The majority of writers acquitted themselves of the translator's duty by introducing at intervals somewhat conventional references to source, "in story as we read," "in tale as it is told," "as saith the Geste," "in rhyme I read," "the prose says," "as mine author doth write," "as it tells in the book," "so saith the French tale," "as saith the Latin."
"Early Theories of Translation"
Flora Ross Amos
The House of Commons, England and the Empire were greatly impressed: the beau Geste of the Irish leader was universally applauded.
"The Evolution of Sinn Fein"
Robert Mitchell Henry
Thus, though we have some, we have not very many representatives of the class which was the most numerous of all in France-the chansons de Geste or stories of French legendary history, national or family.
"The English Novel"
George Saintsbury