Part 10

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_Â 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_Â 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