Sir if it be your pleasure to come to the Abbey of Saint Maurise there shall ye find your brother Huon who is come lately from beyond the sea when Duke Gerard heard certainely how his brother Huon was come to the Abbey of Saint Maurise hee was so ouercome with ire and displeasure that his visage became like a flame of fire and sayd to the messenger Goe and returne and say to my brother Huon that I will incontinent come and visite him Sir quoth he I shall shew him of your comming and so departed and came again to the Abby and shewed Huon what his brother Gerard had sayd And when Duke Gerard saw that the messenger was departed he was sorrowfull and pensiue and called to him his father in law his wiues father who was named Gibouars the most falsest traitour that was from the East to the West and Gerard said to him Sir I pray you giue me counsell in that I haue to doe for all the diuels in hell haue brought my Brother Huon from the parts beyond the Sea and he is now present in the Abbey of Saint Maurise the Abbot there hath sent me word thereof and that I should come thether to speake with him for as to morrow he would depart to goe to Paris to the king so that when he is come thether he will doe so much that all his land shal be rendred to him and that I shal haue neuer a foot of land left me but that which yée haue giuen me with my wife your Daughter wherefore deare Father in law I pray you in this great matter to councell and aid me or else I am but lost Faire Sonne quoth Gibouars dismay you nothing for without my wit doe faile me I thinke to play him a tourne that it had béen better for him to haue tarried where he was than to haue come hether to claime my land Chap. LXV ¶ How Gybouars of Beam and Gerard practised Huons death and how the traitour Gerard came to see his brother Huon who with great ioy receiued him THus as ye haue heard these two traitours conspired and then Gybouars sayd to Gerard. Faire sonne go ye your way to your brother Huon and take with you but one Squier and when you come there make to him all the chéere you can and shew him as great loue as ye can doe and humble your selfe to him to the intent that he take in you no suspicion But when the morning commeth hast him to depart and when ye câ—me with him néere such a little wood find some rigorous words to him and make as though ye were displeased with him and I shall be readie in that same little wood ambashed and xl men of armes with me And when I see that words are betwéene you I shall issue out and slay al those that come with him so that none shal escape aliue and then take your brother Huon and cast him into prison in one of the Towres of your Pallaice in Bourdeaux and there miserably he shall end his dayes and then in haste ye shall ride to Paris But ere ye goe to Paris ye shall take from him the Admiralles beard and great téeth and then ye shall shew to the King how Huon your brother is returned without bringing either beard or téeth of the Admirall Gaudys and how for that cause you haue put him in prison The King will beleeue you for he hateth Huon greatly because of the death of his sonne Charlot whom hee slew for the hate that the King hath to him in his heart shall neuer depart from him and therefore sonne when you be with your brother demaund of him if he haue the Admirals beard and téeth or not and whether he doe beare them himselfe or who else for if he haue them not he shall neuer haue peace with the King but he will cause him to be slaine of an euill death either hanged or drawne for your brother laide hostage promising that he would neuer returne without he brought with him the Admirall Gaudys beard and great téeth and also he promised that he would neuer enter into his heritage till he had spoken with the King and that was enioyned him on paine of death Thus as ye haue heard these two Traitours deuised and concluded the death of Huon Gerard quoth Gibouars thinke well on your businesse and I shall goe and assemble together fortie of my most secret seruants and in other places where I can get them to furnish this enterprise Sir quoth Gerard I shall goe to the Abbey to see my brother when it is a little néere to night So when the houre came the false Traytor departed from Bourdeaux and with him but one Squier and so they rode till they came to the Abbey and there alighted and when he perceiued his brother Huon hee imbraced and kissed him with such a kisse as Iudas kissed Christ When Huon saw his brother Gerard come with such humilitie the water fell from his eyes with kindnesse and embraced him and kissed him and sayd Right déere brother I haue great ioy to see you I pray you shew me how ye haue done since my departure Sir quoth Gerard right well now I see you in good health Brother quoth Huon I haue great maruaile that ye bee thus come alone without company Sir quoth Gerard I did it for the more humilitie because I know not how ye shall speede with the king nor whether ye shall haue againe your land or no if God will that ye shall haue it I shal assemble al the Barons of the court to receiue you to make you cheere according this Sir I shall do till you returne for often times these great Princes are mutable lightly beleeue for this cause Sir I am secretly come to you Brother quoth Huon your aduise is good I am content that you thus doe and to morrow betimes I will depart towards Paris then these two Brethren tooke each other by the hand making great ioy Brother quoth Gerard I am right ioyous when I sée you thus returned in health and prosperitie haue you accomplished the Messuage that Kinge Charles charged you withall Brother quoth Huon know for troth that I haue the beard and great téeth of the Admirall Gaudise and beside that I haue brought with me his Daughter the faire Escleremond whom I haue taken to my wife and wedded her in the Citie of Rome and also I haue héere with me thirtie Somers charged with gould and siluer and rich Iewels garnished with pecious stones whereof the halfe part shall be yours and if I should shew thee the paines trauailes and pouerties that I haue endured since I sawe you last it would bee ouer-long to rehearse Sir quoth Gerard I beléeue you well but Sir I pray you shew me by what meanes or aid you did bring your Enterprize to an end Brother quoth Huon it was by a king of the Fayrie called Oberon who did mée such succour and ayd that
done In this respect he commaundeth you both for your own good conseruation of their Landes that you send them vnto him or if you doe not know then for certaine that he will take frō you those Lands you hould giue them to the Prince Charlot his Sonne This is the summe of our Messuage wée attend your answeare Chap. IIII. ¶ The answeare that the Duchesse of Bourdeaux made to the Emperours Messengers WHen the good Lady had well vnderstood the Messengers she answered them gently in this maner My Lordes and honourable Freendes the reason why I haue not sent my Sons to the Court before this time to serue my Lord the King as dutie required was in regarde of their tender yeares and some respect of loue to Duke Seuin their Father and bycause I knew certainlye that my rightfull Lord the Emperour Charlemaine loued alwayes Duke Seuin I neuer feared that he would take displeasure with his Children these thinges haue béene the principall cause why I haue not sent them all this while to serue the King Therefore let my entreats preuaile so much with you as to be a meanes to the Emperour and al the other Barons to hold me and my Children excused in this case for the fault is onelie mine not in them Then Huon stept foorth before his mother and sayd Madame if it had béene your pleasure you might haue sent vs before this time that is true quoth Gerardine for wee are ould ynough to haue our knighthood The Ladie heheld her two Sonnes and wéeping said to the Messengers Sirs you may returne to the King howbeit you shall rest you this night in my house and to morowe depart at your pleasure and you shall recommend me and my Sonnes to the Kings good grace and to the other Barons and Knightes and among other salute Duke Naymes who is néere kinsman to my Sonnes and desire him for the loue of Duke Seuin to stand a continuall fréend vnto them Madame quoth the Messengers haue you no doubt of that for Duke Naymes is a noble Man and a true Knight nor will he at any time be in place where any ill opinion shal passe against them Then the Duchesse commaunded her Sonnes that they should make the Kings Messengers good chéere and to bring them into their Chamber to rest them the which they did and were serued and feasted as appertained to their woorth Then the next morning they returned to the Pallace whereas they found the Duchesse and her two Sonnes and they humbly saluted the Ladie When the Duchesse sawe them she called Huon and Gerardin and said My Sonnes here in the presence of these two Knightes I say that at Easter you shall go to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Charlemaine and when you bée in the Court serue your Soueraigne Lord well and truely as subiects ought to doe bée diligent at all times to serue him faithfully kéepe companie with Noble men such as you sée to be of good vertuous condicions be not in place where ill woords be spoken or ill counsalie giuen fly from the companie of them that loue not honour and troth open not your eares to héere Lyers or false Reporters or Flatteres haunt often the Church and giue largly for Gods sake be liberall and courteous and giue to poore Knights fly the companie of Ianglers and all goodnesse shall follow thereby I will there be giuen to each of these Knights a Courser and a rich Gowne as it appertaineth to the Messengers of so noble an Emperour as Charlemaine is and also each of them to haue a hundred Florents Madame quoth Huon your pleasure shal be accomplished then the two Sonnes caused to be brought before the Pallace two goodly Horses and presented them to the two Knights and gaue each of them a rich Gowne and a hundred Florents Whereof the Messengers were ioyfull and thanked the Duchesse and her two Sonnes said that their courtesie should be remembred in time to come howbeit they knew well it was done for the honour of the King then they tooke leaue of the Duchesse and of her two Sonnes and so departed and road without let vntill they came to Paris whereas they found the Emperour in his Pallace sitting among his Barons the King perceiued them and incontinent called them to his presence ere they had leasure to speake the Kinge had them welcome home and demanded of them if they had béen at Bourdeaux and spoken with the Duchesse the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin whether they would come and serue him in his Court or not Dread Lord quoth they we haue béen at Bourdeaux and done your message to the Duchesse who right humbly receiued vs and gaue vs gentle entertainment when shée had heard vs speake and knewe that wée were your Messengers shée made vs the best chéere that shée could deuise and sayd that the cause why shée had not sent her Sonnes to your Court before this time was by reason of their young age and shée humbly requireth your grace to hold both her and her two Sonnes excused and that at this next Easter shée will send them to your Court. As for her Sonnes trust mée my Lord they are two such louely Gentlemen as wée tooke great delight in beholding them especially Huon the eldest he is so fayre and so well fourmed that nature cannot amend him Also my Lord for the loue of you shée hath giuen each of vs a goodly Horse and a rich Gowne and a hundred Florents of gould My Lord the goodnesse the valour and the courtesie that is in the Duchesse and in her Sonnes cannot be recounted and on their behalfe are we to entreat your Maiestie to retaine them alwayes in your fauour and good grace and to pardon the fault of their long absence Chap. V. ¶ How the Emperour was content with the report of the two Knights and how the Traytour Earle Amerie went and complayned to Charlot the Kings Sonne WHen the Emperour had heard the Messengers speake hée was right ioyfull and said I haue alwayes heard say that a good Trée bringeth foorth good fruit I speake it in the behalfe of Duke Seuin who in his time was a valiant true Knight and by that I sée that the twoo Children resemble their good Father I perceiue they haue receiued my Messengers right honourably and with great reuerence haue giuen thē no meane gifts which shal be vnto them auailable in time to come for they shall no sooner be come into my Court but in despight of any that shall speake against them I will doe for them in such wise that it shall bée an example to all other to doe well for I will make them for loue I bare to their Father of my priuie Counsaile and turning then to olde Duke Naymes sayd My Lord alwayes your kindred haue béen good and true and therfore I will that Amerie bee banished from my Court for hée nor euer any of his lineage
gaue as yet any good counsaile My Lord quoth the Duke I knew wel the long absence of Duke Seuins Sonnes was for none other cause but by reason of their youth When Earle Amerie heard the King speake and sawe beside howe hée was offended against him hée was sorrowfull and so departed secretly from the Court and sware that he would prouide for the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin such a traine as should cost both their liues and hazard the heauinesse and trouble of all Fraunce beside So hee went to his lodging sorrowfull and in great displeasure and then he imagined and studied on the matter and how to bring about his Enterprize then he departed from his lodging and went vnto Charlot the Kinges Son with whome he was right priuie hée found him sitting on a rich bed communing with a young Knight then Amerie shewing a verie sad countenance the teares in his eyes and trecherie in his heart knéeling downe before Charlot who had of him great pitie to sée him in that case the Prince tooke him vp and demaunded wherefore he made that sorrow and whether any man had displeased him My Lord quoth Amerie my gréefe is not without great cause for the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux shall come to the Court and as I haue heard say the King hath promised that at their comming they shall bée made of his priuie councell so that none other about the King but they shall haue any honour or reckoning made of them And assure your selfe my Lord that if the State be thus aduaunced they that now are greatest about his Maiestie shall then scarce haue a looke or any countenance at all So that within short while the best partes in your Fathers Kingdome will they be Lords of and you your selfe if you suffer this will hold no grace or fauour with the Emperour Therefore my Lord I require you to helpe me now in this businesse for in time past Duke Seuin their Father by great wrong and treason tooke from me a strong Castle of mine owne and I neuer dyd him displeasure therefore you ought to ayd me in this serious matter for I am of your linage deriued of the Noble Quéene your Mother When Charlot had well vnderstood Earle Amerie hée demaunded in what manner he might ayd him Sir quoth he I will shew you I shall assemble the best of my linage and you shall let me haue of yours thréescore Knights well armed and I shall lye in the way to méete with the two Boyes and I shall lay the ambushment in a little wood a league from Montleherry on the way to Orleance by the which way they must néeds come there we shall set on them and slay them so that none shall dare to speake thereof and if it be knowne after who dare speake against you or weare any healme in féeld against you Sir quoth Charlot qualifie and appease your sorow for I shall neuer haue ioy in my heart vntill I be reuenged of those two Boyes goe and make readie your men and I shall prepare mine and I will goe my selfe with you the sooner to make an end of this businesse When Amerie heard Charlot so liberally to offer himselfe to goe in his ayd he thanked him and embraced his Leg and Sicophant-like would haue kissed his Shooe but Charlot would not suffer him but tooke him vp and said Sir hast you and now be diligent that this businesse may come to a good end Amerie departed from Charlot right ioyfull and at the day appointed he ceased not day nor night to assemble his men and his néerest fréends and in the Euening before he came to Charlot who was as then also readie with his men and as secretly as they might they departed about the houre of midnight out of Paris all armed and they stayed not vntill they came to the place appointed to tarie the comming of the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin Now I will leaue to speake of them and returne to the twoo Sonnes of Duke Seuin Huon and Gerardin Chap. VI. ¶ How the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux tooke leaue of the Duchesse their Mother and howe in their way they ouer-tooke the good Abbot of Cluny their Vncle going towards Paris to the Emperour Charlemaine YOu haue heard here before how the Kings Messengers departed frō Bourdeaux then the two Sons made them readie to goe to the Court richly apparelled and well fournished of euerie thing néedfull aswell of gold and siluer and other apparell of silke as to their state appertained then there assembled the Barons of the Countrey to whom they recommended their Lands and Signiories and did choose out ten Knights and foure Councellors to ride with them to aid and to gouerne their businesse Then they sent for the prouost of Gerone called Sir Guyre to whom they recommended all the affaires of Iustice Then when Huon and his Brother had chosen them that should goe in their companie they tooke their leaue of the Duchesse their Mother and of the Barons of the Countrey who sore did wéepe bycause of their departure for the which they had good occasion so to do and more if they had knowne the haplesse aduenture that afterward befell them on the way Or had the good Duchesse but dreamed thereof shee would neuer haue suffered them to departe from her for after there fell such mischéefe that it is a lamentable thing to recount it Thus the twoo Brethren departed and kissed their Mother sore wéeping Then they tooke their Horses and their companie and in passing by the Stréets of the Towne the people made great sorrow for their departing and sore wéeping prayed to God to be their guide and conduct The wéepings and lamentations were so extreame that the twoo Brethren could not haue so firme courage but that they gaue many a sore sigh at the departing out of the Towne and when they had ridden a certaine space and that their sorrow was somewhat appeased then Huon called his Brother Gerard sayd Brother we go to the Court to serue the King wherefore wee haue cause to be ioyfull therefore let vs twoo sing a song to refresh vs. Brother quoth Gerard my heart is not very ioyfull to sing or make any sport at all for this night I dreamed a maruailous dreame mée thought thrée Leopardes assayled mée and drewe my heart out of my bodie but me thought you esaped safe and sound and returned backe Wherefore deare Brother if so it be your pleasure to withstand my dreame which makes me dread our iourney to be dangerous might I preuaile with you we would ride backe againe to Bourdeaux to our Mother who will bée ioyfull of our returne Brother quoth Huon and God will we shall not returne for feare of a dreame it should be foreuer to our reproach and shame I will not returne to Bourdeaux vntill I haue séene the King Therefore swéet Brother dismay you not but rather make good chéere our Lord Iesus
my heart that I could tarie no longer to be auenged then I demaunded of mine Vnckle if he would ayd me heâ— answeared and said no bycause he was a Priest so hee and all his Monkes departed and left me alone then I tooke the Ten Knightes that came with me out of my Countrey and so I road as fast as I could to the entent that he should not escape that had so wounded my brother and assoone as hee saw that I followed him he returned against me then I demaunded of him what he was he said he appertained vnto Duke Terrey of Arden then I demaunded why he had slayn my brother he answeared and said in likewise he wouldâ— serue me and therewith he couched his speare and stroake me on the side through my Gowne and Dublet and hurt not my flesh as it was the pleasure of God then I wrapped my Mantle about mine arme and drew out my Sword and with both my hands as he passed by me I gaue him such a stroake that I cloue his head néere to the téeth and so he fell downe to the earth dead I know not what he is but whatsoeuer he be I haue slayne him and if there be any that will demaund right in this cause let him come into your royall Court before all your Péeres and I shall doe him reason if it be found that I haue done any wrong When I had slayn him I layd my Brother vpon the dead Knightes horse and ouertooke the Abbot mine Vnckle Then as I road and looked behind me I saw them that were ambushed in the wood come ryding after one Knight came before the rest bringing vppon his horse the said dead Knighte I know well if they bée not come they will soone be héere When Kinge Charlemaine vnderstood Huon he had great maruaile what Knight it was that was slaine and sayd vnto Huon know for troth I shall doe you reason for I know none so great in my Realme whosoeuer it be but if I can prooue on him any point of treason I shall cause him to dye an euill death for the matter toucheth me right néere séeing vnder mine assurance and by my commaundement you are come hether Then the King commaunded that Gerard should be had to a goodly Chamber and well looked vnto the which was done Chap. X. ¶ How Charlot the Kings Son was brought before him dead and of the great sorrow that he made and how Earle Amerie appeached Huon for the death of Charlot and how the King would haue run vpon Huon and of the good counsaile that Duke Naymes of Bauier gaue to the King WHEN Huon of Bourdeaux and the Abbot of Cluny his Vnckle heard the good will of the King and the offer that he made they knéeled downe to haue kissed his foote and thanked him of his courtesie but the King tooke theÌ„ vp then the Abbot sayd My Lord all that my Nephew Huon hath sayd is true the King said I beléeue you well the Kinge did to them great honour and feasted them in his Pallaice royally but hée had great desire to know the troth of this case and said Huon and you the Abbot of Cluny know for certaintie I haue a Sonne whome I loue entirely if you haue slayne him in doing such a villainous deede as to breake my assurance I doe pardon you so that it be as you say My Lord quoth Huon for that I thanke your grace and surely the truth is as I haue shewed you Then the King sent for Charlot his Sonne so he was searched for in his lodging newes were returned how he was departed out of the Towne the night before so the Messenger departed and when thâ—y came into the stréete they saw where Earle Amerie came ryding with Charlot dead on his horse necke they heard in the Stréetes Lords Knights Ladies and Damsels making great cries and pitious complaints for Charlot the Kings Son whomâ— they sawe dead The Messengers were amazed at these exclamations but at last they perceiued it was for the death of Charlot then they returned to the Pallaice But by reason of the outcries and pityous moane the people made with often repetition of Charlots name all which the Emperour leaning at a windowe confusedly heard his heart waxed woondrous heauie saying Mée thinkes I heare such sorrow as hath not béen vsuall and my Sonne Charlots name is tossed too and fro in this outcry it maketh me feare that it is my Sonne whome Huon hath slain Then calling Duke Naymes vnto him requested him to goe foorth and resolue him in this matter Then Duke Naymes departed and incontinent hée encountred Charlot borne dead betwéene foure Knightes vpon a Shéeld when he sawe that he was right sorrowfull so that he could not speake one word then the vnhappie Earlâ— Amerie went vp into the Hall and came before the King and all his Barons and there he layde downe Charlot When Charles sawe his Sonne so slayne the dolour and sorrowâ— that he made was vnspeakable it was pitie to sée him and Duke Naymes was as sorrowfull as any other seéing the pityfull aduenture and also the moane that the Lords made then he came to the King and said Good my Lord comfort your selfe in this misaduenture for by ouer-gréeuing at this ill hap you can winne nothing nor recouer your Childe againe you know right wel that my Coozen Ogier the Dane slew my Sonne Bertrand who bare your Messuage of defiance to the king of Pauey yet I did suffer it without any great sorrow making bycause I knew well sorrow could not recouer him againe Naymes quoth the king I cannot forget this I haue great desire to know the cause of this déede Then Duke Naymes sayd to Duke Amerie Sir know you who hath slayne Charlot and for what cause Then Earle Amerie stept foorth and said with a loud voyce Great King Charlemaine why demand you any further when you haue him before you that hath slayne your Sonne and that is Huon of Bourdeaux who standeth héere in your presence When the King heard what Earle Amerie had sayd he looked fiercely vpon Huon and had strokeÌ„ him with his Scepter but for Duke Naymes who blamed the King and sayd Forbeare my Lord what meane you to doe this day to receiue the Children of Duke Seuin into your Court and hath promised to doe them right and reason and nâ—w would slay them so may all such as shall heare of the matter say that you haue sent for them to no other end but to murder them and that you sent your Sonne to lye in waight for them to haue slayne them By this may be discerned that you forget 〈…〉 Maiestie of a King and expresse actions vnséeming Charlemaine demaund of Earle Amerie the cause why he had foorth Charlot your Sonne and why that he assailed the two Brethren Huon being there in presence was greatly abashed at the Kings furie receiuing him first so kindly and now would kill him he was
in great feare and as much as he might he drew backe from the King and was greatly agreeued for that he had slayne the Kings Sonne not knowing him And blame him not to be much troubled in mind when he sawe no man that appertained to him to ayd him or to maintaine his right but onely the good Abbot of Cluny his Vnckle who could giue him none other ayd but with his words yet he tooke on him courage and right humbly said to the King My Lord I require your grace touch me not but know for troth he that lyeth there dead before you I slewe him in my defence and not knowing that he was your Sonne Charlot for if I had known him I would in no wise haue touched him and you may well know my Lord if I had knowne that it had béene he I would not haue come to you for rescue I would rather haue fled away so farre that no man should haue heard any tydings of me therefore for Gods sake I require you as heartily as I can let mee haue right I submit my bodie to abide the iudgment of your noble Péeres if it can be prooued that I slew Charlot knowing him to be your Son then my Lord let me haue a shamfull death then all the Peeres Barons being there said with a hye voyce how he had spoken reasonably and that if Earle Amerie would any thing say to the contrarie it was time then to speake and to shewe it Chap. XI ¶ How the Traytour Earle Amerie charged Huon before the Emperour that he trayterously with treason pretended had slayne the Kinges Sonne and in that quarrell he appealed Huon to battaile WHEN the King had heard Huon speake he beheld Duke Naymes and desired him to giue his aduice My Lord quoth the Duke I can say none other thing vnto you but as I sayd before demaunde Earle Amerie why he led forth your Sonne all armed and kept the ambushment in the wood to set vpon the two Brethren or else what was it that hee sought for there Then Earle Amerie said My Lord I shall shew you the troth and if I doe otherwise let me dye a shamefull death True it is this night passed your Son sent for me desiring me to ryde with him on hawking and I desired him to abide vntill the morning but he said that he would néeds go afore night then I graunted to goe with him so that he would ryde armed for I doubted the men of Arden to the entent that if we met with any of them wee might be able to resist them and so we did thus we road out of this towne and came into a little wood and there we cast off our Hawkes and there we lost one of them and therewith the same way came the Children of Duke Seuin and there we saw Huon the eldest who is héere present who had taken vp our Hauke your Sonne came in courteous maner vnto him and desired him to render againe his Hauke but the Traytour would not in no wise then Gerard the yonger brother came to your Son and they stroue so together that your Sonne stroke him then Huon without any word speaking lifted vp his sword and so villaynously slew your Sonne then hée and his Brother ranne away so fast that we could not ouer-take them whereof we were sory Thus he knew well your Sonne and he slewe him and if he will say to the contrarie heere is my Gage which I present héere before you and if hée be so hardy as to take it vp I shall make him confesse ere it be night that it is true that I haue said and this I will prooue with my bodie against his Chap. XII ¶ How the Abbot of Cluny would prooue that the saying of Earle Amerie was false and vntrue and how the Earle did cast his Gage against Huon who tooke it vp AFter that Earle Amerie had ended his tale the Abbot of Cluny stept forth and said to the King My Lord you neuer heard so false a tale before as this Traytor Amerie hath sayd for I and foure more of my Monks being Priests here present are readie to sweare and take our solempne oathes that the saying of this Traytour is false and therefore there ought no Gage to be laid in that cause séeing there is true witnesse of the matter Abbot quoth the King the witnesse is to be beléeued Sir Amerie how say you thereto My Lord quoth he I would be loath to speake against the Abbot but the troth is as I haue sayd the Abbot may say as it please him but if Huon be so hardie to deny this that I haue said before you let him come into the field against me and before it be night I shall cause him to confesse it openly When the Abbot heard this he grew offended and looking stearnly vpon Huon sayd Faire Nephew offer your gage for the right is with thée and if thou be vanquished in this quarell if euer I returne into mine Abbey there is no Saint in my Church but I shall with a staffe beat and breake them alâ— to peeces for if God will suffer such a wrong I shall giue such strâ—akes vpon the shryne of Saint Peter that I shall leaue neither gould nor precious stone whole together Vnckle quoth Huon God will I shall not let to take vp his gage for I shall prooue that falsly and vntruly Sir Amerie lyeth as an euill and a false Traytour and shall make him to confesse that I neuer knew that he that I flew was the Kinges Sonne Then the King said that Huon must giue hostage My Lord quoth Huon you shall haue my Brother I cannot deliuer you any that is so néere or deare to me as he is for héere I haue neyther Coozen nor Kinsman that will lay in hostage for mée Faire Nephew quoth the Abbot say not so for I and my Monkes will be pledges for you and if any thing should fall vnto you otherwise then well which God forbid then shame haue King Charlemaine without hée hang vppon gallowes both me and all my Monkes Go too Abbot quoth the King you say ill for I would neuer doe that then sayd the King to Amerie bring in pledges for your part The Traytour answeared My Lord héere be two of my Nephewes shall be pledges for me I am content quoth the King vppon this condition that if thou be vanquished or discomfited I shall cause them to dye an euill death Then the pledges sayd that they would be no pledges vpon that condition let other be pledges who would but they said if the king would take them on the loosing of their Lands they were content and the King graunted them Chap. XIII ¶ How those two Champions came into the feeld whereas they should fight accompanied with their freends THus as ye haue heard both parties deliuered pledges then the King to be in the more suertie put them both in a Tower vntill the day
by Kinge Iuoryn and so brought to Mombrance whereas they were receiued with great ioy and the Admirall Galaffer was entred into Anfalerne in great sorrow for Sorbryn his Nephew who was dead also for his men that he had lost in battaile and when he was vnarmed hee caused his Nephew to be buried with sore wéepings and lamentations Nowe let vs leaue speaking of them vntill wee haue occasion to returne vnto them againe Chap. LVI ¶ Howe Huon was hadde in great honour and sat at the Table with King Iuoryn of Mombrance WHen Iuoryn was entred into Mombrance hee went vnarmed him his Daughter came vnto him to make him reuerence and when hee sawe his Daughter hée kissed her and said Déere Daughter thou wert mated in a good houre by the Minstrels Varlet for in the day of battaile that we haue had against the Admirall Galaffer he was discomfited by the only prowesse of this Varlet by whom thou wert mated thanked be my God Mahound for by him I haue ouercome mine enemies and beside that he fought hand to hand against Sorbryn Nephew to the Admirall Galaffer and hee slew him but if I may liue one yeare the great seruice that he hath done vnto me shal be euen right well rewarded Father quoth the Ladie you are bound so to doe Then Kinge Iuoryn went vp into his Pallaice and his Daughter with him and Huon went to the lodging where as the Minstrell was lodged where hee vnarmed him and went with his Maister to the Pallaice but when King Iuoryn saw them the King aduanced foorth and tooke Huon by the hand and sayd Fréend you shall goe with mée and sit at my Table for I cannot doe you too much honour for the good seruice that you haue done vnto mée I abandon vnto you all my house to doe therein at your pleasure take all my gould and siluer and iewels and giue thereof at your pleasure I ordaine and will that all that you commaund shall be done all that is heere I abandon vnto you yea in the Ladies chambers take there your pleasure as you list and whē I goe out you shall goe with mée Sir quoth Huon of the great honour that you haue done to mée I thanke you then they sat downe at the Table and when they had dyned the King and Huon sat together vppon the rich Carpets Then Mouflet the Minstrell opened his Vyoll and played so melodiously that the Paynims that heard him had great maruaile thereof for the Vyoll made so swéet a sound that it séemed to be the Mermaides of the Sea and Kinge Iuoryn and all his Lords had so great ioy that it séemed vnto them that they were in the glorie of Paradise so that there was no Paynim but that gaue him Gownes and Mantles and other iewels The Minstrell saw Huon sit by the King hee saide Fréend yesterday I was your Maister and nowe I am become your Minstrell I thinke nowe you haue little care for me yet I pray you come vnto mée and gather together these cloathes and put them into my Male as you haue done ere this When the King and his Lordes heard that they began to laugh Now let vs leaue speaking of them and say somewhat of the old Gerames Chap. LVII ¶ How the old Gerames arriued at Anfalerne by fortune and the Admirall Galaffer retained him to mainetaine his warre And how the faire Escleremond spake with him YE haue heard heere before the Aduentures that haue fallen to Huon how the old Gerames and xiij with him departed and left Huon bicause he would not beléeue them whereby fell to him such aduentures as yee haue since heard and how Gerames and his companyons that were in the litle shippe sailed forth in the tempest without any knowledge what was become of Huon but they thought rather hée had been dead then aliue and so within a moneth after they were driuen by another tempest to the port of Anfalerne When Gerames saw how they were ariued there he said to his companie Sirs wee be not ariued at a good Port in this City dwelleth a Paynim king who beléeueth not in our god a more fierce Paynim cannot be found frō hence to the red Sea he is called the admirall Galaffer without god haue pitie of vs I cannot sée but we are like to die and we cannot returne backe The same time the Admirall Galaffer was risen from dinner and looked out at a windowe and behelde the sea-side and then he perceiued the little Shippe where Gerames and his companie were in when he saw it he went downe with some of his men desiring to knewe what they were that there arriued then he approached to the Shippe and said Sirs what men be you that are thus arriued at my Port Sir quoth Gerames wée be French-men Pilgrimes and are going to offer at the holy Sepulchre the fortune of the Sea hath brought vs hether and therefore Sir if there be any Tribute that we ought to pay we are readie to do your pleasure Sirs quoth the Admirall haue no doubt that by me or any of mine you shall haue any displeasure for if yée will abide with me you are well arriued Sir quoth Gerames I would it might please you to shewe vs the cause why Why quoth the Admirall that I shall shewe you True it is héere néere mée dwelleth Kinge Iuoryn of Mombrance who maketh vppon mée great warre hée slayeth my men and destroyeth my Countrey whereof I haue great sorrow in my heart Sir quoth Gerames if your quarrell be iust and rightfull we shall be all readie to aid you truely for Sir without your quarrell be good wee will not abide with you Sirs quoth the Admirall I shall shew you the troth so it was vppon a day I stood in a window and looked downe to the sea-side as I did now when you arriued at this Port and then I saw a Shippe comming which tooke anker there as you be nowe and in the Ship there was a Damsell and Ten Marriners who thought to haue ledde her vnto Kinge Iuoryn of Mombrance I cannot tell where they had taken her but shée was Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise that Mahound take his soule and I knewe for certaine that if King Iuoryn might haue the Damsell hee would haue burnt her because it hath béen shewed him that she was the cause of the death of her Father the Admirall Gaudise who was Brother to King Iuoryn and so hée is Vncle to the Damsell and when I was aduertised that the ten Marriners would haue deliuered her into the hands of her Vncle Iuoryn I tooke her from them and slew them all because they would not deliuer her to me with entreatie and thus I haue wedded the Damsell When Iuoryn heard this he made mée war and was héere before my Citie with all his puissance hath slayne my men and led away all my beasts and prouision and hath burnt and destroyed my Countrey and euerie day he
men send them to Bourdeaux and let them take Huon out of prison and bring him to you and heare what hee himselfe will say and if it be true that Gerard hath sayd then I desire you to haue no pittie on him but I beléeue surely yee shall finde the matter otherwise then Gerard his brother hath sayd Naymes quoth the king your saying is reasonable I accord thereto I will he be sent for Chap. LXXI ¶ How the Emperor Charlemain went himselfe to Bourdeaux to cause Huon to bee slaine for the great ill will that he bare to him YE haue heard before how the good Duke Naymes did so much that King Charlemain was content to send for Huon but the king was sore displeased with him that hée would not abide so long as to send for him but he made himself readie to go thether in person with all his traine and commanded that the pledges should be set in prison till his returne but the good Duke Naymes became pledge for them all to bée forth comming and so they went not to prison The King made him readie and tooke with him twelue of his Péeres and so tooke their way towards Bourdeaux God aide Huon for hee was now in perill of his life if God had not pitie on him Thus as I haue shewed you King Charlemaine nobly accompanied rode so long by his iourneyes that hee came within the sight of Bourdeaux and when he approched neere to the Citie Gerard came to the king and said Sir if it please you I would gladly ride before you into the Citie to ordain to receiue you accordingly Gerard quoth the King it is no néede that you goe before to prepare for my comming there be other that shall goe before you shall not goe till I goe my selfe When Duke Naymes heard the kings answere hee said to the king Sir you haue answered like a noble Prince blessed be he that counselled you so to say thus the king rode forth without giuing any knowledge of his comming and so entered into the Citie of Bourdeaux and rode to the Pallaice and there alighted Then dinner was made readie the King sate down and Duke Naymes by him and at other bordes other Lords and knights and there they were richly serued great brute was made in the Pallaice so that Huon being in prison had great maruel of the noyse that he heard and demaunded of the Gailer what noyse it was that hee heard aboue in the Pallaice the Gayler answered with great pride and despight and sayd It néedes not you to demaund for you are like to know it too soone but since you would know it I shall shew you the truth it is king Charlemaine and all his Barons who are come hether to iudge you to be hanged Goe thy way false traitour quoth Huon canst thou not shew to me none other tydings but that thus Huon answered the Gayler and there was as great brute in the Citie as in the Pallaice with lodging of the kings men The Commons and Burgesses of the Citie of Bourdeaux had full great maruaile why the king came thether at that time so sodainely and the king sitting at the table made good â—heere but Duke Naymes who sate by him began to wéepe and could neither eate nor drinke he rose vp then sodainely so â—udely that hee ouerthrew cuppes and dishes vpon the table Naymes quoth the King you haue done ill thus to doe Sir quoth Duke Naymes I haue good cause thus to doe and I haue wondrous great maruaile that I sée you so doted I am in such sorrow thereby that I am néere hand out of my wits how is it that you be come into the Citie of Bourdeaux for to eate and to drinke and to take your ease you néede not to haue gone out of France for that for you had meate and also good wines sufficient at home in your owne house Ah right Noble and worthie Emperour what meane you to do it is no small matter to iudge to death one of your twelue Peeres it is not possible to giue any true iudgement when you and we are full of wine and spices But Sir sayd the Duke by the Lord that mee fourmed that whosoeuer this day doth eate or drinke wine as long as the life is in my bodie I shall neuer loue him Naymes quoth the King I am content with your will Then the King commanded that the table should be auoyded commanded incontinent Huon to be taken out of prison and brought before him they that had commission to doe it went to the prison and there they tooke out Huon and his wife Escleremond and old Gerames and they were all three brought before the King and his Barons Huon sawe where King Charlemaine sate among all his Lordes and they all arose when they saw Huon and his companie so pale and ill coloured by reason of the noysome prison that his brother had put them in and Escleremond and old Gerames were greatly regarded and when the Pledges sawe Huon before the King they said Sir now yée may sée Huon for whom we be pledges wee trust now to be quit and discharged it lyeth now in you to doe with him at your pleasure Sirs quoth the King I hold you quit you may go from hence forth where you please for Huon cannot now scape our handes then Huon kneeled downe before the King right humblie and when Duke Naymes saw him the drops fell from his eyes and sayd to the king Sir I require you giue Huon audience and heare what hee will say I am content quoth the King let him say what hee will then Huon kneeling on his knées sayd Sir in the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ I first crie mercie to God and to you and to all your Barons I complaine me of that false traitour that I sée there who was my brother if there had béene any faith or troth in him but I beleeue in all the world cannot be found so cruell and false a Traytour for Cayne that slew Abell his brother was neuer so false nor so cruell When all the Lords heard Huon they al beganne to weepe saying each to others Ah good Lord where is the beautie become that was woont to be in Huon we haue séene him so faire that no one could passe him in beautie and now wee sée him pale and leane and ill coloured it appeareth well he hath not béene alwayes in the Ladies Chambers nor among damsels to sport and to play with him Thus they deuised of him and tooke no heede of Gerard who was by them Then Huon spake againe and sayd to the King Sir true it is the message that you gaue me in charge to doe vnto the Admirall Gaudys I haue doone to the verie vttermost as you haue commaunded vnto mee and I haue passed the Sea and came vnto Babilone to the Admirall Gaudys there I required of him in the presence of all his Lords to haue his beard
to him accompanied with a Thousand knights when he was come hee saluted king Huon and saide Sir you are welcome into my Countrey of Aragon the which I offer you to doe therewith at your pleasure and Sir all that you haue commaunded mee to doe by your twoo knightes I am readie to accomplish and there hee shewed to king Huon all weeping the occasion of the warre and of his Sonne Florence who for the loue of a new-found Damsell was put in prison whereof he repented him for he sayd that there was not a fairer Damsell in the world and for the loue of her Florence my Sonne is departed from mee and I thinke I shall neuer sée him more Kinge Garyn quoth Huon knowe for troth that shortly you shall sée them both come hether to me for I will marrie them together the Damsell is my Daughter and her name is Clariet and I will you know that she is noble and yssued of a royall Lineage there is none more noble in this Countrey and she hath bought her desteny right déerely When king Garyn knew that the noble Damsell was Daughter to king Huon and that he would make a marriage betwéene her and his Sonne Florence that they should come thether shortly he was neuer so ioyfull in all his life before then hee knéeled downe before kinge Huon and cryed him mercie and saide Ah Sir how may it be that in my olde dayes such a grace may come to me as to haue againe my déere Sonne and that the noble Damsell whome I haue done so much ill vnto shall bee his wife Then Kinge Huon rose vp and said Noble king haue no doubt but that you shall haue your Sonne for I cannot so soone wish for him but they shall be both here wheresoeuer they bee in the worid whereof all they that were present had great maruaile Sir quoth the Quéene Escleremond when shall the houre come that I may sée my Daughter Clariet and Sir you knowe well that I came hether with you for none other cause Madame quoth Huon you shall sée her shortly Chap. CLXII ¶ How Florence and Clariet arriued there with their company and came to king Huon and of the great ioy that was made at their comming and how there they were wedded together and the Peace confirmed betweene the two Kinges WHen King Huon sawe the Quéene his wife weepe his heart tendred and sayde Ah my déere Daughter Clariet great pitie I haue of you and of Florence the hardy I wish you both and all your companie here at the Port on the Sea-side as richly apparelled as euer was Quéene or Prince departing out of their house to bée maried and that with you there bee Ladies and Damsels richly apparelled of the fairest that be in my Realme of the Fayrey he had no sooner made his wish but that Shippes and Galleys arriued at the Port and anon Florence Clariet were in the Meadow richly accompanied with Trumpets Harps Viols and Lutes and all other Instruments the which sounded so melodiously that it seemed to all the hearers that they were rauished into Paradise and also there were Ladies and Damsels and knightes of the Fayrey singing right sweetely the hearers thought them to bee Angels of Paradice and they were apparelled richly and garnished with precious stones so that with the Sun shining vppon them they glittered in such wise that whosoeuer had seene them would haue thought that God and all the Court of Paradice had been there assembled Thus Florence came with 3 Thousand men making great ioy After him came riding the faire Clariet vpon a rich Palfray ambling so freshly garnished and richly apparelled that in all the world there was none such the armour hanging full of siluer bels making so swéet a noise that it was maruaile to heare them if I should discribe the beautie riches that was on her Palfrey it would be too long to rehearse This Ladie Clariet was accompanied with two notable Ladies of the Fayrey the one was Morgue and the other Glorianda who came singing after Clariet then after came the Lady Transelina with many Damsels of the Fayrey great ioy there was made and then king Huon sayd to Escleremond his Wife Madame it is time that you depart for yonder I see comming toward vs my Daughter Clariet and Florence When Escleremond heard that she was right ioyfull for the great desire that she had so see her Daughter the Queene went forth nobly accompanied Then king Huon and the other twoo kings with all their companies with banners displayed with great ioy and triumph went to meet Florence and Clariet ye may well thinke that king Garyn had great ioy of the comming of his Sonne and sawe such an assembly meet there together to receiue him that he deuoutly thanked our Lord God Thus these kinges and Princes went to meete these twoo young persons richly accompanied and great ioye had Clariet when she saw the Quéene her mother before her and she wept for inward ioy that she had when the Queen saw her daughter she embraced and kissed her often times and of a great season none of them could speake to other for ioy then King Huon came tooke his Daughter out of the Quéenes armes and kissed her more then twentie times Then king Garyn came vnto Florence and sayd Déere Sonne I haue much trespassed against you in that wrongfully I put you into my prison and I complaine greatly to you of your Vncle the kinge of Nauarre who hath wasted your Countrey Sir quoth Florence I require you to pardon mine Vncle it is reason that I should bee content that peace be made betwéen you and Sir I desire you to giue mee this Damsell in mariage Sonne quoth Garyn be in suertie that you shall haue her and none other for a more noble Lady cannot bee found in Tenne Realmes Sir quoth Florence I thanke you and thus these Twoo companies ioyned together and the Kinge of Nauarre came to his Nephewe Florence and embraced him sayd Faire Nephewe of your returne I am right ioyfull Sir quoth he I am well pleased with the peace that is made betwéene my Father and you Thus they road vntill they came to the Tents and there alighted then king Huon called the other two kinges and said Sirs how say you will yée abide by mine aduise and put into my handes the discord that hath béene betweene you they answeared that they were content to doe as hee woulde haue them Then kinge Huon sayde Sirs then my will is that peace and accord be betweene you and all yours and they liberally agréed thereto whereof kinge Huon was ioyfull Then king Huon desired Florence to shew his aduenture and how he was rescued by Sorbarre Then Florence shewed al his aduentures and the other kinges were right ioyfull to heare it and all other that heard it did greatly praise Sorbarre for his déede and much honoured him and made him
and gaue such carrier to their horses that it séemed the thunder had fallen from heauen and with their sharp Speares they encountred in such wise that their Speares brake to their hands so that the shiuers flew vp high into the ayre and into the Kings Stage and both their Horses fell to the earth and the Knights sore astonied with their falling Then verie boldly they reléeued themselues with their Swords in their handes and so approached each to other and fought each with other so long while that Huons Horse strangled sir Ameries Horse who when he saw his horse slaine stoutly stept to Huon for to haue slaine him but Huon met him valiantly and lifting vp his Sword gaue the Earle such a stroake that he was astonied therewith and staggred backe more then two paces and a halfe hardly holding himselfe from falling to the earth so that all that sawâ— them had maruaile of Huons vertue force séeing the great strength that was in sir Amerie Then when Earle Amerie felt himselfe in such perill he began to despise the name of God and of the glorious Virgin Marie howbeit as well as hée might hée approached to Huon and with his Sword gaue Huon such a stroake on the helmet that all the flowers and precious stones there flew abroad in the féeld and the cirkle of the helmet all to broken and the stroake was so puissant that Huon was therewith sore astonied and perforce was faine to fall on one of his knées to the earth the other Legge but weakly supporting him There was present in the féeld Lords and Knights one of the Abbot of Clunyes seruants who when he saw the great stroake that Huon had receiued he departed out of the féeld and went into the church whereas he found his maister the Abbot at his prayers for the good spéed of Huon his Nephew to whome the seruant said Ah my Lord pray heartily to our Lord Iesus Christ to succour your Nephew for I saw him faine to knéele vpon one of his knées in great doubt of death Then the good Abbot without any answeare lifted vp his hands toward Heauen deuoutly and weeping prayed to God to ayd and defend the honour of his Nephew and to maintaine his right Thus Huon béeing in the féeld in great doubt of his life féeling the sturdie strength of Earle Amerie called with a good heart to our Lord Iesus Christ requiring him to aide his right the which he knew to be most true When Earle Amerie sawe that Huon had receiued of him such a heauy stroake he said Huon I beléeue thou wilt not endure long better it were that thou confesse the déede before I slay thée for ere it bée night I shall cause thée to waue in the wind Hold thy tonge thou false Traytour quoth Huon thine ilnesse shall not aid thée for I shall bring thée to that point that all thy fréends shall haue shame of thée Then Huon aduaunced him and made semblance to haue striken Amerie on the helmet and Amerie lifted vp his Shéeld to haue receiued the stroake but when Huon saw that he turned his stroake to a reuerse and stroake Amerie vnder the arme with his sharpe Sword so that he stroake off his arme the which fell downe in the féeld Shéeld and all When Earle Amerie sawe felt that maruailous stroake and that he had lost his left arme and saw it lye in the féeld hee was full of paine and sorrow and aduised himselfe of a great treason then he spake to Huon and saide Ah Noble Knight haue pitie of me for wrongfully and without cause I haue appeached thée of the death of Charlot the kings Son for I know in troth you knew him not but he is dead by my meanes for I brought him into the wood to haue murdered you and your Brother I am readie to acknowledg this before the King and all his Barons and to discharge you thereof therefore I pray you kill me not I yéeld me vnto you take heere my Sword Then Huon came vnto him and put downe his arme to haue taken the Sword but then the false Traytour Amerie with a reuerse stroake strooke Huon vpon the arme thinking to haue striken it off but he fayled howbeit he gaue him a great wound in the arme so that the bloud ran downe When Huon saw this horrible treason he said O thou vntrue and false Traytour thine â—â—esse can no longer saue thée for thou shalt nâ—uer doe treason more then Huon lifted vp his Sword gaue the Earle such a maruailous stroke betwéen the healme and the shoulder that he strooke off his head cleane from the bodie so that the healme and head fel one way and the body another way Alas what hap was it to Huon that he did not remember before he slew Amerie the Proclamation that the Emperor had made before for afterward Huon suffered so muche wrong and iniurie as might mooue the verie hardest heart to compassionate his case and as you shall more at large vnderstand in the following discourse Chap. XVI ¶ How after the Emperour Charlemaine had seene Earle Amerie was slaine he commaunded expresly that Huon should auoid the Realme and Empire and to be banished thence for euer WHen that Duke Naymes who kept the féeld saw how by Huon the Earle was slaine he was right ioyfull and came to Huon and demaunded how hée did Sir quoth he thanked be God I féele no dolour nor gréefe then they brought him to the Pallaice to the King who was departed out of the féeld When he saw the Earle slaine and was thereof right sorrowfull then he demanded of Huon and of Duke Naymes if they had heard Earle Amerie confesse the treason that hée had layde to Huon for the death of Charlot his Sonne My Lord quoth the Duke I thinke he did confesse it but I heard it not for Huon pressed so sore vpon him that he had no leasure to doe it Then Charlemaine sayd Ah Earle Amerie I know certainely thou didst neuer that treason nor neuer thought it wherefore thou art slaine wrongfully and without cause for there was neuer a truer Knight theÌ„ thou wert I am sure if thou hadst done it thou wouldest haue confessed it before me Then the King sayd vnto Huon I charg thée incontinent to auoid my Realme out of the which I banish thée foreuer nor shalt thou euer enioy one foote of Land in Bourdeaux nor in Aquitaine also I forbid thée that thou neuer be so hardy as to go to Bourdeaux for by my honour and crowne if I may know that thou goest thether I shall make thée to die an euill death nor there is no man liuing though he be neuer so néere a fréend vnto me but if he make any request for thée I shall neuer loue him nor he shall neuer after come in my sight Then Huon said Alas my Lord what iustice is this haue I done any more then knighthood bound me too haue not
should be so hardy as to drinke or touch the Fountaine for if a traytour or any man that had falsefied his faith did touch it he could not escape without death But when the Serpent saw Huon he enclined himselfe without making of semblance to do him any ill Huon sat down by the Fountaine and began gréeuouslye to lament and said Ah good Lord without thy succour it is impossible for me to depart hence aliue Ah noble king Oberon forsake me not nowe in this néede for the trespas that I haue done ought to be forgiuen me séeing I did it negligently for lacke of remembrance certenly I will know if for so small a cause yee will leaue me wherefore whatsoeuer fall I shall prooue assay to know the troth then he tooke his Horne and blew it so fiercely that king Oberon heard it being in his Forrest when he heard it he said Ah good Lord I heare the false Knight blow his Horne who setteth so little by me for at the first gate that he passed by he made a false lye by the Lord that fourmed me if he blow till the vaines of his necke burâ—â— in sunder he shall not be succoured for me nor for any manner of mischiefe that may fall to him Then Huon being in the garden blew so lowde that the Admirall who was set at his dinner arose from the boord with all his Lords and all other ladies and Damsels knights and squiers boyes and scullions of the kitchen and all other came into the Pallaice to the Admirall and began to daunce and singe and made great ioy the more that Huon blew his Horne the more they daunced and sang And when Huon left blowing than the Admirall called his Barons and commaunded them to be armed and said Sirs goe into this garden for surely there is some Enchaunter therefore take héed that he escape not but bring him aliue to me for I will know of him the cause why he hath done this déed for if he escape he will doe vs more ill When Huon had blowen a longe space and sawe no body come to him he was sore abashed and thaÌ„ he began to lament and said Ah good Lord god now I sée well mine end approcheth when king Oberon fayleth me in whom I haue all my trust in life and death Ah déere Lady Mother and brother Gerardine I shall neuer sée you more Ah noble king Charlemaine great wrong haue yée done to me thus to banish me without desert for that that I did was in my defence god forgiue it you Ah king Oberon well mayeÌ„st thou be reputed for an vnkind creature thus to leaue me for one small fault certenly if thou be a noble man I hope thou wilt pardon me at least I put all to god and to him I submit me And whatsoeuer fall I will enter into the Pallaice doe my Messuage that king Charlemaine hath commaunded me to doe So he made him readie and departed from the Fountaine thinking he should finde the Admirall at dinner at that time Chap. XXXVII ¶ How Huon came into the Pallaice and did his messuage to the Admirall and how he slew many Paynims and was afterward taken and put in Pryson WHen Huon had been a certen space at the fountaine he departed all armed and mounted vp the degrees of the Pallaice the same time the Admirall had caused twoo of his principall goddes to be set in the middest of the Pallaice richly adorned and before theÌ„ twoo great torches burning so that no Sarazin passed by them but made to them great reuerence but Huon passed by them and would not once looke on them nor speake to no man that hée met whereof they had all great maruaile and sayd one to another so that Huon easily heard them I beléeue this man who thus entred into the Pallaice all armed is some messenger sent from some great Prince to the Admyrall and then Huon saw a Paynim King speaking to the Admyrall who was newly come to the Admirall bicause the same day the Admirall Gaudise should haue deliuered to him his Daughter the faire Escleremond in mariage and Huon sawe well howe hee was the greatest Prince that as then was there with the Admirall then Huon sayd to himselfe Ah good Lord if I acquite my selfe truly to King Charlemaine I must slay this Paynim king I thinke it be he that I looke for séeing he sitteth so néere to the Admirall god confound me but incontinent I will strike of his head and then let our Lord Iesus Christ do with me at his pleasure Then Huon came nere to the table and drew out hys sword and therewith gaue the said King suche a stroke that his head fell on the table so that the Admyrall was therwith all bloody Then Huon with a hye voyce said Ah good Lord what a good beginning is this the rest I remit to our Lord Iesus Christ whome I require to aid me to perfourme the rest of mine enterprise in this point I haue nere quit my selfe agaynst king Charlemaine Then the Admirall said to his Barons take this man that hath doone me this offence as to murder this king â—itting at my table if he escape looke me neuer in the face TheÌ„ the Paynims assailed Huon on all sides and cast at him darts and swords to haue slaine him But his good Armor saued him from the death and with his sword he slew many a bolde Paynim so that none durst approch néere him When he saw that he was sore oppressed he tooke his Ring from off his arme and cast it on the table before the Admirall and said Sir Admirall beware on paine of thy lyfe of doing to me any hurt or damage by this token that I shew thee Whan the Admirall saw the Ring hee knew it well then hee began to crye that no man should be so hardye as to touch him that hath slayne the Paynim King and euery man let Huon in rest wherof he was right ioyfull than he said to the Admirall Sir I will from hence forth that thou do as I commaund thee Friend quoth the Admirall thou mayest do in my Pallaice what thou wilt whatsoeuer thou commaund shal be done no man shall say the coÌ„trary Than Huon saw where his daughter the fayre Escleremond sat by her Father and Huon went to her and kissed her iij. times before her Father whereat the Damsell was much abashed but she saw him so fayre and felt his mouth so sweet that she thought without she might haue him to her Louer she should dye for sorow so that she changed colour and blushed as ruddie as a rose Whan Huon had kissed the ladie than he went to the Admirall and said Sir Admirall know for troth that I am christened and am a Messenger sent from noble king Charlemaine to thée bicause there is no Prince christian nor heatheÌ„ but that obeyeth his coÌ„maundement except thy selfe therefore by me hee sendeth thee worde that since the dolorous
Horne and my Cup I would reckon al the sorrow that I haue endured as nothing But when I had xiij Knights to serue me how is this chaunce now turned that I my selfe must serue a poore Minstrell When Mouflet heard Huon make such sorow within him selfe hée said Déere brother Solater take good comfort for before to morow at night thou shalt see the good cheere that shall bee made to mée wherof thou shalt haue part and of all the goodes that I can get Maister quoth Huon Mahound reward you for the goodnes that ye haue shewed mée and shall do thus the maister and the seruant went foorth together deuising at last Huon espied behind them coming certē men of armes houlding the waye to Mombrance Maister quoth Huon héere behind vs are coming men in armour I know not whether they will doe vs any hurt or not Solater quoth Mouflet bee not abashed wee will abide héere and know whether they will goe and within a while the man of war came to them who were in number Fiue C. persons the minstrell saluted them and said Sirs I pray you shewe mee whether ye will goe Frend quoth one of them bicause we sée that ye be a gentle minstrell I shall shew you we are going to king Iuoryn of Mombrance who will néeds goe and make warre vppon the Admirall Galaffer bicause that now of late the Damsell Escleremond daughter to the Admirall Gaudise passed by Anfalerne who should haue béen brought to her Vncle king Iuoryn of Mombrance but the Admirall Galaffer tooke her by force and slew all them that ledde her and hath maryed the faire Escleremond whereof King Iuoryn is as sorowfull as may be and for that cause we be sent for by king Iuoryn who is minded to assemble all his power to go destroy the Admirall Galaffer Now I haue shewed you the cause of our going to the Citie of Mombrance Chap. LII ¶ How Huon and his Maister Mouflet arriued at Mombrance and how Huon spake with king Iuoryn WHen Huon of Bourdeaux vnderstood the Paynims how they were going where the Ladie Escleremond was he was surprized with ioy said to his Maister Sir I require you lette vs goe to the warres with them Solater quoth Mouflet beware what thou sayest for where as warre is I would not come there for any thing Thus they went foorth vntill they came to Mombrance and went straight to the Pallaice whereas they found King Iuoryn and all his Barons when the Minstrell saw him hee saluted him in the name of Mahound and sayde Sir I am right dolorous for the newes that I bring you for Sir your Brother my Lord and Maister the Admirall Gaudise is pitiously slayn Mouflet quoth Iuoryn these newes hath béen brought vnto mée before this time whereof I am much agréeued and also I am sorrie for my Néece the faire Escleremond who is kept from mée by the Admirall Galaffer and for any Messuage that I can send to him he will not send her backe to mée But by the faith that I owe to my God Mahound I shall make him such warre that the memorie thereof shall bee had an Hundred yeares héereafter For I shall leaue him neuer a foote of Land but I shall bring all into fire and flame and cleane destroy him and in the despite of his téeth I will sée my Neece Escleremond and if I may get her I shall cause her to be striken al to péeces and burne her into ashes for my Brother is dead by a Villaine of Fraunce vppon whome shée was amourous When Huon heard him speake of his Lady his heart rose made promise in himselfe that ere the moneth was past he would goe and sée her and find the meanes how to speake with her Then King Iuoryn called Mouflet the Minstrell and sayd Fréend I pray thée doe some thinge to make mée merrie for by reason of the displeasure that I haue had my ioy is lost therefore it were better for me to take some mirth then to bee long in sorrow Sir quoth Mouflet I am readie to doe your pleasure then hée tooke his Vyoll and playd thereof in such wise that it was great melodie to heare it for al the Paynims that were there had great ioy and mirth and made great feasting when Huon heard it he said Good Lord I require thée that this great ioy may turne to mée as to heare some good newes of her who I desire so sore to sée When the Minstrell had finished his song the Paynims did of their cloathes and some gaue him their Gownes some their Mantles hee thought himselfe right well happie that could giue the Minstrell any thing Huon had ynough to doo to gather together the cloathes that were giuen him and hée put them into his Male whereof Huon was ioyfull bicause he should haue the one halfe King Iuoryn beheld Huon and sayd vnto them that were about him great dammage it is that so faire a younge man should serue a Minstrell Sir quoth Mouflet be not abashed though this young man doe serue me hee hath cause so to doe for when your Brother was dead I departed from thence to come hether by the way I found a great Dake vnder the which I sat downe to rest me and there by was a great Fountaine faire and cleare there I spread abroad a Towell on the grasse and set thereon bread and such meate and drinke as I had and the same time this young man arriued and came vnto mee all naked and prayed me for the loue of Mahound to giue him some of my bread and so I did and cloathed him as you sée and I did so much for him that he promised to serue mée and to beare my Fardell and my Harpe and moreouer when I came to any passage of water hee would cast me in his necke as light as though I had béen nothing he is so strong and beare me ouer Ah poore Catiffe quoth King Iuoryn hast thou liued so longe cannot perceiue why he doth it he abideth vntill thou hast gotten some riches and then he will cut thy threat and cast thée into the Riuer and then goe away with all thy riches cause him to come and speake with mée Sir quoth Mouflet hée shall come to you and so he called Huon and brought him to King Iuoryn My fréend quoth the King I pray thée shewe me where thou wert borne for I haue pitie of thée to sée thée in so low estate as to bee Varlet to a Minstrell it were better for thée to serue some Prince or helpe to kéepe a Towne or a Castle rather then thus to loose thy time I wote not what I should thinke therein but that it séemeth to mee that thou art of a faint courage what hath mooued thée thus to doe thou séeest thy Maister hath nothing but that hee getteth with his Vyoll canst thou find none other meanes to liue by more honestly Sir quoth Huon I can Crafts ynow the
which I shall name vnto you if you will heare me Say on quoth Iuoryn for I haue great desire to know what thou canst do but of one thing I aduise thée make no vaunt of any thing without thou canst doe it indéede for in euerie thinge I will prooue thée Sir quoth Huon I can mew a Sparrow-Hauke and I can chase the Hart and the wilde Boare and blow the prize and serue the hounds of their rights and I can serue at the table before a great Prince and I can play at Chesse and Tables aswell as any other can doe and I neuer found man could winne of me if I list Chap. LIII ¶ How king Iuoryn caused his Daughter to play at the Chesse with Huon vpon condition that if he were mated he should loose his head and if shee were mated Huon should haue her loue and how Huon wonne the game WHEN king IVORIN heard Huon he said hould thée to this for I shall prooue whether it be true that thou saiest or not Yet Sir quoth Huon I pray you let mee shew farther what I can doe and then assay mee at your pleasure By Mahound quoth the king I am content that thou shalt shew all that thou canst doe Sir quoth Huon I can right well arme me and set the helmet on my head and beare a shield speare and runne and gallop a horse and when it commeth to the point where strokes should be giuen yée may well send foorth a worse than I. Also Sir I can right well enter into Ladies chambers to embrace and kisse them and to doe them any seruice Friend quoth Iuoryn by that which I heare by thée thou canst doe more things than should turne to good but to prooue thée I shall cause thee to be assayed at the play of the Chesse I haue a faire Daughter with whome I will that thou shalt play vpon condition that if she winne then thou shalt loose thy head but if thou canst mate her then I promise thée that thou shalt haue her to thy wife to repose with her at thy pleasure and a C. markes of money therewith Sir quoth Huon if it were your pleasure I would be glad to forbeare that enterprise By Mahound quoth the king it shal be none otherwise come thereof what will In the meane season that this Bargaine was making a Paynim went into the Ladies chamber and shewed her how there was with the king her father a young man who had made promise how he should play at the Chesse with her vpon condition that if he lost the game hee should then loose his head and if he chaunced to win then he to haue you to his wedded wife and a C. Markes of money But Madame quoth he I assure you he that shall play against you is the fairest man that euer I saw pitie it is that he should be a varlet to a Minstrell as he is By Mahound quoth the Ladie I hould my Father a foole when he thinketh that I should suffer a man to die for winning of a game at Chesse Then Iuoryn sent for his Daughter by twoo Kings who brought her to the King her Father then Iuoryn said Daughter thou must play at Chesse with this young Varlet that thou seest héere so that if thou winne then he shall loose his head and if he winne then I will that hee shall be thy husband to doe with thee at his pleasure Father quoth the Ladie séeing this is your pleasure it is reason that I doe it whether I will or not Then shee beheld Huon whome shee saw to be right faire and said to her selfe By Mahound for the great beautie that I see in this young man I would this game were at an end so that I were his wedded wife When then Ladie was come their places were made redie then shee and Huon sat downe and king Iuoryn and all his Barons sat downe about them to sée them play then Huon said to the King Sir I require you that you nor none other doe speake in our game neither for the one partie nor for the other Friend quoth the King haue no doubt thereof and for more suretie the King caused to be proclaymed thorow out all his Pallaice that none should be so hardie as to speake one word vpon paine of death Then the Chesse were made readie and Huon saide Ladie what game will yée play at Friend quoth she at the game accustomed that is to be mated in the corner then they both began to studie for the first draught there were Paynims that beheld Huon but he cared not for any of them but studied on his game the which they had begun so that Huon had lost most parte of his Pawnes wherewith he changed colour and blushed as redde as a rose The Damsell perceiued him and said Friend whereon doe yée thinke yee are almost mated anon my Father will strike of your head Madame quoth he as yet the game is not done great shame shall your Father haue when yée shall lye all night in mine armes and I being but a seruant to a poore Minstrell When the Barons heard Huon say so they began all to laugh and the Ladie who was so surprised with the loue of Huon in regard of the great beautie that she saw in him that she forgat all her play to thinke of him whereby she lost the game whereof Huon was right ioyfull and called the King and said Sir now may yée sée how I can play but if I would studie but a little more I could mate your Daughter whereas I list When the King saw that he said to his Daughter Arise cursed be the houre that I begate thee for great dishonour hast thou now done to me that heretofore hast mated so many great men and now I see heere before my face that a Minstrels varlet hath mated thée Sir quoth Huon trouble not your selfe for that cause as for the wager that I should winne therby I am content to release it quite let your Daughter goe into her chamber and sport her with her Damsels at her pleasure and I shall goe and serue my Maister the Minstrell Friend quoth the King if thou wilt shew me this courtesie I shall giue thée an hundred Markes in money Sir quoth Huon I am content with your pleasure and the Ladie went her way sorowfull and said to her selfe Ah false sainted heart Mahound confound thee for if I had knowen that thou wouldest thus haue refused my companie I would haue mated thée and then thou hadst lost thy head Thus the matter passed till the next day then king Iuorin made proclamation through out all the citie that euerie man should be armed and mounted on their horses and that it was his minde to set forward towards his enemies Then euerie man armed them and mounted on their horses many helmets glittered against the sunne and many trompets drums began to sound such brute was made within the citie that it was maruaile to
towne bound hands and féete and then set vs in a déepe prison and so hath kept vs hetherto with bread and water and so hath taken from vs all the riches that wee brought with vs and Sir if hee be so hardie to say the contrarie that it is not true that I haue sayd let him and Gybouars like traytours as they be arme themselues and I shall fight against them both and if I can conquere them both whereof I haue no doubt with the aide of our Lord God then let them haue as they haue deserued and if I cannot ouercome them nor make them to shew the truth I will that then incontinent you cause me to be drawne and hanged By my faith quoth Duke Naymes Sir Huon can say nor offer no more for hee offereth to proue the contrarie of that Gerard hath saide Sir quoth Gerard my brother sayth at his pleasure because hee knoweth well that I will not striue against him because he is mine elder brother let the king doe as it shall please him as for me I neuer consented to doe so cruell a deede as hee layeth to my charge Ah good Lord quoth Duke Naymes how the false Traitour can cloke and couer his ilnesse Huon quoth Charlemain I cannot tel what you haue done but I will you shew mee the beard and â—oure great teeth of the Admirall Gaudis Sir quoth Huon I crie you mercie I haue shewed you how they be taken from me by the false traytour my Brother Gerard. Huon quoth the Kinge yée know well at your departure out of Fraunce I charged you vppon paine of your life that iâ— by aduenture you returned againe into France that you should not bée so hardy as to enter into this Citie of Bourdeaux vntill you had spoken with mee first and to keepe mee promise you deliuered to mee Hostages the which I haue quit séeing I haue you in my handes it lyeth now in mée either to hange you or to draw you or to giue vnto you any other iudgment for at your departure you were agréed that I should so doe and by the faith that I owe vnto Saint Denis before it bee night I shall cause thée to bee hanged and drawne and that shall I not let so to doe for any man liuing for nowe I take you in your owne house Sir quoth Huon God forbid that a Kinge of Fraunce should doe so great a crueltie My Lord I crie you mercie for Gods sake doe not to mee so great an out-rage for you may knowe right well that perforce I was brought hether and therefore great King I require you let mee haue rightfull and true iudgement By my faith Huon quoth Duke Naymes it is but a small request that you make for your right is so cleare that if reason may be shewed to you there is no man can say the contrarie but that your Lands ought to bee rendred vnto you franke and frée and your Brother Gerard to bee hanged and strangled Then the Duke said to the King My Lord I require you haue pitie of Huon and doe nothing to him but right and you shall doe great sinne without you doe him right Naymes quoth the King you know well it is in mée to cause Huon to die but séeing that he is one of my Péeres I will order him by iudgement When the Lordes and other Knightes heard the King say so they were right ioyfull for then they beleeued that the King would haue pitie of Huon but whosoeuer was ioyfull yet Duke Naymes was not content and sayde to the King My Lord by that I sée and heare you beare Huon but small â—oâ—e seeing that you will put him to iudgement considering his deedes and sayings to be true and namely whereas hee â—ffereth to prooue it by the holy Father the Pope then Huon with-drew backe and leaned him to a piller there by Then the Kinge called vnto him all his Peeres and Lordes and 〈◊〉 Sirs I require you by the faith and truth and homage that you beare vnto mée that for me nor for mine amitie that you ayd not Huon against mée nor lay nor doe no falsehood but the most rightfull iudgement that you can make doe I charge you giue true iudgement without any fauour or partialitie When the Lords heard the King say so vnto them and that he coniured them so sore to doe right and iustice well they perceiued that the King had great hate vnto Huon and that the death of his Sonne Charlot was not forgotten out of his mind Then they all together drew apart into a Chamber right pensiue and mourning and they sat downe on benches and beheld each other without speaking of any word a long space When Duke Naymes saw that hée arose vppon his féet and sayd Sirs yée haue heard how the King hath charged vs to say the troth wée may perceiue well by him that hee beareth great hate vnto Huon who is one of our Companions and therefore Sirs I require you that euerie man by himselfe will say his aduise as hée thinketh Chap. LXXII ¶ How the Twelue Peeres drew to counsaile to giue sentence vppon Huon either with him or against him THen there rose vp a knight called Gaulter hée was yssued of the lineage of Ganelon who was one of the Péeres of Fraunce then hée sayd Sirs as for mée I say séeing the case as it is that Huon by right iudgement ought to bee hanged and drawne for as yée know well the King hath founde him in the Citie of Bourdeaux therefore I say that the King may without doing any sinne put him to death and Sirs if yee thinke that I haue sayde good reason agrée yée then to the same and let Gerard his Brother be Lord and Maister of all the Landes and Signiories that should appertaine vnto Huon I consent and will as much as toucheth my part that Gerard be one of the Péeres of Fraunce in the place of Huon his Brother and when Gaulter had ended his reason Henry of Saint Omers spake and sayd Sir Gaulter goe and sit downe your wordes can beare none effect for they bée of no valure But Sirs quoth hée shortly to speake and righteously to iudge I say that it is reason that Huon be restored to all his Landes for his déede is well prooued and by good witnesse as our holy Father the Pope for wee may beléeue surely that Gerard his Brother that thus hath betrayed him hath done it by false couetousnesse therefore I say and iudge that Gerard bee drawne at horse tayles and then hanged vntill hée be dead Then hée sayd no more but sat downe againe When Henry of Saint Omers had sayd his reason that Earle of Flaunders arose vp and said to Henry All that you haue sayd I will not consent thereto but I shall shewe you mine aduise what ought to bée done Sirs yée all knowe well the world the which as nowe is little woorth for nowe adayes cannot be found such true Fréends as
were woont to bée yée may well sée by these two Brethren the strife that is betwéene them is foule and dishonest wée should doe well if we could find the meanes by any manner of wayes to appease them and therefore I counsaile let vs all together goe to the King and desire him to haue mercie pitie of both these twoo Brethren and that it might please him to appease them renâ—er to Huon all his Landes and if wee could bring it to this point it should bée a good déede as to accord them together Chap. LXXIII ¶ How the Peeres layd all the deede vppon Duke Naymes to giue the iudgement vpon him But for all that euer he could say or doe the King iudged Huon to die AFter that the Earle of Flanders had spoken the Earle of Chalons rose vp and said My Lord of Flanders your reason is good and you haue spoken like an Noble man but I know surely that the King will doe nothing at our desires But Sirs if ye thinke it good let vs all put the whole matter vpon Duke Naymes of Bauyer and all that hee will say let vs agrée thereto then all the Lords accorded together and sayd how the Earle of Chalons had sayd right well Then they came to Duke Naymes and desired him that he would take the charge of that matter vpon him and whatsoeuer he did they were all agreed thereto when the Duke heard them he stood still a certaine space and beganne to studie on the matter and tooke all the tenne Peeres to counsell with him And when the faire Escleremond saw Huon her husband in that danger among them with whom he should haue béene in ioy then she beganne sore to wéepe and sayd Ah Huon I sée here great pouertie when in the same proper towne whereas you ought to be Lord to be in this danger and beside that ye are not beleeued nor heard of any man that is here for any proofe or witnesse that yee can say or shew King Charlemaine will not beléeue that you haue béene in the Citie of Babylone and yet surely there you haue beene for I saw you there slay my Father the Admirall Gaudys and tooke his beard and drew out of his mouth foure of his greatest teeth great pitie it were if you should die for your truth and faythfulnesse but the thing that most feareth me is that I sée none that be héere likelie to be a Noble man except the King who is chiefe of all other and yet me thinkes hee is full of falshood for I sée none other but he that séekes your death But I promise to God that if hee suffer you to haue this wrong and thus to die I say then as for my part that Mahound is better worth then your King Charlemaine and it be so that you receiue death without a cause I will neuer more beléeue in your king but renounce his law and beléeue in Mahound There were many Lords and knights that heard the Ladies words whereof they had such pitie that the most part of them beganne to wéepe And when Huon heard his wife he turned toward her and sayd Ladie I desire you to leaue your sorrow and trust in God almightie who so oftentimes hath succoured vs you know not what he will doe let vs bee content with his good pleasure Thus with such words Huon appeased the fayre Escleremond And Duke Naymes who was in counsell with the other Peeres sayd to them Sirs I haue great sorrow at my heart bicause of these two Brethren so that I cannot tell what counsaile to find I desire you all in this waightie matter to counsaile me and shewe mee your opinions therein Sir quoth the Lords other counsaile you shall not haue of vs for we haue layde all the matter vppon you to doe therein what it shall please you Sirs quoth the Duke to dissemble the matter auayleth not but since that Huon must passe by iudgement how say you shall he be hanged or drawne Sir quoth Gaulter who was the first speaker mée thinkes he can escape none otherwise Ah Traytour quoth the Duke thou liest falsely for it shall not follow after thy councell whether thou wilt or not there is no man this day that shall be so hardie as to iudge him to die therefore Sirs yet shew me againe whether yée will agrée to my councell Sir quoth they wée haue laid the charge vpon you the which we will all abide by but whosoeuer was glad Gaulter was sorowfull angrie for he would haue consented to the death of Huon Then all the Barons right sad and pensiue went out of the counsell Chamber and they could find no manner of wayes how to saue Huon but they all prayed to God to aide and succour him And Huon seeing the Barons comming so sadly together thought that the matter was not at a good poynt whereby hee beganne sore to weepe when Escleremond and Gerames saw the sorrow that Huon made they had great pitie thereof Then Huon beheld Duke Naymes for he knew well all the matter lay in his hands he feared greatly the iudgement that should be made vpon him and said Thou very God and man as I beléeue verily that thou didst die on the holy crosse to redeeme vs all and that on the third day thou didst rise from death to life I require thee humbly in this great neede to succour me as truely as I am in the right for more wrong no man can haue Then the Duke Naymes of Bauier came to the king and sayd Sir will it please you to heare what we haue deuised Yea quoth the king I desire nothing else to know Well Sir quoth the Duke then I demaund of you in what place of your Region thinke you to iudge one of your Peeres of Fraunce Naymes quoth the King I know well you be a Nobleman and all that you say is to deliuer Huon of Bourdeaux but I will ye know all shall not profite him Then the Duke sayd Sir to say so ye doe great wrong Therefore sir regard well in what place you will haue one of your Peeres iudged if you know not where it should be done I will shew you In your Realme are but three places to doe it in The first is the Towne of Saint Omers the second is Orleance and the third is Paris and therefore Sir if you will proceede vpon Huon by iustice it is conuenient that it bee done in one of these three places for here in this town he cannot be iudged Naymes quoth the King I vnderstand well why you say this I well see and perceiue that you entend to none other end but to deliuer and quit Huon I had thought to haue entreated him by the order of iustice to the intent that none of you should haue reprooued mee therefore I ordained that he should haue beene iudged by you that bee the Péeres of France and I sée well you haue done nothing therein and therefore as long as
he will cause them to die an ill death Sir I require you beleeue my counsaile at this time for you knowe well that out of Fraunce you shall get no succor for if some would yet they dare not for doubt of King Charlemaine the hate that he hath to you is not yet quenched for the death of his sonne Charlot he will neuer forget and Sir if yée goe not to my brother for succour yée may happen to repent it and peraduenture it may be too late and doe as he doth that shutteth the stable dore when the horse is stollen Thus the faire Ladie Escleremond exhorted Duke Huon her husband whome shée loued entierly Chap. LXXXVII ¶ How Huon had great ioy for the birth of Claryet his Daughter WHen Huon had well heard his Wife hée said My right deare Ladie and Companion right well I know the great loue that you beare to mee the which hath constrayned you to say thus whereof I thanke you But by the Lord that vpon the Crosse died for to redeeme humane Lineage I will goe to no place nor send for any succours vntill I sée them before my Citie and that I haue cause to labour for succours nor vntill I feele the stroaks of Almaines and Bauiers that they can giue when they be out of their owne Countrey nor as longe as my sheeld is hole and found first I thinke they shall feele the sharpnesse of my Speares head and good Sword and yet by Gods grace I shall not abandon you nor leaue my City and good Burgesses for it might greatly bée layd to my reproach if I should thus goe away Alas Sir quoth Escleremond yée may well know that this that I haue said is for the feare that I haue of you for I haue béene well aduertised that the Emperour sore hateth you and not without cause for his Nephewes and Lords that yée haue slaine and therefore Sir if ye will beléeue me yée shall haue men to defend you brought hether by the king my brother so that when the Emperour is come into your land it shall lie in you either to make peace or warre at your will reason it were that you made him some amends for the hurts that yée haue done vnto him And on the other part if he will haue no peace thē it shall lie in you to make him such warre so that he shall not depart without your agréement and to his great losse Sir the feare that I haue to loose you constrayneth me thus to say I haue heard it often times said that the entrie into warre is large but the issuing out therof is very straight nor there is no warre but it causeth pouertie But séeing it is your pleasure not to beléeue me it is reason that I must be content that your pleasure shal be fulfilled then they entred into other deuises and great ioy feasts were made in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux between Huon and the Lordes of the Countrey At last the faire Ladie Escleremond who was great with child fell vpon trauayling and shée prayed to god for helpe and suffered great paine whereof Huon had great pitie whē he heard thereof for the loue betwéene them was excéeding great at last the Lady was brought to bed of a faire Daughter whereof Huon thanked God then entred into the Ladies chamber a great number of the Ladies of the Fairie and came to Escleremonds bed-side and said Ladie yée ought 〈◊〉 to thanke God for yée haue brought foorth the fairest best creature that as now is in the world and to whome our Lord god hath graunted most graces at her birth for a more faire me dest wise and courteous hath not béen borne this C. yéeres past for shée shall haue such destinie fortune in this world that of the Realme of Aragon shée shall bee crowned Quéene and shée shall so gouerne her selfe that shée shal be accounted of as if she were a Saint in Paradice At Tortouse there is the Church where she is honoured the which is founded in her name and is named Saint Clare Escleremond was ioyfull of the wordes of these Ladies of the Fairie and great ioy feasting was made euery where for the birth of this Child who was greatly regarded of the Ladies of the Fayrie and they said each to other that this Child was the fairest creature in all the world they tooke this Child each after other and blessed it thrée times then they layd it downe and departed suddainly so that no man wist not where they were become whereof all the Ladies and other had great maruaile This tidings was brought vnto Huon he was right ioyfull and sayd A worthy King Oberon I beleeue surely that as yet you haue not forgotten me now I doubt nothing the Emperour nor all his puissance séeing you haue remembraunce of mee Then Huon came into the Hall and thether his Daughter was brought vnto him to sée hée tooke her in his armes and shewed her to his Lords who were very ioyfull to sée her Then shee was borne to the Church and with great solemnitie christened and named Clariet bicause she was so faire and cleare to behold Then shee was brought to the Duchesse who had of her great ioy When the Duchesse had kept her Chamber a Moneth then she was churched whereof all the Court was ioyfull and such feasting was made that if I should shewe you the riches and noblenesse that was there shewed it should be ouer-long to rehearse Therefore I wil leaue speaking thereof at this time vntill another season Chap. LXXXVIII ¶ How the Emperour assembled a great hoast and came vnto Bourdeaux YE haue at large heard here before the manner and cause why this war was mooued betweene the Emperour of Almaine and Huon Duke of Bourdeaux the which after the Truce was expired that the Emperour was hole of his thigh that Huon had broken he published the war againe and sent ouer all his Empire that euerie Duke Earle Baron Knight and Squier should come to him and Souldiers from all parts and that within a Moneth they were to be at the Citie of Mayence to the entent to make warre vppon Huon of Bourdeaux This commaundement was published and such diligence was made that by the day appointed euerie man was come to the City of Mayence and lodged in the Citie and in Pauilions about the Citie there were assembled more then fortie Thousand and all men well appointed for the warre When this Emperour who was named Tirrey saw them he was verie ioyfull and sore threatned Huon and made promise to all his Barons that hee would neuer returne into his owne Countrey vntill hee had first slaine Huon who hadde doone him so great damage Then hee commaunded his Constables and Marshals to be readie to depart the next day to take the way towardes Coleyne with all his Artilerie and carriage the which was done The next day the Emperour entred into the feeld so road towards Coleyne
in the wound and incontinent he shall be whole When Huon heard that hee was right ioyfull and said that hee would keepe well that stone Sir quoth Barnard heere is another the which hath so great vertue that if a man or woman bée neuer so sicke shewe them but this stone and incontinent they shall be whole of any manner of maladie and also if a man were closed in prison in chaines and fetters handes and feet doe but touch them with this stone and the chaines shall breake and also if any man haue any cause to be pleaded in any Court before any Iudge be his matter rightfull or wrongfull hee shall winne his cause whether it bee for Landes or Goods and also if a man haue this stone in his hande and close it hee shall bee inuisible and may go whereas he list and shall not bee seene And you shall sée the proofe for as he had this stone in his hand he closed it and incontinent he was inuisible so that Huon could not see him whereof he was not content for he feared least that hee had lost his Cosen Barnard foreuer and sayd Ah good Lord thou hast giuen mee the grace to find my coosen Barnard who should haue kept me companie vntill I had returned into mine owne countrey and now I see well that I haue lost him When Barnard hearde Huon hee laughed and Huon who heard him groaped all about with his armes abroad vntill at last he embraced him and held him fast and when Barnard felt that hee opened his hande and then Huon sawe him againe whereof hee was right ioyfull and blessed him at the vertue of that stone and tooke it and layde it vp amonge the other in his bagge and sayd how that he would keepe that stone especially because it was of such a woonderfull great vertue Thus Barnard did choose out the stones one from another and there were so many good stones that the value of them coulde not be esteemed then hee turned vp the bottome of the grauell to seeke out the best and among other hee did choose out a Carbouncle the which cast out such a light as though twoo Torches had beene light Barnard tooke it and deliuered it vnto Huon and said Sir bee you sure that whosoeuer beares this stone vppon him may goe drie footed vppon the water as sure as though hee were in a Vessell and also if a man goe in the darke night he shall sée as well as though he had the light of sixe Torches and if a man bee in battaile hauing this stone about him hee cannot bee ouercome nor hurt nor his horse weari◠nor faint nor hurt nor wounded When Huon heard that hee smiled and tooke the stone and put into his bagge among the other Thus as they were deuising together there came vnto them diuers Marchants Sarazins who with great maruaile beheld this little shippe and they sawe it so faire and rich and so wel garnished with precious stones that they thought that all the marchandize that were in the Hauen was not halfe the value and woorth of that they sawe there then they approached vnto the shippe and saluted Huon and sayde Sirs is it your pleasure to sell vs any of your stones wee are heere diuers Marchants that will bee glad to buy of them if yee please Sirs quoth Huon as for mée as this day I will sell none vntill to morrow in the morning and then if it please yée you shall haue of them therewith the Marchants held their peace and spake no more but there came so many Sarazins and Paynims to behold the Shippe that great maruaile it was to behold them so that the newes thereof spread abroad in the City and the Admirall was aduertized thereof who incontinent accompanied with his Lords came to the Port side whereas this Ship lay at anchor When the Admirall was come thether he beheld the Ship the which hee thought faire and rich and how that there was neuer Kinge nor Emperour that euer behelde any such and it shined so cleare by reason of the stones that the Admirall and all such as were with him thought that it had been the Sunne shining in the middest of the day Then hée approached vnto the shippe and found there Huon and Barnard the Admirall saluted them and said Sirs it appeareth well that you be Christian men it is conuenient that you pay mee the Tribute that is accustomed to be payd in this Citie Sir quoth Huon it is good reason and right that we pay you as we ought to doe Sir heere is twoo stones the which I giue you and I desire you to take them in woorth the Admirall tooke the stones and beheld them well and said Fréend nowe you may goe and come into this Citie to make your marchandize at your pleasure to your most profite and gaine for the guift that you haue giuen me is to me more acceptable then if you had giuen mee the value of foure of the best Cities in all this Countrey right ioyfull was the Admirall for hee knewe well the vertue of the stones the one of them was of such bountie and dignitie that the bearer thereof could not bee poysoned nor no treason could be done nor purposed comming in the presence of him that beareth this stone but incontinent the dooer should fall downe dead and the other stone had that vertue and dignitie that the bearer thereof coulde neuer bee perished by fire nor water nor destroyed by yron for though hee were all a day burning in a hot Ouen or Fournace hee should not loose one haire of his head nor perish in the Sea Fréende quoth the Admirall the courtesie that you haue done vnto mee this day shall be well rewarded I will and commaund that throughout my Realme as well of Persia as of Media that you shall goe at your pleasure to sell your Marchandize and no man shall let nor trouble you but one thinge I would desire of you to shewe mee what aduenture hath brought you hether and of whence you bee and of what Countrey and in what place you haue founde these stones whereof you haue so great plentie howbeit I vnderstand your language whereby I knowe that you bee French-men longe agoe I was in Fraunce and dwelt there and serued in the Court of Kinge Charlemaine and was neuer knowne and I haue great maruaile where you haue found so many goodly stones it is neere hand a Hundred yeares since I was guirded with a Swoord but I neuer sawe so rich stones heere before Chap. CXV ¶ How the Admirall of Persia did great honor vnto Huon of Bourdeaux and ledde him into his Pallaice whereas he was receiued with great ioy and triumph WHen Huon of Bourdeaux had well heard and vnderstood the Admirall he regarded him much because hee was a faire olde man and séemed to be a noble man and sayd Sir because I knowe and sée apparantly in you great noblenesse troth and fréedome I shall
durst make no semblance to the contrarie they feared so much to displease him Then they went and tooke the Damsell whereas shee was Sirs quoth shee what will you doe with mee wherefore doe you take mée let mee goe if you will haue any thing with mee shew mée They sayd Damsell speake no more for your end is come you shall neuer see faire day more and when she saw that she was so taken with Tenne men who went threatning to slay her then shee cast out a great crie and desired God to ayd and succour her Then they bound the Damsels handes with a cord in such manner that her white tender skinne burst and they bound her so sore that the bloud dropped out at her nayles Sirs quoth she I crie you mercie little shall you winne to slay mee you shall doe great sin seeing I haue not deserued it Madame quoth they your wordes cannot auaile you the Kinge will not that you shall make auaunt to haue his Sonne in mariage for you shal be drowned in the Sea whether you will or not your wéeping shall not ayd you Then foure Ribaulds tooke and bound her and drew her by the haire of her head and led her toward the Sea-side to haue drowned her but often times it is sayd that which God will haue saued cannot be perished The same season Florence was in the Battaile whereas hee fought with his enemies and Sir Peter of Aragon had taken many Prisoners and hee came vnto Florence and sayd Ah Sir I require you to let vs returne to the Citie and bee content with that you haue done this day for yonder you may sée comming al the whole Hoast of the Nauarnes against whom it is not possible for vs to endure for they are more then thréescore Thousand men and they all hate vs to the death you haue done ynough ought to be content if they take you none can saue your life Coozen quoth Florence I pray you before I depart let mee Iust once with mine Vncle the kinge of Nauarre whome I haue promised to yéeld as Prisoner vnto the king my Father and thereby I shall haue in mariage the faire Damsell my Loue and for the loue of that faire Damsell I shal make many a Nauernoys to loose their liues Sir quoth Peter since you desire your owne death I am right sorrie thereof but I will no longer tarie héere for it is not possible for vs to tarie héere without we will bee slaine wilfully and I haue héere many Prisoners I will go lead them into the Citie and then I shall returne again vnto you to the entent that if either I or you be taken Prisoner by them wee may bee redéemed againe Then Peter went to the Citie with all his Prisoners and when he was come into the Citie hee heard a great noise about the Market place whereof hee had great maruaile and went thether and then hee sawe there foure foule Villaines drawing the faire Damsell Clariet towardes the Sea-side to drowne her When he saw that hee was neuer so sorrowfull in all his life before and incontinent did let goe his Prisoners and drew out his sword and cryed vnto them that led the damsell Ah yée false Théeues let the Damsell go whom I brought from beyond the Sea yée did neuer such folly in all your liues and therewith hée strake the first with his Sword in such sort that his head slewe from his bodie and the second hee claue to the téeth and the third and fourth hee slewe When the faire Ladie saw the Earle Peter right pitifully she beganne to crie and said Sir I require you to haue pitie of me and help and ayde mee as you haue done before this time neither Lorde nor Maister I haue none but you Sir for Gods sake vnbind me and put me out of this paine that I am in Then Peter went to the Damsell and cut the cords asunder wherewith she was bound and for the sorrow that she was in shée fell downe in a swound then Peter tooke her vp and sayde Faire Damsell be of good chéere for I shall helpe to saue you the faire Ladie wept pitiously and sayd to her selfe Ah Huon of Bourdeaux my déere Father the great paines and pouerties that you were woont to suffer you haue left mee now Inheritour to the same alas I know not where you nor my Mother is I beléeue that I shall neuer sée you more Then Peter of Aragon tooke the Damsell by the hand and led her to his lodging in the Town then he went to the Pallaice whereas hee found Kinge Garyn vnto whome he sayd Ah thou old doating foole wherefore or for what cause wouldest thou haue slaine the Damsell and she is none of yours she is mine I wanne her vppon the Sea and saued her life you can make no claime to her Thus as Peter spake to the King there entred into the Pallaice two Knights and they sayd to the King Sir before you is the Earle Peter your Coozen who hath deliuered and rescued the new-found Damsell and hath slaine the Foure men that should haue drowned her in the Sea When King Garyn saw the Earle before him he sayd Why wert thou so hardy as to slay my men for dooing of my commaundement Then hee cried to his men and saide Sirs I charge you take this Villaine héere who hath done mee this offence for I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart vntill I sée him hanged a hye vppon a Rocke Then his men stept forth to haue taken the Earle Peter and when hee sawe that he approached néere vnto him hee drew his sword and claue the head of the first to the téeth and he slew the second third and fourth he beat downe more to the earth then the other that fled away so that there was none that durst approach néere vnto him for they were all vnarmed and hee well armed then hée came to the King and sayd Ah thou false old Dotard full of sin and out-rage how dare you thinke to bee such an out-rage you are not worthy to beare a crown your Sonne Florence ought to haue it for a Traytour ought to hould no Realme full déerely you shall abuy the ill will of the Damsell and the more to make him abashed hee made semblance to runne vppon the King with his sword who for feare of him ran into his Chamber and shut fast the dore after him and the Earle Peter standing without sore threatned the king then the King said Coozen Peter I crye you mercie if I haue done euill I am readie to make amendes at your pleasure I was sore displeased with my Sonne and therefore I thought to be reuenged vpon her that hath caused all this I shall make amendes but by the grace of God my Sonne shall neuer haue her in marriage to die therefore I will neuer consent that a new-found Damsell should bée Inheritour of such a Kingdome as the Realme of Aragon is Then Sir
Peter answeared and sayd Sir beware blame her no more bee content with that you haue done alreadie it may be that the Damsell is of as hy a Lineage as your Sonne wherefore such time may come that you may be déerely rewarded peraduenture the Damsell was stollen away by some ill Tyrant shee hath béen ill entertained with you when you would so cruelly haue slaine her Cozen quoth the Kinge the matter is ill come to passe for her sake you haue slaine many of my men the which I pardon you but as for the Damsell I will set her in prison in a Tower out of the which she shall not depart and I will shew my Sonne that shee is drowned in the Sea and I will kéepe her in prison till my Sonne hath forgotten her or else hath taken another wife then I will deliuer her and send her into some other Countrey whereas she shal be better entertained When the Earle Peter heard the King say so he agréed to his saying and thought that aduise to bee good and was content with that he had saued her life then the King opened the chamber dore and so came into the Pallaice then he sent for the damsell and then shee was set in prison in a Tower and the Kinge commaunded to a secret Seruant that hee shoulde sée that the Damsell should want nothtng for her liuing and charged him vppon paine of his life to kéepe the matter secret and hee charged all those that knewe thereof in any wise to shewe Florence his Sonne nothinge of her Then hee closed vp the dore with stone to the entent that shee shoulde not yssue out and left nothing open but a little windowe towards the Towne of Courtoys wherein her meate was put other windowes there were opening vppon the fields the which gaue great ligght into the house Thus the faire Ladie Clariet was closed vp into the Tower whereas shee hadde good leasure to wéepe and wayle Now let vs leaue speaking of the Ladie and speake of Florence who was in the Battaile Chap. CLIIII ¶ How Florence discomfited his enemies and tooke the King of Nauarre and led him into the Towne and deliuered him to the King his Father and howe Florence deliuered him againe quit because that his Father shewed vnto him that the faire Damsell was drowned YE haue well heard heere before how the Earle Peter of Aragon departed from Florence and returned into the Citie for he could not cause Florence to leaue the battaile whereas hee did maruailes for the loue of the faire Ladie Clariet whome he trusted to wed hee slew so many of his enemies that the fields were couered with the dead bodies When the king of Nauarre his Vncle sawe that hee was right sorrowfull to see his men so slaine then hee came against Florence his Nephewe and sayd Ah thou vnkind Nephewe cursed bee you I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart as long as I see thee aliue thou hast done me this day great dammage I had rather dye an ill death then not to be reuenged of thée wherefore I require thee to Iust with me I challeng thy Land the which shal be mine thou shalt neuer be Lord thereof Florence answeared and sayd I shall not refuse the Iustes then hee put vp his sword and tooke a great speare and so ran against the king his Vncle and the king came against him and they met together so rudely that the Kinges Speare brake all to péeces but Florence Speare was bigge wherewith he strake the kinge so rudely that hee fell to the earth with his feete vpward and he fell so sodenly that he lay in a traunce and before hee could bee recouered Florence tooke him by the ventale of his helmet and sayd Nauarre before I sleepe I shal deliuer you Prisoner into the handes of a faire Damsell whome I loue entirely for in all the world there is none like her in beautie if you refuse thus to doe with my Sworde I shall incontinent strike off your head from the shoulders the king sayd hee was content to fulfill his pleasure and to yéeld himselfe Prisoner Then Florence tooke his Sworde from him and made him to mount vppon his horse and to ride before him towardes the Towne and deliuered him to the keeping of Tenne knightes and Florence road after with his sword in his hand all bloudie the crie and noyse beganne to bee great among the Nauarnes they enforced them on all parts to haue rescued their king but they coulde not come in time for by that time Florence was within the gates of the Citie whereas hee was right ioyfully receiued When the Nauarnes sawe howe they lost their labour and how their king was entred into the Citie they were right sorrowfull and came before the Barriers and skirmished and wan but little and so returned with small profit and sorrowfull for the losse that they had receiued that day for the fieldes were couered with dead men Thus they returned to their Tents and Pauillions and the Aragons entred into the Citie of Courtoys with great ioy and when they were in the Citie then Florence tooke the king of Nauarre his Vncle by the hand and led him to the Pallaice and there alighted and went into the Hall whereas he found king Garyn his Father who hadde great ioy of his comming When he saw his Sonne Florence bring his enemie Prisoner he embraced his Sonne and sayd My right déere Sonne I am right ioyfull of your comming Father quoth Florence I haue done so much by the ayd of our Lord Iesus Christ that I haue taken your enemie Prisoner whom I render into your handes to do with him at your pleasure Nowe I will that you kéepe your promise with mée séeing I haue quit mine now it is time that you deliuer vnto me the Damsell whom I shall make Quéen and Ladie after your decease When the king vnderstood his Sonne he was all in a rage and said Faire Sonne leaue thy folly and take such a Wife according to thine estate and thinke no more of that new Fondling for know for troth I haue caused her to be cast into the Sea whereas shee is drowned Thou art a Foole to thinke that I will suffer after my decease that a poore Caitiffe new-found should bee Ladie and Quéene crowned of such a Realme beware in as much as thou thinkest to displease me that thou bee not so hardy as to speake or remember any more the new-found Damsell When Florence heard the Kinge his Father say howe the Damsell was drowned in the Sea his bloud mounted into his face and his heart was so oppressed and so heauie that he had no power to speake and such a maruailous colde sweat tooke him that there was no vaine nor member in his bodie but trembled for anger and sorrow that was in him so that he had no power to sustaine himselfe but fell downe to the earth in a great traunce in such sort that euerie man there
the Castle thinking to haue won it but they found there such defence and resistance that that which they did there was small to their profit yet the assault endured vntill the next day and at last they were constrained to withdraw from the Castle a great space Florence who was within cryed to them and sayd Ah yée false Villaines yée haue slaine my men but if God suffer me to liue their deathes shall bee déerely bought When the Paynims saw that they could not attaine to the Castle they blew the retrait euerie man returned to their owne house Then Sorbarre said to Florence and his company Sirs I aduise you to leape on your horses for now the Paynims are returned to their Lodgings wearie of their trauaile and many of them sore hurt and they are in great feare I know their conditions well ynough and because that after trauaile labour a man is féeble and full of feare and nowe euerie man is in his owne house and vnarmed to be at their ease therefore I counsaile that incontinent we yssue out and set vpon the Towne Then Florence and all the other sayd Sir as you haue deuised we are readie to doe it for a more noble counsaile was neuer giuen Then euerie man made him readie yssued out of the Castle and Florence and Sorbarre went before them and rested not vntill they were entred into the Town for their entring could not bee defended because the Castle ioyned to a corner of the Towne then they made a great crie and spread abroad in the Towne and put in fire in diuers places and slewe downe the Paynims in the stréets and Market places finally they did so much by force of armes that they brought the Towne vnder their subâ—ection and the Inhabitants thereof all slaine and all the Christian Prisoners rescued who had great ioy when they saw Florence their Lord whome they thought had béene dead Great riches that day was wonne in that Towne the which was giuen and parted vnto them that had deserued it and Florence gaue to the Christian Prisoners great riches Thus when the Towne was wonne and the riches thereof put into their Shippes they all departed and sette fire on all the Citie then they went into the Castle whereas the Damsell Clariet was who had great ioy when she saw Florence her Louer and then Sorbarre who had great desire to depart from thence tooke all the Treasure riches and had it into their ships and victualled them with all thinges necessary then when it was day in the morning they departed from the Castle and went to their Ships with great ioy Florence holding his Loue by the hande said vnto her Deere Loue king Garyn my Father hath sent to seeke for me all about both by land and by water and these that bee come heere with these Shippes were sent forth by the Kinge my Father to search for me When the Damsell heard that Florence would bring her againe to his Father she hadde great feare and said Sir yâ—u know right well the great hate and displeasure that your Father hath to you and me for God sake sir let vs goe some other way Déere Loue quoth Florence haue no feare of my Father for if you had shewed your nâ—me what you bee before this time it had eased vs of much paine Ah Sir quoth shee it is not as you wéene it were Well quoth Florence it is sufficient for me as it is then they 〈◊〉 vp their sayles and so sayled vntill they were farre off 〈◊〉 that Land and Sorbarre was right ioyfull in that he had saued the Christian men and for the loue of Florence he forsooke his owne lawe and his countrey then hee sayd vnto Florence Sir my bodie and goods I abandon to you in such wise that I shall neuer leaue you for life nor death Sir quoth Florence of the goodnesse and troth that you haue shewed mee I thanke you and I shall neuer haue penny worth but the halfe shall be yours Now let vs leaue speaking of them sayling ioyfully vppon the Sea towards Aragon and let vs speake of king Garyn who was besieged within the Citie of Courtoys by his brother in lawe the king of Nauarre Chap. CLXI ¶ How King Huon Kinge of the Fayrey sent two of his Knightes to the two Kinges and how he appeared betweene them with a great number and of the Peace that he made between them WEll haue yee heard before how that after the King of Nauarre had taken King Garyn prisoner and that Truce was taken for a certaine space and then each of them to shew their powers so it fell that two daies before the breaking vp of the truce and that their ayds and puissances were assembled together the one partie within the Citie and the other without with the Kinge of Nauarre who sore threatned King Garyn because hee had banished away his Sonne Florence his Nephew and sayd that hée had rather die then such an ill King should not be punished this King of Nauarre had assembled such a number of people that the Valleys and Hils were couered with men of warre the night before the Truce brake vppe there was hearde in the ayre a fearefull voice the which when it began to speake the earth trembled and thundred and lightned in such sort that all they that were assembled aswell they within as without had such feare that they were likely to haue run away Then the voice began to speake and sayd Sirs ye that be here in the field readie to fight of both parties make no hast to ioyne together in Battaile for such ayd and succour shal be sent to you both that yee shal be all ioyfull Therewith the voice passed away and was heard no more whereby both parties were abashed all the night they were at their prayers beséeching God to ayd succour them King Garyn was sore abashed when he heard the voice and said Oh good Lorde if these people that are assembled bee slaine by my meanes for me my soule shall be lost for euer Alas my Son Florence I was ill counsailed when I chased you away from me and I did great sin when I put you in prison I am wearie of my life it is no matter though I die and I am more sorrie for you my déere Sonne whome I haue betrayed and driuen away without a cause alas by my meanes this Realme will be wasted and destroyed the which you ought to haue after me Therewith he swounded among his Lordes so that they all thought he had béene dead whereof they sore complained and at last the king came againe to himselfe then his Lordes comforted him and so bad him to heare Seruice and after seruice there appeared sodenly before him two goodly young Knightes the one was Gloriant and the other Mallabron they were twoo Knights of the Fayrey then they all smiling saluted the King and sayd Royall King Huon of Bourdeaux saluteth thée
they concluded for the sauegard of the damsels bodie that this ancient Lady should beare to her the apparell of a man and that at the houre of midnight she should array her therewith and then shew her and let her goe out of the Pallaice and come to the stable whereas she shall find me readie with the best horse that her Father hath readie for her to leape vppon When the ancient Ladie vnderstood Sorbarre she was right ioyfull and thought his counsaile good and then she departed and made readie all the apparell belonging to a man then she came to the Damsell Ides Chamber and shewed her the conclusion that was taken betweene her and Sorbarre When the Damsell heard that she had great ioy at her heart and she clipped and kissed her the Ladie was glad when she saw her somwhat comforted and sayd Faire Ladie the Kinge your Father hath ordained a bath for you therefore goe thether and hath with other Damsels to the intent that the Kinge doe not suspect any thinge and when you haue bathed you a certaine space lette your bed be made readie and when you are in your Chamber goe to your bed and then commaund me and all the Damsels to goe and bath vs I shall kéepe them there so long a space that they shall haue good list to sleepe and I shall leaue heere by your bed-side all your mans apparell and array you therein and then guird this sword about you and put on your spurres and when you are out of the Pallaice goe to the Stables where you shall finde a horse readie for you Then they went into the bathing Chamber and shee in her smocke readie to goe into the bath and all the other Damsels were ioyfull when they saw her come thether for they thought she had been gone to sléepe because of the displeasure that shee hadde at her heart then they sayd one to another it seemeth that our Ladie is well appeased of her sorrow me thinkes to morrow she shall be Ladie and Quéene and she shall bee wife and Daughter to the King her Father the which is a thing vnreasonable then they came to her and bathed her feasted her as much as they might When the Ladie I de thought that it was time to depart she sayd to her Mistresse and to the other Damsels howe shee had bathed her ynough and that she would go into her Chamber to sleepe and bad all the other to go and bath them and that there should no moe goe with her but two of them to haue her to bed and she sayd to her Mistresse that she should goe and bring her with the Damsels the which thing they did ioyfully the damsell departed and went into her Chamber wrapped in a Mantle of scaâ—let When the two Damsels had brought her to bed they tooke leaue of her and departed and closed the dore after them and then they went and bathed them with others and when the Damsell I de felt her selfe all dry she rose and arrayed her in the mans apparell aswel as she could and tooke the sword and guirt it about her put on her spurres and then she went to a great low window on the Garden-side and there she leapt out into the Garden as priuily as she could and so went along by the wall side vntill she came to the Posterne then shee went out towards the Stable and when she came there shee found a horse readie in Sorbarres hand and at the pommell of the saddle a bagge full of bread and flesh two bottels of good wine Then the Damsell tooke the horse and without any word speaking shee leapt vp quickely then Sorbarre all wéeping saide My déere Daughter God bee thy guide and bring thée to sauegard goe thy way and kéepe the way vpon thy left hand and follow the Sea-side Sir quoth she for the goodnes you haue shewed me God reward you into whose sauegard I commend you thus departed this noble Ladie Ide to eschew and flye from the ill and dishonorable will of her Father and she entred into the Forrest kéeping no hye way and so she road thrée daies along the wood vntill she thought well that she was farre from her Countrey Nowe let vs lâ—aue speaking of her vntill wée haue occasion to returne to her againe and lette vs speake of King Florence her Father Chap. CLXVI ¶ Howe King Florence was sorrowfull when he was aduertised of his Daughters departing who was apparelled like a man and howe shee came into Almaine and howe shee found certaine Theeues in a Forrest and how shee came to Rome to the Emperour like a Squier YE haue heard here before in this Historie howe King Florence of Aragon would haue his owne Daughter the Damsell Ide in mariage against the will of al his Lords and people after that he had spoken with her and commanded the bath to be ordred for her to the intent that the next day to haue her in mariage The night approached and after Supper the King went to his bed and the next morning betimes tidings was brought to the King how the King of Nauarre was come to sée him the King went to méete him and made him great chéere so came together to the Pallaice and then incontinent it was shewed the King how his daughter was fledde away whereof the King was so sorrowfull and angrie that no man durst speake a word to him and hee went into his Daughters Chamber and there he found the Ladies and Damsels that had the kéeping of her the King would haue run vpon them if the King of Nauarre had not béene who letted him and blamed him much when hee knew the cause of her departing and what the King would haue done then came the Horse-kéeper to the King and sayd howe his good horse was stollen away the same night Then the King as a man desperate commaunded on all sides men to ride after her and whosoeuer could bringe his Daughter againe or else sure tidinges of her he promised to giue him a Thousand Florents of gold There were many that for loue of that monney road foorth to the number of thrée hundred they road diuers wayes but there was none of them that could bring any tidinges of her and so returned to the King who was sorowfull when he could heare nothing of her Great lamentations there was made in the Citie for the going away of the Damsell because of the feare that she had of her Father and road vpon the good horse in the day time shee would rest her in the woods and in the night shee would ride foorth Thus shee paâ—â—ed all the Prâ—uinces of Aragon and she passed into Lombardy of her iourneys and aduentures I will make no mention because she found nothing in the way to let her she road so long that shee approached to the Countrey of Almaine and when she came there her monney fayled her whereby she was constrained to sell her horse for