[...] [...]ges by the dayes of Arthur
[...] [...]ayne in great honoure
[...] great whyle
[...] [...]ery carlyle
[...] [...]m many an heyre
[...] [...]yde where
[...] [...]ble the knyghtes all
[...] [...]he in bowre and in hall
[...] the worlde so wyde
[...] on euery syde
[...] and squyers eke
[...] came hym to seke
[...] noblenes
[...] courte alwayes
[...] and treasoure
[...] of honoure
[...] was a bachelere
[...] any a yere
[...] of moche myght
[...] forsothe he hyght
[...] gaue gyftes myghtely
[...] but gaue full largely
[...] he it spente
[...] [...]an he had rente
[...] he it sette
[...] fer in dette
[...] [...]we well that all was gone
[...] to make his mone
[...] [...]o is that man
[...] hathe ne no good can
[...] [...]raunge lande
[...] [...]athe I vnderstande
Where I become certeys I [...]
He lepte vpon a fayre cours [...] [...]
Without chylde or yet squy [...] [...]
And rode so forthe in great [...]
For to dryue awaye sore lo [...] [...]
His waye he taketh toward [...]
Bytwene a water and a for [...] [...]
The sonne was at the euy [...] [...]
He lyghted there downe an [...] [...]
For he was hote in the we [...] [...]
He toke his mantell and so [...] [...]
And layde hym downe tha [...] [...]
Vnder the shadowe of a tr [...] [...]
Alas he sayd no good I ha [...] [...]
I wote not whether to go [...]
And all the knyghtes that [...]
Of the rounde table that b [...] [...]
Echeone to haue me was [...]
Nowe wyll they be on me [...] [...]
Weleawaye than is my s [...] [...]
With sore wepynge his h [...] [...]
With sorowe and care th [...] [...]
Tyll on slepynge that he [...]
All for sobbed and for we [...]
[...]
[Page] [...] had of reed veluet
[...] [...]lde full well set
[...] [...]boue ouer all
[...] a Ioly curuall
[...] as snowe or downe
[...] [...]loure and eyen browne
[...] [...]e neuer before se
[...] aungelles of heuen hye
[...] [...]olde basyne
[...] [...]well of alysene
[...] hym bothe twayne
[...] [...]nd wente them agayne
[...] damoyselles so free
[...] answered well be ye
[...] [...]ryght as the floure
[...] [...]amwell as paramoure
[...] to come and speke with her
[...] [...]yll nowe syr
[...] bothe there
[...] [...]ith you to fare
[...] her two
[...] I neuer go
[...] and handes also
[...] [...]dens than dyde he go
[...]
[Page]kynge Alyxander the conqueroure
Ne Salamon in his moost honoure
Ne yet Charlemayne the ryche kynge
Had they neuer suche a thynge
He founde in that pauylyon
The kynges doughter of Mylyon
That is an yle in fayry
In oxyan full nere therby
There laye a bed of moche pryce
Couered ouer in goodly wyse
Theron sate a mayden bryght
Almost naked vp ryght
All her clothes besyde her laye
Full sengle she sate I saye
In a mantell of whyte armyne
Couered ouer with golde full fyne
The mantell downe for hete she dyde
Ryght vnder the gyrdell stede
There was she as whyte as lylly in maye
Or snowe that fallethe in wynter daye
Blossome on brere ne floure
Was nothynge to her coloure
The reed rose that was so newe
To her reednesse was it no hewe
[Page]Lamwell she sayd my harte swete
For thy loue my harte I lete
There is no kynge ne emperoure
That and I loued hym paramoure
As moche as I do nowe the
But they wo'de be ryght glad of me
Lamwell behelde that lady bryght
Her loue hym rauysshed anone ryght
He sate hym downe the lady besyde
Damoysell he sayd tyde what betyde
Euermore bothe lowde and styll
Commaunde me ryght at your wyll
Syr knyght she sayd curtoyse and hende
I knowe thy state bothe fyrst and ende
Wylte thou trystly to me take
And all other for me forsake
I shall mayntayne thyne honoure
With golde and syluer and ryche treasoure
On euery man spende greatly
And ryche gyftes largely
The more thou spende the meryer thou syt
I shall the fynde ynoughe of it
His loue brente lyke the fyre
For than she had all his desyre
Of her pro [...]r he was full bl [...]
[...]
[Page]Also they wasshed and downe sette
And at soupere togethere they ete
Mete and drynke they had plente
Of euery thynge that was daynte
After soupere whan daye was gone
To bedde they wente bothe anone
All that nyght they laye in fere
And dyd that theyr wylles were
For playe they sleped lytell that nyght
Tyll it began to be daye lyght
Lamwell she sayd ryse and go nowe
Golde and syluer take ynoughe with you
Largely to spende on euery man
For ye shall haue ynoughe than
And when ye wyll gentyll knyght
To speke with me by daye or nyght
Vnto some secrete place ye go
And thynke on me so and so
And I shall anone with you be
No man saue you shall se me
Of one thynge syr I the defendaunte
Of me syr to make thyne auaunte
For yf thou do beware beforne
For euer thou hast my loue forlorne
The maydens brought hym his hors anone
He taketh his leue and forthe is gone
Of treasure he hathe great plente
And so rode he thrughe the cyte
Whan that he came there he shulde bene
A meryer man had they not sene
Hym selfe he rode full rychely
And his squyers full stoutely
[Page]Lamwell maketh the noble feestes
Lamwell fynde mynstrelles that gestes
Lamwell byethe the great stedes
Lamwell gyueth the ryche wedes
Lamwell geuethe plentye of mete and drynke
Lamwell helpe there as he nede coude thynke
Lamwell rewarde relygyous
Lamwell helped euery pore hous
For were he knyght squyre or swayne
With his goodes he helped them
Of his largenes euery man wote
But no man knewe howe he it gote
And whan hym lyked pryuely and styll
His lady was redy at his wyll
Well happy were nowe that man
That in these dayes had suche one
But on a tyme syr Gawayne
That curtoys knyght and syr Ewayne
Syr Lamwell with them also
And other knyghtes twenty and mo
Wente to playe them on the grene
Vnder the towre there as was the quene
These knyghtes on theyr game played tho
And sythe to daunsynge gan they go
Syr Lamwell was before set
For his large spence they loued hym bet
The quene in her towre behelde this all
She sayde yonder is large Lamwell
Of all the knyghtes that ben there
Is none so fayre a bachelere
And hathe neyther lemman ne wyse
I wolde he loued me as his lyfe
[Page]Betyde me well betyde me yll
I shall she sayd go wete his wyll
She toke with her a company
Of damoyselles that were ryght praty
And gothe her downe anone ryghtes
For to daunce with the knyghtes
The quene went to the fyrst ende
Bytwene Gawen and Lamwell the hende
And all her maydens so forthe ryghtes
One and one bytwene two knyhhtes
Whan all the daunsynge dyde as lake
The quene Lamwell to counsayle gan take
Shortely she sayd thou gentyll knyght
I haue loued and dothe with all my myght
And as moche desyre I the
As Arthoure the kynge so fre
Good happe is nowe to the tane
To loue me and none other woman
Madame he sayd nay certays
I wyll not be traytoure neuer my dayes
I owe the kynge feate and homage
Shall I neuer do hym that domage
Fye on the thou false cowarde
Dastarde harlot that thou arte
That thou lyuest it is pyte
That louest no woman nor woman the
Me thynke harlot thou shuldest be fayne
And answere me with ye agayne
Syth I the loue ywys
Before all that in the courte is
But as thou arte so thou doost
No woman on the wyll make boost
[Page]The knyght was sore agreued tho
And answered hee and sayd ryght so
Madame he sayde thou sayst thy wyll
I can loue bothe lowde and styll
And am loued with my lemman
That fayrer hathe no gentylman
Nor none so fayre this saye I
Neyther mayden nor yet lady
That the symplest mayde with her I wene
Ouer the madame myght be a quene
Then was she a shamed and full wrothe
She cleped her maydens and forthe gothe
To chaumbre she went all heuy
For tene and angre she wolde dye
kynge Arthure came from huntynge
Glad and mery for all thynge
To the quenes chaumbre gone is he
And she fell downe vpon her kne
Sone lorde gan she crye
Helpe me lorde or I dye
And without ye Iuge ryght
I shall dye this enders nyght
I spake with Lam well on my game
And he besought me of shame
As a full vylayne traytoure
He wolde haue done me dyshonoure
And of a lemman praysement he made
That the symplest mayde she had
Myght be a quene ouer me
And all lorde in dyspyte of the
The kynge therwih waxed wrothe
And for angre he swore his othe
[Page]That Lamwell shulde abydethe lawe
To be hanged and drawe
He commaunded foure knyghtes
To fetche the traytoure forthe ryghtes
The foure knyghtes seketh hym anone
But to his chambre was he gone
Alas he sayd my lyfe is lorne
Hereof she warned me beforne
Of all thynges that I dyde vse
Of her shulde I neuer make rouse
He cleped and called and her besought
But all that auayled hym nought
He wepte and sorowed and he dyde crye
And on his knees he prayed her of marry
He bete his body and his heed eke
And cursed his mouthe of her dyde speke
O my lady o gentyll creature
How shall my wretched body endure
My worldes blysse I haue forlorne
And falsely vnto my lady forsworne
For sorowe and care he made that stounde
He fell on sowne vpon the grounde
So longe he laye that the knyghtes came
And in his chambre they toke hym than
And as a th [...] [...]
[...]
[Page]Lamwell answered with mylde mode
And tolde hym the sothe euery worde
That it was none otherwyse than so
That wolde he make good tho
What all the courte wolde to hym loke
Twelue knyghtes were put to a boke
The sothe to saye in that case
All together as it was
These twelue knyghtes as I wene
knewe the rule of the quene
All thoughe the kynge was bolde and stoute
She was wycked out and oute
And she had suche a comforte
To haue lemmans vnder her lorde
Wherby they coude all tell
It was longe of her and not of Lamwell
Here of they quyte a trewe man
And sythe they spake forthe on
That yf he myght his lemman brynge
Of whome he made his auauntynge
And yf he myght proue in place
That her maydens fayrer was
And also bryghter and shene
And of more beaute than the quene
[...]
[Page]Alas he sayd I shall dye [...]
My lefe I shall se neuer [...]
Ete nor drynke wolde he [...] [...]
But wepynge and in w [...] [...]
So is he with sorowe [...]
He wolde his endynge [...] [...]
That he myght from his [...]
Eche man for hym wa [...] [...]
For a larger spender th [...] [...]
Came neuer in that c [...] [...]
Therto was he fyers [...]
None better in [...] ky [...] [...]
The d [...] [...]as [...]
They brought the [...] [...]
His borowes that hi [...] [...]
To apere before the k [...] [...]
The kynge lete it be re [...] [...]
Bothe the playnte and [...]
He bad hym brynge hi [...] [...]
And he answered tha [...] [...]
The wordes that I sa [...] [...]
Wete ye well I lyed o [...] [...]
If I so myght be take [...]
In that quarell wold [...]
For this I saye to yo [...] [...]
[...]
[...] pleasoure
[...] [...]re of ryght
[...] [...]e a syght
[...] more wold I care
[...] [...]e dethe wolde I fare
[...] [...]kerly
[...] or that I dye
[...] [...]lynge
[...] [...]orthy thynge
[...] [...]nge sayse
[...] the prayse
[...]line
[...] [...]ought
[...] hym thore
[...] [...]yp is the more
[...] [...]e here by
[...] [...]e on hye
[...] [...]maundement
[...] [...]e iugement
[...] or newayle
[...] [...]nsayle
[...] [...]ge our lorde
[...] recorde
[...]
[Page]Therfore syrs by our rede [...]
We wyll the kynge suche [...] [...]
That he shall commaund [...]
And voyde hys courte for [...]
Whyle they stode thus spe [...] [...]
They sawe two ladyes co [...] [...]
That was bryght as bl [...]ss [...] [...]
On whyte palfrays with [...]
Fayrer creatures with they [...]
Ne better attyred they neu [...] [...]
All them iuged on them [...]
Ouer the quene as Lamw [...] [...]
Than sayd Gawyne that [...]
Lam well drede the for no [...] [...]
Here comethe thy lemman [...]
Truely the fayrest creature [...]
That euer man sawe befor [...] [...]
Lo where she rydethe vpo [...] [...]
More fayrer they be certay [...] [...]
Than euer the praysement [...]
Lamwell behelde them be [...]
And sayde of them two no [...] [...]
They are nothynge so fayre [...]
Of theyr seruauntes maye i [...] [...]
But wete ye well and we [...] [...]
Myne owne lemman is it [...]
To her I trespaced so great [...]
I wote I shall her neuer se [...] [...]
The maydens that came so [...]
Wentte to the castell to the [...]
Whan they came syr Lam [...] [...]
Obeysaunce to hym they m [...] [...]
[...] the they rade
[...] [...]ne and saluted hym there
[...] of a chaumbre fayre
[...] is here comynge
[...] [...]e fayrest thynge
[...] be hange it eke
[...] [...]tes vnder her fete
[...] [...]hat wyll she done
[...] shall wete sone
[...] [...]nded for her sake
[...] [...]e to them take
[...] bowre on hye
[...] [...]s baronye
[...] [...]e your iugement
[...] [...]nswered verament
[...] these maydens so bryght
[...] by this lyght
[...] [...]e gone
[...] [...]e sone anone
[...] began tho
[...] [...]nd some sayd not so
[...] [...]ey wolde hym deme
[...] [...]ynge and quene
[...] [...]e make hym chere
[...] pledynge in fere
[...] [...]ens came rydynge tho
[...] [...]n the other two
[...] [...]ly mules of spayne
[...] [...]o brydels were campayne
[...] in ryche atyre
[...] had great desyre
[Page] [...]
[...] ough [...] [...]
[...] [...]rth brough [...] [...]
[...] kynge than [...]
[...] man
[...] mete and dryn [...] [...]
[...] after thynke
[...] myght [...]
[...] lyght [...]
[...] he [...]
[...] [...]ht
[...] [...]n leue
[...]
[Page] [...]
[...] [...]ow [...] [...]
[...] that he hy [...] [...]
[...] [...]as [...]one [...]
[...] ge [...] was he [...]
[...] [...]entes he gaue [...]
[...] as sparcle [...]
[...] myght no ma [...] [...]
[...] his caple was sl [...] [...]
[...] [...]an that he thus lo [...] [...]
[...] Erle out of the vat [...] [...]
[...] [...]pon an hyghe moun [...] [...]
[...] [...]his Erle there chau [...] [...]
[...] [...]d set hym on a full▪ [...]
[...]
[Page]That her maidens fairer was
And also brighter shene
And of more beautye then the quene,
And also of countenaunce and of hewe
They would quite hym as trewe
yf he myght not stande there til,
He should abyde the kynges wyl,
This verdit was geuen before the king
The day was set her in to bryng
Suerties her founde to come agayne
Syr Gawayne, and syr [...]wayne,
Aals (he sayed (I shal dye,
My lyese I shal neuer see with exe
Eate nor drinke would he neuer,
But in wepyng and wo was euer,
So is he with sorow nome
He woulde his endyng [...] come
Eche [...]
For a large [...]
Came neuer in that countree
Therto was he fiers and bolde
Neuer a better in the kynges housholde,
The day was come of his appearing,
They brought the knyght before the kyng,
Hys borowes that hys suertyes was,
To appere before the kynges face
The kyng let it be rehersed there
Both the plenty and his answere,
He had him bryng hys Lemon in sight,
And he answeret, that he ne myght.
[Page]The wordes that I sayed eche one
Wete ye wel I lyed of none
Yf I so myght be taken thereby,
In that quarel would I dye
For thys I say to you a lone
A Fairer then she was neuer none
But of beautys and of shape
I am to symple to touche her lape
There was neuer man yet I wate
Emperour kyng, or high estate
Where euer they dwel far or nere
For her fairenes myght be her pere
Nor yet come within her boure,
But if it were for her pleasure
I would desyre no more of right
But once of her to haue a sight
Truly my lorde for no more would I care
Forthwith then to death would I fare
Not to displease her sikerly
Yet would I ye saw her or I dye,
But it is not al my willing
It is as she wyll that worthie thing,
Bryng her forth the kyng sayes,
That thou now so fast doest praise,
To proue the soth that thou sayest of,
Forsoth my lord that can I not,
The kyng sayed vnto him thore,
Forsoth thy disworship hys the more.
What may we know al hereby
But that thou liest loude and hye.
The barons all had commaundement.