of hyr chylde And anone he was guarysshed and hool ¶ How the kyng Cloys was vyctoryous of hys enemyes by canse he byleued in Ihesu Cryste Capitulo iiij KYng Cloys after certeyn tyme begaÌ„ to make warre mortal ayenst the Almayns And so perseueryng the alle mayns had vyctorye on the frensshe men in suche wyse that they were ouerthrowen slayn TheÌ„ne whan aurelyen sawe the dystructyon of the kynges peple he began to beholde the kyng hys lord sayd to hym Syr kyng ye see tofore your eyen the mortal destructyon of your peple I requyre you that ye byleue in god almyghty whych hath made heuen erthe I mene hym whome my lady the quene adoureth precheth and byleueth on whan the kyng had herde aurelyen thus speken in grete affectyon he began to lyfte his eyen vnto heuen and wepte moche largely and wyth grete pyte thus sayd O Ihesu cryst sone of the veâ—y god almyghty on whom my wyf by leueth and wyth al hyr hert precheth notyfyeth hym to gyue remedye to them that ben in trybulacyons I byseche the of ayde and socour that I may be vyctoryous of myn enemyes by experyence presently I byleueue on the and in thy name I shalle baptyse me I haue demaunded my goddes for to helpe me but they haue doon no thyng for me And I say they be of noo value ne of noo comforte whan they may not helpe them that requyre them wherfore to the as veray god and lord I requyre the that I may be delyuerd by thy hye puyssaunce fro myn aduersâ—ryes he thus sayeng wyth an hyghe voys The allemayns his enemyes vaynquysshed murdred began to flee in suche wyse that theyr kyng was deed wherfore they that abode yelded them to kyng cloys and byâ—men his subgettes and sette al that contreye vnder hys obayssaunce puyssaunce paâ—eng yerely trybute Thenne after this vyctory by the puyssaunce of god obteyned he came in to fraunce And recounted alle to the quene hys wyf how by Inuocacion dyuyne and by thayde of god almyghty he had obteyned vyctorye ¶ How the kyng was baptysed by saynt Remyge in hys baptesme by myracle was brouÈ the holy ampulle by an aungel fro heuen wherof euer after all the kynges of Fraunce â—â—â—â—â—noynted in theyr consecrâ—cyon atte cyte of Raynes capâ—â—ulo v AFter that the 〈…〉 herde the kynge whyche was conuerted vnto the crysten fayth for the vyctorye whych he had obteyned she had grete Ioye And Incontynet sent after saynt Remyge bysshop of raynes a moche holy man whiche came to hyr for to prech to the kyng his saluacyon he manerâ— of the crysten fayth whan he was comen after that he had wel enformed the kyng began strongely to excyte the peple of fraunce to byleue in Ihesu Cryst And the peple gaynsayed it not For in knowyng the errour of thydolles they began al to byleue in god say Syr kyng gloryous it is best that ye forsake thydolles and adoure the god Inmortal whome the quene adoureth and preyseth so for to do all we be contente Incontynent al this was shewed to saynt Remyge wherof he was moche Ioyous and cam to them dylygently as a good herdman that taketh grete payne to kepe the sheep fro his aduersarye and grete playsyr ought he to haue to come thyder For his comyng and hys prechyng dyd soo grete prouffyte that it made the peple to be regenerate after thordynaunce of holy baptesme wythoute whych no man may entre in to heuen wherfore the necessyte of the saluacion of thys kyng enlumyned of grace dysposed to byleue conioyned to good entencyon maad affectuously saynt â—emyge to come for he thought wel whan the kyng was baptysed and byleued in Ihesu cryst and his commaundements that al the peple subgette to hym shold do the same wyse And whan saynt remyge was comen and had coÌ„myned with the kyng touchyng his saluacyon began to ordeyne the place for to baptyse hym honourably and dyd to â—ynte the hystoryes after somme poyntes of our crysten fayth moche rychely and repayred the places ryght delycyously ¶ And on that other he dyd do ordeyne founde chirches auteâ—tykly compose baptyzatoryes funâ—es coâ—uenably whan al this was done yâ— kyng was al redy to receyue the holy sacrameÌ„t of baptesme to whome the frende of god saynt remyge began to say by faconde manere ¶ Syr kyng it is tyme that ye ought wyth pure entencyon to forsake the false goddes to whome tofore this tyme ye haue gyuen fayth And theÌ„ne the kyng was al redy to receyue the holy sacrameÌ„t of taptesme To whom Saynt Remyge began by fayr manere Syr kyng it is tyme that ye ought of pure Intencion to forsake the goddes to whome here afore tyme ye haue byleued on whyche ben ful of al vanyte and do no thynge but excersiâ—e of dampnacyon And ye ought to byleue wyth ryÈt humble hert in one onely god almyghty the fader the sone the holy ghoost one onely pure essence whyche hath created heuen and erthe to whome one onely ouÈt to gyue fayth and creaunce and in Ihesu cryst his sone whyche for the sauacyon of humayn creature wold take humanyte couenable for to repayre thynobedyence of our fyrst fader Adam And that was conceyued in the bely of the virgyn marie by the werk of the holy ghoost whyche after was sette on the crosse and took deth dolorously for to redeme vs was buryed and roos fro deth to lyf and after ascended in to heuen and sytteth vpon the ryght honde of the fader and fro thens shal come and Iudge the lyuyng and deed ¶ Also ye shal byleue in holy chyrche our catholyque moder her ordonnayre and whan saynt Remyge had ynough enformed the kyng and the peple of our fayth and byleue he baptysed them in the name of the fader of the sone of the holy ghoost And whan he came to enoyntyng after the custome of the holy cresme whyche noo man brought Incontynent by the plesyr of god and demonstraunce myraculous they alle stondyâ—g sodeynlye came doun descendyng fro heuen a douâ—e shynyng whiche bare in hyr becke an holy ampull and lefte it in the same place where the holy cresme was wherwyth the kyng cloys was fyrst enoynted in grete deuocyon by Saynt Remyge whyche Ampull is presently at Raynes of whyche holy cresme that is therin the kynges of frauÌ„ce onelyâ— been enoynted ones in theyr consecracyon ¶ In that tyme were baptysed the systers of the sayd kyng and thee thousand men of hys excersyte and so after all the peple of fraunce in grete Ioye and exaltacion of glorye ¶ The second partye of the first book conteyneth fyue chapytres and speketh of the begynnyng of kyng Pepyn And Charlemayn hys sone ¶ How Pepyn by his 〈◊〉 was chosen kyng of Fâ—aunce whan the lygnage of kyâ—g cloys faylled in successyâ—â—â— j THe book â—â—â—â—dent maketh mâ—ncyon of kyng Cloys the fyrst crysten
my felawe in the name of Ihesus drewe out haulte clere and came in to the waye the first that he recouÌ„tred was the sone of the grettest lord that was there and gaf hym suche a stroke that he clefte hym to the breste and fyl doun dede Olyuer was abylle delyuer and took fro hym hys shelde whyche was al newe for in the bataylle tofore maad he had loste hys also he had his spere lete hys hors renne emonge the myscreauntes And atteyned at the fyrst stroke Clorgys smote hym vnto the hert And in retornyng he slewe thre sarasyns they raÌ„ne tofore hym as sheep tofore the wulf whiche is hongry Thenne came on hym mara bas Turgys Sortybrant of conymbres and the kyng Margaris and they cryed with an hye voys to gydre by Mahoun our god thou freÌ„sshe man thou shalt not escape vs kepe the wel for by vs thou shalt deye And thenne cam Olyuer emonge his enemyes and smote and slewe on al sydes And the saresyns smote on hym in suche wyse that it was grete meruaylle that he was not slayne and ouercomen but by force and shotte and of strokes hys hors was slayn vnder hym And he beyng on the erthe as sone as he myght he aroos and beyng afoot sette his shelde tofore hym whyche he had goten and helde fast haultclore whyche was alle hys comforte for to socoure hym And alwaye whome he raught fyl doun and was slayn It is not redde in ony book that euer ony man so hurt as he was bare hym so wel and dyd so grete portemente of armes ¶ How Olyuer was taken blynfeld pyteously myght not be socoured by the Frensshe men capitulo xvij OLyuer was a allone on fote emong the sarasyns ageynst whome he made grete resystence meruayllous but it is not a thynge possyble that he myght escape fro theyr handes for wyth glayues with swerdes and with faus dartes of yron they pressyd hym so fore that hys shelde was perced in moo than xxx places whan hys hawberk was broken perced wyth foure sharpe dartes they perced and wounded hym in his body meruaillously wherfore by veray force for feblesse he fyl to the erthe there they took hym moche outerageously and after blynfelde hys eyen bonde hym straytely soo that he myÈt not see ne wyst not where he was they sette hym vpon a good hors bonde hym surely And whan thys valyaunt olyuer was thus dyspourueyed fro al helpe fro al syÈt fro al hope and fro al comforte it is good to wete that he was in grete desplaysaunce For he knewe not what they wold doo wyth hym Thenne wyth an hye voys by a compassyon of hert he sayd O Charlemayn kyng of noblesse Emperour of valure where art thou now knowest thou not where I am seest thou not what I do remembrest not me Noble felawe Rolland thou art all a slepe am I deef or how I may not here the is there none of you crysten that remembreth me These and suche other complayntes makyng the kyng Maradas sayd to hym Frensshe man what someuer thou be thou spekest of folye For I shal not ete tyl thou be hanged These sarasyns ranne wyth olyuer his â—yen blynfelde and hys hondes straytly bounden in the garde of four fals tyrants TheÌ„ne vpon thys in especyal came Rolland Thyerry al the peres charles hym self also but thys was ouer late for to saue Olyuer wyth grete cryes they cryed on god on al the sayntes of heuen And wyth grete Ire Rolland smote Corsuble in the brest Gherard of mondydyer came ayenst Turgys Ogyer smote athenas And Rychad Amancdys Guy of bourgoyne atteyned brullant There was none of the peres of fraunce but that ouer thre we hys man and made so grete dyscomfyte of the sarasyns that they were al empesshed to holde them to gyders and to goo theyr waye but the other paynyms that conduyted Olyuer wente alwaye forth And in thys bataylle was slayn guyllam gaultier other ynow of valyaunte peple many other of the moyen people laye on the grounde And Gherard de mondydier the sone of Duke Thyerey and geffroy langeuyn they bonde dylygently to theyr horses rode aweye wyth them hastely but whan charles sawe theym thus fadde for angre he loste almoost hys wytte And wyth an hyghe voys cryed saue kepe and socoure the barons O knyÈtes desloyal that ye be slowe yf they lede awaye the barons neuer shal ye fare wel whan the Frensshe men herde Charles thus moeued as enraged smote theyr horses wyth theyr sports and wente doun of a mountayn And there was Rolland fyrst that helde hys swerde durandall drawen for tauenge hym fyersly and hym that he atteyned was sure to passe by the deth For he was al enraged by cause that they ledde aweye his felowe Olyuer smote a paynym that he clefte hym to the myddle of hys body at that tyme rolland bare hym myghtely by cause of the multytude of the paynyms he myght not passe forth for to socoure the barons prysonners and chaced them more than v myle ferre coude not approche them thenne were many good knyghtes deed morfounded and wery And not wythstondyng Rolland sware that he wold neuer retorne tyl the barons of fraunce were taken fro the handes of theyr enemyes But he myght not do it For the nyght came on Wyst neuer whyther to goo The sarasyns that were tofore went fleyng alwaye at theyr playsyr ¶ Thys seyng Charles wyst not what he shold doo ne say For he doubted that the paynyms made a watche a ryere garde for to close them ¶ And therfore by force they must leue the felde in ryÈt grete dysplaysyr anguysshe and so al they retorned ¶ The second partye of the second book conteyneth xvij chapytres speketh of the tormente of the barons of fraunce how they that were taken spaken to ballant thadmyral of spayne ¶ How fyerabras was fouÌ„den by Charles and after was baptysed and heled of his wounde capitulo primo AFter that charles knew that he myght not haue ageyn Olyuer ne the other prysoners it was force to hym to retorne wyth hys people for the nyght was theÌ„ne to them greuous also in retornyng they fonde fyerabras vnder a tre languysshyng to whom the kyng said O vnhappy paynym I ouÈt wel to hate the for by the been my men prysonners and boste thou hast take fro me oliuer one of the best byloued that I had emonge al thumayn creatures hym yâ— hath be synguler to mayntene my good name by the in the ende in stede of Ioye thou yeldest me sorowe whan fyerabras vnderstode hym he sore syghed sayd O ryche emperour noble the moost myghty of humayn lygnage In thonour of god I crye the mercy pardone me It is trouthe that Olyuer hath conquerd me I shal not hyde it and I haue
the frenssh men that he within the toure ben of soo feble condycyon that ye shal make theym aferde wyth blowyng sownyng of hornes Certeyn ye haue nothyng to fere them wyth And I shal say to you the reason The flour of the barons of frauÌ„ce is there wythin the moost puyssaunt the moost noble Rolland is there whych is so puyssaunt and courageous that who someuer Ioyneth to hym he putteth hym to deth And there is the counte olyuer knowe ye not of his grete fyersnes whyche conquerd â—eynge Fyerabras the myghtyest of all the paynyms And I swere to you by mahoun that he is in theyr companye For I haue herde say also that there is the counte of mondydyer Gherurd whyche hath doon to vs grete dommage Also there is thyerry the duc of ardayne and another fals olde knyght that named hym self naymes duâ— of â—â—uyere semblably guy of bourgoyne whyche was taken from vs whan he was ledde to be hanged And other ther be whyche I haue not named There ben but xj for one of them was slayn and ye knowe wel they ben alle of grete resystence Roulland the nenewe of charles is of soo grete fyersnes that he doubteth no man lyuyng no stroke ne shotte that is gyuen hym and doubte ye not that yf they were al suche as be is that ben in the castel they shold chace vs oute of thys royame or they shold slee vs And I knowe wel that theyr god waketh for them for he hath ryÈt wel kepte them Our goddes ben accursed and vnhappy For it is longe sythe that they haue ony thynge holpen vs ¶ Of these wordes that brullant thus sayd thadmyral was passyng angry sayd to hym ye haue ryght euyl and folysshly spoken and so sayeng he wold haue smyton hym wyth hys staf but the kyng Sortybrant wythdrowe the stroke sayeng Syr admyral leue your angre and late vs thynke for to assaylle thys toure and late vs so do that these fals frenssh men be vaynquysshed and smyton in pyeces and thus as he had said thadmyral made to come hornes trompettes and other Instrumentes for to sowne to make bruyt and noyse in suche wyse that al the sarasyns were there assembled that they helde the space of a myle longe aboute the toure After thadmyral made to come a man Ingenyous enchauntour whyche was named Mahon that made two meruayllous engynes with couertures surely made kept them that were there vnder that they myght not be hurte of the frensshe men And by the moyen of these engynes they conquerd the fyrst wardes of the castel wherfore the frensshe men furyous and wode as lyons came to the yates of the toure the maydens also al armed whyche with the barons dyd so wel theyr deuoyr that he that was raught and smyton by them was so terrybly hurt that he ouerthrewe and fyl doun dede For they were aboue on hyr and threwe doun grete stones dartes of yron other mortal engynes wyth whyche they made contynuel resystence ¶ How the toure was broken and brente by enchauntement the barons in grete peryl of deth and restored by assoulte maad on the Paynyms capitulo xvij THe Paynyms perseueryng in thassault aforesayd ThenchauÌ„tour came tofore the admyral and sayd to hym RyÈt dere syr I haue made myn engynes al redy by moyen of whyche I shal delyuer to you the frensshe men make your men of armes to god a parte that I may haue somme to awayte on me And whan they were alle redy as he had deuysed he sette them rounde aboute the tour And by hys crafte and arte he made a flamme of fyre so meruayllous that yâ— pylers of marble other stones bygonnen to brenne make fyre at vtterauÌ„ce wherfore the frensshe men were so perturbed that the one sayd to the other that by force they must yelde the toure for they had no moyen to saue theyr persones wyth thys florypes sayd to them lordes esmaye you nothyng yet vnto the tyme ye see more And anone she wente took somme herbesâ— and other medecynes dyd tempere them in wyn For she knewe the manere how that fyre artyfycyally brente the stones thus she made this beurage and whan it was caste vpon the fyre it brenned nomore wherfore the admyral wende to haue been out of hys wytte for angre But Sortybrant tolde hym that al was quenched by the moyen of floripes his doughter wherfore thadmyral was of entencyon to make hys doughter to deye of an euyl deth The kyng Sortybrant sayd that he shold do sowne his hornes and trompettes and recommence the assaulte al newe and at that tyme by force the frensshe men shold be vaynquysshed For I am sure sayd he that they haue nomore to caste oute vpon vs For they haue nomore shotte ne stones but al is faylled to them And thassaulte was made as it was ordeyned Impetuous that it semed derke for the shotte of arowes of dartes stones other engynes in suche wyse that the grete quarters of the murayl walles fyl and tombled doun to the erthe the barons of frauÌ„ce moche abasshed sayd one to another that thenne they must nedes be vaynquysshed For they sawe parte of the walles the pryncipal of the castel falle doun And they beyng in grete thouÈt Florypes sayd to them thus Lordes dysmaye ye noo â—ynge thys toure is stronge ynough for to kepe vs yet And of that other parte the treâ—our of my fader is herin which is in 〈◊〉 wedges and places of 〈…〉 buyllyon late vs goo 〈◊〉 it and as wel may we 〈◊〉 the paynyms therwyth as wyth stones and better Thenne 〈◊〉 of bourgoyn hyr loue came to 〈◊〉 wyth grete Ioye hyssed 〈◊〉 moche amerously and swetelye And after she wente opened the toure and place where 〈◊〉 tresour was Innumerable and wyth grete quantyte therof they wente to the butysments of the toure and threwe vpon the â—aynyms in suche wyse that they made grete dyscomfyture And more ouer the paynems seeyng the golde falle on them in suche habundaunce anone they cessyd their fyghtyng ayense the freÌ„ssh men And for the concupyscence of that golde they fâ—ught and slewe eche other wherfore thadmyral was so dysplaysaunt angry that he wende to haue dyed and began to crye wyth an hye voys O ye barons sarasyns leue ye thassaulte whiche torneth to me grete dommage Innumerable For I see that my tresour wasteth is loste which I haue wyth grete payue dylygence assembled And had recomaunded it to my god mahon and had made hym kepar of it whyche now hath faylled me but by my soule yf I may take hym and that he come in to myn holde I shal make hym wepe The kyng Sortybrant answerd Syr Admyral be ye noo thyng ameruayllyd of your tresour ne wroth ayenst Mahon for he may nomore do they may wel take it fro hym for he is aslepe I byleue none other for in tyme passed
Brother felowe sayd Olyuer we seen here of vs x as longe as it shal please our creatour we been al good fyghtars In the name of God I counceyl that we yssue oure for to assayle our enemyes I had leuer to dye there withoute and suffre to be hewen than to deye here wythin wyth dyshonour Ogyer the danoys and the other sayd semblably Florypes seeyng thys was al abasshed and demaunded the barons yf they wold goo out for to goo assaylle the paynyms sayd to them ye noble knyghtes of honour of good partye I praye to god that at this tyme yeue you grace to doo wel And I promyse you yf ye put them oute from thys assaulte I shal shewe to you a thyng wherof ye shal be joyeful wyth tho thordes the barons goo smyte and hewe doun the turkes so vygorously that many of them were dede hurt whych were in the holes of the walle smote them wyth stoones in the tour in suche wyse that they were caste in to the dyches and drowned And anone as they had goten thoo holes they stopped them faste enclosed them and after florypes axed fyrst of naymes duc of vauyere of Thyerry duc of Ardayne and sayd Lordes on a tyme ye promysed me and sware that ye shold not do ony thyng ayenst my wylle I wyl shewe to you the crowne of Ihesus two of the nayles that he was nayled with to the crosse whyche I haue long kept The barons heryng thys wepte for Ioye sworen to hyr that they shold do no thynge to hyr but al loyalte and trouthe Florypes wente thenne and fette a lytel coffre moche ryche fayre and tofore them she opened it assone as the relyques were taken vnwounden there was seen a grete clerenes and a meruayllous resplendysshour Thenne the barons kneled doun to the erthe deuoutely smytyng them self on their brestes by contrycyon of hert Duc Naymes of bouyere was the fyrst that kyssed them wyth grete reuerence the other after after came to the wyndowes For the paynyms were mounted on hye And assone as they sawe them they tombled doun to the grounde dede al to broken whan Naymes sawe that he sayd O lord god of glorye whyche mayst do al thynge I thanke the gyue to the lawde and praysyng For now I see wel and knowe that these ben the reliques of whome we haue ofte spoken And Incontynent he took hardynes and courage and after sayd to hys felawes Brethern now we be recomforted so that we shal neuer fere ye doubte paynyms ne sarasyns And after Florypes remysed the relyques in the coffret honestly Thadmyral sawe the prynces at the wyndowes hys doughter wyth them he ful of a fals entencyon escryed hyr wyth an hye voys by cause he wold be vnderstonden O florypes fayr doughter I see wel where thou art A grete fool was thy fader whan he trusted the ful of folysshe counceyl was he that put in thyn hande by the moyen of thy lāgage the fyrst prysoners I haue herde say longe sythe that a man that trusteth in a woman of thyng of Importaunce is a moche fool but neuertheles thy puterye shal not endure longe as I truste For I swere to the that I shal departe the loue that thou hast wyth the glotons of Fraunce wythoute pyte I shal doo brenne you al Florypes herde these wordes took a baston in her honde made a sygne as though she had menaced hyr fader wherfore thadmyral seeyng that began to sowne to godre hys peple and comaunded to shote lose the Instrumentes ayenst the toure in suche wyse that anone a grete partye of the walle was ouerthrowen to therthe Thenne the barōs doubted moche of them vpon the walle And Rolland Olyuer and Ogyer went in to a chambre where as were Mahon Appolyn Termagaunte Margotte goddes of the Paynyms whyche were moche ryche And Rolland took Appolyn whyche was heuy and threwe it vpon the Paynyms Olyuer lyfte vp termagaunte Ogyer Margotte and smote wyth them the sarasyns in suche wyse that them that they attayned dyd them neuer hurte after whan thadmyral sawe thus his goddes vytupered and throwen he took suche angre and so grete yre in hys courage that for sorowe he tombled doun as a dede man to the erthe Sortybrant with moche sorowe took hym vp and many wepte made grete desolacyon for sorowe and after thadmyral sayd lordes frendes he shal euer be my frende specyal byloued that wyl aduenge the shame that these glotōs haue doon to my goddes Sortybrāt dyd grete payne to recomforte hym sayeng that in short tyme he shold be auenged on them al seen that the toure is broken in moo than xv partyes O Ma hon sayd the admyral thou hast wel forgoten me at the moost nede thou fayllest me thou arte now so olde that thou dotest I haue seen the day that y◠haddest grete puyssaunce ¶ Sortybrant ansuerd Syr ye haue an euyl custome whan ye speke so euyl ayenst Mahon Ye knowe wel that there was neuer borne ne neuer shal be so good a god he gyueth vs pleute of where of wyn and of other goodes also he shal doo for vs whan he hath bythought hym he is yer euyl contente for the stroke that ye smote hym on the nose Abyde a lytel tyl he be better aduysed And the frensshe men shal resde them vnto you soo that ye shal holde you pleased Vpon these wordes Mahon was broughte tofore hym And a deuyl entred in to hym whyche sayd in thys manere after that he had adoured hym Admyrall ryche lord ne dyscomfort you not do sowne your trompettes hornes and assemble your peple after assaylle the toure and at thys tyme ye shal take the Frensshe men wyth these wordes thadmyral was al reioyced and alle thengynes and Instrumentes he dyd do sette ayenst the tour and threwe stones and maad grete shotte ageynst the toure whyche was thenne al to broken and almoost al ouerthrowen The peres of Fraunce seyng thys had grete doubte of daunger and not wythout cause Neuertheles Ogyer the danoys sayd to hys felawes O loyal companyons replenysshed of fydelyte For ony payne or doubte of deth emonge vs late none be founde wyth ony treason ne suffre to entre in to hym ony euyl thought of Infydelyte and cowardyse ye see now that the tour gooth to groūde And almoost these sarasyns be medsed wyth vs But as touchyng to me I swere by god my maker that tofore my soule shal departe fro my body yf I haue the puyssaunce to holde in my hande Cortayn my swerde I shal make so grete a dyscomfyture of these paynyms that euery man shal meruaylle with these wordes Rolland byhelde durandal and Olyuer with eueryche of the other byhelde theyr swerdes were alle renewed wyth strengthe and courage And al wyth one wylle goon vpon the sarasyns and there dyd suche dylygence