Classic Poem

The Eighth Part.

Now when vortiger was brent,
Vther & Pendragon went
for to beseege k ing Anguis
in his castle soe strong of price,
wither he was fled for dread & doubt.
& Pendragon w i th all his rout
besett him soe on euery side
tha t noe man might scape tha t tyde.
But K ing Anguis w i thin tha t castle
was bestowed soe wonderous well,
& soe stronglye itt was wrought
tha t noe man might deere itt nought.
& when they had beseeged him longe
about they castle tha t was soe stronge,
& when noe man might him deere
5 Barrons comen there
tha t had beene w i th vortiger,
& told Pendragon & vther
how Merlyne was begotten & borne,
& how he came the K ing beforne,
& what words he him tolde
of the dragons vnder the Mould,
& how the K ing wold haue him slaine,
& noe man wott where he become,
& said, " S i r, verament
& Merline were here p re sent,
throughe his councell you shall anon
Kinge Anguis ou er -come. "
Pendragon was wound[r]ed thoe,
& soe was his brother Vther alsoe,
& sent anon the K nigh ts 5
for to seeke Merlyn beliue,
& bade them, if they found the child,
to pray him w i th words milde
to " come & speake w i th Pendragon
& Vther in his pauillyon,
him to wishe, & them to reade,
& if hee might, helpe them att neede
for to winne tha t strong hold,
& he shold haue what he wold. "
the Messengers forth went
to seeke Merlyn w i th good entent,
& fare & wyde they him sought,
but of him they heard right nought
soe on a day the Messengers,
as they were sett att their dinners
in a taverne in the west countrye,
w i th meate & drinke great plentye, —
an old churle, hee came in
w i th a white beard vpon his chine,
& a staffe in his hand he had,
& shoone on feete full well made,
And begunn to craue more,
& said he was an hungred sore,
& praid them on the bench aboue
to giue him something for gods loue.
& the then sayd, w i th-out Leasinge,
" tha t he shold haue of them nothinge, "
& sayd " if that the churle be old,
he is a stronge man & a bolde,
& might goe worke for his meate
if he itt wold w i th truth gett; "
& called to him eu er eche one,
& bade him trusse & away gone,
& sware by the ruth tha t god them gaue,
he shold drinke w i th his owne staffe.
then Merlyn answered yorne
" fellow, " hee sayd, " I am noe churle
I am an old man of this worlde,
& many wonders seene & hearde;
& yee be wretches & younge of blood,
& forsooth can litle good;
& if yee knew as yee nay can,
yee shold scorne noe old man;
yee shold be in the K ing s neede,
for old men can thee wishe and reede
where yee shold find Merlyn the chylde;
therfore the K ing was full wilde
to send madmen out off rage
for to goe on such a message;
for Merlyn is of such Manner,
if he stood before you here
& spake to you right att this dore,
you shold know him neu er the more;
for 3 this day you haue him mett,
& yett yee know him neu er the bett.
& therfore wend home, by my reed,
for him to find you shall not speed;
& bydd tha t prince take Barrons 5,
& bydde come & speake to Merlyn belyue,
& say tha t he shall them abyde
right here by this forrests side. "
& when he had said to them this,
anon he was away I-wisse,
& there wist none of them
where this old man was become.
the Messengers wondred all
where the churle was befall,
& all about they him sought,
but of him they heard nought;
for in story it is told,
the Churle tha t was soe stout & bold,
tha t spake soe to the Messengers
as the sate att their dinners,
forsooth itt was merline the younge
tha t made to them this scorninge.
the Messenger went soone anon,
& told Vther & Pendragon,
& how the churle to them had tolde
& sware to them with words bold,
& told them how Merlyne the chylde
was byding in the fforrest wylde,
& bade them take Barrons 5,
to come and speake w i th him belyue;
& sayd Merlyn wold them abyde
att such a place by the forrest syde.
Pendragon had wonder thoe,
& Vther his brother alsoe.
Pendragon bade his brother gent
to the seege to take good tent,
tha t king Anguis scaped not away
neither by night nor yett by day
till they were of him wreake,
for he wold goe w i th Merlyn speake
then Pendragon w i th Barrons 5,
went forth alsoe belyue.
And [when] Pendragon was forth went,
Merlyn anon verament
wist full well tha t he was gone,
& to Vther he came anon, —
as itt were a stout garrison
he came to Vthers Pauillyon, —
& said, " Vther, listen to mee,
for of thy harme I will warne thee,
ffor I know well w i th-outen fayle
all k ing Angrius counsaile;
for he will come this ilke night
w i th many a man full well dight,
& into the forrest slippe anon
for to waite thee for to sloen;
but herof haue thou noe dowbt,
but warne thy host all about
tha t they be armed swithe & weele
both in Iron & eke in steele,
& gather to-gether all thy host,
& hold yee still w i th-outen bost
till tha t hee bee amonge ye comen,
for he shalbe the first groome
tha t shall vpon thy pauillion ren;
& looke tha t thou be ready then,
& heard on him looke thow hewe,
& spare not that old shrewe,
for thou shalt slay him w i th thy hand,
& winne the price from all this land. "
& when he had told him all this case,
he vanished away from tha t place.
great wonder had Vther thoe
tha t he was escaped soe,
& thought itt was gods sonde
tha t warned him tha t stonde,
tha t had soe warned him of his fone,
& was soe lightlye from him gone.
& when itt drew vnto the night,
K ing Anguis anon-right
did arme his men wrath & prest,
3000 men of the best,
& said how a spye had tolde
tha t Pendragon, the prince bold,
forth into the countrye is gone,
& left his brother Vther att home;
therfore, he sayd, he will out breake,
& on other he wold him wreake,
& sware an othe by Mahound
he wold kill him in his Pauillyon.
& soone they were ready dight;
then K ing Anguis anon-right
forthe of the castle he can ryde
w i th 3000 by his syde,
& forthe he went w i thout bost
vntill he came to Vthers host.
& when he was comen right
where Vthers Pauillyon was pight,
K ing Anguis, a fell felon,
he hyed him to the Pauillyon
& thought to slay Vther therin;
but he was beguiled thorrow Merlyine,
for Merlyne had tha t ilke Morrow
warned Vther of all the sorrow
how K ing Anguis was bethought;
therfore in his Pauillyon was he nought,
but had taken the feild w i th-out,
w i th many a hardye man & stout.
& Vther was a hardy man;
vpon king Anguis hee ran,
& smote him att the first blow
tha t he cane him ou er -throwe;
& Vther w i th his sword soe smart
he smote him thorrow the hart,
& hent him by the head anon,
& stroke itt from the necke bone.
And when the Sarazens this can see,
fast away can they flee
to the Castle eu er -eche one,
& left their Lord all alone.
but or the Might scape againe,
500 were all slayne
of the stoutest tha t were there,
tha t came w i th their K ing I-fere.