Edited by John Conlee - Prose Merlin - Vortiger's Tower lyrics

[Summary. The story now concerns Constance, King of the Britons, and his sons Moyne Pendragon, and Uther; and the treacherous deeds of Vortiger, Constance's steward. After a long reign, King Constance dies and is succeeded by his son Moyne. The hea- then Danes take this opportunity to invade Britain. Because King Moyne is unable to re- pulse them, the people begin to turn against him. The barons want Vortiger to become king, but he says that he will not do this as long as Moyne is alive, a remark that leads some of his followers to murder the king. Vortiger feigns anger at Moyne's murder but accepts the throne. Mistrusting Vortiger, Constance's two remaining sons flee to Benoye in Gaul. Vortiger executes Moyne's k**ers, angering their friends and causing them to rebel; Vortiger drives the rebels out of the kingdom. Now the people realize that Vortiger is a vicious tyrant. They rise against him, and Vortiger requests help from the Danes. Vortiger marries the daughter of Aungier, the Danish leader. Fearing his own people and fearing the surviving sons of Constance, Vortiger begins building a mountain stronghold. But when his tower reaches a certain height, the walls tumble down. Vortiger's wisemen cannot explain this marvel, but seven of them tell Vortiger he must find a seven-year-old boy born without an earthly father. The boy's blood, they say, will strengthen the tower's foundations. Search parties are sent out to find such a boy. They are instructed to k** him and bring back his blood. Fols. 8r (line 10)-10r (line 15.] Thus thei reden in oon company, alle four, till on a day that thei pa**eden thourgh a feelde beside a town wherein were grete plenté of children that therin were pleyinge. And Merlyn, that knewe well that these four com to inquere after hym, drough hym towarde oon of the richest of the company, for that he wiste hym moste fell and hasty. He hente his staf and yaf this childe a grete buffet. And anoon, this othir began to crye and wape and to myssey Merlyn, and reproved hym with a lowde voyce, and cleped hym mysbegeten wrecche and faderles. When these messagers herden this, thei com toward the childe that was wepynge and axed hym whiche was he that hadde smyten hym. And he hem ansuerde, "It is the sone of a woman whiche never knewe who hym begat, ne never man cowde telle of his fader." And when Merlyn herde this, he com ageyn them laughinge and seide, "I am he that ye seche, and he that ye be sworn ye sholden sle, and brynge my blode to Kynge Vortiger." And [whan] thei herden hym thus sey, thei were sore a-merveyled and axeden hym, "Who hath tolde thee this?" Quod he, "I wiste it er ye were sworn." Quod thei, "Than moste thow come with us." "Nay," quod he, "I doute that ye will me sle." And yet he knewe well that thei hadde therto no talant, but he seide that for to preve hem better. Quod Merlyn, "Yef ye will graunte me that ye shull not do me disese, I will go with yow, and also telle why the tour may not stonde." And when thei herde that, thei were more abaissed than before. "Truly," quod thei, "this childe is merveilouse, and grete pité it were hym to sle." And eche of hem seyde that hem were better to be forsworn than to sle this childe. Than seide Merlyn, "Ye shull come herberewe theras is my moder, for I may not go with yow withoute takynge leve of here, and also of a gode man which is in the same place." Thei seide, "We will go where that thow wilte." Thus brought Merlyn the messagers of the kynge to his moder place, and when Merlyn come into the house, he comaunded that thei sholde have gode chere. When thei were alyght, he brought hem before Blase and seide, "Se hem here that I tolde sholde come to seche me to sle." And [he] seide to them, "I pray yow that ye sey the trouthe before this gode man, why that ye beth sente, and wite ye well yef ye gabbe enythynge, I know it wele inough." And thei ansuerde, "We will no lesynge make." Quod Merlin to Blase, "Maister, understonde well what thei sey." Quod the ma**anger: "We be with Kynge Vortiger, whiche hath begonne to make a stronge toure. And when the werke of this tour is thre or four fadom of height, it may not holde, but synketh in an hour all that is wrought in thre monthis. Wherefore the kynge is angry and wroth, and he dide sende after clerkes to knowe the cause that his werke may not holde." "Ye," quod Merlin, "but noon of the clerkes ne cowde se the cause that letted the werke to holde. But thei sien how I was born and how that I myght hem distroie, and so thei dide acorde that I sholde be slayn and seide that the kynges werke sholde stonde yef he myght have the blode of the childe born withoute fader. And when Vortiger herde this, he heilde this a grete merveile, and trowed that that the clerkes seiden [was] trewe. And the clerkes charged the kynge that in no maner he sholde not se me alyve; but as sone as I were founde, that I sholde withoute respite be slain, and my blode to be brought to be putte with the morter in the foundement of the tour, and by that thei seiden it sholde holde. Vortiger, by their techynge, toke twelve messagers and made alle twelve to swere that thei sholde me sle and bringe with hem my blode. And of these twelve be heer four whiche, when ye were met, pa**eden thourgh the feild where childern were bourdinge, and I, that knewe ye come me for to seche, smote oon of my felowes, for I wiste well he wolde sey of me the werste that he knewe in his anger. And therfore I it dide, that this gode man shulde fynde me trewe of that I hadde seide. Now, maister," quod Merlin to Blase, "axe hem yef it be so as I sey." "Truly," seide Blase, "it were grete pité hym to sle, for yef he lyve he shal be right wise." "Certes," seide evereche of the messagers, "I hadde lever be disherited than he hadde resceyved deth thourgh me, and he hymself seth that he knoweth all thynge, wote yef therto we have talent or noon." Than thei cleped in ageyn Merlyn, that was gon oute at dore. And Blase seid to hym how thei badde hym axe yef he wiste that thei hadden talent hym to sle. And Merlyn lowgh and seide, "I wote well now thei be nothynge in will therto." Quod thei, "Wilt thow go with us?" And Merlin seide, "Ye, with gode will, yef ye will promyse me truly to brynge me before the kynge, and that ye ne suffer noon other to do me harme ne disese, er I have with hym spoken." And thei hym graunted. Than seide Blase, "I se well that thow wilt now leve me. What wilt thow that I shalle do of this werke that I have begonne?" "That shalle I telle thee," quod Merlin. "Thow woste well that oure Lord hath yove me so moche witte and memorye that he that wende to be siker of me hath failed of his purpos, and I moste go in to that contré fro whiche these be come to fecche me. And ther shalle I be the beste beleved man that ever was, sef all only God that is Almyghty. And thow shalt come thider to make an ende of the werke. But thow ne shalt not come with me, but by thy self, and axe after a londe that is cleped Northumbirlonde. And that contré is full of grete forestis and full wylde to them of the selve contré. Ther thow shalt abide, and I shall come to thee and telle thee all the mater that longeth to thi werke. And moche is thy travayle, and thow shalt have gode leyser; and as longe as the worlde dureth shall thi boke gladly ben herde. And wite thow well that my grete traveill shall not be byfore this kynges courte. This kynge, to whom all my grete traveill shall be, and the traveile of Grete Breteyne, his name shal be Arthur. Thow shalt go thider, as I have told thee, and I shall often come to thee and brynge soche tidinges as thow shalt put in thi boke. And wite it well, peple shul be glad ever to heiren it. For shul but fewe thinges be don but in no place, but therin shal be a partye. And thi boke shal be cleped while the worlde endureth the Boke of the Seynt Graal." Thus spake Merlyn with his maister, and taught hym how he sholde do. He ycleped hym "maister" for that he was maister to his moder. When the gode man herde Merlin thus speke, he was glad and seide, "What thow wilte comaunde me, I am redy to do it." Thus Merlyn made hym redy to go and seide to the messengers, "I will go take leve of my moder." Tho he brought hem theras was his moder and seide, "Feire moder, heire ben come men of fer contrees for to seche me, and I will go by youre leve. For me hoveth to yelde thee to Jhesu Criste, of that He hath yove me power. And that I may not do but I go thider as thei shullen lede me. And Blase, youre maister, also shall go, and moste we bothe departe fro yow at this tyme." "Feire sone," quod she, "to God I comaunde yow, for I knowe not yef it were wisdome to witholde yow or noon. But yef it were youre plesier, I wolde that Blase sholde abide." "Dame," quod he, "it may in no wise ben." Thus toke Merlyn leve of his moder and wente with the ma**engers; and on the tother side Blase departed and yede in to Northumberlond, ther Merlin had him comaunded. And the ma**agiers rode forth till thei come thourgh a town in whiche was a market. And when thei were pa**ed thorugh thei overtoke a carl that hadde bought a payre of stronge shone, and also stronge lether to clowte hem with. And when Merlyn sye the carle, he began to laughe. The messagiers axed hym wherfore he lough. "I laugh," quod he, "at this cherl that hath bought hym so stronge shoone, and also clowte lether, and I telle yow certeynly that he shal be dead before he com fully to his howse." And when thei herde that, thei heilde it a grete merveile and seide thei wolde wyte yef that were trewe. Than two of them sewed hym, and other two abode with Merlyn. They hadde not folowed the cherl half a myle that thei fonde hym deed in myddell of the wey, and his shone aboute his nekke. Than thei returned and overtoke hir felowes and tolde hem the merveyle that thei hadde seien. "Forsothe," quod thei, "grete foles were the clerkes that so wise a man wolde have slayn." "In faith," quod the oon, "I sholde suffer grete myschef er he had eny harm." And so thei seiden all four that Merlyn ne herde it not. And when thei were come to Merlyn, he thanked hem of that they hadde seide, and that [thei] wolden hym so moche gode. And thei were gretly aba**hed and seiden, "We may nought sey ne do but this childe knowes it." Thus thei riden forth her journeis till thei come withinne Vortigers power. And as thei pa**ed thourgh a town, they saugh a deed childe on a beere born to chirche to be beried. And after the corse was made grete doel and wepynge. And when Merlyn saugh the wepynge and sye the preste and the clerkes wente synginge before, he gan to laugh and seide to his felowes, "I se a merveile." And thei axed, "What?" Quod Merlyn, "Ye se that gode man that maketh this grete sorowe?" And thei seide, "Ye." "And se ye not the preeste that singeth al before?" Quod thei, "We se hym well." "Forsothe," quod Merlin, "he ought to make the sorowe that the tother gode man maketh, for wethet it well that the childe is the prestes sone. And the other man wepeth and hath more cause tolaugh." Quod thei, "How may we knowe that it be so?" "Goth to the moder and axe whi she doth wepe. And she will sey for her sone that is deed. And ye shall sey, it is not hir sone but the prestes sone that so hye singeth. And than shall ye heere what she will sey." The ma**agers wente to the woman and toke her in counseill and seide as Merlyn hadde hem taught. And when the woman herde hem so say, she was abaisshed, and seide, "Seres, for Godes love, mercy! I se wele I may not to yow lye, thowgh I wolde, for that ye sey is trewe. But I beseche yow, telle it not my housbonde, for than he wolde me sle." And when thei hadde herde this merveile, thei turned and overtoke her felishep and seiden as thei herde. And than thei reden forth till they come a journey fro thens ther Vortiger was. Than seide two of the messagers to Merlin, "We shall go before to the kynge and telle hym that we have founden. Now yeve us counseile how thow wilte we shall sey, for I trowe he will blame us that we have not thee slayn." "Sirs," quod Merlyn, "Sey as I shall telle yow, and ye shal be well excused. Ye shull go to Vortiger and sey that ye have me founden, and sey I shall telle hym truly the cause whi his tour may not stonde. With this condicion: that the clerkes have the same juyse that thei hadde ordeyned for me. And also sey hym I can telle hym why the clerkes wolde have me deed. And when ye have seide thus, doth hardely that he yow comaundeth." With that the messagers departed and come to Vortiger. And when he sye them he was gladde, and axed anoon how they hadde spedde. "Sir," seide thei, "in the beste wise that we may." Than thei cleped the kynge in counseile and tolde how thei hadde found Merlyn. And also they seide, yef he hymself ne wolde, thei sholde him never have founden. "Of whiche Merlin," seide the kynge, "speke ye? Sholde ye not have sought the fadirles childe and have brought me the blode of hym?" "Sir," thei seide, "that same is Merlin that we of speke to yow. And wetith it wele that he is the wisest man and the beste devynour that is, saf only God. And sir," seide thei, "right as ye made us to swere to do youre comaundement, all that was don and seide he cowde wele telle us at oure firste metynge. And he tolde us also that theclerkes ne knewe not the cause why that youre tour may not stonde. But he shall telle yow apertly. And many other grete merveiles hath he us shewed be the wey, and hath us sente for to wite yef ye will with hym speke. And yef ye will we shull sle hym, for two of oure felowes beth thereas he is." "Yef ye," quod the kynge, "will take upon youre lyves that he shall telle me whi my toure fallith, I will not that he be deed." "We will undertake it," quod thei. "Than go fecche hym," quod the kynge. The messagers yede their wey and the kynge rode after hem. When Merlin saugh the messagers he seide to them, "Ye have plegged me upon youre lyves that I shall have no drede of deth." And thei ansuerde, "Thou seiste trewe, for [we] hadde lever a be in grete aventure than thow sholdest dye, and that oon moste us nedes do." "I shall waraunte yow," quod Merlin, "of that ye have undertake." Thus thei rode forth till thei mette with the kynge, and anoon Merlin hym salued and seide, "Sir kynge, lete me speke with yow in counseile." Than the kynge drough apart and called hem that he hadde brought with hym. "Sir," quod Merlyn, "thow haste do seche me for thi toure that may not stonde and comaundeste me to sle, be counseile of thy clerkes that seide the toure sholde holde by vertu of my blode. Thei have not seide the trouth. But yef thow wilte graunte me to do to hem the same that thei wolde do to me, I will telle the cause whi it falleth, and also I shall teche thee how thow shalt make it to stonde and endure." And Vortiger ansuerde, "Yef thow do as thow seiest, I will do with hem as thow wilte." "Than," quod Merlin, "go we thideras this toure is in makynge, and make the clerkes be brought theder, and I shall axe hem whi the toure doth falle, and so mayst thow hier ther ansuere." Than thei wente to the place ther the toure sholde be made, and the clerkes were sente fore and come before the kynge. And whan thei were come, Merlyn made oon to axe of hem whi that that toure fill; and thei ansuerde, "We knowe no cause whi it fill, but we can telle what shall make it for to holde." And then seide the kynge, "Ye tolde me a merveillouse thynge, that I sholde do seche a childe born withouten fader, and I wote not how he myght be founden." Than spake Merlyn and seide to the clerkes, "Sirs, ye holde the kynge a fole, that thus make hym seche a man that is born withouten fader, and ye no do it nothynge for his profite. But ye dide it for this, that ye fonde in youre sorte that ye shulde be deed thourgh hym, and for drede therof have ye do the kynge to understonde that I sholde be slayn, and my blode be putte in the foundement of the toure, and that sholde make it to laste and holde. Thus ye thought to sle hym be the whiche ye sholde be brought to the deth as be youre sorte." When thei herde the childe telle hem that thei supposid no creature hadde knowen, thei weren aba**hed and wiste wele that thei sholde deye. Than Merlin seide to the kynge, "Now may ye knowe whi these clerkes wolde have me slayn: nought for to holde youre toure but for theire sorte seyde thei sholde dye for me. Now axe hem yef this be true, for thei sholde not be so hardy before me to make yow no lesynge." "Seith he trewe?" quod the kynge. "Sir," seide the clerkes, "ye, truly. But we merveile wherby he myght this knowe. Wherfore we beseke yow graunte us to live, that we may see that he shewe the trowth whi the toure fallith, and yef he can telle the remedye." "Certes," quod Merlyn, "have ye no drede to dye before ye se the cause that the toure doth falle, and that the werke may not laste." "Sir kynge," quod Merlin, "understonde, and I shall telle thee. Under this erthe is a grete water, and under that water be two dragons that see no sight. So is that oon reade and that other white. And above them is two grete flat stones, and when thei fele that the werke peyseth hevy upon them, they turne hem, and the water maketh so grete bruyt that all that is made aboven it moste nede falle. Now lete loke yef this be trewe or no. And yef it be founde that this be [the] cause that the werke stondeth not, lete my plegges be quyte, and the clerkes in blame, that of all this ne knewe nothinge." "Certes," quod Vortiger, "yef this be as thow seist, than art thow the wisest man of the worlde. Now telle me how this erthe may be hadde awey." And Merlin seide, "In cartes and on mennes nekkes." Anoon the kynge made come laboreres, and Merlin comaunded that the clerkes sholde be wele kepte. And so wrought the laboreres that thei hadde awey the erthe, and fonde the water, and dede it to laden oute, and lete the kynge wite how thei hadden don. The kynge come thider gladly and brought with hym Merlin. When he com thider, he beheilde the water that was grete, and cleped two of his counsellers and seide, "This childe is right wise that knewe this to ben heere, and yet seith that ther ben two dragons under, and I will knowe the soth, whatsoever it coste." Than the kynge cleped Merlyn and seide, "How shall we have this water awey?" Quod Merlyn, "Lete make goteres into the diches." Than were the diches made, and the water to renne oute. And Merlyn come to Vortiger and seide, "As soone as these dragons felen togeder, thei will fighten strongely, and that oon shall sle that other. Therfore, send after alle the gode men of thi londe to se the bataile, for it hath grete significacion." Than sente Vortiger after alle the worthy men of his londe, clergie and other. And when thei were alle comen, Vortiger tolde hem the merveiles that Merlin hadde shewde and of the two dragons how thei shulde fight. Than seide oon to another, "It is gode to be seen." And they axed the kynge yef he knewe whiche sholde have the better. And the kynge seide he hadde not yet tolde. Whan the water was all voided, thei saugh the two stones that were upon the two dragons. The kynge axed how thei myght be hadde awey, and Merlyn seide, "Full wele, for they will never meve till eche of hem fele other, and than shull thei fight till that oon muste dye." The kynge axed, "Whiche shall have the victorie?" "In the fightynge," quod Merlyn, "is grete signifiance whiche I may not telle, but gladly I will telle thee before three worthi men." Than Vortiger cleped thre men that he moste truste inne, and Merlyn axed, "Be these thre men wele of thi counseile?" And he ansuewerde, "Ye." "Than may I telle before them that thou demandest. I do thee to wete," quod he, "that the white shall sle the reade. But first shall he have grete peyne, and in that he shall sle hym is grete tokenynge to hym that can it understonde. But I will sey no more till the bataile is at an ende." Then yede the peple to oon of the stones and leften it up and founde the white dragon. When the peple saugh hym so grete and hidouse thei hadde grete drede. Than wente thei to the tother ston and drough it awey; and than thei were more aferde than before, for it was moche greter and semed more feirce. And as Vortiger semed, he moste overcome that other. And Merlin seide to the kynge, "Now lete my plegges be quyte." "So be thei," seide the kynge. Tho spronge up the two dragons and foughten togeder with teeth and feet, and never herde ye of so stronge bataile betwene two bestes, ne so crewell fight. And so thei foughten to mydday, and the peple semed that the reade sholde overcome the white, till that the white threwe so moche fiere and flame that he brente up the reade, and so was he deed. Than the white leide hym down to reste for werynesse, and ne lived after but thre dayes. And thei that this syen seyde that never so grete merveile hadde be seyn beforn. And Merlin seide to the kynge, "Now mayste thow make thi toure as grete and large as thow wilte, for it shall no more falle." Than comaunded Vortiger the werkemen to make up the toure the strengest that myght be devised. And often axed Vortiger of Merlyn the significance of the two dragons. And he seid, "It was the tokenynge of thinges that were don and also of thinges that were to come, and yef thow wilte ensure me that thow shalt do me noon harme heere in audience of this peple, ne suffer noon other to do me harme in thy reame, I will telle the significacion." And Vortiger made hym soche suerté as he wolde. Quod Merlin, "Bringe hethir thy counsell and the clerkes that sorted of this toure." The kynge dide as he comaunded. When thei were come, Merlyn spake to the clerkes and seide, "Ye were foles in youre art, that wolde not aquite yow as trewe men; and therfore ye be worthi to have as ye have deserved. And ye sawgh wele how I was bore. And he that shewed yow that made yow semblance that ye sholde be deed for me; and that dide he for sorowe that he hadde loste me, and therfore he wolde that ye hadde me putte to deth. But I have soche a goode Lorde that He shall me deffende yef it be His plesier, and I shall make hym a lyer, for ye shull never for me be deed, yef ye will me graunte to do that I shall yow sey." And when they herde hym sey that thei sholde be respited fro deth, thei were gladde and seiden, "What that thow comaundest we shall do it, for we se well that thow arte the wisest man that liveth." Quod Merlin, "Ye shull swere never to entermete of that arte, and I will that ye be confessed and take youre penaunce so that youre soules be not dampned." And thei hym thankeden and seide thei sholde don his comaundement. Thus delyvered Merlin the clerkes whiche made hym to be sought for to be putte to deth. Vortiger com to hym and seide, "Telle me the significaunce of the two drag- ons." "The reade dragon," quod Merlin, "betokeneth thee, and the white dragon signifieth the sones of Constance." When Vortiger herde this, he was ashamed. And Merlin seide, "Yef thow wilte, I will sey more, with that thow conne me no magré." Vortiger seide, "Here ne is no man but of my privé counsell. And therfore I will thow telle me all the trouthe." "I tolde thee," quod Merlin, "that the reade signifieth thee, and I shall telle thee how the children of Constance were yonge and tender, after the deth of their fader. And yef thow were soche as thow oughteste to have ben, thow sholdeste have kepte hem and yeven hem counseile ageins alle erthly men. And well thow knowest that thow haste their heritage wrongfully; for when thow knewest the peple loved thee, thow drowest thee abakke for to helpe them in their nedes. And when eny of the londe complayneth to thee for the kynges inno- cence, and seiden thei wolden thow sholde take upon thee to be kynge to defende the reame fro their enmyes, thow ansueredest covertly, and seidest thow myghtest not while Kynge Moyne was livinge. And thei that thow seidest this to undirstoden wele that thow woldest have hym deed. And therfore thei slowen their kynge. But thei leften two brethern, the whiche fledde into straunge londe for drede of thee. And so were thow made kynge, and yet thow holdest their heritage with wronge. And when thei hadden kylde the Kynge Moyne, thei come before thee. Thow madest hem to be distrowied, to shewe semblaunce as thow hadde forthought the kynges deth." Vortiger undirstode wele that Merlyn hym tolde and wist wele that he tolde hym the trouth, and seide, "I se well that thow art oon of the wisest men of the worlde. Wherfore, I pray thee to yeve me counseill in this cas, and also telle me on what deth I shall dye." Quod he, "Yef I telle thee that I wil not sey the betokenyng of the two dragons. I do thee to wite that the reade dragon signifieth thee; in that he was so grete and hidouse, betokeneth thee and thy grete power. And the white dragon betokeneth the two childeren that be fledde for drede of thee. And that thei foughten so longe togeder, betokeneth that thow haste so longe kepte their herytage with wronge. And that the white dragon brente the redde dragon betokeneth that the two brethern shull brenne thee with theire power. And therfore I ne trowe not that this toure shal be thy warante, but that thow shalt dye by hem." When Vortiger undirstode this, he gan to wrathe and axed hym, "Where ben these children?" Quod Merlyn, "Thei be in the see, with grete strengthe of peple, and come into heir londe to take vengaunce on thee. For thei seyn thow dedist their brother to be slain. And wite it wele that thei shall aryve withinne thre monthes withoute eny faile."