Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Romances, English
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[Headnote: FRAG. 7. DESONELL AND HER TWINS ARE SENT TO SEA.]
VII.[F7]
[Footnote F7: In Halliwell’s edition I.]
[_Desonell bears twins. All are sent out to sea. They reach land._]
[Sidenote:
Desonell is delivered of 2 male children like Torrent. Her Father
says she shall be sent out to sea.]
Thus the lady dwelled there, 1807
Tyll that she delyuered were
Of men chyldren two. 1809
Of all poyntes were they gent,
Lyke were they to Sir Torent,
For his loue suffred they wo. 1812
The kynge sayd, ‘so mote I the,
Thou shalt into the se
Without wordes mo. 1815
Every kynges doughter fer and nere
At the they shall lere,
Agaynst right to do!’ 1818
[Sidenote:
She is led from his land. The Queen bewails her daughter’s fate.]
Great ruthe it was to se,
Whan they led that lady fre
Out of hir faders lande. 1821
The quene, hir moder, was nere wode
For hir doughter, that gentyll fode,
Knyghtes stode wepynge.[F8] 1824
[Footnote F8: wepande.]
[Sidenote:
Desonell is sent to sea.]
A clothe of sylke toke they tho,
And departed it bytwene the chyldren two,
Therin they were wonde. 1827
Whan they had shypped that gentyll thynge,
Anone she fell in swownynge
At Peron on the sonde. 1830
Whan that lady was downe fall,
On Iesu Cryste dyd she call.
To defende hir with his honde: 1833
[Sidenote:
She prays to Christ for her children.]
‘Rightfull God, ye me sende
Some good londe on to lende,
That my chyldren may crystened be[n].’ 1836
She sayd, ‘ladyes fayre and gent,
Great well my lorde Sir Torent,
Yf euer ye hym se[n]!’ 1839
The wynde arose on the myght,
Fro the londe it blewe that lady bryght
Into the se so grene. 1842
[Headnote: FRAG. 7. DESONELL AND HER TWINS REACH LAND.]
[Sidenote:
Desonell and her twin babes reach land. She stills her crying
child,]
Wyndes and weders hathe hir dryuen,
That in a forest she is aryuen,
Where wylde bestys were. 1845
The se was ebbe and went hem fro
And left hir and hir chyldren two
[Alo]ne without any fere. 1848
Hir one chylde began to wepe,
The lady awoke out of hir slepe
And sayde, ‘be styll, my dere, 1851
Ihesu Cryste hathe sent vs lande,
Yf there be any Crysten man at hande,
We shall haue socoure here.’ 1854
[Sidenote:
goes up a mountain, and sits down.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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