Morfudd's Oath
Doing harm, a false offence,
is better than ill-tempered churlish sulking.
Morfudd would be fair with her love
4 in the end, hue of shining snow.
She of courteous manner, bright as Luned,
gave me her pledge
by means of her ring-laden hand
8 and will of mind and arm,
that she loves me, of noble descent,
if the ape loves its foster-son.
It's a worthy pledge if it be not forsworn,
12 happy will I be if it's true.
I have never received such full favour,
since I was [first] given a gift,
as getting this from the generous one,
16 if it is really a flawless gift.
It's no ornament, vain phrase,
made of valley birch, no false toy;
the goldwork of Mary's exalted Son
20 with His bare hand by the Lord's oil,
a psalm from God, ensealed it
as a holy treasure from His hand and His support,
and it was a full measure and it will be enough
24 of a knot between each of us,
and the one who breaks it
will go deep and long into the fire.
And I in turn gave to the shapely modest one
28 my [pledge] to my darling
as a firm oath, in a transient place,
in her hand, she of sun's colour,
as I was given by free power
32 in the [baptismal] water the name Dafydd,
sharp pang of desire, God's true desire,
that I love her of the hue of hillside snow.
The covenant was fortunate,
36 I know well, and it was God that made it.
The girl gave with the shape of her hand
a fistful, and blessed be it,
a solemn oath, perfect and full of grace,
40 the essence of absolute truth,
an oath to God with her right hand,
that, indeed, is no false oath;
a joyous growth in Indeg's hand,
44 a good oath across her fair hand.
It will be a book of love in her hand,
a legal authority by the summer.
The oath that Morfudd Llwyd gave
48 was sanctified in cold water.