Monday, April 15, 2013

The Young Squires

 A Knight's Tale - Amid the clash of hundreds of pounds of flesh and force, rookie squire William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) faces the ultimate test of gallantry-and discovers if he is the stuff of which legends are made in Columbia's A Knight's Tale - 2001
Now seith the story that full of sorowe and hevynesse were the barouns of 
theire disconfiture and losse, and [thei] riden forth playnynge and regretinge theire 
grete damage; ne thei ne ete ne dronke of all that nyght, and no more ne hadde thei 
don of all the day before, for the bataile hadde endured all the day. And it was full 
colde weder and grete froste, and therfore thei were at more disese for hunger 
and for grete colde.
Than thei com to a citee that was cleped Sorhant and was a town of the Kynge 
Uriens. And a nevew of the kynges resceyved them with grete joye, and his name 
was cleped Bandemagu. Ther thei rested and esed hem in the town as thei that 
therto hadde grete nede, for many of hem were hurt and wounded that abode 
stille till thei were heled. But thei were not ther thre dayes whan the messagers of 
Cornewaile and of Orcanye com to hem and tolde hem the losse and the distruxion 
of the sarazins that dide thourgh ther londes and were at a sege before the Castell 
Vandeberes, and hadde filde the londe full of here peple, and seide how thei sholde 
never be remeved ne driven oute of the londe. And whan the lordes [herde] these 
tidynges, ther ne was noon of hem but their fleishe trymbled for this aventure that 
was hem befallen, for well thei knewe that thei were distroyed; and than thei 
wepte full tenderly.

[Summary. King Brangore summons the rebel leaders to a consultation and tells 
them they can expect no help from others in addressing the Saxon invasion. The kings 
decide to garrison several of their cities and to defend those strongholds against the 
Saxons. One of the strongholds is King Ydiers's city of Nauntes, and a second one is 
King Ventres's city of Wydesande. Fols. 58v (line 9)-60r (line 34).]


[Kynge Ventres] hadde a sone be his wyf, a yonge bacheler of sixteen yere of 
age, that was of merveilouse grete bewté. And the wif of Kynge Ventres was 
suster to Kynge Arthur on his moder side, Ygerne, that was wif to Uterpendragon, 
and wif also to Hoel, Duke of Tintagell, that begat Basyne, the wif of Kynge 
Ventres. And upon this Basyne begate he his sone that was so gode a knyght and 
hardy, as ye shall here herafter, and how he was oon of the two hundred fifty 
Knyghtes of the Rounde Table and oon of the moste preysed; and his right name 
was Galashyn, the Duke of Clarence, that the Kynge Arthur hym yaf after he 
hadde wedded his wif Gonnore.
This Galashene of whom I speke, whan that [he] herde tidinges how the Kynge 
Ventres his fader hadde foughten with Kynge Arthur his oncle, and he herde the 
grete prowesse and the grete debonertee that was in hym, he com to hys moder 
Basyne and seide, "Feire moder, ne were not ye doughter to Duke Hoel of Tintagell 
and to the Quene Ygerne that after was wif to Uterpendragon, that begat, as I 
herde sey, thys kynge that is cleped be his right name Arthur, that is so noble and 
worthi a knyght that eleven princes hath disconfited with so small a peple as he 
hadde, as I have herde sey? I pray yow, telle me the trowthe yef ye can how it is, 
for I may not trowe that he sholde be of soche herte as is recorded of hym but yef 
he were sone unto Uterpendragon, that in hys tyme was oon of the beste knyghtes 
of the worlde."
Whan the moder undirstode here sone that so here aresoned, hir yen begonne 
to water that the teers wette her chekes and hir chyn; and [she] seide, sighynge 
and wepinge as she that was hevy and tender for her brother that hir sone 
remembred, "Feire sone," quod she, "knowe this truly that he is youre uncle and 
my brother, and cosin to youre fader on the modir side of Uterpendragon, as I 
have herde my moder sey many tymes whan she here complayned prively in her 
chamber for her sone, that the Kynge Uterpendragon made it to be delyvered to a 
cherll as soone as it was borne; and how all the matere hath sethe be discovered 
of Antor that hym hath norisshed before the barouns to whom that Merlin tolde 
the trouthe; and how that Ulfin dide witnesse this thinge for trewe, that sowele 
was trusted of Uterpendragon, and how he ordeyned the mariage of my moder 
and the kynge. But the barouns of this londe ne will not knowe hym for her lorde; 
and oure Lorde that is so mercyfull hath hym chosen thourgh His high myracle 
that He hath shewed many sithes." And than she tolde hym of the ston and of the 
swerde and alle the aventure as it was befallen.
And whan Galashene undirstode his moder, he prayed God that thei sholde 
never wele spede that hym were ageyns. "And," quod he, "God lete me never dye 
till that he hath made me knyght. Ha! Now God yeve me grace to do so moche 
that he may me girthe with my swerde; and I shall never departe fro hym while I 
may lyve, yef he will me withholde aboute hym." With that he departed from his 
moder and yede into a chamber and began to stodye how he myght spede to go to 
the Kynge Arthur. Than he bethought hym to sende a messenger to Gaweyn, the 
sone of Kynge Loot, his cosin, and sende hym worde that he sholde come to 
speke with hym at Newewerke in Brochelonde as pryvely as he myght, and that 
he be there the thirde day after Phasche withoute eny faile. Than Galashene com 
oute of the chamber and gat hym a messenger and sente to his cosin Gaweyn. But 
now resteth the tale of the message of Galashene and speke of the kynges, how 
thei departed fro Shorhant and wheder thei wente, and telleth of the aventres that 
to hem befillen.
Now seith the boke that after that Kynge Ventres of Garlot was departed fro the 
citee of Sorhant and the other barouns also, as ye have herde, that than the Kynge 
Loot wente to the citee of Gale with three thousand knyghtes and fightynge men, 
of hem that were lefte in the bataile where thei hadde be discounfited. And whan 
he com thider the cetizenis made of hym grete joye, for gretly thei were affraied 
of the Saisnes that eche day rode and ronne thourgh the contrey and toke prayes 
and putte fire in townes and vilages all abowte as thei wente and dide grete dam-
age. And whan the kynge was come thider, he sente and somowned all the peple 
that he myght, bothe fer and nygh, of sowdiers; and withinne a monethe he hadde 
assembled mo than eight thousand on horse and on fote alle defensable, withoute 
hem of the citee, whereof were four thousand for to kepethe citee.
And he kepte right wele the citee and the contré environ that noon that entred 
ne myght but litill it mysdo. And ofte tymes he faught with the Saisnes whan that 
he herde telle that thei come to forrey; and ther wan the pore bacheleres that ther-
to hadde grete myster. And ther the Kynge Loot ne toke never thinge fro hem that 
thei dide wynne, but frely yaf hem all, and therthourgh encresed his grete loos 
that the peple hym yaf. And therfore com to hym moo than three thousand men 
for the grete bounté that thei herde of hym speke, whiche ne wolde never have 
hym seyn but for the high renoun that was of hym spoken, and that he was manly 
and wise and full of largesse; and therof shewed wele his sones after hym, but 
oon yet more than another, after the gode lynage that thei were come of, and I 
shall telle yow how.
This is trouthe that the wife of Kynge Lotte was suster to Kynge Arthur by his 
moder side, in the same manere as was the wif of Kynge Ventres. And of the wif 
of Kynge Loot com Gawein and Agravayn and Gaheret and Gaheries. These four 
were sones to Kynge Loot. And of hir also com Mordred that was the yonghest, 
that the Kynge Arthur begat. And I will telle yow in what manere, for so moche is 
the storye, the more clere that I make yow to undirstonde in what wise he was 
begeten of the kynge, for moche peple it preyse the lesse that knowe not the 
trouthe.
Hit befill in the tyme that the barouns of the reame of Logres were assembled at 
Cardoell in Walys for to chese a kynge after the deth of Uterpendragon. And the 
Kynge Loot brought thider his wif, and so dide many another baroun. Hit fill so 
that the Kynge Loot was loigged in a faire halle, he and his meyné. And in the 
same loigynge was Antor and his sone Kay and Arthur, in the pryvieste wise that 
he myght. And whan the kynge knewe that he was a knyght, he made hym sitte at 
his table, and Kay that was a yonge knyght.
And the Kynge Lotte hadde do made a cowche in a chamber where he and his
wif lay. And Antor lay in myddell of the same chamber, and Kay and Arthur hadde 
made her bedde atte the chamber dore of Kynge Loot in a corner, like as a squyre 
sholde ly. Arthur was a feire yonge squyer, and he toke grete hede of the lady and 
of hem that were abouten hire. And he saugh that she was feire and full of grete 
bewté, and in his herte he covetted her gretly and loved. But the lady ne knewe it 
not, ne toke therof noon heede, for she was of grete bounté and right trewe to hir 
lorde.
Hit fill that the barouns hadde take a counseile for to speke togeder at the Blak 
Crosse. And whi it was cleped the Blake Crosse ye shall here herafter, and the 
names of the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table, but yet the tyme is not come to speke 
therof more. At this crosse the barouns toke a day for to assemble erly on a 
morowe. And so it fill that on the nyght before that the Kynge Loot sholde go to 
this counseile, and he comaunded that previly his horse were sadeled aboute 
mydnyght and his armes were alle redy. And thei dide all his comaundement so 
secretly that noon it perceyved, ne not the lady herself. Thus aroos the kynge 
aboute mydnyght, that his [wif] it ne wyste ne aperceyved it nought. And he 
wente to the parlement to the Blake Crosse, and the lady lefte alone in the chamber 
in her bedde.
And Arthur, that of all this toke gode kepe, sawgh well how the kynge was gon. 
And he aroos as stilliche as he myght and yede to bedde to the lady, and lay 
turnynge and wendynge that noon other thynge durste do, leste the lady sholde 
hym aperceyve. And hit fill so that the lady awoke and turned hir toward hym, and 
toke hym in her armes as a woman slepynge that wende verely it hadde ben her 
lorde. And that nyght was begete Mordred, as ye have herde. And whan he hadde 
don his delite with the quene, anoon after she fill on slepe. And Arthur aroos sleyly 
that he was not aperceyved till on the morowe, that he hymself it tolde at the 
dyner whan he served her at table knelynge.
And so it happed that the lady seide, "Sir squyre, arise up, for longe inough 
have ye be knelynge." And he ansuerde softly and seide that he ne myght never
deserve the bountees that she hadde hym don. And she hym asked what bounté it 
was that she hadde hym don. And he ansuerde he wolde not in no wise telle it 
here, but yef she hym ensured that she sholde hym not discover to no persone, ne 
purchase hym no blame ne harme. And she seide that it sholde not hir greve, and 
ensured hym with gode will, as she that of this thynge ne toke noon kepe. And 
than he tolde hir how he hadde leyn by her that nyght; and than hadde the lady 
grete shame and wax all rody, but noon ne knewe the cause. And than the lady 
lefte her mete utterly.
And thus lay Arthur by his suster, the wif of Kynge Loot; but never after it fill 
her no more. And so the lady undirstode that she was grete by hym; and the childe 
that she hadde at that tyme was of hym withoute faile. And whan the childe was 
born, and also the tidynges spredde abrode that he was the sone of Uterpendragon, 
she loved hym so moche in her herte that no man myght it telle; but she durst 
make no semblant for the Kynge Loot hir lorde. And she was sory for the werre 
that was betwene hym and the barons of the reame.
Upon a day Gawein com fro huntynge, and [he was] clothed comly in a robe 
that was warme as a robe for the wynter, and ledde in honde a leeshe of grehoundes 
and ledde also two brace folowinge hym. And it becom hym full wele all thynge 
that he dide. And he also was of the feirest makynge that eny man myght be as of 
his stature. But the tale ne of hym deviseth no more here saf only of a tecche that 
he hadde, that whan he aroos that he hadde the force and myght of the beste 
knyght that myght be founde; and whan he com to the houre of pryme he doubled, 
and at the houre of tierce also. And whan it come to mydday, he com agein to his 
firste strength that he hadde at the houre of tierce; and whan it come to the houre 
of noone he doubled, and alle houres of the nyght. And in the morowe he com 
agein to his firste force. This was the custome of Gawein.
Whan Gawein entred the halle, as ye herde, his moder lay in a chamber by a
chymney whereynne was a grete fiere, and she was right pensif for her brother 
the Kynge Arthur, and for the barouns that were departed fro hym in evyll will, 
and of the grete mortalité of peple that was come by the foly of the barouns of the 
londe, and also of the Saisnes that were entred into the londe, wherfore thei were 
in aventure to be distroide. And ther was she sore dismayed.
And whan the lady saugh Gawein, that was so feire a yonge squyer and moche 
of his age, and thought it tyme for hym to be a knyght. And than she began to 
wepe, and that hevied moche Gaweine, and [he] asked wherefore that she dide 
wepe; and she ansuerde and seide, "Feire sone, that I have grete cause, for I se 
yow and youre bretheren that spende youre tyme in foly, that fro hensforth ye 
oughten to be knyghtes and bere armes; and ye sholde be at the court of Kynge 
Arthur, for he is youre oncle and is the beste knyght of the worlde, as it is seide; 
and ye sholde hym serve and purchase the pees betwene hym and youre fader. 
For it is grete damage of the evell will betwene hem and the other barouns of the 
londe that sholde hym love and serve, but for their pride thei deyne not hym to 
knowe for her lorde. And wele it sheweth that it displeseth oure Lorde, for more 
have thei loste than wonne in here stryf. And on the tother side, the Saisnes be 
entred into the londe that us will distroye but yef God us helpe. And ne we ne shull 
no helpe have of hym that sholde hem alle enchace oute of this londe that is the 
Kynge Arthur. And therfore ar ye moche to blame and youre bretheren, for now 
sholde ye bere armes and seche to acorde of youre oncle and of youre fader by 
what wey thei myght be made frendes; and ye do nought elles every day but hunte 
after the hare thourgh the feldes and so lese ye youre tyme; and therfore me 
semeth ye ought to have blame."
Whan Gawein undirstode his moder he seide, "Moder, sey ye for trouthe that 
this Arthur that now is kynge, that he be youre brother and myn oncle?" "Feire 
sone," seide she, "ne doute yow nought, for youre oncle is he trewly." And than 
she tolde hym, fro the begynynge to the ende, all how it was. And whan Gawein
hadde all undirstonde he seide full debonerly, "Feire moder, ne be not therfore so 
pensif, for be the feith that I owe onto yow, I shall never be girde with swerde ne 
bere helme on myn hede till that the Kynge Arthur make me knyght, yef in me be 
so moche valoure that he will me adubbe; and we will go to courte for to feeche 
oure armes and helpe to mayntene his lordship agein alle tho that hym will greve 
or anoye."
"Feire sone," than seide the lady, "for me shull ye never be letted, for grete 
gladnesse sholde it be to me yef oure Lorde wolde graunte that ye myght do so 
moche that youre fader and youre oncle were gode frendes, for than sholde I have 
gladnesse at myn herte, and I ought wele above alle other." "Dame," quod Gawein, 
"cesseth now at this tyme, for wete it well, by I ones oute of my fader house, I 
will never returne ne entre therynne agayn till that my fader and myn oncle be 
acorded, though that I sholde do right moche agein my fader will." "Feire sone," 
seide the moder, "God graunte yow grace this to performe."
In the tyme that Gawein and his moder spake thus togeder, com in Agravayn 
and Gaheret and Gaheries and com before theire moder, that heilde stille her talkynge 
with Gawein. And than seide Agravain to Gawein, "Ye be more to blame than eny 
other, for ye be oure eldeste brother, and ye ought to lede us forth, and that we 
sholde be knyghtes and serve hym that all the worlde of speketh that aboute hym 
repeire. And we ne do but as musardes, and ne awayte nought elles but whan we 
shall be take as a bridde in a nette. For the Saisnes be but a journé hens, that all the 
contré robbe and distroye. Ne we ne have not peple to chase hem hens but by the 
prowesse of the Kynge Arthur. But lete us take oure armes of hym and helpe to 
defende his londe agein his enmyes. For that is the beste that I can se, for here ne 
may we nought gete. And therfore, better it were for us to do some prowesse in 
his servise, yef we myght be of soche valoure, than here to be take to prison as 
cowardes and lese oure tyme of oure ages." And whan Gawein undirstode the 
speche of his brother, he hadde of hym hertely joye and moche he hym preysed 
and ansuerde that so wolde he do. "And therfore, inhaste lete us apareile us, for 
we will meve hens withynne fourteen dayes."
And whan the moder saugh that hadde this undertaken, she was full of joye and 
thanked God hertely. And to hem she seide, "Dismay yow nought of nothynge, 
for I shall ordeyne yow horse and harneys." And therof were thei gladde and 
merye. But now here resteth the tale of the moder and of the childeren, and speketh 
how the kynges departed fro Sorhant, that be yet sorowfull and wroth for theire 
discounfiture and losse, and also for the Saisnes that be entred into her londes and 
contrees.

[Summary. Just as King Ventres and King Lot had done previously, other rebel 
kings -- Clarion of Northumberland, the King de Cent Chevaliers, Tradylyvans of 
North Wales, and Brangore of South Wales -- return to their chief cities and prepare 
them for war with the Saxons. Fols. 63r (line 6)-63v (line 13).]


This Kynge Brangore hadde a gentill lady to his wif that was doughter to Kynge 
Adryan, the emperour of Constantynenoble, that was myghty and riche. And he 
hadde no mo childeren by his wif but two doughteres, whereof the Kynge Brangore 
hadde oon and the tother was in Costantynnoble. In that tyme ther was a riche 
lorde and a myghty that was Kynge of Blagne and of Hungré; but he deyde withinne 
five yere after he was wedded and lefte a sone, the feirest creature of man that 
was formed. And this childe dide wex moche and semly and right wise and hardy. 
And at that day that Kynge Brangore was departed fro Sorhant, he was so well 
waxen that he was able to be a knyght. And his right name was Segramore. This 
Segramore that I of speke dide afterwarde many high prowesse in the reame of 
Logres, whereof the tale shall declare yow hereafter, and I shall tell yow how it 
fill.
Renomee, that thurgh all the worlde renneth, yede so thourgh every londe so 
that every contrey spake of the Kynge Arthur and of his grete largesse. And so his 
renoun spredde thourgh every contré so that in Costantynnoble it was in every 
mannes mouthe, so that Segramore herde therof speke, and was but fifteen yere 
of age and was oon of the feirest men of the worlde, and of largestature and beste 
shapen of alle membres, and therto hardy and wise. And whan he herde tidynges 
of the Kynge Arthur, he desired gretly to se the day and the houre that he myght 
be made knyght of hys honde, and seide often to hem that were of his counseile 
that whoso myght take ordere of chivalrye moste in evry wise be a gode knyght. 
And whan his grauntsire, the Kynge Adrian, that tho was livynge, counseiled hym 
to take the ordere of knyghthode, for he was the next heire male to the empere 
after his deth. And he hym ansuerde that he wolde never be knyght till that Arthur, 
the kynge of Grete Breteyne, hadde made hym a knyght with his owne hondes. 
And so hereof spake thei day be day till that the Kynge Adrian appareiled Segramore 
and sente hym to the Grete Breteyne richely arayed. But now cesseth of hym to 
speke more at this tyme, and turneth to telle how these other kynges departed fro 
Sorhant.

[Summary. Three more of the rebels -- King Carados, King Aguysans of Scotland, 
and Duke Escam -- also return to their chief cities and prepare for the Saxons. Fols. 
64r (line 5)-64v (line 4).]


Thus departet the eleven barouns fro Sorhant. And the Kynge Urien leffte in his 
citee and sente thourgh every londe and contrey aboute; and sowdiours [cam] so 
that he hadde togeder nine thousand, withoute the peple of the citee wherof were 
wele six thousand; and the sege was thens but a journé.
And so thei fought togeder many tymes, and loste and wonne as is the fortune 
of werre. And thus this stryfe lastid longe tyme, so that the contrey was wasted 
and made pore so sore that in five yere therin was nought to gete. And in the 
contrey they lived by nought elles saf by that oon myght take of another bytwene 
the Cristen men and the Saisnes, but yef eny ship by aventure arived at eny port in 
the londe. In this manere were thei sustened that otherwise ne laboured not, but 
werred that oon agein that other right harde. And the Saisnes ronne thourgh the 
londe of Kynge Arthur and thereinne dide grete damage, for ther was noonthat 
hem dide lette, till that by aventure, as God wolde, he sente feire yonge squires 
and gentill it to socoure. And I shall telle yow what thei were that so longe kepte 
the londes of Kynge Arthur till that he com ageyn oute of the londe of Tamelide, 
so that the Saisnes loste more, and the barouns that were his enmyes, than dide 
Arthur. And now returneth the tale agein to Galashyn, the sone of Kynge Ventres.

[Summary. Galashin, the son of King Ventres, sends a message to Gawain, urging 
Gawain and his brothers to meet him at Newerk. When the cousins are assembled 
together, Galashin asks Gawain what he intends to do. Gawain says he will seek the 
most worthy knight of the world -- King Arthur -- against whom their fathers and the 
other barons are making war "with great wrong." The cousins agree to summon as 
many knights and squires as they can find, and to go to Logres and place themselves 
at King Arthur's disposal. Fols. 64v (line 34)-65r (line 34).]


Go To The Deeds of the Young Squires


2 disconfiture, defeat; playnynge and regretinge, lamenting.

3 ne thei . . . dronke of, they neither ate nor drank.

3-4 no more . . . don of, i.e., nor had they eaten.

5 more disese, great discomfort.

12 Orcanye, Orkney.

12-13 distruxion of, destruction caused by.

13 dide, i.e., moved.

19 bacheler, knight-aspirant.

20 bewté, beauty.

24 here, hear.

30 debonertee, courtesy.

31 ne were not ye, were you not.

34 disconfited, defeated.

36 trowe, believe; soche herte, such courage; but yef, unless.

39 yen, eyes.

46-47 sethe be discovered of, since been revealed by.

48 that2, who (i.e., Ulfin).

52 sithes, times.

55 wele spede, succeed.

58 withholde, keep.

59 spede, manage.

62 pryvely, secretly.

63 Phasche, Easter.

69 than, then.

73 Saisnes, Saxons; prayes, livestock.

76 sowdiers, soldiers.

77-78 withoute hem, not including those.

79 kepte, protected; contré environ, surrounding countryside.

80 mysdo, harm.

81 forrey, forage; wan, won.

82 myster, need.

83 loos, praise.

85 bounté, goodness.

87 largesse, generosity.

88 oon, one (i.e., Gawain).

94 moche, important.

95 more clere that I make yow, more clearly must I make you.

96 moche, many.

101 loigged, lodged; meyné, retinue.

103 he2, i.e., Antor.

105 do made a cowche, made a couch (i.e., a bed).

108 toke grete hede of, observed closely.

109 saugh, saw.

110 covetted, desired.

111 bounté, goodness.

116 toke, i.e., planned.

120 ne not, i.e., not even.

121 wyste, knew.

124 kepe, notice.

125 stilliche, quietly; yede, went.

126 turnynge and wendynge, tossing and turning; noon, no; durste, dared.

130 anoon, soon.

131 that2, i.e., when; it tolde, i.e., told it to her.

135 bountees, goodness.

137 but yef, unless; ensured, promised; discover, reveal.

139 ne toke noon kepe, had little concern.

141 wax all rody, blushed.

142 lefte her mete utterly, left her food untouched.

143-44 it fill her, it befell her.

144 grete, pregnant.

146 also, as; he, i.e., Arthur.

148 for1, because of; werre, war.

149 hym, i.e., Arthur.

151 leeshe, a set of three.

152 brace, pairs.

154 tecche, characteristic.

155 whan he aroos, i.e., in the very early morning; force, strength.

156 pryme, 9 a.m.

157 tierce, 12 a.m.; mydday, 3 p.m.

159 noone, 6 p.m.

163 evyll will, enmity.

164 mortalité, slaughter; by, because of.

166 aventure to be, in danger of being; ther, therefor.

167-68 moche of, large for.

169 hevied, grieved.

171 foly, frivolous things.

174 purchase, obtain; pees, peace.

176 deyne, deign.

178 here, their.

179-80 ne we ne shull no helpe have, nor shall we have any help.

182 acorde of, make peace between.

183 nought elles, nothing else.

184 lese, waste.

184-85 me semeth, it seems to me.

188 ne doute yow nought, doubt it not at all.

190 debonerly, courteously.

191 pensif, sad.

194 tho, those.

196 letted, held back.

200 wete, know; by, be.

202 agein, against.

205 heilde stille, continued.

209 repeire, abide; musardes, dullards, idlers; ne awayte nought elles, await nothing else.

210 take, caught; bridde, bird; a journé hens, a day's journey away.

214 nought gete, nothing achieve; prowesse, valorous deeds.

216 lese . . . ages, i.e., waste our youth.

218 apareile us, prepare ourselves.

221 hem, them (i.e., her sons); Dismay, Worry.

222 ordeyne yow, arrange for you.

227 gentill, noble.

230 hadde oon, i.e., married one.

231 deyde, died.

233 moche, large.

236 high prowesse, great deeds.

239 Renomee, Renown; yede, went.

240 largesse, generosity.

246 of2, by.

247 whoso, whoever; moste in evry wise, must in every respect.

248 tho, then.

252 appareiled, readied.

256 leffte, remained.

258 withoute, without counting.

258-59 were wele, were at least.

259 sege, i.e., invading Saxons; journé, a day's journey.

260 thei, the barons and the Saxons.

262 so sore, so severely; nought to gete, nothing left.

263 nought elles saf by that, no other means except by what.

264 but yef, unless; by aventure, by chance.

268 lette, hinder.


























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