Svm tyme there was in the land of Cecile a king, that
was called Melliagere, the which was the wysest and the
*. [3 all] om. ms.]most iuste king, that men knowe euer ouer all in his tyme, and
also the grettest conquerour, that myght be, so farforth, that
[line 5] all the lordes aboute him were vndre his suggestion and
did him homage. Such honour and grace god sent him,
that all his lyve he gouerned his roialme in rest and peace.

Bot it happened him so, that in all his live he had
noo childe, to be his heire, so that for defaute of isshue
[line 10] of him self the heritage after his decesse fell to a nevew,
that he had, that was called Capaneus, the which was a
worthie knight and the best beloved man, that might be.

Now leyve we the king and speke of a suster, that he
had, the which was wedded to the duke of Calabre by assent
[line 15] of hire brothre, the which duke of Calabre was homager
to that same king Melliager; and aftre that tyme, that
he had wedded this ladie, they lyved ten yere to gedre in
prosperite and welfare, bot they had noo childre to gedre,
save a doghter, that shuld be theire heire, and at the ende of
[line 20] X yere both the duke and his wife died and went to god.
And than was his doghtre heire of that land, and be that she
was of age of fyftene yere, she was the fairest creature, that
might be, and therto the wisest and the best beloved of
euery wyght.

[line 25] Bot so it happened on that day, that she toke ho∣mage
of the lordes of the lond, there come such an hiegh
pride in hire hertt, that hire thoght, noo king in the world
were able to ben hire husbond, so farfurth, that she maide
an hie and feers avow to all the lordes of hire londe, that
[line 30] she shuld neuer be wedded vnto nooman, bot to him, that
were the worthiest knight of all the worlde.

Page  324
And whan that the lordes of hirre lond herd that
proude and fers avow, theim thoght, it come of an high
pride, and were woundre-wroth therwith. And euer more
after because of that feers avow was she cald the feers of
[line 5] Calabre. Bot neuer the latter noght withstonding hire
avow she was holden the wysest and the best woman and
the most gracius to love of euery creature, so that in euery
contre, as mich as men spake of hire feers avow, as mich
and wele more men spake of hire worship and honoure.

[line 10] Now in this same tyme there was in the lond of Poile
a king, that was cald Hermogines, the which was a noble
king and a worthie and had a faire ladie to his wyfe, and
so they had betwene theim a sonn, that shuld be theire heire,
the which was cald Ipomedon, and was the fairest childe and
[line 15] thryftiest, that might be, and had a squiere with him, which
was his maistre and had the governance of him, to teche
*. [17 to] om. ms.]him to rede, to sing, to carol, to daunce, to hunt, to hauke,
*. [18 and] danach to, unr.]to iuste, to tournay and all othre maner of vertus, that a
man shuld have, so that within a short tyme all men him
[line 20] loved and of him had ioye.

So it befell, that the king Hermogines, the which was
a noble king and his fadre, made a grete feste, at which
feste were many straungers of dyuers londes, and at the
*. [24 dynere] om. ms.]dynere allmaner men spake so much worship of this lady, that
[line 25] *. [25 of] om. ms.]was cald the feers of Calabre, that it was ioye to here.
And among all othre this yong man Ipomedon herd, how all [f. 90b.]
men speke so much honour and worship of this ladie, that
him thoght, him had ben leuer than all the world, haue
bene there, so mich he desired to se that ladie; because he
[line 30] was a yong man, he desired to be there, to see and lere.

Bot neuer the latter he lete it passe that tyme, vnto
the feste was at an ende; and whan he saw his tyme, he
cald his mastre, that hight Tholomew, and said, how that
he had herd mych speke of the ladie of Calabre, and how
[line 35] that he disired, to serve hire off all thing; because he was a
yong man, him thoght, it was a shame to him, to dwell
all way at home, for the wise man saith, he was neuer wele
*. [38 ne] auf rasur geschr.]taght man of a court ne of oo scole, and therfore he said
his maistre, to yeve him counsale, such as might be worship
[line 40] vnto him.

And whan his maistre had herd, what he said, he
was glad in his hert and said, he was wele apayed, that he
desired to travell and seke worship.

And then Ipomedon praid him, that he wold gete him
[line 45] leyve at his fadre, to serve the feers of Calabre.

And Tholomew come to the king and told him, and
the king was wele payd and gave him leyve and ordand
him gold and all, that him neded, and the toke leyve
and went his way with a privey menye, to he come into Calabre, Page  325
and there Tholomew herboured him at the fairest in, that
was in the citee, there the ladie dwelled.

And whan Ipomedon see his tyme, he toke his maistre
and went to the courte, to speke with the ladie, and it
[line 5] happened, the same day she held a grete feste of all the
lordes of hire lond, and Ipomedon come to the ladie and
spake to hire and said, how that he was a yong man of an
othre contree and desired to see worship, and for that he
had herd so mich worshipp spoken of hire, passing all othre,
[line 10] therfor he come oute of his contree, to doo hire seruice, if
it like hire.

And she saw him and beheld him and thoght, he was
a woundre-semely man, and said, he was right welecome, and
that she was glad of his comyng; and all men beheld him
[line 15] and thoght, he was a wondre-semely man, and were right
glad of him. And when the ladie went to mete, she made
Ipomedon to serve hire of the cupp, and he, as the maner
was of his contree, put a mantle vpon him, and so he went
vnto the cellar for wyn to the ladie, and all men, that se
[line 20] him goo to the cellare with his mantle vpon him, lough him
to scorne, for it was noght the maner, a man to serve with
his mantle vpon him; neuertheles they knew not his purpos
*. [23 ne] no ms?]ne what he thoght.

For, when he come into the cellar and shuld serve, he
[line 25] toke of his mantle and gave it to the boitellare and said, in
tyme comyng he shuld have bettir, and he thanked him and
said, it was not vsed there before, to gyve a botelere such
a gyft. And the ladie and all othre, that scorned him before,
whan they see, how he had doon, thoght, he covth mych
[line 30] goode, and praysed him mych for his dooing and also for his
goode seruice that day. So within a short tyme the ladie
and all the contre luffed him so well, that it was woundre.

Bot among all othre euery man had pite of him, for
theim thoght, he had no list to iusting ne to tourneing no
[line 35] to manhede, bot all only to hunting and to hauking; for,
when all othre speke of dede of armes or of [f. 91a.] othre worshipp,
he spake euermore of huntyng and havkyng. Neuer the latter,
the storie telles, he preved him self a noble man of armes
and worthie, and that so privelie and so in covert, that
[line 40] wonder was, as ye shal here aftre, and thus served he this
ladie three yere.

Till it befell vpon a tyme, the ladie thoght, that she
wold goo into a forest, to hunt & play hire, and there she
made ordan in a parc a grete huntyng and a grete fest and
[line 45] made all the lordes of the contree to be therat. And
so among all othre Ipomedon was there and happened, that
all the day he made the ladie to have the best game of all
othre men, so at the last he slough a grete hertt even
before the ladie. And therof the ladie had grete ioye of
[line 50] *. [50 gam ms.]him, he fore so faire with his game, and come hire self and
all hire women, to see vndoo the dere.

Page  326
And there the ladie had so mych ioye, to behold him,
that in partie she began to lufe him, and whan she vmby∣thoght
hire of hire avow, than thoght she: "Nay, for sothe,
him wolle I noght, for there is noo manhode in him, and
[line 5] that avow, that I made, wolle I neuer breke!" And thus
strove she with hire awn thoght, oon while, that she wold
lufe him, and an othire while noght soo.

Agaynes the evyn the ladie went home fro the wod,
and Ipomedon, whan he saw tyme, went aftre and broght
[line 10] into the hall thre grettest hart heides, that euer they see;
and whan the ladie herd tell, she come down, to see the
hart heides.

Bot the boke telles, that she come more, to behold
hym, than the heides, for whan she beheld him and se, he
[line 15] was so semly a person, she hade so mych sorow, that there
was noo manhod in hym, that wondre was, for she thoght,
if he had any manhod vnto his semlyhode, she most have
loved him passing all othre men.

So ouer that, whan tyme was, the ladie went to
[line 20] sopere, and Ipomedon onoon went and served the goode
ladie of the copp, and she beheld him and asked him, whethre
he had oght eten, and he answerd and said: "Nay!" And
she maide him to sit in a chaiere before hire, and there, the
boke telles, they toke both such a charge opon theym, that
[line 25] it held theim both the terme of theire lyves, the which
charge was lufe, that neuer departed aftre.

And as they satten, aythre beheld othre so oft tymes,
that they left theire mete, so besily eithre loked on othre,
so that aithre parceyved by othre the luf, that began betwix
[line 30] theim.

And whan the ladie see, that he began to luf hire,
and that she began so sore forto lufe him, that she trowed
*. [33 wele] we auf rasur geschr.]wele, she myght not restrayn hire hert, she thoght on hire
avow and was woundre-evyll apayed with hire selve and wold
[line 35] fayn, that he had ben oute of hire fellawship, that she might for∣gete
him, for the wiseman saith: 'Seldom seen, sone forgetyn.'

Noght forthy all thogh they were long atwyn, theire
hertes parted neuer.

So that this goode ladie vmbythoght hirre, how she
[line 40] might speke be double entendment, to make him to voide
oute of hire fellasship, and that he might vndrestond the glose
of hire menyng.

And then had this goode lady a maden with hire,
that was the dukes doghtre of Burgoigne and hight Eman.
[line 45] And this Eman sat at an othre borde betwix twoo knightes,
and a squyere afor hire, that was the ladies nevew, that
hight Jason.

And then this ladie spake [f. 91b.] vnto Jason and said:
"Jason, why loke ye so long opon Eman?" and repreved him
[line 50] so, that he was sore ashamed and Eman both, for they wist
not, what she ment.

Page  327
And oft on the same wyse she repreved Jason and
bare him on hand, that he lufed Eman par amours, and all
that did she, that Ipomedon might vndrestond, what she
*. [4 he] om. ms.]ment, by him, and he parceved and vndrestoode, what she
[line 5] ment, and wex sore ashamed. And whan they had eten and
went vp to the chaumbre, Ipomedon come to the ladie and
toke leve of hire, to goo to his in, and she gave him leve,
and whan they departed, eithre loked on othre so longly, that
they left not, whilles oon might see that othre, and so he
[line 10] went home to his in.

And she went to an othre chaumbre and went to bed
and made the most sorow, that might be, and said: "Allas,
that euer was I borne, so many a grete lorde, as I might
have, bothe kinges and dukes, and now lufe a squiere, that
[line 15] is bot a wreche and a coward, that noo manhode is in, and
I haue made such a vowe, that, if I take him, all the world
shall wondre on me. And on that othre side, othre than
him, woll I noone!" And thus sorowed she and compleyned to
hire self, that pitee was, to hirre the sorow, that she made.

[line 20] And then went Ipomedon home to his in and went
streight to bedd, the carefullest and the most sory man, that
might be, and said: "Allas, that euer was I borne, to
come oute of my contree, to seke honour and worshipp, for
now have I sorow & care to my lyves ende, for I haue set
[line 25] myn hert there as I may neuer have ioye, for she, that I
haue served and ben so busy to pleas in so muche, that I
have gyven hire myn hert for euermore, she has me now in
despite and conged me, to goo oute of hire sight, in reward
for my goode seruice. Allas, what shal I doo?" And eft an
[line 30] othre tyme he thoght, how goodely that she beheld him
and so oft tymes, and how goodely she convehed him with
hire eighe to the dore at theire departing, that he thoght
wele in his hert and trowed fully, that she lufed him agayn,
and wele also, that she repreved Jason, it was to make him
[line 35] to goo oute of hire fellawshipp, not for no despite no for
noon evell menyng, bot all oonly forto make him to goo
seke travaill in dede of armes, that, if god wold send him
grace, to be so goode a man, that he might be able, thurgh
his travaill, that he might haue hirre to his wife, & she to
[line 40] save hire avowe.

And whan he had thoght thus, than toke he full purpos,
that he wold goo travell and seke aventures, that, if god
wold send him grace, to come to that astate be his travaill,
that he might have hire; and thus complened he to him self
[line 45] all the night and argued in his own thoght to and fro, and
made the most sorow, that any wight might make.

Now come Tholomew to him at morow, which lay all
the night before and herd him make all this mone, and asked
him, how he fore and what cause he had, forto faire soo.

[line 50] To the which Ipomedon fened him an othre cause
*. [51 than] that ms.]than it was, answeryng, & said:

Page  328
"For sothe, maistre," quod he, "I have so bene turbled
this night in my slepe with a dreeme of my fadre and my
modre, [f. 92a.] that I drede me sore, that my fadre is deid, and
therfore me longes so sore home, that all thinges left I
[line 5] wolle goo see, how they faire!" And opon that they ordand
theim and went prevely theire way thurgh a forest, vnwittyng
the ladie or any othre wight.

Now in this same tyme was Jason in the forest, to
play him, and happened to mete with Ipomedon and se, that
[line 10] he had all his menye and all his harnes with him, and asked
him, whedre he wold away, and he feyned him the same
cause, answeryng, and said, he wold home to his fadre bycause
of a dreme, that he mett opon the night before, for which
*. [14 he] om. ms.]that he trowed, his fadre was deid, and that, said he, was the
[line 15] cause of his diseas and of his sodayn removyng.

To the which Jason answerd, supposing wele, that he
him feyned by som othre cause, than it was, and asked him,
if any had oght displeased him or trispast to him, and he
answerd and said: "Nay!", and he asked, why he removed
[line 20] than so sodanly: "For there is noo man," quod he, "the grettest
in this lond, that trispast vnto you, bot he shuld amend it,
right as youre self wold ordan!"

And he said, nay, for soth, there had noon trispast
agayns him no that he went for noon othre cause, than he
[line 25] had told him before, and then Jason had mich sorow, that
thei shuld depart, and prayd him, that he wold abide here
still or elles let him goo with hym, and he said: "Nay, for
soth, I most goo and you most dwell, for I shal come agayn
in all the hast, that I may!" and then Jason prayd him, to
[line 30] tell him his name, and when he wist and where he shuld
fynde, he said, for certayn, he wold come to him, and he
said vttirly nay, & so thei departed with the most sorow,
that any creatures might make.

Then Jason come home and met with the ladie, & she
[line 35] shortly se him make hevy chere, asked, what tithinges he
broght, & he said, hire squyere was goon, and she asked,
which squyere, and he said, that hire straunge squyere, "&
told me, because of a dreme, that him mett of his fadre."
And when she wist, that he was goon, than had she sorow
[line 40] enogh in hire hert, bot outward she shewed noon for parcey∣ving,
for then wist she wele, that hire awn wordes made
him to goo.

Bot then made she the most sorow, that any wight
might make, and cursed the tyme, that euer she spake so to
[line 45] Jason in repreving of him, and then asked she him, if he
*. [46 say ms]asked his name, and he answerd and sayd: "Yaa, bot he
was so covert in all his dooyng, that he wold neuer tell his
name ne when he was ne whedre he wold!"

Bot than had she the most sorow and went to a litle
[line 50] closett and laid hire down and sighed sore and swoned and
made the most sorow, that any wight might make, the which Page  329
Eman aspied, not knowing the cause, why, & come and
asked, how she fore and what hire ayled, to fare so, &
praid hire, to tell hire the cause, why, & she answered and
said, that she was bot deid for hire pride & hire avow, that
[line 5] she had made. And Eman asked, why.

And than she said, for soth, that she wist wele, she
had displeased god, & therfor he hath taken vengeaunce on
hire, for she had set hire [f. 92b.] hert holly to luf a man, that she
wist neuer, what he was ne whene ne what was his name,
[line 10] & with that word she fell in swone, and Eman asked
hir, what was his name, and she lieng in swone said 'le
vay' and aftre 'va ha'. Bot Eman vndrestoode not hire menyng
and asked, what she said, for she hard not bot 'vay ha'.
*. [14 lette ms. than] om. ms.]"No," quod she, "bot put therto a letter!" and than wist Eman
[line 15] wele, that she wold have said 'le valet', bot that hire brethe
fayled for the payne, that she suffred, and than Eman
*. [17 estraunges ms.]asked, who it was, & she said, le valet estraunge, for othre
name wold he noon tell, and than wist Eman, that it was
for him, that she blamed Jason and hire on the day before,
[line 20] and prayd hire, to be of goode comfort, & said, that she
might be glad, to set hire hert on such oon, for a semelier
man no a more jentle had they noght seen, and also she
said, certayn, a better man of armes shuld ther be noon,
and that she shuld see within short tyme, and for that
[line 25] cause, she said, was he goon, to seke worshipp and dedes
of armes for hire sake; and by Eman counsell than
amended she sumdele hire chere and had allegeance of
hire diseas.

Now then turne we agayn to Ipomedon, that rode
[line 30] furth in his way all pensif and mournyng, so that Tholomew
had mervaille and asked him, why he fard soo, and he told
him, certanly, that he loved so that lady of Calabre, that
he wist wele, bot if he mote have hire, he shuld neuer have
ioye in this world.

[line 35] And Tholomew answerd and said, that he was wele
payd & ioyefull, that he loved hire, & cause, why: for that
shuld make him to desire armes and worship, and therfore
he consaled him fully, to goo & take the ordre of knighthod
and travaille, for, he said, it was noght vnknown to him, oon
[line 40] avow, that she had made, how that she shuld neuer haue
husbond, bot if it were, that he were the worthiest knight
of all the world, "& ye," quod he, "er so semely a man
and has strengh and conyng enogh: goos travail and seke
worship, and on my lyfe god wolle so ordayn for you, that
[line 45] ye shall come to youre desire!

For ther is noo thing in this world, shall forthire a
man more in armes, than shall luf, and when she heres, that
ye doo so wele and haue such eure, that ye ar so worthy a Page  330
knight, & knawes well, that all is for hire luf, than shal
she haue so much ioye of you, that othre luf, than you,
wolle she neuer have."

And Ipomedon thoght, that he consalled him wele, and
[line 5] toke full purpos, to doo, as he said. Bot than, as he roode
furth on his way, him befell an othre adventure, that diseased
him sore, and was this.

It happened so, that he met with a messanger by the
way, bering lettres, and Ipomedon asked him, whens he
[line 10] come and whome he soght, and he answerd and said, that he
come oute of the lond of Poyle, to seke a squyere, that was
the kinges son of Poile and hight Ipomedon. And Ipomedon
asked, what tithandes, and how the king fore. And he said,
when he departed thens, the king was in goode hele, bot
[line 15] the quene was in perell of deth. And Ipomedon bad him
turne agayn, for he was the same man, that he soght, and
*. [17 the haste] om. ms.]than [f. 93a.] they roode all in fere, in all the haste, that thei might,
to they come into the lond of Poile to a citee, there his fadre
dwelled in, and was cald Barbelet.

[line 20] And when he come before the quene, that was his
modre, he se, that she was in perell of deth, and he made
muche sorow, & she said to him, that she wist wele, that
she was bot deid, and there was a consell, that she wold
shew to him, and prayd him and charged him on hire benyson,
[line 25] that he shuld doo, as she bad him, & that he shuld neuer
discouer it vnto noo wight, and was this. She said, that he
had a brothre, bot not getyn on the king, that was hire
husbond and his fadre, the which there knew noo wight bot
he and she.

[line 30] "Bot," quod she, "haue here a ring and doo it neuer
fro the, for non bonecheif ne malecheif, bot that man, that
knaws it, he is thy brothre!" And with that she gave him
hire blissing and died anoon aftre. And than Ipomedon
had mych sorow for his modre, and on that othre side in
[line 35] partie he was glad, that he had a brothre, and sory, that
he kend him noght ne wist, where to fynde him.

Now Ipomedon come to his fadre and said: "Syr, I
*. [38 you] to add. ms., unr.]am a yong man, and if it like you, gyve me ordre of knight
and also leve, forto goo into othre contrays and travaille
[line 40] and seke aventures of armes, that, if god wold send me
such grace, that I might come to better degree, than I
am now!"

And the king was wele payd and glad, that he se,
his son was a semely man and disired worship, and made
[line 45] ordan a grete fest, and at the feste gave his sonne ordre of
knight and othre twenty also of the worthiest of the lond be
cause of him. And then toke he leve at the king and
went into othre contreis and travailled so, that there was
noo iourney in noo lond, bot he was therat, and did so wele,
[line 50] passing all othre men, that euery man of him had ioye and
loved him so, that within a short tyme he was acounted in Page  331
all londes oon of the worthiest knight, that men knew that
tyme, and therto lowly and so privey in all his dooing,
that there was nooman, that knew his name ne what he
was ne whene.

[line 5] For he said: "A man, that has pride in his wele dooing
and makes boist therof, both he displeses god and hyndres his
astate, & a man doo wele and kepe it prevey and make therof
noo bost," he said, "that man both pleases god and encreses
his astate!" And thes vsed he in all his tyme, that where
[line 10] so euer he come or happened to doo neuer so wele, that
noman of his actes shuld tell, what he was ne what was
his name.

Now turne we agayn to the ladie of Calabre and to
the lordes of hire lond, of the which lordes sum of theim
[line 15] *. [15 she] om. ms.]spake vnto hire and wold haue wed hire, bot she, thinking of
hire avow, thoght, that noon of theim was able to hire astate,
and she refused theim and wold noon have of theim. And
they, seing, that they had grete dispite therat, and because
that she was bot a woman, they had no drede of hire, bot
[line 20] ych of theim werred on othre, to the lond was almost
distroyed.

*. [22 the] om. ms.]Soon a tyme certayn the lordes oft he lond see wele this
myschief, that was amonges for the defaute, they had no
lorde, to govern the lond, and come to the ladie and said,
[line 25] certan, the lond was almost distroed for defaute of governance,
and therfore hire most algate take on husbond, that might
put the lond in better governance, so that she and they also
might be at rest and peace.

And she, hering [f. 93b.] all this, saw wele, that wele she might
[line 30] not say nay, and on that othre side she wold not graunt
theim, for othre, than him, that she loved, wold she neuer
have, and was all astovnned, what she shuld say, & therfore
she prayd theym, to gyve hire respite, to avise hire of that
matier, aight dayes, and then she shuld gyve theim a
[line 35] answere; bot they were evyll apayed, to tarrie so long, and
groched therwith.

So among othre there was a lorde of that lond, that
was cald Drias, the which was a wondre-envious man and
loved better werre, than peace, and said to all thes lordes,
[line 40] that they were mych to blame, to be so rebell agayns hire,
that was theire lord, that they held all of, and did hire
homage, that they wold not gyve hire oon day of respite,
to avise hire of an answere, for, he said, a theif or a manys
mortherrere, that were appelled of fellony by the law of the
[line 45] land, shuld haue eight dayes of respite, to avise him of his
answere.

And they see, all, that he said, was bot reason, and
gave hire respite of eight days, to be avised of hire answere,
and toke leyve and went theire way, and she went into a Page  332
chaumbre, making the most sorow, that any wight mote make,
and cald Eman to hire and praid hire, to consell hirre, what
were the best to doo in this case, for, she said, certan, othre,
than him, that she loved, wold she haue neuer, and, what he
[line 5] was ne whens he was, wist she neuer, and therfor made she
so mich sorow, that it was pite forto here.

And Eman answered and said, after hire counsell that
she shuld, when hire day come of answere, say, that she had an
vncle, which was the king of Cecile, of the which she held
[line 10] the lond of Calabre, and because that he was hire next
kynne and chief lord also, she durst not doo withouten his
counsell, "bot so euer he wold ordayn, so wold ye doo, and
thus shall ye be wele excused at that tyme!" And when
she had herd Eman consaill, she was wele apayed and as∣sented
[line 15] therto.

And when the day come, that was limite, all thes
lordes come, to haue answere, and she answerd and said, as
Eman counsalled hire, & when they herd, that she wold doo
aftre the counsaille of the king of Cecile and refused the
[line 20] counsall af theim, they were woundre-wroth and strofe ychoon
with othre; if oon assented, an othre said nay.

And so among othre there was an erle, that was an
old man, that hight Amphion, & was evell apayd, that she
put it of so long and tarried it fro day to day, & said,
[line 25] certayn, she shuld tarrie theim noo lenger. And this erle
Drias, that I spake of before, said, certayn, yis, the king
was hire next kyn and theire chief lord also & oon of the
worthiest king, that lyved that tyme, & if they lett hire and
made hire to refuse his consall, he wold be evill apayd
[line 30] therwith and par aventure turn theim to grete diseas in tyme
comyng.

And they herd, that Drias said for the best, & assent
therto & went and sent messangers with lettres of this
*. [34 of] om. ms.]matiere to the king of Cecile on the ladie behalf & theirs
[line 35] both; and whan the king saw thes lettres and had avised
him of this matere, he answerd and said, he wold be there,
and assigned theim a certayn day, that he wold be there,
and they toke leve and went theire way & come home and
told the ladie, that the king wold be there such a certayn
[line 40] day, & she made goode chere, [f. 94a.] right as she had ben glad of
his comyng, bot the boke saith, she had neuer roght, thogh
he had not come there that seven yere, so that she might
be excused of an husbond.

So aftre this, whan the day come nygh, that was
[line 45] limite before, the king Melliagere ordand him and come into
the lond of Calabre vnto the citee of Caundres, there the
ladie was that tyme, & all the lordes of the lond come that
day, to haue theire answere, and the ladie of Calabre receved
hire vncle worshipfully, as hire ought to doon, & led him
[line 50] into a faire gardyn, & there were all the lordes, to here,
what the king & his counsaill wold say, & there the king Page  333
*. [1 whome ms.]asked theim, who theim thoght most able man, to have hire
to wife.

And this erle Ampheon, that ye have herd of before,
*. [4 she] om. ms. put] om. ms.]answerd for his fellaws & said, that she was put in chose of
[line 5] thre, oon was the duke son of Spayne, and an othre was the
king son of Russe, the third was the duke of Normandie, &
therfore he praid the king, that she wold chese right there,
which that she wold haue, for, he said, certayn, bot she toke
oon of thes, the lond & they all shuld be distroied within a
[line 10] short tyme; & this othre erle Drias answerd and said to the
king, that it was not lawfull, that Ampheon said for theim,
that were hire legemen, to constreyn hire, to take an husbond
agayns hire will, & so he praid him, that he wold counsail
with hire him self.

[line 15] And the king herd wele, that he spake wel and reso∣nable,
and went and asked his nece, how hire hert stoode, &
she was wele apaid with that, that Driaas said, and answerd,
how she was put in chose of thre men, of the which she
wist not, to whome hire hert wold stoud.

[line 20] Wherfore she praid him and also all the lordes, that
there were, that he wold gyve hire respite till on the morow,
& she shuld be then be avised & gyff theim a full answere;
and the king and all the othre lordes assented therto, and
euery man toke leve and departed till on the morow.

[line 25] And the ladie went to chaumbre & made the most
sorow, that might be, and compleyned hire to Eman & saide,
how that hire most on the morow chese of thre men oon, &
that wold she neuer doo for bonechief or myschieff, for
levere hire were, to goo a way oute of hire lond & be dis∣herited
[line 30] of it for euermore, than have any othre, bot him,
that she loved, and Eman answerd and said, certayn, the
best consell in this case were, that she wold on the morow
pray the king & all the othre lordes, that were there, that
thei wold vovchesave in saving of hire avow, to make ordayn
[line 35] a tournement duryng thre days, "and who so happenes to doo
there the best, say, that ye wolle have him with goode will,
and then shall ye wit, if he, that ye love, be any man of
him self or noon, for if there be any manhede in him, or luf
you, as ye doon him, sicurlie, he woll be there!" And the
[line 40] laidy thoght, that she said wondrely wele, & assent therto,
& on the morow the king and all thes lordes come into the
gardyn, to here, what she wold say.

And anoon this ilk erle Ampheon, that was euer the
most agaynes the ladie, stoode vp furst & said, that they were
[line 45] long taried, and prayd the king, they might haue an answere.

And the ladie, hering, that he was allway agayns
hire, answerd & said: "Ampheon, I see, that you desires so
mych, to have an [f. 94b.] answere, I putt the oute of doute, that the
wolle I neuer have for no man on lyve!" And then said she
[line 50] to the king, hering all the lordes, that were there: "Sirres,
ye wot wele & know all, that here bene, how that before Page  334
this tyme I made a proude & a feers avow, that I shuld
neuer have husbond, bot he, that were the worthiest knight
of all the world, the which, I wot wele, come of an hie pride
& a grete folie of my selve.

[line 5] Bot neuer the latter, in saving of myn avow & myn
astate I pray you and all othre, that ben here present, that
ye wold vouchsave, to doo cry a tournement in all londes fer
and nere, during thre days, & who so euer has that grace,
ther to doo the best, truly, what so euer he be, I shal take
[line 10] him to myn husbond with a goode will!"

And the lordes of the lond herd this & were glad &
ioyfull, for ychoon of theim trowed, he shuld doo wele enugh,
& prayd the king, that it might be soo, & the king graunted
and assigned the day & the place four monethes after, and
[line 15] then the king toke leve at the ladie, his nece, and went
home in to Cecile, & all that othre lordes ychoon went his
way gladder than othre, to ordayn theim agaynes this
tournement.

Now in this mean tyme had Ipomedon a messanger,
[line 20] that hight Egeon, the which he left all way in Calabre, to
herken tithandes prively all way of his ladie & to bring him
worde. And this Egeon, when he wist of this tournement,
sped him to Ipomedon in all the hast, that he might, and
told him, how the ladie of hire own desire & hire own list
[line 25] made crie such a tournement; & when he had herd that, he
was the ioyefullest man, that might be, & told Tholomew,
that he wald ordayn him for that tournement, & that he
wold goo serve the king of Cecile.

And then went he & ordaynt him in array in the
[line 30] maner of an hunter & toke a faire mvte of houndes with him
& an horn about his nek, & toke a faire maide, that was a
cosyn of his, and led hire bridle by the way. Also he ordant
Tholomew, to come a litle beforn him with his harnes, and
with him ordant he to come a tall yong man, sittyng on
[line 35] a white stede, all trapped in white, & with him a somer
with his harneis all white, that longed therto, for oon day.

And aftre him come an othre faire soired stede, trapped
all in reid, & all the harneis, that longed to him, all rede,
for the secund day.

[line 40] And aftre him come on othre on a faire blak stede &
all the harneis blak, that longed to him, for the third day.
& then him self come the last, leding this gentil womans
bridle. And in this array rode he, to he come into a forest
in the lond of Cecile, fast by the citee of Palerne, there the
[line 45] king dwelled; & on that same day happened, that the king
was in the same forest on huntyng & had left his men ychoon,
save only his nevew Capanius & an othre man, & in the same
tyme come Ipomedon riding in the same array, that I told
before, & the king herd noys of hors by the way & had
[line 50] mervaill, what it might be.

Page  335
For he se neuer ere knight lede harneis by the way,
for it was the guyse in that tyme, a knight, that went to
seke aventures, shuld goo & come alloon withoute more felaw∣shipp,
& then the king sent Campanius, [f. 95a.] to see, what thei
[line 5] were, & Campanius come and asked, whens he was and whedre
he come for evell or goode, & he said, nay, he come fro far
contre, to speke with the king, if it liked him. And Cam∣panius
come to the king & said: "Sothlie, neuer, sith I was
born, se I so semely a man, as theire maister is, no so faire
[line 10] hors no so faire harneis ne so faire havkes no so faire houn∣des!"
& said, that the maister of theim come to speke with
the king, if it liked vnto him.

And the king went him self, to se theim, and Ipome∣don
spake to him and said, he was a man of a far contree
[line 15] & was comen thidre, to serve him, if it liked vnto him, and
*. [16 quene] quen auf rasur geschr.]that gentle woman, his cosyn, he wold, were with the quene,
because that he had herd so much worshipp spoken on him
in all contrees, passing all othre men, "& if it like vnto you,
my seruice, I wolle serve you on a certan conant, that I
[line 20] wolle make with you!" And the king said, he was glad of
his seruice & wold withhold him with a goode will, bot if
his asking were the more vnresonable.

And then the king charged Campanius, to goo with
him into the citee of Palern and herbore him at the fairest
[line 25] place of all the tovn, & he did soo, and there Tholomew made
redy for sopere, and Ipomedon made Campanius to soupe with
him & made him goode chere, for his hert fell mich vnto
him, & cause, why: they were brethre as on the modre side,
bot neithre wist of othre.

[line 30] And so as they sat at soupere, Ipomedon toke a copp
of gold and drank vnto Campanius and praid him, to take
the copp of his gyft, & that they might be felaws as brethre
euermore aftre, and he toke of him this cupp and thanked
him & said, truly, he was glad & ioyfull, to haue company
[line 35] of him or to doo, that might be plesaunce to him.

And then aftre they went to the courte to gedre, to
speke with the king, & then Ipomedon spake to the king &
said, he wold serve him opon a certan conuaunt, that he
wold make with him, & elles noght; & the king answerd
[line 40] and said, bot if his asking were the more vnskyllfull, he
wold withhold him gladly. And he said agayn, if it liked
vnto him, he wold serve the quene so, that men shuld call
*. [43 dr. lay r.] roth unter∣strichen.]him the quene derling, drwe lay roigne. And also more
ouer that he might goo with hire ich a tyme, that she shuld
[line 45] come fro the chambre to the hall, & kys hire oons, when he
come, & oons, whan he yede, & also he said, that he wold
doo noght elles, bot serve the quene & aftre goo on hawking
& on hunttyng, & if he wold not graunt him, he said,
certayn, he wold not serve him, ne that he was not so worthie
[line 50] *. [50 And] nd ms.]a king, as men of him said. And the king was wondre-wroth Page  336
with him and thoght, it was a wonderfull asking, & logh
him to scorn & wold have refused him, & Campanius con∣saled
him and prayd him, to graunt him & let him not passe
so, for, he said, certayn, he did it, for he wold not be knowen.

[line 5] And so the king graunt him, and he beleft with the
quene & his cosyn also, bot neuer might they know othre name
of him ne when he was, bot drue le roigne, & so served he
the quene a grete while, so that all men lufed him wondrely
*. [9 soueryanly ms.]wele, & souraynly the quene loved him wele ouer all othre
[line 10] thing.

And he, euery day, when all men ordant theim, to
goo to the tournement, he went alway on huntyng, and [f. 95b.] euer∣more,
whan knightes spake of dedes of armes or turnementz,
*. [14 of] on ms.]he spake euermore of hunting and of houndes, and if they
[line 15] spake of paramours, he spake of havkes, so that nooman
might parceyve, that he loved paramours nor othre man hed,
& thus vsed he all way, so that euery man logh him to
scorne & had grete pite, that in so semely a person was noo
bountie no manhode.

[line 20] And soon aftre this the king & the quene made theim
redie, to goo in to Calabre to the tournement. And when
they come there, the king lay at a castell bot twoo myle fro
Caundres, there the tournement shuld be. And then euery
day, when knightes made redie theire hors & theire harnes,
[line 25] to go to the turnement, he toke his houndes & went on hun∣tyng.
And Capanius see this & asked, why he ordant him
noght to the turnement, as othre men did; he said, all men
scorned him therfore, because they saw noo manhode in him,
& also he praid him, that he wold ordayn him, to goo tur∣nay,
[line 30] as othre men did, & they shuld be fellaws to gedre.

And when Ipomedon herd, that he wold haue had him
to the turnament, he feyned him a cause & made him wroth
with Capanius & said, that his couenant was, to serve the
quene & hunt & hawke & play him & doo not elles, for iusting
[line 35] no turnementz loved he noon. And Capanius was sory,
that he foyre so, & prayd the king, to speke with him &
loke, if he might bring him in will, to goo to the tourne∣ment,
& he did so, bot it wold not be; he said, certayn, he
wold doo noght elles, bot serve the quene, as his couenant
[line 40] was; & the king & all othre men logh him to scorne & said,
it was pitee, that he was so semely a person & had noo
manhode.

So ouer this the king made sett vp his tentz for him
& his knightes vndre the castell of Caundres, there the ladie
[line 45] lay, fast by a forest side, & come to the tournement with the
fairest felawship of knightes with him, that might be, & the
*. [47 to] om. ms.]best to be seen.

And then come thidre the kinges son of Irlond, the
which was a woundre-semey knight & young & lusty, and Page  337
hight Monestius, & broght with him such a fellawship of
knightes & so thriftly arraid, that it was a ioye, to see, for
he loved the ladie of Calabre paramours & had doon long.

And thidre come also the duke of Normandie with a
[line 5] thrifty fellawship, & loved the ladie also.

And thydre come also the duke of Spayne, that shuld
have had hire before by the help of the erle Ampheon, &
trowed wele, to wyn the ladie at the tournement thurgh the
help of Ampheon & of his awn manhode.

[line 10] Thiddre come also Daires, the king of Loreyn, oon of
the worthiest kynges, that was ouer where, & the most wor∣thiest
knightes had with him.

Thiddre come also the king of Almayn, the which
hight Ismelon le orguleous, a worthie knight also.

[line 15] Thidre come the erle of Flaundres & many othre knightz
of dyuerse contreis, for ther was no knight, that desired
worship in noo contree, bot he wold be there, for it was
oon of the gettest tournement, that euer was seen before.

Now on the day before that this turnement shuld be,
[line 20] on the morow Ipomedon ordant him, to goo on hunting all
that day & come home agayn even, & come to the quene &
said, that [f. 96a.] the ladies and gentilwomen might here: "Madame,
*. [23 he] ü. d. z. nachgetr.]quod he, "wold ye let the turnement be & go with me to¦morow
on huntyng? & ye shal haue noble gam & wele better,
[line 25] than at turnement, for there shal be noo strokes gyven; for,
certan," quod he, "I woll not come at the tournement, forto
haue myn heid broken!" And the quene was sore ashamed
for him and al sory, as she might be, & all the ladies and
gentill women logh him to scorn and said to the quene:
[line 30] "Certayn, ma dame, youre derling woll wyn the ladie of
Calabre all with hunting!" & he was wele payd, that they
scorned him, & toke leve of the quene, to goo to bed, for
he wold be erlie vp on the morow, to goo on huntyng. And
furth he goos to the porter of the gates of the tovn & said,
[line 35] he wold goo by tymes on the morowe on hunting, & gave
him a ring of gold & praid him, that he wold open him the
gate by tyme. The porter thanked him of his gyft & said,
he shuld come & goo late & erly, when him list, & he went
home vnto his in & yede streght vnto his bed.

[line 40] And on the morow erly before the day he roys vp
and arraid him like an hunter & toke his men & his houndes
with him & his white stede & his white harnes for that day,
and when he come vndre the castell wall, he & all his men
sett hornes to mouth & blew thre motes, that the quene &
[line 45] all the ladies might here, that he went on hunting.

And when they herd his hornes & his houndes make
such a noys, they scorned him & said to the quene: "Certayn,
madame, youre derling woll not be the last at the turne∣ment, Page  338
for he is vp be tyme, for, certayn, he wolle this day
wyn the ladie all with houndes & hornes!"

And Ipomedon rode furth to the forest, to he come to
an heremitage, that stoode in a depe, dry dyke in the forest
[line 5] & coverd all with trees, that he might goo and come vnseen
*. [6 tourmament ms.]of any man fro thens to the feld, where the tournament shuld
be, & when he come there, he laid a way his horne & his
hunter clothes & armed him all in white & leped vpon his
white stede & toke a white spere in his hond & bad Tholo∣mew
[line 10] take his houndes & his men & go & hunt all that day
& make as goode gam, as he might, & mete him there
agayn even.

And he him self toke a squiere with him, & nomo
men, & rode furth in this dry dyke, till he come to the feld
[line 15] vnder the castell wall, there the tournement shuld be, & the
waites were on the castell wall & saw & come to the ladie
& told hire, how there was come to the felde a knight all
in white on a white stede, & she rois vp & come to the
walles, forto see, and then drue it to furth days.

[line 20] And the king of Cecile & all tho lordes come to the
felde euerychoon, & then Anthenor come, the duke of Spayne,
& praid the king, that he might furst just with the white
knight, & he graunted him. And then iust Anthenor, the duke
of Spayne, with Ipomedon twoo cours, & at the third he
[line 25] smote him of on his hors & toke him prisonere, & Ipomedon
squiere was redy and toke his stede & kept him still.

Now lay the lady on the wall & saw, that the white
knight had foriusted the duke of Spayne, and was glad therof,
for he was on of the men, that she most hated, and called
[line 30] hire nevew Jason & bad him goo to the tournament and
take speres with him and serve the white knight of his [f. 96b.]
spere. And on the third day she shuld ordayn for him, that
he shuld iust him self, & he did so, & when he come there,
he toke a spere & toke it to the white knight, & he receyved
[line 35] *. [35 on ms.]it of him & knew him wele enugh.

Bot neuer the latter he asked, what he was, as thogh
he had not known him, & he answerd & said, he hight Jason
and was nevew to the ladie of Calabre, the which sent him
thidre, to serve him of his spere, that this day iuste best:
[line 40] "and me semes, that ye have doon the best, and therfore I
come, to serve you, if it like you, for ye have this day
vnhorsed and taken duke Anthenor of Spayne, that is oon of
the pruddest men in this felde and the man, that my ladie
most hates!"

[line 45] And when Ipomedon herd this, he praid Jason, to take
the stede, that he had won of this duke before, & led him
vnto the ladie of Calabre & said, that the white knight send
*. [48 bad he] he ü. d. z. nachgetr.]it to hire, and he did so. And then bad he the same duke
Anthenor of Spayn go to the ladie also and yelde hym pre∣sonere
[line 50] vnto hire and say, the white knight send him vnto
hire, and he did so, & then was the ladie glad & ioyfull, that Page  339
he was taken, & said vnto Eman, that the white knight was a
*. [2 she] om. ms.]noble man of armes, & praysed him mich. And she said, hardely,
aithre was hire luf deid or elles was noo manhed in him,
that he durst not come there, & if she shuld any man have,
[line 5] hire were levest the white knight, save him, that was hire luf.

Now then come the erle Ampheon of Calabre, that
was euer with this duke of Spayne, and wold have venged
him on the white knight & wold allgate juste with him, &
so they juste to gedre twoo cours or thre & did wondrely
[line 10] wele both; the white knight was agreved with him & ran
to him an othre cours & smote him thurgh all his harnes &
slogh him. And Jason was redy and toke his stede, & the
white knight bad him take it him self for the goode seruice,
he did him that day, & he thanked him & said, for soth,
[line 15] there was hors in the world, that he most has covet to
have. And Jason went & led his stede vnto the castell &
told the laide, that the white knight had gyven it him.
And the ladie was glad of him & euery wight of him had
ioye &, as the boke sais, in partie she began to luf him,
[line 20] for of all the day he neuer blanne, bot euer was redy, who
so wold come to him, & euer more had the better of euery
man, that had to doo with him.

And then come Ismalon le orgoilous, that was the
king of Almayn, that had doon wondrely wele before, oon of
[line 25] the best, save the white knight, & wold juste with Capanius,
& so Capanius & he ran to gedre. And this Ismelon le
orgoilous hit Capanius on the helme, that it flew of on his
heid, &, weleuy, Capanius wist neuer, where he was; this
Ismelon was a grete boster of him self & said till Capanius
[line 30] in scorn: "Wenes thou," quod he, "that thou be now at
Palern in Cecile, drinking clarrie and othre strong wynes?
Nay," quod he, "sitt vp on thy hors, for thou art at the
tournement!" And Capanius was as wrothe, as he might
be, and ran to him an othre cours and smote this Ismelon,
[line 35] hors and man to the erthe, & his right arme of by the bodie,
& then said Capanius to him agayn: "In scorn quod thou me
nomore, for nowe [f. 97a.] maist thou say, that I am here, & thou
may goo home into thy contree & drink clarrie & othre
strong wynes, for here may thou doo no more!" & all men,
[line 40] that see it, were glad, that Capanius had quit him so wele
his stroke & his scorne.

And then come king Daires of Lorreyne & wold just
with Capanius, allway to venge his cosyn, the king of Al∣mayn,
& Capanius ran to him, & Daires gave Campanius
[line 45] such a stroke, that welnye he had vnhorsed him & taken
him presonere, & the white knight was ware & come to
rescue Capanius & justed with the king Daires & smote his
*. [48 his] om. ms.]shelde fro his nek & his left shuldre fro the bodie, that he
fell down deid, & the ladie & they all, that se him, had
[line 50] mich mervaill of him & praised him mich, passing all othre,
so wele he did that day.

Page  340
And then come the erle of Flaundres & had mich envie
at the white knight & wold algate juste with him, & they
ran to gedre, & the erle gave the white knight such a stroke,
that he was astounned therwith & agreved sore, & so they
[line 5] ran to gedre oon othre cours, & the white knight bare the
erle to the ground, bothe hors & man, & had not his men comen
& rescued him, the white knight had taken him presonere.

Bot yit he toke the erle hors & bad Jason lede him
to the ladie, and the white knight cald Jason: "Jason,
[line 10] abide & speke with me, or we departe!" & Jason turned then
agayn & asked him, what he was, & he said then agayn:
"It am I, that was sum tyme thy fellaw, that men cald the
straunge squyere, & now I have hold the conuenant, that I
hight the, for I said, when we departed, that I shuld come
[line 15] agayn as soon, as I might, & then Jason praid him, to
abide & come & speke with the ladie, and he said, nay,
certan, he might noght, for him must nedes hie him home
in to his own countre. And Jason said, certayn, bot if he
wold come speke with hire, or he went, she shuld oute of
[line 20] hire wit for sorow, & he praid him: "Recommand me vnto
*. [21 the haste] om. ms.]hire!" & went his way into the forest in all the haste, that
he mote ride; and then departed the tournement for that day,
& euery man went to his loggeing till on the morow.

And Jason come to the ladie, making wondre-hevy
[line 25] chere, & said, that she also might doo, and she asked, why,
& he told hire, that the white knight was goon, & that he
wold nomore come there, and that it was he, that dwelled
with hire sum tyme, that she called hire straunge squyere,
that wold tell noo man his name, and then went she to hire
[line 30] chambre, making the most sorow, that any wight might make,
that he was goon & wold not speke with hire, or he yede.
And Eman come to hire and bad hire be of goode chere &
comfort, & said, she had grete cause, to be glad and mery,
for now she saw, he was on life and come thidre for hire
[line 35] luf & was that day so worthie a knight & so wele had doon
befor all othre, that she might not faile, bot she shuld haue
him at hire own will.

Now then a even this king Melliager of Cecile had
all the lordes with him at souper & made a grete feste, &
[line 40] euery man said, with outen comparison he was the best knight
there as that day & passed all othre, & there to was all
way so covert and so privey in his dooing, that, they said,
it was double knighthode.

And then come Ipomedon to [f. 97b.] his heremitage & broght
[line 45] with him twoo stedes, that he had won at the turnament,
withonten tho, that he gave a way, & vnarmed him & clad
him agayn like an hunter, & than was Tholomew come
thiddre redy & had noble gam that day, & then sent he his
white stede into the town by an othre way, & he rode furth
[line 50] home with his houndes streight to the castell, that they might
see, that he was on hunting, & all the ladies & all othre Page  341
men logh him to scorn & said to the quene: "Madame, now
comes youre derling fro the turnament: hardely, he has won
the ladie this day all with huntyng!" & he toke noo kepe
of theire wordes, bot come streight into the hall & broght
[line 5] the quene thre hert heides right grete & said, truly, he has
had the best game that day, that any man might have.

And then the quene went to soupre, & as she was
served of hire furst cours, come in a messangere fro the king
with tithinges fro the turnement & told the quene, that the
[line 10] *. [10 king] auf rasur geschr.]king foyre wele & Capanius also; & she asked, what tithinges
& who had doon best that day.

And he said, certayn, that neuer before was there seen
such a grete turnament ne so many worthie knightes to gedre,
bot, certayn, he said, the king had doon wondrely wele that
[line 15] day & Capanius also & the king Monestius of Irelond also,
& many othre knightes that day had doon wondrely wele.

"Bot," he said," there was a white knight, that rode on
a white stede, that passed all othre, for neuer in all his life,"
he said, "I saw neuer knight doo so wele, as he did that
[line 20] day!" & told, how he toke the duke of Spayne prisoner &
sent him to the ladie of Calabre, & how he slogh erle
Ampheon also, & how that Capanius had be take prisonere,
had not he ben there & rescued him, & how the ladie of
*. [24 of] on ms.]Calabre made hire nevew Jason to serve him of his spere.

[line 25] And when he had all said, then spake Ipomedon to
the messanger & bad him say to the king, that, thogh he
haue had sore strokes at the turnament this day, that he had
ben on hunting in the forest & had goode gamme all with¦outen
strokes, & bad him say also, how his houndes had
[line 30] ronne noble wele, both Morhaunt & Ridell & Beamound, for
he had slayn thre grete hertes, bot ouer all othre Blaunchard,
his white dog, had ronne best that day, & bad him take
venyson & bere to the king: "& say, I send it him!" And
euery man logh him to scorne, save allway the quene, bot
[line 35] she was so sore ashamed, that she wist not, what to doo.

And the messanger come to the king and told him
all, as Ipomedon said. And then, when the quene had sou∣ped,
Ipomedon toke leve at hire, to goo to bedd, for he
wold goo on hunting erly on the morow, & went to his in
[line 40] & went to bedd, because he was wery.

And on the morow erly he roys vp and arrayd him
on the same wise, as he did on the day before, & rode furth
blowing vndre the castell, that the quene & hire gentilwomen
might here, that he went on huntyng, & toke with him for
[line 45] that day his reid stede & his reid harnes & rode furth to
the heremitage & made Tholomew to goo on huntyng &
mete him there agayn even. And [f. 98a.] he armed him wele all in
reide & lepped vpon his reid stede & toke a reid spere in
his hand, & he & his squier rode furth in the dike to the Page  342
turnament and come thiddre furst or any othre man, & waytes
on the castell wall se him & went, to tell the ladie, how
there was comen a knight to the felde all armed in reide &
on a faire reid sored stede, & she asked, if he se ought the
[line 5] white knight, & he said nay, and she come to the wall &
see the reid knight, bot not the white, & then turned she
agayn, making the most sorow, that might be, & said:
"Now haue I noo ioye of the turnament, for he, that was
all my ioye & my comforth, is goone. I wot wele, he is
[line 10] goone, as Jason told me, & wolle noomore come here!"

And anoon come the king and all thes othre lordes
to the turnament, & emong othre come Monestius of Irelond,
a worthie king, & long had lufed this ladie, & praid the
king, that he might haue the first cours that day, & the king
[line 15] graunt hym, and ran to the reid knight, & there they ran
to gedre, & the reid knight bare hors & man both to the
erthe & toke Monestius presonere, and then come Jason to
the reid knight, & the reid knight asked, what he was, &
he said, he was nevew to the ladie & hight Jason & was
[line 20] comen fro his ladie, to serve him of his spere, for he had
doone so wele, for he had taken the most bostere & the
most auantour of women, that might be, & therto the man,
& his ladie most hated.

And the reid knight herd this & bad Jason take king
[line 25] Monestius with him & lede him to the ladie, & bad Monestius
yelde him to hire as presonere & say, the reid knight sent
him to hire, & then come Capanius & iust with the erle of
Flaundres & dide wondrely wele, bot at the last he foriust
him & led away his hors, & the reid knight see that & called
[line 30] to Capanius & bad him abide & just with him & said, he
shuld not have the erle stede so lightlie, and there ran Cam∣panius
& he to gedre many cours & did both passingly wele,
bot at the last the reid knight bare Capanius to the erth
and toke his stede & the erles of Flaundres both, & toke
[line 35] *. [35 & made him] zweimal in ms. geschr.]the erle his stede agayn & made him worthe vpon him, &
then all men spake mich worship of the reid knight, and
because that he rescued so the erle of Flaundres, that was
so at mischefe, & did all that day so wele, that euery man
of him had ioye.

[line 40] And then come Capanius and wold iust with the erle
Drias, that held so before with the laidie of Calabre agayns
Ampheon, & so they ran to gedre dyuers tymes & did both
wondrely wele, & at the last Campanius bare the erle Drias,
hors & man, to erth & gave him such a stroke, that he wist
[line 45] not, where he was, & shuld haue taken him presonere, had
not the reid knight bene & come & rescued him.

And, as the boke sais, right as a feers lion among
othre bestes, so fore he with all, that euer he had a doo
with, till he come to the erle Drias & rescued him & sett
[line 50] *. [50 stede] hors, darüber geschr. stede.]him agayn vpon his stede, because that before tyme he held Page  343
with the ladie agans theim, that wold haue made hire to
haue an husbond.

Now then come Jason & broght the reid knight a spere
with a reid pensil theron, that the ladie had wroght hire selff
[line 5] & send him, because that she trowed euer in hir hert, that
it was he, & he toke it & was glad in his hert therof, as he
might be, & thoght forto sett it on wark for [f. 98b.] hire sake, that
sent him it. & he was war of a knight, that was the kinges
steyward & loved wondrely wele, to make avant of women,
[line 10] and hated Ipomedon with all his hert & loued the quene
par amours also, & he thoght, he wold have a doo with him.

And this Kanius had grete envie at him, because he
did so wele, passing all othre, & thoght to have a doo with
him also. And so they ran togedre many cours & did so
[line 15] wele both, that noman wist, whedre was the better, till at
the last the reid knight gave Kaenius suche a stroke, that
he smote him thurgh the shuldre & bare him ouer his hors
ars to the erthe, & then was the reid knight squiere redie
& toke Kaenius stede & led him into the forest to the here∣mitage.
[line 20] And then come the king Meliagere him self &
was as fers, as he might be, with the reid knight, because
that he had both foriust his nevew Campanius and Kaenius,
his styward, & wold algate venge him on the reide knight
& iust with him. And so the king ran to the reid knight
[line 25] and did full wele, and euer the reid knight forbare him,
because that he served him, to the king was in poynt to
put him to the wors, & he se that and ran to him and bare
hors and him both to the erthe and hurt him thurgh all his
harneis, and Jason was redie and toke the kinges stede
[line 30] and led him to the reid knight squiere, and he led him to
the heremitage, and the kinges men were redie and toke
him vp and led him to his tent. And then drue it fast
to night.

And the reid knight come to Jason and said: "Jason,
[line 35] *. [35 the] om. ms.]Jason, yit have I the speere, that my ladie send me, & say
to my ladie, that I shal bere it with me into my countree
*. [37 were] das zweite e corr. aus r. ]& were it in euery place for hire luf, where I haue forto doo.
And Jason asked, whoo it was, that cald him so by his name.
*. [39 I wh.] I corr. aus in.]And he said: "I am thy felaw, that yisterday was I white,
[line 40] and to day am I reide," and then prayd him, to abide, for,
certan, if he went so, his ladie wold neuer have ioye in
this world.

And he praid him, to recommaund him vnto hire &
say, he shuld come to hire agayn an othre tyme, & went his
[line 45] way and led with him the kinges stede & Kaenius stede to
his heremitage, & there met he with Tholomew, that had
bene on hunting all the day. And then he arrayed him like
an hunter and rode furth home to the quene, blowing his
horne, as he dide on the day beforne, that she and hire
[line 50] women might see, that he had bene on huntyng, and broght Page  344
six hert heides in to the hall, & euery man scorned him &
said, certan, he was a noble man of armes & wold wyn this
ladie all with huntyng.

Now come Jason home to the ladie of Calabre & told
[line 5] hire, how he was white the furst day, & this day reid, &
that he ne might lenger abide, & how he said, he lufed hire &
euer wold, & that he wold come agayn to hire, as sone as
he might. And when that she wist, that it was he, that
had doon so wele & that she lufed so miche, & was goone
[line 10] & wold not speke with hire, then was she the soriest crea∣ture,
that might be, & swoned & made the most sorowe, that
any creature might make. And Eman come to hire & com∣fort
hire & said, how that hire ought to be right glad, to
see him, that she lufed, so noble a man of armes, as he was,
[line 15] & said, certan, he wold not haue abiden thos twoo days &
doon so mich for hire lufe, bot if he thoght, to [f. 99a] abide the third
day also, and so she comfort hire for that tyme.

Now, when Ipomedon come fro huntyng and broght
*. [19 the] om. ms.]with him thes hertes heides, the quene wasshe & went to
[line 20] soper, & Ipomedon sat to for hire, & the quene counsailed
him, to leyve his huntyng, & said, he labored to mych ther∣vpon,
& he said, nay, certayn, that wold he noght, for he
loued noon othre gam, & all men, that hard, logh him to
scorn & held him bot a wreche.

[line 25] Now then come in this messanger, that come fro the
king with tithinges, and he said, certayn, that the turne∣ment
of the day before & of this day were noo thing like,
& said, now there was a reid knight, that passed all othre
and sat on a reid-sored stede, and told, he toke Monestius,
[line 30] king of Irlond, and send him to the ladie of Calabre, & how
he rescued the erle of Flaundres fro Capanius & smote Ca∣panius
of on his stede & led away his stede also, and how
he smote Kaenius, the styward, of on this stede and led his
stede away also, & how he smote the king of on his stede also
[line 35] and shuld have taken him presonere & led away his stede also.

And then the quene asked him, if the king were oght
hurt, and he said, nay, bot, certain, he said, that the reid
knight withouten comparison passed all othre, that were there
that day.

And then Ipomedon began his tale & said: "Now,
truly," quod he, "I hold the knightes grete foels, that take
so many grete strokes willfully, & nede noght, bot thou may
say to the king," quod he, "that it had bene more eas to
him & more worship, to haue bene with me on huntyng this
[line 45] *. [45 day] om. ms.]day, for then shuld noo man have born him of on his hors
no gyven him noo stroke, and say him also, that my houndes
haue ron so wele this day, that, truly, in all my life se I
neuer noon ren so wele.

Bot, in goode faith, of all othre Ridell, my reid dogg,
[line 50] ran best this day, or elles had all my gam bene noght! Page  345
And all, that herd him, logh him to scorne & said, hardely,
he might wele be counted for a worthie knight, to be the
quene love, for he wold with Ridell, his reid dog, wyn the
ladie at the turnament, & thus euery man him scorned &
[line 5] held him bot a wreche.

And this messanger come to the king and told him
all, as Ipomedon had said, and the king lough, & all, that it
herd, lough him to scorne and said, hardely, the king might
be jelous, that the quene had such a love. But Capanius,
[line 10] he was euer sory for him & asshamed, that there was noo
manhed in him.

So, when the quene had soped, he broght hire to
chaumbre & toke leyve of hire, to goo to bed, and sad, that
him must be vp be tyme, to goo on huntyng, and went home
[line 15] to his in and went to bed, & erly on the morow, as it were
a quarter tofore the day, he ros vp and arrayd him, as he
did to fore, and rode furth blowing thurgh the town, that the
quene & all the ladies awoke of theire slepe with the noys
of horns & houndes and said, certayn, to the quene: "Ma dame,
[line 20] truly, youre lufe is a noble knight: he is vp be tyme, for
*. [21 he] om. ms.]he woll noght be the laste at the turnement!"

Now leve we here and tell, how there was that tyme
in lond of Grece a duke of Athenes, that hight Adrattus,
the which was a yong man and a noble man of armes, [f. 99b.] bot
[line 25] he lived all in sorserys & in enchauntementz, so that he had
with him a devine, that couth miche of nigromancie, which
that told him, certan, that, how there was in Calabre
such a turnament, &. if that he wold goo thedre, he shuld
haue the degree & wyn the ladie and shuld be lord of the
[line 30] lond. And this duke ordant him & come to the turnament,
bot he come noght or the third day, and then he asked,
whedre partie was the better, & men told him, that within
were the better, and then he was with theim with oute,
forto helpe theim.

[line 35] Now then come Ipomedon to the hermitage and armed
him all in blak harneis and leped on his blak stede & rode
furth to the turnament and bad Tholomew goo on hunting
& mete him agayne at even. And erly on the morowe the
ladie of Calabre roys and loked ouer the wall of the castell
[line 40] after the reid knight, bot she couth not see him, and then
was she war of the blak knight, & then went she in and
made mich sorow & trowed wele, that hire lufe were goon
& wold nomore come there.

Then was the king & all othre lordes comen to the
[line 45] turnament, and emong othre come this duke of Athenes, all
in reid armes & on a reid stede, & wold just furst with the
*. [47 blak] auf rasur geschr.]blak knight.

Now was Eman ware of the duke of Athenes and
trowed, that it had bene the reid knight, that was there on Page  346
the day before, and come and told hire ladie, how hire luf
was comen agayn & wold iust with the blak knight, & she
was glad & come to see him. And then Ipomedon, the blak
knight, was glad also, that he saw oon in reid armes, and
[line 5] thoght wele, to take him presonere, to make hire sory. And
then the ladie made Jason, hire nevew, to take the ordre of
knight & goo turnay that day, & made an othre squiere of
hires to goo to the turnament, to serve the reid knight of
his spere. And then the blak knight and the reid ran to gedre
[line 10] & did wondrely wele both, for the reid knight was a
noble man of armes, bot at the last the blak knight bare
him to the erthe and toke him presoner and maked him to
swere, that he shuld neuer more were the reid armes of all
that day, that all men might trow, that the reid knight of
[line 15] the day before was scomfit, & then cald he the squyer, that
come fro the ladie, that served of speres, and praid him, to
*. [17 the] om. ms.]take him a spere, & that he wold take the reid stede, that
was the duke of Athenes, & lede him to the ladie & say, the
blak knight sent hym thedre & bad him say also, how he
[line 20] was comen a litle to late, for, if he had comen be tyme,
neithre shuld the white knight ne the reid knight haue had
the degree.

"Bot say hire," quod he, "that she shall not haue the
reid knight in hire prison!" for he wold lede him with him
[line 25] into his contree, that she shuld neuer se more of him. &
the squyer come & broght hire the reid stede & said, as
the blak knight bad him, & then she had more sorow, than
euer she had erst, and trowed wele, that he was lost fro
hire for euer more, & cursed the tyme, that euer she made
[line 30] ordayn the turnament, that he shuld so be taken & lost
there for hire lufe.

And then euery knight desired, to haue a doo with
the blak knight, and grete envye had to him. [f. 100a.] And he euer
more was redie & put theim to the wers, all that euer he
[line 35] met with that day, and then come the king of Scotland &
*. [36 the sq.] om. ms.]had grete envie at the blak knight and wold algate just with
him, & there they rode to gedre, & the king gave the blak
knight such a stroke, that he was all astoned & agreved
therwith, and ran to him an othre cours and bare the king
[line 40] thurgh his harnes & slogh him and bare both him & his stede
to the erthe, that the stede brast his nek, so that both the
king and his steid were deid, & all, that were ther, had
mervell ther of and were aferd of him, so that vnneth any
durst to have to doo with him after.

[line 45] And so it happened, that Eman se this and come, to
comforth hire ladie, & how that the blak knight, she said,
had doone so wele, that he passed all othre, & she asked, if he
were better, than the white knight, & she said, yaa, for
soth, and better, than the reid both, & that oo cours, that
[line 50] he had riden, was worth all, that bothe the white & the reid had Page  347
*. [1 avow] av durch rasur geändert aus w. ]doone, & said, certan, if she wold hold hire avow and chese
after worthynes & knighthod, she must nedes forsake all
othre and take him; & she asked, how she shuld turn hire
hert fro him, that she lufed so wele, & take an othre. And
[line 5] Eman said, yis, for better was, to take him, that was so
worthie a knight, sithen she wist wele, that hire lufe was
goon, than both to faile of hire lufe & of the blak knight.

Not forthy the boke saith, that Eman said all this for
noon vntruth, bot for comforth of hire ladie, that she se,
[line 10] was in so mich sorow.

Then come Kaenius, as proude and as fers as a lion,
and had so mich envie at the blak knight, that he wold haue
slayne him leuer than all the worlde, and the blak knight
knew him wele enugh, and how he loued the quene par amours,
[line 15] and thoght, to quite him wele enugh, & rode to him & bare
both hors & man to the erthe and toke him presonere and
*. [17 to] o corr. aus h. ]bad him goo to the same quene of Cecile, that he lufed
par amours and yelde him to hire prisoner and say, the blak
knight send him to hire; and he did so: all thoght, it were
[line 20] agayns his will.

Now then come Capanius, not knowing, whoo it was,
& wold allgate iust with him, and Ipomedon was loth, to haue
to doo with him, for he loved him so wele, bot neuer the
latter him was leuer iust with him, than lose his worship &
[line 25] his ladie bothe, and rode to him, that both theire hors went
to the erth, & rose vp bothe agayn, so that nothre was at
the wors. Bot at the next cours aftre Ipomedon bare both
Capanius and his stede to the erth & toke the stede to his
squyere & bad him lede him to the heremitage, & there he
[line 30] shuld haue taken Capanius prisoner, bot that the king come
and rescued him & iust with Ipomedon & hurt him, bot not,
that he was the wors.

And then it drue fast to the even, & be then the blak
knight had doon so wele, that all men said, he was the best
[line 35] worthie, to haue the ladie, and euery man drogh to his in,
*. [36 knight] king ms.]and then the blak knight was war of Jason and cald him
be his name and said: "Jason, Jason, abide and speke with
me!" And Jason had mervell, who it was, that cald him
by his name. And he said: "It am I, that yisterday was
[line 40] *. [40 day] om. ms.]reid, to day am I blak." And then Jason wold haue made [f. 100b.]
him to abide, bot he wold noght, bot he said: "Jason, reco∣maund
me to my ladie & pray hire, to think of hire avow,
& say, that for hire luf I haue bene here white, reid and
blak!" & went his way, & Jason said, if he went so, his
[line 45] ladie shuld haue so mich sorow, that she shuld neuer haue
gode day in this world; bot he said, certayn, he shuld come
agayn with in a short tyme and speke with hire at more
layser, & went his way to his hermytage in the forest.

And Jason went home and told his ladie, how that
[line 50] the blak knight had don for hire luf, how he was the first Page  348
day white and the secund day reid and the third day blak,
and how he was goon and said, he shuld come agayne with
in a short tyme. And when she wist, that it was he, then
had she mich sorow and supposed wele, that she shuld neuer
[line 5] see him & that he loued hire noght, because he wold not
speke with hire at his gooyng.

And so Ipomedon come to the heremitage and vnarmed
him and arrayd hym, as he did before, and come home to
the quene with his houndez, blowing, that all men might
[line 10] here, that he had bene on huntyng, and then come all men,
to see him and to lagh him to scorne, and he toke noo hede,
bot come into the hall and broght with him nyen hert heides,
the fairest, that euer men se, and euer as all othre men
*. [14 turmament ms.]spake of the turnament, he spake of his huntyng.

[line 15] And then the quene went to sopere & Ipomedon set
on that oo side, and Kaenius on that othre side, the styward,
and then come in Theos, the messanger, and the quene asked
him, who had doone the best at the turnament, and he said,
certan, a blak knight, the which withouten comparison passed
[line 20] the white knight and the reid and all othre, bot no man
wist, what he was no when, so prively and so couertly he
governed him.

And Kaenius said, certan, that it was he, that send
him thiddre, and then Theos said, how that the king send
[line 25] word to the quene, that she shuld be erly on the morow at
Caundres, for then shuld the ladie of Calabre ches, whome
she shuld haue to hire husbond.

And then Ipomedon began to speke and said, how that
he had bene on huntyng and that his houndes had ron noble
[line 30] wele that day, both Blauncherd and Ridell, bot, truly, he
*. [31 soueryanly ms.]said, that soueraynly ran blak Beaumound and did the best
that day, or elles had he had bot litle gam, "and ye shall
haue venyson and bere the king and say him, certayn, he
getes nomore for me, bot if he woll come and take it him self!"

[line 35] And then the quene beheld him and parceyved, that
he was hurt and that he bled, and asked him, what had
hurt him, & he lough and said, that he fell in the forest of
his hors and hurt him agaynes a stubb.

And when the quene had soped, Ipomedon toke his
[line 40] leyve at the quene, to goo to his bedd.

And the quene bad him come agayn at morow, to goo
with hire to Caundres, to see, whome the ladie shuld haue,
*. [43 whoo ms.]and he said, nay, certayn, he roght neuer, whome she had; he
*. [44 turmament ms.]was not at the turnament ne not wold he come there, and
[line 45] so euery man lough, and he toke noo . . . . . . . . . .
and let me not of my iournay, for, certayn, I wolle not [f. 102a.]
turne agayne for the!" & the styward was feers & proude
& allgate said, he was fals, & that he shuld be deid.

And Ipomedon saw, it might noo better be, & defen∣ded
[line 50] him & ran to him, &, or they departed, he smote Page  349
him thurgh all his harneis & thurgh oute the bodie & bare
both hors & man to the erthe & toke him presoner & bad
him turne home agayne & yelde him to the quene & say,
*. [4 but] Wern (!) ms.]but it had bene for the reuerence of hire, that, truly, he
[line 5] shuld haue bene deid, & toke fro him a goode stede, that
he come riding on, & gave it Tholomew, & gave him a
litle amblere of Tholomew & said: "Thou art hurt, I wot
wele, & therfore take this litle hors and turne agayn, as
thou come, & say, thou maist not spede here!" And Kaenius
[line 10] turned agayn wele betyn & come & told the quene, how he
had sped, & then had she mich sorowe & trowed, that she
shuld neuer see him, for she send for him for luf, that she
lufed him & that she might haue told him all, how she lufed him.

And then Ipomedon went home into his own contre,
[line 15] & when he come there, then was the king Hermogines, his
fadre, deid, & he made mich sorowe, & then come all the
lordes of the lond to him & did him homage, as to theire
king. But coroned king wold he not be as yitt, because that
he wold goo into othre contres & travell & seke aventures,
[line 20] while he was yong, & also he thoght, if god wold gyfe him
grace, to wed his ladie, that he lufed, & be coroned king of
Poyle both on oo day.

And then toke he with him Tholomewe & such menye,
as he wold haue, & went into Fraunce as a souldioure &
[line 25] thoght, to be there all that yere, & then sent he Egeon, his
messanger, in to Calabre preuely, to abide there & enquere,
if the lordes of the lond made any more debate with the
ladie, or if she had any diseas, to bring him worde.

Now was there in Fraunce in this same tyme a king,
[line 30] that hight Arthus, & had a yong brothre, that hight Daires,
the which was king of Loreyn by heritage of his wife, &
thes twoo kinges werred aithre on othre & had doon long.
Bot this king Arthus of Fraunce was at Parichs & held a
*. [34 they] om. ms.]grete parlement, to ordayn, how that they might defend theim
[line 35] agayn king Daires, that was comen into theire lond with a
grete powere of men, to distroy the roialme of Fraunce.

And then come Ipomedon thidre & beleft with the
king of Fraunce, & then come tithandez to the king, that
king Daires was comen into the feld withoute the tovn with
[line 40] an hundreth thovsand of fighteng men. And then Ipomedon
went & armed him all in blak & sat on a blak stede, because
he shuld be the more dred, for he had before at the turna∣ment
that day, that he was in blak, toke the same king
Daires presoner.

[line 45] And when Ipomedon come into the felde, he was war
of a knight, that come prikking toward him oute of the oste,
& Ipomedon ran to him & bare him to the erthe, & his squiere
was redie & toke the knight stede, & Ipomedon toke him
prisoner & bad him goo agayn to the king & say him, that Page  350
the blak knight, that was at the turnament [f. 102b.] of Caundres, sent
him thidre, & when king Daires wist, that the blak knight
was agaynes him, he was more aferd of him, than of king
Arthus & all his men.

[line 5] Noght for thy he defend him as long, as he might,
& then the king Arthus & his men were woundre-glad of
the blak knight, for they see wele, he was a worthie knight,
& then there was a grete batell betwix both parties, so far
furth, that the Frenchemen were in poynt, to be discomfit
[line 10] for that day.

Bot Ipomedon did so wele that day, that him self dis∣comfit
king Daires & all his men & put him to flight, so
that they were discomfit for that day. And then come king
Arthus to Ipomedon & thanked him & said, certayn, he was
[line 15] the cause of the discomfiture of his enemys, & led him to
the citee of Paryss, & euery man loued & of him had ioye &
trowed wele, thurgh the manhod of him to haue an end of
theire werres & to discomfit there enemis.

And then this king Daires dred so mich the manhod
[line 20] of Ipomedon, that he was glad by the avice of his counsell
to send vnto him & pray him, that he wold vouchesave, to
speke to the king, that he might come to fore him & submitt
him vnto him & cry him mercy & put him in his grace, to amend
at his own ordinance & restore him agayn, that he had tres∣passed
[line 25] *. [25 and if] om. ms.]vnto him, & more; and if him liked, to doo his mes∣sage
to the king, he wold gyve him his doghtre to wife &
all the lond of Loreyn after his disces.

And when Ipomedon herd this, he answerd to the
messangers & said, if the king Daires woll doo as he sais
[line 30] & more ouer become the kinges homagere of Fraunce, he
wold doo his message with goode will, & they said, yis.
certan, & that wold they vndretake, and also Ipomedon wold
not, for shame, refuse his doghtre, bot thanked him for his
profre.

[line 35] And on the morow come the king Daires to king
Arthus, his brothre, & did him homage, & so Ipomedon thurgh
his witt & his manhod made a fynall peace betwix thes twoo
kinges for euer more.

And then wold they haue made the mariage of him
[line 40] & the doghter of the king Daires, & he excused him & put
it of & thanked him & toke his leyve & wold no lenger abide.

And as he rode, he met with Egeon & asked him,
what tithinges, and he told him, how there was comen into
Calabre a giaunt of Inde maior, that hight Leonyn, the which
[line 45] was liker a fende than any othre man, & allgate wold haue
the ladie of Calabre to his wife, & she & hir lordes haue
werred agayn him, & he has discomfit & slayn right many
of theim, so that he has conquerd all the lond, & he has
beseged the ladie in hire castell of Caundres, &, if he wold, Page  351
he might take hire & lede hire away, for there is noman,
that durst withstond him, bot that he has at hire prayere
graunt hire a certayn day, that she shal fynd a knight, to
fight for hire, & elles he woll lede hire into his cointre &
[line 5] wed hire.

And when Ipomedon herd this, he said to Tholomew,
that, certan, she wold send for help to the king of Cecile,
hire vncle. And for he wold not be knowen, therfore he
ordant him, to go & serve the king, vnto the day come, that
[line 10] was assigned. And then he ordant him & made him a fole
sage and come into Cecile, to serve the king, & as the king
sat at mete, he come in on a foyll, lene hors & in a feble
array & with a lewde countenance, & rode into the hall
before the king, & all [f. 103a.] men, that see him, lough at him and
[line 15] had goode gam & said, he was a noble fole, & then he spake
vnto the king & said, how he was a worthie knight & wold
serve noo king no prince, bot a certan counànt, "for," quod
he, "I am a full worthie knight & haue doon so wele in
many a lond, & yitt noo man knew me!" And they lough at
[line 20] him & thoght him a goode fole.

And then said he to the king: "Lagh not at me,"
quod he, "for as gay, as thou sittes, I haue seen the day,
that I haue made the seke euery corner of thy sadle & thy
bak bend, & thou, Capanius, also," quod he, "has ben full
[line 25] wery of thy part & felt myn handes a sevynnyght to gedre!"
& the king & the quene lough & had noble gam to gedre.
And then said he to the quene: "Laugh not at me, for I
*. [28 me] om. ms.]haue seen the day," quod he, "that thou hast lufed me par amours
full hote, that, & I had wold, par aventure the king might
[line 30] haue wered a cukwold hoode:" & euery man lough at him &
said, he was a passing goode fole.

And he answerd again and bad theim call him noo
fole, for, he said, of the wisest of theim all couth he make
a fole, "and therfore," quod he, "I hold you more foles than
[line 35] I!" And then asked he the king, if he wold withhold him
or noo, on such a couenant, as he wold make with him,
& the king graunted him, and then he said to the king:
"Syr," quod he, "I am a knight, that lufes wele travell in
armes, & therfor," quod he, "if ye woll graunt me the furst
[line 40] batell, that is asked you for any woman, I wolle beleve with
you, & elles noght, & if me list, I will go, do the batell, &
if me list not, I woll leve!" & euery man lough him at scorn.

And then come Kaenius, the styward, to the king &
said: "Syr. it will be well doon, to withhold him, for a fole
[line 45] among wise men oft doos mich eas!" And he said to Kae∣nius:
"Call thou me noo fole, for I haue seen that day,"
quod he, "that thou fond me noo fole, & that felt thou fourty
days after, bot I can not tell, where it was!" And Kaenius
lough at him & said, he said sothe, for there couth noo man tell
[line 50] where, ne him self neithre. And then the king graunt him
his asking, bot more for his foly, than for any manhod of him.

Page  352
Bot the wiseman saith, that many a man holdes an
othre for a fole, & is him self a more fole, than he. For
all this did he, for he wold not be known & for the luf of
the ladie, that he lufed so wele.

[line 5] And then, as the king and all thes lordes sat at mete,
come Eman in to the hall on hors bak, & noman with hire,
bot a dwarow. & she saluet the king & said, how the ladie
of Calabre, that was his nece, was distroyed & all hire lond
for euer more, bot if she had sone help & socoure of sum
[line 10] worthie knight. And the king asked, whoo it was, that
werred so on hire, & she said: "A giaunt of Inde maior, &
hight Leonyn, the which is likere a fende, than any othre
man, & therto so cruell & so fell, that it were inpossible
any man to withstond him, bot if it were sum worthie
[line 15] knight, that god wold of his grace send thidre, to help hire
in hire right, & therfor hire ladie sent hire thidre, to beseke
the king of his grace, that he wold vouchesave, to send hire
Capanius or sum othre worthie knight, to defend hire & save
hire life, "as ye, that be the worthiest king, that is in any
[line 20] lond, & has with you the floure of knighthode!"

And the king sat still all astouned a grete [f. 103b.] while, for
he saw, noo knight wold desire, to take the batell, & then
Eman made mich sorow & asked the king, if she shuld haue
any othre socoure there, than so, and said: "Waloway," quod
[line 25] she, "where is now Capanius? Were he here, yit hope I, he
wold take the batell for my ladie!"

And Ipomedon sat still & was wele payed, that he
saw, that noo knight wold take the batell, & ros vp in his
fole wyse & asked the king, if the graunt of a kinges mouth
[line 30] shuld not be hold ferme & stable, & the king said yea. "Syr
king," quod he, "ye wot wele & all thes lordes, that here
bene, that ye graunted me the furst batell, that was asked
you for any woman, & here is asked oon for the ladie of
Calabre, & I haue lufed hire many a day, & here is noman,
[line 35] that dare take the batell, & therfore I pray the, graunt it
me, for I will goo with this gentle woman & doo this batell
for my lady lufe!"

And the king might not withstond his graunt & bad
him goo, where he wold, & the king was right sory & said
[line 40] to Eman, that there was noon, that wold goo, & therfor
hire must goo elles where, for he might not help hire, & she
went hire way & made the most sorow, that might be.

And then Ipomedon went to his in & armed him wele
& leped vpon a goode stede & bad Tholomew goo prively
[line 45] with all his harneis be an othre way into Calabre & abide
him at the hermitage, & he rode his way and ouergate
Eman, & she see & bad hym turne agayn, & said, she wold
not haue noon armed fole in hire felawship, for she had noo
ioye of his folie. And then he answerd in his fole wise full
[line 50] couertly & said: "Faire mayde, ye wot wele, that I haue
long lufed youre ladie, & she me, & therfor it is right, that
I fight for hire!"

Page  353
And Emain rode furth, & he folowed all way after; so
they rode furth, to they come at a faire wele vndre a grene
tre, & there they light down, for to dyne, & the dwarow
come to Ipomedon & toke his stede & tied him, & he sat
[line 5] *. [5 way] ay auf rasur geschr. at] a ms.]still a litle way fro theim, & as they sat at dynner, the dwa∣row
praid Emain, to bid him come & sit with hire, bot she
wold not. "No," quod Ipomedon, "I haue seen the day, that
ye wold, & yit shall, althogh ye know me not now!" & then
the dwarow com euermore to him & broght him mete &
[line 10] served him.

Now this ilk giaunt, that wold haue this ladie, had
with him thre othre giauntz, of the which oon hight Maugis,
*. [13 & b. h.] that ms.]the which come to Leonyn & bad hym, whan he had his
ladie, that he wold gyfe him Emain, & he graunt him. And
[line 15] this Maugys had espied, that she was riden into Cecile, &
come forto mete hire homeward & fond hire there at dynner,
and when she se him, she was sore aferde, for he was likere
a fende than a man, & then Maugys said: "Damesell, I haue
lufed the many a day, & my lorde has gyven the to me, &
[line 20] therfore rise vp & come with me!" & Emain was full ferd
*. [21 vnnes ms.]& might vnnethes speke & said, certayn, she wold not goo with
him, & he sayd, she shuld, whedre she wold or noo.

And then Ipomedon thoght, it was tyme, & come to
the giaunt in his foll wise & bad him turn home agayne &
[line 25] aske sum othre reward of his lord, for of hire shuld he faile;
& Maugys beheld him & held him bot a fole & bad him: "Be
still, lewde fole!" [f. 104a.] And he withouten any more set his basinet
on his heid & withoute stirrop leped vpon his stede & toke
his spere only in his hond & said: "Or thou depart, thou
[line 30] shalt fynd me a knight & noo fole!" & there they faght to
gedre, & shortly Ipomedon scomfit him & toke him prisonere
& toke his stede fro him & gave him to the dwarow & gave
him the dwarow hors & bad him turn home agayne to his
lorde Leonyn: "& bid him kepe his day of batell, for he
[line 35] shal both fight for hire & fayle of hire!"

And he turned home evell betyn & said his message,
& Ipomedon come to the dwarow & gave him the stede, that
he wan of the giaunt, & the dwarow thanked him & told
Eman & said, certan, he was noo fole, bot he was a worthie
[line 40] knight, that wold not be known, and yit she wold not be∣leve
it, bot rode furth & toke noo hede to him, & so agayn
even the dwarow toke theire ins & ordant for Ipomedon as
wele as for Emain. And there were they all night & on the
morow rode furth on their way, till it was tyme to dyne;
[line 45] & when they come at a fare grene tree, then they light down
& dyned, & euer the dwarow served Ipomedon, & then Emain
was evel apaid, that he did so, & said, he was bot a fole &
had no more, than his hors & his harneis.

"No, god wot," quod the dwarow, "so it faires: a poer
[line 50] man for his pouert is noght set by, bot a richman, thogh he Page  354
be noght worth an haw, he shal be worshipped for his riches!"
& as they sat thus & spake, come an othre giaunt, that had
asked Leonyn, for to haue Emain, as that othre did before,
& come to venge Maugys, his fellow, & Emain was so ferd,
[line 5] she went nye woode. And this giaunt Creon bad Emain come
with him, for his lorde had graunt him hire.

And then come Ipomedon in his fole wise & said:
"Thou shalt haue hire, as thy fellow had yisterday!" & there
they faght to gedre wonder-long, bot at the last Ipomedon
[line 10] discomfit him & toke fro him his stede & send the giaunt
agayn to Leonyn & bad him say, on the same maner, as he
has served him & Maugys, so shuld he serve him euen before
his ladie.

And then Emain had mich mervell & see, that he
[line 15] faght so manfully & so wisely, & trowed wele, he was
noo fole, bot that he made him so, to kepe him vnknown, &
then, as they sat at dynner, Eman bad the dwarow call him
to come and ete with hire, & he se that & supposed, that
she had parceyved him, & said angrely in his fole wise: "I
[line 20] will not come at hire, for she wold slee me!" & then the
dwarow broght him mete & served him wele all way. & when
they had dyned, he gave Emain the stede, that he wan of
Creon & said: "Now may we ride fast all thre!" & rode
furth to agayns even, & then they harboured theim in an
[line 25] village, where theim must all thre ly in oon hous, & then
Emain made the dwarow vnarme hym & cast a mantle a∣boute
him, & he set him down by a fire, & Emain beheld him
& thoght him a wondre-semely man & had mervell of him,
& within a while she loved him so wele, that hire thoght,
[line 30] *. [30 him] om. ms.]she had levere haue had him, than all the world, & then
Emain cried him mercy & prayd him, to forgyve hire, that
she had trispassed [f. 104b.] vnto him, & he forgave it here.

And when they had sopped, they went to bed, &
Emain lay & compleyned hire & made the most sorow, that
[line 35] might be, and oon while wold she all gate goo to bed to
him & tell him, how she loued him, & an othre tyme she
bethoght hire, what folie was there in. & then she left; &
thus strofe she long with hire self, bot at the last shortly to
his bed she went & softlie laid hire arme ouer him & awoke
[line 40] him, & he in his fole wise toke hire hond & put to his mouth,
as thogh he wold haue biten it, & asked, whoo was there,
& bad him goo thens & let him haue his rest, & she cried
mercy & said: "It am I!" & told him shortlie, how she loued
him, & bot she had luf of him, hire must nedes be deid; &
[line 45] *. [45 and] And, unr. mit initiale beginnend.]he bad hire goo to bed, or elles he shuld ete hire, and if
she wold ought with him, tell him on the morow. & she
*. [47 they] om. ms.]went to bed agayn, & on the morow they went theire way and
at the tyme of the day light down by a forest side & went
to dynner, & there Emain praid Ipomedon, to dyne with hire,
[line 50] & as they sat at dynner, come the third giaunt, that was Page  355
Leonyn brothre, & wold haue Emain on the same maner, as
*. [2 bef.] danach & wold haue Emain, unr.]that othre did before, & hight Leaundiere.

And Ipomedon was ware of him & said, certan, he
shuld by on the same maner, that his fellows had doon before,
[line 5] or he had hire, and Leaundiere lough at him & bad him:
"Fole, be still!" & he said agayn, he was a more fole, than
he, to come thiddre for that thing, that he might not haue.
And then they faght to gedre long, bot shortly at the last
Ipomedon smote him thurgh all his harnes to the hert &
[line 10] slogh him, & then they went theire way, & a man, that come
with this giaunt, went & caried him to his brothre Leonyn.
And Emain & Ipomedon rode furth, till it was night, & har∣boured
theim in a village all night.

And when they were in bed, Eman had so mich sorow,
[line 15] that woundre was, & ros & come to the bed to him & cried
him mercy & said, certan, bot he wold haue mercy on hire
& luf hire, she must nedes be deid. And he see, that she
fore so, & thoght, to comforth hire for the tyme, & spake
easlie to hire and asked, who was there, & she said: "It am
[line 20] I, Emain, & if ye woll come with me into Burgoigne, truly,
ye shal wed me & be lord there!" & he thanked hire & said,
certayn, he had vndretaken the batell & that must him nedes
doo: "Bot an othre tyme, whan ye know, what I am, I shal
doo so to you, that ye shall hold you pleised!" And Emain
[line 25] supposed then, that he was noo fole, & kist him & yede
agayn to hire awn bed, & on the morow they ros & went
theire way. And Ipomedon said to Eman: "Goo ye," quod
he, "youre way home & say to youre ladie, that there is
comen a fole & wolle take the batell for hire!" And Emain
[line 30] went home & told hire ladie, how she had doon & how the
fole discomfit Maugys & Creon, & how he slough Leaundrere,
& how he wold doo the batell for hire; & then made she
mich sorow & made ordayn shippes & did vitell theim, for
she wold goo stele a way prively be night. And then come
[line 35] Ipomedon to the hermitage & armed him all in blak & come
to the place, there the batell shuld be, & there was [f. 105a.] the giaunt
all in blak, as Ipomedon was, more like a fende than any
cristen man.

And then come the ladie to the castell wall & see the
[line 40] giaunt & Ipomedon both & asked Emain, if that were he,
that come with hire, & she know him wele enugh, bot she said,
it was not he. And then Ipomedon roode to the giaunt &
asked, why he come thiddre, & the giaunt said, for he wold
haue the ladie. And Ipomedon said, that he had better right
[line 45] to hire, than he, & that wold he make goode on him as a
knight, & there the giaunt & he roode to gedre & foght
wondre-long, that all men had mervell, that any man might
endure the strokes, that the giaunt gave, & he defend him
agayn allway & put the giaunt at the ware so long,
[line 50] that wondre was, till it happened, that Ipomedon bare the Page  356
*. [1 com] om. ms.]giaunt, hors & man, to erth, & the giaunt com vp on his fete
& slough Ipomedon hors vndre him, and then they faght both
on fete so long, that noithre might no more, bot yede both on
sondre, to rest theim.

[line 5] And then the giaunt bad Ipomedon yelde him to him:
"For I wote wele," quod he, "thou art wake & werie & may
not endure, to fight with me!"

"Noo," quod Ipomedon, "thogh I be wake & werie,
god is mightie & strong enugh, to help me in my right, for
[line 10] thou art fals," quod he, "& fightes in a fals quarell, & I
am redie, to defend it in my right!" & then they went to
gedre agayn, so long, that euery man had mervell, that they
might endure.

Bot the giaunt was euer so strong & so fressh, & at
[line 15] the last the giaunt gave Ipomedon such a stroke, that wel∣nye
had he slayn him & hurt him sore; & Ipomedon felt,
that he was hurt, & bled fast, and toke the ring of on his
fyngre, that his modre gave him, & laid the stoone to the
wound, & anoon the bloode staunched.

[line 20] And then the giaunt bad him: "Yelde the," quod he,
"to me, & I shal save thy live, for now I see, thou may noo
more defend the!" & Ipomedon said, nay, for soth, he wold
yelde him neuer to man, bot to god, for leuer him were, to
die vnyolden with worship, than to be yolden & lif in shame
[line 25] *. [25 he] I ms.]euer aftre, for yit, he said, he trust in god, to make a
goode ende of the batell, that he had begon.

And then Ipomedon faght more fresshlie, than he did
all the day to fore, & at the last Ipomedon gave him such
*. [29 crown] c corr. aus t.]a stroke, that he smote of his basinet & all the crown of
[line 30] his heid to the harns. And then said Ipomedon: "AA haa,"
quod he, "now has thou a crowne: thou maist say, thou hast
taken ordres, for thou hast scorned me all day by a wounde,
that I haue, bot now hast thou oon, that thou shalt neuer
covere!" & he said, that was soth, & yold him to him & prayd
[line 35] him, to save his life, as he, that was the worthiest knight
of all the world.

"For in soith," quod he, "there is noo man ne giaunt,
that euer discomfit such foure giauntz, as thou hast doone
of Maugys, Creon, Leaundrere & me, and therfor," quod he,
[line 40] "the ladie of Calabre may wele save hire avow & take the
to hire husbond for the worthiest knight of the world!" And
then Ipomedon graunt him his life & bad him fast goo oute
of that lond and leyve there styll his tent standing in the
felde, & he did soo, & then come Tholomew and broght
[line 45] Ipomedon a goode stede.

Bot the ladie ne noon of thos, that were in the castell,
wist not, whedre was discomfit, the giaunt [f. 105b.] or the blak knight,
because they were both in blak.

And then Ipomedon wold not yitt, that they had wist,
[line 50] that the giaunt was discomfit, for he had thoght, to goon
prively vnknown, as he come, & then rode he to the giauntz Page  357
*. [1 he wold] who ms.]tent & set oute a banner of the giauntz, as he wold say:
"I am the giaunt & haue won the ladie & discomfit the blak
knight!" & then rode he to the castell wall & saw the ladie
stand there and said: "Ladie, now haue I won you & dis∣comfit
[line 5] youre knight, & therfor make you redie, to go with
me in to Inde!" And then he rode agayn into his tent, &
the ladie herd that, & then she swoned & made the most
sorow, that might be, & ordant hire certan men & women,
& went down by a posterne to the cee-side & went to ship,
[line 10] & went theire way, for hire was leuer, to go to the cee &
lond, where as god wold, than to come to Leonyn, the giaunt.
And then Ipomedon went to the tent & laid him down, to
rest hym.

Now, that tyme, that Emayn was in Cecile for a
[line 15] knight, then was not Capanius at home, bot whan he come
home & wist, that Emain had ben there, & how such a fole
was with hire, he made mich sorow, for he trowed wele,
that it was Ipomedon, & then he ordant him V hundreth
knightes & went into Calabre, to discomfit the giaunt. And
[line 20] as he come in Calabre by the cee side, he se the ship, where
the ladie of Calabre was in, and bekened theim, to come
toward the land, to speke with him; & they supposed, that
it had bene the giaunt, & made mich sorow.

Bot Capanius spake vnto theim & asked, what they
[line 25] were, & they answerd and said, how it was the ladie of
Calabre, & was fled & durst no lenger abide in hire lond.
And Capanius called hire to him & bad hire be not ferde,
for he was comen, to helpe hire. And then she told Capanius,
how there come a giaunt & had distroied hire lond, & how
[line 30] there come a fole oute of Cecile with Emayn & toke the
*. [31 he] om. ms.]batell, & how noble he faght & how he was discomfit at
the last.

And then said Capanius, certan, he was noo fole, bot
he trowed, that he was oon, that cald him the quene luf,
[line 35] that wan the degre at the turnament, for he said, certan,
there was not so worthie a knight in the world ne that couth
kepe him so privey vnknown, & then made he the ladie a
certan menye abide still there, and he roode furth to the
place, there as the batell was. And when he come there,
[line 40] he met Ipomedon all in blak & on a blak stede & asked,
what he was, & he said: "I hight Leonyn & has here won
the ladie of this land!" And Capanius said, he shuld fight
for hire, or he had hire. And there faght Ipomedon & Ca∣panius
long to gedre, bot Ipomedon was sore wounded before
[line 45] of the giaunt, that it was wondre, that he might endure, to
stond on his fete.

Bot there faght he with Capanius so long, that they
were bothe right wery, that welny they might noo more, and
at the last Capanius gave Ipomedon such a stroke, that his Page  358
swerd & his glove flew of on his hond, and Capanius se the
ring on his fynger & knew it wele enugh and praid him
for the womans luf, that he lufed best, to tell him, where
he had that ring. And he said, his modre gave it him that
[line 5] day, that she died. And he asked, whoo was his modre.
And Ipomedon said, the quene of Poill . . . . . .