Torrent of Portyngale Part 31

[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 shall 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 shall, 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 castell court was large w{i}t{h} in~, They made ryngis ffor to Ren~, None but they alone. 2355 Euery of hem to o{ur}e R{a}de: Feyrer Tur{na}ment{es} than they made, Men sye never none.

The prynce in armes was full 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 shall 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 shall thay; But lordys of other lond, Euery one to other ffond, And sith went theyre way. 2370 Sixe wekys he dwellid there, [2471]

Till that all delyu{er}d were, That in the Cite {lay}.

Tho they held a gestonye, With all man{er} of mynstralsye, 2375 Tyll the Sevynth day.

[Linenote: 2373. _lay_] _were_ MS.]

(206)

[Sidenote: Torrent is declared victor. The King of Jerusalem promises to support Torrent.]

Lordis with all other thing Toke leve at the kyng, Home theyre ways to pa.s.se.

That tyme they yaue Torent the floure 2380 And the gre with moch honowre, f. 115a. [2481]

As he well worthy was.

The kyng said: 'I shall the yeve Liffe and lyvelode, whill 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]

The kyng of Na?areth home went, There that his lady lent, 2390 In his own~ lede. [2491]

'Sir,' she said, 'ffor G.o.dd{us} pite, What gentilman~ wan~ the gre?'

He said, 'So G.o.d 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, All 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 Desonell, [2501]

'For G.o.dd{us} love ye me tell, What armes that {h}e bare!'

'Damysell, also muste I the, Syluer and asure beryth he, 2405 That wott I well thare.

His Creste is a n.o.ble lond, A Gyaunt with an~ hoke in~ hond, This wott I well, 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 ffell.

The prynce of Grece leth nere There may no juster be his pere, 2420 For soth as I you tell: [2521]

A dede of armes I shall do crye And send after hym~ in hye.'

Blith was Desonell.

[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 will 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 ffy? greffon~, 2435 With moche solempnite . . . . . . .

[Linenote: 2434. _make hym b._] _a.s.signe_ MS.]

(211)

[Sidenote: The Jousting is for a lady.]

'The kyng of Na?areth sent me, That there shold a justynge be Of meny a cryston~ knyght, And all 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 tell, How thes kyng{es} w{i}t{h} the knyghtis fell Come and semled to that ffyght. 2445