Torrent of Portyngale Part 15

But I schall make myn com{m}nant so, That there schall 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 wyll co{m}myn~ a-geyne!'

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

(71)

[Sidenote: He and his Queen go to Ma.s.s. 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 wall 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 G.o.d 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 {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~ well 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 schall me ma 835 Of yow{r} dowghttyr hend, And aftyrward my ryghtys, Be-fore XXVII knyght{es}.' . . . . . .

And all were Torrent{es} frende.

'Now, good s{er}is,' gan Torrant sey, f. 91b. 840 'Bere wittnes her of som Daye, A-geyne yf G.o.d 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 G.o.d send the that waye Ryght!'

Than quod Torrent: 'Haue goo{d} day, And, or I come a-geyn~, I schall 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. s.p.a.ce 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 Desonell he t{as}, Sche wepte, all men myght Rewe; 860 He seyd: 'Lady, be styll!

I schall come a-geyn th{e} tyll, 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 fell. f. 91a.[T2]

Tyll the castell 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}ll, 875 P{ra}y hym, on won nyght in~ hys sale To harburrow Torrent of Portynggall, Yf y{t} Bee ys will!'

[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: 'G.o.d blyse e, 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} will yt bee.'

The kyng swere be hym, {a}t dyed on tre: 'There ys no man~ in~ crystyante More welcome to me!' 890