Sir Orfeo (lines 201-300)

in a normalised Early Middle English (East Midland dialect c 1200)

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He_ cleped' to_`gader' his barouns,

Erls, la_ferdes of renouns,

And hwann' they al y`cumen wearen,

"La_ferdinges," he_ sayd', "be`foren yow he_re

Ic ordainy mi_n he_ge sti_ward 205

To_ witen mi_ kingdo_m after`ward;

In mi_ stede be_n he_ scal

To_ ke_pen mi_ landes ofer al.

For nu_ ic hafe mi_ cwe_n y`loren,

The fayerest leafdiy that eafer' was boren, 210

Neafer eft i_ nill na_ wim`man se_n.

Into_ wildernes ic wil' te_n

And lifen thear eafer`ma_re

With wi_lde bestes in holtes ha_re;

And hwann' ye_ under`standen that i_ be_ spent, 215

Maketh yow thann' a parlement,

And ce_seth yow a ne_we king.

Nu_ do_th yowr' best with al mi_ thing."

Tha_ was thear we_ping in the halle

And greate cri ama_ng hem alle; 220

Un`eathe mihte a_ld other yung

For we_ping speken a word with tung'.

They cne_leden a`du_n al i`fe_re

And praiden him, yif his wille weare,

That he_ na_ scold' noht fram hem ga_n. 225

"Do_th wey!" cwath he_, "It scal be_n swa_!"

Al his kingdo_m he_ for`so_k;

Bu_t' a sclavin on him he_ to_k.

He_ na_ hadde kirtel na_ ho_de,

Scirt', ne na_n o_ther go_de, 230

Bu_t' his harp' he_ to_k al`gate

And dide him bar`fo_t u_t at the yate;

Na_ man moste with him ga_n.

O wey! Hwat thear was we_pe and wa_,

Hwann' he_ that hadde be_n king with cru_n 235

Went swa_ poverli_c' u_t of tu_n!

Thurh wude and ofer heath

Into_ the wildernes he_ geath.

Na_`thing he_ fi_ndeth that him is ays,

Bu_t' eafer' he_ lifeth in great malais. 240

He_ that hadde y`wered the fa_ge and gris,

And on bed the purpur' bis,

Nu_ on hard heathe he_ liyth,

With leafes and grasse he_ him wri_hth.

He_ that hadd' hafed casteles and tu_rs, 245

River, forest, firhth' with flours,

Nu_, theah it comence to_ sni_wen and fre_sen,

This king mo_t maken his bed in me_se.

He_ that hadd' y`hafed cnihtes of pris

Be`foren him cne_lend', and leafdiyes, 250

Nu_ se_th he_ na_`thing that him li_keth,

Bu_t' wi_lde wurmes bi_ him stri_keth.

He_ that hadd' y`hafed plente

Of mete and drink, of ealc deynte,

Nu_ may he_ al day digen and wro_ten 255

Ear he_ fi_nde his fille of ro_te.

In sumer he_ lifeth bi_ wi_ld frut,

And beriyen bu_t' go_de li_te;

In winter may he_ na_thing fi_nden

Bu_t' ro_te, grasses, and the ri_nde. 260

Al his bodiy was on`wey dwinen

For missays, and al to_`cinen.

La_ferd! hwa_ may tellen the sorh

This king sufferd te_n year and ma_re?

His hear of his beard, blak and ru_h, 265

To_ his girdel-stede was gro_wen.

His harp, hwear`on was al his gle_,

He_ hidde in an holge tre_;

And hwann' the weder was clere and briht,

He_ to_k his harp to_ him wel riht 270

And harped' at his a_gen wille.

Into_ alle the wude the so_n gan scillen,

That alle the wi_lde bestes that thear be_n

For joie abu_ten him they te_n,

And alle the fugeles that thear wearen 275

Co_men and seaten on ealc a bre_re

To_ he_ren his harping a-fine -

Swa_ micel melody was thear`in;

And hwann' he_ his harping leaten wold',

Na_ beste bi_ him a`bi_den nold'. 280

He_ miht' se_n him be`si_des,

Oft in ha_t under`ti_des,

The king o' fairy with his rout

Com to_ hunten him al abu_ten

With dim cri and bla_wing, 285

And hu_ndes alswa_ with him berking;

Ak na_ beste they na_ no_men,

Na_ neafer' he_ nist' hwider they be`co_men

And o_ther hwi_le he_ miht' him se_n

Als a great host bi_ him te_n, 290

Wel atourned, te_n hundred cnihtes,

Ealc y`armed to his rihtes,

Of countenaunce stout and fers,

With maniy desplaid baners,

And ealc his swerd y`dragen ha_ldeth; 295

Ak neafer' he_ nist' hwider they wolden.

And o_ther`hwi_le he_ sah o_ther thing:

Cnihtes and leafdiyes co_men a`dauncing

In queint atire, giseli_ce,

Queint pas and softli_ce; 300