LXV. A Fugitive Poem of Myrdin in His Grave. Red Book of Hergest II.

LXV.

A FUGITIVE POEM OF MYRDIN IN HIS GRAVE.

RED BOOK OF HERGEST II.

THE man that speaks from the grave
Has been instructed that before seven years,
The horse of Eurdein of the North will die.

II. I have quaffed wine from a bright glass
With the lords of fierce war;
My name is Myrdin, son of Morvryn.

III. I have quaffed wine from a goblet
With the lords of devouring war;
Myrdin is my deserving name.

IV. When opposition will come upon a black wheel,
To destroy Lloegyr of exhausted course,
Bitter will be their enmity in defending
The White Mount; at the White Mount distress there will be,
And long regret to the nation of the Cymry.

V. There will be no protection in the recesses of Ardudwy,
In the maritime region of the Cymry,
From the renowned Boar of the intrepid host.

VI. When the red one of Normandy will come
To charge the Lloegrians with enormous expense, p. 479
There will be a tax upon every prediction,
And a castle at Aber Hodni.

VII. When the strong-freckled one will come
As far as Ryd Bengarn,
Men will be disgraced, hilts worn out:
The chief noble of Prydein will be their chief in judgment.

VIII. When Henri will come to claim
Mur Castell on the border of Eryri,
Disturbance beyond sea will call him.

IX. When the pale weak one will come to claim London,
Upon unhandsome horses,
He will call forth the lordship of Caergein.

X. Scarce the acorns, thick the corn,
When there will suddenly appear
A king, a youth, woo to such as tremble!

XI. There will be a youth of great renown,
Who will conquer a thousand cities;
Like the life of tender shoots will be that of the king I from a youth.

XII. Strong towards the weak will he be,
Weak towards the strong of the uplands;--
A ruler from whose coming worse it will fare.

XIII. There will be a state when they will delight in wantonness,
When women will be a soft herd,
And a host of young children at confession.

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XIV. There will be a state when they will delight in order;
Even the churl will do a good turn;
The maid will be handsome, and the youth resolute.

XV. There will be a state towards the end of the age,
When from adversity the young will fail,
And in May cuckoos die of cold.

XVI. There will be a state when they will delight in hunting-dogs,
And build in intricate places
And a shirt without great cost cannot be obtained.

XVII. There will be a state when they will delight in oaths;
Vice will be active, and churches neglected;
Words as well as relies will be broken,
Truth will disappear, and falsehood spread
Faith will be weak, and disputings on alternate days.

XVIII. There will be a state when they will delight in clothes;
The counsellor of a lord will be a vagrant of a bailiff;
Empty-handed the bard, gay the priest;
Men will be despised, refusals frequent.

XIX. There will be a state without wind, without rain,
Without too much ploughing, without too much consuming,
Land enough will one acre be for nine.

XX. When the men will come without manliness,
And corn grow in the place of trees,
In peace everywhere feasts will be prevalent.

XXI. When the cubit shall be held in esteem, trees in spring
There will be after the chief of mischief:
Let the cowhouse post be worse than a coulter.

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XXII. Wednesday, a day of enmity,
Blades will be completely worn out;
They will conceal two in the blood of Cynghen.

XXIII. In Aber Sor there will be a council,
On men after the devastation of battle,
A happy ruler is a leader in the camp.

XXIV. In Aber Avon will be the host of Mona,
And Angles after that will be at Hinwedon;
His valour will Moryon long preserve.

XXV. In Aber Dwvyr the leader will not hold out,
When that which will be performed by Gwidig will take place,
And after the battle of Cyvarllug.

XXVI. A battle will be on the river Byrri,
And the Brython will be victorious;
The men of Gwhyr will perform acts of heroism.

XXVII. In Aber Don a battle will ensue,
And the shafts will be unequal,
And crimson blood on the brow of Saxons.
Servile is thy cry, thou Gwendydd!
Have told it me the ghosts
Of the mountain, in Aber Carav.