The story of England

¶ De Morpydeo Rege Bastardo.

Þys Daneus hadde on bastardie [bascardie. The second scribe of P. writes from here to l. 3965. See qwen, l. 3881, note.] A sone þat wan hit wyþ maistrie; Line 3736 Morpydus, [Morwidus. Morbidus in l. 3755; Morpidus in l. 3758, 3763, &c.] hit seys he hight; He was a merueillous [Ouer mesure was he.] mody knyght. Þorow hardynesse wan hit of chaunce; Egreliche [Irouslik.] he tok vengeaunce, Line 3740 Hys ire, when hit on hym ran, ffor nought wold [wild.] he slo no man [a man.] ; ffor loue wold [wild.] he noman spare, Þe [To.] whyles þat his wrathe ware. Line 3744 In al þe regne ne was þer non So fair of vertues als he on. Hys body was gent, & fair of vis; Til alle he gaf gyftes of pris; Line 3748 Out of mesure þen was he large, [Lambeth folio 16b:2] Tresour to holde ne made he charge. Þe [To.] while his ire was a-weye, Al wold [wild.] he do þat men wold [wild.] seye, Line 3752 & also meke was as a child, Tyl þat his wraþ wax [Bot whan his wrathe was.] on hym wyld.

In Morpidus tyme þat was so stout, Þe duk of Morreue robbed a-bout; Line 3756 Northumberland gan he waste; & MOrpydus til hym gan haste, And angerly [egrelike.] [Petyt folio 23a:2] gan hym assaille, & þer hym slow in pleyn bataille. Line 3760 Þus seide men, & ȝit mes seys, [& ȝit sais.] Þat hit was proued (y not what weys)

Þat Morpidus slow mo men, [sleu me.] alone, Þan alle his host[e] dide ilkone. Line 3764 When he had slayn al þat he myght, & was al wery more to fyght, Þe bodies ["All alive," says Wace, l. 3463.] he dide brenne of þo, Er his grete ire myght ouer go. Line 3768 Þe [Be.] tyme þat he was best in elde, & stalwordest hym self to welde, A best com out of þe Irysche se & destruyed al þe contre; Line 3772 An hydous best was hit by sight, ' Monstre Maryne' men seide hit hight; & som men caldit 'Marebellew,' [marine bélue, Wace, i. 166. Lat. belua maritima, De Lincy, ib.] So wonderful best no man þer knew. Line 3776 (Swylk calle men 'Monstre,' als y fynde, Þat lymes hauen [has.] out of kynde; Þat hauen [has.] lymes more or lesse, 'Monstre' men seis þat swilkon ysse.) [es.] Line 3780 'Marebellow' [Mare Bellu.] ys þe se hound: I not wheþer hit suiymmes [? MS. smymmes. suimmes, P.] or is atte ground. Was non þat wonede by þe se syde, Þat durste for þat best abyde; Line 3784 Man & best he swelwed & et [ete . . leet.] ; Þat he ouertok, on [of.] lyue ne let. ¶ Morpidus herde þerof gret cry; Hys herte was bold & euere [ouer.] hardy, Line 3788 On himself he affyed so, Allone, þe best he ȝede hym to, & faught wyþ hym,—hit was folye On hym self so mykel forto affie; [mikil affie.] — Line 3792

Line 3792 Hym self alone [Al on him self.] þe best assailled, Gret hardynesse hym non [Hardines of hert.] ne failled; Wyþ spere first he til hym schet; [launce first he to him scet.] [Petyt folio 23b:1] & wounded hym þat was so gret. Line 3796 Whan he had schoten, & til hym cast, Þenne wyþ swerd hew on hym fast. Ouer neygh he cam in þat fyghtyng: He gaped wyde, & swelwed [opind his mouth & sualhid.] þe kyng. Line 3800 ⁵[þus gate deid sir Morpidus; So did þe best þat swalud him thus.]⁵ [^5-5 From the Petyt MS.] ffor þe kyng men made gret mone, Þe bestes deþ conforted ilkone. Line 3804