I came to my purpose and strooke off the Admirals head and so tooke his beard and great téeth Brother quoth Gerard and how do you kéepe them and where Brother quoth Huon behould héere Gerames who hath them in his side King Oberon did set them there by the Fayrie and by the will of God Sir quoth hée which is Gerames Brother quoth Huon héere you may sée him before you he with the great hoarie beard Sir quoth Gerard of what Land is hée of He is of the best Fréends that I haue quoth Huon and he is Brother to the good Prouost Guyer you neuer heard speake of a truer nor more noble man I found him in a wood whereas hee had dwelt about Fortie yeares in penance God ayded mee greatly when I found him for if hée had not béene I could not haue returned hether much paine and pouertie hee hath endured for my sake and nowe Brother I pray you shew me how ye haue done since I departed from you it hath béene shewed me that ye are very richly married I pray you where was your wife borne and of what lineage is she of Sir quoth Gerard she is daughter to Gybouars of Cecyle who is a great Lord and Signior Brother quoth Huon I am sorie that yee haue taken such aliance for I know him for the most vile traytour that can bee found and the most vntruest Sir quoth Gerard ye doe ill to say so for I take him for no such person Chap. LXVI ¶ How these two Brethren departed from the Abbey about midnight and how the Traitor Gerard began to fall at rude words with Huon when they approched neere the wood whereas Gibouars lay in ambush THus as these two brethren deuised of Gibouars the Abbot came to them and demanded of Huon if it were his pleasure to goe to supper Sir quoth Huon when it please you I and my brother shall be readie The fayre Escleremond who was wearie of trauaile was in her chamber apart and diuers other of her company with her whereas she supped and lay that night Huon was somewhat troubled because his brother had taken to his wife the daughter of a Traytour thus they washed and sate them downe to supper where they were richly serued and at another table sate the Prouost Guyer and Gerames his brother and diuers other Barons Gerard beheld the Prouost whom hee vtterly hated because hee went to seeke for Huon Hee sware to him selfe that if hee might once goe out of the Abbey that he should bee the first that shoulde loose his life and hee did eate and drinke but little for thinking to accomplish his ill Enterprize When they had supped they aroase from the board and their bedds were made readie Then Huon called the Abbot apart and sayd Sir I haue brought hether with me great riches I will leaue it héere with you to keepe vntill my returne and I pray you for any manner of thing that may fall deliuer it vnto no man liuing but all onely to my selfe and if God giue me the grace to returne your part shall bee therein Sir quoth the Abbot all that you take mée to keepe shall bée safely kept to your behoofe and I shall doe so that you shall bée content then hee went to bed and Gerard with him where Gerard sayd Brother if you thinke it good I shall call you vp betimes for it séemeth that to morrow the day will be hot Brother quoth Huon I am content Thus they lay together in one bed but the Traytour Gerard had no lyst to sleepe for the great desire that he had to be reuenged of his Brother who neuer did him any trespasse but alas why did not Huon know his entent if hée had the matter had not gone so to passe At last the houre came that the Cockes began to crowe then Gerard awooke Huon and said Brother it were good for vs to arise for anone it will be day it is good to ride in the coole but the ill Traytour his thought was otherwise When Huon heard his Brother he rose vp and euery man arose vp and made them redie Sir quoth Gerames how is it that yée be so hastie to depart from hence I pray you let me sléepe a little longer Sir quoth Gerard that is ill said for he that hath businesse to doe that toucheth him néere ought not to sléepe nor rest vntill his businesse be finished By my troth quoth Huon my Brother saith troth for I haue a great desire to speake with King Charlemaine then euery man trussed vp their things and tooke their horses and the faire Escleremond was readie and mounted on a stately mule and so they all tooke their leaues of the Abbot who was right sorowfull that they would depart so early Then the gates were opened and so departed Fourtéene in a companie and Escleremond made the Fiftéene and Gerard rode before to lead them the right way that he would haue them to ride and Escleremond being very sumptuously apparelled rode very soberly and she came to Huon and said Sir I cannot tell what ayleth me but my heart is so sore troubled that all my bodie trembleth Madame quoth Huon be not dismaid nor haue any feare for yée be in a good countrey where by the grace of god yée shall be serued like a Princesse and Ladie of the countrey and with those wordes speaking her Mule stumbled on the one foot before so that shée had néere hand a great fall then Huon approched to her tooke the bridle of the Mule in his hand said Faire Ladie haue yée any hurt No Sir quoth shée but I had almost fallen By my faith quoth Gerames we haue done very ill for that wée departed from the Abbey before day light Sirs quoth Gerard I neuer saw men so fearefull for so small a cause Sir quoth Gerames I know not why yée speake it but if I might councell yée we would not goe one foot farther but returne againe to the Abbey till day light By god quoth Gerard it were great folly to returne againe now for the stumbling of a Mule I neuer saw men so fearefull let vs ride foorth and make good chéere I sée the day beginneth to appeare So they road foorth vntill they came to a crosse whereas there was foure wayes this was about a League from the Abbey Then Huon rested and sayd Loe héere is the border of the Territorie of the Abbey of Saint Maurise and this one way is to Bourdeaux the which way I will not ride for so I haue promised to King Charlemaine to whome I neuer yet falsed my faith if I did it should bee the cause that I might loose my Signiorie and this other way goeth to Rome this other way before vs is the right way into Frāce the which way I will ride and none other So they road foorth and all their companie and within a while they were néere to the wood within a bow shoot whereas the Traytour
Gybouars lay in ambushment Now when Gerard saw his houre and time to speake vnto his Brother Huon he said Brother I sée you are in mind to goe into Fraunce vnto Kinge Charlemaine to haue your Lands and Signories the which I am sure you shall haue it is a long space that I haue kept it maintained the Countrey in peace and rest and good iustice and haue wonne but little nor haue hadde but small profit not the value of one pennie and I am maried to a noble Ladie Daughter to a great Lord and it troubleth my heart sore when you repute him for a Traytour if hée knewe it by likely-hood it might turne you to great folly for wee beléeued that you should neuer haue returned therefore nowe I may say that I am not woorth a pennie Therefore I would knowe of you howe you would ayd mée and what part I shall haue at your returne out of Fraunce Brother quoth Huon I haue great maruaile of this that you say you knowe well that in the Abbey of Saint Maurise I haue left Twentie Somers charged with fine gould and I haue saide vnto you that your part shall bée therein as much as mine nor I shall haue no penny but that one halfe is yours Brother quoth Gerard all this suffizeth not to me for I would haue part of the Signorie to maintaine mine estate When Huon vnderstood his Brother his bloud roase into his face for hée sawe well his Brother searched all that he could to fall at debate with him and Gerames who was sage and wise perceiued anone that the matter was like to goe euill and sayd vnto Huon Sir graunt to Gerard your Brother his demaund you are both young inough to conquer Landes Gerames quoth Huon I am content that he shall haue Bourdeaux or Gerone let him take which hee list Brother quoth Huon shewe which of these two you will haue and I will haue the other Chap. LXVII ¶ How these Traytours slewe all Huons Company except Gerames and Escleremond and Huon himselfe the which all three were fast bound handes and feete and blindfold and so brought vnto Bourdeaux and were put in prison WHen the false Traytour Gerard saw and vnderstood his Brother how hée did graunt him his desire saw how that in no wise hée wold striue with him hee was therewith so displeased that he was néere hand in a rage then he came to the Prouost Guyer and sayd Guyer Guyer false Traytour by thée and by thy purchase I am like to loose all my Signorie but by the faith that I owe vnto him that created mée before I die I shall strike off thy head nor I shall not let to doe it for any person and therewith when he sawe his time he cried his word and token and Gybouars who was in the wood with Fortie men armed brake out with their speares in their rests and when Huon perceiued them it was no maruaile though hee was abashed then humbly he besought our lord God to saue his body from misfortune and gladly hée would haue returned to the Abbey but hée was so sore ouer-layd that hee could not then hée drewe out his Sword and gaue therewith the first that came such a stroake that he claue his head to the téeth and so fell dead to the ground and Huon strake so vppon the right hand and vppon the left that whosoeuer he strake a full stroake néeded after no Surgion if hée had béene armed hée would not lightly haue béene taken without great losse but his defence could not auaile him for he and all his companie were vnarmed and all the other Fortie were cleane armed they all fought cruelly in such wise that within a while Twelue of Huons men were slaine in the place none escaped aliue except Huon who was beaten downe to the earth his hands bound then Gerard the Traytour came to Gerames who was beaten downe by force and then hee cut open his right Side and tooke out thereof the Admirall Gaudise beard and foure great teeth the which were set there by Kinge Oberon of the Fayrie Huon séeing the old Gerames lying on the earth hee sayd with a hie voice vnto Gerard Brother I pray you shew me that courtesy as not to slay that old Gentleman but saue his life Brother quoth Gerard that hée hath let him keepe other hurt hee shall none haue at this time then they bound his eyes and then they came to Escleremond who lay on the earth in a swound they bound her hands and eyes and so set her whether shée would or not vppon a horse and Huon as he was blindfold hée heard the cries wéepings that she made then he sayd Brother Gerard I pray you for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ suffer none ill to be done to that good Ladie who is my Wife nor no dishonour Brother quoth the Traytour Gerard thinke on your selfe speake no more I shall doe as it pleaseth me Then they set Huon Gerams on two horses the false Traytour tooke the Twelue dead bodies and did cast them into the great Riuer of Gerone then they tooke that way to the Citie of Bourdeaux and led the thrée Prisoners fast bound vpon thrée horses Pitie it was to heare the noble Ladie Escleremond complaine and she said vnto Huon Ah Sir you haue sayde to me that when wée were once in your Countrey of Bourdeaux that you woulde cause mee to bée crowned with gould but now I sée well that in great paine miserie we must vse the residue of our liues you haue found héere an ill Brother since hée hath purchased for you so much ill surely there is better faith troth among the Sarazins then is in the people of the Realme of France Madame quoth Huon your trouble more displeaseth mée then mine owne God send to my Brother Gerard such reward as he hath deserued for the treasō that he hath done vs. Thus they complayned and wist not whether they were caried they entred into the Citie of Bourdeaux an houre before day Alas that the good Burgesses of the City had but knowen how their Lord Huon was so falsely betrayed if they had knowne it he had béene rescued and Gerard Gybouars hewen all to péeces but the false Gerard brought them by priuy darke Lanes to the Pallaice for that they should not be perceiued Thus they came to the Castle where they alighted and vnarmed them then they tooke Huon and Escleremond Gerames and put them all into a deepe Prison all thrée together ordained that they should haue euery day barley bread and water and commaunded the Iaylor to giue them none other thing also commaunded that neither man nor woman should speake with them the Iaylor promised so to doe for he was seruant to Gybouars such as the Maister was so was the Seruant Thus Huon betraied pitiously by his Brother Gerard set in prison and with him his wife Escleremond
were they themselues The same time the Emperours Nephewe was slaine who was a goodly Knight and the Emperour had before sent him to Bourdeaux to gouerne the Land and Countrey of Burdeloys and he had ben there the space of foure yéeres of whose death the Lord of Vergier was sorrie for he had rather that he had béen taken Prisoner then they tooke his bodie and buried him in the chiefe Church of Tournous whereas they lay all night with their Prisoners who were to the number of eight Hundred they of Bourdeaux that were taken as Prisoners were right ioyfull when they were thus escaped from the handes of the Almaines After this discomfiture they returned to the Abbey of Cluny whereas they were receiued with great ioy of the Abbot and of the Couent then the Lord of Vergier shewed the whole discourse of their discomfiture and then the booties were deuided amongest them that had wonne and all the men of warre departed except a Thowsand men whome the Abbot retayned for the sauegard of the towne of Cluny who made many skirmishes with the Emperours menne And after this discomfiture the newes thereof was presently brought to the Citie of Mayence to the Emperour Tirrey who was right sorrowfull for the death of his Nephew who was his sisters sonne by reason of the sorrow and great displeasure that he had for hee was thrée dayes after before he would come foorth of his chamber and on the fourth day he sent for all his Lords and Councell and to them he made his complaints how by the occasion of Duke Huon of Bourdeaux he had lost foure of his Nephews and his Bastard sonne and said I ought greatly to be gréeued when I cannot bée reuenged of Huon I thinke hee shall neuer returne againe but séeing it is so that I can take no vengeance of him I shall take it vppon his Wife Escleremond and vppon the thrée Hundred Prisoners that I brought out of Burdeaux but by the same Lord that made and fourmed mee to his semblance I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart nor eate nor drinke vntill I haue seene Escleremond burnt in a fire and the thrée Hundred prisoners hanged and strangled and I wil that each of you knowe that he that speaketh to me first to the contrarie I shall hate him euer after When the Lords had well heard the Emperour make that promise there was none so hardy that durst speake one woord then the Emperour commaunded in hast great plentie of thornes to be caried out of the Citie vnto a little Mountaine there beside and there by to be reared vp certaine Gallowes to hange thereon the thrée Hundred Prisoners All this was done as hee commaunded for more then tenne Load of thornes were caried out to burne the noble Ladie Escleremond and she was sent for out of the prison by foure hangmen and the Prisoners with her were brought into the Citie and all to bée beaten by the way When the noble Ladie saw how shee was dealt withall shee pitiously complained for her good Husband Huon and for her Daughter Clariet and saide Ah my right swéet Lord and Husband Huon at this time shall bee the departure of vs two and then shee called vppon our Lord Iesus Christ praying him by his grace and pity to bring her soule into Paradice thus crying and complayning the noble Ladie was ledde through the Towne and then Ladies and Burgesses and Maidens of the Citie ranne to their windowes and dores and beheld the dolourous and pitifull companie leading towardes their deaths then they sayd a high Ah right noble Ladie where is become the great beautie that you were woont to bee of for now your Visage is pale and discoloured that was woont to be so faire and nowe so loathed and disfigured where is become your faire haires that nowe bee so blacke and rugged for the great pouertie that you haue endured Alas noble Ladie great pitie and compassion we haue to sée you in this estate if we could amend it thus as this Ladie was led through the Towne she was bemoned of them that sawe her the three Hundred Gentlemen were also led forth and the Emperour Tirrey and his Lords road after them for his desire was to see the noble Ladie burnt and the other Prisoners hanged hee made hast because of the sorrow that hee had for the death of his Nephewe and of his men who were newly slaine by the meanes of the Abbot of Cluny When they were yssued out of the Citie of Mayence Duke Hildebert a néere kinsman of the Emperours was comming into the Citie the same time that the Ladie was ledde foorth and hée sawe how rudely they dealt with the Ladie and when he sawe her he knew well that it was the faire Ladie Escleremond but when hee sawe her at that point the water was in his eyes and he sayd vnto them that ledde her Sirs go not too fast vntill I haue spoken with the Emperour the which they did gladly When the noble Ladie Escleremond had well heard and vnderstood the Duke shee had some little hope shee turned her eyes towards him sayd Ah right noble Prince haue pittie and compassion of mee for I haue done nothinge whereby I should deserue to die When the Duke had well vnderstood her he had such pitie that he could speake no word his heart was so full of sorrowe and then he road as fast as he might to méet with the Emperour and passed by the thrée hundred prisoners and had great pity and compassion of them and so he came vnto the Emperour all wéeping and said Ah right noble Emperour I require you in the honour of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ haue pitie and compassion of this dolourous companie that are likely to die this day remember that it is nowe in the holy time of Lent wherefore I require you to respite their liues vntill it be past Easter and Sir humbly I require you for all the seruice that I and mine haue done vnto you graunt me but this request for my reward the which is both reasonable and iust great wronge you doe to reuenge your anger vppon this noble Ladie you haue chaced her out of her Countrey Landes and Signiories the which you hold in your handes and take the Reuenewes and profits thereof if you bee not sufficed with this I doubt that our Lord Iesus Christ will be sore displeased with you When the Emperour had well heard the Duke his Cozen hee stoode still and spake hastely and sayd Faire Coozen I haue well heard you and therefore I answeare you in briefe wordes how that if all the men that bee in mine Empire and all the Priestes and Friers were here and did preach vnto me a whole yeare desiring me to respite this Ladies death and the other that be with her I would doe nothing for all them and therefore speake no more to me in that matter for by the beard that hangeth vnder my chinne
knowledge for a more noble man courteous and liberall you shall not find vpon this side of the Sea Fréend quoth Huon your courtesie may auaile you Then Huon went into the Hall whereas hee found the Abbot with his Brethren and then hee saluted the Abbot and all his Couent Fréend quoth the Abbot you are welcome I pray you to shewe mée from whence you come Sir quoth Huon I shall shew you the troth I come now from beyond the Sea from the holy City of Ierusalem whereas I haue kissed the holy Sepulchre and where our Lord Iesus Christ was quicke and dead I haue béen in those parts more then Seauen yéeres and the cause why I am come hether to sée you is this I found there a young Knight of mine age named Huon of Bourdeaux and he sayd that he is your Nephew and when he saw that I would depart from thence to come into his Countrey he humbly prayed mée to recommend him vnto you and therefore I am come vnto you to doe his messuage for he and I hath been together in diuers Battailes and great amitie haue béen betweene vs. When the good Abbot had well heard and vnderstood the Pilgrim many teares fell from his eyes and trickled downe his chéekes when he heard his Nephew Huon named and saide Fréende I pray you if it bee true as you say to shew mée the troth if you haue séen my Nephew Huon for it is he that I loue best in all this world and desire most to sée him and I pray you to shewe vnto mée what is his minde either to returne hether or else to abide there still I would to God that I were in debt to pay a thousand Markes of gould so that hee were as now héere in this Hall Sir quoth Huon your Nephew whome you desire so much to sée before a Moneth be past he will by the grace of God bee héere with you and Sir hee shewed mée at my departing from him that he hath a Daughter whom you haue nourished and brought vp and he charged me greatly that I should desire of you to sée her before I departed from you he knoweth not whether she bee aliue or dead I woulde gladly sée her if it were your pleasure Fréend quoth the Abbot right gladly you shall sée her I shall cause her to come hether and then you may sée her at your ease and I dare well say vnto you that in all the world you shall find no fairer nor a sweeter creature nor more wiser of her age nor better learned and yet she is but Ten yeares of age When Huon vnderstood the Abbot you may well know that hee hadde great ioy at his heart priuily and thanked our Lord Iesus Christ Then the Abbot called vnto him a right notable Knight named Sir Emerie and commaunded him to goe and fetch thether his Néece Clariet the Knight went into the chamber whereas the faire Ladie was with other foure noble Ladies who had brought her vp then Sir Emerie saluted the Ladie and the other that were with her When the young Ladie perceiued Sir Emerie she arose vp and rendred to him his salutation and right humbly saying Sir Knight I am ioyfull of your commig I pray you to shewe mee of your newes and tidinges Certainly faire Ladie quoth the Knight hether is come a Pilgrim who is come from beyond the Sea and hee hath shewed vnto the Abbot your Vncle tidinges of your Father Duke Huon therefore your Vncle desireth you to come and speake with him When the Ladie heard speaking of her Father with all her heart she desired to knowe some certaine tidinges and then shee and her Damsels departed out of the Chamber and came into the Hall to the Abbot her Vncle accompanied with twoo notable Knightes then shee entred into the Hall richly apparelled no man could describe her beautie for shee was so well fourmed that nature her selfe could not amend her her skinne was as white as the flower in the meadowe and coloured like the red Rose her haunches lowe and her pappes somewhat rysing her throat smooth and cleare her chinne vaunted her mouth as vermeill as a Rose her téeth small and well ranged and white her face white and well coloured mingled white and red her eyes smiling her chéere amourous to behoulde her nose straight her fore-head white her haire yellowe and her eares gentle and close I cannot deuise the tenth part of her excellent beautie none could regard her nor looke vppon her but that praised and loued her all her beautie and sweete demeanour and great humilitie that was in her if I shoulde héere describe it it would bee ouer-long to rehearse When Huon had well séene his Daughter Clariet who was so faire hee gladly behelde her without making of any knowledge Then the Abbot tooke his Néece by the hand and ledde her vnto Huon and said Pilgrim how say you by her shee hath not beene sore trauailed nor much come in the Sunne I haue kept her a long time and if she be garnished with beauty in like wise so she is with witte and bountie shee is Daughter vnto Duke Huon of Bourdeaux the man that I most loue in this world I woulde to God that I did sée him as I doe you nowe but if God send mee life and health this Ladie shall bee richly maried I will giue her goods that she shal be rich and puissant Sir quoth Huon I pray to our Lord Iesus Christ to giue her good fortune and that shee may bee so maried that her bloud thereby may be lifted vp and exalted then the faire Ladie Clariet sayd vnto Huon Sir Pilgrim I pray you to shewe me if you know any tidings of my Father Duke Huon of Bourdeaux Faire Ladie quoth Huon hee and I together haue beene a long time beyond the Sea and Companions together and we sought the Souldan of Babilon that nowe is it is not hee that was set there by Huon after that he had slaine the great Admirall Gaudise it is another who since that time conquered both the Citie and the Countrey of Egipt many aduentures Huon and I haue suffered but at the end wee discomfited the Souldan and his men are slaine and destroyed Pilgrim quoth the faire Ladie Clariet I require you to shew me if you know whether my deare Father will returne hether again or no the which is the thing in the world that I most desire Faire Ladie quoth he I answeare you that before twoo Moneths bee passed you shall sée him héere in good health I pray vnto our Lord God quoth the Ladie that it may be so that he may deliuer my Mother out of the prison whereas shee is in great pouertie and miserie When Huon had well heard and vnderstood his Daughter he would no longer hide himselfe but sayd My right deare Daughter before August be passed I shall deliuer her or die in the paine for I shall make such warre against the Emperour Tirrey
and you my déere Loue Escleremond of your comming I am right ioyfull then hee embraced and kissed them both more then Tenne times and sayde Huon my right déere Freend for the great truth and noblenesse that I find in you I shall make you King of all the Fayrie and your Wife Escleremond shall be Lady and Quéene of the same and besides that I will giue vnto you all my dignitie When the Kinge had well saluted them then hee sat downe vppon a Couch and made Huon and Escleremond to sit downe before him and then hee commaunded Gloriand that incontinent he should fetch vnto him his bowe and when hee had it in his hand hee tooke an arrow and did shoot therewith then incontinent it séemed that all the world had arriued in the Town and Pallaice there came thether so many Knights and Ladies of the Fayrie that all the Towne and Pallaice was full and when they were all assembled together in the Pallaice Kinge Oberon commaunded to carrie him into the great Hall in his rich Couch then he commanded silence to be kept among them all and then he sayd Lordes and Ladie that bée héere assembled all yée knowe that euerie mortall thing cannot long endure I speake it for my owne selfe because I am Sonne to a mortall man and was engendred vppon the Ladie of the prime Isle who can neuer die because shee is one of the Fayrie engendred of a man of the Fayrie and Daughter to a woman of the Fayrie and whereas it is so that Iulius Caesar was a mortall man therefore it behooueth me to passe out of this world by the commandement of our Lord God who hath ordained that it should be so And because of my loue during the time that I haue béen conuersant héere with you therefore I will not leaue you without a Lorde but first in my life dayes I will puruay you of one who shall bee Duke Huon whome I loue well and déerely and also I will that his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond shall abide with him for in no wise I will seperate them asunder therefore I ordaine that Huon who is héere present be your King and Lord and Escleremond your Queâ—ne and Ladie and from hencefoorth I put my Realme and dignitie into his handes and I will that hee vse it as I haue done in my life time howbeit King Arthur hath sore pressed vppon mee to haue my Realme and dignitie but I will that none shall haue it but alonely Huon of Bourdeaux who is héere present and whome I will crowne King in all your presence Chap. CXLVI ¶ How the noble Kinge Oberon crowned Huon and Escleremond and gaue them all his Realme and dignitie that he hadde in the Land of the Fayrie and made the Peace betweene Huon and King Arthur WHen the people of the Fayrie both Knightes and Ladies had well heard and vnderstood King Oberon they were right sorrowfull in that hee should leaue them and sayd Sir since it is your pleasure and that it is your will oâ— reason wee must bee content to receiue Huon of Bourdeaux for our kinge and Madame Escleremond his Wife for our Quéene When the King vnderstood his Lordes and people then he caused to be brought thether two Crownes the one was set vppon Huons head and the other vppon Escleremonds head then Oberon sent for his Horne Napkin and Cup and the good Armour hee deliuered them vnto Huon to doe with them his pleasure great ioy and feasting was made in the Pallaice by the Knights Ladies of the Fayrie Then king Huon looked out at a window and sawe vpon the Mountaine that he passed ouer at his comming thether a great number of Tents and Pauillions and hée sayd vnto King Oberon Sir vppon yonder Mountaine I see a great number of men assembled and many Tentes and Pauillions picht vp Huon quoth king Oberon know for troth that it is kinge Arthur who meeneth to haue my Realme and dignitie but hee cometh too late for the promise that you made vnto me you haue kept therefore he fayleth and commeth too late for if you hadde not come I had giuen him my Realme and dignity I know well that hee will be heere soone to see me and hee will be sorrowfull and angrie of your comming hether but if I can I shall doe so much that you shall bee both in peace and rest for good reason it is that he doe obay you Therewith kinge Arthur and all his Chiualrie entred into the Citie of Momur and came alighted at the Pallaice and with him his Sister Quéene Morguele Fay and Transeline their Néece they came and saluted king Oberon who receiued them with great ioye and sayde Great kinge Arthur you are welcome and Morgue your Sister and Transeline your Néece and Sir â—â—ray you to shewe mée what faire Childe is that I sée there before your Sister Morgue Sir quoth Arthur hee is called Marlyn and is Sonne to Ogier the Dane who hath wedded my Sister Morgue and I haue left him in my Countrey to rule it vntill I returne Sir quoth king Oberon the child shall haue good fortune hee shall bee in his time feared and redoubted for Ogier his Father is a good and a valiant knight And noble kinge Arthur you are welcome and of your comming I am right ioyfull I haue sent for you to shewe you the pleasure of our Lord God that I shall depart out of this world and to the entent that you should be content in that I haue giuen you heretofore in the Fayrie so much dignitie and puissance wherewith I desire you to be contented for behold here Duke Huon of Bourdeaux and his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond vnto whome I haue giuen my Realme and my dignity to vse it as I haue done héeretofore and therefore I pray and commaund you that you will obay him as Kinge and Soueraigne of all the Fayrie and you to liue together with good loue and peace When King Arthur heard King Oberon he answeared fiercely and sayd Sir I haue well heard you and you know well that your Realme and dignity you gaue me after your decease and now I sée well that you haue giuen it to Duke Huon Sir lette him goe into his owne Countrey and vnto his Citie of Bourdeaux whereas hee hath left his Daughter Clariet and let him goe and marrie her for as heere he hath nothing to doe I hadde rather to bee cleane exiled for euer and chaced out of my Realme then I should obay him or doe vnto him any homage for he shall haue nothing to doe ouer mee without hee winne it with the point of the Sworde When Kinge Huon hadde well heard King Arthur of Brittaine he answeared fiercely and said King Arthur knowe for troth for all your wordes and threatninges I will not spare to say vnto you that whether you will or not it must behooue you to obay and to be vnder me since it is the pleasure of my Lord Kinge
great feasting chéere and caused him to be christened then king Huon said to the two kinges Sirs I will that presently each of you doe pardon other of all ill will Sir quoth they wee are readie to doe it and so each of them embraced other whereof king Huon hadde great ioy and so had all other Lordes and Knightes that were there assembled Kinge Garyn quoth Huon incontinent I will that your Son Florence haue my Daughter in mariage and I giue them the Citie of Bourdeaux Blames and Geronnill and all the appendants thereto belonging When king Garyn heard the offer that king Huon had made to his Sonne Florence he thanked him hartely so did all the other Lords who allowed greatly that mariage When kinge Garyn sawe the honour loue and courtesie that Kinge Huon did to Florence his Sonne hee knéeled downe and sayd Sir my Child and yours I commit into your handes vse them at your pleasure then by consent of both Fathers they were wedded and spoused together all in one day the Feast Solemnitie of this mariage endured Eight daies the king of Nauarre gaue vnto Florence his Realme of Nauarre to possesse and enioy after his decease Of the Feastes Iusts and Tourneys that was made on those Eight dayes I make no mention thereof for it were ouer-long to rehearse Then king Huon gaue his Daughter Thirtie Somers charged with gould and great riches whereby the ioy encreased of all parts then the Lordes and other people of Aragon came to king Huon and all wéeping they desired him to haue pitie and compassion of them and that he might find some meanes that they might haue some recompence for the great hurts an dammages that they had receiued by reason of the warre between these two kinges whereby they were neere hand destroyed by the Nauarnes When Queene Escleremond heard the people complaine she embraced her Husband and saide Sir I desire you for the loue of your children to haue pitie of these people who requireth for aide for in you is all their trust Madame quoth Huon I shal incontinent shew what grace I will doe for the loue of you Then king Huon commaunded all the people to kneele downe and then he sayd Sirs all yée that be here assembled to the entent that you shall not thinke that the thing that I will doe should bee any witch-craft or illusion but that it is by the will of Iesus Christ the gift that king Oberon gaue mee before hee dyed the which was all the puissance and dignitie that hee had in all the Fayrey of the world therefore knowe that by the puissance and dignitie that our Lord God made king Oberon my Predecessor to giue me I will that this Realme of Aragon whereas it hath had dammage by reason of the warre so that the Realme is sore burnt and wasted and I will that it be again in the same case as it was before any war began and that all Castles houses burnt or beaten downe be better thrée times then they were before and I will that from henceforth euerie man serue God and thanke him of this grace that he hath sent you then he lifted vp his handes and blessed all the people with the signe of the crosse and assoone as he had done his blessing euerie thing was as he had deuised throughout al the Realme Thus was the wil of Iesus Christ at the instance and prayer of the noble kinge Huon Chap. CLXIII ¶ How King Huon and Queene Escleremond departed and howe he gaue great rich guiftes vnto the two Kinges and to all other Lordes Ladies and Damsels and of the sorrowe that was betweene the Mother and the Daughter at their departing WHen Kinge Huon had made his prayers to our Lord God and that his request was graunted hee thanked God such Feasts Iusts and Tourneys as was made there during the Feast was neuer séene nor heard of in any Cronicle heere before Then king Huon made him readie to depart and he gaue guifts before he departed to them that were there and especially to Sorbarre to whome hée recommended his Daughter Clariet desired him not to leaue her Sir quoth Sorbarre the great loue that I haue to you constraineth me neuer to forsake her nor them that shall come of her as long as life is in my body When Quéen Escleremond vnderstood the departing of her Lord Huon and sawe that shee must leaue her Daughter shee had great sorrowe at her heart and so all wéeping shée came to her Daughter and said Right déere Daughter you ought greatly to thanke our Lord God in that hee hath cast you out of so many perils and nowe to haue great honour and to be exalted like a rich and puissant Ladie therefore alwaies set your heart on God and serue feare and loue him be liberall to them that be poore nor mocke no body neither bee no Iangler against your Husband nor hearken to none ill lyers flye from Flatterers loue your Husband kéepe your selfe alwaies true to the entent that none ill report bee made of you Marke well this doctrine for I cannot tell whether euer I shall sée you againe or not When the faire Clariet heard her Mother suddainly she began to wéepe and sayd Oh my right déere Lady and Mother the departing of you and of the king my Father from me ought sore to gréeue me since we haue béene together so small a time for your departing is to me so gréeuable that it is great paine for me to beare it Then the Mother the Daughter clipped and kissed each other more then Twentie times and oftener would haue done if king Huon had not béene for then hee tooke his Daughter Clariet in his armes and kissed her often times tenderly wéeping because he knew well that he should neuer sée her againe then he lifted vp his hands and gaue her and her Husband his blessing shewed them many faire examples and doctrines Then the noble Quéene Escleremond kneeled downe prayed king Huon her husband that he would counsaile and aduertize them what they should doe Madame quoth Huon rise vp for such pitie I haue of them of you that my heart neere hand faileth me and I tarie here too long for I must needs depart come hether my deere Daughter and kisse me and Son Florence with you I leaue my Daughter and keepe her well as longe as God will suffer her to bee with you Then king Huon tooke leaue of the two kinges who were right sorrowfull of his departing and he desired them alwaies to be good Louers together and so tooke his leaue and sayd I wish my selfe my Queen and all my company to be in my Pallaice at Momur he had no sooner spoken the words but that he was there and sudenly vanished from the twoo Kings whereof they and all other were greatly abashed so that they wist not what to say they had thought it had béen but a dreame but
by reason of the great guifts riches that hée had left behind him among them Then after all these thinges done the kinge of Nauarre tooke leaue of king Garyn and departed and his Nephewe Florence road with him foure Leagues and then returned to Courtoys to Clariet his wife and there they tarried two Moneths in great ioy and solace Then after a certaine space king Garyn who was verie old and ancient tooke a sicknesse whereby he passed out of this world for whose death Florence his Sonne Clariet wept many a salt teare Then he was buried with great solemnitie and then by all the Lords and Peeres of the Realme Florence was chosen and crowned King and Clariet Quéene great solemnâ—ty and ioy was made at their crownation Thus with great ioy and gladnesse Florence and Clariet were together so that at the last Clariet was great with child whereof Florence and all the noble men and Commons of the Realme were ioyfull and thanked our Lord God and when the time came the Quéene was brought to bed of a faire Daughter whereof both Father and Mother were right ioyfull the which ioy within a while after turned to sore wéeping and great heauines as yée shall heare hereafter Chap. CLXIIII ¶ How Queene Clariet was brought to bedde of a Daughter at which deliuerance the Queene dyed and how when the yong Damsell came to the age of Fifteene yeares the King her Father would haue had her in marriage wherewith all his Lords were sore troubled WHen Kinge Florence was aduertised that his Quéene was deliuered of a Daughter hee thanked God the Childe was borne to the christning into the chéefe Church and was named Ide the ioy of the comming of this Child cost â—éerely to the Quéen her Mother for by reason of the paine that she endured shee departed out of this life and so dyed The Child was brought to kinge Florence and when he sawe her he was ioyfull and demanded how her mother did and they thought that the matter could not be hidden nor kept secrette they sayd Sir your Quéene is departed to God When the king heard that he fell downe in a swound so that euerie man feared he had béene dead and when he came to himselfe hee sayd Ah my right déere Loue in an ill houre were you borne for your sake I hadde forgotten all paine and thought to haue liued in rest with you me thinkes you be rauished and stollen away from me Ah false death thou art hardy to take from me that thing which I loued best the most fairest truest and swéetest creature liuing Then his Lordes came and comforted him the cries complaints and wéepings rose through-out the Citie all Ladies Damsels Burgesses and Maidens and all the Commons made great lamentations that night the Queene was watched and the next morning with great cries and wéepings the Quéene was brought into the chiefe Church her obsequie was done notably and so layd in a rich Sepulture the sorrowe that the kinge made was neuer none such séene The king was visited by the Lords of his Realme but they could not cause him to take any solace but a lonely nowe then to goe to see his deere Daughter the Ladie Ide and euer when he saw her his sorrow renewed and shee was well nourished brought vp and when she came to the age of Fiftéene yéeres she was beautifull wise and sage for she was brought vp with Foure noble Ladies and ordred as it appertained to a Kinges Child and her Father King Florence loued her so well that he could neuer be satisfied with looking vppon her often times he kissed her holding her in his armes hee would neuer marie againe for the lone of her so much grew and encreased this noble Ide that she came to the age of Fiftéene yeares complet the fresh beauty and bountie that was in her if I shoulde discribe it it would be ouer-long to rehearse but I dare well say that in beautie as then she passed all other women of the world for God and nature hadde employed all their studie to fourme her there was neuer any man that sawe her but loued her and so did her Father so that on a day the king had his Lordes about him and Sorbarre was amonge them whome the kinge loued déerely and the kinge séeing his Daughter I de growe and encrease in all vertues he sayd to his Lords Sirs it were good that there were some Wife found out for me whom I will marie if any such can be found in all conditions like to her that I had before When his Lordes heard him they were ioyfull in that the King would marrie againe Alas they knewe not the kinges inward intention but shortly after the king knewe it whereby much ill and mischiefe came afterward and many a man slaine and many a Church burnt as yée shall heare héereafter Then the king wrote and sent to all his Lords and knights of his Realme to come to his Court at a day assigned when they were all come to the Pallaice there they found the King who humbly receiued them and made them great feasting and had them to diner with him When the dinner was done the king and all his Lords went into a Garden whereas the king would kéepe his Counsaile and when they were all there and the king set in his seat he sayd Sirs you know well I haue no more Children but a Daughter who hath béene desired in marriage by diuers kinges and Princes but I would not consent to marrie her nor I thought not to marie my selfe for the loue of her Mother whome I so déerely loued but nowe I am minded to marie and to take a Wife so that shee bee semblable to her that is departed and therefore I haue sent for you to shew you my will and pleasure When his Lords heard him they were ioyfull and sayd Sir knowe for troth there is no woman liuing in Christendome but if you will haue her you shal if she be neuer so faire or so hye of Lineage and therefore Sir thinke in your selfe whether you will that we shall goe to get you a Wife Sirs quoth the kinge in this matter you shall not néed to take any paines for the Wife that I will haue is not farre from hence it lyeth in me to haue her if I list Sir quoth the Lordes will it please you to name her that shall be so happie Sirs quoth the kinge it is my Daughter I de whom I will take to my Wife for the great loue that I had to her mother When the Lords heard that they beheld each other blessing themselues at the horrible and detestable wordes of the king and looked on him maruailously Then Sorbarre who was of the kinges priuie counsaile began to speake and sayd Ah Sir God forbid that such a shame should come to you for it is worse then heathen to him that will polute his owne proper Daughter by himselfe ingendred
escaped but my selfe and therefore Sirs I pray you let mee haue againe my horse and my sword and shew mee the way to Rome it would be a great almes deede to shew me that courtesie Nay quoth the maister Théefe that we will not doe but thou shalt tarrie with vs and learne to be a Thiefe and a Murderer and if thou wilt not thus doe with my Sword I shall strike off thy head Sirs quoth Ide you would haue me to do a thing that I was neuer accustomed to doe nor none of my Lineage nor I haue no intention to doe any such workes therefore I pray you lette me haue my horse and my sword then you doe me great courtesie and when I am mounted vpon my horse if one of you will defie me and if I defend not my selfe from him then strike off my head I haue bought my meate and drinke verie déere if I should looze my horse then the maister Théefe sayd Because I sée that thou art so hardy I will wrastle with thee vpon this couenant that if thou cast me thou shalt be one of our companie and if thou be cast to the earth then I will haue thy horse and thy Sword and spoyle thee of all thy cloathes Then I de sayd I am content thus to do so that you withdraw your men from me and set my horse by me and my sword tyed to my saddle bowe for it is a common prouerbe that a man is taken for a Foole that putteth his trust in a Theefe When the Theues heard that they could not forbare laughing and they had great desire to see this wrastling betwixt them then they withdrew backe and set his horse there by him then the noble Damsell I de quickly tooke the Théefe who thought to haue borne her to the earth but shee drew him so sore to her that he could scarce haue any breath and therewith shee cast him so rudely to the earth against a stone that he was therewith in a swound and with the fall his teeth burst in his mouth When Ide saw the Théefe in that danger she went quickely to her horse and mounted vp then she drew out her sword and sayd Ah ye vilde Théeues your treason shall not auaile you for ye haue all thought violence and treason against mee goe helpe your maister who lyeth yonder I thinke he shall euer remember this wrastâ—ing between vs and I haue now no doubt of you all though you were a Hundred more for if I can I shall make you all bee hanged and strangled then the quickest and the lightest Théefe amonge them stept foorth tooke him by the bridle of his horse and when shee sawe that shee lifted vp her Sword and strake the Théefe vpon the hand so that the hand flew from his bodie and hanged still vppon her bridle then hee ranne away thinking to die with the paine of his hande and then she dasht in among the Théeues for they had no weapons about them to defend themselues withall but they were there to their folly nor they had no feare of that which fell nor they beléeued not that such a young Squier should haue hadde such hardnes and force then shee fought fiercely among them and cut off armes and shoulders and claue some to the braines she did so much that she slew fiue of the Théeues before she depâ—rted and when she saw time to depart she spurred her horse for by that time the residue of the Théeues had gotten weapons and they followed her to haue slaine her or her horse then shée departed with the spurres her horse was good therefore anon she was farre from them then the Théeues sawe they lost but their labours to follow any further therefore they let her goe When Ide saw that she was escaped their handes she humbly thanked our Lord God desiring him to ayd and conduct her into some sauegard and she road so long that she yssued out of the great Forrest Of her iourneys and lodging I will make no mention but she sped so in her iourney that shee arriued at the noble Citie of Roome and she tooke vp her lodging néere to the Pallaice whereas the Emperor was deuising with his Lordes of the Feats of warre then I de went thether knéeled downe and saluted the Emperour and all his Lords When the Emperour and the Romanes that were there sawe the goodly yong man who so humbly saluted them they regarded him much for the beautie that they sawe in him then the Emperour sayd vnto him Faire Sonne shewe mee what you bee and from whence you come that thus commeth hether to mee Sir quoth Ide I am a Squier that came nowe straight from Almaine whereas I haue serued a certaine time and little there I haue wonne whereof I am sorrie and but lately I was in place where diuers Spaniards and other were in companie they had great desire to make warre and they went to the king of Spaine your enemie but before they had gone farre they that were in my company met with them and there we fought together and slew the most part of them and there I was a little hurt and now Sir I am come to you to serue your grace if my small seruice may please you and in the best wise that I can I shall serue you truely Chap. CLXVII ¶ Howe the Damsell I de was entertained with the Emperour of Roome and how the Lady Oliue his Daughter was enamoured of Ide weening shee had beene a man and howe the Kinge of Spaine came before the Citie of Roome and howe the noble Damsell I de tooke the King of Spaine in battaile and discomfited him WHen the Emperor heard Ide speake he beheld her well and sawe how shée was bigge and great and thought that in all his life he neuer saw so faire a young man and as the Emperour was talking with Ide there came to them Oliue the Emperours Daughter Then all the Lordes rose vp at her comming and she sate downe by her Father and greatly beheld the young Squier and much she praised him in her courage because of the maruailous great beauty that was in her wéening that shee had béene a man This Oliue was so faire so swéete and so méeke that for her bountie and humilitie she was beloued of euerie man then the Emperour demaunded of Ide what her name was and from whence she came Sir quoth she my name is Ide and I was borne at Terrascon and I am kinne to Duke Naymes of Bauier and to Aymerie of Narbon and to Gillerme the Scot but by the kinsmen of Ganelon I was chased and banished out of my Countrey since I haue endured much paine and pouertie Then the Emperour sayd Fréend thou art of a good kindred I entertaine thée into my Court for the bountie that I thinke to be in thée and also for thy good Lineage Sir quoth Ide God giue me grace that I may doe you such seruice that it
the goodlyest person of the world and the most worthy and hardy that euer was guirt with a sword or road on horse he maketh no semblance to doe that thinge which I haue so sore desired then she drew néere to Ide and touched her and Ide who knew well what her desire was turned toward her and wold hide himselfe no longer from her but all wéeping cryed her mercie and shewed her from the beginning to the ending the manner of all her aduenture and how that she was a woman and was fledde away because her Father would haue married her himselfe And when Oliue vnderstood Ide shee was right sorrowfull howbeit shee comforted Ide and sayd My right swéete Louer discomfort not your selfe for you shall not be accused by me neither to no man nor woman liuing we are wedded together and I will be good and true to you since you haue kept your selfe so truely with you I will vse my time passe my destiny since it is thus for I sée well that it is the pleasure of our Lord God Thus as Oliue and Ide were deuising together of their secrets a Page being in a Chamber that ioyned close to their Chamber heard well all their secret words and communication what each of them had sayd to the other then he in all hast went to the Emperour and shewed him all that he had heard betwéene the two Louers When the Emperour heard that he was right sorrowful and sayd Fellow beware what thou sayest looke that thy report bee true for if I finde it contrarie thou shalt die an ill death Sir if it bee not as I haue sayde and that I de be not a woman whom you take for a man strike off my head Then the Emperour made him to bee taken and kept to the intent to prooue the troth for he thought that matter strange to beleeue then hee called to him the Lordes of his priuie Counsaile and he shewed them the matter whereof they had much maruaile seeing the great vertue and hye Prowesse that was in Ide and they greatly complained of the matter and were sorrowfull then the Emperour who was right pensiue sware and made promise that if hee found the matter in that case hee would cause both his Daughter and Ide to bee burnt because of hyding of that strange case and sayd If I de hadde discouered the matter to me betimes my Daughter should neuer haue married her and the matter now kept close from me I shall neuer haue ioye at my heart vntill I knowe the troth Then hee commaunded a bath to bee made readie in his owne Chamber wherein he would haue Ide to bée bathed to the entent that he might know the troth before she escaped away for he sayd that he would not suffer no such falshood to bee vsed the bathing was made readie and I de was sent for who knewe nothing of that matter then the Emperour said to her I de doe off your cloathes for you shall bath you with mée When Ide heard the Emperour she was sore abashed and sayd Sir I pray you to forbeare it for this time because I haue not béene accustomed to be bathed then the Emperour sayd I wil not forbeare it because I will sée you naked for if I finde that true which hath béene shewed me both you and my Daughter shall be burnt When Ide heard that she saw that she was betrayed and lost then shee knéeled downe before the Emperour and cryed him mercie and required him to haue pitie of her and the Emperour in great hast sent for his Lordes who were in the Hall talking together and were sorrowfull for Ide whom they loued entirely so they came to the Emperour and found I de before him on her knées sore weeping in such sort that for pity of her they wept all then the Emperour shewed them all the déede wherefore ye must needs sée iustice to bee done vpon Ide who then by the Peeres and Lords of Roome was iudged to be burnt Then it was commaunded the fire to bee made readie to burne her the which was done and I de before the Emperor abyding her iudgement with her handes ioyned lifted vp towards Heauen making pitifull prayers to our Lord God and to the holy Ghost praying them to haue pitie of her soule and to receiue it into the holy Paradice for shee sawe well that the end of her life was come Chap. CLXX ¶ How our Lord God made great Miracles for Ide for God made her to chaunge from the nature of a woman and to become a perfect man whereof the Emperor and his Daughter Oliue had great ioy and so Ide and Oliue lay together and ingendred a faire Sonne named after Croissant And of the death of the Emperour THe same houre that I de was in her prayers there appeared sodenly in the Chamber a great cléere light and therewith a maruailous swéet odour that it séemed all the Chamber to bee full of essence spices Aromaticke then presently after they heard an Angel-like voice sent from our Lord God and sayd Thou Emperour of Rome our Lord God commaundeth thée by mée that thou be not so hardy as to touch Ide to doe her any hurt for our Lord God hath giuen her the grace for the goodnes that is in her he doth consent and will by his diuine puissance that she be changed in nature and to become a perfect man as all other be without any difference also God commandeth that the Page whom thou hast in prison that thou settest him at libertie for the which he shewed thée was of troth this morning I de was a woman but now shée is a man Also God commaundeth thée to make thy selfe readie for thou shalt liue here in the world but Eight daies longer therefore from hence foorth let Ide and Oliue thy Daughter haue the gouerning of thy Empire who before this yéere bee passed shall haue betwéene them a Sonne who shall be named Croissant who shall doe maruailes when hee commeth to age many aduentures and pouerties hee shall suffer in his youth but afterward he shall haue ioy and wealth ynough and with those words the Angell vanished away and left the Emperour and his Lordes and all the people of Rome in great ioy for the euident Miracle that our Lord God had sent by the prayer of Ide who with Oliue his Wife had great ioy and thanked our Lord God Then the Feast and triumph beganne againe at Rome that day passed and the night came and Ide and Oliue went to bedde together and tooke their sport in such wise that the same night was gotten and ingendred the faire Croissant whereby the ioy doubled in the City of Rome and the next day Ide came to the Pallaice with other Lordes And the Emperour was in his Chamber making of his Testament for he had not forgotten the wordes of the Angell so he liued Eight daies longer and on the Ninth day hee dyed and hee was borne into
the great Church of Saint Peter where his obsequy was done solemnly and layd in his Tombe the which was ordained for him as it appertained his Sonne in lawe and his Daughter mourned according to the custome then vsed and then after Eight daies were passed all the noble Lords of the Countrey came to the Court and crowned Ide Emperour and Oliue his Wife Empresse great ioy and feasting was made at their Coronation And when Oliue the Empresse approached her time she was deliuered of a faire Sonne and when hée was christened he was named Croissant that is to say growing because the Moone the same time was increasing Of the chéere that Ide and his Lordes made at the birth of his Child néede not to bee rehearsed for you may well thinke it was as great as euer was any before Then the time came that the Empresse was churched whereof great ioye was made this Child was well nourished and two notable Ladies had the kéeping of him vntill he was Seauen yéeres of age then a noble Knight and an ancient was sette about him and a wise and a great Clarke to teach him cunning for commonly it is sayd that a King without learning or cunning is compared to an Asse crowned Often times the Father and the Mother would visit their Child he was kept to Schoole vntill he was Fiftéene yéeres of age he was so good a Clarke that there was none in the Citie of Rome but that hee could well dispute with him and assoile his questions of his beautie greatnesse force humilitie good vertues wherewith he was indued if I should describe them it would be ouer-long to rehearse whereof Ide and his Mother Oliue had such ioy that they wist not what to doe but alonely to thanke God of his grace for their Child grew so in bignes strength that euerie man was thereof abashed in such wise that at that time there could not be found in the Citie of Rome of his age none so great nor so hye of stature whereof his Father and his Mother and all the noble Lordes and Knightes were right ioyfull Chap. CLXXI. ¶ How King Florence sent two Knights to Rome to the Emperour his Sonne desiring him to come and see him and leaue the Empire of Rome to his Sonne Croissant and to set noble men about him to guide him And also to bringe with him the Empresse the faire Oliue THe Emperour and the Empresse séeing their Sonne to grow and amend euerie day in all good workes they thanked God praying him to giue him the grace from better to better to perseuer so it fell that vppon a Whitsunday the Emperour and the Empresse held estate Royall at their Pallaice for the solemnitie of that day there was many Kinges Dukes Earles Barons Duchesses and Ladies and whiles they were in the middest of their dinners there arriued Two notable ancient Knightes and when they were entred into the Pallaice they came before the Emperor and kneeled downe and sayd God that created vs saue and kéepe the noble King Florence of Aragon and of Nauarre and Duke of Bourdeaux and the same God saue the right noble and excellent Emperour of Rome his déere Sonne and his faire Daughter the Empresse Oliue When the Emperor I de heard speaking of his Father hee was fearefull in his heart because of the shamefull thing not faileable the which hee would haue done against him right intentiuely he beheld the two Knights and demaunded how the King his Father did euer since he departed from him Then one of the Knightes answeared and sayd Right déere Sir if the dolour displeasure and the great rage wherein your Father was for your departing if I should shew it too long it would be to rehearse but shortly I shal shew you the substance of the matter The same Morning after your departing tidings was brought to the King your Father how that the King of Nauarre your Vncle was come to sée him then your Father went and met him and brought him into the City of Courtoys with great ioy and mirth and they alighted at the Pallaice and there tidings was brought to the King your Father how you were fled away whereby such sorrow dolour displeasure tooke him at the heart that there was none that durst looke him in the face for he looked like a spirit because of the foolish loue that he had on you and he ran about in the Pallaice like a desperate man so that for feare of him there was neither Ladie nor Damsell that durst abide him for the great furie displeasure that he was in so that by reason of his great yre he fell into a gréeuous maladie wherein hee thought that he should haue died and so was confessed and made ready to receiue the holy Ghost Then the King of Nauarre and Sorbar and diuers other Princes came to visit him and desired him to put the folly out of his mind and to crie to God for mercie many notable Docttors were there and they shewed him many good reasons and examples and sayd without he would leaue and forsake his folly he should be condemned bodie and soule When the King your Father sawe himselfe in that doubt knowing that hee had done ill to cause you to flye away that no tidings could be heard of you such a contrition and repentaunce tooke him that great aboundance of drops fell from his eyes in such sort that all his face was wet and he had such dolour and gréefe in himselfe that euerie man that saw him wept for pittie and the King of Nauarre had so great pittie of him that he was so sorrowfull that a gréeuous sicknesse tooke him so that the Fourth day he died whereof the Kinge your Father was right sorrowfull At last his sickenesse determined hee was recouered and in good health a certaine space but by reason of the dolour that he had for you could not be ceased but he fell againe sore sicke and so he continueth and hath no power to ayd and reléeue himselfe but he eateth and drinketh inough And after nowe of late it hath béene shewed him all your life and how by the grace of God it is fallen to you whereby such ioy is come to his heart that there was neuer so much ioy in no mans heart and yet he sayth that hee shall neuer haue perfect ioy at his heart vntill hee may sée you and therefore hee hath sent vs hether to you and he desireth and commandeth asmuch as the Father can commaund his Child that both you and the Empresse your wife should leaue this your countrey in the guiding of your Sonne and to leaue notable persons about him to kéepe and conduct him for it shall be to you more profitable and better to vse your life in peace in the Realmes of Aragon and Nauarre with the Duchy of Bourdeaux the which to you appertaineth by iust inheritance and he hath giuen vs in charge not to depart
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
stole to the entent that hee shoulde shew vnto him the troth chap. 144. How the Monke bare Huon and Escleremond ouer hils and Valleys in the ayre vntill he came into the countrey of King Oberon chap. 145. How Kinge Oberon crowned Huon and Escleremond and gaue them all his Realme and dignitie that he had in the Land of the Fayrie and made the Peace betweene Huon and King Arthur chap. 146. Of the Ordinances that the noble King Oberon made before he dyed chap. 147. How the Kinge of Hungary and the Kinge of England and Florence Sonne vnto the King of Aragon desired to haue in mariage the faire Ladie Clariet and how shee was betrayed by Brohart and howe Barnard was drowned and of the euils that the Traytour Brohart did vnto the Ladie Clariet and how he dyed at the last chap. 148. When the Traytour Brohart drowned Barnard and of theyr aduentures and how Brohart was slaine chap. 149. Of the great sorrow that was made at Blay by the abbot of Cluny and by the Princes of the noble City of Bourdeaux for the faire Ladie Clariet that was stollen away and of the sorrow that was made when they saw Barnard brought in dead by Six men And of the punishment that was done to the Lineage of the Traytour Brohart chap. 150. How the Ladie Clariet al alone came to the Sea-side whereas arriued the Kinge of Granado in a Ship who tooke away Clariet and of other matters chap. 151. How the King forbad his Son Florence that he should not be so harâ—â— as to fall acquainted with the faire Ladie Clariet and how Florence promised the King his Father to deliuer into his hands the King of Naâ—arre prisoner in case that he would bee content at his returne that he might haue the new found Damsell the which the King granted but he did it not for he had drowned her if Peter of Aragon had not bene who rescued and saued her from the death chap. 152. How Florence went to fight with his enemies and how Sir Peter of Aragon returned towards the Towne to bring thether Prisoners and how he rescued the faire Damsell Clariet from drowning and how afterward King Garin caused the Damsell to be closed vp in a Prison chap. 153. How Florence discomfited his enemies and tooke the King of Nauar and led him into the Towne and deliuered him to the King his Father and how Florence deliuered him again quit because that his Father shewed vnto him that the faire Damsell was drowned Chap. 154. How king Garyn put his Sonne Florence into a Tower in prison And how the Damsell escaped out of the Tower and spake with Florence her Louer at an arch vppon the Garden-side and how they were espyed and how she thought to haue drowned herselfe Chap. 155. How the first Watchman found out the Damsell and ledde her into a great wood there by and afterward the same Watchman deliuered Florence out of prison and shewed him the place where the Damsell was and how Florence and Clariet entred into the Sea and how the king went after his Sonne and the Watchman taken Chap. 156. Of the great debate that was in the Pallaice for the Watchmans sake whom the king would haue had to be hanged and how the king of Nauarre tooke the Citie of Courtoys how he departed thence chap. 157. Howe the Ship wherein Florence was and his Loue was taken by the Sarazins and all their companie taken and slaine and led to the Castle of Anfalerne Chap. 158. How Sorbarre the captaine comforted Florence and Clariet and how there arriued Foure Ships with Christian men by fortune of the Sea and how Florence was knowne by them Chap. 159. How Sorbarre and Florence and their companie went into the Towne and robbed and spoyled it and so tooke the Sea with great ioye and triumph and the faire Ladie Clariet with them and tooke their course to sayle towards the Realme of Aragon chap. 160. Howe king Huon King of the Fayrey sent twoo of his knightes to the two Kings And how he appeared between them with a great number and of the Peace that he made between them chap. 16â— How Florence and Clariet arriued there with their companie came to king Huon and of the great ioy that was made at their comming and howe there they were wedded together and the Peace confirmed betweene the two Kinges chap. 162. How king Huon and Queene Escleremond departed and how he gaue great rich guifts vnto the two Kinges and to all other Lordes Ladies Damsels And of the sorrowe that was betweene the Mother and the Daughter at their departing chap. 163. How Queene Clariet was brought to bed of a Daughter at which deliuerance the Queene dyed and how when the young Damsell came to the age of Fifteene yeares the King her Father would haue had her in mariage wherewith all his Lordes were sore troubled chap. 164. Of the great sorrowe that the Damsell I de made when shee heard her Father how he would haue her in marriage And how by the meanes of a noble Ladie and Sorbarre shee departed at midnight and went at the aduenture that God would send her Chap. 165. How Kinge Florence was sorrowfull when hee was aduertized of his Daughters departing who was apparelled like a man and howe shee came into Almaine and how she found certaine Theeues in a Forrest and how she came to Rome to the Emperour like a Squier chap. 166. Howe the Damsell I de was entertained with the Emperour of Roome and howe the Lady Oliue his Daughter was enamoured of Ide weening she had beene a man and how the King of Spaine came before the Cittie of Roome And how the Damsell I de tooke the King of Spaine in Battell and discomfited him Chap 167. How the Emperour of Rome highly receiued the noble Damsell Ide and of the honour that was made vnto her and how the Emperor made her Constable of his Empire And how the King of Spaine was deliuered out of prison and made homage to the Emperour Chap. 168. How the Emperor gaue his Daughter in marriage to the Damsell Ide knowing none other but that she had beene a man and how she was appeached by a Varlet that heard their deuises whiles they were in bed together whereby the Emperor would haue burnt the Damsell chap 169. How God made great miracles for Ide for he made her to change from the nature of a woman to become a perfect man wherof the Emperor and Oliue had great ioy and so Ide and Oliue lay together ingendred a Son named after Croissant and of the death of the Emperor chap. 170. How Kinge Florence sent twoo Knightes to Rome to the Emperour his Sonne desiring him to come see him and to leaue the Empire of Rome to his Sonne Croissant and to set noble men about him to guide him and also to bring with him the Empresse the faire Oliue Chap. 171. How the
mine age in peace and seruice of my Lord God Wherefore as much as I may I desire you all to aduise me which of you all shal be thereunto thought most able Yée all know that I haue two Sonnes that is to say Lewes who is too young and Charlot whome I loue well and he is of age sufficient to rule but his manners and conditions are not méete to haue the gouernance of such two Noble States as the Realme of Fraunce the holy Empire of Roome for yée know well in dayes past by reason of his pride my Realme was likely to haue béen destroyed and I to haue had warre against you all when by his rashnesse he slewe Baldwin son to the good Duke Ogier the Dane whereon so many mishaps ensued that it will neuer be raced out of remembrance Therefore so long as I liue I will not consent that he shall haue the gouernment though he be rightful inheritor that after me he ought to haue the Signiorie but instantly I entreat your noble opinions what in this case I were best to doe Chap. II. ¶ The conclusion and answeare that the Barons made And what counsaile the dishonorable Lord Earle Amerie gaue to the King against the twoo Sonnes of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux whereby great mischiefe afterward ensued And of the good aduice that Duke Naymes gaue to the Emperour WHen Duke Naymes and all the Barons being assembled together in a priuate parte of the Pallaice there they were somewhat long together but at last they all concluded that to Charlot the Kinges eldest Sonne appertayned the gouerning of the said Realmes Then they returned to the King and shewed him the conclusion wherevpon they were agréed of which the Emperour was right ioyfull Then he called before him his Son and shewed him many faire reasons before all his Barons but therewith stepped foorth a fellon Traytour who had too much secrecie with the Emperour and likewise had the gouernance of Charlot the Kinges Sonne who did nothing but by his direction this Knight was called Earle Amerie and was Son to one of the Nephews of the Traytour Ganelon In this manner then hee spake to the King Right royall Emperour whence proceeds it that you are so forward in deliuerance of your Kingdome to the weake gouerning of Charlot your Sonne forbeare this hastinesse and first for a proofe of his ablenesse in such a case giue him a Land that ought to be yours and as yet is not and where you haue as yet neither fealtie nor seruice This Land is in the possession of two proud Boyes who these Seauen yeares passed would not serue you nor since their Father Duke Seuin dyed would doe you any obeysance the eldest is named Huon and the other Gerard they kéepe Bourdeaux and all the Land of Aquitaine thinke great scorne to hold their Lands of you But my Lord if you will giue me men and authoritie I will bringe them as Prisoners into your Pallace where you may doe your will with them and then the Land that they hold you may giue to Charlot your Sonne Amerie quoth the Emperour I giue you great thankes that you haue aduertised me of this matter I will that you take of your best fréends and beside them you shall haue of mée thrée Thousand Knightes well chosen and prooued men of warre and I will that you bring to mée the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin that is to say Huon and Gerard who in their pride set nothing by mée When Duke Naymes beeing there present heard the words of Amerie and sawe how the Emperour consented to his desire he stept foorth boldly and beholding Amerie stearnly thus spake My Soueraigne Lord the ill is great but the sinne farre greater when men of no truth or certaintie are so highly listned vnto As for Duke Seuin is it not well knowne my Lord what true and honorable seruice all his dayes he did you and can you then bee so easilye woone to disenherite his Children Consider good my Lord that the reason why as yet they haue not tendered their dutie in your presence is nothing else but their want of years for such allegiance and their Mother likewise déerely respecting them is loath to leaue their companie so young And would your Highnes but be aduised by me you should not so rashly depriue them of their Landes but rather as best becommeth a vertuous Prince and in some regard of their Fathers good Seruice first send twoo of your Knightes to the Duchesse let them in your name commaund her Sonnes personall appearance at your Court in case of seruice and dutifull homage which if she or they shall refuse to doe then may you iustly procéede otherwise against them But I dare my Lord engage mine honour that send them shée will that onely a Mothers loue and care of her Children hath béen the reason of their absence all this while Chap. III. ¶ How the Emperour Charlemaine sent two Knightes to the Duchesse of Bourdeaux to commaund her to send her two Sonnes to his Court. WHEN the Emperour Charles hadde heard Duke Naymes speake he said My Lord I know for certainty that Duke Seuin hath alwaies serued vs truely and the reasons that you haue shewed are iust Therefore I graunt that it shall bée as you haue aduised My Lord quoth the Duke I most humbly thanke your grace Then incontinent the king sent for two knights and gaue them in charge to go to Bourdeaux to doe his Messuage to the Duchesse and to the Sonnes of Duke 〈◊〉 the which they did so departed from Paris without resting past one night in a place vntill they arriued at Bourdeaux then incontinent they went to the Pallace whereas they found the Duchesse who was as then but newly rysen from dinner and when she was aduertised of their comming shée came in hast to méete them accompanied with Huon her Sonne who was by her and Gerard came after with a Sparrow-hawke on his fist When the Messengers saw the Duchesse her two goodly Sonnes they knéeled downe and saluted both her and her two Sonnes from King Charlemaine saying Ladie to you we be sent from our Emperour Charles who by vs sendeth vnto you his salutations of honour and amitie When the Noble Ladie vnderstood that they were Messengers sent from the great Emperour Charles she arose and embraced them and sayd that they were right welcome vnto her Madame quoth they our Emperour hath sent vs vnto you and commaundeth you to send your twoo Sonnes to serue him in his Court for there are verie few in his Realme but they are come to his seruice except your Sonnes And Ladie since you know right well that the Landes you enioy appertaining to your Sonnes is holden of the Emperour Charles by reason of his royall prerogatiue in Fraunce great maruaile is in many that you haue not sent them ere this time to doe him seruice as other Dukes and Princes in like case haue
done In this respect he commaundeth you both for your own good conseruation of their Landes that you send them vnto him or if you doe not know then for certaine that he will take frō you those Lands you hould giue them to the Prince Charlot his Sonne This is the summe of our Messuage wée attend your answeare Chap. IIII. ¶ The answeare that the Duchesse of Bourdeaux made to the Emperours Messengers WHen the good Lady had well vnderstood the Messengers she answered them gently in this maner My Lordes and honourable Freendes the reason why I haue not sent my Sons to the Court before this time to serue my Lord the King as dutie required was in regarde of their tender yeares and some respect of loue to Duke Seuin their Father and bycause I knew certainlye that my rightfull Lord the Emperour Charlemaine loued alwayes Duke Seuin I neuer feared that he would take displeasure with his Children these thinges haue béene the principall cause why I haue not sent them all this while to serue the King Therefore let my entreats preuaile so much with you as to be a meanes to the Emperour and al the other Barons to hold me and my Children excused in this case for the fault is onelie mine not in them Then Huon stept foorth before his mother and sayd Madame if it had béene your pleasure you might haue sent vs before this time that is true quoth Gerardine for wee are ould ynough to haue our knighthood The Ladie heheld her two Sonnes and wéeping said to the Messengers Sirs you may returne to the King howbeit you shall rest you this night in my house and to morowe depart at your pleasure and you shall recommend me and my Sonnes to the Kings good grace and to the other Barons and Knightes and among other salute Duke Naymes who is néere kinsman to my Sonnes and desire him for the loue of Duke Seuin to stand a continuall fréend vnto them Madame quoth the Messengers haue you no doubt of that for Duke Naymes is a noble Man and a true Knight nor will he at any time be in place where any ill opinion shal passe against them Then the Duchesse commaunded her Sonnes that they should make the Kings Messengers good chéere and to bring them into their Chamber to rest them the which they did and were serued and feasted as appertained to their woorth Then the next morning they returned to the Pallace whereas they found the Duchesse and her two Sonnes and they humbly saluted the Ladie When the Duchesse sawe them she called Huon and Gerardin and said My Sonnes here in the presence of these two Knightes I say that at Easter you shall go to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Charlemaine and when you bée in the Court serue your Soueraigne Lord well and truely as subiects ought to doe bée diligent at all times to serue him faithfully kéepe companie with Noble men such as you sée to be of good vertuous condicions be not in place where ill woords be spoken or ill counsalie giuen fly from the companie of them that loue not honour and troth open not your eares to héere Lyers or false Reporters or Flatteres haunt often the Church and giue largly for Gods sake be liberall and courteous and giue to poore Knights fly the companie of Ianglers and all goodnesse shall follow thereby I will there be giuen to each of these Knights a Courser and a rich Gowne as it appertaineth to the Messengers of so noble an Emperour as Charlemaine is and also each of them to haue a hundred Florents Madame quoth Huon your pleasure shal be accomplished then the two Sonnes caused to be brought before the Pallace two goodly Horses and presented them to the two Knights and gaue each of them a rich Gowne and a hundred Florents Whereof the Messengers were ioyfull and thanked the Duchesse and her two Sonnes said that their courtesie should be remembred in time to come howbeit they knew well it was done for the honour of the King then they tooke leaue of the Duchesse and of her two Sonnes and so departed and road without let vntill they came to Paris whereas they found the Emperour in his Pallace sitting among his Barons the King perceiued them and incontinent called them to his presence ere they had leasure to speake the Kinge had them welcome home and demanded of them if they had béen at Bourdeaux and spoken with the Duchesse the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin whether they would come and serue him in his Court or not Dread Lord quoth they we haue béen at Bourdeaux and done your message to the Duchesse who right humbly receiued vs and gaue vs gentle entertainment when shée had heard vs speake and knewe that wée were your Messengers shée made vs the best chéere that shée could deuise and sayd that the cause why shée had not sent her Sonnes to your Court before this time was by reason of their young age and shée humbly requireth your grace to hold both her and her two Sonnes excused and that at this next Easter shée will send them to your Court. As for her Sonnes trust mée my Lord they are two such louely Gentlemen as wée tooke great delight in beholding them especially Huon the eldest he is so fayre and so well fourmed that nature cannot amend him Also my Lord for the loue of you shée hath giuen each of vs a goodly Horse and a rich Gowne and a hundred Florents of gould My Lord the goodnesse the valour and the courtesie that is in the Duchesse and in her Sonnes cannot be recounted and on their behalfe are we to entreat your Maiestie to retaine them alwayes in your fauour and good grace and to pardon the fault of their long absence Chap. V. ¶ How the Emperour was content with the report of the two Knights and how the Traytour Earle Amerie went and complayned to Charlot the Kings Sonne WHen the Emperour had heard the Messengers speake hée was right ioyfull and said I haue alwayes heard say that a good Trée bringeth foorth good fruit I speake it in the behalfe of Duke Seuin who in his time was a valiant true Knight and by that I sée that the twoo Children resemble their good Father I perceiue they haue receiued my Messengers right honourably and with great reuerence haue giuen thē no meane gifts which shal be vnto them auailable in time to come for they shall no sooner be come into my Court but in despight of any that shall speake against them I will doe for them in such wise that it shall bée an example to all other to doe well for I will make them for loue I bare to their Father of my priuie Counsaile and turning then to olde Duke Naymes sayd My Lord alwayes your kindred haue béen good and true and therfore I will that Amerie bee banished from my Court for hée nor euer any of his lineage
gaue as yet any good counsaile My Lord quoth the Duke I knew wel the long absence of Duke Seuins Sonnes was for none other cause but by reason of their youth When Earle Amerie heard the King speake and sawe beside howe hée was offended against him hée was sorrowfull and so departed secretly from the Court and sware that he would prouide for the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin such a traine as should cost both their liues and hazard the heauinesse and trouble of all Fraunce beside So hee went to his lodging sorrowfull and in great displeasure and then he imagined and studied on the matter and how to bring about his Enterprize then he departed from his lodging and went vnto Charlot the Kinges Son with whome he was right priuie hée found him sitting on a rich bed communing with a young Knight then Amerie shewing a verie sad countenance the teares in his eyes and trecherie in his heart knéeling downe before Charlot who had of him great pitie to sée him in that case the Prince tooke him vp and demaunded wherefore he made that sorrow and whether any man had displeased him My Lord quoth Amerie my gréefe is not without great cause for the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux shall come to the Court and as I haue heard say the King hath promised that at their comming they shall bée made of his priuie councell so that none other about the King but they shall haue any honour or reckoning made of them And assure your selfe my Lord that if the State be thus aduaunced they that now are greatest about his Maiestie shall then scarce haue a looke or any countenance at all So that within short while the best partes in your Fathers Kingdome will they be Lords of and you your selfe if you suffer this will hold no grace or fauour with the Emperour Therefore my Lord I require you to helpe me now in this businesse for in time past Duke Seuin their Father by great wrong and treason tooke from me a strong Castle of mine owne and I neuer dyd him displeasure therefore you ought to ayd me in this serious matter for I am of your linage deriued of the Noble Quéene your Mother When Charlot had well vnderstood Earle Amerie hée demaunded in what manner he might ayd him Sir quoth he I will shew you I shall assemble the best of my linage and you shall let me haue of yours thréescore Knights well armed and I shall lye in the way to méete with the two Boyes and I shall lay the ambushment in a little wood a league from Montleherry on the way to Orleance by the which way they must néeds come there we shall set on them and slay them so that none shall dare to speake thereof and if it be knowne after who dare speake against you or weare any healme in féeld against you Sir quoth Charlot qualifie and appease your sorow for I shall neuer haue ioy in my heart vntill I be reuenged of those two Boyes goe and make readie your men and I shall prepare mine and I will goe my selfe with you the sooner to make an end of this businesse When Amerie heard Charlot so liberally to offer himselfe to goe in his ayd he thanked him and embraced his Leg and Sicophant-like would haue kissed his Shooe but Charlot would not suffer him but tooke him vp and said Sir hast you and now be diligent that this businesse may come to a good end Amerie departed from Charlot right ioyfull and at the day appointed he ceased not day nor night to assemble his men and his néerest fréends and in the Euening before he came to Charlot who was as then also readie with his men and as secretly as they might they departed about the houre of midnight out of Paris all armed and they stayed not vntill they came to the place appointed to tarie the comming of the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin Now I will leaue to speake of them and returne to the twoo Sonnes of Duke Seuin Huon and Gerardin Chap. VI. ¶ How the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux tooke leaue of the Duchesse their Mother and howe in their way they ouer-tooke the good Abbot of Cluny their Vncle going towards Paris to the Emperour Charlemaine YOu haue heard here before how the Kings Messengers departed frō Bourdeaux then the two Sons made them readie to goe to the Court richly apparelled and well fournished of euerie thing néedfull aswell of gold and siluer and other apparell of silke as to their state appertained then there assembled the Barons of the Countrey to whom they recommended their Lands and Signiories and did choose out ten Knights and foure Councellors to ride with them to aid and to gouerne their businesse Then they sent for the prouost of Gerone called Sir Guyre to whom they recommended all the affaires of Iustice Then when Huon and his Brother had chosen them that should goe in their companie they tooke their leaue of the Duchesse their Mother and of the Barons of the Countrey who sore did wéepe bycause of their departure for the which they had good occasion so to do and more if they had knowne the haplesse aduenture that afterward befell them on the way Or had the good Duchesse but dreamed thereof shee would neuer haue suffered them to departe from her for after there fell such mischéefe that it is a lamentable thing to recount it Thus the twoo Brethren departed and kissed their Mother sore wéeping Then they tooke their Horses and their companie and in passing by the Stréets of the Towne the people made great sorrow for their departing and sore wéeping prayed to God to be their guide and conduct The wéepings and lamentations were so extreame that the twoo Brethren could not haue so firme courage but that they gaue many a sore sigh at the departing out of the Towne and when they had ridden a certaine space and that their sorrow was somewhat appeased then Huon called his Brother Gerard sayd Brother we go to the Court to serue the King wherefore wee haue cause to be ioyfull therefore let vs twoo sing a song to refresh vs. Brother quoth Gerard my heart is not very ioyfull to sing or make any sport at all for this night I dreamed a maruailous dreame mée thought thrée Leopardes assayled mée and drewe my heart out of my bodie but me thought you esaped safe and sound and returned backe Wherefore deare Brother if so it be your pleasure to withstand my dreame which makes me dread our iourney to be dangerous might I preuaile with you we would ride backe againe to Bourdeaux to our Mother who will bée ioyfull of our returne Brother quoth Huon and God will we shall not returne for feare of a dreame it should be foreuer to our reproach and shame I will not returne to Bourdeaux vntill I haue séene the King Therefore swéet Brother dismay you not but rather make good chéere our Lord Iesus
my heart that I could tarie no longer to be auenged then I demaunded of mine Vnckle if he would ayd me heâ— answeared and said no bycause he was a Priest so hee and all his Monkes departed and left me alone then I tooke the Ten Knightes that came with me out of my Countrey and so I road as fast as I could to the entent that he should not escape that had so wounded my brother and assoone as hee saw that I followed him he returned against me then I demaunded of him what he was he said he appertained vnto Duke Terrey of Arden then I demaunded why he had slayn my brother he answeared and said in likewise he wouldâ— serue me and therewith he couched his speare and stroake me on the side through my Gowne and Dublet and hurt not my flesh as it was the pleasure of God then I wrapped my Mantle about mine arme and drew out my Sword and with both my hands as he passed by me I gaue him such a stroake that I cloue his head néere to the téeth and so he fell downe to the earth dead I know not what he is but whatsoeuer he be I haue slayne him and if there be any that will demaund right in this cause let him come into your royall Court before all your Péeres and I shall doe him reason if it be found that I haue done any wrong When I had slayn him I layd my Brother vpon the dead Knightes horse and ouertooke the Abbot mine Vnckle Then as I road and looked behind me I saw them that were ambushed in the wood come ryding after one Knight came before the rest bringing vppon his horse the said dead Knighte I know well if they bée not come they will soone be héere When Kinge Charlemaine vnderstood Huon he had great maruaile what Knight it was that was slaine and sayd vnto Huon know for troth I shall doe you reason for I know none so great in my Realme whosoeuer it be but if I can prooue on him any point of treason I shall cause him to dye an euill death for the matter toucheth me right néere séeing vnder mine assurance and by my commaundement you are come hether Then the King commaunded that Gerard should be had to a goodly Chamber and well looked vnto the which was done Chap. X. ¶ How Charlot the Kings Son was brought before him dead and of the great sorrow that he made and how Earle Amerie appeached Huon for the death of Charlot and how the King would haue run vpon Huon and of the good counsaile that Duke Naymes of Bauier gaue to the King WHEN Huon of Bourdeaux and the Abbot of Cluny his Vnckle heard the good will of the King and the offer that he made they knéeled downe to haue kissed his foote and thanked him of his courtesie but the King tooke theÌ„ vp then the Abbot sayd My Lord all that my Nephew Huon hath sayd is true the King said I beléeue you well the Kinge did to them great honour and feasted them in his Pallaice royally but hée had great desire to know the troth of this case and said Huon and you the Abbot of Cluny know for certaintie I haue a Sonne whome I loue entirely if you haue slayne him in doing such a villainous deede as to breake my assurance I doe pardon you so that it be as you say My Lord quoth Huon for that I thanke your grace and surely the truth is as I haue shewed you Then the King sent for Charlot his Sonne so he was searched for in his lodging newes were returned how he was departed out of the Towne the night before so the Messenger departed and when thâ—y came into the stréete they saw where Earle Amerie came ryding with Charlot dead on his horse necke they heard in the Stréetes Lords Knights Ladies and Damsels making great cries and pitious complaints for Charlot the Kings Son whomâ— they sawe dead The Messengers were amazed at these exclamations but at last they perceiued it was for the death of Charlot then they returned to the Pallaice But by reason of the outcries and pityous moane the people made with often repetition of Charlots name all which the Emperour leaning at a windowe confusedly heard his heart waxed woondrous heauie saying Mée thinkes I heare such sorrow as hath not béen vsuall and my Sonne Charlots name is tossed too and fro in this outcry it maketh me feare that it is my Sonne whome Huon hath slain Then calling Duke Naymes vnto him requested him to goe foorth and resolue him in this matter Then Duke Naymes departed and incontinent hée encountred Charlot borne dead betwéene foure Knightes vpon a Shéeld when he sawe that he was right sorrowfull so that he could not speake one word then the vnhappie Earlâ— Amerie went vp into the Hall and came before the King and all his Barons and there he layde downe Charlot When Charles sawe his Sonne so slayne the dolour and sorrowâ— that he made was vnspeakable it was pitie to sée him and Duke Naymes was as sorrowfull as any other seéing the pityfull aduenture and also the moane that the Lords made then he came to the King and said Good my Lord comfort your selfe in this misaduenture for by ouer-gréeuing at this ill hap you can winne nothing nor recouer your Childe againe you know right wel that my Coozen Ogier the Dane slew my Sonne Bertrand who bare your Messuage of defiance to the king of Pauey yet I did suffer it without any great sorrow making bycause I knew well sorrow could not recouer him againe Naymes quoth the king I cannot forget this I haue great desire to know the cause of this déede Then Duke Naymes sayd to Duke Amerie Sir know you who hath slayne Charlot and for what cause Then Earle Amerie stept foorth and said with a loud voyce Great King Charlemaine why demand you any further when you haue him before you that hath slayne your Sonne and that is Huon of Bourdeaux who standeth héere in your presence When the King heard what Earle Amerie had sayd he looked fiercely vpon Huon and had strokeÌ„ him with his Scepter but for Duke Naymes who blamed the King and sayd Forbeare my Lord what meane you to doe this day to receiue the Children of Duke Seuin into your Court and hath promised to doe them right and reason and nâ—w would slay them so may all such as shall heare of the matter say that you haue sent for them to no other end but to murder them and that you sent your Sonne to lye in waight for them to haue slayne them By this may be discerned that you forget 〈…〉 Maiestie of a King and expresse actions vnséeming Charlemaine demaund of Earle Amerie the cause why he had foorth Charlot your Sonne and why that he assailed the two Brethren Huon being there in presence was greatly abashed at the Kings furie receiuing him first so kindly and now would kill him he was
in great feare and as much as he might he drew backe from the King and was greatly agreeued for that he had slayne the Kings Sonne not knowing him And blame him not to be much troubled in mind when he sawe no man that appertained to him to ayd him or to maintaine his right but onely the good Abbot of Cluny his Vnckle who could giue him none other ayd but with his words yet he tooke on him courage and right humbly said to the King My Lord I require your grace touch me not but know for troth he that lyeth there dead before you I slewe him in my defence and not knowing that he was your Sonne Charlot for if I had known him I would in no wise haue touched him and you may well know my Lord if I had knowne that it had béene he I would not haue come to you for rescue I would rather haue fled away so farre that no man should haue heard any tydings of me therefore for Gods sake I require you as heartily as I can let mee haue right I submit my bodie to abide the iudgment of your noble Péeres if it can be prooued that I slew Charlot knowing him to be your Son then my Lord let me haue a shamfull death then all the Peeres Barons being there said with a hye voyce how he had spoken reasonably and that if Earle Amerie would any thing say to the contrarie it was time then to speake and to shewe it Chap. XI ¶ How the Traytour Earle Amerie charged Huon before the Emperour that he trayterously with treason pretended had slayne the Kinges Sonne and in that quarrell he appealed Huon to battaile WHEN the King had heard Huon speake he beheld Duke Naymes and desired him to giue his aduice My Lord quoth the Duke I can say none other thing vnto you but as I sayd before demaunde Earle Amerie why he led forth your Sonne all armed and kept the ambushment in the wood to set vpon the two Brethren or else what was it that hee sought for there Then Earle Amerie said My Lord I shall shew you the troth and if I doe otherwise let me dye a shamefull death True it is this night passed your Son sent for me desiring me to ryde with him on hawking and I desired him to abide vntill the morning but he said that he would néeds go afore night then I graunted to goe with him so that he would ryde armed for I doubted the men of Arden to the entent that if we met with any of them wee might be able to resist them and so we did thus we road out of this towne and came into a little wood and there we cast off our Hawkes and there we lost one of them and therewith the same way came the Children of Duke Seuin and there we saw Huon the eldest who is héere present who had taken vp our Hauke your Sonne came in courteous maner vnto him and desired him to render againe his Hauke but the Traytour would not in no wise then Gerard the yonger brother came to your Son and they stroue so together that your Sonne stroke him then Huon without any word speaking lifted vp his sword and so villaynously slew your Sonne then hée and his Brother ranne away so fast that we could not ouer-take them whereof we were sory Thus he knew well your Sonne and he slewe him and if he will say to the contrarie heere is my Gage which I present héere before you and if hée be so hardy as to take it vp I shall make him confesse ere it be night that it is true that I haue said and this I will prooue with my bodie against his Chap. XII ¶ How the Abbot of Cluny would prooue that the saying of Earle Amerie was false and vntrue and how the Earle did cast his Gage against Huon who tooke it vp AFter that Earle Amerie had ended his tale the Abbot of Cluny stept forth and said to the King My Lord you neuer heard so false a tale before as this Traytor Amerie hath sayd for I and foure more of my Monks being Priests here present are readie to sweare and take our solempne oathes that the saying of this Traytour is false and therefore there ought no Gage to be laid in that cause séeing there is true witnesse of the matter Abbot quoth the King the witnesse is to be beléeued Sir Amerie how say you thereto My Lord quoth he I would be loath to speake against the Abbot but the troth is as I haue sayd the Abbot may say as it please him but if Huon be so hardie to deny this that I haue said before you let him come into the field against me and before it be night I shall cause him to confesse it openly When the Abbot heard this he grew offended and looking stearnly vpon Huon sayd Faire Nephew offer your gage for the right is with thée and if thou be vanquished in this quarell if euer I returne into mine Abbey there is no Saint in my Church but I shall with a staffe beat and breake them alâ— to peeces for if God will suffer such a wrong I shall giue such strâ—akes vpon the shryne of Saint Peter that I shall leaue neither gould nor precious stone whole together Vnckle quoth Huon God will I shall not let to take vp his gage for I shall prooue that falsly and vntruly Sir Amerie lyeth as an euill and a false Traytour and shall make him to confesse that I neuer knew that he that I flew was the Kinges Sonne Then the King said that Huon must giue hostage My Lord quoth Huon you shall haue my Brother I cannot deliuer you any that is so néere or deare to me as he is for héere I haue neyther Coozen nor Kinsman that will lay in hostage for mée Faire Nephew quoth the Abbot say not so for I and my Monkes will be pledges for you and if any thing should fall vnto you otherwise then well which God forbid then shame haue King Charlemaine without hée hang vppon gallowes both me and all my Monkes Go too Abbot quoth the King you say ill for I would neuer doe that then sayd the King to Amerie bring in pledges for your part The Traytour answeared My Lord héere be two of my Nephewes shall be pledges for me I am content quoth the King vppon this condition that if thou be vanquished or discomfited I shall cause them to dye an euill death Then the pledges sayd that they would be no pledges vpon that condition let other be pledges who would but they said if the king would take them on the loosing of their Lands they were content and the King graunted them Chap. XIII ¶ How those two Champions came into the feeld whereas they should fight accompanied with their freends THus as ye haue heard both parties deliuered pledges then the King to be in the more suertie put them both in a Tower vntill the day
you and your Barons séene him discomfited in playne Battaile that hath brought you into all this trouble vndoubtedly my Lord if you doe to me as you say God in heauen be my witnes that neuer more wrong was done to any noble man This is but bad remembrance of the good seruice that the noble Duke Seuin my Father hath done vnto you for by this you shew great example to all your noble Barons and Knights for them to be well aduised how from henceforth they order themselues and how to trust in you when that by your owne obstinate opinion founded vpon an euill ground and against all Statutes royall and imperiall thus to execute your owne vnreasonable will Certainly if it were any other Prince beside you that should doe me this great wrong ere I would consent so to be dealt withall many a Castle and many a good towne should be destroyed and brought to ruine many poore men more impouerished and disenherited and many a good Knight brought to death When Huon had thus spoken to the King Duke Naymes stept foorth and sayd to the King My Lord what meane you to doe you haue seene that Huon hath done no more then his dutie hauing brought his enemy to confusion and slayn him you may wel thinke that it was the worke of God that such a Child should bring to shame and discomfite such a puissant Knight as was Earle Amerie Therefore my Lord if you doo as you haue said neither I nor any other man shall euer trust you but euerie one farre néere that shall heare of this crueltie will report that in the end of your daies you are become sencelesse more like a Tyrant then a wise Prince Then Huon desired all the Barons that were there present that they would all require the King to haue more respect of him séeing they were all bound so to doe in that he was one of the Péeres of the Realme Then al the Princes and Barons holding Huon by the hand knéeled downe before the King and Huon said Séeing it is so my Lord that your displeasure is such againste me as you haue expressed Let your Barons and my selfe obtaine but this fauour at your handes that I may be confined to my owne natiue Countrey for euer there to lead a poore priuate life neuer to be admitted to your presence againe for this grace we shall all right humbly thanke you Chap. XVII ¶ How King Charlemaine sent Huon to doe a messuage in Babylon to the Admirall Gaudise WHEN the Emperor had heard Huon speake he said incontinent auoid out of my sight for when I remember my Sonne Charlot whome thou hast sâ—aine I haue no part of mée but it trembleth for the displeasure I haue to thée and I charge all my Barons héere present that they neuer speake to me more for thée When Duke Naymes heard the King say so he said vnto all the Barons My Lords you that he héere present haue well heard the great vnreasonablenesse that the King offers to one of our Péeres the which as yée know well it is against right and reason and a thing not to be suffered But bycause we know certainly the King is our Soueraigne Lord we must suffer his pleasure but from hencefoorth since he will vse himselfe so and do things against all reason and honour I will neuer abide an houre longer with him but will depart and neuer returne againe into the place whereas such extremitie vnreasonablenes is vsed I will goe into my Countrey of Bauier and let the King doe from hencefoorth as he list Then all the Barons departed with the Duke from the King without speaking any one word and so left the King alone in his Pallaice When the King sawe the Duke depart his other Lords he was right sorrowfull and in great displeasure and said to the young Knights that were left about him howe that he ought in nature to take heauylie the death of his Sonne who was slaine so disloyally and could not likewise but gréeue to sée how his Barons had abandoned him and left him alone therefore there is no remedie I sée well but I must be forced somewhat to follow their wils therewith he wept pitiously and incontinent went foorth and followed them saying Duke Naymes and all you my Barons I desire you to returne againe for of force I must graunt your requests although it be against that promise that I made before Then the Duke and all the rest returned to the Pallaice with the King who sat downe on a bench of gould and his Barons about him Then he sent for Huon who knéeled downe before the King requiring him humbly of mercie and pitie to whom the King said Huon séeing thou wouldest be at peace with me it is requisit that thou performe whatsoeuer I enioyne thée Else my Lord said Huon God forbid there is no man in the world owes you more obedience then I doe or shall more gladly vndertake whatsoeuer your highnesse shall please to commaund me dreadlesse of death or any danger be it to goe to Hell gates to fight with the fiendes there as sometime did Hercules if I may thereby be reconciled to your grace Huon quoth the King I thinke to send thée into a worse place for of fiftéene Messengers that I haue sent there was neuer any returned againe I shall shew thée whether thou shalt goe séeing thou wilt that I shall haue mercie of thée Thou must goe to the Citie of Babylon to the Admirall Gaudise and there doe as I shall appoint thée but beware on paine of thy life that thou fayle not to doe it When thou commest thether mount vp into his Pallaice and there tarrie vntill he be at his dinner and when thou seest him sit at the table then thou to be armed with thy sword naked in thy hand and the verie greatest Lord that thou séeest sit at his Table whether he be King or Admirall thou shalt strike off his head and after that enquire for faire Escleremond Daughter to the Admirall and kisse her there openly in his presence and before all other there present for I giue thée to vnderstand she is the fairest mayd that is now liuing this being done thou shalt say to the Admirall Gaudise that I commaund him to send me a thousand Haukes a thousand Beares and a thousand Waighters all chained and a thousand young Varlets and a thousand of the fairest maydens in his realme And also thou to bring me thy handfull of the heare of his beard and foure of his greatest téeth Alas my Lord quoth the Barons wée sée well you desire greatly his death when you charge him with such a Messuage That is true quoth the King for without I haue his beard and his great téeth brought me hether vnfaynedly Let him neuer returne into Fraunce nor come into my presence for if he doe he shal be hanged and drawen My Lord quoth Huon haue you shewed me
sayd vnto him Sir if you goe thether you may perhaps repent your selfe so it may well be quoth Gonder the Prouost Then Huon commanded to trusse vp all their geare and to make readie their horses and tooke with him his Cup but he left still his Horne with the Prouost Thus Huon went with his Vncle vnto his Castle and lay there all night the next morning Huon came vnto his Vncle to take his leaue Faire Nephew quoth the Duke I require you to tarie vntill my Barons come that shall conduct you in your iourney Sir quoth Huon séeing it pleaseth you I am content to abide and so they sat them downe to dinner Chap. XXVIII ¶ How the Duke thought to haue murdered Huon his owne Nephew whiles he sat at the Table WHen this Traytour Duke sawe his Nephewe sit at the Table hee called to him a Knight borne in Fraunce called Geffrey who came out of Fraunce with the Duke and had in like manner denyed the law of Christ and he was secret with the Duke then the Duke priuily sayde vnto him Fréend go and arme an Hundred or Six score Paynims and cause them to come hether let them slay my Nephew and all that are come with him for if one escape you shall loose my fauour Sir quoth Geffrey your will shal be done then Geffrey went into a Chamber whereas there was two Hundred Armours hanging when he came thether he said within himselfe Alas good Lord this villaine Traytour would slay the Sonne of his Brother who when I was in Fraunce did me once a great courtesie for I had béene dead slaine if Duke Seuin his Father had not succoured me it is reason for that he did then to mée to render againe some reward vnto his Sonne God confound mee if he hath any ill for me but I shall rather cause the false Duke to buy dearely the treason that he would doe vnto his Nephewe The same season there was in the Castle about Seauen-score Prisoners all French-men who were taken vpon the Sea and the Duke kept them in prison to the intent to put them to death he was so cruell against all christian men but God who neuer forgetteth his seruants sucoured them This Geffrey went to the Prison and said to the prisoners Sirs if you will saue your liues come out and follow me Then the prisoners incontinent yssued out of the Prison and followed Geffrey he brought them into the Chamber whereas all the harnesse hanged and caused them all to be armed and said Sirs if you haue courage and will to issue hence it is time now you shew your vertue Sir quoth they to dye in the quarrell we shall doe your commaundement to come out of bondage into fréedome When Geffrey hearde them he was right ioyfull and sayd Sirs know surely that there is héere in this Pallaice at dinner the Son of Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux and he is Nephewe to the Duke Lord of this house who was once christened and hath denyed the faith of our Lord God and he hath commaunded me to cause Seauen-score Paynims to be armed to come and to slay his Nephewe and all his company Thus when they were all armed and Swords by their sides they followed Geffrey to the Pallaice and when they entred Huon sayd to the Duke his Vncle. Sir these men in harnesse that enter into this hall be they such as ye haue commaunded to come hether to conduct me in my iourney No Huon quoth the Duke it is otherwise then thou thinkest thinke surely to die there is no remedie thou shalt neuer sée faire day more Then he said Sirs step forth looke that no christian man escape you but let them all be slaine Chap. XXIX ¶ How by the ayd of Geffrey and of the Prisoners Huon was succoured and slew all the Paynims and the Duke fled and after besieged the Castle WHen Huon sawe the malice of his Vncle and his false treason he was sore abashed and arose vp suddainly and put his helmet on his head and tooke his Sword in his hand Then Geffrey came in and cryed Saint Denis you noble French-men take héede that no Paynim escape aliue but slay them all with sorrow The French-men drew out their Swords and fought with the Paynims on all parts so that within a short time they were all slaine And when the Duke sawe howe they were no Paynims that slewe his men hée was in great feare of his life and so fled away into a secret Chamber When Huon perceiued that they were French-men that had thus succoured him he pursued the Duke with his Sword in his hand all bloudy with the bloud of the Paynims that he had slaine and when the trayterous Duke saw that his Nephewe so followed him hee fledde from Chamber to Chamber vntill hee came to a windowe opening vppon the Garden side and so leapt out thereat and ran away whereof Huon and Geffrey and the other French-men were right sorrowfull Then they closed the gates and lifted vp the bridges to the entent that they should not be taken within then they came into the Hall whereas one tooke acquaintance of another whereof they had great ioy But if God had not succoured them their ioy had béen turned to sorrow for the Duke who was escaped when he came into the towne he made a crye that as many as were able to beare armour should come vnto him so that he and all that he could make came with him before the Pallaice being more then Tenne Thousand persons and they all sware the death of the christian men within the Pallaice When the Duke saw that hée had such a number he was ioyfull and then he commanded his Engins to be raised vp and Ladders on euerie part and there with Pikes and Mattockes they brake downe a corner Tower and the christian men within defended them selues valiantly But their defence had little auailed them if our Lord God had not mightily succoured them When Huon knewe the danger that they were in hée was sore displeased and sayd Ah good Lord I ought to be sore agréeued when I see that wée be thus kept in by mine Vncle I feare me we shall neuer sée more dayes Then Gerames said Sir for the loue of God blowe nowe your Horne Alas quoth Huon it is not in my power to doe it for the Prouost Gonder hath it in kéeping Ah Huon quoth Gerames in an ill houre we were acquainted with you for nowe by your folly and pride we are in the way of distruction Thus as they were deuising Gonder the Prouost came to the Duke and said Sir I haue great maruaile that you will thus destroy your owne Pallaice great folly you doe therein rather I would councell you to leaue this assault and let there be a peace made betwéene you and your Nephew vpon condition to let him and his company go safely away Prouost quoth the Duke I pray 〈◊〉 goe and doe the best that thou canst I will
another M. that had played and béen mated another M. talking deuising with Damsels and another M. comming from drinking of the Admirals wine and another M. going thether When Huon all armed had gone a great space in the Citie he had great maruaile of that he had seene and that he had met such multitude of people And he studied thereon so much that he forgat the Gyants Ryng on his arme and the men that he met had great maruaile of him to sée him goe all armed a foote and yet he went still forward Alas poore vnhappie Huon that could not remember the Gyants Ring about his arme for lacke of remembrance thereof he suffered after so much trouble that there is no humane tongue can tell it as yée shall heare hereafter At last he came into a great place before the first gate of the Pallaice whereas there stoode a great Vine trée set vpon bricke pillers of diuers colours vnder the which the Admirall Gaudise one day in the wéeke would come thether and vsed to giue audience to all Suters When Huon had regarded all this he came to the first gate of the Pallaice there he cryed to the Porter said Friend I pray you open the gate and the Porter said with a good will if thou be a Sarazin thou shalt enter Then Huon as vnaduised and forgetting himselfe and not once thinking on king Oberons commaundement or of the Gyants Ring about his arme the which if hee had shewed foorth hee shoulde not haue néeded to haue made any lye when hee had heard the Paynim demaund whether he were a Sarazin or no he said yes than the Porter said than may you surely enter So Huon passed the first bridge and gate and when he came to the second he remembred himselfe how he had broken king Oberons commaundement wherewith he was so sorowfull at his hart that he wist not what to do and sware thē that he would neuer lye more Then he tooke the Ring in his hand and came to the second gate and said to the Porter Thou villaine he that died on the crosse cōfound thee open this gate for I must enter When the Porter heard him speake so fiercely he said who is it that the first Porter was so hardy to suffer to enter in at the first gate I shall shew thee quoth Huon séest not thou this Ring the which is a token that I may passe and goe whereas me list When the Porter heard him and saw the Ring he knew it well and said Sir ye be welcome how fareth the Lord the ye come from Huon who would not lye passed the bridge and gaue no answere and so came to the third gate where the Porter came to him and Huon shewed him the Ring then the Porter let downe the bridge and opened the gate and with great reuerence saluted Huon and suffered him to passe When Huon was thus passed the thrée bridges then he remembred how he had made a lye at the first bridge and said to himselfe Alas what shall become of me seeing I haue so lightly broken my promise to him that hath done so much for me alas I forgot the Ring that was about mine arme how be it I trust that Oberon will not be displeased for it seeing I did it not wilfully but that I forgat it I trust he will take no more regard to this déede then he did when I blew the Horne without any cause thus Huon passed the thrée gates of the Pallaice Chap. XXXVI ¶ How Huon passed the fourth Gate and howe he came into the garden whereas the Fountaine was and of that which he did there WHen Huon saw that he had passed the thrée gates he went on to the fourth gate with the Ring in his hand for he met with no man but that still did him honour when they saw the Ring then he said to the fourth Porter thou villaine Porter I charge thée foorthwith open the gate When the Porter heard him he had great maruaile said what art thou that art armed and speakest so fiercesly to me lay away thine armour and then shew me what thou art whether thou wilt goe for armed as thou art it is not possible for to enter shew me by thy faith how thou hast passed the thrée other bridges Than Huon said hould thy peace Paynim I am a Messenger sent frō noble king Charlemaine and whether thou wilt or not I will passe this way and goe to the Pallaice to the Admirall Gaudise there is neyther thou nor any other shall lett me behould this token that I shew thée The Paynim knew it anon and let downe the bridge and opened the gate and knéeled downe and kissed and embrabraced his leg desiring pardon of him in that he had caused him to tarrie so long Paynim quoth Huon good day mayest thou haue Sir quoth the Porter ye may goe to the Admirall who will make you good chéere and great honour for there is nothing that yée can desire but it shal be graunted vnto you yea and if it be his only Daughter for loue of the Lord from whome yée bring this Ring for a token and sir I require you how doth the Lord Angolofer commeth hee hether or not Porter quoth Huon if he come hether all the Diuels of hell muste bringe him hether and therewith hee passed foorth without any more wordes but he said to himselfe Ah good Lord Iesus Christ helpe and aid me in all my busines I was tempted with an euill spirite when I made the lye at the first gate I did it by lightnesse of courage and for lacke of remembrance whereof I am right sorie Huon thus being in displeasure with himselfe for the lye that hee had made went forth till he came to the Pallaice and entred into a faire garden wherein the Admirall tooke oftentimes his pastime for there could no trée frute nor flower be wished for but there they might be found both in sōmer winter And in the middest of this garden there was a faire Fountaine comming out of the Ryuer of Nyle that cōmeth from Paradise the which fountaine as then was of such vertue that if any sicke man did drinke thereof or washed his handes and face therin incontinent he should be whole and also if a man had béen of great age he should retourne againe to the age of xxx yéeres and old women to become as fresh and lustie as a maide of xv yeares This Fountaine had that vertue by the space of lx yeares but x. yeares after that Huon had béen there it was destroyed and broken by the Egiptians who made warre on the Admyrall that was as then in Babylon And when Huon had washed his handes and face in the Fountaine and dronke of the water he beheld the Pallaice and thought it maruaylous faire and whē he had well regard it he saw a little beside the fountaine a great Serpent who kept the Fountaine to thintent that none
should be so hardy as to drinke or touch the Fountaine for if a traytour or any man that had falsefied his faith did touch it he could not escape without death But when the Serpent saw Huon he enclined himselfe without making of semblance to do him any ill Huon sat down by the Fountaine and began gréeuouslye to lament and said Ah good Lord without thy succour it is impossible for me to depart hence aliue Ah noble king Oberon forsake me not nowe in this néede for the trespas that I haue done ought to be forgiuen me séeing I did it negligently for lacke of remembrance certenly I will know if for so small a cause yee will leaue me wherefore whatsoeuer fall I shall prooue assay to know the troth then he tooke his Horne and blew it so fiercely that king Oberon heard it being in his Forrest when he heard it he said Ah good Lord I heare the false Knight blow his Horne who setteth so little by me for at the first gate that he passed by he made a false lye by the Lord that fourmed me if he blow till the vaines of his necke burâ—â— in sunder he shall not be succoured for me nor for any manner of mischiefe that may fall to him Then Huon being in the garden blew so lowde that the Admirall who was set at his dinner arose from the boord with all his Lords and all other ladies and Damsels knights and squiers boyes and scullions of the kitchen and all other came into the Pallaice to the Admirall and began to daunce and singe and made great ioy the more that Huon blew his Horne the more they daunced and sang And when Huon left blowing than the Admirall called his Barons and commaunded them to be armed and said Sirs goe into this garden for surely there is some Enchaunter therefore take héed that he escape not but bring him aliue to me for I will know of him the cause why he hath done this déed for if he escape he will doe vs more ill When Huon had blowen a longe space and sawe no body come to him he was sore abashed and thaÌ„ he began to lament and said Ah good Lord god now I sée well mine end approcheth when king Oberon fayleth me in whom I haue all my trust in life and death Ah déere Lady Mother and brother Gerardine I shall neuer sée you more Ah noble king Charlemaine great wrong haue yée done to me thus to banish me without desert for that that I did was in my defence god forgiue it you Ah king Oberon well mayeÌ„st thou be reputed for an vnkind creature thus to leaue me for one small fault certenly if thou be a noble man I hope thou wilt pardon me at least I put all to god and to him I submit me And whatsoeuer fall I will enter into the Pallaice doe my Messuage that king Charlemaine hath commaunded me to doe So he made him readie and departed from the Fountaine thinking he should finde the Admirall at dinner at that time Chap. XXXVII ¶ How Huon came into the Pallaice and did his messuage to the Admirall and how he slew many Paynims and was afterward taken and put in Pryson WHen Huon had been a certen space at the fountaine he departed all armed and mounted vp the degrees of the Pallaice the same time the Admirall had caused twoo of his principall goddes to be set in the middest of the Pallaice richly adorned and before theÌ„ twoo great torches burning so that no Sarazin passed by them but made to them great reuerence but Huon passed by them and would not once looke on them nor speake to no man that hée met whereof they had all great maruaile and sayd one to another so that Huon easily heard them I beléeue this man who thus entred into the Pallaice all armed is some messenger sent from some great Prince to the Admyrall and then Huon saw a Paynim King speaking to the Admyrall who was newly come to the Admirall bicause the same day the Admirall Gaudise should haue deliuered to him his Daughter the faire Escleremond in mariage and Huon sawe well howe hee was the greatest Prince that as then was there with the Admirall then Huon sayd to himselfe Ah good Lord if I acquite my selfe truly to King Charlemaine I must slay this Paynim king I thinke it be he that I looke for séeing he sitteth so néere to the Admirall god confound me but incontinent I will strike of his head and then let our Lord Iesus Christ do with me at his pleasure Then Huon came nere to the table and drew out hys sword and therewith gaue the said King suche a stroke that his head fell on the table so that the Admyrall was therwith all bloody Then Huon with a hye voyce said Ah good Lord what a good beginning is this the rest I remit to our Lord Iesus Christ whome I require to aid me to perfourme the rest of mine enterprise in this point I haue nere quit my selfe agaynst king Charlemaine Then the Admirall said to his Barons take this man that hath doone me this offence as to murder this king â—itting at my table if he escape looke me neuer in the face TheÌ„ the Paynims assailed Huon on all sides and cast at him darts and swords to haue slaine him But his good Armor saued him from the death and with his sword he slew many a bolde Paynim so that none durst approch néere him When he saw that he was sore oppressed he tooke his Ring from off his arme and cast it on the table before the Admirall and said Sir Admirall beware on paine of thy lyfe of doing to me any hurt or damage by this token that I shew thee Whan the Admirall saw the Ring hee knew it well then hee began to crye that no man should be so hardye as to touch him that hath slayne the Paynim King and euery man let Huon in rest wherof he was right ioyfull than he said to the Admirall Sir I will from hence forth that thou do as I commaund thee Friend quoth the Admirall thou mayest do in my Pallaice what thou wilt whatsoeuer thou commaund shal be done no man shall say the coÌ„trary Than Huon saw where his daughter the fayre Escleremond sat by her Father and Huon went to her and kissed her iij. times before her Father whereat the Damsell was much abashed but she saw him so fayre and felt his mouth so sweet that she thought without she might haue him to her Louer she should dye for sorow so that she changed colour and blushed as ruddie as a rose Whan Huon had kissed the ladie than he went to the Admirall and said Sir Admirall know for troth that I am christened and am a Messenger sent from noble king Charlemaine to thée bicause there is no Prince christian nor heatheÌ„ but that obeyeth his coÌ„maundement except thy selfe therefore by me hee sendeth thee worde that since the dolorous
Gyant and when he had made his praiers to god he put on his armour as quickly as though he had neuer béen in prison wherby he knew well that god was pleased with him and then he said Ah noble king Oberon I pray thée séeing God is pleased with me put away thy displeasure and pardon me for the breaking of thy commaundement I haue béen sore punished and I pray thee be not displeased if I spake any hasty worde being in prison for famine caused me to doe it In the breaking of thy commaundement I confesse I did ill therein yet it was but by negligence and forgetting Alas Sir remember but what courtesie ye shewed me when yée found me in the wood and gaue me your rich Horne and Cup by the which often times I haue been succoured therefore sir now I require thée to pardon me all my trespasses and helpe me at my néed for I sée well without it be by the grace of god your helpe there is nothing can saue my life thus he besought god of pardon and to giue him grace to destroy his enemy who was so horrible to behould And when he had made his prayer there came a Sarazin to Huon said Sir héere is your owne swoord that yée lost when yée were taken Friend quoth Huon yee do me great courtesie God giue me grace to reward thée Then he did on his helmet and girt on his sword and the Admirall sent him a good horse the best in all his Court for he was not so faire but he was in goodnes aboue all other When Huon saw him he was right ioyfull thanked the Admirall As for his rich fourniture I make no mention thereof the saddle harnesie and bridle were so rich that the value thereof could not be estéemed Then Huon made the signe of the crosse and mounted on his horse armed at all points and so rode out of the Pallaice into a faire meadow and there made a course to assay his horse then he rested him before the Admirall who leaned in a window in his Pallaice and when he beheld Huon he said to his Lords Trust me these Frenchmen are to be doubted feared for Huon is a goodly yong man and great wrong it had been if he had béen slaine The Admirall commaunded the field to be kept with a Thowsand Sarazins to thintent that no treason should be done or any iniurie offered to his faire séeming Champion Chap. XLIIII ¶ How Huon fought with Agrapart the Gyant and discomfited him and deliuered him to the Admirall who had great ioy thereof WHen Huon hadde made his course he came into the field whereas his enemie was ready and when Agrapart saw Huon hee said Thou that art of so great courage as to fight against me howe néere of kinne art thou to the Admirall séeing that for the loue of him thou wilt put thy selfe in aduenture of death Paynim quoth Huon know for troth that I am nothing of kinne to the Admirall but I was borne in the Realme of Fraunce and if thou desire to know what I am I say vnto thée that I am he that slew thy Brother For that quoth the Paynim I am the more sorowfull and yet againe ioyfull in that Mahound hath done mée the grace to haue power to reuenge his death but if thou wilt beléeue and worship my God Mahound and forsake thy beléefe and goe with me into my countrey I shall make thée so great a Lord that of all thy kinne there was neuer any such And I shall giue thée my sister in mariage who is a foote greater than I am and is as blacke as a cole Paynim quoth Huon I care neyther for thy land nor for thy sister but all the diuels in hell kéepe them both beware thou of me for I shall neuer ioy in my hart vntill the time that I haue slaine thee as I haue done thy brother I defie thée in the name of god and I thée quoth the Gyant in the name of Mahound Then they went a sunder to take their courses and they ran each at other and met so fiersly that their speares brake in péeces and the encounter was so rude that by force of the shocke both the horses fell to the earth but the Champions quickly recouered and came each vpon other Agrapart tooke vp his fawchin to haue striken Huon but he stept a litle on the one side whereby the Paynim missed his stroke Huon lifted vp his sword and strake the Gyant on the helmet so maruailous a stroke that he strake of a quarter therof and wounded him sore and the stroke descended downe and cut of his eare so that the black blood ran downe to the ground Then Huon said Paynim thou wert vnhappie when thou camest hether thou mightest haue béen content with the death of thy Brother and not to come hether to haue as much thy selfe for thou shalt neuer sée faire day more When the Gyant saw him selfe hurt he had great feare and said Cursed be he of Mahound that forged thy swoord I had rather I had béene bound to haue paid a great summe of money to haue saued my life than to be slaine héere therfore I yéeld my selfe to thée take héere my swoord I pray thée doe me no hurt Paynim quoth Huon haue no doubt séeing thou doest yéeld thée to me there is none so hardy that shall doe thée any displeasure Then Huon tooke the Paynim by the arme brought him into the Citie whereof the Admirall and all his Lords had great ioy but the inward content that Escleremond had passed all other When Gerames saw how the Gyant was ouercome he came to the Admiral and said Sir Admirall know for troth that I am christened and I am not your Nephew I came hether but only to search for my Lord Huon the better to know the troth I said I was sonne to Iuoryn of Mombrance your brother thereby to know the certentie what was become of Huon for I knew well he was sent to you from king Charlemaine on a Messuage Chap. XLV ¶ How Agrapart the Gyant cryed mercie to the Admirall and howe Huon desired the Admirall Gaudise to leaue his law and to be christened WHEN the Admirall heard Gerames he had great maruaile and said it is hard for any man to beware of the craft and subtiltie that is in a Frenchman Then the Admirall sawe where Huon was comming vp the steps and bringing with him the Gyant whereon the Admirall and all his Lords came met him and Gerames his company with him who were right ioyfull when they saw him come When Huon sawe the Admirall he tooke Agrapart by the hand and said to the Admirall Sir I deliuer him into your handes that this day did you so great iniurie euen he that drew you out of your chaire I deliuer to you to doe with him at your pleasure When Agrapart saw that he knéeled and said Sir Admirall he hath
therewith by feare of the Tempest the Shippe came into the Hauen and caste their anchors Then Huon approached to the Ship and demaunded for the Patron and for the maister of them that were in the ship then the Marriners regarded the place whereas they were and they knew plainly by the great Tower that they were in the Port of Anfalerne whereof they had great feare and sayd one to another Ah good Lord God helpe vs for we sée well wee are but dead séeing wee bée arriued héere in this Port for wée knowe well that the Lord of this place is the most cruellest Paynim betwéen this and the red Sea Thus they complayned them one to another and Huon who was néere them vnderstood them well and sayd Sirs haue yée no doubt of death for yée are arriued at a good Port I require you to shew me from whence you come and what yée bée and they answeared sayd Sir séeing you can speake French we shall shew you so that you will assure our liues Sirs quoth Huon haue no feare of death nor of any hurt that yée shall haue for wee that haue this place in kéeping are French-men therefore shew vs hardly your entents Sir quoth they since you would know what wée bee wée are all borne in the Countrey of Fraunce and one of vs is of Saint Omers and some of the Citie of Paris and of diuers other parts of the Realme of Fraunce Fréends quoth Huon I pray you shew me if there be any among you borne in the Citie of Bourdeaux Sir quoth one of them heere is one in this ship that was borne in Bourdeaux an ould ancient man I thinke he be of an hundred yeares of age his name is Guyer and wee are going on pilgrimage for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ to visit the holy Sepulchre but fortune by force of Tempest of the Sea hath caused vs to arriue héere and this Tempest hath endured these thrée dayes and thrée nights passed whereby wee be so wearie and so sore trauailed that wée can doe no more Fréend quoth Huon I pray you shew him foorth that you speake of Then the Patron of the Ship commaunded that the old man of Bourdeaux should come forth then Guyer the Prouost came to Huon and sayd Sir behold me héere what pleaseth it you to say vnto mée When Huon saw him he knew incontinent that it was Guyer the Prouost and sayd Fréend I require you shew mee where you were borne and what hath mooued you to come hether séeing the great age that you be of and to shew me what is your name Sir quoth he I shall shew you the truth I had a Lord whome I loued entirely hee was Sonne to Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux and hee was called Huon and it fell so out that after the death of his Father about a Seauen yeares King Charlemaine sent for him to doe his homage to receiue his Land of him the young man by the commaundement of his Mother he and his brother Gerard with him tooke their way towards Paris and by the way King Charlemaines Sonne called Charlot was lying in a wood by the counsaile of certaine Traytours and there lay in a waight to haue slaine Huon and his Brother Gerard but the case fell otherwise for Huon slew Charlot not knowing who it was wherefore Kinge Charlemaine banished him out of the Realm of Fraunce and charged him ere he returned to goe to Babilon to do a Messuage to the Admi Gaudise But his Brother Gerard aboad still at Bourdeaux to kéepe the heritage and then the Duchesse his Mother was so full of sorrowe that her Sonne was so banished without cause that shee tooke thereof such a maladie that shee dyed thereof about fiue yeares past and so thereby Gerard is Lord and Gouernour of all the Lands and hee is married to the daughter of the most cruellest Tirant from thence into Spaine and this Gerard hath learned of him many ill customes and hath left all the good wayes that was vsed in the dayes of Duke Seuin and of the Duchesse his Mother and hee hath raysed vp in all his Landes new Tayles and Gables and Impositions and chaced and put from him all noble men hee destroyeth the Burgesses and Marchants Widdowes Orphelings there can no man shew you the ill that hée hath done and doth dayly and he hath disenherited me And on a day the Barons of the Countrey desired me that I would take the paines to goe and search aswell by land as by water if I might finde the young Lord Huon who is our rightfull Lord it is now about two yeares that I haue searched for him in diuers Countreys but I coulde neuer heare one word of him whereof I am right sorrowfull to séeke him I haue spent all my gould and siluer howbeit these good Marchants haue taken me into their Ship and for the loue of God they thought to haue brought me into Fraunce but by fortune we be héere arriued at this Port. Chap. LXI ¶ Howe Huon and Gerames and all their companie with the faire Escleremond departed from the Castle of Anfalerne and sayled thence on the Sea WHen Huon vnderstood the Prouost Guyer he said vnto Gerames Sir come foorth héere I haue found your Brother Then Gerames came to his Brother and embraced and kissed him all wéping and said My deare fréend and Brother you be right heartily welcome Ah Brother quoth Guyer nowe I care not whether I liue or die séeing I haue found you and if it were so that yet once ere I dyed I might sée my Lord Huon then I cared not howe soone I dyed Ah deare Brother quoth Gerames you shall not die so soone and yet you shall sée Huon whose presence you so sore desire it is Huon to whome you haue spoken all this season Then Huon sore wéeping came and embraced Guyer and said My deare Fréend your comming is a ioy to my heart for a more truer Knight cannot bee found Sir quoth Guyer doe you know mée Yea truely quoth Huon and do you know mée Yea Sir quoth Guyer you are greatly desired in Fraunce and Brother Gerames I desire you to shew me where you haue béen since I sawe you for it is about Fortie yeares since you departed out of Fraunce then Gerames shewed him all his life and shewed at length how he found Huon Longe they were talking together whereof they of the Ship were right ioyfull for then they sawe well they were arriued at a good Port and then Huon said to the Marriners Sirs I pray you make this night no great noyse nor make no fire nor shewe no light for héere before the castle is lodged two Admirals Paynims who haue swoorne that they will neuer goe hence vntill they haue vs at their pleasure therefore I counsaile that wee may escape out of this castle wée bée hére about thurteene persons and with vs a noble Ladie wherefore I require you let vs come into your
how is it with you and shew me of your aduentures Sir quoth Huon I haue endured many euils and troubles ynow and all these that are come with me but thanked be our Lord god it is so now that I haue brought with me the beard and great téeth of the Admirall Gaudise and haue also brought his Daughter who is heere present and Sir I require you to giue her Christēdome and then I will wed her to my wife Huon quoth the Pope all this pleaseth me right well to doe and the rather séeing it is your pleasure I desire you to tarrie héere with me this night Sir quoth Huon your pleasure shal be mine Thus Huon and his companie tarried with the Pope all that night whereas they made great ioy and on the nexts morning a Font was made readie wherein the faire Escleremond was christened without changing of her name and also there was christened Mouslet the Minstrell and he was called Garyn and when the Sacrament of Baptisme was finished the Pope himselfe said seruice first he confessed Huon and assoyled him of all his faultes then hee wedded him to Escleremond and when diuine seruice was ended then they went all with the Pope to his Pallaice and there was made the solempnities of the Mariage but to shew the maner of their seruice with the meates and drinkes and that apparell of the Brides it would be ouer-tedious to rehearse it But one thing I dare well saie that there had not béene séene of a long time before such a glorious and rich seast for the Pope did as much for them as though they had béen his owne Brother and Sister the melodie of the Minstrels that played was so swéet and delectable that euery man was satisfied with the hearing thereof and specially it was maruaile to heare Garyn the new christened Minstrell to play hee played so swéetlye on his vyoll that it was geat ioy to heare it Thus there was great ioy in the Popes Pallaice and euen as they were well serued at dinner so it was better at supper and at night euery man withdrew himselfe and the new Brydes lay together in great pleasure all that night in the morning they arose and heard seruice and then dined and then they trussed vp al their Baggage and charged their Somers Mules and Mullets and sadled their horses and then Huon and Escleremond went and tooke their leaue of the Pope and thanked him for the honour and great courtesie that he had shewed them Sir quoth the Pope if it would please you to tarrie longer heere with me my goodes and my house should be at your commaundment Sir quoth Huon I cannot render sufficient thankes to your Holines for the good that yée haue done to vs But Sir longer I cannot tarrie for the great desire that I haue to accomplish the rest of my businesse therefore Sir I recommend you to our Lord God The Pope kissed Huon and tooke Escleremond by the hand thus they tooke their leaue and at their departing the Pope sent to them a Somer charged with gold and cloathes of silke and thus they departed from Rome Chap. LXIII ¶ How Huon and his companie arriued at the Abby of Mauryse whereas hee was receiued by the Abbot and Couent with great reuerence AFter that Huon had taken leaue of the Pope he and his companie departed and the faire Escleremond was mounted on a faire mule and so long they rode till they might sée the town of Burdeux When Huon saw it he lift vp his hands to the heauens thanking God of his grace that he had brought him thether in sauegard and then he sayd to Escleremond Faire Ladie yonder you may sée the Citie and Countrey whereof ye shall be Lady and Duches though it hath béene ere this time a Realme Sir quoth Guyer the Prouost it is good ye regard wisely your businesse the which toucheth you right néere and Sir if you will doe after my counsell send first to an Abby that is here by called the Abby of Maurise the Abbot is a notable Clarke let him know of your comming and that ye wil dine with him Sir quoth Huon your counsell is to be beleeued and then Huon sent to the Abbot certifying him of his comming When the Abbot knew of Huons comming he was right ioyfull for he loued intierly Huon wherefore he sore desired the sight of him then hée called all his Couent and charged them in the vertue of obedience to make them selues readye to receiue Huon the rightfull Inheritour to the country of Bourdeaux though the kings of Fraunce be our founders But as to our good neighbour wée will doe this reuerence for honour is due to them that deserue it Then the Couent as they were commaunded ordered themselues and so went out of the Abby to méete Huon who when hée saw them hée alighted on foote and also Escleremond and Gerames and all the other thus the Abbot and his Couent in rich cluthes séeming mette with Huon when Huon was néere to the Abbot he was right ioyfull and the Abbot who anon knew Huon came to him right humbly and said Sir Duke of Bourdeux thanked be god that ye are come home for your presence hath long béene desired then they embraced each other with wéeping teares for ioy then the Abbot welcomed the Prouost Guyer and all the other But he knew not Gerames for for if he had he would haue made him great feasting Chap. LXIIII. ¶ How the good Abbot sent word to Duke Gerard of Bourdeaux how his brother Huon was in the Abbey of Maurise THVS the Abbot with his Couent brought Huon to the Abbey of Maurise and Huon and Escleremond on foot followed them when he came into the church Huon offered greate gyftes and after theyr offerings and prayers made they went into the hall and went to dinner how well they were lerned it neede not to be rehearsed they had euerie thing that néeded the Abbot sate by Huon and said Sir I pray you shew me how ye haue done how ye haue ended your messuage that ye were charged to do by King Charlemaine Sir quoth Huon thanked be our Lord God I haue accomplished and done all that I was commaunded to do for I haue brought with me the Beard and the foure great Téeth of the Admirall Gaudise and also I haue brought with me his Daughter the faire Escleremond whome I haue wedded in the citie of Roome and to morrow by the grace of God I will depart to goe to King Charlemaine my soueraigne Lord. Sir quoth the Abbot of that I am right ioyful but if it were your pleasure I would send to certefie your comming to Gerard your Brother that he might see you before yée depart hence Sir quoth Huon I am content that yée send for him Then the Abbot commaunded a Squier of his to goe for Duke Gerard and so he went and rested not till he came to Burdeux before Duke Gerard said
towne bound hands and féete and then set vs in a déepe prison and so hath kept vs hetherto with bread and water and so hath taken from vs all the riches that wee brought with vs and Sir if hee be so hardie to say the contrarie that it is not true that I haue sayd let him and Gybouars like traytours as they be arme themselues and I shall fight against them both and if I can conquere them both whereof I haue no doubt with the aide of our Lord God then let them haue as they haue deserued and if I cannot ouercome them nor make them to shew the truth I will that then incontinent you cause me to be drawne and hanged By my faith quoth Duke Naymes Sir Huon can say nor offer no more for hee offereth to proue the contrarie of that Gerard hath saide Sir quoth Gerard my brother sayth at his pleasure because hee knoweth well that I will not striue against him because he is mine elder brother let the king doe as it shall please him as for me I neuer consented to doe so cruell a deede as hee layeth to my charge Ah good Lord quoth Duke Naymes how the false Traitour can cloke and couer his ilnesse Huon quoth Charlemain I cannot tel what you haue done but I will you shew mee the beard and â—oure great teeth of the Admirall Gaudis Sir quoth Huon I crie you mercie I haue shewed you how they be taken from me by the false traytour my Brother Gerard. Huon quoth the Kinge yée know well at your departure out of Fraunce I charged you vppon paine of your life that iâ— by aduenture you returned againe into France that you should not bée so hardy as to enter into this Citie of Bourdeaux vntill you had spoken with mee first and to keepe mee promise you deliuered to mee Hostages the which I haue quit séeing I haue you in my handes it lyeth now in mée either to hange you or to draw you or to giue vnto you any other iudgment for at your departure you were agréed that I should so doe and by the faith that I owe vnto Saint Denis before it bee night I shall cause thée to bee hanged and drawne and that shall I not let so to doe for any man liuing for nowe I take you in your owne house Sir quoth Huon God forbid that a Kinge of Fraunce should doe so great a crueltie My Lord I crie you mercie for Gods sake doe not to mee so great an out-rage for you may knowe right well that perforce I was brought hether and therefore great King I require you let mee haue rightfull and true iudgement By my faith Huon quoth Duke Naymes it is but a small request that you make for your right is so cleare that if reason may be shewed to you there is no man can say the contrarie but that your Lands ought to bee rendred vnto you franke and frée and your Brother Gerard to bee hanged and strangled Then the Duke said to the King My Lord I require you haue pitie of Huon and doe nothing to him but right and you shall doe great sinne without you doe him right Naymes quoth the King you know well it is in mée to cause Huon to die but séeing that he is one of my Péeres I will order him by iudgement When the Lordes and other Knightes heard the King say so they were right ioyfull for then they beleeued that the King would haue pitie of Huon but whosoeuer was ioyfull yet Duke Naymes was not content and sayde to the King My Lord by that I sée and heare you beare Huon but small â—oâ—e seeing that you will put him to iudgement considering his deedes and sayings to be true and namely whereas hee â—ffereth to prooue it by the holy Father the Pope then Huon with-drew backe and leaned him to a piller there by Then the Kinge called vnto him all his Peeres and Lordes and 〈◊〉 Sirs I require you by the faith and truth and homage that you beare vnto mée that for me nor for mine amitie that you ayd not Huon against mée nor lay nor doe no falsehood but the most rightfull iudgement that you can make doe I charge you giue true iudgement without any fauour or partialitie When the Lords heard the King say so vnto them and that he coniured them so sore to doe right and iustice well they perceiued that the King had great hate vnto Huon and that the death of his Sonne Charlot was not forgotten out of his mind Then they all together drew apart into a Chamber right pensiue and mourning and they sat downe on benches and beheld each other without speaking of any word a long space When Duke Naymes saw that hée arose vppon his féet and sayd Sirs yée haue heard how the King hath charged vs to say the troth wée may perceiue well by him that hee beareth great hate vnto Huon who is one of our Companions and therefore Sirs I require you that euerie man by himselfe will say his aduise as hée thinketh Chap. LXXII ¶ How the Twelue Peeres drew to counsaile to giue sentence vppon Huon either with him or against him THen there rose vp a knight called Gaulter hée was yssued of the lineage of Ganelon who was one of the Péeres of Fraunce then hée sayd Sirs as for mée I say séeing the case as it is that Huon by right iudgement ought to bee hanged and drawne for as yée know well the King hath founde him in the Citie of Bourdeaux therefore I say that the King may without doing any sinne put him to death and Sirs if yee thinke that I haue sayde good reason agrée yée then to the same and let Gerard his Brother be Lord and Maister of all the Landes and Signiories that should appertaine vnto Huon I consent and will as much as toucheth my part that Gerard be one of the Péeres of Fraunce in the place of Huon his Brother and when Gaulter had ended his reason Henry of Saint Omers spake and sayd Sir Gaulter goe and sit downe your wordes can beare none effect for they bée of no valure But Sirs quoth hée shortly to speake and righteously to iudge I say that it is reason that Huon be restored to all his Landes for his déede is well prooued and by good witnesse as our holy Father the Pope for wee may beléeue surely that Gerard his Brother that thus hath betrayed him hath done it by false couetousnesse therefore I say and iudge that Gerard bee drawne at horse tayles and then hanged vntill hée be dead Then hée sayd no more but sat downe againe When Henry of Saint Omers had sayd his reason that Earle of Flaunders arose vp and said to Henry All that you haue sayd I will not consent thereto but I shall shewe you mine aduise what ought to bée done Sirs yée all knowe well the world the which as nowe is little woorth for nowe adayes cannot be found such true Fréends as
he will cause them to die an ill death Sir I require you beleeue my counsaile at this time for you knowe well that out of Fraunce you shall get no succor for if some would yet they dare not for doubt of King Charlemaine the hate that he hath to you is not yet quenched for the death of his sonne Charlot he will neuer forget and Sir if yée goe not to my brother for succour yée may happen to repent it and peraduenture it may be too late and doe as he doth that shutteth the stable dore when the horse is stollen Thus the faire Ladie Escleremond exhorted Duke Huon her husband whome shée loued entierly Chap. LXXXVII ¶ How Huon had great ioy for the birth of Claryet his Daughter WHen Huon had well heard his Wife hée said My right deare Ladie and Companion right well I know the great loue that you beare to mee the which hath constrayned you to say thus whereof I thanke you But by the Lord that vpon the Crosse died for to redeeme humane Lineage I will goe to no place nor send for any succours vntill I sée them before my Citie and that I haue cause to labour for succours nor vntill I feele the stroaks of Almaines and Bauiers that they can giue when they be out of their owne Countrey nor as longe as my sheeld is hole and found first I thinke they shall feele the sharpnesse of my Speares head and good Sword and yet by Gods grace I shall not abandon you nor leaue my City and good Burgesses for it might greatly bée layd to my reproach if I should thus goe away Alas Sir quoth Escleremond yée may well know that this that I haue said is for the feare that I haue of you for I haue béene well aduertised that the Emperour sore hateth you and not without cause for his Nephewes and Lords that yée haue slaine and therefore Sir if ye will beléeue me yée shall haue men to defend you brought hether by the king my brother so that when the Emperour is come into your land it shall lie in you either to make peace or warre at your will reason it were that you made him some amends for the hurts that yée haue done vnto him And on the other part if he will haue no peace thē it shall lie in you to make him such warre so that he shall not depart without your agréement and to his great losse Sir the feare that I haue to loose you constrayneth me thus to say I haue heard it often times said that the entrie into warre is large but the issuing out therof is very straight nor there is no warre but it causeth pouertie But séeing it is your pleasure not to beléeue me it is reason that I must be content that your pleasure shal be fulfilled then they entred into other deuises and great ioy feasts were made in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux between Huon and the Lordes of the Countrey At last the faire Ladie Escleremond who was great with child fell vpon trauayling and shée prayed to god for helpe and suffered great paine whereof Huon had great pitie whē he heard thereof for the loue betwéene them was excéeding great at last the Lady was brought to bed of a faire Daughter whereof Huon thanked God then entred into the Ladies chamber a great number of the Ladies of the Fairie and came to Escleremonds bed-side and said Ladie yée ought 〈◊〉 to thanke God for yée haue brought foorth the fairest best creature that as now is in the world and to whome our Lord god hath graunted most graces at her birth for a more faire me dest wise and courteous hath not béen borne this C. yéeres past for shée shall haue such destinie fortune in this world that of the Realme of Aragon shée shall bee crowned Quéene and shée shall so gouerne her selfe that shée shal be accounted of as if she were a Saint in Paradice At Tortouse there is the Church where she is honoured the which is founded in her name and is named Saint Clare Escleremond was ioyfull of the wordes of these Ladies of the Fairie and great ioy feasting was made euery where for the birth of this Child who was greatly regarded of the Ladies of the Fayrie and they said each to other that this Child was the fairest creature in all the world they tooke this Child each after other and blessed it thrée times then they layd it downe and departed suddainly so that no man wist not where they were become whereof all the Ladies and other had great maruaile This tidings was brought vnto Huon he was right ioyfull and sayd A worthy King Oberon I beleeue surely that as yet you haue not forgotten me now I doubt nothing the Emperour nor all his puissance séeing you haue remembraunce of mee Then Huon came into the Hall and thether his Daughter was brought vnto him to sée hée tooke her in his armes and shewed her to his Lords who were very ioyfull to sée her Then shee was borne to the Church and with great solemnitie christened and named Clariet bicause she was so faire and cleare to behold Then shee was brought to the Duchesse who had of her great ioy When the Duchesse had kept her Chamber a Moneth then she was churched whereof all the Court was ioyfull and such feasting was made that if I should shewe you the riches and noblenesse that was there shewed it should be ouer-long to rehearse Therefore I wil leaue speaking thereof at this time vntill another season Chap. LXXXVIII ¶ How the Emperour assembled a great hoast and came vnto Bourdeaux YE haue at large heard here before the manner and cause why this war was mooued betweene the Emperour of Almaine and Huon Duke of Bourdeaux the which after the Truce was expired that the Emperour was hole of his thigh that Huon had broken he published the war againe and sent ouer all his Empire that euerie Duke Earle Baron Knight and Squier should come to him and Souldiers from all parts and that within a Moneth they were to be at the Citie of Mayence to the entent to make warre vppon Huon of Bourdeaux This commaundement was published and such diligence was made that by the day appointed euerie man was come to the City of Mayence and lodged in the Citie and in Pauilions about the Citie there were assembled more then fortie Thousand and all men well appointed for the warre When this Emperour who was named Tirrey saw them he was verie ioyfull and sore threatned Huon and made promise to all his Barons that hee would neuer returne into his owne Countrey vntill hee had first slaine Huon who hadde doone him so great damage Then hee commaunded his Constables and Marshals to be readie to depart the next day to take the way towardes Coleyne with all his Artilerie and carriage the which was done The next day the Emperour entred into the feeld so road towards Coleyne
daunger thereof When Huon vnderstood Iudas he had great maruaile ioyned his hands toward the heauen thanking God of the grace that hee had sent him Then Huon desired the Patron that they might depart from thence in haste Sir quoth he it shall bee done Then they drew vp theyr sayles and departed and they had not sailed a league but that the saw a farre off great brands of fire burning issuing out of the Gulfe so long and so high that they had neere hand come to theâ—r ship and the waues that issued out of the Gulfe were as high as mountaines and they approched so nere vnto their shippe that they had like to haue perâ—â—hes for there 〈◊〉 was neere hand full of water so that they had 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to lade out the water and were fayne to abate theyr sayle and the water that â—ssed out of the Gulfe draâ—e them so â—â—orftly that a bird could not die no faster then they went In that case they weâ—e a moneth and durst neuer hoyse vppe sayle but thus they draue a great season without seeing of any land then Huon called vppon God and saide Ah verie God I hadde rather haue tarried still in mine owne Countrey and haue taken such fortune as it should haue pleased thée to send mee then heere to bée lost in this strange Sea Deare Laâ—ie Escleremond I pray vnto God to keepe you and Clariet my Daughter for I thinke that I shall neuer see you more Thus Huon complained sayling in the Sea in feare of his life and thus they were in the daunger of this Gulfe fiue weekes and neuer coulde see lande whereof they were in great feare often times they prayed to our Lord to haue pity of them Then Huon desired the Patrone to mount vp to the Mast to see if he might see any land and the Patrone who greatly desired so to doe anone hee mounted vp and regarded on all parts to see if hee might espy any land At last he saw a farre off an hye rocke and on the height thereof they sawe a thicke wood and at the entrie of the wood hee sawe a little house whereof hee thanked God and descended downe and shewed Huon what hee had seene and sayd Sir yonder a farre off I haue seen a great Rocke and on the height thereof a great thicke wood and therein I haue séene a little house or hermitage the house is white I cannot tell what it is but by the grace of God ere it be night wee shall land there and refresh our selues When Huon heard that hee was right ioyfull and thanked God then they drew to that Port and had good wind and a fresh wéening to haue come thether the same night but they sayled foure daies and foure nights and could come no neerer to the wood then they were before whereof they had maruaile for it seemed to them euer that the wood and the house roase vp higher and higher and then they could not tell whether they went for if they had known they would not haue gone thether for al the gold in the world for if God had not had pitie of them they were all likely to haue beene lost for the place that they sawe a farre of was a Castle and therein cloased the Rocke of the Adamant the which Castle was dangerous to approach for if any Ship come neere it and haue any yron nayles within it and that a shippe come but within the sight thereof the Adamant will draw the Shippe vnto him And therefore in those parts the Shippes that sayleth by that Sea are made and pinned with woodden nayles and without any manner of yron otherwise they be lost and perished for the propertie of the Adamant is to draw yron to him Thus Huon and his company were there the space of sixe dayes going and sayling about the Rocke of the Castle of the Adamant But if they had had a good wind the first day they had arriued euen at the white house that they saw first in the wood the which was the fairest and most richest house in the world within the which was so much gould and riches that no man liuing could esteeme the value thereof for the Pillars within that hâ—use were of Cassedony and the wals and Towers of white Alablaster There was neuer described in Scripture nor Historie the beautie of such a Castle as this was for when the Sun cast his rayes on it it seemed a farre of to be of fine christall it was so cleare shining In this Castle was neither man nor woman but dead mens bones lying at the gate of this Castle and at the Port there lay many Shippes so that their Mastes seemed a farre off to bee a great Forrest Chap. C. ¶ How Huon deuised with his Patrone in regarding of the Castle of the Adamant THis castle was set on a rock of the Adamant â—one from the East to the west was not so strong a Castle for if all the world had come before it and men within to defend it could neuer be wonne by any mortall men The forrest that so seemed to them a farre off were the â—aâ—â—s of shippes that had beene there arriued by constraint of the Adamant but for all the shippes that were there there was no man liuing therein yet there lay bones of men that had died by famine rage Huon and his câ—mâ—aâ—te had great maruaile for when they approached 〈◊〉 to the Castle they 〈◊〉 forced to strike sayle for the â—daâ—ant drew the shippe so sore that if they had not quickly striken their sayle their shippe had broken all to péeces and they all béen drowned in the sea The ship went so fast that it was maruailous to consider it and then the Patron of the shippe who was wise and discreet knew anon how they were néere to the Castle of the Adamant because their shippe went so fast without sayle thetherward faster than if they had had a full winde in all their sailes and they could not turne their ship any way from that part for they would gladly haue returned but it would not bee because the Adamant drew the yron so sore to him by nature When the Patron saw that néedes they must arriue there he began pitiously to lament and saide to Huon Sir our Lord God hath created vs in this world to liue and to die and there is none but must passe the passage of this and because wee knowe surely that no creature can escape that therefore we ought to be content with that which can be none otherwise Sir I say this that we must all dye When Huon heard the Patron he had great maruaile and said Patron I pray you shew me the cause why yée say thus in this Castle that we see before vs are there any Sarazins within it or spirits of hell that haue sworne our death surely I doubt them not make good cheere and bee nothing abashed take good courage and ioy â—or by the ayd of our
more soâ—roâ— for my daughter theÌ„ for my selfe and I am sorrowfull for my Lords and 〈◊〉 who for the loue of you and mee are in peâ—â—ll of thâ—ir 〈…〉 had beene better for vs to haue tarryed still in 〈…〉 come hither to â—uffer all these toâ—menâ—s pâ—ines and 〈…〉 and at last painefull deaâ—h with saying of these 〈…〉 Duchesse fell in a trâ—â—â—ce among her Lords 〈…〉 releeâ—ed 〈◊〉 sayde discomfort you 〈◊〉 but take good 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 your men who haue great desire to defend 〈◊〉 Citie for the sauegard of their owne bodyes and liues thus to make sorrow ye can winne nothing thereby but loose more to more haue no doubt that Huon your husbande will leaue you at this poynt hee is gone to your brother for succour hee will not long tarrie and he will bring you such succour that the Emperour nor the Almaines shall haue no leysure to grant him the victorie Thus Gerames comforted the Duchesse who was glad for to heare Gerames and thus as they deuised together the Emperour who was aduertised of Huons departing and how he was gone for succour he assembled his Councell into his tent and there hee shewed and declared the great losses that he had suffered as well of the death of his nephewes as of other of his friends and kynne and the great domage that by Huon he had suffered and sayde Sirs all this ye know well his acquaintance hath cost vs déerely ye haue all heard how he is departed to séeke for succour but I cannot tell to what part hee is gone As for the Realme of Fraunce I know right well hee shall haue no succour there for as it hath béene shewed mée of â—ate that the right Noble and victorious Prince Charlemaine is dead who loued Huon but little because of his sonne Charlot whome Huon slew and Charlemaine hath left behinde him but one sonne named Lewes who is but of a yong age and I beléeue if hee were of full age that he would rather come for to succour me then Huon who slewe Charlot his brother therfore it can be no otherwise but that he is gone into some far countrey for succour therefore I thinke it best that in the meane time ere he returne that on all sides let vs continually assaile the Citie and let euerie one doe their part to bee reuenged for the death of their friendes which are héere slaine by them within the Citie When the Lordes heard the Emperour all with one voyce aunswered and sayd Syr the reason which you haue shewed vnto vs is to bee kept and done and wee shall goe arme vs and make vs all readye to the intent to come to your intention the which is verie good and reasonable Then they sounded al their hornes and busins and euerie man speedily armed himselfe and came with Ensigne displayde to assayle the Cittie and they that were within as well as they could they defended the Citie they which were without reared vppe ladders against the walles with mightie strength but they which were within did beate them down into the Dikes and then they did cast downe vppon them hote leade and boyling Dyle and quicke Lyme and great stones and fagots burning so that they which were down in the Dikes had no power for to reléeue themselues againe but there most miserably dyed vnder the ladders There was on both parts exceeding great shooting wyth Crosbowes and slinging of stones so thicke that they seemed like vnto snow flying in the ayre maruailous it was to beholde the olde Gerames howe hee exhorted his companie for to doe well and also the Duchesse Escleremond with her daughter in her armes crying vnto her men and sayde Yee my deere Lords and Knights fight lustily but to your paynes for to defende your bodyes and your liues your wiues and your children to the intent that the Almaynes make not their bragges and vaunts of theyr winning of this most noble Citie by theyr assaults the which is so goodly and rich for Sirs I knowe right well yee shall not abide this trouble for no long season for Duke Huon your rightfull Lorde will shortly ayde and succour vs all Then all the noble Barons Knights and Burgesses hearing the excéeding great comfort of the Noble and vertuous Lady the Duchesse Escleremond with a maruaylous great courage and valour they came to theyr defences and behaued themselues so valiantly that theyr enemies were forced to retyre backe with great losse and domage whereof the Emperour and his Lords were right sorrowfull and they within the Citie right ioyfull of the great victorye the which God had giuen them that day Then euery man went vnto his lodging and made great ioy and the Emperour and his men withdrew themselues in great displeasure for his losse When the Emperour was vnarmed and had well refreshed himselfe then hee sayde vnto his Lordes Sirs wee haue beene a long season before this Citie and haue sustained many losses therefore sirs I require you to counsell mee what is 〈…〉 do this Citie is strong and wel furnished with knights and men to defend it by vs it will neuer be wonne without vicâ—ualles â—aile them but I thinke they haue but small store of 〈◊〉 therefore I desire you to shew me your abuises whether 〈◊〉 shall depart from this Citie without more doing or 〈◊〉 here vpon such fortune as God will send vs. When the Emperour had sayd as much as hee pleased then the Duke Sauâ—â—y his brother rose vp and sayd Sir me thinkes if it may 〈◊〉 beleeued that this Citie cannot long endure and the cause 〈◊〉 I shall shew you ye knowe well that Huon their Lord is 〈◊〉 to seeke for succour on the other side they within the Citie haue but fewe men and but ill furnished of victualles within the Citie there is an old knight who is a valiant and a hardie knight and therefore it were profitable to studie howe he might bee taken or else slaine this should greatly aduaunce your enterprise of the which ye cannot fayle if you wil beléeue my counsell as I shall shewe you True it is that this day wee haue had great losse and receiued great domage whereof they within are ioyfull wherefore it were good to send certain mutâ—ons and beasts in the night time with a few keepers sende them into the medow neere vnto the Citie and I am sure that when the olde knight knowes thereof the which he shall know by the watch men on the towres and walles then incontinent he 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 such power as hee hath to take the beasts 〈◊〉 bring them into the Citie And to the intent that they â—â—all neuer returne againe into the Citie incontinent ere the 〈…〉 a good number of Béefs and Muttons Then 〈…〉 armed tenne thousand men and send them to a 〈…〉 whereas the gallowes is raysed and when they 〈◊〉 that they within the Citie bee issued out to fetch the 〈…〉 the tenne Thousand men drawe neere to the gate 〈…〉 to the
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
Spanish language answeared to the Maister and sayd Freends you that be here arriued shew mée I pray you the troth from whence you are come and what you be for be you sure that as longe as you liue you shall neuer depart from hence and without you haue victuals brought with you you are all arriued at an vnfortunate place Then the Maister trembling said Sir know for troth that I am of the countrey of Spaine and dwelling in the Citie of Luysarne and they that are come hether with me are all Marchants of Portugall and are come from the citie of Acre and there wée charged our shippe with Marchandize and we had a maruaylous good wind vntill wée were passed the straites of Morrocco and that wée were néere to our owne countrey and then suddenly a great tempest arose and tooke vs and draue vs off from the coast of our owne Countrey a great distance and this tempest hath continewed these twentie daies past so extreamely that wée were faine perforce to abandon our shippe to the raging of the Sea and winde euen as the shippe would goe at aduenture but at the last by good fortune wée chaunced to arriue by a great rocke and there wee cast anchor and presently after that we were arriued there we went vp into the Rocke and there we found the Bishop of Lishborne and one of his Chaplaines with him who came thether driuing vpon a mast of a shippe that had béene perished but all the rest of his company were drowned by misfortune at sea Then the Bishop and his Chaplaine humbly prayed me to haue pitie vpon them and to saue their liues and to take them into my shippe whereuppon I had compassion on theÌ„ and as one verie glad and willing to deliuer them from that danger I tooke them into my shippe and gaue them meate and drinke other thinges such as I had for they had béen almost dead by famine if I had not succoured them and yet I thinke that they will not liue vntill to morrow at night for truly I haue no more victualles neyther for my selfe nor for such as be within my shippe thus Sir I haue answered to your demaund and therefore I desire you in the honoure of God and of Mahound to shew me to whome this Castle doth appertaine and who is Lord thereof and what is the name thereof and of this Port whereas wée be arriued Friend quoth Huon know for troth that this Castle and Port is the place in the world most hated and doubted of Paynims and Sarazins and I shall shewe you the cause why this Castle is set on a Rocke of Adamant stones so that if any shippe chaunce to come hether by aduenture it can neuer depart from hence againe For the Adamant is of that nature that it draweth alwaies vnto him the yron and therefore any shippe that is nayled or haue in it any yron and by chaunce come neere this Port by force it shal be constrained héere to arriue When the Marchant heard Huon hee beganne sore to wéepe and lament and so did all the other and sayd Sir wee are sore dismayed and abashed of these words that you haue said Freend quoth Huon all that I haue sayd is of troth but sirs if you will beleeue mée and take vppon you christendome and beléeue vppon the faith of Iesus Christ and beléeue firmely in him you and all such as be in your shippe I shall bringe you into such a place whereas you shall haue meat and drinke at your pleasure and apparell as rich as you shall demaund and then I shall shewe you so much gould and riches that you shal bee satisfied with the beholding thereof Therefore if you will beleeue vppon God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ you shall haue all this that I haue said before or else you shall al die of rage and of famine miserably When the Patrone had well heard Huon hee sayde Sir knowe for troth it is about Seauen yeares past since I beléeued vpon the faith of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and Sir I thanke you of the courtesie that you haue shewed vnto mee and from hencefoorth I submit my selfe to the sauegard of almightie God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ When Huon heard that he was right ioyfull and sayd Fréend goe to thy Shippe and remooue all thy companie to beleeue vppon Iesus Christ and shewe them what perâ—ll and daunger they be in now and what wealth they shall haue if they beleeue vppon almightie God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and also shew them what pleasure they shall finde in this place and if they will not thou mayest well say that they are come to their laste and shortly and the twoo men that thou hast saued cause them to come hether vnto mée Sir quoth the Patron I shall send them vnto you and then he departed and entred into his Ship and there he shewed his companie all that he had heard of Huon and what he was commaunded to say vnto them When the Marchaunts who were all Paynims had heard their Patron declare in what case and perrill they were in they all answered how that they were all readie to doe his pleasure and to receiue christendome whereof the Patron was right ioyfull to heare them say so Then the Patron sent for the Bishop and his Nephew who was his Chaplaine and saide Sirs in the Castle there is a Lord who prayeth you that incontinent yée will come a land and goe to speake with him When the Bishoppe heard the Patrone he arose vp with much paine for faintnesse by reason of famine and said how that hee would gladly fulfill his commaundement Then he and his Chaplaine departed out of the Shippe and came to the staires and mounted vp to the Castle but they were faine to rest them by the way diuers times and when they came vnto the gate they maruailed greatly of the great beautie and rich worke that they sawe there and so they came vnto Huon who taried for them at the Hall dore When they came neere vnto him they humbly saluted him Sirs quoth Huon God saue you and I pray you shewe mee the troth what Countrey you be of Sir quoth the Bishop seeing it is your pleasure to knowe I shall shewe you the troth Sir I was borne in the Cite of Bourdeaux and am Bishoppe thereof and haue beene this Twentie yeares and a deuoâ—ion tooke me to goe a Pilgrimage to the holy Sepulchre but God would not suffer vs so to doe for when we were departed from Lishborne a great wind and torment arose vppon our Ship the which was faire and rich and wel furnished with Marchants and so by fortune our Shippe ranne against a Rocke so that our Shippe burst all to péeces and there all our company were drowned except my selfe and my Chaplaine who is my Nephew and wee twoo saued our selues vppon the Maste of our Shippe floating vppon the Sea so that by the grace of
was to behold them This Garden was so faire that it seemed rather a Paradice then a thing terrestriall For out of this Garden there yssued such a smell and odour that Huon thought that all the balme and spicerie in the world could not cast out so swéet a smell Ah good Lord quoth Huon what place is this that I am in for if the Griffen had not béen here I would haue thought that I had béen in Paradice good Lord God I pray thee to aid and succor mee in all mine affaires and enterprizes and at this time that I be not lost nor dead Chap. CXI ¶ Howe an Angell appeared vnto Huon and commaunded him to gather three Apples of the Tree by the Fountaine and no more and how the Angell shewed him tidings of his wife the faire Escleremond and of his Daughter Clariet and shewed him the way that hee should goe from thence THus as yee haue heard Huon deuised by himselfe at the Fountaine then hée went againe to the Trée and saide that hee would eat of that fruit and gather thereof as much as should suffice him for sixe dayes and in that space he trusted to come to some place whereas hee should haue meat sufficient Thus as hee was going towards the Trée suddainly there appeared vnto him a light shining that hee thought hee was rauished in Heauen among the Angels therewith hee heard a voice Angelicall that said Huon know for troth that our Lord God commandeth thée not to bee so hardy as to gather any more fruite of that Tree except thrée Apples the which God is well content that thou shalt gather and no more heereafter they shall serue thée well so that thou doest kéepe them cleane and worthily as they ought to be kept it shall not bee long ere thou shalt haue great neede of them the fruit of this Trée is called the fruit of youth it hath such vertue that if a man of Four-score or of a Hundred yeares of age doe eate thereof hee shall become againe as young as he was at the age of Thirtie yeares in yonder Garden thou maist goe and gather there of the fruit at thy pleasure and eate what thou list but eate no more of this that thou hast eaten of and therefore beware I charge thée gather no more thereof except the said thrée Apples Knowe for troth that if thou breakest my commaundement the fruit shall bee dearely sold vnto thee Sir quoth Huon laud and praise be giuen to our Lord God my Creatour when hee sheweth his grace vnto mée that am so poore a sinner and that hee will thus visit mée I shall neuer consent to breake his commaundement I had rather die then so to doe my bodie and my Soule I recommend vnto his good grace But thou the Messenger of God I require thee to shew me how doth my wife Escleremond and Clariet my Daughter whome I haue left in my Citie of Bourdeaux besieged by the Emperour Tirrey of Almaine I haue great feare that they be famished within the Citie and my Lords and company that I left there with her slaine and dead Fréend quoth the voice know for certaine that the Citie of Bourdeaux is taken and all thy men dead or taken and thy wife in prison in the great Tower of Mayence whereas the Emperour Tirrey keepeth her straightly and thy Daughter Clariet is at Cluny in the Abbey whereas shee is well serued and the Abbot who hath alwaies loued thée he hath her in his keeping and shée is as well cherished there euen as she were his owne Daughter Sir quoth Huon and why was shee brought thether Huon quoth the Voice knowe well that Barnard thy coozen Germaine brought her thether Fréend quoth Huon I pray you to shew me if Gerames Richard and Othon be aliue or not Freend quoth the Voice at the taking of the Citie they were slaine by the Emperour When Huon had well heard those pitifull tidings he began tenderly to weepe complayning for the faire Escleremond his wife and for the death of the old Gerames and said Fréend I require you to shew mee if euer I shall escape considering that I am heere closed in with the Sea the which goeth round about this Rocke I sée no way to goe out thereof gladly I would knowe if euer I shall returne into my Countrey to sée my Wife and Daughter who are in great feare and daunger Huon quoth the Voice comfort thy selfe thou shalt sée them againe thy Wife Escleremond and thy Daughter Clariet and thy good Citie of Bourdeaux but ere thou shalt come there thou shalt suffer much paine and bee in great feare and danger the Emperour Tirrey hath conquered all thy Countrey and Geronnell is vnder his obeysance with the Citie of Bourdeaux Then Huon sware and made promise that if our Lord Iesus Christ would giue him the grace that he might returne into his own Countrey that surely he would slay the Emperor Tirrey whatsoeuer end come thereof Messenger of God I require you to shew mée by what manner of wayes I may passe out of this Rocke Huon quoth the Voice goe to the said Trée and gather the thrée Apples as I haue saide vnto thée before and keepe them well and cleanly for thou shalt heereafter haue so much profit by them that at the end thou shalt come vnto thy desire and will and shalt bee out of thy great paine trouble and thought take this little path that thou séest here vppon thy right hand and so goe thou downe vnto the foote of the Rocke and there thou shalt find a faire cleare water and thereuppon a faire shippe enter into it but first goe into the Garden and gather fruit to serue thée as long as thou shalt be in the shippe then vnloose the shippe from the chaine that it is tyed by and let the shippe goe whether as it will vntill it commeth to the Port whereas thou shalt arriue but bee thou sure before thou commest there thou shalt be in as great feare as euer thou wert in all the dayes of thy life nor thou wert neuer in so great perill I commend thee into the sauegard of our Lord Iesus Christ I goe my way and leaue thee héere Then Huon knéeled downe and held vp his hands and said Ah thou verie Messenger of God I require thee to haue me recommended vnto my Creatour Huon quoth the Voice be of good comfort for as longe as thou art true and faithfull thou â—haâ—t haue ayde and succour of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and shalt attaine to thy desires but ere thou commest thereto thou shalt suffer much paine and feare but after as I haue said thou shalt haue wealth inough exalt al thy Feends Huon was glad of that the Voice had said vnto him but he was in great displeasure in that his Wife the faire Escleremond was Prisoner in the great Tower of the City of Mayence and of the death of the old Gerames and of other
christened for Sir I am heere readie to doe it Then incontinent there was brought foorth Fortie great Vessels full of cleare water the Bishop did hallowe them and christened the Admirall and named him Huon because Huon was his Godfather Then afterward all the Lords and people were christened and receiued the Lawe of our Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ When they were all christened the Admirall with great triumph and ioy returned vnto his Pallaice leading Huon by the hand and great ioy and feasting was made that day in the Citie and especially of the Christian Marchants that were there among the which there were about fiftéene Priests and they all aided the Bishoppe to christen the people the number could not be declared of the men women and children that receiued that day christendome The Admirall being in his Pallaice making great ioy and Feasting with the noble Duke Huon of Bourdeaux sayd vnto him Freend well you ought to render thankes to our Lord Iesus Christ séeing by you these two Realmes that is to say Persia and Media are reduced and brought vnto the Christian faith and Lawe and I will that you knowe that you may well say that in these two Realmes you may commaund any thing at your pleasure without finding any person to doe or say to the contrarie of your will and pleasure and to the entent that you shall surely beleeue what great loue and affection I beare vnto you I will that mine all onely Daughter you shall haue to your wife so that you be not bound vnto none other Sir knowe for troth the great desire that I haue to haue you tarie still heere with me mooueth mee thus to doe I haue none other heire but my Daughter whereby after my death you shall bee Lorde and heire of the Realmes and Dominions that I hold and in the meane season I will that the moitie of the reuenewes of these Realmes and Dominions shall bee yours for your companie pleaseth mée so entirely that I would neuer haue you to depart from hence Chap. CXVII ¶ Of the complaints that Huon made vnto the Admirall of Persia vppon the Emperour of Almaine and of the succours that the Admirall promised vnto Huon WHen Huon had well vnderstood the Admirall hee saide Sir knowe for troth that it is foure yéeres passed since I was maried vnto a noble Ladie who passeth in beautie all other that be aliue in these dayes and when I remember her all my bodie and heart trembleth for sorrow when I thinke of the trouble displeasure and pouertie that shee is in and therefore Sir I thanke you of the great honour and courtesie that of your bountie you offer mée I pray vnto God that hee may reward you Huon quoth the Admirall seeing it is so that you haue a Wife I hold you wel excused but I pray you to shew vnto me for what cause your Wife is in such case or what Christian Prince is so hardie as to trouble you or to doe you any displeasure Sir quoth Huon when I came out of my Countrey I left my Citie of Bourdeaux besieged by the Emperour of Almaine who hath taken my Citie and slaine my men and some hee keepeth in seruage and my Wife put in prison and there kept in great pouertie and miserie the which when I remember sorrowe and gréefe so sore gripeth my heart that all my members and ioynts tremble with displeasure Huon quoth the Admirall I pray you to leaue your sorrow and displeasure and cast it from you and take ioy and comfort for by the holy law that I haue receiued I shall so ayde and succour you that the Emperour who hath done vnto you so many displeasures I shall make him such warre that whether he will or not for the dammage and losse that you haue had and receiued I shall constraine him to make full restitution for I shall lead with me in your company such number of people that all the Valleys and Mountaines shall be couered with them Sir quoth Huon of the courtesie and succour that you offer me I humbly thanke you but if it please our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath ayded mee out of many perils I hope that he will so aide mee that I shall not neede to make any warre to destroy the Christian bloud but Sir first I shall goe to the holy Sepulchre and then I will returne into my Countrey and doe what I can to get my Wife out of daunger and the paine that shee is in Sir the wife that I haue wedded was Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise who held as then Babilon and all the Realme of Egipt Then Huon shewed him all the matter how he came by the faire Escleremond whereof the Admirall was sore abashed for the great maruailes that hee hadde heard Huon declare and so were all other that heard it and said one to another that without Huon had beene well beloued of our Lord Iesus Christ hée could neuer haue escaped the death with one of the least aduentures that he had shewed vnto the Admirall Sir quoth Huon the Emperour of Almaine hath taken my Citie and my Wife and destroyed my men and hath taken into his handes all my Lands and Signiories but by the grace of God I shal doe so much to get them againe and if I cannot attaine thereto then I shall returne againe vnto you to haue your succour and ayd Huon quoth the Admirall put all melancholy from you for if you giue mee knowledge that you cannot haue your wil of this Emperour I shall bring you people innumerable that all Christendome shall tremble for feare of you and shall render vnto you your wife and al your Lands and Signiories and your men that bee in prison or in seruage and I shall put the Emperour into your hands to doe with him your pleasure or else I shal not leaue in all his Land neither Citie nor towne standing vppon the earth Sir quoth Huon of this I thanke you heartily but Sir I must woorke another way first for when I escaped from the Gulfe of Persia I promised vnto God that before I went into mine owne Countrey to goe and visite the holy Sepulchre in Ierusalem and to make warre vppon the Sarazins before I made any warre vppon any Christian men but Sir if I may get of the Emperour by faire speach my Landes and my wife I shall serue him with all my heart for as long as I liue I shall make no warre against any christian man if I may haue right and reason shewed vnto mee Sir quoth the Admirall of this that you say I giue you good thankes but by the grace of God I shall goe with you the Voyage to the holy Sepulchre and take with mee fiftie Thousand men to make warre against the Paynims and Sarazins such as beleeue not in God and I shall put to my paine with all my power to exalt and encrease the lawe of our Lord Iesus Christ Sir quoth Huon
you haue sayde nobly if you thus doe great grace and glorie perpetuall you shall deserue whereby you shal be crowned aboue in the Emperiall Heauen Nowe leaue wee to speake of this matter Chap. CXVIII ¶ Howe the Admirall of Persia assembled much people and hee and Huon with all his armie tooke the Sea and came to the Port before the Citie of Angory whereas they found a great number of Paynims and Sarazins readie to defend the Port. AFter that the Admirall and Huon had deuised together of many thinges the Admirall sent out his letters and bréefes commaunding through-out Persia and Media men of warre to bee readie and gaue them a day to bee readie to goe with him certifying them that his Nauie of Shippes should be readie for the transporting of him and them the which was done and euerie man came at the day that was assigned In the meane season Huon and Barnard went oftentimes together and visited the Citie of Thauris whereas much honour was made vnto them whereof Huon and Barnard oftentimes thanked God of the good aduenture that he had sent them Thus as yée haue heard the Admirall of Persia assembled a great number of people and made him readie and entred into his shippe and all other into diuers Shippes and shipped their Armour and horses and Huon who desired to please the Admirall tooke his owne little Shippe and discharged it and tooke all the precious stones did put them into another ship the which the Admirall had deliuered to serue him and then he sayd vnto the Admirall Sir I know well that the little ship that I came in hether is not to serue in the warres and therefore Sir as it is I doe giue it vnto you whereof the Admirall had great ioy for in all the world there was none such of beautie nor of riches Then Huon gaue the Admirall all a Bushell of the stones and vnto the Lordes together and they thanked Huon of his courtesie and Larges of all the stones he kept to his owne vse but thrée Hundred and gaue away all the residue Then hee entred into the Shippe that was appointed for him and then euerie man entred into their Shipps the which were well fournished and victualed for the wars then the Admirall tooke his leaue of his Daughter who pitifully wept at her Fathers departing and then they weighed vp anchors and hoysed vp the sayles and they had such good winde that anon they were farre from the Port A goodly sight it was to beholde the Nauie for at their departing they made such great noyse with Trumpets Drummes and Hornes that all the Sea did ring thereof Great ioy and gladnesse had Huon and Barnard of the grace that God had sent them so longe they sayled with good winde and sayle that they entred into the great Sea of Caspis and then they saw a farre off a faire City standing by the Sea-side called the Citie of Angory wherein there dwelt an Admirall right puissant and rich and the same time he was in one of his Towers of his Pallaice and when he saw and perceiued such a puissant Nauie come sayling so fast towardes his Citie hee had great maruaile and was sore dismayed and abashed for he knewe well that the Shippes were of Persia by the penons and banners that hee sawe wauing vppon the shippes and vpon the other part he sawe in the toppes and fore-castles baners standing all of white and therein red crosses then he said vnto his Lordes that were about him Sirs I am greatly dismayed and abashed what meaneth yonder great fléete séeing this Citie was wonne by Reignard of Montauban there came neuer Christian man heere and I haue more maruaile to sée the bannâ—rs and armes of Persia the which these Christian men doe bearâ— vpon their shippes Then the Admirall went downe and published in the Citie that euerie man should arme them and goe to the Port to defend it that the christian men should not land there then the crie and allarum began in the Citie so great and horrible with the noyse of Trumpets and Drummes Hornes and Basons so that the noyse of them range vppon the Sea so that the Admirall of Persia and Huon and such as were vpon the sea might well heare them Then the Admirall said vnto Huon Sir I see and perceiue well that at our landing wee shall haue great battaile and resistance Sir quoth Huon I pray you what people be they that haue that City in guiding and who is Lord thereof Sir quoth the Admirall knowe for troth that this Citie is great and well peopled they beleeue not in God and about Twentie yeares passed this Citie was wonne by a Lord of Fraunce called Reignard of Montauban and hee made it to bee christened and then about eight yeares after it was wonne againe vpon Christian men by the Admirals Sonne the which Admirall was Lord thereof when it was wonne And now againe they bee all Paynims and Sarazins as you may sée vpon the sea-side they are readie to abide for vs and to defend their Port. Sir quoth Huon we ought greatly to thanke our Lord Iesus Christ of this faire aduenture when we sée before vs the enemies of our Christian faith and by the grace of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ this day we shall doe so much that the Citie and the Inhabitants therein shall be in our handes to vse them at our pleasure Sir quoth the Admirall I beséech almightie God to giue vs the grace that it may be so great grace our Lord God shall doe vnto vs if wee may winne this Citie Then the Admirall caused his men to bee armed and then they sawe halfe a League from the Citie a Port or Hauen the which was not kept nor defended because the Admirall of Angory would not yssue out farre from his Citie vntill hee sawe what countenance the christian men would make Then the Admirall of Persia and Huon aduanced themselues so forward that they cast out their anchors and launched out their boats well garnished with men Archers and Crosbowes so that they landed at this Port in sauegard without any danger Then the shippes drew to the land and vnshipped their Armour and Horses and so euerie man landed except such as were assigned to keepe the shippes and then euerie man mounted vpon their horses and ordained three Battailes the first was led by Huon and with him twentie Thousand men of hautie and hye courage the second was ledde by a great Lord of Persia who was Marshall of the Hoast the third guided the Admirall of Persia who road from ranke to ranke admonishing his men to doe their endeauours valiantly then a soft pace they drewe in battaile array towards the Citie Chap. CXIX ¶ Howe the Admirall and Huon tooke the Port and fought with the Admirall of Angory and dicomfited him and tooke the Citie and howe afterward Huon went into the Deserts of Abillant to search aduentures WHen the Admirall of
the Souldan cryed and sayd Sirs vppon him great shame it is vnto you all when by the bodie of one man you are so put barke and you sée well that he hath no succour goe and slay the Mare that hee rydeth vppon with speares and darts then he shall be soone ouercome and you know well that it is he whome I haue suffered at my great losse and dammage it is he that hath slaine my men and by him I haue lost the Battaile if he escape from you yée ought neuer to be séene in any Princes Court When the Paynims and Sarazins had well vnderstood their Souldan then they sore oppressed Huon who did great maruailes in armes but his puissance vertue should but little haue auailed him if he had not béen shortly aided succoured and also by reason of the rich stones and pearles that were vppon him then the Paynims and Sarazins who of fortie were left aliue but twentie eight they saw well that they could not ouercome Huon without they slew the Mare first that hee road vppon therefore they cast at her Darts and Iauelins in such wise that finally they slew her vnder him whereof Huon was right sorrowfull and sore displeased and was as then in great feare of his life then he called vppon our Lord Iesus Christ to haue pitie and compassion of his soule for he saw that his life was at an end and said Deare Lord Iesus Christ I pray thee by thy swéet mercie to haue pitie and compassion of my Wife Escleremond who is in great perrill and pouertie for the loue of mee without any desert of her part and also I recommend into thy sauegard my litle Daughter Clariet After that Huon had made his praier vnto our Lord God he tooke his shéeld and his sword in his hand afoote and he saw where there grew a bush he went thether and set his backe thereunto that the Sarazins and Paynims should not come behind him and so he stood at a bay like a wild Boare baited with Houndes there was not so hardy a Paynim or Sarazin that durst assayle him they cast at him speares and darts but they could neuer hurt his flesh he couered himselfe so well and so surely with his sheeld that nothing could pierce him The Souldan séeing that nothing could hurt him he said to his men Ah yée false and vntrue Cowards of Mahomet be yée cursed when yée cannot slay nor take one man alone and then the Souldan approached vnto Huon and gaue him a great stroake so that he brake his sheeld in two peeces whereof Huon then was in great feare of death Then the Souldan drew backe and looked behind him into the playnes of Rames wheras the great Battaile had beene and then hee sawe comming the Admirall of Persia with twentie Thousand men and they came to seeke for Huon and when the Souldan sawe that succour was comming vnto Huon the which he knew by reason of the great baner of Persia then the Souldan said vnto his men Sirs let vs leaue this enemie who by force of armes cannot be ouercome nor vanquished let vs saue our liues for yonder I sée comming the Admirall of Persia and if we tarie long héere we shal be all slaine and destroyed Néere vnto them was the sea-side about a League from Iaffe the way towardes Surrey there was ready a Galley the which the Souldan had sent thether from the Citie of Escalonne the Souldan road thether and his men left and did forsake Huon who was right wearie and could not long haue endured nor had not endured so longe but for the vertue of the riche stones and pearles that were about him The Souldan to saue his life hee and his men did so much that they came vnto the place whereas the Galley was and entred into it in as great hast as they could by any meanes for the sauegard of their liues and they did forsake their horses vppon the Sea-side Chap. CXXVIII ¶ How the Admirall of Persia and of Media found Huon wheras 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 AFter that the Souldan was thus fled and departed the Admirall of Persia and Media came to the place whereas Huon was sore wearie of trauaile and sawe lying about him a great number of men slaine whereof they had great maruaile the Admirall séeing Huon alone began sore to wéepe for pitie and for ioy that hee hadde and saide Oh right noble and valiant Knight most excellent of all other liuing in the world to whom in Prowesse and valour none can bee compared you are the mirrour of all Knightes the Temple of truth the comfort of widdowes and Orphelings to whom God hath giuen so great vertue and grace that none can report the bountie that is in you by whome the honour of the Persians and Medians this daye is saued and kept I desire you right hartely my deare Freend to shew mée if you haue any hurt whereby you should bee in any perill or daunger Sir quoth Huon it appertaineth not vnto me to haue such hie words or prayses to be giuen I ought to haue none other praise but as one of your other Knightes whereof you haue so many noble and valiant that they cannot be numbred but Sir know for troth this grace and glorie commeth of our Lord God who hath aided and succored you reporting how that you haue in him perfect affiance and then the Admirall alighted and came and embraced Huon and after him came Barnard sore wéeping for compassion and for ioy that he had found his Coozen Huon in sauegard and came and kissed him more then ten times and sayd My right deare Lord and Maister well you may thanke our Lord God for his goodnesse alwayes towardes you who hath saued you from so many perilous and dangerous aduentures whereof I thanke our Lord Iesus Christ that hath giuen you such grace and then he was of all the Barons greatly feasted and they had al great maruaile of the perils and aduentures that Huon had escaped wherefore they sayde that they ought greatly to laud praise God in that Huon was arriued in their Countrey by whome they were reduced and brought to beléeue in the faith of Iesus Christ Thus deuised the Lordes and Barons amonge themselues and behelde the dead men that lay about Huon and when they had beene there for a season and sawe that the Souldan was fledde then a Horse was brought vnto Huon and hee mounted vppon him and then they departed from thence and came vnto the place whereas the Battaile hadde béene whereas they found thrée-score and fourtéene Thousand men lye dead vppon the earth beside them that were slaine in the flying in that chace whereas there were slaine twelue Thousand men besides the Prisoners Great goods the Persians and Medians wanne there
the which was parted and deuided to such as it appertained so that they were all made rich Then the Admirall and Huon departed from the playnes of Rames and then they went and lodged in the Towne and in the morning they determined to tarie there three dayes to refresh them and vppon the fourth day they departed because it was shewed them how that the Souldan was departed from Sayre and gone by sea with a small companie to the Citie of Acres Then the Admirall and Huon drewe their Hoast towards Napelous and there taried two dayes and from thence they went to Iene and so to the Citie of Nazareth and visited that holy place whereas the Angell brought the salutation Angel-like to the Virgin Marie Then from thence they went to the Castle of Saffet and tooke it with assault and slew all them that were within it except such as would beléeue in our Lord Iesus Christ and then from thence they went and lodged within halfe a League of Acres and there pitcht vp their Tents and Pauillions and when they were all lodged their Foragers ranne abroad and brought to the Hoast great plentie of victuals often times they skirmished before the Citie of Acres But they coulde neither finde man nor woman that durst yssue out to doe any deede of armes there they lay eight dayes and no man did them any dammage for the Paynims and Sarazins were so affraid for the great losse and dammage that they had suffered that they durst not stirre nor make any semblance And the Souldan who was within wrote Letters into all his Countreys as well into Arabia Egipt Barbary and Europe as to all other his Fréends that they would come and succour him at his neede he sent diuers Messengers both by land and by sea and also hée sent into Antioch and into Damas and to all other places wheras he thought to haue any ayd or succour and vpon a day two Foragers of the Admirals went foorth vppon the Sea-side and they found by the way Trampoiguiffle the Souldans Messenger they tooke and brought him into the Admirals Tent and there hee was examined and his Letters taken from him the which were seene and read before the Admirall and Huon the which when they heard it and the contents therof thereby they knewe somewhat of the Souldans counsaile then they tooke the Messenger and brought him before the Citie of Acres and made there a paire of Gallowes and hanged vp the Messenger within the sight of the Souldan and of them there within the Citie The same day the Admirall assembled his Lordes and Barons in his Tent and said vnto them Sirs all you that bee heere assembled know that I haue great desire to know what thing is best to be done and how we shall vse our selues in this warre that we haue begunne you know well that the Victorie by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and by the hye prowesse of Huon wee haue now obtained and haue heere our enemie inclosed who cannot flye except it be by the sea therefore I desire you all that euerie one of you will shew your aduise what is best to be done and that to morrowe about this time to giue me an answeare Then all the Lordes and Barons aduised together and so amonge them was diuers opinions and reasons howbeit they departed euerie man to their owne lodging because they had day of answeare and the next day following thus the day passed without any thinge done and at night euerie man went to rest except such as had the charge of the watch that night who went not to bed as is the order and custome of the warres Huon taried all that night in the Admirals Tent and about the houre of midnight Huon dreamed in his sleepe and thought that he was at the Citie of Mayence in prison and sawe the Emperour of Almaine take Escleremond his Wife out of prison and she séemed vnto him pale and leane and ill coloured and howe shee was in her Kirtle and her haire hanging about her shoulders and ten men leading her out of the Town to be burnt and he thought that she made pitious complaints for Huon her Husband and for Clariet her Daughter And also hee thought that he saw passe through the streets three Hundred Genlemen who had beene taken at Bourdeaux when the Citie was taken and he thought that he saw diuers Gallowes made and howe the Emperour had sworne to hang them all so that hee thought that hee was right sorrowful and sore gréeued in his mind to see that companie led toward their deaths for in his sleepe hee thought verily that all this had beene true and that he could not helpe it Thus as Huon was in this paine sleeping he gaue an horrible crie so that the Admirall and Barnard awoake therewith in hast thinkinge it had beene their enemies that had entred to haue slaine them then they heard Huon say Oh good Lord I pray thée euen for thy Sons sake and by thy pittie and grace to succour and comfort my good Wife for certainly I cannot tell but my heart thinketh that the false Emperour will cause her to die and all the other Prisoners Then the Admirall and Barnard arose vp and came vnto Huon and had well heard his complaints and sayd Ah Sir discomfort not your selfe nor giue no faith nor credence to dreames for the Emperour will neuer doe such a villany as to put to death so noble a Ladie it is nothinge but your thought and remembraunce that you haue dayly the which in the night representeth vnto you sléeping Ah Sir quoth Huon I cannot beleeue but that my Wife hath somewhat to do Alas too long haue I taried here but if your warres were at an end I would gladly go my way for I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart vntill I may knowe the troth Then they arose for it was day and the appointed houre was come that al the Lords of the counsaile should assemble together in the Admirals Tent and euerie man sat downe vppon benches well couered with cloath of gold and other rich clothes of silke and when they were there assembled the Marshall arose vp for he was a right sage wise man and sayd Sir Admirall wee haue communed together and debated the matter at length and wee haue had diuers opinions but wee bee all concluded to say nothing vntill that Huon who is there by you hath shewed first his opinion what hee thinketh is best to bee done in this matter for it is good reason that hee bee heard to speake first and then the Admirall beheld Huon and sayd My deare Freend you heare what my Lordes and Barons haue concluded together and how they all rest vppon you that first you shall say your aduise wherefore I require you for the loue of our Lord God to shewe mee what I ought to doe as you thinke best Chap. CXXIX ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux counsailed the Admirall of Persia to
that you haue taken me prisoner and therewith the Abbot dashed in amongest the Emperours Companie and the first that he met he ran him cleane through with his speare and so he serued the second third fourth and when his speare was broken hee drew out his swoord wherewith he beat downe the Almaines that it was maruaile to behould him and then came in his men and they did such deeds of armes that perforce the Almaines were faine to retire backe and many were slaine and destroyed and cast downe to the earth When the Emperour saw that hee was in great rage and sayd vnto Huon Sir you are greatly to blame to suffer your Vncles men to slay mine Sir quoth Huon I am right sorrie for that they haue done I am readie to make you amendes in whatsoeuer it shall please you therewith Duke Huon road vnto the good Abbot his Vncle and in great displeasure sayd Vncle you haue done great euill and when the Abbot saw and perceiued Huon he was right ioyfull and hee embraced him and said Faire Nephew I thought that the Emperour had taken you Prisoner and would haue put you to death I knew not that you had Peace with him then he made his men to retire backe from the Almaines and then hee and Huon together came vnto the Emperour and the Abbot saluted him and said Sir I pray you to pardon me in that I haue thus come against you for certainly I had thought that you would haue hanged and slaine my Nephew Duke Huon of Bourdeaux nor I knew not that there was any Peace betwéene you therefore Sir I require you to pardon mée and I offer my selfe to make you amends by the aduice of your counsaile Sir quoth the Emperour I pardon you for the loue that I beare vnto Duke Huon of Bourdeaux whome I take for my faithfull and speciall fréend Thus as yée haue heard the Peace was made betwéene the Emperour and the Abbot of Cluny Then they road together vntill they came vnto Cluny where the Emperour was receiued with great ioy When the good Abbot hadde receiued the Emperour and lodged him in the Abbey then he came vnto the Duchesse Escleremond and embraced and kissed her and sayde My right déere Néece your comming vnto mee hether is greatly acceptable well I am pleased to sée you whole and in good health and I am sore displeased for the great euils and pouerties that you haue endured if I might amend it but since it is the will and pleasure of our Lord Iesus Christ both you and wée all ought to be content blessed bée his name Good Vncle quoth the Duchesse greatly wee ought to thanke and to cherish you for you haue béen Father and refuge of my Daughter Clariet whome I desire greatly to sée then the good Abbot led the Duches Escleremond into the chamber wheras her Daughter Clariet was who came and knéeled downe before her Mother and when the Duchesse her Mother sawe her it was no maruaile though shee was ioyfull at her heart for when shee sawe her so faire and so well educated you may well thinke that her ioy excéeded all other she embraced and kissed her more then Twentie times and sayd My déere Daughter since I sawe you last I haue endured great pouertie and miserie but thankes bée giuen to our Lord Iesus Christ and to his swéete Mother your Father and I are come together in sauegard and haue Peace with the Emperour then they went into the Chamber whereas their dinner was prepared readie for them and there dyned together with great consolation and all that dinner time the Duchesse could not cast her eyes from the regarding of her Daughter Clariet for the great beautie that she saw and perceiued in her and when they had dyned the Lords and Knightes and Squiers came to sée the Ladies as they were accustomed to doe and as they were deuising together Huon entred into the Chamber and the good Abbot his Vncle with him and they sayd vnto the Duchesse Faire Ladie you must come vnto the Emperour and bring your Daughter with you for he desireth greatly to sée her then the Ladie who was readie to doe her Husbands commaundement went into the Hall and her Daughter with her whereas they found the Emperour who receiued them with great ioy and tooke the yong Lady Clariet in his armes and kissed her swéetly and sayd My right déere Daughter your comming hether is to me right acceptable god performe in you that which wanteth as for beautie you want not Huon quoth the Emperour great thanks you ought to render vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that hee is so fréendly vnto you as to send you such a Child as this Ladie that is héere before mee for I thinke that of beautie this day there is no Ladie nor Damsell that is liuing in this world that is able to compare with your Daughter Sir quoth Huon I pray vnto our Lord God to performe in her that which shee wanteth great pleasure had the Emperor to behold the Damsell and so had all other Lords Ladies and Damsels that were there present Thus as yée haue heard the Emperour was receiued at Cluny and was greatly feasted by the Abbot there for assoone as the Emperour was come thether the good Abbot sent ouer all the Countrey for Ladies and Damsels to feast the Emperour and there they were thrée dayes with great Iusts and sports and when they departed there was neither Ladie nor Damsell but that the Emperour gaue her some guift the fourth day after that the Emperour had heard Seruice and his baggage and cariage readie then he and Duke Huon and the Duchesse Escleremond and Clariet her Daughter departed from Cluny and with them the good Abbot who brought them vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux for he loued so well Huon and the Duchesse and Clariet whome he had brought vp that he would not abandon them so soone Huon sent Barnard before vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux signifying vnto them of the Citie of the Emperours comming and his and of the Peace made between the Emperour and him Barnard departed and was well receiued at Bourdeaux then he assembled together all the Burgesses of the Citie and shewed vnto them of the Emperors comming thether and with him Duke Huon and the Duchesse Escleremond and Clariet their Daughter and of the Peace that was made between the Emperour and Duke Huon this newes was sent incontinent to Blaye and to Geronnill and ouer all the Countrey of Burdeloys and then all the noble men aswell as Burgesses came hastely vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux for to receiue their rightfull Lord Duke Huon and when they were there assembled they mounted vppon their horses and road foorth to meete the Emperour and Duke Huon their naturall Lord they were together about sixe Thousand horses when they approached néere vnto the Emperour they saluted him vnto whome the Emperour sayd openly All yée Sirs noble men and Burgesses
that haue before this time made vnto mee fealtie and homage I deliuer you quite into the handes of your right naturall Lord as you haue beene before time and I quit clearely your homages and fealties done vnto mée then they all thanked the Emperour of his good iustice and reason that hee had alwayes done vnto them in the season whiles they were vnder him the Emperour was right ioyfull that they so praised him before Duke Huon and then they came vnto Duke Huon and to the Duches Escleremond his Wife and to Clariet their Daughter and did vnto them their reuerence accordingly Thus they came vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux whereas they were ioyfully receceiued and a cloath of estate was borne before the Emperour vnder the which he road still holding Huon by the hand vntill they came vnto the Pallaice the stréets were strewed with gréene hearbs and rushes and hanged richly the windowes garnished with Ladies and Damsels Burgesses and Maydens melodiously singing whereof the Emperour was right ioyfull the Children running in the Stréetes and crying noel noel for the great ioy and mirth that they had of the comming of their Lord and Ladie When they were come vnto the Pallaice they alighted and went to their Chambers readie appointed for them if I should rehearse the ioyes and sports and solemnities that was made at the noble Citie of Bourdeaux it would bee too tedious and ouer-long to declare it for the feast and chéere was such that no man as then liuing had séen any such the which endured for the space of Eight dayes during the which time the Emperour declared vnto them of that Countrey the Peace that was made betwéen him and Duke Huon and how hee would deliuer all his Landes and Signiories into his handes and clearely acquit euerie man of their fealtie homage to him made whereof euerie man was ioyfull and vppon the Ninth daye that the Emperour should depart he called Duke Huon vnto him and sayd My right déere Fréend he that I loue best in this world if any warre or businesse happen to fall vnto you let mée haue knowledge thereof and I shall send you fortie Thousand men at armes and my selfe in person to come to ayde and succour you Sir quoth Huon of the courtesie that you offer mee I hartely thanke you and alwayes I shall repute my selfe as your true Seruant and faithfull Fréend Then the Emperor went to the Duchesse Escleremond and tooke his leaue of her and of the faire Ladie Clariet her Daughter and embraced and kissed them at his departing and so hee did all the other Ladies and Damsels and gaue euerie one of them some guift hee gaue rich guiftes vnto the Duchesse and to her Daughter and then he tooke his leaue and mounted vppon his Horse and so yssued out of the Citie of Bourdeaux and Duke Huon and the good abbot of Cluny conuayed him about twoo Leagues then they tooke their leaue of the Emperour and of his Lords and Knightes and returned vnto the noble Citie of Bourdeaux Then after that Huon had soiourned there about Eight dayes he road vnto Geronnill and to Blames and vnto all other townes and Castles where he was receiued with great ioy and mirth and set Officers in them then hee returned againe vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux to the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife and after that he had taried there about a Moneth Duke Huon deuised with his Wife in the presence of the good Abbot his Vncle and of Barnard his Coozen and sayd My right déere wife hee that remembreth not the goodnesse done vnto him may bee reputed as vngratefull I say it because you know well that King Oberon hath done vnto vs great good and hath deliuered vs out of many great perils of death and as you sawe but lately by the twoo Knightes that rescued you from the death and from the daunger that you were in and you knowe well that the last time that Kinge Oberon departed from Bourdeaux hee gaue mee all his Realme of the Fayrie and the puissance that he hath there and he made mée to promise him that after that Foure yeares were passed that I should come vnto him and that he would then put me in possession of his Realme and hée saide that if I failed my day hée would vtterly destroy me you know well what hath fallen vnto me before this by breaking of his Commaundement and therefore déere Lady and Wife it is necessarie that I goe vnto him and I shall leaue with you Barnard who shall haue the kéeping of my Landes and of you and as for my Daughter I will leaue her with the Abbot héere mine Vncle who I desire héere before you that hee will kéepe and gouerne my Daughter Clariet and with him I will leaue all my riches and precious stones that I brought with mée to the entent to marrie her so that it be to a man of great valour but I will not that shee bee maried vnto any person for riches but a person that is worthy and valiant I would should haue her for she hath and shall haue riches ynough for her selfe and for a man of great authoritie Faire Nephew quoth the Abbot your going shall be displeasing vnto me if I might amend it if God will no man liuinge shall haue your Daughter my Néece in marriage except hee bée a man of a high Parentage and garnished with vertues and good manners and as for your riches pearles and Iewels shee shall not néede to haue any thereof for I haue Treasure and riches ynough to marrie her nobly Chap. CXLI ¶ How Duke Huon deuised with the Duchesse his Wife of his departing and how shee sayd that she would goe with him And how hee left his Daughter and Land and Signiories in the keeping of his Vncle the good Abbot of Cluny and of Barnard his Coozen WHen the Duchesse Escleremond had well heard her Husband the Duke make his deuises to goe vnto Kinge Oberon you may well beléeue that she had great dolour and gréefe at her heart and then all wéeping shée kneeled downe before her Husband and said My right deare Lord and if God will you shall not goe on foote but that I will goe with you if you take any ill or annoyance I will haue my part and if you haue any good aduenture I will haue my part with you for your long absence hath béen right hard for mée to endure Faire Ladie quoth Huon I pray you to forbeare your going and abide héere with your Daughter for the Voyage shall bée sore for you to doe here I shall leaue Barnard my Coozen and mine Vncle the good Abbot and they shal be vnto you as Fathers Sir quoth she I shall haue many sorowes to abide héere without you I had rather to endure whatsoeuer God shall send vs together then to abide héere without your companye Thus yée haue heard héere before that for any excuse or reason that Huon could shew vnto the Duchesse
I thanke God I haue had good fortune and Sir I shall shew you one thing that I haue wonne whereof I am most ioyfull then he shewed him the Damsell who was sober and sad and shewed him how hée wanne her When Florence saw the Ladie his heart sprang for ioy and the more hee beheld her the more fairer she séemed and the Damsell beheld him right humbly and she thought that she neuer saw a fairer young man before nor better made nor fourmed of all his members Florence so behelde the Damsell by reason whereof the dart of loue strake him to the heart whereof the wounde coulde not be lightly healed I may well say that in all the world in that time could not be found againe two such persons for the great beauty wherewith they were garnished could not be described for God and nature had forgotten nothing in forming of them swéetly they regarded each other at that time if Florence had knowne that shee had béene the faire Clariet of Bourdeaux hee would haue married her incontinent she was greatly taken in the loue of Florence and so was hee with her then hee desired with all his heart to knowe what shee was for his heart gaue him that she should be come of some noble bloud and sayd vnto himselfe that hee desired much to knowe it and that in all the world there was nothing hee loued so well and thought that without her loue hee could not long endure thinking to desire her to take him for her Louer and that if shee refused him that short should be his life but thought to bee so bolde as to speake to her Thus Florence taken with the fire of loue tooke the faire Damsell by the lilly white hand and caused her to sitte downe by him then he drew her a little apart to the entent that none should heare him and then hee sayd Faire Damsell you bee welcome into these parts I pray you to shew me what you be and of what Lineage Sir quoth the Damsell little shall you winne when you know the certaine what I am but since it pleaseth you to know I shall shew you Sir know for troth I am Daughter to a poore honest man of the Countrey and in times past was one of the Chamberers with the Duchesse Escleremond of Bourdeaux and Sir by great treason I was stollen away whereby since I haue suffered much pouertie so that if God and this noble man Peter of Aragon had not rescued me I had beene lost for euer and therefore Sir since I am poore and desolate I require you in the honor of our Lord God that you will not require mee of any villanie against my bodie and honestie neither in word nor deede and sir I beleue suerly no more ye thinke to doe for I had rather be hewen all to péeces then any creature should haue pleasure of my bodie without I were maried Faire Damsell quoth hee I sweare by God that mee created that of mee nor of any other man liuing you shall not be desired against your honour for I know no man liuing that would require you of any dishonour or say any thing that should not be agréeable vnto you but I shall make him to die of an ill death and I will that you know that from hencefoorth I will bee your true Louer and none shall make departure of vs two and if it were so that my Father were dead I would neuer haue other Wife but you Sir quoth the Ladie I pray you to forbeare speaking of any such wordes for it were not méete for the Sonne of a King so to debase himselfe as to set his loue vppon so poore a Mayd as I am beware how you set your heart to loue for if the Kinge your Father perceiue any thinge that you should set your loue vppon mee he would soone put me to death therewith she cast downe her head and sayd to her selfe Ah good Lord if this young Prince knewe surely what I were it might well be that hee would haue mee in marriage as yet in all my life I neuer set my loue vppon any person but this young man whome I neuer sawe before it maketh me to thinke that which I neuer thought before that it maketh my bloud and all my members to tremble I am in worse case for his loue then he is for me therewith shee began sore to wéepe When Florence saw her he was right sorrowfull and sayde Faire Damsell I require you to take mee for your true and faithfull Seruant otherwise I cannot sée howe I shall liue long Sir quoth she I am well content to graunt you my loue so that your deed and thought be vppon goodnesse and honour for if I may perceiue in any manner that your thought bee otherwise you haue lost my loue for euer Faire Loue quoth Florence haue no doubt thereof that euer I shall haue any thought of villany against you Thus as yée haue heard was the first acquaintance betwéene these two Louers that is to say the faire ladie Clariet Daughter to Duke Huon of Bourdeaux and of Florence Sonne to the King of Aragon Chap. CLII. ¶ How the King forbad his Sonne Florence that he should not be so hardy as to fall acquainted with the faire Ladie Clariet and how Florence promised the Kinge his Father to deliuer into his handes the King of Nauarre Prisoner in case that he would bee content at his returne that he might haue the new found Damsell the which thinge the King promised but hee did it not for he made the Damsell to be taken and had drowned her if Peter of Aragon had not beene who rescued and saued her from the death WHen Florence had long deuised with the Damsell he tooke his leaue of her and of Peter of Aragon his Cozen and then he returned to the King his Father and the next day hee went againe to the Damsels lodging So often he resorted thether that great brute ranne in the Pallaice and also in the Towne how that Florence was amorous of the Damsell that Sir Peter of Aragon had brought thether and the matter at the last was shewed to Kinge Garyn his Father wherewith hee was so sorrowfull that hee was all in a rage and sayd within himselfe Ah good lord this new found Damsell will winne my Sonne if shee can and get him from me I know well that by reason of the great beautie that is in her my Sonne will be enamoured of her but by the God that I beléeue vppon if I sée that my Sonne either goe or come vnto her as it is sayd he doth that acquaintance shall be déerely bought for with mine owne hands I shall slay her Right sorrowfull and angry was King Garyn with his Sonne Florence and with the Damsell then hee sent for his Sonne and when hee was before him the King demaunded of him fiercely from whence hee came Sir quoth Florence I haue béene a sporting in my Cozen Peter of
Aragons house and haue passed the time there with the newe come Damsell the most fairest that euer was borne and the most gentlest and best taught right faire and swéet are her deuises Florence quoth the King I charge thée in as much as thou fearest my displeasure that thou commest no more at her beware that thou fallest not enamoured of her if thou doest thou wert neuer so ill acquainted with any Loue nor there neuer came so ill aduenture to the Damsell if shee draw thée to loue her for if I may know that thou goest thether any more I shall sette her in such a prison whereas I shall cause her to end her dayes miserably Father quoth Florence mée thinkes that you doe vs great wronge to forbid vs to play and sport together in all goodnes and honour and God defend that I shoulde entend any wayes to deceiue her Déere Father remember that you haue béen young therfore suffer that youth may passe their time in goodnesse and honour with vs as it hath done with you nowe you are about Four-score yeares or more you ought to thinke of nothing but to serue God and eat and drinke and sléep it ought not to trouble you though our youth passe the time in good workes you ought to bee content that we loue by amours as you haue done before this for to the Damsell I beare all honour and I will loue her howsoeuer it bee taken faire or foule there is no man liuing that shall let mee as longe as life is in my bodie shee is faire and gentle and it is said that I am faire and that it were a méet couple for vs two to be ioyned together in mariage and therefore Father I praye you to blame mee no more nor the Damsell for in all that I can doe I am her Louer and shee is mine When the King hadde well vnderstood his Sonne in great yre and displeasure he sayd Oh thou vngracious Son little thou prizest or honourest me in that thou wilt doe thus against my will know for certaine if I may liue but till to morrow in the morning I shall make a departure of your twoo loues When Florence heard his Father he sayd My déere Lord and Father if God will you shall not doe as you haue sayd for if you doe with mine owne handes I shall slay my selfe for I will not liue one day after When the Kinge heard that hee was right sorrowfull for feare of loozing of his Sonne and studied within himselfe what to doe then he said Faire Son take thine armour and goe and seeke aduentures as I haue done in my time then I shall marrie thée to some Wife such a one as thou canst finde in any Countrey although she be neuer so great or noble I shall cause thee to haue her iâ— thou wilt forsake and leaue this new found Damsell for by her no wealth nor honour can come vnto thée it should bee a great euill vnto thee that after my daies it should bee saide that a newe found Damsell should bee Ladie and Queene of my Realme Thou knowest well howe thine Vncle the King of Nauarre maketh me great warre for a debate that is lately fallen betwéene him and me I knowe well that now at this Moneth of Aprill hee wiâ—l come and inuade my Realme and therefore good Sonne seeke for some other Wife and let this folly passe then I shall make thée a Knight then helpe to aid and defend my Realme against the Kinge of Nauarre thine Vncle thou art bigge and strong inough to defend my Land Good Father quoth Florence speake no more vnto me for I will neuer haue no other Wife but this faire Damsell whome I loue entirely Sonne quoth the King thou abasest thy selfe ouer lowe nor there is no friend nor kindred that thou hast that will keepe any company with thée but they will cleane flye from thée therefore good Sonne put away from thée this folly beware in as much as thou thinkest to haue my Realme after my decease and vppon the paine to bee banished out of my Countrey take not her against my will Then the Kinge called vnto him his Cozen Peter of Aragon and charged him that if Florence his Sonne came any more to his lodging that he should incontinent tell him of it for I promise quoth hée by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord God if he come thether any more I shall cause the Damsell that is in your house to be slaine Florence was right sorrowfull when hee heard to the pleasure of the Kinge his Father Thus as the King rebuked his Sonne there came in a Knight and kneeled downe and sayd Sir I haue brought you ill tidings for the King of Nauarre is entred into your Realme and setteth all your Countrey in flame and fire and néere to your Citie they be to the number of more then Thirtie Thousand men besides the great Battaile that commeth after wherein there is about thrée-score Thousand men they exile your Countrey and they slay men women and Children they spare neither young nor old it is great néed that you make hast and to bring your men together to resist your enemies When King Garyn heard the Messenger he was right sorrowfull then hee called vnto him his Cozen Peter of Aragon who was his chiefe Constable and sayd Sir make readie our men to resist our enemies then he called vnto him Florence his Sonne and sayd Faire Sonne take thine armour and shew thy vertue against thine enemies who waste my Realme and take vpon thée the chiefe charge and lead mine Hoast for I haue no puissance nor strength to do it because of the great age that I am of I haue liued so long that I can no more ride therefore defend thou the Land that thou shalt hold after mee and then thou doest as a wise man should doe Father quoth Florence by the grace of God I will put no armour vppon my backe to defend your Land except you will giue mee in marriage the faire Damsell that is in my Cozen Peter of Aragons house if you will doe me that courtesie and promise mée to doe it I shall deliuer into your hands your enemy as Prisoner to doe with him your pleasure otherwise looke not that I shall doe any thing When the King saw that his Sonne would doe none otherwise then he commaunded all his other men euerie man to arme himselfe and to goe and resist his enemies the which they did incontinent and they yssued out into the fields more then tenne Thousand men and Sir Peter of Aragon hadde the leading of them and they were not out of the Towne aboue twoo Leagues but they encountred their enemies there were many speares broken and many a Knight beaten downe to the earth and slain and their bodies lying without soules among the horse féete right valiantly did Sir Peter of Aragon behaue himselfe that day but hee had not strength ynough sufficient for his
enemies encreased wherefore hee was constrained to retire backe towardes the Citie howbeit before he entred he did great losse and dammage vnto his enemies When the Nauarnes sawe the Aragons retire into the Citie then they pitcht vp their Tents and Pauillions about the Towne and when king Garyn saw his men returned then he called his Sonne Florence and said Sonne take thine armour and ayd to defend the Land the which appertaineth to thée after my decease Sir quoth Florence that will I neuer doe without first you promise me to giue me the faire Damsel in marriage by that couenant that I shall deliuer into your hands as Prisoner mine Vncle the King of Nauarre When the King his Father heard him hee muzed a litttle and sayd My Sonne I graunt thee thy desire so that thou wilt deliuer me thine Vncle the kinge of Nauarre to doe with him at my pleasure therefore take thine armour and make thée readie thine armour is good and thy swoorde is with the best and if thou canst do as thou sayest thou shalt haue the faire Damsell howbeit he sayd to himselfe priuily that he had rather to loose one of his handes then a stranger should be Quéen after him for assoone as my Sonne quoth hee shall be yssued out of the Citie I shall cause the Damsell to be drowned in the Sea for I will not suffer her to liue although I should bee disenherited for it Then Florence hearing his Father promising to him to haue the Damsâ—ll he was right ioyfull but he knew not the inward ill will of his Father then hee sayd Sir then I require you to send for my Loue hether to the entent that she may guird my sword about mee whereby I shall be the more bold and hardy when I come into the Battaile The kinge did as his Sonne required but the Sonne knewe not the Fathers thought the Kinge sent twoo knightes for the Damsell and when shee came there shee was greatly regarded of them that were there for they had neuer séen a fairer nor one that séemed to be extract of a hye generation When Florence sawe her in the Pallaice his heart rose vp and he ranne vnto her and embraced and kissed her and the Ladie suffered him with a good will wherewith the king had at his heart such sorrow that he had neere hand runne vppon them but he forbare it because he saw his Son readie to goe against his enemies then he helped to arme his Sonne richly and in like wise so did the faire Damsell When king Garyn hadde made his Sonne readie the Damsell did guird his Sword about him then the king drew it out of the sheath and therewith made him knight and then his horse was brought vnto him and hee leapt lightly vppon him with his Speare in his hand and helmet vppon his head and shéelde about his necke Then Florence sayd vnto the kinge his Father Sir I leaue with you my Loue whome I loue best in all this world I leaue her in your kéeping for if our Lord God giue me the grace that I may returne I shall bring vnto you mine Vncle the king of Nauarre as a Prisoner The king graunted vnto his Sonne all that he would desire but he knewe not the inward intention that hee was purposed to doe Then the king commaunded Ten of his knights to sée the guiding of the Damsell and to honor her as much as they might vntill his Sonne were out of the Citie and then to drowne her in the Sea to the entent that neuer more tidinges should bee heard of her Chap. CLIII ¶ How Florence went to fight with his enemies and how Sir Peter of Aragon returned towards the Towne to bring thether Prisoners and howe hee rescued the faire Damsell Clariet from drowning and how afterward Kinge Garyn caused the Damsell to be closed vp in a prison WHen Florence was armed and mounted hee tooke vp his horse freshly before the Damsell and blessed him and tooke his leaue of the kinge and of his Loue and so departed and road to the gate and all that sawe him sayde howe they neuer sawe so goodly a knight nor more séeming to bee feared then hee yssued out of the gate and roade towardes the Tents of his enemies with ten Thousand good knights and hardy the Ladies and Damsels went to the wals of the Citie to behold the young knight When the Nauarnes saw him comming there came against him more then fiftéene Thousand men and they came downe in a Valley by couert to haue cutte him the way betwéene the Hoast and the Towne but the valiant knight Sir Peter of Aragon who was with Florence espyed them and so made hast to be afore them and when hee sawe his time to set vppon his enemies Florence who was sore desirous to fulfill his promise to the king his Father tooke his Speare and encountred with a knight with such vertue that he ranne him cleane through and with drawing out of his Speare the Nauarnes fel downe dead then Florence sayd God hath giuen mee a good beginning then hee drewe out his sword and strake another vppon the helmet in such sort that he claue his head to the teeth and the third and fourth hee made dolorously to die and hee neuer ceased vntill he had slaine Tenne of his enemies Thus vnder the meadowes of Courtoys was a horrible Battaile betwéen the Nauarnes and Aragons where there was vpon both partes such slaughter that it was great maruaile to behold it Anon Florence sword was well knowne for by the force of his armes he brake the great preasses for vppon whom soeuer his stroke lighted hee was either slaine or cast to the earth euerie man feared him so much that none durst abide nor approach néere vnto him The same time that Florence was in the Battaile dooing of maruailes the faire Damsell Clariet was vppon the wals of the Citie with other Ladies and Damsels regarding the hye Prowesse that Florence did in the field and the ioy that she had thereof was soone turned into sorrow and wéepings for king Garyn who could not forget the mortall hate that he had to the Damsell called vnto him Ten knightes of them that were secret with him and sayd Sirs this new found Damsell with whome my Sonne Florence is in hot amours shee displeaseth me so much that I cannot find in my heart to looke vppon her my Sonne thinketh to haue her in marriage at his returne but as long as he liueth hee shall neuer see her more whatsoeuer fall thereof therefore goe your way and take and cast her into the Sea amonge the greatest waues that you can finde When these knightes vnderstood the King who commaunded them to doe this murder they were right sorrowfull at their heartes but they durst not say nay nor doe against his will for if they had they knewe well that they should die and they knew that there was neither mercie nor pitie in him therefore they
the Garden to sée if he could find the Damsell he sought so long that he found the Damsell whereas shée lay in the bush in great perill to be drowned This Watchman was a wise man and as priuily as he could he yssued out of the Garden and went downe to the water side and there he found a little boat and entred into it so passed the vine Garden as priuily as he could so that none heard nor saw him and when he was against the bush whereas the Damsell was hée spake to her softly and sayd Faire Damsell be not abashed for if I may in any maner of wise I will ayd you come down and enter into this boat and I shall set you in the Forrest and tarie there vntil I bring to you Florence your Louer the which I shall doe by the grace of Iesus for if I can by any manner of meanes I shall bring him out of the danger that hee is in because I haue alwayes loued him and for the goodnesse that hée hath done to me I shall now reward it When the Damsell heard the Watch-man for ioy thereof shée forgat all her sorrow and incontinent aswell as she might she yssued out of the bush and went down the Riuer side then she entred into the boat and the Watch-man set her ouer and left her in the Forrest the which ioyned to the water side then he tooke his leaue of her and sayd Faire Damsell tarie here vntill I returne againe to you Fréende quoth the Damsell I pray to God that you may so spéed as to bring hether my Louer and to set him out of danger and so he departed and entred againe into the Garden hearkening towardes the Pallaice whereas there was great brute made for the escaping of the Damsell But there was no doubt made of Florence because the Tower that hee was in was stronge and thicke Also the Chamber that he was in was not toward the Pallaice but it lay open against the Garden then the sayd Watch-man came to the wall side whereas there was a straight loope hole into Florence Chamber and he had two Goates féete in his handes then hee called Florence and sayd Sir if you will bee with your Loue who tarieth for you in the Forrest whereas I haue lâ—â—t her in sauegard helpe your selfe that you were out of this Tower take heere this Goates foote and doe you so much there within to enlarge the loope that you may yssue out and héere without I shall make the hole wyder When Florence vnderstoode the Watch-man hee was neuer so ioyfull in all his life when he heard the man say that his Loue was in sauegard they laboured so sore that they made the loope so large that Florence yssued out and then the Watch-man brought Florence to the Stable whereas some of the Kinges horses stoode especially there was one whose like could not be found This Watch-man who had great affection and desire to doe seruice to this young Lord did so much that he brought vnto Florence his Armour his shéeld his helmet his sword and a good Speare and so Florence armed him and leapt vpon the good horse then the Watch-man shewed him the place in the Forrest whereas as hee had left the Damsell and then hee tooke his leaue of Florence who sayd Fréend the seruice that you haue done me shall be well rewarded in time to come then hee road foorth and left not vntill he came whereas his Loue was and when he saw her his ioy was renewed then he alighted and kissed his Loue and when he sawe that she was so bloudie he hadde great pitie of her and sayd Deere Loue it is néedfull that we depart before the day come Therefore make you readie and leape vp behind me and then Florence mounted and she leapt vp behind him and so departed assoone as they might When they were in the fields the Damsell looked backe towards the Citie and shee saw a great number of men yssuing out then shée sayd vnto Florence Sir I sée well that wee bee lost for I sée much people yssuing out of the Citie it is not possible for vs to be saued but that we shal be taken and especially I cannot escape I sée well that nowe our loue shall depart your Father is fell and cruell I knowe well that hee will slay mee Then the Watch-man came running after Florence for feare that he had of the king but he could not ouertake Florence who fled with his Loue behind him as fast as he might toward the Sea-side for Florence knew well the priuie wayes because he had often times vsed the wayes when he was woont to go a hauking or hunting So long he road that he came to a little Port where there was a Shippe readie to depart then Florence alighted and his Loue with him and tyed his horse to a Trée and then he tooke the Damsell by the hand and came to the Maister of the Shippe and agréed so with him that he and his Loue entred into the ship then they hoysed vp their sayles and so sayled from the land the Watch-man came to the Sea-side trusting to haue found Florence there and hee was right sorrowfull when he sawe them so farre on the Sea hee was in great feare of loosing of his life Then Kinge Garyn came thether with a great number and when he saw the Shippe so far in the Sea he sayd Ah good Lord now haue I lost my son for I know well he is gone inyonder Shippe and the Damsel with him but by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord Iesus Christ this Watch-man shall loose his head then the Watch-man was taken and fast bound so that the bloud came out at his fingers ends and sayd all wéeping Ah good Lord in an ill houre I was acquainted with Florence and his Loue Alas for the goodnesse that I haue done I shall haue a small reward this day I am like to loose my life for loue of my Lord. Chap. CLVII ¶ Of the great debate that was in the Pallaice for the VVatch-mans sake whome the King would haue had to be hanged and how the king of Nauarre tooke the Citie of Courtoys and how he departed from thence WHen the Earle Peter of Aragon saw the Watch-man taken by whom Florence and his Loue were saued hee was sorie to sée the man so sore beaten and threatened then he went in hast to the King and sayd Sir you shew well by your workes that you haue but small reason to suffer thus this poore man to be beaten and that you would put him to death for the goodnesse that he hath done to your Sonne he hath done therein but as he should doe and like a true Seruant you ought the better to loue him you shall doe ill to put him to death I will that you know that if you put him to death I will not serue you one day longer but I will rather goe to the King
the Castle thinking to haue won it but they found there such defence and resistance that that which they did there was small to their profit yet the assault endured vntill the next day and at last they were constrained to withdraw from the Castle a great space Florence who was within cryed to them and sayd Ah yée false Villaines yée haue slaine my men but if God suffer me to liue their deathes shall bee déerely bought When the Paynims saw that they could not attaine to the Castle they blew the retrait euerie man returned to their owne house Then Sorbarre said to Florence and his company Sirs I aduise you to leape on your horses for now the Paynims are returned to their Lodgings wearie of their trauaile and many of them sore hurt and they are in great feare I know their conditions well ynough and because that after trauaile labour a man is féeble and full of feare and nowe euerie man is in his owne house and vnarmed to be at their ease therefore I counsaile that incontinent we yssue out and set vpon the Towne Then Florence and all the other sayd Sir as you haue deuised we are readie to doe it for a more noble counsaile was neuer giuen Then euerie man made him readie yssued out of the Castle and Florence and Sorbarre went before them and rested not vntill they were entred into the Town for their entring could not bee defended because the Castle ioyned to a corner of the Towne then they made a great crie and spread abroad in the Towne and put in fire in diuers places and slewe downe the Paynims in the stréets and Market places finally they did so much by force of armes that they brought the Towne vnder their subâ—ection and the Inhabitants thereof all slaine and all the Christian Prisoners rescued who had great ioy when they saw Florence their Lord whome they thought had béene dead Great riches that day was wonne in that Towne the which was giuen and parted vnto them that had deserued it and Florence gaue to the Christian Prisoners great riches Thus when the Towne was wonne and the riches thereof put into their Shippes they all departed and sette fire on all the Citie then they went into the Castle whereas the Damsell Clariet was who had great ioy when she saw Florence her Louer and then Sorbarre who had great desire to depart from thence tooke all the Treasure riches and had it into their ships and victualled them with all thinges necessary then when it was day in the morning they departed from the Castle and went to their Ships with great ioy Florence holding his Loue by the hande said vnto her Deere Loue king Garyn my Father hath sent to seeke for me all about both by land and by water and these that bee come heere with these Shippes were sent forth by the Kinge my Father to search for me When the Damsell heard that Florence would bring her againe to his Father she hadde great feare and said Sir yâ—u know right well the great hate and displeasure that your Father hath to you and me for God sake sir let vs goe some other way Déere Loue quoth Florence haue no feare of my Father for if you had shewed your nâ—me what you bee before this time it had eased vs of much paine Ah Sir quoth shee it is not as you wéene it were Well quoth Florence it is sufficient for me as it is then they 〈◊〉 vp their sayles and so sayled vntill they were farre off 〈◊〉 that Land and Sorbarre was right ioyfull in that he had saued the Christian men and for the loue of Florence he forsooke his owne lawe and his countrey then hee sayd vnto Florence Sir my bodie and goods I abandon to you in such wise that I shall neuer leaue you for life nor death Sir quoth Florence of the goodnesse and troth that you haue shewed mee I thanke you and I shall neuer haue penny worth but the halfe shall be yours Now let vs leaue speaking of them sayling ioyfully vppon the Sea towards Aragon and let vs speake of king Garyn who was besieged within the Citie of Courtoys by his brother in lawe the king of Nauarre Chap. CLXI ¶ How King Huon Kinge of the Fayrey sent two of his Knightes to the two Kinges and how he appeared betweene them with a great number and of the Peace that he made between them WEll haue yee heard before how that after the King of Nauarre had taken King Garyn prisoner and that Truce was taken for a certaine space and then each of them to shew their powers so it fell that two daies before the breaking vp of the truce and that their ayds and puissances were assembled together the one partie within the Citie and the other without with the Kinge of Nauarre who sore threatned King Garyn because hee had banished away his Sonne Florence his Nephew and sayd that hée had rather die then such an ill King should not be punished this King of Nauarre had assembled such a number of people that the Valleys and Hils were couered with men of warre the night before the Truce brake vppe there was hearde in the ayre a fearefull voice the which when it began to speake the earth trembled and thundred and lightned in such sort that all they that were assembled aswell they within as without had such feare that they were likely to haue run away Then the voice began to speake and sayd Sirs ye that be here in the field readie to fight of both parties make no hast to ioyne together in Battaile for such ayd and succour shal be sent to you both that yee shal be all ioyfull Therewith the voice passed away and was heard no more whereby both parties were abashed all the night they were at their prayers beséeching God to ayd succour them King Garyn was sore abashed when he heard the voice and said Oh good Lorde if these people that are assembled bee slaine by my meanes for me my soule shall be lost for euer Alas my Son Florence I was ill counsailed when I chased you away from me and I did great sin when I put you in prison I am wearie of my life it is no matter though I die and I am more sorrie for you my déere Sonne whome I haue betrayed and driuen away without a cause alas by my meanes this Realme will be wasted and destroyed the which you ought to haue after me Therewith he swounded among his Lordes so that they all thought he had béene dead whereof they sore complained and at last the king came againe to himselfe then his Lordes comforted him and so bad him to heare Seruice and after seruice there appeared sodenly before him two goodly young Knightes the one was Gloriant and the other Mallabron they were twoo Knights of the Fayrey then they all smiling saluted the King and sayd Royall King Huon of Bourdeaux saluteth thée
by vs hee is King of all the Fayrey and he will come to ayd thée and to defend thy land also he will that thou knowest that he is Father to the faire Damsell Clariet whome thou namest the new-found Damsell and because thou hast banished from thée thy Son Florence hee will come to thée to make the Peace betweene thée and thy Brother in lawe the King of Nauarre and hee will make the Mariage betwéene thy Sonne Florence and Clariet his Daughter When kinge Garyn heard the Knight of the Fayrey hee hadde such ioy at his heart that hee wist not what to doe or say and hee came to the Knight and embraced him all wéeping and said Sir know for troth my body my life and all that I haue I submitte into the handes of the good King Huon to do therewith at his pleasure With those words the twoo Knightes vanished away no man wist how nor whether so that euerie man had great maruaile King Garyn and his Lordes lifted vp their hands to Heauen making the signe of the crosse recommending themselues to Iesus Christ and the twoo Knightes rested not vntill they came to the Cittie of Momur to King Huon and shewed him what they had done and sayd to King Garyn shewed Huon of the day of Battaile that was taken betwéene the two Kinges and said Sir haue pitie of Florence and of Clariet your Daughter who are as now on the Sea in a great Tempest then Huon sayde Surely I they shall be shortly before the Citie of Courtoys with a number of people that the earth shal be couered with them to the entent that if either of those two Kinges doe contrary to my will I shall destroy him for euer for shortly I will that my Daughter Clariet shall bee Duchesse of Bourdeloys and shee is so faire that there is none like her and I will shew the great loue that I beare to her Then Huon called to him Escleremond and sayd Ladie you shall sée this day the thinge that you much desire to sée that is your Daughter Clariet to whom I giue her the guift that she shal be beloued of euerie man and I will that from henceforth she shall giue large guiftes and rewards to Ladies Damsels Knightes and Squiers for I will that from hencefoorth shée haue her pleasure without suffering of any more ill or perill for she hath suffered inough This day was faire and cléere within the Citie of Courtoys there was many people assembled and they were in great deuotion some made seruice to be song and some were confessed and ordred themselues towardes the Battaile Then King Garyn commanded euerie man to leape vppon their horses readie armed and the King himselfe mounted then they issued out of the Citie and commanded his Constables and Marshals to ordaine Thrée Battailes in the name of God King Garyn had assembled a great number of men he had more then Fiftie Thousand men there ye might haue séen Ladies Damsels and Burgesses that wept for feare of their Freends whome they sawe going towards the Battaile and they went all to the wals Colledges and Churches to pray to God for the good spéed of their King and of their Fréends Now let vs leaue speaking of these two Kinges who were readie in the fielâ—s ranged in order of Battaile the one against the other and lette vs speake of King Huon who called before him all his Lordes of the Fayrey there was the faire Escleremond and Gloriant and Mallabron and many other Knights of the Fayrey then King Huon said Sirs yée all knowe well that by the will of God King Oberon whiles he liued gaue me all his Realme and Signiorie and puissance that he had ouer al the Fayrie of the world thereby then I may haue all my commaundements fulfilled and since God hath giuen me this gift I will not suffer the man-slaughter and murder that is like to be betwéene the Two Kinges of Aragon and Nauarre therefore I wish my selfe with Two Hundred Thousand men well armed and richly by séeming and all mounted on good horses and also I wish to haue as many â—â—urnished with bowes and Crosbowes on foote Also I wish a Hundred Thousand to be apparelled in Gownes of cloath of gould and silke and also I wish for my Daughter Clariet whome I haue left a long time in paine and miserie whereof I repent me for mine intention is to marrie her to Florence Sonne to Kinge Garyn of Aragon the which Florence is so faire so hardy and so humble and curteous that in all the world there is none like him I wish him and all his companie and Sorbarre with him to be at the Hauen of Courtoys Also I wish my Tent in the meadow betwéen the hoasts of the two Kings and I will that my Tent be such that there be none like it in all the world and vppon the toppe thereof I will there be pitcht a Dragon of fine gold King Huon hadde no sooner made his wish but hee and all his company were there as he had deuised When the king of Nauarre saw so many people and so many Tents and Pauillions so néere him and that he saw the rich and puissant Pauillion of Kinge Huons with the flambing Dragon hee was greatly dismayed Then he called his Lords and Knightes and saide Sirs behold what people yonder are before vs lodging mee thinkes I neuer sawe so many together in all my life I wot not what it should be I am in doubt then he called vnto him two knights and sayd Sirs goe thether and knowe what people they be and what they meane and whether they bee Fréendes or enemies who is chéefe ouer them Sir quoth the two knights we will not goe thether for we know not whether they bée our enemies or not When the King of Nauarre vnderstoode that those knightes nor none other would goe thether hee was sorrowfull and as the king was thus deuising thether came the two knightes of the Fayrey Gloriant and Mallabron and Gloriant sayd Kinge of Nauarre King Huon of Bourdeaux hath sent vs to you and commaundeth you that you make peace betwéen you and king Garyn for he will giue his Daughter Clariet to your Nephewe Florence who is the fairest Ladie of the worlde When the king of Nauarre vnderstoode these twoo Messengers sent from king Huon he was right ioyfull and commanded al his Lords to goe with him to kinge Huon they obayed his commaundement and road with him vntill hee came to the rich Pauillion of king Huons whereas they alighted and were well receiued then the king of Nauarre saluted king Huon who sayd Sir you be welcome and then the king of Nauarre knéeled down before kinge Huon and sayd Sir I am readie to fulfill your pleasure Then Gloriant tooke the king of Nauar by the arme and raysed him vp and set him down by king Huon and Escleremond then king Huon sent for king Garyn who incontinent came
you shoulde not bee worthy to sitte in a royall Chaire and you ought to bee the mirrour and example to other men how they should liue will you then breake the Lawe that God hath giuen vs put from you that crueltie you shall find no man that will praise you in so doing or thinking When the king heard Sorbarre hee beheld him angerly and said Sorbarre know for troth but that I hold my selfe much bound vnto you I would strike off your head and there is no man that speaketh to the contrarie but I shall put him to death Then all the Lords together saide to the king Sir doe as you please Sorbarre hath sayd as a noble man ought to doe for if you doe otherwise you are not worthy to beare a Crowne and so held their peace they durst speake no more for feare of him and also because they thought surely that the Diuell was within him to motion any such matter When the king heard the will of his Lordes he sent for his Daughter hastely who came with a smiling countenance not knowing of the vnreasonable will of the king her Father and when she came before him she knéeled downe the king tooke her vp and set her betwéene his armes and kissed her more then Twentie times The Ladie knewe nothing of her Fathers intention none otherwise but that shee thought hee did it but as a Father ought to doe with his Child then the Lordes sayd softly one to another Oh vnhappie King his thoughts bée farre vnlike to his Daughters for if she were here alone he would dishonour her although she be his owne Daughter The King séeing his Daughter I de so excellent faire he sayd to himselfe that without hee hadde his Daughter in marriage he should die with rage and the King beheld her and made her to sit downe by him and sayd My déere Daughter you are as an Orpheling on the Mothers side wherefore I haue great pitie of you that you haue lost her and you resemble so much your Mother that I thinke when I sée you in the face that I sée her before mee and therefore I loue you the better and for this cause it is my will to take you to my Wife for I will haue none other in mariage Chap. CLXV ¶ Of the great sorrow that the Damsell I de made when she heard her Father how he would haue her in mariage and how by the means of a noble Lady and Sorbarre she departed at midnight and went at the aduenture that God would send her WHen the Damsell heard her Father her fresh red colour became pale and wanne and she cast downe her lookes to the earth sayd Ah my right déere Father take héede what you say for if you be heard of them that bee héere present you shall bee greatly blamed Then the Damsell would haue risen vp to haue gone from her Father but the King tooke her by the hand and sayd My Daughter make no daunger nor refuse to follow my will for you slay me for the loue that I beare you then all the Lords knéeled downe before the King and held vp their handes and desired the King for his owne wealth and honour that he would haue pitie of himselfe and of his Daughter and that he would neuer thinke to doe such a déede for if he did hée should neuer be set by after When the king heard his Lords and how they reasoned with him to haue turned his mind hee answeared as a man full of villany and yre and saide that in despight of them all and whether they would or not he would haue her to his Wife and that if there were any so hardy as to speake to him to the contrarie hee woulde cause them to die a shamefull death and he sore rebuked them When the Damsell heard her Father to speake vnto the Lordes and Knightes then she saw well the inordinate loue of her Father and she began to wéepe and sayd Oh good God I shall be shamed and lost for euer if he take me to his Wife for both of vs cannot escape without damnation then shee thought within her selfe that if she could in any wise escape she would flye away so far off that there should neuer any tidings be heard of her Then the Kinge sent her into her Chamber with her Maydens who were sorrowfull and discomforted when they heard of that matter for the King had commaunded them to kéepe her well and to ordaine a rich bed for her because the next day hée would marrie her When the Damsell I de was in her chamber she called to her an ancient Ladie who had béene her Mistresse and then she auoided all other out of her Chamber and made semblance to sléepe and when she saw that al other were gone she knéeled downe and held vp both her hands before the Ladie and all wéeping sayde Ah my right déere Ladie and Mistresse I come to you as a poore Orpheling without Father or Mother my Mother is dead as you know well but he that should bee my Father would bee my Husband the which is a thing that the earth ought not to beare nor sustaine them that woulde liue in such manner and therefore déere Mistresse counsaile and ayd this poore discomforted Orpheling and help me that I may bee out of the sight of him that ought to bee my Father for I had rather goe into some farre Countrey there to liue in pouertie then to end my dayes with him in doing of such a déede and at the end to bee damned and lost When the olde Ladie who was right noble and sage heard the pitifuâ—l complaint of the Damsell Ide whome shee had nourished and brought vp she answeared and sayd My right déere daughter for the great loue that I beare you I shall ayde and counsaile you and bring you out of this doubt as sometime did my Brother Peter of Aragon to the Ladie Clariet your Mother hée rescued her out of the hands of the Sarazins when she was in ieopardie of her life for all your Father I shall not let to aide you When the Damsell I de heard the good will of the Ladie how shee would ayd her all wéeping shee kissed her and sayd Ah my right deere Mother the goodnes that you doe to me God reward you for it for it lyeth not in me then the old Ladie yssued out of her Chamber and left the Ladie I de verie pensiue and went into Sorbarres Chamber who was as then in the Pallaice for he was one of the kinges priuie Counsaile and when he came to his Chamber and found the Ladie there he demanded what aduenture had brought her thether the Ladie drewe him apart and shewed him the request and prayer of the Damsell Ide whereof Sorbarre for the great pitie hée had of her began to weepe and auoided his Chamber the better to speake with the Ladie at his ease and they deuised together of diuers things and at last
they concluded for the sauegard of the damsels bodie that this ancient Lady should beare to her the apparell of a man and that at the houre of midnight she should array her therewith and then shew her and let her goe out of the Pallaice and come to the stable whereas she shall find me readie with the best horse that her Father hath readie for her to leape vppon When the ancient Ladie vnderstood Sorbarre she was right ioyfull and thought his counsaile good and then she departed and made readie all the apparell belonging to a man then she came to the Damsell Ides Chamber and shewed her the conclusion that was taken betweene her and Sorbarre When the Damsell heard that she had great ioy at her heart and she clipped and kissed her the Ladie was glad when she saw her somwhat comforted and sayd Faire Ladie the Kinge your Father hath ordained a bath for you therefore goe thether and hath with other Damsels to the intent that the Kinge doe not suspect any thinge and when you haue bathed you a certaine space lette your bed be made readie and when you are in your Chamber goe to your bed and then commaund me and all the Damsels to goe and bath vs I shall kéepe them there so long a space that they shall haue good list to sleepe and I shall leaue heere by your bed-side all your mans apparell and array you therein and then guird this sword about you and put on your spurres and when you are out of the Pallaice goe to the Stables where you shall finde a horse readie for you Then they went into the bathing Chamber and shee in her smocke readie to goe into the bath and all the other Damsels were ioyfull when they saw her come thether for they thought she had been gone to sléepe because of the displeasure that shee hadde at her heart then they sayd one to another it seemeth that our Ladie is well appeased of her sorrow me thinkes to morrow she shall be Ladie and Quéene and she shall bee wife and Daughter to the King her Father the which is a thing vnreasonable then they came to her and bathed her feasted her as much as they might When the Ladie I de thought that it was time to depart she sayd to her Mistresse and to the other Damsels howe shee had bathed her ynough and that she would go into her Chamber to sleepe and bad all the other to go and bath them and that there should no moe goe with her but two of them to haue her to bed and she sayd to her Mistresse that she should goe and bring her with the Damsels the which thing they did ioyfully the damsell departed and went into her Chamber wrapped in a Mantle of scaâ—let When the two Damsels had brought her to bed they tooke leaue of her and departed and closed the dore after them and then they went and bathed them with others and when the Damsell I de felt her selfe all dry she rose and arrayed her in the mans apparell aswel as she could and tooke the sword and guirt it about her put on her spurres and then she went to a great low window on the Garden-side and there she leapt out into the Garden as priuily as she could and so went along by the wall side vntill she came to the Posterne then shee went out towards the Stable and when she came there shee found a horse readie in Sorbarres hand and at the pommell of the saddle a bagge full of bread and flesh two bottels of good wine Then the Damsell tooke the horse and without any word speaking shee leapt vp quickely then Sorbarre all wéeping saide My déere Daughter God bee thy guide and bring thée to sauegard goe thy way and kéepe the way vpon thy left hand and follow the Sea-side Sir quoth she for the goodnes you haue shewed me God reward you into whose sauegard I commend you thus departed this noble Ladie Ide to eschew and flye from the ill and dishonorable will of her Father and she entred into the Forrest kéeping no hye way and so she road thrée daies along the wood vntill she thought well that she was farre from her Countrey Nowe let vs lâ—aue speaking of her vntill wée haue occasion to returne to her againe and lette vs speake of King Florence her Father Chap. CLXVI ¶ Howe King Florence was sorrowfull when he was aduertised of his Daughters departing who was apparelled like a man and howe shee came into Almaine and howe shee found certaine Theeues in a Forrest and how shee came to Rome to the Emperour like a Squier YE haue heard here before in this Historie howe King Florence of Aragon would haue his owne Daughter the Damsell Ide in mariage against the will of al his Lords and people after that he had spoken with her and commanded the bath to be ordred for her to the intent that the next day to haue her in mariage The night approached and after Supper the King went to his bed and the next morning betimes tidings was brought to the King how the King of Nauarre was come to sée him the King went to méete him and made him great chéere so came together to the Pallaice and then incontinent it was shewed the King how his daughter was fledde away whereof the King was so sorrowfull and angrie that no man durst speake a word to him and hee went into his Daughters Chamber and there he found the Ladies and Damsels that had the kéeping of her the King would haue run vpon them if the King of Nauarre had not béene who letted him and blamed him much when hee knew the cause of her departing and what the King would haue done then came the Horse-kéeper to the King and sayd howe his good horse was stollen away the same night Then the King as a man desperate commaunded on all sides men to ride after her and whosoeuer could bringe his Daughter againe or else sure tidinges of her he promised to giue him a Thousand Florents of gold There were many that for loue of that monney road foorth to the number of thrée hundred they road diuers wayes but there was none of them that could bring any tidinges of her and so returned to the King who was sorowfull when he could heare nothing of her Great lamentations there was made in the Citie for the going away of the Damsell because of the feare that she had of her Father and road vpon the good horse in the day time shee would rest her in the woods and in the night shee would ride foorth Thus shee paâ—â—ed all the Prâ—uinces of Aragon and she passed into Lombardy of her iourneys and aduentures I will make no mention because she found nothing in the way to let her she road so long that shee approached to the Countrey of Almaine and when she came there her monney fayled her whereby she was constrained to sell her horse for
may bee to your pleasure Daughter Oliue quoth the Emperour for the loue of you I haue entertained this Squier to serue you Father quoth Oliue I thanke you for it séemeth that hee is come of a good Stocke and I had no Seruant a great season that better contented me then the Emperour sayd vnto Ide My Freend serue me well behold héere my Daughter whom I loue entirely and to whom I deliuer you to serue her I haue no moe Children but shee and therefore serue her truely as a man ought to doe that is come of such a Lineage as you are if you serue her well and truely you had neuer in all your life so good aduenture Sir quoth Ide I shall doe so much that by the grace of God you and shee shall bée well content and Sir there is nothing lightly but I can doe it to serue a noble man and in the warre I shall defend my selfe I trust aswell as another and also I can serue at a Table before a King or Quéene Fréend quoth the Emperour if you can doe thus as you say you are welcome hether and you shall fare the better and I am ioyfull of your comming to serue me you shall neuer haue néede to goe out of my seruice When Ide heard the Emperour shee humbly thanked him and thus was Ide entertained with the Emperor whereas she did so much by her good seruice that the Emperor his daughter and all they of the Court loued and praised her and the Damsell Oliue often times gladly regarded Ide and began in her heart sore to loue her and Ide who perceiued her prayed our Lord God that he would so deale that shée bee not accused neither of man nor woman Shée gaue almes often times to poore men and she visited gladly the holy Church she demeaned her selfe in such wise that of euerie man she was beloued praised often times shee prayed to God for King Florence her Father although she was chased and fled out of her Countrey by his occasion and cause yet shee alwaies prayed to God that she might be agréed with him Thus this Damsell I de was in this danger seruing the Emperour and his Daughter Oliue the space of two Moneths and on a day she was in the Pallaice with the Emperour and thether came in great hast a Messenger and came and saluted the Emperour and sayd Sir knowe for troth that the Kinge of Spaine with great puissance is entred into your Empire of Rome and wasteth all before him with fire and sword many a Romane he hath slaine and he hath sworne by his Law that before a moneth bee passed hee will bee within your Cittie of Rome with all his puissance and hee sayth that hee will haue his pleasure of your Daughter and to make you to die a shamful death because you haue refused to giue him your Daughter in mariage Sir it had béen better for you that he had maried your Daughter then so many men should haue béene slaine so many Townes burnt and destroyed and Castles beaten downe Sir goe quickely against him and defend your Coūtrey or else you shall sée him shortly pitch vp his Tents Pauillions before this City When the Emperour heard the messenger he studied a great season and looked vpon Ide and said Fréend counsaile mee for I thought full little that these men of warre would haue come vppon me and nowe they wast and destroy my Land Sir quoth Ide trouble not your selfe for it comfort your selfe and reioice your Lordes and Seruants and lette mee haue men to fight with them and I will looke vppon them before they come any néerer and by the grace of God I shall cause them to buy déerely the destruction that they haue made in your Countrey if God saue my life my sword hold When the Emperour heard the valiant courage of Ide he praised her much in his heart and sayd Fréend your reason pleaseth mee well and therefore I shall doe you that honour as to make you a Knight whereby your Prowesse and hardinesse shall increase Sir quoth Ide of the honour that you will doe to me I am right ioyfull and I thanke you thereof then the Emperor came vnto Ide and guirt about him a good sword and a rich it was so good that there was none like it in goodnes neither sharper nor harder and then the Emperour gaue her the necke-stroake of Knighthood and sayd Ide remember this order the which you haue receiued this day and I pray God that it may be to the increase of your honour and eue◠beware that your thoughts be not light nor wauering but rather sage discréet and temperate and bee hardy in Battaile and cast away from you all feare and when you haue wonne any goods or riches kéepe them not locked in your Coffers but distribute them to poore Knightes the which shall increase and exalt your honour and alwaies loue the holy Church if you do thus you cannot faile to come to great honour and euer shew your vertue against your enemies Sir quoth Ide by the grace of God I shall so doe and there is no Spaniard but that shall wish himselfe to be on the other side of the Sea then euerie man arrayed them in the Pallaice and in the Cittie then Trumpets Drummes and Hornes beganne to sound in the Citie so that all the Chiualrie and Communaltie of the Citie were ready armed then they came all before the Pallaice and presented themselues to the Emperor who did command them that day to follow and obey the commaundement of Ide whom he committed that day to doe and be as chéefe Captaine said Sirs looke that you doe as much for him as you would doe for me and yée know well that I am old and féeble and can beare armour no longer nor I am not able to ride as I might haue done before this time wherefore I desire you and also commaund you all on paine of your liues to doe euerie thing as he commaundeth in stead of mee aswell as though I did commaund you in mine owne person for hee that doth the contrarie he shall lose his head without any other redemption Then they all said they would so doe since it was his pleasure Then the noble Emperor caused Ide to be richly armed and then deliuered him his owne horse who was so good that his like could not be found in any Countrey then I de mounted vp quickly with helmet shéeld and a good Speare and I de tooke leaue of the Emperor and of the Ladie Oliue so road through the Citie of Roome with all his Hoast when they were without the Citie I de ordained Thrée Battailes the two first battailes were ledde by twoo great Lordes and the Third Ide did guide and thus with banners displayed they aduaunced foorth towards their enemies The Spaniards thought surely that all had been theirs because they saw of all the way that they had come no
and profitable to your Countreys and Signiories Then the Emperour sent for the King of Spaine out of prison and when hee was come hee knéeled downe and sayd Sir I require you to haue pitie of me the Emperour answered â—â—ercely and sayd King of Spaine for what cause are you come out of your Countrey of Spaine and thus to destroy and wast mine Empire you haue slaine many of my Lordes and Knightes who neuer did you any displeasure and besides that you haue burnt many of my Townes and beaten downe my Castles whereof I am sorrie seeing that I nor none of mine did you neuer any displeasure and because that all euill ought to bee punished and all good déedes rewarded before euer I drinke any wine I shall cause your head to be striken off for any mans speaking to the contrarie I shall not fayle to doe it When the King heard that he was in great feare and humbly prayed him to haue pitie him and sayd how he was readie to make amends for all his trespasses and to repaire again all the ill damages done by him or caused to be done within the Empire and therewith to doe homage and feaultie vnto him and to hould the Realme of Spaine of him promising also if any warre were made against the Emperour hee would come and succour him with twentie Thousand men at his owne proper costes and charges and to bee with him against all men that would trouble him then the Emperor sayd King of Spaine know for troth that for all your promise and words I will doe but little for it for you shall not escape from me then the damsell I de stept foorth and sayd to the Emperour Sir I haue often times heard say that he that humbleth himselfe and cryeth for mercie then reason requireth that hee should haue mercie graunted him and therefore Sir I require you to receiue this â—ing to your grace and pardon his trespasse séing the offers that he hath offered to do that he will become your Liege-man hold his Land of you and amend the dammages that you haue suffered he that reason offereth ought to haue haue reason and you ought to thanke God since such a man as hee is putteth himselfe into your handes When the Emperour vnderstoode Ide he sayd Fréend Ide your wit and courtesie is to bee allowed and because I knowe that the counsaile that you giue mee is reasonable I will doe as you will haue mee take you him and by you hee shall bee deliuered Sir quoth Ide I thanke you When the Kinge of Spaine sawe that hee should haue grace and that with amends making he should be deliuered he thanked God and did homage to the Emperour and deliuered sufficient pledges to make restitution as he had promised then the Emperour gaue him a safe conduct vntill he came into his owne Countrey and all the other Prisoners were deliuered such as were taken in the Battaile by the Romanes then the King of Spaine was ioyfull and often times thanked the Damsell Ide by whose meanes this bountie and courtesie was shewed him Then hee tooke his leaue of the Emperour of Ide and of all other Lords and Knights that were there present and so hee returned into his Countrey of Spaine whereas he was receiued with sore wéepings for the great losse that he had receiued Now we shall leaue speaking of him and returne to our matter Chap. CLXIX ¶ How the Emperour gaue his Daughter Oliue in mariage to the Damsell Ide knowing none other but that she had been a man and how shee was appeached by a Varlet that heard their deuises whiles they were in bedde together whereby the Emperour would haue burnt the Damsell Ide AFter that the King of Spaine was departed from Roome the Emperour honored and praised much Ide for the good seruice that shee had done who euer better and better perseuered in good seruice doing for she did so much by her wit that all discords and debates that were in the Empire betwéene Lordes or Neighbors she set them in peace and accord wherefore the Emperour loued her in such wise that without her he did nothing and the Emperours Daughter Oliue loued her in such wise that she could not liue one day without the sight of her she was so taken with loue thinking that she neuer sawe so goodly a young man And so on a day the Emperour assembled his Lords and his priuie Counsaile to whome he shewed and sayd that he had but one Daughter the which as then was of lawfull age wherefore he would that she should be married to the intent that she might haue heires to enioy his Lands after his decease and sayd Sirs I thinke if all the world should be searched there could not bee found a man so worthy to haue my Daughter Oliue in mariage as our welbeloued Constable the valiant Ide by whome so noble seruice hath béene done vnto vs and to our whole Empire for I would before I die that she should be married and I thinke I cannot better bestowe her for in all the world there is not a more valiaunt Knight then Ide is nor that is more worthy to gouerne an Empire or a great Realme When the Lords vnderstood the Emperour they all allowed his mind and counsailed him to doe the same then the good Emperour called to him Ide and sayd My déere Fréend for the great seruice that you haue done I will reward you as by reason I am bound to doe and I cannot giue you a more richer thing nor that I loue better then Oliue my déere Daughter whome I will giue you in mariage and I will that you take her to your wife to the intent that after my dayes you may gouerne mine Empire for now I féele my selfe aged and féeble wherefore I shall be content that from hencefoorth you haue the gouerning thereof and now I deliuer to you my Land in kéeping to gouerne it as your owne Ah Sir quoth Ide what is that you say you know well that I am but a poore Gentleman banished out of my Countrey and I am woorth nothing great dammage it should bee to so noble a Damsell to be assigned to such a poore man as I am Sir I crie you mercie humbly requiring you to take aduice that your Daughter who is so faire may be married to some hye Prince puissant to the intent that if you should haue any busâ—nesse that he might be of power to ayd and succor you for I am poore and ought alwaies to trauaile and to take paines to get honour for mee and to increase my Lineage What quoth the Emperour are you so hardy as to refuse my Daughter by whome great wealth and goodnesse may come to you Sir quoth Ide since it is so that it pleaseth you to shew me this honour I will not refuse it but Sir I say it to this intent that you should take good aduise therein and séeing you are content that I shall
thus doe and that it is your pleasure I am content and I humbly thanke your grace of the honour that you beare me Then the Emperour sent for his Daughter who came vnto him with a glad heart for shée had béene aduertised of the matter why her Father sent for her and then the Emperour sayd Daughter you must promise mée to doe as I shall shewe you Déere Father quoth she it is not in me nor I will not refuse any thinge that is your pleasure Daughter quoth the Emperour you doe well so to answeare mée and because I haue no more but you that ought to haue my Realme after me therfore I will that you take a Husband to the intent that your Landes and Signiories may bee defended by him and therefore I will that you take to your Husband our Captaine the valiant Ide whome I loue entirely this is my pleasure and agréement of all my Lordes if it be your pleasure to haue him he shall be King and you Quéen after my decease Sir quoth the Ladie I am readie to fulfil your pleasure and to obey your commaundements and I thanke God of this faire aduenture that is fallen to mee this day for I shall haue him that I loue best I haue not nowe lost my time when I shall haue at my will him whome I loue best in all the world then shee knéeled downe before her Father and thanked him of his guilt and then she rose and kissed her Father and sayd Right déere Father I require you to hasten that this may bee done let vs goe to the Church to be wedded for me thinkes we ought so to doe When the Lordes heard the Ladie they laughed at her hast and then the Emperour sayd Daughter come foorth and fiance your Husband and you I de approach néere and nowe after my death I giue you all mine Empire and I giue you my déere daughter in recompence of the good seruice that you haue done me When Ide vnderstood the Emperour all her bloud changed and she wist not what to doe all her bodie trembled for feare and she called vppon our Lord God right pitiously to her selfe and prayed him to haue pitie of her and to counsaile her what was best for her to doe for shée saw that perforce the Emperour would marrie her to his Daughter and sayd Ah my Father Florence by you by your disordinate rage I am nowe brought to this case when you made mée to depart because you would haue had me to your wife but before I would haue consented thereto I had rather to haue béen burnt therefore I fled away to eschewe that shame whereby I haue béene since in many perils from the which by the will of God I haue escaped whereof I ought to thanke him I thought to kéepe my selfe within Roome secret and that no man shoulde knowe that I am a woman but I shall be accused by the Emperours Daughter whose loue is so much sette on mée that I haue no power to escape without I steale away priuily from them all and if I shew them what I am I may then haue some villany and bee accused and sent vnto the Kinge my Father or else to send him word where I am and then in great hast he will send for me or else if I will escape I must flye away ouer the Sea howbeit I speake but like a Foole séeing this fortune is fallen vnto me to haue the Emperors Daughter in mariage and his Empire I will wed her and doe as God will giue me grace to doe All this the Damsell I de spake to her selfe Then shée sayd to the Emperour Sir since it is your pleasure to giue me your Daughter in mariage I am ready to take her Then they were ledde to the Minster-church and there they were fianced whereof great ioy was made in Roome then the day of marriage came and the faire Oliue was ledde to the Church betwéene two Kinges and I de went afore verie sadly and so came to the Church there they were wedded Then great was the triumph and ioy in the Citie of Roome many a rich garment of gould and silke was worne that day and euery man ran to sée the new Brides then they went to the Pallaice and so to dinner Of the Feasts sports and rich meates that were there that day if I should shew it the time would bee ouer-long to rehearse it but since Roome was first founded it was not knowne that there had béen such a Feast as this wedding for no bodie thought but that I de had béen a man and after Supper when it was time to goe to rest the Brides were brought into their Chamber then the Ladie Oliue went to her bed then came Ide and the Chamber auoided and shee locked fast the dore to the intent that none should heare them then shee came to bed and layd her downe on the bed-side and sayd to Oliue My right swéete Loue God giue you good night for as for me I can giue you no good because I féele such a disease the which gréeueth me sore and therewith she kissed Oliue who answeared and sayd My swéete Louer you are the thinge in the world that I most desire for the bountie and swéetnesse that I knowe in you then doe with me as it shall please you and to the intent that you shall not thinke that I haue so great desire that you should do the thing which of right ought to be done betwéene man and Wife I am content to forbeare it Fiftéene dayes and because that diuers folkes are héere about to heare vs I am content to giue you truce for wee shall haue time ynough hereafter to sport vs and I know such noblenesse in you that I am sure you will take none other Wife nor touch none other but that you will kéepe your faith and troth to me for I am chast and so shall you find me it sufficeth me to kisse you as for the priuie loue I am content for this time since it is your pleasure to forbeare it Then I de answeared Faire Ladie I wil not refuse your will thus they passed that night with clipping and kissing Then in the morning they arose and made them readie and came into the Pallaice the Emperour beheld Oliue his Daughter to sée if shee were any thing chaunged and sayd Daughter how is it with your new husband Sir quoth shee euen as I desire for I loue Ide my Husband better then I loue you although you are my Father at that word the Emperour and all his Lordes laughed so great ioy and feasting was there made that it endured Eight dayes Then euerie man tooke leaue and went whether as they listed and after the Fiftéene dayes were expired that I de had layne with Oliue I de touched her not but with kissing whereof Oliue was sorrowfull and sayde to her selfe Oh good Lord I was ingendred in an euill houre when I haue married with
from hence vntill you haue shewed vs your will to the intent that we may bring him some good newes Chap. CLXXII ¶ Howe the Emperour Ide and the Empresse Oliue gaue good instructions to their Sonne when they departed from Rome and howe they arriued at Courtoys and came to Florence who with great ioy receiued them as his Children WHen the Emperor I de had heard this Knight report these newes of the King his Father the water fell from his eies for pitie and ioy that he had and answeared and sayd Sirs I will that yee know well that of your comming and good newes I am right ioyfull but I am sorrie for the great sicknesse that my Father is in wherefore to recomfort him and to make him ioyfull I will that you returne to him and say howe that I humbly recommend me to his good grace and that at Midsummer next I and my Wife will bee with him the Messengers hearing that answeare were right ioyfull Then after dinner they tooke their leaue of the Emperor and of the Empresse who gaue them many rich guiftes for the honour of King Florence their Father and so the Messengers departed When the Empresse Oliue vnderstood the will of her Lord shee was right sorrowfull for to leaue her Countrey whereas shée was borne and nourished and especially to leaue her Son Croissant whom she loued but since it was the pleasure of her Lord so to doe she contented her selfe for shée loued her Husband so well that shée would in no wise say against his pleasure nor let him to do his will Right sorrowfull were the Princes and Lordes of that Countrey and all the people of Roome but in the best wise that they could they comforted themselues because of the yong Prince Croissant who should tarie and abide with them and whom the Emperour deliuered vnto them to be kept And then hee spake to his Sonne and shewed him many notable examples and reasons he commaunded him to bée gentle and courteous to his Lordes and people and that he should not bée light of credence and that in any wise hee should not listen with his eares to heare Flatterers nor the filth that commeth from them that will lye and flatter to please him withall to the intent to come to their intention whereby many a Prince hath béene destroyed and brought to Hell whereby they and their Lordes also for beléeuing of them haue béene damned perpetually Sonne looke thou be serued with Gentlemen such as are come of them that haue béene of good renowme loue the holy Church giue almes to the poore for the loue of Iesus Christ let thy Chests be open to thy good Knightes beware thou bée no Nigard and beware thou be not ouercome with wine lead an honest life haunt and kéepe companie with the ancient noble men and praise them if they be worthy flye Flatterers and Mockers and beware thereof thy selfe for thou canst not doe worse because it will abate thine honour Thus the Emperour I de sayd to his Son Croissant and shewed him many notable sayings and faire instructions then he called his Lordes and sayd Sirs the most part of you know my will the which is that I and my Wife will goe into Aragon to the King my Father therefore I desire you all and command you that yée will haue my Sonne as recommended to you I haue left him great treasure to the intent that if any warre or any other businesse fall to him that he shall haue riches sufficient to withstand them that would doe him or his Country any dammage and also the Realme of Aragon is not so farre from hence but that anone I may haue newes from him When the Lords vnderstood the Emperour and how he had taken on him this Voyage they knewe well they could not let nor stop him of his pleasure Then they all answeared in generall and sayd that as néere as they could they would accomplish his commandement and to serue truely his Sonne Croissant and to aid keepe and defend his Countrey against all men that would annoy him Sirs quoth the Emperor I thanke you Thus after the Emperour had spoken with his Sonne and with his Lordes and shewed them his will and pleasure hee made readie for his iourney and tooke with him a certaine number of Knightes to accompanie him and the Empresse his Wife and he fournished two great Shippes and caused them to be charged with victuall and Artillerie as it appertained for the defence of their bodies and liues and tooke with him great riches apparell iewels then he tooke his leaue of the Pope of all his Lordes and of all them of the Citie who made great sorrow for their departing Then they entred into the Riuer of Tyber accompanied with about fiue Hundred Knightes at their departing they tooke leaue of their Sonne Croissant and kissed him often times When the Empresse saw her Sonne whome shee must depart from she began to wéepe but the Emperour comforted her as much as he could Then they tooke their Shippes and so departed and so long sayled in the Riuer of Tyber that they came into the hye Sea whereas they sailed night and day with good winde that without danger they arriued at the Citie of Courtoys whereas they were receiued with great ioy and so they came to the Pallaice whereas they found King Florence lying on a Couch who when hee was aduertised of their comming he had great ioy Then the Emperour and the Empresse entred into the Pallaice and came whereas the Kinge lay then they both knéeled downe before him and when the King saw them he had such ioy that hee could speake no word but made a token that they should approach néere to him and so they did and hee embraced and kissed them oftentimes and when hee might speake hee sayde My right déere Children of your comming I am right ioyfull and of the grace that God hath sent to you then againe oftentimes he kissed the Empresse Oliue sayd how she was welcome into the Realme of Aragon Of the great ioy feasting guifts and presents that were giuen and done at their welcomming if I should shew it at length it would be ouer-long to rehearse and therefore I passe it ouer Nowe let vs leaue speaking of the King and of the Emperor and the Empresse his Wife who tooke such pleasure to abide with Kinge Florence that neuer after they returned to Rome but they raigned together all their liues in good peace and loue and they hadde no Child but Croissant whome they had left at Roome and of whome wee shall speake nowe héereafter Chap. CLXXIII ¶ How Croissant was so bountifull and so liberall that hee gaue away all the Treasure that his Father had left him so that at last he had no more to giue and so was constrained to goe seeke his aduenture he and a Varlet alonely AFter that the Emperour Ide and the Empresse Oliue were departed from the Citie of
downe dead then Croissant ran at him that bare the Sarazins banner wheron was painted the Image of Mahomet hee strake him that bare it with a reuerse stroake betwéene the necke and the sholders that the head with the helmet flewe in the field and layd on so in the thicke preasse that anone he made way the Sarazins would faine haue raised vp againe their banner but they could not When the Sarazins saw their king dead and their banner lying on the ground their courage beganne to faile them then they brayed and opened their array and began to loose place Croissant who tooke héed of nothing but to slay the great Captaines at last sawe before him the kinge of Belmarin who had slaine many a Christian man that day Croissant gaue him such a stroake on the right shoulder that his arme shéeld fell to the earth and by reason of the great dolour that the king felt he fel in aswound among the horse féete whereas he died miserably The Duke of Callaber and the Earle Remon regarding the hye déedes of armes done and atchieued by Croissant hadde great maruell of his force and puissance they blessed the houre that hee was borne in thanking God of his comming thether they rested and beheld him how he made their enemies to fly away for none was so hardy to abide him Finally if I shoulde rehearse the hye déedes that Croissant did that day it would be ouer-long to declare for by him and by his great Prowesse the Paynims and Sarazins were vtterly discomfited for he was happie that could saue himselfe Thus they fled on all partes towards the Sea-side and there were moe slaine in the flying then were in the plaine Battaile for from thence to the Sea-side the wayes were couered with dead men such as might saue themselues in the Ships were happie but there were verie few that escaped After the chace was done they of Prouaunce and Callaber came to the bootie the which was excéeding great and the Earle Remon distributed so liberally therof that euery man was wel contented for there was such riches in the Tents of the Sarazins that it could not bee valued whereby all such as were at the Battaile were rich euer after both theâ— and their Freends Chap. CLXXVII ¶ Of the great honour that the Earle Remon did to Croissant and how he would haue giuen him his Daughter in mariage whereof the Earles Son was sore enuious and thought the same night to haue murdered the noble Croissant in his bed but he fayled for the noble Croissant slew him and afterward fled away as fast as he might AFter that the Battaile was finished and that the Sarazins were dead the Earle Remon with great reuerence came vnto Croissant and tooke him by the hand and ledde him into the Towne betwéen the Duke of Callaber himselfe and they did him as great honor as they could deuise and so entred into the Towne and with great ioy and solemnitie they were receiued and they came to the Pallaice vnarmed them and when they were refreshed the Duke of Callaber and the Earle Remon came to Croissant and the Earle sayd Oh right noble Knight repleat with all vertues and hie Prowesse to whome no man is comparable the strong arme shéeld and refuge of the Countrey of Prouaunce and Languedoc by thy hye Prowesse this day thou hast saued one of the quarters of Christendome whereby the faith of Christ is exalted the which if thou â—â—â—â—est not béene had béene abated staunched it is not in mee to say nor recount the goodnesse that you haue done vs this day nor it lyeth not in me to reward it but if it were thy pleasure to abase thy selfe so lowe as to take my Daughter in marriage the which I would gladly sée I will giue thée the one halfe of all that euer I haue for a fairer iewell nor a richer I cannot giue then my déere Daughter whome I loue entirely shée is the most faire swéete and the humblest Damsell that is now liuing When Croissant had well vnderstood the Earle Remon hee sayd Sir of your courtesie rich guiftes that you offer mee I will not refuse it but thanke you hartely thereof as for your daughter whom you offer to giue me I trust that I shall doe her that honour that vpon her head I shall set a Crowne of gold and make her Empresse of Rome whereas she shall be serued and honoured as Ladie ouer all the Countrey When the Earle heard the answeare of Croissant he was verie ioyfull but his Sonne who was there present was néere hand in a rage with the displeasure that he had and sayd inragedly to him By God Croissant since thus by you I shall bée disenherited and that my Father will giue you that which of right appertaineth to me before I grant thereto I shal make you to die of an ill death though I doe it by treason nor thou shalt neuer haue my sister in marriage thus thought the Earles Sonne to worke against Croissant who knew nothing thereof and thus without God helps him he was likely to haue béene slaine pitiously Then there began great ioy in the Pallaice the Earle Remon went to sée his Daughter and sayd to her My déere Daughter know for troth I haue giuen you in mariage to the most faire hardyest Knight that euer was guirt with a sword that is Croissant who you sée héere by whom we were all deliuered and brought out of seruice into fréedome for we had béen all lost if his hye prowesse had not béene by whom all the Paynims are discomfited When the Damsell heard her Father she was right ioyfull and thanked God and said Sir since it is your pleasure to giue me to this noble Knight I shall not refuse him but I am content to fulfill your pleasure whereof Croissant was ioyfull for shee was so faire that euerie man had maruaile thereof Then the Damsell saluted Croissant and sayd Sir of your comming and succours we ought to be ioyfull for by you wée are restored to ioy the which was lost Ladie quoth Croissant so goeth the works of our Lord God for men make Battailes and God giueth the Victorie Thus deuising they entred into the Chamber whereas the boards were readie spread but Izacars the Earles Son would not come there but went into a secret place of the Towne and thether hée sent for Ten of his affinitie in whome hee had perfect affiance then he shewed to them all his intention and determined that when Croissant was in bed and a sléepe then they to murder him in his bedde and his Squier also When these Ten Traytours vnderstood their Master they answeared and sayd howe they were all readie to doe his commaundement whatsoeuer came thereof Thus they taried the houre to accomplish their vngracious Enterprize as they were in their communication there was in a Chamber there beside a young Squier who had well heard their Enterprize
pay for the shot I will pay it all together without any strife then they sayd that they were well content therewith and thanked him then one of them the falsest Villayne among them wilfully cast downe a potte of wine vpon the Table whereof his fellowes blamed him then he answeared and sayd Sirs you néed not to be angry therewith for there is none of you will drinke thereof it is better to haue a fresh pot of wine of a new Vessell they sayd well that is true so be it Then their Host brought them a new pot full of wine and sayd Sirs this potte of wine is not of the first reckoning this is a potte of a newe account then the Maister Ruffian sayd to Croissant Sir take and cast the dice for the first cast shal be yours Croissant beheld them fiercely and sayd Nay Sirs I will kéepe mée from that for I neuer played at dice in all my life be content with the twelue shillings that I shall pay for our shot for by reason of the longe Voyage that I haue made I am not well fournished of monney for I haue but Thirtéen Shillings in my purse then the Maister sayd Thou art better arrayed then we and thou must vse thy tongue otherwise for thou shalt not thus scape thou shalt leaue thy Gowne to pay for our shot to morrow in the morning then another Ruffian sayd and I will haue his hose and shooes to morrow to buy fish for our dinner When Croissant heard the Villaynes he began to change colour and was sore displeased and sayd right fiercely Sirs leaue your clattering yet I haue xiij sÌ„ in my purse the which I wil giue you rather then you should be displeased me thinks this ought to suffice you and Sirs I am a noble man lately I was made Knight for if I were once againe in my Countrey I would neuer come from thence to séeke for such aduentures you ought to beare my honour since I shew you that I am a Knight the Ruffians sayd how his words nor his preaching should not auaile him but that he must leaue his gowne Iacket hose and shooes Then Croissant repleat with yre did off his surcot the which was furred with armins and cast it to them and sayd Sirs now you ought to be content with me and I ought to be quit When the Ruffians vnderstood him they cried all at once that he should put off his hose and shooes and his guirdle purse and Gowne and bad him quickely deliuer it to them and then to auoid the house for they sayd there was no lodging for him and the Host to please the Villaynes sayd how they sayd troth Then Croissant full of yre and displeasure turned his visage to the bench where his good Sword â—ay whereof hee was ioyfull that they had not taken it away then he stept thether and tooke it in his handes and drewe it out and came to the Villaynes and they rose against him with their swords in their hands he strake the Maister Ruffian so maruailous a stroake that he claue his head to the téeth so hee fell downe dead before the Chimney from another hee strake his head and then he slewe the Third and Fourth the other Two had so great feare that they fled away Then the Host began to crie a Théefe a Murderer but Croissant would doe him no hurt and hee yssued out of the house with his sword in his hand and ran as fast as he could vntill he was without the Subburbs then he ranne in the field ouer hedges and diches to the entent that none should follow him and he hearkened towards the Towne where hee heard great crying and noise of the Host of the house that he came from whereby all his neighbours Taylours Shoomakers Drapers and men of al crafts came to the house and there was such a noise made in the subburbs that the Towne gates were opened and the Burgesses yssued out and came to the house whereas the noise was and when the Magistrates of the Towne came thether and sawe the men lye dead they demaunded of the Host who had done that murder Sir quoth the Host a Vagabond hath done it who is bigge and mightie for I neuer sawe with mine eyes a man better made nor fourmed and he is fledde away with his sword in his hands on yonder hye way but Sir for God sake come not too néere him for hee séemeth no man when hee is angrie but hée is like a man out of his wittes without all feare and doubt Then the Magistrates commaunded to follow him both on horse-backe and afoote and they all ranne to armour though the Captaine were not greatly afraide yet hee would not bee the first that should go foorth he loued better that another shold take that aduantage Thus on all sides on horse-backe and afoote they followed Croissant who kept not the high way and it was far in the night and also there were many that would not chafe themselues ouer much to séeke for him for they wold make no preasse to receiue his offering because they feared to finde him and when they had sought a long space in the fields and in the high wayes and could not finde him they all returned to their Towne and Croissant went euer from the Town-ward with his sword naked in his hand and when hee sawe that he was two Leagues off he entred into the high way and praised God that hee was so escaped without daunger but hee was sore displeased in that he had neuer a penny in his purse and nothing but his Sword his Coat and a rich purse at his guirdle and also he sawe that it was Winter frost and snow also he felt the cold winde the which did him much ill Thus hee went foorth all night and the next day vntill it was néere night then he arriued at a Village and there he was faine to sell his sword for lacke of monney to pay for his shot he came to a Lodge where he was serued of euerie thing that he would haue then in the morning when he departed he sold his purse for as much as hee could get and hee trauailed so long that hee approached to Roome and hee came to a Lodging without the gate and there he lodged that night and in the morning he demaunded of his Host to whome that Towne appertained and who was lord thereof and what his name was that gouerned the Towne The Host sayd Fréend hee that nowe is Lord héere is named Guymart of Puille but before hee came hether we had a young Lord the fairest young Gentleman that euer was séene and he was Sonne to the noble Emperour Ide you somewhat resemble him but he was of so ill rule and so full of follies that all the riches and wealth that his Father had left him hée spent and gaue away to euerie man that would craue any thing of him so that in the end hee left
durst not weare it but sayd to himselfe that he had no right thereto because it was a thing that was none of his and so he went downe through the stréets of the Towne Chap. CLXXXII ¶ The proofe that the Emperor Guymart made to know Croissant vnto whome he gaue his faire Daughter in marriage and deliuered him all his Signiorie and Inheritance whereof great ioye was made at Rome WHen the Emperor was risen from dinner he called to him Foure of his seruants to whome he gaue in charge that they should cause to be proclaimed in euerie Stréete of the Towne that all poore men that would come to the Emperor should haue in almes euerie man a Florent of gould of the value of Ten Sons the which crie was made in euerie stréete and Market-place in Roome whereby euerie poore man drew towards the Pallaice When this crie was made Croissant heard it whereof he was ioyfull and said howe hee would goe thether among others to haue the Emperours almes wherewith hee thought hee would pay his Host and then in hast he went thether The Emperour who was there readie thought to sée prooue whether the two Knights sayings were true or not so drew out of his purse the Three Besans of gould the which he did cast in diuers places in the way as the poore men should come to the Pallaice but many poore men passed ouer them and perceiued them not then Croissant came among others and he saw among the mens féet one Besan of gould faire and bright and he stouped downe and tooke it vp and then he went forth within a little while after he found the second Besan the which also he tooke vp and a little further among the mens feete hée espyed the Third Besan the which also hee tooke vp then hee thought within himselfe and sayd Alas what a Caitiffe am I if these had béene siluer they had béen mine but they are fine gould wherefore I am beguiled for they appertaine to the Emperour Guymart who holdeth this Empire I haue no right to kéepe them because they belong not to mee therefore I will render them to the Emperour vnto whome they doe appertaine then hee came to the Emperour sayd Sir I haue found by the way as I came to your Pallaice thrée Besans of gould the which here I deliuer to you for of right and reason they appertaine vnto you bicause of the right and title that you haue to the Empire but if they hadde béene siluer I might haue kept them as mine owne without blame When the right noble Emperour vnderstood him he beheld him and sighing he sayd Fréend you are welcome the bountie noblenesse and wisedome that is in you shall ayd you to come to the place wherof in reason you ought to be for the goodnesse and troth that I haue séene in you I will giue you my déere Daughter in Marriage whome I loue entirely and you shall take her to your Wife and therewith I shal yéeld you the Crowne Emperiall of the noble Empire of Rome the which of right appertaineth to you When the noble Croissant had wel heard and vnderstood the Emperor he was right ioyfull and kneeled downe to the earth in the presence of all the Lords that were there present thanking him of the honour that he offered him The Emperour who was a noble and a wise Prince tooke him vp by the hand and led him into a Chamber wherin hee caused a bathing to be prepared in the which the noble Croissant was bathed and then the Emperour brought him such apparell as was méete for him to haue When Croissant was thus richly apparelled a fairer nor a better fourmed man could not be found in Eightéene Realmes christened whereof the Emperour Guymart had great ioy and sayd how that in all his life he neuer saw a more goodlyer Prince for he was great among other men and well fournished of all his members he was bigge and large in the shoulders and the skinne white mingled with red his haire like golden wyre and his face straight with a large forehead his eyes gray and his nose well made long armes and bigge handes his Legs faire and straight and his féete well proportioned and made the Emperour Guymart could not bee satisfied with the regarding of him and then hee led him into the Pallaice where his Lordes were who greatly lauded and praised him and sayd each to other how that they had neuer séene before so goodly a Prince nor better made nor fourmed of his members Then the Emperour sent for his Daughter by two great Lordes and they went to her Chamber for her then she came to the Pallaice to the Emperour her Father richly accompanied with Ladies Damsels Of their apparell I will make no long rehearsall for it was as rich as might be and she was so faire that God and nature could not amend her nor no Painter in the world though he were neuer so skilfull could not paint the fashion nor proportion of her beautifull bodie and all that were there present both young and old sayd that they neuer sawe nor heard report of so faire a couple of Creatures as the noble Croissant and this Ladie were for euerie man thought that they were made for nothing else but to cause men to behould them and their beautie Chap. CLXXXIII ¶ Howe the Emperour Guymart promised Croissant that within three dayes he should haue his Daughter in mariage And how the Emperour Guymart led Croissant to the olde Pallaice and shewed him the great Treasure that the two Knightes kept for him WHen the Emperour Guymart sawe his Daughter come hee tooke her by the hand and sayd My right déere Daughter I haue found for you a Husband to whome I haue giuen you and you may well say that a fairer man nor a hardyer Knight you neuer sawe before and that is the noble Croissant vnto whom this Empire appertaineth by rightfull enheritance and he is Son to the noble Emperour Ide who hath giuen this Empire to his Son Croissant but when he was of no great age he departed from this Cittie with a small companie and went to serue in strang countreys and when the Lords of this countrey saw that they were without a Lord they sent for me into Puille and so they made mee héere Emperour wrongfully and without reason but nowe since that Croissant the rightfull Inheritour is returned for to discharge my soule towards God I shall put into his hands al his Empire without kéeping from him any part thereof for as for me I am rich and puissant ynough and therefore Croissant if it be your pleasure you shall haue my Daughter in mariage Sir quoth Croissant if it be her pleasure I will not refuse her for I neuer sawe a fairer nor none that I had rather to haue When the faire Damsell vnderstood Croissant shee was right ioyfull and she beheld Croissant who séemed to her so faire that her loue was
enflamed vpon him for the more she beheld him the more she loued him and she thought it long vntill the matter was made perfect then shee sayd to the Kinge her Father Sir then it is your will and pleasure that I shall haue Croissant in marriage you may commaund mee as it please you it were a folly for mee to make refuse and Sir I require you to let vs be married shortly for if I haue not him I renounce all marriage for euer for there is none other that euer shall set the King on my finger but onely Croissant When the King vnderstoode his Daughter hee laughed hartely and sayd Déere Daughter thinke not the contrarie but that you shall haue him to your Husband then the King sent for a Bishoppe who assured them together whereof the Damsell was so ioyful that shee wist not what to doe and priuily shee thanked our Lorde God and if she loued him well Croissant loued her aswell and both of them desired for the day that they might come together in wedlocke When Thrée dayes were passed and that the prouision was made readie for the Wedding then King Guymart made them to sweare each to other and especially he made Croissant to promise that on the Third day hee should take his Daughter in marriage the which Croissant promised and sware so to doe then the King tooke Croissant by the hand and ledde him to the old Pallaice to prooue if the Treasure that was there might be had away by Croissant as the Two Knightes had shewed him and then they two alone came to the ould Pallaice when they were come thether the King sayd Faire Sonne I loue you well and also you ought to beare me your loue since you shall haue my Daughter in marriage and because I haue great affiance in you I shall shew you what I thinke to say and that which lyeth in my heart it is of troth that about foure dayes passed as I came from seruice I stoode and leaned out at a window of my Pallaice and I beheld this same place whereas we be now and where I saw you lye a sléepe repleat with famine and pouertie I tooke of you great pitie and I brought to you bread and drinke and did sette it by you and I couered you with a furred mantle and so I let you lye still for I would not awake you and as I returned from you I sawe a dore open of this Chamber the which you sée now closed out of the which I sawe a great light yssue then I went thether and entred into the Chamber and there I sawe so great Treasure that I neuer saw none such in all my life there was a rich Image of gould the which I thought to haue taken and borne with me as I had it in my handes two Knights well armed came foorth whereof I was afraide then they sayd vnto me that I should not be so hardy as to touch the Image nor no part of the Treasure that I saw there for they sayd that it did not appertaine to me and if I did the contrarie I should repent it and they sayd incontinent they would slay me then I demaunded to whome that Treasure did belong Then they sayd that it did belong vnto Croissant who lay héere without a sléepe and they commaunded me to take thrée Besans of gould to prooue thereby to whome the Treasure should appertaine and then they aduised me to make a Dole to poore men and that I shold cast down the Besans vppon the earth whereas the poore men should passe by and hee that found them and brought them to me this Treasure should appertaine to him wherefore I pray you let vs go thether to know the troth Sir quoth Croissant I pray you let vs goe thether When they came there they found the dore closed and then Croissant knocked thereat and sayd Yée Sirs that be within I pray you in the name of God to open this dore incontinent the dore opened and there they found the two Knightes with their swords in their hands Then Guymart and Croissant entred into the Chamber and the two Knightes came to Croissant made him great chéere and sayd Croissant your great Prowesse and Noblenes is greatly to be praised we haue béen a longe time héere sette to kéepe for you this Treasure that you sée héere for it is Fiue Hundred yeares since that we were set héere by King Oberon to kéepe this Treasure for you and hée shewed vs that it appertained to you and neuer since it was touched by any man but onely by King Guymart whome to the intent to ayd and succour you wee bad him take thrée Besans of gould and shewed him that this Treasure appertained neither to King nor Emperour but alonely to you which is so great that no man liuing can estéeme it you may take it beare it away or giue it whereas it shall please you and whatsoeuer you take from it all your life it shall not diminish nor decrease When Croissant vnderstood them hee was ioyfull and thanked the Knightes in that they hadde so longe kept his Treasures then they tooke leaue of Croissant and embraced him and sayd Sir we require you to bee courteous and liberall and pitifull to the poore and loue well all noble and wise men and giue to them largely and be good and true to your Father in law King Guymart for he is a noble and a wise Prince you ought to thanke him to loue him aboue all other men liuing When Croissant thanked them of their good aduertisement and then they tooke their leaue and so departed sodenly that neither Croissant nor Guymart wist not where they were become whereof they were abashed and made on them the signe of the crosse then they looked about the Chamber and saw the Treasure that was there where of Croissant was so abashed that he will not what to say for there was a great light in the Chamber as though there had béen Thirtie Torches lighted by reason of the bright stones that were there to speake of the Treasure that was in that Chamber I cannot shewe it for there 〈◊〉 so much that they were thereof abashed to behold it When Croissant sawe this Treasure it was no maruaile though he was ioyfull and thought to himselfe that he would not spaâ—e to giue to them that were worthy such as did serue him truely and so hee did for hee gaue so largely that all the 〈◊〉 praised him and when they had beene there a certaine space Croissant sayd to King Guymart Sir of this Treasure I will that you haue the one halfe you shall haue the keys of that and giue thereof at your pleasure Faire Sonne quoth the King I thanke you all that I haue is yours and all that you haue is mine wée will part nothing betwéene vs as longe as wee liue Then they departed from thence and Croissant tooke certaine of the iewels to giue to his Spouse and then they departed out of the Chamber and locked the dore tooke the key with them and so they returned to the Pallaice right ioyfull Then Croissant gaue to his Lady the rich iewels who right humbly thanked him therefore Chap. CLXXXIIII ¶ Of the great Treasure that they had and how Croissant wedded the noble Damsell daughter to King Guymart and of the Feast that was there made AFter that King Guymart and Croissant were returned to the Pallace the Ladie was readie apparelled and then the Two Louers were wedded together in the Chappell of the Pallaice The great ioy and mirth that was made in the Pallaice and in the Citie I make no mention thereof they dyned and of their seruice and rich apparell I make no rehearsall for it were too longe to declare it After dinner the young Knightes and Squiers Iusted in the Cittie of the ioy and sport that was there made no man can expresse it at length Then they went to supper and if they were well serued at dinner it was aswell at Supper And after supper and that the dauncing was done Croissant and his Ladie went to bed together in a rich Chamber where the same night they accomplished their desires so faire a couple was neuer seene as were Croissant and the Ladie Katherine his Wife when the night was passed they arose and came into the Pallaice whereas the feasting and ioy began againe the whiâ—h 〈◊〉 Fiftéen dayes Great was the triumph that was there made after that euerie man departed from the Court except all such as appertained to the Court. Of the good life that they led all such as loued them reioyced thereat and longe time they liued together so that at last through age King Guymart â—ay sicke in his bed and so the Fourth day he dyed great sorow the Ladie Katherine his Daughter made and so did Croâ—ssant who déerely loued him and his body was borne to the Church of Saint Pâ—ter and his obsequies done and so layd in his Sepulture with sore wéepings for in his time he was a good Prince and a true Iusticer hee was greatly complained for both with poore and with rich Then after his death by the consent of all the Lords of the Empire Croissant was crowned Emperour and the Ladie Katherine Empresse at whose Coronation was made great feasting and ioy a godly life they led as longe as they liued Croissant amended and encreased the Signiorie of Roome and conquered diuers Realmes as Ierusalem and al Surrey as more plainely you may knowe by the Cronicle that is made of him and of his déedes and now héere of him I make no more mention they that will know more let them search the Bookes of Cronicles making mention of his déedes Thus endeth the Ancient Honourable Famous and delightfull Historie of Huon of Bourdeaux one of the Péeres of Fraunce and Duke of Guyenne and of diuers Princes liuing in his time Translated out of French into English by Sir Iohn Bourchier Knight Lord Berners at the request of the Lord Hastings Earle of Huntington in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand Fiue Hundred Thréescore Ten And now newly reuised and corrected this present yeare 1601. FINIS