The story of England

¶ De reuercione Regis Cheldryk apud Totenes.

Þey set vp sail, þe wynd hem blew, So fer þei seyled þat non þem knew. When þey were so fer born

Þat we of þeym þe sight had lorn, Line 9976 ȝut þoughte þey more treson & gyle, Þey turnde þer flute wyþynne a while Bytwix Ingeland & Normandye, Þey dighte eft hydeward þer nauie, Line 9980 & entred in til Dertemuthe; [Dertmue.] Neyþer fond þey arest ne [was þer non mad þam rescue.] rescue; At Totenes toke þey hauen & [Toteneis þei toke.] lond; Al ȝede to deþ þat by-forn hem [to dede bifor þam.] fond. Line 9984 In þe contres þey spredde aboute; To go to deþ [dede.] al was in doute; Robes þey refte, armure þey tok, Tounes brente, houses doun schok. [ll. 9987-9988. The Petyt MS. leaves out this line.] Line 9988 Þe contres trauersed þey ouerþwert, Ouer al was wo, & no whar [& noure.] quert; Deneschire, [Douerschire. (Neversire, MS. du Roi, 27; Venescire, MS. du Roi, 7515^3.3. Colb.; Wace, ii. 50, l. 9480.)] & Somersete, & a partie of Dorsete, Line 9992 Al þey wastes, [wasted.] & robbed þe god; Was þer non þat hem wyþstod; Þe knyghte þat aughten haue [fell haf.] ben at hom, To Scotland wyþ Arþur þey nom. Line 9996 Þe Saxons dide so mykel scaþe, Þey robbed in to þe toun of Baþe; Bot þey of Baþe held þem wyþoute, . & þey byseged hit alle aboute. Line 10,000 ¶ Arthur werred vpon þe Scottes, ffor þey had don as foule [þei did as fole.] sottes, Holpen [helped.] Colgrim & Cheldryk, & ageyns þer lord do so wyk; Line 10,004

Line 10,004 Bot when he wyste þat þe Saxons Brek couenaunt, & dide tresons, & hadde byseged þe toun of Baþe, Hei seyde, "þe Saxoyns false me ful raþe." Þer ostages ilkon he heng [.War.] Line 10,009 Heye on galewes, wyþ rop & [with a. ] [Petyt folio 59b:2] streng. When þer ostages to deþ wer done, Toward þe souþ he hyed hym sone Line 10,012 Ohel his cosy[n], & his meyne, He lefte sek in a cite, In Aclud, þer-inne he lay, . Þat was þe name by þat day. Line 10,016 Wyþ al þe folk Ohel myght spare, Toward Baþe, Arþur was ȝare. Cheldrykes sege he wolde remue, His men wyþynne he þoughte rescue. Line 10,020 In a playn by a wode syde Arthur dide his folk abide, To arme þem, & til ordeyne Whylk schuld go, & wyþ whilk seyne. Line 10,024 Hym self was armed fynly wel [Lambeth folio 43b:2] ²Wyþ sabatons, & spores, & iaumbers of stel, Doublet & quysseux, wiþ poleyns ful riche, Voydes, breche of maille, wyþ paunz non liche Hauberk wiþ plates y-burnuscht ful wel, Line 10,029 Vaumbras & rerbras, wyþ coters of stel, Þer-opon an aketon wyþ stof & al sylk, His cote of armes þer-on; in world was no swylk;² [^2-2

with gode chambres of Iren & stele.& a Hauberk þat non was sui lk.abouen an acton mad of silk.

For swylk, l. 10,032, L. has swyik.] & þen girt [& gird.] wyþ Caliborne, þat gode brond; Line 10,033 A bettere cam neuere in no kynges hond; Ten fote longe was þen þe blade, In [Im in the MS.] Ramesey & oþer stedes þe merke ys ymade; [in Rameseie þe merk is made. (En l'ile d'Avalon fu faite, Wace, ii. 52, l. 9516.)]

ffro þe hilte vnto þe pomel Line 10,037 Was twenti vnche large, meten ful wel; [Tuelue Inche grete þat tyme as fell.] Þe brede of þe blade was seuen inche & more; . Wond was hit y þat world smite ful [I trow þat wild smyte.] sore. [

The Petyt MS. adds two lines not in Wace, ii. 52,—

Arthure luffed it wele Inouh.Mishapped him neuer whan he it drouh.

] Line 10,040 An helm he had on his hed, no betere vp on [om in the MS. P. has, His helme was gode non better on.] molde; ⁵A riche corounal wiþ perre, al of brent golde, Þe nasel & bendeles of gold ful bryght, Þer-opon a dragoun selcouþ of sight;⁵ [^5-5

þe nasell befor was all of golde.þe bendeles of gold burnyst bright.a dragon aboun selcouth in sight.

] Line 10,044 Aboute his nekke heng his scheld, Pryd-wenne [pridwen.] hit highte, many hit byheld; Þer-on was purtrayd, next hym by, Þe ymage of oure swete leuedy, Line 10,048 In nede to byholde hure face, Ageyn his enemis to haue grace. Hys spere was gret, [his lance grete.] he cald hit Ron, [Roit, MS. du Roi, 73, Cangé; Roil, MS. du Roi, 7515^3.3. Colb.; Rederon, MS. de Ste.-Genevieve, Y, f. 10; Wace, ii. 54, note c.; Ron, Galf. Mon. vii. 2.] [Petyt folio 60a:1] Wyþ an hed by-fore, ful noble þer-on; Line 10,052 Hit was long, & swyþe gret, [P. leaves out this line.] Þer was no scheld þat he ne þorow schet. [P. leaves out this line.]