Roome Croissant their Sonne grewe amended in all thinges he delighted to take his pleasure in all sports and he made to be proclaimed Iusts and Tourneys and gaue large guiftes to Ladies to Knightes none went from him without some guift he tooke great pleasure to giue guifts so that hee was praised of euerie man howbeit diuers ancient and wise men sayd if Croissant our yong Prince deale thus with the Treasure that his Father left him it will be much wasted and such as nowe follow him will forsake him when they sée that he hath no more to giue as they did indéed as yee shall heare for he gaue to them that were poore whereby they were made rich who after would not giue him one morsell of bread he was so liberall and so great a spender that all the Treasure that his Father had left him he gaue it away so that many complained greatly of his bountie and Larges for he gaue away so much that he was forced to diminish his estate and was forsaken of all them that were woont to serue him because he had no more to giue them so that when they met him they would turne to another way and when he knewe that he had so great shame that he determined to depart priuily out of the Countrey and to goe séeke his aduentures for he sawe well that he had giuen away and lent so much that he could not then find one man that would lend him one penny Then with that which was left he bought two good horses and mounted on the one and vppon the other a Varlet and a Male behinde him and therein a Gowne and his shirts hose and shooes and he had in his purse no more but one Hundred ◠for his expences and in a Morning he departed from Roome to the intent he should not be perceiued and road so long by his iourneys that hee was farre off from the Citie of Roome more then Foure dayes iourney Now let vs leaue speaking of him till time shall be to returne to him againe Chap. CLXXIIII ¶ How they of Roome sent to the King Guymart of Puylle to the entent that he should come and gouerne that Countrey and to be their Lord because that Croissant was a Child and had giuen and wasted all that he had and how Guymart came thether and was receiued as Lord. AFter that the Barons and Senatours of Roome were aduertised that their young Lord Croissant was departed from the Citie and that he had wasted and spent al the Treasure that he had then they assembled at the Capitoll and there was one sayd Cursed is that land whereof the Lorde is a Child as yée may well perceiue by our young Lord Croissant who hath spent all and giuen away the great treasure that his Father had left him verie badly should he gouerne his Land and Countrey when he cannot kéepe that which is closed fast in his Coffers and therefore mine aduice is that wee send to King Guymart of Puille who is alreadie of the mind to come and besiege vs because he knoweth well that we be without a Lord and therefore mine aduice is that wée send vnto him a noble Ambassage desiring him to come to this Citie of Roome and say that this Citie shall doe to him obeysance it is better to send betimes then too late to the intent that neither he nor none of his doe any dammage to the Landes of Roome All they that were there agréed to his saying and so they sent to him who receiued the Ambassadours right honourably and so he came to Roome whereas he was receiued for their Lord peaceably But before he entred into Roome they went and mette him and with great ioy brought him into the City with Trumpets and Drummes blowing before him vntill he came to the Church of Saint Peter and there hée offered and kissed the Reliques whereof he made his oath such as Emperours are accustomed to make he to defend and kéepe Roome the Empire Then hée went to the Pallaice whereas hée was receiued of the noble men and of the people then hee gouerned Roome in good peace and iustice Nowe lette vs leaue speaking of him and returne to Croissant Chap. CLXXV ¶ Howe Croissant arriued at Nise in Prouaunce and came to the Earle Remon who was besieged by the Sarazins and of the honour that the Earle Remon did to Croissant and howe hee gaue him his banner to beare and made him Knight and of the great enuie that the Earles Sonne had at Croissant AFter that Croissant was departed from Roome and his Varlet with him and had well séen that in all Rome they set nothing by him because hee had no more guifts to giue them Then hee road through Romania and Lombardie and passed Piemont and then came into Daulpheney and when hee came into the Towne of Grenoble it was shewed him that in Prouaunce there was a noble Prince named Earle Remon of Saint Giles who was besieged by land by water in the Towne of Nise by the King of Granado the King of Belmarin who day and night made great assaults to the Citie and they had sworne and made promise that they would neuer depart from thence vntill they had wonne that Towne and slaine the Earle Remon When Croissant heard those good newes the hardy prowesse wherewith hee was garnished and repleat set him into so hye a will that hee thought the Sarazins flew to the ayre and that he would raise their siege before it be night and for the burning desire that he had hee thought to goe thether to prooue his vertue against the Paynims so when he had rested his horse he and his Squier mounted and rested not vntill he came to Nise in an Euening late hee there arriued without perceiuing of them of the siege for as then they were all in their Tents because a little before there hadde béene at the gate a great Skirmish wherefore the Sarazins were wearie of their trauaile and also on that part that Croissant arriued there were no Sarazins lodged Then hee came to the gate and prayed the Porter to let him enter and when the Porter saw there were no more but two persons and that hee was a Christian hee suffered him to enter without any refuse And when Croissant sawe that hee was in without any danger he was ioyfull then he came to one of the best lodgings in the Towne and there he alighted and supped with his host because it was too late to goe that night to the Court there he tarried all that night vntill the next morning then hee went to the Pallace whereas he found the Earle Remon deuising with his Lordes and Knights of the déedes of warre then Croissant saluted the Earle and all his Lordes When the Earle saw the young man he greatly beheld him and thought that in all his life he had neuer séen so goodly a person and thought that hee was come of some noble
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
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
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
heart Alas Sir quoth Huon for Gods sake councell me in this heauie case what will the Duchesse our Mother say when she knoweth that my Brother is slaine who so louingly hath nourished vs both Ah my deare Brother Gerard nowe I sée well your dreame is too true Alas that I had beléeued it for if I had this had not happened Ah Sir quoth Huon to the Abbot I desire you to assist mée for if I should likewise be slaine yet I will goe and demaund of yonder Knight for what occasion he hath slaine my Brother nor I shall neuer returne vntill I haue slaine him or he mée Ah faire Nephew quoth the Abbot beware what you doe haue no trust to bée succoured by me for you know well in this case that I cannot ayd you I am a Priest and therefore may not bée where any man is slaine Sir quoth Huon of such companie as yours is we might well forbeare Then Huon beheld heauily the Ten Knights that came with him from Bourdeaux and said Sirs you that are come hether with mée haue béen nourished in my house how say you will you ayd mée to reuenge the death of my Brother and to succour me against these false murderers that hath laine in waite slaine my Brother Gerard Sir quoth they were we sure to dye in the quarell yet we should ayd and succour you therefore goe forth and haue no doubt and then they road forth with such small defence as they had Then Huon spurred foorth his Horse with such fiercenesse that he made the earth to tremble vnder him and his Knights followed him with hardy courage determining to doe valiantly When the good Abbot saw his Nephew depart and his companie hée had great pitie on him and prayed our Lord God to defend them from death And the Abbot with his companie followed softly after Huon to sée what end the matter shoulde came vnto Huon road so long vntill he came whereas his Brother lay sore wounded Then he cryed aloud my right deare Brother if there be any life in your bodie answere me and shew me how you féele your selfe Brother quoth Gerard I am sore wounded I cannot tell if I may scape aliue thinke on your selfe it is no losse of mée fly you away yonder you may sée how the wood is full of armed men and they 〈◊〉 for nothing but to slay you as they haue done me Chap. VIII ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux was sorrowfull when he saw his Brother Gerard so sore wounded and how he slew Charlot and howe he came before the King at Paris and appeached him of treason WHen Huon heard his Brother he was verie sorrowfull said that he had rather dye then depart without reuenging of him and God wil I shall not depart till I haue slayn him that hath brought you into this perill then he spurred his Horse and followed after Charlot who was returning to the wood to his company but when Charlot perceiued how Huon followed him he turned his Horse and beheld him fiercely Then Huon cried with a hye voyce and said Villaine what art thou that hast slaine my Brother where wert thou borne Charlot answeared and sayd I was borne in Almaine and I am Sonne to Duke Thyâ—rey Huon beléeued he had sayd troth for Charlot had a disguised Shéeld because he would not bée knowne Ah quoth Huon God giue thée shame for the fact why hast thou slaine my Brother Then Charlot answered boldly and sayd thy Father Duke Seuin tooke from me thrée Castles and would neuer doe my right therefore I haue slayne thy Brother and in likwise so shall I thée Then Huon in great rage said false vntrue Knight and murderer before it be night I shall quittance this wrong vppon thine owne head Then Charlot said beware thée of me for I defie thée Huon who had no armour to defend him tooke his Cloake of scarlet and wrapped it about his arme and drew his Sword and spurred his horse came against Charlot with his Sword in his hand and Charlot on the other part came against him with his Speare in the rest and strooke Huon about the right arme so that the stroake passed through the doublenesse of his Cloake and through his Gowne and Shert and myst his flesh Thus Huon escaped that stroake and thanked God thereof then he lifted vp his sword with both his handes and let the bridell of his horse go and so with all his might vertue he stroke Charlot on the healme in such wise that the cirkle nor coft of stéele could not defend him but that the sword went into his brayn and so he fell to the earth and neuer arose after thus Charlot was slayne miserably Then the Traytour Amerie being in the wood perceiued well how Charlot was slayne whereof he thanked God and said Charlot is dead God bée thanked for by that stroake I shall bring Fraunce into such a trouble that I shall attaine to all my desires Then Huon séeing Gharlot dead returned to Gerard his Brother lying still on the earth brought him Charlots horse and demaunded if he might ryde or not Brother quoth Gerard I thinke yes if my wounde were bounde fast I would assay Then Huon alighted and tooke a péece of his sheart and therewith bound his brothers wound then Huons knights came vnto him and holpe to set Gerard vpon his horse but for the paine that he suffered he swounded twice then when he came againe to himselfe they set him vpon an amblinge Palfray and a Knight behind him to sustaine him vp right Then he sayd vnto Huon Brother I desire you let vs depart from hence without going any further forward rather let vs returne to Bourdeaux to the Duchesse our Mother for I doubt if we goe any further that some great ill shall come vnto vs I promise you if we be perceiued by them that bée in the wood and that they knowe that you haue slayne him that hurt me I feare me they will slay vs all Brother quoth Huon by the grace of God I shall not returne for feare of death vntill I haue séene the King to appeach him of treason when vnder his conduct and commandement we be thus betrayed and watched by the way to murder vs. Brother quoth Gerard as your pleasure is so bée it Then they road foorth the way to Paris faire and easily bycause of Gerard who was sore hurt Then the Knightes that were ambushed in the wood said to sir Amerie Sir what shall we doe sée Charlot is slaine and lyeth in the playne and if we shall goe after them that hath done this déede it shall bée ill done of vs if they escape away aliue Then sir Amerie answeared and said Let them goe God curse them let vs follow them a farre off vntill they come to Paris and let vs â—arie with vs the bodie of Charlot and bring it to the King and there you shall see what I shall say and if you will
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
and gaue such carrier to their horses that it séemed the thunder had fallen from heauen and with their sharp Speares they encountred in such wise that their Speares brake to their hands so that the shiuers flew vp high into the ayre and into the Kings Stage and both their Horses fell to the earth and the Knights sore astonied with their falling Then verie boldly they reléeued themselues with their Swords in their handes and so approached each to other and fought each with other so long while that Huons Horse strangled sir Ameries Horse who when he saw his horse slaine stoutly stept to Huon for to haue slaine him but Huon met him valiantly and lifting vp his Sword gaue the Earle such a stroake that he was astonied therewith and staggred backe more then two paces and a halfe hardly holding himselfe from falling to the earth so that all that sawâ— them had maruaile of Huons vertue force séeing the great strength that was in sir Amerie Then when Earle Amerie felt himselfe in such perill he began to despise the name of God and of the glorious Virgin Marie howbeit as well as hée might hée approached to Huon and with his Sword gaue Huon such a stroake on the helmet that all the flowers and precious stones there flew abroad in the féeld and the cirkle of the helmet all to broken and the stroake was so puissant that Huon was therewith sore astonied and perforce was faine to fall on one of his knées to the earth the other Legge but weakly supporting him There was present in the féeld Lords and Knights one of the Abbot of Clunyes seruants who when he saw the great stroake that Huon had receiued he departed out of the féeld and went into the church whereas he found his maister the Abbot at his prayers for the good spéed of Huon his Nephew to whome the seruant said Ah my Lord pray heartily to our Lord Iesus Christ to succour your Nephew for I saw him faine to knéele vpon one of his knées in great doubt of death Then the good Abbot without any answeare lifted vp his hands toward Heauen deuoutly and weeping prayed to God to ayd and defend the honour of his Nephew and to maintaine his right Thus Huon béeing in the féeld in great doubt of his life féeling the sturdie strength of Earle Amerie called with a good heart to our Lord Iesus Christ requiring him to aide his right the which he knew to be most true When Earle Amerie sawe that Huon had receiued of him such a heauy stroake he said Huon I beléeue thou wilt not endure long better it were that thou confesse the déede before I slay thée for ere it bée night I shall cause thée to waue in the wind Hold thy tonge thou false Traytour quoth Huon thine ilnesse shall not aid thée for I shall bring thée to that point that all thy fréends shall haue shame of thée Then Huon aduaunced him and made semblance to haue striken Amerie on the helmet and Amerie lifted vp his Shéeld to haue receiued the stroake but when Huon saw that he turned his stroake to a reuerse and stroake Amerie vnder the arme with his sharpe Sword so that he stroake off his arme the which fell downe in the féeld Shéeld and all When Earle Amerie sawe felt that maruailous stroake and that he had lost his left arme and saw it lye in the féeld hee was full of paine and sorrow and aduised himselfe of a great treason then he spake to Huon and saide Ah Noble Knight haue pitie of me for wrongfully and without cause I haue appeached thée of the death of Charlot the kings Son for I know in troth you knew him not but he is dead by my meanes for I brought him into the wood to haue murdered you and your Brother I am readie to acknowledg this before the King and all his Barons and to discharge you thereof therefore I pray you kill me not I yéeld me vnto you take heere my Sword Then Huon came vnto him and put downe his arme to haue taken the Sword but then the false Traytour Amerie with a reuerse stroake strooke Huon vpon the arme thinking to haue striken it off but he fayled howbeit he gaue him a great wound in the arme so that the bloud ran downe When Huon saw this horrible treason he said O thou vntrue and false Traytour thine â—â—esse can no longer saue thée for thou shalt nâ—uer doe treason more then Huon lifted vp his Sword gaue the Earle such a maruailous stroke betwéen the healme and the shoulder that he strooke off his head cleane from the bodie so that the healme and head fel one way and the body another way Alas what hap was it to Huon that he did not remember before he slew Amerie the Proclamation that the Emperor had made before for afterward Huon suffered so muche wrong and iniurie as might mooue the verie hardest heart to compassionate his case and as you shall more at large vnderstand in the following discourse Chap. XVI ¶ How after the Emperour Charlemaine had seene Earle Amerie was slaine he commaunded expresly that Huon should auoid the Realme and Empire and to be banished thence for euer WHen that Duke Naymes who kept the féeld saw how by Huon the Earle was slaine he was right ioyfull and came to Huon and demaunded how hée did Sir quoth he thanked be God I féele no dolour nor gréefe then they brought him to the Pallaice to the King who was departed out of the féeld When he saw the Earle slaine and was thereof right sorrowfull then he demanded of Huon and of Duke Naymes if they had heard Earle Amerie confesse the treason that hée had layde to Huon for the death of Charlot his Sonne My Lord quoth the Duke I thinke he did confesse it but I heard it not for Huon pressed so sore vpon him that he had no leasure to doe it Then Charlemaine sayd Ah Earle Amerie I know certainely thou didst neuer that treason nor neuer thought it wherefore thou art slaine wrongfully and without cause for there was neuer a truer Knight theÌ„ thou wert I am sure if thou hadst done it thou wouldest haue confessed it before me Then the King sayd vnto Huon I charg thée incontinent to auoid my Realme out of the which I banish thée foreuer nor shalt thou euer enioy one foote of Land in Bourdeaux nor in Aquitaine also I forbid thée that thou neuer be so hardy as to go to Bourdeaux for by my honour and crowne if I may know that thou goest thether I shall make thée to die an euill death nor there is no man liuing though he be neuer so néere a fréend vnto me but if he make any request for thée I shall neuer loue him nor he shall neuer after come in my sight Then Huon said Alas my Lord what iustice is this haue I done any more then knighthood bound me too haue not
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
Galley such as shall bée necessarie for you Most holy Father quoth Huon of this I thanke you Well quoth the Pope this night you shall abide hâ—ere with me Sir quoth he I require you to let me depart for greatly I desire to sée mine Vncle Garyn When the Pope saw that he would néedes depart he deliuered him his Letter and sayd Faire Nephew salute from me my Brother Garyn your Vncle. Sir quoth he I shall do your commaundement then the Pope gaue to Huon great and rich presents and to all them that were with him and hée kissed his Nephew at his departing Huon tooke leaue of theÌ„ all wéeping and so departed and entred into the Riuer of Tiber in a rich Shippe the which the Pope had well garnished for him Thus hee had good winde so that anone they arriued at Brandis but whiles he was on the water hee wept sore and pityously complayned in that he was so departed out of his Countrey then his men comforted him and shewed many faire examples to comfort him Sir quoth Guichard leaue your sorrow for gréefe and sadnesse cannot auaile you you must put all to the mercie of our Lord God who neuer forgetteth them that loue him shew your selfe a man and no Child to the entent that we that be with you may be reioyced for the sorrow that we sée you in doth sore trouble vs. Deare fréend quoth Huon since it is so I shall follow your will and thus they arriued at the Port of Brandis Then they yssued out of their Shippe and tooke out their Horses and there they saw Garyn sitting before the Port in a lodge well and richly hanged in a goodly Chaire When Huon saw him sitting he saluted him thinking that he was Lord of that Countrey then Garyn beheld Huon and began to wéepe and said Sir it doth not appertaine vnto me that you should doe me so great honour as you doe for by that I sée in you I am constrained to wéepe bycause you resemble so much to a Prince of the Realme of Fraunce called Duke Seuin who was Lord of the Citie of Bourdeaux the great loue that euer I bare vnto him caused me to wéepe therefore I require you tell me where you were borne and who be your Parents and fréends for Duke Seuin wedded my Sister the Duchesse Aclis Sir quoth Huon séeing you will néedes know what I am I may well shew it vnto you for that Duke was my Father and the Duchesse Aclis is my Mother we are two brethren I am the eldest the younger is still at Bourdeaux to kéepe our Land When Garyn vnderstood that Huon was Sonne to Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux the ioy that he had could not be expressed then he embraced Huon all wéeping and said Right deare Nephew your comming is to me the greatest ioy in this world so he knéeled downe and would haue kissed Huons féete but Huon reléeued him incontinent The ioy that was betwéene them two was so great that all that saw it had maruaile thereof Then Garyn demaunded of Huon and said Faire Nephew what aduenture hath brought you into these parts Then Huon shewed him from point to point all his businesse and the cause why he was entred into that Enterprize When Garyn had heard all he began to wéepe and yet to comfort his Nephew he said Faire Huon whereas lyeth great perils there lyeth great honour God ayd you to eschew and to finish this great businesse all is possible to God and to man by meanes of his grace a man ought neuer to bâ— abashed for worldly matters Then Huon deliuered his Letters to his Vncle Garyn who gladly receiued them and read the contents thereof at large Then he said Faire Nephew there néede none other recommendations but the sight of your presence for it appeareth well by your countenance that you be the same person that our holy Father maketh mention of surely your comming séemeth to mée faire and good and you be arriued at a good Port for I promise you faithfully I loue well my Wife and my Children but the great loue that I haue vnto you for the loue of your Father Duke Seuin and the Duchesse your Mother who was mine owne deare Sister I abandon all that I haue to serue you and kéepe you companie both with my bodie and all that I haue Knowe for truth I haue thrée good Galleys three great Shippes well fournished of euerie thing for the warre the which I shall lead with you for as longe as life abideth in my bodie I shall not abandon you but I shall ayde you in all your Enterprizes Faire Vncle quoth Huon for the great courtesie that you offer mée I can but thanke you then Garyn tooke Huon by the hand and led him into his Castle whereas hée was richly receiued Garyns Wife and foure of her Sonnes came vnto Huon and he full courteously kissed the Ladie and her foure Children his Coozens great ioy was made there in the Hall and the Tables set for Supper Then Garyn called his Wife and said Madame this young Knight that you sée héere is my Nephew and Coozen to your Children who is come hether for refuge to haue counsaile and ayd of me in a Voyage and Enterprise that he hath to doe and by the grace of God I shall go with him to ayd and to conduct him wherefore I pray and commaund that you take in rule all my affaires and kéepe your Children Sir quoth she séeing it is your pleasure thus to doe and that you will goe with him your will let be fulfilled howbeit I had rather you abode then went this shée spake sore wéeping The next day in the morning Garyn who had great will to serue and please his Nephew ordained a great Shippe to be made readie well fournished with Bisket Wines and flesh and all other manner of victuals and with munition of warre as it appertained and put therein their horses and armour gould and siluer other riches necessarie for them then they tooke leaue of the Ladie and so lest her sore wéeping Thus Garyn and Huon entred into their Ship and all their companie there were Thirtéene Knightes and Twoo Varlets to serue them for they would haue no greater number Chap. XX. ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux departed from Brandis and Garyn his Vncle with him and how he came to Ierusalem and from thence into the Deserts whereas hee founde Gerames and of their conference WHen Huon and Garyn were entred into their Ship they hoysed vp their Sailes and sayled night and daye so that at last they arriued safely at the Port of Iaffe where they tooke landing and drew out their horses and road foorth so the same day that they came to Rames and the next day to the Citie of Ierusalem that night they rested and the next day they did their Pilgrimage to the holy Sepulchre and there deuoutly heard Seruice and offered according to their deuotion When Huon came before the
armed with his armour for none can endure against him therefore Cosin I counsell you to returne backe againe ere he doe awake and I shall open you the wicket so that you shall passe out without any danger Chap. XXXII ¶ How the Damsell cosen to Huon shewed him the chamber whereas the Gyant slept and how he went and waked him and of the good armour that the Gyant deliuered to Huon WHen Huon had well vnderstood the Damsell he said Cosen know for troth ere I depart hence I will sée what man he is it shall neuer be said to my reproch in the court of any Prince that for feare of any miscreant I should be of so faint a courage that I durst not abide him certainly I had rather die than such a fault should come to me Ah Cosen quoth shée then I sée well both you and I are destroyed but séeing it is thus I shall shew you the chamber whereas he sléepeth and when yée haue séene him yet then yée may returne First goe into this chamber that you sée héere before you wherein yée shall find bread and wine and other victuals and in the next you shall find clothes of silke and many rich iewels then in the third chamber yée shall find the foure Gods of the Paynims they be all of fine massie gould in the fourth yée shall find the Gyant lying a sléepe on a rich bed then sir if ye were of my mind I would counsell you to strike of his head sléeping for if he awake you cannot escape without death Ladie quoth Huon and god will it shall neuer be said to my disgrace that I should strike any man without his knowledge Then Huon departed from the Ladie his sword being in his hand and his helmet on his head and his shield about his necke and so entred into the first chamber and then into the second and third wheras he saw the foure Gods when he had well regarded them he gaue each of thē a stroake with his sword and then he entred into the chamber whereas the Gyant lay sléeping Huon noted him aduisedly and the bed that he lay on the which was so rich that the valew thereof could not be prized the curtaines couerings and pillowes were of such riches that it was great beautie to behould them Also the chamber was hanged with rich clothes the floare couered with carpets whē Huon had well regarded all this and well considered of the Gyant who was xvij foote of length and his body fournished thereafter and all his other members but a more fowler hideous creature was neuer séene with a great head great eares and a camelled nose eyes burning like a candle Ah good Lord quoth Huon I would King Charlemaine were héere to sée vs twoo fight for I am sure then ere he departed my peace should be made with him Lord god I humbly require thée to be my succour against this enemy for if it be not thy good pleasure against him I can no while endure Then Huon fiercely aduanced foorth and made the signe of the Crosse casting in his mind what he might doe for he thought if he slew him sléeping it should be a great reproch to him and it would be said that he had slaine a man dead whereupon he said to himselfe shame haue I if I touch him ere I haue defied him then Huon cryed out aloud and said Arise thou heathen hound or else I shall strike off thy head When the Gyant heard Huon speake he awaked fiercely and beheld Huon and rose vp so quickly that in rising he brake the bedsted that he lay vpon then he said to Huon Frend they that sent thée hether loued thée but little nor doubted not me And when Huon heard the Gyant speake french he had great maruaile and said I am come hether to see thee and it may be so that I haue done it vnaduisedly Then the Gyant said thou sayest troth for if I were armed as thou art Fiue hundred men such as thou art could not endure me but that they should all die but thou seest I am naked without sword or weapon yet for all that I doubt thée not Then Huon thought in himselfe that it would be a great shame to him to assaile a man without armour or weapon wherefore he said Goe and arme thée or incontinent I shall slay thée Fréend quoth the Gyant this that thou sayest procéedeth of a good courage of courtesie Then he armed him and tooke in his hand a great fawchin and Huon was withdrawne into the Pallaice abiding for the Gyant who tarried not long but came to Huon said where art thou behould me héere ready to destroy thée without thou make good defence yet I desire thee tell me what thou art to thintent that I may when I haue slaine thée tell how I haue slaine such a one that by his folly came to assaile me in myne owne Pallaice Great pride it was in thée that thou wouldest not strike me ere I was armed but whosoeuer thou art thou séemest sonne to a noble man I pray thée shew mee whether thou wouldest goe and what mooued thée to come hether to thintent that I might know the troth of thine enterprize that when I haue slaine thee I may make my vaunt to my men that I haue slaine such a man that thought scorne and disdaine to strike me ere I was armed Paynim quoth Huon thou art in a great folly when thou so rashly reputest me for dead But seing thou wouldst know the troth I am a poore knight from whome king Charlemaine hath taken my Lands and banished me out of the Realme of Fraunce and hath sent me for to doe a messuage to the Admirall Gaudise at Babilon and my name is Huon Sonne to Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux Now I haue shewed all the troth of mine enterprize and now I pray thée tell me where thou wert borne and who engendred thée to thintent that when I haue slaine thée I may make mine auaunt in king Charles Court and before all my frends that I haue slaine such a maruaylous great Gyant as thou art Then the Giant said if thou slay me thou maiest well make thy vaunt that thou hast slaine Angolofer the Gyant who hath xvij brethren of whome I am the yongest Also thou maiest say that vnto the drie trée and to the red sea there is no man but is tributarie to me I haue chaced the Admirall Gaudise to whome thou saiest thou goest haue taken from him by puissance diuers of his Cities and he doth me yéerely seruage by the tender of a Ring of gould to buy his heade withall Also I tooke from Oberon the Fayrie King this puissant Towre who for all his enchaunting Fayries could not resist me and also I tooke from him a rich Armour thou neuer heardst of such another for it hath such vertue that whosoeuer can put it on can neuer be wearie nor discōfited But there is
abused he said to Agrapart in this that thou hast said thou lyest falsely thus shamefully to rebuke me in mine owne Court before all my Lords therefore shewe mee the â—ause why thou doest me this iniurie Admirall quoth hee it is bicause there is come into thy Court he that hath slaine my Brother whom incontinent thou oughtest to haue slain likewise wherefore if it were not for mine owne honour with my fist I would strike thée on the face thou hast put him in prison without any more hurt dooing vnto him therefore thou traytour théefe by Mahound be thou cursed thou art not worthy to sit in a seate royall therefore arise vp it is not méeâ—e for thée to sit there And therewith hée drew the Admirall so rudely out of his chaire that his hat and Crowne fell downe to the earth whereat the Admirall was sore abashed Then Agrapart sat downe in his chaire said thou false Traytour my Brother is dead therefore from hencefoorth thou shalt be my Subiect for it appertaineth to me to haue the Lands that my Brother had and the Tribute that thou wert woont to pay vnto my Brother or else I shall strike off thy head howbeit I will not doe against right for if thou wilt prooue the coÌ„trarie or find two Champions to be so hardy that for thy loue they dare or will fight with me in plaine battaile I shall fight with them or more if thou wilt send theÌ„ to me And if it be so that I be ouercome discomfited by any of theÌ„ I am content that froÌ„ hence foorth thou shalt hould thy landes franke frée without any tribute paying But if it fall out so that I conquer theÌ„ both then thou to be my subiect and to pay me tribute for euer also to pay me for a due taxe euery yéere Foure Ducates of gould as thy head money Agrapart quoth the Admirall I am content thus to do and to appoint twoo of my men to fight with thée Chap. XLIII ¶ How the Admirall Gaudis tooke Huon out of prison and armed him to fight with the Gyant Agrapart WHen the Admirall had heard the great Gyant he said alowd where bee the twoo gentle knights that will for euer be my friends now is the time come that all the goodnes and great gifts that I haue giuen among you is now to be rewarded If there be any of you that will fight against this Gyant I shall giue him my Daughter Escleremond in mariage and after my death to haue my Heritage no man shall be so bold as to say nay thereto But for any faire wordes or promises that the Admirall could make there was no Paynim so hardye to vndertake it whereuppon the Admirall made great sorow and began to lament and when the Gyant Agrapart sawe him he said Thy lamenting cannot auaile thée for whether thou wilt or not it must beheeue thée to pay these iiij péeces of gold yerely for I am sure there is no Paynim that dare fight against me When the faire Ladie Escleremond saw her Father wéepe it sore gréeued her hart and she said O my Father if I knewe that it should not displease you I would shew you one thing which should bring you out of this doubt Daughter quoth he I sweare by Mahound I will not be displeased whatsoeuer thou sayest Sir quoth shée I did once delude you in telling you that the French-man that brought you the Messuage from king Charlemaine was dead in prison but sir credite me he is as yet aliue if it please you I shall fetch him to you and without doubt I dare warrant you that he will take on him this Battaile against the Gyant for he shewed you how he slew the other Gyant Angolofer therefore I haue hope by the ayd of Mahound in likewise he shall slay his brother this Gyant Agrapart Daughter quoth the Admirall it is my pleasure that ye shall fetch the Prisoner to me for if he can discomfite this Gyant I am content that he all his company shall depart franke frée at their pleasure Then the Lady Gerames went to the prison tooke out Huon all his company brought them before the Admirall Then the Admirall earnestly beheld Huon and had great maruaile that he was in so good case yet his colour was somewhat pale by reason of lying so long in prison then the Admirall said Friend it séemeth by thy lookes that thou hast had no ill imprisonment Sir quoth Huon I thanke your Daughter therefore but I pray you shew me for what cause yée haue as now sent for me Frend quoth the Admirall I shall shewe thée behould yonder Sarazin that is armed who hath challenged to fight with me hand to hand or against twoo of the best men that I haue and I can find none so hardy that dare fight against this Paynim but if it be so that thou wilt take vpon thee this enterprise for me I shall then deliuer thée and all thy company quite to goe into thy country at thy pleasure and safely to conduct thée to the Citie of Acre And also I will giue thée a Sommer with gould the which thou shalt present froÌ„ me to king Charlemaine and euery yere from hencefoorth to send him like present as for my head money and to make such assurance as his councell can deuise Also if hee haue any warre I shall send him twoo M. men of armes payed for a whole yere before hand and if it be so that he desire mine owne person I will then passe the sea with a C.M. Paynims to serue him for I had rather to be in seruitude there than to pay iiij d. to this Gyant And moreouer if thou wilt abide héere with me I shal giue thée my daughter Escleremond in mariage and the halfe of my Realme to maintaine thine estate Sir quoth Huon I am content this to doe so that I may haue mine owne Armour and my rich Horne of Iuory and my cuppe the which were taken from me when I was yéelded Prisoner Frend quoth the Admirall all shal be deliuered to thée thou shalt not loose the value of one peny Then the Admirall sent for the Horne Armour and Cup and deliuered them to Huon whereof he had great ioy but when Agrapart saw knew that the Admirall had found a Champion to fight with him hee saide to the Admirall Sir I will goe out and speake with my Knights and in the meane time let thy ChampioÌ„ be ready apparelled for I shall not tary long beside I shall neuer haue ioy at my hart till I haue torne his hart out of his bodie therewith he departed and went to his men and Huon put on his coate of mayle and then he tooke Gerames his horne of Iuory and said Friend I pray you kéepe my Horne till I returne againe Then he went prayed to our Lord to forgiue him his sinnes and to succour ayd him to discomfite that foule â—â—end the
naked skinne I should haue some comfort for then I might goe and séeke some aduenture greatly I ought to hate the crooked Dwarfe Oberon who hath brought me into all this paine but by the faith that I owe vnto God séeing he hath left me thus from hencefoorth to doe him the more spite I shall make lyes ynough I shall not leaue for him whom I recommend now to a hundred Thousand Diuels When he had béen there a certen space all alone hee arose and looked all about him to sée if he might perceiue anye man passe by from whome hee might haue any succour for he was néere famished for lacke of sustenance howbeit he thought to depart thence to séeke some aduenture so he went on his way and hée went so far that he found an aduenture such as you shall heare for our Lord Iesus Christ neuer forgetteth his Seruants Chap. LI. ¶ How Huon found a Minstrell who gaue him cloathing and meat and tooke Huon with him as his Varlet and went to Mombrance WHen Huon hadde gone a great way hee beheld on his right hand and saw néere him a little wood by a faire meadow-side and therein was standing a great Dake full of leaues and there beside was a cleare Fountaine and there he saw an ancient man with white haires sitting vnder the Dake and before him he had a little cloth spread abroad on the grasse and thereon flesh and bread and wine in a Bottell When Huon saw the old man he came vnto him and the ancient man sayd Ah thou wild man I pray thée for the loue of Mahound doe me no hurt but take meat and drinke at thy pleasure When Huon sawe him he espied lying beside him a Harpe and a Vyoll whereon he could well play for in all Pagany there was no Minstrell like him Fréend quoth Huon thou hast named me right for a more vnhappy man then I am there is none lyuing Fréend quoth the Minstrell goe to yonder Male and open it and take what thou likest best to couer thy naked skinne then come to mée and eat at thy pleasure Sir quoth Huon good aduenture is come vnto mée thus to find you Mahound reward you Sir quoth the Minstrell I pray you come and eate with me and kéepe me companie for you shall not find a more sorowfull man then I am By my faith quoth Huon a companion of your owne sort haue you found for there was neuer man that suffered so much pouertie as I haue praise be vnto him that fourmed me but séeing I haue found meat to eat blessed be the houre that I haue found you for you séeme to bee a good man Then Huon went to the Male and tooke cloathes and then came vnto the Minstrell and sat down and did eat and drinke as much as pleased him The Minstrell beheld Huon and sawe that he was a faire young man and a courteous and then hee demaunded of him where hée was borne and by what aduenture hee was arriued there in that case that he was in When Huon heard how the Minstrell demaunded of his estate he began to study in himselfe whether he should shew the troth or else to lye then he called to our Lord God and sayd Ah good Lord if I shew to this man the troth of mine aduenture I am but dead and King Oberon for a small offence thou hast left me in this case now if I shewe the troth of my life to this man I am but dead I shall neuer trust thée more but I will now put all my trust in God for the loue that I haue to my Loue thou hast mee in hate but séeing it is so as often as I haue néede I shall ly nor I shall not leaue it for feare of thée but rather do it in despite of thée then Huon saide to the Minstrell Sir you haue demanded of mine estate and as yet I haue made you none answeare the troth is I find my selfe so well at mine ease that I forgat to answeare you but I shall nowe shewe you séeing you would know it Sir of certaine I was borne in the countrey of Affricke and fell in company with diuers Marchants by the Sea in a Shippe thinking to haue sayled to Damieta but a great misfortune fell vppon vs there arose such an horrible tempest that our Shippe perished and all that were within it none escaped but I and I thanke Mahound that I am escaped aliue therefore I desire you now to shew mée your aduenture as I haue shewed you mine Fréend quoth the Minstrell séeing you will knowe it knowe for troth I am named Mouflet I am a Minstrell as thou séest héere by mine Instruments and I say vnto thée that from hence to the red Sea there is none so cunning in all Instruments as I am and I can doe many other things and the dolour that thou séest mee make is bycause of late I haue loste my good Lorde and Maister the Admirall Gaudise who was slayne miserably by a Vacabond of Fraunce called Huon that Mahound shame him and bring him to an ill death for by him I am fallen into pouerty and miserie I pray thée tell me thy name Sir quoth Huon my name is Solater Well quoth the Minstrell Solater dismay thée not for the great pouerties that thou hast suffered thou séest what aduenture Mahound hath sent thée thou art nowe better arayed then thou wert if thou wilt follow my counsel thou shalt haue no néed thou art faire and young thou oughtest not to be dismayed but I that am old and ancient haue cause to be discomforted séeing in mine olde dayes I haue lost my Lord and Maister the Admirall Gaudise who did me so much good and profit I would it pleased Mahound that he that slewe him were in my power When Huon heard that he spake no word but cast down his head Solater quoth the Minstrell séeing my Lord is dead I will goe to Mombrance to King Iuoryn to shew him the death of his Brother the Admirall Gaudise and if thou wilt abide with me so that thou wilt beare my Fardell and harpe a foote ere it be halfe a yéere past I warrant thée thou shalt haue a Horse for whensoseuer thou shalt heare me play vpon my instruments all the hearers shall take therein such pleasure that they shall giue mee both Gownes and Mantles so that thou shalt haue much adoe to trusse them in my Male. Well Sir quoth Huon I am content to serue you and to doe all your Commaundements Then Huon tooke the Male on his necke and the Harpe in his hand and Mouflet his Maister bare the Vyoll and thus the maister and the seruant went on their way to goe to Mombrance Ah good Lord quoth Huon my heart ought to bée sorrowfull when I sée my selfe in this case that nowe I must become a Minstrels Varlet Gods curse haue Oberon the Dwarfe who hath done mee all this trouble Alas if I had nowe my good Armour my
Castle had great maruaile who it should bee that they would hang vp there and when the minstrell was aboue on the ladder hee turned him towards the Castle and cryed with an high voyce Ah Huon how will ye suffer me here to die yet remember the goodnes that I haue done to you and the courtesie that I did when yee came all naked I gaue you then cloathing and meate and drinke and I abandoned to you all that I had ill it hath béen employed without ye reward mée better When Huon heard the Minstrell hée knew wel that it was Mouflet who had béen his maister then hée said to his company Sirs I require you arme you quickely for the Paynims héere without haue reared vp a gybet whereon they will hang a Minstrell who hath done me great pleasure I would be right sorie if he should haue any ill Then Gerames and al his companions made them ready and issued out of the Castle with Huon by a secret posterne so that they that were about the gibet were not aware of of them till Huon and his companie was among them Huon ranne at him that should haue hanged the minstrell and strake him with his speare cleane through and so hee fell downe dead and then Huon tooke downe the Minstrell and made him to flie away to the posterne and his violl about his necke he that had séene him flie away could not haue kept himselfe from laughing for he ranne so fast that he séemed to bee no old man but rather of the age of thirtie yéere and Huon and Gerames and his companie slew and beate downe all the thirtie Paynimes so that none escaped the death When King Iuoryn and Galaffer perceiued that there was much adoe about the gibet they sayd Sirs the Frenchmen are come out of the Castle goe and looke that ye doe so much that none of thē enter againe Then Paynims on euerie part issued out of their lodgings and ranne thither hée that best might without kéeping of any good order Huon and Gerames when they saw them comming they made semblance to returne to the citie a soft pace and the Paynims came after them crying and howling like dogges and when they approched néere Huon sodainely turned and with his speare he met so the first that he ranne him cleane through the body with his speare so that he fell downe dead and Gerames and his companie strake so among the paynims that the place ranne like a riuer of bloud of the dead Paynims Huon strake with his sword with both his hands hée strake none with a full stroke but that he claue the head to the téeth but finally the force of the paynims was so great that at length they could not abide it Then Huon who was expert in déedes of armes perceiued that it was time to depart he called his men together and went toward the posterne the which with much payne they got in thereat and so they entred in al xiii companions but yet they were so hasted and pursued that Garyn of Saint Omer abode without and defended himselfe valiantly but at last he was slaine by the Paynims then Huon was right sorrowfull when hee saw that Garyn was not entered into the Castle and pitiously complayned for him and sayd A déere cousin who for the loue of mee haue left your wife and children and land and signories I am sory of your death Sir quoth Gerames leaue your sorrow and thinke to make good chéere and to kéepe well our fortres our Lord God hath alwayes ayded you and shall doe through his grace go we vp and make good chéere for with this sorrow wee can winne nothing Then when they came into the Pallace they met with Escleremond and when Huon saw her hee sayd My faire Loue this day haue I lost one of my good friends whereof I am sorrowfull Sir quoth she I am sorie thereof but that thing that cannot be recouered must be left wee be all made to die God will haue mercy on his soule with such like worde Escleremond and Gerames appeased Huon and when they were in the hall they vnarmed them and went to dinner and afterwardes they looked out at the windowes to sée the countenance of the Paynims then Gerames sayd to the Minstrell Mouflet my friend I pray thée take thy violl and giue vs a song to make vs merrie then the Minstrell tooke his Instrument and gaue them a most sweete song the which was so melodious for to heare that they all beleeued that they had beene in Paradice and they all made excéeding great ioy with such a cheerefull noyse that the Paynims that were without did heare it and sayd among themselues Ah these French-men are people to be feared and doubted and they were right sorrowfull for the men that they had loste by the prowesse of these Fourtéene persons Chap. LX. ¶ How the good Prouost Guyer Brother to Gerames arriued at the Port of Anfalerne WHen that King Iuoryn sawe and knewe the great losse that hée had receiued hee was right sorrowfull and then the Admirall Galaffer said Sir for the honour of Mahound bee not so sore troubled for a thing the which you shall well atchieue and bring to an end you knowe well these French-men are as a bird being in a Cage for they cannot escape neither by land nor by water and they are without hope of any rescue to day they were Fourtéene and now they be but Thirteene you are lodged in a good Towne and haue the féelds and the Sea at your pleasure it is not possible for them to escape they haue neither Shippe nor Galley to flye in Therefore Sir appease your selfe suffer them to waste their victuals By these woordes somewhat King Iuoryn was appeased and the French-men in the Castle deuised together and Huon sayd vnto Gerames Fréend you sée well wée be héere inclosed and wee can neither depart by Land nor by Sea nor wee looke for no succour of any man liuing and héere before vs are lodged Paynims who haue sworne our deaths Sir quoth Gerames true it is but I hope in our Lord God that he will send vs some good aduenture and if it please you let vs two go downe and sport vs by the water side néere to the Port vntill night come I am content quoth Huon wee may goe thether and not bee séene by the Paynims for thether might come Shippe or Galley without daunger of the Towne thether they went and when it was néere hand night Huon looked into the Sea and saw a Ship comming thether-ward Then Huon sayd vnto Gerames Fréend behold yonder commeth a Ship with full sayle they will arriue at this Port they be Christian men I sée well by the tokens that the Ship doth beare for vppon the Mast I sée a red crosse Sir quoth Gerames by all that I can sée the shippe is of Fraunce and therefore as I haue said to you before God will send vs some good aduenture
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
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
and Gerames wounded on the Side as he was Now wee will leaue to speake of this pitious company enduring great sorow in the horrible prison in the greate Tower of Bourdeaux Chap. LXVIII ¶ How the Traytours returned to the Abbey of St. Maurise and slewe the good Abbot and tooke away all the Treasure that Huon had left there THus as ye haue heard here before how Gerard and Gybouars had put in prison Huon and Escleremond and Gerames in great miserie and when it was day Gerard and Gybouars departed out of Bourdeaux and all their company and road againe vnto the Abbey and so came thether to dinner then Gerard sent for the Abbot to come and speake with him When the Abbot heard how Gerard was come againe to the Abbey he had great maruaile and so came to Gerard and sayd Sir you be welcome I pray you what aduenture hath brought you hether againe so shortly I had thought that you had been gone with your Brother Huon Sir quoth the Traitour after that my Brother Huon was departed hence hée remembred his riches that he left with you to kéepe and bycause he shall haue great neede thereof to giue gifts vnto the great Princes and Lordes that be about King Charlemaine to the entent that his businesse may take the better effect Therefore my Brother hath sent mée vnto you desiring you to send his goods vnto him by mée Sir quoth the Abbot when your Brother Huon departed hence true it was that hée left with mée his riches to kéepe and charged mée not to deliuer it to any person liuing but all onely to his owne person Therefore Sir by the faith that I owe vnto my Patron Saint Maurise I will not deliuer vnto you one penny When the Traytour Gerard vnderstoode that answeare he sayd Dane Abbot thou lyest for whether thou wilt or not I will haue it and no thankes to thée and yet thou shalt also repent thy woords Then Gerard sudainly tooke the Abbot by the haire of the head and Gybouars tooke him by the one arme and did so strike him with a staffe that hee all to bruzed him and then did cast him to the earth so rudely that his heart burst in his bodie and so dyed When the Monkes saw their Abbot slaine they had great feare so fled away and the two Traytours with their Swords in their hands went after them with sore threatnings when the Monks sawe howe they could not escape for the two Traytours and their men they fell downe on their knées humbly praying them to haue pitie of them and they would shew them all the gold treasure that was in the house to do therewith at their pleasure Then the Traytour Gybouars said how the Monks had spoken well when the Monkes saw how they had peace they shewed to the two Traitors the place where the treasure was and deliuered to them the keyes so they tooke away all the treasure that Huon had left there and besides that all the treasure of the church crosses sensers chalesses copes and candlestickes of siluer all they tooke and caryed away if I should recite all the riches that they had there it should be too long to be rehearsed In that house there was a Monke who was cousin to Gibouars whome the twoo Traytors made Abbot of that place so when they had atchieued their enterprise they departed with all that riches wherewith was charged xv strong Sommers they left not in the Abbey the value of a Florent for euerie thing that was good they tooke with them and so road vntill they came vnto Bourdeaux Nowe as they passed through the Towne they were greatly regarded of all the Burgesses of the Citie who had great maruaile from whence their Lord came with so great riches These Traytours passed foorth vntill they came to the Pallaice and there they discharged their Somers then Gerard tooke the Treasure that fiue of the Somers did carie and laid it in his Chambers and Coffers then hée ordained that Ten Somers should be trussed foorth to goe to Paris and sent them forward sayd how hée would follow soone after Then he and Gibouars dyned and after meat they mounted vppon their Horses and the new Abbot Coozen to Gibouars with them and two Squiers and about siâ—e other Seruants and so road in hast to ouer-take their Somers with their treasure and so within two Leagues they ouer-tooke them so then they all together road so long vntill on a Wednesday they came to Paris they lodged in the Stréete next vnto the Pallaice in a good Hostrie and were well serued and so rested vntill the next morning then they arose and apparelled them in fresh array and they led with them fiue of their Somers with riches and two of them they presented to the Quéene the other thrée to the King wherefore they were receiued with great ioy then after they gaue great guifts to euerie Lord in the Court and specially to the Officers wherefore they were greatly praised But whosoeuer tooke any guift Duke Naymes would take neuer a penie for he thought that all that riches was not well gotten and that they did it for some craft thereby to attaine to some false damnable enterprise this Duke was a noble wise and a true knight and of good councell and he very well perceiued their malice Then the King commaunded the thrée Coffers to be brought and set in his chamber and would not looke into them vntill he had spoken with Gerard whome he caused to sit downe by him and Gibouars in like manner and also the new Abbot for it is an old saying and a true that they that giue are alwaies welcome Gerard quoth king Charlemaine yée be welcome I pray you shew me the cause of your comming Sir quoth Gerard I shall shew you the great businesse that I haue to doe with your Maiestie and your Lords hath caused me to giue these large guifts that I haue giuen to you and others and Sir I am sorowfull at my heart for that which I must shew you and I had rather be beyond the Sea then to shew you that thing which I must néedes doe for to hide it that cannnot auaile me yet I neuer shewed any thing in all my life with so ill a will for I shall be blamed of many persons howbeit I loue better to defend mine honour then I loue all the world beside Gerard quoth the King yée say troth for better it is to shew the troth then to be silent in so great a matter which so much toucheth your honour Chap. LXIX ¶ How the Traitour Gerard shewed to King Charlemaine how Huon his brother was retourned to Bourdeaux without doing of his Messuage to the Admirall Gaudise SIr quoth Gerard true it is that you haue made me Knight and beside that I am your liege man wherfore I am bound to kéepe your honour to my power for I am certaine I shall shew
you liue you shall meddle no more with that matter but by the beard that I beare on my chinne I shal neuer dine nor eate meat after this dinner til I sée him hanged and drawne for all your bearing of him against me Then he commanded the tables to be set vp and when Gerard vnderstood the king he was ioyfull thereof in his hart but he made no semblance of ioy because of the Lords that were there present When Huon and Escleremond had heard how the King had sworne the death of Huon the dolorous weepings and teares that they made were so extreame that hard it were to declare it and Escleremond sayd to Huon Ah Sir now I see well that great pitie it shall be the departing of vs two but if I had a knife I would not abide your death but first I shoulde slay my selfe before this false and vntrue king Her complaints were so pitifull that most part of the Lords wept for pitie and the old Gerames sorely wept and sayd Ah good Lord God in what howre was I borne in great dolour and paine haue I continued my youth and now in mine age thus shamefully to die Thus all three made such sorrow that it would haue made a hard heart to lament All three thought no otherwise but to die because they had heard King Charlemaine make such promise but that which God will saue no man can let and god saue the good king Oberon for king Charlemaine shal be forsworne as ye shal heare hereafter Now let vs leaue speaking of this pitious companie and speake of the noble king Oberon of the Fayrie who as then was in his wood Chap. LXXIIII ¶ How king Oberon came to succour Huon and made Gerard to confesse all the treason that he had purchased against Huon his brother YE haue heard before how King Oberon was displeased with Huon bicause he had broken his commandement But when Huon had béen at Rome and confessed all his sinnes and was assoiled of the Pope then King Oberon was content and in his heart forgaue all the ill will that he had to Huon and as he sat at dyner he began to wéepe When his Seruants saw that they had great maruaile and sayd vnto him Sir we desire you to shew vs why you doe weepe and be so troubled there is some displeasure done vnto you therefore for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ wee desire you hide it not from vs. Sirs quoth the Kinge I remember nowe the vnhappie Huon of Bourdeaux who is returned from the farre parts and he hath passed by Rome and there hath taken his Wife in mariage and is confessed of all his sinnes for the which sinnes he hath béen by me sore punished But it is time if euer I will doe him any good now to ayd him and to succour him against King Charlemaine for he hath sworne neuer to goe to bed vntill he haue hanged drawne the poore Huon but by the grace of our Lord God Charlemaine shall bée forsworne for at this time I shall succour and ayd him for he is as now in such a danger that without he be succoured incontinent death is néere him he was neuer in his life in such perill He is now in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux his Wife the fayre Escrelemond and the old Gerames with fetters on their feete being in great sorrow and king Charlemaine is set at dinner and hath made his oath to hang Huon but yet whether hee will or not he shall be periured for I will goe to my Fréend Huon and helpe him at his neede therefore I wish my Table and all that is thereon neere to King Charlemaines Table and somewhat aboue his about two foot hyer also I will bicause I haue heard say that often times of a little Castle commeth a greater therefore I will that on my table be set my Cup my Horne and my Armour the which Huon conquered of the Gyant Angolaffer and also I wish with me a C.M. men of armes such as I was woont to haue in battaile He had no sooner said the words but by the will of god and the puissance of the Fayrie his table and all that king Oberon had wished was set iust by king Charlemaines table more higher and greater then his was When king Charlemaine saw the table and the Cuppe Horne and coate of maile he had great maruaile and said to Duke Naymes Sir Duke I beléeue you haue enchaunted mée Sir quoth the Duke neuer in my life I meâ—leâ— with any such matter the Lords such as were there were greatly abashed howe that matter came to passe Gerames who sat néere to Huon when he saw the Table the Cup and horne of Iuorie the Armour thereon he knew them well and said to Huon Sir be not dismayed for on yonder Table that you may sée is your Cup horne of Iuorie and coat of maile whereby I perceiue that you shall bée succoured by King Oberon Huon beheld the Table had great ioy when he saw it then he lifted vp his hands to heauen and thanked our Lord God that hée would visit such a poore sinner as hee was saying Ah Kinge Oberon in many great needs haue you succoured me Therewith arriued King Oberon in the Citie whereof the Burgesses the Commons were greatly abashed when they saw such a number of men of war enter into their citie without any knowledge before When king Oberon was within the Towne all his company he said to his Lords Sirs looke that you set good watch at euery gate so that no man go out the which they did diligently for at euerie gate they set x. M. men Then King Oberon tooke the way to the Pallaice and at the gate he left x. M. men commanding them vpon payn of their liues that they should not suffer any man to passe out and also he commanded that if they heard him blow his Horne of Iuorie that incontinent they should come into the Pallaice to him slay all such as they should find there Then king Oberon went vp into the Pallaice and many of his Lords with him he was richly apprrelled in cloath of gold and the border thereof was sette with rich precious stones goodly it was to behold for a fayrer little person could not be found hee passed iust by King Charlemaine without speaking of any word and went so néere to him that he shouldred him so rudely that his bonnet fell from his head Ah good Lord quoth Charlemaine I haue great maruaile what this dwarfe may be that so rudly hath shouldred me and almost ouerthrowne my table he is fierce when hee thinkes scorne to speake to me howbeit I will see what hee will doe I cannot tell what hee thinketh to doe but me seemeth hee is right ioyfull and also he is the fayrest creature that euer I saw When Oberon had passed by the King he came to Huon and wished the fetters from all their féete and
would that he should doe then he said to Huon how he would depart and tooke leaue of him and kindly embraced him then Oberon stoode still a little while and beheld Huon and began to lament when Huon sawe that he was sorie in his heart and said Ah Sir king I desire you to shew me why you make this sorow at your departure Huon quoth Oberon I shall shew you it is for pitie that I haue of you for I sweare by him that created me that before I shall sée thée againe thou shalt suffer so much paine trauaile pouertie hunger thirst feare and aduersitie that there is no toong can tell it and thy good wife shall suffer so much that there is no creature that shall sée her but shall haue great pitie of her Ah Sir quoth Huon then I require you to aide comfort me Huon quoth Oberon what comfort would ye haue of me Sir quoth Huon I desire you to let me haue your horne of Iuory to thintent that if I should haue any néed that you may succour me for so well I know you that you will come and succour me Huon quoth Oberon séeing I haue agréed you with Charlemaine trust not on me to be succoured in any of your businesse suffice you with the gift that I haue giuen you euen all my Realme and puissance that I haue in the Fayrie trust on none other succour of mē Sir I am sorrie thereof quoth Huon that it may be none otherwise Then King Oberon tooke leaue of King Charlemaine and of Duke Naymes and of all other Lords there present and went to Huon and embraced him and tooke his leaue of him and of Escleremond and Gerames and sayd to Escleremond I commend you to God and desire you if you haue done well hetherto that you will perseuere euer better and better and beare alwaies fayth and honour to your husband Sir quoth she I pray God I liue no longer then if I doe the contrary Thus King Oberon departed and after his departure king Charlemaine made readie his companie and tooke leaue of Huon and of Escleremond and Gerames and they brought the King about two leagues off and then tooke their leaues of him of Duke Naymes and of all the Lords Then the king sayd Huon if any war be moued against you or if that you haue any great affaires to do let me haue knowledge thereof and I shal come and succour you or else send you such aide as shall bee sufficient Sir quoth Huon I thanke your grace and so tooke his leaue of the king and returned to Bourdeaux whereas he was receiued with great ioy Now let vs leaue speaking of Huon and speake of Oberon of the Fayrie Chap. LXXVII ¶ How king Oberon deuised with his knights in the Citie of Momur in the Fayrie of the deedes of Huon of Bourdeaux and of that which should happen after to him WHen King Oberon was departed from Bourdeaux he came to his Citie of Momur and there he began sore to wéep Then Gloryant demaunded of him why he made that sorrow Gloryant quoth Oberon it is for the vnhappy Huon he is alone and I know well hereafter hee shall be betrayed and all for Escleremond his wife for though that hee haue ere this time suffered great trauaile and much trouble and pouerty yet I know surely that he shall suffer more then euer he did and hée shall haue no succour of any man liuing Why Sir quoth Gloriant how can that be for Huon is a great Lord and hath many fréends and is the most hardiest Knight now liuing and hée is at accord wich King Charlemaine therefore he were a great Foole that would make him any warre or doe him any displeasure Well quoth Oberon God aid him in all his affaires for ere it be long hée shall haue much to doe Thus Oberon entred into his rich Pallaice and sayde againe Ah deare Knight Huon I knowe well you shall bee betrayed for the loue of your Wife who is faire and good and if you take not good héede you shall leaue her and your selfe in great perill of death and if you escape the death yet you shall suffer such paine and pouertie that there is no Clearke liuing so sage that can put it in writing Sir quoth Gloriant mée thinkes this cannot bée séeing the loue that is now betwéen him and Charlemaine Gloriant quoth Oberon yet I say againe vnto you that before this yeare be passed Huon shall be in such distresse and so hardly kept that if he had Ten Realmes he would giue them all to be out of that danger that he shal be in Then Gloriant was pensiue and said Alas Sir for Gods sake neuer leaue Huon your fréend in such danger but rather succour him Nay surely quoth Oberon that will I not doe séeing I haue promised him my dignitie and Land he shall not be aided nor succoured by me for he shall be closed in such a place that I would not goe thether for Tenne of the best Cities of the world Nowe let vs returne vnto Huon being in his Pallaice at Bourdeaux Chap. LXXVIII ¶ How Huon tooke homage of his men and chasticed his Rebels and of three Pilgrimes by whom much ill fell after as yee shall heare AFter that king Charlemaine was departed from Bourdeaux that Huon was returned he assembled al his Barons to whome hee made good chéere and there they tooke their Landes and Fées of him and made their homage Then hée tooke a Thousand chosen Knights with him road to his Lands and tooke possession of Townes and Castles and was obayed in euerie place except of one named Angelers who was Coozen germaine to Amerie whom Huon had slaine before at Paris before the Emperour Charlemaine for the loue of Charlot This Angelars was false and a Traytour and hee had a strong Castle within thrée Leagues of Bourdeaux he would not hold of Huon nor obay him though he was his Leige-man When Huon saw that he wold not hold of him nor doe him homage he was sore displeased and made promise that if that he might get him perforce he would surely hange him vp and as many as were in the Castle with him Then Huon assailed the Castle and they within defended themselues valiantly so that many were hurt and slaine on both parts Huon was there eight daies and could not win the Castle then Huon ordained before the place a paire of Gallowes and vppon the ninth day he made a fresh assault by such strength that hee wanne the Castle and entred perforce Angelars was taken and Fortie men with him and they were all hanged on the Gallowes Then Huon gaue the Castle vnto one of his Knightes and then hee departed and went to the Castle of Blay whereas hee was receiued with great ioy And the faire Escleremond was in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux well accompanied with Ladies Damsels and as they were deuising together there entred into the Pallaice thrée
Pilgrimes who right humbly saluted the Ladie Escleremond Sirs quoth the Lady I pray you shew mee out of what Countrey yée are come Madame quoth one of them knowe for troth that we are come from Ierusalem and haue made our offering to the holy Sepulchre wée haue suffered much pouertie in our iourney wherefore Ladie wee require you humbly for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ to giue vs some meat Sirs quoth shée you shall haue ynough and then she commaunded two of her Knights to sée that the Pilgrimes should haue meat and drinke and so they were set at the end of the Hall and a Table couered for them and thereon bread flesh and wine they were well serued Then the Duchesse Escleremond went to visit them and demaunded where they were borne and whether they would goe Madame quoth they wee bee all thrée borne at Vyenna and thether wee would returne Sirs God bee your guide quoth the Ladie and she gaue them Ten Florents whereof they had great ioy thanked the Duchesse but alas that guifte was ill bestowed as you shall heare héereafter They departed tooke their way and trauailed so longe that vpon a Tuesday they arriued halfe a League from Vyenna and there they met Duke Raoul who was going a kauking hée was a great and puissant Lord of Lands and Signiories and hardy in déedes of armes great pittie it was that he was such a Traytour for a more subtill man coulde not be knowne for all the daies of his life he was euer a moouer of warre and strife and to doe treason without hauing regard either to kinne or other God confounde him for by him and his cause Huon suffered so much ill that it cannot bee recounted This Duke Raoul was to marrie thus as hée was in the feelds a hauking and twentie Knights with him he met the said thrée Pilgrimes and anone hee knewe them Then he road vnto them and said Sirs yée be welcome home they were ioyfull when they sawe the Duke their Lorde salute them so humbly and for ioye thereof they shewed him such newes that by the occasion thereof twentie Thousand Knights lost after their liues and Raoul himselfe receiued the death and Huon had such trouble that hée had neuer none such before as you shall heare héereafter Then the Duke said to the Pilgrimes Freends I pray you shew mee by what Countreys you haue passed to come hether Sir quoth they we haue passed by Fraunce and first we were at Bourdeaux and there we found the Duches Escleremond wife to Huon of Bourdeaux of whome you haue heaâ—d so much speaking for she is so faire and so well fauoured so swéet pleasant and gracious as can bée deuised shée is Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise whom Huon hath slaine and taken her to his wife great pitie it is that Huon should haue such a wife for she were méeter to be wife to a puissant Kinge for whosoeuer had such a wife to lye by might well say that there were none like her in all the world would to our Lorde God Sir that shee were your wife When the Duke heard that hee chaunged colour and greatly coueted the Ladie in his heart so that he was striken with such violent and burning loue that he had to the Ladie Escleremond as he promised and sware that he would haue her whosoeuer sayd the contrarie and said that he would slay Huon them haue Escleremond to his Wife Thus Duke Raoul sware the death of Huon then hée departed from the Pilgrimes ill was bestowed the almes that Escleremond had giuen them Chap. LXXIX ¶ How Duke Raoul of Austrich by the report of the Pilgrims was amourous of the faire Escleremond and of the Tourney that was proclaimed to the entent to haue slaine Huon THus Duke Raoul returned to the Citie of Vyenna right pensiue sent for his priuie counsaile and then he commaunded them to assemble as many people as they could bicause he sayd that he would goe to his Vncle the Emperour of Almaine to whome he sent a secret Messuage that hee should cause a Tourney to bee proclaimed in some conuenient place to the entent that the Knights of Almaine and of other Countreys should assemble there The false Traytor did it for a craft to the entent that Huon by his prowesse and hardinesse shold come to that Tourney The Messenger roade foorth vntill he came to Strasbrough whereas hee found the Emperour who was vncle to Raoull for he was the Emperours brothers sonne When the Emperour heard the messuage hee was ioyfull and not a little pleased to heare such newes froÌ„ his Nephew Duke Raoull whome he loued entierly and to doe him pleasure he sent to all Lands vnder his obeysance to all Knights and Squiers such as of custome were woont to iust and tournay desiring them to come at a day assigned to the citie of Mayence for there he would kéepe open Court Now the Emperour knew not for what entent his Nephew Raoull had deuised that tournay Alas he did it but to find the place to slay Huon to thintent to haue his wife Escleremond Then Duke Raoull assembled his Barons especialle such as he had perfect trust in he shewed them at large the cause why he had assembled all the people to goe to the tournay Therefore Sirs quoth he I will that yée sweare to me the death of Huon of Bourdeaux for I will that yée and I put all our vttermost to slay him and then I will wed his wife of whome I am so amourous that I cannot sléepe nor take any rest The same time that they thus made promise and sware the death of Huon there was among them a varlet with Duke Raoul who in his youth had serued Huon of Bourdeaux now when he vnderstood that if Huon came to the Tournay there hee should be murdered as priuily as he could he departed from Vyenna and neuer rested vntill hee came to the Citie of Bourdeaux whereas he found Duke Huon in his Pallaice with his Lords who had béen before aduertised that there should be held a great Tournay at Mayence in Almaine and he deuised with his Lords how to goe thether The same time the Varlet came thether and humbly saluted Duke Huon who said to him Friend where hast thou béen so long Sir quoth the Varlet I come now from Vyenna in Austrich where Duke Raoul who is Lord thereof hath proclaymed a Tourney in euery Countrey but Sir if you goe thether you shall bée slaine for this Tourney is deuised for none other entent bicause it is too well knowne that there can bee no hye déedes of armes done in any place but that you will bee present at it And when they haue slayne you then Duke Raoul will haue the Duchesse your Wife in mariage therefore Sir for Gods sake aduise you well that you come not there in as much as you loue your life for you cannot escape there be twentie Thousand men that haue
sworne your death therefore if you enter into the Tourney you can neuer escape the death and I haue heard Duke Raoul sweare that when he hath slaine you hée will keepe all your Landes When Duke Huon had heard the Varlet hee sware by God and made a solemne promise that Duke Raoul should dearely buy his false treason Then the Duchesse Escleremond knéeled downe before Huon and sayd Deare Lord I desire you to forbeare your going thether at this time for I haue heard often repeated that this Duke Raoull is puissant and hath great Lands besides is Nephew to the Emperour of Almaine and also I haue heard say that a faller Traytour there is none lyuing in this world Madame quoth Huon I haue well heard you but by the Lord that fourmed me to his Image though I should loose halfe my landes yet will I goe to sée the Traytor what thinketh he to abash me with his threatenings If I may méete him at the Tournay or in any other place where soeuer it be though he had with him ten Thowsand men of armes and that I had alonely but my swoord in my hand I shall slay him whatsoeuer should fall thereof and let our Lord God do with me as it shall please him I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart till I haue slaine him When the Duchesse heard Huon how he would doe none otherwise and that shée could not let him of his enterprize she was sorrowfull and said Sir séeing it is your pleasure reason it is that I must be content but yet Sir I desire you to take with you x. M. men well armed to thintent that ye be not found vnprouided so that if ye be assayled yet yée may be of sufficient puissance to resist your enemies and that it will please you to suffer me to goe with you and I will he armed with my shéeld and swoord by my side and if I may méete Duke Raoull I shall giue him such a buffet that I shall strike him from his horse for I am so displeased with him that there is no ioynt in me but in trembleth for anger and I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart till I be reuenged of him When Huon heard the Duchesse his wife he was well comforted and began to laugh and said Faire Ladie I giue you great thankes for your wordes but yee are too farre gone with child to ride armed it is a vij moneths past since yée were first with child then Huon made to be proclaimed in all his lands that euery man should be readie to goe with him to the Tourney at Mayence The Dukes entent was anon knowen throughout all the countrie so that it being spread abroad the brute therof came to the hearing of the Duke Raoull and when he heard that Huon would come to the Tournay hee was not a little ioyfull thereof then hee sware he would go and sée Escleremond in the guise of a Pylgrime and then hee putte on a beggers garment and tooke a staffe and a wallet hée shewed his intent to them of his priuie Councell they would haue stopped his going but they could not Thus he apparelled himselfe like a beggar and with an hearbe rubbed on his face and handes that such as had not séene him otherwise apparelled could not haue knowne him hée was so foule and blacke then he desired his men to kéepe secret his enterprise Then hee departed from Vyenna and neuer rested till hee came to the Citie of Bourdeaux and so went vnto the Pallayce where hée founde Huon amongst his Barons making great chéere and feast for vnto him were come diuers Lords and Knights deuising of the Tourney that should be holden at Mayence Thus Raoull came before Huon and desired him for the honor of our Lord God to giue him some meat and almes Friend quoth Huon thou shalt haue inough but I pray thée tell me from whence thou commest and whether thou wilt go and of what countrie thou art Sir quoth Raoull I was borne in the countrey of Berry but it is xx yeres past since I was there when I departed thence I was but yong for if I saw my father or mother now before me I should not know them Sir I came froÌ„ beyond the Sea wheras I haue been prisoner among the Sarazins the space of 14. yéeres in a strong Castle where I haue suffered much disease of hunger and cold and at the last I escaped by reason of a yong man to whome I promised that if hée could bring mee to Acre in sauegard that I would then giue him twentie Duckets of gold the yong man was couetous to haue the money and founde the meanes that hee brought mee to Acre whereas I founde a kinsman of mine who payed the yonge man the money the which I had promised vnto him and also hee gaue me fifteene Ducates the which I haue spent with comming hether Fréend quoth Huon I pray vnto God to ayd thée for if thou wert not so ill apparelled thou shouldest séeme a man of a high lineage for it séemeth to me if thou wert well armed weaponed and were in some businesse thou wert like ynough to be feared Chap. LXXX ¶ Howe after that Duke Raoul had beene at Bourdeaux in the guise of a Pilgrime to see the faire Ladie Escleremond he returned againe to Vyenna AFter that Huon hadde long deuised with Raoul hée washed sat downe to diner and the Duchesse his wife by him then Huon commaunded that at the end of the Table right before his Table Raoul the Pilgrime should bee set and there hee was well serued but Raoul had litle care either of meat or drinke for his thought was of another matter whereupon he sore studied for before him he saw the noble Duchesse Escleremond of whom he was so amourous that he could not withdraw his eies from her for the more he beheld her the more hee was embraced with her loue he thought he neuer sawe before so faire a Ladie in all his life so that for the great beautie that was in her hée changed often times his colour but it could not bee perceiued bicause he was so blacke and foule with rubbing of certaine hearbes and he sayd within himselfe that whosoeuer had such a Ladie to his Wife might well make auant to be the happiest man of the world euen hee that might but haue his pastime with so faire a Ladie swâ—â—re by the Lorde that fourmed him though he should bée damned in hell for euer he would slay Huon and haue his Wife in mariage and all Huons Lands to be his for euer Alas that it had not pleased our Lord God that at this houre Huon might haue knowne the treason of Raoull hee shoulde then haue bought it full dearely When the Traytour had eaten and made good théere Huon gaue him a Gowne shirt hose and shooes and monney for his dispence Raoul tooke it he durst not refuse it but thanked Huon and so tooke his
leaue and departed hee durst no longer tarie for feare of knowledge and assoone as hée could he departed out of the Towne of his iourneys I will make no long rehearsall but he laboured so long that he arriued at Vyenna then he went to his Pallaice whereas he was well receiued of his Lords and they laughed when they saw him in that apparell Then within a while after hee made him readie and his men who were a great number and so departed from Vyenna and tooke the way to Mayence When his Vncle the Emperour of Almayne was aduertised of his comming he went and met him without the Towne to doe him the more honour and when he saw him he was ioyfull and kissed him and said Faire Nephew I am glad of your comming I haue long desired to sée you The good Emperour knew nothing of the treason that his Nephew had purchaced against Huon of Bourdeaux for if he had knowne it to haue dyed in the quarrell he would neuer haue consented to that treason Thus hand in hand the Emperour and his Nephew Raoul entred with great ioy into the City of Mayence wheras they were highly receiued great ioy was made at their comming much people were in the Towne come thether to Iust and Tournay and many other to behould the Tryumph Now let vs speake of Huon of Bourdeaux Chap. LXXXI ¶ How Duke Huon tooke leaue of the Duchesse his Wife and how he arriued at Mayence and went to the Pallaice WHen Huon sawe his time to depart from Bourdeaux to goe to the Tourney at Mayence he made readie his traine and tooke with him tenne Thousand men of armes for the guard of his person of the best horsemen in all his Countrey then he tooke his leaue of the faire Escleremond his Wife who began sore to weepe when she saw his departure right swéetly they kissed together at their departing Then he tooke his Horse and hee and his companie departed from Bourdeaux and rested not vntill he came to Coleyne on the Rheine there hee taried two dayes to refresh him and vpon the third day he armed himselfe and called his companie before him and said Sirs I will take my leaue of you all for none of you shall goe with me be nothing abashed for hée that alwayes hath saued mee out of all perils will not forsake mee at this time When his men heard him they had great maruaile that he would take his Voyage alone and hee saide vnto them Sirs haue no doubt of me for I shall not die vntill mine houre be come They of Coleyne enquired nothing of their estate for as then there was no warre and they beléeued that they would goe to the Tourney When his Lords saw that he would thus depart they were sorrie that he would goe to the Tourney alone and said one to another we feare greatly that he shall neuer returne againe wee shall neuer haue such another Maister againe Sirs quoth Huon you shall not need to take any sorrow for mée for certainly I knowe well if any perilous businesse should come to mee that I should be aided by King Oberon but he needed not to haue said so for when Kinge Oberon departed from him hee had him not to trust vpon any ayd from him and therefore Huon was a foole and ill aduised to trust thereon or to vndertake so perilous an Enterprize as he did wherby he was in great perill of death as yee shall heare héereafter When Huon was readie he leapt vpon his horse without any stirrop cleane armed as he was and after stretched him so in his stirrops that the leathers strained out thrée fingers he was a puissant Knight armed or vnarmed and greatly to be feared hee tooke leaue of his men and left them wéeping in that Citie of Coleyn Then hee road towards the Citie of Mayence and so long he road that he had a sight of the Citie and then he saw about in the meadow many Tents and rich Pauilions pitcht vp with pummels of fine gould shining against the Sunne Huon behelde them well and so passed foorth and entred into the Citie whereas he saw euerie stréet full of Knights and Squiers abiding there vntill the day of the Tourney Huon passed foorth vntill he came to the Pallaice whereas hee founde the Emperour and his Nephewe Raoul whom Huon loued but little as he shewed well shortly after as yée shall heare When Huon was come before the Pallaice hee sawe the Emperour and Raoul his Nephew going vp the staires then Huon met with a great Almayne and said to him Fréend I pray thée shew mée what be yonder two Princes that goe vp the staires and that so much honor is done to them Sir quoth he the first is the Emperour and he that followeth is his Nephew Duke Raoul he was Sonne to the Emperours Brother the Tourney that shal be made is done for the loue of him at his request and after the Tourney he thinketh to marrie a great Ladie whose name shall not bee knowne till the Tourney be done When Huon heard that hee blushed in the face for the great yre that he was in for he knew well that Raoul if he could find the means would haue from him his Wife the faire Escleremond but he promised in his mind that first hee should dearely buy her Fréend quoth Huon I desire you to do so much for me as to hold my horse vntill I returne againe out of the Hall and that I haue spoken with the Emperor and with his Lords Sir quoth the Squier with a good will I shall héere hold your horse vntil you come Nowe God ayd Huon for ere he might returne againe he was in great perill of death as ye shall heare Chap. LXXXII ¶ How Huon slew Duke Raoul in the presence of the Emperor sitting at his Table and of the maruailes that hee did And how in the chace that was made after him he strake downe the Emperour and wanne his good horse HVon who was ful of ire and displeasure went vp into the Pallaice and came into the Hall whereas hée found many people there was the Emperour who had newly washed his handes and was set at the Table Huon pressed foorth before the Table with his Sword in his hand and said Noble Emperour I coniure thée by the great vertue diuine by your hopefull part of Paradice or that your Soule is to be damned if case be that you say not the troth and giue true iudgment without falshood nor to spare to say the troth for no man liuing although he be your néerest Parent Fréend quoth the Emperour say your pleasure and I shall answere you Sir quoth Huon if you haue wedded a Ladie loue her dearely and that she be faire good swéete and sage and repleat with all good vertues and that you know surely that she loueth you entirely as a good true wife ought to loue her Lord and Husband and then a Traitour priuily to
helpe him but rather hinder him therefore he lette it passe and so tooke leaue of his first Patron and lift vp their anthors and sayles and when they were in the sea the winde arose and increased more and more for the space of sixe weekes that the wind changed not so that if God had suffered the winde to haue continued one moneth or sixe weekes longer they had come to the place whereas they would haue beene But ere that they came there they suffered much paine for there arose vppon them such a winde and tempest that they were forced to auayle their sayles The heauens waxed darke the moone was couered the torment was great and daungerous the waues of the sea were of a great height terrible to beholde whereby whether they would or not they were constrained to goe as the winde would leade them theyr fortune was so great and terrible that there was neuer seene such a mightie storme before whereof Huon and his men and his Patron were greatly afraide specially the Patron more then Huon was hee was sore discomforted and pittiously he called on our Lord Iesus Christ requiring him to bring them to a good Port there was neither marriner nor Patron but all were sore afraide nor they wist not where they were They were in this torment for the space of ten dayes in all the which time they neuer sawe the cleerenesse of the sunne for the great darkenesse that was there as then the which did verie greatly annoy them And when it came to the eleuenth day and that the torment and winde beganne to abate and the sea waxed peaceable and still therewith Huon and his companie werâ— well comforted the heauen cleered by and the glorious sunne cast out his rayes along vpon the sea When the master of the shippe saw the fortune of the Sea and that the great torment beganne to cease hee caused one of the marriners to mount vppe into the toppe to see if hee might discrie any lande but hee could see none whereof the Patron was greatly abashed and sayde howe that hee knewe not in what Countrey hee was for hee neuer sayled in those parts and sayde to Huon Sir it is fiftie yéeres since that I first vsed the sea but yet I neuer sayled in these parts whereof I haue great maruaile When Huon heard that he was sore displeased and sayde Sir lette vs take the aduantage of the wind and let our Shippe driue vnder the conduct of our Lord Iesus Christ I hope that our Lord God will not suffer vs to bee perished in this Sea Sir quoth the Patrone I doe agree well to your saying and so let vs doe then they turned their helâ—â—â— and tooke the winde into their full sayle the winde was â—ood and fresh and the Sea very meeke and peaceable so that within a short space they had sayled a great iourney When Huon called vppon our Lorde God and helde vp his handes towards heauen and said Thou verie God who in 〈…〉 transitâ—rie world diddest vouchsafe to be borne in the 〈◊〉 of a maide and afterwards diddest raigne héere vpon earth xxxiâ— yeâ—res and then didst suffer death and passion vppon a Friday and after that didst rise from death to life and wentst into hell drewest out soules out of paines infernall Euen so as I beleeue that this is true I require thée to haue pitie and compassion vpon vs and giue vs grace that wée may safely escape out of this perillous Sea and to kéepe and saue my déere and louing wife Escleremond and my Childe and my noble Lords whome I left in the citie of Bourdeaux in great perill of their liues and giue mee the grace that I may bring with me such succour and aide that thereby I may bring them out of the danger that they he in Chap. LXXXXIX ¶ â—owe Huon arriued on the perillous Gulfe where as hee spake with â—â—das and howe hee arriued at the Port of the 〈◊〉 WHen Huon had made his praiers to God he beheld into the Sea and sawe a farre off like a great péece of Canuasse and there by he heard as great a noyse as though there had beene a Thousand Smithes and a Thousandâ— Carpenters and a Thousande great running Riuers together all beating and labouring together Huon who heard this great noise had great feare thereof so that hee wiâ—te not what to doe and so were all those that were in his companie the Patrone commaunded a Marriner to mount vp into the top of the Maâ—â— to see what 〈◊〉 it was that made all that noyse and so hee did and 〈◊〉 round about him and beheld that way and at 〈…〉 the daungerous Gulfe whereof hee hadde heard often times spoken and thereof hee had such great feare that neere hand hee had fallen downe into the Sea hee came downe and saide vnto the Patrone Sir wee bee all in the way to bee lost for wee bee neere one of the Gulfes of hell whereof Huon and the Patrone and all other had such great feare that they all trembled Sir quoth the Patrone knowe for troth that it is impossible to escape out of this perilous Gulfe for all the Seas and waters and Riuers there assembleth together and perforce wee muste passe that way which when Huon heard then hee beganne pitiously to complaine and sayd Ah sweete and loouing wife Escleremond I see nowe clearely that our loues muste depart the beautie and the bountie that is in you I cannot forget Alas I shall neuer see you more I pray to our Lord Iesus Christ to giue you that grace as to bee agreed with the Emperour Tirrey to the entent that in peace and rest you may vse the residue of your life for as for mee I shall neuer bring you any succour or ayd Then hee studied a long season and then sayd againe Good Lord I thanke thee and since it pleaseth thee that I shall passe out of this world I humbly require thee to receiue my Sâ—â—le into thine handes as for my bodie and life I care little for seeing it pleaseth thee that I shall thus end my dayes and depart this life Then Huon lefte his weeping and the winde ceased and the sayle abated yet neuerthelesse the shippe still went foorth alone in such wise as though it had flowne vppon the Sea Sir quoth the Maister of the Shippe you may see euidently that wee neede not to trauaile our selues to guide our Ship for the Gulfe that is so neere vs draweth the Shippe vnto him in such haste as yee may see and anone yee shall see that we shall tumble therein Maister quoth Huon it is conuenient now that wee abide the aduenture and fortune of the sea such as our Lord God will sende lette vs trust in him and desire him that his pleasure be fulfilled and more I cannot striue Then Huon Chaplaine confessed them one after another and then incontinent the great noyse ceased But they came thither at a good poynt for the verie same
Lord Iesus Christ and by the force of my armes and good Swoorde if there bee any man within the Castle that will resiste againste vs I assure you I shall soone deliueâ— you from him Anone you shall see what I can doe I neuer 〈◊〉 in all my life so faire a Castle I cannot tell whether they within will defend vs the entrie into the Port or not if they will haue any Tribute of me I shall gladly pay it so they demaund nothing else and if I see that they will demaund any thinge else of mee I shall shewe them howe my Sword can answeare it for I had rather to die then in any Princes Court it should bee layd to my reproach and shame that for any man I should retire backe one â—oote for feare or doubt of any death for I will neuer bee taken aliue thereby to dye in prison Sir quoth the Patrone your force and great prowesse can nothinge auaile you for if wee were as stronge and as great as euer was Sampson it should nothing aduantage you I shall shewe you the cause why The Castle that you see yonder before you is the most fairest and strongest Castle in all the world it is set and compassed round about with a Rocke of Adamant stones the which naturally doth drawe vnto it all manner of yron as you may well see by our shippe that goeth so fast without any sayle the Adamant doth drawe it because of the anchors and nayles that bee in our Shippe the wood that seemeth to bee a Forrest are the Mastes of such Shippes as hath there arriued and are drawne thether by the Adamant When Huon vnderstood the Patrone hee was right sorowfull and no maruaile then pitiously hee complayned for his wife and for his Childe for hee sawe well that hee could not escape the death nor neuer depart from thence then hee wept pitiously and sayd Ah good Lord who in this world hath formed me I require thy grace that thus poore sinner that I am enclined to all misfortune that it may please thée to receiue my soule into Paradice as for my life I make none account thereof But I pray thee good Lorde to saue my Wife and Childe whome I haue lefte in daunger of death or else in shamefull imprisonment And with those woordes the Shippe entred into the Port with such a force and puissance that it ranne in amongest the other Shippes so that if the shippe had not been stronge and the other shippes rotten Huons shippe had béene broken all to peeces for it ranne vnder the water thrée or foure of the other olde shippes and was not broken thanked be almightie God Then hee looked into the Hauen and sawe so many shippes that hee had great maruaile thereof and hée was sore dismayed and abashed in that hee sawe neither man woman nor Child stirring abroad Also hee looked about him and behelde the Castle the which was so faire and rich that there was none such throughout all the world Then hee thought to send thether one of his companie for to know what people were within the Castle but hee sawe well that there was no way to enter but by a straight way of thrée Hundred and fourscore gréeces of height the way was so straight and narrow that no man but one at once coulde mount vp the degrées he had great maruell was sore troubled in mind when hee sawe no man comming from the Castle Then hee called one of his Knights and sayd Sir Arnold I will and command that you goe vp into this Castle to see what people bee within it either Sarazins or Paynims knowe who is Lord thereof and say how that I greatly desire to be acquainted with him if you can doe so much that I may bee acquainted with him then I and my men will mount vp together vntill some good aduenture fall for I hope in our Lord God that wee shall escape this daunger Sir quoth Arnold I shall doe as you haue commaunded mee Then he departed and went from one shippe to another vntill hee came to the land and then hee went to the 〈◊〉 and â—ound the degrees and mounted vp but before hée came to the Castle gate hee rested himselfe thrée times and when he came to the gate hee rested him he was so wearie and beheld the gate the which séemed vnto him maruailously faire and rich then hee beganne to crie and call to the entent that some man should come and to speake with him and when hee sawe that none did speake hee stoâ—de and hearkened if any person were comming to open the gate but none appeared and then hee knocked and called againe and sayd Porter that art within come and open the gate or else cursed be thou of God this Arnolde hadde a good occupation to knocke crie and call for within was neither man woman nor Childe that would open the gate when hee sawe that hee was neere angrie with displeasure and looked downe vnder the gate to knowe if hee might espie either man or woman to speake vnto then hee turned him round about and looked on the right hande of the Hall dore and there hee sawe an horrible Serpent the which kept the Castle and Pallaice it was a maruailous great Serpent higher then any horse his eyes like twoo Torches burning when Arnold sawe him hee was right sorrowfull and sore displeased and when the Serpent heard the knocking and great noyse at the gate braying and crying he came toward the gate and when Arnold sawe the Serpent with great furie approaching to the gate hee fledde away in so great hast that he néere hande with verie feare fell downe the staires hee rested not vntill hee came to the shippe whereas Huon was and saide Sir I haue beene aboue at the gate of the Castle and called and knocked thereat more then the space of an houre but there was neither man woman nor Childe that did appeare and when I sawe that I layde mee downe and looked vnder the gate to knowe if I might see either man or woman to speake vnto but I could neuer sée any creature but a great and a horrible Serpent higher then a great horse with eyes redder then fire with maruailous great tallons and and taile there was neuer man sawe a fowler figure of a beast Alas quoth Huon nowe I sée we be all but dead for wee haue nothing to eat nor drinke wherefore wee shall die for famine and rage But if I may enter into the Castle I shall giue that Serpent such a stroake that hee shall neuer hurt any man liuing Alas what haue I said my hardinesse nor my prowesse cannot helpe me for I see well that I and all you must die for it is impossible for vs to depart from hence Then the Patron sayd to Huon sore weeping Sir it behooueth vs to part our victuall if you will sustaine the right custome of the sea wheÌ„ men come to such a case that there is no remedie
arose vp as desirous to know whether any man or woman were within the Castle or not to speake vnto them he entred into the hall the which he maruailously regarded it was so fayre and ritch to beholde that there is no Clarke in the world can discribe the beautie and richesse thereof the rich Chambers that were on the side of the hall were all composed and made of whiâ—e marble poliâ—â—ed the posts were couered with fine golde at the ende of the hall there was a chimney whereof the two pillars that sustained the Mantle trée were of fine Iasper and the Mantle was of a rich Calsedony and the Lintell was made of fine Emeraâ—is â—rayled with a wing of fine gold and the Grapis of fine Saphers This chimney was so rich that none such could bée â—ound and all the Pillars in the hall were of red Calsedonie and the pauement was of fine Amber When Huon had well beheld this Hall hee looked towards the Chambers ouer the doore of euerie Chamber was written in letters of gold the which shewed where the keyes were of euerie chamber Huon who could well reade the letters and vnderstood it he found a purse wherein were the keyes of euerie chamber all of fine golde he tooke one of the keyes and opened one of the Chamber doores and entred into the Chamber Then he looked all about the Chamber and sawe it garnished and hanged with the most richest cloathes that euer were séene the benches and bedsteads were all of white Iuorie so richly entrayled and wrought and garnished with precious stones that no mans tongue could describe the beautie and richesse thereof all was made by enchauntment This Pallaice was exceeding great and large and well garnished with chambers When Huon had well beheld this chamber hee was greatly abashed that hee could neyther see man nor woman Then he looked ouer another Chamber doore where there was also written in letters of gold according as it was written ouer the first doore Then Huon tooke the key and opened another doore and entred into that Chamber also and there he found a great quantitie of gold and riches and rich Iewelles with other most precious stones that great beautie it was for to behold Ah good Lord quoth Huon I would neuer haue beléeued that in all the world there had beene so much riches as I sée héere present before mée then anone he sawe another chamber and tooke the key and entred therein and for all the riches that he sawe before there hee found much more there were Presses made of fine Iuorie very richly wrought and entrayled so that there was no beast nor birde but there it was most cunningly wrought in the which Presse were gownes and roabes of most fine gold and most rich mantles furred with Sabyles and all other things the which were appertayning vnto the apparell of man-kinde and the beds so richly couered that it was impossible to be described by anie mortall man this chamber was so fayre and rich that Huon could neuer bee satisfied with beholding and viewing thereof there were windowes verie richly glazed opening vppon a Garden side the which Garden was so fayre and so well garnished with flowers of most precious swéete smelling and of all manner of trees charged with fruits so good and so delicious to eate that the verie smell of them would haue satisfied a mans appetite Huon who saw this fayre garden desired greatly to enter into it to gather some of that fruit hee looked ouer the doore and found the purse with the key therin and then he opened the doore and went into the garden and gathered of the fruite at his pleasure and did eate thereof for hee had a great desire to eate hee thought the fruit maruailous good If I should shewe or discribe the beautie of this garden it would be ouerlong to resite there were so many sundrie fruits so fayre and so sweete of smelling that a sicke man of any infirmitie would soone haue recouered his health Also there were herbs and flowres so sweet and delightfull that all the garden seemed to be full of balme When Huon had beene there a good space and had well eaten of the fruite at his pleasure hee returned backe into the chamber that hee came from and then hee vnarmed him and putte off all his cloathes and tooke out of the Presse a fine shirt and doublet hosen and shooes gowne coate and cappe such as he would choose for there was no man to say him nay when hee was thus newly arriued there could not bee founde a more goodlier man according as the Chronicle sayth I beléeue hee was borne by the Fairie as then there could not bee found so goodly a man liuing When he was thus apparelled he went from chamber to chamber alwayes hearkening whether he could heare the voyces either of men or women but as long as hee continued there he could heare nothing whereof hee was right sorrowfull There hée continued eight dayes without eating of any thing sauing of the fruits of the Gardine whereby hee waxed féeble and â—aint the which was no maruaile for hee had béene there eight dayes without eating either bread or flesh he was so féeble that hee thought he could not long indure there without death Then he prayed vnto our Lord God for to comfort and strengthen him out of that great daunger most pittiously hee complayned for his wife and childe saying Ah my deere Wife God ayde and succour you in all your affayres for ye shall neuer haue any succour and ayde of me more for I tarrie but for the howre of my death the which is nowe neere at hand approaching vnto mee for I am so sore and grieuously bitten with famine that I haue much paine to sustaine my selfe Thus Huon was eight dayes in the Caâ—â—le of the Adamant euerie day eating of the fruits of the gardine and at night hee lay euer in the 〈◊〉 bed in the chamber Now let vs leaue speaking of him and let vs turne to the Duchesse Escleremond who was besieged within the Citie of Bourdeaux whereas she was in great displeasure and not without a cause for shee suffered much paine and trouble Chap. CXII ¶ How after that Huon was departed from Bourdeaux the Emperour made diuers assaults to the Cittie but hee could not win it for the defence of the good chiualrie that was within it and of the ambushment that was layd by the counsell of Duke Sauary whereby the Citie was taken and wonne YE haue heard before howe Duke Huon departed from his Citie of Bourdeaux wheras hee left the Duchesse his wife who was in great displeasure when she sawe the departing of her husband she greatly complayned and sayd Ah my right â—eere Lord your departure ought gâ—eatly to greeue mee I feare you shall not come in time to succour and to bring me out of the danger that I am in for it is impossible for vs long to endure against this Emperour Aâ—as I haue
to muze casting downe his lookes to the earth and by reason that his long Mantle had swept the powder away from the pauement there appeared letters of gould written vpon the pauement he red them and the tennour of them was Whosoeuer reads this Letter shall find that vnder this pauement there is a Celler with victuall both bread flesh and wine and of all sundry meats for man or woman to eate of But the Letters sayd that whosoeuer should enter into this Celler except he be without deadly sinne as soone as he toucheth any of the meat suddainly he shall die When Huon had read all the Letters hee hadde great maruaile and feare and thought within himselfe that when hée departed from Bourdeaux hee was confessed before his Priest died and since that time hee could not remember any thinge that hee had committed that should bee deadly sinne and then hee made his prayers to our Lord God deuoutly sore weeping and when hee had ended his prayers as hee kneeled vppon his knees before the chaire hee sawe hanging vppon the side of the chaire a little key of gould he tooke it vp in his hand and beganne to muze on the writing that sayd Whosoeuer enters into this Castle though they be valiaunt and wise or noble Knightes yet they shall not knowe well what to doe Then he said vnto himselfe rather then I should die for famine it were better to die shortly then longe to endure in this hunger and thirst Then Huon recommended himselfe to the ayd and helpe of almightie God and tooke the key and opened a little wicket and drew the dore vnto him Then he looked downe into the Celler the which was as cleare as though the Sunne in the middest of the day hadde entred in at the windowes and so hee went downe about Seauen-score greeces then hee regarded on the right hand and saw a great Ouen with twoo mouthes the which cast out a great clearenesse then he saw néere thereunto Ten faire young men they were all of the Fayrie foure of them made the Past for bread and two deliuered the loaues to other twoo and they did sette them downe vppon a rich cloath of silke then the other twoo men tooke the loaues and deliuered them vnto one man by twoo loaues at once and hee did sette them into the Ouen to bake and at the other mouth of the Ouen there was a man that drewe out the white loaues and Pastes and before him there was another young man that receiued them and put them into Basketts which were richly painted When Huon had well aduised them he had great maruaile and came and saluted them saying Sir I pray to our Lord God to saue you and all your companie and when they heard Huon speake they gaue vnto him no manner of answeare but beheld each other and when Huon saw that none of them wold make him any answere he was sore abashed and greatly troubled in his mind howbeit he sayd Sirs you that be héere I coniure you in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of the Angels and Archangels and of all the Court celestiall that yée answeare mee to that I doe demaund of you Then they all ceased from their labour and businesse and beheld Huon and rubbed off the paste meale from off their hands and fingers and the Maister of them beheld Huon and saide Fréend you do vs great wrong to coniure vs we will that you well know if you were either Sarazin or Paynim you should neuer depart from hence without death your troth and noblenesse hath preserued you you ought greatly to thanke God I knowe well that you haue great hunger for it is Tenne dayes since you did either â—ate or drinke any thinge except all onely of the fruit that you founde in the Garden the which as yet is not ripe nor readie to eate Therefore Huon faire Sir I know well that you haue great hunger and therefore if that you will drinke or eate enter into yonder rich Chamber the which you sée open where you shall finde the Table readie set and the cloth layd and the pots of siluer and the vessell of gould bordered with precious stones and pearle and the Basons of gould and Ewers with water to wash your hands and there sit you downe at the Table and there you shall find meats and drinks such as you will with for and as long as you will tarie here in this Castle you shall haue euerie day like seruice or better if you list for any meat that you will wish for you shall haue it at your pleasure and of wine in likewise twoo times of the day without you will fast But sir I require you of one thing that from henceforth you do not coniure me nor any of my companie and then you shall haue euerie thinge at your desire Sir quoth Huon from henceforth I shall not speake vnto you so that by the coniuration that I haue coniured you you will shewe mee what people you bee that abide heere in this Castle and what you call this Castle and who is Lord thereof and by whome all the riches that is heere within is kept I will goe eate some meat and then I pray you for to shewe it vnto mée Then they answeared Huon right fiercely and said Ah thou false and vntrue Knight for to demaund any such thing of vs at this time I shall shewe you but afterward by mee nor by none other of my company you shall neuer heare word spoken Sir quoth Huon the requeste I am sorrie of and I heartily desire you yet if heereafter I speake vnto you alone that you will answeare mee Nay surely quoth hee that will I neuer doe but I shall shew you that I haue promised seeing you are so desirous to know it Sir knowe for troth that Iulius Caesar Father to the good and noble King Oberon caused this Castle to be made by craft of the Fayrie the which Castle cannot bee gréeued nor taken perforce so it fortuned vppon a day that Iulius Caesar after hee had vanquished the great Pompey he came into Alexandria to â—â—olomeus King of Egipt and discomfited him and tooke from him all his Landes to giue it vnto his Sister the faire Cleâ—â—â—tra who was Quéene of that Land and after shee maried Marcus Antonius and after that Iulius Caesar had this done to refresh him he came hether with the Queene of the priuie Isle and brought her the same night into this Castle and there were thrée Kinges of the lineage of Tholomeus who when they knewe that Caesar was in this Castle they made an armie and with many Shippes and Galleys they came and layde seege before this Castle and lay at the seege a long space and could not hurt it the value of one pennie so long they lay héere that they were sore displeased therewith and so they thought to depart home into their owne countreys but by
God and had great ioy thereof and the Bishop and his Chaplaine confessed them all and assoyled them of all their sinnes and in twoo great vessels christened them all Then they all cryed vppon Huon and sayd Sir for the loue of our Lord God giue vs some meate Sirs quoth Huon you shall haue incontinent ynough so that you shall bee satisfied Then Huon and the Bishop and his Chaplaine all thrée went into the Castle and charged vpon their neckes meat ynough and brought it into the Shippe and caused all the Marchants to sit downe and the meat was set before them and the wine powred out into Cuppes among other sat the tenne Sarazins who had receiued the christendome faintly and falsely and at the first morsell that they did put into their mouthes suddainly they died the other Marchants when they sawe that they were greatly abashed and regarded each other and durst not approach to touch the meat for they had thought that they should haue all died Sirs quoth Huon be not dismayed nor abashed at this for these tenne men that are dead did baptize themselues but all onely to saue their liues and to haue meate and not with a good conscience nor for the loue of almightie God who hath all mens heartes at his pleasure therefore be not afraid eate and drinke at your ease for yee shall want nothing but haue all thinges at your wish When the other Marchants vnderstood by Huon how that they that died were no true Christian men they were greatly abashed and so fell to theyr meate and drinke and when they had eaten and drunken at their pleasures they arose and tooke all the riches that were in the Shippe and carried it vp into the Castle and when they came there they had great ioy and pleasure to beholde the Hals and rich Chambers that were there so much gould and siluer and other riches they sawe there that they hadde thereof great maruaile Then they beheld the rich beddes and Chambers apparelled whereas they might rest them and then they sawe the faire Garden so pleasant and delightfull to behold that the more they regarded it the fairer it seemed vnto them the place was of length and breadth a bowe shoote and more And when the houre came for supper then Huon ledde them downe into the Seller and after into the rich Chamber whereas there was meat and drinke plentie and after Supper they went againe into the Pallaice and lay in the rich beds that they found there readie and in the morning the Bishop and his Chaplaine did sing Masse before Huon and all the other that were there present and when they woulde eate they went to the place accustomed and there they founde alwayes readie euerie thing that they desired or wisht for in the day time they would bee in the Garden to sport them oftentimes the Bishop preached vnto them and confessed them of all their sinnes Thus they were there all together the space of one Moneth in great pleasure and solace but whosoeuer had ioy Huon had none for his abiding there greatly greeued him for oftentimes hee would complaine for his Wife the faire Ladie Escleremond and for his Daughter Clariet and sayde Madame as often as I remember what danger I haue left you in my heart néere departeth out of my bodie Ah cursed Emperour thou causest me to suffer much ill when I thinke that by this time thou hast taken my Citie my Wife and my Child and set them in thy Prison I would if it were the pleasure of our Lord God that they were heere with mee then I would neuer depart from hence and no more I shall doe without it be by the grace of God Ah noble King Oberon you haue giuen me the realme of the Fayrie if it might bée your pleasure now so much to succour mée as to deliuer me from hence and to ayd me to destroy this Emperour who hath done me so much ill for euer were I bound to your Mightinesse Chap. CIX ¶ How Huon was borne by a Griffen out of the Castle of the Adamant and how he slewe the Griffen and fiue other young Griffens And of the Fountaine of the fayre Garden and of the fruit of the Tree neere to the Fountaine THus as yee haue heard Huon passed away the time in the Castle of the Adamant and vppon a day hee leaned and looked out at a windowe into the Sea-ward and hee sawe a farre off a great birde come flyinge thether-ward this bird or foule was bigger then any horse in the world whereof he had great maruaile Then he sawe where it came to the same Port and lighted vpon the Maste of a great Shippe and saw how with the weight of the Foule the Mast had neere hand broken asunder Then after he sawe the Foule alight downe into the Ship and tooke with his tallants one of the Ten men that died because they would not beleeue firmely vpon God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ they could not putrefie but lay still in the Shippe al whole and found then the Foule lifted him vp into the ayre and carried him away as lightly as a Hauke would carie a Pigeon Huon who sawe this had great maruaile and beheld the Griffen which way she did fly and as farre off as he might sée he sawe to his similitude a great Rocke as white to the sight as Christall and then he said to himselfe I would to God that I were there I think it be some place inhabitable and then he thought within himselfe to come thether againe the dext day to sée if the Griffen would come againe to fetch his pray if hee did he◠thought if he would be out of the Castle the Griffen might bear him armed as surely that hee should doe him no hurt with his tallants thinking to lye downe armed with his Sword in his hand among the dead men and when the Griffen had brought him where his young birdes were then to fight with the Griffen yet he thought before he would thus doe he would againe sée if the Griffen came and held the same way that she did before for he thought surely that if she returned to the same place it must needes bee some Land and hee thought that it were a thing impossible to get out of that Castle by any other manner of wayes Then Huon returned againe to the Garden to the Bishoppe and vnto the other companie and made no semblance of that he hadde thought to doe and then hee talked with them of diuers matters And when the time came they went to eat and drink as they had been accustomed to do before When night came and that Huon was in his bedde he lay and studied of the conuayance of the Griffen desiring greatly for the day light to goe and see if the Griffen returned to fetch her pray When day came Huon aroase and heard seruice and then hee went to the window and looked there so longe that at the laste
the voyce of their Mother Father they had none for he was slaine but a little before by a Kinge of Persia with his Archers because the Griffen had slaine the Kings Horse for meat for his young ones Thus when they heard the crie of theyr Mother they arose vp into the ayre they were fiue in number they came all at once with open winges vppon Huon and when he saw all fiue comming vppon him he had great feare he strake the first vpon the necke in such sort that hee strake off the head cleane from the bodie then the second seazed Huon by the maile that if hée had not striken off her Legge hee hadde borne him vp into the ayre but Huon gaue him such a stroake that the Legge hanged still at the lappe of the maile and hee tooke it off with his hand and cast it to the earth and with another stroake hee slew that Griffen and then came the third and gaue Huon such a buffet with his winges that it made Huon to kneele downe vpon one of his knées Then Huon strake that Griffen such a stroake on the wing that it fell cleane from the bodie And the fourth hée strake off his Legges and with another stroake strake off his head and then also he slew the other with the one winge Then came the fifth Griffen who was bigger then any of the other Griffens and then Huon strake at him and the Griffen reared vp his féete and spreade abroade his winges and gaue Huon such a recounter that the noble Knight was striken to the earth When Huon felt himselfe hurt and lay vppon the earth hee called vppon God for ayd and succour for hee thought that he should neuer haue risen more and wished himselfe at that time that hee had taried still in the Castle of the Adamant with his companie who for sorrowe that they had when Huon went into the shippe they durst not abide the comming of the Griffen but went and did hide themselues in the Castle and Huon who was sore wounded with this fifth Griffen rose vp as well as he might and came to the Griffen who was ready to destroy him with his beake and nailes Thus Huon like a vertuous and a hardy Knight tooke courage and lifted vp his Swoord with both his handes and strake the Griffen such a stroake vpon the heade that hee claue it to the braynes so that the Griffen fell downe dead to the earth Chap. CX ¶ How Huon fought with the great Griffen and slew her WHen Huon sawe that hee had slaine the fiue young Griffens hee thanked our Lord God for the grace that hee had sent him as to ouercome such fiue terrible Foules then he sat downe to rest him and layd his Sword by him thinking that they had beene all slaine but it was not long but that the great Griffen who had brought him from the Castle of the Adamant came vppon him with thrée feete and beating with his winges and when shee sawe her young ones slaine she cast out a great crie so that all the Valley rang thereof When Huon sawe her comming he was in great feare for hee was sore wearie with trauaile and losse of bloud that it was paine to sustaine himselfe howbeit hee sawe well that it was great neede to defend himselfe and then hee came to the Griffen to haue striken her but hee could not the Griffen was so neere him beating with her winges so fiercely that Huon fell to the earth and his Sword fell out of his handes whereof he had great feare for he thought himselfe neuer so neere death in all his life as hee was then he called then right pitiously for ayd and succour of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Griffen did â—eat him maruailously with her beake winges and tallants but the noble coats of maile that he had on were so strong that the Griffen could not breake them but if the Griffen hadde not lost before one of her Legges and lost so much bloud as she had done Huon could neuer haue escaped without death the Griffen so sore defoyled and beat him that hee could not in no wise arise vp againe Then Huon remembred himselfe howe that hee had by his side a rich knife the which he brought with him from the Castle of the Adamant he drew it out and therewith strake the Griffen vppon the breast sixe great stroakes euerie stroake as déepe as the knife would goe and as his fortune was this knife was of length two foote and therewith the Griffen fell downe dead Then Huon arose and put off his helmet lifted vp his hands vnto Heauen and thanked our Lord God of his victorie and he was so sore trauailed and charged with bloud and sweat that hee put off his helmet and beheld round about him and could see nothing to trouble him When hee had taried there a certaine time hee arose vp and looked downe the Rocke and hee saw a Fountaine in a faire meadowe then he went down and came thether and he sawe the Fountaine so faire cleare that he had great maruaile thereof he sawe the workemanship thereof rich all of white Iasper wrought richly with flowers of fine gould and Azure and when hee sawe the water so faire he had great desire to drinke thereof then hee did off one of his double armours to be the more lighter and so approached vnto the Fountaine and sawe the grauell in the bottome all of precious stones and then hee put off his helmet and dranke of the water his fill and he had no sooner droonke thereof but incontinent hee was hole of all his wounds and as fresh and lustie as hee was when hee came from the Castle of the Adamant whereof hee most humbly thanked our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ This Fountaine was called the Fountaine of youth the which was of such vertue that whatsoeuer sicknesse a man or woman had if they bathed them in the streame of that Fountaine they should be hole of all infirmities Then Huon vnarmed himselfe and put off all his cloathes and bathed himselfe in the streame to wash away the bloud and sweat that his bodie was coloured withall and when hee was cleane washed he armed himselfe againe with one of his armours and left off the other By this Fountaine there grew an Apple Trée charged with leaues and fruite the fairest that might bee founde When Huon saw the Trée charged with so faire fruit he arose vppon his feete and approached vnto the Trée and tooke thereof a faire Apple and a great and did eat thereof his fill for the Apple was great he thought that hee did neuer eate before of such a fruit Ah good Lord quoth he I ought greatly to laud and praise thée séeing thou hast thus replenished mee this day with such a Fountaine and such fruit Then hée looked vppon his right hande and sawe a great Orchard full of Trées bearing good fruit of diuers sorts that great beautie it
his Lordes Seruants and said to himselfe if I may the Emperour shall deerly abuy that bargaine Then Huon went to the Garden and gathered fruit to bear into the Shippe and then hee went to the Fountaine whereas the Trée of youth was there by and there by the commaundement of the Angell hée gathered thrée Apples and trussed them safely and then he dranke of the Fountaine at his pleasure Then hee departed and tooke the little path the which was betweene the Garden and the streame that yssued out of the Fountaine the which streame ranne and fell into the great Riuer whereas the Shippe lay and when hée was entred into this streame he sawe the goodlyest precious stones that euer he sawe they were so faire and so rich that the value of them could not bee esteemed the grauell of the streame that yssued out of the Fountaine were all precious stones and they cast such light that all the Mountaine and Rocke did shine thereof whereof Huon had great maruaile Also he sawe the Shippe so faire that he was thereof greatly dismayed and abashed the Riuer ioyned to the rich Garden whereas Huon had gathered fruit of Fourteene sorts the which hee put into the Shippe and then recommending himselfe to our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ he entred into the Shippe and vntyed the ship from the chaine then the shippe departed from that Port this Riuer was called Diplayre Thus this shippe went as fast as though a bird hadde flowne and thus as yee haue heard Huon sayled all alonge in this Shippe vppon the Riuer of Diplayre right desirous to bring out of danger his Wife the faire Ladie Escleremond Chap. CXII ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux sayled in a rich Shippe and of the perilous Gulfe that he passed by and how hee arriued at the Port of the great Citie of Thauris of Persia THus as yee haue heard was Huon vppon this rich Riuer in his Shippe the which was bordered with white Iuorie and nayled with nayles of fine gould and the fore Castle of white Christall mingled with riche Caâ—sidony and therein a Chamber the sealing wrought with starres of gould and precious stones the which gaue such clearnesse in the darke night as though it had beene faire day and the bedde that Huon lay vpon there is no humane tongue can estéeme the value thereof therein lay Huon euerie night and in the day came abroad in the Shippe it was yrkesome to him for that hee was alone without companie and sayled euerie day betwéene two Rockes without sight of any Towne or Village man or woman and when hee had béene in this Shippe thrée dayes and thrée nights hee beheld before him and sawe how the two Rockes beganne to drawe together and couer the Riuer and it séemed vnto his fight that the Shippe should enter into a darkenesse howbeit the Riuer euer still kept his full breadth but the néerer he came the darker the passage séemed and when the shippe came néere vnto it shee went so fast that Huon thought that no bird in all the world could flye so fast and then it beganne to be sore blacke and darke and the wind rose and it hayled so extreamly that hee thought the Ship should haue perished and Huon was so cold that hee wiste not howe to get him any heat Then he heard pitifull voyces speaking diuers languages cursing the time that euer they were borne Then hee heard thunder and saw lightning so often that certainly hee thought to haue beene perished and neuer to haue escaped out of that danger Thus Huon was in this shippe in great feare of loozing of his life and when he was hungrie hee did eat of the fruit that he had brought thether then againe he was comforted in that the Angell had said vnto him that he should sée again his Wife Escleremond and his Daughter Clariet When hée had beene in this case the space of thrée dayes he sat downe vpon the Sea board of the Ship and then hée heard such a brute so great and so horrible that if the thunder had fallen from the Heauens and that al the Riuers in the world had fallen downe from the Rockes they could not haue made so hideous a noyse as the Tempest of the Gulfe made the which is betweene the Sea of Persia and the great Sea Ocean it was neuer heard that euer any Shippe or Galley escaped that way without perishing When Huon saw himselfe in that danger deuoutly hee called vppon our Lord God and said Ah good Lord now I sée and perceiue that without thy ayd and succour I am lost and come to my end but séeing that it is your pleasure and will that I shall perish héere I beséech your beneuolent grace to accept my Soule into your fauourable handes Huon had no sooner spoken those words but a winde aroase with so great a Tempest that hee thought then surely to haue beene cast away Then he saw comming against him great barres of yron red hoat that fell downe from on high into the Riuer before Huon in such sort that when they fell into the water by reason of the heat of the barres troubled so the water that fearfull it was to behold it Thus Huon was a great space before he could passe the Gulfe the which was so perrilous and the Shippe went so sore by force of the wind so that the shippe went out of the middest of the streame and was neere to the Land so that the Ship was grounded and could goe no further When Huon saw and perceiued that the Shippe was vpon the grounde hee thought then surely to haue béene drowned Then hee tooke an anchor and put it into the water to knowe how many foote the water was of déepenesse and hee found it but fiue foote Then hee tooke one of his anchors and cast it a shoare and then drewe by the coard vntill the shippe came neere to the bancke-side then hee yssued out of the Shippe and leapt a land and then hee sawe suddainly about him a great clearnesse whereof he was greatly dismayed and abashed and wist not what to thinke then hee sawe before him that all the grauell in the water were mingled with precious stones and when Huon saw that he tooke a scoope and cast into the shippe so much of those precious stones that it gaue as great a light as though tenne Torches hadde beene burning and so much of this grauell Huon did cast into the Shippe that hee was wearie of labour and when hee sawe the Shippe sufficiently charged then hee entred againe and drewe vp the anchor and trauailed so sore that hee brought againe the shippe into the middest of the streame then the ship went so fast that a bird could not haue followed it Thus he was tenne dayes before he could passe that Gulfe and thus day and night hee sayled with great feare and sore oppressed through hunger and thirst for hee had nothing to eat nor drinke but fruit so that thereby hee
gréeuously he complained for his wife and Daughter and sayde Ah right noble Ladie Escleremond when I remember the paines and dolors and pouerties that by my cause you suffer and haue suffered all my body sweateth by paine and dolour Alas I had thought in short space to haue aided and succoured you but nowe I sée well that our departing is come for euer more in yonder perilous Sea I sée my Coozen Barnard and diuers other Lords that by my cause are in the way of perdition without God doe ayd and succour them whome I humbly require to send them that grace that they may arriue at some good Port and that I may sée them once againe to the entent that I may fight against the Paynims and Sarazins in exalting the Law of Iesus Christ Thus Huon of Bourdeaux made his prayers to our Lord Iesus Christ Chap. CXX ¶ How Huon went so long in this Desert that he found Cain and spake with him a long season and how hee beguiled Cain and departed AFter that Huon hadde thus made his prayers vnto our Lord God he arose vp and blessed him with the signe of the crosse recommending himselfe vnto our Lord God and came to the toppe of the Mountaine but when hée was there all his bodie trembled with trauaile so that he was verie faint and féeble Then hée looked round about him and sawe in a faire meadowe a cleare Fountaine thether he went to refresh and to rest him then he layde him downe vppon the grasse to refresh him before hee would drinke he was so hot and when he was well cooled hée came to the Fountaine and dranke thereof a little and washed his hands and face and then he went further into the Forrest and could find neither Towne nor Castle Garden nor Trées with fruit whereof hée was right sorrowfull and sore displeased and so searched all day to find some man or woman but al was in vaine and when he sawe that the Sunne went to rest and could find no creature he was sore discomforted he chose out a Trée and there vnder layd him downe and slept and in the morning when he saw the Sunne rise and that his beames spread abroad vppon the earth he arose and blessed him and so went foorth into the Desert and found neither man nor woman beast nor birde wherewith being sorrowfull and angrie deuoutly hée called vppon our Lord God praying him to haue in his tuition and kéeping his bodie and soule and that he might yet once sée his Wife the faire Escleremond and Clariet his Daughter He went so long in this Desert that at last he came to a plain of thrée bowe shoot large and in the middest thereof he sawe a Tunne made of the heart of Oake bound all about with bands of yron and it turned and rowled in the playne and neuer passed out of the circuit of the plaine and beside the Tunne he saw where there lay vppon the ground a great mall of yron great maruaile had Huon when hée sawe this Tunne roule about thus without cease like a Tempest and as it passed by Huon hee heard a pitifull voice within the Tunne sore complaning and when hee had heard it two or thrée times hée approached néere to the Tunne and sayd Thou that art in this Tunne speake vnto mée and shewe mée what thou art or what thing thou hast néede of and why thou art put there Then when he that was in the Tunne heard Huon he rested still and spake no word and when Huon saw that it would not speake he sayd Whatsoeuer thou art I coniure thée by him that created all the world and by his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whom he sent downe to suffer death and passion vppon the Trée of the Crosse to redéeme his Fréends who by the sinne of Adam and Eue were in Limbo and by his glorious Resurrection and by his Angels and Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins and by all his holy Saints I coniure thée to shewe mee what thou art and why and for what cause thou art set heere in this Tunne When hee that was within the Tunne heard howe sore hee was coniured he answeared and said Thou that hast coniured mée thou doest great euill to cause me to shew thée the troth know surely that I haue to name Cain and Sonne I was vnto Adam and Eue and am hee that slewe my Brother Abell by false and cursed enuie that I had vnto him because his oblations and Dismes that he made vnto God were exalted and the fume thereof went vpward to Heauen and those that I made the fume went downe-ward and when I sawe that I slewe and murdered my Brother Abell wherefore and for the great sinne that I haue committed I am damned to bee and to suffer this martirdome within this Tunne wherein I am closed burning and with Serpents and Toads héere within deuouring mee and yet I cannot die and héere I shall bee vntill the day of Iudgement and then my paine shall be doubled Now haue I shewed thee thy demaund wherefore I repute thée for a foole when thou art so hardy as to enter into this Desert whereas neuer man entred and departed without death for know for troth that hether repaireth twoo enemies Féends of Hell who shall slay thée and beare thy soule into Hell without thou wilt doe as I shall shew thée Fréend quoth Huon I pray thee to shew me what it is that thou speakest of or what thing thou wilt that I should doe and I will doe it to the entent that I may depart from hence there is nothing in the world but I shall doe it for thée so thou wilt shewe mée the way howe I may depart from hence Fréend quoth Cain I shall shewe thée what thou shalt doe thou shalt take this mall of iron that thou séest there and strike therewith so long vppon this Tunne vntill thou hast broken it to the entent that I may yssue out and when I am deliuered I shall set thée in sauegard in Ierusalem or in France or in what countrey soeuer thou wilt wish If thou wilt doe this that I haue sayd and deliuer me from this torment I shall set thée wheresoeuer thou wilt be in any Land Christian or Heathen and if thou doest not this that I haue saide before it be night I shall cause thée to die with great tormentes for anon thou shalt sée come hether two Diuels of Hell foule and hideous to behold and they shall stangle thée and beare thy soule into Hell Ah good Lorde quoth Huon humbly I require and beseech thée to saue mée from this torment Cain quoth Huon thou speakest mée faire and sayest as thou list but I will not deliuer thée out of this Tunne vntill first thou shewest mée how I may depart from hence Then Cain sayd if thou wilt promise mée by thy faith and by thy part of Paradice to deliuer mée out of this Tunne I shall shewe thée the manner howe thou shalt
quoth Huon I most hartely thanke you for I am much bound vnto you wherefore I am yours Then the Admirall tooke Huon by the hande and sayd Sir I see well that wee two must part the which gréeneth mée sore but since it is thus I must suffer it and I knowe well that you thinke longe vntill you bee gone the seruice that you haue done vnto mee I cannot recompence it for our twâ—â— wayes are contrarie yours is by water and mine is by land And therefore at the Port of Thesayre there is a riche Shippe the which was wonne vppon the Souldans men I giue her to you enter into her at your pleasure and therewith I giue you tenne Somers charged with gould and Tenne other charged with cloathes of gold and silke and you may take with you all the French men that be in this hoast such as followed vs when we departed from Ierusalem lette them goe with you into their Countrey and after that you are departed I shall rayse my siege and returne into Persia Sir quoth Huon of your guift and of your courtesie I thanke you Then the Admirall sent these Somers to the Port of Thesayre and there all the riches were put into the Shippe that were giuen vnto Huon and then hee deliuered to Huon to serue him all the Pilgrims that were there of Fraunce the Admirall gaue them rich guifts whereof they were right ioyfull and of the faire aduenture that was fallen vnto them for they had more monney at their departing then they hadde when the came out of their owne Countrey whereof they thanked the Admirall and promised to doe true seruice vnto Huon and not to leaue him vntill he had atchieued all his businesse Then Huon made him readie and tooke with him tâ—â— great Griffens foote and the Admirall and his Constables and Marshals and the other Lordes of the Hoast leapt vppon their Horses and conuayed Huon and his companie to the Port of Thesayre whereas his shippe was readie fournished with victuall and other things appertaining thereto then Huon all wéeping tooke his leaue of the Admirall and of the other Lords and Barons for whose departing they were right sorrowfull and so returned to their Hoast before Acres deuising of the great valour prowesse and courtesâ—e that was in Huon Then the Admirall commaunded priuily the next morning to dislodge and depart the which was done Thus the Admirall departed from the Citie of Acres and tooke his way towards Persia and he found vppon the Citie of Euphrates all his shippes and so with them hee sayled into his owne Countrey And Huon and Barnard his Coozen and diuers other Knightes and Squiers of Fraunce and when they were in their shippe they weighed vp their anchors and made sayle Then they passed the Gulfe of Sathale and then passed by the Rhodes and by Sardaine and so long they sayled without danger or lette that they came and arriued at the Port of Marsellâ—s and there they went a shoare with great ioy and discharged the shippe and then Huon gaue the shippe to the Patron that had brought them thether whereby the Patron was riche and thanked Huon When they were all a land they conuayed all their baggage into their Lodging in the Towne whereas they rested about eight dayes Nowe let vs leaue to speake of Huon and of them that were with him and let vs speake of the Abbot of Cluny Chap. CXXXII ¶ How the good Abbot of Cluny layd an ambushment of men of armes betweene Mascon and Tournous against the Emperour of Almaines Nephewe who was there slaine and all his men whereof the Emperour was so sore vexed and troubled that hee tooke the Duchesse Escleremond out of prison to haue burnt her and the three Hundred Prisoners of Bourdeaux to haue hanged them all YEE haue well heard in this Historie how Barnard departed from the Abbey of Cluny to go and search for his Nephew Huon and the Abbot seeinge that hee coulde heare no newes of Huon nor of Barnard his Coozen who was gone to séeke for him he was right sorrowfull and sore displeased that he could haue none other knowledge but the thing that caused him to passe the matter the more easier was because of Clariet Huons Daughter whome he kept and shee was all his comfort she was so faire and so swéet that none were like her in beauty and in good vertues and againe when hee remembred the Duchesse her mother Escleremond whome he knew was in great pouertie and miserie he was therewith so sore displeased that all his members trembled So vppon a day it was reported vnto him by a notable man that as he came from Saint Iames and by Bourdeaux how that a Nephew of the Emperours should goe from Bourdeaux to the Citie of Mayence to his Vncle Tirrey the Emperour of Almaine and howe hee should haue with him a great number of the Burgesses of the Citie of Bourdeaux as Prisoners because vppon a day they spake of Huon their naturall Lord and also how that he should carie with him the Tribute and monney of the Rents and Reuenewes of the Countrey of Burdeloys and such monney as euerie man was bound to paye vnto the Emperour When the good Abbot of Cluny was aduertised of the comming of the Emperours Nephew whome he reputed as his enemie hee assembled a great number of noble men the most part appertaining vnto the Duke of Burgoyne who as then was Father to Gerard of Roussellon being at that time but three yeares of age and when the Abbot had assembled a great number of men he chose the Lord of Vergier to be Captaine and leader of that companie and then he sent out his Spies to knowe certainely which way the Emperours Nephewe should come and at the last hee had certaine knowledge that hee was lodged at Mascon and the next day he should depart to Tournous and then the Lord of Vergier and diuers other by the commaundement of the Abbot of Cluny went and layde their ambushment betwéene Mascon and Tournous in a Valley so that by their Spies who laye vppon a Mountaine they sawe the Almaines comming about the number of two Thousand horses and the Lord of Vergier hadde in his companie aboue three Thousand horses defencibly apparelled and they were right ioyfull when they heard by their Spies that their enemies were comming then they apparelled themselues to abide their enemies who were come so forwarde that they were past their first ambushment and were entred into the Valley When they of the first ambushment and they of the second ambushment sawe their time they yssued out and brake vpon their enemies and made a great crie so that within a short space their enemies and the most part of them were slaine not one that escaped but either he was slaine or taken they could not saue themselues because vppon the one side was the Mountaine and vpon the other side the Riuer of Some and before and behinde their enemies
your good husband Huon is come on this side of the Sea whome you shall sée within short time When the good Ladie had well vnderstood Gloriand shee had such ioy that of a great space she could speake no word shee was so rauished but at last she said Sir I ought greatly to loue you for bringing me such tidings and then they sayde vnto her Madame rest you héere a season vntill wee haue deliuered the other Prisoners whome we sée yonder leading toward their deaths and shortly we shall returne againe vnto you Therewith they departed from the Ladie and left her vpon her knées holding vp her handes vnto Heauen and deuoutly rendring thankes to our Lord Iesus Christ for the succor and aide that he had sent her Then Gloriand and Mallabron came to the Gallowes and there vnloozed the thrée Hundred Prisoners and sâ—ew diuers of them that were sent thether to doe execution whereof all they that were there present had great maruaile and did woonder thereat when they saw their company slaine and could not sée them that did it but they thought that there were a Thousand Knights by reason of the great brute and noyse that the two Knights of the Fayrie made whereof they had such feare that they fled away and ranne to the Emperour who was sore dismayed and abashed of that aduenture for it was also shewed vnto him that the Ladie was rescued and they could not tell by whom but they sayd that they heard a great brute and noyse then also the Emperour saw how the people came running towards him flying from the Gallowes and they shewed to him all that they had séen and heard wherof the Emperour and all his Lordes had great feare and were sore abashed Ah Sir quoth the Duke of Austrich it hadde beene better for you to haue beleeued Duke Hildebert your Coozen knowe surely that you haue greatly displeased our Lord Iesus Christ since that you would doe such cruell iustice in the holy time of Lent Thus after these two Knights of the Fayrie hadde rescued the good Ladie and the other Prisoners they tooke them and the Ladie and brought them vnto the Emperour and shewed themselues openly and when they were in the presence of the Emperour and the Prisoners with them and the Emperour saw that there were but twoo Knightes armed vppon horse-backe hee set little by them and said How are you so bolde and so hardy to deliuer and to take out of my mens handes those that are condemned to die by iustice and besides that you haue slaine many of my men and nowe bringe them into my presence whom I haue condemned to die wherefore I will that you well know that before I eat or drinke you and all they shal be hanged and the Ladie Escleremond burned nor I shall not depart from hence vntill I haue seen you all dye the death Then Gloriand and Mallabron lifted vp their visors and shewed their faces and they séemed vnto all them that sawe them that they neuer sawe before two so faire Knightes in all their liues Then Gloriand sayde vnto the Emperour Sir of you nor of your threatninges wee make thereof but little account but Sir knowe for troth that the noble King Oberon commandeth you by vs in as much as you feare your life that you bee not so hardy any further to doe any ill or iniurie nor commaund to bee done vnto this noble Ladie that is heere present nor to these other Prisoners vntill Easter day bee past And also Kinge Oberon commaundeth you that you doe keepe this Ladie in your house cloathed and apparelled and as well gouerned and to bee accompanied with Ladies and Damsels to serue her honourably as well as if she were your owne proper Daughter and that in like wise these Prisoners to be newly arrayed and ordered aswell as other Knights of your house and Sir we warne and charge you that in this that wee haue sayd that you do not the contrarie for any thing that may fall for if you do otherwise there is no mortall man shall saue your life thus the right noble Kinge Oberon commaundeth you to doe who is Soueraigne Lord and Gouernor of all the Realme of the Fayrie When the Emperour Tirrey had well heard these Knightes of the Fayrie thus speake vnto him and sawe howe they were armed with their Swordes in their handes taynted with the bloud of his Almaynes hee had great feare and beheld his Barons and sayde Sirs I pray you to giue me some good counsaile in this serious businesse wee haue well heard much speaking of King Oberon and of his great Acts and déeds wherefore I feare him much yée may wel sée what two of his knights haue done they haue rescued them that I haue condemned to die and slaine diuers of my men Also you heare what word he sendeth me by his two Knights that I should keepe this ladie and the other Prisoners honourably and that I should not be so hardy to put them to any danger vntill Easter be passed Then an ancient knight sayd Sir know for troth that King Oberon is puissant and wise for there is nothing in the world but that he knoweth it and also as often as hée list hee can bee whereas he will wish himselfe and with as great number of people as hee list and therefore Sir beléeue surely that if you doe otherwise then he hath commaunded you to doe these twoo knightes of his that be héere present haue puissance sufficient to destroy you and Kinge Oberon to sit still at home therefore Sir mine aduise is that you answeare these two knights that all that Kinge Oberon hath commaunded you to doe by them that you will doe it surely and then all the other Lordes gaue the Emperour the same counsaile When the Emperour had well heard and vnderstood his Lordes and Barons he turned him vnto the two Knightes of the Fayrie and said Sirs yée shall salute me to King Oberon and say that as for me I shall doe euerie thing as hee hath commaunded me to doe to the best of my power Sir Emperour quoth Gloriand if you will doe as you say the king will take you for his Fréend therevppon we commend you to God Thus the two knights departed so that the Emperour nor none other person knew not where they were become whereof euerie man had great maruaile and were sore abashed And thus Gloriand and Mallabron within a while came to the City of Momur whereas they found king Oberon to whome they shewed all that they had done Well quoth king Oberon as now the Lady Escleremond and the other Prisoners are at their ease and well serued but before a Moneth be passed they shall dearely abâ—y the ease that they bee in nowe for the Emperour hateth them so sore because of the malice that he beareth vnto Huon of Bourdeaux that he will set them all againe into Prison in great pouertie and miserie and when Easter is passed hee
behould him there hee made good chéere and feasting for the space of right dayes and vppon the ninth day in the Morning he departed from thence priuily and tooke Barnard with him without the knowledge of any person except the Abbot vnto whom he sayde Faire Vncle I and Barnard will depart and I require you to let no man liuing know of my departing as long as you can keepe it secret vntill you doe héere from mee some tidings Sir it shall bee done quoth the Abbot and I commend you to the sauegard of our Lord Iesus Christ and I beséech him humbly that you may haue peace with the Emperour Tirrey Then Huon and Barnard departed before any man were rising and they tooke their way towards the Citie of Mayence and rested not vntill they came to Coleyne and the next Morning they road vntill they came within a League of the Citie of Mayence and then they entred into a wood there they alighted Then Huon apparelled himselfe like a Pilgrim in habite hose and shooes and he tooke a hearbe and rubbed therewith his Visage in such sort that hee séemed that hee had beene in the Sunne Ten yeares so that he was vnknowne and Barnard that was with him coulde not knowe him by the face and then Barnard laughed then he tooke his staffe and scrippe and saide vnto Barnard Sir goe your way before into the Citie with our horses and take none acquaintance of mee though you sée me and take vp some small lodging so Barnard went on before and Huon faire and easily went after him and so entred into the Citie and hee had with him the Thirtie rich stones in his bosome When hee was entred into the Citie hee rested not vntill he came to the Pallaice and as hee went vp the stayres he met the Steward of the Emperours house vnto whome hée sayd Sir I pray you in the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ to giue mee some meate for I am so hungrie that I can scarce goe vppon my Legges nor I haue no monney to buy mee one morsell of bread When the Steward had well heard and vnderstood the Pilgrim hee beheld him well and sawe howe his staffe shaked in his hand the which he thought had béene with féeblenesse and pouertie and hadde of him great pitie and compassion and demaunded of him from whence hee came Sir quoth Huon I come straight from the holy Sepulchre and I haue endured much pouertie and miserie Fréend quoth the Steward I pray you to tarie for me héere a little season vntil I haue been in the Prison to carie meat vnto the Duchesse Escleremond and to the other Prisoners who crye out through famine and rage that they be in for if they bee longe in this case that they bee in now they cannot endure it for the Emperour hath taken such an inward hate against her and against them that are in prison with her that he hath made promise that assoone as Easter is passed the Ladie shall be burnt and the other Prisoners al hanged and this day is Shroue Thursday so that they haue to liue but fiue dayes and I am right sorrie for the noble Ladie that our Emperour will put her to death without a iust cause When Huon had well heard that hee hadde no member nor ioynt but that trembled and he cast downe his Visage and beganne pitifully to wéepe and suffered the Steward to passe and spake no woorde vnto him but returned into the Towne and went and lodged in the Towne right heauie and sorrowfull howbeit he was right ioyfull in that his Wife was aliue for he greatly feared that she had been dead He lodged in a notable Burgesses house who receiued him wel for the loue of God but whatsoeuer he had there he could neither eat nor drinke for the sorrowe and gréefe that he had at his heart then hee sayde vnto his Host Sir to Morrowe is good Friday the which day I thinke the Emperour will giue great Almes Fréend quoth his Host you may surely beléeue that the Emperour will giue as to morrow great Almes hee will giue of his goods so largely vnto all poore men that if they come vnto him that day they shall bee all satisfied you shall not finde a Prince that doth giue greater Almes and of one thing I aduertise you the Emperour hath one custome that the first poore Pilgrim that commeth vnto him to morrowe shal bee happie for there is nothing in the world be it neuer so deare but if hee demaund it of the Emperour it shall not bee denied him it must bee at the same houre and time that the Emperour goeth vnto his Chappell to say his Orisons When Huon had well vnderstood his Host he beganne to reioyce and thought within himselfe that if hee could in any wise hee would bee the first that should demaund Almes of the Emperour but that should be neither gold nor siluer it should bee his Wife and his men that hee hath in Prison and also if he may he will aske therewith his Landes and Signiories Then the Host went to his rest and Huon abode in his Chamber alone and slept not of all the night but thought how he might deliuer his Wife and the other Prisoners that were with her and all the night he was at his prayers humbly desiring our Lord God to counsaile and to ayd him to recouer his good Wife Escleremond Early in the Morning hee arose and made him readie and tooke his scrippe and staffe and went straight to the Pallaice and sat down vpon the greeces whereas the Emperour should passe at which time the Emperour was newe rysen and there were many other Pilgrimes that were there abiding for the Emperours comming and euerie man coueted to haue the first guift but Huon did so much by his subtiltie that hee was the first that entred into the Chappell and none other perceiued him and he did hide himselfe closely in a corner néere vnto the Emperours Oratorie and there hee sat still without any word speaking abiding there for the comming of the Emperour Chap. CXXXVIII ¶ How Duke Huon of Bourdeaux did so much with the Emperor Tirrey that he had peace with him and his Wife rendred vnto him and all his Landes and Signiories and how the Emperour brought him vnto the Abbey of Cluny whereas they found the good Abbot in armour not knowing any thing of the Peace that was made NOwe sheweth the Historie that anon after that Huon was entred into the Chappell the Emperour came in and kneeled downe before the Aulter and made his prayers and many poore men were there abiding the end of his prayers and no man saw Huon whereas hee was hidden closely in a corner hard by the Emperours Oratorie When the Emperour had made his prayers hee arose and turned him to haue gone into his Oratorie and Huon who had great desire to bee the first and to haue the first guift of the Emperour hee drewe out of his
bagge a rich stone the which was of such vertue that whosoeuer did beare it about him could not bee ouercome with his enemie nor coulde not be drowned nor burnt the stone had such great vertue that none could esteeme the value thereof and besides that it cast such clearnesse in the Chappell that the Emperour was abashed thereat nor hee knewe not from whence that light should come Then hee beheld Huon and Huon did holde the stone in his hande and shewed it vnto the Emperour and when the Emperour sawe the rich stone he greatly desired to haue it and aduaunced himselfe and tooke it out of the Pilgrimes hand who presented it vnto him When the Emperour had the stone in his hand he had great ioy at his heart for he was cunning in the descrying of stones and sware to himselfe that the Pilgrim should neuer haue it againe for any thing that he could doe but he thought within himselfe that if he would sell it hee would giue him as much gould and siluer as hée could reasonably demaund or else he thought to kéepe it still whatsoeuer fell thereof and then the Emperour sayde vnto Huon Pilgrim I pray thee to shewe vnto mee where thou hast gotten this rich and bountifull stone Sir quoth Huon I haue brought it from beyond the Sea Fréend quoth the Emperour wilt thou sell it and I shall giue thée for it whatsoeuer thou wilt haue and to bee in the more suertie to beare away my guift that I will giue thee for it I shall cause thée to bee conducted into thine owne Countrey wheresoeuer it bee Sir quoth Huon I will giue it vnto you with a good heart so that it bee true that mine Host hath shewed vnto mee this day for he hath shewed vnto me that your custome is that the first person Pilgrim that commeth vnto you vppon this day being good Friday should haue of you a guift such as hee would demaund after that you haue made your prayers to our Lord God Pilgrim quoth the Emperour he that shewed thée that sayd that which is true and therefore whatsoeuer thou demaundest either Borough Towne or Citie or what thing soeuer it be I promise faithfully to giue thée whosoeuer bee displeased therewith I graunt it to thée therefore demaund whatsoeuer thou wilt Sir quoth Huon of your grace and faire guift I most hartely thanke you therefore Sir with a good heart I giue you that stone the which I deliuered vnto you but euen now in the recompence of the courtesie and guift that you haue graunted vnto mée the which shall be neither gould nor siluer and Sir because I know certainely that the renowme is ouer all the world that you are a iust and a true noble man and that which you promise you will vphold and kéepe and neuer swarue from your promise and because that I know surely that the promise that you haue made vnto mee you will vphold of whatsoeuer guift I desire to haue Fréend quoth the Emperour I will that you well knowe that if you demaund foure of my best Cities I shall giue you them séeing I haue made that promise and if God bee pleased I shall not goe from my promise for I had rather that one of my handes were cut off then I should be found false in my wordes and therefore demaund and surely you shall haue your demand without any deniall Sir quoth Huon I hartely thanke you and would haue kissed his féete but the Emperor would not suffer him but tooke him vp Sir quoth Huon first and before all other thinges I desire of you pardon of all the ill déedes and trespasses that I or my men haue done against you and if you haue in your Prison either men or women appertaining vnto mee or of my lineage that you will deliuer them all vnto mee and also if you haue any thing of mine either Towne or Citie Borough or Castle I require you by the promise that you haue made vnto mee to render them vnto me quite Sir any other thinge I demaund not Pilgrim quoth the Emperour make no doubt to haue that which I haue promised vnto you therefore I graunt all your desire but I require you humbly to shew vnto mee what man you bée and of what Countrey and of what Lineage seeing you haue desired of me such a guift Sir quoth Huon I am hee that sometime was Duke of Bourdeaux whome you haue so much hated I come now from beyond the Sea whereas I haue endured much paine and pouertie I thanke our Lord Iesus Christ that I haue done so much that I am nowe agreed with you and I shall haue againe the Duchesse Escleremond my louing Wife and my men and my Landes and Signiories if you will bee as good as your word and vphold your promise When the Emperour had well heard and vnderstood Huon all his bloud beganne to change and hee was a great space before he spake any word hee was so sore abashed but at the last hee sayd Ah Huon are you hee by whome I haue suffered so many illes and dammages and haue slaine so many of my Nephewes and other of my men I would not haue thought that you would haue beene so hardy to haue shewed your selfe before mée nor to haue come into my presence you haue well ouercome me and enchaunted mee I had rather haue lost foure of my best Cities yea and all my Countrey burnt and destroyed and my selfe banished out of mine owne Countrey for thrée yeares rather then you should haue thus come to my presence but séeing that it is thus knowe for troth that which I haue promised vnto you I shall vphold and keepe and from hencefoorth in the honour of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of this good day vppon the which hee was crucified and put to death I pardon you all mine ill will and good will I shall not bee periured your Wife your Landes and Signiories and your men I shall render them into your hands speake thereof who liste otherwise it shall not bee nor I will neuer doe the contrarie Then Huon knéeled downe before the Emperour and right humbly thanked him and desired him to forgiue him all his trespasses Huon quoth the Emperour God forgiue thée and as for me with a good heart I doe pardon you Then the Emperour tooke Huon by the hande and tooke him vp and kissed him verie kindlye in token of good peace and amitie Sir quoth Huon great grace haue I found in you séeing you kéepe and vphold your promise but Sir if it please our Lord God your guerdon shall be double Huon quoth the Emperour I require you to shew me of your newes and aduentures that you haue had since you departed from the Citie of Bourdeaux Sir quoth Huon with a good will after that your diuine Seruice is done and the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ read Huon quoth the Emperour I giue you good thankes for that you say Then
the Emperor tooke Huon by the hand and led him into his Oratorie with him whereas they heard the diuine Seruice whereof many Knightes and Lordes were sore abashed and had great maruaile what Pilgrim it was that the Emperour did so much honour vnto After that the diuine Seruice was done the Emperor returned into his Pallaice holding Huon by the hande and dinner was made radie and they washed their handes and sat downe to dinner and when dinner was done and the Tables taken vp then in the Emperours presence and of all the other Lordes there Huon shewed all his aduentures First hee shewed howe hee had passed the Gulfe and spoken with Iudas and afterward howe by fortune of the Sea he arriued at the Castle of the Adamant and how his Companie dyed there by famine and declared the beautie of the Castle and of the great riches therein and afterward how hee was caried from thence by a Griffen to a great Rocke and how he slew fiue young Griffens and the old Griffen that brought him thether whereof he hath left at Cluny the foote of the same then he shewed of the Fountaine and of the Trée of youth and howe hee gathered thereof thrée faire Apples and more hee would haue gathered but that our Lord God commaunded him by his Angell that he should not be so hardy as to gather any more And after that he shewed howe that he passed the Gulfe of Persia in â—reat perrill and daunger and sayd furthermore Sir when I was passed that Gulfe I gathered many precious stones that which I haue giuen you was one of them the which stone is of great vertue and then I came to the great Citie of Thauris in Persia whereas I found a noble Admirall an old auncient Knight and he shewed to me great courtesies and I gaue him one of mine Apples to eat and assoone as hee had eaten thereof he became to be as young as he was when he was but of Thirtie yeares of age and I thinke that from thence hether cannot be found a fairer Prince and hee was before of Six-score and Seauen yeares of age and Sir because I desire with all my heart to haue your good grace and that good peace and firme may bee had betwéene you and mee I will giue you the third Apple the which I kept for my selfe by the which if you doe eat it you shall become againe as young and as lusty and as stronge as you were when you were but of the age of Thirtie yeares The Emperour when hee heard that the Apple that Huon would giue him to eat should cause him to returne to his yong age againe hee was so ioyfull that hee neuer made such chéere before in all his life to any man as he did then vnto Huon and sayde howe that hee would bee his Fréend for euer and neuer faile him and sayd Fréend I abandon my bodie and goods at your pleasure and I giue you two good Cities to encrease your Signiorie and besides that I promise you if you haue any businesse to doe I shall succour you with fortie Thousand men and shall ayde you as the Father should doe the Sonne Therewith Huon would haue kneeled downe to haue thanked the Emperour but hee would not suffer him and then Huon tooke the Apple out of his bagge and deliuered it vnto the Emperour the Emperour who was sore desirous to knowe if hee should waxe young againe by reason of eating of the Apple he called vnto him his Lordes and Barons to the entent that they should sée that maruaile and when the Emperour had the Apple in his hand hee put it into his mouth and did eate it euerie whit and as hee was eating thereof his age chaunged into youth and by that time hee had eaten all the Apple his white beard fell off and the skinne chaunged like a man of Thirtie yeares of age and also his face and all his bodie that before was all wrinkled and rugged and pale became then as white and as ruddy and felt himselfe as light and as fresh and aâ— quicke to doe any thing and as strong as he was when he was of the age of Thirtie yeares whereof all that were there present had great maruaile and were right ioyfull of that aduenture that was fallen vnto the Emperour whome they loued then they sayd Sir such a guift was neuer giuen to any Emperour or King well you ought to praise our Lord God whatsoeuer losse you haue hadde or receiued that euer you were acquainted with Duke Huon Chap. CXXXIX ¶ Howe the Emperour made good cheere vnto Duke Huon of Bourdeaux WHen the Emperour saw himselfe waxe young againe he was so ioyfull that hee wist not what to doe then hee clipped and kissed Huon more then Ten times saying My right deare Fréend I pray you to forgiue mée all the illes and dammages that I haue done vnto you and for the paine and sorrow that I haue caused your noble Wife and men to suffer then the Emperour called vnto him two of his Lordes and sayd vnto them Sirs I will that all the poore people that be in my Chappell this day bee newly apparelled and to haue meat and drinke sufficient for the loue of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ who this day hath done mee that grace that I am returned from age to youth Sir quoth they your commaundement shall bee done then they went and executed his pleasure Then Duke Huon approached vnto the Emperour and sayd Sir I humbly desire your grace to deliuer my Wife Escleremond and my men out of Prison Sir quoth the Emperour it is good reason that I doe it then he sent for the Iaylour who had the Ladie and the other Prisoners in his kéeping and commaunded him that the Ladie Escleremond and the other Prisoners should bee brought into the Hall the Iaylour went to the Prison and Huon with him and when they came thether Huon went to the dore and cryed out aloud and sayd Ah my right swéete Sister I beléeue that you haue béen but ill lodged héere I haue great feare that by reason of the paines that you haue endured you cannot long continue certainly if you die I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart When the Duchesse Escleremond hadde well heard the voice of him that spake at the dore shée stood still and studied what voice it might bee for shée thought within her selfe that she had heard that voice before that time and when she had muzed a little while she thought that it should be the voice of Huon her Husband whereof she had such ioy and mirth at her heart that of a great season shee could not speake but fell in a swound in the Prison and when shee reuiued and came againe to her selfe shee cryed out and sayde Ah my right deare Lord and Husband long haue you left me in paine and miserie all alone in this stinking and horrible Prison in the hands of them that loue you
riches of that Chamber coulde not â—e described and therein was painted with gold and azure all the Battailes of Troy And in this riche Chamber and bed they slept vntill the houre of midnight was come and then all the Monkes arose and the bels began to ring to Seruice then there came a Monke vnto Huon and awaked him and sayde Sir it is nowe time that you arise for it is past midnight make you readie to come and heare our Seruice Then Huon arose and called vp the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife then shee arose and thus they made them readie and went vnto the Church the which was paued with a white Marble powdered with flower deluces of gould intermedled with red Roses and the Vault was checkered with Amber and Christall and at euerie point a rich stone whereby there was such clearnesse that there néeded no Candle light When Duke Huon and the Duchesse Escleremond had well séene and beheld the great beautie and riches of the Church they were sore abashed and made the signe of the Crosse vpon their fore-heads for the maruailes that they sawe there then they entred into the Quier and knéeled downe before the hye Aulter and made their prayers vnto our Lord God desiring him to be their sauegard and to conduct them surely vnto King Oberon Then the Abbot beganne Seruice and read the first Lesson and when he was in the halfe thereof he held his peace and departed cleane out of the Church then the Priour began another Lesson and in like wise left it in the middest and departed out of the Church thus euerie Monke did one after another and there were twoo and Thirtie Monkes and in the middest of euerie Lesson and Psalme they departed out of the Church one after another When Duke Huon saw and heard that he was sore dismayed and abashed and sware that before the last Monke departed hee would knowe the cause why they did so and then hee went vnto the last Monke who woulde haue gone out of the Church and Huon tooke the hallowed stole that hee had in his bosome and did cast it about the Monkes necke held it fast with both his handes When the Monke saw how hee was holden hee was sorrowfull and angrie and did what he could to haue escaped but he could not and when he saw that he could not escape he embraced Huon and prayed him humbly to lette him goe after his Brethren Certainely quoth Huon out of my hands you shall not escape vntill you haue shewed mée why you sing your Seruice after the manner that you doe and euer to leaue the one halfe vnsonge and why the Abbot and the other Monkes doe depart one after another without any word speaking vnto mée and except you shew me the troth with my sword I shall strike thy head to the braines Then simply the Monke fained to wéepe and prayed Huon to suffer him to depart and sayd Sir I am he that yesternight brought you to your Chamber and made your bed Then Huon who had his Sword in the one hand and the stole in the other hand saide Except thou shewest vnto mee my demaund shortly I shall strike off thy head When the Monke heard that hee was in great feare and stood still as though hee would giue none answeare And when Huon saw that hee lifted vp his Swoorde to haue striken him but then incontinent the Monke ioyned his handes and cryed for mercie and promised him to shew him the troth of his demaund Chap. CXLIIII ¶ How Duke Huon made seÌ„blance to haue slaine the Monke holding him fast with the stole to the entent that he should shew vnto him the troth THen Huon put vp his sword and the Monke beganne to speake and saide Sir know for troth that all we that bee héere are of the euill Angels that were chaced out of Paradise with Lucifer who by his pride would compare with God hee made vs beléeue that we should be as good as God himselfe and wee beléeued him but as for vs that be héere in this house God was with vs displeased and thereby wee were condemned to bee conuersant abroad in the world among men and women when we list and some be in the likenes of Beares and some like wary woolues and thus wee shall bee vntill the day of iudgment and some other there be that be Tempters of men and women desiring to bring them to damnation and some there bee in the ayre and followeth the Thunderinges and Tempests and some bée vppon the Sea and drowne many a man and perish the shippes whereof but lately you were in ieopardy for if it had not béene for the great vertue and bountie that is in the precious stones that you and your Wife beare about you both you and your Wife had been perished for euer And other there bee that are in the bottome of hell whereas they torment the poore Soules and there is Lucifer and they that be most euill with him and though they were once faire now they bee foule and misfigured and they shall neuer depart from thence but wee that bee héere yet wée hope to come vnto Saluation but thus we shall bee as longe as it pleaseth God Then Huon demaunded the cause why they beganne the Lessons in their Seruice and to leaue it in the middest and euerie Monke to depart so one after another Sir quoth the Monke our Lord Iesus Christ as yet hath not giuen vs that dignitie nor power to make an end of our diuine seruice but we haue that grace in this world that we haue all our desires and to bee conuersant among the people as well as they of the Fayrie there is nothing but by wishing wee can haue it incontinent and when wee will it is in our power to make Towne or Castle set vppon hye Rockes closed in with Riuers bearing shippes and we haue Minstrils Hals and Chambers garnished and ordained as you haue séen héere within Also wee haue wine and victuals and fishe and flesh at our pleasure this Castle and Church that you sée was yesternight made by the Fayrie but one houre before that you came hether heere was neither Tower nor wall nor water nor Rocke and nothing but a faire great meadowe the which you shall soone perceiue and Sir we be those that haue the conduct of all the Fayrie in the world Now Sir I haue shewed vnto you what we bée and all our secrets the which was neuer shewed before vnto any mortall man whereby I shall suffer of our Abbot such punishment that there was neuer so ill aduenture that fell vnto mée before therefore Sir now I haue shewed vnto you euerie thing suffer mee to depart vnto my companie Monke quoth Huon I will not let thée go vntill thou hast shewed vnto me by what manner of way I may goe vntill I haue found Kinge Oberon thus Huon and the Monke talked together vntill it was faire day light Then Huon looked round about him and
deliuered him to the King his Father then the king tooke him by the hand and led him foorth rudely and sayd howe hée would sette him in such a place out of the which hee should not come of a long space The Earle Peter of Aragon had great sorow but hee durst speake no word the king himselfe led him to the great Tower and there left him sore wéeping and making great sorrow for his Loue whom 〈◊〉 had lost he made such sorrow that pitie it was to heare when the night came and that hee remembred the Damsell his sorrowes beganne to renew And aswell as hee made sorrowe for his Loue the faire Damsell Clariet who was in the same Tower immured vp in prison thee heard the complaintes that Florence made and so long the hearkened that at last she thought that shee knew the voice and sayd Oh good Lord what may this bee who is this that I heare thus complaine mée thinkes I haue heard that voice before this time and mée thinkes it should be he that loued me so well I will not leaue searching vntill I may know the troth Then the Damsell came to the dore that was newly immured vp whereby the morter was not fully drie and shee scraped with her fingers and with a little knife that shee had so that at the last she scraped out a stone Then she assayed to pull out more and so much shee did with her fingers and the knife that shee made a great hole in the newe wall so that shee créeped out and went into the Garden the which ioyned to the Tower then shee felt by her a Roster vnder the which shee sate downe the Moone shone bright whereby the Garden was as light as though it had béen cléere day Then she tooke a faire Rose in her hand the which smelled swéetly and saide Ah good Lord I woulde that it were thy pleasure that my Louer were heere with me I thinke hee be not farre from hence I wish with him this swéet Rose so that hee knew that it came from mee I will not leaue searching vntill I haue found him and if I cannot find him in dolour and miserie I must end my dayes The same time that the Damsell complayned thus in the Garden Florence who was in the Tower and heard the faire Damsell in the Garden hee knâ—we her well by the voice and saide Oh good God what is it that I heare yonder in the Garden Déere Louer quoth the faire Ladie it is she whom you doe loue so well I am yssued out of the Tower wherein I haue béene in great miserie and I cannot tell what will fall thereof comfort mee or else I shall die héere in great sorrow When Florence heard the voice of his Loue he had such ioy at his heart that he forgat all his dolour when hee saw that shee was not dead then hee sayd vnto her Ah my right swéete Loue whether will you goe for if the King my Father know that you be escaped out of the Tower incontinent hee will slay you hee will haue no pitie of you and I cannot succour you Swéet Loue I pray you to gather me some flowers and cast them in at this window then I shall passe my dolours the better when I haue in my handes any thing that commeth out of yours Then the Damsell gathered Roses and flowers and did cast them in to her Louer whereof Florence had great ioy when hee had receiued them from her and kissed them oftentimes then hee came to the window thinking to haue taken his Loue by the hand but he could not the wall was so thicke whereof they were both sorrie The same time whiles they were thus deuising together the watchmen came about whome the King had sent thether to espie and knowe if Peter of Aragon did sende vnto those Prisoners any comfort or ayd and when they came thether they hearkened and heard the voices of those two persons heard well their words and wept for méere pitie of them then swéetly one watch-man called vnto them and sayde Holde your peace for if you be spyed you cannot escape the death I haue great pitie of you both I pray God to preserue you for I cannot comfort you Then they held their peace and so went asunder to the entent that they should not bee heard nor séene then there came thether two other watch-men sent thether by the King to sée if any bodie came to the Tower to aid or comfort the two Prisoners and when they were come néere to the Tower they sawe the newe made wall broken then they sayd each to other surely the Damsell is fled and hath broken out of prison then they cryed out and made a great crie and sayd the Damsell is fled out of the Tower When the Damsell being in the Garden heard the noyse that the Spies made shee was in great feare and doubt the which was no maruaile then incontinent as priuily as she could she went from the Tower and went to the end of the Garden whereas there was a hye Rocke and vnder the Rocke a great water and déepe shee did clime vppon the Rocke and sayd Ah Florence my déere Louer this day shall bee the departing of vs two it must behooue me to die for your sake shee sawe in the Garden a great number of Torches light and men séeking all about for her whereof she was afrayd and not without cause for shee knewe well that if she were taken she were lost for euer Right swéetly she called vppon our Lord God and on the holy Ghost for ayd and comfort and saide Alas if I be taken I cannot escape from the martirdome of death but since it is thus that we must néeds depart for euer I had rather bee drowned then be taken therewith shee made the signe of the crosse recommending her selfe to our Lord God therewith tumbled downe the Rocke to haue fallen downe into the water but as she fell she lighted in a great bush by the way whereby she was pricked in diuers places on her face and hands so that the bloud followed wherby shée felt such paine that she swounded Then the noyse ran through-out the Pallaice that the Damsell was escaped out of the Tower in such sort that the King was aduertised thereof who was sorrowfull and made promise that Earle Peter of Aragon should loose all his Lands and goods for he thought that by his meanes she was escaped the prison Cbap. CLVI ¶ Howe the first Watchman found out the Damsell and led 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 Kinge went after his Sonne and the VVatchman taken THus as the brute was in the Pallaice for the escaping of the Damsell the first Watch-man that first espyed the two Louers together went all about in
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
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
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
man rose in the Pallaice and the Earle himselfe arose and came into the Hall with his Sword in his hand and there hée found the Fiue Traytours who shewed him that for certaine wordes betwéene Croissant and his Sonne there was a Fray betwéene them whereby your Sonne is slaine by the hands of Croissant the which hee did wilfully to the entent to haue all your Landes after your decease because you haue giuen him your Daughter in mariage and before wée could come he was sled but before he departed out of the Chamber he slewe Fiue men besides your Sonne for they were not armed but Croissant was armed he seemed rather a spirit then a mortall man and when we saw that wee could not approach to him because he was armed we slew his Squier When the Earle heard them it was no maruaile though he was sorrowful and then he went into the Chamber whereas his Sonne lay dead when he came there for the great distresse that hee had at his heart he fell downe vppon his Son in a swound and when he came to himselfe hee cried and sayde Ah Croissant your acquaintance is to me verie hard then he commanded his men to arme them and incontinent to goe after Croissant who so pitiously had slaine his Sonne and sayde if I may take him hee shall neuer escape my handes without death Then in the Pallace and in the Towne euerie man armed them the Earle himselfe armed him mounted on his Horse and yssued out of the gate with many people and then they road abroad in the CouÌ„trey searching and demaunding if any man met with Croissant but he could heare no certaine newes of him except of one man that sayd how he met him about fiue Leagues froÌ„ thence and that he went a great pace When the Earle heard that hee saw well that it was but a labour lost to fellow any further then he returned to the town right sorrowfull and sore displeased for the death of his Sonne and yet againe hee greatly complayned for Croissant in that aduenture and saide that a more valiant Knight coulde not bee found neither more courteous nor more wise I would to God that there were betwéene him and me good amitie so that hee had my Daughter in marriage and that after my decease hee might haue my Land then diuers of his men sayd Sir lette him goe hée séemeth to bée rather a Diuell then a man hée is fierce and cruell hee makes no more to slay a man then some 〈◊〉 to drinke good wine lette him goe hee was borne in an ill houre then the Earle entred into the Towne right sorrowfull and sore displeased for the death of his Sonne and alsâ— for Croissants aduenture and then he caused his Sonne to be buried as it appertained great sorrow was made by the Earle and by the Duke of Callaber other Knights that were there but they knew not the troth of the matter whosoeuer made sorow the Earles Daughter was sorrowfull both for her Brother and also for the noble Croissant whome shee had thought to marrie Nowe let vs leaue speaking of them and returne to Croissant Chap. CLXXIX ¶ How Croissant arriued in the Subburbs of a little Towne called Florencolle and lodged among Ruffians and Villaynes and how they fell at strife and how Croissant slewe them and fledde and was in great daunger And howe hee came into the Cittie of Rome whereas there was no man that would giue him one morfell of bread and how he went and lay in an old Pallaice vpon a burden of strawe WHen Croissant saw that he was departed from the Towne of Nise and that he was alone afooâ—e hee made his complaints to our Lord God requiring him humbly to haue pitie of him then hee went foorth and so trauailed Three daies and Thrée nights without meat or drinke but a little bread and water he had such hunger and thirst that he could scarce sustaine himselfe on his féet so at last a little before the Sunne was set hee came to a little Towne called Florencolle whereof the gates were shutte before he came thether then in the Subburbs hee saw a house like a Tauerne and hée sware though he should be slaine he would goe to that house to eate and drinke and to pay well for his shot it had béen better for him to haue passed by for there he was in great perill of his life as yée shall heare Thus hee approached to the house and heard how the Cookes were busie in the Kitchin then he sawe a great fire in a Chamber where there was the greatest Ruffians and players at dice in all the Towne and they had prepared flesh and fish for their Supper When Croissant saw the preparation that was made there for the Sixe Ruffians he entred into the house and saluted the Host and demaunded if he might be lodged there the Host sayd yea and how hee should be there well serued both of wine and of meat such as he wold demaund Then Croissant went in the Ruffians met him and sayd how hee was welcome and each of them pinched other and wincked with the one eye and sayd softly to the master of them this great Trauailer is come well at a point for before he depart he shall pay for our shot and expences and anon we will put the dice into his hands whereby he shal leaue his Gowne Cappe and monney if he haue any Croissant did not vnderstand them because they spake whisperingly then Croissant sayd Sirs if I eate with you paying my shot shall it turne you to any displeasure Fréend quoth the Maister of them it pleaseth me well that you eate with vs then they washed all together and sate downe at the Table néere to the fier they were well serued of euery thing When Croissant was set hee began to féede well his hunger was so great for in Thrée dayes before he had eaten nothing but bread and water therefore hee had the better appetite and also hee found there good wine and fresh and he dranke thereof at his pleasure When they had well eaten and drunke and were well chafed by reason of the good wine the Host rose vp sayd Sirs it is time to make reckoning that euerie man pay his part then the maister Ruffian sayde Sir make you the account for you can doe it better then we and shew vs what wee shall pay Euerie man alike Sirs quoth the Host as néere as I can reckon yée must pay in all Twelue shillings and looke euerie man pay his part Then the Master Ruffian began to sweare bloud and wounds that they should play at the dice to sée who should pay for all then hee sayd to Croissant Fréend you must come play with vs behold heere Thrée dice good and square wee must doe so for one must pay the whole expences before we depart Sirs quoth Croissant we shall not néede to play at dice to know who shall
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