1 The King of Tars Text is taken from The King of Tars, ed. by John H. Chandler, Teams Middle English Texts (Kalamazoo, MI: Medieval Institute Publications, 2015), https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/publication/chandler-the-king-of-tars. Translation is by Alaric Hall. There are probably quite a few typos in it, so I’d appreciate any corrections! Herkneth to me bothe eld and ying, Listen to me, people both old and young, For Marie’s love, that swete thing, for the love of Mary, that sweet person, Al hou a wer bigan all about how a war began Bituene a trewe Cristen king between an faithful Christian king 5 And an hethen heye lording, and a noble heathen lord, Of Dames the soudan. the Sultan of Damascus. The king of Tars hadde a wive, The King of Tars had a wife; Feirer might non ben olive — there is no-one alive who is more beautiful, That ani wight telle can. as anyone can see. 10 A douhter thai hadde hem bituen, The two of them had a daughter; Non feirer woman might ben — there couldn't be a more beautiful woman, As white as fether of swan. as white as the feather of a swan. The meiden was schast and blithe of chere The girl was chaste and had a cheerful look, With rode red so blosme on brere as rosy-cheeked as a flower on a briar, 15 And eyghen stepe and gray. and her eyes lively and pale. With lowe scholders and white swere With elegant shoulders and a white neck, Hir for to sen was gret preier it was a great desire among proud and fun Of princes proud and play. princes to look upon her. The los of hir gan spring wide Her fame began to spread widely 20 In other londes bi ich a side, through other countries all around, So the soudan herd it say. until the Sultan heard of it. Him thought his hert it brast ofive It seemed to him that his heart would break in five pieces Bot yif he might have hir to wive unless he could have her as a wife, That was so feir a may. she was such a beautiful girl. 25 His messangers he gan calle He began to call his messengers And bad hem wightly wenden alle them and commanded them all to proceed swiftly To hir fader the king, to her father the king, And seyd he wald hou so it bifalle and said that he wished -- by hook or by crook -- His douhter clothe in riche palle clothe his daughter in expensive fabric 30 And spouse hir with his ring; and marry her with his ring; And yif he nold, withouten feyl, and if he refused, then without question He wald hir win in batayl he would win her in battle With mani an heye lording. against many noble lords. The messangers forth thai went The messengers went out 35 To dou the soudan’s comandment to fulfil the Sultan's command Withouten ani duelling. without any delay. Than the king of Tars this understode When the King of Tars discovered this Almest for wrethe he wex ner wode he almost went insane from anger, And seyd thus in sawe: and made a speech thus: 40 “Bi Him that dyed on the rode, "by him who died on the Cross, Ich wald arst spille min hert blode I would rather be slain in battle, In bateyl to ben yslawe. spilling my heart's blood. Y nold hir give a Sarazin I wouldn't give her to a Saracen For alle the lond that is mine. for all the land I own. 45 The devel him arst to drawe, May the Devil get him instead, Bot sche wil with hir gode wille unless of her will she desires Be wedded to him, hirselve to spille. to marry him, to her own detriment. Hir thoughtes nought Y no knawe, I do not know her views, “Ac Y schal wite ar than ye pas.” but I will know before you depart." 2 50 His douhter anon was brought in plas In due course, his daughter was brought to that place, And he axed hir bilive. and immediately he asked her. “Douhter, the soudan of Damas "Daughter, the Sultan of Damascus Yernes for to se thi fas longs to see your face, And wald thee have to wive. and desires you as his wife. 55 Waldestow, douhter, for tresour Would you, daughter, forsake for treasure Forsake Jhesus our Saveour our saviour Jesus, That suffred woundes five?” who suffered five wounds?" The maiden answerd with mild mod The girl answered with a gentle heart Biforn hir fader ther sche stode where she stood before her father: 60 “Nay, lord, so mot Y thrive! "No, lord, hand on heart! “Jhesu mi Lord in Trinité May Jesus, my Trinitarian lord, Lat me never that day yse never let me see the day A tirant for to take. that a tyrant receives me. O God and Persones Thre One O God, three persons in one, 65 For Marie love, Thi moder fre, for the love of Mary, your noble mother, Gif him arst tene and wrake.” give him instead rage and revenge." The king seyd, “Douhter, be stille. The king said "daughter, be calm. Thou schalt never be wedded him tille You will never be married to him, For no bost he can make. whatever boasts he makes. 70 Y schal him sende word ogein I will send him word back That alle his thoughtes ben in vein, that all his dreams are in vain, For thou hast him forsake.” because you have refused him." Right be the self messangers Via the very same messengers That com fro the soudan fers who came from the fierce sultan, 75 This wordes he him sent: he sent him these words: That sche leved nought on his maners, that she did not believe in his customs; Sche nold nought leten hir preiers she did not wish to abandon her prayers To God omnipotent. to omnipotent God. He bad him tak another thought, He bade him think again, 80 For of his douhter no tit him nought because he had no claim on his daughter For tresore no for rent. either for payment nor rents. The messangers herd him thus seyn; The messengers hear him speak thus; With that word thai turned ogain with that response they turned away And to the soudan thai went. and went to the Sultan. 85 As the soudan sat at his des, As the Sultan sat on his dais, Yserved of the first mes, with the first course served, Thai com into the halle. they entered the hall. Bifor tho princes prout in pres They fell down on their knees Her tale to telle withouten les to tell their story without any lies 90 On knes thai gun doun falle. before the those princes, proud in battle. Thai seyd, “Sir, the king of Tars They said "sir, the King of Tars Of wicked wordes is nought scars. does not lack for evil word. ‘Hethen hounde’ he gan thee calle; He was calling you 'heathen dog', And ar he give his douhter thee tille, and before will give his daughter to you 95 Thine hert blod he will spille, he will spill your heart's blood, And thine barouns alle.” and all your barons' too." When the soudan this wordes herd When the Sultan heard these words Also a wilde bore he ferd. he behaved like a wild boar. His robe he rent adoun; He tore apart his robe, 100 His here he rent of heved and berd; he tore his hair from his head and bears, He schuld venge him with his swerd, he swore by Saint Mahoun He swore bi Seyn Mahoun. that he would take revenge by the sword. The table so hetelich he smot He hit the table so violently It fel in to the flore fot-hot that it fell straight to the floor, 105 And loked as a lyoun. and he looked like a lion. 3 Al that he raught he smot doun right — Everything he touched he knocked right over — Serjaunt, squier, clerk, and knight, servants, squires, clerics and knights; Bothe erl and baroun. earls and barons too. Al thus the soudan ferd, yplight; The Sultan went on this way 110 Al that day and alle that night all that day and all that night; No man might him schast. no-one could restrain him. Amorwe when it was light, The next day, when it was light, His messangers he sent ful right he sent his messengers, oh yes, For his barouns wel fast to his reliable barons, 115 That thai com to his parlement both the lesser and the greater, Forto heren his jugement, so that they came to a council Bothe lest and mast. to hear his opinion. When the parlement was pleyner, When all the council was assembled, Tho bispac the soudan fer then the fierce Sultan spoke, 120 And seyd to hem in hast: and in haste said to them: “Lordings,” he seyd, “what to red. "Lords", he said, "what to do? Me hath ben don a gret misdede The Christian King of Tars Of Tars the Cristen king! has done me a great wrong. Y bede him bothe lond and lede I offered him both land and people, 125 For his douhter worthliche in wede honourably, for his daughter in marriage, To han wed hir with ring, to have married her with a ring, And he me sent word ogain and he sent me word back In bateyl Y schuld arst be sleyn that I should rather be killed in battle, And mani an heye lording! along with many a noble lord.