The Romance of the Sowdone of Babylone And of Ferumbras His Sone Who Conquered Rome*
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                225                    230                    235                    240                    245                    250                    255                    260                    265                    270                    275                    280                    285                    290                    295                    300                    305                        310                    315                    320                    325                    330                    335                    340                    345                    350                    355                        360                    365                        370                    375                    380                        385                    390                    395                    400                    405                    410                    415                    420                    425                    430                    435                    440                    445                    450                    455                    460                    465                    470                    475                    480                    485                    490                    495                    500                    505                    510                    515                    520                    525                    530                    535                    540                    545                        550                    555                    560                    565                    570                        575                    580                    585                    590                    595                        600                    605                    610                    615                    620                    625                    630                    635                    640                    645                    650                    655                    660                    665                    670                    675                    680                    685                    690                        695                    700                    705                    710                    715                    720                    725                    730                    735                    740                    745                    750                    755                    760                    765                    770                    775                    780                        785                    790                    795                    800                    805                    810                    815                    820                    825                    830                    835                    840                    845                    850                    855                    860                    865                    870                    875                    880                    885                    890                        895                    900                    905                    910                    915                    920                    925                    930                    935                        940                    945                    950                    955                    960                        965                    970                    975                    980                    985                    990                    995                    1000                    1005                    1010                    1015                    1020                    1025                    1030                    1035                    1040                    1045                    1050                        1055                    1060                    1065                    1070                    1075                    1080                    1085                    1090                    1095                    1100                    1105                        1110                    1115                    1120                    1125                    1130                    1135                    1140                    1145                    1150                    1155                    1160                    1165                    1170                    1175                    1180                    1185                    1190                    1195                    1200                    1205                    1210                    1215                    1220                    1225                    1230                    1235                    1240                    1245                    1250                    1255                    1260                    1265                    1270                    1275                    1280                    1285                    1290                    1295                    1300                        1305                    1310                    1315                    1320                    1325                    1330                        1335                    1340                    1345                    1350                    1355                    1360                    1365                    1370                    1375                    1380                        1385                    1390                    1395                    1400                    1405                    1410                    1415                    1420                    1425                    1430                        1435                    1440                    1445                    1450                    1455                    1460                    1465                    1470                    1475                    1480                    1485                    1490                        1495                    1500                    1505                    1510                    1515                    1520                    1525                    1530                    1535                    1540                    1545                    1550                    1555                    1560                    1565                    1570                    1575                    1580                        1585                    1590                    1595                    1600                    1605                    1610                    1615                    1620                    1625                    1630                    1635                    1640                    1645                    1650                    1655                    1660                        1665                    1670                    1675                        1680                    1685                        1690                            1695                        1700                        1705                    1710                            1715                    1720                        1725                    1730                    1735                        1740                    1745                    1750                    1755                    1760                    1765                    1770                    1775                    1780                    1785                    1790                    1795                    1800                    1805                    1810                    1815                    1820                    1825                    1830                    1835                    1840                    1845                    1850                        1855                    1860                    1865                    1870                    1875                        1880                    1885                    1890                    1895                    1900                    1905                    1910                    1915                    1920                    1925                    1930                    1935                    1940                    1945                    1950                        1955                    1960                    1965                    1970                    1975                    1980                    1985                    1990                    1995                    2000                    2005                    2010                    2015                    2020                    2025                    2030                    2035                    2040                    2045                    2050                        2055                    2060                    2065                    2070                    2075                    2080                    2085                    2090                        2095                    2100                    2105                    2110                    2115                    2120                    2125                    2130                    2135                    2140                    2145                    2150                    2155                        2160                    2165                    2170                    2175                    2180                    2185                    2190                    2195                        2200                    2205                    2210                    2215                    2220                    2225                    2230                    2235                    2240                    2245                        2250                    2255                    2260                    2265                    2270                        2275                    2280                    2285                    2290                    2295                    2300                    2305                    2310                    2315                        2320                    2325                    2330                    2335                    2340                    2345                    2350                    2355                    2360                    2365                    2370                    2375                    2380                    2385                    2390                        2395                    2400                    2405                    2410                    2415                        2420                    2425                    2430                    2435                    2440                    2445                    2450                    2455                    2460                    2465                    2470                    2475                    2480                    2485                    2490                    2495                    2500                    2505                    2510                    2515                    2520                    2525                        2530                    2535                    2540                    2545                    2550                    2555                    2560                    2565                    2570                    2575                    2580                    2585                    2590                    2595                    2600                    2605                    2610                    2615                        2620                    2625                    2630                    2635                    2640                    2645                    2650                    2655                    2660                    2665                    2670                    2675                    2680                    2685                    2690                        2695                    2700                    2705                    2710                    2715                    2720                    2725                    2730                    2735                        2740                    2745                    2750                        2755                    2760                    2765                    2770                    2775                    2780                    2785                    2790                        2795                    2800                    2805                    2810                    2815                        2820                    2825                    2830                    2835                    2840                    2845                        2850                    2855                    2860                    2865                    2870                    2875                    2880                    2885                    2890                    2895                    2900                    2905                    2910                    2915                    2920                    2925                    2930                        2935                    2940                    2945                    2950                    2955                    2960                    2965                    2970                    2975                    2980                    2985                    2990                    2995                    3000                    3005                    3010                    3015                    3020                    3025                    3030                    3035                    3040                    3045                        3050                    3055                    3060                    3065                    3070                    3075                        3080                    3085                    3090                    3095                    3100                    3105                    3110                    3115                    3120                        3125                    3130                    3135                    3140                    3145                    3150                    3155                    3160                    3165                    3170                    3175                    3180                    3185                    3190                    3195                    3200                    3205                    3210                    3215                    3220                    3225                        3230                    3235                    3240                    3245                    3250                    3255                    3260                    3265                    3270	God in glorye of myghtes moost, That al thinge made in sapience By vertue of Woorde and Hooly Goost, Gyvinge to man grete excellence, And alle that is in erthe wroght Subjecte to man and man to The, That he should with herte and thought To love and serve, and noon but The: For yyfe man kepte Thy commaundemente In al thinge and loved The welle And hadde [ne] synnede in his entente, Than shulde he fully Thy grace fele; But for the offences to God i-doon Many vengeaunces have befalle. Whereof I wole you telle of oon, It were to moch to telle of alle. While that Rome was in excellence Of all realmes in dignite, And howe it felle for his offence, Listinythe a while and ye shall see, Howe it was wonen and brente Of a Sowdon, that heathen was, And for synne how it was shente; As King Lowes witnessith that cas, As it is wryten in romaunce And founden in bokes of antiquyté At Seinte Denyse Abbey in Fraunce, There as cronycles remembrede be, Howe Laban, the kinge of hie degre, And syre and Sowdon of hie Babilon, Conquerede grete parte of Christianté, That was born in Askalon. And in the cité of Agremare Uppon the rivere of Flagote At that tyme he sojorned there Fulle roially, wel I wote, With kinges twelfe and admyralles fourtene, With many a baron and knightis ful boold, That roialle were and semly to sene; Here worthynesse al may not be told.     Hit bifelle bytwyxte March and Maye, Whan kynde corage begynneth to pryke, Whan frith and felde wexen gaye, And every wight desirith his like, Whan lovers slepen withe opyn yye As nightyngalis on grene tre, And sore desire that thai cowde flye, That thay myghte withe here lovere be: This worthy Sowdon in this seson Shope him to grene woode to goon, To chase the bore or the veneson, The wolfe, the bere and the bawson. He roode tho uppon a foreste stronde With grete rowte and roialte, The fairest, that was in all that londe, With alauntes, lymmeris and racches free. His huntes to chace he commaunde, Here bugles boldely for to blowe, To fere the beestis in that launde. The Sowdon woxe wery i-nowe; He rested him undere an holme tre, Sittynge uppon a grene sete Seynge a dromonde com sailyng in the see Anone he charged to bekyn him with honde To here of him tidinges newe. The maister sende a man to londe, Of divers langages was gode and trewe, And saide `Lorde, this dromonde Fro Babyloyne comen is, That was worthe thousande poundis, As it mete with shrewes i-wis, Charged with perle and precious stones And riche pelure and spicerye, With oyle and bras qweynte for the nones 1 To presente yow, my lorde worthy. A drift of wedire us droffe to Rome, The Romaynes robbed us anone; Of us thai slowgh ful many one. With sorwe and care we be bygone. Whereof, lorde, remedye Ye ordeyne by youre barons boolde, To wreke the of this vilané; Or certes our blis is coolde.' The Soudon hirynge this tythinge, With egre chere he made a vowe To Mahounde and to Appolyne, That thai shulde by it dere i-nowe, Er that he wente fro theyme. `Where be ye, my kinges boolde, My barons and my admyral? Thes tidinges make myn herte coolde; But I be venged, dyen I shalle. Sire Ferumbras, my sone so dere, Ye muste me comforte in this case: My joye is alle in the nowe here And in my doghter Dame Florypas. Sortybraunce, my counselere, Lete clepe him forthe to counsaile me, And Oliborne, my chauncelere And noble clerke of hie degre, And Espiarde, my messangere, To goon to Assye and to Aufrike To kinges, princes ferre and nere, Barons, admyralls and dukes frike, Comaundinge hem uppon her legeaunce To come in al hast unto me, Wel armed with shelde and launse, To Egremoure thon riche cité.' In shorte tyme this message was wroghte An hundred thouusande on a rowte. That robbery was righte dere boght, Was never none derrer withouten doughte. The Kinge of Baldas, Sir Lukafere, Of Aufryke lorde and governoure, Spake to the Sowdon, that men myghte here, And saide `Sir, for thyn honoure, Do sende for shippes both fere and nere.' Carrikes, galeis and shippes shene, Sefen hundred were gadered al in fere And a dromonde for the Sowden kene. Sir Ferumbras of Alisaundre In the dromonde with him was, Of Assy the Kinge of Chaundere, And his faire doghter Floripas. Two maistres were in the dromounde, Two goddes on hye seten thore In the maister toppe, withe macis rounde, To manace with the Cristen lore. The sailes were of rede sendelle, Embrowdred with riche arraye, With beestes and breddes every dele, That was right curious and gaye; The armes displaied of Laban Of asure and foure lions of goolde. Of Babiloyne the riche Sowdon, Moost myghty man he was of moolde; He made a vowe to Termagaunte: Whan Rome were distroied and hade myschaunce, He woolde turne ayen erraunte And distroye Charles, the Kinge of Fraunce.     Forth thai sailed on the flode, Tille thai come to the haven of Rome: The wynde hem served; it was ful goode. Ther londed many a grymlye gome. Thai brente and slowen, that Cristen were, Town, abbey and holy chirche. The hethen hade such power there, That moche woo gan thai there wirch. Tidinggis came to Rome anone Unto the pope, that that tyme was, That the hethen came to bren and slone. This was to hem a sory cas. He lete cal his counsaile togeder To wete what was beste to don. Anone as thai were come thedere, He asked of hem al ful sone: `Lordinges, it is unknowne to you, That this cursed hathen Sowdon Brennyth and stroyeth oure pepul nowe, Alive he leveth unneth not one. Seint Petir be oure governoure And save this worthi cité of Rome, And Seinte Poule be oure gydoure From this cursed hethen houne!' Ifrez he bispake him than, Of Rome he was a senatoure, And saide, `Sendith some worthy man To Charles, kinge of hye honoure. He wolde you helpe with all his myghte, That noble Kinge of dowse Fraunce.' `Certes,' quod Savaris, `that weren no righte; It were right a foule myschaunce, To sende to that worthy kinge. We have oure hedes yet al hole, Oure sheldes be not broke no thinge, Hawberke, spere, ner poleyne, ner pole. 2 Whereof shul we playn to him, That no thinge yet have assaide? Mech vylanye we myght wynne, That for noght were so sone afrayed. Ten thousande men delyvere me tyte Tomorue next into the feelde, And I shall prove with al my myghte To breke there bothe spere and shelde.' Unto the senatours it semed welle, His consaile goode and honurable. This worthi duke was armed in stele In armes goode and profitable; He bare a chek of goulis clere, An egle of goolde abrode displayed, With him many a bolde bachelere. Tho spake Savaryz with wordes on hye And saide, `My felowes alle, This daie prove you men worthy, And faire you al shal befalle. Thenke yat Criste is more myghty Than here fals goddis alle; And He shal geve us the victorie, And foule shal hem this day bifalle.' Forth than rode that faire ooste With right goode chere and randon, Tille thay come ful nyghe the cooste Of the Sowdons pavylon. Ferumbras was of hem ware And sprange out as a sparkil of glede. Of armes bright a sheelde he bare; A doughty man he was of dede. Fyftene thousande came oute there With him at that same tyde, Ayen the Romaynes for to were, With bobaunce, booste and grete pride. The stoure was stronge, enduryng longe: The Romaynes hade there the feelde; The Sarysyns thai slough amonge, Ten thousand and mo with spere and sheelde. Savariz was wise and ware And drowe towards that citee. His baner displaied with him he bare To releve with his meyné. The pope with his senatours Thanked God that tyme of glorie, That gafe hem that day grete honours, Of hethen that dai to have the victorie. Lukafere, Kinge of Baldas, The countrey hade serchid and sought, Ten thousande maidyns fair of face Unto the Sowdan hath he broghte. The Sowdon commanded hem anone, That thai shulde al be slayn. Martires thai were everychon, And therof were thai al ful fayne. He said, `My peple nowe ne shalle With hem noughte defouled be, But I wole distroie over all The sede over alle Cristianté.' Tho spake Lukefere the Kinge, That hethen hounde Baldas, And saide, `Sir Sowdan, graunte me one thinge, Thi doghter Dame Floripas. The Kinge of Fraunce I shal the bringe And the Twelfe Dosipers alle in fere.' The Sowdan saide in that tokenyng, `I graunte the here, that is so dere.' Tho sayde Floripe, `Sire, noon haste, He hath note done as he hath saide. I trowe he speketh these wordes in waste; He wole make bute an easy brayde. Whan he bryngith home Charles the Kinge And the Twelfe Dosipers alle, I graunte to be his derlynge What so evere therof byfalle.' Than on the morowe the Sowdan Callid to him Lukafere of Baldas, To assaile the cité anone: `And loke thou tary not in this cas! Thritty thousande of my menie, Of Gallopes, Ethiopes and Aufricanes, Take hem to the walles with the. Betith down wallis, towris and stones.' Lukafere blewe his clarion To assemble the Sarasyns that tide, Whereof thai knewe right welle the soune. Thai made hem redy for to ride, But whan thai come to the yate, The dikes were so develye depe, Thai helde hemselfe chekmate; Over cowde thai nothir goo nor crepe. Lukafere in al the haste Turned to the Sowdan agayn And saide, `Sir, it is all in waste, We laboure nowe alle in vayne. To depe and brode the dikes bene, The towres so stronge be with-alle, That by Mahounde I can note seen, How that we shulde wyne ther to the walle.' Who was woode but the Sowdon? He reneyed his goddis alle. He clepede his engynour Sir Mavone, To counsaile he did him faste calle. He tolde him the case of that myschefe, How it stode at that ilke tyde. Mavon gafe him counsel in breefe To fille the dikes that were depe. `Every man to woode shal goon, Fagotis to hewe and faste bynde, And fille the dikes faste anoon With alle that we may ther fynde.' `Gramercy, Mavon,' quod Laban than, `Mahoundis benysone thou shalt have, Of all myn ooste the wiseste man, With counsaile men for to save.' Alle this was done the seconde daye, Men myght go even to the walle. On every party the ooste laye; Thai made assaite then generalle. The Romayns ronnen to the toures, Thai were in ful grete dowte; Thai hade many sharpe shoures, Thai were assailed sore abowte. Wifis and maidyns stones thai bare To the walles than ful faste, Thai were in grete drede and care; The men over the wallis did caste. Thai slowen many a Sarasyn, Ten thousande pepul of hem and moo. The daie passed to the fyne; The hethen withdrowe hem tho.     Whan these tidinges came to Laban, His goddes he gan chide. He waxe both blake, pale and wan, He was nyghe woode that same tyde. Tho Lukafer comfortede him welle And saide `Sir, be not dismayed, For I have aspied everydele, Howe thai shalle alle be betrayede. Savariz wole tomorowe with us fighte, His baner knowe I ful welle; I shal have an othere, I you plighte, Like to this every dele. When he is moste besy in bataile, Than wole I with banere displaiede Ride into Rome without faile, Thus shal thai al be betrayede.' The Sowdan was glad of this tidinge, Hopinge it shulde be so; And even as it was in purposynge, Right so was it aftir i-do. Wenynge it hade be Savarye, Relevinge fro the hethen stoure - Wenynge doth ofte harme, withoute lye - He entred to the maister toure. The firste warde thus thay wonne By this fals contrevede engyne. Thus was moche sorowe bygon, Thai slough all that were therinne. Whan Savariz saugh this discomfiture Of the Romaynes in that tyme, And howe harde than was here aventure, Of sorowe that myghte he ryme Of ten thousande men lefte no moo But sexty men and twelfe, And whan he sawe this myschief tho, He turned homewarde agayn himselve. By than he founde the gate shite With Sarisyns that hade it wone; And Estragot with him he mette With bores hede, blake and donne. For as a bore an hede hadde And a grete mace stronge as stele. He smote Savaryz as he were madde, That dede to grounde he felle. This Astrogot of Ethiop, He was a kinge of grete strength; Ther was none suche in Europe So stronge and so longe in length. I trowe he were a develes sone, Of Belsabubbis lyne. For ever he was thereto i-wone, To do Cristen men grete pyne.     Whan tidinggis came to the Pope That Duke Savaryz was dede slayn, Than to woo turned alle his hope; He dide calle than to counsaile Alle the senatouris of Rome, What thinge that myght hem most availe, And what were beste to done. Tho byspake a worthy man of counsaile, An erille of the senatouris: `The best counsaile that I can ............. Sending unto Charles the Kinge Certifyinge him by your myssangeris The myschief that ye are inne, That he come with his dosyperys To reskue Cristianté fro this hethen.' All thai assentede anone therto; The lettres were made in haste. Thre messageres we ordeyn therto, That went forthe at the laste. At a posterne thai wente oute Pryvely aboute mydnyght, And passed through alle the route. Of hem was war no wight.     But let we nowe the messangeris goon, And speke we of Laban, Howe he dide saile the cité anoon, And commaundid that every man Shulde withe pikeys or with bille The wallis overthrowe, That he myght the Romaynes kille, Playnly on a rowe, By water he ordeynede the shippes goon, The bootis bownden to the maste, That thai myght fight with hem anoon, Honde of honde, that was here caste. To the toure a bastile stode, An engyne was i-throwe - That was to the cité ful goode - 3 And brake down towres both hie and lowe. Tho sorowede alle the citesyns And were ful hevy than. Tho wox prowde the Sarasyns, And than bispake Sire Laban And saide, `Yolde youe here to me, Ye may not longe endure, Or ellis shall ye al slayn be, By Mahounde I you ensure.' A Romayne drife a darte him to And smote him on the breste plate, Ne hadde his hawberke lasted tho, Mahounde had come to late. Tho was the Sowdon more than wod. He cried to Ferumbras, `For Mahoundes love, that is so good, Destroye up bothe man and place. Spare no thinge that is alyve, Hows, toure ner walle, Beest ner man, childe nere wife, Brenne, slo and distroye alle.' Tho Ferumbras ordeynede anone To bende the engynes to the town And bete down both toure and stoon. He cleped forth Fortibraunce and Mavon And saide, `Be youre engynes goode? Shewe forth here nowe your crafte For Mahoundis love, that gevith man foode, That ther be no toure lafte.' Tho the grete gloton Estagote With his myghty mace sware On the gatis of Rome he smote And brake hem alle on thre thare. In he entrid at the gate The portecolis on him thai lete falle. He wende he hade come to late; It smote him through herte, lyver and galle. He lai cryande at the grounde Like a develle of helle; Through the cité wente the sowne, So lowde than gan he yelle. Gladde were all the Romaynes, That he was take in the trappe, And sorye were al the Sarsyns Of that myschevos happe. Sory was the Soudon than And Ferumbras and Lukafere. Thai drowe hem till her tentes than - Thai lefte him ligginge there. Mahounde toke his soule to him And broght it to his blis. He loved him wel and al his kyn, Of that myghte he not mys. Anone the Pope dide somon alle; The peple of the cité came. To Seinte Petris he dide hem calle, And thidere came every man. He saide on hie, `My children dere, Ye wote wel howe it is; Ayenst the Sarisyns that nowe be here, We mowe not longe endure, i-wis. Thay brekene oure walles, oure toures alle With caste of his engyne. Therefore here amonge you alle Ye shall here counsaile myne. Thai bene withdrawe to here oost, And on-armede thay ben alle. Therefore, me thenketh, is beste Tomorowe erly on hem to falle. We have thirti thousande men; Twenty thousande shal go with me, And in this cité leve ten To governe the comynalté.' The senatouris assentede sone And saide, `Beter myghte no man seyne.' On the morowe this was it done; God bringe hem wele home agayne. The Pope did display than The hie baner of Rome, And he assoiled every man Through gracious God in dome. He praide of helpe and socoure Seinte Petir and Poule also And Oure Lady, that swete floure, To save the cité of Rome from woo. Forth thai riden towarde the oost. Ferumbras romede aboute. He saw the Romaynes comen by the cost; Thereof he hade grete dowte. He blewe an horne, of bras it was; The Sarsyns begon to wake. `Arise up,' he saide in a ras, `We bene elles alle i-take; And armes anone, every wight! To horse with spere and shelde! Ye may se here a ferefull sighte Of oure enemyes in the felde. Ascopars, goo ye biforne us, For ye be men of myghte; Ethiopes, Assaynez and Askalous, Go nexte afore my sighte. My fadir and I, with Babyloynes, Ho shal kepe the rerewarde. King Lukafere with Baldeseynes, To venge alle, shalle have the fowarde.' The Romaynes aspied that thai were ware Of here comynge than, And therfore hade thay moche care. Natheles on hem thai gon - Seinte Petir be here socoure! - And laiden on side, bake and bon. There bigan a sturdy shoure. Sire Ferumbras of Alisaundre oon, That bolde man was in dede, Uppon a steede Cassaundre gaye, He roode in riche weede. Sire Bryer of Poyle, a Romayne to fraye, He bare through with a spere; Dede to the grounde ther he lan. Might he no more hem dere! That sawe Huberte, a worthy man, Howe Briere was i-slayn; Ferumbras to qwite than To him he rode ful even. With a spere uppone his shelde than Stifly ganne he strike; The shelde he brake i-myddis the feelde; His hawberke wolde not breke. Many goode strokes were delte. Ferumbras was agreved tho; He smote with mayne and myghte The nekke asonder, the ventayle also, That dede he sate uprighte. There was bataile harde and stronge; Many a steede wente ther astraye, And leyen at the grounde i-stonge, That resyn never aftyr that day, Nine thousand of the payens pride That day were slayn, And eyghte thousande of the Romaynes side, That in the feelde dede layne. Lukafere, that paynym proude, Slough Romaynes eyghtene. Of werre moche sorowe he coude; His strokes were over alle sene. Gyndarde, a senatoure of Rome, Hade slayne Sarsenys ten, Tille he met with the cursed gome; Lukifere slough him than.     Tho come the Pope with grete aray; His baner to-fore him wente. Ferumbras than gan to assaye If he myght that praye entente, Supposynge in this thoughte, Ther was the soverayne; He spared him therfore right noght, But bare him down ther in the playn. Anoon he sterte on him all ane His ventayle for to onlace, And saugh his crown newe shafe, Ashamed thanne he was. `Fye, preest, God gyfe the sorowe! What doist thou armede in the feelde, That sholdest saie thi matyns on morwe? What doist thou with spere and shelde? I hoped thou hadiste ben an emperoure, Or a cheftayne of this ooste here, Or some worthy conqueroure. Go home and kepe thy qwere! Shame it were to me certayne To sle the in this bataile; Therfore turne the home agayn!' The Pope was gladde therof certayne. He wente home to Rome that nyght With five thousande and no more; Fiftene thousande lefte in the feelde aplight, Full grete sorowe was therfore.     Nowe telle we of the messangere, That wente to Charlemayne, Certyfyinge him by lettres dere, Howe the Romaynes were slayne, And howe the contrey brente was Unto the gate of Rome, And howe the people song `Alas,' Tille socoure from him come. `Who,' quod Charles, that worthy kinge, `The Sowdon and Ferumbras? I nyl lette for no thinge, Till I him oute of Cristendome chace. Therefore Gy of Burgoyn, Mynne owen nevewe so trewe, Take a thausande pounde of frankis fyne, To wage wyth the pepul newe. Take this with the nowe at this tyme And more I wole sende the. Loke that thou spare no hors ne shelde, But that he dede be; And faste hye the thyderwarde, For I drede thay have grete nede, And I shalle come aftirwarde As faste as I may me spede.'     Speke we of Sir Laban And let Charles and Gy be, Howe he ordeyned for hem than To distroye Rome citee. `Sir Lukafere, thou madiste thi boost To conquere the Romaynes And to bringe me the ooste Of the Twelfe Peris and Charlemayne. Uppon a condicion I graunte the My doghter, dere Dame Floripas. Wherefore I aske nowe of the To holde covenaunte in this cas.' `That I saide,' quod Lucafere, `To Mahounde I make a vowe To done al that I hight the there, Ye and more than for Florip love.' He ordeyned assaute anone in haste With ten thousande men and moo; And Ferumbras at that other side faste Assailed hem with grete woo. The saute endured al that daye From morowe tille it was nyght, To throwe and shete by every waye, While that hem endured the light. Tho wente thai home to thaire tentys, Tille it were on the morowe. Isres, in his fals ententes, Purposed treason and sorowe. He was chief porter of the town, By heritage and fee so he shulde be. He wente to the Sowdan, For the riche cité betraye woolde he, And saide, `Lorde, gife me grace For my goodes and for me, And I wole delyver the this place To have and holde for ever in fee. The keyes of this riche cité I have in my bandon.' `That graunte I,' quod Laban, `the To be free withoute raunson.' Ferumbras made him yare, With twenti thousand men and moo, With this Isres for to fare, And to wynne the cité soo. As sone as he entred was The chief gate of alle, And alle his men in aras, He lete the portcolys falle. He smote of the traitourus hede And saide, `God gife him care! Shal he never more ete brede. All traitours evel mot thai fare. If he myght leve and reigne here, He wolde betraye me; For go he west, south or north, Traitour shalle he never be.' He dide lete bere his hede on a spere 4 Throughoute this faire citee. `Treson, treson,' thai cried there; Pite it was to here and see. The people fled by every waye; Thai durst nowhere abide. The hyewey ful of dede men laye, And eke by every lanys side. Ferumbras to Seinte Petris wente, And alle the relekes he seased anoon, The Crosse, the Crown, the Nailes bente; He toke hem with him everychone. He dide dispoile al the cité Both of tresoure and of goolde, And after that brente he Alle that ever myght be toolde. And alle the tresoure with hem thai bare To the cité of Egremoure. Laban the Sowdon sojourned there Thre monthes and thre dayes more In myrth and joye and grete solas. And to his goddes offrynge he made. He and his sone Sir Ferumbras Here goddis of golde dide fade; Thai brente frankensense That smoked up so stronge The fume in her presence, It lasted alle alonge. Thai blewe hornes of bras; Thai dronke beestes bloode. Milke and hony ther was, That was roial and goode. Serpentes in oyle were fryed To serve the Sowdon with-alle; `Antrarian, antrarian,' thai lowde cryed That signyfied `Joye generalle.' Thus thai lived in joye and blis Two monthes or thre. Lete we now be alle this, And of Gye nowe speke we.     Now speke we of Sir Gye That toward Rome hied with his oost. Whan he approched thereto so nyghe That he myght se the cooste, Alle on a flame that cité was That thre myle al abowte Ther durst no man that ther was Come nyghe the cité for grete dowte. That was a sory cité than, Sir Gye was in grete care, Ther was nowhere a soryer man, For sorowe he sighed ful sare And saide `Welallas the while For we come ar to late. For by some treson or some gyle Thai entred in at some gate. There is no more but for to abyde Tille Charles come, the Kinge, In this mede under grene wode side, To telle him of this tithinge, Howe Laban hath the cité brente And bore the reliqes awaye, And howe he hath hem to Spayne sente With shippes of grete aray, To Egremoure his chief cité, Ther to live and ende; And manassith Charles and his baronye. God gife hem evelle ende!' King Charles he forgate nought To come to reskowe Rome. Alle his dozypers were i-sought; Fulle sone to him thay come. Thre hundred thousande of sowdeoures Kinge Charles with him dide lede, They were doughty in all stourys And worthy men of dede. Sir Roulande that worthy knighte, He ladde the fowarde, And Sir Olyvere, that was so wighte, Governed the rerewarde. The Kinge himselfe and his baronye, With dukes and erilles roialle, Governed alle the medil partye. By commaundemente generall He ordeynede grete plenté Of flessh and fissh, brede and wyne, In shippes to saile by the see, To serven him ful wel and fyne. Sir Gye aspied his comynge, He knewe the baner of Fraunce, He wente anoon ayen the Kinge And tolde him of that myschaunce, Howe that the cursed Sowdan Hath brent Rome and bore the relekis awaye, And how he hath slayn alle and some, That he hath founde of Cristen faye. And moreover he made his avowe, To seke Kinge Charles in Fraunce And do him wo ther i-nowe. God gif him moch myschaunce! `A,' quod Charles, `that nedith noght, He shal fynde me nere. By God, that dere me boght, He shal by it ful dere. I shalle him never leve, i-wis, Withinne walle ner withoute, I swere by God and Seinte Denys, Tille I have sought him oute; And but if he will baptised be And lefe his fals laye, Babyloyne shal he never see For alle his grete aray. Anoon to shippe every man With vitaile and with store, Even towarde the proud Sawdan Withouten any more.' Wynde him blewe ful fayre and goode Into the ryver of Gase, Even over the salte flode And over the profounde rase. Thirti legeez from Egremoure By londe forsouth it is, And ther withoute any more To londe thai wente i-wis, And brente and sloughen al that thai fonde, And stroyed both toure and town. Thai lefte no thinge on grounde, That thai ne bete it down.     Tithinggis were tolde to Laban, Howe Charles was i-come And slough bouth childe, wyfe, man And brente and stroyed alle and some With thre hundred thousand of bacheleris, That were both stoute and gaye, And with him al his dosyperis, Pepul of grete araye. `And but ye ordeyne remedy, He wole you brenne and sloon, Youe and youre riche baronye, He wole leve alife nevere oon.' Whan Laban herde these tidyngys, His herte woxe alle coolde And saide, `This is a wonder thinge! Howe durste he be so boolde? Litill kennyth he what I may doo. He dredith me litil nowe, But certes he shalle, ere he goo - To Mahounde I make a vowe.' Sir Lucafere and Ferumbras To him dide he calle And Mavon and Sortebras And his barons alle. `I charge you uppon your legeaunce That ye bringe me that gloton That clepeth himselfe Kinge of Fraunce, Hidere to my pavilon. Kepe him alive; the remenaunte sle, The Twelfe Peris ychoon. I shalle tech him curtesye, I swere by god Mahounde.' Ferumbras anoon than Arrayed him for to ride With proude Sarasyns many a man, That boldely durst abide. Rowlande met with Ferumbras And gafe him such a stroke That al astonyed therof he was, It made him lowe to stoupe. Ferombras smote him agayne With myghte and mayn, with ire That he stenyed alle his brayne; Him thought his eyen were alle on fyre. With Lucafere Olivere mette And hit him on the sheelde A stroke that was right wel sette; A quarter flye in the feelde. Thus thai hurteled togedere Alle the lefelonge daye, Nowe hider and nowe theder; Mony an hors wente ther astraye. The dosyperis thay foughten wele, Duke Neymys and Ogere, With goode swerdes of fyne stele And so dide Gye and Syr Bryere. Ferumbras was ever abowte To fyghte with Olyvere, And Olyvere withoute dowte Leyde on with goode chere. Kinge Charles saugh Ferumbras; To him fast he rode And it on the helme with his mace. That stroke sadlye abode. Ferumbras was woode for woo, He myght for prees come him to For no worldis thinge that myght be tho. King Charles anoon Joye oute-drowe, And with his owen honde Thirti Sarseynys ther he slowe, That laie dede uppone the sonde; Many of hem therfore made joy inowe. Sir Lucafere of Baldas, He presed to Charles sone, And saide, `Sir, with harde grace, What hastowe here to done? I behight Laban to bringe the to him And the Twelfe Peris alle; Now shaltowe come from al thy kyn Into the Sowdans halle. Yelde the to me,' he saide; `Thy life shalle I safe.' A stroke on him than Charles layde; He made the paynym to rafe. He smote him on the helme With Mownjoye, his gode bronde. Ne hadde he be reskued than, He hade slayn him with his honde. Than came Baldesyns with thronge To reskue there here lorde, And Nubens with hem amonge And Turkes by one accorde. Tho Roulande Durendale oute-drowe And made romme abowte. Forti of hem ther he slowe; Tho were thai in grete dowte. Roulande as fiers as a lion With Durendale tho dinge Uppon the Sarsyns crowne, As harde as he myght flynge. Duke Neymys and Sir Olyvere, Gy and Alloreynes of Loreyne, And alle the noble Twelfe Peris, Ogere and Bryere of Brytayne, Thai foughten as feythfully in that fight, The feelde ful of dede men laye. Thirti thousande, I you plight, Of Sarsenys ther were slayn.     Al thinge moste have an ende. The nyghte come on ful sone; Every wighte retourned to wende. Ferumbras to his men gan gone And saide, `Oure hornes blowe we; This day have we a ful ille afraye. To saie the south and not to lye, Oure goddis holpe us not todaye, What devel that ever hem eilith. This bataile was so sharpe, in faye, That many a man it wailyth. Shalle I never in herte be glade todaye, Till I may preve my myghte With Roulande, that proude ladde, Or with Olyvere, that is so lighte, That evel hath us ladde; And in Paris be crowned kinge In despite of hem alle, I wole leve for no thinge What so evere byfalle.' King Charles with grete honoure Wente to his pavilon; Of the treyumple he bare the floure In dispite of Mahounde. Almyghty God and Seynte Denyse He thanked ful ofte sithe And Oure Lady, Marie of Paris, That made hem gladde and blith. He recomendide the olde knightes, That that daye hade the victorye, And charged the yonge with al her myghtes To have hem in memorye; `For worthynesse wole not be hadde, But it be ofte soughte, Ner knighthode wole not ben hadde, Tille it be dere boghte. Therfore ye knightes, yonge of age, Of oolde ye may now lere, Howe ye shalle both hurle and rage In felde with sheelde and spere. And take ensample of the Twelfe Peris, Howe thai have proved her myght, And howe thai were both wight and fiers To wynnen honourys in righte. These hethen houndes we shal a-tame By God in magisté, Let us make myrth in Goddis name And to souper nowe goo we.''     `O thow, rede Mars armypotente, That in the trende baye has made thy trone, That god art of bataile and regent And rulist alle that alone, To whom I profre precious present, To the makande my moone With herte, body and alle myn entente, A crown of precious stoones, And howe to the I gyfe Withouten fraude or engyne, Uppon thy day to make offerynge, And so shal I ever, while that I live, By righte that longith to my laye, In worshipe of thy reverence On thyn owen Tewesdaye With myrre, aloes and frankensense, Uppon condicion that thou me graunte The victorye of Crystyn dogges, And that I may some hem adaunte And sle hem down as hogges, That have done me distruccion And grete disherytaunce And eke slayn my men with wronge. Mahounde gyfe hem myschaunce!'     In the semely seson of the yere, Of softenesse of the sonne, In the prymsauns of grene vere, Whan floures spryngyn and bygynne, And alle the floures in the frith Freshly shews here kynde, Than it is semely therwyth That manhode be in mynde; For corage wole a man to kith, If he of menske have mynde, And of love to lystyn and lithe, And to seke honure for that ende. For he was nevere gode werryoure That cowde not love aryght; For love hath made many a conqueroure And many a worthy knighte. This worthy Sowdan, though he hethen were, He was a worthy conqueroure; Many a contrey with shelde and spere He conquerede wyth grete honoure And his worthy sone Ferumbras, That kinge was of Alisaundre, And Lucafere of Baldas, That cruel Kinge of Cassaundre, That wroughten wonders with here honde With myghte and mayne for to fyghte, And over-ride mony a manly londe, As men of armes hardy and wighte. The Sowdan seyinge this myschief, How Charles hade him agreved, That grevaunce was him no thinge lese; He was ful sore ameved. He sente oute his bassatoures To realmes, provynces ferre and nere, To townes, citeis, castels and tours, To come to him there he were, To Inde Major and to Assye, To Ascoloyne, Venys, Frige and Ethiope, To Nubye, Turkye and Barbarye, To Macedoine, Bulgare and to Europe. All these people was gadred to Agremore, Thre hundred thousand of Sarsyns felle, Some bloo, some yolowe, some blake as More, Some horible and stronge as devel of helle. He made hem drinke wilde beestes bloode, Of tigre, antilope and of camalyon, As is her use to egre her mode, When thai in were to battayle goon. He saide to hem, `My frendes dere, As my trust is alle in you, On these Frenche dogges, that bene here, Ye moste avenge me nowe. Thai have done me vilanye; Mikille of my people have thay slayn. And yet moreover thay manace me And drive me to my contrey agayn; Wherefore I wole at the bygynnynge To Mahounde and to my goddis alle Make a solempne offerynge; The better shall it us byfalle. The laste tyme thai were wrothe, We had not done our duté. Therefore to saye the southe' . . . There were many hornys blowe. The preestes senden thikke i-nowe; Goolde, and silver thikke thai throwe, With noyse and crye thai beestes slowe, And thought to spede wel i-nowe.thrive And every man his vowe he made To venge the Sowdan of his tene. Here goddis of golde thai wex alle fade: The smoke so grete was hem bitwene. Whan alle was done, the Sowdan than Charged Ferumbras redy to be On the morowe, ere day began, To ride oute of that cité With thirti thousande of Assiens, Frigys, Paens and Ascoloynes, Turkis, Indeis and Venysyens, Barbarens, Ethiopes and Macidoynes, `Bringe him to me, that proude kinge; I shal him teche curtesye. Loke that thou leve for nothinge To sle alle his other mayne, Safe Rouland and Olyvere, That bene of grete renowne, If thai wole reneye here goddis there And leven on myghty Mahounde.'     Ferumbras with grete araye Rode forthe, Mahounde him spede, Tille he came nyghe there Charles lay Bysyde in a grene mede. In a woode he buskede his men Prively that same tyde, And with his felowes noon but ten To Kinge Charles he gan ride And said, `Sire Kinge, that arte so kene, Upon trwes I come to speke with the. If thou be curteis, as I wene, Thou wolte graunte a bone to me, That I mighte fight uppon this grene, With Rouland, Olyvere and Gye, Duke Neymes and Ogere i-mene, Ye and Duke Richarde of Normandye - With al sex attones to fight. My body I profre here to the And requyre the, Kinge, thou do me right, As thou art gentille lord and fre, And if I may conquere hem in fere, To lede them home to my faderis halle; And if thai me, I graunte the here To be thy man, body and alle.' The Kinge answered with wordis mylde And saide, `Felowe, that nedith nought; I shal fynde of myn a childe That shal the fynde that thou hast sought.' The Kinge lete calle Sir Roulande And saide, `Thou most with this man fight, To take this bataile here on honde, Therto God gyfe the grace and myghte!' Roulande answered with woordis boolde And saide, `Sir, have me excused!' He saide certeynly he ne wolde; The bataile uttirly he refused. `The laste day ye preised faste The oolde knightes of here worthynes. Let hem goon forth - I have no haste; Thai may goo shewen here prowes.'show For that worde the Kinge was wrothe And smote him on the mouthe on hye, The bloode at his nose oute-goth, And saide, `Traitour, thou shalte abye.' `Abye,' quod Roulande, `wole I noughte, And traitour was I never none, By that Lord, that me dere hath bought!' And braide oute Durendale there anone. He wolde have smyten the Kinge there Ne hadde the barons ronne bytwene; The Kinge withdrowe him for fere And passed home as it myght beste bene. The barons made hem at one With grete prayere and instaunce, As every wrath moste over-gone, Of the more myschiefe to make voydaunce.     Olyvere herde telle of this, That in his bedde laye seke sore. He armede him ful sone i-wisse, And to the Kinge he wente withoute more And saide, `Sir Kinge, a bone graunte me For alle the servyse that I have done, To fight with that kinge so free Tomorue day, ere it be none.' Charles answered to Olyvere: `Thou arte seke and woundede sore, And thou also my cosyn dere; Therfore speke thereof no more.' `Sir Kinge,' he saide, `I am alle hoole. I aske you this bone in Goddis name.' `Certes,' he saide, `I holde the a fole, But I praye God sheelde the fro shame.' Forth he rideth in that forest Tille he gan Ferumbras see, Where he was light and toke his rest, His stede renewed til a grene tre. `Sir,' he saide, `reste thou wele. King Charles sente me hidure. If thou be curteys knighte and lele, Rise up and let us fight togeder.' Ferumbras sate stille and lough; Him liste not to rise oute of the place. `My felowe,' quod he, `what arte thou? Telle me thy name for Goddis grace.' `Sir,' he saide, `Generyse, A yonge knighte late dobbet newe.' `By Mahounde,' quod he, `thou arte not wyse, For thy comyng shaltowe sore rewe. I holde Charles but a foole To sende the hidere to me. I shall the lerne a newe scole If thoue so hardy to fighte be. I wende he wolde have sende Roulande, Olyvere and four mo dosyperys, That hade bene myghty men of honde, Bataile to abide stronge and fiers. With the me liste no playe begynne; Ride agayn and saye him so. Of the may I no worshype wynne, Though I slough the and such five mo.' `Howe longe,' quod Olyvere, `wiltowe plete? Take thyn armes and come to me, And prove that thou saiest in dede, For boost thou blowest, as thenketh me.' Whan Ferumbras herde him speke so wel, He caught his helme in grete ire, That wroght was of goode fyne stele With perlis pight, rubeis and saphire. Olyvere halpe him it to onlase; Gilte it was alle abowte. Ferumbras thanked him of his grace And curteisly to him gan lowte. Thai worthed up on here stedes, To juste thai made hem preest, Of armes to shewe here myghty dedis Thai layden here speres in areeste. Togeder thai ronnen as fire of thondere, That both here launces to-braste. That they seten, it was grete wonder; So harde it was that thay gan threste. Tho drowen thai oute here swordes kene And smyten togeder by one assente. There thai hitten, it was wele sene; To sle eche other was here entente. Syr Ferumbras smote Olyvere Uppon the helme righte on hye With his swerde of metel clere, That the fyre he made oute-flye. Olyvere him hitte agayn Upon the hede than fulle sone; He carfe awaye with myght and mayne The cercle that sate uppon his crown. The stroke glode down by his bake; The arson he smot ther awaye And the botelles of bawme withoute lake, That uppone the grene ther thai laye, That were trussed byhynde him faste. Tho Ferumbras was full woo. Olyvere light adown in haste. The botellis he seased both two; He threwe hem into the river than As ferre as he myghte throwe. `Alas,' quod Ferumbras, `what deistowe, manne? Thou art wode, as I trowe. Thai were worth an hundred thousand pounde To a man that were wounded sore. Ther was no preciosour thinge uppon grounde That myghte helpe a man more. Thou shalt abye, by Mahounde, That is a man of myghtes moost. I shall breke both bake and crown And sle the ther thou goist.' Tho Olyvere worth up agayn, His swerde he hade oute i-drawe. Ferumbras him smote with mayne And mente to have him slawe. He smote as doth the dinte of thondir; It glased down by his sheelde And carfe his stedes neke asonder That dede he fille in the felde. Wightly Olyvere up-sterte As bacheler, doughti of dede, With swerde in honde him for to hirte Or Ferumbras goode stede. That Ferumbras aspied welle; He rode awaye than ful faste And tiede him to a grene hasel, And come ayen to him in haste And saide, `Nowe yelde the to me - Thou maiste not longe endure - And leve on Mahounde, that is so dere, And thy life I shalle the ensure. Thou shalt be a duke in my contré, And men have at thyn owen wille. To my sustir shaltowe wedded be - It were pité the for to spille!' `Better,' quod Olyvere, `shul we dele, By God that is in magisté, And of my strokes shaltow more fele, Er I to the shalle yelde me.' Thai smeten togeder with egre mode, And nathir of othire dradde; Thai persed here hauberkes that were so goode Tille both thayr bodyes bladde. Thay foughten soo longe that by assente Thai drewe hem a litil bysyde, A litil while thaym to avente, And refresshed hem at that tyde. `Generis,' quod Ferumbras, `As thou arte here gentil knighte, Telle me nowe here in this place Of thy kyn and what thou hight; Me thenkith by the now evermore, Thou shuldist be one of the Twelfe Peris, That maiste fighte with me so sore, And arte so stronge, worthy and fiers.' Olyvere answered to hym agayn: `For fere I leve it not ontoolde: My name is Olyvere certayn, Cousyn to Kynge Charles the boolde, To whome I shalle the sende Qwikke or dede this same daye, By conqueste here in this feelde, And make the to renye thy laye.' `O,' quod Ferumbras than to Olyvere, `Welcome thou arte into this place; I have desyrede many a yere To gyfe the harde grace. Thou slough myn uncle Sir Persagyne, The doughty Kinge of Italye, The worthyeste kinge that lyved of men. By Mahounde, thou shalt abye!' Tho thai dongen faste togedere While the longe day endured, Nowe hithere and nowe thidere; Fro strokes wyth sheeldes here bodies thai covered. And at the laste Olyvere smote him so Uppon the helme, that was of stele, That his swerde brake in two. Tho wepen had he nevere a dele. Who was woo but Olyvere than? He saugh noone other remedy. He saide, `Sire, as thou art gentile man, On me nowe here have mercy. It were grete shame i-wis, And honure were it noon, To sle a man wepenles; That shame wolde nevere goon.' `Nay traitour, thou getiste noon. Hade I here an hundred and moo! Knele down and yelde the here anoon, And eles here I woole the sloo.' Olyvere saugh it wolde not be To truste to moch in his grace. He ranne to the stede that stode by the tre; A swerde he raught in that place That was trussed on Ferumbras stede, Of fyne stele goode and stronge. He thought he quyte Ferumbras his mede. Almoost hadde he abyde to longe; For in turnynge Ferumbras him smote. That stroke he myghte welle fele: It come on hym so hevy and hoote That down it made hym to knele. Tho was Olyvere sore ashamede And saide, `Thou cursed Sarasyne, Thy proude pride shall be atamed, By God and by Seinte Qwyntyne. Thou hast stole on me that dynte; I shall quyte the thyn hire.' A stroke than Olyvere him lente, That hym thought his eyen were on fire.     King Charles in his pavilon was And loked towarde that fyghte And saugh howe fiers Ferumbras Made Olyvere knele down right. Wo was him tho in his herte; To Jhesu Criste he made his mone. It was a sight of peynes smerte That Olyvere kneled so sone: `O Lord God in Trinite, That of myghtis Thou arte moost, By vertue of thy majesté That alle knoweste and woste, Lete not this hethen man Thy servaunte overcome in fyght, That on The bileve ne kan, Jhesu Lorde, for Thy myghte! But graunte Thy man the victorye, And the paynym skomfited to be, As Thou arte Almyghty God of glorye! Nowe mekely, Lorde, I pray to The.' To Charles anoone an aungel came And broght him tidingges sone That God had herde his praiere than And graunte him his bone. Tho Charles thanked God above With herte and thought, worde and dede, And saide, `Blessed be Thou, Lorde Almyghty, That helpiste Thy servaunte in nede.'     These champions togedir thai gone With strokes grete and eke sure. Eche of hem donge othir on Alle the while thai myghte endure. Ferumbras brake his swerde On Olyveris helme on hye. Tho wexe he ful sore aferde; He ranne for an othir redyly And saide, `Olyvere, yelde the to me And leve thy Cristen laye, Thou shalte have alle my kingdome free And alle aftir my daye.' `Fye, Saresyne,' quod Olyvere than, `Trowest thou that I were wode, To forsake Him that made me man And boght me with His hert blode.' He raught a stroke to Ferumbras; On his helme it gan down glyde. It brast his hawberke at that ras And carfe hym througheoute his syde. His bare guttis men myght see; The blode faste down ranne. `Hoo, Olyvere, I yelde me to the, And here I become thy man. I am so hurte I may not stonde; I put me alle in thy grace. My goddis ben false by water and londe; I reneye hem alle here in this place. Baptised nowe wole I be. To Jhesu Crist I wole me take - That Charles the Kinge shal sene - And alle my goddes forsake. Take myn hawberke and do it on the; Thou shalte have full grete nede. Ten thousande Saresyns waiten uppon me, And therfore go take my stede. Lay me to-fore the, I the praye, And lede me to thy tente. Hye the faste forth in thy way, That the Saresyns the not hente.' Anoon it was done as he ordeynede, And faste forth thai ryden. The Saresyns anone assembled, For to have with hem foghten. Ferumbras saugh the feelde thore Of Sarsynes fully filled; Of Olyvere dradde he ful sore, That Saresyns shulde him have killed. He praide that he wolde let him down `Undir yonde olyfe tree, For if ye cast me down here, with hors shoon Alle to-treden shalle I be.'     He priked forth and layde him thare Out of the horses trase; And with his swerde bygan him were, For amonge hem alle he was. A Saresyn smote him with a spere, That it brake on pecis thre; His hauberke myght he not dere, So stronge and welle i-wroght was he. He hit that Saresyns with his swerde Through the helme into the brayne. He made an other as sore aferde: He smote of his arme with mayne. But than come Roulande with Durnedale And made way him abowte. He slowe hem down in the vale; Of him hade thai grete dowte. The prees of Saresyns was so stronge Aboute Roulande that tyde. Thai sloughen his horsys with thronge And dartis throwen on every syde. Whan Roulande was on his fete, Than was he woo with-alle. Many of hem he felte yete And dede to grounde made hem falle. At the last his swerde brake, Than hadde he wepyn noon, As he smote a Saresyns bake Asundre down to the arson. Tho was he caught; he myght not flee. His hondes thai bounden faste And lad him forth to here cité, And in depe prison they hem caste. Olyvere sawe howe he was ladde. A sorye man than was he; Him hadde lever to have bene dede Than suffren that myschief to be. Smertly aftire he pursued tho To reskue his dere brother. The prees was so grete, he myghte not so - It myghte be no othir But he was caughte by verre force With sixti of Ascopartes. Thai hurte him foule and slough his hors With gavylokes and wyth dartis. Yet on foote, ere he were foolde He slough of hem fiftene. He was not slayn, as God woolde, But taken and bounded with tene. Tho were taken to Lucafere, The proude Kinge of Baldas, Both Roulande and Olyvere. Gladde was he of that cas.     King Charles was in herte woo When he saughe his nevewes so ladde; He cried to the Frenshmen tho: `Reskue we these knyghtes at nede.' The Kynge himselfe slough many one; So dede the barons bolde.did It wolde not bene, thai were agon, Magre whoso woolde. The Saresyns drewe hem to here cité; King Charles turned agayne. He saugh under an holme tre Where a knight him semed lay slayn. Thederward he rode with swerde in honde. Tho he saugh he was alyve; He lay walowynge uppon the sonde With blody woundes fyve. `What arte thow?' quod Charlemayne, `Who hath the hurte so sore?' `I am Ferumbras,' he saide certayn, `That am of hethen lore.' `O fals Saresyn,' quod the Kinge, `Thou shalte have sorowe astyte; By the I have lost my two cosynes, Thyn hede shalle I of-smyte.' `O gentil Kinge,' quod Ferumbrase, `Olyvere my maister me hightpromised To be baptised by Goddis grace, And to dyen a Cristen knighte. Honure were it noon to the A discoumfite man to slo, That is converted and baptized wolde be And thy man bycomen also.' The Kinge hade pité of him than; He toke him to his grace And assyned anoon a man To lede him to his place. He sende to him his surgyne To hele his woundes wyde. He ordeyned to him such medycyn, That sone myght he go and ryde. The Kinge commaunded Bishope Turpyn To make a fonte redye, To baptise Ferumbras therin In the name of God Almyghtye. He was cristened in that welle. Floreyne the Kinge alle him calle; He forsoke the foule feende of helle And his fals goddis alle. Nought for than Ferumbras Alle his life cleped was he, And aftirwarde in somme place, Floreyne of Rome cité. God for him many myracles shewed, So holy a man he bycame. That witnessith both lerned and lewde: The fame of him so ranne.     Nowe for to telle of Roulande And of Olyvere, that worthy wos, Howe thai were brought to the Sowdan By the Kinge of Boldas. The Sowdan hem sore affrayned What that here names were. Roulande saide and noght alayned, `Sir Roulande and Sire Olyvere, Nevewes to King Charles of Fraunce, That worthy kinge and emperoure, That nowe are takyn by myschaunce To be prisoneres here in thy toure.' `A, Olyvere, arte thou here That haste my sone distroyede, And Roulande that arte his fere, That so ofte me hath anoyed? To Mahounde I make a vowe here, That tomorue, ere I do ete, Ye shulle be slayn both qwik in fere, And lives shalle ye bothe lete.' Tho saide maide Florepas: `My fader so dereworth and dere, Ye shulle be avysed of this cas, How and in what manere My brothir, that is to prison take, May be delyvered by hem nowe, Bycause of these two knightes sake, That bene in warde here with you. Wherefore I counsaile you, my fader dere, To have mynde of Sir Ferumbras. Pute hem in youre prison here Tille ye have better space, So that ye have my brother agayn For hem that ye have here; And certeyn elles wole he be slayn That is to you so lefe and dere.' `A, Floripp, i-blessed thou bee, Thy counsaile is goode at nede, I wolde not leve my sone so free, So Mahounde moost me spede, For al the realme of hethen Spayne That is so brode and large. Sone clepe forth my gaylour Bretomayne, That he of hem hadde his charge: ``Caste hem in your prison depe; Mete and drinke gyfe hem none; Chayne hem faste that thay not slepe; For here goode daies bene a-gone.''' Tho were thay cast in prison depe; Every tyde the see came inne. Thay myght not see, so was it myrke; The watir wente to her chynne. The salte watir hem greved sore, Here woundis sore did smerte. Hungir and thurste greved heme yet more: It wente yet more nere here herte. Who maye live withoute mete? Six dayes hadde thay right none, Ner drinke that thay myght gete, Bute loked uppon the harde stone. So on a daye, as God it wolde, Floripas to hir garden wente To geder floures in morne colde. Here maydyns from hir she sente, For she herde grete lamentacion In the prison that was ther nye. She supposed by ymagynacion That it was the prisoners sory. She wente here nerre to here more: Thay wailed for defaute of mete. She rued on hem anoon ful sore; She thought how she myght hem beste it gete. She spake to her maistras Maragounde Howe she wolde the prisoneres fede. The develle of helle hir confounde! She wolde not assente to that dede But saide, `Damesel, thou arte woode; Thy fadir did us alle defende Both mete and drinke and othere goode That no man shulde hem thider sende.' Floripe bythought hir on a gyle And cleped Maragounde anoon right To the wyndowe to come a while And se ther a wonder syght: `Loke oute,' she saide, `and see aferre The porpais pley as thay were wode.' Maragounde lokede oute; Floripe come nere And shofed hire oute into the flode. `Go there,' she said; `the devel the spede! My consail shaltowe never biwry. Whoso wole not helpe a man at nede On evel deth mote he dye.'     She toke with hire maidyns two; To Britomayne she wente hir waye And saide to him she moste go To viseten the prisoneris that daye And saide, `Sir, for alle loves, Lete me thy prisoneres seen. I wole the gife both goolde and gloves, And counsail shalle it been.' Brytomayne, that jaylor kene, Answered to hir sone agayne And saide, `Damsel, so mote I then, Than were I worthy to be slayn. Hath not youre fader charged me To kepe hem from every wyght? And yet ye wole these traytours see. I wole goo telle him anoon right.' He gan to turne him anone for to go To make a playnte on Floripas. She sued him as faste as she myghte go For to gif him harde grace. With the keye cloge that she caught, With goode wille she maute than. Such a stroke she hym there raught, The brayne sterte oute of his hede than. To hire fader forth she goth And saide, `Sire, I telle you here I saugh a sight that was me loth: Howe the fals jailour fedde your prisonere And how the covenaunte made was Whan thai shulde delyvered be; Wherefore I slough him with a mace. Dere fadir, forgif it me.' `My doghtir dere, that arte so free, The warde of hem now gif I the. Loke here sorowe be evere newe Tille that Ferumbras delyvered be.' She thanked her fadere fele sithe And toke her maydyns and forth she goth. To the prisone she hyed hire swyth. The prison dore up she dothe And saide, `Sires, what be ye That make here this ruly moone? What you lakkith tellyth me For we be here nowe alle alone.' Tho spake Roulande with hevy chere To Floripe that was bothe gente and fre And saide, `Lo, we two caytyfes here For defaute of mete dede moste be. Six dayes be comyn and goon Sith we were loked in prison here That mete nor drinke had we noon To comforte with oure hevy chere. But woolde God of myghtes moost The Sowdon wolde let us oute goon, We to fight with alle his ooste To be slayn in feelde anoon. To murthir men for defaute of mete - It is grete shame tille a kinge; For every man most nedes ete, Or ellis may he do no thinge.' Tho saide Floripe with wordes mylde, `I wolde fayne ye were now here. From harme and skath I wole you shelde And gife you mete with right gode chere.' A rope to hem she lete down goon That aboven was teyde faste. She and hir maydyns drewe theruppon Tille up thay hadde hem at the last. She led hem into here chambir dere That arrayed for hem was right wele, Both Roulande and Olyvere, And gafe hem there a right gode mele. And whan thay hadde eten alle her fille A bath for hem was redy there. Therto thay went ful fayre and stille And aftyr to bedde with right gode chere. Now Floripas chamber is here prisone, Withouten wetinge of the Sowdon; Thai were ful mery in that dongeon, For of hem wiste man never oone.     Now lete we hem be and mery make Tille God sende hem gode delyveraunce. Aftir the tyme that thay were take What did Charles, the Kinge of Fraunce, Therof wole we speke nowe - Howe he cleped forth Sir Gy And saide, `On my message shaltowe; Therfore make the faste redy To bidde the Sowden sende me my nevewes both And the releqes also of Rome Or I shal make him so wroth He shall not wete what to done. And by that God that hath me wroght I shal him leve towre ner town. This bargan shal so dere be bought In despite of his god Mahoun.'     Duke Neymes of Bavere up stert than And saide, `Sir, hastowe no mynde How the cursed Sowdan Laban Alle messengeris doth he shende? Ye have lost inowe; lese no mo Onworthily Olyvere and Roulande.' `By God, and thou shalt with him go, For al thy grete brode londe.'     Tho Ogere Danoys, that worthy man, `Sir,' he saide, `be not wroth, For he saith south.' - `Go thou than! By Gode thou shalte, be thou never so loth.'     `A Sire,' quod Bery Lardeneys, `Thou shalte hem se never more.' `Go thou forth in this same rees, Or it shalle the repente ful sore.'     Folk Baliante saide to the Kinge, `Liste ye youre barons to lese?' 5 `Certis, this is a wondir thinge! Go thou also; thou shalte not chese.'     Aleroyse rose up anone And to the Kinge than gan he speke And saide, `What thinke ye, sir, to done?' `Dresse the forth with hem eke!'     Miron of Brabane spake an worde And saide, `Sir, thou maiste do thy wille. Knowist thou not that cruel lorde How he wole thy barons spille?' `Trusse the forth eke, Sir Dasaberde, Or I shalle the sone make. For of all thinge thou arte aferde, Yet arte thou neyther hurte ner take.'captured     Bisshope Turpyn kneled adown And saide, `Lege lorde, mercy.' The Kinge him swore by Seynt Symon, `Thou goist eke; make the in hast redye.'     Bernarde of Spurwse, that worthy knyght, Saide, `Sir, avyse you bette; Set not of your barons so light. 6 Thou maiste have nede to hem yette.' `Thou shalte goon eke for alle thy boost; Have done and make the fast yare. Of my nede gyfe thou no coost; Therof have thou right no care.'     Bryere of Mountes, that marqwys bolde, Was not aferde to him to speke. To the Kinge sharply he tolde His witte was not worth a leke: `Woltowe for angre thy barons sende To that tiraunte that all men sleith? Or thou doist, for that ende, To bringe thy Twelfe Peres to the deth.' The Kinge was wroth and swore in halle By Him that boght him with His blode: `On my messange shall ye gon alle, Be ye never so wroth or wode.' Thay toke here lefe and forth thay yede; It availed not agayne him to sayne. I pray God gif hem gode spede! Ful harde it was to comen agayn.     Nowe let hem passe in Goddis name And speke we of the Sowdon, Howe he complayned him of his grame And what that he myght beste done. `Sortybraunce and Bronlande,' sayde he, `Of consail ye be fulle wyse. How shal I do to avenge me Of Kinge Charles, and in what wyse? He brennyth my toures and my citees, And burges he levethe me never oon. He stroieth my men, my londe, my fees. Thus shalle it not longe goon. And yet me greveth most of alle He hath made Ferumbras renay his laye. Therfore my counselors I calle To remedy this howe thay best maye. For me were lever that he were slayn Thane he a Cristen hounde shulde be, Or with wolfes be rente and slayn, By Mahounde myghty of dignyté.' To answerde Sortybraunce and Broulande And saide, `Gode counsaile we shal you gyfen. If thoue wilte do aftyr covenaunte, It shal you profit while you lyven. Take twelfe knightis of worthy dede And sende hem to Charles on message nowe. Araye hem welle in roial wede For thy honoure and for thy prowe. Bidde Charles sende thy sone to the And voyde thy londe in alle haste Or ellis thou shalt him honge on a tre As hye as any shippes maste.' `Nowe by Mahounde,' quod Laban, `This counseil is both trewe and goode; I shalle him leve for no man To parforme this, though he were woode.' He did his lettris write in haste; The knightes were called to goo therwith That thay hyghe hem to Charles faste And charke hym uppon life and lithe. Forth thai ride towarde Mantrible than. In a medowe was fayre and grene Thai mette with Charles messageris ten. Duke Neymes axed hem what thai wolde mene And saide, `Lordynges, whens come ye And whider ye are mente, telle us this tyde.' `From the worhty Sowdon,' than saide he, `To Charles on message shalle we ride. Evel tithyngges we shalle him telle Fro Laban that is lorde of Spayne. Farewelle, felowes, we may not dwelle.' `Abyde,' quod Gy, `and turne agayne; We wole speke with you er ye goon, For we be messengeris of his. Ye shal aby everichone, So God brynge me to blis.' Anoon here swerdes oute thay brayde And smoten down right al aboute Tille the hethen were down layde - Thai reseyved many a sore cloute. Thai smyten of here hedes alle; Eche man toke one in his lappe. Fal whatsoever byfalle, To the Soudon wole they trappe. Tille thai come to Egremoure Thai stynte for no worldes thinge; Anone thai fonde the Sawdan thore At his mete proudely sittynge And that maide, faire dame Floripas, And fourtene princes of grete price And Kinge Lukafere of Baldas Thas was both bolde, hardy and wyse. Doughty Duke Neymes of Bavere To the Sowdone his message tolde And said, `God that made heven so clere, He save Kinge Charles so bolde And confounde Laban and all his men That on Mahounde byleved And gife hem evel ending, amen. Tomorue, long er it be even, He commaundith the uppon thy life His nevewes home to him sende And the reliqes of Rome withoute strife, And ellis getist thou an evel ende. Twelfe lurdeynes mette us on the waye; Thai saide thay come streight fro the. Thai made it both stoute and gay. 7 Here hedis here maistowe see. Thai saide thai wolde to Charles goon Evel tiddingges him to telle. Loo here here heddis everychone; Here soulis bene in helle.' `O,' quod Lavane, `what may this be, To suffre this amonge my knightes alle, To be rebuked thus here of the At mete in myn owen halle? To Mahounde myghty I make a vowe: Ye shall be hanged alle ten Anoon as I have eten i-nowe, In presence of alle my men.' Maide Floripas answered tho And saide, `My derworth fadir dere, By my counsaile ye shal not so Tille ye have your barons alle in fere That thai may se what is the best For to delyvere my brother Sir Ferumbras; And aftirward, if that ye liste, Ye may gife hem ful evel grace.' `Gramercy, doghter, thou saieste welle; Take hem alle into thy warde. Do feter hem faste in iren and stele And set hem in strayghte garde. Thus was I never rebukede er nowe. Mahounde myghty gyfe hem sorowe! Thay shalle be flayn and honged on a bowe Long ere tyme tomorowe.'     Florip toke these messangeris And ladde hem up into here toure, There thai founde two of here feris. Thay thanked thereof God of honoure. Tho sayde Duke Neymys of Bavere, `Gladde men we be nowe here To fynde Roulande and Olyvere In helthe of bodye and of goode chere.' Thai kissed eche other with herte gladde And thanked God of his grace; And eche toolde othir howe thay sped hadde And howe thay come into that place By helpe of mayde Florip hireself: `God kepe hir in honoure, For thus hath she brought us hider alle twelfe To dwelle in her owen boure.' Tho thay wessh and wente to mete And were served welle and fyne Of suche goode as she myght gete, Of venyson, brede and gode wyne. There thai were gladde and wel at ease; The Soudon ne wist in noght. Aftyr thay slepe and toke her ese, Of no man than thay ne roght.     On the morowe Florip, that mayde fre, To Duke Neymes spake in game. `Sir gentil knight,' tho saide she, `Telle me, what is your name.' `Whi axe ye, my lady dere, My name here to knowe alle?' `For he spake with so bolde chere To my fadir yestirdaye in his halle. Be not ye the Duke of Burgoyne, Sir Gy, Nevewe unto the Kinge, Charles so fre?' `Noe, certes, lady, it is not I; It is yondir knight, that ye may see.' `A, him have I loved many a day And yet knowe I him noght For his love I do alle that I maye To chere you with dede and thought. For his love wille I cristenede be And lefe Mahoundes laye. Spekith to him nowe for me, As I you truste maye. And but he wole graunte me his love, Of you askape shalle none here. By Him that is almyghty above, Ye shalle abye it ellis ful dere.' Tho wente Duke Neymes to Sir Gye And saide, `This ladye loveth the; For thy love she maketh us alle merye And baptizede wole she be. Ye shalle hir take to your wedded wife, For alle us she may save.' `By God,' quod Gye, `that gafe me life, Her wole I never have; Wyle I never take hire ner no woman But Charles the Kinge hir me gife. I hight him, as I was trewe man, To holden it while I lyve.' Tho spake Roulande and Olyvere, Certifyinge him of here myschefe, Tellinge him of the parelles that thay in were, For to take this lady to his wedded wife. `But thou helpe in this nede, We be here in grete doute. Almyghty God shalle quyte thy mede; Elles come we nevere hennys oute.' Thus thay treted him to and fro; At the laste he sayde he wolde. Floripas thay cleped forth tho And brought fourth a cuppe of golde, Ful of noble myghty wyne And saide, `My love and my lorde, Myn herte, my body, my goode is thyn,' And kissed him with that worde. And, `Sir,' she saide, `drink to me As the gyse is of my londe; And I shalle drink agayn to the As to my worthy hosbonde.' Thay clipped and kissed both in fere And made grete joye and game And so did alle that were there: Thai made ful mery alle in same. Tho spake Floripas to the barons boolde And saide, `I have armure i-nowe; Therfore I tel you what I wolde And that ye dide for your prowe. Tomorue, whan my fadir is at his soupere, Ye shalle come in alle attonys. Loke ye spare for no fere; Sle down and breke both bake and bones. Kithe you knightis of hardynesse! Ther is none helpe but in this wyse. Then moste ye shewen your prowes And wynne this castel in this guyse.' Thai sayden alle it was welle saide, And gladde thay were of this counsaile. Here armure was forth layde, At souper the Sowdon to assaile.     King Lucafere prayde the Sawdon That he wolde gif him lysence To the prisoners for to goon To see the maner of her presence. He gafe him lefe, and forth he wente Up unto Floripas toure. To asspie the maner was his entent, Hem to accuse agayne honoure. Whan he come he founde the dore fast i-stoke. He smote thereon with his fist That the barre began to broke. To make debate wel him list. `Who artowe,' quod Floripas, `That maketh here such araye?' `I am Kinge Lucafere of Baldas; The Sowdon sente me hidir, in faye. To seen his prisoneris is my desire And speke with hem everychon, To talke with hem by the fire And speke of dedis of armes amonge.' Tho saide Duke Neymes, `Welcome be ye To us prisoners here. What is your wille, nowe telle ye, For we be men of feble chere.' `I woolde wete of Charles the Kinge, What man he is in his contré, And what meyné he hath, and of what thinge He rekyneth moost his dignyté.' Duke Neymes saide, `An emperoure And kinge he is of many a londe, Of citeis, castels, and many a toure, Dukes, erles, barons bowynge to his honde.' `But saye me, felowe, what is your use To do in contré aftyr the none, And what is the custome of your hous Tille men to souper shalle gone?' `Sir, somme men jouste with spere and shelde And some men carol and singe gode songes; Some shote with dartis in the feelde, And somme play at chesse amonge.' `Ye bene but foulis of gode dissporte. 8 I wole you tech a newe play. Sitte down here by one assorte And better myrthe never ye saye.' He teyde a tredde on a pole With an nedil theron i-fest And theruppon a qwik cole. He bade every man blowe his blast. Duke Neymes hade a long berde. Kinge Lucafere blewe even to hym; That game hade he never before lered. He brent the here of Neymes berde to the skyne. Duke Neymes than gan wex wroth, For he hade brente his berde so white, To the chymneye forth he goth And caught a bronde him with to smyte. With a goode wille he him smote That both his eyen bresten oute. He caste him in the fire al hote; For sothe he hadde a right gode cloute. And with a fyre forke he helde him doune Tille he were rosted to colis ilkadele. His soule hade his god Mahoun. Florip bade him warme him wele. `Sires,' tho saide Floripas. `Entendith nowe al to me. This Lucafere of Baldas Was a lorde of grete mayne. My fadir hade him ever yn chere. I telle you forsothe everydele He wolde anoon aftyr him enquere, And therefore loke ye arme you well.' Florip wente in, as the maner was, To here fadir at souper tyme. No man spake worde of Kinge Baldas Ner no man knewe of his sharp pyne. The Twelfe Peris armed hem wel and fyne With swerdes drawe and egre chere While thay were drinkyng the wyne And sittinge alle at here soupere. Thai reheted the Sowdon and his barons alle And maden orders wondir fast; Thai slowe down alle that were in the halle And made hem wondirly sore agast. Olyvere egerly sued Laban With swerd i-drawe in his honde. Oute at the wyndowe lepte he than Uppon the salte see stronde, And he skaped away from hime. But woo was he therfore That he went awaye with lym To worche hem sorowe more. Roulande than came rennynge And axed where was Laban. Olyvere answerede moornynge And saide howe he was agoon. Tho thai voided the courtes at the last And slowen tho that wolde abyde And drewe the brigge and teyed it fast And shitte the gatis that were so wyde.     Laban that by the ebbe escapede Of harde er he come to londe, He alle astonyed and a-mapide For sorowe he wronge both his honde And made a vowe to Mahounde of myght He wolde that cité wynne And never go thens by day nor nyght For foo, for frende, ner for kynne. `And tho traytouris will I do honge On a galowes hye withoute the gate; And my doghter, that hore stronge, I-brente shal be thereate.' To Mauntryble he gan sende anoon Aftir men and tentis goode And engynes to throwe with stoon And goode armure many-foolde. The sege he did leyen abowte On every side of that cité. To wallis with engynes thai gan rowte To breke the toures so fre. Tho saide Florip, `Lordingges goode, Ye bene biseged in this toure; As ye bene wight of mayne and moode, Proveth here to save youre honoure. The toure is stronge, drede you nought, And vitayle we have plenté. Charles wole not leve you unsought; Truste ye welle alle to me. Therefore go we soupe and make merye And takith ye alle your ease; And thirti maydens lo here of Assye, The fayrest of hem ye chese. Take your sporte and kith you knyghtes Whan ye shalle have to done; For tomorowe when the day is light Ye mooste to the wallis goon And defende this place with caste of stoon And with shotte of quarelles and darte. My maydyns and I shall bringe goode wone, So everyche of us shalle bere hir parte.'     On morwe the Sowdon made assaute To hem that were withinne. And certes in hem was no defaute, For of hem myght thay nought wynne. Here shotte, here cast was so harde Thay durste not nyghe the walle. Thay drowen hem bakwarde; Thay were beten over alle. King Laban turnede to his tentes agayn. He was nere wode for tene. He cryede to Mahounde and Apolyne And to Termagaunte that was so kene And saide, `Ye goddes, ye slepe to longe; Awake and helpe me nowe Or ellis I may singe of sorowe a songe And of mournynge right i-nowe. Wete ye not wele that my tresoure Is alle withinne the walle? Helpe me nowe, I saye, therfore Or ellis I forsake you alle.' He made grete lamentacion, His goddis byganne to shake. Yet that comfortede his meditacion Supposinge thay didde awake. He cleped Brenlande to aske counsaile What was best to done And what thinge myght him moste avayle To wynne that cité sone. `Thou wotist welle that alle my tresoure Is there in here kepinge And my doughter, that stronge hore, God yif her evelle endyng!' `Sir,' he said, `ye knowe welle That toure is wondir stronge. While thay have vitayle to mele, Kepen it thay wole fulle longe. Sende to Mauntreble, youre cheif cité That is the keye of this londe, That non passe, where it so be, Withoute your speciall sonde, To Alagolofure, that geaunte stronge That is wardeyne of that pas, That no man passe that brigge alonge But he have special grace. So shalle not Charles with his meyné Reskowe than Agramoure. Than thay shalle enfamyched be That shalle hem rewe ful sore.' `Mahoundis blessynge have thou and myne, Sortybraunce, for thy rede.' `Espyarde, messangere myne, In haste thou most the spede To my cité Mauntreble To do my message there To Alogolofre, that giaunte orrible. Bydde him his charge wele lere And tel him howe that the last day Ten fals traytours of Fraunce Passed by that same waye By his defaute with myschaunce, Charginge him uppon his hede to lese That no man by the brigge, Be it rayne, snowe or freze, But he his heede down ligge.'     Espiarde spedde him in his waye Tille he to Mauntrible came To seke the geaunte there he laye On the banke bysyde the dame And saide, `The worthy Sowdon, That of alle Spayn is lorde and sire, Uppon thy life commaundeth the anoon To deserve better thyn hire. The laste day thou letist here passe Ten trattoures of douse Fraunce. God giffe the evel grace And hem also moche myschaunce! He charged the uppon life and deth To kepe this place sikerlye. While in thy body lasteth the breth, Lette noon enemye passe therebye.' Alagolofur rolled his yen And smote with his axe on the stone And swore by Termagaunte and Apolyne That therby shulde passen never one But if he smote of his hede And brought it to his lord Laban He wolde never ete no brede Nere never loke more on man. Twenti-four cheynes he didde over-drawe That noo man passe myght, Neyther for love nere for awe, No tyme by daye nere by nighte. `Go telle my lorde I shalle it kepe; On payne of my grete heede Shalle ther no man goo ner crepe But he be take or dede.' This geaunte hade a body longe And hede like an libarde. Therto he was devely stronge; His skynne was blake and harde. Of Ethiope he was bore, Of the kinde of Ascopartes. He had tuskes like a bore, An hede like a liberde.     Laban nolde not forgete The saute to renewe; To wynne the toure, he wolde not lete. Here trumpes lowde thay blewe. Every man wente to the walle With pikeys or with bowe. Thai made assaute generalle, The walles downe to throwe. But thay withinne bare hem soo Thay slowe of the Saresyns thre hundred. Thay wroghten hem both care and woo; Uppon her fightinge thay wondride. Tho cryed Laban to hem on hye, `Traytours, yelde you to me; Ye shall be hongede els by and bye Uppon an hye galowe tree.' Tho spake Florip to the Sowdon And sayde, `Thou fals tyraunte, Were Charles come, thy pride were done Nowe, cursede myscreaunte. Alas that thou ascapediste soo By the wyndowe uppon the stronde. That thy nek hade broke a-twoo! God sende the shame and shonde!' `A! stronge hore, God gife the sorowe. Thou venomous serpente. Withe wilde horses thou shalt be drawe tomorowe And on this hille be brente That al men may be ware by the That cursed bene of kynde. And thy love shalle honged be, His hondes bounde him byhynde.' He called forth Mavon, his engynoure, And saide, `I charge the To throwe a magnelle to yon toure And breke it downe on thre.' Mavon set up his engyne With a stoon of six hundred wight That went as even as eny lyne And smote a cornell down right. Woo was Roulande and Olyvere That that myschief was befalle, And so were alle the Twelfe Peres. But Florip than comforte hem alle: `Sires,' she saide, `beith of goode chere. This toure is stronge i-nowe. He may cast twies or thries or he hit ayen ther; For sothe I telle it you.'     Marsedage, the roialle kinge, Rode in riche weede, Fro Barbary commyng Uppon a sturdy stede, Cryinge to hem uppon the walle, `Traytouris, yelde you here. Brenne you alle ellis I shalle, By myghty god Jubytere.' Gy aspied that he came nere; A darte to hime he threwe ful even. He smote him throwe herte and liver in fere. Dame Floripe lough with loude steven And saide, `Sir Gye, my love so free, Thou kanste welle hit the prikke. He shall make no booste in his contré. God giffe him sorowe thikke!' Whan Laban herde of this myschief, A sory man was he. He trumped, his mene to relefe, For to cease that tyme mente he. Mersadage, Kinge of Barbarye, He did carye to his tente And beryed him by right of Sarsenye With brennynge fire and riche oynemente And songe the Dirige of Alkaron, That Bibill is of here laye, And wayled his deth everychon Sefen nyghtis and sefen dayes.     Anoon the Sowdon, south to say, Sente thre hundrid of knightis To kepe the brigge and the waye Oute of that castil rightis, That noon of hem shulde issue oute To feche vitayle by no waye. He charged hem to wacche wel all abowte That thay for-famelid myght dye. Thus thay kepte the place sefen dayes Tille alle hire vitaile was nyghe spente. The yates thai pas the streyte weyes; Tho helde thai hem within i-shente. Tho spake Roulande with hevy chere Woordes lamentable, Whan he saugh the ladies so whighte of lere Faile brede on here table And saide, `Charles, thou curteys kinge, Why forgetist thou us so longe? This is to me a wondir thinge. Me thinkith thou doiste us grete wronge To let us dye for faute of mete, Closed thus in a dongeon. Tomorowe wol we asaye what we kon gete, By God that berithe the crown.' Tho saide Floripas, `Sires, drede noghte For noon houngre that may befalle; I knowe a medycyne in my thoughte To comforte you with-alle. I have a girdil in my forcere, Whoso girde hem therwith aboute, Hunger ner thirste shal him never dere Though he were sefen yere withoute.' `O,' quod Sir Gye, `my love so trewe, I-blessed mote ye be. I pray you that ye wole us alle hit shewe That we may have oure saule.' She yede and set it forth anoon; Thai proved alle the vertue And diden it aboute hem everychon. It comforted alle both moo and fewe, As thai hade bene at a feste. So were thay alle wele at ease; Thus were thai refresshed both moost and lest And weren bifore in grete disese.     Laban wondred how thai myght endure Withouten vitaile so longe. He remembred him on Floripas sencture And of the vertue so stronge. Tho wiste he welle that through famyne Might he hem never wynne. He cleped to him fals Mapyne, For he coude many a fals gynne; He coude scale castel and toure And over the walles wende. `Mapyne,' he saide, `for myne honoure, Thou mooste have this in mynde: That hore, my doghter, a girdil hath she; From hounger it savyth hem alle That wonnen may thay never be - That foule mote hir bifalle! Kanstowe gete me that gyrdill by craft, A thousande pounde than shal I gefe the, So that it be there not lefte But bringe it hithire to me. Thou kanste see by nyghte as welle As any man doth by daye. Whan thay bene in here beddes ful still, Than go forth thider right in thy waye. Thou shalt it in here chamber fynde; Thou maist be thereofe sure.' `Sir, thereto I wole me bynde, If my life may endure.' Forth wente this fals Mapyne By nyght into the toure - God gife him evel endinge! - Even into Floripas boure. By a chemney he wente inne. Fulle stilly there he soughte it. He it founde and girde it aboute him, And aftyr ful dere he boght it. For by the light of a lampe there Floripas gan him aspye, Alle afrayed oute of hir slepe for fere; But lowde than gan she crye And saide, `A thefe is in my boure; Robbe me he wole or sloo.' Therwith come Rouland fro his toure To wete of hir woo. He founde Mapyne bysyde hir bedde Stondinge amased for drede. To the wyndowe he him ladde And ther he smote of his hedde And caste him oute into the see. Of the gyrdille was he not ware; But whan he wist the girdel hade he, Tho hadde he sorowe and care. Floripe to the cheste wente And aspyed hire gyrdel was goon. `Alas,' she saide, `alle is it shente! Sir, what have ye done? He hath my girdel aboute hym. Alas, that harde while! A rebelle hounde doth ofte grete tene; Howe be we alle begilede.' Tho spake Roulande with chere boolde, 'Damselle, beyth noughte aferde. If any vitaile be aboute this hoolde, We wole hem wynne withe dinte of swerde. Tomorowe wole we oute-goon And assaye howe it wole be. I make a vowe to God alone, Assaile hem wole we. And if thay have any mete Parte withe hem wole we, Or elles strokes thay shal gete By God and Seynte Mary, myn avoure.'     In the morne, er the larke songe, Thai ordeynede hem to ride To the Saresyns that hade so longe Leyen hem besyde. Duke Neymes and Ogere Were ordeynede to kepe the place. The ten othir of the Twelfe Peres Wente oute to assaye here grace. Thay founden hem in logges slepynge; Of hem hade thay no thought. Thai slowen down that came to honde. 9 Mahounde availed hem noghte. In shorte tyme the ende was made; Thay ten slough thre hundred there. Tho founde thai vitaile, thay were glad, As moche as thay myghte home bere. Duke Neymes and Ogere that kept the toure Say hem with here praye. Thai thanked God, hye of honoure, That thai spedde so that day. Thay avaled the brigge and lete him yn; Florip and here maydyns were gladde And so were thay that were withyn, For alle grete hounger thay hadde. Thai eten and dronken right i-nowe And made myrth ever amonge.     But of the Sowdon Laban speke we nowe, Howe of sorowe was his songe. Whan tidyngges came to him That his men were slayn And howe thai hade stuffed hem also With vitaile in agayne, For sorowe he woxe nere wode. He cleped Brenlande and Sortybraunce And told hem with angry mode Of his harde myschaunce. `Remedye ordeyne me - Ye be chief of my counsaile - That I of hem may vengede be; It shalle you bouth availe. O ye goddes, ye faile at nede, That I have honoured so longe. I shalle you bren, so mote I spede, In a fayre fyre ful stronge. Shalle I never more on you bileve But renaye you playnly alle. Ye shalle be brente this day er eve - That foule mote you befalle!' The fire was made; the goddes were broght To have be caste thereinne. Tho alle his counsaile him bysought He shulde of that erroure blynne And saide, `Sir, what wole ye done? Wole ye your goddis forsake? Vengeaunce shalle than on you come With sorowe, woo and wrake. Ye moste make offrynge for youre offence, For drede of grete vengeaunce, With oyle, mylke and frankencense By youre prestis ordynaunce.' Tho he dide bere hem in ayen, And to hem made dewe offerynge. The prestis assoyled him of that synne, Ful lowly for him prayinge. Tho he cleped his counselers Brulande and Sortybraunce, Axynge howe he myght destroye the Twelfe Peres, That Mahounde gife hem myschaunce. Thay cowde no more theron But late saile ayen the toure. 10 With twenti thousande thai gan gon And bigonne a newe shoure To brake down the walles With mattokes and with pike Tille four hundred of hem alle Lay slayne in the dike. So stronge was the cast of stoone, The Saresyns drewe hem abakke Tille it was at hye none. Tho gonne thay ayen to shake. Tho fayled hem cast that were withinne; 11 Tho cowde thai no rede 12 For stoone was ther noone to wynne. Tho were thay in grete drede. Than saide Florip, `Beith not dismayde. Ye shalle be holpe anoon. Here is sylver vessel i-now,' she sayde, `That shulle ye prove goode woon.' She set it forth; thay caste oute faste Alle that came to honde. Off silver and goolde vessel thay made waste That wast down uppon the sonde. Whan thai saugh that roial sight, Thai leften alle here dede And for the tresoure thay do fight, Whoso myghte it awey lede. Tho the Sowdon wexe nere wode, Seinge this tresoure thus dispoyled That was to him so dere and goode Laye in the dike thus defouled. He bade that thai shulde leve And turne hem agayne in haste. He wente home tille his tente than With grete sorowe and mournyng mode. To-fore his goddis whan he came He cryed as he were wode: `O fals goddis that ye beth, I have trustid to longe youre mode. We were levere to suffre dede Than lif this life here lenger nowe. I have almoste loste the breth. Twelfe fals traytours me overe-lede And stroyen alle that I have. Ye fals goddis, the devel youe spede! Ye make me nowe for to rave. Ye do fayle me at my nede.' In ire he smote Mahounde That was of goolde fulle rede, That he fille down to the grounde As he hade bene dede. Alle here bisshopes cryden oute And saide, `Mahounde, thyn ore!' And down to the erthe wele lowe thay loute Howlynge and wepynge sore And saide, `Sire Sowdon, what have ye done? Vengeaunce shalle on the falle But thou repente the here anone.' `Ye,' quod he, `I shrewe you alle.' Thai made a fyre of frankencense And blewen hornes of bras And casten in milke hony for the offence To-fore Mahoundes face. Thay counsailed Laban to knele adown And aske forgevenes in that place. And so he didde and hade pardon Throgh prayere and specialle grace.     Then this was done, than sayde Roulande To his felowes eleven: `Here may we not longe holde londe, By God that is in heven. Therefore sende we to Charles the Kinge That he wolde reskowe us sone And certyfye him of oure strayghte beinge, If ye thinke it be to done. Richard of Normandye, ye most goon; I holde you both wyse and hende. And we shalle tomorowe as stil as stoon The Saresyns awake er ye wynde. And while we be mooste bysy in oure worke And medel with hem alle in fere, Stele ye awaye in the derke; And spede you faste, ye were there.' On the morowe aftire the daye Thay were armede ful ryghte; Thay rode forth stilly in here way - God governe hem, mooste of myght! Floripe and here maydyns kept the toure And woonde up the brigges on hye And prayde God to kepe here paramoure, The Duke of Burgoyne, Sir Gye. She preyde to Rouland, er he wente, To take goode hede of him, That he were neyther take nere shente, As he wolde her love wynne. On thay set with herte stronge And alle hem sore afrayed. Richard the whiles away he wronge, While thai were alle dismayede. Towarde the Mountrible he hyed him faste To passe, if that he myghte. Thedir he came at the laste. God kepe him for his moch myght! His twelfe felowes besyed hem soo That many of hem thay sloughe. Gye slowe the Kinge of Babyloyne tho; The Babyloynes of his hors him drowe And with force him drowe there And bounde his hondes ful fast. A newe game thai gan him lere, For in depe prison thay him caste. But Laban wolde him first se To wete what he was. `Telle me thy name nowe,' quod he, `Thy songe shalle be `alas.'' `Sire,' he saide, `my name is Gye; I wole it never forsake. It were to me grete vilanye An othir name to take.' `O fals traytour,' quod Laban, `My doghtir, that stronge hore, Hath me forsake and the hath tan; Thou shalte be honged therefore.' Roulande made grete moone; It wolde noon other be. Homwarde thai gan goon; Thre hundred Saresyns ther saye he That kepte the pace at the brigge-ende, Armed wel in goode araye, That thai sholde not in wende But be take or slayn that daye. Roulande to his felowes saide, `Beth alle of right gode chere And we shal make hem alle afrayde Ere we go to oure soupere.' There byganne a bykeringe bolde Of ten bachelers that tyde Agayne thre hundred men i-tolde That durste righte wel abyde. Tho was Durnedale set a-werke: Forti of hethen he sloughe. He spared nether lewde ner clerke, And Floripas thereof loughe. The shotte, the caste was so stronge, Syr Bryer was slayn there With dartes, gavylokes and speres longe - Twenti on hym there were. Roulande was woo and Olyvere; Thay sloughen alle that thai mette. Tho fledde the Turkes alle for fere - Thay durste no longer lette - And saide thai were no men But develis abroken oute of helle: `Thre hundred of us agayn hem ten. Oure lorde Mahounde hem qwell! Forti of us here be ascaped And hardde we be bistadde. Whoso wole of hem more be japed, I holde him worsse than madde.'     Tho Roulande and Olyvere Maden grete woo and sorowe And token the corps of Sir Bryere And beryed it on the morowe. Floripe asked Roulande anoone, `Where is my love, Sir Gye?' `Damesel,' he saide, `he is goon, And therefore woo am I.' `Alas!' she saide, `than am I dede; Nowe Gye my lorde is slayn Shall I never more ete brede Tille that I may se him agayn.' `Be still,' quod Roulande, `and have no care: We shal hym have ful wele. Tomorowe wele we thiderward fare With spere and shelde of stele. But we bringe him to this toure Leve me elles no more - With victorye and grete honoure Or thay shalle abye it ful sore.' On the morowe whan tha day was clere, Laban ordeynede Gye honged to be. He cleped forth Sir Tampere And badde him do make a galowe tre `And set it even byfore the toure That thilke hore may him see, For by lord Mahounde of honoure This traitour there shalle honged be. Take withe the thre hundred knightes Of Ethiopis, Indens and Ascopartes That bene boolde and hardy to fight With wifles, fauchons, gavylokes and dartes Leste that lurdeynes come skulkynge oute, For ever thay have bene shrewes. Loke eche of hem have such a cloute That thay never ete moo sewes.' Forth thay wente with Sir Gye That bounde was as a thefe faste Tille thay come the towre ful nye; Thai rered the galowes in haste. Roulande perceyved here doynge And saide, `Felows, let armes! I am ful gladde of here comynge; Hem shall not helpe her charmes.' Oute thai riden a wele gode spede, Thai nine towarde hem alle. Florip with here maydyns toke gode hede Biholdinge over the toure walle. Thai met first with Sir Tampere - God gife him evelle fyne! Such a stroke lente hym Olyvere He clefe him down to the skyne. Rouland bare the Kinge of Ynde Ther with his spere frome his stede. Four foot it passed his bak byhynde: His herte blode there didde he blede. He caught the stede - he was ful goode - And the swerde that the Kinge hadde And rode to Gye there he stode And onbounde hym and bade him be gladde And girde him with that goode swerde And lepen uppon here stedes. `Be thou,' he saide, `righte nought aferde But helpe us wightly at this nede.' An hundred of hem sone thay slowe Of the beste of hem alle; The remenaunte away fast thay flowe - That foule motte hem byfalle! Rouland and his felowes were glad That Gye was safe indede. Thay thanked God that hem hadde Gyfen such grace to spede.     As thay wente towarde the toure, A litil bysyde the hye waye, Thai saugh comynge with grete vigoure An hundred uppon a laye. Costroye ther was, the admyrall, With vitaile grete plenté And the stondarte of the Sowdon roial. Towarde Mauntrible riden he, Four chariotes i-charged with flessh and brede And two othere with wyne Of divers colouris - yolowe, white and rede - And four somers of spicery fyne. Tho saide Roulande to Olyvere, `With these meyne moste we shifte To have parte of here vitailes here, For therof us nedith, by my thrifte.' `Howe, sires,' he saide, `God you see. We pray youe for youre curtesye, Parte of your vitaile graunte me; For we may nother borowe ner bye.' Tho spake Cosdroye, that admyral: `Ye gete none here for noght. Yf ye oght chalenge in speciall, It most be dere i-boght.' `O gentil knightes,' quod Olyvere, `He is no felowe that wole have alle.' `Go forth,' quod the stondart, `thou getist noon here; Thy parte shalle be fulle smalle.' `Forsoth,' quod Roulande, `and shift we wole; Gete the better, who gete maye. To parte with the nedy, it is gode skille; 13 And so shalle ye by my faye.' He rode to the admyral with his swerde And gafe him suche a cloute - No wonder thogh he were aferde - Both his eyyen braste oute. Olyvere met withe the proude stondarde; He smote him through the herte. That hade he for his rewarde. That wounde gan sore smerte. Thai were slayn that wolde fight Er durste bikure abyde. Thai forsoke her parte anoon right; It lefte alle on that on side. Forth thai drewen that vitaile Streight into the toure. There was no man durst hem assayle For drede of here vigoure.     Floripe hem resceyved with honoure And thanked Roulande fele sythe That she saugh Gye hir paramoure, That wolde she him qwite and kithe. Thai eten and dronken and made hem gladde. Hem neded ther aftyr fulle sore Of suche as God hem sente hade, I-nowe for four moonthes and more. Florip saide to Roulande than, `Ye moste chese you a love Of alle my maydyns, white as swan.' Quod Rouland, `That were myscheve; Our lay wole not that we with youe dele Tille that ye Cristyn be made, Ner of your play we wole not fele For than were we cursed indede.'     Nowe shall ye here of Laban. Whan tidynnges to him were comen, Tho was he a fulle sory man. Whan he herde howe his vitaile were nomen And howe his men were slayne And Gye was go safe hem froo, He defyed Mahounde and Apolyne, Jubiter, Ascarot and Alcaron also. He commaundede a fire to be dight With picche and brymston to bren. He made a vowe with alle his myght: `Thai shal be caste therinne.' The prestes of here lawe theron Thai criden oute for drede And saide, `Alas, what wole ye done? The worse than moste ye spede.' The Sowdon made a grete othe And swore by his hye trone That though hem were never so loth Thai sholde be brente ichon. Tho came the bisshope Cramadas And kneled bifore the Sowdon And charged him by the hye name Sathanas To saven his goddes ychon, `For if ye brenne your goddes here, Ye wynnyn her malison. Than wole no man do you chere In feelde, cité, nere in town.' The Sowdon was astonyed than And gan him sore repente Of the foly that he bygan And els hade he be shente. A thousande of besauntes he offred thaym to, By counsail of Sir Cramadas, To please with his goddys tho, For fere of harde grace. The Sowdone commaunded every daye To assaile the toure with caste; But thai within gafe not an eye, For thai wroghte in wast.     Nowe speke we of Richarde of Normandy That on message was sente - Howe he spede and his meyné. Whan he to Mauntrible wente, He founde the brigge ichayned sore: Twenti-four were overe-drawen Alagolofure stode there byfore That many a man hade slawene. Whan Richard saugh ther was no gate But by Flagot the flode His mesage wolde he not lete. His hors was both bigge and goode. He kneled, bisechinge God of his grace To save him from myschiefe. A white hende he saugh anoon in that place That swam overe the cliffe. He blessed him in Godis name And folowed the same waye The gentil hende that was so tame That on that othir side gan playe. He thanked God fele sythe That him had sente comforte. He hied him in his message swithe To speke with Charles, his lorde.     But I shalle you telle of a traytour That his name was called Genelyne. He counseiled Charles for his honoure To turne homewarde ageyn. He saide, `The Twelfe Peres bene alle dede, And ye spende your goode in vayne; And therfore doth nowe by my rede - Ye shalle see hem no more, certeyn.' The Kinge bileved that he saide And homwarde gan he fare. He of his Twelfe Dosiperes was sore dismayed; His herte woxe right fulle of care. Rycharde of Normandy came prikande And hertly to ride begane. Kinge Charles aspyed him comande. He commaunded to abide every man. `What tidingges?' quod the Kinge to Richarde. `Howe fare my felowes alle?' `My lorde,' he saide, `God wote, ful harde; For thai be byseged within ston walle, Abydynge youre helpe and youre socoure As men that have grete nede. For Jhesues love, Kinge of honoure, Thiderward ye you spede.' `O Genelyne,' quod the Kinge, `Nowe knowe I thy treson, I shalle the qwite, be Seynte Fremounde, Whan this viage is don.'     The Kinge turned him ageyn And alle his ooste him with Towarde Mountrible certeyne - And graunte him gree and grith! Richarde him tolde of that place, Howe stronge it was i-holde With a geaunte foule of face, The brigge hath chayned many-folde. The river was both depe and brode; Ther myght no man over-ryde. `The last tyme that I over-rode, By myracle I passed that tide. Therfore, sir, I shal you telle Howe ye mote governe you here. In yonde wode ye moste dwelle Prively in this manere; And twelfe of us shalle us araye In gyse of stronge marchauntes And fille oure somers withe fog and haye To passe the brigge currauntes. We shalle be armed under the cote With goode swerdes wele i-gyrde. We moste paye tribute, wele I wote, And elles over we may not sterte. But whan the chaynes be lete down Over ther for to passe, Than wole I that ye come on In haste to that same place. Whan I see tyme for to come, Than shalle I my horne blowe. Loke ye be redy alle and some, For that shall ye welle knowe.' Forth thay wente in that araye To Mountrible, that cité. Alagolofure to hem gan seye, `Felawes, wheder wole ye?' Richarde spake to the geaunte And saide, `Towarde the Sowdon With dyvers chaffere as trewe marchaunte We purpose for to goon To shewen him of pellure and gryse, Orfrays of Perse imperyalle. We wole the yefe tribute of assaye To passe by lycence in especyall.' `License gete ye noon of me. I am charged that noone shall passe, For ten lurdeyns of Fraunce were here - God yefe hem evell grace! Thay passed this way to Egramoure; Thay have done the Sowdon grete tene. Thay have wonne his toure and his tresoure And yet holde thai it, I wene. Wherfore, felawes, I arest you alle Tille I knowe what that ye bene.' Sire Focarde brayde oute his swerde with-alle; Wel sore he gan to tene And saide, `Fye on the, Sarasyne! For alle thy grete harde hede, Shaltow never drinke water ner wyne. By God, thou shalte be dede!' He smote at him with egre chere, But he gafe thereof right nought. `Alas,' quod Richard, `thou combrest us here, By God that me dere hath boghte.' The cheynes yet were all faste; The geaunte wexe nere wode. Richard blewe his horne in haste, That was both shrille and goode. King Charles hied him anoon Towarde the brigge so longe. The geaunte faught with hem alone, He was so harde and stronge. With a clog of an oke he faught, That was wele bound with stele. He slough al that evere he raught, So stronge was his dinte to dele. Richard raught him with a barre of bras That he caught at the gate. He brake his legges; he cryed `Alas' And felle alle chekmate. Loude than gan he to yelle - Thay herde him yelle through that cité Like the grete develle of helle - And saide, `Mahounde, nowe helpe me!' Four men him caught there, So hevy he was and longe, And cast him over into the rivere. Chese he whither he wolde swymme or gong.     Anoon thay brast the chaynes alle That over the brigge were i-drawe. The Saresyns ronnen to the walle; Many Cristen men were there i-slawe. Than came forth Dam Barrok the bolde With a sithe large and kene And mewe adown as thikke as shepe in folde That came byforne hir bydene. This Barrok was a geaunesse, And wife she was to Astragote. She did the Cristen grete distresse; She felled downe alle that she smote. There durst no man hire sithe abyde; She grenned like a develle of helle. King Charles with a quarel that tide Smote hir, that she lowde gan yelle, Over the frounte throughoute the brayn. That cursede fende fille down dede. Many a man hade she there slayn. Might she never aftyr ete more brede! Charles entred in the firste warde With fiftene knightis and no moo; Of hym his oste toke no garde; He wende his oste hade entred also. The Sarysyns ronne to the gate And shet it wonder faste. Charles men come to late; Tho was Charles sore agaste. Betwene two wardes he was shit, Defende he him if he can. The Sarysyns with him thay mette; Grete parel was he in than. Tho Genelyne saie the Kinge was inne And the yates faste i-stoke. Ther myght no man to him wynne So was he faste withinne i-loke. To his frendes he gan speke And saide, `The Kinge is dede And all twelfe peres eke. `On peyne,' said he, `to lese myn hede, Let us hye to Fraunce warde. For I wele be crownede kinge. I shalle you alle wele rewarde, For I wole spare for no thinge.' Anoon thay assented to Genelyne; Thay saugh ther was no better rede. The Frenssh men drewe hem al ayene; Thay wende the Kinge hade bene dedde. Tho Ferumbras with his meyné than Came for to seke the Kinge And saugh hem turne every man, Him thought it was a wondir thing. `Where is the Kinge?' quod Ferumbras. Quod Genelyne, `Within the walle; Shaltowe nevere more seen his face!' `God gyf the an yvel falle. Turne agayne, thou traytoure, And helpe to reskowe thy lorde. And ye, sires, alle for youre honoure!' Thay turned agayne with that worde. Ferumbras, with axe in honde, Myghtyly brake up the gate. Ther myght laste him noon yron bonde. He hade nere-honde i-come to late; The Kinge hadde fought so longe withynne That onnethe myght he no more. 14 Many ther were abouten him; His men were wounded ful sore. Ferumbras came with gode spede; He made the Sarasyns to fle. He reskowed the Kinge at his nede; Forti Sarasyns sone killed he. Thai ronnen aweye by every side; Thai durste nowhere rowte. In shorte tyme was falled her pride; Thay caught many a sore cloute. That cité was wonne that same daye And every toure therynne Of Mountreble that was so gaye For alle here soubtile gynne, Fulle of tresoure and richesse, Of silver and goolde and perre And clothes of goolde, wroght of Saresynes, Of rich aray and roialte. Richarde, Duke of Normandy, Founde two children of sefen monthes oolde, Fourtene fote longe were thay; Thay were Barrakes sonnes so boolde; Bygote thay were of Astragot. Grete joye the Kinge of hem hade. Hethen thay were both, wele I wote; Therfore hem to be cristenede he bade. He called that one of hem Roulande, And that other he cleped Olyvere For thai shalle be myghty men of honde. To kepen hem he was fulle chere. Thay myght not leve; her dam was dede; Thai coude not kepe hem forth. Thai wolde neyther ete butter nere brede, Ner no men was to hem worthe. Here dammes mylke they lakked there; Thay deyden for defaute of here dam. Kinge Charles made hevy chere And a sory man was than. The Kinge lete ordeyne anoon The cité to be governed Of the worthyest of hem ychon That weren of werre best lerned. Duke Richarde of Normandy, He was made chief governoure, And two hundred with him in hys company To kepe the brigge and toure.     Forth he rode to Laban than With his ooste and Sire Ferumbras. A spye to the Sowdon fast ran And told him al that cas: How Charles was come with his ost And Mountrible hade he wonne, `Alagolofur slayn is for alle his bost; This game was evel begon.' Whane Laban herde of his comynge, Him thought his herte gan breke. `Shalle I never be withoute moornynge Tille I of him be wreke.' He commaunded to blowe his claryons To assemble alle his ooste. His counsaile to him he lete calle And tolde how Kinge Charles was in that coost, Hadde wonne Mountrible and slayn his men `And dishiryth to disheryte me And proudely manessith me to fleen Or drive me oute of this contré. Me mervaylythe moch of his pride, By Mahounde, moost of myght! Ye, and my sone withe him doth ride; To the develle I hem bedight! But I be venget of hem both And honge hem on a tree - To myghty Mahounde I make myne othe - Shalle I never joyfulle be. Therfore I charge you in alle wyse That thay be taken or slayn. Than shalle I pynne heme at my gyse 15 And don hem alle qwike be flayn.'     On the morowe whan it was day, King Charles was in the felde Byfore Agremoure in riche aray, On stede with spere and sheelde. Floripe lay on the toure on hye And knewe the banere of Fraunce. To Roulande she gan faste crye Tidynges of goode chaunce: `Kinge Charles is comen and Ferumbras; Here baners both I do see With alle her oste yondere in that place. Welcome to us thay alle be.' Roulande and Olyvere Arayed hem for to ride. And here felawes alle in fere To Charles thay gon that tyde. Laban come forth with his mayné: Saresyns that were ful felle, Turkes, Indens and Arabye, Ye, and of the Ethiopes like the develes of helle. There were stronge wardes sette By ordynaunce of dyvers batayle. Whan thay togeder were met, Eythir othir sore gan assayle. Ther were Saresyns al to-hewe; Roulande sloughe many one. Thay lay so thikke dede on rewe That onnethe myghte men ride or goon. King Charles met with Laban And bare him down of his stede. He lighted down and ceased him than; He thought to qwite him his mede. He brayde oute Mownjoye wyth gode wille And wolde have smeten of his hede; Ferumbras prayde him to abyde stille To crysten him, er he were dede. The Saresyns saughe Laban take; Thay fledden away fulle faste. Lenger durste thay no maistryes make; Thai were so sore agaste. The Cristen hem chased to and fro As a grehounde doth the hare. Thre hundred ascaped with moche woo To Belmore gan thay fare.     King Charles ladde Laban Into Agremoure cité; And whan that he there came, A ful sory man was he. His doghter welcomed him With right gode chere. He loked on hir al grymme As he wode wroth were And saide, `Fye on the, stronge hore; Mahounde confounde the!' Charles saide, `Hereof no more, But let us nowe mery be.' `Sir,' she saide thanne, `Welcome ye be into this toure. Here I presente to you, as I can, Relikes of grete honoure That were at Rome iwonnen And broght into this halle. That game was evel bygonnen; It sithen rewed us alle.' Kinge Charles kneled adown To kisse the relikes so goode And badde there an oryson To that Lorde that deyde on Rode And thanked Floripe with al his herte That she had saved his meyné And holpe hem oute of peynes smerte And kepte the relekes so fre. King Charles did calle Bisshope Turpyn And bade him ordeyne a grete fat To baptyse the Sowdon yne: `And loke what he shalle hat. Unarme him faste and bringe him nere; I shal his godfader be. Fille it fulle of watere clere, For baptysed shalle he be. Make him naked as a childe; He moste plunge therinne, For now most he be meke and mylde And i-wassh awaye his synne.' Turpyn toke him by the honde And ladde him to the fonte. He smote the bisshope with a bronde And gaf him an evel bronte. He spitted in the water clere And cryed oute on hem alle And defied alle that Cristen were. That foule mote him byfalle! `Ye and thou, hore serpentyne, And that fals cursed Ferumbras - Mahounde gyfe hem both evel endyng And almyghty Sathanas! By you came all my sorowe And al my tresure forlorne. Honged be ye both er tomorowe. In cursed tyme were ye born.' Ferumbras saide to the Kinge, `Sir, ye see it wole not be; Lete him take his endynge For he loveth not Cristyanté.' `Duke Neymes,' quod Charles tho, `Loke that execucion be don. Smyte of his hedde - God gyfe him woo! And goo we to mete anoone.' It was done as the Kinge commaunde. His soule was fet to helle To daunse in that sory lande With develes that wer ful felle. Dame Florip was baptysed than And here maydyns alle And to Sir Gye i-maryed. The barons honoured hir alle. Alle the londe of Spayne Kinge Charles gyfe hem two To departe bitwyxt hem twayne, Ferumbras and Gy also. And so thay livede in joye and game, And brethern both thay were. In pees and werre both i-same, There durste no man hem dere. King Charles turned home agayn Towarde his contré. He charged Sir Bryere of Bretayne His tresourere for to be To kepe the relikes of grete pris And his other tresoure And bringe hem safe to Parys, There to abide in store. He saide, `Farewell, Sir Ferumbras, Ye and Gye, my dere frende, And thy wyf Dame Floripas. For to Fraunce nowe wole I wende. Be ye togeder as brethrn both. No man ye nedith to drede, Be ye never togedere wroth 16 But eyther helpe othir at his nede. Vysityth me whan ye have space; Into Fraunce makith your disporte. God wole you sende the better grace In age to do me comforte.' Thai toke leve of the Kinge With ful hevy chere And turned agayn both mornynge With wepynge water clere.     King Charles with the victory Sailed to Mounpeleres And thanked Almyghty God in glorye That he hade saved his dosiperes And fende him of the Saresynes The hyer honde to have, For alle here strenghe and her engynes The relikes of Rome to save. At Our Lady of Parys He offred the Crosse so fre; The Crown he offred at Seynte Denyse, At Boloyne the Nayles thre. Alle his barons of him were gladd; Thai gafe him grete presente. For he so wele hade i-spedde, Thay did him grete reverence. The Kinge hade wel in mynde The tresone of Genelyne; Anoon for him he dide sende To yefe him an evel fyne: `Thou traitour unkynde,' quod the Kynge, `Remembrist thou not how ofte Thou hast me betrayed, thou fals Genelyne? Therfore thoue shalt be honged on lofte. Loke that the execucion be don That throgh Parys he be drawe And honged on hye on Mount Fawcon, As longeth to traytoures by lawe, That alle men shall take hede What deth traytourys shall fele That assente to such falshede, Howe the wynde here bodyes shal kele.' Thus Charles conquered Laban, The Sowdon of Babyloyne, That riche Rome stroyed and wan And alle the brode londe of Spayn. . . . . . . . . . . d of his barons . . . . . . . . . . s pride . . . . . . . . . . eligons . . . . . . . . . . that tyde . . . . . . . . . . on Charles soule . . . . . . . . . . s also . . . . . . . . . . Peter and Poule God lete hem never wete of woo But bringe here soules to goode reste That were so worthy in dede. And gyf us joye of the beste That of here gestes rede.	(see note) wisdom             Thee [God]         if     (see note)     done                             conquered; burned By; Sultan destroyed Louis         (see note)     high lord; Sultan     (see note)             know                         natural desire; stir wood; grow person eye (see note)         Sultan Prepared     badger then; river bank entourage     (see note) huntsmen Their frighten grew; enough holly     warship; sea beckon             warship         criminals indeed Loaded furs; spices         impetus; weather     slew afflicted         avenge yourself; villainy     hearing countenance (see note) pay for; dearly enough                 Unless         you         Have him called             Asia; Africa far bold allegiance                 company     more costly; doubt (see note)     hear         Carracks, galleys; noble together warship; bold Alexandria     Asia     masters idols maintop; maces; (see note)     silk grandeur birds; part elaborate; bright     azure     earth         again errant             port     fierce man burned; slew         work; (see note) straightway     burn; slay them; event had called know As soon         heathen Burns; destroys scarcely         guide hound                     beloved said                     complain attempted Much dishonor     quickly     try             steel beneficial checkered cloth; red with wings spread young knight                 yet their     them     speed (see note); site     aware spark; glowing ember     bold     time Against; make war pomp battle     slew more cunning         rally; retinue                                 straightway     everyone glad             seed                     together; (see note) as a token her to you         in vain blustering         darling             straightway     host Ethiopians; Africans; (see note)         trumpet             gate ditches; devilishly deep     walk; crawl         in vain     ditches moreover     reach mad renounced called         very time     ditches                 said blessing host             host assault     fear battles                         more end themselves then             became mad; time Then     completely             promise way                             done Supposing Returning; fight Supposing     defence trick     slew         their lot speak more             shut         boar's head; dark                                 believe     accustomed torment     (see note)                             earl     (see note)         trouble                                 host aware; person             assail     pickax; mattock                 ships' boats     their intention turret                     grew     Yield             hurled     hauberk     mad                 House     slay     direct     called                 wretch oppressive             portcullis thought gall-bladder on     sound                 ill-fated accident         withdrew themselves to lying                                     know     certainly     throwing from     hear host                         people of the city     say (see note)             absolved judgment seat                             fear         hurry     To arms             (see note)     Ethiopians; Asians; (see note)     Babylonians rearguard; (see note)     vanguard                     struck battle             clothing Apulia; fear     Dead on harm         requite                                 neck-armor             on; wounded rose pagans'         lay pagan Slew war             man                 evaluate turn his attention to that crowd (see note)             leapt; alone neck-armor; unlace shaven             (see note)                 choir                         indeed                         burnt             said                 nephew     pay                 hasten                                                                         promised you     assault             assault morning shoot                         (see note)                             control     ransom ready                     rushed portcullis             (see note) live                                         also; lane's (see note) relics     every one                                             propitiate             on and on                         (see note)                             hurried                     fear                         guile             meadow         relics; (see note)     magnificence         menaces         rescue         soldiers     bold; battles         vanguard courageous rearguard     earls                                 to         relics     faith         enough             redeemed pay for indeed                 faith     magnificence     supplies                     deep sea leagues indeed     indeed slew                         slew     young knights bold             slay                         knows     before                     allegiance wretch calls hither     each one             Prepared                 astonished             astounded It seemed to him             flew     livelong                                         saw     hit         crowd     (see note)         ground             (see note)     promised                         pagan rave     sword         (see note)     Nubians Turks (see note) room             beat     strike                         swear                 person turned; depart         battle truth helped ails truth bewails             nimble                             triumph; won the prize                     praised                                 learn             their valiant                         red Mars mighty in arms vaulted alcove; throne             making my moan             deceit         belongs; faith     (see note) (see note)         somewhat         disinheritance also                 beginning; spring     woods nature         spirit; proclaim honor hearken                                                 (see note)             valiant             moved ambassadors             Asia; (see note) Venice, Phrygia; Ethiopia Nubia, Turkey; (see note) Macedonia, Bulgaria gathered fierce Moor         giraffe excite their courage                         Many                 solemn             truth; (see note)     plentifully                 injury became discolored                     Asians Phrygians; (see note) Turks, Indians; Venetians Ethiopians; Macedonians         neglect forces         renounce believe     army     near meadow prepared time         valiant truce think boon         together         offer     noble; generous together                     noble youth                                                                 pay for it         redeemed drew         fear     reconciled them persuasion pass avoid greater trouble         sorely sick         boon     noble before noon     sick         sound boon fool             alighted tied     hither brave     laughed It pleased             dubbed     regret         teach; lesson                     it pleases; combat back         prattle         you brag loudly; (see note)             set lace on         bow mounted joust; ready     support for a lance     shattered remained seated thrust                                 (see note)         ornamental band; head glanced pommel balm; indeed     securely     alighted             are you doing             earth     pay for it     head where mounted     strength slain clap glanced     fell Nimbly young knight                                 believe                 kill fight             struck; angrily feared pierced bled         take a breather         noble     are called     must             fear; untold             Alive     renounce; faith             bad luck             pay for it struck                         not at all         noble                                     saw     steed seized steed     would pay; reward waited         violently             subdued (see note)     pay; wages dealt                                 severe                 are aware of         Who can't believe in You         pagan discomfited                                                 also struck             afraid         faith (see note)         Do you believe     redeemed aimed     stroke                             (see note) renounce     commit (see note)                 horse before     Hasten capture                 saw; there     feared             shoes trampled     rode way                 damage (see note)             off             fear throng     press of battle         sorrowful indeed felled                 pommel         led     led     rather             throng     (see note) By     javelins felled         malice             occurrence         nephews; captured                     In spite of         (see note)             ground                         immediately kinsmen cut off                     wounded; slay                 assigned                 walk                                 Nevertheless                     untutored                         intensely questioned     concealed     Nephews                     companion offended         together lose     esteemed; dear                     custody             leisure             beloved; dear         noble             jailor         food                 dark                     food                     gather                             took pity     governess                 forbid         trick             afar porpoises     ocean     betray                                         secret bold jailor     thrive         person             accusation followed misfortune block; seized struck; (see note) gave                         freed             guarding See to it freed many times     hastened; quickly         sorrowful lack     somber demeanor noble; generous captives lack of food     Since                         lack of food to             gladly injury; protect; (see note)         tied                     meal             humor     knowledge     knew                                         relics     know         paid for         Bavaria         kill lose Needlessly             the Dane         reluctant     (see note)     time                     choose                 Go     Brabant         kill Go; also, Sir Good-for-nothing                     Liege (see note)         Prussia consider; better             ready regard         Montdidier; marquis         (see note)                     redeemed         went                         grief                 manner     towns destroys; fiefs         renounce; faith         I would prefer     torn apart     Replied     according to your word             clothing advantage     leave                 (see note)             hasten charge; limb             asked; intend     bound                                         drew         blow             go     stopped there         worth                             (see note)                         louts                     every one                                         esteemed; dear     together         it pleases you favor Thanks custody     strict         bough Very early in the morning                                             fared                 apartment washed                 knew     cared         playfully         ask     (see note)                                 deed                                                                         promised abide by     their plight perils         danger repay you     entreated                                 custom         hugged sport     all together             advantage     at once fear     Manifest yourselves         manner                                 their present state permission         contrary to secured         argument; it pleased him (see note) Who makes such a scene here     faith             meanwhile             ill fortune                                                             now and then     game in one group saw thread fastened burning             learned hair             brand                     every bit             Listen     power friendliness     inquire                 suffering     fierce; mood (see note)     attacked administered blows     afraid followed         shore; (see note)         unharmed                     emptied     drawbridge; tied shut     ebb-tide With difficulty astonished; astounded                     have hung outside great whore                             assemble             person; strength; courage         provisions         dine     Asia; (see note) choose manifest yourselves                 (see note) quantity every one             failing         draw near     overcome                                                                                         great whore give         provisions for meals                 order giant guardian bridge permission     Rescue famished distress     advice                     learn             failure; unlucky results     bridge; (see note)     lay                                 To better earn your keep     beloved             securely         eyes             off             chains     fear     protect     walk; crawl captured; slain     leopard             race     leopard     would not assault cease         pickaxe                                                     infidel     beach     disgrace     (see note) drawn         nature         engineer     machine for hurling stones         weight     battlement                         before             clothes                     Jupiter     straight     voice     bull's-eye     plentiful         signalled; recall                     Office of the Dead; the Koran Bible; faith                     guard; drawbridge; road         provisions     starved         (see note) considered; destroyed         pale of complexion Lack                 lack fortress                 cure     chest     harm             show fill went tested; power     everybody feast         distress             cincture power             knew; trick     go                 defeated                                             commit                 chamber             paid for         startled; fear     chamber         know     startled; fear     off         realized             lost         difficult time harm                         (see note)             Share     protector                         guard     try their luck huts                 slew             Saw; plunder     fared lowered; drawbridge                 meanwhile                     supplied themselves; (see note)             humor                             (see note)                                 cease             suffering                     due absolved humbly         Asking                 attack     mattocks; pickaxes     ditch             charge         get         helped (see note) resource             ground                     plundered                                         death         oppress destroy                                 mercy bowed                 curse                                     When                     severe condition         valiant     go         dark                 guide         lover         care killed             hurried (see note)             great busied slew slew             teach         know                                 taken     moan         saw guarded; passageway                             fighting     all-told stand firm     slew (see note)             javelins             fear delay             kill     pressed mocked                                                                             Believe             ordered             whore                     axes, swords, javelins;(see note) cowards villains See that broths             raised     to arms         at quite a good speed                 end gave clove                         stood                 boldly         fled         indeed (see note)                     field; (see note)         standard they loaded         pack horses     company; share     prosperity                         in particular         partner standard-bearer     share                         eyes burst standard-bearer                 Or dared do battle                                 many times lover repay; recognize                     choose     sin have to do with you     Nor indeed                 taken     from renounced; (see note) the Koran prepared pitch                     then must; fare     throne                                curse be friendly towards you nor astonished         otherwise; lost (see note)                 hurling of stones gave not an egg (i.e., didn't care) worked in vain                         24 [chains]; pulled across     slain passage the river Flagot abandon             hind             hind     many times                                         advice surely                 riding                         besieged                         repay; (see note) journey                 favor; protection                                     act             merchants pack-horses; grass moving along             go                                                         merchandise; (see note)     (see note) Gold embroidery; Persia proven worth             villains give     harm     suppose         pulled grow angry                     cared encumber                                 hardy log     struck blow; deliver struck seized                                     Choose; walk                     Dame scythe; sharp mowed immediately giantess             scythe growled bolt from a crossbow     forehead; (see note)             vanguard     care thought     shut         castle walls; trapped         peril saw locked go locked             lose; head towards France                 counsel back thought     seek     It seemed to him                                             nearly                                     assemble     blow             subtle contrivance     jewelry made by Saracens                                 christened             pleased live; mother alive         mother's died; lack; mother         ordered         war; schooled                                 event         boasting             mourning avenged trumpets     had called region     desires; disinherit warns; flee             Yea commit Unless             in every way         alive                                                                         fierce         guards battle array; different companies         hewed down     in a heap scarcely     off seized give him his reward                 saw; taken     combat                                         (see note)     grimly insanely angry                                             subsequently grieved         offered; prayer died; Cross         sharp         vat     be called                                     led sword blow                                     lost                             See to it off         fetched     ferocious                         divide; two     pleasure     alike defy             treasurer worth         storage                                 time Set out for France                                 Montpellier         protected him from     strength                 Boulogne                             give; ending unnatural         aloft         Mounfaucon is fitting             cool         destroyed; conquered     (see note)                                         deeds read
	Here endithe the Romaunce of the Sowdon of Babylone and of Ferumbras his sone who conquered Rome, and Kyng Charles off Fraunce with the Twelfe Dosyperes toke the Sowdon in the feelde and smote of his heede