THE SIEGE OF MILAN: FOOTNOTES

1 It behooves him to surrender it in the morning

2 He is superior to other kings

3 He quickly had a palfrey saddled for himself

4 It seemed to him an angel as bright as lightning

5 Christ's sending you this sword / makes you his warrior here on earth; / he lets you know it well.

6 He [Ganelon] wished that he [Roland] were dead, / whoever would understand the correct explanation [of Ganelon's treason].

7 So that many were ready to be buried

8 Though he knew he would die right there

9 We believe in no other [God]

10 I saw from none of them any more power / than from some other rotten tree / [lying] on the ground, as I might walk

11 Made just as He bled (i.e., the carving depicted Christ bleeding on the Cross)

12 They caused those bold men to die

13 Thought that event wondrous

14 I wonder at your way of doing things

15 And complained to Mary continuously

16 Even if I knew [I would] be slain

17 The King bared his head by undoing his helmet

18 God grant that they may fare the worse

19 For the outrage that he committed

20 They made the bold [foe] die

21 All who would stand fast there and be [slain]

22 Men rapidly loaded those machines

23 I suppose you think my heart is faint

24 He [the King] gave him [Sir Lyonelle] his [the Duke of Burgoyne's] property in his place

THE SIEGE OF MILAN: NOTES

*A note on the text: There are places where the manuscript is illegible. Herrtage reconstructed those portions in his edition and I have generally accepted his reconstructions (which are indicated by brackets). There are some places where Herrtage apparently could make out letters that are no longer visible in the manuscript. In this case, I have left his reading on the assumption that the manuscript may have deteriorated in the intervening period.


19 Here, as often in this text, `gon' or the alternate spelling `gan' (past tense of `gin,' [`to begin']) is used as an auxiliary (like `did' in more modern times) indicating the past tense of a verb. Thus `gon he wyn' means `he conquered.'

25 Herrtage places the `r' in `ther' between brackets, but it is clearly present in the manuscript.

121 I have emended `resteyne' to `reteyne' (as the MED suggests).

168 Herrtage suggests emending `worde' to `wone' to achieve something nearer a rhyme. Mills also so emends.

169 Ganelon is the traditional traitor of the Charlemagne romances. In The Song of Roland his hatred for Roland leads him to betray Charlemagne's rear guard at Roncevalles.

315 I follow Herrtage and Mills in emending the ms. reading `age' to `elde,' which restores the rhyme.

358 I have emended `Bot' (which makes no sense here) to `By.'

364 Mills emends `thay' to `thayr.'

384-85 `Passus' and `fitt' (which is an English translation of the Latin term) refer to structural units within a poem. The divisions into passus or fitts are not regularly marked in the manuscript. At this point the manuscript reads `Prymus passus the first Fytt.' This probably marks the end of the first passus and the beginning of the second. The passus beginning at line 814 is indicated in the manuscript without a number.

395 `Mahownn' is Mohammed, whom medieval Christians believed was worshipped by the Saracens as a deity.

405 `Goddis' is the singular possessive form depending on the noun `forbode' (a forbidding or prohibition). `Goddis forbode' = `God forbid!'

408 I follow Mills in emending ms. `lawe' to `laye,' which restores the rhyme.

416a Metrically this is an extra line in the stanza. Mills sees the line as another example of the `triplets' which are used instead of couplets `quite often in the Thornton text of Isumbras' (p. 193). But the line remains an aberration in the metrical pattern of The Sege of Melayne. A `bale-fire' is a blazing pile or heap kindled to consume something.

420 `So mote I gone' is one of those near meaningless expressions often used to fill out a line in the Middle English metrical romances.

471 The reference is to the elements or four substances (earth, air, fire, and water) which were believed to make up all material things.

503 I follow Mills in emending `Eeven' to `Even.'

506 On St. Denis, see the note to Sowdone of Babylone, line 26.

516 `Prime' is the canonical hour (a fixed part of the Divine Office to be sung or recited at a specific time) for the first hour of the day (6 a.m. or sunrise).

577 Herrtage notes that `syne' must be a corrupt reading `but the true reading is not clear.' Mills emends to `fyne.' `Syne' must be a form of `son,' the unusual spelling being for the sake of rhyme. It is perfectly appropriate for Charlemagne to refer to his nephew as the son of his relative.

603 If we translate `bot' as `but' in this line, `it' must refer to the cursing of the advisor, in which case the line translates: `and undoubtedly it [cursing him] is right.' Another (though less likely) possibility is to read `bot' as a form of `boute' (meaning `about') and translate: `and nothing about it [the advice] is right.'

622 I follow Herrtage and Mills in adding `care' to this line.

704 Here and again in line 989 the phrase `under thy schelde' means something like `in battle.'

773-74 If we translate the lines literally, line 774 must be taken as an almost meaningless metrical filler. It only makes sense if we extend the meaning of `tythynges' beyond the `event' or `news' (the literal meaning) to those people who represent the new event referred to. They could come `with banners raised.'

782 Herrtage notes that `on evynhaunt' is probably `a corruption of avenaunt' (meaning `gracious' or `noble' here) which appears in different forms in lines 807 and 917. Mills emends the ms. by deleting `on.'

856 This line presents some difficulty and may be corrupt. Herrtage admits in a note `I do not exactly understand this line'; and Mills glosses it only with a question mark. As it stands it seems to suggest that the sapphire presented to the Sultan is invisible.

870 The word `lede' normally means `people'; here it must mean something like `the customs of a people.' Thus the line means: `They believed in heathen customs.'

878 `Whereals' is used here in the sense of `where.'

913-16 A `kirtle' is `a man's tunic or coat which reached to the knees'; a `corset' refers here to the `corslet' which is `a piece of defensive armor covering the body'; an `acton' is `a stuffed jacket or jerkin, at first of quilted cotton worn under the mail; also, in later times, a jacket of leather or other material plated with mail'; a `hauberk' is a coat of mail; a `jazerant' or `jesserant' is `a light coat of armor composed of splints or small plates of metal riveted to each other or to a lining of some stout material.' (Definitions are from the OED.)

935 In this line I follow Mills' reconstruction rather than Herrtage's (`For[th to Mela]yne'). The line in the manuscript clearly begins with a B.

957 The OED defines `tepet' (see under `tippet,' where this line is cited) as `camail,' which is `a piece of chain-mail armour attached to the basinet or head-piece, and protecting the neck and shoulders.'

976 A `gowere pendande' is a `pendant attached to a coat of mail' (MED).

997 `Famagose' is Famagusta on Cypress.

1163 There seems to be a connective missing at the beginning of this line (e.g., `for'). Mills translates `Because of the strength of its Saracen garrison.'

1233 In this line `baners' must refer to the men assembled around the standard or the phrase `breme als bare' would be a totally meaningless filler.

1286 Herrtage takes `gones' as an alternate form of `gomes' (men). Mills emends to `gomes.'

1289 Herrtage explains `bowes of devyce' as `cross-bows worked with a rack or winch.'

1298 The suffix `-warde' is here separated from `fro' (= `from'). Thus the line translates `And they ride away from the city.' (Compare this line to line 1310: `Frowarde the cité ride.')

1303 The word `browe' does not fit the context since the spear wounded him in the side. Perhaps the correct reading is something like `brawne.' Mills emends the word to `browne' and translates the line: `Through the tough skin and unprotected flesh.'

1304 A `schaftemonde' is `the distance from the end of the extended thumb to the opposite side of the hand, used as a measure = about 6 inches' (OED).

1388 I follow Mills in emending ms. `wills' to `wille.'

1402 The definitions of `baneret' in the MED and the OED indicate that the term is generally applied to a high order of knighthood. However, the context here makes it clear that Sir Barnarde is a standard bearer who has not yet achieved such distinction. He calls himself `over symple' to refuse the task, as some other knights have, and asks to have the order of knighthood conferred on him for agreeing to deliver the message.

1459 A `fewter' is a support for a lance on a knight's saddle.

1474 A `warden' is one in charge of a division of an army.

1536 Mills emends `mekills' to `mekille.'

1597 A `hurdas' is a temporary rampart used for assault.