2384. The French story here differs wholly from the English. Instead of the encounter of Robert and Godard, and the cruel punishment inflicted on the latter, in the French is a regular battle between the forces of Havelok and Hodulf (Godard). A single combat takes place between the two leaders, in which Hodulf is slain. 2450. Cf. ll. 2505 and 2822. This appears to have been a common, but barbarous, method in former times of leading traitors or malefactors to execution. Thus in the Romance of Kyng Alisaunder, the treatment of the murderers of Darius is described: He dude quyk harnesche hors, And sette theron heore cors, Hyndeforth they seten, saun faile; In heore hand they hulden theo tailes. --l. 4708. 2461. We find a similar proverb in the _Historie de Melusine, tirée des Chroniques de Poitou_, &c. 12mo. Par. 1698, in which (at p. 72) Thierry, Duke of Bretagne, says to Raimondin;-- “Vous autorisez par votre silence _notre Proverbe_, qui dit, _Qu’un vieux peché fait nouvelle vergogne_.” 2513. _Sket was seysed_, &c. Comp. the Fr. l. 971. Apres cest fet, ad receu Le regne q’a son piere fu. 2516. _And the king ful sone it yaf Vbbe in the hond, wit a fayr staf._ So in _Sir Tristrem_: Rohant he yaf _the wand_, And bad him sitte him bi, That fre; ‘Rohant lord mak y To held this lond of me.’ --fytte i. st. 83; p. 52. The editor is clearly mistaken in explaining the _wand_ to be a _truncheon_, or _symbol of power_. For the custom of giving seisin or investiture _per fustim_, and _per baculum_, see Madox’s _Formul. Anglican._ pref. p. ix. and Spelman, Gloss. in v. _Investire_, and _Traditio_. The same usage existed in France, _par rain et par baton_. 2521. _----of monekes blake A priorie to seruen inne ay._ The allusion here may be made either to the Abbey of Wellow, in Grimsby, which was a monastery of _Black Canons_, said to have been built about A.D. 1110, or (what is more probable) to the Augustine Friary of Black Monks, which is stated in the _Monumental Antiquities of Grimsby_, by the Rev. G. Oliver, to have been “founded _about_ the year 1280,” p. 110. No notice of it occurs in Tanner till the year 1304. Pat. 33 Edw. I. Some old walls of this edifice, which was dissolved in 1543, still remain, and the site is still called “The Friars.” If the connection between this foundation and the one recorded in the poem be considered valid, the date of the composition must be referred to _rather_ a later period than we wish to admit. 2530. The French supplies what is here omitted, viz. that Havelok sails to England by the persuasion of his wife. [Indeed, ll. 979-1006 of the French text may serve to fill up the evident gap in the story; a translation of the passage is added, to shew this more clearly. Quant Haueloc est rois pussanz, Le regne tint plus de .iiii. an Merueillos tresor i auna.