AshmoleFerumbras.FrenchFierabras.312Hit ysrewardedous two betwyne þat Olyuer schal wende and take þe batail301‘Nous jujon Olivier, si l’avonsesgardéQu’il fera la bataille au paien deffaé.’330Mercy, quaþ he to kyng Charles333‘As piés le roy se jete,merchili a priié.’369þatpaynedecrist377‘— dont vos Diex fupenès.’388Er yremuvieme of þis place392‘Ains que je m’enremue...’399ychalengewiþ þe to fiȝt402‘— je te voelcalengier’457Parfay, ansuerde erld O.449‘Par foi, dist Oliviers ...’533þat he ne . . maden ȝelde his body to himcreaunt548‘se Roland s’i combat, ne faicerecréant’537wiþ my swerdtrenchaunt553‘ . . . à m’espéetrencant’538Sarsyns, said erld O.554Sarrazins, dist li quans ...551long man infourchure579Il otl’enfourcéuregrant558a fulgret pite, etc.586j’ai de toigrand pité, etc.‹xviii›751hauemercyof me,iantailknyȝt1494–5—mercili a crié:Gentixhom . .781toremurieþe of þis place1515ja par moi n’i seriés . .remués817he wasencombredwith F.1552Mais de F. est . . .encombrés922þey went forth on apendant1696Cil s’entornent fuiant lependantd’un laris947wan hure spere gunne tofaile1712Quant les lances lorfalent984Atavalyngof an hulle1734Àl’avalerd’un tertre1008.1012torescourreþe barons1757. . les baronsrescous. .1016wel longe hadde þischasylest1764Moult fu grans celechace1058and oþre reliques riche ynow wherof y haveplentee1806Et les dignes reliques dont il i adplenté1227for to wyte wat þaybeand hurecovyneyknowe2067Lorcouvineet lorestreenquerre et demander.1316By an old forsake ȝeate of þeolde antiquyte2144Par une gaste porte devielantequité1773sittynge on a greneerber2562. . siét sous celarbreramé.1974Florippe his doȝtre þecortoyseinchambreþar she was In þepaleysyhurdenoiseand þyder þan she gas2712Floripas lacourtoisea lenoisescoutePuis issi de lacambre, . . .Entresi c’aupalais. .2007þow ertasotid2733. . vous voiassoté.2538a gretreprefit were3136. . il nous estreprouvé3665brydel andpaytreland al þe gere wiþ fyn gold yharneyssed were4117Li estrier furent d’or, rices fu lipoitrés3672and þe king him ganascrie4126. . . si s’est hautescriés.3791a gretdulþay made þere4236. . demainent grantdolour4541with an hardcrestidserpentisfel4832vestu ot la pel d’un durserpentcresté5753on þan ston acracchedeand in a spatte indispitof god, etc.5910endespitde Ihesu ens es fousecraca.
Besides these undoubted examples of translation, we must bear in mind that there occur some variations of readings, where, indeed, the author ofSyr Ferumbrasseems to have introduced slight incidents and modifications. But examining them more closely, we shall soon become aware that many of them also point to a French original, which we may sometimes identify by comparing these variations with the readings of those French MSS. that are already printed. Thus, the words “þarto ys stede þan tyeþ he,” l. 91, render exactly a line of the Escorial MS.36—“son cheval aresna à l’abricel rose”—which is omitted in l. 93 ofF(i. e.the FrenchFierabras, as edited by MM. Krœber and Servois).37‹xix›
The following is another example ofA(= the AshmoleanFerumbras) differing fromF, but agreeing withE: