The King of Tars: Appendix: Variant Readings from the Vernon Manuscript

by: John H. Chandler (Editor)

from: The King of Tars  2015

There are three manuscripts that contain The King of Tars.¹ The differences in the two main witnesses, Auchinleck and Vernon, demonstrate the tendency and processes of scribal alteration very clearly.² Though they present the same tale, sharing episodes and structure, there are many lines that are vastly different. While the decision to base this text on Auchinleck is described in the introduction, some of the passages in Vernon are compelling for a number of reasons. In their introduction to Bevis of Hampton, Herzman, Drake, and Salisbury note “wide variation in manuscripts would certainly seem to be unusual, at least from the point of view of somewhat more ‘canonical’ texts — Biblical and classical — which were held in such awe by medieval authors that they dared not alter them.”³ Like “Bevis,” The King of Tars is an anonymous, roughly contemporary work that is “protected neither by sanctity nor sufficient authorial fame.”⁴ The antiquity of Auchinleck and its comparative completion has recommended it as closer to the original composition, and the unwritten assumption is that Vernon and Simeon were rewritten to be more in keeping with the desires of the patron; the language is “modernized,” that is, made to better reflect contemporary usage and dialect, and some significant passages have been abbreviated or expanded. A complete list of all variant readings in the textual notes would essentially reproduce the text of Vernon; thus I have not included Vernon in the textual notes. However, as it is illustrative of medieval revision strategies to present a few passages for comparison, especially those which are unique to Vernon, I include them here.⁵

VERNON 1–4 (NO PARALLEL IN AUCHINLECK):
	Her biginneth of the kyng of Trars And of the soudan of Dammas, Hou the soudan of Dammas Was icristned thoru Godus gras.	Here baptized through
VERNON 76–84 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 76–84):
80	Heo nolde not leeven on his maneers. To God heo made hire preyers,      That Lord Omnipotent, And bad him take another thought. For hire ne scholde he wedde nouht      For gold, selver, ne rent. Whon the messagers this herde seyn, Soone thei tornede hem ageyn      And to the soudan went.	She would not believe income
VERNON 100–06 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 100–06):
100 105	He tar the her of hed and berd And seide he wolde hir winne with swerd      Beo his lord, Seynt Mahoun. The table adoun riht he smot Into the flore foot-hot.      He lokede as a wylde lyon; Al that he hitte he smot doun riht.	tore; hair; head; beard By completely down; struck immediately
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 115 TO 120
VERNON 120–23 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 126–29):
120	“And spouse hire with my ryng. And,” he seide, withouten fayle, “Arst he woulde me sle in batayle      And mony a gret lordying. . .”	wed Before
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 139 TO 141
VERNON 145–75 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 154–81):
145 150 155 160 165 170 175	Batayle thei sette uppon a day Withinne the thridde day of May;      No lengor nolde thei leende. The soudan com with gret power, With helm briht and feir baneer,      Uppon that kyng to wende. The soudan ladde an huge ost And com with muche pruyde and bost      With the kyng of Tars to fihte, With hym mony a Sarazin feer. Alle the feldes feor and neer      Of helmes leomede lihte. The kyng of Tars com also The soudan batayle for to do      With mony a Cristene kniht. Eyther ost gon othur assayle; Ther bigon a strong batayle      That grislych was of siht. Threo hethene agein twey Cristene men And falde hem doun in the fen      With wepnes stif and goode. The steorne Sarazins in that fiht Slowe ur Cristene men doun riht;      Thei fouhte as heo weore woode. The soudan ost in that stounde Feolde the Cristene to the grounde,      Mony a freoly foode. The Sarazins, withouten fayle, The Cristene culde in that batayle;      Nas non that hem withstode. Whon the kyng of Tars sauh that siht. . .	would; linger bright; fair banner go led; host (army) pride many; fierce fields far With; gleamed bright knight Either army began [to] assail [the] other to see Three; two fierce immediately insane sultan’s army; moment Knocked noble creature killed [There] was none who
VERNON 181–86 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 187–92):
185	The soudan neigh he hedde islawe But thritti thousent of hethene lawe      Coomen him for to were And broughten him ageyn uppon his steede And holpe him wel in that nede      That no mon mihte him dere.	nearly; slain thirty thousand lifted; onto helped harm
VERNON 204–22 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 210–28):
205 210 215 220	Ur Cristene folk so fre The Sarazins that tyme, saunz fayle, Slowe ur Cristene in batayle.      That reuthe hit was to se. And on the morwe for heore sake Truwes thei gunne togidere take:      A moneth and dayes thre. As the king of Tars sat in his halle, He made ful gret deol withalle      For the folk that he hedde ilore. His douhter com in riche palle; On kneos heo gon biforen him falle      And seide with syking sore: “Fader,” heo seide, “let me beo his wyf That ther be no more strif      Then hath ben her bifore. For me hath be much folk schent, Slawen and morthred and torent,      Allas that I was bore!”	Our; noble without calamity And the next day for their sorrow lost fine cloth she sighing be here killed Slain; torn to pieces
VERNON 230–46 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 236–52):
230 235 240 245	“That Cristene men schul for me dye      Thorw grace of God Almiht.” Then was the kyng of Tars ful wo, Anon he onswerde tho      To his douhter briht: “Douhter,” he seide, “blessed thou be Of God that sit in Trinité      The tyme that thou were bore. That thou wolt save thi moder and me, Thi preyere now I graunte thee      Of that thou bede before.” “Fader,” heo seide, “par charité And for Crist in Trinité,      Blyve that ich weore thore Ar eny more serwe arere That ye ne my moder dere      For me beo nought forlore.”	Through sad born grant asked Quickly; there Before; sorrow arise [neither] you nor
VERNON 277–82 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 283–88):
280	Whon the messagers thus herde seyn, Smartliche thei torned ageyn      To the soudan swart and wan. Whon he herde heore lettres rad, Then was he bothe blithe and glad      And murie as eny man.	Quickly swarthy and dark heard; read happy
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 288 TO 300
VERNON 297–315 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 315–33):
300 305 310 315	To the kyng of Tars he sent With Sarazins and with muche pryde With mony a juwel is nought to huyde      To make hym a present. Forth thei went that ilke tyde; To the kyng of Tars thei gan ryde      That was bothe freo and gent Thei welcomed the messagere; Of gret reuthe ye may here      Whon thei to chaumbre went. In chaumbre kyng and qwene was tho, In serwe and care and muche wo      For heore doughter hende. Heor doughter com bifore hem wende And bad hem bi hire counseil do      To save Cristene kende. The doughter ther with wordes stille Brought hem bothe in beter wille      And into halle gunne wende.	great conceal same hour noble and refined sadness were then gentle went began to go
VERNON 325–42 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 343–49):
325 330	The qwene onserde with mylde mod To the messagers ther thei stod      And swor thenne anon riht, “Ich fouchesaaf on him my blod To him heo nis not to good      Thaugh heo weore ten so briht.” The messagers weore glad and blythe	humble words where entirely at once promise she; too Even if she were ten [times] as beautiful (virtuous)
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 355 TO 369
VERNON 335–42 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK LINES 353–70):
335 340	Heore serwe couthe no mon kithe      To seon hire from hem fare. Thei seghe hit mihte non other go. The kyng and the qwene also;      Thei custe heore douhter thare, Bitaughten hire God forever mo. Hemself ageyn thei tornede tho      Of blisse thei weore al bare. Now lete we of that mournyng	Their; could; reveal go no other [way] be kissed Commended her [to] were barren
VERNON 353–60 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 380–87):
335 360	With riche clothes heo was cled      Hethene as thaugh heo ware. The soudan ther he sat in halle. He comaundede his knihtes alle      That maiden for to fette. In cloth of riche purpel palle, And on hire hed a comeli calle,      Bi the soudan heo was sette.	In; dressed As if she were a heathen fetch headdress
VERNON 386–90 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 413–17):
390	Knihtes and ladyes token heore rest;      Folk heo gonne withdrawe. The mayden nothing ne slepe But al niht lay and wepe      Forte that day gon dawe.	[From] people she did withdraw slept not at all Until
VERNON 403–07 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 430–34):
405	So gryslich thei were wrought. Uche of hem a swerd brought      And mad hire afert so sore. On Jhesu Crist was al hire thouht; Therfore thei mihte hire harme nouht.	sorely afraid
VERNON 505–10 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 532–37):
505 510	Heo leyden on as heo weore wode, With swerdes and with maces goode,      Knihtes yonge and olde. So thei foughte with egre mood Of heore bodies ran the blod      In tale as hit is tolde.	They; mad
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 550 TO 562
VERNON 559–62 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 598–601):
560	Then the ladi was ful wo. Anon onswerde the soudan tho:      “Sire, let be thi thouht. The child that we have togedere two	Quickly [she] replied to (answered) the sultan
VERNON 610–18 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 649–51)
610 615	And leyde on til that he con swete With sterne strokes and with grete:      On Jovyn and Plotoun, On Astrot and sire Jovin, On Tirmagaunt and Appolin,      He brak hem scolle and croun. On Tirmagaunt that was heore brother, He lafte no lyme hol with other,      Ne on his lord Seynt Mahoun.	began to left; limb
VERNON 679–86 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 718–25):
680 685	Adoun he fel uppon his kne And feire he grette that ladi fre,      And seide with sikynges sore And seide, “Dame, iblesset ye be Of God that sit in Trinité      The tyme that ye weore bore.” The ladi seide, “Art thou a prest? Beleevest thou on Jhesu Crist?      Const you of Cristes lore?” The prest onswerde soone anon “In verbo dei ich was on      Ten winter seththe and more.”	noble Know By the word of God
VERNON 705–08 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 744):
705	“Al in priveté. Her is a child selcouth discrif, Hit nath nouther lyme ne lyf      Ne eyen for to se.”	strange to look at has not
VERNON 766–68 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 802–04):
	“Ye sire,” heo seide, “be Seint Katerin, Yif halvendel the child were thyn,      Then miht ye gladnes se.”	Katherine [of Alexandria]
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINE 811 AND LINES 823–70
VERNON 782–98 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 821–82):
785 790 795	To joye that lasteth withouten ende      May no mon hit discryve. “Dame,” seith the soudan, “beo nou stille. Ichul ben at thin owne wille      And ben icristned blyve. “Mi maumetrie ichul forsake And Cristendom ichul take      Withinne this thridde day. No more folk distruye I nil. I preye that prest to come me til      To teche me Cristene lay Priveliche, that hit be That no mon wite bote we thre      As ferforth as ye may. Yif eny hit wuste heigh or lowe, Icholde be brent and don of dawe      Yif I forsoke my lay.”	describe I will be baptized immediately idolatry law So far as anyone; knew killed (done of days) law (faith)
VERNON 829–34 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 913–18):
830	The prest onswerde anon tho, “Ichave al redi that schal therto      Al redi in alle wise.” The soudan dihte him naked anon Into the watur he con gon      And reseyvede the baptise.	quickly made himself naked went
VERNON 901–03 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 985–87):
	Priveliche with thin ost Thou schouldest come withoute bost      And serche uche cuntray	land
VERNON 935–39 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 1019–23):
935	A muri gretyng ther was gret      Of lordes that ther ware. A semely siht hit was to se: The ladi falde doun on kne      Bifore hire fader thare.	merry; great pleasant; see fell
VERNON 985–91 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 1072–75):
985 990	“Bi Mahoun and Tirmagaunt, No mon schal be heore waraunt,      Weore thei nevere so stronge!” Bothe soudan and kyng, And al that hem was folewyng,      The deth thei scholde afonge. Fyf kynges were of heigh parayle	their guarantee Though they be receive
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 1066–68
VERNON 1051–52 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 1135–36):
	Kyng Merkel was ful wo; To fihten anon he was ful thro.	greatly sorry eager
VERNON OMITS AUCHINLECK LINES 1160–66
VERNON 1085–98 (COMPARE AUCHINLECK 1175–81):
1085 1090 1095	“That hethene dogge schal to grounde,      Be the help of Seint Mihel “I nul not dyghen in his dette. A strok on hym ichul bisette      Beo he never so bolde.” Ur Ladi with an Ave he grette That no mon scholde hym lette.      The feendes strengthe to folde He rod to hym anon ryht With a dunt of muche miht,      In stori as hit is tolde. He hutte him on the helm on hiht; Into the brayn thorw bacinet briht.      Thus is his servyse yolde.	shall not die bestow Our; Hail; greeted hinder falter blow through
Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 1194 to 1229, but supplies an ending, included in this text (lines 1230–41).

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Footnotes
1 The three are Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Advocates’ Library 19.2.1 (the Auchinleck manuscript); Oxford, Bodleian Library Poetry A.1 (the Vernon manuscript); and London, British Library Additional MS 22283 (the Simeon manuscript). See the introduction for more information.

2 A close comparison of Vernon and Simeon has revealed that Simeon is either a copy of Vernon or that they share the same exemplar. See Doyle, “Shaping of the Vernon and Simeon Manuscripts,” for a more careful discussion of the relationship between the two.

3 Herzman, Drake, and Salisbury, Four Romances of England, p. 188.

4 Herzman, Drake, and Salisbury, Four Romances of England, p. 188.

5 In keeping with the text, I have modernized those characters that have fallen out of use (e.g., thorn and yogh) that appear in the manuscript. I have also capitalized and added punctuation.