KING ARTHUR VS. KING RION, NOTES: FOOTNOTES

7 feo, rents; hool, whole.

8 will, desire.

9 fer and nygh, far and near; privé and straunge, intimate friends and strangers.

16 dere, dearly.

17 Even, Eve.

28 everiche, every one.

30 yeftes, gifts.

30-31 after theire astate, according to rank.

31 demened, conducted.

32 departed, gave.

35 stour, battle; nede, need.

41 ne, nor; power, i.e., realm.

42 ne lefte, was overlooked; jogeloure, entertainer; ne oon ne other, i.e., of this kind or that.

43 convenient to, fitting for.

49 offrande, offering.

50 bar, wear.

54 deyse, dais.

55 a renge, in a row.

56 feste, feast.

62 mese, course; feirest forme of, handsomest.

63 samyte, silk; girte, girded; bawdrike, baldric.

64 harnysshed, adorned.

65 crispe, straight.

66 shone, shoes.

67 orfraied, gold-adorned.

71 apeired, impaired.

72 iyen, eyes.

73 cheyne, chain; tacched, attached.

74 spayne, spaniel; bounde, tied; coler, collar.

75 harneysed, decorated.

77 refraite, refrain; salewed, addressed.

84 saugh, saw.

86 astonyed, amazed; and for, because.

90 grete thee nought, do not greet you.

91 do thee to undirstande, let you know.

92 avised, advised.

93 thee byhoveth, it would behove you.

95 Avise thee, i.e., Proceed in delivering.

96 encombraunce of, trouble from.

98 Cristin, the Christians.

99 whiche, who; sege, siege.

101 fees, rents; enclyne, do homage.

103 flayn of, cut off; beerdes, beards.

105 puyssaunt, myghty.

108-09 do rede, read.

110 corage, desire.

111 undirstonde, translate.

116 meyné, liegemen.

117 suerdes, swords.

118 reade samyte, red silk.

119 nygh all, nearly; therto longeth, i.e., is needed.

120 faile, that are lacking.

121 will, desire.

123-24 never before, not until.

124-25 Ne I will of noon other, Nor will I of any other.

127 puyssaunt, mighty.

129 pees, peace; nought, not.

130 don, do.

132 boustously, vigorously.

137 that¹, what; that², so that.

142 thei withynne, those inside; moche, many.

145 anoon, now.

146 sustene, protect.

149 lefte, remained.

152 this, these.

154 maner, forms.

155 semblaunces, guises.

158 Certes, Surely; reson, right.

160 reame, realm.

161 but, only; volunté, desires.

165 that, who; nought se, nothing se.

166 refute, refuge.

167 very guyde, true guide; condite, conduct.

169 prowe, profit.

170 behilde, looked at.

174 trowe ye, think you.

175 whiche, who.

176 hit withsey, oppose it; agein right, unreasonable.

177 but, unless.

179 wiste, knew.

181 abaisshed, astonished; for that, because.

182 aparceived, realized.

184 whelpe, puppy.

185 what, who; than, then.

188 solas, solace.

190 brecheles, pants-less.

191 appareile, prepare.

193 paleys, palace.

195 owe, ought.

207 er, before.

214 socour, aid.

218 Seth, Since.

227 sueth, follow; softely, slowly.

229 nygh after, close behind.

232 into, near.

233 renne, run.

234 abaisshed, frightened.

237 warante, protect.

238 game, jest; pees, peace.

239 lese, lose.

248 metten, met.

250 wende verily, truly believed; fendes, fiends.

251 discounfited, defeated.

253 dolour, sadness.

254 bemene, mean.

255 Be ye now arested, Are you resting; Sueth, Follow; loos, worship; pris, fame.

259 yoven, given; straught deed, struck dead.

261 were smyte, had charged.

267 begonne, began.

273 dide abide, i.e., were attacking.

274 inowe, enough.

278-79 ne hadde be, if not for.

281 bothe, so; semed it, they thought; feendes, fiends.

284 hem short, hemmed them in.

286 hilde, held.

287 but, unless.

288 Sewe, Follow.

290 aventure, danger.

292 abaisshed, frightened.

294 medlé, melee.

295 fill deed, fell dead.

296 deed cors, dead bodies; ther-as, where.

299 fell, fierce; theras, where.

300 lenynge, leaning.

301 heyr, air; reade, red.

303 As, To.

305 quyte, reward.

306 yate, gate; moo, more.

311 oo parte, one side.

312 saugh, saw.

313 wax, grew.

314 suffre, permit.

315 sicamor, sycamore; dissever, separate.

316 bateiles, armies.

318 yef, if.

319 recorded, i.e., believes; Delyver, Save.

320 tho, those.

321 rowme, distance.

322 covenaunt, agreement.

323 is me beleft on lyve, to me remain alive.

324 of, from; soget, subject.

328 all hooll, i.e., alive; yef, if.

333 douted, feared.

336 sured, swore; feithes, oaths.

337 departe, withdraw; bateiles, armies; drough, drew.

338 wrother, angrier.

340 require, ask; nother, neither.

341 ne noon, nor any.

342 seith, since.

346 but, butts (archery targets).

348 raundon, force.

350 fauced, pierced.

353 leide, laid.

354 serkeles, circles.

355 vertu, value.

357 araied, dealt with; nother, neither; leche, doctor.

360 pesaunt, strong, heavy; discovert, unprotected places.

362 traveile, the efforts; yevinge, giving.

363 hilde, saved.

364 to that, when.

365 toquasshed, smashed.

368 hym contene, himself defend.

369 wende, thought.

370 douted, feared.

374 lever, rather.

375 damage, shame.

376 for outraied, as defeated.

378 parformed, completed; live, lifetime.

379 fin, end.

384 maltalente, malice; blenched, turned aside.

385 ravyne, force; araught, struck.

386 kutte of, cut off; nasell, nose piece.

387 fill, fell.

388 wende, i.e., tried; lifte, left.

392 brast, burst.

393 raced, pulled.

394 outerly, utterly.

394-95 lever dye, rather die.

395 recreaunt, shamed.

396 outraied, defeated; of, off.

405 yoven, given; warisshed of, recovered from.

406 hool, whole.

416 forberen, not see.

417 somdell apesed, somewhat pacified.

418 disporte, enjoyment.

419 pensif, sad.

421 praied, requested; dierly, sincerely.

422 all be tyme, eventually.

423 Certes, Indeed.

424 myster, urgent want; wolde, would wish.

427 stodie sore, reflect seriously.

431 bere, bear.

433 belefte, left; myssese, uneasiness; abaisshed, concerned.

434 cesse, cease.

KING ARTHUR VS. KING RION: NOTES

[Fols. 199v (line 27)-224r (line 12)]

This section contains the grand climax of the PM. Now, with the rebellious barons finally pacified and the Saxons invaders finally expelled, the last remaining threat to Britain is posed by King Rion of the Western Isles (Ireland and the other islands west of Britain such as the Isle of Man). It is here that King Rion makes his demand for Arthur's beard, which he needs to complete his mantle that is trimmed with the beards of vanquished kings. This section culminates with King Arthur and King Rion confronting each other in single combat.

Near the close of this section Merlin tells Arthur that he will now be pursuing his own interests, since peace and order have been established in Arthur's kingdom. But Merlin assures a concerned Arthur that he will return to assist him when the lion that is the son of the bear shall run through Great Britain -- a prophecy alluding to the later treachery of Arthur's son Mordred.

Summary Based on EETS 36, pp. 559-612.

5-6 the Feste of Assumpcion. The Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15.

22-23 And every man brought with hym his wif . . . his love. It is customary when Arthur holds high court that every man must be accompanied by a woman, whether his wife or his love. One of the earliest occurrences of this practice is found in the twelfth-century Anglo-Norman tale "The Lay of the Horn," attributed to Robert Biket.

56-57 he made the Quene Gonnore sitte by hym crowned. Normally at major celebrations the women would not be seated with the men. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's description of Arthur's coronation, for example, the women feast quite separately: "the king went off with the men to feast in his own palace and the queen retired with the married women to feast in hers; for the Britons still observed the ancient custom of Troy, the men celebrating festive occasions with their fellow-men and the women eating separately with the other women" (Thorpe, p. 229). But because this particular feast is in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Arthur insists on having the women seated on equal terms with the men.

Summary Based on EETS 36, pp. 615-18.

89-90 Kynge Arthur, I grete thee nought. The messenger has been instructed not to give Arthur a proper salutation, thus emphasizing the insulting nature of the message he brings.

105 he is lorde from the east into the west. In keeping with the general vagueness of Arthurian geography, it is never made entirely clear what lands King Rion controls, though it appears to be all the islands in the sea to the west of Britain, the chief of which would be Ireland. It is clear, however, that King Rion, in contrast to Arthur's Saxon foes, is a Christian and rules over a Christian people. He also abides by a more chivalric code of behavior than do the pagan Saxons.

110-11 And the kynge hit toke to the archebisshop. It is not clear whether the letter is given to the archbishop as a matter of ceremonial responsibility, or because Arthur lacks the ability to read it himself. It is true, however, that during the earlier Middle Ages many European monarchs were not highly literate.

118-19 I have made a mantell of reade samyte furred with the beerdes of these kynges. Beginning with Geoffrey of Monmouth, many Arthurian writers describe the request of an arch foe for Arthur's beard, which they wish to use in the trimming of a cloak or mantle. In Geoffrey of Monmouth, it is a giant called Retho who makes this request and who challenges Arthur to a duel. In the duel Arthur kills the giant and takes his beard (Thorpe, p. 240).

144-45 he seide he sholde not so soone have take the Kynge Leodogan. King Rion was planning to take his time during the siege of Toraise; now that Arthur has insulted him, he intends to take the city more quickly so that he can get on to the matter of dealing with Arthur.

164-65 Oure Lorde hath sette yow in His prison. The prison Arthur is referring to is the harper's "prison" of blindness.

200-01 to Pharien and to Leonces. These are the chief lieutenants of King Ban and King Bors who have been minding things in Benoyk and Gannes in the absence of their lords. King Ban and King Bors, of course, are currently fighting at Arthur's side.

248 that thei neded no salve. They needed no salve because they are dead -- an example of ironic understatement.

345 more than two but lengthe. That is, they moved apart more than the distance between two archery targets -- two "butts."

431-32 The lyon that is the sone of the bere . . . ye shall have. Merlin is here foretelling the final confrontation that will occur much later between Arthur and his son Mordred. (Arthur's epithet as "the bear of Britain" appears to have a very early origin; there is a marginal note in one of the "Nennius" MSS indicating that the name Arthur means "the dreadful bear.") One peculiarity of Merlin's prediction is his suggestion that he will return to assist Arthur in his great need against Mordred. In the traditional accounts, however, Merlin plays no role in the final battle between Arthur and Mordred.