sig: [A1] | |
¶Syr Degore. | |
sig: [A1v] | |
LOrdynges and ye wyll holde you styll | |
A gentyll tale tell you I wyll | |
Of knyghtes of this countree | |
That hath trauayled beyonde the see | |
5 | To seke auentures bothe nyght and daye |
And how they myght theyr streng[t]h assay strength] strengh 1512 | |
As dyde a knyght his name was syr Degore As] So R, A | |
One of the best that was founde hym before | |
Somtyme in Englonde there was a kynge | |
10 | A noble man of maners in all-thynge |
Stoute in armes and vnder shylde | |
Full moche doubted in batayll and felde doubted: ='feared' | |
There was no man than veramente | |
That with hym Iusted in tur[na]mente turnamente] turmente 1512 | |
15 | That out of his styrope myght brynge his fote |
He was so stronge without doubte | |
The kynge had no chyldern but one | |
A doughter as whyte as whalles-bone | |
That mayden he loued as his lyfe | |
20 | Her moder was deed the quene his wyfe |
In trauayll of chylde she dyed alas | |
But whan that mayden af aege was | |
Kyn[g]es sones her woed then Kynges] Kynkes 1512 | |
Emperours Dukes and other men | |
25 | To haue that mayden in maryage |
For loue of her grete herytage | |
But than the kynge dyde them answere | |
That no man sholde wedde her | |
But yf that he myght with stoute Iustynge | |
30 | The kynge out of his sadyll brynge |
And do[en] hym lose his styropes two doen] downe 1512, doe R | |
Many one assayed and myght nought do | |
sig: A2 | |
Euery yere of ryght [he] wolde he] it 1512 | |
A grete feest [haue and] holde haue and] wole he 1512, have and R, make and A, C | |
35 | Upon his quenes murnynge-daye |
That was buryed in an abbaye | |
So on a daye the kynge wolde ryde | |
To an abbaye there-besyde | |
To do dyryges and masses bothe | |
40 | The poore to fede and the naked to clothe |
His owne doughter with hym rode | |
And in the forest styll she abode | |
She called her chamberlayne her to | |
And other maydens she dyde also | |
45 | And sayd adowne she muste alyght |
Better her clothes to amende and ryght | |
Adowne they ben alyght all thre | |
Her damoysell and so dyde she | |
A full longe stounde there she abode | |
50 | Tyll all the meyne frome her rode |
They gate vp and after they wolde | |
But they coude not [the] ryght waye holde the] they 1512 | |
The wodde was roughe and thycke ywysse | |
And they toke theyr waye all amysse | |
55 | They rode southe they rode west |
In-to the thycke of that forest | |
And in-to a londe they came at the last | |
Than weryed they wonder faste | |
Than wyst the[y] well amysse they had gone they] the 1512 | |
60 | And downe the[y] lyght euerychone they] the 1512 |
And they called all in fere | |
But there myght no man them here | |
The weder was hote before the none | |
They wyst neuer what was best to done | |
sig: [A2v] | |
65 | But layde them downe vpon the grene |
Some fel on_slepe as I wene | |
Thus they fell on_slepe euerychone | |
Saue the kynges doughter a_lone | |
She went aboute and gadred floures | |
70 | And to here the songe of small foules |
So longe she dyde forth pas | |
That she wyst neuer where she was | |
Ye waye to her damoyselles she wolde haue nome | |
But she wyst neuer how to come | |
75 | Than gan she crye wonder sore |
She wepte and wronge her handes thore | |
And sayd alas that I was borne | |
For well I wote I am forlorne | |
For wylde bestes wyll me rynde rynde] gryndyn R, to_grinde A | |
80 | Or ony man may me fynde |
And then she sawe a Ioyfull syght | |
To her came prekynge a fayre knyght | |
Full well he semed a gentyll man | |
And ryche clothes hym vpon | |
85 | Well farynge both of fote and honde |
There was non suche in that londe | |
So stout a man than was he | |
He sayd madame god you se | |
Be ye a_drade of me ryght nought | |
90 | I haue none armes with me brought |
I haue the loued this many a yere | |
And now I haue founde the here | |
Thou shalte be my lemmanne or I go | |
Wheder it tourne to wele or wo | |
95 | No more to done then coude she |
But wepte and cryed and wolde haue fle | |
sig: A3 | |
Anone began he her to beholde | |
And dyde with her what he wolde | |
And berafte her her maydenhode | |
100 | And than before the lady he stode |
He sayd madame gentyll and fre | |
With chylde I wote well that ye be | |
Well I wote it shall be a knaue | |
Therfore my swerde he shall haue | |
105 | My good swerde [and] a[u]e[n]aunt and auenaunt] of ameaunt 1512, and avenauntt R, and avenaunt Aauenaunt: ='suitable', see OED s.v. avenant |
For therwith I slewe a gyaunt | |
I brake the poynt in his hede | |
And in the felde I it leued | |
Dame take it vp lo it is here | |
110 | For thou spekest not with me this many a yere |
And yet parauenture the tyme may come | |
That I maye speke with my sone | |
And by this sworde I may hym ken | |
He kyssed his loue and wente then | |
115 | The knyght passed as he come |
All wepynge the lady that swerde vp nome | |
She wente awaye sore wepynge | |
And founde her maydens slepynge | |
She hydde the swerde so as she myght | |
120 | And called them vp anone-ryght |
And toke theyr horses euerychone | |
And began to ryde soone anone | |
And than ther came at the last | |
Many a knyght prekynge fast | |
125 | Fro the kynge than were they sent |
To wete wheder they wente | |
They brought them in-to the hye-waye | |
And rode in fere to that abbaye | |
sig: [A3v] | |
There was done seruyce and all-thynge | |
130 | With many a masse and ryche offerynge |
And whan that seruyce was all done | |
And gan to passe the hye-none | |
The kynge vnto his palays gan ryde | |
And moche people by his syde | |
135 | Whan euery man was gladde and blythe |
The lady soned many a sythe soned: ='swooned' | |
Her baly waxed more and more | |
She wepte and wronge her handes sore | |
So vpon a daye she gan sore wepe | |
140 | A mayden of hers toke good kepe |
And sayd madame for charyte | |
Why ye do wepe ye wyll tell me | |
Mayden and I tell the before | |
And thou me wrey I were but lore | |
145 | For I haue ben euer meke and mylde |
And truly nowe I am with chylde | |
And yf ony man it vnder_yede vnder_yede is a rhyme-sp.; see OED s.v. underyete | |
Euery man wolde tell in euery stede | |
That my fader on me it wan | |
150 | For I loued neuer other man |
And yf my fader it may wete | |
Suche sorowe his herte may gete | |
That he shall neuer mery man be | |
For all his Ioye is layde on me | |
155 | And tolde the damoysell all in fere |
How the chylde was begoten on here | |
Now gentyll lady greue you nought | |
For styll it shall be forth brought | |
Shall no man it wytte certaynly | |
160 | Truely madame but you and I |
sig: [A4] | |
Tyme was come she was vnbounde | |
And delyuered both hole and sounde | |
A man-chylde there was bore | |
Gladde was the lady therfore | |
165 | The mayden serued her at her wyll |
And layde the chylde in a cradyll | |
She wrapped hym in clothes anone | |
And was all-redy for to haue gone | |
Yet was the chylde vnto the moder holde | |
170 | She gaue it .xx. pounde of golde |
And .x. pounde of syluer also | |
Under his heed she gan it doo | |
Moche it is that a chylde behoues | |
She put with hym a payre of gloues | |
175 | Her lemman gaue her them in a stonde |
They wolde elles on no womans honde | |
On chyldes nother woman they nolde | |
But on his moders handes they wolde | |
And bad the chylde no wyfe wedde in londe | |
180 | But the gloues wolde on her honde |
For they myght serue no-where | |
Saue the moder that dyde hym bere | |
A letter with the chylde put she | |
With the gloues also perde | |
185 | She knyt the letter with a threde |
A_boute his necke a full good spede | |
Than was it in the letter wrytte the] the the 1512 | |
Who-so it founde shulde it wytte | |
For crystes loue yf ony good man | |
190 | This wofull chylde fynde can |
Do hym be crystened of preestes honde | |
And to helpe hym to lyue in londe | |
sig: [A4v] | |
With this syluer that is here | |
Tyll he may armes bere | |
195 | And helpe hym with his owne good |
For he is come of gentyll blode | |
And whan she had thus done | |
The mayden toke her leue full sone | |
With the chylde in the cradyll and all-thynge | |
200 | She stale awaye in the euenynge |
And went her waye she wyste not whyder | |
Thrughe thycke and thynne in the breer | |
She wente all the wynter nyght | |
By shynynge of the mone-lyght | |
205 | Then was she redely ware anone |
Of an hermytage made of stone | |
An holy man had there his dwellynge | |
And theder she wente without lesynge | |
And sette the cradyll at the dore | |
210 | For she durste dwell no lenger thore |
But turned agayne anone-ryght | |
And came agayne the same nyght | |
The hermyte rose on the morowe tho | |
And his knaue also | |
215 | Lorde he sayd I crye the mercy |
For nowe I here a yonge chylde crye | |
This holy man his dore vndyde | |
And fou[n]de the cradell in the stede | |
He lyfte vp the shete anone | |
220 | And loked vpon the lytell grome |
Than helde he vp his ryght honde | |
And thanked Ihesu_cryst of his sonde | |
He bare the chylde in-to the chapell | |
For Ioye of hym he ronge the bell | |
sig: [A5] | |
225 | And layde vp the gloues and the tresoure |
And crystened the chylde with grete honoure | |
And in the worshyp of the trynyte | |
He called the chyldes name Degore | |
For Degore to vnderstonde it is | |
230 | But thynge that almoost is lost ywys |
As thynge that is almoost a_goo | |
Therfore he called that chylde soo | |
The hermyte was an holy man of lyfe | |
He had a syster that was a wyfe | |
235 | He sente the chylde to her full rathe |
With moche money by his knaue | |
And badde she sholde take good hede | |
The chylde to nourysshe and fede | |
And this lytell chylde Degore | |
240 | Unto that cyte was I_bore |
The good-man and his wyfe in fere | |
The chylde they kepte as it theyr owne were | |
Tyll it was .x. wynter olde | |
He waxed a fayre chylde and a bolde | |
245 | Well-taught fayre and kynde |
There was none suche in all that ende ende: ='region', see OED s.v. end n, 2 | |
What tyme .x. yere was come and spente | |
Unto the hermyte they hym sente | |
The hermyte longed hym for to se | |
250 | Thenne was he a fayre chylde and fre |
He taught the chylde of clarkes lore | |
Other .x. wynter withouten more | |
And whan he was of .xx. yere | |
He was a man of grete powere | |
255 | There was no yonge-man in that londe |
That myght stande a brayde of his honde | |
sig: [A5v] | |
And whan the hermyte that dyde see | |
That he a man so stronge wolde be | |
A stalworthe man in ony werke | |
260 | And of his tyme a well good clerke |
He toke his florens and his gloues | |
That he had kepte for hym in his house | |
But his .x. pounde that was sterlynge | |
Was spente aboute the chyldes kepynge | |
265 | The hermyte toke hym his lettre to rede |
He loked therin that same stede | |
Syr he sayd for saynt charyte | |
Was this lettre made by me | |
Ye sone by hym that me deme shall | |
270 | Thus I founde the and tolde hym all |
He sette hym downe on knees full blythe | |
And thanked the hermyte many sythe | |
And sayd he wolde not rest in londe | |
Tyll the tyme he had his fader fonde | |
275 | He gaue the hermyte halfe his golde |
And the remenaunt vp he folde | |
He toke his leue and fayne wolde go | |
The hermyte sayd he sholde not so | |
To seke thy kynne thou mayst not endure | |
280 | Without good horse and good armure. |
¶How syr Degore fought with a dragon in a forest and slewe hym. |
|
sig: [A6] | |
SIr hermyte he sayd in-dede | |
I wyll haue no other wede | |
But a batte in mi honde | |
Myn enemyes therwith to withstande | |
285 | A full good sapelynge of an oke |
On whome he sette therwith a stroke | |
[Were] he neuer so tall a man Were] Where 1512, Wher R | |
Nor yet so good armure hym vpon | |
He wolde hym fell to the grounde | |
290 | With that same batte in that stounde |
sig: [A6v] | |
The chylde kyssed the hermyte tho | |
And toke his leue for to goo | |
Degore wente forthe on his waye | |
Thrughe a forest halfe a daye | |
295 | He harde no man nor sawe none |
Tyll it was past the hye-none | |
Thenne harde he grete strokes fall | |
That made grete noyse withall | |
Full soone he thought that thynge to se | |
300 | To wyte what the strokes myght be |
There was an erle bothe stoute and gay | |
He was come theder that same day | |
For to hunte for a dere or a doo | |
But his houndes were gone hym fro | |
305 | Thenne was there a dragon grete and grymme |
Full of fyre and also venimme | |
With a wyde throte and tuskes grete | |
Upon that knyght fast gan he bete | |
And as a lyon thenne was his fete | |
310 | His tayle was longe and full vnmete |
Bytwene his hede and his tayle | |
Was .xxii. fote withouten fayle | |
His body was lyke a wyne-tonne | |
He shone full bryght agaynst the sonne | |
315 | His eyen were bryght as ony glasse |
His scales were harde as ony brasse | |
And therto he was necked lyke a horse | |
He bare his hede vp with grete force | |
The breth of his mouth that dyde out-blowe | |
320 | As it had bene a fyre on lowe lowe: ='flame'; see OED s.v. low, lowe, n2 |
He was to loke on as I you tell | |
As it had ben a fende of hell | |
sig: [A7] | |
Many a man he had shente | |
And many a horse he had rente | |
325 | And to that erle harde batayll began |
But he defended hym lyke a man | |
And boldely smote hym with his swerde | |
But of all his strokes he was not aferde | |
His skynne was harde as ony stone | |
330 | Wherfore he myght hym no harme done |
And whan the erle syr Degore se | |
Helpe syr he sayd for saynt charyte | |
And thenne answerde syr Degore | |
Full gladly syr and god before | |
335 | Whan the dragon of Degore had a syght |
He left the erle and came to hym ryght | |
And the chylde that was so stronge | |
Toke his staffe that was longe | |
And smote the dragon so on the crowne | |
340 | That in that wodde he fell downe |
And then that dragon anone-ryght | |
Smote the chylde with suche myght | |
With his tayle vpon the ryght syde | |
That downe he fell in that tyde | |
345 | And he sterte vp anone full ryght |
And defended hym with moche myght | |
With that staffe that was so longe | |
He brake of hym bothe fote and bone | |
That it was wonder for to se | |
350 | He was so toughe he myght not deye |
Tyll Degore one stroke at hym flonge | |
With his staffe that was so stronge | |
He smote hym on the crowne on hye | |
That he made his braynes out-flye | |
sig: [A7v] | |
355 | And thenne the erle was glade and blythe |
And thanked Degore many a sythe | |
And prayed hym he wolde with hym ryde | |
Unto his palays there-be_syde | |
And there he made hym a knyght | |
360 | And made hym good chere that nyght |
Rentes tresoure and half his londe | |
He wolde haue sezyd in-to his honde | |
Syr Degore thanked hym truely | |
And prayed hym of his curtaysye | |
365 | To lette his ladyes before hym come |
Wyues medens more and some | |
And also your doughter eke | |
And yf my gloues ben for them mete | |
Or wyll vpon ony of there hondes | |
370 | Than wolde I fayne take my londes |
And yf my gloues wyll not soo | |
Thenne wyll I take my leue and goo | |
All the women were out brought | |
That there-aboute myght be sought | |
375 | All the[y] assayed the gloues than they] the 1512 |
But they wher mete for no woman wher] where 1512 | |
Syr Degore toke vp his gloues anone | |
And also toke leue for to gone | |
The Erle was a lorde of gentyll blode | |
380 | He gaue syr Degore a stede ryght good |
And therto he gaue hym good armure | |
The whiche was both fayre and sure | |
And also a page his man to be | |
And an hakneye to ryde on truely | |
385 | Syr Degore was glade and blythe |
And thanked the erle many a sythe | |
sig: [A8] | |
He rode forthe vpon his waye | |
Many a myle vpon somers daye | |
Upon a daye moche people he mette | |
390 | He houed styll and fayre them grette |
And asked a squyre what tydynge | |
And frome whens came all that folke rydynge | |
The squyre sayd syr veramente | |
They come frome the parlamente | |
395 | Fro a counseyll the kynge dyde make |
The whiche is for his doughters sake | |
But whan the parlament was moost plenere plenere: ='fully asembled', see OED s.v. plenar, plener adj | |
The kynge lete crye bothe fer and nere | |
Yf ony man were soo bolde | |
400 | That with the kynge Iust wolde |
He sholde haue his doughter in maryage | |
And all his londe and herytage | |
It is a londe bothe good and fayre | |
And the kynge therto had none ayre | |
405 | But sertes there dare no man graunt therto |
Many one sayd they myght not doo | |
For euery man that rydeth to hym | |
He beteth them with strokes grym | |
Some he breketh the necke anone | |
410 | Of some he cracketh bothe backe and bone |
Some thrughe the body he glytte glytte: ='strikes', 'cuts'; see OED glide, 4b | |
And some to deth he smytte | |
And to hym may no man do nothynge | |
Suche a grace euer had our kynge | |
415 | Syr Degore stode in a stody than |
And thought he was a doughty man | |
And I am in my yonge blode | |
And I haue horse and armure good | |
sig: [A8v] | |
And as I trowe a full good stede | |
420 | I wyll assaye yf that I may spede |
And yf I may bere the kynge downe | |
I may be a man of grete renowne | |
And yf that he me fell can | |
There knoweth no-body what I am | |
425 | Dethe or lyfe what-so me be_tyde |
I wyll ones ayenst hym ryde | |
Thus in the cyte his ynne he takes | |
And rested hym and mery makes | |
So vpon a day the kynge he mette | |
430 | He kneled downe and fayre hym grette |
He sayde syr kynge of moche myght | |
My lorde hath sent me to you ryght | |
To warne you how it shall be | |
My lorde wyll come and fyght with the | |
435 | To Iust with the my lorde hathe nome |
The kynge sayd he shall be welcome | |
Be he knyghte or barowne | |
Erle Duke or chorle in towne | |
There is no man I wyll forsake | |
440 | Who all may wynne all may take |
¶How syr Degore Iusted with the kynge of Englonde and smote hym downe. |
|
SO on the morowe the day was sette | |
The kynge auysed [hym] moche the bette hym] 1512 omits, hym R | |
But thenne there was no lyuynge man | |
That Degore trusted moche vpon | |
445 | But to chirche that tyme went he |
To here a masse of the trynyte | |
sig: B1 | |
To the fader he offered a floryne | |
And to the sone another fyne | |
The thyrde to the holy-goost he offered | |
450 | The preest in his masse for hym prayed |
And whan the masse was done | |
Unto his ynne he wente anone | |
He dyde arme hym well in-dede | |
In ryche armure good at nede | |
455 | His good stede he began to stryde |
And toke his spere and forthe dyde ryde | |
His knaue toke an-other spere | |
And after his mayster gan it bere | |
Thus in the felde syr degore a_bode than | |
460 | [The] kynge came with many a man The] They 1512 |
Many came theder redely | |
To se the iustynge truely | |
All that in the felde were | |
They sayd and dyde swere | |
sig: [B1v] | |
465 | That they neuer or that tyme se |
So fayre a man with theyr eye | |
As was that yonge knyght syr Degore | |
But non wyst what man was he | |
They rode to_gyder at the laste | |
470 | On theyr good stedes full faste |
The kynge had the gretter shafte | |
And more he coude of that crafte | |
To dasshe hym downe thenne had he mente | |
And in his shylde sette suche a dente suche] shuche 1512 | |
475 | That his good spere all to_braste |
But Degore was stronge and sat fast | |
Than sayd the kynge alas alas | |
For me befell neuer suche a case | |
There was neuer man that I myght hit | |
480 | That euer myght my stroke sytte |
This is a man all for the nones | |
For he is a man of grete bones | |
Thenne toke the kynge a gretter tre | |
And square also mote I the | |
485 | And yf his necke wyll not a_two |
His backe shall or that I goo | |
The kynge rode to hym with grete randowne randowne: ='speed', 'force'; see OED s.v. random n | |
And thought to haue dasshed the chylde downe. | |
He smote syr Degore soone anone | |
490 | Ryght before the br[e]st-bone brest] brst 1512 |
That his horse was rered on hye | |
And syr Degore was fallen nye | |
Syr Degore thus his cours out-yode | |
He was sore angry in his mode | |
495 | Alas he sayd I haue myssed yet |
And he hath me twyes hit | |
sig: [B2] | |
And neuer ones with hym I met | |
By god I shall me auyse bet | |
They rode togyder with grete myght | |
500 | In theyr sheldes theyr speres pyght |
That theyr good speres all to_broke | |
Unto theyr handes with the stroke | |
And than the kynge began to speke | |
Gyue me a spere that wyll not breke | |
505 | For he shall anone be smyten downe |
Thoughe he be as stronge as was sampsowne | |
And yf he be the deuyll of hell | |
I shall hym soone downe fell | |
The kynge toke a spere styfe and stron[g]e stronge] stronke 1512 | |
510 | And Degore toke a_nother good and longe |
And stou[t]ly to the kynge he smytte stoutly] stouly 1512, stowttly R | |
The kynge hym fayled and Degor hym [h]it hit] it 1512, hytt R | |
And syr Degore soo hym bete | |
That he made the kynges horse torne vp his fete. | |
515 | Boldely he rode vp than |
And semed a full goodly man | |
The kynge was out of his sadyll caste | |
Wherof his doughter was sore a_gaste | |
Thenne was there moche noyse and crye | |
520 | The kynge was sore asshamed for_thy |
Wele I wote his doughter was sory | |
F[o]r thenne she wyste redely For] Fer 1512 | |
That she shulde maryed be | |
To a man of a straunge countree | |
525 | And lede her lyfe with suche one |
That she wyste neuer fro whens he come | |
The kynge sayd to syr Degore | |
Come heder fayre sone me before | |
sig: [B2v] | |
And thou were as gentyll a man | |
530 | As thou semest to loke vp[o]n vpon] vpan 1512 |
And thou coude wyt and reason doo | |
As thou arte doughty man [ther]to therto] to 1512, therto R, þerto A | |
I wolde thynke my londe well beset | |
And yf it were fyue tymes the bet | |
535 | For worde spoken I must nedes holde |
Before my barons that be so bolde | |
I take the my doughter by the hondetake: ='give' | |
And sesse the in all my londe sesse: ='put in possession of', see OED seize v, 1 | |
To be myn heyre after me | |
540 | In Ioye ad blysse for to be |
¶How syr Degore wedded his moder the kynges doughter of Englonde / and howe she she] shewe 1512 knewe that he was was] whas 1512 her sone by the gloues.
|
|
sig: [B3] | |
GRete ordynaunce was there wrought | |
To the chyrche-dore they were brought | |
And were there wedded veramente | |
Unto the holy sacramente | |
545 | Loke what foly happened there |
That he sholde wedde his owne modere | |
The whiche had borne hym one her syde one: =on | |
And yet he knewe nothynge that tyde | |
He knewe nothynge of her k[y]nne kynne] kenne 1512, kyn R, kin A | |
550 | Nor she knewe nothynge of hym |
And bothe togyder ordeyned to bedde bedde] lybbe R, libbe A | |
Yet parauenture they may be sybbe sybbe] sybble 1512, sybbe R, sibbe A | |
Thus dyde syr Degore the bolde | |
He wedded his moder to haue and to holde | |
555 | God suffred moche thynge there |
But yet he lete them not synne in fere | |
It passed on the hye tyme of none | |
And the daye was nere-hande done | |
To bed was brought bothe he and she | |
560 | With grete myrthe a[n]d solempnyte |
Syr Degore stode and be_helde than | |
And thought of the hermyte [that] holy man that] 1512 omits, that R, þe A | |
That he sholde neuer for_thy | |
Wedde no wedowe nor lady | |
565 | But yf she myght the gloues two |
Lyhtly vpon her handes doo | |
Alas than sayd syr Degore | |
The tyme that euer I was bore | |
And sayd anone with heuy chere | |
570 | Me had leuer than all this kyngdome here |
That is now sessyed in-to my honde | |
That I were fayre out of this londe | |
sig: [B3v] | |
The kynge these wordes harde tho | |
And sayd dere sone why sayst thou so | |
575 | Is there ought ayenste thy wyll |
Other done or sayd that dothe the yll | |
Or ony-thynge that is mysdone | |
Tell me and it shall be amended sone | |
Naye lorde he sayd thenne | |
580 | But for all the maryage that done hath ben |
I wyll not with no woman mell | |
Wyfe wedowe nor damoysell | |
But yf she myght these gloues doo | |
Lyghtly vpon her handes two | |
585 | And whan the lady gan this here |
A_none she changed all her chere | |
And all-to_gyder turned her mode | |
Her visage waxed rede as ony blode | |
She knewe that the gloues longed to her | |
590 | And sayd gyue me the gloues fayre syr |
She toke the gloues in that stede that] that that 1512 | |
And lyghtly vpon her handes them dyde | |
She fell downe and began to crye | |
And sayd lorde god I aske mercy | |
595 | I am thy moder that the dyde bere |
And thou arte my owne sone dere | |
Syr Degore full sone tho | |
Toke her vp in his armes two armes] arumes 1512 | |
Than were they glade and blythe | |
600 | They kyssed to_gyder many a sythe |
The kynge of them had grete meruayll | |
Of the noyse they made withouten fayll | |
And was a_basshed of theyr wepynge | |
And sayd doughter what is this thynge | |
sig: [B4] | |
605 | Fader she sayd wyll ye it here |
Ye wene that I a mayden were | |
Nay truely fader I am none | |
For it is .xx. wynter a_gone | |
This is my sone god it wote | |
610 | And by these gloues I it wotte |
She tolde hym all-togyder there | |
How he was begoten on here | |
Than bespake syr Degore | |
Swete moder than sayd he | |
615 | Where is my fader wonnynge |
And whan herde ye of hym ony tythynge tythynge: =tiding | |
Sone she sayd by heuen-kynge | |
I can tell of hym no tydynge | |
But whan thy fader frome me wente | |
620 | A poyntles swerde he me lente |
And charged me to kepe it than | |
Tyll the tyme thou were a man | |
She fette the swerde full swythe | |
And syr Degore it out_twythe | |
625 | Longe and brode it was perde |
There was none suche in that countre | |
Truely sayd syr Degore than | |
Who-so it owed he was a man | |
Now god of heuen he me kepe | |
630 | Nyght nor daye I wyll not slepe |
Tyll the tyme I may my fader se | |
In crystendome yf that he be | |
He made hym mery that ylke nyght | |
On the moro[we] whan it was day-lyght morowe] moro 1512 | |
635 | He wente to the chyrche to here masse |
And made hym redy for to passe | |
sig: [B4v] | |
Then sayd the kynge my nexte kynne | |
I wyll gyue the knyghtes with the to wynne | |
Syr he sayd gramercy than | |
640 | With [me] shall go no other man me] 1512 omits |
But my knaue that may take hed | |
To myn armure and to my stede | |
He lepte on horse the sothe to saye | |
And rode forth on his Iournaye | |
645 | Many a myle and many a waye |
He rode forth on his palfraye | |
And euer-more he rode west | |
Tyll tyme he came to a forest | |
Wylde bestes there wente hym by | |
650 | And foules songe there full merely |
So longe he rode tyll it drewe to nyght | |
The sone wente doune and fayled lyght | |
Unto some towne fayne wolde he ryde | |
But there was none on neyther syde | |
655 | Soone after he founde a castell clere |
A lady truely wonned there | |
A fayre castell of lyme and stone | |
But other towne there was none | |
Degore sayd to his knaue that tyde | |
660 | Wyll we to that castell ryde |
And all nyght abyde wyll we | |
And aske lodgynge for charyte | |
The dra[w]bryge was drawen tho drawbryge] drabryge 1512 | |
And the yate stode open also | |
665 | Unto the castell they gan them spede |
And fyrst he stabled vp his stede | |
And than he set vp his hakeney | |
I_noughe they founde of corne and hey | |
sig: C1 | |
He wente a_boute and gan to call | |
670 | Bothe in the courte and eke in hall |
Nether for loue nor yet for awe loue] lowth Rlowth: ='fear' | |
Lyuynge man none there they sawe | |
And in the myddes of the hall-floure | |
There was a grete fyre in that stoure | |
675 | Than sayd his man leue syre |
I haue wonder who made this fyre | |
Yf he wyll come agay[n]e this nyght agayne] agaye 1512 | |
I wyll hym abyde as I am knyght | |
He set hym do[w]ne vpon the dease downe] done 1512 | |
680 | And made hym well at ease |
Than was he ware soone of one | |
That at the dore he gan gone | |
And thre maydens fayre and fre | |
That wher trussed vp to the knee wher] where 1512 | |
685 | Twayne of them bowes dyde bere |
And two of them charged were | |
With venyson that was full good | |
Thenne syr Degore vp_stode | |
And blessed them a_none-ryght | |
690 | But they spake not to the knyght |
But wente in-to the c[h]ambre anone wente] whente 1512; chambre] cambre 1512 | |
And shytte the dore full sone | |
And a_none after therwithall | |
There came a dwarfe in-to the hall | |
695 | Foure fote was the length of hym |
His vysage was bothe grete and grym | |
And the hear that on his heed was | |
It was yelo as ony wa[x]e waxe] waye 1512, wax R, A | |
[...........................]The rhyme-scheme and comparison with R and A indicate that a line has dropped out here in 1512 | |
700 | But full stou[t]ly than loked he stoutly] stouly 1512, stowttly R, stoutliche A |
sig: [C1v] | |
He ware a cyrcote that was grene cyrcote: =surcoat | |
With blaunchmer it was furred I wene blaunchmer: =a kind of fur; see OED s.v. blaunner | |
He was well clade and well dyght | |
His shone was corked as a knyght | |
705 | He was large bothe of fote and hande |
As ony man was in that lande | |
Syr Degore loked on hym tho | |
And to hym reuerence dyde doo | |
And he to hym wolde speke no worde | |
710 | But made hym besy to l[a]ye the borde laye] lye 1512 |
He layde the clothe and sette forth brede | |
And also wyne bothe whyte and rede | |
Torches in the hall he dydde lyght | |
All-thynge redy to souper he dyght | |
715 | And sone after with grete honoure |
There came a lady out of her boure | |
And with her came maydens fyftene | |
Some in rede and some in grene | |
Syr Degore folowed a_none-ryght | |
720 | And nought she spake vnto that knyght |
But yede and wasshed euerychone | |
And to souper gan they gone | |
The lady was fayre and bryght | |
In the myddes of the desse she set downe-ryght set: =sat | |
725 | On euery syde sat maydens fy[u]e |
Fayre and goodly as ony was a_lyue | |
By god than sayd syr Degore | |
I haue you blessed and ye not me | |
But ye seme dombe by saynt Iohan | |
730 | I shall make you speke and I can |
Syr Degore coude of curteysy | |
He yede and sat before the lady | |
sig: [C2] | |
And whan he had taken that sete | |
He toke a knyfe and cutte his mete | |
735 | Full lytell mete at souper ete he |
He dyd so be_holde that mayden fre | |
Hym thought she was the fayrest lady | |
That euer afore he dyde se | |
All his herte thought and myght | |
740 | Was on that lady that was to bryght to: ='very'? see OED s.v. too, adv. 3; or emend to 'so'? |
And whan they had souped all | |
The dwerfe brought water in-to the hall | |
Thenne gan they wasshe euerychone | |
And than to chambre gan they gone | |
745 | Truely quod Degore and after I wyll |
To loke on that lady all my fyll | |
Who that me warneth he shall abye warneth: ='hinders', 'resists'; see OED s.v. warn v2; abye: ='pay the penalty', see s.v. OED aby, abye | |
Or to do hym make a sory crye | |
Upon the stayre the waye he nome | |
750 | And soone in-to the chambre he come |
[The] lady that was so fayre and bryght The] They 1512 | |
Up[on] her bedde she sat downe-ryght Upon] Upno 1512 | |
She harped notes swete and fyne | |
Her maydens fylled a pyece of wyne pyece: ='wine-cup'; see OED s.v. pece | |
755 | And syr Degore sat hym downe |
For to here the harpes sowne | |
That thorowe the notes of the harpe shyll | |
He layde hym downe and slepte his fyll | |
This fayre lady that ylke nyght | |
760 | She bad go couer that gentyll knyght |
And ryche clothes aboute hym caste | |
And the lady wente to a_nother bed at the laste | |
So on the morowe whan it was daye | |
The lady rose the sothe to saye | |
sig: [C2v] | |
765 | And in-to the chambre her waye gan take |
She sayd syr knyght a_ryse and wake | |
[The] lady sayd all in game The] They 1512 | |
Ye be well worthy to haue blame | |
For as a beest all nyght thou dyde slepe | |
770 | And of my maydens tokest no kepe |
And than answered the knyght so fre | |
Mercy madame and forgyue it me | |
The notes of thyne harpe it made | |
Or elles the good wyne that I hade | |
775 | But tell me now my lady hende |
Or I out of this chambre wende | |
Who hathe this castell in his honde | |
And who is lorde of this londe | |
Wheder that ye be mayden or wyfe | |
780 | And in what maner ye lede your lyfe |
And why ye haue so many women | |
Alone withouten ony men | |
Syr fayne I wolde the tell | |
And thou coude it amende well | |
785 | My fader was a bolde barowne |
And holden a lorde of toure and towne | |
He had neuer chylde but me | |
I am ayre in this countre | |
¶How syr Degore foughte for a lady with a gyaunt and slewe hym. |
|
sig: C3 | |
THere hathe me wowed many a knyght | |
790 | And many a squyre well dyght |
But than the[re] wonned here-besyde there] theyr 1512 | |
A stoute gyaunt full of pryde | |
He hathe me desyred longe [an]d yore and] nad 1512yore: ='for a long time past' | |
And hym to loue may I neuer-more | |
795 | He is a_boute with his mestrye mestrye: ='superior force', see OED s.v. mastery |
To do me shame and velonye | |
And he hathe slayne my men ychone | |
Saue my sory dwerfe alone | |
Ryght as they stode she fell to grounde | |
800 | And soned there in that stounde soned: see above, A3v |
All her damoyselles to her come | |
To comforte her and her vp_nome | |
The lady loked on syr Degore | |
Lefe dame thenne sayd he | |
805 | Be not adrad whyles I am here |
sig: [C3v] | |
I wyll the helpe to my powere | |
Syr she sayd thenne all my londe | |
I w[y]ll it cesse in-to thy honde wyll] wll 1512 | |
And all my good I wyll the gyue | |
810 | And all my body whyle I lyue |
For to be [all at] your wyll all at] at all 1512 | |
Erly and late loude and styll | |
And thy lemman for to be | |
To wreke me nowe on myn eneme | |
815 | Tha[n] was Degore fayne to fyght Than] That 1512, Than R, þo A |
For to defende that ladyes ryght | |
And to sle that other knyght | |
And wynne tha[t] lady that was so bryght that] thar 1512 | |
And as they stode bothe in fere | |
820 | Her maydens came rydynge with heuy chere |
She bad drawe the bryge hastely | |
For here cometh [oure] enemy oure] youre 1512, our R, A | |
Or elles he wyll sle vs ychone | |
Syr Degore sterte vp anone | |
825 | Oute at a wyndowe he hym se |
He was sone armed on horse hye | |
So stoute a man as he was one | |
In armes sawe she ne[u]er none | |
Syr Degore armed hym by_lyue | |
830 | And oute of the castell he gan dryue |
And rode euen the gyaunt agayne | |
They smote togyder with moche mayne | |
That theyr good speres all to_brast | |
Degore was stro[n]ge and sat fast stronge] stroge 1512 | |
835 | But his stedes bake braste a_two |
Thenne syr Degore fell to the grounde tho Thenne] And R, A | |
And thenne he sterte vp and loughe | |
sig: [C4] | |
And his good swerde he out-drughe | |
Than sayd the gyaunt to hym anone | |
840 | On fote we wyll to_gyder gone |
Thou hast sayd Degore slayne my good stede | |
I hope to quyte the thy mede | |
To sle thy stede nought I wyll | |
But to fyght with the my fyll | |
845 | And tho they fought on fote in fere |
With stronge strokes on helme clere | |
The gyaunt gaue syr Degore | |
Houge strokes grete plente | |
And syr Degore dyde hym also | |
850 | Tyll helme and basynet barste in two |
The gya[un]t was a_greued sore gyaunt] gyanut 1512 | |
Bycause he hadde his blode lore | |
He stroke vpon syr Degore soo | |
That to the grounde he made hym goo | |
855 | Syr Degore recouered soone a plyght |
And suche a stroke he gaue that knyght | |
And on the crowne soo it sette | |
That throwe his helme and basynet | |
He made the swerde go thorowe his he[d]letter broken | |
860 | And anone the gyaunt fell downe deed |
The lady sat in her castell | |
And [s]awe all the hole batayll sawe] fawe 1512; hole] holde 1512 | |
How the gyaunt was slayne | |
That wolde her haue forlayne | |
865 | She was as glade of that syght |
As euer was bryde of the daye-lyght | |
Syr Degore came to the ca[ste]ll castell] caestll 1512 | |
An[d] agaynst hym came that damoysell And] Ano 1512 | |
She thanked hym of his good dede | |
sig: [C4v] | |
870 | And in her chambre she dyde hym lede |
She sette hym on her bed anone | |
And vnarmed hym full sone | |
She toke hym in her armes two armes] harmes 1512 | |
And kyssed hym .C. tymes and mo | |
875 | And sayd all my good I wyll the gyue |
And my body whyle I lyue | |
Gramercy damoysell then sayd he | |
Of that ye haue graunted me | |
But I must in-to ferre contree | |
880 | Mo auentures for to se |
Unto this twelue monthes be ago Unto: ='until' | |
And thenne I shall come you to | |
He betoke her to the heuen-kynge | |
The lady wepte at his departynge | |
885 | Syr Degore rode vpon his waye |
Many a longe Iourney | |
And euer-more he rode west | |
Tyll a lande he founde in a forest | |
To hym came prekynge a knyght | |
890 | Well-armed and on his horse dyght |
In armes that wolde endure | |
With fyne golde and ryche asure | |
Thre bore-hedes were theryne | |
[The] whiche were of golde fyne The] They 1512 | |
895 | As soone as euer he sawe that knyght |
He spake to hym a_none-ryght | |
And sayd velayne what doost thou here | |
In my forest to sle my dere | |
Syr Degore sayd with wordes meke | |
900 | Syr of thy dere I take no kepe |
For I am auenturous knyght | |
sig: [C5] | |
That gothe to seke warre and fyght | |
His fader answered and sayd saunfayll | |
And thou be come to seke batayll | |
905 | Thenne make the redy in a stounde |
For thou haste thy felowe founde | |
And thenne syr Degore without daungere | |
Armed hym to fyght with his fadere | |
¶How syr Degore fought with his fader and how his fader knewe hym by the broken swerde. |
|
A well go[o]d helme for the nones good] godd 1512 | |
910 | And well sette with precyus stones |
sig: [C5v] | |
It myght well be his owne saunfayll | |
For he wanne it ones in batayll | |
He kest his shelde aboute his swere | |
Of ryall armes good and dere | |
915 | His good stede he began to stryde |
He toke his spere and began to ryde | |
And his man toke an-other spere | |
And by his syde he gan it bere | |
But loke what foly began that tyde | |
920 | The sone agaynst the fader gan ryde |
But neyther knewe other a_ryght | |
And thus began they to fyght | |
Syr Degore had the greater shafte | |
And wonder well he coude his crafte | |
925 | To dasshe hym downe than had he wente |
And in his shelde gaue suche a dente | |
That his good spere all to_brast | |
But his fader was stronge and sat fast | |
Another cours than haue they take | |
930 | The fader for the sones sake |
So harde they smote togyder in sothe | |
That theyr horses backes broke bothe | |
And thenne they fought on fote in fere | |
With harde strokes on helme clere | |
935 | And thus his fader a_meruayled was |
Of his swerde that was poyntles | |
And to hym sayd anone-ryght | |
Abyde a whyle thou gentyll knyght | |
Where was thou borne and in what londe | |
940 | Syr he sayd in Englonde |
A kynges doughter is my moder | |
But I wote not who is my fader | |
sig: [C6] | |
What is thy name thenne sayd he | |
Syr my name is Degore | |
945 | Syr Degore thou arte welcome |
For well I wote thou arte my sone | |
By this swerde I knowe the here | |
The poynt is in my pautenere pautenere: ='wallet'; see OED s.v. pautener | |
He toke the poynt and sette it to | |
950 | And they accorded bothe-two |
So longe they haue spoke togyder | |
Bothe the sone and the fader | |
That they be ryght well at one | |
The fader and the sone alone | |
955 | Syr Degore and his fader dere |
In-to Englonde they rode in fere | |
They were bothe armed and well dyght | |
As it becometh euery knyght | |
They rode forth on theyr Iourney | |
960 | Many a myle of that countrey |
And on theyr way they rode full fast | |
In-to Englonde they came at the laste | |
Whan they myght Englonde se | |
They drewe theder as they wolde be | |
965 | Whan they wher to that palays come |
They wher welcome all and some | |
And they behelde ouer-all | |
The lady them spyed ouer a wall | |
And whan that lady sawe that syght | |
970 | She wente to them with all her myght |
And ryght well she them knewe | |
And than she chaunged all her hewe | |
And sayd my dere done Degore | |
Thou hast thy fader brought with the | |
sig: [C6v] | |
975 | Truely madame than sayd he |
Full well I wote that it is he | |
Now thanked be god than sayd the kynge | |
For nowe I wote without lesynge | |
Who is syr Degores fader in-dede | |
980 | The lady swoned in that stede |
And sone after sekerly | |
The knyght wedded that lady | |
She and her sone was departed I_twynne | |
For he and she were to nye of kynne | |
985 | Forth thenne wente syr degore |
With the kynge and his meyne | |
His fader and his moder dere | |
Unto [the] castell they wente in fere the] they 1512 | |
Where-as dwelled that lady bryght | |
990 | That he had wonne in fyght |
And wedded her with grete solempnyte with] witth 1512 | |
Before all the lordes of that countre | |
Thus came the knyght out of his care | |
God gyue vs grace well to fare | |
995 | And that we all vpon domes-day |
Come to the blysse that lasteth ay. | |
AMEN | |
¶Thus endeth the treatyse of syr Degore. Enprynted at London in Flete_strete at the sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn_de_Worde. |