Torrent of Portyngale - Part 21
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Part 21

(119)

[Sidenote: Torrent gives all his land to the King for Desonell;]

Sir Torent said: 'So G.o.d me saue, I-nough to lyve vppon I haue, 1380 I wyll desire no more; But it be, for I{es}u is sake A poynt of armes for to take, That hath helpid me be-ffore.

I yeve the here oute of my hond 1385 To thy doughter all my lond, Yf that I end th{o}re.'

And whan~ he toke his way to pa.s.se, [1390]

Mo than ffyfty with hym was, That fals to hym~ w{o}re. 1390

[Linenotes: 1387. _there_ MS.

1390. _were_ MS.]

(120)

[Sidenote: leaves 2 gold rings with her,]

+S+yr Torent to the lady went, Full curtesly and gent: . . . . .

'Desonell, haue good day!

I muste now on my jurnay, A kyngis lond for to fend. 1395 Thes gold ryng{es} I shall yeve the, Kepe {them} well, my lady ffre, Yf G.o.d a child vs send!' [1400]

She toke the ryngis with moche care, f. 99b.

Thries in sownyng fell she thare, 1400 Whan she saw, that he wold wend.

[Linenotes: 1393. _Denoselle_ MS.

1397. _them_] om. MS.]

(121)

[Sidenote: and goes on board ship with his steed and armour. Torrent gets to Norway.]

Shipp and takyll they dight, Stede and armo{ur} ffor to ffyght To the bote they bare.

Gentilmen~, that were hend, 1405 Toke her leve at theyre frend, With hym ffor to fare.

Kyng Colomond, is not to layn~, [1410]

He wold, that he cam nev{ur}e agayn~; There fore G.o.d yeff hym~ care! 1410 So within the ffyfty dayes He Come in to the lond of Norways, Hard Contre ffound he thare.

[Headnote: TORRENT REACHES NORWAY, AND HEARS OF A GIANT.]

(122)

[Sidenote: The shipmen tell him of a Giant.]

Thus s{ir} Torrent, for soth, is fare, A n.o.ble wynd droffe hym~ thare, 1415 Was blowyng oute of the weste.

Of the Coste of Norway they had a sight . . . [1419]

Of sayling they were all preste.

So ffeyre a wynd had the knyght, A litull be-ffore the mydnyght 1420 He Rode be a foreste.

The shipmen said: 'We be shent; Here dwellith a geaunt, verament, On his lond are we {kest}!'

[Linenote: 1424. _kest_] _sett_ MS.]

(123)

[Sidenote: Torrent resolves to land.]

The maistershipm{o}n~ said: 'Nowe 1425 I Rede, we take down~ sayle & Rowe, While we haue this tyde. [1430]

Sir,' he said, 'be G.o.d allmyght, The giant lieth euery nyght On~ the mowntayn~ here be-syde; 1430 My lord the kyng wyll not ffyght, f. 100a.

Till he of you haue a sight, On you ys all his pryde!'

Sir Torrent said: 'Here my hond!

Sith we be ryven on this lond, 1435 To nyght wyll I ryde.'

[Linenotes: 1425. _maistershipmen_ MS.

1429. _lieth_] _here_ add. MS.

1434. _Torerent_ MS.]

[Headnote: TORRENT LANDS IN THE FOREST OF BRASILL.]

(124)

[Sidenote: Torrent and his knights arm.]

Sir Torent armyd hym~ anon [1440]

And his knyght{es} euerychone With sheld and spere in hond.

The shipmen~ said: 'As mut I thryve, 1440 I Rede, that euery man~ other shryve, Or that we go to the lond.'

Sir Torent said: 'As G.o.d me spede, We will firste se that ffede, My lord was never f{ail}and! 1445 Gentilmen, ma{k}e chere good, For I{es}u love, that died on Rood, [1450]

He will be oure waraunt!'

[Linenotes: 1445. _fleand_ MS.

1446. _make_] _made_ MS.]

(125)

[Sidenote: They reach the Forest of Brasill. The coward knights flee to the ship, and leave Torrent alone.]

In a forest can~ they pa.s.se, Of Brasill, saith the boke, it was, 1450 With bowes brod and wyde.

Lyons and berys there they ff{a}nd And wyld best{es} aboute goand, Reysing on euery side.

Thes men~ of armes, w{i}t{h} trayn~ 1455 To the shipp they flew agayn~ In to the see at that tyde; [1460]

Fast from land row they be-gan~, A-bove they left that gentilman~, With wyld beestis to haue kyde. 1460

[Linenotes: 1451. _bowes_] _browes_ MS.

1452. _ffound_ MS.

1460. _k_ corrected out of _r_.]

(126)

[Sidenote: False tales of Torrent are told to the King of Norway.]

The shipmen~ of the same lond Ryved vp, I vnderstond, In another lond off hold. f. 100b.

To the chamber they toke the way, There the kyng hym~ selfe lay, 1465 And fals talis hym~ told . . . . . .

For he wold not the geaunt abyde, [1470]

For all this contrey feyre and wyde, Thou? he yeff it hym wold.

[Linenote: 1465 put before 1464 MS.]