Click to hear these pieces read aloud by Shawn Normandin

Merlin’s Mother

7818 Þa sæiden þe king Vortiger wið þa nunne he spilede þer, “talk with”

7819 “Gode læuedi sæi me sæl þe scal iwurðe.

7820 whar weoren þu iboren? Wha streonede þe to bearne?”

7821 Þæ andswarede þa nunne & hire fader nemnede.

7822 “Þriddendale þis lond stod a mines fader hond.

7823 of þan londe he wes king cuð hit wes wide.

7824 he wes ihaten Conaan, cnihtene lauerd.”

7825 Þa answarede þe king swulc heo his cun weore.

7826 “Lauedi sæie þu hit me sæl þe scal iwurðen.

7827 her is Mærlin þi sune wha streonede hine?

7828 Who wes him a folke for fader iholden?”

7829 Þa heng heo hire hæfued & heolde touward bræsten;

7830 bi þan kinge heo sæt ful softe & ane lutle while þohte;

7831 vmbe while heo spac & spilede wið þan kinge.

7832 “King, ich þe wulle tellen for seolcuðe spellen.

7833 Mi fader Conaan þe king luuede me þurh alle þing.

7834 þa iwarð ich on vestme wunder ane fæir.

7835 Þa ich wes an uore fiftene yere. /fore/

7836 þa wunede ich on bure, on wunsele mine,

7837 maidene mid me wunder ane uæire.

7838 þenne ich wæs on bedde iswaued mid soft mine slepen.

7839 þen com biuoren þa fæireste þing þat wes iboren.

7840 swulc hit weore a muchel cniht al of golde idiht.

7841 Þis ich isæh on sweuene alche niht on slepe.

7842 Þis þing glad me biuoren and glitene[de] on golde.

7843 ofte hit me custe; ofte hit me clupte;

7844 ofte hit me to-bæh & eode me swiðe neh.

7845 Þa ich an ænde me bisæh selcuð me þuhte þas.

7846 mi mæte me wes læ[ð] mine limes uncuðe.

7847 selcuð me þuhte what hit beon mihte.

7848 Þa anyæt ich on ænde þat ich was mid childe.

7849 þa mi time com, þisne cnaue ich hæfuede.

7850 Nat ic on folde what his fader weoren,

7851 ne wha hine biyate inne weorlde-riche,

7852 no whaðer hit weore unwiht þe on Godes halue idiht.

7853 La swa ich ibedde are nat ich na-mare,

7854 to suggen þe of mine sune hu he to worulde is icume.”

7855 Þe nunne beh hire hæfde adun, & hire huye dihte. /hewe/ covered face.

Arthur Becomes King

9893 Þa com hit al to-gadere þat hæhst wes on londe,

9894 eorles & beornes & boc-ilarede men.

9895 heo comen to Lundene to muchelere hustinge.

9896 Nomen heom to rade þeines riche,

9897 þat heo wolden ouer sæ. senden sonde

9898 in-to Bruttainne after bezst alre yeoyeðe. OE “geoguthe”

9899 þa a þissere weorlden-riche a þan dæyen weore,

9900 Ærður ihaten, bezst alre cnihten,

9901 and suggen þat he cumen sone to his kinedome—

9902 for dæd him wes Vðer, al-swa Aurilien wes ær,

9903 and Vðer Pendragune nefde nenne oðerne sune—

9904 þat mihte after his dayen halden Bruttes to laye

9905 mid wurð-scipe halden & þisne kinedom walden.

9906 For yæt weoren in þissen londe Sæxes at-stonden,

9907 Colgrim þe kene and moni þusend of his iueren.

9908 þa ofte ure Bruttes makeden hufele burstes. “evil deeds, injuries”

9909 Bruttes ful sone þreo biscopes nomen

9910 and ridæres seouene ræiye on wisdome.

9911 forð heo gunnen buyen in-to Bruttaine, “to turn”

9912 & heo ful sone to Ærðure comen.

9913 “Hail seo þu Arður, aðelest cnihten.

9914 Vðer þe græten þa he sculde iwiten

9915 & bæd þat þu sculdest a Brutten þe seoluen

9916 halden layen rihte,& hælpen þine folke,

9917 and witen þisne kinedom, swa god king sculden don,

9918 þine feond flæmen, & driuen heom of londen.

9919 & he bad þe to fultume þene milde Godes sune,

9920 þat þu mostes wel don & þat lond of Godde a-fon—

9921 for dæd is Vðer Pendragun, & þu ært Ærður his sune,

9922 & dæd is þe oðer Aurilien his broðer.”

9923 Þus heo gunnen tellen, & Arður sæt ful stille.

9924 ænne stunde he wes blac and on heuwe swiðe wak.

9925 ane while he wes reod and reousede on heorte. “to grieve” OE, hreowsian

9926 Þa hit alles up brac, hit wes god þat he spac.

9927 þus him sæide þer-riht, Arður þe aðele cniht.

9928 “Lauerd Crist, Godes sune, beon us nu a fultume. “help, aid, grace”

9929 þat ich mote on life Goddes layen halden.” “moral law, order”