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
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
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
knight in all Pagany and also wanne his good horse But yet I am displeased with him for that whē he played with me at the Chesse he was not so hardy as once to embrace and kisse me if he had I would haue loued him in such wise that if he had required of me my loue I would not haue refused him though my father had sworne the contrarie an hundred times thus the Ladies and Damsels deuised together but Huon set little thereby Thus king Iuoryn and his men issued out of the Citie of Mombrance and came to the fields and then roade foorth toward Anfalerne at the last came before the gates of the citie and there ordered them in battaile array and Huon who had great desire to attaine to renowne came to the gate with his speare in his hand and cried alowd to them that were on the walles and said Where is Galaffer your Lord goe and shew him that he come and Iust against him that hath slaine his Nephew and that I will serue him in like sort if I may méete with him in Battaile or else he shall deliuer to me the faire Escleremond Galaffer was néere by and heard what Huon saide and knew well that it was he by reason of the horse Blanchardyn whereof he was right sorowfull said to Gerames Friend I shal shew you héere him that hath done me al this ill now I shall sée if yée will kéepe promise with me Sir quoth Gerames take no care for by the faith that I owe to God I shall render to you both the horse and the man to doe with them at your pleasure Then Gerames yssued out all armed well horsed and tooke a good speare in his hand hee was a goodly knight of his age puissant of bodie and in his time greatly redoubted and when he was on his horse hee stretched himselfe in his saddle in such wise that his stirrops stretched out a long handfull or more he was greatly praysed of the Paynims that saw him and then the Admirall Galaffer commaunded euery man to be armed and he himselfe was armed richly Then the gate was opened and Gerames was the first that issued out with his company when he was without the citie he strake his horse with his spurres so that he was a great space before all his companie with his speare in his hand his shield about his necke and his white beard hanging downe on his brest vnder his helmet Nowe when Huon on the other part saw Gerames comming hee spurred Blanchardyn and came against Gerames and so they met together without any word speaking and strake each other on their shéeldes so that all was broken but their armour was so good that they tooke no hurt but their speares brake to their handes and the shiuers flew vp into the ayre and the stroakes were so rude that both the knights horses fell to the earth but they arose againe and gaue each other great stroakes Gerames who was expert in déedes of armes tooke his sword with both his hands and gaue Huon such a stroake on the helmet that perforce he was faine to set one of his knées to the earth the stroake was so heauy and if it had not béen by the grace of God he had béene slaine and Huon was so astonished with the stroake that he had much adoo to recouer but said Ah good Lord succour me and graunt me that before I die I maye sée the faire Escleremond These words he spake openly for he thought that Gerames had not vnderstood him for he little thought that it had béen Gerames that fought with him thē he came to Gerames with his sword in his hand to haue béen reuenged for he neuer before receiued such a stroake as Gerames had giuen him But Gerames vnderstood Huon by his words and knew him and therwith cast downe his sword to the earth and had such sorow that he could not speake a word When Huon saw that he maruayled greatly why he cast his sword to the earth and then Huon would not touch him but said Paynim what is thy mind to doe wilt thou haue peace or else fight with me Ah sir quoth Gerames come foorth and strike of my head for well I haue deserued it séeing I haue stricken you so rudely but I knew you not whereof I am very sory When Huon heard him speake anon he knew well that it was Gerames wherof he had great ioy in his heart for finding of him The Paynims that regarded them hadde great maruaile what thing the twoo Champions ment or thought to do Sir quoth Gerames it behooueth vs shortly to determine our businesse for I sée on all parts Paynims assemble together to behould vs I shall shew you what is best for vs twoo to doe leape you vpon your horse and I shall leape on mine then I shall take you and lead you perforce as my prisoner to the Citie of Anfalerne and there shall yée sée your Loue Escleremond who will haue great ioy with your comming and shée will tell you other newes Friend quoth Huon I shall doe as yee deuise then they leapt on their horses and Gerames came to Huon and laid hand on him as though he tooke him Prisoner and so led him toward the citie of Anfalerne and his companie followed him and when king Iuoryn sawe how Gerames had led away Huon as Prisoner he began to crie said On forth yée Sarazins how suffer you this yong man to be led away as a Prisoner to the citie of Anfalerne I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart if ye suffer him thus to be ledde away Then the Sarazins dashed into the preasse to haue rescued Huon and on the other part the Admirall Galaffer came met Gerames and Huon and then Gerames said to him Sir goe and fight with your enemies behould heere the young man that slew your Nephew Sorbryn I shall lead him into the citie and set him in sure prison and then I shall shortly retourne againe to you to fight against king Iuoryn Friend quoth Galaffer I require you so to doe and assoone as yee haue set him in prison retourne againe Gerames departed from the Admirall and went to the citie with Huon and his xiij companions with him when they were entred into the Citie they lifted vp the bridges and closed the gates in the Citie there was no man of warre for all were in the field with the Admirall against king Iuoryn there were none but women children ould folkes and when that Gerames and Huon saw how they were strong ynough for them in the Citie they went into the stréetes and cried Saint Dennis and slew all that they met aswell old men as women and children so that within a short space they had cleane wonne the towne Many Paynims fled and leapt into the dikes and brake neckes armes and legges then they went into the Pallaice and there they found the faire Escleremond when Huon saw
Gybouars lay in ambushment Now when Gerard saw his houre and time to speake vnto his Brother Huon he said Brother I sée you are in mind to goe into Fraunce vnto Kinge Charlemaine to haue your Lands and Signories the which I am sure you shall haue it is a long space that I haue kept it maintained the Countrey in peace and rest and good iustice and haue wonne but little nor haue hadde but small profit not the value of one pennie and I am maried to a noble Ladie Daughter to a great Lord and it troubleth my heart sore when you repute him for a Traytour if hée knewe it by likely-hood it might turne you to great folly for wee beléeued that you should neuer haue returned therefore nowe I may say that I am not woorth a pennie Therefore I would knowe of you howe you would ayd mée and what part I shall haue at your returne out of Fraunce Brother quoth Huon I haue great maruaile of this that you say you knowe well that in the Abbey of Saint Maurise I haue left Twentie Somers charged with fine gould and I haue saide vnto you that your part shall bée therein as much as mine nor I shall haue no penny but that one halfe is yours Brother quoth Gerard all this suffizeth not to me for I would haue part of the Signorie to maintaine mine estate When Huon vnderstood his Brother his bloud roase into his face for hée sawe well his Brother searched all that he could to fall at debate with him and Gerames who was sage and wise perceiued anone that the matter was like to goe euill and sayd vnto Huon Sir graunt to Gerard your Brother his demaund you are both young inough to conquer Landes Gerames quoth Huon I am content that he shall haue Bourdeaux or Gerone let him take which hee list Brother quoth Huon shewe which of these two you will haue and I will haue the other Chap. LXVII ¶ How these Traytours slewe all Huons Company except Gerames and Escleremond and Huon himselfe the which all three were fast bound handes and feete and blindfold and so brought vnto Bourdeaux and were put in prison WHen the false Traytour Gerard saw and vnderstood his Brother how hée did graunt him his desire saw how that in no wise hée wold striue with him hee was therewith so displeased that he was néere hand in a rage then he came to the Prouost Guyer and sayd Guyer Guyer false Traytour by thée and by thy purchase I am like to loose all my Signorie but by the faith that I owe vnto him that created mée before I die I shall strike off thy head nor I shall not let to doe it for any person and therewith when he sawe his time he cried his word and token and Gybouars who was in the wood with Fortie men armed brake out with their speares in their rests and when Huon perceiued them it was no maruaile though hee was abashed then humbly he besought our lord God to saue his body from misfortune and gladly hée would haue returned to the Abbey but hée was so sore ouer-layd that hee could not then hée drewe out his Sword and gaue therewith the first that came such a stroake that he claue his head to the téeth and so fell dead to the ground and Huon strake so vppon the right hand and vppon the left that whosoeuer he strake a full stroake néeded after no Surgion if hée had béene armed hée would not lightly haue béene taken without great losse but his defence could not auaile him for he and all his companie were vnarmed and all the other Fortie were cleane armed they all fought cruelly in such wise that within a while Twelue of Huons men were slaine in the place none escaped aliue except Huon who was beaten downe to the earth his hands bound then Gerard the Traytour came to Gerames who was beaten downe by force and then hee cut open his right Side and tooke out thereof the Admirall Gaudise beard and foure great teeth the which were set there by Kinge Oberon of the Fayrie Huon séeing the old Gerames lying on the earth hee sayd with a hie voice vnto Gerard Brother I pray you shew me that courtesy as not to slay that old Gentleman but saue his life Brother quoth Gerard that hée hath let him keepe other hurt hee shall none haue at this time then they bound his eyes and then they came to Escleremond who lay on the earth in a swound they bound her hands and eyes and so set her whether shée would or not vppon a horse and Huon as he was blindfold hée heard the cries wéepings that she made then he sayd Brother Gerard I pray you for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ suffer none ill to be done to that good Ladie who is my Wife nor no dishonour Brother quoth the Traytour Gerard thinke on your selfe speake no more I shall doe as it pleaseth me Then they set Huon Gerams on two horses the false Traytour tooke the Twelue dead bodies and did cast them into the great Riuer of Gerone then they tooke that way to the Citie of Bourdeaux and led the thrée Prisoners fast bound vpon thrée horses Pitie it was to heare the noble Ladie Escleremond complaine and she said vnto Huon Ah Sir you haue sayde to me that when wée were once in your Countrey of Bourdeaux that you woulde cause mee to bée crowned with gould but now I sée well that in great paine miserie we must vse the residue of our liues you haue found héere an ill Brother since hée hath purchased for you so much ill surely there is better faith troth among the Sarazins then is in the people of the Realme of France Madame quoth Huon your trouble more displeaseth mée then mine owne God send to my Brother Gerard such reward as he hath deserued for the treasō that he hath done vs. Thus they complayned and wist not whether they were caried they entred into the Citie of Bourdeaux an houre before day Alas that the good Burgesses of the City had but knowen how their Lord Huon was so falsely betrayed if they had knowne it he had béene rescued and Gerard Gybouars hewen all to péeces but the false Gerard brought them by priuy darke Lanes to the Pallaice for that they should not be perceiued Thus they came to the Castle where they alighted and vnarmed them then they tooke Huon and Escleremond Gerames and put them all into a deepe Prison all thrée together ordained that they should haue euery day barley bread and water and commaunded the Iaylor to giue them none other thing also commaunded that neither man nor woman should speake with them the Iaylor promised so to doe for he was seruant to Gybouars such as the Maister was so was the Seruant Thus Huon betraied pitiously by his Brother Gerard set in prison and with him his wife Escleremond
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
wherof he was sorrowfull howbeit like a couragious Knight with his sword still fought valiantly with his enemies and he saw where the Earle of Seyne came to him to haue striken him with his sword but Huon met him so hastily that hee had no leysure to strike him and Huon gaue him such a stroke that his helmet could not saue his life for Huons sword entred into his braine and so he fell downe dead among the horse féete Huon who was quicke and expert tooke the dead knights horse and leapt vppon him and when he saw that he was new horsed againe he was ioyfull and then hee was able to depart in despight of his enemies but the Emperour who had great sorrow at his heart for the death of his nephew Raoull made great haste after Huon with ten thousand men with him and so came from Mayens all on the spurre desiring to ouertake Huon and so rode on before his men for his horse was so good that hee would runne as fast as a byrde could flie in all the world there was no horse like him The Emperour on this horse followed Huon and as he rode hee saw all the way dead men lie that Huon had slaine he spurred his horse that anon he ouertooke Huon and sayd Thou Traytour turne thy shéeld towards me or else my Speare shall goe through thy bodie for the sorrowe that lyeth at my heart for loue of my Nephew whome thou hast slaine constrayneth me to make hast to be reuenged of thée nor I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart vntill I haue slaine thée much it greeueth mee that I am constrayned to slay thee with my Speare for I had rather hang thée When Huon heard the Emperour who was so néere him saw how he was mounted on so good a horse he called vpon our Lord God desired him of his grace to ayd him to conquere that horse and when he saw that the Emperour was farre before his men he turned his horse head towards the Emperour and couched his speare and the Emperour came against him like the tempest and they mette together so rudely that their speares were pearced so that the Emperours speare brake all to shiuers and Huons speare was so rude strong that he strake the Emperour with such puissance that hee was striken from his horse to the earth sore astonied so that he wist not where he was and Huon who had great desire to haue the Emperours horse alighted quickly from his owne horse and tooke the Emperours horse and mounted on him and was thereof right ioyous then he sayd to himselfe that hee doubted not them all he strake the good horse with his spurres and found him quicke and light vnder him There he left the Emperour lying on the earth who was not a little content that he was so soone succoured for if the Almaines had not quickly come Huon had slaine him but when the Almaynes came to their Lord and found him lying on the earth they beléeued verily he had beene dead they beganne to make great sorrow and the Emperour who was come againe to himselfe sayd Syrs thanked be God I féel◠no hurt but I may well ride but I haue great sorrow at my heart that Huon hath thus ledde away my good horse and is escaped away and also hath slaine my two nephewes but Sirs I counsell you that none follow him for it shall be but a lost time for the good horse that is vnder him and he that is on him is so valiant in armes that he is greatly to be doubted therefore I counsell let vs returne backe again for we may loose more then wee shall winne but by the grace of God ere it be thrée moneths past I shall assemble such a number of men that the vallies and mountaines shall bee full of men then I will goe to the Citie of Bourdeaux and will not depart thence till I haue woonne it and if I may get Huon I shall make him die of an euill death and shall take and wast all his lands Chap. LXXXIII ¶ How Huon after that he was mounted vpon the Emperours good horse he arriued at Coleyn where he found his men and howe hee departed thence And of the Emperour who laye enambushed in a wood abiding there to haue slaine Huon THus as yee haue heard Huon departed with the Emperors good horse and left the Emperour lying on the earth who commaunded his Barons to returne backe and not to follow Huon any further Therewith there came to the Emperour a Knight called Godun he was borne at Norembridge and he sayd Sir if you will beléeue me and doe after my councell you shall doe otherwise you shall returne to Mayence this night and ordaine foure Thousand of such men as you haue heere and send them within two Leagues of Coleyne on the hye way into Fraunce and there you shall find a little wood and there let them lye enambushed till Huon passe by them for I know well he will goe straight to Coleyne this night lodge in a French-mans house that dwelleth there and in the morning surely he will depart thence and so passe by the said ambushment so that it shall not be possible to saue himselfe alone but either he shall be slaine or taken When the Emperour heard Godun he said Sir you haue giuen me good counsaile and this is likely to be done but it were conuenient to send more then foure Thousand for the great desire that I haue to get him into my hands constraineth me to cause him to bee taken to the entent to be reuenged of him therefore I would goe my selfe and take with mée ten Thousand men and shall go and ly in the place that you haue appointed for I shall neuer haue perfect ioy at my heart as long as Huon is aliue for he hath caused much sorrow at my heart for the death of my two Nephewes whom so pitiously hee hath slaine let vs take our way about twoo Leagues beside Coleyne néerer wee will not approach to the entent that our comming bée not knowne Then hee chose out ten Thousand of the most valiantest men in his companie and the rest he sent backe to Mayence Thus the Emperour road foorth and road so long that day and night that an houre before it was day he came to the sayd wood and there layd his ambush And Huon rode so after he was departed from the Emperor that late in the Euening he came to Coleyne whereas hee was receiued of his men with great ioy then Gerames said Sir I require you shew vs of your aduentures then Huon shewed them euerie thing and the manner how he had slaine Duke Raoul and how hee departed from Mayence and how he was pursued and howe hee wanne the Emperours good horse whereat Gerames and all the other had great ioy and thanked God of his faire aduenture and hadde great maruaile howe hee escaped but they knewe nothinge what the
a leches craft Also the old Gerames did maruailes and so did the Bourdeloies many a rich tent and Pauillion was beaten to the ground and they within slaine and all to behewen and Huon who was mounted on a good horse met a Knight of the Emperours house and he gaue him such a stroke with his sword that he cloue his head to the teeth and then he stroke another that his head helme and all fell to the earth they that sawe that stroke were sore abashed The Emperours men assembled together by heapes but by the mightie prowesse of Huon anon they were againe departed for he was so doubted and feared that none was so hardie to approach néere him The crie and voyce mounted so high that the Emperour who was at dinner when hee heard them crie he rose from the table and demaunded what noyse it was Sir quoth a knight who was fledde and sore hurt know for truth that your enemie Huon is issued out of Bourdeaux and hath done so much hurt that he hath slaine a quarter of your hoste and without that you doe rescue your men verie shortly your losse is like to be excéeding great for I haue séene Huon your enemie mounted vppon your good horse whereon he doth great maruailes for there is none that méeteth him but he is slaine he is so cruell and hardie When the Emperour heard the knight he swet for displeasure and incontinent he armed him and issued out of his tent and mounted on his horse and found his men readie Then he saw Huon mounted on his good horse whereon hee sayd to his men Sirs I require you at this time putte to your paines that I may be reuenged on my enemie who before my face yonder killeth my men he is so valiant that whomsoeuer he striketh with a full stroke is but dead great domage it was when he slew my nephewes whosoeuer can deliuer him to me quicke or dead shall be my friend for euer and I will shew him that courtesie that Escleremond who is so fayre I shall giue her vnto him in marriage and all the Court of Bourdeaux Then such as heard the promise made them ready for the couetousnesse of that gift But some hasted so much to accomplish the Emperours will that it was too late after for them to repent It is an old saying that an ill haste is not good some hasted so much that afterwards bought it too déere as you shall heare héere After these wordes spoken by the Emperour such as desired to accomplish his will ranne in altogether into the Battaile against the Burdeloyes where was great slaughter made on both parts Huon who had great desire in his heart to slay his enemies did so much by his prowesse that hee reculed his enemies to their tents and it had béene ill with them if Duke Sauary had not rescued them he with his great prowesse made them to recouer againe the fielde and there was a sore battaile on both the parts The old Gerames that day slew many a man but hée aduentured himselfe so farre forth among his enemies that his horse was slaine vnder him so that hee was constrained to fall to the earth and then hee was taken and led to the Emperours tent and great fetters clapt vpon his legges alas that Huon had not knowne thereof if he had he should not haue béene ledde away without great losse But he was in the Battaile doing maruailes in armes he held his sword in his hand tainted with bloud and braines of men that hee had slaine there was none so hardie that durst approach néere vnto him he cryed still Bourdeaux to draw his men together and dashed into the greatest prease and strake on all parts in such wise that his enemies still gaue him place for none durst abide his strokes Now the prease was so great of the men of Duke Sauaries that he had great paine to breake in among them hée fought so that hee séemed rather a man of the Fayrie or a Spirit then a mortall man euerie man had great maruaile of the prowesse that hee and his companie shewed Then came against him the old Duke Sauary with a burning desire to be reuenged for the death of his sonne Raoull And Huon perceiued him well and made such haste that the Duke had no leysure to giue the first stroke for Huon gaue him such a stroke with his sword that hee cutte a quarter of his shield cleane off and the stroke glyded to the horse necke by such vertue that it strake off the horse head cleane so that thereby the Duke fell to the earth and if he had not béene wel succoured he had béene slaine but there came to him so many men that whether Huon would or not he was succoured and mounted vpon a new horse When Huon sawe that he was escaped he called vpon our Lord God and sayd Ah good Lord if I tarrie héere long I sée well that my force shal but little profit me for there be twentie against one Then hee called certaine of his Lordes that were about him and sayd Sirs I perceiue well our force cannot long endure therefore it is better to depart betimes then to tarrie too long Sir quoth they as it shall please you so then they turned them towardes Bourdeaux a soft pace and Huon did as the shepheard doth goe behinde his shéepe so went hée with his sword in his hand defending his companie from his enemies right sorrowfull and angrie for the losse that he had that day for in the morning when he departed from Bourdeaux hee had twentie thousand of good fighting men and at his returne he sawe well that he had not aboue foure thousand wherewith he was sore displeased and oftentimes by the way turned and returned to his enemies At last hee met with a Knight named Iozeram and gaue him such a stroke that he fell downe dead to the earth whereof the Emperour Tyrrey was sore displeased for hee was his cosin germaine and after that he slew foure other Knights of Almaine Then he returned againe after his men and so ledde them forth still as the shepheard doth his sheepe and oftentimes turned and returned vpon his enemies so that there was none so hardie that durst approach néere him Therewith thither came the Emperour richly armed with armes imperiall and mounted vppon a puissant horse Then hee cryed on forth my Barons take héede that this traitour Huon scape not away if I may haue him in my hands all the gold in the world shall not redeeme him from hanging Huon who heard the Emperour sayd Ah false olde dotard thou lyest falsely I was neuer traitour Then the Emperour ranne at Huon and strake him on the shield and strake it cleane through and the speare brake all to péeces but Huon with his sword strake the Emperour on the Helmet so that the circle sette with stone and pearle was beaten to the earth and if the horse had not swarued the
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
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
the féete vppon a Trée then they made a fire and vnder his head they made a great smoak and so made him to die in great dolour and paine thus ended the Traytour Brohart miserably his dayes Then the two Théeues came to the place whereas Clariet was and they demaunded of her estate and shee shewed them all the manner and how shee was taken by the Traytour Brohart and shee declared vnto them what she was then the Théeues caused her to put off her cloathes that she was in and to put on her other rich apparell and when they sawe her 〈◊〉 apparelled they thought that no Ladie nor Damsell in the world could passe her in beautie for shee was come againe to her beautie and she thought her selfe well assured because shee was deliuered from the false Traitour Brohart When one of these twoo Théeues saw the great beautie of this Damsell he sayde vnto his fellowe this night I will haue my pleasure of her the other sayd that he would not suffer that and sayd how he was the first that ouerthrew Brohart who had stollen her away then the other drewe out his dagger and strake his fellow into the bodie to the hart and when he felt himselfe striken to the death he tooke courage on him and drewe his Sword and strake the other vpon the head to the braines and so he fell downe dead and the other that was wounded to the death fell downe in like wise by his fellow dead and so thereby the faire Ladie Clariet was left there all alone When she saw her selfe so all alone in the Isle whereas no habitation was shée began then pitiously to wéepe and complaine saying Oh good Lord I pray thee by thy grace to haue pittie of me and I require thée humbly wheresoeuer I goe to saue and defend my virginitie and ayd mee that I may come to sauegard Now let vs leaue speaking of the faire Clariet and returne to speake of the Kings and Princes that were at Blay abiding the comming thether of the faire Ladie Clariet Chap. CL. ¶ Of the great sorrow that was made at Blay by the Abbot of Cluny and by the Princes of the noble Citie of Bourdeaux for the faire Ladie Clariet that was stollen away and of the sorow 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 WHen these Kinges and Princes were arriued at Blay and had spoken with the good Abbot of Cluny they concluded betwen them thrée that the Ladie Clariet should be sent for and he that she would fréely choose should bee her Husband for each of them thought themselues most faire thought that there could not bee found thrée goodlyer young Princes then they were but especially Florence Sonne to the Kinge of Aragon was the most fairest And the same time that they were determined to send to the Citie of Bourdeaux for the Ladie Clariet there came thether the Knightes Squiers Ladies and Damsels appointed by Brohart thinking to haue found there the faire Clariet and they brought her roabes and Iewels to apparell her withall as Brohart had deuised they came alighted at the Pallaice the Abbot of Cluny being at the gate and séeing the Ladies and Damsels comming thought that it had béen his Néece the faire Ladie Clariet he went incontinent vnto them and demanded where his Néece Clariet was Sir quoth the Knightes we thinke to find her héere with you for yesternight late the Lady departed from the Citie of Bourdeaux to come to you and Brohart came for her who with Sir Barnard went with her and they commaunded vs that we should not faile to be héere with you at this houre then they shewed all the manner howe Brohart came and what hee had sayd vnto them And when the good Abbot of Cluny heard them hee fell suddainly to the earth in a swound so that all that were there present thought that he had béen dead then at last he reuiued and cast out a great crye and sayd Ah my right déere Néece I ought to bee sorrowfull thus to loose you in this manner I would to our Lord God that I were vnder the earth for I woulde liue no longer in this world Ah thou false Traytour Brohart thy kindred did neuer good Oh Barnard where is become your noblenesse yet I cannot beléeue that you bee any thinge culpable Anon these newes were knowne in the Towne so that all the Kinges and Princes were aduertised of the matter and they came hastely 〈◊〉 the Pallaice whereas they found the Abbot in sore wéeâ—inges whome they had slaine if it had not béene for the good renowne that they knew to bee in him therefore they forbare him then euerie man mounted vppon their horses and roade towardes the Citie Bourdeaux whereas they founde the Burgesses and the common people in great cryes and wéepings bewaylinge for the noble Duke Huon and the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife and for Clariet their Daughter who was lost and betrayed by Brohart When the Abbot of Cluny and the other Princes were entred into Bourdeaux and saw such sorrow made there they all 〈◊〉 to wéeping and as they were in this sorrowe there came thether Siremen bringing with them Sir Barnard dead who they had found drowned in the Riuer of Gerone if the sorrowe was great before then it was more renewed when they sawe Barnard dead if I should rehearse the sorrowe that was made that day in the Citie of Bourdeaux aswell of the Princes as of the Abbot and common people it should be too long to rehearse Then the Kinges and Princes well aduertised of the Lineage and Parents yssued of the bloud of Brohart and how alwayes they haue been full of treason they were searched out in euery place of the Citie as well men as women and Children there were found out to the number of Thrée-score and ten persons and they were all taken and cast into the Riuer of Gerone to the entent that none should bee left aliue of that kindred and neuer more to be had in remembrance After this was done the Kinges and Princes departed out of the Citie and road into their owne Countreys right sorrowfull and sore displeased for the loosing of the Ladie Clariet and the Abbot abode still at Burdeaux and buried Barnard who were sore complayned for of the people Now let vs leaue speaking of them and returne to the faire Ladie Clariet who was all alone vppon the Mountaine Chap. CLI ¶ How the Ladie Clariet all alone came to the Sea-side whereas arriued the King of Granado in a Shippe who tooke away Clariet and of other matters NOwe sheweth the Historie that after the Théeues were slaine and Brohart dead the Ladie Clariet abode alone vpon the Mountaine with the dead men shee wept pitiously and sayd Ah good Lord in what houre was I borne in alas what ill hap and destiny haue I
manner of defence made against them but it is an old saying that many things remaineth of foolish thoughts as it did with the Spaniards for they thought surely that the Citie of Rome was wonne but if God ayde and succour the Damsell Ide and her Chiualrie she should take from them ere it were night their hope to haue any Victory She road by her Battailes and encouraged her men and mooued them to doe valiantly and thus they approached towards their enemies Great ioy and noise there was when the Battailes encountred together the shot flew so thicke on both parts that it séemed to be snow and hayle I de encountred with a Knight Nephew to the King of Spaine hee receiued such a stroake that for all his armour Ides Speare went cleane through his bodie so that the Knight fell to the earth with his féet vpward and so dyed miserably among the horse féete then I de sayd of God be thou cursed in an ill houre thou camst hether to receiue such an offering I challenge from you all the Empire of Rome then shée sayd to her selfe Good Lord God I require thée humbly this day to aid and succour me a poore fugitiue therewith she spurred her horse and with the same speare she slew another great Baron of Spaine and so slew with the same Speare diuers other when the Speare was broken she drew out her sword the which the Emperour had giuen her then she came to a notable Duke of Spaine Vncle to the King to whome shee gaue such a stroake with her good sword that shee claue his head to the téeth and so he fell downe dead then she dasht into the thickest presse and euer did choose out the greatest personages and slew many of them for she thought the more that were slaine of the great men the more should her enemies bee afrayd therefore she chose out such one after another And also the Romans fought valiantly so that by the hye Prowesse of Ide and of the good Chiualrie of the Romanes that were with her they made the Spaniards abashed and caused them to flye away and had neuer returned againe if the Duke of Argon with thrée Thousand Knightes in his companie had not béene who made them that fled to returne againe Then there began againe a fierce Battaile and many a man slaine the Romanes did valiantly by the aide and comfort of Ide their Captaine she road into the thickest of the presse and bare downe the Spaniards on all sides that it was pittie to sée great was the noise pitiously cryed out the hurt men lying among the horse féete which were beaten downe to the earth then the King of Spaine came into the Battaile with his sword in his hand and encountred with a great Lord of Rome which was Coozen to the Emperour the King gaue him such a stroake vppon the helmet that hee claue his head into the braines and then the King slew another then Ide who saw that was sorrowfull and sayd I ought little to be praised without I reuenge the death of these two Lordes slaine by the King of Spaine then shee road to the Kinge and gaue him such a stroake vppon the helmet that all the circles with stones and pearles flew downe to the earth and stroake away part of his coife haire and skinne and if the King hadde not turned his head it had béen clouen to the téeth the sword glaunced and lighted vpon his horse necke and strake it cleane asunder and so the horse fell downe dead and the King to the earth whereof the Spaniards were sore abashed thinking their King had béen slaine so they fled away and left him there lying on the earth in a traunce in such sort that hee could neither sée heare nor speake one word then the Damsell I de tooke him and deliuered him to two noble Lordes of the Emperours Court and when he reuiued he was made to sweare and promise to be a true Prisoner Those two Lordes went with the King of Spaine into the Citie of Rome and presented him vnto the Emperour from Ide whereof the Emperour thanked God that hee had sent Ide thether to serue him then the King was sette in a strong Tower and I de was without still doing maruailes in armes so that euerie man was abashed thereof the Spaniards made her way Finally by the hye Prowesse of the Damsell Ide the Kinge of Spaine was taken and all his men discomfited happie was hee that might escape to saue his life the chase endured long wherein many were slaine and taken Then Ide and her companie returned to their Tents and Pauillions and there they found great riches the which was brought out of Spaine and was giuen and distributed to them that had deserued it Great ioy was made in the noble Citie of Rome for the Battaile was well séene ouer the wals and especially the Ladie Oliue had well regarded the hye prowesse of Ide whereby she loued her so in her heart that she smiled with ioy and sayd to her selfe To yonder young Knight I doe giue my loue the which I neuer granted before to any man liuing but it is good right and reason that I grant my loue to Ide such like wordes Oliue sayd to her selfe Chap. CLXVIII ¶ How the Emperour of Roome 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 vnto the Emperour AFter that the Battaile was done and finished and the bootie distributed I de with great triumph accompanyed with Lordes and Knightes entred into the Citie of Roome and the Emperour was infourmed of the comming of Ide and of her valiant déedes by whom the Victorie was obtained how that none could endure against her whereof the Emperour had such ioy at his heart that hee wist not what to doe and hee thanked our Lord God that the matter went so to his honour and glorie therewith I de came to the Pallaice whereas she was receiued with great ioy with all the Colledges of the Citie and when the Emperour sawe her he arose and embraced her and sayd My true Fréend Ide of your comming I am right ioyfull for this day you haue done such honour to our Empire that you ought to bée honoured for euer and because you haue done vs such seruice wee will that you shall bee the mirrour for all other Knightes to encourage them to doe well wee therefore make you our first Chamberlaine and high Constable of all our Romane Empire and all my Landes and Signiories I abandon to be at your commandement in all things that you thinke reasonable to be done for I will and commaund that all my Lordes doe obey you Sir quoth Ide of this honour I thanke you God giue mee grace that I may alwaies perseuer to doe that thing which shal be to you agreeable
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