p. 2, l. 26. «bokes of antiquyte». This is to be regarded as one of those frequent assertions of the authors of these poems, who in order to give more credit to their tales, thought it necessary to affirm their antiquity and celebrity in old times. Cf. Gautier, «Epop. Fr.», II. 87: “Il fut de bon ton d’annoncer, au commencement de chaque poème, qu’on avait trouvé la matière de ce poème dans quelque vieux manuscrit latin, dans quelque vieille chronique d’abbaye, surtout dans les manuscrits et dans les chroniques de Saint-Denis. On se donnait par là un beau vernis de véracité historique. Plus les trouvèrent ajoutaient aux chansons primitives d’affabulations ridicules, plus ils s’écriaient: ‘Nous avons trouvé tout cela dans un vieux livre.’” p. 2, l. 27. «Seinte Denyse» is the genitive depending on «abbey». p. 2, l. 28. «there as» = where, or where that. See Koch, «Englische Grammatik», II. § 511. p. 2, l. 29. «Laban.» So the father of Ferumbras is called in the «Destruction de Rome», where only in six passages (ll. 891, 899, 1116, 1194, 1174, 981) we find the form «Balan», which is the only one used in the French «Fierabras», in the Provençal version, and in the English [p097] «Syr Ferumbras».—«of hie degre»; this kind of expletive occurs again in l. 100: «clerk of hie degre»; cf. also l. 168: «king of hie honour». p. 2, l. 31. «Cristiante» = the company of Christians, the countries inhabited by Christians, cf. ll. 235, 374. It signifies “the religion taught by Christ” in l. 3182. «Cristiante» and «Christendom» are used promiscuously in Middle English writers. p. 2, l. 33. «Agremare» : «there». The rhyme becomes perfect by reading «Agremore» : «thore», which we find in l. 1805; cf. also l. 1003 «Agremore» : «more» («i. e.» negro), and ll. 672, 775, 2140, 2895. p. 2, l. 34. «Flagot.» See «Index of Names», s. v. Flagot, and cf. note to l. 1723. p. 2, l. 37. This line is too long, nevertheless it seems to be correct as it stands, clearly imitated from several passages of the «Destruction de Rome». l. 420. “Ensamble ou li issirent xv roi corone. Et xiiii amaceours . .” l. 1155. “Bien i ad xxx rois et xiiii amaceours.” l. 689. “xxx roi sont ou li et xiiii amaceours.” l. 163. “Et xiiii amaceours.” p. 2, l. 41. «hit» instead of «it» is found again in l. 2309; in all the other instances «it» is spelt as in modern English. p. 2, l. 42. «pryke», to spur a horse, to excite, to spur or to stimulate. It is O.E. «prician», which occurs in Ælfric’s Grammar, ed. Zupitza, p. 174 («pungo» = «ic pricige»). This and the following line are imitated from Chaucer; cf. C.T. Prologue, ll. 10, 11, and see «Introduction», p. xlvi. «Kynde» = naturalis, ingenuus; «kynde wit» = common sense. «Kynde» is O.E. «cynde» (Modern English «kind»).