The romans of Partenay, or of Lusignen: otherwise known as the tale of Melusine: tr. from the French of La Coudrette (before 1500 A. D.) Formerly edited from a unique manuscript in the library of Trinity college, Cambridge, with an introduction, notes, and glossarial index, and now rev. by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat ...

Where it shall behoue nightes to wacche thre [ 4607] [Fol. 89] As ho which off hir demaunde A yifte wold, [Whoever wishes to ask a boon of her must watch there three nights, and he shall have it;] And what he desire I-graunted shall be; The firste demaunde demaundith ther haue shold. But not hir body desire haue ne holde; [ 4611] Off it Melior loke he noght require, [but he must not ask for herself.] Neither by no meene hir not desire. [ 4613]

NO knight wake ne shold but of hye birth were; And ho-so do slepe in tho nightes thre [But if he yield to somnolency, he shall be her pri∣soner for ever.] (Wher lytell or moche) in sampnolence there, Alway perpetuall there abide shall he In the paleis with melior the fre [ 4618] As prisonere in prison alway: [Such is the gift I give her.] Such gifte I hir giffe As this tyme dysplay. [ 4620]

PAlatine [The A being indistinct, it looks like "Prllatine;" see l. 5049.] the yongeste suster tho was, [ 4621] [Palestine, the youngest, shall have this destiny:] So named and called was at that day; To whom I desteined to purchas Such A maner gyfte As I you shall say: That in coinqs [Very indistinct.] the hy montain ay, [ 4625] [she shall dwell in a very high mountain, where men's hearts fail them,] Where failled hert haue men full many, Ensuffering full ofte ryght gret misery, [ 4627]

Ther to warde and kepe hir faders tresoure; [ 4628] [and shall there guard her father's treasure, till a knight of our lineage comes and takes it by force,] Enduryng hir life, in that place to be, Till som approche and come, of linage our, To that hy montain by fors and strenght he To ascende an-hye Aboue the hill to see, [ 4632] [and afterwards conquers Pales∣tine, the land of promise.] The tresour caste oute, and after shall conquere The lande of promission by hys powere. [ 4634]

Tho was the monte of whom we speke and say [ 4635] [Fol. 89 b.] Sette in Arrigon of trouth verily, [In the margin—Palestine yn a castell yn aragon.] , [This mountain is situated in Arra∣gon.] Which that is a thing knowen well be may. This presine to hyr doughters thre surely, Which were full hable and ryght faire to ey, [ 4639] [Thus Presine avenged herself on her three daughters,] On thaim the moder auenged that brayd, By the maner that Aboue is saide, [ 4641]

FOr ther fader helmas king of renon, [ 4642] [Because they shut up their father Helmas in the mountain in Avalon.] That thay enclosyd by ther wrong derain With-in the montain ther of Aualon; For by my faith I loued þat souerain, [For I (Presine) loved him heartily though he sinned against me."] how-be-it þat he misdede me Again; [ 4646] Off feith and of trouth I loued hym hertly With all the sprites of my body." [ 4648]

Ryght thus was And went the scripture saing; [ 4649] [Such was the writing on the tablet.] And when Gaffray, uaillant man and wurthy, Had radde thys tablet, he moch meruelling; [After reading it Geoffrey greatly wondered whether he was of Pre∣sine's lineage or not.] But yut he knew noght uerray certainly, But santred and doubted uerryly [ 4653] Wher on was or no of this saide linage. Fro-thens went Gaffray with full fers corage, [ 4655]

Inly faste cerching als both low and hy, [ 4656] [Passing thence he searches for Grimold every∣where,] Where that Grimold in Any place finde myght; So thens departed passyng ouer lightly. Al the wais toke and sought thys huge wight, Grimold myght not fynde ne of hym haue syght. Streight Aforn hym A fair feld gan behold, [and at last sees a fair field with a tower in it.] Ther perceyuyng A square tour, A strong hold.

The gate saw open, the barreres [MS. "barrores."] undo; [ 4663] [Fol. 90] Into the hous Gaffray went Anon, [The gate being open he enters and sees a number of prisoners be∣hind a great lattice;] Stifly And bigly his spere holdyng tho. In a gret latise be-held manyon, Al prisoneres where in warde thai echon. [ 4667] Of hym wondred And merueled strongly, [they warn him off,] And on of thaim said, "go hens ful quikly! [ 4669]

I Concell you," said, "depart hens Anon [ 4670] [lest the giant should destroy him.] That this huge Geant in no wise you se;

Or in-to som hole go, uoyding his person, Or with the Geant distroed shall ye be!" Gaffray laughed; after demaunded he, [ 4674] [But he laughs, and asks where the giant can be found,] Which on his necke bare A spere full grete, Iff that the Geant he myght funde or gette, [ 4676]

With hym thought to fight, hys purpos uerily. [ 4677] [for he is come to fight him. One of the pris∣oners again warns him to go,] On of thaim hym said, "se hym shall Anon, And I beleue ye will it sore aby iff he you se, for strong is of person; To deth will you put forsothe er ye gon." [ 4681] Gaffray to hym said, "my ryght full suete frende, [but Geoffrey tells him not to fear,] haue ye no drede but of your-selfe at end; [ 4683]

Alone shall I bere the strokes And dedes, [ 4684] [as he can fight the giant alone.] For Alone I haue take this enterprise." yn the same moment, places, and stede [Just then the giant came up, and, perceiving Geoffrey, fled into a chamber hastily,] Gaffray with long toth the Geant gan auise, That iuged was to deth, wel gan aduertise. [ 4688] he strongly ther fled As he myght goodly, A chambre perceiued, in went rabbishly, [ 4690]

THe dore after drew; Gaffray gan it sse, [ 4691] [Fol. 90 b.] After sped Apace, yrously being; [and drew the door after him.] Smiting hastyli, the dore gan vp fle, [But Geoffrey follows, and bursts the door open with a kick, and enters.] With þat stroke the dorn ["dore" (?).] Withe the sole of fote was he tho smiting. [ 4695] Into chambre-floure the doure made fle lightly; For all barred was, entred he wightly. [ 4697]

A [s]quare maillet the Geant gan hold; [ 4698] [The giant smites Geoffrey with a mallet, and would have slain him, but for his helmet.] Vppon Gaffray hed ther-with yaf wightly. With that stroke he was stoned manyfold; Ne had hys helmet [MS. "helyet." Fr. text, heaulme.] be full strong and myghty,

Gaffray had he slain, so caused to dy. [ 4702] And yut not-for-that Gaffray tombled there. [Geoffrey falls, but rises again,] Anon releuing in wighty manere, [ 4704]

THen hym saide Gaffray, "of the haue full fair, [ 4705] [and says, "I re∣ceived then a fair stroke, and now I will repay it."] But Anon I shall yilde it unto the, With my swerde the teere, not will make retrair." Gaffray drew hys swerd, harde well ground to se, [Drawing back he lunges at him, driving the sword through him up to the hilt.] Withe the bakke went, so harde the Geant smote he, Gaffray his good swerd so put thorugh hym tho, Thorugh the breste the crosse was it unto; [ 4711]

Fro part in-to part hym perced ouer all. [ 4712] [Then fell the giant who had so often made men thralls.] The Geant to grounde our-torned tho, Which so ofte had made many men full thrall. No-thyng was he wurth, right noght myght he do, Where cursedly had don with his maillet soo. [ 4716] A meruelus cry vp he cast þat stound, [He cast up a marvellous cry, and all the tower sounded.] All the toure souned when he fill to ground. [ 4718]

THys Geant tho fall to mortal deth colde [ 4719] [Fol. 91] With that mighty stroke Gaffray hym yeuyng. Gaffray drew hys swerde ther oute fro Grimold, [Then Geoffrey drew his sword out of Grimold, and put it in the scabbard.] Into hys scaberge Again hym puttyng. Ther ryght no lenger wold he be byding, [ 4723] To the prisoneres fro-thens Anon went, [Then he went to the prisoners,] And to demaunde thaim was full diligent [ 4725]

IF of Norbelande thei were As was told, [ 4726] [and asked if they came from North∣umberland, and why they were in prison.] And what maner thyng gain hym hade misdo, And wherfor in preson he tham gan hold. Anon on said, "for trewage was it tho [They said it was because they had not paid the giant] That the gret Geant yeuen had vnto; [ 4730]

The which, sir, is noght yut hym paid no wyse, [the tribute they owed him.] Wherfor this now bide All his tirandise." [ 4732]

GAffray Answered, "ioyous And glad be, [ 4733] ["Rejoice then," said Geoffrey, "for ye are struck out of his papers,] Now Full merily demene you Amonge, For of his paupires strike oute plain be ye! Here hym haue I slain And put to dethe stronge; [and I have ac∣quitted you of your tribute by killing him."] Neuer shall he you At no day do wrong. [ 4737] Of trouth mortall deth haue I put hym to, your trewage haue I now here aquitte so." [ 4739]

WHen thes nouels hurde, ioyous therof were; [ 4740] [Then they were glad and asked Geoffrey to let them out.] Gaffray thay besought thaim deliuer oute. He Answering said, "do shall my powere." Tho cerched, enquered, And went Aboute, [So Geoffrey searched till he found the keys, and coming to the 200 prisoners,] Till the keys Founde with-out any doute. [ 4744] And when he thaim had resorted Again, Where too hundert were And mo in certain, [ 4746]

THe lateis unshitte where-in prisoned were, [ 4747] [Fol. 91 b.] Presently thaim al gaf he leue to go. [undid the lattice, and gave them leave to go.] Fro-thens issued thay with gladsom chere, That nouelles pleased and greed well to That escape shold thys painfull prison fro. [ 4751] Into the chambre Gaffray tho thaim lade [Geoffrey leads them to the chamber where lies the giant.] To se this Geant dede and cold ther had. [ 4753]

Euery man hym blissed of Gaffray, [ 4754] Ther meruellyng gretly of this auenture, [All wonder how Geoffrey could kill this monster, of so "unfitting" a stature.] Hym to haue in such herdinesse Alway To assail such A hiduous creature Off so wonderfull unfittyng stature, [ 4758] Thys gret monstre, huge, large, and cruell, Which so meruelous was, felenous and fell. [ 4760]

Euery man blissid, euery man said [ 4761] [They all said they had never seen such a man] That neuer such a man ther dais gan se.

To thaim saing Gaffray, "hire me now þis braide, [in all their days.] Here now ye Barons acquitail haue by me; [Geoffrey tells them they now owe the giant nothing,] Vnto this Geant no more owe shall ye. [ 4765] Full moch good hath within thys dongon; Barons, you it yeue into your bandone, [ 4767]

And all that is here you it gyffe frely, [ 4768] [but that they may carry away all the treasures they can find, for he would have nothing for himself.] Both gold and hauour here, all that his wace. hit reioys and take, for noght haue will I; here you will commaunde to our lordes grace, Take all þat here is in this tour and place. [ 4772] To tary or byde certes will noght here, To labour will go in place ellyswhere; [ 4774]

LEnger will noght bide, dwelle, ne tary." [ 4775] [Fol. 92] "your mercy and grace," thai to hym gan say, [They thank him greatly,] "So it myght you please off your courtessy, Euery of us you beseke and pray [and ask him how he came there, where no one dared come for the giant.] Wherby ye come in to say us your way, [ 4779] Where for the Geant non durste make entre, That dede and recreant here lith now may see."

There Gaffray thaim declared all and told. [ 4782] [Geoffrey tells them,] When thay had hym hurde, on said hym vnto, "Neuer fro this Roche issued man so bold [and they all say that no man so bold ever issued from the rock, except the giant and his anteces∣sors,] Excepte this Geant ligging ded here, lo! And his cruell antecessoures also, [ 4786] By whom to greuous torment put we be; Exiled and wasted haue thai our contre, [ 4788]

BOth tho gret and small haue thay had in hate; [ 4789] [who had slain 400 knights.] Distroed also all that thai finde might,

Foure houndred haue slain, preuyng well þis date. Now our sorow ye haue vnto an ende dight, And Als put to end the fary work ryght. [ 4793] [They said too that they would accompany him till he found his own people.] With you shall retorn, going vppon way, Till that your peple approche and fynde may."

THes Barouns thaim made tho full redy [ 4796] [Then they set the giant's body up upon a cart,] To put this Geant ther a carte uppon; An-hy hym dressed As for to cary, Neuer saw man to sightes uision So gret As was this Geant enuiron, [ 4800] Euery man blessed that hym gan se; [to which it was fast bound and attached.] Well bounde and tacked to that carte was he. [ 4802]

Thorugh the contre went, hym carying; [ 4803] [Fol. 92 b.] Wherouer thai rode and passid full faste. [Wherever they went all men marvelled at the monster,] Of this said monstre al men merueling, Wherof the peple Abasshed and agast. Forsoth euery man blissed thaim in haste [ 4807] [and blessed the hour when Geoffrey came there.] The hour that Gaffray ariued at þat coste, That thaim deliuerd of this cursed goste. [ 4809]

GAffray conueed to his peple that houre, [ 4810] huge honour and gold hym ther presenting; And full humbly gan do hym ther honour, [They would gladly have made Geoffrey their king,] So As for ther lorde thai hym holding, For passed And dede was their noble king. [ 4814] But he wold no wise lenger ther sogourn̄, [but he would in no wise longer sojourn there.] But to lusignen wold he tho retourn̄. [ 4816]

Off ther huge honour wold he take no-thyng, [ 4817] Retourn̄ wold ther-thens without bode any. Gaffray, which no man [MS. "noman."] neuer was doubtyng, [Then he leapt upon his courser,] Vppon his coursere anon lepte lightly As he which was both doubty and wurthy. [ 4821]

"Adieu," tho he said, "Adieu you commaund, [and bade the barons adieu.] ye noble Barons present of Norbeland, [ 4823]

TO you leue the warde of this contre." [ 4824] Fro-thens deperted, semyng ther to longe, [Then he and his people galloped fast till they came to the sea.] With hym his peple ridyng As shold be. Ther rode A gret stour, waloping ful stronge, Till to se cam; A barge gan he to fonge, [ 4828] [There he took ship, desiring to see his father and Melusine.] Desiryng to se his fader of blode, And Melusine his gentile moder goode. [ 4830]

HE taried noght, sailled And rowed soo, [ 4831] [Fol. 93] That he approched Guerrand tho full ny; [The wind was good and he soon came to port.] The winde was good, he strongly sailled tho, That in litell while to port cam surely. And when Gaffray had hauyn ueryly, [ 4835] [Then he disem∣barked and ar∣rived at Lusignan that same night.] Anon A-land he descended ryght, And ther Ariued certes þat same night. [ 4837]

All the wordle anon wenten hym Again, [ 4838] [All the world came to meet him, and Raymond with the rest.] Men, wemen, children, of ech side moste and leste; The Barons fested this hy souerain, hys fader Raymounde vnto hym cam preste. Gaffray hym salute As man moste vmbleste, [ 4842] [Geoffrey salutes him humbly, embraces and kisses him.] Wightly Anon hym Gaffray gan enbrace, Neuer at more ease of hert he ne wace; [ 4844]

His uisage and mouth ther gan he to kisse. [ 4845] Into a chambre both thai made entre, [Then they entered a chamber and talked together.] Wherof many thinges spake thai, I-wisse, Many tales told ther Gaffray the fre, [Geoffrey told his father many tales, and next he is told how he had caused the loss of his mother.] And Raymound to hym that in mynde wold be [ 4849] hou hys moder lost he had and lete. With malicious wreth Gaffray gan suete; [ 4851]

Well Auised hym it was for his syne [ 4852] [He knew it was for his sin in burning the abbey of Maillezais.] That his fader had wrethed heuyly so, By monkes he hade stroyed maillers yn; With flammes of fire thaim bruled and brend to, An hundred ther were in that minstre tho. [ 4856] Then on the tablet hys thought & mynde gan draw, [Then he remem∣bers the tablet he saw in the mount∣ain of Avalon,] Which in the montain of Aualon saw, [ 4858]

Fro wurde to wurde al thorughly in hert be ["he" (?).] rad [ 4859] [Fol. 93 b.] Vppon the tombe of noble king helmas. [upon the tomb of king Helmas.] Tho knew he Full well where melusine was hade [Then he knew that Melusine must be Helmas' daughter.] Doughter to the kyng which lay in þat place, And that helmas, this noble kyng, wace [ 4863] Fader to Melusine his moder good; Where-vppon he thought long while he ther stoode.

When he vnderstode, knowing it clerely, [ 4866] [When he knew that Raymond had been tempted by the earl of Forest,] hou that [MS. "thai."] Raymounde his noble fader tho By erle of foreste his brother naturally Toward Melusine had made diffautte so, With An hautain uois Gaffray said, wold go, [ 4870] [he sware an oath that he would go and kill him.] (Wher-to he swere full fast his gret oth), That shortly he wold distroy hym for soth. [ 4872]

SO fro-thens with wreth Gaffray partid then, [ 4873] [Away he goes with ten chosen knights,] his fader [MS. "brother;" Fr. text, pere.] his parte went right heuily, With full wurthy noble knightes ten, Stronge, hable, and light, men sad and myghty, Tho ten wurth well other knightes twenty; [ 4877] [who were worth twenty others, and the result was this:] here you shal declare by fortone hou gan fal. Gaffray so strongly ther rode forth with-all, [ 4879]

SO on way faste sped, so forth low and hy, [ 4880] [they rode till they came to the castle where the earl was;] That he approched the erledome vnto Off the forest, where was this Erle wurthy, Which in a castell abiding [MS. "obiding."] was tho. Gaffray to that parte drew hym fast to goo [ 4884] [then Geoffrey entered that fort] Where the Erle shold haue ill hansell anon, In-to thys said strenght entred his person, [ 4886]

Within he entred vnware sodenly, [ 4887] [Fol. 94] Off no creature perceiued at all. [suddenly and unperceived.] With full yrous wreth Gaffray meued hy, [Moved with wrath he neither saluted any nor spake,] He salute non, ne spake to gret ne small, But discended don̄ A-forn the gret hall, [ 4891] The grees Ascended, many to accounte, [but ascended the steps of the great hall,] hys uncle the Erle ther, named Fromounte, [In the margin—geffre kyld hys v[nkull] erle of foreste.] [ 4893]

Enmyddes his peple hym ther gan find, [ 4894] [and found his uncle Fromont there amongst his people.] Which were full noble And ryght gentile to, Wice, sage, And wele taught As any to mynde. Gaffray As wode man drawing his swerd tho, [Drawing his sword, he declares him a traitor,] Ther crying, "traitor, thy lif lost And goo! [ 4898] By thy neclygens my moder haue loste!" Thys Erle it hurde, his blode gon almoste, [ 4900]

HIs mortall deth saw; being in such fray, [ 4901] [and terrified his uncle, who fled away in great trouble.] Gaffray he doubted in hert that instaunce, Knowyng well by hym tho wurdes gan say Wherof Gaffray had to hert such noysaunce. Fro-thens he fly with huge comeraunce. [ 4905] Neuer-for-neuer stode he in such drede, [Never had he been so frightened; he entered the tower] The tour entred, the dore founde ope in dede,

THe grees Ascended ryght so As he myght; [ 4908] [and ascended the steps.] But so gan noght do As his hert tho wold; [But Geoffrey hastened after him,] For After hasted Gaffray As man wight,

Which pursued hym, chausing to that hold, [pursuing him so fast that the earl had to flee alone;] Strongly hym sewed And sharply manyfold, [ 4912] Openly after other gan to fle; With hym had the Erle non of hys mayne [ 4914]

As man that so was gentile ne so goode [ 4915] [Fol. 94 b.] Which with hym fro-thens in no wyse wold go; [for all ran down the steps as if they were mad;] The grees descended, fered as were woode, Eche hym-selfe to saue in best wise cowd tho, Ther liffes to saue Gaffray criing vnto. [ 4919] For fere of taking full faste thay fle, [being greatly afraid of being caught.] Thay sore doubted lest taking shold be. [ 4921]

GAffray fly After thys Erle hastily, [ 4922] Sweryng that he shold dy ther with gret shame. The Erle Ascended into this tour quickly, [Thus the earl ran up into the tower and got to the top as soon as he could. Geoffrey sware that he would not spare him.] As sone As he myght to hiest stage came. Gaffray swere his oth, for linage ne fame, [ 4926] Wold spare hym to slay, lif take fro his gost, Syn his moder good by hym so hath loste. [ 4928]

FOr drede the Erle swatte And sore trembled tho [In extreme terror the earl leapt up to a window and,] When that he saw, brefly vnto say, That by no men[e] myght ferther passe ne go. At A fenestre lepte in that affray Vppon the hedde, failling foote that day; [ 4933] [missing his foot∣ing, fell on his head upon the rock.] Fro that place glint þat full hy tho was, Don vppon the Roch A fall gan purchas. [ 4935]

In that point was he mis[c]heuosly dede [ 4936] [Thus this earl of Forest died by his own folly,] With dolorous wo And full heuy shame, Thys Erle of foreste in said place and stede. Alas! by hys owne gret folay it came,

hys peple [MS. "pepll."] hauyng hug sorow and grame. [ 4940] [and Geoffrey caused his body to be buried,] The body Gaffray made vnto entere; After do made cryes in ech stede awhere, [ 4942]

As vnto the Erle beforn had thay do, [ 4943] [Fol. 95] To Raymounde his brother in like wise homage, [and proclaimed his own brother Raymond the lord of Forest.] All enheritors of the contre tho. And As thaim had said Gaffray the sage, Euery accorded vnto his langage. [ 4947] Ther Gaffray wold noght lenger to sogourn̄, [This done, he returned to Lu∣signan,] To-ward lusignen faste gan he retourn̄, [ 4949]

In shorte and bref tyme parted fro that place. [ 4950] Vnto lusignen entred, fast ridyng, [and soon came to his father, who was sore lamenting the earl's death.] Where his gud fader tho dolorous was, Which full heuily was ther waymenting For that noght unknow, (full sor lamenting), [ 4954] How hys brother distroyed was þat day; [Raymond ex∣claims,] Raymound said, "of it gret dolour haue may,

An my wife haue lost, exile my contre, [ 4957] ["All is due to my sin and vice:] By my cruell sin And my wicked vice; Iesu crist, my soull warde and kepe to the, Fro [MS. "For."] thys worle me will put by good auice, [I will quit the world and its fame, and make a pil∣grimage to the holy Apostle at Rome,] Neuer seke no-thyng to conquere franchise. [ 4961] To confesse my syn wandre shall and goo, With good hert shall say the hole Postell to [ 4963]

Off Rome, that lyon men do name and call, [ 4964] [whom men call Leo.] After, so god will, chese shall my dwellyng, Recluse and shit vp in strange contre shall, [I will then be∣come a recluse in a strange country,] In which stede will not be know for no thyng. In that place shall I my life be using [ 4968] In deuoute prayers And in orison, [and spend my life in prayer."] All vnto acquire my sauacion." [ 4970]

Ryght As Raymounde hym sore complayned, [lo!] [Fol. 95 b.] In plaintes, wepinges, he bathed was; [Geoffrey, alight∣ing from horse∣back, tarried not at the dismount∣ing stone,] And when that Gaffray was descendid tho, At the perron longe bode not in þat place, At castell finding hys fader by grace. [ 4975] [but sought his father and craved his pardon,] But hys moder noght founde, ne saw with ey, Wherefor to hys fader cried mercy, [ 4977]

With hert sore contrite therof repenting [ 4978] [bitterly repenting his wickedness.] Off that he had don so moche wickednesse. On knees mercy ther hym faste crying, Raymounde sore wepte with eyes bitternesse: ["It needs not," said Raymond, "to mourn longer: you cannot bring your mother back again,] "Hyt nedith noght," said, "more haue pensifnesse, I know well that ye by no mene this day your moder recouer certes ye ne may. [ 4984]

I can noght," he said, "werke ne labour soo [ 4985] [nor can I restore the dead to life.] As tho mortall ded ther lif to surrend. The Abbay and mynstre fourge and make most, lo! [You must rebuild the abbey which you burnt in your folly."] Which fair place ye haue distroid and shend. An hundred monkes with-in also brend [ 4989] By your meruelous And wondre corage, As by your folay and full gret outrage." [ 4991]

GAffray Answerd, "sire, I shall it doo [ 4992] [Geoffrey promises to do so.] Within ryght bref tyme, so our lord please may." Then Raymound hym hild in hert content tho; "More fairer shall be then Aforn was ay;" [Raymond says, "It should be built up so as to be fairer than before;] Raymound hym said, "appere will it alway [ 4996] That which ye will do men full well shall se, Perceyued to ey, knowen well will bee. [ 4998]

HEre will you leue, to good ende come may. [ 4999] [Fol. 96] A litell way me moste go in pilgrimage, [but I must leave you now,]

Which promysed haue god aforn this day, [for I go on a pil∣grimage.] Put ther-to haue both hert, wyll, and corage, My contre you shall leue, warde it as the sage; [ 5003] [You shall guard the country and take care of your youngest brother.] Non other will I of it haue the garde. your yongest broder wyll loke þat ye warde, [ 5005]

PArtenay hym gif with thes castelles echon [ 5006] [Give him Parthe∣nay, Vouvant, Aiglon, and Mer∣vent,] Off vavuent, Ayglon, And also Meruent, He thaim to hold in hys subieccion In pees without contradiccion hent; [and all the country as far as Rochelle;] Anon to Rochel [MS. "Rachel."] my wife wold so went. [ 5010] For gretly of hym she gan speke and say, [for so Melusine gave direction."] That contre he shold iustice alway. [ 5012]

I Hym make my proper enheritour, [ 5013] For yut shall he be wurthy terrenly." Gaffray Answered, "I grant to will you, [Geoffrey pro∣mises to do so,] Alway your plesur shall I do surely, Full well shall I warde my brother Thierry; [ 5017] [and tells his father he need not fear its not being done.] In that doubte ye noght, in no maner point, Sin ye me commaunde, gree to such a ioynt." [ 5019]

RAymounde his ui[a]ge Full faste made redy, [ 5020] [Raymond, all being made ready for his journey, sets off.] When he redy was, taried ne reste; Of uitaill and wyn toke sufficiantly, [MS. "sufficiantily."] Al hys peple commaunded to god prest. At the departson sughed sore in breste. [ 5024] Hys leue gan he take with amyable loue fine, [He takes leave of his people and goes to Rome.] Towarde Rome hys way hild he streight As lyne.

GAffray and Thierry suettly on the way [ 5027] [Fol. 96 b.] long space and tyme thare fader conueing; [Geoffrey and Thierry go with their father; and, on the road, Geoffrey relates] In ther forth-progresse told and said Gaffray, hou that good helmas the full noble kyng

Within the Roch founde, wher non durst be commyng [how he found good king Helmas within the rock,] Enlesse he were strong, wurthy, wyse, and sage, And that issued oute of hys linage; [ 5033]

TOlde where the tombe was pight and sette truly [and how he had seen Helmas' tomb,] Vppon thes riche and gret pilours of gold; Of presine told he also veryly, [and Presine's image in ala∣baster,] Hou she portraed was in being, told; At foote of helmas tombe hir figure vnfold [ 5038] Of Alebastre compassed and made; [and the tablet which her hand held.] And of the tablet that she hild and had; [ 5040]

ANd then all that hurde Aboue haue ye. [ 5041] Raymounde reioyed hys wife doughter was [Raymond rejoiced to hear Melusine was of such high descent, and seemed in his joy a foot taller.] Off syre helmas, king which Gaffray gan se, And of presine, the courtois, full of grace; For gladnes A foote [MS. "Afoote."] in hithe gan purchace. [ 5045] After declaryng went by witty engine [Afterwards Geof∣frey tells about Presine's gifts] All the gyfftes that ther gaf presine [ 5047]

Unto Melior and to Melusine, [ 5048] [to Melior, Melu∣sine, and Palatine,] And to palatine, wemen of fayree; [MS. "fayrer."] And, As men Affermeth by scripture fine, [and how Presine loved Helmas dearly.] That Aboue all helmas louid hyly Presine, aboue wrete verray perfectly. [ 5052] When that Gaffray had All thes thynges said, [Raymond again rejoices.] Raymounde hertly glade reioyng that braide, [ 5054]

That Gaffray gan hire voluntarily. [ 5055] [Fol. 97] After thes sones too hym conueyng, [Thus his two sons brought him on his way,] With hym vppon way went full merily. At nyght when thai cam vnto ther loging, [and bring him at night to his lodging.] Hys sones of hym the morn̄ leue taking, [ 5059]

To-geders kissed at the parting leue, [Next morn they take their leave,] And so the mornyng departed in breue. [ 5061]

RAymounde ther Fader sped hym on hys way; [ 5062] [and there was great weeping on both sides.] Ther no creature but watry teeres shad; The Fader wepte, the sones Als that day, Euery of thaim in misery had, Raymound thens went; Gaffray Terry with hym lad, [ 5066] [Then Geoffrey and Thierry went back;] Thay retorned to Approche ther home, And the Fader went streight forth vnto Rome. [and Raymond went on to Rome.]

Ryght thys departed ther wais thes thre, [ 5069] Ther-thens to lusignen went Gaffray. [In the margin—geffrey lord of lusygnen & terry lord of [partenay.]] . [Geoffrey went to Lusignan, and Thierry to Partenay. A description of Thierry.] To partenay went Terry that contre, yonge, lusty, ioly, inly fresh And gay, Hardy, myghty, fers, entrepreignant ay, [ 5073] To ladies swete was amyable, huge of body, wel formed As man able. [ 5075]

MAny were ther noght with hym to compare, [ 5076] [The good quali∣ties of Thierry are here enumer∣ated.] For he was An in beuteuous fair knyght; Strong, myghty, wourthy, And light to declare, And off All peplle douted was he ryght; Neuer put A-bake, manly was of myght; [ 5080] A notable man was he of corage, A good werriour, subtile, wise, And sage. [ 5082]

DOubted of all, wher by [MS. "wherby."] fors, were, or wit, [ 5083] [Fol. 97 b.] Euery man obbeid hym lowly In all hys marches, where wrong or ryght were it. In noble Bretain gan he to mary, [In the margin—terre maryd a lady of bretayn.] , [Thierry married a lady of high degree, who came from Britain, and who was very wealthy.] Affyed and sured to A gret lady, [ 5087] Which discended was of ryght hy lynage, And als she hauyng full huge heritage. [ 5089]

TErry seignoried A full large contre, [ 5090] [From Thierry descended the line of Parthenay,] Hattyd of no man; of hym gan issew Of pertenay the lyne of verite, [a line which is still distinguished for virtue,] As in this history doth to ensew, Which hyly regneth yut in huge vertew; [ 5094] God wold such heires of tham shold come That the line noght faill to the day of dome! [ 5096]

Ryght As declared And sayd Melusine [ 5097] [according to Melusine's pre∣diction.] That the said line shold haue long endurance, And that thay shold do good dedes and fine; And so haue thay done wel to rememberaunce In many placis, wherof reste I this instaunce; [ 5101] Ouer long wold be to declare and tell, [It were tedious to relate all their great deeds.] Ther wurthy dedes vnto say or spell. [ 5103]

GAffray tho made Aboute for to sende, [ 5104] [Geoffrey sent everywhere for masons,] Masons of iche sid come with-out delay; He rought noght what theron shold dispend, For in thought wold restore the Abbay [who rebuilt the abbey of Mail∣lezais which he had burnt.] Off Maillers, that was brend þat oder day. [ 5108] Off euery part masons ther comyng, Ther wages well paid, content þaim holdyng. [ 5110]

FOurged and made was in A somer tide [ 5111] [Fol. 98] More fairer then euer it was before, [It was rebuilt so as to be fairer than before:] Off whom men speken, talking large and wide, Hym ofte mocking And saing euermore, [so that men mar∣velled, and said that Geoffrey had become a monk after all!] "Gaffrey is become A monke for all hys lore, [ 5115] Neuer trowed man for to se that houre A wolfe to become An herdly pastour!" [ 5117]

I leue shall Gaffray; of hys fader say, [ 5118] [I return to Ray∣mond, who confessed all his sins] Which to Rome to the holy fader came Hys confession to declare alway;

In conclusion spared for no shame, [in full to the pope,] Neuer no-thyng hid, but all gan proclame. [ 5122] The holy fader wondred on that he told, [who wondered at the strange things he told him,] Off tho merueles that ther gan vnfold. [MS. "vnfuld."] [ 5124]

Wherefor shold I hold long tale this instaunce? [ 5125] For his synnes gaff penaunce full sharpely. [and appointed Raymond a penance,] Raymound ther it toke to right gret plesaunce, Promittyng he wold do it full gladly [which he pro∣mised to perform before returning to Poitiers.] Or he entre wold in peyters suerly. [ 5129] To hys holy fader said with all his hert, And that thens wold go in-to som desert, [ 5131]

SO in wild exile all hys lif using [ 5132] [He undertakes to live a hermit's life for Melusine's sake,] For fair Melusine his loue, wife, and spouse, In many somers And winters being, Which that he hath lost by dedes shameuous, And serpent become wondre hiduous: [ 5136] Sayng, neuer wold hir put in oblyuy [saying that he would never forget her,] Ne in that contre neuer entre surely, [ 5138]

NEuer-For-neuer in hys life no day, [ 5139] [Fol. 98 b.] Where hys suete loue loste by hys owne speche; [nor return to the place where he lost her.] Which in oblyuy with hym be ne may. This holy fader gan pray and beseche [He craves the pope's pardon;] That of his illes he wold be hys leche. [ 5143] The pope, that time named and called lyon, [and Pope Leo, accordingly,] Said to hym, "where is your deuocion [ 5145]

FOr to go and do ioyned pennaunce?" [ 5146] [asks him where he thinks of going to.] Raymound Answered as man deboner, "At Montfarrant bide is my hole plesaunce, [Raymond answers, "To Montserrat in Arragon,] Ther become hermite with-out any retrayr, To goddis honour And seruice repair. [ 5150]

For elleswhere can I noght me hold, [where there is fair sojourning."] Full fair sogernyng ther is, me is tolde. [ 5152]

There is A deuoute solitary place." [ 5153] "Go [MS. "So." Fr. text, Alez y done.] where plese may our sacred lord an-hy, [Leo bids him go;] That your sauacion ye may purchace," This lion the pope said to hym suetly. In bref terme Raymound parted thens truly, [ 5157] [and Raymond sets off, soon coming to Toulouse,] So strongly he rode, passyng forth the way, That within Thoulouse cam without delay. [ 5159]

Full moche peple Again hym tho went; [ 5160] He ther yeuyng leue to hys mayne plain, [where he bids adieu to his men,] Ech satefied with goodes sufficient; With hym A prest had, An honest chapelain, [sending them all home except a yeoman and a chaplain.] A yeman also for hys owne demain. [ 5164] More had ne toke at that entreuall, Ther unto our lord commaunded hys men all; [At the bottom of the page is the catchword—"Hermites Robes full."]

HErmites Robes full faste lete doo make, [ 5167] [Fol. 99] In Arrygon toke hys logge and repair. [Next he has her∣mit's robes made, and goes to Arragon, and so becomes a hermit at Montserrat.] At the Mont-sarrat manson gan to take, yilding hym hermyte As man debonair, God to serue with orisons and [MS. "and and."] praiers fair; [ 5171] Properly to take for hys heritage his byding in this wild montain sauage. [ 5173]

WIth hym hys yeman And full noble prest [ 5174] [His yeoman and chaplain lived with him there,] In this hermitage toke habitacion, With full greabill hertis in ther breste, Ther being in sore huge affliccion [and thus Ray∣mond forsook the world,] long time and space with good deuocyon̄. [ 5178]

The worle all forsoke at that houred stound, [and lived there devoutly] And full deuoutly liued ther Raymound [ 5180]

TIll ende approched, to mortall deth went. [ 5181] [till his death.] But dais thre aforn full well perceuyng [Three days before his death, the serpent was seen going round Lusignan;] Aboute lusignen to vew the serpent, Where lande and rent Aforn̄ was renonsing; Whom moch peple ofte haue be seing; [ 5185] [so that more than twenty, who had well heard Melusine say] To knowliche nombred mo then twenty That of Melusine will hurde say truly— [ 5187]

The time and ceason departing thaim fro— [ 5188] [that she would thus appear,] That when the castell change ther lordes shold, Aforne wold she appere to sight, lo! Thre days aboute thys said castell wold Off fair lusignen, full beuteuous hold. [ 5192] Wherefor many sain in ther willd reuell, [know that they are soon to have a new lord.] "After appArens, shall haue A lord nouell." [ 5194]

GAffray tho lorde of this said castell, [ 5195] [Fol. 99 b.] Which so fair was, and lord of contre; [Geoffrey was then lord of the castle, and held it in peace.] That hy honour and seignory full well Pesibilly in pece it hold gan he. Tho fro Thoulouse made baronage & mayne [ 5199] [Then came to him the barons whom Raymond had dismissed,] That Raymound with hym lad when to Rome went; Excepte yeman and preste all home he sent. [ 5201]

Thai vnto Gaffray declared and told, [ 5202] [and told him how his father was now a hermit and had sent them home.] The trouth and verite said thay outerly, hou his fader an hermite was and hold, And hou fro tham departed wilfully, And hou his goodes parted gentilly. [ 5206] [Geoffrey sends for his brother, and, leaving Lusignan in his charge,] Gaffray vnderstode, hys brother after send, All contre to hym gan he recommend. [ 5208]

FRo-thens departed, with hym peple few, [ 5209] [departs for Rome,] Gaffray the corteis, gentile and connyng. [MS. "comyng."] lenger wold not bide, toke hys leue by rew, hasted to complesh his dedes doing. [to accomplish all he had to do.] Mistre ne nede non more be declaryng, [ 5213] But to tary time and long wold it be [It were long to tell all.] Euery thyng to put in hys certainte. [ 5215]

Unto the pope cam, And hym gan confesse [ 5216] [He confessed to the pope,] With gret repentaunce full deuoutly; Off his synny cr[i]me lefte [MS. "lefte." Fr. text, laissa.] not more ne lesse, Full dolerus was and repentant truly [and was very penitent for the wickedness he had done in his youth.] Off his wickednesse don̄ consentyngly, [ 5220] And þat he had don̄ in his youthnesse soo, With sore hert contrite all confessed thoo [ 5222]

PRoperly all that in conscience finde myght. [ 5223] [Fol. 100] The pope asso[i]led hym ther benyngly, [The pope assoiled him, and charged him to rebuild the abbey of Mail∣lezais,] When declared hade hys dedes vnperfight. To fourge the abbey charged hym gretly Off Maillers without tarying any, [ 5227] Such pennaunce charged hym his synnes fore, [and fill it with monks to the number of 120,] With monkes it stuffe, montance of sex score;

With rentes endowing to haue brede and wyne, [ 5230] [and so to endow the abbey that they should never lack bread or wine.] That lacke and faill non winter ne somer tide To wat necessite or nede to incline. Again the abbay to forge loke prouide, That distroed haue And disherite wide. [ 5234] Gaffray answerd, "sir, I shall do all, [Geoffrey promises to do this,] The minstre and churche appareill shall [ 5236]

BEtter than euer Appered to eye; [ 5237] [and says it is begun already.] For sothe she hath A good commencement."

"yut the churche ye haue stroed wickedly; [The pope again charges him,] Agan it to make ye moste be deligent." "Sir, carpenters, masons, yiftes shall hent, [ 5241] [and he promises to obey.] Ther state shall remitte to our lordes grace; More fairer shall be then euer it wace." [ 5243]

"THys reson," said the holy fader at ende, [ 5244] [The pope tells him he is in danger for his brother's soul, because he burnt him;] "For your brother soule ye be in danger That ye crusedly [Sic in MS.] bruled so and brende When thys mynstre and schurch destroed there. And yf ye of your fader luste enquere, [ 5248] At mont-sarrat finde shall þat man of fame, [and that he would find his father at Montserrat.] Which noght long Agon̄ toward vs he came, [ 5250]

HErmite is become, holy lif leding." [ 5251] [Fol. 100 b.] Gaffray vnderstode, with eyes wepte sore; Off pope [This word is intentionally struck through.] leue toke, to monte-sarrat going, [Geoffrey sets off for Montserrat, and soon finds the highway to it. He then ascends the mountain, and finds Ray∣mond.] Strongly rode apace besily euermore, Till the regiat way founde hym before, [ 5255] But Anon As he app[r]oched the montain, Vp went he an-hy, finding Raymound plain, [ 5257]

HIs blissed fayder which hurde hym Anon. [ 5258] When hys sone he saw, gretly reioying. [Raymond is glad to see him, but bids him go home again.] After Raymounde wold haue departson, But gaffray no wise wold be deperting, But said, ther wold bide the worle enduryng, [ 5262] [Geoffrey refuses to return,] And that go wold quite fro the heritage And fro All hys baron[e]s homage. [ 5264]

GAffray was ther foure or fiffe dais tho, [ 5265] [and insists on staying four or five days;] hys fader myght noght hym do torn no wise, But ther wold dwell hys life vsing also;

But when hys fader will gan aduertise, [MS. "aduerfite."] [but at last con∣sents to return, and takes leave of his father.] Thens to lusignen drew by good auise [ 5269] When of fader had leue take full lowly, Ne lenger sogern ther wold noght truly. [ 5271]

When of lusignen the faire Cite hent, [ 5272] [Returning to Lusignan he calls his barons together,] After the Barons send he full wyghtly, Which cam Anon at hys commaundement. As sone As thay thes wurdes hurde truly, homage gan thay do to hym full humbly, [ 5276] [who humbly do him homage as their lord.] holdyng hym ther lord moste souerain þat houre To full huge ioy and ryght grett honour. [ 5278]

Then Maillers f[o]urged and made new again, [ 5279] [Fol. 101] The said Abbay, [MS. "Ablay."] beforn gan vndo. [He then rebuilds the abbey he destroyed, and establishes there 120 monks,] Ther sex score monkes astabled certain, Ennobling the place ryght wonderly tho, huge lande and rychesse endowing therto; [ 5283] [endowing the abbey richly,] Wher night and day monkes pray for þis lord, For Melusine and Raymound of recorde. [ 5285]

Thay haue of ryght full grett encheson, [ 5286] [and making rich grants to it.] He mortesing goodes fuson and plente. Within prossesse uisete hys fader anon, [In course of time he visited Raymond;] And gentilly hym quite at þat assemble. Raymounde leuyng longe; when to ende nyhed he, [for, when the time of Ray∣mond's death drew near,] That the soule moste yelde being spirituall, (As well lordes gret as tho being small), [ 5292]

RAymounde to our lorde his soule ther yilding, [ 5293] [Geoffrey remained at home no longer,] Gaffray no lenger tary wolde ne bide. For when hys fader dede was ther saing,

Vnto mont-sarrat made progresse þat tide, [but came to the abbey of Mont∣serrat to provide for his father's burial,] hys fadres sepulture for to prouyde; [ 5297] Entered in Abbay of the monte-Serrat, That place augmented passingly þat dat, [ 5299]

And rentid gretly to the house encresse. [ 5300] [and made grants to that abbey also.] he was he, (you say verray certainly), That euer ther was moste chef of goodnesse; hit is thing þat man may know full lyghtly; Ryght well his deuor Gaffray gan do surely. [ 5304] [Geoffrey did his duty at Mont∣serrat, and then returned to Lusignan.] That don̄, retorned the mont-Serrat fro, le[n]ger wold noght bide, to lusignen went tho.

TErry was notable And a full good knight, [ 5307] [Fol. 101 b.] A wurthy man, A iusticere full grett, [Thierry reigned at Partenay long and justly, and did fair deeds.] And regned after pusantly of myght. At partenay long huge wurship gett, Fair dedes gan doo in his time full sett, [ 5311] In pees hys contre haldyng full manly, [None durst break his hests, but obeyed him.] Non durste hys heste breke, but to hym apply.

OEdes regned in the marches tho; [ 5314] [Oedes (Eudes) reigned sagely in the marches.] Sagilly hym ruled to intelligens; In hys tyme full grett goodnesse gan he doo. In Cipres regned noble vriens, [Uriens reigned in Cyprus, and warred against the Saracens his neighbours.] The Sarisins werred by huge uiolens, [ 5318] (Ny neybours were) put thaim to distruccion, And off thaim made full gret occision̄. [ 5320]

GVy regned and was king of hermeny; [ 5321] [Guy was king of Armenia.] Full nobly ther lade both lande and contre; hys hoires makyng werre times many [His heirs warred against the Saracens, who sorely dreaded them.] Vppon Sarrisins which misbeleued be Vntill þat thay were recreant to see. [ 5325] Ther had no sarisin but full sore þam drad, [MS. "draw."] So theim chastising ther will noght ne had. [ 5327]

And Raynold also, off BrehAigne kyng, [ 5328] [Raynold was king of Brehaigne (Bohemia).] hys leuyng regned ryght full pusantly. After hys hoires semblably werkyng, [His heirs reigned after him.] Regnyng after hym As men full myghty, And welle ther contre gouerned dayly. [ 5332] Anthony, the Duke of lusembrough tho, [Anthony was duke of Luxem∣burg,] Many townes toke And Bourghes also; [ 5334]

ANd tho which of tham discended liniall [ 5335] [Fol. 102] In ther tyme full fair dedes gan to do, [and his heirs did fair deeds.] As well tho grette As tho litell and small. Raymound full cherisly was hold also, [Raymond was earl of Forest, and was much beloved.] The full nobill Erle of the Foreste tho. [ 5339] Thes moche conquered of sondry regyons, And thay were of gret possessyons. [ 5341]

Off thes brethren after ther hoires were [ 5342] [Thus all these brethren bare them well, and prospered;] In many places of grett wurthinesse, And all thes bretherin full well gan tham bere, Huge contre conqueryng by ther myghtinesse, [all except Horrible, who had been smothered, and Fromont, who had been burnt.] Excepte horrible, distroed was expresse, [ 5346] And Fromont which brennyng gan purchas, Which welle wold haue do, but distroed was. [ 5348]

Off Raymounde issued All tho Aboue [MS. "Aboute."] saide; [ 5349] [All these were descended from Raymond, and bare his arms.] Ther issue cries make, and ther armes bere; And yut the Cipriens at ech houred braid Alwais crying "lusignen!" awhere, [To this day the Cyprians use "Lusignan" as a war-cry.] And will whiles the worle will endure here. [ 5353] Thay were good knightes, waillant & worthy, Entrepreignant and assaillyng many. [ 5355]

The full noble Erle of thaim gan discend, [ 5356] [The earl of Pem∣broke in England was also of this line;] Off panebourght in Englande enheritour, Which gret contre and lande hym sende.

In Arrigon, tho of cambrere honour [In the margin—erle of penbrok.] [as also the lords of Cambron (?) in Arragon.] Off the firste line were discended that houre, [ 5360] And thay cam and issued veryly; Off helmas hoires off Albany [ 5362]

Issued thys line, Melusine tham bare. [ 5363] [Fol. 102 b.] Fromount ther brother at mallers brend was, [But Fromont was buried at Mail∣lezais,] And ther beried, the trouth to declare. Gaffray the gentill lith in that place [where also lies Geoffrey under a stone tomb.] In a tombe of stone portraed the space. [ 5367] Off noble Gaffray reste me now here shall, [Here ends this part of the ro∣mance.] And say of hermynè the kynge roiall. [ 5369]

A Fair castell is hade in hermynè, [ 5370] [Here begins the romance of the Sparrow-hawk Castle in Great Armenia;] Which tho off Fairy both fourged & made. In hermeny the gret is it uerily, As in this history told is and hade. The Sperhauke castell named is and rad, [ 5374] Where it behouith to wacche nightes thre [where knights had to keep awake three nights,] Without Any sompnolent slepe to be. [ 5376]

And ho accomplesh in þat place it may, [ 5377] [and whoever did so might ask a boon of the lady Melior,] A yifte may demaunde and it haue he shall Such As hym luste to demaunde all-way, So demaunde noght hir body corporall [provided that he did not ask for her love.] Which dwellith within, thys lady roiall. [ 5381] Auise hym ryght wele hir no wise desire, For it Aualith noght hyr for to require. [ 5383]

And in sompnolence be founde thyng any, [ 5384] [If the watcher went to sleep, he became her prisoner there for ever.] Ther finabilly For euer ther shall dwell, With thys fair lady ther fortake ueryly, Which gret loos and prys hath she soth to tell; That Melior was called fair and welle, [ 5388] [Melior was the lady's name, daughter of Pre∣sine.] Doughter to Presine of the fairy lande, As thys hystory doth vs vnderstande. [ 5390]

IN hermeny hade tho a mighty king, [ 5391] [Fol. 103] A fair knight, long, streight, lusty of colour, [There was then a mighty king in Armenia, a fair knight,] With tendre youth was he hote being, And als was of full worshipfull ualour. he said wacche wold he nightes thre or foure [ 5395] [who undertook to watch three nights at Sparrow-hawk Castle,] At the myghty hold of Sperhauke castell, For men had hym told off this strenght nouell.

And As for to wake ther behouyd he [ 5398] [intending after∣wards to demand a boon.] Which the yiff[t] [Fr. text, le don.] conquere of uarray fors shold, Ther he said A wold wacche full nightes thre [So he did, but afterwards re∣pented of his rashness.] And after A yifte ther demaunde he wold; So gane [MS. "gain," altered to "gane."] he do, repenting his hert bold. [ 5402] Anon mad his way Full prest and redy, [He therefore departed,] Fro-thens departed with-out rest Any, [ 5404]

SAing that he wold unto thys wacche goo, [ 5405] [declaring that if he found the lady Melior fair, he would ask for no∣thing but herself.] That notable yifte conquere if he myght. So if thys lady saw plesaunt, fair hym to, Non other yift wold desire hym to dyght. But for noght hys thought, folay was it ryght, [ 5409] [Such was his foolish resolve.] For thys lady haue myght not thys man fell For spouse ne for loue; what nedith more to tell?

IN hert this knight risen so hasted and rood; [ 5412] [Thus came he thither on St. John's day,] When ny approched and to sperhauke came In seint Iohn his night, taried ne boode, To body therof had grett ioy and game. In obliuy noght hys pauilon of fame; [ 5416] [and having re∣membered to bring his tent, pitched it there in the meadow.] Pight And streight was it in the medew tho. Armyly parted all hys peple fro [ 5418]

Thys corteys, gentile, and thys noble knight, [ 5419] [Fol. 103 b.] The porte and gate cam [to] of this castell, [Then came he to the castle-gate,]

In hys hand halding A pece of flesh dight, [holding a piece of flesh to feed the sparrow-hawk.] Wherwith the sperhauke thought to feed full wele. In this castell saw on go, soth to tell, [ 5423] A man clothed white, semyng of visage [There saw he an old man, clothed in white,] That he was to sight full ferre ron in age; [ 5425]

Ther hym demaunding wat thyng þat he sought. [ 5426] [who asked him what he sought,] he hym Answered, "thys here demaunde I, The coustome of this noble place wrought." he said, "come ye, of goddes part an-hy! In the way of it then shall you put surely [ 5430] [and next offered to show him the way.] Where ye shall finde this solain auenture, Full strang vnto sight of ech creature." [ 5432]

Thys good man before, after went this king, [ 5433] [Then they mount∣ed the steps and entered the hall.] Ascending vp hy ther the greës all, Fro the hall went more hyer in going. Full moch merueled thys hy kyng roiall [The king marvel∣led much at the wealth he saw there,] Off the grete richesse apperyng in hall, [ 5437] And of the noblesse that in stedes founde, Gretly commaundid the sightes þat stound. [ 5439]

The Sperhauke at perche to sight displaid, [ 5440] [and perceived the sparrow-hawk on his perch.] Which beuteuous, fair, huge, and gentile was. Thys full wurthy man Aforn ther hym said, "kyng, vnderstand me here a litel space, [Then said the old man, "King, you must here watch this sparrow-hawk for three days and nights.] Without slepe ye most here wak in this place [ 5444] Thys sperhauke thre days & nyghtes thre; And ye mow noght, Alway here byde moste ye.

Iff that terme ye wake and þat ye slepe noght, [ 5447] [Fol. 104] What-so ye demaunde, of trouth haue shal ye, [If you succeed, you may ask a boon, demanding any earthly thing save lady Melior's body."] Off erthly thinges but not celest wrought, Excepte the body of thys lady fre;

For gold ne siluer hir haue may not be." [ 5451] The king said, "wold wake without sompnolence, [The king said he would watch,] To fede thys sperhauke do my deligence." [ 5453]

The kyng toke to wake, And said auise wold [ 5454] What gift wold demaunde After nightes thre. Ill concell he toke, such yift demaund shold, [but he took ill counsel with him∣self.] Whereof il Guerdon therof haue shal he. Thys good man parted, the king bood Iupardè, [ 5458] [Then the old man departed.] Wher tho his behold put ententifly To the riche noblesse that he saw with ey. [ 5460]

That day waked he And also the night, [ 5461] [The king watched all that day and that night, feed∣ing the sparrow-hawk.] In gentile disporte to hertys plesaunce. He ther slepte no slepe, manly waked ryght, The sperhauke sagely fede by gouernaunce, A repaste hym yaf wel to conysaunce. [ 5465] Off vitaill and wines saw he gret fusion, [Seeing also plenty of food and wine,] Which tho was had in this garnyson. [ 5467]

His refection gan resceiue and take [ 5468] [he took a repast of what pleased him.] Ther of hy and bas at his owne deuise. The morne, all day full well gan to wake [Next day, he again watched all day and all night; and the third morning again fed the bird. Seeing a door open,] And all night; the morn fed þe hauke in best wyse, Hyt pleased and gladded [MS. "gladdes."] hertes franchise. [ 5472] A dore saw open all behinde hys bake, Pertly entred in; of nobles ther no lacke. [ 5474]

HE neuer beforne saw so huge richesse, [ 5475] [Fol. 104 b.] Wherin vnto sight briddes were many, [he entered an∣other chamber, which was full of birds, painted in vermilion.] Whi[c]h uermaill [MS. "mermaill." Fr. text, vermeillon.] colour peynted were expresse; The chambir peynted, portraed [MS. "portared."] freshly Aboute the walles with fine gold to ey; [ 5479]

Figured knightis were enuironee, [The portraits were there of many knights,] With ther Armes peynted as thai shold be [ 5481]

To that resembling thes figures were. [ 5482] Vnder ther names wrete with letters blake, [and under each was written the name of each,] Where the scripture said right in thys manere; In such A yere such on here gan to wake, [with the date of his undertaking the adventure, and how he failed,] But he slepte and in sompnolence was take; [ 5486] here of-fors he moste byding take and dwell As vs to honour and for to serue well; [ 5488]

Where-hens thay shull noght depart veryly [ 5489] [and had to remain there till the day of Judgment.] Fro [MS. "For."] thys vnto the day of Iugement. Thre places ther were appering to ey [There were also three places where were seen three coats-of-arms,] In thys chambre, had full conuenient, (Wherto euery man myght his sight hent), [ 5493] A certain Armes, And such A scripture Vnder writen was fresly, be ye sure, [ 5495]

Where this scripture said full meruelously, [ 5496] [and beneath each was written the date when each of the knights under∣took the adventure and succeeded.] (In thys castell here wrete with letters blake), In such yere such on, the which his god hy Caused and made well plainly for to wake [ 5499] Our noble Sperhauke without sompnolence take; Hys gift therfor had by full gret prudence, And by hys good notable diligence. [ 5502]

Allso thys chambre well depeynted was [ 5503] [Fol. 105] Fro foote of wallure the ouise vnto, [The walls of the chamber were painted from top to bottom.] Which deuided [A mis-translation; see Note.] nacions hy and bas And thes estrange regions all[-so]. Full uaillant and wurthy were thys men tho, [ 5507] [These three knights were valiant, and did not go to sleep.] Which noght ne went to sompnolent sleping, But myghtyly And pusantly were waking, [ 5509]

ANd the giftes all therof bare Away. [ 5510] Thys king in muses ther was full strongly [The king mused on these things till he almost slept;] In the noblesse of this castell alway, That almost he slepte, but not A-slepe fully, For Alway waked he full besily. [ 5514] Ther vnto deuise Anon toke the use [then fearing lest he should do so, retreated.] hou he myght well ouermoche to muse; [ 5516]

Ther-thens departed he full opinly. [ 5517] That night worthily wacched hys person. [The third night he also watched; and on the fourth morn came the lady, clothed all in green.] To hym amorn Appered full erly Thys lady clothed with grene enuiron, With lusty fresh colour after the ceason; [ 5521] For most cheffest time was of somertide That ther hys wacche gan so to prouide. [ 5523]

Full suetly the kyng hir salute And gret, [ 5524] [The king salutes the lady,] Which was hertly glad of hir good comyng. She said hym goodly, "non myght ther no bett, [who praises him and asks him what he will have,] you will haue a-quitte As in your waking. rewarde and behold what gift will be hauyng; [ 5528] Vnto you with-say neuer shall hire me, [or she will only refuse him one thing,] Sauyng And excepte only o gift be, [ 5530]

Wherof the dowte; in no wise shall pay. [In the margin—to say and vne-say is the propertie of a woman.] [ 5531] [Fol. 105 b.] Now demaunde and aske at your owne plesaunce." [which she will not pay.] "Graunt mercy, lady," the king hir gan say, [The king thanks her, and asks her love.] "Certes, fine swete hert, non will this instaunce But your body;" then she, full of noisaunce, [ 5535] [She, greatly angered, denies him flatly,] Hys gift plainly gan refuse And deny, Sayng, "musarde, fole, me shall not haue surely,

SOm other yifte demaunde, aske, or craue; [In the margin—mark what is be-twene truthe and vn-truthe.] [ 5538] [and bids him ask something else.] For ye my body certes haue ne may;

For gold ne siluer it shall ye not haue." he said, "I will non other gifte thys day [But he reiterates his request, and will have nothing else.] Then your body, in guerdon to my pay. [ 5542] I you here promise if it haue ne shall, Other gift I will non demaunde at all." [ 5544]

THys fair lady was full wroth and malice, [ 5545] [She is very angry,] Hym ther answered without tariing, "Certes, if ye more demaunde in such wise [and tells him that, if he persists, he will find that great mischief will befall him,] My body to haue, your gift shall be lesing, And such mischefe therof you be comyng [ 5549] Wherof ye ne shall neuer come to ende; So huge heuinesse to you shall discende. [ 5551]

FOr that roiall rewme which in hand hold, [ 5552] [for that he shall lose his kingdom,] And þat ye gouerne now, lo! presently, Disherite shall be your hoires manyfold, [and his heirs shall be disinherited.] And discomfite lefte euerlastingly." He ther answeryng, "be it witte or foly, [ 5556] [He again says he will have nothing else.] you will haue to loue, sin yifte me haue yif on, I will noght desire non other guerdon̄. [In the margin—truthe, thouge yt was vnto his payne and vnto his vter vndoynge.] [ 5558]

"FOltish muserde," said, "of itt shalt thou faill, [ 5559] [Fol. 106] Outerly hast lost thy quarell to craue; ["Fool," says she, "thou hast lost all;] Other gift bere hens shall by no gouernaill Then grett mischaunce to purchace and haue; The disceiueth thy cautels in hert graue, [ 5563] [thy trickery de∣ceives thee, and moves thee to folly.] Which the so meueth with full grett folay; Now leue thi desire, auail the ne may. [ 5565]

THy man to-auaunce, by hys folay rage [ 5566] [Thine ancestor, by his folly, lost his spouse.] Lesing his lady in loue amerous, By his gret folay and cruel outrage, [His name was Raymond, and he espoused Melusine.] For that growen is so coragious; Melusine þat Raymound gan to espous, [ 5570]

The ring on finger settyng of recorde, Which she had so made nawhere gretter lorde.

THe kinge Guy, of whom thou discended ert, [ 5573] [King Guy, from whom thou art descended, was my nephew.] Was my neuew, vnderstande thys cas. Sustres thre we be, y ly you noght at hert, Which for sinne and crime of the kyng helmas, [We were three sisters, and en∣closed our father Helmas within a rock,] Our fader, þat we closed hy and bas [ 5577] With-in the gret Roche which he hym-selfe made; Oth to our moder and þat broken had, [ 5579]

WHych tho called was the lady presine, [ 5580] [because he broke his oath made to our mother Pre∣sine.] In Gesian [MS. "Sefian."] no wise shold hir behold; hir desire to kepe wold by no couyne, And ther he hir saw ryght as I haue told; For that of hir and vs lost hath the hold. [ 5584] And when enclosed within was fully, [And when we had done this,] In the Roche, As well As thought vs only, [ 5586]

Our moder therfor was wroth and malice. [ 5587] [Fol. 106 b.] Ther she me made, by werkes of fairy, [our mother was angry with us, and made me watch this spar∣row-hawk here, without ever de∣parting hence.] This sperhauke to kepe in this maner wise, And without euer to uoide hens truly. But the For-takyng left to me only; [ 5591] That was the gifte that she gaf to me In hir malice, wreth, and ill cruelte. [In the margin—the losce off a Fayre lady.] [ 5593]

And after she gaff vnto Melusine, [ 5594] [To Melusine she gave the property of becoming a serpent every Saturday, as a punishment.] My suster, which was A madyn ful fare, A gift to endur, neuer determine, Whilis the worlde laste neuer make retrair; The setterday vnto A serpent repair. [ 5598] Off trouth it is so, like As I you say; Raymound breke his othe and lost hir for ay. [ 5600]

FOr hir shold not se the setterday nowyse, [ 5601] [Her husband was never to see her that day, but he broke his oath.] Folily tho saw, lost hir company; Wherfor distressed strangely, to deuise, he And hys line fille; neuer cressed hy; Thys toke thay a fall yut to sight of ey. [ 5605] Palestine my sustre, yongest to surmitte, [Palestine, my youngest sister, is in a mountain in Arragon.] At quonig montain in Arragon shitte [ 5607]

As long As thys wordle hath enduraunce, [ 5608] Fro thys hy montain neuer put Away. Ther shall warde and kepe the tresour in substaunce [There she keeps watch over King Helmas' treasure,] Off kyng helmas, our fader that day. Thys our moder ordained without delay. [ 5612] But thys to conquere may non by engine, [which none but one of our lineage may win.] But discended be of kyng helmas line. [ 5614]

NOw knowith thys then, discended ye be. [ 5615] [Fol. 107] yff that my wurdes vnderstande well do, [You ought not then to wish to have me to wife.] Meue ne store [ftere" (?).] shold no such aduersite As of my body hauyng wif you to. That which your is noght ye will hold so, [ 5619] By þat you may come full huge ill and pine, [Owing to this, you shall suffer great misfortune,] To you and to all youres of your line; [ 5621]

I doubte me ryght noght thai shall gett a fall. [ 5622] [and your suc∣cessors shall lose their kingdom.] For tho shall succede, after you command, holdyng your Rewme by fors of werre, and shall Enlesing the Rewme and also the lande. And he which laste shall leue it, vnderstand, [ 5626] [The last of them shall bear the name of the king of beasts.] Of A beste the name shall he be bering, Which off all other is the brutall king. [ 5628]

Ryght thys shall it be, beleue it full well, [ 5629] [Thus shall it be.] For certes off this I ly you no-thyng;

For, sir, ne had be thi foule corage fell, [But for your folly, you might have had a blessing;] And thy grett folay with thine outraging, your unthriftinesse and cursed leuyng, [ 5633] lo! ye shold haue had benediccion; [but now shall you receive a curse."] And now ye shall [haue] malediccion. [ 5635]

PArt to you here, where that ye shall haue [ 5636] Such thing that ye percas fele now shall." The kyng vnderstode such happe myght not saue; But she uoided thens er that it gan fall, [Then Melior vanished away;] And uanished Away fro ther sightes all. [ 5640] I-now shall he haue of shamfull noisaunce, [and great mis∣chance happened to this king.] Anon it happned to hym gret misc[h]aunce. [ 5642]

THere smeten was hanches and sides vppon, [ 5643] [Fol. 107 b.] Als vppon legges, armes, and hede. [He was beaten on the haunches, sides, legs, arms, and head, so that he came to a "hard fast," and felt the strokes on his chine.] To herd fast tho cam in conclusion; his opinion [MS. "opunion."] right noght went in-ded, Well felt the strokes on the chinesse bred. [ 5647] All the skyn tho was torn and to-rent, Many strokes had ryght full violent. [ 5649]

"Alas!" he said, "for goddis loue, mercy! [ 5650] [He cried for mercy, and fled,] leue off me now, or truly am dede!" Then thay put hym hout, the kyng Away fly, Which so well was Anoynted indede, [being well anointed, and having no sleeve or rag whole on him.] That no sleue ne pane had he hole of brede. [ 5654] The kyng went hys way, hym-selfe auaunsing, In the fair medew his peple fynding. [ 5656]

Ther hym demaunding hou þat he had do, [ 5657] [His people asked him how he had sped, and if he had kept good watch.] (For off his dedes ne knew thai no-thing); Hou he had sped, And were wel wacched to Without sompnolence or any slepyng,

Beforne this gentill Sperhauke being. [ 5661] The kyng answerd without misded sure, [He replied that he had fared ill.] "For soth," said he, "to my ille Auenture!" [ 5663]

TO disloge tham made quikly and lightly, [ 5664] [Then rode they to the sea, and took ship,] To se cam anon, ryding A strong pas. Into A fair barge the kyng went lightly, he and hys peple; no tarying was. To vnarme hym the kyng made in þat place. [ 5668] [where the king took off his armour. Then rowed he strongly,] Wonderfull fortune had he in the se, But not-withstandyng strongly rowede hee, [ 5670]

That in short bref time at port gan Ariue [ 5671] [Fol. 108] At hauyn of Crius, into hermeny. [so that he soon arrived at a haven of Armenia.] The kyng issued fro his nauee bliue. long wold it be Al to rehers only, But unto decline went he forth dayly. [ 5675] [From that day his fortunes declined.] Many tymes after cursed the day That in Melior had put his loue ay. [ 5677]

PErceued it was by hys owne desert, [ 5678] [He was well aware it was all his own fault.] Saw he and his land shold be disherite, Exile and deminute by his dedes smart. When fro the worlde cam in-to ending plite, A kyng after hym regned in þat site, [ 5682] [After him reigned another unfortu∣nate king, and after him nine others.] Which be half [MS. "behalf." Fr. text, la moitie.] was wurse in his gouernaunce, And nyne hoires after like wise in substaunce.

Thay lost ther lande and all ther hauour, [ 5685] [They at last lost all.] Inclinyng and comyng vnto mischaunce. On of thes kynges cam to Fraunce þat houre, [One of them came to France, died at Paris,] So fro hermeny chaced in-to Fraunce, Full long the kyng ther gaf hym sustinance; [ 5689] At Parys died, As happned the cas, [and was buried in the Celestin convent.] At the celestines entered he was. [ 5691]

Off hys dedes non enquere will take, [ 5692] [His men wore white at the funeral;] hys men clothed white, (As of this kyng fre),

Which in fraunce were wont use clothes blake; [not black as men do in France. This is no jape, but true.] It is no iape, it is trouth to see. Clothes blake comyn thing vsed [be], [ 5696] As well an hundred persones As on, Ther clerly perceiued may it be Anon. [ 5698]

At hys enterment for hym so was doo, [ 5699] [Fol. 108 b.] Wherof moche peple ther abashed were; [People wondered, not being used to it;] For that neuer before sain was to do so; Wherfor it gan do certes wote I nere. [why they did it I know not.] Off Sperhauke castell the maner leue I here, [ 5703] And begyn to speke of this damycell, [I now come to speak of Pales∣tine.] The fair Palestine, somwat of hyr spell. [ 5705]

NOw will I declare of fair Palestine, [ 5706] The swette, the curteys, gentile mayden fre; In Conqs is shitte by carfty [Sic in MS.] engine [She was shut up in a place in Arragon,] Within Arragon, that noble contre, Where that hir faders trosour wardeth she [ 5710] [where she wards her father's treasure;] At hir moder hest and commaundement. ho it may conquere, take, other hent, [ 5712]

The lande of promission shall conquere. [ 5713] But þat tresour conquered shall not be, [which none shall win except he be of her lineage.] But of hyr line discended and born̄ were. A litell shall say of Palestine [MS. "Poleftine."] fre, Brefly and shortly passe forth here will me; [ 5717] For the Cronike doth treteth [Sic in MS.] this brefly, [The chronicle treats this story briefly.] More ferther wold go, mater finde might I. [ 5719]

HEre say and declare after þat haue founde. [ 5720] [I only put down what it says, in∣venting nothing.] Of nouel thinges to our discipline No-thing I fynd at no tydy stounde. Retorn̄ shall Again to fair Palestine, [Now I return to Palestine,] Which to that place destened by Presine; [ 5724]

In the hy montain Aboue-said þe site, [who is in the high mountain.] Where many A cruell serpent enhabite. [ 5726]

A Man may not into that montain go, [ 5727] [Fol. 109] That men shall not finde to whome for to speke. Many A knyght hath passed it into, [Many men, both stern and meek, went thither, but none returned;] In somer, winter, both stourne men & meke. But non retourned, ne myght thens to-breke, [ 5731] Iff in that montain longe time sogerned, [all were foully destroyed.] But that he were ded or foule destroed. [ 5733]

SO As in scripture I may fynden right, [ 5734] [There were many men who sought to win that trea∣sure, but could get nothing.] Off worthy knyghtes full many ther were, Myghty, strong, fers, And men beyng light, Thys said gret tresour went for to conquere; But no-thyng myght thai no wise acquire there; In An ill hour vnto þat place went, For neuer after Again retourn hent. [ 5740] [None returned.]

IN Englande A knight, mighty and pusant, [ 5741] [There was in Eng∣land a mighty knight,] Which of knyghtly were moche knew to auaill, A gentile knyght, was worthy and uaillant, Which in knightly werke neuer gan to faill, Army dedes gan do in plate and maill; [ 5745] [who did deeds of arms in plate and mail;] A full goodly knyght, manly, debonair, With wurthy knyghtes taught was he full faire

IN the hy court of noble king Arthure, [ 5748] [who was brought up in Arthur's court, and was of the lineage of Tristram.] Where knyghtes were taught uertu perfectly. Off Tristram-is line was hys engendrure, Which þat whilom had full gret seignory. Aboute Arthure was yeres full thirty, [ 5752] Off that Am not I untrew ne lesingour; [This knight heard of this treasure,] He hurde speke and talke of this huge tresoure.

Promesse ther he made to that montain go, [ 5755] [Fol. 109 b.] Which by manly strenght many thinges wold don; [and said he would win it,] This full riche tresour thought he conquere tho. After he went into þat region, And into the lande of promission, [MS. "pronission."] [ 5759] [and the Land of Promise after∣wards.] Thought vnto conquere all the hole contre, With strenght of swerde therto apointed he. [ 5761]

This knight was full good, manly, and hardy; [ 5762] [He departed thence on a Tues∣day, riding mer∣rily to Arragon.] Ther-thens departed on A tew[i]sday, Into Arragon riding merily. With hym was but a litill page on way, [He had only one page with him.] No more felawship had hym to conuay, [ 5766] So he went and rode hys iourne anon That he ariued into Arragon̄. [ 5768]

THe Monte demaunded, men hym shewed tho, [ 5769] [Within the moun∣tain dwelt a ser∣pent, a hideous monster,] Where within had was A monstre hyduous, Meruelously fers and orgulous to, Aboue all other wormes most perilous; hys panche As A pipe hug and comerous; [ 5773] [whose paunch was as big as a wine-tun.] Fro A caue noght meued by no gouernail, Off hir unmete hugenesse is gret meruaill. [ 5775]

But on ere hath noght this monstrous gest, [ 5776] [It had but one ear, and no nos∣trils, and only one eye, which was a yard long.] Ne nostrelles non appering in hed. Thys wonderfull and meruelous best Ne but on ey hath middes the forehed, Which thre fote ny hath, wat in lenght & bred. hir breth by the ere hath ther issew oute, [Its breath came out at its ear.] Wherof all the wordle [MS. "wordley." The translator was thinking of monde; but read "mount;" Fr. text, mont.] sounneth all Aboute. [ 5782]

ALway in slepe this cursed cruell fend. [ 5783] [Fol. 110] When that he rowted, thing litell or grett [It always slept; and when it snored every∣thing near it was disturbed.] In this said caue is felonesly tende, Where the ryght wone [MS. "lone;" but Fr. text, la propre demeure.] was of Palestine sett, Warding thys tresour by kyng helmas get, [ 5787] [Here dwelt Palestine.] By Iugement of hyr moder said. ["fad" (?).] The dore to the caue myghty strong was had, [ 5789]

With yren bondes at entre of þis caue, [ 5790] [The monster guarded the cave's door, where the treasure was shut in.] Where this riche tresour shitte & made fast was; Which neuer was unshitte, entre to haue, For the warde had this monstre in þat place. To entre therby non durst for hir manace, [ 5794] [None but one of Helmas' line could enter.] But issued be of helmas linage, Which aforn haue said in my rude langage. [ 5796]

Thys lady presine ordaned also, [ 5797] [Here many men perished.] When to hir doughtres thes gyftes gif had, Thys caue enmyddes thys said montain tho, Wher moche peple were to perishing lad. Of caues and diches vnder I-now made, [ 5801] [The ditches round about were full of serpents, very dangerous.] Full of serpentes, inly perilous, And with other places full meruelous. [ 5803]

Then ho wold it go, of-fors most passe by. [ 5804] [No man went there but he soon came back again.] But neuer man þat place ne stede went That sogerne wold ther for thyng any, But þat men thaim saw anon to retorn bent. Thys mont had but a sory path to hent, [ 5808] [The path up the mountain was very narrow and three miles long.] ful litell and stratte was it vnto se, To gon vp an hy ther had miles thre; [ 5810]

WHich behouid go withe-out rest any, [ 5811] [Fol. 110 b.] For where man to sitte A place shold not se [Men had to go up without resting;]

Enlesse vppon serpentes sate truly! [for there was no place to sit down except one sat upon serpents.] And infinite was of thaim suche plente. For dred of that fende unhabite þe contre; [ 5815] Off thys strange monstre, declared & said, Thys haue it founde in writing displaid. [ 5817]

NOw shall come Again to þat wurthy knight, [ 5818] [This knight came riding thither, attended only by a page.] Which ther cam ryding A coursire vppon; Alone his uiage, sauyng A page ryght, Thys good knight without reproche of person; When thys montain approched ny to gon, [ 5822] [When he drew near the place, he met a man,] A good man be ["he" (?).] fund enmeddis the way, Which to this montain hym gan he conuay. [ 5824]

SO when that he was A mile of certain, [ 5825] [who led him to within a mile of the place, and then left him to go on alone,] Then vnto hym said, "no nerre will I go; Sir, be-hold yande that hiduous montain, lese will I ne wyn; fre knyght, go ther-to." The path hym shewed wherby most go tho, [ 5829] [showing him the path whence none returned.] Fro-whens [MS. "For whens.'] neuer cam Again here no wight For soth at no day vnto mannys sight; [ 5831]

And yut hath ther be men mo than twenty. [ 5832] hys gidour ne wold lenger sogern [MS. "fogren."] plain, [His guide de∣parted, and the knight rode on.] Fro-thens [MS. "For thens."] deperted, retornyng wightily. Thys knyght so rode, he cam to that montain. [At the mountain he dismounted and gave his page the rein, and bade him wait;] Fro courser lepte don̄, hys page toke þe rain. [ 5836] Firmely commaunding hym shold there abide, Noght Fro horsbakke go till he cam, no tide. [At the bottom of this page is the catchword:—"But certes for noght there Abide."]

But, certes, for noght there Abide shold he, [ 5839] [Fol. 111] Full well myght he lete hys hors to pasture; [though he only had to wait in vain.] For neuer his maister Again shold se.

This knight departed to this auenture, [The knight com∣mends himself to God,] To god commaunding, blissing hys figure; [ 5843] Entring within this narew path þat stounde, [and enters the path,] That dais of lif neuer such on f[o]und. [ 5845]

Ryght will armed was thys noble knight, [ 5846] [being well armed.] A good swerd of stile in his hand holdyng; Thys mont toke, narew and stikell to sight. An horrible serpent saw he comyng, [He soon sees a serpent coming, running at him to devour him, and advancing with yawning throat.] Towardes this knight, vppon hym rennyng; [ 5850] Trowyng hym deuour that houred instaunce, With a yanyng throte gain hym gan [MS. "gain."] Auaunce.

That fine good custell that in hand gan hold [ 5853] [The knight bran∣dished his dagger, and cut its neck in two at a stroke.] Brandes[t] the good knyght, uaillant and wurthy. Hym to assail the serpent full bold, He As man fers Approched hir ryght ny; With o soule stroke the necke cute ato swiftly; [ 5857] The serpent fill don dede for all hyr strenght, [The serpent fell down dead. It was 10 feet long.] Which worme was ny ryght ten hole feete of lenght. [ 5859]

When the serpent saw ther ded mortally, [ 5860] [Upward again he mounted,] The montain gan take; vpwarde stied there, As man quicke and wight with all the body. Gayn him comyng saw A-pace A huge bere, [but soon sees a huge bear coming apace, which, however, he en∣counters boldly,] Hym vnto assaill cam [MS. "can." Fr. text, vint.] with all power; [ 5864] But of hym thought he to faill in no wise, With gret raundon cam to hym in his gise. [ 5866]

Fro hys shethe thys knight drew hys good swerd [Fol. 111 b.] hard, [ 5867] [drawing his sword like a mighty man.] As A mighty man, wurthy and hardy; Shewing inly well he was no coward.

Vppon the shild hym grypte thys bere tho feresly, [The bear gripped his shield, and clutched at his shoulder, tearing his hau∣berk;] On hys shulder als hapned verily; Hys mailled hauberke broken and to-tore, Hys shild vnto grounde drew hym before. [ 5873]

TO hys good swerd tho had mister and nede, [ 5874] [but he smote the bear in the snout, giving him a wound a foot long,] The beres gret groin tho smote he vppon; With hys swerd so gripte of fine manly-hede, Ther all snowte and groin smote he of Anon, More then A large fote, of recorde so don̄. [ 5878] Tho durst he noght charge As of his bityng, [and cutting off his snout, so that he could not bite.] By hys eyes twain of was it shering. [ 5880]

THys bestly bere was passyng old and strong, [ 5881] [The bear was very chapfallen at this,] Natheles tho was heuily chermat; But not-for-that haused hys pawe Alonge, [yet raised his paw against him again;] Trowyng to hapne hym to rase þat dat. But full wyght and light was this knight algat, [ 5885] Ther tho made A lepe wyghtly in trauers [but the knight leapt lightly aside.] Fro this bere, which was fers, bold, and diuers.

A bakwarde smote he with hys swerde of stile, [ 5888] [With a back stroke of his sword he cut off the bear's paw.] O paw of the bere of was there keruyng; On hys hynder feet reised up that while, [But it reared up, and clutched him with the other paw.] And to this said knight full ny approching, That with that other paw hym was cracching. [ 5892] All hys Armure he to-breke and tere, So both on an hepe fill, both knyght and bere. [Both fell together.]

But thys bere myght noght in no wise bite; [ 5895] [Fol. 112] Then at his gerdell Anon toke this knight [Then the knight with his dagger cut the bear's throat, so that it quitted its hold.] A dagger full good, fourged of profite, Thorugh hys throte yaf A stroke with all his myght So that gretly hurt was this in foule wyght. [ 5899]

Ther lefte the bere his pris, stoned sore was, [Then the knight cut off its other paw.] That other pawe the knyght smote of in þat place; [ 5901]

Tho caste he vp A full meruelous cry. [ 5902] Then this manly knyght without other lette [At last the knight smote it through the belly up to the cross-hilt of his sword.] Thorugh belay hym smote to crosse of swerd ny; Vnto mortall deth [t]he bere to grounde shette. Thys good english knight his swerd in sheth sette; So vp went, doing huge distruccion, [On went he slaying many serpents.] Off serpentes made grete occision, [ 5908]

And off bestes wilde many on gan sle, [ 5909] hou-be-it that he suffred full grett pain. So going up hy till to coppe came he, [At last he reached the top, and drew near the iron door of the cave, which the monster guarded.] By fors and strenght so passing the montain, So niyng to the caue wher this monstre was plain, Which the yren dore warded of the caue Where the tresour was that he trowed haue, [ 5915]

Which was enclosed by werke of fayry, [ 5916] In an ill hour cam, which was gret folay. [But he entered the cave in an evil hour;] Into diche and caue entred vnhaply; And As sone As he reste ther had alway, Perceiuyng this monstre where þat she lay, [ 5920] [for he soon per∣ceived the mon∣ster with its eye a yard broad,] Which had A large eye, (thre foote was Aboute), And when that she hym perceued all-oute, [ 5922]

RAysed was anon with wonderfull corage, [ 5923] [Fol. 112 b.] As A malice beste with cruelnesse sett; [which at once attacked him.] Towarde thys good knight Auaunced hir outrage; Thys monstre belay As pipe large and gret. Thys knight saw hir come, with-draught wold not [The knight saw it come, but would not retreat, but determined to face it at all risks.] gette, [ 5927] But that alwais again hir go wold For what-somaner vnto hym come shold. [ 5929]

HIs swerd fro sheth drew, this monstre yafe stroke [Drawing his sword he smote it, but his strokes failed to harm it.] grete, [ 5930] But no-thyng was wurth the stroke hir gan take; Wher with the bake or with swerd-egge gette, To this monstre might noght do hurt ne wrake With yre, stile, ne tre, hou-so it gan make. [ 5934] [Neither iron, steel, nor wood could wound it. It bit his sword in half,] Thys monstre with teeth the swerd ther taking, In moitees to Forth with it breking, [ 5936]

ANd yut was she fourged all of stile; [ 5937] [though it was all of steel.] Thys knight noght of hir myght to-tere ne rase. The swerd wel ground, no harder many mile, The sharpnesse ne hardnesse no-thing wurght was. With A yanyng throte thys knight gan manace, [ 5941] [Then with a yawning throat it swallowed the knight down whole.] All at a morsell swolewed knight surely; (Off thys here now said in no wise do ly); [ 5943]

Thys knight swolewed, in throte noght pering [ 5944] [The knight seemed no more in its mouth than a pasty in an oven.] More then doth A pastay in ouen truly! [In the margin—deathe of a noble knyghte [y] at was of sir [T] ristrams . . . . .] With full gret dolour in thys wise deing, Gret demage and hurt was it uerily. [Thus died he, and it was a great pity.] For in hym was had huge hardesse surely, [ 5948] For moche had don̄ of manly dedes fair, But nomore shall do thys knyght debonair. [ 5950]

THys english good knight was without socour, [ 5951] [Fol. 113] Which this said tresour trowed to conquere, [Thus was this good English knight devoured by this monster,] That whilom by days had gret honour; With thys monstre was this deuoured there; Gret damage it was of thys baculere, [MS. "baiulere." See Glossarial Index.] [ 5955] [and it was a great pity.] For in hym was had full gret wurthinesse, Socour was ther non, but to deth moste dresse.

NOght so hy As he neuer man vp went, [ 5958] [No one ever got so high up the mountain as he did.] The more in hym was of hug wurghtinesse; Remembred ought be his knyghtly entent, [His daring should be remembered, not lost in ob∣livion.] Stilled ne put shold be in hodelnesse. No man, As seith this history expresse, [ 5962] Neuer went so ferre As to memory, [No man ever went higher.] In that meruelous Roche being so hy, [ 5964]

As wilfolly gan do thys full good knight. [ 5965] Too days hys page ther sogernyng sure [His page waited for him two days, and then returned to England, there relating this ad∣venture to many.] At the hill-fote; after retornyng ryght Into Englande streight; wher thys auenture Declared to many a creature, [ 5969] Which caused to write therof thys history, To ende that it shold be now in memory. [ 5971]

And thys ther he knew by A good deuyn̄, [ 5972] [A certain divine, who had been clerk to Merlin, dwelt there (in Arragon), to whom many went to hear the story.] Which somtyme was clerke Merlyn vnto, Which ther dwelled, to life gan determyn̄. Vnto thys said clerke ran all the worle tho, For ther necessite vnto hym gan go, [ 5976] Wherof he wold say trouth and verite, For entirely all ryght full well knew he, [ 5978]

LIke As hade be ther in propur person, [ 5979] [Fol. 113 b.] And had comyn streight Fro the saide montain. [He was a scholar of Toulouse,] This deuyn was of good cognicion, And a scoler was of Tholouse certain, As witnesseith litterall scripture plain. [ 5983] [and during twenty years gave true replies to any questions he was asked.] Verily moche more then yeres twenty Neuer ther cam man vnto hym truly, [ 5985]

But hym declared the trouth and uerite [ 5986] [The page, there∣fore, went to him,] Off all maner thing that man demaunde wolde.

For that the page with hym thought wolde be, Which subtille and sage was he manyfold; All trouth and verite by hym was vnfold [ 5990] [and learnt from him all the truth just as I have now told it you.] Of that I haue told, declared, and sayd; By this notable clerke was it displaide. [ 5992]

Ther was on hade in lande of hungery, [ 5993] [There was also a man of noble birth in Hungary,] Which descended was of A noble line. Thys tresour to conquere thought he manly, But by hym may noght be it to termyne. To this montain cam this noble knight fine, [ 5997] [who came to this mountain; but he was not there long,] The monte clymbed up ten or twenty pas, And ther taried noght no whiles ne space. [ 5999]

Ther with serpentes he deuoured was, [ 6000] [being very soon devoured by ser∣pents; but he went not up so high as that other.] Nawher ny went vp As other gan doo. Many deuoured hath be in that place, Non shall that tresour conquere hym vnto But of the lynage be discended fro. [ 6004] Full heuy it was that this goodly knyght [Pity the English knight was not of the right lineage.] Off Englande had noght be off that line ryght.

HE descended was off full hy parage, [ 6007] [Fol. 114] Off Tristram hys line cam of natiuite, [He was descended from Tristram,] As the history rehersith hys linage. Forsoth that tresour conquerd then had he, [and had assuredly won the treasure, had he been of the right lineage.] So of that linage aboue-said had be, [ 6011] Full chiualrous was certes at þat day, Ferre and ny as any of thaim to say. [ 6013]

Tho it cam and fill in that ceason there, [ 6014] [Then came a messenger to Lusignan,] That A messinger passed forth tho by, Wher Gaffray with gret toth was in his manere [where Geoffrey was enjoying himself with all honesty.] At ioyous disport ryght full merily At lusignen castell with strangers many; [ 6018]

To which egall sporte non the yere shold see, In gentile maner with all honeste. [ 6020]

With hym ladyes and damycelles fair, [ 6021] [With him were ladies and damsels in a fair arbour.] Connyng, gracyous, humble, and benigne; Gentile, womanly, and in debonair, In a fair herber to sport gan in-cline. A messinger cam; saw well by hys syne. [ 6025] Streith to Gaffray went, hym fair salutinge; [Geoffrey tells the messenger he is welcome,] "Sir, ye be welcome," Gaffray hym sayng. [ 6027]

This messinger connyng and gentile was, [ 6028] Off hys mouth issued sugred swete langage; Nouels demaunded Gaffray in þat place. [and asks him the news.] Aforn lad[y]es and damicelles sage. He hym sette and told all the huge outrage [ 6032] [Then the mes∣senger relates the adventure I have just told you,] (Like As this boke rehersith here before) All the dedes told off thys knyghtes lore; [ 6034]

ANd whereto thys fers monstre doth repayre, [ 6035] [Fol. 114 b.] Which peple hath distroide so many, [and tells where the monster was who guarded the treasure of Hel∣mas.] Myghty, strong, fers, bold, gentile, debonair, And hou the tresour wardeth myghtyly Off helmas, which was so ryche and so worthy; [ 6039] Neuer perceiued non like off auaill. [At this Geoffrey greatly marvels,] Gaffray full moche therof gan meruaill, [ 6041]

Off thys said monstre werof he gan speke. [ 6042] Thys monstre to destroy said he wold go, [and says he will go and destroy the monster.] With-all the tresour conquere and oute breke. Hys men made redy qwikly, no reste made tho, [He made ready, and sent to his brother Thierry to come and go∣vern his realm.] Forthwith send he hys brother Thierry vnto [ 6046] To hym come, and cam; after hym sayng, The contre gouerne to hys retornyng. [ 6048]

FOr thys Gaffray was of fers harde corage; [ 6049] [This Geoffrey was of a fierce courage,] Neuer hys day[e]s wold he noght mary,

In wife to entre As in mariage; [and would never marry.] No woman wold betrouth neither affy. Vnto hys brother the lande toke goodly, [ 6053] [Then he made over his land to Thierry, saying he should depart.] Sayng he moste go withoute any reste, Off that riche tresour for to make conqueste. [ 6055]

But when that he shold haue taken hys way, [ 6056] [But he was pre∣vented by sickness and age.] Gret siknesse hym toke and age gan repair; On his bed don layd with full grett seknes Thys gentill knyght, stronge, fers, & debonair, Which so many gud dedys hath don̄ [fair]. [ 6060] Alas! the tresour of Comquez shold had, [Alas! had he lived, he would have had the treasure,] So that lif myght haue, (for of all was drad), [ 6062]

ANd the lande haue hade off promission; [ 6063] [Fol. 115] Iff god wold haue send hym good liffe and long, [and the Land of Promise, that Holy Land.] Conquered shold that holy regyon. But deth sparith noght tho feble ne stronge, [But death, who spares none, made war on Geoffrey;] With Gaffray hath take were other Among, [ 6067] And to hym comyng A grett passe with-all, Ther making hym were [MS. "wery;" Fr. text guerre.] dedly and mortall. [ 6069]

SO uenquisshed was by dethes gouernall, [ 6070] [and against death hath no man any power.] Agayn hir noman hath fors ne pusaunce Be he not so stronge or of ryche auaill, Als well tho feble As strong in substance; Non hath power gain dethis gouernaunce, [ 6074] Be he Baron, Markeis, Erle, Duke, Prince, or kyng; [Death smote Geof∣frey sorely with his cruel dart,] With hys cruell dart Gaffray sore smiting, [ 6076]

Full streight the stroke went ther vnto hys hert, [ 6077] [piercing his heart.] Where-of ther was had inly gret dolor;

For in peiters shold haue be well expert, [What good deeds he would have done in Poitiers, had he lived!] I-now good dedys don wold by labor, Er that yere passed any tyme or hour, [ 6081] Churches make and found, which deuised were; Bothe landes, rentes, thought he morteis there,

TO found and make noble churches gret. [ 6084] Alas! full dolorous to bildyng shal it bide! [But, alas! these things were left undone.] Neuer shall thay be fourged, made, and get, Where-of is pite in many A side; Gret heuinesse will it cause full wide, [ 6088] [His death will cause great heaviness.] And ne had the will and the plesire be Off our hy lorde, sittyng in trenite. [ 6090]

GAffray lith don̄ sike, ille touches feling, [ 6091] [Fol. 115 b.] Wyn ne vitaill resceiue may for seknesse; [He can take no food.] Anon After the preste were sending, [His confessor came and said mass.] Hys confessour come, hym gan to confesse, And ther beforn hym made to say a messe. [ 6095] [Then he made his will touching both spiritual and lay matters.] After ordained making testament Spiritually, after hys entent, [ 6097]

When deuised hade hys lay thynges all. [ 6098] Then entered was at Maillers abbay, [Then was he buried at Mail∣lezais abbey,] Where a fair repair had he full roiall. For of-new again made, it is no nay, [which he had rebuilt after destroying it.] ryght As he had distroed it all-way. [ 6102] So by hym was made and furged again Off Maillers the church, with fresh werke solain.

Ther ligh[t], ther hys thombe put is and sett; [ 6105] [There lieth he, and the author of the French Romance there saw his tomb.] The frensh maker seith it saw he with ey. Hys testament made, it myght be no bett, And what lefte ouer, to pore made pay truly. [Thus he made his will,] So after passyng to goddes mercy, [ 6109] All were paid in hys owne presence, What-so hym semed As in conscience. [ 6111]

To god yild his soule, hym do mercy and grace, [ 6112] [and yielded his soul to God.] And of hys synnys A generall perdon, For moch goodnesse gan do in many place As sone As in hym was put reson. Iff lenger leued, more wold he haue don̄; [ 6116] [Had he lived longer, he would have done more.] He is now dede, what shall we then say? That god hym pardon hys mysdedes ay. [ 6118]

THierry was tho A full noble knyght; [ 6119] [Fol. 116] Gaffray ther hym made hys enheritour [Thierry was Geoffrey's heir,] Off all the contre which he hild hym dyght And that to hym pertained any hour. Thierry it hild, A noble gouernour, [ 6123] [and governed both Poitiers and Partenay, being at first powerful,] So he regned there, & in pertenay; Regned and gouerned pusantly. [ 6125]

But after thys, [as] by hys mariage, [ 6126] [but afterwards he alienated much of his property.] geuyng to on here, to Anoder there, So Alienyng part of hys heritage. yut noght-with-standyng god of hys power [Yet the descend∣ants of Thierry reign at Partenay still,] Causith the line regne yut without danger; [ 6130] At noble pertenay ther of sir Thierry Off trouth thai regne yut ryght worshipfully, [ 6132]

As Melusyne faid, moder of that line, [ 6133] [as Melusine fore∣told; and may they long do so!] That long schold endure the line of pertenay; God grant long endure, neuer determine! Fro-thens till now durith the line alway [The line endureth to this day,] In chiualrous knighthode vnto thys day; [ 6137] Noble good knightes, gentile, curtes, fre, [and contains many noble knights,] Among all other hauyng habilite, [ 6139]

Off whom a litill we shall be declaring, [ 6140] [of whom we shall speak a little, and then end.] After thys boke finish shall and end. Goddes knightes haue be, ther trouth neuer falsing

For king, Duke, Erle, Markeis, Baron, or frend. [Especially should be mentioned that worthy knight, who caused this book to be begun.] hit wil Appered by that good knight hend [ 6144] That thys boke began, of Partenay lord, Grett honour had in life of recorde; [ 6146]

HE that this boke made and gret parte gan do, [ 6147] [Fol. 116 b.] This knight died, in life had gret honour; [When it was partly done, this knight died;] For noght man may do gain mortal deth, lo! The feble and strong takith she ech hour; Non hir escapith As by no labour, [ 6151] [for who can escape death?] Be it king, or pope, or lordes of landes, All most nedis passe truly by hyr handes, [ 6153]

THat is the trewage of bodies humayn. [ 6154] Al most by that path of fine fors to passe; [All must pass along death's path.] And that way compassith ech soueran, hou moche fro tham to hyr haue, hy or basse. Ouer-light she is euermore, alasse! [ 6158] [Alas! it cometh unexpectedly, man sees not when nor how.] Alas! she comyth wonderfull lyghtly, Man seith not the hour ne hou he shall dy. [ 6160]

WHen she oppressith any creature, [ 6161] [Death is swifter than an arrow.] More swetter ["fwyfter" (?)] she goth then arew any, Smitting man without wurdes saing sure. When on hir thenke, my hert sogheth heuely, [When I think on it, my heart sigheth.] And so here shold do ech humain body; [ 6165] Euery man shold doubt hir cruell hand, [Every man should fear its cruel hand.] For ouer-gret stroke yeuith with hir wand; [ 6167]

FIrmely and stedfastly redoubted shold be. [ 6168] [Whoever thinks on death, must leave all pastime,] Ho well on hyr thenke, all disport will leue, Thenking, musing hys soules sauete, [and muse on his soul's safety.] As will man as woman, to say in breue; Ho wel on it thenke, fro ill will remeue. [ 6172] [Whoever thinks on it well, will depart from sin.] In such wise gan do, I trow it, all-way Thys fore-said lorde of roiall partenay. [ 6174]

ON William was the archebisshope tho, [ 6175] [Fol. 117] Where of the name tho of Bisshope was wurthy; [One William was then Archbishop,] At end knew full well wat thys lorde had do. He seing this lord good man was and holy, [and he well knew how good a man this lord of Partenay was.] And well gouerned the lande here worly [ 6179] Till to finall ende he gan forth strike; Which end was full good and ryght autentike.

THe tewisday passed Aforne penticost, [ 6182] [

He died on the Tuesday before Pentecost, May 17, A. D. 1407, and was buried at Parte∣nay.

[This date is wrong; it should be 1401.]

] The yere A thousand four hundred & seuyn wend; Thys full goodly knyght yild tho vp his goste, No lenger ne might hym fro deth deffend; To god behouid his soule yilde and rend [ 6186] On the xvii day of the moneth of may, And in erth lith at noble partenay. [ 6188]

IN church of saint crosse lith this courteis knight; [He lies in the church of the Holy Cross.] Ryght full wurthyly made hys sepulture, And full nobly don̄ As it ought of ryght; Sollemply was entered, be ye sure, [He was very solemnly and honourably interred, be ye sure.] And honourabilly all thing fourged pure [ 6193] As it belonged lord and gouernour, Both on lif And dede shold haue gret honour.

THe heuy day of his mortall passing [ 6196] [The day of his death was the very day on which the head of the blessed Saint Louis, king of France, was translated to Paris.] Was the same day, (to be said properly), That the sacred hed of the gloryous king, halowed seint lowes, prince of fraunce most hy, That terrestriall leued blessidly, [ 6200] (Which of men is said seint in parradis), Ther at that day translat [was] to Paris. [ 6202]

But I say it noght As it to recorde [ 6203] [Fol. 117 b.] That in that proper day was noght don [I do not mean that my lord]

When to mortall deth went my noble lord; [died in that same year; for the transla∣tion of St. Louis' head took place long before that.] For made and done was the translacion In the yere of the incarnacion [ 6207] Off hed and of the glorious body; And he long sith dede, dais full many; [ 6209]

But that day this fest first honoured was, [ 6210] [But I mean that he died on the anniversary of that event,] Euery yere after, þe moneth of may; Sith on of tho dais deth gan he purchas, As seruant shold sew, so sewed his lord ay, [following his master as a servant should.] Such lord gift myght deserue hym to serue alway, An-hy in heuyns to his lord ascend. [Thus I make an end here of my good lord.] This of my good lord here now make an end. [ 6216]

Off his noble sone, Iohan of pertenay, [ 6217] [His noble son, John of Parte∣nay, performed the funeral obsequies well, using many wax-lights.] Off whome declare shall, his deuer gan do. By hym the obsequy well don that day, Enriched with light pertayning ther-to; All-be-it had heuinesse also, [ 6221] Wisdōm behouith to lete go and passe Which that men mow noght amend in no cas.

I Hold it no gret wisdome ne sagesse [ 6224] [But it is not wise to sorrow over∣much,] To ouermoche suffre sorew and paine; Who with dolour and wo the hert ouer-presse, Naturall fole is such heuinesse sustain, [when the matter cannot be mended.] When that he may noght it restore Againe; [ 6228] Neuer wepe ne cry, neither such dole hold, [Those who do so are not wise.] Forsoth doth noght well ne As the sage shold.

As to our purpos here will I repair, [ 6231] [Fol. 118] Touching our nouel new enheritour, [I return to his heir, John, lord of Partenay and seigneur of Matefelon,] Off noble pertenay Iohan̄ the lorde hair, Off whom spokyng haue here in langage our. A worthy man was and of gret honour, [ 6235]

The souerain lord of Mathefelon, [who is no cruel man,] Which that is not cruellous ne felon̄, [ 6237]

But curtois, debonair, and vertuous; [ 6238] [but very courte∣ous.] Hyt appered well by hys workes eehe braide. For he was gentile, suete, and gracious, Non ille wold he do, but fain wold all aid; He is more suetter then is any maide. [ 6242] [He is sweeter than any maid; this he inherits from his mother.] Off that he drawith after that laydy Fro whom he is discended uerily. [ 6244]

A more suetter, humble, and amyable, [ 6245] [For she was very sweet and charit∣able,] Gentile, debonair, sage, wise, and connyng, Curtois, piteuous, and charitable, Sche vnto the pore ful gret good doing; [and did much good to the poor;] So gentile, suete, fre in hert was being; [ 6249] For she was of tho moste blessed uerily. Thai ben piteuous Among peple surely [ 6251]

As of tho which had grett necessite, [ 6252] [and especially to those in great need.] Both mister and ned vnto som goodnesse. Full many therof raised vp hath she, [Many she raised to riches, of her great liberality.] Fro pouerte enhaused to rychesse, The which proceded of full hug noblesse, [ 6256] Off ryght gret franchise and hert piteuous To socour nedy and tho famylous, [ 6258]

What-someuer doo, besemith hir goodly. [ 6259] [Fol. 118 b.] Mi lord therof hath fair begynnyng; [Hence my lord had a fair begin∣ning, and, more∣over, he is of royal lineage,] Also belongith it, lo! properly To tho of roiall linage being, And therof is he, I doubte me no-thing; [ 6263] For of tho most blissid issued and wend Noght long Ago, and therof gan discend. [ 6265]

HE cosyn vnto the hy king of fraunce, [ 6266] [being cousin to the king of France,] By the which branche honour is hauyng.

Off kyngis is most noblest and pusaunt, [the mightiest king in the world.] Off All the wordle moste souerain kyng. All rounde the compas though man be sekyng, [ 6270] [There is no king so noble as the King of France.] In all the wordle so noble king is noght As the kyng of Fraunce, certes, to be thought.

His cosyn is, in hys moder parte, truly; [ 6273] [He is cousin to the king on his mother's side; and, through his father, allied to the King of Cyprus,] And in faider parte ny kin, to deuyne, To kyng of Cipresse and off hermeny, And by the discent of thys noble line That beforn haue told of fair Melusine. [ 6277] Ny kyn he is to king off norway, [In the margin—norway kynge.] [and also to the King of Norway.] For of Melusine discended all thay. [ 6279]

Off tho knyghtes ben yut, lo! in Norway, [ 6280] [For knights of Melusine's line still live in Norway,] Wurthi and doubty, and ladies many; Within this linage comprised be thay, And knowyn ouerall ryght openly [and it is well known that they belong to the Lusignan family.] That thay discended be of þat line hy [ 6284] Off lusignen, which is notable grett, Which so issued, into yrlande gett, [ 6286]

ANd vnto many Another contre, [ 6287] [Fol. 119] As beforne is said by our gouernaill. [No family was ever equal to this;] Neuer line of told with thaim egall be, Neither to hur [Read "hire" = hear; Fr. text, Ne oyt dire autel nouvelle.] such an [MS. "and."] hug meruaill, [nor can any man hear such marvels elsewhere as are told of Melusine's sons.] Ne hys dais shall neuer, without faill, [ 6291] As ye haue hurde of lusignen children, lo! Deme ye in no wise that lesing say you to; [ 6293]

Trowe it ne suppose dreme to be any; [ 6294] [Think not I dream; or, at least, it is a true dream.] Off uerray trouth it is a tru dreme ryght. And ho saue noght sain this said history, Vnnethes will beleue this to be parfight.

For soth thys history plainly shewith to syght [ 6298] [Whoso hath not seen this history, will scarcely believe the fact.] like As I haue declared you and said, ho-so lust it rede, may se itt displaid. [ 6300]

Off Mathefelon the lord souerain, [ 6301] [The seigneur of Matefelon,] To whom our lord gif gret ioy and honour, Which of that mansion lord is certain, And of partenay, (reson is eche hour), [who is also lord of Partenay,] Among all other A gentile henheritour; [ 6305] In hys rule shewing A suete creature, [shows himself to be a sweet creature,] Which that is of full noble nature, [ 6307]

SIn he will not leue the boke he began, [ 6308] [for he will not leave unfinished the book his good father began.] Hys god fader, to whom god gif pardon! By hym of it gret laud and presiing wan, For at this day, so me aid god our patron, Men̄ shall noght fynd nawher suchon. [ 6312] I beleue that non this good person hate, lo! [I believe that no man hates him,] I pray to our lord that he may wel doo, [ 6314]

FOr he hath made A good begynnyng. [ 6315] [Fol. 119 b.] And he shold be in synne and crime by ryght, [and, indeed, any one who sought to harm him would be a great sinner.] Which that hym wold ille be purchassyng. To chersh euery man laborith þis knyght; Iff he se that he be good man parfith, [ 6319] No-thyng will hym wern þat he lust proclame. [He never refuses any deserving man.] Hym haue I so hurd renomed of fame, [ 6321]

That Allexandre full wel name hym may; [ 6322] [He should be named Alexander. I would say much more, only men would say I flatter;] Off hym mouch more speke and say wold I, By my feith, ner I ssupposed All-way That men wold perhaps say I flatery, For that in lif is he personally, [ 6326] [because he is still living;] And thenke men shold not preisse other in presence; For tham shold preise [MS. "preife;" Fr. text, louent.] ther werkys diligence [ 6328]

That thai haue done in time passid euer, [ 6329] [and we ought rather to praise the dead;] And speking, rehersing the dedes and fet Off tho which ben gon that no more may do neuer; Certes men may well of tham speke and tret, here tell And declare all ther dedes gret. [ 6333] And when god will, men may of my lorde, [yet men will praise my lord in time to come.] In time to come, thynges off recorde. [ 6335]

Yut I hire moche speke off hys roiall estate, [ 6336] [I hear many speak of his gentleness, countenance, and demeanour;] Off his noblesse, gentillesse, and off hys dede, Off his contenaunce and mayntenaunce algat, The which I hold of hug noblehed. And full noble hold is off manlihed; [ 6340] For discended is fro so hy A place, [for he is descended from kings, dukes, and marquises.] Off kynges, Dukes, Markois full of grace. [ 6342]

When conquered [Rather read, "enquered;" Fr. text, quis.] haue and enserched well, [ 6343] [Fol. 120] For soth is A man of full hy parage. [He is found, on inquiry, to be of high parentage.] hys engendrure to declare and tell, Comyn is he off full noble linage. Among other hys wif gracious and sage, [ 6347] [His wife also is humble, courte∣ous, and intent on good;] humble, curteis, gentile, debonair, And ne musith noght but all good and fair. [ 6349]

Euery man seith, "well (As semeth me) [ 6350] [so that they are well met.] To-geders assembled inly well be thai; Entrelouing non better may be. In that astat our lord tham hold alway." [This lady is of Perigord, daugh∣ter to the late earl.] Thys lady is of perregort, is no nay, [ 6354] Doughter to the Erle which þat is dede. [His marriage is no disgrace to his kindred;] That mariage no mahyme to his kinred, [ 6356]

FOr noble line is off Auncionte, [ 6357] [for she too is of a noble line.] Off long time passed ferre fro memory. For in charlemain time antecessour had she; [For when Charle∣magne had con∣quered all Guienne] When charlemain had conquered truly

The hole erldome and contre by werre myghty, [ 6361] [and the country round it,] And all Gian, the contre enuiron, That noble erldome old and auncion, [ 6363]

TO on of hys kynnesmen gaff itt; [ 6364] [he gave it to one of his nigh kins∣men, one of his cousins-german,] In hys roiall gifte he A fair gift had. His ny kynnesman was, myght not fro flit; Hys cosyn germayn, it beleue I sad. Full well þat Erledome gouerned and lad. [ 6368] As men me said, neuer after thens went [MS. "wend."] [who resided there till he died.] To no place here ne there thys Erle reuerent, [ 6370]

As by wifing ne by mariage; [ 6371] [Fol. 120 b.] That Enheritaunce to hoires male went. [His inheritance went to his heirs male.] A strong strenght ther had, called piergort uillage, Wher-hens is comyn this same day þe discent, [There is a place called Perigord (Perigueux), whence this lady comes.] Among peple gracious and sagely hent, [ 6375] Thys lady full swete and ryght debonair, To all other lades exemplair, [ 6377]

Well stuffed with all maner of goodnesse. [ 6378] She noght fauteth þat haue shold A lady; [She lacks nothing that is lady-like, but is gentle and sage.] What belongith to ladies hynesse In thys hy lady comprised expresly; A connyng woman, well taught & wurthy; [ 6382] She is so swete, gentile, curteis, & sage; [A very fair mar∣riage was made between them.] Atwexst thaim was had An in fair mariage. [ 6384]

HEre besech our lorde such line and issew [ 6385] [I pray they may have good issue;] Tham send, þat may without end endure, Thys lord and lady of full hy vertu: Off the line of Fraunce is ther engendrure, Gret heuinesse were iff issue faill sure; [ 6389] Off tham som hair to maintain þat noble line, [some heir to main∣tain the noble line of Melusine.] Which þat issuede is off fair Melusine, [ 6391]

Off thys goodly hous Als of partenay; [MS. "apartenay."] [ 6392] [I speak no more of her nor of Par∣tenay,] Off whom no more [MS. "nomore."] lenger will I speke, Ne off Melusine whens she cam all-way, Ne more of hyr line he will noght out breke, [for I find no more recorded.] Ther-off my speche don̄ and my wurdes eke, [ 6396] Off that I haue ther-off founden in scripture. [I would have said more,] And of hyr lenger wold I haue spoke sure, [ 6398]

Iff more of writyng therof founde myght be. [ 6399] [Fol. 121] But more can not find in litterall scripture [could I have found more.] Off thes creatures wrete of uerite, Off whom haue spoke and told the Auenture; [There is no more than I have al∣ready told, so that I must now perforce take rest.] No more then haue put in my tale sure. [ 6403] And sin more ther-of I can noght propose, Of-fors moste I here take rest and repose. [ 6405]

NOw me behouith my shippe vnto rest, [ 6406] [Now must my ship rest.] Sailles, cordes, And bonet put don̄. God be thanked, at port riued in þe beste, [Thank God, I have arrived at port, and the dangers of the sea are past.] The sees dangere haue passed and gone, The wawes of see ouer ron echon [ 6410] By my iournaes so thorught-out the see; Therof preise and thanke the hy Trinite, [ 6412]

By whom thys dite fourged haue and made. [ 6413] [I thank God, by whom the book has been brought to an end.] Thanking therof be to our lorde again, By whom Romans and boke is to end lad. And yf Any man demaunde hou certain, [If any one wants to know the name of this romance, it is "THE RO∣MANS OF PARTE∣NAY,"] What me shall call thys Romans souerain, [ 6417] hit name the Romans As of partenay, And so som it call certes at this day; [ 6419]

OR the romans of lusignen; now chese, [ 6420] [or, "THE ROMANS OF LUSIGNEN;" choose which you like.] By you electe be which þat take ye will. Name ye it so As it may you plese, Here Anon Couldrette pese hym shal & still; [Here shall Coul∣drette hold his peace,]

Os of this mater no more say you till, [ 6424] [saving that he will here make his orison,] Sauyng for to make here hys orison Now here presently, As is good reson, [ 6426]

Puttyng it forth in fourme of letany, [ 6427] [Fol. 121 b.] For all the noble line of partenay [putting it into the form of a litany;] Aforne named; and when she truly [and when this litany is done, the book shall end,] Shall be ended that haue comprised ay, After thys prayer to take end al-way, [ 6431] Then all the hole werke is fourged & made, [and Couldrette shall hold his peace.] And couldrette then in pes shal be had. [The Cambridge copy of the French Romance ends here.] [ 6433]

Glorious, celestious Trinite, [ 6434] [O Glorious Trinity, Three Persons in One,] Sacred deid incomperable, Threfold persones knitte in vnite, And on essence [MS. "enssence;" but see l. 6485.] etern, permanable, [One Essence, Sovereign Ma∣jesty,] Souerain mageste moste honourable, [ 6438] Which somer, wynter made by hys excellence, [that hast made summer, winter, and all things,] All thatt is and hath be by hys huge prudence,

Thou knowist all that hertes thenke or muse, [ 6441] [Thou knowest all our thoughts, and the consci∣ences of men.] All thynges thou seest in thy presence, Off herttes knowist that thai daly vse, Off verray trouth knowist ther conscience. Man owith to the dew obedience, [ 6445] [Man oweth Thee due obedience, and diligence in Thy service.] Owith deligent be the to commende, To thy seruice take As thaim to diffende. [ 6447]

By good frendlyhed of thy deite, [ 6448] [Here humbly I pray Thee to have mercy and pity on this lord and lady;] here in humbly wise pray thy excellence Off tham to haue mercy, grace, and pite, Without tham shewing any uiolence. here in my dite haue put to thy presence. [ 6452] In aduersite socur thaim alway, [and to succour them in adversity.] That full noble seed of saide pertenay. [ 6454]

GLorius virgin, Mayden, moder off god, [ 6455] [Fol. 122] Doughter and Ancelle, which milkest with-all [Glorious Virgin, mother, daughter, and hand-maiden of God, that didst nourish Thy divine Son, and didst also comfort Theophilus;] The sone of god with thy brestes brod, Wurthily hym bare with-out werke carnall; Which theophillus conforted principall; [ 6459] Comfort this line þat noble is all-way, [comfort this line of Partenay.] Besides Rochell As of Partenay. [ 6461]

SAynt Mychaell, Angell, and the Archangell, [ 6462] [Saint Michael, archangel, protect them from the fiends of hell;] To thaim be not strange, I you here require. Caste thaim oute fro all fendes of hell, And tham condute to the heuinly empire. Off god conueying maister be entire, [ 6466] lyn, wolle to uesture haue thay without faill. [and let them have linen and woollen vesture.] The besech not strange be thaim to consaill. [ 6468]

SAynt Iohan, with finger shewdest I beleue [ 6469] [Saint John the Baptist, that didst show men the Lamb, and all ye glorious patri∣archs, forget them not.] The deuyne lambe which was full precyous. All glorius patriarkes in breue, Tham ne me for-yete noght, ye glorious; Iff I thaim for-gatte, I were malerous. [ 6473] Now if it you please, me with thaim making To Accorde vnto the moste souerain kyng. [ 6475]

SAynt Peter, saynt Paule, and saynt Andrew, [ 6476] [St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, and all apostles, let not this noble line be forgotten that hath spread so far.] All postelles of god, for your curtesy, In obliuy be noght this issew Fro-whens such noblesse cometh vnto ey, Sparcled into landes and places many; [ 6480] That conquered haue many a noble place By ther noblesse and chiualrous purchace. [ 6482]

SAint Steuin, seint Vincent, seint Lauerence, [ 6483] [Fol. 122 b.] And ye, Saynt Clement, with-all seint Denise, [St. Stephen, St. Vincent, St. Law∣rence, St. Clement, St. Dionysius,] Which all frendes bene to goddes hy essence, your bodies haue offered by grett auisse

To greuos torment with huge tirandisse, [ 6487] And all martirised, like or semblable, [and all ye holy martyrs,] Which in heuyns regne in ioy perdurable, [ 6489]

IN the hy paradise celestiall, [ 6490] [grant that we may dwell for ever in heaven,] For your fair dedes and wurdes also. Make that we be comprised eternall Finabilly without any ende me to, [MS. "to me to."] Where regneth the fader and the sone, lo! [ 6494] [where reign the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.] And the holy gost in heuyns full hy, And shall for euer perdurabilly. [ 6496]

SAynt Siluestre, seint Augustin, your grace; [ 6497] [St. Silvester, St. Augustine, St. Martin, St. Maur, St. Severinus, and all confessors,] Saynt Martin, seynt More, saynt Seuerine, Saynt Cuthbert, seynt Germain, seint Nicholas, And all confessours by rew to deuine, Besech, in obliuy putt not thys line, [ 6501] [let not this line be forgotten,] Off whome treted haue in my tale and lay; But out of bandes, good seintes, alway [ 6503]

Thaim warde, put, and cast fro the fendes fell, [ 6504] [but guard them from the fiends that come at the third hour or at mid-day:] Which that comyth at thirde hour or midday, (And more oftener then can say or tell), Fro hynesse to lownesse us to put alway. Make vs to haue þat solas euer and ay [ 6508] [grant us the solace of the celestial sphere.] Off the celestiall heuynly spere, After wrecchyd lif worly beyng here. [ 6510]

SEynt Mary Magdeline, humble and demure, [ 6511] [Fol. 123] I you here require with hautain uois fine, [St. Mary Magda∣len, I pray to thee.] With pensiff muses of hert clene And pure; Seint Agnes, seint Edith, seint katerine, [St. Agnes, St. Edith, St. Catha∣rine, be pleased to beseech our Lord to save us.] That if you please to take the paine & pine [ 6515] To beseke our lord, vs conuey and bring Aboue unto the ioy euerlasting. [ 6517]

All goddes frendes blessed and Holy, [ 6518] [All ye friends of God,] Humbly you beseke with ioynt handes twain, That ye do so our sinnes vndo fully, [put away our sins, that we feel not hell-pain,] And that acqueint [vs] with our souerain, So þat of hell we haue no point of pain; [ 6522] But to herbourgh vs with his blissed saintes [but dwell with the saints in heaven.] In heuen where And is no complaintes. [ 6524]

LOrd swet Iesus, be to vs debonair; [ 6525] [Lord Jesu, grant that nothing may turn to their harm.] Do noght again thaim of whom I haue told Thing þat thaim may torn̄ thaim in contrair; Warde thaim fro bande of our aduersary bold, [Guard them from our adversary, and save us all.] Which many man hath brought vnto his hold. [ 6529] For thi pusaunce and debonair renon̄, Do make vs come to our sauacion. [ 6531]

SWete lorde god, swete fader cheritable, [ 6532] [Sweet Lord God, our Father, guard us from the fiend;] Warde vs fro bandes of the cruell fend; As short wurdes, vs hold in our purpose stable, That neuer we torn̄e bake, ne the offende. [grant that we offend Thee not, but may gain ever∣lasting bliss.] Amiable and piteable be to us at end, [ 6536] That we may haue the perdurabilnesse Off ioy aboue, And uerray rest vs dresse. [ 6538]

SWet lorde Iesu, þat all thyng hast to iuge, [ 6539] [Fol. 123 b.] I the here besech with hole hert entire, [Jesu, that shalt judge all,] Make us the ryght path go to our refuge, [teach us the way of salvation,] And the way of sauacion to acquire, To wepe and complain our synne cruell yre; [ 6543] So we may the preise after our last day [that we may praise Thee here∣after for ever.] Perdurabilly in felicite ay. [ 6545]

I yilde now thankes, after this letany, [ 6546] [The translacion. [These two words, here written in the margin of the MS., mark the beginning of the translator's own epilogue.] ] To the sacred glorious Trinite,

To cristes moder, the Virgin mary, [I yield thanks, after this prayer, to God, the Virgin, saints, martyrs, and confessors,] Seint Mihell, seint Iohan̄, apostellis that be, Martires, confessours, ech in ther deg[r]e, [ 6550] Virgins, seintes al, that this haue translat [that I have now translated this.] Fro [MS. "For."] frensh till english at this present dat. [ 6552]

As ny as metre can conclude sentence, [ 6553] [I have done it in order, as closely as I could, almost line by line, saving that I have often had to change the order of words,] Cereatly by rew in it haue I go. Nerehande stafe by staf, by gret diligence, Sauyng þat I most metre apply to; The wourdes meue, and sett here & ther so, [ 6557] like As of latin ho-so will fourge uers; [as when men write Latin verse.] Wourdes [MS. "Worudes."] most he change sondry & diuerse, [ 6559]

Whilom þat be-fore put, And sette behynd, [ 6560] [Whoever trans∣lates in metre, must do this,] And oft that at end gretth ["greeth" (?).] best before; So oft trauersing the langage me shall fynd, Be it latyn, frensh, or our tonge to-bore. ho it metre will, so do moste euermore, [ 6564] Be it in balede, uers, Rime, or prose, [whether in ballad, verse, rime, or metrical prose.] He most torn and wend, metrely to close. [ 6566]

And so haue I done after my simplesse, [ 6567] [Fol. 124] Preseruing, I trust, mater and sentence [Yet have I pre∣served, I trust, the matter un∣hurt, without ex∣cess or diminu∣tion,] Vnwemmed, [MS. "Vnwmned."] vnhurt, for any excesse, Or by menusing don by violence. Warded and kepte haue to intelligens, [ 6571] [making it intel∣ligible in our mother tongue.] That will vnderstande And knowin may [MS. "many."] be In our moder tonge, spoken in contre. [ 6573]

PErhaps by lachesse, or by necligence, [ 6574] [Perchance I may have made an oversight,] Ou[e]r-sight myght cause obliuion, Or parauenture do cause and offence. Gretly is it noght, hurtyng no reson,

By no menes of imperfeccion. [ 6578] [but it is no great one,] I trust to conserue mater and substance [not such as to vio∣late the sense.] Greable vnto the reders plesaunce. [ 6580]

Als the frensh staffes silabled be [ 6581] [Also the French lines have fewer [eight] syllables than the English,] More breueloker and shorter also Then is the english lines vnto see, That comperhended [sic in MS.] in on may lines to; [so that two lines may be put into one;] And in such wise sondry times haue do; [ 6585] Or ellys man myght by computacion [and I have some∣times done so.] In ther contrepane finde others reson, [ 6587]

In frensh or english, whether A man shold [ 6588] The mater to preue by iuste probacion. And so As it is truly fynde, I wold [I would that both books could be seen at once, that if any man wants to count the lines, he might see how closely they are alike.] Both bokes displaide to vision, Verefie I wold the declaracion̄, [ 6592] That on by other knowen well shold be, Resembling well All o ssoule dite. [ 6594]

All fourged and don̄, thys here make an end, [ 6595] [Fol. 124 b.] Besechyng your hy notable gentillesse, [Here I make an end; and beseech you,] That to my fauor ye now condiscend Off your hy wurthy soueraynnesse, In whom contained hugely is noblesse, [ 6599] [in whom is all nobleness, to excuse all faults,] Though that diffautes apperen in use, yut of your mercy my simplesse excuse, [ 6601]

Sin at your request and commaundement [ 6602] [since it was at your request I made the transla∣tion, and wrote it out from end to end in black lines.] This warke on me toke, it to fourge and make; And so haue I don̄, after myne entent, With litterall carectes for your sake; Tham conueying in sable lines blake [ 6606]

Directly along thys haue I to end, After my simplesse so forth passe and wende. [ 6608]

NOw ye all that shall thys behold or rede, [ 6609] [Now all ye that read this, remem∣ber my simple∣ness; though this book is not painted (for I cannot flourish), yet excuse all faults that you may see.] Remembreth myn unconnyng simplesse; Thought rethoriously peinted be not in-dede, As other han don̄ by ther discretnesse. Sin florish can noght, yut, of your gentillesse, [ 6613] Though that diffautes appere huge to ey, Yut excusith me, besech you hertly. [ 6615]

Explicit.