There are three manuscripts that contain The King of Tars. The differences in the two main witnesses, Auchinleck and Vernon, demonstrate the tendency and processes of scribal alteration very clearly. Though they present the same tale, sharing episodes and structure, there are many lines that are vastly different. While the decision to base this text on Auchinleck is described in the introduction, some of the passages in Vernon are compelling for a number of reasons. In their introduction to Bevis of Hampton, Herzman, Drake, and Salisbury note “wide variation in manuscripts would certainly seem to be unusual, at least from the point of view of somewhat more ‘canonical’ texts — Biblical and classical — which were held in such awe by medieval authors that they dared not alter them.” Like Bevis, The King of Tars is an anonymous, roughly contemporary work that is “protected neither by sanctity nor sufficient authorial fame.” The antiquity of Auchinleck and its comparative completion has recommended it as closer to the original composition, and the unwritten assumption is that Vernon and Simeon were rewritten to be more in keeping with the desires of the patron; the language is “modernized,” that is, made to better reflect contemporary usage and dialect, and some significant passages have been abbreviated or expanded. A complete list of all variant readings in the textual notes would essentially reproduce the text of Vernon; thus I have not included Vernon in the textual notes. However, as it is illustrative of medieval revision strategies to present a few passages for comparison, especially those which are unique to Vernon, I include them here.

Vernon 1–4 (No parallel in Auchinleck):

Her biginneth of the kyng of Trars Here And of the soudan of Dammas, Hou the soudan of Dammas Was icristned thoru Godus gras. baptized through

Vernon 76–84 (compare Auchinleck 76–84):

Heo nolde not leeven on his maneers. She would not believe To God heo made hire preyers, That Lord Omnipotent, And bad him take another thought. line80 For hire ne scholde he wedde nouht For gold, selver, ne rent. income Whon the messagers this herde seyn, Soone thei tornede hem ageyn And to the soudan went.

Vernon 100–06 (compare Auchinleck 100–06):

line100 He tar the her of hed and berd tore hair head beard And seide he wolde hir winne with swerd Beo his lord, Seynt Mahoun. By The table adoun riht he smot completely down struck Into the flore foot-hot. immediately line105 He lokede as a wylde lyon; Al that he hitte he smot doun riht.

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 115 to 120

Vernon 120–23 (compare Auchinleck 126–29):

line120 “And spouse hire with my ryng. wed And,” he seide, withouten fayle, “Arst he woulde me sle in batayle Before And mony a gret lordying . . .”

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 139 to 141

Vernon 145–75 (compare Auchinleck 154–81):

line145 Batayle thei sette uppon a day Withinne the thridde day of May; No lengor nolde thei leende. would linger The soudan com with gret power, With helm briht and feir baneer, bright fair banner line150 Uppon that kyng to wende. go

The soudan ladde an huge ost led host (army) And com with muche pruyde and bost pride With the kyng of Tars to fihte, With hym mony a Sarazin feer. many fierce line155 Alle the feldes feor and neer fields far Of helmes leomede lihte. With gleamed bright The kyng of Tars com also The soudan batayle for to do With mony a Cristene kniht. knight line160 Eyther ost gon othur assayle; Either army began [to] assail [the] other Ther bigon a strong batayle That grislych was of siht. to see

Threo hethene agein twey Cristene men Three two And falde hem doun in the fen line165 With wepnes stif and goode. The steorne Sarazins in that fiht fierce Slowe ur Cristene men doun riht; immediately Thei fouhte as heo weore woode. insane The soudan ost in that stounde sultan’s army moment line170 Feolde the Cristene to the grounde, Knocked Mony a freoly foode. noble creature The Sarazins, withouten fayle, The Cristene culde in that batayle; killed Nas non that hem withstode. [There] was none who

line175 Whon the kyng of Tars sauh that siht . . .

Vernon 181–86 (compare Auchinleck 187–92):

The soudan neigh he hedde islawe nearly slain But thritti thousent of hethene lawe thirty thousand Coomen him for to were And broughten him ageyn uppon his steede lifted onto line185 And holpe him wel in that nede helped That no mon mihte him dere. harm

Vernon 204–22 (compare Auchinleck 210–28):

Ur Cristene folk so fre Our noble line205 The Sarazins that tyme, saunz fayle, without Slowe ur Cristene in batayle. That reuthe hit was to se. calamity And on the morwe for heore sake And the next day for their Truwes thei gunne togidere take: line210 A moneth and dayes thre.

As the king of Tars sat in his halle, He made ful gret deol withalle sorrow For the folk that he hedde ilore. lost His douhter com in riche palle; fine cloth line215 On kneos heo gon biforen him falle she And seide with syking sore: sighing “Fader,” heo seide, “let me beo his wyf be That ther be no more strif Then hath ben her bifore. here line220 For me hath be much folk schent, killed Slawen and morthred and torent, Slain torn to pieces Allas that I was bore!”

Vernon 230–46 (compare Auchinleck 236–52):

line230 “That Cristene men schul for me dye Thorw grace of God Almiht.” Through Then was the kyng of Tars ful wo, sad Anon he onswerde tho To his douhter briht:

line235 “Douhter,” he seide, “blessed thou be Of God that sit in Trinité The tyme that thou were bore. born That thou wolt save thi moder and me, Thi preyere now I graunte thee grant line240 Of that thou bede before.” asked “Fader,” heo seide, “par charité And for Crist in Trinité, Blyve that ich weore thore Quickly there Ar eny more serwe arere Before sorrow arise line245 That ye ne my moder dere [neither] you nor For me beo nought forlore.”

Vernon 277–82 (compare Auchinleck 283–88):

Whon the messagers thus herde seyn, Smartliche thei torned ageyn Quickly To the soudan swart and wan. swarthy and dark line280 Whon he herde heore lettres rad, heard read Then was he bothe blithe and glad happy And murie as eny man.

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 288 to 300

Vernon 297–315 (compare Auchinleck 315–33):

To the kyng of Tars he sent With Sarazins and with muche pryde great With mony a juwel is nought to huyde conceal line300 To make hym a present. Forth thei went that ilke tyde; same hour To the kyng of Tars thei gan ryde That was bothe freo and gent noble and refined Thei welcomed the messagere; line305 Of gret reuthe ye may here sadness Whon thei to chaumbre went.

In chaumbre kyng and qwene was tho, were then In serwe and care and muche wo For heore doughter hende. gentle line310 Heor doughter com bifore hem wende went And bad hem bi hire counseil do To save Cristene kende. The doughter ther with wordes stille Brought hem bothe in beter wille line315 And into halle gunne wende. began to go

Vernon 325–31 (compare Auchinleck 343–49):

line325 The qwene onserde with mylde mod humble words To the messagers ther thei stod where And swor thenne anon riht, entirely at once “Ich fouchesaaf on him my blod promise To him heo nis not to good she too line330 Thaugh heo weore ten so briht.” Even if she were ten [times] as beautiful (virtuous)

The messagers weore glad and blythe

Vernon 335–43 (compare Auchinleck 353–54):

line335 Heore serwe couthe no mon kithe Their could reveal To seon hire from hem fare. go Thei seghe hit mihte non other go. no other [way] be The kyng and the qwene also; Thei custe heore douhter thare, kissed line340 Bitaughten hire God forever mo. Commended her [to] Hemself ageyn thei tornede tho Of blisse thei weore al bare. were barren

Now lete we of that mournyng

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 355 to 370

Vernon 353–60 (compare Auchinleck 380–87):

With riche clothes heo was cled In dressed Hethene as thaugh heo ware. As if she were a heathen

line355 The soudan ther he sat in halle. He comaundede his knihtes alle That maiden for to fette. fetch In cloth of riche purpel palle, And on hire hed a comeli calle, headdress line360 Bi the soudan heo was sette.

Vernon 386–90 (compare Auchinleck 413–17):

Knihtes and ladyes token heore rest; Folk heo gonne withdrawe. [From] people she did withdraw The mayden nothing ne slepe slept not at all But al niht lay and wepe line390 Forte that day gon dawe. Until

Vernon 403–07 (compare Auchinleck 430–34):

So gryslich thei were wrought. Uche of hem a swerd brought line405 And mad hire afert so sore. sorely afraid On Jhesu Crist was al hire thouht; Therfore thei mihte hire harme nouht.

Vernon 505–10 (compare Auchinleck 532–37):

line505 Heo leyden on as heo weore wode, They mad With swerdes and with maces goode, Knihtes yonge and olde. So thei foughte with egre mood Of heore bodies ran the blod line510 In tale as hit is tolde.

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 550 to 562

Vernon 559–62 (compare Auchinleck 598–601):

Then the ladi was ful wo. line560 Anon onswerde the soudan tho: Quickly [she] replied to (answered) the sultan “Sire, let be thi thouht. The child that we have togedere two

Vernon 610–18 (compare Auchinleck 649–51)

line610 And leyde on til that he con swete began to With sterne strokes and with grete: On Jovyn and Plotoun, On Astrot and sire Jovin, On Tirmagaunt and Appolin, line615 He brak hem scolle and croun. On Tirmagaunt that was heore brother, He lafte no lyme hol with other, left limb Ne on his lord Seynt Mahoun.

Vernon 679–86 (compare Auchinleck 718–25):

Adoun he fel uppon his kne line680 And feire he grette that ladi fre, noble And seide with sikynges sore And seide, “Dame, iblesset ye be Of God that sit in Trinité The tyme that ye weore bore.” line685 The ladi seide, “Art thou a prest? Beleevest thou on Jhesu Crist? Const you of Cristes lore?” Know The prest onswerde soone anon “In verbo dei ich was on By the word of God Ten winter seththe and more.”

Vernon 705–08 (compare Auchinleck 744):

line705 “Al in priveté. Her is a child selcouth discrif, strange to look at Hit nath nouther lyme ne lyf has not Ne eyen for to se.”

Vernon 766–68 (compare Auchinleck 802–04):

“Ye sire,” heo seide, “be Seint Katerin, Katherine [of Alexandria] Yif halvendel the child were thyn, Then miht ye gladnes se.”

Vernon omits Auchinleck line 811 to 13 and lines 823 to 70

Vernon 782–98 (compare Auchinleck 821–22, 871–82):

To joye that lasteth withouten ende May no mon hit discryve. describe “Dame,” seith the soudan, “beo nou stille. line785 Ichul ben at thin owne wille I will be And ben icristned blyve. baptized immediately

“Mi maumetrie ichul forsake idolatry And Cristendom ichul take Withinne this thridde day. line790 No more folk distruye I nil. I preye that prest to come me til To teche me Cristene lay law Priveliche, that hit be That no mon wite bote we thre line795 As ferforth as ye may. So far as Yif eny hit wuste heigh or lowe, anyone knew Icholde be brent and don of dawe killed (done of days) Yif I forsoke my lay.” law (faith)

Vernon 829–34 (compare Auchinleck 913–18):

The prest onswerde anon tho, line830 “Ichave al redi that schal therto Al redi in alle wise.” The soudan dihte him naked anon quickly made himself naked Into the watur he con gon went And reseyvede the baptise.

Vernon 901–03 (compare Auchinleck 985–87):

Priveliche with thin ost Thou schouldest come withoute bost And serche uche cuntray land

Vernon 935–39 (compare Auchinleck 1019–23):

line935 A muri gretyng ther was gret merry great Of lordes that ther ware. A semely siht hit was to se: pleasant see The ladi falde doun on kne fell Bifore hire fader thare.

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 1066 to 68

Vernon 985–91 (compare Auchinleck 1072–75):

line985 “Bi Mahoun and Tirmagaunt, No mon schal be heore waraunt, their guarantee Weore thei nevere so stronge!” Though they be Bothe soudan and kyng, And al that hem was folewyng, line990 The deth thei scholde afonge. receive

Fyf kynges were of heigh parayle

Vernon 1051–52 (compare Auchinleck 1135–36):

Kyng Merkel was ful wo; greatly sorry To fihten anon he was ful thro. eager

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 1160 to 66

Vernon 1085–98 (compare Auchinleck 1175–81):

line1085 “That hethene dogge schal to grounde, Be the help of Seint Mihel.

“I nul not dyghen in his dette. shall not die A strok on hym ichul bisette bestow Beo he never so bolde.” line1090 Ur Ladi with an Ave he grette Our Hail greeted That no mon scholde hym lette. hinder The feendes strengthe to folde falter He rod to hym anon ryht With a dunt of muche miht, blow line1095 In stori as hit is tolde. He hutte him on the helm on hiht; Into the brayn thorw bacinet briht. through Thus is his servyse yolde.

Vernon omits Auchinleck lines 1194 to 1229, but supplies an ending, included in this text (lines 1230–41).