Ryche, ryall, and oneste.
Octouian Imperator, l. 73.
Fourty dayes leste the feste.
Launfal, l. 631.
And certaynly, as the story sayes,
The revell lasted forty dayes.
Squyr of Lowe Degre, l. 1113.
[2384.] The French story here differs wholly from the English. Instead of the encounter of Robert and Godard, and the cruel punishment inflicted on the latter, in the French is a regular battle between the forces of Havelok and Hodulf (Godard). A single combat takes place between the two leaders, in which Hodulf is slain.
[2450.] Cf. ll. 2505 and 2822. This appears to have been a common, but barbarous, method in former times of leading traitors or malefactors to execution. Thus in the Romance of Kyng Alisaunder, the treatment of the murderers of Darius is described:
He dude quyk harnesche hors,