Torrent of Portyngale Part 25

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.]

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[Sidenote: He takes the news to the King of Portugal, and tells Desonell that Torrent is in Norway.]

The child, to lond that G.o.d sent, In Portyngale he is lent, In a riche town~, That hat{h} hight be her day, And euer shall, as I you say, 1775 The town~ of Peron~.

By-fore the kyng he hym sett, [1880]

'Full well thy men~, lord, the grett, And in the see {did} they drown.'

Desonell said: 'Where is Torent?' 1780 'In Norway, lady, verament.' f. 105b.

On sownyng fell she down~.

[Linenotes: 1774. _hatt_ (!) MS.

1778. _the_] _they_ MS.

1779. _did_] _are_ MS.

_drowned_ MS.]

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[Sidenote: She swoons, and folk see she is big with child. The King of Portugal declares he'll send Desonell and her b.a.s.t.a.r.d to sea.]

As she sownyd, this lady myld, Men my?t se tokenyng of her child, Steryng on~ her right syde. 1785 Gret Ruth it was to tell, How her maydens on~ her fell, [1890]

Her to Couer and to hide.

Tho the kyng said: 'My dought{er}, do way!

By G.o.d, thy myrth is gone for aye, 1790 Spousage wyll thou none {bi}de!

There fore thou shalt in to the see And that b.a.s.t.a.r.d with-in the, To lerne you ffor to ride.'

[Linenote: 1791. _bide_] _lede_ MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL BEARS TWINS TO TORRENT.]

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[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 fell, 'For I{es}u is love, that harood h.e.l.l, 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 wyll not let her lyve, Right of lond ye her yeve, 1805 Till she delyu{er}d be!'

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[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 shall 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.]

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[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 gentill 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 fell 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.]

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[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 G.o.d, ye me sende Some good londe, on to lende, 1835 That my chyldren may crystonyd bene!'

She said, 'Knyghtis and ladyes gent, Grete well 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.]

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[Sidenote: She and they reach land. Desonell stills her crying child,]

Wyndes and weders haue her drevyn~, at 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 still, my dere, [1951]

I{es}u Cryst hath sent vs lond; Yf there be any cryston man~ nere hond, We shall 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.]

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[Sidenote: goes up a mountain,]