they rode towarde him to helpe hym and receiue hȳ this same batayle was sore foughten on both partyes / but the sarasyns loste there courage for robert layde on so greate and myghty strokes that no mā myght stonde vnder his honde so that in conclusyō Robert dyde so moche and so valyantly that the sarasyns were put to the dyscomfyture where of the Emperour was greatly enioyed and the senesshall with the sarasyns were passynge angry and sore moued therwith all ¶ How one of the emperoures knyghtes hurte Robert in the thyghe with a spere THan whā this batayle was done euery mā rode home and Roberte wolde haue tourned agayne to the fontayne to vnarme hȳ as he was wonte to do before / but the foresayd knyghtes were torned agayne in to the wode / to a wayte for the knyght with the whyte hors and whan they sawe hym come they rode all at ones out of the wode cryed with a loude voyce saynge vnto hym O noble knyght tarye speke with vs / and tell vs who that ye be whens out of what londe ye come / to the entent that we maye shewe it to the Emperour whiche specyally he desyreth for to knowe Roberte this herynge was sore a shamed smote his whyte hors with his sporres flyngynge ouer hylles and ouer valeyes for bycause he wolde not be knowen but there folowed hym a bolde knyght / well horsed with a spere wenynge to haue kylled his whyte hors but be myste and smote roberte in the thyghe with his spere / and the spere heed brake of stacke styll in his thyghe but yet for all this he coude gete no knowlege of the knyght with the whyte hors for he rode from them all euerychonc / wherof they were passynge sory Roberte rode so sore tyll at the last he came to the fontayne vnarmed hym layde the harnays on the hors as he had done before whiche in cōtynent was vanysshed awaye gone he drewe out the spere heed out of his thyghe hyd it bytwene two grete stones by the fontayne than he layde grece mosse vpon his woūde for he durst let no man loke therto / for fere he sholde haue bene knowen And all this sawe marked the Emperours doughter / forbycause she se that Roberte was a fayre wel fauoured yonge knyght she began to cast her loue vnto hym And whan Roberte had dressed his wounde he came in to the halle / to gete hym some mete he halted as lytel as he coude kepte it secretely that almoost no man coude perceyue it suffred more payne a thousande tymes thā it semed by hȳ Shortly after this came home the knyght that had hurte Roberte And began to recoūte to thēperour how the knyghte with the whyte hors had out ryden hȳ how he had hurte hȳ sore ayenst his wyll And sayd to the Emperour I beseche you my lorde Emperour here what I shall tell you how / and in what maner ye shall knowe who he is that hath holpen you it is best ye make a proclamacyon publysshe thrughe out your Empyre / yf there be ony knyght in whyte harnays and a whyte hors that he be brought to your presence and that he brynge with hym the spere heed where with all he was hurte in his thyghe shewynge the woūde / that ye gyue hym your doughter to wyfe and halfe your Empyre with her / themperour this herynge was of his counseyll very glad and in contynent in all haste proclamed and puplyshed thrughe out all his Empyre and thought that the knyght had gyuen hym good coūseyll ¶ How the Seneshall thruste a spere heed in to his thyghe wenynge to haue begyled themperour and to haue wonne his doughter therby IT befell in shorte tyme after that the Seneshal hadde knowlege and vnderstandynge of the Emperoures proclamacyon and howe he myghte wynne themperoures doughter whiche he had many tymes bene aboute he dyde grete dylygence and caused to be sought goten a whyte hors and whyte harnays thryste a spere heed in his thyghe wenynge therby to deceyue themperoure and to gete his doughter to wyfe / and whan this was done he commaunded all his men to arme theym and rode with hym to the Emperour and he rode so sore tyll he came to Rome with grete royalte and solace without ony taryenge he rode streyght to the Emperour saynge to hym in this wyse / my lorde I am he that you so valyaūtly many tymes receyued thre tymes I haue caused you to haue honour vyctory ayenst the cursed sarasyns / themperour thȳkynge vpon no treason nor dysseyte sayd ye be a valyaūt a wyse knyght but I had wente the contrarye for we haue taken you for a vylayne and a forsworne knyght / the Seneshall was very angry sore moued here withall and answered themperour shortly and angerly / my lorde Emperour meruayll you nothynge here of for I am not suche a cowarde as ye wene that I be thus saynge he toke out the spere heed and shewed it the Emperoure and vncouered the wounde the whiche he had made hym selfe in his thyghe the knyght stode by whiche that hurte Roberte before and began to cōpasse in his mynde for he se well that it was not the heed of the spere but he durst saye nothynge for fere leest the Seneshall wolde haue kylled hȳ we wyll leue now of the Seneshall speke of Roberte whiche is amonge doggers sore wounded as ye haue herde ¶ How god sente his aungell to the heremyte that he sholde go to rome and seke Roberte for he had full done his penaunce THe heremyte whiche ye haue herde of before that shroue and sette Roberte his penaunce laye on a nyght in his selle and slepte and thus slepynge there came to hym a voyce / and badde hym lyghtly a ryse and go to Rome to the place where Roberte was doynge his penaunce / and the aungell tolde the heremyte all the doynges of Roberte shewynge how that his penaunce was fuldone and that god hadde forgyuen hym his synnes wherof the heremyte was verye gladde and in the mornynge eerly he rose and wente to Romewarde / and in lyke wyse in the same mornynge the Seneshal rose be tyme and wente to Rome to the Emperoure to desyre and haue his doughter accordynge to the publycacyon and crye / the whiche the Emperour consented her to hym without ony longe aduysement / But whan the doughter vnderstode that she was gyuen to the Seneshall she raylled and raged as though she hadde ben wood and madde she tare her here from her heed and all to tore her clothes but it myght nothynge auayll her for she was constrayned and must be arayed lyke a bryde and an Emperoures doughter whiche sholde be maryed and the Emperour ladde her by the hande hymselfe to the chyrche royally accompanyed with lordes and ladyes and gentylwomen but the doughter
¶ Here beginneth the lyf of the moste myscheuoust Robert the deuyll whiche was afterwarde called the seruaunt of god IT befel in tyme past there was a duke in nor mandye whiche was called ouberte the whiche duke was passinge ryche of goodes also vertuous of lyuynge and loued and dred god aboue al thinge and dede greate almosse dedes and exceded all other in ryghtwysnesse and iustice / and mooste cheualrouse in dedes of armes and noble actes doinge this duke helde open hous vpon a cristmasse daye in a towne whiche was called Nauerne vpon the seyne To the whiche courte came al the lordes and noble blode of Normandye And bycause this noble duke was not maryed his lordes and nobles with one assente besought hym to marye and take a wyfe / to thentente that his lygnage myghte be multyplyed there by / and that they myghte haue a ryghte heyre to enheryte his londes after his dyscese To the whiche requeste this good duke answered and sayde My lordes what thynge that ye thinke best for me to do shal be done / vpon a condicion in that ye wyl that I be maryed that ye puruey me a wyf accordinge to myne estate for and yf I shold coueyte ony heyer or noblyer of blode thā I am my self that myght not stonde with ryght and yf I take one that is not of so noble an house as I am that sholde be to me grete shame al my lygnage wherfore me thynke it were better that I kepte me as I am than to do that thynge that sholde not be myne honeste and afterwarde repente me Whan thise wordes were spoken well consydered by the lordes that stode there present then there rose vp a wyse baron and sayde to the duke My lorde ye speke very wysely and lyke a noble prince / but yf it please your hyenesse to gyue audience and here me speke I shal shewe you of a certayne persone / of whome ye shall enioye your self to here of her and the whiche ye shal obteyne I knowe well Than answered the duke and sayde shewe me than who that persone is / gracious lorde sayd the baron vnto the duke the duke of bourgone hath a doughter whiche excedeth all other in beaulte curtesye and debonayre wysdome good maners the whiche ye may haue yf ye wyl desyre her for I know well there wyll noo man saye naye therto To the whiche the good duke answered and sayde that lady playsed hym ryght well that the baron had gyuen hym good and wyse coūsell And in shorte tyme after that this lady was demaunded of her fader the duke of bourgone Whiche gaue hym her wyllyngly And thenne theyr bridale was kept honourably whiche were to longe to wryte ¶ How the duke of Normandy with grete royalte brought his wyfe the doughter of the duke of bourgon in to roan in Normandy after he had maried her AFter that the forsayde Duke hadde maryed the sayde lady he broughte her with a grete company of barons knyghtes ladyes with greate triumphe and glorye in to the londe of normandye and in to the Cyte of Roan / in whiche Cyte she was honourably receyued and with grete melodye there was grete amyte betwene the bourgonyons the normans whiche I lete passe for to come the soner to my mater the forsayd duke and duchesse lyued to gyder the space of .xviii. yere withoute ony chylde whether it were goddes wyll it sholde be so or it were thorowe theyr owne defaulte I can not Iuge it for it were better other whyle that some people had no chylderne and also it were better for the fader moder to gete no chyldern then̄e for lacke of chastysynge / the chyldern and fader and moder sholde al go to the deuyll yet were these duke and duchesse deuoute people whiche loued and drede god and gaue grete almes what tyme this Duke wolde meddle with his lady he euer prayed to god to sende him a chylde to honoure and serue god and to multyplye and fortefye his lygnage / but nother with prayer nor with almes dedes this good duke and duchesse coude gete no chyldern ¶ How vpon a tyme this Duke and duchesse walked allone sore complaynynge the one to the other that they coude haue no chylde togyder VPon a tyme this duke duchesse walked and the duke began to shewe his mynde to his lady saynge thus madame we be not fortunate in so moche that we canne gete no chylderne and they that made the maryage betwene vs both they dyde grete synne for I beleue ye had ben gyuen to an other man ye sholde haue had chyldern and I also yf I hadde an other ladye / this Lady vnderstode hy◠sayenge she answered softly / sayenge thus good lorde we muste thanke god of that whyche he sendeth vs take it pacyently of what so euer it he ¶ How roberte the deuyll was conceyued and how hys moder gaue hym to the deuyll in his cōcepcyon THys duke vpon a tyme rode oute on hoūtynge in a grete angre and pensifnes for ough that he coude haue no chylde sore complaynage sayenge thus to hymselfe / I see many wymmen haue many fayre chyldren in whyche they enioye gretly them by whyche I see well that I am hated of god meruayle it is that I fall not in dispayre for it greue the me so sore at my herte that I can gete no chyldren hen the deuyll whiche is alwaye redy to deceyue mā kynde tempted the good duke troubled his mynde so that he wyst not what to do nor saye thus moued he left his huntynge and went home to his palays were he foūde his lady also vexed moued as he come home he toke her in his armes kyssed her and dyde his wyll with her sayenge his prayers to our lorde in this wyse O lorde iesu I beseche the that I maye gete a chylde at this houre by the whiche thou mayste be honoured serued but the lady beinge sore moued spake thus folysshly sayd in the deuyls name be it in soo moche as god hath not the power that I conceyue and yf I be conceyued with chylde in this houre I gyue it to the deuyl body and soule and this same houre that this duke duches were thus moued the sayde lady was conceyued with a man chylde whiche in his lyf wrought moche mischefe as ye shall here after here / but afterwarde he was conuerted and dyde grete penaunce and dyed a holy man as is shewed here after ¶ How robert the deuyll was borne and what grete payne his moder suffred in his byrth THis duchesse as ye haue herd before was cōceyued with the forsayde chylde whiche she bare .ix. monethes as comunly women go with childe / and ye may well perceyue that this lady coude not be delyuered without grete payne for she traueylled more thā a moneth yf good prayers had not ben and almes dedes good werkes
made the gretest sorowe of the worlde in so moche that no man coude content her mynde ¶ How the Emperours doughter thrughe the grace of god began for to speke the fyrst that euer she spake in her lyfe THan as the Emperour with all his estate was come in to the chyrche the Emperures doughter whiche was dumbe sholde marye the Seneshall there dyde our lorde a fayre myracle for the loue of the holy man Roberte to the entente he sholde be exalted / whome euery body helde for a fole and with hym mocked whan the preest sholde begyn the seruyce to marye the Seneshall and this yonge mayde togyder / the doughter thoroughe the grace of god began to speke to the Emperour her fader in this wyse / fader I holde you not wyse but fer ouer sene in that ye byleue / that this proude folysshe traytour telleth you / for all that he telleth you it lyes / but here in this towne is a holy and deuoute persone / for whose sake god hath gyuen me my speche wherfore I loue hym in my herte for I haue all waye sene and marked his valyaunce and holynes but noo man wolde byleue me what poyntynge or sygnes that I made / than the Emperour this herȳge was almoost out of his mȳde for Ioye whan he herde his doughter speke whiche neuer spake before / wherby he knewe well ynoughe the Seneshal this herynge was wood angry and foule ashamed and lyghte vpon his hors and rode awaye and all his companye the pope there beynge presente axed the mayde who the man was that she spoke of / than the mayde ladde the pope and the Emperoure her fader to the fontayne where Roberte was wonte to arme and vnarme hym and there she toke out the spere heed from bytwene the two stones where Roberte had hydde it / and than she caused the spere to be brought forth where of this heed was broken / whiche was lyghtly broughte to her and that heed the spere Ioyned togyder in one as cloes as they had not be broken / than sayd the mayde to the pope we haue had thre tymes vyctorye by his noble valyaunce ayenst the myscreaunt Sarasyns / for I haue thre tymes sene his hors and harnays wherwith he hath thre tymes armed and vnarmed hym / but I can not tell who brought hym that hors and harnays nor vnto whome he delyuered it / but I knowe well that whanke hadde done he layde hym selfe downe by the dogges / and the mayden sayd vnto the Emperour her fader in this wyse / this is he that hath saued your londes and your honoure and gate you vyctorye of the hethen hoūdes the Sarasyns wherfore ye ought of deute to rewarde hym / and yf it please you we wyll go all to hym and speke with hym / than wente they for the pope the Emperour and the doughter with all the Lordes and Ladyes vnto Roberte whome they founde lyenge amonge dogges they folowed hym and dyde hym reuerence but Roberte answered them not ¶ How the heremyte foūde Roberte and commaūded hym to speke saynge to hym that his penaunce was full done and his synnes forgyuen THe Emperoure spake to Roberte sayd I praye you swete frende come to me shewe me youre thyghe for I wyll nedes se / whan Roberte herde thēperour saye these wordes he wyst well ynoughe wherfore he was comen to hȳ / but he lete hȳ as thoughe he had not vnderstonden hym Roberte dyde many madde conceytes to make the pope themperour to laughe forgate that they spoke of / but the pope spake to Roberte cōiured hym in the name of god that on the crosse dyed for our redemcyon that yf it be goddes wyll that thou hast spoken that thou speke now vnto vs / and than Roberte rose vp tyke a toie and gaue the pope his blessȳge and here withall Roberte loked behynde hym sawe the heremyte that set hym his penaūce as soone as the heremyte se Roberte whiche he had longe sought he cryed to hym with a loude voyce that euery man myght here hȳ that were there my frende harken vnto me I knowe well that ye be Roberte that men calle the deuyll but now ye be in grace and conceyte with almyghty god and for that foule and hydeous name ye shall haue a fayre name be called the seruaunt of god ye be he that hath saued this londe from the Sarasyns / wherfore I praye you that ye serue and worshyp god as ye haue done hyder to / for our lorde sendeth me now to you cōmaundynge you to speke and no more to conterfeyte the fole / for it is goddes wyll cōmaūdement / for he hath forgyuen you all your synnes for bycause ye haue made satysfaccion ful done your penaūce / whan Roberte herde this he fell lyghtly on his knees lyfte vp his hondes towarde heuen saynge thus I gyue lande thankes to god creature of heuen erth that it hath pleased the to forgyue me myne abhomynable grete synnes thrughe so lytell lyght penaunce that I haue done therfore / whan the pope the Emperour the doughter all that were there presente herde Roberte speke thus swetely they were all here of gretely enioyed had grete meruayll here of / themperour seynge his noble valyaunce vertue curtesye that in hym was wolde haue gyuen hym his doughter to wyf / but the heremyte wolde not it sholde be so / wherfore euery man departed and wente home ¶ Howe Roberte tourned agayne to Rome for to marye the Emperours doughter by the commaundement and wyll of god NOw the storye telleth as after that Roberte had remyssyon of his synnes was gone towarde his countre / than out of Rome god cōmaunded hym thre tymes by an aungell that he sholde tourne agayne to Rome and to marye the Emperours doughter whiche loued hym passyngly well and he sholde haue by her a sone wherby the crysten byleue sholde be encreased and forte fyed and defended Roberte at the cōmaundement of god tourned agayne to Rome and maryed themperours doughter with grete tryumphe solace / for themperour all the Romayns were therof very gladde / this brydale was royally kepte and euery man that se Roberte loued and lyked hym aboue all other / and the people sayd one to an other that they were gretely beholdynge to Roberte that he had redemed them from theyr mortall enmyes the sarasyns this feest was grete and notable and deured .xiiii. dayes and whan the feest and brydale was done Roberte wolde departe with his lady in to Normandye to vysyte his fader and moder / and toke his leue of themperour whiche gaue hym many royall and greate gyftes as gold syluer precyous stones of dyuers colours / also themperour gaue hym knyghtes and squyers to ryde conduyte hym in to his coūtre ¶ How Roberte his lady came to rowane in Normandye with grete honour and