Illustrations of the fairy mythology of 'A midsummer night's dream' / edited by J.O. Halliwell.

Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Illustrations of the fairy mythology of 'A midsummer night's dream' / edited by J.O. Halliwell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/352 (page 17)
    And whan the constable was bore adoun, G-yfre lepte ynto the arsoun, And awey he gan to ryde. The erl of Chestire therof segh, For wreththe yn herte he was wod negli, And rood to syr Launfale, And smot liym yn the helm on hegh, That the crest adoun flegh, Thus seyd the Frenssch tale.* Launfal was mochel of my3t, Of hys stede he dede hym ly3t, And bare hym doun yn the dale; Than come ther syr Launfal abowte Of Walssche kny3tes a greet rowte, The numbre y not how fale. Than my3te me[n] se scheldes ryve, Speres to-breste and to-dryve, Behynde and ek before ; Thoru3 Launfal and hys stedes dent, Many a kny3t, verement, To ground was i-bore. So the prys of that turn ay Was delyvered to Launfal that day, Without oth y-swore : Launfal rod to Karlyoun, To the meyrys lious yn the toun, And many a lord hym before. And than the noble kny3t Launfal Held a feste ryclie and ryalle, That leste fourteny3t ; Fries and barouns fale Semely wer sette yn sale, f Alluding, of course, to the original French text of Launfal, of which there are copies in MS. Harl. 978, and MS. Cott. Vespas, B. xiy. See p. 2. C