Chapter 21

“Like Mars, the God Armipotent.”

p. 27, l.939.rede Mars.“Bocaccio uses the same epithet in the opening of his Teseide: ‘O rubiconde Marte.’Rederefers to the colour of the planet.” Morris, note toKnight’s Tale, l. 889.

p. 27, l.940.Bayenever means “sword,” as the editor of the Roxburghe Club ed. renders it, nor does this translation make any sense here at all;bayesignifies “a wide, open room or space in a building.” See Mätzner’sWörterbuch, p. 164. Morris, in the Glossary to theAlliterative Poems, has “bay = recess. The original meaning seems to beopening of any kind. Cf. bay, space in a building between two main beams.” Halliwell,s. v.bay, has: “A principal compartment or division in the architectural arrangement of a building.” It appears to be etymologically the same word as Ital.baja, Frenchbaie, “bay, gulf, harbour,” the Frenchbaiebeing equally used for “opening of any kind.” The Catalan form forbaieisbadia, which corresponds to the verbbadar, meaning “to open.” See Diez,Etym. Wörterb.I. 46.Bayis retained in the Mod. E. compound “bay-window.” Cf. also the French “la bée d’une fenestre,” cited by Carpentier-Ducange,s. v.beare. With regard to the signification oftrende, the editor of the Roxb. Club ed. wrongly guessed again in explaining it as “drawn” or “trenchant, cutting.”Trendemeans “turned, bent, vaulted in the form of an arch.” SeeHalliwell, p. 887, andStratmann, p. 572,s. v.trenden (= “volvere”). But I am at a loss how to explain why Mars is said to have put up his throne in an arched recess, or compartment, of a building.

p. 28, l.957.some, a clerical error forsone.

p. 28, l.965.prymsauns of grene vere= “the earliest days of green spring” (Glossary to the Roxb. Club ed.). This may be the sense; but what is the literal meaning ofprymsauns? If we hadprymtauns, orprymtaunce, we might be inclined to take it for a corruption of Frenchprintemps, as we findpastaunceorpastancecorrupted frompasse-temps. (See Skeat,Spec. of Eng. Literature, 460/149 and 427/1096.) Cf. also theRomaunt of the Rose, ll. 3373–74: “At prime temps, Love to manace, Ful ofte I have been in this caas.” Or isprymtaunsperhaps a clerical error forentraunsorentraunce? This would then make us think of such passages as the following one:

“Che fu ou mois de mai, à l’entreed’esté,Que florissent cil bos et verdissent cil pré.”Fierabras, ll. 5094–5.

“Che fu ou mois de mai, à l’entreed’esté,Que florissent cil bos et verdissent cil pré.”

“Che fu ou mois de mai, à l’entreed’esté,

Que florissent cil bos et verdissent cil pré.”

Fierabras, ll. 5094–5.

p. 28, l.966.spryngyn, the only instance of the 3rd person present plural ending in-yn(for the common-en).This perhaps is due to‹p113›the scribe thinking already of the followingynin begynne. But it must be stated that the whole passage is rather obscure. Neither the meaning ofspringyn and begynnenor the connection of l. 966 with the following lines is very clear.Flouresoccurring twice looks also somewhat suspicious. Moreover, these two stanzas do not well suit the context and might easily be done without; they are evidently borrowed from some other poem. Observe besides the alliteration infloures,frithe,freshly.

p. 28, l.973.lithe, “to hear.” O.Icel.hlŷða, “auscultare.”Stratmann, s. v.hlîþen, p. 315.

p. 29, l.993.lesemiswritten forlefe, which sense and rhyme require, and which occurs in ll. 832, 1526.

p. 29, l.995.bassatours(?) = “vavassours, vavasors.”

p. 29, l.999.Inde Major.The meaning ofMajoris not clear. Cf. besidesChanson de Roland, ed. Gautier,Glossarial Index, s. v.Major. Compare alsoDestr.l. 690:terre Majour.

p. 29, l.1000. The great number of geographical names contained in these two lines is probably due to the favourite habit of mediæval romance writers, who thought that they showed their geographical knowledge by introducing long strings of names. Thus we find inWeb. Rom.II. l. 632et seq., the names of sixteen towns mentioned in fourteen lines, all of which are said to have been visited by Richard the Lion-hearted. Again in the same poem, ll. 3679,et seq., we find the names of thirteen countries occurring in ten lines. Cf. alsoKing Alis.,Web. Rom.I. ll. 1440 and 1692. Often, too, geographical names seem to be inserted on account of the rhyme, asChaunderin l. 123, andEuropein l. 1001.

p. 29, l.1008.Camalyon, “meaning, probably, the camelopardalis. The blood of a cameleon would go a very little way towards satisfying a thirsty Saracen” (Ellis,Metr. R.387). Perhaps also the poet did not know much of either of these two kinds of animals, and all he wished was to cite an animal with some outlandish name.

p. 30, l.1025.southe:wrothe. The spellingsotheoccurs in ll. 2014, 2024, 2246, 2719. There must be a lacuna of one or more lines here. The rhyme-word todute(l. 1024) is wanting; the context also evidently shows that ll. 1025 and 1026, as they stand together, make no sense. It is worth while to add that the next five lines, contrary to the common usage of our poem, are all rhymed together.

p. 30, l.1040. ObservePaens, i. e. “pagans,” used as a proper name here; cf. theDestr.l. 98, andFierabras, l. 5673.

p. 31, l.1051. For a description of Ferumbras, compareFierabras, ll. 578et seq., and ll. 611et seq., andSyr Ferumbras, l. 550.

p. 31, l.1060.trwes= trues, truce.

p. 31, l.1067.sex.So in the FrenchFierabras, l. 84:

“Ja n’en refuserai, par Mahom, jusqu’à vi.”

‹p114›

In the EnglishFerumbras, l. 102, we read:

“And þoȝ þer cometwelue, þe beste of þy fered,I will kuþe on hem my miȝt, & dyngen hem al to douste.”

“And þoȝ þer cometwelue, þe beste of þy fered,

I will kuþe on hem my miȝt, & dyngen hem al to douste.”

p. 31, l.1071.in fere= “together.”fere, literally “one who fares with one,” means “a travelling companion, a comrade, a mate; a company.” O.E.(ge-)fera.

p. 31, l.1074.man= “bondman, subject, vassal.” So in ll. 1354 1466.

p. 31, l.1077.childe, “young knight, young man.” See Skeat’s note to Sir Thopas (Clarendon Press),162/2020.

p. 31, l.1084. Cf. the French text:

“Sire, ce dist Rollans, chertes, tort en aves,Car, par icel seigneur Ki Dix est appelés,Je vauroie moult miex que fuissiés desmenbrésKe jou en baillasse armes ne ne fuisse adobés.Hier quant paien nous vindrent à l’issue des guésL. mile furent, à vers helmes jesmés,Grans caus en soustenimes sur les escus bandés;Oliviers mes compaigns i fu le jour navrés.Tout fuissons desconfit, c’est fines verités,Quant vous nous secourustes e vos riches barnés,Et paien s’en tournerent les frains abandonnés.Quant fumes repairié as loges et as trés,Puis te vantas le soir, quant tu fus enivrés,Que li viel chevalier c’avoies amenéL’avoient moult miex fait que li joule d’assés,Assés en fui le soir laidement ramponés.”(ll. 144–161.)

“Sire, ce dist Rollans, chertes, tort en aves,

Car, par icel seigneur Ki Dix est appelés,

Je vauroie moult miex que fuissiés desmenbrés

Ke jou en baillasse armes ne ne fuisse adobés.

Hier quant paien nous vindrent à l’issue des gués

L. mile furent, à vers helmes jesmés,

Grans caus en soustenimes sur les escus bandés;

Oliviers mes compaigns i fu le jour navrés.

Tout fuissons desconfit, c’est fines verités,

Quant vous nous secourustes e vos riches barnés,

Et paien s’en tournerent les frains abandonnés.

Quant fumes repairié as loges et as trés,

Puis te vantas le soir, quant tu fus enivrés,

Que li viel chevalier c’avoies amené

L’avoient moult miex fait que li joule d’assés,

Assés en fui le soir laidement ramponés.”

(ll. 144–161.)

Compare alsoSyr Ferumbras, ll. 144–163

p. 32, l.1088.of= “on account of.”

p. 32, l.1092. According to most of the old romances Roland was invulnerable. He never lost any blood by a wound but on the occasion when he was beaten by Charlemagne

“For trois goutes sans plus, quant Charles par irourLe feri de son gant que le virent plousour.”

“For trois goutes sans plus, quant Charles par irour

Le feri de son gant que le virent plousour.”

SeeHistoire Poétique, p. 264.

The French text (ll. 166–170) runs as follows:

“Karles trait son gant destre, qui fu à or parésFiert le comte Rollant en travers sur le nés;Après le caup en est li sans vermaus volés.Rollans jete le main au branc qui est letrés;Ja en ferist son oncle se il n’en fust ostés.”

“Karles trait son gant destre, qui fu à or parés

Fiert le comte Rollant en travers sur le nés;

Après le caup en est li sans vermaus volés.

Rollans jete le main au branc qui est letrés;

Ja en ferist son oncle se il n’en fust ostés.”

p. 32, l.1094.abye, “to pay for, suffer for.” In Mod. Eng.abyeis corrupted intoabide. See Morris, Gloss. toChaucer(Clarend. Press),s. v.aboughte.

p. 32, l.1096. Double negatives likenever noneare pretty common in mediæval writers. Cf. in theSowdan, ll. 1876, 2181, 2199, 2279, 2305.‹p115›

p. 32, l.1103.at one, “of one mind, agreement.” Cf.King Horn, ed. Lumby, l. 925:

“At on he was wiþ þe king.”

Hence Mod. Eng.atone, “to set at one, to reconcile.” See Zupitza’s note toGuy, l. 5308.

p. 32, l.1106.to make voydaunce, the same as tovoide, l. 1768 = “to quit, to depart from, to get rid of.”

p. 32, l.1110.withoute more= “without delay, immediately.”moreis O.E.mâra, comparative tomicel; it is not the Latinmore. See Zupitza’s note toGuy, l. 719.

p. 33, l.1126.renewed, “tied.” Fr.renouer, fromnœud= Lat.nodius. It is to be distinguished fromrenewed= “renovated,” which occurs in l. 2200.

p. 32, l.1128.hiduris spelthiderin ll. 810, 833, etc.

p. 32, l.1135.Generyse.In the other versions Olyver calls himselfGarin. SeeIntroductionon p. xxxiii.

p. 32, l.1141.lerne, “to teach.” See Zupitza’s note toGuy, l. 6352.scole, O.E.scôl, Mod. Eng.school, means here “style, or manner of fighting.” It must not be confounded withschole, O.E.scolu, “troop, band,” Mod. Eng.shoal. Cf. alsoThe Song of Roland, 129/786.

p. 33, l.1145.myghty men of honde.So in l. 3029. The same phrase occurs in M.H.G. “ein heltze sînen handen,” which is explained as meaning, “a hero [or one who becomes a hero] by the strength of his hands or arms.” See Jänicke’s note toBiterolf, 5078, and Grimm’sGrammatik, IV. 727 note. The expression seems to be originally French; cf. Méon,Fabliaux, III. 478: “chevaliersde sa main”;Renard, ed. Martin, l. 21409: “proedomde sa main.” Cf. alsoRoman des Eles, ed. Scheler, l. 433, wheremainis wrongly explained by the editor.

p. 33, l.1151.plete, “plead.” The rhyme leads us to suppose that the author pronouncedplede, which indeed is the more common form.

p. 33, l.1154.andmakes no sense here.thenkesmust also be incorrect, the 3rd person present singular always terminating in-ethin this poem, and not in-es.Readas thenketh me;thenketh meoccurs in l. 465.

p. 34, l.1158.pight, “pitched, fixed.” The infinitive mood ispicchen; cf. O.Dutchpicken, O.Icel.pikka, “pungere, pangere.”

p. 34, l.1159. In the FrenchFierabras, l. 606et seq., Oliver also assists the Saracen to put on his gear. This point is not mentioned in the Ashmolean version, seeIntroduction, p. xxviii.

p. 34, l.1163.worthed up, “became up, got up, mounted.” It is the past tense of the verbworthen, O.E.weorðan, “to become.” Another past tense of this verb isworth, l. 1204.

p. 34, l.1164.areest, orarest= “a rest, or support for the spear when‹p116›couched for the attack” (Morris). Originally = “stoppage, waiting, readiness.” Cf. Mätzner’sWörterbuch, p. 107.

p. 34, l.1167.as fire of thonder, cf.dinte of thondirin l. 1207.

p. 34, l.1168.to-braste, “burst in pieces.” The prefixto-, answering to Germ.zer-, has the force of “in twain, asunder.”

p. 34, l.1170.threste, O.E.þrae with circumflex, italicstan,“premere, trudere.” The author probably pronouncedthraste, which will improve the rhyme.

p. 34, ll.1179–80.upon the hede(blank in MS)the hede. This is evidently a mistake of the scribe;sore, l. 1180, too, which does not rhyme withcrowne, is probably miswritten forsone. The rhyme as well as the context shows that the true reading is:

“Olyver him hitte againUpon the hede than fulle soneHe carfe awaye with myght and mayneThe cercle that sate uppon his crowne.”

“Olyver him hitte again

Upon the hede than fulle sone

He carfe awaye with myght and mayne

The cercle that sate uppon his crowne.”

p. 34, l.1182. About thecercle, see Demay,Le Costume de guerre, p. 132. “Non seulement le cône du heaume (helme) est bordé par ce cercle, mais il est parfois renforcé dans toute sa hauteur par deux arêtes placées l’une devant, l’autre derrière, ou par quatre bandes de métal ornementées (de verroteries), venant aboutir et se croiser à son sommet.”—crownemeans the “tonsure of the head,” then topically “the skull or head.”

p. 34, l.1185.the botteles of bawmeare not mentioned anywhere else in theSowdan; the other versions tell us that the balm contained in those vessels was the same as that with which Christ was anointed. Cf.Syr Ferumbras, ll. 510–517; and seeIntroduction, p. vi and xxix.

p. 34, l.1191.the river.According to the oldest version of the poem the whole combat took place on the shore of the Tiber, near Rome. SeeIntroduction, pp. xi and xxxii. Cf.Fierabras, l. 1049:

“Pres fu du far de Rome, ses a dedes jetés,”

andPhilippe Mousket, I. 4705–6:

“Les .ii. barius qu’à Rome prist,Si les gieta enmi le Toivre.”

“Les .ii. barius qu’à Rome prist,

Si les gieta enmi le Toivre.”

In theSowdanas well as in theAshmoleMS. there is no mention of Oliver’s drinking of the balm before throwing it into the water, which both the Provençal and the French versions tell us he did. Cf.Fierabras, ll. 1031–1048, and the Provençal version, ll. 1335,et seq.

p. 35, l.1210.fille, “fel.”

p. 35, ll.1221.derespoils the rhyme. Read “free.”

p. 36, l.1250.Cousyn to King Charles, cf. l. 1117. In ll. 1499 and 1671 Oliver is said to be nephew to Charlemagne. He was the son of Renier de Gennes, who according toSir Ferumbras, l. 652: “Y am Charlis emys sone”—was the uncle of Charlemagne. In the poemGirar de Vianewe find Oliver among the enemies of the‹p117›Emperor and fighting with Roland in close combat; they are at length stopped by divine interposition. Then began a close friendship which lasted till their death at Roncesvaux. Oliver’s sister Aude was betrothed to Roland. See, besides,Syr Ferumbras, ll. 422, 1297, 1305, 1354.

p. 36, l.1258.harde grace, “misfortune,” cf. l. 2790.

p. 36, l.1259.Persagyn.This name does not occur in any other version again, except in theDestruction, where one Persagon appears in the list of the Saracen barons. But it is not stated there that he is uncle to Ferumbras; cf. besidesFierabras, ll. 2614, 2784.

p. 37, l.1263. Observe the four consecutive feminine rhymes.

p. 37, l.1277. The scene as related here widely differs from that described in the Ashmolean version. In theSowdone, Oliver gets hold of the sword which is “trussed on Ferumbras’s stede.” In the Ashmolean poem it is not Oliver who is disarmed, but Ferumbras, and Oliver allows him to pick up his weapon again. This in itself furnishes us an argument for conjecturing that the author of theSowdondid not follow, or even know of, the Ashmolean version. In the French poem, as well as in the Provençal, it is likewise Oliver who is disarmed. If in those poems we find mentioned besides that Ferumbras offered his enemy to take up his sword again—an incident not related in theSowdan—we do not consider this to disprove our supposition that the French version was the source of theSowdan, as we may consider our author in this case simply to have adhered to his favourite practice of shortening his original as much as possible, so far as no essential point is concerned. Cf. the FrenchFierabras, ll. 1289–1346.

p. 37, l.1286.saughtis a misprint forraught.

p. 37, l.1289.He thought he quyte.quytemay be explained as standing forquyted, or elsehemust be changed intoto:He thought to quyte, the latter reading is perhaps preferable. We find in l. 3110 a passage agreeing almost exactly with this.

p. 38, l.1298.Qwyntyn.The name of this Saint does not occur in any other version of our romance.

p. 38, l.1308. There is no mention made of this prayer in the Ashmolean version, theSowdanhere (ll. 1308–1340) agrees again with the FrenchFierabras, ll. 1164–1244 (and with the Provençal poem, l. 1493,et seq.), with the only difference, that the prayer which Charlemagne addressed to God, in order to bestow the victory upon the Christian hero, is much longer inF; and is stuffed with so many details of the Scripture, that in some way it may be regarded as a succinct account of the whole life of the Lord.

p. 38, l.1320.skomfited=discomfited, l. 1464. It is formed by the same analogy as stroyeth = destroyeth. See note to l. 780. The substantivediscumfiture, O.Fr.desconfiture, occurs in l. 336; the same‹p118›word, without prefix, is found in M.H.G., cf.Kudrun, ed. Martin, 646, 2:

“dô si hêten gerne die porten zuo getândô muosten si daz lernen durchschumphentiurenverlân.”

“dô si hêten gerne die porten zuo getân

dô muosten si daz lernen durchschumphentiurenverlân.”

The Italian noun issconfitta, and the verbsconfiggere.

p. 38, l.1327.God abouedoes not rhyme withlord almighty. The rhyme is easily restored if we readof might(cf. l. 2059) foraboue, and if we changealmightyintoalmighte, so that we have:

l. 1327.“Tho Charles thanked God of myghte.”l. 1329.“And saide, ‘blessed be thou, lord almyghte.’”

“Tho Charles thanked God of myghte.”

“And saide, ‘blessed be thou, lord almyghte.’”

The adjectivealmiȝtis of frequent occurrence in Mid. Eng. writers. So inAllit. Poems, I. 497: “in sothful gospel of god almyȝt;”Syr Ferumbras, l. 3580, “God almyȝte: siȝte;”ibid.l. 3815, “god almyȝt: wyȝt.”

p. 39, l.1349.casis an erratum forras.—“Ras, shave.” “Rees 1693, evening.” These explanations given by the editor of the Roxb. Club ed. are wrong.Rasandreesbeing both derived from O.E.rae with circumflex, italics,“impetus cursus,” are indiscriminately used in three meanings: (1) “onset, assault;” (2) “course, run, rush, haste, hurry;” (3) “space, time, occasion.” The last signification is well shewn by the following passages:

“Hit lasteþ but a lutel rees.”(Cl. Maydenhod, l. 26.)“Þat ys to seye upon a rees,Stynkyng Saxone, be on pees.”(Arthur, ed. Furnivall, l. 525.)

“Hit lasteþ but a lutel rees.”

(Cl. Maydenhod, l. 26.)

“Þat ys to seye upon a rees,

Stynkyng Saxone, be on pees.”

(Arthur, ed. Furnivall, l. 525.)

In theSowdanrasorreesmeans (1) “time, instant, occasion,” ll. 1349, 1693; (2) “rush, hurry, haste,” ll. 645, 489.rase, l. 774 = “current in the sea,” the same word as the precedingrasandrees, meaning properly, “a narrow rush, or violent current of water.” See Morris,Chaucer’s Prologue(Clarendon Press), s. v.reyse. Cf. the French expressions, “raz de mer,” “raz de courent,” “raz de marée.”

p. 39, l.1361.sene:be. Readseas in ll. 1124, 658, 1826.

p. 40, l.1372.ryden, which does not rhyme withfoghten, is evidently a clerical error. I supposesoghtento be the true reading. For examples ofsoght= “came, went, moved,” see Zupitza’s note toGuy, l. 7151, and Skeat’s Glossary toSpecimens, s. v.socht.—There is still another corruption in this passage, asassembleddoes not rhyme withordeyned.

p. 40, l.1380. Note the transition from the indirect to the direct speech.

p. 40, l.1381. As it stands, the line is too long and spoils the rhythm. The words “if ye cast me downe” can be dispensed with.

p. 40, l.1383.thare:were(O.E. werian). The rhyme is easily restored by readingthereinstead ofthare, cf. ll. 2604, 2404, 2245, etc. and seeIntroduction, p. xxxv.‹p119›

p. 41, ll.1419–22. Observe the weak rhymes alternating with the strong ones.

p. 41, l.1420.brothermeans “brother-in-law.” Oliver’s sister Aude was Roland’s intended bride. Perhaps alsobrothermay be taken here in sense of “brother in arms,” as in most romances we find Roland and Oliver mentioned as a couple of true friends united by the most tender ties of comradeship. Besides, Oliver was highly indebted to Roland, who had rescued him when he had been made a prisoner after his duel with Ferragus.

p. 41, l.1423.cowthemiswritten forcaughte, which we read in ll. 1411, 1603.

p. 41, l.1424.Ascopartesis the correct form. See note on l. 495.

p. 51, l.1427.fooldecannot be “earth” here, for which the editor of the Roxburghe Club ed. takes it.Fooldeis the participle past offealden, “to fold, plicare.” It means, “folded, bent down, fallen.” This seems also to be the sense offoldein the following passages:

Laȝamon, 23983–4:

“Þa feol Frollefolde to grunde.”

“Þa feol Frolle

folde to grunde.”

Ibid.ll. 27054–6:

“Romanisce veollenfiftene hundredfolden to grunden.”

“Romanisce veollen

fiftene hundred

folden to grunden.”

Ibid.ll. 20057–60:

“he þohte to quellenÞe king on his þeode& his folc valdenvolden to grunde.”

“he þohte to quellen

Þe king on his þeode

& his folc valden

volden to grunde.”

Cf.Stratmann, p. 194.

p. 41, l.1433. Roland and Olyver are taken prisoners. This incident is differently related in the other poems. There Roland is not taken at all, but sent afterwards among the messengers to the Soudan’s court. Together with Oliver four knights are taken, viz. Gwylmer, Berard, Geoffrey and Aubry, who all are carried away by the flying Saracens in spite of the efforts of Roland and Ogier.

p. 42, l.1451.what= “who.” See Koch,Eng. Gr.II. § 339, and Skeat’s note toPiers the Plowman(Clarendon Press), 113/19. So in ll. 1133, 1623.

p. 42, l.1456.astytehas nothing to do with the Latinastutuswith which the editor of the Roxb. Club ed. apparently confounds it in explaining it as “cunningly devised.”Astytemeans “at once, immediately, suddenly”; see Morris, Glossary toAllit. Poems. It is a compound of the simple wordtyte, “soon, quickly,” which see above, l. 181.

p. 43, l.1475.Turpyn.The name of the archbishop is not mentioned in the Ashmolean version. The French text, ll. 1836–40, runs as follows:‹p120›

“Karles, nostre empereres, en est en piés levés,Il apela Milon et Turpin l’alosés,Deus rices arcevesques de moult grant sainteté:Faites moi tost uns fons beneir et sacrer;Je woel que cis rois soit bauptiziés et levés.”

“Karles, nostre empereres, en est en piés levés,

Il apela Milon et Turpin l’alosés,

Deus rices arcevesques de moult grant sainteté:

Faites moi tost uns fons beneir et sacrer;

Je woel que cis rois soit bauptiziés et levés.”

Cf. also the Provençal poem, l. 1899,et seq.

p. 43, l.1483.nought for thane= “nevertheless,” cf. Koch,Eng. Gr.II. p. 473.

p. 43, l.1486.Romeis a corruption ofRoye, as follows from the FrenchFierabras, l. 1851:

“C’est sains Florans de Roie, ce dist l’auctorités.”

Cf. the AshmoleFerumbras, l. 1087, and Grœber,Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie, IV. p. 167.

p. 43, l.1495.affrayned, which must not be confounded withaffrayed, as the editor of the Roxburghe Club ed. does, means “asked, inquired.” It is the compound offreynenorfraynen, O.E.frignan, “to ask.” Goth.fraihnan. Germ.fragen.

p. 43, l.1497.allayned, “concealed.” The simple verblayne(from Icel.leyna, cf. Zupitza’s note toGuy, l. 2994) is still retained in the Scottish dialect, with the sense of “to hide.” Cf. also Morris,Allit. Poems, Gloss. s. v.layned.

p. 43, l.1498. In the other poems the prisoners do not tell their true names; seeIntroduction, pp. xxvii and xxix; and cf.Syr Ferumbras, l. 1167.

p. 43, l.1499. Roland is nephew to Charlemagne on his mother’s side. See note to l. 1888, and cf. the AshmoleFerumbras, l. 2066. For Oliver, see above, note to l. 1250.

p. 44, l.1515. In theSowdanFloripas herself advises Laban not to slay his captives, but to imprison them. In the other versions it is one of the barons who gives the same advice. SeeIntroduction, p. xxviii.

p. 44, l.1539.depe:myrke. The rhyme will be restored by readingdirkeorderkeinstead ofdepe.derkeoccurs in l. 2541.

p. 45, l.1604.maute.“In Old Frenchmautéis malice.” Gloss. to Roxburghe Club ed. I do not know whethermautéexists in O.Fr., but even if it did, it would make no sense here. I feel suremauteis a corruption ofmynteormente(cf. l. 1784), the preterite ofmintenormenten= “to aim a blow, to strike,” from O.E.myntan, “to intend, to purpose.” See Zupitza’s note toGuy, l. 6579, and Morris,Allit. Poems, s. v.mynte. Cf. alsoSyr Ferumbras, l. 5587:

“Þan Charlis a strok till hym gan mynte;Ac hym faylede of ys dynte,for þat swerd hym glente . . .”

“Þan Charlis a strok till hym gan mynte;

Ac hym faylede of ys dynte,

for þat swerd hym glente . . .”

p. 47, l.1615.trewinstead offreewill restore the rhyme. The same rhymetrewe:neweoccurs in ll. 67, 588.

p. 47, l.1619.fele sithe, “many a time, often.” So in ll. 2740, 2815. Cf.ofte sithe, l. 916.‹p121›

p. 47, l.1624.ruly, O.E. hrêowlîc = “rueful, sorrowful, mournful, piteous.”

p. 47, l.1645.harme skathemakes no sense. Readharme & skathe, which occurs inGen. and Exod.l. 2314:

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