A royal historie of the excellent knight Generides. Ed. from the unique ms. of John Tollemache ... by Frederick J. Furnivall. Roxburghe club.

CHAPTER XX.

Here Generides bringeth King Gwynan̄ to the Soudon̄ forto be at oon̄ with him for euer; And sucħ Assuraunce was made or thei departed.

LIsteneth nov of the Soudon̄ [Fol. 149] [col. 1.] [The Sowdon tells his daughter Cla∣rionas] That wist not hou thes gāmes wer gon̄. On the next day in the mornyng He went and told his dremyng [ 9432] [that he dreamt] Vnto [Clarionas] his doghtre dere; "Doghtre," he seid, "wil ye here? To-night I met that [Generides] [that Generides fought Gwynan and beat him,] Faght with Gwynan doutles, [ 9436] And him ouercome so nere That he cast him in a Riuer; Tho Gwynan held his hondes on hie, And mercy began̄ forto crie; [ 9440] [Generides] had of him pitie, [but Generides took pity on him.] And drogħ him vp, as thoght me. Wondre me thinketh, bi heuen king, [The Sowdon won∣ders that they hear no tidings of Ge∣nerides.] But we here of him tithing; [ 9444] For myn̄ hert euer telleth me He is not fer from this contre." His doghtre herd this daliaunce, And told hir dremyng thurgh chaun̄ce, [ 9448] "Me thoght he com from ynde to Perse;" And thus here thoghtes thei can reherse. The ladie that him bi the wey met, [The lady Goffare comes to him,] She cam̄ to the Soudon̄, she had forget; [ 9452]

She seid, "my lord, I crie you mercy, [and says that she had forgotten the message of a strange knight of Surre (Generides) to him.] For euel forgeten me haue I. I met a knight with feir meigne— Whan I come into this contre— [ 9456] Armed, on a good stede riding, Axing aftre Gwynan the king, To you recommaunding him speciallie, And seid he wold see you hastilie, [ 9460] And that as sone as euer he might; But he told not what he hight, But of Surre he seid he was." That word vndrestoode [Clarionas]; [ 9464] [Clarionas knows who it was.] Who it was she knew wel; She held hir pes thoo som del. [Generides] and king Gwynan̄ [Generides and Gwynan] Twoo dais wer at Mount Parsan̄, [ 9468] And aftre went with here meigne [come to Mountha∣nar,] To Mounthanar, that feire Citie; Segryne thei made messenger; [and send Segryne to the Sowdon] The Soudon for this was mery of chere. [ 9472] Whan Segryne thes tithinges broght, Vnto [Clarionas] to goo he thoght; [and Clarionas,] Into hir chambre he cam rennyng, Goode tithinges to hir bringing, [ 9476] "That Gwynan̄ the king and [Generides] [with tidings of the peace.] Wer wel accorded in loue and pes, And the king home ageyn̄ shuld wende, Al the werre was broght to ende, [ 9480] And that hir lord was in the contree." "Where is [Generides]?" than̄ seid she. [Clarionas asks] "Ma dame," he seid, "at Mount Parsan̄ [Fol. 149] [col. 2.] I left him and king Gwynan̄." [ 9484] "Shal he," seid she, "oght come here?" [whether Generides is coming to her.] "Ma dame, therof he made no chere

Hidre to come As at this tide, ["No," says Se∣gryne, "he must go to Ynde."] For into Ynde nedes must he ride, [ 9488] His oste there forto glade." Thoo began hir colour to fade, And Segryne than turned fro [[MS. for.]] hir [Segryne then tells the Sowdon to go to meet Generides in the forest,] Vnto the Soudon, and seid, "Sir, [ 9492] Al to long we dwel here, We must hast vs on al manere; [Generides] in the forest vs bideth, And sithen into Ynde he ridetħ." [ 9496] Al this spake Segryne there Openlie amonges hem that ther were [Clarionas] therwith to greve, For she was of so mysbeleve. [ 9500] The Soudon̄ rode forth thoo present, [and the Sowdon starts.] Many knightes and squiers with him went. This ladie thoo was ful of care, [Clarionas is full of woe,] She swoned and gan mys to fare; [ 9504] Vnto Mirabel pleyint she made, And Mirabel tho gan hir glade, "Ma dame," she seid, "his condicion it is [but Mirabel says that Segryne has only been teasing her,] To awreke him on you I-wis; [ 9508] Vpon myn heid, bold dar I bene, Or oght long ye shal him seen̄." [and she shall soon see Generides.] "Trow ye so?" seid [Clarionas] "Yea," she seid, "bi seint Thomas." [ 9512] The Soudon to [Generides] cam, [The Sowdon meets Generides,] And aithir othir in armes nam̄. Aftir that come Gwynan the king Without ony more dwelling; [ 9516] Both the king and the Soudon̄ There thei wer made at oon̄, [makes friends with Gwynan,] And sworn̄ brethren̄ hem betwen̄ For euer more in loue to ben̄. [ 9520]

The king toke leue At the Soudon̄ [and Gwynan takes leave of him.] And hasted him home to goon̄, The Soudon him in armes cagħt, And kissed him, and to god him betaght. [ 9524] [Generides] of the Soudon̄ thoo [Generides takes leave too,] Toke his leue, and wold goo; "To Ynde," he seid, "he must him spede, To comfort his folk in here nede." [ 9528] Somdel sory the Soudon was, And seid, "shal ye not se [Clarionas] [but the Sowdon asks him to see Clarionas first.] Nor speke with hir whil ye ar so nigh?" "Sir," he seid, "I haue grete high, [ 9532] ["No," says Gene∣rides, "I must go back to Ynde; but I will return soon."] Toward Ynde I most nede, Ageyn to you I shal me spede, I shal hir see in short day, Recommaund me as goodeli as ye may, [ 9536] And trusteth wel, bi god aboue, Othre than hir shal I neuer loue;" [Fol. 149b] [col. 1.] Thus he departed from hem than̄. Both he and king Gwynan̄ [ 9540] [He and Gwynan ride off,] Rode to-gedre a myle and more, Than thei departed and wept sore. [separate,] [Generides] seid to his meignee, "Goo logge you at the yondre Citie: [ 9544] To Mounthanar Segryne and I Most nede goo sekirlie." Be than thei cam, it was night; [and then Generides goes back to] Aftre soper anoon rigħt [ 9548] [Generides] went furth aloone; Thurgh the gardin gan̄ he goonē To [Clarionas] chambre window; [Clarionas's win∣dow,] Ful wel the wey did he know. [ 9552] Whan he com̄ there, herken he gan̄, He herd the voice of a woman̄ [and hears her]

Pitouslie making hir pleint, [lamenting over his cold love.] "Whi loue gan to wax so feint, [ 9556] Whan my lord was in this contre And wold not ōōnes speke with me." Whan̄ he herd hir pleyn soo, Than abode he mich woo, [ 9560] For than wist he wel it was His ovn ladie [Clarionas]; For verrey pitie in swonyng he feł, [At this he swoons away,] And in his falling, shortlie to teł, [ 9564] He made thoo a rewful crie; [crying piteously,] But his ladie was so sorie [but Clarionas doesn't hear him.] That of him she toke no kepe. With that Mirabel at oones lepe [ 9568] [Mirabel does,] To the window to wete what That made so grete noyse therat; The window she gan vndow [aloone], [Generides] she perceyved soone, [Or is soone miswritten for some word rhyming with vndow ?] [ 9572] [sees him,] There liyng; she gan him know; She gan to cal somdele low, "Ay [Clarionas], come hidreward!" [Clarionas] in hir peyne is hard. [ 9576] "Ma dame," she seid, "arise vp now, [and calls Clarionas.] [Generides] lieth here in a swow; At your window lieth this man̄." Vp she stert at oones than̄, [ 9580] And to the wyndow in hast went; [Generides] hir in armes hent, [Generides catches her in his arms,] Hertlie ecħ othir kist [kisses her,] Or ony word speke hem list: [ 9584] Than thei begon̄ here talking; She seid, "[Generides] myn ovn lording, [and she asks him whether he was really going away without speaking to her.] Wold ye haue goon from this contre And not haue spoken oones with me?" [ 9588]

"Trewlie, dere hert," he seid, "nay, ["No, dear heart; but it was very naughty of you to believe I had mar∣ried some one else,] But for that ye this othre day Supposed in me sucħ variyng Whan it was told you of my wedding; [ 9592] But if ye had found vntrouth in me [Fol. 149b] [col. 2.] Ye shuld not haue demed that parde; For verray wrath I thoght thoo, [and so I thought I'd teaze you when my turn came;] If I might my tyme come too, [ 9596] To wrath you if that a litle wight Mi purpos was, if that I might. Now In hast I most to Ynde, [but I must go back at once to Ynde,] Elles my worship wer behinde; [ 9600] Mi felows think for me ful long Til I be come hem among; Of Amalekes treason euer I drede, To hast me therfor it is grete nede; [ 9604] Whan I haue sped my Iourney I wil come to you, trust verilie." [and I will soon come back."] [Clarionas] wel vndrestoode That his reason̄ was trew and goode, [ 9608] But neuer-the-les she was woo To depart so sone him froo; She graunted him thoo his wil, [Clarionas takes him into her cham∣ber,] Into hir chambre she toke him stil [ 9612] That noman but thei thre wist: There thei halsed and thei kist, [loves and kisses him,] Thei drew to mirth and al plesaunce And left al wanton Acqueyntaunce; [ 9616] Al that night til the dawnyng [and (doing nothing wrong) he spends all the night with her.] He abode with his derling. In the mornyng departed he thoo; [Next morning he starts for Ynde.] Than̄ was hir hert ful woo, [ 9620] But it might noon othre be; He hasted furth on his Iourne.