But many others were
in circulation. In Cursor mundi a number of the popular
stories of the day are mentioned--
"Men lykyn jestis for to here,
And romans rede in divers maneree,
Of Alexandre the conquerour,
Of Julius Caesar[1] the emperour,
Of Greece and Troy the strong stryf,
Ther many a man lost his lyfe:
Of Brut,[2] that baron bold of hond,
The first conquerour of Englond,
Of King Arthur that was so ryche;
Was non in hys tyme so ilyche [alike, equal]:
Of wonders that among his knyghts felle,
And auntyrs [adventures] dedyn as men her telle
As Gaweyn, and othir full abylle,
Which that kept the round tabyll,
How King Charles and Rowland fawght,
With Sarazins, nold thei be cawght;
Of Tristram and Ysoude the swete,
How thei with love first gall mete,
Of Kyng John, and of Isenbras,
Of Ydoine and Amadas."[3]
[1] By Jehan de Tuim, c. 1240.
[2] Wace or Layamon.
[3] Amadas et Idoine, an anonymous Norman French poem of the
twelfth century.
Again, many "speak of men who read romances--
Of Bevys,[1] Gy, and Gwayane,
Of Kyng Rychard, and Owayne,
Of Tristram and Percyvayle,
Of Rowland Ris,[2] and Aglavaule,
Of Archeroun, and of Octavian,
Of Charles, and of Cassibelan.
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