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a g enre
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l me,
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Li cyt Et our
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1 69 6 .

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ll t El t i p l i d xt o f s ix
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a o.

r l
r b
I a e sa a o e a no ree o
g na of

c v d t i tchi ici di t c
an

r
o
y
e e
of

.K
pp bl
C
es e

w
B u t in t h e
o m an es

ase o f
has t e

n
g
o

o u s t an s
e en dis
e

iEt t ch t i t d pd i t t h
c a n a t an

.A
K
ly l
pp ly
s re e n
y
T
ra e
g et

as
W
1 8 95
n a

a
re

earn e
a e s an

e u on ,
e of

Dr .

in
rn s

Ethi
t he
p

pi c
u n

bi c v i
xi
,

t c o n e

By za nti nis c b e Z ei ts cb rifi, t he

o u t, a

Ara
‘
ro ra e

e s en
e n ou

e of
g

l d f d c t
an o an d o f an e rs o n of the

He Mr Q
dc cbri pl ti i ill i i t hd Ethid pi c
’
e
g en . o un in one o f . uari t c h s a a

log u es a es on o f an u m na e o

MS K T
Mg dv r l f whiill chtrfti cc t bivl d
a
.
,
on e

l
a a a m e,
e on
g n
g
ro
to

m t he
ng

wa s
ou n
eo o re

g en
of

of

K
id i tify t y Ethi pi cb vrr i
se

en
e a of

as t h e

His
t he

s or

n a me
us

of
a on s
“
Th e
he
Man
en a

o n
e

to
to

be
g n

Tha lass ion,

.

Ethi pi c w d th t ct or o
in th e

o r s to
o

a e ffe
e s on

,
and
is

X l ll
Introduction G k t ry th r by
tfi dibli h d r bi c vh i d l bycc f lpti c
t he

es a s
ree

e .
p

A
rovena nc e

Dr . Ku
of

n wa s
the s o

a so su
is
es s u

Co
e e

in

C ht ld i ti i cl b th th v i ti rf e c t ry
n

r s
n
g
an
an

m
In
a

o
ers o n

ese
on e

e rs o n s t he s o
a

is

l i c h l i t c i c i ci d c
o as a ra e du e to th e n e er n e of the

An ge M ae ;
th t E rthrrlyi Pp tidic l v i c ll ht ry
a in Mr Mo .
an d

s
’
oe
is
a
a

”
u r ou s o n

e rs o n o f o u r s o r
en e

in
M i ch i l d lt di i tt p p bt kbl th ptr v t
t he

m
ae . Un
a

es s so
a ra

me s e
se

s a re
he
a
a

en t o
s h is
e en
e o

s o me
t he

Te u t itc i vth ti tthi i d ti ty xt c t ybwiri ll

on
sun

n
ers a n

es
g
n

a or o f
g, is
th e n e
ro a e

en u r

me s ,
a

ri ilty k hwl d iEthiht hpivc

o n t h e s re n of en o f na n
g s g
M M r .or s in
g u of a no e
g e of o .

sus pfrct d thG Okri t lfv i bdi i dri iiv dl

Bu t fo r th e n a me
e e es e en a
of the ero o n e

e rs o n s o f e n
m g
g er
a

e
e

n ot

M r.

Ka tb d kosa
Taw ywhi chd r cri b bdl v i t lt f chd r
om a

ne
ree

h as
,

es
b ut

m
ro

e
m
a
an

a r an
In an o

oun

mu
g
in t h e
mo
na .

ci l t lytith p i t th t E p p d tif lkd b id

os e an an
y of t he
es e

u ro
es o u r

ea n
a e

o -
t ale s in t h e
e

lffi d f t l l tt r k ti f ct
n e re s n
g o n a t he re es ne r e her
y ma
b ti t ti di t l thi d
se n s th e a a e e an d e s t he s a s a or

su

W i th ci l i d r bl i i h ity p r ti v cl
Th e g
s u

on s
on .

e a
In

me is V
e
t he

n
g en u
In an

a nd
a e s

vra is embla nc e
is o ne

f t l l tt
’
r s na s a, a n d th e o e a e a us e

o f t he a a e e r 18

l t
S ee C p
o u s on , B ook f
o S i ndi aa d, . 27
9 .
 f withith p d w h d f t th
Be ore s m an h as as e h is ee , do ou Introduction

iv f pc i
G e h im
ro m
s

f ht
o son
ee

are .
”
( ui sb a rn) ,
and ree my e ar

The l dy thi k wi h th t f th r a
rth r phi t c rr ct p lli by )
a n s
( or s es a h er a e is
ba d
om iGittiv ifih l wi th r th ltt l tt ti f ctd y
o

n
g
og a

the na
s , an d

”
771
,
s o
o e

a
s

th e
h is

more sa
e
S e

e r rea
n
g
s

to y v l ydycl th t fl thwhir l hi
t he
e h im V
oun
g
s a,

a an
es u

to
s

h er a e
s a

. T
or

l tt i ci d t i t ch t
van an t is so er os e to o u r a e
,
e t he

lly mu mo re
e

dl v l tp d thp ct i t h vi cb th t i ii htl
e
er

e o e
n en

an
in
in
is
t h e ro ma n e
so

a on e
n a u ra

mg

tk w b t
a m os s us e of a n
g een t h e or g na .

we m u s Ka tb d kos a
b t c i c ti b tw B y ti
Bu t no m ore a ou the and

di bf d ci i v ly d t i
a ou th e o mm u n a on e ee n z an u m
we
whi ch c fir t
an d In a

a me
e o re

s .
c an e s e e e rm n e

iOr t Pilylw d D vid di v l wth ld

Am s and

e s es an d
Am e re th e

t he
a

me
an d J on a an
,

Dr f di t d rl t ch
t he a es
,
of ae a or .

H o man n, wh o h as e e ies F re n
vthirrty ccth rt v i it d l r tt rly
e
.

se a o un o f t he Le e n
g ,
t h e ea

e n u me a e s n ea

t ti v rit v i N rwhith ch Eh v p cr pt
on
g u es
o

of
e

We s
e rs on s

e rn
of

a nd o
in a

ern
mos
u ro
a ll th e

e, n o t

i t di r t c ll ct iv
to me n on a ou s e rs o n s a e e

n o ffe en o e ion s of the L es of th e

XV
Introduc tion S a t r k th ir p l rtyi d hi p r i rd tth
i n s. F or e ee r es s

ma
fr e n s

t
a se em

rt r N v r wh r cc rdi
t he of t he
“

to an s a an a e, at
rs
, y
Mo the

f
L ege n d th y di d
a a an d

ti rli t
x e

t by
th o

e
a a,

. Th e
e e,

ea

He
a

es
o

me
of
n
g
a
to

ll ese

b
o rm s La
li v d
is a se t of n a e rs o ne

R adu lfu s T o rt ariu s , l y 1 06 ,

N r dy di d ti ft r
o rn at F eur
, 3 e

ma n s o me

p i bl th t t y
me
in
It wa s ,
o me
th o

f
cG i b cktt wii b tth i t fir tG c k dri i l
a
ere o re,
,
an d

th e
e

os s e

s
a

ru s a
th e
a

ers ,
s or
e

and
1 122.

ha d
th e

m ms Bu t
li t w ll p t f i t
r a r u e to a ree o
g na .

orm,

d fi it ly l c thd R cl cly i lti whil ic

in i t s
e n
e ar e s

e o a e
as e

on
as in its
oman e
res e n

so
,

A
e the
is

n a me s

s a
g e
o f t he

h
a
w v the
ly l t r
t ycl th t h rl t y fi li t fd c i t thEpirc
and IE miliu s ) .
e roes

s or
It was ,
a re

was
o
e ar

af
e er

a e
,
o
La
n

to th e
n

at
(
a
m
a e
us

e ma O n th e
C
is
H ea
cl d ly t p d i ilyp pl cp dp lxcr trptdibtiy
ear
e of C
s am e
a
g
the m
ne .

re s s o f o
a e of

u a a
e e

on .

f kthi thlk ti iG tit P i ptt ibb btly

rea
s a re

of th e
not

Fo
so e as

ma g
M
na
re a e

on .
,

It is
e e

ro a
a

for
an O i t l i i l ttB p ditcti tht l
s

r en a
re as o n

or
g
a

n to t h e
.

a
as on

er ar
ar s

of
a r

th e
u es

a e
,

h v ri d bt b t d thi ttir h i td i t
a nd

a e
fo r t h e
ha d
Ac ta S a nc torum
se
s a me

ous
reas o n

ou s a

On
the

ou
en e

a m
ne

n
g
Fa
n o
e rs

diwhitcrh h v b f rch t t tr l ti
t he

e o s

we
of th e F re n
.

ex ,
t he

t he
o e

an s a
an
,

on
t he

of

j
xvi
th t th r hi t ri c r wh l
ec t u re a
a e

e e
e o e

is a
us,

s o
g o

g
so

m f
eor t h e
far as to c o n

o e
L eg e n d ic tt Di idii ci d t wh l c h lc
in er a n n e n s o f th e Wa r o f C ar e Introduc tion

ti l t d d witttihb t hchil p t c ycl

ma gn e
on
g a

o f th e L e e n
g
a ns

we nee n o t a
er . But
t he
as

C
t he

ar e m a
o e

g ne C
o nn e

i d hd di p t c di p i ditth ci c t dct t y
is
n

T
a e,

ee
,
we ma
y a t on
r

e
u e

s m
mu
ss e r
m o r a n e to ,

on e
j u re .

ch d Nv v
e se s u es o f th e un s a nn o es ro

t he

an ti d iwity thh v ch pcl ii t f i phd hii p b

q u
ar m
,
of

a e
the

th e
Le g e n
a ms
.

of
e

r en
er
,

s
e en

Th e
e en
in

v yth i i blil city ch ct h v yy b lic

ur e

er
g
res e m
su

an e
a

o f t he t
ass o n a e

wo
e

eroe s
m
is
as s

s
.

m o

th i d p i pl
of e r s m ar of ara er ; the er n a me

The
w ld i d w ll l t th f i rd hit p dk t
o f
or
o ne o f

is e
em is F r e n
os fo r r en
u re an

s
d
’
s

s
m
sa e
e .

on th e

wif i l i d hilyp li t lly c i fic tdch i lt

one s

n
g
e
,

an d
on th e

e ra
o er n e a es

sa r e
an d

on th e a
ea re s

ar o f
are

r en

F i oretti
se th e
t ll
s

me
.

lf w h d di v tl d d dd t chp l p
e s ci v c
O ne

ae a
of

h o w S t F ra n .

re a
th e

at
mo s
s

t he
o er

ou
ar m g n

a me in him

of a
o f t he

e e r,

and

na es

Am
t il .
as

fdllt wi d by x dpl d d
e

He was b u t
who was n o t
an d en e

o
o n e o f th e

o n
g th e
oo r u n fo rt u

e a m e or

d c l p p r ttl
,
e e rre t he re a e

whif cht di c df i d pp ch l
s o un

ro m
o f the

a n no u n e

en n
g h i s
ta rt a ve lle

t he a

r en
— t he

roa
a

o f t he
e o r ra

e pe r
"
e

i Pd i M ly L Rv b t St v wil
.

’
F gu re i n . U sse o er , S ig ner d inf a rni e au

b cti v d t i
”toy en dg e, ar s ,
me m e r t h e e ffe
1 89 1
e
.

us e
o e rs o f

ma e of
e en s o n

h s in The
te

Bla ck Arrow .

xvi i
In trodu c tion H e re i c p i t c t ct man
wit lth f lk t l cl ly Gri th t
t he
a
g
o
a n ro

a e. The
e has
en d of
o n s

t he
of on a

mms
’

a e of

b li v
of Amis
Fa i t lof u l

d p d c
a nd c Amile
y

lk l
o nb
.
"
is
On
ea r

e m ore we
t he s a me a s

are

Ta
le d to
a

Rth t c ci t ti by i cc i fic i cid chit ldlik

e

o
e

ma n
e in
e
,
so me
o r,
e en

vi c e vers d, s n e a n
en e of th e Fo
n
-

en
e on

li k ly cc i d p d tly di t
a o f re s u s a on the s a r e of a is
wo
ti lcil d t t l ht lth d wc dt i cwhii ch
no t

e ers o f
e

a es
to o

.
ur

Th e
n e

a e a so
en

l
en to t

on a n s t h e
ff e ren
ur ou s

b th c f lk t l d d
n en o f th e u n s ea e s or in b e d, ,

a c ppl bt bl th t diwv rcd c ct p i dc did

o

o m
in ro

e e
ma n
b ar
es

to any
an d o

or e
-
a es

wa s
,

our
is re

ro
g ar e

ee n
g
as

s.

li vi p p i ci pl
It is
gn

u b li co wa s
ro

p pl i d
th
a

ers o nt e

w ,

d
a

so

rd d
t he s

a
o

the rn
on s

was
ere

ne cora nz
as a

p
as akii ci dd t chcc p
n of
a

t w thy th t
e

a
,

e ron
an d t he

.
1
‘

in Ala ddi n
It is
s or

no e or

W
re
g a e

the

L a mp , whi ch l t i t p l ti thi t
n

Ara b ia n IVig /y ts ,
en o

is
u rs

an d
a e

may
n er o a
a nd

b e du e
tb a

on n o
onder u l

e re
f
t he

to

“6

e ro es
It b
h i Ah iv iv i d pil v bi l yi
h as
a e
t d
g
th t
een s ugg e s e

e n r s e t o th e
a

ro
th e

er a
na me s
sa ng :
of o ur
“
A
m
wit tti di t hi i t litt l ity f th which
ss

hs
(
an
m s
)
ng
is
th e
as
g oo

gh
as a

au h or
m e

ro m
b ut no t

th e

s u gg e s

1 Fo r
‘

i cc c
on e

o t i i
ma n a
urre nci d t es ,

es of
is
h s
e more
n en
an a

in
p un

s a g a s , e tc
.

.
,

x
f vil ki t l
s ee

o -
a es, c xxi v
G r mm, D euts c b e Rec b ts a ltertb ii nzer,
D a s e n t, Ta les f rom tb a Nors e,
1 68

x
-

70
.
—
v
;
.
,
in
n .
 E pc i t cth t i t dth i v id cif d t f lk
u ro ea n n fl uen e . Bu t
wa s
an o er n en in th e Introdu ction

twl dr thiv th h v b pti b cwl l ly

ro

a e
man
a
e su

er
gg es s

a n t h e re
a

e rs e .
er

T he
e

t wo
ro m
o
a o

s of

a
oo

di fi c ti g
th t
en

f i li i ci d t f lk
to t h e

t l wh whichwip i lll yv p withthti c lly ithdi

mo
a es,
a on of

e re o ne of a
a
eroe s a t

a r
m ar

ea es
a

n
s m a re

en in
t he o
ear

er

c t t ttt th d lth r thi c b

a e
L ife to k e n

s idera b l
h is s a e of ea . As
s m

man
s
a

ha s
e

we
a

e en c on
n

f lk t l
to t h e

a o
c -
c l i th t i t i t l f d pt ti
y
on

a e.
a en u a e

us on a
in o ur

is se
o

an a
e,

a a
a re

on o f
le d

Th e
b k c ll
t l
ly p t h k p r
a e of King F lorus —
t he g m e of th e

b t wi f virt
’
oo —
re a s th e e ar ar of S a es ea e s

whi ch f f lk t l b ct l t y f lk c
’
Cy mbeli ne and t he be t a ou a e s ue ,

or ms th e su
j e of man ro man es ,

fe w
by t
no t o a es , an d a t ea s o ne so n
a o
g
- -
.

Th e R oma nce o G erb e rt de Mon

ru il h rk d iv h i whichf c
,
f t b
i
c rc a
e Vi olet,

1 2 2 5, er es its n a me rom t he
mo t
h brc d lB cc cci vhil p bfrbly
ma
’
er s o f th e ero n e, a u s es

h er us an to os e his b e t . T s was ro a

om

which Hh ktl p d t di d i di t ly r w
’
the sou e of o a o s no e ( 11 .

mo re mme
’
S a es eare s a e
g e .

Mr
i ht h ch p t l b t t t i h as th e L i fe t o k e n in
“
. ar an s u e

L d P
th e e

eg e n
g
of
a

e rs e u s .
er o f h is e a o ra e re a se on th e
In troducti on T h e
C am
Gpb llli c v i thi i cid tcl c lllyct d by
ae

Tb
e rs o n o f

c Cb e s t No
s n en , o e e

of

ff lk Bi cci cci d ivwhd di lctly i dih ctt ly

o

m
or
e

g n,
(
b ut
,

er e
.

re
is ear

or n
no t

re

f d t y i t c i th t p cti c ll
ro

o un .
o

Ye t
a o,

is
in
ur ous
o m a on e

a ,
th e

ra
C
a
es

y,
is
t he

f d d cf ltkl d d Gc llc cti

s a me

o un

in M
s or

a mo n g
as

S
o
the
-
s on
R oma nce
g s in m o
In P as s o w s
f
o

e rn
tb c Vi olet is
ree e a n d

R i c lk thw i ch b tti tl cd
’
o e rn o an . o e on

of o ma Fo S on g s e re is on e en e

M Ki ng ,
t i t p b bly xi t c
i
a u r a nos a nd tb e h is i n su s an e

y
thipl c f lk t l whi ch c cG dt ivPd if
o ur s o r

s o -
s on
; an

g
d is ro

a us e s
a

M .
th e e

as on
s en e

ar s
of

to

B y ti
t h e ro ma n es m
a e our

zan

b ll d ti tl d
u m th w
a e a mo n

ll
. Ye t M
g
o er e i n his
nd ”
M t ly
er

f i v M llia n
e

ns re s
ro

whith ch h v c cti b twti v r ic

h as a

w
a

has
a en

th e
e

b et
R eedis da le a
as i t s mo e.
e

H e re a g a n ,
o u r o man e
t
,

sa
en

me
,
e

t ry t
me
E a

r p f lk
ti li ht li k wi th B t
an d t h e s o

so
e a

me
s o re o f

s
o nn e

g n
on

u o
e

ea n
een

o ,
an

y zan i u m
d a t

.
the

Th e twlith Ovr r d s i c dhi rt i

a e of
“

C
e s ea h as imme a e c on

e pth
ne c t ion

r r es en e t d l di th r th dv t t r bdl
to
th e

be no o
u sa

e
e , s n e

an t h e
i ts
g rea
e o ne

g an
is

B cc cci P i c B byl i
mo Bu t h er a
thxx ose o f
er o f Sa
o
a

a
n .

o s
’
r n e ss o f
en u res res e m

a on
( .
e
who was
r c by
h r lf t k f
ph e se

E ph
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We th bt i th t b c l c li xxti
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a a s en e or o a sa on

111
Introduction w hi ch h lrps c iv Ev tchh ppct ristic t t
me dize va l
e

man
to g e th e a ra e o ne to

bl i d h y h pp i t
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me No Mns T
wli tt i pl i r t h rt t i w fr
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su a L an . e a e n, as

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ms ,
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ro

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e

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e s on s, I am ea n h is
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pi tyl whi c h c l th d th
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pp p i t p tp p
ra s e o f t he s e in h e has o e e m,

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I s hd byld ly l i k v i c ll f ctth t i tl
ou
its a

me re
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a a
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wa s

i c th i t b d pt d by
use him in his e rs o n s o f t h e S a g as as on
g

pp p i t E li h
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a ll

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d t pi cth i v r i ti c chcl ictc r di v l

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es a

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es
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wo n a e a r n g ro m a ll
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b ut G G kl tti f lk t l k w
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n
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a mon g th e ae s as t he Ba t tle g
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tb c Bi rds ,
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a nd

t he t l whi ch t v ll ch t ld th
in
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t he
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ra e e rs o one

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.

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a

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ti
s o r es), Tb
i t l f d i
c L a nd E a s t o
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b e Ki ng
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f se fi t
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J O SE P H JA O S C B .
 O N T E N TS
C

THE T A E KN
L EMPI E RO R OF G C O U S TANS

TH E

O f c E p M i d pl i y t chip l y b
th e m e ro r us s e n— As ra n
ge ra e r— Th e C ontents

p p cy vi l d d d E p chibi dld th t ti d l
a us e

ro he
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of
sa

h im— Th e
ra e r—

m
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e ro r
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o rn

s ea
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h i m—
th e Abbt y h l d k b i w chithl d wwi tl i
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e

T h e m on
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s r ng
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o
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r n gs
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a xe

m e ror
e

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Th e
as s
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en
o

i d
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e
and

k whE p c w l d v A bb t t l thc vf tE
o ns

h e is
p
C o ns

—
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ans

Th e
e o re t h e

C o us t a n s
o
—
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e s
m e ro r

m
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a gre e tt h th i l t f l y Ew pit th w l ltd l y
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h th e
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gu e u
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a ugh e r s e e s
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in th e
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s
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th e e
m
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e r—
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el t h y c t f it l t p ivyt c wci lk
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e

e r— Th e
e re o

o un e r e
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e er C o ns a n s a a e s
—

—
an g e t h e

d t
T e g o t o t h e Burgre ve A r

w dd dw ddi E p Ec p h t th l
N e e s mus s h e we d C o us t a n s — Th e
e e — Th e
y oun

m ero r o me s o me— H e e a rn s
a re
—

tl t d kht i t d dc E tp f it
o f th e e

a n s a n d h is
n g—

a ug
Th e m e ror m e e e
er
C o us
H e s e es th e ou n e r e
—

—
e e r—

t ti
C o us t a n s n g h e
t Pp xxvi i
H e i s m a e m eror
O f C on s an n e t h e s on o f C o ns ans 1— 24
.

.
C ontents TH E F RIE SAHMILIP E AMIS ND OF AND

Th e
n
gh in
i
re a d n g d
K i t Ll ccd bh pyti c d byb f P p P p
of

u
tth e t
a—
re a

T
m
e
—
Th e C ou n mee
o me e o re t h e
s th e

o e
—

P p f thiv c pA i li k f dhi th A i
o
Th e two
e g es
a

u
s a re

s o f
a

e
ze

as
th e
on t o t h e t
o e—

wo —
Th e
Of

chA i l d h y c tl A i w ddi k
th e

as e
a er of

out
m s—

m s g o es t o s e e
of h is
Th e
as e—
ea of h im— m s

Ap i l i i A i l h ktht A i A i lA iA i t
m e— T e fin d h im n o t Th e
m s— m e s ee e h m s— O f
e ng o f

m s a n d th e
—

g
nee s
r m

df ld wf dk w cA ith t l A i wi l k
H
e en
e e a—
r

h im—
e n e ws o f m e —
m s mu s
m s e s h i s n a m e Th e —

h i t i w i AA di l i A itl idt t
t wo e o s
o me a g a n
no ea h o er

H e warn e th m e—
.
ms see

m e oe h
to —

Ai v i l pl ppd l A dA i i l Ab t ill f l i t
a ga n s

m e
the
a ea s
arn n g —

r er
Of
of
r

a
er

e—
th e ra

Th e Chl e e n
or

g
Ak pi fAi thi witthk A i p l c wi fA i l A i l
m
es

s—
e

m
ge
s
for
a es
m
th e
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a e
m
o f
e

m
a s

e—
in w h
m e

ma li v itc A i t k ilt A bi twil l A k i p c

ee s

e—
a

m s a e s up
ms of h is
th e a
e—

e—
O f Arde ri s
m s m is
’

g
wil ti AKdi i l iilv A il d A dht i
e

h
h h im of t h e g u —
r er , wh o W n on e
m s

of it —
ma e e a e
r er is

A Ai bi cd i v w y Af i l fc tl A i fi
s a n .

m s e o m e s me s e l—
ng m e
C h ar a ug eser

m s f e e s ro m h is w e
g es h is

c h R A i l i h yR d tAh i i t t
ms
o me s to
r en

o me —
a a ro m

F a m n e in
h is
o me
as e ms
m s flees .
—

vb l ki d cl cppp whiA cihl t k l fAl k i t

t o th e
e es, a
ou s e o f

n of
m e T e s ou n
a er
e r ar a

m es e o m us
-

e a r—

A l p k
O f t h e t wo u s —
A i A
AA i l A i l i htw p t k wi t A i tf ll w
h im— An
m s of t h e n g
ng e s ea s to
s e a er
i l
m e a es
m s— k m s to
m e as s
m s e s o f th e- —

n ge —

a dj u re t h A i tl
m e is ro h

t th A i
m s t o e h im t h e ru
h h is e o — H e
and ms
xxvfii
 d t Aild il p d l y t t t A Ail i
o h so —
m e on e rs t h e ma e r— m eg o e s C ontents
to
hea l hd b wi f A ti l k kw whicchih l
h is
e —
ch

Th e
re n —

e of
He s a

m e
e h
no
h em
s not
—
m s is
is

dt f l k A ilid wi f liv A i i
her
re n—
us

Th e
a n d—

c h
Th e C o un
re n a re
es s

a
as

e—
s for h e r
O f t h e j oy 01

c Ktli lP p th d fwl k d i Kt i i h l
hese
as e—
o

Th e
—
m
o
s
’

e s en
e s
’

s
end

or
.

to
m s re g a n s

ng C
h is
ar e s

Ki i h d Lby b l d C h ar
l d wh t Des Th e
— ng ag a n s r
es ga ers o -

n
gs a re ar C us es — C h ar es s e n s o rd

to
i
D es
h l r—

l i b t
ti t dww bi f Pl iv A i chA cil b i ltl
-
K
a ra
ng C l
Th e
ar es

m s a nd m e C h ar e s
h e re n a re s a n
’
o m ar
me n s
s fl ee
a n—
O f t h e t wo
—

A a e
—
at Mo
os s

AS vii c d A wi l thi lyb Ki id l vt kl th Ki

s s o n e o re a ia

m s a n d m e a re ur e
Two ur h e s u

A m a r e b e fa ls
.

er

i b di t
e one or —

D e s r O f t h e o e s o f h e s e t wo
—
Pp
ng C h a r e s a e

2 5 58
ng

.
-

TH E T ALE KI LOR S or NG F U AND

THE FAIR J E H ANE

Ki l R bi wi f l dy p kf twih R fbii
ng F oru s a n d h is e— O f th e a er o f a r

j
R bi
e h a n e—

p k t wi t l
Of
d
wiR lbi k di ht htwi l iv k id ht pt i
— o

we d h is
n s ea k i o

t e
n—

h
a ug
Th e
h h is
e r—
a

Th e
s

or
ea
—

n
s

Th e
th
n
o

gh
n

g ra s e s

R bi l dy t l k kwii tht iv l Rd bi livl dyli di l

o

o
n

n
Th e
Th e
—

—
n g
n g g es
g e

o
h is
n
a ugh er

e h oo
to

cwi tht t ki d l ddy kib d d l d Rp bik th

Th e
on e n
a
— Th e
a s

a
h the
’
s n re
or
—
—
Th e a
Th e o r s ea
is
e

R bi cht l d h pyi l i w R l
o n
th e
mu s
n

nee
re —

s
J
go
e an e

a
a ffia n c e

g mar
g e — S ir
d to o n

a ou

Rli lwilv l i t i ftt i lc cli li li

an d h is
ao u
’
s e i
a

n en
e ng e
—
—
T e
Th e
set

ar
a

n e—
ag e r —

Th e c ar
S ir

se th
ne s
’

et a l J b yxxiyx
es—

s n a re—
Ag fo r t h e
J e h ane a
ar

o n e—
n e—

e
Th e
a ne na
c ar

sa
ne

s
C ontents
oo
R le
R
lt k d R bit d p t tRh biJ b Rh l d
S ir ao u

for
—

—
l b t
S ir
F e as
R biao u

fo r
is
S ir
e a e n—

o n —
Sir
S ir ao u
o n
’
s

re a s o n—
—
J
J b
e h an e w
c
S ir

l y d
goe s
h R bi
h er
o

t wi
n

Rt h bia

t
e

s—
ar e

J e h an e
—

me e
e an e

s S ir
s a me
o n

pf l yic k h y Rc l c Mf thi l ch Rp l i l
Now i s j n— is
—
e an e a e o o n ou

e nn —
T e o me to ars e es —
S ir a ou

g ivKi lR l p h cv chiRld l ht lywh l

a

S ires
s s

ao u
—

e n an e
S ir
S ir aou
ge s
a ou

o e
on e s s e
—
—
Th e a a n

a
b
n g F o ru s may

Th e a ro n s o f
-

Th e a —
n
g Fi
a e no

l ldy tl dywid l t wi yt liwii f KKii

K o rus — l A o
i
ma n
Th e g r e o f th e
e n e r n o re g o n— ng
f —

lh y pw dp i J h h t k h cht l b R d l
F orus m us n e e s p u t a a
F o ru s e s ag a n —
h is
j o n ma e s Fre n
e

re a
ng —

T
cR l M v il h t k w chR pll i
o mes
e ros

to
e r—

a rs e
o

e s—
n se s

jo n
u
p an

no s
os e

S ir
—

ao u
a ou

an

T
a ou

e
R l J a
h
g oes o

hb cky t lhk ytc th b ckJ h t wi lcd l t y R bi

d S ir a ou —

og e
t o i c h
e r s e a a n d re urn s —

er
n
-
an

o
d h is m a s
n ou
Th e
er are r

e ad
a

o
a n

kb ti lht k R bi c d chi
a T e o me to he ou n r Th e
— —
a r

a
g

R e—

bi
ma
J
i v
eh an e
es S ir

i go e s t o
o

t n

h e r ous
g oo
n—
e er—

J
Wage r o f
e h a n e re s s

b t ll d Ri l c i vdli R bi h th
h e r—
a e
S ir
—
S ir
o n

a ou
gr e
r es
e s fo r h i s

c ra e n—
s
q
S ir
u re —

o
Of
n
th e
a

h is a n

i
j e b an e
d i dc s en
a

f
g
t
a

h
n

s
—

R bi R bi f
O f th e go o
for h e r a e r t h —
n e ss

Of
of

J e h an e
J eh ane
’
s a er

wit R bif t t l J b Rth bi bfi tdh wi f

T me to S ir ng s o n—

h h is a h e r in law— S ir o n n s h is
oS ir o n g oe s
- -
e

k h wy th k J h t R bih y fidwd l t thi

S ir o n e s e a n e o f
no e of o n— S i r o n
em o
J eh a n e
n s h is s u re
q
—

g oo d lliikfi Ki dl t wiRf bidi th

T e ma e g re a j oy— T e
ng —
e

Th e ea h o f S ir o n j e h ane s
og e
—
er i n
’

g
bk i ht wivl hKiv Kli cl l ki i t
oo d
aro n s
e n g
a e
F o ru s n ew
’
—
e e

n g F o ru s we d a g a n— A
— Th e

X XX
t l b k i ht k th
n g gi e s
e s o f j e a ne—
n g F o rus

Th e n g
o un s e

s ee e
Th e n gh
t o J e h an e
-
 Ki w l
—
S h e ma e ans k th
e r— Th e t l
n g h re urn ewt t h d
C ontents k Ki i
Jt ib lif b
ans er to J eh ane

e ane e a rs a s o n t o
K i l
n g F o ru s b e th i n k e th h im—
n g F o rus

ng F o rus
w
e s

T e
—
d
n g F o rus s e n s

Ki l Php y d p t J eh ane
e ar —

h s e .
59 -
1 1 ;

TH E H IS R O E R SEA TO Y OF V

O f dt t k tth M i itb l t P thi

the a u gh e r o f t h e C o un of on e u— Th e

bwi l lttht l w ddi t i b l ltv w ld L dy

C ou n
au e
a

s
e

th e
e s s re

C oun
Th
h is o e
of
au to
—
h i m—
Th e
Th i
a

pwii l i th e
v
ng Th a u ou go
—
e e a

T
g ma g e
r

t h h im
e
He
Th e C o u n—
t
hl dy yt y t i w y M t i fib ltt l
—

c
he
k w
g ra n t e t h i r S h e
o

e s s re
—

me s
Th
to
c ra

no

au
es

of
to

a nd th e
it
go

go r a s—

t
a

y a rr

y —

hi v Mv t i w b kd h ddt h fy c
Th e
e es—
go y f l
a s tra — Th e wi t h
a t
Th ey two e n e r t h e o re s
in
e ss re Th ib au lt m a e s a g o o
a on e

s ro n g

e en e

wi t l L dy M t i tib k lt w h lyd ch v
-
H e is
h th e
o er

a
h ro
—
n an

e s s re
d
Th
o un

au
—
W a

ou
t e

a
do
e

h er
t i c
un oos e

p y y
Mb ck i hi b ltl d d pil i t k hib lt
to he r

T
o
h im—
m an
A
—
i s ra n g e s ro

Th e
e—

g o o n t h e r way
H e c o me s
T e o me

e s s re au o es h is g r ma g e
—

t l to
t l
his
th
t l k it htw Mt i w ib l d lth tv l th
for
a e—
a a e—

Th e C oun is
o

t hwn
He t dvan

e t e
—

ro
Th e
of

h —
C o un a s s T
a

He o u
a
au

e n u re

a
as

e th e
a

n a me o f

t h f the
t k t d ht re Th
—
g ess n e e au

th f t t t lk thtic d t i f
h im
e re o
e re o Th e C o u n a s e h h is a ug e r
Th e C o un a e
—
—

h i s a u gh er o n t h e

th th b d y h t hil pdy thh yi

s ea Th e C o un s c ru e j u s e O f th e g r e o f
—

os e o e rs
’

O f a merc a n s — — T e ge t
—

pi y t th S d cy h y l v t
t h e t u n a oar — Th e
S h e ra e h e m me r
fin d t h e a e re n

T e c ome t o Au —

xxxi
ma r e O f t h e o u a n o f Aumarie— H e o e h
—
C ont ents th e ld dyht a —

t P tlh dy
i
H e we dd e th h e r b t h — Th e a e a re

s on a n
a ug

e nd
d
e r—

s onh
er
yt
w Oi v ty t h yht yk c hip t i k
-
O f th e C ou n
i n law— T e
-

S ea— T e a
h y o

e
f on

e t h e c ros s

s for
e u a nd
-

re u rn n g
T
h is
e

T
—

h y d t t i t lp dyi t f th t
A m gh
e are c as
s or m
n o
—
T
r s on
e me to Aum a ri e
o

Th e C o u n is le d
—

tS l kdth wit l dy t c Mv t i hib lt

out to

a e
h— Th e
h h im
ea
—
a

She
s ee h h er

ra e h
a er She
h im o f t h e
—

o u an—

ro h e r
l c v
Th e a
t s ee h

b t i t h tt t th y pl y ch chb
H im a s o s h e ra e h Now s h e o u
S h e a h h os e
—
w l d h v
e ss re T

re e t o h e r
au

a e h er

a m er
—

ch lf th St t dl t t l tdyl k th
S h e n o ur s h e h h e m Th e
War o m e o n th e o u a n Th e a as e
a a t th e —
ess
—

of

so f t
ers e —

e s s re
on

T au
l ’
dy
Th e C o un e e h a ru e a e An d

Mt l ti hib plt t kci w dl dy v l tht

or h Th e a
s nd
y
—
e

or
y t l
a s a e th t h e a e

Th e C o u n —
—

hw l dl fh v tibl tlt t v S d t l
e e h o f h is re e n a n e —

e rs e
Th e a
And e e h h e m a ll h er a e S h e
—
re e a e
—

ou

S d wi l h vl dy f i hibicklt d w l
Th e ou a n
a e Th au s e r e th e

a e h im T
ou a n i n wa r

au oe s e —

p yk dt whthy d p St d thl dy fw l h vi p
i n t h e war— Th e a
s ea e h i th e ou a n
e gns s n es s —

e re o — A sh
Sh e

oa th bidd tfhi d i y plt d th h yw d

a rra e T e
—

o f h er r e n s
e ar —

Th e
Th e a
e ge
i a e

e m to h e r
—

to
She
R th y hh y d p it th c hS dw d
o
e th e ma r n e rs re urn — T e
me — T e e
en
ar en e o me ar

Now a re
h is
an s
d’
t
au
gh
s on
t h P
dM i hi b blyl t w dd S d d l dyht
e r—

no
e

t h i o

Of
me a ga n—

e
m in
ed —
Of
on

Of
the
e u—

th e
ou

Th e
a
an a nd

S ou
a nd

O fM Sl kdi Mi v l hk i c v th f i h yi ti f
T ’
e s s re au —
O f th e ou an s a ug er

a a n— a a n ra e th e a r Ca

w dd d
Th e
e e
ou
— c an g
O f h er
et

was
h er
o me
to him— T e
S a la h a d in
Pp 1 1 7 .
-
a re

16
9

XXX “
 I NG COUS
OF K
 H IS
tale telleth us that there was Th T l e S a e

erewhile an Emperor of By f Ki g za n c e , o n

which as now is called Constantinople C ons ta ns

but anciently it was called By There b E m

za n c e . t e
was in the said city an Emperor pagan he p erar

was and was held for wise as of his law

, .

He knew well eno gh of a science that is

u

called Astronomy and he knew withal of

,

the course of the stars and the planets and

, ,

the moon and he saw well in the stars many

marvels and he knew much of o her things
,
t
wherein the paynims much study d in , an

the lots they trow and the answers of the

O ,
,

Evil ne that is to say the Enemy This

Emperor had to name Musselin he knew
, .

much of lore and of sorceries as many a ,

pagan doth even yet .

OW it befell on a time that the Em

p Musselin
e ror went his ways a night
tide he and a knight of his alone together
, ,

amidst of the city which is now called C on

i p l and the moon shone full clear

s ta nt n o e, .
The Ta le ANDhristian
so far hey went till they heard a
C woman who travailed in
t ,

child bed in a certain house whereby they

-

went There was the husband of the said

.

woman aloft m a high solar and was pray ,

ing to God one while that she might be

delivered and then again another while
,

that she might

g not be delivered .

I H N
‘X E the Emperor had hearkened
th s a great while h said to the
i e
,

knight Hast thou heard it of yonder

:

churl how he prayeth that his wife may be

delivered of her child and another while ,

prayeth that she may not be delivered "

C ertes he is worser than a thief
,
F . or

every man ought to have pity of women ,

more especially of them that be si k of c

chil ding And now so help me M h m

.
, a ou e

and T m g er if I do not hang him if

a au nt ,

he betake him not to telling me reason

wherefore he doeth it " Come we now
unto him
Hp e ror Now
.

EY went within and said the Em

churl te“
ll me of a sooth
,

wherefore thou p y d thy God thus for ra e st

thy wife one while that she might be

, .

delivered and another While that she might

,
”
be delivered not This have I will to wot
. .
 IR said he I will tell thee well Th T l
, ,
“
. e a e

Sooth it is that I be a clerk and know f Ki g , o n

m ickle of a science which men call Astro C ons ta ns

momy Withal I wot of the course of the h E m

. t e
st rs and ofthe planets therefore saw I well p
a ; erar

that if my wife were delivered at the point

and the hour whereas I prayed God that
she might not be delivered that if she were ,

delivered at that hour the child would go ,

the way of perdition and that needs must ,

he be burned or hanged or drowned , , .

But whenas I saw that it was good hour

and good point then prayed I to God that
,

she might be delivered And so sore have

G
I prayed od that he hath hearkened my
,

prayer of his mercy and that she is

.

delivered in good point God be heried .

and thanked
TELL m now said the E mperor in
e , ,
“

what good point is the child born

”
Sir said he of a good will know sir
, ,
“
; ,

for sooth that this child which here is born

, , ,

shall have to wife the daughter of the

emperor of this city who was born but ,

scarce eight days ago and he shall be ;

emperor withal and lord of this city and
,
”
,

of all the earth Churl said the.

,

Emperor this which thou sayest can

,
“
Th e Ta le never come to pass Sir said he it .
“
, ,
“

”
is all sooth and thus it b h h it to be
”
,
e o ve t .

C ertes quoth theEmperor

,
tis a mighty "
,
’

matter to trow in .

U T the E mperor d the Knight

B departed thence and the Emperor
an

bade the Knight go bear ff the child in o

such wise if he might that none should

, ,

see him th rein Th Knight went and

e . e

found there two women who were all ,

busied in arraying the woman who had

been bro ght to bed Th child was
u . e

wrapped in linen clothes and they had ,

laid him on a chair Thereto came the .

Knight and took the child and laid him

,

on a board and brought him to the

,

Emperor in s ch wise that none of the

,
u

women wotted thereof Th E mperor did . e

do slit the belly of him with a knife from

the breast down to the nave" and said ,

withal to the Knight that never should ,

the son of that churl have to wife his

daughter nor be emperor after him
,

THEREWIT AL would the Emperor

do the Knight to p forth his hand
H ut
.

to the belly to seek out the heart but the

Knight said to him Ah i
,

od s mercy
what wouldst thou do It is no ght meet to
:
“
,
s r, a -
G
u
’

6
thee d if folk were to wot thereof great Th T l
,
an , e a e

reproach wouldst thou get thee L him f Ki g . et o n

be at this present for he is more than C , ons ta ns

dead And if it please thee that that one h E m

. t e
trouble mor about the matter I will bear p
e ,
”
erar

h im down to the sea to drown h im

"
Yea .
,

uoth the Emperor h him away thither “

e ar

g right sore do I hate h im

, ,
”
or .

0 the Knight took the child and ,

wrapped him in a cover point of silk -

and b re him down toward the sea But

o .

therewith had he pity of the child and ,

said that by h im should he never be

drowned so he left him all wrapped up
; ,

as he was on a midden before the gate of

,

a certai abbey of m o ks who at that very

n n ,

nick of time were singing their matins

W
.

HEN the mo ks had done singing n

their matins they heard the child,

crying and they bore him b fore the Lord

,
e

Abbot And the Abbot saw that the child

.

was fair d said that he would do it to be

, an

nourished Therewith he did do unwrap

.

it d saw that it had the belly cloven

, an
from the breast down to the navel .

HE Abbot so soon as it was day, ,

bade come leeches and asked of them ,

f how much they would heal the child

or
Th e Ta le a nd they craved for the healing of him an
hundred of bezants But he said that it
.

would be more than enough for overmuch ,

would the child be costing And so much .

did the Abbot that he made market with

,

the surgeons for four score bezants And

-
.

thereafter the Abbot did do baptize the

child and gave him to name C
,
o u s ta ns ,

because him seemed that he costed exceed

-

m uch for the healing of him .

HE leeches went so much about with

the child that he was made whole
,

and the Abbot sought him a good nurse ,

and got the child to suckle and he was ,

healed full soon whereas the flesh of him

was soft and tender and grew together
,

swiftly one to the other but ever fter ,

a

showed the mark

M
.

U C H speedily waxed the child in great

beauty when he was seven years
old the Abbot did him to go to the school ,

and he learned so well that he over passed

,
-

all his fellows in subtilty and science .

When he was of twe lve years he was a ,

child exceeding goodly so it might nought

avail to seek a goodlier And whenas the .

Abbot saw him to be a child so goodly and

gentle he did him to ride abroad with him
, .

8
 OW so it fell out that the Abbot had Th T l , e a e

to speak with the E mperor of a f Ki g o n

wrong which his baili ffs had do e to the C n ons ta ns

abbey Th Abbot made him a goodly h E m

. e t e
gift whereas the abbey and convent were p
, eror

subject unto him for the Emperor was a ,

Saracen When the Abbot had given him

.

his goodly gift the Emperor gave him day

,

for the third day thence whenas he should ,

be at a castle of his three leagues from the ,

city of By za n c e .

THE Abbot abode the day when he :

saw the time at point to go to the

Emperor he mounted horseback and his
, a -

chaplain and esquire and his folk and

, , ;
with him was Co stans who was so well n ,

fashioned that all praised his great beauty ,

and each one said that he seemed well to

be come of high kindred and that he would ,

come to great good .

0 when the Abbot was come before the

castle whereas the Emperor should be ,

he came before him and spake to and

greeted him and the E mperor said to him
that he sho ld come into the castle and
u ,

he would speak with him of his matter :

the Abbot made him obeisance and said ,

to him Sir God s name Then the

,
a -
’

9
The Ta le Abbot called to him C who was o u s t a ns ,

holding of his hat while he spake unto the

Emperor and the E mperor looked on the
lad d saw him so fair and gentle as
,
an

never before had he seen the like fair

person So he asked of the Abbo what
. t
he was and the Abbot said him that he
;
wotted not save that he was of his folk
, ,

an d that h had bred him up from a little

e

child And if I had leisure with thee

.
“
,
”
I would tell thee thereof fine marvels
”
.

Yea said the Emperor come ye into

, ;
the castle and therein shalt thou say m
,
”
e

the sooth .

THE Emperor came into the castle and ,

the Abbot was ever beside him as ,

o ne who had his business to do and he ;

did it to the best that he might as he ,

who was subject unto him Th E mperor . e

forgat in nowise the great beauty of the

lad and said u to the Abbot that he should
,
n

cause him come before him and the Abbot ,

sent for the lad who came straightway ,

'
.

HEN the child was before the E m

p he seemed unt
ero r, him right o

fair and he said unto the Abbot that

; ,

great damage it was that so fair a l d was a

C hristian But the Abbot said that it W

. as

IO
great joy thereof wher as he wo ld re der Th T l
,
e u n e a e

u to G d a fair soul Whe the E mperor f Ki g

n o . n o n

heard that he fell la ghing and s id to C

,
a -
u , a on s ta n s

the Abbot that the Christian law was of no h E m t e

accou t and that all they were lost who p
n , erar

trowed therein When the Abbot heard .

him so say he was sore grieved but , ;

he durst not make answer as he would ,

so he said much humbly Sir if G d :

“
,
o

please who can all things they are not

, ,

lost for God will have mercy of his

;
”
sinners .

HEN the Emperor asked of him

whence that fair child was come and ;
the Abbot said that it was fifteen years
gone since he had been found before th ir e

gate on a m idden all of a night tide

, ,
—
.

“
And our monks heard him crying whenas a -

they had but just said matins and they ;

we t to seek the child and bro ght him
n ,
u

to m and I looked on the babe d

e ; ,
an

beheld him much fair and I said that I ,

would do him to be nourished and bap

i d
t ze I unwrapped him for the babe was
.
,

wrapped up in a cover point of vermil -

sendel and when he was unwrapped I

; ,

saw that he had the belly slit from the

breast to the navel Then I sent for .

1 1
The Ta le leeches and surgeons and made market ,

with them to heal him for four score -

bezants and thereafter he was baptized

; ,

and I gave him to name Co stans because n ,

he costed so much of goods to heal So .

was the babe presently made whole but :

never sithence might it be that the mark

appeared not on his belly .

HEN the Emperor heard that he ,

knew that it was the child whose belly

he had slit to draw the heart out of him .

So he said to the Abbot that he should

give him the lad And the Abbot said .

that he would speak thereof to his convent ,

and that he should have him with their

good wi ll Th Emperor held his peace
-
. e ,

and answered never a word But the .

Abbot took leave of him and came to his ,

abbey and his monks and told them that

, ,

the Emperor had craved Co stans of him n .

But I answered that I would speak to y ou

if ye will yea y it Say now what ye

-
sa .
, ,
”
would praise of my doing herein .

H AT said the wisest of the con

vent by our faith evil hast thou
;
“
,

done whereas thou gavest him not presently

, ,

even as he demanded of thee We counsel .

thee send him straightway lest h , t e

12
Emperor be wrath against us for sp edily Th T l ”
, e e a e

may we have scath of him e .

HE RETO was their counsel fast that C , ons ta ns

C should be sent to h E m h E m
o u s ta ns t e t e

pe ror .S the Abbot

o com m anded the p eror

Prior to lead C thereto and the o u s t a ns

Prior said A God s name 1 -

’

0 he mounted and l d with h im C ous ,

e

tans and came unto the Emperor and

, ,

greeted him on behalf of the Abbot and

the convent and then he took C; o u s t a ns

by the hand and on the said b half gav

, ,
e ,
e

him to h Emperor who received him as

t e ,

one who was much wrath that such a

runagate and beggar churl should have
hi daughter to wife
s But he thought .

in his heart that he would play him the

turn .

HEN the Emperor had gotten Co s u

tans he was in sore imagination how

,

he should be slain in such wise that none

g h wot
t word thereof And it fell . ou t

so that the Emperor had matters on hand

at the outer marches of his land much long ,
’
aloof thence well a twelve days journey
,
.

So the Emperor b took him to going e

thither and h d C
, thither with him
a ou s t a ns ,

and thought what wise he might to do slay

I3
The Ta le him till at last he let write a letter to his
,

B g
u r re veof By za nc e .

EMPEROR of By and Lord

IGreece do thee to wit who b id duly
za n c e of

, a es t

in my place for the warding of my land ;

and so soon as thou seest this letter thou
shalt slay or let slay him who this letter
shall bear to thee so soon as he hast ,

delivered the said letter to thee without ,

longer tarrying As thou holdest dear .

thine own proper body do straightway my ,

comma dment herein

n .

V E N such was the letter which the fair

child C bore and knew not
o u s ta ns ,

that he bore his own death Th lad took . e

the letter which was close and betook him

, ,

to the road and did so much by his

,

journeys that he came in less than fifteen

days to By which is nowadays called
za n c e ,

C onstantinopl
H e .

EN the lad entered into the city it

was the hour of dinner so as G d ; ,
,

o
would have it h thought that he would
, e

not go his errand at that nick of time but ,

would tarry till fol k had done dinner and

exceeding hot was the weather as is wont
’
,

about St John s mass So he entered into

.
-
.

the garden all horseback Great and long

a -
.

I4
was the g rden so the lad took the bridle Th T l
a e a e

from ff his horse and unlaced the saddle f Ki g

o o n

girths and let him graze and thereafter C

, ; ons ta ns

he went i to the nook of a tree and full h E m

n ; t e
ple ant was the place so that presently he p
as , erar

fell asleep .

OW so it fell out that when the fair ,

daught r of the E mperor h d eat n

e a e ,

she we t into the garde with three of h

n n er

maidens and they fell to chasing each

;
other about as whiles is h wont f
,
t e
'

maidens to play ntil at the last the fair ; u

Emperor s da ghter came nder h tree

’
u u t e

whereas C lay sleepi g and he

ou s t a ns a -
n ,

was all vermil as h rose A d when the t e . n

damsel saw him she beheld him with a ,

right good will and she said to herself that

,

never on a day had she seen so fair a

fashion of m Then she called to her an .

that one of her fellows in whom h had s e

the most ffi and the others she made

a a nc e ,

to go forth from out of the garden .

HEN the fair maiden daughter of the ,

Emperor took her fellow by the hand

, ,

and led her to look on the lovely lad

whereas he lay sleeping and she spake a

thus F air fellow here a rich treasur

.
,
13 e .

Lo thou " the most fairest fashion of a

1
5
The Ta le man that ever mine eyes have seen on any
day of my life And he beareth a letter
.

”
,

and well I would see what it y h sa et .

O the two maidens d ew nigh to the lad r ,

and took from him the letter and the ,

daughter of the E mperor read the same ;

and when she had read it she fell lamenting ,
a -

full sore and said to her fellow Certes

, :

here is a great grief Ha my Lady ,

said the other one tell me what it is

”
,
“
.

Of a sur ty said the Maiden might

e , ,

I but trow in thee I would do away that ”

sorrow " Ha Lady said she h rdily , , , a

m ayest thou trow in me whereas for nought ,

would I uncover that thing which thou

wouldst have hid
H
T EN the Maiden the daughter of the
Emperor took oath of her according
,
.

to the paynim law and thereafter she told

her what the letter said and the damsel ;
answered her Lady and what wouldest ,
”
thou do " I will tell thee well said the
“
,

daughter ofthe Emperor I will put in his ;

pouch another letter wherein the Emperor , ,

my father biddeth his B g to give me

, u r reve

to wife to this fair child here and that he ,

make great feast at the doing of the wed

ding unto all the folk of this land whereas ;
1 6
he is to wot well that the lad is a high man Th T l
”
e a e

and a loyal .

HEN the damsel had heard th at she C , ons ta ns

said that would be good to do But h E m , t e

Lady how wilt thou have the seal of thy p
,
” ”
eror

father " F ll well said the Maiden for

“
u , ,
“

my father delivered to me four pair ofscrolls ,

sealed of his seal thereon he hath written

nought therein and I will write all that I
” ”
will Lady said she thou hast said full
.
“
, ,
“

well but do it speedily and haste thee ”

,

ere he w k h So will I said the

a a e ne t .
“
,

Maiden .

HEN the fair Maiden the daughter of ,

the E mperor went to her coff ers d , , an

drew thereout of the said scrolls sealed

o ne ,

which her father had left her that she ,

m ight borro w mo eys thereby if so she n ,

would F ever was the E mperor and his

. or

folk in war whereas he had ighb, ne o

right felon and exceeding mighty whose

.
,

land m rched upo his 5 the Maiden

a n . 0

wrote the letter in this wise

KING MUSSELIN Emperor ofGreece
Iand of By the city to my B g za n c e
,

,
ur reve

of By za n cei g I mm d thee that

eet n . co an

the bearer this letter ye give to m y fair

0

daughter in marriage according to our law ;

B 1 7
The Ta le whereas I have heard and wot soothly that
he is a high person and well worthy to have ,

my daughter And thereto make ye great

.

joy and great feast to all them of my city

and of all my land .

N such wise wrote and said the letter of

the fair daughter of the Emperor and "

when she had written the said letter she ,

went back to the garden she and her fellow ,

together and found that one yet asleep and

, ,

they put the letter into his pouch And .

then they began to sing and make noise to

awaken him So he awoke anon and was
.
,

all astonied at the fair Maiden the daughter ,

of the Emperor and the other one her ,

fellow who came before him and the fair

,

Maiden daughter of the Emperor greeted

, ,

h im d he greeted her again right

an

debo airly Then she asked of him what

n .

h was and whither he went

e , and he said
that he bore a letter to the B g which u r re ve ,

the E mperor sent by him and the Maiden

said that she would bring him straightway
whereas was the B g Therewith she u r re ve .

took him by the hand and brought him to ,

the palace where there was much folk who

, ,

all rose against the Maiden as to her who ,

was their Lady .

1 8
 Ogreve
W the Maiden demanded the Bur
and they told her that he was
,
The Ta le
f Ki ng
o

in a chamber so thither she led the l d C

; a ,
ons ta ns

and the lad delivered the letter and said h ,

t e Em
that the Emperor greeted him But the p . erar

B g
u r reve made great joy of the lad d , an

kissed the hand of h im Th Maiden '

. e

opened the pouch and fell kissing the ,

a—

letter and the seal of her father for joy s ’

sake whereas she had not heard tidings of

,

him a great while .

HEREAFTER she said to the Bur

greve that she would hearken the letter
in privy council even as if she wotted
,

nought thereof and the B g said that

; u r re ve

that were good to do Then we t the . n

B g
ur d the Maiden into a chamber
re ve a n ,

and the Maide u folded the letter and

n n

read it to the B g and made sem ur re ve ,

blance of wondering exceedingly and the ;

B g
ur reve said to her Lady it b h h ,
“
,
e o ve t

to do the will of my lord thy father for ,

”
otherwise we shall be blamed exceedingly .

Th Maiden answered h im
e And how can “

this be that I should be wedded witho t

,
u

my lord my father A strange thing "

it would be and I will do it in no

,

manner .
 H that thou sayest Thy father
The Ta le A L dy " said the B g what
’ “
,
a u r re ve ,
"
is has .

h id den thus by his letter and b h h ,

it e ove t

not to gainsay ”
.

IR said the Maiden ( unto whom it was

, ,

late till the thing were done) thou “

sh lt speak unto the barons d mighty m

a an en

ofthis real m and take counsel thereof And

,
.

if they be of accord thereto I am she who ”

,

will not go against it Then the Bur .

greve said that she spake well and as one

wise .

THEN spake the B g to the barons u r reve ,

and showed them the letter and they ,

accorded all to that that the matter of the

letter must be accomplished and the will ,

of the E mperor done Then they wedded .

the fair youth Co stans according to the n ,

pay i m l w u to the fair daughter of the

n a ,
n

Emperor and the wedding endured for

,

fifteen days and such great joy was there

:

at By that it was exceeding and folk

za n c e ,

did no work in the city save eating and ,

drinking and making merry

G
ON while abode the Emperor in the
L land whereas he was and when he had :
.

done his business he went his ways back to,

wards By and whenas he was but

za nc e ;
20
anigh two jou neys thence c me to him a Th T l
r ,
a e a e

message of the messengers who came from f Ki g o n

Byza n ce Th Emperor asked of h im what C

. e ons ta ns

they did in the city and the varlet said h E m ; t e

that they were making exceeding good p erar

cheer of eating and drinking and taking

their ease and that no work had they do e
, n

therei these fifteen days

n .

”
ND wherefore is that said the Em "

p Wherefore
e ro r Sir "
. Wot ye“
not ,
”
well thereof Nay forsooth said the
"
, ,

E mperor but tell me wherefore

”
, .

IR said the varlet thou sentest a

, ,
“

youngling exceeding fair to thy Bur , ,

greve and badest him by thy letter to wed

,

him to thy da ghter the fair and that he

u ,

should be emperor after thee whereas he was ,

a man right high and well worthy to have ,

her But thy daughter would not take

.

that before that the B g should have u r re ve

spoken to the barons And he spake to all .

them and showed them thy letter and

, ;
they said that it behoved to do thy com
mandment And when thy daughter saw
.

that they were all of one accord thereon ,

she durst not go against them but yea ,

said it Even in such wise hath thy

.

daughter been wedded and such joy has ,

2 1
The Ta le been i the city as none might wish it
n
”
better .

THE Emperor when he he rd the mes ,

a

senger speak thus was all asto ied ,

n ,

an d thought m uch of this matter and he ;

asked of the varlet how long it was since the
lad had wedded his daughter and whether ,

or no he had lain by her "

IR said the varlet yea and she may

,
’

,
“
;
well be big b y now because it is more ;
”
than three weeks s nce he hath wedded her
i .

F h said the Emperor in a good

o rs o o t
“

hour be it "for since it is so it b h h

,

,
e o ve t
”
me to abide it since no other it may be
,
.

far rode the Emperor till he came to

S OBy whereas they made h im m ch
za n c e , u

fair feast and his fair daughter came to

;
meet him and her husband C
,
who ou s t a n s ,

was so fair a child that none might better

be Th Emperor who was a W se man
. e ,
i ,

made of them much great joy and laid his ,

two hands upon their two heads and held ,

them there a great while which is the ;

manner of benison amongst the paynims .

THAT night thought the Emperor

much on this marvel how it could have ,

come about and so much he pondered it ,

that he wotted full well that it had been

22
becau e his daughter 5 he had no Th T l
s of . 0 e a e

will to gain say her but he demanded to f Ki g

-

, o n

see the letter which he had sent d they C ,

an ons ta ns

showed it unto him and he saw his seal h E m

, t e
hanging thereto and saw the letter which p
, eror

was written d by the manner whereby the

an

thing h d been done he said to hims lf

a ,
e

that he had striven against the things which

behoved to be .

THE RE AFTER the E mperor made ,

C a knight even his w son

ou s ta ns , ne

who was wedded unto his daughter and he ,

gave and granted to him all the whole land

after his death And the said C
. o u s ta ns

bore him well and wisely as a good knight , ,

and a valiant and hardy and defended him ,

fu ll well against his enemies No long .

time wore ere his lord the Emperor died ,

and his service was done much richly after ,

the paynim law Then was C . em o u s tan s

pero r,and he loved and honoured much the

Abbot who had nourished him and he made ,

him his very master And the Emperor .

C o sta s by the counsel of the Abbot and

n n , ,

the will of God the all mighty did do ,

christen his wife and all they of that land

,

were converted to the law of Jesus Christ .

And the Emperor C begot on his o u s ta ns

23
 wife an heir male who had to name C
,
on

i who was thereafter a prudhomme

s ta nt ne ,

Cons ta ns much great And thereafter was the city

.

called Constantin ople because of his father

, ,

time was it called By za n c e .

HC the Emperor
o u s ta ns .

Th said story was done

e

ancient French into English by

Morris .
TH E FRIENDSHIP OF
AMIS AND AMILE
 Nthe time of Pepin King of France was Th
I a child born in h Castle of B i i of F i d
e

t e er c a n r en

a noble father of Al m i who was of great

e a ne

holiness . Ami s and

Th father and the mother pro mised to Ami l
G ,
e

od and S aint Peter and S aint Paul where

as they had no e other child that if God
n ,
,
e

gave it life they wo ld h it to Rome to

,
u e ar

baptism At the same time came a vision

.

to a Count of Alverne whose wife was big ,

with child whereby it seemed that the

,

Apostle of Rome was baptizing many chil

dren in his palace and confirming them with
chrism .

So when the Count was awaken he sought

of many wise folk what might signify that
which he had seen in h dream And t e .

when his vision was uncovered a wise man ,

and ancie t bespake him by the couns l of

G :
n

od Make great joy Count for there

shall be born to thee a son full of great , ,
e

prowess and ofgreat holiness and him thou

27
The shalt let bear to Rome and let baptize him
F ri end by the Apostle .

Th fe re o joy made h C ount and

re a t t
g e ,

Anzi s a nd he and his folk praised the counsel of the

elder .

THE child was born and dearly fostered ,

and when he had two years and the ,

father after his purpose was h i g him to e ar n

Rome he came to the city of Lucca And

, .

therein he found a noble man of Almaine

who was wending Romeward and bearing
his son to baptism They greeted the . o ne

other and each asked other who he was and

,

what he so ght and when they fou d them

u , n

selves to be of one purpose they joined

company in all friendliness and entered
Rome together And the two children f ll
. e

to loving one another so sorely that one

would not eat without h other they lived t e ,

of one victual and lay in one bed

, .

N this wise the fathers brought them

before the Apostle at Rome and spake ,

to him Holy F ather whom we know ,

and believe to be in the place of Saint Peter

the Apostle the Count of Al erne and a
,

noble knight of B i i the Castle beseech

er c a n
v ,
,

your Holiness that ye would deign to bap

i
t ze their sons which theyhave brought from
2 8
far away and that ye would take their little Th
,
”
e

offering from their hands F i d . r en

ND the Apostle answered them I :

“

hold your gifts for right acceptable Ami , s a nd

but they are not to m of much necessity Am l e i e

give them to the poor who have need ,

thereo f Th infants will I baptize with a

. e

will that the F ather the S and the

, , on ,

host m y embrace them in the love a

”
of the Holy Trinity
O
RTHWITH then the Apostle bap
F i d them i the Church of the Holy
t ze n
.

Savio r and laid for name on the son of

u ,

the Count Amile and on the son of the

, ,

K ight Amis and many a knight of Ro me

n ,

held them at the font with mickle joy d ,

an

rais d them aloft even as G d wo ld And

e o u .

the fli of Baptism done the Apostle bade

o ce ,

bri g two ha aps of tree dight with gold

n n

and precious stones side d wide alike and ,

an ,

of like fashion d gave them to the bairns

,
an

and said Take these gifts in token that

I have baptized you in the Church of the ”
Holy Savio r Which gifts they tooku .

joyfully
J and thanked hi m much and b , e

took them thence home all j oya ce

the child of B i i did od give
TOso great wisdom that one might trow ,
1n

er c a n G n .

2
9
Th e that he were another Solomon and when ;
F ri end he was of the age of thirty years a fever
took his father and he fell to admonishing
,

Ami s an d his son in such like words F air son well ,

beloved it b h h m presently to die

, e o ve t e ,

and thou shalt abide and be thine own

m aster Now firstly fair son keep thou
.
, ,

the commandments of God the chivalry ;

of Jesus Christ do thou Keep thou faith .

to thy lords and give aid to thy fellows

,

and friends Defend the widows and

.

orphans Uphold the poor and needy

.

an d all days hold thy last day in memory .

F orget not the fellowship and frie dship of n

the ofthe Count ofAlverne whereas the

s on ,

Apostle of Rome on one day baptized you

both and with one gift honoured you Ye
, .

be alike of beauty of fashion and stature , , ,

and whoso should see you would deem you

”
,

to be brethren .

0 havi g finished these words and

n ,
re

cei d his Savio r he departed in our

ve u ,

Lord and his son did do bury h im and did

, ,

do render him his service even as one ,

should do for the dead .

F TE R the death of his father evil folk

bore envy against him and did him ,

many a scathe and grieved him sorely , ;

 but he loved them all and suffered whatso Th "
e

ever they did to him What more may I F i d . r en

tell you save that they cast him and his

,

folk out of the heritage of his fathers and Ami , s a nd

chased him forth out ofhis castle So when .

he bethought him of the commandment of

his father he said to them who went in his
,

company Th wicked have wrongfully

:
“
e

cast m forth out of mine heritage yet

e

have I good hope in our Lord that he will

help me go we now to the Court of
the Count Amile who was my friend and ,

my fellow May happen he will make us

.
-

rich with his goods and his havings But .

if it be not so then shall we go to Hilde

,

gard the Queen wife of King Charles of

,

F rance who is wont to comfort the di i

,
s n
”
h i d
Aer te .

ND they answered that they were ready

to follow him and do his bidding
H
T EREWI TH they went their ways
to the Court of the Count and found
.

him not ther because he was gone to

e,

B i i to visit Amis his fellow and comfort

er c a n ,

hi m of the death of his father And when .

he found him not he departed sore troubled

, ,

an d said to himself that he would not b e

take him to his own land till he had found

3 1
The Amis his fellow and he sought him in ;
F ri end F rance and in Almaine where soever he ,

heard tell that his kindred were and could ,

Amis an d find no certainty of him .

HEREWITHAL Amis together with

his folk ceased not to seek his fellow
,

Amile until they came to the house of a

,

noble m where they were guested There

an .

at they told by order all their adventure

and the noble man said to them Abide “

with m Sir Knights and I will give my

e, ,

daughter to your lord because of the ,

wisdom that I have heard of him and I ,

will make you all rich of gold and of silver

”
,

and of havings .

H AT word pleased them and they ,

held h bridal with mickle joy But

t e .

when they had abided there for a year d an

a half then said Amis to his ten fellows

,

We have done amiss in that we have left ”

seeking of Amile A d he left there two . n

of his sergeants and his hanap and went his ,

ways toward Paris

O
W by this time had Amile been
aseeking for Amis two years past
-
.

without ceasing And whenas Amile drew.

nigh to Paris he found a pilgrim and asked

if he had seen Amis whom men had chased
2
3
out of his land and that one said nay h
had not B ut Amile did fl his coat and
,
e
"

v .

ga e it to the pilgrim and said Pray

tho to our Lord and his Hallows that they Ami
u
o

:
“

s a nd
”
m to fi d Amis my fellow
e n .

HEN he departed from the pilgri m ,

and went his ways to Paris and found ,

no whither Amis his fellow

-
.

U T the pilgri m went h i w y forthwith

B and about vespers happened on Amis
s a s ,

an d they greeted each the oth r And Amis e .

said to the pilgri m had he seen or heard

,

tidings in any land of Amile son of the ,

C ount of Alverne And h pilgri m. t e

answer d him all marvelling Who art

e :
“

th ou Knight who thus m ock st p ilg im

, ,
e a r

Thou m to m that Amile who this

s ee es t e

day asked of me if I had seen Amis his

fellow I wot not for why thou hast
.

changed thy garments thy folk thine , ,

horses and thine arms Tho askest me

,
. u

now what thou didst ask me to d y about -

a
”
tierce and thou gavest me this coat .

ROUBLE not thine heart said Amis , ,

I am not he whom thou d m b ee

”
es t ut

I am Amis who seeketh Amile And he .

gave him of his silver and bad e him pray ,

our Lord to give him to find Amile And .

C
33
The the pilgri m said Go thy ways forthright
F r iend to Paris and I trow that thou shalt find him
,

whom thou seekest so sore longing And .

.

Ami s an d therewith Aims went his ways full eagerly .

OW on the morrow Amile was already

departed from Paris and was sitting ,

at meat with his knights hard by the water

of Seine in a flowery meadow And .

when they saw Amis coming with his

fellows all armed they rose up and armed
,

them and so went forth before them

, ;
and Amis said to his fellows I see F rench
knights who come against us in arms Now .

fight hardily and defend your lives If .

we may escap this peril then shall we go

e ,

with great joy to Paris and thereto shall ,

we be received with high favour at the ”

C ourt of the King .

Then were the reins let loose and the

spears shaken aloft and the swords drawn ,

on either side in such wise that no sem

,

blance was there that any should escape

alive But God the all mighty who seeth
.

all and who se teth an end to the toil of

, t
the righteous did to hold aback them of
,

one pa t and of the other when they were

r

now hard on each other for hen said ,

t
Amis Who are ye knights who have
“
,

34
wi ll to slay Amis the exile and his fellows Th
v
At that oice Am ile knew Amis his fellow F i
and said O thou Amis most well b
:
“
e
e

r end

loved rest from my travail I am Amile Ami

, , , d
s an

son of the Count of Al verne who have not ,

”
ce sed to seek thee for two whole years
A a

ND therewith they lighted down from

their horses and embraced and kissed
.

each other and gave thanks to od of that

t
,

hey were found And they swore fealty

,

.
G
and friendship d fellowship perpetual the
an ,

one to the other on the sword of Amile , ,

wherein were relics Thence went they all .

together to the Court of Charles King of ,

F rance there might men behold them

;
young well attempered wise fair and of
, , , ,

like fashion and visage loved of all and ,

honoured And the King received them

.

much joyously and made of Amis his ,

tre surer and of Amile his server

a ,
.

U T when they had abided thus three

B years Amis said unto Amile F air
,

sweet fellow I desire sore to go see my

,

wife whom I have left behind and I will ;

return the s onest that I may and doo ;
thou abide at the Court But keep thee .

well from touching the daughter of the

King ; and above all things beware of
35
 ”
The Arderi the f lon Amile answered him
e .

F ri end I will take heed of thy commandment ;

but betake thee back hither so soon as thou
”
Ami s an d m ayest .

THUSWISE departed Amis But Amile .

cast h eyes upon the King daughter

is
’
5 ,

and knew her so soon as h might and e ;

right soon forgat he the commandment and
the teaching of Amis his f llow Y is e . et

not this adventure strange whereas he was ,

no holier than David nor wiser than Solo ,

mon
A .

MIDST these things Arderi the traitor

who bore him envy cam to him and ,
e
,

said Tho wottest not fellow thou

“
u , ,

wottest not how Amis hath robbed the

,

treasure of the King and therefore is fled ,

away Wherefore I require of thee thou

.

swear me fealty and friendship and fellow

ship and I will swear the same to thee on
,
”
the holy Gospel And so when that was .

done Amile doubted not to lay bare his

secret to Arderi .

U T whenas Amile was giving water

B to the King to wash his hands withal
a -

the false Arderigsaid to the King Take :

thou no water from this evil man sir ,

King for he : more worthy of death than

15

3 6
of life whereas he hath take from the Th
,
n e

Quee s Da ghter the flower of her F i d

n
’
u r en

virginity But when Amile heard this

.
,

he fell adown ll astonied and m ight say Ami

a , s a nd

never a word but the benign King lifted

him up again d said to him Rise
, an :
“

up Amile and have no fear and defend

, ,
”
,

thee of this blame So he lifted hi mself .

up and said Have no will to trow sire , ,

in the lies of Arderi the traitor for I wot ,

that thou art a igh wi judge and that r t se ,

thou turnest not from the right way ,

nei her for love nor for hatred Where

t .

fore I pray thee that thou give me frist of

counsel and that I may purge m of this e

guilt before thee and do the battle against

,

Arderi the traitor and make him convict ,

of his lies before all the Court .

0 the Ki g gave to one and the other

n

frist of counsel till after ones d n , an

that then they should come before him for

to do their devoir and they came before
the King at the term which he had given
them Arderi brought with him the Count
.

Herbert for his part but Amile found

no e who would b for him saving
n e

Hildegarde the Queen who took up the ,

cause for him and gat frist of counsel for

,

37
 Amile on such covenant that if Amile
,

came not back by the term established she ,

should be lacking all days of the bed of the

Amis d
an King .

U T when Amile went to seek counsel ,

he happened on Amis his fellow who , ,

was betaking him to the King s Court ’

and Amile lighted down from his horse ,

and cast himself at the feet of his fellow ,

and said O tho the only hope of my

:
“
u,

salvation evilly have I kept thy command

,

ment for I have run into wyte of the

;
King s Daughter and I have taken up
’

,
”
battle against the false Arderi .

HEN said Amis sighing Leave we , :

here our folk end enter nto this wood , i

to lay bare our secret And Amis fell to .

blaming Amile and said Change we ,

our garments and our horses and get thee ,

to my house and I will do the battle for

,

thee against the traitor And Amile . an

sw d ere How may I go into thine house

:
“
,

who have no knowledge of thy wife and

thy folk and have never seen them face to
,

face But Amis said to him Go in :

all safety and seek wisely to know them

,

but take good heed that thou touch not my

”
wife .

3 8
ANDhis thus w ise they depar ed each fro
fellow weeping and A is went ;
t
m
m Th e
F riend
his ways to the Court of the King in the
sembla ce of Amile and Amile to the Ami
n , s a nd

house of his fellow in the semblance of

Amis But the wife of Amis when she
.
,

saw him betake him thither embrace ,

ra n
'

J
to
h im whom she deemed was her h sband
and would have ki sed him B ut he said
,
u ,

s .

“
F lee thou from before me for I have ,

greater need to lament than to play ;

whereas since I departed from thee I have
, ,

su ffered adversity full sore and yet have to

”
,

suffer
A .

ND a night time whenas they lay in

-

one bed then Amile laid his sword

,

betwixt the two of them and said to the ,

woman Take heed that thou touch

:
“

m i no manner wise else diest thou

e n ,
”
straightway by this sword And in like .

wi e did he the other nights until Amis

s ,

betook him in disguise to his house to

wot if Amile kept faith with him of his
wife .

OW was the term of the battle come ,

and the Quee abode Amile all full n

of fear for the traitor Arderi said all

, ,

openly that the Queen should nevermore

,

39
The draw nigh the bed of the King whereas ,
,

F ri end she had su ffered and consented hereto that ,

Amile should shame h da ghter Amidst er u .

Ami s an d these words Amis entered into the C ourt of

the King clad in the rai ment of his fellow ,

Amile at the hour of midday and said to

,

the King Right debonaire and loyal

:
“

judge here m I apparelled to do the battle

,
a

against the false Arderi in defence of m ,

e,

the Queen and her daughter of the wyte

,
”
which they lay upon us .

And the King answered benignly and

said Be thou nought troubled Co nt
:
“
,
u ,

for if thou q i h the battle I wi ll

va n u s es t ,
”
give thee to wife B li my da ghter e s ant u .

N the morrow s morn Arderi and ’

A mis entered armed into the field in

the presence of the Ki g and his folk n .

A d the Queen with much co m pany of

n

virgins and widows and wedded wives

, ,

went from church to church making prayers

for the Champion of her daughter d , an

they gave gifts oblations and candles , .

U T Amis fell to pondering i his '

B heart that if he should slay Arderi

n

, ,

he would be guilty of his death before

God and if he were vanquished it should
, ,

be for a reproach to him all his days .

40
Wherefore he spake thuswise to Arderi Th
O
thou Cou t foul rede thou hast in F i d
,
n ,

that thou desirest my death so sorely and hip f ,

,
:

s
e

r en

hast foolishly cast thy life into peril of Ami s a nd

death If thou wouldest but take back

.

the wyte which thou layest on m and e,

leave this mortal battle thou mayest have ,

”
my friendship and my service .

U T Arderi as one out of his wit

, ,

answered him I will nought of thy

friendship nor thy service but I sh ll a

swear the sooth as it verily is and I shall ”

,

smite the head fro m ff thee

O o

Arderi swore that he had shamed the

King s Daughter and Amis swore that
’

,
.

he lied and straigh way they dealt to

; t
gether i strokes and fo ght together from
n ,
u

the hour of tierce right on till nones And .

Arderi was vanquished and Amis smote ff , o

his head .

THE King was troubled that he had

lost Arderi yet was he joyous that
;
his daughter was purged of her guilt And .

he gave to Amis his daughter and a great ,

sum of gold and silver and a city hard by ,

the sea wherei to dwell And Amis

n . re

cei d h sam e with great joy

ve t e Then he .

returned at his speediest to his hostel

4 1
The wherein he had left Amile his fellow but
F ri end whenas Amile saw him coming with m ch u

company of horse he deemed that Am is,

Ami s an d was vanquished and fell to fleeing but

, :

Amis bade h im return in ll safety for that a ,

he had vanquished A deri and thereby r ,

was wedded for him to the King s Daughter ’

.

Thence then did A m ile betake him and ,

abode in the aforesaid city with his wife .

U T Amis abode with his wife and he ,

became mesel by the will of our Lord ,

in such wise that he might not move from

his bed for God chastiseth him that He
;
loveth .

ND his wife who had to name Obias

, ,

had him in sore hate and many a ti me ,

strove to strangle him and when Amis ;

found that he called to him two of his
,

sergeants A , and H zo n e s by name o ra tu s ,

and said to them Take me out of the :

“

hands ofthis evil woman and take my hanap ,

privily and h me to the Castle of Beri

ear

ca n
i .

when they drew nigh to the castle

S folk came to meet them and asked of
O ,
,

them who was the feeble sick man whom

they bore and they said it was Amis the ,

m aster of the m who was become mesel and

, ,
prayed them that they would do him some Th e

mercy But evertheless they beat the F i

. n , r end

sergea ts of Amis d c st him down from

n ,
an a

the cart whereon they were h i g him Am e ar n , is and

and said Flee hence speedily if ye would
“

”
not lose your lives .

HEN Amis fell weeping and said a -

, :

0 Thou God debonaire and ful l of

“
,

pity give me death or give me aid from

, ,

mine fi mi y And therewith he said

1n r t
to his sergeants Bring m to the Church “
e

of the F ather of Rome whereas God may ,

peradventure of His great mercy purvey for

”
my poverty
W
.

HEN they came to Rome Constantin ,

the Apostle f ll of pity and of holi

,
u

ness and many a knight of Rome of them

,

who had held Amis at the font came to ,

m eet him d gave him sustenance enough

, an

for him and his sergeants .

U T in the space of three years there

after was so great famine in the ci ty ,

that the father had will to t hrust the s on

away from his house Then spake A . z o n es

and H to Amis and said F air sir

o ra tu s , ,

thou wottest how f lly we have served thee ea

sithence the death of thy father unto this

day and that we have never trespassed
,

43
Th e against thy commandment But now we .

F ri end may no longer abide with thee whereas we ,

have no will to perish of hunger wherefore :

Amis an d we pray thee give us leave to escape this

”
mortal pestilence .

THEN Amis answered them weeping

O ye fair sons and not sergeants my
only mf I pray you for od s s ke
co o rt ,

that ye leave me not here but bear me

,

,
G ’
,

to the city of the Count A mile my

”
fellow
A .

ND they who would well obey his

commandments bore him thither ,

whereas was Amile and there they fell to

sounding on their ll before the t artave es

C ourt of Amile even as mesel folk h wont

, e

to d And when Amile heard the sound

o.

thereof he bade a sergeant of his to bear to

,

the sick m of bread and of flesh and

an ,

therewithal his han p which was given to a ,

him at Rome full of good wine and when

, :

the sergeant had done his comman dment he

said to him when he came again By the
faith which I owe thee sir if I held not , ,

thine hanap in my hand I had deemed that ,

it was even that which the sick m had an ;

for one and the same be they of greatness
”
and of fashion Then said Amile .

44
 Go speedily and l ad him hither to Th
’
e e

me. F d ri en

U T when he was before his fellow he

ask d of him who he was and how he Am
e , is d
an

had gotten that hanap S aid he I am Amil . :

“
e

of B i i the Castle and the hanap was

er c a n ,

me by h Apostle of Rome when he

t e ,

me .

ND when Amile heard that he knew ,

that it was Amis his fellow who had

delivered him from death and given h im to ,

Wi fe the King s Daughter of F rance

’

straightway he cast himself upon him and

fell to crying out strongly and to we ping ,
e

and l menting and to kissi g and mb

a ,
n e ra c

ing him And when his wife heard the

.

same she ran thereto all dishevelled d

, ,
an

making great dole whereas she had in ,

memory of how he had slain Arderi And .

straightway they laid him in a very fair bed ,

and said to him Abide with us fair sir , ,

until that God shall do his wi ll of thee for ,

”
what oever we have is for thee to deal with
s .

And he abode with them and his sergeants ,

with him
N .

OW it b f l on a night whenas Amis

e e

and Amile l y in one chamber without

a

other company that God sent to Amis ,

45
The Raphael his angel who said to him ,

F ri end Sleepest thou Amis And he who ,

"
,

deemed that Amile had called to him ,

”
Ami s an d answered I sleep not fair sweet fellow
“
,
.

Then the angel said to him Thou “

hast answered well whereas th ou art the , .

fellow of the citizens of Heaven and thou ,

hast followed after Job and Thoby in ,

patience Now I am Raphael an angel of

.
,

our Lord and am come to tell thee of a

,

medicine for thine healing whereas He ,

hath heard thy prayers Thou shalt tell to .

Amile thy fellow that he slay his two ,

children and wash thee in their blood and ,

thence thou shalt get thee the healing of thy

’
b dy f
o

HEN said Amis Never shall it be : “

that my fellow be a ma slayer for he

”
n t
healing of me But the Angel said Yet
. :
“

even so it b h h to do
A e o ve t

ND when he had so said the Angel

departed and therewith Amile as if
;
.

a sleeping heard those words and awoke

-

, , ,

and said What is it fellow " who hath

: ,

spoken unto thee And Amis answered

that none had spoken But I have prayed “

to our Lord according to my wont Then .

Amile said Nay it is not so some , o ne

hath spoke to the Therewith he arose
n e

and went to the door of the chamber and ,

fou d it shut and said Tell me fair

n ,
:
“
,

brother who hath spoken to thee these

,
”
words of the night "

THEN Amis fell weeping sorely and a— ,

said to him that it was Raphael the

Angel of our L ord who had said to him
“
Amis our Lord bi ddeth that thou tel l
,

Amile that he lay his two children and s ,

wash thee with the blood of them and ,

that then thou wilt b whole of thy

”
e

meselry .

U T Amile was sore moved with these

words and said to him Amis I
,

have given over to thee m ser ant and

maid servant and all my goods and now
-
an -

,
“

v ,

thou feignest in fraud that the Angel hath

spoken to thee that I slay my two children
B forthwith Amis fell weeping and
ut a -

said I wot that I have spoken to thee

“

things grievous as one constrained d , ,

an

now I pray thee that thou cast me not out”

of thine house And Amile said that he.

had promised that he would hold him till

the hour of his death But I conjure thee
by the faith which is betwixt thee and
me and by our fellowship and by the
, ,

47
The baptism which we took between me and
F ri end thee at Rome that thou tell me if it ,

be man or Angel who hath said this to

”
Amis an d thee .

HEN Amis answered As tru as “

e
it was an Angel who spake to me this
night so may God deliver me from mine
,
”
infirmity .

THEN Amile fell to weeping pri ily

and th nking in his heart This man
.

i :
“
v ,

forsooth was apparelled before the King to

die for me and why should I not slay my
,

children for him if he hath kept faith ;

with m to the death why keep I not faith
e ,

Abraham was saved by faith and by faith ,

have the hallows vanquished kingdoms

and God saith in the Gospel That which
ye would that men should do unto you do ’
,

ye even so to them
A ND Amile without more tarrying went
to the chamber of his wife and bade
.

her go hear the service of our Lord and

,

the Countess gat her to the church even as

she was wont .

HEN the Count took his sword and

went to the bed where lay his children ,

and fou d them sleeping and he threw

n ,

himself pon them and fell to weeping

u ,

48
bitterly and said Who hath heard ever Th
:
“
e

of a father who of his own will hath slain F i d r en

his child " Ah alas my children " I shall

,

be no more your father but your cruel Ami , s a nd

m urderer " And therewith the children Ami l e

awoke because of the tears which fell on

them from their father and the children ; ,

who looked on the face of their father fell ,

a laughing And whereas they were of

-
.

the age of three years or thereabout their ,

father said to them Your laughter shall .

be turned into weeping for now shall your ,

innocent blood be shed .

HEN he had so said he cut ff their o

heads and the laid them out behind

n

the bed d laid the heads to the bodies

, an ,

and covered them over even as they slept .

And with their blood which he received he

washed his fellow d said Sire od ,

Jesus Christ who commandest men to keep

,
an .
“
G ,

faith upon the earth and who l the ,

c ea n s es t

mesel by thy word deign thou to cleanse

,

my fellow for the love of whom I have

,
”
shed the blood of my children .

HEN was Amis cleansed of his

meselry and they gave thanks to our
,

Lord with great joy and said Blessed be :

God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ

, ,

1) 49
The who healeth them that have hope in
F ri end him .

ND Amile clad his fellow in his own

right goodly raiment and therewith ;
they went to the church to give thanks
there and the bells by the grace of God
,

rang of themselves And when the people

.

of the city heard that they ran all together

,

toward that marvel .

OW the wife of the Count when she

saw them both goi g together fell to
n ,

asking which of the two was her husba d n

and said I know well the rai ment of

:
“

”
these twain but I wot not which is Amile
,
.

ND the Count said I am Amile and ,

this my fellow is Amis who is whole ,

.

Then the C ountess wondered and said ,

I see him all whole but much I desire ”

to know whereby he is healed Render ”
.

we thanks to our Lord said the Count ,

”
,

nor disquiet us as to how it may be .

OW was come the ho r of tierce and u ,

neither the father the mother wasnor

yet entered in to their children but the ;

father sighed grievously for the death of his
babes Then the Countess asked for her
.

children to make her joy and the Count ,

said Dame let be let the children sleep

,

5 0
T herewith he entered all alone to the chil Th e

dren to weep over them and he found them F i d , r en

playing in the bed but the scars of their hip f s o

wounds showed about the necks of each of Ami s a nd

them even as a red fillet .

HEN he took them in his arms and ,

bore them to their mother and said ,

Make great joy dame whereas thy sons

, ,

whom I had slain by the commandment of

the Angel are alive again and by their ,

blood is Amis cured and healed .

ND when the C ountess heard it she

said O thou Count why didst thou
, ,

not lead me with thee to receive the blood

of my children and I wo ld have washed
,
u

therewith Amis thy fellow and my Lord "

HEN said the Count Dame let be ,

these words and let us be at the ser

vice f our Lord who hath done such great
o ,
”
wonders in our ho se u .

Which thing they did even unto their

death and held chastity .

A d they made great joy t hrough that

n

same city for ten days .

U T on the selfsame day that Amis was

B made whole the devils bore ff his
, o

wife they brake the neck of her and bore ,

away her soul

.
Th e
F r i end
A to ERthe these
FT things Amis betook him
astle of Beric ain
and laid siege
C
before it and abode there before so long ,

that they of the castle rendered themselves

to him He received them benignly and
.
,

pardoned them their evil will and from ;

thenceforth he dwelt with them peaceably
and he held with him the elder son of
Amile and served our Lord with all his
,

heart .

THEREAFTER Adrian Apostle of ,

Rome sent word to Charles King of

, ,

F rance that he come help him against

,

D the King of the Lombards who

e s 1r, ,

m uch tormented the C hurch and Charles ;

was as then in the town of Th d i eo oc on .

Thither came Peter messenger of the ,

Apostle who said to him that the Apostle

,

prayed him to come defend Holy Church .

Thereupon King Charl s sent to the said e

D sir messengers to pray him that he give

e

back to the Holy F ather the cities and

other things which he had taken from him ,

and that he would give him thereto the

su m of forty thousand sols of gold in gold
and in silver But he would give way
.

neither for prayers nor gifts Thereon the .

good King bade come to him all manner

5 2
folk Bishops Abbots D kes Princes Mar Th
, , ,
u , ,
e

quises and other strong k ights And h F i d n . e r en

sent to Cluses certain of these for to g ard u

the passage of the ways Amongst h Ami s a nd

which was Albins B ishop of Angier a Amil

. t e

, , e

man full of great holiness .

HEN the King Charles together with

many warriors drew nigh to Cluses by
,

the Mou t of Sinense and s nt Ber hart

n ,
e n

his uncle and a many with him by h

, ,
t e

Mount of Jove And the vanward said

.

that Desir together with all his force

, ,

was al eady at Cluses the which he had

r ,

do dight with b l warks of iron and u

stone .

U T whenas Charles drew nigh to Cl ses

B he sent his messe gers to Desir pray
u ,

n ,

ing him to give back to h Holy F ather t e

the cities which he had taken b he would ut

nought for the prayer Again Charles bade .

him that he send three of the children of

the judges of Lombardy in hostage until ,

such ti me as he had given back the cities of

the Church and that he wo ld betake him
,
u

to F rance with ll his host wi hout battle

a ,
t
an d without doing any scathe But he .

neither for that nor for aught else would

,

blench one whit .

Th e OW when God the almighty had seen
F ri end N the hard heart and malice of this
man and that the F rench were sore de
;
i to get them aback home he set so
s ro u s ,

great fear and so great trembling in the

hearts of the Lombards that they turned ,

to flight all of them although none chased ,

them and left there behind them their

,

tents and ll their gear When that saw

a .

Charles and his host they followed them ,

and thrust forth into Lombardy F rench ,

Almaines English and all other manner of

,

folk .

F that host were Amis and Amile ,

who were the first in the court of the

King and every way they heeded the works
,

of our Lord in fasting in praying in , , ,

alms doing in giving aid to widows and

-

orphans in often times appeasing the wrath

,

of the King in suffering the evil and con

, ,

soling the realm of the Romans

O
W whenas Charles had much folk in
Lombardy King Desir came to meet ,
.

him with his little host for whereas Desir ;

had a priest Charles had a bishop whereas
,

that one had a monk the other h d an , a

abbot where Desir had a knight Charles

;
had a prince the one had a man afoot ; ,

54
the o her a duke or a count What sho ld
t . u

I say where that King had one knight

, ,

Charles had thirty So the two hosts fell

.

to blows together with great cries and ban

ners displayed stones and darts flying here
and there and knights falling on every
,

p art .

ND the Lomb rds fought so mightily a

for three days that they slew of King

,

C harles a very great infinity And after .

the third day s w aring Charles called to

’
e

him the most mighty and the strongest of

his host and said to them Either die ye
,
”
in battle or gain ye the victory
,
.

the King Desir and the whole host of

S Othe Lombards together fled away to the
place hight Mortara which in those days ,

was called F air wood whereas thereabout

-

was the land delectable there they re

freshed them and took heed to their

horses .

N the morrow morn King Charles and

his host came thither and found the ,

Lombards all armed and there they joined ,

battle d a great multi ude of dead there

,
an t
w on one side and the other and because
as ,

of thi s slaughter had the place to name

Mortara .
 O RE OV E R,
there died Amis and
F ri end Amile for even as God had joined
,

them together by good accord in their life

Ami s a nd days so in their death they were not sun
,

dered Withal many another doughty

.

baron was slain with them But Desir .

,

together with his judges and a great ,

multitude of the Lombards fled away and ,

entered into Pavia and King Charles fol

;
lowed after them and besieged the city on
,

all sides Withal he sent into F rance for

.

his wife and his children But the holy .

Albins bishop of Angier and many other

, ,

bishops and abbots gave counsel to the

King and the Queen that they should bury ,

the dead and make there a church and

the said counsel pleased much the King ,

and there were made two churches one by ,

the commandment of Charles in honour of

St Eusebius of V il and the other by
. e rc e ,

the commandment of the Queen in honour

of St Peter
A . .

ND the King did do bear thither two

arks of stone wherein were buried
,

Amis and Amile and Amile was borne;

into the Church of St Peter and Amis into .
,

the Church of St Eusebius and the othe

. r

corpses were buried here and there But .

5 6
on the morrow s morn the body of Amile Th
’

,
e

and his coffin therewith was found in the F i d , r en

C hurch of St Eusebius hard by h

. fli t e co n

of Amis his fellow . Ami s a nd

OW he r ye of this marvellous fellow Amil

a e

ship which might not be sundered by

death This wonder wrought for them
.

God who had given such might to His

,

disciples that they had power to move

mountains and shift them B beca se of . ut u

this miracle the King d the Queen abod an e

there thirty days and did do the service of

,

them that were slain and worshipped the ,

said churches with great gifts .

E ANWH ILE the host of Charles ,

wrought for the taking of the city

which they had besieged and our Lord ;
tormented them that were within in such
wise that they were bro ght to nought by u

great feebleness and by m ortalities And .

after ten months from the ti me when the

city was besieged Charles took Desir and
, ,

all them who were with him and laid the ,

city and all the realm under his subjection .

And King Desir and his wife they led into

F rance .

U T Saint Albins who by that time

B had raised the dead to life d given
,

, an

57
Th e light to many blind folk ordained clerks
, ,

F ri end priests and deacons in the aforesaid Chur h

,
c
of St Eusebius and commanded them that
.
,

they should without ceasing guard

keep the bodies of those two fellows ,

and AMILE who suffered death at the

,

h nds of Desir King of Lombardy on the

a , ,

fourth of the ides of October .

Reigning our Lord Jesus Christ who ,

liveth and reigneth without

F ather and the Holy Ghost .
TH E T
ALE OF K ING F LORUS
AND TH E F AIR J H ANE
E
 H had to name Ki g F lorus of A y
ERE telleth the tale of a king who Th e Ta le
n u sa .

A full g d knight was he and a gentle

oo

m an l high lineage
o Th said King
. e

F lorus of A y took to
us awife the daughter
of the Prince of Brabant who was a woman
,

very gentle and of great line and a right

,

fair maid was she when he wedded her and

dainty of body and fashion and saith the
t le that she was but of fifteen years when
a

the King F lorus took her and he but of ,

seventeen A full good life they lived as

.
,

for young folk who loved together dearly :

but King F lorus might have no child of

her whereof he was sore grieving and she
, ,

also was exceeding heavy hearted thereat -

.

Much fair was this lady and much she ,

loved God and Holy Church and there ,

with was so good almsgiver and so charit

able that she fed and clad poor people and
kissed their feet And to mesel folk both
.

carles and queans was she so kind d an

61
The Ta le careful that the Holy Ghost dwelt in her
,
.

Her Lord King F lorus went often to tour

nays in Al m i and France and in many
e a n ,

other lands whereas he wotted of them ,

when he was without war much good he

expended thereon and much honour he
gained thereby .

U T now leaveth the tale to tell of him

and taketh up the word of a knight
who dwelt in the marches of F landers and
Hainault This said knight was full
.

valiant and h rdy and right trusty and

. a , ,

had to wife a full fair dame of whom he

had a much fair daughter who had to name ,

Jeb ane and was then of the age of twelve

years Much word there was of this fair
.

maiden for in all the land was none so

;
fair Her mother spake often to her lord
.

that he should give her in marriage but ;

he was so given up to the following of
tournays that he was nowise hot on the
,

wedding of his daughter and his wife ever ,

admonished him thereof when he came

home from his tournays .

OW this knight had a squire who had

N to name Robin and was the valiantest
,

squire to be found in any land and by his ,

prowess and his good fame oft he bor e

62
away the prize for his lord from the tour Th e Ta le
nay whereas he wended Whereon it b f l . e e

that his lady thus bespake him Robin ,

my lord is so given up to these tournays

that I know not how to speak with him ,

whereof I am sore at heart for I would ,

well that he should lay pain and care to the

weddi g of my daughter wherefore I pray
n

thee for the love of me that whenas thou

, ,

seest the point thou say to him that he doth

very ill and is sore blamed that he w dd h e et

not his fair daughter for there is no knight ,

in the land how rich soever he be who ”

would not take her with a good will
”
.

Lady said Robi ye have said well

,
n,

I will say it right well since forsooth he ;

w h me of many things and so will he
t ro et ,
”
hereof meseemeth Robin said the
.
,

lad y I pray thee of this business for ll

,
“
a

guerdon Dame said Robin I am

.
’

, ,

well prayed hereof and wot ye that I will

;
do to my power herein It is enough .
,

said the lady .

0 long while after the knight betook

N him to wending to a tournay afar
from his land and when he came there he
,

was retained straightway of the fellowship ,

he and the knight of who e m y he was s es ne ,

63
Th e Ta le and his banner was borne into the hostel of
his lord Th tournay began and the
. e ,

knight did so well by means of the good

deeds of Robin his squire that he bore ff
, ,
o

the praise and prize of the tournay from

one party and the other On the second .

day the knight betook him to wending to

his own land and Robin put him to reason
,

m any times and blamed him much in that

he gave not his fair daughter in marriage ,

and many times he said it to him till at the ,

last his lord said to him Robin thou :

“
,

and thy lady give me no peace about the

marrying of my daughter but as yet I ;
know and see no man in my land unto ”
whom I would give her Ah sir said .
, ,

Robin there is not a knight in thy land

,

who would not take her with a good will .

“
F air friend Robin they are of no avail , ,

all of them and to none of them shall I

;
give her and forsooth to no one would I
give her as now save to one man only and
,
”
,

he forsooth no knight
”
13 Sir tell me .
“
,

of him said Robin and I shall speak or

, ,

let speak to him so subtilly that the mar ” ”

i g shall be made
r a e C ertes Robin .
, ,

said the knight from the semblance that

,

I see of thee thou willest well that my

64
da ghter hould be wedded Sir said Th
u s .
, e Ta le
Robin thou sayest sooth for it is well
”
,
“

”
,

time Robin said the knight whereas

.
, ,

thou so eager that my daughter should

a rt

be wedded she shall be wedded right soon

,
”
if thou accord to the s id wedding ”
a .

Certes sir said Robin of a good will

, ,
”
shall I accord thereto Wilt thou give .

”
me thy word herein Yea sir said " “
, ,

Robin Robin thou hast served me

.
,

exceeding well and I have found thee a ,

valiant man and a loy l and such as I be

,
a ,

thou hast made me and great gain have I ,

gotten by thee to wit five hundred pounds , ,

of land for it was but a little while that I

had but five hundred and now have I a ,

thousand and I tell thee that I owe much

,

to thee wherefore will I give my fair ”

daughter unto thee if thou wilt take her
”
, .

Ha sir said Robin God s mercy

, , ,
’

what is this thou sayest " I am too poor a

person to have so high a maiden nor one ,

so fair and so rich as my damsel is I am

not meet thereto F here is no knight . or t
in this land be he never so gen le a man
,
t ,
”
but would take her wi h a good will t .

Robin k ow that no knight of this land

,
n

shall have her but I shall give her to hee , t ,

E 65
The Ta le if thou wil l it and thereto will I give thee ;
four hundred pounds of my land
’ ’
Ha .
“
,

si said Robin I deem that thou mockest

i r,

R bi i
,

me . said the knight wot

o r,

thou surely that I mock thee not Ha .

,

sir neither my lady nor her great lineage

,

will accord hereto Robin said the .

“
,
’

knight ought shall be done herein at

,
“
n

the wi ll of any of them Hold " here . 18

my glove I invest thee with four hundred

,

pounds of my land and I will be thy

warrant for all Sir said Robin I .
, ,
“

will nought naysay it fair is the gift since ” ”

I know that soothfast Robin said15 .
,

the knight now hast thou the rights

”
,
“

thereof .

Then the knight delive ed to him his r

gl ove and invested him with the land and

,

his fair daughter .

THEN rode the knight so far by his

oj urneys that he came into his land, ,

and t he was come thither hi wife

en ,
s ,

who was a much fair lady made him right ,

great joy and said to him Sir for God s

, ,
’

sake think of thy fair daughter that she b

” ”
, e

wedded Dam said the lord so

. e, ,

much hast thou spoken hereof that I have ” ”

wedded her Sir said the l dy unto .
, a ,
 whom F orsooth dame I have given Th T l
"
, , e a e

her to such a man as shall never lack of f K g o in

valia cy I have given her to Robin my
n :

sq uire Robin Al as quoth the d i

. an t ze
lady Robin hath nough and there is F i
;
“
t, a r

no k ight so mighty in ll the land but 7 / m

n a , e ne
will take her with a good will of a surety
Robin shall never have her Yea but .
,

have her he shall dame said the k ni ht , , ,

“
and I have invested him with our
hundred pounds of my land and all that
I o ght to warrant him warrant him I
u ,

ll When the dame heard that she ,

was much sorry and said to her lord that ,

Robin should have her never Nay

"
.
“
,

d me said h lord have her he shall

a ,
t e ,
“
,

wilt thou or wilt thou not for even so ;

have I made covenant d I will hold to
”
an
‘

the same .

HEN the lady heard her lord she ,

entered into her chamber and fell

a weeping and making great dole after the
-

dole which she made she sent to seek her

brothers and her nephews and her cousins
germain and showed them that which her
,

lord would do and they said to her ;

Dame what will ye that we do We
,
"

have no wi ll to go against thy lord for he ,

67
T/ze Ta le is a knight valiant and hardy and weighty
withal and on the other hand he may do
with his daughter according to his will ,

and with his land which he hath gotten

withal So wot thou well that we will not
.

hang shield on neck herein

”
Nay " alas .
,

then 1 sai d the dame so shall my heart ,

never have joy if I lose my fair daughter .

At least fair lords I pray you that ye show

, ,

h im that if he does thus he will neither

"
do well nor according to his honour .

Dame say they this setting forth will

, ,
”
we do with a good will .

0 they came unto the knight and when ,

they had showed him their business he

answered them right courteously F air :

lords I will tell you what I will do for the

,

love of you if it please you I will put fl o

“

the wedding in this wise as I shall tell you

to wit Amongst you ye be rich and of
:

great lands ye are nigh friends of my fair

daughter whom I love much If ye will
, .

give her four hundred pounds of land I

will set aside the wedding d she shall be ,
an

wedded elsewhere according to your coun ”

sel A God s name quoth they we
.
-
’

, ,
”
be nought fain to l y down so much ”
a .

Well then said the knight since ye

, , ,

68
will not do this then suffer me to d with T/ T l
, o ze a e

m y daughter as I list
"

’
Sir with a good .
,

will said they

, . Fl or us

0 the knight sent for his chaplain and d i

8 brought thither his fair daughter and F i
, an t ze

, a r

let ffi her to Robin and set a day for 7 i m

a a nc e , e ne
the wedding But the third day thereafter
.
,

Robin spake to his lord and prayed him ,

m ake him a knight whereas it was nought ,

meet that he should take to him so high a

wife and so fair before he was a knight
H is lord had great joy thereof and the
next day he was made knight and the third ,
,
.

day wedded the fair maiden with great

feast and joyance .

U T when master Robin was made

knight he spake thus to his lord
Sir ye have made me knight and true
, ;
it is that against the peril of death I vowed
me to the road unto Saint J m w d on a es ar

the morrow of my knighting wherefore

I pray thee take it not dudgeon if to in

morrow morn I must needs go my ways so

soon as I shall have wedded thy fair
daughter whereas in nowise will I break
;
”
mine oath F h master Robin if
. ors o ot , ,

thou leave thus my fair daughter and thus

wise go your ways ye shall be much to ,

69
The Ta le blame Sir said he I shall come
.
, ,
“

back right soon if God will but this way

faring I needs must perforce Whenas a .

certain knight of the court of the lord

heard these words he blamed Sir Robin
much whereas he was leaving his fair
,

wife at such a point and Sir Robin ,

”
that he needs must do it Certes said .
,

the knight who had to name Raoul if

, ,
“

thou goest thus to Saint James without

touching thy fair wife I will make thee ,

cuckold before thine home coming and -

when thou comest home I will give thee

good toke s that I have had share of her
n .

Now I will lay my land thereto against

thine which our lord hath given thee for
, ,

I have well four hundred pounds of land ” ”

even as thou hast F h said Sir . ors o o t ,

Robin my wife is not come of such

,
“

blood as that she shall misdo against me ,

and I may not believe in it nowise I will

make the wager with thee if it please
” ”
,

thee Yea said Sir Raoul Wilt thou

.
, ,
”
pledge thee thereto Y verily " ” “
ea, ,

said Sir Robin and thou ,

Yea and "
,

I also Now go we to my lord and make

.

record of our covenant That will I

”
.
"
“

well said Sir Robin Therewith they go

, .

7 0
unto the lord and the wager was recorded Th T l
, , e a e

d they pledg d them to hold thereto

O
an

n the morrow betimes Sir Robin w dded

the fair maiden and straightway after mass d h
,
e

e
.

an t e
was said he departed from the house and F
, a ir

l f the wedding and took the road for St 7 h

e t ,
. e a ne

J k m
a e .

U T now leaveth the tale to te ll of him

and telleth of Sir Raoul who was in ,

great imagi ation how he might win his

n

wager and lie by the fair lady And saith .

t h tale that the lady held her m uch simply

e

while her lord was on pilgrimage and was ,

going to the minster with a good will and

r G
p ayed od that he would bring back her
lord But Sir Raou l pained him on the
.
,

other hand how he might win his wager ,

for great doubt he had to lose his land .

He spake with the carline who dwelt with

the fair lady and said to her that if she
, ,

could so bri g it about that she might set

n

h im in place and at point that he might

speak privily with my lady Jebane and ,

have his will of her he would give her ,

much good so that there would be no

,

hou when she should not be rich Sir

r
”
.
“
,

forsooth said the carline thou art so

, ,
“

fair a knight and so wise d courteous , an ,

7 1
Tb e Ta le that my lady should well ought to love
.

thee par amours and I will put myself to

,

the pain herein to the utmost of my

”
might Then the knight drew out
.

straightway a forty sols and gave it to her ,

to buy a gown Th carline took them . e

with a goodwill and set them away surely

, ,

and said that she would speak with the

lady . Th knight departed from the
e

carline and the carline abode and took her

,

lady to task when she came back from the ’

minster and said to her In God s name
,
“
,

lady tell me t ue " My lord when he

, r ,

went to Saint J k m had he ever lain by

”
a e ,

thee " Wherefore dost thou say this

“
,

dame Hersent Lady because I trow ,

”
that thou be yet a clean maid Certes
H
dame ersent so am I verily for of no
,

woman wot I who would do such a deed

.

;
.
,

”
Lady said dame Hersent great
, ,

damage it is for if ye wotted how great

;
is the joy that women have when they be
with a man who loveth them ye would ,

say that there is no joy so great and for

this cause I marvel much that ye love not
par amours even as these other ladies who
all love But if it pleaseth thee the matter
.

is ready to hand whereas I wot of a ;

72
 knight fair and valiant and wise who will Tb T l
, , e a e

love thee with a good will a much rich ;

man is he and fairer by far than the,

coward recreant who hath left thee A d d i . n an t ze

if ye dare love ye may have whatso ye F i a r

dare ask and so much joy shall ye have 7 h

; e a ne

as never l dy had m ore S much spake

a . o

the carline by her words that the needle of

nature stirred somewhat Th lady asked . e

who the knight might be Who is it .

“
,

lady A God s name I may well name

"
‘
—
’

him It is the lovely the valiant the

.
, ,

h ardy Sir Raoul who is one of the m y ,

e s ne

of thy father the kindest heart men wot ;

”
of . Dame Hersent said the lady
“
, ,

thou wert best let such words be for I

have no desire to misdo of my body of no ”
,
”
such blo d am I come Dame said
o .
“
,

the carline I wot well But never shalt

,
“
.

thou know the worthy joy when a man

w d h with a woman
en et .

H U S WIS E abode the matter Sir .

Raoul came back to the carline and ,

she told him how she had talked with the

lady and what she had answered Dame
H ,

,
”
ersent said the knight thus wise
should a good lady answer but ye shall
,

;
“
.

speak wi h her again for one doeth not

t ,

73
the business the first stro ke and hold
at ,

here be twenty sols to buy thee a cloth to

”
thy surcoat Th c rline took the silver
. e a ,

and spake with the lady often but nought ,

it availed
W
.

ORE the time till at last they heard

news that Sir Robin was wending
back from Saint J k m and that he was a e ,

already hard on Paris Soon was k own . n

the tidings and Sir Raoul who had fear of

, ,

the losing of his lands returned to the ,

carline and spake with her and she said

, ;
that she might not bring the business to
an end but that she would do so much
:

for the love of him if she should earn her ,

service that she would so bring it about as

,

that there should be none in the house

save he and this lady d then he might an

do his will on her wil l she nill she and

, :

he said that he asked for nought else .

Then ,
said the carline ye my lord , , ,

shall come within eight days and I will do ,

my lady to bathe her in her chamber and ,

I will send all the m y out of the house e s ne

and out of the castle then can ye come to

her bathing in the chamber and may have ,

your desire of her either with her good will

”
,
”
or maugre Ye have well said quoth he
.
“
, .

74
 BOD E matters thus till Sir Robin sent Tb T l e a e

word that h was coming to hand e ,

and would be at h house the Su day t e on n .

Then the carline let bathe the lady the d i , an t ie

Thursday before and the bat h was in her F i
, , a r

chamber and the fair lady entered therein 7 /

, . e za ne

But the carline sent after S i Raoul and he r ,

came Thereafter she sent all the folk of

.

the household out of the house Sir Raoul .

came his ways to the chamber and entered

therein and greeted the lady but she
, ,

greeted him not again but said thus ,

“
Sir Raoul thou nowise courteous
, ar t .

Whether wottest thou forsooth that it is

well with m of thy coming accursed be
e "

thou villain knight

, But Sir Raoul
said My lady mercy God s name I ’

sake have pity of me " Sir Rao l

,

am but dying for grief of thee F od s ,

a

”
-

“
. or G u
’

,
”

said she I will have no mercy in such

,
“
'

wise that I wi ll ever be thy darling And .

wot thou well that if thou leave m not i e n

peace I will tell my lord my father the , ,

honour thou requ rest of me for I am ”

i :

none such as that Nay lady it so

”
.

”
, ,
13 ,

the " Yea erily said she

n ,
v ,
.

HEREWITH Sir Raoul drew nigh to

her and embraced her in his arms
, ,

75
The Ta le which were strong enow and dre w her ll , a

naked out of the bath and b her toward ore

her bed and so soon as he drew her forth

of the bath he saw a black spot which she
had on her right groin hard by her natural
part and he thought therewithal that hat t
were a good token that he had lain by her .

Thus as he bore her ff to her bed his o ,

spurs hooked them into the serge at the

’
bed s edge tow rd the foot thereof and a ,

down fell the knight he and the lady ,

together he below and h above but she

, s e

o e up straightway and caught up a billet

r s

of wood
s d mote Sir Raoul therewith
an s

midst h f ce and made him a wound

,

a t e a ,

both deep and wide so tha the blood fell ,

t
to earth So when Sir Rao l felt himself
. u

hurt he had no great desire to play where ,

fore he arose and got him gone out of the

chamber straightway he did so much that
he came to his hostel where he dwelt a ,

good league thence and there he had his ,

wound dealt with But the good d me . a

entered into her bath again and called ,

dame He sent and told the adventure of

r ,

the knight
Mthe fair l dy ag inst the coming of
.

U CH great array made the father of

a a
Sir Robin and he summoned much folk Th T l
, , e a e

and sent and bade Sir Raoul to come but

he sent word that he might not come for ,

that he was sick On the Sunday came d h

. an t e
Sir Robin and was received right fairly F i
, ; a r

and the father of the fair lady went to seek ff h e a ne

Sir Raoul d found him wounded and

an ,

said that now for nought might he abide

behind from the feast So he dight his .

face and his hurt the best wise he might ,

and went to the feast which was great and

,

grand day long of drinking and of eating ,

and of dancing and c olling ar .

HEN night was come Sir Robin

went to bed with his wife who ,

received him much joyously as a good

dame ought to her lord so abode they in
joy and in feast the more pa t of the night r .

On the morrow great was h feast and

the victual was dight and they ate B ut
t e ,

when it was after dinner Sir Raoul bore ,

on ha d Sir Robin and said that he had

n ,

won his land whereas he had known his

,

wife carnally by the token to wit that

, , ,

she h d a black spot on her right thigh and

a

a pearlet hard by her jewel Thereof

”
.
“

I w not said Sir Robin

ot ,
for I have not ,
”
looked on her so close Well then .
“
, ,

77
The Ta le I tell thee said Sir Raoul by the oath
, ,
“

that thou hast given me that thou t ke ”

a

heed thereof and do me right

”
,
So will .

I verily said Sir Robin

, , .

HEN night was Sir Robin played ,

with his wife and found and saw ,

on her right thigh the black spot and a ,

pearlet hard by her fair jewel and when :

he k ew it he was sore gr eving On the

n i .

m orrow he went to Sir Raoul and said ,

before his lord that he had lost his wager .

Heavy of heart was he day long and when ,

it was night he went to the stable d set , an

the saddle on his palfrey and went forth ,

from the house be ring with him what he

,
a

m ight get him of silver So came to Pari s .

,

and when he was at Paris he abode there

three days But now leaveth the tale to
.

tell of him and taketh up the word con

,

cerning his wife .

ERE saith the tale that much sorrow

ful was the fair lady and heavy of
heart when she called to mind how she
,

had cast lord out of his ho s Much

h er u e .

she thought of the wherefore thereof and

wept and made great dole till her father ;
came to her and said that he were fainer if
,

she were yet to wed whereas she had done ,

78
 him shame and ll them of hi lineage Th a s ; e Ta le
and he told her how and wherefore When .

she heard that h was sore rieved and , s e

denied the deed down ight nought r ; ut

availed F it is well known that shame

. or

so sore is contrary to ll women that if a a ,

woman were to b rn ll she would not be u a ,

trowed of such a misdoing once it were ,

laid on her .

N the first hour of the night the lady

O arose and took all pennies that she
,

had in her colfer and took a nag and a ,

harness thereto and gat her to the road , ;

and she h d let shear her fair tresses and
a ,

was otherwise arrayed like to an esquire .

So much she went by her journeys that

she came to Paris and went after her ,

lord and she said and declared hat she

; t
wo ld never m ke an end b fore she had
u a e

found him Thus she rode like to a

. .

squire And on a morning she went

.

forth out of Paris and wended the way ,

toward Orleans ntil she came to the u

To mb I y and there she fell in with her

s or ,

lord Sir Robin F ull fain she was when .

she saw him and she drew up to him d

, an

greeted him and he gave her greeting,

b ck and said Fair friend God give

a ‘
:
“
,

79
The T
a le thee joy " Sir said she whence , ,
“

art thou F orsooth fair friend

" I
am of old aina lt
w d h thou
en et
Sir whitherH
F orsooth fair friend “
u .
,

,
,
,

I wot not right well whither I go nor ,

where I shall dwell F h needs . ors o o t ,

must I wh fortune sh ll lead me and

ere a ;
she is contrary enough for I have lost ;
the thing in the world that most I eve r

loved and she also hath lost me With l . a

I have lost my land which was great ,

and fair enough But what hast thou to .

”
name and whither doth God lead thee "
,
”
Certes sir said J h,
I m minded
, e a ne ,
“
a

for Marseilles on the sea where is war as I ,

hope There would I serve some valiant

.

m a n, about whom I shall learn me arms if

God will F I am so undone in mine
. or

own country that therein for a while of

time I may not have peace B sir . u t, ,

meseemeth that thou be a knight and I ,

would serve thee with a right good

will if it please thee And of my company .

”
wilt thou be nought worsened
”
F ai . r

friend said Sir Robin a knight am I

, ,
“

verily And where I may look to find war

.
,

thi th erward would I draw full willingly ”

.

But tell me what thou hast to name "

80
 ”
Sir aid she I have to name John Th T l
,
s ,
“
. e a e

In a good hour quoth the k ight ,

n .

And tho sir how hight thou John u, ,

“
,

said he I have to name Robin

,
“
Si d h . r an t e
Robin retain m as thine esquire and I F i
,

v
will ser e thee to my power John so 7 h
would I with a good will But so little of
e

.
.
” “
,

,
a r

e a ne

m oney have I that I m st needs sell my u

horse before three days are worn Where .

”
fore I wot not how to do to retain thee .

Si said Joh be not dismayed th r of

r,

G
for od wil l aid thee if it please him B
tell m where thou wilt eat thy di ner
e
n,

n
.
e e

ut
"”
,

“
John my dinner will soon be made for
,

not another penny have I than three sols of

” ”
a

Paris Sir said John be no ght

.
“
, ,
“
u

dismayed thereof for I have hard ten ,

on

pounds Tournais whereof thou sh alt not ,

”
lack if thou hast not to spend at thy will
, .

F air friend John have thou mickle ,

thanks .

HEN made they good speed to M l o nt

hery there John dight meat for his

:

lord and they ate When they h d eaten . a ,

the knight slept in a bed d J ohn at his an

feet When they h d slept John did on

. a ,

the bridles and they mounted and gat to ,

the road They went so far by their

.

F 81
Th e Ta le journeys that they came to Marseilles -
on

sea but of war they heard no word there ,

whereof were they much sorry But now .

leaveth the tale to tell of them w and t o,

returneth to tell of Sir Raoul who had by ,

fals hood gained the land of Sir Robin

e .

ERE telleth the tale that so long did

Sir Raoul hold the land of Sir Robin ’
without righteous cause for seven years ,

wearing Then he took a great sickness

.

and of that sickness was sore beaten down ,

insomu ch that he was on the point of death

‘

Now he doubted much the transgression

which he had done against the fair lady the
daughter of his lord d against her h ,
an us

band also whereby they were undone both

, ,

of them by occasion of his malice Ex .

c ee di g ill at ease was he of his wrong

n

doing which was so great that he durst not

,

confess it .

AME a day when he was sore undone

by his sickness so he sent for his ,

chaplain whom he loved much for he had ,

found him a man valiant and loyal and ;

he said to him Sir thou who art my
:
“
,

father before God know that I look to die

,

of this sickness wherefore I pray thee for

’
,

God s sake that ye aid me with your couns l e ,

82
for great is my need thereof for I have done Th T l , e a e

an ill deed so hideous and dark that scarce

shall I hav mercy therefor Th chaplain
e . e

bade him t ll it out hardily and that he d h

e , an t e
would aid him with counsel to his power F i ; a r

till at last Sir Raoul told him all as ye have 7 h

heard afore And he prayed him for od s
.

sake givehim co nsel so great aswas his mis u ,

G ’
e a ne

”
doing S i said he be no ght dismayed
.
“
r, ,
u ,

for if h wil do h penanc which I enjoin

t ou t t e e

thee I will take thy transgressio on me

,
n
”
and on my soul so that thou shalt be quit , .

Yea tell me then said the knight Sir

, ,
.
,

said h thou shalt take h cross far over

e, t e

sea and tho shalt get thee th reto within

, u e

the year wherein tho art whole and shalt u ,

give pledges to God that thou shalt so do

and in every place where men ask thee the
occasion of thy journey thou shalt tell it ,

to all who shall ask it of thee All this ”

.

will I well do said the knight Then ,

”
.
,

sir give thou good pledge With a good

,
.

will said the knight thou thyself shalt

,

abide su ety for me and I swear to thee on

r .
,
”
my knighthood that I shall quit thee well .

A God s name sir quoth the chaplain

’
-
, ,

I will be thy surety Now turned the .

knight to amendment and was all whole ,

83
Th e Ta le and a year wore wherein he went not over
sea Th chaplain spake to him often
. e

thereof but he held the covenant as but a

,

jest till at last the chaplain said that but

;
if he acquitted him before God of his pledge ,

he would tell the tale to the father of the

fair damsel who had been thus undone by
,

him When the knight heard that h said

.
,
e

to the chaplain that within half a year he

would set about the crossing of the and s e a,

so swore to him But now leaveth the tale

.

to tell of the knight and returneth to tell

,

ing of King Florus of A y of whom for us a e,

a great while it hath been silent

N OW saith the tale that a much good
life led King F lorus of A y and his
.

usa

wife as ofyoung folk who loved each other

,

but much sorry and heavy hearted were -

they that they might have no child Th ’

. e

lady made great prayers to God and l ,

et

sing masses but whereas it was not well

;
pleasing to God it might not be But on
, .

a day came thither into the house of King

F lorus a g od man who had his dwelli g
o n
in the great forest of A y in a place usa e

right wild and when the queen knew hat t

he was come she came unto him and m de a

him right great joy And because he was

.

84
 a good man she confessed to him and told Th T l e a e

him all her ailing and how that she was ex ,

c eedi g heavy of heart beca se she had had F Z

n ,
u ora :
”
no child by her lord Ah lady said the d h .
, , an t e
good m si ce it pleaseth not our Lord F i
an, n ,
a r

needs must thou abide it and when it 7 h ”

e a ne

pleaseth him thou shalt have one or two , .

Certes sir ,
said the lady I were fain
, ,
“

thereof for my lord holdeth me h less

; t e
dear and the high barons of this land also
, .

Withal it hath been told to me that they

have spoken to my lord to leave me and ” ”
take another V erily dame said the .
“
, ,

good man he would do ill it would be

,
“
;
do e against God and against Holy Church
n .

Ah s r I pray thee to pray to God for

,
1 ,

me that I m y have a child of my lord for

a
”
,
”
great fear I have lest he leave m Dame e .
“
,

said the good m my prayer shall avail a n,

but little b if it please God

, ut .
h
”
n e ve rt e

less I will pray heartily .

THE good m departed from the lady an ,

and the barons of the land and of the

country came to the King F lorus and bade ,

h im send away his wife and take another ,

since by this he might have no child And .

if he did not after their counsel they wo ld , u

go an d dwell otherwher for in no case e ;

85
The Ta le would they that the realm should be with
out an heir King F lorus feared his barons
.

and trowed their word and he said that he ,

wo ld se d away his wife and that they

u n ,

should seek him another and they trusted ,

him therein When the lady knew it she

.

was ex eeding heavy of heart but ought

c n

durst she do for she knew that her lord

,

would leave her So she sent for the herm it

.

who had been her confessor and he came to ,

her Then the lady told h im all the tale

.

of the matter of the baro s who would seek n ,

for their lord another woman And I .

“

pray thee good father that thou wouldst

, ,
”
aid me and counsel me what I should do
,
”
.

“
Dame said the good man if it be so
, ,

as thou sayest ye must needs su ffer it for

,

against thy lord and against his barons ye ” ”

may do nought perforce Sir said the .
,

good lady thou sayest sooth but if it

G
n
,

please od I were fain to be a recluse

,

nigh u to thee wh b y I may be at the ; ere

:

service of God all the days of my life and ”

,

that I may have comfort of thee Dame . ,

said the good man that would be over ,

strange a thing whereas thou art too young

,

a lady and too fair B I will tell thee . ut

what thou shalt do Hard by my hermi .

86
tage there is an abbey of White Nuns who Th T l , e a e

are right good ladies and I counsel you go f Ki g , o n

thither and they will have great joy of F l

;
”
oru s

thee for thy goodness and thy high dignity d h . an t e

Sir said she thou hast well said I will F i
, ,
“

”
a r

do all that thou ll me 7 h c ou ns e es t . e afl e

N the morrow King F lorus spake to

his wife and aid thus Needs , s

must thou and I sunder for that thou mayst ,

have no child by m Now I say thee e .

soothly that the sundering lies heavy on

me for never shall I love woman as I have
,
”
loved thee Therewith fell King F lorus
.

”
to weep sorely and the lady also Sir , .
,

said she God s mercy And whither

,
a
-
’

sh ll I go and what shall I do

a , Dame ,

thou shalt do well if it please God for I , ,

wi ll se d thee back well and richly into thy

n
”
country to thy kindred Sir said the .
“
,

lady it shall not be so I have purveyed

,
“

me an abbey of nuns where I will be if it , ,

please thee and there I will serve God ll a

my life for since I lose thy company I am ”

she that no man shall go with any more .

Thereat King F lorus wept and the lady also .

But on the third day the queen went to the

abbey and the other queen was come and ,

had great feast made her and great joy of ,

87
The Ta le her friends King F lorus held her for three
.

years but never might have child of her

, .

But here the tale holdeth peace of King

F lorus and b k h it again to Sir Robin
,
eta et ,

and to John who were at Marseill s e .

H was Sir Robi when he came to

ERE telleth the tale that much sorry
n

Marseilles whereas he heard tell of nought

,

toward in the country so he said to Joh n

What do we Thou hast lent me of thy

moneys whereof I thank thee I will
,

give them back to thee for I will sell ,

my palfrey and quit m toward thee

”
,
e .

Sir said John if it please thee believe

, , ,

me and I shall tell thee what we shall do

,
.

I have yet well an hundred sols of Tournay ,

and if it please thee I will sell our two ,

horses and make money thereby for I am

,

the best of bakers that ye may wot of and

I will make F rench bread and I doubt m , e

not but I shall earn my spending well and

”
bountifully John said S i Robin
.
,
r ,

I grant it thee to do all as thou

”
wilt .

O on the morrow John sold the two horses

for ten pounds Tournays and bought ,

corn and let grind it and bought baskets and , ,

f ll to making F rench bread so good and so

e ,

88
well made that he sold it for more than the Th T l e a e

best baker of the town might do and he ;

did so much within two years that he had F l oru r

well an hu dred pounds of chattels Then d h

n . an t e

said John to his lord I rede thee well that F i :

“
a r

we buy us a very great house and that we 7 h , e a ne

buy us wine and take to harbouring good
”
folk John said Sir Robi do
.
“
,
n,

according to thy will for I grant it thee , ,

and moreover I praise thee much So .

John boug ht a house great and fair and , ,

harboured good folk and ear ed enough ,

n

plenteously d he arrayed his lord well

; an

and richly and Sir Robin had his palfrey ,

and went to eat and drink with the most

worthy of the town and John sent him ,

wine and victu l so that all they that a ,

hau ted his company marvelled thereat

n .

So much he g ined that in three years ti me

a
’

he had gotten him more tha three hundred n

pounds of garnishment out taken his p l ,

-
en

i hi g which was well worth fifty pounds

s n , .

But here leaveth the tale to tell of Sir Robin

and of John and goeth back to tell of Sir
,

Raoul .

O R saith the tale that the chaplain

Fheld Sir Rao l right short that he should
,

u
,

go over sea and quit him of the pledge he

,

89
The Ta le had laid down for great fear he had lest ;
he yet should leave it and so much he did
that Sir Raoul saw well that he needs must
go So he dight his journey d arrayed
.
, an

him right richly as he that hath well ,

enough thereto and so he betook him to ;

the road with three squires and went so :

m uch by his journeys that he came into

Marseilles sea and took lodgi g in the
-
on -
n

F rench hostel whereas dwelt Sir Robin and

,

John So soon as John saw him she knew him

.

by the scar of the wound she had made him ,

an d because she had seen him ma y times n .

Th knight sojourned in the town fifteen

e

days and hired him pass ge But the while

, a .

he j d John drew him in to privy talk

s o o u rn e , ,

and asked of him the occasion of his going

over sea and Sir Raoul told him all the
,

occasion as one who had little heed thereof

, ,

even as the tale hath told afore When .

John heard that he held his peace Sir , .

Raoul set his goods aboard ship and went ,

upon the sea but tarried so much the ship

wherein he was that he abode in the town
for eight days but on the ninth day he ;
betook him to go his ways to the holy
sep lchre and did his pilgrimage and con
u , ,

fessed him the best he might and hi : s

9 0
 confessor charged him in penance that he Th e Ta le
should give back the land which he held
wrongfully to the knight and his wife .

Whereon he said to his confessor that ,

when he came into his own country he

would do what his heart bade him So he .

d parted from Jerusalem and came to Acre

e ,

and dight his pa sage as one who had great

s

longing to repair to his own country He .

went up on to the sea and we ded so ,

n

diligently as well by night as by day till

, ,

in less than three m onths he came to the

port of Aigues mort Then he departed
—
.

from the port and came straight to Mar

seilles wherein he sojourned eight days in
,

the hostel of Sir Robin and John which ,

hight the F rench house Never did Sir .

Robin know him for on that matter he

,

tho ght nothing At the end of eight days

u .

he departed from Marseilles he and his ,

squires and went so long by his jo rneys

,
u

that he came into his own country where ,

he was received with great joy as one who ,

was a k ight rich in land and chattel

n s .

Thereon his chaplain took him to task and ,

asked of him if any had demanded the

occasion of his journey and he said Yea ; :
“
,

in three places to wit Marseilles Acre

, : ,
Th e Ta le and Jerusalem and he of whom I took :

counsel bade me to give back the land to

Sir Robin if I hear tidings of him or to
,
”
,
”
his wife else or to his heir Certes ,
.
“
,

said the chaplain he bade thee good

”
;
“

counsel Thus was Sir Raoul in his own

.

country a great while in rest and good

c as e But here leaveth the tale to tell
.

of him and returneth to Sir Robin and

,

John .

ERE saith the tale that when Sir

Robin and John had been at Mar
seilles for six years that John had gotten to
the value of six hund ed pounds and they r ,

were come into the seventh year and John ,

m ight gain eke what he would and so sweet ,

he was and so debonaire that he made

,

himself loved of all the neighbours and ,

therewithal he was ofgood hap as he might

not be of more and maintained his lord so,

nobly and so richly that it was wonder to

behold When the end of the seve years
. n

drew igh John fell to talk with his lord

n ,

Sir Robin and spake thus Sir we have

, ,

now been a great while in this country and ,

so much have we gained that we have hard ,

on six hundred pounds of chattels what of ”

,

money what of vessel of silver F

, . or .

9 2
sooth John said Sir Robin they be not Th
, , , e Ta le
mine b thine for it is thou hast earned
,
ut
”
them Sir said John saving thy
.
“
, ,

grace it is not so but they are thine for

, ,

thou art my rightf l lord and n er if it

pl s God will I change
ea e ramercy
John I hold thee not for servant but for
,
,
u ,

.
” “
G ev

,
,

companion and friend Sir said .

“
,

John all days I have kept thee loyal

,
“

”
company and shall do from henceforth
,
”
.

“
By my faith said Sir Robin I will , ,
“

do what so pleaseth thee but to go into :

my country I wot not to say thereof ,

for I have lost so much there that hardly

shall my scathe be righted to m Sir e .
’

said John be thou never dismayed of that

,
“

matter for when thou art come into thi e

; n

own country thou shalt hear good tidings ,

please God And doubt thou nothing for.

,

in ll places whereas we shall be if it please

G a

od I sh l l earn enough for thee and for

,
”
me Certes John said Sir Robin I
.
a

, ,
”
,

,
“

will do as it pleaseth thee and where thou ,

”
wilt that I go thither will I Sir said ,
.
,

John I shall sell our chattels and dight

,
“
,

our journey and we will go within fifteen

”
,

days A God s name John said Sir

.
“ —
’

, ,

Robin .
The Ta le H
O N sold all his plenishing whereof he
J had good store and goodly and bought ,
,

three horses a palfrey for his lord another

, ,

for himself and a sumpter horse Then

,
.

they took leave of the neighbours and the ,

most worthy of h town who were sore

t e ,

grieved of their departure .

O RE the way Sir Robin and John i ,

n

somuch that in three w eks spac e

’
e

they came into their country And Robin .

made known to his lord whose daughter ,

he had had that he was at hand Th lord

,
. e

was m ch joyful thereof for he was deem

u ,

ing well that his daughter would be with

him And she indeed it was but in the
.
,

guise of an esq ire Sir Robin was well

u .

received of his lord whose daughter he had ,

erewhile wedded When the lord could

.

have no tidings of his daughter he was ,

right sorrowful nevertheless he made good

;
feast to Sir Robin and bade thereto his ,

knights and his neighbours and thither ;

came Sir Raoul who held h land of Sir
, t e

Robin wrongfully Great was the joy that

.

day and the morrow and that while Sir ,

Robin told to John the occasion of the

wager and how Sir Raoul held his land
,
”
wrongfully Sir said John do thou
.
“
, ,
“

94
app l him of tr ason and I will do the Th T l
ea e ,
”
e a e

battle for the Nay John said Sir

e .
“
,
”
,

Robin thou shalt not do it

, F[ . era s

they left it till the morrow when h ’

S O , a na t e
Joh cam to Sir Robin and did him to F i
n e a r

wit that he would speak to the father of his 7 h e a ne

wife and thus he said to him Sir thou ,

art lord my lord Sir Robin after God

to ,

an d he wedded thy da ghter time was u .

But ther was a wager betwixt him and S i

e r

Raoul who said that he would make him

,

cuckold by then he returned from St .

Ja k em whereof
e ; Sir Raoul hath made false
report wher as he hath had nor part nor
,
e

lot in thy fair daughter And he hath .

done disloyal treason All which things I .

read y to prove on his b dy Th n o e

leapt forth Sir Robin and said John “

,

fair friend none shall do the battle save I

,

nowise shalt thou hang shield neck on

herein Therewith Sir Robin reached his

.

pledge to his lord and Sir Raoul was sore

grieving of the pledging but needs must he ,

defend him or cry craven so he reached

, ;
for this pledge right cowardly So wer . e

the pledges given and day of battl ,

e

appoint d on that day fifteen days without

e

n ysay
a .
Th e Ta le OW hear ye marvels of John what he
N did John who had to name my Lady
.

Jebane had i the house of her father a

,
n

cousin germain of hers who was a fair ,

damsel and of some five and twenty years

,
.

Jeban came to her and laid all the whole

e ,

truth bare to her and told her the whole ,

business from point to point and showed ,

her all openly and prayed her much that

;
sh ewould hide all the matter until the
time and hour came when she should make
herself known to her father Wherefore .

her cousin who knew her well said to her

, ,

that she would ke p all well hidden so that e ,

by her it should never be discovered .

Then was the chamber of her cousin dight

for the Lady J h and the said lady e a ne ; ,

the while of the fortnight b fore the battle e

should be let bathe her and stove her and

,

she took her ease the best she might as one ,

who well had therewithal And she let . cut

and shape f her duly four pair of gowns

or ,

of Scarlet of air of Perse and of cloth

,
V , ,

of silk and she took so well her ease that

she came back to her most beauty and was ,

so fair and dainty as no lady might be more .

U T when it came to the end of the

fifteen days then was Sir Robin sore,
grieving of John his esquire because he h d Th T l , a e a e

lost him and knew not where he was

,

become But no e the more did he leave

. n

to apparel him for h fight as one who had d h t e an t e

heart e o gh and hardihood
n u F i . a r

N the m m of the day whenas the 7 h

o e a ne

battle was appointed came both the ,

knights armed They drew apart one .

from the other and then they fell on each

,

other with the irons of their glaives and ,

smote on each other wi h so great heat that t

’
they bore down each other s horses to the
earth beneath their bodies Sir Raoul was .

h rt a little on the left side Sir Robin

u .

rose up the first and came a great pace on

,

Sir Raoul and smote him a great stroke on

,

the helm in such wise that he beat down

the head piece and drave in the sword on
-

to the mail coif and sheared ll thereto

-

, a ;
but the coif was of steel so strong that he
wounded him not howbeit he made him to ,

stagger so that he caught hold of the

,

arson of the saddle and if he had not he ,

h d fallen to earth
a Then Sir Raoul who .
,

was a good knight smote Sir Robin so ,

great a stroke upon the helm hat he all to t

astonied him and the stroke fell down to
;
the shoulder and she red the mails of the
,
a

G
97
The Ta le h awb erk but hurt him not Then Sir
,
.

Robin smote him with all his might but he ,

th ew his shield betwixt and Sir Robin

r ,

smote ff a quarter thereof When Sir

o .

Raoul felt his strong strokes he misd oubted ,

him m uch and wished well that he were

,

over sea if he were but quit of the battle

, ,

and Sir Robin back on the land which he

held Nevertheless he put forth all his
.

might and drew nigh and fell on Sir Robin ,

much hardly and gave him a great stroke

,

upon his shield so that he sheared it to the

boss thereof But Sir Robin laid a great
.

stroke po his helm b he threw his

u n ,
ut

shield betwixt and Sir Robin sheared it

amidst and the sword fell upon the neck
,

of the horse and sheared it amidst and, ,

beat down straightway both horse and m an .

Then Sir Raoul leapt to his feet as one who ,

was in a sto r exce ding heavy Then Sir

u e .

Robin lighted down whereas he would not ,

betak e him to his horse while h other was t e

afoot .

OW were both knights come u to h

N skirmish and they hewed in pieces
’
each other s shields and helms and haw
n t e

’
berks and drew the blood from each o her s
, t
bodies with their trenchant swords and ;
9 8
had they smitten as great strokes as at first Th , e Ta le
soon had they slain each other for they had ,

so little of their shields that scarce might

they cover their fists therewith Yet had .

neither of them fear of death or shame :

n vertheless the nigh ess of them to each

e n

other called them to bring the battle to

on

an end S i Robin took his sword in both

. r

ha ds and smote Sir Raoul with all his

n ,

might the helm d sheared it amidst

on , an ,

so that one h lf thereof fell upo the shou l

a n

ders and he she red the steel coif and

,
a ,

m ade him a great wound on the head and ;

Sir Rao l was so asto ied of the stroke
u n

that he bent him to the earth on knee o ne ;

but he rose p straightway d was in great
u an

misease when h thus saw his head naked e ,

and great fear of death he had But he .

came up to Sir Robin and fetched a strok e

with ll hi might on what he had of shield

a s

and he sheared it asunder and the stroke

came on the helm and into it well three cut

fingers so that the sword came on the iron

,

coif which was right good so that the

, ,

sword brake twain When Sir Raoul saw

a -
.

his sword broken and his he d naked he a ,

do bted much the death Nevertheless he

u .

stooped down to the e rth and took up a a ,

99
The Ta le great stone in his two hands and cast it ,

after Sir Robin with all his might but Sir

Robin turned aside when he saw h stone t e

coming and on Sir Rao l who took to

, ra n u ,

flight ll ov r the field and Sir Robin said

a e

to h im that he would slay him but if he

cri d craven Whereon Sir Raoul thus
e .

bespake him
H lo her my sword so much as I hav
AV E mercy me gentle knight and
on , ,

e ,
e

thereof and I render it to thee d all of

, ,
an

me therewith nto thy mercy and I pray

u

thee have pi y of me and beg of thy lord

t ,

and mine to have mercy on m d that e an

thou and he save my life and I render and

,

give both thy land and mine F I have . or

held it against righ and against reason

t .

And I have wrongfully defamed the fair

lady and good .

HEN Sir Robin heard this he said ,

that he had done eno gh and he u ,

prayed his lord so m ch that he pardoned

u

Sir Raoul of his misdeed in s ch wise that

,
u

he was quit thereof on the condition that

he sho ld go over seas and abide there life
u

l g
on

H U S WIS E conquered Sir Robin his

land and the land of Sir Raoul to b ot o
for all his days B he was so sore g i Th T l
. ut r ev e a e

i g and sad at heart of his good da m and

n e

fair whom he had thus lost that he could F Z

, , ora :
"

have no solace d on the other hand he d h

an , an t e
was so sore grieving for John his esquire F i a r

whom he had so lost that marvel it was 7 h

, . e a ne
And his lord was no less sad at heart for
his fair daughter whom he had thus lost ,

and of whom he might have no tidings .

U T dame Jebane who was in the ,

chamber of her cousin germain for

fifteen days in good ease when she wotted ,

that her lord had vanquished the battle was ,

exceeding much at ease Now she had .

done m ake four pair of gow s as is afore n ,

said and she clad her with the richest of

,

them whi ch was of silk be ded of fine gold

,
n

of Araby Moreover she was so fair of

.

body and of visage and so dainty withal

, ,

that nought in the world might be fo d un

fairer so that her cousin germain all mar

,

ve ll d at her great beauty

e And she had .

bee bathed and attired d had ease at all

n , an

poi ts for the fiftee days so that she was

n n ,

come into so great beauty as wonder was .

Much fair was the Lady J h in her e a ne

gown of silk bended of gold So she called .

her cousin to her and said How d m ee es t

10 1
 ”
Th e Ta le thou of m What dame l said her
e ,

m
c ou s thou art the fairest lady of the
world I shall tell thee then fair
.
, ,

cousin what thou shalt do go thou tell

, :

so much before my father as that he shall

make dole no more but be glad and joyful , ,

and that thou bearest him good news of his

daughter who is whole and well and that
he come with thee and tho wilt show him u .

Then bring him hither and mesee meth he ,

”
will see me with a good will Th dam . e

sel said that she would well do that erra d n

and she came to the father of the Lady

Jeb ane and said him what his daughter had
,

said When her sire heard thereof great

.

wo der he wist it and went with the dam

n ,

sel and found his daughter in her chamber

, ,

and knew her straightway and p his arms ,

ut

about her neck and wept over her for joy ,

an d pity and had so great joy that scarce

,

might he speak to h Then he asked er .

her where she had bee so long a while ”

n .

F air father said she th u shalt k ow

, , o n

it well anon But God s sake do my lady

. a -
’

mother to come to me for I have great ,

longing to see her Th lord sent for his . e

wife and when she came into the chamber

,

where was her daughter and saw her and ,

1 02
knew her she swooned for joy and might Th T l
, , e a e

not speak a great while and when she came ,

out of her swoo ing none might believe the F [ m n ar

that she made of her daughter d h . an t e

whiles they were in this joy the F ,
a ir

father of the fair lady went to seek Sir 7 h e a ne

Robin and bespake him thus Sir Robin ,

fair sweet son tidings can I say thee ex ,

”
c eedi g joyous us between
n Certes .
,

said Sir Robin ofjoy have I great need , ,

for none save God can set rede to it where

by I m y have joy F I have lost thy
a . or

fair daughter whereof have I sore grief at ,

heart And thereto have I lost the swain

.

an d the squire who of all i the world hath ,

n

done me most good to wit John the ”

,
”
good my squire Sir Robin said the
, .
,

lord be ye nought dismayed thereof for

,
“
,

of squires thou shalt find enough But of .

m y fair daughter I could tell thee good

’
tidi gs for I have seen her e en now
n ; ;
and wot ye well she is the fairest lady that
, ,
”
m y be in the world
a When Sir Robin .

heard that he trembled all with joy d ,

’
an

said to his lord Ah sir for God s sake “

, ,
”
bri g m where I m y see if this be true l
n e a
”
With a good will said the lord come ”
,

along now .
The Ta le HtheyE lord went before and he after till
were come to the chamber where ,
,

the m other was yet making great feast of

her daughter and they were weeping with
,

joy one over the other But when they .

saw their rightful lords coming they rose a— ,

u
p and
; so soon as Sir Robin knew his
wife he ran to her with his arms spread
,

abroad and they clipped and kissed together

,

dearly and wept of joy and pity and they

,

were thus embracing together for the space

of the running of ten acres or ever they ,

m ight sunder Then the lord commanded

.

the tables to be laid for supper and they ,

supped and made great joy

A F TER supper when the feast had been
right great they went to bed and Sir
,
,
.

Robin lay th t night with the Lady J h

a e a ne

his wife who made him great joy and he

, ,

her in likewise and they spake together

of many things and so much that Sir Robin
,

asked of her where she had been and she

said Sir long were it to tell B thou
, , ut

shalt know it w ll in time Now tell to e .

me what thou co ldest to d and where u o,

” ”
thou hast been so long a while Lady .
,

said Sir Robin that will I we ll tell ,

thee .

1 04
 he fell to telling her all that she wel l Th T l
S
e a e

Oknew d of John his esquire who f Ki g

,
an , o n

had done him so m ch good and said that F l u ,

or u s

he was so troubled whereas he had thus lost d h an t e

him that he would make never an end of F i
, a r

wanderi g till he had found him and that 7 h

n , e a ne

he would bestir himselfthereto the morrow s ”

’

morn Sir said the lady that were

.
, ,

folly d how sho ld it be then wouldst

an u
”
thou leave me then " F h dame , o rs oo t , ,

said he e en so it b h h me F none
,
’
e o ve t . or

did ever so much for another as he did for

” ”
me . Sir said the dame wherein he , ,
“

did for thee he did but duly Even so he

, .

was bound to do Dame said Sir .

,

Robin by what thou sayest thou shouldst

,
“

” ”
know him F orsooth said the lady
.
, ,

I should ought to know him well for ,

never did he anything whereof I wotted

” ”
not. Lady said Sir Robin thou ,
”
,
”
makest me to marvel at thy words Sir .
,

said h lady never marvel thou hereof

t e ,

If I tell thee a word for sooth and for cer ” ”

tain wilt thou believe m
,
Dame n ot
”
e " ,

said he yea verily , ,

.

ELL then believe me in this , , ,

said she for wot of a verity that

I am the very same John whom thou
10
5
Th e Ta le wouldest go seek and I will tel l thee how
,
.

For I knew that thou we t gone for the r

great sorrow thou hadst for my m isdoing

against thee and for thy land which thou
,

d m d thou hadst lost for ever

ee e st Where .

as I had heard tell of the occasion of the

wager and of the treason Sir Raoul had
,

done whereof I was so wroth as never

,

woman was more wroth Straightway I .

let shear my hair and took the money in

,

my fi about ten pounds of Tournais

co
f
er, ,

an d arrayed me like an esquire and fol ,

lowed thee away to Paris and found ,

thee at the tomb of Y and there I s o re ;

fell i to company with thee and we
n ,

went together into Marseilles and were ,

there together seven years long where I ,

served thee unto my power as my right

ful lord and I hold for well spent all
,

the service that I did thee And know .

of a truth that I am innoce t and just n

of that which the evil knight laid upon

me as well appeareth whereas he hath
;
been shamed i the field and hath n
”
, ac

knowledged the treason

H
EREWI TH my lady J h m
braced Sir Robin her lord and kissed
,
.

,
e ane e

him on the mouth right sweetly ; for Sir

1 06
Robi understood well that it was she that Th T l
n e a e

had so well served him d so great joy an

he had that no e could say it or think it F t

,
n orn:

and much he wondered i his heart how d h n an t e

she could thi k to do that which so tur ed F i
n n a r

to her great good ess Wherefore he loved 7 h

n . e a ne

her the more all the days of his life .

THUS were these two good persons to

gether and they went to dwell upon
;
their la d which they had both wide d
n , an

fair Good life they led as for young folk

.

who loved dearly together Sir Robi . n

went often to tournays with his lord of ,

whose m y he was and much worship

es n e ,

he w and great prize he conq ered d

on, u an

great wealth and did so much that he gat

,

h im as much land again as he had had .

And when h lord and his lady were dead

t e ,

then had he all the land And he did so .

well by his prowess that he was made a

double ba neret and he had well fo r
n ,
u

thousand pounds of land But nev r might . e

he have child by his wife whereof he was

much grie ed v
Thus was he with his wife
.

for ten years after he had conquered the

,

battle with Sir Raoul .

F TER the term of ten years by the ,

will of G d to whom we be all sub

o ,

1 07
Th e Ta le je c t,the pain of death took hold of him ,

and he died like a valiant man and had all ,

his rights and was laid in earth with great

,

worship His wife the fair lady made so

.

great sorrow over him that all they that saw ,

her had pity of her but in the end eeds n

must she forget her mourning and take

com fort for as little as it were Much
, .

abode the lady in her widowhood as a good

dame and a holy for she loved much God
,

and Holy Church She held her much .

hu mbly d much she loved the poor and

an ,

did them much good and was so good a ,

lady that none knew how to blame her or

to say of her aught save great good .

Therewithal was she so fair that each one ,

said who saw her that she was the mirror ,

of all ladies in the world for beauty and

goodness But here leaveth the tale a
.

little to speak of her and returneth to tell ,

of the Ki g F lorus of whom it hath been

n ,

silent a great while .

O R saith the tale that Ki g F lorus of

F A y was in his own country sore , n
us a

griev ng and ill at ease for the departure of

i ,

his first wife Notwithstanding the other

.

was brought unto him and was both fair ,

and dainty but he could not hold her i

, n
108
his heart like as he did the first one F our Th T l . e a e

years was he with her but never child f Ki g ,

o n

might he have of her and when the said F Z ; orn:

time was nded the pains of death took the d h

e an t e
lady and she was buried whereof her F i
, , a r

friends were sore grieving B servic 7 h . ut e e a ne

was done unto her as was meet to a ,

HEN abode King F lorus in widow

hood more than two years and he was ,

still a young man whereas he was not of ,

more than fi and forty winters where

ve - -

fore the barons said to him that he behoved

to marry again F h said King . o rs oo t ,

F lorus so to do have I no great longing

,

v
for two wi es hav I had and never child
might I have by either And on the oth r
e

.
,

e
,

hand the first that I had was so good and

,

so fair and so much I lov d her in my

, e

heart for the great beauty that was in her ,

that I may not forget her And I tell you .

well that never woman will I w d but I e

may ha e her as fair and as good as was

v
she Now may God have mercy on her
.

soul for she hath passed away in the abbey

,

where she was as folk have done me to

”
,
”
wit. Ha sir s id a knight who was
, , a ,

of his privy counsel there be many good ,

“

109
The Ta le dames up and down the country side of ,

whom ye know not all and I know one ;

who hath not for goodness and beauty her
peer in the world And if thou k ew her . n

goodness and saw but her beauty thou

, ,

wo ldst say well that happy were the

u

who held the danger of such a lady .

wot well that she is a gentle lady and ,

valiant and rich d of great lands And

, ,
an .

I will tell thee a part of her goodness so

please thee
O .

the king said that he would well he

should tell him Wherefore the .

knight fell to telli g how she had bestirred n

her to go seek her lord and how she found ,

him and brought him to Marseilles and ,

the great goodness and great services which

she did him even as the tale hath told afore
, ,

so that King F lorus wondered much there

at and he said to the knight privily hat t
such a woman he would take with a good
will .

IR said the knight who was of the

, ,

country of the lady I will go to ,

“

her if it please thee and I will so speak

, ,

to her if I may that the m rriage of

, , a
”
you two shall be made Yea said .
“
,

King F lorus I will well that thou go

,
“
,

1 10
and I pray thee to give good heed to the Th
”
e Ta le
busin ss e .

the knight bestirred him and went

S O
so much by his jour ys that he came
to the country where dwelt the fair dame
ne
,

whom the tale c lleth my Lady J h a e a ne,

and found h abidi g at a castle of hers

er n ,

and she mad him gr at joy as one whom

e e ,

she knew Th knight drew her to privy

. e

talk and told her of King F lorus of A y

, usa ,

how he bade her come unto him that he

might take her to wife When the lady .

heard the knight so speak she began to ,

smile which beseemed her right well and

, ,

she said to the knight Th y king is “

n ith r so wel l learned nor so courteous as

e e ,

I had deemed wh reas he biddeth me come ,

e

to him and he will take me to wife for

sooth I m no wageling of him to go at
,
a

his command But say to thy king that .

, ,

so please him he come to me if he prize

, ,

me so much and loveth me and it seem ,

good to him that I take him to husband

and spouse for the lords ought to beseech
,

the ladies and not ladies the lords

”
,
.

“
Lady said the knight all that thou
, ,

hast said to me I will tell him straight ,

but I doubt that he hold not with pride .

1 1 1
The Ta le Sir knight said the lady he shall take
, ,

what heed thereof may please him but i n

the matter whereof I have spoken to thee ”

,

h ehath neither courtesy nor reason .

’
“
Lady said the knight so be it God s
, ,
“
,
a

name And I will get me gone with thy ,

leave to my lord the king and will tell

, ,

him what thou hast told me And if thou .

wilt give me any word more now tell it ”

,

me Yea said the lady tell him

.
“
, ,
“

that I s nd him greeting and that I can

e ,

h im m uch good will for the honour he

”
biddeth me .

the knight departed therewith from

S O the lady and came the fourth day
ther after to King F lorus of A y and
e
,

u sa ,

found him in his chamber whereas he was ,

speaking with his privy counsel Th . e

knight greeted the king who returned the ,

greet g and made him sit by his side d

in , , an

asked tidings of the f ir lady and he told a ,

all her message how she would not come :

to him whereas she was not his wageling

,

to come at his command for that lords :

bound to beseech ladies how she had

are

given him word that she sent him greeting ,

and co ld him goodwil l for the honour he

u
bade her When the King F lorus had
.

I12
he rd th e e words he fell pondering and Th T l
a s ,
a -

, e a e

spake no word for a great while

S IR said a knight who was of his most F Z
.

“ ”
, ora :

privity what p d thou so d h ,

“
on ere s t an t e
much F h all these words well F
" ors oo t , a ir

b fi a good lady and wise to say

e t d so 7 h an , e a ne

may help me God she is both wise and ,

valiant Wh f I counsel thee i good

. e re o re n

faith that thou look to a day whe thou n

ca st be there that thou send greeting to

n

her that thou wilt be there such day to on

”
do her ho our and take her to wife
n
”
,
.

F orsooth said King F lor s I will

,
u ,
“

send word that I will b there in the month e

of Paske and that she apparel her to

,
”
re

ce i such a man as I be Then said

ve .

King F lor s to the knight who had been

u

to the lady that within three days he

,

should go his ways to tell the lady these

tidi gs S on the third day the knight
n . o

departed d w nt so m ch that he came

,
an e u

to the lady and said that the king sent

,

word that he would be with her in the

month of Paske and she answered that
G
it was so by od s will and that she would
speak with her friends and that she wo ld
’
;

,
,

be arrayed to do his will as the honour of

a good lady called on her After the e . s

H 1 1
3
The Ta le words departed the knight and came to hi , s

lord King F lorus and told him the answer

,

of the fair lady as ye have hea d it So

, r .

King F lor s of Au y dight his departure

us a ,

and went his ways with a right great folk

to come to the country of the f i lady a r ;
and whe he was come thither he took her
n ,

and wedded her and had great joy and

,

great feast thereof Then he led her into .

his country where folk made exceeding

great joy of her But King F lorus loved
.

her much for her great beauty and for the ,

great wit and great valiancy that was in

her
A .

ND within the year that he had taken

her to wife she was big wi th child
, ,

and she bore the fruit of her belly so long

as right was and was delivered ofa daughter
,

first and of a son thereafter who had to

, ,

name F lorence and the daughter had to

name F loria And the child F lorence
.

was exceeding fair and when he was a ,

knight he was the best that knew arms in

his time so that he was chosen to be
,

Emperor of Constan inople A much t .

v liant man was he and wrought much

a ,

wrack and dole on the Saracens But the .

daughter became queen of the land of her

1 14
 her and the son of the King of Hungary Th T l
fa t ,
e a e

took her to wife d lady she was of two f Ki g

,
an o n

g ave God to the fair d han t e

d her F
an a ir

ing F lorus
that lady and whe it pleased
; n

God that his time came he had such ,

o dly knowledge that God had in him a

gair so l Thereafter the lady lived but a
o

u .

and pass d away from the world

e

as one good and loyal and had fair end and

,

good kn
Here of King F lorus and
TH E
V
O ER
H T
IS ORY OF
 N
years bygone was a Count of Ponthieu Th
I who loved much chivalry d the world Hi , e

and was a much valiant m and a good

k ight
n .
an
an ,

O f
story o

ver S ea

N the same times was a Count of St .

Pol who held ll the country and was

,
a ,

lord thereof and a m much valiant He

,
an .

h d no heir of his flesh whereof he was

a ,

sore grieving but a sister he had a much ,

good dame and a valiant woman of m ch

,
u

avail who was Dame of D m in Pon

, ont art

th ieu Th said dame had a son Thibault

. e ,

by name who was heir of the country of

,

St Pol but a poor m so long as his uncle

.
,
an

lived he was a brave k ight and a valia t n n ,

and good at arms noble he was and goodly: , ,

and was m ch honoured and loved of good

u

folk for a high man he was and gentle of ,

OW the Cou t of Ponthieu with n ,

whom b gi h this tale had a wife

e nn e t , ,

a much good dame of the s id dame he a

1 19
had a daughter much go d and of much
,
o

avail the which waxed in great beauty and

,

multiplied in much good and she was of

well sixteen years of age But within the .

third year of her birth her mother died , ,

whereof sore troubled she was and much

sorrowful .

HE Count her father wedded him

, ,

right speedily thereafter and took a ,

high lady and a gentle and in a little while

the Count had of the said lady a son whom ,

he loved m uch Th said son waxed in

. e

great worth and in great goodness and ,

multiplied in great good

HE Count of Ponthieu who was a
v l iant man saw my lord Thibault of
a ,
.

D ont m and summoned him and retained

art , ,

him of his meney and when he had him of

;
his meney he was much joyous thereat ,

for the Count multiplied in great good and

in great avail by means of him .

they ret rned from a tournament the

A u

SCount called to him Messire Thibault

and asked of him and said Thibault as :
,

,
,

God may help thee tell me what jewel of ,

” ”
my land thou lovest the b st Sir said e " “
,

Messire Thibault I am but a poor m h

,
“
a ,

but as God may help me of all h jew ls

, ,
t e e

1 20
of thy l d I love none so much as my
an
”
damosel thy daughter Th Count when
,
. e ,

he heard that was much merry andjoyful in

,

his heart and said Thibau lt I will give

,
”
,

her to thee if she will Sir said he .

, ,
“
much great thank have thou God reward
”
;
thee
H
.

T EN went the Count to his daughter

and said to her F air d gh I have :
“
au te r,
,

”
m rried thee save by thee be any hindrance
a
”
, .

Sir said she unto whom A God s

’
“ -

, ,
”
name said he to a much valiant man of
, , ,

much avail to a knight of mine who hath ”

,

to n me Thiba lt of D m
a Ha sir u o nt art .
“
, ,

said she if thy country were a kingdom

,
“
,

and should come to me all wholly forsooth ,

I sho ld hold m right well wedded in him

u e .

Daughter said the Count blessed be, ,

thine heart and the hour wherein thou wert

,

born .

the wedding was done the Count of

S OPonthieu and the Count of S Pol
were thereat and many another good valiant
t .

m an With great joy were they assembled

.
,

in great lordship and in great mirth and

in great joy dwelt those together for five
years But it pleased not our Lord Jes s
. u

Christ that they should have an heir of

12 1
their flesh which was a heavy matter to
,

both of them .

N a night l y Messire Thiba lt in hisa u

bed and pondered sore and said

, ,

God " of whom it cometh that I love so

much this dame and she me and forsooth , ,

no heir of our flesh may we have whereby ,

God might be served and good be done to ,

the world Therewi th he thought on my

.

lord St J k m the apostle of Galicia who

. a e e, ,

would give to such as crave aright that which

by right they crave and he behight him the ,

road thither in his heart .

THE dame was sleeping yet and when a -

,

as she awoke he held her betwixt his

arms and prayed her that she would give
,
”
him a gift Sir said the dame and
”
.
“
,
”
,
“

what gift Dame said he thou shalt

"
,
”
,
”
wot that when I have it Sir she said .
, ,
“
if I may give it I will give it whatso it
”
, ,

may be Dame he said I crave leave

.
, ,
“

of thee to go to my lord St Jacque h . t e

Apostle that he may pray our Lord Jesus

,

Christ to give us an heir ofour fl h wh by es ,

e re

God may be served in this world and the ,

Holy Church refreshed Sir said the .

,

dame the gift is full cou teous and much

,
r
”
,

debonairly will I grant it thee .

122
 N much great joy were they for long
I while wore one day and another and , ,

a third and it befell that th ey lay together

in bed on a night and then said the dame ,
“
Sir I pray and require of thee a gift
,
.

Dame said he ask and I will give it

, ,
“
,
”
,

if give it I may Sir she said I .

“
, ,
“

crave leave of thee to go with thee on thy

”
Y C .

HEN Messire Thibault heard that he ,

was much sorrowful and said Dam e ,

:
“
,

grievous thing would it be to thine heart ,

for the way is much longsome and the ,

”
land is much strange and much diverse .

She said Sir doubt thou nought of me

: , ,

for of such littlest squire that thou hast ,

”
shalt thou be more hi dered than of me
”
n .

Dame said he God s name I grant it

”
, , a -
’

the e .

AY came and the tidings ran so far

D till the Count of Ponthieu k e it
and sent for Messire Thibault and said
,

,
n w ,

“
Thibault thou art vowed a pilgrim as they
, ,
” ”
tell m and my daughter also Sir said
e, "
,

he that is sooth Thibault said the

,
“
.
“
,

C ount concerning thee it is well but con

,
“
,
”
cerning my daughter it is heavy on me
”
.

Sir said Messire Thiba l t I might not

, u ,
“

1 23
 ”
naysay her Thibault said the Count
.
“
, ,

bestir ye when ye will so hasten ye your ;

p lfreys your nags and your sumpter beasts
a , ,
-

;
and I will give you pennies and havings
” ”
enow Sir s i d Messire Thibault great
.
,
a
”
,
“

thank I give thee .

then they arrayed them and departed

S Owith great joy and they went so far
by their journeys that they drew nigh to ;
,

St Jacque by less than two days

. .

N a night theycame to a good w d to n, an

in the evening Messire Thibault called

his host and asked him concerning the road
,

for the morrow what road they should find , ,

and what like it might be d he said to ; an

him F air sir at the going forth from this

:
“
,

town ye shall find somewhat of a forest to

pass through and all the day after a good
,

road Therewith they held their peace and

.
,

the bed was apparelled and they went to ,

rest .

HE morrow was much fair and the ,

pilgrims rose up at daybreak and made

noise Messire Thibault arose and found
.
,

him somewhat heavy wherefore he called ,

his hamberlain and said Arise now and

C ,
:
“
,

do our meyney to tr ss and go their ways u ,

and thou shalt abide with me and truss o ur

1 24 .
harness for I am somewhat heavy and ill
:

at ease So that one commanded the ser

.

g the
e a nt s pleas re of their lord and they u ,

went their ways .

U T a little while was ere Messire

Thibault and his wife arose and arrayed
them and got to the road Th chamber
, . e

lai trussed their bed and it was not full

n ,

day but much fair weather They issued

, .

out of the town they three without more , ,

comp ny but only God and drew nigh to

a ,

the forest and whenas they came thith er ,

they found two ways one good and the , ,

o her bad The M i Thib l said to his

t . n e s s re au t
ch amberlain Prick spur now and come : ,

up with our folk and bid them abide us , ,

for ugly thing it is for a dame and a knight

to wend the wild wood with little com
”
-

pany .

O the chamberlain went his ways speed

ily and Messire Thiba lt came into
; u

the forest and came on the sundering ways

, ,

and knew not by which to wend So he .

” ”
said Dame by which way go we Sir
:
“
,
"
,

said she by the good way so please

”
, ,

God .

U T in this forest were certain strong

thieves who wasted the good way and, ,

12
5
The made the false way wide and side and li ke ,

unto the other for to make pilg ims go

, r

astray So Messire Thibault lighted down

.
,

and looked on the way and found the false ,

way bigger and wider than the good so he ”

said Come dame God s name this is it
:
“
,
a -
’

, .

So they entered therei and went a good n,

quarter of a league and then began the way ,

to wax strait and the boughs to hang alow

,

so he said Da m e meseemeth that

“
we go ,

not well .

HEN he had so said he looked before ,

him and saw fo r strong thieves

,
u -

a rmed upon four big horses and each one

, ,

held spear in hand And when he beheld .

them he looked behind him and saw other

, ,

four in other fashion armed and arrayed

and he said Dame be abashed at any
:
“
,
n ot

thing thou mayst see now from h f e n c e or

ward Then Messire Thibault greeted

.

those first come but they held them ll , a

aloof from his greeting So there fter . a

he asked them what was their will toward

him and one thereof said That same
; :
“

sh ll we tell thee anon

a

H
EREWI TH the strong thief came
against Messire Thibault with glaive in
.

rest and thought to smite him amidst of

,

126
the body and Messire Thibaul t saw the
;
stroke coming and if he doubted thereof
a -

, ,

no marvel w it but he swerved from the

as

stroke as best he might and that one missed ,

h im d as he passed by him Messire

; an

Thibault threw hi mself under the glaive ,

and took it from the strong thief and b , e

stirred h im against those three whence that

o ne was come and smote one of them,

amidst the body and slew him and there ,

after turned about and went back and , ,

smote him who had first come on him

amidst of the body and slew him
N OW it pleased God that of the eight
strong thieves he slew three and the
—
,
.

other five e compassed him and slew his

n ,

palfrey so that he fell adown on his back

,

without any wound to grieve him he had

neither sword nor any other armour to help
him So the strong thieves took his rai
.
-

m ent from him all to his shirt d his

, ,
an

spurs and shoon and then they took a ;

sword belt d bound his hands and his
-

,
an

feet and cast him into a bramble bush much

,
-

sharp d much rough

A an

ND when they had thus done hey

came to the Lady d took from her
.

, an
, t

her palfrey and all her raiment right to her ,

12
7
smock and she was much fair and she was ,

weeping tenderly and much and of great

,

manner was she sorrowf l

H
T EN one of the strong thieves beheld
her and said thus to his fellows Mas
,
u .

:
“

ters I have lost my brother in this stour

, ,

therefore will I have this Lady in atonement

”
thereof Another said B I l I have
. :
“
ut a s o,

lost my cousin german therefore I claim

-

;
as much as thou herein yea and another ”
,

such right have I And even in such wise

.

said the third and the fourth and the fifth

but at last said one In the holding of this
:
“

Lady ye have no great getting nor gain so ;

let us lead her into the forest here and do ,

our will on her and then set her on the

,
”
road again and let her go So did they even .

as they had devised and set her on the road,

aga n
1 .

E S S IRE Thibault saw it well and ,

much sorrowful he was but nought ,

might he do against it nor none ill will ;

had he against the Lady for that which had
befallen her for he wotted well that it had
been perforce and against the will of her .

Th Lady was much sorrowful and all

e ,

ashamed So Messire Thibault called to

.

’
her and said Dame for God s sak e com
:
“
, e

128
hither and unbind me and deliver me from ,

the grief wherein I am for these brambles ”

grieve me sore and anguish me .

O the Lady went whereas lay Messire

Thibault and espied a sword lying b
, e

hind there f one of the strong thieves wh

o -
o

had been slain So she took it and we t

.
, n

toward her lord full of great d evil

,
1re an

will of that which was b fallen F she e . or

do bted much that he would have her in

u

despite for that he had seen her thus and ,

that he would reprove her one while and

lay before her what had her betid She .

”
said Sir I will deliver thee anon
, .

THE REWITH she hove up the sword

and came to her lord d thought to ,
an

smite him amidst of the body and when

he saw the stroke coming he doubted it
much for h was ll naked to his shirt and
,
e a

breeches and no more Therefore so

,
.

hardly he quaked that the hands and the ,

fingers of him were sundered and in such

wise she smote him that she but hurt him a
little and sheared the thongs wherewith he
,

was bound and when he felt the bonds

;
slacken he drew to him andbrake thethongs
, ,

and leapt to his feet and said Dame ,

:
“
,

so please God no more to day shalt thou

,
-

1 1 29
The slay me But she said Of a surety
.
,

Hi s t ory of sir I am heavy thereof

,
.

O ver S ea E took the sword of her and put it ,

back into the scabbard and thereafter ,

laid his hand on her shoulder and ,

her back on the road whereby t

come And when he came to the entry of
.

the wood there found he a great part of

,

his company which was come to meet him

,
‘

;
and when they saw them thus naked they ,

asked of him Sir who hath thus arrayed ,

you " But he told them that they had fallen

in with strong thieves who had thus -

,
en

s ared them Much great dole they made

n .

thereof but speedily were they clad and

arrayed for they had well enough thereto
,

so they gat to horse and went their ways .

THAT day they rode and for nought ,

th t had befallen Messire Thibault m de

a a

no worser semblance unto the Lady That .

night they came unto a good town and ,

there they harboured Messire Thibault .

asked of his host if there were any house of

religion anigh thereto where one might ,

leave a lady and the host said Sir it b

, ,
e

falleth well to thee hard by without is a

;
house much religious and of much good
”
dames .

1
3 0
W ORE the night and Messire Thibault
went on the mo row into that house
and heard mass and thereafter spake to the
,
,

abbess and the convent and prayed them

, ,

that they would guard that Lady there till

his coming back and they gra ted it to ; n

him much willingly Messire Thibault left .

of his meney there to serve the Lady and ,

we t hi ways and did his pilgrimage the

n s ,

best he might And when he had do e his

. n

i
p glr i m g f i a d w
e ll he returned
a r an d m e , , an ca e

to the Lady He did good to the house

.
,

and gave theretoof his havings and took the ,

Lady unto him again and led her into his ,

country with as much great hono r as he had u

led her away save the lying bed with her

, a— .

HEN he was gotte aback into his n

land much great joy did they make

,

of him and of the Lady At his home

,
.

coming was the Count f Ponthieu the o ,

father of the Lady and there also was ,

the Count of St Pol who was uncle unto .

,

my lord Thibault A many was there of .

good folk and valiant at their coming Th . e

Lady was much honoured of dames and of

damsels .

THAT day the Count of Ponthieu sat ,

he and Messire Thibault they two ,

1 3 1
The together at one dish and so it fell out that
, ,

the Count said to him Thibault fair son , ,

he who long way w d h heare h much en et t ,

and seeth ofadventures whereofnought they ,

know who stir not tell me tale then if it , ,

please thee of some matter which thou hast

,

seen or heard tell of since ye departed

,
”
,

hence .

E SS IRE Thibault answered him that

he knew of no advent re to tell u

of but the Count prayed him again d ,

an

tormented him thereto and held him sore ,

to tell of some adventure insomuch that ,

Messire Thibault answered him Sir since ,

tell I needs must I will tell thee but so , ;

please thee let it not be within earshot of
,

so much folk Th Count answered and . e

said that it so pleased him well So after .

dinner whenas they had eaten the Count

, ,

arose and took Messire Thibault by the

hand and said to him Now would I that
,
“

thou say thy pleasure for here is not a ”

,

many of folk .

ND Messire Thibault fell to telling

how that it had betid to a knight
and a lady even as ye have heard in the
,

t le told but he told not the persons

a ;
unto whom it had befallen and the :

1 32
C ount who was much sage and right Th
,
e

thoughtful asked what the knight had Hi f

,

done with the Lady and he answered

that the knight had brought d led the ;
an
O s tory o

ver S ea

Lady back to her own country with as ,

much great joy and as much great honour

as he had led her thence save lying in the ,

bed whereas lay the Lady ”

.

H IBAU L T said the Count other , ,

“

wise deemed the knight than I had

deemed for by the faith which I owe
;
unto God and unto thee whom much I
, ,

love I would have hung the Lady by the

,

tresses to a tree or to a bush or by the very ,

girdle if none other cord I might find

,
”
.

Sir said Messire Thibault nought

, ,
“

so certain is the thing as it will be if the

Lady shall bear witness thereto with her ”
very body Thibault said the Count
.
,
“
knowest thou who was the knight Sir " “
,

said Messire Thibault yet again I pray ,

“

thee that thou acquit me of naming the

knight to whom this adventure betid know :

of a verity that in naming him lieth no ”

great gain Thiba lt s id the Count
.
“
u , a ,

know that it is not my pleasure that thou

” ”
hide it Sir said Thibault then will I
.
, ,

tell the same since I may not be acquitted

,

I3 3
thereof as willingly I would be if it were
,

your pleasure for in telling thereof lieth

;
”
not great avail nor great honour Thi
”
, .

bault said the Count since the word

, ,

has gone so far know that I would wot ,

straightway who was the knight unto

whom this adventure betid and I conjure
thee by the faith which thou owest to
,

God and to me that thou tell me who was ,

”
the knight since thou knowest thereof
”
,
.

IR said Messire Thibault by that

, ,

wherewith thou hast conju ed me r

withal I will tell thee And I wo ld well

, . u

that thou shalt know of a verity that I am

the knight unto whom this adventure
betid And wot thou that I was sore
.

grieving and abashed in my heart and ;

wot thou well that never erst have I
spoken thereof to any man alive and ; ,

moreover with a good will had I put

,

aside the telling of it if it had but pleased ,

thee .

U T when the C ount had heard tell

this adventure much grieving was ,

he and abashed and held his peace a great

, ,

while and spake no word and when he

, ;
spoke he said Thibault then to my
,
“
,

daughter it was that this adventure betid

1 34
 ” ”
Sir said he of a verity Thibault
, ,
”
.
,

said the Count well sh lt thou be ,

a

avenged since thou hast brought her back

”
,

to me
A .

ND because of the great ire which the

C o nt had he called for his daughter
u , ,

and asked of her if that were tr e which u

Messire Thibault had said and she asked ,

What " and he answered This that ,

thou wo ldest have slai him even as he

u
”
n ,
”
hath told it " Sir she said yea “
, ,
“
.

“
And wherefore said the Count wo ldst ,
” ”
,
“
u

thou have done it " Sir said she “

, ,

hereto f that yet it grieveth me that I

, or
”
did it not and that I slew him not
,
.

0 h C ount let ll that b and abode

t e a e,

till the Court was departed There .

after was he Rue Sea and Messire at -

on -

Thiba lt with him and the son of the

u ,

C ount and the C ount let lead with him

;
the Lady Then the Count let array a
.

strong craft and a trim and did do the ,

Lady enter therein and withal let lay ;

therein a tun all new strong and great
, , , ,

and thick Then they entered into the

.

said ship ll three without fellowship of

,
a ,

other folk save the mariners who rowed

,

the sh ip Then did the Count cause them

.

I
3S
The to row a full two leagues out to sea and
Hi s tory f much marvelled each one of what he
O ver S ea
o

thought to do but none durst ask him

,

U T when they were so far forth in

.

the sea as ye have heard the C ount ,

let smite out one head of the tun and ,

took the Lady who was his daughter and

, ,

who was much fair and well attired and ,

made her to enter in the tun would she , ,

would she not and then let head up the

;
tun again straightway and dight it well , ,

and let do the staves and stop it well

re— , ,

that the water might not enter in no

manner Then the Count let put it over
.

board the ship and he laid hand thereto

,

with his very own body and thrust the ,

tun into the sea and said I commend , :

“

”
thee unto the winds and the waves
M H
U C grieving was Messire Thiba lt
thereat and the brother of the
,
.

Lady Withal yea and all they that saw

; ,

the same and they fell all at the feet of

; "

the Count and prayed him mercy that

, ,

from out of that tun they might take her

and deliver her But the Count who was
.
,

much wroth and full of ire would not ,

grant it them for any thing that they

might do or pray So they let it be and .
,

1 36
 prayed to Jesus Christ the Sovereign ,

F ather that he of his exceeding great

, ,

goodness would have pity of her soul and

, ,

do her pardon of her sins .

THUS have they left the Lady in great

mischief and great peril even as ye ,

have heard the tal tell afore and thus e ,

they retu ned thence But our Lord

r .

Jesus Christ who is the Sovereign F ather

,

of us all and who willeth not the death of

,

si ners be they he or she but that they

n , ,

may turn them from their sins and live

( every day he h w h it unto us open
s l y o et

by works by examples and by miracles)

, , ,

sent succour unto the Lady even as ye ,

may hear f rther on u .

O R the history ifi h us d telleth

F of a verity that a merchant ship
te s t et , an

which came from the parts of F landers ,

before the Count and his fellows were well

com aland saw the tun floating even as
e ,

the winds and waves led it So said one .

of the merchants to his fellows Master s,

l there a tun and it shall come our way

o , ,

meseemeth and if we draw it aboard well ,

shall we have some avail of it in any case .

OW know ye that this ship was wont

N to go to the Land of the Saracens
I37
The for cheaping So the mariners drew
.

Hi s tory of thither where was the tun and did so ,

Over S ea much what by wile what by force that

, , ,

they gat the tun on to their ship And .

when the tun was laid on their ship they ,

looked m ch thereon d much marvelled

u ,
an

what it might be and so m ch that they u ,

beheld how one of the heads of the said

tun was newly arrayed Wherefore they .

unheaded it and found the L dy therein

, a ,

in such case as though her hour were

waning for air failed her Her body was
,
.

big her isage all swollen and her eyes

, V ,

ugly and troubled But when she saw the .

air and felt the wind she sighed a little

, , ,

and the merchants stood about her and

called unto her but she had no might to
,

speak But at last the heart came aback

.

to her and speech withal and she spoke

, ,

to the merchants and other folk whom she

saw around her and much she marvelled ;
when she found herself in such wise amidst
of the merchants but wh n she saw of ; e
them that they were Christians and mer
chants the more at ease she was and
, ,

much she praised Jesus Christ therefor in

her heart and thanked him of his good
,

ness whereas he had so done by her that

,

138
she yet h d a space of life F she had
a . or

much great devotion in her heart and ,

much great desire to amend her lif e

toward G d and toward others of the

o , ,

misdeeds she had done whereof she ,

do bted mightily
u .

HE merchants asked her of whence

she was and she hid the matter,

from them and said that a wretched thing

,

she was and a poor sinner even as they

, ,

might behold and that by much cruel ;

adventure was she thither come and for
’
;
God s sake let them have mercy upon her
and they nswered that even so would
a
they And she ate and drank and became
.
,

N OW so far went the ship of the

merchants that they came to the ,

La d of the Saracens and took haven by

n ,

A m i
u G lleys of the Saracens came to
ar e . a

meet them and they answered that th ey

,

were merchants who led div rs merchandis e e

by many lands and that they had the ;

safe conduct of pri ces and high barons
-
n ,

and that they might go into ll lands a

surely to seek h fl and lead their goods

,
c a
'

er .

0 they brought the Lady aland and ,

were with her And one asked the .

I39
The other what they should do wi h her and t ;
Hi s tory f
o one said that they should sell her and ;
Over S ea another said If I may be trowed we shall
: ,

give her as a gift to the rich Soudan of

A m i
u and then will our matter be
ar e,
”
m ightily amended .

THERETO they accorded ll and a ,

they took the Lady and brought her

to the Soudan who was a young man
, :

but first they did do attire and array the

Lady much richly and so gave her to the
,

Soudan who received the Lady much

,

joyously and with much go d will for o -

right fair was she Th Soudan asked of

. e

them what she was and they said Sir we

,
:
“
,

wot not but by marvellous adventure did

”
we find her .

U CH good will had the Soudan to

-

them of this gift and much good ,

he did to them therefor Much he loved .

the Lady withal and he let serve her

,

honourably Well was she heeded and

.
,

the colour came again unt o her and she ’

became marvellous fair .

THE Soudan fell to coveting the Lady

and to loving of her and he let ask ;
her by Latiners of what folk she w but as ,

no sooth thereof would she tell him or let

140
 him know Thereofwas he heavy whereas
.
,

he saw of her that she was a high woman ,

and of gentle lineage He let ask of her

.

if she were Christian and that if she ,

would leave her law he would take her to

wife for no wife had he as yet She saw
, .

well that better it were to come thereto

by love than by force so she answered that
,

so would she do of a good will and when

she had renied her and had left her law
, ,

the Soudan took her to wife according to

the manner and wont of the Land of the
H
Saracens e held her right dear and
.

honoured her much and waxed of great

,
,

love towards her .

U T a little while was she with the

Soudan ere she was big of a son and ,

lay in at her ti me the Soudan was right

;
glad and made much great joy And the
,
.

d me was ever of good fellowship with the

a

folk and much courteous and of good will

,

toward them and le rnt so much that she

, a

knew the Saracen tongue .

U T a little while wore in the years

B whereas she had the son ere she con ,

ce i d and had a daughter who anon b

ve , e

came much fair and much wise and in all ,

lordliness she let nourish her Thus was .

1 1
4
The the Lady abiding a two years in much joy
Hi s tory f
o and mirth .

Over S ea U T now the story leaves telling of the

B Lady and the Soudan till after as ye ,

shall come to hear and returneth to the ,

C ount of Ponthieu and to the son of the ,

C ount and to Messire Thibault of Dont

,

mart who were sore grieving for the Lady

,

who had been thuswise cast into the sea ,

even as ye have heard and knew no ,

tidings of her what was become of her

, ,

and trowed more that she were dead than

alive .

OW saith the history and the sooth ,

beareth witness thereto that the Count ,

was in Ponthieu and his son and Messire , ,

Thibault Th C ount was in sore great

. e

sadness and heavy thought of his daughter

, ,

and much he doubted him of the sin which

he had done Messire Thibault durst not
.

to wed him nor did the son of the Count

either because of the dolour wherein he saw
,

his friends abiding Neither would the son .

of the Count become knight though he ,

were well of an age thereto had he the ,

will.

N a day the Count forthought him

much of the sin which he had done
to his daughter and he betook him to the
,

Archbi hop of Rheims and confessed to

s

him and said to him ll the deed as he had

,
a ,

do e it He took the cross of Over Sea

n .
,

and crossed him And whenas Messire .

Thibault saw his lord the Count crossed ,

he confessed him and crossed him withal .

Likewise when the son of the Count saw

,

his father crossed and Messire Thibault ,

also whom he loved much he also crossed

, ,

him self And when the Count saw his son

.

crossed he was much grieved and said

, ,

F air son wherefore art thou crossed

,

Now sh ll the land abide void of lord

B ut the son answered and said F h I
a .

at er,

am crossed for God s sake first before all ’

things and for the saving of my soul and

, ,

to serve God and ho o r him to my power n u ,

so long as I shall have the life in my

”
b dy
o .

O h Count arrayed him speedily and

t e

bestirred him and went and took leave

,

but withal he looked to it who should ward

his l nd And Messire Thiba l t and the
a . u

son of the Count dight their matters and ,

they took to the way with much great safe

conduct They came in the Land of Over
.

Sea s fe of body and havings and there

a ,

1 43
Th e they did their pilgrimage much holily in all
Hi s tory of the places whereas they wotted that it ought
Over S ea to be done and God to be served
,
.

ND when the Count had so done he ,

bethought him that he would well to

do yet more so he gave himself to the
:

s rvice of the Temple for one year him

e ,

and his company and then when it came

to the end of the year deemed that he ,

would go visit his land and his country .

Wherefore he sent unto Acre and let array

his j ourney and he took leave of them of
,

the Temple and of the la d and much

,
n ,

they thanked h im for the ho our which he n

had brought them He came to Acre with

.

his fellows and they went aboard ship and

, ,

departed from the haven with right good

wind at will but it endured but for a little ;
for when they were on the high sea then ,

did a wind mighty and horrible fall upon

them unawares and the mariners knew
;
not whitherward they went and every hour ,

they looked to be drowned and so great

was their distress that they bound them
selves together the son to the father the
, ,

nephew to the uncle yea one to the other

, , ,

even as they were intermingled Th . e

C ount and his son and Messire Thibault

1 44
 n

m ight not su der

v
bou d themsel es together so that they Th e

n .

U T a little way had they gone in this

B wise ere they saw land and they
O ver

asked the mari ers what land it was and

n ,

they answered that it was the Land of the

Saracens and they called it the Land of
;
A m i and said unto the Count
u ar e , Sir :
“
,

what is thy pleas re that we do " for if w

u e

go yonder we sh ll be all t ken and fall into

,
a a
”
the hands of the Saracens Th Count said . e

to them Let go according to the will of

Jesus Christ whoshalltake heed to ourbodies
,

andour lives for ofan eviller or uglier death

;
”
we may not die than to die in this sea .

they let run along A m i and gal

S O u ar e ,

leys and craft of the Saracens came

against them Wot ye well that this was
.

an evil meeting for they took them d ; an

brought them before the Soudan who was ,

lord of that land and country So they .

made him a present of the Christians and of

all their havings the Soudan departed them
: ,

an d sent them to divers places ofhis prisons .

Th Count of Pon hieu and his son and

e t
Messire Thibault were so strongly bound
together that they might not be sundered .

Th Soudan commanded that they should

e

K 14
5
be laid in a prison by themselves where ,

they should have but little to eat and little

to drink and it was done even as he m co

m d d
an e There were they a while of time
.

in great misease and so long that the n

, so
of the Count was much sick insomuch that ,

the Count and Messire Thibault had fea r

of his dying .

THEREAFTER it fell out that the

Soudan held court much mightily and ,

made great joy for his birthday and this

was after the custom of the Saracens .

F TER dinner came the Saracens unto

the Soudan and said to him Sir
,
”
“
,

we require of thee our right He asked .

them what it was and they said Sir a

, ,
”
captive Christian to set up at the butts .

So he granted it to them whereas it was

a matter of nought and he said to them ,

Go ye to the gaol and take him who has

,
”
the least of life in him .

the gaol they went and drew the , o ut

TOCount all b d with a thick beard
,
e o ne ;
and when the Soudan saw him so 1n

poor estate he said to them This

,

one hath little might to live g ye o ,

lead him hence and do ye your will on

,

him .

146
 H
T E wife of the Soudan of whom ye Th
have heard who was daughter of the H
, e

f
, as
,

C ount w in the place whereas the C ount

who was her father was being led to the
O i s tory
ver S ea
o

de th and so soon as she saw him the

a , ,

blood and the heart was stirred within her ,

not so much for that she knew him but ,

rather that natur constrained her Then

e .

said the Lady to the Soudan Sir I am :

“
,

F rench wherefore I would willingly speak

,

to yonder poor man before he dieth if

”
,

it please thee Yea dame said the

.
“
,

So dan it pleaseth m well

u ,
e .

0 the La d y came to the Count and ,

drew him apart and caused the Sara ,

cens to draw aback and asked him of ,

whence he was and he said Lady I am

, ,

of the kingdom of France of a land which ,

is called Ponthieu .

HEN the Lady heard that all the ,

blood of her stirred within her ,

and straightway she asked of what kin ”

dred he was Certes dame said he it
.
, , ,
“

m y not import to me of what kin I be

a ,

for I have suffered so many pains and griefs

since I departed that I love better to die
,

than to live but so much can I tell thee of

;
”
a sooth that I was the Count of Ponthieu
, .

147
The HEN the Lady heard that she made ,

Hi s t ory of no semblance but forthwith de ,

Over S ea parted from the Count and came to the

Soudan and said Sir give me this captive
,
:
“
, ,

if it please thee for he knoweth the chess

,

and the tables and fair tales withal which

, ,

shall please thee much and he shall play ;

”
before thee and learn thee Dame said .
,

the Soudan by my law wot that with a

, ,

good will I will give him thee do with him

”
;
as thou wilt .

HEN the Lady took him and sent him

into her chamber and the jailers went ,

to seek another and led out Messire Thi,

bault who was the husband of the Lady

,

and in sorry raiment was he for he was ,

dight with long hair and had a great beard , ;

he was lean and fl hl as one who had es es s ,

suffered pain and dolour enough When .

the Lady saw him she said unto the Sou ,

dan Sir again with this one would I will

: ,
” ”
i gly speak ifit please thee
n , Dame said .
“
,
”
the Soudan it pleaseth me well So the
,
“
.

Lady came to Messire Thibault and asked ,

him of whence he was and he said I am , :

“

of the land of the old warrior whom they ’

l d before thee e en now and I had his
e :
”
daughter to wife and I am a knight ; .

14 8
 H
T E L dy knew well her lord so she Th
a

went back unto the Soudan and said to H

, e

f
h im Sir great goodness wilt thou do unto
:
“
,

me if thou wilt give me this one also

,

.
”
O i s t ory
ver S ea
o

”
Dame said he with a good will I wi ll
, ,

give him to hee So she thanked him t .

,

and sent him into her chamber with the

other .

U T the archers hastened and came to

the Soudan and said Sir thou doest , : ,
”
us wrong and the day is waning And
, a -
.

therewith they went to the gaol and brought

out the son of the Count who was all ,

covered with his hair d dishevelled as an ,

one who had not been washen a while .

Young m he was so that he had not yet

an ,

a beard but so lean he was and so sick

; ,

and feeble that scarce might he hold him

,

u
p . And when the Lady saw h im she had ,

of him much great pity She came to him .

and asked of him whose son and whence ,

he was and he said he was the son of the

,

first worthy Then she wotted well that

.

he w h brother but no semblance she

as er ,

made thereof .

IR certes said she to the Soudan

, , ,

thou wilt now do me great goodness

if thou wilt give me this one also for he ;
1
49
The knows the chess and the tables and all ,

Hi s tory of other games which much shall please thee

O ver S ea to see and to hear But the Soudan said
Dame by my law were there an hundred
,
,

,
:

of them I would give them unto thee

willingly .

HE Lady thanked him much and took ,

her brother and sent him straightway ,

into her chamber But the folk b took . e

them anew to the gaol and brought forth ,

another and the Lady departed thence

; ,

whereas she knew him So was he led n ot .

to his martyrdom and our Lord Jesus ,

Christ received his soul But the Lady .

went her ways forthwith for it pleased her ;

not the martyrdoms which the Saracens did
,

on the Christians .

HE came to her chamber wherein were

the prisoners and when they saw her ,

coming they made as they would rise up

, ,

but she made sign to them to hold them

still Then she went close up to them
.
,

and made them sign of frien dship And .

the Count who was right sage asked , ,

thereon Dame when shall they slay us

:
“
,

And she answered that it would not be ”

yet Dame said they thereof are we
.
, ,

heavy for we have so great hunger that it

; ,

1
5 0
lacketh but a little of our hearts departing Th e

Hi f
’
from us .

THE REAT she went forth and let array

meat and then she bro ght it and u ,
O s tory o

ver S ea

gave to each one a little and a little of ,

drink And when they had taken it then

.
,

had they yet greater hunger than afore .

Thuswise she gave the m to eat ten ti mes ,

the day by little and little for she doubted

,

that if they ate ll freely that they would

a ,

take so much as would grieve them .

Wherefore she did them to eat thus m a tte

pe rly
.

THUSWISE did the good dame give

them might again and they were b ,
e

fore her all the first seven days and the ,

n ight tide she did them to lie at their ease

-

;
and she did them do ff their evil raiment
o

and let give them good and new After .

'

the eighth day she had strength ned them

,
e

little by little and more and more and ;

then she let bring them victuals d drink an

to their content ment and in such wise that

,

they were so stro g that she aba doned to

n n

them the victual and the drink withal .

They had chequers and tables and played ,

thereon and were in ll content Th

, a . e

Soudan was ofttimes with them and good ,

1
5 1
The will he had to them play and much it see ,

pleased him But the dame refrained her

.

sagely toward them so that never was ,

o ne

of them that knew her neither by word ,

nor deed of hers .

U T a little while wore after this matter ,

as telleth the tale ere the Soudan had ,

to do for a rich soudan who marched on

, ,

him laid waste his land and fell to harry

, ,

ing him And he to avenge his trouble

.
, ,

summoned folk from every part and ,

assembled a great host When the Lady .

knew thereof she came into the chamber ,

whereas were the prisoners d she sat ,

an

down before them and spoke to them and , ,

said Lords ye have told me of your

:
“
,

m atters a deal now would I wot whether

that which ye have told me be true or not
for ye told me that thou wert Count of
Ponthieu on the day that thou d p d e a rte st

therefrom and that that man had had thy

,

daughter to wife and that the other one ,

was thy son Now I am S aracen and .

, ,

know the art of astronomy wherefore I :

tell you well that never were ye so nigh to

,

a shamef l death as now ye be if ye tell

u ,

m not the truth

e Th y daughter whom .
,
”
this knight had what became of her " ,

1 5 2
 Lady said the Count I trow that she
, ,
“

be dead What wise died she quoth

.

”
she Certes Lady said the Count by
.
, ,
”
,

an occasion which she had de rved And ”

se .
“

what was the occasion said the Lad y "

H
EN the C ount fell to tell sore weep
ing how she was wedded and of the
, ,
,
.

tarrying whereby she might not have a

,

child and how the good knight promised

his ways to St J k m in alicia d how
.

the Lady besought him that she might go

a e e G , an

along with him and he granted it willingly

, .

And how they bestirred them with great

joy and went their ways and so far that
, ,

they came unto a place where they were

without company Then met they in a .

forest robbers well armed who fell upon

them Th good knight iigh do nothing
,

. e n t
against all them for he was lacking of ,

arms but amidst all that he slew three

; ,

and five were left who fell upon him and ,

slew his palfrey and took the knight and

,

stripped him to the shirt and bound him ,

hand d foot and cast him into a briar

an ,

bush and the Lady they stripped d

: ,
an

took from her her palfrey They beheld .

the Lady d saw that she was full fair

,
an ,

and each one would have her At the last .

,

I S3
they accorded betwixt them hereto that ,

they should lie with her and they had their ,

will of her in her despite and when they

had so done they went their ways and she ,

abode much grieving and much sad Th

, . e

good knight beheld it and said much ,

sweetly Dame now unbind me my hands

:
“
,
”
,

and let us be going Now she saw a .

sword which was of of the slain strong

,
o ne

thieves she took it and went towards her ,

lord who lay as aforesaid she came in

, ;
great ire by seeming and said Yea ”
, ,
un

bind thee I will Then she held the sword .

all bare and hove it up and thought to

, ,

smite him amidst the body but by the good ,

mercy of Jesus Christ and by the valiancy ,

of the knight he turned p down and

,
u so ,

she smote the bonds he was bound withal ,

and sundered them and he leapt up for , ,

as bound and hurt as he was and said ,

“
Dame if God will thou shalt slay me
, ,

not to day -
.

A of the Soudan a sir thou sayest

T this word spake the Lady the wife

the sooth and wel l I know wherefore she

“
H ,
,

”
would do it Dame said the Count
to .
,
”
,
“
and wherefore Certes quoth she "
,
”
for the great shame which had b efallen h
I5
er.

4
 Messire Thibault heard that ,

he fell weeping much tenderly anda -

said Ha alas what fault had she therein

:

,
,

then Lady 8 may od give m deliver

ance from this prison wherein I m never
0 G e

a ,

should I have made worse semblance to

her therefor whereas it was maugre her ,

will.

IR said the Lady that she deemed

, ,
”
nought Now tell m she said . e, ,
“
which deem ye the rather that she be ”
,

quick or dead Dame said he we .

, ,
“

wot not Well wot I said the Count

.
’

, ,

of the great pain we have suff red which e ,

God hath sent us for the sin which I did”

against her But if it pleased God .
“
,

said the Lady hat she were alive and , t ,

that ye might have of her true tidings ,

”
what would ye say thereto Lady "
,

said the Count then were I gladder than ,

I should be to be delivered out of this

prison or to have so much riches as never
,
” ”
had I in my life Dame said Messire .
,

Thibault m y God give m no joy of

,
“
a e

that which I most desire but I were not ,

the gladder than to be king of F rance

”
.

“
Dame said the varlet who was her
,

broth er certes none could give m or

,
“
e

I
SS
The promise me thing whereof I should be so
glad as of the life of my sister who was ”
,

so fair a dame and so good , .

U T when the Lady heard these words ,

then was the heart of her softened ;

and she praised God and gave him thanks ,

therefor and said to them Take heed

, :
“
,

now that there be no feigning in your

,

words And they answered and said that

.

none there was Then fell the Lady .

a weeping tenderly and said to them Sir

-

, : ,

now mayest thou well say that thou art my

father and I thy daughter even her on
, ,

whom thou didest such cruel justice And .

thou Messire Thibault thou art my lord

, ,

and my baron And thou sir varlet art ”

.
, ,

my brother .

HEREWI TH she told them how

the merchants had found her ,

and how they gave her as a gift to the

Soudan And when they heard that they
.
,

were much glad and made m ch great joy ,

u ,

an d hu m bled them before her but she ;

forbade them that they should make any
semblance and said I am Saracen and ,
“
,

renied for otherwise I migh never endure

, t ,

but were presently dead Wherefore I .

pray you and bid you for as dear as ye ,

1
5 6
hold your lives and honours and your Th
v
ha ings the greater that ye never once H
whatso ye may hear o mak any mor
,

r s ee ,
,

e
,

e O
e

i s tory
ver S ea
f
o

fair semblance unto m but hold you e,

simply So leave m to deal therewith

. e .

Now shall I tell you wherefore I have un

co vered me to you Th Soudan who is . e ,

now my lord goeth presently riding and

,
”
a— ;
I know thee well ( said h to Messire s e

Thibault ) that thou art a v l ia t man and

,
“
a n

a good knight ther fore I will pray the : e

Soudan to take thee with him and then if

ever thou wert valiant now do thou show ,

it and serve the So dan so well that he

, u
”
may hav no evil to tell of th
e ee .

THEREWITH departed the Lady and ,

came unto the So dan and said Sir u , ,

one of my prisoners will go with thee if it

”
,

please thee Dame said he I would

.
, ,
“

not dare trust me to him lest he do me

” ”
,

some treason Sir she said in surety

.
, ,
“

mayest thou lead him along for I will ” ”

;
hold the others Dame said he I will .
, ,

lead him with me since thou ll me ,

c o u ns e es t

so and I will give him a horse much good

, ,

and arms and all that is meet for him

, .

O then the Lady went back and said to ,

Messire Thibault I have done so :

“

I
S7
The much with the Soudan that thou shalt go ,
”
Hi s t ory with him Now be hink thee to do well
O ver S ea
f
o .

But her brother kneeled before her and

prayed her that she would do so much with
t

,
.

the Soudan that he also should go But .

said h I will not do it the matter

s e
“

”
,

be over open thereby .

HE Soudan arrayed his matters and

went his ways and Messire Thibault ,

with him and they went against the enemy

,
.

Th Soudan delivered to Messire Thibault

e

arms and horse By the will of Jesus .

C hrist who never forgetteth them who

,

have in him t ust and good faith Messire

r ,

Thibault did so much in arms that in a ,

little while the enemy of the Soudan was

brought under whereof much was the ,

Soudan rejoiced he had the victory and ; ,

l d away much folk with him

e And so .

soon as he was come back he went to the ,

Lady and said Dame by my law I much

, :

pra se thy prisoner for i h well hath he

, ,

i ,
nu c

served me and if he will cast aside his law

;
and take ours I will give him wide lands
,
” ”
,

and richly will I marry him Sir she .

,

said I wot not but I trow not that he will

,
“
,

do it Therewith they were silent so that

.
,

they spake not more But the Lady dighted .

1 58
her business straightway after these thi gs Th n e

the best she might and she came to her H i s tory of

prisoners and said ,

ORDS now do ye hold ye wisely that

,

O ver S ea

L the Souda perceive not our co nsel

, ,

,
G
and the land of Ponthieu
n

for if od please we shall yet be in France ,

.
u

OW came a day when the Lady

moaned much and complained her , ,

and came before the S oudan and said ,

S i I go with child well I wot it and am

r, , ,

fallen into gr at i firm ity nor ever since

e n ,

thy departure have I eate a ght wherein ”

n u
”
was any savour to m Dame said he e .
, ,

I m heavy of thy sickness but much

joyous that tho art with child B ut now
“
a ,

u .

command and devise all things that thou

d m ee might be good for thee and I will
es t ,

let seek and array them whatsoever they ,

m y cost m
a e .

HEN the Lady heard that she had ,

much great joy in her heart but ;

never did she show any semblance thereof ,

save that so much she said Si my old r,

prisoner hath said to me that but I be ,

presently upon earth of a right nature I ,

a m but dead and that I may not live long .

”
Dame said the Soudan nought will I
, ,

I
59
 ’
The thy death look to it then on what land , ,

Hi s t ory of thou wouldest be and I will let lead

O ver S ea thee thereto .
”
Sir she said it is of
no matter to me so that I be out of this ,
,

,
”
,
“

”
c 1t
y .

H
EN the Soudan let array a ship fair
and stout and let garnish her well
,
”
with wine and victual Sir said the Lady
”
.
,

to the Soudan I will have with me my old

,

prisoner and my young one and they shall ,

play at the chess and the tables and my ”

son will I take to pleasure me Dame .
,

said he it pleaseth me well that thou do

,
“

thy will herein But what hap with the .

”
third prisoner Sir said she thou " “
, ,
“

shalt do thy will herein Dame said .

“
,

h I will that thou take him wi th thee

e, for
he is a valiant man and will heed thee ,

well on land and sea if need thou have

”
,

thereto .

THEREWITH she prayed leave of

the Soudan and he granted it and , ,

much he prayed her to come back speedi ly .

Th ship was apparelled and they were

e ,

alb and they went aboard and de

ou n ; ,

parted from the haven .

Q OD wind they had and ran much ,

hard and the mariners called to

:
the Lady and said to her Dame this
, .
“
,

wind bringing straight to Brand s now

13 i

command us thy pleasure to go thither or

”
elsewhere And she said to them Let
.

run hardily for I know well how to speak

,

F rench and other tongues and I will lead ,

”
you through all .

OW so much they ran by day and by

N night through the will of Jesus
,

Christ that they are come to Brandis

,

there they took harbour in all safety and ,

lighted down on the shore and were ,

received with much great joy Th Lady . e ,

who was much wise drew towards the ,

prisoners and said to them Lords I

,
: ,

would that ye call to mind the words and

agreements which ye said to me and I ,

would be now all sure of you and have ,

good surety of your oaths and that ye say

to me on all that ye hold to be of od if
ye will to hold to your behests which ye
,

,
G
have behight me or not for yet have I
,
”
;
m ight to return .

answered Lady know without :

“
,

that we have covenanted

nought with you which shall not be held
toward you by us loyally and know by ;
our Christendom and our Baptism and by ,

1 . 1 61
Th e whatsoever we hold of God that we will ,
”
Hi s t ory of hold to it be thou in no doubt thereof
O ver S ea ND I will trow in you henceforth
said the Lady Now lords said .
“
, ,
”
.

she lo here my son whom I had of the

,
“
,

" ”
Soudan what shall we do with him
;
Dame let him come to great honour and
,
” ”
great gladness Lords said h Lady .
,
t e ,

much have I misdone against the Soudan ,

for I have taken from him my body and ”

,

his son whom he loved much .

HEN she we t back to the mariners n ,

and called and said to them Mas :

“

ters get ye back and tell to the Soudan

,

that I have taken from him my body and ,

his son whom he loved much and that I ,

have cast forth from prison my father my ”

,

husba d and my brother And when the

n ,
.

mariners heard that they were much ,

grieving but more they might not d

; o ;
and they returned sad and sorrowful for ,

the Lady d for the youngling whom

, an ,

they loved much and for the priso ers ,

n ,

who were thus lost without recover

ance .

U T the C ount apparelled himself ,

whereto he had well enough by ,

means of merchants and by Templars wh ,

o

1 62
l nt him of their good full willingly Th
e . e

And when the Count and his company had Hi f

s t ory o

sojourned in the town so long as their O ver S ea

pleasure was they arrayed them and went
,

th ir ways thence and came to Rome

e ,
.

Th Count went before the Apostle and

e ,

his fellowship with him Each one con .

f ss d him the best that he could and

e e ;
when the Apostle heard it he was much ,

glad and m uch great cheer he m ade of

,

them He baptized the child and he was

.
,
’

called William He reconciled the Lady

.
,

and set her again in right Christendom ,

and confirmed the Lady d Messire Thi an

bault her baron in right marriage and

, , ,

joined them together again and gave ,

penitence to each of them and absolved ,

th m of their sins
A e

F TER that they abode no long while

ere they departed from Rom e and
,
.

took their leave of the Apostl who much e,

had honoured them d he gave them his an

blessi g and commended them to God

n ,
.

So went they in great joy and in great

pleasance and praised God and his mother
,

and the hallows both car" and quean and , ,

gave tha ks for the goods which they had

n

done the m .
Th e
Hi s tory of
ANDca esointofar thetheylandjourneyed
m
that they
where they were
,

O ver S ea born and were received great procession

,

by the bishops and the abbots and the

1n

people of religion and the other clerks ,

who much had desired them .

U T above all other joys made they

B joy of the Lady who was th s u re

covered and who had thus delivered her

,

father her husband and her brother from

, ,

the hands of the Saracens even as ye have ,

heard But now leave we of them this

. ln

place and tell we of the mariners who had

,

brought them and of the Saracens who had

come with them
H
T E mariners and the Saracens who
had brought them to Brandis
.

re

turned their speediest they had good

at ;
wind and ran till they came ff A m i
, o u ar e .

They lighted down on shore sad and sor

ro wf l and went to tell the tidings to h
u ,
t e

Soudan who was much sorrowful ther of

,
e ,

and in great dole abode and for this ;

adventure the less he loved his daughter ,

who had abided there and honoured her ,

the les Notwithstanding the damsel

s .
,

became much sage and waxed in great ,

wit so that all honoured her and loved

,

1 64
 her d prized h for the good deeds Th
w ,
an

hich they told of her

UT w the history holds its peace of
Hi
er

O
e

f
s tory o

ver S ea
B the Soudan who made great dole
no

for his wife and his prisoners who thus

had escap d and it returneth to the Count
e ,

of Po thie who was received into his

n u,

land with great procession and much ,

honoured as the lord that he was .

O long while wore ere his son was

m ade knight and great cheer folk ,

m ade of him He was a knight much

.

worthy and v liant and much he loved a ,

the worthies and fair gifts he gave to

,

poor knights and poor gentle d mes of a

t h e country and much was prized and

,

loved of poor and of rich F a worthy . or

he was and a good knight and courteous

, , ,

and openhand d and kind and nowis e , ,

e

proud Yet but a little while he lived

.
,

whi h was great damage and much was he

c ,

bemoaned of all .

F TE R this adventure it befell that the

C ount held a great court and a great
feast and had a many of knights and
,

other folk with him and therewithal ;

came a v ry noble man and knight who
e ,

was a much high man in Normandy who ,

1 65
The was called my lord Rao l de Preaux u .

Hi s t ory of T his Raoul had a daughter much fair and

O ver S ea much wise Th Count spake so much to
. e

my lord Raoul and to his friends that he ,

made the wedding betwixt William his

nephew son to the Soudan of A m i
, u ar e ,

and the daughter of my lord Raoul for ,

no heir had he save that daughter .

William wedded the damsel and the ,

wedding was done much richly and there ,

after was the said William lord of

Preaux .

ONG time thence was the land in

peace and without war and Messire :

Thibault was with the Lady and had of ,

her sithence two man children who there

-

after were worthies and of great lordship .

Th son of the C ount of Ponthieu of

e ,

whom we have told so much good died ,

but a little thereafter whereof was made

,

great dole throughout all the land Th . e

C ount of St Pol lived yet and now were

.
,

the two sons of my lord Thibault heirs of

those two countries and thereto they
,

attained at the last Th good dame

. e

their mother lived in great penitence and ,

much she did of good deeds and alms ;

and Messire Thibault lived as the worthy
1 66
which he was and much did he of good ,

whiles he was in life

O
W it befell that the daughter of the
L ady who had abided with the
,
.

S o dan her father waxed in great beauty

u ,

and b came much wise and was called the

e ,

F air Caitif because her m other h d left

, a

her thus as ye have heard but a Turk : ,

m ch valiant who served the Soudan

u ,

( Ma lakin of Baudas was he called ) this ,

Malakin saw the da msel to be courteous

and sage and much good had heard tell of
,

her wherefore he coveted her in his heart ,

an d came to the S oudan and said to h im

“
Sir for the service which I have done
,
” ”
thee give m a gift Malakin said the
, e .
“
,
”
S ouda what gift " Sir said he
n,
“
, ,

m ight I dare to say it because of her ,

highness whereof I have nought so much

,
”
as she say it I would
, .

HE Soudan who wise was and clear ,

seeing said to him Speak in all

,
" “

surety that which thou willest to speak ;

for mu h I love thee and prize thee and
c ;
if the thing be a thing which I may give
thee saving my honour know verily that
,
”
,
”
thou shalt have it Sir said he well .
“
, ,
“

I will that thine honour shall be safe and ,

1 67
against it nought would I ask of thee but :

if it please thee give me thy da ghter for I

,
u ,

pray her of thee and right willingly would

,

I take her .

THE Soudan held his peace and

thought awhile and he saw well ;
that Malakin was a worthy and wise and , ,

might wel l come to great honour and

great good and that well he might be
,

worthied so he said Malakin by my

; : ,

law thou hast craved me a great thing for

, ,

I love much my daughter and no heir ,

else have I as thou wottest well and as

, ,

sooth is She is born and come fro m the

.

most highest kindred and the most valiant

of France for her mother is daughter of
the Count of Ponthieu but whereas thou
art valiant and much well hast served me
, ,

I will give her to thee with a good will ifshe

” ”
,

will grant it Sir said M l akin

.
,
a
”
,

“
against her will would I do nothing .

HEN the Soudan let c l l the damsel a ,

and she came and he said to her ,

My fair daughter I have married thee if

”
,
”
,

so it please thee Sir she said well is

.
, ,

m y pleasure therein if thou wi ll it Then , .

the Soudan took her by the hand and ,

said Hold Malakin " 1 give her to thee

: , .

1 68
He received her gladly and m great joy ,

an d i gr at honour of all his f iends

n e r ;
and he wedded her according to the
Saracen law d he led her into his land
; an

i great joy and in great ho our

n Th n . e

So dan brought h im on his road a reat

u

way with much compa y of folk so g as

,
n ,
r

h im pleased then ret rned and took leave

da ght r d her lord B ut a great
u ,

u e an .

part of his folk he sent with her to serve

ALAKIN came into his country and ,

m uch was he served and honoured ,

and was receiv d with great joy by all his

e

frie ds d they twai liv d together

n an n e

long and joyously and had children to ,

gether as the history be reth witness

,
a .

F this da m e who was called the F air

,

C aitif was bor the mother of h

,
n t e

courteous Turk S l h di who was so a a a n,

worthy and wise and conq ering u .

H do e out of ancie t French into

ERE ends the Story of Over Sea ,

n n

English by William Morris .

 I I
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-

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