¶ The right plesaunt and goodly Historie of the foure sonnes of Aimon the which for the excellent endytyng of it and for the notable Prowes and great vertues that were in them is no les pleasaunt to rede then worthy to be knowen of all estates bothe hyghe and lowe ☞ The Prologue AS the Philosopher in the fyrst booke of hys methafysyque sayth that euery man naturally desireth to know and to con newe thynges â–ª And therfore haue the Clerkes people of great vnderstandynge desyred and coueite to lerned sciences and to know vertues of thinges Some by Phylosophy other by Poetrye and other by Historyes and cronyckes of thynges passed And vpoÌ„ these three they haue greatly laboured in suche that thanked be God by theyr good dylygence and laboures they haue had greate knowledge by innumerable volumes of bookes whiche haue be made and compyled by great studye payne vnto thys day And bycause that aboue all thinges the princes lordes of hie estate and entendement desyre to see thy storyes of the ryght noble and hye vertues of the prodecessours whiche ben digne and worthy of remembraunce of perpetuall recommendacion Therfore lace at the request and commaundement of the ryght noble and vertus Erle Iohn Erle of Oxeforde my good synguler and especial lorde I reduced translated out of Frenche into our maternall and Englyshe tongue the lyfe of one of his predecessoures named Robert Erle of Oxeforde tofore sayd which diuerse many great myracles whiche God shewed for him as wel in his lyfe as after his death as it is shewed all a longe in hys sayde booke And also that my sayd Lorde desyreth to haue other Hystories of olde tyme passed of vertues chyualry reduced in lykewyse into our Englishe toÌ„gue he late sent to me a booke in Frenche conteynyng thactes and faytes of warre do one and made agaynst the great Emperour and king of Fraunce Charlemayne by the .iiii. sonnes of Aymon other wyse named in Frenche Les quatre sylz Aymon whyche booke accordynge to hys request I haue endeuorde me to accomplyshe and to reduce it into our englyshe to my great coste and charges as in the translatinge as in enprynting of the same hopyng not doubtyng but that hys good grace shall rewarde me in suche wise that I shal haue cause to pray for his good and prosperus welfare And besechynge his said noble good grace to pardon me of the rude and this simple worke For accordyng to the coppy whyche he seÌ„t to me I haue folowed as nigh as I can and where as any defaute shall be founde I submyt me to the correccion of them that vnderstande the cronycle hystory besethyng theÌ„ to correcte it amende there as they shall fynde faute And I shall praye almighty God for them that so doo to rewarde them in suche wyse that after this shorte and transytory lyfe we all may come to euerlastyng lyfe in heuen Amen ¶ Thus endeth the prologue ⧠Heere foloweth the Table of this presente booke WHo that wyll know the history of the foure noble and worthye knyghtes named the foure sonnes of Aymon wherof the fyrste was called Reynawde the seconde Alarde the thyrde Guychard and the fourthe Rycharde let hym first reade this presente table folowynge In whiche men shall fynde that thys presente booke conteyneth .xxviii. chapytres which speaken of many faire and dyuerse matters whiche they that shall reade thys sayde chapytres shall mowe see the history all alonge And ye shall see in this fyrst chapytre howe that after kynge Charlemayne was come agayne from the partyes of Lombardy where he had had great and merueyllouse battaylles ayenste the sarasyns he helde vpon whitsoâ—daye open courte at Parys where was a fayre felawshyp of Prynces and Barons as ye shall heare after alonge And in the same chapitre ye shall also see howe the same daye the duke Aymon of Ardeyne broughte to the courte hys foure sonnes that is to wit Reynawde Alarde Guichard and Richarde and howe kynge Charlemayne made theim knyghtes wyth his owne handes also howe the duke Benes of Aigremounte slewe Lohier the eldest sonne of kyng Charlemain the duke benes was vncle to the foure soÌ„nes of Aimon and after how the duke Benes of aygremount was slaine coming to Parts by the commaundemente of kinge Charlemayne after that he had appointed for the death of his sonne And also in this first chapitre men shal nowe see many other faire matters whiche were to longe for to be reherced in this preambule of this present booke fol. i. THe seconde Chapyter sheweth howe Grysson of hauitefelle and Guenes after that they had slayne the Duke Benes of Aygremount-retourned to Parys and recounted to kynge Charlemayn the mortall treason that they had put to execucyon wherof the kynge was ryghte glad and syn after he was ryghte sorye for it For after that the two bretherne of the Duke Benes made great warre ayenst him and so dyd Gerarde of Rousillon and Dron and Mawgys the sonne of the duke Benes and after they made peace and accorded togyther But the kinge Charlemain accorded not with the foure sonnes of aimon nor to their cosin Mawgys ⧠Item howe Reynawde slew the neuew of king Charlemayne with a chesse boorde as they plaied togyther at the chesse wherof the warre began the whiche was so mortall and lasted so longe that it bare a great dommâ—ge to the realme of fraunce fol. xiii THe thirde chapitre speaketh how after that kynge Charlemayne hadde made all his barons to forsake the foure sonnes of aymon He went and besyeged them at mouÌ„tenforde where he was discomfyted two tymes but the castelle of MouÌ„tenforde was taken after that by treason And after howe Reynawde and his bretherne auenged theim of the traytoures that betrayed theym And after saued theym selfe wythin the forest of Ardeyne where theyr father found theÌ„ as he went from the syege towarde his londe of Dordon And howe for to keep his othe that he had made to kynge Charlemayne He dyd assayle hys sonnes so that of fyue hundred menne that they were there abod on liue with his sonnes but xvii persones But Reynawd and his brethern had none euil but slew many of their fathers men fol. xvi THe fourth chapytre sheweth how after that the olde Aimon had discomfyted his chyldern they went and dwelled in the depest of the forest of Ardeyne and abode there tyll that they were al counterfayte blacke and roughe as wilde beastes for the greate hungre that they had suffred and after they went to Dordon for to see their father that made them good chere and feasted them greately And gaue them of hauoyre so muche that they myghte well make war with ayenst the king and howe Mawgis their cosyn arryued whan that they should haue departed whiche went with theym in to the realme of Gascoygne with fyue hundred knightes And whan theyr mother sawe them departe she was for it full sorye fol. xxxi THe fyfthe
the head that was smytteÌ„ of from the body and the face that was all to Hewen Ha good Lorde sayd he how well maye I be made now al quicke well I ought for to hate the duke Benes of AygremouÌ„te that thus hath murdered my sonne he than kissed his childe al bloudiful often and said vnto him in this wise Ha faire sonne ye were a talle man and a gentil knight Now praye I the puyssant God of glorye that he take your soule this yf it be his pleasure into hys Realme of Paradyse Great sorow made the kyng Charlemayne for the death of his sonne Lohier But alwayes recomforted him the good Duke Naymes And theÌ„ Ogyer the Dane and Sampson of Bourgoyne tooke him vnder the armes of him and ledde him vnto saynt Germayne of the medowes And there the bodye of Lohier was buried and enoynted with balme as it apperteyneth vnto all the sonnes of kinges Thus was he put into hys graue God haue of hys Soule mercy WE shall bene heere to speake of the good king Charlemayne that was moch sori of his sonne Lohier as ye haue heard and shall tell you of the good Duke Aymon of Reynawde his sonne and of his three bretherne that were at Parys My children sayd Aymon ye know how the Kynge Charlemayne is moche wrothe and not without a cause by cause that my brother your vnkle hath slaine Lohier his sonne And I wote well that he shall go vpon him with all his puyssaunce but verelye we shall not go wyth him But rather shall we goe to Dordon and yf the Kyng make warre agaynst hym we shall helpe him with all our power So lyghted anon on horsebacke the good duke Aymon the foure knightes his children and bayted no wher tyll they came to Laon from theÌ„s they rode so longe tyll they came to Dordon And whan the Lady sawe her Lorde and her foure children she was right glad and went against them for to welcom them and asked after tydinges and yf Raynawde hys other childeren were made knightes Than the good duke answered yea and after she asked why they were departed fro the kinges court And than he rehersed vnto her word by word how hys brother the duke Benes had slayne Lohier the sonne of the Kinge Charlemayne Wherof the good Lady Margery was wondeâ—full wrothe and sorye For well she knew that this death of Lohier was the totalle dystruccion of the Duke Aymon her housbande of her self and of her childerne and of their lande She heard Renawde her eldest Sonne that thretened Charlemayne the great Kynge then sayd to hym the Ladye hys Mother My Sonne Reynawde I pray thee vnderstande me alytle Loue thy souerayne and thy naturall Lorde and dread him aboue all thinge and bere him honour and reuereÌ„ce And God shall rewarde thee for it and ye my Lorde Aymon I am moche maruelled of you that are departed from Charlemayne without leaue of him the hath doone to you so moche good and so great worship and hath geueÌ„ to your sonnes so noble and so riche armes and hath made them knightes with his owne handes more great honour he might not doo to you nor to your childreÌ„ Lady said the Duke we be thus departed froÌ„ King Charlemayne because that my brother hath slayne his sonne as I haue tolde you afore A God sayd the Lady that of the virgin was borne in bethlehem howe hath that euyll thys day surmounted the good For goddes loue my Lorde sayde the Ladye medle not withall For ye shall see this next soÌ„mer that the kinge shall go vpon your brother by my counsell serue the kynge your rightwyse Lorde nor fayle him for nothynge For and ye doo otherwyse ye shall be vntrew and false towarde your Souerayne and naturall Lorde Lady sayd the duke by god omnipotente I wold leuer haue lost my castell and the halfe of my lande than that my brother should haue slayne Lohier Now the wyl of god be done therin and none other wyse TO speake of the good Duke Aymon of DordoÌ„ and of his wife the duchesse and of theyr soÌ„nes we shal heere leue shall returne to speake of kynge Charlemayne that was come agayne to parys makiÌ„g great sorowe for his sonne Lohier There had you seene many a gowne torne broken many a hande wrongen and manye heares of the head pulled so that it was piti and wonder for to se Alas mi dere sonne said kyng Charlemayne he that hath slayne thee so cruelly loued me but lytle I shall neuer be in quiete nor in reste till that I haue take vengeaunce of thy death Syr sayd the duke Bauyere haue mercy of your selfe For it behoueth not so great a prince as ye be for to make so great sorow as ye doo And in the meane whyle came a messenger afore the kynge which shewed to him howe Aymon Duke of Dordon his foure soÌ„nes were gon into their countrie wherof the kyng was sore an angred and wrothe And sware god and saynt Denis the afore he sholde dye that Aymon and his chylderen sholde abye full sore for it that the duke Benes of AygremouÌ„te sholde not kepe them therfro The dyner was redy they wasshed their handes and were set at dinner but wyt it that the kynge dyd eate but lytle as he that was in greate melancolye the fayre Salamon serued that day afore hym the cuppe great people was there After diner the Emperour Charlemayne did reason with his barons and sayd to theÌ„ lorde sayd he the duke Benes of Aygremount hath doone to me greate outrage that so shamefully hath slayne my sonne Lohier But and it please God I shall go wreke it vpon hym this next somer and I shall destroye all his land and yf I may take him I shall not leaue hym for the duke Aymon the shamefullye is gone from mee nor for his foure sonnes that I haue made knightes wherof I me repente sore but that I shall make them to be hanged Syr sayd than the duke Naymes nowe heare what I shal say to you your soÌ„ne is dead by great vnhap well in an euill hour was he put to death for neuer death was so sore solde ne so dere bought as this shal be So sende nowe for your folke through all your londes and than from hens toward Aygremounte take your waye And yf ye may take the Duke Benes let the death of your soÌ„ne Lohier be to him ful dere soulde NAymes sayd the kynge ye be a good man sage curtoyse valyaunt euen thus shall I doo for well wysely ye haue counselled me Than gaue he leaue to many of hys barons and gentil men that were in his courte at that time tolde them that eche of them should go into his countrie for to make them self redy and that they should come agayne to him the next sommer So was it doone as the kynge had commaunded And thus wente the barons and the gentil men from
sore angred and sayd to hys brethern what shall we doo here for yf we tary any lenger we shall all be brent or taken and yf it were not the fyre that thus warreth agaynst vs I make myne a uowe to god that we should yet caste this folke out of thys castell but syn that the fyre is in it we cannot kepe it no lenger And than he sayd to his bretherne come all after me they went to the fausebray that was all wayes open and yssued out he his brethern his folke with them and whan they were out than were they more abasshed than they were afore for they wyst not whether to goe Now heare how they dyd as worthy knightes For whā they saw the castell brenne they entred wythin a pyt that was there vnder the erthe for feare of the fyre set the dore vpon them there they began to defēd themselfe so strongly that none entred therein but he lost anon hys head And whan Hernyer the traytour was aware of the same he tooke his folke with him came to the pyt began to assayle Reynawde sharply and his brethern and al they that were therin with them wyt it that there at thentre of the sayd pyt were made great faytes of armes for they of within defended themself so wel that none myght come in but he were dead anon ¶ Whyle that the foure sonnes of Aymon were in that pyt vnder therthe they hearde the crye that his men made the whiche Hernyer made to be slayne Than began Reynawde to sai to his brethern Lordes let vs go succour our folke for and they should thus dye it were to vs a great blame Syr sayd hys bretherne goe in goddes name whan it please you and whan they were come out of the pitte the batayle began to be there ful terryble for ye should haue seen Reynawde his brethern gyue there great strokes and manye For Reynawde smote so merueyllouse strokes wyth hys swerd Flamberge the whyche did cut al that he rought For Reynawde was all wrothe and for great angre he habandoned and Ieoparded both lyfe and gooddes And therefore he bare greate hurte and harme to hys enemyes For he had cast hys Sheelde ouer hys backe and helde his swerde Flamberge wyth both his handes made so great destruccion of the folke of Charlemaine that the place was al full of bloud And whan Reynawde saw that theyr enemyes were sore abasshed and that they durste not abyde him he sayd to his brethern It was to vs great cowardnes to hyde vs so Syr sayd Alarde ye say trouthe Than sayd Reynawde My Lordes my brethern let vs to doo well For traitours ben good to ouercom they shall not now endure longe agaynst vs. And whan he had sayde these wordes he came to that gate of the castel and the fyre was a lytle quenched and maugre al his enemyes he shee the gate of that doungeon and had vp the draw bridge of the sayde castel And whā he had doone this he came agayne to the batayle found his brethern that slewe and beate downe so many knyghtes and bare themselfe so worthelye that it was maruayle for to see For they smote no stroke but they slew a man THan was Hernyer the traytour in the medle within the doungeon whereof Reynawde had locked the gate and drawen the bridge and the good Reynawde saw that he was safe of the hoste of Charlemayne and began to put hymselfe in the medle so sharpely that he dyd so muche he and hys brethern that of the folke of Charlemayne that were wythin the doūgeon abode of thē aliue but Hernier and .xii. other and whan Reynawde saw that they were all dead he and hys bretherne and hys folke tooke Hernyer and the .xii other And than Reynawde did doo make agybet vpon one of the hyghest towres and there he made to be hanged the .xii. men And made Hernier to be bound his foure membres that is to wyt feete and handes to foure horse tayles And so he was drawen all quicke and quartered in foure peeces as a traytour ought to be doone vnto And whan Hernier was dead Reynawde dyd make a great fyre and made hym to be cast therein and as he was al together brent he made the asshes of hym to be cast in the ayre to the wynde ¶ And heere ye may see how the traytours that wolde betraye Reynawde were dead and slayne For they were punysshed as they had deserued THan whan king Charlemayne wyst that his folke were thus dead and that he should not haue Reynawde nor his brethern he was sore angry therfore and sayd to him selfe Ha good God lorde how am I euyll dealed wythall by this foure knyghtes bretherne I dyd my selfe great harme whan euer I made thē knyghtes And it is often sayd that men make often a rod for them self And that I may well nowe take to me For theyr vncle slewe my sonne Lohyer and Reynawde my neuewe Berthelot that I loued so deerelye and yet nowe he hath hanged my men and many of them slayne Well I myght call my selfe vnhappye whan I that am the moste puyssaūt of the worlde cannot auenge me of the foure symple knyghtes I shall neuer departe from hens till that I be auenged or els they shal ouercomme and all mine armye Syr sayde Folques of Morillō ye haue a good cause why and Reynawde is a foole that he fereth you not For if he had doubted you he should not haue hanged your men but he hath doone so in dispyte of you Thā sayd the Duke Naymes of banyer had ye beleued me ye should not haue lost your men ye wolde beleue Hernier it is happed of it as ye see Now beholde your folke the ben shaking with the winde ANd whan thēperour Charlemayne vnderstoode this that the duke Naymes sayde to hym He knew that he sayd trouth and wyste not what he should say to it but looked downe all ashamed This hanging Reynawde hys brethern are gone vpon the walles and looked aboute them and sawe that the base courte of the castell brenned there as their vitailes were Then began reynawde to say to his bretherne fayre lordes the thinge goeth well syth that we ben scape thanked be god from so perillous and harde auenture It lacked lytle but that we were al dead by false treason but the worste that I see is that we haue loste our store of vitayles so that we haue nothing to liue vpon and me semeth that yf we dwell anye lenger heere within we doone not wysely But yf it seme you good it is tyme that we departe hence Brother said Alarde ye speke well and wysely and we shall doo as ye haue sayde For as longe as the lyfe is in our bodyes wee shall not leue you Whan the foure brethern were together accorded for to depart thens they trussed al theyr harneys and taryed tyl that it was night and than they armed themself
vpon the othe that ye haue made to me that ye will counseyll me truelye howe I shall be ruled in thys matter and howe I myghte haue thys Castell of Mountawban whan the kinge had thus spoken there was none so hardye that euer durste saye one worde but onely the Duke Naymes of Bauier the prâ—e and wyse knyght Syr said the Duke Naymes ye aske counsell for to besyege Mountawban but no manne that hathe any reason in his heade oughte not to counseyll you the same for whye the daunger is there greate because that Guynard the lorde of Berne knoweth of it and so dooth Godfray the Lorde of Poycy that are good knightes and sore dread for theyr worthynes and also the kinge yon that is at tholouse the whiche shall come all to helpe and succour Reinawd by cause they be of his aliauÌ„ce and also they know that he is one of the best knyghtes of the worlde And they knowe well also that Reynawd gyueth to vs muche to doone and so I tell you if they see themselfe togyther they shal giue you ynoughe to doo and shall maye beare to you a great dommage But and ye wil haue good counseyll and beleue me I shal gyue it to you truelye Syr sende worde to kynge yon that he withdraw not nor keep your enmyes within hys londe but that he yeeld them in to youre handes for to doo with them youre pleasure and your commaundemente And yf he wyll not doo so ye shall destroye all his londe and no mercy ye shall haue vpon him Naymes saide the kynge nowe gyue you me good counseyll and I wyll that ye haue saide be doone incontynente Than the kyng made come an Heraude of hys and sayde to hym Nowe goe lyghtlye to Tholouse and tell kynge yon on my behaulfe that I am entred in to Gascoyne accompanyed of the twelue peeres of Fraunce with an hundred thousand fyghting menne and with Rowlande and Olyuer and telle hym that by saynt Denys of fraunce yf he yeelde me not my enmyes that been the foure sonnes of Aymon that I shall waste and destroye all hys londe nor to hym shall abyde nother cytie nor Castell but it shal be ouer throwen to the earth And yf I canne take hym I shall take from him hys crowne so shall he be called kynge ouerthrowen Syr sayde the Heraude your commaundement I shall doo without varying of one word euen as your good grace pleaseth to commaunde me and thus departed the Heraude from the hoste of Charlemayne and tooke hys way towarde Tholouse there he founde the king yon of Gascoyn in his pallays with a right fayre company assone that he saw the king he knew hym well so made he than to hym the reuerence and said to him in the Emperours behalfe the thing worde by worde wherof he was sent there ANd whan the kyng yon vnderstoode the Heraude that spake so he bowed hys head towarde the earthe and began to thinke a longe while and said not a word And whaÌ„ he had thus longe mused ynoughe he said to the messaÌ„ger Good freend ye muste cary heere a seuen nyght I praye you and than I shall tell you my wyl and what I purpose to doo Syr saide the Heraude I shall abyde with a good will sith that it please you Than wente the king yon in to hys chambre and eyght earles with him and coÌ„maunded that the doores should be well sheete and than they set theim all vpon a benche And whan they were al set the kyng yon tooke the worde and said in this maner Lordes I beseche and require vpon the faith that ye owe to me that ye geue me good counseyll to the honoure of me not at my will but by reason Nowe wit it that the kynge Charlemain is entred within my loÌ„d with the tuelue peeres of Fraunce and Rowlande and Oliuer with an hundred thousande men And he sendeth to me word but if I deliuer vnto him the four sonnes of Aimon he shall not leaue me nother citie nor towne but he shal cast all to chearth and shal take the crown fro my head and so shal I becalled a kinge ouerthrowen My father helde neuer nothing of him and no more shal I it is better to die with great worship than to liue in great shame THan whan the king you had thus spoken there rose vp a knight named Godfraye that was neuew to king yon and sayd to him sir I merueyll me that ye aske counseyll for to betray suche knightes as ben the foure sonnes of Aimon Reinawde is your man and your carnall freend ye know what good he hathâ— doone to you and to your londe It is not longe a goe that he dyscomfited Marcyl the puysaunt Sarasin and chased him well foure mile and smot of his heade and presented it to you and ye haue promysed and sworne to him that ye shal defend and keep him him ayenst all menne Mine vncle if ye thynke to faylle him and wil not holde that ye haue promised to him let him and his bretherne goe out of your londe in to some other countrie to seeke theyr aduenture And hapely they shall serue some lorde that shal doo to them more good then ye wyll doo and also I praye you my deare lord and vncle as much as I caÌ„ that ye wil doo nothing that turneth you to blame nor to dyshonour nor that can be caste by maner of reproche toward your freendes Than spake the olde earle of Ansom and said Sir ye wil that we giue you counseill yf ye wil doo that we shal counseil you ye shal doo wel for your selfe Now say on hardely said the king that semeth you best to be doo for I wyll doo as ye shall counseyll me Syr sayde the earle ye haue wel heard saye and so it was trouth that Benes slew the earle Lohier wherfore Charlemaine sente for him and made hys head to be smyten of at Parys and at that time Reinawd and his brethern were verye yonge and of them was none mencyon made And afterwarde whan they were great the kyng wold amende it to them For the thynge toucheth them but they had the hert so fell that they wolde take none amendes and lasted theyr hate longe wherof euer syth hathe come greate harmes and euylles For Reynawde slewe Berthelot the neuewe of the king with a chesse borde sir I know not why I shoulde hyde anye thynge fro your knowledge ye knowe well that Charlemaine is so myghtye a kyng that he neuer vndertooke wanâ— but he came to his aboue of it Wherfore I doo geue you counseyll that ye yeelde Reinawde and hys brethern and Mawgis to the kynge Charlemayne and thus shall ye be delyuered of a greate thoughte and of a greate daunger And after thys spake the erle of Mobandes and sayde syr yf ye wil doo this that the erle of Ansom counseilleth you yee and we shall be traytours For Reynawd is your man and so muche ye haue
lappe the wouÌ„de was so great that the lyuer and the lounges appered Than began Gerarde to crye No ware dyscoupled the foure sonnes of AymoÌ„ for I haue slayne Richard the hardy fighter all the other shall soone be slayne or taken yf god giue me helth And I shall brynge them vnto the kynge Charlemayne that shal make theÌ„ to be hanged at MouÌ„tfawcon as soone as he hath them THan whan Richarde was come a lytle to his ese he rose vp quyckely vpon hys feete tooke hys bowelles with bothe his haÌ„des and put them agayne into his belye and after set hande to hys swerde came to Gerarde and sayd to hym in great angre Thou cursed man thou shalt haue thy rewarde anon for that ye haue doon to me for certes it shal not be vmbrayed to Reynawde that ye haue slayne his brother and whaÌ„ he had sayde thus he smote Gerarde through the quyras and throughe the sheelde so great a strooke that he hewed the shouldre and the arme with all from the body felled hym down dead to the erth afore hys feete and than sayd to him Certes Gerarde it had be better for you that ye had not come hytherwarde for to the kynge Charlemayne now shal ye not beare your boste that ye haue slayne one of the foure Sonnes of Aymon And whan he had sayd that he fel downe in a swonne and whan he was come agayne to hymselfe he began for to wisshe after hys brethern and complayned them sore sayinge O Reynawde fayre brother this daye shall departe our company For I shal neuer see you nother ye me O Castell of Mountawban I coÌ„mende thee to god that he wil by his mercy pitie bringe agayne your lorde saufe and sounde of his body Ha king yon of Gascoygne whye haue ye betrayed vs and taken vs to the kyng Charlemayne certes ye dyd therin greate syn and ashamfull fault and after he sayd all weeping O father king of glory and lorde of al the worlde succoure this day my poore bretherne For I wot not where they ben nor of me they may neyther haue helpe nor succors for I am all redy for to dye NOwe shall I tell you of Reynawde of Alarde and of Guicharde that faught strongly agaynst theyr enemies as worthy knightes that they were But all theyr great faytes of armes should auayled theÌ„ nothinge yf they had not come to a narowe way of the Roche where men myght not come to them but a fore And whan they had be longe there Reynawde began to say to his brother Alarde Brother where is become our brother Richarde that we saw not of a good whyle a goe now thinke none other but that we shall neuer see him for I left him heere bi thys sapyn tree whan ye and I had so much to doo I praye god yf he be dead that he haue his soule Now I wyl wit tidinges of him yf it be possible Brother sayd Alarde yf ye wyll beleue me ye shall abyde heere God pardon him if he be dead for we mai not helpe him the perill is to greate and I beleue that we should dy afore that eueÌ„ were come Ha brother sayd Reynawde shall we fayle to our brother Richarde the good knight and worthy Than sayde Alarde what will ye that we shall doo therto for as to me I knowe no remedy to it Alas sayde Reynawde ye speake folyshly for I should not doubt for fere of death to wit where he is becom And if I should goe alone yet shall I vnderstand some tidinges of him Brother said Alarde I promise you if we depart the one from the other We shall neuer see vs agayne together Brother sayd Reynawde other dead or all quicke I shall finde him where so euer he be it maye none other be and whan Reynawde had sayde these wordes he spurred hys horse wyth his spurres and cam at the other side of the roche And whaÌ„ they that had chased Richarde there for to slea him saw Reinawde come they smote hemselfe to flight than Reynawde wente a lytle more vpwarde vpon the roche and founde there his brother Richarde that laye nyghe dead vpon the ground helde his bowelles betwene his handes and about him were a great numbre of folke which he had slayne Whan Reynawde saw him dead and so sore wounded he had of it so great sorow at hys hert that almoste he fell down dead to the grounde but he tooke corage and cam nighe his brother and lyghted downe from his horse kissed him sore weeping and sayd Ha fayre brother it is great pitie dommage of you and of your death for certes neuer man was worthe you for yf ye had come to mans age neuer Rowlande nor Olyuer were so prue in knighthode as ye shuld haue be Alas now is lost our beauty and our youthe thorough greate synne O good lorde who should euer haue thought the onye treason should haue entred into the hert of the king yon Alas my brother Rycharde woe is me for your death for I am cause of it Alas thys daye in the mornynge whan wee departed out of Mountawban we were foure bretherne al good knightes now are we but .iii. that ben perillousli wounded and al vnarmed Nowe God forbed that I should scape sythe that ye be dead vpon the traytours But I pray god that I may venge your death vpon them or euer I deceasse For I shall set therto my good will if god will it shal be so Euen thus as Reinawde made mone ouer hys brother he behelde behynde hym and sawe come his brethern Alarde and Guycharde all discomfyted that cryed vpoÌ„ Reynawde Brother what doo you com anon and help vs for we haue great need And whan Richarde heard the voyce of Alarde he opened his eyen and whan he saw his brother Reynawde afore hym he sayd to hym O brother Reinawde and what doo you heere see ye yonder that roche which is so hyghe and so stronge where as ben manye small stones aboue yf we myght doo so muche that we climed vp there I beleue that we shold be safe from our enemies for it cannot be but our cosyn Mawgys knoweth our disease by thys and he shal come to succour vs. Brother sayde Reynawde wolde god we were there now tell me my fayre brother howe feele ye your selfe thinke ye that ye maye recouer healthe yea sayde Rycharde yf ye scape and els not for with the sore that I haue I myght well dye for sorowe ANd whan Reynawde heard Richarde speake thê° he was ryght glad of it So called he Alard to him and sayde Brother take Rycharde vpon your sheelde and lede hym vpon the roche and Guicharde and I shall rowme the waye a fore you brother sayde Alarde doubt not I shall doo my power And than he lighted downe and tooke vp Richard and layde hym vpon hys sheeld and after he lighted againe on horsbacke and Reynawde and Guycharde leyd
theef by the necke THenne were the frenshemen sore abashed whan thei heard Reynawde repreue Ogier so wherof they were gladde and saide togither wel finde ye now the reward of your goodnes if ye wold haue doone your deuoure the foure sonnes of Aymon had be taken And whan Ogyer saw himself thus repreued of the one part and of the other he was ryghte sory for it And than they lefte him vpon the ryuer syde of Dordon and abode wyth hym but .x. menne And whan Ogier sawe that all his companye had lefte hym he knewe wel that they dyd so for dispite than sayde he all by hymselfe Fayre God of heaueÌ„ I am wel worthy to be serued thus And the prouerbe maye-well be rehersed for a trouthe that sayth Often happed euyl for a good turne Whan Ogier had sayd this he cryed saide to Reynawde O mad beste ye blame me wrongefully and without a cause for ye and your brethern should haue be hanged by this without any pardonne nor Mawgys hadde neuer come heere tyme ynoughe wherof ye haue called me traytoure but ye lye falslye For I neuer dyd treason nor neuer shall yf God wyll ye haue also called me fissher nowe oughte I well to wexe mad all quicke whan such a glutton dooth to me so great outerage but by the faythe that I owe to all my freendes but if I feared other than you I shoulde goe gyue you suche a stroke thoroughe the sheeld that ye shoulde saye it is a stroke of a mayster Than sayd Reynawde Ogier ye speake wel at your ease for ye shal doo nothynge at all of that ye saye least your lymmes should be hurt by my berde sayde Ogier I shall And than he broched brayforde wyth the spurres and put hymselfe to swyme ouer the ryuer And whan he was come to the playne grounde he made hym ready for to iouste as were as he was And whan Reynawd saw Ogier so yll arayed for to fyght he had pyte therof and sayde to hym Cosin I haue at this houre no wyll for to fyght and therfore goe your wayes againe for this daie ye shall not be defoyled by me nowe know I well that ye haue holpen me Reynawd sayde Ogier mocke not with me ye haue called me traitour before mani knightes if I went my way again menne might say to Charlemain that I had betraied him falslye My spere is yet al whole it were a great shame to me but I brake it vpon you or vpon one of your brethern For Foulques and the earle Guimard should complain in helle vpoÌ„ me and of the other part I shoulde haue none excuse towarde the king Charlemain if I went thus awaye for ye haue well slaine foure hundred knightes of ours wherfore I say cor a conclusion that I shal not goe my waye but that I medle first with you for ye wot well that yf I went thus my way the king Charlemaine should beare me some dishonoure for it and he shoulde haue reasone also he shoulde make me to be headed and therfore I wil fyght with you for certes I haue leuer die than to returne thus to him and yf God hathe ordeined that ye shall smite of my heade I pardone you my death for if I canne ouercome you I shall bringe you to the king Charlemaine what someuer come of it ANd whan Reynawde hearde Ogyer speake so he wexed all mad for angre and saide by wrathe Ogier I defy you to the death keep you fro me you of me said Ogyer And whan they had defied eche other so Reynawde spurred Bayarde and Ogyer brayforde their good horses and ranne the one vpon the other so strongly that the earth trembled vnder their feet And whan came for to laie the speres alowe they hytte eche other so harde that they brake theyr speres and after their speres were broken they recouÌ„ted eche other with their sheeldes and gaue eche other so great strokes that they both fel down to the earth ouer their croper of theyr horses and were sore wounded And whan the two good knightes sawe theimselfe at the grounde they rose vp quickely and sette hande to theyr swerdes and began to make so harde medling that it was meruayle But herke of their horses Wit that whatâ— Bayarde and brayforde sawe theyr maisters at the ground incontynent they weÌ„t the one to the other and began to byte eche other and cast theyr feet the one vpon the other Whan Ogyer sawe that he was ful sory for it for he knewe wel that bayard was the stronger so ranne Ogyer thyther the sheelde at his necke and hys swerde in his hand for he wold help his good horse Braiford for he was afearde that bayarde shoulde haue kylled hym Whan Reynawde sawe thys he cryed and sayde what is it Ogyer that ye wyll doo it is not the werke of a knighte to smite a beaste and well me semeth that ye haue ynoughe to doo of me wythout ye bete not my hors Than Reinawde smot Ogyer so greate a stroke vpon his helme that he feld hym downe vnto the grounde but the stroke slyded a syde kut asunder all that it â—ought well an hundred maylles of hys flankarde and wounded hym sore vpon his hyppe and yf the swerde had not tourned within Reinawdes hande Ogier should neuer haue eaten breade and whan Reinawd had giuen to him that stroke he saide to him Ogier leâ— alone Bayarde for ye haue ynough a doo with me I beleue that I haue appaired youre helme for I se your visage that is sore pale And whan Ogier felte himself hurte he wexed almost wood for angre and retourned to Reinawd with his swerde Cortyne and sayde A cortine that so muche I haue loued thee and certes it is well reason for ye be a good swerde and in manye places ye haue well holpen me many a proude man ouerthrowen And whan I went with the king Charlemaine at Estbroughe in Almayne Rowlande and Oliuer dyd assaye theyr swerdes at PetroÌ„ and I smot after for to assaye you And ye kutted therof wel half a foote and there I brake you wherof I was ryghte sorye But for the goodnes that I know in you for to amende again therfore ye be caâ—â—â—d corten and but if ye auenge me now of this glutton I shall neuer haue no trust to you And thaÌ„ he smot Reynawd vpoÌ„ hys helme so hard that he made him reele And whan Ogier sawe Reinawd thus arayed he sayde to him by god Reinawde I haue yeeld you againe that ye had geuen me we be nowe quite wyll ye begyn a freshe by my faythe saide Reynawd yea for I desire more to fyght than I doo any other thyng And than they went and ranne the one vpon the other and began an nother medlynge but than came there Alarde Mawgys and Guycharde and all theyr folke And whan Ogier sawe theim come he was wrothe and sorye for it and so want he againe vnto braiforde hys
fayre Cosyn take heed what I shall saye and leaue this sorowe ye knowe well that ye be all my cosyns and therfore we ought to perforce oure selfe for to socoure the one the other whan it is need I haue socoured you manye tymes and wit it that all the harme that Charlemaine bereth to me it is al through your occasion he slew my father but late wherof I beare yet at my hert greate heauynes that was your vncle that died for your loue that know ye well But yf ye wyll promise me afore all youre barons for to come wyth me into the tente of the kynge Charlemayne and helpe me to sawe hym for to auenge vpon hym the death of my saide father yf we can I shall deliuer to you Richarde euyn now whole and sound wythout any sore And whan Reynawde vnderstoode these wordes he came vnto Mawgis kissed him in the brest all weeping and said to hym Righte sweet and fayre cosyn for god mercy Delyuer to me ayen my brother Rychard whole yf it please you And yf ye will that I doo any thyng for you coÌ„maund me and I shal doo it with right good hert For ye wot wel that I dyd neuer any thyng that was ayenst your wyll nor there is no man in the worlde for whome I wolde doo so much as I wolde doo for you whan Mawgys sawe Reynawde weep so tenderly he had greate pitie of it and sayde to him Nowe be not dysmayed of no thyng fayre cosyne for ye shall haue Rycharde whole and sounde incontynente And than lyghted downe from his horse and toke a bottell with white wine and washed the wounde of Richarde therwithall ryghte well and had away all the bloode that was about And be not meruaylled where he gatte all suche thynges as apperteyned vnto this cute For he was the subtelleste nygromancyer that euer was in the worlde And whan he had doone soo he toke his bowelles and put theym agayne in to his bodye and than he toke a nedell and a threde and sewed vp the wounde full maysterly hurted not Rycharde and after he tooke a salue Whereof he anoynted all the wounde and as soone as the wound was thus anoynted it was as whol as thoughe he had neuer be hurte in that place of his body And whan he had doone al this he tooke a drinke gaue it to Richarde for to drynke whan Richard had dronken it he rose lyghtly vpon his feete al deliuered and quyte fro his disease and sayde to his bretherne where is Ogier gone and his folke are they scaped fro vs brother answered Reynawde we haue dyscomfyted theym God gramercye and Mawgis that came for to succoure vs for otherwyse we should haue ben al dead so he hath saued vs and our lyues at thys tyme now ought we well to loue him more than our selfe brother sayde Rycharde ye saye trouth and after Alarde sayde to Mawgys fayre cosyn heale me I pray you for I haue a greate wounde in the thie And I also sayd Reynawde for I am hurte right sore and I also sayde Guychard for goddes loue gyue vs health vnto al vs than sayde Mawgys vnto theym be not dismaied my fayre cosynes for I shal helpe you all anone Than tooke Mawgis of the white wyne wherof he had washed the wounde of Richard and washed their woundes of them all and after anoynted them sweetly and anon they were all whole And whan they were al garnyshed they made Richarde to light vpon a horse and put them self to the way for to returne againe to Mountawban And thus thei went on their waye a spye departed fro the felowship of Reinawd and came to MouÌ„tawban to the king yon and sayde to him Sir I bringe you tydynges Now wit that Reinawde and his brethren been scaped fro the plaine of Valcolours where that ye had sente them and they haue dyscomfited Ogyer the dane al the folke of Charlemaine and also they haue slaine Foulques of Morillon and the earle Guimard so many of other knightes that I caÌ„ not tel you the nombre ANd whan the king yon vnderstoode these tidinges he was sore abashed of it that he wyst not what he should saye and after he said Alas how goeth this here ben euil tydynges how may this be dyd they fynde the busshemente of the kynge Charlemayne Syr sayde the spie yea certaynly and shoulde haue been cursedly handled if their cosyne Mawgys had not socoured them for the socours that Maugis brought with him Ogier was discomfited all his folke of Charlemaine so that fewe of them scaped For Mawgys brought to Reinawde Bayarde hys good horse that was cause of all the harme that was doon there of the other parte Alas vnhappy myschauÌ„t said than the king yon and what shal I doo if I abide Reinawd Mawgis Alard Guycharde and Richarde I am deade without doubte for all the worlde canne not defende me therfro And also it were well ryght nor Reynawde should doo but well yf he slewe me cruelly For I haue wel deserued death for neuer Iudas ne the Emperour Neron of Rome made so great a treason as I haue doone that wolde haue brought to a cruel death the best knightes of the worlde that been the foure sonnes of Aimon for the thretning of a prince And whan he had said these wordes he begaÌ„ for to make great sorowe and saide Ha fayre sister Clare this daye shall departe our loue ye shall neuer seme more This day shal I forsake Gascoygne for I shall neuer come again therin And than he cried with an high voice Now go hence faire lordes for goddes sake be lyghtly ready For the need of it is nowe come and lette vs goe bringe with vs the best knyghtes that I ye haue and if we may doo so much to get the woode of the serpeÌ„t whiche is a great forest we shal be safe ynough we shal maye scape at our ease For we shall lodge our self within an abbay of saint Lazare and we shal take such habyte as the monkes there haue And by all thus shal we may be saued For I know so much goodnes in Reinawd that whan he shall fynde vs shorne as Monkes he shall doo vs no harme Than was there a spye that was called Pygwade that was so great that he had well .xv. fote of leÌ„gthe and went as fast as anye horse coulde trot This Pygwade had wel heard all that the kyng yon had sayd wrote it in a skinne of Parchement and wente lightlye ought of Mountawban at the gate called the gate fawcon and passed through the wood of the serpent in a litle while and met with Reynawde his bâ—ethern Mawgis that came agayne to MouÌ„tawban that brought with them a great multitude of prysoners and Pigwade that great theefe watched vpon them And anon he tanne as fast as he might to MouÌ„tbendell and went into the pauilion of Charlemayne and called Rowlande and sayde
ye will goe hang that whoreson Richard sir sayd Escoufe ye wot well that more Oedon holdeth all the londe that ye speake of and I had neuer nothynge therof but I am felaw with Rowlande in armes And whan I shal be lorde of that lond that my father holdeth in his hand I shal fulfyll youre commaundement by saint Denis of Fraunce ye must goe see that he be hāged said Charlemain and I shal make you lorde of mo londes Syr sayd Estorfawd is it earnest that ye speake yea saide Charlemayne By my head sir saide Estorfawde ye wolde not be with me for to see Richard hāge for halfe of your realm Whan the kinge heard that he was thus repreued he tooke a staffe and cast it after Estorfawd but Estorfawd stert from his place and the staffe brake in peeces ayenst a post And whan the .xii. peeres saw that they went all oute of the pauyllyon of Charlemayne and whā that Charlemain returned him and saw that none of all the .xii. peeres wolde abyde there with him Than he saide to the duke Naymes where be my .xii. peeres gone sir said duke Naymes they ben all gone out of your pauillion and not without a cause for it becometh not to suche a noble kinge as ye be to smyte his barons for ye should be sore blamed THan whan Charlemayn saw this he called to him Richard of montrolonde saide to hym come foorthe Rycharde of montrolonde heare what I shal tell you ye knowe well that ye be one of theym that I loue best in this worlde but ye must doo one thinge at my request It is that ye wyll goe hange Richarde the sonne of Aimon at the gybet of moūtfawcon Than Richarde of montrolonde answered Syr I shall doo so with a good wyl for I am your man and so I ought not to refuse your cōmaundemente but by my soule syr Emperour yf ye will that I goe hange Richarde ye shall come with me with a thousand knightes well armed and I shall hange hym where soeuer to please you And if Reinawd and hys bretherne come there for to rescue I shall ieoparde mine owne body for to saue youres Nowe see to yf ye will doo this or no for none othewise wil I not goe there one foote Goe from me glotton saide Charlemain gods curse haue thou THe kinge than called to hym the duke Naymes and sayde to him What counseill gyue you syr syr sayd the duke Naimes good if ye wyll beleue me sir ye wot that Reynawde his bretherne and Mawgis are the best knightes of Fraunce as euery man knoweth well this warre hath lasted ryght longe For it is wel xvi yeres that it began fyrst and many a noble knight hathe be slayne for the same if it please you ye shall send worde to Reinawde Alarde Guychard and Mawgys that they wyl become your men and ye shall delyuer agayne vnto them theyr brother Rycharde alyue and that ye wyl doo make Reinawde and Alarde of the xii peeres of Fraunce And whan Reinawd his brethern shal se that ye haue doone to theym so great worshyp they shall serue you with good herte and so that ye shall con them greate thanke for it and I ensure you ye shal be the more dredde and more redoubted for cause of theym and yf ye haue once the foure bretherne and Mawgis theyr cosyn to youre freendes there shall be no prynce in all christendom so hardy that dare moue watre ayenst you and I promise you syr that the more that ye keepe thys warre ayenst them the more shall ye lose therby and moreouer they be all of our house by theyr father Aymon this know ye wel and thefore I can not hate them by no wyse Naymes sayd Charlemaine I will not doo so for they all haue doone amys ayenst me and so shall I doo hange Richard by the faithe of my bodye syr sayde the duke Naymes ye shall not doo so and god wyll for he is of greate lygnage of our lignage for we shoulde neuer maye suffre it nor endure and ye also shoulde be blamed ful sore for it But and ye wyl make hym dye I shall gyue you better counseyll Tell me howe sayd Charlemayn I shall doo it yf it semeth me good Syr sayde the duke Naymes syth it please you that Richarde shall dye let him be cast into a deep prison vnder the earthe and make him to be kepte surely therin that he scape not awaye and commaund that no meat at all be broughte vnto him and so shall he dye for hungre And ye shall not be blamed if ye doo so Naymes sayde the Emperour Charlemayne ye doo Iape with me I knowe it wel whan ye doo tell me this ye knowe well that Mawgis is to great a nigromancer For I should neuer may keepe Richarde in pryson but that Mawgis wolde haue hym out thorough his craft and therfore I wyll not doo as ye say Than came Ogier the dane and said to the duke Naymes ye make to longe a sermon let the kinge doo with it as it pleaseth him For the more that ye praye him the worse shall he doo but he shall make peace whan he see that he can none otherwise doo But this daye shal be seen who loueth richard And whā Ogier had said this he went oute of the pauillion and Escoufe with him and Richarde of Normandy the byshop Turpin and Guidellon of Bauyere and made theyr folke to be armed whan they were armed they were well .xii. thousande men And than Ogier began to crie with a hie voice Now shal it be seen who shal be so hardy for to leade Richarde the sonne of Aimon to hāgyng For such shall bring him that neuer shal come againe but he be headles and Ogier went in to the pauyllyon where richarde was that was bound both handes and feet and was blindfeld And whan Ogyer sawe rycharde that was thus arayed he had of hym greate pytie so went he to him to haue deliuered him but he aduysed himselfe and sayd that he should not doo it but he wolde tary for to see an ende of it what the kynge should doo therof And whan rycharde hearde Ogier speake he called to hym and said in the presēce of the duke Naimes and of rycharde of Normandye of Guydellon of Bauyere and of the byshoppe Turpyn and of rowlande that than happed to com thete Faire lordes I knowe well that yf it were at youre pleasure ye wolde let me goe quyce and all ynoughe ye haue trauaylled youre selfe for me wherof I thanke you right much but syth that I must needes be brought vnto the galous it is better that I poore vnhappy die alone than that ye should haue anie harme for my sake wherfore looke that ye lose not the good grace of Charlemayne and I praye you that ye will goe vnto hym and telle him that he doo his wyll vpon me for I haue leuer die shortly than to liue longe in
sorow Whan Ogier sawe rycharde speake so he was so sorye for it that he fell almost downe to the grounde for greate sorowe in swoune and saide to rycharde in angre What sayest thou foole detestable wylte thou be hanged for yf we said the same that thou sayest to Charlemayne all the golde of the worlde shoulde not saue thee but that thou shouldest soone be haÌ„ged by the necke I care not saide Rycharde happe as it happe wyll And than he turned himselfe toward rowlande and sayde to him I pardon you syr rowlande heere and afore god the faithe that ye haue promised me and that ye gaue me whan ye tooke me afore BalancoÌ„ And whan Ogier heard this he wexed almost mad for greate angre and saide to rowlande Syr beleue not rycharde for he speaketh as a man that is vexed in his spirites and not without a very great cause but keepe vnto him the fayth that ye haue promised to him for it shall be youre greate worshyp yf ye doo so Ogier said Rowlande doubte not I shall keepe to Richard al that I haue promysed him and more Whan rychard hearde that worde he called to hym Ogier sayde Fayre cosyn for god keep your peace for I haue seen here Mawgis ryght now and I wot wel he hath not forgotten me For by the faith that I owe to you such shal lede me to the gybet that shall soone lose theyr head and many other mo with him Cosyn sayde Ogier is it trouth that ye saye that ye haue seen Mawgis heere yea saide Richard without any faute than saide Ogyer blessed be the good lorde of these tydinges now haue I no doubte of Rycharde sith that my cosin knoweth of it And than all the .xii. peeres of frauÌ„ce lighted a foote and came to kynge Charlemayne and sayde to him Syr we ben all your men sworne to you All that we haue sayde and doon We did it for to see whether we myght haue delyuered oute cosyn from deâ—the by your good wyll but sith that it pleaseth not to you that he be saued and that ye wyll that he be hanged We wyll not speake no more ayenst it bycause that ye angre your selfe to sore Now sende Rycharde to be hanged by who me ye wyll for he shall not be letted of vs therfro ⧠How the emperour Charlemain sente Rypus for to hange Richarde And how that Reynawde succoured hym and hanged Rypus hymselfe Capitulum .xiiii. THan sayde Charlemayne by my faith now ye speake wel and wyselye now I pardon you al and than Charlemaine called to hym Ripus of ryplemond and said to him Rypus if ye wil doo so muche for me that ye will goe hange Rycharde I shall make thee lorde of great londes and ye shall be my chamberleyne all your lyfe Syr saide rypus I am all redy to fulfyl your commaundemeÌ„t for Reynawd slewe my vncle besyde balancon ye speake now wel said Ogyer ye shall be a cowarde but yf ye auenge your selfe at this tyme. And whan rypus vnderstood Ogier speake thus he thought him self the more sure for it and ryghte humbly and curteousli he kneeled down tofore the emperour Charlemaine and kyssed his feete after he said to him Syr I am ordeyned for to doo you seruice and youre commaundemente If it please you ye shal make me sure that whan I shal come again fro the hangyng of Richarde that none of your xii yeeres shall not a waite me none euyll turne for it afterward By my fayth said Charlemayne I wyll doo so with a good wil. And than he said to Rowlande and to Olyuer and to al the twelue peeres of fraunce Lordes I will that ye promise him that he shall not be hurte by none of you nor in time to come by no maner of wise by cause I make hym to hange Rycharde The whiche thinge all the xii peeres promised hym with a good wyll And whan typus hadde taken the othe of the .xii. peeres of fraunce for his suretye he went to his owne tente and made him to be armed And whan he was armed he lyghted on horsebacke and came before kyng Charlemain And whan the Emperour sawe him he sayde to hym Rypus take a thousand knightes with you for to keep you and if Reynawd or Mawgis come there take them and hange them with Rycharde Sir saide rypus I shal doo your commauÌ„demente And than the kynge made theym delyuer Richarde And whan rypus hadde him he put him to the waye and mounted Richard vpon a mule and put a halter at his necke so led him forth lyke as it had be a stronge theefe and broughte him before the pauyllyon of Charlemayne And whan the kynge sawe him he was glad of it and sayde to rypus wolde god that all the other sonnes of Aymon were in the plyghte that Richard is now in for I should well auenge you and my selfe also vpon them WHan the frenshemen saw rycharde that was led to hangynge so vilaynouslye they beganne to make suche a sorowe for hym that it was meruayl so that none so great was neuer seen Rypus rode on his waye and dyd so muche that he came to Mountfawcon And whan ripus dyd see the Galous set vp he sayde to rycharde By god rycharde see yonder is youre lodgynge where ye shall be hanged by myne owne handes thys daye shall be auenged the deathe of Foulques my vncle that Reynawd slew besides Balancon the succoures of Mawgys is now ferre fro you for he can not keepe you but that I shall hange you now in dyspite of Reinawde and of youre other bretherne whan rycharde hearde rypus speake so proudly saw that he was so nyghe the gybet and that he sawe no succours cominge of no parte he was sore agast and a ferde thought he wolde keep rypus with wordes saide to him Ripus for god haue pitie vpoÌ„ me for I am no man that should be hanged by reason but I ought to be delyuered with you and if ye wyll deliuer me I shal giue you two hundred marke weight of fyne golde and I shal make you a greate lorde Certes rycharde said ripus ye speake for nought for I wolde not leaue you but that ye should be hanged for .x. of the best cities of fraunce Rypus said Rycharde sith that ye will not haue pitie vpon my body haue pitie vpon my soule and I prai you as much as I can that ye wyll make a preest come to me for to shryue me certes sayd ripus ye shal haue one with right good wyll And thanne he made come a preest some sayen that it was a bysshop for to shriue richarde the which began to shriue himselfe and shewed to the preest manie moo sinnes than euer he dyd in hys dayes and this he dyd for to lengthe the tyme and to see if he should haue any succours or no. And whan Richarde sawe that his helpe came not he wexed almost mad said to his
and after Guicharde and Escoufe the sonne of Oedon and than the lytle Rychard And whan they were all set at the table the meates of the first course were brought to the borde thā the other one after another by good ordenaūce and fayre And to say the trouthe they were well and honourablye serued and of many and dyuerse seruises of royall meates And after that they had well eaten at theyr ease the duke Naymes called Reynawd and sayd to him Good cosin I pray you that ye wyl delyber your selfe for to gyue vs a good answere of that ye haue heard of vs. Lordes sayd Reynawde I shall doo it in so muche that the kyng shall haue a cause to be contēte of me For I shall doo all that he wyll for to haue peace and hys loue withall and that for the loue of the other my lordes that be heere now And than Reynawde made to bryng the swerde of Charlemayne the swerdes of the twelue peeres and also the crowne and the Egle of golde And whan Ogyer sawe this he began to laughe and sayd By my soule Reynawde ye had heere a fayre gayne yf ye had kept it And whan Rycharde saw that his brother wolde delyuer the Egle of golde he began for to say By saynt poule my fayre brother ye shall not doo so Ye shall not delyuer agayne that I haue wonne wel and truly by force of armes brother Richarde sayde Reynawde let me doo I pray you I will not sayd Richard by my soule for Charlemayne hymselfe smote me whyle that I was prysoner within his pauilion full shāefully wyth a staffe Lordes said the duke Naymes let thys a lone And take we that Reynawde giueth to vs in thanke for he hath doone ynough By my fayth sayd the bysshop Turpyn he dooth so And than they tooke the crowne of Charlemayne all theyr swerdes And whan thei had them Ogyer sayd to Reynawde My cosyn I counsell you that ye come with vs and Alarde Guycharde shal abyde heere to keep your castell Syr sayd Reynawde I feare me to sore the kynge wolde make me for to be killed outrageously Come on hardely sayd the duke Naymes for we shall lede you wel surely For syth that ye shal be with vs ye ought not to fear nothyng Lordes sayde than Reynawde I shall doo your commaundemente vnder your assurynge WHan Reynawde was accorded for to go wyth the Duke Naimes and with the bisshop Turpyn wyth Ogyer the dane and Escoufe the sonne of Oedon they lyghted all vpon theyr horses and Reynawde mounted vpon bayarde and armed hym And in like wise dyd Alarde And whan the duchesse Clare saw that Reynawde her Lorde wolde go with the folke of the Emperour Charlemayne she came before them kneeled downe before them and sayd vnto them my lordes I thanke you muche of the fauour that ye did shew to my brother Richarde and to Mawgis now agayne I pray you that ye will haue Reynawde for recōmended mi lorde and my deere husbande the whiche ye lede with you Madame said Ogier haue no doubt that Reynawde shall haue anie harme For wee should not suffre it for nothing for to leese both life gooddes And than they put them to the way for to goe thens and Reinawd tooke ten knyghtes wyth him for to beare hym felawship whan they were come to the riuer of Balancō they sought after the passage and passed ouer And whan they were all ouer Ogier began for to sai Lordes ye wot well all is of euyll courage agaynst Reynawd wherfore I doubt me of him that we haue brought heere wyth vs. I counsell that we knowe fyrst the wyll of charlemayne or euer he see Reynawd Ogier sayd the duke Naymes ye speake well and wisely we shal go speake ye and I to Charlemaine and Reynawde shall abyde heere tyll we come agayne Lordes sayd than Reynawde I shal doo that ye counsel me but I pray you holde me that ye haue promised me that is that ye shall keep my bodye and my lymmes from harme Reynawde sayd the duke Naymes we shall rather dye than that ye should haue any harme And than he and Ogyer tooke the way towarde the hoste of Charlemayne and Reinawde abode with the bysshop Turpyn and wyth the sonne of Oedon Now herken of Pynabell a spye that longed vnto the kynge Charlemayne wyt it that the spye was at the riuer side of Balancon with this felawship whan the wordes afore sayde were spoken whan the spye had well vnderstand all the conclucion he stale hymselfe fro the companye and rode a good pace as he myght in the worlde and came to Charlemayne to whome he sayd in this maner syr I bryng you tidinges wherof ye shal be ryght glad my freende sayd Charlemayne thou art well come I praye you tell me what tidinges ye brynge wyt it syr that I haue left Reynawde and Alarde hys brother at the ryuer side of Balancon with the bisshop Turpyn and Escouf the Sonne of Oedon and the duke Naymes and Ogyer are coming towarde you for to aske leue yf they shall brynge them to you wyth sureti Is it trouth said Charlemaine yea without faut said Pinable By my soule sayd the king I shall rewarde thee for it ryght well but keep well that ye shew not this to no man vpon thy life for I shall put therto a good remedy And than he behelde aboute hym and saw Oliuer and sayde Olyuer incontynent and without any desaye take two hundred knyghtes with horses and wel armed and lede them at the ryuer syde of Balancon where yee shall fynde Reynawde and Alarde see that ye take them bring them hither and if ye doo this aske of me what ye wyll ye shall haue it And than sayd Oliuer syr I shal wel doo your commaundemente And than he tooke wyth him two hūdred knightes as the kinge Charlemayne had ordeyned hī tooke his way towarde the ryuer of Balancon Now god through his pitie saue the good knight Reynawde and Alarde his deere brother for they ben in great peril of theyr lyues This hangyng that Olyuer was gone towarde the ryuer of Balancon the duke Naymes and Ogyer came to the hoste and lighted a fore the pauilion of the kinge and went in And whan they sawe the kyng they made him the reuerence but he sayd no worde to them whā Ogier saw the countenaunce of the king he sayd to hym Syr what sēblaunt is this that ye shewe to vs I meruayle me greatli that ye make vs so euyll cheere seen that we come fro thens where ye haue sende vs that was to Moūtawbā where we haue spoken with Reynawde the sonne of Aymon the whiche is al togither redy for to doo al that your pleasur is and so he hath delyuered vs agayne your crowne and al our swerdes as for your egle ye shal haue it whā ye wyll Ogyer sayd than Charlemain what haue ye doone of Reynawde for I
slayne you al the golde in the worlde should not haue saued you Item thynke thenne also in the great mekenes that he hath alwaies shewed to you also for the great trust that he hathe had in you he leued you his good horse bayarde that hath no matche in all the world syr yf ye ouerthynke well al ye shall find that no manne dyd neuer to none other so greate curtoysye as Reynawd hath doone to you and of that other parte he and his bretherne ben such knightes as euery body knoweth I swere to you syr by al hallowen that or euer ye shal take Mountawban Reynawde and his brethern shall beare to you suche domage wherof ye shal be wrothe And yet ye ought well to take heed how we wast and destroye the country and the feeldes and great good ye doo dyspende whiche for youre honoure were better to be employed vpon the sarasins than vpon the foure sonnes of Aymon for the sarasins been now in rest makynge great ioy for the cause of this warre and they doo well For warre hathe left them and it is come among our selfe so horrible and so cruel that many noble and worthy knyghtes ben deade therof THe kinge Charlemain was sore abashed whan he hearde the duke Naymes speake so and it moued his bloud ful sore and became pale as a white cloth for the greate wrathe that he had at his heart and casted a syde his sight angrely vpon the duke Naymes and sayde to hym by great wrathe Duke Naymes by the faith that I owe to that blessed ladye that conceyued the sonne of god in her virginitie that if there be any man so hardy to speake more to me of accorde to be made with the four sonnes of Aymon I shal neuer loue him but I shal angre hym on his bodye For I am not dysposed to make peace with them for nothynge that can be sayd but I shal hange them what soeuer it coste me or I departe from this syege whan the barons hearde Charlemaine speake thus proudely they were sore meruaylled of it and left to talke of this matter But whaÌ„ Ogier sawe that al the barons held theym stylle he began to saye to the kynge Charlemaine Cursed be the houre that Reynawde suffred not Rycharde to smite of your heade for ye had not thretned him so now And whaÌ„ Charlemayn heard that Ogier sayde to him he bowed his necke and looked downeward all pensifull and syn he sayd now lordes make you redy see that euery man fal to his armures for I wil now gyue assaute to Mountawban And whan the frenshemen hearde the commaundemente of the king they made no tarying but went armed themselfe and whan they were al ready they came in good ordenaunce and broughte ladders other instrumentes with them for to saute withal the castell and engynes for to breake downe the walles and presented theÌ„ before Charlemain for to accomplysh his wyll And whan the kinge saw them so wel apparelled he commaunded theÌ„ to goe saute the castell of Mountawban ANd as soone as Reynawde saw his enemies come he called his brother Alarde and sayde to him Brother I pray you take bondy my good horne blowe in it strongly to the ende that our folke arme them selfe when they heare it for heere come the frenshmen to saute vs. whan Alard vnderstoode the commaundement of Reynawde he tooke bondy and blewe in it with so great a winde three tymes that all they of the castel hearde it and were all abashed wyth all and without anye taryinge they went armed themself and lyghtly gate vpon the walles for to defend the Castell Neuerthelesse the frensh men came neare and entred in to the dyches as hogges doone in a myre and dressed vp their ladders to the walles But wyt it that they of within the castel beganne to defende so stronglye with castinge of stones that they domaged sore the frenshemen so that many of them lay deade within the dyches For Reynawd his bretherne dyd there so great feates of armes that no body myght endure their strokes who had seen the poore duchesse and her yong children at that saut bryngynge stones to Reynawde and to his brethern vpon the walles he wolde haue had pytie of it For the two yonge sonnes of Reinawd said to theyr vncles holde our vncles these stones for they been greate ynâ—ughe Suche defence made they of Mountawban that they ouerthrewe them that were vpon the ladders to the botome of the diches all dead and sore wounded and whan the king Charlemaine saw this he was wrothe for he knewe than wel that he should neuer take MountawbaÌ„ by force nor also the noble knightes that were within it as Reinawd and his bretherne And therfore he made the trompette to be blowen to call his folke a backe with so greate angre that he was almoste out of his mynde and whan the frenshmenne hearde blowe the retrete they were glad for they were shrewdly handeled and I promyse you that Charlemain left such a company dead with in the diches that he longe after was full sory for it WHan Charlemayn and all hys folke were wythdrawen again he beganne to sweare Saynte Denys of fraunce that he should neuer departe thence til he had famished Reynawde his bretherne within the castel of MouÌ„tawban than he commaunded that afore euerye gate of the castel should be layed two hundred knightes for to keep that no bodye might in nor oute but he should be take And whan Reinawde sawe that he kneeled down vpon his knees and heued vp his handes toward heauen and said Good lord that suffred deth on the crosse I beseche you that ye wil grauÌ„t vs that grace that we maye haue peace with Charlemain saue our liues And whan Richard heard the praier of Reinawd he tooke heed to it and said Brother I promise you if ye wolde haue beleued me we shoulde nowe haue be in good rest peace For Charlemaine wolde haue be glad therof for to saue his life ye know that our cosin mawgis broughte him not heere for none other cause to be our prisoner but to the entent that we should make our peace but ye wold not take heed to it whan we might haue had our wyll and I promyse you we shall not doo as we wolde THe emperour Charlemain abode so longe at the siege afore Mountawban that they that were within it had great need of vitaylles for he that had any meat he hyd it incontinent and so great scarstie of vittailles was there within a while that men coulde get there no meat for golde nor for siluer and many other fell downe at grounde heere and there so feynt for hungre that it was great pitie for to see for the derth was there so great that th one brother hidde his meat from the other and the father from the childe the childe fro the father fro the mother And shortlye to speake I promise
they left Charlemayne bycause he wolde not make peace And howe he sent worde to them that they should come to hym agayne And he should make peace with Reynawde IN this party sheweth that the kyng Charlemayne was at the syege of Ardeyn sore an angred that he myght not know howe Rychard of Normandy dyd So sent he for all hys Barons for to come to hym And whan they were come in his pauillion he sayd to them thus Lordes I see wel that it goeth now yll with me bycause I see that Reynawde hath not sent me agayne Richarde of Normandy and he might well haue delyuerd hym free quite and haue sende hym vnto me for all the harmes that he hath doone to me Vncle sayde Rowlande I merueyll greatly of that ye saye ye shew wel to vs that ye be wythout counsell By the fayth that I owe to you ye shal neuer see Richarde of Normandye but yf ye pardon Reynawde his brethern diuerse times he hath meked himselfe vnto you and hath be alwayes redy to fulfyll your plesure ye wyll not take hym to your grace be not than merueyled if Reinawde shewe nowe some dispite agaynst you For and ye consider wel the great curtesie that he hath doone vnto you namely whan he had you at his will within mountawban that he delyuered you and suffred you goe quite and free fro him at your liberti ye should doo for him otherwyse than ye doo but syth that Reynawde seeth that he may not finde no mercy in you he wyll not leese his curtesye but he shall doo the worste that he can as ye maye well perceyue experience of it euery day for he dōmageth vs dayly and keepeth his prisoner the best knyght that yee had that is Richarde the duke of normandy the whych I weene be dead by thys time Neuew sayd the kinge Charlemayne I promyse you that Reynawde hath not put hī to death but he kepeth hym wel at his ease with great honoure syr said than the duke Naymes Syth that the wordes ben come to this I must tel you my mynde Syr yf Reynawde beareth you dommage ye cānot blame hym for it For he hath prayed you so many times humbly that ye wold haue mercy on him and ye wolde neuer heare hym but ye haue alwayes shewed your selfe the moste proude kynge of the worlde agaynst hym the moste angry and ye wyll beleue no counsell and so I tell you if Reinawd hath not made to dye Richard of Normandy he is the kyndest mā of the worlde But I beleue better that he is dead than otherwyse for no man heere can tell whether he be dead or a liue WHan the kyng Charlemayne heard the Duke Naymes speke thus he knew wel that he tolde hym trouth So began he to syghe sore and to these wordes came forthe the Bysshop Turpin Ogyer the dane that sayd in this maner Sir wyt it verely that Naymes telleth you trouth For Reynawde hath a good cause to be angrye wyth you And whan Charlemayne heard his barōs speke thus he was all abasshed of it And called the duke Naimes the bisshop Turpyn Ogier the Dane Escouf the sonne of Oedon sayde to them Lordes I pray you goe to Ardeine tel Reynawde in my behalf that he wil sende me Richarde of Normandy And whan he hath doone so that he thā deliuer Mawgys into my handes for to doo my wyll of hym And then he shall haue peace wyth me al the dayes of my lyfe Deere syr sayde the duke Naymes ye sende vs for nought For I wot wel the Mawgis is gone from Reynawde it is three yeres passed and more And yf that Reynawde wolde delyuer him he may not For he knoweth not him selfe where he is Naymes sayd the king Charlemayne yee shall at leste heare what Reynawde shal say vnto you and ye shall also know how Richarde of Normādi dooth Syr sayd the duke Naymes syth that it pleaseth you that I shall goe I am well contente but I pray our Lorde that we maye returne agayne whole and sounde of our persones without to be dyshonoured whan the barons saw that kinge Charlemayne wolde that they should goe to Ardeyne for to doo his messager they durste not saye there agaynst And so they wēt thether anon and eche of them bare in his hande a braunche of an oliue tree in tooken of peace And whan they came vnto the gate they founde it open for them For Reynawde had seen thē come from ferre Wherfore he commaunded that the wicket should be open And whan the barons saw the litle gate open they went into the towne and cam to the Palays And whan Reynawde wyst that they were come within the palays he wēt and layde hymselfe downe vpon a bedde wyth hys legges crossed and sware God and his blessed mother that he should not praye the kinge Charlemayne of nothing For he had doon him to great harme for throughe the kynge Charlemayn he had loste his good cosyn Mawgis and Moūtawban that he loued so muche This hanginge came there the messagers of the king Charlemaine afore Reynawde Whan the Duke Naymes that was the formest saw Reynawde he saluted him honourably And after he sayd to hym Syr Reynawde the kinge sendeth you worde by vs that ye sende hym agayne Richarde the duke of Normandy And more ouer he sendeth you worde that yf ye wyll delyuer him Mawgys ye shal haue peace with him al the dayes of his lyfe And he shall deliuer you agayne all your landes And he shal keep bothe your childrē in his court with him and he shall make them knightes with his owne handes My Lordes sayde Reynawde ye be ryght welcome to me as the knightes of the worlde that I ought to loue best But I meruayle me greatly of Charlemaine that sendeth me these wordes for eueri man knoweth wel that I haue not Mawgys But by him I haue lost hym And wolde to god that I had heere Charlemayn as wel as I haue Rycharde of Normādye And yf he wolde not graunt me peace with him I promise you he should leaue his head for a pledge So should I be than auenged of all the great harmes dommages that he hath doone to me syth that I haue be made knight of him lordes I wēd that Charlemayne had be more curtoys then he is For if I had wyll that he wolde haue ben so fell vpon me and my brethern I should well auenged it vpon him But it is to late to repente me that I did not so wherfore that ye voyde out of my Palays and goe tell your king that I haue not Mawgys but I haue loste hym for him and also yf I had him he should not haue him And bicause I haue thus loste my good cosyn Mawgys for hym I shal make to morow Richarde the duke of Normandy to be hanged vpon the chefe gate of this Citie in the dispite of him for no lenger respite
the Erle of Rames and many other barons gate in by fyne force And whan the Sarasyns saw that the christens were within the citie they put themself so to flyght hyd them within the houses where as they might for to saue theyr lyues and alwayes Reynawde was at the gate for to keep the entre They that were vpon the greate towre of Dauid cryed fast to the other sarasyns that they should shet the gate saâ—â—g that yf the great lurden entred within they should be all lost And whaÌ„ Reinawde saw that a great parte of the christens were within Iherusalem he sayd to Mawgis Cosyn keep wel thys passage and I shall go at another gate for to make it open Cosyn sayd Mawgis goe your way hardelye and doubt nothyng I shall well keep this path Than departed Reinawde accompanyed with many valyaunt Christians and went vnto a nother gate whiche he founde well garnysshed with paynyms but Reynawde thoroughe his prowes put them anon to flyght and gat the gate open Thus as ye heare was doone for all the sarasyns lost theyr lyues and was recouered agayne the Citie of Iherusalem through the greate prowes of the noble Reynawde of Mountawban And whan the admyrall sawe this he wende to haue wexe mad all quicke and fared as he had be out of his witte and cursed his goddes mahowmet Appolyn pulled his heres of his berde and rent all hys raymentes and after he sayd By Apollo the souerayn God yf Thomas helpe me not to saue my lyfe I shall make hym to be slayne incontinent and than he sent for the kyng Thomas and sayd vnto hym Kynge Thomas yee muste chuse of two thinges th one that is that ye must saue my lyfe that I maye goo to percie agayne with two of my men in my felawship or els yee to be now cast out of these wyndowes downe Than sayde the kynge Thomas please you ye shal haue paciente that I may speake with my folke Go on said the admyral to theÌ„ at this wyndow For no ferther yee shal not go and delyuer you lyghtly Than went the kinge Thomas to the windowes saw Reynawde of Mountawban Mawgys come that cam al the formest for to sawte the towre of Dauyd where he was prysoner to the admirall And whaÌ„ he sawe Reynawde and Mawgys the formest of all he knewe them not looked ferther saw the erle of Rames behynde them whiche he knew not well and thaÌ„ he aspied Geffray of Nazareth wherof he was glad whan he saw him and than he begaÌ„ to crye Lorde of Nazareth looke vp to your king that is heere prysoner the admyrall Barbas sendeth you worde that if ye let him not goe sauf into his countrie and realme of pertie wyth two of his men with him he shall caste me nowe downe out of thys windowe Than answered to hym therle of Rames ha good kyng god saue you ye wot well that a good man ought not to make anye lye it is trouth that yesterdaye wee made our gouerner mayster of that lorde that ye see heere afore vs whiche is the best knyght of the worlde and to hym ye must shew your need for wtout hym we may doo nothyng And whan the kyng Thomas vnderstode this tidinge he wexed almoste oute of hys wit for sorow bycause he weÌ„d none other but he should die an euil death Than sayd he to the erle of Rames in great angre Ha erle of Rames haue ye betrayed me so that yee haue made a nother Lorde than me Syr sayde the Erle to hym agayne doubt nothyng for wee haue doone so your ryght and honour is alway saued in this behalfe nor ye shal not lese nothyng of your owne for the good knight hath ynough in frauÌ„ce and ye must know that he hath takeÌ„ this citie he and his felow and take no suspecciyon of hym nor of vs for I am sure he shall doo euyn as yee wil yourself for he is heere for none other cause but for to delyuer you for as soone as he shall haue vysit the holy sepulcre of our lorde he shal goe agayne to Fraunce Than sayd the kynge Thomas lordes how is the knyght named Syr sayd therle of Rames he is called Reynawde of Mountawban the sonne of the Duke Aymon and the best knyght of the worlde For he is suche a knyght that the great kyng Charlemayne might neuer greue hym and yet haue they mayntened the warre .xv. yeres and more the one against thother and so hath he doone so many noble great faytes of armes during the warre that the renoÌ„me therof is flowen ouer al the worlde Erle of Lames sayd the kynge I pray you that ye wyll tell hym in my behalfe this that I haue sayd to Geffray of nazareth syr said therle wyth a good wyll I shall doo so And than he went to Reynawde shewed to him al that the king had sayd Lordes sayd Reinawd we shal not doo so but let vs sawte the towre for at worst fall we shall alwayes wel haue that apoyntement that thadmyral asketh so I tell you yf we sawte wel the towre shal be lyghtly wonne by force of armes we shal deliuer the kinge Thomas at oure owne wyll so shal we slea barbas that thorough treason tooke the citie Syr sayd therle of Rames we shall doo your coÌ„maundement doubt not of it ThaÌ„ commauÌ„ded Reynawd that the towre should be sawted of al sidê made great pleÌ„tie of ladders to be ryghted agaynst it he hymselfe began fyrst to clime vp with his sheeld for to couer him with and after him went Mawgis than therle of Rames after them Geffray of Nazareth wel thyrty knightes mo and men with crosbowes other archers abode byneth for to shoot vpwarde where they saw sarasins looke oute whan thadmirall saw Reynawde that wolde haue come into the towre he was sore aferde so wyst he not what he should doo but ranne to the kinge Thomas caught hym by the necke sayd to hiÌ„ by apollo thou I shall lepe bothe at once out of this window Sir sayd the king kill not your self nor me also for I shall make the sawte to cesse I will wel that ye doo so sayd thadmiral but ye shal come with me So tooke hym by the neck had him to the wyndowe sayd al hye Reynawde of Mountawban I shall angre you for I shall caste the king Thomas downe if ye pardon me not I shall slea my self whim for I may wel die after such a king And whan the duke Riynawde saw that the kyng Thomas hynge thus the head downewarde all redy for to fall he had great pitie of hym said Ha good lorde what shal I doo for if I leue the sawte it shal be greate shame for the towre is almoste taken and of the other part it shal be great mysshape yf the good kinge Thomas take death for it Thê° as
you that those that shall not come yf I euercome agayne from Gascoigne they shall repente it full sore Shortly to speake Rycharde wente into his duchy of Normandye salamon into Bretayne Godfray into auinion Hughe the olde and Dyssyers into spayne and Bretons into Almayne And all the other eueriche into hys owne countrey WHan it was time for to come agayne to the courte at the terme that the kyng Charlemayne had set euery man made hym selfe redy as well as he coulde for to come to the courte as they were expresselye charged they should doo fyrst came there Rycharde of Normandye and brought wyth hym manye a noble knyght and presented hym selfe tofore the kynge Charlemayne euyn at saynt Denys After came Salamon of Bretayne and brought with him of hys barons a fayre company and presented hymselfe to the kynge at saynt Denys After came Dyssyers of Spayne which brought with him well .x. thousand knightes wel armed and well garnysshed of vytayles For in all the hoste of Charlemayne was none so well arayed as they were of all thynges And presented hym self in this maner at saynt Denys vnto the kynge Charlemayne Than came Godfray the Ecle of Auynyon and brought with him all his power and a fayre coÌ„pany and foyson of vytayle And presented him and his folke to the king Charlemayne And after came Ponthus out of Almayne brought with hym afayre companye of men of armes For he had wyth him theÌ„ of Islande and of Armony and wel three thousand archers the whych for no doubt of death wolde neuer flee froÌ„ batayle And presented hym selfe and hys felawship to the kyng charlemayne the whiche he receyued ryght honourably Than after came the good bisshop Turpin and brought wyth hym a fayre company and well enewred to the warre and presented hymself to the kynge Charlemayne that was ryght glad of hys comyng for the bysshop was a good true man And the king Charlemaine trusted muche to hym for his great fydelitie and also for the great prowes that was in hym AL the great Lordes that helde theyr landes of the kyng Charlemayne came to Parys presented themselfe and theyr men to the kynge Charlemayne that receyued them with great Ioye and was glad to see aboute hym so fayre a companye of good men of warre but I tel you that whan the hoste was assembled at Parys there was so great a derth that it was great pitie for the rasour of where was solde for fourty shelynges and twenty pence and yf the kynge had taried there any leÌ„ger there should haue ben so greate a derth that all the small people had ben all dead for huÌ„gre But the king Charlemayne began for to make hys mustres for to know how much people that he had And whan the the mustres were made they found that they were well .xxx. thousande knyghtes that had theyr fyrst berdes besyoe the olde knyghtes that were well an hundred thousand And whaÌ„ that this was doone the Emperour Charlemayne called Rowland his neuew afore him and sayde to hym Fayre neuew I recomende to you myne hoste and I pray you that ye wyll conduyte it by good maner Syr sayd Rouland I shal doo therin my deuoyre after my power ThaÌ„ made to be take to hym the oryflambe and departed out of Parys and they did so muche by smal Iourneis that they came to Bloye and than Charlemayne made to be cryed that all the vytaylers of the land should goe wyth vitayle after the hoste And yf that they brought that were worth a peny they should haue two for it And whan that thys greate armye was come to Bloy they passed ouer Gyronde and wente afore the great castell of Mountawban And they lodged themself there rounde about the place And then the Frenche meÌ„ began to say the one to the other by myne othe there is a fayre castel and a stornge and but yf wee get some other parte heere shall we wynne but a lytle ANd whan the batayles were ordeyned rounde about mouÌ„tawban Rowland began for to say to the kynge Charlemayne Syr me semeth that wee should nowe gyue a sawte to Mountawban And the Kynge answered I wyll not that my folke haue any dommage but fyrste I wyll knowe yf the castel wil holde or yelde vp For yf he wyl be gyuen vp I wolde not that anye batayle should be doone to it And than incoÌ„tinent he sent a knyght mounted vpon a mewle all vnarmed the whyche came vnto the gate of the castel and whan they that kept the gate sawe that it was a messanger they opened to hym the gate and the Knight entred into the castel And as he was come in he found the stewarde with an hundred men that wente aboute visitynge the watches and the wardes Incotinente the knyght salued hym and the stewarde rendred hym agayne hys salute and sayd to him What be ye Gentylman and what seke you heere wythin I pray you tell me what folke are yonder wythout so fayre a company Syr sayde the knyght they ben the folke of the Emperour Charlemaine that is come for to besyege the Castell of Mountawban and I am one of his knyghtes that am come heere for to speake with Reynawde from the king Charlemayne Than the stewarde tooke the knyght by the hande and led him before Reynawde the sonne of Aymon And whan the knyght saw Reynawde he made reuerence to him and after sayd to hym Reynawde the Emperour Charlemayne sendeth to you worde by me that yf you wyll yelde your selfe to hys mercy giue to hym your brother Richarde to doo his wyll of hym he shall haue mercy of you And yf ye wyll not doo so he shall doo sawte your Castell and yf he maye take you by force he shall make you for to be hanged or dye a cruell death THan whaÌ„ Reynawde vnderstode these tydynges that Charlemayne sente to hym he began for to smâ—le and sayd Freende go tel the kynge that I am not the man that shal doo any treasoÌ„ For if I should doo it he him self should blame me for it But and yf it please hym my bretherne Mawgys and my self ben at his commaundement and we shall gyue our seâ—fâ— to hym as to our souerayne Lorde our lâ—ues saue and our membres and we shall yelde to hym the Castel al at hys wyll And tell the kynge that he shall doo well and wysely to take such fyue knyghtes as we ben And yf Charlemayn refuseth this I haue myne hope so fast to our Lorde god that wee shall not set moche by the kynge nor of his great hoste The messanger vnderstode well the answere that Reynawde had doone to hym and incontynent he retourned to Charlemain and shewed to hym all that Reynawde had sayd worde by worde Whan the Emperour vnderstode the wordes of Reynawde he began for to thynke a good whyle for he knew that Reynawde sayde but well And than he sent for the Duke Naymes and Ogier the Dane and
sayd vnto them Lordes Reynawde sēdeth me worde that he shall doe nothynge after my wyll And for this cause I wyl that the castell be assayled forthwith Sir sayd the duke Naymes me semeth as I haue vnderstande the Reynawde offreth to you fayre and yf ye wyll belyue me ye shall take hym to mercy wyth hys brethern For ye knowe well that they bē folke that may doo to you good seruyce And yf Reynawde be once in peace with you ye shall be the better beloued and more dred therfore But sith that your wil cannot accorde to the same we maye not doo therto To assayle the castel I counsel it not For ye see that the Castell is fayre and ryght stronge and Reynawde hath whym a good company of good men and he and his brethern Mawgys ben suche knyghtes as ye knowe yf ye doo assayle the castel they shall yssue out at the fauce posternes and shall doo to you so great a dommage of your folke that ye shall be wrothe for it but and yf ye wyll beleue my counsell ye shall besyege the Castell so nyghe that no man shal not come out nor cutre in but he shal be take and thus ye shall mow haue the Castell by famisshynge For by no sawte ye shall not haue it CHarlemayne vnderstode well these wordes and knew well that the duke Naymes spake wel wysely and sayd to hym I wil that it be doone thus as ye haue deuysed it And thā he made crye through his hoste that euery man should lodge hymself euyn nighe by the Castell and he himselfe commaunded that his pauyllion should be pight as nighe the gate as coulde be doone After thys was cryed ye should haue seen wyth in a litle whyle moe than ten thousand pauillions rounde aboute the Castell of Mountawban Whan the hoste was al lodged Rowlande departed out of the hoste well with two thousand knightes wel armed wel horsed and all yonge men of pryme berde whiche were very frenshe born of the douce fraunce and went at the other side of Moūtawban in a place whiche is called Balancon where was a riuer great and deape in the whych was fisshe ynough and there he dyd pytche his pauillion And so full he was of great pryde that he bad set the dragon aboue vpon hys pauillion and did doo make the lodgis of his felawes roūde about him And they were in suche a grounde where as they myght see from thens the woodes and the Ryuers and all the countrey and Mountawban that was vpon the great roche well closed behelde the two great ryuers that is to wit Gyround and Dordone that enuyronned Mountawban ROwlande sawe the place so stronge that he meruaylled greatly sayd to hys folke Lordes I meruayle me sore of thys castell I meruayle not yf the foure sonnes of Aymō make warre agaynst mine vncle Charlemayne sythe that they haue so good and so stronge a place for to withdraw theym selfe For I promyse you that Moūtawban shal neuer be taken of vs ye say not well sayd Olyuer For we tooke well by force Lezonne also we ouerthrew downe the great towre and the doungeon of Sernoble wherof I saye that we shall well haue Mountawban And yf Reynawde and his bretherne come not and yelde them selfe they shal be in daunger of death I promyse you sayde Rowlande that they shall doo nothynge of that ye saye For I promyse you that the gentyll Reynawde shall make vs so sore aferde that the moste hardy wolde be at Parys Reynawde is prue and coragious and his brethern in lykewise and also they haue within the castell many noble and worthy knightes Wherfore I say and I am of opinion that as lōge as they haue vytayle they shall neuer be taken Whā the pauillion of Rowlande was dressed and pight vp Rowlande behelde the riuer and saw that it was full of byrdes than he sayd to the Bysshop Turpyn and to the other Barons See howe wee are lodged in a good place Let vs goe in these Ryuers to let flee our Fawcons Syr sayde the Bisshoppe Turpin goe in the name of God Then lyghted Rowlande on horsebacke and tooke with hym wel .xxx. knightes and no mo And they tooke their hawkes rode the moste parte of them vpon mules all vnarmed saue theyr swerdes and came and sported them alonge the ryuer syde tooke many byrdes vpon the water in so great quantitie that they laded a horse wythall the bysshop Turpyn and Ogyer wente not there but abode behynde for to keep the hoste and they were before the tentes where they made two auncient knightes to recoūte and tel how the great Troy was taken and dystroyed this hangyng was a spye in the hoste of king Charlemaine that longed vnto renawde the whyche he had sent there for to know what they wrought and howe they dyd all the fayte of Rowlande and incōtinent the spye departed out of the hoste and wente to Reynawde and shewed to hym how Rowlande and Olyuer were gone to sportynge with theyr Hawkes vpon the ryuer and wyth them thyrtye of the best of the hoste WHan the spye had recounted these tidynges to Reynawde he was of it ryght glad Than he called his brethern Mawgys his cosyn tolde them how Roulande and Olyuer and .xxx of the beste barons of Charlemayne were gone to hawking vpon the ryuers in the plaine of Balancō What ought we to doo sayd Reynawde Cosyn sayd Mawgys we may well kill thē if we wyll for they ben well proude folyshe remēbre ye not wel that a messāger tolde you a moneth a goe that Charlemayne had left all olde knightes of his Realme had taken of the yonge that he had departed all Gascoyne to the yonge bachelers of Fraunce And by thys boban Rowland Olyuer ben mounted into so great pryde that they trow in al the worlde is no man that dare assaile them nor looke vpon them an grely But and yf ye wyl beleue me I shall tell you suche a thynge that shal make them wrothe sory And thā reinawde made sowne his horne the which mē neuer herde sowned but that it was need for whan men hearde it euery man ran to his armes for to arme hym And incontynent Reynawde and his bretherne and Mawgys made themselfe to be armed And whan they were al armed and well apparelled Reynawde lyghted vpon Bayarde his good horse and spurred hym wyth hys spurres so that he made hym to lepe wel thyrty foote of length Ha good horse sayd Reynawde how ye make your selfe to be beloued And how wel I mistre you this dai Let vs go assayle these vnhappy folke of the kyng Charlemayne of Fraunce and make we by suche a maner that we need not retourne twyse and therof I praye you all ANd whan Reynawde sawe that his folke was wel apparelled he wente out with his men at a false posterne that they of the hoste coulde not see them