The Sultan of Babylon

By vertue of Woorde and Hooly Goost, Gyvinge to man grete excellence, class="sr-only">line5And alle that is in 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 data-kind="GLOSS" data-identifier="3"> class="sr-only">line10In al thinge and loved The And hadde [ne] Than shulde he fully Thy grace fele; But for the offences to God i-doon Many vengeaunces have befalle. class="sr-only">line15Whereof I wole you telle of 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, class="sr-only">line20Listinythe a while and ye shall Howe it was wonen and aria-label="gloss 6" aria-describedby="k4wNB0P8CaAdAuW1As6gkxT2q2peqk1Y" data-indicator-for-kind="GLOSS" class="TEINoteToggle_indicator__DF7lA"> Of a Sowdon, that heathen was, And for synne how it was shente; As King Lowes witnessith that cas, class="sr-only">line25As 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, class="sr-only">line30And syre and Sowdon of hie Babilon, Conquerede grete parte of That was born in Askalon. And in the cité of Agremare Uppon the rivere of Flagote class="sr-only">line35At that tyme he sojorned 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; class="sr-only">line40Here worthynesse al may not be

Hit bifelle bytwyxte March and Maye, Whan kynde corage begynneth to pryke, Whan frith and felde wexen gaye, And every wight desirith his like, line45Whan 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 line50Shope 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, line55The 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. line60The 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 line65To 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, line70That 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 line75To 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. line80Whereof, 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, line85With 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, line90My 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: line95My 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 line100And 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, line105Comaundinge 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 line110An 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, line115Spake 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 line120And 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. line125Two 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, line130Embrowdred 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. line135Of 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 line140And 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. line145Thai 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 line150Unto 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. line155Anone 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, line160Alive 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!’ line165Ifrez 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, line170That 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, line175Oure sheldes be not broke no thinge, Hawberke, spere, ner poleyne, ner pole. Whereof shul we playn to him, That no thinge yet have assaide? Mech vylanye we myght wynne, line180That 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.’ line185Unto 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, line190An 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, line195And 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.’ line200Forth 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 line205And 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, line210Ayen 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, line215Ten 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. line220The 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, line225The 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. line230Martires 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 line235The 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. line240The 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, line245He 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, line250I 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: line255‘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.’ line260Lukafere 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, line265The 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 line270And 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, line275How 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. line280He 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, line285Fagotis 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, line290Of 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; line295Thai 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. line300Wifis 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, line305Ten 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. line310He 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, line315Howe 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. line320When 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, line325Hopinge 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 — line330Wenynge 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, line335Thai 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 line340Of 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 line345With 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. line350He 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 line355So 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.

line360Whan 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, line365What 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . line370Sending 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.’ line375All 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 line380Pryvely 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, line385Howe 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, line390Playnly 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. line395To the toure a bastile stode, An engyne was i-throwe — That was to the cité ful goode — And brake down towres both hie and lowe. Tho sorowede alle the citesyns line400And 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, line405Or 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, line410Mahounde 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. line415Spare no thinge that is alyve, Hows, toure ner walle, Beest ner man, childe nere wife, Brenne, slo and distroye alle.’ Tho Ferumbras ordeynede anone line420To 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 line425For 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 line430And 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. line435He 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, line440That 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. line445Thai 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, line450Of 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. line455He 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 line460With 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. line465Therefore, 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 line470To 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. line475The 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 line480Seinte 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. line485He 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, line490‘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. line495Ascopars, 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, line500Ho 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, line505And 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. line510Sire 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, line515He 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; line520Ferumbras 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; line525His 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, line530That 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, line535Nine 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, line540Slough Romaynes eyghtene. Of werre moche sorowe he coude; His strokes were over alle sene. Gyndarde, a senatoure of Rome, Hade slayne Sarsenys ten, line545Tille 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 line550If 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. line555Anoon 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! line560What 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, line565Or 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!’ line570The 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.

line575Nowe 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 line580Unto 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? line585I 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, line590To 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; line595And 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 line600And 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 line605And 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 line610To 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.’ line615He 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 line620From 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. line625Isres, 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, line630For 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. line635The 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, line640With 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, line645And 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. line650All 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.’ line655He dide lete bere his hede on a spere Throughoute this faire citee. ‘Treson, treson,’ thai cried there; Pite it was to here and see. The people fled by every waye; line660Thai 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, line665The 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 line670Alle 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 line675In 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 line680That smoked up so stronge The fume in her presence, It lasted alle alonge. Thai blewe hornes of bras; Thai dronke beestes bloode. line685Milke 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 line690That 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.

line695Now 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 line700That 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, line705Ther 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 line710Thai 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, line715Howe 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, line720Ther 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. line725Alle 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 line730And worthy men of dede. Sir Roulande that worthy knighte, He ladde the fowarde, And Sir Olyvere, that was so wighte, Governed the rerewarde. line735The Kinge himselfe and his baronye, With dukes and erilles roialle, Governed alle the medil partye. By commaundemente generall He ordeynede grete plenté line740Of 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, line745He 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, line750That 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! line755‘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, line760Withinne 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, line765Babyloyne shal he never see For alle his grete aray. Anoon to shippe every man With vitaile and with store, Even towarde the proud Sawdan line770Withouten any more.’ Wynde him blewe ful fayre and goode Into the ryver of Gase, Even over the salte flode And over the profounde rase. line775Thirti 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, line780And 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 line785And 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, line790Pepul 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.’ line795Whan 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. line800He 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 line805And 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, line810Hidere to my pavilon. Kepe him alive; the remenaunte sle, The Twelfe Peris ychoon. I shalle tech him curtesye, I swere by god Mahounde.’ line815Ferumbras anoon than Arrayed him for to ride With proude Sarasyns many a man, That boldely durst abide. Rowlande met with Ferumbras line820And 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 line825That 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; line830A quarter flye in the feelde. Thus thai hurteled togedere Alle the lefelonge daye, Nowe hider and nowe theder; Mony an hors wente ther astraye. line835The 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 line840To fyghte with Olyvere, And Olyvere withoute dowte Leyde on with goode chere. Kinge Charles saugh Ferumbras; To him fast he rode line845And 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. line850King 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. line855Sir 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 line860And 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.’ line865A 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, line870He 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. line875Tho 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 line880With Durendale tho dinge Uppon the Sarsyns crowne, As harde as he myght flynge. Duke Neymys and Sir Olyvere, Gy and Alloreynes of Loreyne, line885And 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, line890Of 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 line895And 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. line900This 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, line905Or 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 line910What so evere byfalle.’ King Charles with grete honoure Wente to his pavilon; Of the treyumple he bare the floure In dispite of Mahounde. line915Almyghty 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, line920That 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, line925Ner 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 line930In 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. line935These 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, line940That 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 line945With 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, line950And 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, line955Uppon 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 line960And 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, line965In 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 line970That 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. line975For 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, line980He 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, line985And 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, line990As 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. line995He 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, line1000To 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, line1005Some 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, line1010When 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. line1015Thai 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 line1020To 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. line1025Therefore 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, line1030And thought to spede wel i-nowe. 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. line1035Whan 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, line1040Frigys, Paens and Ascoloynes, Turkis, Indeis and Venysyens, Barbarens, Ethiopes and Macidoynes, ‘Bringe him to me, that proude kinge; I shal him teche curtesye. line1045Loke 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 line1050And 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. line1055In 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, line1060Upon 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, line1065Duke 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, line1070As 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.’ line1075The 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 line1080And 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!’ line1085He 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; line1090Thai may goo shewen here prowes.’ 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.’ line1095‘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 line1100Ne 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, line1105As 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, line1110And 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.’ line1115Charles 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. line1120I 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, line1125Where 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, line1130Rise 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.’ line1135‘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 line1140To 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, line1145That 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, line1150Though 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.’ line1155Whan 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; line1160Gilte 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, line1165Of 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; line1170So 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. line1175Syr 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 line1180Upon 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 line1185And 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. line1190The 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. line1195Thai 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, line1200That 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. line1205Ferumbras 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 line1210That 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. line1215That 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 — line1220Thou 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. line1225To 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, line1230Er 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. line1235Thay 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, line1240‘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, line1245That 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, line1250Cousyn 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.’ line1255‘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, line1260The 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, line1265Nowe 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. line1270Tho 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. line1275It 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. line1280Hade 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. line1285He 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. line1290Almoost 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. line1295Tho 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; line1300I 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 line1305And 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 line1310That 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, line1315Lete 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, line1320And 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 line1325That 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, line1330That 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. line1335Ferumbras 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 line1340And 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, line1345To 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 line1350And 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. line1355I 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. line1360To 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. line1365Ten 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, line1370That 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. line1375Ferumbras 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 line1380‘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; line1385And 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, line1390So 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. line1395But 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 line1400Aboute 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. line1405Many 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 line1410Asundre 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. line1415Olyvere 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 line1420To 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. line1425Thai 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, line1430But 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.

line1435King 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; line1440So dede the barons bolde. It wolde not bene, thai were agon, Magre whoso woolde. The Saresyns drewe hem to here cité; King Charles turned agayne. line1445He 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 line1450With 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.’ line1455‘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, line1460‘Olyvere my maister me hight To be baptised by Goddis grace, And to dyen a Cristen knighte. Honure were it noon to the A discoumfite man to slo, line1465That 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 line1470To 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. line1475The 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. line1480Floreyne 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, line1485And 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: line1490The 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. line1495The 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, line1500That 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, line1505And 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, line1510And 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 line1515My 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, line1520To 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; line1525And 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, line1530So 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: line1535“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; line1540Every 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. line1545Hungir 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, line1550Bute 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, line1555For 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: line1560Thay 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. line1565The 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 line1570That 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: line1575‘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! line1580My 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 line1585And 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, line1590And 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. line1595Hath 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 line1600To 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. line1605Such 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: line1610Howe 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.’ line1615‘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 line1620And 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? line1625What 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 line1630For 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. line1635But 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 — line1640It 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. line1645From 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 line1650Tille 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. line1655And 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, line1660Withouten 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. line1665Aftir 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; line1670Therfore 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. line1675And 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 line1680And 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.’ line1685‘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! line1690By 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.’

line1695Folk Baliante saide to the Kinge, ‘Liste ye youre barons to lese?’ ‘Certis, this is a wondir thinge! Go thou also; thou shalte not chese.’

Aleroyse rose up anone line1700And 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. line1705Knowist 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, line1710Yet arte thou neyther hurte ner take.’

Bisshope Turpyn kneled adown And saide, ‘Lege lorde, mercy.’ The Kinge him swore by Seynt Symon, ‘Thou goist eke; make the in hast redye.’

line1715Bernarde of Spurwse, that worthy knyght, Saide, ‘Sir, avyse you bette; Set not of your barons so light. Thou maiste have nede to hem yette.’ ‘Thou shalte goon eke for alle thy boost; line1720Have 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. line1725To 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, line1730To 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.’ line1735Thay 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 line1740And 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. line1745How 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. line1750Thus 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. line1755For 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 line1760And 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. line1765Araye 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 line1770As 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.’ line1775He 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. line1780In 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.’ line1785‘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.’ line1790‘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.’ line1795Anoon 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; line1800Eche 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; line1805Anone 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 line1810Thas 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 line1815And 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 line1820His 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. line1825Thai made it both stoute and gay. Here hedis here maistowe see. Thai saide thai wolde to Charles goon Evel tiddingges him to telle. Loo here here heddis everychone; line1830Here 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? line1835To 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 line1840And 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; line1845And 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 line1850And 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.’

line1855Florip 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, line1860‘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; line1865And 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 line1870To 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. line1875There 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, line1880To 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?’ line1885‘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; line1890It 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. line1895For 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, line1900Of 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; line1905For 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, line1910Her 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.’ line1915Tho 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, line1920We 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. line1925Floripas 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,’ line1930And 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.’ line1935Thay 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 line1940And 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. line1945Loke 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 line1950And 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.

line1955King 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 line1960Up 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 line1965That 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; line1970The 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.’ line1975Tho 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, line1980What 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, line1985Of 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 line1990Tille 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.’ line1995‘Ye bene but foulis of gode dissporte. 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 line2000With 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; line2005That 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 line2010And 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. line2015And 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. line2020‘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 line2025He 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 line2030Ner 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. line2035Thai 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 line2040With 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 line2045That he went awaye with lym To worche hem sorowe more. Roulande than came rennynge And axed where was Laban. Olyvere answerede moornynge line2050And 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.

line2055Laban 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 line2060He 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; line2065And 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 line2070And 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. line2075Tho 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, line2080And 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; line2085And 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 line2090Ye 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.’

line2095On 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 line2100Thay 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. line2105He 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 line2110And 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.’ line2115He made grete lamentacion, His goddis byganne to shake. Yet that comfortede his meditacion Supposinge thay didde awake. He cleped Brenlande to aske counsaile line2120What 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 line2125And 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, line2130Kepen 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, line2135To 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 line2140Reskowe than Agramoure. Than thay shalle enfamyched be That shalle hem rewe ful sore.’ ‘Mahoundis blessynge have thou and myne, Sortybraunce, for thy rede.’ line2145‘Espyarde, messangere myne, In haste thou most the spede To my cité Mauntreble To do my message there To Alogolofre, that giaunte orrible. line2150Bydde 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, line2155Charginge 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 line2160Tille 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, line2165Uppon 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 line2170And 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.’ line2175Alagolofur 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 line2180And 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, line2185Neyther 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 line2190But 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. line2195Of Ethiope he was bore, Of the kinde of Ascopartes. He had tuskes like a bore, An hede like a liberde.

Laban nolde not forgete line2200The 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. line2205Thai 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; line2210Uppon 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.’ line2215Tho 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 line2220By 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. line2225Withe 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, line2230His 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.’ line2235Mavon 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 line2240That 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. line2245He 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 line2250Uppon a sturdy stede, Cryinge to hem uppon the walle, ‘Traytouris, yelde you here. Brenne you alle ellis I shalle, By myghty god Jubytere.’ line2255Gy 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, line2260Thou 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. line2265He 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 line2270With 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.

line2275Anoon 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 line2280To 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. line2285The 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 line2290Faile 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 line2295To 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 line2300For 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, line2305Hunger 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 line2310That 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, line2315As 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 line2320Withouten 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. line2325He 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, line2330Thou 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! line2335Kanstowe 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 line2340As 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.’ line2345‘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! — line2350Even 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. line2355For 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; line2360Robbe 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. line2365To 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, line2370Tho 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? line2375He 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, line2380‘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. line2385I 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 line2390By 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. line2395Duke 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; line2400Of hem hade thay no thought. Thai slowen down that came to honde. Mahounde availed hem noghte. In shorte tyme the ende was made; Thay ten slough thre hundred there. line2405Tho 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, line2410That 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. line2415Thai 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 line2420That 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 line2425And 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; line2430It 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. line2435Shalle 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 line2440To 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? line2445Vengeaunce 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 line2450By 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. line2455Tho 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 line2460But late saile ayen the toure. With twenti thousande thai gan gon And bigonne a newe shoure To brake down the walles With mattokes and with pike line2465Tille 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. line2470Tho gonne thay ayen to shake. Tho fayled hem cast that were withinne; Tho cowde thai no rede For stoone was ther noone to wynne. Tho were thay in grete drede. line2475Than 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 line2480Alle 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 line2485And 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 line2490Laye 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. line2495To-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 line2500Than 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! line2505Ye 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 line2510As 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 line2515And 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 line2520And 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. line2525And 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, line2530By 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. line2535Richard 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 line2540And 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; line2545Thay 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, line2550The 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. line2555On 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 line2560To 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. line2565Gye 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, line2570For 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.”’ line2575‘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, line2580‘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. line2585Homwarde 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 line2590But 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.’ line2595There 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: line2600Forti 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 line2605With 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 — line2610Thay 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! line2615Forti 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 line2620Maden 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?’ line2625‘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 line2630Tille 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. line2635But 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, line2640Laban 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, line2645For 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 line2650With 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.’ line2655Forth 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 line2660And 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. line2665Florip 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 line2670He 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. line2675He 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 line2680And 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; line2685The 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 line2690Gyfen 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. line2695Costroye 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 line2700And 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 line2705To 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; line2710For 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.’ line2715‘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; line2720Gete the better, who gete maye. To parte with the nedy, it is gode skille; And so shalle ye by my faye.’ He rode to the admyral with his swerde And gafe him suche a cloute — line2725No 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. line2730That 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. line2735Forth 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 line2740And 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 line2745Of 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.’ line2750Quod 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.’

line2755Nowe 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 line2760And 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. line2765He 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? line2770The 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. line2775Tho 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, line2780Ye 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 line2785Of 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, line2790For 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.

line2795Nowe 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: line2800Twenti-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 line2805His 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 line2810That 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. line2815He 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 line2820That 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; line2825And 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; line2830His 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. line2835‘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 line2840As 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, line2845I 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 — line2850And 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. line2855The 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 line2860Howe 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 line2865And 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, line2870And 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. line2875Whan 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 line2880To Mountrible, that cité. Alagolofure to hem gan seye, ‘Felawes, wheder wole ye?’ Richarde spake to the geaunte And saide, ‘Towarde the Sowdon line2885With 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 line2890To 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! line2895Thay 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 line2900Tille 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, line2905Shaltow 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, line2910By 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. line2915King 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, line2920That 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. line2925He 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 — line2930And 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.

line2935Anoon 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 line2940With 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. line2945She 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 line2950Smote 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! line2955Charles 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 line2960And 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. line2965The 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 line2970So 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, line2975Let 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; line2980Thay 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 line2985And 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!’ line2990‘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. line2995Ferumbras, 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 line3000That onnethe myght he no more. Many ther were abouten him; His men were wounded ful sore. Ferumbras came with gode spede; He made the Sarasyns to fle. line3005He 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; line3010Thay 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, line3015Fulle 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, line3020Founde 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. line3025Hethen 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. line3030To 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. line3035Here 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 line3040The 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, line3045And 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 line3050And 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.’ line3055Whane 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 line3060To 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 line3065And 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; line3070To 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. line3075Therfore I charge you in alle wyse That thay be taken or slayn. Than shalle I pynne heme at my gyse And don hem alle qwike be flayn.’

On the morowe whan it was day, line3080King 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. line3085To 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. line3090Welcome 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. line3095Laban 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 line3100By ordynaunce of dyvers batayle. Whan thay togeder were met, Eythir othir sore gan assayle. Ther were Saresyns al to-hewe; Roulande sloughe many one. line3105Thay 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; line3110He 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. line3115The 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 line3120As a grehounde doth the hare. Thre hundred ascaped with moche woo To Belmore gan thay fare.

King Charles ladde Laban Into Agremoure cité; line3125And 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 line3130As 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.’ line3135‘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 line3140And broght into this halle. That game was evel bygonnen; It sithen rewed us alle.’ Kinge Charles kneled adown To kisse the relikes so goode line3145And 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 line3150And 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. line3155Unarme 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; line3160He 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. line3165He 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. line3170That foule mote him byfalle! ‘Ye and thou, hore serpentyne, And that fals cursed Ferumbras — Mahounde gyfe hem both evel endyng And almyghty Sathanas! line3175By 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, line3180‘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. line3185Smyte 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 line3190With 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. line3195Alle 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, line3200And 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. line3205He 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, line3210There 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. line3215Be ye togeder as brethrn both. No man ye nedith to drede, Be ye never togedere wroth But eyther helpe othir at his nede. Vysityth me whan ye have space; line3220Into 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 line3225And turned agayn both mornynge With wepynge water clere.

King Charles with the victory Sailed to Mounpeleres And thanked Almyghty God in glorye line3230That 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. line3235At 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; line3240Thai 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; line3245Anoon 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? line3250Therfore 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, line3255That 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, line3260The Sowdon of Babyloyne, That riche Rome stroyed and wan And alle the brode londe of Spayn. . . . . . . . . . . d of his barons . . . . . . . . . . s pride line3265. . . . . . . . . . eligons . . . . . . . . . . that tyde . . . . . . . . . . on Charles soule . . . . . . . . . . s also . . . . . . . . . . Peter and Poule line3270God 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.

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.