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Title: Torrent of Portyngale
Author: Unknown
Language: English
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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 {st}ed vnto a {st}ake_; 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 {f}ere_; 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,
Torent, I wot-saue hym on the. 466
The kyng of Portynggaƚƚ seyd, ‘So mot I the!
Torrent, I wet-saffe of the.
The kyng wolde fayne that he ded were,
And he wyst nat on what manere. 472
The kyng wolde fayne that he wer ded,
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”]
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Torrent of Portyngale" ***
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