Torrent of Portyngale Part 14

[Sidenote: and a n.o.ble 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, Tyll on the morrow day.

To the stabull tho he y{e}d, 720 There he fond a n.o.byll 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~ all Portynggall, 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, Tyll he come to a castell bryght, 730 Ther ys lord gan dwell.

The kyng ys gone to the gate, Torrent on kne he fond ther at, Schort tall for to tell.

'Haue thow thys in~ thyn~ hond: 735 No nother hawkys ther I fond At Mawdlenys well.'

The kyng {quod}: 'Ase so haue I blyse, Torrent, I trow, sy{bb}e ys To the dewell of h.e.l.l! . . . . 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.]

Lytyll and mykyll, lese and more, 750 Wondyr on the hedd{es} th.o.r.e, That Torrent had browght whome.

{The} Lord{es} seyd 'Be sen Myh.e.l.l!

Syr kyng, but ye love hyme wyll, 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.

_Myh.e.l.l{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 Portynggall, 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 woll ye tell 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 G.o.d 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 will 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 full wyll sped, A knyght{es} dowghttyr wase hyme bed, Ase whyt ase wall{es} b{a}ne; And yf ye warne hyme Desonell, 795 A{ll} that ther of here tell, Ther of wyll 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 schall hyght hym my dowghttyr~ dere, To fyght w{i}t{h} that fynd{es} fere, Thus he holdythe hyme in~ trayne.