At oure lady of Parys He presents the
He offred the Crosse so fre; 3236 cross to Paris, the
The Crown̄ he offred at seynte Denyse, Crown to St. Denis,
At Boloyne the nayles thr«e». the three nails to
Alle his Barons of him we[rh] gladd, Boulogne.
Thai gafe him grete presente. 3240
For he so wele hade I-spedde,
Thay did him grete reuerence. Charles well
The kinge hade wel in mynde remembered the
The tresone of Genelyne, 3244 treachery of Genelyn,
Anoon̄ for him he dide sende
To yefe him an evel fyne:
“Thou traito«ur» unkynde” q«uo»d the
kynge,
“Remembrist thoᶙ not how ofte 3248
Thou hast me betrayed, þ«o»u fals
Genelyne?
Therfore thoue shalt be honged on lofte!—
Loke that the execucion̄ be don̄,
That throgh Parys he be drawe, 3252 and ordered him to be
And honged on hye on mou«n»t Fawcon̄, drawn and hanged at
As longeth to traytoures by lawe; Montfaucon in Paris.
That alle men shall take hede,
What deth trayto«ur»ys sha[l~l] fele, 3256
That assente to such falshede,
Howe the wynde here bodyes shal kele.” Thus Charles
Thus Charles conquered Laban̄, conquered the Soudan
The Sowdon̄ of Babyloyne, 3260 of Babylone.
That riche Rome stroyed and wan̄
And alle the brode londe of Spayn̄.
[187] . . . . . .[an]d of his Barons
. . . . . . .[hi]s pride 3264
. . . . . . . .eligons
. . . . . . . .þat tyde
. . . . . . .on Charles soule
. . . . . . .s also 3268
[p094 CONCLUSION.]
. . . . . . .Peter and Poule
God lete hem never wete of woo! [leaf 81]
But brynge here soules to goode reste!
That were so worthy in dede. 3272
And gyf vs ioye of the beste, God give joy to all
That of here gestes rede! who read this romance.
Here endithe the Romaunce of the Sowdon of Babyloyne and of Ferumbras
his sone who conquerede Rome, And Kynge Charles off Fraunce withe xij.
Dosyperes toke the Sowdon in the feelde And smote of his heede.
FOOTNOTES:
[89] «Read»: myghtes
[90] «MS.» dōō
[91] «leaf worn.»
[92]–† «See the note.»
[93] «See the note.»
[94] «or» Ar
[95] «See the note.»
[96] «See the note.»
[97] «looks like» hound.
[98] «Read» ‘wide’
[99] «sic.»? assaute.
[100] «MS.» M^l
[101] «This line in a much later hand.»
[102] «Read»: were ordeyned
[103] Estragote
[104] «Read»: reste
[105] «See the note.»
[106] «MS.» Oost «corrected to» Cost.
[107] «Read»: a ras.
[108] «See the note.»
[109] «Read»: We
[110] «MS.» Berumbras.
[111] «See the note.»
[112] «Read»: ‘without faile.’
[113] «See the note.»
[114] «Read»: ‘a ras.’
[115] «MS.» met.
[116] «See the note.»
[117] «MS. is rubbed, but it looks more like» welawai.
[118] «Read»: ‘reliqes.’
[119] «A modern hand has written in the margin» “Mount.”
[120] «See the note.»
[121] «Insert»: ‘gan.’
[122] «Read»: ‘sone.’
[123] «Read»: ‘lefe.’
[124] «Read»: ‘as thenketh.’
[125] «Blank in MS. See the note.»
[126] «MS.» deistowe.
[127] «Read»: ‘free.’
[128] «MS.» ensuce.
[129] «See the note.»
[130]–† «See the note.»
[131] «Probably an error for» ‘half.’
[132] «In the margin the Scribe adds»:—‘The merci Ladi helpe.’
[133] «See the note.»
[134] «Read»: ‘soghten.’
[135]–†: «See the note.»
[136] «Read»: ‘caughte.’
[137] As«c»opartes.
[138] «Miswritten for» ‘bounde«n».’
[139] ‘was.’
[140] «Read»: ‘dirke.’
[141] «Read»: ‘mente.’
[142] «Read»: ‘trew.’
[143] «Read»: ‘harme & skathe.’
[144] «See the note.»
[145] «Sic in MS. Query»—‘char«g»e.’
[146] «Read»: ‘byleven.’
[147] «Read»: ‘reliqes.’
[148] «Read»: ‘I dyne.’ «See the note.»
[149] «Sic in MS. Read»: ‘ye.’
[150]–† «These two lines are written as one in the MS.»
[151] MS. i^ouste.
[152] «Miswritten for» ‘were’?
[153] «MS.» strowde.
[154] «Read»: ‘a-«w»apide.’
[155] «Read»: ‘Assye.’
[156] «See the note.»
[157] «These two lines are written as one in the MS.»
[158] «See the note.»
[159] «See the note.»
[160] «Read»: ‘lafte.’
[161] «See the note.»
[162] «See the note.»
[163] «See the note.»
[164] «MS.» mete.
[165]? I now.
[166] «Read»: ‘went.’
[167]? Me.
[168]? ‘When.’
[169] «Read»: ‘wende.’
[170]? ‘while.’
[171]? xj.
[172] «See the note.»
[173] «MS.» Gamylokes.
[174] «Read»: ‘as armes.’
[175]-† «See the note.»
[176] «MS.» ‘alaye.’ «See the note.»
[177] «Read»: ‘leve.’
[178] «Read»: ‘God.’
[179] «Read»: ‘gray.’
[180] «See the note.»
[181]? ‘whether.’
[182] «Read» ‘over.’
[183] «See the note.»
[184] «Read»: ‘mete.’
[185] «These two lines are written as one in the MS.»
[186] «Read»: ‘streng«t»he’
[187] «A corner of the leaf torn off.»
[p095]
NOTES.
Page 1, line 1. «myghteste», evidently an error of the scribe for
«myghtes», cf. ll. 1635, 1312, 3068, 2546, 1200, 2059; and «Syr
Ferumbras», l. 2719.
“Nov help hem þe heȝ kyng of hevene,
Þat art of miȝtes most.”
«God in glorie» occurs again in l. 3229; cf. the French expression
«Damedeu de glore»; «Fierabras» 2332.
p. 1, l. 2. «made» and «wroght» in l. 5 are the 2nd person sing.
preterite, which in all other instances in this poem ends in «-est».
But perhaps we might suppose a change of person here, and regard «made»
and «wroght» as the third person. For examples of the change of person
see «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 2719, 4393, and «Guy of Warwick», ed. Zupitza,
l. 2324.
p. 1, l. 7. «shulde to love»; «to» before an infinitive, governed by an
auxiliary verb, is pretty common in Middle English works. See Zupitza’s
note to Guy, 1925.
p. 1, l. 9. «ȝyfe.» This is the only instance of «ȝ» being written in
the present poem at the beginning of a word. «ȝife» is written «if» in
all other passages of the poem, cf. ll. 550, 651, 763, and 1061, etc.
As to the pronunciation of «ȝ» in the middle of a word, it is doubtful,
whether it had still preserved its ancient guttural sound, or not, as
the same words are written sometimes with it and sometimes without
it, and are often made to rhyme with words in which «ȝ» or «gh» would
be etymologically incorrect; e. g. «nye», which is spelt «nyȝe» in l.
2284, rhymes with «Gye», in l. 2657. We even find «whiȝte», in l. 2289,
instead of «white» (l. 2008: «smyte»). At the end of a word «ȝ» has the
sound of «s».
p. 1, l. 13. «idoone.» The prefix «i-», O.E. «ge-», sometimes occurs in
this poem, but more frequently it is not written; see «Introduction»,
p. xxxviii.
p. 1, l. 14. cf. l. 2516.—ll. 1–14 may be said to contain the moral
of the whole poem, which we know the romance writers to be very fond
of placing at the beginning of their works. “La moralité de tout un
poème,” says Léon Gautier, in his «Epopées Françaises», I. 233, “est
quelquefois exprimée dans ses premiers vers.” [p096]
p. 1, l. 16. «moch» = «much» (as in l. 754) is the usual spelling in
this poem. We likewise find «meche», l. 179, and «mikille», l. 1016.
p. 1, l. 19, «his» refers to «Rome».
p. 1, l. 22. Laban, the father of Ferumbras, is styled «sowdan» only in
this poem, and once in the «Destruction de Rome», l. 1436:
“Les noveles en vindrent al «soldan» diffaié.”
The French, the Provençal and the English version of «Sir Ferumbras»
all agree to call him «amyral» or «amirans».
p. 1, l. 24. The mention of King Louis and of the abbey of St. Denis
(l. 27) seems to be an imitation of the «Destruction», l. 7 «et seq.»:
“Le chanchon est perdue et le rime fausee,
Mais . . li «rois Louis», dont l’alme est trespassee
—Ke li fache pardon la verge honoree—
Par lui et par Gautier est l’estoire aunee
Et le chanchon drescie, esprise et alumee
A «saint Dynis» de France premierement trovee.”
St. Denis also occurs in the beginning of the French «Fierabras», l. 4:
“A «Saint Denis» en France fu li raules trouvés.”
Cf. besides note to l. 26. «witnessith» = attests, testifies; cf.
Stratmann, p. 645. It occurs again in l. 1489.
p. 2, l. 25. «Romaunce», the French or «Romance» language. We often
find the authors of romances, both of translations and of imitations
from the French, referring to the original; cf. «Syr Eglamour of
Artoys», sign. E i:
“His own mother there he wedde,
In Romaunce as we rede.”
Again, fol. ult.:
“In Romaunce this cronycle is.”
[Quoted by Warton, «History of English Poetry», II. 146, footnote.]
p. 2, l. 26. «bokes of antiquyte». This is to be regarded as one of
those frequent assertions of the authors of these poems, who in order
to give more credit to their tales, thought it necessary to affirm
their antiquity and celebrity in old times. Cf. Gautier, «Epop. Fr.»,
II. 87: “Il fut de bon ton d’annoncer, au commencement de chaque
poème, qu’on avait trouvé la matière de ce poème dans quelque vieux
manuscrit latin, dans quelque vieille chronique d’abbaye, surtout dans
les manuscrits et dans les chroniques de Saint-Denis. On se donnait
par là un beau vernis de véracité historique. Plus les trouvèrent
ajoutaient aux chansons primitives d’affabulations ridicules, plus ils
s’écriaient: ‘Nous avons trouvé tout cela dans un vieux livre.’”
p. 2, l. 27. «Seinte Denyse» is the genitive depending on «abbey».
p. 2, l. 28. «there as» = where, or where that. See Koch, «Englische
Grammatik», II. § 511.
p. 2, l. 29. «Laban.» So the father of Ferumbras is called in the
«Destruction de Rome», where only in six passages (ll. 891, 899, 1116,
1194, 1174, 981) we find the form «Balan», which is the only one used
in the French «Fierabras», in the Provençal version, and in the English
[p097] «Syr Ferumbras».—«of hie degre»; this kind of expletive occurs
again in l. 100: «clerk of hie degre»; cf. also l. 168: «king of hie
honour».
p. 2, l. 31. «Cristiante» = the company of Christians, the countries
inhabited by Christians, cf. ll. 235, 374. It signifies “the religion
taught by Christ” in l. 3182. «Cristiante» and «Christendom» are used
promiscuously in Middle English writers.
p. 2, l. 33. «Agremare» : «there». The rhyme becomes perfect by reading
«Agremore» : «thore», which we find in l. 1805; cf. also l. 1003
«Agremore» : «more» («i. e.» negro), and ll. 672, 775, 2140, 2895.
p. 2, l. 34. «Flagot.» See «Index of Names», s. v. Flagot, and cf. note
to l. 1723.
p. 2, l. 37. This line is too long, nevertheless it seems to be
correct as it stands, clearly imitated from several passages of the
«Destruction de Rome».
l. 420. “Ensamble ou li issirent xv roi corone. Et xiiii amaceours . .”
l. 1155. “Bien i ad xxx rois et xiiii amaceours.”
l. 689. “xxx roi sont ou li et xiiii amaceours.”
l. 163. “Et xiiii amaceours.”
p. 2, l. 41. «hit» instead of «it» is found again in l. 2309; in all
the other instances «it» is spelt as in modern English.
p. 2, l. 42. «pryke», to spur a horse, to excite, to spur or to
stimulate. It is O.E. «prician», which occurs in Ælfric’s Grammar,
ed. Zupitza, p. 174 («pungo» = «ic pricige»). This and the following
line are imitated from Chaucer; cf. C.T. Prologue, ll. 10, 11, and see
«Introduction», p. xlvi. «Kynde» = naturalis, ingenuus; «kynde wit» =
common sense. «Kynde» is O.E. «cynde» (Modern English «kind»).
p. 2, l. 73. «frith» means “forest,” or more correctly “enclosed wood.”
The original sense of «forest» is “unenclosed wood” (see Diez, «Etymol.
Wörterbuch», I. 185). Stratmann, «Dict.» p. 228, «s. v.» frið, seems
to be right in connecting «frith» with O.E. «frið», «freoðo» = pax,
tutela, saeptum. Morris, «Allit. Poems», Glossary, derives it from the
Gaelic «frith». “«frith» is still used in Provincial English, meaning
unused pasture-land, brushwood” (Halliwell).
p. 2, l. 45. «yȝe» (O.E. êagum) : «flye» (O.E. flêogan). With regard to
the power of «ȝ», see the note to l. 9, and cf. the spelling «eyen» in
ll. 826, 1302, 2012.
p. 2, l. 46. «tre» may be singular (O.E. «trêowe») as well as plural
(O.E. «trêowum»).
p. 2, l. 49. The following lines (49–53) correspond with ll. 94–100 of
the «Destruction», which run as follows:
“Li admirals d’Espaigne s’est ales desporter
As puis sur Aigremore, avec li. M. Escler;
La fist ses ours salvages a ses hommes berser.
La veissies meint viautre, maint brachet descoupler,
Payens et Ascopars as espees jouer,
Coure par le marine et chacier maint sengler,
Maint ostour veisies et maint falcon voler.”
[p098]
p. 2, l. 50. «shope», literally “shaped:” «he shope him», “he got
himself ready, he planned, devised, intended.” The phrase is of
frequent occurrence in Chaucer.
p. 2, l. 52. «bawson», badger. For the use of badgers, see Skeat’s note
to «Specimens of English Literature», p. 383.
p. 2, l. 56. «Alaunts», a kind of large dogs of great strength and
courage, used for hunting the wolf, the bear, the boar, &c. Cf.
“Aboute his chare wente white alauntz
Twenty and mo, as grete as any stere,
To hunte at the lyoun or at the bere.”
«Chaucer», ed. Morris, II. 66/1290.
According to Diez («Etymol. Wörterb.», I. 12, «s. v.» “alano”)
«alaunts» means “Albanian dogs.” «Lymmeris», “blood-hounds.” Halliwell
quotes the following passage: “A dogge engendred betwene an hounde
and a mastyve, called a lymmer or a mongrell.” «Lymmer» is the French
«limier», O.Fr. «liemier», which etymologically means a dog that a
courser leads by a lime, «i. e.» a thong or leash. «Lime» is the same
word as French «lien», a leash; Latin «ligamen». «Lymmer» is preserved
in Modern English «limer», a “lime-hound.”
p. 2, l. 56. «Rache» and «brache» are both retained in the modern
speech; «rache» seems to be particularly used in Scotland. “«Brache»
is said to signify originally a bitch hound—the feminine of «rache»,
a foot-scenting dog” (Morris, «Gawayne», Gloss. p. 89). «Rache» is,
according to Stratmann, O.Icel. «rakki»; «brache» is O.Fr. «braque»,
M.H.Ger. «braccho». Cf. also Halliwell’s Dict. «s. v.» “brach.” The
French «racaille» is etymologically connected with «rache»; see Diez,
«Etym. Wörterb.», II. 407.
p. 2, l. 57. «commaunde» for «commaunded» (l. 228), formed on the
same analogy as «comforte» (l. 2242) for «comforted» (ll. 312, 2117),
«aliȝt» for «alighted»; «gerde» for «girded»; «graunte» (l. 607) for
«graunted», etc.
p. 2, l. 59. «fere», O.E. «f[^æ]ran» (Mod. Eng. «fear»), is an active
verb, meaning “to frighten, to terrify.” It is still found in this
sense in Shakespeare.—«launde» : «commaunde». The very same rhyme
occurs again in l. 3189, where «launde» is spelt «lande». The rhyme
need not cause any difficulty, cf. Guy, p. xi. κ. Or must «launde» be
taken here for «lande» = saltus? Cf. Morris, Gloss. to «Allit. Poems»,
«s. v.» launde.
p. 3, l. 62. «set», means “seat, sedes”; O.Icel. «set», O.H.G. «sez»,
M.H.G. «sitz». This stanza as it stands seems to be incorrect, there
being no rhyme to «sete»; possibly a line has been lost after l. 63.
p. 3, l. 67. The subject of the sentence is wanting. For more instances
see Zupitza’s note to «Guy», l. 10. It is to be observed that for the
most part the subject wanting is of the same person as the object of
the preceding sentence.—«he was god and trew of divers langages» = “he
well knew, understood them perfectly.”
p. 3, l. 68. «dromonde» : «poundis». Read «dromounde» (which occurs l.
125): «pounde» (see l. 2336). [p099]
p. 3, l. 69. We find «fro» and «from» in this poem. Both belong to
the Midland dialect. «Fro» is confirmed by the rhyme «fro» : «so»
(l. 2760). It is derived from the Scandinavian «fra»; Mod. Eng. has
retained it in “froward,” and in the phrase “to and fro.” The same word
enters as a prefix into composition in O.E. compounds, as «fr-ettan»,
etc. «Babyloyne», the author pronounced «Babyloyne» as well as
«Babylone» (either rhyming, cf. ll. 30, 3260).
p. 3, l. 74. «qweynte», “famous, excellent,” cf. Skeat, «Etymol. Dict.»
p. 482, «s. v.» quaint. «for the nones», “for the nonce, for the
occasion.” Cf. Zupitza’s note to «Guy», 612; it is often used as a kind
of expletive.
p. 3, l. 75. «to presente you.» The «Destruction de Rome» has: “vous
quidai presenter.”
p. 3, l. 76. French: “Uns vens nous fist à Rome parmi le far sigler.”
«Destr.» l. 120.
p. 3, l. 77. Cf. «Destr.» ll. 115–16. See «Introduction», p. xxiii.
p. 3, l. 78. About the rhyme «Rome» : «one», see «Introduction», p.
xliii.
p. 3, l. 79. «bygone», “afflicted, pressed hard;” literally it means,
“overrun, covered.” Cf. Shakespeare, «Julius Caesar»:
“Even such a one,
So pale, so spiritless, and woe-begone.”
p. 3, l. 82. «vilane» : «remedye». Read «vilanye», as in l. 2577,
where it rhymes with Gye, see «Introduction», p. xliv, and Ellis,
«Pronunciation», I. 271.
p. 3, l. 83. «colde», used here and in l. 91 in nearly the same sense
as in the expressions collected by Zupitza, in his note to «Guy», 1149.
p. 3, l. 84. «tithynge.» So with «th» in ll. 1787, 714, 783; in ll.
65, 91, 149, 324, etc., we read «tidinge». There are several instances
where «d» and «th» in the middle of a word seem to be promiscuously
used in this poem; as «hithire» l. 1265, «hider» 1869 (cf. also
«dogdir» 2580, and «doghter» 96, 124, etc.).
p. 3, l. 86. Mahounde, Appolyn and Termagant are the principal deities
(cf. ll. 2105, 2177, 2761) of the Mahometans, who were considered
as pagans = «payens» (ll. 535, 1040) or «paynym» (ll. 539, 866,
etc.). Other idols of the Saracens are mentioned in ll. 2761–2 of
the «Sowdone». Compare also Gautier’s note to l. 8, of his «Edition
critique de la Chanson de Roland», and Skeat, «Prioress’s Tale»
(Clarendon P.S.), 161/2000.
p. 3, l. 88. «theyme» instead of «hem» occurs only three times in the
poem (ll. 88, 1237, 2787). There must be some corruption here, as there
is no rhyme to «theym». The last stanza ends at l. 87, and the next one
begins at l. 89. As far as the sense is concerned we could easily do
without this line; it ought perhaps to be regarded as spurious.
p. 3, l. 93. «Ferumbras» is spelt differently in the different versions
of the romance. In the «Sowdan» we always find «Ferumbras», in the
Ashmole MS. «Ferumbras» and «Fyrumbras». He is called «Fierabras»
in the French [p100] «Ferabras» in the Provençal version; the
«Destruction» has «Fierabras», but more frequently «Fierenbras». In
Caxton’s «Life of Charles the Great» his name is «Fyerabras», Skelton
has «Pherumbras», Lyndsay «Pharambras», and in Barbour’s «Bruce» we
read «Ferambrace»; see «Introduction», pp. xxv and xxxii.
p. 4, l. 99. «Oliborn.» This name does not occur in any other version
of this poem. The same is the case with regard to «Espiard», l. 103.
None of the French versions gives any name to the Soudan’s messenger.
In the Ashmole MS. l. 3823, the messenger is called «Malyngryas».
p. 4, l. 102. «Assye» = Asia. This name does not occur in the other
versions of the poem; cf. note to l. 1000.
p. 4, l. 103. Cf. the «Destruction», l. 202:
“Par tote la terre sont li baron mande”
«ferre and nere», cf. ll. 117, 996, and the note to l. 528 of «Syr
Ferumbras».
p. 4, l. 104. «frike», “quick, bold,” O.E. «frec». See Stratmann,
«Dictionary», p. 225.
p. 4, l. 108. «Þon.» Compare «Introduction», p. xxxvii.
p. 4, l. 109. The passage is not clear. Perhaps there is some
corruption here and we ought to read: «anon rowte», “assembled quickly,
immediately”; «rowte» would then be the preterite formed on the analogy
of «lighte», «graunte», «commaunde», etc. See «Introduction», p.
xxxviii.
p. 4, l. 110. «Destruction», l. 217:
“Par C fois M payen.”
p. 4, l. 112. «douȝte» : «route». See «Introduction», p. xliv, and note
to l. 9.
p. 4, l. 113. «Lucafer» is the name of the Saracen King in all the
versions of this romance but in the French one, where with the single
exception of one passage (l. 2242 «Lucafer»), he is always called
«Lucifer», cf. «Introd.» p. xx.
p. 4, l. 114. «lorde and governoure.» This repetition of the same idea
by two synonymous words, the one of English and the other of French
origin, is very common in M.E. writers. Thus we read in this poem, l.
2164 «lorde and sire», l. 225 «serchid and sought», ll. 3199, 1936
«joye and game», l. 742 «wel and fine».
p. 4, l. 118. A «carrik» was a kind of large ship, called «caraca» in
Italian, «carraca» in Spanish and Portuguese, «carraque» in French,
«kraecke» in Dutch. The etymology is not clear. See Diez, «Etymol.
Wörterb.», I. 112. Halliwell has ‘«carrack», a Spanish galleon.
Sometimes English vessels of great value and size were so called.’
p. 4, l. 119. «Destruction», l. 385:
“Par vii fois sont C mil, si l’estoire ne ment.”
p. 4, l. 124. «his faire daughter Floripas.» Floripas is described as
follows in the «Destruction», ll. 252–262:
“Aitant es vous la bele ou il n’out qu’enseignier
Vestue d’un diapre, onke ne vi tant chier, [p101]
Ses crins sur ses epaules plus lusoient d’or mier,
Sa char out bele et blanke plus que noifs en fevrier,
Les oes avoit plus noirs que falcon montenier,
Et le colour vermaile con rose de rosier,
La bouche bien seant et douce pour baisier,
Et les levres vermailes come flour de peskier;
Les mameles out dures com pomme de pomnier,
Plus sont blanches que noifs que chiet apres fevrier;
Nuls hom ne porroit ja sa grant bealte preisier.”
Compare also the French «Fierabras», ll. 2007, «et seq.»
p. 4, l. 128. This line is clearly imitated from the «Destruction», ll.
331–2:
“En sa main .i. baston que contremont bailie,
Et manace François pour faire les loye.”
Cf. «Introduction», p. xxiii.
p. 5, l. 131. «breddes», “birds”; «l» and «r» very often change their
place in a word. Thus we find «worlde» and «wrolde», «crafti» and
«carfti», etc.
p. 5, l. 132. «sowdon» and «sowdan» are used promiscuously in the
rhymes.
p. 5, l. 146. «Destruction», ll. 445–6:
“N’i remeigne chastels, dongeons ne fermete
Moustiers ne abbeie que ne soit embrase.”
p. 5, l. 150. Compare the «Destruction», ll. 503–4:
“L’apostoile de Rome ad la novele oie
Ke payen sont venu els plains de Romanie.”
p. 5, l. 157. «unknowne» makes no sense. Perhaps we ought to read
«yknowne» or «not unknowne». In the «Destruction», ll. 509–513—
“Seignours, ke le feromes, franke gent segnorie?
Li admirals d’Espaigne a no terre seisie;
Il en ont ja gastee une moult grant partie:
Au bref terme serra ceste terre exillie;
Qui bon consail saura vienge avant si nous die.”
p. 5, l. 160. «unneth», O.E. «unêaðe», “uneasily, scarcely.” Chaucer
has «unnethë», the final «e» being almost always sounded. See
«Introduction», p. xxxix.
p. 5, l. 163. «gydoure» evidently means “guide, conductor, commander.”
p. 5, l. 164. «houne» = hounde. On the elition of final «d», see Skeat,
«Specimens of Early English», 320/261, and «Preface to Havelok», p.
xxxvii.
p. 5, l. 165. «Ifreȝ.» There is no person of this name in any other
version. Perhaps this Ifres may be identical with Jeffroi, mentioned as
a senator of Rome in the «Destruction» (ll. 1122, 1139, 1367).
p. 6, l. 170. About the phrase “douce France” compare Léon Gautier’s
note to l. 15 of his «Edition critique de la Chanson de Roland».
p. 6, l. 171. «Savaris.» The author has found this name in the
«Destruction», l. 540.
p. 6, l. 173. «Kinge» : «thinge». In my dissertation on the language
and the sources of the Sowdan of Babylon, p. 4, bottom, I have shown
[p102] that «i» or «y», which corresponds to O.E. «y», the «umlaut»
of «u», rhymed with original «i» in this poem, which proves that the
author wrote in the East Midland dialect. But among the examples
collected there (p. 5), I ought not to have cited «kinge», because this
word is not peculiar to the East Midland speech, but occurs with the
same form in all dialects. See «Introduction», p. xxxv.
p. 6, ll. 175–6 are imitated from the «Destruction», ll. 546–7. See
«Introduction», p. xxiii.
p. 6, l. 176. «ner», the common form for «nor» (267, 1633) in this
poem. “«Polaynes» are knee-pieces in a suit of armour. This term for
genouilleres is found in the household book of Edward I.” (Morris,
«Glossary on Sir Gawayne», «s. v.» polaynes).
p. 6, l. 181. «tyte», “soon, quick.” The editor of the Roxburghe Club
edition of the «Sowdan» curiously confounds «tyte» with «tightly» =
“adroitly,” occurring in Shakespeare, «Merry Wives», I. 3. «Tyte» is
derived from O.Icel. «tîðr», “creber,” the neuter of which «tîtt», used
adverbially means “crebro, celeriter.” See Stratmann, p. 561, «s. v.»
«tîd».
p. 6, l. 189. «Chek» = “cotton, linen or woollen cloths, woven or
printed in checkers.” (Latham, «Dictionary», 1876.)
p. 6, l. 191. A line seems to be wanting here. There is no rhyme to
«displayed».
p, 6, l. 201. «randon», “rapidity, force.” About the etymology see
Diez, «Etym. Wörterbuch», I. 342, and Skeat, «Etym. Dict.»
p. 7, l. 202. «than» seems to be an error for «thay».
p. 7, l. 214. «Sarysyns.» There are several spellings of the name of
this people in the poem: «Sarsyns», «Sarsenys», «Sarisyns», «Sarasyns».
p. 7, l. 222. «that day» occurs again in l. 223. The author probably
only wrote it once; the repetition is most likely due to the scribe.
p. 7, l. 224. The following lines are imitated from the «Destruction»,
ll. 613–619; see «Introduction», p. xxiii.
p. 7, l. 228. The French text («Destruction», l. 624) has:
“Maintenant soient tot occis et descoupe.
Ne voil que mi serjant en soient encombre.”