p. 8, l. 247. The original meaning of «brayde» is “start, blow,” but this makes no sense here, nor can it mean “a boast,” as the editor of the Roxburghe Club edition explains it. But Mid. Eng. «brayde», as well as O.E. «brægd» or «bregd», often signifies “deceit, craft, a cunning trick, a fraudulous contrivance, a stratagem or artifice.” See Mätzner’s «Wörterb.» and Halliwell’s «Dict.» This, I think, is also the meaning of «brayde» in l. 247. Floripas has been engaged to Lukafer who had promised the Soudan, her father, to bring the emperor Charlemagne and all his twelve peers to the foot of his throne, in return for the hand of his daughter. Floripas, not at all enamoured of the king of Baldas, but obeying the will of her father, said she would only agree to [p103] accept him when he had fulfilled these conditions. But she does not believe that Laban thinks of ever fulfilling them, she is persuaded that those words, those promises made by Laban, are only a «brayde», i. e. a stratagem or artifice devised by him in the hope of winning her hand before the performance of his promise. This signification of «braide» has been retained in the Mod. Eng. adjective «braid», “crafty, deceitful.” p. 8, l. 257. The «Ethiopes», “Ethiopians,” are not mentioned in the other versions of this romance. On the rhyme «Aufricanes» : «stones» cf. «Introduction», p. xxxv. p. 9, l. 278. «Destruction», l. 908: “Sortibrans a mande Mabon l’engineor.” p. 9, l. 283. «depe» : «tyde». The rhyme becomes perfect if we read «wide» instead of «depe». p. 9, l. 286. French text gives, l. 934: “Si emplirons les fossés.” p. 9, l. 289. Cf. «Destruction», l. 627. “Mahon te benoie,” and l. 925, “Mahon te doint honour.” p. 9, l. 293. «Men myght go even to the walle», compare the «Destruction», l. 918: “K’om poet aler al mure.” and l. 958: “K’om pooit bien au mur et venir et aler.” p. 9, l. 295. «assaile», evidently a mistake. Read «assaute», as in l. 2205. p. 9, l. 298. «shour», “fight, attack.” See Zupitza’s note to «Guy», l. 9206. «sharpe shoures», as in the «Destruction of Troy», l. 5804, “sharp was the shoure.” Cf. also l. 950 of this poem, “bataile was sharpe.” p. 9, l. 300. «stones thai bare», etc. «Destruction», l. 967: “Ces dedens ou grans pieres firent grant lapide.” p. 9, l. 303. French text gives (l. 975): “Maintes pieres del mur ont contreval rue.” p. 9, l. 306. In the «Destruction», l. 977: “L’asalt dureit cel jour jusque a la nutee.” p. 9, l. 307. French: “Payen se sont retrait.” «Destruction», l. 979. p. 10, l. 311. For «tyde» : «chidde» see «Introduction», p. xliii. p. 10, l. 312.