The alliterative Morte Arthure

Lines 2123 through 2289

He clekys owtte Collbrande, full clenlyche burneschte, Line 2123 Graythes hym to Golapas, þat greuyde moste, Line 2124 Kuttes hym euen by þe knees clenly in sondyre. Line 2125 "Come down," quod the Kyng, "and karpe to thy ferys; Line 2126 Thowe arte to hye by þe halfe, I hete þe in trouthe: Line 2127 Thow sall be handsomere in hye, with þe helpe of my Lorde!" Line 2128 With þat stelen brande he strake ofe his hede. Line 2129 Sterynly in þat stoure he strykes anoþer; Line 2130 [folio 76r] Thus he settez on seuen with his sekyre knyghttez— Line 2131 Whylles sexty ware seruede soo ne sessede they neuer. Line 2132 And thus at the joynynge the geauntez are distroyede, Line 2133 And at þat journey forjustede with gentill lordez. Line 2134

Than the Romaynes and the rennkkez of þe Rounde Table Line 2135 Rewles them in arraye, rerewarde ande oþer; Line 2136 With wyghte wapynez of werre thay wroghten on helmes, Line 2137 Rittez with raunke stele full ryalle maylez. Line 2138 Bot they fitt them fayre, thes frekk byernez, Line 2139 Fewters in freely one feraunte stedes, Line 2140 Foynes ful felly with flyschande speris, Line 2141 Freten of orfrayes feste appon scheldez; Line 2142 So fele fay es in fyghte appon þe felde leuyde, Line 2143 That iche a furthe in the firthe of rede blode rynnys. Line 2144 By that swyftely one swarthe þe swett es byleuede, Line 2145 Swerdez swangen in two sweltand knyghtez, Line 2146 Lyes wyde opyn, welterande on walopande stedez; Line 2147 Wondes of wale men, werkande sydys, Line 2148 Facez fetteled vnfaire in filterede lakes, Line 2149 All craysed, fortrodyn with trappede stedez, Line 2150 The faireste on folde that fygurede was euer, Line 2151 Alls ferre alls a furlang, a thosande at ones. Line 2152

Be than the Romaynez ware rebuykyde a lyttill, Line 2153

Line 2153 Withdrawes theym drerely and dreches no lengare; Line 2154 Oure prynce with his powere persewes theyme aftyre, Line 2155 Prekez on þe proudeste with his price knyghttez. Line 2156 Sir Kayous, Sir Clegis, Sir Cleremond the noble Line 2157 Enconters them at þe clyffe with clene men of armes; Line 2158 Fyghttes faste in þe fyrth, frythes no wapen, Line 2159 Felled at þe firste come fyfe hundrethe at ones. Line 2160 And when they fande theym foresett with oure fers knyghtez, Line 2161 Fewe men agayne fele mot fyche them bettyre, Line 2162 Feghttez with all þe frappe, foynes with speres, Line 2163 And faughte with the frekkeste þat to Fraunce langez. Line 2164 Bot Sir Kayous þe kene castis in fewtyre, Line 2165 Chasez one a coursere and to a kyng rydys; Line 2166 With a launce of Lettowe he thirllez his sydez, Line 2167 That the lyuer and þe lunggez on þe launce lengez; Line 2168 The schafte schodyrde and schott in the schire byerne, Line 2169 And soughte thorowowte þe schelde and in þe schalke rystez. Line 2170

Bot Kayous at the income was kepyd vnfayre Line 2171 With a cowarde knyghte of þe kythe ryche; Line 2172 At þe turnyng that tym the traytoure hym hitte, Line 2173 In thorowe the felettes, and in þe flawnke aftyre, Line 2174 That the boustous launce þe bewells attamede, Line 2175 Þat braste at þe brawlyng and brake in þe myddys. Line 2176 Sir Kayous knewe wele, be þat kyde wounde, Line 2177 [folio 76v] That he was dede of þe dynte and don owte of lyfe; Line 2178 Than he raykes in arraye and one rawe rydez, Line 2179 One this reall his dede to reuenge; Line 2180 "Kepe the, cowarde," he calles hym sone, Line 2181 Cleues hym wyth his clere brande clenliche in sondire. Line 2182 "Hadde thow wele delte thy dynt with thi handes, Line 2183 I hade forgeffen þe my dede, be Crist now of Hewyn." Line 2184 He weyndes to þe wyese kyng and wynly hym gretes: Line 2185 "I am wathely woundide—waresche mon I neuer; Line 2186 Wirke nowe thi wirchipe, as þe worlde askes, Line 2187 And brynge me to beryell—byd I no more. Line 2188 Grete wele my ladye, þe Qwene, ȝife þe werlde happyne, Line 2189 And all þe burliche birdes þat to hir boure lengez, Line 2190

Line 2190 And my worthily weife, þat wrethide me neuer, Line 2191 Bid hire, fore hir wyrchipe, wirke for my saulle." Line 2192 The Kyngez confessour come, with Criste in his handes, Line 2193 For to comforthe the knyghte, kende hym þe wordes; Line 2194 The knyghte coueride on his knees with a kaunt herte, Line 2195 And caughte his Creatoure, þat comfurthes vs all. Line 2196

Thane remmes þe riche kynge fore rewthe at his herte, Line 2197 Rydes into rowte, his dede to reuenge; Line 2198 Presede into þe plumpe, and with a prynce metes, Line 2199 That was ayere of Egipt in thos este marches, Line 2200 Cleues hym with Collbrande clenlyche in sondyre; Line 2201 He broches euen thorowe þe byerne and þe sadill bristes, Line 2202 And at þe bake of þe blonke þe bewells entamede. Line 2203 Manly in his malycoly he metes anoþer, Line 2204 The medill of þat myghtty, þat hym myche greuede; Line 2205 He merkes thurghe the maylez the myddes in sondyre, Line 2206 That the myddys of þe mane on þe mounte fallez, Line 2207 Þe toþer halfe of þe haunche on þe horse leuyde— Line 2208 Of þat hurte, alls I hope, heles he neuer. Line 2209 He schotte thorowe þe schiltrouns with his scharpe wapen, Line 2210 Schalkez he schrede thurghe and schrenkede maylez, Line 2211 Baneres he bare downne, bryttenede scheldes, Line 2212 Brothely with brown stele his brethe he þare wrekes; Line 2213 Wrothely he wryththis by wyghtnesse of strenghe, Line 2214 Woundes þese whydyrewyns, werrayede knyghttes, Line 2215 Threppede thorowe þe thykkys thryttene sythis, Line 2216 Thryngez throly in the thrange and chis euen aftyre. Line 2217

Thane Sir Gawayne the gude, with wyrchipfull knyghttez, Line 2218 Wendez in the avawewarde be tha wodde hemmys; Line 2219 Was warre of Sir Lucius, one launde there he houys, Line 2220 With lordez and liggemen that to hym selfe lengede. Line 2221 Thane the Emperour enkerly askes hym sonne, Line 2222 "What will thow, Gawayne, wyrke with thi wapyn? Line 2223 [folio 77r] I watte be thi waueryng thow willnez aftyre sorowe; Line 2224 I sall be wrokyn on thi wrethe, fore all thi grete wordez!" Line 2225 He laughte owtte a lange swerde and luyschede one faste, Line 2226 And Sir Lyonell in the launde lordely he hym strykes: Line 2227 Hittes hym on þe hede, þat þe helme bristis, Line 2228

Line 2228 Hurttes his herne-pane an hannde-brede large. Line 2229 Thus he layes one þe lumppe and lordlye þem serued, Line 2230 Wondide worthily wirchipfull knyghttez; Line 2231 Fighttez with Florent, that beste es of swerdez, Line 2232 Till þe fomande blode till his fyste rynnes. Line 2233

Thane þe Romayns releuyde, þat are ware rebuykkyde, Line 2234 And all torattys oure men with theire riste horsses; Line 2235 Fore they see þaire cheftayne be chauffede so sore, Line 2236 They chasse and choppe doun oure cheualrous knyghttes. Line 2237 Sir Bedwere was borne thurghe, and his breste thyrllede, Line 2238 With a burlyche brannde, brode at þe hiltes; Line 2239 The ryall raunke stele to his herte rynnys, Line 2240 And he rusches to þe erthe—rewthe es the more. Line 2241

Thane þe Conquerour tuke kepe and come with his strenghes Line 2242 To reschewe þe ryche men of þe Rounde Table, Line 2243 To owttraye þe Emperour, ȝif auntire it schewe, Line 2244 Ewyn to þe egle, and "Arthure!" askryes. Line 2245 The Emperour thane egerly at Arthure he strykez, Line 2246 Awkwarde on þe vmbrere and egerly hym hittez; Line 2247 The nakyde swerde at þe nese noyes hym sare, Line 2248 The blode of the bolde kyng ouer þe breste rynnys, Line 2249 Beblede at þe brode schelde and þe bryghte mayles. Line 2250 Oure bolde kyng bowes þe blonke be þe bryghte brydyll, Line 2251 With his burlyche brande a buffette hym reches, Line 2252 Thourghe þe brene and þe breste with his bryghte wapyn: Line 2253 O slante doun fro þe slote he slyttes at ones. Line 2254 Thus endys þe Emperour of Arthur hondes, Line 2255 And all his austeryn oste þareofe ware affrayede. Line 2256 Now they ferke to þe fyrthe, a fewe þat are leuede, Line 2257 For ferdnesse of oure folke, by þe fresche strandez; Line 2258 The floure of oure ferse men one ferant stedez Line 2259 Folowes frekly on þe frekes, thate frayede was neuer. Line 2260

Thane þe kyde conquerour cryes full lowde, Line 2261 "Cosyn of Cornewaile, take kepe to þi selfen Line 2262 That no captayne be kepyde for non siluer, Line 2263 Or Sir Kayous dede be cruelly vengede." Line 2264 "Nay," sais Sir Cador, "so me Cryste helpe, Line 2265

Line 2265 Thare ne es kaysere ne kyng þat vndire Criste ryngnes Line 2266 Þat I ne schall kill colde dede be crafte of my handez!" Line 2267 Thare myghte men see chiftaynes on chalke-whitte stedez Line 2268 Choppe doun in the chaas cheualrye noble; Line 2269 Romaynes þe rycheste and ryall kynges Line 2270 [folio 77v] Braste with ranke stele theire rybbys in sondyre; Line 2271 Braynes forebrusten thurghe burneste helmes, Line 2272 With brandez forbrittenede one brede in þe laundez; Line 2273 They hewede doun haythen men with hiltede swerdez Line 2274 Be hole hundrethez on hye, by þe holte eyuyes. Line 2275 Thare myghte no siluer thaym saue ne socoure theire lyues, Line 2276 Sowdane ne Sarazene ne senatour of Rome. Line 2277

Thane releuis þe renkes of the Rounde Table Line 2278 Be þe riche reuare that rynnys so faire; Line 2279 Lugez thaym luflye by þa lyghte strandez, Line 2280 All on lawe in þe lawnde, thas lordlyche byernes. Line 2281 Thay kaire to þe karyage and tuke whate them likes, Line 2282 Kamells and cokadrisses and cofirs full riche, Line 2283 Hekes and hakkenays and horses of armes, Line 2284 Howsyng and herbergage of heythen kyngez; Line 2285 They drewe owt of dromondaries dyuerse lordes, Line 2286 Moyllez mylke whitte and meruayllous bestez, Line 2287 Olfendes and arrabys and olyfauntez noble, Line 2288 Þer are of þe Oryent, with honourable kynges. Line 2289