Gests, in opposition to Romances. It is not intended to defend the latter position, because the word gest, which signified an action or adventure, was never opposed to the word romance, which was originally applied to language only: but a considerable part of Robert de Brunne's chronicle, is in fact, broken into small parts, which have all the appearance of a series of ballads; and the author, as he proceeded in his work, acquired such a facility in rhyming, as to be enabled to write a considerable part of his translation from Langtoft, in what is now considered as the genuine ballad metre, that is to say, what de Brunne himself calls the rhyme entrelacée. The reader will judge from the following extract, part of which is printed by Mr.Warton, and given in its original Alexandrine form. It is a chapter beginning at Vol. I. p. 180, of Hearne's edition.

Richárd, at Godis board,1

His mass had, and his rights:
Hear now swilk 2 a word

He spake to his knights.

Of this king Philip,

Have we no manner of help:

At the altar, God's table.

• Such.

The dykes were full wide

That closed the castle about;

I advise.

To cry, wail, boast; the meaning is, "that men may

"talk loudly of us."

3" To the saints that are.' ""

4 Hence.

5 Apparently an error of the transcriber, for he.

6 Against. Sax. In the same sense we should say, he is angry with us.

7 Conduct..

And deep on ilka1 side,

With bankis high without.

Was there none entrée

That to the castle gan ligge2

But a straight causée:

At the end a draw-brigge.

With great double chains
Drawn over the gate;
And fifty armed swains,
Porters at that gate.

With slings and mangnels3

They cast to king Richárd.
Our Christians, by parcells,
Casted again-wárd.

Ten sergeants, of the best,
His target gan him bear;

Each.

• Lay.

3 Mangonels. Fr. A sort of catapulta which threw large stones, and was employed for the purpose of battering walls.

4 Shield; apparently a sort of mantelet serving as a portable rampart.

With the targe they geed.4

Fightand on a gate, 5

Under him they slew his steed.

Therefore ne will'd he cease.

Alone into the castél

Through them all will'd press :
On foot fought he full well.

And when he was within,

And fought as a wild lión,

• Ready. Fr.

Security; garant. Fr.

2 Defend; waran. Sax.

↑ Went; but geed seems the proper perfect tense of the verb go, or gee, as went is of wend. (wandan. Sax.)

5 At the gate, says Mr. Hearne.-Quere if it does not mean on a time? as in All-gates, i. e. (toutes fois. Fr.) at all times, always.

He fonder'd' the Saracens o'twain,
And fought as a dragón.

Without, the Christians gan cry,
"Alas! Richárd is taken!"

The Normans were sorry',

Of countenance gan blacken.

To slay down and to 'stroy,
Never will'd they stint :
They left, for dead nor 'noy,2

Ne for no wound nor dint.

That in went all their press,
Maugré the Saracens all,
And found Richárd on dés 3

Fightand, and won the hall.

'Forced. (Hearne's Glossary) Perhaps, however, it is a mistake of the transcriber for sonder'd, i. e. sundered, separated.

• They would not leave off, either on account of the dead who fell round them, or of the annoyance of the enemy.

3 Probably a platform : and for this reason the principal table in the hall, being elevated above the common floor, was particularly called the Des. The canopy placed over such a table afterwards acquired the same name. Hence a good deal of dispute about the meaning of the word; but the conjecture here given, which is Mr. Tyrwhitt's, appears the most reasonable.