Part 9

[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_ (!)Â 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_Â 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]