Chapter IX: Part 9

Of, 32/1088, «prp.» on account of.

oght, 78/2713, «sb.» aught.

onarmede, 14/464, unarmed.

onneþe, 89/3105, «adv.» scarcely.

onworthily, 49/1634, «adv.» unusefully.

orders, 59/2036. «See the note.»

ore, 72/2512, «sb.» mercy, favour. O.E. âr.

orfrays, 83/2888, «sb.» gold embroidery. Lat. Aurifrisum.

overlede, 72/2502, «vb.» to domineer over, to oppress.

Parelles, 55/1917, «sb. pl.» perils. Fr. péril.

paynym, 16/539, «sb.» pagan.

pellure, 83/2887, «sb.» fur. O.Fr. pelure.

pight, 34/1158, «pp.» pitched, fixed.

pinne, 88/3077, «vb.» to torment. O.E. pînan.

playn, 6/177, «vb.» to complain.

plete, 33/1151, «vb.» plead, prattle. From Fr. plet, plaid.

plight, 26/889, «prs. s.» promise, assure.

poleyne, 6/176, «sb.» pully-pieces, knee-armour.

praye, 16/550, «sb.» press, crowd.

prees, 40/1399, «sb.» crowd, struggle. Fr. presse.

preest, 34/1169, «adj.» ready. Fr. prest.

prik, 81/2831, «vb.» to spur a horse, to ride.

prikke, 65/2260, «sb.» a piece of wood in the centre of the target. See Halliwell’s «Diction.» «s. v.» preke.

prove, 6/183, «vb.» to try.

prowe, 51/1766, «sb.» profit, advantage, honour. Fr. prou.

prymsauns, 28/965 (?). «See the note.»

Quod, 32/1095, «prt. s.» quoth.

qwelle, 75/2614, «vb.» to kill. O.E. cwellan.

qwere, 17/566, «sb.» quire, choir-service.

qweynte, 3/74, «adj.» excellent, elegant. O.Fr. coint. Lat. cognitus.

qwike, 58/2001, «adj.» alive, burning. O.E. cwic.

qwite, 16/520, «vb.» to requite, to reward.

Racches, 2/56, «sb.» setting dogs, pointers.

rafe, 25/866, «vb.» to rave. O.Fr. raver. Span. rabiar. Lat. rabiare.

ras, 39/1349, «sb.» instant, occasion. «See the note.» 19/645, hurry, haste.

rase, 23/774, «sb.» rush, channel of the sea.

raught, 46/1605, «prt. s.» reached, aimed at, struck. O.E. r[^æ]hte.

rede, 85/2980, «sb.» counsel, advice. O.E. r[^æ]d.

rees, 49/1693, «sb.» time, occasion.

rehete, 59/2035, «vb.» to cheer.

rekyneth, 57/1982, «prs. s.» reckons, deduces.

releve, 7/219, «vb.» to rally.

renew, 33/1126, «vb.» to tie. Fr. renouer.

renew, 63/2200, «vb.» to renovate, to recommence. Renew.

resyn, 16/534, «prs. pl.» rise.

rew, 89/3105, «sb.» row, order. O.E. r[^æ]w.

roght, 54/1878, «pt. pl.» recked, cared. O.E. rôhton.

roial, 20/686, 51/1765, «adj.» exquisite, distinguished; 71/2483, delightful. Cf. l. 2247.

rome, 14/484, «vb.» to walk about. See Stratmann, «s. v.» râmen, p. 452.

romme, 26/876, «sb.» room, space. O.E. rûm.

rowte, 2/54, «sb.» company, host.

rowte, 60/2073, «vb.» to assemble in a company, to throng, to rally.

ruly, 47/1624, «adj.» rueful. O.E. hrêowlîc.

ryme, 10/339, «vb.» to cry out, to moan.

Saile, 12/385, «vb.» to assail.

same, all in s., 56/1938, altogether.

sare, 21/706, «adv.» sorely, sadly.

saule, 66/2310. «See the note.»

saute, 18/619, «sb.» assault.

saye, 58/1998, «pt. pl.» saw. O.E. s[^æ]gon.

scole, 33/1141, «vb.» style, manner.

sede, 7/235, «sb.» seed.

seke, 32/1116, «adj.» sick.

semely, 2/39, «adj.» seemly, comely, beautiful.

sendelle, 4/129, «sb.» a kind of rich thin silk.

set, 49/1717, «vb.» to consider, estimate.

sete, 3/62, «sb.» a seat.

sewes, 76/2654, «sb.» juices, delicacies. O.E. seaw.

seyne, 14/472, «vb.» to speak.

shente, 1/23, «pp.» destroyed.

shifte, 78/2704, «vb.» to divide, to share. O.E. sciftan.

shonde, 64/2222, «sb.» disgrace, ignominy. O.E. sceand.

shoon, 40/1381, «sb.» shoes. O.E. scêon, scêos.

shope him, 2/50, «pt. s.» got himself ready to, arrayed himself.

shoure, 15/509, «sb.» fight.

shrew, 72/2518, «vb.» to curse.

shrewes, 76/2652, «sb.» wicked beings.

sikerlye, 62/2172, «adv.» surely.

sith, 47/1632, «conj.» since.

sithe, 47/1619, «sb. pl.» times. O.E. sîð.

skaped, 59/2043, «pt. s.» escaped.

skath, 47/1645, «sb.» loss, damage, ruin. Cf. O.E. sceaðan.

skomfited, 38/1320, «pp.» discomfited. O.Fr. desconfire.

skulkyng, 76/2651, «prs. p.» lurking, breaking forth from a hiding place.

smerte, 38/1309, «adj.» smart, pungent.

smertly, 41/1419, «adv.» smartly, at once.

socoure, 15/507, «sb.» succour, assistant.

soghten, 40/1372, «pt. pl.» moved on, rode. «See the note.»

solas, 20/675, «sb.» relief, recreation, pleasure. O.Fr. solaz. Lat. solatium.

somer, 77/2702, «sb.» a sumpter horse. Fr. sommier. Cf. Diez, «Etym. Dict.» I., p. 364, «s. v.» salma.

sonde, 61/2134, «sb.» message, order.

sore, 2/47, «adv.» very much, eagerly.

sore, 33/1138, «adv.» sadly.

sowdeoures, 21/727, «sb.» soldiers, hirelings. Lat. solidarius. Cf. Fr. soudard, soudoyé.

spede, 70/2433, «vb.» thrive.

spille, 36/1226, «vb.» to destroy. O.E. spillan.

stenyed, 24/825, «pt. s.» shook, astounded.

steven, 65/2258, «sb.» voice. O.E. stefn.

stondart, 78/2717, «sb.» standard-bearer. Fr. étendard.

store, 23/768, «sb.» provision.

store, 92/3210, «sb.» stock, preservation, keeping.

stoure, 7/212, «sb.» battle, tumult.

stoute, 53/1825, «adj.» proud, boasting.

stronde, 2/53, «sb.» strand, shore.

stroyeth, 5/159, «prs. s.» destroyeth.

stynte, 52/1804, «pt. pl.» stopped.

sue, 46/1601, «vb.» to follow. Fr. suivre.

sware, 13/428, «adj.» heavy.

swyth, 47/1621, «adv.» quick, fast. O.E. swîðe.

Tan, 74/2581, «pp.» taken.

tene, 30/1032, «sb.» grief, anger, insult, injury. O.E. têona.

tene, 83/2902, «vb.» to vex, to wax wroth. O.E. tŷnan.

teyde, 48/1648, «pp.» tied.

tha, 76/2639. «See the note.»

thane, 51/1756, than that.

then, 46/1593, «vb.» to prosper. O.E. Þêon.

thikke, 30/1027, «adj.» numerous, plentiful, plenty.

threste, 34/1170, «vb.» to thrust, shake, totter.

thrifte, 78/2706, «sb.» thriving, prosperity, success. O.Icel. Þrift.

tho, 59/2052, «pron.» those, them.

tho, 59/2063, «art.» the, those.

tho, 2/53, «adv.» then. O.E. ðâ.

thronge, 41/1401, «sb.» thrusts, throwing of arrows.

tobraste, 34/1168, «pt. pl.» burst, or broke in pieces. O.E. (tôbærst) tôburston.

tohewe, 89/3103, «pp.» hewn to pieces. O.E. tô-hêawen.

tokenyng, 8/242, «sb.» news, intelligence.

totreden, 40/1382, «pp.» crushed, trodden down.

trappe, 52/1802, «vb.» to go. Cf. Ger. trippeln, E. trip, O.Fr. treper.

tredde, 58/1999, «sb.» thread. O.E. Þr[^æ]d.

trende, 27/940, «pp.» turned, vaulted.

treted, 55/1923, «pt. pl.» treated, pressed. Fr. traiter.

trewe, 3/67, «adj.» a thorough master of, a trustworthy interpreter of.

treyumple, 27/913 (?)

trowe, 8/246, «vb.» to believe.

trusse, 49/1707, «vb.» to pack off, to be off.

trwes, 31/1060, «sb.» truce.

tyte, 6/181, «adj.» soon, quickly, fast.

Unneth, 5/160, «adv.» scarcely.

Vere, 28/965, «sb.» spring.

vertue, 66/2312, «sb.» magic, power.

viage, 82/2846, «sb.» voyage, journey.

victory, 92/3227, «sb.» booty.

voydance, 32/1106, «sb.» relinquishment, deliverance.

voyde, 51/1768, «vb.» to give up, abandon, leave.

Wage, 18/590, «vb.» to hire, pay.

ware, 7/204, «adj.» aware.

waste, 8/246, in = in vain.

wende, 92/3214, «vb.» to turn, go. O.E. wendan.

wende, 85/2958, «pt. s.» thought, O.E. wênde.

wene, 31/1061, «vb.» to think.

were, 7/210, «vb.» to defend, to protect, to fight. O.E. werian.

werre, 16/541, «sb.» war.

wery, 3/60, «adj.» weary, fatigued.

wessh, 54/1871, «pt. pl.» washed.

wete, 94/3270, «vb.» to know.

what, 47/1623, «pron.» = who.

wifle, 76/2650, «sb.» a kind of axe. O.E. wífel, “bipennis.”

wight, 27/933, «adj.» nimble, active. Sw. «vig», active.

wirch, 5/148, «vb.» to work, to do. O.E. wyrcan.

wiste, 48/1662, «pt. s.» knew.

wode, 9/276, «adj.» mad, furious.

wode-wroth, 90/3130, «adj.» madly angry. O.E. wôd and wrâð.

wone, 60/2093, «sb.» lot, quantity. Icel. wân.

worche, 59/2046, «vb.» to work, to do. O.E. wyrcan.

worthed up, 34/1163, «pt. s.» got up, mounted.

wote, 2/36, «prs. s.» know. O.E. wât.

wotist, 61/2123, «prs. s.» knowest. O.E. wâst.

wrake, 70/2446, «sb.» persecution, mischief, destruction. O.E. wracu.

wreke, 88/3058, «pp.» wreaked, revenged.

wrong, 73/2557, «pt. s.» pressed, forced his way, hurried off. O.E. wringan.

wyne, 9/275, «vb.» get, attain. O.E. winnan.

Yare, 19/639, «adj.» ready. O.E. gearu.

yates, 66/2285, «sb.» gates. O.E. gatu.

yede, 66/2311, «pt. s.» went. O.E. ge-eode.

yolde, 12/403, «vb.» yield. O.E. gieldan, «pp.» golden.

yolowe, 29/1005, «adj.» yellow. O.E. geolo.

Þilke, 76/2644, «pron.» such, yon. O.E. þylc.

þon, 4/108, «art.» the. O.E. þone.

[p141]

INDEX OF NAMES.

AGREMARE, Agremour or Egremour, a town in Spain situated on the river Flagot. The soudan is holding his court there (l. 33), when he hears of the injuries done to his subjects by the Romans. Having destroyed Rome, he returns to Agremor (l. 672) [not to Morimonde, as in the «Destruction», l. 1351, and in «Fierabras», l. 27]. At Agremor the twelve peers are imprisoned and besieged. «Syr Ferumbras» reads «Egremoygne», «Egremoun», «Agremoun».

ALAGOLOFUR, a Saracen giant, warden of the bridge of Mantrible; ll. 2135, 2881, 2149, 2175, 2801, 3053. In «Syr Ferumbras», l. 3831, etc., he is called Agolafre. In the French poem of «Fierabras» we find Agolafre and Golafre.

ALCARON, l. 2762, a Saracen deity; cf. note to l. 2271.

ALEROYSE, l. 1699, one of the twelve peers; cf. note to l. 884.

ALISAUNDRE. Ferumbras is called King of Alisaundre, ll. 510, 984. Cf. «Destr.» 71, 1237, 1315. «Fierabras», 50, 66, 538, etc. Ashmole «Ferumbras», 53, 88, etc.

APPOLYN, one of the Mahometan deities. See note to l. 86.

ARABYE, l. 3097. Cf. «Destr.» 75; «Fierabras», 3160, 4096.

ASCALON. Laban’s birthplace, l. 100, and subject to him. This name does not occur in any other version.

ASCAROT, l. 2762, a Mahometan god. Occurring in none of the other versions.

ASCOPARS, see note to l. 495.

ASKALOUS, l. 497.

ASSAYNES, l. 497.

ASSIENS, ll. 1039, 2085. In this poem only the last three nations are mentioned as being included among Laban’s subjects.

ASSYE, l. 102, 123, 1000. See note to l. 1000.

ASTRAGOT, «or» ESTRAGOT, a Saracen giant who kills Sabaris, ll. 346, 352. He is slain by the portcullis let down by the Romans, l. 432. He was husband to Barrock, the giantess of the bridge of Mantrible, ll. 2944, 3022. Cf. «Destr.» 1090. Not in «Fierabras» nor in the Ashmolean version. See note to l. 346.

AUFRIKE, ll. 102, 114. Aufricanes, l. 257, part of the soudan’s dominions. Cf. «Syr Ferumbras», l. 5465, «Destr.» 76, «Fierabras», 4913.

BABILON, see note to l. 69; cf. «Destr.» 78, 204, 85; «Fierabras», 51; «Syr Fer.» 53.

BALDESEYNES, 501, 871. Occurring in no other version; cf. besides Martin’s note to Kudrun, 161, 2, and perhaps «Fierabras», 2873, 4721 Balegué = Balaguer (Ballegarium, Valaguaria) near Lerida in Spain.

BARBARYE, l. 1001, mentioned only in this poem.

BARROK, ll. 2939, 2950, 3022, a giantess, wife to Astragot, slain by Charles. See note to l. 2939.

BELMORE, does not occur in the other versions; see note to l. 3122.

BELSABUB, l. 357, occurs only in this poem.

BERNARD OF SPRUWSE (? Prussia); 1715, one of the twelve knights. See «Introduction», p. xxvii.

BOLOYNE, 3238. Charles presents the nails to that place. See note to l. 3236, and cf. «Fierabras», l. 6199.

BRETOMAYN, Laban’s gaoler at Agremor, ll. 1533, 1591, slain by Floripas, l. 1606. This name is spelt ‘Brutamont’ in «Fierabras», ‘Brytamoun’ in «Syr Ferumbras». It is not to be met with in the «Destruction».

BROULAND, chief counsellor to Laban. See note on l. 1743.

BRYER OF BRYTAYN,—of Mountez; see note to l. 1723.

BRYER OF POYLE, a Roman knight, slain by Ferumbras; see note to l. 514.

BULGARE, l. 1002. Occurring in no other poem.

CASSAUNDRE, ll. 986, 512, town belonging to Lukafer. This name is not found in the other versions.

CHARLES, Charlemayne, the French king.

CHAUNDER, l. 123, a town in Asia; only mentioned here. See note to l. 1000.

COSDROYE escorts a convoy destined for the soudan; he is slain by Roland; cf. note to l. 2695.

CRAMADAS, a Saracen bishop, ll. 2775, 2788. Not found in the other versions.

CURRAUNTES, the bridge near Mantrible, l. 2866. This name occurs only in this poem.

DASABERDE, l. 1707, (?) mentioned only here.

DENYS, ll. 27, 61, etc. Occurring in all versions.

DURNEDALE, Roland’s sword; see note to l. 875.

ESPIARD, l. 111, Laban’s messenger; cf. note to l. 2145.

ETHIOPES, subject to Laban. See note to l. 257.

EUROPE, l. 1002. Mentioned only in this poem.

FERUMBRAS, see note to l. 93.

FLAGOT, the river on which the city of Mantrible with its famous bridge is situated, cf. ll. 2559, 2798, 2855, etc., and «Fierabras», ll. 7348, 4886, etc. When the twelve peers besieged in Agremar send Richard of Normandy to Charlemagne to ask his aid, Richard is said to have started in the direction of Mantrible, l. 2559; but finding the bridge blocked up and guarded, l. 2799, he is obliged to swim across the water, ‘Flagot the flode,’ l. 2804. Charlemagne being informed of the distress of his peers, starts towards Mantrible, l. 2849, and having first taken it and left Richard there with two hundred knights, l. 3044, he continues his march against the soudan at Agremar, l. 3047. Whence it is clear that Agremar cannot be situated on the river Flagot, as is stated in l. 34; a mistake evidently owing to an oversight on the part of the poet. Cf. besides, note to l. 1723.

FLOREYN OF ROME, name given to Ferumbras after his baptism; see note to l. 1486.

FLORIP, Florypas; see note to l. 614. In the Ashmolean versions we find «Floryppe», a spelling which does not occur in any of the French poems. But once we find «Floripes» in «Fierabras», l. 2035.

FOCARD, l. 2900, one of the Christian knights who struck at the bridge-keeper of Mantrible when he refused to let them pass. The name occurs only in this poem.

FOLK BALIANT, l. 1695, one of the twelve peers. Only found in this poem.

FORTIBRAUNCE, l. 422, one of the soudan’s engineers. Only occurring in this poem.

FRAUNCE. Charles is called king of dowse Fraunce, cf. «Fierabras», 2103; «Syr Ferumbras», 1269. This phrase does not occur in the «Destruction».

FREMOUNDE, a saint; see note to l. 2845.

FRIGE, l. 1000; Frigys, l. 1040. Part of the soudan’s dominions, not mentioned in the other versions.

GALLOPES, l. 251, mentioned only in this poem.

GAȜE, a town in Spain, where Charlemagne lands his troops. The name is found only in this poem (in rhyme), l. 772.

GENELYN, a French knight, notorious for his treachery. He advised Charles to leave Spain and to return home, urging that the twelve peers must be dead at Agremor, since no news arrived from them, l. 2820. When in assaulting Mantrible he saw Charles shut in in the city, he treacherously proclaimed the king to be dead, and ordered the French to return to France, where he hoped to be crowned king. But he was rebuked by Ferumbras (ll. 2970–2991). For his treason he is hanged and drawn at Montfaucon in Paris (ll. 3244–3254).

GENERYSE, ll. 1139, 1239, is the name Oliver gives himself when asked by Ferumbras. The French «Fierabras» and the Ashmole «Ferumbras» have Garin instead.

GY OF BOURGOYNE, see note to ll. 1888, 1892.

GYNDARD, l. 543, a Roman senator who kills ten Saracens. He is slain by Lukafer. Occurring only in this poem.

HUBERT, l. 518, a Roman knight, slain by Ferumbras. Not mentioned in the other versions.

IFFREZ, a Roman senator who advises to send to Charles for help. See note to l. 165.

INDE, l. 999. Not mentioned in the other poems. Cf. note to l. 999.

ISRES, 625, 641, the chief porter of Rome, who treacherously delivers the keys to the Saracens. See note to l. 625.

JUBYTER, ll. 2254, 2762, a Saracen god, mentioned only in this poem.

LABAN, see note to l. 29.

LOWES, occurring in the «Sowdan» and the «Destruction», but not mentioned in the other versions. See note to l. 24.

LUKAFER OF BALDAS, see note to l. 113. Once, l. 236, this name is spelt Lukefere.

MACEDOYNE, l. 1002. Occurring only in this poem.

MAHOUND, see note to l. 86.

MAPYN, l. 2326, introduces himself into the bed-chamber of Floripas to steal the fatal girdle. In the French poem, l. 3046, he is called Maubrun d’Agremolée; in the Ashmolean version Maubyn of Egremolee, l. 2385. Cf. «Introduction», pp. xx, xxx, xxxi.

MARAGONDE, the name of Floripas’s governess, l. 1563. Spelt Morabunde in the French poem. See «Introduction», pp. xxx, xxxi.

MARIE, ll. 917, 2390; cf. «Destr.» ll. 374, 564; «Fierabras», ll. 285, 815; «Syr Ferumbras», ll. 5177, 5451.

MARSEDAG, king of Barbarye, occurs only in this poem. See note to l. 2247.

MAUNTRIBLE, a town in Spain on the river Flagot (see above) with a bridge; cf. also «Destr.» 211, and «Fierabras», 1867, etc.

MAVON, ll. 278, 422, 2230, Laban’s engineer; spelt Mabon in the «Destr.» ll. 908, 941, and in «Fierabras», l. 3735. The name does not occur in the Ashmole MS.

MIRON OF BRABANE, one of the twelve peers, occurring only in this poem, l. 1703.

MONTFAWCON, l. 3253. Not found in the other versions.

MOUNPELERS, after having conquered the soudan, Charlemagne sails from Spain to Mounpeler, l. 3228. The name does not occur in the «Fierabras», where the king returns to France in an eight days’ journey (ll. 6164–6187). Cf. «Destr.» ll. 250, 286.

MOWNJOYE, see note to l. 868, and cf. the «Song of Roland», 128/746.

NEYMES OF BAVERE, one of the twelve peers, see note to l. 836.

NUBENS, l. 873, NUBYE, l. 1001, a people subject to the soudan.

OGER DANOYS, one of the twelve peers, see note to l. 836.

OLIBORN, l. 99, the soudan’s chancellor; only found in this poem.

OLYVER, one of the twelve peers; see note to l. 1250.

PARIS, l. 917; see note to l. 3254.

PERSAGYN, a king of Italy, and uncle to Ferumbras, slain by Oliver, l. 1259. In the «Destr.» l. 162, we find one Parsagon mentioned among the peers of the soudan’s empire. See note to l. 1259.

PERSE, l. 2888, cf. «Destr.» ll. 77, 421. «Fierabras», 1640, 1713.

SEINT PETER, ll. 161, 480, etc., the saint; cf. «Fierabras», l. 1261; «Syr Ferumbras», l. 3756; «Destr.» l. 501.

CEINT PETER, l. 453, the cathedral; cf. «Fierabras», l. 57; «Destr.» l. 1109.

SEINT POUL, ll. 163, 3269, the saint; cf. «Syr Ferumbras», l. 3756; not mentioned in the other poems.

POYLE, l. 514,? Apulia; found only in this poem; cf. note to l. 1000.

QWYNTYN, l. 1298, a saint by whom Ferumbras swears; see note to l. 2845.

RICHARD OF NORMANDY, see notes to ll. 2535, 2795, 3044.

ROMAYNE, l. 77, inhabitant of Rome.

ROME, l. 17.

ROULAND, see note to ll. 1499, 1888.

SATHANAS, l. 2777, a Saracen god.

SAVARIS, l. 171, a duke of Rome who leads the Roman troops against the Saracens. He is slain by Estragot (l. 346). He also occurs in the «Destr. de Rome». In the French «Fierabras» appears a French knight Savaris, l. 1699.

SORTYBRAUNCE, the chief councillor of the soudan.

SPAYN, l. 717, belonging to the soudan’s dominions. It is the scene of the principal action narrated in this poem, as indeed the only part where the scene is laid elsewhere is that describing the destruction of Rome.

SYMON, a saint by whom Charles swears, l. 1713.

TAMPER, a name peculiar to this poem. He erects a gallows before Agremore castle to hang Guy, l. 2641.

TERMAGANT, l. 137, a Saracen deity; cf. note to l. 86. Spelt Ternagant in «Syr Ferumbras», Tervagant in the French «Fierabras».

TERY LARDENEYS, one of the twelve peers; see note to l. 1691.

TURKES, l. 874, cf. «Fierabras», 128, 1641, 3767. «Syr Ferumbras», 5433, 5677.

TURPYN, the French bishop who baptizes Ferumbras, l. 1475. This name does not occur in the Ashmole MS.

VENYS, subject to Laban; see note to l. 1000. Mentioned only in this poem.

RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, LONDON & BUNGAY.

TRANSCRIBER’S ENDNOTE

Original printed spelling and grammar has been retained, with some exceptions noted below. Original italics «look like this». The middle English characters “ȝ”, “Þ”, “ð”, and “þ” were originally printed always without italic form, but in this edition have been rendered as italic wherever that seems appropriate, as in this sentence from page xxxvii: “«That» or «þat», «who», «whome» are used as relative pronouns”.

Some characters of the printed book cannot be shown in this edition except in a coded form. Thus, “[^æ]” indicates æ with circumflex; “[rh]” denotes an r with hook on the upper right; “[f|]” denotes an f with vertical bar on the right; “[g|]” denotes a g with vertical bar on the right; “[d+]” denotes a d with an l-shape attached to the stem; “[l~l]” denotes ll with a tilde through them; “[t|]” denotes t with a vertical bar attached to the right; “[k|]” denotes k with a vertical bar attached to the right; “þ^e” denotes þ with superscript e; “M^l” denotes M with superscript l. Two unicode characters, "ɳ" & "ᶙ", have been substituted for letters n and u, respectively, with hooks.

The poem «The Romounce of the Sowdone», beginning on page 1, has sidenotes which contain a running synopsis of the play in modern English. In the printed book, these notes were broken into segments which were positioned so as to correspond more or less accurately to the lines of the play. For this edition, the synopsis notes have been rewrapped to fit within an allotted space, but are still aligned more or less accurately with the lines of the play. The sidenotes also contain page references to the original manuscript from which the play was transcribed, for example “[leaf 3]”. These have been kept aligned with the correct line of the poem, in this case, line 80.

Page vi: «Pantragruel» changed to «Pantagruel».

Page xxv: “346, 4902, the name of the giant” is changed to “346, 2944, 3022, the name of the giant”. This error occurs also in the Index of Names, see below.

Page xlvii: A new heading has been inserted—“MS. OF THE SOWDAN”—to match the table of contents. The original text showed only a horizontal rule here.

Page 2: “amirals” changed to “admirals”, in the sidenote.

Page 9, l. 289: the left quotation mark has no mate in the printed book. A right double quotation mark has been inserted at the end of l. 291.

Page 10, l. 313: the left quotation mark has no mate in the printed book. A right double quotation mark has been inserted at the end of l. 323.

Page 23, l. 755: the left quotation mark has no mate in the printed book. A right double quotation mark has been inserted at the end of l. 766.

Page 27, l. 895: the left quotation mark has no mate in the printed book. A right double quotation mark has been inserted at the end of l. 910.

Page 31, l. 1059: the left quotation mark has no mate in the printed book. A right double quotation mark has been inserted at the end of l. 1074.

Page 36: In sidenote “They fight for a considerable time the blood”, added semicolon between «time» and «blood».

Page 46: In the sidenotes, full stop was added after “dashed out his brains”, and “feeding he prisoners” was changed to “feeding the prisoners”.

Page 47: The first footnote had no label number; a number has been inserted to correspond to the footnote anchor on line 1615.

Page 57, second footnote: the word “iuste” was printed with a small “o” above the “iu”, suggesting “iouste”, which is adopted in this transcription.

Page 59, l. 2063: the left quotation mark was unmatched. A new right double quotation mark is inserted at the end of l. 2066, after ‘there-ate.’.

Page 64, l. 2243: the left quotation mark before ‘beitħ’ was unmatched; a new right quotation mark is inserted at the end of line 2246.

Page 66, l. 2307: the left quotation mark ahead of ‘my loue’ was unmatched. A new right quotation mark is inserted at the end of l. 2310.

Page 68, l. 2380: the left quotation mark seems to be unmatched in the printed text. A new matching right quotation mark is inserted at the end of line 2390.

Page 69: There were two footnote anchors, but only one footnote. Very likely, although the footnote anchors are independent, the footnote text “See the note.” applying equally to both. In this edition, a second footnote has been inserted to correspond to the second footnote anchor.

Page 87, l. 3021: Poem says “xiiij”; sidenote says “4”; both retained.

Page 96, under “p. 2, l. 26. «bokes of antiquyte».” The printed text provides a reference to Gautier, «Epop. Fr.», II. 87, which is retained herein. However, a member of the Distributed Proofreaders team has pointed out that the reference should have been to «Les épopées françaises. Étude sur les origines et l’histoire de la littérature nationale», I. 87 (1865). This book is available from archive.org, filename “lespopesfran01gautuoft”.

Page 99: in “p. 8, l. 84. «tithynge.»”, changed “8,” to “3,”.

Page 113: “p. 35, l. 1060” changed to “p. 31, l. 1060”.

Page 120: “p. 44, l. 1538” changed to “p. 44, l. 1539”.

Page 121: In the line “Sire drois emperere, pour amour Dieu. oiés”, the full stop after Dieu was changed to comma, in agreement with the text available at archive.org filed under “fierabraschanso00servgoog”.

Page 123: The range of line numbers in “«Destruction», ll. 1240–159” does not seem to make sense, but is retained. The line ‘“Ja mais ne mengerai si sera desmembrés.’’ was changed to ‘“Ja mais ne mengerai si sera desmembrés.”’.

Page 125: In “p. 59, l. 2045. «that he wente awaye with lym» = “that he had escaped with (his limbs, or having) his limbs safe and sound. «lyme», O.E. «lim»., Mod. Eng. «limb».”, a right double quotation mark was inserted after ‘sound.’, and “«lim».,” was changed to “«lim»,”.

Glossary, “nather, 36/1232”. Line 1232 spells it “nathir”; both forms are retained.

Glossary, “then, 46/1593”. Line 1593 spells it “then̄”; both forms are retained.

Index of Names, “Astrogot, or Estragot”. The printed references “ll. 3944, 4902” are changed to “ll. 2944, 3022”.