serue her without chauÌ„gynge in these thoughtes he toke ofte tymes grete dyscomforte somtyme allegyaunce of his heuy thoughtes Tho it befell y t there was rygour of warre bytwene the kynge of Irlonde the kynge of Englonde Soo there was trewes taken that was broken at Myghelmas and was passed a thre dayes And y e kynge of Irlonde came with grete armes So the tydynges came to the courte And the kyÌ„ge of Englonde sente letters ouer all made his assemble and ordeyned his two sones for to goo Surdyt asked his mayster Syr what tytle hathe the kynge your fader for to warre And Henry sayd that his fader hadde good tytle takynge it on his soule on his peryll Syr sayd Surdit than shall I go with you for in no wronge tytle of warre wyll I not arme me for no thynge for we owe better for to loue y e soules than the bodyes that ben mortelles whiche drawe euery daye to theyr ende and the soule may not dye for she must haue her rewarde of y e good dede and of the badde his mayster herde hym and praysed hym moche in his herte but well he thought that he had good ryght ¶ How the Englysshemen and the Irysshe faught how Ponthus conquered toke the kyÌ„ge of Irlonde and how he made afterwarde the peas of hym and of the kynge of Irlande THe armes were assembled wente ayenst the kynge of Irlonde y t kepte the felde had take a castell with a saute whaÌ„ he herde by his espyes that y e kynges two sones came to y e batayll he went ayenst them for he was a good knyght and a manly What sholde I saye you the kynge of Irlonde had seuen bataylles had many comyns our men had but foure bataylles of the whiche the erle of hampton ledde the fyrst he was marchal of englonde The secoÌ„de ledde syr Henry The thyrde syr IohnÌ„ the kyÌ„ges two sones and in that was moost of barons The fourth ledde y e kynge of cornewayle y t was a good knyght neuewe to the kynge of Englonde and he hadde with hym the walshe men The kynge of Irlonde had moost of his men on fote but the Englysshe men were moost on horsbacke At the assemblynge of the men of armes there was grete noyse and grete crye and there were many knyghtes ouerthrowen that syth had no power to ryse Soo the Erle had moche to suffâ—e by thre bataylles that were agaynst hym And whan Surdyt that was in the seconde batayll sawe theyr felowshyp withdrawe he sayd to his mayster Syr it is tyme to departe for your men lese grounde ye saye well sayd syr Harry Than they lete renne and smote in to the batayll bette downe knyghtes horses in theyr comynge and than they drewe theyr bryght swerdes of stele began the batayll fyers and cruell Soo they droue abacke the Irysshemen with that the other batayll came to theym where as the kynge was and the best knyghtes and there was grete noyse and sowne of trompettes and tabours and taryed but a whyle y t all the bataylles assembled togyder There were many fayre Ioustes but it were to longe to tell Surdyt y t had grere wyll for to do dedes of armes bete doune many with a tronchon of a spere And than he set his hande to his swerde and began for to smyte on the ryght syde and on the lefte syde that he made before hyÌ„ a grete way he made hymselfe be to byknowen of theÌ„ that neuer erst had sene hym and he dyde suche meruaylles of armes that there were many that lefte the batayll for to beholde hym Than sayd the kynge yf he lyue longe he shall make vs to lese the felde Soo y e kynge smote hym a trauers that he reuersed him and yet he feâ— not thoughe he was nyghe ouerthrowen whan he was dressed agayne he preysed hymselfe lytell in his herte but yf he be auenged for he knew well that it was the kynge of Irlonde for he had sene him do many grete dedes y t daye so he sawe hym rychely armed and arayed with peerles and precyous stones Then Surdyt auaunced hym and smote hym so grete a stroke vpon the helme that he astonyed hym and laye ouer the sadyll bowe but he wolde not smyte hyÌ„ agayne for ferde of sleynge And he sayd in his herte that yf god wolde he sholde not slee so good a knyght Than he toke hym by bothe sholders and drewe hym to hym ledde hym forth as the wulfe dothe his pray The Irysshemen wende well for to haue rescowed hyÌ„ but he smote soo grete strokes aboute hym that none durste come nyghe hym put smytynge as the brachet abayeth the wylde bore And so he bare hym out of the batayll and set hym in good kepynge and made hym for to fyauÌ„ce pryson whan y e Irysshemen sawe theyr kynge was taken eche of theym loste hardynes beganne to fle to the wodes and to the mountaynes there were many taken and slayne and ouerthrowen in the chace At the nyght euery man drewe to his baneâ— his standarde they lodged them in the feldes in the sygne of vyctory Syr Harry had grete Ioye that his knyght had taken the kynge of Irlonde Euery man spake of the knyghthode of Surdyt all men sayd that he hadde all ouercome and was cause of the vyctorye vpon the morowe after they wente before the castel y t the kynge of Irlonde had goten and it was yelden agayne and other townes castelles And whan wynter came on euery man came home in to his owne couÌ„tre Grete was the Ioye of the tydyÌ„ges that came to the kynges hous y e Surdyt had dyscomfyted y e Irysshemen and had take the kynge of Irlonde in myddes of all his men Soo there was grete preyse of his knyghthode At his comynge home the kynge and the quene wente ayenst hym and sayd welcome be ye the beste knyght on lyue floure of all knyghthode Surdyt was asshamed of the worshyp that they made hyÌ„ and sayd to the kyÌ„ge to the quene that they shamed hym yf he had wyst he wolde not haue come thyder of all that yere for it behoueth you not to do me suche worshyppe for I haue not deserued it me semeth y t ye bourde with me A sayd y e kynge ryght dere frende in good fayth we wende we hadde done well but syth that it dyspleaseth you we shall doo soo no more And thus the kynge exscused hym Men asked the kynge what he wolde do with the kynge of Irlonde And he answerrd as Surdyt wolde for he wolde neyther put hym in warde nor in pryson but as Surdyt coÌ„maunded And he answered agayne as the kyÌ„ge were pleased so sholde be done And yf it pleaseth the kynge that he myght be at his fyrst comynge out of pryson and be brought in to the hall men doo hym worshyp it were well done The
grete gentylnes how he wolde helpe hym vp Moche they praysed hym and gaue hym grete loos Soo they came to Geffrey de lesygnen that myght not bestere hym So he sayd vnto Androwe de la toure fayre frende and felowe I shall abyde tyll the nexte tuesdaye comynge for to holde you felawshyppe for to goo vnto the fayre Sydoyne yf ye sette no better remedy in you that I haue done in me Syr sayd Androwe de la toure of y e auenture of armes may noo man Iuge for they be ryght meruayllous and ye myght not doo therto of this auenture for it was befall of your horse wherof noo man may beware And I thynke not for to haue shame yf I pursewe suche knyghtes as ye and Bernarde de la Roche Soo they spake of many dyuerse thynges and so he was taken lyfte vp as softely as men myght was ledde vnto Moūtfort where y t he was dyght y t he myght ryde with a palet ¶ How y e thyrde tuesdaye Ponthus conquered landry and sente hym vnto Sydoyne THe nexte tuesdaye came from euery parte people to se the batayll at the houre of pryme the blacke knyght with y e whyte teres came of y e other syde came landry than they caste theyr speres in the restes with y e guffanons hangynge with grete Ire eche of them smote other without ouerthrowynge soo they passed forth came agayne ryght rudely so moche that they persed theyr sheldes and brake theyr speres and than they toke theyr swerdes and eche gaue other grete strokes where they myght reche So they were a grete whyle on horsbacke so befell that Ponthus dressed hȳ well smote landry wtall his strength that he made hym astonyed whan Ponthus had do so he sawe hym staker soo he toke hym by the helme drewe hym with all his strength so y t he cast hym to y e erth but neuertheles he rose vp agayne whan Ponthus sawe hym at the erth he sayd that he sholde not assayle hȳ on horsebacke y e other on fote for it sholde tourne hym to shame but anone he alyght put his shelde tofore hym his swerde in his hande came rennynge vpon hȳ And Landry dressed hym made hym redy to defende hym for he wyst well he had not a do w t a chylde Ponthus came smote hȳ a stroke the swerde glaunced smote away a quarter of his shelde landry smote hȳ ayen grete strokes where he myght reche hym and ryght well he defended hym to his power lyke a good knyghte for he was meruaylously stronge harde manly soo he endured moche Ponthus gaue hȳ grete strokes where he myght hyt hym So he meruaylled moche how he myght endure ayenst hym so longe Soo they brake theyr sheldes theyr helmes they were so wery at the fyrst assaute that they must nedes reste theym to take theyr brethes they lened vpon theyr swerdes for werynesse And than Androwe spake fyrst sayd Syr knyght I wote not what ye be but soo moche I saye you y t I wende not in the mornynge to haue founde so moche strength worthynes in you as I haue proued but before or ye haue conquered me in armes ye must do more than ye haue done yet ye sayd Ponthus by the holy fayth ye shall yelde you to the fayre gentylwoman or myne herte lyeth bere her this gyfte of this swerde Than he lyft vp his swerde smote Androwe as he whiche hadde grete angre shame that he endured so longe ayenst hym And so began the batayll soo harde that the blode ranne from them doune to the groūde And Ponthus hadde gyuen hym a grete stroke vpon the temple so that his helme was broken so tourned he his shelde toke his swerde with bothe his handes and smote Androwe so grete a stroke that he was all astonyed and it was no meruayll for ryght longe had the batayll endured bytwene them bothe y t with grete payne they myght stonde So ofte he smote hym that he apperceyued well that Androwe was wery astonyed of strokes that he had gyuen receyued so he hasted hym more more soo moche that he sawe hym staker so he came put hym with all his myght and caste hym downe and fell bothe to the erth but Ponthus fell vpon hym soo y t Androwe myght not ryse Ponthus sayd vnto hȳ Syr knyght yelde you Androwe sayd no worde endured moche payne had grete sorowe to yelde hym So sayd he to hȳ agayne as he whiche was ryght courteys Syr knyght yelde you to the fayre gentylwoman I praye you and that there be no more debate bytwene you and me for we haue preued vs ynough togyder And than Androwe knewe well the grete courtosye of the knyght whiche that he faught with sayd vnto hym to her shall I yelde me gladly syth that it pleaseth you It suffyseth me sayd Ponthus than he rose vp ryght wery and moche trauayled of the grete strokes and of the grete batayll that had so longe endured soo he came to his hors with moche payne lepte vp and wente in to the forest where he sawe the thyckest soo faste that euery man loste the syght of hym And Geffrey de lesygnen many other came to Androwe asked how he dyde he sayd well after the disease that he hadde but that he had foūde his mayster A sayd Geffrey fayre frende we shall go you I togyder to the ryght fayre lady we shall yelde vs to her mercy Syr sayd Androwe I shall bere you felawshyp for it were no reason that ye sholde go without me And so bourded that one felawe with y e other Soo he was vnarmed had grete foyson of woundes but he stode in no daunger for he had no woūde that myght lette hȳ to ryde So wente they on the thyrde daye after to yelde theym to fayre Sydoyne And the kynge made theym grete chere grete Ioye as to two of the beste knyhgtes that men myght fynde in ony londe moost named of worthy knyghthode So they came to Sydoyne put them in to her mercy And she whiche was ryght wyse and gentyll receyued them with grete Ioye fested them dyde them grete worshyp gaue them mantelles of sylke furred with veer gyrdelles fayre ryche on euery gyrdell a ryche gypsyer the knyghtes thanked her sayd well was befall them of her pryson that she was not harde for to endure Lordes sayd she I wote not who is y e knyght that sendeth you hyder but he ye do me ryght grete worshyp without cause for fayrer goodlyer ben ynough in this realme who that wyll seche them chose them Madame sayd choknyghtes we must byleue the comyn for all haue the sen you for the fayrest Soo they bourded ynoughe of many thynges abode
estates all maner men and it is good reason for he loueth and dredeth god and worshyppeth the aeged and the wyse people is honourable and humble bothe to grete and lytell he is morrour of all largesse of noblesse what his swete herte is gentyll and debonayr what sholde my herte do after his departynge but languysshe daye nyght neuer to haue Ioye nor rest I wote well that his herte shal suffre no lesse Than she fell in a swowne and Elyos toke her in her armes and streyned her and toke rose water and bespryncled her lady and comforted her y e fayrest she myght but it auaylled not she was so sorowefull And after she sayd A Elyos my swete loue I may not hyde my herte from you I loue you truste you soo moche But swete loue this sorowe cometh to me whan I thynke on the grete vntrouth that hathe ben contryued agaynst vs in that that we neuer thought for truer loue was there neuer And after that I thynke on the langage that shall be sayd theron and than after by me he leseth the countre where he was soo moche byloued bothe of lytell and of grete and all the harme that he hathe and shall haue is and shall be by me And I am cause of all his myschyef All these thynges putteth grete sorowe to my herte so she made grete sorowe and after she wyped her eyen And so ne after she wente downe in to her grete chambre amonge her ladyes gentylwomen and made no femblaūt that she had ony sorowe for she was ryght wyse and well coude she hyde herselfe The ladyes gentylwomen wepte for pyte and sorowe of Ponthus sayd that cursed be they that suche false tydynges had contryued but Sydoyne comforted them ryght swetely ¶ How Ponthus departed from the courte of the kȳge of Brytayne POnthus called a squyer and the yomen of his chambre and cōmaunded them to trusse put in a clothesakcke all thynge that hym neded and than he toke his leue of the court and of euery man So ne was there none but y t they ne wepte cryed and rente theyr heer made as grete sorowe as they had sene al theyr frendes deed soo moche they loued hym So he departed frome the courte The barons and the knyghtes and all that euer myght lepe on horsbacke conuyed hym syghynge and wepynge well they wende for to haue witholde hym with fayrnesse saynge vnto hym that the kynge was aeged and redooted and that ye ought not to sette his herte of nothynge that he sayd to hym But he wolde not vnderstonde it and whan they had conueyed hym a two myle he abode prayed theym to torne agayne So he made theym to torne agayne whyder they wolde or not at the leue takynge there was wepynge waylynge ynough saynge A Brytayne so moche thou oughtest well to wepe whan the gentyll and the good knyght whiche had y e in peas and Ioye and kepte the from harmes aduersaryes all enemyes as the henne dooth her chekyns vnder her wynges and he that helde all the Barons and y e people in good loue So they wente by waylnge wepynge and cursynge them that this false tayles had ymagyned And Ponthus rode to saynt Solo And there he dyd ordeyne a shyp And on the mornynge he herde masse and wente to the see And herlaunt his felowes wende for to haue gone with him all saue ganelet but he wolde not suffre them and he sayd y t the kynge had nourysshed them and y t he was of power to make them doo them good therfore he wolde that they sholde torne agayne vnto hym with grete payne they myght beparte from hym so sorowfull they were Soo they toke theyr leue wepynge and whan the shyp was gone out of theyr syght than began theyr sorowe all saue ganellet whiche made semblaunt to wepe but he hadde grete Ioye in his herte And whan Ponthus had lost the syght of Brytayne Than fell the teres frome his eyen and sayd Blessyd be Brytayne and the fayrest the good the trewest y e lyueth and the best and all other ladyes and gentylwomen for the loue of her and al the knyghthode for better nor sweter was there neuer ¶ How whan Ponthus was arryued at the porte of Hampton he founde a wylde bore and cutte hym in the myddes POnthus had his herte heuy and sorowfull for his lady whiche dwelled there and alwaye he refrayned his sorowe the beste that he myght So he arryued and londed at Hampton and came rydynge towarde London Then he met a greyhounde in his waye and a wylde bore whiche greyhoūde folowed pynched the bore Tho Ponthous drewe out his swerde and smote the bore in two peces Harry the kynges sone of Englonde that sawe the stroke was gretely ameruaylled and enquyred hym of whens he was Ponthus sayd vnto hym Syr for as moche as I haue herde grete renowme of the kynges hous of Englonde that he hath two sones whiche ben good knyghtes I am come hether for to se the state and the nobles of his hous Syr sayd Harry ye be welcome and I am one of the kynges sones and praye you for too be with me Syr in the name of god syth that it pleaseth you Soo they rode forth towarde the courte spekynge of many thynge whan they arryued y e kynge was set at dyner Harry cōmaunded y e men sholde delyuer chambre stable to his newe knyght it was done The kynges sone entred in to the halle his newe knyght with hym and salewed humbly the kynge and y e quene The kynge asked hym how he had hunted he tolde hym than he asked hym pryuely who is y t goodly knyght he tolde hym how that he foūde hym and of the grete stroke y t he had stryken the welde bore Moche was Ponthus loked vpon for frome euery parte men came for to se hym as it hadde ben a myracle Anone it was noysed in the courte that there was come the goodlyest knyght of the worlde that the kynges sone hadde brought The ladyes behelde hym and in especyall the kynges doughters Eeuerye of theym sayd that he is y e goodlyest knyght that euer I sawe Ye saye trouthe sayd another yf he be good yet is he more agreable and pleasaunt he was set at dyner with the ladyes After mete the kynge wente out of the hall and sawe the bore whiche was the grettest that he had sene of a grete whyle and was in two peces A sayd harry to the kynge to the quene se what my newe knyghte hathe done with one stroke of his swerde Ponthus turned fro thens and was ashamed bycause that men praysed hym for that stroke The kynge asked hym of whens he was and he sayd vnto hym that he was of the realme of fraunce and what is your name Syr sayd he men calle me Surdyt dedroit voyce So he asked hym of
of margaretes that it was meruayll for to se the grete ryches that it was worthe for it was praysed more than thyrty thousande besauntes of golde The kyÌ„ge sawe theym and sayd to his doughter Fayre doughter ye be not maryed to prynce dyssheryted god hath gyuen hym and you fayre good and ryche and noble lo ye ought to thanke god After that Ponthus gaue to the kynge ryght fayre gyftes and good Iewelles as precyous stones perles and cuppes of golde and to the barons of Brytayne he gaue gyftes of golde ryches after that they were he was moche praysed for his grete gyftes and of his grete largesse The day of the maryage were the lordes of Englonde of Irlonde of scotlonde rychely arayed and they of brytayne dyde them grete worshyp Grete was the feest grete was the Ioye of mynstrelles and of heraldes Grete gyftes gaue them Ponthus There was many rhynges bytwene y e courses And there were made many meruayllous thynges Ponthus made auowe whiche was moche spoken of for he sayd thus bycause that men sholde nâ—t saye the kynges doughter hath taken a man without londe therfore I make myne auowe that neuer shal I come in her bedde tyll that I be lorde of the realme and londe whiche was my faders crowned or elles I shall dye therfore And I auowe to god y t I neuer kyssed her nor requyred her of thynge that sholde tourne to disworshyp whan that I departed out of this countree nor thought more to doo vnto her than vnto myne owne moder Soo he sayd thus bycause of the wordes the kynge had meued before tyme for the whiche he departed from brytayne And whaÌ„ Sydoyne wyste y t he had made this auowe she was ryght Ioyfull therof all thoughe she had leuer haue had his felawshyp so it was moche spokeÌ„ of some sayd that he was a ryght good man and a trewe knyght and some sayd that he had delayed the grete frendshyp disporte that she supposed to haue hadde with hym Than sayd the kynge in good fayth I was to hasty to byleue suche tales so lyghtly The feest was ryght grete but the kynge wolde not that yere sholde be Iustes for the auenture of that befell of the kynge of bourgoyne for fere that some myschefe sholde haue befallen And than they began to synge daunce and made many geÌ„tylmanly dysportes And at euen Ponthus came in to the chambre to Sydoyne and said vnto her A my swete loue all my Ioye my herte my lyfe all my sustynaunce I haue ben to hasty of the auowe that I haue made but in good fayth I made it for to saue your worshyp for the wycked tongues of the worlde are alwaye redy to reporte the worste And for trouth my fayre loue I shall suffre greter dysease than ony body for the grete desyre that I haue to be bytwene your armes but god wyll I shall be there hasty for it is the gretest desyre that myne herte hath My swete loue and lorde sayd she wote it well that all your pleasure is myne we ought to desyre no thyÌ„ge so moche as worshyp and good name so ye haue done well for to put awaye the doubte of the mysse sayers Inoughe they talked togyder than they halsed and kyssed there was moche Ioye feestynge of armes tyll the .xv. dayes were passed There was y e monstre and the brytons were nombred foure thousande fyue hondred armed men And of the normans twelue hondred and were all waged payed for syxe monethes It was a fayre thynge for to se theym assemble with the nauy of Englonde ¶ How Ponthus departed from Brytayne for to go â—onquere his countree PPonthus toke his leue of y e kynge and of Sydoyne And by flatery this Guenelet dyde soo moche that he abode with the kynge with Sydoyne as all gouernour keper of them And Ponthus toke hym a party of his tresoure to kepe So at the departynge there was wepynge ynoughe of Sydoyne and of the ladyes Ponthus kyssed her toke his leue and betoke her the moost parte of his Iowelles rychesse to kepe Than he departed wente by londe passed by nauntes came to sable danlon to derbendelles there was his grete nauy And there arryued Geffrey de lesygnen Androwe de la toure with grete felawshyp And than Ponthus receyued theym with grete Ioye as the two knyghtes straungers of the worlde that he loued beste than he gaue theym grete gyftes And than came Guyllam de roches a good knyghte Paraunt de rocheforte the lorde de douay Pyers de donne Gerarde de chateau goutyer Iohn meleurier with the herupoys Of the manseaus beaunmount la vale Sygles de doncelles and other of the countre of mayne Of Tourayne baussay mayle hay of other tourangeaus Of poytw the vycount of toures the erles brother of marche maulyon chastemur la garnache dyuers other Ponthus gaue them grete gyftes that they all were abasshed of his largesse sayd that there was none to serue hym he is worthy to conquere and to gouerne all the worlde by his grete courtesye and largesse To euery baron knyght he delyuered shyppes after that they had people And than they toke the see and departed with grete Ioy. It taryed not longe that all the nauy assembled soo it was a good syght to se the shyppes and the sayles drawen vp that it semed a grete forest So they had wynde at wyll passed the yle of doloron And whan they were a .vi. myle from the columpne Ponthus made the ancres for to be caste and all the shyppes to abyde he sayd to the lordes to the chyefteynes it were good to entre in to the countre by nyght for the mone shyneth and therfore lette vs londe a thre or foure myle from columpne and than to withdrawe our nauy agayne for I wolde not sayd Ponthus that they of y e countree sholde knowe vs for certayne causes Than he ordeyned aboute y e sonne goynge downe that they sholde departe and so they dyde And soo they londed a foure myle frome the cyte of columpne Whan they were londed they sente theyr shyppes in to the hyghe see bycause that they sholde not be aspyed Than they hydde them in a valey vnder a grete wood and helde themselfe as preuy as they myght ¶ How Ponthus founde his vncle the Erle of desture syr Patrycke y e knyght in a chapell by columpne THan Ponthus toke an hors rode out at the wood syde for to se yf he myght fyÌ„de ony man of the couÌ„tree for to wete and to knowe the rule of the londe So it befell y t he came to a lytell chapell ryght deuoute It happened of fortune y t the erle of desture Ponthus vncle syr Patrycke y e knyght y t saued him his .xiii. felawes were rysen afore day So these two knyghtes loued togyder as bretherne and they