Sir Orfeo / 1

SIR ORFEO
ca. 1300
Sir Orfeo is a reworking of the classical myth of the great musician Orpheus and his
wife Eurydice. According to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Eurydice died of a snake-bite at
her wedding and went to Hades, the place of the dead. Orpheus undertook to follow
her there, and having come before Pluto and Proserpina, the king and queen of
Hades, he so pleased them with his music that they granted Eurydice’s release—on
the condition, however, that she should follow behind Orpheus as they left Hades
and that he should not look back at her. But Orpheus did look back, and Eurydice
disappeared into Hades. Ovid’s stories were told and retold during the Middle Ages,
and frequently the teller altered the plot to suit his own purposes—in her tale the
Wife of Bath (lines 958ff.) substitutes Midas’s wife for his barber as the discoverer
of his asses’ ears. The poet of Sir Orfeo has given the story a happy ending and has
replaced its alien classical elements with familiar elements of medieval folklore.
Hades has become the land of Fairye, the medieval otherworld, inhabited by super-
natural creatures who seem human in most respects but who exist under laws incom-
prehensible to ordinary human beings. There is no rational explanation of why the
king of Fairye should seize Dame Heurodis (Eurydice), except that by going to sleep
under an impe-tree (a grafted fruit-tree), she unwittingly violated a taboo and put
herself in his power. In folklore, trees are, of course, often given sinister properties:
in lines 885 ff. of her tale the Wife of Bath comments that incubi once resided under
trees, and in The Faerie Queene [Link].30 the Redcross Knight has a frightening expe-
rience with a tree he is sitting under. In the Otherworld Dame Heurodis continues
to sleep under a tree—apparently a replica of the one in her own garden.
That the poem was the product of a minstrel seems certain because of the emphasis
laid upon the value of music. Orfeo is an excellent harper who welcomes all good
harpers to his court. When he becomes a hermit, he keeps his harp near him and
plays on it to solace himself. The animals and birds crowd around him in delight—
as they did with Orpheus—and like the original Orpheus he frees his wife by his
music. When he returns to his own kingdom it is by his harp and his harping that he
is identified. Even Orfeo’s steward appreciates music: in most medieval romances
stewards are pictured as wicked, for they were the court officers responsible for offer-
ing or withholding hospitality for minstrels, and apparently they often withheld it.
With unusual tact, the poet depicts a good steward who, partly because of his courtesy
to harpers, becomes king after Orfeo’s death.
The poem was probably translated from a French romance of the kind called a
Breton lay. As the name implies, this genre of romance had its origin in Brittany, a
place noted for its minstrelsy. Other surviving lays share with Sir Orfeo a plot involving
the supernatural, wedded or romantic love, and a rash promise; they also share the
poem’s stylistic simplicity, brevity, and a generally optimistic spirit. Chaucer’s Frank-
lin’s Tale imitates the form, and it is probable that his model was Sir Orfeo, whose
opening lines the Franklin seems to be echoing in his own story. The English trans-
lation was probably made before 1300, but it has survived in only three manuscripts
of later date. Some scholars believe that the best of these, the Auchinleck manuscript,
may once have been read by Chaucer. Only the Auchinleck manuscript makes the
interesting identification of Traciens (Thrace) with Winchester: some English min-
strel poet obviously adapted the poem to a performance at Winchester, which had,
indeed, in Old English times been the seat of a kingdom. (It was probably the same
poet who, fractionally learned, names King Pluto and King Juno among Orfeo’s
ancestors.)
2 / Sir Orfeo

The text presented here is based on the Auchinleck manuscript, though the spelling
has been normalized and readings from the other manuscripts adopted where they
seem better than Auchinleck’s. In view of the large amount of evident corruption in
all three manuscripts, the editor has made a number of conjectural emendations. The
original metrical form was probably octosyllabic couplets with alternating stress, but
what has come down to us are loose four-stressed couplets. As in Chaucer, there are
many “headless” lines, where the stress falls on the first syllable of the line, even
though the syllable is not a rhetorically important one; and also as in Chaucer, while
final e is frequently used to achieve an unstressed syllable, it is equally often ignored.

Sir Orfeo
We reden ofte and finden ywrite—
As thise clerkes doon⬚ us wite⬚— cause / to learn
The layes that been of harping1
Been yfounde⬚ of freely⬚ thing. composed / pleasant
5 Some been of werre⬚ and some of wo, war
And some of joye and mirthe also,
And some of trecherye and of gile;
And some of happes⬚ that fellen⬚ while,⬚ events / occurred / once
And some of bourdes⬚ and ribaudye,⬚ jokes / ribaldry
10 And manye been of faı̈rye.2
Of alle thing that men may see,
Most of love forsoothe they be.
In Britain⬚ thise layes been wrought, Brittany
First yfounde⬚ and forth ybrought. composed
15 Of aventures that felle⬚ by dayes3 occurred
The Britons⬚ therof maden layes: Bretons
Whan they mighte owher⬚ yheere⬚ anywhere / hear
Of any merveiles that ther were,
They tooken hem hir harpes with game,⬚ pleasure
20 Maden layes and yaf ⬚ hem name. gave
Of aventures that han bifalle
I can some telle, but nought alle.
Herkneth, lordinges⬚ that been trewe, gentlemen
I wol you telle of Sir Orfewe.
25 Orfeo was a riche⬚ king, noble
In Engelond an heigh lording,
A stalworth⬚ man and hardy bo,⬚ valiant / both
Large⬚ and curteis⬚ he was also. generous / courteous
His fader was come of King Pluto,
30 And his moder of King Juno,
That somtime were as goddes yholde⬚ considered
For aventures that they dide and tolde.
This king sojourned in Traciens⬚ Thrace
That is a citee of noble defens⬚ fortification
35 (For Winchester was cleped⬚ tho⬚ called / then
Traciens withouten no⬚). denial
Orfeo most of any thing

1. I.e., composed to be sung to the harp. world and its supernatural inhabitants.
2. Fairyland, and, more commonly, the other- 3. Once.
 Sir Orfeo / 3

Loved the glee⬚ of harping: music

Siker⬚ was every good harpour certain
40 Of him to have muche honour.
Himself he lerned for to harpe,
And laide⬚ theron his wittes sharpe;⬚ applied / keenly
He lerned so ther nothing was
A bettre harpour in no plas.⬚ place
45 In al the world was no man bore⬚ born
That ones⬚ Orfeo sat bifore, once
And⬚ he mighte of his harping heere, if
But he sholde thinke that he were
In oon of the joyes of Paradis,
50 Swich melodye in his harping is.
Orfeo hadde a queene of pris⬚ excellence
That was ycleped⬚ Dame Heurodis, named
The fairest lady for the⬚ nones⬚ that / matter
That mighte goon⬚ on body and bones, walk
55 Ful of love and of goodnesse—
But no man may telle hir fairnesse.
Bifel so, the comsing⬚ of May, beginning
When merye and hot is the day,
And away been winter showres,
60 And every feeld is ful of flowres,
And blosme breme⬚ on every bough glorious
Overal⬚ wexeth⬚ merye ynough, everywhere / grows
This eeche⬚ queene Dame Heurodis same
Took with hire two maides of pris⬚ excellence
65 And wente in the undertide⬚ forenoon
To playe in an orchard-side,
To see the flowres sprede⬚ and-springe open
And to heere the fowles singe.
They setten hem down alle three
70 Faire⬚ under an impe-tree;⬚ fairly / grafted fruit tree
And wel soone this faire queene
Fel on sleepe upon the greene.
The maidens durste hire not awake,
But lete hire lie and reste take.
75 So she slepte til afternoon
That undertide was al ydoon.⬚ passed
But as soone as she gan wake
She cried and loothly bere⬚ gan make: outcry
She frotte⬚ hir hondes and hir feet tore at
80 And cracched⬚ hir visage—it bledde weet;⬚ scratched / wet
Hir riche robe she al torit,⬚ tears apart
And was ravised⬚ out of her wit. ravished
The two maidenes hire biside
Ne durste with hire no leng⬚ abide, longer
85 But runne to the palais right
And tolde bothe squier and knight
That hir queene awede⬚ wolde, go mad
And bad hem go and hire atholde.⬚ restrain
Knightes runne and ladies also,
90 Damiseles sixty and mo,⬚ more
4 / Sir Orfeo

In th’ orchard to the queene they come,

And hire up in armes nome,⬚ took
And broughte hire to bed at laste,
And heelde hire there fine⬚ faste. very
95 But evere she heeld⬚ in oo⬚ cry, continued / one
And wolde uppe⬚ and awy.⬚ get up / go away
Whan the king herde that tiding
Nevere him nas worse for no thing:
Orfeo cam with knightes tene⬚ ten
100 To chambre right bifore the queene,
And looked and saide with greet⬚ pitee, great
“O leve⬚ lif, what aileth thee?— dear
That evere yit hast been so stille,
And now thou gredest⬚ wonder shille.⬚ cry out / shrilly
105 Thy body that was so whit ycore⬚ excellent
With thine nailes is all totore.⬚ torn
Allas, thy rode⬚ that was so reed⬚ complexion / red
Is as wan as thou were deed.⬚ dead
And also thy fingres smale
110 Been al bloody and al pale.
Allas, thy lovesome yën two
Looketh so⬚ man dooth on his fo. as
A, dame, ich⬚ biseeche mercy— I
Lete been al this reweful⬚ cry, pitiful
115 And tel me what⬚ thee is and how, what the matter with
And what thing may thee helpe now.”
Tho⬚ lay she stille at the laste, then
And gan to weepe swithe⬚ faste,⬚ very / hard
And saide thus the king unto:
120 “Allas, my lord Sir Orfeo,
Sitthen⬚ we first togider were since
Ones wrothe⬚ nevere we nere, angry
But evere ich have yloved thee
As my lif, and so thou me.
125 But now we mote⬚ deele⬚ atwo— must / separate
Do thy best, for I moot⬚ go.” must
“Allas,” quath he, “forlorn ich am!
Whider wilt thou go and to wham?⬚ whom
Whider thou goost ich wil with thee,
130 And whider I go thou shalt with me.”
“Nay, nay, sire, that nought nis.4
Ich wil thee telle al how it is:
As ich lay this undertide⬚ forenoon
And slepte under oure orchard-side,
135 Ther come to me two faire knightes,
Wel y-armed al to rightes,
And bad me comen on hying⬚ in haste
And speke with hir lord the king;
And ich answerede at⬚ wordes bolde in
140 That I ne durste nought ne I nolde.⬚ would not
They prikked again as they mighte drive.5
Tho⬚ cam hir king also blive⬚ then / straightway

4. I.e., that’s no use. 5. I.e., they rode as fast as they could.

 Sir Orfeo / 5

With an hundred knightes and mo,

And damiseles an hundred also,
145 Alle on snow-white steedes;
As white as milk were hir weedes:⬚ clothes
I ne seigh⬚ nevere yit bifore saw
So faire creatures ycore.⬚ splendid
The king hadde a crown on his heed:⬚ head
150 It nas of silver n’of gold reed,⬚ red
But it was of a precious stoon;
As brighte as the sonne it shoon.
And as soone as he to me cam,
Wolde ich, nolde ich, he me nam⬚ took
155 And made me with him to ride
Upon a palfrey him biside,
And broughte me to his palais
Wel attired⬚ in eech a ways,⬚ equipped / way
And shewed me castels and towrs,
160 Riveres, foreestes, frith⬚ with flowres, meadow
And his riche steedes eechoon,
And sitthen⬚ broughte me again hoom afterwards
Into oure owene orche-yard,⬚ orchard
And saide to me thus afterward,
165 ‘Looke tomorwe that thou be
Right here under this impe-tree,
And thanne thou shalt with us go,
And live with us everemo.⬚ evermore
And if thou makest us ylet,⬚ resistance
170 Where⬚ thou be, thou worst⬚ yfet.⬚ wherever / shall be / fetched
And al totore⬚ thy limes al torn apart
That no thing thee helpe shal.
And though thou beest so totorn,
Yit thou worst⬚ with us yborn.’ ”⬚ shall be / carried off
175 When king Orfeo herde this cas,⬚ circumstance
“O, weel”⬚ quath he, “allas, allas! woe
Lever me were to lete⬚ my lif leave
Than thus to lese⬚ the queene my wif.” lose
He asked conseil at⬚ eech a man, from
180 But no man him helpe can.
Amorwe⬚ the undertide is come, next day
And Orfeo hath his armes ynome,⬚ taken
And wel ten hundred knightes with him,
Eech y-armed, stout and grim.
185 And with the queene wenten he⬚ they
Right unto that impe-tree.
They made sheltrom⬚ in eech a side, military formation
And saide they wolde ther abide
And die there everichoon,
190 Er the queene sholde from hem goon.
And yit amiddes hem full right
The queene was away ytwight,⬚ snatched
With⬚ faı̈rye forth ynome:⬚ by / taken
Men wiste nevere wher she was bicome.6

6. No one knew what had become of her.

6 / Sir Orfeo

195 Tho⬚ was ther crying, weep and wo; then

The king into his chambre is go
And ofte swooned upon the stoon,⬚ floor
And made swich dool and swich moon7
That nye⬚ his lif was yspent⬚— nearly / finished
200 Ther was noon amendement.⬚ remedy
He clepte⬚ togider his barouns, called
Eerles, lordes of renouns,⬚ great names
And whan they alle ycomen were,
“Lordinges,” he saide, “bifor you here
205 Ich ordaine myn heigh steward
To wite⬚ my kingdom afterward; keep
In my stede been he shal
To keepe my londes overal.⬚ everywhere
For now I have my queene ylore,⬚ lost
210 The faireste lady that evere was bore,⬚ born
Nevere eft⬚ I nil⬚ no womman see; again / will not
In wildernesse now wil ich tee⬚ go
And live ther for everemore,
With wilde beestes in holtes⬚ hore.⬚ woods / gray
215 And whan ye wite⬚ that I be spent,⬚ learn / dead
Make you than a parlement
And chese⬚ you⬚ a newe king: choose / for yourselves
Now dooth youre best with al my thing.”
Tho⬚ was ther weeping in the halle, then
220 And greet⬚ cry among hem alle; great
Unnethe⬚ mighte olde or yong scarcely
For weeping speke a word with tonge.
They kneeled alle adown in fere⬚ together
And prayede him if his wille were,
225 That he ne sholde from hem go.
“Do way,” quath he, “it shal be so.”
Al his kingdom he forsook;
But⬚ a sclavin⬚ on him he took: only / pilgrim’s cloak
He hadde no kirtel⬚ ne noon hood, short coat
230 Shert ne yit noon other good.
But his harp he took algate,⬚ at any rate
And dide him barefoot out at yate:⬚ gate
No man moste⬚ with him go. must
O way,⬚ what⬚ ther was weep and wo, alas / how
235 Whan he that hadde been king with crown
Wente so poorelich out of town.
Thrugh the wode⬚ and over heeth wood
Into the wildernesse he geeth.⬚ goes
Nothing he fint⬚ that him is aise,⬚ finds / easy
240 But evere he liveth in greet malaise.
He that hadde wered⬚ the fowe and gris,8 worn
And on bed the purper⬚ bis,⬚ purple / linen
Now on harde heeth he lith,⬚ lies
With leves and grasse he him writh.⬚ covers

7. And made such lamentation and such com- 8. White and gray fur; i.e., royal ermine.
plaint.
 Sir Orfeo / 7

245 He that hadde had castels and towres,

Rivere foreest, frith⬚ with flowres, meadow
Now though it ginne snowe and freese,
This king moot⬚ make his bed in meese.⬚ must / moss
He that hadde had knightes of pris,⬚ renown
250 Bifore him kneeling and ladis,
Now seeth he nothing that him liketh,⬚ pleases
But wilde wormes⬚ by him striketh.⬚ snakes / glide
He that hadde yhad plentee
Of mete and drinke, of eech daintee,
255 Now may he alday⬚ digge and wrote⬚ constantly / scrounge
Er he finde his fille of roote.
In somer he liveth by wilde fruit
And berien⬚ but goode lite;9 berries
In winter may he nothing finde
260 But roote, grasses, and the rinde.⬚ bark
Al his body away was dwined⬚ wasted
For misaise, and al tochined.⬚ scarred
Lord, who may telle of the sore
This king suffered ten yeer and more?
265 His heer of his beerd, blak and rowe,⬚ rugged
To his girdel-stede⬚ was growe. waist
His harp wheron was al his glee
He hidde in an holwe tree,
And whan the weder was cleer and bright,
270 He took his harp to him wel right,
And harped at his owene wille:⬚ pleasure
In al the woode the soun gan shille,⬚ resound
That wilde beestes that ther beeth
For joy abouten him they teeth;⬚ draw
275 And alle the fowles that ther were
Come and sete on eech a brere⬚ briar
To here his harping afine,⬚ to the end
So muche melodye was therine.
When he his harping lete⬚ wolde, leave off
280 No beest by him abide nolde.
Ofte he mighte see him bisides
In the hote undertides⬚ mornings
The king of fairy with his route⬚ company
Come to hunte him al aboute
285 With dinne, cry, and with blowing,
And houndes also with him berking.
But no beeste they ne nome⬚ took
Ne nevere he niste wher they bicome.1
And otherwhile he mighte see,
290 As a greet oost⬚ by him tee,⬚. host / passed
Wel atourned⬚ ten hundred knightes, equipped
Eech y-armed to his rightes,⬚ fittingly
Of countenance stout and fiers,⬚ fierce
With manye displayed⬚ baners, unfurled
295 And eech his swerd ydrawe holde,

9. Little good. 1. Nor did he ever learn what happened to them.

8 / Sir Orfeo

But nevere he niste⬚ wher they wolde, knew not

And somwhile he seigh⬚ other thing: saw
Knightes and ladies come dauncing,
In quainte⬚ atir, degisely,⬚ elegant / wonderfully
300 Quainte pas⬚ and softely. step
Tabours⬚ and trumpes yede⬚ him by, drums / went
And al manere mı̈nstracy.⬚ minstrelsy
And on a day he seigh⬚ biside saw
Sixty ladies on horse ride,
305 Gentil and jolif⬚ as brid⬚ on ris⬚— pretty / bird / bough
Nought oo man amonges hem nis.
And eech a faucon on hond beer,⬚ bore
And riden on hawking by river.
Of game they founde wel good haunt,⬚ plenty
310 Maulardes,⬚ hairoun,⬚ and cormeraunt. mallards / herons
The fowles of⬚ the water ariseth; from
The faucons hem wel deviseth:⬚ descry
Eech faucon his preye slough.⬚ slew
That seigh⬚ Orfeo and lough:⬚ saw / laughed
315 “Parfay!”⬚ quath he, “ther is fair game! by faith
Thider ich wil,⬚ by Goddes name. will go
Ich was ywon⬚ swich⬚ werk to see.” accustomed / such
He aroos and thider gan tee.⬚ draw
To a lady he was ycome,
320 Biheeld, and hath wel undernome,⬚ understood
And seeth by al thing that it is
His owene queene Dame Heurodis,
Yerne⬚ biheeld hire and she him eke,⬚ eagerly / also
But neither to other a word ne speke.
325 For misaise that she on him seigh⬚ saw
That hadde been so riche and heigh,
The teres felle out of hir yë.
The othere ladies this ysye⬚ saw
And maked hire away to ride:
330 She moste⬚ with him no lenger⬚ abide. must / longer
“Allas,” quath he, “now me is wo.
Why nil⬚ deeth now me nought slo?⬚ will not / slay
Allas, wrecche,⬚ that I ne mighte wretched one
Die now after this sighte.
335 Allas, too longe last⬚ my lif lasts
Whan I ne dar nought to my wif—
Ne she to me—oo word ne speke.
Allas, why nil myn herte breke?
Parfay,”⬚ quath he, “tide what bitide, by faith
340 Whider so thise ladies ride
The selve⬚ waye ich wil strecche:⬚ same / go
Of lif ne deeth me nothing recche.”⬚ care
His sclavin⬚ he dide on also spak⬚ cloak / at once
And heeng⬚ his harp upon his bak, hung
345 And hadde wel good wil to goon:
He ne spared neither stub ne stoon.2

2. I.e., neither stump nor stone prevented him.

 Sir Orfeo / 9

In at a roche⬚ the ladies rideth rock, cave

And he after and nought abideth.
Whan he was in the roche ago
350 Wel three mile other⬚ mo, or
He cam into a fair countrey,
As bright so⬚ sonne on somers day, as
Smoothe and plain⬚ and alle greene: flat
Hil ne dale nas ther noon seene.
355 Amidde the lond a castel he seigh,⬚ saw
Riche and real⬚ and wonder heigh. royal
Al the utemoste⬚ wal outmost
Was cleer⬚ and shined as crystal. bright
An hundred towres ther were aboute,
360 Degiseliche,⬚ and batailed3 stoute. wonderful
The butres⬚ cam out of the diche buttress
Of reed gold y-arched riche.4
The vousour⬚ was anourned⬚ al vaulting / adorned
Of eech manere divers aumal.⬚ enamel
365 Within ther were wide wones,⬚ halls
And alle were fulle of precious stones.
The worste pilar on to biholde
Al it was of burnist golde.
Al that lond was evere light,
370 For when it sholde be therk⬚ and night dark
The riche stones lighte gonne5
As brighte as dooth at noon the sonne.
No man may telle ne thinke in thought
The riche werk that ther was wrought.
375 By alle thing him thinkth it is
The proude court of Paradis.
In this castel the ladies alighte:
He wolde in after, if he mighte.
Orfeo knokketh at the yate:⬚ gate
380 The porter was redy therate
And asked what he wolde have ydo.⬚ done
“Parfay,⬚ ich am a minstrel, lo, by faith
To solace⬚ thy lord with my glee delight
If6 his sweete wille be.”
385 The porter undide the gate anoon
And lete him into the castel goon.
Than he gan looke aboute al
And seigh,⬚ lying within the wal, saw
Of folk that ther were thider ybrought,
390 And thoughte⬚ dede,⬚ and nere nought:7 seemed / dead
Some stoode withouten hade,⬚ head
And some none armes hade,
And some thurgh the body hadde wounde,
And some laye woode⬚ ybounde; mad
395 And some armed on horse sete,

3. I.e., furnished with battlements. 5. Did light it.

4. I.e., made of red gold that arched splendidly: 6. If it.
gold was commonly described as red in Middle 7. Were not.
English.
10 / Sir Orfeo

And some astrangled as they ete,

And some were in watre adreint,⬚ drowned
And some with fire al forshreint,⬚ shriveled
Wives ther laye on child-bedde,
400 Some dede and some awedde.⬚ driven mad
And wonder fele⬚ ther laye bisides many
Right as they slepte hir undertides.⬚ forenoons
Each was thus in this world ynome,⬚ taken
With⬚ faı̈rye thider ycome. by force of
405 Ther he seigh his owene wif,
Dame Heurodis, his leve⬚ lif, dear
Sleepe under an impe-tree:
By hir clothes he knew it was she.
Whan he hadde seen thise mervailes alle
410 He wente into the kinges halle.
Than seigh he ther a seemly sighte:
A tabernacle8 wel ydight⬚— arrayed
Hir maister king therinne sete,
And hir queene fair and sweete.
415 Hir crownes, hir clothes shoon so brighte
That unnethe⬚ he biholde hem mighte. with difficulty
Whan he hadde seen al this thing,
He kneeled adoun bifor the king:
“O lord,” he saide, “if thy wil were,
420 My minstracye thou sholdest yheere.”⬚ hear
The king answerede, “What man art thou
That art hider ycomen now?
Ich, ne noon that is with me,
Ne sente never after thee.
425 Sith⬚ that ich here regne⬚ gan since / reign
I ne foond⬚ nevere so hardy man found
That hider to us durste wende
But⬚ that ich him wolde ofsende.”⬚ unless / send for
“Lord,” quath he, “ye trowe⬚ wel may believe
430 I nam but a poore minstrel,
And, sire, it is the maner of us
To seeche many a lordes hous.
And theigh⬚ we not welcome be, though
Yit we mote⬚ profere forth oure glee.”⬚ must / music
435 Bifor the king he sat adown
And took his harp so merye of soun,
And tempreth⬚ it as he wel can. tunes
And blisful notes he ther gan
That alle that in the palais were
440 Come to him for to heere,
And lieth adown to his feete,
Hem thinkth his melodye so sweete.
The king herkneth and sit⬚ ful stille: sits
To heere his glee he hath good wille.
445 Good bourde⬚ he hadde of his glee: entertainment
The riche queene also hadde she.

8. I.e., an alcove.
 Sir Orfeo / 11

Whan he hadde stint⬚ of his harping, ceased

Then saide to him the riche king,
“Minstrel, me liketh wel thy glee.
450 Now aske of me what it may be—
Largeliche⬚ ich wil thee paye generously
Now speke and thou might it assaye.”
“Sire,” he saide, “ich praye thee
That thou woldest yive me
455 The eeche⬚ lady, bright on blee,⬚ very / of hue
That sleepeth under the impe-tree.”
“Nay,” quath the king, “that nought nere:9
A sory couple of you it were;
For thou art lene,⬚ rowe,⬚ and blak, lean / rough
460 And she is lovesom, withoute lak.⬚ blemish
A loothly tiling it were forthy⬚ therefore
To seen hire in thy compaigny.”
“O sire,” he saide, “gentil king,
Yit were it a wel fouler thing
465 To heere a lesing⬚ of thy mouthe. lie
So, sire, as ye saide nouthe⬚ now
What ich wolde aske, have I wolde,
A kinges word moot⬚ needes be holde.” must
“Thou sayest sooth,” the king saide than,
470 “And sith⬚ I am a trewe man, since
I wol wel that it be so:
Taak hire by the hond and go.
Of hire ich wol that thou be blithe.”
He kneeled adown and thanked him swithe;⬚ quickly
475 His wif he took by the hond
And dide him swithe out of that lond,
And wente⬚ him out of that thede:⬚ turned / country
Right as he cam the way he yede.⬚ went
So longe he hath the way ynome⬚ taken
480 To Winchester he is ycome,
That somtime was his owene citee,
But no man knew that it was he.
No forther than the townes ende
For knoweleche1 he durste wende.
485 But in a beggeres bild⬚ ful narwe⬚ house / small
Ther he hath take his herbarwe⬚ lodging
(To him and to his owene wife),
As a minstrel of poore lif,
And asked tidinges of that lond,
490 And who the kingdom heeld in hond.
The poore begger in his cote⬚ hovel
Tolde him everich⬚ a grote⬚— every / bit
How hir queene was stole awy,⬚ away
Ten yeer goon, with⬚ faı̈ry. by
495 And now hir king in exile yede⬚ went
But no man wiste⬚ in which thede;⬚ knew / country
And how the steward the lond gan holde,

9. I.e. that wouldn’t do. 1. I.e., for fear of being recognized.

12 / Sir Orfeo

And othere many thinges him tolde.

Amorwe ayain the noon-tide2
500 He maked his wif ther abide,
And beggeres clothes he borwed anoon,⬚ straightaway
And heeng⬚ his harp his rigge⬚ upon, hung / back
And wente him into that citee,
That men mighte him biholde and see.
505 Bothe eerles and barouns bolde,
Burgeis⬚ and ladies him gan biholde: burgesses
“Lord,” they saide, “swich⬚ a man! such
How longe the heer⬚ him hangeth upon! hair
Lo, how his beerd hangeth to his knee!
510 He is yclungen⬚ also⬚ a tree!” withered / as
And as he yede⬚ in the streete, walked
With his steward he gan meete.
And loude he sette him on a cry,
“Sir steward,” he saide, “grant mercy!
515 Ich am an harpour of hethenesse:⬚ heathen country
Help me now in this distresse.”
The steward saide, “Com with me, com:
Of that I have thou shalt have som.
Eech harpour is welcome me to
520 For my lordes love, Sir Orfeo.”
Anoon they wente into the halle,
The steward and the lordes alle.
The steward wessh⬚ and wente to mete, washed
And manye lordes by him sete.
525 Ther were trumpours⬚ and tabourers,⬚ trumpeters / drummers
Harpours fele,⬚ and crouders:⬚ many / fiddlers
Muche melodye they maked alle.
And Orfeo sat stille in halle.
And herkneth; whan they been al stille,
530 He took his harp and tempered⬚ shille⬚— played / loudly
The blisfullest notes he harped there
That evere man yherde with ere.
Eech man liked wel his glee.
The steward looked and gan ysee,
535 And the harp knew also blive.⬚ right away
“Minstrel,” he saide, “so mote⬚ thou thrive, may
Where haddest thou this harp and how?
I praye that thou me telle now.”
“Lord,” quath he, “in uncouthe⬚ thede,⬚ strange / country
540 Thurgh a foreest as I yede,⬚ walked
I foond⬚ lying in a dale found
A man with⬚ lions totorn⬚ smale, by / torn to bits
And wolves him frette⬚ with teeth so sharp. bit
By him I foond this eeche⬚ harp very
545 Wel ten yeer it is ago.”
“O,” quath the steward, “now me is wo!
That was my lord Sir Orfeo.
Allas, wrecche, what shal I do

2. In the morning toward noontime.

 Sir Orfeo / 13

That have swich⬚ a lord ylore?⬚ such / lost

550 A, way,⬚ that evere ich was ybore⬚ woe / born
That him was so harde grace y-yarked,⬚ ordained
And so vile deeth ymarked.”⬚ appointed
Adown he fel aswoone to grounde.
His barouns him tooke up that stounde⬚ time
555 And telleth him how that it geeth:⬚ goes
It is no boote⬚ of mannes deeth. remedy
King Orfeo knew wel by than⬚ that
His steward was a trewe man
And loved him as him oughte to do,
560 And stondeth up and saith thus, “Lo,
Steward, herkne now this thing:
If ich were Orfeo the king
And hadde ysuffered ful yore⬚ long
In wildernesse muche sore,
565 And hadde ywonne my queene awy⬚ away
Out of the lond of faı̈ry,
And hadde ybrought the lady hende⬚ gracious
Right here to the townes ende,
And with a begger hir in⬚ ynome,⬚ lodging / taken
570 And were myselve hider ycome
Poorelich to thee thus stille,⬚ secretly
For to assaye⬚ thy goode wille, test
And⬚ ich founde thee thus trewe, if
Thou ne sholdest it nevere rewe:⬚ regret
575 Sikerliche,⬚ for love or ay,⬚ surely / dread
Thou sholdest be king after my day.
If thou of my deeth haddest been blithe,
Thou sholdest have voided⬚ also swithe.” been dismissed
Tho⬚ alle tho⬚ that therinne sete then / those
580 That is was Orfeo underyete,⬚ understood
And the steward wel him knew:
Over and over the boord⬚ he threw table
And fel adown to his feete.
So dide eech lord that ther sete,
585 And alle they saide at oo⬚ crying, one
“Ye beeth oure lord, sire, and oure king.”
Glade they were of his live:
To chambre they ladde him as blive,⬚ at once
And bathed him and shaved his beard,
590 And tired⬚ him as a king apert.⬚ dressed / openly
And sith⬚ with greet processioun after
They broughte the queene into the town,
With alle manere minstracye.
Lord, ther was greet melodye:
595 For joye they wepte with hir yë
That hem so sound⬚ ycomen sye.⬚ healthy / saw
Now Orfeo newe corouned⬚ is, crowned
And his queene Dame Heurodis,
And lived longe afterward,
600 And sitthen⬚ king was the steward. afterward
Harpours in Britain after than⬚ that
14 / Sir Orfeo

Herde how this merveile bigan

And made a lay of good liking,⬚ well-pleasing
And nempned⬚ it after the king. named
605 That lay is “Orfeo” yhote:⬚ called
Good is the lay, sweete is the note.
Thus cam Sir Orfeo out of his care:
God grante us alle wel to fare.