Terris d’Ardane in the French «Fierabras», l. 2290, and Terry of Ardane
in «Syr Ferumbras», l. 1469. According to l. 3187 of «Sir Ferumbras»,
Thierry is the father of Berard (Bryer) of Mountdidier. Cf. the French
text, ll. 2290–96 and «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 1468–1473.
p. 49, l. 1693. «rees», “time, occasion.” See note to l. 1349.
p. 49, l. 1695. Folk Baliant is not mentioned in any other poem of our
romance. See «Introduction», p. xxvii.
p. 49, l. 1698. «chese», O.E. «cêosan», Mod. E. «choose». It here means
“to be free to choose”:—“You shall not be free to choose,” “you shall
have no choice,” “you shall do what you are ordered.” See Mätzner’s
remark [in his «Wörterb.», p. 562, s. v. «cheosen»] to Halliwell,
«Dict.» p. 250. [p122]
p. 49, l. 1699. «Aleroyse.» See note to l. 884.
p. 49, l. 1711. «Turpyn.» There was a real bishop of this name, who,
according to the «Gallia Christiana», held the see of Reims from
A.D. 753 to 794. As we find him described in the romances, Turpin
was the very type of a knight-bishop. In the poem of «Aspremont», he
bears before the Christian army the wood of the true cross which in
his hands beams with brightness like the sun. In the romance of the
«Enfances Ogier» it was he, into whose custody Ogier was given, when
he had been made a prisoner after his revolt, in company with the king
of Lombardy, against Charlemagne (see above, note to l. 856), and
who, notwithstanding the order of Charles to have Ogier starved to
death, kept the Dane alive, who afterwards, when the Saracens invaded
France, proved a great help to the Christian arms. As we read in the
«Chanson de Roland», ll. 2242ss, Turpin met his death at Roncesvaux,
but according to the «Chronicle of Turpin», he survived the disaster of
Roncesvaux, and was saying mass for the dead, when he saw the angels
carrying the soul of Roland up to heaven. But from Gaston Paris’s Essay
«De Pseudo-Turpino» we know this chronicle to be an apocryphical book
written by two monks of the eleventh and twelfth century.
p. 49, l. 1717. «set not of youre barons so light» = “do not count,
consider them so little.” Cf. “to take one so lighte,” in «Syr
Ferumbras», ll. 114, 156.
p. 50, l. 1721. «gyfe no coost» has the same meaning as «give no tale»
= “make no account, do not mind.” See Zupitza’s note to «Guy», 8143.
Cf. also «Sowdan», l. 2793, and «Syr Ferumbras», l. 5847, 101, 4975;
and also ll. 173, 1578.
p. 50, l. 1723. Bryer of Mounteȝ or Berard de Montdidier was celebrated
for his gallantries and attentions to the ladies:
“D’ardimen vail Rotlan et Olivier
E de domnei Berart de Mondesdier.”
«i. e.»—“In prowess I am equal to Rolland and to Oliver, in matters
of love to Berart of M.” says the troubadour Peire Vidal in his poem
«Dragoman seiner»; cf. also «Fierabras», ll. 2125–7:
“Je ne sai cui vous estes, car ne vous puis viser,
Mais je cuit c’as pucieles sivés moult bien juer,
En cambre sous cortine baisier et acoler.”
See, besides, «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 422, 1297, 1305, 1354. This Bryer
of Mountes must be the same as the one slain in a sally of the twelve
peers, ll. 2604, 2622, because, according to l. 1723, it was he who
was among the peers sent on a mission to the Soudan. There is one
Bryer of Brytaine occurring in l. 886, whom one might be inclined
to think identical with Bryer of Mountes, as in l. 886 he is cited
together with the other peers. But since we find him again as the
treasurer of Charlemagne (l. 3205), this is impossible, unless we
suppose the mention of Bryer in l. 3205 to be owing to the [p123]
absent-mindedness of the author, who may be accused of a similar
inadvertency with regard to Rychard of Normandy; cf. note to l. 2797,
and Index of Names, «s. v.» Flagot.
p. 50, l. 1743. «Bronland.» The true reading is «Bro»u«land», as shewn
by «Fierabras», ll. 1549, 5174, &c.; «Destruction», ll. 1240–159, 441,
and «Sowdan», ll. 1759, 2456. The Ashmole MS. has «Bruyllant».
p. 51, l. 1751. «thane» = “thane that.” See Zupitza’s note to «Guy»,
992, p. 363.
p. 51, l. 1778. «charke» hardly makes sense here. It is perhaps a
clerical error for «charge», “to command, to order.” The sense would
then be, “and to tell him the Soudan’s strict orders which by peril of
death (= «upon life and lithe») Laban recommended him to obey.”
p. 51, l. 1779. «þen» instead of «þan» would improve the rhyme.
p. 52, l. 1788. «lorde of Spayne.» Cf. the French expression, “amirans
d’Espaigne,” which we find so often used in the «Destruction».
p. 52, l. 1802. «trappe» is Mod. Eng. «trape», which is used in the
sense of “to traipse, to walk sluttishly.” Halliwell has “trapes = to
wander about.”
p. 52, l. 1816. «byleved.» Rhyme and sense will be improved by reading
«byleven».
p. 53, l. 1854. «tyme» makes no sense here. Perhaps we ought to read «I
dyne»; cf. ll. 1508, 1114, 1837, and «Syr Ferumbras», l. 5621:
“Oþer elles þoo shalt þyn hefd forgon,
To morwen, or y wil dyne.”
«Fierabras», l. 1914:
“Ja mais ne mengerai si sera desmembrés.”
See also «Guy», l. 3695.
p. 54, l. 1888. «Syr Gy, nevew unto the king Charles.» Cf. «Fierabras»,
ll. 3406–8:
“On m’apele Guion, de Borgoigne fui nés,
Et fils d’une des filles au duc Millon d’Aingler,
Cousin germain Rollant, qui tant fait à douter.”
Duke Milon d’Anglers was brother-in-law to Charlemagne, whose sister
Berte was Milon’s wife and mother to Roland. Cf. Philippe Mousket, l.
2706–8:
“S’ot Charles une autre sereur,
Bertain: cele prist à seigneur
Milon d’Anglers, s’en ot Rollant.”
If, therefore, in the passage quoted above from «Fierabras», Guy is
said to be the grandson of Milon, he must have been the grand-nephew of
Charlemagne, and nephew to Rollant. As we learn from the French poem of
«Guy de Bourgoyne», Guy’s father was Samson of Burgundy. Cf. besides,
«Histoire Poétique», p. 407, and «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 1922, 2091, 1410,
etc.
p. 55, l. 1892. «And yet knowe I him noght.» Floripas has already
once [p124] seen Guy when he was defeating Lukafer before Rome; cf.
«Fierabras», ll. 2237–2245:
“.i. chevalier de France ai lontans enamé
Guis a nom de Borgoigne, moult i a bel armé;
Parens est Karlemaine et Rollant l’aduré.
Dès que je fui à Romme, m’a tout mon cuer emblé;
Quant l’amirans mes peres fist gaster la cité,
Lucafer de Baudas abati ens ou pré,
Et lui et le ceval, d’un fort espiel quarré.
Se cis n’est mes maris, je n’arai homme né;
Pour lui voel je croire ou roi de sainte maïsté.”
See also «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 2073–2087. Our line does not necessarily
imply a contradiction to the French text, as on the former occasion she
probably saw the duel from a great distance, when the latter’s features
were hidden by his helmet. That she really did not recognize him
follows from the following passage of «Fierabras», l. 2800, «et seq.»
“Je aim en douce France .i. leger baceler.”
—“Dame, comment a nom?” ce dist Rollans li her
Et respont la puciele: “ja le m’orrés nommer;
Guis a nom de Borgoigne, moult i a bel armé.”
—“Par mon cief” dist Rollans “à vos ex le véés
N’a pas entre vous deus iiii piés mesurés.”
Besides there are numerous instances to be met with in mediæval poetry
of persons enamoured of some one they had never seen:
“Ans no la vi et am la fort”
says Guilhelm de Poitiers in speaking of his lady (Mahn, «Werke der
Troubadours», p. 3). Cf. also «Rits. Rom.» II. 19, and «Web. Rom.» II.
131.
p. 55, l. 1927. «myghty» seems to mean “excellent, delicious,” rather
than “heavy.”
p. 57, l. 1974. «amonge», “every now and then, from time to time,
occasionally.” See Zupitza’s note to «Guy», 2301. It is often used as a
kind of expletive.
p. 57, l. 1995. «foulis», “fools, foolish.” Cf. the French text:
“Par Mahoun, dist li rois, trestout sont «fol» prové.”
p. 57, l. 1996. There is no mention made of this game in the Provençal
poem. It is described here even more explicitly than in the French
«Fierabras», ll. 2907–2932. Cf. also «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 2230–2251.
p. 57, l. 1997. «assorte» = “assembly, company;” by one assorte = “in
one company” (Halliwell). It seems to be connected with «sort» = “set,
assemblage,” see Skeat, «Specimens of E. E.», 425/999
p. 58, l. 2000. «i-fest» : «blast». Perhaps we ought to read «i-fast».
p. 59, l. 2036. «maden orders.» I do not know the exact meaning of this
expression. Perhaps it may be taken with the same sense as the Mod. H.
Germ. phrase = “ordnung schaffen,” which literally means [p125] “to
set in order, to put matters straight,” but is often used in the sense
of “to clear away,” or, “to remove or despatch.”
p. 59, l. 2045. «that he wente awaye with lym» = “that he had escaped
with (his limbs, or having) his limbs safe and sound.” «lyme», O.E.
«lim», Mod. Eng. «limb».
p. 59, l. 2052. «tho» = O.E. «Þâ», “those, them,” it is used as a
definite article in l. 2063.
p. 59, l. 2057. «amapide», miswritten for «awapide» (Herrtage),
“astounded, bewildered.” Cf. Stratmann, p. 10.—Mätzner, «Wörterbuch»,
p. 150, connects it with Goth. «afhvapjan», “to suffocate.” We find «m»
written for «w» several times in our poem; thus we read «ga»m«ylokes»
for «ga»w«ylokes» in l. 2650, and «ro»m«me» for «ro»w«me» in l. 876.
p. 60, l. 2085. «Assyne.» The rhyme shows that «Assye» is the true
reading. «Assye» occurs in ll. 102, 123.
p. 60, l. 2093. «wone», “heap, plenty.” O.Icel. «wân». See Zupitza’s
note to «Guy», p. 444.
p. 61, l. 2119. «Brenlande.» It ought to be «Breuland» or «Brouland»;
see above note to l. 1743.
p. 61, l. 2120. The first foot in the line consists of the single word
«what». Thus in ll. 2288, 2374, 2394, etc.
p. 62, l. 2145. «Espyarde.» This name only occurs in this poem. In «Syr
Ferumbras», l. 3824, the messenger sent to the bridge-keeper is called
Malyngryas. There is no name mentioned in the French «Fierabras», l.
4265.
p. 62, l. 2156. «That no man by the brigge.» There is no verb in the
sentence. Perhaps we ought to read «that no man passe by the brigge»,
or, «that no man passe the brigge».
p. 63, l. 2191. Cf. the description of the giant in «Fierabras», ll.
4740–4755, and «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 4435–4441.
p. 63, l. 2199. «nolde not.» See note to l. 1096.
p. 64, l. 2225. The line is too long. «Wilde» can be dispensed with,
and instead of «horses» we may read «hors»; cf. Skeat, Gloss. to
«Prioress’s Tale» (Clarendon Press), «s. v.» hors.
p. 64, l. 2233. «a magnelle», “a mangonel,” an ancient military engine
used for battering down walls (Halliwell). «Magnelle» is the O.Fr.
«Mangonel», or «Mangoneau», the Italian «manganello» (= “arbalist,
cross-bow”). The latter is the diminutive form of «mangano», “a sling;”
Greek, μαγγανον. See Diez, «Etym. Wörterb.», I. 261.
p. 64, l. 2238. «Cornel» or «carnel», Fr. «carnel», Mod.Fr. «créneau»,
“battlement, pinnacle.” Literally it means, “a piece carved out,” «i.
e.» of the wall on the top of a building; the French verb «carneler»
or «creneler» signifying, “to carve out, to jag, to notch.” «Carnel»
is derived from Latin «crena» (See Diez, «Gramm.», I. 14), which
means “a notch, a cut, an incision” (Diez, «Etym. Wörterb.», II.
266). Thus «carnel» came to denote a battlement or indented parapet;
or more [p126] exactly it was applied to those parts of the wall
projecting upwards between the openings or embrasures. It was one of
these projecting portions that was here knocked down. Cf. also «Syr
Ferumbras», l. 3314.
p. 65, l. 2245. The line is too long. Perhaps «or he hit» may be
dispensed with.
p. 65, l. 2247. The episode of Marsedag being slain by Guy is not found
in any other poem of this romance.
p. 65, l. 2271. «Alkaron», “the Koran,” «al» is the Arabic article.
There is a god named Alcaron occurring in l. 2762.
p. 66, l. 2282. «dye» : «waye». See l. 441. «forfamelid» = “famished,
starved to death.” I am not aware of any other instance of this
word. Halliwell has “famele = to be famished.” The prefix «for-» has
intensive or augmentative power; it is particularly used in past
participles. See Mätzner’s «Grammatik», I^2. 542.
p. 66, l. 2290. «faile» is the infinitive mood = “to be wanting, to
become deficient.” “Roland seeing the ladies white and pale (with
hunger) and (seeing) the bread wanting on their table spoke some words
of lamentation,” etc.
p. 66, l. 2303. «forcere», “chest, coffer.” For the etymology see Diez,
«Wörterb.», II. 31, «s. v.» forziere.
p. 66, l. 2309. As it stands the line is too long. As «you» and «that»
may be dispensed with, we ought perhaps to read, «I pray ye wole us
alle it shewe».
p. 66, l. 2310. «saule», “fill, hunger satisfied to repletion.” The
rhyme shows that the last syllable is accentuated. Therefore it cannot
be derived from the French «soûl» (Gloss. to Roxb. Club ed.), but from
«soûlée».
p. 66, l. 2311. «yede» = “went.” Not from O.E. «eode», but from
«ge-eode». See Zupitza’s note to «Guy», l. 60, and Skeat, «Piers the
Plowman» (Clarendon Press), 94/40.
p. 66, l. 2312. «vertue» : «fewe»; the rhyme is perfect, see the
Abstract of Mr. Nicol’s paper in the «Academy» of June 23, 1877 (vol.
xi. p. 564, col. 1).
p. 66, l. 2313. We must scan this line thus:
And dídẹṇ it aboútẹ hem éverychón.
[Illustration: poetry scansion markup]
«-en» in «diden» is mute; see «Introduction», p. xxxix.
p. 67, l. 2326. «ginne» = “engin, contrivance, trick.” See note to l.
780.
p. 67, l. 2337. «lefte.» The rhyme shows that the author pronounced
«lafte», which we find in l. 426.
p 68, l. 2351. Cf. «Fierabras», ll. 3046–3097. In the Provençal poem
Maubyn or Malpi, as he is called in Provençal, enters the room by means
of a charm which makes the door open itself: [p127]
“Vengutz es al fossat, pres de la tor cayrada.
Tantost intret dedins cuendamens a celada,
Venc a l’us de la cambra: si la trobet tancada.
Et «a dit son conjur»: tota s’es desfermada.”
ll. 2757–60.
p. 68, l. 2365. The rhyme is restored if we read «ledde» instead of
«ladde». See l. 1651.
p. 69, l. 2390. «By God and seynte Mary, myn avour.» I think the words
«myn avoure» are due to the scribe, not to the author, as they spoil
the rhythm. So we get «Mary» : «we». This rhyme, although not perfect,
is of no rare occurrence in Mid. Eng. works, see «Introduction»,
p. xliv. As to the spelling of «avour» I am not aware of any other
instance of this form of the word. There is a form «avyowre» cited
by Halliwell. Besides, «avoury» and «avowery», which he quotes under
different heads, are perhaps only different spellings of the same word.
p. 69, l. 2399. «slepinge» must be altered into «slepande» in order
to restore the rhyme. The author employed «-and» and «-ynge» as
terminations of the present participle. See «Introduction», p. xxxviii.
p. 69, l. 2421. «also» belongs to l. 2422.
p. 70, l. 2433. «so mete I spede», “as I may succeed.” See Zupitza’s
note to «Guy», l. 615.
p. 71, l. 2477. «and now» is perhaps miswritten for «inow»; cf. the
French text, l. 3803:
“«Tant» y a plates d’or, nus nes porroit nombrer.”
p. 71, l. 2482. «wast» gives no sense. Perhaps we ought to read «went».
p. 72, ll. 2491–2502. The arrangement of the stanzas seems, as regards
the rhymes, to be incorrect.
p. 72, l. 2507. In the Ashmole «Ferumbras» this episode of the Soudan
breaking the image of Mahound is omitted. In the French text he only
threatens to make him cry, as soon as he gets hold of him, but he is
rebuked by Sorbrance telling him that Mahomet being over-tired with
guarding the treasure has only fallen asleep. Cf. «Fierabras», ll.
3820–3829.
p. 72, l. 2512. «ore», O.E. «âr», “mercy, favour.” «Thyn ore» = “grant
us thy favour,” “have mercy upon us,” or, “with thy favour.”
p. 73, l. 2535. Richard of Normandy appearing here as in the French
«Fierabras», among the twelve peers besieged by the Soudan, without
having been mentioned before in the number of the knights sent on a
mission by Charles, furnishes us with an argument in support of our
supposition that the French «Fierabras» was the source of our poem. See
«Introduction», p. xxx, and of «Fierabras», ll. 3957–3994, and «Syr
Ferumbras», l. 4921.
p. 73, l. 2538. «wynde» : «hende»; «wende» which occurs in l. 2328
would improve the rhyme. [p128]
p. 73, l. 2549. «paramour» = “object of chivalrous affection and
devotion.”
p. 73, l. 2557. «wronge», preterite of «wringe», “to press well out,
force one’s way.”
p. 73, l. 2558. Does «thile» stand for «while», as «then», l. 2527,
seems to be miswritten for «when»? Or is «thile» = the while?
p. 74, l. 2564. «sloughe» : «drowe». Read «slowe», as in ll. 2401,
2683, 304, 2208, etc.
p. 75, l. 2597. «itolde», “in number,” see Zupitza’s note to «Guy»,
1770.
p. 75, l. 2614. «quell» = “«kill»,” which occurs in l. 3006.
p. 75, l. 2616. «bistadde», “hard bestead, greatly imperilled.”
p. 75, l. 2617. «japed», “mocked, tricked, laughed at.” Connected with
Icel. «gabba», “to mock.”
p. 76, l. 2639. «tha». See «Introduction», p. xxxvii.
p. 76, l. 2651. «lurdeyn», Mod. Eng. «lurdan», which is said to be the
Fr. «lourdin» (diminutive of «lourd»). Regarding it as a corruption of
“lord Dane” is a mere joke:
“In every house lord Dane did then rule all,
Whence laysie lozels lurdanes now we call.”
«Mirrour for Magistrates», p. 588.
p. 76, l. 2654. «sewes.» See Skeat, «Prioress’s Tale», p. 286.
p. 76, l. 2660. «let armes» makes no sense. Read «as armes»—«As armes»
= Fr. «aux armes», “to arms,” is of pretty frequent occurrence in Mid.
Eng. poems; see Mätzner’s «Wörterb.», p. 112. Cf. also «Syr Ferumbras»,
l. 2933:
“As armes,” þanne cride Rolond,
“As armes everychone!”
Cf. «ibidem», l. 4125. So we read in the «Destruction», l. 1460.
“Ore as armes, seignours, franc chevalier membré.”
Perhaps we ought to read «as armes» also in l. 491, where the reading
«and armes» is somewhat suspicious, since «armes», if we regard «and
armes» to be the true reading, would be the only instance of the
imperative plural ending in «-es» (instead of «-eth») in the «Sowdan».
p. 77, l. 2689. «Thay thanked God that thay him hadde Gyfe thaye suche
grace to spede.» These lines are corrupt. I propose to read:
“Thay thanked God that hem hadde
Gyfen suche grace to spede.”
p. 77, l. 2694. «alaye», written as one word in the MS., must be
divided into two, «a» being the indefinite article, and «laye» meaning
“unploughed ground, field, pasture, meadow.” Mod. Eng. «ley», «lea»,
«lay». See «Stratmann», s. v. «leȝe», p. 356.
p. 77, l. 2698. «he», “they.” This is the only instance of «he» instead
of the common «thay». But «he», which is further confirmed by the
rhyme, must certainly be attributed to the author; «thay» occurs only
once [p129] (l. 3021) as a rhyme, but the rhyme is not a good one, and
there also it would be preferable to read «he».
p. 78, l. 2706. «by my thrifte», the same as “so mote y thryve,” or,
“so mote y spede” = “as (verily as) I may thrive,” “in truth.”
p. 78, l. 2707. «see»; cf. Zupitza’s note to «Guy», 163.
p. 78, l. 2719. «wole» : «skille». The rhyme shows that «wole» cannot
be due to the author; we must read «wille» (or «welle» which occurs l.
2633).
p. 78, l. 2732. «bikure» or «bykeringe», l. 2559 = “fight, battle,
skirmish.” «Er durste bikure abide.» The subject is wanting, see note
to l. 67. Or is there any corruption in this line? Perhaps we ought to
read: “Lenger durste [thay] no bikure abyde.” Cf. ll. 3117, 2610, 2947.
p. 79, l. 2748. «love.» The rhyme requires «leef» or «leeve». «leef»,
O.E. «leof», means “dear, beloved.” For examples of «leef» being used
as a substantive, see Stratmann, p. 359.
p. 80, l. 2793. «eye», “egg.” See Koch, «Eng. Gr.» II. § 582, and
compare the French phrase “valoir un œuf pelé.”
p. 80, l. 2797. «and his meyne.» This must be a mistake of the author
himself. According to l. 2557, Richard had ventured alone on a mission
to Charlemagne. There is no mention whatever made afterwards that he
was joined by any one; the other poems likewise state that Richard was
without any companion.
p. 80, l. 2805. «lete» : «gate». The rhyme requires «late».
p. 81, l. 2810. «cliffe.» Here the author of the «Sowdan» goes so far
in shortening his original as to be wholly unintelligible. Indeed, any
reader, not comparing these lines with corresponding passages in the
French poem, will be left without any clue to what «cliff» is here
intended to mean. From the French «Fierabras» we know that the water of
the river was very deep and broad, and that the banks were exceedingly
steep and almost inaccessible. Cf. «Fierabras», ll. 4349:
“Et voit l’augue bruiant, le flot parfont et lé.”
l. 4358: “La rive en est moult haute, bien fait à redouter.” Cf. also
the Provençal poem, ll. 3733, «et seq.»:
“Richart regarda l’aygua, que fe mot a duptar,
E fo grans e preonda, que no y auza intrar,
E la riba fou «auta de C pes» ses gaber.”
Now it was by means of a twofold myracle that the Christian knight was
enabled to cross the river:
(1) The waters suddenly increased and rose so as to reach the very top
of the banks; cf. «Fierabras», ll. 4365–69:
“Or oiés quel vertu Diex i vaut demonstrer
Por le roi Karlemaine, qui tant fait à douter.
Ançois que on ëust une liuée alé,
Veïssiés si Flagot engroissier et enfler,
Que par «desous la rive commence à seronder».”
Provençal, ll. 3741–45: [p130]
“Ara podetz auzir, si m voletz escoutar:
Tan bela meravilha li volc dieus demostrar
Per lo bon rey de Fransa que el volc tant amar;
Ans un trag de balesta pogues lunhs hom anar,
Pogratz vezer Flagot «sus la riba montar».”
(2) A deer appears and shows Richard the way across the river to the
top of the opposite bank.
“Atant es vous .i. cerf, que Diex i fist aler,
Et fu blans comme nois, biaus fu à resgarder.
Devant le ber Richart se prent à demostrer,
Devant lui est tantost ens en Flagot entrés.
Li dus voit Sarrazins après lui aroutés,
S’il ot paour de mort ne fait à demander.
Après le blance bisse commencha à errer
Tout ainsi com ele vait, lait le ceval aler;
Et li ciers vait devant, qui bien s’i sot garder,
D’autre part à la rive se prent à ariver.”
Cf. also the Provençal version, ll. 3751–54:
“Apres la blanca bestia laycha ’l destrier anar.
E lo cer vay denan, que l saup mot ben guizar,
De l’autra part de l’aygua l’a fayt ben aribar,
«E dieus a fayt Flagot en son estat tornar».”
This bank which formerly was steep and inaccessible, but is now covered
with water, is called «cliff» by our poet. In the Ashmolean poem the
first miracle is not mentioned; cf. «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 3943, «et seq.»
p. 81, l. 2811. «he blessed him in Godis name.» The phrase occurs also
in «Syr Ferumbras», l. 3961, but is not to be found in the French
text. Mr. John Shelley (in his paper printed in the «Annual Report and
Transactions» of the Plymouth Institution, IV. i. 71) took this phrase
as a proof that the original of the «Sowdan» could not have been the
French poem. But it must be stated that as in the «Sowdan», l. 2807, so
in the French version Richard is said to have addressed a prayer to God:
“Escortrement commence Jhesu à reclamer:
Glorieus sire pere, qui te laissas pener
En la crois beneoite pour ton pule sauver,
Garisiés hui mon cors de mort et d’afoler,
Que je puisse Karlon mon message conter.”
«Fierabras», ll. 4360–64.
If now we consider that some lines back (l. 4093) the French poem
expressively states that Richard seeing himself hard pressed by the
Saracens, signed himself with the sign of the cross—
“Lors a levé sa main, de Jhesu s’est signiés”
an incident which at that moment is omitted in the «Sowdan»—we think
ourselves entitled to regard this proof as not very convincing.
p. 81, l. 2820. «Ganelon», one of Charlemagne’s officers, who by his
treachery was the cause of the defeat of Roncesvaux, the death of
Roland, etc., for which he was torn to death by horses. For [p131]
several centuries his name was a synonymous word with traitor.
«Ganelo» = Germ. «Wenhilo».
p. 81, l. 2845. «Fremounde» cannot be the true reading, as it does
not rhyme with «kinge». Besides «Fremounde» does not occur again in
the poem. Perhaps we ought to read «Qwyntyne», as in l. 1298. In the
corresponding passage of the French «Fierabras» (l. 4625) it is to St.
Denis that Charles swears; cf. also «Syr Ferumbras», l. 4289.
p. 82, l. 2850. «And» makes no sense. Read “«God».”
p. 83, l. 2887. «gryse» : «assaye». We get a perfect rhyme if we read
«gray» instead of «gryse». Halliwell, «s. v.» “gray,” has: “the skin or
fur of a badger.”
p. 83, l. 2891. As it stands, the line does not rhyme with l. 2893. The
rhyme will be restored if we read:
“«Lycence gete ye noone nere»,” or perhaps
“«Lycence gete ye of me nere»,”
«nere» meaning «ne’er», «never», as in «Guy», 10550 and 10716.
p. 84, l. 2939. The name of the giantess is «Amiette» or «Amiote» in
the other poems.
p. 84, l. 2941. This line is too long; «as þikke» may be omitted.