To come to every lordés hall,

Many a man him came to see,

Men and wives and maidens fair,

Gathered fast to see him there;

405

And marvelled much as him they view, How thick the moss upon him grew;

"His beard is grown right to his knee,

His body is withered as a tree."

And though we may not welcome be,
Proffer we must our game or glee."
Before the King he sat him down,
And took his harp of merry soun,
And straightway as full well he can,
Many blithe notes he then began.
The King looked up and sat full still,
To hear his harping he had good will.
When he had ceased from his harping,
Then said to him that riche King:
"Minstrel, me liketh well thy glee;
Whatever thing thou ask of me,
Freely now I will thee pay,
Therefore, ask now, and assay."
"Lord," he said, "I beg of thee,
If that it shall your pleasure be,
Give me that lady bright of ble, 23
That lies beneath yon ympė tree."
"Nay," he said, "that may I ne'er,
For ye would be a sorry pair;
Thou art all shaggy, rough, and black,
And she is made withouten lack.

410

Then his own Steward did he meet,
Passing in state adown the street,
And Orpheo fell upon his knee
And said: "Lord help, for charitíe,
A minstrel I of Heathenesse,

Lord help me now in this distress."
The Steward said: "With me come home,

415

And of my goods thou shalt have some, For Orpheo's sake once Lord to me,

All minestralles shall welcome be."

Then was there music in the hall,
But Orpheo sat against the wall.
When all are still, the music done,
He took his harp of sounding tone,
And fast on it he played the glee;
The Steward looked, and 'gan to see,
For well he knew that harp belive;25
24 Many times.
25 Quickly.

490

Their mates the wild drakes find, Each creature seeks his kind.

As stream that trickles slow,

We plain when life is drear,
For cruel love the tear

Unchecked must flow.

The moon sends forth her light,
The goodly sun shines bright,
And birds sing well.

Dews drench the soft young grass,
And whispering lovers pass,
Their tale to tell;

Snakes woo beneath the clod,

Women grow wondrous proud

On field and fell.

If one shall say me no

Spring joy I will forgo
And banished dwell.

ALYSOUN

(c. 1300)

In days of March and Averil 1 When the spray begins to spring, Each little bird hath her own will

2

And fey I'll fall adoun.

A happy lot to me is sent, etc.

Nights I toss and watch and wake,
Until my visage waxeth wan;

Lady, all is for thy sake

Longing comes to me alone.

On earth there's none so learned grown That he her virtues can make known.

Her neck is whiter than the swan,

Or fairest maid in town.

A happy lot to me is sent, etc.

With love I'm worn and watchings late,
Weary as water in a weir,

Lest any rob me of my mate.
I have heard it said of yore,

Better to bear awhile a sore
Than mourn forevermore.
Fairest earth e'er bore,

Hearken to my rune:

A happy lot to me is sent,

I know from heaven 'tis to me lent,
From women all my love is bent
And fixed on Alysoun.

BLOW, NORTHERN WIND
(c. 1300)

I know a maid in bower bright,
That full seemly is to sight,
Maid of majesty and might,
Of loyal heart and hand.
'Midst many a nobler one
A maid of blood and bone,

I know not ever none

So fair in all the land.

Blow, Northern Wind,

Send thou me my sweeting

Blow, Northern Wind, blow, blow, blow.

20

With sorrow thou camest to this world,

With sorrow shalt wend away.

335

40

45

With an Ave so clear. Hail be thou, Mary,

Be thou, Mary,

Full of Godės grace,

And queen of all mercy! All that are to greets

Without deadly sin,

Forty dayes of pardoún
God granteth them.

15

20

20

A DESCRIPTION OF WILLIAM THE

CONQUEROR

(From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, translated by J. A. GILES)

If any would know what manner of man King William was, the glory that he obtained, and of how many lands he was lord; then will we describe him as we have known him, we, 5 who have looked upon him, and who once lived in his court. This King William, of whom we are speaking, was a very wise and a great man, and more honored and more powerful than any of his predecessors. He was mild to those good 10 men who loved God, but severe beyond measure towards those who withstood his will. He founded a noble monastery on the spot where 50 God permitted him to conquer England, and he established monks in it, and he made it very 15 rich. In his days the great monastery at