Arthurian Legend

Greetings! I thought I'd post something up for you to enjoy - I write songs for the SCA (and sing them!) And this is one that I wrote a while ago, to the tune of Greensleeves (the verse only)

Ballad of King Arthur and Sir Lancelot.

In the golden cup swirled the blood-red wine
which he clutched unto his chest so near,
Oh Arthur cries in Camelot,
For he's lost his Guinevere,

Oh Guinevere, oh Guinevere,
to heav'n reached up his fervent call,
It echoed round the lonesome room,
And broke the surrounding pall.

"Betrayed! Betrayed!" King Arthur wept,
Though he loved them no less,
"I am betrayed by my knight,
And my Lady of Westernesse!"

The cry of the King was sad and faint,
"Oh God!" He wept, "This evil plot!"
Betrayed by the son he never had,
Betrayed by Sir Lancelot!

Thus the Golden City fell to despair,
As war reared up its ugly head,
Then into battle Arthur rode,
Weep England – your king is dead!


and if anyone's interested....here it is in Anglo Saxon. But I haven't done OE for ages, so I'm not sure if the translation's right...



Ballad of King Arthur and Sir Lancelot.
Gledd of Frea Arthur ond Leof Lancelot.

In the golden cup swirled the blood-red wine
In se gylden cuppe flowend se blod-read win,
which he clutched unto his chest so near,
ðe he fenged oð his banhus swa neah,
Oh Arthur cries in Camelot,
O, Arthur wop in Camelot,
For he's lost his Guinevere,
For he leosan his Guinevere.

Oh Guinevere, oh Guinevere,
O Guinevere, o Guinevere,
to heav'n reached up his fervent call,
To heofon ræcaned up his geornful hatan,
It echoed round the lonesome room,
Hit dynianed ymbutan se anstapa rum,
And broke the surrounding pall.
Ond brekan se fæðmian salnes.

“Betrayed! Betrayed!” King Arthur wept,
“Belæwan! Belæwan!” Frea Arthur wep,
Though he loved them no less,
Þeah he lufud hie ne læssa,
“I am betrayed by my knight,
“Ic sie belæwan be min cempa,
And my Lady of Westernesse!”
Ond min hlæfdige þæs Westernesse!”

The cry of the King was sad and faint,
Se cyrm of se Frea wæs gnorn ond stille,
“Oh God!” He wept, “This evil plot!”
“O Metod!” he wep, “ðes yfel sierwan!”
Betrayed by the son he never had,
Belæwan be se sunu he næfre ahte,
Betrayed by Sir Lancelot!
Belæwan be Leof Lancelot!

Thus the Golden City fell to despair,
Þus se Gylden Ceaster afyllan to gyrn,
As war reared up its ugly head,
Þam hild hebbaned hits unfæger heafod,
Then into battle Arthur rode,
Ðon in lindplega Arthur ridan,
Weep England – your king is dead!
Wop Englaland – incer Frea sie dead!