The romance of Sir Beues of Hamtoun. Ed. from six manuscripts and the old printed copy, with introduction, notes, and glossary, by Eugen Kölbing ...

(Tyll hyt befelle vpon a day,As ye the sothe here may.Keste we now of Tarrys fareAnd of Befyse speke we mare!Syr Befyse rode a gode paseLine 5 Toward the cyte of Damaske.Two dayes he rode ryght,Or he of hys hors lyght,But as faste as he myght rydeTyll þe thrydde morne tyde.Line 10 Be þat lyste Befyse to ete & drynke,As a wery man aftur swynkeTo slepe he lyste, as þe romans tellys;For he myȝt gete nothyng ellys,Befyse leyde hym to slepe þat stounde,Line 15 And hys hors ete vpon þe grounde.When he was wakyd of hys slepe,Vpon hys hors can he lepe. C; om. SN.Sir B. rood fourþ (om. C.) on (in N) hys (þe S) way,He nold (wolde C) make noon delay;Line 20 In a forest long and broodOn (Vpon C) his hors forth he rood.On (Vpon C) his ryȝt honde he seyȝe him (om. C) nereA palmer sit (syttyng C) at his (om. C) dynere,Al oon he sat, as he was born,Line 25 (And add. C; Good add. N) mete and drynke was (he had N; om. C) him byforn,(He sate vnder a feire tree,(Mete & drynke for knyghtes thre, C)While he (þey C) wolde (sitte and (om. S) þere (þer at C) be.(iii. fowles (There C) he hadde to (at C) his dynere,Line 30 (Þat men calle colueres (The curlews þat be clepyd C) here;Inouȝ he had, (þat goodman (of gode mone C),Þauȝe he were pore to see vppon (om. C);He loked vp with eyȝen (eye C) bryȝt,And of (syr add. C) B. he had a syȝtLine 35 And (He C) praide him with hert free:'Syr, com nere and dyne with me,Dyne with me vppon þis (þe C) grounde,And (om. N) sethe (then NC) shal (wyll C) we speke (talke C) a stounde,Where in londe (þat add. C) þou hast beene,Line 40 And what (of add. C) auentures þou hast seene;Me þynketh, (þou art (þe a C) gentyl (gent N; knyȝt add. C) and free,Muche (That makyth C) myn herte falleth (to falle C) to thee,Þat (I hope C) þou me (om. C) shalt wysshe ful (me C) euynTo a man, þat (om. N) y shal (the add. N) nemen (neuyn C)!'Line 45 He lyȝt adoun (als so ȝern (hyt ys not to layn C),[And al his þouȝt bygan (he gan N) to tern,[And of that syght he was fayne, C]They (He C) eten (ete C) and (dronken grete (dranke C) plente,While (þey wolde (þat he C) þer ate (wolde add. C) bee.Line 50 After meete is tyme to speke,And (Syr C) B. bygan (can furste C) out to (om. C) brekeAnd asked þe palmer, as he wel (om. C) can,ȝif he were a cristen man,(And of add. C) whennes he was and what he souȝt,And (where oon was his (what was C) most (yn hys add. C) þouȝt:Line 55 'Tel me, yf þy wille be,ȝif þow wilt yleue (I loue N; haue the loue of C) me (the N)!'Þe palmer seide, y vnderstonde:'Y was born in Ingelonde,Line 59 Atte Southamton (Hampton N) vppon (on C) þe see;Þere (me were (were me C) lef (for add. N) to bee.I haue ysouȝt þis seuen ȝereIn mony londes (a londe C) fer and nereAfter a man, þat y shal nemyn (nevyn C):B. he hatte (hyght C), by god in (of NC) heuyn,Line 65 Þat (So C) is his name, y vnderstonde,(That add. C) I haue him (om. C) souȝt in mony a (om. N) londeAnd euer shal, tyl y him fynde,But [with hond (hondis N) men [yf men wyth cordys C] me bynde,To bryng him in to Ingelonde,Line 70 To help my fader with his honde!''What hat (hyght C) (þy fader (he N)?' quod (seyde C) B. þan,'What woldest þou (do add. NC) with suche a man,Þat þou hast (so wyde ysouȝt (soght so wyde where C)(In mony a londe and fonde him nouȝtLine 75 (In dyuers londys farre and nere C):Tel me, ȝif (what C) þy wille is,(And then add. C) ȝif y can, y wylle (schall C) þe wys!'The palmer seide with simpel (mylde C) chere:'(Men calle my fader (My ffadur hyght C) sir Sabere;Line 80 He was B. his (om. C) own eme,He shulde haue cast him in (to add. N) þe (a C) stremeÞrowȝ (his moders (the meiris (!) N) com|maundement,Therfore was (om. C) my ffader (ys nere add. C) shent.First she gan (bad C) my fader too (hym sloo C),Line 85 (Hur owne soon for to sloo(That he neuyr came hur too, C)And for to cast him in (to add. N) þe see;(But add. C) my ffader him sauid, y tel þe,Þerfore he haþ (is in NC) muche (mekull C) stryf,Line 90 (And add. C) for he sauid the childes lyf; [90 put before 89 C.] She (He NC) (kepeth him (ys C) in a castel steff and good,Closed with þe salt flood,In (an yle (a penakull C) of the see;Mete (and drynke (om. N) he hath (grete add. N) plenteLine 95 (To him and mo þauȝ þey were,(And II. C knyghtys dere, C)(Vitailes good (And mete and drynke C) for seven (XII C) ȝere.Now haue y tolde þe (om. N) of (all C) my care (sare C),How (Whom C) y (haue him (hym haue N; haue C) souȝt wyde whare:Line 100 Tel me now, yf þou can,Where y myȝt fynde suche a man!'Þen seide (syr add. C) B. in his sowe:'(By god, þat ilke man (Soche a man wele C) y knowe!'[And seide: 'It is not longe agoo,Line 105 Seeth y him seye in muche woo;[Be all that y on lefe,I loue no man so moche as Befe; C.]It is not (ȝyt add. C) þree dayes (with al (falle C),That (Syth C) we ete (to geder (om. C) in an halle,Line 110 Bothe we ete of (om. N) oo mete (bredd C),[And (om. N) at oo bord (borthe (!) S) we sete:[And bothe we sate at oon steddAnd ete bothe of oon flesche,Of oon plater and of oon dysche. C.]Line 115 By þe (that C) tale, þat þou me (om. N) tel'es,(Þat was B. (I wot beste C) and no man elles.Wende hoom to þy fader aȝeyn,And tel him of (om. NC) al þy peyn,Where in londe (londis N; þat add. C) þou hast been,Line 120 And what auentures (þat add. C) þou hast scene,Help him (om. C), to defende his castel strong,Þat no man do him (no add. C) wrong!(And add. C) when y haue my message doon,I wyl (schall C) speke with sir (om. C) (B. sone (Beuone N);Line 125 (And add. C) y shal don þy herand weleTo sir B. euerydele![He ys my felowe and my frynde,Wyth hym to Ynglonde wyll y wynde.'Then seyde the palmer wyth herte fre:Line 130 'Syr,' he seyde, 'y pray the,Telle me, where y may fyndeBefyse, þat ys so gode and hende!''Syr,' he seyde, 'be goddys ore,Line 134 Of hym y wyll telle the nomore!' add. C.]Þan seide þe palmer with hert free:'Tel me (I pray the C) now pur (for C) charyte,Whiche is my way to Inglond (þis lond N) nowe,And wheder in (on C) message wendest þou?'['To Damas I wylle tee,Line 140 Þat is a feire citee;[Be god, y am a messangereTo Damaske, y wolde be there;Hyt ys a well feyre cyte:Be god, þere wolde y fayne bee! C.]Line 145 With me y bere a letter folde (yn holde C),Iclosed in (wyth C) siluer and in (om. C) gold,To þe king him self, ywys,And (om. C) y wot neuer (not C), what it is.'Þe palmer seide: 'So mot þou þee,Line 150 Let me now þy (þat C) letter see,What þing þer (yn is (ys yn C) wrete:Wel were (is N) me, and (yf C) y myȝt (mow C) wete!'B. (seide to (answeryd C) him anoon (tho C):'So couth y my self doon:Line 155 [Bi the (þat C) king, that sitteth in trone,Hit schal neuer be vndone (om. S).]Tyl þe king him self it see,(Shal it neuer vndone be!'(Of Damaske, that ryche cyte!' C).Line 160 (Þe palmer (They C) kyssed him (om. C) anoon þooAnd toke his (ther C) leue for to goo.[The palmer toke þe wey (into Ingelonde (to þis lond N),(B. went (Brode N) forth and þowȝt no shonde.[The palmer yn to Ynglond toke þe way,Line 165 And syr Befyse forþe wyth owt delay C.]Toward (To C) þe cite of Damasce,Þat shon (as bryȝt as (bryghter þen C; cny add. N; þe add. C) glas;(It was (Ryght C) about þe (om. N) mydnyȝt,Hit shoon (so clere and so bryght (bryȝt as sonne lyght C),Line 170 [Þat B. had forlorn his siȝtÞrowȝe þe clerete of þe (that N) lyȝt.[Hyt schonne so bryȝt & so clere,That Befyse had loste hys syȝt nere. C.]Alle þe weyes (wendowis N; howsys C) (and al (wyth yn C) þe walles (walle C),Line 175 [O cristal bryȝt, chambur (chambers N) and halles;[All they were of crystalle; C](The crystall was semely leyde,As hyt ys yn romans seyde:The pelers were of cyprys holde,Line 180 Ipeynted wyth redd golde;Ilke a rofe hyllyd wyth ledde,Poyntyd about wyth golde red.Soche was the borow,The romans tellyth, thorow & þorow.Line 185 Ther was neuer man, þat myȝt goAbowte the cyte yn dayes yn (!) two. add. C.Þat (Hyt C) was (wyde add. C), with oute doute,(And add. C) double walled al about;Þe cite was closed with a dyche,Line 190 [Noon depper was (nas N) [Ther was none soche C] vnder heuyn ryche;It was (so add. C) depe and eke (right N; om. C) large,(That add. C) þeryn myȝt fleetc (om. C) ship and barge;(Þerin mow shippes (Abowte þe cyte wyth galleys C) rowe,(Þeryn is (Wyth C) ioye (& myrthe & game add. C) ynowe.Line 195 (Ther be add. C) aboute (þe cite (om. C; is add. N) VII (syxty C) ȝates, ywys,With (And II C) brugges and (II add. C) portecules;Suche ȝates (a cyte C) were (ner N; was C) neuer (noon C) vnder sonne,It myȝt (was C) neuer ben (nor schall be C) ywoone. [197 f. put before 195 f. C.] Ouer þe water (ys add. C) a brygge of bras,Men (Man NC) and bestes (best NC) þer ouer (on S) myȝt (to C) pas.Line 201 [Vnder þe brugge were sixty belles,As the romaunce in book (bokis vs N) telles [om. C];When (man or best (ony bestys C) þer ouer (on S) (did add. N) gon,[Þe belles ryngen euerychoon.Line 205 [Os bellys ryngyng faryth hyt þan. C.]At þe brigge ende stondeth a toure,Paynted with gold and assour;[On þe toure stood an egell bold (olde N),Line 209 Þat was (allc add. N) of riche golde [om. C],(His eyȝen were (The toret was C) of precious stoones,Riche and good for þe noones;Þe stoones ȝaue more lyȝt,Þan þat (alle þe C) citee, þat was so bryȝt.Als wel myȝt B. þis (þat cyte C) see,Line 215 As had he (he had NC) (in þe cite (ther yn C) bee;And ȝit (sir B. (he C) was (þus far add. C) þerfrooXXX. myle and wel (ȝyt C) moo,[XXX. myle long and brood,Line 219 It was yfonde, as he (B. C) rood. [om. C.]Þan seide B., (as y seye (so mote y C) thee:'A ryche (feyre C) citee now y see:Seth y was born of woman,Suche a citee sawe y neuer noon!'Line 224 (As add. C) he rood forth on (in N) his wayeToward Damas þat ilke (om. C) daye,(He sawe a tempull large & rownde,Newe made on the grownde.As syr Befyse rode yn hys way,Moche pcople at þe tempull he say:Line 230 'What,' seyde Befyse, 'may thys bee?Wete y schall, so mote y the!'He lyght a downe wyth owt moreAnd tyed hys hakeney at the doreAnd owt drewe hys bryght bronde,Line 235 And yn to the tempull he wonde.He lokyd on them wyth eyen gray,And mony of them can he fray,And some he smote of the hedd,And some he woundyd to the dedd,Line 240 Some the leggys & some the arme,To sle them he thoght no harme.Be syde the tempull he made a fyreAnd threwe þer yn dam & syre,Sone & doghtur, all he brent,Line 245 And all þer goddys, or he went;But oon Sarsyn a way gan stalke,Or þat Befyse myght hym take,And tolde Bradmonde, the kyng,All to gedur, wyth owt lesyng,Line 250 How þat a man hym selfe alloneHath slayne men mony oon,Some woundyd and all torent'And all owre goddys ybrent.'Tho sayde the kyng: 'Be Mahoun,Line 255 That ys Befyse of Hampton!Lordynges,' he seyde, 'ryse vp fro þe bordeAnd welcome syr Befyse, yowre lorde!'When Befyse had do that owtrageAnd slayne bothe syre and page,Line 260 He rode forthe on hys wayTo Damaska that ylke day. add. C).On (Vpon C) þe brygge he rood a good (om. C) paas,He spared nouȝt þe brygge of braas,[The brygge rang as bellys than,Line 265 Soche a pase the hakeney ran, add. C.](And al þe belles gon (The bellys all began to C) rynge,In þe cite (þat herde þe kinge (wyth owt lesyng C).[Þe king seide: 'What be þis may?Þe brugge makeþ so grete derray!'Line 270 Fast to (a tour (the brig N) went he,For to wete and for to see.[All the men of that cyteHad gretc wondur, how hyt myȝt be. C.]B. rod to the castel ȝate,Line 275 He (And NC) (met king (fonde C) Brad|mound (stondyng add. C) þer ate.When he sawe þe king with crown,Of his hakeney (hors C) he lyȝt a (om. C) doun,[On knee he him set, he nolde stound,And ȝaue vp his deth with his hond:Line 280 'Jesu, þat made þe world round,Þe blesse (blessith N), king Bradmound!Wel þe greteth kyng ErmynAnd sent þe þis letter in (of N) parchemyn!'Þan seide þe letter soo (tho N),Line 285 Þat he shulde sir B. sloo.[The kyng quakyd & had grete drede,He wende, he schulde neuer haue go fro þat stede.Befyse knelyd and wolde not stondeAnd toke the lettyr yn hys hondeLine 290 And saluted þe kyng on þys manere,As ye may aftur here:'Iesu, that made the planettes VIIAnd all the worlde vndur heuyn,And made þys worlde wyde & rome,Line 295 Geue the, syr kyng, hys malyson,And Mahounde, that ys god thyn,Bothe Mahounde and Apolyn,The blesse now myght,And all thy men ryght!'Line 300 And seyde: 'Lo, syr, here, kyng ArmynA lettyr hath sente yn parchemyn,And for hys loue he byddyth the,In haste that hyt spedde be!'The lettyr he toke yn hys hande,Line 305 Euyll aferde and sore tremelande;He behelde þe lettyr closyd yn golde,And all he sawe, what he do schulde:Take syr Befyse & do hym sloAnd let hym neuer farther goo.Line 310 When he had radd the lettyr bryȝt,Be the hande he toke the knyȝt,And hys men at oon wordeWelcomyd syr Befyse, ther lorde.He broght hym yn to the halleLine 315 And set hym at mete yn knyȝtes stalle;He was set to mete soone,Mete & drynke he had gode wone.When he was seruyd yn the halle,The kyng can hys knyghtes calle:Line 320 'Arme yow, lordynges, y bydde yow,Befyse to take for yowre prowe!'An C knyghtes were armyd bryȝtIn to the dethe for drede of fyȝt. C.](And he (The kyng C) swoor by (om. C) his god (othe C) þan,Line 325 Þat (om. C) he was (nas N) neuer gladder (so aferde C) of man:'Þou art he (þat man C), þat made me þralle(And eke (Me and C) my knyȝtes alle,Thou (And S) slouȝ of (all C) my men to groundLine 329 XV thousand yn a (lytull add. C) stound,And (me þou dedest othes (dud me an othe C) swere,Þat y shuld neuer armes bereAȝen þy lord (with muche vnryȝt (yn wrong nor ryght C),(Þe whiles (The while N; Whyll þat C) he (I C) liued and had syȝt.(Now goo to halle and (Do now bothe C) eete and drynke,Line 335 (As muche (Soche C) as þe (thou C) good þynke:(For add. C) þou shalt (neuer ete (ete neuer C) mare,Euyl (om. C) and hard (þou shalt (schall thou C) fare!' SNC.Þe Saryzyns ledden B. to halleAnd sette him in a knyȝtes stalle;Line 340 Þey seruide him as (a add. N) messengereWyth ryche (moche N) meetes and drynkes clere.

Bradmond toke B. by þe honde,Him to slee with muche wronge.