“Puys a trait l’ensigne qui bien estoit ovres Engenolant l’ad ly Rois tote oue lermes baises, Plus flairoit ducement que basine enbasines. Quant Franceis l’ont veu, ele vous effraes, De pite et de ioy fu chescous enplores. L’ercevesqe le prist, mult fu bien purpenses, «Et nos Franceis en a les chefs envolupes», Puis le mist sur le paille qest a or ornes, Od les altres relikes dont illi out asses.” «H», lf. 98, corresponding to «F», 6094 «et seq.» Abstaining now from citing any more passages where «H» agrees with «F», but differs from «A», I think the few quotations above will suffice to show the impossibility of regarding the Hanover MS. as the original of the Ashmole «Ferumbras», notwithstanding that there are some resemblances of «A» to «H» (cf. p. xx). Therefore the result arrived at on p. xxi as to the original of the Ashmolean version is in no way altered by the detailed comparison of «A» with «H». FOOTNOTES: [88] Cf. «Sir Ferumbras», 185/5988. SKETCH OF THE STORY. Laban, the Soudan of Babylon, who was residing at Agremore in Spain, went to the chase in a wood near the sea (p. 2). Being tired of hunting he sat down under a tree, and, perceiving a ship drawing near unto the shore, he sent one of his men to hail the vessel and to inquire for news. The interpreter of the vessel informs the soudan that the ship, freighted with a rich cargo at Babylon designed as a [p-lv] present to Laban, had been driven by violent storms to the shore near Rome, where the ship had been robbed, and many of its people had been slain by the Romans. He solicits the Soudan to revenge this insult. Laban promises to make them pay dearly for it (p. 3). He convokes a war-council, and assembles a hundred thousand men and seven hundred sail. Himself goes, with Ferumbras his son and Floripas his daughter, in a dromond richly adorned (p. 4). They disembark in the haven of Rome, slay all Christians, and burn towns, abbeys, and churches. The pope of Rome assembles his council (p. 5). Duke Savaris is to meet the Saracens. With ten thousand men he draws near the Soudan’s pavilion on the shore (p. 6); they slay ten thousand Saracens. The Romans, though masters of the field, cautiously retire within the walls of the city. Lukafer of Baldas, having scoured the country, brings ten thousand Christian maidens to the Soudan, who orders them to be put to death (p. 7). Lukafer demands Floripas for his wife, in return for which he promises her father to bring Charlemagne and his twelve peers to the foot of his throne. Floripas agrees to accept him when he has fulfilled his promise. The next morning Lukafer assaults the city, but the ditches being too deep (p. 8), the Saracens are obliged to retire. On the following day the assault is renewed, the ditches are, on Mavon’s advice, filled with faggots. After a sharp conflict, where there were ten thousand Saracens slain by the stones of the Romans, the heathens are obliged to withdraw (p. 9).