The story of England

¶ Pro quantis comoditatibus venerunt ad Curiam Arthuri.

Hit was no baron in al Spaigne, Ne þennes in-til [þien vntill,] Alemaigne, Þat he til Arthures feste ne ferde, Þat doughti was, & þer-of herde; Line 11,156 Somme, hym seluen for to se,

& to byholde [be holden of.] his meyne; & somme, to se on [of.] what wyse . Þey ordeigned þer faire seruise; Line 11,160 & some, to se þe Table Rounde Þat neuere byforn þat tyme [ore or þat.] was founde; & somme, to se his faire paleys; . Somme, to biholde his riche harneys; Line 11,164 Somme, þe folk to by-howe; & somme, his knyghtes for to knowe; & somme, for his geftes gode; . & somme, for his noble fode; Line 11,168 & somme come for to haue bailly; & somme, to lere þere curtesy. ¶ When Arthures court was [Arthure courte was all.] plener, & alle were comen, fer & ner, Line 11,172 Þe erþe abouen [about.] stired & quok, So faste hors & man þer schok: Þer was puttynge, þristinge, & þro, Wyþ fot-folk þat come to & fro, Line 11,176 Innes for to teme & take; Þat non hadde, pauilons did make; Þer maistres mareschals ferde aboute, Deliuered innes [stedes. (soliers et cambres, Wace, ii. 102, l. 10,616.)] [Petyt folio 66a:2] wyþynne & wyþoute; Line 11,180 Bordes broughte, cordes & cables, & made mangers [mad maniores.] to stande in stables. Þen mighte men se þe ladies [þan mot men laddes. (escuiers, Wace, ii. 102, l. 10,619.)] lede Many fair palfray & stede Line 11,184 In mud, in mires, to soille & dasche, Siþen in wayers to watre & wasche, Syþen to wype, & to mangers teye, Hey & prouende byfor þem leye. [ll. 11,185-11,188. The Petyt MS. leaves out this line.] Line 11,188

Line 11,188 ¶ Þenne come chaumberleyns & squiers, Wiþ riche robes of [on.] mani maners, To folde, to presse, & to pyke, & somme to hange, & som to strike, Line 11,192 Manteles, forours [forres.] of riche pris, Of meneuer, stranlyng, veyr, & [strinkled with.] gris; Oþer pelure ynowe þer were, . Þe names of þem y ne wot what are, Line 11,196 Lomb or boge, conyng or hare, Y ne knowe me nought in swylk chaffare. [ll.11,195-11,198. The Petyt MS. leaves out this line.]

Þe [On þe.] morn when þe feste schuld be, [Lambeth folio 48b:2] Come þe Erchebischopes of þer [Archbisshop of his.] degre; Line 11,200 Wyþ hym, [him.] of Rome cam þe legat; And oþer bischopes of mener stat; &, right als þe story seys, Dubrice corouned hym in his paleys; Line 11,204 A legat of Rome & he Dide þer þat solempnete. When he was corouned on þat wyse, To þe kyrke þey ȝede to þer seruise; Line 11,208 Þe two Erchebischopes þat þer war, Þey ledden hym, ys armes vp bar, [Chascuns un bras li sostenoit, Wace, ii. 103. l. 10,643 (from the MS. du Roi, 73, Cangé; whence the next line comes too).] & sette hym in a riche chayer, . Þer he scholde his seruise her. Line 11,212 ffoure swerdes of golde were born Wyþ foure kynges hym byforn,— Þat seruise fel to þer [fell ilk a. (Cist mestiers lor apartenoit, Wace, ii. 104, l. 10,649.)] scheld When þat Arthur his feste held,— Line 11,216 Þe kyng of North Walys & of Scotland, & of Southe Walys (þus wryten y fand),

Of Cornewaille, þe Duk Cador, Þe fferþe swerd bar he þor; Line 11,220 Þaw [þof.] his stat were nought so hey, ȝit was he man ful wel [man most.] worþy. Dubrice, þat was a noble prelat, & of Rome þe Legat, [

Dubric, qui de Rome ert légas,Et de Charlion ert prélas.

Wace, ii. 104, l. 10,658-9.

See p. 387, n.² above.

] Line 11,224 Þat office þey dide, þey myghte best, Of dignete þey were heyest.