Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)

by Malory, Thomas

  attaint] exhausted

  upright] on his back

  sad] heavy

  toward her] on her side

  for to have been the more surer] in order to be more safely

  nothing assured] far from safety

  adventure] jeopardy

  there as this knight had me] to where this knight captured me

  with what engine the fiend enchafed him] by what tricks the devil aroused him

  weed] habit

  nor fall not… tell you tidings] don’t fall into despair on account of the news I tell you

  arson] saddle-bow

  feeble] falling into ruin

  deal] part

  loved thee paramours] desired you sexually

  warn] refuse

  look thou whether it] consider which

  tokens] symbolism

  age] time

  wanhope] despair

  sere] withered

  very] true

  abide there harbour] keep lodging there

  avaunt] boast

  erst] before

  and I may have the higher hand] if I can get the upper hand

  but if thou wilt] if you will not

  he shall never the sooner be quit] he still won’t escape

  let] prevent

  entermete] interfere

  meddle] fight

  dressing] raising

  No force] no matter

  alliegement] alleviation

  unkindly] unnatural

  betook] entrusted

  sue] follow

  on the shipboard] from on board the ship

  swallow] whirlpool

  inwardly] thoroughly

  blessed him] crossed himself

  virtues] powers

  scales of the haft] cross-pieces of the shaft

  conversant in Caledonia] inhabits Scotland

  Par fay] by my faith

  warned] forbidden

  lasted] extended

  fell to] turned

  ne reck thou never] do not be concerned

  yard] branch

  certified … standest in doubt] explained what puzzled you

  learn] instruct

  so subtly … be all one] made so skilfully that no one can tell it is not all in one piece

  selar] canopy

  besprent] sprinkled

  I ne am but] I am nothing other than

  a rich purse by seeming] what appeared to be a rich purse

  great pain wherein we should have entered] the great difficulty we would have found ourselves in

  arrayed] circumstanced

  noyous] grievous

  God’s body in a cup] i.e. the Eucharist in a chalice

  not but one year] just a year ago

  made beat down chapels] caused chapels to be destroyed

  houseled] given the Eucharist

  suffer] bear patiently

  meddle] fight

  journey] day’s work

  mesel] leprosy

  evil at ease] in great pain

  Saviour] i.e. the Eucharist

  avised her] looked at her face

  dressed him] made his way

  enforced him mickle] exerted himself greatly

  sacring] consecration of the Eucharist

  hair] hair shirt

  small] fine

  dressed him against him] rose to greet him

  since God was born] i.e. since the Nativity

  at traverse] crossing their path

  no rede] pointless

  very] true

  the holy meat shall be departed] the Eucharist shall be divided

  bed of tree] a wooden litter

  oblay] wafer

  rivage] shore

  took] gave

  paynims] pagans

  come to his land] had assumed the rule

  sacring] moment of consecration

  deadly flesh] mortal body

  yielded him] withdrew

  spiritualities] consecrated ground

  almeries] repositories

  behight] promised

  in await] under watch

  blood] kin

  forfend] forbid

  defended me so highly] barred me so absolutely

  utterance] utmost, i.e. death

  appealed] accused

  distained] dishonoured

  report me unto] say before

  worshipped] brought honour

  large] generous

  mal engine] evil trickery

  affinity] powerful connections

  driving] spurring

  knights parters] marshals

  sop of wine] a cup of wine with bread in it

  lapped it in her train] wrapped it in the skirt of her dress

  journey] day’s work

  acquit] repay

  plaie] wound

  Our Lady Day of the Assumption] 15 August

  Within fifteen days] i.e. a fort-night before

  allow] acknowledge

  it is of late come since ye were waxed so wise] it is a recent innovation that you have become so sensible

  wight] muscular

  betook] entrusted to

  all the while she might be suffered] as long as she was allowed

  chaflet] platform

  hoved] waited

  pulled him down] i.e. from his horse

  take no force of] care nothing for

  cousin germain’s] first cousin’s

  avised] looked at his face

  lain] conceal

  ye bear you well] you will do well

  may not wield himself] is disabled

  betook] entrusted

  adventure] jeopardy

  force] matter

  that sleeve-bearing repents me] I regret he carried that sleeve

  bobaunce] boasting

  warn] forbid

  enchafe] exercise

  relieved] recovered

  to make aspies] have watch kept

  unhappiness] evil destiny

  all our leader] i.e. leader of us all

  over-charged] overbore

  old-said saw] traditional saying

  beseen] behaved

  big and light] strong and vigorous

  All Hallowmas] All Saints’ (i November)

  bain] bath

  frick] mettlesome

  strained him] exerted himself

  straitly] severely

  appeal] accuse

  enforce] exert

  again-coming] return

  recrayed] recreant

  mal engine] deceit

  cast me] intend

  and I had would] if I had wished

  may not do withal] cannot help it

  report me] appeal for confirmation

  nor nought I will and I may] I desire nothing so long as I am able to

  shrove her clean] purified herself by confession

  Creator] i.e. the Eucharist

  ghostly father] spiritua father (i.e. confessor)

  sufferance] will

  allegiance] alleviation

  indite] compose

  barget] small boat

  a certain to wait upon] a certain number to guard

  broke it] broke the seal

  went again] returned

  take no force] do not care

  but if it were at a great jousts cried] except at a formal joust proclaimed by heralds

  warn] forbid

  force] exert

  for the string and for abait] on the leash and for setting on

  coasted] followed

  soil] wallowing-place

  feute] trail

  unhappily] unfortunately

  let devise] invented a scheme

  held … strait] pressed them hard

  paid] satisfied

  seemed] appeared

  delivered] dealt with

  sadly] steadily

  arson] saddle-bow

  sit] withstand

  relieved] rallied

  blow unto lodging] sound a trumpet to have
the knights return to their lodgings

  namely] especially

  rasure] destruction

  or else and he were nearhand] or if he were nearby

  in his stead that was dead] to fill the place of the dead man

  bedashed] bedecked

  battle of arrest] raid

  cast] plot

  with this] on this condition

  hold] resist

  of a great advantage] by a great deal

  masteries] deeds of oppression

  namely] especially

  appointment] terms

  give right nought of you] am not concerned about you

  meddle] reach to fight

  danger of a coward] in the power of a coward

  annoyed] troubled

  chariot] cart

  rearmain] backward blow with the hand

  awaiting] watching

  noise] loose talk

  forthink yourself] regret

  of wisdom to lay down every shameful noise] to suppress wisely every breath of scandal

  let me but I should make] stop me from making

  driving] spurring

  report me] appeal for confirmation

  rumour] disturbance

  displayed] drawn back

  it will be taken at your hands] your challenge will be taken up

  rede] advise

  be advised] take careful thought

  estures] rooms

  ten fathom] sixty feet (twenty metres)

  fare] fuss

  fear] frighten

  driving] galloping

  knights parters of the field] marshals of the lists

  avaunt] boast

  discovered] revealed

  kindly] in accordance with nature

  me rueth of] I pity

  done] boon

  trenchant glaive] sharp sword

  and I might or durst] if I could or dared

  ransacked] searched

  loving] praise

  let ravish] had fetched

  sought upon their deeds] strove after action

  chariot] i.e. cart

  morte] death [of]

  long upon] on account of

  not in no counsel] not confidentially

  wrack] strife

  lain] conceal

  disparbled] broken up

  but if he be taken with the deed] unless he is taken red-handed

  wight] strong

  wrath] injure

  form] bench (to use as a battering-ram)

  deprave] accuse

  mal engine] evil purpose

  weal] happiness, well-being

  done for] helped

  fell to] fell in with

  heat] anger

  taken] understood

  handled] taken

  your althers advice] the advice of you all

  may happen to have magré] may turn out to be in disfavour

  grounden glaive] sharpened sword

  like of conditions] similar in character

  condescended] agreed

  all for-bled] having lost much blood

  I may not with my worship] I cannot honourably do otherwise

  mainour] incriminating circumstances