To lincolne, þer he lay,
Of marz þe seuentenþe day,
So þat he couþe hem god þank;
And yif þat ani were so rang,
That he þanne ne come anon,
He swor bi crist, and [bi][118] seint Iohan,
That he sholde maken him þral,
And al his of-spring forth with-al.
[114] The MS. has “we,” which the scribe several times writes instead of “wel.” But “wel” is a manifest blunder, since “iuel” is meant. Cf. l. 2505.
[115] The author has here omitted to tell us that Havelok, at the desire of his wife, invades England. See the note.