UPON  WELSH  LITERATURE.
 

15
 

THE  FABLIAU  OF  THE   CORT  MANTEL.
 

  D'une aventure qui avint

A la eort au bon roi qui tint

Bretaingne et Engleterre quite,

For ce que n'ert pas a droit dite,

Vous vueil dire la verite.

A la Peritecouste en este

Tint li rois Artus cort pleniere;

Onques rois en nule maniere

Nule plus riclie cort ne tint.

De maint lontain pais i vint          10

Marat roi et maint due et maint conte.

Si com l'estoire le raconte.

  Li rois Artus ot fet crier

Qui tuit li jone bacheler

I venissent delivrement;

Et si fu el commandement,

Que qui auroit sa bele amie,

Que venist en sa compaignie.

Que vous iroie-je contant ?

De damoiseles i vint tant            20

Que je n'en sai le conte dire.

Molt par en fust griez a eslire

La plus bele, la plus cortoise.

A la roiue pas n'en poise

De se qu'eles sont assamblees.

En sa chambre Ies a meuees,

Et por eles plus esjoir

Lor fist maintenant despartir

Robes de diverges manieres.

M olt furent vaillans Ies mains cbieres, 30

De molt bone soie et de riche ;

Mes qui vous voudroit la devise

Et 1'uevre des dras aconter,

Trop i covendroit demorer,

Qui bien en voudroit reson rendre ;

Mes aillors me  covient entendre.

Molt fit la roine a loer.

Apres lor a fet aporter

Fermaus, caintures, et aniaus.

Onques tel plente de joiaus _         40

Nus liom, mien escient, ne vit

Comme la ro'ine lor fist

A ses puceles aporter.

S'en fist a cbascune doner

Tant comme onques en voudrent prendre.

Or me covient aillors entendre,

Et du bon roi Artu parler,

Qui fist aus chevaliers doner

Robes molt riches et molt beles,

Et grant plente d'a[r]mes noveles,    50

Et molt riches chevaus d'Espaingne,

De Lombardie, et d'Alemaingne.

N'i ot si povre chevalier

Qui n'eust armes et destrier,

Et robes, se prendre Ies volt.

Onques si grant plente n'en ot

A une feste plus done.

Si en ont tuit le roi loe,

Qui ne 1' fist mie en repentant,

Ains fist toutes voies samblant       60

Que riens ne li griet, ne  ne couste.
 

  Of an adventure which occurred

At the court of the good king who held

Britany and England entirely,

Because it has not been told rightly,

I will tell you the truth.

At Pentecost in summer

King Arthur held his full court;

Never king in any manner

Held a richer court.                [10

From many a distant country there came

Many a king and many a duke and mauy

As the history relates.         [a count,

  KingArthurhadcausedtobe proclaimed

That every young bachelor

Should come in fair array:

And there was another command.

That whoever had a belle amie

She should come along with him.

Why should I go on talking ?

Of damsels there came so many       20

That I cannot tell }'ou the number.

Very difficult it was to choose

The fairest or the most courteous.

It was no grievance to the queen

That they were assembled.

She has conducted  them to her chamber,

And to cause them greater pleasure

She at once distributed among them

Robes of different shapes.

Very valuable were the least precious, 30

Of very good and rich silk ;

But whoever would the style

And work of the cloths describe.

It would take too much time

If he would do it properly;

But I must take up other matters.

The queen was much to be praised.

Afterwards she caused bring them

Brooches, girdles, and rings.

Never such plenty  of jewels          40

To my knowledge any man saw

As the queen then  caused

To bring to her maidens.

And she caused to  be given to each

As many as ever they would take.

Now I must consider elsewhere,

And speak of good king Arthur

Who caused to give to the knights

Robes very rich and very handsome,

And great plenty of new arms,       50

And very rich horses of Spain,

Of Lombardy, and  of Germany.

There was  not so poor a knight

Who had not arms  and a steed

And robes, if he would take them.

Never was there so great plenty

Of them given at one feast.

And they have all praised the king,

Who did it without grudging,

But by all means shewed            60

That nothing grieved or cost him.