more than I haue spoken of and al by thine owne folly Chap. XXVI ¶ How Huon arriued at Tormont and found a man at a gate who brought him to lodge at the Prouosts howse in the towne AFter that OberoÌ„ had shewed Huon part of that should fall to him and was departed Huon and his company theÌ„ mounted on their horses and so rode foorth so long till they came to the cittie of Tormont Gerames who had béen there before when he saw the citie he said to Huon Alas sir we be ill ariued behould here we be in the way to suffer much trouble Sir quoth Huon be not dismaide for by the grace of god wée shall right well escape for who that God will aide no man can hurt Then they entred into the Citie as they came to the gate they met a man with a bowe in his hand who had beene a sporting without the Citie Huon road formost and saluted him in the name of God saying Fréend what call you this Citie The man stood still and had maruaile what men they were that spake of God he beheld them and said Sirs the God in whose name you haue saluted mée kéepe and defende you from incombrance howbeit I desire you in as much as you loue your liues speake softly that you bée not heard for if the Lord of this Citie knowe that you bée christian men he will slay you all sirs you may trust me for I am christened but I dare not be knowne thereof I haue such feare of the Duke Fréend quoth Huon I pray thée shew me who is Lord of this Citie what is his name Sir quoth he he is a false Tyrant when he was christened he was named Macayr but he hath renounced God he is so fierce and proud that as nowe hee hateth nothing so much as them that beléeue in Iesus Christ but Sir I pray you shewe me whether you will goe Fréend quoth Huon I would gladly goe to the red Sea and from thence to Babilon I would tarie this day in this Citie for I and my companie are sore wearie Sir quoth he and if you will beléeue me you shall not enter into this Citie to lodge for if the Duke knewe it none could saue your liues therefore if it be your pleasure I shall lead you another way beside the Towne Sir quoth Gerames for Gods sake beléeue him that counsaileth you so truly Know for troth quoth Huon I will not doe thus I sée well it is almost night the Sun goeth lowe therefore I will lodge this night héere in this Towne whatsoeuer befall for a good Towne should neuer be forsaken Sir quoth the strange man séeing it is so for the loue of God I shall bring you to a lodging whereas you shal be well and honestly lodged in a good mans house that beléeueth in God named Gonder he is Prouost of the City and well beloued with the Duke Fréend quoth Huon God reward thée so this man went on thorow the Towne vntill he came at the Prouosts house whome they founde sitting at his gate Huon that was a faire speaker saluted him in the name of God and the Prouost arose vp beheld Huon and his companie and he had great maruaile what they were séeing they saluted him in the name of God then he said Sirs you be welcome but a Gods name I desire you speake softly that you be not heard for if the Duke of this Citie knewe this you should vtterly bee loste but if it please you to tary this night héere in my house for the loue of God all that I haue in my house shall be yours to doe therewith at your pleasure I abandon all to you Sir I thanke God I haue that in my house that if you abide héere this twoo yeare you shall not néede to buy any thing without Sir quoth Huon of this faire proffer I thanke you and so he and his companie alighted and there were seruants ynough to take their Horses and to set them vp then the Host tooke Huon and Gerames and the other brought them to Chambers to dresse them then they came into the hall wheras they found the Tables set and couered and so sat downe were richly serued with diuers meats When they had done and were rysen Huon called Gerames and said Sir goe in hast into the Towne and get a cryer and cause to be cryed in euerie market place and stréete that whosoeuer will come and sup at the Prouosts house aswell noble as vnâ—â—â—le men women and children rich and poore and all manner of people of what estate or degrée soeuer they be shall come merrily and fréely and nothing pay neither for meat nor drinke whereof they should haue as they wished and also hée commaunded Gerames that all the meat that he could get in the Towne he should buy it and pay readie money for the same Sir quoth Gerames your pleasure shall be done Sir quoth the Host you know well all that is in my house I haue abandoned vnto you therefore sir you shall not néed to seeke for any thing further take of my goods at your pleasure Sir quoth Huon I thanke you I haue monney ynough to fournish all that néede and also Sir I haue a Cup of great vertue for if all the people that be within this Citie were héere present they should haue drinke ynough by reason of my Cup the which was made in Fayry Land When the Host heard Huon he began to smile beléeued that those words had béene spoken but in iest Then Huon not well aduised tooke the Horne of Iuorie from his necke and tooke it to his Host to kéepe saying mine Hoste I take you this to kéepe for it is a precious thing therefore kéepe it surely that I may haue it againe when I demaund it Sir quoth he I shall surely kéepe it and when it please you it shall bée readie and so tooke the Horne and layd it vp in a Coffer But after fell such an houre that Huon would haue had it rather then all the goods in the world as you shall heare more hereafter Chap. XXVII ¶ How Huon gaue a supper vnto all the poore men of the Citie and howe the Duke was Vncle to Huon and howe the Duke had Huon into his Castle THVS when Gerames had this commaundement of Huon he went into the Citie and made to be cryed in diuers places as he was commanded to do When this crye was made there was no Begger Vacabound nor Ribauld Iugler Minstrell old nor yong but by great flockes they came all to the Prouosts house in number more then foure hundred and Gerames bought vp bread meat flesh and other victuals all that he could finde in the Citie and payed for it thus the supper was dressed and euerie man set at the Tables Huon serued them with his Cup in his hand and made euerie man to drinke of that he put out of his Cup into other pots
and yet euer the Cup was full When the people had well eaten and dronken the good wines and were well chased in their braines some began to sing and some to sleepe at the Table and some did beat their fysts vpon the boards that it was maruaile to sée the life that they led whereof Huon had great ioy The same time the Dukes Steward came into the Towne to buy his Maisters Supper but he could neither find bread nor flesh nor no other victuals whereof he was sore displeased and then he demaunded the cause why he found no victuals as he was accustomed to doe Sir quoth the Butchers and Bakers in the house of Gonder the Prouost is lodged a yong man who hath made to be cryed in all the City that al beggers and ribaulds should come to Supper at his lodging and he hath bought vp all the victuals that he could get in the Towne Then the Paynim in great despight went to the Pallaice vnto the Duke and said Sir I can get nothing in the Towne for your Supper there is a young man lodged in the Prouosts house that hath bought vp all the victuals to giue a Supper to all the beggers vacabounds and ribaulds that can be found in the Towne When the Duke vnderstood that he was sore displeased and swoore by Mahound that he would go see that Supper then he commaunded all his men to be readie in harnesse to goe with him and as he was going out of his Pallaice a Traytor who had stollen priuily out of the Prouosts house whereas he had been at supper with other said to the Duke sir know for troth there is in your Prouosts house a knight who hath giuen a Supper to all people that would come thether and so there is no begger no ribauld nor other that would sup but are come thether and Sir this Knight hath a Cup Letter worth then all this Citie for if all the people betweene East and West should dye for lacke of drinke they should haue all ynough for as often as you will emptie the Cup it will be full againe incontinent When the Duke heard that he had great maruaile and saide such a Cuppe were good for him and swoore by Mahound that he would haue that Cup let vs go thether for my will is to haue that Cup and all those Knights shall loose their horses and baggage I will leaue them nothing Then he went foorth with thirtie Knights and rested not vntill he came to the Prouosts house and founde the gates open When the Prouost perceiued him he came to Huon and saide Alas Sir you haue done ill héere is come the Duke in great displeasure if God haue not pitie of you I cannot sée how you can escape without death Sir quoth Huon dismay you not for I shall speake so faire that he shall be content then Huon with a merrie chéere came to the Duke and said Sir you be welcome Beware quoth the Duke come not néere me for no christian man may come into my Citie without my Licence wherefore I will thou knowest that you shall all loose your heads and all that you brought hether Sir quoth Huon when you haue slaine vs you shall win thereby but little and it were great wrong for you so to doe I shall tell thée quoth the Duke why I will so do it is bycause you be christian men therefore thou shalt be the first shewe me on thy faith why hast thou assembled all this companie héere to Supper Sir quoth Huon I haue done it bicause I am going to the red Sea and bicause these poore men will pray to God for me that I may safely returne Sir this is the cause that I haue made them to sup with me Well quoth the Duke great folly hast thou spoken for thou shalt neuer sée faire day you shall all loose your heads Sir quoth Huon leaue all this I pray you and your comapanie sit downe and eate and drinke at your pleasure and I shall serue you as well as I can and then Sir if I haue done any wrong I will make you amends in such wise that you shall be content for if you doe me any hurt it shall be to you but a small conquest Sir me thinks if you will do nobly you should somewhat forbeare vs for as I haue heard say you were once christened Then the Duke said vnto Huon thou hast sayd well I am content to sup for as yet I haue not supped Then the Duke commaunded euerie man to be disarmed and to sit downe at the Table the which they did and Huon and Gerames serued them and they were well serued at that supper then Huon tooke his Cup and came to the Duke and said Sir sée you not héere this Cup the which is voyd and emptie I sée well quoth the Duke there is nothing therein Then Huon made the signe of the crosse ouer the Cup and incontinent it was full of wine he tooke the Cuppe to the Duke who had great maruaile thereof and assoone as the Cuppe was in his handes it was voyd againe What quoth the Duke thou hast enchaunted mee Sir quoth Huon I am none Enchaunter but it is for the sin that you be in set it down for you are not worthy to hold it you were borne in an euill houre How art thou so hardy quoth the Duke to speake thus vnto me I repute thee for a proud foole thou knowest well it lyeth in my power to destroy thée there is no man dare say the contrarie yet I pray thée tell me thy name and where thou wert borne and whether thou goest and of what kinne thou art Sir quoth Huon for any thinge that may fal vnto me I wil not hide my name nor kindred therefore Sir know for troth I was borne at Bourdeaux vpon Gerone and am Sonne to Duke Seuin who is dead seauen yeares passed When the Duke heard how Huon was his Nephew he saide The Sonne of my Brother Nephew why hast thou taken in this Citie any other lodging but mine shewe mée whether thou wilt goe Sir quoth Huon I am going to Babilon to the Admirall Gaudise to doe to him a Messuage from King Charlemaine of Fraunce bycause I slewe his Sonne there so he shewed his Vncle all his aduenture and how the king had taken away his Land nor should he haue it againe vntill he had done his Messuage to the Admirall Faire Nephew quoth the Duke in like wise I was banished the Realme of Fraunce and since I haue denyed the faith of Iesus Christ and since I married héere in this Countrey a great Ladie by whome I haue great Lands to gouerne whereof I am Lord Nephew I will that you shall goe and lodge with me in my Castle and to morrow you shall haue of my Barons to conduct you vntill you come vnto Babilon Sir quoth Huon I thanke you since it is your pleasure I will goe with you to your Pallaice Then Gerames priuily
THE ANCIENT Honorable Famous and delightfull Historie of Huon of Bourdeaux one of the Peeres of Fraunce and Duke of Guyenne Enterlaced with the loue of many Ladies as also the fortunes and aduentures of Knights errant their amorous Seruants Being now the Third time imprinted and the rude English corrected and amended LONDON †Printed by Thomas Purfoot and are to be sould by Edward White at his shop at the little North dore of Poules at the signe of the Gunne 1601. ⧠The Printer to the Historie ensuing THe foundation of all true fame and repute which in this world is most to be reckoned of and esteemed according to the opinion of all Writers both ancient moderne consisteth in bold honourable and heroycall resolution which enflames the soule with a continuall thirsting desire of pursuing braue and generous purposes perfourming of high and aduenturous acâ—â—ons which when their bodies are mantled vp in the obâ—cure moulde of the earth leaueth their names cannonized in Fames aeternall Calendar and renownes them as rare presidents to all following Posterities And from so perfect ground of good and laudable example the young infant spirits of latter grow'th raking vp the embers of their worthy proceedings the sparke of glorious imitation catcheth hold of their warme and forward desires and so enkindling further till it breake foorth into a flame burnes vp and consumes all conceits of cowardise and as an enlightned Beacon on a Promontorie toppe calles inuites them to the like honourable atchieuements Hence ensued that desertfull and well worthy to bee remembred purpose of Sir Iohn Bourchier Knight Lord Berners when not onely in this woorke of Huon of Bourdeaux but many other famous Translations of like consequence by him perfourmed he gaue witnesse to the world of so labourious an endeauour and as it were squared out an excellent platfourme for generous imitation But let me not herewithall forget that the right noble Earle of Huntingdon Lord Hastings was a continuall spurre to him in the pursuite of such paines and likewise a cheerefull encourager of me in the imprinting assisting euer both with his purse and honourable countenance the trauaile that sorted to so good example Which being now finished and made compleat with better abilitie of will then other perfourmance we leaue to the gentle acceptance of such as knowe how rightly to iudge and kindly to entertaine to others our paines are not imparted FINIS The Table HOw the Emperor Charlemaine required his Barons that they wold choose one among them to gouerne his Empire Chap. 1. The conclusion and answeare that the Barons made And what counsaile the dishonourable Lord Earle Amerie gaue to the Kinge against the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux whereby great mischeefe afterward ensued And of the good aduice that Duke Naymes gaue to the Emperour Chap. 2. How Charlemaine sent two Knightes to the Duchesse of Bourdeaux to commaund her to send her two Sonnes to his Court. Chap. 3. The answeare that the Duchesse of Bourdeaux made to the Emperours Messengers Chap. 4. Howe the Emperour was content with the report of the two Knightes and how the Traitour Earle Amerie went and complained to Charlot the Kinges Sonne Chap. 5. How the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin tooke leaue of the Duchesse their Mother and how in their way they ouer-tooke the Abbot of Cluny their Vncle going towards Paris to the Emperour Charlemaine Chap. 6. How by the counsaile of Earle Amerie they ran first at Gerardin Brother to Huon and bare him to the earth and sore wounded him whereof Huon was right sorrowfull Chap. 7. How Huon of Bourdeaux was sorrowfull when he saw his Brother Gerard so sore wounded and how he slew Charlot and how he came before the King at Paris and appeached him of Treason Chap. 8. How the King was sore displeased with Huon because he had appeached him of treason and how Huon shewed all the manner why he slew the Knight that wounded his Brother Chap. 9. How Charlot the Kings Son was brought before him dead and of the great sorrow that he made and how Earle Amerie appeached Huon for the death of Charlot and how the King would haue run vppon Huon and of the good counsaile that Duke Naymes gaue to the King Chap. 10. How the Traytour Earle Amerie charged Huon before the Emperour that he trayterously with treason pretended had slaine the Kings Sonne and in that quarrell he appealed Huon to Battaile Chap. 11. How the Abbot of Cluny would prooue that the saying of Earle Amerie was false and vntrue and howe the Earle did cast his Gage against Huon who tooke it vp Chap. 12. Howe those two Champions came into the field whereas they should â—ight accompanied with their friends Chap. 13. How the two Champions made their Oathes vppon the Reliques that their sayings were true and what the king sayd chap. 14. Howe Huon of Bourdeaux and Earle Amerie fought together before kinge Charlemaine and how the Traitour Amerie was slaine by the noble Prowesse and chiualrie of Huon chap. 15. How after the Emperor Charlemaine had seen Earle Amerie was slain he commaunded expresly that Huon should auoide the Realme and Empire and to be banished from thence for euer chap. 16. How king Charlemaine sent Huon to doe a Messuage in Babilon to the Admirall Gaudise chap. 17. How the noble Duke Huon of Bourdeaux tooke leaue of the King and of all the Lordes and Barons and road with the good Abbot to Cluney chap. 18. How Huon came to Rome and was confessed of the Pope who was his Vncle and of his departing and how he came to Brandis where he found his Vncle Garyn of St. Omers who for the loue of Huon passed the Sea with him Chap. 19. How Huon of Bourdeaux departed from Brandis and Garyn his Vncle with him and how he came to Ierusalem and from thence into the Deserâ—â— whereas he found Gerames and of their conference chap. 20. How Gerames went with Huon and his companie and so came into the wood whereas they found king Oberon who coniured them to speake â—nto him chap. 21. How King Oberon was sore displeased in that Huon wold not speake and of the great feare that he put Huon and his companie in chap. 22. Howe King Oberon Dwarfe of the Fayrey pursued so much Huon that he constrained him to speake to him at last chap. 23. Of the great maruailes that Oberon shewed vnto Huon and of the 〈◊〉 that fell chap. 24. Of the great gifts that Oberon gaue to Huon as his Horne of Iuorie and his Cup the which were of great vertues and how Huon after thought to prooue the vertue of them whereby he was in perill of death chap. 25. How Huon arriâ—ed at Tormont and fouÌ„d a man at a gate who brought him to lodge at the Prouosts house in the Towne chap. 26. Howe Huon gaue a Suppper to all the poore men of the Citie and how the Duke was Vncle to Huon and howe the
the great Cittie of Thauris in Persia chap. 112. How Sir Barnard departed from the Abby of Cluny and went to seeke for Huon his Cozen whome hee found at the Port of the great Cittie of Thauris chap. 113. How Huon of Bourdeaux and Barnard his Cozen acknowledged themselues each to other and shewed the discourse of their aduentures chap. 114. Howe the Admirall of Persia did great honour to Huon of Bourdeaux and led him into his Pallaice whereas hee was receiued with great ioye and triumph chap. 115. How the Admirall by reason of the Apple that Huon gaue him to eat he became of the age of Thirtie yeares whereby he and all the people of Persia and Media were christened and of the great honor that the Admirall made vnto Huon chap. 116. Of the complaints that Huon made to the Admirall of Persia vpon the Emperour of Almaine and of the succours that the Admirall promised to Huon chap. 117. How the Admirall of Persia assembled much people and he and Huon with all their Armie tooke the Sea and came to the Port before the Cittie of Angory whereas they found a great number of Paynims and Sarazins readie to defend the Port. chap. 118. How the Admirall and Huon tooke the Port and fought with the Admirall of Angory and discomfited him and tooke the Cittie and how afterward Duke Huon went into the Deserts of Abillant to search aduentures chap. 119. How Huon went so long in this Desert that hee found Cain and spake with him a long season how he beguiled Cain deparâ—â—d chap. 1â—0 How Huon departed from Cain passed the Sea in a Vessâ—â— guided by the Diuell who beleeued it had beene Cain and Huon arriued at a Cittie called Colanders whereas hee found the Admirall of Persia and Barnard his Cozen who had layd siege to the Citie Chap. 121. How Huon of Bourdeaux had great ioy when he saw the Admirall of Persia before Colanders where he fought with the Sarazins chap. 122. How the Citie of Colanders was taken by the Admirall of Persia after he had wonne the Battaile and of the great ioy that was made vnto Huon when hee was knowne by the Admirall of Persia and Barnard his Cozen chap. 123. How the Admirall of Persia and Huon of Bourdeaux and all their hoast passed by Antioch and by Damas and came to the Citie of Ierusalem to the holy Sepulchre and was nobly receiued by the King of Ierusalem and how the Souldans Messenger came and defied the Admirall of Persia chap. 124 Of the answeare that the Admirall of Persia made vnto the Souldans Messenger and of the report that he made to his Maister chap. 125. Howe the Admirall of Persia sent for his men that lay at Napelous and caused them to withdraw towards Rames and howe they departed from Ierusalem and how he went to fight with his enemies chap. 126. Now speake we of the great Battaile that was in the plaines of Rames betweene the Souldan of Babylon and the Admirall of Persia the which was discomfited by the Prowesse of Huon of Bourdeaux Chap. 127. How the Admirall of Persia and Media found Huon whereas he had fought with fortie men Sarazins and how the Souldan fled to Acres and how the Admirall of Persia and Media besieged him there and of the strange Vision that Huon had in the night chap. 128. How Huon counsailed the Admirall of Persia to rayse vp his siege before Acres for diuers reasons and to returne into Persia chap. 129. How the Admirall of Persia a greede to the counsaile of Duke Huon and praisâ—ed his saying and of the faire offer that the Admirall of Persia 〈◊〉 vnto Duke Huon of Burdeaux chap. 130. How Duke Huon of Bourdeaux tooke his leaue of the Admirall and of all the other Lordes of Perâ—sa and went and tooke shipping at the Port of Thesâ—râ—e and how he arriued at Marsellis without finding of any strange aduenture Chap. 131. How the good Abbot of Cluny layd an ambushment of men betwene Mascon and Tournous against the Emperour of Almaines Nephewe who was there slaine and all his men whereof the Emperour was so sore vexed and troubled that he tooke the Duchesse Escleremond out of prison to haue burnt her and the three Hundred prisoners of Bourdeaux to haue hanged them all chap. 132. Haw King Oberon sent two of his Knights of the Fayrie that is to saye Mallabron and Gloriant to deliuer the faire Escleremond who should haue beene burnt and the three Hundred Prisoners that shoulde haue beene hanged who were all delyuered by the afore sayde Knights chap. 133. How the Emperour Tirrey made the noble Ladie Escleremond to bee well serued and apparelled and all the other Prisoners but about three weekes after hee made the Ladie and the prisoners to be put againe into prison whereas they were in great miserie chap. 134. How Huon departed from Marsellis and came to his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny in habit disguised and vnto him discouered himselfe wherof the abbot had great ioy and so had Clariet his Daughter Chap. 135. How Duke Huon shewed to his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny all the aduentures that he had since he departed from the Citie of Bourdeaux and how he gaue the Abbot the Apple of youth whereby the abbot became againe to his beautie that hee had when hee was but of Thirtie yeares of age chap. 136. How Huon of Bourdeaux departed from Cluny and went to the Citie of Mayence vppon Friday and how he came nere vnto the Emperours Oratorie chap. 137. How Huon did so much with the Emperour Tirrey that he had peace with him and his wife rendred vnto him and all his Landes and Signiories and how the Emperour brought him vnto the abby of Cluny whereas they found the Abbot in armour not knowing any thing of the peace that was made chap. 138. How the Emperour made good chere vnto Duke Huon of Bourdeaux Chap. 139 How the Emperour arriued at Cluny and how the abbot set vpon him and of the peace that was made and how the Emperour conueyed Huon to Burdeaux and rendred vp all his Lands and of the parting of the Emperour how Huon made prouision to goe to king Oberon chap. 140. How Huon deuised with the Duchesse his Wife of his departing and how shee would goe with him And how hee left his Daughter Land and Signiories in the keeping of his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny and with Barnard his Cozin chap. 141. How Huon tooke leaue of his Daughter and of the good Abbot his Vncle of Barnard his cozin entred into the Riuer of Gerone the Duches with him and of the strange Fortunes that they had chap. 142. How Huon lost all his men and the Ship brake in peeces and how he and the Duchesse saued them selues vpon a board and came and arriued at the Castle of the Monkes chap. 143. How Duke Huon made semblance to haue slaine the Monke holding him fast with the
much to doe that foolishly thinketh I say this by my selfe for to day when I came to you I thought my selfe the most puissant man that raigned on the earth thought that yée were not sufficient nor worthy to serue me but often times rash beléeuing deceaueth his maister for I thought that for x. men I would not once turne my chaire to haue regarded them but otherwise is fallen to me for I am discomfited alonely by one man and am taken and broughâ— into your hands therefore ye may do with me at your pleasure yet sir I require you haue pitie on me and pardon the outrage that I haue done vnto you Then the Admirall answered said how he would parâ—on him on the condition that he should neuer after trespas him nor any man in his country and beside that to become his man and to doe him homage before all them that were there present Sir quoth Agrapart I am readie to fulfiâ—l your pleasure and then he did homage to the Admirall in the presence of all theÌ„ that were there and in ioy they sat all downe to dinner The Admirall made great honour to Huon and caused him to sit by him then Agrapart and Gerames and al the other Frenchmen sat downe As for their seruice and many dishes of sondrie sorts of meates I leaue speaking of them Huon who had great desire to accomplish his enterprize drew out his Cup the which Gerames had before deliuered to him with his Horne of Iuory and then said to the Admirall Sir yée may sée héere this rich Cup in my hand the which yee see is all emptie Sir quoth the Admirall I sée well there is nothing therein Now Sir quoth Huon I shall shew you how our Law is holy and diuine then Huon made the signe of the crosse thrée times ouer the Cup the which incontinent was full of wine whereat the Admirall hadde great maruaile Sir quoth Huon I present you this Cuppe that yée may drinke thereof and then shall yée tast the goodnes of the wine The Admirall tooke it in his hand and incontinent the Cuppe was voyde and the wine vanished away whereat the Admirall had great maruaile and saide Huon yée haue enchaunted me Not so Sir quoth Huon I am no Enchaunter but it is because yée be full of sinne for the law that yée hould is of no worth the great vertue that god hath put in this cuppe is by reason of the signe of the crosse that I made whereby yée may perceyue that my saying is true Huon quoth the Admirall yée néed not to trouble your selfe to speake to me to forsake my beléefe and to take yours but I would know of you whether you will abide heere with me or else goe into Fraunce for that I haue promised you I shall fulfill it Ah Sir Admirall quoth Huon I know well you will kéepe couenaunt with me in that yee haue promised me but Sir aboue all other matters I pray you haue pitie on your owne soule the which shal be damned in hell without yée leaue your beleefe in that it is neyther good nor iust without yée doe thus I sweare by my faith that I shall call hether many men of armes that all the houses in your Pallaice and Citie shal be full When the Admirall heard Huon say so he beheld his owne men said Sirs heere yée may well heare the pride that is in this Frenchman who hath been more than halfe a yéere in my prison and now he threateneth to slay mee because I will not take on me his law and leaue mine owne I haue great maruaile where he should find such store of men as he hath said or what lets me to slay him at my pleasure Sir quoth Huon yet I demaund once more of you if ye will doe as I haue said Huon quoth the Admirall beware on paine of your eyen and as much as you loue your life that ye speake no more to me of this matter for by the faith that I owe to Mahound if all King Charlemaines Hoast were heere asseÌ„bled it should not lye in their power to saue your life Admirall quoth Huon I am in doubt that too late yée will repent you Chap. XLVI ¶ How Huon seeing that the Admirall would not forsake his beleefe blew his Horne whereby Oberon came to him and how the Admirall was slaine and all his men And how Huon and the faire Escleremond were in perill of drowning by reason that he brake the commaundement of king Oberon WHen Huon saw that the Admirall would not leaue his Law to receiue christendom he set his Horne to his mouth blew it with such violence that the blood issued out at his mouth so that the Admirall and all other that were there put the tables from them and rose and all that were in the Pallaice began to sing and daunce The same time king Oberon was in his wood hearing the Horne blow said Ah good Lord I know surely that my friend Huon hath great neede of mee I pardon him of all his trespasses for he hath been sufficiently punished nowe I wish my selfe with him with an C.M. men well armed for there is not in all the world so noble a man as Huon it is great pitie that his hart is so light and mutable Then incontinent he with all his companie were in the Citie of Babylon whereas they began to slay all such as would not beleeue on Iesus Christ and then Oberon went to the Pallaice with all his Chiualrie and euery man with his sword naked in his hand When Huon saw Oberon hee embraced him and said I ought greatly to thanke God and you that yée be come so farre off to aide me in all my businesse Huon quoth Oberon as yee beleeue me and worke by my councell I shall not faile you then on all sides they slewe the Paynims men women and children except such as would bee christened Oberon came to the Admirall tooke him and deliuered him into the handes of Huon who had thereof great ioy and then Huon demaunded of the Admirall what he was minded to doe if he would leaue the lawe of Mahound and take christendome Huon quoth the Admirall I had rather be hewen all to péeces then to take your law and forsake mine owne Oberon then said to Huon why doe yée tarrie to put him to death whereupon Huon lifted vp his sword and therewith strake the Admirall that his head flew from his shoulders and Oberon said to Huon Now it lieth well in thy power to be quit with king Charlemaine then Huon tooke the Admirals head and opened his mouth and tooke out his foure great téeth then cut off his beard and tooke therof as much as pleased him then Oberon said Now thou hast in thy hands the Admirals téeth and beard looke as well as thou louest thy life that thou keepe them well O Sir quoth Huon I require you to put them in such a place where
hee can vanquish me then hee shall deliuer to thée thy Néece Escleremond but if I ouercome thy man then thou to retourne to thy Citie and suffer thy Neece to remaine still with him and also thou to restore all the damages that thou hast done to him and his in this warre When Iuoryn heard the Paynim he looked about him to sée if any of his men would take on him this enterprise to fight with Sorbryn but there was no Paynim that durst speake one word for they feared Sorbryn for the fiercenes that was in him and they said amonge themselues that whosoeuer did fight against him was like miserably to finish his dayes The same time that Iuorin spake with Sorbrin Huon was among the other Paynims heard what Sorbryn had said and also he saw that no man durst goe against Sorbryn then as well as hée might he got himselfe out of the presse vpon his leane horse strake him with his spurres but for all that hée could doe the horse would neither trot nor gallop but go still his own pace The old Minstrell beheld Huon his Varlet who made him readie to fight against the Paynim and saw that he was so ill horsed he cryed on hye and sayd Sir King Iuoryn it shal be vnto you great dishonour when such a Horse that is nothing woorth you haue deliuered vnto my Varlet who gooth for your sake to fight with Sorbryn with whome none of your other men dare fight great sinne it is that he hath not a better Horse Then Huon sayd vnto Sorbryn Sarazin I pray thée speake with me Fréend quoth Sorbryn what wilt thou with mée Paynim quoth Huon I require thée to prooue thy vertue against mée Then quoth Sorbryn tell mée art thou a Paynim or a Sarazin Fréend quoth Huon I am neither Paynim nor Sarazin but I am christened beléeuing in the law of Iesus Christ and though thou séest mée but poorely apparelled despise me not for I am come of a noble extraction wherefore I require thée on thy lawe that thou beléeuest on let mée not goe without battaile Fréend quoth Sorbryn in this request thou doest great folly for thou desirest thy death I haue pitie of thée therefore I councell thée to returne backe Paynim quoth Huon I had rather dy then to returne ere I haue iusted with thée Then they went each from other to take their course but for all that euer Huon could doe his horse would not aduance foorth whereof Huon was sore displeased and sayd Ah verie God and man I desire thée to giue mée the grace that I may winne this Horse that this Paynim doth ryde vppon When Huon saw that his horse would neither go forward nor backwarde hée set his Shéeld against his enemie Sorbryn came running like the Tempest and with his Speare strooke in Huons Shéeld such a stroake that the buckles nor any thing else coulde resist the stroake but the Sheeld was peirced through-out but the good armour saued Huon from all hurts and hée remooued no more for the stroake then if it had béen a strong wall whereof Iuoryn all other had great maruaile and said one to another how they had neuer séene before so great a stroake nor a goodlyer receit thereof without falling to the earth euerie man praised greatly Huon that he held himselfe so firmly By Mahound quoth Iuoryn our man is fierce and of great hardynesse I woulde hée were mounted now vpon my horse And Huon who had receiued the great stroake in great yre cast downe his Speare and tooke his Sword with both his handes and gaue therewith the Paynim a great stroake as he passed by him a hye vppon his healme the stroake was so puissant that neither the healme nor coiffe of stéele could resist the stroake but that his head was clouen to the shoulders and so hee fell downe dead in the féeld Then Huon who was quicke and light tooke that good horse Blanchardine by the reyne and alighted from his own horse without féet in the stirrop leapt vppon the Paynims horse and left his owne in the féeld and when hée saw himselfe on Blanchardine he smoat him with his spurres to prooue him when the horse felt the spurres hée began to leape and gambould and gallop as it had béen the thunder and the Paynims had maruell that he had not fallen to the earth so wheÌ„ he had well prooued him and turned him in out he thought hee would not giue him for the value of a Realme then hee came vnto King Iuoryn with twentie ganâ—â—â—ulds By Mahound quoth Iuoryn this Varlet séemeth rather Sonne to a King or Prince then to be a Varlet to a Minstrell then he came vnto Huon and embraced him and made him great respecte and the Paynims that were within Anfalerne with the Admirall Galaffer yssued out of the Citie and when Galaffer saw his Nephew slain he road about him thrée times and made a pitious complaint and said Ah right deare Nephewe I may well complaine by reason of your youth when I sée you thus pitiously slaine certainly if I liue long your death shall dearely be bought so he caused the dead bodie to be carried into the Citie with great lamentations and then hee and his men entred into the Battaile where was great slaughter made on both parts but among all other Huon did maruailes he slew and beat downe tare of helmets and strake out braines with the pummell of his Sword hée slew and beat downe all that came within his stroake his prowesse was such that no Paynim durst abide him but fled as the Shéepe doth from the Woolues he did so much by vertue of his armes that within short space hee brought all his enemies to playne discomfiture so that the Admirall Galaffer with much paine fled and entred into the Citie right sorrowfull for the losse that he had receiued that day for the third part of his men were slaine in the Battaile and all by the valiantnesse of Huon the which was so great that King Iuoryn and his Barons stood still to beholde his valyant déedes And as Huon fought hee spyed out the Paynim that had giuen him his Sword then hée remembred the promise that he had made him and he lifted vp his Sword and strake another Paynim therewith so that hee claue his head to the breast and so hee fell downe dead and Huon tooke the Paynims horse and gaue the horse to him that had giuen him the good Sword and sayd Fréend take well in woorth the gift of this horse fâ—r a reward for the good Sword that you gaue me Sir quoth the Paynim I thanke you In bréefe Huon did so much that there was no Paynim that durst abide him but fled and entred into the Citie of Anfalerne then they closed their gates and lifted vp their bridges and King Iuoryns men departed with the bootie that they had wonne then with great triumph Huon was conuayed riding chéeke by chéeke
his men so great damage he perceiued where the old Gerames was who had oftentimes slaine many of his men and done him so mightie damages that hee thought hee could neuer be reuenged thereof sufficiently and thought that if hee should haue scaped then aliue that hee would doe him much more hurt and damage after and sayd to himselfe that hee had rather die incontinent then he should not as then bee reuenged on him and therewith incontinent he couched his Speare and ran at old Gerames on the one side ere he was aware so that the Emperour ranne him cleane through the bodie so that the gentle knight Gerames fell to the earth and died incontinent great damage fell that day to Huon of Bourdeaux for he lost the truest and best friend that he had Alas for that pitious iourney that fell that day to them of Bourdeaux They had good cause for to wéepe alas good Duchesse Escleremond what losse haue yee receiued to loose him who was your cheefe comfort and refuge ye might haue called him more then father Ah right noble Ladie there neuer came to you a greater mischiefe then ye haue by the death of Gerames who lieth dead euen now among the enemies When the Almaines sawe that Gerames was dead then they fought so that within a short space all them of Bourdeaux were slaine and not one scaped aliue except Barnard who was on the puissant horse Amphage for the gambaudes and worke that he made not an Almaine durst approach neere him for Bernard next vnto Huon was the most valiaunt knight of his body that was as then liuing for when the Almaines sawe him vpon that horse they chased him no further but they went to theyr tents and Bernard ceased not till hee came vnto the gate of the Citie the which was opened when hee was entred and the gate closed againe the Burgesses and comunaltie saw how Bernard came in all alone they demaunded of him and sayd Sir where is your captaine and the old Gerames Then sore wéeping he shewed them at length the pittious and dolorous aduenture the which when they heard they made such cries and wéeping that pittie it was for to heare and to sée them the bruite and noyse was so great and loud that the Ladie Escleremond heard it whereat she maruailed and stood in a great feare Therewith Syr Bernard entred in at the Castle gate and so mounted into the hall whereas hee found the Duchesse Escleremond who was sore abashed when she sawe Syr Bernard come alone who shewed her the great losse that he had sustained that day wherwith for inward sorrow she fell down in a swound and so lay a long space as though she had beene dead Then the Ladyes and Damsels sore wéeping reléeued her and then shee cast out a great crie wringing her handes and tearing her hayre and sayde Ah Huon my right déere Lord this day yée haue lost your most sorrowfull and dolorous wife and well beloued daughter Then the Ladies Damselles and other wiues who had lost their husbands fathers and brethren came into the Castle and made such cryes and sorrow that the noyse thereof was heard into the Emperours hoast without and it was shewed the Emperour that the noyse and brute that was made within the Citie and Castle was for the losse they hadde receiued that day And then they sayde that it should be good that the next morning euerie man should be readie to goe and assayle the Citie and sayd that if euer they would winne it the howre then was come When the Emperour had heard that reason he sayd that the aduise was very good and that he would that it should so be done hee gaue the charge thereof to his Constable and Marshalles so the next morninge his hoast was readie and the Emperour commanded to set forward and then they came before the Citie garnished with all things néedfull and necessarie for assault and they marched forward and approached the Citie and when they came there they gaue a great crie and entred into the Dykes and reared vp their ladders to the walles in diuers places so that they that were within were sore afrayd For within were but Burgesses and Marchants who could but little skil of warre howbeit they mounted vpon the walles and defended their Cittie But the Citie was so sore assayled on all parts that the defendants wist not where to make resistance the shotte of them without slew so thicke that none within durst appeare vppon the walles whereby they entred perforce into the Citie and slew as many as they mette withall in their entring And then they went vnto the gate and opened it so that the Emperour and all his Lords entred into the Citie Then euerie man went abroade in the stréetes to take prisoners and to spoyle mens houses When the Emperour saw hee was Lord of the Citie hee caused it to be proclaimed in euerie streete that no man on paine of death should wrong any woman or deflowre anie mayde nor to breake any Church nor to set any house on fire and also such as were in any Church for sauegard that they should goe at their pleasure without any trouble or danger either of body or goods for the Emperour who was a wise Prince thought in himselfe that great damage and pittie it would bee to destroy and putte to ruine such a famous Citie so strong and well furnished with Burgesses and Marchants When such as were fledde into strong places for refuge vnderstood the Emperours commaundement euerie man and woman returned to their owne houses so that there was but little damage done and that was done by them that entred first When the Lady Escleremond saw how the Citie was taken ye may bee sure she was right sorrowfull For first shee saw her Citie taken by the enemie and her selfe closed within the Castle ill furnished with victualles and much people with her whereby she saw cleerely without God did ayde her that her death approched neere Then pitiously she complayned to God and sayd Verie God on whome I beléeue firmely and for whose sake I haue left my first misbeleefe and forsooke my parents and friends to take to my husband a Christian man to the intēt to receiue thy law O God I require thee of thy grace to haue pittie vpon mee poore desolate creature and to keepe and defend my deere children from all ill incombrances for if it be thy pleasure to saue my childe I am content to abide what fortune it shall please thee to send mee and beside that I require thy grace to saue and keepe Huon my deere Lord and husband Then all wéeping she called vnto her sir Bernard and said Right deare Fréend I can take no counsaile nowe but of you you sée well howe our deathes approache and that it is impossible for vs to kéepe and defend this Castle against the Emperour who hath wonne the Citie and I doubt if he enter into this Castle
perforce wée shall bee the first that shall receiue death and because I sée well that I cannot escape from hence I require you my deare Fréend and by the troth that you beare vnto Huon my Lord and yours that incontinent you take my deare Daughter Clariet whome I hold héere in mine armes and finde some meanes that you may depart out of this Citie and beare her straight to the Abbey of Cluny the which is in Burgoyne and deliuer her into the kéeping of the Abbot there and recommend me vnto him hée is Vncle to my Husband Huon and great Vncle to my Childe Lady quoth Bernard I know well that if I be taken here I shal be vtterly slaine howbeit if I could sée or knowe that my abiding héere could aid or succour you both for mine honour and for the loue of my good Lord and Maister Huon I woulde neuer depart hence from you but my resistance and force is but of small value and because I woulde serue you as I am bounde to doe I am readie sournished to take vppon mee that aduenture as to beare your Child away and to set her in sauegard by the grace of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ When the Duchesse vnderstood Barnard she was well comforted and as for her selfe shee regarded neither her life nor death when shee knewe that her Child should be saued Then shée deliuered her Childe vnto Barnard to the entent that in the night time hée should yssue out Then the Emperour and his Lordes came before the Castle and when the Duchesse knewe that shee came to the gate and at a windowe shee desired to speake with the Emperour who was there readie present and said Madame say what you will to mée at your pleasure and when shée sawe the Emperour shee sayd Sir I knowe well that you are the head and cheefest of all the christened and noblest whereby you are bound to defend and to kéepe from ill all noble men and women I that am the Daughter of an high and mightie Emperour and that for the loue of my good Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ haue forsaken mine owne false béeléefe to beléeue vppon the Christian faith Sir I require you for his sake that made and created you to haue pitie and compassion of mée and of all those that be héere with mée to respite our liues and to put from you all rancour and malice and pardon them that nothing had to doe with the beginning of this warre When the Emperour hadde heard the reasonable request of this faire Ladie hee cast from him all the mortall hate that hée had vnto her and vnto them that were within the Castle with her Then hée mooued with pitie and compassion of the noble Ladie aunsweared and sayde Madame for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christe I repell from mée all my displeasure so that you render vnto mee this Castle and to put it vnder mine obeysance to vse it at my pleasure and to yéelde your bodie as my Prisoner and all those that be within and thus you shall haue all your liues saued Sir quoth the Duchesse laude and praise bee giuen to our Lord Iesus Christ for this grace that you shewe vnto mée and to my companie Then the Emperour went backe and made expresse commandement throuhout the Citie that no man should bée so hardy as to doe any hurt or iniurie to any manner of person within the Citie but to suffer euerie man to abide in their owne houses peaceably without killinge whereof the Burgesses and communaltie of the Citie were right ioyfull Thus as yée haue heard the Citie of Bourdeaux was taken by the Emperour who was chosen in Almaine and committed by the Emperour Charlemaine vntill his Sonne Lewis shoulde bée of full age and able to rule the Empire Chap. CV ¶ How the Duchesse Escleremond deliuered her Daughter Clariet to Barnard to beare vnto the Abbot of Cluny of whome the Abbot was right ioyfull YEE haue heard the pitiful taking of the Citie of Bourdeaux and of the treatie and appointment that the Duchesse Escleremond had made with the Emperour when shee had made her appointment shee went vnto her companie pitiously weeping and shewed them all the manner of her treatie whereof euerie person was glad that their liues should bée saued but they made great sorrowe for that the Duchesse should become a Prisoner and then she called Barnard and sayd Sir when it is night yssue out by the Posterne with my Daughter Clariet and beare her vnto the good Abbot of Cluny who is her great Vncle. Madame quoth hée bée of good cheere and by the grace of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I shall not rest twoo nights in one place vntill I haue deliuered your daughter vnto the good Abbot of Cluny her great Vncle. Then Barnard tooke leaue of the Duchesse who kissed her Daughter at her departing sore wéeping and pitifully complayning There was a Posterne that opened into the féeldes and it was so small that Barnard was faine to leade his horse in his hand the night was dark but he knew well the waies afterwards he mounted on his horse with the Childe in his armes and so road foorth and passed the Landes of Bourdeaux and was neuer séene by any mortall man vntill the next day he road so all the night that his horse was wearie And when hee sawe that hee was past all daungers and escaped all perils then hee road at his ease for loue of the Child and he complained greatly for the good horse Amphage that Huon had left in his kéeping vntill his returne but hee durst not take that Horse with him for feare that hée should haue dealt the worse with the Ladie Escleremond the which had béene true for the Emperour loued the horse so well that he desired more to haue the horse againe then for to winne the Citie and therefore Barnard durst not take the Horse with him So long Barnard road that hée arriued at Monglew the which is called Lyon on the Riuer of Roane and from thence hée road to Mascon and from thence he rested not vntill he came to the Abbey of Cluny and then hée alighted and desired to speake with the Abbot and when the Abbot sawe Barnard with a Child in his armes hee had great maruaile thereof and when Barnard sawe the Abbot all wéeping hee saluted him and said Sir the right desolate Duches of Bourdeaux your Néece and wise vnto the Duke Huon of Bourdeaux your Nephew hath sent héere vnto you her Daughter Clariet Then the good Abbot embraced him and tooke the child and kissed it more then twentie times and demaunded why hée brought the Child vnto him Sir quoth Barnard the Citie of Bourdeaux hath beene besieged by the Emperour of Almaine and so straightly kept that it was néere hand famished many Knightes that were within are slaine so that Huon your Nephewe by the counsaile of the Duchesse his wife and consent of all
and shining within it by reason of the rich stones that were therein wherof he had great maruaile and especially because hee saw within the Shippe but one man cleane armed hee wist not what to thinke but he thought that he was christened then he approached neere to the Shippe and saluted Huon and sayde Sir God giue you good aduenture for me thinkes you bee a Christian man Fréend quoth Huon God saue thée me thinkes by thy speach that thou wert borne in the good Countrey of France by reason that thou speakest French for I haue great ioy when I heare that language spoken and fréend I require thée to shew me where thou wert borne and what thou séekest for heere Sir quoth Barnard séeing you will know of my businesse I shall shew you as he that is right sorrowfull and heauie and little shall you winne thereby when you doe know it but séeing that it is your pleasure I shall shewe you the troth Sir I was borne in the good Citie of Bourdeaux whereas I haue left my house and heritage to séeke for my good Lord somtime Lord of the same Citie and he was called Duke Huon who went from Bourdeaux to séeke for some succour whiles the City was besieged and so it is my Lord Huon returned not nor it cannot bee knowne where he is become and because the Citie at his departing was beséeged by the Emperour of Almaine and the Citie but ill fournished with victuall to maintaine it long and also it was so sore beaten with Engins that the Emperor wanne the Citie perforce and slew all those that my Lord Huon had lefte there except thrée Hundred the which were taken Prisoners by the Emperour and led into the Citie of Mayence with the noble Duchesse Escleremond wife vnto my good Lord Huon and shee is kept in a straighc Prison whereas she spendeth her dayes miserably whereof my heart is in such sorrowe and gréefe that when I remember them it neere hand slayeth my heart When Huon hadde well heard and vnderstood Barnard hee knew him well but hee had no power to speake any word vnto him his heart was so full of sorrow and gréefe for that his Cozen Barnard had shewed him and the chéefest of his sorrow was for the trouble of his wife the faire Lady Escleremond who was in great perill of death Thus Huon was a great space and could speake no word for sorrow and gréefe and wist not what to doe and also hee saw his Coozen Barnard who hadde taken great paines to search for him whereof hee had such pitie that the teares fell from his eyes When Barnard saw that the Knight gaue him no answeare and beheld vnder the ventaile of his helmet the teares of water fell downe from his eyes hee was thereof so dismayed and abashed that he wist not what to say Then hee sayde Sir mee thinkes you are a Christian man and because I see and perceiue in you that you are a man that hath beene in many places and Countreys therefore I desire you to shewe mee if you heard euer any manner of speaking of my good Lord Huon Duke of Bourdeaux whome I haue sought for in many Countreys both by land and by Sea and I could neuer heare any certaine tidings of him whereof I am right sorrie for if I can heare no word of him by you I will neuer hope more to haue any knowledge of him I thinke I shall haue some knowledg by you if he be aliue for if I knowe nothing by you I will neuer séeke him further but I will goe into a Desart vnto some solitarie place and there to doe penance and to pray vnto God for my good Lord Huon and to pardon me of all my sinnes and offences and I require you in the name of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to shewe mee what you bée and where you were borne and from whence you come that hath brought in your shippe so great riches for I knowe certainly that in all Fraunce cannot bee found the value of so great riches nor the puissant Charlemaine coulde neuer assemble together such riches as you haue in your Shippe When Huon had well heard Barnard hee sayde Freend I haue great maruaile of that I heare you say for in my Shippe I knowe neither gould nor siluer nor none other thing but my bodie and mine armour Sir quoth Barnard beware what you say for the riches that I see in your Shippe if you will sell it you may fill againe your shippe with monney if you will beleeue me the Treasure and riches that you haue brought in your Shippe the value thereof cannot bee estéemed When Huon heard that he had great maruaile and was right ioyfull then he looked downe into the bottome of the Shippe and saw the rich stones there lying among the grauell the which he neuer tooke heede of before for when he did cast it into his Ship hee thought all had beene but grauell to ballaice his Shippe withall that it might sayle the more surely Then Barnard sayd Sir I pray you hide it not from mee where haue you had this Treasure and in what Countrey all the stones that bee there I knowe the vertue of them all for since I came out of my Countrey I was a whole yeare with the best Lapidarie and knower of stones that was in all the world and he taught me his Science Sir surely the place whereas you had them in is of great dignitie Freend quoth Huon I shall shewe you the troth fortune brought me by the Gulfe of Persia whereas as I suffered much paine and trouble but thanked be God I escaped from that hard aduenture the force of the winde that came out of the Gulfe draue my Shippe out of the streame to the land and when I sawe that I was so néere to the land I went out of the shippe and tooke a scoope and therewith I did cast into the shippe some store of the grauell that lay by the sea side to ballays my shippe therewith not knowing that any precious stones had beene amonge the grauell and when I thought that I cast in sufficient I entred againe into my ship and so sayled foorth more surely then I did before there I had these stones that be in this shippe the which yée say be of so great value Sir quoth Barnard I pray you wherefore serueth yonder foote of a great Foule or beast that I see hange yonder in your Shippe I cannot tell whether it be of a Foule or of a Dragon for it is a fearfull thing to behold Fréend quoth Huon anone I shall shew you but first I pray you shewe mee what vertue and bountie are in these stones the which you haue so much praised and also to shew me vnto whome this noble Citie appertaineth Sir quoth Barnard this Citie is called Thauris whereof is Lord a rich Admirall who is Lord of all Persia and of Media who when hee shall bee aduertised of your
faylest them at time of néede that serue thée nowe I may well say that with thy gracious ayd yet I shall once more see my Wife and my child thus Huon saide to himselfe beholding both Battailes fighting Chap. CXXIII ¶ How the City of Colanders was taken by the Admirall of Persia after he hadde wonne the Battaile and of the great ioy that was made vnto Huon when hee was knowne by the Admirall of Persia and his Cozen Barnard WHen the Admirall of Persia sawe and perceiued that they of the Towne were yssued out he marched foorth his Battailes and set vpon his enemies there was great slaughter made on both parts but at the last they of the Citie had the worst for the christian men were of a greater number then the Paynims and Sarazins that were yssued out wherefore they were constrained to graunt the Victorie to their enemies the Paynims retired fled towards their citie and the Admirall Barnard with their company chaced slew them that it was pity to sée it Finally the Admirall oppressed them so sore that hee entred into the Citie with them and Barnard and his companie and slew and beat down the Sarazins that great maruaile it was to see the bloud that ranne through the stréets When the Admirall saw that hee had the victorie then hée commaunded to cease slaying and that all such as would beleeue in our Lorde God their liues should bee saued and their goods and so all such as would not bee christened should bee slaine incontinent and none spared the which was done many of them receiued Christendome and as many as woulde not receiue it were all slaine Thus as this Citie was taken then Huon who was entred into the Citie with the Admirals men came to the Pallaice whereas hee sawe the Admirall and all the Barons and Barnard his Coozen Huon had still his Mall vppon his necke and when he came into the Hall he put off his helmet and saluted the Admirall and all the other that were there When the Admirall and his Lords saw Huon the great ioy that they had no tongue can tell Oh right déere and vertuous Knight quoth the Admirall your comming doth so reioyce me that I cannot tell whether I dreame or not you are much bound vnto God that hee hath giuen you the grace to saue you from perill Then the Admirall embraced Huon and you may well know that Barnard his Coozen had great ioy and so had all the other and then the Admirall sayd vnto Huon Sir I pray you to shew mee what aduentures you haue had since you departed from vs Then Huon shewed them all as yée haue heard héere before and how he escaped When the Admirall and the other vnderstood Huon they were neuer so amazed and abashed in all their liues of that hée was so escaped from the handes of the Diuell and sayd that hée was much bound vnto God they were all glad and right ioyfull for the comming of Huon and especially Barnard Then the Captaine of the Citie who had newly receiued Christendome came vnto Huon and sayd Sir I require you to desire the Admirall to bée my good Lord and Maister for I promised faithfully to abide heere in this Towne as his good and true Seruant keeping firmely the christian faith the which I haue newly receiued When Huon saw the Captaine who had receiued him into his house at his first comming into the Citie he went vnto the Admirall and said Sir I require you to giue the keeping of this Citie vnto this noble man and he to hold it as his owne and to doe homage vnto you for it Sir quoth the Admirall all that you will I am agréeable vnto I graunt it him for the loue of you Then Huon thanked the Admirall the Captaine seeing the great and rich guift that the Admirall had giuen vnto him for the loue of Huon he had great maruaile of the great Larges and courtesie that was done vnto him by the meanes of Huon and then hee kneeled downe before them and thanked them and did homage vnto the Admirall in the presence of all the Lordes and Barons and promised truely to keepe the Citie against all men that would doe any dammage thereunto nor neuer to yeeld it vp vnto any person but all onely vnto the Admirall or vnto him that shall haue his Commission thus as yee haue heard the Citie of Colanders was taken Chap. CXXIIII ¶ Howe the Admirall of Persia and Huon of Bourdeaux and all their Hoast passed by Antioch and by Damas and came to the Citie of Ierusalem to the holy Sepulchre and was nobly receiued by the King of Ierusalem and howe the Souldans Messenger came and defied the Admirall of Persia WHen the Admirall and Huon saw this Citie wonne and brought vnder their obeysance and hadde established there a newe Lorde and Captaine and set Prouostes and Baylifes and other Officers then they tooke aduise together determined since they were a â—and to send backe againe their Nauie of shippes into Persia and they to goe by land to the Citie of Ierusalem for they hadde from thence as they were but Tenne dayes iourney vnto Antioch and so to passe by that Citie and then vnto Damas and so to Ierusalem and there to doe their offering and if by aduenture they founde in their way either Kings or Admirals that would let or trouble them in their passing they sayd that they were of puissance sufficient to resist against them and then they sayd howe that from Ierusalem the Admirall might returne by land into Persia vnto the Riuer of Euphrates and there his Nauie to méet him and so to conuay him vnto his Citie of Thauris and Huon to returne vnto laffe and from thence by water to returne into Fraunce Thus they concluded to doe the which aduise was lauded and praised of all the Lordes and Barons of the Hoast After this conclusion thus taken the Admirall commaunded his shippes to be discharged of all thinges necessary to be caried by lande the which was done diligently according to his commaundement their horses were sette a lande and their Tents and Pauillions trussed vppon Mules and Cammels and Dromodaries the which cariage séemed a great Hoast there were so many together the noyse and brute that they made séemed to be a new world and when all the shippes were discharged the Patrons and Maisters of the Shippes tooke their leaue of the Admirall who commaunded them expresly to abide for him in the Riuer of Euphrates and so they did accordingly Nowe lette vs leaue speakinge of them and returne vnto our former matter When these Shippes were departed and euerie thinge trussed then the Admirall commaunded through-out all the Countrey that all Marchants and other able to doe it should send after his Hoast bread wine and flesh and bisket to vittaile his Hoast and the charge to sée this done was giuen to the newe Admirall of the Citie of Colanders the which he did diligently
that yet before I die I shall strike off his head from his bodie whatsoeuer fall thereof When the Ladie heard Huon how he sayd that hee was her Father shee changed colour and blushed as ruddie as a Rose and thought to her selfe by the words that he spake that hee was her Father whereof she was right ioyfull and said Ah Sir I pray you if you bee Duke Huon of Bourdeaux my Father to shew me My right deare Daughter beléeue it surely for I will no longer hide it from you When the Ladie heard that he was her Father she clipped him and Twentie times kissed him Then the Abbot came and embraced him and sayd My right deare Nephewe the ioy that my heart hath of your comming is to mee so acceptable that I cannot tell whether I dreame or not that I sée you heere and then againe hee embraced him making the greatest ioy in the world Also there was Clariet his Daughter who embraced and kissed him then all that were in the house came thether to make great chéere and feasting Faire Nephewe quoth the Abbot I am sore abashed that you be returned with so small a companie Good Vncle quoth Huon it could bee none otherwise I haue had such fortunes vppon the Sea that the most part of my men are dead and perished some by maladie and some are returned into their owne Countreys and especially they that went with me are abiding at the Rocke of the Adamant and there all be dead by famine and they that were my Guides to haue brought mee vnto Euphame are in like wise dead there Then Duke Huon beganne to shewe vnto the Abbot all the aduentures that he had since he departed from the noble Citie of Bourdeaux there were some that heard it that tooke it for a mocke and a lye he shewed of so many great maruailes they thought that the most part of them were lyes and one saide to another Great aduantage haue these Vagabounds to lye because they finde no man to say them nay and if any man say nay their answeare is readie to say go and sée then the good Abbot sayd Faire Nephew if I were of the age to beare armour gladly I would goe with you to ayde you to destroy this Emperour who hath done you so much ill I shall send for such a number of men of warre and pay them with my Treasure the which I haue long time gathered together and shall ayde you to make such war that it shall alwayes be had in remembrance or else I would die in the paine and all they that should goe with me and to cause him to make you amends of all the ils and dammages that he hath done vnto you yet somewhat I haue done alreadie for it is not long since that one of the Emperours Nephewes were slaine by my men and all they that were with him slaine or taken for Nephewe I haue gathered together a great Treasure that I may therewith entertaine a hundred Thousand men for two yeares without selling or laying to pledge any foote of Land appertaining to my Church but as now I am so old that I cannot ride out for I am a hundred and fourteene yeares of age and therefore séeing that I cannot goe with you I shall abandon vnto you all my Treasure and take thereof as much as it shall please you Sir quoth Huon you make me so great an offer that once before I die I trust to render vnto you the double value by the grace of God Chap. CXXXVI ¶ How Duke Huon of Bourdeaux shewed to his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny all the aduentures that hee had since he departed from the noble Citie of Bourdeaux and how he gaue the Abbot the Apple of youth whereby the good Abbot became againe to his beautie that hee had when hee was but of Thirtie yeares of age WHen Duke Huon of Bourdeaux had well vnderstood the good Abbot his Vncle and sawe the faire offer and seruice that he had offered vnto him he saide Sir of your courtesie and Larges and all the good that you haue done vnto me and to my Daughter Clariet God reward you for it true it is after that I had fought with the Griffens I came vnto a faire Fountaine and there by was a Trée growing charged full of faire fruit the Trée was called the Trée of youth of the which I gathered three Apples whereof you shall haue one and shall eate it and assoone as you haue eaten thereof thereby you shall become as young and as strong and lusty as you were when you were of the age of Thirty yeares Then there was a Monke in the house called Dan Iohan Saliuet who beganne to laugh and hasted him to speake and sayde Ah Sir what is it that you say these two Thousand yeares there was neuer man at the Tree of youth therefore this tale is not to be beléeued and when Huon heard the Monke he waxed red for anger and lifted vp his staffe and would haue striken therewith the Monke and if he had not skipt backe and sayd Ah thou false Monke thou lyest falsely I haue been there and that thou shalt sée the proofe thereof whether I say true or not Then the Abbot came betweâ—ne them and stopped the stroake and sayd vnto Huon 〈…〉 â—ight deare Nephewe appease your selfe and then hee sayd to the Monke Ah thou rude Groome by the faith that I owe vnto my Lord Saint Bennet for thy words thou shalt bee sore punished then he caused the Monke to be set in prison and then the Abbot sayd vnto Huon Sir I pray you to be no longer displeased Then Huon tooke one of his Apples and gaue it to his good Vncle the Abbot and sayd Sir take this Apple the which I gathered of the Trée of youth I gathered therof thrée and one I gaue to the Admirall of Persia and another I kept for my selfe the which I giue you and I woulde haue gathered moe but I was forbidden by an Angell sent from our Lord Iesus Christ and Sir knowe for troth that the Admirall of Persia before I gaue him the Apple he was of the age of Six-score yeares and more but assoone as hee had eaten thereof he became as faire and as strong as when he was of Thirtie yeares of age and hee is as now one of the fairest Princes in the world By the which Miracle he and all his people of his Realme did forsake the false and detestable Law of Mahomet and tooke vpon them the beliefe of our Lord Iesus Christ and were christened and they that woulde not were hewen all to péeces and after that for the loue that he bare vnto mée hée passed the Sea with mee with great puissance and wee entred into the Souldans Lande whereas wee discomfited him in plaine Battaile When the good Abbot had well heard and vnderstood his Nephew he had great ioy and tooke the Apple and made thereon the signe of the Crosse and did
Emperour was about to doe nor that hee was in the woode abydinge there for Huon That night Huon and his companie were at Coleyne making good chéere and the next morning they heard seruice then they mounted on their horses issued out of the towne they were to the number of thurteene Thousand hardy fighting men and when they were out in the feelds Huon like a good man of warre said Sirs I desire you let vs keepe together and ride like men of warre to the entent that we be not suddainly taken and so they did the day was faire and cleare they might well be perceiued a farre off as they were by the Emperour of Almaine who lay enambushed for Huon the Emperour espied them firste and sayde to his companie Sirs yonder a farre off I sée many people comming towarde vs they séeme vnto mée men well expert in armes neuer beléeue me but they be Frenchmen and he that is their Captaine is Huon of Bourdeaux he is not come hether like a small Personage but he is highly accompanied like a great and mightie Prince I sée well he is valiant by that he hath done hee is so noble hardy that none may be compared to him you haue well séene howe that hee all alone came into my Pallaice and there slewe my Nephew Duke Raoul wherewith my heart is in great displeasure hee is greatly to bee doubted for without God helpe vs wee shall haue ynough to doe with him would to God that hee and I were at accordment and agréed for he is so noble and so valiant that he feareth no man You haue well séen since he departed from Mayence he hath slaine more then fortie of my men and hath borne me to the earth and he hath taken from me my good horse whereby he may be wel assured that there is no man shall take him if he be vppon his backe howbeit we must set vpon him for my heart shall neuer be in ease as long as he liueth therefore Sirs I desire you euerie man this day shew the loue that you beare vnto me and the sauegard of your liues for to fly away auaileth not therefore Sirs set on together and doe so that wee may haue the first aduantage Chap. LXXXIIII ¶ Of the great Battaile within two Leagues of Coleyn between the Emperor of Almaine and Huon of Bourdeaux and of the Truce that was taken betweene them HVon who roade before his Barons deuising with old Gerames regarded on his right hand towards the litle wood and he saw in the wood great clearenesse by reason of the Sunne shining on the healmes and on the speares poynts whereby he perceiued plainely that there was much people hidden in the wood hee shewed them to Gerames and to his other companie and sayd Sirs bee in a surety that without battaile we cannot scape héere is the Emperour who lyeth in waite for vs. I desire you let vs doe so that hee shall haue no cause to make any auaunt of vs yonder you may sée them how they set themselues in order to abide vs therefore let vs quickly sette on them and so they did in such wise that with the very running of their horses the earth trembled and the sunne lost his light by reason of the powder that rose vp into the ayre from both parts Huon who ranne before on his puissant horse behelde Godun who was formost in his companie hee ranne at him with a strong speare so that he ranne him cleane through the body so that hee fell downe to the earth and with the same speare Huon met Crassyn Polinger who bare the Emperors banner Huon strake him so fiercely that he bare horse and man and banner all to the ground whereof the Almaines and Bauiers were sorrowfull Huon did so much ere his speare was broken that he first bare fiue to the earth so that they had no power after to reléeue themselues there were many speares broken and many a knight borne to the earth and there dyed among the horse féete for the father could not helpe the sonne nor the sonne could not helpe the father and many a horse ranne abrode in the field and their Maisters lying dead in the bloud and myre Huon who rode about in the battaile slaying and wounding his enemies behelde on his right side and saw the Earle Sauary slaying many of them of Bourdeaux Ah good Lord quoth Huon if yonder knight raigne long he shall doe me great damage Then hée rode to him and gaue him such a stroke with his sword so that he strake off his shoulder and arme so rudely that it fell vpon the earth so that for the great paine that the Earle Sauary endured he fell from his horse and there was slaine among the horse féete whereof the Emperour who was there by right sorrowfull when he saw another of his nephewes slaine and sayd Ah Huon of God bee thou cursed since thou hast slaine so many of my friends I shall neuer haue ioy in my heart till I haue thée in my hands to hang thée Sir quoth Huon ere you haue taken me you are like to loose more of your friendes and beware of your selfe that you come not into my handes by your nephew Raoull yee haue all this damage who by his falsenesse thought to haue betrayed me and to haue had my wife if I haue slaine your nephewes and your men I haue doone it in defending mine owne body I say to you if you bee not well aware of me I shall bring you to the poynt that it shall be hard for you to be carried away in a litter Huon quoth the Emperor the great hate that I haue to thée for the death of my nephewes makes me féele much dolour at my heart that I had rather die then that I should not bee reuenged of thée therefore beware thou of mée for I shall neither eate nor drinke till I haue thée either quicke or dead Then they two went backe to take their course together but ere they met the Almaynes came running thether for the feare that they had of loosing their Emperour and on the other part came thither the olde Gerames who fought so fiercely that whomsoeuer he strake with a full stroke had no neede of any Surgion and his companie fayled not for their parts and Huon with his good sword opened the thick prease so that the Almaynes greatly doubâ—ed him Huon with his noble chiualrie caused his enemies to recule backe halfe a bowes shoote Then there was a knight of Almain saw well that without some remedie were found the Emperour and his companie were like to be slaine he went out of the battell as priuily as he could and ranne on the spurres and rested not till hee came to Coleyn where incontinent he rode to the Prouosts house and found him in his house newly reine from masse then the Knight sayd to him Sir Prouost if euer you will sée the Emperour aliue cause the commons of this
Citie to be armed and come and succour the Emperour hastily for when I came from him he had great neede of ayde there is Huon of Bourdeaux who hath slayne thrée of his nephewes and this other day he was lodged in this Citie the Emperour knoweth well that you knew nothing thereof for Huon had lodged his men in the suburbs and in other little houses because hee would not be perceiued Syr Prouost make haste in this businesse When the Prouost heard what daunger the Emperour was in he sounded the watch bell and made to be cryed in euery stréete that euery man that was able to beare armes should arme them and goe out into the field to succour the Emperour who was in great daunger of his life When the Bourgesses of the towne heard that crie euery man armed them as well as they could some were harnessed behind and some in a Iacke all smoked and with staues and other weapons what a foote and a horse backe there went out of the Citie twentie thousand men if you had séene the horsemen you would haue laught at them for it séemed they were set on horse backe in despite there was neuer séene so rude a companie it was no maruaile for they were not accustomed to ryde in harnesse The Prouost went before and exhorted them to doe their deuoirs so they tooke their way to come to the battaile whereas Huon and his companie did part of their willes and the Emperour séeing that he began to loose his men and place hee rode searching in the battaile for Duke Huon whereas he found by aduenture Huon who had then newly slaine by aduenture the Emperours Seneschall When that the Emperour sawe him slaine he was right sorrowfull and in a great rage he cryed to Huon and saydâ— Thou knight that neuer art satisfied to shedde the bloud of my men to abate my linage and force I pray thée turne thy shield vnto mee for if thou knewest the great hate that I beare thée thou wouldst neuer appeare before me Sir quoth Huon I maruell that you so sorely hate me haue tarryâ—d so long for reueÌ„ge therfore beware for if I can I wil send you after your Nephewes whome yée say that yée loue so well They tooke their course with great and rude speares and so came together like the tempest and met so rudely that the buckles of their Armour all to brast and the Emperours speare brake all to péeces but Huons speare was bigge and strong therewith he strake the Emperour with such puissance that his speare ranne through his shoulder so that the Emperour fell to the earth so rudely that with the fall he brake the bone of his thigh whereby he was in such dolour that he swounded And when Huon saw him lye on the ground hee came to him with his swoord in his hand and would haue slaine him if he had not béene succoured but there came so many Almaines that whether Huon would or not they tooke the Emperour and bare him out of the field and laid him in the wood and then demaunded of him how he did Sirs quoth he I am sore hurt for my thigh is broken whereby I endure more gréefe than I can abide but as for death I trust by the grace of god I shall escape it When they heard that they were all ioyfull and said Sir know for troth that your men are sore discomfited for they be so sore oppressed by Huon and his men that wée feare all your men will be slaine wée will goe againe to the battaile and leaue some with you to looke vnto your Maiestie Well quoth the Emperour but your force nor your defence cannot auaile you any thing against Huon nor against his men But I shall shew you what yée shall doe yée shall send quickly to Huon and desire him in my name to cease slaying of my men and that there may be a truce had betwéene him and me for the space of halfe a yéere for within that time I hope to finde some other treatie that hee and I might be friendes and if he refuse this then I see none other remedie but that wée shall be all slaine or taken and then he will cause me to die in some noysome prison Sir quoth his knights we shall doe your commaundement but we feare sore that we shall not be heard Sirs quoth the Emperour goe to him and doe the best yée can Then they returned to the battaile whereas they founde their companie readie to flie away for they were neere all slaine and taken the Knights from the Emperour came to Huon and desired him in the name of the Emperour that he would cease the battaile and sound the treatie and they would do likewise in the same manner and that there might be a firme truce betweene them for halfe a yeere and in that season they trusted that some good wayes would be found that the Emperour and hee might be good friendes together Sirs quoth Huon if the Emperour your Master had mee in that danger which he is in hee would not suffer me to scape aliue for all the gold in the world howbeit I am content that he haue truce for halfe a yeere the which I shall surely kéepe on my part and if I be assayled I shall defend mee and if so be that hee come to Bourdeaux to assayle mee by the helpe of God and my good friendes I shall doe the best that I can But if he will haue peace with mee and pardon mee his displeasure for the death of his nephewes I shall be readie to make peace and I shall make amends for al wrongs though I was not the beginner Then Huon caused the retrait to bee sounded and in likewise so did the Almaynes who had thereof great ioy it came to them at a good poynt for else all had béene slaine or foyled When he had the vpper hand now that he pursued still his chase for then he might haue had an end of that warre and neither shield nor speare more broken whereas after many a man was slaine and was the cause that the Citie of Bourdeaux was lost and the fayre Escleremond taken and set in prison in the Citie of Mayens and Huon suffered so much paine and trouble that no mortall man can shewe it Thus as you haue heard Huon granted the truce and so both parts withdrew whereof the Emperour and his companie were right ioyfull Then Huon called his companie and shewed Gerames and his Lords how he had graunted truce to the Emperour for halfe a yeere and therefore I charge you all not to breake the peace the Emperour was glad when hee heard it for he knew well hee had scaped a great daunger Then he charged all his men on paine of death that they should not breake the truce And Sirs quoth he I pray you make readie a litter that I may be carried to Coleyne for the paine that I féele in my legges causeth all my bodie