Sir Isumbras

Anon

TextBaseEarlyTudorEnglish
AHSIsum14282
2008
STC 14282
Brown and Robbins 1184. Ringler 14280.5 and TP 605.5. Ed. E. V. U[tterson], _Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry_, 2 vols. (1817), 1:73-112. VT2 is reproduced in facsim. in _The Gardyners Passetaunce_, ed. Franklin B. Williams, Jr. (London: Roxburghe Club, 1985), p. 73. Written in mostly 12-line tail-rhyme stanzas, but length varies from 3-15 lines [Ringler].

Here begynneth the history of the valyent Knyght, Syr Isenbras
London: W. Copland,1565?.

Variant source 1: J. Skot, c. 1530 (STC 14280.5) [Harvard University Library fragment (=H)]. Variant source 2: J. Skot, c. 1530 (STC 14280.5) [Westminster Abbey Library fragment, B2 and B3v only (=W)].

Composition Date: ante 1350 [Ringler].

---

longe] 1565 omits, longe H, W

sig: [A1]
	¶Here begynneth the history of the valyent Knyght, Syr Isenbras.
sig: [A1v] [page blank]
sig: A2
	LOrdynges listen, and you shal here and you shal] all that wyll H
	Of eldyrs that before vs were
	That lyued in lande [in]-dede in dede] and dede 1565, in dede H
	Iesu_Christ heauen-kynge
5	Graunt them all his dere blessinge dere] H omits
	And heauen to their mede
	Ye shall well heare of a knight
	That was in warre full wyght
	And doughtye of his dede
10	Hys name was syr Isenbras
	Man nobler then he was
	Lyued none with breade
	He was lyuely, large and longe lyuely] louynge H
	With shoulders broade, and armes stronge
15	That myghtie was to se
	He was a hardy man and hye
	All men hym loued that hym se
	For a gentyll knyght was he
	Harpers loued him in hall
20	With other minstrels all
	For he gaue them golde and fee
	He was as curtoise as men might thinke men] man H
	Lyberall of meate and drynke
	In the worlde was none so fre
25	He hade a ladye full of beautye
	And also full of charitie
	As any ladye might be
	Betwene them they had chyldren thre
	Fayrer [f]odesletter illegiblefodes=children: see OED food, 6 myght no man se fodes=children: see OED food, 6
30	Under the cope of heauen
	For worldly welth, and pryde he fell
sig: [A2v]
	On God he thought neuer-a_dell
	Nor on ghostly thynge ghostly] no ghostly H
	So longe he sinned in that pryde
35	No longer woulde our Lorde abyde
	[..............................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565 and H
	So after it befell on a daye
	That thys knyght wente hym to playe
	Hys for[r]est for to se forrest] foreest 1565
40	As he loked vp on hye
	He sawe an aungell in the skye
	Which toward hym dyd flye flye] fle H
	Isenbras he sayde there
	Thou hast forgotten what thou were
45	For pryde and golde and fee and golde] of golde H
	Therfore our lorde sayth to thee so
	All thy good thou muste forgo
	As thou shalt here-after se
	The worldes welth shall fro the fall
50	Thou shalt lose thy ch[y]ldrenletter illegible all
	And all thy landes free
	Thy lady goodlyest of all
	For feare of fyre shall flye thy hall flye] fle H
	Thys daye or thou her se or] that H
55	The knyght fell doune vpon his kne The] This H; vpon] on H
	Underneth an Olyue-tre
	And helde vp both his handes
	And then agayne thus sayde he
	Lorde God in trinitie
60	Welcome be thy soundes soundes=messengers
	Whyle I am yonge, I maye well go
	When I am olde, I maye not so
	Though that I fayne woulde
sig: A3
	Therfore Iesu I praye thee
65	In youth send me aduersitie
	And not when I am olde
	The aungel toke fro thence his flight
	And left alone that carefull knyght
	From hym he wente his waye
70	When the aungell was paste his sight
	His stronge stede that was so wight
	Dead vnder hym laye
	His haukes and houndes that he fed
	They wasted and were all deade
75	They brought to hym no pray
	Home on fote he muste gone
	The teares fell from his chekes anone chekes] cheke H
	Out of his eyen graye
	Homewarde anone he can wende
80	There met he with his meyny hende
	Before hym on a rowe
	Syr they sayde we tell you playne
	With adders all youre bestes ben slaine
	With venyme are they blowe
85	The [w]ormesletter brokenwormes] stormes H; hath] haue H your capons hath you berefte wormes] stormes H; hath] haue H
	The thunder hath you no beast lefte
	For to put in your ploughe
	They wepte sore with semblaunt yll
	Syr Isenbras bade them be styll
90	I blame you not of this wo
	For he that sende me all this wo
	He maye sende me mirthes mo H: He may sende me myrthes mo With ioye and solace also
	And shall do well ynoughe shall] may H
	Let your sorowe all cease sorowe] sorowes H
sig: [A3v]
95	Enforce yourselfe to go in peace
	And mery as birde on bowe birde] byrdes H
	He went forth wo-bestad
	There met he with a lytle lad
	That came rennynge hym againe
100	Well worse he hym tolde
	Brente byn all thy bowres bolde
	Many of thy men be slayne
	Thre is nothyng lefte on_lyue
	But thy chyldren and thy wyfe
105	They fled for fere of fyre
	Quod Isenbras so mote I thriue
	For these tydynges also blyue
	I geue thee all that I were
	His purse caste he to hym belyue
110	The lade hym thanked ofte[n] sythe
	For his gifte so great
	The knyght vnto the towne went
	He sawe his place was all to_brent
	Lowe and playne with the strete
115	A dol[e]full sight than gan he se dolefull] dolofull 1565
	Hys wyfe and his chyldren thre
	Out of the fyre were fled
	There they sate vnder a thorne
	Bare and naked as they wer borne
120	Brought out of theyr bed
	A woful man than was he
	Whan he them sawe all naked be
	The lady sayde also bliue
	For nothyng syr be ye a_drade
125	He dyd of his surcote of pallade
sig: [A4]
	[And on his wyfe he set it ....]Upper margin trimmed
	[..............................]
	[..............................] The metre indicates that two lines have dropped out in 1565
	With full mylde mode
130	His scarlet mantell than shore he
	Therin he closed hys chyldre[n] thre chyldren] chyldred 1565
	That naked before hym stode
	Madame he sayde do my rede
	Seke we where Christ was quicke and dead
135	On the mount of Caluary
	Who-so that hym serue that dyed on rode
	Eche daye of his lyues fode
	Fast and sure shall he be
	With a sharpe knyfe he share
140	A crosse vpon his shoulder bare
	In story as we saye
	All they that his frendes were
	They wept and wrange their handes there
	Theyr songe was well_a_waye
145	The lorde and the ladye [h]ende hende] bende 1565
	Toke theyr way for to wende
	Upon the same daye
	Whan that they departe shoulde
	For them wept both yonge and olde
150	Both wyfe, wydow man and maye
	They bare with them no maner of thynge
	That was worth a farthynge
	Cattell, golde ne fe
	But mekely they asked theyr meate
155	Where that they myght it gette
	For saynct charytie
	Seuen landes they gan through passe
	By goddes succour myght and grace
sig: [A4v]
	[His] wyfe and his chyldren thre Diagonal flaws in the leaf have effected the legibility of text here and below
160	They that ere had welth and wyn
	The harde hunger that they were [in]
	Great sorowe it [was to se]
	In a f[oreste] they were a whyle
	Tow[n]e myght they get none tyle
165	Wery and wo they were
	Thre dayes were come and gone
	Meate nor drynke founde they none
	The chyldren wept so fre
	They eate nothynge that came of corne
170	But beryes and [ha]wes of the thorne hawes] bowes 1565
	Amonge the holtes bare
	They came to a water by_dene
	Ouer woulde they fayne haue bene
	Then begane theyr care
175	His eldest sonne he toke theare
	And ouer the water dyd hym beare
	And set him vnder a bushe of brome
	He sayde sonne wepe no mare
	Tyll I for thy brethren fare
180	Play thee with a blome
	The knyght toke a pace full good
	And faste feryed ouer the flodd
	His myddle sonne he name
	And bare hym ouer the water wilde
185	A Lyon toke hys eldest chylde
	Or he to the lande come
	The knyght neuer the later
	In-to the wylde water
	Turned agayne that daye
sig: B1
190	A Leoparde came and toke the other
	The chylde that was the mydle brother
	And with hym wente awaye
	The lady cried loude and shyll
	Loth she was her lyfe to spyll
195	On lande there she laye
	The knyght bade this lady be styll
	We shall do after gods wyll
	For sorowe theyr hartes were sore
	Then both the chyldren loste were
200	[...............................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565
	Hys louely sonnes two
	This lady was wonte to ryde in a chayre
	On his backe he her ouer_bare
	His yonge sonne also
205	Thorough a foreste dayes thre
	They went towarde the quicke see
	Wonders wery and wo
	As they stode on the lande
	They sawe come saylynge by the see-sande
210	Thre hundred shyppes and mo
	And as they on the lande stode
	They loked farther in the flode
	Galeys they sawe come glyde
	With topcastels lyfte on_lofte
215	With streamers of sendale softe
	Lyke a prynce proude of pryde
	An Heythen kynge was therein
	That christendome was come to wyn
	[............................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565
220	The Soudan he woulde lande
	Up in an hauen at the woddes ende
	The knyght he founde that tyde
sig: [B1v]
	Hys Sarasyns all by hys syde
	Many men sawe he rene and ryde
225	[...........................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565
	He sayde vnto his ladye fre
	What men are these thynke ye
	I heare a myghty steuen
	Through this forest haue we gone
230	Meate nor drynke found we none
	Of all these dayes seuen
	Go we and aske them some meate
	If that we maye any gette we] ye H
	For goddes loue of heauen
235	Towarde the galley gan thei gone
	Therin sat the sowdan
	In wedes worthely wrought
	He asked of them lyues fode
	For his loue that dyed on the rode
240	And made this worlde of nought
	Whan the kynge herde hym crye
	Southly he sayde he is a spye
	That thus farre hath vs sought
	I byd you bete hym awaye
245	For they beleue not on our laye
	Of me get they ryght nought
	A knyght kneled before the kynge
	And sayd it is a pytifull thynge is] was H
	That poore penaunce to se
250	He semeth a man so gentyll and fre
	Though he be in necessitie
	It is ruth and pytie
	His eyen are gray as any glasse
	Were he as well fedde as euer he was
sig: B2
255	Like a knight shoulde he be
	Hys wyfe as whyte as whales-bone
	Though she with weping be ouergone
	She is as white as blosome on tre white] bryght H
	The sowdan sayde, and him beth[o]ughte bethoughte] bethaughte 1565
260	Let them before me be brought before me be] be before [me] H
	I will them se with sighte
	Whan he them sawe his heart was dere
	So worthy as they both were
	That they ne were clathed a_righte
265	Than dyd the sowdan to hym saye
	Man wilt thou beleue on my laye
	And with me go to fyghte
	Forsake thy Christendome for aye
	And beleue on Mahoundes laye
270	And then I wyll doubbe the a knyght
	Styll stode syr Isenbras
	And sawe a sowdan that he was
	Than sayde he playnly naye
	I shall neuer bee Hethen bounde become
275	Nor warre againste Christendome
	Therfore to dye thys daye
	Greate wayes we haue to gone
	Meate ne drynke haue we none
	Ne penye for to paye
280	Syr helpe vs to our lyues fode
	For hys loue that dyed on rode
	And let vs walke a_waye
	The sowdan sawe the ladye there
	He thought an aungell that she were
285	That had bene in heauen
sig: [B2v]
	[He sayde syr sell her vnto me]Upper margin trimmed
	And I wyll geue the golde and fe
	More than thou cane meane
	I wyll geue thee an hundreth pounde
290	Of fayre florence rede and rounde
	And red robes seuen
	She shalbe quene of all my lande
	And all my men to serue to her hande
	No man withstande her steuen
295	Syr Isenbras sayde naye
	My wyfe wyll I not sell awaye
	Thy men shall fyrst me slo
	I wedded her as I you saye
	To holde her to my endinge daye
300	Both in wele and in wo in wo] [wo] H
	[An] hundreth pound of fayre florence An] And 1565, An H
	The Sowdan layde in his presence
	And set hys wyfe hym fro set] fetched H
	The golde agayne syr Isenbras caste
305	Therfore his rib[b]es was nerehand brast ribbes] ribes 1565, rybb[es] H
	And made his body all blo
	As sone after as he myght stande
	He toke hys sonne by the hande
	A sorye man was he
310	Than was the maner there
	With ores and a[n]cres for to fare ancres] acres 1565, ancre[s] H
	With that lady so free
	The Sowdane with his owne hande
	Crouned her quene of Surrye-lande Surrye=Syria
315	And sent her ouer the see
	To her the crowne thus he bande.
sig: B3
	[My worde he sayde sothly shal stande]Upper margin trimmed
	Though I come neuer to thee
	When the shyp[p]e was redy there shyppe] shype 1565
320	Wyth theyr fraught awaye to fare
	The ladye fell on her knee
	Syr Sowdan she sayde thare
	For her loue that Iesu bare
	A bowne graunt ye me
325	Geue me leue with my lorde
	That I might speake one worde
	Aboute a priuie thynge
	The Sowdan called hym agayne
	Therof was the lady fayne
330	Her token was a rynge
	There was ioye to se them mete
	With kissinge and with clypping swete
	To shyppe whan she was go
	She sayde alas wo is me
335	That I ne droune in the see
	Shall we departe in two
	In that lande that I am in
	If that ye come it for to wyn
	The Sowdan wyll I slo
340	Syr ye shall be kynge with crowne
	Ouer castell, towre and towne
	And recouer all your wo
	Meate and drinke she dyd hym geue
	Ther-wyth a seuen-nyght for to lyue
345	Hys yonge sonne and he
	Then this ladye meke and mylde
	Kyssed hym, and than her chylde
sig: [B3v]
	Than sowned she tymes thre
	They drewe vp sayle of bright hew
350	The wynde them soone to surry blew
	[..............................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565
	The knyght hym on the lande set
	He syghed and wepte with teares great
	Whyle he the sayle myght se
355	He toke his sonne by the hande
	And forth he went vpon the lande
	Amonge the holtes hye
	He swarmed vp into a tree
	Whyle eyther of them might other se
360	Tho were there hertes sore H resumes
	Meate and drynke forth he drowe
	And gaue his yonge sonne ynowe
	That was an_hungred sore
	In the mantell amonge the breade
365	He layed his gold that was so reade
	And with hym he it bare
	Than he came to an hyll full hye to] on H; hye] by H
	There he thought all night to lye
	Farther go he ne might
370	On the morow whan it was daye
	An Egle [bare] the golde awaye bare] hath 1565, bare H
	For the read clothes syghte
	Isenbras than a_waked he
	And folowed the fowle to the grekes-zee
375	There gan the fowle ouer_flee fowle] folowe H
	Or he returned, an Unicorne
	The yonge chylde awaye had borne
	Amonge the holtes hye
	The knyghte afore was often wo
sig: [B4]
380	But neuer [worse] then he was tho worse] 1565 omits, wors H
	He set hym on a stone
	Lorde he sayde wo is me
	For my wyfe and my chyldren thre
	Nowe am I lefte alone
385	The kynge that bare of thorne the croune
	Wyshe me a waye vnto the towne
	For all amysse haue I gone
	He ne wist what he do might
	But for sorowe he sore syght
390	With mournynge made his mone
	Alone he walked by a lowe
	[........................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565; this is confirmed by the evidence of H, which has 8 lines wanting here
	A fayre fyre sawe he glowe
	He prayed them of breade for charitie
395	They sayde labour for so do we
	We haue none other plowe
	Tho aunswered the knyghte agayne
	Syr so wyll I certayne
	Faste he bare and faste he drowe and faste he] and H
400	They taught hym to turne the stone
	And bade hym spede that he had done
	Than had he shame ynowe
	This man toke laboure hym vpon
	Tyll the fyrst yere was gone
405	For his lyuynge wrought he so
	By that tyme coulde he make a fyre
	And [than] toke he mannes hyre than] 1565 omits, than H
	For he wrought more than two
	All the longe seuen yeare
410	A smythes manne was he there
	And yet thre monethes to
sig: [B4v]
	By that he had hym armure dyght
	All that longed to a knyght longed] longeth H
	To the water with hym to go water with hym to go] warre with to go H
415	That seuen yeare I vnderstande
	The Sowdan was in chrysten lande
	[.............................]
	[.............................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565 and H
	Tyll they puruayed a battayll stronge puruayed] prouyded H
420	The Sarasyns to abyde
	A daye of battayle there was set
	Where both chrysten and heythen met
	A lyttell there-besyde
	In the same armure that Isenbras wroughte
425	And on a croked caple that coles broughte
	Hym-selfe to battayle gan ryde
	He rode vnder an hyll so hye
	Chrysten and Heythen both he se
	That the two kynges had brought
430	The hoste was arayed in royall araye
	Taboures and trumpettes herde he play
	And launces lifte on_lofte
	Syr Isenbras with hert fre
	Set hym doune vpon his kne
435	In Iesu was his thought In Iesu was his thought] To Iesu he besought H
	To sende hym grace in that felde sende] lende H
	That false Sowdan for to yelde
	For the wo that he hym wrought
	Syr Isenbras anone vp_stode
440	Ryght eger was he of mode
	Sore dintes he gaue certayne
	It sprange as sparcle out of flynte
	There myght no man withstande his dynte
	Tyll hys caple was slayne
sig: C1
445	[Whan that he thus [longe] had fought]Upper margin trimmedlonge] 1565 omits, longe H, W
	An earle out of the batayle hym broughte
	Upon an hygh mou[n]tayne
	This earle there chaunged his wede
	And set hym on a [full] good stede full] 1565 omits, full H, W
450	Than wente he fast agayne
	The stronge stede he gan stride
	In-to the hoaste than gan [he] ryde he] 1565 omits, he H, W
	There delte he dentes sore dentes] dyntes H
	He felled all that before him stode
455	And those that he knocked on the hoode And those that] Who so H, W
	He slewe for euermore
	He rode vp to the hygh mountayne
	The Sowdan he hade sone slayne
	And many that with hym were
460	All the daye lasted that fight the] that H
	Syr Isenbras that noble knyght
	Wan the batayle there
	The christen kynge was full fayne
	Whan the Sowdan was slayne
465	With Sarasins great plenty
	He sayde whence is that noble knyght whence] where H
	That all this folke hath slayne in [f]yghte fyghte] syghte 1565, fyght H
	Right fayne woulde I hym se
	Knyghtes kene sone h[ym] sought hym] he 1565, hym H
470	And at the laste he was forth brought
	Sore wounded was he
	What arte thou sayde the kynge than
	Syr quod he a smythes man
	To defende thee in fyghte
475	Thou shalte he sayde haue meat and drynke
sig: [C1v]
	[The beste that thou canst after thinke] Upper margin trimmed, text reconstructed from H
	Tyll thou haue recouered myght
	The kynge sware by this lyght
	Whan thy woundes whole be
480	I shall thee make a knyght thee make] make thee H
	In a nonry they dyd hym leaue
	To heale his woundes that dyd hym greue
	That he had in [f]yght fyght] syght 1565, fyght H
	The Nonnes of hym were full fayne
485	Because he had the Sowdan slayne
	With many a Heathen hounde
	On his sorowe they can rewe
	And euery day with salues newe salues] hys salues 1565, salues H
	To heale therwith his woundes
490	They intreated hym curteosly
	So he was healed lyghtly
	Within a lytle stounde stounde] stoundes 1565, stounde H
	He bethought hym full well
	That no longer he woulde there dwel
495	When he was whole and sounde
	He purueyed hym scrip and pyke
	And made hym-selfe palmer-lyke
	Ready for to wende
	He toke his leaue withouten lesse
500	Fayre thanking the prioresse
	With all the Nonnes hende
	The ryght way than toke he
	Tyll he came to the quicke zee
	With scripe and burdon blyue
505	A shyppe founde he ready thare
	Into Acres for to fare
sig: C2
	Thyder can they ryue
	When they had Acres hente
	Both wet and wery vp they went
510	Into the cytye he yede he] they H
	Seuen year he was palmer thore
	With hunger thirst, and syghing sore
	In Romaynes as we reede
	Ryght as he went, euen so he laye
515	In the nyght as on the daye In] On H
	In poore palmers weede
	Although the flesh lyked yll
	Gods wyll he woulde fulfyll
	For his synfull deede
520	Through the cytye gan he gone
	Meate nor drynke gate he none
	Nor house to lodge in
	Besyde the borowe of Bethlem
	He set hym by a well-streme
525	Tyll the day was dymme
	As he sate and sore syght syght=sighed
	There came an aungell about mydnight
	And brought hym bread and wyne
	Isenbras he sayde lysten vnto mee
530	Our lorde hath pardon graunted to thee to] H omits
	Forgeuen are synnes thyne
	Nowe reste the well syr Isenbras W starts here
	Forgeuen is all thy trespas
	Shortly for to sayne
535	My Lorde [that] is heauen-kynge that] 1565 omits, that H, W
	Hath the geuen hys blessynge
	And byddeth the turne agayne
sig: [C2v]
	The knyght on his knees hym set
	And Christ of heauen kynge he grete kynge] H, W omit
540	Of the tydynges he was fayne
	The aungell lefte hym then alone
	Then wyste he not whyther to gone
	But walked on the playne
	Thre kinges landes he went thorow
545	Tyll he came to a ryche borow
	A fayre castle there stode
	He herde tell there woned a quene
	A fayre lady bright and shyne shyne] shene H, W
	And great worde of her yode
550	Euery daye she made a dole
	Of many florences, go[o]de and hole goode] golde 1565, good H, W
	Who-so woulde it fetche
	Lorde sayde Isenbras so free
	Myght I one get well were me
555	Eyther money or meat
	Whan he came to the castell-gate
	Many poore folke he sawe therat
	That were come the golde to take
	The quene a florence to eche one toke
560	Syr Isenbras it not forsoke
	But mery dyd he make But mery dyd he make] Of his mery make H
	Poore men that myght yll go
	She toke in fiftye and mo
	Whiche that febles[t] were feblest] feblesse 1565, feblest H
565	And in they toke syr Isenbras
	Wete and wery as he was
	On hym they rued sore
	The quene crouned at meat sate
sig: C3
	Knyghtes serued her thereat
570	In ryche robes of pall
	A cloth on the floore was layde on] vpon H
	This poore palmer the stewarde sayde
	Shall syt aboue you all
	Ryche meat there was brought
575	St[y]ll he sate and eate right nought Styll] Stell 1565, Styll H
	But loked about the hall
	So muche he sawe of game and gle
	Where-in he was wont to be
	The teares he let fall
580	[...............................]
	[Styll he sate and ete ryght nought] The metre indicates that two lines have dropped out in 1565; the second is supplied from H
	Then to a knyght the lady can saye
	Fetche forth a chayre and a quisshion
	And set the poore palmer therin
585	That he me tell maye
	Of many auentures that he hath sene
	In dyuers landes where he hath bene
	By many a wylde waye
	Anone the chaire was forth fet
590	The poore palmer therein was set
	And tolde her of his laye
	Many maruels he her tolde
	Then she him asked whether he woulde
	Full fayne woulde she wyt wyt: wete H
595	Ryche meates to hym were brought
	Then the quene great wonder thought
	Why he woulde not eate
	She sayde to hym in great disporte
	Syr Palmer be of good comforte
600	Se nothynge that ye dreede
sig: [C3v]
	For his soule that was mi Lorde
	I will the finde at bed and borde at] to H
	Fayre to cloth and feede
	At thyne ease thou shalt be
605	With much mirth game and gle
	Both early and late
	A clene chambre and a fayre a fayre] fre H
	And a man to serue thee
	Within the castle-gate
610	Syr Isenbras also snell
	On knees before that lady fell that] the H
	And sayde comely quene
	Here vnto [you] I graunt wele you] 1565 omits, you H
	Of my pardon the halfe deale
615	In places where I haue bene
	Thus the palmer dwelled there
	Tyll that he was hole in fere
	And seruyd in the hall
	He was so fayre and hye
620	That other had at hym enuye
	And strong he was with-all
	A turnement there was byd
	They horsed hym on a fayre stede
	And he conquered them all
625	Certaynely as I you saye
	Many a sar[a]syne he slew that daye sarasyne] sarosyne 1565
	Under the castle-walle
	When that he came to the felde
	None was so bolde vnder shyelde
630	That durst abyde his strength
	Some he gaue suche a stroke certayne
sig: [C4]
	[That ....................... agayne]Upper margin trimmed
	Other some he made sore blede
	Some he caste ouer the lake
635	Of some both necke and backe he brake
	They fled from hym for drede
	The ladye seyng that fast lough
	And sayde my palmer is strong ynough
	And worthy for to ryde
640	So it befell vpon a daye
	Syr Isenbras wente hym to playe
	As it was his kynde
	An Herons neste he sawe on hye
	A redde clothe therein he se
645	Meuing with the wynde
	Up to the tree he canne wynne
	Hys owne mantell he founde therein
	Hys golde there can he fynde
	When he se the reade golde
650	Wherfore hys ladye was solde
	Then was he woode of mynde
	The golde into the chambre he bare
	Under his heade he putte it there
	Then wepynge he went a_waye
655	Euer when he the golde can se
	[.............................] The metre indicates that a line has dropped out in 1565
	Hys songe was well_awaye
	Were he neuer of chere so good
	Whan he in hys chamber yode
660	After he wepte all the daye
	So longe he ledde there hys lyfe
	Amonge [the] sarasyns that were ryfe the] hys 1565
	Then to the quene they can saye
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	So on a daye [it fell ryght]Upper margin trimmed
665	Unto hys chaumber wente this knyght
	Sore wepinge as I wene
	Foure knightes brake the chamber-dore
	And founde the golde in the flore
	And tolde it to the quene
670	Bef[o]re the quene the golde was broughte Before] Befyre 1565
	For whiche the Sowdan [had] her bought had] 1565 omits
	Of syr Isenbras
	Though it against hys wyll were
	The sendale also sawe she there
675	That her lordes was
	When she the sendale sawe with sight
	Thrise sowned that lady bryght
	For she before it had sene
	Often she syghed and sayde alas
680	This ought a knyght syr Isenbras
	That my lorde was wont to be
	Unto the kny[ght]letters illegible there she tolde
	How that she for golde was solde
	Her lorde was beaten there
685	Where ye maye the palmer se
	Byd hym come and speke with me
	Therto me longeth sore
	The palmer came into the hall
	Unto counsell she dyd hym call
690	And asked hym right there
	How that he the golde wan
	And whether he were a gentelman
	And in what countre he was borne
	With carfull harte and rewfull cheare
sig: D1
695	He gaue the quene this aunswere
	On knees her before
	The first tale that he her tolde
	Madame therfore my wyfe was solde
	I do you to vnderstande
700	Thre c[h]yldren haue I lore chyldren] cyldren 1565
	My mantell was a_waye bore
	I in a neste it founde
	Tho had the lady great solace
	She fell in sownyng, so faynt she was
705	When they together met
	There was myrth to se them mete
	With clypping and kissing swete
	In armes for to folde
	Eyther of other was so fayne
710	They wolde it no longer layne
	To the knyghtes they it tolde
	A ryche brydale dyd they byd
	Both riche and poore thyther yede
	Woulde none them-selfe with_holde
715	Syr Isenbras was rayed ryght
	And crouned kyng, that erre was knyght
	With a gaye garlande of golde
	Than was kynge syr Isenbras
	Of more welth then euer he was
720	Thre landes had he there
	His christendome he can kyth
	And sent sondes frely syth
	To them that Heathen were
	The Heathen were at one assente
sig: [D1v]
725	Who that to his counsayl went
	Them to hange or brenne
	They sayde that what man to hym wente
	Shoulde thynke his waye yll be_spente
	None woulde come to hym than
730	A daye of battayle there was set
	Where both Christen and Heathen met
	Syr Isenbras to slo
	After sarasins gan they sende
	Theyr cursed lawes for to defende
735	There came Heathen kynges two
	Syr Isenbras made hym yare
	Agaynst the sarasyns for to fare
	With hym there was no mo
	When he was armed on his stede
740	Hys folke hym fayled at his nede
	And fast fled hym fro
	Syr Isenbras curtoyse and kene
	Toke hys leaue of hys quene
	And after syghed full sore
745	He loked on her with eyen graye
	And sayd madame haue good-daye
	For now and euermore
	The ladye sayd vnto the knight
	I woulde I were in armure bright
750	With you that I myght fare
	If god woulde the grace sende
	That we myght together wende
	Then gone were all my care
	Sone was the lady dyghte
755	In armure as she were a knyghte
sig: D2
	On horse with speare and shyelde
	Agaynst thyrty thousand Sarasins and mo
	Of christen came but they two
	Alone into the fyelde
760	He sawe them semble as I you saye
	With brandes bright and banners gaye
	He houed and behelde
	That cursed people false of faye
	Towarde hym made great araye
765	With weapon and with shyelde
	And he houed on a hyll
	Bugles blaste and trumpettes shyll
	And herauldes herd he shoute
	They sayde traytour stande thou styll
770	Coward knight we shall the kyll
	Thou mayest well drede for dout
	Quod Isenbras I make a vowe
	Unto my lorde swete Iesu
	I shall not f[lee] this fyght flee] fele 1565
775	Whyle I maye in styrope stande
	With healme on head, and speare in hande
	With bronde that is so bright
	The ladye swore by mary mylde
	Againste the sarasins that were so wylde
780	She woulde do her myghte
	This daye to battayle wyll I feare
	Helme on head, with shyelde and speare
	So comforted she that knight
	Syr Isenbras his course toke with delyte
785	And about hym fiercely can smyte
	As a waryour wood and wyght
sig: [D2v]
	Some theyr heades he dyd of smyte
	The Sowdan was out of his wyt
	When he saw that syght
790	Through the hoste then let he crye
	What man might with mastrie
	To grounde him fell doune
	He shoulde him geue hys landes truly
	Fro Iaffa to Alexandrie
795	Both citie, towre and towne
	Of all the whole Sowdans hoste
	Was there none that durst make boaste
	Battayle hym to byd
	They gaue the Sowdan counsell all
800	Thy hole hoste at once let on hym fall
	And strike hym doune and hys stede
	The Sowdan did therto assente
	With battes, and with bowes bente
	They faste at him can laye
805	Syr Isenbras good liuerie lente
	The quene a swerde in her hand hent
	And dealte her dole that daye
	That daye that ladye and the knyght
	Agaynst the Sodan helde stronge fyght
810	Through grace that God them sente
	Of freshe Sarasins there came a route
	That beset the knyght aboute
	With shaftes and bowes bente
	Ryght as they slayne shoulde haue be
815	There came rydyng kynges thre
	On beastes that were wylde
	One on a Leoparde, and one on a Unicorne
sig: D3
	And one a Lio[n], one ranne beforne
	Theyr eldest sonne to beare
820	The knyghtes fought as they were wode
	And slewe all that before them stode
	Great wonder it is to se
	The Heathen knyghtes slewe the[y] there they] the 1565
	The Sarasyns that counted were
825	Thurtye thousand and thre
	Syr Isenbras them prayed thare
	That they wolde with hym fare
	All nyght with hym to be
	Father they sayde with milde entente
830	The grace of [God] vs hether sente God] Good 1565
	Thyne owne sonnes we be
	We ne wyst howe we hyther came
	But for to saue you fro shame
	As goddes wyll was
835	Ye be our mother that vs bare
	And ye oure father sothly are
	Men call you syr Isenbras
	They sayde make we ioyfull cheare
	To our chyldren that we se here
840	Our welth beginneth to walke
	In a chamber fayre and bright
	Their atyre was comely dighte
	In many a worthy wede
	They lacked no maner of thynge
845	Golde, syluer, nor ryche clothinge
	They had all-thynge at nede
	Thre lands after they dyd wyn
	And christened all that was therein
sig: [D3v]
	In Romayns as we rede
850	Than was kynge syr Isenbras
	Of more welth then euer he was
	And come out of his care
	To euery sonne he gaue a lande
	And crouned hym kynge with his hande
855	Whyle they together were
	The eldest sonne was in surrye
	Chosen chyefe of Chyualrye
	As kynge and gouernoure
	The seconde sonne shortly to saye
860	In an Ile called Iaffaye
	Reygned with great honour
	The yongest brother was crowned kynge
	Of Calabre without leasynge
	Thus reygned they all thre
865	And when it pleased God of hys myght
	They all departed in heauens lyght
	To the whiche bryng vs the trinitie
	Amen, amen, for charitie.
	Finis.
	Imprynted at London, by me Wyllyam_Copland.