forþi; Lokes hware here at grimesbi, Hise uten-laddes here comen, Line 2580 And haues nu þe priorie numen; Al þat euere mithen he finde, He brenne kirkes, and prestes binde; He strangleth monkes, and nunnes boþe: Line 2584 Wat wile ye, frend, her-offe Rede? Yif he regne þus-gate longe, He Moun us alle ouer-gange, He moun vs alle quic henge or slo, Line 2588 Or þral maken, and do ful wo, Or elles reue us ure liues, And ure children, and ure wiues. But dos nu als ich wile you lere, Line 2592 Als ye wile be with me dere; Nimes nu swiþe forth and raþe, And helpes me and yu-self baþe, And slos up-o[n] þe dogges swiþe: Line 2596 For shal [i] neuere more be bliþe,

Ne hoseled ben, ne of prest shriuen, Til þat he ben of londe driuen. Nime we swiþe, and do hem fle, Line 2600 And folwes alle faste me, For ich am he, of al þe ferd, Þat first shal slo with drawen swerd. Daþeyt hwo ne stonde faste Line 2604 Bi me, hwil hise armes laste!" "Ye! lef, ye!" [MS. has þe, ƿe, or ye in both places, But see l. 1888.] couth þe erl gunter; "Ya!" quoth þe erl of cestre, reyner. And so dide alle þat þer stode, Line 2608 And stirte forth so he were wode. Þo mouthe men se þe brinies brihte On backes keste, and late rithe, Þe helmes heye on heued sette; Line 2612 To armes al so swiþe plette, Þat þei wore on a litel stunde Grethet, als men mithe telle a pund, [folio 217b:1] And lopen on stedes sone anon, Line 2616 And toward grimesbi, ful god won, He foren softe bi þe sti, Til he come ney at grimesbi.

Hauelok, þat hauede spired wel Line 2620 Of here fare, eueril del, With al his ferd cam hem a-geyn, For-bar he noþer knith ne sweyn. Þe firste knith þat he þer mette, Line 2624 With þe swerd so he him grette, For his heued of he plette, Wolde he nouth for sinne lette. Roberd saw þat dint so hende, Line 2628 Wolde he neuere þeþe[n] wende, Til þat he hauede anoþer slawen, With þe swerd he held ut-drawen.

Willam wendut his swerd vt-drow, Line 2632 And þe þredde so sore he slow, Þat he made up-on the feld His lift arm fleye, with the swerd. [Cf. l. 1825. We should otherwise be tempted to read sheld; especially as the shield is more appropriate to the left arm.]

Huwe rauen ne forgat nouth Line 2636 Þe swerd he hauede þider brouth, He kipte it up, and smot ful sore An erl, þat he saw priken þore, Ful noblelike upon a stede, Line 2640 Þat with him wolde al quic wede. He smot him on þe heued so, Þat he þe heued clef a-two, And þat bi þe shu[l]dre-blade Line 2644 Þe sharpe swerd let [he] wade, Þorw the brest unto þe herte; Þe dint bigan ful sore to smerte, Þat þe erl fel dun a-non, Line 2648 Al so ded so ani ston. Quoth ubbe, "nu dwelle ich to longe," And leth his stede sone gonge To godrich, with a god spere, Line 2652 Þat he saw a-noþer bere, And smoth godrich, and Godrich him, Hetelike with herte grim, So þat he boþe felle dune, Line 2656 To þe erþe first þe croune. Þanne he woren fallen dun boþen, Grundlike here swerdes ut-drowen, Þat weren swiþe sharp and gode, [folio 217b:2] Line 2660 And fouhten so þei woren wode, Þat þe swot ran fro þe crune [To the fet rith þere adune.] [Cf. l. 1904.]

Þer mouthe men se to knithes bete Line 2664 Ayþer on oþer dintes grete, So þat with alþer-lest[e] dint Were al to-shiuered a flint. So was bi-twenen hem a fiht, Line 2668 Fro þe morwen ner to þe niht, So þat þei nouth ne blinne, Til þat to sette bigan þe sunne. Þo yaf godrich þorw þe side Line 2672 Vbbe a wunde ful un-ride, So þat þorw þat ilke wounde Hauede ben brouth to þe grunde, And his heued al of-slawen, Line 2676 Yif god ne were, and huwe rauen, Þat drow him fro godrich awey, And barw him so þat ilke day. But er he were fro godrich drawen, Line 2680 Þer were a þousind knihtes slawen Bi boþe halue, and mo y-nowe, Þer þe ferdes to-gidere slowe. Þer was swilk dreping of þe folk, Line 2684 Þat on þe feld was neuere a polk Þat it ne stod of blod so ful, Þat þe strem ran intil þe hul. Þo tarst [So in MS. Qu. faste, as in next line.] bigan godrich to go Line 2688 Vp-on þe danshe, and faste to slo, And forth rith also leuin fares, Þat neuere kines best ne spares, Þanne his [he] gon, for he garte alle Line 2692 Þe denshe men biforn him falle. He felde browne, he felde blake, Þat he mouthe ouer-take. Was neuere non þat mouhte þaue Line 2696 Hise dintes, noyþer knith ne knaue, Þat he felden so dos þe gres

Bi-forn þe syþe þat ful sharp is. Hwan hauelok saw his folk so brittene, Line 2700 And his ferd so swiþe littene, He cam driuende up-on a stede, And bigan til him to grede, And seyde, "godrich, wat is þe Line 2704 Þat þou fare þus with me? And mine gode knihtes slos, [folio 218a:1] Siker-like þou mis-gos. Þou wost ful wel, yif þu wilt wite, Line 2708 Þat aþelwold þe dide site On knes, and sweren on messe-bok, On caliz, and on [pateyn] [MS. here repeats messe, by mistake. Read pateyn. Cf. l. 187.] hok Þat þou hise douhter sholdest yelde, Line 2712 Þan she were winnan [MS. wīman, i.e. winman or wimman; but we are sure, from l. 174, that winnan is meant.] of elde, Engelond eueril del: Godrich þe erl, þou wost it wel. Do nu wel with-uten fiht, Line 2716 Yeld hire þe lond, for þat is rith. Wile ich forgiue þe þe lathe, Al mi dede and al mi wrathe, For y se þu art so with, Line 2720 And of þi bodi so god knith." "Þat ne wile ich neuere mo," Quoth erl godrich, "for ich shal slo Þe, and hire for-henge heye. Line 2724 I shal þrist ut þi rith eye Þat þou lokes with on me, But þu swiþe heþen fle." He grop þe swerd ut sone anon, Line 2728 And hew on hauelok, ful god won, So þat he clef his sheld on two: Hwan hauelok saw þat shame do

His bodi þer bi-forn his ferd, Line 2732 He drow ut sone his gode swerd, And smot him so up-on þe crune, Þat godrich fel to þe erþe adune. But godrich stirt up swiþe sket, Line 2736 Lay he nowth longe at hise fet, And smot him on þe sholdre so, Þat he dide þare undo Of his brinie ringes mo, Line 2740 Þan þat ich kan tellen fro; And woundede him rith in þe flesh, Þat tendre was, and swiþe nesh, So þat þe blod ran til his to: Line 2744 Þo was hauelok swiþe wo, Þat he hauede of him drawen Blod, and so sore him slawen. Hertelike til him he wente, Line 2748 And godrich þer fulike shente; For his swerd he hof up heye, And þe hand he dide of fleye, [folio 218a:2] Þat he smot him with so sore: Line 2752 Hw mithe he don him shame more?

Hwan he hauede him so shamed, His hand of plat, and yuele lamed, He tok him sone bi þe necke Line 2756 Als a traytour, daþeyt wo recke! And dide him binde and fetere wel With gode feteres al of stel, And to þe quen he sende him, Line 2760 Þat birde wel to him ben grim; And Bad she sholde don him gete, And þat non ne sholde him bete, Ne shame do, for he was knith, Line 2764 Til knithes haueden demd him Rith. Þan þe englishe men þat sawe,

Þat þei wisten, heye and lawe, Þat Goldeboru, þat was so fayr, Line 2768 Was of engeland rith eyr, And þat þe king hire hauede wedded, And haueden ben samen bedded, He comen alle to crie merci, Line 2772 Vnto þe king, at one cri, And beden him sone manrede and oth, Þat he ne sholden, for lef ne loth, Neuere more ageyn him go, Line 2776 Ne ride, for wel ne for wo.

þe king ne wolde nouth for-sake, Þat he ne shulde of hem take Manrede þat he beden, and ok Line 2780 Hold oþes sweren on þe bok; But or bad he, þat þider were brouth Þe quen, for hem, swilk was his þouth, For to se, and forto shawe, Line 2784 Yif þat he hire wolde knawe. Þoruth hem witen wolde he, Yif þat she aucte quen to be.

Sixe erles weren sone yare, Line 2788 After hire for to fare. He nomen on-on, and comen sone, And brouthen hire, þat under mone In al þe werd ne hauede per, Line 2792 Of hende-leik, fer ne ner. Hwan she was come þider, alle Þe englishe men bi-gunne to falle O knes, and greten swiþe sore, [folio 218b:1] Line 2796 And seyden, "leuedi, k[r]istes ore, And youres! we hauen misdo mikel, Þat we ayen you haue be fikel, For englond auhte forto ben youres, Line 2800

Line 2800 And we youre men and youres. Is non of us, yung ne old, Þat we ne wot, þat aþelwold Was king of þis kunerike, Line 2804 And ye his eyr, and þat þe swike Haues it halden with mikel wronge: God leue him sone to honge!"

Quot [MS. Guot. Cf. l. 1954.] hauelok, "hwan þat ye it wite. Line 2808 Nu wile ich þat ye doun site, And after godrich haues wrouht, Þat haues in sorwe him-self brouth, Lokes þat ye demen him rith, Line 2812 For dom ne spared [Qu. spares.] clerk ne knith, And siþen shal ich under-stonde Of you, after lawe of londe, Manrede, and holde oþes boþe, Line 2816 Yif ye it wilen, and ek rothe." Anon þer dune he hem sette, For non þe dom ne durste lette, And demden him to binden faste Line 2820 Vp-on an asse swiþe un-wraste, Andelong, nouht ouer-þwert, His nose went unto þe stert; And so to lincolne lede, Line 2824 Shamelike in wicke wede, And hwan he cam un-to þe borw, Shamelike ben led þer-þoru, Bisouþe þe borw, un-to a grene, Line 2828 Þat þare is yet, als[o] y wene, And þere be bunden til a stake, Abouten him ful gret fir make, And al to dust be brend Rith þere; Line 2832 And yet demden he þer more, Oþer swikes for to warne,

Þat hise children sulde þarne Euere more þat eritage, Line 2836 Þat his was, for hise utrage.

Hwan þe dom was demd and seyd, Sket was þe swike on þe asse leyd, And [led vn-]til [MS. "And him til," which is nonsense. See l. 2827.] þat ilke grene, Line 2840 And brend til asken al bidene. [folio 218b:2] Þo was Goldeboru ful bliþe, She þanked god fele syþe, Þat þe fule swike was brend, Line 2844 Þat wende wel hire bodi haue shend, And seyde, "nu is time to take Manrede of brune and of blake, Þat ich se ride[n] and go: Line 2848 Nu ich am wreke[n] [See l. 2992.] of mi fo."

Hauelok anon manrede tok Of alle englishe, on þe bok, And dide hem grete oþes swere, Line 2852 Þat he sholden him god feyth bere Ageyn alle þat woren liues, And þat sholde ben born of wiues.

þanne he hauede [MS. haueden.] sikernesse Line 2856 Taken of more and of lesse, Al at hise wille, so dide he calle Þe erl of cestre, and hise men alle, Þat was yung knith wit-uten wif, Line 2860 And seyde, "sire erl, bi mi lif, And þou wile mi conseyl tro, Ful wel shal ich with þe do, For ich shal yeue þe to wiue Line 2864 Þe fairest þing that is oliue.

Þat is gunnild of grimesby, Grimes douther, bi seint dauy! Þat me forth broute, and wel fedde, Line 2868 And ut of denemark with me fledde, Me for to burwe fro mi ded: Sikerlike, þoru his red Haue ich liued in-to þis day, Line 2872 Blissed worþe his soule ay! I rede þat þu hire take, And spuse, and curteyse make, For she is fayr, and she is fre, Line 2876 And al so hende so she may be. Þertekene she is wel with me, Þat shal ich ful wel shewe þe, For ich giue þe a giue, Line 2880 Þat euere more hwil ich liue, For hire shal-tu be with me dere, Þat wile ich þat þis folc al here." Þe erl ne wolde nouth ageyn Line 2884 Þe king[e] be, for knith ne sweyn, Ne of þe spusing seyen nay, [folio 219a:1] But spusede [hire] þat ilke day. Þat spusinge was god time maked, Line 2888 For it ne were neuere clad ne naked, In a þede samened two Þat cam to-gidere, liuede so, So þey dide[n] al here liue: Line 2892 He geten samen sones fiue, Þat were þe beste men at nede, Þat mouthe riden on ani stede. Hwan gunnild was to cestre brouth, Line 2896 Hauelok þe gode ne for-gat nouth Bertram, þat was the erles kok, Þat he ne dide callen ok, And seyde, "frend, so god me rede! Line 2900 Nu shaltu haue riche mede,

For wissing, and þi gode dede, Þat tu me dides in ful gret nede. For þanne y yede in mi cuuel, Line 2904 And ich ne haue[de] bred, ne sowel, Ne y ne hauede no catel, Þou feddes and claddes me ful wel. Haue nu for-þi of cornwayle Line 2908 Þe erldom ildel, with-uten fayle, And al þe lond þat godrich held, Boþe in towne, and ek in feld; And þerto wile ich, þat þu spuse, Line 2912 And fayre bring hire un-til huse, Grimes douther, leuiue þe hende, For þider shal she with þe wende. Hire semes curteys forto be, Line 2916 For she is fayr so flour on tre; Þe heu is swilk in hire ler So [is] þe rose in roser, Hwan it is fayr sprad ut newe Line 2920 Ageyn þe sunne, brith and lewe." And girde him sone with þe swerd Of þe erldom, bi-forn his ferd, And with his hond he made him knith, Line 2924 And yaf him armes, for þat was rith, And dide him þere sone wedde Hire þat was ful swete in bedde.

After þat he spused wore, Line 2928 Wolde þe erl nouth dwelle þore, But sone nam until his lond, And seysed it al in his hond, [folio 219a:2] And liuede þer-inne, he and his wif, Line 2932 An hundred winter in god lif, [Between this line and the next are inserted in the MS. the words: For he saw þat he, which have been subsequently struck out by the same hand, and the word vacat affixed.]

And gaten mani children samen, And liueden ay in blisse and gamen. Hwan þe maydens were spused boþe, Line 2936 Hauelok anon bigan ful rathe His denshe men to feste wel Wit riche landes and catel, So þat he weren alle riche: Line 2940 For he was large and nouth chinche.

þer-after sone, with his here, For he to lundone, forto bere Corune, so þat [alle] it sawe, Line 2944 Henglishe ant denshe, heye and lowe, Hwou he it bar with mikel pride, For his barnage þat was un-ride.

þe feste of his coruni[n]g [MS. corunig.] Line 2948 Laste[de] with gret ioying Fourti dawes, and sumdel mo; Þo bigunnen þe denshe to go Vn-to þe king, to aske leue, Line 2952 And he ne wolde hem nouth greue, For he saw þat he woren yare In-to denemark for to fare, But gaf hem leue sone anon, Line 2956 And bitauhte hem seint Johan; And bad ubbe, his iustise, Þat he sholde on ilke wise Denemark yeme and gete so, Line 2960 Þat no pleynte come him to.

Hwan he wore parted alle samen, Hauelok bi-lefte wit ioie and gamen

In engelond, and was þer-inne Line 2964 Sixti winter king with winne, And Goldeboru quen, þat I wene: So mikel loue was hem bitwene, Þat al þe werd spak of hem two: Line 2968 He louede hire, and she him so, Þat neyþer oþe[r] mithe be For [Qu. Fro.] oþer, ne no ioie se, But yf he were to-gidere [MS. togidede.] boþe; Line 2972 Neuere yete ne weren he wroþe, For here loue was ay newe, Neuere yete wordes ne grewe [folio 219b:1] Bitwene hem, hwar-of ne lathe Line 2976 Mithe rise, ne no wrathe.

He geten children hem bi-twene Sones and douthres rith fiuetene, Hwar-of þe sones were kinges alle, Line 2980 So wolde god it sholde bifalle; And þe douhtres alle quenes: Him stondes wel þat god child strenes. Nu haue ye herd þe gest al þoru Line 2984 Of hauelok and of goldeborw. Hw he weren born, and hw fedde, And hwou he woren with wronge ledde In here youþe, with trecherie, Line 2988 With tresoun, and with felounye, And hwou þe swikes haueden thit Reuen hem þat was here rith, And hwou he weren wreken wel, Line 2992 Haue ich sey you euerildel; And forþi ich wolde biseken you, Þat hauen herd þe rim[e] nu, Þat ilke of you, with gode wille, Line 2996

Line 2996 Seye a pater-noster stille, For him þat haueth þe rym[e] maked, And þer-fore fele nihtes waked; Þat ihesu crist his soule bringe Line 3000 Bi-forn his fader at his endinge.

Amen.