Part 14 (1/2)

[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.”