Torrent of Portyngale Part 32

[Linenote: 2445. _semlend_ MS.]

[Headnote: THE JOUSTS AT NAZARETH BEGIN.]

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[Sidenote: Many folk come to the jousts. They sup and sleep,]

There come meny another m{o}n~, That thought there to haue to done, And than~ to wend her way.

Whan~ they come to the castell gent, A Roall ffyght, verament, 2450 There was, the sothe to say. [2551]

Trompes resyn~ on the wall, Lordys a.s.sembled in the hall, And sith to souper yede thay.

They were recevid w{i}t{h} rialte, 2455 Euery man~ in his degre, And to her logyng went her way.

[Linenote: 2446. _man_ MS.]

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[Sidenote: rise, hear Ma.s.s, and dine, then mount,]

The lordys Rosyn all be-dene On the morow, as I wene, And went ma.s.se ffor to here. 2460 And ffurthermore w{i}t{h}-oute lent [2561]

They wesh and to mete went, For to the ffeld they wold there.

After mete anon~ right They axid hors and armes bryght, 2465 To hors-bak went thay in ffere.

Knyghtis and lordys reuelid all, And ladyes lay ou{er} the castell wall, That semely to se were.

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[Sidenote: and begin to joust. Torrent's 2 sons joust. The younger, Antony, unhorses his brother Leobertus.]

Than~ eueryman toke spere in~ hond, 2470 And euerych to other ffond, [2571]

Smert boffett{es} there they yeld. f. 116b.

The prynce of Ierusalem~ and his brother, Eueriche of hem~ Ran to other~ Smertely in the feld . . . . . . . . 2475 Though~ Antony ffygryffon~ yonger were, His brother Leobert{us} he can down~ bere; Sir Torent stode and be-held.

[Linenotes: 2471. _ffound_ MS.

2472. _there th. y._] _they yeldyd there_ MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT AND HIS SONS JOUST. HE IS VICTOR.]

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'Be my trouth,' said Torent thanne, 'As I am~ a cryston~ man 2480 I-quytt shall it be.' [2581]

Torent be-strode a stede strong And hent a tymber gret and long, And to hym~ rode he.

[Linenote: 2483 put before 2482 MS.]

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[Sidenote: Torrent rides down his younger son. He and his sons are the best jousters.]

Torrent to hym rode so sore, 2485 That he to the ground hym~ bare, And let hym~ lye in~ the {bent}.

There was no man~ hy?e ne lowe, That myght make Torent to bowe Ne his bak to bend. 2490 They justyd and turneyd there, [2591]

And eueryman~ ffound his pere, There was caught no dethis d{e}nt.

Of all the Justis, that there ware, Torent the floure a way bare 2495 And his sonnys, {verament}.

[Linenotes: 2485 f.: _Torrent so sore to hym rode, That he bare hym to the ground_ MS.

2487. _bent_] _ffeld_ MS.

2493. _dynt_ MS.

2496. _ver._] _in that tyde_ MS.]

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[Sidenote: Desonell greets Torrent, and swoons.]

And on~ the morow, whan~ it was day, Amonge all the lordys gay, That worthy were, {par de}, Desonell wold no lenger lend, 2500 But to s{ir} Torent gan~ she wend [2601]

And knelid on her kne.

She said: 'Welcom~, my lord s{ir} Torent!'

'And so be ye, my lady gent!' f. 117a.

In sownyng than fell she. 2505 Vp they cou{er}yd that lady hend, And to mete did they wend With joye and solempnite.

[Linenotes: 2499. _par de_] _in wede_ MS.

2502. _And on her kne she knelid_ MS.]

[Headnote: DESONELL GREETS TORRENT. HER BEAUTY.]

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[Sidenote: All go to Dinner.]

Dame Desonell be-sought the kyng.

That she myght, with oute lesyng, 2510 Sytt with Torent alone. [2611]

'Yes, lady, be hevyn~ kyng, There shall be no lettyng; Worthy is he, be seynt Iohn~!'

Tho they was.h.i.+d and went to mete, 2515 And rially they were sett And s{er}uid worthely, {echone}.

Euery lord in~ the hall, As his state wold be-ffall, Were couplid with ladyes {schone}. 2520

[Linenotes: 2514. _ffor welle worthy_ MS.

2517. _echone_] _verament_ MS.

2520. _schone_] _gent_ MS.]

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[Sidenote: Desonell is the fairest lady. The Kings of Jerusalem and Greece go to the]

But of all ladyes, that were there sene, [2621]

So ffeire myght there none bene As was dame Desonell. . . . . . . .

Thes two kyngis, that doughty ys, To the Cite come, i-wys, 2525 With moche meyne {emell}.

[Linenote: 2526. _emell_] om. MS.]

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