Edited by John Conlee - Prose Merlin - The Marriage of Arthur and Gonnore lyrics

Now seith the storie that whan the Kynge Arthur and the barouns were as sembled and entred into the shippes, thei sailed till thei come to the Bloy Breteyne. And as soone as thei were arived, thei lepe upon horse and ryde so day and nyght till thei come to Logres the thirde day. And ther were thei richly welcomed, and the moste joye that myght be made to eny peple; and ther thei dide sojourne thre dayes with grete feeste. And the fourthe day remeved the Kynge Arthur and Gawein and his brethren and the Kynge Ban of Benoyk and the Kynge Bohors of Gannes, with thre thousande men of armes without moo, and rode so by her journeyes that thei come to the reame of Carmelide, a two myle from Toraise, where the Kynge Leodogan sojourned. And whan he herde tydinges that the Kynge Arthur com, he rode ageins hym, he and his meyné, two myle or more. And whan thei were mette ther was made grete joye and welcomynge betwene the two kynges that well loved; and so dide alle the other barouns and lordes. And whan thei com into the town, thei fonde it all hanged with riche clothes and strowed with fresh herbes and fonde ladyes and maydenes carolinge and daunsinge and the moste revell and disport that myght be made. And on that other side these yonge bachelers of pris brake speres in bourdinge oon agein another; and thus thei conveyed hem unto the town whereas Gonnore, the doughter of Kynge Leodogan, com hem for to meten. But whoso made joye, she was gladdest of alle other; for as soone as she saugh the Kynge Arthur, she ran to hym with armes spredde abrode, and seide he was welcome and alle his companye. And she kiste his mouth tendirly, seynge hem alle that wolde; and than eche toke other by the hande and wente up into the paleise. And whan it was tyme of soper, thei ete and dranke grete plenté, for inough thei have whereof. And whan thei hadde disported hem a longe while after soper, they wente to bedde for to resten hem, for wery they were of traveile. And on the morowe erly aroos the Kynge Arthur and the Kynge Bohors and the Kynge Ban and Sir Gawein and Ewein, that gladly roos ever erly more than eny other, and wente to the mynster to here messe. And than [thei] com agein into the paleise above and fonde the Kynge Leodogan that hadde herde messe in his chapell. And than thei asked horse and rode forth tho six withoute eny moo, and yede to disporte hem and to se the medowes and the river. And than the Kynge Leodogan aresoned the Kynge Arthur and asked hym whan he sholde spousen his doughter, for he seide that it was tyme. And the Kynge Arthur ansuerde that whiche hour that hym plesed, for he was therto redy. "But I moste abide the beste frende that I have, for withoute hym will I do nothinge in no manere." And than he asked whiche was that frende, and he tolde hem how it was Merlin, "Be whom I have recovered londe and honour and all the goode that I have ellis." And whan Sir Gawein undirstode tho wordes, he seide that he hadde grete reson for to love hym well. "And eche oon of us oweth to desire his comynge; and wite it well, he shall come er ought longe, seth that ye hit desire." "Certes," seide the Kynge Arthur, "he tolde me that he sholde be here all in tyme." "Than ther is no more," quod Gawein, "but lete us sette the day of spousaile." And than toke thei day togeder the utas after, and com thus spekynge into the halle, and fonde the clothes leyde and all thinge redy. And than thei waissh as thei ought to do, and weren served as noble princes sholden be. And after mete thei wente to disporte, thei that wolde; and thus thei sojourned alle the eight days full. But now resteth a litill to speke of hem at this tyme, and returne to the twelve princes that were disconfit before the town of Clarence. [Summary. The rebel barons learn that Arthur has knighted the Young Squires and that King Lot's wife is safe and in Logres but will not be returned until Lot does homage to Arthur. The rebels also hear of Arthur's success against Claudas de la deserte, of his success against King Rion, and of his plan to marry the daughter of King Leodegan. Most of the rebels now regret ever opposing Arthur. Lot is relieved to learn his wife and baby son are safe but is angered by his sons' actions against him; he forms a plan to kidnap Gonnore when Arthur sends her to Logres. Meanwhile Merlin reports all that has been happening to Blase. A second plot is being formed against Gonnore, this one involving Gonnore's half- sister, the false Gonnore, who is the illegitimate daughter of Leodegan and the wife of Cleodalis (Leodegan's seneschal). Because Leodegan has dishonored his seneschal by sleeping with his wife, he has many enemies among Cleodalis's friends and kin who are eager for a chance to get back at him. Unbeknownst to Cleodalis, a group of them plan to kidnap Gonnore and put the false Gonnore in her place. Fols. 159r (line 15)- 160r (line 21).] But anoon as thei hadde this treson spoken, Merlin it wiste and tolde it to Ulfin and to Bretell, and toke hem aside in counseile alone by hemself, and tolde hem worde for worde all the untrouthe that thei purposed to don. And whan Ulfin and Bretell herde the treson that these wolde have don, thei hadde therof grete merveile; and than thei preied Merlin to telle how thei sholde spede of this thinge. "With gode will," seide Merlin. "Tomorowe at even whan ye have souped, arme yow well undir youre robes and goth into the chamber next the gardin under the graces that is ther, for thei shull come alle unarmed saf hir swerdes and shull come thourgh the gardin streight to the wiket, whereas thei shull bide till that that maistresse bringe hir to disporte. But loke anoon as thei have hir sesed that ye be not feynte her to rescowe, for than anoon have ye her loste for ever yef thei may bringe hir to the shippe." "Sir," seide these two goode men, "yef God will, we shull not her lese, seth we knowe so moche therof." "And loke also," quod Merlin, "that ye speke hereof no worde to no man of nothinge that I have to yow iseide, for than shall I never yow love." "Certes," seide these two noble men, "we hadde lever be disherited and chaced oute of the londe." Tho dide departe these thre frendes and com into the halle and fonde that the knyghtes sholde departe and wente to theire loigginge till on the morowe that it was day. And than arise the barouns and the knyghtes and a**embled faste in the mynster paleise. And the Kynge Leodogan appareiled his doughter so richely as that never quene ne myght be better araied. And she therto was so full of grete bewté that all the worlde was gladde hir to beholden. And whan she was all redy, the Kynge Ban toke hir on that oon side and the Kynge Bohors on that other side and ledde hir to the mynster of Seynt Stephene the Martir. Ther was many a baron hir to conveien, holdinge be the hondes two and two, and formest that wente was Kynge Arthur and Kynge Leodogan. And the other tweyne was nexte after was Gawein and Seigramour, and than Galashin and Agravain the Prowde, and than Dodinell and Gueheret, and than Ewein le Graunt and Gaheries, and after that Ewein Avoutres and Kay Destranx, and Kay the Stiward and Antor his fadir; and after hem com the maiden that the Kynge Ban and the Kynge Bohors ledden that was of so grete bewté. And she was discheveled and hadde the feirest heed that eny woman myght have, and hadde a sercle of goolde on hir heed full of preciouse stones, the feirest and the richest that eny man knewe, and was clothed in a riche robe that trayled to the grounde more than two fadome, that satte so well with hir bewté that all the worlde myght have joye her to beholden. And after hir com the stepdoughter of Cleodalis that hight also Gonnore, whiche was right feire and avenaunt; and hir ledde Gifflet and Lucas the Boteller. And after com the newe dubbed knyghtes two and two; and after com the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table; and after that com the barouns of the reame of Carmelide and the knyghtes; and after the burgeys of the contrey; and than the ladyes of the contrey and maydenes. And so thei come to the mynster. Whan thei come to the dore, thei fonde ther the goode archebisshop that ther hem abode, and Sir Amnistan, the chapeleyn of Kynge Leodogan, that was a gode man of lyvinge. And the archebisshop hem blessed; and before alle the peple wedded the Kynge Arthur and Gonnore togeder. And the goode archebisshop entred into the chirche and sange the high ma**e, and Sir Amnistan hym served; and ther was riche offringe of kynges and princes. And whan the servise was fynisshed, the Kynge Arthur and the barouns returned into the paleys whereas was grete plenté of mynstralles and jogelours and other. Whereto sholde I yow devise the joye and the deduyt that thei hadden? For the fourthe part cowde I not telle. Thus endured the joye and the melodye all the mete-while. And after mete, whan the boordes were uppe, than was arered a quyntayn, and thyder yede the newe adubbed knyghtes for to bourde with sheldes aboute theire nekkes; and the Forty Knyghtes that com into Carmelide with the Kynge Arthur wente with hem, and also com thider the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table. And whan thei were comen, thei begonne to do maistries jolily and in myrthe, as thei that were worthy men and noble knyghtes; so that tidinges com to Sir Gawein that satte at mete amonge his fellowes that hadden served. And whan Gawein undirstode that his frendes were oversette, he aroos up and asked his armes and horse and his shelde, and anoon it was brought. And so dide alle his felowes. And Gawein dide on an habergon of double maile under his robes, for that was ever more his custome ever as longe as he lyved - nought for that he thought to do eny vilonye ne treson, but for he douted ever that debate sholde arise amonge his felowes thourgh the dedes of some musarde or eny treson, whereof ther were inowe in the londe. But whan that Gawein and his felowes com into the medowes, whereas was the turnement well begonne. But the Newe Knyghtes were evell ledde, for the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table ledde hem at her volunté. And whan that Gawein saugh that thei were so at the werse, he was nothinge gladde. Than he and his companye wenten in that were well foure score acounted; and anoon these yonge knyghtes come to Gawein and asked yef he wolde be with hem, and he seide "Ye, bothe now and also other tymes." Whan the Forty Sowdiours herde that Sir Gawein wolde be with hem at that same turnement, thei were wonder gladde and joyfull, and the tother were full wroth. And than thei a**ured that never noon sholde faile other for deth ne for lif; and no more thei diden, and that well shewed that day, for thei diden so well that the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table therof hadde envye. For dere sholde be bought the same turnement, in the turnement that was made at Logres, theras Gawein was called lorde and maister for the wele doinge that he ther dide, as ye shull heren hereafter, whan that he was become the Queenes Knyght. And whan that Gawein hadde take the suerté of his felowes and of the Forty Knyghtes, of whiche ye have herde, thei renged hem and araide hem and girde agein theire horse. And Gawein sette hem in aray as he that was a wise knyght and withoute pride and the moste curteise that was in the Bloy Breteyne and the beste taught in alle thinges and ever trewe to God and to his lorde. And whan that Gawein hadde ordeyned his felowes in aray, thei rode two and two togeder eche after other; and tweyne the firste was Sir Gawein and Sir Ewein le Graunt, the sone of Kynge Urien, that Gawein loved beste of alle other, for he was the beste after Gaheries; and the nexte tweyne were Seigramour and Galashyn; and than Gefflet and Lucas the Boteller for to a**emble theire sheldes aboute her nekkes and her speres streight in theire handes. And the Kynge Arthur and the Kynge Ban and the Kynge Bohors and Merlin and Bretell and Ulfin and Antor were lefte with the Kynge Leodogan in the paleise, and were comen up on high for to se and beholde the bourdeyse. And with hem weren ladyes and maydenys grete plenté, and saugh that thei were redy araide for to mete. [Summary. In the Tournament at Toraise, the 150 Knights of the Round Table chal lenge the New Knights who are led by Gawain. They agree to Gawain's suggestion that a limited and equal number of knights should fight at one time, and they set the number at forty vs. forty. In the mêlée, Gawain overcomes Nascien and urges him to yield; when Nascien says he would rather die than yield, Gawain is so impressed by Nascien's "high herte" that he offers to yield to Nascien; seeing Gawain's great courtesy, Nascien yields to Gawain; and then the two knights embrace. As the fight continues, Gawain's knights overcome forty of the Round Table knights, who then send in a fresh group. Gawain overthrows many of them, and Ewain and Galashin and Dodinell also do well. The Knights of the Round Table are angry at being humilated by these young knights, and tempers begin to flare. Then Gawain sets aside his sword and enters the fray wielding a spar of oak, raging like a wild boar. Because the tournament has gotten out of hand, Merlin and the kings rush down to the field and separate the wrathful knights. Merlin and Arthur both tell Gawain that he has done enough and that the tournament is over. The Round Table knights are still resentful; but they praise Gawain and invite him to become one of them. Fols. 161v (line 9)-164r (line 25).] With that were the tables leide and the knyghtes wash; and ther were thre halles full of knyghtes, and thei were well served and by leiser of alle thinges. And after soper, whan the clothes weren up, thei ennoysed the worthi knyghtes, and eche reported of other honour as was right. And than thei ronge to evesonge in the Mynster of Seynt Stephene, and thider thei wente to here the servise; and after was the bedde of Arthur blessed, as was right. And than departed the knyghtes and wente to theire hostelles for to slepe and resten. And Gonnore belefte in the chamber, she and hir maistresse alone. And that day was purchesed the treson wherby she sholde be taken and traied of the parentes of Gonnore, the stepdoughter of Cleodales the stiwarde, for thei hadde yoven so moche to the olde maistresse of Arthurs wif that she graunted to do theire volunté. And [thei] tolde hir thei wolde abide in the gardin under the paleise, and thei sholde have the tother Gonnore in her companye. And all thus thei were acorded and wente into the gardin and hidde hem under the trees, ten of hem. But thei were not armed saf thei hadde eche of hem a suerde; and with hem was the false Gonnore. And ther thei abide so longe that the barouns were departed to her hostels. And thei made dispoile the quene to go to hir bedde. And than the olde maistresse hir toke and ledde hir into the gardin for to pisse. And whan the ten traitoris that were quatte in the gardin under an ympe saugh her come, thei were stille and coy and drough towarde the wall litill and litill. And Bretell and Ulfin hadde not foryete the wordes that Merlin hadde seide, but were well armed under her robes, and weren quat under the steyres theras the queene sholde come down, and hilde hem so stille that thei were not aparceyved of man ne woman, and herkened in this manere longe while, and than thei saugh the queene that the maistresse brought by the hande and wente that wey whereas the traitours hadde sette theire waicch. And whan thei saugh that thei weren oute of the chambre, thei lepe up and sette hande on hir and toke to the olde maistresse the tother false Gonnore. And anoon as the queene hem saugh, she wiste well she was betraied and wolde crye as she that was sore affraied. And thei seide that yef she spake eny worde she sholde anon be slain; and therwith thei drough theire swerdes oute and wente toward the river that ran under the gardin, where thei hadde a barge iteyed wherein thei were come into the gardin. And the gardin was right high above the river, and noon myght come therto but by a lane or by a barge. And the lane was full thikke and comberouse to come up or down for the rokkes wherof was grete plenté. And yef thei myght have brought hir into the barge, the queene hadde ben loste withoute recover. Whan Ulfin and Bretell saugh that thei hadde so longe awayted, thei lepte oute of theire enbusshement and hem ascryed and cleped hem traitours and seide thei sholde dye. And whan that the traitours saugh thei were but tweyne and dide hem ascrye, thei preised hem at nought. Than five of hem toke the queene, and five abode for to fight with the tweyne that com with swerdes drawen. And whan the queene saugh hir ledde in soche manere, she hadde grete drede and fill to grounde upon the grene; and thei lifte hir up and bare hir awey maugré hire. And whan she saugh tweyne come hir to socour, she braied rudely oute of there handes and [ronne] down the gardin till she com to an ympe and clippe it in hir armes full hard. And thise com for to take hir awey, but they myght not hir remeve, and yet thei pulde and drough, but more dide thei nought. And thei were nygh woode for sorowe and angre that for a litill thei wolde hir have slayn. And Ulfin and Bretell be come to these five that hem abide with swerdes drawen; and Bretell smote so the firste that he mette that he slytte hym to the teth, and Ulfin smote another that the heede fill to grounde. And the other thre smyte at hem sore, but nought thei myght hem apeire, for thei were well armed. And thei wolde have fledde, but thei kepte hem so shorte that alle thre there were deed. And thei com to the tother fyve that peyned to lede awey the quene by force, but thei myght not have hir awey from the ympe. And thei plukked at hir so sore that nygh thei rente bothe armes from the body. And whan that Ulfin and Bretell saugh the queene in soche turnement, thei ronne thider and hem ascried. And anoon thei com hem ageins, and yaf togeder grete strokes with swerdes theras thei myght atteyne, that thei slowgh tweyne of the five. And thei saugh thei were but thre, and thei turned to flight down the lane towarde the barge. And whan Ulfin and Bretell saugh hem fleen, thei sette no force hem to enchace but com to the olde devell, the maistresse, and caught hir by the sholderes and caste hir down the roche; and [she] rolled fro roche to roche till she com to the river. And than thei caste in the bodyes of alle hem that thei hadde slayn. And than thei toke the queene and ledde hir to hir chambre sore affraied, and thei badde hir be nothinge dismayed. Than thei toke the false Gonnore and ledde hir to theire hostell, for thei wolde that noon aparceyved her covyne. Thus, as ye have herde, were the traitours demened by the counseile of Merlin, and the Queene was socoured by these two worthi men. And as soone as thei were gon, anoon Merlin it knewe well; and than he badde the kynge sende two maydenes into the chamber to the queene for to bringe hir to bedde. And the kynge asked, "Wherefore is ther not inowgh of the maistresse?" And Merlin tolde him the trouthe, all as it was befallen. And whan the kynge it herde, he merveiled moche of this thinge, and seide he sholde not be in ese till he hadde spoken with his doughter. And than departed the Kynge Leodogan and com into the chamber whereas Gonnore his doughter was, and brought with hym two maydenes to helpe hir to bedde. And whan she saugh hir fader, she began tenderly to wepe; and the kynge toke hir by the hande and spake with hir sooll by hirself, and he badde hir not to be dismayed, for she sholde no more have no drede. And she tolde hym all the aventure that was befallen. And than the kynge comaunded the maydenes to make hir redy and bringe hir to bedde, and thei anoon dide his comaundement. And the Kynge Leodogan wolde never departe oute of the chambre till that he saugh the signe of the crowne upon hire reynes; and than wiste he verily that it was his doughter upon his wif, and than he covered hir agein and wente oute of the chambre and spake no worde. And the dameseiles merveiled sore whi that he dide so. And than com the Kynge Arthur and his companye from theire disporte. And whan he com into the halle, the Kynge Leodogan and Merlin com hym ageins and badde hym go to his wif to bedde, for it was reson and high tyme. And he seide he wolde with goode will, and com into the chambre where the two maidenes weren that hadde brought the queene to bedde. And as soone as he was in his bedde, thei departed oute of the chambre and lefte no moo but hem two; and ther thei ledde myri lif togeder as thei that well loved. Thus sholde the queene have be disceyved be these traitours, and thourgh hem afterward hadde she grete annoye that longe tyme endured, as the storye shall declare, how that the kynge hir lefte thre yer, that she com never in his companye but was with Galehaut, a riche prince in the reame of Sorloys, for the love of Launcelot. And the Kynge Arthur hilde in avoutrye the false Gonnore till that a maladie hir toke; and Bertelak a traitour that made he wolde hir not forsake for no man till that she stanke and rotened above erthe. And the reame was therfore nygh thre yere enderdited, and stode acursed that never manes body ne womans was byried in noon halowed place, but acursed be the centense of Holy Cherche. And all this trouble suffred oure Lorde hem for to have for hir synnes that were right grete; and all this com thourgh a knyght that died after upon myschevouse deth, as ye shull here declared in the seconde book of this storie, and it is reson to telle what was the cause that it fill. This was the trouthe, that the Kynge Leodogan was a noble knyght and kepte well justice and right. And he hadde with hym a wise knyght that hadde don hym goode servise; and he was come of high lynage and hadde be a goode knyght in his tyme and was cleped Bertelak. And he hated a knyght dedly for that he hadde slayn his cosin germain for his wif that he loved. And whan Bertelak wiste that he hadde his cosin slain and his wif diffouled, he ne deyned not to make no playnt to the Kynge Leodogan but com to hym and hym diffied, and awaited hym after many a day and many a nyght. And it fill that same even that Arthur hadde wedded his wif that the knyghtes departeden fro the court and wente to theire hostels; and [it] happed that Bertelak mette that knyght and with hym two squyers; and anoon Bertelak ran upon hym and hym slowgh. And whan he hadde don, he wente to his hostell; and the two squyers that were with the knyght made a grete crie that the peple ronne oute on alle parties with lanternes and brondes of fire and torches brennynge, and fonde the knyght slayn. And thei aske the two squyers that made so grete doell who hadde hym slain, and thei seide that Bertelak the Rede hadde it don. And whan the squyers hadde cried and braied for theire lord longe while, thei toke hym up and bar hym to theire hostell, and dide hym birie as oon sholde do a deed knyght, and dide the servise at cherche as therto belonged. And on the morowe, Ulfin and Bretell sente after Cleodalis the Stiward for to come speke with hem in her hostell; and he com anoon with goode chere as fre and debonair. And anoon as he was comen, thei toke hym in counseile and tolde hym all the aventure as it was befallen how his doughter hadde wrought. And whan he hadde herde the untrouthe of hire, he seide his doughter was she not. "For yef she hadde be my doughter, she hadde not don this for nothinge that is in the erthe." And as thei spake togeder amonge hem thre. The Kynge Leodogan was arisen erly, for sore was he affraied of the merveiles that were befalle that nyght of his doughter. And Merlin was also arisen and seide, "Sir, God yeve yow goode morowe." And whan the kynge hym saugh, he made hym feire chere and bad God hym blisse. Than eche toke other be the hande and wente spekynge of many thinges till thei com to the hostell of Ulfin and Bretell. And thei entred in so stilliche that thei therof wiste no worde till thei were even comen upon hem. And anoon as thei were of hem war, thei yede hem ageins as thei that nothinge were abaisshed to worship eny worthi man. Than thei entred into a chambre alle five, and Ulfin brought forth Gonnore and tolde how she and the traitours hadde wrought, notwithstondinge thei knewe it alle wele, for Merlin hadde it tolde the kynge all as it was. Than spake the Kinge Leodogan to his stiwarde and seide, "Sir Senescall, I love yow well, and fayn I wolde purchace youre worship for to encrece, and so I shall do yef I may lyve, for full well ye have me served and trewly. And therfore wolde I do nothinge that sholde yow turne to shame or reprof, and wite ye wherfore I it sey. Se here youre doughter, that wele hath deserved that ther sholde be don on hir justice. But ye have be so trewe to me that I ought it wele to pardon for the love of yow, or a gretter thinge than is this. But for that me behoveth for to take vengaunce in some manere, hit behoveth yow to bringe hir oute of this reame in soche wise that never she be sein of man ne of woman that hir knowe; for so I will that it be done." And the stiwarde ansuerde and seide that his doughter ne was she never. But in as moche as it was his wille and his comaundement, he wolde hit don. "For so God helpe me," quod he, "I hadde lever she hadde be biried all quyk than this hadde hir befallen. Ne to me she ne aperteyned nothinge never." "Now," quod the kynge, "lete be all this matier and loke that it be don in soche maner that I never here more speche of hir hereafter, and that ye take of myne what that is youre plesier." Thus was take the counseile of the barouns. And Cleodalis appareiled hym and his stepdoughter to go withouten lenger respite, and rode forth by theire journeyes till thei com oute of the reame of Carmelide into an abbey that stode in a full wilde place. And ther he hir lefte, as seith the storie, till that Bertelak the Reade hir fonde, whiche by his art and his engyn by hir lay longe tyme after. But of hir as now speketh no more the tale, saf that Cleodalis lefte hir there and com agein to Toraise into the grete court of the Kynge Leodogan in Carmelide whereas was the Kynge Arthur.