Cambr. Univ. MS. Gg. 4. 27. 2. "Seie me, child, what is þi name? Ne schaltu haue bute game." be child him answerde,

Sone so he hit herde,

Harl. MS. 2253.

Aylmer asks "sey, child, whet is þy name, | shal þe tide bote game."

"horn child," quop þe kyng, "wel brouc pou þy nome 3yng.

horn him gop so stille | bi dales ant by hulles.

horn hap loude soune | purh out vch a toune.

so shal þi nome springe | from kynge to kynge,

ant þi feirnesse | aboute westnesse.

He then leads horn pou art so suete, | ne shal y þe forlete."

Hom rod Aylmer þe kyng, | ant horn wip him, his fundlyng,

Arrangements for education of the children.

Cambr. Univ. MS. Gg. 4. 27. 2. And alle his ifere, hat were him so dere. The kyng com in to halle Among his kniztes alle; Forp he clupede apelbrus, hat was stiward of his hus. "Stiwarde, tak nu here Mi fundlyng for to lere Of pine mestere, Of wude and of riuere, [No gap in MS.

And tech him to harpe
Wip his nayles scharpe,
Biuore me to kerue
And of pe cupe serue.
pu tech him of alle pe liste

þat þu eure of wiste.

In his feiren pou wise

In to opere seruise.

Horn þu vnderuonge

Laud Misc. MS. 108.
And alle hyse feren,
236 þat weren lef and dere.

be king com in to halle
Among hise kinctes alle.

11

236

He bad clepen aybrous,

240 pe heye stiward of his hous.
"Stiward, haue pou here

240

Horn chil for to lere

Of pine mestere,

244 [No gap in MS.

Of wode and of felde

244

To riden wel wit shelde.
Tech him of pe harpe,

And tech him of harpe and songe."

¶ Ailbrus gan lere

Horn and his yfere.

His feren deuise

Of oper seruise.

H

252

orn child pou vnderfonge; 255 Tech him of harpe and songe."

And aylbrous gan leren

Horn and hise feren.

Harl. MS. 2253.

ant alle his yfere, | þat him were so duere.

þe kyng com in to halle | among his knyhtes alle.
forp he clepep Apelbrus, | his stiward, ant him seide pus,
"stiward, tac pou here | my fundlyng, forto lere
of pine mestere, of wode ant of ryuere,
[No gap in MS.

and toggen o pe harpe | wip is nayles sharpe ;
and tech him alle pe listes | pat pou euer wystest,
byfore me to keruen | ant of my coupe to seruen.
ant his feren deuyse wip ous oper seruise.

horn child pou vnderstond, | tech him of harpe ant of song.
¶ Apelbrus gon leren, | horn ant hyse feren.

Heo louede so horn child,

pat nez heo gan wexe wild;

For heo ne miste at borde
Wip him speke no worde,
Ne nozt in þe halle
Among pe kniztes alle,

Ne nowhar in non opere stede,
Of folk heo hadde drede,
Bi daie ne bi nizte,
Wip him speke ne mizte.
Hire soreze ne hire pine
Ne mizte neure fine.
In heorte heo hadde wo,
And pus hire bipozte po.

Heo sende hire sonde

Apelbrus to honde,

Horn learns readily and becomes a general favourite.

Rymenhild falls passionately in love with him,

horn mid herte lahte | al þat mon him tahte.
wip inne court ant wip oute | ant oueral aboute,

Louede men horn child; | ant most him louede rymenyld, 264
be kynges oune dohter, for he wes in hire pohte.

hue louede him in hire mod, | for he wes feir ant eke god.
ant pah hue ne dorste at bord | mid him speke ner a word,
ne in pe halle among þe knyhtes alle,

hyre sorewe ant hire pyne | nolde neuer fyne

272

bi daye ne by nyhte, | for hue speke ne myhte

and sends to Athelbrus.

wip horn þat wes so feir ant fre, | po hue ne myhte wip him be. In herte hue hade care ant wo, | ant pus hue bipohte hire po. Hue sende hyre sonde | Athelbrus to honde,

Athelbrus brings Athulf to bower.

Cambr. Univ. MS. Gg. 4. 27. 2.
hat he come hire to,
And also scholde horn do
Al in to bure,
ffor heo gan to lure.
And pe sonde seide
pat sik lai pat maide,
And bad him come swipe
For heo nas noping blipe.
be stuard was in herte wo,
For he nuste what to do.
Wat Rymenhild hure pozte,
Gret wunder him puzte.
Abute horn pe zonge
To bure for to bringe,
He pozte upon his mode
Hit nas for none gode.
He tok him anoper,
Athulf, hornes broper.

"Apulf," he sede, "rizt anon bu schalt wip me to bure gon, To speke wip Rymenhild stille And witen hure wille.

In hornes ilike

bu schalt hure biswike.

Laud Misc. MS. 108.

And be, he schold hire comen to,
284 And also scholde horn do
In to hire boure,
For hye gan to loure.
And ysonde seyde

288 Wel riche was þe mede,
And bed him comen swipe,
For hye nas naut blip.

be stiward was in herte wo,

292 He ne wiste wat he micte do.
Wat reymnyld wroute,

Mikel wonder him poute.

Abote horn pe zenge

296 To boure for to bringe,

He poucte on his mode

Hit nas for none gode.

He tok wit him anoper,

300 þat was hornes wed broper.

"Ayol," he seyde, "ryt anon
pou shalt wit me to boure gon,

To speke wit reymyld stille

304 And witen al hire wille.
In hornes ylyche

bou schalt hire bi swike.

13

284

288

292

296

300

304

Harl. MS. 2253.

þat he come hue to, | ant also shulde horn do

[leaf 85]

in to hire boure, | for hue bigon to loure.
ant pe sonde sayde | pat seek wes pe mayde,

ant bed him come suyþe, | for hue nis nout blype.

Rymenhild bids Athelbrus bring Horn to her

288 bower,

¶ pe stiward wes in huerte wo, | for he nuste whet he shulde do.

what rymenild bysohte, | gret wonder him pohte,

he tok wip him an oper, | apulf, hornes broper.

296

"Athulf," quop he, "ryht anon | pou shalt wip me to boure gon,

to speke wip rymenild stille, | to wyte hyre wille.

304

but he, fearing some evil consequence, akes Athulf nstead.

þou art hornes yliche, pou shalt hire by suyke;

Cambr. Univ. MS. Gg. 4. 27. 2. Sore ihc me ofdrede

He wolde horn misrede."

Apelbrus gan Apulf lede
And in to bure wip him zede.
Anon vpon Apulf child
Rymenhild gan wexe wild.
He wende pat horn hit were
pat heo hauede pere.
Heo sette him on bedde,
Wip Apulf child he wedde.
On hire armes tweie
Apulf heo gan leie.
"Horn," quap heo, "wel longe
Ihc habbe pe luued stronge.

bu schalt þi trewpe plizte

Laud Misc. MS. 108.
Wel sore y me of drede

308 þat hye wile horn mis rede."
Aylbrous, and ayol him myde,
Bope he to boure zede.
Opon ayol childe

312 Reymyld was naut wilde.
Hye wende horn hit were

bat hye hadde pere.

Hye sette him on bedde,

316 With ayol he gan wedde.
In hire armes tweye

Ayol he gan leye.

308

312

316

"Horn," hye seyde, "so longe

320

Athelbrus aud Athulf

Harl. MS. 2253.

sore me adrede | þat hue wole horn mys rede.”
Athelbrus ant Athulf bo | to hire boure beþ ygo.

go to Rymen- vpon Athulf childe | rymenild con waxe wilde.

hild's bower, and Rymenhild, mistaking Athulf

for Horn,

hue wende horn it were | pat hue hade pere.

embraces him In hire armes tueye | Athulf he con leye.

and declares

her love.

66

312

hue seten adoun stille | ant seyden hure wille.

horn," quop he, "wel longe | y haue loued þe stronge;
pou shalt þy treuþe plyhte | in myn hond wip ryhte,
me to spouse welde, | ant ich pe louerd to helde."

320

Athulf discloses his

identity, and bids her desist.

so stille so hit were | athulf seyde in hire eere,

66

ne tel pou no more speche, | may, y þe by seche.

þi tale gyn pou lynne, | for horn nis nout her ynne.

328