during their possession of that island, which continued through many monarchies. But Sicily, from its situation, became a familiar country to all the western continent at the time of the Crusades, and consequently soon found its way into romance, as did many others of the Mediterranean islands and coasts, for the same reason. Another of them, Cilicia, has accordingly given title to an antient tale called The KING OF TARS; from which I shall give some extracts, touched with a rude but expressive pencil. "Her bigenneth of the KYNG OF TARS, and of the Soudan of Dammias, how the Soudan of Dammias was cristened thoru Godis gras 9." Herkeneth now, bothe olde and yyng, Bitwene a god Cristene kyng, The kyng of Taars hedde a wyf, A doughter thei hadde hem bitween, A passage in Fauchett, speaking of rhyme, may perhaps deserve attention here. "Pour le regard de Siciliens, je me tiens presque asseure, que Guillaume Ferrabrach frère de Robert Guischard et autres seigneurs de Calabre et Pouille enfans de Tancred François-Normand, l'ont portee aux pais de leur conqueste, estant une coustume des gens de deça chanter, avant que combattre, les beaux faits de leurs ancestres, composez en vers." Rec. p. 70. Boccacio's Tancred, in his beautiful Tale of TANCRED AND SIGISMUNDA, was one of these FrancoNorman kings of Sicily. Compare Nouv. Abreg. Chronol. Hist. Fr. pag. 102. edit. 1752. P Damascus. MS. Vernon. Bibl. Bodl. f. 304. It is also in Bibl. Adv. Edinb. W 4. 1. Num. iv. In five leaves and a half. Never printed. [This romance will be found in Mr. Ritson's Collection, vol. ii. from whose transcript the present text has been corrected. On the authority of Douglas's version of the Eneid and Ruddiman's Glossary, he interprets "Tars" to mean Thrace; but as the story is one of pure invention, and at best but a romantic legend, why not refer the Damas and Tars of the text to the Damascus and Tarsus of Scripture?-EDIT.] their. as. Chaast heo was, and feir of chere, With rode" red so blosme on brere, W With lowe schuldres, and whyte swere*; Of princes pert in play. The word of hire sprong ful wyde Feor and ner, bi vche a syde: The Soudan herde say; Him thought his herte wolde breke on five That was so feir a may; The Soudan ther he sat in halle; He sente his messagers faste withalle, And seide, hou so hit ever bifalle, a With mony an heih lordyng," &c. The Soldan, on application to the king of Tarsus for his daughter, is refused; and the messengers return without sucThe Soldan's anger is painted with great characteristical spirit. cess. Hethene hound he doth the calle; Whon the Soudan this iherde, His robe he rente adoun; He tar the herb of hed and berd, And seide he wold her wine* with swerd, The table adoun riht he smot, In to the floore foot hot1, He lokede as a wylde lyoun; Erl and eke baroun. So he ferde forsothe a pliht, Al a day, and al a niht, That no man mihte him chaste*: After his barouns in haste: Bothe lest and mast. When the parlement was pleyner, And seyd to hem in hast.]+ * A phrase often applied to the Saracens. So in Syr Bevys, Signat. C. ii. b. To speke with an hethene hounde. son "wive," from whence the reading in the text was too obvious not to be adopted.-EDIT.] i struck, stamped. * check. + [The lines within brackets were inserted by Mr. Ritson from the Auchinleck MS.-EDIT.] "what counsel shall we take." Of Taars the Cristen kyng; I bed him bothe lond and lede To have his douhter in worthli wede, And he seide, withouten fayle Ac sertes he schal be forswore, And whon thei were alle at his heste, The Soudan gedred an oste unryde”, Alle that he mihte of seende; But certainly. "Loss of health or safety. Malediction. So R. of Brunne, Chron. apud Hearne's Rob. Glouc. p. 737. 738. Morgan did after conseile, And wrought him selfe to wrotherheile. Again, To zow al was a wikke conseile, P unright, wicked [numerous]. hend, handsome, [courteous. A general term expressive of personal and mental accomplishments.EDIT] Ne longer nolde thei leende'. The Soudan ladde an huge ost, And com with muche pruyde and cost, With him mony a Sarazyn feer', Of helmes leomede lihte. The kyng of Tars com also The Soudan batayle for to do With mony a Cristene knihte; Either ost gon othur assayle Ther bigon a strong batayle That grislych was of siht. Threo hethene ayein twey Cristene men, The steorne Sarazyns in that fiht, Thei fouhte as heo weore woode. The Soudan ost in that stounde The Sarazyns, withouten fayle, Whon the king of Tars sauh that siht And to the Soudan he rode ful riht, Adoun he gon him bere: |