The Lay of Havelok the Dane Part 14

[Sidenote: He says, "My father was king of Denmark.]

Mi fader was king of denshe lond, Denemark was al in his hond 1404 e day at he was quik and ded; But a{n}ne hauede he wicke red, at he me, and denemark al, [Sidenote: He left me and my sisters in charge of a foul fiend, who slew my sisters, and bade Grim drown me.]

And mine sistres bi-tawte a ral: 1408 A deueles lime [he] hus bitawte, And al his lond, and al hise authe.

For y saw that fule fend Mine sistres slo with hise hend; 1412 First he shar a-two here rotes, And sien [karf] hem al to grotes, And sien bad [he] in e se Grim, youre fader, dre{n}che{n} me. 1416 Deplike dede he him swere On bok, at he sholde me bere Vnto e se, an dre{n}chen ine, And [he][66*] wolde take{n} on him e sinne. 1420 [Sidenote: But Grim was wise.]

But grim was wis, and swie hende, Wolde he nouth his soule shende; Leuere was him to be for-sworen, an dre{n}chen me, and ben for-lorn; 1424 But sone biga{n} he forto fle [Sidenote: He fled from Denmark with me, and took care of me.]

Fro denemark, forto ber_w_en[67] me, For yif[68] ich hauede er ben fu{n}den, Hauede ben slayn, or harde bunde{n}, 1428 And heye ben henged on a tre, Hauede go for him gold ne fe.

For-i fro denemark hider he fledde, And me ful fayre and ful wel fedde, 1432 So at vn-to is [ilke] day, Haue ich ben fed and fostred ay.

But nou ich am up to at helde c.u.me{n}, that ich may wepne welde, 1436 And y may grete di{n}tes yeue, [Sidenote: And now, I must go to Denmark.]

Shal i neuere hwil ich lyue Ben glad, til that ich denemark se; [Sidenote: Go with me, and I will make you rich men."]

I preie you at ye wende with me, 1440 And ich may mak you riche men, Ilk of you shal haue castles ten, And e lond at or-til longes, Borwes, tunes, wodes and wo{n}ges."[69] 1444

[Footnote 65: In the MS. the Capital letter is prefixed to the next line.]

[Footnote 66: MS. haue{n}. Cf. ll. 1868, 2528. Only an a.s.sonance, not a rime, seems intended.]

[Footnote 66*: Word added by editor: see Emendations.]

[Footnote 67: MS. ber?en, _the A.S. _w_ being used here._ Cf. l. 697.]

[Footnote 68: MS. yif.]

[Footnote 69: A folio has here been cut out of the MS., containing 180 lines. The missing portion must have been to this effect. "To this they gladly a.s.sented; and Havelok, accompanied by his wife Goldeborw and the sons of Grim, set sail for Denmark. Disembarking, they travel till they reach the castle of a great Danish earl, named Ubbe, who had formerly been a close friend to king Birkabeyn. Havelok begs that he will allow him to live in that part of the country, and to gain a livelihood by trading."]

[Headnote: HAVELOK GIVES UBBE A GOLD RING.]

[Sidenote: [Fol. 212, col. 1.]]

"With swilk als ich byen shal: er-of bi-seche you nou leue; [Sidenote: Havelok asks Ubbe to give him leave to buy and sell there.]

Wile ich speke with non oer reue, But with e, at iustise are, 1628 at y mithe seke{n}[70] mi ware In G.o.de borwes up and doun, And faren ich wile fro tun to tun."

A gold ring drow he forth anon, 1632 An hundred pu{n}d was worth e ston, [Sidenote: He gives Ubbe a gold ring.]

And yaf it ubbe for to spede:-- He was ful wis at first yaf mede, And so was hauelok ful wis here, 1636 [Sidenote: Dearly he sells it, all the same.]

He solde his gold ring ful dere, Was neuere non so dere sold, For chapme{n}, neyer yung ne old: at sholen[71] ye forthward ful wel here{n}, 1640 Yif at ye wile e storie heren.

[Footnote 70: _Qu._ sellen.]

[Footnote 71: MS. sh.o.r.en.]

[Headnote: UBBE INVITES HAVELOK TO A FEAST.]

[Sidenote: Ubbe takes the ring, admires Havelok's make and strength, and thinks he ought to be a knight, not a pedlar.]

+Hwa{n} ubbe hauede e gold ring, Hauede he youenet for no ing, Nouth for e borw euere-il del:-- 1644 Hauelok bi-hel he swie wel, Hw he was wel of bones maked, Brod in e sholdres, ful wel schaped, icke in e brest, of bodi long; 1648 He semede wel to ben wel strong.

"Deus!" hwat ubbe, "qui ne were he knith?

I woth, at he is swie with!

Bet{er}e semede him to bere 1652 Helm on heued, sheld and sp{er}e, a{n}ne to beye and selle ware.

Allas! at he shal er-with fare.

G.o.ddot! wile he trowe me, 1656 Chaffare shal he late be."

Neeles he seyde sone: [Sidenote: "Havelok, bring your wife, and come and eat with me."]

"Hauelok, haue [ou] i bone, And y ful wel rede [e] 1660 at ou come, and ete with me To-day, ou, and i fayre wif, at ou louest also i lif.

And haue ou of hire no drede, 1664 Shal hire no man shame bede.

Bi e fey that y owe to e, erof shal i me serf-borw be."

[Headnote: UBBE TAKES A GREAT FANCY TO HAVELOK.]

+Hauelok herde at he bad, 1668 And thow was he ful sore drad, [Sidenote: [Fol. 212, col. 2.]]

With him to ete, for hise wif; [Sidenote: Havelok fears ill may come of it.]

For him wore leuere at his lif Him wore reft, an she i{n} blame 1672 Felle, or lauthe ani shame.

Hwa{n}ne he hauede his wille _w_at,[72]

e stede, at he onne sat, [Sidenote: But Ubbe rides away, saying, "Mind that you come."]

Smot ubbe with spures faste, 1676 And forth awey, but at e laste, Or he fro him ferde, Seyde he, at his folk herde: "Loke at ye come{n} bee, 1680 For ich it wile, and ich it rede."

[Footnote 72: MS. _either_ at _or_ ?at.]

[Headnote: UBBE SENDS HAVELOK TO BERNARD.]

[Sidenote: Havelok dares not refuse.]

+Hauelok ne durste, e he were adrad, Nouth with-sitte{n} at ubbe bad; His wif he dide with him lede, 1684 Vn-to e heye curt he y[e]de.[73]

[Sidenote: Robert the Red leads Goldborough.]

Roberd hire ledde, at was red, at hau[ed]e arned[73*] for hire e ded Or ani hauede hire misseyd, 1688 Or hand with iuele onne leyd.

[Sidenote: William Wendut is on the other side of her.]

Willam wendut was at oer at hire ledde, roberdes broer, at was with at alle nedes: 1692 Wel is him at G.o.d ma{n} fedes!

an he were{n} come{n} to e halle, Biforen ubbe, and hise me{n} alle, [Sidenote: Ubbe starts up to welcome them.]

Vbbe stirte hem ageyn, 1696 And mani a knith, and mani a sweyn, Hem for to se, and forto shewe; o stod hauelok als a lowe [Sidenote: Havelok is a head taller than any of them.]

Aboven [o] at er-i{n}ne wore, 1700 Rith al bi e heued more a{n}ne ani at er-inne stod: o was ubbe blie of mod, at he saw him so fayr and he{n}de, 1704 Fro him ne mithe his herte we{n}de, Ne fro him, ne fro his wif; He louede hem sone so his lif.

[Sidenote: Ubbe loves Havelok better than any one else.]

Were{n} non i{n} denemark, at him outhe, 1708 at he so mikel loue mouthe; More he louede hauelok one, an al denemark, bi mine wone!

Loke nou, hw G.o.d helpen kan 1712 O mani wise wif and man.

[Footnote 73: MS. yde.]

[Footnote 73* (from Emendations): "_arned_ is an error of the scribe for _oled_; see the Glossary."]

+Hwan it was come{n} time to ete, [Sidenote: [Fol. 212b, col. 1.]]

Hise wif dede ubbe sone in fete, And til hire seyde, al on game{n}: 1716 [Sidenote: Ubbe's wife is to eat with Havelok, and Goldborough with Ubbe.]

"Dame, ou and hauelok shule{n} ete same{n}, And goldeboru shal ete wit me, at is so fayr so flour on tre; In al denemark nis[74, 74*] wimma{n} 1720 So fayr so sche, bi seint iohan!"

a{n}ne [he] were set, and bord leyd, And e beneysun was seyd, [Sidenote: There were cranes, swans, venison, fish, and wines.]

Biforn he{m} com e beste mete 1724 at king or cayser wolde ete; Kranes, swa{n}nes, ueneysun, Lax, lampreys, and G.o.d sturgun, Pyme{n}t to drinke, and G.o.d clare, 1728 Win hwit and red, ful G.o.d plente.

Was er-inne no page so lite, at euere wolde ale bite.

Of e mete forto tel, 1732 [Sidenote: No need to tell it all.]

Ne of e metes[75] bidde[75*] i nout dwelle; at is e storie for to lenge, It wolde anuye is fayre genge.

[Sidenote: When the feast is over, Ubbe thinks he must let them have an escort.]

But hwan he haueden e kiwing[76] de[y]led,[76*] 1736 And fele sies hauede{n} wosseyled, And with G.o.de drinkes sete{n} longe, And it was time for to gonge, Il man to er he cam fro, 1740 outhe ubbe, "yf I late hem go, us one foure, with-uten mo, So mote ich brouke finger or to, For is wi{m}ma{n} bes mike wo! 1744 For hire shal me{n} hire louerd slo."

He tok sone knithes ten, And wel sixti oer men, Wit G.o.de bowes, and with gleiues, 1748 And sende him unto e greyues, [Sidenote: He sends them to Bernard Brown, and bids him take care of them till next day.]

e beste ma{n} of al e toun, at was named b{er}nard brun; And bad him, als he louede his lif, 1752 Hauelok wel y[e]men,[77] and his wif, And wel do wayten al e nith, Til e oer day, at it were lith.

Bernard was trewe, and swie with, 1756 In al e borw ne was no knith at betere coue on stede riden, Helm on heued, ne swerd bi side.