III. 3

[The King of Portugal sends Torrent to be kild by the Giant Slogus.]

Torrent sits at the head of a side table.

............ 819

And the good squyres after h[ym],

That knyghtes sholde be. 821

The King asks Torrent if he’ll

As they were a-myddes theyr...

The kynge wolde not forgete,

To Torente than sayd he, 824

He sayd: ‘so god me saue,

Fayne thou woldest my dough[ter haue],

Thou hast loued her many a d[aye].’ 827

‘Ye, by my trouthe,’ sayd Torente,

‘And I were a ryche man,

Ryght gladly by my faye.’ 830

do a deed of arms for Desonell.

‘If thou durst for her sake

A poynte of armes vndertake,

Thou broke her vp for ay.’ 833

‘Yes,’ says Torrent.

‘Ye,’ sayde he, ‘or I go,

Sykernes thou make me so

Of thy doughter hende. 836

Ye and after all my ryghtes

By VII score of hardy knyghtes’

Al they were Torentes frende. 839

‘Now, good lordes, I you praye,

Bere wytnes of this day

Agayne yf god me sende!’ 842

Torente sayd, ‘so may I the,

Wyst I, where my jorney shold [be],

Thyder I wolde me dyghte.’ 845

The kyng gaue hym an answ[e]re,

‘Then go to Calabria,

‘In the londe of Caleb[e]re

There wonneth a gyaunte wygh[hte] 848

............

Slogus he hyght as I the tolde,

and fight the Giant Slogus.’

God sende the that waye ryghte!’ 851

FRAG. 4. TORRENT WILL NOT GIVE UP HIS GIANT-FIGHT.