English Literature

CHAPTER III. THE ANGLO-NORMAN PERIOD (1066-1350)

And ich wulle varen to

Avalun:

And I will fare to

Avalun,

To vairest alre maidene, To fairest of all

maidens,

To Argante there quene, To Argante the queen,

Alven swithe sceone. An elf very beautiful.

And heo seal mine

wunden

And she shall my

wounds

Makien alle isunde, Make all sound;

Al hal me makien All whole me make

Mid haleweiye drenchen. With healing drinks.

And seothe ich cumen

wulle

And again will I

come

To mine kiueriche To my kingdom

And wunien mid Brutten And dwell with

Britons

Mid muchelere wunne. With mickle joy.

Aefne than worden Even (with) these

words

Ther com of se wenden There came from the

sea

That wes an sceort bat

lithen,

A short little boat

gliding,

Sceoven mid uthen, Shoved by the waves;

And twa wimmen ther

inne,

And two women

therein,

Wunderliche idihte. Wondrously attired.

And heo nomen Arthur

anan

And they took Arthur

anon

And an eovste hine

vereden

And bore him

hurriedly,

And softe hine adun

leiden,

And softly laid him

down,

And forth gunnen lithen. And forth gan glide.

METRICAL ROMANCES. Love, chivalry, and religion, all
pervaded by the spirit of romance,–these are the three great
literary ideals which find expression in the metrical ro-
mances. Read these romances now, with their knights and