[Linenotes: 581. _kyllyd_ MS. 585. _there_ MS.]
[Footnote T1: There is no f. 86 in the paging of the MS.]
[Headnote: TORRENT’S SQUIRE IS MET BY A GIANT.]
Hys squyer~ Rod aƚƚ nyght In a wod, that wase fuƚƚ tyght, W{ i}t{ h} meche care and gret fare, 590 For to seke hys lord Torrent, That wy{ ght}ly wase frome hyme sent, And he wyst nevyr~ whethyr ne wh{ a}r~. He Durst neuyr~ cry ne schuot, For wy{ l}d best{ es} were hym a-bowght 595 In~ the holtt{ es} h{ a}re; A lyty{ l} whyƚƚ be-fore the day He toke in~ to a Ryde-wey Hyme self to meche care.
[Linenotes: 592. _wysly_ MS. 593. _wher_ MS. 595. _wyld_] _wyd_ MS. 596. _hore_ MS. 597. _lyty_ MS.]
Forthe he Rod, I vndyrstond, 600 Tyƚƚ he an hey wey fond, W{ i}t{ h}-owtyn~ any Del{ ite}, Also fast ase he myght fare, Fore berrys and apys, þ{ a}t ther w{ a}re, Lest they wold hym byght. 605 The sone a-Rose and schone bryght, Of a castyƚƚ he had a syght, That wase bothe feyer~ and whyte . . . .
[Linenotes: 602. _Delite_] _delay_ MS. 604. _were_ MS.]
[Sidenote: and is met by a Giant. The Giant cuts Torrent’s Squire into 4 quarters.]
The gyant h{ i}m se, & ny yed, And seyd: ‘Fellow, so god me sped, 610 Thow art welcom to me: f. 87b. What dost thow here in my forest?’ ‘Lord, to seke an hawkys nest, Yff yt yow{ r} wyl be.’ ‘The be-hovythe to ley a wede.’ 615 To an oke he hym led: Gret Ruthe yt wase to se. In IIII q{ uar}ter{ es} he hym dr{ o}we, And eu{ er}y quarter vppon a bowe; Lord, soche weys toke hee! 620
[Linenotes: 609. _hem_ MS. 618. _drewe_ MS.]
[Headnote: TORRENT IS ATTACKT BY THE GIANT ROCHENSE.]
Ase Torrent in~ the movnteyn~ dyd ly, Hym thowght, he hard a Reufuƚƚ cry; Gret fere ther hyme thowght. ‘Seynt Marre,’ seyd the chyld so f{ re}, ‘Wher euyr~ my jentyƚƚ squyer~ myght be, 625 That I w{ i}t{ h} me to wod browght? On he dyd hys harnes a-geyne And worthe on hys sted, s{ er}teyne, And thetherward he sowght. And wot yow wyƚƚ, I vndyrstond, 630 In fowre quartyr{ es} he hym fownd, For other wyse wase yt nowght.
[Linenotes: 624. _fre_] _fer_ MS. 630. _wot_] _w_ add. (!) MS.]
[Sidenote: and is attackt by this giant Rochense.]
The gyant lenyd to a tre And be-hyld Torrent so free, For sothe, ase { I} yow seye. 635 Thys fend wase ferly to fyght, Rochense, seythe the boke, he hyght, Ther wase a dredfuƚƚ fraye. To the chyld than~ gan he smyght: ‘A theff, yeld the asttyt, 640 As fast as thow may!’ f. 88a. ‘What,’ seyd Torrent, ‘art thow wood? God, that Dyed on the Rood, Geff the evyƚƚ happe thys day!’