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englesaxe

Early Middle English for today

Sir Orfeo (lines 1-100)

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We redet` oft and findet` y-write,

And t`is clerkes wele it wite,

Layes t`at ben in harping

Ben y-founde of ferli t`ing:

Sum bet`e of wer and sum of wo, 5

And sum of joie and mirt`e also,

And sum of trecherie and of gile,

Of old aventours t`at fel while;

And sum of bourdes and ribaudy,

And mani t`er bet` of fairy. 10

Of al t`inges t`at men set`,

Mest o love, forsot`e, t`ey bet`.

In Breteyne t`is layes were wrouy`t,

First y-founde and fort` y-brouy`t,

Of aventours t`at fel bi dayes, 15

Wherof Bretouns maked her layes.

When kinges miy`t our y-here

Of ani mervailes t`at t`er were,

t`ai token an harp in gle and game

And maked a lay and gaf it name. 20

Now of t`is aventours t`at weren y-falle

Y can tel sum, ac nouy`t alle.

Ac herknet`, lordinges t`at ben trewe,

Ichil you telle of "Sir Orfewe."

Orfeo mest of ani t`ing 25

Lovede t`e gle of harping.

Siker was everi gode harpour

Of him to have miche honour.

Himself he lerned forto harp,

And leyd t`eron his wittes scharp; 30

He lerned so t`er not`ing was

A better harpour in no plas.

In al t`e warld was no man bore

t`at ones Orfeo sat bifore,

And he miy`t of his harping here, 35

Bot he schuld t`enche t`at he were

In on of t`e joies of Paradis,

Swiche melody in his harping is.

Orfeo was a king,

In Inglond an heiy`e lording, 40

A stalwort` man and hardi bo;

Large and curteys he was also.

His fader was comen of King Pluto,

And his moder of King Juno,

t`at sum time were as godes yhold 45

For aventours t`at t`ai dede and told.

t`is king sojournd in Traciens,

t`at was a cité of noble defens -

For Winchester was cleped t`o

Traciens, wit`outen no. 50

t`e king hadde a quen of priis

t`at was y-cleped Dame Heurodis,

t`e fairest levedi, for t`e nones,

t`at miy`t gon on bodi and bones,

Ful of love and godenisse; 55

Ac no man may telle hir fairnise.

Bifel so in t`e comessing of May

When miri and hot is t`e day,

And oway bet` winter schours,

And everi feld is ful of flours, 60

And blosme breme on everi bouy`

Over al wexet` miri anouy`t,

t`is ich quen, Dame Heurodis

Tok to maidens of priis,

And went in an undrentide 65

To play bi an orchardside,

To se t`e floures sprede and spring

And to here t`e foules sing.

t`ai sett hem doun al t`re

Under a fair ympe-tre, 70

And wel sone t`is fair quene

Fel on slepe opon t`e grene.

t`e maidens durst hir nouy`t awake,

Bot lete hir ligge and rest take.

So sche slepe til after none, 75

t`at undertide was al y-done.

Ac, as sone as sche gan awake,

Sche crid, and lot`li bere gan make;

Sche froted hir honden and hir fete,

And crached hir visage - it bled wete, 80

Hir riche robe hye al to-rett

And was reveyd out of hir wit.

t`e two maidens hir biside

No durst wit` hir no leng abide,

Bot ourn to t`e palays ful riy`t 85

And told bot`e squier and kniy`t

t`at her quen awede wold,

And bad hem go and hir at-hold.

Kniy`tes urn and levedis also,

Damisels sexti and mo. 90

In t`e orchard to t`e quen hye come,

And her up in her armes nome,

And brouy`t hir to bed atte last,

And held hir t`ere fine fast.

Ac ever she held in o cri 95

And wold up and owy.

When Orfeo herd t`at tiding

Never him nas wers for not`ing.

He come wit` kniy`tes tene

To chaumber, riy`t bifor t`e quene, 100