St. 192
p. 77, l. 2216 f. dede means here, and l. 2400, ‘exploit, battle.’ In the same way Saber, Beves’s uncle, once a year on a certain day fights against the Emperor; cf. Sir Beues, l. 2917 ff.:
’& eueri ȝer on a dai certaine
Vpon þemperur of Almaine
He ginneþ gret bataile take,
Beues, al for þine sake.’
It agrees very well with the religious feelings of the Middle Ages, when they thought it a merit to fight against the heathens on Good Friday; cf. here l. 2230 ff.
p. 77, l. 2224 ff. I am afraid there is something wrong in these lines; the copyist seems to mean, that Torrent didn’t bereave the inhabitants of their worldly goods, their treasures; then we must write them for it. But what we really expect here is, that he leaves in the town some trustworthy men to keep it. Accordingly, the fault lies in Worldely goodis. Besides, l. 2224, did wyn, instead of was yn, would improve the rhyme.