Chapter IV: Part 4

[Headnote: BIRKABEYN IS KING OF DENMARK.]

+Sawe nou forth i{n} hure spelle;
[Sidenote: At that time there was a king of Denmark,
called Birkabeyn.]
In þat time, so it bifelle,
Was in þe lon of denemark 340
A riche king, and swyþe stark.
Þ[e] name of him was birkabeyn,
He hauede mani knict and sueyn;
He was fayr man, and wicth, 344
Of bodi he was þe beste knicth
Þat eu{er}e micte lede{n} uth here,
Or stede onne ride, or ha{n}dlen spere,
[Sidenote: He had three children.]
Þre children he hauede bi his wif, 348
He hem louede so his lif.
He hauede a sone [and] douhtres two,
Swiþe fayre, as fel it so.
He þat wile non forbere, 352
Riche ne poure; king ne kaysere,
[Sidenote: Death came upon him.]
Deth him tok þa{n} he bes[t] wolde
Liuen, but hyse dayes were fulde;
Þat he ne moucte no more liue, 356
For gol ne siluer, ne for no gyue.

[Sidenote: He sends for the priests.]
+Hwa{n} he þat wiste, raþe he sende
After p{re}stes fer an hende,
Chanounes gode, and mo{n}kes beþe,[15] 360
Him for to[16] wisse, and to Rede;
[Sidenote: [Fol. 206, col. 1.]]
Him for to hoslon, an forto shriue,
Hwil his bodi were on liue.

[Footnote 15: MS. "boþe." But "beþe" rimes to "Rede"; see
l. 694.]

[Footnote 16: MS. fort{hm} to, the _hm_ being expuncted.]

[Headnote: BIRKABEYN SELECTS EARL GODARD / TO BE GUARDIAN OF HIS THREE CHILDREN.]

+Hwa{n} he was hosled and shriue{n}, 364
His q{ui}ste maked, and for him gyue{n},
His knictes dede he alle site,
For þorw hem he wolde wite,
[Sidenote: He asks who will guard his children?]
Hwo micte yeme hise childre{n} yunge, 368
Til þat he kouþen speke{n} wit tu{n}ge;
Speke{n} and gangen, on horse riden,
Knictes an sweynes bi here side{n}.
He spoken þer-offe, and chosen sone 372
A riche man was under mone,
[Sidenote: He chooses Godard.]
Was þe trewest þat he wende,
Godard, þe kinges oune frende;
And seyden, he Moucthe he{m} best loke, 376
Yif þat he hem vndertoke,
Til hise sone Mouthe bere
Helm on heued, and lede{n} vt here,
In his hand a sp{e}re stark, 380
And king ben maked of denemark.
He wel trowede þat he seyde,
And on Godard handes leyde;
[Sidenote: He commends the children to Godard.]
And seyde, "Here bi-teche i þe 384
Mine childre{n} alle þre,
Al denemark, and al mi fe,
Til þat mi sone of helde be;
[Sidenote: He makes him swear to take care of them,
and to give up the kingdom to the boy.]
But þat ich wille, þat þo[u] suere 388
On auter, and on messe-gere,
On þe belles þat men ri{n}ges,
On messe-bok þe prest on singes,
Þat þou mine children shalt we[l] yeme, 392
Þat hire kin be ful wel queme,
Til mi sone mowe ben knicth,
Þanne biteche him þo his Ricth,
Denemark, and þat þertil lo{n}ges, 396
Casteles and tunes, wodes and wo{n}ges."

[Sidenote: Godard swears to do so.]
+Godard stirt up, an swor al þat
Þe king him bad, and siþen sat
Bi the knictes, þat þer ware, 400
Þat wepen alle swiþe sare
For þe king þat deide sone:
Ih{es}u c{ri}st, that makede mone
On þe mirke nith to shine, 404
Wite his soule fro helle pine;
And leue þat it mote wone
[Sidenote: [Fol. 206, col. 2.]]
In heuene-riche with godes sone!

[Headnote: GODARD IMPRISONS THE THREE CHILDREN.]

[Sidenote: Godard shuts up the children, Havelok,
Swanborough, and Helfled, in a castle.]
+Hwan birkabeyn was leyd i{n} g{ra}ue, 408
Þe erl dede sone take þe knaue,
Hauelok, þat was þe eir,
Swanborow, his sister, helfled, þe toþer,[17]
And in þe castel dede he hem do, 412
Þer non ne micte hem come{n} to
Of here kyn, þer þei sperd wore;[18]
Þer he greten ofte sore,
Boþe for hunger and for kold, 416
Or he weren þre wint{er} hold.
Feblelike he gaf he{m} cloþes,
[Sidenote: He cares not for his oaths.]
He ne yaf a note of hise oþes;
He hem [ne] cloþede rith, ne fedde, 420
Ne hem ne dede richelike be-bedde.
Þa{n}ne godard was sikerlike
[Sidenote: He is a traitor.]
Vnder god þe moste swike,
Þat eure in erþe shaped was, 424
With-uten on, þe wike Iudas.
[Sidenote: May he be accursed!]
Haue he þe malisun to-day
Of alle þat eure speke{n} may!
Of p{at}riark, and of pope! 428
And of prest with loke{n} kope!
Of monekes, and h{er}mites boþe![19]
And of þe leue holi rode,
Þat god him-selue ran on blode! 432
[Sidenote: Cursed be he by north and south!]
Crist warie him with his mouth!
Waried wrthe he of norþ and suth!
Offe alle man, þat speke{n} kunne!
Of c{ri}st, þat made[20] mone and su{n}ne! 436
Þa{n}ne he hauede of al þe lond
Al þe folk tilled in-til his hond,
And alle haueden swore{n} him oth,
Riche and poure, lef and loth, 440
Þat he sholden hise wille freme,
[Sidenote: He plots against the children.]
And þat he shulde[{n}] him nouth g{re}me,
He þouthe a ful strong trechery,
A trayson, and a felony, 444
Of þe children forto make:
Þe deuel of helle him sone take!

[Footnote 17: Corrupt? Lines 410, 411 do not rime well
together.]

[Footnote 18: MS. were. But see l. 237.]

[Footnote 19: Lines 430, 431, 432 rime together. NB. The words
_holi rode_ are written over an erasure.]

[Footnote 20: MS. mande.]

[Sidenote: He goes to the tower where they are.]
+Hwa{n} þat was þouth, onon he ferde
To þe tour þer he wore{n} sp{er}de, 448
Þer he grete{n} for hunger and cold:
Þe knaue þat was su{m}del bold,
Ka{m} him ageyn, on knes him sette,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 206b, col. 1.]]
And godard ful feyre he fer grette; 452
And Godard seyde, "Wat is yw?
Hwi grete ye and goulen nou?"
[Sidenote: Havelok says they are hungry.]
"For us hu{n}greth swiþe sore:"--
Seyden he wolde{n} [haue] more, 456
"We ne haue to hete, ne we ne haue
Herinne neyther knith ne knaue
Þat yeueth us drinke{n}, ne no mete,
Halue{n}del þat we moun ete. 460
[Sidenote: "Alas, that we were born!"]
Wo is us þat we weren born!
Weilawei! nis it no korn,
Þat men micte make{n} of bred?
Vs[21] hungreth, we aren ney ded." 464

[Footnote 21: MS. þs; of. l. 455.]

[Headnote: GODARD KILLS SWANBORGUGH AND HELFLED.]

[Sidenote: Godard cares not.]
+Godard herde here wa,
Ther-offe yaf he nouth a stra,
But tok þe maydnes bothe same{n},
Al-so it were up-on hiis game{n}; 468
Al-so he wolde with he{m} leyke,
Þat were{n} for hunger g{re}ne and bleike.
[Sidenote: He cuts the throats of the two girls.]
Of boþen he karf on two here þrotes,
And siþen [karf] he{m} alto grotes. 472
Þer was sorwe, we so it sawe!
Hwan þe children bi þ[e][22] wawe
Leyen and spraulede{n} in þe blod:
[Sidenote: Havelok sees it, and is afraid.]
Hauelok it saw, and þe[r] bi stod. 476
Ful sori was þat seli knaue,
Mikel dred he mouthe haue,
For at hise herte he saw a knif,
For to reuen him hise lyf. 480
But þe knaue,[23] þat litel was,
[Sidenote: He begs Godard to spare him, offering
never to oppose him, and to flee from Denmark.]
He knelede bifor þat iudas,
And seyde, "louerd, m{er}ci nov!
Ma{n}rede, louerd, biddi you! 484
Al denemark i wile you yeue,
To þat forward þu late me liue;
Here hi wile on boke swere,
Þat neure more ne shal i bere 488

[Headnote: GODARD SPARES HAVELOK FOR A TIME.]

Ayen þe, louerd, shel ne spere,
Ne oþer wepne[24] that may you dere.
Louerd, haue m{er}ci of me!
To-day i wile fro denemark fle, 492
Ne neu{er}e more comen ageyn:
Swere{n} y wole, þat bircabein
Neu{er}e yete me ne gat:"--
Hwan þe deuel he[r]de[25] that, 496
[Sidenote: [Fol. 206b, col. 2.]]
Sum-del bigan him forto rewe;
With-drow þe knif, þat was lewe
[Sidenote: Godard has pity on him.]
Of þe seli children blod;
Þer was miracle fair and god! 500
Þat he þe knaue nouth ne slou,
But fo[r] rewnesse him _w_it-drow.[26]
Of auelok rewede him ful sore,
And þoucte, he wolde þat he ded wore, 504
But on þat he nouth wit his hend
Ne drepe him nouth,[27] þat fule fend!
Þoucte he, als he him bi stod,
Starinde als he were wod: 508
[Sidenote: But he reflects that, were Havelok dead,
his children would be the heirs.]
"Yif y late him liues go,
He micte me wirchen michel wo.
Grith ne get y neu{er}e mo,
He may [me] waite{n} for to slo; 512
And yf he were brouct of liue,
And mine childre{n} wolde{n} thriue,
Lou{er}di{n}ges after me
Of al denemark micten he be. 516
God it wite, he shal ben ded,
Wile i take{n} non oþer red;

[Headnote: GODARD TELLS GRIM TO DROWN HAVELOK.]

[Sidenote: He determines to drown him.]
I shal do caste{n} hi{m} in þe se,[28]
Þer i wile þat he drench[ed] be; 520
Aboute{n} his hals an anker god,
Þat he ne flete in the flod."
[Sidenote: He sends for a fisherman, and says to him,
"Grim, I will make you free.]
Þer anon he dede sende
After a fishere þat he wende, 524
Þat wolde al his wille do,
And sone anon he seyde him to:
"Grim, þou wost þu art mi þral,
Wilte don mi wille al, 528
Þat i wile bidde{n} þe,
To-morwen [i] shal make{n} þe fre,
And aucte þe yeuen, and riche make,
With-þa{n} þu wilt þis child[e] take, 532
And lede{n} him with þe to-nicht,
[Sidenote: Throw this child into the sea".]
Þan þou sest se[29] Mone lith,
In-to þe se, and don him þer-i{n}ne,
Al wile [i] take{n} on me þe sinne." 536
[Sidenote: Grim binds the child.]
Grim tok þe child, and bo{n}d hi{m} faste,
Hwil þe bondes micte laste;
Þat weren of ful stro{n}g line:--
Þo was hauelok i{n} ful stro{n}g pine. 540
Wiste he neu{er}e her wat was wo:
[Sidenote: [Fol. 207, col. 1.]]
[Sidenote: Christ wreak thee of Godard, Havelok!]
Ih{es}u c{ri}st, þat makede to go
Þe halte, and þe doumbe speke{n},
Hauelok, þe of Godard wreken! 544

[Footnote 22: MS. biþ; of. l. 2470.]

[Footnote 23: MS. kaue.]

[Footnote 24: MS. "wepne bere," where "bere" is redundant.]

[Footnote 25: MS. hede.]

[Footnote 26: Printed thus in the former edition:-- "But to
rewnesse him thit drow." But the MS. has _fo_, not _to_, where
_fo_ is corruptly written for _for_, as in l. 1318; and the
initial letter of the last syllable but one may be read as a
Saxon _w_ ([w]), not a thorn-letter (þ). It merely repeats the
idea in ll. 497, 498.]

[Footnote 27: Qu. mouth.]

[Footnote 28: MS. she.]

[Footnote 29: _So in_ MS. _Qu._ þe.]

[Headnote: HAVELOK IS TAKEN TO GRIM'S COTTAGE.]

[Sidenote: Grim gags the child.]
+Hwan grim hi{m} hauede faste bou{n}de{n},
And siþe{n} in an eld cloth wnden
A keuel of clutes, ful, un-wraste,
Þat he [ne] mouthe speke, ne fnaste, 548
Hwere he wolde him bere or lede.
Hwan he hauede don þat dede,
Hwa{n}[30] þe swike him hauede hethede,[31]
Þat he shulde him forth [lede] 552
And him drinchen in þe se;
Þat forwarde makeden he.
[Sidenote: He puts him in a bag, and takes him on his back.]
In a poke, ful and blac,
Sone he caste him on his bac, 556
Ant bar him hom to hise cleue,
And bi-taucte hi{m} dame leue,
[Sidenote: He puts him in charge of his wife.]
And seyde, "wite þou þis knaue,
Al-so thou with[31*] mi lif haue; 560
I shal dreinche{n} him i{n} þe se,
For him shole we ben maked fre,
Gold haue{n} ynou, and oþer fe;
Þat hauet mi louerd bihote{n} me." 564

[Footnote 30: We should rather read "_þan_."]

[Footnote 31: MS. he þede.]

[Footnote 31* (from Emendations):
"For _with_, Mr Garnett proposed to read _wilt_."]

[Headnote: GRIM SEES THAT HAVELOK IS THE KING'S SON.]

[Sidenote: She throws down Havelok violently.]
+Hwan dame [leue] herde þat,
Vp she stirte, and nouth ne sat,
And caste þe knaue adoun so harde,
Þat hise croune he þer crakede 568
Ageyn a gret ston, þer it lay:
Þo hauelok micte sei, "weilawei!
Þat eu{er}e was i kinges bern!"
Þat him ne hauede grip or ern, 572
Leoun or wlf, wluine or bere,
Or oþer best, þat wolde him dere.
[Sidenote: The child lies there till midnight.]
So lay þat child to middel nicth,
Þat grim bad leue bringe{n} lict, 576
For to don on [him] his cloþes:
"Ne the{n}keste nowt of mine oþes
Þat ich haue mi louerd swore{n}?
Ne wile i nouth be forloren. 580
I shal beren him to þe se,
Þou wost þat [bi-]houes me;
And i shal drenchen him þer-inne;
[Sidenote: Grim tells his wife to light the fire and a candle.]
Ris up swiþe, an go þu binne, 584
And blou þe fir, and lith a kandel:"
Als she shulde hise cloþes handel
[Sidenote: [Fol. 207, col. 2.]]
On forto don, and blawe þe[32] fir,
[Sidenote: She sees a light shining round the lad.]
She saw þer-inne a lith ful shir, 588
Also brith so it were day,
Aboute þe knaue þer he lay.
Of hise mouth it stod a stem,
Als it were a su{n}nebem; 592
Also lith was it þer-inne,
So þer brenden cerges i{n}ne:[33]
"Ih{es}u cr{i}st!" wat dame leue,
"Hwat is þat lith in vre cleue! 596
[Sidenote: She bids Grim come and see.]
Sir[34] up grim, and loke wat it menes,
Hwat is þe lith as þou wenes?"
He stirte{n} boþe up to the knaue,
For ma{n} shal god wille haue, 600
Vnkeuelede{n} him, and swiþe unbou{n}de{n},
[Sidenote: They find a mark on his shoulder.]
And sone anon [upon] him fu{n}den,
Als he tirnede{n} of his serk,
On his rith shuldre a kyne merk; 604
A swiþe brith, a swiþe fair:
"Goddot!" quath grim, "þis [is] ure eir
Þat shal [ben] louerd of denemark,
[Sidenote: Grim says the lad is to be king.]
He shal be{n} king strong and stark; 608
He shal haue{n} in his hand
A[l] denemark and engeland;
He shal do godard ful wo,
He shal him hangen, or quik flo; 612
Or he shal him al quic g{ra}ue,
Of him shal he no m{er}ci haue."
Þus seide grim, and sore gret,
And sone fel him to þe fet, 616
[Sidenote: He prays Havelok to forgive him.]
And seide, "louerd, haue m{er}ci
Of me, and leue, that is me bi!
Louerd, we aren boþe þine,
Þine cherles, þine hine. 620

[Headnote: GRIM AND HIS WIFE FEED HAVELOK.]

Lowerd, we shole{n} þe wel fede,
Til þat þu cone ride{n} on stede,
Til þat þu cone ful wel bere
Helm on heued, sheld and sp{er}e. 624
[Sidenote: Godard shall never know about this.]
He ne shal neuere wite, sikerlike,
Godard, þat fule swike.
Þoru oþer ma{n}, louerd, tha{n} þoru þe,
Sal i neu{er}e frema{n} be. 628
Þou shalt me, louerd, fre make{n},
For i shal yemen þe, and wake{n};
Þoru þe wile i fredom haue:"
[Sidenote: [Fol. 207b, col. 1.]]
Þo was haueloc a bliþe knaue. 632
[Sidenote: Havelok is glad, and asks for bread.]
He sat him up, and crauede bred.
And seide, "ich am [wel] ney ded,
Hwat for hunger, wat for bondes
Þat þu leidest on min hondes; 636
And for [þe] keuel at þe laste,
Þat in mi mouth was þrist faste.
y was þe[r]-with so harde prangled,
Þat i was þe[r]-with ney[e][34*] strangled." 640
"Wel is me þat þu mayth hete:
[Sidenote: Dame Leve brings him bread and cheese, butter, &c.]
Goddoth!" quath leue, "y shal þe fete
Bred an chese, butere and milk,
Pastees and flaunes, al with suilk 644
Shole we sone þe wel fede,
Louerd, in þis mikel nede,
Soth it is, þ{a}t me{n} seyt and suereth:
'Þer god wile helpe{n}, nouth no dereth.'" 648

[Footnote 32: MS. þer.]

[Footnote 33: _Qu._ þrinne. See ll. 716, 761, 2125.]

[Footnote 34: _Qu._ stir, _or_ stirt.]

[Footnote 34*: Changed by editor from "ney": see Emendations.]

[Headnote: GRIM SAYS HE HAS DROWNED HAVELOK.]

+Þa{n}ne sho hauede brouth þe mete,
[Sidenote: Havelok eats all up greedily.]
Haueloc anon biga{n} to ete
Grundlike, and was ful bliþe;
Couþe he nouth his hunger Miþe. 652
A lof he het, y woth, and more,
For him hungrede swiþe sore.
Þre dayes þer-biforn, i wene,
Et he no mete, þat was wel sene. 656
Hwan he hauede eten, and was fed,
[Sidenote: Grim puts him to bed.]
Grim dede make{n} a ful fayr bed;
Vncloþede him, and dede hi{m} þer-i{n}ne,
And seyde, "Slep[34**] sone, with michel wi{n}ne; 660
Slep wel faste, and dred þe nouth,
Fro sorwe to ioie art þu brouth."
Sone so it was lith of day,
[Sidenote: Grim tells Godard he has killed Havelok,
and asks for his reward.]
Grim it under-tok þe wey 664
To þe wicke traitour godard,
Þat was denemak a[35] stiward,
And seyde, "louerd, don ich haue
Þat þou me bede of þe knaue; 668
He is drenched i{n} þe flod,
Aboute{n} his hals an anker god;
He is witer-like ded,
Eteth he neure more bred; 672
He liþ drenched in þe se:--
Yif me gold [and] oþer fe,[36]
Þat y mowe riche be;
And with þi chartre make [me] fre, 676
[Sidenote: [Fol. 207b, col. 2.]]
For þu ful wel bi-hetet me,
Þa{n}ne i last[e] spak with þe."
[Sidenote: Godard bids him go home, and remain a thrall;
for he has done wickedly.]
Godard stod, and lokede on him
Þoruth-like, with eyne grim; 680
And seyde, "Wiltu [nou] ben erl?
Go hom swiþe, fule drit, cherl;
Go heþen, and be euere-more
Þral and cherl, als þou er wore. 684
Shal [þou] haue non oþer mede;
For litel i [shal][37] do þe lede
To þe galues, so god me rede!
For þou haues don a wicke dede. 688
Þou Mait stonde{n} her to longe,
Bute þou swiþe eþen gonge."

[Footnote 34** (from Emendations):
"Perhaps there should be a comma after _Slep_, making the
sense to be _sleep, son_, not _sleep soon_."]

[Footnote 35: _Qu._ Denemarkes.]

[Footnote 36: Cf. l. 1225.]

[Footnote 37: The MS. has "ig," but the _g_ is expuncted; and
it omits "shal."]

[Headnote: GRIM SETS SAIL FOR ENGLAND.]

[Sidenote: Grim fears that both himself and Havelok
will be hung.]
+Grim thoucte to late þat he ran
Fro þat t{ra}ytour, þa wicke man; 692
And þoucte, "wat shal me to rede?
Wite he him onliue, he wile beþe
Heye hangen on galwe-tre:
Betere us is of londe to fle, 696
And berwen boþen ure liues,
And mine childre{n}, and mine wiues."
[Sidenote: Grim sells his live stock.]
Grim solde sone al his corn,
Shep wit wolle, neth wit horn, 700
Hors, and swin, [and gate] wit berd,
Þe gees, þe he{n}nes of þe yerd;
Al he solde, þat outh douthe,
That he eure selle moucte, 704
And al he to þe peni drou:
[Sidenote: He fits up his ship carefully.]
Hise ship he g{re}yþede wel inow,
He dede it tere, an ful wel pike,
Þat it ne doutede sond ne krike; 708
Þer-inne dide a ful god mast,
Stronge kables, and ful fast,
Ores god, an ful god seyl,
Þer-i{n}ne wantede nouth a nayl, 712
Þat eu{er}e he sholde þer-i{n}ne do:
[Sidenote: He takes with him his wife, his three sons,
his two daughters, and Havelok.]
Hwan he hauedet greyþed so,
Hauelok þe yunge he dide þer-inne,
Him and his wif, hise sones þrinne, 716
And hise two doutres, þat faire wore,
And sone dede he leyn in an ore,
And drou him to þe heye se,
Þere he mith alþer-best[e] fle. 720
Fro londe wore{n} he bote a mile,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 208, col. 1.]]
Ne were neuere but ane hwile,
[Sidenote: A north wind arises, called the _bise_,
and drives them to England.]
Þat it ne bigan a wind to Rise
Out of þe north, me{n} calleth 'bise' 724
And drof he{m} intil engelond,
Þat al was siþen in his hond,
His, þat hauelok was þe name;
But or he hauede michel shame, 728
Michel sorwe, and michel tene,
And þrie he gat it al bidene;
Als ye shule{n} nou forthwar lere,[38]
Yf that ye wile{n} þer-to here. 732

[Footnote 38: MS. here; _read_ lere. Cf. ll. 12, 1640.]

[Headnote: GRIM FOUNDS THE TOWN OF GRIMSBY.]

[Sidenote: Grim went up the Humber to Lindesey.]
+IN humb{er} grim biga{n} to lende,
In lindeseye, Rith at þe north ende.
Þer sat is ship up-on þe sond,
But grim it drou up to þe lond; 736
And þere he made a litel cote,
To him and to hise flote.
Biga{n} he þere for to erþe,
A litel hus to maken of erþe, 740
[Sidenote: There he built a house.]
So þat he wel þore were
Of here herboru h{er}borwed þere;
And for þat grim þat place aute,
Þe stede of grim þe name laute; 744
[Sidenote: That place was called Grimsby, after Grim.]
So þat [hit] grimesbi calleth alle
Þat þer-offe speken alle,[38*]
And so shule{n} me{n} calle{n} it ay,
Bituene þis and domesday. 748

[Footnote 38* (from Emendations):
"For _alle_, Mr Garnett proposed to read _shalle_."]

[Headnote: HAVELOK DOES NOT LIKE BEING IDLE.]

[Sidenote: Grim was a good fisherman.]
+Grim was fishere swiþe god,
And mikel couþe on the flod;
Mani god fish þer-inne he tok,
Boþe with neth, and with hok. 752
[Sidenote: He caught sturgeons, turbot, &c.]
He tok þe sturgiun, and þe qual,
And þe turbut, and lax with-al,
He tok þe sele, and þe hwel;
He spedde ofte swiþe wel: 756
Keling he tok, and tu{m}berel,
Hering, and þe makerel,
Þe Butte, þe schulle, þe þornebake:
[Sidenote: He had four panniers made for himself and his sons.]
Gode paniers dede he make 760
Ontil him, and oþer þrinne,
Til hise sones to bere{n} fish inne,
Vp o-londe to selle and fonge;
Forbar he neyþe[r] tun, ne gronge, 764
Þat he ne to-yede with his ware;
Kam he neu{er}e hom hand-bare,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 208, col. 2.]]
Þat he ne broucte bred and sowel,
In his shirte, or in his couel; 768
In his poke benes and korn:--
Hise swink ne hauede he nowt forlorn.
[Sidenote: He used to sell lampreys at Lincoln,
and bring home simnels, meal, meat, and hemp.]
And hwan he tok þe grete laumprei,
Ful we[l] he couþe þe rithe wei 772
To lincolne, þe gode boru;
Ofte he yede it þoru and þoru,
Til he hauede wol[39] wel sold,
And þer-fore þe penies told. 776
Þa{n}ne he com, þe{n}ne he were bliþe,
For hom he brouthe fele siþe
Wastels, simenels with þe horn,
Hise pokes fulle of mele an korn, 780
Netes flesh, shepes, and swines,
And hemp to make{n} of gode lines;
And stronge ropes to hise netes,
In þe se were{n} he ofte setes.[40, 40*] 784

[Footnote 39: _Qu._ ful _or_ al.]

[Footnote 40: _Sic_ in MS.]

[Footnote 40* (from Emendations: see also Errata)
"Perhaps we should, however, read _se-weren_, and the note
on the line may be wrong. See _Weren_ in the Glossary."]

[Headnote: HAVELOK SELLS FISH LIKE THE BEST.]

[Sidenote: Thus they lived for 12 years.]
+Þus-gate grim him fayre ledde.
Him and his genge wel he fedde
Wel twelf wint{er}, oþer more:
Hauelok was war þat gri{m} swa{n}k sore 788
[Sidenote: Havelok thinks he eats too much to be idle.]
For his mete, and he lay at hom:
Thouthe, "ich am nou no grom;
Ich am wel waxe{n}, and wel may ete{n}
More þa{n} euere Grim may geten. 792
Ich ete more, bi god on liue,
Þan grim an hise children fiue!
It ne may nouth ben þus lo{n}ge,
Goddot! y wile with þe gange, 796
For to leren su{m} god to gete;
Swinken ich wolde for mi mete.
[Sidenote: It is no shame for a man to work.]
It is no shame forto swinken;
Þe ma{n} þat may wel ete{n} and dri{n}ke{n}, 800
Þat nouth ne haue but on swi{n}k lo{n}g,
To ligge{n} at hom it is ful strong.
God yelde him þer i ne[41] may,
Þat haueth me fed to þis day! 804
[Sidenote: He determines to carry about panniers like the rest.]
Gladlike i wile þe paniers bere;
Ich woth, ne shal it me nouth dere,
Þey þer be i{n}ne a birþene gret,
Al so heui als a neth. 808
Shal ich neuere lengere dwelle,
To morwe{n} shal ich forth pelle."

[Footnote 41: MS. ine.]

[Headnote: HAVELOK GOES TO LINCOLN TO GET WORK.]

+On þe morwen, hwa{n} it was day,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 208b, col. 1.]]
He stirt up sone, and nouth ne lay; 812
[Sidenote: He carries a pannier full of fish, and sells them.]
And cast a panier on his bac,
With fish giueled als a stac;
Also michel he bar him one,
So he foure, bi mine mone![42] 816
Wel he it bar, and solde it wel,
Þe siluer he brouthe hom il del;
Al þat he þer-fore tok
With-held he nouth a ferþinges nok. 820
So yede he forth ilke day,
Þat he neuere at home lay.
So wolde he his mester lere;
[Sidenote: A great dearth arises.]
Bifel it so a strong dere 824
Bigan to rise of korn of bred,
That grim ne couþe no god red,
Hw he sholde his meine fede;
Of hauelok hauede he michel drede: 828
For he was strong, and wel mouthe ete
More þa{n}ne heuere mouthe he gete;
[Sidenote: They have not enough to eat.]
Ne he ne mouthe on þe se take
Neyþer le{n}ge, ne þorn[e]bake,[43] 832
Ne non oþer fish þat douthe
His meyne fede{n} with he[r][44] mouthe.
[Sidenote: Grim is sorry for Havelok.]
Of hauelok he hauede kare,
Hwilgat þat he micthe fare; 836
Of his childre{n} was him nouth,
On hauelok was al hise þouth,
And seyde, "hauelok, dere sone,
I wene that we deye mone 840
For hu{n}ger, þis dere is so strong,
And hure mete is uten long.
[Sidenote: He advises him to go to Lincoln, and work there.]
Betere is þat þu he{n}ne gonge,
Þan þu here dwelle longe; 844
Heþen þow mayt ga{n}ge{n} to late;
Thou canst ful wel þe ricthe gate
To lincolne, þe gode borw,
Þou hauest it gon ful ofte þoru; 848
Of me ne is me nouth a slo,
Bet{er}e is þat þu þider go,
For þer is mani god ma{n} inne,
Þer þou mayt þi mete winne. 852
But wo is me! þou art so naked,
[Sidenote: He makes him a coat of an old sail.]
Of mi seyl y wolde þe were maked
A cloth, þou mithest i{n}ne gongen,
Sone, no cold þat þu ne fonge." 856

[Headnote: HE HELPS THE EARL OF CORNWALL'S COOK.]

[Sidenote: [Fol. 208b. col. 2.]]
+He tok þe sh[e]res[45] of þe nayl,
And made him a couel of þe sayl,
And hauelok dide it sone on;
Hauede neyþer hosen ne shon, 860
Ne none kines oþe[r] wede;
[Sidenote: Havelok goes to Lincoln barefoot.]
To lincolne barfot he yede.
Hwan he kam þe[r], he was ful wil,
Ne hauede he no frend to gange{n} til; 864
[Sidenote: He fasts for two days.]
Two dayes þer fastinde he yede,
Þat non for his werk wolde him fede;
Þe þridde day herde he calle:
"Bermen, bermen, hider forth alle!" 868
[Poure þat on fote yede][46]
Sprongen forth so sparke on glede.
[Sidenote: Havelok becomes the earl's cook's porter.]
Hauelok shof dun nyne or ten,
Rith amidewarde þe fen, 872
And stirte forth to þe kok,
[Þer the herles mete he tok,]
Þat he bouthe at þe brigge:
Þe berme{n} let he alle ligge, 876
And bar þe mete to þe castel,
[Sidenote: He gets a farthing cake.]
And gat him þere a ferþing wastel.

[Footnote 42: Cf. ll. 1711, 1972.]

[Footnote 43: See l. 759.]

[Footnote 44: _Qu._ her, _i.e._ their. MS. he.]

[Footnote 45: _Qu._ sheres. MS. shres.]

[Footnote 46: Cf. ll. 91, 101. Here and below an additional
line seems requisite.]

[Headnote: HAVELOK IS HIRED BY THE EARL'S COOK.]

[Sidenote: Another day, he watches the earl's cook,
who calls for a porter.]
+Þet oþer day kepte he ok
Swiþe yerne þe erles kok, 880
Til þat he say him on þe b[r]igge,
And bi him mani fishes ligge.
Þe herles mete hauede he bouth
Of cornwalie, and kalde oft: 884
"Berme{n}, bermen, hider swiþe!"
Hauelok it herde, and was ful bliþe,
Þat he herde "berme{n}" calle;
Alle made he hem dun falle 888
[Sidenote: Havelok upsets 16 lads.]
Þat in his gate yeden and stode,
Wel sixtene laddes gode.
Als he lep þe kok [vn-]til,
He shof hem alle upon an hyl; 892
Astirte til him with his rippe,
[Sidenote: He catches up the cook's fish, and carries them
to the castle.]
And bigan þe fish to kippe.
He bar up wel a carte lode
Of segges, laxes, of playces brode, 896
Of grete laumprees, and of eles;
Sparede he neyþer tos ne heles,
Til þat he to þe castel cam,
Þat me{n} fro him his birþene nam. 900
Þan me{n} hauede{n} holpe{n} him doun
With þe birþene of his croun,
Þe kok [bi] stod, and on him low,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 209, col. 1.]]
And þoute him stalworþe ma{n} ynow, 904
And seyde, "wiltu ben wit me?
[Sidenote: The cook takes him into his service.]
Gladlike wile ich feden þe;
Wel is set þe mete þu etes,
And þe hire þat þu getes." 908

[Headnote: HE CUTS WOOD, AND DRAWS WATER.]

+"Goddot!"[47] quoth he, "leue sire,
Bidde ich you non oþer hire;
But yeueþ me inow to ete,
[Sidenote: Havelok tells the cook what he can do.]
Fir and wat{er} y wile yow fete, 912
Þe fir blowe, an ful wele make{n};
Stickes kan ich breken and krake{n},
And kindlen ful wel a fyr,
And make{n} it to brennen shir; 916
Ful wel kan ich cleue{n} shides,
Eles to-turnen[48] of here hides;
Ful wel kan ich dishes swilen,
And don al þat ye eu{er}e wilen." 920
[Sidenote: The cook is content to hire him.]
Quoth þe kok, "wile i no more;
Go þu yunder, and sit þore,
And y shal yeue þe ful fair bred,
And make þe broys i{n} þe led. 924
Sit now doun and et ful yerne:
Daþeit hwo þe mete werne!"

[Footnote 47: Soddot, MS.]

[Footnote 48: MS. to turuen; _but the _u_ and _n_ are almost
indistinguishable._ Cf. l. 603; and _William of Palerne_,
2590.]

[Headnote: HAVELOK GROWS VERY TALL AND STRONG.]

[Sidenote: Havelok eats a good dinner.]
+Hauelok sette him dun anon,
Also stille als a ston, 928
Til he hauede ful wel eten;
Þo hauede hauelok fayre gete{n}.
[Sidenote: He fills a large tub with water for the kitchen.]
Hwa{n} he hauede ete{n} inow,
He ka{m} to þe welle, wat{er} up-drow, 932
And filde þe[r] a michel so;
Bad he non ageyn him go,
But bi-twen his hondes he bar it in,
A[l] him one to þe kichin. 936
Bad he non him wat{er} to fete,
Ne fro b[r]igge to bere þe mete,
He bar þe turues, he bar þe star,
Þe wode fro the brigge he bar; 940
[Sidenote: He draws water, and cuts wood.]
Al that euere shulde{n} he nytte,
Al he drow, and al he citte;
Wolde he neu{er}e haue{n} rest,
More þa{n} he were a best. 944
[Sidenote: He is always laughing and blithe.]
Of alle me{n} was he mest meke,
Lauhwinde ay, and bliþe of speke;
Eu{er}e he was glad and bliþe,
His sorwe he couþe ful wel miþe. 948
[Sidenote: [Fol. 209, col. 2.]]
It ne was non so litel knaue,
For to leyken, ne forto plawe,
Þat he ne wo[l]de with him pleye:
Þe children that y[e]de{n} in þe weie 952
[Sidenote: Children play with him.]
Of him he deden al he[r] wille,
And with him leykeden here fille.
Him louede{n} alle, stille and bolde,
Knictes, childre{n}, yunge and holde; 956
[Sidenote: All like him.]
Alle him louede{n} þat him sowen,
Boþen heyemen and lowe.
Of him ful wide þe word sprong,
Hw he was mike, hw he was stro{n}g, 960
Hw fayr ma{n} god him hauede maked,
[Sidenote: He has nothing to wear but the old sail.]
But on þat he was almest naked:
For he ne hauede nouth to shride,
But a kouel ful unride, 964
Þat [was] ful, and swiþe wicke,
Was it nouth worth a fir sticke.
[Sidenote: The cook buys him new clothes.]
Þe cok biga{n} of him to rewe,
And bouthe him cloþes, al spa{n}newe; 968
He bouthe him boþe hose{n} and shon,
And sone dide him dones on.
[Sidenote: He looks very well in his new suit.]
Hwan he was cloþed, osed, and shod,
Was no{n} so fayr under god, 972
Þat euere yete in erþe were,
Non þat eu{er}e moder bere;
It was neu{er}e ma{n} þat yemede
In kinneriche, þat so wel semede 976
King or cayser forto be,
Þan he was shrid, so semede he;
[Sidenote: Havelok is the tallest man in Lincoln,
and the strongest in England.]
For þa{n}ne he weren alle same{n}
At lincolne, at þe game{n}, 980
And þe erles men woren al þore,
Þan was hauelok bi þe shuldre{n} more
Þan þe meste þat þer kam:
In armes him noma{n} [ne] nam, 984
Þat he doune sone ne caste;
Hauelok stod ouer he{m} als a mast.
Als he was heie, al[49] he was long,
He was boþe stark and strong; 988
In engelond [was] non hise per
Of strengþe þat eu{er}e ka{m} him ner.
Als he was strong, so was he softe;

[Headnote: HE SEES SOME MEN "PUTTING THE STONE."]

Þey a man him misdede ofte, 992
Neuere more he him misdede,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 209b, col. 1.]]
Ne hond on him with yuele leyde.
[Sidenote: He is good-natured and pure.]
Of bodi was he mayden clene,
Neuere yete in game, ne in grene, 996
Þit[50] hire ne wolde leyke ne lye,
No more þan it were a strie.
In þat time al hengelond
[Sidenote: Godrich summons a parliament at Lincoln.]
Þerl Godrich hauede in his hond, 1000
And he gart kome{n} i{n}to þe tun
Mani erl, and mani barun;
And alle [men] þat liues were
In eng[e]lond, þa{n}ne wer þere, 1004
Þat þey haueden after sent,
To ben þer at þe parleme{n}t.
[Sidenote: Some champions begin to contend in games.]
With hem com mani cha{n}bioun,
Mani with ladde, blac and brown; 1008
An fel it so, þat yunge men,
Wel aboute{n} nine or ten,
Bigu{n}ne{n} þe[r] for to layke:
Þider kome{n} bothe stro{n}ge and wayke; 1012
Þider kome{n} lesse and more,
Þat in þe borw þa{n}ne were{n} þore;
[Sidenote: Strong lads and bondmen are there.]
Chaunpiouns, and starke laddes,
Bondeme{n} with here gaddes, 1016
Als he comen fro þe plow;
Þere was sembling i-now!
For it ne was non horse-knaue,
Þo þei sholden in honde haue, 1020
Þat he ne kam þider, þe leyk to se:
Biforn here fet þa{n}ne lay a tre,
[Sidenote: They begin to "put the stone."]
And putte{n}[51] with a mikel ston
Þe starke laddes, ful god won. 1024

[Headnote: HE "PUTS THE STONE" FURTHER THAN ANY.]

Þe ston was mikel, and ek greth,
And al so heui so a neth;
Grund stalwrthe ma{n} he sholde be,
Þat mouthe lifte{n} it to his kne; 1028
[Sidenote: Few can lift it.]
Was þer neyþer clerc, ne prest,
Þat mithe liften it to his brest:
Þerwit putte{n} the chaunpiouns,
Þat þider come{n} with þe barouns. 1032
Hwo so mithe putten þore
Biforn a-noþer, an inch or more,
Wore ye yung, [or] wore he hold,
He was for a ke{m}pe told. 1036
[Sidenote: Whilst this is going on, Havelok looks on at them.]
Al-so þe[i] stoden, an ofte starede{n},[51*]
Þe chaunpiouns, and ek the ladde{n},
[Sidenote: [Fol. 209b, col. 2.]]
And he maden mikel strout
Abouten þe alþerbeste but, 1040
Hauelok stod, and lokede þer-til;
And of putti{n}gge he was ful wil,
For neu{er}e yete ne saw he or
Putte{n} the stone, or þa{n}ne þor. 1044
[Sidenote: His master tells him to try.]
Hise mayst{er} bad him gon þer-to,
Als he couþe þer-with do.
Þo hise mayst{er} it him bad,
He was of him sore adrad; 1048
Þerto he stirte sone anon,
And kipte up þat heui ston,
Þat he sholde puten wiþe;
[Sidenote: He puts the stone 12 feet beyond the rest.]
He putte at þe firste siþe, 1052
Ouer alle þat þer wore,
Twel fote, and su{m}del more.
Þe chaunpiouns þat [þat] put sowen,
Shuldrede{n} he ilc oþer, and lowen; 1056
Wolde{n} he no more to putti{n}g gange,
But seyde, "_w_e[52] dwelle{n} her to longe!"

[Headnote: GODRICH HEARS OF HAVELOK'S STRENGTH.]

[Sidenote: This feat is everywhere talked about.]
Þis selkouth mithe nouth be{n} hyd,
Ful sone it was ful loude kid 1060
Of hauelok, hw he warp þe ston
Ouer þe laddes euerilkon;
Hw he was fayr, hw he was long,
Hw he was with, hw he was stro{n}g; 1064
Þoruth england yede þe speke,[53]
Hw he was strong, and ek meke;
In the castel, up in þe halle,
Þe knithes speke{n} þer-of alle, 1068
[Sidenote: Godrich hears the knights talking of it.]
So that Godrich it herde wel
Þe[r] speke{n} of hauelok, eueri del,
Hw he was stro{n}g man and hey,
Hw he was stro{n}g and ek fri, 1072
And þouthte godrich, "þoru þis knaue
Shal ich engelond al haue,
And mi sone after me;
For so i wile þat it be. 1076
[Sidenote: "Athelwold said I was to marry his daughter
to the strongest man alive.]
The king aþelwald me dide swere
Vpon al þe messe-gere,
Þat y shu[l]de his douthe[r] yeue
Þe hexte [man][53*] þat mithe liue, 1080
Þe beste, þe fairest, þe stra{n}gest ok;
Þat gart he me swere{n} on þe bok.
Hwere mithe i finden ani so hey
[Sidenote: [Fol. 210, col. 1.]]
So hauelok is, or so sley? 1084
Þou y southe heþen in-to ynde,
So fayr, so strong, ne mithe y finde.
Hauelok is þat ilke knaue,
Þat shal goldeborw haue." 1088
[Sidenote: That is Havelok."]
Þis þouthe [he] with trechery,
With t{ra}ysoun, and wit felony;
For he wende, þat hauelok wore
Sum cherles sone, and no more; 1092
Ne shulde he haue{n} of engellond
Onlepi forw in his hond,
With hire, þat was þerof eyr,
Þat boþe was god and swiþe fair. 1096
[Sidenote: He thought Havelok was only a thrall.]
He wende, þat hauelok wer a þral,
Þer-þoru he we{n}de haue{n} al
In engelond, þat hire rith was;
He was werse þan sathanas, 1100
Þat ih{es}u c{ri}st in erþe shop:[54]
Hanged worþe he on an hok!

[Footnote 49: _Qu._ so; see l. 991.]

[Footnote 50: _Qu._ wit = with: miswritten owing to confusion
of þ with [w] (_w_)?]

[Footnote 51: MS. pulten. But see ll. 1031, 1033, 1044, 1051,
&c.]

[Footnote 51* (from Emendations):
"For _stareden_ we should perhaps read _stradden_; see the
Glossary."]

[Footnote 52: In the former edition-- "ye". But the _y_ is not
dotted, and it may be "[w]e."]

[Footnote 53: MS. speche. Read "speke," as in l. 946.]

[Footnote 53*: Word added by editor: see Emendations.]

[Footnote 54: _Qu._ shok _or_ strok.]

[Headnote: GOLDBOROUGH IS SENT FOR TO LINCOLN.]

[Sidenote: He sends for Goldborough to Lincoln.]
+After goldebo[r]w sone he sende,
Þat was boþe fayr and hende, 1104
And dide hire to lincolne bringe,
Belles dede he ageyn hire ringen,
And ioie he made hire swiþe mikel,
But neþeles he was ful swikel. 1108
He seyde, þat he sholde hire yeue
Þe fayrest ma{n} that mithe liue.
[Sidenote: She says she will marry none but a king.]
She answerede, and seyde anon,
Bi crist, and bi seint iohan, 1112
Þat hire sholde noma{n} wedde,
Ne noma{n} bringen to hire[55] bedde,
But he were king, or ki{n}ges eyr,
Were he neuere ma{n} so fayr. 1116

[Footnote 55: _Qu._ hise.]

[Headnote: GODRICH ASKS HAVELOK IF HE WILL MARRY.]

[Sidenote: Godrich is wrath at this.]
+Godrich þe erl was swiþe wroth,
Þat she swore swilk an oth,
And seyde, "hwor þou wilt be
Quen and leuedi ouer me? 1120
Þou shalt haue{n} a gadeling,
Ne shalt þou haue{n} non oþer ki{n}g;
[Sidenote: He says she shall marry his cook's servant.]
Þe shal spusen mi cokes knaue,
Ne shalt þou non oþer lou{er}d haue. 1124
Daþeit þat þe oþer yeue
Eu{er}e more hwil i liue!
To-mo[r]we ye shole{n} ben weddeth,
And, maugre þin, to-gidere beddeth." 1128
[Sidenote: [Fol. 210, col. 2.]]
Goldeborw gret, and _w_as[56] hire ille,
She wolde ben ded bi hire wille.
On the morwen, hwa{n} day was spru{n}ge{n},
And day-belle at kirke rungen, 1132
[Sidenote: He sends next day for Havelok, and says,
"Master, wilt wive?"]
After hauelok sente þat iudas,
Þat werse was þa{n}ne sathanas:
And seyde, "mayst{er}, wilte wif?"
"Nay," quoth, hauelok, "bi my lif! 1136
Hwat sholde ich with wif do?
I ne may hire fede, ne cloþe, ne sho.
Wider sholde ich wimma{n} bringe?
[Sidenote: Havelok refuses.]
I ne haue none kines þinge. 1140
I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote,
Ne i ne[57] haue stikke, y ne haue sprote,
I ne haue neyþer bred ne sowel,
Ne cloth, but of an hold with couel. 1144
Þis cloþes, þat ich onne haue,
Aren þe kokes, and ich his knaue."
[Sidenote: Godrich beats him, and threatens to hang him.]
Godrich stirt up, and on him dong
[With dintes swiþe hard and strong,] 1148
And seyde, "But þou hire take,
Þat y wole yeue{n} þe to make,
I shal hange{n} þe ful heye,
Or y shal þristen vth þin heie." 1152
Hauelok was one, and was odrat,
[Sidenote: Havelok consents.]
And grauntede hi{m} al þat he bad.
Þo sende he after hire sone,
Þe fayrest wymman under mone; 1156
And seyde til hire, [false][58] and slike,
[Sidenote: Godrich next threatens Goldborough.]
Þat wicke þral, þat foule swike:
"But þu þis ma{n} under-stonde,
I shal fleme{n} þe of londe; 1160
Or þou shal to þe galwes re{n}ne,
And þer þou shalt i{n} a fir bre{n}ne."
Sho was adrad, for he so þrette,
And durste nouth þe spusi{n}g lette, 1164
But þey hire likede swiþe ille,
[Sidenote: She consents, thinking it is God's will.]
Þouthe it was godes wille:
God, þat makes to growe{n} þe korn,
Formede hire wi{m}ma{n} to be born. 1168
Hwan he hauede don him for drede,
Þat he sholde hire spuse{n}, and fede,
And þat she sholde til him holde,
[Sidenote: A dowry is given her.]
Þer were{n} penies þicke tolde, 1172
Mikel plente upon þe bok:
He ys hire yaf, and she as tok.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 210b, col. 1.]]
He weren spused fayre and wel,
Þe messe he deden eueridel, 1176
Þat fel to spusing, and god cle[r]k,
[Sidenote: The archbishop of York marries them.]
Þe erchebishop uth of yerk,
Þat kam to þe p{ar}leme{n}t,
Als god him hauede þider sent. 1180

[Footnote 56: The first letter of this word is either _þ_ or a
Saxon _w_ ([w]). I read it as the latter.]

[Footnote 57: MS. ine.]

[Footnote 58: Both sense and metre require this word.]

[Headnote: HAVELOK RESOLVES TO GO TO GRIMSBY.]

+Hwan he were{n} togydere i{n} godes lawe,
Þat þe folc ful wel it sawe,
He ne wiste{n} hwat he mouthe{n},
[Sidenote: Havelok knows not what to do.]
Ne he ne wiste{n} wat hem douthe; 1184
Þer to dwelle{n}, or þe{n}ne to gonge,
Þer ne wolde{n} he dwelle{n} lo{n}ge,
For he wiste{n}, and ful wel sawe,
Þat godrich he{m} hatede, þe deuel hi{m} hawe! 1188
And yf he dwellede{n} þer outh--
Þat fel hauelok ful wel on þouth--
Men sholde don his leman shame,
Or elles bringe{n} i{n} wicke blame. 1192
Þat were him leuere to ben ded,
[Sidenote: He determines to go to Grimsby.]
For-þi he toke{n} anoþer red,

[Headnote: GRIM'S CHILDREN WELCOME HAVELOK.]

Þat þei sholden þenne fle
Til grim, and til hise sones þre; 1196
Þer we{n}den he alþer-best to spede,
Hem forto cloþe, and for to fede.
Þe lond he token under fote,
Ne wisten he non oþer bote, 1200
And helden ay the riþe [sti][59]
Til he kome{n} to grimesby.
[Sidenote: He finds that Grim is dead, but his five children
are alive.]
Þanne he kome{n} þere, þanne was gri{m} ded,
Of him ne hauede{n} he no red; 1204
But hise childre{n} alle fyue
Alle weren yet on liue;
Þat ful fayre ayen he{m} neme,
Hwan he wiste{n} þat he keme, 1208
And made{n} ioie swiþe mikel,
Ne were{n} he neuere ayen he{m} fikel.
On knes ful fayre he hem setten,
And hauelok swiþe fayre grette{n}, 1212
[Sidenote: They welcome Havelok very kindly.]
And seyde{n}, "welkome, louerd dere!
And welkome be þi fayre fere!
Blessed be þat ilke þrawe,
Þat þou hire toke in godes lawe! 1216
Wel is hus we sen þe on lyue,
Þou mithe us boþe selle and yeue;
Þou mayt us boþe yeue and selle,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 210b, col. 2.]]
With þat þou wilt here dwelle. 1220
We haue{n}, louerd, alle gode,
[Sidenote: They beg him to stay with them.]
Hors, and neth, and ship on flode,
Gold, and siluer, and michel auchte,
Þat grim ute fader us bitawchte. 1224
Gold, and siluer, and oþer fe
Bad he us bi-taken þe.
We hauen shep, we hauen swin,
Bi-leue her, louerd, and al be þin; 1228
[Sidenote: They will serve him and his wife.]
Þo shalt ben louerd, þou shalt be{n} syre,
And we sholen s{er}ue{n} þe and hire;
And hure sistres shole{n} do
Al that euere biddes sho; 1232
He shole{n} hire cloþe{n},[59*] washe{n}, and wri{n}ge{n},
And to hondes water bringe{n};
He sholen bedde{n} hire and þe,
For leuedi wile we þat she be." 1236
Hwan he þis ioie hauede{n} maked,
Sithen stikes broke{n} and kraked,
[Sidenote: They make a fire, and spare neither goose nor hen.]
And þe fir brouth on bre{n}ne,
Ne was þer spared gos ne he{n}ne, 1240
Ne þe hende, ne þe drake,
Mete he deden plente make;
Ne wantede þere no god mete,
[Sidenote: They fetch wine and ale.]
Wyn and ale dede{n} he fete, 1244
And made[n] hem [ful] glade and bliþe,
Wesseyl ledde{n} he fele siþe.

[Footnote 59: A word is here erased; but see l. 2618.]

[Footnote 59* (from Emendations):
"Mr Garnett suggested that _cloþen_ may mean _clothes_. If so,
dele the comma after it."]

[Headnote: GOLDBOROUGH SEES THE WONDROUS LIGHT.]

[Sidenote: At night Goldborough lies down sorrowful.]
+On þe nith, als goldeborw lay,
Sory and sorwful was she ay, 1248
For she wende she were bi-swike,
Þat sh[e w]ere[60] yeue{n} un-kyndelike.
[Sidenote: She sees a great light.]
O nith saw she þer-inne a lith,
A swiþe fayr, a swiþe bryth, 1252
Al so brith, al so shir,
So it were a blase of fir.
She lokede no[r]þ,[61] and ek south,
[Sidenote: It comes out of Havelok's mouth.]
And saw it come{n} ut of his mouth, 1256
Þat lay bi hire in þe bed:
No ferlike þou she were adred.
Þouthe she, "wat may this bi-mene!
He beth heyma{n} yet, als y wene, 1260
He beth heyma{n} er he be ded:"--
[Sidenote: She sees a red cross on his shoulder,
and hears an angel, saying,]
On hise shuldre, of gold red
She saw a swiþe noble croiz,
Of an angel she herde a uoyz: 1264

[Footnote 60: MS. shere, _evidently miswritten for_ she were.]

[Footnote 61: MS. noþ.]

[Sidenote: [Fol. 211, col. 1.]]
[Sidenote: "Goldborough, be not sad. Havelok shall be a king,
and thou, queen."]
+"Goldeborw, lat þi sorwe be,
For hauelok, þat haueþ spuset þe,
He[62] kinges sone, and ki{n}ges eyr,
Þat bike{n}neth þat croiz so fayr. 1268
It[63] bikenneth more, þat he shal
Denemark haue{n}, and englond al;
He shal ben king strong and stark
Of engelond and denemark; 1272
Þat shal þu wit þin eyne sen,
And þo shalt quen and leuedi ben!"

[Footnote 62: _Qu._ Is.]

[Footnote 63: MS. Iit.]

[Headnote: HAVELOK TELLS HER HIS STRANGE DREAM.]

[Sidenote: She rejoices, and kisses Havelok.]
+Þanne she hauede herd the steuene
Of þe angel uth of heuene, 1276
She was so fele siþes blithe,
Þat she ne mithe hire ioie mythe;
But hauelok sone anon she kiste,
And he slep, and nouth ne wiste. 1280
Hwan þat aungel hauede seyd,
[Sidenote: He awakes, and says he has had a dream.]
Of his slep a-non he brayd,
And seide, "le{m}ma{n}, slepes þou?
A selkuth drem dremede me nou. 1284

[Headnote: SHE SAYS HAVELOK WILL BE A GREAT KING.]

+Herkne nou hwat me haueth met:
[Sidenote: He dreamt he was on a high hill in Denmark,
and began to possess all that country.]
Me þouthe y was i{n} denemark set,
But on on þe moste hil
Þat eu{er}e yete kam i til. 1288
It was so hey, þat y wel mouthe
Al þe werd se, als me þouthe.
Als i sat up-on þat lowe,
I bigan denemark for to awe, 1292
Þe borwes, and þe castles stronge;
And mine armes were{n} so lo{n}ge,
That i fadmede, al at ones,
denemark, with mine lo{n}ge bones; 1296
And þa{n}ne y wolde mine armes drawe
Til me, and hom for to haue,
[Sidenote: All things in Denmark cleaved to his arms.]
Al that euere in denemark liueden
On mine armes faste clyueden; 1300
And þe stronge castles alle
On knes bigunne{n} for to falle,
Þe keyes felle{n} at mine fet:--
[Sidenote: He also dreamt that he went to England,
and that became his too.]
Anoþer drem dremede me ek, 1304
Þat ich fley ouer þe salte se
Til engeland, and al with me
Þat euere was in denemark lyues,
But bo{n}deme{n}, and here wiues, 1308
And þat ich kom til engelond,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 211, col. 2.]]
Al closede it i{n}til min hond,
And, goldeborw, y gaf [it] þe:--
Deus! le{m}man, hwat may þis be?" 1312
Sho answerede, and seyde sone:
"Ih{es}u c{ri}st, þat made mone,
Þine dremes t{ur}ne to ioye;
Þat wite þw that sittes i{n} trone! 1316
[Sidenote: She says, he will be king of England and Denmark.]
Ne non stro{n}g ki{n}g, ne caysere,
So þou shalt be, fo[r] þou shalt bere
In engelond corune yet;
Denemark shal knele to þi fet; 1320
Alle þe castles þat aren þer-inne,
Shal-tow, le{m}man, ful wel winne.
I woth, so wel so ich it sowe,
To þe shole come{n} heye and lowe, 1324
[Sidenote: "All men in Denmark shall come to thee.]
And alle þat in denemark wone,
Em and broþer, fader and sone,
Erl and baroun, dreng an kayn,
Knithes, and burgeys, and sweyn; 1328
And mad king heyelike and wel,
Denemark shal be þin euere-ilc del.
Haue þou nouth þer-offe douthe
Nouth þe worth, of one nouthe; 1332
Þer-offe with-i{n}ne þe firste yer
[Sidenote: Thou shalt be king within the year.]
Shalt þou ben king, of euere-il del.
But do nou als y wile rathe,
Nim in with þe to denema[r]k baþe, 1336
And do þou nouth onfrest þis fare,
Lith and selthe felawes are.
For shal ich neuere bliþe be
Til i with eyen denemark se; 1340
For ich woth, þat al þe lond
Shalt þou haue{n} in þin hon[d].
[Sidenote: Pray Grim's sons to go with you to Denmark.]
Prey grimes sones alle þre,
That he wenden forþ with þe; 1344
I wot, he wilen þe nouth werne,
With þe wende shule{n} he yerne,
For he loue{n} þe herte-like,
Þou maght til he aren quike, 1348
Hwore so he o worde aren;
[Sidenote: Go at once.]
Þere ship þou do he{m} swithe yare{n},
[Sidenote: Delays are dangerous."]
And loke þat þou dwelle{n} nouth:
Dwelling haueth ofte scaþe wrouth." 1352

[Headnote: HAVELOK PRAYS FOR VENGEANCE ON GODARD.]

+Hwan Hauelok herde þat she radde,
Sone it was day, sone he him cladde,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 211b, col. 1.]]
And sone to þe kirke yede,
Or he dide ani oþer dede, 1356
And bifor þe rode biga{n} falle,
Croiz and crist bi[gan] to kalle,
[Sidenote: Havelok prays for success, and for vengeance
on his foe, who had caused him to be a beggar.]
And seyde, "louerd, þat al weldes,
Wind and wat{er}, wodes and feldes, 1360
For the holi milce of you,
Haue m{er}ci of me, louerd, nou!
And wreke me yet on mi fo,
Þat ich saw biforn min eyne slo 1364
Mine sistres, with a knif,
And siþen wolde me mi lyf
Haue reft, for in the [depe] se
Bad he grim haue drenched me. 1368
He [hath] mi lond with mikel vn-Rith,
With michel wro{n}g, with mikel plith,
For i ne[64] misdede him neu{er}e nouth,
And haued me to sorwe brouth. 1372
He haueth me do mi mete to þigge,
And ofte in sorwe and pine ligge.
Louerd, haue m{er}ci of me,
And late [me] wel passe þe se, 1376
[Sidenote: He prays for a fair passage across the sea.]
Þat ihc haue ther-offe douthe and kare,
With-uten stormes ouer-fare,
Þat y ne dre{n}ched [be] þer-ine,
Ne forfaren for no sinne. 1380
And bringge me wel to þe lond,
Þat godard haldes in his hond;
Þat is mi Rith, eueri del:
Ih{es}u c{ri}st, þou wost it wel!" 1384

[Footnote 64: MS. ine.]

+Þa{n}ne he hauede his bede seyd,
[Sidenote: He leaves his offering on the altar.]
His offrende on þe auter leyd,
His leue at ih{es}u c{ri}st he tok,
And at his suete moder ok, 1388
And at þe croiz, þat he biforn lay,
Siþe{n} yede sore grotinde awey.

[Headnote: HAVELOK ADDRESSES GRIM'S THREE SONS.]

[Sidenote: He finds Grim's sons ready to fish.]
[65]+Hwa{n} he com hom, he wore yare,
Grimes sones, forto fare 1392
In-to þe se, fishes to gete,
Þat hauelok mithe wel of ete.
But auelok þouthe al anoþer,
[Sidenote: Havelok calls Grim's three sons.]
First he ka[l]de þe heldeste broþer, 1396
Roberd þe rede, bi his name,

[Headnote: HE ASKS THEM TO GO WITH HIM TO DENMARK.]