The Project Gutenberg EBook of Torrent of Portyngale, by Unknown

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Title: Torrent of Portyngale

Author: Unknown

Editor: Erich Adam

Release Date: February 9, 2011 [EBook #35190]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TORRENT OF PORTYNGALE ***

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[Transcriber’s Note:

This e-text includes characters that require UTF-8 (Unicode) file encoding:

  ȝ (yogh)
  ƚƚ (l with line: see typograpic notes)
  ŷ æ̂ (vowels with less common diacritics: only in the Introduction)

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All footnotes are shown immediately after their referring paragraph.
Except in the Introduction, footnotes are identified by section: T1,
T2… (Torrent, main text), F1 (Fragments) and N1 (Notes).

The main text is shown stanza by stanza. Sidenotes are grouped at the beginning of the stanza, linenotes and numbered footnotes (rare) at the end. Headnotes that originally came at mid-stanza have been moved to the following stanza break.

Italics representing expanded abbreviations are shown in {braces}. In the “Metre and Versification” section of the introduction, emphasis within italicized text is shown the same way. Emphasized words are shown with +marks+. Typographic details are given at the end of the e-text.

Errors and anomalies in the main text are shown in [[double brackets]] immediately after the linenotes for each stanza. Other errors are listed at the end of the e-text.

Except for brackets enclosing linenotes and errata, all brackets are in the original. Line numbers in brackets are explained in the Introduction.]

Torrent of Portyngale.

  Early English Text Society.
  Extra Series, No. LI.
  1887.

  Berlin: Asher & Co., 5, Unter Den Linden.
  New York: C. Scribner & Co.; Leypoldt & Holt.
  Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.

TORRENT OF PORTYNGALE.

Re-Edited

From the Unique MS. in the Chetham Library, Manchester,

by

E. ADAM, Ph.D.

  London:
  Publisht for the Early English Text Society
  By N. Trübner & Co., 57 & 59, Ludgate Hill.
  MDCCCLXXXVII.

DEDICATED

TO MY TEACHER AND HELPER,

PROF. E. KÖLBING, Ph.D.

  +Extra Series.+
  LI.
  Richard Clay & Sons, Limited, London & Bungay.

* * * * * * * * *

Torrent of Portyngale.

* * * * * * * * *

INTRODUCTION.

§ 1. The MS. and Halliwell’s edition, p. v.

§ 2. Metre and Versification, p. vi.

§ 3. Dialect, p. x; short vowels, p. xi; long vowels, p. xii; inflexions, p. xiii.

§ 4. a. The contents of the Romance, p. xvi; b. its character, p. xx; c. Origin of the story of Torrent, p. xxi; d. Legend of Eustache or Plasidas, p. xxii; e. Sir Isumbras, p. xxiv; f. Romances of Octavian, p. xxv; g. Sir Eglamour, p. xxvi; h. Comparison of Torrent and Eglamour, p. xxvii; i. the 2 Romances independent, p. xxx.

§ 5. Arrangement of this Edition, p. xxxii.

§ 1. The manuscript from which the following romance of Sir Torrent of Portugal is taken, is a folio volume on paper, of the fifteenth century, preserved in the Chetham Library at Manchester.

A description of this volume is given by Halliwell in his Account of the European MSS. in the Chetham Library at Manchester, Manchester, 1842, page 16, and by Prof. Koelbing in his Englische Studien, vii. 195. The only edition of this romance that we have hitherto had was done by Halliwell. As he had, besides his own transcript, another copy made by Madden, his text is a pretty accurate one, and therefore the results of Prof. Koelbing’s collation, printed in his Englische Studien, vii. 344 ff., concern, for the most part, things of little importance, except one very curious passage, l. 88, where Halliwell renders the quite correct reading of the MS., p la more de dewe = par l’amour de dieu, by Pericula more bedew[n]e. Also, from l. 1720, the counting of the lines is wrong by 100 lines.

A few short fragments of a printed edition were found by Halliwell in the Douce Collection, Bodleian Library, Oxford, and added to his work as an Appendix. They contain the following passages of the MS.:

  Fragment III. = lines 462-489.
      „ II. = „ 492-520.
      „ VI. = „ 820-851.
      „ V. = „ 917-948.
      „ IV. = „ 949-970.
      „ I. = „ 1807-1866.

A seventh fragment, of which not much more than the rhyming words are preserved, was omitted by Halliwell, and was printed for the first time in Prof. Koelbing’s collation.

This Chetham MS. contains the romance in a very debased and corrupt form, so that the original reading in many passages can hardly be recognized.[1] The scribe, who copied the poem from an older MS., lived (no doubt) at a far later period than the poet; he did not therefore understand a great many old expressions, and these he used to supplant by words of his own; he also transposed and even omitted many lines, and spoiled the rhyme, because he had not the slightest idea of the nature of the stanza in which the poem is composed. Halliwell did not trouble himself about the restoration of the true readings; he merely reproduced the traditional text, even where it would have been very easy to do more, though many passages are hopelessly corrupt; still worse is the fact, that he did not recognize the metre as the tail-rhymed twelve-line stanza, for he prints six-line stanzas.

[Footnote 1: Halliwell says, Preface v f.: ‘It is very incorrectly written, and the copy of the romance of Torrent of Portugal, which occupies 88 pages of the book, contains so many obvious blunders and omissions, that it may be conjectured with great probability to have been written down from oral recitation.’]

In consequence, the whole of the philological work on the text had still to be done, and a new edition was plainly necessary; the more that this poem, though not written in the best period of romance poetry, treats of a legendary subject widely spread in the Middle Ages, and is nearly related to another poem, Syr Eglamour of Artois.

§ 2. METRE AND VERSIFICATION.

As I mentioned before, the romance of Sir Torrent is composed in the well-known tail-rhymed twelve-line stanza, and belongs to that class of it in which the first and the second couplets have different rhyme-sounds (cf. Koelbing, Amis and Amiloun, p. xiv ff.). Only the incompleteness of many stanzas, and the many defects in reference to the rhyme, can excuse Halliwell for not apprehending the character of the metre. As to the structure of the eight lines of the four couplets, each contains (or at least ought to contain) four accents, the caudæ three; but as we, unfortunately, possess only one MS., a conclusive statement on this point is impossible. There is no doubt about the fact that neither the really incorrect rhymes nor the wanting of them can be due to the author of the poem: even when romance poetry was decaying, the poets were fairly perfect rhymers: with all deficiencies in this department, the copyists are to be charged.

Consonant rhymes (s. Schipper Altengl. Metrik, p. 299) are found in Torrent in the following passages: l. 141 rode—rode ags. rôd—râd. 450 the—the ags. þeón—þe. 1558 indede—dede. 2205 lay—lay, sg.—plr. prt.

Identical rhymes are frequent, especially in the caudæ: 81 stond—stond. 177 there—there. 500 he—hee. 1887 there—there. 2538 blithe—blithe. 39 take—take. 342 bold—bold, a. s. o.

Assonances: 195 bon~—Rome. 518 undyrstond—strong. 537 name—alone. 699 yod—fotte. 758 name—tane. 896 bryng—wynd. 1257 overcom~—Aragon~. 1768 man~—cam~. 2164 anon~—fome. 2544 sithe—hide.

Besides the rhymes we find abundant alliteration, as in most of the Middle English Romances. On alliteration, cf. Regel, Die alliteration in Laȝamon, Germ. Stud. I. 171; F. Lindner, The alliteration in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Essays on Chaucer, Pt. III., p. 197 ff. Koelbing, Sir Tristrem, p. xxxvii, and Amis and Amiloun, p. lxvi. Lindner as well as Koelbing has adopted Regel’s classification, and so shall I. The most frequent is two alliterative words in one verse; they can be classed in the following way:—

I. A. The same word is repeated in two succeeding lines; v. 456 f.: Forthe sche browght a {whyt} sted, As {whyt} as the flowyr in~ med; v. 618 f.: In IV {quarters} he hym drowe, And euery {quarter} vppon a bowe. v. 2026 f.: But ran into a {wilde}rnes Amongist beests that {wyld} wes. v. 2465 f.: They axid {hors} and armes bryght, to {hors}bak went thay in ffere.

B. Alliterative combinations, one part of which is a proper name. Torrent is several times combined with the verb take; 26: Towarde hym he {t}akythe {T}orrayne; 224: {T}orrent thether {t}oke the way; 519: {T}orrent {t}oke a dulful wey; 2269: Whan sir {T}orent was {t}akyn~ than~; 91: Now, be my {t}rowthe, seyd {T}orent than~; 1161: Alas, said {D}esoneƚƚ the {d}ere; 2523: As was {d}ame {D}esoneƚƚ; 1906 = 1946 = 1969: {M}ary {m}yld. To {s}end unto her {S}athanas. v. 1091: The {c}asteƚƚ of {C}ardon~.

II. A. Words of the same root are alliterative. 133: Torrent, on {kne} {kne}lyd he; 671: That on hys {kne} he {kne}ld; 2502: And {kne}lid on her {kne}; 205: Torrent {kne}lyd on hys {kne} = v. 528; 881: And {kne}lyd vppon ys {kne}; 1883: She {kne}lid down~ vppon~ her {kne}; 2563: Down~ they {kne}lid on~ her {kne}; 512: By {d}ymmynge of the {da}y; 1158: For her love {d}id I never no {d}ede; 1801: That ylke {d}ede, that she hath {d}one; 1943: How she {fl}ew in a {ffl}ight; 2384: {Liffe} and {lyv}elode, whiƚƚ I {lyve}; 233: A {lyon~} & a {lyon}asse; 1671: For to se that {s}elly {s}ight; 407: For the {t}alles thou hast me {t}old; 1466: And fals {t}alis hym~ {t}old; 2578: Euer we {wiƚƚ} be at youre {wiƚƚ}.

B. Relations in which alliterative words stand to each other according to their meaning.

a. Concrete ideas are joined together because they belong to the same sphere of life. 2017: {B}yrdus and {b}estis, aye woo ye be; 113: {b}one and {b}lod; 21: {k}yng and {k}nyght; 83: And ryche {c}astelles in that {c}ontre; 251: In lond with a {f}yndes {f}ere; 102: That {f}yndes {f}are for aye; 1094: Both at {k}nyght and {k}nave; 584: Bothe in~ {f}rethe and in {f}eld; 660: Stomlyng thurrow {f}rythe and {f}en~; 1378: Both be {h}old and be {h}yƚƚ; 2398: {l}ym~ and {l}ith; 750: {L}ytyƚƚ and {m}ykyƚƚ, {l}ese and {m}ore; 1899: That was {l}ord of aƚƚ that {l}ond; 2152: Loo, {l}ordys of euery {l}ond; 2375: With aƚƚ {m}aner of {m}ynstralsye; 149: He reynyd hys {s}ted vnto a {s}take; 1065: {W}aytes on the {w}aƚƚ gan blowe; 13: {w}ater and {w}ynde.

b. In the same way abstract ideas are connected, so far as they belong to the same sphere of life. 460: That {d}ethe ys {d}ynt schalt þou not thole; 1600: Of {d}eth yaue he no {d}out; 782 = 2062: {f}eyer and {f}re; 2153: {F}alshode wyƚƚ haue a {f}oule end; 1988: {H}elpe and {h}old I shaƚƚ hym yeve; 1492: They {s}at and {s}ong; 683: Cryst hym {s}aue and {s}ee; 1303: That he was {s}ad and {s}ore; 1612: set {s}adly and {s}ore; 335: God that {s}ofryd wonddes {s}ore; 322: {st}yff and {st}rong = 1491 = 2590; 1205: That {w}ekyd was and {w}ight; 1584: {w}ekyd and {w}ight; 1849: Her one child {w}oke and be-gan to {w}epe; 1559: And {w}ot ye {w}eƚƚ and not {w}ene; 246: Sche {w}eppte, as sche were {w}od.

C. The grammatical relations in which the alliterative words stand to each other.

a. Subst. and adj. in attributive or predicative combinations. As {b}old as eny {b}ore; With {br}owes {br}od and wyde; 142: hys {b}ugeƚƚ {b}old; 307: In a {d}ongon~ that ys {d}ym; 82: My {f}ayer~ {f}orestes {f}ellythe downe he; 209: The {f}eyer~ {f}yld; 426: {gl}emyrryng ase the {gl}ase; 1592: {g}ood {g}ate; 171 = 596: the {h}oltes {h}ore; 1484: To an {h}ye {h}yƚƚ; 1183: {s}ydes {s}are; 154: Thowe the {w}ey nevyr so {w}ykkyd were; 2054: {w}ekyd {w}eders; 506: In the {w}yld-some {w}ay; 535: {W}yldsom {w}eyes haue I {w}ent; 2030: She {w}ent on that {w}ilsom~ {w}ay.

b. Verbs or adjectives combined with the adverb or substantive which contains their secondary adverbial meaning. 1478: To {b}e here at his {b}ane, cf. 1678: That there his {b}ane hath {b}e; 1944: To her {b}irdus was she {b}oun~; 2016: With {b}lis on euery {b}owȝe; 135: That {b}owght hym with hys {b}lod; 1045: Thurrow the {b}ody he gan hym {b}ere; 1404: To the {b}ote they {b}are; 334: Thus he {c}ovyrd owt of {c}are; 27: That {d}owghtty ys in {d}edde, cf. 1725; 98: With-owt {f}ere that he schold {f}are; 603 = 977: Also {f}ast ase he myght {f}are; 536: With {f}yndes for to {f}yght; 802: To {f}yght with that {f}yndes fere; 1262: That was {gr}ow both {gr}ene and {g}ay; 1060 = 2330: Torent be the {h}ond he {h}ent; 270: That {m}eche ys of {m}yght; 713: That {m}eche wase of {m}yght; 24: For God ys {m}ost of {m}yght, cf. 1112: To a {m}an off {m}yght; 1879: Vp she {r}ose ageyn~ the {r}ough; 2100: Go {s}ech her in~ the {s}ee; 2129: And {s}ett hym~ oute in to the {s}ee; 2469: That {s}emely to {s}e were; 126: And {s}ymly was to {s}ene; 415: That dare I {s}othely {s}ey; 1170: Torrent {s}ett on hym~ so {s}ore; 139: Serttes, yf I hym {sl}epyng {sl}one; 181: Torrent vndyr hys {sp}ryt he {sp}rent; 179: But {st}ond {st}yƚƚ; 2410: He is so {st}iff at euery {st}oure; 987: Torrent in~ the {st}orrope {st}od; 1912: For no {st}roke wold she {st}ynt; 2060: By a {t}okyn~ I shaƚƚ the {t}eƚƚ; 2397: Or {w}alkyd in {w}ede; 383: In hys {w}alke ther ase he {w}ent; 725: And {w}ent forthe on hys {w}ey; 107: And on hys {w}ey gan he {w}ynd; 2030: She {w}ent on that {w}ilsom~ {w}ay; 989: ale {w}yld at {w}yle; 2088: In no {w}ise he {w}old; 1206: To {w}ed her to my {w}yffe; 749: That {w}yt ys vndyr {w}ede; 1315: Aƚƚ men {w}onderid on that {w}ight; 33: {w}orthyest in {w}ede.

c. Substantives and verbs are combined in the relation of subject and predicate. 2221: Down {kn}elid that {kn}yght; 854: Whether the {f}ynd can {f}yght; 2390: There that his {l}ady {l}ent; 2064: My {l}ove was on the {l}ent; 1219: Gret {l}ordys to churche her {l}ed; 170: The fyndes {sp}ere {sp}arrythe hyme nothyng; 84: No {st}on lettythe he {st}ond.

d. Verbs and substantives are combined as predicate and object. 2490: his {b}ak to {b}end; 2532: That {c}outh moche {c}urtesye; 273: Thy {d}ethe than wyƚƚ he {d}yght, cf. 1043: Hys {d}ethe to hyme ys {d}yght; 1648: Thy {d}eth now is {d}ight; 2123: What {d}eth they wold hym {d}o; 161: My lordes {f}rethe thus to {f}eƚƚ; 2235: {F}ound hym his {fi}ƚƚ off {ffy}ght; 1743: The {ff}orward ye to {f}ulleffylle; 651: He {g}athyred svm of hys {g}ere; 210: Vpp both his {h}andes he {h}eld; 1799: For Iesu is love, that {h}arood {h}eƚƚ; 1820: Whan they {l}ed that {l}ady ffre; 2080: {L}eve we now that {l}ady gent; 1663: Ech on other {l}aid good {l}ode; 1495: To god that {m}ade {m}an; 435: A gret {m}aynerey let he {m}ake ryght; 264: To hym sche {m}ad here {m}one; 645: He {r}awght Torrent soche a {r}owght; 1172: And aƚƚ to {sh}everd his {sh}eld; 502: Tho he be {st}rod anoble {st}ede; 2482: Torent be {str}ode a stede {str}ong; 281: I schaƚƚ the {t}eƚƚ soche a {t}okyn~; 2013: Ne {w}anted she no {w}oo; 115: He that schaƚƚ {w}end soche a {w}ey; 439: Hom-ward to {w}end ther {w}ey; 2448: And than~ to {w}end her {w}ay; 2457: And to her logyng {w}ent her {w}ay; 1544: Other {w}ayes yf I {w}end; 207: That hathe thys {w}orld to {w}yld.

§ 3. THE DIALECT.

The stanza of twelve lines was probably first employed in the north of England; at least it would be difficult to prove the existence of a poem composed in this metre in the southern part of the country; therefore it is beforehand probable that the romance of Torrent was composed either in some part of the Midlands or in the North. In order to determine the dialect more precisely, we restrict ourselves to a careful consideration of the rhymes.

1. SHORT VOWELS.

Old English ă is (1) preserved before n and m: 744 and 788 Iame — +name+. 927 Adryan — +jentylmane+. 13 +londe+ — +wonande+. 352 +stond+ — +lygand+. 1128 +stond+ — +shynand+. No part. pres. on-ond rhyming with an unvariable -ond has been traced out until now, but 1824 +wepand+ — wonde (ags. wunden) seems to be the first. 2. Changed into o. 516 rome — +frome+ ags. rûm — fram. 2446 +mon~+ — done. 1190 none — shone — +anon+ — done. 1257 +ouercom+ — Aragon~. 1989 son — +can+ (= +con+). 2040 +anon~+ — bone. A curious exception is 1929 +grame+ (= greme) — teme — Ierusalem; cf. Gaw. l. 312.

O.E. e, the i-umlaut of a, is preserved: 373 end — +wend+. 476 +went+ — jent. 924 teƚƚ — +hell+. 1702 +hell+ — Desoneƚƚe. 1798 feƚƚ — +heƚƚ+. The past partic. of seón, segen, has been contracted into sen. 1562 +sene+ — wene.

O.E. æ has become a: 45 +spake+ — take. 363 ffare — +bare+. 726 and 876 +sale+ — Portynggaƚƚe. 1074 passe — +was+. 1131 +sale+ — tale. 1233 +thare+ — fare. 1236 +was+ — Sathanas. 1399 care — +thare+. 2287 +was+ — alas.

æ has become e: 2026 wildernes — +was+. 764 derre — clere — +ware+ (ags. wær). 1951 +there+ — bere. 328 +glad+ (= gled) — redd.

æ has become ay by the vocalization of the following g: 25 +fayne+ — Torrayne. 1025 +may+ — +day+, +wey+ — +laye+. 1071 +say+ — +day+. 2029 +day+ — +way+.

O.E. ea becomes o before ld: 303 +hold+ — +bold+, fold (ags. folde) — +cold+. 422 gold — mold, +hold+ — +told+.

ea has become a: 399 Portyngaƚƚ — +bale+ (ags. bealu). 531 +care+ — far~ (ags. cearu). 1891 ffare — +care+.

ea has become e: 1166 beheld — feld — sheld — +weld+ (ags. wealdan). 2359 preste — +breste+ (ags. bearst).

O.E. eo has turned into e: 1166 +beheld+ — ffeld — sheld — weld.

O.E. ĭ is preserved as i and y: 51 +knyght+ — +nyght+. 307 +dym+ — +hym+. 1783 +myld+ — +child+. Only once this vowel has changed into e: 714 +wret+ — get. i rhymes with e: 3 wynde — ende — lende — ffynde.

O.E. ŏ is unaltered: 422 +gold+ — +mold+. 1122 +gold+ — +mold+.

O.E. ŭ has become o: 367 +dore+ (ags. duru) — befor~. 765 Aragon~ — son~. 1257 +ouer+ com — Aragon~. 1762 com~ — kyngdome. 1801 done — +sonne+ (ags. sunu). 2320 +sonne+ — dungeon.

O.E. y̆, the i-umlaut of ŭ, has the value of i, written i or y: 390 +kysse+ — iwysse. 1564 tiƚƚ — +fullefyƚƚ+, yƚƚ — wyƚƚ. 1740 evyƚƚ — +fulle fylle+. Only once it rhymes with e: 1484 +hyƚƚ+ (= +heƚƚ+) — yeƚƚ — befeƚƚ — weƚƚ, never with u.

2. LONG VOWELS.

O.E. â is preserved in the following rhymes:[2] a. 39 take — +stroke+ (= strake, ags. strâc), spake — take. 97 +sore+ — fare. 103 +goos+ — +takythe+ (= gas — tas). 280 wakyn~ — +tokyn+~ (ags. tâcen). 334 care — +sore+. 590 fare — wher, +hore+ — care. 705 fare — +gere+ (ags. gâr). 788 Iame — name, +bone+ — schame. 834 +ga+ — ma. 977 fare — bare, +sare+ — chaffare. 1143 glade — +rade+. 1238 Cate — gate, bad — +wott+ (ags. wât). 1251 +brod+ — made; cf. 1303, 1306, 1501, 1526, 1604, 1612, 1663, 1669, 1825, 1911, 2178, 2356, 2617.

[Footnote 2: The rhymes with tane and with John are not quoted, as these words occur also as tone and Johan; they are, therefore, of no use in fixing the sound of the â.]

b. O.E. â has changed into o: 16 sone (ags. sunu) — +gon+. 141 rode — +rode+ (ags. rôd — râd). 195 +bon+ (ags. bân) — Rome. 238 +wote+ (ags. wât) — fote. 654 browȝ — +goo+. 1062 +tho+ — do. Cf. 1196, 1226, 1295, 1381, 1809, 1812, 1815, 2013, 2025, 2028, 2037, 2046, 2295, 2298, 2301, 2542. The result is, that in 26 cases old â is preserved, in 22 cases changed into ô.

O.E. æ̂ is turned into (1) a: 154 +were+ — fare. 603 fare — +were+. 1020 +were+ — fare. 2074 care — +ware+.

Into (2) e. 379 +dede+ (ags. dæ̂d) — hed. 1047 +were+ — chere. 1053 sped — +lede+ (ags. læ̂dan). 1263 stede — +wede+ (ags. wæ̂d).

Into (3) o. 1113 +mone+ (ags. mæ̂nan) — Aragon. 1384 beffore — there — +were+.

O.E. ô is preserved throughout: 73 +wode+ — +good+. 112 +rode+ — +blod+. 118 Rome — +kyrstendome+. 313 +done+ — +sone+.

Before g the vowel u resp. w is inserted: 145 +browght+ — nowght. 279 +browght+ — +thowght+. 2053 +sought+ — +brought+.

O.E. ê is preserved: 123 +kene+ — sene. 743 dede — +sped+, wede. 1849 +wepe+ — slepe. 2055 grene — +kene+. 2458 be dene — +wene+.

O.E. î is preserved as y: 196 +tyd+ — +syd+. 325 +fyve+ — +lyve+. 777 +wyse+ — deuyce. 900 +ryde+ — +syde+.

O.E. û is written ou resp. ow in the French way: 921 renowne — +towyn~+. 978 +downe+ — renowne. 1425 +nowe+ — rowe. 2634 +mouth+ — +couth+. It has become o: 516 +rome+ — frome (ags. rûm — from). Cf. 2641 renown — +son+.

O.E. eá has become e: 1929 grame — +streme+, Jerusalem. 2554 Jerusalem~ — +streme+ (ags. streám).

O.E. eó has changed into e: 153 +be+ — hee: 782 +fre+ — he. 888 +tre+ — crystyanté. 1643 +be+ — charité. 1861 +ffree+ — cité.

O.E. ŷ remains y: 1361 pride — +bedsyde+. 1433 pryde — +ryde+. 1473 +wyde+ — pride. ŷ or ê, the i-umlaut of eá or e, is found as e: 63 were — +here+ (ags. hŷran). 235 +here+ — were. 327 sted — yed, +nede+ — sped. 408 yede — +ned+. 1552 stede — +nede+, indede.

3. THE INFLEXIONS.

The plural of the substantives terminates in (1) s resp. ys: 837 +ryghtys+ — knyghtes. 1298 +stonys+ — nonys.

(2) in n: 458 +slon+ — appon. 1116 done — +shone+. 1193 +shone+ — anon, done.

(3) is formed by i-umlaut: +men+ 1784, 2282, but 2197 wan — +men+ (= man).

(4) has no inflexion: 651 +gere+ — +spere+. 705 far — +gere+. 836 hend — +frende+, sende. 1173 ffere — +yere+. 1405 hend — +frend+. 1556 +stone+ — gone. 2188 were — +yere+. 2194 here — +yere+. The inflexions of the adjectives have totally disappeared.

The infinitive ends in -ne or n, or has no termination at all. (1) with n: 123 kene — see (= +sene+). 217 ageyne — +sayne+. 262 fayne — +slayne+. 489 Mavdeleyn — +seyne+; 16 sone — +gon+.

(2) without n: 67 sake — +take+. 93 kynd — +fynd+. 148 +wake+ — stake. 184 so — +goo+. 434 Adolake — +take+. 1062 tho — +do+. 1762 me — +se+.

The 2nd person sing. of the pres. ind. occurs only once in the rhyme, 1333 tase — +thou hase+, tas — gas.

The 3rd person sing. of the present indicative ends in s: 187 +tellys+ — ellys. 2317 rose — +gose+. 558 +tellythe+ — elles (The rhyme shows that +tellys+ must be inserted; cf. 103 gos — takythe, and 858 gothe — toke = +gas+ — +tas+.) Only once th occurs: 2047 Nazareth — +gethe+ (ags. gæð). On this remarkable form see Zupitza, Guy of Warwick, note on l. 11075. The plural has no termination: 3 +wynde+ — ende — lende.

The subjunctive mood has no inflexions: 70 +sped+ — stede, 3rd pers. 87 +blynd+ — wynde, 3rd pers. 213 fyld — +schyld+, 3rd pers. 416 sey — +may+, 2nd pers. sg. 584 feld — +schyld+, 3rd pers. sg. 1978 +saue+ — haue; but observe 139 +slone+ — none and 1839 +sene+ — grene.

The present participle ends usually in -ande (onde): 13 londe — +wonande+. 127 fonde — +growonde+. 315 +levand+ — bond. 352 stand — +lygand+. 358 vndyrstond — +levand+. 1128 stond — +shynand+. 1280 +fayland+ — lond. 1445 +fleand+ — waraunt. 1452 ffand — +goand+. 1821 lond — +wepand+. 1899 lond — +pleyand+. 2104 hond — +levand+. Thrice -yng is found: 268 kyng — +dwellyng+, 1638 and 2568.

The gerund terminates always in ing (yng): 1479 kyng — +ryding+. 1503 +comyng+ — kyng. 1933 ryng — +lettyng+. 2509 kyng — +lesyng+.

Observe the 2nd pers. sing. of a past tense, 1589 +thou cam~+ — slan~, of a praeterito-praesens, 410 they — sey, +thow may+. 1543 away — aye, +may+. 2001 +may+ — welaway.

The past participle of strong verbs terminates in n: 482 +syne+ — schene, wene — clene. 675 +slayne+ — rayne. 800 +slayne+ — trayne. 1292 fayn~ — +slayn~+. 1562 +sene+ — wene. 2323 alone — +slone+. We don’t find one certain instance for the dropping of this n, besides 1678 and 2063 be.

The past tense plural of strong verbs has the same vowel as the singular: 1452 They +ffound+ (r. ffand) — goand. 1458 +began+ — gentilman. 1753 tong — +dong+.

The 3rd pers. of the present indic. of to be = ys or es: cf. 738 blyse — +ys+. 2413 +ys+ — Raynes. Once +ys+ is found as plural: 2524 +ys+ — iwys. The present subjunctive is be through all persons: 208 +be+ — me, 2nd pers. 614 +be+ — se, 3rd pers. 884 the — +bee+, 3rd pers. 2017 +be+ — me, 2nd pers. plr. The infinitive +be+ and bene: 49 the — +bee+. 483 +be+ — see. 1643 +be+ — charite. 903 the — +bee+. 1833 clene — +bene+. 2161 quene — +bene+. 2613 +bene+ — kene. The past tense singular number is was or wes: 247 alas — +wase+. 426 glase — +was+. 771 pase — +wase+. 1873 wyldernes — +was+ (= wes). The plural were, ware, wore, as well as was, wes: (1) l. 402 +wer~+ — cher. 1047 +were+ — chere. 1845 +were+ — ffere. 2586 squiere — +were+, here — clere. (2) 603 fare — +were+. 2494 +ware+ — bare. 1384 beffore — there, +were+ (= wore). (3) 384 pase — +wase+. 1388 passe — +was+. (4) 2026 wildernes — +was+ (= wes). 2545 wildernes — +was+; cf. l. 2584. The subjunctive mood of the past tense is were and ware, in sgl. and plr.: 225 +were+ — clere. 235 here — +were+. 1696 chere — +were+. 2476 +were+ — bere. 154 +were+ (= ware) — fare. 1020 +wer+ (= ware) — fare. 2074 care — +ware+. The past participle: 7 bedene — +ben+. 172 +byne+ — seyn. 2344 +ibene+ — kene. 1678 +be+ — crystiaunte.

From this inquiry into the sounds and inflexions, the following conclusions can be drawn:

The development of ă is of no use in fixing the dialect. Nor is ea, which has become a, o, and e, to be deemed a characteristic either of the Midland or Northern dialect. Ags. ea occurs as o as early as 1250 in the Northumbrian Psalter, and 50 years afterwards in Sir Tristrem and Sir Perceval; even Richard Rolle in his Pricke of Conscience offers one instance of this change (cf. Sir Tristrem, p. lxix f.).

The development of the ags. â, which we find in 26 passages as a, in 22 as o, is remarkable. There are only a very few instances of this change in Sir Tristrem, p. lxxi, and in the Psalter; and this almost equal number of a- and o-rhymes proves evidently that the poem cannot belong to a Northern country. At the same time, a proportion like that would be impossible in a text of Southern origin. The same negative result is to be derived from the fact that Ags. y is always written y.

As to the inflexions, the plurals of the substantives are formed by adding -s or -n (en), or by vowel change, or they have no inflexions at all. As for the inflexion -n, it only occurs in slon and shon, and of this very word the plural in n is to be met with even in Northern writers.

The infinitives both preserve or drop the final n, as is the rule with the Midland dialect; the form of the past participle with n accords with the use of the Northern writers.

The present partic. ending in -and and the past tense plurals of strong verbs having adopted the vowel of the singular, agree with the North as well as with the northern districts of the Midland, in the same way as some forms of to be: plr. prs. ys and plr. prt. was, besides the usual forms be and are, resp. were and ware, and the contracted forms of take: 758 name — +tane+. 1095 gane — +itane+. 1825 +ta+ — twa (cf. 231, 286, 859, 1333, 1475, 1722, 1733, 2617).

The forms thou has and thou may point to the West.

The inflexions of the 3rd pers. prs. sg. are -th and -s. In the western part of the Midland we never meet with the ending th, but only with s. In Amis and Amiloun, the Eastern origin of which seems to be sure, only the inflexion -eþ is found in the rhyme (Amis, p. xxx ff.).

The romance of Sir Torrent seems to be the first document hitherto considered where both these forms occur, one by the side of the other. Perhaps this fact justifies us in concluding that this poem was composed in the east, but on the borders of the west, Midland.

§ 4. THE CONTENTS OF THE ROMANCE.

Before entering on an inquiry into the sources of the romance, it may be expedient to give a short account of its contents.

In Portugal once reigned a mighty king, whose name was Calamond. He had an only daughter, the fair and gentle Desonelle, who was loved by a young knight called Torrent, son of a Portuguese count. As he could not win her, save by distinguishing himself by valiant exploits, he undertook several adventurous expeditions. First he set out, by the order of the king, against a mischievous and dangerous giant, whom he found lying fast asleep on a hill. He roused the giant by sounding his bugle, and challenged him to fight. Instantly a fierce combat ensued, in which the awkward giant lost his life. In the giant’s castle the young hero delivered a maiden, Eleonore, daughter of the king of Gales, from captivity, and rescued at the same time four princes, whom the giant had taken some time before and imprisoned in an iron cage.

After a short rest Torrent returned into Portugal. He was kindly received by King Calamond, and splendid festivities were celebrated in his honour. The kings of Gales and of Provence showed their gratitude by bestowing on him rich presents, among them a precious sword wrought by Wayland Smith. Desonelle gave him one of her fine palfreys. Calamond, however, shrewd as he was, and envious of the hero’s fame, plotted his ruin. He caused him, by a counterfeit letter of Desonelle, to catch her a falcon in the forest of Maudlen, which was the haunt of a dangerous giant, Rochense, and of many wild beasts. Torrent and his squire set out immediately, but separated on entering the forest, to hunt in the thicket each by himself. Torrent soon encountered a huge dragon, and killed it by vehement strokes. The squire, having meanwhile fallen in with the giant, had been slain by him. The hero, called to the place by the tumult of battle, attacked the giant, and overcame him after a hard struggle. He cut off his head to bear with him as a trophy. He then went into the giant’s castle, where he found a great many jewels, and a bright sword called Mownpolyard. Having returned to the royal court, he ordered five priests to say masses for his squire’s soul. At this very time it happened that the king of Arragon sent messengers to the king of Portugal, in order to bring about a marriage between Desonelle and his youngest son. Calamond would not listen to the advice of his spouse, that he should no longer refuse Desonelle to Torrent, but he promised her to the prince of Arragon, and at the same time sent the hero once more against a giant, Slogus of Foulles in Calabre.

Torrent departed well armed, and after a prosperous voyage arrived in Calabre. There he soon met the giant, who was one-eyed like the Cyclops, and bore a huge cudgel as his only weapon. Torrent threw his spear into the fiend’s eye, and thus overcame him without any long struggle. The king of Calabre graciously welcomed the hero, and largely rewarded him for the service he had rendered his country. Having returned into Portugal, Torrent heard that in a few weeks Desonelle was to be married to the prince of Arragon. Arrayed in knightly dress, he rode right off to Calamond’s court, and challenged his rival to fight. After a short struggle he completely vanquished his antagonist, stretching him on the ground. The next day, as the king, surrounded by his noble guests, banqueted in the great hall of the castle, Torrent entered with the giant’s head in his hand, and harshly demanded the king’s daughter; he called all the lords to witness of Calamond’s perfidy.

The Emperor of Rome now interceded, and it was agreed at his suggestion that Torrent should fight once more against a giant named Cate; if he vanquished that adversary, he should obtain Desonelle and half Arragon. On an isle near the sea-shore the struggle began in presence of the assembled knights. Torrent struck the club out of the giant’s hand, put him to flight, and killed him as he ran away, casting stones at him. Then the Emperor decided, with the approbation of all his knights, that the hero had won both the land and the maiden.

Torrent obtained Desonelle, and rejoiced in the possession of her, but no solemn marriage was performed.

Twelve weeks after, he left his spouse, impelled by his venturous and ambitious mind; for the king of Norway asked him to fight against a wild giant who had carried off his daughter and was destroying his castles. Torrent bade his mistress farewell, leaving her two golden rings as talismans, and set off with fifty companions. Arrived at the coast of Norway, he and his companions entered a dense forest, in which a great many wild beasts lived. His companions, seized with fear, parted from him, and continued their voyage at sea. They told the king of Norway the false tale that Torrent had perished on shore. The king then set out himself to rescue his daughter. Torrent meanwhile encountered a giant named Weraunt, Cate’s brother, and slew him in a hard struggle, but was himself wounded. In the giant’s castle he saved Gendres, daughter of the Norwegian king, and conducted her to her father. On the road they were met by a large train of gallant knights, and were then convoyed in triumph to the king’s court. There Torrent soon recovered from his wounds, and was amply rewarded with honours and presents. He stayed above twelve months at the Norwegian court. The false companions of Torrent were drowned in the sea by the king’s command, but one squire escaped to Portugal, and reported the tidings that Torrent yet remained in Norway. Soon after, as Desonelle was delivered of twins, the hatred of Calamond suddenly broke out against her. By his order, Desonelle and her two children were put to sea in a small boat; but a favourable wind saved them from ruin, and drove the boat upon the coast of Palestine. As she, helpless, wandered about the downs, a huge dragon (griffin or gripe) appeared, and seized one of her children, and immediately after a wild leopard dragged away the other. With submission she suffered her miserable fate, relying on the help of the Holy Virgin.

The king of Jerusalem, just returning from a voyage, happened to find the leopard with the child, which he ordered to be saved and delivered to him. Seeing from the foundling’s golden ring that the child was of noble descent, and pitying its helpless state, he took it into his palace, and brought him up as his own son (as it were) at his court. The child was named Leobertus.

The dragon or gripe with the other child was seen by a pious hermit, St. Antony, who, though son of the king of Greece, had in his youth forsaken the world. Through his prayer St. Mary made the dragon put down the infant; Antony carried him to his father, who adopted him and ordered him to be baptized. He was named Antony fice Greffoun (Antony, son of the griffin or gripe).

Desonelle wandered up and down, after the loss of her children, till she happened to meet the king of Nazareth hunting. He, recognizing her as the king of Portugal’s daughter, gave her a kind welcome and assistance. At his court she lived several years in happy retirement. Torrent returned at length into Portugal, notwithstanding all the entreaties of the Norwegian king that he would dwell in Norway somewhat longer. At his arrival, King Calamond took refuge in his stronghold, and greeted him from thence with scornful words. Torrent, after having summoned his friends from Arragon, Provence, and Calabre, conquered the castle, and took Calamond prisoner. The traitor was sent out to sea in a leaky boat, and perished.

In his stead, Torrent was elected king by all the noblemen of the empire, and took the crown. But forty days after this, he quitted his realm, having intrusted two knights with its government, and passed to the Holy Land at the head of a large force. There he fought fifteen years against the infidels, conquered several towns, and got immeasurable treasures as booty. The king of Jerusalem, hearing about Torrent’s deeds, and anxious for his own security, sent his son Leobertus, with an army of 50,000 men, against Torrent. A pitched battle began, but it was for a long time doubtful to which side victory would incline, till at last the two chiefs encountered. The son vanquishing his father decided the fate of the battle. Torrent was conveyed as a prisoner to Jerusalem, and thrown into a dungeon. There he lay above a year, till he was once overheard complaining his misfortunes by his son, who, touched with pity, prevailed upon the king to set Torrent at liberty. In this new state Torrent soon found an opportunity to show his valour and skill in arms, when a grand tournament was held at Jerusalem. There he proved sole victor over all the knights, and got the chief prize. The king of Nazareth, who had assisted at this joust, telling his folk at home who had won the prize, described the arms and escutcheon of the valiant knight. By these Desonelle recognized her beloved spouse. At her request the king called princes and knights from all parts of the world to a great tournament. The kings of Jerusalem, Greece, Leobertus, Antony fice Greffoun, and Torrent answered the call. Before an illustrious assembly of mighty princes and noble ladies, all of whom were surpassed by Desonelle in beauty and grace, the tournament began. Leobertus and Antony excelled in it, but the chief was Torrent, who performed wonders in the joust, vanquishing all valiant adversaries. The next morning Desonelle could no longer brook reserve, and was about to discover herself to Torrent; but overwhelmed with joy she fainted, when she had scarcely uttered the first words of greeting. It was not till midday that she was able to tell Torrent and the other knights her fates and those of her children. Then parents and children passionately embraced on recognizing each other. At Torrent’s request, all of them, with the kings of Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Greece, and many attendants, sailed for Portugal. There the nuptials of Torrent with Desonelle were celebrated with a great round of splendid festivities. Torrent was finally elected Emperor of Rome, and reigned a long time gloriously. He lies there buried in a fair abbey.

A benediction finishes the romance.

If we take a survey of the poem, we shall recognize in its conception a harmonious plan and a certain unity of action, which, as in most of the romances, is founded on the hero and the interest he affects us with (See Ten Brink, Engl. Literat., I. p. 317). In the centre of the action is placed Torrent’s love of Desonelle; for all the various combats that he undertakes against dragons and giants, against the prince of Arragon and King Calamond, are undertaken solely to gain him Desonelle. Even his expedition against the infidels and the fighting with his son are designed by Providence to make him find again his lost love. Halliwell (Preface, p. vii), therefore, is not right in deeming the romance ‘a rambling poem of adventures without much plot.’ The length and tediousness of the episodes may have prevented him from recognizing the unity of the whole. At the same time, however, it must be admitted that the poem cannot rank with the masterpieces of romantic poetry written in the same metre, like Amis and Amiloun, Ipomadon, Kyng of Tars, Octavian, either in the invention of plot or in the dissection of passions. The diction is so swelled with stereotyped phrases, and so surfeited with trivialities, that we may justly suppose the poem to have been composed at a period when romantic poetry had passed its best time, and had begun to decay. As to the authorship of the poem, it was probably composed by a monk. It is an easy thing to show peculiarities in the course of the story which are essentially monkish. As the romance begins and ends with a benediction, in the same way each deed and each adventure of the hero is introduced and finished by long prayers. Moreover, the poet points frequently to a direct interposition of Heaven (ll. 675, 1568, 1948); he describes the anguish and sorrow that Desonelle feels about her children’s baptism (ll. 1892-1896 and 2074-76); he mentions emphatically Communion and Confession (1272 and 2139), Masses (756 and 813); he finally praises the Emperor for founding churches and abbeys (l. 2658). On the other side, we find very few of those marks which characterize the works of minstrels: the poet seldom predicts the fates of his heroes to excite the attention of his auditors; he mentions only by the way the performances of the gleemen, and nowhere speaks of the rewards that they get.

Passing to a special inquiry into the origin of the story of Torrent, I cannot persuade myself that it is of the poet’s own invention, as that would be the only instance of a Middle-English romance not being taken from foreign originals (except, of course, Chaucer’s Sir Thopas, which was written to ridicule this whole branch of poetry), whilst slight alterations or additions were frequently introduced by the translators. A French original of the romance is supposed by Halliwell to have existed (Preface, vi). He says, ‘It is probably, like the second copy of the romance of Horn, a modernized version of an older English romance, which was itself translated from the French. I have not been able to discover any traces of the French original, but there are some singular allusions to its origin in the poem itself. I allude to the frequent references to the Book of Rome.[3] This term was applied to the French language, in which most of the old romances were originally written.’ As for me, I don’t think that we can much rely upon references of this kind, because they are common to all of these Middle-English romances. Of a somewhat greater weight is perhaps the fact that one or two of the proper names are French; and even the oath, ‘par l’amour de dieu,’ is worth mentioning. After all, there is no evident proof as to the French origin. But there is no doubt that the story of Torrent in its principal features—the adversities of a family separated by misfortunes, the mother robbed of her children by wild beasts, at last united again—proceeded from the old Eustache legend.[4-5] Therewith another motive is combined, that of the woman innocently condemned, on which motive a large stock of legends is founded; for instance, those of Crescentia, Sibilla, Oliva, Genovefa, Griseldis and Octavian legends. Upon this motive and its old origin from India, see Streve, ‘The Octavian legend,’ Erlangen Dissert., 84.

[Footnote 3: On this term see Octavian, ed. Sarrazin, p. xxxviii.]

[Footnote 4: See Warton’s opinion upon the legendary origin of many romances, History of Engl. Poetry, London, 1824, I. p. ccxliv: ‘Many romances were at first little more than legends of devotion, containing the pilgrimage of an old warrior. At length, as chivalry came into vogue, the youthful and active part of the pilgrim’s life was also written. The penitent changed into the knight-errant.’ Sometimes, of course, the opposite change may have taken place, as for instance is probably the case with the story of the two faithful friends, Amis and Amiloun (cf. Koelbing, Amis, p. lxxxi), and with the story of Robert the Devil (cf. Sir Gowther, ed. Breul, p. 74).]

    [Footnote 5: See the edition of The worthie Hystorie of
    Plasidas, 1566, by H. H. Gibbs, for the Roxburghe Club, 1873.]

I will consider first the legend of Eustache in its original version. According to the Greek Martyr Acts, which were probably composed in the eighth century, this saint was before his baptism a captain of Trajan, named Placidus. As he one day hunted in the forest, the Saviour appeared to him between the antlers of a hart, and converted him. Placidus changed his name into Eustache, when he was baptized with his wife and sons. God announced to him by an angel his future martyrdom. Eustache was afflicted by dreadful calamities, lost all his estate, and was compelled to go abroad as a beggar with his wife and his children. As he went on board a ship bound for Egypt, his wife was seized by the shipmaster and carried off. Soon after, when Eustache was travelling along the shore, his two children were borne away by a lion and a leopard. Eustache then worked for a long time as a journeyman, till he was discovered by the Emperor Trajan, who had sent out messengers for him, and called him to his court. Reappointed captain, Eustache undertook an expedition against the Dacians. During this war he found his wife in a cottage as a gardener,—the shipmaster had fallen dead to the ground as he ventured to touch her,—and in the same cottage he found again his two sons as soldiers: herdsmen had rescued them from the wild beasts, and brought them up. Glad was their meeting again! But as they returned to Rome, they were all burnt in a glowing bull of brass by the Emperor’s order, because they refused to sacrifice to the heathen gods.

This legend, which reminds us at once of the story of Job, has been incorporated in almost all mediæval collections of legends, and upon it are founded some mediæval poems, which are enumerated by H. Knust in his splendid work Dos Obras Didácticas y dos Leyendas, Madrid, 1878; cf. R. Köhler, Zeitschrift für rom. phil. III, p. 272 ff., Varnhagen, Anglia, III, p. 399 ff.; two latin versions are edited by the same, Zeitschrift für deutsches Alterthum XXIV, p. 241 ff., and XXV, p. 1 ff.

English legends of Eustache are to be found

(1) In Ælfric’s Passiones Martyrum; see Horstmann, Altenglische Legenden, Second series, Heilbronn, 1881, p. xli.

(2) In the South-English collection, l.c. p. xlviii.

(3) In the Northern collection, pp. lxi and lxiv. Herrig’s Archiv 57, p. 262 ff.

(4) In the Scottish collection of legends, said to be Barbour’s. Cf. Barbour’s Legendensammlung, ed. C. Horstmann, Heilbronn, 82, ii. p. 12.

(5) In the old Engl. translation of the Legenda aurea, see Horstm., l.c., p. cxxxv. Caxton’s edition of the legend, No. 196.

(6) The complete text of the legend printed in Horstmann’s above-mentioned collection, Altengl. Legendensamml., p. 211 ff.

(7) St. Eustas, by I. Partridge, see Gibbs’ above-mentioned edition, and Horstm., l.c. p. 472 ff.

With this legend are connected, more or less, the following poems, which it is necessary to speak of in turn:

(1) The Pseudo-Chrestien epic poem, Guillaume d’Engleterre.[6]

    [Footnote 6: Guill. d’Engleterre, ed. Fr. Michel, Chron.
    Anglo-Norm., III. 39-172. On the authorship of this poem see C.
    Hofmann, Sitzungsberichte der Münch. Akad., 1870, II. p. 51, and
    P. Meyer, Romania, VIII. p. 815 f.]

(2) The two Middle High German poems, Die gute Frau,[7] and (3) Der Graf von Savoyen.[8]

    [Footnote 7: Die gute Frau, ed. E. Sommer in Haupt’s
    Zeitschrift für deutsches Alterthum, II. 389.]

    [Footnote 8: Der Graf v. Savoyen, ed. F. H. v. d. Hagen,
    Minnesinger, IV. 640, and Eschenburg, Denkmäler altdeutscher
    Dichtkunst, Bremen, 1799.]

(4) The romances of Isumbras; (5) of Octavian; (6) last, Syr Eglamour of Artois, and (7) Sir Torrent of Portugal.

The first five have been treated by Holland in his book, Chrestien de
Troies, Tübingen, 1854.

According to Holland’s opinion, all of these are derived from the legend of Eustache. He has not exactly inquired into each of them, but restricts himself to a detailed account of their contents. A critical inquiry into these poems, except the romance of Octavian, has been recently published by J. Steinbach: Der einfluss des Crestien de Troies auf die altenglische literatur. Leipzig, 1886, p. 41 ff. As to the French and the two German poems, it may be sufficient to refer to this exhaustive essay, since it is only by the same legendary origin that they are connected with Sir Torrent; otherwise they are quite different.

But of the English romances of Sir Isumbras and of Octavian it is necessary to treat more minutely. Isumbras was edited first by Utterson in his Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry, London, 1817; secondly by Halliwell in The Thornton Romances, from the Lincoln MS. A. i. 17. A critical edition of this poem has long been promised by Prof. Zupitza.

In this romance the legend of Eustache can be most clearly recognized. Its contents are, indeed, somewhat transformed according to the taste of the later Middle Ages: the Roman captain is changed into a Christian knight, who performs wonders in fighting against the infidels; he finds his wife as queen of a heathen country; they end their lives as mighty princes, and so on. The legendary style has been supplanted by the romantic diction,[9] but the leading features remain the same. In his above-mentioned essay, pp. 46-48, Steinbach concludes, from a detailed comparison of the contents, that the author of Isumbras did not derive his story from the epic poem, Guillaume d’Engleterre, but from an original which bore a still greater resemblance to the legend of Eustache, and, at the same time, contained many of those additions which are to be found in all versions of the legend. Whether this original was composed in Latin, French, or Anglo-Norman, Steinbach does not pretend to determine.

[Footnote 9: On this text see Sarrazin, Octav., p. xlv; he speaks of “die entstellte, spielmannsmässig zersungene Form, in der die Thornton Ms uns die legende überliefert. . . . . . dasselbe Pathos, dieselbe Sentimentalität und Frömmelei, aber auch dieselbe anschauliche und lebhafte Erzählungsweise (sc. as in Oct.).”]

To Isumbras I join a few remarks on the romance of Octavian, which was edited by Halliwell for the Percy Society, The Romance of the Emperor Octavian, London, 1844; and by Sarrazin, Zwei mittelengl. Versionen der Octaviansage, in Koelbing’s Altengl. Bibliothek, Band III. As for its contents, cf. Sarrazin, as above, p. xviii ff. Concerning the origin of the story, he agrees in general with Holland, only he shows a still nearer connection between Isumbras and Octavian, taking the former for a mere imitation of the latter. This opinion, however, cannot be proved. As I cannot enter into detail, I only observe that the contents of Octavian are a great deal more complicated and copious than those of Isumbras, which is simple in its plot and style, and shows the nearest resemblance to the old Eustache legend, whilst Octavian is a refined and adorned version of the legendary tale with considerable change in the plan. Isumbras, of course, bears a strict resemblance to Eustache, but not to the Emperor Octavian, who has but little of the character of a suffering saint, as he does not become an outlaw himself, nor is to lose his earthly goods. Even those of his adventures which are conformable to the original—the separation from his family, the rape of the children, the final reunion—are exhibited in a different manner.

The principal contents of the romance of Octavian bear internal evidence of its later origin, as it treats chiefly of the adventures and exploits of Florent, Octavian’s son; especially in the second half of the story, exploits of Florent so prevail that the romance might justly bear his name on the title instead of his father’s. I therefore believe that Sarrazin’s opinion, that Isumbras is nothing but a bad imitation of Octavian, is wrong; and I am rather inclined to think the two poems were composed independently from each other, after French originals, as is evidently the case with Octavian, and probably with Isumbras. See Halliwell, Thornt. Rom., p. xviii. Sarrazin, moreover, supposes, p. xlv, both poems to be due to the same author, in consequence of the conformity of the dialect and style, and of some literal coincidences. But the fact that both of these romances are written in the same dialect is not sufficient to prove the identity of the authors, nor is the style, which is nearly stereotyped in all of these romances. As to the literal coincidences, only three of the nine passages quoted by Sarrazin seem to me to be of any importance. See Octavian, notes on ll. 382, 397, 481. But even these only show that the writer of Octavian knew Isumbras, or vice versâ.

As to the relation between Octavian and our poem, these two romances have no other affinity than the same legendary origin, and the motive of the woman innocently persecuted, which may very well have been introduced independently by two different authors. In all other particulars they are quite different.

The heroes bear little resemblance to their legendary models; in Octavian the Emperor of Rome; in Torrent the young, hardy knight who encounters marvellous struggles to win the hand of his spouse. Also in the treatment of the other motive, each romance has taken its own course. In Octavian, Florence is calumniated by her mother-in-law; in Torrent, Desonelle is persecuted by her father. The causes are consequently quite different: there the jealousy of the mother-in-law against the mighty Empress; here Calamond’s hatred against Torrent. These differences, now only alluded to, cause a great number of others, and produce a general difference of the two poems, which renders the opinion of a nearer connection between them altogether illusory.

Of all the poems mentioned above, the last, Syr Eglamour of Artois, is most nearly related to Sir Torrent, a fact found out by Halliwell,[10] who, however, thought that there was no necessity for him to prove a similarity which would be at once detected by the reader; still, he takes it for certain that the romance of Torrent is younger than and partly founded on Sir Eglamour. As he gives no proof for this opinion, it will be worth while to enter once more into this question, in order to see whether he is right or not.

[Footnote 10: The Thornton Romances, p. xxii f. ‘The romance of Torrent is partly founded upon the story related in Sir Eglamour. The names are changed, but the resemblance is too striking to have been the result of chance. The treachery of the sovereign, the prowess of the knight, the indiscretions and misfortunes of the lady, and the happy conclusion of her misfortunes, these form the leading incidents of each romance . . . . there is, perhaps, a secret history attached to the source of these romances that remains to be unravelled.’]

Upon it, the MSS. do not help us. The earliest MS. that can have contained Sir Eglamour is the parchment one of the Duke of Sutherland,[11] written about the end of the 14th century. The other four MSS. of it[12] are still later. The only MS. of Sir Torrent belongs to the 15th century, so that neither of these romances can be traced very far back.

[Footnote 11: Cf. Koelbing’s Englische Studien, vii. p. 191 ff.]

[Footnote 12: Cf. The Thornton Romances, p. xxv ff., and p. xxxvi.]

Sir Eglamour was printed several times in the beginning of the 16th century, and edited anew by Halliwell from the Cambridge MS. in his well-known collection. To judge from the numerous readings of the Lincoln, Cotton, and Cambridge MSS. which he has quoted, the Lincoln MS. shows best the original dialect, and offers in several passages a reading preferable as to rhyme and meaning.[13] Even slight differences in the contents occur now and then.[14]

[Footnote 13: See the following passages which Halliwell has quoted in the notes: Eglam. 54, 96, 107, 111, 122, 128, 139, 153, 177, 195, 213, 247, 337, 347, 399, 445, 572, 605, 614, 737, 740, 765, 858, 883, 945, 985, 1081, 1143, 1206, 1216.]

[Footnote 14: See Eglamour, notes on ll. 1064, 1082, 1267.]

The metre and probably the dialect are the same in both romances; they are composed in the tail-rhymed twelve-line stanzas, and written in a North Midland dialect. In both of them the style is alike swelled with the habitual phrases; only the long prayers and pious reflections so frequent in Torrent are not to be met with in Eglamour. On the other hand, the poet is wont to predict the fates of his heroes (ll. 204, 951); he often demands attention (ll. 15, 39, 343, 634, 904); he never omits, in describing the festivals, to mention the performances of the minstrels, and to praise the liberality of the lords. These characteristics render it probable that the author of Eglamour was a minstrel, not a clerk or monk, as I suppose the author of Sir Torrent to be.

I now pass on to compare the contents of the two poems. The principal features of the plot are the same in both. A young knight who seeks the hand of a princess engages to win her by valiant exploits. The princess’s father opposes his wooing, jealous as he is of the hero’s renown. The knight vanquishes all the giants and other monsters against which he is told to fight, and at length gains his spouse. A few weeks after their marriage, he sets out again on adventurous expeditions. While he stays abroad, his wife is delivered of twins. Her father sends her to sea in a leaky boat; she lands on a foreign shore, where her children are carried off by wild beasts; but they are saved in a marvellous manner, and brought up at royal courts, whilst she herself lives for a long time at a foreign court. As the hero, when he comes home again, doesn’t find her, he goes into the Holy Land to fight with the infidels. After various adventures he finds his wife and children after a tournament at a foreign court. They return home gladly, and celebrate their nuptials by great festivals. The cruel father is duly punished.

On entering into details, however, we find considerable discrepancies between the two romances. First, the names are altogether different. (Eglamour = Torrent. Crystyabelle = Desonelle. Prynsamour = Calamond. Organata = Gendres. Degrabelle = Antony fice Greffoun.) The stage of the plot is in Eglamour Artois, Rome, and Egypt; in Torrent Portugal, Norway, and Calabre. Only the Holy Land is mentioned in both. There the children are carried off by wild beasts, saved by princes and brought up; there the hero fights against the infidels.

The differences of the plot itself are the following:

1. Eglamour confesses his love to Crystyabelle before his deeds; a squire is the go-between in his suit; Eglamour finds love in return. In Torrent Desonelle does not know that she is adored by the hero till after his first exploit. See ll. 109, 448.

2. Accordingly, Eglamour, setting out on adventures, receives two greyhounds and a sword of St. Paul from Crystyabelle as presents, whereas Torrent gets an ambler from his lady love, but not till after his first deed.

3. Prynsamour charges Eglamour with three deeds by which he is to gain Crystyabelle. Torrent is obliged to undertake not less than five combats.

4. In Torrent the combats of the hero are enlarged and adorned by additions not to be found in Eglamour. The latter does not release the daughters and sons of kings, nor does he find precious swords in the castles of the giants, nor is he deceived by a king’s counterfeit letter, which causes Torrent a dangerous struggle and the rivalry of a foreign prince. Only in Eglamour (ll. 40-48) some knights are mentioned who came to win Crystyabelle by jousting, but were all vanquished by Eglamour.

The greatest differences are found in the second halves of the stories.

5. Crystyabelle has one child by Eglamour; Desonelle has two by Torrent.

6. Crystyabelle is driven away into Egypt, where she is graciously received by the king. Desonelle finds refuge in the court of the king of Nazareth.

7. Degrabelle, the son of Crystyabelle, is saved and brought up by the king of Israel; the sons of Desonelle by the kings of Greece and Jerusalem.

8. The father of Crystyabelle is not punished like Calamond in Torrent, immediately after the hero’s return, but he dies at the end of the poem, throwing himself down from the battlements.

9. Degrabelle is sent, when fifteen years old, into Egypt by his adoptive father to sue for a spouse. In a joust he gains the hand of his mother and marries her. On the very wedding-day the mother recognizes her son by his escutcheon, and the marriage is instantly dissolved. Quite differently does the story run in Sir Torrent. Leobertus, fifteen years old, marches by order of the king of Jerusalem against his father, and takes him prisoner, but at length solicits his release.

10. The tournament, which in both poems compasses the reunion of the separated family, is brought on in a different manner. In Eglamour Degrabelle himself proposes the hand of his mother as the prize in the next tournament, to which his father comes. In Torrent Desonelle, hearing of the victories of the strange knight, supposes him to be her spouse from his arms, and at her request a tournament is arranged. (Her hand seems to have been likewise the prize, as may be gleaned from l. 2440.)

11. At the very end of the poems two slight differences are to be noted: in Eglamour, Degrabelle marries Organata, daughter of the king of Sidon, whereas the sons of Torrent return into Greece and Jerusalem. Eglamour is crowned prince of Artois; Torrent is elected Emperor of Rome.

From this comparison we may conclude that Torrent is not directly founded upon Eglamour, or vice versâ; the differences are too great to justify the supposition that either is drawn from the other. Especially is the opinion of Halliwell, which I mentioned above, to be rejected: Sir Torrent cannot be founded on Sir Eglamour, simply because it agrees more closely with the old legendary tale than Syr Eglamour does, and has preserved some essential features not to be found in Eglamour, in which these are supplanted by others. Desonelle, for instance, has two children according to the old legend, Crystyabelle one; Torrent must fight and suffer in heathen lands like Eustache, whereas Eglamour appears as a mere knight-errant. Further, neither in the Eustache legend nor in Torrent do we find the history of the son who marries his mother, which motive the poet may have taken from the legend of Pope Gregory, or perhaps from the tale of Syr Degaré.

But how can the resemblance of the leading features and the discrepancies in particulars be explained? I think the most probable conjecture is, that an old poem, now lost, existed, with which the authors of Sir Eglamour and of Sir Torrent were acquainted; but not having a MS. of it, or knowing it by heart, both of them made up their minds to rewrite the story in a well-known metre, changing, omitting, adding whatever they liked, even filling up the gaps in their memories by invention. Both of them recollected the first half of the story better than the second.

That this poem was an English one seems to be shown by a good many verbal coincidences in both poems; these I accordingly suppose to have belonged to the lost original. They are, indeed, too frequent to be counted simply amongst the large stock of conventional phrases which are to be met with in every poem of this kind. Here they are:—

Eglamour.

The boke of Rome th{u}s can telle. 408, 561, 886

Torrent.

As the boke of Rome tellys. 187, 924, 1450, 1924

  Ther ys a jeaunt here besyde, 478
  That sorowe doyth ferre and wyde.
    On us and odur moo.

      There ys a gyante here besyde,
      In ale thys covntre fare and wyde,
        No man on lyve levythe hee. 960

And alle prayed for that knyght. 573

For hym aƚƚ they pray. 108

Alle that in the cyté ware. 598

Aƚƚ that in~ the sytte were. 1047

  Alle that cuntrey was fulle fayne, 640
  That he homeward was comyn ageyne.

      Gentilmen were blith and ffayn~, 1098
      That he in helth was comyn~ agayn~.

  Aftur sopur, as y yow telle,
  He wendyd to chaumber with Crystyabelle. 670, 671

      After mete, as I you teƚƚ,
      To speke with mayden Desoneƚƚ
        To her chamber he went. 1358-60

  That lady was not for to hyde, 673-75
  She sett hym on hur beddys syde,
    And welcomyd home that knyght.

      The damyseƚƚ so moche of pride,
      Set hym on~ her bed-syde,
        And said ‘welcom~ verament.’ 1363

  So gracyously he come hur tylle, 679
  Of poyntes of armys he schewyd hur hys fylle, 680
    That there they dwellyd alle nyȝt.

      Such gestenyng he a-right,
      That there he dwellid aƚƚ nyȝt
        With that lady gent. 1364-66

  A golde rynge y schalle geve the, 715
  Kepe yt wele my lady free,
    Yf Cryste sende the a chylde! 717

      Thes gold rynges I shaƚƚ yeve the,
      Kepe them weƚƚ, my lady ffre,
        Yf god a child vs send! 1396-1398

  Doghtur, into the see schalt thou, 803
  Yn a schypp alone,
  And that bastard that to the ys dere!

      There fore thou shalt in to the see
      And that bastard with-in the! 1793

  Sche prayed hur gentylwomen so free,
  Grete wele my lord, whon ye hym see! 826, 827

      She said ‘knyghtis and ladyes gent,
      Grete weƚƚ my lord sir Torrent,
        Yeff ye hym~ euer sene! 1837-39

Hur yonge sone away he bare. 842

A way he bare her yong son~. 1871

  Thys chylde ys comyn of gentylle blode,
  Where that ever that he was tane. 863

      This chylde is come of gentiƚƚ teme,
      Where euer this beest hym~ ffond. 1923

  Kepe we thys lady whyte as flowre,
  And speke we of syr Egyllamowre. 950

      Leve we now that lady gent,
      And speke we of sir Torrent. 2080-81

The knyght swownyd in that tyde. 975

Swith on sownyng there he feƚƚ. 2093

  Be the XV yerys were comyn and gone,
  The chylde that the grype hath tane,
  Waxe bothe bold and stronge. 1018-20

      And be the VII yere were gone,
      The child that the liberd had tane,
      Found hym his fiƚƚ off ffyght. 2233-35

  Yn yustyng ne in turnament 1021
  Ther myght no man withsytt hys dynte,
    But to the erthe them thronge. 1023

      With heve tymbyr and ovyrryde 40
      Ther myght no man~ hys dent abyde,
        But to the erthe he them strake. 42

  Be thre wekys were comyn to ȝende,
  Yn the londe of Egypt can they lende. 1057

      But ore thre wekes were com̅yn~ to end,
      To Portynggaƚƚ gan he wend. 373

  Gentilmen that herde of thys crye,
  Thedur come they redylye. 1195-96

      Gret lordys that herith this crye,
      Theder come richely. 2431-32

  Syr Egyllamour knelyd on his kne,
  ‘A Lorde God ȝylde hyt the! 1288-89

      Torent knelid vppon~ his knee 2575
      And said ‘God yeld you, lordys ffree!

  In swounynge than felle that lady free,
  ‘Welcome, syr Eglamour, to me!

      She said ‘welcom~, my lord sir Torent!
      And so be ye, my lady gent!
      In sownyng than feƚƚ she. 2505

Eglamour, Linc. MS. Note on 1267:

Grete lordis thane told scho sone.

Gret lordys told she sone. 2539

Perhaps some more light will be thrown on this question when we get the much-wanted critical edition of Sir Eglamour; but I fear that the ‘secret history attached to the source of these romances’ will even then remain to be unravelled. What I have proposed has no title to a better name than a conjecture.

§ 5. THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE EDITION.

As to the only MS. in which this romance has come down to us, I have mentioned before that it is exceedingly corrupt; many conjectures, more or less sure, were necessary in order to restore metre, rhyme, and meaning; the greater part of them seemed worthy to be entered in the text, the rest being offered in the notes. No attempt has been made to introduce a uniform character of dialect, considering the quite unsettled state of orthography in early times. The only exceptions are where the sounds are fully determined by the rhyme. In general the orthography of the MS. has been reproduced as accurately as possible. The contractions used by the scribe are expanded and printed in italics. At the beginning of a new period, or a proper name within the line, capitals have been introduced. From l. 1200, where the numeration of my text no longer coincides with that of Halliwell’s edition, the line-numbers of the latter are added in brackets.

The fragments which I have added as an appendix to the text have been consulted in all cases of difficulty, and proved of no little service in correcting the blunders of the manuscript; they contain indeed a somewhat better text than the MS., though they are by no means free from clerical errors. A detailed comparison gives the following result:

In fifty-one lines the text of the fragments is evidently correcter than the MS.:

  Fragments.
      Manuscript.

  The kyng of Nazareth sent hym me,
      The kyng of Portynggaƚƚ seyd, ‘So mot I the!

  Torent, I wot-saue hym on the. 466
      Torrent, I wet-saffe of the.

  The kyng wolde fayne that he ded were,
      The kyng wolde fayne that he wer ded,

  And he wyst nat on what manere. 472
      And hym wyst in what maner.

  To Torent that was true as stele, 477
      To Torrent trew ase styƚƚ,

  In what londe that they brede. 487
      In what lond they ne bred.

  He bestrode a noble stede. 502
      Tho he bestrod another stede.

Cf. 489, 498, 507-10, 512-15, 822, 825, 831, 833, 834, 837, 845, 848, 851, 929, 932, 933, 935, 947, 948, 951, 952, 958, 965, 968-70, 1807, 1808, 1810, 1827, 1828, 1831, 1834-36, 1844, 1854, 1866.

Forty-eight lines are coincident: 468, 470, 474, 479, 480, 486, 487, 495, 499, 501, 504, 505, 520, 823, 832, 842, 844, 846, 917, 918, 921, 922, 927, 928, 936, 938, 953, 957, 962, 1809, 1813-17, 1819-21, 1823, 1830, 1832, 1838, 1847, 1850, 1851-52, 1863, 1865.

In ninety-one lines it is doubtful which reading is to be considered as the original one:

  Fragments.
      Manuscript.

  As they walkyd by the ryvers syde. 469
      Ase the went be the watyres syd.

  Howe he myght hym shent. 473
      How he schuld be schent.

  The kyng sayde ‘what may this be?
  Lorde, it is sent to me
  For a faucon shene. 483-85
      Syr, he seyd, what may thys be?
      Loo, lord, come ner and see
      Abowght a facon schene.

  Than sayde the kyng vntrue,
  ‘And ye fynde hawes of great value,
  Brynge me one with the! 492-94
      And than seyd the kyng ontrew,
      ‘Yf thow get hawkys of great valew,
      Bryng on of them to me!

  Of thy dowghter hende. 836
      Of yowr dowghttyr hend.

Cf. 467, 475, 476, 478, 481, 482, 488, 496, 497, 500, 506, 511, 516-20, 821, 824, 826, 827, 829, 830, 835, 838-41, 843, 847, 850, 919, 920, 923, 925-26, 930-31, 934, 937, 939, 940-43, 945, 946, 949, 950, 954, 955, 959, 960-61, 963, 964, 966, 967, 1811, 1812, 1818, 1822, 1825, 1826, 1829, 1837, 1840, 1842, 1843, 1845-46, 1848-49, 1853, 1855-62, 1864.

In eleven lines the text of the MS. is superior to that of the fragment:

  Fragments.
      Manuscript.

  ‘Ye, by my trouthe!’ sayd Torente. 828
      ‘Ye, be trouthe!’ seyd Torrent than.

  Delycyous notes on hyghe. 944
      Delycyous nottis on hyght.

  Frowarde the se. 956
      Froward the sytte.

Cf. 488, 503, 820, 849, 924, 1824, 1833, 1839.

As to the sixth fragment, 1014-36, and the beginning of the first (in Halliwell’s edition the third), 462-64, in which, as above mentioned, not much more than the rhyming words are preserved, they have nearly the same relation to the MS. as the other ones.

In the following passages they correct the rhymes of the MS.: 1017, 1018, 1028, 1033. Coincident rhymes: 1014, 1015, 1019, 1026, 1027, 1032, 1034-36. Undecided: 1020, 1021, 1023-24, 1029-30, 462-64. The rhymes of the MS. are preferable in ll. 1016, 1022, 1025, 1031.

I need only add, that all the discrepancies between the MS. and the fragments, however numerous they may be, concern, for the most part, things of little importance; they are caused especially by the frequent change of synonymous terms, by the difference of expletive words and phrases, the transposition of words, the change of tenses, and so on. But as there is nowhere any essential difference to be traced, we may conjecture with great probability that the early printed edition of the romance was taken from a manuscript which was pretty nearly related to the Manchester MS., though somewhat more correctly written.

I gladly take the present opportunity of acknowledging my very great obligation to Prof. Koelbing, from whom I have received ample assistance throughout the whole of this work. It would be absolutely impossible to me entirely to discriminate his part from mine. He carefully revised the introduction, notes, and the glossary, before they went to press, and after they came from it, and he looked several times through the proofs of the text. Nor am I less indebted to Mr. Joseph Hall at Manchester, who not only kindly read the proofs of the text with the MS. in the Chetham Library, but also contributed some valuable notes, which are marked by his name. The Director has added the head-lines and side-notes.

Torrent of Portyngale.

  Here bygynneth a good tale f. 76a.
  Of Torrente of Portyngale.

(1)

  [Sidenote:
  May God give us grace to win Heaven! I’ll tell you of a doughty
  knight.]

  +G+od, that ys worthy and Bold, leaf 1]
  Heuen~ and Erthe haue In hold,
    Fyld, watyr, and wynde,
  Yeve vse g{ra}ce hevyn~ to wyne,
  And brynge vs owt off Dedly synne 5
    And In thy s{er}uyse to Ende!
  A stounde and ye woƚƚ lyst be-Dene,
  Ale dowghtty men~ þ{a}t Euyr hathe b{e}n~,
    Wher So that they lende,
  I Schaƚƚ yow teƚƚ, ore I hense pase, 10
  Off a knyght, þ{a}t Dowghtty wase,
    In Rome ase clarkys ffynde.

    [Linenote:
    8. byn MS.]

(2)

  [Sidenote:
  He dwelt in Portugal, and fought well when 18.]

  In Portynggaƚƚ, that Ryche londe,
  An Ereƚƚ that wase wonande,
    That curtese wase and {wyght}; 15
  Sone aftyr he had a sone,
  The feyerest þ{a}t on fot myght gon,
    Tyrrant, men seyd, he hyght.
  Be tyme he wase XVIII yer~ old,
  Of dedd{es} of armys he wase bold, 20
    To felle bothe kyng and knyght;
  And now com{m}ythe dethe appon a day
  And takythe hys father~, ase I yow sey,
    For God ys most of myght.

    [Linenotes:
    15. wyght] Dowghtty MS.
    21. felle] first l above the line MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT LOVES DESONELL.]

(3)

  [Sidenote:
  The King gives Torrent an earldom, and he falls in love with the
  King’s daughter Desonell,]

  The kyng of Portynggaƚƚ wase fayne, 25
  To-warde hym he takythe Torrayne,
    That Dowghtty ys in~ dedde;
  And ther he fesomnyd in~ hys hond
  A good Eyrldom in~ that lond,
    Bothe forest and {fede}. f. 76b. 30
  The kyng hathe a dowghttyr {whyte} ase {fame},
  Dys{o}ne{ll} wase her name,
    Worthyest in wede.
  When Torrent had of her~ a syght,
  More he lovyd that swet{e} wy{gh}t 35
    Than~ aƚƚ ys fathyrys l{e}de.

[Linenotes: 30. fede] Downe MS. 31. whyte ase fame] feyer ase flowyr MS. 32. Dyscenys, MS. 35. swete] swet, MS. wyght] wyte MS. 36. lede] londe MS.]

(4)

  [Sidenote:
  and for her, unhorses many knights.]

  For love of thys lady Deyr~
  In dede of armys far and nere
    Aventorr{es} gan he take
  W{i}t{h} heve tymbyr and ovyr-Ryde, 40
  Ther myght no man~ hys dent a-bydde,
    But to the Erthe he them str{a}ke.
  Her father and other knyghtt{es} mo
  Had farly, how he Ryd soo,
    And on a day to hyme spake, 45
  He Seyd: ‘Torrent, howe may thys byne,
  That thow Dysp{i}syst thes knyghtt{es} kene
    And ordurr{es} non woƚƚ take?’

    [Linenotes:
    39. A ventorres MS.
    42. stroke MS.
    47. dysplesyst MS.]

(5)

  [Sidenote:
  The King knows that Torrent loves his daughter,]

  Torrent sayd: ‘So mvt I the,
  An other sayment woƚƚ I {s}ee, 50
    Ore I take ordor of knyght.’
  Tho he sware be hevyn kyng,
  Ther wase told hym a wondyr-thyng~
    In hys chambyr to nyght:
  ‘For~ the love of my doughter dere 55
  Thow makyst good far and nere
    In~ Dedde of armys bryght;
  And wyt thow wyƚƚ, so god me saue,
  Thow schalt her~ wyne, yf thow her haue,
    Be thow neuyr so wy{g}ht!’ 60

    [Linenotes:
    50. And MS.
      see] bee MS.
    60. wyght] wyttht MS.]

[Headnote: THE KING ASKS TORRENT TO FIGHT A GREEK GIANT.]

(6)

  [Sidenote:
  and asks him if, for her sake, he’ll fight]

  Torrent sayd: ‘Be Marry dere,
  And I were off armyse clere, f. 77a.
    Yowr Dowghttyr me leve were.’
  The kyng seyd: ‘Yf yt be soo,
  Ore VII yere be a-go, 65
    More schaƚƚ we here:
  Durst thow, for my dowghttyr sake,
  A poynt of armys for to take
    W{i}t{h}-owt helpe of fere?’
  Than seyd Torrant: ‘So god me sped, 70
  W{i}t{h} anny man~ that syttythe on stede
    Other far ore nere!’

[Linenotes: 61. Marry] e corrected into y. 65. a-go] a gone, ne struck out, MS.]

(7)

  Ther-of the kyng~ for tene wax wode:
  ‘Yf thow wylt make thy body good,
    Be trew and hold thy cont{ena}nce . . . . . . . 75
  Tho seyd Torrant: ‘So god me sped ere!
  And I wyst, in~ what sted they were,
    Fore no man~ wold I cha{u}nce.’

    [Linenotes:
    75. contnnce MS.
    78. chaunce] corrected out of change MS.]

(8)

  [Sidenote:
  a Giant in the Greek sea.]

  ‘In to the Grek{es} see a mylle
  Ther ly{v}ythe a gyant {in an} yle, 80
    Fuƚƚ Euyƚƚ thow dourst hyme stond.
  My fayer~ forest{es} fellythe downe he
  And Ryche castell{es} in~ that contre,
    No ston lettythe he stond.’

    [Linenote:
    80. lyvythe] lyghttythe MS.
      in an yle] mauyle MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS TO FIGHT THE GIANT BEGONMESE.]

(9)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent agrees to fight]

  +T+errent sayd: ‘Be Marre bryght, 85
  Yt ys gret sorrow that he hathe syght,
    The devyƚƚ of heƚƚ hym blynd!’
  The {kyng} sayd: ‘P{ar} la-more de dewe,
  Thow darryst fuƚƚ evyƚƚ w{i}t{h} thy Ey hym sewe,
    He wold feƚƚ the w{i}t{h} hys wynde.’ 90
  ‘Now, be my trowthe,’ seyd Torrent than~,
  ‘Ase I ame a jentylman~,
    Yf I may hym fynd,
  Won fot woƚƚ I not fro hym pase,
  Thow he be stronger~ than Samson~ wase, f. 77b. 95
    Or anny man~ of {hys} kynd!’

    [Linenotes:
    86. he] written above the line, MS.
    88. kyng] knyght MS.
    96. hys] om. MS.]

(10)

  [Sidenote:
  the Giant Begonmese, and sets out.]

  Hys squyerys, they mornyd s{a}re,
  W{i}t{h}-owt fere that he schold fare
    To that gret iorney,
  W{i}t{h} the gyant heygh for to fyght. 100
  Be-gon~-mese that gyant hyght,
    That fyndd{es} f{e}re for aye.
  To arme hyme Torrant g{a}s,
  Hys good stede w{i}t{h} hym he ta{s},
    W{i}t{h} owt squyer~ that Day. 105
  He takythe leve at lorddys hend,
  And on hys wey gan he wynd,
    For hym aƚƚ they p{ra}y.

    [Linenotes:
    97. sore MS.
    102. fare MS.
    103. gas] goos MS.
    104. tas] takythe MS.
    108. pray] prayd MS.]

(11)

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell knows not that it is for love of her. God give Torrent
  victory!]

  Lytyƚƚ wyst Desoneƚƚ that jente,
  For whos love that he went 110
    To fyght w{i}t{h} that knave.
  Now god, that Dyed appon a Rode,
  Strengithe hym bothe bone and blod,
    The fyld for to haue!
  He that schaƚƚ wend soche a wey, 115
  Yt were nede for hym to p{ra}y,
    That I{es}u hym schuld saue.
  Yt ys in~ the boke of Rome,
  Ther was no knyght of kyrstendome,
    That jorney Durst crave. 120

[Headnote: TORRENT SEES THE GIANT SLEEPING.]

(12)

  [Sidenote:
  After 6 days’ ride he sees the Giant asleep.]

  VI days Rydythe he
  By the cost of the feyer~ see,
    To seke the gyant kene.
  By the cost as he Rode, f. 78a.
  In a forest longe and brode 125
    And symly wase to se{n}e,
  Hey sperrys ther he fonde
  And gret olyvys growonde
    Coverd in~ levys {grene}.
  Sone wase he ware, ase y yow say, 130
  Vppon a movnteyn~ ther he laye
    On slepe, ase I wene.

    [Linenotes:
    123. seke] ches, struck out, seke written over with paler ink.
    126. see MS.
    129. grene] smale MS.]

(13)

  [Sidenote:
  He prays for Christ’s help.]

  Torrent, on kne knelyd he
  And be-sowght J{es}u so fre,
    That bowght hym w{i}t{h} hys blod: 135
  ‘Lord, ase thow dyd {r}yght for Mar{y},
  Let me nev{er} take velony
    And gef me of thy fode!
  Sertt{es}, yf I hym slepyng~ slone,
  Manfuƚƚ Ded were yt none 140
    For my body, be the Rode.’
  Tho Terrant blewe hys bugeƚƚ bold,
  To loke that he a-wake wold,
    And sythe ner~ hyme Rode.

    [Linenote:
    136. ryght] lyght written above the line with paler ink.
      mare MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT WAKES THE GIANT BEGONMESE.]

(14)

  [Sidenote:
  As Torrent can’t wake the Giant with his bugle,]

  So fast a-slepe he wase browght, 145
  Hys hornys blast a-woke hyme nowght,
    He swellyd ase dothe the see.
  Torrent saw, he woƚƚ not wake,
  He Reynyd hys sted vnto a stake,
    Ase a jentyƚƚ man~ {so fre}. 150
  So hy, he say, wase the movnteyne,
  Ther mygh{t} no horse wynd hym~ a-geyn~
    But yf he nowyd wold be; f. 78b.
  Thowe the wey neuyr~ so wykkyd w{a}re,
  On hys wey gan he fare, 155
    In~ gret p{er}ayƚƚ went hee.

    [Linenotes:
    150. so fre] in fere MS.
    151. say] sayd MS.
    152. mygh (!) MS.
    154. were MS.]

(15)

  [Sidenote:
  he stirs him up with his spear, and makes him wild.]

  Torent went to that movnte{y}n~,
  He put hys spere hyme a-geyne,
    ‘A-Ryse, fellow!’ gan he saye;
  ‘Who made the so bold here to dweƚƚ, 160
  My lord{es} frethe thus to feƚƚ?
    A-mend{es} the be-hovythe to pay.’
  The gyant Rysythe, ase he had byn~ wod,
  And Redyly by hyme stode,
    Be-syd hyme on a lay, 165
  And seyd: ‘S{er}tes, yf I leve,
  Soche a wed I woƚƚ the geff,
    To meve the Euyr~ and ay.’

    [Linenote:
    157. movnten MS.]

(16)

  [Sidenote:
  The fight begins.]

  Thow the chyld were neuyr~ so y{i}nge,
  The fynd{es} spere sparrythe hyme no-thyng~ 170
    I{n} the holtt{es} h{a}ree;
  Who had fare and nere byne,
  And neu{er} had of fytyng syn~,
    He myght a lernyd th{a}re.
  The gyant, the fyrst stroke to hym he cast, 175
  His good schyld aƚƚ to-brast,
    In schevyr{es} spred wase {ya}re;
  Tho covd he no bett{ur} R{e}d,
  But stond styƚƚ, tyƚƚ one were ded;
    The gyant lefte hym th{a}r. 180

[Linenotes: 169. yonge MS. 171. In] Ihū (!) MS. horee MS. 173. seyn MS. 174. there MS. 175. to hym] written above the line. 177. there MS. 178. he no] not he MS. Ryd MS. 180. ther MS.]

[Headnote: THE GIANT BURSTS HIMSELF ON A ROCK.]

(17)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent grips the Giant; they both fall, and roll down the mountain.
  The Giant bursts]

  Torrent vndyr hys spryt he spre{n}t
  And a-bowght the body he hyme hente, f. 79a.
    As far as he myght last.
  ‘A! fellow, wylt thow so?’
  And to the grownd gan they goo, 185
    Of the movnteyn~ bothe downe they pas{t}.
  Ase the boke of Rome tellys,
  They tornyd XXXII {ellys},
    In armys walloyng fast.
  Yt tellythe in~ the boke of Rome, 190
  Euyr~ ase the gyant a-boue come,
    Hys gutt{es} owt of hys body {brast}.

    [Linenotes:
    181. sprent] spred MS.
    186. they past] gan they pase MS.
    188. ellys] tymys MS.
    192. brast] Rane MS.]

[[spre{n}t italicized as shown]]

(18)

  [Sidenote:
  open against a big stone.]

  At the fot of the movnteyn~
  Ther lay a gret Ragyd ston~, s{er}teyn~,
    Yt nyhed ys schuldyr bon~ 195
  And also hys Ryght syd,
  Ther to that gyant feƚƚ that tyd,
    Ase {I} herd in~ Rome . . .

    [Linenotes:
    197 put before 196. MS.
    198. I] he MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT THANKS GOD FOR HIS VICTORY.]

(19)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent stabs the Giant,]

  Thorrow hyme, that mad man~,
  Torrent sone a-bovyn~ wane 200
    And fast he gan {him quelle}
  W{i}t{h} a knyffe feyer~ and bryght;
  Torrent, w{i}t{h} aƚƚ hys myght
    Ther-w{i}t{h} he gard hyme dweƚƚ.

    [Linenotes:
    199. after Thorrow, of has been scraped out.
    201. him quelle] warke MS.
    203. hys] h corrected out of m MS.]

(20)

  [Sidenote:
  and then thanks Christ.]

  Torent knelyd on hys kne, 205
  To I{es}u Cryst p{ra}yd he,
    That hathe thys world to wyld:
  ‘Lord, lovyd, evyr lovyd thowe be,
  The feyer~ fyld thow hast lent Me,’
    —Vpp bothe hys hand{es he} held— f. 79b. 210
  ‘Aƚƚ onely w{i}t{h}-owt any knaue
  Of the fynd the maystry to haue,
    Of hym to wyn the fyld.’
  Now ys ther none other to say,
  Of hyme he wane the fyld þ{a}t day; 215
    I p{ra}y God hyme schyld.

    [Linenotes:
    210. he] om. MS.
    213. wyn] wynd, d erased MS.
    214. to written above the line, MS.
    215.
      Now ys ther non other say
      Of hyme to wyne the fyld þat day add. (!) MS.]

(21)

  [Sidenote:
  He sees the sea, and goes to it. Torrent finds the Giant’s castle,]

  Torrent went vppe a-geyne
  To the movnt, ase I gan sayne,
    The lond{es} to se far and nere;
  In the see a myle, hyme thoȝt, 220
  An hold wase Rychyly wrowt,
    In that lond wase not here perre.
  The see wase Ebbyd, I yow sey,
  Torrent thether toke the way,
    Werry aƚƚ thow he were; 225
  And ther he fownd Ryche w{on}ys,
  Towrr{es} Endentyd w{i}t{h} presyos stonys,
    Schynyng ase crystaƚƚ clere.

    [Linenote:
    219. to se written above the line.]

[Headnote: TORRENT GOES TO THE GIANT’S CASTLE.]

(22)

  [Sidenote:
  guarded by a lion and lioness.]

  T{wo} gattys off yron~ ther he fond,
  Ther in~ Torrent gan wonde, 230
    A nyght{es} Rest there in~ {to} ta;
  And at the hale dore ther wase
  A lyon~ & a lyonasse,
    Ther men be-twene them twa
  Fast Etyng~, ase ye may here; 235
  Crystyñ {man} thow {he} were,
    Hys browys {wexe} bl{a}, f. 80a.
  And wit yow wiƚƚ, lord god yt wote,
  He durst goo no fote,
    Lest they wold hyme sl{a}. 240

(23)

  [Sidenote:
  He hears a lady sighing within.]

  +T+orrant stod and be-held,
  And p{ra}yd to god, that ale may wyld,
    To send hyme harborrow good.
  Sone hard he w{i}t{h}in a whalle
  The syghyng of a lady smalle, 245
    Sche weppte, as sche were wod;
  Sche mornyd sore and sayd: ‘Alas,
  That Euyr~ kyng{es} dowghttyr wase
    Ou{er}-come of so jentyƚƚ blod,
  For now ame I holdyn~ here 250
  In lond w{i}t{h} a fynd{es} fere!’
    Torrent hard, wher he stod.

[Linenotes: 226. wonys] wayes MS. 229. Two] The MS. 231. to ta] he take MS. 234. twa] twayne MS. 236. man] thow (!) MS. he] they MS. 237. wexe bla] be gan to blowe MS. 240. sle MS. 244. whalle] with paler ink corrected from whyle. 245. syghyng] with paler ink corrected from syngyng.]

[Headnote: TORRENT WANTS TO ENTER THE GIANT’S CASTLE.]

(24)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent asks for a night’s lodging in the Castle.]

  ’Dere god,’ seyd Torrant than~,
  ‘Yff ther be anny crystyn~ man~
    In thys hold of ston~, 255
  That woƚƚ, for the love of god of myght,
  Harbourrow a jentylman~ thys nyght,
    For I ame but on~!’
  ‘Seynt Marry,’ seyd that lady clere,
  ‘What crystyn~ man~ axithe harburrow here?’ 260
    Nere hym sche gothe a-non.
  ‘I wold harburrow the fuƚƚ fayne,
  But a gyant wyƚƚ the slayne.’
    To hym sche mad here mone.

[Linenotes: 259. clere] e corrected out of r MS. 261. sche gothe anon] a non sche gothe MS.]

[[‘Dere god,’ open quote invisible]]

(25)

  [Sidenote:
  The Lady says the Giant will kill him.]

  ‘Say me now, fayer~ lady, {belyve}, f. 80b. 265
  Who owte {of} thys plase schaƚƚ {me dryve},
    Thes tourr{es}, that are so bryght?’
  Ther sche Seyd: ‘Be hevyn~ kyng~,
  Here ys a gyant Dwellyng,
    That meche ys of myght. 270
  Be my trowthe, and he the see,
  Were ther~ XX lyvys in~ the,
    Thy dethe than wyƚƚ he dyght.
  I{es}u cryst yef me g{ra}ce
  To hyd the in~ some preve plase 275
    Owt of the fynd{es} syght! . . . . .

[Linenotes: 265. bel.] om. MS. 266. of] om. MS. me dryve] hyght MS. 267. so] feyer and add. MS. 271. the] thow, w erased and e changed into o, MS. 273. They (!) MS. 275. hyd] corrected from hyde.]

[[Linenote 271: all “e” and “o” printed as shown]]

(26)

  [Sidenote:
  The Lady takes Torrent past the Lions, into the Castle.]
  ‘Euyr~ me thynkythe be thy tale,
  The song of the burd{es} smale
    On slepe hathe hyme browght.’
  ‘Ye,’ seyd Torrent, ‘ore he be wakyn~, 280
  I schaƚƚ the teƚƚ soche a tokyn~,
    Of hym thow haue no thowght!
  But woldd{es} thow for thy gentry
  Do the lyonnys downe lye,
    That they nyee me nowght?’ 285
  By the hande sche gan{n}e hym ta
  And led hyme in~ be{tw}e them twa;
    Ryght ase sche wold, they wrowght.

    [Linenotes:
    277. thy] my erased and thy written above the line.
    283. thy] th corrected from m.
      gentry] gentre, e corrected from y.
    285. nyee] first e above the line.
    286. hande] d corrected from e.
      tane MS.
    287. bewte MS.
      twayne MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS TAKEN INTO THE GIANT’S CASTLE.]

(27)

  [Sidenote:
  He tells her he has kild the Giant.]

  The lady wase neuyr~ so a-drad,
  In to the hale sche hym lad, 290
    That lemyred ase gold bryght;
  Sche byrlyd whyt wyne and Rede: f. 81a.
  ‘Make vse myrre a-geyne ow{re} Dedd,
    I wot wiƚƚ, yt ys so dyght!’
  ‘Be my trowthe!’ seyd Torrent, 295
  ‘I wole be thy warrant,
    He comythe not here thys nyght.
  On soche a slepe he ys browght,
  Aƚƚ men of lyve wakythe hym nowght,
    But onely god{es myght}.’ 300

    [Linenote:
    300. godes myght] gode a lone MS.]

(28)

  [Sidenote:
  She tells him of Prince Verdownys, and 4 Earls’ sons in the Giant’s
  prison.]

  Blythe then wase that lady jent,
  For to on-harnes Torrent,
    That dowghtty wase and bold;
  ‘For sothe,’ sche seyd, ‘I wot wher ys
  The kyng{es} sone {Verdownys}, 305
    Fast put in hold
  In a dongon~, that ys dym;
  Fowyre good Eryll{es} sonnys be w{i}t{h} hyme
    Ys fet in~ fere and fold.
  The gyant wan theme in~ a tyde, 310
  Ase they Rane be the watyr syd,
    And put them in~ preson~ cold.

    [Linenote:
    305. Verdownys] of pvense MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT FREES A PRINCE AND 4 EARLS’ SONS.]

(29)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent breaks open the prison,]

  ‘In an yron~ cage he hathe them done.’
  Torrent went thether~ sone:
    ‘Are ye yet levand?’ 315
  The kyng{es} sone askyd than~,
  Yf ther were anny crysten man~,
    ‘Wold bryng vse ow{t} of bond?’
  ‘Lord,’ he seyd, ‘god aƚƚmyght,
  I had levyr on a Day to fyght, f. 81b. 320
    Than aƚƚ my fathyrys lond.’
  W{i}t{h} an iryn~ maƚƚ styff and strong~
  He brake vpe an yron~ dore or longe,
    And sone the keyes he fond.

[Linenotes: 318. owt] ow (!) MS. 323. or longe] added in paler ink.]

(30)

  [Sidenote:
  and frees the 5 youths. They sup.]

  Owt he toke thys chyldyryn~ fyve, 325
  The feyrest that were on lyve,
    I-hold in~ anny sted.
  The lady wase fuƚƚ gl{e}d,
  Sche byrlyd whyt wyn~ and Redd,
    And sethyn~ to soper sone they yed. 330
  ‘Lord{es},’ he seyd, ‘syn yow are her~,
  I Red yow make Ryght good cher~,
    For now ys aƚƚ thy nede.’
  Thus he covyrd owt of care.
  God, that sofryd wondd{es} s{a}re, 335
    Grante vse weƚƚ to sped!

[Linenotes: 325. chyld.] a v struck out, follows. 328. glad MS. 335. sore MS. 336. well{e} to sped] to sped welle MS.]

[Headnote: THEY ALL CHOOSE THEIR HORSES TO RIDE AWAY.]

(31)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent freed Prince Verdownys, Lords Torren, Jakys, and Amyas, and
  Princess Eleanor.]

  Lordd{es}, and ye wol lythe,
  The chyldyr namys I woƚƚ teƚƚ blythe,
    Here kyn, how they were me told;
  The kyng{es} sone, that dowghtty {ys}, 340
  Wase clepyd Verdownys,
    That dowghtty wase and bold,
  And an Eryll{es} son, that hyght Torren~,
  A nother Iakys of Berweyne,
    The forthe was Amyas bold. f. 82a. 345
  The kyng{es} dowghttyr of Gales lond,
  Elyoner~, I vndyrstond,
    That worthy wase in hold,

    [Linenotes:
    337. after wol, be struck out MS.
    340. ys] wase MS.
    346-348 put before 343-345, MS.]

(32)

  [Sidenote:
  She takes Torrent to his chamber, and then all of them to the
  stable, where each chooses a horse.]

  In to hys chambyr sche hyme led,
  Ther gold and syluyr wase spred, 350
    And asur~, that wase bl{o};
  In yron ther he gan stond,
  Body and armys {al sch}y{n}and,
    In~ powynt to trusse and goo.
  In to a stabyƚƚ sche hym led, 355
  Eche toke a fuƚƚ feyer~ sted,
    They were {redy} to goo;
  And wote ye weƚƚ and vndyrstond,
  Had the gyant be levand,
    They had not p{ar}tyd soo. 360

    [Linenotes:
    351. blo] blewe MS.
    353. al sch.] lygand (!) MS.
    354. trusse] corrected from truste.
    357. redy] om. MS.
    358. wote] with paler ink corrected from what.
    359. Had] corrected out of han.
      byn follows, almost entirely erased.
      gyant] t corrected from d.]

(33)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent feeds the lions on the Giant’s body, and puts his head on a
  horse.]

  They woƚƚ not to bed gan{ge},
  Tyƚƚ on the morrow the Day spronge,
    Thus a wey to ffare.
  Torrant sperryd the gattys, i-wyse,
  Aƚƚ that he lyst he clepyd hys, 365
    The keys and thyng he bare.
  The lyon{s that was} at the dore
  Wase led to her~ mayst{er} that wase befor~,
    {O}n hym thay fed them {ya}r{e},
  Vpp won of the horse, that wase ther~ levyd, 370
  {O}n hym thei trussyd the gyantt{es} he{ve}d.
    Thus helpt hym god th{a}r~.

    [Linenotes:
    361. gange] gan MS.
      ll{e} on the struck out, follows.
    366. keys] e written with paler ink above the line.
    367. lyons that was] lyone MS.
    369. Vn (!) MS.
      hym] y corrected out of e MS.
      thay] corrected from that.
      yare] ther MS.
    371. Vn (!) MS.
      thei] i written above the line.
      hed MS.
    372. ther MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT RETURNS TO PORTUGAL.]

(34)

  [Sidenote:
  He goes back to Portugal.]

  But ore III wek{es} wer~ com{m}yn~ to End,
  To Portynggaƚƚ gan he wend,
    Ther~ ase the kyng gan {lend}; 375
  The porter~ sawe {hym} ther he stood,
  He fled a wey, ase he were wod,
    Flyngyng ase a fynd. f. 82b.
  ‘Syr kyng,’ he seyd, ‘be godd{es} dede,
  Torrant bryngythe a devyƚƚ ys hed, 380
    Ther w{i}t{h} he woƚƚ yow present.’
  Desoneƚƚ seyd: ‘Porter~, be styƚƚ!’ . . .
    In hys walke ther ase he went.

    [Linenotes:
    373. wer{e}] ther, struck out, and were written over.
    375. lend] lye MS.
    376. sawe h. th.] ther sawe he MS.]

(35)

  [Sidenote:
  The King and his Lords are afraid of the lions. Torrent kisses the
  King of Portugal.]

  The kyng to the gatys gan pase,
  Gret lord{es} that ther wase, 385
    Bothe knyght{es} and squyerr{e},
  Lord{es} wase fuƚƚ sore a-dred
  Fore the lyonys, þ{a}t he had,
    They durst not come hyme ner~.
  The kyng seyd: ‘I wyƚƚ {the} kysse, 390
  Durst I for~ thy best{es}, Iwysse.’
    Torrent dyd them ly ther~,
  And kyssyd the kyng w{i}t{h} joy and blyse;
  And aftyr, other lord{es} of hys,
    And aftyr, ladys {clere}. 395

    [Linenotes:
    386. squyerres MS.
    390. the] hym MS.
    395. aftyr] other add. (!) MS.
      clere] jent MS.]

[Headnote: VERDOWNYS’S FATHER IS TOLD OF HIS SAFETY.]

(36)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Provyns is glad of his son Verdownys’s safety]

  Messengyr{es} {went} the weye,
  To the kyng of P{ro}vyns to sey,
    Hys sone ys owt of hold:
  ‘Yyng Torrent of Portynggaƚƚ
  Hathe browght hym owt of balle 400
    And slayne the jeyant bold.’
  Lytyƚƚ and mykyƚƚ þ{a}t ther wer~,
  Aƚƚ they mad good cher f. 83a.
    Her~ prynse fayne se wold.
  The kyng {seyd}: ‘So mot I the, 405
  I woƚƚ geff the towynnys thre
    For~ the tall{es} thow hast me told.’

[Linenotes: 396. went] to (!) MS. 397. after Provyns I MS. 399. Yoyng MS. 405. kyng seyd] kynges messengere MS. 405-7 put before 402-4.]

(37)

  [Sidenote:
  and promises Torrent gifts. The King of Gales offers Torrent his
  daughter.]

  Tha{n seyd} they, tha{t} to Gales yede,
  Yeftys to {take} were h{e}m no ned,
    Then {Ver}downys had they. 410
  Ase they seyłyd on a tyde,
  At Perrown~ on the see syd
  . . . . . . . . . . .
  The kyng of P{ro}vy{n}se seyd: ‘So mot I the,
  Yftles schaƚƚ they not be, 415
    That dare I sothely sey.’
  The kyng of Gales proferd hym feyer~:
  ‘Wed my dowghttyr and myn Eyer~,
    When so euyr~ thow may! . . . . .

    [Linenotes:
    408. Than—that] That they than MS.
      Gales] with paler ink corrected from Calles.
      yede] corrected from went.
    409. take] om. MS.
      hym MS.
    410. Then Downys MS.
    417. gales] g with paler ink corrected from c.]

[[seyłyd printed as shown, with line through single “l”]]

[Headnote: TORRENT GETS WELAND’S SWORD ADOLAKE.]

(38)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Provyns gives Torrent his Sword made by Weland,]

  The kyng of Perve{n}se seyd: ‘So mot I the, 420
  Thys seson~ yeftles schaƚƚ thow not be,
    Haue here my Ryng of gold,
  My sword, that so wyƚƚ ys wrowyt;
  A bett{er} than~ yt know I nowght
    W{i}t{h} in~ crystyn~ mold; 425
  Yt ys ase glemyrryng ase the glase,
  Thorrow Velond wroght yt wase,
    Bettyr ys non~ to hold.
  I have syne sum tyme in~ lond,
  Whoso had yt of myn~ hond, 430
    Faw{e} the{y were} I-told.’

    [Linenotes:
    429. Loke thou hold yt with full{e} hond, add. MS.
    431. I fawght therfore I told MS.]

(39)

  [Sidenote:
  and named Adolake. A fortnight’s Feast is held.]

  Tho wase Torrent blythe and glad,
  The good swerd ther he had,
    The name wase Adolake.
  A gret mayne{re}y let he make {ryght} 435
  That lest aƚƚ a fortnyght,
    Who so wiƚƚ hys met take. f. 83b.
  Euyry man toke ys leve, ase {I} yow say,
  Hom-ward to wend ther wey,
    Eu{er}y man ys Rest to take. 440
  Tyƚƚ yt be-feƚƚ vppon a day,
  Ase they went be the wey,
    The kyng to hys dowghttyr spake:

    [Linenotes:
    435. mayn.] mayne let, with paler ink corrected into mayney.
      ryght] om. MS.
    438. I] om. MS.
    440. to take ys Rest MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL GIVES TORRENT A WHITE CHARGER.]

(40)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Portugal tells Desonell that Torrent kild the Giant for
  love of her.]

  ‘Ye schaƚƚ take hed of a jeentyƚƚ man~,
  A feyer~ poynt for~ yow he wane, 445
    Desoneƚƚ, at the last.’
  ’Syr,’ sche seyd, ‘be hevyn kyng,
  Tyƚƚ ye me told, I knewe no thyng,
    For who ys love yt wase.’
  ‘Desoneƚƚ, so mvt I the, 450
  Yt wase for the lowe of the,
    That he trovylld so fast.
  I warne yow, dowghttyr, be the Rode,
  Yt ys for yow bothe good,
    Ther to I Red yow tr{a}st.’ 455

    [Linenote:
    455. trust MS.]

[[‘Syr,’ sche seyd, open quote invisible]]

(41)

  [Sidenote:
  She gives Torrent a white steed which the King of Nazareth had sent
  her.]

  Forthe sche browght a whyt sted,
  As whyt as the flowyr in~ med,
    Ys fytte blac ase slo{n}.
  ‘Leman~, haue here thys fole,
  That dethe ys dynt schalt þ{o}u not {thole}, 460
    Whyƚƚ thow setty{s}te hyme appon~,
  And yf thow had p{ersew}yd be
  And hadyst ned fore to fle,
    Fast for to gone.
  The kyng of Nazareth sent hym me, 465
  Torrent, I wet-saffe hym on the,
    For bett{er} love may I none.’ f. 84a.

[Linenotes: 458. slo MS. 460. thole] haue MS. 461. settythe MS. 462. p’revyd (!) MS. 465. So Fragm. I (F. I); The kyng of Portynggalle seyd: ‘So mot I the MS. 466. hym on] so F. I; of MS.]

(42)

  [Sidenote:
  The King treacherously asks Torrent to get Desonell a Falcon]

  Aftyr-ward vppon a tyd,
  Ase the went be the watyr{es} syd,
    The kyng and yong Torrent, 470
  The kyng wold fayne, that he ded wer~,
  And he wyst, in~ what maner~,
    How he schuld be schent;
  A false lettyr mad the kyng
  And dyd messengyr{es} forthe yt bryng, 475
    On the Rever~, ase they went,
  To Torrent, that was trew ase styƚƚ,
  Yf he love Desoneƚƚ wyƚƚ,
    Get her a facon~ jent.

    [Linenotes:
    471. ded wer{e}] so F. I; were ded MS.
    472. he] so F. I; hym MS.
    477. that was] so F. I; om. MS.]

[Headnote: THE FALSE KING OF PORTUGAL DECEIVES TORRENT.]

(43)

  [Sidenote:
  from the Forest of Magdalen.]

  Torrent the lett{er} be-gan~ to Red, 480
  The kyng lestyned & nere yed,
    Ase he yt nevyr ad s{e}ne.
  ‘Syr,’ he seyd, ‘what may thys be,
  Loo, lord, come ner~ and see,
    A-bowght a facon~ schene? 485
  I ne wot, so god me sped,
  In what lond that they bred.’
    The kyng answerd: ‘I wene,
  In the forrest of Mavdeleyn~,
  Ther be hawk{es}, ase I herd seyne, 490
    That byn of lenage {cl}en~.’

[Linenotes: 482. syne MS. 487. that] so F. I; om. MS. they] ne add. (!) MS. 489. Mavd.] so F. I; Mavdlen MS. 491. clen~] gene MS.]

(44)

  [Sidenote:
  He agrees to do it. Torrent rides]

  And than seyd the kyng on-trew:
  ‘Yf thow get hawkys of gret valew,
    Bryng on of them to me!’
  Torrent Seyd: ‘So god me saue, f. 84b. 495
  Yf yt be-tyd, that I may haue,
    At yow{r} wyƚƚ they schal be.’
  Hys squyere bode he th{a}r~,
  Aftyr hys armor~ for to far~,
    In the fyld byddythe he. 500
  They armyd hym in~ hys wed,
  Tho he be-strod a noble sted,
    And forthe than Rod hee.

    [Linenote:
    498. squyere] so F. II; squyeres MS.
      there MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT FINDS A DRAGON IN THE FOREST.]

(45)

  [Sidenote:
  to the Forest of Magdalen, gets separated from his Squire,]

  +T+orrent toke the wey a-geyn~
  In to the forest of Mawdleyn~, 505
    In the wyld-some way;
  Berys and apes there founde he,
  And wylde bestys great plente,
    And lyons where they lay.
  In a wod that wase tyght, 510
  Yt Drew nere-hand nyght
    By dymmynge of the Day,
  Harkyn, lord{es}, {to} them came wo,
  He and hys squyer~ p{ar}tyd in two,
    Carfuƚƚ men then were they. 515

    [Linenotes:
    502. noble] so F. II; nothere MS.
    507-509: so F. II:
      Berrys he sawe stondyng
      And wyld bestes ther goyng,
      Gret lyonys ther he fond. MS.
    510: tyght] so F. II; thyke MS.
    512: By d.] so F. II; And ine the Dawnyng MS.
    513: to—wo] so F. II;
      to] of F. II.
      what I schalle sey MS.
    514: in two] so F. II; they MS.
    515: men—they] so F. II; they were that Day MS.]

(46)

  [Sidenote:
  and comes on a Dragon.]

  At the schedyng of a Rome
  Eche p{ar}tyd other frome,
    For sothe, ase I vndyrstond.
  Torrent toke a dulful wey
  Downe in~ a depe valey 520
    Be-syd a weƚƚ strong.
  A lytyƚƚ be fore mydnyght
  Of a dragon he had syght,
    That grysly wase to {fond};
  He had hym nowght to were, 525
  But hys schyld and hys spere, f. 85a.
    That wase in~ hys squyer{es} hond.

    [Linenote:
    524. fond] syght MS.]

[Headnote: A DRAGON ATTACKS TORRENT.]

(47)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent prays to Christ to be his help.]

  Torrent knelyd on hys kne,
  To I{es}u Cryst p{ra}yd he:
    ‘Lord, mykyƚƚ of myght, 530
  Syne I wase in~ meche care,
  Let me nevuyr~ owt of {t}hys world far~,
    Tyƚƚ I haue take o{rd}er of knyght.
  Ase I ame falsely hether~ sent,
  Wyld-som weyes haue I went, 535
    W{i}t{h} fynd{es} for to fyght.
  Now, I{es}u, for thy holy name,
  Ase I ame but man~ a-lone,
    Than~ be my helpe to nyght!’

    [Linenotes:
    532. thys] hys (!) MS.
    533. haue] or add. (!) MS.
      order] othere (!) MS.]

(48)

  [Sidenote:
  The Dragon’s tail is 7 yards long,]

  Ase Torrent I{es}u gan~ p{ra}y, 540
  He herd the dragon~, ther he lay
    Vndyr-nethe a clo{w};
  Of an{d} on he wase stronge,
  Hys tayle wase VII yerd{es} long,
    That aftyr hyme he dr{o}we; 545
  Hys wyngg{es} wase long and wyght,
  To the chyld he toke a flyght
    W{i}t{h} an howge sw{ow}e;
  Had he nether~ schyld ne spere,
  But p{ra}yd to god, he schold hyme were, 550
    For he wase in dred i-nowe.

    [Linenotes:
    542. clow] colod or colvd, l corrected from d, MS.
    543. and] an MS.
    545. drewe MS.
    548. swowe] swayne (!) MS.
    551. inowthe MS.]

(49)

  [Sidenote:
  and has a fiery head on it. Torrent cuts 4 ells off the Dragon’s
  tail;]

  On the tayle an hed ther~ wase,
  That byrnyd Bryght as anny glase, f. 85b.
    In fyer whan {yt} was dyght;
  A-bowght the schyld he lappyd yt ther~, 555
  Torrent the bowght a-sondyr schere
    Thurrow the g{ra}ce of god almyght.
  As the boke of Rome telly{s},
  Of hys taylle he cut IIII ell{es}
    W{i}t{h} hys swerd so bryght. 560
  Than cryed the lothely thyng,
  That aƚƚ the daƚƚ be-gan to Ryng,
    That hard the gyant wyght.

    [Linenotes:
    554. yt] he MS.
    558. Tellys] tellythe MS.
    563. That the gyant hard wyght MS.]

[[f. 85b. Text has anomalous “fol.”]]

[Headnote: TORRENT KILLS THE DRAGON.]

(50)

  [Sidenote:
  and while its Giant-owner is getting ready to help it,]

  The gyant seyd: ‘I vndyrstond,
  There ys sum crystyn~ man~ nere hond, 565
    My dragon here I cry.
  By hym, that schope bothe watyr~ and lond,
  Aƚƚ that I can se be-fore me stond,
    Dere schaƚƚ they a-bye!
  Me thynkythe, I here my dragon~ schowt, 570
  I deme, ther be svme dowghtty man~ hym a-bowght,
    I trow, to long I ly.
  Yf I dweƚƚ in my pyƚƚ of ston~,
  And my cheff-fost{er} were gone,
    A false mayst{er} were I!’ 575

    [Linenote:
    574. foster] st corr. out of t.]

(51)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent kills it. Torrent’s Squire]

  Be the gyant wase Redy dyght,
  Torrent had slayne the dragon~ Ryght;
    Thus gan god hyme scheld.
  To the mownteyne he toke the wey
  To Rest hyme, aƚƚ that day, 580
    He had myst{er}, to be kyld.
  Tyƚƚ the day be-gan to spryng, f. 87a.[T1]
  Fowllys gan myrre to syng
    Bothe in~ frethe and in feld.
  Leve we now of Torrent th{o}re 585
  And speke we of thys squyer~ more:
    I{es}u hys sole fro heƚƚ shyld!

    [Linenotes:
    581. kyllyd MS.
    585. there MS.]

[Footnote T1: There is no f. 86 in the paging of the MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT’S SQUIRE IS MET BY A GIANT.]

(52)

  [Sidenote:
  rides all night in a wood,]

  Hys squyer~ Rod aƚƚ nyght
  In a wod, that wase fuƚƚ tyght,
    W{i}t{h} meche care and gret fare, 590
  For to seke hys lord Torrent,
  That wy{ght}ly wase frome hyme sent,
    And he wyst nevyr~ whethyr ne wh{a}r~.
  He Durst neuyr~ cry ne schuot,
  For wy{l}d best{es} were hym a-bowght 595
    In~ the holtt{es} h{a}re;
  A lyty{l} whyƚƚ be-fore the day
  He toke in~ to a Ryde-wey
    Hyme self to meche care.

    [Linenotes:
    592. wysly MS.
    593. wher MS.
    595. wyld] wyd MS.
    596. hore MS.
    597. lyty MS.]

(53)

  [Sidenote:
  till he finds a highway,]

  Forthe he Rod, I vndyrstond, 600
  Tyƚƚ he an hey wey fond,
    W{i}t{h}-owtyn~ any Del{ite},
  Also fast ase he myght fare,
  Fore berrys and apys, þ{a}t ther w{a}re,
    Lest they wold hym byght. 605
  The sone a-Rose and schone bryght,
  Of a castyƚƚ he had a syght,
    That wase bothe feyer~ and whyte . . . .

    [Linenotes:
    602. Delite] delay MS.
    604. were MS.]

(54)

  [Sidenote:
  and is met by a Giant. The Giant cuts Torrent’s Squire into 4
  quarters.]

  The gyant h{i}m se, & ny yed,
  And seyd: ‘Fellow, so god me sped, 610
    Thow art welcom to me: f. 87b.
  What dost thow here in my forest?’
  ‘Lord, to seke an hawkys nest,
    Yff yt yow{r} wyl be.’
  ‘The be-hovythe to ley a wede.’ 615
  To an oke he hym led:
    Gret Ruthe yt wase to se.
  In IIII q{uar}ter{es} he hym dr{o}we,
  And eu{er}y quarter vppon a bowe;
    Lord, soche weys toke hee! 620

    [Linenotes:
    609. hem MS.
    618. drewe MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS ATTACKT BY THE GIANT ROCHENSE.]

(55)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent finds these,]

  Ase Torrent in~ the movnteyn~ dyd ly,
  Hym thowght, he hard a Reufuƚƚ cry;
    Gret fere ther hyme thowght.
  ‘Seynt Marre,’ seyd the chyld so f{re},
  ‘Wher euyr~ my jentyƚƚ squyer~ myght be, 625
    That I w{i}t{h} me to wod browght?
  On he dyd hys harnes a-geyne
  And worthe on hys sted, s{er}teyne,
    And thetherward he sowght.
  And wot yow wyƚƚ, I vndyrstond, 630
  In fowre quartyr{es} he hym fownd,
    For other wyse wase yt nowght.

    [Linenotes:
    624. fre] fer MS.
    630. wot] w add. (!) MS.]

(56)

  [Sidenote:
  and is attackt by this giant Rochense.]

  The gyant lenyd to a tre
  And be-hyld Torrent so free,
    For sothe, ase {I} yow seye. 635
  Thys fend wase ferly to fyght,
  Rochense, seythe the boke, he hyght,
    Ther wase a dredfuƚƚ fraye.
  To the chyld than~ gan he smyght:
  ‘A theff, yeld the asttyt, 640
    As fast as thow may!’ f. 88a.
  ‘What,’ seyd Torrent, ‘art thow wood?
  God, that Dyed on the Rood,
    Geff the evyƚƚ happe thys day!’

    [Linenote:
    635. I] om. MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT FIGHTS THE GIANT ROCHENSE.]

(57)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent’s steed is kild. He drives the Giant back]

  He Rawght Torrent soche a Rowght, 645
  Hys stedd{es} brayne he smot owte,
    So mykyƚƚ he be-gan~.
  Torrent tho a good sped
  Ase fast a-bowte an eche {yede};
    Ase swefte ase he myght, {he} R{a}n. 650
  He gathyred svm of hys gere,
  Bothe hys schyld and hys spere;
    Nere hym yod he than~.
  Bacward than be a browȝ
  Twenty fote he gard hyme goo, 655
    Thus erthe on hym he wane.

    [Linenotes:
    649. yede] went MS.
    650. he Ran] Ryne MS.]

(58)

  [Sidenote:
  into a deep glen, where he stands in water.]

  Yt solasyd Torrant th{e}n~,
  When he sawe hyme bacward r{e}n
    Downe be a movnteyn~ of Perowne,
  Stomlyng thurrow frythe and fen~, 660
  Tyƚƚ he com to a depe {glen},
    Ther myght non hym s{t}ere.
  Torrent wase glad and folowyd fast,
  And hys spere on hyme he brast,
    Good Adyloke yed hyme nere. 665
  The fynd in~ the watyr stod,
  He fawte a-geyn, ase he were wod,
    Aƚƚ þe day in~ fere.

    [Linenotes:
    657. than MS.
    658. ren] Rond (!) MS.
    661. glen] thorne MS.
    662. stere] schere MS.
    668. þe] the add. (!) MS.]

(59)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent prays God for help. Jesus freshens up Torrent.]

  Tho nere hond wase the day gone, f. 88b.
  Torrent wase so werry than~ 670
    That on hys kne he kneld:
  ‘Helpe, god, that aƚƚ may!
  Desoneƚƚ, haue good day!’
    Fro hym he cest hys schyld.
  I{es}u wold not, he were slayne, 675
  To hym he sent a schowyr~ of Rayne,
    Torrent fuƚƚ wyƚƚ yt keld.
  The fynd saw, he wase ny mate,
  Owt of the watyr he toke the gate,
    He thowght to wyne the fyld. 680

    [Linenotes:
    671. knelyd he MS.
    677. kelyd MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT SLAYS THE GIANT ROCHENSE.]

(60)

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant attacks again. Torrent runs him thro’ the heart, cuts his
  head off,]

  Thoo wase Torrent ffresse and good;
  Nere the fynd sore he stod,
    Cryst hym saue and see!
  The fynd fawt w{i}t{h} an yron~ staff,
  The fyrst stroke, to hym he gaffe, 685
    He brast hys schyld on thre.
  Torrent vndyr hys staff Rane,
  To the hart he baryd hym than~,
    And lothely cry gane he.
  To the g{r}ownd he feƚƚ ase tyght, 690
  And Torrent gan hys hed of-smyght,
    And thus he wynnythe the gre.

    [Linenote:
    690. gownd MS.]

(61)

  [Sidenote:
  finds him 24 ft. long, and goes to his Castle.]

  Torrent knelyd on the grownd
  And thankyd god þ{a}t ylke stownd,
    That soche g{ra}ce hyme send. 695
  Thus II journeys in thys woo
  W{i}t{h} hys hand{es} slow {he} gyantys too,
    That meny a man~ hathe schent. f. 89a.
  Torrent forthe frome hyme þan yod,
  And met hyme XXIIII fotte, 700
    Ther he lay on the bent.
  Hedles he left hym there,
  Howt of the fyld the hed he bare
    And to the casteƚƚ he went.]

    [Linenote:
    697. he] II MS.]

[Headnote: THE SWORD AND STEED OF GIANT ROCHENSE.]

(62)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent goes to the Giant’s Castle, and finds a splendid sword,]

  To thys casteƚƚ he gan far~; 705
  Ther fond he armor~ and other~ g{a}re,
    A swerd, that wase bryght.
  To the towre he toke the wey,
  Ther the gyant{es} bed lay,
    That Rychyly wase dyght. 710
  At the bedd{es} hed he fond
  A swerd, worthe an Erllys lond,
    That meche wase of myght.
  On the pomeƚƚ yt wase wret,
  Fro a prynce yt wase get, 715
    Mownpolyardn{us} he hyght.

    [Linenote:
    706. gere MS.]

(63)

  [Sidenote:
  and a noble white steed. With the heads of the Giant and Dragon,
  Torrent]

  The sarten {to sey} w{i}t{h}-owt lese,
  A scheff-chambyr~ he hym ches,
    Tyƚƚ on the morrow day.
  To the stabuƚƚ tho he y{e}d, 720
  There he fond a nobyƚƚ sted,
    Wase comely whyt and grey.
  The gyantt{es} hed gan he take,
  And the dragonnys wold he not forsake,
    And went forthe on hys wey. 725
  He left mor~ good in that sale
  Than wase w{i}t{h} in~ aƚƚ Portynggaƚƚ, f. 89b.
    Ther ase the gyant laye.

    [Linenotes:
    717. to sey] om. MS.
    718. he] sche MS.
      chesys (!) MS.
    720. yod MS.]

(64)

  [Sidenote:
  rides back to Portugal. Torrent gives the King the Giant’s and
  Dragon’s heads instead of a Falcon,]

  Tho he Rod bothe Day and nyght,
  Tyƚƚ he come to a casteƚƚ bryght, 730
    Ther ys lord gan dweƚƚ.
  The kyng ys gone to the gate,
  Torrent on kne he fond ther at,
    Schort taƚƚ for to teƚƚ.
  ‘Haue thow thys in~ thyn~ hond: 735
  No nother hawkys ther I fond
    At Mawdlenys weƚƚ.’
  The kyng {quod}: ‘Ase so haue I blyse,
  Torrent, I trow, sy{bb}e ys
    To the deweƚƚ of heƚƚ! . . . . 740

    [Linenotes:
    738. quod] om. (!) MS.
    739. sybbe] sylke MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS LOVED BY DESONELL.]

(65)

  [Sidenote:
  and says the Giant Rochense was Slogus of Fuolles.]

  ‘Here be syd dwellythe won on lond,
  Ther ys no knyght, {hy}s dynt may stond,
    So stronge he ys {in dede}!’
  ‘Syr~,’ he sayd, ‘fore sen Iame,
  What ys the gyant{es} name, 745
    So Euyr good me sped?’
  ‘Syr~,’ he seyd, ‘so mvt I the,
  Slogus of Fu{o}ll{es}, thus hyte hee,
    That wyt ys vndyr wede.’ . . . . . .

    [Linenotes:
    742. knyght hys] knyghtes MS.
    743. in d.] on grond MS.]

(66)

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell gives her heart to Torrent.]

  Lytyƚƚ and mykyƚƚ, lese and more, 750
  Wondyr on the hedd{es} thore,
    That Torrent had browght whome.
  {The} Lord{es} seyd ‘Be sen Myheƚƚ!
  Syr kyng, but ye love hyme wyƚƚ,
    To yow yt ys gret schame!’ 755
  Torent ordeynyd pryst{es} fyve, f. 90a.
  To syng for hys squyerys lyve,
    And menythe hym by name.
  Therfor~ the lady whyt ase swane
  To Torrant, here lord, sche went than~, 760
    Here hert wase to hyme tane.

    [Linenotes:
    752. browght] ho add. (!) MS.
    753. The] om. MS.
      seyd] he add. MS.
      Myhell{e}] my her, r corrected to lle with paler ink.
    756. prystes] V add. (!) MS.]

[Headnote: A PRINCE OF ARAGON WANTS TO WED DESONELL.]

(67)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Aragon asks for Desonell for his youngest Son.]

  Lettyrr{es} come ther w{ithalle}
  To the kyng of Portynggaƚƚ,
    To ax hys dowghttyr Derre,
  Fro the kyng of Eragon~, 765
  To wed her~ to hys yongeest son~,
    The lady, that ys so clere.
  For Torrent schuld not her~ haue,
  {For} hyme fyrst he here gafe,
    To the messenger~, 770
  And hys {way} fast ageyn dyd pase,
  Whyle Torrent an huntyng wase,
    Ther of schuld he not be w{e}re.

    [Linenotes:
    762. ther withalle] hetherward MS.
    769. For] To MS.
    771. way] om. MS.
    773. ware MS.]

(68)

  [Sidenote:
  The Queen of Portugal wishes Torrent to have her.]

  On a mornyng, ther ase he lay,
  The kyng to the quene gan sey: 775
    ‘Madame, for cherryte,
  Thow art oftyn~ hold wyse;
  Now woƚƚ ye teƚƚ me yow{r} deuyce,
    How I may governe me:
  The Ryche kyng hathe to me sent, 780
  For to aske my dowghttyr gente
    That ys so feyer~ and fre.’
  ‘Syr,’ sche Seyd, ‘so god me saue,
  I Red yow let Torent her haue, f. 90b.
    For best worthy ys he.’ 785

    [Linenotes:
    775. The (quene to the) kyng to the quene gan sey MS.
    779. That how MS.
    781. aske] aseke MS.]

(69)

  [Sidenote:
  The King refuses.]

  He sayd: ‘Madame, were that feyer~,
  To make an erll{es} sone myn Eyer~?
    I wiƚƚ not, by sen Iame!
  There he hathe done maystr{es} thre,
  Yt ys {hys} swerd, yt ys not he, 790
    For Hatheloke ys ys name.’
  ‘Lord, he myght fuƚƚ wyƚƚ sped,
  A knyght{es} dowghttyr wase hyme bed,
    Ase whyt ase wall{es} b{a}ne;
  And yf ye warne hyme Desoneƚƚ, 795
  A{ll} that ther of here teƚƚ,
    Ther of wyƚƚ speke schame.’

    [Linenotes:
    790. hys] om. MS.
    794. swalles (!) MS.
      bone MS.
    796. All] And MS.]

[Headnote: THE KING OF PORTUGAL’S TREACHERY TO TORRENT.]

(70)

  [Sidenote:
  The false King of Portugal plots to have Torrent kild by another
  Giant.]

  ‘Madam, vnto thys tyd
  There lythe a gyant here be-syd,
    That many a man~ hathe slayne. 800
  I schaƚƚ hyght hym my dowghttyr~ dere,
  To fyght w{i}t{h} that fynd{es} fere,
    Thus he holdythe hyme in~ trayne.
  But I schaƚƚ make myn com{m}nant so,
  That there schaƚƚ non w{i}t{h} hyme go, 805
    {Neyther} squyer~ ne swayne.’
  ‘Syr~,’ sche seyd, ‘so mvt I the,
  So sore be-stad hathe he be,
    And wyƚƚ co{m}myn~ a-geyne!’

    [Linenote:
    806. Neyther] om. MS.]

(71)

  [Sidenote:
  He and his Queen go to Mass. Torrent sits at the head of a side
  table.]

  Tho the bell{es} be-gan to Ryng, 810
  Vpe Rose that Ryche kyng,
    And the lady {so fre},
  And aftyr-ward they went to mase, f. 91a.
  Ase the law of holy chyrge wase,
    W{i}t{h} n{o}t{es} and solemnyte. 815
  Trompettys on the waƚƚ gan blowe,
  Knyght{es} semlyd on a Rowe,
    Gret joy wase to see.
  Torrent a syd bord began~,
  The squyer{es} nexte hym than, 820
    That good knyght{es} schuld be.

    [Linenotes:
    812. so fre] in feree MS.
    815. nettes (!) MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT AGREES TO FIGHT FOR DESONELL.]

(72)

  [Sidenote:
  The King asks Torrent if he’ll do a deed of arms for Desonell.]

  Ase they sat a-mydd{es} the mete,
  The kyng wold not foreget;
    To Torrent the kyng gan sey,
  He seyd: ‘Torrent, so god me saue, 825
  Thow wold{es} fayne my dowghttyr haue
    And hast lovyd her~ many a day.’
  ‘Ye, be trouthe,’ seyd Torrent than~,
  ‘And yf þ{a}t I were a Ryche man~,
    Ryght gladly, p{ar} ma fay!’ 830
  ‘Yf thow durst for her sake
  A poynt of armys vndyrtake,
    Thow broke her~ weƚƚ fore ay!’

    [Linenotes:
    822. a] so F. III; the MS.
    825. saue] so F. III; sped MS.
    830. gladly] so F. III; glad MS.
    831. for h. s.] so F. III; par ma fay MS.
    833. broke] so F. III; breke MS.]

(73)

  [Sidenote:
  ‘Yes,’ says Torrent.]

  ‘Ye,’ seyd Torrent, ‘ar I ga,
  Sekyrnes ye schaƚƚ me ma 835
    Of yow{r} dowghttyr hend,
  And aftyrward my ryghtys,
  Be-fore XXVII knyght{es}.’ . . . . . .
    And aƚƚ were Torrent{es} frende.
  ‘Now, good s{er}is,’ gan Torrant sey, f. 91b. 840
  ‘Bere wittnes her of som Daye,
    A-geyne yf god me send!’

    [Linenotes:
    834. go F. III; gan Rage MS.
    835. make MS.
    839. frenddes MS.]

(74)

  [Sidenote:
  ‘Then go to Calabria, and fight the Giant Slochys.’]

  Torrent seyd: ‘So mvt I the
  Wyst I, where my jorney schold {be},
    Thether I wolde me dyght.’ 845
  The kyng gaff hyme an answere:
  ‘In the lond of Calabur ther~
    Wonnythe a gyant wyhte,
  And he ys bothe strong and bold,
  Slochys he hyght, I the told, 850
    God send the that waye Ryght!’
  Than quod Torrent: ‘Haue goo{d} day,
  And, or I come a-geyn~, I schaƚƚ asay,
    Whether the fynd can fyght.’

    [Linenotes:
    844. be] om. MS.
    845. wolde] so F. III; om. MS.
    848. wyhte] so F. III; whyte MS.
    851. that w.] so F. III; ways MS.
    852. good] goo MS.
    853. Space left here for an initial letter of the largest size
    in MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT STARTS TO FIGHT THE GIANT SLOCHYS.]

(75)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent takes leave of Desonell, starts,]

  Tho wold he no lenger~ a-byde, 855
  He toke ys wey for to Ry{de}
    On a sted of gret valewe.
  In to a chambyr~ he g{as},
  Hys leue of Desoneƚƚ he t{as},
    Sche wepte, aƚƚ men myght Rewe; 860
  He seyd: ‘Lady, be styƚƚ!
  I schaƚƚ come a-geyn th{e} tyƚƚ,
    Thurrow helpe of Marry trewe.’
  Thus he worthe on a stede.
  In hys wey Cryst hyme sped, 865
    Fore he yt no thyng knewe!

    [Linenotes:
    856. Ryde] ryght MS.
    858. gas] gothe MS.
    859. tas] toke MS.
    862. the] than MS.]

(76)

  [Sidenote:
  and rides to the Castle of the King of Provyns.]

  He toke hym a Redy wey,
  Thurrow P{er}vy{n}s he toke the wey,
    As hys Iorney feƚƚ. f. 91a.[T2]
  Tyƚƚ the casteƚƚ Be the See, 870
  An hy stret heldythe hee,
    Ther the kyng {dyd} dwell{e}.
  To the porter he gan seye:
  ‘Wynd in~, fellow, I the p{ra}y,
    And thy lord than t{e}ƚƚ, 875
  P{ra}y hym, on won nyght in~ hys sale
  To harburrow Torrent of Portynggaƚƚ,
    Yf y{t} Bee ys wiƚƚ!’

    [Linenotes:
    868. pvys MS.
    871. And MS.
    872. dyd dw.] dwellyd MS.
    875. tyll MS.
    878. Yf ys wille to Bee MS.]

[Footnote T2: There are two folios 91 in the MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT A GUEST OF THE KING OF PROVYNS.]

(77)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Provyns welcomes Torrent, and]

  The porter~ Dyd hys com{m}andment,
  To the kynge he ys wente 880
    And knelyd vppon~ ys kne:
  ‘God blyse þe, lord, In thy sale!
  Torrent of Portynggale
    Thus sendythe me to the;
  He p{ra}ythe yow, yf ye myght, 885
  To harburrow hym thys won~ nyght,
    Yf yow{r} wiƚƚ yt bee.’
  The kyng swere be hym, þ{a}t dyed on tre:
  ‘There ys no man~ in~ crystyante
    More welcome to me!’ 890

(78)

  [Sidenote:
  feeds him. Torrent’s sword is his only Squire.]

  The kyng a-Rose and to the gat yod,
  Lord{es} and other~ knyg{htes} good,
    That were glad of hys com{m}yng.
  In to the hale he hyme browght,
  Ryche met spare they nowght, 895
    Be-fore Torrent fore to bryng.
  ‘Syr,’ sayd the kyng, ‘I p{ra}y the, f. 91b.
  Where be thy men off armys free,
    That w{i}t{h} the schuld {leng}?’
  ‘Syr, to a lord I mvst Ryde, 900
  My squyer hongythe be my syde,
    No man schaƚƚ w{i}t{h} me wend.’

    [Linenotes:
    892. knyges MS.
    899. leng] wynd MS.]

(79)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent says he has to fight in Calabria.]

  ‘S{yr},’ seyd the kyng, ‘I p{ra}y the,
  Where schaƚƚ thy ded of armys bee,
    Yf yt be thy wyƚƚ?’ 905
  ‘S{yr},’ he seyd, ‘vttyrly,
  At Calabur, sekyrly,
    I ame aƚƚ Redy ther tyƚƚ
  W{i}t{h} a squyer, þ{a}t wiƚƚ can Ryde;
  Fast be the see Sydde 910
    Schuld we pley ow{ur} fyle;
  And wot ye wyƚƚ and vndyrstond,
  Ther schaƚƚ no knyght come nere hond
    Fore dred of dentt{es} yƚƚ.’

[Headnote: TORRENT IS OFFERD A PRINCESS OF PROVYNS.]

(80)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Provyns warns him against the terrible Giant there,]

  The kynge seyd: ‘Be godd{es} ore, 915
  I Rede, þ{a}t þ{ou} come not th{o}re,
    Fore why, I wyƚƚ the seye:
  Meche folke of that contre
  Come hether~ for~ sokor~ of me,
    Bothe be nyght and day; 920
  There ys a gyant of gret Renowne,
  He dystrowythe bothe sete and towyn~
    And aƚƚ þ{a}t euyr~ he may;
  And ase the boke of Rome dothe teƚƚ,
  He wase get of the deweƚƚ of heƚƚ, 925
    As hys moder on slepe lay.’

[Linenotes: 915. kynges (!) MS. 916. there MS. 922. sete] second e corr. out of a MS.]

(81)

  [Sidenote:
  and offers him his Daughter and 2 Duchies instead. Torrent says he
  must keep his troth.]

  The kyng Seyd: ‘Be seynt Adryan~, f. 92a.
  I Rede, a nother Jentyƚƚ mane
    Be there and haue the gre:
  I haue a dowghttyr, þ{a}t ys me dere, 930
  Thow schalt here wed to thy fere,
    And, yf yt thy wyll be,
  Two duchyes in {l}onde
  I wille geve here in~ hande.’
    ‘G{ra}marcy, syr,’ sayd he, 935
  ‘W{i}t{h} my tonge so haue I wrowght,
  To breke my day than wiƚƚ I nowght,
    Nedys me behovythe ther to bee.’

    [Linenotes:
    929. the] so F. IV; om. MS.
      degre MS.
    932. So F. IV; om. (!) MS.
    933. londe] honde F. IV; om. MS.
    935. syr s. h.] so F. IV; seyd he thane MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT ARRIVES IN CALABRIA.]

(82)

  [Sidenote:
  He starts,]

  ‘In godd{es} name,’ the kyng gane sayne,
  ‘I{es}u send the wiƚƚ a-geyne, 940
    Lord so mekyƚƚ of myghte!’
  Menstrell{es} was them a-monge,
  Trompett{es}, harpys, and myrre songe,
    Delycyous nottis on hyght.
  When tyme was, to bed they wente; 945
  On the morrow Rose Torrente
    And toke leve of kyng and knyght
  And toke a Redy weyye,
  Be a see syd as yt laye,
    God send hym gatt{es} Ryght! 950

    [Linenotes:
    947. of] so F. IV; on MS.
    948. toke] so F. IV; to MS.]

(83)

  [Sidenote:
  reaches Calabria, and hears of the Giant.]

  A hye stret hathe he nome,
  In to Calabur he ys come
    W{i}t{h} in~ to days ore III;
  Soo come ther~ folk{es} hym a-geyne,
  Fast folloyng w{i}t{h} cart and wayne, 955
    Fro-ward the sytte.
  ‘Dere god!’ seyd Torrent nowe,
  ‘Leve folk{es}, what Eyllythe yow,
    Soo fast fore to flee?’
  ‘There ys a gyante here be-syde, 960
  In ale thys covntre fare and wyde
    No mane on lyve levythe hee.’ f. 92b.

    [Linenotes:
    951. nome] so F. V; none MS.
    952. come] so F. V; gone MS.
    958. yow] nowe add. (!) MS.]

(84)

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant Slongus is in Hungary;]

  ‘Dere god,’ sayd Torrant thane,
  ‘Where schaƚƚ I fynd that lo{th}ly man~?’
    Ther they answerd hym anone: 965
  ‘In a castyƚƚ be-syd the see,
  Slongus, soo hyght hee,
    Many a man had he slone.
  We wot wiƚƚ wher he doth ly:
  Be-fore the cyte of Hungry; 970
    He wiƚƚ not th{en}s gone,
  Tyƚƚ he haue the Ryche kyng~
  To hys p{re}sone for to bryngg,
    To be lord of hyme self a-lone.’

    [Linenotes:
    964. lothly] so Hall.; lovely MS.
    965. anone] so F. V; a geyne MS.
    968. slone] so F. V; slaylne (!) MS.
    969. doth ly] so F. V; ys MS.
    970. cyte] so F. V; knyghthod MS.
      Hungry] so F. V; Hongrys MS.
    971. thens] thus MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT FINDS THE GIANT SLONGUS IN HUNGARY.]

(85)

  [Sidenote:
  he has broken the City gates, and slain 50 men.]

  Tho wold he no lenger~ a-byd, 975
  But to the sytte gan he Ryde,
    As fast as he myght fare;
  Here barys feƚƚ and broke downe,
  And the gatt{es} of gret Renowne
    Stondyng~ aƚƚ baree. 980
  Men of armys stond hyme a-geyne,
  Mo than fyfty had he slayne
    W{i}t{h} gryme woundd{es} and sare.
  When Torrent of hym had a syght,
  Thowe Desoneƚƚ be neuyr~ so bryght, 985
    He will Reue hym hys chaff{a}r~.

    [Linenote:
    986. hym] m corr. out of s. MS.
      chaffer MS.]

(86)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent prays to Christ for help.]

  Torrent in~ the storrope stod
  And p{ra}yd to god, þ{a}t dyed on Rode:
    ‘Lord, ase thow schalt ale wyld at wyle,
  Gyff me g{ra}ce to wyn the fyld, 990
  That thys {lothly} fynd hym yeld
    A-non to me tyƚƚ!
  A man schaƚƚ But onnys Dyee, f. 93a.
  I wiƚƚ fyght, whiƚƚ I may Dryee.’
    He mad cher~ nobyƚƚ. 995
  When he had I{es}u p{ra}yd of g{ra}ce,
  He wyscheyd hyme a batteƚƚ plase,
    Ther as hym lyst we{ll}e.

    [Linenotes:
    990. wynd (!) MS. vndyr nethe spere and schyld add. (!) MS.
    991. lothly] om. MS.
    995. nobill chere MS.
    998. welle] were MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT CHALLENGES THE GIANT SLONGUS.]

(87)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent blows his horn. The Giant Slongus, of Flonthus,]

  Torrent hys spere a-say be-gane,
  Bothe schyld and spere than~, 1000
    That they were sekyr and good.
  Aftyr þ{a}t, w{i}t{h} in a throwe,
  Hys good horne gane he blowe.
    The gyant sawe, wher~ he stodde:
  Slong{es} of Flonthus staryd than~; 1005
  Quod Torrent: ‘Yf thow be a gentyƚƚ man~
    Or come of gentyƚƚ blod,
  Let thy beytyng and thy Ermyght be,
  And come prove thy strenghe on me,
    Therfor I sowght the, be the Rodde.’ 1010

    [Linenote:
    1008. Let be thy b. a. t. erm. MS.]

(88)

  [Sidenote:
  says he’ll wring Torrent’s nose. His Crook is 13 ft. long.]

  The gyant sayd: ‘Be the Roode,
  Deweƚƚ of heƚƚ send the fode,
    Hether to seche me:
  By the nose I schaƚƚ the wryng,
  Thow berdles gadlyng~, 1015
    That aƚƚ heƚƚ schaƚƚ thow see!’
  The wey than to hym he toke
  And on hys bake he bare a croke,
    Wase X fot long and thre;
  And thow he neu{er} so gret w{a}r~, 1020
  Torrent thowght not fare to fare,
    Tyƚƚ wone of them ded bee. f. 93b.

[Linenotes: 1011. sayd] written above the line. 1017. he] so F. VI; om. MS. 1018. he] her MS. croke] so F. VI; creke (!) MS. 1020. were MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT SLAYS THE GIANT SLONGUS OF FLONTHUS.]

(89)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent charges, pierces the Giant’s eye,]

  Thoo wold Torrent no lenger~ byd,
  Tyƚƚ the theff gan he Ryde,
    Ase fast ase euyr~ he may. 1025
  The theff had non ey but on~,
  Soche sawe I neu{er} none,
    {Ne}yther~ be nyght {nor} be day.
  Thurrow godd{es} helpe and sent Awsden~
  The spere {throw ye and herne gan ren}. 1030
    God send hym the Ryght wey;
  Than the theff be-gane to Rore.
  Aƚƚ that in~ the sytte wore,
    Ouyr~ the wallys they laye.

    [Linenotes:
    1024. the] f add. (!) MS.
    1028. Blyther (!) MS.
      nor] so F. VI; and MS.
    1030. throw—ren] anon he toke to hym MS.
    1033. wore] so F. VI; were MS.]

(90)

  [Sidenote:
  then spears him thro’ the body,]

  Thow the fynd{es} ey were owte, 1035
  Fast he leyd hym a-bowte
    Aƚƚ þ{a}t somyrr{es} nyght;
  He set ys backe to an hyƚƚ,
  That Torrent schuld not come hym tyƚƚ,
    So meche þ{a}t theff covd of fyght. 1040
  He bled so sore, I vndyrstond,
  Hys croke feƚƚ owt of hys hond,
    Hys dethe to hyme ys dyght.
  Torrent to hyme Rane w{i}t{h} a spere,
  Thurrow the body he gan hym bere, 1045
    Thus helpe hym god of myght.

    [Linenote:
    1040. þat] þe add. MS.]

[[Printed þ with superscript e]]

(91)

  [Sidenote:
  and kills him. Torrent preserves the Giant’s head.]

  Aƚƚ that in~ the sytte were,
  Mad fuƚƚ nobiƚƚ chere,
    That thys fynd wase Dedde.
  Forthe they Ran w{i}t{h} stavys of tre, f. 94a. 1050
  Torrent seyd: ‘So mvt I the,
    Kepe hole hys hed!
  Yf yt be broke, so god me sped,
  Yt ys wyƚƚ the worse to lede.’
    They dyd ase {he} h{e}m b{e}d{e}, 1055
  Mo than thre hunderd on a throng
  Yt ys solas Euyr~ a-mong
    Whan that he was dede.

    [Linenotes:
    1047. That alle MS.
    1054. lede] Rede, struck out and lede added in paler ink.
    1055. That seson they MS.
      he hem] hyme (!) MS.
      bede] bad MS.
    1057 put before 1056 MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT GOES TO THE CASTLE OF GIANT SLONGUS.]

[[Linenote 1056-57: “MS” printed in italics]]

(92)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Calabria feasts him,]

  Than~ the kyng of Calaber ayen~ hym went,
  Torrent be the hond he hent, 1060
    To the haƚƚ he gan~ hym lede
  And comaundid squiers t{w}o,
  Of h{ys} harnes for to do
    And cloth hym~ in another wede.
  Waytes on the waƚƚ gan blowe, 1065
  Knyghtis assemled on a Rowe,
    And sith to the deyse they yede;
  ‘Sir,’ quod the kyng, ‘of whens are ye?’
  ‘Of Portingale, sir,’ said he,
    ‘I com heder, to sech my de{de}.’ 1070

    [Linenotes:
    1062. two] tho MS.
    1063. hys] her MS.
    1070. deth MS.]

(93)

  [Sidenote:
  and takes him to the Giant’s Castle. The King of Calabria gives
  Torrent the Giant’s castle,]

  Fuƚƚ curtesly the kyng gan say
  {To} Torrent on the oþ{ur}e day:
    ‘Wyƚƚ ye wend with me
  A lituƚƚ here be-side to passe,
  There as the Geaunt{es} dwelling was 1075
    His man{er} now for to see?’
  To the casteƚƚ gan~ they gone,
  Richer saw they never none,
    Better myght none be.
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘be god aƚƚ-myȝt~, 1080
  For thou hym~ slew, þat it dight,
    I vouche it saue on the,

    [Linenotes:
    1072. To T.] Torrent said MS.
    1081. it] is MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT HEARS THAT DESONELL IS TO WED A KING.]

(94)

  [Sidenote:
  and an Earldom. The Castle’s name is Cardon.]

  ‘I yeve {yt} the, s{ir}, of my {h}ond, f. 94b.
  And there-to, an erledome of {my} lond,
    For soth, ye shaƚƚ it haue; 1085
  Omage thou shalte none {nor} ffyne,
  But euer more to the and thyne,
    Frely, so god me saue!’
  Lordys, and ye liston wold,
  What was clepud the riche hold: 1090
    The casteƚƚ of Cardon~, {by sawe}.
  Two days or thre dwellith he th{a}re
  And sith he takythe {leve} to ffare,
    Both at knyght and knave.

    [Linenotes:
    1083. yt] om. MS.
      of] alle add. MS.
      hond] lond MS.
    1084. my] om. MS.
    1086. nor] om. MS.
    1091. by s.] om. MS.
    1092. there MS.]

(95)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent hears that Desonell is to marry a strange King.]

  By the kyng of P{er}vens he gan gane, 1095
  That he had oute {of preson} i-tane
    His son vppon a day.
  Gentilmen were blith and ffayn~,
  That he in helth was comyn~ agayn~,
    That they myght with hym~ play. 1100
  There of herd he, s{er}tayn{le},
  That Desoneƚƚ wedid shold be
    With an vncouth Ray.
  And listonyth, lordis, of a chaunce,
  Howe he lefte his countenaunce 1105
    And takyth hym~ armes gay!

    [Linenotes:
    1098. leve] the way MS.
    1096. of preson] om. MS.
    1101. sertayn MS.
    1103. vnc.] a add. MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS KNIGHTED. DESONELL IS MARRIED.]

(96)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Provyns knights Torrent.]

  By-fore the kyng he feƚƚ on kne:
  ‘Good lord,’ he said, ‘for charite,
    Yeve me order of knyght!
  I wott weƚƚ, leryd are ye, 1110
  My lordys doughter shaƚƚ wed be
    To a man~ off myght.’
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘I trow, she mone f. 95a.
  To the prynce off Aragon~,
    By this day sevynnyght. 1115
  Swith,’ he seith, ‘that this be done,
  That thou be there and wyn~ thy shone,
    Gete the armes bryght.’

[Linenotes: 1110. ye are leryd MS. 1111. be wed MS. 1115 and 1118 have changed their place in the MS.]

(97)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent has an azure shield with a gold squire on it; and a grinning
  dragon of gold on the crest of his helmet.]

  Sir Torrent ordenyth hym a sheld,
  It was ryche in euery ffeld, 1120
    Listonyth, what he bare:
  O{n} aȝure a squier off gold,
  Richely bett on mold;
    Listonyth, what he ware:
  A dragon~ lying hym be-syde, 1125
  His mouth grennyng fuƚƚ wyde,
    Aƚƚ ffyghtyng as they were;
  The creste, that on his hede shold stond,
  Hit was aƚƚ gold shynand,
    Thus previd he hym~ there. 1130

    [Linenote:
    1122. On] of MS.]

(98)

  [Sidenote:
  He hears that Desonell’s marriage is certain.]

  Lordys assembelid in sale,
  Weƚƚ mo than I haue in tale,
    Or ellis gret wonder were.
  There herd {he} teƚƚ ffor certan~,
  That Desoneƚƚ wed shold be than~, 1135
    That was hym selfe ffuƚƚ dere.
  And whan~ he herd of that ffare,
  Wors tydingis than were thare,
    Might he none gladly here . . . . . . .

    [Linenote:
    1134. he] l MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT CHALLENGES THE PRINCE OF ARAGON.]

(99)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent rides into the Hall where Desonell is, and challenges any
  one to fight him for her.]

  He wold not in passe, 1140
  Tiƚƚ {at} the myd mete was
    The kyng and meny a knyght;
  As they satt at theyre {mete} glade,
  In at the haƚƚ dur {he} rade
    In armes ffeyre and bryght, f. 95b. 1145
  With a squier, that is ffre;
  Vp to the lady ryduth he,
    That rychely was i-dight.
  ‘Lordys,’ he said, ‘among you aƚƚ
  I chalenge thre coursus in the haƚƚ, 1150
    {Or} Delyuer {her} me with right!’

    [Linenotes:
    1141. at] om. MS.
    1143. mete] om. MS.
    1144. he] they MS.
    1151. Delyuer it me MS.]

(100)

  [Sidenote:
  The Prince of Aragon accepts,]

  The kyng of Aragon~ sett her bye,
  And he defendid her nobely:
    ‘I wyƚƚ none delyu{er} the.’
  His son said: ‘So muste I thryve, 1155
  There shaƚƚ no man just for my wiffe;
    But yf youre wyƚƚ it be,
  For her love did I never no dede,
  I shaƚƚ to day, so god me spede:
    Be-hold and ye shaƚƚ se.’ 1160
  ‘Alas!’ said Desoneƚƚ the dere,
  ‘Fuƚƚ longe may I sitt here,
    Or Torrent chalenge me.’

(101)

  [Sidenote:
  and the lists are made ready. Torrent unhorses the Prince of
  Aragon,]

  Trumpett{es} blew in the prese,
  Lordys stond on {the grese}, 1165
    Ladyes lay ou{er} and be-held.
  The prynce and Torrent th{e}n
  Eyther to other gan ren~,
    Smertely in that ffeld;
  Torrent sett on hym~ so sore, 1170
  That hors and man down~ he bore,
    And aƚƚ to-sheverd his sheld.
  So they tombelid aƚƚ in ffere,
  That afterward of VII yere
    The prynce none armes myght weld. 1175

    [Linenote:
    1165. the grese] reugis or rengis MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT BEATS THE PRINCE OF ARAGON.]

(102)

  [Sidenote:
  and he is carried indoors.]

  Torrent said: ‘So god me saue,
  Other two coursus wyƚƚ I haue, f. 96a.
    Yf ye do me law of lond.’
  Gret lordys stond styƚƚ,
  They said nether good ne yƚƚ 1180
    For tynding of his hond.
  The prynce of Aragon~ in they barr~
  With lituƚƚ worshipp and sydes sare,
    He had no fote on ffor to stond.
  Thus thes lordys justid aye; 1185
  Better {they} had to haue be away,
    Suche comffort there he ffond.

    [Linenotes:
    1167. than MS.
    1186. they] he MS.
    1187. ffound MS.]

(103)

  [Sidenote:
  At dinner, Torrent lays Slongus’s head on the table.]

  He wold not in passe,
  Tiƚƚ they at myd mete was,
    On the other day at none. 1190
  His squiers habite he had,
  Whan~ he to the deyse yad,
    With oute couped shone,
  And the hede on~ the bord he laid:
  ‘Lo, s{ir} kyng, hold this,’ he said, 1195
    ‘Or ellis wroth we anon~!’
  They sett stiƚƚ at the bord,
  None of hem spake one word,
    But ryght that he had done.

    [Linenote:
    1198. They spake nether ylle ne good add. (!) MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT CLAIMS DESONELL, AND HALF PORTUGAL.]

(104)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent proclaims the promise of the King of Portugal to give him
  Desonell, and half Portugal, if he slew Slongus.]

  Torrent at the syde bord stode: 1200
  ‘Lystonyth, lordyng{es}, gentiƚƚ of blood,
    For the love of god aƚƚ-myght:
  The kyng heyght me his doughter dere,
  To ffyght with a ffendys ffere,
    That wekyd was and wight, 1205
  To wed her to my wyffe,
  And halffe his kyngdome be his liffe,
    And after his days aƚƚ his ryght. [1209]
  Lokyth, lordys, you among, f. 96b.
  Whether he do me ryght or wrong!’ 1210
    Tho waried hym~ both kyng & knyght.

    [Linenote:
    1211. &] ky, struck out, add. MS.]

(105)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Aragon says his son has wedded Desonell. He will be
  revenged on the King of Portugal.]

  Tho said the kyng of Aragon, i-wys:
  ‘Torrent, I wiste no thing of thys,
    A gret maister arte thou!’
  The kyng sware be seynt Gryffen~: 1215
  ‘With a sword thou shalte her wynne,
    Or thou haue her nowe:
  For why, my son to her was wed,
  Gret lordys to churche her led, [1220]
    I take wittnes of aƚƚ you.’ 1220
  ‘Kyng Calamond, haue good day,
  Thou shalt i-bye it, and I may,
    To god I make avowe.’

    [Linenote:
    1220. you alle MS.]

(106)

  [Sidenote:
  To settle the quarrel, the Emperor suggests a fight between 2
  Champions.]

  The Emp{er}oure of Rome ther was,
  Be-twene thes kyng{es} gan~ he passe 1225
    And said: ‘Lordys, as sone,
  This squier, that hath brought this hede,
  The kyng had wend he had be dede,
    And a-venturly gan~ he gone: [1230]
  I rede you take a day of {ryghtes}, 1230
  And do it vppon~ two knyght{es},
    And let no man~ be sl{o}n~!’
  Gret lordys, that were thare,
  This talis lovid at that fare
    And ordenyd tha{t} anon~. 1235

    [Linenotes:
    1230. ryghtes] Restys MS.
    1232. slayn MS.
    1235. that] than MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS TO FIGHT THE GIANT CATE.]

(107)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Aragon sends to the giant Cate to fight Torrent]

  To the kyng {the thoght} com~ was,
  To send vnto Sathanas
    For a geaunt, that hight Cate,
  For to make hym~ knyght to his hond [1240]
  And sease hym~ in aƚƚ his lond; 1240
    The messingere toke the gate. f. 97a.
  Gret othes he sware hym than~,
  That he shold ffyght but w{i}t{h} one man~,
    And purvey hym he bad
  Iryn stavis two or thre, 1245
  For to ffyght with Torent ffre,
    Though he there of ne w{a}tt.

    [Linenotes:
    1236. the thoght om. MS.
    1247. wott MS.]

(108)

  [Sidenote:
  on an island for half Portugal.]

  Than take counseƚƚ kyng and knyght,
  On lond that he shold not ffyght, [1250]
    But ffar oute in the see, 1250
  In an yle long and br{a}d;
  A gret payn~ there was made,
    That holdyn~ shold it be.
  Yf Cate slow Torent, that ffre ys,
  Halfe Portyngale shold be his, 1255
    To spend with dedys ffre;
  And yf s{ir} Torrent myght hym ou{er}-com~,
  He shold haue halfe Aragon~,
    Was better than suche thre. [1260]

    [Linenotes:
    1248. couns.] of add. MS.
    1251. brod MS.]

[Headnote: THE GIANT CATE, AND TORRENT, GO TO THE ISLAND.]

(109)

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant Cate comes to an Island.]

  The Gyaunt shipped in a while 1260
  And sett hym~ oute in an yle,
    That was grow both grene and gay.
  Sir Torrent com~ prekand on a stede,
  Richely armed in his wede;
    ‘Lordyngys,’ gan he say, 1265
  ‘It is semely ffor a knyght,
  Vppon a stede ffor to ffyght.’
    They said sone: ‘Nay,
  He is so hevy, he can not ryde. [1270]
  Torrent said: ‘Eviƚƚ mut he be-tyde, 1270
    Falshode, woo worth it aye!’

(110)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent prays for Christ’s help,]

  ‘Sir, takyth houseƚƚ and shrefte!’ f. 97b.
  To god he did his hondys lifte,
    And thankid hym of his sond:
  ‘I{es}u Cryste, I the praye, 1275
  Send me myght and strengith this day
    A-yen~ the ffend to stond!’
  To the shipp s{ir} Torent went,
  With the grace, god had hym sent, [1280]
    That was never ffayland; 1280
  Aƚƚ the lordys of that contre,
  Frome Rome vnto the Grekys se,
    Stode and be-held on lond.

    [Linenotes:
    1278. This line begins with a big initial letter.
      Torent] yode, struck out, add. MS.
    1283. On lond stode and be held MS.]

(111)

  [Sidenote:
  and lands in the Island too. The Giant knocks Torrent’s staff out of
  his hand,]

  Whan s{ir} Torrent in to the Ile was brought,
  The shipmen~ lenger wold tary nought, 1285
    But hied hem sone ageyn~;
  The Giaunt said: ‘So must I the,
  Sir, thou art welcom to me,
    Thy deth is not to layn~!’ [1290]
  The ffirste stroke to hym he yaue, 1290
  Oute of his hand flew his staff:
    That thefe was fuƚƚ fayn~.
  Tho s{ir} Torent went nere Cate, . . . . .
    He thought, he wold hym~ haue slayn~.

[Headnote: TORRENT KILLS THE GIANT CATE WITH COBBLE-STONES.]

(112)

  [Sidenote:
  and runs into the sea. Torrent shies cobble-stones at him, kills
  him,]

  The theff couth no better wonne, 1295
  In to the see rennyth he sone,
    As faste as he myght ffare.
  Sir Torrent gaderid cobled stonys, [1300]
  Good and handsom ffor the nonys,
    That good and round w{a}re; 1300
  Meny of them to hym~ he caste,
  He threw stonys on hym so faste,
    That he was sad and s{a}re.
  To the ground he did hym feƚƚ, f. 98a.
  Men~ myght here the fend yeƚƚ 1305
    Halfe a myle and m{a}re.

    [Linenotes:
    1298. gad.] good add. MS.
    1300. were MS.
    1303. sore MS.
    1306. more MS.]

(113)

  [Sidenote:
  and he is towd ashore. Torrent is shipt to the mainland.]

  Sir Torent said, as he was wonne,
  He thankid I{es}u, Maryes son~, [1310]
    That kyng, that sent hym myȝt~;
  He said: ‘Lordys, for charite, 1310
  A bote that ye send to me,
    It is nere hand nyght!’
  They Reysed a gale w{i}t{h} a sayƚƚ,
  The Geaunt to lond for to trayƚƚ,
    Aƚƚ men wonderid on that wight. 1315
  Whan that they had so done,
  They went to s{ir} Torent fuƚƚ sone
    And shipped that comly knyght. [1320]

[Headnote: TORRENT WINS DESONELL, LANDS, AND A CITY.]

(114)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent is awarded Desonell, territory, and the City of Cargon.
  Desonell is divorst from the Prince of Aragon.]

  The emp{er}oure of Rome was there,
  {The kynges} of P{er}vens and of Calabere yare, 1320
    And other two or thre.
  They yaue s{ir} Torent, that he wan,
  Both the Erth and the woman~,
    And said, weƚƚ worthy was he.
  Sir Torent had in Aragon~ 1325
  The riche Cite of Cargon~
    And aƚƚ that riche contre;
  Archbeshoppes, as the law feƚƚ, [1330]
  Dep{ar}tid the prynce and Dissoneƚƚ
    With gret solempnite. 1330

    [Linenotes:
    1320. The kynges] om. MS.
    1321. other] kynges add. MS.
      or] the add. MS.]

(115)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Portugal acknowledges Torrent,]

  For s{ir} Torent the fend did faƚƚ,
  Gret lordys honoured hym~ aƚƚ
    And for a doughty knyght hym~ tase;
  The kyng said: ‘I vnderstond,
  Thou hast fought ffor my dought{er}
        & my lond, f. 98b. 1335
    And weƚƚ wonne her thou hase.’
  He gaue to s{aint} Nycholas de Barr~
  A grett Erldome and a {si}marr~ [1340]
    That abbey of hym {tas}
  For I{es}us love, moch of myght, 1340
  That hym helpith day & nyght,
    Whan~ he to the batteƚƚ {gas}.

    [Linenotes:
    1337. saint] sir MS.
    1338. simarr{e}] marr MS.
    1339. tas] redith MS.
    1342. gas] yode MS.]

(116)

  [Sidenote:
  and the Queen is glad. The King of Portugal bids Torrent wait 6
  months and a day for Desonell.]

  Lordys than~ at the laste,
  Echone on theyre way paste,
    And euery man~ to his. 1345
  The quene of Portingale was ffayn~,
  That s{ir} Torent was com agayn~
    And thankyd god of this. [1350]
  Than said the kyng: ‘I vnderstond,
  Thou hast fought for my dought{er} & my lond, 1350
    And art my ward, i-wys,
  And I wyƚƚ not ageyn~ the say;
  But abyde halfe yere and a day,
    And broke her weƚƚ with blis!’

[Headnote: TORRENT BEGETS TWINS ON DESONELL.]

(117)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent passes a night with Desonell.]

  Torent said: ‘So muste I the, 1355
  Sith it wyƚƚ no better be,
    I cord with that assent!’
  After mete, as I you teƚƚ, [1360]
  To speke with mayden~ Desoneƚƚ,
    To her chamber he went. 1360
  The damyseƚƚ so moche of pride
  Set hym on~ her bed-syde,
    And said: ‘Welcom~, verament!’
  Such gestenyng he a-right,
  That there he dwellid aƚƚ nyȝt~ 1365
    With that lady gent. f. 99a.

(118)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Norway begs him to come and fight a Giant there.]

  Sir Torent dwellid thare
  Twelffe wekys and mare, [1370]
    Tiƚƚ letters com hym tiƚƚ
  Fro the kyng of Norway; 1370
  For I{es}us love he did hym p{r}aye,
    Yf it were his wyƚƚ,
  He shold com as a doughty knyght,
  With a Geaunt for to ffyght,
    That wyƚƚ his londys spyƚƚ; 1375
  He wold hym yeve his doughter dere
  And halfe Norway ffar and nere,
    Both be hold and be hyƚƚ. [1380]

[Headnote: TORRENT SAILS TO FIGHT A NORWEGIAN GIANT.]

(119)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent gives all his land to the King for Desonell;]

  Sir Torent said: ‘So god me saue,
  I-nough to lyve vppon I haue, 1380
    I wyƚƚ desire no more;
  But it be, for I{es}u is sake
  A poynt of armes for to take,
    That hath helpid me be-ffore.
  I yeve the here oute of my hond 1385
  To thy doughter aƚƚ my lond,
    Yf that I end th{o}re.’
  And whan~ he toke his way to passe, [1390]
  Mo than ffyfty with hym was,
    That fals to hym~ w{o}re. 1390

    [Linenotes:
    1387. there MS.
    1390. were MS.]

(120)

  [Sidenote:
  leaves 2 gold rings with her,]

  +S+yr Torent to the lady went,
  Fuƚƚ curtesly and gent: . . . . .
  ‘Desoneƚƚ, haue good day!
  I muste now on my jurnay,
    A kyngis lond for to fend. 1395
  Thes gold ryng{es} I shaƚƚ yeve the,
  Kepe {them} weƚƚ, my lady ffre,
    Yf god a child vs send!’ [1400]
  She toke the ryngis with moche care, f. 99b.
  Thries in sownyng feƚƚ she thare, 1400
    Whan she saw, that he wold wend.

    [Linenotes:
    1393. Denoselle MS.
    1397. them] om. MS.]

(121)

  [Sidenote:
  and goes on board ship with his steed and armour. Torrent gets to
  Norway.]

  Shipp and takyƚƚ they dight,
  Stede and armo{ur} ffor to ffyght
    To the bote they bare.
  Gentilmen~, that were hend, 1405
  Toke her leve at theyre frend,
    With hym ffor to fare.
  Kyng Colomond, is not to layn~, [1410]
  He wold, that he cam nev{ur}e agayn~;
    There fore god yeff hym~ care! 1410
  So within the ffyfty dayes
  He Come in to the lond of Norways,
    Hard Contre ffound he thare.

[Headnote: TORRENT REACHES NORWAY, AND HEARS OF A GIANT.]

(122)

  [Sidenote:
  The shipmen tell him of a Giant.]

  Thus s{ir} Torrent, for soth, is fare,
  A noble wynd droffe hym~ thare, 1415
    Was blowyng oute of the weste.
  Of the Coste of Norway they had a sight . . . [1419]
    Of sayling they were aƚƚ preste.
  So ffeyre a wynd had the knyght,
  A lituƚƚ be-ffore the mydnyght 1420
    He Rode be a foreste.
  The shipmen said: ‘We be shent;
  Here dwellith a geaunt, verament,
    On his lond are we {kest}!’

    [Linenote:
    1424. kest] sett MS.]

(123)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent resolves to land.]

  The maistershipm{o}n~ said: ‘Nowe 1425
  I Rede, we take down~ sayle & Rowe,
    While we haue this tyde. [1430]
  Sir,’ he said, ‘be god aƚƚmyght,
  The giant lieth euery nyght
    On~ the mowntayn~ here be-syde; 1430
  My lord the kyng wyƚƚ not ffyght, f. 100a.
  Tiƚƚ he of you haue a sight,
    On you ys aƚƚ his pryde!’
  Sir Torrent said: ‘Here my hond!
  Sith we be ryven on this lond, 1435
    To nyght wyƚƚ I ryde.’

    [Linenotes:
    1425. maistershipmen MS.
    1429. lieth] here add. MS.
    1434. Torerent MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT LANDS IN THE FOREST OF BRASILL.]

(124)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent and his knights arm.]

  Sir Torent armyd hym~ anon [1440]
  And his knyght{es} euerychone
    With sheld and spere in hond.
  The shipmen~ said: ‘As mut I thryve, 1440
  I Rede, that euery man~ other shryve,
    Or that we go to the lond.’
  Sir Torent said: ‘As god me spede,
  We wiƚƚ firste se that ffede,
    My lord was never f{ail}and! 1445
  Gentilmen, ma{k}e chere good,
  For I{es}u love, that died on Rood, [1450]
    He wiƚƚ be oure waraunt!’

    [Linenotes:
    1445. fleand MS.
    1446. make] made MS.]

(125)

  [Sidenote:
  They reach the Forest of Brasill. The coward knights flee to the
  ship, and leave Torrent alone.]

  In a forest can~ they passe,
  Of Brasiƚƚ, saith the boke, it was, 1450
    With bowes brod and wyde.
  Lyons and berys there they ff{a}nd
  And wyld best{es} aboute goand,
    Reysing on euery side.
  Thes men~ of armes, w{i}t{h} trayn~ 1455
  To the shipp they flew agayn~
    In to the see at that tyde; [1460]
  Fast from land row they be-gan~,
  A-bove they left that gentilman~,
    With wyld beestis to haue kyde. 1460

[Linenotes: 1451. bowes] browes MS. 1452. ffound MS. 1460. k corrected out of r.]

(126)

  [Sidenote:
  False tales of Torrent are told to the King of Norway.]

  The shipmen~ of the same lond
  Ryved vp, I vnderstond,
    In another lond off hold. f. 100b.
  To the chamber they toke the way,
  There the kyng hym~ selfe lay, 1465
    And fals talis hym~ told . . . . . .
  For he wold not the geaunt abyde, [1470]
  For aƚƚ this contrey feyre and wyde,
    Thouȝ he yeff it hym wold.

    [Linenote:
    1465 put before 1464 MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT COMES ON 2 DRAGONS IN A VALLEY.]

(127)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Norway wants Torrent to come.]

  ‘Sir kyng, ye haue youre selfe 1470
  Erlis {doughty be} ten~ or twelfe,
    Better know I none:
  Send youre messingeris ffar and wyde,
  For to ffeƚƚ the geaunt{es} pride,
    That youre doughter hath tane.’ 1475
  ‘I had lever to haue that knyght;
  With hym~ is grace of god aƚƚmyȝt~,
    To be here at his bane.’ [1480]
  Fuƚƚ lituƚƚ wist that riche kyng
  Of s{ir} Torrent{es} ryding 1480
    In the forest aƚƚ alone.

    [Linenotes:
    1471. doughty be] om. MS.
    1476. that] ky, struck out, add. MS.]

(128)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent rides up to 2 Dragons.]

  Thorouȝ helpe of god that w{i}t{h} hym was,
  Fro the wyld bestis gan~ he passe
    To an hye hyƚƚ.
  A lituƚƚ while be-fore the day 1485
  He herd in a valey
    A dynnyng and a yeƚƚ. [1490]
  Theder than~ riduth he,
  To loke, what thing it myȝt be,
    What adventure tha{re} be-feƚƚ. 1490
  It were two dragons stiff and strong,
  Vppon~ theyre lay they sat and song,
    Be-side a depe weƚƚ.

    [Linenote:
    1490. thare] that MS.]

(129)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent prays to Christ, spears the first Dragon;]

  Sir Torent said thanne
  To god, that made man~ f. 101a. 1495
    And died uppon~ a tree:
  ‘Lord, as thou mayst aƚƚ weld, [1500]
  Yeve me grace, to wyn~ the feld
    Of thes ffendys on{fre}!’
  Whan he had his p{r}ayers made, 1500
  Pertely to hem~ he Rade
    And one thorouȝ oute bare he.
  Thus sped the knyght at his comyng
  Thorough the helpe of hevyn~ kyng:
    Lord, lovid muste thou be! 1505

    [Linenotes:
    1499. onfre] ontrewe MS.
    1502. he bare MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT KILLS THE 2 DRAGONS, AND SEES A CASTLE.]

(130)

  [Sidenote:
  and then kills the second.]

  The other dragon wold not flee, . . . . .
    But sho{w}ith aƚƚ his myght; [1510]
  He smote ffire, that lothely thing,
  As it were the lightnyng,
    Vppon~ that comly knyght. 1510
  There fore s{ir} Torent wold not lett,
  But on~ the dragon) fast~ he bett
    And over-come that foule wight.
  Tho anon the day sprong,
  Fowles Rose, mery they song, 1515
    The sonne a-Rose on hyȝ{t}.

    [Linenotes:
    1507. shotith MS.
    1516. hyȝe MS.]

(131)

  [Sidenote:
  He sees a Castle.]

  Torent of the day was fuƚƚ blithe, [1520]
  And of the valey he did hym~ swith,
    As fast as euer he may.
  To a mowntayn~ he rode ryght, 1520
  Of a casteƚƚ he had a sight
    With towrys hyȝe and gay . . . . . .
  He come in to an hyȝe strete,
  Few folke gan~ he mete,
    To wis hym~ the way. 1525

    [Linenote:
    1525. wish MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT BEFORE THE NORSE GIANT’S CASTLE.]

(132)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent rides to the Norse Giant’s castle gates.]

  To the gatys tho he R{a}de;
  Fuƚƚ craftely they were made f. 101b.
    Of Irun~ and eke of tree. [1531]
  One tre stonding there he ffond:
  Nyne oxen~ of that lond 1530
    Shold not drawe the tre.
  The Giaunt wrought vp his w{a}ƚƚ
  And laid stonys gret and smaƚƚ:
    A lothely man~ was he.
  ‘Now,’ quod Torrent, ‘I {n}ot, whare, 1535
  My squiers be ffro me to fare,
    Euer waried th{ey} be! [1540]

    [Linenotes:
    1526. rode MS.
    1529. ffound MS.
    1532. welle MS.
    1535. wot MS.
    1537. they] thou MS.]

(133)

  [Sidenote:
  He considers what he shall do, and resolves to fight.]

  ‘Lord god, what is beste,
  So I{es}u me helpe, Est or Weste,
    I Can not Rede to {say}. 1540
  Yf I to the shipp fare,
  No shipmen~ ffynd {I} thare;
    It is long, sith they were away.
  Other wayes yf I wend,
  Wyld bestis wyƚƚ me shend: 1545
    Falshede, woo worth it aye!
  I ffyght here, I{es}u, for thy sake; [1560]
  Lord, to me kepe thou take,
    As thou best may!’

    [Linenotes:
    1540. say] done MS.
    1542. And no MS.
      I] om. MS.]

(134)

  [Sidenote:
  He baits his steed. The Norse Giant prepares to fight.]

  Down~ light this gentiƚƚ knyght, 1550
  To Rest hym~ a lituƚƚ wight,
    And vnbrydelid his stede
  And let hym~ bayte on~ the ground,
  And aventid hym~ in~ that stound,
    There of he had gret nede. 1555
  The Gyaunt yode and gaderid stone
  And sye, where the knyght gan~ gone, [1570]
    Aƚƚ armed in dede; f. 102a.
  And wot ye weƚƚ and not wene,
  Whan eyther of hem had other sene, 1560
    Smertely {they} rerid her dede.

    [Linenotes:
    1553. bayte] hym add. MS.
    1561. they] om. MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT GETS ASSURANCE FROM HEAVEN.]

(135)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent prays to Christ, and is cheerd by a voice from Heaven.]

  For that s{ir} Torent had hym sene,
  He worth vppon his stede, I wene,
    And I{es}u prayd{e} he tiƚƚ:
  ‘Mary son~, thou here my bone, 1565
  As I am~ in venturus s{t}ad come,
    My jurnay {to} fuƚƚ-ffyƚƚ!’ [1580]
  A voys was fro hevyn~ sent
  And said: ‘Be blith, s{ir} Torent,
    And yeve the no thing yƚƚ, 1570
  To ffyght with my lordys enemy:
  Whether that thou lyve or dye,
    Thy mede the quyte he wyƚƚ!’

    [Linenotes:
    1566. sad MS.
    1567. to] than MS.
    1573. He wylle quyte the thy mede MS.]

(136)

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant advances against Torrent.]

  Be that the giaunt had hym dight,
  Cam~ ageyn~ that gentiƚƚ knyght, 1575
    As bold as eny bore;
  He bare on~ his nek a croke, [1590]
  Woo were the man~, that he ou{er}toke,
    It was twelfe ffote and more.
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘ffor charite, 1580
  Loke, curtes man~ that thou be,
    Yf thy wyƚƚ ware:
  I haue so fought aƚƚ this nyght
  With thy II dragons wekyd and wight,
    They haue bett me fuƚƚ sore.’ 1585

[Headnote: THE NORSE GIANT, WERAUNT, WOUNDS TORRENT.]

(137)

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant says he’ll punish Torrent for killing his 2 Dragons and
  his Brother Cate.]

  The Geaunt said: ‘Be my fay,
  Wors tyding{es} to me this day [1600]
    I myght not goodly here.
  Thorough the valey as thou cam~,
  My two dragons hast thou slan~, 1590
    My solempnite they were. f. 102b.
  To the I haue fuƚƚ good gate;
  For thou slow my brother Cate,
    That thou shalte by fuƚƚ dere!’
  Be-twene the giaunt and the knyght 1595
  Men myght se buffett{es} right,
    Who so had be there. [1610]

    [Linenote:
    1590. slayne MS.]

(138)

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant’s crook cuts through Torrent’s shield to his flesh, and
  sticks there.]

  Sir Torent yaue to hym~ a brayd;
  He levid that the aungeƚƚ said,
    Of deth yaue he no{ught}. 1600
  In to the brest he hym~ bare,
  His spere hede lefte he thare,
    So eviƚƚ was hitt {bythought}.
  The Giaunt hym ayen~ smate
  Thorough his sheld and his plate, 1605
    In to the flesh it sought;
  And sith he pullith at his croke, [1620]
  So fast in to the flesh it toke,
    That oute myȝt he gete it nought.

    [Linenotes:
    1600. nought] no dynt MS.
    1603. byth.] mynt MS.]

(139)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent throws his shield and the Giant’s crook into the water. The
  Giant goes in after them and is drowned.]

  On hym~ he hath it broke, 1610
  Glad pluckys there he toke,
    Set sadly and s{a}re.
  Sir Torent stalworth satt,
  Oute of his handys he it gatt,
    No lenger dwellid he th{a}re. 1615
  In to the water he cast his sheld,
  Croke and aƚƚ to-geders it held, [1630]
    Fare after, how so euer it ffare.
  The Geaunt folowid w{i}t{h} aƚƚ his mayn~,
  And he come never quyk agayn~: 1620
    God wold, that so it ware.

    [Linenotes:
    1612. sore MS.
    1615. there MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT SLAYS THE NORSE GIANT, WERAUNT.]

(140)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent rides to the Giant’s castle,]

  Sir Torent bet hym~ there, f. 103a.
  Tiƚƚ that this fend did were,
    Or he thens wend.
  On hym had he hurt but ane, 1625
  Lesse myght be a mann{us} bane,
    But god is fuƚƚ hend: [1640]
  Thorough grace of hym, that aƚƚ shaƚƚ weld,
  There the knyght had the feld,
    Such grace god did hym~ send. 1630
  Be than it nyed nere hand nyȝt~,
  To a casteƚƚ he Rode right,
    Aƚƚ nyght there to lend.

    [Linenote:
    1626. But lesse MS.]

(141)

  [Sidenote:
  and finds a fair Lady there. Torrent asks for a night’s lodging.]

  In the casteƚƚ found he nought,
  That god on the Rode bought; 1635
    High vppon~ a toure,
  As he caste a side lokyng, [1650]
  He saw a lady in her bed syttyng,
    White as lylye ffloure;
  Vp a-Rose that lady bryght, 1640
  And said: ‘Welcom~, s{ir} knyght,
    That fast art in stoure!’
  ‘Damyseƚƚ, welcom~ mut thou be!
  Graunt thou me, for charite,
    Of one nyghtis so{i}oure!’ 1645

    [Linenote:
    1645. socoure MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT IN THE GIANT WERAUNT’S CASTLE.]

(142)

  [Sidenote:
  The Lady says the Giant Weraunt will kill him.]

  ‘By Mary,’ said that lady clere,
  ‘Me for-thinkith, that thou com~ here, [1660]
    Thy deth now is dight;
  For here dwellith a geaunt,
  He is clepud Weraunt, 1650
    He is {to} the deviƚƚ be-taught.
  To day at morn~ he toke his croke,
  Forth at the yat{es} the way he toke,
    And said, he wold haue a draught; f. 103b.
  And here be chambers two or thre, 1655
  In one of hem I shaƚƚ hide the,
    God the saue ffrome harmes right!’ [1670]

    [Linenotes:
    1650. Weraunt] weraumt (?) MS.
    1651. to] of MS.]

(143)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent tells her to come and see the Giant.]

  ‘Certayn~,’ tho said the knyght,
  ‘That theffe I saw to nyght,
    Here be-side a sla{d}e. 1660
  He was a ferly freke in ffyght,
  With hym faught a yong knyght,
    Ech on other laid good l{a}de;
  Me thought weƚƚ, as he stode,
  He was of the fend{us} blood, 1665
    So Rude was he made.
  Dame, yf thou leve not me, [1680]
  Com~ nere, and thou shalt se,
    Which of hem ab{a}de.’

    [Linenotes:
    1660. slate or flate MS.
    1663. lode MS.
    1669. abode MS.]

(144)

  [Sidenote:
  The Norwegian Princess sees the Giant’s corpse, and praises his
  slayer.]

  Blith was that lady bryght 1670
  For to se that {selly} sight:
    With the knyght went she.
  Whan she cam, where the Geaunt lay,
  ‘Sir,’ she said, ‘p{ar}maffay
    I wott weƚƚ, it is he. 1675
  Other he was of god aƚƚ-myght
  Or seynt George, oure lady knyȝt~, [1690]
    That there his bane hath be.
  Yf eny cryston~ man smyte hym down~,
  He is worthy to haue renown~ 1680
    Thorough oute aƚƚ crystiaunte.’

    [Linenote:
    1671. selly] om. MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT RESCUES THE PRINCESS OF NORWAY.]

(145)

  [Sidenote:
  She tells Torrent that her Father gave her, as his ransom, to the
  Giant.]

  ‘I haue wonder,’ said the knyght,
  ‘How he gate the, lady bryght,
    Fro my lord the kyng.’
  ‘Sir,’ she said, ‘verament, f. 104a. 1685
  As my fader on huntyng went
    Erly in a mornyng, [1700]
  For{e} his men pursued a dere,
  To his casteƚƚ, that stondith here,
    That doth my hondys wryng, 1690
  This Giaunt hym toke, wo he be!
  For his love he gevith hym~ me,
    He wold none other thinge.’

    [Linenote:
    1688. For MS.]

(146)

  Forth she brought bred and wyne,
  Fayn~ he was for to dyne . . . . . . 1695
  This knyght made noble chere,
  Though that he woundid were [1710]
    With the Geaunt strong.

(147)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent takes her away. Torrent longs for Desonell. The Norwegian
  Princess sees her Father.]

  Sir Torrent dwellid no lenger thare,
  Than~ he myȝt away fare 1700
    With that lady bryght.
  ‘Now, I{es}u, that made heƚƚ,
  Send me on lyve to Desoneƚƚ,
    That I my trouth to plight!’
  Tho sye they be a forest syde 1705
  Men~ of armes ffaste ride
    On coursers comly dight. [1720]
  The lady said: ‘So mvst I thee,
  It is my fader, is com for me,
    With the Geaunt to ffyght.’ 1710

[Headnote: TORRENT IS WELCOMD BY THE KING OF NORWAY.]

(148)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent is recognised]

  An harood said anon~ right:
  ‘Yon I se an armed knyght,
    And no squier, but hym~ one:
  He is so {big} of bone & blood,
  He is the Geaunt, be the Rode!’ 1715
    Som~ seith, he riduth vppon~.
  ‘Nay,’ said the kyng, ‘verament, f. 104b. [1820]
  It is the knyght, that I after sent,
    I thanke god and seynt Iohñ,
  For the Geaunt slayn~) hath he 1720
  And wonne my dought{er}, weƚƚ is me!
    Aƚƚ his men are {a}t{o}ne!’

    [Linenotes:
    1714. big] long MS.
    1722. at.] tane MS.]

(149)

  [Sidenote:
  and welcomd by the King of Norway. His wounds are drest.]

  Wott ye weƚƚ, with Ioy and blis
  Sir Torent there recevid ys,
    As doughty man~ of dede. 1725
  The kyng and other lordys gent
  Said, ‘Welcom~, s{ir} Torent, [1830]
    In to this vncouth {thede}!’
  In to a state they hym~ brought,
  Lechis sone his woundis sought; 1730
    They said, so god hem spede,
  Were there no lyve but ane,
  His liffe they wyƚƚ not vndertane,
    For no gold ne ffor mede.

    [Linenote:
    1728. thede] lond MS.]

[Headnote: PRINCESS GENDRES. TORRENT STAYS A YEAR IN NORWAY.]

(150)

  [Sidenote:
  The Princess claims Torrent as her husband.]

  The lady wist not or than~, 1735
  That he was hurt, that gentilman~,
    And sith she went hym tyƚƚ; [1840]
  She sought his wound{us} and said thare:
  ‘Thou shalte lyve and welfare,
    Yf the no-thing evyƚƚ! 1740
  My lord the kyng hath me hight,
  That thou shalt wed me, s{ir} knyght,
    The fforward ye to fulle ffyƚƚ.’
  ‘Damyseƚƚ, loo here my hond:
  And I take eny wyffe in this lond, 1745
    It shaƚƚ be at thy wyƚƚ!’

(151)

  [Sidenote:
  Her name is Gendres. Torrent stays 12 months in Norway.]

  Gendres was that ladyes name. [1850]
  The Geaunt{es} hede he brought hame,
    And the dragons {he brought}. f. 105a.
  Mene myght here a myle aboute, 1750
  How on the dede hedys they did shoute,
    For the shame, that they hem~ wrought,
  Both with dede and with tong
  Fyfte on the hedys dong,
    That to the ground they sought. 1755
  Sir Torrent dwellid thare
  Twelfe monythis and mare, [1860]
    That ffurther myȝt he nought.

    [Linenotes:
    1749. he br.] also MS.
    1752. they] had add. MS.]

(152)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Norway sends Torrent’s false Squires to sea, where all
  drown, save one.]

  The kyng of Norway said: ‘Nowe,
  Fals thevis, woo worth you, 1760
    Ferly soteƚƚ were ye:
  Ye said, the knyght wold not com~:
  Swith oute of my kyngdome,
    Or hangid shaƚƚ ye be!’
  His squiers, that fro hym~ fled, 1765
  With sore strokys are they spred
    Vppon the wanne see, [1870]
  And there they drenchid euery man~,
  Saue one knave, that to lond cam~,
    And woo be-gone is he. 1770

[Headnote: DESONELL IS NEAR CHILD-BEARING.]

(153)

  [Sidenote:
  He takes the news to the King of Portugal, and tells Desonell that
  Torrent is in Norway.]

  The child, to lond that god sent,
  In Portyngale he is lent,
    In a riche town~,
  That hat{h} hight be her day,
  And euer shaƚƚ, as I you say, 1775
    The town~ of Peron~.
  By-fore the kyng he hym sett, [1880]
  ‘Fuƚƚ weƚƚ thy men~, lord, the grett,
    And in the see {did} they drown.’
  Desoneƚƚ said: ‘Where is Torent?’ 1780
  ‘In Norway, lady, verament.’ f. 105b.
    On sownyng feƚƚ she down~.

    [Linenotes:
    1774. hatt (!) MS.
    1778. the] they MS.
    1779. did] are MS.
      drowned MS.]

(154)

  [Sidenote:
  She swoons, and folk see she is big with child. The King of Portugal
  declares he’ll send Desonell and her Bastard to sea.]

  As she sownyd, this lady myld,
  Men myȝt se tokenyng of her child,
    Steryng on~ her right syde. 1785
  Gret Ruth it was to teƚƚ,
  How her maydens on~ her feƚƚ, [1890]
    Her to Couer and to hide.
  Tho the kyng said: ‘My dought{er}, do way!
  By god, thy myrth is gone for aye, 1790
    Spousage wyƚƚ thou none {bi}de!
  There fore thou shalt in to the see
  And that Bastard with-in the,
    To lerne you ffor to ride.’

    [Linenote:
    1791. bide] lede MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL BEARS TWINS TO TORRENT.]

(155)

  [Sidenote:
  His Earls and the Queen pray for mercy for Desonell.]

  Erlis and Barons, that were good, 1795
  By-fore the kyng knelid and stode
    For that lady free. [1900]
  The quene, her moder, on knees feƚƚ,
  ‘For I{es}u is love, that harood heƚƚ,
    Lord, haue mercy on~ me! 1800
  That ylke dede, that she hath done,
  It was with an Erlis sonne,
    Riche man~ i-nough is he;
  And yf ye wyƚƚ not let her lyve,
  Right of lond ye her yeve, 1805
    Tiƚƚ she delyu{er}d be!’

(156)

  [Sidenote:
  She is delivered of 2 male children like Torrent. Her Father says
  she shall be sent out to sea.]

  Thus the lady dwellith there, [1910]
  Tyll that she delyu{er}d were
    Of men~ children~ two;
  In all poyntes they were gent, 1810
  And like they were to s{ir} Torent;
    For his love they sufferid woo. f. 106a.
  The kyng said: ‘So mut I thee,
  Thou shalte in-to the see
    With oute wordys moo. 1815
  Euery kyngis dought{er} ffer and nere,
  At the shaƚƚ they lere, [1920]
    Ayen~ the law to do.’

    [Linenotes:
    1807. Thus the] so F. VII; This MS.
    1808. Tyll] so F. VII; om. MS.
    1810. all] so F. VII; om. MS.]

(157)

  [Sidenote:
  She is led from his land. The Queen bewails her daughter’s fate.
  Desonell is sent to sea.]

  Gret ruth it was to se,
  Whan they led that lady ffree 1820
    Oute of her faders lond.
  The quene wexid tho nere wood
  For her doughter, that gentiƚƚ ffode,
    And knyghtis stode wepand;
  A cloth of silke gan they ta 1825
  And p{ar}tyd it be-twene hem twa,
    Therin they were wonde.
  Whan~ they had shypped that lady y{i}ng, [1930]
  An hunderid feƚƚ in sownyng
    At Peron~ on~ the sond. 1830

    [Linenotes:
    1827. so F. VII; om. MS.
    1828. had sh.] so F. VII; clepud MS.
      yeng MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL IS SENT OUT TO SEA. SHE REACHES LAND.]

(158)

  [Sidenote:
  She prays to Christ for her children.]

  Whan that lady was downe fall,
  On Iesu Cryste dyd she call;
    Down~ knelid that lady cle{n}e:
  ‘Rightfull god, ye me sende
  Some good londe, on to lende, 1835
    That my chyldren may crystonyd bene!’
  She said, ‘Knyghtis and ladyes gent,
  Grete weƚƚ my lord, s{ir} Torrent,
    Yeff ye hym~ euer sene!’
  The wynd Rose ayen~ the nyght, 1840
  Fro lond it blew that lady bryght [1941]
    Vppon the see so grene.

    [Linenotes:
    1831 f.] so F. VII; om. MS.
    1833. clene] clere MS.
    1834 f.] so F. VII;
      Iesu Cryste, that com vp here
      On this strond, as I wenyd MS.
    1836. my ch.] so F. VII; we MS.]

(159)

  [Sidenote:
  She and they reach land. Desonell stills her crying child,]

  Wyndes and weders haue her drevyn~,
  Þat in a f{o}rest she is revyn~,
    There wyld beestis were; 1845
  The see was eb, and went her ffroo,
  And lefte her and her children~ two f. 106b.
    Alone with-oute ffere.
  Her one child woke and be-gan~ to wepe,
  The lady a-woke oute of her slepe 1850
    And said: ‘Be stiƚƚ, my dere, [1951]
  I{es}u Cryst hath sent vs lond;
  Yf there be any cryston man~ nere hond,
    We shaƚƚ haue som socoure here.’

    [Linenote:
    1844. forest] so F. VII; ftrest MS.
      she is] so F. VII; be they MS.]

[Headnote: A GRIFFIN CARRIES OFF ONE OF DESONELL’S BOYS.]

(160)

  [Sidenote:
  goes up a mountain,]

  The carefuƚƚ lady was fuƚƚ blith, 1855
  Vp to lond she went swith,
    As fast as euer she myght.
  Tho the day be-gan~ to spryng,
  Foules a-Rose and mery gan syng
    Delicious notys on~ hight. 1860
  To a mowntayn went that lady ffree: [1961]
  Sone was she warr~ of a Cite
    With towrus ffeyre and bryght.
  There fore, i-wys, she was fuƚƚ fayn~,
  She sett her down~, as I herd sayn~, 1865
    Her two children~ ffor to dight.

(161)

  [Sidenote:
  and finds an Arbour there. A Griffin carries off one of her boys.
  She puts the other down,]

  Vppon~ the low the lady ffound
  An Erber wrought w{i}t{h} mann{us} hond,
    With herbis, that were good.
  A Grype was in~ the mowntayn~ wonne, 1870
  A way he bare her yong son~ [1971]
    Ou{er} a water fflood,
  Over in to a wyldernes,
  There seynt Antony ermet w{e}s,
    There as his chapeƚƚ stode. 1875
  The other child down~ gan~ she ly,
  And on the ffoule did shoute & crye, f. 107a.
    That she was nere hond wood.

    [Linenotes:
    1874. was MS.
    1876. ly] lay MS.]

[Headnote: A LEOPARD CARRIES OFF DESONELL’S 2ND BOY.]

(162)

  [Sidenote:
  and sorrows.]

  Vp she rose ageyn~ the rough~,
  With sorofuƚƚ hert and care Inough~, 1880
    Carefuƚƚ of blood and bone . . . . . . . [1981]
  She sye, it myght no better be,
  She knelid down~ vppon~ her kne,
    And thankid god and seynt Iohn~.

(163)

  [Sidenote:
  A leopard takes her other boy away.]

  There come a libard vppon~ his pray, 1885
  And her other child bare away,
    She thankid god there
  And his moder Mary bryght.
  This lady is lefte alone ryght:
    The sorow she made there . . . . . 1890

(164)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Jerusalem sees the leopard and child.]

  That she myght no further ffare: [1991]
  ‘Of one poynt,’ {she sayd}, ‘is my care,
    As I do now vnderstond,
  So my children~ crystenyd were,
  Though they be with beest{es} there, 1895
    Theyre liffe is in godd{us} hond.’
  The kyng of Ierusalem~ had bene
  At his brothers weddyng, I wene,
    That was lord of aƚƚ that lond.
  As he com homward on his way, 1900
  He saw where the liberd lay [2001]
    With a child pleyand.

    [Linenote:
    1892. she s.] om. MS.]

(165)

  [Sidenote:
  Each child has one of Torrent’s rings. The King’s men kill the
  Leopard,]

  Torrent had yeve {her} ring{es} two,
  And euery child had one of tho,
    Hym~ with aƚƚ to saue. 1905
  The kyng said: ‘Be Mary myld,
  Yonder is a liberd w{i}t{h} a child,
    A mayden~ or a knave.’
  Tho men~ of armes theder went, f. 107b.
  Anon~ they had theyre hors spent, 1910
    Her guttys oute she Rave. [2011]
  For no stroke wold she stynt;
  Tiƚƚ they her slew w{i}t{h} speris dynt,
    The child myght they not haue.

    [Linenote:
    1903. her] his lady MS.]

[Headnote: HE (LEOBERTUS) IS ADOPTED BY THE KING OF JERUSALEM.]

(166)

  [Sidenote:
  and take the Child to the King, who christens him ‘Leobertus,’]

  Vp they toke the child y{i}ng 1915
  And brought it be-ffore the kyng
    And vndid the swathing band,
  As his moder be-ffore had done,
  A gold ryng they ffound sone,
    Was closud in his hond. 1920
  Tho said the kyng of Ierusalem~: [2021]
  ‘This child is come of gentiƚƚ teme,
    Where euer this beest hym~ ffond.
  The boke of Rome berith wytnes,
  The kyng hym~ namyd Leobertus, 1925
    That was hent in hethyn~ lond.

    [Linenotes:
    1915. yong MS.
    1923. ffound MS.]

(167)

  [Sidenote:
  and takes him to Jerusalem.]

  Two squiers to the town~ gan~ flyng,
  And a noryse to the child did bryng,
    Hym~ to kepe ffrome gr{e}me.
  He led it in~ to his own~ lond 1930
  And told the quene, how he it ffond [2031]
    By a water streme.
  Whan~ the lady saw the ryng,
  She said, with-oute lettyng:
    ‘This child is com~ of gentiƚƚ teme: 1935
  Thou hast none heyre, thy lond to take,
  For I{es}u love thou {sh}oldist hym~ make
    Prynce of Ierusalem~.’

    [Linenotes:
    1929. grame MS.
    1937. woldist MS.]

[Headnote: ST. ANTONY GETS THE FIRST BOY FROM THE GRIFFIN.]

(168)

  [Sidenote:
  St. Anthony sees the Griffin and Desonell’s first boy, whom the bird
  lays at his feet.]

  Now, in boke as we rede,
  As seynt Antony aboute yede, 1940
    Byddyng his orysoun~, [2041]
  Of the gripe he had a sight, f. 108a.
  How she flew in a fflight,
    To her birdus was she boun~.
  Be-twene her clawes she bare a child: 1945
  He prayed to god and Mary myld,
    On lyve to send it down~.
  That man was weƚƚ with god aƚƚ-myȝt~,
  At his fote gan~ she light,
    That foule of gret renown~. 1950

(169)

  [Sidenote:
  St. Antony takes the boy to his Father, the King of Greece.]

  Vp he toke the child th{e}re, [2051]
  To his auter he did it bere,
    There his chapeƚƚ stode.
  A knave child there he ffond,
  There was closud in his hond 1955
    A gold ryng riche and good.
  He bare it to the Cite grett,
  There the kyng his fader {s}ett
    As a lord of jentiƚƚ blood,
  For he wold saue it ffro dede; 1960
  A grype flew a-bove his hede [2061]
    And cryed, as he were wood.

    [Linenotes:
    1951. thare MS.
    1954. ffound MS.
    1958. sett] lett MS.]

(170)

  [Sidenote:
  The King sees his son Antony,]

  This holy man~ hied hym~ tyte
  To a Cite w{i}t{h} touris white,
    As fast as he may. 1965
  The kyng at the yate stode
  And other knyght{es} and lordys good
    To se the squiers play.
  The kyng said: ‘Be Mary myld,
  Yonder comyth Antony, my child, 1970
    With a gryffon~ gay. [2071]
  Som~ of his byrdus take hath he,
  And bryngith hem~ heder to me!’
    Gret ferly had thaye.

[Headnote: HE (ANTONY FITZ-GRIFFIN) IS ADOPTED BY THE KING OF GREECE.]

(171)

  [Sidenote:
  who asks him to adopt Desonell’s boy as his heir.]

  The kyng there of toke good hede, f. 108b. 1975
  And a-geyn~ his sonne he yede
    And said: ‘Welcom~ ye be!’
  ‘Fader,’ he said, ‘god you saue!
  A knave child ffound I haue,
    Loke, that it be dere to the! 1980
  Frome a greffon~ he was refte, [2081]
  Of what lond that he is lefte,
    Of gentiƚƚ blood was he:
  Thou hast none heyre, thy lond to take,
  For I{es}u love thy sonne hym~ make, 1985
    As in the stede of me!’

(172)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Greece agrees, and has the Boy baptized. The Boy is
  christend Antony Fitzgriffin.]

  The kyng said: ‘Yf I may lyve,
  Helpe and hold I shaƚƚ hym yeve
    And receyve hym as my son~.
  Sith thou hast this lond forsake, 1990
  My riche londys I shaƚƚ hym~ take, [2091]
    Whan he kepe them~ c{o}n~.’
  To a ffont they hym yaue,
  And crystonyd this yong knave;
    Fro care he is wonne. 1995
  The holy man yaue hym~ name,
  That I{es}u shild hym~ ffrome shame:
    Antony fice greffoun~.

    [Linenote:
    1992. can MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL BEWAILS HER LOST CHILDREN.]

(173)

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell laments,]

  ‘Fader, than~ haue thou this ryng,
  I ffound it on~ this swete thing, 2000
    Kepe it, yf thou may: [2101]
  It is good in euery {f}ight,
  Yf god yeve grace, that he be knyght,
    Be nyght {and} be day.’
  Let we now this children~ dweƚƚ, 2005
  And speke we more of Desoneƚƚ:
    Her song was welaway. f. 109a.
  God, that died vppon~ the Rode,
  Yff grace, that she mete w{i}t{h} good!
    Thus dispar{p}lid are thay. 2010

    [Linenotes:
    2002. fight] sight MS.?
    2004. Other be MS.
      and] or forme of (!) MS.
    2010. disparlid MS.]

(174)

  [Sidenote:
  wanders among wild beasts,]

  This lady walkyd aƚƚ alone [2111]
  Amonge wyld bestis meny one,
    Ne wanted she no Woo;
  Anon~ the day be-gan to spryng,
  And the ffoules gan to syng, 2015
    With blis on euery bowȝe . . . . . . .

(175)

  [Sidenote:
  and bewails her lost children. Desonell flees from some hunters]

  ‘Byrdus and bestis, aye woo ye be!
  Alone ye haue lefte me,
    My children~ ye {have} slo{ne}.’
  As she walkid than~ a-lone, 2020
  She sye lordis on~ huntyng gone, [2121]
    Nere hem~ she yede fuƚƚ sone.
  This carfuƚƚ lady cried faste,
  Than she herd this hornes blaste
    By the yatis gone, 2025
  But {ran} in to a wildernes,
  Amongist beests that wyld w{e}s,
    For drede, she shold be slone.

[Linenotes: 2018. haue] a corrected out of e MS. 2019. have sl.] slough MS. 2026. ran] om. MS. 2027. was MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL FLEES TO THE LAND OF NAZARETH.]

(176)

  [Sidenote:
  into the land of Nazareth.]

  Tiƚƚ it were vnder of the Day,
  She went {fro} that wilsom~ way, 2030
    In to a lond playn~. [2131]
  The kyng of Naȝareth huntid there,
  Among the hert{es}, that gentiƚƚ were;
    There of she was fuƚƚ ffayn~ . . . . . . . . .

    [Linenote:
    2030. fro] in MS.]

(177)

  [Sidenote:
  She sees the King,]

  They had ferly, kyng and knyght, 2035
  Whens she come, that lady bryght,
    Dwelli{n}g here a-lone.
  She said to a squier, that there stode:
  ‘Who is lord of most jentiƚƚ blood?’
    And he answerid her anon~: f. 109b. 2040
  ‘This ys the lond of Naȝareth, [2141]
  Se, where the kyng gethe,
    Of speche he is ffuƚƚ bone;
  Aƚƚ in gold couerid is he.’
  ‘Gramercy, s{ir},’ said she, 2045
    And nere hym~ gan~ she gone.

(178)

  [Sidenote:
  whose Lords greet her. Desonell says that her boys are dead, and she
  is left alone.]

  Lordys anon ageyn~ her yode,
  For she was com~ of gentiƚƚ blood,
    In her lond had they bene:
  ‘God loke the, lady ffree, 2050
  What makist thou in this contre?’ [2151]
    ‘Sir,’ she said, ‘I wene,
  Seynt Katryn~ I shold haue sought,
  Wekyd weders me heder hath brought
    In to this fforest grene, 2055
  And aƚƚ is dede, I vnderstond,
  Saue my selfe, that com~ to lond
    With wyld beestis and kene.’

[Headnote: DESONELL IS WELCOMD BY THE QUEEN OF NAZARETH.]

(179)

  [Sidenote:
  She is taken to Nazareth, and welcomd by the Queen,]

  ‘Welcom,’ he said,’ Desoneƚƚ,
  By a tokyn~ I shaƚƚ the teƚƚ: 2060
    Onys a stede I the sent. [2161]
  Lady gent, ffeyre and ffree,
  To the shold I haue wedid be,
    My love was on~ the lent.’
  Knyghtis and squiers, that there were, 2065
  They horsid the lady there,
    And to the Cite they went.
  The quene was curtes of that lond
  And toke the lady be the hond
    And said: ‘Welcom, my lady gent! 2070

(180)

  [Sidenote:
  with whom she stays.]

  ‘Lady, thou art welcom~ here, [2171]
  As it aƚƚ thyn~ own~ were, f. 110a.
    Aƚƚ this ffeyre contree!’
  ‘Of one poynt was my care,
  And my two children~ crystonyd ware, 2075
    That in wood were reft ffro me.’
  ‘Welcom art thou, Desoneƚƚ,
  In my chamber for to dweƚƚ,
    Inough there in shaƚƚ ye see!’
  Leve we now that lady gent, 2080
  And speke we of s{ir} Torrent, [2181]
    That was gentiƚƚ and ffre.

    [Linenote:
    2076. in] the add. MS.]

[[‘Welcom art thou… open quote invisible]]

[Headnote: TORRENT HEARS OF THE EXILE OF DESONELL AND HER BOYS.]

(181)

  [Sidenote:
  Sir Torrent won’t stop in Norway, but goes back to Portugal.]

  The kyng of Norway is fuƚƚ woo,
  That s{ir} Torent wold wend hym ffro,
    That doughty was and bold: 2085
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘abyde here
  And wed my dought{er}, that is me dere!’
    He said, in no wise he wold.
  He shipped oute of the kyng{es} sale
  And Ryved vp in~ Portingale 2090
    At another hold. [2191]
  Whan~ he herd teƚƚ of Desoneƚƚ,
  Swith on sownyng there he feƚƚ
    To the ground so cold.

(182)

  [Sidenote:
  The false King Calamond of Portugal tells him that Desonell and her
  2 Boys were sent out to sea.]

  The fals kyng of Portingale, 2095
  Sparid the yatis of his sale
    For Torent the ffree;
  He said: ‘Be Mary clere,
  Thou shalt no wyfe haue here,
    Go sech her in~ the see! 2100
  With her she toke whelpis two, [2201]
  To lerne to row wold she go.’
    ‘By god, thou liest,’ quod he,
  ‘Kyng Colomand, here my hond!
  And I be knyght levand, f. 110b. 2105
    I-quytt shaƚƚ it be!’

(183)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent gathers an army. Torrent’s knights]

  Torent wold no lenger byde,
  But sent letters on euery side
    With fforce theder to hye.
  Theder com oute of Aragon~ 2110
  Noble knyght{es} of gret renown~ [2211]
    With grett chevalrye.
  Of P{er}vyns and Ca{l}aber also
  Were doughty knyght{es} meny moo,
    They come aƚƚ to that crye. 2115
  Kyng Calomond had no knyght,
  That with s{ir} Torent wold fyght,
    Of aƚƚ that satt hym~ bye.

    [Linenote:
    2113. Calaber] Cababer (!) MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT SENDS THE KING OF PORTUGAL TO DROWN.]

(184)

  [Sidenote:
  and he are let into the chief City of Portugal, and resolve to send
  the false King to sea]

  There wold none the yatis deffend,
  But lett s{ir} Torent in wend 2120
    With his men~ euerychone. [2221]
  Swith a counseƚƚ yede they to,
  {To} what deth they wold hym do,
    For he his lady had slone.
  ‘Lordis,’ he said, ‘he is a kyng, 2125
  Men may hym~ nether hede ne h{i}ng.’
    Thus said they euerychone.
  They ordenyd a shipp aƚƚ of tree
  And sett hym~ oute in~ to the see,
    Among the wawes to gone. 2130

    [Linenotes:
    2123. To] om. MS.
    2126. hing] heng MS.]

(185)

  [Sidenote:
  in a boat full of holes.]

  Gret lordis of that lond [2231]
  Assentid to that com{n}and,
    That hold shold it be.
  In the havyn~ of Portyngale,
  There stode shippes of hede vale 2135
    Of Irun and of tree. f. 111a.
  A bote of tre they brought hym be-fforn~,
  Fuƚƚ of holis it was born~,
    Howseƚƚ and shryfte {wold} he.
  Sir Torent said: ‘Be seynt Iohn~, 2140
  Seth thou gaue my lady none, [2241]
    No more men~ shaƚƚ do the!’

    [Linenotes:
    2132. comland MS.
    2138. boryn MS.
    2139. wold] had MS.]

[[com{n}and printed as shown: error for “com{m}and”?]]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS MADE KING OF PORTUGAL.]

(186)

  [Sidenote:
  The false king Calamond is drownd, and Torrent is made King of
  Portugal,]

  The shipp-men~ brought s{ir} Colomond
  And sent hym fforth within~ a stound
    As ffar as it were. 2145
  Wott ye weƚƚ and vnderstond,
  He come never ayen to lond,
    Such stormes ffound he there.
  Gret lordys of renown~
  Be-toke s{ir} Torent the crown~ 2150
    To reioyse it there. [2251]
  Loo, lordys of euery lond:
  Falshode wyƚƚ haue a foule end,
    And wyƚƚ haue euermore.

(187)

  [Sidenote:
  but he gives the land up to the Queen, and resolves to go to the
  Holy-Land.]

  Sir Torent dwellid thare 2155
  Fourty days in moche care,
    Season~ for to hold;
  Sith he takith two knyght{es},
  To kepe his lond and his right{es},
    That doughty were and bold. 2160
  ‘Madam~,’ he said to the quene, [2261]
  ‘Here than shaƚƚ ye lady bene,
    To worth as ye wold.’
  He purveyd hym~ anon~,
  To wend ouer the see fome, 2165
    There god was bought and sold.

    [Linenote:
    2161. He said madam MS.]

(188)

  [Sidenote:
  His arms are 3 silver ships on an azure field. For love of Desonell,
  Torrent leaves Portugal.]

  And ye now wiƚƚ liston~ a stound,
  How he toke armes of kyng Calomond, f. 111b.
    Listonyth, what he bare.
  O{n} asure, as ye may see, 2170
  With sylu{er} shippes thre, [2271]
    Who so had be thare.
  For Desoneƚƚ is love so bryght,
  His londis he takyth to a knyght,
    And sith he is {boun} to fare. 2175
  ‘Portyngale, haue good day
  For Sevyn~ yere, p{ar}maffay,
    P{ar} aventure som~ dele m{a}re!’

    [Linenotes:
    2170. This line begins with a big initial letter.
      Off MS.
    2175. boun] home MS.
    2178. more MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT TAKES THE CITY OF QUARELL.]

(189)

  [Sidenote:
  He besieges the City of Quarell for 2 years, and then takes it.]

  Sir Torent passid the Grekys flood
  In to a lond both riche and good, 2180
    Fuƚƚ evyn~ he toke the way [2281]
  To the {cite} of Quareƚƚ,
  As the boke of Rome doth teƚƚ,
    There a soudan~ lay.
  There he smote and set adown~ 2185
  And yaue asaute in to the town,
    That w{i}ƚƚ the storye say.
  So weƚƚ they vetelid were,
  That he lay there two yere,
    Sith in~ the town~ went they. 2190

    [Linenotes:
    2182. cite] see MS.
    2187. well MS.
      says MS.
    2190. And sith in to MS.]

(190)

  [Sidenote:
  He has its inhabitants kild, and shares its booty among his men.]

  And tho s{ir} Torent ffound on~ lyve, [2291]
  He comaundid with spere and knyffe
    Smertely dede to be;
  He said: ‘We haue be here
  Moche of this two yere 2195
    And onward on~ the thr{e}.’
  Aƚƚ the good, that s{ir} Torent wan~,
  He p{ar}tid it among his m{a}n~,
    Syluer, gold and ffee;
  And sith he is boun to ride f. 112a. 2200
  To a Cite there be-syde, [2301]
    That was worth such thre.

    [Linenotes:
    2196. thrid MS.
    2198. men MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT TAKES ANOTHER CITY, AND GOES TO ANTIOCH.]

(191)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent then besieges another heathen City for 6 years. All its folk
  die of hunger.]

  There he stode and smote adown~
  And leyd sege to the town~,
    Six yere there he lay. 2205
  By the VI yere were aƚƚ done,
  With honger they were aƚƚ slone,
    That in the Cite lay.
  {The} Soudan sent to s{ir} Torent than~,
  With honger that thes people be slan, 2210
    Aƚƚ the folke of this Cite; [2311]
  ‘Yf ye thinke here to lye,
  Ye shaƚƚ haue wyne and spycery,
    I-nough is in this contre.’

    [Linenotes:
    2209. The] A MS.
    2209-14 put before 2203-8 MS.
    2210. slayn MS.
    2211. thes MS.]

(192)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent kills the Sultan,]

  Now god do his soule mede! 2215
  On the soudan~ he had a dede
    Vppon~ euery good ffryday.
  I{es}u sent hym strengith I-nough~,
  With dynt of sword he hym slough~,
    There went none quyk away. 2220
  Down knelid that knyght [2321]
  And thankid god with aƚƚ his myȝt~:
    So ought he weƚƚ to say.
  The Cite, that s{ir} Torent was yn~,
  Worldely goodis he left ther yn~, 2225
    To kepe it nyght and day.

(193)

  [Sidenote:
  goes to Antioch, and fights every good Friday.]

  Sith he buskyd hym~ to ride
  In to a lond there be-syde, f. 112b.
    Antioche it hight.
  Sevyn~ yere at the Cite he lay 2230
  And had bateƚƚ euery good ffryday, [2331]
    Vppon~ the Sarȝins bryght;
  And be the VII yere were gone,
  The child, that the liberd had tane,
    Found hym his fiƚƚ off ffyght . . . . . . 2235

    [Linenote:
    2230-32 put before 2227-29 MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT’S SON LEOBERTUS FIGHTS AGAINST HIM.]

(194)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Jerusalem sends 50,000 knights,]

  The kyng of Ierusalem~ herd teƚƚ
  Of this lord good and feƚƚ,
    How doughtyly he hym bare.
  Vppon~ his knyght{es} can he caƚƚ,
  ‘Ordeyn~ swith among you aƚƚ, 2240
    For no thing that ye spare!’ [2341]
  They buskyd hem oute of the land,
  The nombre off ffyfty thousa{n}d,
    Ageyn Torent ffor to ffare . . . .

    [Linenote:
    2243. thousaid MS.]

(195)

  [Sidenote:
  and his adopted son Leobertus (Torrent’s second boy)]

  The kyng of Ierusalem said thus: 2245
  ‘My dere son, Liobertus,
    That thou be bold and wight!
  Thou shalt be here and defend the lond
  From that fals trayto{r}s hond
    And take the ordre of a knyght.’ 2250
  He yaue hym armes, or he did passe: [2351]
  Right as he ffound was,
    O{n} gold he bare bryght
  A liberd of asure bla
  A child be-twene his armes twa: 2255
    Woo was her, that {se} it {my}ght!

[Linenotes: 2246. Liobertious MS. 2253. On] Of MS. 2254. blay (!) MS. 2255. tway MS. 2256. ffulle woo MS. se it m.] it ought MS.]

(196)

  [Sidenote:
  against Torrent. Torrent’s son Leobertus captures him.]

  Sir Torent wold no lenger abyde,
  But thederward gan~ he ride;
    And to the feld were brought
  Two knyght{es}, that were there in stede; f. 113a. 2260
  Many a man did they to blede, [2361]
    Such woundis they wrought.
  There durst no man com~ Torent nere,
  But his son, as ye may here,
    Though he knew hym nought. 2265
  Aƚƚ to nought he bet his shild,
  But he toke his fader in the feld,
    Though he there of eviƚƚ thought.

[Headnote: TORRENT IS IMPRISOND IN JERUSALEM.]

(197)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent is taken to Jerusalem]

  Whan~ s{ir} Torent was takyn~ than~,
  His men fled than~, euery man~, 2270
    They durst no lenger abyde. [2371]
  Gret ruth it was to be hold,
  How his sword he did vp-hold
    To his son~ that tyde.
  To Ierusalem~ he did hym~ lede, 2275
  His actone and his other wede,
    Aƚƚ be the kyngis side;
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘haue no care,
  Thou shalte lyve and welfare,
    But lower ys thy pryde!’ 2280

(198)

  [Sidenote:
  and thrust into prison, where his son Leobertus hears him lament a
  whole year.]

  Fro that s{ir} Torent was h{o}m brought, [2381]
  Doughty men~ vppon~ hym~ sought,
    And in preson~ they hym~ thro{ng}e.
  His son above his hede lay,
  To kepe hym~ both nyȝt and day, 2285
    He wist weƚƚ, that he was strong.
  Thus in p{re}son as he was,
  Sore he siȝed and said alas,
    He couth none other songe.
  Thus in bondys they held hym thare f. 113b. 2290
  A twelfmonyth and som dele mare, [2391]
    The knyght thought ffuƚƚ long.

    [Linenotes:
    2281. hom] hem MS.
    2283. And and (!) MS.
      throuȝe MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT’S SON ASKS FOR HIS FATHER’S FREEDOM.]

(199)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent appeals to God who once enabled him to kill Dragons and
  Giants.]

  In a mornyng as he lay,
  To hym selfe gan~ he say:
    ‘Why lye I thus alone? 2295
  God, hast thou forsakyn~ me?
  Aƚƚ my truste was in the,
    In lond where I haue gone!
  Thou gave me myȝt ffor to slee
  Dragons two other thre 2300
    And giauntes meny one, [2401]
  And now a man~ in wekid lond
  Hath myn~ armo{ur} and stede in~ hond:
    I wold, my liffe were done!’

    [Linenote:
    2299. flee MS.!]

(200)

  [Sidenote:
  His son Leobertus hears him, and promises to get him freed.]

  His son herd hym~ say soo 2305
  And in his hert was fuƚƚ woo,
    In chamber there he lay;
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘I haue thy wede,
  There shaƚƚ no man reioyse thy stede,
    Yf so be, that I may. 2310
  By oure lady seynt Mary, [2411]
  Here shalt thou no lenger lye,
    Nether be nyȝt~ ne be day;
  As I am~ Curtesse and hend,
  To the kyng I shaƚƚ wend, 2315
    And ffor thy love {hym} pray!’

    [Linenotes:
    2313. Nether be day ne be nyȝt MS.
    2316. ffor thy love and pray this nyȝt MS.]

(201)

  [Sidenote:
  Leobertus asks the King of Jerusalem for Torrent. The King of
  Jerusalem grants Torrent to his elder son,]

  On~ the morow whan~ he Rose,
  The prynce to the kyng gose
    And knelid vppon~ his knee;
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘ffor godd{us} sonne, f. 114a. 2320
  The knyght, that lieth in the dungeon~, [2421]
    Ye wold graunt hym~ me!
  I hard hym say be hym~ alone,
  Many Geaunt{es} had he slone
    And dragons II or thre.’ 2325
  The kyng said: ‘Be my ffay,
  Be warr~, he scape not away;
    I vouch hym saue on the!’

[Headnote: TORRENT IS FREED, AND HONOURD IN JERUSALEM.]

(202)

  [Sidenote:
  who frees him from prison, tho’ still fettering him.]

  The prynce in to the p{re}son went,
  Torent by the hond he hent 2330
    Oute of his bondys cold; [2431]
  To the casteƚƚ he brought hym sone
  And light ffettouris did hym~ vppon~,
    For brekyng oute off hold.
  The kyng said: ‘Be my ffaye, 2335
  And he euer scape away,
    Fuƚƚ dere he shaƚƚ be sold!’
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘p{ar}maffay,
  We wyƚƚ hym~ kepe, and we may:
    There of be ye bold!’ 2340

    [Linenote:
    2331. And toke hym oute MS.]

(203)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent dines with the King, and promises to teach his son Leobertus
  spearcraft.]

  For he was curtes knyght & free, [2441]
  At the mete sett was he
    By the kyng at the deyse.
  ‘Sir, thou haste i-bene
  At Iustis and at tornement{es} kene, 2345
    Both in warr~ and in peas:
  Sith thy dwelling shaƚƚ be here,
  {I pray}, that thou woldist my son~ lere,
    Hys Tymber ffor to asay.’
  ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘I vnderstond, 2350
  Affter the maner off my lond f. 114b. [2451]
    I shaƚƚ, with outen {delay}.’

    [Linenotes:
    2348. I pray] om. MS.
    2352. delay] lese MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT JOUSTS WITH HIS ELDER SON, AND OTHERS.]

(204)

  [Sidenote:
  The jousts at Jerusalem. Torrent’s son Leobertus breaks 3 shafts on
  his Father.]

  The casteƚƚ court was large w{i}t{h} in~,
  They made ryngis ffor to Ren~,
    None but they alone. 2355
  Euery of hem to oþ{ur}e R{a}de:
  Feyrer Tur{na}ment{es} than they made,
    Men sye never none.
  The prynce in armes was fuƚƚ preste,
  Thre shaftys on~ his fader he breste, 2360
    In shevers they gan gone. [2461]
  Sir Torent said: ‘So mvt I thee,
  A man of armes shaƚƚ thou be,
    Stalworth of blood and bone!’

    [Linenotes:
    2356. Rode MS.
    2357. Turmentes MS.]

(205)

  [Sidenote:
  The jousts last 6 weeks. A Feast is held.]

  Harroldys of armes cryed on~ hight, 2365
  The prynce and that other knyght
    No more juste shaƚƚ thay;
  But lordys of other lond,
  Euery one to other ffond,
    And sith went theyre way. 2370
  Sixe wekys he dwellid there, [2471]
  Tiƚƚ that aƚƚ delyu{er}d were,
    That in the Cite {lay}.
  Tho they held a gestonye,
  With aƚƚ man{er} of mynstralsye, 2375
    Tyƚƚ the Sevynth day.

    [Linenote:
    2373. lay] were MS.]

(206)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent is declared victor. The King of Jerusalem promises to
  support Torrent.]

  Lordis with aƚƚ other thing
  Toke leve at the kyng,
    Home theyre ways to passe.
  That tyme they yaue Torent the floure 2380
  And the gre with moch honowre, f. 115a. [2481]
    As he weƚƚ worthy was.
  The kyng said: ‘I shaƚƚ the yeve
  Liffe and lyvelode, whiƚƚ I lyve,
    Thyn armo{ur}, as it was.’ 2385
  Whan he sye ffeyre ladyes wend,
  He thought on her, that was so hend,
    And sighed and said: ‘Alas!’

[Headnote: DESONELL IS TOLD OF TORRENT’S VICTORY.]

(207)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Nazareth]

  The kyng of Naȝareth home went,
  There that his lady lent, 2390
    In his own~ lede. [2491]
  ‘Sir,’ she said, ‘ffor godd{us} pite,
  What gentilman~ wan~ the gre?’
    He said, ‘So god me spede,
  One of the ffeyrest knyghtis, 2395
  That slepith on~ som{er} nyght{es}
    Or walkyd in wede;
  He is so large of lym~ and lith,
  Aƚƚ the world he hath justid with,
    That come to that dede.’ 2400

(208)

  [Sidenote:
  tells Desonell that the Victor (Torrent) has an armd Giant as his
  crest.]

  ‘Good lord,’ said Desoneƚƚ, [2501]
  ‘For godd{us} love ye me teƚƚ,
    What armes that {h}e bare!’
  ‘Damyseƚƚ, also muste I the,
  Syluer and asure beryth he, 2405
    That wott I weƚƚ thare.
  His Creste is a noble lond,
  A Gyaunt with an~ hoke in~ hond,
    This wott I weƚƚ, he bare.
  He is so stiff at euery stoure, 2410
  He is prynce and victoure, [2511]
    He wynneth the gree aye where. f. 115b.

    [Linenote:
    2403. he] ye MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT AND HIS 2 SONS GO TO A JOUSTING.]

(209)

  [Sidenote:
  The Victor is a Knight of Portugal. The King of Nazareth proclaims a
  Jousting.]

  Of Portyngale a knyght he ys,
  He wanne the town~ of Raynes
    And the Cite of Quarell{e}; 2415
  At the last jurney that was sett,
  The prynce, my broders son~ {he mett},
    And in his hond he ffeƚƚ.
  The prynce of Grece leth nere
  There may no juster be his pere, 2420
    For soth as I you teƚƚ: [2521]
  A dede of armes I shaƚƚ do crye
  And send after hym~ in hye.’
    Blith was Desoneƚƚ.

    [Linenotes:
    2415. Quarellis MS.
    2416. that] he add. MS.
    2417. he m.] was gatt MS.]

(210)

  [Sidenote:
  The King of Jerusalem sends Torrent and his elder son Leobertus
  to it. The King of Greece brings the younger son, Antony
  Fitzgriffin.]

  This dede was cried ffar and nere, 2425
  The kyng of Ierusalem did it here,
    In what lond that it shold be.
  He said: ‘Sone, anon right
  Dight the and thy cryston~ knyght,
    For sothe, theder wiƚƚ we.’ 2430
  Gret lordys, that herith this crye, [2531]
  Theder come richely,
    Everyman~ in his degre.
  The kyng of Grece did {make hym boun},
  With hym~ come Antony ffyȝ greffon~, 2435
    With moche solempnite . . . . . . .

    [Linenote:
    2434. make hym b.] assigne MS.]

(211)

  [Sidenote:
  The Jousting is for a lady.]

  ‘The kyng of Naȝareth sent me,
  That there shold a justynge be
    Of meny a cryston~ knyght,
  And aƚƚ is ffor a lady clere, 2440
  That the justyng is cryed ffar and nere, f. 116a. [2541]
    Of men~ of armes bryght.’
  Gret joye it was to here teƚƚ,
  How thes kyng{es} w{i}t{h} the knyghtis feƚƚ
    Come and semled to that ffyght. 2445

    [Linenote:
    2445. semlend MS.]

[Headnote: THE JOUSTS AT NAZARETH BEGIN.]

(212)

  [Sidenote:
  Many folk come to the jousts. They sup and sleep,]

  There come meny another m{o}n~,
  That thought there to haue to done,
    And than~ to wend her way.
  Whan~ they come to the casteƚƚ gent,
  A Roaƚƚ ffyght, verament, 2450
    There was, the sothe to say. [2551]
  Trompes resyn~ on the waƚƚ,
  Lordys assembled in the haƚƚ,
    And sith to souper yede thay.
  They were recevid w{i}t{h} rialte, 2455
  Euery man~ in his degre,
    And to her logyng went her way.

    [Linenote:
    2446. man MS.]

(213)

  [Sidenote:
  rise, hear Mass, and dine, then mount,]

  The lordys Rosyn aƚƚ be-dene
  On the morow, as I wene,
    And went masse ffor to here. 2460
  And ffurthermore w{i}t{h}-oute lent [2561]
  They wesh and to mete went,
    For to the ffeld they wold there.
  After mete anon~ right
  They axid hors and armes bryght, 2465
    To hors-bak went thay in ffere.
  Knyghtis and lordys reuelid aƚƚ,
  And ladyes lay ou{er} the casteƚƚ waƚƚ,
    That semely to se were.

(214)

  [Sidenote:
  and begin to joust. Torrent’s 2 sons joust. The younger, Antony,
  unhorses his brother Leobertus.]

  Than~ eueryman toke spere in~ hond, 2470
  And euerych to other ffond, [2571]
    Smert boffett{es} there they yeld. f. 116b.
  The prynce of Ierusalem~ and his brother,
  Eueriche of hem~ Ran to other~
    Smertely in the feld . . . . . . . . 2475
  Though~ Antony ffygryffon~ yonger were,
  His brother Leobert{us} he can down~ bere;
    Sir Torent stode and be-held.

    [Linenotes:
    2471. ffound MS.
    2472. there th. y.] they yeldyd there MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT AND HIS SONS JOUST. HE IS VICTOR.]

(215)

  ‘Be my trouth,’ said Torent thanne,
  ‘As I am~ a cryston~ man 2480
    I-quytt shaƚƚ it be.’ [2581]
  Torent be-strode a stede strong
  And hent a tymber gret and long,
    And to hym~ rode he.

    [Linenote:
    2483 put before 2482 MS.]

(216)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent rides down his younger son. He and his sons are the best
  jousters.]

  Torrent to hym rode so sore, 2485
  That he to the ground hym~ bare,
    And let hym~ lye in~ the {bent}.
  There was no man~ hyȝe ne lowe,
  That myght make Torent to bowe
    Ne his bak to bend. 2490
  They justyd and turneyd there, [2591]
  And eueryman~ ffound his pere,
    There was caught no dethis d{e}nt.
  Of aƚƚ the Justis, that there ware,
  Torent the floure a way bare 2495
    And his sonnys, {verament}.

    [Linenotes:
    2485 f.:
      Torrent so sore to hym rode,
      That he bare hym to the ground MS.
    2487. bent] ffeld MS.
    2493. dynt MS.
    2496. ver.] in that tyde MS.]

(217)

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell greets Torrent, and swoons.]

  And on~ the morow, whan~ it was day,
  Amonge aƚƚ the lordys gay,
    That worthy were, {par de},
  Desoneƚƚ wold no lenger lend, 2500
  But to s{ir} Torent gan~ she wend [2601]
    And knelid on her kne.
  She said: ‘Welcom~, my lord s{ir} Torent!’
  ‘And so be ye, my lady gent!’ f. 117a.
    In sownyng than feƚƚ she. 2505
  Vp they cou{er}yd that lady hend,
  And to mete did they wend
    With joye and solempnite.

    [Linenotes:
    2499. par de] in wede MS.
    2502. And on her kne she knelid MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL GREETS TORRENT. HER BEAUTY.]

(218)

  [Sidenote:
  All go to Dinner.]

  Dame Desoneƚƚ be-sought the kyng.
  That she myght, with oute lesyng, 2510
    Sytt with Torent alone. [2611]
  ‘Yes, lady, be hevyn~ kyng,
  There shaƚƚ be no lettyng;
    Worthy is he, be seynt Iohn~!’
  Tho they washid and went to mete, 2515
  And rially they were sett
    And s{er}uid worthely, {echone}.
  Euery lord in~ the haƚƚ,
  As his state wold be-ffaƚƚ,
    Were couplid with ladyes {schone}. 2520

    [Linenotes:
    2514. ffor welle worthy MS.
    2517. echone] verament MS.
    2520. schone] gent MS.]

(219)

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell is the fairest lady. The Kings of Jerusalem and Greece go
  to the]

  But of aƚƚ ladyes, that were there sene, [2621]
  So ffeire myght there none bene
    As was dame Desoneƚƚ. . . . . . . .
  Thes two kyngis, that doughty ys,
  To the Cite come, i-wys, 2525
    With moche meyne {emell}.

    [Linenote:
    2526. emell] om. MS.]

(220)

  [Sidenote:
  King of Nazareth’s Castle. Desonell sits by Torrent.]

  To the casteƚƚ they toke the way,
  There the kyng of Naȝareth lay,
    With hym~ to speke on high~.
  At none the quene ete in~ the haƚƚ, 2530
  Amongist the ladyes ou{er} aƚƚ, [2631]
    That couth moche curtesye.
  Desoneƚƚ wold not lett,
  By s{ir} Torent she her sett,
    There of they had {envye} . . . . . . 2535

    [Linenote:
    2535. envye] wonder MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL FINDS HER TWO SONS BY TORRENT.]

(221)

  [Sidenote:
  She tells the Lords how her Father sent her and her 2 Boys to sea;]

  Whan~ eyther of hem other be-held,
  Off care no thyng they ffeld, f. 117b.
    Bothe her hert{es} were blithe.
  Gret lordys told she sone,
  What poyntes he had for her done, 2540
    They be-gan to be blithe; [2641]
  And how her {fader} in the see did her do,
  With her she had men~ childre two;
    They waried hym~ feƚƚ sithe.
  ‘Sir kyng, in this wildernes, 2545
  My two children~ fro me revid w{e}s,
    I may no lenger hem~ hide.

    [Linenotes:
    2542. fader] om. MS.
    2546. was MS.]

(222)

  [Sidenote:
  and how one was carried off by a Griffin, and the other by a
  Leopard. Leobertus and Antony are these boys.]

  ‘The knyght yaue me ryng{es} two,
  Euerich of hem~ had one of thoo,
    Better saw I never none. 2550
  A Gryffon~ bare the one away, [2651]
  A liberd the other, p{ar}maffay,
    Down~ by a Roche of stone.’
  Than~ said the kyng of Ierusalem~:
  ‘I ffound one by a water streme, 2555
    He levith w{i}t{h} blood & bone.’
  The kyng of Grece said: ‘My brother,
  Antony my son~ brought me anoþ{ur}e.’
    She saith: ‘Soth, be seynt Iohn~?’

    [Linenote:
    2556. levith] yet add. MS.]

[[‘The knyght yaue me… open quote invisible]]

[Headnote: TORRENT INVITES 3 KINGS TO PORTUGAL.]

(223)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent’s 2 Sons kneel and ask his blessing. He rejoices in them and
  their Mother,]

  The kyng said: ‘Sith it is so, 2560
  Kys ye youre fader bo, [2661]
    And axe hym~ his blessyng!’
  Down~ they knelid on~ her knee:
  ‘Thy blessing, ffader, for charite!’
    ‘Welcom~, children~ y{i}ng!’ 2565
  Thus in armes he hem~ hent,
  A blither man~ than~ s{ir} Torent
    Was there none levyng; f. 118a.
  It was no wonder, thouȝe it so were;
  He had his wiffe and his children~ there, 2570
    His joye be-gan~ to spryng. [2671]

    [Linenotes:
    2561. bothe MS.
    2565. yong MS.]

(224)

  [Sidenote:
  and thanks the Kings for taking care of them. He asks the Kings to
  Portugal.]

  Of aƚƚ the justis, that were thare,
  A way the gre his sonnys bare,
    That doughty were in dede.
  Torent knelid vppon~ his knee 2575
  And said: ‘God yeld you, lordys ffree,
    Thes children~ that ye haue ffed:
  Euer we wiƚƚ be at youre wiƚƚ,
  What jurney ye wiƚƚ put vs tyƚƚ,
    So I{es}u be oure spede, 2580
  With that the kyng thre [2681]
  In to my lond wiƚƚ wend w{i}t{h} me,
    For to wreke oure stede.’

(225)

  [Sidenote:
  All agree to go. Their ships arrive at Portugal.]

  They graunted that there was,
  Gret lordys more and lesse, 2585
    Bothe knyght and squiere;
  And with Desoneƚƚ went
  Al the ladyes, that were gent,
    That of valew were.
  Shippis had they stiff and strong, 2590
  Maistis gret and sayles long, [2691]
    Hend, as ye may here,
  And markyd in to Portingale,
  Whan~ they had pullid vp her sayƚƚ,
    With a wynd so clere. 2595

[Headnote: TORRENT, DESONELL, AND THEIR SONS, GO TO PORTUGAL.]

(226)

  [Sidenote:
  The Queen]

  The riche quene of that lond
  In her casteƚƚ toure gan stond
    And be-held in~-to the see.
  ‘Sone,’ she said to a knyght,
  ‘Yonder of shippis I haue a sight, f. 118b. 2600
    For sothe, a grett meyne.’ [2701]
  The quene said: ‘Verament,
  I se the armes of s{ir} Torent,
    I wott weƚƚ, it is he.’
  He answerid and said tho: 2605
  ‘Madam, I wiƚƚ, that it be so,
    God gefe grace, that it so be!’

    [Linenote:
    2605-7 put before 2602-4 MS.]

(227)

  [Sidenote:
  welcomes Torrent and his friends, and swoons when she sees her
  daughter Desonell.]

  A blither lady myȝt none be,
  She went ageyn hym~ to the see
    With armed knyght{es} kene. 2610
  Torent she toke by the hond: [2711]
  ‘Lordys of vncouth lond,
    Welcom muste ye bene!’
  Whan she sye Desoneƚƚ,
  Swith in~ sownyng she feƚƚ 2615
    To the ground so {gr}ene.
  Torent gan~ her vp ta:
  ‘Here bene her children~ twa,
    On lyve thou shalt hem see{ne}!’

    [Linenotes:
    2616. grene] kene MS.
    2619. see MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT WEDS DESONELL. HIS SONS MADE HEIRS OF KINGS.]

(228)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent holds a great feast, and weds Desonell.]

  In the Casteƚƚ of Portyngale 2620
  A-Rose trumpes {of} hede vale, [2721]
    To mete they went on~ hye.
  He sent letters ffar and nere;
  The lordys, that of valew were,
    They come to that gestonye. 2625
  The Emp{er}oure of Rome,
  To that gestonye he come,
    A noble knyght on~ hyȝe.
  Whan~ aƚƚ thes lordys com w{e}re,
  Torrent weddid that lady clere, 2630
    A justyng did he crye. [2731]

    [Linenotes:
    2621. of] om. MS.
    2629. ware MS.]

(229)

  So it ffeƚƚ vppon a day, f. 119a.
  The kyng of Ierusalem~ gan say:
    ‘Sir, thy sonne I ffound
  Lying in a libert{es} mouth, 2635
  And no good he ne couth,
    Dede he was nere hond:
  Wold thou, that he dwellid w{i}t{h} me,
  Tiƚƚ that I dede be,
    And sith reioyse my lond?’ . . . . . . 2640

(230)

  [Sidenote:
  He gives his son Leobertus as heir to the King of Jerusalem; and his
  son Antony as heir to the King of Greece. Torrent is elected
  Emperor.]

  Be fore lordys of gret renown~, [2741]
  Torent gaue hym~ his son~ . . . . . . . .
    The kyng of Grece said: ‘S{ir} knyght,
  I yeff thy son aƚƚ my right
  To the Grekys flood: 2645
    Wouch thou saue, he dweƚƚ w{i}t{h} me?’
  ‘Yea, Lord, so mut I thee,
    God yeld you aƚƚ this good!’
  For s{ir} Torent was stiff in stoure,
  They chose hym ffor Emp{er}oure, 2650
    Beste of bone and blood. [2751]

    [Linenote:
    2645. flood] I plight add. MS.]

[[stanza printed with indentation as shown]]

[Headnote: TORRENT IS MADE EMPEROR. HE DIES.]

(231)

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent gives his 2 Sons a Sword each. He lies in a fair Abbey.]

  Gret lordys, that there were,
  Fourty days dwellith there,
    And sith they yode her way;
  He yaue his sonnys, as ye may here, 2655
  Two swerdys, that were hym~ dere,
    Ech of hem~ one had they.
  Sith he did make vp-tyed
  Chirchus and abbeys wyde,
    For hym~ and his to praye. 2660
  In Rome this Romans berith the crown~ [2761]
  Of aƚƚ kerpyng of Renown~:
    He leyth in a feire abbey.

    [Linenotes:
    2654. And sith her way they yode MS.
    2663. leyth] in Rome add. MS.]

(232)

  [Sidenote:
  May Christ grant us Heaven!]

  Now I{es}u Cryst, that aƚƚ hath wrought,
  As he on the Rode vs bought, f. 119b. 2665
    He geve hvs his blessing,
  And as he died for you and me,
  He graunt vs in blis to be,
    {Lesse and mare, both old and ying!} Amen.

    [Linenote:
    2669. Oute of this world whan~ we shalle wend MS.]

Explicit Torent of Portyngale.

THE FRAGMENTS.

I.[F1]

[Footnote F1: In Halliwell’s edition III.]

[The King of Portugal plots Torrent’s death.]

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell gives Torrent a Horse which the King of Nazareth had sent
  her.]

  [T] . . . est hym vp . . . . 462
  . . . . . chent be for to fle
  . . . . . ly ivyll he gone 464
  The kynge of Nazareth sent hym me,
  Torent, I wot-saue hym on the,
    For better loue I none!’ 467

  [Sidenote:
  The King treacherously asks Torrent to get Desonell a Falcon]

  Afterwarde vpon a tyde,
  As they walkyd by the ryvers syde,
    The kynge and yonge Torent, 470
  This lorde wolde fayne, that he dede were
  And he wyst nat, on what manere,
    Howe he myght hym shent. 473
  A fals letter made the kynge
  And made a messangere it brynge,
    On the ryuer syde as they went, 476
  To Torent, that was true as stele,
  If he loued Dyssonell wele,
    Gete hir a faucon gent. 479

  Torent the letter began to rede,
  The kynge came nere and lystened,
    As thoughe he it neuer had sene. 482
  The kynge sayde, ‘what may this be?’
  ‘Lorde, it is sent to me
    For a faucon shene; 485

  [Sidenote:
  from the Forest of Magdalen.]

  I ne wote, so God me spede,
  In what londe that they brede.’
    The kynge sayde, ‘as I herde sayne, 488
  . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . . .
    In the forest of Maudelayne 491

[Headnote: FRAG. 2. TORRENT GOES TO THE FOREST OF MAUDELAYNE.]

II.[F2]

[Footnote F2: In Halliwell’s edition II.]

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent agrees to do it.]

  Than sayde [the] kyn[g] vntrue, 492
  ‘And ye fynde haw[k]es of great value,
    Brynge me one with the!’ 494
  Torent sayd: ‘so God me saue,
  Yf it betyde, that I any haue,
    At your wyll shall they be.’ 497

  [Sidenote:
  He rides]

  To his squyer bade he thare,
  After his armoure to fare,
    In the felde abode he; 500
  They armed hym in his wede,
  He bestrode a noble stede
  . . . . . . . . . . 503

  [Sidenote:
  to the Forest of Magdalen, gets separated from his Squire,]

  Torent toke the way agayne
  Unto the forest of Maudelayne,
    In a wylsome way; 506
  Berys and apes there founde he
  And wylde bestys great plente
    And lyons, where they lay. 509
  In a wode, that is tyght,
  It drewe towarde the nyght.
    By dymmynge of the day 512
  Lysten, lordes, of them came wo,
  He and his squyer departed in two,
    Carefull men then were they. 515

  At a shedynge of a rome
  Eyther departed other frome,
    As I vnderstande. 518
  Torent taketh a dolefull way
  Downe into a depe valay,
  . . . . . . . . . . 521

[Headnote: FRAG. 3. TORRENT IS TO FIGHT THE CALABRIAN GIANT, SLOGUS.]

III.[F3]

[Footnote F3: In Halliwell’s edition VI.]

[The King of Portugal sends Torrent to be kild by the Giant Slogus.]

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent sits at the head of a side table. The King asks Torrent if
  he’ll]

  . . . . . . . . . . . . 819
  And the good squyres after h[ym],
  That knyghtes sholde be. 821
  As they were a-myddes theyr . . .
  The kynge wolde not forgete,
    To Torente than sayd he, 824

  [Sidenote:
  do a deed of arms for Desonell.]

  He sayd: ‘so god me saue,
  Fayne thou woldest my dough[ter haue],
    Thou hast loued her many a d[aye].’ 827
  ‘Ye, by my trouthe,’ sayd Torente,
  ‘And I were a ryche man,
    Ryght gladly by my faye.’ 830
  ‘If thou durst for her sake
  A poynte of armes vndertake,
    Thou broke her vp for ay.’ 833

  [Sidenote:
  ‘Yes,’ says Torrent.]

  ‘Ye,’ sayde he, ‘or I go,
  Sykernes thou make me so
    Of thy doughter hende. 836
  Ye and after all my ryghtes
  By VII score of hardy knyghtes’
    Al they were Torentes frende. 839
  ‘Now, good lordes, I you praye,
  Bere wytnes of this day
    Agayne yf god me sende!’ 842

  [Sidenote:
  ‘Then go to Calabria, and fight the Giant Slogus.’]

  Torente sayd, ‘so may I the,
  Wyst I, where my jorney shold [be],
    Thyder I wolde me dyghte.’ 845
  The kyng gaue hym an answ[e]re,
  ‘In the londe of Caleb[e]re
    There wonneth a gyaunte wygh[hte] 848
  . . . . . . . . . . . .
  Slogus he hyght as I the tolde,
    God sende the that waye ryghte!’ 851

[[all lines indented as shown]]

[Headnote: FRAG. 4. TORRENT WILL NOT GIVE UP HIS GIANT-FIGHT.]

IV.[F4]

[Footnote F4: In Halliwell’s edition V.]

[Torrent is offerd a Princess of Provyns.]

  [Sidenote:
  The king of Provyns warns him against the terrible Giant there,]

  . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . .
    For why I wyll the saye, 917
  Moche folke of that countre
  Cometh heder for socoure to me,
    Bothe by nyghte and by daye. 920
  There is a gyaunte of grete renowne,
  He destroyeth bothe cyte and towne
    And all that he may. 923
  As bokes of rome tell,
  He was goten with the deuyll of hell,
    As his moder slepynge lay.’ 926

  [Sidenote:
  and offers him his Daughter and 2 Duchies. Torrent says he must keep
  his troth.]

  The kynge sayde, ‘by Saynt Adryan,
  I rede, a nother gentylman
    Be there and haue the degre. 929
  I haue a doughter, that me is dere,
  Thou shalte wedde her to thy fere,
    And yf it thy wyll be, 932
  Two duchyes in honde
  I wyll gyue her in londe.’
    ‘Gramercy, syr,’ sayd he, 935
  ‘With my tonge I haue so wrought,
  To breke my day wyll I nought,
    Nedes me behoueth there to be.’ 938

  [Sidenote:
  Torrent starts,]

  ‘On Goddes name,’ the kynge gan sayne,
  ‘Ie{s}u brynge the saffe agayne,
    Lorde, moche of myght!’ 941
  Mynstralsy was them amonge,
  With harpe, fedyll and songe,
    Delycyous notes on hygh[t]e. 944
  Whan it was tyme, to bed they wente,
  And on the morowe rose Torente
    And toke leue of kynge and knyght 947
  And toke a redy way.

[Headnote: FRAG. 5. TORRENT HEARS OF THE CALABRIAN GIANT, SLOGUS.]

Fragment V.[F5]

[Footnote F5: In Halliwell’s edition IV.]

  By the se syde as it lay,
    God sende hym gatys ryght! 950

  [Sidenote:
  reaches Calabria, and hears of the Giant.]

  An hye waye hath he nome,
  Into Calabre is he come
    Within two dayes or thre. 953
  So he met folke hym agayne,
  Fast comynge with carte and wayne
    Frowarde the se. 956
  ‘Dere God,’ sayd Torente now,
  ‘Good folke, what eyleth you,
    That ye thus fast fle?’ 959
  ‘There lyeth a gyaunte here besyde,
  For all this londe brode and wyde
    No man on lyue leueth he.’ 962

  ‘Dere God,’ sayd Torente then,
  ‘Wher euer be that fendes den?’
    They answered hym anone: 965
  ‘In a castell in the see,
  Slogus’ they sayd ‘hyght he,
    Many a man he hath slone. 968

  [Sidenote:
  The Giant Slogus is in Hungary.]

  We wote full well, where he doth ly
  Byfore the cyte of Hungry,’
  . . . . . . . . . . 971

[Headnote: FRAG. 6. TORRENT FIGHTS A GIANT. DESONELL HAS TWINS.]

VI.[F6]

[Footnote F6: Printed in Englische Studien, VII. p. 347 f.]

[Torrent fights the Giant.]

  [Sidenote:
  The giant says he’ll wring Torrent’s nose. His Crook is 13 ft. long.
  Torrent charges, pierces the Giant’s eye, and makes him roar.]

. . . . . . all the wrynge, 1014 . . . . . . . . lynge . . . . . . . . . thou the 1016 . . . . . . . . he toke, . . . . . . . . bare a croke . . . . . . . . te longe and thre 1019 . . . . . . ever so longe were . . . . . . . . had no fere . . . . yd darste thou come nere 1022 . . . . . nte nolengre a-byde . . . . . nte wolde he ryde . . . . ghte. 1025 . . . . one eye but one, . . . . . . neuer none, . . . nor by nyght. 1028 . . . . lpe of god of heuen, . . . . . herin euen, . . . . . . . . . . . . 1031 . . . . gan to rore, . . . . the cyte wore, . . . ay. 1034 . . . . es eyen were oute . . . . . . . . boute . . . . . . . . . . . 1037

[[all line-initial dots are printed as shown; for the most accurate reproduction, use a fixed-pitch font]]

[Headnote: FRAG. 7. DESONELL AND HER TWINS ARE SENT TO SEA.]

VII.[F7]

[Footnote F7: In Halliwell’s edition I.]

[Desonell bears twins. All are sent out to sea. They reach land.]

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell is delivered of 2 male children like Torrent. Her Father
  says she shall be sent out to sea.]

  Thus the lady dwelled there, 1807
  Tyll that she delyuered were
    Of men chyldren two. 1809
  Of all poyntes were they gent,
  Lyke were they to Sir Torent,
    For his loue suffred they wo. 1812
  The kynge sayd, ‘so mote I the,
  Thou shalt into the se
    Without wordes mo. 1815
  Every kynges doughter fer and nere
  At the they shall lere,
    Agaynst right to do!’ 1818

  [Sidenote:
  She is led from his land. The Queen bewails her daughter’s fate.]

  Great ruthe it was to se,
  Whan they led that lady fre
    Out of hir faders lande. 1821
  The quene, hir moder, was nere wode
  For hir doughter, that gentyll fode,
    Knyghtes stode wepynge.[F8] 1824

[Footnote F8: wepande.]

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell is sent to sea.]

  A clothe of sylke toke they tho,
  And departed it bytwene the chyldren two,
    Therin they were wonde. 1827
  Whan they had shypped that gentyll thynge,
  Anone she fell in swownynge
    At Peron on the sonde. 1830
  Whan that lady was downe fall,
  On Iesu Cryste dyd she call.
    To defende hir with his honde: 1833

  [Sidenote:
  She prays to Christ for her children.]

  ‘Rightfull God, ye me sende
  Some good londe on to lende,
    That my chyldren may crystened be[n].’ 1836
  She sayd, ‘ladyes fayre and gent,
  Great well my lorde Sir Torent,
    Yf euer ye hym se[n]!’ 1839
  The wynde arose on the myght,
  Fro the londe it blewe that lady bryght
    Into the se so grene. 1842

[Headnote: FRAG. 7. DESONELL AND HER TWINS REACH LAND.]

  [Sidenote:
  Desonell and her twin babes reach land. She stills her crying
  child,]

  Wyndes and weders hathe hir dryuen,
  That in a forest she is aryuen,
    Where wylde bestys were. 1845
  The se was ebbe and went hem fro
  And left hir and hir chyldren two
    [Alo]ne without any fere. 1848
  Hir one chylde began to wepe,
  The lady awoke out of hir slepe
    And sayde, ‘be styll, my dere, 1851
  Ihesu Cryste hathe sent vs lande,
  Yf there be any Crysten man at hande,
    We shall haue socoure here.’ 1854

  [Sidenote:
  goes up a mountain, and sits down.]

  The carefull lady then was blythe,
  To the londe she went full swythe,
    As fast as she myght. 1857
  Tyll the day began to sprynge,
  Foules on trees merely gan synge
    Delicyous notes on hyght. 1860
  To a hyll went that lady fre,
  Where she was ware of a cyte
    With toures fayre and bryght. 1863
  Therof I-wys she was fayne,
  She set hir downe, as I herd sayne,
    Hir chyldren for to dyght. 1866

NOTES.

PAGE 1, line 12. Cf. ll. 118, 187, 190, 198, 558, 924, 1924, 2183. So in Eglamour (Thornton Romances), l. 408:

‘The boke of Rome thus can telle,’

and The Erl of Tolouse, ed. Lüdtke, l. 1219:

‘Yn Rome thys geste cronyculyd ys.’

See Halliwell’s and Lüdtke’s notes to these passages. I agree with both of them, that an expression like that does not earnestly refer the reader to a Latin or Italian source of the story; there is evidently no difference at all between in Rome and in romance.

p. 1, l. 15. wyght has been inserted instead of dowghtty in order to restore the rhyme with hyght, knyght, myght; cf. Havelok, ed. Skeat, l. 344:

‘He was fayr man and wicth.’

p. 1, l. 17 = Ipomadon, l. 63. Parallel passages to this hyperbolic expression are collected in Kölbing’s note to this line (p. 364).

p. 1, l. 24. We find the same idea as here, viz. that nobody can resist the will of God, who has power over death and life, in Sir Tristrem, ll. 236 ff.:

  ‘Þat leuedi, nouȝt to lain,
  For soþe ded is sche!
  Who may be ogain?
  As god wil, it schal be,
  Vnbliþe.’

p. 2, l. 28. I have not met with the verb fesomnen anywhere else, and it is not mentioned in Stratmann and Mätzner. Halliwell, Dictionary, p. 354, explains it by ‘feoffed, gave in fee,’ doubtless regarding this very passage, although he doesn’t cite it; might fesomnyd not be a corruption from sesyd? cf. Havelok, ll. 250 f.:

‘Þat he ne dede al Engelond Sone sayse intil his hond.’

Hall writes to me on this word as follows: fesomnyd is, I am convinced, not a word at all, but a scribe’s error for festonyd or festnyd = confirmed, fixed. Comp. ’And þat ich hym wolde myd trewþe siker faste on honde,’ Robert of Gloucester (Hearne), p. 150. For this use of fasten, fastnen, comp. ’But my forwarde with þe I festen on þis wyse,’ Alliterative Poems, p. 47, l. 327: ’& folden fayth to þat fre, festned so harde,’ Sir Gawayne, p. 57, l. 1783: ’And þis forward, in faith, I festyn with hond,’ Destruction of Troy, p. 22, l. 636. See also Jamieson’s Scottish Dictionary, ii. p. 216, under to Fest.

p. 2, l. 30. I am by no means sure that fede is the original reading, but I wasn’t able to find a better word rhyming with dedde, wede; even the ne. ‘feed’ means pasture, and that is what we expect here.

p. 2, l. 31. For my correction cf. Lüdtke’s note to The Erl of Tolouse, l. 199, sub 2; Eglam., l. 26:

‘That was a maydyn as whyte as fome,’

Ib. l. 683:

‘Crystyabelle as whyte as fome,’

where the Percy Folio MS. reads:

‘Christabell that was as faire as sunn;’

Chronicle of England, l. 75 f.:

  ‘Ant nomeliche to thy lemmon,
  That ys wyttore then the fom.’

p. 2, l. 50. The alteration of And and bee into An and see seemed necessary; sayment is like Fr. essaiement, Lat. exagimentum.

p. 3, l. 59. Cf. l. 1216 f. and The Lyfe of Ipomydon, ed. Kölbing, l. 1795:

‘If thou hyr haue, thou shalt hyr bye.’

p. 3, l. 77 f. As half of the stanza is lost, it is impossible to make out to whom they refers. Nor do I believe that l. 78 is correct, especially as to chaunce.

p. 3, l. 79. Cf. Ipomadon, ed. Kölbing, l. 8123:

‘A myle wyth in the Grekes see.’

p. 3, l. 80. in an yle is certainly the correct reading; mauyle was introduced by a scribe who supposed it to be the giant’s name; but that is mentioned some twenty lines later.

p. 5, l. 136. The correction of lyght into ryght I owe to Hall, who refers me to the legend of Sancta Maria Egyptiaca; cf. f. i. Barbour’s Legends of Saints, ed. Horstmann, I. p. 143 ff.

p. 6, l. 153. nowyd = ‘anoyed’ gives a poor sense. Hall suggests nowtyd; cf. E. D. S., No. 6, Ray’s North Country Words, p. 59, note, to push, strike or soar, with the horn, as a bull or ram,’ ab. A.S. huitan, ejusdem significationis. The word might then mean ‘spurred.’

p. 6, l. 171 = l. 596. This alliterative binding is a very frequent one; cf. Sir Orfeo, ed. Zielke, p. 9.

p. 7, l. 188. The same rhyme, which I have restored here, occurs l. 559 f.

p. 7, l. 190. Yt tellythe = Yt is told; cf. Lüdtke, note to The Erl of Tolouse, l. 1070, and Sarrazin, note to Octavian, l. 1749.

p. 9, l. 236. I was about to write, Crystyn men thow they were, referring this line to the guardians of the lions; but, no doubt, Hall’s reconstruction of the line, which I have put into the text, is far better.

p. 9, l. 237. Hys browys wexe bla, i.e. he turned pale, he was struck with fear; cf. bloo askes, P. Pl., l. 1553, and the German aschfahl. Quite a similar expression occurs in Perceval, l. 687 f.:

  ‘Now sone of that salle wee see,
  Whose browes schalle blakke.’

Ib. l. 1056:

‘His browes to blake.’

p. 9, l. 245. Though syghyng gives no offence, still it may be, that the author has written syngyng, and the scribe was wrong in altering it; cf. Zupitza’s note to Guy, l. 5424.

p. 9, l. 251. Cf. l. 802, 1204, Ipomadon, l. 6481 f.:

  ‘Your nece of Calabyre, that lady clere,
  Ys bovnden wyth a fendes fere.’

Reliquiæ Antiquæ, i. p. 241:

  ‘He seith bi niȝte and eke bi day,
  That hy beth fendes ifere.’

p. 10, l. 265 f. The reading of these two lines is quite destroyed by the careless scribe. My correction is not more than an attempt to restore the rhyme.

p. 10, l. 277 ff. There is nothing in Torrent’s words which could lead the princess to a conclusion like that. I think that after l. 276 one stanza is wanting.

p. 11, l. 286-8. As to the contents of these lines, Kölbing refers me to Englische studien, vol. IV. p. 133 f., where F. Liebrecht mentions a passage in Sir Beves of Hamtoun, according to which a king’s daughter,—if she is a pure virgin,—can never be hurt by a lion. Here we have another proof for this remarkable bit of folk-lore.

p. 11, l. 292 = l. 329.

p. 11, l. 303 = l. 342.

p. 11, l. 305. I am not quite sure whether I was right in substituting the prince’s name—which is mentioned once more, the first time, as it were, l. 341—for the name of his father’s kingdom; but I didn’t see any other way of restoring the rhyme.

p. 12, l. 311. Cf. l. 469 and Skeat’s note to Sir Thopas, l. 1927.

p. 12, l. 334. Instead of he I should prefer to read they: Torrent has just admonished the prisoners to cheer up.

p. 13, l. 344. There must be something wrong in this line, because the name of the third Earl’s son is missing; to write the third instead of of may not suffice to put the text right; even the names Torren and Berweyne seem to me very suspicious.

p. 14, l. 379. Cf. Ipomadon, l. 4245, for Crystys dede; Crystys was substituted by Kölbing for mannes, which is clearly wrong; he could as well have chosen godes.

p. 15, l. 393 ff. Cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 736.

p. 16, l. 427. Of this allusion to Veland, Halliwell treats in his edition of Sir Torrent, p. vii f. Cf. Zupitza, Ein zeugnis für die Wieland-sage, Zeitschrift für deutsches Alterthum, Vol. XIX, p. 129 f.

p. 16, l. 429-31. The line which follows l. 429 in the MS. is superfluous; it damages the metre; and the rhyme with l. 430 won’t do. The old king wishes to say; ‘I have seen the day when, if this sword wielded by me fell on any one, he was considered done for, doomed to death.’ Therefore l. 431, I fawght therfor I told has been corrected into Fawe they were I-told. The scribe did not understand the obsolescent word fawe or faye, so he wrote the nearest word to it to make sense, I-told = ‘held, considered.’—I. Hall.

p. 17, l. 458. Cf. Breul’s note to Sir Gowther, l. 410.

p. 17, l. 465. Cf. l. 2061 f.

p. 20, l. 542. The scribe, who evidently didn’t know the pretty rare word clow, has spoilt it to colod, or colvd; the same rhyme, clouȝ, drouȝ, anouȝ occurs in Sir Tristrem, l. 1761 ff. Nor did the scribe know the word swowe = ‘noise,’ and changed it to swayne; cf. Hall. Dict., p. 843: He come to him with a swowe.

p. 20, l. 543. Of and on, off and on, intermittently.

p. 21, l. 555. schyld is not to the point here, Torrent having only his sword at hand. The scribe has forgotten what he has said himself, l. 526 and 549; cf. l. 652.

p. 21, l. 582-4. We meet with this description twice more in the poem, ll. 1514-16, and ll. 1858-60.

p. 23, l. 640. On the meaning of theff, cf. Kölbing’s note to Am. and Amil., l. 787.

p. 24, l. 659. of Perowne is certainly wrong, as it does not agree with the rhymes stere, nere, fere; but I don’t know how to amend the line.

p. 24, l. 662. schere gives no meaning; I write stere and translate, There might nobody move further, i.e. the giant was brought to a standstill in the glen.

p. 24, l. 665. Cf. ll. 434, 791.

p. 25, l. 688. Cf. Eglam., l. 324:

‘And to [the] herte hym bare.’

The weak preterit tense of berien is very rare; if bere = A.S. beran sometimes has the same meaning, i.e. ‘to strike,’ the reason is that A.S. beran and Icel. berja are confounded.

p. 25, l. 696. woo can hardly stand for wood. It seems to me like a last corruption of an old romance phrase, like worthy inwith wall (woȝe); possibly the line was simply so: Thus in II journeys Torrent so.—Hall.

p. 25, l. 700. On the use of M.E. fote as a plural see Zupitza’s note to Guy, l. 598.

p. 26, l. 722. Hall suggests, the original phrase may have been: pomely whyt and grey; cf. Chaucer, C. T., Prol., l. 615 f.:

  ‘This reeve sat vpon a ful good stot,
  That was al {pomely gray}, and highte Scot.’

p. 27, l. 744. Cf. l. 788. On St. James cf. Kölbing’s note to Am. and Amil., l. 796.

p. 29, l. 808 f. ‘In so dangerous conditions he has been before [and still come back safe], so he will come back even this time.’

p. 29, l. 819. On the meaning of the phrase ’the bord beginne,’ cf. Kölbing, Englische studien, III. p. 104, and Zupitza, Anglia, III. p. 370 f.

p. 30, l. 838. This stanza being incomplete, I think, the lacuna is to be put after l. 838. The missing three lines contained the fact, that the king promises Torrent, before his knights, that, when he has done this deed, he will give him his daughter, and grant him one half of his kingdom during his life, and the whole afterwards; cf. l. 1206 ff. The odd number of XXVII knights is probably due only to the scribe; cf. F. III: By VII score of hardy knyghtes.

p. 31, l. 867 f. These two lines are poor, and the rhyme is very bad; l. 868 may have run originally, Thurrow Pervyns, for sothe, it ley; cf. l. 949.

p. 32, l. 901. squyere, although very odd at the first sight, may still be right; Torrent says: ‘The only squier that I took with me for this journey, is my sword’; cf. l. 909.

p. 33, l. 922. Cf. Kölbing’s note to Ipomadon, l. 3344.

p. 33, l. 924-6. On the story of a child, begotten by a devil on a sleeping woman, cf. Breul, Sir Gowther, p. 119 f.

p. 34, l. 954 ff. Cf. Tristrem, l. 1409 ff.:

  ‘Out of Deuelin toun
  Þe folk wel fast ran,
  In a water to droun,
  So ferd were þai þan.’

p. 34, l. 963 f. Cf. Beves of Hamtoun, l. 187 f.:

  ‘Madame, a seide, for loue myn,
  Whar mai ich finde þat wilde swin?’

p. 36, l. 1000. Instead of spere perhaps we ought to read sworde.

p. 37, l. 1030 f. If we compare the rests of these lines in F. VI., this reading or a similar one is to be expected. The reading of l. 1029 ff. in the fragments may be completed so: [Thourgh the he]lpe of god of heuen Thorough ye and] herin euen God send the spere the right way.

p. 36, l. 1033 f. Cf. ll. 1166, 2468 f., and Kölbing’s note to Sir Tristrem, l. 69 f.

p. 38, l. 1070. ‘I came hither to seek my death,’ i.e. this expedition was so dangerous, that I expected to die.

p. 38, l. 1076. Cf. Ipomadon, l. 239 f.:

  ‘Tyll vncovth contreys will I wende,
  The maner wille I see.’

p. 39, l. 1081. is was to be corrected into it: ‘Because you slew him that possessed it.’

p. 39, l. 1086. This line, according to Hall’s emendation, means: You owe no homage or feudal due, the manor is yours and your heirs’ for ever; i.e. the manor is in fee simple, and free from any feudal obligation.

p. 39, st. 95. The text would be improved by putting ll. 1104-6 before 1101-3, although this transposition is not absolutely necessary.

p. 39, l. 1105. lefte may be a mistake for loste; cf. Gower, I. 207:

  ‘Contenaunce for a þrowe
  He loste.’

p. 40, l. 1117. Cf. Ritson’s Met. Rom., III. p. 341 f., and Zupitza’s note to Guy, l. 436.

p. 40, l. 1121. he bare looks rather suspicious, but it is supported by l. 2169. The author is about to describe the figures inlaid on the shield. Cf. Eglamour, l. 1030 f.:

’He bare in azure[N1] a grype of golde, Rychely beton on the molde.’

[Footnote N1: So Percy Fol. MS.; aserre Thornt.]

p. 40, l. 1124. This line is hopelessly spoilt; the scribe, careless as he was, has almost literally repeated l. 1121; l. 1125 directly continues the description begun before.

p. 40, l. 1132. Is than I haue in tale right? We expect rather: than I can telle in tale.

p. 41, l. 1138 f. Cf. l. 1587 f.

p. 41, l. 1143. I thought it necessary to insert mete, although Mätzner, Wörterbuch, II. p. 274, cites this line as the only instance in the M.E. literature for glad as a substantive. But even the sense is very poor without this addition.

p. 41, l. 1144. As to a man riding into the hall, cf. Skeat’s note to Chaucer’s Squiere’s Tale, l. 80, and Kölbing’s note to Ipomadon l. 6253 f.

p. 41, l. 1150 f. I hope my alterations in l. 1151 are right. It cannot be said that the King of Aragon defends the lady unless somebody has laid claims to her. Torrent wants either three combats or the lady, quite a regular occurrence in mediæval romances.

p. 41, l. 1154. none, i.e. no lady.

p. 41, l. 1160. Cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 138.

p. 41, l. 1165. the gres, which word is here required by the rhyme, is, in the same way as in this passage, used for ‘battle-field,’ in Perceval, l. 1225 f.:

  ‘Hedes and helmys ther was,
  I telle ȝow withowttene lese,
  Many layde {one the gresse},
  And many brode schelde.’

p. 42, l. 1181. For tynding of his hand = for fear of (= for) the beating (blows) of his hand. Schoolboy slang still keeps the word ’to tund’ = to beat with something flat.—HALL.

p. 42, l. 1193. On this expression Skeat treats in Notes to P. Pl., p. 3987, to which note I refer the reader. Cf. Li B. Disc., l. 130 f. (Ritson, Rom. II. p. 6):

  ‘Hys schon wer with gold ydyght
  And {kopeth} as a knyght.’

p. 43, l. 1198 f.: ‘None of them said a single word, But that Torrent had been right to do so as he had done.’

p. 43, l. 1211. There is an evident contradiction between this line and l. 1199. I suppose the word waried to be wrong; but I am not able to give a fairly certain emendation of it.

p. 44, l. 1228 f.: ‘The king had supposed he was dead, and, indeed, foolhardy he was to undertake an adventure like this.’

p. 45, l. 1268 f. This fight between the giant Cate and Torrent reminds us in some points of the combat between Guy and Colbrond. Like the old northern holmganga, both fights take place on an island, and in both cases the giant declines to sit on horseback, because he is too heavy; cf. Guy of Warwike, Edinburgh, 1840, l. 9940 ff.:

  ‘When þai had sworn and ostage founde,
  Colbrond stirt vp in þat stounde,
  To fiȝt he was ful felle.
  He was so michel and so vnrede,
  That no hors miȝt him lede,
  In gest as y you telle.
  So mani he hadde of armes gere,
  Vnneþe a cart miȝt hem bere,
  Þe Inglisse for to quelle.’

p. 45, l. 1270. he instead of him is remarkable; this personal construction, provided that it is right, would offer an analogue to I am wo instead of me is wo; cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 245.

p. 45, l. 1271 = l. 1546.

p. 46, l. 1307. This line ought probably to run thus:

’Sir Torent praid, as was his wonne.’

p. 47, l. 1337 f. This is SAINT Nycholas de Barr, not sir N., as the copyist has put. He was hardly a cleric, or he would have known the Boy Bishop. An English reference for S. Nicholas is Alban Butler, Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, etc., vol. vii. p. 989, Dublin, 1833. His day is Dec. 6th, consequently he is not in Acta Sanctorum; see besides Altenglische legenden, Neue folge, ed. Horstmann, Heilbronn, 1881, p. 11-16, and Barbour’s Legendensammlung, ed. Horstmann, I. p. 229-245. Barr is Bari in Italy, and Barbour, I. p. 238, l. 601 f., knew it was two syllables (cf. the rhyme þame be: Barre). Nicholas was the patron of sailors, and churches on the sea-coast in all parts of Europe were dedicated to him. Now as Sir Torrent had been in peril at sea, he offers to him. It was customary to offer garments at such shrines. See Hampson, Medii Ævi Kalendarium, I. p. 72. Hence I propose for l. 1338: A grett Erldome and a simarr. Simarr is not a common word, which makes it all the more probable here, since the uncommon words are those which are corrupted and lost. See Prompt. Parv., I. p. 75: ’chymer, abella,’ that is ‘abolla, cloak.’ M.E. simar, Fr. simarre.—HALL. I have not hesitated for a moment to introduce this sagacious conjecture into the text; also the correction of redith into tas I owe to Mr. Hall.

p. 48, l. 1353. Cf. Kölbing’s note to Sir Tristrem, l. 2508.

p. 48, l. 1364. We ought probably to read she instead of he.

p. 48, l. 1367 f. Cf. l. 1756 f.

p. 48, l. 1378. Cf. Sir Tristrem, l. 2458:

‘Bi holtes and bi hille.’

p. 49, l. 1385 ff. Here he addresses the King of Portugal. In l. 1385 the is superfluous, and should perhaps be struck out.

p. 49, l. 1395. fend = defend; cf. Zupitza’s note to Guy, l. 576.

p. 51, l. 1443 f. As the existence of fede = fode, ‘fellow’ is proved by no other passage, we ought perhaps to write As spede me god: ffode, or As g. me save: knave, instead of As god me spede: ffede.

p. 51, l. 1445. The alteration of fleand, which is absurd here, into failand is supported by l. 1280.

p. 51, l. 1446. As to make instead of made, cf. l. 332.

p. 51, l. 1463. Cf. l. 2090 f. I am afraid neither of these passages is quite right.

p. 53, l. 1518. Perhaps we ought to read:

‘And out of the valey he hyd swith.’

p. 54, l. 1531. I don’t believe that the poet used the word tree thrice within these four lines; perhaps he wrote for l. 1531: Shold not drawe it, parde.

p. 54, l. 1551. Cf. Guy, ed. Zupitza, l. 5430:

‘To reste þer horsys a lytull wyght,’

and Zupitza’s note to l. 419.

p. 55, l. 1570. Cf. Stratmann’s note to Havelok, l. 1129 (Englische studien, I. p. 424).

p. 56, l. 1592. To the I haue full good gate means, ‘I am fully entitled to kill you.’ I don’t recollect to have met with any parallel passage.

p. 56, l. 1600. That dynt is wrong, the rhyme shows as well as the meaning. But whether my alteration is right, seems very doubtful, especially as l. 1609 offers the same rhyming word.

p. 58, st. 142. Rhymes like dight, be-taught, draught, right can by no means be admitted. Now, instead of be-taught we may be allowed to write be-teighte (cf. Beket, l. 1827), and l. 1654 may have run:

‘He wold haue a draught, aplight.’

p. 59, l. 1676. After was, sent may have been dropped.

p. 59, l. 1692. For his love, i.e. ‘As his sweetheart.’

p. 60, l. 1714. Cf. Ipomadon, l. 52:

‘Begge he wex of bonne and blode.’

Ib. l. 1763:

‘Ryghtte bygge of bone and blode.’

p. 60, l. 1722: ‘All his men agreed with him,’ viz. that this was the knight whom he came to seek.

p. 62, l. 1774. Is her day = A.S. aerdagas, cf. Havelok, l. 27? The word is very rare, and in this meaning occurs only in the plural.

p. 62, l. 1777. After king, on kne may have dropped out.

p. 63, l. 1799. Cf. Chaucer, C. T., the Millere’s Tale, l. 325:

  ‘Say what thou wolt, I schal it never telle
  To child no wyf, by him that harwed helle.’

Ib., The Sompnoure’s Tale, l. 407:

‘Now help, Thomas, for him that harewed helle.’

Perhaps even here, l. 1702, Iesu, that made hell, ought to be altered into I. that harowde hell.

p. 64, l. 1846. Perhaps we ought to read ebbyng instead of eb, according to l. 223; one can hardly say, that ‘the sea is eb.’

p. 68, l. 1961. Instead of A I should prefer to read The, because this griffon is the same which robbed the child before.

p. 69, l. 1982. Of what lond that he is left, i.e. ‘Wherever he may be born.’

p. 69, l. 1991 f. Cf. Ipomadon, l. 50 f.:

  ‘He sayd: Fro tyme he kepe tham con,
  My landes I shall hym take.’

p. 70, l. 2002. It is good in euery fight, i.e. there is a stone in the ring which heals wounds, if they are touched with it; cf. Kölbing’s note to Ipomadon, l. 8018.

p. 70, l. 2010. Halliwell, p. 306, explains disparlid by ‘beaten down, destroyed,’ a meaning which is not fit for this passage. I read with a slight addition disparplid = ‘dispersed,’ a rare word; cf. Stratmann, p. 156.

p. 71, l. 2026. But is probably to be altered into And.

p. 72, l. 2053. Cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 3068.

p. 72, l. 2075. One might be inclined to write:

‘That my two children vncrystonyd ware,’

but I don’t think that we are obliged to change: ‘I cared only for that one thing, That my two children might be christened.’

p. 74, l. 2126. For hing instead of heng cf. Mätzner, Sprachproben, I. 1, p. 292, note to line 675, where hynges rhymes with springes.

p. 74, l. 2135. hede vale, i.e. principal, best choice; vale = wale, or perhaps aphetic for avale = value.—HALL.

p. 74, l. 2138. born seems to me somewhat suspicious, though I cannot propose a better reading; and torn instead of born wouldn’t do.

p. 75, l. 2152. The imperfect rhyme shows that there is something wrong in this line; it may be restored thus:

‘Loo, lordys good and hende.’

p. 75, l. 2153. wyll haue has probably been inserted here from the following line; we ought to read has.

p. 75, l. 2157. Season for to hold, i.e. ‘in order to hold court.’ But I don’t know another instance of season with this meaning.

p. 76, l. 2174. This line involves a contradiction to l. 2158 f.

p. 76, l. 2185. smote means the same as caste; cf. King Horn, ed. Wissmann, l. 1038:

‘And ankere gunne caste.’

The only question is, whether ankere is allowed to be supplied or must be added; cf. l. 2203.

p. 77, l. 2209-2214. The Sultan informs Torrent by messengers, that the inhabitants of the town are starving, evidently appealing to his generosity. Torrent answers him, that if they will lie here, i.e. leave the town, they are to have victuals enough. But the Sultan doesn’t accept this condition, and so the siege is continued. That seems to me to be the meaning of this half of the stanza.

p. 77, l. 2216 f. dede means here, and l. 2400, ‘exploit, battle.’ In the same way Saber, Beves’s uncle, once a year on a certain day fights against the Emperor; cf. Sir Beues, l. 2917 ff.:

  ’& eueri ȝer on a dai certaine
  Vpon þemperur of Almaine
  He ginneþ gret bataile take,
  Beues, al for þine sake.’

It agrees very well with the religious feelings of the Middle Ages, when they thought it a merit to fight against the heathens on Good Friday; cf. here l. 2230 ff.

p. 77, l. 2224 ff. I am afraid there is something wrong in these lines; the copyist seems to mean, that Torrent didn’t bereave the inhabitants of their worldly goods, their treasures; then we must write them for it. But what we really expect here is, that he leaves in the town some trustworthy men to keep it. Accordingly, the fault lies in Worldely goodis. Besides, l. 2224, did wyn, instead of was yn, would improve the rhyme.

p. 77, l. 2232. bryght is a rather odd epithet to Sarȝins.

p. 78, l. 2233 ff. Fifteen years have past since Torrent began to fight against the infidels: he besieges the first town two years (cf. l. 2189), the second, six years (cf. l. 2206), the third, seven years (cf. l. 2230). Meanwhile, the education of a young man being finished at the age of fifteen (cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 287), his son had become just old enough to win his spurs.

p. 78, l. 2240. I doubt whether ordeyn can be allowed to stand without an object, such as your folk, or your ships; cf. Robert of Glo’ster, ed. Hearne, p. 139, l. 19:

‘He bigan to ordeyne ys folk, & to batail aȝen drow.’

p. 78, l. 2256: ‘Woebegone was she, that must see that,’ viz. that ‘le leopard took away her sone.’

p. 78, l. 2259 f. The meaning of these two lines is not quite perspicuous, and they may be corrupt; only this one thing is clear, that these two knights are Torrent and his son, who belong to different parties.

p. 79, l. 2269 ff. It may be that ll. 2269-71 and ll. 2272-74 are to be transposed, but I don’t think it necessary: Torrent’s men flee when they see that their chief has surrendered.

p. 80, l. 2302. wekid = wicked, mischievous. But I don’t recollect to have met with this adj. as an epithet to land or country.

p. 80, l. 2304. Cf. Tristrem, l. 88, Kölbing’s note to that passage, and York Plays, p. 438, l. 155:

‘For, certys, my lyf days are nere done.’

p. 80, l. 2316. The alteration of this line is rather a radical one; but there was no other way to restore the rhyme; I think that first, day and nyȝt had changed their places in line 2313, and then the copyist, in order to get a rhyme to nyȝt, spoilt the latter line.

p. 81, l. 2335. be my ffaye and parmaffay in the same stanza, and both in the rhyme, are rather poor; one of these lines may have run thus:

‘Be god of heven, the king gan say.’

p. 82, l. 2357. The same confusion between turment and turnament occurs in Ipomadon, l. 2868; cf. Kölbing’s note to this line.

p. 83, l. 2392. Cf. Ipomadon, l. 3958:

‘A mercy, syr, for Crystes pitte,’

and Kölbing’s note to this line.

p. 83, l. 2395 f. Cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 3064, where he cites an interesting parallel passage to this line from Guy of Warwick, ed. Zupitza, l. 4707 f.:

‘Ȝyt þou art the trewest knyght, That euer slepyd in wynturs nyght.’

p. 83, l. 2405. and is perhaps miswritten for an or on.

p. 83, l. 2407. This line, as it stands, is rather odd; perhaps it ought to be identical with l. 1128.

p. 84, l. 2420. juster, jouster, means here a knight who joins in a joust or tournament: in the only other passage where it is known to occur, Alis., l. 1400, it is a horse for tourneying.

p. 84, l. 2433 = l. 2456; cf. Ipomadon, l. 8830:

’Euery man in there degre.’

p. 85, l. 2450. On roial, cf. Kölbing’s note to Ipomadon, l. 64. To a roall ffyght may be compared Shakespeare’s A royal battle (Rich. III., IV. iv.).

p. 85, l. 2461. with oute lent = ‘without fasting’? I have not met with this expletive phrase anywhere else.

p. 86, l. 2493. It was not superfluous to mention this fact, because knights were very often killed in tournaments; cf. Niedner, Das deutsche turnier im XII. und XIII. Iahrhundert, Berlin, 1881, p. 24. See also R. Brunne’s Handlyng-Synne, ed. Furnivall, 1862, p. 144-6.

p. 87, l. 2518-20. As to the meaning of couplid, cf. Mätzner, Wörterbuch, I. p. 491. These lines evidently mean that gentlemen and ladies sit alternately, what one calls in German, bunte reihe machen. Cf. A. Schultz, Das höfische Leben Zur Zeit der Minnesinger, I. p. 330, and P. Pietsch, Bunte Reihe, Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie, vol. xvi. Halle, 1884, p. 231, who cites from Biterolf, l. 7399 ff.:

  ‘Do hiezens under mîne man
  Ir ingesinde wol getân
  Sich teilen in dem palas,
  Daz kein mîn recke dâ was,
  Ern sæze zwischen magedîn.’

p. 87, l. 2526. emell was added by Hall in order to restore the rhyme with Desonell.

p. 88, l. 2535. For this correction, cf. Zupitza’s note to Guy, l. 600.

p. 90, l. 2593. After marked, them may have dropped; cf. Layamon, l. 5642 f.:

  ‘And heom markede forđ,
  Touward Munt-giu heo ferden,’

instead of which lines the later MSS. writes:

  ‘Hii nome riht hire way
  Touward Muntageu.’

p. 90, l. 2597. On castelletoure cf. Kölbing’s note to Tristrem, l. 158.

p. 91, l. 2636. Cf. Kölbing’s notes to Amis and Amiloun, l. 1019, and to The lyfe of Ipomadon, l. 506. Here the expression, no good he ne couth means, he was quite feeble and strengthless.

p. 92, l. 2658. up-tyed = so limited by the deed of foundation that they (the churches and abbeys) could not be diverted to any other purpose.—HALL.

p. 92, l. 2661. Cf. Eglamour, l. 1339, Lincoln MS.:

‘In Rome this romance crouned es.’

The Cambridge MS. reads instead:

‘In Rome thys geste cronyculd ys.’

I am inclined to think that crouned is nothing else but a misreading for cronyculd. Afterwards, considered to be correct, it has originated expressions like those we find here.

GLOSSARY.

[Transcriber’s Note:

Asterisks* are not explained. They seem to indicate words that did not appear in the original MS but are the result of editorial emendation. They may or may not occur elsewhere in the text.]

abydde, 2/41, vb. to endure. a-bye, 21/569, vb. to pay for. actone, 79/2276, sb. a jacket of quilted cotton. Cf. Skeat’s Glossary to Wars of Al., s.v. ago, 3/65, pp. gone. a-right, 48/1364, pt. s. prepared, served up. assent, 48/1357, sb. proposal. assttyt, 23/640, adv. at once. auter, 68/1952, sb. altar. avented, 54/1554, pt. s. refl. recovered his breath. aventorres, 2/39, sb. pl. adventures. aventurly, 44/1229, adv. boldly. axithe, 10/260, pr. 3 sg. asks.

balle, 15/400, sb. bale. bane,* 29/794, sb. bone; 52/1478, sb. destruction, death; 59/1678, sb. over-comer. bare, 53/1502, pr. s. stabbed. barys, 35/978, sb. pl. bars. bayte, 54/1553, vb. to pasture. bed, 29/793, pp. offered. bent, 25/701, 86/2487, sb. battle-field. berdles, 36/1015, adj. beardless. bere, 37/1045, vb. to stab. be-stad, 29/808, pp. sore bestad = distressed. bet, 57/1622, pt. s. beat. be-taught, 58/1651, pp. surrendered, delivered. bett, 55/1585, pp. beaten; 40/1123, pp. ornamented. be-tyde, 45/1270, vb. to befall; cf. the note to this line. beytyng, 36/1008, vb. sb., baiting.? bla,* 9/237, adj. pale, wan; cf. the note. blo,* 13/351, adj. blue. blynd, 4/87, pr. s. conj. blind. bode, 18/498, pr. s. ordered. boffettes, 85/2472; buffettes, 56/1596, sb. pl. blow, dint. bone, 55/1565, sb. prayer. bord, 29/819, 42/1194, sb. table. bowes, 51/1451, sb. pl. bough, branch. bowght, 21/556, sb. bend. brayd, 56/1598, sb. sudden attack. broke, 30/833, 48/1354, vb. to enjoy. browȝ, 24/654, sb. rising ground, hill. byddythe, 18/500, pr. s. waited, remained. byght, 22/605, vb. to bite. byne, 2/46, vb. to be. byrlyd, 11/292, 12/329, pr. s. to pour out.

castell toure, 90/2597, sb. castle tower. chaffare, 35/986, sb. bargain. chalenge, 41/1150; pr. s. 41/1163; pr. s. conj. challenge. cheff-foster, 21/574, sb. chief-foster. ches, 26/718, pr. s. chose. chyrge, 29/814, sb. church. clarkys, 1/12, sb. pl. clerks. clere, 3/62, adj. clere of, renowned for. clow,* 20/542, sb. clough. cobled, 46/1298, adj. cobled stones = cobblestones. comely, 26/722, adv. in a comely manner; cf. the note. contenance,* 3/75, sb. countenance, presence of mind. cord, 48/1357, pr. s. accord. coueryd, 87/2506, pr. pl. Vp they coueryd = They recovered.? countenance, 39/1105, sb. countenance. couped, 42/1193, pp.; cf. the note. coupled, 87/2520, pp. coupled; cf. the note. coursus, 41/1150, 42/1177, sb. pl. courses. couth, 46/1295, 91/2636, pr. s. knew. craftely, 54/1527, adv. skilfully. crest, 40/1128; creste, 83/2407, sb. crest. croke, 36/1018, 37/1042, 55/1577, 56/1607, 58/1652, sb. crook.

dalle, 21/562, sb. valley. delyuer, 41/1154, vb.; 41/1151, imp. to deliver up; delyuerd, 63/1806, 1808, pp. delivered of a child; delyuerd, 82/2372, pp. released? dent, 2/41, sb. blow. departid, 47/1329, pr. pl. divorced. dewe, 4/88, sb. dieu. deyr, 2/37, adj. dear. deyse, 38/1067, 42/1192, sb. dais. dight, 39/1081, pr. s. built. disparplid,* 70/2010, pp. dispersed; cf. the note. dong, 61/1754, pr. pl. dung, beat. dourst, 3/81, prs. sg. darest. draught, 58/1654, sb. draught. dryee, 36/994, vb. endure. duchyes, 33/933, sb. pl. duchies. dulful, 19/519, adj. troublesome. dynnyng, 52/1487, sb. roaring. dyspisyst, 2/47, prs. 2 sg. despisest.

eb, 64/1846, sb. ebb; cf. the note. ebbyd, 8/223, pp. ebbing. ech, 92/2657, pron. each. eche, 24/649, sb. oak. endentyd, 9/227, pp. indented, adorned. erber, 65/1868, sb. garden of pleasure. ermyght, 36/1008, sb.? eyllythe, 34/958, prs. 3 sg. ails.

fall, 47/1331, vb. to fell, kill. fame, 2/31, sb. foam. fare, 44/1234, sb. at that fare = under these circumstances. farly, 2/44; ferly, 69/1974, 71/2035, sb. wonder. fawe,* 16/431, adj. destined to death. fede,* 2/30, sb. feed, pasture ground; cf. the note. ffede, 51/1444, sb.; cf. the note. fell, 85/2444, adj. strong, able. fell, 1/21, 4/90, vb. to fell, kill; fellythe, 3/82, pr. 3 sg. fells. fere, 3/69, 4/98, 4/102, 33/931, 85/2466, sb. companion. fesomnyd, 2/28, pr. s.; cf. the note. fet, 12/309, pp. fetched. ffettouris, 81/2333, sb. pl. fetters. flyng, 67/1927, vb. to hasten. flyngyng, 14/378, p. prs. hastening. fode, 36/1012, sb. food; ffode, 64/1823, sb. child, wight. ffont, 69/1993, sb. font. forsake, 26/724, vb. to leave behind. fforward, 41/1743, sb. agreement. fraye, 23/638, sb. attack. freke, 58/1661, sb. warrior. frethe, 6/161, sb. forest. fyle, 33/911, sb. fill. ffyne, 39/1086, sb. fine. fytte, 17/458, sb. pl. feet. fytyng, 7/1731, p. prs. fighting.

gadlyng, 36/1015, sb. vagabond. gale, 46/1313, sb. galley. gas, 4/103, prs. 3 sg. goes. gestonye, 82/2374, 91/2625, 91/2627, sb. banquet, feast. gethe, 71/2042, prs. 3 sg. goes. glemyrryng, 16/426, p. prs. glimmering. governe, 28/779, vb. refl. to behave. greme,* 67/1929, sb. grief, sorrow. grennyng, 40/1126, p. prs. distorting, gaping. gryffon, 69/1971; greffon, 69/1981, sb. griffin. grype, 68/1961, sb. griffin.

harood, 60/1711, sb. herald; 82/2365, harroldys, sb. pl. heralds. harood, 63/1799, pr. s. distracted. hed, 17/444, sb. heed. hede, 74/2126, vb. to behead. hede-vale, 74/2135, 91/2621, sb. principal value; cf. the note to l. 2135. hedles, 25/702, adj. headless. hende, 4/106, adj. courteous. herne,* 37/1030, sb. brains. heved,* 14/371, sb. head. hight, 65/1860, sb. height. housell, 45/1272; howsell, 74/2139, sb. housel. howge, 20/548, adj. huge, enormous. howt, 25/703, adv. out. hurt, 57/1625, sb. hurt.

i-bye, 43/1222, vb. to pay for. i-wysse, 15/391, adv. surely. juster, 84/2420, sb. jousting knight.

kene, 2/47, adj. brave. kerpyng, 92/2662, vb. sb. talking.

lade, 58/1663, sb. load, i.e. a lot of blows. lay, 6/165, 52/1492, sb. grass land, bank. lede, 2/36, sb. country. lemyred, 11/291, pr. s. glimmered. lenage, 18/491, sb. lineage, family. lende, 1/9, prs. pl. go. leng, 32/899, vb. to stay. lent, 85/2461, sb. lent? leryd, 40/1110, pp. informed. lifte, 45/1273, vb. to lift. lothly, 34/964, 35/991; lothely, 53/1508, 54/1534, adj. loathsome. love, 59/1692, sb. love, sweet-heart. lyst, 1/7, vb. to listen. lythe, 13/337, vb. to listen. lyvelode, 83/2384, sb. livelihood.

maistershipmon, 50/1425, sb. captain. mall, 12/322, sb. hammer, club. markyd, 90/2592, pr. s. directed. mate, 25/678, adj. faint, exhausted. maynerey, 16/435, sb. banquet, feast. maystry, 8/212, sb. mastery; maystres, 28/789, sb. pl. = maystries, exploits? meche, 10/270, 20/531, 26/713, 37/1040, adj. much, great. met, 25/700, pr. s. measured. moche, 49/1399, 76/2195, adj. much, great. myd mete, 41/1141, 42/1189, sb. the middle of the dinner. mylle, 3/79, sb. mile. myrre, 11/293, 34/943, adj. merry. myster, 21/581, sb. need, want.

  nonys, 46/1299, in phr. for þe nones, for the once, for the
    occasion.
  noryse, 67/1928, sb. nurse.
  not,* 54/1535, prs. ne wot, don’t know.
  nowyd, 6/153, pp. annoyed? cf. the note.

of-smyght, 25/691, vb. to cut off. omage, 39/1086, sb. homage. onfre,* 53/1499, adj. unnoble. on-harnes, 11/302, vb. to unharness. ordor, 2/51, sb. order. ordurres, 2/48, sb. pl. knighthood, dub. ovyr-ryde, 2/40, vb. to ride over, to overcome?

  payn, 44/1252, sb. fine, mulct.
  persewyd,* 17/462, pp. pursued.
  pertely, 53/1501, adv. openly, plainly.
  pluckys, 56/1611, sb. strokes; cf. Halliwell, Dict., p. 633.
  pomell, 26/714, sb. pommel.
  poynt, 17/445, 88/2540, = poynt of armys, 3/68, 30/832, 49/1383,
    sb. exploit.
  prekand, 45/1263, prs. p. pricking.
  preste, 50/1418, adj. ready.
  preve, 10/275, adj. privy.
  pyll, 21/573, sb. rock?

ragyd, 7/194, adj. ragged. rawght, 24/645, pr. s. gave. red, 7/178, sb. counsel. reioyse, 75/2151, 80/2309, 91/2640, vb. to enjoy. rerid, 55/1561, pr. pl. reared, tried to bring on. reue, 35/986, vb. to bereave, to rob. reuelid, 85/2467, pr. pl. revelled, feasted. revid, 88/2546, pp. robbed. rewe, 31/860, vb. to rue, to pity. reysed, 46/1313, pr. pl. raised, made ready; reysing, 51/1454, prs. p. rising, starting up. rially, 87/2516, adv. royally. rialte, 85/2455, sb. royal state. rightfull, 64/1834, adj. rightfull. roall, 85/2450, adj. royal. rome, 19/516, sb. cross-way? rore, 37/132, vb. to roar. rough, 66/1879, sb. wood, copse. rowe, 50/1426, prs. pl. row. rowght, 24/645, sb. stroke, blow? rude, 58/1666, adj. rude. ryd, 2/44, pr. s. rode. ryde-wey, 22/598, sb. spur-way, horse-way. ryngis, 82/2354, sb. ring, arena. ryved, 73/2090, pr. s. ryved up, landed, disembarked; ryven, 50/1435, pr. p. landed.

sare, 4/97, adv. sorely. sarten, 26/717, adj. sb. the sarten = the truth. sayment, 2/50, sb. trial, exploit. scape, 81/2327, prs. subj. escape. schedyng, 19/516, sb. separation. scheff-chambyr, 26/718, sb. chief-chamber, first rank-chamber. scheld, 21/578, vb. to shelter. schere, 21/556, vb. to shear, to cut. schope, 21/567, pr. s. created. schowt, 21/570, schoute, 61/1751, 65/1877, s.; schuot, 22/594, vb. to shout. season, 75/2157, sb. court. see-fome, 75/2165, sb. sea-foam. sege, 77/2204, sb. siege. sekyrnes, 30/835, sb. surety. semled, 85/2445, pr. pl. assembled. sete, 33/922, sb. city. seth, 74/2141, conj. since. sett, 41/1152, pr. s. sat. sewe, 4/89, vb. to look at. shipped, 45/1260, pr. s. 46/1318, pr. pl. shypped, pp. embarked. shone, 40/1117, sb. pl. shoes. side lokyng, 57/1637, sb. side-glance. siȝed, 79/2288, pr. s. sighed. simarr,* 47/1338, sb. cloak; see the note. slade, 58/1660, sb. slade. slon,* 16/458, sb. sloe. smote, 76/2185; smote adown, 77/2203, pr. s. cast anchor. solasyd, 24/657, pr. s. solaced, comforted. solemnite, 56/1591, sb. pride. sotell, 61/1761, adj. subtle, sly. sownyng, 49/1400, 62/1782, 90/2615, sb. swooning. sparid, 73/2096, pr. pl. barred, blocked up. sped, 3/70, prs. conj. speed. spent, 67/1910, pp. lost. sperryd, 14/364, pr. s. barred, shut up. sperrys, 5/127, sb. spire, tree. spousage, 62/1791, sb. spousage. sprent, 7/181, pr. s. lept. spryt, 7/181, sb. pole. stad,* 55/1566, sb. stead. state, 60/1729, sb. chair of state. stere,* 24/662, vb. refl. move. steryng, 62/1785, p. prs. stirring, moving. stomlyng, 24/660, p. prs. stumbling. storrope, 35/987, sb. stirrup. strake, 2/42, pr. s. struck. styll, 18/477, sb. steel. swathing band, 67/1917, sb. swath. swowe,* 20/548, sb. noise; cf. the note. sybbe,* 27/739, sb. kinsman.

takyll, 49/1402, sb. tackling. tall, 26/734, sb. tale. tene, 3/73, sb. grief, sorrow. the, 2/49, vb. to thrive. thede,* 60/1728, sb. people. thefe, 46/1292; theffe, 58/1659, sb. villain. theves, 61/1760, sb. pl. villains. thole,* 17/460, vb. to suffer. throng, 38/1057, sb. crowd, troop. thronge, 79/2283, pr. pl. thronged, pressed. tombelyd, 42/1173, pr. pl. tumbled. to-sheverd, 42/1172, pr. s. shivered in pieces. trast,* 17/455,? vb. to trust. trayll, 46/1314, vb. to trail. trayn, 29/803, 51/1455, sb. treachery, deceit. trompettys, 29/816, 34/443, trumpettes, 41/1164, sb. pl. trumpets. trovylld, 17/452, pr. s. travailed, exerted himself. trow, 21/572, pr. s. believe. trusse, 13/354, vb. to truss. trussyd, 14/371, pr. pl. trussed. tyed, 92/2658, pp.; cf. the note. tyght, 22/589, adj. tight. tyght, 25/690, adv. in phr. ase tyght, at once. tymbyr, 2/40, 81/2349, 86/2483, sb. lance. tynding, 42/1181, sb. beating; cf. the note.

vale, s. hede. venturus, 55/1566, adj. adventurous, dangerous. vetelid, 76/2188, pp. supplied with provisions. victoure, 83/2411, sb. victor. vnbrydeled, 54/1552, pr. s. unbridled. vnder, 71/2029, sb. noon. vndyr-nethe, 20/542, prep. underneath. vndertane, 61/1733, vb. to undertake.

walloyng, 7/189, prs. p. wallowing. wanne, 62/1767, adj. wan, dark. ward, 48/1351, sb. warden. waried, 43/1211, 88/2544, pr. pl. cursed; waried, 54/1537, pp. cursed. warne, 29/795, prs. s. deny, refuse. water fflood, 65/1872, sb. water-flood. watt, 44/1247, prs. 3 sg. knows. wax, 3/73, pr. s. became. wede, 2/33, sb. garment, dress. wekid, 80/2302, adj. wicked; see the note. were, 57/1623, vb. to get tired. were, 28/773, adj. aware. wet-saffe, 17/466, pr. s. vouchsafe. wexe,* 9/237, pr. pl. became. wight, 54/1551, sb. white. wilsom, 71/2030; wyld-som, 20/535; wyldsome, 19/506, adj. wild, desert. wis, 53/1525, vb. to show. wod, 14/377, adj. mad. won, 4/94, adj. one. wonande, 1/14, p. prs. living. wondyr-thyng, 2/53, sb. wondrous thing. wonne, 46/1295, sb. custom, expedient. wonne, 46/1307, pp. wont? cf. the note. wonne, 65/1870, p. dwelling, living? wonne, 69/1995, pp. won. wrought vp, 54/1532, pr. s. built up, raised. wyght,* 1/15, 3/60. wyt, 27/749, wyhte, 30/848, adj. wight.

yare,* 7/177,* 14/369, 47/1320, adv. wholly, yarely. yatis gone, 71/2025, sb. pl. footpaths. yell, 46/1305, vb. to yell. yell, 52/1487, sb. yell. yf, 61/1740, imp. s. yff, 70/2009, prs. conj. s. may give. ylke, 25/694, 63/1801, pron. same.

INDEX OF NAMES.

Adolake, 434, the name of a sword; Adyloke, 665; Hatheloke, 791. Adryan, 927, St. Hadrian. Amyas, 345, a young prince. Antioche, 2229, Antiochia. Antony, 1874, 1940, 1970, 2558, St. Antony. Antony fice greffoun, 1998, 2435, 2476, Torrent’s son. Aragon, 1114, 1152, 1182, 1212, 1257, 1325, 2110; Eragon, 765. Awsden, 1029, St. Austin.

Be-gon-mese, 101, a giant. Berweyne, 344; see Jakys. Brasille, 1450, a forest on the Norwegian coast.

  Calabur, 847, 907, 952, 1059, 1320, 2113, Calabria.
  Calamond, 1221, King of Portugal;
    Calomond, 2116, 2168;
    Colomand, 2104;
    Colomond, 1408, 2143.
  Cardon, 1091, a town in Calabria.
  Cargon, 1326, a town in Aragon.
  Cate, 1238, 1254, 1293, 1593, a giant.

Desonell{e}, 109, 382, 446, 450, 478, 673, 795, 859, 985, 1102, 1135, 1161, 1359, 1393, 1703, 1780, 2006, 2059, 2077, 2092, 2173, 2401, 2424, 2500, 2509, 2523, 2533, 2587, 2614, King Calamond’s daughter, Torrent’s spouse; Dissonell{e}, 1329; Dysonell{e}, 32.

Elyoner, 347, daughter of the King of Gales.

Flonthus, 1005, Slonges of Flonthus, a giant. Fuolles, 748, Slogus of Fuolles, variation of the former name.

Gales, 346, 408, 417. Gendres, 1747, daughter of the King of Norway. George, 1677, St. George. Grece, 2419, 2434, 2557, 2643, Greece. Grekes, 79, 1282, 2179, 2645, Greeks. Gryffen, 1215, St. Griffon.

Hungry, 970, Hungary.

  Jakys, 344, Jakys of Berweyne, a young prince.
  Jame, 744, 788, St. James.
  Jerusalem, 1897, 1921, 1938, 2236, 2245, 2275, 2426, 2473, 2554,
    2633.
  Jesus, 134, 274, 537, 540, 675, 996, 1340, 1371, 1382, 1447, 1539,
    1564, 1702, 1799, 1937, 1985, 1997, 2218, 2580;
    Iesu Cryst, 206, 529, 1275, 1832, 1852, 2664.
  John, 1884, 2140, 2514, 2559, St. John.

Katryn, 2053, St. Catherine.

Leobertus, 1925, 2246, 2477, Torrent’s son.

  Marre, 85, 624; Mary, 136, 1308, 1565, 1646, 1888, 1906, 1946,
    1969, 2098, 2311; Marry, 61, 259, 863.
  Mavdeleyn, 489;
    Mawdleyn, 505, 737, Maudlin, name of a forest.
  Mownpolyardnus, 716, the name of a sword.
  Myhell{e}, 753, St. Michael.

Nazareth, 465, 2032, 2041, 2389, 2437, 2528. Norway, 1370, 1377, 1412, 1417, 1759, 1781, 2083. Nycholas de Barr, 1337, St. Nicholas de Bari; see the note.

  Peron, 1776, 1830;
    Perowne, 659;
    Perrown, 412, a town in Portugal.
  Pervens, 420, 1095, 1320;
    Pervyns, 868, 2113, Provence;
    Provyns, 397, 413.
  Portingale, 1069, 1346, 2090, 2095, 2593;
    Portyngale, 1772, 2134, 2176, 2413, 2620;
    Portynggall{e}, 13, 25, 374, 399, 727, 763, 877, 883, 1255,
    Portugal.

Quarell{e}, 2182, 2415, a town in Syria.

  Raynes, 2414, a town in Syria.
  Rochense, 637, a giant.
  Rome, 12, 118, 187, 190, 198, 558, 924, 1224, 1282, 1319, 1924,
    2183, 2626, 2661.

  Samson, 95, Samson.
  Sarȝins, 2232, Saracens.
  Sathanas, 1237, Satan.
  Slochys, 850;
    Slogus, 748;
    Slonges, 1005;
    Slongus, 967, a giant.

  Torrayne, 26, Touraine.
  Torren, 343.
  Torrent, 34, 46, 49, 61, 91, 133, 148, 181, 200, 203, 217, 224,
    230, 252, 280, 295, 302, 314, 392, 399, 432, 466, 470, 477, 480,
    495, 504, 519, 528, 540, 556, 577, 585, 591, 621, 634, 642, 645,
    648, 663, 670, 677, 681, 687, 691, 693, 699, 733, 739, 752, 768,
    772, 819, 824, 825, 828, 834, 839, 843, 852, 877, 883, 896, 946,
    957, 984, 987, 999, 1006, 1021, 1023, 1039, 1044, 1051, 1060,
    1072, 1119, 1163, 1167, 1170, 1176, 1200, 1256, 1263, 1270, 1284,
    1298, 1414, 1434, 1480, 1535, 1699, 1756, 1838, 1903, 2081, 2485,
    2630;
    Terrant, 142;
    Terrent, 85;
    Torent, 157, 205, 756, 784, 1246, 1254, 1278, 1293, 1307, 1317,
    1322, 1325, 1331, 1347, 1355, 1367, 1379, 1391, 1437, 1443, 1494,
    1511, 1517, 1562, 1569, 1598, 1613, 1622, 1724, 1727, 1780, 1811,
    2084, 2097, 2107, 2117, 2120, 2140, 2150, 2155, 2179, 2191, 2197,
    2209, 2224, 2244, 2257, 2263, 2269, 2281, 2330, 2362, 2380, 2478,
    2479, 2482, 2489, 2495, 2501, 2503, 2511, 2534, 2567, 2575, 2603,
    2611, 2617, 2642, 2649;
    Torrant, 70, 76, 103, 241, 253, 364, 380, 657, 760, 840, 963;
    Tyrrant, 18.

Velond, 427, Veland the smith. Verdownys, 305, 341, 410, son of the King of Provence.

Weraunt, 1650, a giant.

R. CLAY AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BUNGAY.

       * * * * *
           * * * *
       * * * * *

Typography

In the Notes and Introduction, long vowels were printed with circumflex â rather than macron ā. This usage has been retained; the circumflex accent in its own right does not occur.

In the Introduction, emphasis within italicized passages was shown either by reverting to Roman type or by printing the words as gesperrt (extended). For this e-text, the first kind of emphasis is shown in {braces}, the second with +marks+.

In the main text, folio numbers were italicized as 85_a_, 85_b_… This markup has been omitted to reduce visual clutter.

Loops or flourishes attached to final letters are shown as ~ (tilde after letter). If you find this distracting, feel free to delete it globally. The character does not occur anywhere else, and the flourishes probably do not mean anything.

The letter “n” with overline is shown as ñ (n-tilde) for better font support.

Double “l” in the main text was printed as two l’s with a single connecting line. They are shown in this e-text as ƚƚ (paired l-bar). Note that the printers do not seem to have had an italic version of this letter pair; in the e-text it is shown as italic or roman based on the surrounding text.

Errors and Inconsistencies

Errors in the main text and fragments are shown at the end of each stanza in [[double brackets]]. The word “invisible” means that there is an appropriately sized blank space or extra indentation, but the character (usually an open single quote) is missing. Unusual spellings in the Sidenotes are probably attributable to Frederick Furnivall.

Hyphenization of prefixes in the modern material (introduction, linenotes, endnotes) does not always match the body text; words are printed as shown. In citations, capitalization of German is unchanged.

Commas at the end of Glossary entries are not errors. The letters I and
J are alphabetized together. Initial U is written and alphabetized as V.

Introduction

  § 1
  still worse is the fact, that he did not recognize
    [comma unchanged]
  Footnote 1: … written down from oral recitation.’
    [close quote invisible]

  § 2
  II. C. d. Tho he be {st}rod anoble {st}ede …
  Torent be {str}ode a stede {str}ong
    [body text has “a noble” and “be-strod” (both times)]

  § 3
  1. No part. pres. on-ond …
    [printed as shown at line break: error for “onond”?]

  § 4
  (3) In the Northern collection, pp. lxi and lxiv. Herrig’s Archiv
    [text has “Archiv.” with superfluous period]
  Footnote 8: F. H. v. d. Hagen
    [text has “F. H., v. d.” with superfluous comma]
  10. (… as may be gleaned from l. 2440.)
    [final . missing]

  [Eglamour and Torrent, parallel]
  Eglamour, Linc. MS. Note on 1267:
    [line also printed at bottom of preceding page (partway through
    parallel passages)]

Notes

  p. 3, l. 59. … The Lyfe of Ipomydon
    [spelling unchanged; elsewhere “Ipomadon”]
  p. 16, l. 429-31. …—I. Hall.
    [error for J(oseph)? normal citation form is “Hall”, without
    initial, in small capitals]
  p. 21, l. 555. [text has “p. 21.”]
  p. 29, l. 819. On the meaning of the phrase ‘the bord beginne,’
    [close quote missing]
  p. 42, … Cf. Li B. Disc., l. 130 f.
    [missing . after l]
  p. 63, l. 1799. … To child no wyf
    [printed as shown; expected form is “ne wyf”]
  p. 70, l. 2010.
    [“l.” missing]
  p. 86, l. 2493. … XII. und XIII. Iahrhundert
    [error for “Jahrhundert”? book cited is not printed in fraktur]
  p. 90, l. 2593. … ‘And heom markede forđ,
    [printed as shown, with đ for expected ð]
  the later MSS. writes:
    [error for “MS.” or “write”]

Glossary

  harood … 82/2365, harroldys, sb. pl. heralds.
    [text has 82/2365; with semicolon for comma]
  prekand, 45/1263, prs. p. pricking.
    [missing comma]
  rightfull, 64/1834, adj. rightfull.
    [printed as shown]
  roall, 85/2450, adj. royal.
    [“adj.” missing]
  storrope, 35/987, sb. stirrup.
  tymbyr, 2/40, 81/2349, 86/2483, sb. lance.
    [“sb.” missing in both entries]
  wyght,* 1/15, 3/60.
    [final . may be error for ,]
  wyhte, 30/848, adj. wight.
    [text has “30/548”]

Names

  Desonell{e} … 2614, King [text has 2614; with semicolon]
  Sarȝins, 2232, Saracens.
    [Index has “Sarzins” but body text has “Sarȝins”]

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